⸺ the definition of freedom.

my treasure? if you want it, i'll grant it! search on! all the world had to offer, i left in that place! ind. & sel. gol d. roger of one piece. 21+. rescued by sena.

😍 - otp

🙂 - I ship it but it’s not on my otp list

😐 - I don’t ship it but it’s not on my notp list

۪ ⊹ ֗ ꫂ 𓇼 - ̗̀ So many people wondered if, the strawhat had been aware of his annoyance his attitude had caused so many others around him. not even only rivals & enemies. but even to his own crew mates too, his cook had to deal with fighting an emperor everynight to fend him from devouring everything that kept them alive until they could reach another island. their navigator had to deal with spontaneous decisions to travel the most unnerving, unsettling, islands they cross.

The list unfortunately goes on, but —- unfortunately the answer to this question was a simple one. most of the time his head is empty with nothing but meat.

so no, he is not aware. It is why once his empty eyes stared through the crowded area of a rather popular island && happen to come across a familiar tattooed heart pirate. His hues immediately lit up like rays of the sun && his arms stretched through the crowd with a quickened haste.

Luffy wrapped his rubbery arms around the captain before hopping and allowing the long — stretch of his elastic arms wrapped tight. to fling him through the heard of people and immediately clashed against law. His face landing dead near laws with the biggest smile.

Feeling the sudden weight of hands upon his person, golden depths immediately widened as the heart captain snapped his head towards the other rubber male⸺ though, it was already too late as he saw Luffy come flying through the air, which resulted the many people around them to spread in panic, with screams leaving in surprise. Acting fast, the taller side-stepped in the last second, so he at least didn't receive the full-force of the stretch. It still though, pulled at his body, to the point that a deep groan pushed past snapped shut teeth.

Deep annoyance was immediately aimed at the familiar captain before slender, inked digits lifted.

" Room.. Shambles. "

Without a warning, Law made Luffy change place with a wandering cat, which immediately hissed and jumped away, when it landed in the heart captain's arms, something that didn't shake the stoic surgeon at all. Looking unimpressed at the tornado that was Luffy, he was silent for a few seconds.

" I am here for supplies. Unlike you, Mugiwara-ya, I don't follow such rumors blindly. "

There was no way, he was able to keep a low profile now due to the rubber captain, which was a realization that made the surgeon release a 'tsk'. Knowing Luffy, his chaotic crew was right behind him. Why had he chosen this island again...?

Golden depths settled on the male near him, after having accepted that his day was going to be vastly different now. The happiness on those familiar features, was almost exhausting to look at, never could he look that bright.

" Where is your crew? "

Ace was not entirely sure what he had been expecting. He thought for sure that the blonde hadn't seen him and that would allow the freckled male to just disappear back into the crowd and they would go their own ways, but Ace would be comforted by the fact that Luffy still had one brother who could be there for him while Ace felt that his presence would just put Luffy in even more danger again.

But that was shot to hell when their eyes met. At this point what hasn't been shot to hell in his life? And just like at Marineford this was his fault, albeit slightly more unintentional than the giant war that had broken out to save him. Part of him knew Pops would come, even if Ace hadn't wanted them to, because the old man never left one of his son's behind. This time Ace hadn't even known that Sabo was alive, let alone would be on this small, unassuming island.

And now the scarred blonde looked to be in crisis, and the moment Sabo began to fall Ace began to move.

He wasn't as fast and agile as he once had been, having a magma fist shoved through your body and melting his internal organs came with that kind of consequence. The only thing that helped him, even just a little, was that he had used his devil fruit and had turned his body to fire, which slowed the burning of his insides.

Ace extended his arms and was there before he could fully comprehend what he was doing, even as the woman moved to catch Sabo's unconscious form.

"Sabo..." Ace whispered the name as he came to stop as the woman stared up at Ace, holding Sabo tightly in an attempt to protect him.

Darkness, it was all that Sabo could see. It felt like floating in the middle of emptiness, even as old memories of a much happier time surfaced and played before his very eyes. It awoke a deep sorrow, but at the same time, also warmth, for despite the sadness they brought, they also showed a treasure that the scarred male would never let go of. A treasure that he had forgotten for so many years.. Such realization had been painful, so painful in fact, that his brain had shutdown, just like it was doing now, unbeknown to the Revolutionary. Just like last time, it made a dangerous fever break out as his body worked overtime, to try and calm him down.. but to no avail. The world around him was lost to Sabo as he was carried along an overgrown path, that hid a little hut from unwanted eyes. While a blond crown rested against warm skin, low whimpers and pants danced from soft lips as sweat began to glister upon fair skin, making it clear that a fever was breaking out. Once in the hut, Koala quickly went to work, knowing exactly what she had to do as she had seen this before. . . . . Sabo had no idea, how many moons had passed by, only that he felt so very drained as his eyes slowly opened.

The fever was still there, but at least now, he was out of that darkness that had swallowed him whole... With awareness came the heaviness, that still pressed upon his chest while the memories, before passing out, came back with a vengeance. It had to have been a devil-fruit user. There was no way that he⸺ stillness, it was the only way to describe, what happened as mismatched depths landed on the male near him, a sight that made Sabo dig his nails into his scarred arm as if he was trying to dispel a nightmare.

❝ How.. How are you⸺ I-is this some form of twisted joke? A cruel reminder... that I wasn't t-there to save him?! ❞

The usually calm and collected voice cracked as emotions coated each word, together with the fever, which pulled at Sabo's vocal cords. Tears instantly, once again, clung to the scarred male's lower lashes as pupils shook.