Author's Note: Hey lovely readers, welcome to Chapter 30! It's hard to believe I've written so much and so many people like it XD I hope ya'll are staying safe and taking care of yourselves :) Enjoy the chapter!

To ryyaikki: I know right, they're so adorable! Poor Ace, of all the times to have his narcolepsy return...lol. Yep, Law will be entering in not too long ;) You're welcome and I hope you enjoy the update!

To too addicted to fiction: What can I say, Law is a favorite of mine XD Aw, I'm glad you like my story so much, makes me happy! Thank you for the review and I'll see you next time!

To clipboardfox22: Your senses are correct ;)

To yukino76: You're welcome!

To KitsuneNaru: Here's the update for ya!

To AllHailGodSogeKing: Omg thank you so much! I'm flattered *blushes* Well, I'm eternally grateful to have such wonderful and supportive readers :) I hope you enjoy the update!

WARNINGS:

- Lots of self-reflection

- Soft fluff

Ace flipped himself upright, breathing hard. The second his feet hit the deck, his fists were up, ready to face his opponent. Sabo smirked and charged yet again, arms glad in Haki.

It irked him that his brother was so much better at it than he was.

"Focus, Ace!" Marco called, watching them spar from near the railing, "Don't lose your cool, yoi."

He nodded and managed to dodge Sabo's flurry of attacks, flames billowing off his body. Inhaling sharply, Ace focused and managed to harden Haki around his fists, just like his brother. They clashed in a quick exchange of hand-to-hand blows, that pushed both of them backwards.

When Sabo made to attack again, Ace created a pillar of fire around himself that forced the other to stop in his tracks, and he couldn't help but smirk.

'Sabo has his Haki, and I have my fire.'

Marco clapping his hands brought him back to reality and he quickly put out his ring of fire.

"Not bad, yoi. Both of you have improved greatly."

"Thank you." Sabo replied, wiping sweat from his brow. His brother wore trousers and a flowy shirt while Ace wore only shorts. Marco had suggested the blonde wear less restricting clothing when they sparred, but it had taken a lot of convincing for him to actually do it.

Sabo loved his fancy clothes.

"I think that counts as my win." Ace said to Sabo, teasing the other. His brother's eyebrow twitched.

"Oh no, I don't think so. You were barely able to counter my attacks!"

"Yeah, yeah, you're both beautiful." Thatch put in as he approached, throwing arms around their shoulders, "You two interested in a post-spar snack? I've got some granola cooking." Both Ace and Sabo's stomach rumbled, making them blush.

Thatch grinned.

"I'll take that as a yes."

While Sabo excused himself to go wash up, Ace walked over to the railing of the Moby Dick. So much had changed in the months since he and Lu's kidnapping. Trapped on the Ecstasy, he'd become a shell of his former self, forced to fight for his life and collared like a dog.

Like the Hound.

He'd been terrified of being sent back or being betrayed by his saviors, the Whitebeard pirates. Yet, somehow, they worked their way into his heart and earned his trust. Now, here he was on their ship, sailing towards home, with his back completely exposed.

On top of that, he'd found Sabo and reunited with Luffy, a feat that never would have happened had he not had the Whitebeards' aid.

Ace owed them so much.

"Dear? Is everything all right?" Izo asked, coming up beside him, "You seem…troubled?"

"Just thinking." He replied, staring out to sea. The first half of the Grand Line (that the pirates called 'Paradise') was calm today, letting them sail peacefully for once. "We'll be leaving soon."

"Yes, you will. Nervous?" Ace shrugged.

"A little. It's just been so long since we left home…we're different than we would've been had I not chosen to take Luffy off Dawn Island that day." Izo smiled softly and leaned against the railing so he was facing Ace.

"Life has a way of surprising us. Do you regret leaving?"

"No!" Ace snapped, jaw clenched and eyes firm, "I promised myself that I would live a life without regrets."

"…and yet?" Izo probed gently. Ace's facade fell under the other's gentle stare.

"Sometimes…I'm afraid I stole something from Luffy that day. That because of my selfish decision…my baby brother had to suffer and won't grow up to be the man he could've been." The older pirate hummed.

