#and boa in return does everything she can to help luffy... whats wrong here....

[hauntingblue]

Just saw some people say they don't like luffy and boa scenes??? Are they the funniest thing ever just to me?? It's literally sanji's gag done well what the hell

[wordsdrippinginink]

(3 of 4) OPVengers. Meeting Luffy. Again and for the 1st time. (because we all know that this is gonna be a mess of the highest caliber)

“Why do they call you Gol D Ace,” Steve asks curiously as Ace frowns at the newspaper that a bird had delivered. “I thought your name was Portgas D Ace, was,” he pauses. “Were you just too polite to correct us?”

Ace blinks slowly at him, the same way that Steve has seen Kotatsu do, before sighing, “About twenty, fuck I’m suppose to be twenty two? Twenty four years ago, there was a man who became the Pirate King, before his execution, he said that the person who made it to this island that he had left his treasure on would take his place. His name was Gol D Roger, he’s-” he gestures hopelessly. “-my male genetic provider.”

“But you’re suppose to be twenty two?”

“My mom, Portgas D Rouge, lived on a small island called Batterilla. That man stayed with her for a time before turning himself into the marines and the marines heard rumor that Gol was going to be a father. They killed a number of women and young children to prevent his bloodline from continuing.”

Steve feels sick because this is starting to make the Marines sound more like the Nazis in his memories, the men who would kill off another group of humans because they didn’t approve of them. For a government to willingly, publicly, approve of murdering children and pregnant women-

“My mother extended her pregnancy. I think it was Conquer’s haki, which forces your will over someone else but Gramps said it was will power, for almost two years. It killed her, she lived long enough to name me.”

“She sounds like an amazing woman,” Steve says instead, because he knows amazing women. Portgas D Rouge sounds as strong as Peggy and his mother, the number of other women that he’s met over the years. “I’m sorry you never got to meet her.”

“Thanks,” Ace says smiling softly before glancing back at his paper. “This says that Luffy’s been up to his usual shit, the little brat, and gives us an idea where he’s going to be heading, since Marco’s heard rumors about Luffy working with Trafalgar.”

“What a Traflga?” Tony mumbles into his cup, eyes narrowed at a speck of nothing on the table. “Is that a food?”

“Trafalgar Law, he’s a member of the Marine’s pet pirates,” Ace says shrugging. “He’s got a devil’s fruit that,” Ace shrugs. “It’s a little hard to explain, I think. But let’s say if you run into a blue circle, you’re fucked because he’ll dismember you. You’ll live and get everything reattached easily enough, but it’s annoying.”

Pepper hums looking at the map that Ace had taken from Marco, “Where is Fishman Island on this?”

“Under this,” Ace answers tapping on a landmass. “It’s underwater, you have to get the ship coated so that it can go under and this island is Saboady, best place in the world to find someone to coat your ship,” his finger trails to another island. “This is Dressrosa. If Luffy keeps on track then he’ll be here about the same time that we will.”

“Any plans for when we arrive?” Pepper asks finally, probably mentally calculating the days until they arrived. Steve has found that she plans as well her as she does for Stark Industries. She also looks more relaxed than Steve has ever seen her. “We’ve got several choices.”

“Undercover,” Ace answers simply. “The island has been taken over by one of the other pet pirates the Marines have running around. His name is Doflamingo and I would burn him alive if I got the chance.”

“What,” Clint asks raising an eyebrow. “is a pet pirate?”

“The marines have a group of seven pirates that they Warlords, whom work for them. They offered me a spot before I was revealed to be,” he taps his name in the paper. “It also offers protection, which is why some people take it. I wouldn’t but I know that Boa Hancock worked with my brother to try and help me escape execution, which means she’s playing her own game.”

The politics of this world are just as complicated as Ace and Marco had tried to explain to them in the beginning and Steve doesn’t know what to think. Sometimes he thinks that maybe pirates are right, maybe they’re the ones that are doing the right thing, but then, then. He doesn’t know what to think and it’s driving him mad.

“You said undercover,” Pepper says because she’s focused. “Undercover how?”

Ace smirks and Steve shivers because the last time that they saw that face, they had taken out a marine ship that had been chasing them and left the survivors for dead, “What do you know about disguises?”

