A/N: Well… Yep. So, I couldn't stop myself from updating this early in the wake of One Piece 794's destruction of my FREAKING HEART. I felt this needed to be posted ASAP, and I'm pleased to say 794 didn't alter the plans. It actually helps the premise here for me a little, in terms of Dragon's involvement and my headcanons.
Quick note, sorry if it's confusing, but I changed my pen name xD I promise not to change it again.
I'm still astonished by the giant response to this story, so thank you to every single one of the people who faved, reviewed, followed, or even just took the time to skim over this. I hope you enjoy the answers to your questions about what happened to Sabo!
And as some reviewers have pointed out, it gets a bit fuzzy; in chapter 1, Ace put Luffy's hat on by the string and has been wearing it since. It's only a small mention near the bottom, but for anyone worrying, that's where the hat is :)
SPECIAL thanks in addition to the dedication for Beyond Kailani, who has helped me so much in the last week, and was there at ground zero when I needed to sob about One Piece 794. Also be ready to blame her when I start getting more AU ASL stories posted, because there are more now D: She's my precious imouto-chan. Make sure you read her awesome stories if you haven't already!
Bonds of Sea and Fire
Chapter 3: It Doesn't Hurt
"What the hell are you doing up here?" Ace demanded harshly. He didn't soften his glare, not even when the blond flinched at his tone and glanced away.
Bandages covered half of his face, and there were sure to be more under the oversized shirt they'd found below deck to replace his burned one. Only one dark blue eye was visible, but Ace didn't need to see the other to read his expression.
Sabo was a wreck.
"I can't rest. I finished with the bandages but I can't just stay still," Sabo argued, shaking his head though the motion appeared to cause him pain. Something flickered in his gaze, almost guiltily, like he hadn't meant to approach the subject, but that didn't stop him from continuing. "Luffy, he's-"
"I know," Ace cut him off, his voice sharper than he intended. He had to swallow, close his eyes, and compose himself a little before he dared speak again. His dark gaze found Sabo's worried one, and he barely managed not to sound angry. He wasn't upset with Sabo, and he didn't want the blond to think he was. "We're going to find Luffy. But if you think I'm going to overlook the fact that you almost died back there, you're in for a disappointment."
"..." Sabo clenched his fists and turned away, visible eye closing. His shoulders both sagged, and his tone came out weaker than Ace had ever heard before. "If you hadn't been there-"
"I was," Ace interrupted him again, his tone back to being harsh. He couldn't handle hearing his normally vibrant brother sounding so defeated. So shaken. It reminded him how helpless and weak he was feeling for failing to be there for Luffy and not getting to Sabo sooner. "Just… please, Sabo. I can handle this. Go rest so Luffy doesn't worry when he sees you."
"...Alright," Sabo relented, turning to make his way back below deck. The fact that he went without complaint, without pressing for more details about how they'd gotten into their current situation, spoke volumes for how defeated he felt. His movements were unstable and shaky, and it was clear he had to lean his weight onto his right side, still nursing a plethora of bruises and cuts in addition to the burns. It had to be torture for Sabo to try and move around at all. Their pilfered medical supplies were dismal at best since they'd decided not to try and steal anything better from the city before setting out. There hadn't been time, and it had been far too risky to remain there any longer than necessary.
Sabo couldn't keep the grimace of pain off his face as he carefully took the rail and descended the steps again, using more strength in his right arm to stop from putting any strain on his left side. Ace couldn't see his expression, but he could see the blond trembling from where he stood at the helm, and it sent another wave of fury through his already tense body.
When Sabo finally vanished from sight again, Ace faced forward. His eyes were stormy, and something dark lurked below the surface. It was the same darkness that had appeared right before he'd taken to nearly killing the people who'd spoken ill of his existence. The same darkness that had plagued his heart for years. It had been drowned out once he'd accepted Luffy into his life, never stronger than the natural light that came from his little brother. The same way he exuded anger and hatred with glares and scowls coming naturally to him, Luffy had exuded warmth and love. Smiles came naturally to him. Hope came naturally to him.
Without him, Ace could already feel the hollow ache in his chest. If not for the fact that he hadn't lost him yet, Ace probably wouldn't have been able to focus on anything but vengeance after almost losing Sabo. The mere thought had him gripping the wheel again, ignoring the dull throb at his fingers from both the temperature and how tight his grip was becoming.
