[By the time Luffy arrives, Ace had been held and comforted, and allowed to cry himself sick and then cry some more. He thought he'd had it out of his system, that he'd be alright. Or at least alright as someone could be after all of that. That there wasn't another tear in his body left to be shed for any reason at all.
He was wrong. Oh, he was so wrong. And all of the sudden he's being clung to and even before he was touched he just knew. And his arms go around Luffy, and he's trying to tell him it's okay, he's trying to comfort him because that's what good big brothers do, but all that comes out is a choked noise and tears. And he's sobbing again, and he's not sure why at all. He's back! He's okay! He made it, somehow, and in his mind he's got no excuse to be crying again. But it's happening and he just squeezes as tightly as he can safely manage.
They're going to be okay. They will. And he finally forces out something that somewhat sounds like "It's okay". And then something that's almost "Sorry".And although his words are failing him right now, and although he's in so much pain and so confused, he's got people he loves with him. And that changes everything.
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He was wrong. Oh, he was so wrong. And all of the sudden he's being clung to and even before he was touched he just knew. And his arms go around Luffy, and he's trying to tell him it's okay, he's trying to comfort him because that's what good big brothers do, but all that comes out is a choked noise and tears. And he's sobbing again, and he's not sure why at all. He's back! He's okay! He made it, somehow, and in his mind he's got no excuse to be crying again. But it's happening and he just squeezes as tightly as he can safely manage.
They're going to be okay. They will. And he finally forces out something that somewhat sounds like "It's okay". And then something that's almost "Sorry".And although his words are failing him right now, and although he's in so much pain and so confused, he's got people he loves with him. And that changes everything.
And this time, he won't fail him by dying. ]