Dear Sabo
Chapter 2
Summary: Ace and Luffy write letters to Sabo describing their adventures. Little do they know he will one they read them all.
Written after a prompt! ASL Brotherhood
Prompt: "I got this idea in my head about Luffy and Ace writing down their adventures for the sake of Sabo. Leaning more towards Ace, finding those logs after his death... But I also think Luffy putting in that effort for the sake of his dead brother is super sweet." (By anonymous, for the OP Ficathon)
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece
The first letter is dated only a few days after his presumed death and it looks as if it has been soaked in something. Vaguely Sabo muses over how that's probably not rain or seawater. He wonders – did Ace cry over him the same way, he ironically did too over his grave?
Then again he already knows the answer to that as the feeling of guilt and sadness wash over him and threaten to drown him. It makes his eyes water, a few salty tears rolling down pale cheeks and falling onto the crumpled letter, smudging some of the ink in the process.
Not being able to hold his curiosity at bay any longer, he reads, the voice in his head sounding strangely reminiscent of that of a rebellious kid with messy black hair falling over his eyes and a wish to conquer the world:
Letter #1
Dear Sabo,
I am so pissed off you died.
Like if I could, I would kick your ass up there in Heaven or wherever you are, although Makino would be angry at me for saying this.
You know…this is all her idea. She suggested we write letters about our adventures, as a way to cope or something .
Not to mention, I feel like I should respond to that letter you wrote us.
(Makino writes secret love letters to that red haired guy Luffy likes – Shanks! I found her secret stash in one of her drawers and the letters were filled with kisses! Ew!)
Anyway, the island hasn't changed much in your absence, except everyone's crying. Even Dadan.
And Luffy – that little brat won't stop bawling!
I…I miss you too, already Sabo. There are so many things I want to tell you about like Makino's letters and what we ate and my fights with Luffy.
(Just so you know I added another victory to my record. Ha!)
Speaking of him, Luffy wants to write to you too. Makino is currently helping him learn. I can't believe she has gotten him to actually learn something other than fighting but maybe that's somewhat your achievement too...hmm
Anyway Dadan's shouting something about cleaning the house…Oh, she mentioned lunch too!
Well, I gotta go 'cause Luffy's going to eat all of food if I don't go in right now.
P.S: Sabo, I'm sorry this letter doesn't have any adventures in it, I know you'd say it's boring but after you…died, the kid and I haven't done much…it's like – damn, I miss you too much Sabo.
(Luffy suggested we built a ladder to Heaven and snatch your ass back here, heh.
- Ace
XXX
A small smile tugs at the corners of Sabo's lips before it stretches into a smirk. Because of course Ace would say that, wouldn't he?
And it's strange how many years have passed, yet in this precise moment he feels as if he's ten again and the two black haired kids are his entire universe. And maybe they are, in some perverted but poetic kind of way that he can't quite put into words.
"I miss you to, Ace." He whispers, words escaping his lips before he can stop himself.
"That idea about the ladder…heh, doesn't sound too bad, does it?" he chuckles under his breath, the small sound echoing in the cabin. There's no one to mirror the laughter back although what sounds a lot like Ace's melodic chuckle replays in his head. Perhaps he's going crazy.
Sabo folds the letter meticulously before the presses the small square of paper to his chest in a moment of pure, unabashed sentimentality.
The letter may be yellowed with time and crumbling but he holds onto it as if it's a treasure map to the biggest treasure in the world.
Author's Note: Honestly, I was somewhat hesitant to write this since it is different than what I usually do but I just fell in love with the prompt. I hope I did it justice and didn't mess up too much.
Over time Ace's writing will get more sophisticated in the following letters as he grows up and matures. Oh, and as the author of the prompt wanted, there will be letters from Luffy!
Shoutout to: Valkyrie Elysia, Guest, Maya5392, BBLimits, Kurapikababu - thank you for the feedback, it is much appreciated!
Please, share your thoughts with me on the chapter!
