Chapter Text
Luffy was running.
He was running away from the marines and the people who wanted to execute his brother. Execute Ace. Luffy wouldn’t stop now when he was close to achieving his goal. Marines came after them in droves, and Luffy was fighting them off the best can, not caring if he knocked them out or not. The only thing he cared about was getting his brother, the person beside him fighting alongside him, out of Marineford. Away from everyone who wants to hurt him. Back to the sea, back to his crew.
Luffy decided he liked Ace’s crew. They were fighting with all they got trying to free Ace. Even now they were making a path for the brothers during the retreat. They fought tooth and nail, and Luffy gained respect for the Emperor’s crew. They cared for Ace, and that was all Luffy needed to know. The Moustache-Oldman was strong, so strong that Luffy felt awed at the display of power. Never really of the man himself, but the pure power he used. But the most important part was that he loved Ace. He called himself Ace’s father, Ace his son.
And Luffy knew the thing Ace wanted the most, even though he didn’t say it, was family.
A father who wanted him.
Luffy knew the way Ace hated himself, the way he held darkness in his eyes that never went away, only buried. Luffy still saw it when Ace left for his adventure but didn’t mention it.
Luffy doesn’t mention a lot of things, because he knew that Ace wouldn’t listen to him, not on those things. The way he looked in the mirror and flinched when he saw the beginning of facial hair that would transform into a mustache. The way he didn’t sleep some nights when he thought Luffy was asleep, looking up at the sky and asking if he deserved to live. The way he didn’t care for the hits he took, the stabbings, the gunshots, the burns because Ace thought he deserved it. Luffy hated it, but he tried everything he could, and the only thing he got as a reward was the disguised sadness.
Luffy hated it.
But when he met Ace in Alabasta, the darkness was almost nonexistent. Ace was happy. He brightened when Luffy mentioned his crew, eyes laughing at the memories. The darkness was almost gone, a shadow of its former self. That made Luffy so happy, a warm feeling erupted in his chest, secretly relieved that the minor worry he had for Ace was unneeded. That Ace knew he belonged somewhere that wasn’t with Luffy. Luffy parted ways with Ace having hope for the future. Having hope that Ace wouldn’t disappear because it got too much. That all the words and taunts wouldn’t get to him. Luffy knew Ace was strong, but Luffy knew that mental strength was a different battle.
The battle Luffy saw Ace fight every day, hanging on and never going over the edge.
Luffy remembered times when he saw the darkness in Ace’s eyes grow darker.
When he looked too hard at a cliff.
When he looked too hard at a sturdy branch.
When he looked too hard at a knife in the Gray Terminal.
Luffy always managed to distract Ace, getting his mind off whatever he was battling. That happened often after Sabo’s death, and especially often on the anniversary. Luffy did his best, trying to comfort Ace with all of his love and adoration. Luffy knew it helped, but the darkness never fully went away.
His crew helped him. He had more people to depend on. More people to help Ace when he needed it. More people to love. Because Luffy knew, he knew all of Ace’s aspirations and hopes only wanted his precious people to be happy. The more he helped, the more he was supported, the better he became. On Dawn, Ace only had Luffy and the bandits, Grandpa only coming a few times per year.
It didn’t help Ace. He didn’t have the support he needed.
Luffy was always worried but disguised it well. There was a reason he never left Ace’s side. Luffy trusted Ace with his life and dream, but Luffy always knew that Ace didn’t particularly care for his life. Luffy did his best, but his best wasn’t always enough.
So Luffy was so happy Ace was better, to be himself without fear.
But in Marineford, looking at Ace’s eyes, Luffy saw the darkness creep back in. The longer the war went on, the darker his eyes got. It made Luffy go faster, go stronger than he had ever done before. There was no way he would allow Ace to transform back to his childhood state. There was no way he would allow Ace to be killed in misery and depression.
When Ace told Luffy to leave, to not interfere with his adventure, Luffy shouted his true feelings.