"You can't change the past, Ace. Yes, you and Luffy suffered greatly, and no one should ever have to experience such things. But, because of your decision, we got to meet you and your little family." Izo put a hand on his shoulder, "And I, for one, am better for it."

Ace blushed and turned away from the other.

"Y-You're just saying that…"

"I mean it!" Izo said with a chuckle, "You three boys have brought joy to our crew that we haven't felt in many years, and, for the record…" He put his other hand on Ace's shoulder so he couldn't look away.

"Luffy isn't the type to let something like this keep him down. While it may be an obstacle, it's not insurmountable."

"But we're leaving soon and I'm not sure-"

"He won't be alone, Ace." Izo insisted, brow furrowing, "Dogtooth will look after him and help him heal. Before you know it, Luffy will be sailing back into the Grand Line with a crew of his own."

Ace smiled at the thought, knowing for a fact that the kid's crew would be a strange (but lovable) bunch. A group of people who would hopefully recognize Luffy's burdens and help him carry them.

"Yeah, you're right. He'll be fine."

"As will you, Dear." The male continued with a wink, stepping away from him, "Don't forget that your debut as a pirate is only two weeks away."

How could he forget?

It was his birthday after all.

Luffy perked up when his brothers finally joined him in the galley, done with their sparring for the day. He grinned up at them, purring when Sabo massaged his twitching ears gently.

"Save any for us, Lu?"

"Shishishi, just a little." Ace tousled his hair at his quip and plopped down next to him, eyeing the yogurt parfait with hunger. While his brothers got situated, Luffy put another spoonful of the delicious snack into his mouth, wanting to chase his pills down with something nice tasting.

He'd made sure to take them before his brothers arrived.

Marco or another commander (since they all definitely knew about it) always watched him closely to make sure he didn't try to get out of taking them. They did make him feel marginally better but had a pretty nasty aftertaste.

"So…how are they?" Thatch asked, eyeing the parfaits on the table. Ace and Sabo looked up at him, their cheeks full of yogurt. The pirate burst out laughing. "That good huh?"

"Delicious as always." Sabo managed after swallowing his bite. Ace just kept eating, stuffing the food in his face. Luffy's lips curled up into a soft smile at his big brother's familiar antics. When he'd finally reunited with Ace, he'd been so thin and restrained.

It was nice to see him slowly return to the confident, strong, unashamed brother he knew and loved. And, as for Sabo…

Luffy was just glad he wasn't dead anymore.

When they finished their snack, other commanders and crew members moved to join them, laughing and generally having a good time. Luffy's tail swished back and forth, enjoying the now familiar attention the brothers received.

"Eh, yellow today?" Vista pointed out, examining the bright bow tied around the end of his tail. After the incident with Jimbei, Luffy made a conscious effort to have one on almost everyday (relapsing was normal, or so Marco and Izo said…but it still scared him).

"Yeah! Do you like it?"

"It's very cute." The pirate affirmed before taking a drink from his mug. Luffy's cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling too much. Everyone was just so…nice. He'd miss all his new friends when they left, but there was also someone he desperately wanted to see again.

His Papa Kata.

They'd been in contact off and on throughout his stay on Mr. White Bread's ship, but not often enough in Luffy's opinion. At first, Kata was busy with his mean Mom and then he had to cut their conversations short for 'security reasons'. Apparently, they were worried the marines were listening to their calls.

Luffy brought his knees up to his chest and inhaled deeply, enjoying the lingering (and comforting) scent of his Papa on the hoodie he wore. It was the black one with Kata's mark on the back, one of his favorites.

His ears drooped slightly when he reached up to caress the hoops there, another physical reminder of Kata and everything he'd done for him.

Don't forget your hat. Red-haired man likes you too.

Luffy's head shot up at Blue's voice in his head. His inner-cat had been speaking a lot more lately and was becoming easier to understand as the days went by.

"Yeah…Shanks too." He whispered in response, feeling Blue's pleasure at being acknowledged. The cat was right, they had friends all over the sea, and he wore mementos from almost all of them. Shanks' hat was always with him (currently hanging around his neck) along with Kata's earrings. A lot of his new clothes had Mr. White Bread's jolly roger on them and were sooo soft.

He really appreciated having physical reminders of his friends, new and old.

