Chapter Twenty-Three : Bond
Ace did not know what to do.
Time seemed to have frozen at that moment. His whole world was blurry. Random images float aimlessly in his head. He cannot focused on anything. He could hear the voices around him but cannot fathom the words or the sentences. Their voices were gasping, some even shouted in shock.
The heavy feeling in his stomach became stronger. Every muscle in his body had stiffened, making his veins rigid. He just stared at the wreckage with his eyes wide open. He cannot even close them nor break his staring. He was not even shaking. He was completely paralyzed as millions of thoughts had entered his mind at once. He did not know what to do or what will happen next.
A sudden coldness had hit him right on the core. This coldness was different than the others. Most of the time, the coldness he felt were sorrow and regret. But this time, it was more of dread.
"S-Sa..." Luffy stuttered in every gasp. His feet moved backwards slowly before falling completely on the ground, helpless. "Sabo!"
Finally, one sound has registered in Ace's mind.
He became aware of his surroundings. They were at the ceremony and the people around them were panicking about what had just transpired. There was a fishing boat that was blown to pieces by the people who were aboard the ship of the Celestial Dragons. And Sabo was—
"Luffy!" Ace yelled as he yanked his brother closer to him. He may have been harsh but that was the least of his concern. "I need you to stay here. I'll swim and—"
"You're the two kids stealing in town!" He heard one of the guards accused.
"Stop disrupting the ceremony!" Another had screamed.
Before Ace could turn, he was already grabbed by one of the guards. He struggled to break away from the grasp. He did not have any time for this. There was still time and they can still save Sabo. Luffy was not doing any better, he was in the same situation as him.
With one final kick in the crotch, Ace was able to get away from his captor.
And dilemma soon followed.
He never considered it before and he doesn't want to think of it in the first place. Luffy and Sabo are his brothers. They are the most important thing to him. They are his treasure— the reason why he was still adamant about living till now.
Luffy was in front of him and captured. A sword was pointed in his throat.
Sabo was on his back. In the sea where he was shot and probably wounded.
Was he willing to trade Sabo's life to save Luffy's?
"Let him go!" Ace demanded as he lunged himself forward.
He was never the one to think of a plan. His whole body was screaming to save Luffy. A hardened glare was on his face. He let out a growl as he bared his teeth.
But in the end, he was outnumbered by the guards. He was immediately pinned down. He looked up and see one of the guards had stepped on his neck hard. It made it hard to breathe. Every muscle in his body was screaming for oxygen. He could not budge an inch.
"Ace!" Luffy helplessly screamed.
Every noble moved away from the commotion. All were staring with disgust and worry. Ace had counted probably thirty guards and more was to come. He could hear the heavy steps their boots were making.
He heard a loud yelped from Luffy's captor. Luffy had bitten his captor's hand. But the captor was not letting go. And so was Luffy. Once he had enough, the guard grabbed Luffy in the neck and pinned him down like Ace.
"You damn brat!" The guard hissed as he readied to swing his sword at Luffy.
"Don't touch him!" Ace screamed in full fury. "LUFFY!"
And everyone around him fell as their consciousness vanished.
"Why...?" He muttered as he bit down his lips, trying to stop his body from shaking.
Sabo found himself questioning everything that had just happened. He could hear everyone's gasps from the pier not far from their location. There were mumbles and distress in their tone. Sabo knew that they were more worried about the disruption the boat had caused rather than it exploding.
He and Roger had listened to what Dragon had planned. They stole from the nearby boutique of clothing that was similar to Sabo's. They also got a mannequin and pose it near the boat's steering wheel. They got everything ready five minutes before the ship arrived. With the help Dragon, the wind blew harshly making the boat sail straight towards the larger ship.
Still, the shaking didn't stop as he stared at the wreckage of the boat. It was still in the sea, burning after being blown into pieces.
"You alright there, Sabo?" Roger asked. He put his hand on Sabo's shoulder trying to comfort him.
"How did you know that they'll do that...?" Sabo questioned as he slowly gulped.
He was so close to being on board that boat and dying. Because from the looks of it, no one was going to survive an explosion like that. It gave Sabo a hollow feeling. The stammering of his heart did not stop, it became stronger as his mind kept replaying everything.
"Advance Observation Haki," Roger answered, sighing. "It allows me to see the future."
"Such power does exist?" Sabo gaped.
"Stranger things have happened." Roger offered him a small smile.
"But why would they shot a passing by boat!?"
It was the question lingering in the young boy's mind. It was too absurd to think about. And yet, there were people in this world who had the guts to do it. It was sickening for him.
