#header: Intersecting Lines (W. Kandinsky)

[one-sunny]

Warm Welcome

Portgas D. Ace x reader

Summary: After a long mission, Ace is there to welcome you back home and help you decompress. Use of the name doll and darling.

Masterlist

You were exhausted.

The mission you were sent on was supposed to be straightforward and in the shadows. Weeks of sleeping on your hard ground, silently tracking your target, and getting the information you needed to aid Whitebeard and your crew. Weeks that ended up not being as straightforward as everyone believed. It with a blade to your throat and a fight that nearly ended your life.

Seeing the Moby Dick in the distance floods your body with relief and nearly makes your knees buckle within your small boat. Docking was quick and you were met with enthusiastic greetings as your family welcomed you home.

As much as your crew mates warmed your soul, they weren’t the one that you were buzzing to see. Despite how utterly sore and exhausted you were, energy fills you as someone pushes through the other pirates, shouting your name.

Ace runs to you with a bright smile, wrapping you up in his arms without a second thought and twirling you around. You groan as he squeezes you tight but you cannot bring yourself to protest. “I missed you, doll.” He presses a kiss to your forehead.

“Missed you.” Your arms hook around his neck and you feel weightless in his arms. The warmth and comfort he brings is instant. Your eyes begin to sting and you can feel the exhaustion catching up to you. “Gotta talk to Pops.” You groan as you press your face into Ace’s shoulder.

His laugh runs a shiver down your spine, “Go on then, i’ll be waiting for you, kay?”

You press a tired kiss to his lips before moving to walk off, when Ace catches your wrist. He tugs you back over to him with that mischievous smile on his lips, catching you when you stumble slightly, and crashing his lips to yours for a passionate kiss filled with the longing of weeks away from each other. You hold each other in the embrace until your lungs burn. As you pull back, Ace chases you to place another quick peck to your lips.

“You better go.” Ace places another kiss to your lips. “Check in with Pops,” He pecks you again. “So you can hurry and come to bed.” A low sigh pushes past his lips, “Beds not been as warm without ya.”

You laugh at this, “Ace, you’re literally made of fire.”

“ ‘M trying to be all sweet but you just gotta make fun of me, huh?” A grin pulls to his lips and he nudges your shoulder. He hears the low groan at the action, your brows furrowing and a pout pulling to your lips. His expression immediately morphs into one of concern, “Hey, doll, are you okay? Did something happen?” There’s a flood of questions as he takes a step back to take in your form.

“I’m okay,” You’re quick with the answer. Maybe a little too quick as Ace raises a skeptical brow. “Well, things didn’t exactly go as planned, so i’m just a little bit sore.”

Ace steps in close to cup your cheeks in his hands, “I’ll tell Pops that you’ll check in with him in the morn-“

“I’m fine.” You groan. “Just really happy to see ya now, Fire Fist.”

He rolls his eyes at your teasing tone, “Flattery will get you everywhere.” Hands tilt your chin forwards as warm eyes meet your gaze. “Promise me you’ll be quick? Then I can take care of ya, darling.” His smile is sickeningly sweet and you can’t believe just how much you missed that look.

“Promise.”

Ace finally allows you to break away from him. Your conversation with Whitebeard is relatively short as the fatherly figure had more concern for your wellbeing and the fight you encountered than the information you held. He allows just what Ace had originally suggested, to give him the run down in the morning. To rest.

You enter the second division commanders room to find it completely dark, aside from two flickering candles at the bedside. There, you can make out Ace’s form in the dim light. “There ya are.” He sits at the end of the bed, calling to you, and pulling you to stand between his legs. You can barely make out the way he looks up at you before you feel a hand tugging at the end of your shirt, “Take this off.”

“Ace,” You mutter, brushing the curls from his face. “Told you I’m pretty sore, not exactly in the mood-“

“Not for that, darling.” Ace laughs as he gently nudges you away from him so he can stand. Warm fingers lift the end of your shirt in a silent question, one you give a nod to, and Ace is quick to aid you in undressing. “Now lay down on your stomach and get comfortable.”

You teasingly raise an eyebrow, and Ace playfully rolls his eyes. Sinking into the mattress and getting comfortable was more than easy after so long sleeping on the hard ground. A content sigh leaves you as Ace rummages about the room.

He finally sinks in at your side and you feel his warm hands placing on your shoulders. A sweet, floral smell fills the air as Ace massages the lotion into your skin. Gentle hands, careful not to press too hard into your sore body, rub and massage over your back. Devil fruit powers heat up his hands to your own content, taking instructions of when to turn the heat up or down.

Ace takes his time in taking care of you, deft fingers massaging over your entire body and willing any soreness out of your muscles. Weeks of being on high alert drains from your body. You are fully surrendered to the man massaging your calves in silence, fully trusting and completely safe.

Sleep nips at your mind as you are enveloped in the comfort of Ace.

You’re not sure when he joins you in laying down, but you feel his lips pressing into your shoulder before he is pulling you into an embrace. “How do you feel, doll?” His voice is low and strikes an emotion deep inside of you.

You’re not even sure if your voice still works, but you manage out a small, “tired.”

Ace aids you in settling against his chest. You feel yourself teetering on the cusp of sleep as Ace holds you close. This. This is exactly what you were missing during your time away. “Sleep, doll. ‘M right here.”

This was exactly what you needed to allow yourself to surrender to a deep sleep.