Chapter 2:Thin Line
As a normal courtesy, Sabo invited Ace inside which the other accepted in happiness. Really, it was like the guy was a child receiving lots of candies. Looking closely, Sabo noted now that Ace might be younger than he had initially thought. While the blond and his roommate were both 23 years old, Ace was having the physical appearance of 18 years old. Now Sabo was doubtful by his initial assumption that the only reason the guy looked younger was because of the freckles.
"Just…sit in the living room, I guess. I don't know when Law will come back." Sabo opened the lights and let Ace followed him to the area he had mentioned, "Would you like something to drink? How about some snacks?" then he saw the wall clock above the TV. It was customized for Law's liking, the background picture where the numbers were shown was like a smiley face mixed with some kind of virus shape, "or better yet, I can prepare dinner for you." Because it was already 6:30PM.
"No! I don't want to trouble you. I just…I will just wait for Law then when I see him I will be on my way again." In a second Ace made a confused expression, "Surely he won't be that late right? Law has a strong dislike in travelling in the dark."
Sabo laughed softly as he patted the back of the sofa. An invitation for Ace to take a seat.
"Trust me, I know that Law hates walking at night but this morning he was kidnapped by his beloved uncles. Don't worry, I'm sure one of them will give Law a ride back here."
"Uncles?" and then realization dawned at him, "Oh….you mean the Donquixote brothers?"
"You know them?" was the words that got out of Sabo's mouth and internally smacked himself. Of course he knew the two feathery coat loving guys! He was Law's cousin for goodness sake!
"I only knew them because one time when I was playing with Law when we were ten his uncles visited their home and then it became a competition on who can make Law say 'Uncle Doffy or Uncle Roci 'is the best Uncle''. Had me laughing so hard."
Sabo stopped walking towards the kitchen when Ace finished his story.
"You and Law have the same age?"
"Um…yes." Ace again had his confused expression on.
Sabo just shrugged and continued his walking. Maybe the guy was just naturally younger looking. Even though Ace had initially refused his offer to make food he was still going to make a simple omelet rice and some hash browns.
"Come to think of it." Ace mused and Sabo heard him clear because there were no walls that separate the kitchen from the living room, "so the reason why Law was not answering his phone was because he got cornered by his uncles huh."
It was okay talking to Ace. There was nothing wrong with the guy but every time Sabo looked at him a heart wrenching guilt always wormed its way to the heart of the blond. It made no sense. Sabo just met him a few minutes ago. He just met the guy for the first time, knew his name for the first time and he just talked to him for the first time.
Gol D Ace…
The name seemed sound so wrong in his ears.
Port….gas….
Sabo stopped chopping the carrots as a blurred thought made its way in his mind.
Portgas….
"Portgas D Ace…" Sabo finally muttered under his breath. His vision became cloudy for a bit and the knife he was holding embedded itself on the wooden ground. He swayed for a bit. Again fire was engulfing him. A picture of the young man in his nightmares flashed before his eyes. This time it was not in a grotesque image, the man was sporting a cocky grin while holding an orange cowboy hat above his head. A whisper brushed his ears.
"You found him. Don't let him go."
"Hey! Are you okay?!"
It was then that Sabo realized that he was halfway on the ground. Half of his weight was leaning on Ace. It was like the freckled man was holding himself not to slapped Sabo. Concerned was clearly written on Ace's face.
"Are you okay?" This time it was asked softly when Ace realized that Sabo was conscious enough to look straight at him.
"Yeah…" Sabo said and moved away from Ace. He stopped any attempt of Law's cousin to help him, "I guess I just need to sit down for a while." He added with a sheepish smile.
"You're like my Dad." Ace said with a pout and even though Sabo refused his help he still hovered a little bit from the blond as they reached the living room. Only when sabo finally took a seat that Ace sighed and messed up his already messy hair, "Honestly, why are there guys like you who won't say whenever they feel down."
"What?"
"Hm?"
"I think we should talk for a while. You know, since it will take a while before Law comes home to continue my cooking. Or if it was not a bother to you, you can continue what I was doing."
"Yeah, if you appreciate having fire in your kitchen."
Roaring laughter erupted from Sabo as an image of Law running frantically around the kitchen came into his mind. Really, who could set scrambled eggs on fire?
"Okay, okay, I get it." He took a deep breath, "So, I am a little bit curious. If you have the same age as Law then are you attending college right now?"
"Oh! I'm going to attend One Piece University next semester."
It was then how Sabo knew the reason why Law left for a whole month two years ago. It turned out that Ace was caught in a car accident when he was 17 years old and wound up in comma. It was just two years ago he finally regained consciousness. A lot of catching up needed to be done and according to him 'physical therapy was a bitch'. So that was the reason why Ace looked a bit younger than him. Now that Law's cousin finally passed the entrance exam of the university he was going to take Chemical Engineering.
