HAPPY HALLOWEEN BITCHEZ

Before I say anything, I just want to thank the people still supporting Searching for a Saviour! It still gets mounds of views and at least a fav or follow a day so I just want to thank you guys for reading it!

Now that it's Halloween, I can have fun and be as angsty as I want. Horror stories are so awesome to write (as you can probably tell from Black Doll Eyes). Time to unleash mwahahaha!

Warning for language and OCC ness for (ahem) some characters and swears!

"It's easy to see in the dark."

"Luffy, get your suitcase." Sabo, eighteen years old, tells his seven-year-old adopted brother.

Luffy reaches up on his tippy-toes into the back of the company moving truck. His small hands barely latch on to the handle of his suitcase, and he slides it out with a tiny stumble.

Sabo allows himself a tiny chuckle- the first one in days- and closes the trunk with a slam. Up ahead his other brother, Ace, is scouting around their new house with a critical eye.

"This place is fine y'know. You don't need to examine it brick for brick." Sabo tells him. Ace sighs and turns around to the blonde, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, you don't have to tell me. It's just..."

"I get it Ace. But you don't have to worry about this one. The owner insists there wasn't any crap going on in there." Ace just nods and picks up his bag with silent acceptance. Luffy runs from Sabo's side to glomp Ace's legs in a tight embrace.

"Don't be sad Ace. I don't like when you're sad." The boy pouts, watery eyes peering upwards. Ace smiles tiredly and ruffles Luffy's hair, whom happily leans into the touch.

"I know little pup. I'll try to stay upbeat for you, alright?"

"Pup?! I'm not a dog!"

"Oops, my mistake. You just look so similar I can't help but mix you up." Ace teases, completely messing up Luffy's hair. It's impossible not to touch the fluffy black strands. Luffy whines and jumps back.

"Meanie Ace!" The boy runs back to Sabo and grabs his arm. "I like Sabo better." Ace just snorts and grabs Sabo's other arm.

"Oi Oi..." Sabo starts.

"I like Sabo better than you too then. He doesn't give me sass on the daily."

"Fine! But I like Sabo more than you do!" Luffy huffs, a pout forming on his lips.

"Alright children that's enough-"

"Children?!" Ace splutters, making Sabo flinch to the side.

"...anyway, instead of blowing out my eardrums with your yelling, how about you get your damn stuff out of the van before I shove you in it." Ace backs away with his hands in the air.

"Don't have to tell me twice. C'mon Lu, help me out." Ace smiles again, but he looks exhausted with the effort already. Luffy follows after his freckled brother eagerly, their spat easily forgotten.

Sabo lets the remaining cheeriness drop from his expression once they've gone. That was the longest either he or Ace have lasted in awhile. It's tough to hang on to the happiness anymore, even when the only thing keeping them on their feet is the firecracker Luffy.

Sabo finally takes a good look at their new living quarters. It's smallish, only one floor. The worn down and dirty yellow vinyl siding covers every square inch of the building, leaving much to be desired. Out front are two flower beds -which are unsurprisingly lacking any sort of shrubbery- that stretch out the length of the house. In the centre of the dead gardens is the sole door to the whole establishment, with an off-white paint job and a tiny window near the top.

The front yard made up of weeds and crab grass is much larger than the back, adding on a few extra metres in length and width. The area surrounding the house is barren, but a fair distance away on all sides one can see the wide expanse of forest. Neighbours are non-existent for a few kilometres, which is something Sabo is grateful for.

He looks up at the cloud logged sky, more so to just try and gain a sense of peace than to actually be observant. Sabo closes his eyes and imagines floating upwards until he can't go any further. There he would stay and watch the world, day in and day out, doing their mundane duties to help themselves get out of bed in the morning.

He opens his eyes and lets reality crash down on him yet again. His feet are still on the ground, crunching against the grey asphalt driveway. The sky is still miles above him, the mush of clouds a grey overcast.

Why has his world become so colourless?

"Who's this brat?"

Little Ace steps forward and pulls a shy looking Sabo beside him.

"He's my new friend, and he needs somewhere to stay. So he's living here now old man." Ace states, radiating the fierceness and confidence of youth. Sabo expects the man to yell at him and kick him out of the house, just like his parents, but instead the old man just shrugs and pops another salty cracker in his mouth.

"Sure, but he doesn't get to escape my training. BWAHAHAHA!" He kneels down and extends a worn and calloused hand to the blonde. "Got a name kid?"

"Sabo..." He says quietly, joining their hands in a soft yet firm handshake.

But this man won't have any of that. He grasps Sabo's hand so hard he swears the blood circulation has cut off, and shakes it with the gentleness of a bulldozer.

"Nice to meet you brat! I'm Garp! But you can call me grandpa, like my grandson over there."

"Screw you Gramps! I never call you that!"

"Ace! Learn some respect for your elders!"

"No fucking way old man!"

"Did you just swear brat?!"

Sabo finally found home.

A baby is thrust into eleven-year-old Ace's arms.

"What the hell is this old man?!" Ace demands, struggling to hold on to the thing wiggling around in his grip. Sabo watches the baby curiously from over Ace's shoulder.

"This is Luffy, your new brother! You're going to take care of him now because I'm busy." Garp deadpans, starting to walk out of the room.

"Hold it shit for gramps! Where do you think you're going?!" Ace yells. But Garp leaves the house, shutting the big mahogany door behind him. "Damn it. How the hell do you raise a kid?!" Ace thrusts the baby into Sabo's chest.

"I don't know...where do you think he came from?" Sabo asks, holding the baby out by its armpits. The toddler makes happy gurgling sounds as he waves his chubby baby arms at Sabo.

"Who the fuck knows. All I know is I ain't touchin' that thing." Ace says, grimacing. "Look! It squirms!"

