Inspired by Royal AU by @thesaurus-with-no-words
They had the plan. A plan that was supposed to be the chance of getting it all over in time and safely keeping both Ace and the baby that was hidden in his womb.
But everything went wrong.
And as a result, Sabo couldn't be at the bedside of his beloved, who was giving birth to their child in agony, but together with the rest of the revolutionaries who marched to the palace. The citizens of the country cheered and lashed out at the noblemen who were oppressing them, and The battle was bloody, brutal and very very... slow.
At the same time, having already extended as far as possible the pregnancy, imprisoned in his own chambers Ace was in a battle of his own.
And that battle will take his life.
Ace knew that ( he had realized it as soon as he made the decision his mother had once made. And the price of that he’s willing to pay.), yet Sabo denied it.
The days earlier, he had been with his lover and left kisses on his face, massaged stress steeled muscles, never loosened his iron grip on Portgas all the time Ace was suffering the agony and pain of a delayed childbirth.
And then, in one particularly tragic night, the kingdom of Raftel fell, and the last tyrant king, Ace, died in labor fever.
Sabo was late, he burst into the hidden chambers, and he’s still too late. He saw Ace smiling at him, smiling at newborn, not loosening his grip on his child. Ace didn't react to his lover's arrival, he seemed frozen. Sabo rushed to his lover, to their child. Kept denying reality.
Sabo arrived too late for rescue. The love of his life is dead, and still the child's bursting cry being the only sound.
At the bedside stands his faithful friend, Deuce, he's pale and the tears in his eyes won't stop flowing. He doesn't turn around to see the arrival of the revolutionary. And his voice is deaf, empty, but at the same time full of a thousand and one emotions. His clothes are still bloody from--- ( the floor and the bed are also covered in blood, the baby in Ace's arms is the only clean being).
- You have a daughter. He tried to hold out longer, he wanted you two together to give her name.
Their daughter has his freckles.
She has blond fuzz on her head, her facial features aren’t like her mother's, and Sabo can't see her eye color.
His gaze returns to Ace's peaceful face over and over again. He died with a smile ( just like Rouge, just like his own mother)
Their daughter has freckles.
Sabo had little princess in his arms, his daughter and the only thing left of his beloved Ace.
Their daughter had light blue eyes, blonde fuzz on her head and freckles from her mother.
//Sabo didn't want to leave Ace, they had a baby, the pregnancy had been hard, and they could have shared even a brief moment of absolute happiness where Ace held their newborn baby girl in his arms and Sabo hugged his whole family, if Sabo had stayed by his side. If only for a moment of bonding with his family, a chance to help and support his lover in such a time of need. Yet in the moment when Ace needed him at most.
Deuce watches from the distance as Sabo is tearing apart and remembers.
“this is our daughter, sabo, our baby...” Ace said in a whisper, in a voice full of disbelief and all-encompassing love, yet so weak and vulnerable at the same time. he leaned on Deuce, keeping his eyes on the baby in his arms.
...The smile on the revolutionary's face was bitterly loving, he couldn't stop leaving light kisses on the top of the head of the love of his life, his light and flame, his Ace. His hold on Ace trembled.
Tears couldn't stop flowing from his eyes.
He spoke words of love, spoke words of encouragement, and never left Portgas d Ace for a second. The faithful doctor, the only survivor and remaining by his sire's side, who had been by his side the whole time was the only witness . Outside the window, the lights of revolution never stop thundering.
Less than an hour after the baby was born, the Sabo family was once again reduced to just two.
Ace died cradling his child with a smile.
‘Their daughter has freckles.’
The first thought that was came to Ace.
She has the bluest eyes, which quickly disappeared in a fit of roars as a result of being in the world outside of her mother's body.
She had Sabo's features, Portgas freckles and Ace already loved her with all his heart. The loud cry and red face gladdened Ace's heart as it meant their baby would live.
- This is our daughter Sabo, isn't she beautiful - everything ached, his own voice felt in the distance. Deuce was saying something, but Ace could no longer hear him, his hands trembling but tightly clasped the roaring child's face, he pressed his cheek against the little fluff of hair and felt through the pain, the sorrow, the grief, the unclouded nothing of love and adoration - the delight of my heart, our daughter, our Joy.
Their daughter had freckles and the life gifted by Ace's sacrifice.
Their daughter has freckles, loud voice and one left parent.
Their daughter is all Sabo had left from Ace.
And Sabo loathes it with all his heart.