Dawn Island, hours earlier...
"SABO!"
Ace's throat immediately ached from the force of the scream leaving him, only to tighten as if his heart had firmly lodged itself there. Sabo didn't see the weapon aimed at him. He wouldn't see it before it hit. It had been a pure, knee-jerk reaction to shout Sabo's name rather than a warning, and he cursed himself when he saw the blond turning. They were so far away from each other, and yet he still registered the look of shock on his brother's face. Ace was probably the last person he'd expected to see that morning in High Town, second only to Luffy.
He didn't have time to think. The explosion wasn't as big as he'd initially thought, but there was no way Sabo would be able to keep his small boat afloat. Flames licked at the mast, spreading quickly and cutting the blond from his view, but Ace wasn't looking at Sabo long. He looked instead to the one who'd taken the shot, and the panic gripped his heart with an icy jolt. He was going to shoot again.
"JUMP, SABO!" Ace shouted, praying his voice was louder than the cries behind him. "JUMP!" He ignored the sting of straining his voice like that, throwing his bag of supplies down and diving off the pier without a second thought. If Sabo had heard him, he would have jumped without question.
The blond hadn't seen where the shot had come from, likely hadn't realized it was fully intentional or that another was coming. He would have tried to put out the fire and remained in the most dangerous position possible without even realizing it. Ace's only hope was that his voice had penetrated the confusion and the roar of the flames. It was just like battles in the slums or on the mountain. They trusted each other's instincts without question in the heat of the moment, and if Sabo had heard him, he wouldn't have doubted Ace's order.
But Ace hadn't seen him jump. He'd seen the aim of the weapon and hadn't wasted time in jumping into the water, the sound of the explosion being muffled as he hit. He didn't bother surfacing before he started swimming in Sabo's direction, cutting through the water with speed and agility.
Ace hadn't always been the best swimmer. He'd known enough to be able to fish with ease, cross rivers without bridges, and as he'd put it to Sabo initially, enough to 'not drown'. When they'd first spoken to Luffy about his Devil Fruit and how he couldn't swim, Ace hadn't paid much attention. It was well known to anyone who knew anything at all about Devil Fruits that the users were hammers. They couldn't swim.
He hadn't questioned why they couldn't swim. He'd just put the two facts together. Devil's Fruit. No swimming. Simple as that.
It hadn't been until he'd actually seen the effect the sea had on his youngest brother that he'd realized the full extent of the statement. It wasn't just a matter of not having the ability to swim. When Luffy had touched the water, from something as simple as a misstep that led to his foot slipping in, it was like his vitality had been completely drained. They'd both seen the energy sapped from him at an alarming rate, followed by the little anchor pitching forward and sinking without so much as a flail of his arms.
Jokingly calling him an 'anchor' hadn't just been their doing. They knew it was something he'd been called before in place of 'hammer', but seeing the reality of the nickname had startled them both. It had been Sabo who'd reached Luffy first, pulling him to shore and fussing over him like the nurturing big brother he was. Ace had taken a more volatile approach, shouting at Luffy for answers once they were sure he was still breathing. The boy had snapped back into his exuberant self as soon as he'd dried off, happily explaining like it wasn't a big deal that the sea basically turned him catatonic.
Sabo had been the one to cut him off before he scolded Luffy further, simply shaking his head as a way of explanation and a promise they'd talk about it later. That night, they'd decided they both needed to practice their swimming to make sure one of them could get to Luffy if anything serious ever happened. Sabo had even done his best to try and research Devil Fruits better, but none of the books they'd salvaged from the Gray Terminal spoke of them. In the most basic of terms, they'd understood that Luffy was completely helpless in the water, unable to even grab onto floating driftwood to stop himself from sinking.
Now, Ace was thankful they'd prepared so thoroughly to save their reckless little brother. He cut through the water with ease, despite the waves churning and threatening to throw him off course. He didn't dare come up for air yet, not wanting to be spotted coming to Sabo's aid. Who knew what the crazy old man with the gun would do if he saw him? He couldn't risk it.
