A/N: I still don't know how I managed to finish this but not my other stories. Also- RUSHED ENDING. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED AND I AM SO SORRY IF IT'S SHITTY.

Disclaimer: One Piece©Eiichiro Oda

Un-Ending.

Sabo thought everything was over. He was done. His job- Nada, finished, boom. He thought he could relax for once in his life, but karma decided to be a little bitch and fuck his life upside down.

He also thought his rage was justified, and that cursing- while unnecessary- was completely mandatory. How was it anything but, when your boss thought that it was a good idea to send the Second in Command away for a mission that requires you to be somewhere very far from the base you're supposed to be- uh, second commanding?

Gosh, and Koala called him an idiot.

The mission was simple enough. Too simple, actually, that even the new members can do it. Granted, if they have good diplomacy skills like Sabo- because going to Whitebeard with the proposal of some transaction alliance without anything to back up your claims was something you should do diplomatically- like what Sabo usually does.

"Damn. He got me there." The blonde muttered absentmindedly as he squinted his eyes, gaze locked onto a large ship with the figurehead of a whale. There it is, the motherfucker that managed to destroy his well-earned rest. Let's see how they like it when Sabo destroy their resting time, huh. That'll show 'em.

His thoughts proved to be all bark but no bite however, when he reached the Moby Dick and rather politely asked for a rope to be brought down, instead of simply jumping over and subsequently ruin the whole thing.

As tempting as the last choice may be- No. He can't do that. A gentleman must always stay a gentleman, even at the most-

Fuck. Some fucker just dropped the rope on his fucking head, what the fuck. This is the shittiest day of Sabo's life and he would very much like to reinstate that by throwing the rope back to that asshole. Which he did, with a little bit more force.

Probably not a good idea.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?!"

"Oops. Sorry, my bad."

At one point of his life Sabo would've thought that course he took with Dragon in being really sarcastic to divert the enemy's attention was a useless knowledge to have. It would serve as a good story to tell, yes, but the purpose of such can only be done in certain situations. Like so.

The growl he received as reply was almost guttural and Sabo let out a cackle in his mind. Taking the rope in his hands once again, Sabo tugged experimentally and pulled himself up, idly wondering if these pirates ever heard of a rope ladder before. He was shrugging the thought off after that though, knowing that he didn't mind the extra exercise- Heck, this was a walk in the park to him.

Reaching the railings within seconds, Sabo flipped himself over to land on the deck, completely filled with the sense of 'welp, since I'm already here, let's be a show off'. The audience he had was not looking too amused though, and Sabo had to smoothly retract his pose back and cough. His eyes wandered to the side and spotted a rope ladder just a distance away from where he climbed.

Well, damn. The blonde frowned. "Really?" He raised an eyebrow to them, "Is this some form of retribution or something, because I swear I didn't do anything before any of this."

The silence was much embraced after that, courtesy of the heated glare that was sent to him from someone who was nursing a bump on his head. Sabo recognised him as Haruta, the Commander for Whitebeard's Twelfth Division- Clearly a sign that this person was probably quite the fighter and not to be messed around with.

Wow.

Look at how many fucks I give to that.

"It's just a bump, calm down. I'm pretty sure you're mature enough to brush off a small matter like that- Unless your body size is in accordance to your age, I'd say just suck it up."

This may not be what Dragon would want him to act like, especially not on the ship of a potential enemy (well, not enemy- maybe a non-accomplice?). But his boss did, rudely so, made him take on a mission when he was supposed to take a much needed break. Being Second in Command was a fuck-ton of work, but since his boss did not see nor acknowledge that and instead made him take on more jobs-

Well, he's a rebel at heart. And if Dragon had anything to say to that, then Sabo will just have to remind him who made him a revolutionary in the first place.

"Excuse me?" Haruta- for a lack of a better wording- seethed. He was red in the face, a clear contrast to his green outfit. Sabo fought valiantly against the urge to laugh.

He looks like a fucking elf, I can't-

"Okay, that was admittedly a bad first impression." Sabo said, choking back a chortle to the back of his throat.

