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demonpiratehuntress · 2 days ago

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before you (Straw Hats + Ace, Law)

featuring - Zoro x F!Reader, Ace x F!Reader, Law x F!Reader, Luffy x F!Reader, Sanji x F!Reader, Usopp x F!Reader

summary - they find out you had a crush on someone else on the crew/someone they know before them

warnings - none

a/n - one energy drink later, i have three posts out...oh well, i'm not complaining

ZORO

Honestly, he didn't even care.

Until he learned who it was, that is.

"You had a crush on WHO?!" Is what the rest of the crew woke up to one day. You tried your best to hush him, saying that everyone's sleeping, but he was having a meltdown.

A few minutes later, when everyone was piling into the kitchen for breakfast, eyes still losing remnants of sleepiness, they saw the swordsman sitting at the table, one blade ominously on his lap.

"Uh, Zoro?" Usopp laughed nervously, putting Sanji between himself and Zoro. "What are you doing?"

"I just want to talk to Luffy," came the steely, scary calm response.

"Me?" The captain blinked. "What did I do?"

You stood at the back of the group, rubbing your temples. Bickering with Zoro had taken a lot out of you, the stubborn swordsman refusing to accept the fact that your crush on Luffy was in the past.

"Let's go," Nami was the first to leave, deciding that whatever it was could stay between the two arguably strongest members of the group. Then she seemed to realise that, and froze. "Actually, absolutely not."

But before she could get to either one of them, Zoro demonstrated just what had made him so frightening to pirates and lunged at Luffy with inhuman speed. Which resulted in him chasing the captain around the Going Merry, yelling at him and slashing with his sword - possibly taking a hair off Luffy's head.

"WHAT DID I DO?!"

ACE

When you revealed that you used to have a - harmless, innocent, you added - crush on Marco, Ace immediately wanted to throw himself overboard. He's so dramatic, acting like you stabbed him in the back, pouting for the rest of the day.

When anyone asked him what was wrong, he crossed his arms, huffed, and said, "Ask (Name), the traitor."

You just sighed, explaining that he's upset over something you said. But then moments later, Marco appeared and Ace practically glowers in his direction, mini flames burning in his eyes.

"Will you calm down!" You exclaimed, putting yourself between the two of them as Ace raised a flame-engulfed hand.

Marco raised an eyebrow, "What's with him now?"

"Nothing!" You assured him, then turned your gaze on Ace, an intense look in your eyes, "Right, Ace? We're all fine."

"...Right," he murmured, extinguishing his ball of fire. He looked away, refusing to even glance in Marco's direction now. He crossed his thick arms over his bare chest, grumbling under his breath.

Marco eyed him warily, but walked away without questioning Ace's odd behaviour further. No one could ever explain it anyway.

You pinched the bridge of your nose, "Ace, look at me."

"No."

"Ace!"

"No!"

Giving up, you just wrapped your arms around his torso from behind, pressing featherlight kisses to his shoulder. When his body visibly relaxed, you grinned.

"...I hate when you do that," he mumbled, annoyance fading quickly.

"Liar, you love it."

LAW

Law offered you a...blank look. This information was not exactly new to him. He had already known, after all he'd been there to witness it. He just wondered why you found it necessary to tell him about it, especially when it wasn't relevant to him at all.

The changes were subtle, but you started noticing them as the days passed by. Penguin's workload increased, he was told to do more chores, and Law even gave into some of the other crew's demands - which were made to tease Penguin - to make Penguin do their chores.

"Did I...did I do something wrong?" You heard him asking Shachi and Bepo one day, panic in his voice.

You made your way to Law's quarters, knocking before you stepped inside, "Is there a reason that Penguin seems to be doing half the crew's work recently?"

For a brief, imperceptible moment, Law tensed. Then he regained his composure, and spoke without lifting his eyes from his work, "I don't know what you mean, (Name)-ya."

"I think you do," you walked over, standing right beside him. "And it's not his fault."

"Of course not. He simply volunteered to assist other crewmembers."

You sighed, shaking your head, "So it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I used to have a crush on him before I started liking you?"

Again, that barely-noticeable tension, before the calm returned, "You did? Fascinating." His tone was dry, and you found it incredible that he could deny what was so obvious while simultaneously insulting you with a sarcastic remark.

"But I told you-"

"When? I don't recall."

