Chapter Text
This Sunday is supposed to be the same as another Sunday.
Usually, after Sabo wakes up early on Sunday, life is slowly coming into their apartment. He opens the curtains to let their little living room be basked with sunlight, checks on the plants, and then brews the tea. Ace will wake up later, having his too-late-to-be-called breakfast and joins Sabo on the sofa after. A little bit past twelve, they will wander aimlessly around the city.
But this Sunday is very different.
There are heavy hearts stacked together with boxes, filling their apartment. Most of them belong to Sabo. Mystery novels and poetry books are nowhere to be seen on their shelf anymore, leaving architecture and building magazines behind. Slowly, Sabo’s colors and presence dissipate from their shared apartment and Ace can’t do anything about it.
There are only a few miscellaneous items left with Sabo’s associated colors—cream curtains, blue mats, and some other things—that Sabo is reluctant to take with him. Ace scratches the back of his own neck awkwardly, while Sabo is busy going back and forth to other rooms, making sure that none of his essential belongings are left behind.
“Sabo, your toothbru–”
“I will just throw it out. Also my conditioner is almost empty, you are free to throw it away later.” Sabo cuts, as if he doesn’t want Ace to finish his words. And if Sabo’s intention is to hurt Ace with his cold tone and by replacing our with my, he passed with flying colors. But the truth is, Sabo is trying to protect himself by being nonchalant and emotionless, because he doesn’t know if his will to leave quickly is going to be strong enough if familiar conversation falls between them.
And with his backpack’s zipped, that marks Sabo’s last belonging stored, the rest of the boxes will be picked up by moving service. Sabo drapes his bag over his shoulders, staring at the wall behind Ace, not brave enough to look the other in the eye.
“Goodbye, Ace,” Sabo doesn’t even dare to take a glance into Ace’s face but he can tell from the corner of his eye that the raven-haired man is frowning and his fingers twitch a little. You know it is hard for me too, but Sabo doesn’t voice it out.
Breaking out from a ten-year-old relationship is not easy.
Especially when they ended it on good terms and mutual understanding: that their relationship just didn’t work out. Until this second, Ace and Sabo are still wondering why? Where and what exactly was the problem? Is breaking up the only answer? But here they are now, with Sabo moving out, back to Dragon’s house and Ace will be alone in his apartment. Again.
“Not yet. ‘See you next week’, isn’t it?” Ace chimes in, he doesn’t have any courage to look at Sabo’s face either. But he continues fast, not wanting to show that he is still desperately trying to save them, grabbing into any branch on the water to keep them afloat. “We still have our travel plans left for next week.”
And that is also true.
Three months prior to their break up, they had planned a trip to Malaysia. The plan was just a week of short break from their respective exhausting jobs. Also, with Luffy added to their mix, the plan was even more solidified.
Not long after the breakup, Ace had told Sabo that they didn’t have to go with their initial plan and just cancel this whole trip or reschedule each ticket if Sabo couldn’t stand being near Ace. But Sabo, being a-stubborn-runaway-rich-kid who knows how precious money is, didn’t want to spend any additional cancellation or rescheduling fees, and Ace didn’t want his hard-earned annual leave went to waste (not to mention, dealing with human-resource department gave him headache).
…and Luffy was already excited about this upcoming overseas trip. So there is no other way than just go on with this.
Sabo gulps down, “Sure. We still have another week,” he walks closer to the door. “After that, let's bid goodbye for good, Ace.” His hand hovers over the knob, somehow Sabo doesn’t want to open the door immediately. His steps feel heavy and, and,
and
Sabo turns his body, facing Ace properly, staring into his once favorite gray eyes. Prolonging their farewell. Just like any other day, as though Sabo will only leave in the morning for his nine-to-five job and come home later with Chinese takeouts in his hands and his company's lanyard dangling from his neck.
His mouth is hanging open. For a second, every inch of his muscle recites their daily routine unconsciously. Ace stares back expectantly and Sabo can’t betray that gaze.
“I’m off.”
Sabo closes the door behind him before his ears are able to catch Ace replies see you later .
