Note: Coughs

Acelu day 3, prompt "Broken / Breaking"

Awakening

When Luffy wakes up, it's to pain and a single thought. The burning, aching, searing pain that was there was there when he lost consciousness was still there.

It hurts to even breathe, the rise and fall of his chest causing sharp bursts of pain to erupt through his chest and torso. It isn't unbearable and the rubber teen can deal with it, but he would prefer not to.

He supposes that, in the very corners of his mind, that he should be grateful that he's even alive right now - the steady beeping of the I.V. next to him and the pristine white walls told him that he was in an infirmary - but he had something else on his mind.

Ace. Ace, Ace, Ace.

His big brother, his only brother left. His big brother who he loved more than anything.

The moment he regained consciousness, his brother was the first thing on his mind. Was he still okay? Luffy hoped so. The last thing the seventeen year old captain remembered doing was telling Ace that he was sorry, but he didn't regret what he did.

After all, that marine admiral with a really bad attitude almost killed Ace. Luffy had gone to Marineford to make sure that Ace wouldn't die, even if it cost Luffy his own life.

And really, Luffy thought that the move he made to stop Ace from getting hit - on weak legs that found a way to move in a moment's notice despite being useless just minutes, seconds before - from the marine admiral had been his last.

The moment he had seen Akainu's attack coming and Ace - his precious big brother who had promised him so many years ago that he would never die and who was always there for Luffy - jumping in front of Luffy to take the fist of magma to save Luffy, the teen moved on his seemingly useless legs without thinking and pushed Ace out of the way.

The magma had hurt a lot, but he knew at the time that it was completely worth it because he was going to die and Ace wasn't.

Anything, anything at all, was better than Ace dying.

Really, Luffy didn't mind dying. It happened and he had lived life as free as he could and this was for Ace.

He remembered Ace picking up his body, but only just faintly, and that he hurt so bad, but his brother was holding him tightly in his arms, something he had missed so desperately and ached for since his big brother left Goa.

However, he had never seen Ace's face so pained. Even now, it was seared into his eyelids when he closed his eyes.

He looked like he had been breaking, that he was being torn apart and nothing could make him whole again. He looked like he was about to burst into tears any moment with each raspy word that had escaped from Luffy chapped, bloody lips.

Luffy didn't like seeing that look on his big brothers face. It left an uneasy feeling in his stomach and made him want to do something to get rid of that look on Ace's face.

Luckily, Luffy didn't die, he was still alive and breathing. (His lungs and chest burning, but it was a lot better than dying and never seeing Ace or his nakama again or never being King of the Pirates.)

And right now he really wanted to see Ace, to make sure his brother was still okay and alive. He knew Ace, that he was as stupid as Luffy was and would probably do something stupid after Luffy had 'died.'

He tries to sit up but the pain in his chest increases tenfold and he falls back against the sheets with a sharp gasp, his blue eyes wide in pain because that really sucked. Sitting up made the pain even worse.

What Luffy doesn't expect to hear is the clatter of a chair falling on the floor and someone standing up quickly, heavy boots smacking against the floor.

And, would you believe it, Luffy's brother hovers right into the teens range of sight.

Luffy's heart aches when he sees his brother's face and his relief partially drowns out the pain.

As relieved as he is that his brother's okay, Ace looks like shit. His eyes have dark rings around them and his cheeks look a bit sunken, like he hadn't gotten any sleep in ages. His brown eyes are filled with hope and fear, but once his eyes meet Luffy's the hope and fear is still there, but is nearly overcome by an ocean of relief and that warm, soft look that Ace always looked at only him with for years.

"Lu..." Ace whispers and it's so good to hear his brother's voice. It felt as if he hadn't heard Ace's voice in so long. Something warm that he can't explain washes over Luffy.

"A-Ace." Luffy croaks out, his voice quieter than he can ever remember it being and it kind of hurts to talk.

"Oh man... Lu, how are you feeling? Are you in pain? What, of course you are what am I saying. Should I call Doc? I probably should. Do you need anythin-."

"Ace..." Luffy croaks again, cutting his brother off before he can continue. Really, the teen didn't care about getting a doctor right now, even if he was in pain.

Luckily, his brother freezes and kneels next to him, being extremely gentle when he cups Luffy's cheeks in his hands, brushing his thumbs softly, slowly and soothingly on the rubber teens cheeks. Luffy doesn't know why but it makes him want to cry.

Maybe its because he could have lost Ace. That's probably why.

A world without Ace wasn't one that Luffy wanted to think about, much less come so close to having living with.

Luffy doesn't know how he would deal with himself if Ace had died, if he would even be able to cope.

