And finally, my op reverse bang story is completed! Huge thank yous need to go out to my partner ezaria-umiko for acting as my sounding board as well as for providing the incredible artwork, to xthecherryx for betaing this whole thing for me and being incredibly patient with my slow writing pace, to imperialmint/Bea for hosting the whole event, and last but not least, to shishiswordsman for providing the ultimate emotional support when I got hit with writer's block mid-story ^^ I couldn't have done this without you guys, so thank you so so much.

Here's the link for the artwork, go check it out! Ezaria did a great job~ (remove the space for the link to work) bit. ly/2dr53q7

But without further ado, I hope you enjoy! :D

"What if Gold Roger had a child?"

Silence reigned at this statement until the sound of a mug slamming down on the table rang out, its contents sloshing over the sides.

"We're getting real tired of you asking that question, boy. Roger was the worst of the worst, any child he could have had would be below scum!" Rowdy cheering followed the declaration, and Ace balled his hands up into fists, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Listen kid, if you don't like our answers, stop asking before we shut you up ourselves!" another voice chimed in.

"Yeah, yeah, what's your deal with him anyways?"

"Go find a hobby, kid! Where's your mommy?"

"SHUT UP!" Ace shouted, leaping towards the man, but was suddenly caught midair by a large meaty hand. The man's startled look soon faded into smug overconfidence, further spurring on Ace's anger.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" he demanded, trying to twist out of the large man's grip to no avail "If you want to fight, do it one on one like a man!" he challenged, only to be met with more mocking laughter.

The man who had first spoken approached him, the smoke drifting from the cigarette between his teeth making Ace's eyes water and lungs burn.

"I'm gonna tell ya one last time, kid: people don't like remembering that man. He brought nothin' but pain and humiliation to everyone he met." The man tilted his head curiously, eyeing Ace with a newfound interest. "Say, aren't you a little young to hate that bastard so much? With how angry you're gettin', it can only be for some personal reason, am I wrong?"

The man stepped forward, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "See, now that I think on it, ya look an awful lot like Roger, dontcha, kid? That kid of his you're always talking about… There's more men out there with a grudge against Roger than there are stars in the sky. How much do ya think someone would pay for the chance to get their hands on that bastard's child? Say, a son?"

Ace's blood ran colder than ice, instantly realizing just what the man was implying. His struggles increased tenfold, desperate to escape from this increasingly sticky situation. "No! I'm not-"

The man slapped Ace across the face, silencing his words. Ace growled and bit the man's hand, breaking skin as easily as biting into a roll of bread. The taste of copper flooded his mouth, but Ace didn't release his jaw until a few of the man's lackeys finally managed to dislodge the limb. Blood ran down Ace's chin, and he grinned with satisfaction, spitting in the man's face.

"You fucker!" the man bellowed, cradling his injured hand. "It's about time somebody taught ya proper discipline, brat. Ya need to learn just why ya don't mess with pirates. What's your name anyways? Ace?"

Ace didn't dignify him an answer, shooting the man a glare so acidic it could easily peel paint.

The man remained unphased, either due to his immense stupidity or overconfidence. "Well then, Gol D Ace, let's hope ya find the answers you're looking for, I'm sure it'll come to you eventually," the man sneered with a wicked grin. He grabbed a full bottle of liquor from the table beside him, twirling it casually in his hand for a moment before bringing it down on Ace's head at full force. Instantly, his vision went black and Ace sunk into unconsciousness, the echoing sounds of laughter fading into nothing.

Heavy chains clinked together, the only other noise being pained breathing and shouts from far above. Judging by how panicked they sounded, there was probably another raid underway. The fact that Ace could hear anything at all was a miracle in itself, seeing how deep underground he was.

He let out a tired groan, his muscles aching to be stretched and used. How long had he been here again? Maybe a month or two? The sun was nothing but a distant memory, along with a full stomach and a body that didn't ache with every breath he took.

A door slammed somewhere, and the sound of hurried footsteps racing towards him stood out against the background noise. The source soon appeared in front of him in the form of a chubby man frantically sorting through a key ring. After several tries, the man was finally able to unlock the cage, yanking Ace out of the confined space.

"Get up! We're leaving!" he barked, sifting through the key ring again until he finally found the key for the chains binding Ace to the floor. And then for the first time in months, Ace was running - or rather, stumbling would be a more accurate term - through the halls of the base.

Despite his exhaustion, their pace didn't slow as he was dragged through the maze-like base, and Ace soon gave up on trying to keep track of their path. He suspected they were somewhere near the surface, if the growing sounds of fighting were anything to judge by.

The man shot another nervous glance back, perspiration gathering on his forehead. Like a sickness, Ace could feel the other man's nervousness creeping up, unsettling him. He found himself shooting backward glances whenever they turned a corner, heart skipping a beat when all he saw was empty space.

Everything happened at once after that. They were rounding another corner identical to every other when Ace first saw the men standing at the end of the hallway. In the same moment, a warning shot fired out, freezing them in their tracks. Two more men wielding guns appeared from behind them, the same empty, uncaring expression on their faces as the first two.

In a split second, they'd been cornered.

"Did you think we wouldn't find you?" one of the men in front of them asked, approaching slowly, as if he had all the time in the world.

The man's face flushed bright red, his words stumbling over each other in his panic. "Yes! No! I mean-" Bang!

He dropped like a bag of rocks, dead before he ever hit the ground. Ace flinched as blood splattered onto his ragged clothing and skin, but had no other reaction, much too focused on the threat in front of him. The suited men continued their advance until Ace was backed into the corner, paying no mind to the body of the man they had just killed in cold blood. Grey eyes darted back and forth, looking for any sort of opening to escape but finding none

"Gol D. Ace. You are now the property of the Celestial Dragons, do not resist or we will be forced to put you down."

Ace's eye twitched, his hands balling up into fists. "Am I supposed to know what that is?" Their brazen claim of his life rubbed Ace the entirely wrong way, and he eyed them angrily despite the fact that he knew he would not win if this turned into a fight.

The man didn't bother to reply, instead reaching into his jacket pocket. Ace immediately braced himself to have some kind of gun or other weapon pulled on him, but all he felt was a sharp sting in his arm. His eyes shot open, spotting a small dot of blood welling on his arm where he had been neatly pricked with a syringe.

Immediately he felt the effects of whatever they had injected him with as his vision blurred, and he suddenly felt unsteady. His eyelids grew heavy, and Ace couldn't muster more than a slurred curse before his world went black.

It was the staring Ace hated most. That and the whispering. He knew it was already unavoidable considering who he was with, but paired with his own identity - which had spread across the entire world by now - it was unbearable at best. Gold Roger's son, chained and paraded around like a prize animal by one of the infamous World Nobles, it was the biggest story of the decade.

Ace kept his head low and gaze averted as they slowly made their way through the Sabaody Archipelago to one of the least favorite places in his rapidly shrinking world: the auction house. These World Nobles burned through slaves like a child devoured sweets, and when paired with their hunger to show off their power, it meant Ace had had to make this trip far more often than any other slave.

