#marcosabo

Anyway from what I remember, I think the way I had pinned it together is, although Sabo realises he has feelings for Marco during the two/three-year time skip, his actual behaviour does not actually change that much? So while Marco does...vaguely presume they are Eventually friends, and adjusts to Sabo's behaviour, Sabo is harsh, and gets even more so as time goes on. The Whitebeards do a lot to make up for the whole...debacle, but, in their defence too, it's not even just the Ace thing. They're also pretty fucked up about the fact that these guys have very obviously been wildly abused, if the response to affection is....(yikes.com)

So while Sabo slowly adjusts upon realisation that Marco is a Good Man, I think a lot of Marco is...a) tied up in the fact that his break up with Ace was probably the most brutal thing ever, for all he tried to let Ace go with grace, and, b) does see Sabo a bit as...connected to Ace? As Ace's? So recognition of his feelings there is bad. He doesn't see Sabo as a viable romantic partner because he's messed up about Ace, and then, also, because, well, it's Sabo! Sabo is an adjacent thing to Ace, the way that like...siblings of your partner are People but also not?

Marco's feelings potentially come part way through the time skip - when Sabo starts eventually doing things for himself and working with Dragon - but I don't think he's willing to recognise them. Sorta along the vague....feelings (<-fic link) ?? of this drabble that wasn't technically HoC but could fit for the vibes aha. (Though if this was HoC canon I would put it after the timeskip, for the fact that Marco now protects Sabo's secrets, and is close enough to Sabo to have that loyalty...)

I think what tips Marco into realisation of his own feelings for Sabo is when Ace comes back. He's used to Sabo being closed off, but he had seen how Sabo and Ace were so...co-dependant. Even if Sabo won't take physical affection, he'd always lean into and on Ace. And it just doesn't happen anymore.

From Sabo's POV there's a lot of closing himself off so he doesn't fuck up again, of self-harm adjacent behaviours - not wrapping his hands before a fight, not sleeping properly, that stuff - and Marco...notices.

"Hey," he says, and takes Sabo's hand, feels cold fingertips against his palm, and that's more than enough time for him to see that the scabs aren't healing properly before Sabo yanks his hand away and glares. "D'you need someone to help-" "Not you," Sabo spits, and Marco raises his hands. "Not me, just someone."

So even though Sabo won't go to Ace, at this point Marco at least recognises them as friends, well enough to bully Sabo into getting help. It's a mirror of the first part of the fic, where Ace goes to Marco for help, basically by accident, and this...Sabo going on purpose (or, being cajoled lmao) and allowing Marco to help him. Even though he says not you, Marco's gotten good at translation and...finally figures out that Sabo's sorta in the same boat as him, with Ace. It's different and yet...still so much the same. The betrayal, the leaving, the love...

You have to forgive me, it's been-

(momentary tv glitch as I clutch my head and realise it's been seven years. SEVEN YEARS ??)

A while since I actually thought about HoC/went over the fic notes, and I actually can't find what I did have planned for the marsab get together. I actually think the sabo/ace manage to fix up (and/or at the same time ?????) marco/ace get together first, and then marsab manage to get their shit together and figure themselves out. Probably with Ace's help, considering how much better he's gotten with his mental health 🤭 and with refusing to allow others to ignore their own health etc. Ace getting Sabo's feelings out of him and knowing Marco well enough to force him into also telling the truth.

Also, wait, I remembered/found some notes!

So pre-Laffitte, Ace specifically comes home and thinks marsab are dating - because he knows Sabo well enough to be like oh, Sabo likes this guy, and he knows Marco, too, and why would they be so close if not...this? And Sabo doesn't have any of the tells Ace used to. Low-key he's...yes, it is sad, because as he spends time with Marco again he does remember what he did like about Marco, that he did like Marco, near the end (even if he wasn't sure of it being love), and thinks Marco's just private because of how everything ended with, well, him. So when he teases them and Sabo snaps, he doesn't know how he got it wrong...but he's certainly thinking about it.

And I'll presume at this point you've read the masterpost - after the Laffitte-Ace-injured!Thatch situation, Thatch is in recovery and ends up spending time with Sabo and realising that Sabo has feelings for Marco, mostly by accident. To Thatch, well, Sabo's a jerk but he's at least blunt. He's sharp and (seemingly) straight-forward and, at the very least, with them, he doesn't...let them get away with stuff? So even with all his misdirects and lying bs Thatch is still aware that Sabo wouldn't end up...doing the same to Marco as Ace. He doesn't blame Ace, necessarily, but fuck, his brother's just not the same.

Marco's a romantic at heart. Having the realisation that he hurt someone he loved, and in such a way that his love was the problem? Fuck, he'd never be the same. One of the major things that gets through to him is the fact that Sabo...recognises that. When Marco is trying to make it up to Sabo and Luffy, trying to get a life for them, Sabo puts together that Marco is Fucked Up about that. When he tells Marco about Ace...that Ace was actually having feelings for him, and that was one of the reasons Sabo lashed out - jealousy, fear - Marco knowing how much that costs him is when he sees Sabo less as "Ace's" and more as his own person.

