#former portgas d ace x reader

[sanaserena]

“It was Luffy’s idea to dress up as pirates!” said Ace, from the living room.  Apparently already dressed.

When he’d arrived, he’d done so in a pair of black knee length shorts, his signature belt and beaded necklace, a dagger sheathed in green, and an orange hat with what you thought were a pair of goggles—one with a smiley face, the other with a frowny face.  The hat itself hung a medallion on his chest.  It was odd to see him without his worn beanie, a beanie that was falling apart with each passing day.

You’d asked what he was.  He’d told you.  And then you’d laughed, asking what sort of pirate Luffy thought Ace was! 

“You should see Luffy’s outfit,” Ace said again. 

“Oh?”  You peeked around the doorframe of your room. 

“He’s mocked up this huge scar on his chest, and put on an opened tshirt, shorts, and he’s wearing his strawhat again, and called himself a pirate.”

“What kind of pirate is that?” you laughed. 

“Your friend Franky is apparently going as a cyborg pirate—sounded awesome on paper!”

You pulled on the last item for the grand costuming idea of Nami’s.  And felt horribly exposed.  If Nami hadn’t managed to convince you that Ace would love it, you doubted that you would have worn it.  You were just glad this was only for Luffy’s Halloween party.

Ace was resting his head on the back of the couch when you walked back in, the fluffy cape of your costume pulled tightly around you.  He spotted you in his upside down vision and turned to face you.

“So,” he said.  “What are you?”

“Well, it was Nami’s idea.”  The mere thought of what was under the cape had your blush raging across your skin. 

This seemed to pique his interest, and he vaulted over your couch to join you.  “Sweet, your blush is telling me things I’m not sure I want others to like.”

“The theme was a pirate in an undercover raid in the enemy’s lair.”

“This enemy must be quite devilish,” he joked, flicking your little black horns on your head. 

“Just a bit.”

He was distracting enough in his limited costume.  You’ll admit that while you were shy about what you were wearing, you always wanted to look good next to Ace.  You knew he didn’t care how you were.  He was always resting his head on yours, and just seemed to think you were cute (not that you could agree on the days when you were hardest on your appearance, and that which you could partly agree on the days when you did like your appearance).  But you just wanted to show others that maybe, you were a physical match to Ace too. 

“I’m intrigued now,” he said, standing back.  “Show me?”

You let out a breath and slowly released the cape, letting it fall at your side.

Ace whistled low.  “That’s some enemy lair.”

It was a very revealing costume.  Thankfully not as revealing as Robin’s or Nami’s.  But it still exposed a vast amount of your skin.  Your legs, your stomach, most of your chest.  You had on a very short black skirt, and a very small crop.  Essentially, the ultimate costume design had you, Nami, and Robin all looking like Satan’s daughters.  All good for a raid on Onigashima!  Or so Nami had explained.

“It was Nami’s idea, but I thought, you know, I’m always really kind of dorky next to you so I thought…”

He raised a brow, then he chuckled, bracing his hands on your waist.  “Who cares what others think?  I happen to think you’re an excellent physical match for me.”

You blushed at that, a small shiver passed through in anticipation.  He seemed to notice, backing you against the wall, bracing an arm above your head. 

Just as he was about to kiss you, however, it took everything in you to cover his mouth with your hands. 

“Uh-uh, I don’t want to waste another hour fixing my makeup.”

“We could skip?”

You feigned a gasp, these days feeling more bold around him, now that you knew he seemed to find your oddness more adorable and interesting than just plain weird.  “And not show our friends how well we match physically?”

He chuckled, more at how red your skin had gotten, at how much it had taken for you to stay still.  He pressed a kiss to your cheek instead, with a mischievous glimmer in his eyes that said, if you were willing, he would help you undress later.  Still new to this part of your relationship with him, you blushed furiously.

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

"Reader and Ace are ready for the Halloween party" flashback scene from my modern (sports - lacrosse) au fic, A Pair of Reds, over on AO3 (former Portgas D. Ace X reader pairing; Eustass Kid X reader endgame)

[acesdiary]

Ashes of the flowers

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notes: @captainportgasdace, you asked for it

warnings: none :3

paring: Portgas D Ace x gn!reader

wc: 480

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Ace was always nervous around you. Even when you first joined the crew, he was thumbing the belt loops of his shorts and tilting his hat down to hide his red cheeks when you laughed at one of the jokes he recited in his head. And when you asked him out? Oh, he swore he almost questioned that deep desire to never have been born- keyword, almost. And when he asked ‘…are you sure???’, you just laughed with that stupidly stunning smile of yours and nodded.

He was head over heels from the start. But no amount of alcohol or adrenaline or mental pep-talk could get rid of that giddy feeling in his chest when you kissed his cheek or played with his hair or stole his hat. He set that feeling into action, surprising you with small gifts from whatever mission he was on or holding you oh-so gently at night and whispering how much he appreciated you, his spark, his reason.

But the former was always a hit or miss. Getting so nervous made his powers act up, and his clammy hands turned into balls of fire in an instant (he promptly learned to control it after a very close call the first few times you held his hand).

So when he had gotten back from a particularly long mission—a little over a month—he stood in front of your cabin with hand-picked flowers bundled by his palms. A single knock on your door, and he was already trembling, his hands unknowingly searing the stems, and he smelt the smoke rising to his nose. Before he knew it, half the petals were withered and the stems were charcoal. And before he could hide them away, think of some way to salvage them and turn them into a decent gift for you, you were already staring at him in the doorway.

As happy as he was to see you, his faltering smile dropped gradually as he looked at what remained of the flowers.

“…They reminded me of you, since they were really pretty, but I might’ve burnt them a teeny tiny bit.” He slumped his shoulders and scrunched his nose in embarrassment, bringing the withered flowers up to his face and hiding behind them.

“…Sorry.”

You let out a small chuckle in response, taking the burnt flowers by it’s stem into your palm,

“Hey, don’t worry about it, Ace, I’ll still take them, even if they’re burnt.” You said with a comforting grin, placing a gentle hand on his right shoulder.

His disappointed pout completely disappeared from his face, turning into a wide grin, “Really?” He exclaimed

“Yup,” You chided in response.

“Are you sure?”

“Mhm,”

“Are you really, really sure?”

“Positive.”

“Like are you really-“

“Just shut up and come in,” You said with a small, amused smile, opening the door wider so he could enter your cabin.

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Please don’t repost this on any other platform without asking for permission on either dms or my discord!

reblogs would be appreciated!

m.list

[onim5]

🎃A Dead Pirate🎃

🎃Halloween specials🎃

Portgas D. Ace x Reader

Warnings: Uh, dead person?

There is no mention of gender.

--------------------------------------

Ace head hung low as he sat chained to the wall. His body was damp and wounded. The worst part was the fact that he felt weak. Defeated could be a good word for it, but it felt horrible on the tongue. Glancing up, his eyes caught glance of the same dead eyes that had been staring at him for days. The body was crumpled, broken, and molding. The poor human seemed to have starved to death.

"Who's that?" Ace asks as a guard pass by. The older man stops and looks at the dead body.

"That's Y/n L/n. They were a pirate that we were supposed to execute 74 years ago." He answers, looking at the stiff molding body.

"Why didn't you execute them?" Ace asks, glaring back at the dead eyes of Y/n.

"I heard they tried, but failed, and failed. It was impossible to kill them, so they locked them up to rot and die. Never to see sunlight again." The guard explains.

"Why still have them here? Their dead. Why not take back the cell?" Ace asks, his voice a little raspy.

"We can't." The guard states, looking at the dead body of Y/n. Ace raised his eyebrow, curious.

"Whoever comes within a 4 meter range to their body dies. That includes if you, for example, shoot her, then the one who fired dies." And as to prove the guards' words, fate sends a small mouse near Y/n, and it died immediately, its body going numb and lifeless within a second. Ace eyes widened in shock. What kind of curse could that be?

"We sometimes use them for quick executions, for pirates that we just need to get rid of, and don't need a public execution like you." The guard then adds. Ace can't stop his blood from boiling in anger. They're using them as a weapon?! How pathetic of them. Ace turned his attention back to Y/n. He felt bad. It's not like they wanted to end like this, right?

"How come I haven't heard of them before?" Ace asks. He felt like some immortal pirate would cause a lot of legends and rumors.

"The government covered all the traces of them. They didn't like the fact that a pirate could stand their power. Only people like me who heard it from the few guards that lived during her time are aware." The guard explains.

"Why tell me then? If it's a secret?" Ace asks, glancing over to the guard.

"You die soon anyway. At Marineford." The guard scoffs. Ace held back his tongue. It was true, after all.

Some days pass, and Ace's concentration never leaves the dead pirate. It's just that it is staring at him. In a way, is it suffocating. Jinbei gets locked up with him. And he hadn't heard of this pirate either, though he admitted that the curse or ability the dead body possesses is one not to mess with.

Magellan and a lot of guards come to Ace. It was time to transport him to Marineford. It's the worst situation he ever been in since his brother and friends were gonna risk their life just to save his.

Before they can leave an echoing sound of something hard falling to the floor, stop them. All slowly turned to look at the dead body of Y/n to find the skeletal arm had fallen out. The same sound echoed but more muffled since this arm had more flesh left on it.

"But, it hasn't moved for years?!" A guard panics scared, since it had been totally still and stiff for the past decades. The head of Y/n slowly looks up at them, her destroyed head, making some guards yelp in fear. The tension was thick, and it felt like they were all stuck.

Magellan watches nervously. How is it even possible?!

Ace didn't know what to believe. A dead body is moving. . . .wait, why is it starring at him?

"Come join me after your death." Their deep voice says to Ace, it had clearly not been used for long, decades. Then, the former pirate started turning into dust, disintegrating away. Leaving an empty cell. . . . . . . .

----------------------

Masterlist

Halloween specials

[princesskenny1998]

One Piece | Shanks LeRoux x platonic!f!Marine!LeRoux!reader (x Monkey D. Luffy) ~ Deserteur, PT.1

The day is bright and warm, an ordinary day by all appearances. But as you stride down the halls of Marine Headquarters, your thoughts are tangled in a storm. You’ve been hearing whispers all morning about a high-profile execution—Portgas D. Ace.

As a Marine Rear Admiral, you’re used to hearing rumors and reports of battles and high-profile arrests. But this… Ace. You have to read the report for yourself, convince yourself that it isn’t true.

It feels like the world stops spinning when you see his name, written in cold, official script. “Portgas D. Ace: Execution at Marineford.” You grip the paper, your mind reeling, and flashbacks flood in unbidden. Images of a young boy with a wide grin, arms thrown around you and his younger brother Luffy as he vowed to protect you both.

You remember growing up with them, the days on Dawn Island filled with laughter, scraped knees, stolen food, and promises. And though you became a Marine, after going with Garp, it never changed your love for them. As a child, you’d made promises, too. Promises to protect them, no matter what, to make sure, that they could live their dreams. But now, standing in Marine Headquarters, those memories feel like another lifetime.

