#portgas d ace deserves better

[catarium]

Why no one told this boy that he looked like his mom! I feel that would help with 50% of his issues.

Also I didn’t know today was his birthday. Sob.

[cach0po]

A & S but no L cause I didn't have space in the canvas oop

Oh wow what a cute pair of kids I hope nothing bad happens to them in the future

[sancastarcs]

ROUGE 😭😭😭 SHE IS A HERO😭😭😭😭 SHE DID EVERYTHING IN HER POWER TO SAVE ACE 😭😭😭😭😭 PORTGAS D ROUGE 😭😭😭😭

[beanghostprincess]

made it to pedro's death and now i hope to never see sanji use his fire leg powers to light his cigarette, bad things happen to people who light his smokes with their powers

also, headcanon that ace & pedro lighted the death brand one (and died a fiery death) but enel lighted the king ground ones and fell

Ah yes, the cigarette of doom </3

[human-trash-fire]

They did Ace so dirty w these Prison BOBS I—

In other news I started OP 2 weeks ago & while I have a lot of opinions, I’m just going to leave y’all with this one.

[shinxeysartgallery]

I already got spoiled about Ace's death a while back when some of my friends were reading/watching One Piece so I knew this was coming.

But FUCK does it hurt a lot more actually experiencing it for myself. Poor dude didn't deserve this.

[breakfast-4-dinner]

Oda about Ace's death

:(

[demonpiratehuntress]

the only one

Portgas D. Ace x F!Reader

summary - Ace was always a flirt in whatever bars you went to, but once he's in love with you that changes.

warnings - none

a/n: i forgot to add this part in "marry me" so i just decided to make it its own fic. it was haunting me

When you first met Ace, he was perhaps the biggest flirt you had ever come across in your life. Anywhere and anytime, if you were in a bar he would be chatting up almost every local woman he met. It never used to bother you when you were just friends, but once you developed a crush on him it became a bit of a problem.

Most nights you would end up going back to the ship alone, and even though he wouldn't do anything with them - as evident when he returned to the ship after you alone - it still ate away at you. Made you feel things you didn't want to feel, unpleasant emotions that had you crying and sobbing into your pillow late at night when no one could hear.

Or at least, when you thought no one could hear.

Ace's room was next to yours, and every night he was absolutely crushed to hear your sobs. He was never sure what caused them, but he knew you wouldn't tell him. So he set out to discover the cause himself, and did as such on another island trip.

Noticing the way your face fell when he left the table to go talk to some girls at the bar, it instantly hit him that you were hurting because of him. And that was his first sign that you liked him.

That's when everything changed.

Once Ace was sure you had a crush on him, he stopped trying to suppress his feelings for you. They came out in full bloom, and his behaviour in bars and pubs completely changed, noticeable to everyone who knew him.

When Ace decided to show he was deeply in love with you, you noticed.

Every bar you went to after that involved him sitting right next to you the whole time, drunkenly flirting with you and you alone. Telling you how pretty you are, how cute you looked when you were so red, and how sweet you always were to him. No matter how many pretty girls were in the bar that day, he was glued to you.

"Ace," you would giggle and push his head off your shoulder. "Those girls in the corner are eyeing you out, they're pretty."

The raven-haired commander pouted, not even shooting them a glance, "But (Name), no one is prettier than youuuuu." He smiled, dropping his head back onto your shoulder. His breath reeked of alcohol, so you just dismissed it as drunken rambling, your face bright red.

But then there were times when he didn't drink at all, and still ignored anyone other than you trying to get with him.

"Sorry, can't talk right now."

You watched him dismiss yet another pretty woman as he made his way back to the table, handing you another drink. He plopped down in his seat next to you, offering you his goofiest grin yet.

"Ace, you just-"

He shrugged, still grinning at you, "I didn't do anything."

"But that girl-"

"What girl?"

He was staring at you, awestruck by your beauty. His eyes were only ever on you these days, and nothing changed that. He didn't look at anyone else, never finding the need to, since he was so hopelessly in love with you. Even when you went to go get drinks for the group, Ace would watch you go and come back, his eyes stuck on your figure. He would stare with the most loving, adoring gleam in his eyes, feeling butterflies each time you returned his smile.

You were still oblivious, "Ace, I think you should talk to one of them. They seem to like you, and you need a girlfriend."

"Well I don't like them," he replied, suddenly leaning forward, "And I already know who I want as my girlfriend."

"Oh." Your face fell, but he was quick to make you smile again.

"(Name), you're so dumb."

"Am not!"

"Are too! I stare at you in every bar and all you think about is me talking to other girls!"

You blushed hard, stuttering and stammering out a nonsense reply, but you found it difficult to argue with that.

"Ace, you deserve better than me. And they're prettier."

"If I really thought that," he leaned in so close that your lips almost touched, "I wouldn't be sitting here with you, would I?" He grinned again. "You're the most beautiful woman in this bar, and every other bar, so I'm happy right where I am."

Then you started dating, and all Ace would do in bars was show you off. To both men and women that approached him, even if it had nothing to do with the conversation.

"Did you see my girlfriend?" He would ask them, drunkenly. "She's the HOTTEST-" Marco would usually have to drag him away before he spilled something more explicit.

Any time a woman would come up to him, Ace would hightail it out of there and do one of two things. One, he would hide behind you and grip you so tightly as he points you in the direction of the daring woman. Two, he would perch himself on your lap and kiss all over your face with his arms around your neck. Each one depends on how drunk he is.

"No thanks, I have a girlfriend."

"My girlfriend's right over there."

"My girlfriend is prettier than you."

"(Nameeeeeeeeeeee), come and tell them that you're my girlfriend!"

He's so in love that he doesn't even pay attention to anyone but you wherever you go. If you tell him to drink less than last time, he will. If you tell him to stay at the table, he will. He will sit you on his lap and lock you in his arms, not allowing you to move for the rest of the evening. He usually falls asleep against your neck, but you don't mind.

But, generally, when Ace is with you in a bar he will keep you glued to his side so everyone knows that he is taken. The brave ones who still approach will usually have to deal with you, and he loves to watch.

Once you're married, you best believe this man is going into every bar yelling to anyone who will listen that he's married, that he has a wife, or that his wife is the hottest person in the universe. He clings to you and makes sure people know you're married, even if they are just passing by and have no intention of talking to either of you.

