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Looking for Fire Fist Ace wasn’t something that was high on his “things I like to do” list. Sengoku made some deal with the pirate to stop a war, but now, a few weeks into the brat’s “recruitment” he had already disappeared from his bunk. So now a few of the higher ups with more sensitive observation haki were searching for him. Unfortunately for Firefist, Sakazuki found him first. Looks like there would be a war after all. As he stormed up to the small haki signature he stopped, another stronger haki signature. Garp.
“You haven’t looked this small since you were a kid, brat.” Sakazuki heard Garp speak first, the man’s haki stooping down to the small ball of who he assumed was Fire Fist.
“I haven’t felt this small since I was a kid, Jiji.” The voice who is immediately recognisable as Fire Fist responds, his voice shaking. “Everyone knows. And now I have a target painted on my back bigger than Oyaji’s Jolly Roger. Fuck Jiji- I’ve never been more scared in my life.” There was a little voice in Sakazuki’s head saying that he shouldn’t be listening to this conversation, but there was a louder voice that relished in the misery of that trash and told him to listen on. “They don't even hate me for the crimes I have done, it’s all because I’m that man’s son” Sakazuki didn’t expect that much venom, sure he heard Fire First denounce Roger’s name on the execution stand but he thought that was just for Whitebeard and for show. But in private… “They’re gonna kill me Jiji, I dont know when, or how. Maybe they’ll just execute me quietly while you’re away. Maybe They’ll send me on the front lines or- fuck. Maybe that Akainu bastard’ll just kill me outright in the name of ‘aBsOlUtE jUsTiCe’” Sakazuki clenched his fist. He might just for mocking him like that. Fire Fist’s voice got quieter. “I’m just- at least on the Moby I had my Brother’s at my back. I have no one besides you here and even then, you’ll always choose your job over some devil’s son that was forced on you.” Any anger that Sakazuki held in his body simmered down, the amount of self loathing that he heard from Fire Fist didn’t match his first impressions of the man. The cocky loudmouth pirate, the boy who was too big for his britches, this didn’t sound like the man who was just brought down a peg.
Sakazuki heard Garp give a sigh, “Ace-” the old vice admiral starts, then seems to flounder for words.
“Was it good that I was born, Jiji?” Fire Fist asks suddenly, and judging by the sharp inhale Sakazuki could tell this was something he needed to hear.
“You haven’t asked me that in a long time Ace.” Garp responded instead of an actual answer and he heard the younger man scoff.
“‘As long as you’re alive you’ll figure it out.’ Right?” Fire Fist spat. “It’s been over ten years since you gave me that bullshit answer, I still haven’t figured it out.” It seemed as if the ball of haki curled in tighter than before. “Fuck- fuck, fuck fuck- I feel like I’m ten all over again. Hiding from the marines. Hiding from Bluejam. Just- I’m so sick and fucking tired of hiding Jiji. And here I am. Back Hiding again.” Sakazuki didn’t know who Bluejam was, but it seemed as if Garp knew so it didn’t matter. But the tone in which Fire Fist ranted it struck Sakazuki on how truly young the brat was, forced into hiding from birth now lying in the belly of the beast that wants him dead. No wonder he thinks he’ll die once he’s out of his “safe” space. “All I ever wanted was just to be free Jiji. To live my own life outside of that man’s shadow. And Now since that bastard Teach betrayed Oyaji- it’s like I have my very own slave collar ready to explode.” Ace gave a mirthless laugh. “At least here I’ll get to kick his ass.” The ball of Haki unfolded a little bit, now glowing with murderous intent. Garp must’ve been making a face, because Fire Fist gave a confused, and perhaps an angry “What.”
“Blackbeard is a shichibukai now, and as long as he doesn’t mess that up you cant kick his ass, not without serious consequences that is.” Garp must be referring to whatever deal he got Fire Fist to agree with Sengoku. Fire Fist’s haki grew from just angry to furious.
