A/N~ Long time no see!

I'm sorry for the hiatus, I've had a lot of personal issues and lack of motivation with certain stories - those of you waiting for No Love is Greater, I deeply apologize for the wait, but the story IS still going. It's just after TMNT 2012 finally ended on a 'meh' sort of note, I kinda lost my muse...

Anyways, this is something I've been working on in the meantime! A One Piece TITANIC AU, featuring the ASL trio!

I honestly adore this movie despite its flaws here and there, and the history behind the tragedy is fascinating as it is truly horrific and upsetting.

I was hesitant to write this due to the fear of doing a disservice to those that really died that night, so I've done extensive research during the creation of this fic. Also, the number of survivors and deaths will not change for the sake of a piece of fiction, I have no desire to insult the memory of those who lost their lives.

Regardless, I hope you enjoy this! I worked very hard on it :)

I OWN NOTHING, WARNING FOR LANGUAGE AND DEATH/MINOR CHARACTER DEATHS. INSPIRED FROM THE MOVIE BUT DID RESEARCH ON THE ACTUAL TRAGEDY. R.I.P THOSE WHO SUFFERED AND LOST THEIR LIVES).

Chapter 1: The Ship of Dreams

The first thing his mind registered after the initial shock was the pain.

Pure, blinding, unimaginable pain bloomed across the left side of his face from the blow that sent him sprawling.

The burning sensation came immediately after.

Sabo shrieked in agony as he writhed on the floor, tiny hands clawing at his face to stop the burning, stop the pain, stop the flames from spreading stop it stop it stop it –

Why? Why had his father let that man hurt him, strike him, burn him? Why was he just standing there beside the man with the smouldering log, watching him, frowning down at him, why wasn't he helping him somebody save him help him father help me it hurts it hurts oh god it hurts make it STOP -!

"I hope you have learned your lesson now, boy," he heard his father say over the sounds of his agony, "because if you pull a stunt like this again, if you defy my orders, if you ever dare to make a fool out of me…there will be further, dire, consequences. Are we clear?"

Sabo didn't reply at once. He couldn't reply, couldn't stop whimpering, crying, pleading silently for someone, anyone, to save him, free him from the wretched prison he'd once called home as he curled in on himself like a wounded animal, pressing both hands against his left eye. It didn't help at all. Tears streamed down his face, worsening the pain as salt mixed with burning flesh.

The boy flinched as his father's cane slammed inches from his nose. He'd been well acquainted with that cane before this, before he'd seen the truth behind the lies he'd been fed since he was an infant. To see it again after five years within striking distance was almost as frightening as the flames threatening to consume him.

"When I address you I expect an answer, boy," the man pressed, glaring down at the suffering child – his suffering child – with disdain. "I said, are we clear?"

Through the haze of pain and tears and terror, Sabo finally forced himself to speak through the sobs, nodding weakly against the floor. "…y-yes…yes s-s-s-sir!" he cried, unable to look the man in the eye – barely able to see at all through his burning left eye, oh god was he going to go blind?

His father – no, Outlook, this man wasn't his father – nodded once, apparently satisfied. "Very good," he said, both hands resting on his cane like the civilized gentleman he was, like he wasn't watching his biological child burning on the ground right in front of him.

"You'll be escorted to your room, now. I expect you to return to your studies immediately; you have much to catch up on if you are to succeed in securing our family's future, as is your duty as the eldest heir. From now on, your bedroom will be guarded, and your windows bolted shut lest you get any more nonsensical ideas. You will not leave this house unaccompanied, and you will obey every single order I give you without quarrel and with the utmost respect. Anything less and you will be punished."

The man with the burning log – his captor, Bluejam – casually weighed his weapon in his hand, as if the threat hadn't been clear enough. His smirk was dark, deadly, and thoroughly amused. Sabo couldn't help but flinch at the sight.