“You don’t want to get involved with that,” Clint whispers as Luffy clings to the man that he thinks is Ace’s other brother, the one that Marco had mentioned, sobbing his heart out. “They’re already having emotional break downs.”

“I died in Luffy’s arms,” Ace says softly, leaning back against the statue that they’ve taken to hiding behind, not looking around it to catch sight of them. “And he’s got a big fight coming. I don’t think it’s fair to throw him off balance just yet.”

“And Sabo’s not doing the same thing?”

Ace hums, “your older brother dies when you’re not even in the double digits, but he comes back years later to tell you he’s alive before a big battle. Emotional, but not compromising. Your brother who died in your arms to save your life two years ago shows up alive?”

“Point,” Clint says softly. “What is your plan then? I know you made us all memorize what Luffy’s crew and this Trafalgar guy’s crew look like, but if Sabo’s running around too, who we don’t have a picture for just your description, he’s got to have allies.”

“That’s Sabo’s fault for being a member of the Revolutionary army,” Ace shrugs and Clint can see the tension in his shoulders.

“Would it be that bad? For Luffy to see you now?”

“Marco says Luffy was catatonic after my death. If you were that bad after someone dies on you, what would you do if they came back?”

Clint sucks in a breath through his teeth, “Jesus fuck. So we’re good to be spotted as we like, but you’ve gotta keep yourself out of sight. Do you have a plan to meet up with Luffy again?”

“After. There’s always time after fights like this and I think it’ll be better. Just,” Ace shrugs and he pushes himself upright, pulling the baseball cap that Pepper had shoved onto his head down to shade his face. “We can’t avoid to distract him now. I can’t afford to ruin this for him.”

“But after?”

Ace grins, halfhearted, “After this, I think Luffy would love to have both of his older brothers back in his life, don’t you?”

Doflamingo stops short at the swirling inferno that separates him from where Law has dragged Straw Hat, flames too hot and bright for him to risk a step further.

“You know, I think that you’re a little creepy about Trafalgar,” that’s a voice he’s heard before. The entire world had heard it. “But that’s my baby brother down there and no offense, you fucking nut job, but I don’t think you’re going to get a step closer to him.”

“I see the rumors about your death were exaggerated, Gol D Ace.”

Gol hisses and his eyes narrow, “Portgas, Noble.”

“Oh, you know about that, do you?”

“I know a lot of people and for those that I don’t Marco does. A little rumor about how the Donquixote family was disgraced? Marco is going to hunt down everything about that,” Gol smirks and the baseball cap looks foolish on his head. “He’s going to beat you.”

“A brother’s belief, I heard Straw Hat thought you would live.”

“I did, didn’t I? I’m standing here and,” Gol shifts and his shirt falls open revealing his chest and not a single sign of the wound that Doflamingo had expected to be there. “I certainly hope you don’t think I would be stupid enough to come that close to death again.”

They both stop at the sharp rise in Haki, Gol smirking viciously and with all his teeth, “I hope your death is ignoble and erased from history.”

He vanishes, the flames gone as fast as they appeared, Straw Hat once more on his feet and moving forward.

Doflamingo laughs, shoulders shaking, what an interesting day. He would be sure to sting Gol up after he had murdered Straw Hat, he would get his answers then, after all, how many escaped death?

Luffy smiles, exhaustion pulling at him as he’s watches Sabo, alive and well, talking with his crew. It’s nice, he thinks he should probably be more upset, but Sabo’s been dead to him for twelve years since he was seven.

“You expecting someone?” Zoro asks as someone knocks on the door. “Because we aren’t.”

“I’m not,” Sabo agrees. “Unless Koala thinks that I’ve taken too much time and wants me to hurry up, would one of you mind opening the door? I’m a bit far.”

“I have it,” Robin says, an arm sprouting from the door and opening it, her voice wavers part way through her greeting. “I do not believe that is Koala.”

Luffy tilts his head to look at the door and feels his heart sink in his chest at the silhouette in the doorway before they step inside.

“Sorry I’m late,” Ace, because it looks like Ace, says smiling softly. “I got a little lost, would you believe it? Took me ages to get home-” he turns into flames as one of Zoro’s swords slash at him. “That’s just rude.”

“Ace?” Luffy hates how his voice chokes up and breaks.