"I think he's just happy." Sabo murmurs, looking over the baby curiously. He's never held one before. Carefully, he brings the baby closer and holds him against his hip. Luffy babbles happily and immediately sets to pulling on Sabo's golden locks.

"Look! He's a troublemaker already! We should go leave him in front of a church or something." Sabo shoots Ace a look.

"He's just playing Ace. Besides, it doesn't hurt." With his free hand he delicately untangles the unruly baby fingers from his wavy tresses. "You just want attention don't you?" Sabo asks the baby.

Luffy looks away from the source of his entertainment to Sabo's face. When those big innocent eyes connect with Sabo's ocean blue ones the blonde practically melts on the spot.

"Wow..." He breathes. Sabo barely notices Ace coming to stand beside him to see what all the hubbub is about. The freckled boy's breath catches in his throat.

"Wow is right." Ace says softly.

They gained another brother that day.

"Happy birthday Sabo!"

Sabo grins and blows out all of the candles on his cake in one fell swoop. All fifteen flames instantly disappear, and a thin stream of smoke rises from each, turning the nearby air hazy.

"C'mon, hurry up and cut the cake gramps!" Ace urges, banging his fists against the table urgently. Beside him, Luffy swings his legs on the booster seat furiously and copies the gesture.

"Hurr Gandpa!" He babbles. Ace grins at Luffy while Sabo rolls his eyes. If the three-year-old starts picking up mannerisms from Ace, they're going start having some problems real soon.

"Calm yourselves brats! He just blew out the candles!" Garp exclaims gruffly, picking the waxy sticks off of the cake. "Ace! Go get some plates and silverware!"

"Ace! Go get some plates and silverware~!" Ace imitates, retreating to the kitchen. He ducks just in time to avoid a hot candle to the head.

"What a brat." Garp mutters. Then he turns to Sabo with a mischievous look. Noticing the expression change, Sabo raises an eyebrow curiously.

"What is it gramps?" He asks. Garp quickly looks to make sure Ace can't hear and pulls out a wrapped box from under the table.

"Happy birthday Sabo. Now don't tell Ace I got you this, because he didn't get one for his birthday. Just tell him later when the day is done and he's in a happy mood." Curious and a little excited, Sabo rips off the paper and pries the cardboard box open.

"No way...is this?"

"Yep. It's all yours."

As if they might fall apart at any moment, Sabo gently lifts the car keys with his finger. He watches, mesmerized, as they dangle in the air, still not quite believing what he's seeing.

"I'm not old enough though..."

"Never too soon to learn."

"But gramps...how can you afford this?" Sabo asks, balling the gift in his hand.

"Now now Sabo, you shouldn't be concerned with things like that now. It's just a perk of the work I do." Garp says, shrugging it off. Sabo bites his lip. They haven't been in the best financial situation despite Garp's job as a policeman. They all try for Luffy but...this car seems like too much.

"Thanks Gramps. Means a lot." Sabo says stiffly. He doesn't mention how it would be great to receive more 'perks' from Garp's work.

"That's right brat. You deserve it." He ruffles Sabo's hair. Luffy giggles from the other side of the table.

"Shiny!" He cheers, adorably attempting to reach over the table. Sabo chuckles and makes a show of putting the keys back in the box.

"Not for you Lu. Nice try." Luffy pouts and crosses his arms. That's when Ace walks into the room, carrying forks and plates.

"These stupid things should be held in a different cupboard than the pans. They're a pain in the ass to take out." Ace grumbles. He sets them down at the table and sees Luffy's grumpy state. "Lu, what's got you so upset?" He asks the toddler.

"Sabo'z not lets me play eith shinies." Luffy mumbles into his chest, pouting harder.

"What shinies Luffy?"

Sabo and Ace got a gift that day.

"Make sure to fix them up real good boys. I'll be back later!" Garp gets into his beat down blue car and speeds away, kicking up a mountain of dust from the post-snow season roads.

"I really don't understand why we have to fix the baseboards every two milliseconds." Ace complains, drilling yet another screw into the wood. Sabo shrugs, and turns to make sure Luffy is still preoccupied with his puzzle, not walking over to eat sharp nails.

"I know what you mean. Our house is starting to look more metal than wooden." Sabo remarks, turning back to the task at hand.

"My friends say it's weird I do these kinds of chores. They say they never have to."

"Really? Well Garp has always been a little different I guess."

"Maybe it's a thing he has y'know? Finally gone old man crazy, thinking the entire house is falling apart."

"But we've been doing this since we were kids."

"Exactly my point. He's always been crazy."

"He's been gone for awhile now Sabo."

"I know...three weeks, two days, twelve hours. Longest time yet."

Silence leaks on between them. Baby Luffy dozes on Ace's chest, oblivious to the world. Moonlight fills the bedroom, casting long shadows on the three boys laying on the bed.

"You know Luffy almost forgot about him today?" Ace says tonelessly, staring up at the roof.

"No." Sabo breathes out.

"Yeah. He asked me who those big boots at the door belonged to..."

"That doesn't actually mean he forgot Ace-"

"He doesn't see Luffy hardly at all y'know. He comes back when he's asleep and leaves before he's awake."

"He's not doing it intentionally Ace-"

"He's been gone for awhile now Sabo." Sabo lolls his head over to look at Ace, then grabs the raven's hand in his own.

"I know."

"Ace, Sabo, get your asses back here this instant!"

"No way old man!" Ace yells over his shoulder to Garp, then sticks out his tongue.

"Ace you're sixteen." Sabo says exasperatedly, running equally as fast beside him.

"Sixteen or not, I'll be damned if I let that old man lay another punch on me for his training." Ace spits. All of a sudden, his eyes start to droop and he face plants on the pavement.

'Damn it Ace!' Sabo curses. He quickly bends down to grab his sleeping brother, when a giant fist plants itself on his head.