His lungs started to burn midway through, but he pushed past it, forcing himself to keep going. He had to put as much distance between himself and the docks as possible, as well as remain unseen. The water was dark, but he could just make out a light up ahead, fire burning on the surface.
Still, Ace was not a fishman, and the adrenaline coursing through him couldn't sustain him alone. He had to break the surface, forcing himself to calmly breathe rather than greedily gulp in as much air as as possible. He risked a glance for the larger ship, but it seemed to be passing him without anyone noticing. He chalked it up to the fact that his dark hair would have made him harder to spot in the water.
Determined gray eyes turned to the wreckage up ahead. Sabo's flag was burning - everything was burning - and he was sure he could see the blond's hat floating on the surface, but that didn't mean he was too late. He dove back underwater, swimming with renewed purpose towards the wreckage. It was several feet below the surface that he finally caught sight of Sabo. The blond was unconscious and sinking slowly, a dark red tint surrounding him in the water.
Blood.
Ace forced the panic to remain under control, choking it back as he propelled himself forward and wrapped an arm around his brother's limp body. Even waterlogged, he could feel how much thinner Sabo had gotten in the short time he'd been gone. He was easy to drag to the surface, and Ace made sure to angle them so the burning wreckage obscured them from view.
"Oi, Sabo!" Ace had to exert more energy than he liked to keep them both afloat, feet kicking and feeling like lead in the water. Sabo felt like dead weight on his side, and he wasn't responding. The only saving grace for Ace's sanity was the fact that he could feel Sabo breathing against him, even if he felt alarmingly warm. His only real problem was trying to figure out how to get Sabo to shore without being seen, and without sinking. Sabo couldn't even hold onto him.
His eyes caught sight of some of the wood from the boat, and even though it was still flaming, Ace grabbed it with a hiss, ignoring the sting as he shoved it under water to extinguish it. It was still too hot to touch comfortably, but comfort was a luxury they could only afford once they were safe.
He had only just barely draped Sabo over his makeshift floatation device and grabbed on to start pushing it when the wind picked up. It was all he could do to get a firm grasp, practically pinning Sabo to the wood with his own body before the gust was taking control. It took barely any effort at all to get to shore thanks to the wind, and once Ace's feet touched the bottom, he was dragging Sabo up into the sand and rocks. They were still angled away from the prying eyes of High Town, having gone to the side rather than back the way Ace had come. They were closer to the mountain, but the docks were still in sight.
He immediately rolled Sabo onto his back, checking again to make sure he was still breathing, but his hand stilled before it could connect with Sabo's chest. He hadn't been able to see very clearly underwater, but now there was nothing to distract or distort what he was looking at. The left half of Sabo's face was burned, and several places from his shoulder to his waist were smeared with blood, his clothes singed from the fire. The water appeared to have washed away most of the blood, but Ace could tell the injuries were serious. Before he could truly start to panic, however, Sabo groaned, coughing up a little bit of water and opening his uninjured eye.
"Ace…?" his voice sounded weak and raspy, and it jolted Ace out of his stupor like he'd been physically struck.
"Don't move," he ordered immediately. "You're hurt."
His voice wavered, but he forced himself not to let the sounds gathering in the back of his throat escape. Sabo's burns were worse than anything Dadan had gotten while charging through the fire to clear him a path. He needed to find a way to treat Sabo's injuries.
"What are you doing here…?" Sabo ignored his order and tried to sit up, only to cry out in pain and curl instinctively to nurse his wounded side.
"What did I just say?!" Ace snapped. "You're hurt! Stop moving before you make it worse!"
"What are you doing here?" Sabo repeated, though the bite in his voice was severely diminished by the agony lacing his tone.
There was also something else in his voice that Ace would later recall being relief, almost akin to joy, but there was no time to dwell on it at that moment.
"We have to get you bandaged up so we can go," Ace said, shaking his head and glancing back to the docks. If he kept looking at Sabo's injured face, at the near desperate look in Sabo's open eye, he was going to lose what little control he had left of his emotions.
"Go…?" Sabo focused on that word, then struggled to open his other eye and look around. "Where's Luffy? You didn't bring him here - to this - did you?!"
Ace clenched his fists so hard his nails nearly cut in and drew blood. "We have to go find Luffy," he said, struggling again to keep his voice from wavering. "I don't have time to explain it all right now. Bluejam kidnapped him and took him out to sea hours ago."
