Chapter Text
A very quiet night at the Moby Dick, but Ace is too restless, he couldn't sleep. He had been tossing and turning in his bed for hours. His thoughts were too noisy, his insecurities too heavy. He needed noise, he needed to talk. He got out of bed quietly, picked up a den den mushi, sighed and dialed a number he already knew by heart.
The snail was slow to answer.
-Hmm? Who's calling at this hour? -asked a sleepy voice on the other end.
Ace smiled sadly. -Did I wake you, Luffy? - There was silence. Then, a sound of cloth moving.
-Ace?
-Yes.
-Ace! -Luffy's voice brightened, as if all the drowsiness had suddenly disappeared. It's been a long time since you called!
-I know... I'm sorry.
-Where are you? Are you all right?
Ace looked at the reflection of the sea.
-I'm on the Moby... but yes, I'm fine.
-You don't sound fine.- Luffy looked doubtful.
Ace swallowed hard. It was true. There was something about Luffy's voice that always made him feel vulnerable. As if his little brother could see right through him, even from miles away.
- I'm just...Ace squeezed the den den mushi hard- Leave it, how's everything going Luffy, I've read news about you and your crew. There was silence. Ace was aware that his younger brother had always been perceptive in detecting the feelings of others
- You're lying, you're not well! --Before he could say anything else, Luffy was already shouting in the background. -SABOOOOOOOO!
Ace heard a noise of something falling. Sabo was in the Sunny ? A is true he was just passing through on a mission the last thing Ace wanted was to cause more trouble.
-LUFFY, DAMN IT! IT'S FREAKING THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!
-It's Ace! He's sad!
There was a silence.
-Give him to me.
Ace smiled faintly when he heard Sabo's voice.
-Hey, blondie.
-Hey, firehead,” Sabo sounded more awake. - Luffy says you're sad. What's wrong?
Ace exhaled wearily. -I don't know. I just... I feel useless. I feel like I don't belong here.
Sabo was silent for a moment.
-Why do you think that?
-I don't know. It's like, no matter how hard I fight, no matter how hard I try to prove I deserve to be here... it's never enough. Ace felt a knot in his chest. -I'm afraid that one day Whitebeard and the others will realize I'm not worth it.
Sabo sighed. -Ace... you've been thinking like that for too long, haven't you?
Ace didn't answer.
-You're an idiot,” Sabo said softly. But you're our idiot. And the crew of Whitebeard knows it, too. -But... -There are no buts. Luffy and I know who you are. And so do they. No matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise.
Ace was silent, listening to his brothers' breathing through the den den mushi. And, for the first time all night, he felt he could breathe.
-Thank you,” he whispered.
Luffy smiled on the other end of the line.
-I love you, Ace.
-I love you too, Luffy.
-And I do too,” Sabo added. -Don't forget we're always going to be here, okay?
Ace closed his eyes.
-Yes.
He hung up the den den mushi, feeling a little lighter.
But what Ace didn't know... was that behind his cabin door, in the dark hallway, several crew members had been listening. Marco was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and his expression serious. Thatch was looking at Ace's door sadly. Vista had her hands in her pockets, watching silently. They had finished their various watches, and it was pure chance overhearing the conversation.
- We have to talk it over with the others, we can't let him keep feeling this way. -- Said Vista between whispers.
- The first meeting starts at seven o'clock, knowing him he will be late, we can take advantage of those minutes to explain the situation to Oyaji and the others. - Marco proposed calmly.
- Besides, who were those two he was talking to, aren't you curious? -Said Thatch thoughtfully.