"OUCH! DAMN IT!" Sabo falls to the ground beside Ace and cradles his swelling head. Garp stands tall above them, the sun casting ominous shadows down his face.

"You don't get to escape training! You both are going to become strong policemen!" Sabo flinches, bracing himself for another blow, but instead he hears a grunt, and the sound of feet shifting against the pebbly sidewalk.

Slowly, the blonde peeks over his arm, and then brings it down slowly when he sees Garp adjusting Ace on his back.

"Come on then. We can't do much when this brat has one of his narcoleptic attacks." Garp says, nodding his head in the direction of their house.

Sabo gets to his feet, and they make their way back in familiar, comfortable silence. Sabo jams his hands in his pockets.

"Gramps?"

"Yes Sabo?"

"...did we leave Luffy alone in the house?"

"..."

A personal and written apology were given to the fire station that day.

"Checkmate."

Luffy makes a frustrated sound and throws his hands up in the air.

"Sabo! How are you so smart?!" He demands. Sabo ruffles the six-year-old's hair.

"It's not that I'm smart, but you're dumb." He responds, laughing when Luffy starts throwing a fit. Almost immediately the boy falls backwards on the floral couch, sighing loudly.

"I'm tired and hungry." He whines.

"You're always tired and hungry when you lose."

"Meanie Sabo." The blonde laughs and puts the chess kit back in it's box.

"How about I fix you up something to eat? How does a ham sandwich sound?" Luffy gasps in joy and nods his head quickly. "Alright, just give me a couple minutes." Luffy groans again and sags against the couch, closing his eyes.

Sabo goes to their beat down fridge and opens the squeaky door. He doesn't feel a blast of cool air, which doesn't surprise him, but only a mild chill that would still melt ice cubes.

Behind him Ace enters, sporting wet hair, black athletic shorts and a baggy hoodie with wet splotches on the shoulders.

"Man, I feel sooo tired." Ace drawls, words morphing into a large yawn. He walks over to where Luffy is laying on the couch and unceremoniously falls on his stomach.

"Ace! Get off of me! You're heavy!" Luffy squeals, pushing on Ace's head to get him to move.

"Mm, I dunno. I'm pretty comfortable here." Ace says, completely ignoring Luffy's abuse on his head. "I think I'll go to sleep..."

"Ace noooo! I need to eat my sandwich!" Luffy whines. Ace releases an exaggerated snore that rumbles on the boy's stomach, making Luffy laugh. "Stop Ace! Shishi, stop!"

Sabo watches them with a fond smile. He puts the finishing touches on Luffy's sandwich, -extra meat is a must, the prince himself once declared- just when he hears a car pull up in the driveway.

"Ace. What time did gramps say he was going to be back?" Sabo asks, a small frown forming on his lips. Ace looks up from Luffy's stomach. The boy has gone silent, looking at both of his brothers curiously.

"Not until around midnight, like always. Why?"

Sabo leans from his spot in the kitchen to see out the tiny dirt logged window on the front door. He squints to see something, but he can only see blurs. They look like people...talking?

"It looks like we have some visitors." Ace's eyebrows furrow in confusion and he rolls off of Luffy.

"Visitor?" Luffy pipes up, tilting his head.

"Have we ever had visitors before?" Ace asks with a snort. Sabo shakes his head, pursing his lips in thought.

"Don't think so-oh they're coming to the door." The blurs are steadily coming into focus. Sabo goes to meet them halfway, when he sees that one of them is carrying a Louisville slugger.

A bloody Louisville slugger.

Sabo freezes, eyes going wide.

"Sabo?! What's wrong with you?!" Ace demands, standing up. Sabo shakes his head slowly.

"I-I don't think they're-"

There's a slam on the door. The three brothers freeze, careful not to breathe. Then another slam. Luffy jumps and clings onto Ace's sweater, staring at the door fearfully.

It's silent for awhile after that. Only small, muffled mumblings travel through the door. Ace and Sabo meet eyes and know that they have to get the hell out of there.

Slowly, the boys start to move and hopefully escape out the back door of the house. However, before they can take more than two steps, the door flies off the hinges and crashes to the floor with a massive bang.

Luffy releases a tiny scream as bits and pieces of wood join their last barrier on the cold unforgiving floor. Three burly men dressed completely in black, each holding weapons -a sledgehammer, a chainsaw, and the bat Sabo saw- step into the establishment.

Ace swears and pulls Luffy to his chest, bringing them into the corner of the room and as far away from the intruders as possible. Sabo backs up slowly until his back hits the fridge. He stares at the intruders fiercely, and digs his nails in his trembling palms.

The tallest of the three, and presumably the leader, looks around the room. He swerves his meaty neck around until his gaze locks on Sabo.

Sabo grits his teeth and his eyes unconsciously widen a smudge.

"I didn't expect there to be people here." The boss says suddenly, surprising the three boys. His voice sounds louder than it should be. "Is this Garp's house?" He asks Sabo.

The blonde bites his bottom lip. His mind feels blank, completely incapable of making a decision. What should he say? It has to be something! He can't let them all die! But what does this guy want to hear?!

"I can't be here all day. Is it?" The man spits out. He takes a threatening step toward Ace and Luffy, who flinch back.

"No." Sabo grits, suddenly angry. "You've got the wrong place."

The boss stares at Sabo through the two eye holes in his ski mask. He bounces his bat in his hands, weighing the statement.

"We didn't bring shit to deal with bodies. So you and your friends are fucking lucky I don't care that you're lying. Just fucking sit down like a good boy and stay out of the way while we do our stuff, got it blondie?" Sabo doesn't know what the hell they want to do, but he sinks to the ground nonetheless, nodding his head.

