To Raise a Vampire

The Tragic Past

Ace, Sabo and Luffy's mother had gotten pregnant with Ace and Sabo when she was eighteen, with her partner who she thought was the love of her life. But, he showed his true colors once the woman, Makino, found out she was pregnant. He didn't want any children, and left her, sailing to another island.

Makino had been devastated, as her family deserted her as well, as she had gotten pregnant out of wedlock. But, once Ace and Sabo were born, twins, in her own home by some midwives who left her not long after she gave birth, she didn't hate her life anymore. She had two sweet angels to raise, even if it was by herself and living in a tiny home with one bedroom that she gave to the boys to share, while she slept on the couch in the living room.

Ace and Sabo were adored, the best thing to happen to Makino. She raised them alone, and once they were both eight, they started to venture out of the home and city into the woods to hunt for food, mostly produce and plants to eat until they started to hunt for animals as well.

The good thing about their little family of three being outsiders was the fact that they were very rarely welcome in the town besides Makino's job at the flower shop, and therefore they weren't expected to go to the sermon who preached about the dangers and horrific existence of vampires. Even though Ace and Sabo never attended the lectures, just living in that village made them afraid of vampires. They were unnatural abominations.

The whole island was devoid of any vampires, for once any came, which was rare, they were killed quickly by the self-proclaimed vampire hunters, whose job it was to protect the village from the devils.

Ace and Sabo had never met any vampires before, so it wasn't as if they knew by experience that not all of them were bad.

One day, a couple months after the teens' fourteen birthday, they went home to see they had a guest in their tiny house. They almost never had anyone over. The teens both didn't have any friends. Each other's company was more than enough. The moment Ace and Sabo laid eyes on the man, they didn't like him much.

"Ace, Sabo, this is Dragon, your father," Makino had said in a happy voice. The man seemed nice enough, though the two teens knew he deserted their mother after he got her pregnant. Despite his kind demeanor, the teens didn't like or forgive him for abandoning their mother to raise them all by herself, without even the help of her family, who had deserted her as well.

But, she looked so happy that they couldn't bring themselves to remind her that he left her at such a hard time. Ace glowered at the man, while Sabo was as polite as he could be.

"Hi, boys. I'm really sorry about leaving you all when you should have had a father figure," Dragon had said sincerely. Or at least, sounded sincere. Ace could tell there was something off about him, and told the brother the moment they were alone in their bedroom.

"I don't like him, Sabo," Ace had said in a hard voice. Sabo agreed, not liking the fact he was going to stay the night. Makino had made it clear that the one bedroom was for the teens, and that Dragon would need to sleep on the floor or the lounge chair, while she took the futon. Their mother had never been the most assertive, so Ace and Sabo had been proud that she had been assertive and laid down the rules.

When Sabo said, "But, mom seems happy. Let's just wait and see." Ace glowered, but their mom did seem really happy, and he didn't want to ruin it with his suspicion, even though he felt he was right and that this Dragon was a bad guy, even if he was their "father". What kind of dad just ditches when he finds out he will have kids?

The next following days, Makino was overjoyed. Ace and Sabo knew she loved them with all her heart, but maybe they weren't enough anymore. That's what kept them from telling her that he seemed off and that they didn't like him. Both teenagers knew that if they told her that, she would kick him out. Probably. Hopefully.