the blurted apology dims his own smile , and then he catches up to what she'd just said before that. his brother. ace. luffy remembers how close he and carol had become , how they had sailed off together and how luffy had wished he could join them. but, he and his brothers agreed at a young age, they would have their own adventures. he firmly believed at some point they would all catch up to one another and meet again.
how time flies.
he bows his head, the brim of his straw hat creating a shadow over his face. his bottom lip trembles , understanding carol's feeling of helplessness, of not being able to save the one you love. instead, ace had saved him--- sacrificed the life he promised never to lose to save his troublesome little brother.
" ace did call me a copycat once. " he cracks a smile as he often does when he thinks back on their childhood. luffy glances to carol , observing her a moment before saying; " he was your friend, too. " it's a way of acknowledging that they're both mourning him, that it isn't his loss he's carrying alone, that ace had been loved by both of them. // @danversiism , continued.