Luffy was Ace’s brother, and it didn’t matter what they were. Marine, pirate, bandit, civilian, bounty hunter. It didn’t matter. Luffy would always come to help his brother. There would be no end to Luffy’s determination to help Ace, and he was a fool if he thought Luffy would give up just like that. He would go to the ends of the world to rescue his brother.
His crew agreed with Luffy’s statement, the roar even Luffy noticed in his adrenaline-boosted state. The Whitebeards and Luffy were in agreement, and that was the moment Luffy liked the crew. The old man was strong, and the crew he commanded was strong too. If Luffy didn’t have their support, he would have never made it to the execution stand. Luffy knew he would have died today if it wasn’t for them, close calls becoming too close.
Luffy passed pirates and marines in their retreat, covering Ace’s back and him covering Luffy’s.
Luffy was pushing himself to keep running. To work his shaky legs and arms, which were covered in blood, his or marines. He didn’t care for the distinction. His head pounded, exhaustion trying to pull him down behind his eyes.
Veins burning from the overuse of Gear Second.
Bones shattering at the application of Gear Third.
Blood pouring from the cuts that were caused by blades or the opening of his wounds from Impel Down.
His body was a wreck, but he kept moving. He had to because the moment he stopped, he would collapse. The only thing keeping him going was Iva’s Adrenaline hormones. Luffy could feel the effects start to wear off, his limps starting to fail. All Luffy could think was that he had to keep moving, get to safety.
Get Ace out of here.
“Whitebeard is a coward. Someone who is past his prime and holds on even though he is a relic of an old age.”
Ace froze beside him, Luffy stopping after Ace stopped. Luffy looked back, seeing the magma guy start to talk bad about the Old man.
Ace’s face gained righteous fury, fire starting to burn on his hand. Luffy’s chest constricted, recognizing that face. The face that showed Ace was beyond angry and wouldn’t stop until his opponent was on the ground, unconscious or dead.
“Ace!”
Luffy reached out to Ace, some of Ace’s crew holding him back. Arms wrapped around his chest, keeping him in his spot. All he could do was watch Ace attack the admiral, who was more than eager to fight back. The face on the man's face made a cold spot in Luffy’s stomach. Luffy felt afraid, but he had no idea where the feeling was coming from, but he knew something was about to happen.
And Luffy was correct when Ace screamed in pain, clutching his arm.
“Ace!!”
“You may be fire, but I am Magma. Magma is hotter.”
Luffy didn’t know when, but the arms holding him back were gone, Luffy staring to rush forward, going to his brother's aid.
But when he got two steps in front of him, his legs gave out. They finally failed, leaving Luffy motionless. Luffy gapped, weakness pulling him down. The black edges on his vision were closing in, but Luffy saw something float down in front of him. Luffy focused on it, noticing it was Ace’s Vivre Card.
It was small, nowhere near the size it was when he had got it. It showed how close Ace was to having died. Luffy reached out to it, unwilling to part with a piece of his brother, showing Luffy he was alive. His hands were shaking, and energy was sapped from his body.
“No! Luffy!”
Luffy looked up and saw the admiral right in front of him, fist ready to strike at the rookie pirate. Luffy saw Ace rush to Luffy, eyes wide and frightened. He looked more afraid than Luffy had ever seen him. Horror in his eyes and desperation in his frame. Ace ran in front of Luffy, back to the marine, ready to kill him.
Luffy widened his eyes at the sight of his brother, ready to give his life for Luffy.
No, no! The thought caused a sense of revulsion so strong it shocked himself.
Then it got odd, the world slowing down to a crawl, no one moving. It was like time stopped.
Luffy then saw it in his head, playing out for no one but himself.
He saw his brother, standing before him, with a fist through his chest. Luffy saw his brother fall and saw him collapse into Luffy’s arms.
Saw him cough up blood, eyes filling up with tears.
He saw the moving of his lips but no sound was heard.
He saw a doctor trying to save Ace, but shaking his head, Ace to hurt to be healed.
Luffy saw his brother take his final breath, saw him closing his eyes.