"You belong here, Sabo, and here you will stay," Outlook continued, and if it were at all possible, his glower darkened further until all Sabo could see – through one eye – was a shadow not unlike the kind that hid under beds and preyed on little children in the night. "If I have to beat it into you for you to understand, then I shall. Is that clear?"

Sabo was ten years old, had barely begun to live, and he wanted to die. He didn't care if it hurt. He wanted the flames to consume his body whole, reduce him to ash, wipe him from the face of the earth and erase his existence. It was a far kinder fate than this. But the gods weren't so kind as to grant him such a wish, to give him the freedom he'd dreamed he could have attained.

Instead, he submitted.

"…y-yes sir…"

10 years later.

Southampton, England, April 10th, 1912.

Noon was just approaching when their car rolled up at the docks. Resisting the urge to fidget in the leather seat and incur Outlook's ire, Sabo stole a glance out of the tinted windows. The area was bustling with activity, positively crowded with people shuffling about with their luggage or their fussing children, automobiles grinding to a smooth halt by the gangplanks for those who'd rather not walk. That majority, of course, were mostly if not entirely of noble class, seeing that they were the only ones who could afford such means of travel these days.

There were horse carriages too, of which Sabo would have preferred to have taken instead of the stuffy, much-too-small vehicle Outlook had insisted upon purchasing two weeks prior. There was no room for him to breathe, and the humidity made his face itch terribly under the skin-tone makeup he'd hastily applied that morning. He'd rather be out there, letting the breeze run wild through his blond curls, feeling the heat of the afternoon sun on his face despite the early April chill, inhale the saline aroma of the ocean just a few feet away.

Unfortunately his mother, Belinda, detested horses (or anything that didn't walk on two legs or speak English apparently) and had adamantly refused when Sabo had asked before their departure.

"I don't want my new dress soiled by those filthy beasts," she'd chided. "And you're aware of Stelly's allergies, Sabo. Don't be so selfish."

Sabo had fought the urge roll his eyes at the smug look his adopted little brother had not-so-sneakily sent him after that dismissal. He didn't want to give the brat the satisfaction of his disappointment or annoyance. God knew how much of a pain in the ass he was just by being there.

The car slowed to a halt at last. Sabo was desperate to get the hell out of the damned thing, but years of discipline in etiquette (and a warning side-glare from Outlook) held him in place until their driver opened the door for them. Only then did Sabo finally step out, the sheer amount of noise greeting him like a blow to the face, from the car horns blaring to people cheering and waving their friends and families goodbye.

The twenty-year-old noble born couldn't stop the smile that stretched across his face as he tipped his hat back, gazing upon the brilliance that lay before him.

So, this is the RMS Titanic.

She was truly magnificent.

From the hull to the stern, the ship was huge, as grand as they'd all said it would be. The gleaming white superstructure of the ship rose mountainously beyond the rail, and above that, the buff-colored funnels stood against the sky like the pillars of a great temple. Crewmen moved across the deck like an army of ants, dwarfed by the awesome scale of the steamer. The new paint glistened in the sunlight, portholes polished and gleaming, flags fluttering in the cool breeze…

Sabo stared, mouth agape. He simply couldn't form the words to describe his awe.

"Damn."

Well, apart from maybe that.

The rest of his family hopped out of the vehicle shortly after, their bodyguard stepping out last to guide the stewards to organize their far too many bags and other luggage.

Outlook and Stelly looked on at the ship in amazement and delight, though Outlook managed to restrain himself whilst Stelly clapped his hands with glee, bouncing on the spot like a child half his age. "Oh, father, it's just wonderful!" the brunette crowed. "I can't believe we get to sail on such a gorgeous ship!"

Outlook chuckled and patted the younger mans' shoulder. "But of course! I wouldn't allow my protégé to set foot on a ship unless it was as fine as this," he declared.

Sabo scoffed under his breath at the exchange.

It's almost as if he's the one getting shipped off to be married. I'd prefer that, actually, he inwardly groused, barley biting his lip against speaking said thoughts aloud, not that they would pay much attention to what he had to say. Better still, they were talking as though he wasn't even there. But that was fairly normal.