You sighed. This man was impossible.

LUFFY

Luffy burst out laughing, unfazed by your admission. Oh, you had a crush on Usopp before you started liking him? No problem! What could he do about it? It was in the past, no sense dwelling on it.

"Uh...are you sure, Luffy?" You raised an eyebrow, slightly disappointed that he wasn't more worked up about it.

"Yes!" The captain beamed. "You're mine now, right? It doesn't matter!"

While his logic was absolutely flawless, for once since you'd met him, you were bewildered. He was so calm about this, remaining cheerful despite you telling him you liked another crewmember once.

But over the next few days, there were signs that it affected him more than you thought. Usopp was suddenly sitting way across from you at the table, never volunteered to pair up with you when you split into groups at nearby islands, and always avoided eye contact when you spoke to him - though you later found out he was just watching out for the captain.

"Luffy!" You called, after getting sick of Usopp's hesitance to be anywhere near you alone, even on the ship.

"Yes, (Name)?" Your boyfriend smiled innocently, though that might have been because he either forgot what he did, or he didn't see anything wrong with it.

"Why is Usopp behaving like that?" You asked him. "Is this because of what I told you?"

Luffy laughed, shaking his head, "No, I'm sure it's just because he's not feeling well!"

"Uh huh..."

Luffy extended his arms to grab you, pulling you onto Merry's figurehead with him, "Let's stop talking about Usopp."

His tone left no room for argument.

SANJI

One would think that you had just broken up with him, or beat him over the head with a wooden plank severely. The chef was laying on the floor, after having passed out, now crying rivers.

"Sanji-" You began, but didn't know what to tell him.

"My heart!" He wailed, "How could you do this to me, my sweet (Name)?!"

"What did you do?" Nami asked you, laughing.

"I just told him that I used to like Zoro," you sighed, "And now he won't stop saying that I broke his heart."

Chopper went to check on Sanji, worried that you revelation might have actually impacted him - only to find out that Sanji was, in fact, just being overly dramatic.

"Sanji-" You started again.

"Noooo!" He cried, pouting. "It hurts too much!"

"Get over yourself, idiot," Zoro grumbled, "It's not like she still has those feelings."

That seemed to snap Sanji out of it, because then he was on his feet and he kicked the swordsman through the wall. Usopp screamed and rushed to inspect the damage, while you gave Nami one look and she broke the fight up by twisting both their ears like they were little kids, until they apologised.

USOPP

He was devastated. Because what do you mean you used to like Sanji???? What do you mean you had a crush on the most romantic, most flirtatious Straw Hat????? He almost passed out, but ended up crying instead.

And then he tried to take Sanji out - the sniping kind.

"Usopp!" You laughed when you saw him take aim at the chef while he was cooking. "Stop that!"

He stopped, standing up straight and hiding his slingshot behind his back, trying to look innocent, as if he hadn't just been attempting to assassinate the blonde cook.

You assumed that was the last of it, as you had assured him your crush on Sanji was in the past, and would never resurface again.

Then you heard screaming, a loud bang, and a frustrated yell.

When you got to where the commotion was, the rest of the crew was there. Luffy and Zoro were laughing, because Sanji's hair was standing up in all different directions, his face looking like he'd put it near a bomb.

Or like a bomb had exploded near him...

"Usopp!" You yelled, "Why did you do that?! I mean, I know why, but I thought we were over this!"

"I'm satisfied now," he said proudly, walking away.

Sanji tried to go after him, but Nami helped you out by stopping him - she actually just wanted an excuse to hit him.

There was never a dull day with the Straw Hat crew.

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mugiwara-lucy · 3 days ago

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He gives me dark Deku vibes here 😭

what do u mean, we’re all by ourselves ?