The boss motions with his fingers for his men to enter, and one by one, about six of them all of similar shape and size come inside. They mill around the house and go into different rooms.

"That warning goes for you too freckles. Don't lose your grip on that kid or you'll fucking regret it." The boss says, pointing to the boys in the corner. Luffy just shrinks further into Ace, while the elder glares at him weakly.

The silence turns thick in the household, slowly suffocating the brothers. Heavy boots walk across the hardwood floor, their large weapons dragging close behind. Occasionally something gets broken, and there is a lot of rummaging. A lot.

"Boss, where would it be?" A subordinate asks, walking up to his superior. The boss ignores him for the time being, too preoccupied with tapping the baseboard drilled with years' worth of screws with his boot.

He glances to Sabo, who stares back at him unblinkingly. Then he smirks, and swings the bat over his shoulder.

"Everybody!" He shouts. "Tear apart everything that has a screw in it!" Without hesitation, he swings the massive bat down on the baseboard, shattering it to pieces. Luffy yelps in Ace's chest.

One by one, the thugs unsheathe their weapons and batter down the house. Dust and debris clog the air instantly, infecting every clean surface.

Sabo meets Ace's eyes from across the room, both confused and extremely terrified. He flinches and ducks away when one of the thugs sticks a crowbar under the bulletin board over his head.

The blonde watches with fear as he wrenches it out of the wall and flings it across the room. What Sabo isn't expecting to see is a small hole already behind it.

"Found some of it boss!" The thug calls. He reaches into the hole and pulls out a small bag filled with white powder. Sabo's jaw drops in utter horror, and he can barely keep his shock contained.

'Is that...drugs?'

"What the fuck..." Ace whispers.

They both watch as gradually more and more packets of cocaine, ecstasy, you name it come out of the house they were raised in. Years worth are pulled out of the walls, broken light fixtures they were all too lazy to fix, and to their horror, under Luffy's dresser.

"Oh my god..." Sabo breathes, watching them walk out of Luffy's room with bags and bags of heroin.

They pull out the baseboards, all of them. The ones he and Ace had spent entire weekends securing, all ripped away to reveal rows of small packages of more fucking drugs.

The boss clicks his tongue and waves his bat at Sabo.

"This would have been so much easier if you'd have just fucking told us where the stuff was." He snorts, then notices the look on Sabo's face. "Oh I see..." He looks over at Ace too, then laughs. "You had no idea! What the fuck? Are you all blind or something? That old man really pulled the wall over your eyes."

"Shut up...no he didn't..." Ace grits, eyes shadowed. "He's a fucking policeman, he stops shit like this. He doesn't do it."

"Why the hell do you think we're here then?" The boss asks sarcastically. "It's actually hilarious how you have no idea."

Ace goes silent, glaring at the giant man a few feet away. In his arms, Luffy shifts, and his tear soaked cheeks leave wet streaks on his brother's chest.

"Ace? What's happening?" He whispers, barely keeping back another sobbing fit.

"He doesn't know anything kid, don't bother asking him." The boss says, throwing yet another bag of drugs -this one labeled 'speed'- into an accumulated bin pile. Sabo feels sick.

Ace tucks Luffy away, glaring even harder.

"Don't talk to him." He says coldly. The boss frowns, then makes a gesture to one of his subordinates. The minion grabs the roots of Ace's hair and slams him hard against the wall beside him. Luffy screams and cries out for Ace, who slumps against the wall and struggles to keep his eyes open.

"Ace!" Sabo calls out. He starts to get up, but slowly moves back down when the boss shoots him a glare.

"What I tell you both? Behave and stay out of the damn way so we all get out of this happy, got it?" His answer is silence, but he seems content with the response.

In the other room, a chainsaw starts.

The sun has long since set, bathing the whole house in soft darkness. The moonlight shines through the hollow doorway, making the dust particles look like sparks dancing through the air.

The three figures slumped on the ground have not yet made an attempt to move. They're emotionless, brains bashed and shattered. The cold wind that blows through the now barren and wrecked house has no effect on their hollowed bodies.

Everything is gone now. Walls and furniture lay strewn across what can barely be considered a floor. Any valuables were taken without hesitation, and Sabo is sure if he opens up the cabinets nothing will be left there either.

His dull lidded eyes roam around their empty surroundings. Even the pink insolation got torn away to take the valuable contents underneath. The house feels cleansed for some odd reason.

Sabo doesn't feel relieved. Or anything. Nothing.

Sabo slowly flicks his eyes over to Ace and Luffy, still in the corner. Usually the youngest would be all over the pink fluff, but now he's just staring at it blankly, eyes occasionally drooping from exhaustion.

Ace has his eyes closed, and his breathing is slow. It may look like he's asleep, but Sabo knows that neither of them will be able to sleep for several nights.

Headlights and tires crunching on the gravel driveway bring Sabo out of his cloudy state. None of them move or make a sound as the car door slams and footsteps make their way to the entrance. The blonde looks absently to the clock. 12:07.

Sabo closes his eyes and hears the footsteps halt in the doorway. There is a small sigh, and Sabo opens his eyes again to their gramps, home from work.

From fucking work.

He's angry, but the rage falls into a cold pit in his stomach. He watches Garp scan the room with an unreadable expression and hands on his hips.

Ace hasn't said anything, nor moved. Luffy has fallen asleep.

Eventually Garp sighs. It's profound and annoyed.

"Damn it, they came here didn't they?" He says a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Looks like they made a real mess of the place. HA HA!"

Whistling a little tune, he walks past all of them into the back of the house. Sabo can hear him shuffling around and the zip of a bag.

After a couple of minutes, Garp re-appears with a large duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

"Geez this thing is heavy..." He mutters to himself. Then he spots the sandwich lying harmlessly on the table, completely untouched. He makes a humming sound and swipes it off the plate, chewing on the snack loudly. "Pretty good!"

