A/N: Shorter chapter than the past few. I knew I shouldn't have taken four courses this semester. I can't wait until the third week of August when I'll have a two week break before fall semester starts haha. I've also been distracted by Treasure Cruise. Aside from my usual ramblings, enjoy the chapter.
The two older brothers didn't speak a word to one another for the entire evening spent in the bar. Luffy commented from time on their sluggishness and put it off as them being weird. The three began to walk home together making it a couple blocks when Ace spoke.
"Uh, you guys go ahead without me," Ace said.
Luffy chirped an okay, leaving Sabo to—for the first time after what felt like the longest hours—bring his eyes up from the ground. The man waited for his response that he'd been heard and Sabo looked at Ace.
"Okay, see you at home later." Everything was still, the dark sky, the hovering clouds above and the chilly winds of the night. It was quiet. He waved and smiled.
"Yeah, see you," Ace said, waving a hand and returning a faint smile. Sabo's blue eyes twinkled and he turned around before his smile stretched wider across his face. Luffy jumped up and down, waving with his arms while walking backwards. Ace gave his younger brother another wave and strolled down the streets.
"Hey Luffy," Sabo started, his head tilted up to watch the sky and the few bright light of the stars as he trekked up the mountain path. Luffy tugged his hand, letting him know they were changing directions.
"What?" The younger pushed the shrubs in his way, swishing his head left to right, on the guard of any dangerous night creatures. He heard a chuckle and looked up at Sabo. The man brought his right hand—his free hand that wasn't being led by Luffy—to cover his eyes. The boy couldn't see Sabo's expression.
"I'm glad…" A strained whisper. His lips trembled, he had difficulties in deciding what he wanted to say, how he wanted to express it. "I'm really glad you guys are here. I'm glad I met you guys." He gazed down at Luffy, meeting his eyes. Sabo broke into an awkward smile. Luffy blinked, noticing the glassy look in his older brother's eyes.
"Yeah!" He grinned at the man and Sabo squeezed his hand lightly.
I'm lucky, Sabo thought and exhaled, the smile never leaving his face. It was nice being here with Luffy and Ace. Even after yelling at each other a few hours back, Ace wasn't angry and he wasn't avoiding him. The smile he gave was proof. That in itself made warmth spread throughout Sabo. He swung his arm, Luffy's arm being forced into the motion.
Luffy startled when the man beside him started swinging their linked hands back and forth. He grinned, thinking it was fun and swung his arm in time with Sabo. It seemed Sabo didn't realize what he was doing until Luffy joined in and he laughed.
"Shi, shi shi, why are you laughing, Sabo?" the boy asked. Sabo closed his eyes and hummed in contemplation. He glanced at Luffy and grinned.
"I don't know but I'm just happy," he answered, pulling the brim of his top hat down slightly to hide his childish expression.
"Pft." Luffy's lips curled and he declared, "Sabo's weird!" He burst out into laughter and it rubbed off on Sabo, the man laughing again.
"Ah! Sabo you're all pink or is it red…" Luffy shouted after he'd caught the colour from the corner of his eye.
"Blood looks red under the light and it's actually blood rushing to a person's cheeks when they laugh too much so it would make sense to say red. Though really, there's no correct answer, just say whichever colour you see." Sabo looked down at the scrunched up face of the boy. "What?"
Luffy groaned, his eyebrows drooping. "I don't get it." Three paces later, he lit up and said, "Oh! Sabo's pink because you look pink." He snickered at his own intellect. Sabo rolled his eyes upwards and scratched his cheek.
"Um, yeah, something like that…" he trailed off and stopped. Luffy turned his head as he watched Sabo crouch down in front of him. He inclined his head, confused at what his older brother was doing. "You're pink too, and sweaty."
Sabo pulled out a handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped Luffy's face. The way the boy's plump cheeks were so elastic as he rubbed the sweat off them was adorable and the way Luffy was making funny muffled noises as he was doing so was endearing. He noticed Luffy lean into the cloth despite being taken aback by his sudden actions.