Belinda, however, only raised a brow as she set her eyes upon the gargantuan cruise ship, not quite as impressed as the three men were. "Well, I don't see what all the fuss is about," she said over the noise polluting the docks, delicate fingers bracing the tip of her lavish hat. She turned to her husband. "It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauritania."

Outlook frowned at her. "You can be blasé about some things my dear, but not about Titanic," he said to her. "She's over a hundred feet longer than Mauritania, and far more luxurious."

"She's actually about eight-hundred and eighty feet long, or eight-hundred and eighty-two feet and nine inches if you want to be accurate," Sabo added with a slight smile. "I read all about it in the papers the other day and –"

"Nobody likes a 'know-it-all', big brother. Stop trying to show off," Stelly sniffed with a sour look from the corner of his eye. Sabo returned the look, though his sharp gaze was far more menacing if Stelly's flinch and involuntary whimper of fear was anything to go by.

"That's enough, both of you," Outlook admonished firmly, stepping between the young men before things could escalate. But, as always, it was Sabo he turned to with a deep frown.

"Sabo, you should focus more on preparing for your oncoming marriage rather than filling your head with trivial nonsense," he said sternly, repeating the same words Sabo had heard over and over since he was five years old. "Remember, your marrying into a successful family as the Nefertari's will ensure our future and prosperity. Do not become distracted. Understand?"

Sabo clenched his jaw.

He was twenty years old, a man in his own right. He'd lived on the streets for five years, had looked death in the eye numerous times and had pushed through the harshest of trials without looking back. But in spite of all that, Sabo didn't – couldn't – meet Outlook's gaze, piercing him and sending shivers down his spine that he fought to hide. Instead, like the coward he'd become in the last decade or so, he dipped his head in acknowledgment.

"Yes sir," he said, remembering at the last second not to mumble.

Satisfied, Outlook nodded and turned his back on Sabo. "Very good. Now, if we're all done here, let's board!" he announced with a newfound grin, one Stelly mirrored perfectly as they made their way to the gangplank set for first class passengers. Rolling his eyes, Sabo followed shortly after, tugging the brim of his top hat down a notch in more of an effort to hide his new scowl than to block out the glare of the sun.

Outlook took the lead, weaving between vehicles and handcarts, hurrying passengers (mostly second class and steerage) and well-wishers. Most of the first-class passengers avoided the smelly press of the dockside crowd by using an elevated boarding bridge twenty feet above.

As he climbed up the gangplank behind the rest of his family, Sabo heard the delighted chatter of other nobles declaring how 'stunning' and 'grand' the ship was, how 'god himself couldn't sink it'. Sabo wouldn't call himself an expert on ships, but he wasn't inclined to agree with that statement. Anything could sink if you tried hard enough.

They were right about one thing, though. The ship did indeed live up to its name as 'The Ship of Dreams'. She was absolutely beautiful.

Even so, despite his earlier glee upon witnessing it for himself, the constant reminder of why he was boarding in the first place – or at least half the reason why – had taken some of that glee away, and deflated him like a balloon deprived of air.

At first, it had seemed like a dream come true to hear that they would be boarding a cruise ship, to sail upon the seas, nothing ahead of him but the open ocean – the sense of freedom. But now that he finally set foot within the mighty vessel, its once glimmering appearance had twisted and morphed to become something like a slave ship in Sabo's eyes, bringing him back to America in chains.

And his parents, as always, were holding his leash.

Outwardly, Sabo retained the disposition of the noble he'd been brought up to be; a pleasant, well-mannered, quiet young man awaiting to be married into a wealthy family and start a new life in New York, his family's business blooming and their riches growing.

Inside, he was screaming.

The hustle and bustle outside the window of the Party's Bar was enticing enough to draw Luffy's attention away from the intense game of Poker on the table behind him. The seventeen-year-old beamed widely as he perched his elbows on the edge of the windowsill, chin cupped between his hands and wide brown eyes gazing at beautiful ship he would be boarding very soon.

