Chapter Text
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree ?
Where they strung up a man
They said who murdered three
Strange things have happened here, no stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree
DISTRICT 1, THE DAY BEFORE THE REAPING
The bell ringed the end of the work day, and the whole harbour grunted in relief. Ace put down the rope he was hauling and hopped down the boat. Now, he needed to find Luffy and Sabo. The Peacekeepers glared at him as he walked away, as always.
The District One was preparing the town square for the Reaping. The single glass ball was standing in front of the statue of the Capitol's victory. After the four traitors rose and tried to overthrow the power in place, only to fail, the Central Government —that would then become the Capitol— put the games in place.
Ace wasn't really ashamed of his father, he hardly had the time to know him before he tried a revolution with a Jedi, the leader of Zaun at the time, and the most appreciated hero in town. He hated him for leaving he and his mother alone. And when his brothers arrived in his life, he had to defend himself and them against people's hate.
He changed his last name to his mother's when he was twelve, the time of his first Reaping. The reaping Sabo got picked. He fought and came back from the games, but he wasn't the same. One of the first victors District One had in a while, and the youngest too.
A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Ace looked up at the Peacekeeper and smirked.
"I didn't steal anything, Sakazuki."
"Don't play dumb with me. Where do you think you're going ?"
"Home." Behind the commander, Ace could see multiples shadows walk in closer. That was how they wanted to play it then.
"Why don't we have a little chat first, boy."
Ace hid the bruises as best as he could. There was one under his eye and a scrap on his cheek he couldn't cover though, damn Sakazuki. He took a deep breath before pushing open the door and stepping in the house —house Sabo got when he came back from the games, that never really felt like home, that was always too big and too empty. But Luffy was there, with a big grin and shiny eyes, and Ace smiled.
"Ace !"
"Hey Luffy." He ruffled his brother's hair.
On the couch in the too big living room, he could see a patch of blonde hair under a blue pile of tissue.
"… How's Sabo doing ?"
"He's not talking again. I waited for you to come back."
Sabo often spaced out, for hours sometimes. For some reason, only Ace managed to pull him back to reality most of the time, and Luffy just took the habit to throw a plaid over Sabo and wait for Ace when it happened. He was so precious, Ace would do anything in his power to protect him from harm.
He knelt in front of the couch and ruffled his brother's hair. He earned a slow blink and empty eyes focusing on him.
"Hey Sabo. You hungry ?"
Just a shake of the head. Ace smiled softly.
"That's fine. I'll make lunch for Luffy though, he's starving."
Sabo's fingers brushed against his bruise. Ace shrugged it off.
"Nothing bad. Had a fight with someone on the way back." He wouldn't lie to Sabo, but he would have hid what happened if his brother didn't bring it up. He didn't want Sabo to worry over something so small.
Sabo hummed and pulled him closer on the couch. He wasn't holding onto him tightly, his right arm lost his strength when a landmine exploded next to him and took his eye too, but he wasn't letting go. Luffy plopped down next to them with undercooked rice. This was nice enough.
Tomorrow would be his last reaping. Twenty-one was the high limit in District One, and thanks to Sabo's victory neither him or Luffy had to take any tesserae, so his name was only nine times in the giant glass ball, and Luffy's five. They were safe.
Sabo only needed his name once to be picked.
Ace's hold on his brothers tightened. He won't let anything happen to them again, not as long as he was breathing.