And then, there’s Luffy, the boy that held your heart in his hands since you were 13 years old. If Ace is executed, you know he’ll come for him, no matter the danger. The thought fills you with a dread you can’t shake. You feel trapped between two worlds—the Marine life you worked so hard to build and the people you love, your family.

But your decision is made before you even realize it.

In the dead of night, you pack only the essentials, grab your coat, and slip out of Marine Headquarters. With every step away from the base, the weight of your decision settles over you. You’re not just leaving the Marines; you’re deserting them. A Rear Admiral, abandoning her rank, her post… but nothing feels as important now as getting to Marineford in time to save Ace. To protect Luffy.

When you finally make it to Marineford, the battle is in full force. The sound of cannons, the clash of swords, and cries of both pain and fury echo across the battlefield. Pirates and Marines alike fill the air with smoke and dust, and you weave through the chaos, searching desperately for Ace and Luffy.

You don’t care about hiding. You don’t care who sees you. All that matters is reaching them.

Finally, you catch sight of them in the distance, and your heart clenches. There he is—Ace, chained, with Luffy fighting frantically to reach him. Your gaze shifts to Luffy, and you can see the exhaustion in his movements, the pain in his eyes, yet he fights on with unwavering determination.

You don’t hesitate. You draw your weapon, charging forward to join the fight, cutting through Marine lines to carve a path toward Ace and Luffy. Shouts break out around you as Marines recognize you, their comrade-turned-traitor. You’re vaguely aware of the shock on their faces, the calls of “Deserter!” and “Traitor!” but you push it aside. None of it matters anymore.

Then, as you fight, someone shouts something that makes the battlefield freeze for a heartbeat: “Shanks’ daughter!”

The revelation ripples across the field like wildfire. Eyes turn toward you, your Marine coat stained with the dark red blood of your former colleagues. They stare at you, piecing it together—the red hair, the fierce, determined look in your eyes, a look that matches Shanks’ own. But you don’t care. Let them know. Let the world know who you are, who your family is. All that matters is getting to them.

Finally, you reach Ace, just as he’s freed from his chains. He stands beside Luffy, and there’s a fleeting moment where relief washes over you, hope blossoming in your chest. You can get him out. You can still save him.

But hope shatters as quickly as it came.

A burst of fire. A flash of light. And then you see him—Admiral Akainu, his hand plunged into Ace’s chest, magma dripping from his fist. You freeze, the world blurring, fading. It feels as if time itself has slowed to a crawl.

Ace falls forward, collapsing into Luffy’s arms, blood staining the ground. You scream, rushing forward, but your legs feel like lead. You drop to your knees beside him, reaching out with trembling hands, unable to believe what you’re seeing. Ace looks up at you, his gaze weak but still somehow warm, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“I’m sorry…” he murmurs, his voice faint. “I needed to… to protect him.”

You shake your head, tears blurring your vision. “No, Ace… we were supposed to get you out. We were—” Your words choke, lost in the sound of your own heartbreak.

Ace lifts a hand, placing it gently on your cheek. “Thank you… for coming. Thank you all... for loving me.” His hand falls, his eyes closing, and you’re left holding him, feeling his warmth slip away.

The pain is overwhelming, crushing. You can barely breathe, barely think. Luffy’s cries break through the haze, and you turn to him, seeing his face twisted in anguish, his body shaking with grief. He’s hurt, bloodied, his spirit shattered.

And then, as if the world itself wants to drive the blade deeper, an attack comes toward Luffy. You try to shield him, but you’re too slow, too numb. He’s struck, his body crumpling under the blow. The last thing you see is him, unconscious, vulnerable. Your heart breaks all over again, and something in you shuts down, unable to bear the weight of it all.

Your mind goes blank. The battlefield fades away, and all that remains is darkness.

When you come to, you’re no longer on the battlefield. The chaos of Marineford, the screams and blood—gone. You feel a gentle sway beneath you, the familiar rocking of a ship. For a moment, you think you must be dreaming, but when you open your eyes, you see a familiar tall, red-haired figure sitting beside you.

Your father.

Shanks looks at you, his gaze filled with a quiet, profound sadness. He reaches out, brushing a hand over your hair like he used to when you were a child and still sailing with him. “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he murmurs, his voice heavy with grief.

The memories rush back—the sight of Ace, the weight of him slipping away in your arms, Luffy’s broken form on the battlefield. The pain hits you like a tidal wave, and your body tenses, the grief too raw, too overwhelming.

Shanks pulls you into his arms, holding you close as you shake, your tears spilling freely. “It’s okay,” he whispers, his voice a balm against the agony. “Let it out. I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

You cling to him, the tears falling harder, letting yourself break in his arms. He doesn’t let go, doesn’t try to shush you, just holds you through it, as steady and constant as the ocean itself. It reminds you of your childhood, to the times where he comforted you after your mother had died.

Days pass on the ship, but it feels as though time itself has frozen over. Shanks stays by your side, keeping you close, a steady presence as you begin to piece yourself back together. You barely speak, your mind still numb, your heart still heavy. Every time you close your eyes, you see Ace’s face, his final smile, and you feel the ache all over again.

One evening, as the sun sets, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson, Shanks joins you on the deck, standing beside you in silence. After a while, he speaks, his voice soft.

“I know what you’re feeling,” he says. “The weight of losing someone you love… it doesn’t go away easily. But I also know that they wouldn’t want us to stay in that darkness. I learned that, after your mother died, I still had you to live for.”

You don’t respond, staring out at the horizon, the sea stretching endlessly before you. You feel hollow, as if a piece of you died with Ace. And Luffy… you don’t know where he is, don’t know if he’s alright. The thought fills you with a gnawing worry, but Shanks places a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“Luffy’s alive,” he tells you, as if reading your mind. “This Trafalgar Law took him to safety. He’ll heal.”

Relief floods through you, loosening the knot of worry that’s been tightening in your chest. Knowing that Luffy’s alive, that he has a chance to heal, soothes a part of you. But the grief remains, a weight you know you’ll carry for the rest of your life.

Shanks turns to you, his gaze gentle but firm. “You have a choice to make,” he says. “What you do from here… it’s up to you. Whether you fight, whether you find peace, whether you take time to heal… just know that you also have a family here. I’m here.”

You look at him, seeing the love and understanding in his eyes, the acceptance. For the first time, you let yourself lean into it, let yourself truly feel the bond you share with him. He’s always been there for you, even if he had left you on Dawn Island, even as you strayed, even if you chose a different path. And now, as you stand at a crossroad, he’s here, offering you the chance to start again.

You take a deep breath, the salty sea air filling your lungs, grounding you. It’s a long journey ahead, and the pain won’t fade overnight. But with your father by your side, you know you’ll find the strength to keep going.

And someday, you’ll find a way to honor Ace’s memory. To live, not just for him, but for yourself. For Luffy. For the family you’ve lost, and the family you still have.

[mugiwara-rosewolf]

All My Life

Part One II Part Two

Sabo x F! Reader

Summary: Reader has been a Revolutionary since birth. But her first mission went terribly wrong, leaving her friend Sabo terribly scarred. They've stuck together since the day he lost his memory--but she remembers everything. So when news hits the papers, and Sabo falls ill, Reader has to grapple with the outcomes and consequences of her first and longest-running mission. Has she succeeded or failed? What happens when her former-amnesiac Sabo finally remembers her?

Warnings: Slight Canon Divergence, Canon Typical Trauma, Medium Angst & Mild Cursing.

ROGER'S SON, FIRE FIST ACE, DEAD AT MARINEFORD

This is it. I failed. Two out of three thoughts circled in Y/N's head. Day in and day out. Sun up to sun down. The third, well, the third, was on a loop all its own. A sensation not unlike an iron brand or an ice pick to the chest every time she heard those words inside her head.

Guard him with your life.

That's what Dragon had told her. Her, her mother, her father - her parent's final mission when they set off all those years ago. 'I've hidden something precious on that island. Your mission is to Guard it with your life.' At first, she thought it was just Luffy she was meant to protect. They had docked at Fuschia Village and moved in right next to a little barkeep and one Monkey D. Luffy, and she assumed that was the end of that. Just keep that little twerp out of trouble as best she could, and her mission would be complete.

Then those blasted pirates came to town and threw a wrench in their plans. She should've known those pirates were a goddamned trouble magnet. Bringing mountain bandits down on their heads. Convincing Luffy to stab himself in the face...and that stupid straw hat. After that, things only ever got worse. Luffy was dragged into the mountains by his grandfather, so of course, Y/N chased after him. But then - for reasons unfathomable to her - Luffy started chasing after Ace. The idiot was constantly risking his life for the sake of some stranger who literally put the two of them through Hell.

Of course, that boy would turn out to be the son of a Demon.

Portgas D Ace, the lost son and only descendant of the legendary Gold Roger. A boy she hadn't put any stock in at first. A feral child she assumed to be some spawn that loud-mouthed bandit lady didn't want. At first, the truth sent Y/N reeling.

Wait, is this what Dragon really meant? She thought. Something Precious. Guard it with your Life.

Suddenly, not was she in the presence of the son of Dragon, but also the son of Roger -- two of the most wanted legacies in all the world. Two lives the World Government would love to snuff out for good. Guard it with your life. Guard it with your life. The words kept cycling, skipping, repeating in her head over and over again. So that's what she did.

Sworn to secrecy, Y/N dedicated herself to ensuring that Luffy and Ace survived to reach their majority. Saving Luffy's sorry butt from those blasted Blue Jam Pirates. Bailing that hot-tempered Ace out of fights he couldn't win. Teaching both boys how to sneak behind grownups undetected. To pick their pockets. To play to their sympathies and get what ya want from them. Garp and the bandits called them all reckless hoodlums. But the only hoodlum who had ever reached back and saved her skin - was Sabo.

He knew the lay of the land better than almost anyone. Could navigate both Grey Terminal and the Inner City even with his eyes closed. And if Ace wouldn't listen to her in a fight (which was often), he would listen to Sabo. And that was good enough for her. He was kinder to Luffy than either Ace or Y/N had the patience for, trying his best to train the boy in his devil fruit even with no powers of his own.

Powerless. She remembered that day. The day that golden boy in blue turned himself into - no, for us. Y/N bit her cheek. He left to save us.

She remembered the night when the fire started. Everything happened at once till all that came to mind was a rush of sensations. The smell of burning flesh. The ring of dying screams. The stampede of footsteps, desperate to escape.

'Luffy! Ace!'

Howling and screaming for her parents in the wreckage, when she couldn't see a thing.

'Mama! Papa!'

Lost in the maze of melting metal and tongues of flame. Guard them with your life. Guard them with your life. The words on repeat and repeat and repeat - and then he appeared. The source of that never-ending mantra.

Monkey D. Dragon himself.

Y/N reported the situation, just as she'd been trained. It didn't matter that she was straining for breath. The tears blurring her vision didn't matter. Coarse hands smeared the saltwater and grime from her cheeks.

'Head to the ship,' His deep voice instructed. 'I will take it from here.'