—
Luffy welcomes him with an unexplained expression. This kid knows. Heck, almost all their friends know about what’s going on with Ace and Sabo. Their circles of friends are connected to one another, especially since both of them have been in a relationship since high school. There is no Ace without Sabo or the other way around. Ace and Sabo, Sabo and Ace, their names are always being mentioned in the same sentence. So the news about them not living together anymore sends their friends into a frenzy.
“What’s with your face?” Sabo moves his suitcase first into the foyer, while Luffy pouts and moves away a little bit, giving way to Sabo. “You don’t like to see your brother back home, huh?”
“That’s… not it! I’m happy to have you here again,” the pout still remains on Luffy’s face, his eyes looking downward. “So… it’s true, you and Ace… I just can’t believe it at first, but seeing you here now it seems real.”
Ever since Sabo’s been adopted by Dragon, he stayed in Monkey D’s household until he moved out to Ace’s apartment after being accepted into university (since Ace and him were accepted into the same university with different majors, Ace’s apartment is conveniently close with the campus building) and he’s been living with Ace ever since.
“If you are concerned about our trip, relax. We are still going, just according to our plan.” Sabo pats Luffy's head softly while slipping on his indoor slippers. Not long after, Luffy captures Sabo’s hand that is still staying on top of his head and his gaze is fixed on the blond man before him.
“We don’t have to, you know,” there’s an unspoken ‘with Ace’ left hanging from Luffy’s answer, Sabo is aware of it. He stops his movement for a second. He always knows that his little brother is actually very observant to people around him, so Luffy must catch something in Sabo’s voice and face, but Sabo is fast enough to conceal it all over again.
“I want to go with you, Luffy. It’s been so long since we had a vacation together,” with Ace, again, not mentioned between them. He frees his hand from Luffy’s. “It’s going to be okay, don’t worry too much.”
“But I have my own plan to visit my friend there, so you are going to spend a lot of time without me–” but with Ace. Sabo catches it on once more about the missing person in this conversation even though his name was unsaid. He tries to ignore the possibility of spending time alone only with Ace. Sabo shuts his eyes tightly, eyebrows furrowed, reassuring himself that it’s going to be fine.
“I’m okay,” Sabo replies as he walks towards his childhood room, actually unsure of his own answer. He wishes he will be okay. Will Ace be okay with Sabo’s presence, though? Ace is sometimes far too thoughtful, many times he wouldn’t tell Sabo that he was displeased with Sabo until Sabo pointed it out to him. Yet, Ace wouldn’t even blame Sabo.
Was that what made them end up like this?
He wants to ponder more but his thoughts slowly fade after sinking into his pillow, dismissing his heavy feelings after realizing there will be no more nights with Ace sleeping beside him.
—
Ace can’t sleep.
He has a hard time falling asleep since Sabo’s been preparing to move out from his apartment. It’s been weeks since Sabo doesn’t sleep here anymore and truthfully, all of these new conditions are hard for Ace. He still spares the bed for two, he’s not used to the silence on the following morning, and those cream-colored curtains just make his heart ache.
If he was going to be honest, Ace is somewhat helpless right now. He has spent more than half of his life with Sabo near him, from age five to twenty five. Sabo has been by Ace's side in almost every phase of his life, even before they became boyfriends… and now Sabo being not here is another new chapter of his life that he is going to explore alone.
The more Ace thinks about it and now his plan to sleep is long gone. He gets up, glancing at the clock. 2 AM. Almost. Have nights always been felt this long? Ace sighs and reaches for his phone, tapping and scrolling mindlessly until he stumbles upon their shared calendar.
Tomorrow, flight at 7:00 PM.
Of course it wasn’t Ace who put the reminder on their shared calendar, Sabo was always be the one who kept up with their plans and agenda and Ace would just gladly follow. That reminder sends Ace to shut his eyes and bring his phone close to his chest. Sabo is still everywhere around Ace even when he can’t reach Sabo physically in this room anymore. Moving on will surely be a long and tiring process and Ace is certain he won’t be able to do it in a week, heck, even many months after. These are fucking two-decades-worth of love and memories.
Ace yearns for Sabo’s presence already, his tears flow along with his feelings as he misses Sabo.
