Luffy has always loved the color red. Red is his favorite meat. Red is Sanji's blood streaming down his face at the sight of women. Red is Zoro's skin after his first workout set (out of 200) of the day. Red is Chopper's cheeks when you compliment him. Red is Robin's favorite book. Red is Franky's favorite speedo. Red (lace of course) is Brook's favorite panties.
Red is the color of someones face after Ace and Luffy robbed them blind. Red is Makino's nails when she painted them. Red is Dadan's beads, which Ace wears proudly. Red is Shanks and his crew. Red is love. Red is family.
Or at least it was.
Now, as Luffy takes in the scene in front of him, the red he sees isn't meat. It isn't Makino, Dadan, or Shanks. It isn't love. The red he sees is family being pierced through and through with an angry red fist dripping with magma.
Who knew dying would hurt so much? Ace didn't. If he did, he might've been a little less bent on dying when he was younger, that's for sure. The physical pain, however, is nothing compared to the mental anguish of knowing what his death would do to Luffy. He'd be breaking his promise to Luffy and leaving him all alone. He takes solace in the fact that he kept Sabo's dying wish to protect Luffy.
Ace also takes solace in the fact that Luffy's crew would support him...wherever they seem to be right now. He has no doubt that Luffy will make it off this island with his family's help. His family...Ace hated himself for a small part being happy that they came to save him, even at the cost of their lives. That he was worth that to them, even with demonic blood running through his veins.
Though now it feels like the only thing running through his veins is magma. Each breath into the charred remains of his lungs is a chore. His body is trembling with effort.
No, he wasn't trembling. That was Luffy, underneath him. Because Luffy was holding up his dead weight. Luffy, who was an ant in a tempest in a war that he had no place participating in. Luffy, a baby guppy who he watched get drowned, beaten, bruised, burned, and cut, chased around in fishbowl of piranhas. Luffy, who had went through Hell and back, literally, to save him. Only for Ace to die in his arms.
Ace could no longer see. Despite all the odds, his body still fights for survival and has divereted all energy from keeping up unnecessary functions. He didn't have much time left. He needs to tell his family goodbye.
As he opened his mouth to say so, the entire battlefield was shrouded in darkness.