Chapter Text
They talk for hours, late into the night, until they hear voices in the hallway outside Ace’s door. They talk until their stomach interrupts them for the third time in a row.
They talk, and it still doesn’t feel like enough. Sabo just wants to keep going, wants to ignore the world and wants to ignore the pain in his stomach from skipping two meals. He vaguely hears a voice in his head that says, 'You can eat and talk at the same time.' The voice is obviously Koala's because Sabo knows himself and Ace enough to know that when they start eating, they’ll barely stop to breathe.
He doesn’t want to stop and risk shattering this maybe dream, but Ace glances at the door for the fifth time in a row, and Sabo can’t deny Ace food.
He pulls himself off Ace’s bed, feeling Ace’s stare on his back as he stretches.
“What?”
Sabo turns to look at Ace. Ace, who looks hesitant. Ace who is probably just as scared as him that this is all some fucked up dream.
Sabo grins.
“You look dumb.”
Ace’s brows immediately furrowed in retaliation. Sabo chuckles as he grabs his hat off the ground, which fell off the bed at some point last night. He stares at it, after a moment to debate putting it on, he finally places it on his head. He fixes up his cravat, slips his coat back on. All while Ace stares at him.
“It’s just breakfast, you know?”
Ace finally decides to say. Sabo glances at him with a tight smile, and Ace stares at it suspiciously.
“Breakfast with the Whitebreads.”
Sabo clarifies, but Ace is still confused. Of course he is. This is Ace’s family but to Sabo these are a legendary group of pirates that he lied to for three weeks and pissed the hell off yesterday.
“Let’s just get this over with.”
Sabo says, grabbing Ace’s arm to drag him out of bed. Ace allows himself to be pulled up, but is still staring at Sabo confused.
“You’re acting like you’re walking to your execution… shit.”
Sabo and Ace both wince at Ace’s choice of words, and Sabo chuckles awkwardly.
“I might be. Let’s find out.”
Ace stares, bewildered at the idea, but doesn’t say anything. He leads them out of his room, leading them to the dining hall.
Sabo is well aware of the fact that the Whitebeard crew probably never got an explanation for his freak-out yesterday, and Sabo is fine with it staying that way forever. He’d just appreciate it if the crew would tone down their curious stares.
Sabo is starting to realize that this whole crew doesn’t understand the concept of mind your own business. Sabo sighs and does his best to ignore it. He wonders if he should take a page out of Ace’s book and glare at everyone who stares at him. He just might if this walk to the dining hall takes any longer.
They finally arrive at the dining hall, and it's only after they enter the room that Sabo realizes that Ace is going to want to sit with the commanders.
He should have asked if they could eat in Ace’s room ahead of time. He doesn’t think Ace is going to agree now, maybe he’ll take it as Sabo running away from his problems. Which he is, but he does not need Ace to point it out, so Sabo decides to just follow Ace no matter where he sits. He’ll just eat as fast as possible and book it the second he’s done.
Sabo swears he’s normally smarter than this. He stares at Ace’s back while they sit in line for the buffet.
Maybe idiocy really is contagious?
He feels someone step on his foot and glares at Ace.
“Why?”
He asks, Ace stares at him.
“You looked like you were insulting me.”
“I can damn well think what I want.”
Sabo retorts in a hiss, Ace just presses down again.
“Get off!”
Sabo hisses as he pushes Ace away and off his foot. Ace shrugs and grabs a tray, Sabo grabs one for himself while glaring at Ace. He fills his plate, and the excitement for food slowly overpowers his annoyance with Ace. He feels drool start to build up, and some must have leaked out because Ace starts snickering beside him.
He rubs it away on his coat sleeve while he kicks at Ace’s leg, which turns into flames. Sabo glares down at the flame, annoyed. It moves in a way Sabo knows is meant to tease the hitter, because Sabo used to do it to people all the time.
“Stupid flames, tasted like shit, you used to be on my side, stupid fire.”
Sabo grumbles under his breath, then pauses and thinks about it for a moment. Can fruits even have memories? Did the flame-flame fruit gain his memories when Sabo returned?
Sabo glares at where the flames once were in thought. He only moves when Ace nudges him. He absently follows behind Ace, mind still thinking about this idea.
Luffy would definitely consider a fucking devil fruit a part of his crew, especially one that was Ace’s. One Luffy competed for. So theoretically, it's possible if Devil Fruits can carry memories.
Sabo has a feeling they can, if Luffy’s fruit is anything to go by, but Luffy is a zoan user. (Ace sits down, and Sabo sits down beside him without a second thought.) Those are just so different on principle. Can it even be used as a baseline? Don’t people say flames carry stories or whatever? Would that make the flame-flame fruit special?
Sabo shoves another piece of bacon into his mouth when he catches sight of Marco beside him. He opens his mouth to ask Marco for his opinion on the matter until someone slams the doors to the dining room open.
“JIMBEI IS HERE!”
Jimbei?
Sabo slams the fork down and books it out of the dining room, ignoring Ace yelling out his name. He quickly finds himself out on the deck to see Jimbei in front of Whitebeard on his knees, crying, apologizing. Sabo runs over and jumps onto the fishman, who catches him just in time.
The fishman laughs through his tears, hugging Sabo back.
“Hello, Sabo-kun.”
“Hi.”