"No! Wait!"

Panicked shouting garnered Ace's attention, and he watched in surprise as a small child tripped through the wall of bowed onlookers- directly into the path of the Noble. Ace internally grimaced as he heard the Noble stand, along with the sound of his gun's safety clicking off.

"You dare fall in my path?" the Noble thundered, causing the child to scramble back away from him in fear. A woman emerged from the crowd then, protectively scooping the child up into her arms.

"No, please, I beg of you! It was a mistake, he didn't-"

Bang.

Ace flinched, watching as the woman collapsed unceremoniously to the ground. The child scrambled over to the woman in horror, desperately shaking her shoulders. "Mom? Mom, wake up, please! Wake up wake up wake up! No, you need to wake up!"

Pity pulled at Ace's heart, but he forced himself to turn away from the child as the Noble resumed his march through the city, seemingly satisfied with the life he had destroyed that day.

And then something strange happened. Out of the corner of his eye as he was being led away, Ace saw a man step from the crowd still lining the streets. The World Noble was still too busy gloating to notice as the man crouched down next to the small family, gathering the woman up in his arms after a few moments.

He looked in their direction, and Ace was struck by sharp blue eyes and a scowl. Most interestingly though, the sides of his head were shaved, leaving a puffy mass of blond hair resting on top of his head. Ace's lips quirked automatically at how much his head resembled a pineapple, but he quickly buried it beneath a blank face, before the Noble could notice the distraction. If this man had the guts to defy the World Nobles, Ace wouldn't hinder those efforts.

They soon arrived at the auction house, the staff tripping over each other in their desperation to please the World Noble as they were led to their seats. Ace despised everything here, from the staff, to the attendees, to the building itself, but he knew better than to allow such opinions show on his face.

While most slaves were left outside like dogs chained to a tree, Ace had the honor of being brought inside, merely as a way to show off his unattainable superiority to everybody there. No matter how good of a slave they thought they had won, they would never have the infamous Gol D Ace under their thumb.

The auction that day was like any other for Ace; he didn't say a single word, not allowing himself to give any sort of outwards reaction to the cries and pleas of those unfortunate enough to be on stage. Anything could be interpreted as disobeying, and the last thing Ace needed was a new scar or bruise to add to his rapidly growing collection.

"And last but not least, we have entry number thirty-six, a pack of five human males, all former nobles in status!" the auctioneer announced, listing off all of their exploitable attributes. The crowd broke into excited whispers, and Ace gritted his teeth as the World Noble gave an absurdly high bid, far exceeding even the richest of nobles' price range.

Stunned silence met the declaration, and Ace's eyes lifted just enough to see the slaves on stage. Among the handful of young adults and teens, he was disgusted to see a child around his own age with cropped blond hair and torn clothing. The boy's eyes swept over the crowd, and Ace was surprised to see that they held no tears or begging pleas for rescue like most others. They were full of fire and a determination that shocked Ace into forgetting just where he was.

Their eyes met, and Ace identified recognition and surprise on the boy's face, identical to that of every other person he saw. Ace ducked his head once more, breaking the eye contact with the boy and refusing to look up again even after the nobles had been moved off stage. All of this went entirely unnoticed by the World Nobles sitting above him, too pleased with themselves to pay any attention to the lowlife at their feet.

By the time they returned to the palace, Ace had all but forgotten about his encounter in the auction house, too annoyed after being subjected to another round of whispers and staring on their way back to Mariejoa. For how valuable he supposedly was, it was like Ace became entirely worthless the moment they were out of the public eye.

Ace was all but thrown back into his cell by the World Noble's guards, and he waited until they were long gone before daring to sit up. He moved back to the furthest corner of the cell, scowl on his face. He'd served his purpose for the day, and now that they were done with him, he was tossed aside like trash. While that was nothing new, Ace couldn't help but feel bitter when the fact was that their view of him barely differed from his own opinion of himself.

Ace already knew that he shouldn't have ever born. He was the son of a demon, he deserved no more than he had gotten from life. The part of him that had questioned whether he deserved to live was finally satisfied. The only thing his life was worth was for the use of others. Ace supposed he should be happy that he had finally received an answer to the question that had plagued his mind all his life, but the only thing he felt was bitterness. It was times like these, when he was alone in this cell with only his thoughts to keep him company, that Ace wondered how different his life could have been if he had had a normal, unassuming father.

A loud clang interrupted Ace's spiraling thoughts, causing him to flinch and jerk his head up. In the doorway was one of the slave handlers and what looked like a child. "Hey! Let go of me!" Ace immediately recognized him to be the noble kid from the auction house, and he ducked his head once more, unable to watch as the noble was chained and manhandled into the cell next to his.

He was putting up quite a fight from what Ace could hear, and knowing that somebody was finally giving these bastard a fraction of the trouble they had brought to him put a twisted smile on his face. The boy continued shouting insults and taunts despite the warnings the guard had given. Ace couldn't help but flinch when the unmistakeable sound of a slap cut through the air, followed by a thump as a body hit the ground.

"Damn kid," the guard spat as the boy went silent, yanking the cell door shut and storming from the room. Only when Ace was sure the coast was clear did he raise his head once more.

"Bastard," the boy muttered, rubbing the bright red splotch on his cheek as he pulled himself into a sitting position. Ace huffed at the indignance in his voice, and the boy snapped his head in Ace's direction, only now realizing that he had an audience. Again, recognition and surprise lit up his face, and Ace averted his eyes out of habit, stubbornly staring towards the ground. Between the cells were nothing but bars, offering a clear view into the surrounding cells. What need would slaves have for privacy anyways?

"Hey, aren't you-"

"Don't," Ace snapped, glaring at the boy coldly. He may have felt sorry for him in the auction house, but his fate had been sealed the moment that collar had clicked around his neck.

The boy observed him curiously, but said no more. Ace turned his back, but he could still feel his gaze. "I'm sorry. My name's Sabo," he said simply. "Who're you?"

"You already know who I am," Ace bit back, but the noble remained unphased.

"I've never seen you before in my life," he replied evenly, giving Ace a defiant look. "How could I possibly know someone I've never met?"

Ace's features twisted into a scowl, unimpressed. "If you're trying to be funny-"

"Do you really think now is the right time to be cracking jokes?" the blond questioned, forcing Ace to swallow what he was going to say. "I don't care what name your father gave you, I want to know who you are."

"..." The name 'Gol D Ace' burned in the back of Ace's throat like acid. He hated that name, he hated his father for leaving him alone to suffocate under such an impossibly wide shadow. Ace had tossed aside his name long ago, but to change it entirely? The idea was daunting, but even Ace couldn't deny it held a certain appeal. But which name should he choose?

A small, hesitant smile blossomed on his lips as the answer came to him, and he finally turned to properly face the boy. "I'm Portgas D Ace."