#one piece #asl #asl brothers #portgas d ace #sabo #monkey d luffy #i had a nightmare that both sabo and luffy died and ace was all on his own 😭

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cwispihae · 3 months ago

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#I thought of him immediately #portgas d ace #op ace #fire fist ace #blackbeard #marshal d teach #op blackbeard #one piece #cwispihae #Ace's hair was fun to draw may do him again later ~

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inseobts · 2 days ago

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Hiii! Can i req an ace x f!reader where he looks all over for her like he did with BB not bc she's a traitor but bc she left the crew w/o letting anyone besides WB know (WB ain't snitching lol). She has her own problems in life but the ultimate reason for leaving was bc of self loathing issues under the tough mask and thought the love was unrequited after seeing ace with cuter girls, and that she didn't need another problem. It was onesided, but ace became aware of his own feelings after she left. He finds her as a strawhat but reader and zoro are alrdy a power couple... or so he thought ;D tysm i genuinely LOVE your works btw!!! <3

Embers Left Behind

portgas d. ace x reader

a/n: aaah I always love a really good angst with fluff!! thank you aw

words count: 5.9k

tags: angst, heartbreak, slow burn, emotional tension, sfw

masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi

The Moby Dick rocks gently with the waves, but the stillness on board is anything but peaceful.

“Ace...”

Marco’s voice is low, but firm, almost warning in his tone.

Ace doesn’t stop pacing “Don’t start.”

“You’ve already asked him three times.”

“I’ll ask him thirty!” Ace snaps, spinning on his heel. His fists are clenched so tightly his nails dig into his palms “She wouldn’t just vanish like that. Not without saying anything.”

“She did.” Marco says, voice quiet but steady “That was her choice.”

Ace whirls, fire licking up his arms now “She told Pops and not us? Not even me?”

Marco looks away “Yeah. That’s what she actually did.”

Ace’s breath hitches. That admission stings more than he’ll let show.

He storms toward the upper deck, where Whitebeard sits in his massive chair, the sea breeze tugging at his long white hair like it respects him too much to tangle it.

“Old man.” Ace’s voice is tight. Controlled. Barely.

Whitebeard doesn’t turn “Still angry?”

“Still confused.” Ace steps closer “Why her? Why’d she tell you and not the rest of us?”

“She asked for a promise.” Whitebeard’s voice is steady as a mountain “And I gave it.”

Ace’s fire dims slightly “A promise to keep her location a secret?”

“To let her go. Without questions. Without trails.”

“Bullshit...” Ace mutters, hurt flashing in his voice “She didn’t even say goodbye.”

Whitebeard finally turns his gaze down to him “You think that didn’t hurt her too?”

Ace swallows hard. But he doesn’t respond.

Later, in the infirmary, Marco sits with a bottle between his legs, flipping the cap off with a lazy flick of his thumb.

“She left her favourite coat” he says.

Ace looks up, surprised “What?”

Marco nods toward the corner of the room where a familiar coat hangs limply on the wall, untouched “She probably forgot it in the rush of leaving.”

Ace stands slowly, walking over to it. He stares at it like it’s a corpse.

“She was hurting.” Marco doesn’t say it as a defense, just as the truth.

Ace turns toward him, brows drawn together “We’re family. She could’ve told us.”

“Maybe that’s exactly why she couldn’t.”

The crew feels the void she left, even in little things like someone instinctively calling her name during morning drills, or setting aside a plate during dinner out of habit. Thatch stops laughing as loudly. Vista sharpens his swords in silence.

And Ace? He doesn’t sleep. Not really.

He stares at the stars, thinking about every conversation you ever had, what he missed, what you were hiding, what he didn’t say.

The coat’s been hanging there for weeks. No one moves it. No one touches it. It just stays exactly where you left it, draped over the hook in the infirmary corner like it’s waiting for you to come back and grab it.

Ace stares at it again that morning.

Marco walks in, holding coffee, and stops when he sees him.

“You really gonna keep standing there, or you gonna wear it yourself?”

Ace shoots him a glare “It’s hers.”

Marco sips, watching him over the rim of his mug “Yeah. We know.”

He doesn’t make a scene about it. Just one quiet morning, a little after breakfast, he shows up on deck with a pack slung over his shoulder and your coat folded neatly in his arms.

Whitebeard watches from his throne, silent.

“Going somewhere, Ace?” Izo asks, already knowing.

Ace doesn’t look at anyone as he answers, “She forgot her coat.”

A few of the guys glance at each other. That’s the excuse? Seriously?

Haruta tilts her head “You’re gonna cross the Grand Line to return a coat?”

Ace shrugs “She loved this coat. Said she couldn’t live without it.”

It’s half a lie. Maybe less. But no one calls him out.

“You gonna tell Pops?” Vista asks.