"No shit-"

"But ah, I have to apologize. That was uncalled for, really- I just had a bad day, is all." At least Sabo had the man in him to make up for it. "I'm actually here on behalf of the Revolutionaries to discuss matters on a probable alliance. May I see your captain?"

You could hear the pin drop on deck. Someone quietly whispered 'oh, shit' and Sabo could not help but agree. The idea was ridiculous and world-changing, considering two of the world powers decided to team up for an alliance. Sabo thought that Dragon just wanted to scare the crap out of the World Government though, so yeah, that idea earned some brownie points from him.

Some dude named Marco was the one to break the silence. "An alliance, yoi?"

"Yes, did I stutter?"

That was most likely the trigger that sent them all running. Without a moment's hesitation, everyone broke out into a flurry of actions, screaming damning words for the sky to hear.

"The Revs, are you fucking kidding me right now-"

"I have anxiety, this is not okay-"

"Someone, tell Pops!"

All in all, it was kind of amusing and fucking hilarious. Sabo watched the dysfunction that was the Whitebeards with immeasurable glee until someone blocked the scenic view. He smiled- out of politeness- when he saw the First Division Commander standing in front of him, eyes bearing laziness like no other.

"Should I ask if you're lying or not, yoi? About being a revolutionary, I mean."

Sabo let his teeth flash under the sun. "Nah, it'll just be a waste of time. I know I'm not that trustful of a person, but even I wouldn't joke about something like this. Not when my supposed vacation time was put on hold, that is."

The Phoenix raised an eyebrow, and with a quick scan to Sabo's eyes- figure and everything, he snorted and picked at his ear. Sabo cringed. "You're right; That'll just be a waste of my time. Even if you were a government spy, you can't beat us, yoi."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe. Speaking of wasting my time, I actually don't have the time to deal with," Marco gestured to Sabo with his hands, a grimace on his face, "this. So I'll just assign someone to bring you over to Pops, yoi."

Sabo's smile dimmed, and he placed a hand on his trusty pipe. "You're saying I need an escort."

Marco saw the tension in the air after his words, and he quickly interjected- He wasn't going to risk a revolutionary on his bad day. "Exactly, yoi, and only because you don't know this place. So this guy will escort you around." He grabbed a person from behind, and without seeing at all- pulled the person to his side.

"Mwuh?"

It was the legendary Fire Fist, the one and only in the flesh. His hair was disheveled, Sabo noticed, messy in all its dark glory. Freckles painted the man's complexion, and the blonde would've thought him attractive if it wasn't for the finger that was jammed up his nose. His eyes were half-lidded, giving Sabo the impression that he just woke up.

Sabo's lips were set in a thin line, and he stared back at Marco as if searching for help. "He just woke up." As in, this dude doesn't know what the hell's been going on literally a few minutes ago.

"Easily fixable," Marco turned to the man- slapped the man awake and stared at him right in the eyes. "Ace. You are to bring this person to Pops, yoi. No questions, and wipe that drool from your face for god's sake. Also, Ace, meet Revolutionary," the Phoenix shoved the half-naked dude to Sabo's face, and Sabo leaned away.

"Revolutionary, meet Ace."

"Uh, a what? Revolutionary? What is happening?" Ace rubbed his eyes, blinking them from sleep and squinted his eyes at Sabo. Sabo tried to smile, he really tried, but it came out a bit wry.

Fucking hell, he's really close.

And Sabo wanted to relay that, but there was-

-There was something, something wrong that had changed in the air. Something cold had displaced the amusing atmosphere Sabo had himself surrounded in before, and he noted the change in expression on Fire Fist's face. Gone was the languid manner he displayed earlier and it was replaced by an emotionless look, an inane behaviour that set Sabo on the edge.

Marco seemed to notice too, unless the raise of eyebrow indicated something else. He placed a hand on Ace's shoulder, but the man shrugged it off, eyes still locked onto Sabo's.

"You," Sabo heard the softness in his voice, the kind of softness you'd hear when danger was imminently nearer that you'd think it is. "What did you say your name was again?"

The question was asked as Ace loomed over him despite being of the same height, shadow casted over and that made him more grim than he was before. Sabo thought- felt that this was getting a bit personal because even Marco didn't look like he has any idea of what his crewmate was saying, what had brought on the sudden change in demeanor.