"Wh...what?!" All pretenses of keeping Sabo from pushing himself up or injuring himself further were gone as the blond forced himself upright and grasped Ace's arm with his right hand. His left was hanging uselessly at his side, blood beginning to well up and drip from his shoulder. "What do you mean, Bluejam kidnapped him?! Why?!" Any other frantic inquiries died in his throat when he realized Luffy's treasure - his straw hat - was hanging on a cord around Ace's neck.
"I said I don't have time to explain!" Ace yanked his arm free, glaring at Sabo. "We have to get your wounds taken care of so we can steal a boat and leave. Without getting blown up!"
Sabo flinched, but he shook his head. "We won't get another chance if we don't hurry. Everyone will be distracted by the Tenryuubito. Help me up. We have to take a boat now."
"You're in no condition to move, let alone steal a boat," Ace snapped.
"Well you're in no position to argue!" Sabo growled right back, wincing sharply. "I'll be fine. Most of the boats have medical supplies in stock. We'll steal a boat and I'll take care of my wounds once we're on our way."
"You can barely move!" Ace's tone was incredulous now, as if Sabo's sheer reckless decision was capable of overriding any other emotion.
"I'm hurt, but I'm alive," Sabo argued back. "But Bluejam is a monster, and he has our little brother, Ace! What if wasting time to make me more comfortable leads to him getting hurt?!"
Ace opened his mouth to argue, but the image of Luffy's smiling face superimposed itself with the image of Luffy, screaming for him during the fire with blood obscuring half his face in his mind. The echoes of Luffy trying to claim it wasn't hot so as not to be a burden or annoy him while they tried to escape echoed in his head and brought a stinging sensation to his eyes. Sabo was right. If he could manage, they couldn't afford to waste time.
"Help me up," Sabo said, quieter this time. He knew he'd won the argument. If there had been anything in the world to sidetrack Ace from someone he cared about being hurt, it was to remind him someone else he cared about - someone couldn't physically see or touch to reassure himself - could be hurt or killed. "I even know which boat we can take. Everyone should be leaving the harbor soon because of the Tenryuubito-"
"The what?" Ace offered no protest to helping him up, being as careful as possible not to touch Sabo's left side. He pretended to ignore every wince or whimper of pain that came from his blond brother, clenching his jaw so hard it ached.
"Not important, nevermind," Sabo hissed, slamming both eyes shut to try and ward off some of the pain. His good arm was tense around Ace's shoulders, hand digging in a little when he clutched Ace's arm for support. "The nobles will all be distracted, though. We have to hurry before the guards gather again."
"Can you manage it?" Ace asked, one last shred of hesitance creeping into his actions.
"I'm fine. Luffy needs us," Sabo grit his teeth and clutched Ace's arm a little harder.
Luffy's name did the trick, and a renewed sense of purpose seemed to flood over both of them, despite Sabo having said it mostly to remind Ace to stay focused. It wasn't easy making their way over the rough terrain back towards the city, especially when every sudden movement drew a pained gasp or a barely muffled cry from the injured boy. Sabo pressed on despite his discomfort, a fierce look of determination on his face.
They eventually made their way back to the pier, with Sabo leaning heavily against the nearest support. He gave Ace all the details he'd need to know to locate and get their boat ready, promising to follow once Ace was had secured it. He couldn't move as fast, so it would be better for him to remain hidden despite how few people were out and about.
The only guards on duty seemed to be watching the Tenryuubito's ship, and they weren't going near that one.
Luckily, the plan went off without a hitch even with Ace retrieving the bag he'd tossed aside to jump into the sea, and soon enough Sabo was hobbling his way below deck on a newly stolen ship with Ace's help. The freckled boy quickly helped locate clothes and medical supplies, handing them to Sabo along with the supplies he'd brought from home, but he couldn't stay to help him with the bandages. Someone had to steer, after all. Sabo had promised to rest the moment he was finished tending to his wounds, and with one more stern and worried glance, Ace was rushing back out of the cabin.
It wasn't easy, not that Sabo had expected it to be. Every movement caused agony to race through his shoulder and neck, and the burns felt like they were still on fire in the exposed air. It took all he had not to scream and cry as he went about taking off his ruined clothes to assess the damage, though he nearly lost that fight once he had to start disinfecting whatever he could reach.
