In Another Life [Ace X Reader ]

part eight

"(Y/N)..." He trailed off as his face got redder.

The crew started laughing as he covered his mouth and looked away.

I bowed towards whitebeard. "I'm sorry, I didn't know this was your ship! I just needed transportation." He nodded in understanding.

"We should catch up." Ace stated with a smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. I nodded in agreement following as he walked towards what I assumed was his room.

The door clicked as it locked behind him. I sat quietly on the bed beside him. Neither of us said anything to the other.

"I thaught you where dead..." He broke the silence holding his hands together tightly. I didn't know how to tell him I still was getting there.

"Gah, don't you know? Nothing can kill me!" I tried to lighten the mood, but he wasn't having it.

"Do you know how heartbroken I was when you left me?" His tone became more condescending rather than the sadness moments before.

"Ace-" I tried to tell him I had no say in it, but he just wouldn't listen to me.

"No, (Y/N). You walked out of our lives years ago, and now you come here like you never abandoned me. Your no better than-" His eyes went wide as he realized who he was about to compare me too. "(Y/N) I didn't mean that-"

"It's okay, Ace." I spat coldly avoiding his gaze. "I don't know what you've gone through while I've been gone, but don't sit there and act like you know what I've been through either."

"It was a mistake coming here-" I sighed standing from the squeaky bed. "I'll see you around, Ace."

At least that's how I would have preferred it go had I not been interrupted. He cut me off before u could say it was a mistake.

"Oi, Ace. Pops said to meet in the mess hall. He has an announcement or something." A male I didn't know announced.

"I'll be there in a minute." The man gave Ace a weird look before leaving us.

"I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry." An apology doesn't erase the words said.

"Go eat, Ace." I brushed him off refusing to make eye contact. "I don't know why I expected you to forgive me anyway. "

And with that, he left for the mess hall.

"Gamble." I mumbled staring into the mirror in aces room. The numbers should have slowed down after that pirates surgery, but it felt like it just sped up.

2 years 3 months 15 days 7 hours 6 minutes 2 seconds

And with a blink of an eye it just kept declining. "At this rate, I probably only have a few months left." I mumbled to myself not thinking.

The door flew open startling me.

"My bad, I forgot my knife." Ace apologized running out the door.

10 months 13 days 11 hours 1 minute 7 seconds

I couldn't believe my eyes as I replayed the image in my head. Ace was going to die soon.

I sat on his bed contemplating what I just saw in hopes I imagined it. Could Ace really die?

"I'm back. We should talk."

I couldn't imagine the little Ace I grew up with dying.

"Sabo! Look at all the treasure I got today!"

My mind just couldn't process what I had seen.

"Ace, do you hate me?" The words came out before I processed them.

He set down a plate he was holding and took a seat beside me.

"I don't hate you, I just didn't know how to react to seeing you again. We thaught you died too. Just like-" he cut himself off quickly. "I just needed a minute to figure out everything." His words where honesty. The care free kid I knew was no where in sight.

"Luffy had such a hard time coping with the fact of loosing you and our brother. I...just didn't know." He trailed off scratching the back of his head.

"But your here now! And that's all that matters!" He tried to cover his sadness with a smile.

"Ace, you're allowed to be sad. Your allowed to say his name." I tan my thumb against his cheek gently. He pushed his face farther into it as his eyes began to water.

"Sabo is still with us no matter what." He placed hus hand over mine and held onto it loosely.

"But if me and Luffy had just gone after him-" he tried to argue and blame himself, but I cut him off.

"If you wanna blame anyone, blame me. I was the last one to see him, and I didn’t help him. I was to scared to be caught." I argued taking my hand back.

His large arms pulled me into a tight hug  afraid if he let go I'd be gone for good.

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Sleep well! Don't forget your medications! Make sure you've had a glass of water and eaten!