"That man was dangerous," Ace said as night fell and both ten year olds sat watching the fire.

Ace's knees were drawn close to his chest as Sabo looked over to him. Both of them knew if it wasn't for Luffy's insane luck he might not be here sleeping beside them. "Yeah," Sabo agreed. "What do we do?"

Ace scowled the fire as he thought. Quiet drifted between the two as they gazed into the fire as if it had the answers they desperately needed. "I don't know," Ace answered finally.

Sabo sighed as he looked upwards towards the sky that had stars twinkling through the leaves. "I was afraid of that," Sabo said. "I can't say I can think of something either."

Ace looked at their younger brother that was spread out like a starfish on the ground. "At least we could take Luffy to Windmill Village right," Ace asked.

"No," Sabo sighed shaking his head. "For one he won't leave us even if it puts him in danger. For another apparently he promised the Shitty Geezer that he wouldn't go back there."

"Damn it," Ace cursed. "Shitty Geezer."

Sabo didn't respond instead giving a slight smile at the nickname they had dubbed the old man that they weren't related to, but still considered a grandfather. Though neither of them would ever, ever tell him. They liked to live thank you very much. Ace gritted his teeth as he tried and tried to think. Even if it meant to sacrifice himself so both his brothers wouldn't be at the mercy of that pink boa bastard. "Don't Ace," Sabo warned looking at the oldest of them.

Ace flinched before sighing. "I'm not promising," Ace stated.

"Then neither am I," Sabo responded. "And if Luffy was awake he wouldn't even think about it before he yelled at you."

Ace said nothing before walking over to the youngest and crouched next to him. "Oi Sabo," Ace called. "Tie the crybaby to my back will ya?"

Sabo sighed smiling at the two bearers of D. Carefully Sabo picked Luffy up putting him on Ace's back. Ace grabbed Luffy's legs as Sabo slung Luffy's arms over each of Ace's shoulders. Luffy's head finally rested on one of Ace's shoulders after much wrestling with it on Sabo's part. "Jeez," Sabo complained. "Awake or asleep you never do things the easy way."

"Hurry up Sabo," Ace called to his brother. "I want to get some sleep too."

"Alright, alright," Sabo conceded.

Sabo made his way to the front of his two brothers, and took both of his younger brother's hands tying them together in front of Ace as one would a shoelace. Sabo did the same to Luffy's legs after he took off the kid's shoes. "Okay let's go," Ace ordered as he started to climb their ladder up the giant tree.

Ace went up carefully as he could afraid to dislodge his younger brother if he went up to fast. Sabo though annoyed by this didn't complain about feeling the same sentiment towards the youngest. Neither of them saw or felt the man who watched all this from a tree close by with a large smile painted upon his face. Quietly he laughed to himself as watched them. Plans formed in his mind as the two older ones climbed the wooden planks up the tallest tree in the forest. "Fuffuffu," he laughed as he watched them climb. "Sweet dreams young demons."

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Then sun's light peaked through the window of their tree house waking the smallest of the brothers. He looked to either side of him to where his brothers laid still sleeping with him. Sabo and Ace were smiling as they slept, only something they started doing recently since they became sworn brothers. A Luffy got up from his position making his way to the exit. Not noticing the frown that marred both his brothers faces since his departure. Sabo opened his eyes just as Luffy disappeared down the ladder, not bothering to take the fast way by jumping down. Sabo raised up quickly as he saw this. "Ace, wake up," Sabo called as he shook the oldest of them.

"Go 'way 'uffy," Ace murmured as he turned away from Sabo.

"Luffy's in the forest," Sabo said.

Ace shot up quickly as if he was on fire. "Damn it, that idiot," Ace shouted as he grabbed his pipe.

Sabo shook his head as he grabbed his own following his brothers. Sabo laughed silently before he followed his brother. But stopped as he saw a small shine of something so thin and delicate on the floor of their shared room. "You idiot," he heard Ace shout.

Luffy's laughter echoed as a response. Sabo jumped back to his feet running to the entrance, and what he saw both startled and scared him. Luffy was standing in a white color goo. "What the heck is that," Sabo asked as he began to climb down.

"Don't step in it 'Bo," Ace stated. "Luffy's stuck."

Translation: Luffy jumped without looking and is in trouble, again. Ace looked around and then nudged Sabo motioning to a nearby tree. Sabo looked at Ace doubtfully, but nodded anyways. Out of all of them Ace had the best skills when it came to these maneuvers afterall. Ace put his pipe between the crook of the branch and the truck as securely as he could. "Sabo," Ace called holding a hand for the blond.

Sabo licked his lips before he took a leap of faith, knowing that even if the impossible chance of Ace missing him Luffy would not let him get injured. Ace grabbed onto one end of Sabo's pipe easily holding him and it up with practiced ease. Sabo quickly clamored upwards grabbing hold of the same branch as Ace. Both of them looked down at their brother who was still stuck. "Luffy," Sabo shouted. "Is it just your sandals or both feet?"

"Just my shoes," Luffy admitted. "But Makino gave them to me."

Both older boys sighed in exasperation rolling their eyes. "We'll go to Windmill Village then," Ace compromised.

"But grandpa," Luffy pouted.

"We'll get more from Grey Terminal," Sabo put in glaring at Ace.

Ace rolled his eyes before he nodded.

Luffy looked at his shoes before he nodded sadly. Ace and Sabo reached out a hand for their little brother to grab. Luffy smile and yanked his arm back before he snapped it forward just as quick. His arm stretched so he could reach them. However like always he missed them completely almost touching Ace's pipe instead. Both older boys grabbed onto Luffy's elongated wrist and looked at one another. "And pull," both ten year olds shouted at the exact same moment.

They pull the youngest and Luffy slipped out of his shoes before he was sent flying towards the two. The small projectile hit them making both boys lose their grip on the branch. All three boys fell from the tree into the sticky free zone. "Luffy," Ace shouted in both anger and worry though mostly anger.

The little brother of their sucked in a deep breath making himself expand as he landed on the ground. Both Sabo and Ace landed on their little brother's not so little stomach before bouncing off into the grass next to him unharmed. Luffy laughed happily as he faced his brothers. "See Gum-Gum Balloon is useful," he said as he deflated to his normal size.

"You idiot," Ace scold hitting Luffy hard as he could with his fist.

"Ow," Luffy complained. "That hurt."

"No it didn't," Ace growled hitting him once more.

Luffy whimpered, but didn't say anything else. "Enough Ace," Sabo stated. "We have to get away from here or whoever set that trap will come back."

Ace nodded gulping as he did. "Lets go to Grey Terminal for those shoes," Ace ordered. "Then we'll go to Danna Country."

"Alright," Luffy cheered.

Both Sabo and Ace pounced him before hushing him in desperation. A strange laugh sounded in the trees around them echoing through the branches above. Luffy grabbed the bottom of Ace's shirt, and the tail end of one of Sabo's coat tails. Ace pushed Luffy's hand away, while Sabo grabbed Luffy's hand holding it in his own to comfort the youngest. The sound disappeared as soon as it had started, but all three could feel the eyes of someone on them. "Ace," Luffy called in a soft voice.

"Lets go," Ace murmured to his brothers as he gripped his pipe with both hands ready to attack or defend depending on what was needed. "Sabo, you lead. I've got our backs."

"Ace," Sabo said in a warning tone.

Ace didn't look behind him making the blond youth sigh shaking his head. Sabo pulled Luffy's hand pulling him with him heading in the direction of the noble's junk yard.