By the grace of some higher power or just incredible fortune, there happened to be burn ointment in the medical supplies, and he wasted no time slathering it all over anything that could have possibly been a burn. There were traces of shrapnel in his shoulder, but he ignored that injury in favor of taking care of his face. His vision from the left side was still blurry and unfocused, not to mention keeping his eye open was more pain than it was worth. It was tricky to manage with his left arm basically useless, but once he had the injury wrapped, a soft whimper of relief slipped past his lips.
He could handle it. It hurt, but that was proof he was still alive. The idea of death had never scared him as deeply as it had when he'd felt the flames licking at his skin and his world fade to black with the panicked realization that he couldn't breathe. He had no illusions about what would have happened if Ace hadn't been there to save him, and the fact that he couldn't stop shaking both frustrated and humbled him.
Sabo took as much time as he thought he could afford nursing his other injuries, refusing to cry out loud enough for Ace to hear. Ace had to be busy steering, and something told him Ace wasn't prepared for the job. Navigating was the position Ace had wanted him to fulfill if they set out at sea together, and it had always been his strong suit in terms of seafaring.
That he was in no condition to even drag himself back up to even stand on deck with his brother left a bitter taste in his mouth. Not to mention seeing Luffy's beloved straw hat draped on Ace's back made his stomach roll with discomfort. He still didn't know how Luffy could have been taken, or why. As much as he wanted to storm to Ace's side and demand the full story, he knew it wasn't the time or the place. His current condition didn't help either.
As the minutes slipped by, Sabo swore hours passed while he sat on one of the cots, leaning against the wall with bandages covering a good portion of his body. He tried to rest, but no matter how exhausted and drained he felt, sleep would not come to him. The idea of Luffy being all alone and scared at Bluejam's mercy was supplying him with horrible images and scenarios. He and Ace were supposed to be there for Luffy. This wasn't supposed to happen.
They were supposed to be safe. Wasn't that why he'd agreed to leave in the first place?
That thought fueled his weary body, causing him to force himself to his feet. He struggled with the shirt Ace had given him - it was not a child's shirt and dwarfed him easily - but thanks to the size, he barely had to move to get it to loosely cover his scrawny body. He gave himself a few moments to let the throbbing pain recede before he moved again, taking one shaky step at a time towards the door. His left side was screaming in agony again, and he was sure his bandages weren't tight enough in several areas, but he ignored the pain so he could make his way above deck. He needed to talk to Ace. He couldn't handle being alone with his thoughts any longer.
He knew Ace would be angry with him for not resting, but there was nothing he could do about that. He couldn't rest, he couldn't stop thinking about Luffy, and he couldn't stop the dread from building in the pit of his stomach when he thought about how close he'd truly come to dying that morning.
Even if only for a second, he needed to make sure he wasn't alone. To reassure himself with something tangible.
Ace didn't notice him right away. He was at the helm, clearly struggling a little, and before Sabo could think to announce his presence, the sight of Luffy's hat struck him again, his words catching in his throat. No matter how badly he wanted answers, he knew then that Ace needed more time before he'd be ready to see Sabo. Just seeing Ace there, hearing his frustrated voice and the reality of Luffy's ordeal sinking in was enough to convince him he was alive and he needed to pull himself together for both his brothers' sakes.
Unfortunately, Ace noticed his presence before he could attempt to hobble away, and he quickly steeled himself for the anger coming his way. It was too late to avoid it, so he may as well try to say some of the things on his mind, after all.
...
It was already evening by the time Sabo awoke from his restless sleep. After his brief confrontation with Ace, he'd stumbled to the cot and curled up on his right side, staring at the wall until his vision faded to black. His burns hurt even worse than before, and it was only the jerking sensation of their boat hitting something or docking that had jostled him into consciousness.
It was even more difficult to force himself up the steps this time around, but he grit his teeth and kept going. When he reached the deck, he had to squint to find Ace in the darkness. They appeared to have reached land already, although something about that observation nagged at the back of Sabo's mind. The route he'd intended to take would have put him on course to Shimotsuki Village, but it would have taken longer to reach in a simple fishing boat.
