Authors Note: I'm sad to say, we've reached the final chapter, folks! Enjoy!

As always, big thank you to Mithril for beta'ing. And for somehow managing to do so whilst buried neck deep in the OPBB challenge! And on that note, I demand you all go check out Mithril's fic when it debuts! You won't regret it!

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Chapter 8 – The Boy from Gray Terminal

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Sabo hovered in the doorway to his father's study. He had been stood there for a few minutes already, patiently waiting for his father to finish his den den mushi call. He had seen a small flicker of surprise cross Outlook's face when he had first spotted Sabo, and Sabo couldn't blame him. It was still rather early, the servants having not even finished preparing breakfast yet, but it was the perfect time for them to speak alone without any interruptions.

If he was honest with himself, Sabo had expected to feel nervous, now that the moment had arrived for him to confront his father with his findings. But instead he only felt a sense of calm righteousness.

"Then see that's done!" Outlook snapped, and the slamming of the receiver drew Sabo's attention back to his father. Outlook spared his son only a cursory glance as he stomped out from behind his desk and towards the steaming pot of coffee laid out for him. "What is it now, Sabo?"

"I wanted to speak with you about something," Sabo replied, stepping into the office, his feet sinking into the luxurious carpet.

"I don't have time to deal with whatever nonsense you have in your head this morning," Outlook said, taking a large gulp of coffee and walking back towards his desk. He waved a dismissive hand towards the door. "I have a busy day ahead of me. Go and leave me in peace," he ordered.

Sabo frowned. He knew Outlook was aware he was still stood there but he was purposely being ignored. When he was younger Sabo had often felt confused and even betrayed that the two people in the world who were meant to love him unconditionally simply didn't see him as anything but a pawn in their games, someone who was only needed when it was convenient to them. And Sabo was a little ashamed to acknowledge he had gone along with it. He had bowed down to their whims but no more. It ended today.

Sabo drew in a deep, steadying breath, gathering his nerve, because for all that he was as prepared as he could be, his father was still an extremely imposing man and even at the age of fifteen, Sabo barely came up to his shoulder.

"Then I suppose, if you're too busy Father, I should just go and speak to the royal advisors directly. I'm sure they'd spare me the time of day once I tell them what it's about," Sabo said, pleased to find his voice was strong and steady. He didn't have to wait long for a reaction.

Outlook whirled around, mouth pulled down into an annoyed sneer. "What in the world are you talking about, boy?"

Sabo offered him a small but pleasant smile and held up the small stack of papers Luffy had found. He could see Outlook's beady gaze roving across the royal seal of Loftus clearly visible at the top of each page.

"Can I speak to you in private?" Sabo asked again. "Or would you rather the whole house heard the conversation?" he added, somewhat cheekily, but he couldn't help himself. Outlook's undisguised confusion as to why Sabo was waving around papers with the very prestigious royal seal plastered across them was the most amusing thing Sabo had seen in weeks.

"Get in here, you insolent child!" Outlook hissed, storming across the room. Sabo sidestepped him neatly and didn't so much as flinch as the study door was slammed shut so violently it bounced in its frame. Sabo stared up at his father, gaze never wavering. Outlook's eyes on the other hand, continued to flicker to the papers Sabo still held. "Now what is all this nonsense? I promise you, Sabo, if this yet another crazy plea for attention, you will regret it," Outlook growled, but it lacked its usual heat.

Sabo took Outlook's words as an invitation to make himself comfortable. He moved to lean casually against the table in the middle of the room, mindful not to touch the hot coffee pot as he rested back on his hands. Outlook frowned at what he no doubt perceived as slouching, but surprisingly managed to hold his tongue, instead moving to sit back at his desk. He leant forward and propped his chin on his interlocked fingers, studying Sabo carefully. Sabo could tell his father was trying to guess how much he understood about what he had in his possession. He was rather amused to see Outlook hadn't made a grab for the papers, instead trying to brush off their importance by attempting to ignore them. Unfortunately for Outlook, he had shot himself in the foot because he was the one who had insisted Sabo had the best education available. And Sabo had immediately understood exactly what Luffy had unintentionally found.

"I knew we did business for the royal family; you brag about it enough after all," Sabo started.

"It's an honour when you're called upon to assist royalty," Outlook retorted, bristling ever so slightly.

