Archive of Our Own ^beta

Luffy was bouncing from his spot on the Thousand Sunny, he couldn’t wait until they came out in the New World. He had waited for this day for over three years now. They were finally here and he would be able to see them again.

Looking at his crew behind him, he tried to think about something he was forgetting. There seemed to be something on his mind about forgetting something. Shrugging, he couldn’t think about it so it couldn’t be that important.

“We’re almost there, right, Nami?”

His navigator nodded, “Just about Captain, we left Fishman Island so we’ll be resurfacing soon enough.”

Hearing that just made him bounce more, Luffy was well aware that the New World would hold its own dangers. He knew as much from the stories Shanks told him all those years ago. Just the same as he knew from his brothers’ stories, both who resided in the New World most of the time.

“Luffy, could you come off of Sunny for a sec? We’ll be breaking through the water soon and I wouldn’t want you falling off when the bubble pops.”

Pouting, knowing that Ray’s bubbles held on stronger than that, Luffy complied and came to stand on the grass deck of his ship. Looking towards the water’s surface and looking forward to coming out on the other side. He was finally here.

Yelling when they broke through, Luffy beamed when he saw two ships lying in wait for them. As expected, they had anchored at the first island in the New World. The Whitebeard Pirate Jolly Roger and the Revolutionary Army flag waving along happily.

“What are those doing here?”

Looking at Zoro and Robin, easily the ones most knowledgeable about these things, Luffy could see the worry in their eyes. Suddenly he remembered what he needed to tell his crew.

Growing sheepish, he grinned, “We agreed to meet here.”

That had the whole of his crew looking at him with wide eyes. Knowing that their captain had links to a Yonko and the Revolutionary Army was a lot. Of course, those there in Water 7 were reminded of Garp and his reveal that his son and Luffy’s father was Dragon the Revolutionary.

“You’re in contact with your father?”

Shaking his head, Luffy didn’t want to think about that. He knew that Sabo had tried to get him to talk to Dragon. But as the man hadn’t reached out except that one time in Loguetown, he didn’t think that the man wanted to get to know him. Sabo would keep him posted, would keep both of them posted, Luffy was sure of that.

“He doesn’t want to talk to me. It’s alright, that’s his choice. Let’s get to the island.”

Not knowing how to tell his crew, he figured they’d just see once they docked. Once settled, Luffy was jumping over the railing and running towards the town not too far inland. 

His crew were on his heels, Sanji and Zoro speeding to catch up to him in case he needed back-up. It was sweet that they believed he needed it, especially here, but the sentiment was appreciated.

The two groups already on the island looked up at the sound of his footsteps. Also on guard but not attacking. Not even when Luffy flung himself towards his brothers. Ace and Sabo had expected that, making sure to be in front of the two groups to catch him.

His arms flinging around them had them all off balance and ended with them on the ground. Looking at each other before laughing loudly. Luffy burrowed into his older brothers, smiling softly as two pairs of arms came around him. He had truly missed them and from the intensity of the hug, they had missed him as well.

“What the fuck, there are three of them?”

Looking up, Luffy saw a blond resembling a pineapple standing there, looking from Luffy to Sabo to Ace. The tattoo on his chest made it clear that he was part of Ace’s crew. 

Beaming, noticing that his crew had also arrived, Luffy nodded. Standing, he pulled Ace and Sabo to their feet. Keeping a hold of their hands as they looked over the three crews.

“Son?”

Ace beamed at the old man with the bandana and a white moustache on his face, “Oyaji, everyone, meet my younger brothers; Sabo and Luffy.”

Sabo beamed before looking at a small group of Revolutionaries close to him. They were led by a red haired girl who was looking like she didn’t know what to think of this.

“Sabo?”

He hummed, “I’m the middle brother, even if Ace and I decided we were twins a long time ago. We’re not actually, but there is only two months between us.”

Hushing Ace when he tried to speak up about that, whispering something about, “That doesn’t count.”

Luffy looked at his own crew, “Meet my older brothers, Ace and Sabo, I’m the youngest and they already set out three years ago. This is the first time we got to meet up again.”

Nami, also there now, sighed, “That does explain your excitement, you weren’t able to sit still since we left Fishman Island.”

He felt Ace and Sabo bow shallowly, before thanking his crew for taking care of him. Stating that they were aware that looking after Luffy wasn’t always that easy, that he got into trouble just by breathing. But he loved fiercely and wouldn’t let anything happen to them as long as he could help it.

Sabo and Luffy did the same thing to the Whitebeard Pirates, making Ace squeak when they did so. Thanking the crew for taking care of their older brother and giving him the family he so desperately wanted but didn’t know how to ask.

“I don’t think Ace has ever been this happy, and I know we have you all to thank for that.”

As Ace blushed, he and Luffy did the same thing to the small group of Revolutionaries. Mentioning that they were glad that Sabo had people looking to accomplish the same thing that he wanted. With a scowl, Ace added that he couldn’t promise not hitting Dragon when he met him.

Luffy blinked, “Oh right, I met him!”

Sabo and Ace both turned towards him which had Luffy sharing that Dragon was there at Loguetown. Even if they didn’t exchange a lot of words he was there to keep Smokey from capturing him.

Several revolutionaries, not knowing how this was all connected, commented on that, which had Luffy revealing his parentage just like that. He honestly doesn’t care, Dragon was never there. If he were to be honest he saw Shanks as more of a father than his biological one. He didn’t mention it as much now, though. No need to give his crew another heart attack.

Humming as he settled down in between Ace and Sabo to talk about what had happened since the last letters they exchanged, Luffy noticed his crew mingling too.

It seemed that the introduction alone had been enough to put them at ease. He was happy about that. It wouldn’t do if his crew would get annoyed or spooked.

Especially as he knew that Old Man Whitebeard was the nice Yonko. He wouldn’t harm them unless they gave him reason to. 

Kaido and Big Mom on the other hand would do so, just because something irked them or they came upon them on a bad day.

“I missed you both, so much.”

Ace and Sabo hug him close again. Smiling softly before telling him they had missed him too. As much fun as it had been to carve out their own path there was still a part of them that longed to go back to those jungle children that had to fend for themselves and managed to establish themselves in the narrowing towns and trash heap as dangerous.

“At least now we don’t have to miss each other for three years again.”

Ace laughed, “Nah, Lu, we’ll be able to see each other a lot more.”

Beaming at that, Luffy snuggled close. Happy to have this moment and to have his brothers at his side again.