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Remember me...
"Ace!" Luffy exclaimed while running after the boy. The latter only huffed in response. Luffy catched up to him and took his hand in his, Ace then snatched his hand out of Luffy's.
"Leave me alone!" Ace exclaimed.
"That mister!" Luffy started. Ace flinched with his back to the boy.
"What?" He asked. His voice was cracking and Luffy didn't know why.
"You know him, right?" He said.
"What is that to you..." Ace clenched his fists.
"Do you hate him?" The boy was concerned.
"Yes. He left me." Ace answered.
Though I have to say goodbye.
"Why?" Luffy asked.
"I don't know! Stop asking me!" Ace sat on the ground with his knees to his chest.
"Are you sad, Ace?" Luffy sat beside him in the same position. Ace was looking away...his eyes were red and he would cry if he had said anything more. But before he could nod or answer...they came.
"Ace." A voice came...known to the boy. The man the three brothers saw in clothes that didn't look like clothes or wounds and scars that looked horrible even to them. Ace flinched hearing the voice, he only hugged his knees more, Luffy beside him looked behind. His eyes widened seeing the expression on the mister's face. Sabo was just behind him.
Remember me...
"Ace...please..." He repeated. The boys were looking at him. "I..." His voice stuttered and his lip trembled, he was looking at the ground with eyes shaking from fear to even face Ace's face. The boy turned to look at him only to get back and settle himself in his self hug.
Don't let it make you cry.
"What do you want?" He finally said. Lue looked up, his face showing agony... "I thought that I already told you...to leave." He glared. Lue avoided his gaze.
"I know." Lue answered, shutting his eyes.
"Then what are you doing here..." Ace warned. Luffy backed off a little, he glanced at the man before him and felt sad. One tear slid down Lue's cheek.
For even if I'm far away, I hold you in my heart
"Ace..." Lue breathed heavily. His mind, though harsh works and tortures, was occupied by Ace only. The scars were for him. The blood was for him. The sweat was for him. Everything was for him. He was far, far away. He left Ace. But for his good. He will do anything for him to live, even if it meant for him to hate Lue.
Ace was still not looking at the man. He suddenly remembered something.
I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart
"Ace, it's time to go to sleep." Lue said while lifting the toddler. Ace giggled. "Hihihi..." Lue answered with his laugh. He hugged the boy to his head as he walked into the home and to the room with a little crib in it.
"Sleep now...baby, sleep now...honey bee~, Close your eyes and wander to wonderland..." Lue sang as he placed the little boy in the bed, covering him with a small blanket. Baby Ace wiggled and then he yawned and Lue laughed at that quietly. "What will you dream about?" Lue whispered as Ace closed his eyes. He straightened up and then leaned to kiss Ace's little forehead. Then he patted his belly and head, the baby nuzzled into his touch and Lue couldn't take his hand off. He sweatdropped but gave up...he would be sleeping beside the crib. He settled himself, moving his hand so he could sit on the floor. It still was under Ace's head but with the help of the other he was able to sit in a normal position.
"Back when I was Luffy...I would stretch...shishishi." He whispered and glanced at Ace. He then let his eyelids fall down repeatedly to close at the end. He finally fell asleep...
Ace closed his eyes, tears forming in the corners of them. Lue clenched his fists and stood up. Ace flinched, turning around he saw Lue almost walking off.
Remember me though I have to travel far.
His eyes widened, but no one saw it. His brothers were looking somewhere else. Lue then stopped, he heard sniffs. They all turned to Ace that was standing, facing them.
"Why did you leave?" He asked. Lue's blank eyes widened a little, but he looked down with a sad smile.
"I had no choice..." he answered.
"No choice my ass..." Ace murmured and Lue heard it looking up shocked. "You are stronger than anyone...how could..." Ace murmured as he kicked some stones. Lue's eyes brightened...but he was still unsure if Ace would forgive him.
"What do I have to say...nothing can defend my choices." Lue let his head down. Ace was shocked, he wanted to know more.
"Then...what did you feel, leaving me?" He asked, eyes wide.
"Everything..." Lue answered immediately. "And nothing at the same time." he clenched his fists and shook his head, remembering the time they shackled him.
"How's that possible? You're just...ignorant..." Ace tried to explain it to him in his own way. Sabo was watching it and he thought about all those times Ace would tell him about his father.
"I am...indeed. I left you and nothing can defend that." Lue closed his eyes, he was disgusted with himself. Ace saw that.
Remember me each time you hear a sad guitar.
"You don't love me anymore." He said and Lue's eyes opened wide. His mouth opened and then closed. "That's why you left." Ace's eyes were now filled with tears but they didn't fall.
"Ace..." Sabo and Luffy observed.
"Wh-...what are you talking about?" Lue was shocked, he came closer to Ace. The boy was hiccuping, trying to hold the tears in. He used his sleeve to wipe them out but to no effect.
"Then what is the other explanation?!" He shouted and the tears finally fell. He narrowed his eyes and cried, falling on his knees. Lue was in shock, but he quickly shook it off and he came to grab Ace's shoulders. The boy was still crying his heart out. "WHAT IS IT!" He exclaimed.
Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be.
"Ace..." Lue's eyes filled with tears. He was holding onto the boy's shoulders but he then leaned closer and embraced him. His hand then came and started to pat Ace's head.
"T-Tell me..." The boy cried into his shirt. Lue's eyes were shut close.
"I'm sorry...Ace, don't think like that...please." Lue said through his own tears. "Please...I love you...I love you so much...I did it for you, baby." He said as he hugged his child so close he could hear his heartbeat.
"Eh?..." Ace opened his eyes lightly, he thought he misheard but no. The words came again.
"I love you so much...I had to go so they wouldn't take you, but please...forgive me...once." Lue was shaking his head and patting the boy's own. Ace was confused.
"You love me?" he stuttered through his sniffs. Lue nodded, he nodded repeatedly.
"How could I not?"
"Really...you didn't leave me because you didn't love me?"
"Who could do that? You're so precious...to me, to everyone here...you're the best thing that happened in my life. The time I spent in hell...I was always thinking about you, about your laugh and your smile...you are my little boy, right?" Lue was saying while kissing Ace's crown of his head. The boy's eyes were wide but they closed as he let the tears fall, his head was on his father's shoulder.
Until you're in my arms again.
Luffy and Sabo were crying beside each other. Luffy was the loudest. He ran up to Lue and Ace and he hugged them too. Lue was surprised but he smiled and let the boy hug him.
"You're all precious to me..." Lue looked at Ace that was standing there wiping his tears, he reached with his one hand to cup his cheek. "I would never leave here willingly." He smiled with eyes closed. Ace's own widened and he placed his own hand at the bigger and scarred one on his cheek. He leaned into the touch. Luffy was wailing at Lue's chest. Sabo was laughing through his tears at the back.
"Ace." Lue said. The boy opened his eyes, he was holding the bigger hand with his two, he didn't want it to leave his cheek. Lue smiled. "You want to come back? To go home?" Ace's eyes widened. Luffy tilted his head back, mucus sticking to Lue's shirt.
"Home?" Ace repeated. Lue nodded, he glanced at Sabo and then looked at Luffy.
"All of you." He said. The boy's eyes brightened. They wouldn't need to live with those bandits? Would Ace get to live with his father again?
"All?!" Luffy exclaimed. Lue laughed and he straightened up, holding Luffy so he wouldn't fall.
"All." Lue said and Sabo came running into him.
"Really?!" he exclaimed with a smile. Ace was still standing there shocked, his eyes were puffy and red, his mouth was opened. Lue stood up and Luffy and Sabo were both lifted on his back and chest.
"Woah!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.
"D-Dad!" Ace exclaimed, red on his cheeks. Lue turned to him, shocked.
"Yes...?" He murmured with wide eyes. Ace had puffed cheeks and pout on his face, it was really the first time Luffy had seen him like that, even Sabo was surprised.
"I too! Want...you...to carry...me." He finally got it out of himself, even though he was embarrassed he missed some fatherly love. Lue burst out laughing and it made Ace be grumpy again.
"S-Shut up!" He exclaimed and Lue wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. He then came closer and scooped Ace with his hand. The boy held onto him strongly. "D-Don't drop me!" He warned.
"Of course!" Lue smiled and he started walking to the bandits hideout.
"Mister!" Luffy exclaimed and Lue sweatdropped. His old self was calling him mister and he saw how loud he actually was.
"Yes?" He smiled.
"If you're Ace's dad..." He started and Sabo's eyes widened. He already knew what the boy would tell. Ace too, he knew. "Then does that mean you're our dad too?!" Luffy shouted and smiled. Lue stopped and he was quiet for a while. Sabo and Ace were shushing him. Before Sabo began apologising for Luffy, Lue laughed. They blinked.
"You want it?" he asked and they all nodded after realising he said something.
"Yes! I would get a dad! My only family is Gramps and Sabo and Ace, but with you! It would be so much better!!!" Luffy was holding onto Lue's neck.
"It wouldn't be too bad..." Ace murmured with crossed arms. Sabo nodded with a blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. Lue smiled more.
"Then...if you really like to. I will be whatever you want me to be!" Lue exclaimed. Luffy's eyes lit and he hugged the man by his neck.
"Dad!" He laughed sheepishly.
"You're our dad now!" Sabo laughed too.
"He was my dad first!" Ace tried to hide his jealousy.
"And you're my sons!" Lue answered, he then kissed each cheeks. "That I love very much!" He said and the boys were so embarrassed they hid.
"Stupid." Ace murmured.
"Y-yeah...don't say something so cheesy..." Sabo glanced at Ace from his place on Lue's back.
"I love you too!" Luffy was the only one that really matched Lue's energy...what could I say, they are technically the same person, but...Lue is just too experienced. He was already an adult when he died, so he lived two lives.
"Yosh! Let's run because I'm hungry!!" Lue then ran and they were so happy to be able to travel so fast.
"You didn't lie Ace!" Sabo exclaimed when the wind stunned their voices.
"Haaa?!" Ace said but Sabo only laughed.
"Hahahaha!"
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