When he finishes, he licks his fingers then walks to the doorway.

"Wait."

Garp stops in place at the weak voice. He looks to the corner, where Ace is trying to lean himself up higher on the wall.

"What is it Ace-boy?" Garp asks casually, picking the bread from his teeth. Ace swallows thickly and then fixes his fiery gaze on his grandfather. Sabo can see him shaking from across the room.

"When you picked me up...from my parents...did you care?" Ace asks, voice quiet and strained. Garp stares at him for a moment. A look of contemplation goes over his face, something Sabo has never seen in the normally air-headed old man. Garp smiles a little, and pulls the bag strap further on his shoulder.

"Of course I cared about you brat! Well, maybe a little less now, but you get the idea." He shrugs nonchalantly. "You brats can keep the house if you want, I don't need it anymore."

"What about us?! Do you need us anymore old man?!" Ace demands, voice desperate and breaking. There's a sting in Sabo's chest and his heart 'aches'. Garp looks utterly confused, and Sabo thinks for a moment he has returned to normal.

"When did I ever need you?" He asks, honestly baffled, looking at both Sabo and Ace. He turns back outside and walks out, but not without kicking a picture of all of them aside, cracking the glass.

"Maybe you should have done a better job on those baseboards." The words hang in the air as they hear the car start up again and drive away, forever.

Sabo stares outside, mind feeling more muddled than ever before. He can't summon any words that can possible console Ace, normally strong and iron-willed, who is quietly sobbing and curling in on himself. Luffy is still sleeping beside him, completely unaware.

Sabo hates himself for being jealous.

But he can't help it.

They had to endure a year of foster care after that. It was tough to keep the three of them together, but as soon as Ace and Sabo turned eighteen they grabbed Luffy and ran for the hills.

Turns out (unsurprisingly) Garp was in the business for years. He picked it up somewhere along his police job and never stopped once he realized the amount of money flowing in.

It was hard to convince Garp's fellow angry policemen that they had nothing to do with his business, especially because they lived with him for so long. Sabo will never forget the frustrated looks he got as he left the station that day. It seems they weren't the only ones feeling completely betrayed.

Garp has been missing this entire time. No one knows where he went or where he's going, it's like he disappeared off the face of the earth.

Sabo exhales loudly and brings his head back down. Fuck he misses Garp. It's a sin and he knows it, but his father figure got ripped away too fast and too soon for him to take.

For them all to take.

"Here."

Sabo flinches and whips around. Standing there is the previous owner of the house, Nami. A dull frown sits on her plush lips and she's dangling the house keys in front of Sabo's face.

"Thanks." He says, taking the keys. He had honestly forgotten she was there.

Nami doesn't acknowledge his words and blinks, boredom written all over her expression.

"So, um, is there anything else I should know about the house?" Sabo asks tentatively, feeling like he should say something instead of enduring awkward silence. She stares at him for a moment, hand on her hip, then pops a piece of gum in her mouth.

"The lights go out all the time." She says. "But don't worry, it's easy to see in the dark."

"Uh, okay. Thanks." Sabo says, just a little confused. Without another word, she walks away down the street.

'Is she planning to walk all the way back home herself?' He wonders, but before he can dwell on it, Luffy bumps into Sabo's legs.

"Can we go in now?" Luffy asks, face completely hidden behind the large box he's carrying. Sabo takes the box out of Luffy's hands and twirls the keys around on his gloved finger.

"Yes, now go get your suitcase." Luffy gasps excitedly and grasps his luggage like his life depends on it. "You coming Ace?" A grunt comes from the back of the van.

"You guys go on ahead; my stuff is buried under a mountain over here." Just on cue, a chair falls from the top of the pile onto Ace's head. The raven growls and grabs the chair violently.

"C'mon Lu." Sabo ushers the littlest away from the potential threat of thrown furniture.

"I'm so excited!" Luffy exclaims, grinning widely and bouncing as Sabo unlocks the door.

The blonde smiles softly and pushes the door open. Immediately the scent of must assaults his nostrils and cool air brushes his face.

Luffy is the first to enter with a whoop of excitement and scurries into the single story house, dragging his suitcase sideways along the hardwood floor.

"There's wheels on it for a reason Lu." Sabo mumbles, half lost in thought as he looks at his surroundings.

The house actually looks pretty cozy despite its haggard outside appearance. Sabo approaches a small circular table, apparently left behind by the owner, and swipes a finger across its surface. A light film of dust coats the finger of his glove and he wipes it off on his blue jeans.

'Geez, the last owners could have at least cleaned up.' He silently remarks.

Sabo hears a loud clacking sound and turns around.

"Luffy?" He asks. The small raven is standing in the middle of the living room, stiff as a corpse, staring in the direction of the bright hallway. His suitcase has fallen over, and now it lay abandoned on the floor.

Luffy doesn't show any indication he heard the blonde. Instead he picks up his suitcase and speed walks to his brother, where he proceeds to hug the elder's legs.

"Lu?" Sabo asks again, worried. Instead of being excited like he was mere seconds ago, Luffy's mood has turned sullen. Usually the kid can't go long without blurting something out (especially since they got the house) but now Sabo can hardly hear him breathe.

Luffy mumbles something into his brother. Sabo does a questioning hum, not understanding. The littlest pulls away slowly, not meeting Sabo's eyes but still gripping his jacket in pale fists.

"Are we sleeping in the same room?" Luffy asks quietly, shuffling his foot.

"No Lu, Ace and I have to get up early for work so we can't go bustling in and out of your room while you should be sleeping. " Sabo says. When he sees the deepening frown on his brother's face, he feels himself becoming concerned. "But you'll get your own room! You've always wanted that haven't you?"