Y/N did as she was told. Upon Dragon's ship, her fellow Revolutionaries were awaiting her. All senior agents and officers. She spent all night in the crow's nest of that ship, watching the black plumes of smoke rise into the night. Eyes eagerly searched the dancing firelight for any silhouette she might recognize.

'Luffy, Ace, Mama, Papa - where are you?'

Surely Dragon would find them. Surely Dragon would take them home. Goa was no longer safe if it ever was. Surely Ace and Luffy could be better protected on Baltigo. Surely she and her family could take a break from active duty. Then finally, she could be honest with her friends.

Her parents never came home.

She never saw her friends again.

Upon the first light of morning, the only thing she saw was the smouldering wastes of Grey Terminal. -What was left of it, anyway. The Revolutionaries set to caring for those who escaped the wreckage. The refugees who now, more so than ever, had truly lost everything. All that day, Y/N's fellow agents looked after the wounded, offering them food and drink, even a place among their ranks. All the while, Y/N kept her eyes fixed on what remained of her family's hunting grounds. The jungle was thankfully untouched. The Upper City almost disgustingly so. But she saw no movement amidst the smoke and metal. No familiar silhouettes. No one.

The only things of note were the sounds of cheering and the blasting of a canon. Some sort of fanfare or festival must've been going on on the other side of the city. The sky scraping sprawl of the Nobles' estates kept Y/N from getting a clear view of its source. The Celestial Dragons must've been approaching the southerly port, she thought. She wouldn't have known that if Sabo hadn't drawn a map for her all those months ago.

Sabo... Her chest ached at the thought. She imagined the boy trapped behind a window in one of those pristine white buildings. His whole life was condemned to stay behind layers upon layers of cold stone walls. If Ace and Luffy died in that fire, their brother would never be free.

And what about me? The thought occurred to her as a chill down her spine. What force for good would she be if she knew he was trapped there and did nothing? What kind of friend would she be if she left them all behind? Yet again, Dragon's commission reverberated in her mind. Guard them with your life. Guard them with your life. --but how?!

Sunlight was already being swallowed by the sea by the time Dragon returned. Y/N could see the black of his cloak wandering between piles of smouldering rubble. But beyond her target's line of sight, something else caught her eye. Out there, floating in on the tide, was a familiar stove pipe hat. The glint of those oversized goggles at their brim was unmistakable.

Sabo!

Without a thought, Y/N leapt from the crows' nest and dove headfirst into that tepid water. The impact stole the breath from her lungs. But she didn't have time to stop. Arms and legs pressed her onwards, chest burning. Through the blur of the salt water, she could see the petite silhouette, those tailored blue clothes stained in smoke and blood.

Blood-?! Y/N paddled faster. The current pushed and pulled her side to side, tearing her off course, but she would not be deterred. Diving deeper, she perched herself on the nearest boulder on the ocean floor. She could feel the pressure of the ocean trying to pull her down. But the shadow cast by Sabo's limp body in the water spurred her on. She pushed off the rock and up towards the surface. Her arms crooked *just so* to catch Sabo under his arms and catapult them into the fresh air.

Foam and shards of wood sprayed around her. Y/N gasped for air. Every muscle burned and ached. Beyond her, a discordant choir of voices were hollering and calling out her name. She could see her leader's black cloak reach the shoreline. His strides paused upon hearing his crew's commotion.

'Dragon-sama!' she cried. 'Here! Right here!'

The Revolutionary turned. Every scrap of seafaring wind squealed in shock at what he saw.

'Help!' Y/N called out. 'He's hurt, please!'

The tides seemed rattled by the change in weather. A breaking wave shoved both Y/N and her unconscious friend forward. Out of her eye, she saw that stove pipe hat getting knocked about in the torrent. Wait-! Grabbing a nearby bar of flotsam wood, Y/N scrambled to hook the hat like a fish on a spear and fling it towards the shoreline. When the next wave hit, she transferred her limp friend's weight from her front to her back. When her feet finally touched the sand, she could race to Dragon's side and snatch Sabo's hat from him.

'We need to get a doctor, sir, right away.'

Dragon blinked. As he scanned the injured Sabo from head to toe, something shifted in his face.

'Y/N, do you know this boy?'

'Yessir,' No reason to lie to her leader. 'He and Luffy were bond brothers.' she glanced at her friend's face. Dripping in saltwater and blood. Everything within her ached. '...All he wanted was to be free.'

Her elder nodded. 'Very well. We can grant him that much.'

And that was the beginning. Or...maybe the end? Y/N never resumed her initial mission in Fuschia Village. When Dragon told her about her parent's fates in the fire, he formally dismissed her from active duty. She tried to press the issue, saying Luffy and Ace still needed her, but to that, he said:

'At least one of them has unlocked Conqueror's Haki. After this, neither should find much danger in the East Blue.'

Your job has been done for you. --He didn't say that last part, but she certainly heard it in his voice. Her mother always said, 'Spies are well versed in the art of subtext'.

Now, years later, come to find out, neither of her East Blue friends had ever been safe. From the moment Ace left Fuschia, he was dogged by an Ensign and then enslaved by a Yonko. Two Yonko, if Y/N's information network was to be believed. She found it hard once she got word that Ace was pursuing an exiled crewmate who'd turned around and murdered another in their ranks. That second Yonkou, Whitebeard - Ace wouldn't have done that if he didn't believe in the old geezer.

Then Luffy was chased to Paradise by an East Blue captain, where he proceeded to dethrone one of the Shichibukai! And several more after that! Hell, Luffy went all the way to Enies Lobby and fucking declared War on the World Government! The first time Y/N read that headline, she swore she nearly had an aneurysm. Meanwhile, Dragon was sitting at the head of the conference table fucking smirking about it. Little did she know things were only gonna get worse from there.

Ace was captured by the Marines.

Ace was sent to the deepest level of Impel Down.

Ace was revealed publicly to be the son of Gold Roger.

Ace was sentenced to be executed at Marineford.

A secret of the highest clearance has been exposed to the world - and Y/N wasn't there to keep him safe. Not like she promised. Not like she'd been tasked to do for as long as she could remember. Her orders were to 'guard them with your life'. ...And she hadn't done it.

The moment she heard the news of Ace's arrest, she raced to Dragon's office immediately. Requested reconnaissance, search and rescue, and any team fast enough to get him out of Impel Down before Luffy decided to pull a stupid and do it himself. Because he would. She knew he would. Because she still knew him, even after all these years.

Being a part of the Revolutionary Army, agents were forbidden from contacting anyone outside their trusted communications channels. Even passing on a message through her own communication network was considered a breach of conduct. Ace and Luffy probably didn't even know she was alive, or that Sabo was alive. But then again...Sabo didn't even know Ace and Luffy existed.

'Sir, if we don't act first, your son is gonna put himself in danger,' She remembered arguing with her leader. Something she never would've dared to do as a child. 'If he dies trying to break Roger's son out of Impel Down, then -'

'You are certain that will be his next course of action?'

'Of course, sir, Luffy and Ace are bond brothers. Same as he and Sabo. Luffy would drop everything to save his Naka-'

'Evidence serves to the contrary.'

'Are you kidding me?!' Dragon threw her a stern look. Y/N winced. 'A-all due respect, sir, but the whole reason Enies Lobby happened is because Luffy was looking to rescue a crewmate.'

'A crewmate who also happens to be a valuable asset,' Dragon noted. 'The last scholar of Ohara capable of reading the Poneglyphs.'

'That's not why he did it, and you know it.'

'Do I?'

You would, if you any spent time with your son. Y/N knew better than to say that retort out loud. Instead, she said: 'Sir, the first orders you ever gave me were to protect the secrets you'd hidden on Goa. Ace may no longer be a secret, but if we don't act, Luffy's cover will be blown, too.'

'Portgas D Ace has nothing to do with your orders.' Dragon said sternly. 'Your request is denied.'

'But Sir-!'

'Our mission is to free the people. Not one man,' The man's eyes were sharp as flint and harder than bedrock. 'Your request is denied, Y/N. Let. It. Go."

And he was right. Y/N hated to say it, or even to think it, if only to herself. But Dragon was right. The resources required to ensure success, either infiltrating Impel Down or foiling his transport to Marineford, would likely ruin their chances completely. If they were to fail, their forces would be wiped out. Their plans for the Reverie would be compromised. And the Revolution could not afford that...not even for the sake of her friend.

The Army's mission was to free the people. Not one man. Dragon was right. She knew. He told her to let it go, and she tried. Tried to fight other battles and go on other missions with Koala and Hack, and Sabo. -But she was off her game. Getting knocked by blades and bullets, she should've been able to dodge. Stealing more files from outposts than they'd actually need. Striking too hard and accidentally killing a few enemy soldiers. Something Hack most definitely disapproved of. Koala pinched her cheeks and tugged on her ears. Tying bandages too tight and making new bruises when Y/N scrambled for excuses. Hack even noted how he sensed her Chakras were out of balance or something.

But the worst part of it was Sabo. At team meetings, he would keep sneaking glances at her. Even when she stood on his left side, where he couldn't see, and his scar left no sign of any eyebrows furrowing in concern - she could still sense it from him. It was in the way he stood close enough to brush her shoulders in the hallway. Or the way he'd play with her fingers under the table. It had started out as a habit to help him sit still during class when they were little. But now, she knew it was a reassuring gesture. Something he did to reassure himself they were both okay. - Which meant he was picking up on the fact that she was not, in fact, okay. And that was a problem.

What she didn't expect what just how big of a problem it would grow to become.

It happened when she was going to Dragon's office, having just gussied up the courage to argue with him about this whole Ace debacle (again). She'd just bypassed Sabo and Koala in the officer's lobby, she caught hold of the whispers in the halls.

'Hey, check it out, the News Coo just arrived,'

'Eh, Hack-san, you better take a look at this,'

'Hm? New on the war, I presume.'

'Yea. It's finally over. The only reported casualties were Whitebeard, the Emporer, and -' Y/N's stomach twisted. '-Fire Fist Ace.'

Every drop of lifeblood in her body immediatley sank to the floor. Y/N's knees shook. The world spun around her. She couldn't think, could barely breathe. Y/N scrambled to clutch the nearest wall for support to keep her upright.

Ace, Ace, no- She gasped. Her eyes burned. Like she was drowning in salt water all over again. the corridor blurred around her. Only she wasn't in a hallway anymore. She was looking up from the bottom of the ocean as someone else's corpse floated above her. Corpses. Y/N clasped a hand over her mouth in an effort to contain her sobs. Ace, Luffy - oh, Luffy....

The headline staring her in the face was more than proof enough. That freckled face. That mane of tangled hair. That wicked smirk pressed ear to ear on the front page of the News Coo - that was him.

That's when she heard it.

A voice screamed - a howling cry of anguish and agony. Y/N's heart seized in her chest.

Sabo.

That's when it all went to shit.

***

Ahhh! This got way out of hand. I am so sorry, my dear but I'm afraid the epic conclusion to this swelling saga has become its own 3rd part. Please forgive my tardiness. I hope when this is all complete, you will find this story well worth the wait.