Sabo gulped, but refused to be afraid.

"I never said my name. But if you really must know, it's Sabo."

He heard the first crackle of flame.

The second the attack was pulled back and ready to spring, Sabo had a pipe blocking his face from catching a fistful of fire. Marco shouted in alarm and crewmates that had calmed down and were minding their own businesses- jumped at the sound of combat.

Sabo's back was pushed onto the railing from the force but he felt a hand curling into his cravat and he was pulled, only to face-

-the simmering rage Portgas D. Ace had in his eyes, the snarl on his lips sounding much like an enemy Sabo would love to stay away from. The blonde was impassive however, noting how the appendage that was holding him up trembled with bottled-up unascertained miasma of fury.

This day has gotten a lot more shittier than it should have been.

"Who the fuck do you think you're imitating right now, asshole?" Ace spat out, and Marco was looking on as if this was a puzzle. The Phoenix had stopped anyone who had tried to get near though, and Sabo thought that was a good idea on both sides. Someone might get injured, and this fight was not worth any injuries.

But someone might actually get injured if this piece of shit doesn't let him go. Sabo does not need to pile this load of unjustifiable crap onto his list of problems, at least, not on this day.

God, he could feel the migraine already.

"Myself," the revolutionary briskly answered, thorns in his voice. "Unless you're asking this in a more specific way, then I am the Chief of Staff, Second in Command of the Revolutionaries-"

A growl was sounded as a reply to that, and Sabo basked himself in joy when he saw the ever growing annoyance on his assaulter's face. "Shut up, dipshit, and tell me where'd you get that fucking face from!"

At this, Sabo had confusion running in his mind. It must have shown on his face too, if the loosened grip to his clothing had anything to say to that. "If you're asking about either one of my parents, I never knew them."

"NO!" Everything about that sentence seemed to have set him off much more than before. Sabo didn't really know what his deal was, really. "No, I- You were fucking dead!"

Now Sabo was taken aback. He cocked his head to the side, a frown marring his expression. "I was what?"

What the hell was this lunatic talking about?

Sabo's cravat was freed from Ace's latches, but now Sabo was held in place by two hands on each arm, confined by eyes that exuded desperation, the anger that was just there before gone like it never existed. Sabo held in his breath. "You were dead, I thought you were, Dogra was there when your boat- Your boat fucking blew up, and the letter-"

"Ace, calm down, yoi."

"-Luffy was crying for fuck's sake, everyone was, I-!"

Marco had his hand placed on the fire user's shoulder again, and Ace took in a big breath of air, forcing himself to calm down. His hands were still shuddering, teeth close to chattering and his heart was beating a little too fast, the rate coinciding with the fire under his skin. But otherwise, he was fine. He was fine.

Sabo though- Sabo was not fine.

The stupid migraine pounded in Sabo's brain something fierce, his breathing becoming shallow and his eyes open wide. He knew something was wrong. He knew those words had set off a trigger within him but what? Images flew by his thoughts and he could not for the life of him stop and collect them all.

Asking was fine, right?

The words tumbled before he could stop them.

"Do you, do you know me from somewhere?" His voice was a mess now, but he gave it none of his attention. "Somewhere when I was- I was ten, and you're, you were- The jungle, we were hunting-"

The images were moving too fucking fast.

"S-Sabo?"

His eyes rolled back, and-

"Get a stretcher, yoi!"

-Scream.

...

The sun was bright today, Sabo mused. Bright enough to shine through his eyelids.

Yep.

That was probably a sign for him to open his eyes.

"-fffuck."

Bad idea. Sun, direct, eyes, burns. He immediately closed his eyes back and groaned. Risking the loss of his eyesight was so not on his to-do list for today and it should not ever be.

"Sabo!"

The voice was definitely not helping, but the light- god, thankfully- went out like, well, a light and vanished instantly.

"See! Dai Enkai Entei helped!"

"Having a ball of fucking fire near the face does not wake someone up, Ace, it does not work like that!"

"Pssh- My fire won't hurt anyone."

"That's not the point!"