Saw him fall to the ground, Luffy no longer holding him up, blood splattering onto the cold, unforgiving stone.
Felt the all-consuming grief and heartbreak.
The feeling of losing the last brother he had, the one who was beside him throughout his entire life, never doubting him.
The feeling of loneliness.
Luffy snapped back to himself, the world still and static. Luffy didn’t know what happened, but he knew it to be true.
The world came back to motion, the scene Luffy just saw playing out, but this time it was real.
Luffy saw his brother, ready to give his life, did give his life, for Luffy. Luffy felt a rising power inside his chest, enough for one final burst of power.
Luffy already knew what he was going to do.
Luffy reached out, extending his arm to Ace. His legs were too weak, not able to move even if he wanted to. His arms were still functional, so that was what Luffy used.
The seventeen-year-old yanked Ace forward, causing him to stumble and fall, making the fist that would have killed him pass right over him, missing him completely. But it didn’t completely miss its target.
When Akainu missed Ace, its trajectory didn’t change. The fist of magma hit Luffy in the chest, burning away some of his shirt. Then the pain hit. His fist embedded itself into Luffy’s chest, burning everything it touched. His organs were being cooked, hit scorching him from the inside. It burned and burned.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
Luffy screamed.
His chest was burning, and agonizing pain racked his frame. His eyes threatened to close, black coming ever so closer. The fist retracted, leaving a wound that made his chest invert.
Luffy knew pain, he was never without it, but this felt like hell. His body was locked up, with too many pain signals in his head. It was too hot, sweltering heat making Luffy sweat.
Luffy couldn’t think, the fiery pain making everything harder to notice. The burning sensation didn’t get better, it got worse. The heat was so intense, that it burned through everything it touched. Luffy barely got a hold of himself when he started to lose feeling in his chest. Everything was starting to get numb, unfeeling.
Luffy could feel himself losing the blood he managed to keep. Luffy could feel it on his chest, pouring out onto the ground.
The pain was only decreasing because his nerve endings were being burned and damaged beyond all repair.
Luffy felt hands prop him up, eyes blinking, slightly delirious from the pain. He focused his bleary vision on the face who seemed to be yelling at him.
Luffy got his sight back, seeing Ace’s horrified face above him. Luffy was hearing static, everything distant. Luffy smiled up at the face of his brother because Ace was the only one who could love him like this.
And that made Luffy feel so satisfied.
When Ace heard the bloodcurdling scream of pain, something in him broke. He rushed to his brother, forgetting everything.
“Luffy!”
Ace held his brother’s beaten and bloodied body in his arms, feeling the lifeblood of his brother slip beneath his fingers. Ace’s arms were shaking, horror deep in his chest. He saw the wound on Luffy’s chest, seeing he could see his ribs. Ace could see how his organs were moving, the way some of them were torn apart. He saw the edges of the wound burn and fester, still some of the magma on his skin. Ace frantically got that off of his brother, not caring he also burned from the heat. Luffy was dead weight in his arms, his body unmoving and plaint.
Ace placed a gentle hand on Luffy’s face, smearing the blood onto Luffy’s pale face, cold sweat appearing on his skin. Luffy should never be so pale. Luffy was still breathing but did nothing to help Ace’s mental state. Ace patted his cheek, trying to get Luffy to wake up.
“Come on, Luffy. Please, please, please open your eyes.”
Ace’s voice was soft, but the emotions rising in them were not. Horror and devastation came in equal measure.
Ace didn’t care for anything around him, focused on his wounded brother.
Ace saw Luffy flutter his eyes, looking up blearily up at him. Ace’s face collapsed at the look, seeing the pain held inside them. Then Luffy smiled, eyes holding only love for Ace.
Ace felt his chest shatter.
“I… saved you.”
Ace nodded, eyes gathering tears, not yet falling. He gulped back the stone in his throat. Luffy’s voice was soft, only heard by Ace through the noise of the battlefield.
“Hold on, Luffy.”
Ace yelled, not caring about the way his voice breaks, grief coloring his voice.
