My Brother At My Back

...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Luffy had just started to get some energy back when he heard Sanji yell Kizaru's name. He trusted his crew to get through the Navy blockade, but now it was a different story with an admiral joining the attack. The tired boy dragged himself to his feet as Kizaru leapt from the front ship, tensing as the admiral lit up. His crew took defensive stances even if they began to feel their fatigue start to yank on their bones. Luffy was getting tired of having to fight the marines almost every time they were leaving an island after a big battle. That's not to say he didn't enjoy the challenge, he just wished they could get a couple more peaceful send offs.

    The light in the sky brightened and Kizaru reached the peak of his jump. Luffy slid in foot back, shaking his complaints away as he searched for a solution. Before the young captain could brainstorm and before the Navy admiral unleashed his attack, a wall of flames burst in between the lethal light and its would-be victims. The heat washed over Luffy's face, and his body slackened almost immediately.

    The fleet of pirates sailing from the decimated island stared in shock for only a moment, before taking the opportunity without question. The Strawhats watched the billowing flames a bit longer, those who were in Alabasta flashing to memories of a too-short acquaintance. Luffy almost missed Nami's question of orders as he scanned the sea for who he knew was responsible. When he finally spotted the Revolutionary ship his eyes widened in momentary shock, and he broke into a wider grin at the sight of his brother. Brothers. He wasn't quite sure what was happening, how this scene was possible, but those questions were drowned out by his joy and the million other thoughts that ran through the boy's mind. He missed his brother, he missed both brothers sometimes. When was the last time he saw his brothers together? Back-to-back as they are now, shit-eating grins on their faces and ready to take on the world. Luffy could picture the same image of his brothers when they were all kids. Dreams bigger than they knew and no fear of the life ahead of them.

    A feeling of calm took over, and in the back of his head he could hear the words he knew his brothers were saying. Eyes watering for a spilt second and his grin never fading, he looked back towards his crew with a cheer.

    "LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!"

    Sabo watched his little brother sail away with his second family, a tight smile on his face as the flaming image at his back faded. He gave a quick thank you to Ann as she was taken below deck for safety. She waved him off with a smile and continued down. Koala made a move to follow her but hesitated when she saw Sabo's face. She tilted her head with a questioning look, but Sabo shook his head, walking off to the back of the ship. The ginger frowned and watched before catching up to Ann, making a mental note to talk to her friend later.

    Sabo sat at the back of the ship, leaning against the railing. No one was around, most people were up front dealing with the marines. He knew he should be there with his colleagues, making sure they got away safely, but his heart was clenching a bit too much to be of use. The Revolutionary didn't expect to be so put off by his little stunt. He knew what Ann's devil fruit was and he couldn't pass up the chance. Sabo lifted his hand and lit a small fire with his fingers. He didn't know how to explain it, but his flames had always felt like his brother. Like Ace was talking to him through the flickering. It was a comfort knowing he'd always have a piece of his brother with him, and even though Sabo hadn't been there for a long time, it felt like he could be by his side.

    The Fire Fist he used to shield Luffy was natural at this point. He had gotten used to the fruit's powers well enough and was comfortable outputting that much fire. But that time felt a little natural, like another presence guided his hands. He felt the heat of his twin flame on his back and like his little brother he broke into one of the widest grins of his life. Suddenly, he was invincible. No one could touch him while his brother watched his back and Sabo watched his. They could take on the world.

    When he had gotten his memories back two years ago, it wasn't all of them. He recovered enough to know that Ace and Luffy were his brothers, and to know the importance and truth of it, but not everything came back to him. They came back at random times over the years, the simplest of tasks opening a dam of memories that made him laugh and cry. And every time he ran to Dragon to tell him new stories of his son or to bawl over bittersweet nostalgia of the years he forgot.

    In that moment, when there was no doubt that Ace was there with him, he felt another flood. Bigger than any memory flash flood he had ever had. Facing off with the wild animals of the mountain, sleeping in the treehouse, pranking Dadan and the bandits, running through trees and underbrush from Garp, wrestling with Ace and Luffy. The torrents swept through his mind as he sat, trying to process the overload. And when he finally did, it hit him that that feeling may never come back again. The feeling of his brother at his back. It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did. Part of him wanted to hunt down the Celestial Dragon that shot at him that fated day and make him pay. If he hadn't, Sabo wouldn't have lost his memories. And maybe then, one day, he could've met Ace again and had his fill of that feeling. Maybe then Ace wouldn't have been captured or run back into war like the flaming, prideful idiot he was.

    Sabo didn't regret his request though. He was glad he asked Ann to use her power. Because that flood was more like gasoline than water, the fire in his heart grew hotter, and though he thought it wasn't possible to be more passionate about his job, he was. He would make sure that Celestial Dragon faced justice, as well as all the others. He would make sure Ace's tragedy would never happen again. And he hoped that his brother would watch him as he flipped the world upside down and be proud.

    The Revolutionary put out the fire in his hand and stood with a sigh, wiping the tears that slipped down his cheeks. He had work to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~