Ace relapsed the day that Luffy came along.
Sabo didn't notice at first... Ace had been acting completely normal. Maybe a bit more tense than usual, but still, basically normal.
Then Ace got hit during a fight, and Sabo could tell from the telltale red that he'd relapsed.
"You did it again." He breathed.
Ace turned away. "I got it during the fight." He sounded miserable, as though he already knew that Sabo couldn't be convinced.
"You said that you wouldn't do it again." Sabo hated how his voice was so shrill, almost a whine, but staring at the thin, fresh cut on Ace's arm drained all his energy, and left only numb hatred, though whether it was directed towards himself for letting this happen, or towards Ace for doing this to himself, he wasn't quite sure. "You promised, Ace."
Ace was still refusing to meet Sabo's eyes as he mumbled weakly, "I never promised."
"Hand it over." Sabo hated the way that his voice was shaking, and that his stomach churned in anxious anticipation, but he had said what would happen, and he couldn't turn back.
Ace froze. "No." He panicked, his head whipping towards Sabo as his eyes widened in worry. "No, you can't."
"I've got no choice, Ace." Sabo's voice was dry and exhausted... but he kept his hand out in resignation even as Ace shook his head.
"Please, Sabo, I won't do it again..." Ace's words were fast, rushed, stumbling over each other as he stepped back. "I promise this time, I swear."
"Your word's not good enough anymore." Sabo hated how firm he sounded, even as he wrestled the blade from Ace's fingers. "But even if you're not trustworthy, I need to keep my word."
"Sabo..."
He hated how Ace's voice was cracking in fear. Why does he feel so much for me? He wondered angrily, When he seems to feel nothing for himself? "You can't stop me." Sabo's voice was eerily calm now... detached, uncaring. Doesn't sound like me. But neither did the way that he slid the blade smoothly across his skin feel like him.
A small, choked sound escaped Ace. "Please, Sabo." He repeated.
"I need you to stop." Sabo replied harshly.
"I will." Ace swore. "Just never do that again."
"You relapsed."
"I won't do it again."
"Do you trust me?"
"I do."
"That's what you said last time."
"I do, Sabo, I do..." Ace's eyes flickered over to Sabo's arm, guilt flashing in his eyes as he bit his lower lip nervously. "I didn't want you to get hurt any more..."
"Then stop." Sabo replied angrily. "Why can't you stop, Ace?"
"It's not that easy!" Ace shouted, before he flinched back and mumbled a soft, "Sorry. That was out of line. It's just... it helps me."
"This is helping you?" Sabo hated how his voice was cracking, so stupidly and weak... but at the same time, the hatred for what Ace was doing and the fear of not understanding why was piling up in a big pile of... he didn't know what this mess was, anymore. But he knew that he hated it. "Why can't I help you?"
"You can." Ace replied quietly.
"But you have to let me." Sabo finished the unspoken thought.
"I'll let you." Ace replied.
"Will you really?"
"I will."
Sabo studied Ace's face, uncertain whether he was telling the truth or not... but for now, he would take it at face value. "Alright. I'll be checking your body every day."
Ace nodded mutely.
"You're going to get better." Sabo vowed. "For sure."
A/N: This chapter was bad. It's more of a setting-up chapter than a chapter-chapter? Um, I decided to continue... but it'll have hapzard updates. Might be short. Might turn into a full blown Ace story. Might still be Sabo centric. Will be ASL-centric, for sure. Sorry for it being so bad...