Sabo shrugged. "I knew you did business for them, but I had no idea how much. Or that you were making such a profit for them," he continued, briefly tapping the papers resting beside him before catching Outlook's gaze. "But I wonder if the royal family have any idea you've been holding some back?"

A deafening silence resonated about the study for several moments before Outlook snorted with derision. Sabo wasn't fooled however, he could see a small bead of sweat forming on his father's temple. Outlook was undeniably nervous.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sabo," Outlook scoffed, leaning back into his chair and reaching for his cup of coffee. Sabo spotted a slight tremble his hand. "All the profit we've ever made for the Loftus family has been given to them, as it should be. There are absolutely no records that would claim otherwise."

Sabo smirked, catching his father off-guard. "The false accountancy reports you gave to the royal advisors probably wouldn't," he agreed, stepping towards his father's desk and sliding a single sheet of paper from the file across to the noble. "But the original records produced by your office, with your signature at the bottom, certainly prove otherwise."

Outlook blanched a sickly shade of white. Sabo waited and watched patiently as he read the accountancy sheet several times, clearly searching for any sign of forgery.

"Where did you find this?" Outlook inquired, voice terse and barely above a whisper.

"At the office," Sabo replied, grinning when his father's head snapped up so fast Sabo actually heard a soft crack. "It was well hidden. I nearly didn't find it at all. But all the evidence is here," he said conversationally, walking back to collect the sheets still resting on the table behind him. "It's undeniable. You've been cheating the Loftus family out of their profit for years, if not decades."

Sabo was certain if they'd had the time to search further back into the records stored in the basement, he and his brothers would no doubt have found more evidence of Outlook's theft. Outlook had been careful about how he'd gone about it, though. Sabo might even have called it smart except for the fact he's been scamming the royal family, a completely stupid idea if ever he'd heard one. It had never been often and never in large amounts, but certainly enough to nicely line Outlook's pockets. If he'd have cared, Sabo might've been interested in seeing the accounting books for the office to check and see exactly how much Outlook's lavish lifestyle was funded by his legitimate business, and how much was funded by the royal family.

"When were you in the office?" Outlook asked. Sabo was slightly surprised at the question. He'd expected his father to focus on the fact his son had just found out he'd been stealing from royalty.

"Last night," Sabo said, wondering whether his father may be shock. "I was looking for information about The Anchor. I'd hoped that if I could find it and threaten to give it to that investigator, that you'd finally let me go. But lucky for me, I found something even better to use against you!" he added with a grin.

Outlook stared up at him. "You planned to blackmail me?" he asked, voice suddenly deceptively calm. Sabo nodded unrepentantly, watching his father's face bloom an unpleasant shade of red. "Why?" Outlook roared, and he hauled himself to his feet, his heavy boots shaking the very ground as he stomped around the desk. "Why are you trying to ruin your family?!"

"I'm doing this to protect my family!" Sabo shouted, standing firm in the wake of his father's fury, hoping his heart couldn't be heard pounding in his chest. "I knew if I made any attempt to leave, you'd go after Ace and Luffy! But with this, I don't have to worry about that anymore," he affirmed.

Outlook glared, a sneer firmly in place. "And what exactly are you going to do with such information, Sabo? Everyone about town knows you're a troublemaker. They're not going to take your word over mine. They'll believe you fabricated the whole thing!"

Sabo smirked. "Even if people didn't believe me, you won't be able to stop the rumours," he declared. "Look at what's sprung up about town just because I fell ill in public and haven't been seen in a few weeks. No one believes I'm recovering. They think I'm dying! I know you've done everything you can to stop it, but you haven't been able to, have you?" Sabo prompted. That seemed to give Outlook pause, his brow knit tightly in thought as he considered Sabo's words. Sabo raised the papers again, waving them about lazily. "This would always be out there. The royal family would no doubt hear about it. Their advisors would be much more thorough when it came to checking their dealings with you. They may even refuse to send more work your way altogether. And if you lose the business, and trust, of the royal family, I wonder what other clients would follow? The royals are known as trendsetters, after all."

Sabo didn't flinch when Outlook snatched the remaining papers from his hand. "You won't be doing anything with these, boy! The audacity to think I'd let - "

"You can keep them, I have plenty more," Sabo interrupted, wiping Outlook's triumphant smirk straight off his face. "They're only a fraction of what I found."