"You should stay in bed," Ace's voice made him jump slightly. He shifted to find the source, meeting Ace's gaze with his own. Ace looked exhausted, which was to be expected, but there was a coldness in his eyes that hadn't been there for years. At least not when he was looking at Sabo.
"I slept," Sabo answered quietly. "It's not doing me any good. Are we already at Shimotsuki Village?"
"I don't know," Ace didn't argue about the sleeping this time, looking towards the village. "I couldn't control the damn boat. The wind picked up and took us here. I'm going to go find someone to question."
"I'm coming with you," Sabo insisted. He narrowed his visible eye when Ace opened his mouth to protest. "It's not up for debate, Ace. Luffy needs us both."
"Fine, if you really think you won't slow me down the way you are now, you can come," Ace snapped. His words were harsher than they needed to be, but Sabo managed not to let it hurt him. He knew Ace was mostly just masking his worry and venting other frustrations.
After securing their boat, which didn't take much given the size, Ace jumped down while Sabo carefully lowered himself over the side. Each movement sent sheer agony through his body, and it had to have shown on his face because for a moment, Sabo thought he saw pure heartbreak in Ace's eyes. It was gone in an instant though, replaced by the same cold look he used when his guard was up.
"I'm fine," Sabo lied through his teeth, his voice rasping from the pain. It wasn't like he expected Ace to believe him, but the fact that he was still trying to claim something so ridiculous was a testament to his willpower to keep pushing himself.
As a result, Ace clenched his jaw and didn't say anything about it, turning instead to lead the way through the quiet village. It was dark enough outside that most families had probably turned in for the night, yet there seemed to be movement coming from a dojo not too far from their impromptu docking spot.
There was a much larger ship nearby as well. It was difficult to make out any of the faces, but most of them seemed to be wearing cloaks of some kind. A jolt of familiarity raced through Sabo at the sight. The mysterious figures looked just like the man he'd seen the night of the fire. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Ace about his observation when the very man he'd seen before approached them.
That night, Sabo hadn't even been positive he'd really met the man. The events were still a bit of a blur. If it hadn't been for the fact that he'd awoken with bandages on his wounds and moved to a side street where he would have been able to rest, he would have assumed he'd imagined the whole thing. Now, seeing the man's hardened face again, every sensation from that night came rushing back. This man had listened to him, believed him… and he'd helped him.
"Sir," Sabo spoke up, even as Ace took a menacing step forward and angled himself in front of the wounded blond boy. "You were there the night of the fire," he continued. "You were the one who helped me, weren't you?"
Ace turned to shoot him a questioning glance, but only briefly. He wouldn't turn his back on a potential enemy and leave either of them vulnerable to attack, especially when Sabo couldn't defend himself.
The man nodded once, giving an affirmative sound that wasn't really a word. "I didn't expect to see you here," he said. Like his presence, his very tone radiated a sense of power and determination that both boys were immediately aware of.
"We're looking for a man," Ace interrupted, glaring harshly. "A pirate named Bluejam. Have you seen him?"
The man turned to regard Ace curiously, then shook his head. "No. There have been no other ships near this village as of late."
Ace grit his teeth, fury flashing in his gray eyes, making them appear almost silver. "Damn it. Let's go, Sabo."
Sabo swallowed, nodding slowly and tearing his gaze from the man's face to look to his brother. "I lost my map… earlier. I'm not sure which way to go from here."
"You're in no condition to be going anywhere," the man interrupted, which had Ace bristling again. "Come. I will have someone treat you on my ship."
"We don't have time for that," Ace snapped. "We have to go after Bluejam."
"Is your search that important?"
"Yes," Sabo spoke up before Ace could lose any more control of his temper. "Th-thank you for the offer, but we don't have time. I'll manage."
"Vhat do ve have here?"
The man turned as one of his companions approached, and for a moment, both boys were a little too stunned to think of anything to say. This new man… or woman… had the largest head they'd ever seen, heavily decorated with makeup. Like the man they'd been talking to, he wore a large cloak, and tufts of a purple afro were trying to escape from the sides.