"What was that, Lu?"

"Ah, nothing." He replied, earning a shrug from Sabo. Blue trilled in his head, seemingly enjoying his brother's confusion.

Should let me fight them soon. Would be fun.

Luffy's stomach dropped at the mere thought of letting Blue out again. The last time the cat had let lose, his Papa got hurt.

…don't trust Blue?

No, he didn't. His inner-cat was wild and Luffy wasn't ready to connect with him outside of Marco's room just yet. Their conversations were weird enough without the other commandeering his body. At his rejection, Luffy felt Blue rub against his consciousness just enough to cause black spots in his vision before retreating to inner parts of his mind.

He didn't feel anger, just understanding. Blue was letting him know that he would be patient, but Luffy knew the cat was getting restless.

"Gurarara, hello my children!" Mr. White Bread's loud voice brought Luffy out of his own mind and back to reality. The pirate captain sat down at their table with a warm expression that immediately cheered Luffy up.

"How goes it, Pops?" Thatch asked while accepting a mug from a crew member.

"Very well! I just received word that Akagami is moving into position and should serve as a good distraction for Sengoku's dogs."

Luffy'd heard about their plan from Ace and Sabo. Mr. White Bread was concerned that the marines would be watching their home island and had requested Shanks' help in drawing their attention away so Ace could depart in peace.

"I also have good news." Sabo put in, "Karasu contacted me earlier to confirm that he's on his way. He'll be here in exactly one week."

"…I still can't believe we're going to fly over the Red Line." Ace mumbled, adjusting his orange hat.

For his part, Luffy was ecstatic about the idea. Instead of trying to take a boat to East Blue, once they were close enough, Marco and one of Sabo's friends were going to fly them back to Dawn Island. Who wouldn't be excited about being so high up!? There was so much to see!

"Gurarara, it'll work." Mr. White Bread affirmed, smirking down at Ace, "Unless you change your mind and want to stay?" Around them, all the commanders sighed and his brother, as expected, flared up.

"I'M NOT BECOMING YOUR SON, OLD MAN!"

"…but you're thinking about it?"

"NO!"

Luffy laughed alongside everyone else at the two's bickering that had become a common occurrence. Sabo gave him an amused, but knowing, glance as the argument continued. They both knew that Ace had been secretly wrestling with the notion of staying for quite a while now.

Personally, Luffy didn't think he would…not yet.

Ace needed to experience being a pirate captain and gathering his own crew; the freedom of the sea he so longed for.

Giggling to himself, Luffy requested more snacks from Thatch, content to enjoy the moment of peace amongst those he loved.

Katakuri stepped out of the woods on the island he and Brulee had stopped on and looked out across the sea. It was interesting how the ocean never truly changed, regardless of whether you were in the New World or in one of the Blues.

And yet, he knew East Blue was different. It was…calm. Much more so than the tumultuous sea he was used to.

'So…this is where Luffy's from.' He mused, eyes tracing the horizon, 'And where the Pirate King called home.'

He sat down on the soft grass, content to breathe in the fresh air as his thoughts drifted. After days upon days in the mirror world, Katakuri was happy to finally have real ground beneath his feet.

They'd left Totto Land early to make sure they made it in time to scout Luffy's home island for marines and other unsavory characters. Mama had been reluctant to let him leave (again) but relented when he promised to bring her back some delicious sweets from…somewhere.

'We will have to make a stop on our way back and find something that will appease her.' Katakuri thought with a huff, adding it to their list of things to do. As they made their way back home, it was very important to keep Luffy hidden, which would probably be easier said than done.

Thinking of the small cat-boy prompted a gentle smile to appear on his face. From what he'd heard, Luffy was greatly enjoying his time with the Whitebeards and his brothers. As expected, the ancient pirate was a natural paternal figure and kept his promise to keep them safe.

"Brother?" Brulee asked, coming up behind him, "Shall we camp here for the night or return to the mirror world?"

"Here is fine." Katakuri replied, wanting to put off returning to the colorful world as long as possible (knowing they'd be going in and out of it on their way back to Totto Land as well), "We can find a mirror in town tomorrow."