Outlook spluttered for several seconds, struggling to regain his composure. Sabo dared a glance at the clock on the mantelpiece. He was very aware of the time wasting away in his father's study when he had other people to see. He returned his gaze to Outlook who was flicking through the papers restlessly. He didn't look like he knew what to do. Sabo smiled to himself, wondering when - if ever - the last time someone had the nerve to actually blackmail his father was. Outlook had probably never even entertained the idea someone would dare, let alone that that person would be his own flesh and blood.

Sabo saw the exact moment Outlook decided denial was his best friend. The man threw the papers away in disgust and they fluttered down onto his desk in a flurry of white.

"I refuse to believe you acquired them at the office!" Outlook scoffed. "I ordered all such things to be destroyed!"

"You only conduct business at the office, where else could I have gotten them?" Sabo asked, not bothering to point out that Outlook hadn't denied the legitimacy of the documents.

"Impossible!" Outlook retorted, practically turning his nose up at the very thought. Sabo rolled his eyes impatiently. He really didn't have time to waste on such a petty argument. Just as he was trying to think of a way of drawing Outlook's fractured concentration back to the point at hand, the den den mushi suddenly wailed, breaking the tense silence.

"That's probably the clerks calling to tell you it appears the office had an intruder last night," Sabo said, hoisting himself up to sit on the table, his legs swinging leisurely underneath. Outlook frowned when Sabo grinned. "Sorry, I might've left a small mess, but I was very careful not to break anything," he was quick to reassure his father, who stared dumbly at him for a single moment before snatching up the receiver.

"What?" he asked tersely.

Sabo didn't need to hear the stuttering apologies of the unfortunate clerk who'd drawn the short straw; Outlook's amusing array of facial expressions was proof enough that the man was confirming everything Sabo had just explained. Sabo had never seen someone flush so many shades before. Outlook went from red, to purple, and was currently looking a little green around the edges as the full reality of the situation finally began to dawn on him.

"You're certain?" Outlook asked quietly, hand clenched tight around the receiver. "What do you mean 'and all the food is missing'?" Sabo shrugged innocently when Outlook turned his bewildered gaze onto him as if to say that wasn't him. Outlook gave himself a small shake. "Do a full inventory. I want a full report of anything that's missing by the end of the day."

Outlook lowered the receiver, ignoring the sputtering exclamations of the clerks, and stared thoughtfully at Sabo, who steadily returned his gaze. He drew in a deep breath before walking back around his desk and sliding into the chair. With his head in one hand, Sabo felt like he was seeing the man age ten years in ten seconds. He looked drawn and weak, but Sabo didn't feel even an ounce of sympathy. The noble had knowingly put others through more stress and heartache than Sabo could ever hope to inflict on him in return; it was only fair Outlook now felt some of that anguish.

"What do want, Sabo?"

For a second, Sabo wasn't entirely certain he had heard correctly, but from the look of utter resignation on Outlook's face, he realised his father was indeed admitting defeat, as Sabo had hoped he would.

It was odd though, Sabo admitted thoughtfully. He had thought that when he finally had Outlook right where he wanted him, asking him the very question he'd wanted to hear from his father's lips for as long as he could remember, he'd have felt some sense of victory. But as it was, there was just an overwhelming sense of relief that Outlook was finally acknowledging his needs.

Sabo released a weary sigh and his shoulders slumped. "It's been a long time since anyone bothered to ask me that," he confessed. Outlook's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. Sabo could see the thoughts that were running through his head; they were nobles, they didn't ask, they took, regardless of the consequences. "I want out," he finally said, raising his head proudly.

Outlook looked completely perplexed before snorting with contempt. "You want out?" he echoed in disbelief. "I thought for sure you'd simply ask to see those damn brats again, not to actually up and leave!" Outlook shook his head. "What am I supposed to tell people?"

Sabo shrugged, unconcerned and he slid gracefully from the tabletop to his feet. "I don't care. That's not my problem. But since everyone seems to believe I'm currently on my deathbed, you could just take advantage of it. Announce I had a relapse and died during the night."

Outlook's jaw dropped at the suggestion and he sat bolt upright. "That's preposterous!" he raged.

Sabo stared at him blankly. "Are you really willing to run the risk of finding out what happens if I release the rest of those papers to the general public?" he asked, the unspoken threat hanging between them.

Outlook frowned but thankfully settled back into his chair. "How am I to trust you'll keep your word, Sabo? For all I know, you could've already have sent it to the press."

"Stay the hell away from my brothers and I'll keep my silence," Sabo promised. "And I will know if you come anywhere near them," he warned.