"How times have changed," you teased him one day, sitting on his lap in yet another bar. "A while back you'd be flirting with every woman in this bar."

"That was before I knew you liked me!" He protested, blushing in embarrassment. "And anyway, that's what happens when you find the one."

"The one?" You blushed.

"Yessss," he smiled happily, pecking your lips. "You're the one. My one. The only one I will ever want and ever need." He peppered your face with kisses. "To me, you're the only woman in these bars."

"Good."

[catarium]

He left without paying child support 😔

[alexoreality]

He's the kind of flower that blooms after a forest fire.

it breakes my heart how someone as happy and carefree as luffy had such a tragic childhood and overall family. maybe it is true that the flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

if gods exist, they made you perfect

cw. fem!reader, childhood friend au, ace novel spoilers (1st novel), pre-relationship, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, light mentions of child abuse (garp), brief loss in ace's ability to control his powers, reader receives a minor burn

pairing. portgas d. ace x reader

synopsis. not everyone is going to reach for ace's hand but you always will.

notes. a very indulgent idea that has been living rent free in my head since i've had it and now it is your problem. cover comes from frederic edwin church's twilight in the wilderness (1860). blazing red skies and ace simply go hand in hand.

"The Five Elders are gonna have the biggest bitch fit to ever fit," with how Ace blinks up at you in surprise, he must have been really lost in his thoughts. You broaden your smile as you plop down right next to him. "I don't think anyone's ever turned down a Warlord position before. Can't wait to see how your bounty goes up this time."

Ace snorts lightly at your words, lips stretching into half a grin, "yeah, they are not going to like that."

"It definitely doesn't help you kicked that vice admiral's ass, either," you recall the events of your final moments in Sabaody. A definitive mixed bag of.

It was a beautiful country, that much is easy to say. Still it came with more than you were prepared to witness. It's only luck there hadn't happened to be any visiting Celestial Dragons coinciding with your temporary residency. Somehow you have the feeling that things would have surely been messier if their had been.

The stint with Vice Admiral Draw will be messy enough on its own.

"Garp's gonna be so mad when he finds out," Ace shudders at even your mention of his grandfather and you snicker. "What if he comes to Fishman Island for one of his grand lectures?"

"Don't even joke like that," the back of his orange hat thumps against the side of the Spadille with his groan of horror. "I can feel his Fists of Love right now."

You feel the phantom pain yourself. If you're both lucky, the semi-retired marine is busy visiting Luffy on Dawn Island. Maybe it's not that lucky though. It isn't the first time the thought the man is even harsher on Luffy now that Ace has gone ahead and sworn his life to piracy surfaces. It's a thought you push away as quickly as you have it.

Luffy's a strong kid, he's fine.

He has a spirit that is unbreakable.

"That Draw guy deserved to get his ass beat anyway." There is no disagreement to be had with your statement, Ace murmuring something similar. He's a million miles away from where you are, however, miraculously sat on a ship sailing beneath the waves. "Isuka'll be fine," you say suddenly, cursing your inability to ease into the topic gently. "She's strong and she was on our ass since immediately after we got to the Grand Line. She'll be back to chasing us soon enough."

Hopefully.

It isn't something you can say with resolute faith.

The ensign's sense of reality itself had been shattered in its entirety. Being betrayed by the one you believed to be your savior is nothing easy to overcome. You choose to believe a woman as impassioned as the naval officer will. You won't pretend to know where she'll head next.

Perhaps she'll embark on a path that leads her back to the marines. Or maybe she'll become a bounty hunter.

Wherever her journey takes her, you can only hope it is a path with no regrets.

"It would have been weird having a bounty hunter on the ship, anyway," you clumsily attempt to soothe your friend. There is irony in how Ace became your better in terms of comforting those around you when he had been the most argumentative and unfriendly between you. "That sounds like something Luffy would do."

At the sound of Luffy's name, Ace's lips do quirk into something more real. "Yeah, that kid would invite just about anyone on his crew, bounty hunters included."

You chuckle trying to visualize what the young boy's recruitment process will be. Somehow, you doubt his prospective crewmates will have much say in the matter. "Knowing Luffy, they'll probably want to join anyway though. He's convincing like that."

"Yeah," Ace only falls deeper into his thoughts. The silence that follows is even more glum than the depths. Damn it, you curse yourself.

You've never been like Makino, you recall the kind-hearted woman from your youth. She's always been gentle, dove-like in her approach when it came to matters of the heart. Knew exactly the words someone needed to hear and knew exactly how to say it in a way that didn't feel intrusive to the recipient.

That has certainly never been you. If anything, you're more akin to Dadan and her rough expressions of affection.

You hold back a sigh, closing your eyes.

"Alright, I guess this is how we're doing this," you open your eyes at last. Shuffling, you face your friend who makes a sound of surprise at your movement. You aren't a delicate person nor are you someone with the ability to handle matters of the heart with the delicacy it deserves. It's best to handle it clumsily, the only way you know how. "Ace, the stuff with Isuka; that wasn't your fault. And it isn't on you that she didn't want to come with us."

Isuka liked Ace.

It's impossible not to like him.

Even when he was a brat with more anger at the world than he knew what to do with, you liked him. Thought he was the coolest person you'd ever met in your short 10 years of living and wanted him to like you back. You like him even now.

Everyone in the crew joined because they liked Ace the moment they met him. He's darling in how effortless he makes it.

Even a marine as firm in her beliefs as Isuka couldn't let prejudice cloud her judgement when it came to Portgas D. Ace. Begrudging as it may have been, there has always been a mutual admiration for each other in spite of the opposing occupations.

You're like the sun. Equal parts the harsh rays of summer and the gentle beams of early spring. He's whichever the moment calls for. A warmth everyone wants to experience if they're lucky enough to come across it. The gravitational pull of the universe that keeps the planets in the sun's orbit. You're amazing!

"I don't know what the hell that girl needs," rough as the sentence is, your voice is soft. "But whatever it is, she wasn't going to find it with us. That's why she didn't come."

Ace opens his mouth but you don't give him the chance to argue or sweep your concerns away.