All the best,

Rose

[kookie-doughs]

Again And Again

Portgas D Ace X Reader

-Amatsuki Y/N decided to stay in the future without her sister upon meeting a friend’s son.

Chapter 1: Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

The Oro Jackson, with its grand sails, docks at the port of Wano. The crew members, including the you and your brother-in-law, Oden, stand on the deck, your faces filled with melancholy. The golden rays of the setting sun cast a bittersweet glow on the scene.

You look down to your leg and there held on, was Buggy who was practically sobbing and Shanks who looked at you sadly.

"Hey I'm also leaving, why do you two only care about Y/N?" Oden sighed.

You were the only woman on board, it made sense they'd get attached to you. You were the crew's princess after all.

And to be fair... it wasn't just the two kids who held onto you.

"Roger get off her." Rayleigh sighed as he pulled his captain away.

"This crew has been my family, and I'm grateful for every moment we spent together... I'm going to miss you all." You say with your voice trembling.

"Y/N DON'T FORGET US! ALWAYS PAY US A VISIT OKAY?! NO MATTER WHAT TIME IT IS!!" Roger says as he struggles from his first-mate's hold.

"Take care of yourself... We'll miss you so much." Shanks says and lets go of your leg and pulls the sobbing Buggy with him.

"We'll see each other again, I promise! This isn't going to be the last!" Oden cheers.

"Thank you for everything. We won't forget any of you. I promise to see you again!!" You smiled.

As you and Oden descend the gangplank and step onto the solid ground of Wano, you turn to face your cherished family for the last time. The crew members line the deck, waving and calling out their farewells, their voices filled with emotion.

"Goodbye, everyone! Thank you for making this journey unforgettable." You yell at them waving.

"Farewell, my friends. We'll always cherish the memories we made together." Oden says with tears and a smile.

The ship slowly sails away, and the distance between the crew and you and Oden grows. The crew members stand united, watching their friends depart, hearts heavy with both sadness and pride for the incredible adventures that they had gone through together.

"I miss my Toki so much, come on!" Oden yells as he grabs you and carries you like one of his bags.

Something you've gotten used to over the years of being with him.

"Y/N!" Your sister greets you as soon as you arrive.

Her husband falls as you have won her attention first.

You hug your sister, "Oh how I've missed you."

Two children, came rushing in the room to hug their father. After Toki gave Oden a kiss she pulls you aside to catch up.

"Toki, Oden was looking forward to you." You laughed.

"He can wait, we have a lot of time." She rolled her eyes, "So? Catch me up! Tell me everything."

Toki, was the dearest person to you. You could tell she also holds you close to her 3rd only to her children.

You two are peas of the same pod after all, twins with similar yet opposite power.

"I had thought you would've ended up with Roger." Your sister chuckled as you tell her your story.

"Oh god no. Rayleigh was definitely more of my type. But alas, I couldn't get attracted to them."

"You are a liar. I know you and your type is definitely Roger."

"Whatever! Go spend time with your husband!" You rolled your eyes causing her to laugh.

~

News from outside Wano travel a whole lot slower. The news was year ago, why have you only gotten it now?

Amigasa Village, here you were the last place you saw your dear former captain.

"Y/N?" Oden came to you, Toki following after him.

"I heard Roger died a year ago." You smile sadly at the couple.

"Oh did he?" Oden sat beside you.

"Yeah, paper says Marines got him. They executed him after he went on about One Piece." You laughed.

"That's bull." Oden laughed with you. "Marines trying to look good."

You sat in silence as you stare at the waters, Remembering the ship that had left you here not long ago.

"I wonder how the others are..."

"Well considering the news was a year ago. They probably don't think much of it."

"I want to see..."

"See what?"

"Hey Toki," you turn to your sister. "Can you take me to the future?"

The couple froze.

"What?"

"I can't let you go alone."

"We can't do anything with how things are right now. I want to see how it is in the future."

"I said I refuse to let you go off alone." Toki reiterates.

"I can always come back."

"Y/N there's a reason you haven't gone back and fixed Wano. You can't simply go back to past and future like that." Oden reminds you.

"I can come back after a year. It's not that long."

"What if you get in trouble to whenever I send you?"

"Toki, I sailed with Roger Pirates for years and trained with Oden. I'll handle myself fine."

"What do you even want to see? Why do you have to leave?" Oden sighed

"I want to see the world."

"Y/N... What if the future isn't something you like?" Toki says sadly.

"I'll wait till I can come back. A year wait shouldn't be too bad."

"A lot can happen in a year." Oden replies.

"I'll go back anyway. Somehow, I'll find a way. I'll get back to you."

"The future isn't even great."

"How would you know? Toki, please. I want to see outside of Wano."

"Promise you'll come back..."

You smile at your sister. "i swear."

A light envelops you.

"I'll see you in a year."

"Ill see you in 19 years." You smiled.

And then, there you were.

In a beach. You were luckily familiar with the place. It hasn't changed. You smile.

You would've thought your sister or your nephew or niece would be here to greet you.

You make your way to the village. There you saw children running around with men who didn't seem to be citizens of Wano.

The village looked poor, it surprised you how much life it had despite it.

"Who are you?" You hear a voice behind you. "You're not someone from this village."

The man wore a mask over his eyes. He is a muscular man with spiky long light blue hair, and wears a very long opened coat which stretches down to his knees and leaves his chest exposed.

You looked at him confused. He was most definitely a pirate. But what was a pirate doing here?

Pulling out your Katana on your hip you point it at the man.

"Do you serve Kaido?" You glared.

People gathered and gasped. The citizens tried to get help. The man was unarmed after all.

"I don't." The man says nonchalantly.

You were about to hide your sword when you felt a presence that was coming behind you.

You envelop your sword with haki and slashed at the direction of the attacker, you didn't put much power into the attack as you didn't want to be hostile to someone who isn't an enemy.

The flame that was coming to you was cut and it turned into a man. His arm had been cut.

"I do not wish to fight!" You clear it up before he attacks once again. Putting your sword away to prove it.

The man in the form of flame materializes. You froze when he looked at you.

A familiar feeling swells in your chest. They shared almost no striking similarities aside from their jet-black hair and the intense darkness of their eyes. But you felt something the man before exuded an air of charisma and determination, possessing an unwavering spirit that drew others to them like a magnetic force. Just as the man you followed before.

It was something you had always admired on your former captain. You looked at the man in front of you awestruck.

"Who the hell are you?" the man gritted his teeth, angered at the fact you pointed your sword at his friend.

But you were too engrossed in your thoughts to pay mind to his question.

This seemed to be destiny was it not? In your despair of losing Roger, you travel in time only to be in the arms of you assume to be his son.

You smile as your tears formed. You had promised to meet him again after all. It wasn't like you can meet him again. You were in wano during the incidents.

"I asked you something." The man calls for your attention again.

Your tears slowly dripped and your smile grew wider, "I'm Y/N."

The man shocked by your tears, came over to you, "I-If you're not an enemy I'm not going to fight you! Don't cry!"

You laughed causing your tears to fall more. "To think you'd be the one here. Maybe you are the future I'm meant to get to."

The man blinks confused, "I-Is that a romantic u-uh I-I..."

Placing a hand on his head to pet him, "You never gave me your name."

"Ace?" He says confused.

Your heartache swelled, yearning to tell Ace about your shared past, about the legendary crew you held dear. But the weight of time and the knowledge that your stories belonged to a bygone era held you back. Instead, you could only stand there, filled with a profound sense of loss and nostalgia.

The encounter with Ace had awakened a longing for the past, but it also reminded you of the joy in forging new connections and embracing the adventures that awaited them in this new era.

He is not Roger. You couldn't wait to get to know Ace.

Masterlist | Next

Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @nykie-love-anime

[m-musings]

Hiya y'all! My name is M and this is my blog for multi-fandom writing! This post will serve as my fandom masterlist and indicator for when requests are open!

I write primarily for fem! readers but will write for gn! readers if requested! The things I write are mostly fluff but I will occasionally try to post stuff with angst!

If there's a character or fandom you don't see listed on here, please feel free to send a fic or headcannons request for them to my ask box!

It does takes me a while to get inspired and write but I do try to have requests posted as soon as I can!

So with that said, I hope you have a nice day and a nice time reading my stuff! Byeeeeeee! :]

REQUESTS: OPEN!!!

MASTERLIST (below the cut!):

The Arcana:

Multiple:

Headcanons: Cuddling with the Arcana Men

Headcanons: The Arcana Characters Love Languages

Headcanons: How Julian, Muriel & Lucio React When They're Jealous (Separate)

Fallout: The Series:

Cooper "The Ghoul" Howard:

Crawl Out Through the Fallout with Me: Cooper "The Ghoul" Howard X Fem! Reader

Multiple:

Headcanons: Fallout Characters Love Language

Headcanons: Fallout Characters + Random Texts W/ Reader

The Mandalorian:

Headcanons: Din Djarin and the 5 Love Languages

Bullseye: Din Djarin x Fem! Reader

Team Fortress 2:

Multiple:

Headcanons: TF2 Mercs + Dumb Pickup Lines

Headcanons: How TF2 Mercs act when they're crushing on Merc!Reader

Overwatch:

Cole Cassidy:

Headcanons: Cole Cassidy as Your Boyfriend

Headcanons: Cole Cassidy with a GN! Teen! Reader (Platonic)

Junkrat / Jamison Fawkes:

Junkrat/Jamison Fawkes as Your Boyfriend

Multiple:

Headcanons: Cassidy, Genji, Hanzo and Ramattra with a Former Talon Test Subject S/O (Separate)

Headcanons: Overwatch Men Saying I Love You for the First Time (Pt 1.)

Headcanons: Overwatch Men Saying I Love You for the First Time (Pt. 2)

One Piece:

Buggy the Clown:

Winging It: Buggy the Clown X Winged! Fem! Reader Pt. 1

Winging it: Buggy the Clown x Winged! Fem! Reader Pt. 2

Not a Joke: Buggy the Clown X Fem! Reader

Zoro Roronoa:

Headcanons: Zoro Roronoa as Your Boyfriend

Multiple:

Headcanons: The One Piece Old Men as Cutesy Relationship Things

Headcanons: The One Piece Old Men with an Older Fem! S/O

Headcanons: Straw Hat Men as Cute Couple Pictures

Headcanons: Hugging One Piece Men

Headcanons: Hugging Portgas D. Ace & Sir Crocodile

Rise of The Guardians (No longer writing for!!!):

Jack Frost:

Headcanons: Jack Frost X Forest Fairy! Reader

Multiple:

Headcanons: Jack Frost, Pitch Black and E. Aster Bunnymund with Grim Reaper! Reader

Headcanons: E. Aster Bunnymund and Pitch Black with a Guardian of Love! S/O

[blackfangedreaper]

Infatuation

Prompt: "You're so sweet."

Pairings: Luffy x Black!fem!reader

Warning: fluff💞, cursing, grammatical errors.

Tags: @closet-degenerate @euphofic @roronoaswifey @luffyinlove @itzgabz22

Note: i wrote this last year i was supposed to oost this before any smut in the dance club au series but i got too excited. Plus i kinda like this idk why i didn't post this earlier.

