A/N: I tried a bit of a different writing style this time, but I don't think that I like it that much. It came very naturally, but I'll probably go back to my old one. Hope you guys like this, though it's kinda weird compared to my usual stuff.

"If Gol D. Roger were to have a son?" The man laughs, "You've got some crazy ideas in that stupid head of yours, kid. But if Gol D. Roger were to have a son..." He eyes Ace and offers him a knowing smile, "I'd sure like to see him burn."

He doesn't quite feel himself move... doesn't have any proper thought about what he's doing, only really a vague idea why, a strange sense of loyalty to a man who he had grown up hating... but the next thing Ace knows he's pounding the man's head into the bar, punch after punch steadily being driven into the man's face.

There's skin on his fists and blood on his cheeks, but somehow, he just feels something strangely empty sit in his stomach.

The momentary rage is gone, leaving nothing behind.

The man gets up, all amusement gone from his features. His face is filled with the same rage that gripped Ace only seconds earlier, and he pulls Ace up, twisting the shirt as a knife comes from his pocket.

"You got a death wish, punk?" He breaths, and Ace thinks that maybe he does, but the next thing he know there's a flash of silver as the knife swings towards his face and he's kicking the man in the chest as the knife swings only millimeters from his neck, flipping back, and stumbling, but landing safely on his feet.

There's people screaming, the man's friends snarling as then advance, the bartender's desperately begging them to stop fighting, but Ace hears nothing but a strange rush past his ears as he attacks, and someone's shouting, maybe it's him, but he doesn't care...

He doesn't quite feel alive when he fights, but it's better than that lonely emptiness that refuses to leave his chest.

"If Gol D. Roger had a son, I would skin him piece by piece."

Sabo can see the rage boiling beneath Ace's skin, and he knows that he ought to calm Ace down, but he's terrified to lose Ace, and he's boiling too, so instead he presses a hand against Ace's arm and offers Ace a pale smile as he mutters, "On three?"

Ace returns Sabo's wide grin, and Sabo figures that it was the right answer as they leap forwards.

There's a shout of surprise as the man fends them off, but is quick to retaliate. They smash into the ceiling, ground, wall, meet glass and tables... but Sabo can't feel any pain, only a numb rush of fury as the man swears at Ace and his friend threatens to kill Ace.

No.

He's moving fast, like lightening, and the next thing he knows Ace is on the ground, but so is the man, and it ought to be okay, but Ace is still steaming, and for once, Sabo finds himself feeling scared of Ace.

"...You okay?" Sabo asks, trying to keep his voice low and calm as the men remain still on the ground.

Ace stares at the prone men, his features carefully blank, and replies in a dull voice, "Yeah."

Sabo can tell Ace is lying, but doesn't push it.

Maybe he's a coward, but he's alright with that, as long as Ace stays with him.

"At least you're not the son of a noble." He teases Ace, pretending that that's not who he is, that he's just making an offhanded comment.

Ace turns to him, a smile forcing itself onto his lips... (Sabo's chest constricts, because Ace shouldn't have to do that, not around him) and replies. "Yeah, that would be so lame and stuffy! I'm hungry, can we have food?"

Sabo forces out a laugh, and pretends that everything's alright.

Ace tries to focus on Sabo, and ignore the emptiness returning to his chest now that the fight's over.

"If Gol D. Roger had a son?" The man frowns, too drunk to think properly. "He'd be a freak. He'd deserve to die."

Ace's features are cool as stone, uncaring, used to it.

Sabo's looking away, ashamed at his silence.

They think nothing of it, until they hear Luffy shout, "You take that back!"

The drunk man's brow furrows as he looks down at Luffy. "What?" He asks stupidly.

"Take it back." Luffy replies, his voice high pitched and childish, but still firm and harsh. "What you said. He doesn't deserve to die!"

The man frowns, and his voice grows a harsh edge as he asks softly, "Are you saying that I'm wrong?"

Luffy, (stupid, idiotic little Luffy), nods, eyes steely as he replies, "Yes."

The next thing they know, he's flying through a wall, but he comes back, over and over, demanding an apology, until finally the man gets sick of it and pulls out a knife.

Then Ace is flying, fists raised, and Sabo's crowbar smashes into the man's stomach, shouting, "Don't you dare touch our little brother!"

And he doesn't.

Later, when Ace scolds Luffy, Luffy refuses to apologize.

"He was mean to Ace." Luffy says childishly, wrapping his fingers around Ace's. "And he can't do that to my brother."

And suddenly, looking at Luffy's bright smile as he eats his stolen ice cream and Sabo's pale features watching him with some strange kind of sappy look, the emptiness in Ace's chest seems gone.

It never comes back.