Why can I never stay in a fandom long enough to write something decent?

Well, whatever! New story, here we go!

Ah, if you have a problem with Luffy/Sabo, or Luffy/Ace (maybe both pff) then any of my One Piece fics that come out probably aren't for you, ahahaha...

Just gonna say here: I'm going to experiment with as much Canon divergence as possible without changing their route.

I...

In one life he holds back, unwilling to be an unreachable power goal, forever matching his first mate. It was Sabo's idea, once upon a time when they were children.

In another life he is overconfident, strong from another life of experience, but body soft and lacking the physical training. It was how Ace had done it, and he should have realized the flaws.

I want to become …

They say the third time's the charm, and Luffy is going to put this to the ultimate test. It was time to disregard the old promises, time to cast away the advice and actions of brothers who were now decades younger than him in all ways but physically.

Stronger

In his first life, he'd gotten sloppy and his Nakama weren't pushed to their best. Bartholomew had successfully separated them in Sabody, and while he wouldn't give up meeting the women of Amazon Lily for practically anything, his weakness had gotten the better of him.

and Stronger

In his second life, it had almost been boring. East Blue had been a breeze for him, but he hadn't realized how much vital experience he had taken from his crew. He'd been a formidable force, being able to use Haki, but he'd lacked in his training, and so had his crew.

and Stronger

In his first life, he'd lost his brother. His other half had died because he'd been too weak, alone, and blunt, not knowing how to do so many things because he was too busy waiting for his crew to catch up to the boy who's lived in a forest, fighting for his life most of his childhood.

and Stronger

The title of Pirate King had been dulled knowing his brother's only regret was being unable to see him achieve it. That his Ace wasn't there, even if Sabo was, had left a gaping wound in his heart that was only partially mended after he used One Piece to see him again.

and Stronger

In his second life, he'd lost so much more. Overconfident as the Pirate king, he'd forgotten to train his younger body, and though he could take out most before Alabasta easily enough, Marineford had still destroyed him from the inside out.

and Stronger

He'd had his crew with him, and he lost so many. Even his brother hadn't made it out of that fight alive. But Luffy did. Luffy always did.

and Stronger

Sabo had tried to hold him together when Luffy found him in his second life. Tried to glue the pieces together, pulling his little brother into the revolutionaries with him, but in the end they all knew it was irreparable.

and Stronger

At the end of Luffy's second life, he'd almost decided to just give up. To just accept that he'd failed, fucked up royally, couldn't fix what he'd broken. However, his remaining brother, the one who'd always lived on, the one who always tried to heal Luffy with all the love of an entire family… Finally Sabo got the story out of the youngest Revolutionary.

and Stronger

The Blond had talked Luffy into one more try. Talked Luffy into doing things his own way, not the way Sabo brought up one time when he was 10, or the way a young adult Ace had done things. He'd gone with Luffy to find One Piece, supporting his little - older? - brother with an arm around his shoulders, wishing away the conflict on his face.

and Stronger

"I'll tell Dragon to say 'Hi' to you, okay? So come out of hiding a little faster this time!" If it wasn't the scared look on Luffy's face, still as young looking as ever, Sabo would have laughed. He was still so scared to lose the last person he had left to lose. He was the only one the Pirate King had yet to actually see die.

and Stronger

"How about something more than a 'Hi'? Make younger me need to come out. Maybe scare me with something; I deserve it." Sabo did let himself laugh a little, if in a slightly depreciating way. He really did deserve whatever Luffy could think of for taking so long to reveal himself; in neither of the youngest's lifetimes did Sabo have a chance to see Ace alive again.

and Stronger

Luffy nods, already trying to think up a way that he could see Sabo again, before Marineford if he could. The man had become his safety blanket, his proof that it was possible for his loved ones to live. He didn't even have to try it seemed, for Sabo to live on, and it was comforting to see it every time he looked at him.

and Stronger

The Pirate King turned away from his brother, eyes roaming over the doorway before One Piece. With Sabo's stealth and Luffy's foreknowledge of how to get there, the two had managed to find the treasure that was One Piece without anyone being the wiser. Well, Dragon likely knew, but that was fine; their father wouldn't stop them or challenge them for this in any way.

and Stronger

Suddenly feeling miles away from his little brother, the one he'd protected alongside their eldest so long ago, Sabo didn't even think before he'd wrapped his arms around the shoulders of the still so small, so skinny, so young boy. "This me will never see you again, will I, Lu?" It was selfish of him, he knew it, but his life just wouldn't be the same after all these years working together. He was going to lose his light very soon.

and Stronger

Luffy's rubbery hands gripped the black sleeves wrapped in front of him tightly. "If things are okay next time… I'll wish myself back, alright? I'll… I'll be fine when they're all okay." He was so quiet these days, so unnaturally restrained, and it broke Sabo's heart thinking he'd be happier in another life, without him there to hold him up. "But you gotta let me go, Sabo."

and Stronger

"Promise me." He was so goddamn selfish. He couldn't just let his Luffy go, let him start over again without his weight added on top of his shoulders. "Promise me I'll see you again, someday."

And even stronger than that

"... I promise."

And then, I will be able to protect anything

I won't have to lose anyone ever again

How far are you willing to go?

Until I die

Luffy smiled that bright smile, the one he'd lost when his Nakama had died following him into a war they had no reason to be a part of. He knew they wouldn't have had it any other way, but this time, he'd make sure they were all ready for it.

Leaning back into Sabo's hold, Luffy allowed himself a few more moments of comfort before the real work began.

"I'll come back to you, Sabo, even if I have to leave everything behind to do it. Maybe I can bring Ace with me!" The King laughed, hope shining again as he finally realized he would have another chance. He could see his siblings again, and maybe they could actually have a chance to see each other too.

But he'd have to leave this one behind. He'd have to leave behind the brother who knew everything, the brother he was closest to, and if he were honest, the brother he loved more than anything. It was so tempting to just stay there and wallow in his guilt, living with the revolutionaries, wrapped up in his safety blanket like he was now.

But he needed this. He needed Zoro. He needed Nami. He needed Ussop, and Sanji, and Vivi, and Chopper, and Robin, and Franky, and Brooke. He needed Ace. He needed to know that they were all alive somewhere, before he could be truly content here.

"You gotta let me go."

It went unspoken that Luffy's grip on Sabo's sleeve was tighter than a pair of seastone cuffs, simultaneously trying to gently remove his brother, and never wanting to let go.

I needed more Time Travel in my life.

I also needed more ASL sibling interaction.

SO YEAH