An identical smile spread on Sabo's face, and Ace was taken aback by how genuine it seemed. "Nice to meet you, Portgas D Ace."

"Ace, why are you still here?" Sabo asked quietly, back to back with Ace as he leaned on the bars that separated their cells.

Ace frowned, head inclining to see Sabo better. The blond kept his gaze forward though, giving Ace no clues as to what he was thinking. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why are you still here? Why haven't you ever tried escaping?"

A sigh blew through Ace's lips and he reverted his gaze to the far wall of his cell. This was not the first time Sabo had brought up escaping, and, to Ace, it was a tired topic. "You know why," he mumbled noncommittally.

"No, I know why you think you can't leave. You hate it here, Ace, just as much as I do, if not even more," Sabo insisted, turning to face his friend. Ace stubbornly refused to move, even as he felt warm hands on his shoulders, silently urging him to turn around. "After the stunt I pulled last week, do you really think they're going to keep me around much longer?" Sabo said quietly.

Ace's head turned at that, and from this angle Ace could see the bruises and lacerations adorning the blond's pale skin all too clearly. Something akin to anger coiled in Ace' stomach just looking at how the blond had been abused, and he bit his lip.

For how much the World Noble had paid for Sabo, he was a less than satisfactory slave, always fighting back and resisting at every turn. It had earned him a wealth of scars and pain for all the good it did, and Ace knew all too well what became of disobedient slaves - they were disposed of, plain and simple.

"Please, Ace," Sabo pleaded, reaching through the bars to take Ace's hands the best he could. Ace couldn't bring himself to turn away, linking their fingers together loosely. "I can't stay here any longer, and neither can you. It'd be easy- the next time we're down in Sabaody, we'll take the keys to these collars and just slip away. We can both fight, we know how to lay low, they won't even come looking for us."

"You mean they won't come looking for you," Ace corrected. His very existence was the chain trapping him here. "Even if we got away, they'd chase me to the ends of the earth to get me back. I'd just drag you down with me, Sabo."

"If they want to get to you, they'll have to go through me," the blond declared, either ignorant or uncaring of how bold of a statement that truly was. "I'd never be able to live with myself if I left you behind, Ace. You've been the only good thing in my life since this whole mess started," he admitted, but the statement was entirely too loud in Ace's mind.

He was stunned, clueless as to how to respond. A flurry of emotions churned in his gut, but Ace could hardly focus on them as his heart soared. How could he possibly refuse now? "Sabo…"

Their eyes locked, hope sparking between them like fireworks as they considered the idea of finally being free. It would be a challenge to get away and near impossible to avoid being found again, but Ace decided he didn't care. If Sabo would fight, then Ace would too. And then maybe, just maybe, Ace could be free.

"Alright, let's do this."

Sabo panted heavily as he raced through the streets of the Sabaody Archipelago, Ace right by his side. Their escape plan had gone surprisingly well so far, but Sabo wasn't so naive as to think they were done. No, this was the most crucial stage of their escape. They had gotten away from the World Noble's body guards, now they had to disappear, and quick. And if they managed to do that, they were free.

Energy surged through his body at the thought, and he raced ahead, joy overtaking him. They were almost free! A laugh escaped him, and, looking back, Ace clearly shared the sentiment, the brightest smile Sabo had ever seen gracing his lips. Almost instinctively, Ace rarely showed what he was feeling to others, and Sabo couldn't help but feel proud that he was the first Ace had ever lowered his prickly walls for.

Ace's eyes widened marginally as he looked past Sabo, and then the noble was suddenly skidding on the ground to the sound of gunshots.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Ace's body jerked as the bullets connected with his side and shoulder, and he cried out, falling to his knees. His hands came away bloody, and horror washed over Sabo like water poured over a roaring fire.

"Ace!" Sabo shouted, scrambling towards his friend, shocked when Ace held his hand up, stopping him.

"Go!" he shouted with obvious pain, struggling to his feet with difficulty and spreading his arms. Sabo followed his gaze, finally noticing the man in a suit standing at the end of the alley, gun raised and aimed right at them. Ace was standing between them - he'd taken a bullet to protect him. Sabo looked back to Ace, mouth gaping as he realized all of this at once.

"Ace-"

"I said go! Now!" Ace screamed, and Sabo's body moved back on its own, shocked by the anger in his friend's voice. It was a tone he had never heard Ace use before; he knew exactly what he was giving up by staying behind.

Sabo nodded reluctantly even though Ace couldn't see him, before he turned on his heel and sprinted down the alley. A few more rounds went off, but thankfully they missed. Sabo didn't look back once as he ran, wildly wondering if that was the last time he would ever see Ace.

I'll come back for you, Sabo promised silently, head ducked low with tears blurring his vision. Wait for me, Ace!

8 years later.

Ace rolled his neck, body tense as he scanned what was left of the arena, fire licking impatiently at his shoulders. Scattered fires burned all around him, making the air smoky and hard to see through. If anybody was about to try and ambush him, now would be the time. Even if this wasn't a matter of life and death, his fighting ability was the only thing he could take pride in any more, and it wouldn't do to be taken off guard so easily

He was so focused on his hearing that he almost missed the quick movement from his peripheral vision. Ace ducked in time just as the sword swung over his head, right where his neck had been moments earlier. His fire flared brightly, illuminating the enraged face of his attacker through the smoke.

"Trying to kill me?" Ace tsked, shaking his head disappointedly. "You know that's against the rules."

The man only responded with an infuriated shout as he leapt forward again, sword aimed to pierce right through Ace's chest. Ace stopped the blade with his hand easily, heating the metal until it was red-hot and the man was forced to drop it, cursing in pain.

A solid kick to the chest was all it took to send the man flying off, and Ace withdrew the rest of his fire - albeit reluctantly - allowing the smoke to finally clear. As he'd thought, that man had been the last of the 30-some people he'd been pitted against this time, but they had hardly proved a challenge.

He feigned nonchalance as he strolled from the arena, not sparing a single upwards glance to where he knew the World Noble was sitting, watching his every movement with greedy eyes. The moment he was out of sight, there were several guards ready for him, armed with seastone handcuffs and arrogant attitudes.

Immediately Ace felt the draining pressure as the cuffs snapped in place, his warm fire replaced with the cold emptiness seastone possessed. But as always, he repressed the shiver of discomfort and allowed the guards to escort him away.

"I hope you enjoyed yourself, pretty boy, it's the last bit of fun you're going to have for a long time," one of the guards sneered.

Ace didn't reply, of course, but the guard took it as an initiative to continue. "Rumor has it the World Government's finally gotten their grubby little hands on you," he boasted, either not noticing or intentionally ignoring the sudden tension in the slave's wiry frame. "They've been trying to get their hands on you ever since word spread that Gold Roger had a bastard child. I bet there are quite a few people out there kicking themselves for missing their chance to get their hands on you."