"Dragon," the newcomer continued, squinting a little and sizing the boys up. It set Ace on edge again. "That boy…"
Dragon nodded to his companion. "His injuries aren't life-threatening. Yet. But he won't recover as he is now."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Ace took a step forward, hands balling into fists and tension coiling through his entire body. He looked ready to strike at any moment.
"My, vhat an angry child," the newcomer waved Ace's hostile manner off without so much as a glance of concern or any sign of wariness. "It means vhat it sounds like. He is in a terrible condition, and those bandages are not going to do much to help him. He needs proper care."
"I'll manage," Sabo interrupted, forcing his voice to sound stronger. "Please, are you sure you haven't heard anything about a pirate named Bluejam around here? He took our little brother-" Sabo's voice cracked on the word 'brother', and Ace's expression flashed with pain, "-and he's probably all alone and scared, and we have to find him!"
The two cloaked figures exchanged little more than a glance. If it surprised or bothered them that two boys as young as Ace and Sabo were searching for an even younger boy who happened to be at the mercy of a pirate, it didn't show on their faces. They were either incredibly cold or incredibly jaded, and Sabo didn't care which it was as long as they could help somehow.
"Be that as it may," the one with the large face said after a moment. "Just how do vyou plan to help anyone in vyour condition? Those are burns vyou've tried to hide under all those bandages, aren't they? Vyou vill only slow vyourself down if vyou do not treat vyourself properly now."
"Sabo," Ace straightened suddenly and turned to look at him. "That weird guy is right. You can barely move."
Sabo glared at Ace with betrayal in his visible eye. "You're not going to go after them without me! You'll get lost or worse!"
"You almost died," Ace snapped, meeting his glare with a cold mask. "I'll be fine, and then come back for you after I find them!"
"Like hell!" Sabo tried not to wince at the pain from the force of his shout. "Have you even eaten today? You're practically dead on your feet and you're not going to be helping anyone if you push yourself too hard and collapse!"
Dragon opened his mouth to admonish them both, narrowing his eyes, but the words died before they could pass his lips as Ace cut him off with another angry exclamation.
"I don't give a shit about any of that! Luffy's only in this position because he was out looking for me!"
Sabo flinched at the reminder that he still had no idea how his brothers had ended up in that situation, but before he could think of anything to say, he noticed Dragon and the mysteriously large-faced man speaking in low, urgent tones. There was a simple nod, like most of the conversation had taken place without words, and then Dragon was leaving so quickly they only saw the flare of his cloak in the wind.
"Vyou boys, come vith me. I don't know vhy, but Dragon has decided ve vill help you. I am Ivankov, but vyou may call me Iva-sama."
"We don't have time," Ace started, but Iva easily grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hauled him up, ignoring his furious protests.
"Vyou vill come vith me," Iva repeated sternly. "Villingly or not. Vonce vyou are properly treated and supplied, vyou vill resume vyour search. Dragon vill tell us if he finds anything before then."
"You're… you're really going to help us? Just like that?" Sabo asked hesitantly. He was in no position to try and help Ace or protest Iva's words even if he wanted to.
"Apparently," Iva answered. "Now come. If vyou're lucky, I can save the sight in vyour left eye."
That statement quieted Ace, who still looked angry, but stopped thrashing. He didn't have the energy anymore, and with the knowledge that Sabo was in worse condition than he'd initially feared, the adrenaline drained from his body and left only weariness behind.
"It may seem like a setback, but a moment to recover now vill save you much more time in the long run," Iva set Ace back on his feet. "Now, come along. I vill carry the blond - Sabo, vas it? - and vyou vill valk vith us."
Ace cast another glance at Sabo, who seemed to be using all his strength just to remain standing, and any resolve Ace had to try and leave on his own crumbled. Luffy needed them both, and right then, Sabo needed him.
I'm sorry, Luffy… wait just a little longer, Ace thought, closing his eyes as tightly as he could to keep the frustrated tears back. He sensed and heard when Iva lifted Sabo, opening his eyes and following without complaint. He didn't know why Dragon or Iva were bothering to help them at all, but he couldn't deny they needed help, no matter how much he wanted to. No matter how much it hurt.
...
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this early chapter of Bonds! I felt it was cruel to withhold it until Friday now that… well… now that we know. (sobbing sounds) If it helps, chapter 4 will have more Ace and Sabo love, because dang it they need more!
~Mithril