Sabo managed a sentence out, but it was more of a squeak than anything. "You mean that was actually the sun..?" He opened his eyes slowly as he said this, taking in the light of the room carefully without rushing. The white colour of the room was intense but it was definitely less of a savage to his sight.

Without any warning, a face was in front of him and Sabo bit back a yelp, pushing himself up to a sitting position.

The man in front of him had disheveled hair, messy in all its dark glory. Freckles painted his complexion, and Sabo would've thought he looked silly if it wasn't for that dazzling smile he had displayed on his face, the whites of his teeth all but blinding him.

Ace was-

"You're awake!" The man leaned in close, hand going straight to Sabo's forehead. Ace narrowed his eyes, mouth pulled into a tentative pout. "And getting better. Scared the shit outta me when you collapsed- And if that wasn't enough, you decided it was a good time to sleep through three whole days! The fuck, 'Bo?"

Sabo did not answer. The shock of everything was getting to him- three whole days?- and he couldn't help but stay still.

Slowly though, as Ace's pout turned into a concerned frown, Sabo realised a lot of things.

One, Marco the Phoenix was in the room, along with a nurse he didn't recognize. Both of them were wearing sunglasses for reasons he could not hope to fathom.

Two, He was in the infirmary. He remembered vaguely of what had happened (and much more, he remembered much more) and, while curious, he was in no particular rush to find out what had happened.

Three, His throat was really parched. Like, hella. Sabo motioned for Ace to grab that damned glass of water on the table at the far end. Thankfully, the commander obeyed and took it for him.

Sweet, lovely, precious water-

He noticed with sheepish realisation that he was holding a jug after downing the whole thing. Ace grinned reassuringly, and Sabo felt himself relaxing, a smile of his own on his lips.

Fourth- Ace was here.

My brother is here.

"You feeling okay, Sabo? You look a little sick."

Sabo shook his head, hands shaking and lips quivering. His eyes blinked rapidly and he turned away. "I- um, I'm fine."

"You sure about that?" Ace was sitting on the bed now, and Sabo could clearly see the hand that was trying to creep up to his own in a non-obvious manner. The blonde laughed a bit, not caring how cracked up it just sounded.

Sabo grasped Ace's hand with his own, because waiting another fucking second would make this more awkward than it should be. The feeling that his brother was actually here next to him overwhelmed Sabo, and, "I'm fine, really," the tears just won't stop.

Sabo could hear the door close, but he didn't lift his head to see, still focused on the large calloused hand he held on to. Perhaps a minute had just passed, or maybe it was shorter than that, when Sabo heard a sob and noted it was from Ace. It was kind of ugly, the sniffling and all, but Sabo had no right to judge. His face was no doubt, also a mess by now.

But they were smiling. They were smiling like the fucking idiots they were and they had the most stupidest of smiles on their expressions- and they couldn't bring themselves to care. They had each other now, and that's a clichéd line in every plane of existence, but Sabo was really really fucking glad Ace was here with him and Sabo just knew Ace felt the same way.

No sooner than later they would hug it out, mumbling unnecessary apologies to each other with a lot of slaps to the back, muttering about how idiotic it was for them to make a ruckus on deck three days ago and OH MY GOD, the alliance.

Ace, of course, said that it would be fine, trust me I'm a rebel too y'know and Sabo had to chortle hard at that, because no Ace, you're kinda not.

Hands still interlocked without any signs of letting go, Sabo drifted off to sleep again after the tenth assurance that he'll still be alive after this and his boss won't maul him for not attending to his work. Sabo had to trust him on this one. As he always do and always will.

Sabo slept with a smile.

"-And that's how all of this happened."

"Was their company enjoyable?"

"The Whitebeards? Yeah, kinda. I mean we didn't really talk much after the meeting but they're fun people. Except for the Twelfth Division Commander- He likes keeping his grudges."

"So you took three days off to join the pirates in their merrymaking and ditched your work to do it at the last minute when you could've done so on the very first day."

"I was out cold for those three days! And I reunited with my brother- I find this to be a valid reason to stay and do my work here instead of sailing again!"

"They didn't even accept the alliance, so it was hardly work. Here, there's been a rising rate of people disappearing in the North. Go find out the details and report back."

"Motherfuc-"