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When Sabo heard news of his brother’s death, all he could feel was despair. All at once, memories of his past flooded his mind and all those emotions came crashing down on him like the waves of a never-ending storm at sea. Unable to control himself, he lashed out at the closest things to him. Everything was a blur through his tears and rage. The pain from his hands that punched walls and toppled tables went null against his overflowing emotions.
Whilst there, at the side, Koala stood with hands covering her mouth, tears also freely falling down her face. Her best friend had never looked so broken, and seeing it for the first time broke her heart. They understood the traumas they both faced in their childhood, the abandonment they could relate to.
“Sabo!” Hack exclaimed as he tried to hold down the rogue leader.
“Sabo…” Koala whimpered. She didn’t know exactly what made him so upset, but she couldn’t dare ask him about it.
Eventually, his body had reached a critical point and he collapsed from all the mental fatigue. Hack, who had been trying to calm him down, picked up the unconscious body and glanced over to Dragon. The leader of the Revolutionary Army nodded his head and they all went to the infirmary to get Sabo treated.
~~~
Koala never left Sabo’s side after he collapsed, the latter receiving a fever from his overwhelming feelings. She wanted to think that this was just a side effect of getting his memories back all at once, but she knew that it was wishful thinking.
When the blonde leader finally woke up from his sleep, Koala jumped, relieved.
“Sabo!” She exclaimed, tears already filling her eyes.
“What happened?” Sabo asked, taking a moment to grasp the situation before his eyes widened in realisation. “Ace…” he whispered, tearing up and trembling. Sabo covered his face with his hand and sobbed quietly. “He was…he was my brother…!”
Now Koala understood why Sabo was in so much despair. Seeing the recently deceased pirate made him recall his lost memories, but the news of his death also brought about Sabo’s helplessness. Without having any words to comfort him, Koala leaned down and tightly embraced him, hoping it would be enough for the moment.
A few days later, Koala went to search for Sabo once again. He had been sneaking out to stare into the horizon, and Koala didn’t want to leave him to bear it alone. She climbed to the rooftop where she usually found him, and saw him sitting at the far edge with one leg up to his chest.
“Sabo,” Koala called and the man glanced over his shoulder at her.
He gave her a sad smile. “Hey.” Koala frowned and sat by his side. She didn’t say a word to him, knowing how sensitive he was at the moment. A silence settled between them as Koala waited for Sabo to speak. Eventually, Sabo sighed and started, “I thought I’d be happy if I got my memories back, but I just feel useless. There was nothing I could do to help my brother; either of them.”
Koala glanced at him momentarily, thinking of what to say that wouldn’t make things worse. Eventually, she sighed and brought her knees up to her chest. “When I found out about Fisher Tiger’s death, it was years after we separated. The whole village kept it a secret from me, and even burned the newspapers that contained information about it. My saviour, dying by the hands of the people who took care of me. I didn’t know who to hate, so I blamed everyone.”
“…”
Koala sighed and tilted her head up to stare at the sky. “Everyone is the same. We all have fears, and that fear brings us to do things that are unreasonable.” She finally looked at him and gave him a small smile. “It’s not your fault, Sabo, you didn’t choose to forget. Your brother probably wouldn’t like you sulking like this, though.”
Sabo groaned and grabbed his hat, pulling it down over his eyes. “I could’ve tried to-”
“How could you when you didn’t even know how you ended up in sea?” Koala interrupted. When Sabo stayed silent, Koala bit her lip. “Take your time, Sabo. Whatever you end up deciding to do, I’ll be there by your side.”
“What if I decide to kill everyone in the World Government right now?” Sabo wondered.
“I’ll be there to make sure you don’t get killed in the process,” Koala beamed.
“What if I go kill Akainu?”
“I’ll still be there,” Koala instantly replied.
“…Can…”
“Hm? What did you say?”
“Can I have a hug?” Sabo asked, hiding his face with his hat. Koala blinked at him before giving a smile and wrapping her arms around him. He sat still in her embrace, appreciating the warmth of his friend, and they both stayed there for the rest of the time.
~2 years later~
Sabo had generally gotten better the past two years, with Koala by his side. The two of them became even closer than they were before; always going to eat together, train together and study together. It came to the point where people actually started to ponder whether they were dating or not. The people closest to them, however, knew better that they were just the bestest of friends. The rumours surrounding them never reached their ears, so they continued on with their lives like normal. At this current moment, the two were reading in the library, enjoying each other’s company.
“I think I want to visit Ace,” Sabo announced all of a sudden.
“What made you say that?” Koala asked, glancing over her book at him.
Sabo held up a newspaper he had been reading, showing that the Straw Hats had returned, with Luffy on the front page. “He’s finally made a move. It’s time I see him and help him out, and I wanna reassure Ace that our younger brother is in good hands.”
Koala smiled. “When do you wanna leave?”
~~~
Koala stood by the ship as Sabo went up to visit Ace and Whitebeard’s grave. He had asked for some privacy, which Koala understood wholeheartedly. The leader took his time pouring sake and talking to his brother, recalling the memories they shared together in the past. Ever since Ace’s death, he had been recovering the rest of his lost memories of their time. It pained Sabo even more when he remembered those days, but he was always grateful for Koala’s help in the midst of it all.
“I wish you’d have met her, Ace. She’s become one of the people who persuaded me to keep fighting, to keep living…I know you’re both mad at me, but I hope you will forgive me for taking so long to see you again… I only wish I could’ve done so while you were still alive,” Sabo conversed, a couple of tears falling from his eyes. “I’ll inherit your will. After all, he’s our younger brother.” With that, Sabo placed his hat back on and made his way back to Koala, who gave him a reassuring smile. Sabo could feel his chest tighten at her smile, his eyes stinging. He didn’t want to worry her, so he simply walked up and wrapped his arms around her, hiding his face on her shoulder. “Thank you, Ko,” he whispered, the girl returning his embrace, a common occurrence between the two.
“I told you I’ll always be by your side,” Koala murmured.
“And I’m grateful for that,” Sabo stated, soothing his emotions and releasing her from his embrace once he’d calmed down. “Let’s prepare for what’s to come.”
Their future would be a bit busy from now on, but they both knew that they could face it as long as they had each other. No matter what comes next, they would always be each other’s rock, and that wouldn’t change anytime soon.