Outlook smirked. "How? You're obviously returning to them but you can't be with them all the time, can you?"

"I don't need to be," Sabo retorted quickly. "I lived in Gray Terminal for years, I picked up a thing or two," he grinned. Outlook's smug expression fell away quickly at the reminder. Outlook had experienced first-hand some of the tricks Sabo had learnt after forcing him to return home. And although the number of times Sabo had rebelled against his parents had dimmed in the last couple of years, Sabo had no doubt the memories were still fresh in Outlook's mind. It had taken months after all, for the smell of paint to disappear after Sabo had taken it upon himself to redecorate the house when he was twelve.

Outlook glared. "I hope you realise that if you leave, you shouldn't ever expect to be allowed back, so get all ideas of that right out of your head!" he sniped.

"I never wanted to come back the first time," Sabo pointed out, heading towards the door. He heard Outlook jump to feet and he glanced over his shoulder, pausing with one hand on the doorknob.

"Is this really worth it?" Outlook called. His father looked almost perturbed, but Sabo wasn't fooled to think it was because his son was willingly walking away from him for the second time. No, it was simply because he was losing his blood heir. Birth rights meant everything to the privileged. "You'll be losing all your wealth and status!" he cried.

Thoughts of Ace and Luffy came to mind, causing Sabo to smile softly. "Not all wealth in the world is gold and silver."

xxx

The house was silent, the way Sabo liked it best, which meant either Outlook had told his mother the truth of his impending departure and she had simply fainted from shock, or Outlook was waiting until he was sure Sabo was out of the house before breaking the news. Sabo wasn't going out of his way to find out which; he had absolutely zero interesting in seeing his mother again. They had nothing to say to one another.

He cast the clock another quick glance before frowning. Whilst his talk with Outlook hadn't lasted all that long, he was pushing himself for time if he wanted to make it to the docks. He hurriedly threw another journal into his bag, squashing down the blankets and spare shirts he'd already packed. He wasn't taking much. He didn't need or want anything more than to get the hell away from High Town, but he was also thinking ahead. Winters in the forest could be brutal and while Ace and Luffy had obviously managed, Sabo knew a few spare blankets would never be unwanted. The journals themselves were old, but even so, Sabo wasn't willing to leave them behind and he was sure Luffy at least would enjoy some of the stories he'd recorded.

Shuffling footsteps caught Sabo's attention. He glanced over his shoulder, hoping it wasn't some nosy maid, but was instead greeted by the most unwelcome sight of Stelly lounging in the doorway. His hands were clasped behind his back and he wore one of the smuggest expressions Sabo had ever seen, which was saying something considering it was Stelly.

"Father's locked himself in his office and is refusing to see anyone. I think he's despairing about where they went wrong with you," Stelly said, sighing with much exasperation.

Sabo allowed himself a small moment of indignance. "I think you mean, where did they go right with me," he corrected, turning his back on the young noble to study the small collection of books he had on his desk, wondering if he could squeeze a couple of them into his bag too.

"You're going to give that investigator the file on The Anchor, aren't you?"

Sabo paused briefly and then smirked. "Eavesdropping isn't polite, Stelly," he pointed out, picking a couple of books at random. He caught Stelly shrugging out the corner of one eye when he crossed back to the bed. "I told father why I went to the office in the first place. It really shouldn't come as a surprise when word gets out," he explained.

"You're not worried Father will retaliate?" Stelly asked, taking Sabo's involvement in the conversation as an invitation to enter the bedroom.

"No, because he knows there's worse to be revealed if he does," Sabo said, struggling to close his bag.

Stelly pouted pathetically, but his gaze was resting on the unobtrusive file resting beside Sabo's bag. "You enjoy making my life difficult, don't you?" One hand reached out to try and sneak a peek at the contents.

"What?" Sabo asked in astonishment. If anything Stelly had made Sabo's life difficult these past four years. Frowning, he snapped the file closed and pulled it carefully out of Stelly's reach. He received a glare in return.

"The amount of work it's going to take to clear up that mess with The Anchor doesn't bear thinking about!" Stelly complained crossly.

Sabo burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably. "Stelly, a little hard work isn't going to hurt you," he chortled with amusement. "And besides, think of how much more satisfying the end result will feel if you actually earn it," he encouraged, regaining his composure.

