Tick Tock [Portgas D. Ace/Sabo Fan Fic]

Disconnect

Disclaimer: I do not own OP or any of the characters involved.

Okay, the first few days had been expected, the week a pleasant (if slightly annoying) surprise. It was honestly nice to have him around, especially after Ace had been given time to come to terms with this new found knowledge. In fact, the extra time was somewhat of a blessing though he'd be loathe to ever admit it. A month gone by and Sabo was still lurking around.

Over four full weeks since his little 'adventure' at the hospital, and Sabo was a near constant presence at his side, unsettling and confusing. It was a wonder Ace hadn't snapped yet.

Ace groaned under his breath, long fingers knitting through the dark, messy locks at the nape of his neck. Blunt nails dug slightly into sensitive skin, a minuscule pain to draw thoughts away from the matter at hand. Far easier thought than done. Sure, the blonde had to leave for work or whatever it was he did every once in a while and he was constantly on the laptop when he was here, for he was here. He had taken to claiming the living room as his own, since ace still refused to make room for him in his studio. Seemed to have moved right back in really, not that Ace would have stopped him. Still, it was weird to see him in such a familiar setting, dark eyes trailing to his form for not the first time to watch him silently. Sabo hardly glanced up from whatever he was working on. Only the frantic clack of keyboard keys sounded through the air, dull and boring to Ace's ears.

Startling cerulean glanced up to meet with ash and Ace blinked in surprise before breaking the gaze to stare upwards at the ceiling. He ignored the sigh that reached his ears in response, a small pang of regret buried beneath the knowledge of what was necessary in such situations. Meeting Sabo's gaze was a dangerous thing to do no matter how long had passed since the raven learner of his...well, it wasn't much of a future, was it? A rather disconcerting thought. One he was forced to live with. Well, for now.

So many weeks passing by and still his 'brother' stayed, a constant itch at the back of Ace's mind. Constantly meeting those bright eyes was a worry he was incapable of escaping. Not without reason of course. Sabo was bound to ask eventually, yet still Ace delayed the inevitable, pushing back the facts as long as he could. A month and no one knew. A notch on the calender in his room that he kept hidden. Most would think him insane to mark down the days, but to Ace, each mark was another day surpassed, a small testament against-

"Is there something you've always wanted to do?"

The consistent tap of keys ground to a halt suddenly, silence stretching in the air a long moment before Ace turned to stare at the other, Sabo evidently still musing over his sudden question. Ace continued, "A dream or anything perhaps? Maybe just one place in particular that you always wanted to visit?" He tilted his head to the side, risking a glance into his own eyes. And still Sabo stared at him, thin frown etched across his lips as he watched the lounging raven. His gaze was unnerving, Ace tempted to break it once more.

"Seems an odd question. Why the sudden curiosity?" Typing continued, noticeably slower as bright eyes glanced up occasionally at Ace. It was as if Sabo expected him to disappear into thin air or something, maybe disperse into bubbles like that one witch or fairy or whatever. He shrugged, turning onto his back once more to stare up at the ceiling as his arms folded behind his head. He was propped up slightly on the couch. Arms and head resting against one end while his feet stretched out across the length of the couch cushions.

"Just wondering I guess. I never thought about any goals myself, so I just-" He shrugged again, fumbling with his own words. Lips parted and then shut once more before he risked a glance in Sabo's direction. His brother was staring back at him now, expression unreadable and fingers still where they hovered above black keys. "Maybe I'm just weird..." Once more his gaze drifted away, Ace focusing on the individual indents within the ceiling, mapping out the rough texture as he tried and failed to count each dot.