Only a few people knew Sakazuki’s inner side, and one of them was Borsalino.
The power to turn into light gave him absolute freedom, and (no pun intended), he was able to see beyond Sakazuki’s “Absolute Justice”, the cold front he put up in public and at work. The fellow marine admiral was nicknamed Akainu while he went by Kizaru.
“Yellow Monkey”
Borsalino chuckled. His alias felt like a joke compared to Sakazuki’s fierce-sounding “Red Dog”, but he was okay with being the silly one of the pair.
The one who can still laugh.
A dark past had swallowed Sakazuki’s heart long ago, leaving only the cruel shell of a person back—for the most part. Yet, Borsalino knew of his quieter side and secret hobby.
Bonsai.
Miniature trees filled Sakazuki’s room; dozens of different species of plants, most in bloom. Sakazuki loved flowers (as his tattoo gave away if you looked closely), but only Borsalino knew how deeply he cared for bonsai. Growing such frail plants contrasted with Sakazuki’s Devil Fruit and its life-extinguishing magma powers, and yet…
Life blooms stronger after an eruption.
Maybe, Sakazuki’s “Absolute Justice” was his way to forge a better world. Maybe, it was just everything he thought he had left. But Borsalino knew better, and he helped Sakazuki’s bonsai to flourish.
Your light is extinguished, engulfed by lava. But mine can shine for both of us.
Borsalino had taken the habit to turn into sunrays and visit Sakazuki in secret. The latter probably felt his presence in such instances, but he never gave it away and just kept working on his plants, a stoic figure sitting on tatami mats that smelled of grass. Borsalino’s light filtered from the paper doors, just a little stronger than natural light. From time to time, he also fuelled the dim lamps scattered around the large room, making them flicker playfully.
These secret meetings—if you could call them that—continued for months until, one day, Akainu opened the doors leading to the garden and called his name.
Borsalino was strolling lazily outside, a glass of his favourite ginger drink in his hand.
“If you’re so curious about my bonsai, you can join me,” Akainu told him with his deep, rough voice. It had a strong yakuza’s accent that he didn’t bother to dissimulate.
“If it isn’t an inconvenience to you,” Borsalino replied, his eyes lingering on Sakazuki’s naked torso and the intricate tattoo of cherry flowers and swirling patterns decorating the left side of his body.
Sakazuki didn’t seem to notice, focused again on the bonsai in front of him. He was examining the plant with the palm of his large, callous hand, searching for imperfections that he promptly trimmed away.
“It’s perfect,” Borsalino commented after sitting next to him, satisfied that he could watch Sakazuki at work with his own eyes for once.
“It is,” Sakazuki replied, meaning it.
Borsalino felt like they were an old couple. However, he kept that to himself and just smiled placidly.
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