Luffy looks off to the far right, towards the hallway, and nods shyly. Sabo's eyes flicker in that direction for a moment, but seeing nothing of interest he directs his attention back on the raven.

"Is there something wrong Luffy?" The blonde kneels down to Luffy's height. The youngest sucks in his lips and shakes his head furiously, his fluffy black locks tossing side to side.

Sabo's just about to speak when the door bangs open loudly and Ace stumbles inside. With two large boxes and an enlarged bag strung around his shoulders he wobbles over to the stone fireplace and drops the boxes next to it.

"Geez that's heavy. Maybe we shouldn't have packed so much..." Ace remarks, wiping the sweat off his freckled forehead.

Sabo stands up and shoots Ace an unimpressed look. "Maybe you shouldn't have carried so much on the first trip."

"Meh. Saves more time and effort for the next trip." He shrugs nonchalantly and Sabo can almost see Ace being carefree like he once was.

Almost.

"While we're on the topic of carrying things," Ace continues. "I need you to help me with the couch. It's blocking everything else in the trunk."

Sabo sighs. "Alright let's go." Both brothers walk out the door, but Sabo stops at the doorway and looks over his shoulder to Luffy. "Can you wait here for a sec Lu?"

Luffy looks sickly in the yellow light. He nods timidly and smiles, but it looks ill-fitted on his smooth face.

"We'll be right back." Sabo steps outside and notices that it's gotten darker. The house and grass have gained a dark blue hue and Sabo can see a blurred piece of light in the sky where the clouds have blocked the moon.

"Are you gonna stand there all day or are you going to get your ass over here?" Sabo grunts in acknowledgement and hurries to help his brother.

Together they ease the green velvety piece of furniture off the trunk without much difficulty. They work silently, carrying the couch back in the direction of the house.

When they are alone they're like this. They don't force themselves into a pointless conversation neither of them want to have. The silence is what they've learned to like. Talking robs them of energy they should be spending on Luffy, so he doesn't face the same heart wrenching abandonment they've been through.

"Hey, Ace?" Sabo prompts, breaking their unspoken agreement. Ace blinks at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Yeah Sabo?"

Sabo adjusts his grip to get a better hold on the couch. He's walking backwards, Ace is guiding them from the front.

"I don't think Luffy's happy about the house."

"How could he not? We've been tossed around in foster care for a year. Anything is better than that." Ace retorts. "He's probably just a little uncomfortable with more change. Don't fuss about it."

That's Sabo's cue to shut up. Silence is once again brought to the surface as they cross into the threshold.

They walk to the centre of the living room and place the couch delicately on the floor. A few feet away Luffy stands, shoulders hunched and hands stuffed in his pockets.

"There we go!" Ace exclaims cheerily. He turns to Luffy with a big smirk. "What do you think Lu? Is this a good spot?"

Sabo turns to their baby brother. He watches as Luffy uncharacteristically

stares at the couch with an uneasy expression.

"Well," Ace huffs, then grins wildly. "I guess we'll just have to find out."

Sabo watches in bewilderment as Ace charges at Luffy with a battle cry and slings him over his broad shoulder. Luffy squeals in surprise then giggles madly as Ace marches him to the couch.

"Ace! Sto-ahhhhh!" Luffy breaks off into another squeal when Ace drops him on the couch.

"Is it comfortable? Maybe I should try it out too!" Luffy screams out in protest, but Ace ignores him and glomps him in a panda hug. The couch creaks under the new weight and Luffy whines as he sinks into the impossible depths of the cushions.

Sabo watches their interaction from afar, feeling strangely distant. Suddenly, a pillow hits his face and slides slowly down his chest until it falls to the ground with a dull thud.

He blinks down to Luffy and Ace, who are now staring at him. The silence drags on for a few seconds before Ace speaks up.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to get your ass over here?" Sabo blinks at their expectant faces, then joins them on the couch with a body slam.

Luffy groans underneath them, hot and suffocating under the dog pile. Sensing his suffering, the elders ease off of Luffy, whom immediately gulps for air.

"Freedom!" He yells, pumping his thin arms out in victory. Ace snickers and immediately pulls Luffy into a headlock between himself and Sabo.

"Not yet piglet! I've still got you!" He proceeds to give Luffy a ferocious noogie. Luffy's hand fly up to try and stop the assault to his midnight hair, but to no avail.

"Piglet?! I'm not a piglet! Sabooo! Help me!" Luffy whines. Ace laughs and scrubs the youngest's head even harder.

Sabo laughs, a genuine one, and feels his spirits lift.

This, is what they live for.

Line here

No one noticed it, no one but Luffy. If his brothers wanted to live with it he could manage, they've tried so hard for him he wants to do the same.

So when it crept into the room to watch, Luffy ignored it, forcing himself to instead try to escape Ace's clutches.

No one noticed Luffy's eyes flickering to the right, nor did the boy tell.

Line here

Luffy places the final piece in the ten-piece puzzle for the umpteenth time that day. The picture is of a hawk, it's wings spread wide and beak open in a silent screech.

He stares at the picture for a moment, no longer feeling the satisfaction of completing it, and promptly takes it apart. There's nobody to show his work, so there's no point in keeping it.

Ace and Sabo have long gone to work, leaving Luffy alone. It's been happening for the past few days, with nobody to watch him. His brothers said they would try and get Luffy into school as soon as they could, but it was going to take time.

Luffy presses the cardboard lid on the puzzle box shut and then slides it away on the smooth coffee table. He lays down on the couch with a sigh and closes his eyes.

Not a single light is on in the house, but the light from the sun outside allows Luffy to see his surroundings. Every time his brothers come home, they complain about how horrible the lighting is, and Luffy just stands idly by.

What they don't know is that it's Luffy who turns the lights off most of the time.

Most of the time.