“Doctor! Doctor! Get your ass here, please!”
Someone came up beside him, one of the doctors of their allies from Ace’s memories. The doctor paled at the wound, hands not moving. He shook his head, his face showing hopelessness.
“No. No!”
Ace went back to Luffy, eyes frantic. Luffy couldn’t die, he couldn’t.
Ace cupped his brother’s face, tears falling onto Luffy’s face.
“Luffy, stay with me okay? Stay with me.”
Luffy continued to smile, only growing larger. Ace never thought he would say this, but he hated that smile.
“Why did you do that?”
Ace wanted to know. He saw Luffy’s face change the moment before he moved Ace out of the way of the attack. The recognizable expression of absolute determination.
“I saw… you die. Akainu killed… you. I didn’t want that. I want you to live.”
Ace put his head to his chest, pulling Luffy in more to get closer to Ace. Ace heard the raspiness of Luffy’s voice, getting weaker every second. Luffy started to cough, and Ace saw him start to cough up blood, bubbles of the liquid appearing at the corner of his mouth. It started to flow down his face, dropping onto Ace’s chest. Ace was cradling Luffy to his body, oh so gentle.
Ace wrapped his arms around his little brother, holding on for dear life.
“You idiot.”
Luffy chuckled, more blood coming up his throat. Luffy raised a shaky hand, placing it onto Ace’s face, smearing more blood. It was a cradling gesture like what Ace was doing, but more of a pat than anything.
“I like… your crew. They seem… nice.”
Ace nodded, agreeing fully with what Luffy was saying, tears flowing freely. Ace could feel Luffy’s body start to fail in his arms, his heart slowing, and his lungs struggling to take in a breath.
“Yeah.”
Ace’s voice broke, but he continued on.
“Yeah, they're the best.”
Luffy smiled, eyes holding more wisdom than a kid his age should have.
“They… love you. Ace, stay with them. They… make you happy.”
Ace swallowed, sweeping away the tears before they blocked his sight.
“I will. I will, Luffy.”
Luffy laughed a tiny broken sound that made Ace break even more. His brother was dying, and Ace could do nothing. Ace didn’t care he was in the middle of a war, he sobbed. His tears soaked into Luffy’s damaged shirt, emotions almost overwhelming.
“Ace.”
Ace looked at his brother, hand falling down, no longer at his cheek.
“You crew… may be cool… but my crew is better.”
Ace chuckled weakly, grief trying to swallow him.
“You just had to try and one up me.”
Luffy nodded, pain wracking his frame at the motion. Luffy powered through it.
“Look after them for me… will you?”
Ace almost broke then and there. Ace knew how much Luffy treasured his crew, so this is saying something.
He wasn’t expecting to wake up.
“I will. I promise I will look after your crew. Zoro’s your first mate, right?”
Luffy smiled softly at the mention, “Best… friend.”
Ace bit his lip, emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Luffy’s eyes started to blink more, starting too close for longer. Panic erupted in Ace’s chest, more frantic patting on Luffy’s face to keep him awake. The blood was leaving Luffy faster, staining the ground around them. The blood was pooling all around Ace, but he kept his focus on his little brother, who was dying in his arms.
“Come on Luffy, keep talking okay? It’s going to be alright. Everything is going to be alright.”
Ace held Luffy tighter, trying to get Luffy in a more comfortable position. He was still coughing up blood, staining his face even further. Ace saw the clouding of Luffy’s eyes, making him start to panic even more. Luffy smiled up at him, opening his mouth.
“Ace… I don’t regret anything. Remember… that.”
“Got it okay? So remind me when I forget. Stay with me.”
Luffy brought up the same shaking hand and put it on his face. His smile transformed into a softer one that he already had on his face.
“I’m… tired. I’m gonna… take a nap now.”
Ace started to shake Luffy gently, more horror coming on his face.
“No no no. Don’t do that, keep talking okay? Keep talking.”