“ What ? Jiji- they cant- You didn’t hear what he was planning, he told me everything, waxed poetic like some grand villain. He’s-” Ace audibly shuddered. “You didn’t hear what he wanted to do to Luffy…”
Sakazuki has never feared Garp. No matter their differences he knew they were ultimately on the same side, but the ultimate feeling of murderous rage he felt coming from the man made his heart stutter as if he was just hit with a blast of conqueror's haki. “I was just gonna eavesdrop for a little bit and then report back to Oyaji but then he started talking about Luffy like- like he was just some piece of meat . Jiji I felt so sick to my stomach and just so fucking angry I didn’t even think about what I was doing.” Fire Fist still sounded disgusted just thinking of it. “I was already pissed because of what he did to Thatch- and then talking about my little brother like that I lost it. I didn’t expect to lose. He never really made waves while we sailed together, wasn't really weak of course. None of Oyaji’s crew is weak. But He never seemed stronger than I was.” The ball of haki stood and started to pace. “And his fruit, Jiji I’ve never heard of anything like it, and fighting against it-. As soon as he grabbed me it was like I never ate the Mera-mera no mi. I haven’t felt cold in over three years, and when his clammy hand grabbed my arm it felt as if all the heat had been sucked from me…” That was very interesting information, and it made Sakazuki’s distrust in their newest Shichibukai grow even more. A man who’d betray his crew wasn’t to be trusted to begin with.
“I can see what I can do about him ” Garp voiced, cracking his knuckles. Something told Sakazuki that it wouldn’t be through the most legal of means. In a situation like this, he supposed, he couldn't fault the man for wanting to beat the shit out of the pirate. For taking the “freedom” of one criminal grandson, and for planning something truly heinous for the other. For the first time since the conversation started, the tight wad of anxiety that was Fire Fist’s haki mellowed out into something different, gratefulness? He didn’t know. Issho was better when it came to the nuances of telling minute emotion from haki.
“I-” Firefist sounded like he was going to argue before stopping. “Thanks, Jiji. I-“ Fire Fist’s legs seemed to give out from under him, Garp catching him before he could hit the ground and fretting like he’d never heard before. “I’m fine! I’m fine- it’s something that happens sometimes”
“This is not fine Ace!” Garp snapped with such conviction that it shocked both Fire First and Sakazuki. “Your damn fool of a father was sick with an incurable disease that would have killed him, you think ‘Gold Roger’ would have turned himself into the Navy without a caveat?” Sakazuki didn’t know about that, and he was willing to bet that he could count the number of people that were supposed to know about that on one hand. Garp gave a sigh and set Fire Fist back on his feet when it seemed that he could stand on his own. “I don’t want to see you suffer the same fate he did Ace.”
The heavy silence hung in the air for a bit, as if Fire Fist was processing the information. “Its- It’s not like that, Marco says it’s called Narcolepsy. Its why I kinda just- fall asleep sometimes. The thing that just happened is called Cataplexy, and it only usually happens when I switch from one ‘emotional extreme to another’. As Deuce called it.” Garp must’ve made another face. “Deuce was my first mate when I was captain of the Spades Jiji. He helped out a lot when it was just us and the Spades, when Oyaji took over the crew he joined the first division under Marco.” Another heavy pause. “I think you would’ve liked Deuce, Jiji. He reminded me a lot of Sabo.” Now that was a name that sounded familiar, and not in a good way. Sakazuki just couldn’t place his finger on it. He’d have to check his most wanted when he had the chance. “Was….Was he really sick, Jiji?” Garp’s silence was all the answer Fire Fist needed, or maybe the old Vice-Admiral nodded. “Shit. It explains why Marco fretted like a damn mother hen. Oyaji must’ve known. As if I didn’t have enough to worry about being related to that man.” He grumbled.
“Roger was well in his 50’s by the time he had to worry about it, have faith by that time if it does run in your blood then a cure will have been found.” Garp replied softly, sounding equally as nervous as Fire Fist did. “C’mon brat. Let’s go back to the bunks. Lights out was over an hour ago.” There was a solid “plap” of a heavy hand on a clothed shoulder, letting Fire Fist know that his sulking was over, or at least that Garp had noticed Sakazuki’s presence around the corner. He heard the shuffling of fabric, and footsteps coming his way. He half expected Fire Fist to spot him immediately but his line of sight was blocked by the Vice Admiral’s bulk. “Go ahead Ace, I’ll be right with you.” Garp said, waving the younger man off, waiting until he was out of earshot before speaking up again. “How much did you hear.” It wasn’t a question, and he had no reason to lie to the man.
“All of it.” Sakazuki replied simply, the old vice admiral only huffing.
“Then you know that if I find my grandson dead then I’m coming after your head personally. I was willing to put my job above my grandson’s once. Seeing Ace on that stand made me realize I’m not willing to do it again.” All this said without looking at the Admiral.
“Is this your version of a threat?” Sakazuki growled, feeling himself heat up.
“Of course not, brat. It’s a promise.”