The atmosphere was heavy. No one said a word as the three brothers gauged each other's strength and willingness to follow through.

"What were you about to say?" Luffy's voice was low but his anger was present in every syllable

"You shouldn't pick a fight with me right now Luffy, I'm not in the mood" Ace growled back with the same level of intensity

"Both of you need to cool off!" Sabo barked

"I don't get what's going on but I won't let you finish that sentence!" Luffy ignored them both "You have no right to say that! Not to (Y/n)!"

Ace's blinding anger faltered like a cloud beginning to fade. Slowly the realization of the words that had hastily left his lips - during his heated bitterness - were suddenly coming back to him. These same words that he was able to spew so easily were now getting caught in the back of his throat. Choking him. This wasn't what he wanted.

Everyone froze as your trembling hands rested on Luffy and Ace.

"Don't fight each other..." you pleaded "Not like this ... Not in our home"

All eyes in the room fell on you.

"BUT (Y/N)-!" Luffy protested

"Nothing he said was wrong Luffy" you smiled sadly "I don't have a family... I don't belong anywhere... I know that..."

Although your palms were shaking your grip on Ace and Luffy was firm. It took everything in you to swallow the pain of his words. You couldn't let them know how much it truly hurt. You didn't want to admit to yourself how much they genuinely hurt.

'I don't belong anywhere'

"... I've always been strung along... I know that family was never something intended for me to have because I always become too much of a burden to keep around!"

"(Y/-!"

"I don't even have a last name!" You cut him off "Isn't that proof enough? I'm sorry, I don't understand the responsibilities of belonging somewhere or having a family... It's a grey area for someone as lost as me"

Confessing it out loud burned more than the sting of your tears running down your face and hitting the floor.

"Nevertheless! I know for a fact that you three are brothers! You have to look after each other! No matter the reason! You shouldn't turn on each other... you need to look after each other..."

The silence after your rant was filled with your sniffles and the crackle of the fire. It was uncomfortable. Not because you were crying, but because they were the reason you were crying. In all their experience, you were the comfort they could rely on, but they hadn't been the same for you. And what was worse? Even now, through your pain and tears, you were still trying to fix them first. It was sickening.

"What are we to you (Y/n)?"

Whether it was the strained voice or your sobbing, you couldn't tell at first who'd proposed the question. They weren't family. But the answer felt obvious to you. Despite that, your words failed you.

"You're...to me you're..." you fumbled. "I don't-!"

Ace felt his heart seize in his chest. You weren't saying anything? Why weren't you say anything? Was he the only one feeling happy in the moments you spent together, or had he pushed you away with his brash words?

"Stop" Ace hissed. "Forget I asked"

Despair fanned the flames of Ace's rage once more as he smacked Sabo's steel pipe away from his throat.

"I'm going out"

With that, he shrugged your hand off his shoulder and stormed out to the door. Your heart ached as the tears spilled out. You didn't even register when Luffy escaped your grasp to chase after Ace, Sabo right behind him.

"...I messed up" you breathed "...I messed up again"

As the realisation of the events hit you, an overwhelming sense of dread slapped you. Retreating to the safety of your room, you followed the procedures of vulnerability 101: mental breakdowns feel best under bed covers. Unfortunately, you were so worn out that you could barely make it past locking your bedroom door before sinking to the floor and having a breakdown.

'See? You played make-believe for too long! You were never meant to be part of anything!' your thoughts plagued you 'No! That's not true!'

'You don't belong anywhere!' Ace's voice rang through your head

"OI! (Y/N)! Open the door!" Luffy's voice was agitated and eager for a reply.

You didn't give him one, nor did you move.

"(Y/N)!!!" He shouted again, this time slamming his fist into the door, not so much as to force it down, but rather to encourage a reaction.

The door juddered but it stood firm. If Luffy wanted to force his way into your room, he would've, but Luffy wasn't like that. Curling further into yourself you covered your ears to block out his voice, thankful for the strength of your door.

That was until you felt the tiny vibrations from the top of the door slowly making their way down and across.

You uncovered your ears to listen to the gentle knocking which was followed by a muffled and confused:

"Sabo?"

It didn't deter the tiny taps. No, they kept going until the vibrations reached the back of your head.

Then it stopped.

"Don't move (Y/n)" Sabo warned "It'd be a shame if I missed"

The ominous calm of his voice made you stop crying instantly as you contemplated the request he'd just made.

'...Missed? Missed wha-!?'

"AAAAGHHH!!!"

Chunks of wood flew across your bedroom forcing a surprised scream out of both you and Luffy. After scrambling halfway up your bed in terror you stared intensely at the gloved hand imitating what you could only associate as a claw gesture, which was stretched out halfway through your door only mere centimetres away from where your head was.

'M-M-M-My DOOR!!!'

The hand was unphased, as it calmly reached up, unlocked the door and retreated through the hole. Of course, the door swung open slowly to reveal a gobsmacked raven and a blonde, currently dusting off the last of the wooden debris from his gloves, with unbelievable tranquillity.