Luffy started to close his eyes, Ace becoming more frantic. Tears were flowing down his face. Grief hung on his frame, holding his brother. Ace looked down, seeing Luffy completely closed his eyes. His body became still, no longer moving. His chest stopped raising, and Ace couldn’t feel anything. Ace raised a shaking hand and put it on his chest, trying to feel his heartbeat.
He couldn’t feel it.
He couldn't feel it.
Ace spoke softly, but his voice was cracking.
“Luffy? Luffy, open your eyes. Please, open your eyes.”
Luffy stayed silent and didn’t open his eyes. Ace’s body became numb, everything becoming too much.
His brother couldn’t be dead, he couldn’t. He was supposed to become the pirate king, he couldn’t die here.
He was too still, Luffy was never still. He was supposed to be bursting with energy, excitable and smiling. He shouldn’t be bleeding out here.
Ace broke.
He screamed out, openly sobbing. His chest felt like it was burned, he couldn’t stop. He curled around his brother’s body, too distraught to do anything else. Ace’s body was shaking, cold sweat appearing on his skin, emotions array. He touched Luffy’s face, desperate for it all to be a bad dream.
“Luffy, don’t you dare leave me!”
Ace’s body locked up, tears soaking Luffy’s bloodied face. The face that was growing paler and paler the longer he stayed there. Luffy’s still face was wet from Ace’s tears.
“Luffy!”
Ace entered his own little bubble, never noticing the outside world when that bubble popped amid his grief.
“One devil spawn killed. Good riddance.”
Ace went still, grief being replaced by all-consuming rage. He recognized the heavy drawl of the admiral who hurt his brother. He felt the footsteps, and Ace gently set down Luffy’s bloodied body. He walked to the straw hat that blew off of Luffy’s back when he was hit. He grabbed it and went back to his brother’s body and set it down on top of Luffy’s heart should be. Ace was dead-faced, struggling to keep his straight face. He looked to the admiral, who was smiling, and he couldn’t take it anymore. Ace’s felt the rage consume him, and he felt his flames react to his emotions.
Ace turned to the man, tear tracks still on his face. His flames burned, and he saw them escape his body.
“You hurt him. You hurt my brother!”
His vision went red.
Ace didn’t notice it, but a blast of conquerors haki emanated from him, knocking out more marines who were steadily coming closer. Ace couldn’t even see the way his red flames transformed into blue ones, making the surrounding areas shimmer in the heat.
Ace launched a full-powered fire fist at Akainu’s face, seeing the way his face fell, and try to dodge. The flames touched him, and Ace could see the start of burns on his arms. Akainu’s face showed his disbelief at the situation.
“Fire is hotter, you asshole.”
Ace went at Akainu in a blind rage, nothing able to stop him. Akainu killed his younger brother, the one who saved him, in more ways than one. The one who stayed by his side, never faltering in his care. The one who saved him after Sabo died, anchoring him from doing anything foolhardy. The one who cared for him. Ace was the son of the most heinous criminal in the world, and Luffy didn’t care.
Luffy loved him because he was Ace, and that was all Luffy needed.
And now Luffy was gone. Sent off too soon by an asshole who couldn’t even know why Luffy was one of the best people in the world. Luffy was the goddamn sun and should always shine, but this bastard killed him.
The hole in his chest had nothing to do with his injuries. Ace felt the loss of his brother in his soul.
Ace saw a blast of blue and yellow flames, hitting Akainu and forcing him back. He recognized Marco’s flames, but he was too enraged to even say hi. Ace steadily grew closer to the admiral, anger fueling his every move.
He wouldn’t stop until Akainu was a burning crisp on the fucking ground.
An arm appeared around his chest, pulling him back. He snapped his head and saw Marco looking at him with sympathy in his eyes.
“We have to go, Ace-yoi.”
Ace struggled to get out of Marco’s hold, but he was unmoving. Ace still struggled when Marco threw him over his shoulder, running away from the admiral.
“No, don’t! He killed my baby brother! Let me go!”
Marco looked down and ran forward, not listening to Ace’s demand.