"The world is a cruel place, boy." It was Dragon who answered him.
Sabo slowly looked up at the other man. What he saw in those eyes were softness and pity.
"I do know that..." Sabo muttered again. He may be young but he already saw how humans can be.
"Is this a recruitment, Dragon?" Roger asked in an almost teasing manner. "I didn't know that you accept children in your ranks."
"Recruitment?" Sabo echoed out.
"Is that how you view it?" Dragon mused. He closed his eyes and a small smirk formed on his lips.
"You can't get him away from here now—"
Sabo immediately noticed the sudden changes in Roger and Dragon. Both turned to face the pier from afar. Whatever was happening in there, it was important since both of them looked shocked.
"Conqueror's Haki." Dragon stated sternly.
"Ace and Luffy," Roger grumbled as he gritted his teeth. "I told them to stay at Dadan's!"
"What happened to them!?" Sabo inquired in a hurried tone.
"I'll go and bring them here." Roger quickly ran, leaving them behind. "Sabo stay with Dragon and don't go anywhere!"
He watched as Roger dashed towards the pier. His steps were wide and fast. Sabo knew that whatever had happened, he was certain Ace and Luffy had seen everything that just transpired.
"You're brothers are fine." Dragon said. "You're worried about them."
Sabo looked up and answered him. "That's them. They always do things that make me worry..."
Ace cannot understand what just happened.
Every guard started falling down in a mere second. Some nobles were even caught in whatever it was. He heard screaming around him but that was the least of his concern.
He immediately looked over at Luffy. The sword had fallen on his hair. It was probably two inches away from his face. That was the closest call for Luffy. Ace never allowed those things to happen to him.
He shook his head. This was not the time for that. They need to take advantage of it. He quickly stood up and grabbed Luffy in his arms. Luffy's eyes were still wide as he stared down at the unconscious bodies.
They ran back to the town. No one was there to stop them since the nobles were either focused on the now docking ship or they can never touch someone who they considered as trash.
And just as they were about to leave, someone had grabbed him again.
"R-Roger...!" Luffy wailed out. Tears immediately leaving in his eyes.
Roger had pulled them in a nearby alley. He put a finger in his lips trying to silence them. But Luffy was not having any of that. He hugged Roger and cried in his chest.
"Sabo! H-He... Boat... Blown into pieces!"
"Where were you!?" Ace accused almost immediately.
Ace knew that blaming Roger was not right. But still, something inside of him screamed that it was his fault. He allowed his emotions to get him again when he promised to stop it.
"Sabo is fine."
And that was what Ace wanted to hear that moment.
"R-Really?" Luffy gawked but still continued crying. "Sabo!"
"Have some faith in me, cheeky brats." Roger chuckled, wiping the tears in Luffy's eyes.
"Where is he!?" Ace demanded, clenching his fist.
"Follow me," Roger ordered. He carried Luffy on his back.
Ace broke into a run. His whole body was shaking. Even with jittery legs, he ran as fast as he can on wherever Roger was leading them. They soon arrived at the nearby port.
And there, Ace saw an unharmed Sabo. He looked exactly like he remembered him. He still had the same blue clothing with the cravat in it. There were some bandages covered in his arms and legs but it was nothing new. Sabo gave them a smile that showed relief.
"Sabo!" Luffy let go of Roger. He stretched his arms and launched himself into Sabo's body. "Where were you!? I thought you died! There was this boat with your jolly rog—"
"I know, Lu. Sorry, you had to see that..." Sabo soothed out. He hugged Luffy tightly. His hands rubbed Luffy's back as he cried.
In an instant, Ace joined them in. He wrapped each of his hands on them. He pulled them in a crushing grip. His body had moved without his accord. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to be lost in the moment. Ace was never the type of person who likes physical touching. But just this one. They all needed it this time.
With that hug, all the pain and anxiety Ace was experiencing vanish in an instant.
It has been only three days since they last saw Sabo but for Ace, it felt longer. He was with Sabo every day in the past five years even before they became brothers. Sabo will always be important to him. He was the first person Ace trusted enough to even reveal his darkest secrets. And Sabo just accepted him wholeheartedly.
He buried his head in Sabo's shoulders. He choked back a sob. Sabo was in his arms. He was alive and fine. That was all that matters to him at that moment.
"Don't ever leave us again..."
Sabo smiled. "I promise."
Their bond is his greatest treasure and nothing will ever break it again.
A/N: ASL is back together just like what they deserved :)
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