Using Brulee's ability, they'd jumped all the way across the Grand Line and exited (after multiple transfers on ships and the like) in the East Blue. The small town on the other side of the island would serve as their next transfer point, bringing them closer to Dawn Island.

"Are you excited to see Luffy again?" She asked, sitting next to him.

"…yes. Very much so." Katakuri admitted, not bothering to hide his feelings from Brulee, "I hope the Whitebeards have helped him start the healing process."

"I'm certain they've been wonderful with him." Brulee said while pulling out her sowing needle, "I'd bet money he's got them wrapped around his little finger by now." Katakuri chuckled and eyed the shirt she was working on, a gift for Luffy, no doubt.

"Like he's got you, Daifuku, Oven-"

"Yes, yes." Brulee interrupted, "I'm afraid you're going to have to get used to us spoiling Luffy rotten. Who can possibly say no to those eyes of his?"

"I can." Katakuri stated (knowing in his heart that it would be difficult…but he could do it…he hoped), "And I don't want to keep babying him forever. It's very important to figure out the secrets of his second fruit and continue his training."

"All while supporting his recovery." Brulee added, making him nod. He knew recovery was a process that was different for all people. Luffy had experienced trauma no child should ever have to go through and would need support.

From him.

His brothers.

His future crew.

As his adoptive father, it was Katakuri's job to ensure that Luffy was ready to embark on his long desired journey. They would have approximately three years, but he wasn't sure that would be enough time to accomplish everything the boy needed.

Not only did Luffy need to learn to aim with his rubber abilities (consistently), but they needed to delve deep into his feline traits (especially after the incident with what the boy called his 'bad cat'). Katakuri did not want to be mauled again. All of that on top of basic Haki training and, as Brulee continuously reminded him, supporting the boy's mental health…

It would be difficult, but Katakuri was up to the task.

Anything for his little kitten.

That evening, Sabo sat on the Moby Dick's figure-head drawing a star chart. The sky was clear, and the weather was perfect, a rarity in the Grand Line. Luffy had tried to stay up with him, but eventually relented to joining Ace in their shared bed a few hours before.

Sabo stuck his tongue out of his mouth as he concentrated, basking in the silence. It was nice to have some time to himself every once and a while.

"Whatcha working on?"

He sighed. So much for 'alone time'.

"A chart. Is there something I can do for you?"

Thatch chuckled sheepishly and moved to sit next to him with his legs splayed in front of him.

"Actually, yeah…can I ask you something?"

Sabo nodded, not looking up from his detailed work.

"Ace's birthday, it's coming up, right?"

"Yes it is. On January 1st."

"So…what would you say to helping us plan a surprise birthday party?" Sabo froze, pen hovering above the parchment. A party…for Ace? Thatch stared at him in confusion. "Uh…you okay?"

"Yeah…just surprised…and, unfortunately, inexperienced." He clarified, putting his pen back into his pocket. "Ace's birthday is not something we usually celebrate."

"What!? Why not?"

"It's…complicated." Sabo continued, reaching up to run a hand through his hair. It was true, they never acknowledged Ace's birth at his own request. Their birthdays were always special.

But not Ace's.

Thatch crossed his legs and leaned forward, obviously desperate to hear more.

"He's always hated his birthday," Sabo clarified, doing his best not to spill any of his brother's closely guarded secrets, "for reasons that aren't mine to reveal. That's not to say we haven't ever celebrated a birthday…"

"I see…" Thatch said softly, a hand coming up to his chin in thought. After a few seconds, the pirate leapt to his feet, face glowing. "Well, there's always a first time for everything! This year, we'll throw Ace the best damn birthday party he's ever had!

Sabo's eyes grew wide. They were still going to do it!?

"U-Uh…I mean-"

"Come on, it'll be great!" The pirate exclaimed, "Ace has come a long way and he deserves to be celebrated. Even if it's against his will."

He sighed, recognizing Thatch wouldn't be talked out of it. Standing up, he brushed off his coat and straightened his hat before thrusting his arm forward.

"Very well, let's do it. But don't blame me if he explodes or something."

The cook grinned and shook his hand firmly.

"Explode in 'happiness' maybe."

Sabo doubted that very much.

Thatch practically skipped back into the innards of the Moby Dick, making his way towards Pops' room. When he arrived and let himself in, the other commanders were already there, waiting to hear how his conversation with Sabo went.

