A/N: /sips tea/

So, uh, yeah. Another project. (What's this Send Me Off To Sea thing yer talkin bout, I know no such thing)

/SIPPING INTENSIFIES/

Disclaimer: One Piece©Eiichiro Oda

Chapter 1

Ace was only five when he died. He was walking through Grey Terminal, eyes full of wonder when someone jumped at him from the back and clubbed him over the head.

Something cracked and Ace could hear it crack, but the darkness came too soon. In a second- or maybe it was more than that, Ace couldn't remember- he was down. Unmoving and lifeless, killed for no reason at all.

But then, he woke up. No one seemed to see him, and Ace looked around- confused as to why he was on the ground- before running to the woods, his wounds closed but with blood dripping in his wake.

It wasn't the first time he fainted, Ace had thought. All that remained was to get out of the area before anyone could see him again.

Ace woke up to blood staining his shirt and a mouthful of the stuff dribbling down his chin.

The blonde kid- Sabo, was it?- was nowhere to be found but Ace guessed that already. He probably ran away once he stabbed Ace in the chest. Also- Shouldn't he be dead by now?

Ace was confused, seriously confused, but he shakily rose to his feet. He supported himself with the tree he was sitting against before and realised he was choking on his own blood. He spat out everything immediately, and shuddered.

Seriously, what the hell?

At the tender age of six, Ace might have gotten the hint that he can't really die.

"You know what, let's be friends."

Ace's eyebrows shot up in surprise before he settled on a neutral expression. "After you killed me?" The boy scoffed. "No thanks."

Sabo took on a perplexed expression and shook his head. "I didn't kill you, though?"

"You did! With a knife,"

"How are you standing here, then? Also I have no recollection of an incident like that."

Though Sabo used some flowy words, Ace could understand that much.

Now it was Ace's time to be confused, because Sabo did try to kill him and actually succeeded if the blood and more blood two days before were real. So why was Sabo not admitting to this? Did he forget? Or was it just Ace imagining things?

The experience in itself was too vivid though, especially the pain, so how could he be imagining all of that? Sabo can't be lying too, couldn't be, he looked too confused to be anything else. Unless-

It didn't happen for him-?

Ace paled, hands shaking at the impossibility as he turned to run.

He felt like vomiting.

The smell wafting from Grey Terminal wasn't any help to dissuade the feeling, and he felt light headed. Before he could run though, Sabo stopped him, hand on Ace's shoulder like he was actually concerned.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere not here. G-get lost," Ace knew Sabo heard the stutter and he'd be damned if he stayed for another second. So he shrugged the hand off and ran.

It had been two days since his second death, and Ace felt like he cleared the fog of mysteries, somewhat. He believed though, that he actually lost his life for the second time while the first he can only remember vaguely.

Once he got to the bandit's but, he climbed up the stairs and gagged- slamming the door to his room.

The bandits heard his cries, but thought nothing of it.

Ace saw Sabo again, but this time he didn't run. He can't.

His legs were trapped in some rubble that just fell on him, and Ace gritted his teeth out of pain and annoyance.

Grey Terminal was truly a cursed place for him.

Sabo looked down on him, literally and almost mockingly, smiling that irritatingly infuriating smile of his.

"You need any help?"

Ace had the urge in him to put aside his pride to accept the offer because he could felt something oozing down there, something wet and obviously not water- but he squashed down the urge and instead growled. "Get the fuck away, blondie! You're not needed here!"

"Sure looks like I am, though," Sabo looked past the deploring gaze Ace sent his way and cocked his head to the side in amusement. "You just have to ask, you know..."

Like hell I'm going to get help from a murderer.

"Fuck no!" Ace shouted, and a jolt just happened where his legs were and- Oh, holy shit-!

A whimper escaped his lips and he bit down on his pride when Sabo narrowed his eyes and, was that pity? Ace needed that the least honestly but he knew he needed help. Ace lowered his head, and Sabo seemed to understand.

The blonde moved the stupid junk away from his legs carefully, slowly, and gasped. "You're bleeding. Hold on." With the little strength Sabo had, he pulled the thing that was stuck in his leg and Ace nearly let out a scream. "There, it's alright now."

"A-Alright, my ass," Ace groaned, and he tried to move himself but as it turned out, he still can't. Ace cursed as he slammed his head to the ground helplessly. This was, easily, the worst day of his life.

"...You can't move?"

"What does it look like, brat? 'Course I can't move."

Ace could hear Sabo's huff before the footsteps began. Ace wondered what the hell that idiot was doing before he was lifted up, pressed against Sabo's side.

"You're my age, you know. I ain't a brat."

Ace looked at Sabo as if he was crazy. Then, he tried struggling from Sabo's hold- Not that he can do much though. He was wounded after all. Besides, Sabo had an iron grip it was almost ridiculous.

"Try to hold on till you get first aid, I have some at the place I'm staying."

Ace simply grumbled at this, curses tumbling out of his mouth like waterfalls.

Getting help from his murderer?

Ace didn't like this. Not one bit.

Sabo became his friend, nevertheless.

Don't ask him why or how, Ace didn't know. It just... happened.

But now, Ace wished Sabo wasn't his friend. Then this shit wouldn't have happened, not again.

Ace, for the second time now since last year, choked on his own blood. He was not aware of how copper-ish it tasted, how it tasted of metal and iron and salt. He also was not aware that another bullet was whizzing its way through his chest again, causing him to drop the money he had stole.

Sabo, who had a graze on his leg, cried out from where Ace had shoved him to. "ACE!"

Ace hadn't felt fear in such a long time, and it left him numb.

At least Sabo was safe.

The man who shot him walked over to where he collapsed, a sneer on his lips as he took the money Ace dropped. He left without another word and Ace could hear Sabo scrambling towards him, crying and shouting.

"Oh my god, Ace, Ace are you okay, you have to be- Y-you'll be fine, hold on, just hold on!"

Ace didn't know why Sabo was panicking so much when he closed his eyes. He felt a hand holding his before everything went slack. He felt at ease.

His heart stopped.

A/N: This thing's inspired by a KHR fanfic made by FruitPastilles. If ya like KHR and these kinda fics then that's right up yer alley ayyyyy

Also I'm sorry for not updating my other stories? Like it's inexcusable but I just can't bring myself to write it when I'm too confused about it. I need to sort these things out man.

Ps; Welcome to Linebreak Galore Land. Enjoy yer stay sweetsies.