❝ care to join me? ❞ - Sabo <3
Ace froze when a blonde man called out to him and when his eyes landed on who it was, time seemed to suddenly slow down.
Since Marineford and his miraculous recovery due to the skills of Trafalgar Law, Ace had been hiding on a small island during his recovery. Though it wasn't the only reason he was hiding because the shame of the events that both lead up to, and during, Marineford still weighed heavily on the former division commanders shoulders as a constant reminder of what his stubbornness had cost.
Yet here he was, staring down a man whose striking resemblance reminded him of someone he lost so many years ago.
That can't be...he died...but...how? The question was being repeated over and over again in Ace's mind as he just stood there while the people milling around him continued on with their daily business without paying attention to the man who had just stood there.
"Sa...Sabo?" The name slowly slipped out of Ace's lips in a low whisper, almost as if he was muttering a prayer.
Slowly, Ace took a step forward, and then another and another as he made his way over to the small café where Sabo was sitting, and perhaps he wasn't actually calling out to him as a woman walked past him and towards the blonde man.
If he hadn't noticed Ace, perhaps that was for the best? Ace was one of the most wanted people in the world. Even now he dressed a little differently than how he use to. A black t-shirt that hid the massive scar on his back and chest from Akainu. That would be the most tell-tale sign of who he is, but a black haired guy with freckles didn't really stand out to the common person as long as Ace didn't use his devil fruit or do anything that could be considered 'suspicious.' It was best if the whole world thought he was dead.
Ace had stopped once more in place once the woman in pink ran past him. There was a chance that Ace could just slip back into the crowd and Sabo wouldn't notice him. But...but also how was he alive? And if he had been alive this entire time why didn't he reach out to them? Or at least reach out to Luffy? They had both mourned Sabo's death, and if Sabo wanted to break contact with Ace that would be fine but Luffy had loved Sabo deeply and had cried even harder than Ace did.
At least openly. Ace had never been someone to openly cry when they had been children, he had been too busy being angry.
Ace had let the world believe he was dead. So many people died to save him who didn't need to die. Pops didn't need to die and Luffy nearly died, Ace had almost caused his little brother's death.
And now he was staring down Sabo, alive and well. So many thoughts and feelings were warring in his mind.
But if he left now? Sabo could continue with whatever life he was living now, but another feeling was surfacing, a familiar feeling that was becoming a constant companion for him. Anger. Why didn't Sabo reach out to them? Why didn't he, at least, reach out to Luffy? And why was he here now, crossing paths with Ace once more?
