Appointments

[sailedfirst]

This post is for one-on-one interaction with Sabo outside posts.

Please make sure to specify whether it's [Voice] || [Video] || [Written] || [Action] and include the date on the header. (e.g. [Video, March 20], [Action, March 20])

Thanks! o/

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[action, August 7] evening

[hiken_ace]

[The past month in Luceti has really sucked for Ace. Luffy leaves Luceti altogether, and then Marco gets kidnapped. And after he was gone for a month... Ace isn't sure if he can just wait patiently for anyone to come back now. So that's why Ace comes knocking at your door in the evening, Sabo.]

Sabo? You in there? [Please still be here, please still be here, please still be here--]

[action, August 7] evening

[sailedfirst]

[Having always been a light sleeper, the knock was enough to wake Sabo. And having anyone knock on his door in the dead of the night is weird enough to get him moving at once. He gets up and wobbles sleepily towards the door, yawning and rubbing his eyes.]

Yep, m'here... What's up Aceeah--[Yawns.]

[action, August 7] evening

[hiken_ace]

[WELL.... shit, he didn't mean to wake him up like that. And now he has to tell him about Marco. Dammit. He takes in a deep breath, ready to get this over with.]

Marco was taken by the Malnosso.

[sailedfirst]

[That effectively drives all his sleepiness away. He slowly lowers the hand that's been rubbing his eyes and stare blankly at Ace.

First, Luffy's gone... and now Marco too?]

T-that... they can't, why-- [Biting down on his lower lip now, realizing how stupid the things he's saying are. Well of course the Malnosso can take people away whenever they want. And the why isn't something he'll ever understand.]

[hiken_ace]

[It pains him to see his brother like this. He still hasn't gotten used to this place. Why should he have to deal with so much? Ace leans down and hugs Sabo tightly. He's quiet for a time, but eventually speaks again.]

Can I sleep in your room tonight?

[sailedfirst]

[Clinging back when Ace hugs him, trembling from the effort to keep his composure. This must be way tougher for Ace to deal with, and Sabo's determined not to add more to his brother's worries.

The question is unexpected, though Sabo realizes what it means at once. He nods, not trusting his voice yet.

There's no way either of them are leaving each other's sides, not after something like this happened.]

[hiken_ace]

[He stands up, walking over to the bed but still holding his brother. Why did it always have to be so hard?

Ace flops on the bed tiredly, not letting go of his brother.] H... he'll be back.

[sailedfirst]

[Sabo usually protests at being treated like a small child, but this time, he quietly lets Ace carry him. If this gives his brother even the slightest comfort, he has no complaints to give. And besides, Sabo does feel like a little kid right now, helpless all over again to do anything. He hates that feeling the most.]

Y-yeah. Maybe it won't take long...?

[hiken_ace]

[That makes Ace cringe quite noticeably. He clenches a fist, and he knows now he can't avoid telling Sabo this.]

He was gone for a month once. [And I was alone, and that was really, really scary.]

[sailedfirst]

[A month...? That's almost as long as Luffy has been gone now. And it still aches.]

...B-but he didn't get sent home, right? I mean... it's sure that he'll be back, not like-- [And it's his turn to cringe. Yeah, no. That's not going to help at all.]

[hiken_ace]

[He shakes his head, though he knows what Sabo was going to say there.] He came back. He's... not gone like Luffy is. He'll be back, we just don't know when.

[sailedfirst]

[He nods stiffly.] Then... There's nothing else to do but wait, huh?

[hiken_ace]

[He gives a nod in return, not meeting Sabo's gaze.] Yeah... we can only wait and... and hope he'll come back okay.

Oct 8th

[hiken_ace]

[There's a brother knocking on your door in the evening, Sabo.] Sabo? Can I talk to you for a bit?

Oct 8th

[sailedfirst]

[You have to knock louder, Ace. Very much immersed in his books here.]

[hiken_ace]

[Okay. Pounding on the door.] Sabo!

[sailedfirst]

[That's more like it. Or not, because he nearly jumps off his skin in shock.] What the--?!! ... Oh. [Stomping to the door and wrenching it open.] Geez, what're you trying to do? Break my door down or something?!

[hiken_ace]

[He just stares at Sabo with a flat look.] I knocked, but you didn't answer.

[But his expression turns a bit serious soon after that.] Can I talk to you for a minute?

[sailedfirst]

[His retort dies at the sight of that serious expression. The last time Ace sought him out like this was when Marco was taken away. Does this mean-- but he can't really voice out the possibility of someone else they care for taken away again.

So just nodding and letting Ace in.]

[hiken_ace]

Thanks. [He lets himself in, taking a seat on the bed carefully so as not to disturb his books. And he'll just come right out and say it.] I'm going to be going away for a few days. There're some things I have to think through by myself, and it's... better if I do it away from the village.

[sailedfirst]

[Sabo frowns as he listens. His guess is that this has something to do with that fight Ace and Marco had two days before Marco's birthday party. It's not surprising Ace would want to take some time away after that.

He plops down on the bed besides Ace, uncaring if his books topple messily around.] ...Will you be gone long?

[Just that. It's not his place to question why this trip is necessary or what brought it on. Because... what does he know about Ace's issues? What exactly does he understand? Everything he knows is outdated by ten years.]

[hiken_ace]

[He shakes his head.] Only a few days. But I'll be bringing the journal in case you guys need to contact me.

[He hesitates on this next part, but if Marco knows, Sabo should know, too.] It's about Roger. So... I really nice time alone for this.

[sailedfirst]

Eh?! ...Roger? [...Okay, that? That's unexpected. Though maybe it really shouldn't be, since the Pirate King's the cause of most of Ace's issues. And Sabo hesitates to ask, because this topic has always been a taboo ever since they're kids. But since Ace's the one who brought it up--] ...What about him?

[hiken_ace]

[He stares at nothing for a little while, eventually sighing, and looking at the floor.] Shanks was on his crew. He... he told me things I never knew.

[His fists tighten as he clenches the sheets.] I don't think he's the kind of person I thought he was. I need time to... think about it all more. Reevaluate my opinion of him.

[sailedfirst]

[...Ah. Yeah, Sabo knows about Shanks being in Roger's crew already (blame Smoker's post). He'd thought Ace knew about it too but... Looks like he's wrong again.

He shakes his head and simply slings an arm (no matter how short his reach is) over Ace's shoulder. He may not know what words to give comfort here, but he can support whatever decision Ace's comes down to.]

...Well, you gotta do what you gotta do. We'll be waiting here. [Offers a faint grin.] Just make sure you come back here with crocodile meat, alright?