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“Your father is Gol D Roger. You’re the son of a monster, and so many people will be out to kill you just because of that. You can’t trust anyone.” The small six year old stared at his grandfather with wide eyes, tears welling up in his eyes.
“M…My father…b-but…what about my mother?” Ace reached a shaky hand and put it on his grandfather's arm. “Please…grampa…my mom?” Garp looked at the child he called his youngest grandson barely hidden anger in his weathered eyes.
“...You killed her. You killed my daughter.”
The tiny child backed away, his little lips wobbling, tears already falling. Ace fell on his butt and cried into his palms.
Garp felt no pity at that moment.
⸻
“It’s your fault Ace! You let Sabo die!” Luffy yelled at the crying child, anger in his eyes. Ace tried to reach for his big brother who just smacked his hands away. “Don't touch me! Don't…ever touch me.” Luffy ran out of the Bandits but, leaving a still sobbing Ace and very concerned Bandits.
Dadan put her hand on the shaking shoulder, unsure of what to say to the kid. Her heart breaking with every sob the youngest let out. “I-I’m sorry! Big brother I’m sorry!” The haggard woman pulled the sobbing child to her and let him cry.
Luffy apologized an hour after that, begging the child to forgive him. Ace did, but the hurt remained.
⸻
“Thatch is hurt, Teach attacked him.”
Ace felt his heart stop, Teach…his division member attacked Thatch. How didn’t he know?
The Commanders and Whitebeard grew quiet, anger on all of their faces (Besides Aces), Marco placed the clipboard chart on the table. “Bay said that he’s in a coma, and that there is a chance that he won’t wake up.”
“...Teach betrayed us?” Fossa’s voice was unusually soft, like he didn’t believe this was real. Who did? This was Teach, their cherry pie loving brother.
Ace squeezed his hands together under the table, his eyes looking down at his lap. HIs bottom lip between his teeth is already dripping blood. He was the second Commander. He should have known.
“You let Sabo die!” “You killed her. You killed my daughter.” “If anyone knows your heritage Ace, they’ll kill you.”
He got Thatch hurt, it’s his fault…
“I’m sorry. It’s my fault Thatch got hurt, I should have known.” Ace didn’t need to look up from his lap to know that everyone was now looking at him, “I’ll go after Teach, to make up for my mis-H-Hey!” Whitebeard grabbed Ace and placed him on his lap before pushing him against his stomach as if to hide him from the world.
“This isn’t your fault my son, no one blames you. If anything, it’s my fault. I let him join the crew.”
“Oyaji, no! It’s not your fault!” The youngest Whitebeard looked up at his giant father with a hurt expression. “...if it’s not my fault then it isn't your fault either.”
“Someday baby brother, you’ll find someone who will get rid of all your trust issues.” A hand ruffled wavy black hair, blue eyes crinkled with a smile, “And I can’t wait to meet them.”
Whitebeard looked at his children with a solemn look, “Go to sleep my children, no one is to go after Teach. I may lose one child today, I don’t wish to lose anymore.”
No one blamed Ace for Teach leaving.