"Lu?" Ace whispers when Luffy grabs one of his wrists. Luffy isn't completely sure what he's doing right now, but there isn't much he can do in the first place.

He slowly takes the hand from his cheek and Ace lets him. Luffy's bandaged hands move upward to grab Ace's hand in his own, bringing in to his mouth so he can kiss the calloused limb softly, almost non-existent.

"I'm so glad you aren't dead." He whispers against Ace's palm, his eyed closed and voice breaking slightly. The seen isn't exactly sure Ace heard him, but he knows his older brother did when he opens his eyes, the freckled man's expression pained.

"You idiot..." Ace whispers, his voice thick. He bends over and gently cradles Luffy's head in his arms, making sure not to harm the heavily injured teen. "Why did you do that, Lu? Why for me? You... You could have died."

He whispers out the last word like its forbidden, a taboo.

Luffy moves his arms slowly to wrap them around his brothers neck. Moving hurts a lot, but his precious brother is right here in his arms, breathing and living, and Luffy couldn't care less about the pain.

"Silly Ace... I did it because it's you. I can't lose you... I won't lose you. Remember your promise? You said... You said you wouldn't die and leave me alone."

Ace chokes on air and his grip on Luffy's head tightens a bit as he holds a closer. Luffy can feel something wet on his hair, but he doesn't comment on it because he can feel his own eyes stinging.

The reality that Ace almost died was heavy on shoulders and hurt even more than the burns on his body.

"I can't lose you." Luffy repeats, his throat tight and words slurred as tears begin to roll down his cheeks. He burries his face into Ace's neck, letting himself cry like he's wanted to ever since he heard about Ace's execution. "Please... don't leave me Ace."

"Never. Never." Ace croaks. "I... I can't lose you either..."

They stay like that, crying in one another's arms and relishing in the fact that they were both alive. Ace's pulls back and presses a shaky kiss on Luffy's forehead, brushing away Luffy's tears with his thumbs, making the teen look up at him. Both of their eyes and faces are red, tears still swimming in their eyes. Ace puts his forehead on Luffy's and presses their noses together, their breaths mingling.

"You're such an idiot."

"Your idiot."

Ace laughs softly and runs a hand through Luffy's hair. The nurses had washed it for the teen so it was as soft and silky as it had always been, a difference from what it had been like at Marineford; matted with dirt and blood. Ace shudders at the memory of Luffy broken and bleeding in his arms after his baby brother had taken Akainu's hit. Fear and rage sit in his stomach and even now he wanted to make Akainu pay.

As soon as Luffy had lost conciousness in Marineford, Ace knew that getting Luffy medical attention was more important. He would confront Akainu later, when he was stronger.

He was just lucky that Luffy hadn't taken the full force of the hit; the only way the teen was even alive right now. It would hurt for a while and Luffy would have a nasty scar, but he was alive.

The thought of losing Luffy was absolutely terrifying to Ace. Luffy, who made him want to live when nobody wanted him to and loved him despite the tainted blood in his veins. His little brother, who was like Ace's own personal angel and sun, the very center of Ace's world. He loved his nakama very much, but he knew that Luffy always came first, always.

The thought of Luffy - precious, innocent Luffy - infiltrating Impel Down and Marineford and nearly getting killed who knew how many times left a horrible feeling churning in his stomach. Especially because it was all for him.

He had a lot of things to talk to Luffy about, but now wasn't the time for it.

"Ace?" Luffy says expectantly, waiting for his brother to say something. Ace can't looks so tired his little brother looks. His blue eyes are glazed over and trying to stay open. The bandages wrapped around his torso and arms all over his face and legs made the seventeen year old look so small and fragile that Ace never wanted to let him out of his sight.

The twenty year old slowly shakes his head against Luffy's. "It's nothing, we can talk about it later. You should sleep, Lu."

Luffy looks reluctant to sleep, making Ace chuckle and ruffle his hair softly, knowing exactly what Luffy was insinuating.

"Don't worry Lu, I'll be here when you wake up. Haven't left you." Ace says, slowly helping Luffy get more comfortable in the bed.

"You sure?" Luffy asks, tiredly grabbing Ace's hand as his older brother sits down in the chair at his bedside.

Ace nods, running his spare hand through Luffy's hair. "I promise."

Luffy hums, slowly becoming more and more sleepy. "Mmm... Good, if you don't... Kick your ass."

"You wish." Ace snorts before leaning over and pressing a kiss to the top of Luffy's head. "Sleep well, dork."

Luffy mumbles with a sleepy smile, falling asleep with the comfort of knowing that his brother is right here with him and won't be leaving him anytime soon.