"Well, yoi? Learn anything useful?" Marco asked while pulling up a chair for him.

"Yeah…mostly good, but some bad."

"Bad? What, is Ace really picky about his cake flavors or something?" Haruta put in, smirking at him. Thatch chuckled for a moment but felt his face fall when he recalled his conversation with Sabo.

"…I wish." At his sullen tone, everyone went silent.

"What is it, my son?" Pops said softly, motioning for him to continue. Thatch huffed.

"According to Sabo, they've never once celebrated Ace's birthday…at his request. Said, and I quote, 'he's always hated his birthday'."

The other commanders gaped down at him.

"Why would he hate his own birthday!?"

"Did something bad happen on that day or something?"

Thatch shrugged, unable to give them answers based solely on Sabo's cryptic response.

"I don't know, but I was able to get Sabo to agree to help us out." He forced a grin and stood to his feet, excitement returning, "You know what this means, right? This is going to be Ace's very first birthday party! We've gotta knock his socks off!"

"Gurarara, it'll be a day to remember!"

With that, Thatch began to delegate 'birthday tasks' to the various divisions. Izo would be in charge of making ribbons and decorations (in secret of course…this was going to be surprise after all). Marco agreed to handle the boys on the big day, making sure they didn't accidentally spoil anything for Ace.

"What about presents?"

"I want lots of them!" Thatch ordered, mentally thinking through all the ingredients he'd need for the cake, "We want to make sure he knows he's loved, yeah?"

Everyone cheered and started to clump into groups, brain storming what they could make/get for Ace that he would appreciate.

'Oh yeah, this is going to be good.'

When Sabo finally retired to bed, he couldn't help but crack a smile.

Ace was sleeping peacefully with Luffy curled up half on top of him, both snoring quietly. He changed into his nightclothes and sat on the mattress, taking a moment to stare down at his brothers.

His precious family.

As he watched, Luffy mumbled something and nuzzled closer to Ace, making the elder pull him closer on instinct. Sabo's fond smile never wavered as he reached over and stroked Luffy's raven hair, moving his fingers into the fur of his ears. The little boy leaned into his touch, tail curling around Ace's leg in response.

Moving to his freckled brother, Sabo sighed, thinking about Thatch and the commander's plan. How would Ace react? They'd grown so close to the Whitebeards, but…

'Well, worrying about it won't do me any good.' Sabo thought while crawling into bed with his brothers, creating a Lu sandwich like they always did.

He would miss them when they went their separate ways.

"…'Bo?" A drowsy voice whispered, making Sabo blink. It was Ace, barely awake, and staring at him with half-lidded eyes. "How were…the stars?"

"Beautiful." He replied, getting himself comfortable around Luffy, "How was Lu?"

"…hyper."

Sabo laughed and leaned down to plant an amused kiss to one of Luffy's ears, just above the hoop earring. Ace smiled and repositioned himself, so his head was more firmly on the pillow.

"Night, Sabo."

"Goodnight, Ace."

In seconds, the other had fallen back asleep, his cheek squished into the pillow. Sabo knew that, just like Luffy, he'd be sprawled out in a few hours. Neither of them could manage to stay in one place for long, even when sleeping.

Settling himself down, Sabo exhaled slowly, feeling his body relax.

Yes, he would miss them terribly.

But their bond couldn't be broken by something as trivial as distance.

IMPORTANT: With Ace's birthday celebration coming next chapter, I wanted to do something special, kind of like what I did back in Chapter 22. So, for a limited time, I will be taking requests for the following things:

- Birthday gifts for Ace

- Cake flavors/decorations

- Any additional birthday things the Whitebeards may feel is necessary to 'knock Ace's socks off' (i.e. music, fireworks, etc.)

Please be specific with your requests and include who the gift is from (which commander, Luffy, Sabo). As always, please know that I love all of you and greatly respect your ideas! I will do my best to include all of them (within reason lol) but please don't be disappointed if yours doesn't make the final cut. Chances are, I will file it away for future stories or for use later in this one ;)

You may submit requests either by review or direct PM, and I will stop taking requests end of day 6/27/2020.

Can't wait to hear from ya'll!

Riku