You quickened your pace trying to keep up with the energetic man, he seemed to forget your legs weren't as long as his. Shanks le roux, the principal of the infamous grandline academy known around the world to be a prestigious and well put school. "And here it is! Our dance studio."

Ah ha! What you were called here for, the dance club. One of the three popular groups in the school, the two being the student council and the debate club; this was because they represent the school in most major events.

Apparently the set of students managing the dance club were shit at it and they needed you; a very popular choreographer, to bring the dance club to its former glory.

"Thank you for this Y/n-san." He said enclosing your hands in his as he smiled softly at you. Your heart leaped what a man! "I-It's no problem at all sir! I'm just really honoured you considered me."

"Ah! Don't be modest! I'm just a really big fan is all" His face heated up waving his hands frantically at the admiration in your eyes. "I'll introduce them, then leave the rest to you."

He swung the doors open letting you see inside the big studio and the people inside. "A big circle guys! We have a new member!" He clapped his hands getting their attention immediately. "This is Y/n L/n! She'll be your new club president from now on, please make her feel at home." He left after saying that, leaving you with a small wave.

Murmurs of 'y/n l/n?!' 'She actually came!' 'Thank God now we don't have to embarrass ourselves any longer.' filled the studio as they heard your name. "Hi! Nice to meet you. I'm Portgas D. Ace call me Ace." Ace smiled charmingly stretching his hands to shake yours.

"It's nice to meet you, let's have a fantastic year together." You both shared sinister smiles. Oh ho ho you were both gonna tear your oppositions down.

You've completely become familiar with the school and the dance club but one thing you couldn't get familiar with was your heart rate speeding up whenever a particular strawhat boy appeared in close proximity. How did you fall for this boy without even spending more than four weeks in school? Well....

After discussing and arranging activities for the dance club you walked around familiarising yourself with your members; their strengths and weaknesses, but you were suddenly interrupted by the doors swinging open. A melodious laugh echoing around the dance studio caught your attention. You swore that was the most beautiful laugh you've ever heard.

You turned to get a glimpse of the person who owned such joyful laugh only to find dark brown almost black doe eyes staring straight in your (e/c) ones. Your heart jumped, face heating up as you noticed there was no space between the both of you. When did he get so close?!

"Hey! Have you seen ace?!" He asked his light voice sounded like wind chimes it was so refreshing you felt breathless. He backed away a little allowing you to see him fully and damn! His ebony locks fell at neck length covering his forehead slightly, a scar with two stitches underneath his left eye and he had a slim muscular build in short he was hot!

"I- A-Ace? Uh- um" Your heart was beating so fast and your face was heating up rapidly. "Huh? Hahaha! What's with you? You're weird!" Luffy blessed you once again with his laugh and suddenly you felt so faint. Simp.

"Hey! Luffy! You're all up in her face! Have some manners!" Ace appeared pulling luffy away from your face. So his name's luffy.

After that day he was always in your mind and it didn't help matters that he came to the club after school everyday with sabo to see ace. You later learned they were all brothers.

Now all you wanted to do was get his attention and you knew dressing up or flirting would just fly over his head, trust me you noticed when a certain college student kept using those tactics to win luffy over.

Another thing you noticed was that he was really popular and friendly, he was friends with the seniors, college students and even teachers! Plus he was never alone and was always with his friends. He was apparently called 'strawhat' due to his iconic strawhat that hung around his neck or on his head everywhere he went.

You watched him walk past you, his crew in tow as they teased him about something, all he did was pout, whining at them to stop before cutely stomping off. The sight of him sulking gave you butterflies, he was so cute! How could someone be so cute.

"Yo! Y/n we're gonna be late!" A friend of yours said dragging you to your next class. Sighing as you were dragged away you looked in the direction he ran to with longing. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

"What's got you so down y/n." You jolted almost choking on your water. After an intense dance session everyone was resting while you kept thinking of a certain strawhat boy. "Ack! What? Nothing... I'm alright."

Ace sighed. "Ever heard of the saying; 'the way through a man's heart is through the stomach?' Hah... Never thought my younger brother would date before me." He sulked as he walked away. "Thanks ace." You whispered a smile on your lips, you caught a little smile and nod from him. 'Go get him.'

And ever since that day you would always make an extra bento just to give it to luffy. He was confused at first until you told him you made excess and didn't want it to go to waste. So everytime you brought a bento for him he would assume you made excess again "Haha! You must make alot y/n!" He would comment as he ate happily.

He started to notice you a little more now, he would call your name in the halls and wave at you anytime he saw you. You were so glad when his introduced you to his friends, they kept giving you and luffy weird glances but all in all they were nice.

Today was a busy day and you had no clubs today so you couldn't give luffy his bento in the dance studio this time so you had to give it to him during the lunch period.

You had made a large five sectioned bento for him cause you knew how much he could eat. The bell for lunch rang and everyone started to head to the huge cafeteria. You walked with your friends, carrying a cute lunch bag that held the huge bento.

Four minutes into lunch and everyone was settled, the camera switches over to luffy and his mates. "Oi luffy slow down! You'll choke!" Nami nagged, fumes coming out from her ears as she shook her hands at him before sighing and turning to scold a laughing ussop.

"Oh my, luffy isn't that y/n over there?" Robin said teasing him. He froze narrowing his eyes before swallowing. "And what's that got to do with me?" Tilting his head innocently, about to dive back into his plate but sat up straight when robin answered him. "Well she's looking right here, right at you infact."

"Ohhhhh!" The strawhats hollered, teasing him as they took in his flustered expression. They noticed his weird fixation on you before he did himself, albeit surprised he had the ability to crush on someone they were really happy for their him, sanji was a little conflicted though.

They heard your friends giggling and turned their attention to you, only to see you walking towards them. Your lips set into a cute smile as your eyes made contact with luffy's before you looked away flustered, the bag in your hand swaying slightly as you waved. "Hi guys!"

You got to their table, greeting them and getting 'heys', 'hellos' and a flirty 'y/n-swan' from them. You chuckled before turning your attention to luffy "Um- i made a bento for you today, take it- Only if you want it i mean!" You chuckled nervously pushing it towards luffy, finally admitting you made a bento for him.

"Of course! I love your cooking y/n!" He said revealing his gums as he smiled at you. Wah! Was he trying to get you to pass out in front of all these people! Your heart skipped a beat at his smile and compliment- wait what? He loved your cooking?

Your heart swelled, your lips taking on a soft smile. "You're so sweet luffy, I'm glad." You turned to walk away before pausing in your step, turning back and pecking his cheek before rushing away. You heard both his table and yours holler as you walked out of the cafeteria too embarrassed to look back.

Not knowing that if you did you would've seen the rear sight of an extremely flustered luffy, his tan skin taking a pink tint, almost red as he caressed the spot he felt your soft lips land. "Shishishi, cute."

[sabo-has-my-heart]

Lemme give you a suggestion for the continuation of that new Ace angst of yours hehe. So, Ace and reader became friends again, right? And Ace is happy if someone else makes the reader happy, right?? What if that someone is Sabo? The two started dating and being lovey-dovey with each other and Ace can't help but be jealous? I mean, he thinks the reader's smile is so much bigger when she's with Sabo than with him? What if Ace can't help but ask Sabo, whenever the latter came back from his and reader's date, about what transpired in the said date? Was the reader happy? Was Sabo treating her right? Was he not doing what Ace did to reader when he started becoming toxic to her?? That's all for now, peace ✌️

UGH! Even as numbed as I am, this shot hard! My heart! Alright, I’m done, let’s angst this shit up!

TW/Warnings: jealousy, ANGST! Nightmares, pining

Word Count: 1150

It had been some months since you gave Ace a second chance, since you let him be friends again, it was a second chance that Ace never once took for granted. He knew he was lucky just to be near you again, that being said, his heart still ached to be in your arms again, whether or not he deserved it. Glancing over at you, another arrow shot through his chest, the ache to be in your arms had gotten worse lately, now that he was watching his brother hold you. He’d told himself that he was just happy to see you happy, that he’d be happy even if you started dating someone else so long as they made you happy, but seeing you with his brother. It wasn’t as painful as it had been when he risked losing you completely, it wasn’t the constant knives bleeding his heart dry, but he couldn’t stop the jealousy. Worse yet, was when he woke up from his dreams, or more often, his nightmares, sobbing, wishing, praying that he could hold you once more. He was sleeping a lot more lately. Even if he was risking the nightmares, it was worth it when he dreamt of you, when he dreamt of being with you once more. He knew what it felt like to be in your arms, for you to be in his and while his dreams couldn’t compare to the real thing, it was the only time he could hold you anymore. That privilege, that blessing, was reserved for his brother now. Watching you laugh as Sabo picked you up and swung you around, even as you told him to stop and put you down. Seeing you so happy again, he remembered when that smile was directed at him. The smile that told him what you said and what you actually wanted were two different things. You said ‘stop’, you said ‘put me down’, but what you meant was ‘hold me tighter’, what you wanted was for him to pull you closer. The truth was, you didn’t want him to stop because he was showering you with love and attention, the same way he’d once done. Worse yet was your smile, he swore that the smile on your face was bigger than he’d ever seen it, bigger than when you were with him. Shik, another blade to his heart. Your smile was bigger… you were happier. Shlunk, the knife pierced deeply this time. Ace often checked in with Sabo, particularly after dates when his brother practically came skipping in through the door. Were you alright? How was the date? What happened? What did the two of you do? … Were you happy? … Was Sabo treating you right? Everytime, the answer was the same. You were doing well, the date was amazing. When Sabo told him how happy you seemed… how well Sabo was treating you… how Sabo wasn’t making the same mistakes he had. Sabo had more female friends than Ace had, Sabo’s exes had been seen around more often, but each time, the blond made sure that you felt like you were the only one in the world, not just for him, but like you were the only thing in all of existence that mattered. It brought some comfort to him that his brother was treating you right, that you were happy. Ace trudged towards his room, he was exhausted, he wasn’t sure how much more he could take, watching you with his brother, seeing your smile. It had to be true, it couldn’t be his imagination, you had to be happier with his brother, right? Ace pulled a drawer open, all the pictures he’d ever taken with you tucked safely inside. Looking through them, was your smile the same as it was back then? He looked through each picture, remembering how happy he’d been, how happy you had been with him. Ace gently placed the pictures back into the drawer and closed it. He was tired, sleep would help, especially if he could dream of you, please let him dream of you. 

