His friends wanted answers. They had none to give.

They wanted his body. Ace gave them his blood stained straw hat instead; told them it was all that was left.
Not a one of them didn't cry; Sabo tried to give them comfort (non-existent though it was), he was better at that sort of thing.

It was hard lying to them; they deserved the truth. They would have been able to do what needed to be done.
Ace couldn't do it, neither could Sabo. He was still their little brother, even if he wasn't 'Luffy' anymore.

It wasn't hard taking care of him; thick chains and a barred, heavy door kept him from causing havoc, and he ate just about anything (any meat) they gave him.
Ace had tried to make the joke that at least that had remained the same, their little brother and his voracious appetite, but the words had stuck in his throat and choked him.
Sabo hadn't thought it very funny but had managed a smile for his sake, and let him cry into his shoulder.

They both knew this couldn't last forever, that thing wasn't Luffy anymore; no matter how much it looked like him, no matter how much it sounded like him, no matter how much he called their names.
It was killing them from the inside.

But they just couldn't.
He was still their little brother.

Not even a zombie plague could change that.