Well, as soon as Ace won the tickets to get on the ship, that is. And Ace would win. That, he was sure of.

Luffy didn't know a damn thing about card games aside from 'Go Fish', and even at that he was admittedly pretty crap. But what he did know was that his big brother – the best big brother in the whole world, Luffy's whole world for as long as he could remember – was the champion of card games, and he didn't even have to cheat (unlike what his two opponents had been trying to do since they'd started the game, which made Luffy pretty freaking mad).

Luffy had faith in his brother. Even if he'd been crazy enough to bet everything they had on those two tickets – "When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose," he'd said. So Luffy, knowing he'd be useless in this game, instead busied himself watching as hundreds of people began to board what everyone was calling the 'Ship of Dreams', waiting for the moment that he and his brother would join them all.

Luffy sighed happily at the thought, kicking his feet a little in anticipation where he sat backwards on the wooden chair. Ever since he was little he'd wanted to sail on the open seas, away from Southampton where his grandpa had dropped him off when he was seven. He didn't resent the old man's decision though, because if he hadn't, Luffy never would've met Shanks the pirate, his big brother Ace, Dadan the crazy lady who'd taken care of them for so long, or Makino the sweet bartender who always gave him and Ace free (non-alcoholic) drinks whenever they stopped by.

Luffy loved the friends and family he'd made in England. But he dreamed of the ocean, craved the adventure and the freedom that came with it. He'd even considered becoming a pirate like Shanks and his crew, but Ace had beaten that idea out of his head promptly. He had the bruises to prove it.

(And no matter what Ace said, Luffy was one-hundred percent certain Shanks was a pirate and nothing would make him think otherwise. He was awesome. He sang shanties and drank with his crew, they sailed on the high seas, they liked meat, and besides all that, Shanks had saved his life. Only pirates or heroes could be that awesome.)

Regardless, pirate or no, Luffy wanted that life. Luffy wanted to travel, to explore, to be free to do as he pleased. Ace wanted that, too, almost as bad as Luffy did, because he'd had a taste of it in his early years and yearned for more. And so they'd made a promise to do that one day, to go out into the world and live free as birds, chase their dreams, and live without any regrets.

The only issue was that they were poor as hell. Had barely a penny to their names, even if their gramps was a navy hero or whatever. And with how much Ace earned with crummy job after crummy job, despite how hard and often he worked to put food on the table and clothes on their backs and a roof over their heads, they would never be able to afford even a fishing boat to set sail.

So for a long time, the dream had remained just that. A dream.

Then Ace had come home from work one day, a wide grin stretched across his freckled face (the last time he'd smiled so big was when Luffy had given him his now favorite orange cowboy hat for his birthday) and a newspaper clenched in his hands.

"Luffy, I think I've finally found us a ship!"

It'd seemed impossible at first, even to Luffy.

The tickets to board what everyone was calling the Unsinkable Titanic cost way more than they could've hoped to save up, even if Ace took on a hundred jobs or if Luffy started selling papers on the streets. There was no way they would be able to board.

Luckily, Ace knew people. He knew really stupid, gullible people, who would be dumb enough to bet their own tickets just to beat Ace in a card game and humiliate him to boost their own pride. Better still, Ace had gotten Makino to teach him how to be polite, to use fancy words and tact and charm that would put even nobles to shame. Poor Makino had no idea what she'd unleashed when Ace decided to use what she'd passed on to manipulate poor bastards like his current victims sat around the table, in her own bar no less.

Tearing his eyes from the blue skies and the mighty ship, Luffy cast a glance over his shoulder at the two big guys glaring down at their cards. They'd been pretty confident at first, seeing Ace as some desperate kid looking for a lucky break after falling for his 'naïve, oddly polite street rat' act. Now, nearing the end of the game, they were sending the younger man nervous side-glances over their hidden cards. One of them was even sweating a little along the brow.