Damn, another Chemistry loving guy. Sabo hoped that Ace got some luck in romance unlike his cousin.
"So I decided to visit Law but I got lost on the way here. I tried calling him multiple times but he was not answering. Good thing that this cool pineapple blond gave me the right directions."
"Pineapple?"
"Yeah! His hairstyle looked like a pineapple, it was so cool!"
From there they talked about random stuff. Even though a sense of guilt was being planted inside his heart another seed was being planted also. It was a feeling of having a brother. Sabo gave up to make sense on what he was feeling moments ago. Right now he was going to trust the voice inside his head, no matter how insane it might sound.
He found Ace. He would not let him go.
Sabo smiled when Ace laughed on one of his stories about Law's misfortune in romance.
Sabo just hoped he would not be obsessed.
"Damn it! If only the fucking flamingo did not kidnapped me then I would have meet you on the train station!" Law angrily cooked their dinner as Ace cowered behind Sabo.
When Law got home he was surprised to see his favorite cousin in the middle of conversation with his best friend. To turn things worst Law pulled out his phone and saw that he got a dozen of calls from Ace and a bunch of text messages asking for directions. The future surgeon muttered curses to his one uncle only.
"Um…Law, didn't Uncle Roci kidnap you also?" Ace bravely asked but still hid half of his body behind Sabo.
"No! Don't you dare blame Cora-san! The only one who is to be blamed in here was the shitty flamingo!" Law shoved the eggbeater in their direction as he ranted non-stop.
"He has a case of favoritism, isn't he?" Sabo whispered to Ace as Law opened the stove.
"Sadly, yes…"
In a few minutes the food was ready and all of them ate peacefully. Law finally calmed down and started making normal conversations to his cousin. Looking at them it seemed that Law treated Ace as a brother rather than your normal cousin. But that was not Sabo's business at all, for now he was happy to see these two people enjoying their lives.
"Hey, Ace, how about you live here with us while you are attending the school?" Law proposed and Sabo perked up a bit from the idea.
"Eh…" Ace had a face of refusal, "I don't want that idea, Law. If I stay with you then you will not stop your mother hen attitude."
"What do you mean by that?!"
"Hey Mister! You're the one who refused to leave my bedside, aside from Luffy, the first time I woke up! The only reason you got out of the hospital room was when your Mother and Sister literally kicked you out!"
Law had no comeback for that for a while and he tried to control his face not to turn red. What his cousin just said was the truth. Well, you could not blame him. Patients who went to comma had only a slim chance to wake up again and if a patient managed to wake up then another problem were if the brain was damaged at all. But even if Ace turned out to be brain damaged, more than before the accident that is, Law would always be there for him because Ace was a very important person to him and they were family.
"Forgive me for being concerned for you." Law said it softly but Ace, knowing his cousin since they were five years old, heard it well and just smiled at the future surgeon.
"I know, and I appreciate it. But! I will not be living with you guys when I start college. I already signed my name for the school dormitories. Dad kept on insisting that he would pay for everything I need in school. I told him he does not need to do it but Mom said that I should just let them do it. You know I never win when Mom enters the argument." Ace pouted remembering every moments that he lost an argument when the one on the opponent side was his Mother, "So, I don't need another mother hen. My parents were enough to deal with."
"Alright, alright." Law finally conceded, "But I get to know your roommate."
"Law!"
"Surely you won't go home at this hour." From that question both Ace and Sabo looked up to where Law was staring at and true to his words it was already 9:00PM.
It turns out that Ace was only visiting the place where he would spent the next years as a college student but he got delayed because he had lost his way in finding Law's apartment.
"Hm…can't help it I guess." Ace stood up and was already walking towards the door, "See ya next semester Law! Sabo!"
"Now just wait a minute there, Gol D Ace!" in just a blink of an eye Law was already beside his cousin clutching the sleeves to prevent the other in opening the door, "I will not allow you to go out there in the middle of the night!"
"Geez, and you said you're not a mother hen."
"My reason is completely understandable, right Sabo?!"
"Eh?" in the middle of munching some cookies Sabo didn't expect to be included in one of Law's overprotective mode towards his cousin.
"See? He agreed with me!"
"I didn't say anything!"
"He didn't say anything!"
Ace and Sabo simultaneously denied the claim.
"Besides, Law, my little brother along with his friends will give me ride from the train station to home." Ace explained with his puppy eyes that he had learned from Luffy that even Law could not deny. After a few seconds of staring Law sighed.
"Fine, I will walk you to train station."
"Okay!"