Stelly rolled his eyes but Sabo could tell he wasn't completely dismissing the suggestion. In fact, he looked pleased at the idea of building something out of the potential wreckage. Sabo wasn't altogether too surprised. Despite his somewhat idle nature, Stelly thrived on attention, and rebuilding the reputation of the family business would definitely get him some.

"I have something for you," Stelly suddenly burst out.

Sabo frowned. "For me?" he echoed. Stelly nodded and approached him. Sabo watched him cautiously. Just because he was doing what they both wanted and leaving, didn't mean he trusted Stelly to behave.

Stelly fidgeted and Sabo was just about to tell him to get on with it already, when Stelly thrust out his hands from behind his back. Sabo blinked in surprise when some goggles came into view. And not just any pair of goggles either, Sabo realised as he carefully accepted the 'gift'. They were in fact the same pair he'd found - brand new and barely worn - tossed away with the trash in Gray Terminal when he was seven years old. He hadn't seen them for nearly a year, not since Outlook had last confiscated them. He'd searched high and low for them with no success, and he'd honestly thought they'd been destroyed. He had absolutely no idea how Stelly had managed to get his hands on them.

Sabo raised his gaze to find Stelly glaring at him defiantly, as if daring the other to say anything. Sabo slowly grinned, easily slipping the goggles into place on the brim of his top hat, making sure they were secure before placing the hat onto his head.

Stelly nodded once as if in approval. "Now you look like you belong in Gray Terminal. No self-respecting noble would be caught dead with those things on them," he sniffed haughtily. Sabo tilted his head, curiously studying the boy in front of him. Stelly valiantly tried not to redden under the unexpected scrutiny. "What are you staring at?" he demanded, crossing his arms across his chest protectively.

"I just can't work you, Stelly," Sabo admitted thoughtfully. "One day you're the most selfish brat I've had the misfortune of meeting and the next you…" The silent 'help me' was left unsaid, because as much as both boys tried to ignore it, there was no denying the fact that Stelly had held some significant power over Sabo for several days. And he hadn't done anything. He'd cajoled and baited certainly, but he'd kept his mouth shut when he could very easily have turned to Outlook.

Stelly stared up at him, surprise at the silent acknowledgment marring his brow briefly, before his face fell into a much more familiar smirk.

"It's probably all your fault," he proclaimed, amused. "Mother's always said you were a bad influence."

Sabo snorted and nodded. "You're probably right. Who knows how you'd have turned out without me around to steer you right," he teased, picking up his bag and swinging it onto his shoulder. "Good luck, Stelly, you'll need it," he alleged, walking over to the window.

Stelly frowned, glancing at the bedroom door. "What are you doing?" he asked, confused as he watched Sabo fling open the window.

"Leaving," Sabo said cheerfully, jumping onto the ledge and adjusting his hat ever so slightly.

"What's wrong with the front door?" Stelly called to him in alarm.

Sabo didn't reply. He simply grinned, and with practiced skill took a flying leap from the window ledge to the closest tree branch, a joyful laugh escaping him as he plummeted down, the ground and freedom rushing to up meet him.

xxx

The fresh sea breeze whipped at his coat and his bag bounced lightly against his back, but Sabo paid them no mind as he dodged and wove his way through the stream of people down by the docks. As it was nearing midday, there were plenty of people milling about and minding their own business. Which made looking for one person in the throng slightly tricky but Sabo was nothing if not persistent.

And that perseverance finally paid off when he reached the further end of the harbour. At the end of one of the piers jutting out, Sabo spied the cloaked figure he'd been searching for.

Grinning and clutching the precious file tightly, Sabo dashed forwards, eager to catch him before he boarded the waiting vessel. As he approached and the crowds gradually began to thin, Sabo spotted that the man wasn't alone. Nearly hidden in the shadow of the investigator thanks to his small stature, was a small boy Sabo immediately recognised, despite only having met him once outside Outlook's office nearly half a year ago.

The boy's face was upturned to the investigator, who was smiling down at him sadly.

"Are you sure?" Sabo heard the boy ask as he edged closer.

The investigator sighed. "I'm afraid so, lad." The grimace that appeared told the little boy everything he needed to know, and Sabo saw a pair of little shoulders slump in disappointment.

Taking that as his cue, Sabo cleared his throat and smiled warmly when two pairs of eyes darted to him. The investigator stared at him, jaw slacked in disbelief. Sabo tipped his hat at pair, trying not to laugh at the man's bewilderment.