Ace reached out, looking at the distance he was away from his brother. He saw his body get further, and further away, still and unmoving, blood around him. Ace had tears in his eyes and desperately reached out.
He couldn’t leave him.
He couldn’t leave his brother in the hands of the marines. He needed to at least get his body.
“Stop please! He’s my brother!”
Ace struggled, trying to go back. He saw Gramps on the ground being held down by Sengoku, crying. He saw the afro man look horrified, tears in his eyes and muttering about “Straw-boy.” He saw Jinbei have tears in his eyes, covering their retreat but visibly distraught. Crocodile looked at Luffy with empty eyes, and maybe some sadness in the depths. He saw his siblings look at Luffy with regret and tears, them having gotten attached to the young boy during the war.
And finally saw Pops have a face of pure anger, slamming Akainu into the cold stone of Marineford, shaking and tearing the ground with his power.
Ace didn’t care though, tears filling his vision.
He failed.
He promised Sabo he would take care of Luffy, but now he was dead because he saved Ace. Luffy died for him, and all Ace could think about was that he was a horrible human being that couldn’t even protect his little brother.
Sabo, I’m so sorry.
Ace struggled, even more, eyes blurry from the tears.
“Marco, please let me go.”
Ace was writhing in Marco's grasp, still over his shoulder. Marco looked back at him, and sadness hung off his frame.
“I’m sorry-yoi.”
There was a hit to the back of his neck, and everything went dark, unconsciousness taking him.
The last thought he had, was that he didn’t deserve to live if Luffy was dead instead of him.
Newgate watched his son lose consciousness, Marco having knocked him out to get him away from here. He held deep sadness at the scene of the young rookie dead on the ground saving his son.
The elder pirate saw the rookie get his son out of the way of an attack that would have killed him, sacrificing himself for his brother. He saw his son plead for the boy to stay alive, to stay with him. Newgate saw Ace break into a million pieces and the rage he held for Akainu, damaging the admiral with blue flames.
Newgate mourned for the boy he just met, but knew Ace would be destroyed by his death. The way he lit up at the mention of his brother showed the love Ace had for the boy.
Ace held his brother in his arms while he died, crying for him. Newgate felt fury rise in his system, rage for his son who lost one of the most important people in his life, if not the most important.
Strawhat Luffy gave his life for Ace, and Newgate only thought it fitting he gave Akainu a damaging hit for the boy. Newgate would have given the boy a spot on his crew if they all survived the day, but now he didn’t even have the chance to have the boy has a son.
And that made Newgate furious.
He covered his son’s retreat, keeping away the marines from his family, from the son who lost too much. He fought and fought, enemies trying to keep him down, but Newgate powered through it. He was the strongest man in the world, and he would not go down.
“Pops! Let's go!”
Marco yelled that, desperation in his voice. Newgate looked back, seeing his unconscious son on Marco’s shoulders, tears flowing out of his even though he was asleep. Ace looked broken, face set in grief.
Newgate looked at their enemies, seeing them come forward. Newgate knew that this was not his era, but he couldn’t leave just yet. Newgate sucked in a breath, giving his lungs power. He thought of the young boy with a straw hat and a man who was his rival. He needed to do one last thing.
He needed to give his last words to the rookie who saved his son.
“The One Piece… Is real!!”
He smiled at the chaos that was created, the marines in pure shock. He gave a full-power punch to the air, shattering everything in his way. He would give his life for his family, but he knew today was not the day for his death. His son needed him, and he would never leave his son in pain. He had a job to do as Ace’s father, and he would do it.
So that means he cannot die today.
He retreated with his family, powering through the attacks of the marines and former son. He didn’t let anyone get a hit on him, knowing if he took more damage he might be killed. The Red-Haired brat showed up and ended the war, to Newgate's unnoticed relief. He saw Marco bring Ace to one of the Mini Mobies, thankfully not that injured.
Newgate looked back over the battlefield, noticing all of the sons he lost today. Grief hung off his frame, but one thing stood out to him.
He couldn’t find Strawhat’s body.