Jolting up awake, Ace’s breathing came out in heavy pants, the young man in a cold sweat. Sleep hadn’t helped, it hadn’t been the dreams he wanted. A voice, your voice, so happy, so wonderful at first. You’d been smiling at him, waving him over, but when he’d gone to move, he’d been stuck, only for Sabo to run past him. His brother, the look his brother had given him, looking back at Ace, glancing over his shoulder at the black haired young man. She’s mine now, you failed, you’re too late. His mouth didn’t move, but Ace would hear the words swirling in his mind. Sabo then continued running over to you, pulling you in for a passionate kiss. The smile on your face when he pulled away, the loving look in your eyes. You’re the only one for me, you’re the best thing to happen to me. Shluk, ffftt, plsht, he felt sick from how his heart was being stabbed again and again. ‘Best thing to happen to me’. You hadn’t said the actual words, the real you hadn’t said the words, but they still echoed in his mind again and again. He needed to talk to you, he had to talk to you. He didn’t care that you were with his brother, or that you weren’t giving him that chance, he needed to know where he stood before it killed him.

Standing in front of the man, you couldn’t help but fidget. It was late, but here he stood, begging to talk to you about your relationship. Finally, you nodded, moving aside to let him into your ���new’ apartment. It technically wasn’t new anymore, but it wasn’t the place you’d been living at when he’d dated you. 

“I… please, Y/n. I… just…” Ace ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself down, “I… I need to know where I stand in your life, I need to know… is Sabo really treating you well? He’s not making the same mistakes I did? Are… are you happier with him? Are… were you ever that happy with me?” Ace pleaded, trying not to let the tears spill over. Standing there, you stared at him, how could you answer that? How could you answer any of that?!

“I… I don’t know what you want to hear, Ace. I mean, we’re friends, you’ve spent months showing me how sorry you are, proving that to me, but even if I completely forgave everything, I’m dating Sabo. He is treating me well, you don’t need to worry there, and no, he’s not making the same mistakes.” you said, wrapping your arms around yourself.

“And… are you happier?” Ace asked hesitantly. You stood there silently, it was a question you couldn’t answer, because it was a question you didn’t know the answer to.

[nejibaby]

The Sun

Pairing: Portgas D. Ace x Reader

Summary: If there’s two things common between you and Icarus, they’re 1) you both tried to get too close to the sun, and 2) you’re both mortal — vulnerable and susceptible to the pain that comes with it.

This is initially intended to be the second part of Burn, but this can also be considered a standalone fic. 😊

[I also tweaked the story of Icarus and Daedalus a little bit so they can fit the One Piece universe. Hope you don’t mind.]

Word Count: 1.6k

A/N: So you see I’m trying out this new writing style, but I’m not sure if it turned out how I wanted it to be. But please let me know your thoughts about it~

Icarus.

Back when you still lived in your hometown, as a child, you have grown to like the tales of sailors who docked at your island. There’s this story about one of the first ever heard of uses of devil fruit powers.

It’s about a master craftsman named Daedalus imprisoned in some far away kingdom with his son, Icarus. With their cell up high in the castle and the ground filled with guards, there was no means to escape for an average person. But Daedalus was all sorts of things other than average; he’s a father, a genius, and a devil fruit user of the Doru Doru no Mi. And because of those, he has found a way to get out of the kingdom through something that only he can make: wings made out of candle wax.

“Don’t fly too close to the sun or else the heat will melt the wax and you’ll fall into the sea.” A fair warning from Daedalus to Icarus as he handed a pair of wings to his son, who only nodded in response.

Their escape went on without a hitch with the help of the wings. However, because of the delectable taste of freedom, the further away they had gone from the kingdom that constricted them, the more precarious Icarus got. He flew higher and higher and higher, until his wings started melting. And only when he was falling to the sea did he notice that the wings had melted off completely. Even Daedalus had noticed it too late, and all he could’ve done was lament for his son who didn’t heed his words.

“It was tragic,” the sailor once told you. But all you could ever think about back then was that Icarus was dumb. Foolish. Idiotic. Stupid. Moronic.

Why would he fly higher when he knew the risks? It just didn’t make sense. There was no rational explanation, no sensible justification for it.

But now that you’re older, you might have found a possible reason why he did what he did.

Maybe, just like you, he fell in love with the sun.

The Sun.

Icarus might have fallen in love with the sun. But who are you to judge him? The sun is bright, brilliant, warm, and enticing. You couldn’t blame him for wanting to be guided by its light, to bask in its warmth, to ever so gently be caressed by its flames. You couldn’t blame him for wanting to be nearer, despite the repercussions.

You can’t call him out because you did just the same. Ace was — no — is your sun.

With his charming and boyish smile that’s always capable of cheering you up, you can mistake him as the light. He’s like the sun peeking from the clouds after a stormy day, or the sun rising after the darkest night.

In his embrace, no matter how momentary, anyone would be able to feel his care. Hell, even with his arm slung over your shoulder or his mere presence beside you, you would feel a sense of security. Because Ace is also the warmth and the comfort. Pretty much like the gentle rays of the sun enveloping you with a blanket after a cold breeze.

But you also know that like the sun, he too is dangerous. The least he can do is to burn you. And at the very worst, he could be destructive.

The Fall.

When Icarus got too close to the sun, his wings melted and naturally, he fell into the sea. There were no stories about how he felt or what was in his mind when it happened, but recently you’d like to imagine that he was content.

Falling is scary, that much is true. But falling can also be exhilarating and thrilling — it’s feeling only your weightlessness, the breathlessness, the adrenaline flowing through your blood.

You’d like to think that as Icarus fell, his thoughts were about how he did not regret what he did. In the end, he got his freedom and then he made a brave choice of going after his love. Isn’t it better to have felt the burning light than never at all? Isn’t it better to have a taste of love albeit briefly?

You’re no Icarus. You’re not a child of a genius, and you have no wings that’ll melt once you get close to your sun. But for you, the answer to these questions is yes.

You’re grateful to have experienced being by Ace’s side. You’re happy to have seen his smiles and to have heard his laughs. You’re content to have been the recipient of his sparing touches.

And as you ran with bloodied hands and injured parts after escaping from the Blackbeard Pirates, you’re pleased that it was you in this predicament and not Ace. He’s safe and it’s because of you. And despite standing face to face with death just moments ago, you’re delighted because you accomplished your mission to get information about their plans.

If there’s one thing you and Icarus should regret though, it’s being vulnerable and susceptible to pain.

The Reunion.

Icarus did not live long enough to be reunited with the sun. But you did. Your body might have been littered with scars now, but the important thing is that you survived. You’re alive, you’re healed, and you’re at peace.

And you’re back with the Whitebeard Pirates.

Whitebeard, the Division Commanders, and the former members of the Spade pirates are quick to reprimand you for your rash actions once you board the ship. You listen to their sentiments quietly, understanding the severity of your decision, but you stand by your ground, telling them you didn’t regret doing it, especially since you’ve gotten valuable information about Blackbeard. And once you’ve relayed everything to them, they all quickly let you off the hook.

All except one, of course.

You’re just about to retire to your room when Ace softly asks, “Yo, can we talk?” once you pass him by.

The sun is always so inviting. It’s capable of luring you out of whatever cave you’re hiding in. That’s the aura Ace gives off when you turn to look at him. So you nod your head and follow him to a more private area on the ship.

At this moment, you can’t help but think that the sun and the planets are bound by the laws of science. Science tells us that planets orbit around the sun because of attraction, however, they must never cross the line. This has been your mistake in the past, but now you know better. And so now you try to physically distance yourself from him.

Ace doesn’t comment on the distance. You aren’t sure if he even noticed. Instead he asks, “Why did you do it?”

You raise your brow, “We wanted information, right?”

“I was the one who should’ve been doing that. I’m his Commander. I’m the one who’s supposed to be responsible for that.”

You scoff. “It’s done now, let’s not dwell on it anymore—”

“But you could’ve died!”

“So what? Would you rather it was you? Because I don’t! If you died… if you died…” you choked back a sob. You didn’t want to think about him dying. Just the thought of it is enough to tug your heartstrings.

The sight of you softens him up right away. “Hey, hey, hey,” he tries soothing you. “I’m not gonna die.”

“You say that, but even the sun will die eventually. And I don’t want to witness that tragedy.”

This shuts Ace up. He didn’t really understand how much he matters to you until now. Seeing you crumble with just the thought of him dying makes him realize that your confession to him before the two of you parted was indeed the truth. “You’re right. I’m sorry…”

You could only bite your lip to calm yourself down.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking when you were away…” Ace murmurs. “And my thoughts were always about you.”

You gulp as your heart rate accelerates. Will he be turning you down properly this time? Give you the confirmation and closure that you need?

If you focus on your thoughts, you can hear a chant in your head: The sun will prioritize light over love. The sun will prioritize light over love. The sun will prioritize light over love.

But you reason, that’s okay. The sun is bound by the laws of science and one of its main purposes for its existence is to provide light. And you will not hold Ace back from doing that. If he doesn’t love you, it’s fine, you’ll be fine.

“I thought… you didn’t like me,” Ace says.

This statement catches your attention immediately. You’re about to object but he continues, “Because you always called me ‘Captain’ and then ‘Commander,’ and never by my name. And I thought that that was you drawing the line between us.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I’m not good at these things,” he chuckles, trying to lighten the mood.

But you remain tense, trying to comprehend what’s happening.

Ace takes a small step toward you.

And you couldn’t help but think that if Ace gets closer, you’ll burn once again.

Yet you watch with wide eyes, not stopping him as he gets closer and closer and closer.

At this point you can only hear how wildly your heart is beating across your chest.

And when Ace raises his hand to tenderly touch your cheek, you realize: The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

Which could only mean one thing: his focus has always been on you.

“I love you, my angel,” Ace whispers as he presses his forehead against yours. “I’m in love with you,” and he seals his admission with a kiss.

[sanaserena]

Christmas day came with another party, this time it was Zoro’s place at noon, as nominated when Luffy’s Grandfather scowled his grandson into non-submission.  You’d marvelled at that exchange, at Mr Garp yelling at Luffy for constantly messing up the apartment, while Luffy asking what the hell did his grandfather want?  It was odd, for it sounded like an argument, but there was clearly no intention to get into any fights unless it involved several fists of love from both sides. 

You sang carols, and discovered that Ace had a terrible singing voice, much to Sanji’s horror.

You split crackers, and found some nasty joke ones courtesy of Usopp, and much to Robin’s macabre delight.

“It’s not halloweeeen!” cried Chopper, eventually comforted by Robin, who gave him an extra slice of cake.

Somehow Sanji and Zoro got into a fight on who could cut the turkey better – Sanji won out because he cooked it. 

And Franky nearly blew up Zoro’s house, much to his horror.  It was a good thing the party was out in Zoro’s garden instead, in the warmth of a Grand Line City summer.

You gave Ace a new beanie, with a shy smile apologising that it wasn’t grander—you were saving that for his birthday.  It was the same as his old orange one, but this one had two smiley faces on the front, two black circles, one with a smile face, the other with a frowning one.  It really wasn’t much.

He put it on immediately.

For you, he had planned an anniversary getaway, the first of which for you both as a couple.

After a few hours, Ace lead you away.  Between the both of you, in many ways orphans, you had such large adoptive families.  And what had once been lonely Christmases for the both of you, in different ways, were now a fight between one place and the other.

It was a good thing that Zoro’s house wasn’t far from where Ace lived.  And together you walked hand in hand back to his place, to join, however briefly, the Whitebeards party. 

