RT_Strawhat_Ninja: just a little thing for the anniversary of Ace's death. ;-;

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"Luffy-senpai!" A green haired crest head hugged Luffy. Luffy laughed and a woman's giggle could be heard.

"Senpai!" A small voice came. The camera panned over to a three year old boy. The boy had blue hair and dark eyes and a bright grin.

"Who's your senpai, Ro-ro?" The woman asked. The little boy smiled brightly as his father snuck up behind him, unknown to the boy.

"Daddy! Daddy is my senpai!" The words brought tears to the man's eyes as he watched as the boy's father scooped him up in his arms, making the boy squeal happily.

"Daddy-senpai!" The boy squealed and hugged his father. The man chose to pause the video there and stare at the frozen picture of the father and son as they hugged. You could tell from this single freeze frame that the father and son had a very close relationship.

"How many years has it been now, Dad? Five? Six, isn't it?" The man asked. He ran his hand through his sky blue hair.

"I miss you. Mom misses you. Rose misses you." He said and tears bulit in his eyes. He wiped his eyes and took a shakey breath.

"Mom hasn't been the same since you left, Dad. She doesn't sing anymore. She rarely talks and her eyes are always drifting, like they're looking for you. And Rose.... we haven't heard from her since your funeral. Uncle Sabo says she's working just as hard as ever, but she doesn't smile anymore." He said. Rogue dropped his head to his hands.

"I'm trying the best I can to take care of mom like I promised, Dad. But I miss you so much. I miss the way we'd goof around, the way you would always tease me and Kuina. The way you were so protective over Rose. The stupid plans you'd come up with for mom on Valentine's, Christmas, her birthday... I miss spending our birthdays together, Dad. I just... I miss you." He cried silently, unable to fight back his tears anymore.

"Did you have to walk down that alley on your way to work? Did you have to walk right in the middle of a turf war? Did you really have to get shot?" Rogue cried.

Six years ago.

That's when it had happened. Rogue's father, Portgas D Ace, had been walking to work as usual, and decided to take a new route. Right down an alley where a gang lead by an old man named Akainu and some new starting gang that no one knew were having a shoot out turf war.

Ace had been shot twice in the chest by Akainu himself. Ace had died in the hospital while holding the hands of his wife and Daughter and his son crying on his chest, promising he'd take care of his mom and sister.

After the funeral, Rogue's mother, Aoi, refused to sing anymore. She didn't even hum. It was almost as if Aoi had died, too. And as for Rogue's little sister, Rose, she went to work with the Revolutionary Police, with their uncle Sabo. She didn't talk to her mother or brother anymore. Her father's death had broken her. It had broken all of them.

"I miss you... Daddy-senpai." Rogue muttered out one last time before drying his eyes and shutting off the video, then going to comfort his sobbing mother in her bedroom.

[the end]

RT_Strawhat_Ninja: *digs grave & buries self*