Luffy beamed. Those guys don't know what they've gotten themselves into.

"Alright," Ace said at last, looking up from his hand at the two big men. His expression gave away nothing, but his silver eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Moment of truth. Somebody's life is about to change."

Excitement fluttered to life in the pit of Luffy's gut like butterflies, and he hopped off his perch by the window to join Ace by his side, squishing himself onto the same chair. This is it.

Ace cast a fond smile at Luffy before putting his 'blank face' back on – or was it a Poker Face? Ah whatever, it was a cool face and it was even cooler when Ace did it – turning to the big muscle guy with the weird mask and long, wavy hair. "Burgess?"

Burgess – or 'Burgers' as Luffy had called him at one point during the game and had made Ace burst out laughing – set down his cards on the table. Ace looked down at the hand and raised a brow. "Nothin'?"

The big man grunted in reply.

Ace inclined his head as if to say 'oh well' and then turned to the other guy, the big fat one that Luffy really didn't like for the sole reason that there was just something…nasty about him, and it wasn't just his looks. "Teach?"

Teach looked Ace straight in the eyes with his beady black pair, and set down his cards with firm, beefy hands.

Ace took one look at the set, and then he leaned back in his chair, hissing through his teeth. "Oh boy…two pair," he said, biting down on his lip. He turned to Luffy, silver eyes solemn and a sad frown marring his freckled features.

Luffy's heart sank with dread.

"I'm sorry, Lu."

Luffy's breath hitched, his heart frozen, brown eyes blown wide in disbelief. "W-wait, what?" he stammered, ignoring how Burgess and Teach started to grin, wide and nasty. "B-but Ace, I thought – you said –!"

"I'm sorry," Ace said right over him, placing his free hand on Luffy's shoulder, "but we're not gonna see Dadan again for a long time."

Luffy blinked, and his brows creased in confusion. "Why not? She only lives down the street –"

He trailed off, and his heart returned from the depths of his chest and soared to the heavens when Ace's frown disappeared, turning into a wild, ecstatic grin.

"…'cos we're going to America!" Ace slammed his cards on the table, rattling the empty glasses of beer and the pennies, drawing all eyes around the bar to them. "Full house, boys!" he cheered, thrusting his fists in the air as Burgess and Teach's triumphant grins vanished.

In a heartbeat, Luffy was right behind his brother, grabbing the tickets off the table and brandishing them with an unrestrained crow of delight as jumped onto his chair, cheering for all he was worth.

Ace did it! Ace won, they'd won, they were going to America, they were gonna set sail on the high seas!

Behind the bar, Makino was laughing behind her hands in excitement, bouncing a little in place like a bunny as she watched the boys celebrate their victory. Others in the bar, most of whom had known the brothers since they'd started causing trouble on the streets as children, couldn't help but grin and clap as Ace leaned down to scoop up the rest of their spoils from the table.

And then Teach stood up, knocking his chair over in the process and reaching out to grab Ace by the front of his purple button-up. He hauled the young man up so they were face to face, his other hand drawn back into a tight fist.

"You dirty piece of crap," he growled through missing teeth bared into a menacing snarl.

Ace gulped.

Luffy paused in his celebratory dance, noticing Teach had his brother trapped in his grip, and he snarled through his teeth. Luffy knew Ace could hold his own just fine in a fight – he'd taught Luffy how to fight, after all – but even so, no one touched his big brother and got away with it. Well, that, and as much as he loved a good fight, he didn't want a brawl to start in Makino's bar. She'd just had the windows redone from the last time.

"Hey, put him down! He won the tickets fair and square you fat bastard!" Luffy yelled, just as Teach swung his fist –

– and punched Burgess instead, sending the big man sprawling to the ground in a heap, blood draining from his nose.

