#shugs

he didn't peel it he just ate it whole

day 1: swift || 9:33 PM

“It’s shit that we are forced to fucking duck out like rats just because we’re, we’re.”

“Different?” Izo offered.

“Freaks!”  

Beside Marco, Edward Newgate sighed.  It wasn’t the first time Ace had an outburst like that.  It’s not even the worst he had been but it was still rough, when he got like this.  There was almost no reasoning with him.  But to let him go on would make it worst.  It’s no secret Ace had a temper, could be very harsh to other around him.  It definitely wasn’t a secret that he was hardest on himself.  

“Calm down Ace, there is no point in getting so worked up.  We’re safe, you don’t have to be afraid.” Marco stood, placing his hand on Ace’s shoulder.

“I’m not afraid of them!”  He snapped jerking away from Marco’s touch.  “It’s them” he pointed out the window “they should be afraid of us!”  Marco’s eyes followed the flame that licked up Ace’s arm before meeting his eyes.

“A lot of them already are.  A lot of them are for good reason.”  Ace stilled, his gaze even with Marco’s.  “Do you really want to be like the ones that make them afraid?  Do you want to be like Akainu?”  Ace bit his lip and looked down.  “Like Blackbeard?”  He flinched and turned away.  Ace looked to Thatch, as he rolled away from the table in his wheelchair.  No, never like them.

“Sorry.”  Ace whispered and Marco sighed.

“We are all feeling stressed my son.”  Newgate stood up and walked over to the two by the window.  “It’s okay to be angry Ace.  Let me assure you, you’re not the only one.”  Gently he moved his hand under Ace’s chin and tilted his head up so their eyes met.  “But don’t let your anger be what guides you, don’t like it control you.”  Ace nodded and Newgate smiled.

“It’s getting late, you’ll all benefit from some rest.”  Their heads snapped to the new voice to see Sabo leaning against the door frame.  Ace snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Is it already past our bedtime, mom?”  Ace walked over and slapped Sabo on his shoulder and his brother scoffed.

“For you it certainly is, narcoleptic.  Last thing you want is to ruin your schedule.”  Sabo slung his arm around his brother’s shoulder.  Ace pushed him away telling him to shut it.  “Would you like me to tuck you in or perhaps read you a bedtime story.  I do remember you like the one about the bear I use to tell Luffy.”  Ace’s cheeks flushed and made a grab for Sabo but said brother of his ducked away laughing as he ran upstairs of the chosen safehouse.  

Newgate shook his head.  Safehouse to anyone but Ace’s brother.  He didn’t know how Sabo always seemed to know where Ace was but Newgate chose not to dwell on it for his own sanity’s sake.  He often was thankful for the brother’s rather sporadic appearances.  Often relied on them on stressful days like so.

Marco was good a quelling Ace’s anger, good at talking him out of his own head.  Newgate was even better but neither of them matched up to Sabo.  Sabo knew, or at least seemed to know, the inner workings of Ace’s mind.  Ace assured that the only ‘genetic abnormality’ Sabo possessed was the uncanny ability to be a smart ass the majority of the time.  Marco swore that his ‘powers’ was the ability to read Ace and he just wouldn’t admit it.

“He’s right though, it’s bullshit.”  Thatch spoke solemnly, breaking Newgate from his musings.  “I’m just a normal guy who has nothing to worry about but even I feel angry.”  He sighed looking down to his lap, hand rubbing his knee.  “They try so hard to weed out everyone they can, people, kids who pose no threat to them and then they turn around and go employ the real monsters.”  He let out a hollow laugh before whispering “it’s bullshit.”

He snapped his head up when Izo placed a hand on his shoulder.  Thatch mustered up a tired smile, placing his hand over the other’s.  “I think it’s time for you to try and get some sleep as well.”

“Oh am I really being that depressing?”

“I felt every ounce of happiness sucked from me.”

“I’m the worst.”

“Absolutely dreadful.”

The duo went back and forth and Izo pushed Thatch down the hall towards their rooms.  Like a switch, one by one the rest of the family all wandered off to their beds until Newgate and Marco were the only ones left.  They watched them go, bid them goodnight and then fell into a contemplative silence.  

“How long do you think this one will last?”

“I don’t know son.”

“They’re looking for someone in particular, depending on how much they want them or how well their hidden, it could be a while.”  Sabo said stepping off the stairs and walking back into the dining room.

“You know who?”  Marco asked and Sabo shook his head and shrugged his shoulder.

“Ace asleep already?”  Newgate asked instead.

“Yeah, like a light the moment he laid down.  He’ll be up in a few hours, nothing I can do about that.  Whether it’s the stress or a stress driven nightmare don’t be surprised when you hear him lurking in the kitchen at some god awful hour.”  Sabo explained as he adjusted his coat.

“Are you leaving already?”  Marco asked, it wasn’t uncommon to Sabo to pop in and out but he usually would spend at least some time, if not the whole night with Ace on bad days.

“Ace’s isn’t my only brother.”  Marco nodded understanding instantly.  “And Luffy has never been good at hide and seek.”  With that Sabo made his way towards their front door.  Whitebeard followed him, opening the door.

“Be careful son.”  Sabo looked up at the man looking slightly taken aback before he scoffed.

“Sorry Whitebeard, I have no interest in being adopted today.”  Newgate laughed as he patted Sabo’s back on his way by.

“Any brother of my son is a son of mine, you better get use to it fast boy.”  He continued to smile brightly, he could tell Sabo was fighting a smile as he waved him off.  Ace and Sabo were polar opposites and two peas in a pod at the same time.  Newgate watched him until he disappeared before closing and bolting the locks on the door.