It's lonely without his brothers, he won't lie, but he understands they can't be there for him all the time. So he puts up with it, sends them off with a gigantic smile and a wave and goes through his day the best he can.

Something clacks from the kitchen. Luffy stiffens, and tries not to breathe. His eyes snap open and dart around the living room in a frenzy.

Then something bangs against the hallway around the corner. Luffy begins to shake and he stares at the hallway with eyes blown wide.

He watches the dark hallway for who knows long, but doesn't hear anything any longer. Luffy swallows thickly and slowly rises from the couch.

His stiff ankles crack against the floor as he shuffles backwards to the light switch next the the front door. He takes in a deep breath then flicks the switch with his finger.

When the lights turn on, he doesn't know what he sees.

It's tall, almost bending to fit under the roof. There's no face. It looks like a person but not.

It's standing right where he is staring.

Luffy doesn't like it.

It scares him.

When it moves that's when Luffy panics. It runs jerkily and unsteadily, like it is unaccustomed with its limbs.

Luffy scrabbles at the light switch, but the lights won't turn off! He sends one more terrified look at the 'it' and then it's soclosetogettinghim-

The lights turn off again.

It's no longer coming at him, no longer there in fact.

Luffy's breath turns calmer, but he doesn't move from where he stands. His eyes are carefully locked below the arch separating the living room from the hallway.

He knows it's there.

From the day he stepped into the house, Luffy knew that thing was there. Always around him, latching onto shadows and standing right behind him with its rancid breath on his neck while he tries to talk to Sabo.

He may not be able to see it, but he keeps staring.

Nothing moves.

Line here

"Not now Lu, ask Ace."

Luffy pouts and crosses his baggy red sweater arms. The book titled The Pirate King hangs loosely from his finger tips.

"I just did! He said to ask you!" He protests. Sabo sighs and turns around from his stack of papers on the kitchen table. He removes his reading glasses and rubs his aching nose.

"Of course he did." Sabo mutters under his breath. "Can we go without story time for tonight Luffy? I promise I'll read something for you tomorrow."

Luffy frowns into his chest. Then he nods wordlessly and spins around to the living room without another word.

Sabo turns back to his work and puts on his reading glasses. He feels a little guilty for sending the boy away, but he's just busy today. He can always read to Luffy tomorrow.

On the wall beside him the clock reads 8:30pm. Sabo looks at the object annoyedly. His co-worker was supposed to come by and drop off some prints an hour ago.

In the background a children's show plays on the small television in the living room. Sabo can hear the beginnings of SpongeBob Square Pants echo through the house.

Sabo is about to yell to Luffy to turn it down when there's a knock at the door. Not even a millisecond later, a loud crash and a spluttered cry split the air.

The blonde stands up abruptly and rushes through the hallway to the living room. Just as he rounds the corner, there is another knock and another whimper.

In the far edge of the room Luffy is huddled, shaking. His hands are clenched into his black hair and his face is shoved in between his knees. Nearby, a wooden chair has been knocked over and a piece of the leg is split along the middle.

"Ace! Get over here!" Sabo yells into the house. He then runs over to Luffy and kneels down in front of the quivering child. "Lu? Lu! It's just my friend! Nothing is going to happen to you!" Luffy just shakes his head and buries himself deeper in his inner shell.

There's the sound of heavy thumping on the wooden floor and Ace enters the room with hair in a frenzy and eyes wide.

"Wha-Luffy? What's wrong?" Ace asks worriedly, stepping towards them. There is another rap at the door and Luffy lets out a pained moan. Realization dawns on Ace, and he runs to the door while swearing under his breath.

"It's okay Lu, you're fine. We're here." Sabo whispers soothingly. He pulls the little one into his arms and holds him in a protective embrace. Luffy gulps down a round of hot tears and buries his face in Sabo's loose t-shirt.

Ace glances back at his brothers on the floor then grabs the chipped knob in a death grip. He yanks the door open so fast that he startles the person standing behind it.

"Oh! Um," the man starts, a bit taken aback. The numerous scrolls bundled in his arms knock against each other. "Is Sabo here? I'm Hack, his co-worker."

Ace blinks at him, eyes leering and lips pulled into the beginnings of a grimace.

"These scrolls are for him," the white-haired man continues, unnerved by the hostility in the air. "I was supposed to be here an hour ago but first my car wouldn't work, then there was this squirrel in my trunk-"

"Yeah he lives here." Ace snaps. He snatches the scrolls out of Hack's arms and grins like a shark. "Goodbye."

Before Hack can utter another syllable, the door slams in his face with an abrupt bang. Luffy flinches further into Sabo, still shaking like mad.

Ace looks back at Luffy apologetically, then strides toward him, throwing the scrolls aside on the couch.

"Lu?" He says tentatively, kneeling next to the boy. When there is no response, Ace and Sabo exchange worried glances. "He's gone now. He's not coming back."

Again, no response. Ace sighs in exhaustion and rests his creased forehead against the side of Luffy's head. The black fluff of his hair tickles against Ace's nose and the familiar scent soothes his nerves. But only a little.

"I'm sorry you had to go through something like that Lu, and at your age...please say something, okay? We're worried about you, and you don't want Sabo to be worried, do you?" Ace asks with a light chuckle, pulling away.

Slowly, Luffy raises his pale face off of Sabo's chest. He shakes his head slowly, eyes sad and watery.

"That's right, you don't want us to be upset do you? Besides, Ace fought them off with just his two fists." Sabo says, winking to his freckled brother.

Luffy gasps in amazement. "Really?!"

"Heh, that's right!" Ace stands up and puffs his chest out. Stars twinkle around his head as he smirks arrogantly. "I can fight off anything or anyone! So you don't have to be scared Luffy, because I'll protect you!"

Sabo rolls his eyes at the assertion, but he can't suppress the fond smile pulling at his lips. Luffy's eyes glow in admiration and he jumps up to glomp Ace in a big hug.