Sabo whispers into Jimbei. He distinctly heard Ace yell out his name, probably looking for him. He pulls a little away from Jimbei and realizes again where he is.
He pulls back completely, forcing himself to ignore the stares from all the Whitebeards on the deck, the few commanders and Whitebeard himself.
He stands straight just in time for Ace to jump him in a tackle. He vaguely registers Ace yelling at him for running off, but he’s staring at Jimbei, whose tears have resurfaced from the sight of Ace. Ace realizes Sabo isn’t paying attention and follows his gaze to see Jimbei.
Ace gapes at the sight of the crying fishman.
“Jimbei, why are you crying?!”
Ace looks over the fishman for injuries, Sabo rolls his eyes fondly while Jimbei wetly chuckles. Sabo glances at Whitebeard, who seems to get the message when he starts ordering non-commanders off the deck.
It's when the coast is clear does Sabo finally asks.
“What are you doing in the New World, Jimbei? I thought you’d have been halfway to East Blue by now.”
Jimbei chuckles and stands up, once more reassuring Ace that he’s fine.
“I had to sort things out with Fishman Island and the Sun Pirates. Then, well, captain's orders. I had to check on his brothers.”
Sabo chuckles while Ace is slowly registering what Jimbei said and what it meant. Sabo pauses, taking in that last part. He looks at Jimbei, confused.
“But Luffy just found out I was here?”
“Robin-kun heard from Koala, so she assumed you would be here by now. I was not aware that Luffy wasn’t informed of this.”
“Jimbei, are you…”
Ace finally speaks up. Sabo grins and does a flourish movement to take off his hat, ending it with a dramatic bow.
“Allow me to introduce him.” He points at Jimbei with his hand. “This lovely gentleman here is ‘Knight of the Sea’ Jimbei, helmsman of the Strawhat Pirates!”
He pulls both arms out in front of Jimbei while doing jazz hands. Jimbei chuckles at his behaviour before he adds.
“And a loyal member of the Emperor of the Sea ‘Strawhat’ Luffy’s crew.”
Sabo gapes and turns his glance to the Whitebeards, all various degrees of shock, but it’s Ace’s face that really stands out. It’s frozen stiff in a neutral expression.
“Sabo, you didn’t mention that.”
Ace finally says sharply. Sabo swallows.
“To be honest, it hasn’t happened yet,” Ace glares at him. “And also, you know Luffy has the right to brag about his own accomplishments, no spoilers, as he would say…”
Sabo trails off to save himself from Ace's wrath. Ace rolls his eyes and huffs in annoyance. Sabo takes a breath of relief.
Jimbei laughs.
“It seems I said something unnecessary.”
Sabo pouts at Jimbei.
“My apologies.”
Jimbei adds, looking truly apologetic. Sabo huffs, waving the apology off.
“It’s fine, I just wanted to see his reaction to Luffy telling him.”
“Well, there are plenty of things Ace-kun will be shocked to hear from Luffy-kun that you’ll be able to see.”
“That’s true.”
Sabo agrees. There’s so much that Ace can hear about from Luffy. He shouldn’t get huffy over a title drop. It’s not even the biggest title drop. Sabo cannot wait until Luffy uses his Devil Fruit in front of Ace.
Actually, can Luffy even use Gear 5 now?
He shakes the thought away. He can ask when he sees Luffy. He turns his attention back to Jimbei.
“Ah, were you having a conversation with Whitebeard? Apologies for interrupting.”
Sabo fixes his hat back onto his head. He takes a moment to assess the Whitebeard commanders who are looking at the situation curiously.
“Oh. Right, Sabo-kun, I was a week late to arrive because I was looking for this.”
Jimbei hands Sabo a bag. He takes the offered bag, curious about what it could be. He peeks into the bag and drops it in shock.
A devil fruit rolls out of the bag. Sabo crouches down to the fruit poking it. Real. (Oh seas, why? Oh, he's going to be sick. Why why why- Ace is going to-) Sabo rushes to hide it, stuffing it back into the bag, then holding it close to his chest. He turns to Jimbei with wide eyes.
“Are you serious? Why would you bring it here? Where he is? ”
He whispers, hissing the last sentence.
“Luffy-kun said that Sabo-kun will know what to do with it.”
Sabo didn’t want it on this ship at all. He glares at the fruit. Maybe he should throw it overboard.
“Robin-kun also said that we all trust you with it.”
Sabo looks back at Jimbei, who is smiling in reassurance.
“You guys want me to eat it?”
Jimbei nods. Sabo looks down, unsure. This fruit…
“Sabo-kun.”
Sabo looks up to Jinbei. The fishman puts a hand on his shoulder, looking into his eyes, sternly reminiscent of when Dragon wants him to focus and listen, not just hear the words but understand them. (Last time that happened, Dragon wanted him to know that they might die before a mission, but Sabo knew that anyway. The mission was worth their lives. He didn't understand the words until he realized later on that dying meant leaving Luffy behind. He was sick that night at the idea.)
“A fruit is only a fruit, despite what you and Luffy think.”
Sabo gapes, mouth dry. That’s harsh, but true. Sabo never considered the flame-flame fruit his. He always called it Ace’s fruit. He glances at Ace, who is looking at him with concern, but his eyes occasionally drift down to the bag in his arms.
“Tonight.”
Sabo finally says, still looking at Ace, whose eyes widen at the declaration.
“Let’s bait him tonight.”