"You look familiar," the boy said, peering up at him intently.

Sabo's smile weakened slightly. "We met outside my fa-Outlook's office, remember?" he prompted gently.

A small flicker of recognition flashed across the cherub-like face and Sabo's heart clenched when the boy nodded slowly, the pain clearly etched on his face for all the world to see. Anger boiled in Sabo's chest as he was confronted once again with the agony Outlook had caused. Sabo reached out and ran a gentle hand through the boy's hair, hoping it would offer some sort of comfort to him.

"Master Sabo, wasn't it?" the investigator asked, stepping forward and offering Sabo a handshake.

"Just Sabo," the blond corrected softly.

The investigator's eyes widened a fraction. "I assume you're not here for pleasantries. May I help you with something?" he enquired.

Sabo shook his head briskly. "No, but I believe I have something that might just help you," he explained, presenting the file he'd been so desperate to get his hands on. The man accepted it hesitantly, his brown knitted with confusion as he flicked it open and briefly perused its contents. The man released a startled exclamation and Sabo grinned widely when he nearly dropped it shock, his hands were trembling so badly.

"Where–how? You - " the man stuttered, at a complete loss for words.

"I trust that you know what to do with this information?" Sabo asked, winking at the small boy stood beside them, whose eyes darted from one to the other as he tried to follow their conversation.

The investigator stared at him dumbly for several seconds before shaking himself out of his stupor and nodding eagerly. "O-of course! But-but how did you-"

"Unimportant. I hope it helps," Sabo smiled. He patted the small boy on the head one final time before turning and striding down the docks, heart feeling lighter than it had in months.

"What did that noble give you?"

The reply was quiet but Sabo just caught it. He couldn't help but laugh as he disappeared back into the crowds.

"Leverage. And that was no noble, lad."

xxx

Every step Sabo took further into Gray Terminal, he swore he felt a great weight lifting from his shoulders, and the tightness of his chest gradually receded. Gone was the stifling, fake perfumed air of High Town and instead in its place the crisp autumn air almost stole his breath away. It was a wonderful thing, after so many years of being trapped behind stone walls and with nothing but pristine surroundings, to see the accumulated chaos and filth of the trash heaps. Sabo felt like he was seeing the place for the first time all over again, and he tried to take in everything he could as he walked, not wanting to miss a thing.

Energy like he hadn't felt in years started coursing through his veins and with it came the realisation he didn't have to hold back. He didn't have to force it away and remain calm and composed. He could run and leap and laugh, even yell if he wanted. He could feel the stares of the residents following him through the mountains of rubbish, sharp eyes trying to make sense of his presence in their territory before they returned to their own business.

Sabo didn't linger long. He didn't want to antagonise anyone on his first day back and no doubt he would become acquainted with everyone the next time trouble found himself and his brothers, because for all that these weren't the same mountains they once climbed, they were still theirs to conquer.

As the trash heaps began to thin, Sabo found himself running full speed towards the edge of the forest. He had no idea when exactly he had started to run, but the sight of the trees had never been so welcoming and he dove into its depths with abandon. Animals large and small scurried out of his way when he crashed through the undergrowth, startling them.

Sabo's breathing began to labour the closer he got to the treehouse; years of sitting at desks studying had done nothing for his fitness, but he didn't slow down. He wouldn't need to arrive looking perfectly composed, although he supposed Ace might tease him for the amount of twigs and leaves that had attached themselves to his coat in his mad rush through the forest.

When the treehouse finally came into view, Sabo felt a large grin spread across his face. It was much more weathered than the last time he'd been home. Its timber structure was now littered with patchwork repairs, some being more successful than others, but there was no denying it had been cared for over the years and still served as a welcome place for its occupants to rest their heads.

Sabo's climb up the enormous tree trunk didn't take him as long as he'd thought it would. His hands and feet remembered better than his mind which was the best route up into the sanctuary of the branches. He grinned when he spotted a few of their old traps and realised they were still ready to trigger, although they looked rather worn. Sabo supposed either Dadan had finally discovered where they'd hidden them and learnt to avoid them or she'd stopped coming to spy on them altogether. Sabo rather thought it was the former; he knew she was a lot more attentive to her 'brats' than she would like people to believe.

The closer he got to the top, Sabo started to hear two familiar voices drifting down to him, reassuring him that his brothers were in fact waiting for him at the top.