"Ace is so strong! Can you really beat anything?!"

"Of course I can! Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?" Ace asks, patting Luffy's head. Luffy shakes his head furiously but breaks into a massive yawn.

"Looks like it's somebody's bed time." Sabo remarks, picking Luffy up and resting him on his hip. His reading glasses slide down far on his nose, almost falling off.

"'s not." Luffy mumbles tiredly. He reaches forward and sluggishly plunks Sabo's glasses back on his brother's blonde locks.

Sabo chuckles and flicks Luffy softly on the forehead.

"I beg to differ."

Luffy doesn't protest again as Sabo carries him to his room. Just a few paces away from the bedroom in the dim hallway, Luffy shifts to look up at Sabo.

"Ace can beat anything right?" He asks softly, voice laced with tiredness.

"Not just Ace, me too." He responds, opening Luffy's wooden door. The hinges creak as it slowly opens, revealing nothing but blinding darkness.

"Then can you beat the monster too?"

In that moment, Sabo swears he feels the hot rush of breath against his neck. Something makes his heart rate pick up and blood rush on adrenaline.

"Monster?" Sabo asks, legs rooted to the spot. The floorboards creak behind him, and the normally still air feels strangely teeming with energy. He senses a looming presence, like something is sizing him up.

Luffy nods, looking down all of a sudden. He swings his thin legs back and forth in the air.

"Well..." The presence is overwhelming now, radiating hostility and challenging his right of mind. There's a strange urge that makes him want to grab Luffy and run out of the house. But instead he pushes down the uneasy feeling and flicks on Luffy's light switch. "Of course I could beat it! But we've been reading you too many books, it's got you all paranoid. Monsters don't exist."

Luffy's lips tighten into a thin line and he doesn't say another word as Sabo helps him get dressed in his cotton pajamas, and puts him to bed.

"Goodnight Lu." Sabo whispers. Luffy just burrows himself further into his heavy blue comforter and grunts. The blonde flicks off the light switch then gentle closes the squeaky door.

Sabo sighs and brings a hand through his messed hair, forcing his glasses further back on his head. He returns to the living room to see Ace kneeling next to the chair, examining the damaged leg.

"Is the chair really messed up that bad?" Sabo asks, coming to stand next to him. Ace shakes his head, his fingers stroking the split and rough wood on the leg.

"It's nothing big, just a split. Luffy must've hit it over when he heard the knock." Ace stands up slowly. His eyes are looking down with a somber gaze.

"What's up Ace?" Sabo asks with a frown.

"It's just...I've never seen Luffy freak out like that for awhile. It kinda shook me up you know?" Ace says with a crooked shrug.

"Yeah, I do." Sabo pats Ace on the back affectionately. "You should go to sleep too. It's been an exhausting day for all of us."

Ace swats Sabo's hand away and stretches his toned arms over his head. Despite his liveliness earlier, Sabo can practically see the tiredness dripping off of Ace's figure.

"Okay, okay I'll go. Goodnight." The raven grunts. Sabo watches him as he retreats into the hallway towards their bedroom.

'Ugh, now I have to clean up myself.' Sabo huffs, turning off the television. He turns back to the chair, only to see it upright again, and against the far wall.

The blonde stares at the chair, more than slightly confused. Silence fills the house as Sabo continues to stare at it. He doesn't know what he's expecting to happen, but he feels like if he looks away, he'll miss something.

Beside the chair is a stack of children's books, all closed and unread. Sabo recognizes them as Luffy's books, but they usually sit in the basket in the youngest's room.

He approaches the stack and clicks his tongue. Luffy should put his things back where they belong.

He kneels down and takes the first book, prepared to put them away in their proper spot. The bold red cover immediately catches his eye- The Pirate King.

Sabo frowns a little and tucks it under his armpit. Then he grabs the next book- Noland the Liar.

'This is the book I read to Luffy yesterday.' Wait. He didn't read this, he had sent Luffy off to Ace because he was on the phone.

Sabo stuffs Noland with The Pirate King and grabs the next two books with sudden urgency.

The islands of the North, South, East and West and Skypea. Two days ago, he and Ace were busy in the garage. Luffy approached them but they just sent him to bed with some milk. Three days ago, Ace was out with his friends and Sabo was finishing up the paperwork for his latest project. He remembers Luffy gripping the shiny book and watching him longingly from across the room, but not coming over.

Sabo falls back on his butt and stares at the two books resting innocently in his hands.

"That was a great story Sabo!" Luffy cheers from their ratty single bed. A set of thin blankets and flat pillows rest on the cold ground beside it, serving as a sleeping quarters for the two eldest. Their foster house rattles against the pouring rain outside, and in the distance one can hear the distant rumbling of thunder. Ace is knocked out on one of the makeshift beds, snoring softly.

"But of course little prince, I always give thee thy best stories in thy kingdom." Sabo says, putting on a fake British accent.

Luffy giggles in joy and brings the blanket up to shield his growing smile. The blonde chuckles and gently ruffles his little brother's hair.

"Can you tell me another story tomorrow Sabo?" Luffy asks drowsily, his eyes already falling closed.

"Of course Lu, that's the one thing I can always give you. Consider it our treasure, okay? That's something we'll have always, no matter what."

"Promise?"

"Promise."'

The books drop from his hands but he doesn't move. He doesn't breathe.

Their treasure glints in the moonlight, but its presence is dull to Sabo.

Tah Dah! Finally, a story. There will be a few chapters to this one that I will try my hardest to write in a short period of time! (I have been so busy it ain't even fair).

I even had to put a pause on the other grand story I am working on (and are immensely excited for) to write this story.

But I hope you like where this story goes, and HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Next time; Flickering lights and yellow eyes