"I'm not gonna sit here and lie to your face and say that this won't happen again," it's an ugly truth. One Ace became aware of long before you met him. Regardless, as much as you hate it, you know it'd be unfair to lie to him. "Because it probably will. There's always going to be people who, no matter how hard you reach for them, they aren't going to reach back. And you can't do jack about it.

Hell, sometimes you can't even do jill. But," Ace's brow furrows in time with your words and your heart wrenches. "But," you start once more, the back of your fingers brushing against his wrist. "for every person that won't, there's going to be someone that does." You cup one of Ace's hands in both of yours with all the care one would give glass.

When did these hands get so much bigger than your own?

Still, you lips curl upwards in your nostalgia, the warmth that radiates from him remains the same. You squeeze gently, almost afraid that if you touch him too hard, he'll break.

"And I know for a fact there are a lot of people who are always going to want to hold your hands. Even if the shit does turn into fire," you chuckle at your quick addendum and despite himself, Ace does too. You've always loved hearing him laugh, it's even better when you're the cause. "The crew. Dadan. Magra. Dogra. Luffy," you squeeze again, your thumb carressing the back of his hand. "Me. We love these hands, they're yours."

There's a spark of something in Ace's eyes you can't quite place and it's unexpectedly hard to look him in the eye for some reason. "Heh," you laugh breathlessly. Without meaning to, your grip tightens around his hand. It's warm.

Really warm.

Shit, it's actually getting kinda hot ain't it?

You see the flicker of orange and your and Ace's expressions are well-matched in panic as you realize the source. Sure enough, your hands were engulfed flames.

"Shit-" Ace swears but despite instinct dictating you back away from the flames, you find yourself holding on to staunchly.

"Shit-" you fight against Ace's attempt to pull away from you as the flames die down. "[First]! Let go!"

"No way, what did I just say?!" Oh god this hurts like hell! "I don't care if it's fire, I'm not letting go!"

You hiss through your teeth, reeling yourself in with a breath but the flames are extinguished as quickly as they erupted. "Wasn't exactly expecting to prove my point so fast but," there's another attempt on Ace's part to pull away from you again but you only hold his hand tighter. You can ignore the sting of your hands but you can't ignore the way Ace's eyebrows knit together. You can't ignore how he looks like he wants to cry either. "See," you laugh breathlessly. "I love these hands, there's no way I'm never gonna hold them.

Dark eyes, wide, look between you and your face and you squeeze his hand again. The sting of your palms is prevalent but this pain is fine. Pain is merely proof that you are alive in this moment; and in this moment there is nowhere else you want to be.

There's nothing more that needs to be said between you, you believe. Facing him, you lean against the wood as you hold Ace's hand firmly between your own. With the hand he has available, Ace slides his hat down to hide whatever expression he's making.

You close your eyes with a sigh and pretend you don't hear the sound of hiccuping. You don't feel the way his hand trembles either.

You squeeze Ace's hand and he squeezes back.

Your hands sting something sweet.

[cosmicatta]

An analysis of Portgas D. Ace through the light novels

Yes, I'm here again with my bullshit. After reading the Law novel, I was very excited to get my hands on the Ace ones too. And because I feel very intensely about him, I couldn't help turning my reading experience into a character analysis essay. Again.

So here we go!

Some notes before I start:

The edition I've read of this novel is the official Spanish translation by Planeta. When quoting and mentioning numbered pages, I'm referencing that edition.

I originally posted this on Twitter as a thread! If it sounds familiar, that might be why.

I've also posted an essay/thingie about Law's novel here!

These are just my personal impressions, I'm not trying to tell anyone how they should interpret the novel or Ace's character. I'm just doing this for fun!

Much like the Law novel, these are kind of a “prequel” to the source material. The story starts with Ace getting stuck in Sixis Island, where he meets Deuce, and follows their journey as Ace builds his own crew and later ends up joining Whitebeard.

The difference is that Ace’s novels, unlike Law’s, rely a lot more on canon events that we already know happened, because they’re mentioned or briefly shown in the manga (especially in the second volume). I’ll go a bit more into detail about this later, but either way, we can say that the novels are very canon-compliant at the very least.

Also, it’s important to point out that volumes 1 and 2 are written by different authors. I do think this has an impact in the way the narrative flows from one part to another, but it still reads like a cohesive story as a whole.

Overall, it offers a very different reading experience from Law’s novel. I guess the biggest contrast here is that we already know what’s going to be Ace’s tragic destiny, so the narration can’t really feel too hopeful.

Even if the story is lighthearted and adventurous most of the time, the tone that surrounds it all is bittersweet. And the core points of Ace’s journey are always marked by his fatal wounds: love, identity and the concept of deserving.

There is no real resolution for any of these themes throughout the novels; there can’t be, because we know Ace will only reach true understanding right before his death.

In this sense, I think the first volume does a better job at capturing that feeling of “tragic hero” that the story seems to go for, without necessarily getting too grim about it. And there’s a few things about it that get lost in the second part:

Volume 1 is written in first person, but it’s not Ace, the protagonist, who narrates the story. It’s Deuce. I think this is an interesting decision because it allows us to see Ace from the outside, through the eyes of someone who loves him.

And what we see from Deuce’s perspective contrasts with the image that we know Ace has of himself. This is especially interesting for 2 reasons:

He shows what Ace craved for all his life but didn’t know he already had until the end: love and respect.

He’s offering the readers a version of Ace’s identity crafted by an outside viewer, which is also what Ace keeps doing all the time: defining himself in relation to others.

These are going to be the main ideas that shape Ace’s journey from the start and what both novels try to explore.

Although Deuce and Ace’s relationship doesn’t start off in the best way, from the beginning Deuce sees a light in him that he has never known in anyone before. This even reflects in the way he describes Ace physically:

(Quotes roughly translated from Spanish):

P. 27: “He played with his radiant black hair.”

P. 129: “His pupils glowed with the colors of the sea floor.”

But what is most emphasized about Ace throughout the narration is his kindness and gentleness—he shares his fruit with Deuce while he’s starving too, he has a place for all kinds of rejected outlaws in his crew, he helps Isuka even though they’re supposed to be enemies, he gives the rice crackers he’d just bought to some children in Sabaody, etc.

Ace just goes around giving away his endless love without thinking too much about it. It’s in his nature. And people love him in return.