"See?" Sabo commented as he entered your room. "I didn't miss!"

'...THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM HERE YOU CRAZY-!!!' You ranted internally

What you forgot was that, even if Luffy was willing to wait for you to come to him, Sabo had been waiting far longer and was no longer afraid of upsetting your boundaries to get the results he wanted. He didn't apologise or try to justify his actions, and he didn't make any excuses. Instead, he made a b-line straight towards you.

Instinctively you shut your eyes and hid behind your hands. You didn't want them to see you like this anymore. You were a mess and felt like an embarrassment. Feeling vulnerable around the people you were supposed to be strong for. You weren't ready to hear what they had to say.

Your eyes went wide as the warmth enveloped your hand. Feeling the strong steady pulse, beneath your fingertips. it was unwavering and comforting. Sabo continued to hold your hand against his chest just as you'd done for him only a few nights previous.

"(Y/n)?" He pressed your hand further into his chest urging you to look I'm in the eyes "I'm not going anywhere!"

Reaching round to the back of your head he carefully pulled you into him for a hug your hand still firmly placed over his heart.

"We're supposed to take this wall down together, and I'm not going to stop until I reach you..." He whispered into your ear "We can stay like this for as long as you need but don't push me away... I'm not going to lose you twice... I won't..."

'He's still here?'

As you mulled over the thought, you felt something being thrust onto your head. The bed dipped beside you as Luffy made himself comfortable, his hand still connected to your head. He sat cross-legged, resting his head on his other arm, leaning forward just enough for you to see him past the rim of gold.

'Gold? ... Wait!' you blinked 'Luffy's treasure!?'

"I don't get it completely but you've been looking out for us again, right (Y/n)!?" Luffy concluded, "So we'll take it from here! I've grown a lot stronger since we last met!"

Distinct colours were starting to blend again. It forced you to bury your face into the crook of Sabo's neck. The fear of rejection was strong, but the relief was a lot stronger.

"I'm not! I'm-I'm sorry! Thank y-you! I'm s-sorry!" you sobbed, still unable to articulate a cohesive sentence.

"Still contradicting yourself" Sabo teased forcing a sorry excuse of a chuckle out of you.

"It must've been scary for you" Luffy's clenched his fists "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone... It won't happen again...I'll make sure of it"

His words gave you comfort. He'd said it so plainly, it made you believe wholeheartedly. Even as Sabo teased you, he never let your hand move away from his chest. Sobs eventually became snores as you let your mind and body recover to the rhythm of Sabo's heart and the comforting words of Luffy.

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It was late into the night and you were passed out cold in Sabo's arms. Everyone had moved to the guest bedroom because someone had covered your room in wood debris and splinters. Now your bedroom had become a death trap.

"Sabo..." Luffy stared at the ceiling "I'm gonna be the one to take down Big Mom, don't get in my way!"

Sabo paused for a moment, then chuckled

"Funny" He hummed as he ran a hand through his hair "I was just thinking the same thing"

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It was a peaceful day on Mt. Colubo. The sun was shining and the breeze fluttered through the open windows of the bandit's hideout, bringing a sense of calm to DanDan. She sat peacefully sipping sake and appreciating the good presence of herself and her trustworthy bandits.

"I WANT A DIVORCE!" You roared

A glass shattered in Dandans hand. The statement alone was enough to draw the attention of her and the rest of the bandits, but for them to hear you say it was insanity. All of them spat out their drinks before rushing outside to see what the commotion was.

"A-A divorce!?" Ace gawked seemingly surprised at the suggestion. "You can't just get a divorce!"

"I can! And I will!" you huffed with your arms crossed.

You and Ace were standing in the grassy clearing just outside the bandit's base. Sabo stood behind Ace leaning calmly on his metal pipe - a devilish grin on his face - while Luffy sat crossed legged on the middle of you and Ace. Both of them seemed to be rather interested in the new development of your relationship.

"What's going on here!?" Dandan looked between the two equally upset children.

Immediately Luffy's hand shot up.

"I can explain!"He grinned "(Y/n) and Ace are about to get a dessert!"

"...What?" Dandan deadpanned.

"Not a dessert Luffy, a divorce! D-I-V-O-R-C-E!" Sabo chuckled. "It means Ace and (Y/n) are no longer married"

"...What?" Dandan repeated.

"We were playing a game called 'house' where we're all supposed to have different roles" Sabo shrugged "I'm the friendly neighbour, Luffy agreed to be (Y/n)'s kid as long as she fed him and Ace is-"

"WAS!" You corrected

"Sorry, WAS her husband until he kept leaving her alone with Luffy"He tilted his hat to reveal a shameless grin "to train with me"

Dandan blinked.

"Woah... Sabo's become a little homewrecker" Dogra scratched his chin

"He should've never left (Y/n) to raise Luffy by herself" Magra nodded

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Prior to this game, you'd made a deal with Ace, Sabo and Luffy, that if you were going to continue to cook and clean and watch them spar; they were also going to have to do something in return. At first, you just chose to make them do tasks such as laundry, or taking a bath. But after a while, you started asking for their assistance in fetching ingredients - of their choice - from the forest.