Ace had a brief rage-induced vision of fighting back; he'd yank on the chain, catching the guard by surprise as Ace's knee connected with his chest, knocking the breath out of him. Ace would turn on the others then, managing to take down a few... before ultimately being overwhelmed by reinforcements.

That's right, Ace thought bitterly, there's no escape. Not any more.

And so Ace kept walking, even as every muscle in his body screamed to lash out- to fight back. He kept his carefully sculpted mask on, refusing to let even the smallest reaction to the information slip through.

"Listen here, Gol. There's not a single person who'll care when you die. So c'mon, give us something! Fight back a bit, we'd love the excuse to beat you one last time. Maybe even cry, the way you did when that little slave boy died back then!"

Ace's restraint snapped. Fast as lightning, his arm shot out, punching the guard in the throat. The man crumpled to the ground, much the same way Ace did as he was tackled by the others immediately after. His head cracked on the marble floor sickeningly, and Ace was seeing double as they hoisted him back up. Their blows landed seemingly endlessly on his body, but Ace hardly felt the pain.

The trip back to his cell was a hazy blur, and by the time Ace recognized familiar stone walls, he was already on the ground, the echo of the guard's mocking laughter disappearing behind him. He carefully lifted a hand up to where he'd hit his head, hissing at the vengeful sting that raced through his skull upon contact. Even staring straight ahead he had the distinct feeling that the world was warping around him, thoughts sluggish as he tried to process what had happened.

Ace knew the symptoms of a concussion when he felt them, and he silently cursed his luck.

"Hey, Ace! You look like shit," a cheerful voice called, immediately capturing Ace's attention. His eyes snapped open to see the image of a mischievous smile and burning green eyes.

"Sabo," Ace sighed. Logically, he knew that the blond wasn't really there, that he was merely something his subconscious dragged up out of the foggy haze his mind had become, but even as an illusion, Ace couldn't deny he was glad to see his friend again.

"We've got a problem," Sabo deadpanned. "The marines are going to execute you."

"And?" Ace mumbled. "I'm the son of Gold Roger, what else would you expect?"

"To fight back? Try to escape? To snap out of your own pity party long enough to realize you've been given the perfect opportunity?"

"What are you talking about?"

Sabo sighed, obviously unhappy that he was going to have to spell it out. "They've been trying to get their hands on you for years, Ace. They'll get you out of here asap, but I doubt that'll be before all the paperwork and other shit is finished. Meaning, they won't be ready to send you straight to Impel Down- you know how the Marines are with their procedures."

"A holding area," Ace breathed.

"Exactly. This may be your only chance, Ace. So, what's it gonna be?"

Ace managed to pull himself up into a sitting position, ignoring the pounding in his head as it raced with ideas. Could he really break out? The Marines, in his experience, were cocky bastards, always overconfident in their infallibility, and that would be their downfall.

"I'm going to escape," he whispered, feeling the words on his tongue for the first time in eight years. "I'll be free, or die trying."

"That's more like it!" Sabo laughed, a happy sound Ace hadn't heard since that fateful day. It brought a small smile to his lips, the first genuine shred of happiness he'd felt in a long, long time.

Heavy footfalls landed upon the earth as a lithe form raced through the undergrowth, almost tripping over a tree root in the process. It was as if the forest itself was trying to trick him, branches reaching out to painfully snag on his clothes and skin. His lungs burned like never before, his breaths coming out in no more than faint, wheezing gasps. His legs felt like jelly beneath him, but Ace kept running, operating on autopilot by this point.

He had to keep running.

What he was running from? The same nameless, faceless horror that had been haunting him for years. Never once had Ace chanced a look backwards, too afraid of what he might see. It was always right behind him, and the thrill of pure, unadulterated terror the knowledge sent through him was what kept Ace running long after his body was ready to give out.

And then he tripped. There had been a small hidden alcove at the base of a large tree that Ace had seen a moment too late. He tumbled all the way to the back, body aching with all the bruises and scrapes he'd undoubtedly received from the unplanned fall. His heart pounded in his chest, and Ace braced himself, the anticipation of being found out all but killing him.

"Ace!"

He jumped, flinching as a boy poked his head into the opening of the alcove. As the initial shock subsided, Ace realized just who it was that was looking down at him.

"Sabo?" he breathed, fear clenching his heart. The beast was still out there, lying in wait for Ace to come out.

"What are you doing down there?" Oblivious to Ace's terror, Sabo reached his hand down towards Ace. He was laughing, and that gap-toothed smile was so achingly familiar, Ace found himself grabbing Sabo's hand, allowing himself to be pulled from the safety of the alcove.

Looking around now, it was as if he had entered a completely different forest. No longer did it feel like the tree's jagged branches were reaching directly towards him. Instead, it was a peaceful place, with soft sunlight that filtered through the leaves and painted the ground a bright emerald green color.

"C'mon Ace, I want to show you something!" Sabo urged, leading Ace through the reinvented woods. A smile grew on Ace's face, and he felt undeniably safe with Sabo by his side. They soon reached a clearing in the trees, revealing a grassy cliff overlooking a sparkling cerulean sea that Ace knew all too well.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Sabo grinned, turning to face Ace. "I-" Sabo stopped suddenly, eyes looking past Ace towards the forest. Ace stiffened as an all-too familiar presence approached from behind. Just knowing that the was so close made Ace twitch with the need to escape, but up here on the cliff, there was nowhere to go.

Just as he was about to bolt and take his chances in the ocean below, Sabo stepped in the way. Betrayal and disbelief stung Ace until Sabo reached up to gingerly cup Ace's cheeks, emerald and grey eyes locking together.

"Ace," Sabo spoke softly, his presence rooting Ace to the spot even as he could feel the beast drawing nearer. "Do you trust me?"

Hot air breathed down his neck - it had never gotten so close before, so close that if Ace were to reach backwards slightly, he would be able to touch it. His heart raced wildly in his chest, but Sabo's gaze was calm, steady as a rock. He gave Ace a small, sad smile, and Ace released a slow breath, calming his frenzied mind. Sabo was his best friend, the one person Ace knew he could count on in this world. His eyes opened to meet Sabo's again, and when he spoke, his voice was steady, unwavering. "Yes."

Sabo's smile grew, and Ace couldn't help but mirror the look. "Turn around, Ace."

Ace's smile dropped instantly, head shaking in an adamant refusal. "I can't-"

"You can," Sabo disagreed urgently. "You have to look, Ace. You need to see what it is you've been running from all these years."

"Sabo…"

"Trust me, Ace. I'll be right here, I promise."

Ace swallowed nervously, but eventually nodded, taking one of Sabo's hands into his own. Sabo gave his hand a final reassuring squeeze, and that was the last piece of courage Ace needed.

Ace opened his eyes.

Above him was the crouched form of a man with messy blond hair looming over him. Ace blinked repeatedly, disoriented as he tried to process the fact that he was no longer on that cliff, but instead in his cell with the marine's head doctor.

