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Borsalino refrained from saying anything when Sakazuki boarded the ship. Their eyes met for a slow solid second and Borsalino understood the meaning behind it.
"I'll shut up just this time.., alright..~"
Sakazuki scoffed as he disappear into the treatment room. That was very Sakazuki of him to still stand up proudly, refusing aid, and act like he was just waking up in a fresh morning despite being drenched in blood and sweat.
On the other hand, Borsalino moved his gaze onto a different ship where Sengoku looks busy yelling. Kuzan was there on the ship too, seeming like to refuse help since he could freeze his wound and make a new leg with ice anyway. The two are really alike in a way others won't notice but Borsalino does. He chuckled when Sengoku gave Kuzan a slap.
The old-time will be no more.
Borsalino watched faithfully, along with Sengoku, for the whole ten days. He saw his two allies, friends, .. fought in front of his eyes. That wasn't easy to watch, to bear the churn in his stomach, the hard thumps of his heart. What is it like for Sakazuki and Kuzan? Borsalino knows not to ask. He knows. They know.
They can't go back now.
"I really don't like this," whispered Borsalino, quiet and quick.
The scene unfolds before him of lava and ice together but separated at the core. Like an ethereal painting. Beautiful. Unsettling. Now part of unspeakable history.
To be honest, Borsalino expected longer. He had imagined how he would have to stop the two and save them in a sense. No, Borsalino's not intended to fix the situation he can't fix. There's nothing to fix anyway. He just wanted to have both Sakazuki and Kuzan again.
"Yeah... Down the sail," Borsalino instructed after a soldier asked. Sengoku's ship has already started sailing. "We're going.. home."
"You look terrible.., huh, Sakazuki."
".. Borsalino."
Borsalino leaned on the door, the moonlight cast right on his feet. He isn't wearing his coat or his suit jacket. No sunglasses. No funny business.
Just catching up for some nostalgia.
"The bandages.., heh, looks funny on you." Borsalino went for a smile, a mocking one that used to rile up Sakazuki. Seems like it's still working.
Sakazuki grunted," What do you want now?" He's sitting still on his bed, ordered by the doctor -and Sengoku - not to move at all, and to get plenty of sleep. He passed out a bit earlier though, so that was enough.
"Why don't we go out.. for.. a bit?" He waved a pack of cigarettes.
"Are you serious?"
"This is what I have, alright..?"
Sakazuki glared, clicking his tongue as he climbed off the bed. "I can't believe you don't have my usual."
"So grumpy~" he cooed, "This brand is still good.., y'know?"
They went to an empty corridor outside where the sky is clear and the moon is blinding. The hospital wings are quiet and serene, it's not the old headquarters where they still have a lot of recovering patients after all.
They're moving. They move to the New World.
Sakazuki and Borsalino each took a cigarette to their mouth and Sakazuki lit them up with his finger. Sakazuki threw him a look.
"Convenient.., as always~"
"Have you seen Kuzan?"
"Hmm..." Borsalino slouched to the front, hanging on the railing, and blow out the smoke. He continues before sucking it in again. "Yeah.., I did. We didn't smoke, though... He's.., to leave tomorrow. In the morning..."
Sakazuki folded his arms on the railing, not saying anything about the matter. There's nothing to say about it anymore. He takes it as Kuzan's doing well. And that's enough.
"I heard," Borsalino said almost in a whisper, ".. from Sengoku."
"Yeah? I was about to tell you." Borsalino offered him an empty small bag for the cigarette butt and Sakazuki takes another one. "What about it?"
"Hm? Nothing..." Borsalino pocketed back the bag into his pocket. "I just know.., that you will do that, .. Sakazuki."
The silence of the night engulfed them. Slowly but surely. Cigarette after cigarette, another one, and the next. Somehow, they're fine doing nothing but moon-sighting and smoking.
What is there left to say?
Borsalino rolled his eyes to the side when Sakazuki's reaching for his fourth cigarette. They've been there for quite a while. Perhaps, there's still more to talk about.
"When you wake up tomorrow..." Sakazuki looked at him. "I'll be here."
"As you should."
".. as I should.., indeed." Borsalino let out a raspy laugh. If he were to left too, Borsalino's sure Sakazuki would rather kill him then and there. The whole Marine would fall into chaos and Sengoku might have a heart attack. A fun yet disturbing scenario. "Are you done.. with the smoking?"
"Why?"
"Let's.. change place." Borsalino drew a grin across his face. He gestured for Sakazuki to follow him.
"Where are we going?"
Borsalino doesn't answer, only his loud skipping step against the floor in the dead of the night. He also hums, a melody of whatever popped into his mind. Sakazuki followed Borsalino quietly, hands in pockets, half cigarette in his mouth; he recognizes the tune.
They kept walking in the hallway when the moonlight falls on them. Whenever the pillar's shadow waved over them, they were getting faster on their steps. As if they're getting younger. Dancing in between the frames. Lost in times. Children of justice.
Young and free.
Borsalino spun around and pulled Sakazuki's hand. He didn't give him time to react and used Soru to go up the stairs, not really explaining anything until they reach the apex of the building.
"What the hell, Borsalino?" Sakazuki barked.
"The moon is.. beautiful tonight. Might as well, .. we get closer to it."
Their hands are still holding one another.
It's them against all odds.
"You always have the most random thing to do."
"More fun this way~"
"What now?" The cigarettes on his lips are almost gone. While Borsalino's has gone somewhere.
"You tell me..." Borsalino took the cigarette from Sakazuki's lips. Pinching out the fire with his fingers before putting it into the small bag. "I think it's enough smoking... It's been.., quite a long time since I stopped..."
"You're the one who smokes on your own."
"Sakazuki, I can be stressed too.., y'know?"
"Sorry." Sakazuki wasn't looking at him. The bandages around his head, around his neck poking out from his hoodie, and around his hands, were weird to see. Not as weird as what Borsalino witness right now.
"I really don't like this..." Borsalino smiles plainly with eyes closed. "Why are you.., apologizing, Sakazuki?" He can feel Sakazuki's eyes on him.
"Pretty much everything. You've gotta stick with me through all this, Borsalino. I have no plan to let you go too."
"I.., have no plan on doing so..." Their eyes met.
"Good."
"Then.., let's dance." Borsalino's lips curled into a more pleasant smile.
Whatever.
Sakazuki might be tired. He might also be sleep deprived. But Borsalino decided to make this into a moment. A distraction. A small fragment to fill in the gaps.
"Why are you so random?" Sakazuki sighed and took Borsalino's hand.
Borsalino had enough.
"It's more fun this way~"