Unbeknownst to them, all these tasks were for the betterment of you being able to run a household on your own, whilst putting your mind at ease knowing that they were capable of looking after themselves.

Your most recent request - a game of 'house' - was suggested by Makino who used to play it when she was younger. So here you were, after a game of rock paper scissors to decide on roles. You stood proud, and heavily invested in maintaining peace inside your lovely little home.

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"THIS ISN'T REAL, WHY ARE YOU SO INVESTED!" Ace snapped his face flushed with anger and embarrassment "If we're getting a divorce then I'm kicking you out! I'm paying for this house after all!"

"What did he just say?" Magra covered his mouth in disbelief

"The wrong thing apparently" Dogra whispered back

Everyone stared at Ace in shock. The bandits were now looking back and forth between you and Ace muttering amongst themselves. That didn't matter to you though. You were still enraged at the fact that he was trying to kick you out of a home you'd worked just as hard as him to make it.

'THE AUDACITY!' your eyes spoke volumes.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" You seethed.

"Actually he can" Sabo shrugged

"WHAT!?" You glared at him "Stay out of this Sabo! It has nothing to do with you!"

Sabo straightened, his Cheshire-like smile only broadening. He was enjoying this game.

"No can do (Y/n)" He sang before giving Ace a firm pat on the back "I'm his lawyer, and he can totally kick you out of the house if you get a divorce"

Again the bandits gasped and whispered amongst themselves. Even Dandan, who thought this was completely crazy - had now chosen to take a seat and watch the scene play out.

"So the neighbour was actually a lawyer?" Dogra handed a cup of sake to Dandan "Unbelievable..."

"Don't let them get to you (Y/n)" Dandan cheered.

"I've never tried an oyster before" Luffy's eyes sparkled as he stared at Sabo

"Not an oyster Luffy, he's a lawyer. L-A-W-Y-E-R." You explained "It's someone who defends people using the law"

"Eh? So you can't eat it?" he groaned

'Why is everything about food to yo-!?' you paused as you stared down at Luffy, then grinned.

"Well if that's the case" you knelt down and hugged Luffy, who was still sulking over things that couldn't be eaten. "Say goodbye to Luffy, because I have full custody over this child!!!"

Dandan Almost choked on her drink again as another wave of disbelief surged through the bandits as the revelations kept unfolding. Luffy was shocked at first but you promised you'd make him all the meat he wanted if he stayed quiet, and so he did. Ace and Sabo, however, were unbothered by your threat.

"She's taking Luffy?" Magra bit into some crackers "I guess Ace didn't specify about his flesh and blood huh?"

"But with a child like Luffy... Is he really missing out? ACK!" Dogra muttered to which he was met with your very cold gaze.

"Oh (Y/n)! You're such a responsible young lady!" Dandan hollered before downing the rest of her drink. There was no way she could deal with these events sober.

"Can she do that?" Ace turned to Sabo, not too bothered by the idea

"Not unless she has a really good lawyer on her side" Sabo smirked "Luffy is as good as ours!"

'No... It can't end like this...I can't let him take my child' you held Luffy tighter

"Poor (Y/n)" Dogra sighed

"Being a single mother isn't easy" Magra nodded

"Don't give up (Y/n)!" Dandan hollered, completely drunk "Don't let those brats win!"

But there was nothing you could do. In this tragic game of 'house,' you'd lost everything. Your husband, your house and you were about to lose your precious son. If there was a lesson to be learnt in this... you weren't about to learn it today.

"So..." A new voice chimed in "The one time you want to follow the law, and you're using it to terrorise my granddaughter?"

Everyone, excluding Luffy and yourself, went rigid.

"Grandpa!" you glowed with an unrivalled joy as the others shuddered in recollection.

"It seems as though I'll have to thoroughly pound the law into your dense skulls so that my grandaughter can get what she needs" Garp cracked his knuckles and grinned "Afterall, I am your superior"

"GARP WAS SABO'S BOSS AND (Y/N)'S GRANDPA!?!" The bandits lost their minds

Sabo and Ace were on their knees as they nursed the growing bumps on their head, however, Luffy was spared on account of being your child. Dandan was also on her knees as she too was a victim of Garp's fist of justice.

"Th-That crazy old man," Ace cursed

"Why does he always come at the worst times?" Sabo groaned

"Why was I hit too?" Dandan sobbed, completely sober.

The evening ended the same as usual. Luffy eventually said something which earned him a fist of love, and all three were chased into the forest. Dandan cursed at her predicament and smiled sweetly at her cause (Garp), and Magra and Dogra sat you down and explained that if Luffy, Ace and Sabo were going to be pirates, they would have to be away for long periods of time frequently. You nodded and took mental notes as they offloaded their wisdom in dramas.

'I see... I guess I can't lose my temper if they go away with their friends all the time' you concluded with a quick nod 'Divorce was a bit rash'

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