He scrambled back from the doctor, horrified to realize that tears were silently streaming down his face. He hurriedly wiped the offending liquid away, only for the tears to soon be replaced moments later.

"Are you alright?" the doctor asked quietly, no signs of anger or disgust on his face. He was unlike any authority figure Ace had ever met before. In the week or so since Ace's arrival, never once had the man lifted a hand against him. He had never condemned the other guard's insults and taunts, yet he had never exactly joined in either.

"I need to check your concussion," the doctor explained, and when he approached, Ace didn't back away. The doctor worked in silence as he checked Ace's concussion as per usual, his warm hands gently sifting through Ace's hair to find the massive bruise that had formed. In all honesty, the hands in his hair felt nice- a sharp contrast from the painful abuse he was used to.

Maybe it was because of the concussion, or because his mind was still lingering on the remnants of that dream with Sabo, but Ace couldn't help but feel that the doctor was familiar somehow. He seemed kind, though whether that was due to any residual effects from the dream or to his scrambled mind Ace didn't know. Either way, the doctor felt safe, and maybe that was why Ace opened his mouth, breaching the silence.

"Have I ever told you about Sabo?"

The doctor's hands paused, and Ace's heart began to pick up speed, remembering rough hands in his hair throwing him to the ground for daring to speak without permission-

"No."

The hands lifted from his hair and Ace sensed the doctor leaning back. Ace's frame went rigid as steel, waiting for the blow. He was an idiot, he should have known, of course the doctor didn't actually care-

"Well?"

Ace jumped, reluctantly turning to see what the doctor was doing. To his surprise, he didn't look angry at all; merely expectant and dare he say curious? When Ace still didn't say anything, the man sighed lightly and offered Ace another one of those small, reassuring smiles, and Ace found himself returning the gesture, his bravery slowly returning.

Ace pulled his knees to his chest and attempted to soothe his frayed nerves as he gathered his thoughts. How much should he say? Should he say anything at all? He'd never told another soul about Sabo before. He liked to think that Sabo had escaped, but Ace knew just how slim those chances were. Life would never be so forgiving for somebody deemed less than human.

Finally, Ace took the plunge, only planning to tell the doctor the basics. But as he spoke and his words were still met with neither ridicule nor scorn, Ace found himself opening up more and more. Through it all, the doctor hadn't said a word, simply listening to what Ace had to say. The mere notion of it was strange to Ace, but it felt great - incredible even - to have another person who was willing to listen to what Ace had to say.

"It's hard to explain, but whenever Sabo was around, I felt safer, somehow. It's like it was- he was…" Ace became aware that he was rambling, and his mouth snapped shut, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. He'd gotten carried away, revealing far too much about himself to a total stranger, a marine no less. With each passing moment Ace regretted opening his mouth in the first place more and more.

"He was family."

Ace's eyes snapped open to gauge the doctor's words, shocked to see how relaxed the man was. Ace had crossed a major line, he had practically raced over it, and yet the look on the doctor's face was almost nostalgic. This man kept doing the exact opposite of what Ace was expecting, was that meant to be intentional?

Ace mulled the suggestion over in his mind, unable to deny the accuracy of it. Sabo was family- true family, nothing like his scumbag father. He'd been there for Ace when the entire world had abandoned him. Sabo was the person Ace had taken two bullets for, giving himself up for the chance that the blond might live.

If that wasn't family, then what else could it be?

Marco ran a hand through his hair, still mulling over the unexpected conversation he'd had with Roger's son. It almost felt wrong to think of him as Roger's son now when his life had been so vastly different from the King's. Gol had been suffocating under Roger's shadow for a long, long time.

Even if the words had never been directly stated, Marco could feel Gol's silent yearning for freedom. After all this time, he had never given up on his hopes for a life away from slavery, even if it was only subconsciously. Their talk hadn't lasted long, maybe five or ten minutes at the most. Marco had given Gol his pain medication soon after and left- feeling far too tempted to tell him the truth to stay. Marco's priority had to remain on rescuing his crewmates, and yet he had the distinct impression that Gol would make a wonderful Whitebeard Pirate.

Marco pushed away from his desk with a sigh, too distracted by these swirling thoughts to be able to concentrate on work. He decided to take a walk outside, the trip taking much longer than he'd intended. Even after a few weeks of working undercover here, he still managed to get turned around in the maze-like layout of the base. Thank god he wouldn't have to deal with this much longer.

Finally, Marco found the door leading out to a deserted courtyard, blissfully silent after the hustle and bustle of the base. He could hear the ocean from here, its glorious salty scent providing Marco with that sense of peace and freedom that nothing else could give him. The night sky was clear and the trees rustled with the breeze; perfect weather for sailing.

Thoughts soon returning to Gol, Marco chewed on what he should do. After that talk, Marco knew he couldn't just leave Gol here to be taken to Impel Down and executed. He knew Oyaji would gladly welcome Roger's son on his ship, but attempting to rescue such an infamous prisoner would certainly add an unpredictable variable to his plan. Thankfully Gol still had a few more days before he was to be taken to Impel Down, so Marco had until then to rethink his plan.

So lost was he in his musings, that it took him a moment to realize he was staring into the shadowy depths of the far wall. He could have sworn that he had heard the faint tinkling of metal, the sound nearly covered up by the breeze. Marco's senses went on high alert, trying to spot whatever it was by reaching out with his haki. Even still, he almost missed the shadow slipping into the base. In a split second decision, Marco decided to follow the shadow and see if it was a marine or something else.

Whoever it was, they were very clever, almost managing to shake Marco's trail several times. They kept disappearing down hallways he hadn't known even existed, and the path they were taking, though seemingly aimless, was taking Marco deeper into the base. As he stepped into a hallway that was secluded away from the main hub of the base, he barely avoided a devastating blow to the head, instinctively ducking as something whistled through the air above him. He lashed out, but the attacker danced out of his reach, allowing Marco to see a young man with wavy blond hair and burning green eyes. The most notable feature on his face was a large burn scar on the left side of his face, though it only added to the overall dangerous air he seemed to give off.

"You're pretty fast for a marine," the intruder spoke, voice confident and unworried.

"As are you," Marco returned. He hadn't been caught off guard like that in quite a while, and he was admittedly interested in who this man was. Or more importantly, what he was doing sneaking around a high-security marine base in the dead of night.

"Small talk aside, we seem to be at an impasse."

Marco raised a brow. "And what makes you say that?"

The man shifted his weight, casually leaning on what looked to be a staff of some kind- most likely the weapon Marco had narrowly avoided being decapitated by.

"I need to be able to get around undetected, you see. I wasn't planning on anybody here having such keen senses. These marines are quite cocky, don't you agree?" He spoke with a certain undertone of amusement, as if he was simply sharing an inside joke. "And in the off chance you're considering calling for reinforcements, I would think again if I were you. See, I did my research before I came, and you have quite an interesting record, doctor. They hired you out of nowhere after the last medical examiner mysteriously disappeared a few weeks ago. I couldn't seem to find a single genuine record of your existence beyond the flimsy file you gave the marines. I wonder what would happen if they were given an anonymous tip that there was a spy within their base?"