There were no people on the streets, except for a few.  The sun was warm, but Ace was warmer beside you.  You knew this because even though you were holding hands, his arm was pressed to yours. 

“It’d be rather nice to drive down this road with the roof opened on a day like today,” you mused.

“I wouldn’t know, don’t own a car.”  Ace shrugged.

“I noticed.  Why is that?”

He looked momentarily aghast.  “And restrict me to the confines of such a vehicle?”  He nudged your shoulder.  “You’re learning to drive.  Why don’t you get one, and then we can cruise to our delight.”

“Maybe.  Or maybe I’ll just rely on you until the end of days.  You and that monstrous bike of yours.”

He chuckled, pulling you to a stop, just to look at you it seemed.  “End of days huh?” he said, tugging on your loose hair, haphazardly curled for today’s celebrations. 

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

"Reader and Ace spending their first Christmas together as a couple" flashback scene from my modern (sports - lacrosse) au fic, A Pair of Reds, over on AO3 (former Portgas D. Ace X reader pairing; Eustass Kid X reader endgame)

[sanaserena]

Limping to the door, you looped your bag across your body.  You pulled the door open to see Kid waiting against the rail, one arm folded across his chest, while checking his phone in the other. 

“You’re slow,” he said, sliding his phone into pocket. 

You rolled your eyes as you locked your door.  “Well you could have waited downstairs.”

“And have you trip on your way down, and expect me to take you to the closest doctor?”  Kid grumbled, offering his hand. 

You stared at it for a second.  “It’s okay, there’s a railing.”

It was said with confidence, and with one look at you, Kid shrugged, as if to say, suit yourself.  You just didn’t anticipate how daunting going down the stairs could look on one leg.  You waved him forward, determined to show him that even though your ankle was just a little painful, you could hop your way down. 

You regretted it after the first few steps, when after several attempts at finding the best way to hop down, you nearly slipped—if it weren’t for the rail, and Kid catching you around the waist.

“Whoa,” he said, holding you upright with the mere power of his arm. 

“Just a slight misstep.”

He grunted, the smirk on his lips said he was amused.  There was definitely nothing amusing about any of this.

“It might be best,” you said weakly giving in.  “If you helped me down the stairs.”

His smirk widened.  “Are you telling me or asking?”

“Asking.” You were glad you weren’t the type to hold onto pride at moments like this.  “Please.”

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

"Reader has a sprained ankle and asks Kid for a lift" scene from my modern (sports - lacrosse) au fic, A Pair of Reds, over on AO3 (former Portgas D. Ace X reader pairing; Eustass Kid X reader endgame)

[sanaserena]

“Oh my god!” you exclaimed, jumping at least two feet in the air. 

“God?  Just Kid will do,” Kid said, raising a brow.  He had his back to the pole, and even slightly slouched, he still towered over you, and he was munching on an extremely well-stuffed toasted bagel.  His vibrant red hair was pushed back by a black bandana.  You envied the fact that he was fully dressed.  He was slightly better dressed than you were, a dark sleeveless denim jacket over a black tank and dark jeans.

You didn’t know what to say.  You felt guilty for thinking some less than nice thoughts.  And if anything, you were flushing badly.  Your mind rapidly searching for a good excuse. 

Eustass Kid was a ruthless player on the field.  He played the game as though it was ice hockey.  Rough and tumble, and just plain mean.  His prosthetic arm made no difference.  It might be a prosthetic, but it looked and flexed like a real hand.  A design of Franky’s that was one of a kind.  He didn’t hide it, not with synthetic skin or sleeves or gloves.  No one was sure why.

Your own interactions with Kid were limited to a very few:  at the games, at the mechanics, and with Killer.  You always ended up talking to Killer, never Kid.  So you weren’t quite sure what to make of him here, talking to you.

He shoved the last of his bagel into his mouth, swiping with the serviette used to wrap the bagel.  “So, do you need a ride home?” 

“A ride?” you replied dumbly.    

He dropped his gaze to what you were wearing, then smirked.  “You look like you need one.  One night stand kick you out?”

“Hey!”  You punched him in the arm.  It was his prosthetic one, but you didn’t care.  You aimed above the metal.  He didn’t even budge. 

“So this is just what you wear when sleepwalking then?” His smirk widened. 

You scowled and flushed and really wished Luffy were here so that you could punch him in the shoulder.  “It wasn’t a one night stand.  And it wasn’t sleepwalking.”  You didn’t know why you wanted to make this clear to him.  His smirk infuriated you.  You supposed, if anything it was because you were barely dressed.  

Kid considered you then.  You cocked your head to the side wondering what he was thinking.  His smirk widened into laughter.  

The crossing lights went off then, but you didn’t notice.  Whatever was going on in his head, you didn’t want to know.

“So, were you serious about that ride?”  you asked, crossing your arms across your chest.

He looked at you.  “Sure.  Come on.” 

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

"Reader and Kid meet by accident scene" from my modern (sports - lacrosse) au fic, A Pair of Reds, over on AO3 (former Portgas D. Ace X reader pairing; Eustass Kid X reader endgame)

[sanaserena]

Oddly enough, today it's spotlight Killer. I was just rereading bits my fanfic (A Pair of Reds) and remembered how much fun it was to write Killer as Kid's best friend and no.1 sidekick/wingman! AND then I remembered I do have a tumblr. So, snippets of Killer being Kid's absolute best friend below showing up in different parts of that fic 👇🏼. Just note, the fic was originally told from reader pov and also Ace's pov, so the snippets are mainly from the reader's pov.

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

"Killer appears" snippets from my modern (sports - lacrosse) au fic, A Pair of Reds, over on AO3 (former Portgas D. Ace X reader pairing; Eustass Kid X reader endgame)

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

“ZORO THAT’S THE WRONG GOAL!”  someone screamed. 

At one point both Zoro and Killer yelled, “Captain, now is not the time to be measuring the size of your sticks!  They’re the same bloody size!”  

Ace facepalmed.  The Kid Crew should have been having an easier time against the Strawhats, but as history showed, it was never easy playing against Luffy. Ever.

By the time the match ended.  You were on your feet cheering for the barely won victory, along with the rest of the crowd. 

Both teams were exhausted.  Kid looked like he couldn’t believe he lost – again – to the Strawhats.  That it was up to Killer to shake Zoro’s hand.  Luffy would have done it if he wasn’t so busy jumping up and down, cheering with the crowd. 

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

What you least expected as you recovered in this…shop, was the guy currently looking at you with a brow raised that said you’re blocking the door.

Shit! Of all places you had decided to hide, you’d picked an auto parts store.  You wanted to sink into the ground and disappear.  Instead, you lifted your defences, and remembering Zoro’s oddness this morning, you pointed at Eustass Kid, and said, “Don’t you start acting nice to me Kid!”

Then you yanked the door open and when it was clear of Zoro, you left. 

You didn’t see Killer walking round the aisle. Nor did you hear him asking Kid who had just been talking. 

You didn’t hear Kid snapping, “Who the fuck knows what’s wrong with her today.  It’s like yesterday never happened.”

And you didn’t hear Killer say, “Something happened yesterday?”

You were already down the street, but if you had heard it, you might have wondered why Kid sounded more annoyed than usual.

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

“It was Ace’s.  This is my apology,” you said, sounding sorry enough that you’d caused his drink to spill over him.  And it seemed for something else Ace didn’t understand.

But this wasn’t what stopped the conversation.  It was what Killer said while you explained to Kid.

“Spaghetti Aglio Olio, if possible,” Killer said to Sanji.

Those three little words silenced the room.  Even the Heart crew, though they didn’t get the reference.  If the music wasn’t blasting as loudly as it was, a pin dropping would sound loud in the silence.

“You want peppers with that?” said Sanji icily. 

Killer blinked and seemed to hesitate.  “No?”

Kid was halfway pulling on the tank top when he noticed the chilly exchange.  And more importantly when he saw you frozen in front of him.

Looking puzzled Kid said, “Is something wrong?”

The ice that coated you thickly seemed to crack at the sound of his voice.  “Nothing,” you said weakly, grabbing up his soaked top, and walked out the room for a second time, telling Luffy that you were going to borrow his machine.

“I have a machine?”  Luffy said, oblivious to the moment.

“You only noticed this now?”  Nami, Usopp, and Franky exclaimed, smashing the ice and silence to pieces. 

Zoro grunted, though his brow was furrowed.  “Bad day to order Aglio Olio, Hitokiri,” he said to Killer.

Killer just looked baffled, and guilty without understanding why. 

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

The garage was open but no one was manning the reception.  So you rang the bell twice, aware of just one guy sitting in the waiting room.  He looked mildly familiar with his moustache and beard.  If you really thought about it, you might have recognised him.  Killer, however, came in at that moment, at around the same time Wire walked in from the back.

They both greeted you at the same time.

“Hey,” you said, then pointed to Killer.  “It’s okay, I’ll talk to this guy.”

“An unexpected face.”  Killer shucked his helmet, shaking his blonde hair loose.  “Looking for Kid?”

You startled at that, flustered because you’re not sure how to deal with Killer’s spot-on question.   You rubbed the back of your neck, hoping to stem the flush on your cheeks.  “H-how did you know?  I me-mean…”

Killer just looked at you pointedly.

Not willing really to let him get away with it entirely, or get away with thinking he thought he knew you better than you knew yourself, you folded your arms across your chest.  “Maybe,” you said firmly.  “I came to see you Killer.”

It was Killer’s turn to gain a reddish flush in his ears.  “You’re not serious?  Kid wou—” he blanched, and snapped his mouth shut immediately.

“Kid?”  you said.  What had Kid to do with this?  And why did Killer make it sound like it was absolutely impossible for you to come to say hi to him.  You considered Killer a little more than an acquaintance.  Particularly since of the pair, it was usually Killer who talked to you. 

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

“Here,” you said, holding out a pair of new socks, not exactly the same the ones you’d gotten from Kid the other day.  “Kid took a packet from your stash the other day, and I thought I should replace it as my thanks.”

Killer stared for a moment, a hand half raked through his hair.  “Wow, okay.  I’ll admit I didn’t know it was you, so thank you.”  He took them from you, paused, and then flapped the pair in your direction.  “Kid didn’t even tell me.  You know, he let me look around the last few days for where my spare pair went.  Since I’ve been partly annoyed at him, I’ll tell you where he is.”

You raised a brow.  “I was hoping to just leave the top with you.”

“And risk me using it as cleaning cloth?”  Killer grinned darkly.

He had a point. 

“Besides,” said Killer.  “I’ve got this impression that seeing you today might ruin his day.”

“W-what?” you choked, unexpecting that.  “What is that supposed to mean?  Killer!  Are you sending me into the lion’s den on purpose?”

“Lion’s den implies a prey within the predator’s lair.  Kid is unfortunately, in this case, neither predator nor in his lair.  You’ll be fine!  And while you’re there, ask about your car.”

“Your confidence in me is overwhelming,” you said dryly, much to Killer’s amusement.