"You know, Luffy, if Dadan could see your idea of cleaning, she'd stop pestering you into helping with the chores all the time. There's no way anything else is going to fit into that trunk!" Ace's warm laughter greeted Sabo as he stepped silently onto the small platform just outside the curtain-covered entrance.

"Yes it will!" Luffy grunted. "There's plenty of room left!"

"No, there isn't," Ace replied with a chuckle. "You've stuffed nearly everything we own into that thing."

"Aaaccceee!" Sabo tried hard not to laugh at the plaintive whine. "Stop laughing and come help me close the lid already!"

Whatever response Ace gave was lost in the crack of splitting wood and two startled yells.

"Ah! It broke…"

"Of course it did, idiot!"

Curiosity getting the better of him, Sabo finally pulled aside the ragged curtain and poked his head inside, only to immediately burst into laughter at the sight that greeted him.

In the far corner, Luffy was sat on the floor in front of the remains of a wooden trunk, both its sides split apart and all the contents – Ace hadn't exaggerated, Luffy had indeed tried to stuff nearly everything they owned into it – thrown everywhere. What was most amusing however was that Luffy had somehow wound up with a pair of shorts on his head, the legs hanging around his neck like floppy blue ears.

Ace was sprawled lazily on his back a far enough distance away that he had managed to avoid the explosion of flying clothes and other knickknacks that the brothers had collected over the years.

Upon hearing Sabo's laughter, Luffy spun around and threw his arms up, an impossibly wide grin on his face. "Sabo!" he cried, ripping the shorts from his head and jumping to his feet.

Ace peered up at him, grinning warmly, but Sabo was shrewd enough to catch the relief his appearance had caused. "Welcome back," he stated.

Sabo returned his brothers' grins, and took his first step inside. "I'm home."

xxx

Three Years Later

"Luffy! LUFFY!"

The fourteen-year-old in question stuck his head out of the rickety timber structure, peering around until he caught sight of Dogra running towards him, newspaper in hand.

"Luffy!" the bandit panted, skidding to a stop outside Luffy's still relatively new abode in the clearing outside Dadan's hut. Ace and Sabo had been insistent that Luffy move closer to the bandits once they left, shortly after Sabo's seventeenth birthday since neither were particularly happy at the idea of Luffy residing in their old treehouse alone. He was more than capable of protecting himself now but there was no way Luffy would've been able to manage the upkeep the place needed in its old age. Luffy hadn't complained. He rather enjoyed the bandit's companionship after his brothers had left. He had insisted on building his own place though and now 'Luffy's Country' was located less than ten feet from Dadan's front door, the brothers' old ASL flag happily flying from the crooked roof.

"What's up, Dogra?" Luffy asked cheerfully, having waited patiently for the man to catch his breath.

"Look at this!" Dogra exclaimed excitedly, pushing a crumpled newspaper into Luffy's hands.

Luffy didn't need to look to find out what had Dogra so excited. There, on the front page and beaming proudly, was Ace, a reward sum for his capture - dead or alive - printed in large, bold ink just underneath.

"Wow!" Luffy cried, jumping to his feet in excitement. "Ace's made a name for himself! And look, there's even a picture of his pirate ship and crew! Ace is amazing!" he gushed.

Dogra frowned. "There's no mention of Sabo though," he said, a little confused since the older brothers had set off together.

Luffy laughed. "Of course there isn't! Sabo told me not to expect him to have one before they left," he explained before sitting back down, attention returning to Ace's wanted poster. "I need to get stronger! I'm not gonna lose to Ace!" he declared loudly.

Dogra frowned. "Why wouldn't Sabo have a wanted poster? I thought he was going to be a pirate too?" he queried, trying to regain Luffy's attention.

Luffy shook his head. "Sabo didn't leave to become a pirate," he said absentmindedly.

"What did he leave for then?" Dogra asked, puzzled.

Luffy looked up at him, a proud smile in place. "To find the Revolutionary Army!"

Ignoring Dogra's splutter of surprise, Luffy glanced back down at the wanted poster clenched tightly in his hands and grinned widely. Ace, Sabo...wait for me!

XXX

Once again, please remember to review :D

I do have an idea for a sequel to this 'verse, so if there's enough interest, I will certainly consider writing it.

I'm going to be taking a small break from posting for a while. I'm currently working on my next fic but it's really long and complicated and taking an age so I really want to have several chapters written before I start posting that one, so bear with me!