Marco remained cool at the threat, admittedly impressed by this man's information network. It had taken quite a while to build up a large enough file so the marines wouldn't think twice about his application. Tonight was certainly proving to be an interesting night. "You wouldn't do that."

"And what makes you say that?"

"You're on a time limit, yoi. You need to stay covert, which means you need my cooperation to stay hidden now. You're decades too young to be threatening me, brat." The man bristled at that, and Marco chuckled. Now that he'd been found out, Marco saw no point in continuing to play marine. A plan began to form in his mind, but it was quite risky, even for him. "Relax kid, I'm not going to blow your cover. As if I would ever help those bastards, yoi. We both have something the other wants."

"And what would I possibly want from you?" the man asked, and though his voice revealed nothing, Marco could tell he'd garnered his attention.

"Somebody on the inside, yoi. I'm the head doctor overseeing the prisoners- nobody would look twice if they saw me in the prison block. You clearly have much more in-depth knowledge on the layout of this base and the staff, so the solution to this impasse is quite simple, yoi. I propose a temporary alliance between the two of us, effective from now until sunrise."

"And what would the purpose of this alliance be?"

"To break out Gol D Ace, amongst a few others." Marco was taking a major gamble revealing his intentions to this intruder, but he had to admit he rather liked the man. He was smart, saying just enough about what he knew to get Marco talking while revealing nothing about himself. A fairly obvious tactic, but if this man hated the marines half as much as Marco did, then he would have nothing to fear.

The intruder took a moment to weigh his options before nodding to himself. "I accept your proposal," he finally agreed, reaching to shake Marco's hand firmly. Pulling a key ring out of his pocket, the intruder grinned at Marco. "Shall we get going, then?"

Rough hands grabbed at Ace, yanking him painfully to his feet and pulling him from the cell. Not a word as he was unceremoniously dragged down the hallway with a sense of urgency that entirely went over Ace's head. Confusion and drowsiness clouded his mind, slowing his reaction time as the guards finally lifted him onto his feet.

"Walk!" Ace complied automatically, falling back on what he knew was safe when everything was shrouded in a drug-induced haze. The doctor had given him some medication earlier, but something about it must have been different this time, because Ace couldn't gather himself enough to take action. He could feel his last chance to escape slipping through his fingers, but at the same time it was as if he was disconnected from his body entirely, merely watching what was happening from a distance.

"Wait."

And there the doctor was, standing in front of the procession. Ace stared, trying to piece together what was so different about the man. Maybe it had something to do with the authority in his voice, or how his posture was suddenly so much more confident, but there was an undeniable fire in his eyes that Ace would never have imagined possible. With all the chaos going on, the man almost looked dangerous- a man on a mission who was not to be trifled with.

Recognition struck Ace like a bullet, suddenly remembering where he had seen such determined blue eyes before. He was crouched over the motionless form of a woman, a crying child by his side all the way back in Sabaody. That was the day Ace had met Sabo, the memory still fresh in his mind even after all this time.

This man was not a marine.

The guards surrounding Ace bristled angrily, and Ace realized he'd missed their conversation. The doctor looked almost smug, and then suddenly a shadow descended upon them, taking out two of the five guards before Ace even realized what was happening. The doctor didn't join in, but it seemed his help wasn't needed.

The man rose from his crouch, swiping away some strands of wavy blond hair that had gotten in the way. Oh-so-familiar emerald eyes met with grey, and Ace found himself speechless, drinking in the features he hadn't seen for years. Only now, there was a gruesome burn scar marring the left side of his face.

"Sabo…"

Thankfully it was a sentiment Sabo shared, and it wasn't until the doctor cleared his throat that their eye contact broke. Their cheeks turned pink and Sabo ducked his head under the guise of unlocking Ace's handcuffs. A rush of warmth surged through Ace's body the moment the metal fell away, and he rolled his shoulders, feeling the joints pop in relief.

Sabo stumbled away, eyes wide with terror as he stared at a point past Ace's shoulders. It seemed his skin had accidentally caught fire the way it did after a long time under the influence of seastone. "Sorry about that, I ate a devil fruit a while back," he explained a little sheepishly, patting out the offending flame.

Sabo only nodded in response, shaking his head as if to ward off a bad memory. Ace paled as he remembered the burn scar- that had to have come from some traumatic experience, surely. "Sabo, I'm-"

"It's fine," the blond said firmly, giving a small smile as he placed a hand on Ace's shoulder in a show of faith. "It just caught me off guard is all. How-"

Whatever Sabo was about to say next was cut short as a squadron of marines appeared in front of the trio. Sabo immediately stepped in front of Ace, but the doctor moved in front of both of them.

"Move aside doctor, those two are both due for execution," the leader spoke tersely, and Marco scoffed, removing the glasses from his face and carelessly dropping them on the ground. The lenses shattered, the glass crunching under the doctor's shoes as he slowly approached the group.

"He was right you know," the doctor mused aloud. "You marines really are too cocky for your own good. Have you still not figured it out? I'm no marine, and I never will be."

Panicking, the marine fired his gun directly at the advancing threat, but instead of the spray of blood and shout of pain everybody had expected, a swirl of bright blue fire appeared right where the bullet had passed through. The marines all blanched in horror, and Ace heard the name 'Marco the Phoenix' ripple through the small troop.

The sound of gunfire echoed painfully off of the stone walls, and Ace watched in awe as the blue fire flared in response, too bright to look at directly after the relative darkness of his cell. When Ace finally opened his eyes, the fire was gone and they were the only three people left standing in the hall.

"We need to keep moving before they manage to reorganize themselves," the doctor said curtly, allowing no time for Ace to process what had just happened as Sabo took the lead, taking them through the base as if he'd lived here his entire life.

They ran into a surprisingly small number of marines on their route, and before Ace knew it, they'd reached the main courtyard where he'd been brought in.

From what he could see, the space was empty, but Ace had a bad feeling about this whole setup. The doctor, Marco, had split off at some point, leaving the two of them to fend for themselves. Sabo glanced up at the lightening sky and cursed quietly, leading Ace along the outer perimeter. The only sound to be heard was the rustle of wind through the trees, far too quiet for his liking.

Glancing up, Ace spotted the sniper poised on top of the courtyard wall a split second too late. The rifle fired, and suddenly Sabo was in front of him, arms spread. The blond stumbled back into Ace's arms with a cry of pain as the bullet connected with his shoulder. Ace was helpless to move, watching as the sniper skillfully reloaded the rifle before carefully aiming it at Ace once more.

And then a swirl of blue fire flew overheard directly towards the sniper. Ace heard a shout, and then Marco dropped out of the fire, landing neatly on the ground in front of the gates.

