[Video] With ash in your mouth, you'll ask it to burn again

[burnt_offering]

[The SmartSnail comes on suddenly, and two jeering youths can be seen making obscene gestures and laughing at the phone they've found. They seem to be pleased with themselves, and their unpleasant adventure starts with flipping up their middle fingers and slapping their butts at the camera.

Ah, the joys of youth.] Finders keepers, bitches. Whoever dropped this? Your loss! We got new tech now! [They give up on selfie time, and decide to use the camera function to keep a record of their destruction. They drag knives into every surface, kick over anything in their path, and brag about their piracy prowess in slurred drunk voices as the continue.] Oh shit, what's that? Hey, can you see-" [The name of the person is slurred beyond being audible, and they pull out a flashlight and shine it into the distance. They drag the weak light jerkily over a wide area, but find themselves staring at a grave . The light hits the top of it at first, and they murmur and mumble in slurred voices about what they could do if they took it apart.] So this is where the sorry bastard ended up. Guess the stones are worth something if nothing el-[A high pitched shriek emits from one of the men as he shines the light from the top of the grave, and then down to a huddled figure shaking at the bottom of it. The figure's back is facing the camera, scarred grotesquely, and a soft noise emits from the direction they're sitting in as they slowly rock back and forth.] Shit. Just a drunk. Go home! We claimed this place! Get out![No response comes.] Fuck off, and go! [One of them comes closer, and tries to kick at the figure while the other laughs and films.

But as he does, the form ignites. And the camera is dropped, shutting off as it meets the ground hard.]

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[chief_of_staff]

Well, I don't want to cause too much trouble. I do have an important job and all -- well, actually, I have another job to add to the pile. [He rests a gloved hand atop Ace's head.] Have to keep an eye on you!

But I'll be happy to train with you sometime. No one could train me to wield the Fruit better than you, after all!

[His cheeks actually flush a little and he moves his hand off of Ace's head, placing it in front of his lap instead. Sighing, he responds:]

Oh, it's not that high. Nothing impressive, really. [He just doesn't want to say it.] I only got it for being in Dressrosa and causing some trouble there. Not a big deal.

[He thinks he picks up on Ace's energy levels, if just a little.]

How are you holding up? Do you need to rest? Or do you need something to eat?

[burnt_offering]

Life's too short not to raise a little hell. And I can't promise I'll make that job easy on you. [Before death, he probably would have argued that he didn't need anyone to watch over him, in any way. Playful or no. But now, it's just another reaffirmation of the fact that he's loved enough for people to want him to stay safe.]

Yeah! I've got plenty of experience with it. [He tilts his head, watching Sabo. This is going to seem surreal for a long time, and occasionally he still wonders if they're just all dead. And that's why he's getting to meet with Sabo now. And that thought starts coming back harder to him, stronger in his mind, but then it gets interrupted. If Sabo was dead too, he'd be a kid. Wouldn't he? So that's not how it is.

He doesn't want to talk about it. He kept it quiet from Luffy. But he really isn't feeling great at all. And it's okay to let go a little with Sabo, even if he tones it down for him. No point in worrying him when they just got reunited.] ...It kinda hurts to breathe. It's tight. I think I need to eat, then get some rest.

[chief_of_staff]

Luffy doesn't make it easy for me, either. [He really, really doesn't. Honestly, Sabo wishes he would actually cool down sometimes, but --

That's just not how he is!]

Mhm, yeah. You have a ton of experience with the Fruit. Which is why you'd make the perfect teacher! [He grins, but the grin vanishes once he hears that it kind of hurts for Ace to breathe. He leans forward and wraps his arms around his shoulders, resting his head atop the closest one.]

If there's anything I can do, anything at all... please tell me. I don't just mean for right now, either.

[Staying in the embrace for a few moments, he sighs, and then finally straightens back up.]

Okay, yeah. Food and rest sound like a plan. I don't want to keep you here if you're uncomfortable.

[burnt_offering]

Just having you back, having you alive? That's more than I could have asked for.

[He appreciates the offer, he appreciates that Sabo has taken care of Luffy, he appreciates everything. And he wants to just stay with him, to talk and find out more, to get better stories and more information and details. But he's hungry and tired, and his chest aches through to his back. He can still feel what happened to him, and the stress of revival is making him unsettled and strained.

He really needs to cry it out alone and sleep. He's just not physically or emotionally ready for much in the way of anything right now.

He looks at Sabo miserably for a moment, and then sighs.] I wanna stay and talk with you. I don't want to head out. But I'm pretty tired. We can talk later, right? You're gonna stick around?

[chief_of_staff]

[The pain of his regrets hits him harder than it probably should when he listens to those words, specifically the question of if he'll stick around. He's vowed to himself to never, ever let Luffy get in the way of intense danger, to never forget or lose him, and now that Ace is here, he feels --

Well, he feels as if he has a second chance. He's not going anywhere, and he isn't going to forget a thing.]

I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you.

[He smiles and moves to press their foreheads together.]

Promise.

[And then, after lingering there for a moment, straightens back up.]

But for now, I'll leave you to rest. I should go get some food, anyway.

[burnt_offering]

[Second chances are amazing. And Ace is fully going to take advantage of this one, living a life even better than before. And he lets his eyes close for a moment, forehead pressed up against Sabo's, and everything feels a little more right.

He has to go eat, and rest. He feels like shit, and he can't even keep up with what's going on. But he has his brother's back, and Sabo promised that he'd stay in touch with him, so it's going to be okay. He'll get himself back to Marco, who's still hovering in the distance, and he'll eat and sleep and everything will end up okay.

And tomorrow, he can get to know Sabo properly. The brother he thought was lost, has returned. And Ace can't wait to really know him, the person he grew up to be.] Yeah. I'll talk to you tomorrow. [He finally unwinds from Sabo, the grip loosening reluctantly. But he's got to go and rest before he can start up their friendship, their brotherhood all over again.]

[chief_of_staff]

[This promise means more than any other to Sabo; well, save for the one he said to Luffy, of course. That promise is equal with this. He knows that he can't mess up this time, he can't leave Ace alone. Even though he knows his brother has friends and crew mates to watch his back, he still needs to be around.

Plus, they have a ton of catching up to do.

He smiles warmly as he scoots back a little, finally hoisting himself up to stand. The grip on his hand has loosened enough to where he doesn't feel guilty letting it go, as a part of him can think of that moment, that second of watching Ace's hand leave his own as an opportunity for them to connect once again. But not now, as Ace needs to rest and Sabo needs food.]

Definitely! Take care.

[He casually waves and turns around, walking slowly toward the nearby town so he can find some actual food.]

[burnt_offering]

[And Ace slowly stumbles back to Marco, who will unfortunately be on the receiving end of another crying fit. It's been a hell of a long day, and he needs to get a lot out of his system before he's really capable of reconnecting.

But tomorrow will come, soon enough. And he'll be able to meet with Sabo again.]