P. 66: “What does it mean to be a captain? To me, it means people love you. […] Ace was born to be a captain.”

There’s a small episode that I find very interesting in this sense—right before attacking him, a bounty hunter declares:

P. 67: “Ace! I love you!”

Ace assumes the guy only said that because his head would have granted him a ton of money. But it’s still a weird way to word it. It’s as if Ace was a shooting star that everyone couldn’t help but admire in awe, friends and enemies alike.

But, as I said before, Ace seems to be completely unaware of this, despite the very explicit ways in which people show him appreciation.

It’s at this point that we start to see the conflict between Ace’s “goals” that he set for himself and his true desires (though this will be explored in more detail in volume 2).

Although he keeps claiming to be in search of fame, he doesn’t really seem to be that interested in it. He only reacts to his own popularity when his loved ones do, because that is what he actually wants: acceptance, validation.  

P. 82: “Whenever the number increased [Ace’s bounty], we celebrated it. And him, in seeing us all so happy, celebrated too.”

What Ace is doing is just constantly looking for the answer to that dreadful question he asked Garp as a child: “Did I deserve to be born?” And he tries to find clues in his crewmates’ faces, in his enemies’ words, in the way the whole world around him reacts to his existence.

But what’s interesting is that he’s not just passively contemplating, he very actively tries to earn that right to live, in his own twisted way.

Yes, the world had already decided who Ace was even before he was born, but now it’s his turn. Now he can try and recreate his own image for them to see. And if he has to be a monster, it will be in his own terms.

It’s not about fame, it’s about identity. Because Ace’s identity has never been truly his own.

This is a very delicate subject for him, especially when he realizes that his bounty is growing at an abnormal speed, indicating that the government probably knows who he really is. And so, he is tormented by the idea that, despite all his efforts, he can’t escape the portrait that others have painted of him without permission.

Even those who don’t know the truth about his origins feel free to decide Ace’s worth as a human being. In this regard, his fight with Vice Admiral Draw is notable—he judges Ace not as Roger’s son, but as a regular pirate, and yet he still reaches the same conclusion and says the words that Ace fears so much:

P. 148: “You don’t deserve one more second in this world. It is because of you that so many people live in fear. […] If you didn’t exist, no one would be unhappy.”

Ace wins this fight, but he leaves with an open wound that never closes and only seems to get bigger with time.

And with this, the first volume closes in a very bittersweet tone:

P. 159: “Ace didn’t believe he deserved anyone’s love. […] But Isuka didn’t think the same, and she wasn’t the only one. The problem was that Ace wouldn’t realize. […] He was like the Sun. Everyone adored him, his enemies respected him. Ace was the center of everything. But, like the Sun, way too bright, he was always alone. […] Ace had created a home for us. But what about him? Could we find a home for him, where he’d be able to smile in peace from the bottom of his heart?”

The second volume starts where the first left it, with Ace and his crew entering the New World.

I have to say that I didn’t like this one as much as the first because, for a book that’s supposed to be about Ace’s relationship with others, it kind of falls flat at some points in that sense. Sometimes the novel seems more concerned with describing action scenes that aren’t really that interesting, or events that we already know from the manga without adding much to them.

Also, I feel like I have to mention that some scenes and description choices were a bit questionable (casual misogyny, etc.), but overall the book was still enjoyable to me.

The style and structure is a bit different from the first volume too—for starters, it’s written in third person, although the perspective is a bit all over the place sometimes. The POV keeps switching back and forth between different characters, which could a useful and interesting approach, but you need to know how to do it right, and I’d say it was a bit messy here.

But there is a good side to this, which is that we get a peek into Ace’s thoughts too sometimes.

And we see, as volume 1 already hinted, that his motivations are unclear even to himself. He insists that he wants to surpass his father’s fame, but he isn’t interested in titles or riches.

P. 61: “I don’t aspire to be the King of Pirates or anything of the sort.”

P. 74-75: [In response to “What brought you to the sea?”] “I guess I expected to find out at the sea… Though there’s something I do want to achieve. […] I’ll make sure everyone knows my name.”

Part of the reason why Ace despises the title of “Pirate King” is very obvious—it was his father’s title. But this disinterest also reveals the true reason why Ace thinks he wants the fame: it’s not ambition or vanity; it’s, again, his way of crafting his own identity.

In reality, although he directs his resentment towards his father, it’s not him he really hates, but the world that built a monstrous myth around his figure, a myth that Ace inherited.

P. 80: “This world killed Sabo. Unless you’re someone like Roger, whose execution brought a new era, it doesn’t matter if you live or die. […] Even if I can’t win their recognition, even if they hate me, I’ll become a pirate and take revenge on them all. […] One day, people won’t say ‘Ace, Roger’s son,’ but ‘Roger, Ace’s father.’”

Again, if he must be a monster, he’ll be one he’s created himself.

But it becomes clear in this volume that he has no idea how to do that. He wants to change the world, but has no plan to do so, and doesn’t even understand what that means exactly.

And here’s where Whitebeard is key, as we already know. He sees through Ace, and eventually makes him reevaluate his own ambitions, until he ends up admitting that he has no idea what he’s doing.

P. 159: [Thatch asks him] “You want your reputation to surpass that of the Pirate King, but you’re not interested in the One Piece. You don’t want to break the code either. What the hell does your flag even represent?” [And Ace answers] “I don’t know. Honestly, I thought I did, but not anymore.”

P. 224-225: “Whitebeard inviting him to be his son had seemed to him like another ‘father’ attempting to take control of his life. But […] now he understood the word ‘son’ a little differently.”

Though there’s no real resolution to Ace’s big questions in life, he slowly starts finding his own place and learning to accept the kindness he’s given, even if he doesn’t fully understand it yet.

P. 229: [Deuce asks him] “Do you think you’ll find what you’re looking for with Whitebeard?” [And Ace answers] “Yes. […] Because here I feel at peace.”

The book finishes with Ace offering his back to get Whitebeard’s Jolly Roger tattooed. With this, he’s constructing his image around the figure of a different father, one that he’s proud of. He still builds himself in relation to others, but is now more benevolent in doing so.

This is the first step of a healing project that we know will never be fully complete. And because of this, despite the ending having a hopeful and gentle tone, it’s still a bit heartbreaking. Like the first act of a tragedy.