"What the hell, he's made of fire and can fly too?" Ace muttered under his breath, attention snapping back to Sabo when he heard a huff of amusement at the statement escape the blond. Relief overwhelmed Ace, Sabo was still alive.

"Sabo! Are you alright?" He carefully helped the blond to his feet, not missing the grimace of pain Sabo gave, even as he waved off Ace's concern.

"I'm fine."

"If you guys are planning to escape any time today, I would do it before any more marines get here!" Marco called impatiently from the gates, just as a group of prisoners raced past the two of them, a horde of marines hot on their trail.

That finally jarred Ace from his shock, and he grabbed Sabo's hand, the two of them racing through the huge gates to where a modest ship was lying in wait. With Sabo at his side and the marines hot on their tail, Ace engaged in a full-on sprint towards the vessel, the adrenaline pushing him on.

The ship set off the moment they stepped foot on the deck, men and prisoners alike frantically rushing and yelling to one another in a dizzying array. Ace backed out of the way, watching as Marco took lead, shouting commands and singlehandedly bringing order to the chaos on deck. It was clear that these men all had absolute faith in the doctor, even the other prisoners who had escaped with them.

"They're sending a warship!" A shout of alarm gained everybody on deck's attention, a collective sense of horror sweeping over the crew. The marines were sending an entire warship after their little boat? If the marines opened fire, there was no way they would be able to survive the assault. The smaller ship had managed to get a decent head start, but it was only a matter of time until the marines caught up to them.

Sabo cursed quietly by Ace's side and disappeared below deck without a word, a sense of purpose radiating from his every movement. Ace remained on deck, feeling exponentially useless as the crew's pace picked up, far more urgently than before.

The marines were only sending a warship because Ace was on board. Sabo had been shot because Ace hadn't been fast enough. Just how worthless could he be?

"Ace, what are you doing?" Marco called, instantly spotting Ace as he smoothly made his way through the turmoil on deck. Ace didn't answer, reaching the stern of the ship and climbing onto the railing. The imposing sea danced just below his feet, but Ace hardly paid attention to his doom waiting below, instead focusing out to where the marines had dispatched two more warships. They were impressive, built to intimidate, but Ace found himself calm facing them.

"Have you gone insane? Get down from there!"

No, calm wasn't the right word.

He was ashamed, guilty, infuriated, exposed, bitter, there was no end to all of the opposing emotions within him. Ace was tired of listening to what everybody else told him. He was done meekly obeying what everybody else wanted him to do. In front of him, Ace didn't see the might of three Marine warships. Instead, he saw the source of his lifetime of oppression and despair, threatening his safety and freedom for the last time.

Fire whipped around him in a maelstrom of heat, reflecting everything Ace had been forced to suppress his entire life. He heard shouts of alarm and fear behind him, but he no longer cared. He wasn't going to let other people's view of him influence his actions any more, whether they were enemies or allies.

The fire whirling around him continued to grow in size and intensity, and Ace focused it into a gigantic fireball on the palm of his hand, a sweat breaking out on his forehead from the exertion needed to contain it. When it was finally large enough, the marines had closed the gap between the two ships by quite a large amount, sealing their own fate.

Mustering up the last of his strength, Ace hurled the fireball at the marine ships. His efforts were immediately rewarded with the sound of splintering wood and the panicked shouts of the men unfortunate enough to be standing on board. But even as they screamed and abandoned ship, Ace could not muster up any pity or regret after finally having a chance to deal back a fraction of the pain he'd been dealt in his lifetime.

With his help, the small ship managed to regain their head start, and Ace watched as the burning remains of the marine warships grew further and further away. And as the adrenaline finally began to fade, Ace's vision blurred dangerously. He shook his head vigorously, stumbling off of the railing before exhaustion overwhelmed him and sent him tumbling into the ocean.

A pair of arms caught Ace from behind as his consciousness faded, and the world thankfully dissolved into peaceful black.

Ace awoke to the gentle sound of the ocean, eyes opening to see a shaft of bright sunlight streaming into the room. He blinked and sat up to better observe his surroundings, mentally grimacing at the painful protest his body gave. His body was swathed in bandages, hiding the countless wounds that covered his skin, but there was surprisingly little pain.

The room was unfamiliar and mostly empty, the only furniture being a simple desk and a dresser. The bed he was laying on wasn't particularly comfortable, but it was far nicer than anything he'd been allowed to sleep on it quite a while. A hand ran over the sheets idly as he took a moment to piece together just what had happened.

There was a careful knock on the door and Ace jumped, eyes widening as Marco came in. Ace's first reaction was to shuffle away, when the image of brilliant blue fire popped in his mind. That's right, this man had helped him escape, hadn't he? Regardless, Ace remained wary as Marco approached, a plate of food in hand.

"How're you feeling, yoi?" he asked, setting the food down on the night stand next to the bed. "Are you hungry?"

"No," Ace lied, tearing his eyes from the plate to observe the man who had shown him so much unrequited kindness. Why had he gone through so much trouble to save a worthless person he'd never met before? The idea was boggling to Ace, the last person to have shown any type of genuine interest in him being-

Ace's eyes widened, and he would have bolted out of the bed if it weren't for the strong hands on his shoulders, holding him down. Ace thrashed in the man's grip, but to no avail. "What are you doing?" he cried, "I need to see Sabo! Where is he?"

"You need to relax, or I'm going to have to sedate you," the man spoke gently but firmly, the undertone of authority in his tone undeniable. Ace swallowed, forcing his muscles to relax as ordered. He didn't know this man or his intentions, how Ace had let himself get carried away? Had even been freed at all? Or was this just another ownership trade after all?

The man sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Listen, I'm sorry. You're not our prisoner or slave, and you never will be. I mean it when I say you're free now, yoi. Sabo's resting right now, and you should be too if you want to heal properly."

"Who are you?" The words slipped out of Ace's mouth, unable to keep himself from voicing the question that had been pounding in his head. Panic surged in him, but Ace kept his gaze steady, putting the man's claim to the test.

"Ever heard of Marco the Phoenix?"

Ace shook his head mutely. Marco gave him another one of those small smiles, ruffling Ace's hair carefully. "I'm a pirate, kid."

"A pirate?" Ace parroted back. "Why were you at a marine base then?" he asked suspiciously.

"I was saving my family, yoi," Marco responded simply, standing up. "We can talk more later, there are some other things I need to attend to. Take that medicine once you've eaten, it will help numb the pain," he said, nodding to the plate of food.

"Wait!" Ace blurted out, and Marco stopped, hand poised just over the doorknob. His gaze was expectant, eyes just as sharp as the first time Ace had seen them, as if he knew more than he was letting on. "Why do they call you 'the Phoenix'?"

Marco chuckled, "I'll show you when you're feeling better, yoi." And then he was gone, leaving Ace to his thoughts once more. His gaze drifted back to the plate of food he'd been brought. He didn't think there would be anything wrong with it- why poison somebody you risked your life to rescue? But nobody breaks an infamous criminal out of a marine base out of the goodness of their hearts either..