So it's like...first half of the first year of the time skip -> Marco's depression era

Second quarter -> depression era^2 where Marco tries to make up for Fucking Up with Ace + Sabo has the conversation about Ace liking him/respecting him. Sabo doesn't say the same, but...it's implied

Third quarter -> Sabo working with Dragon, Marco + Sabo being friends

Fourth quarter -> Marco jealousy era when Sabo is working with the Revo more closely and has someone interested in him

Tbf if Ace hadn't come back I think after maybe another few years, Marsab would've gotten together (I have a scene about that! About when Ace thinks they're together and knows Sabo likes Marco and says, "I can help!" and Sabo says, "The only way you can help is by leaving." because Ace being back is the problem....)

Then Laffitte and Ace/Marco getting together and Marco realising, as Sabo pulls away from him: oh shit. The jealousy from before....it's worse when he has Sabo pulling away. When before, Sabo was still around, still spending time with him, and now? He even realises that Sabo spending time with his Revo partner was jealousy, and, now, realising that he cares about Sabo, to the point that Sabo not being around...he hates it.

He has Ace...but why does it not feel satisfying?

(And how dare he say as such to Ace when he really, truly, does love Ace? How could he-)

"Suit yourself" Sabo shrugs, lying back down. The sky is a beautiful blue with hints of orange as the sun starts to set over the mountain top. Marco does have the right idea. It's a nice enough place to take a nap. Instead of overthinking every little thing. It always happens when all he can is wait and not take action. All the hours today spent looking into hsi fire trying to figure out what it wants from him. Not any closer to answer. 

Maybe if he gets some rest, his mind will conjure a dream that will have more answers then jsut waisting time staring at nothing. Not being any help at all when there is so much he can be doing. Sabo squeezes his fist tight, pulling up the grass that is already has been through alot. It crumbles in his palm, leaving streaks of ash. It is starting to be familiar feeling. Thing his burns sticks to everything, the scent of ashes sticks to his clothing. 

He lifts his hands, pulling the power of the flames to spin into a ball as tight as he can get it. It's a bright twisting bright flame. Sabo stares into the depths of it. Golden colors that have such nice warmth. 

Warmth that he doesn't really feel anymore. Fire does not burn as hot as his body does, it does more to help him cool down as the flames dance. That was not something he expected would happen. Not feeling the heat of a fire that is not his own is odd. He puts more power into it until is a barely controlled. "Tell me, what do you want" 

"Do you really expect an answer?" Marco opens one eye, turnign to rest on his side. His lips curl up with the idea of a smirk. It looks as if he knows something that Sabo could only guess at. It's as if the flame is speaking to him more then it is to anyone else. He has been the wielder of a flame fruit for much longer then Sabo has. "The flames don't speak in the way we do." 

"Yeah?" Sabo transfers the ball to one hand, focusing for a moment to make sure none of the flames are going to escape to harm the surroundings “Are they saying anything to you?" 

"In a way" Marco lifts his hand in the same way, in a flash a flame of blue forms into a tight ball that does not let anything escape, unlike Sabo's that does not have control as perfect as the man. The blue of it has hints of pale orange just at the edges. "Not in words, think of it as an instinct." 

"Instinct... hmmm" Sabo moves the ball of flame closer to Marco's. His fire reacts, stretching with grasping tendrils that wrap around it, looking for some way in. Does it want him to somehow work with Marco? Do what though. He doesn't hold the flames back from wraping themselves around that blue. They do not cover it all the way. Just enough to let the color peak out. 

It's strange, but something so simple feels right. Sabo can't quite tell the man's thoughts, but through that link he can feel the man's spirit. It's a comfort. Warm. Sabo has missed the feeling of warmth on his skin. It draws him in. He slides closer, his hand brushes over Marco's. It's rough, calloused from years working out on a deck. 

Marco returns the fabor, running his thumb over a knuckle. Flames relax from the tight orb in thin strands, weaving to form a spiral that Sabo's react with perfect intent, only complimenting the man's power over fighting it for control. That feels new. He has met plenty of those that could use fire to warrying degrees but none that would react like this. They usually clash and fight each other. Sabo's often burn hot to cancel anybody elses out if he put his mind to it. 

This... feel's different. Sabo blinks, the man's rough hand cups his. That snaps Sabo out of his thoughts. Another slow blink, for the first time it comes into focus at how close they are. How long has it been since he’s been this close to anyone? It was always one mission after the next. Sabo doesn't often get a moment to breathe. 

He didn't think it would feel so strange. 

Sabo let's the flame fade before it can pulse with his laughter. 

Laughter that is a relief. It has been so long since he's been able to laugh. It's almost too much. He wheezes coughing as his lungs complain where they press against bruised and battered rips. With mission after mission he has not had time to heal.  "Ah shit"