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“Did you guys know? If we exchange cups of sake we become brothers!”
Ace’s eyes opened suddenly with a sharp inhale. Everyday he woke up while he was here was a shock to be fair, but after his heart-to-heart with Gramps last night, a dream he hadn’t had in a long time ‘graced’ his subconscious. “Shit, Sabo. Why are you haunting me now?” He asked no one in particular while getting ready for whatever bullshit the Marines were gonna throw at him today.
Bullshit #1: He was to be seen in Akainu’s office. Immediately.
Great.
Ace got lost at least twice while trying to find his way to the Mad Dog’s office, every Marine he asked either looking at him with disdain or pity. It really only pissed him off more, still being associated with that bastard . Hissed insults like “devil’s child” or things like “Should’ve died like your father” made barely controlled flames lick at his arms. What should have taken maybe 30 minutes from the recruit barracks to the Admiral’s office took well over an hour due to the unhelpful idiots he was surrounded by. Ace didn’t even think when he kicked open Akainu’s door.
______________________________________________________________
Sakazuki could see the lines of tension in Fire Fist’s frame, and judging by the sudden lack of a door on his hinges he could guess he had a hard time finding his office. A second later the ‘recruit’ seemed to realize what he did as he picked up the door and set it against his doorframe with a muttered apology. A polite pirate. That was a shock, however Sakazuki kept his face impassive as the younger man approached, hands shoved in his pockets. There were some things that didn’t change about the pirate’s attire. His uniform ascot was untied, his shirt unbuttoned. A string of red beads hung around his neck. Brat wasn’t even wearing standard issue slacks and boots. The lack of respect should have been expected but it still made his lip curl almost imperceptibly.
“Gol D. Ace.” Sakazuki said, less as a greeting, more as a statement. Ace’s already irritated expression turned thunderous, slamming his now literally flaming fist against Sakazuki’s desk, leaving a scorch mark and a crack in the hardwood.
“ Don’t call me that.” Fire Fist snapped, fire in his eyes and licking at his arms. “My name is Portgas. Don’t associate me with that man.” Theory proven, Fire Fist hated Roger. Maybe it had to do with the conversation the Admiral heard last night.
“Portgas,” he acquiesced, “I have some questions-“
“Don’t expect answers.” Sakazuki could feel his blood pressure rising, seemed like Fire Fist’s ‘manners’ were conditional.
“Stop being a brat-“
“Too late”
“Shut UP.” Sakazuki slammed his fist on his desk, magma bubbling up from his fist. Seeing the terror flash in Fire Fist’s eyes was enough to see that he was at least going to stop interrupting him for five minutes. Sakazuki took a deep, calming breath through his nose before continuing. “Last night you disappeared from your bunk, prompting a manhunt through Marineford with the most sensitive of Haki users. I found your signature first, but before I could drag you out of your hiding spot Vice Admiral Garp got to you first. I listened to your whole conversation and learned a few things. Most names I didn’t recognize, but there was one I did.” There was increasing confusion replacing the fear in Portgas’ eyes. At least he had the brat’s attention now. “What do you know about the Revolutionary Army?”
Ace blinked owlishly. That… that’s what Akainu wanted to know? “Uh.” Ace floundered, “it’s led by Luffy’s dead beat of a father I guess? What’s there to know?”
Sakazuki reached into a drawer in his desk and pulled out a crisp wanted poster, as if it was fresh off the printing press, placing it in front of Fire Fist. His eyes widened at first, a myriad of emotions playing across his face as he picked the poster up and brought it up to his face. Shock at first, sadness, anger, and then, most surprisingly, happiness. Tears gathered in the young man’s eyes.
“He’s…” Fire Fist started, grip staying firm even as his legs gave out under him. Tears started to roll down his cheeks, prompting further confusion from the Admiral. “I never imagined he’d be alive,” Portgas sobbed.
“How do you know this man.” Sakazuki demanded, needing to know now.
“Hey, Akainu. Did you know, when men exchange cups of sake they become brothers?” Portgas asked a seemingly non sequitur question for an answer, one hand coming up to cover the crossed out S on his arm. And then Sakazuki understood, at least to a point. Portgas knew the Revolutionary brat once upon a time maybe, but had no idea he was even alive. The brat’s brows furrowed, “Wait, you're asking about the Revolutionaries, and have a wanted poster of Sabo. That means…” the angry expression returned. “That utter BASTARD!” He shouted suddenly. “He was on Dawn when the fire happened and didn’t even fucking check!? Luffy nearly died!” Add garbage father to the growing list of crimes against Dragon, the Admiralguessed.