With a last swipe over the boy's forehead, pushing his black bangs back, Sabo put away the cloth. He was met with a grinning Luffy.
"Sabo's nice!" Luffy beamed and before Sabo could reply or stand up, a rubber arm coiled itself on his left arm until a hand held his again.
Sabo blinked and when he looked at his arm to Luffy's face, he laughed. "Thank you. Now, let's get home before it gets darker." Luffy nodded, giggling. Sabo smiled at the display of his brother's affections.
"Makinooo," Ace called inside the bar. He heard a clatter behind the counter and leaned over.
"Oh, Ace, just give me second to tidy up first," Makino said and placed empty bottles into a trash bag. She'd closed the bar earlier tonight not just for Ace's sake but because there were few customers tonight. While she was cleaning, she could see the man sitting on a counter seat staring off into the distance.
Once Makino was done, she turned off the lights and stepped outside, waiting for Ace to follow. Ace walked through the flapping doors and stayed silent as the woman locked the shop from the inside.
"This way," Ace said, jerking a thumb. The two walked along the docking area side by side. Ace sat down on a tree stump.
"Ace, what was that?" Makino took a seat nearby on a grassy patch. Her tone sounded like she was ready to give him a good scolding. She huffed. "I'm sure I've taught you better."
Ace snorted. "You never taught me how to apologize," he retorted, resting an ankle on his other knee, turning away from Makino.
The woman laughed out loud. "That's not a very good excuse. You never change do you," she said quietly, holding her knees with both her arms. Ace's lips curved upwards.
"Yeah…you too." It was small, almost inaudible but it reached Makino's ears. A comfortable blanket of silence fell between them and neither minded. The woman knew that even without her help, Ace would be able to apologize to Sabo on his own—he was a good guy.
"Makino, I…"
Sabo roused by the sound of squeaking ladder rungs. He rolled over onto his side and reluctantly pried his eyes open. He saw skin and a red beaded necklace.
"Ace…?" He heard a laugh.
"Go back to sleep," Ace said softly.
"I will…" Sabo snuggled into the thin sheets. "Did you finish talking with Makino?" He blinked his tired eyes in an attempt to at least open them halfway.
"Yeah, I did. How'd you know?" Ace sat down, the floorboards creaking.
"It's sort of obvious," Sabo said, finally succeeding in fully opening his heavy eyelids.
Was it that obvious, Ace thought and words flew out of his mouth unconsciously, "Sorry."
"Huh?" Sabo lifted his head from the floor. He was about to get up when Ace gestured him to stay.
"I'm sorry about today. The thing with the ramen and in the forest on our way back, sorry for hurting you." Ace's eyes were hard with a hint of softness in them. He bit the inside of his cheek at the last one, remembering how rough he'd been slamming him against a tree. Sabo shook his head against the wood and grasped the man's wrist.
"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I wasn't honest with you guys…"
"You have nothing to apologize for. It's normal to have secrets, I have them too. Keeping something a secret means you're trying to protect yourself from getting hurt," Ace whispered. Sabo snickered into the sheets.
"You sound like you're saying something smart again and it's weird."
"Look here, I'm being serio…"
"You're probably right," he cut Ace off, giving the man's wrist a squeeze. His eyebrows furrowed, a flicker of an unknown emotion flashed across his eyes. He could feel Ace's gaze on him. Sabo stared in the other's eyes. "I won't keep a secret if it hurts you."
Ace mentally gaped at his brother's firm words and his back straightened. His eyes, his tone, his hand grabbing his wrist, everything told him Sabo meant them. How could he not believe him? Ace bowed his head and grit his teeth.
"Sorry…" It came out forced and breathless. Sabo moved his hand down from Ace's wrist to hold the other's hand. He felt the man's fingers glide between his, returning a squeeze.
"Yeah," he said just as breathless and drifted into a deep sleep.