His rumbling stomach made the decision for him, and Ace made quick work of the simple meal he'd been brought, foregoing the pills for the chance to carefully stand up and stretch his long neglected muscles. Long suppressed energy burned in his muscles, propelling Ace to chance a look outside his door, relieved to see not a hallway, but the open sky spread above him. Meaning he'd likely been given a makeshift bedroom from a storage room, but Ace found he couldn't care less.

He guessed the time to be late afternoon or early, and the deck was swarming with sailors going about their duties. Nobody seemed to have noticed Ace yet, so he took that as a chance to slip away in search of a more secluded area.

The ship was small though, leaving not many hiding spots where he would still be able to see the sky. Eventually, he found himself on top of a cabin roof near the stern, the ocean spread out in front of him. Vast and endless, it was impossible to believe that anything could be so big. If he closed his eyes, Ace could hear the sound of waves breaking on the side of the ship and the chatter of crewmates. Salty air filled his lungs, and Ace took several deep breaths, burning this moment into his mind.

This is what freedom was. The sky, the sea, no chains, and no greedy gazes.

His hand absently rubbed his wrist, marvelling at the absence of cold, draining metal. Despite the exhaustion and pain, Ace could feel his fire burning within him, providing a source of safety and comfort through all the confusion of this past day. Had that all really happened less than twenty-four hours ago?

"Pirates, huh?" This ship didn't look much like a pirate ship from what Ace could see- it was too small, more like a fishing boat. So did that mean they were going to meet up with the actual ship itself? Ace knew he had fancied a pirate before things went to hell- he had to become so infamous that he would surpass the shadow of his father, prove that he was more than that man's son.

"Yeah, though personally I prefer the Revolutionaries more," a voice spoke from below him, making Ace jump. He carefully leaned forward, grey eyes widening when he recognized Sabo standing on deck. His shoulder was covered in bandages, blond hair gently bobbing in the ocean breeze. "Mind if I join you?"

Ace shook his head, and Sabo hauled himself on top of the roof to sit next to Ace. Neither of them said anything, Sabo's gaze focused on the ocean while Ace's was on the blond. He gave off an air of confidence and nonchalance, but the slight tremble to his hands gave his hidden nerves away.

"This view is beautiful," Sabo commented, head turning to look at Ace. Ace averted his gaze though, twiddling his fingers nervously.

"I thought you were supposed to be resting," he said dumbly, eyes lifting once more to see Sabo's lips quirk upwards into an amused smile.

"The same could be said for you," the blond replied cheekily, his smile so achingly familiar to Ace. His memories could never compare to the real thing- could never compare to Sabo being right here by his side.

He flung his arms around Sabo's waist, being careful to avoid jarring his injured shoulder as he buried his head in Sabo's neck. His heart skipped a beat when Sabo followed suit, wrapping his arms around Ace just as tightly.

Ace could feel his eyes burning, and he swallowed, fighting to keep his voice level. "I thought you died," he whispered. "What happened?"

He could feel the blond tense, and Ace pulled back, giving Sabo what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Don't you trust me?"

Sabo nodded immediately, letting out a breathy laugh. "I do, it's just.."

"Hard to believe this is actually happening?" Ace guessed, pleased when Sabo laughed again.

"Yeah, pretty much. I'm so glad you're okay, Ace. I was afraid that I would be too late," he admitted quietly. Ace took Sabo's hand, squeezing it gently.

"You were right on time," Ace reassured him. "But letting yourself get shot like that? Even you have to admit that was stupid."

"Consider us even then," Sabo said lightly, raising his hands defensively at the unapproving look Ace shot him. "I'm not planning to do it again any time soon, I promise."

Ace only sighed, not wanting to argue after finally being reunited. He'd forgotten just how rash Sabo was- in all honestly, he should have expected something like that to happen sooner or later.

Once again, Ace found his eyes drawn to the massive scar on the blond's face, his free hand hesitantly reaching up to carefully touch the edges of the mark. "You still haven't told me how you got this. Tell me, please?"

Sabo's shoulders slumped, his fingers reaching up to delicately graze his neck as he kept his eyes trained on the setting sun in front of them. "When we were planning the escape back then, I'd assumed that the key to those collars would be with those for our chains. I was stupid, managed to set off the damn thing in my rush to get it off of my neck. I would have died in the explosion if it hadn't been for some people from the Revolutionary Army willing to save a half-dead slave boy like me."

"You're a revolutionary?" Ace repeated, unable to mask his surprise. "I had no idea…"

"Yeah, second in command actually. What happened to us… I don't want it to ever happen to anybody else. I hate this ugly scar," Sabo said suddenly, hand clenching into a fist.

Ace's heart warmed at the mention of 'us', and he couldn't deny how well the role of a revolutionary fit his friend. Looking at Sabo now, Ace could fully appreciate how accurate Marco's title of family truly was. Sabo was unlike anybody else Ace had ever met, he was so much more than a mere friend. To think that Sabo hadn't forgotten about him after all these years even after he was free… "Sabo, don't you know how incredible you are?"

His cheeks darkened seeing Sabo's surprised look, and Ace stumbled to get his words out in the right order. "I mean, how many people would risk breaking into a marine base just to take back someone they only knew for a few months as a child. I've never met anybody like you before, and I know that's not really saying a lot all things considering, but… I guess what I'm trying to say is that you mean so much to me, Sabo. I don't know what I would've done if I'd never met you. Anybody else would have forgotten by now."

"Ace…"

Ace didn't respond, purposely avoiding Sabo's gaze as he watched the sinking sun and tried to ignore how his cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Ace, look at me, please."

Reluctantly, Ace turned his head, surprised when he felt a pair of lips gently brushing against his own for the briefest moment. Startled, Ace brought a hand up to touch his tingling lips, eyes staring at Sabo in wonder.

Sabo cracked a smile that made the sun look dull, leaning forward to touch their foreheads together. "As if I could ever forget about you, Ace."

Ace's heart skipped a beat, a sudden rush of happiness overwhelming him and making his toes curl. Their second kiss was longer than the first, but no less sweet. Finally, everything made sense to Ace. Sabo wasn't just a friend, he was much more than family, even.

"Sabo?"

"Hm?"

"I think I love you."

Sabo laughed, the sound ringing beautifully in Ace's ears. "I think I love you too, Ace."

Fin.

Please don't forget to leave a review down below and tell my your thoughts! This story took quite a bit of time and effort, so any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for reading ^^

Edit: So as it turns out, I actually have a couple more half-written scenes that I sadly didn't have time to finish and put in for posting, but if there are enough people who're interested, I'd definitely be willing to finish them up and add them as a little bonus chapter. Scenes include more Sabo-Ace interactions while they're slaves, what happened to Sabo after he escaped, and an epilogue to go after the last scene and show where everybody ended up ^^ I'm open to any suggestions of what else you guys would like to see, so let me know! (: