Title: Growing up

Paring: AceSaboLaw

AU: Yes

Requested by: Simtorta

Growing up means accepting changes.

If you can't accept THEM you're just a child.

Ace and Sabo were always together since they were six, later Luffy was added to mix bit he got other friends and was just their little brother. For Ace it all was perfect the way it was. Just him, Sabo and sometimes Luffy with his friends. It was perfect till high school. Or to be more precise moment Sabo chose different school. School Ace couldn't go to, school for geniuses. This much Ace could accept. But blonde moving to dorm was strange, new and... scary.

What if he'll find new friends and leave Ace. No he couldn't... or so brunette thought.

In his school Ace wasn't lonely he quickly got acquainted with elite but he still didn't feel the same way he felt with Sabo. Then he understood that weird feeling in his stomach he got near blonde was nothing else but love.

But it was little too late when he finally decided confess. Sabo already found someone...

Ace meet Law for first time during winter break, and begun to hate him the second they eyes meet. Of course Sabo didn't notice. Sometimes he could be as clueless as Luffy.

It was cold day and Ace was reading manga in living room listening to Luffy talking with someone on phone when they came.

"It's friggin cold!" Ace heard female voice followed by too familiar voice and something he couldn't understand. But sound of Sabos laugh made butterflies come to his stomach and without second thought he raced to doot slowing at sight of dark haired man and brown haired girl talking with Sabo. HIS Sabo...

"Yo, Ace." blonde greeted him with wide smile. Ace just nodded not trusting his voice. Something was wrong... "Meet Koala, my classmate and good friend." blonde introduced girl.

"Nice to meet ya'" she greeted him. Ace just nodded with slight smile. It was completely forced. Somehow he knew what was going to happen...

"And meet Law, he's my boyfriend..." Ace knew it's going to happen, he knew he should tell earlier now it was little too late.

"SABO!" Luffy came in saving Ace from encountering Sabos boyfriend. After it introductions repeated but Ace was deaf to whole world. He felt his shatter into tiny bits and looking at Law and Sabo holding hands made him want to vomit.

"I'll make tea." Ace said wanting to be alone for while.

"I'll help" Koala proposed.

"No need, you're guest after all..." Ace said.

Girl laughed shortly. "Come on, after being tortured with stories about you two I feel like part of family for some reason." she just said following Ace.

Aces kitchen was clean white and black room with enough space to fit ten people. "I guess you're mad." Koala said.

"Huh?" Ace got no idea what she was talking about. "About what?" he asked looking for electric kettle. Luffy moved things around – again.

"Sabo and Law. I'm not blind. Truth be told I thought you'll run away." girl said.

"I'm not mad. I don't know how to feel. Since our ways parted..." Ase sighed. Does it make any sense? Talking about something like this to someone he barely know...

"Love sometimes means letting go and being happy with other persons happiness, even if it's not with you." she said.

"What may you know about it?" Ace asked. Who was she to teach him. Finally finding kettle Ace started preparing tea.

Koala was just looking at him.

"Grow up boy." She finally said starting to play with her phone.

"I'm practically an adult, you know." Ace said offended by way she spoke to him.

She snickered. "Do you think he would ever love you?" she asked. Ace kept silence. He never thought what Sabo would tell if he confessed to him. "He would say it's normal for brothers to love each other, and things would stay the way they were. At least for him." she continued. "At your end, this friendship would end, and who knows maybe your life too~" Koala finished in sing song manner.

"It's not your damn business." Ace said clenching his fists. She didn't know a thing. Yeah she was wrong~Sabo loved him and that Law-person wasn't for him. Ace started smiling maniacally.

"You're just a child." Koala said. "Call me once you grow up to those changes or decide to kill yourself." she said putting single piece of paper in Aces pocket.

"What do you mean by 'grow up'" Ace asked.

"Accept his choices and lern to be happy when he's happy, with or without you~ Now I got to go, see ya Ace." with those words she left to tall Sabo shes going and left Aces home.

Except Law being there rest of day was nice if not count those moments Sabo was hugging Law. Then Koalas voice was back in Aces head. Why can't she just leave him alone? Ace even caught himself wondering if he could be happy with Sabo being with Law, yet this idea was shaken off. Butterflies were switched by feeling of jealousness. How Ace wanted to be in Laws spot. It consumed him to point where he couldn't hear anything but two voices in his head. One: Koala and things she said in kitchen, and second: jealousness saying him to suck it up and do something with this lovely-dovey picture. But Ace couldn't think of way to do so. He was close to saying that Koala was right with.

Damn. She was right.

It took him half day to come u to this. Cursing himself Ace left without word looking for Koalas number. "Damn, damn, damn." Why was he so stupid? But what now? He stopped in middle of choosing her number. Ace started laughing maniacally. What? It's so simple...

Half hour later SAbo, Luffy, Koala, Aces friends, all got message saying one thing "By my past life, it's time for new beginning."

After this no one heard from Ace anymore. No one has seen him. Sabo and Luffy refused to believe he's dead.

"In end I still kept this love secret, I guess I'm really a child..." Ace said looking at sea with smile. After this he jus drove away on his bike.

Chapter 21 finished. It really keeps me going. Sorry if it's a bit sad. At first I thought about Ace committing suicide but then I gave it up for bit happier end.

I don't think I'll write any lemon soon. I don't even think I would be able to.

Thanks for all comments and requests I got this far. They are still welcome.

Hope you liked it.