Ace’s smile goes impossibly softer, like when he was dying in Luffy’s arm, “Hey Luffy. I’m sorry, I didn’t know it would happen like this. Are you okay?” He takes a step forward and stops as Luffy’s crew steps between them. “Oh, right. Gotta prove I’m Ace, don’t I?”

Luffy wants to tell his crew to move, to let him see his big brother, but Ace, not Ace, is right. He needs to prove he’s Ace or Luffy will kill him. If, Luffy can feel the tears returning, if it’s Ace-

“Remember where you spent all your time after Sabo died?” Ace says after a moment, keeping his hands up and Luffy’s eyes shift away from him to where there’s a too big cat in the doorway, because either this will be right or wrong and he can’t look at him. “I promised you that I would never die before you. Punched you first, said you should worry more about dying before me, since you’re so much weaker than I am.”

“Luffy, is that?”

“Ace,” Luffy sobs holding out his arms because he’s too tired to move but this is Ace. “Ace, it’s-”

“Luffy, you crybaby.”

“-you’re alive!”

Ace moves forward slowly, dropping down beside Luffy on the bed, “I promised, didn’t I? That I wouldn’t die before you. I’m sorry it took me so long to get home, I’ve missed you so much. But look at you.”

“Ace!” Luffy sobs, wrapping his arms tight around Ace.

“I’m sorry,” Ace whispers leaning closer and hugging him back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was two years, I was only gone a week. I’m sorry.”

Luffy squeezes tighter, feeling his exhaustion creeping up on him, “Don’t leave.”

“Of course not.”

“Another world,” Sabo says slowly looking at the people who had burst in when Ace hadn’t returned. “You went to another world?”

“I don’t wanna hear it from you, you got amnesia that only went away after my death. Marco was gonna beat you up if you didn’t know so much,” Ace shoots back, brushing Luffy’s hair from his face. “Kotatsu, come here.”

The big cat that’s been sitting in the doorway, jumps onto the bed with grace and curls up against Ace’s side, purring loudly. Sabo remembers this cat, it had been at the house with Marco the Phoenix when he had arrived to see Ace’s grave.

“Why does Marco the Phoenix know so much about your childhood anyway?” Sabo asks. “You told him a hell of a lot for a crew-mate.”

“Serious boyfriend,” Ace corrects, smirking. Sabo’s head aches and he knows he looks shocked, he is. “We were pretty serious when I died and Marco,” he tilts his head. “Marco asked to, if we could pick up where we left off and I’m weak.”

Sabo shakes and takes half a step forward, “may I?”

“I’m not gonna vanish if you touch me, Sabo.”

“Fuck,” Sabo hisses tripping over his own feet to hug Ace, biting back a sob when Ace doesn’t vanish and remains solid. “Ace.”

“I’m glad you aren’t dead too, you idiot.”

Sabo hides his face against Ace’s shoulder, “That’s my line, you idiot.”

Luffy is warm, he’s warm and he doesn’t want to open his eyes because he had the best dream in the world. Sabo had been alive and he had kept his promise to Traffy, and then Ace had shown up. He had dreamed up Ace, alive and smiling and coming back to apologize for being gone for so long, which wasn’t even fair.

“Tatsu,” Luffy hears a whisper, too soft to do more than just hear the voice. “Let him sleep, he’s tired.”

“He doesn’t look like he’s going to let go of you anytime soon,” Luffy doesn’t know that voice but he can hear Robin laughing, so it means that it’s safe. He feels safe. “Are we going to be here until he wants to let go, Captain?”

“I think I owe him that much.”

Luffy burrows close and pretends that his dream is real for one long moment before opening his eyes.

“We’re going to travel with him for a bit, aren’t we?”

“I am, you’re going to be leave to go home at some point and I wouldn’t dare keep you,” Ace says grinning. “Besides, Tony says that he’s making me one of those things you use and if I don’t talk to him once a day, he’s going to come back and kick my ass.”

The woman he’s talking to laughs, her head thrown back, “That sounds like Tony.”

“Ace?”

“Oh,” Ace is looking at him, smiling softly. “Did we wake you up, Luffy? I’m sorry, do you want to go back to sleep?”

Luffy shakes his head, feeling like he’s about to start crying again, “Ace’s real.”

“I’m real,” Ace promises.