Free from Teach's hold, Ace watched perplexed as the fat man cursed Burgess out for betting their tickets. And then he laughed outright and turned just in time to catch Luffy as he threw himself at Ace and wrapped his arms around his neck in a hug, spinning them around.

"This is it, Luffy! We're finally getting outta here!" Ace cried, throwing Luffy up in the air and catching him again though the teen was much too big for that now, and then, just because, he plastered a sloppy kiss on his little brother's scarred cheek. "We're goin' to the land o' the free and the home of the real hot-dogs! We're ridin' in high style now! Practically goddamned royalty!"

"We're gonna set sail!" Luffy cheered, and other voices in the bar joined in. This was their lucky break. They were finally going to live their dream, to set sail on the open seas, for America, for freedom –

"Oh, no – boys - Ace, Luffy!"

Ace and Luffy, the latter still held in the older boy's arms in a bear hug, froze in their dance at Makino's frantic call. The ebony-haired woman pointed to the clock on the wall behind the bar.

"You'd better hurry!" she said. "Titanic is leaving in five minutes!"

The boys stared up at the clock for a moment, and then turned to look each other.

"Crap!"

Ace dropped Luffy back on his feet to grab his pack and scoop all their money – cards included, what the hell – and haul it over his shoulder, slamming his favorite orange cowboy hat on his head. Luffy only just remembered to grab his bag and his own hat – an old straw hat he'd had since he was a child, the one Shanks had given him the day he'd discovered his new dream – and give the tickets to Ace before the freckled man grabbed his wrist and hurried towards the door of the bar.

"Bye Makino, thank you so much for everything!" Ace called over his shoulder.

"Bye-bye Makino!" Luffy echoed. "We'll miss you!"

"You boys stay safe out there, you hear?!" Makino ordered, and she waved, watching as the two boys she'd known since they were no bigger than her hip bolted out the door and disappeared into the bustling chaos of the Southampton docks. Tears stung her eyes even as a smile stole across her soft features.

"Ah, I'm gunna miss those idiots," sighed one of the men sitting at the bar. His companion nodded, raising his glass in agreement.

"Aye, lad. Ain't gonna be the same 'round here no more without them boys stirrin' up trouble."

Cleaning her last beer glass after wiping her tears away with a finger, Makino hummed. "I think they'll do just fine," she said, even though it broke her heart to see them go. Luffy was only seventeen, and Ace was barely out of boyhood himself at twenty, and it was a dangerous world out there for two adventurous, troublesome brothers setting out for their first real adventure away from the safe shores of home. But then again, she'd watched them grow, watched them get into scrapes and all sorts of trouble, watched Ace take on job after job just to provide for Luffy…

If they could make it here, they could make it anywhere. She had faith in her boys.

Makino nodded to herself, closing her eyes, her smile broadening. "Yes, they'll be just fine. In fact I'd say great things are waiting for them."

"I second that, madam!"

"To Ace and Luffy!"

"Cheers to the brats!"

The bar erupted with yet another round of cheers, glasses raised and alcohol spilling everywhere. Makino didn't mind the mess, and she laughed along instead.

She just wished the brothers could've seen this before they'd left.

It didn't take much effort for Sabo to slip away unnoticed from the first-class crowds, from his family who continued to fuss and mingle with semi-familiar faces and from their bodyguard/Sabo's appointed stalker, Bluejam.

It was just as easy for the young noble to blend in with the crowd heading towards the top deck, wanting to get a final glimpse at the docks before they set off for America.

Sabo didn't have fond memories of England, not really. Hell, the reason they'd moved to England in the first place was to expand Outlook's influence on the rest of the ignorant noble populace, and to ensure that Sabo had nowhere else to run off to – which proved only a little ineffective. There were a surprising number of fields where the young blond could meander off to and pick up where his training had left off.

Regardless, he wanted to go up there. He wanted to see the small world he'd grown up in from a birds-eye view, relish in the feeling of being on top of it all if only for a moment, to break free from his leash, bad memories be damned –

And he'd been so lost in his own thoughts that he almost didn't hear the hastened shout - "S'cuse me, comin' through!" - coming from behind.

