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He could taste ash and blood on the tip of his tongue as silver eyes tracked his brother.
Luffy shone like a beacon of light his eyes locked with Ace's, never straying as he carved a path through the sea of marines, for a brief moment Ace felt the pride he had shouldered through his life for his little brother swell up within him.
'He's going to die because of you.' The though hit him like a Haki fused punch to the gut leaving him breathless for a moment, the tears he had fought to hold at bay desperately (don't give them the joy of seeing you break-!) slid down his cheeks, cutting sharp paths through the grim and dried blood on his face.
"Luffy." he voice was raspy and the word slips past his lips roughly, like a whisper or a prayer, he bowed his head pressing his forehead against the cooled wood of the plat form and sucked in a sharp breath.
"LUFFY! KEEP AWAY!" his voice echoed across the battle field, drawing it to silence for a single moment before beginning against, Luffy's eyes met his and Ace knew from the stubborn set of his jaw, he wasn't going to listen.
Ace felt his throat tighten as tears blurred his vision.
"Luffy...Pops...everyone...please." he whispered brokenly.
'Don't get killed for my sake.'