There's a lot more interesting stuff to talk about in the novels, like the way Ace talks about Luffy and Sabo, and how it becomes clear that they are what really made him want to live and keep fighting. But this is already way longer than I originally intended, so I'll leave it here.

So, if you read this far, thank you! ♥ I hope you enjoyed it or at least found it somewhat interesting.

[aquilapolariz]

the ocean's mercy (portgas d. ace x reader)

Summary: Ace encounters an ocean of memories and thoughts that seem to drown him. Someone needs to pull him out of the sea and help him navigate it.

Notes/Warnings: Minor spoilers for Ace's background and minor spoilers for Wano (all of them are literally just name drops), angst with comfort! Requested by anon

Word Count: 2.2k | Read below the cut or on Ao3 here!

The Moby Dick was filled with cheers and liquor as the crew watched Ace single-handedly take down a pirate crew. Pride swelled within you, joining in the shouts and claps of your pirate brothers and sisters. 

Ace landed back on the ship with a dramatic thud, hopping onto the railing, and then jumping onto the deck.

Ace was reliable but reckless, fiery and confident. His tattooed back was facing you, Whitebeard’s Jolly Roger on display to Ace’s friends, enemies, and everyone in between. But really, when it came to Ace, there really was no in-between. He loved like there was no tomorrow and saved pure hatred only for those he believed deserved it: those who hurt the people he cared about.

His shoulders, strong and sure, slouching only when he squatted on the edge of the ship, were laid back in satisfaction. His chest was puffed out with no signs of exhaustion on his face. He shined bright like the sun, his radiant smile reinvigorating the crew, which prompted them to grow louder and drink even more rum. It seemed like nothing could ever shake Ace or his unwavering resolve. The air around him was full of certitude, as if only the strongest of earthquakes and tsunamis could weaken his unfaltering spirit.

And disasters that were big enough to shake up Ace were few and far between.

A disaster of that magnitude ended up being Marco offering Ace the position of Second Division Commander. You raised your eyebrows at Ace’s hesitation. For a full week, he didn’t give Whitebeard or Marco a proper answer.

The great Fire Fist Ace is never uncertain, or so you thought.

+++

Ace made everything look effortless. From making his crewmates laugh to punching enemy pirates or falling asleep in any situation, Ace made living life look easy. But he was only human. And just like every human, Ace contained multitudes that were hidden beneath his facade. 

“Looks like we’re spending more time together, huh?” 

“Guess so,” you said inattentively. “Though you are a big shot now, Mr. Second Division Commander. Who says you’ll have the time to spend on me?”

“As my own boss, I say so. I gotta get to know the Second Division better than anyone else.”

“Well, cheers to that,” you responded, your glass clinking against his as the party celebrating Ace’s promotion commenced. 

You didn’t tell Ace — or anyone else for that matter — that you saw him pacing outside of Pop’s door for an hour the night before.

+++

Even from the ship, you could see that his feet were in the sand, but his mind was somewhere far away.

“Hey, Ace,” you uttered, quietly approaching him. 

“Hey,” he replied, his eyes regaining their vibrant glow as he turned to you with a captivating smile. “Not enjoying the feast?”

“Hard to enjoy it without you,” you shot back.

“Codependency at its worst,” Ace laughed.

You sat down next to him, the sunkissed sand filling in the spaces between your toes and enveloping your feet like a warm embrace. “Why aren’t you on the ship with everyone?” you lightly chided, “it’s a commander’s duty to spend time with their crew, no?”

“Wasn’t really feeling it today, I guess.”

“Was it something Teech said? I swear that guy doesn’t know how to shut up.”

“If I was bothered by Teech I would’ve left this ship long ago,” he chuckled as he looked away from you. Ace’s hearty laughter was like a wave that regularly washed away your worries. But this time, it didn’t.

You took in the view he was facing: a shoreline that never seemed to end. Before you joined him on the beach, Ace had been staring at the sand for what felt like years. Within the minuscule grains, Ace could see the faces of a young Sabo and the legendary Gold Roger. He blinked and those faces morphed into the purple-haired Otama and the crying face of Yamato. 

These sands of doubt and time did nothing to ease the tension in Ace’s body. 

“Despite how close you are to everyone, it still feels like you keep people at arm’s length. You said you needed to get to know your division more, but how about letting the division know you?”

“There’s nothing to know.” Ace feigned offense at your skeptical expression, “What can I say? I’m a simple guy.”

“A simple guy who Whitebeard allowed to take a division commander spot?” you questioned.

“Exactly! What you see is what you get.”

You snorted. “What I see is a devil-fruit user, who has a misspelled tattoo of his name and doesn’t know how to wear a shirt.”

He let out a dramatic sigh. “Contrary to popular belief, I know how to spell my name.”

“That’s odd. I’m not getting that from what I’m seeing.”

“Then what do you get from what you see of me?”

“I see my second division commander. Reliable. Cares about his friends and his family to a fault.” You paused, but Ace kept nodding, urging you to go on. “You’re just eating all these compliments up, huh?”

“Whattttttttt? Nooooo!”

“I see a stubborn idiot”— you mentally celebrated a small victory when Ace’s lips instantly turned to a pout — “who’s too kind.” He squinted at you. His expressive face never seemed to get old. “Too kind to the point where you never want to be vulnerable.”

The tension in his face all but vanished, and he suddenly turned away.

Despite always seeming larger than life, this was the smallest you’ve ever seen Ace. With every wave, the sea crept closer and closer to where the two of you were sitting until the salty water washed over the tips of your toes. Ace recoiled and scrunched his face at the sudden weakness he felt, even if it was only for a moment. Ace seemed like he would be pulled in by the rising tide and sink down into the sea if you left him alone—not because of his weakness as a devil fruit user, but because of his oft-hidden weakness as a human. Even Ace was not immune to the endless pools of self-doubt. 

So you put your hand on his shoulder, scooting closer to Ace to close the gap between the two of you, trying to ground him and prevent him from falling into the siren’s song of sadness. He thought about your words. Too kind to the point where you never want to be vulnerable. You keep people at arm’s length. Arm’s length is still pretty close, he always told himself. He turned to you and your face was mere inches away from his, brought closer by the hand that clung to his shoulder now. You were much closer than arm’s length. But for some reason, this time, it didn’t feel close enough. 