He whipped around, only catching something bright orange – and way too damned bright – before his brain caught up with the fact it was coming straight for him.

With a startled yelp he would forever deny, Sabo quickly stepped aside, plastering himself against the wall just in time as two young men with eye-wateringly bright hats raced past him through the corridors, whooping loudly with unrestrained glee. Coming off the wall, Sabo watched as they shot onward like the devil was on their heels with a youthful exuberance that Sabo envied.

Brow and lips quirking with interest, he quickened his pace and followed them.

I want whatever they're on. Looks like fun.

"We're the luckiest sons of bitches in the whole world, you know that Lu?!" Ace crowed as he shoved Luffy further down the narrow white halls of Titanic – they were on the Titanic, holy freaking hell – and his baby brother laughed in response, wild and happy, over the noise of the ship's horns blaring. They were setting off very soon, and Ace wanted to get one last look at the port before they left it all behind, probably for good.

"I knew you'd win those tickets, Ace! You're the greatest at card games!" Luffy said as he ran ahead without a hitch towards the top deck, weaving through the crowds with ease because he'd always been a weasel, and a tiny one at that. Which was good. Good for thieving.

Ace ruffled his hat. "You know it, little brother!"

Bursting through the doors of the top deck, the brothers pushed their way through people from all classes waving down to the crowds below as the ship began to drift away from the port, some crying and some screaming with happiness.

Dropping his bag at his feet, Ace grabbed Luffy under the armpits and picked him up to sit him on his shoulders, grinning fit to burst as his brother laughed in surprise and delight.

They could see everything from up there, even Dadan's old place where he and Luffy had been raised. Makino's bar sat only a few yards away. Ace found it hard to believe they'd been in that very bar only moments ago, and now they were standing on top of the world.

I wonder if we'll ever see them again.

With Luffy sat comfortably on his shoulders – the kid honestly weighed next to nothing to Ace so it bothered him little – the freckled man leaned over the railing as much as possible without endangering Luffy and waved. "Goodbye!" he shouted. "See ya on the flip side, ye old English bastards!"

Luffy looked down at him. "You know somebody down there?" he asked.

Ace beamed up at him. "'course not, that's not the point!"

Luffy blinked. "Oh," he said. Then, his smile taking over his whole damn face, the kid began to frantically wave his arms to the masses below. "Goodbye! I'll never forget yoooou~!" he practically shrieked. Ace laughed as the two of them continued to bid their home farewell.

And then in the corner of his eye, Ace noticed a blond guy in a top hat and fancy clothes – clearly some noble or whatever, he briefly remembered almost running him over in the hallway – standing a little ways from them, watching them with curiosity. Then the guy shrugged breezily and took off his hat to wave down to the crowds. "Goodbye, I'll miss you! See you again never!" he called with a silly grin that was almost endearing.

Ace blinked.

Huh. What do you know? Guess some nobles knew how to have fun after all.

The ship lurched beneath their feet, and with another blow of the horn the mighty vessel began to move all its own, propellers pushing it through the Southampton waters with ease, leaving it and the rest of its inhabitants behind.

On that day, April 10th 1912, the RMS Titanic officially began its maiden voyage. And for the first time in their lives, Ace and Luffy finally had a taste of what it was like to be truly free.

When Sabo returned to B Deck, it was as if he'd never been gone at all. Not even Bluejam had noticed he'd left.

Good. He'd thought he'd been getting rusty for a second there.

The Outlook family had acquired a very extravagant room for the duration of their stay, filled with shining furniture, golden fireplaces, polished mirrors and china yet to be used, beds not yet slept in – and Sabo was blessed to have his own room, with his own desk, bed, and it locked from the inside oh god yes – and a private promenade deck which had elated his parents to no end.

Sabo was also fond of it, if only for the gorgeous view of the sea he got from it; everything else about it was virtually pointless.

