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"Why the hell would you let them do all of that to you!? You could have stopped them!" Sabo yelled at Ace. He was extremely upset and angry about what just happened.
They both weren't the most liked kids in the school. Scratch that, they were the most targeted kids at school. Bullies just loved them. Neither Ace or Sabo had ever done anything to them. They would usually fight back with snarky comments and self defense if needed.
But Sabo had just gotten his injury on his left side. He was just cleared from the hospital. Ace couldn't risk Sabo getting hurt, even though if it wasn't likely.
Of course the bullies jumped on them the moments they saw Sabo's new addition to his face. They kept insulting and making fun of him. That was fine. Ace was there immediately when someone tried to touch Sabo. Ace kept hitting the hands away from Sabo's face and pushing the bullies back.
But this time was different. Ace did more than just do it for self defense. He kept talking back. He kept making the bullies angrier and focused on him. Sabo didn't get it. Ace had never fought back that hard. He knew it was hard for Ace to take shit and Ace quickly exploded, but that wasn't what happened today. They had to be careful cause one more strike would get them expelled, Ace knew that.
Sabo was upset because Ace aggravation earned him a black eye, a split lips and multiple bruises on his chest and back from getting pushed and hit against the lockers.
"It's nothing Sabo. I just-I don't know. Leave it."
"No, I won't! Don't lie to me." Sabo clenched his hands in frustration.
After Ace had made the bullies angry at him, he hadn't fought back once. He took al the jabs and punches without doing anything. No matter how hard they had shoved Ace or with which words they attacked he stood still and took it. Sabo had even tried to pull him away from them, but Ace wouldn't budge. He didn't want to run away.
"Leave it Sabo. It's not important."
"No, I won't. Why didn't you defend yourself!?"
"Because so long as they were focusing on me they wouldn't be focusing on you." Ace looked away from him, unable to meet him gaze. It was silent. It was like the world just stopped around him. Ace got hurt because of...him?
Sabo had been in the hospital for so long that Ace was scared of what kind of damage Sabo's body could take. He didn't want those filthy hands on his brother while he was still recovering.
So he had to make sure that the bullies focus was him. Only him. As long as they hurt him it was fine. He could take it, especially if it meant that Sabo didn't have to.
He couldn't run away. He knew the moments he would turn his back to leave that they would go for Sabo. Sabo was right behind him. So no, running had not been an option.
"It's fine, okay. It doesn't hurt at all." That was a lie and they both knew it.
Sabo felt his anger fade away. He actually felt a little nauseous. "Why?" Was he still worrying his brothers?
He remembered Luffy crying besides his hospital bed. He had felt Ace's hand in his. They had come to visit him as often as possible.
He hated to admit it, but he knew that it those bullies would have shoved him against a locker that his scars would have acted up. Tears of frustration gathered in his eyes. He was still weak.
"I don't want anyone to hurt you anymore." Ace didn't want to feel so helpless and stupid every again. Sitting useless next to the hospital bed, unknowing if if his brother would even survive. He had been completely useless.
So if he could do something now to prevent harm coming to his brothers than he would do it. No matter the cost. He won't let anyone hurt his brothers anymore.