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

You pulled into South Blue Mechanic shortly after, much to the surprise of Killer, who had been handling a customer at the time.  On the back of Kid’s bike, you caught a glimpse of Killer gaping at the sight, and coins spilling out of the customer’s hand.

As you hopped off the bike, you grinned, and asked Killer, “Did you get my complaints?”

“Yes, and they were nasty!”  He held his fist out for a bump, and randomly dumped fallen coins into the customer’s hand.  The customer grumbled, not that Killer noticed nor seemed to care. 

“Serves you right,” you said grinning.

Kid grunted when he walked past you two, but not without pressing a hand to your back and saying, “Aren’t we here for your car?”  He pushed you forward, to your bewilderment. 

“Uh, yeah…” you said with an apologetic look in Killer’s direction.  The guy merely blinked and shook his head.

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

Looking for Killer wasn’t a terrible chore.  Although he’d moved away from the workroom to the front room again, to deal with another customer, he spotted you before you spotted him.  He greeted you by asking where Kid was, and when you told him, he guffawed.  Not, that you understood what was so funny.  When you said so, he patted you on the back as if you were the poor soul, and said he’d order some food.  You hung around with Killer for a little while as he made the order, adding your choices when you selected them.  And then you waited around until the order came in. 

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

When Kid was done, he tossed the rubbish into the bin, and washed his face when you pointed out that he had oil all over him. 

“Fuck!” he’d said, and you’d waited until he was done before you both returned to the floor.  He shut your bonnet with a bang, and then gestured for you to go pay while he drove the car out.

Killer was incredibly amused when he saw you.  It looked like he was refraining something, and no amount of prodding got him to spill as he sorted out your bill.  You wrote it off as some insider joke and asked if it was anything that mocked you.

“Nah, it’s Kid I’m laughing at,” he said, reassuring you.

That was a relief.  “Then amuse away.”

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

“You’re always welcome to stop by the shop after.  It’s not like Kid has a life.”

You raised your brow, turning back to him while clicking through the windows on the computer screen.  “Kid, no life?  That doesn’t sound like him at all.”  The phone rang and with Lola busy with the next patient, you picked it up.

“Only when it comes to you,” Killer said, halting the greeting that was already halfway out of your mouth.  You stumbled over what you needed to say, somehow muscle memory kicked in and you finish the greeting just as your eyes darted back to Killer in surprise.   “Yup, that’s exactly it,” he said, as if he knew what you were thinking in that moment, as if he knew you were drawing your own wild conclusions about those six little words and they were exactly what he meant.  It sounded as if Killer was saying that Kid liked you.  Like more than friends.  You weren’t even at the friends stage yet!

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

Killer grinned.  “Because you asked me for a favour.  Figured I’d help you out.”

A wild kind of flush washed over you.  You felt hot and not unhappy at the thought of what Killer implied. 

Heat came out then, bandaged up tightly, looking as though he hadn’t just been bleeding out.  He was complimenting the nurse in a slightly nasally tone.  She was neither the youngest of women, nor the prettiest, but she was in fact, one of the nicest.  And Heat had a slightly pink tinge to his cheeks that said he was just a little infatuated.  He wouldn’t be the first.

“Killer!” you hissed, as the guy exchanged a handshake with his friend.

“I’ll make sure he gets this,” Killer grinned, patting his chest as he retreated backwards out of the medical centre with his mate.

“Killer!” you hissed again, jumping to your feet.  “Get back here!”

You were suddenly uneasy about asking Killer for the favour, and about the souvenir, and about everything in general, and wanted to take it back in that moment. 

“Sorry,” he called from the doorway.  “Gotta head back to work or Kid will flay us alive.”

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

It was probably in his favour that Killer came skidding out of the garage then, running into you.  His hands caught your shoulders, with a muttered apology, though he focussed only on his friend.

“Kid, Apoo is here saying that you’re going to look at his car?”  he demanded over your head, releasing your shoulders. 

“I did,” said Kid, though he looked annoyed.   

“Thought you swore never to waste energy arguing with Apoo again over his car,” said Killer.

Kid shrugged, his grin vicious.  “He says it’s urgent.  And he’ll pay anything.  If it’s that urgent, I get to charge whatever the fuck I want.”

“Come on Kid!” Apoo yelled from the inside of the mechanic, having spotted Kid at the entrance.  He waved his arms. 

Both Kid and Killer grimaced.  Killer patted Kid on the shoulder, commiserating with him on his decision.  “Hope it’s worth it,” he said. 

“Damn right it better be,” Kid replied.  He glanced at you one more time, and though he looked like he wanted to say something, Apoo yelled for him again.  Kid scowled, yelling back, “I’m coming, quit yelling.”

“You won’t be late for the game later?”  Killer asked.

“You’re going to the game later?” you asked, surprised.  Then you frowned.  Of course, he said before he would.  And he was as much of a lacrosse fan as he was a player.  But, a glance deeper into the garage said that he looked really busy.

Kid blinked, and for some reason his flush had come back but only around his collar.  Killer noticed you then too. 

Killer’s eyes widened.  “You’re here?  Why are you here?” 

“Isn’t that a little too rude?” You raised a brow, more amused than you should be. 

Killer looked between you and Kid, and his mouth stretched into a grin that put your guard up high.  Nothing good had come from Killer’s grins lately. 

“Go away Killer,” scowled Kid.  “Tell that asshole I’ll be there.”

If Killer was going to disagree, one look at Kid’s face said otherwise.  You got the distinct feeling that Killer was raising his brows under his fringe. 

“Fine,” Killer relented.  “See ya later,” he said to you, as he went back inside, hollering at Apoo to “Get away from that toolbox!”

~♥~♦~♠~♣~

Kid was at the back, half hidden by the bonnet of the car, illuminated by the light above.  The rest of the garage was empty.  A door opened, and Killer stepped in, though he stilled.  Unlike Kid, he caught sight of you immediately.  He mumbled an excuse and tripped back out the back door, slamming it behind him.

“Killer?” Kid called.  The guy peeked around the bonnet, looking confused when he found no one at the door.

He glanced backwards out of habit, to check if maybe he had the wrong door.  And Ace was satisfied to see surprise plaster itself on Kid’s face.

Sabo had made himself scarce off to the side. 

“Hey Kid,” you said.

“What are you doing here?”  Kid grumbled, though he was blushing somewhat now. 

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

[sanaserena]

“Look Marco, let’s talk later,” he said.  “I see my little brother.”

“He’s here?”  The man blinked, his blonde hair lazily flopping on his forehead, his hand tucked in a pocket.

“Yup, right over there.”  He pointed to a figure in the distance.  He waved his arm in the air. “Oi Luffy!”

“I don’t think he’ll hear you,” said Marco.

Ace laughed, when he saw Luffy jumping in the air.  “You underestimate Luffy!”

Marco’s mouth fell open as Luffy screamed, “ACCEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

“That should be illegal,” said Marco.

“It’s only mildly embarrassing,” Ace mused.  “Well, see you later.”

“Sure.”  They bumped fists. 

Ace jumped down three flights of stairs, a hand on his hat, his bag swinging on his arm, dangerously coming close to several heads.

Some would call this a reunion.  Ace never liked to put labels on these things.  He never saw things in terms of leaving and coming. 

Ace caught Luffy first, wrapping an arm around his neck, and ruffling his hair.  “Hey little buddy!  What are you doing here?”

Luffy whined and pulled a face.  “I’m not here for me!”

“I figured that much, so who are you with…”

“Me.”

He hadn’t registered you, too occupied by the one person his whole world existed for.  But when you spoke, he realised Luffy wasn’t alone.

“You,” said Ace, taking note of you for the first time, addressing you as though had no name. 

“Hi,” you said, ignoring his directness. 

He stared at you, slowly forgetting his arm hold on Luffy, allowing him to wriggle free.  From Robin, who Ace was vaguely aware of in his periphery, Luffy retrieved his straw hat, jamming it back on his head.

“Hi,” he replied, just a little breathlessly, and more than a little captivated.

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

Flashback scene of the 'beginning' from my modern (sports - lacrosse) au fic, A Pair of Reds, over on AO3 (former Portgas D. Ace X reader pairing; Eustass Kid X reader endgame)

[sanaserena]

He stumbled in surprise, his worn plain orange beanie askew on his head, and his orange shirt unbuttoned, as if multiple hands had attempted to undress him as he’d pushed through the crowd.

“Shit!” he said at the very same moment he realised he was not the only one who’d escaped the crush through the front door.

He froze.  “Uh…” This was not how he imagined meeting you again.  He straightened up, tried to look unfazed, as if he had intended to turn up half naked. 

If only his beanie hadn’t slipped down his face at that exact moment.

“Hi,” you said with a chuckle.  You must have been standing closer to him than he realised because you’d caught the falling beanie and were offering it back to him.  “Your beanie.”

“Thanks.”  He jammed it back onto his head.  It was old and worn, but he would feel bereft without it.  “For the record, you did not just catch me being uncool.”

You were grinning.  And Ace found it more than infectious.  “So…”  you began.  “You like walking around half naked?”

“Sure, around people I like.”  There, he thought.  That was smoother.  He pointed at the crowd in Luffy’s main room.  “And that does not include most of them.”

You laughed.  “Fair enough.  It is stuffy in there.” 

“So, you escaped out here,” he said.  Same as him.

“‘Escape’ implies running away,” you said, with a shrug.  “I’m merely catching a breather.”

Ace just stared.  That was a more tactful response than he expected.  A nicer way to say that it was unbearable inside.  He found himself leaning back against the wall, opposite to the rail that you were leaning against, and smothering a laugh with a hand over his mouth.

“Well,” he said.  “If it makes you feel better, I’m escaping.  I love Luffy and think he did amazing, but this is too much.  I don’t know how Luffy convinced this many people to party.  And it can’t be the cake.”

“Luffy is amazing like that,” you said, your eyes soft at the mention of Luffy.  “Well, I should go back inside.”

You didn’t look like you wanted to face the crush again.  It looked like a chore that you only did for Luffy’s sake.  Ace decided right then and there that he was more than just interested in you and letting you go back in would be a wasted opportunity.  

“Want to go watch a movie?” he asked, catching your arm as you moved to go back in.  He sounded cooler than he really felt—a bubble of uncertainty caught in his chest.

This caught you unaware, and you said, “Now?”

He’d probably meant at any time in the near future.  But now was fine with him too.  “Yup.”

“And Luffy?”

“So that’s not a ‘no’?”

You flushed then and looked as though you wanted to hide in the wall as much as relieved that you wouldn’t have to go back in again.  “No, that’s not a no.  It really is…stuffy in here.”

Ace grinned.  Being cool right now was overrated.  You wanted to go to watch a movie with him.  “Luffy will be fine.  The whole gang is here.  Let’s go,” he said, letting go of your wrist and offering you his hand. 

After a moment looking at it, you took it.

~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~♥~♦~♠~♣~

"Asking her out flashback scene" from my modern (sports - lacrosse) au fic, A Pair of Reds, over on AO3 (former Portgas D. Ace X reader pairing; Eustass Kid X reader endgame)