The maids and other servants hauled their luggage into their respective rooms, his mother gushing over the china sets whilst Outlook barked orders left and right to the servants, telling them exactly where everything was to go.

Hanging his coat and hat on a nearby rack for the time being, Sabo moved to gather his belongings himself, much to the surprise of one of the maids, a young girl with bright brown eyes and peculiar curly green hair cut in a cute bob. Her name was Keimi, if he recalled correctly, and she seemed fairly new to the whole 'maid' thing.

"O-oh, um, sir? Are you sure you don't want me to take those –?" she began clumsily, hesitantly gesturing the cases. Sabo just smiled at her and waved her off, resisting the urge to pinch her cheeks because damn it she was so precious.

"No it's alright, my bags are rather heavy," he said, grabbing two suitcases and hauling them up with relative ease, much to her great surprise. Despite the illusion his clothes portrayed and how lean he seemed to be in general, Sabo had a fair bit of muscle. He liked to keep himself in shape, both out of old habit and because, well, why not? He looked good. "Thank you for offering, Keimi, but I can handle them just fine."

A hot blush coated her cheeks, and she quickly ducked her head in effort to hide it before moving on to attend to Stelly's load instead. Sabo smiled again as he watched her scurry off, ignoring the disapproving stare Outlook was shooting him from across the room – apparently treating another human being like another human being was a bad thing – and he made his way into his own bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him and dropping his bags on the floor beside his king-sized bed.

He heaved a long, heavy sigh. Finally, he was alone.

He looked around his room, hands on his hips. It was essentially identical to the main room, the same polished wood, the same golden swirls decorating the frames of his bed and mirror, the same patterned carpets…no personality, and far too much pointless decor. Still, beggars can't be choosers, he supposed. He'd wanted solitude, he was given solitude. He couldn't complain about the design of the room of all things. He wasn't his parents, or Stelly, after all. And the large bed looked inviting enough, especially after hours of walking and talking and being in the presence of his family.

He was exhausted, and the bed was calling him.

First things first, though…

Crouching down and opening one of his bags, he fished through his clothes and other items until he found what he was looking for; an old rag he never failed to smuggle with him whenever his parents forced him to make public appearances. It was still damp from when he'd last used it.

Standing, he moved over to the makeup desk, taking a seat on the 'oh-god-too-stiff-and-uncomfortable' chair. Looking at the face frowning back at him in the gleaming reflective surface, Sabo lifted the damp rag and began to wipe his face, removing all traces of the makeup he'd been forced to apply earlier that morning and every day for the last ten years of his life.

Lowering the rag, Sabo looked back up at his reflection and frowned.

The scar marring the left side of his face remained, bright and red and ugly, even after so long.

The burn had healed up well enough, and by some miracle he could still see through that eye despite the discoloration (the only thing he couldn't hide with paint). But some days it burned, not as horribly as it had that day, but enough to bring those memories back with a vengeance, and it itched every time he covered it up. Outlook and Belinda hated the sight of the scar, though it was because of Outlook that he even had it in the first place, when all Sabo had wanted was to –

Sabo sighed again, stuffing the rag in his pocket. "Don't go there, Sabo," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "No point dwelling on it."

He stood, making his way to his bed and flopping down on the blessedly soft surface gracelessly, throwing an arm over his eyes. For the next few days he would be sailing on, quite possibly, the finest cruise ship the world had ever seen until he reached New York. There, he would be married to some girl he'd never met, and then the two of them would be away, spreading their parent's influence far and wide and securing wealth and longevity.

All he had to do was put up with his family, put up with the dull prattle of aristocracy, and relish in whatever freedom he had left should he find it.

For now though, Sabo wanted nothing more than to sleep.

So he closed his eyes, praying to whatever god there was that his dreams were void of the burning flames and pain, just for once, as he settled down on the bed.

He thought of the boys at the docks instead, beaming and waving and yelling to the crowds without a care in the world, and he slept.