“A fire?” Sakazuki inquired, leaning forward curiously, seeing that Fire Fist was too worked up to put up those walls he expected.
“Nobles decided that the Grey Terminal was too much of an eye sore, so they burned it, and everyone in it. All for some bubble headed asshole. Couldn’t have ‘the most beautiful kingdom in the East Blue’ be tarnished by the poor after all, right?” Portgas was spitting mad with how he hissed that, kicking a chair across the room in his anger.
“Stop destroying my office please.” Sakazuki sighed, rubbing his temples as the chair shattered across the wall. It was like he was dealing with Garp. Though, hearing about that fire was disturbing, it wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to. He’d done worse for less and he lost no sleep because of it.
“Dragon must’ve saved Sabo after the Tenryūbito shot him down. Fuck- we were ten.” Sakazuki’s stomach twisted at that. Everything he had ever done was for the name of Justice, every atrocity, every ‘innocent’ life he took, all for Absolute Justice but from what he heard the Revolutionary brat had done nothing yet. “Why didn’t he come back for us…” Ace asked rhetorically, clearly reliving some sort of trauma, so Sakazuki decided not to answer outright until Ace looked like he was back with the present.
“I’d tell you to sit down, Portgas, but you already destroyed my chair.” Sakazuki said flatly, not letting his voice betray his emotions. He knew the Tenryūbito were selfish, unapologetic bastards, but he thought they had a little bit of humanity in them. Guess he set his expectations a little too high. “You said he was shot down, and you thought he was dead. Think about what could cause him to not come back.” Sakazuki never thought he’d be trying to comfort a known pirate, and enemy of the World Government. But here he was.
To the brat's credit, it did look like he was trying hard to think through his grief and anger. Taking in the circumstances. It looked like a lightbulb went off in his head as he looked at the wanted poster in his hands again, fingers tracing over the scar, which judging by the look in Fire Fist’s eye, wasn’t there when he knew the Revolutionary Brat. “Jiji once hit me over the head during ‘training’ so hard I forgot where or who I was for a solid hour.”
Garp what the fuck.
“The Tenryūbito shot Sabo’s boat twice. So maybe… Maybe he just doesn’t remember us…” Portgas’ voice got soft as he just stared at the poster. A moment passed before he let out a shuttered sigh. “I guess I should just be glad he’s alive.” Portgas let out a hollow, humorless laugh. “It’s not exactly the same as having him back but… but at least I know that if I die Luffy won't be alone.” Sakazuki felt as his expression betrayed him, brows raising in surprise and confusion.
“Why are Strawhat and the Revolutionary so important? A brotherhood ceremony-” Sakazuki asked, not exactly getting it.
“They loved me regardless of who’s blood ran through my veins. Unconditionally. Shit- I tried to kill Luffy so many times because he was this irritating shithead kid who kept trying to follow me. And then he got captured and tortured to keep my secret just on the hope of being friends. You really think I wouldn’t care about them after that? What kind of person do you think I am?” Ace looked offended, which he probably was .
Sakazuki stood to his full height, trying not to let the satisfaction show when Ace took an instinctive step back, then failing when he rounded his desk and watched as Ace scrambled backwards. “I thought that you’re a no good piece of garbage pirate, that the blood in your veins was enough to execute you.” Ace’s eyes widened slightly as he bumped against the wall, nowhere else to go. Sakazuki slammed his hand against the wall, watching as the younger man’s shoulders jumped as he tried to keep his reactions under control. “Though it seems as if my first impressions were wrong about you, Fire Fist.”
“If we’re gonna fight then- wait what-” Portgas started before being interrupted.
“It seems to be that I’m wrong about a lot of things. As much as I hate to say it.” Sakazuki pulled his hand out of the dent he made in his wall, causing a waterfall of stone dust to cascade atop Ace’s head, before turning his back to the confused pirate. He put his hands behind his back as he strode back to his desk, listening to the younger man sneeze as he tried to brush the dust off. “I already spoke with Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp, you’ll be training under me for the foreseeable future. Your Observation Haki is abysmal, I listened to yours and Garp’s whole conversation last night and you never once noticed my presence-”
“This is hell. I really did die and this is my punishment-” Ace muttered.
“Your punishment hasn’t even begun yet, Fire Fist. Garp was clear on what would happen if you were to turn up dead.” Akainu took a seat again, meeting Ace’s slowly dawning gaze.
“Jiji threatened you.” Portgas stated.
“It’d be foolish for a Vice Admiral, a ‘Hero of the Marines’, to threaten an Admiral.” Sakazuki stated. “No. He
promised
.”