“I know no one ever asks you this but, what’s wrong, Ace?”

He stared at his wet feet. “The sea takes my strength, y’know?” Of course you knew that. And of course he knew that that wasn’t what you were referring to. 

“It’s always a surprise when the tide comes in, isn’t it?” He asked cryptically. 

You frowned. Ace never spoke in riddles. 

“Is it, though? We’re pirates, we know how the ocean works,” you reminded him.

“We know the tide will always rise and fall, but in the New World it’s a little more difficult to know exactly when.”

You hummed realizing that Ace was right. “It's constant, true, but it’s also constant change.” You stared at the ebb and flow of the water, falling into its visual rhythm.

“And as pirates, we’re always at the ocean’s mercy,” he added. It always surprised Ace when memories of the past washed over him, seemingly at the most unexpected and unwanted times. 

You shook your head with a smile. “With the help of the wind, a trusty ship, and an able crew, we can defy even the roughest of waves.” This time, the seafoam seemed to form the faces of Luffy, of Whitebeard, of Marco, of you. “Without the ocean, how would we sail to all these islands and live the life we do? The ocean isn’t our enemy.”

Ace mentally cursed at himself for getting caught up in his thoughts and, dare he say it, regrets. Memories of the past, just like the tide, aren’t always out to get him, it seemed. The waves fell back into the ocean, suddenly much less threatening.

Ace let out a sigh of relief. He mentally thanked you for pulling him away from an ocean of spiraling thoughts. He should’ve known that you would leave the feast to look for him once as soon as you noticed he was gone. As much as he tried, there was no escaping you. Was there any point in still trying to? “It’s nice to have such a reliable crew,” Ace said coolly.

“It’s nice to have such a reliable commander,” you replied without missing a beat.

Maybe he would let himself be selfish, be vulnerable. Maybe he would share the weight of his past with you, little by little. He reached across his chest to place his hand over yours, your touch lingering on his shoulder. He was a fool for thinking he could keep you at arm’s length for forever. He drew in a deep breath, his brows furrowed, as if debating whether to speak. You squeezed his shoulder, reassuring him of your presence.

“Sabo,” he blurted out. “I had a brother named Sabo.” You raised your eyebrows, trying to process his sudden words. “The extra “S” in my tattoo is for him.”

“Had?” You asked. His dark eyes bore holes into yours. Full of life and depth, you couldn’t look away. You felt like you were at the ocean’s mercy. The bottomless urge to know and explore every part of it was pulling you in, more than ever before.

“He died when we were young. That’s why it’s crossed out.” 

You gasped, recoiling away from him, pulling your hand away, his eyes narrowing almost immediately. “I’m so sorry for always teasing you about it. I shouldn’t-”

He tousled your hair and you couldn’t help but lean into his touch. Just like how the tide is bound to  the shore, there was always an unseen pull between the two of you. With Ace’s words lingering in the salty air, that pull became more discernible. “No need to apologize. It always made me smile. I know for a fact that Sabo would’ve joined in on your jokes. He’d probably ask me why I bothered putting an ‘S’ in my name instead of getting an entirely separate tattoo,” he laughed.

You let out a sigh of relief. There it was. Your ears were filled with his rich laughter that washed away your worries— your worries about him and about accidentally hurting him. “Hmm…that would be a good question. You’re really not making a good case for yourself, Ace. You sure you didn’t come up with this excuse after you messed up your tattoo?” you playfully quipped.

“No! You don’t believe me?!”

You shook your head with a smile. “I believe in you. Always have, always will.” Ace watched you as you began to stand up, trying your best to dust off the sand on your legs.

“How can you say that?” Ace asked curiously, hugging his knees to his chest. He was thankful that you were no longer facing him,  that you wouldn’t see him with his shoulders slouched, looking so small. Your eyes were fixed on the horizon across the vast surface of the ocean. 

“Say what, exactly?”

“That you’ll always believe in me?”

You walked closer to the water, willingly letting the waves wash over your feet. “There’s nothing that you can do that will make me not believe in you,” you stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He stared at your back. He took in the way you so easily walked into the ocean that he thought was so dangerous before. “What if”, he paused, taking a deep breath, “what if it’s not what I do, but who I am?”

There it was again, you noticed, Ace speaking in riddles. “You’re you. That’s more than enough.”

“You’re saying all I gotta do is exist? And that’s…enough?”

You spoke to the merciless ocean: “You exist and I see you. All of you.” You turned around. Ace looked up at you, the sounds of the waves lapping seemed to be an echo of your words, as if the whole universe was trying to get through to him. You reached your hand out to his. Taking it, you pulled him up to his feet and dragged him closer to the water. Both of your ankles were completely submerged, but neither of you minded. Feeling some energy flee from his body, Ace felt weak, but was that such a bad thing? He squeezed your hand, the warmth of it standing in stark contrast to the shocking cold water around his feet. No, he concluded. Being vulnerable wasn’t so bad, especially when it was with you. Because you really did see all of him: the weak parts, the strong ones, and everywhere in between. “To see you is to always believe in you,” you whispered.

You brought your gaze back to the horizon and Ace followed suit. With your hand in his and the waves now lapping against his knees, he couldn’t help but feel gratitude. The merciful ocean had brought you to him, washing up on the shores when he needed you the most.

[anystalker707]

Admiral, my Admiral (2/2)

Pairing: Portgas D. Ace x [gender neutral] Admiral! Reader

Summary: Grieving.

Tags: angsty, but there are hopes

Requested by @1luvcatzs ["ELLO, SO SORRY, LATE. SO SO LATE. FOT THE PART 2 OF MY ADMIRAL- CAN YOU UGM. • Ace survives (somehow)- obviously, I think!! Reader doesn't find out that he's alive until after the two year skip–(...)"]

