Considering how young Luffy was when it happened, you think he kind of forgot what Sabo looked like, what Sabo sounded like, what Sabo felt like?
And as he saw him again in Dressrosa, his eyes bulged out of their sockets, because the long faded features snapped back into focus. That top hat belonged to only one person. That confident gait and manner of speaking fit only one person.
And so, suddenly, there was a sting from the moment Sabo died, and then from when Ace died, and he was all alone in the world, the only remaining brother. But then Sabo was alive and suddenly Luffy remembered the long buried memories of childhood, filled with hunts and fights and brothers and laughter and joy. Oh so much joy.
Sabo was alive.
And for just a moment, Ace was alive too.