MASTERLIST

PART ONE

• Two years later, your chest still hurt whenever you saw anything that reminded you of Ace

• Your eyes glued to the newspaper on your desk, the ache in your chest intensifying when you saw Strawhat Luffy’s face on it

• A lot of things had changed, but not your feelings, not the way you missed Ace, missed cuddling him, his sweet voice taunting you to give him kisses, but it was all too far away now

• The setting had changed, too. The change of quarters was great, honestly. Many things had changed after the war, not just within yourself, but also regarding things inside the Marine. Moving away from Marineford was suiting, like starting a fresh new page, even if it already had faint marks on it. It hurt, either way. Of course, it did

• It felt like death when you headed back to report to the Revolutionary Army, and you found Sabo. He was also having a breakdown over Ace’s death, much to your surprise, but it felt somehow comforting. It brought everything bubbling up again, and it was probably the first time that you had the opportunity to really feel and grieve Ace’s death without the risk of getting in any sort of trouble, allowing yourself to cry until your chest hurt and no tears fell anymore

• The pain was unbearable whenever someone brought Ace’s death up inside the Marine, being happy about it, glad that Roger’s bloodline was successfully erased. Talking about how Ace deserved to die, or how he should’ve suffered more. Sometimes, it felt like a sick joke whenever they talked about that around you, with twisted grins and glancing at your reaction from the corners of their eyes

• No one was allowed to talk about Ace like that. No one knew him like you did; no one even knew him properly. No one knew how he could be caring and sweet, just wanting to be loved and feel like he deserved his space in the world. You wish you had the opportunity to give Ace more love, that you’d given him more love when you still could, but you just couldn’t.

• The emotional scars remained there through the years, hurting. The physical scars, too. The scar on your hand was a constant reminder, a scar that had resulted from the fight you’d put up when you found out what was actually happening with Ace while the Marine held you across the ocean. The fight that had not been enough. The fight that you lost.

• Sometimes you wondered why you were still kept alive if the Marine really needed you that much. Honestly, sometimes you wanted to leave and let the Marine come after you to kill, but Ace wouldn’t want you to do that, right? You could practically see him beside you, cupping your cheek and giving you comforting kisses

• It was easy to find yourself wondering what would happen if Ace was still alive, still by your side. How he’d probably risk coming over just to see you. Spend nights with you, with pointless talks, or telling you about his days off in the sea. You missed it so much, really. Lying in bed with Ace while hugging each other, only illuminated by the moonlight, whispering sweet things to each other

• Ace would probably still try to get you to quit the Marine, talk about how you deserved a better life, how you deserved to be free and live life properly, and that he was up to helping you with all of it

• At the end of the day, all of it was just daydreaming. Just an attempt to ease the pertinent pain that numbed you throughout the days, but it still managed to leave you empty and crying into your pillow while blaming yourself. You could’ve done more, right? You could’ve suspected something or found a way out of there

• The routine was so monotonous. Work was the only thing that kept you going, even if you refused to engage in a lot of missions that required action. Everything was an unpleasant blur as if a part of you were missing, a lacking wire or something

• Then, you were called for a mission again. Something that required someone from a high post, strong, and to work under secret, and you couldn’t fucking believe Punk Hazard was creating problems again

• Your ship stopped by the cold coast, which was at least better than the hot one, and you could already see trouble in the distance when you stepped on the snow, adjusting your coat

• The island was truly a mess, with people that had gone missing actually there, people who were supposed to be dead now running around, a War Lord, the Strawhats…

• You caught a glimpse of familiar black hair while the fire burned in the corner of one of the labs. You couldn’t see properly through the debris, nor could you hear a lot through the loud and incoherent shouts and chatter that filled place, but you could swear that you’d seen that loving face spotted with freckles before the crowd dispersed, and you were forced to move

.𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟.

[beanghostprincess]

Don't know if you've ever read about this ship but: Portgas D. Rouge x Sora.

Garp helps Rouge run away to the East Blue and lives in Dawn Island and Ace is born here. She lives on a small house on the jungle, between Foosha and Dadan's house and Garp sends money (Rouge doesn't like to depend on him but until her boy is a little older it will have to be this way). Sora kills Judge poisoning him and runs away, stoping at Dawn Island while still pregnant. She has some money to live until she's able to get a work.

Both women meet at some months after Sora gives birth to the quadruplets. They discover they houses are near and, well, they have kids and maybe they can meet each other and play, even. Rouge and Sora get really along. At time pass they start to go together buy things for their houses, talk a lot, falling in love. Rouge think the only one she would be in love with was Roger, but oh well, she was wrong. Sora never was in love with Judge and this was a arranged marriage, so she's discovering just now she is a lesbian and in love with this beautiful woman.

When Ace is 3, the quadruplets 2 and Reiju 5, Garp arrives asking Rouge to raise Luffy. It's... chaotic. But at the end Rouge stays with baby Luffy, because PLEASE, she knows better than let a baby in the man's hands. Garp leaves sure Rouge is having "something" with Sora.

Ace and Luffy grow up together as brothers since the beggining, with Reiju + 1234ji as friends. They don't start dating until Ace is 8 yo, Luffy 5 yo, the quadruplets 7 yo and Reiju 10 yo. Since Ace and Sabo meet at the age of 5 or 6 (if I am right), I can see Ace taking Sabo to meet his 2/3 years old baby brother and his friends. Rouge asks were his parents are to Sabo and he says he doesn't have none. Rouge adopts him after less than a month.

ASL love their mother and they like Sora a lot! She is kind and likes them all very much! Reiju, Ichiji, Niji, Sanji and Yonji also love Rouge, their mommy is happier around her! The 8 kids have a a strong friendship and they all get along a lot. Sabo and Sanji get close and along quick. (Can't let the chance to put childhood friend to lovers Sabosan in this)

(I am really thinking about if Sabo stays with them and Dragon take him to Rouge and if Ace lives on Marineford but- things will stop before the angst, 'kay?)

I HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT AND I LOVE IT SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!!! (I have a weak spot for sapphic rareships/crackships they're my favorite thing ever)

I'm loving the whole thing about them raising the kids on their own (even if Rouge has some help) because I genuinely think they would've done such an amazing job as moms if they had the chance :(( Also, Sora finally being able to take care of her kids the way she wants to (with real love) and Rouge showing Ace that he deserves to live and be happy.

The headcanon of Sora being a lesbian has always been one of my favorite things because I adore stories about queens/princesses being forced to marry men and then realizing they didn't want that at all in the first place and their real happiness isn't with a man... Sora and Rouge falling in love and Sora realizing that she can be so much more than just a wife and being appreciated by someone who will treat her right and make her feel both loved and valued. While Rouge, even if still obviously loving Roger, has the power to move on and love again.

So this story about the kids being raised with love by these two sweet and powerful women is just beautiful to me. They would've been so happy... Rouge would've taken care of ASL so well and they would've been able to grow up without the need to survive on their own (I mean, I believe they would do the exact same things they do in canon. Ace and Luffy are the typical "we need to be strong to protect mom too", but this time they have a cozier place to call home and Ace has his mom with him). In this world, Ace would still resent his father a bit, honestly, because the comments about him wouldn't cease, but Rouge would tell him stories about Roger anyway and would try to make him see that he is loved despite the rest of the world hating the idea of him. Sabo's fate is basically the same even if he's being taken care of by Rouge, but in the meantime, being so loved by a mom and having more friends would have helped him in so many ways. Same thing with Luffy, honestly, his abandonment issues would still be there even if there's just a bit more of a peaceful environment around him. I need to mention that I'd like Dadan to be here too helping Rouge more than Garp does and being also kind of like a caretaker for ASL because I believe that she deserves that too. She loves them so much that I don't want to take that away from her even in this world.

On the other hand, Sora raising the kids and them turning out... Normal (as normal as these kids can be) is just so sweet to me. They'd be so loved. And even if they were born with these abilities, there wouldn't be more experiments after that, so perhaps Sora can help them deal with it. Sanji would have a decent dynamic with his siblings... Imagine the Vinsmokes actually being sweet to him. Going insane with this one. And Sora would probably hide that they're royalty, honestly, I don't think she would want them to know. But they would be raised with so much care and love... If you wanna add some angst you can always say they find out about Judge, but I'm focusing on fluff mostly here.

And please please please!!!!!! Childhood best friends to lovers Sabosan mentioned??!!?!?!?!??!? It's one of my favorite things ever. I just know they'd be the ones to get along the most. I have talked about this before but there is no way ASL isn't fighting for Sanji's attention since he probably learns to cook at a very young age and the three of them adore his cooking. Although Sabo is actually down bad for him for other reasons that aren't just that-- I would talk about this more, but I think I have mentioned this AU too many times already to come up with something new that isn't "They fall in love and Sabo dies and then they reunite etc etc".

What you say in the end makes sense. I mean- Perhaps this is just a good timeline where nobody actually dies and there's no Marineford and no Whole Cake Island, buuut I love angst and I believe Ace's death to be one of those things you cannot change no matter the plot. So there would be angst, but let's not talk about it (mentioning the Vinsmokes going to help Ace too tho. That'd be great). And as per WCI...... Idk how this could even happen but I swear that you just need imagination and you can come up with something. No amount of love can fix Sanji's mental stability imo he's always a bit messed up and I love him for that.

Anyway!!!!!!!! This is a wonderful concept. I just love the idea of these two women taking care of the kids on their own and giving them the love they deserve despite the world constantly going against them. Perhaps what these kids actually needed were two sapphic moms and a bit of a better childhood to be less depressed and fucked in the head... I would love to see this, honestly. Sora and Rouge also deserve the world and I hope they're happy in this timeline (when the kids grow up and go in their own separate ways, they stay living together in their house and grow old together as cottage-core sapphics) (maybe Rouge takes Sora and they go sailing together for a little while) (pirate x ex-queen my beloved).

[onim5]

Yandere Portgas D. Ace x reader, 3

Chapter 3: Parents

Female reader

Warnings: Mention of killing. Crying

M/n = Your mother. 

F/n = Your father. 

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

This was shit. Your now ex was gone, but he had told your parents. And now you sat in the dining hall before them with Ace next to you. "Y/n, why are you cheating?" M/n asked, with disappointment. "Well-" Ace put his hand on your lap and gave you a heartwarming smile. You knew better, though. This smile was a warning. "I couldn't help it, Ace is just so nice, and he's such a gentleman." You said awkwardly but with a smile. "Wasn't ( your fake man's name ) also nice and a gentleman?" Your father asked. "The only thing he did was talk shit about everyone," Ace said to himself with a sigh. "Y/n is this true?" F/n asked concerned. 

"Well yes, but-" Before you could continue Ace interrupted, "And he tried to hit her, I don't know what he would have done if I wasn't there." Both of your parents stood up and hit the table. "WHAT!!!" Their yell made you cover their ears. "Young man, what's your name?" F/n asked with a hard tone. "The name Portgas D. Ace." He answered as seriously as your parents. "Portgas D. Ace, next time you see him, could  you punch that monster two times one for me and the other one for my wife, and then throw him in a bin?" F/n asked. Ace was about to agree when he saw your mother shake her head and then slide a finger at her neck symbolizing what he should do instead. "Don't worry, I take care of him," Ace answered with a wicked grin. 

You had seen what your mother had signaled Ace. Sure it was bad of ( Your fake man's name ) to try and hit you, but he didn't deserve death. "Well then, Ace. What do you do for a living." M/n asked with genuine curiosity. "I'm the second division commander of the Whitebeard pirates. Fire Fist Ace." Ace said winking. Your mom and dad looked at each other. "Y/n do you really love him?" Your mother asked a bit concerned. Ace squeezed your knee. "Yes." You answered in panic. "Then we accept your relationship, but Y/n you should leave with Ace. It's gonna be too painful for you to have a far-away love."  M/n said holding your father's hand and looking sadly at him. 

Your heart dropped, you can't go with this psycho. You wouldn't survive with him for long. And you would lose everything leaving. You looked at Ace, he had such a soft smile, and worse it looked kind. "I believe it is safest for your kind parents if we leave this evening," Ace said taking your hand and entwining them. "Yeah, don't wanna put mom and dad in danger." You said a bit distant. "I go pack my bags." You smiled and then walked up the stairs. "Babe I wanna get to know you're parents so I stay here," Ace yelled up to you. "That's so nice, we would love to get to know you better." Your F/n said. 

You got three bags done slowly, why did this happen? Why did this Ace get so obsessed with you? Just why? You sobbed quietly as you got what you wanted. He would obviously kill your lovely parents if you didn't comply. What a jerk, what a monster. 

You couldn't help crying as you said goodbye to your parents. Ace also hugged them and then he and you left on a small boat he had stolen, behind it the Striker followed bound in a rope. You stood at the end of the boat and watched as you lost everything because of this guy. Ace steered the boat with a huge smile. He started dreaming about you two's future when a thought crossed him. That made him blush brightly.