Ace glances toward the upper deck. Whitebeard’s already looking at him. They lock eyes for a second. Whitebeard doesn’t nod. Doesn’t shake his head. Just… lets him go.

“Guess you don’t need to” Vista mutters with a smirk.

Marco sighs and tosses him an extra log pose “You’ll need this more than your pride.”

Ace catches it, barely looking “Appreciate it.”

“You gonna say what we all know?” Marco asks, voice level “That it’s not about the coat?”

Ace’s jaw tightens “No.”

Marco smirks faintly “Thought so.”

As Ace walks toward the edge of the ship, Thatch calls after him, voice light but sad around the edges “Tell her she still owes me a drink!”

“And that we miss her!” Haruta adds.

Ace doesn’t turn around, but he lifts a hand in acknowledgment.

“Tell her yourself when I find her...” he says.

And then, he’s gone.

Months passed and the sun’s dipping low when Ace finds the black sails of the Thousand Sunny sway gently at the harbor’s edge, golden light flickering across the lion-shaped prow like it’s grinning at him.

He hadn’t meant to stumble across them like this. He was chasing rumors, not names. But seeing that Straw Hat Jolly Roger gave him a reason to take a break.

“So you’re just crashing dinner?” Luffy grins, already halfway through a plate of meat.

“Not my fault I showed up right when Sanji was cooking” Ace says casually, plopping down on the deck’s edge.

The table’s full. Sanji’s setting down plates faster than they can be emptied. Nami’s sipping something citrusy, Robin’s got a book open next to her rice, and Usopp’s already knee-deep in some tall tale about a sea king. Brook plays a soft melody in the background.

“Man, I forgot how chaotic you all are” Ace laughs.

Franky flexes “SUPER chaotic!”

Chopper beams “I’m glad you stopped by!”

“Didn’t expect to find you guys here, honestly” Ace admits, glancing around “I was just passing through.”

Nami quirks an eyebrow “Passing through where, exactly?”

He shrugs “Everywhere.”

They don’t press. They know that kind of tone.

Luffy’s already asking about Whitebeard, and Ace answers between bites.

Then footsteps. Two sets. Light and even. The sound of a low laugh, a deeper voice beside it.

“—I’m just saying, if you let me sharpen your swords while drunk, it’s a disaster waiting to happen, you can't blame me after...” your voice rings out, smooth and easy.

“I didn’t really give you permission, stop lying.” Zoro answers, tone relaxed in a way that makes Ace’s stomach turn.

You step into the room first, head turned toward him, smiling “You did! You said that I—”

And then your eyes land on the table.

On him.

And everything stops.

Ace freezes with a piece of meat halfway to his mouth, hand still in the air.

You don’t breathe.

Neither does he.

Your gaze locked with his.

“Ace...” you whisper.

He stands up so suddenly his chair scrapes across the floor.

“You’re—” His voice cracks. He swallows “You’re here?”

Zoro’s already watching you. He sees the change in your expression, the sudden tightness in your grip, the way your breath hitches.

Sanji mutters, “Ohhh shit.”

You take a slow step forward, like you’re not sure if he’s real “What are you doing here?”

Ace doesn’t answer immediately. His eyes scanning you, your hair, clothes, the faint scar on your knuckle that wasn’t there before. You’re different. Still you. But heavier, somehow. Guarded.

He lifts something from the table.

Your old coat.

You hadn’t even noticed it until now.

“You forgot this” he says quietly.

And just like that, every wall you built inside your chest starts to splinter.

You stare at it “You came all this way for that?”

Ace’s smile is small. Not cocky. Not smug. Just… tired “Couldn’t sleep with it staring at me every day.”

The table is dead quiet now. Everyone’s eyes on the two of you.

You glance at Zoro. He’s watching Ace now. Calm. Unmoving.

Ace notices.

Something flickers in his eyes “Didn’t know you were a Straw Hat now.”

You steady your voice “I wasn't planning on staying with them at first, so I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

He hesitates “Yeah. Same.”

You don’t know what else to say. Neither does he. But damn it, the tension’s louder than the silence.

Dinner resumes... Kind of.

People try to keep it normal. Conversations start up again, tentative at first, then flowing a little easier. Luffy dives back into his mountain of food, thankfully oblivious. Usopp’s telling Brook about a “totally real” fight he had with a sea serpent, and Chopper’s wide-eyed and hanging on every word.

But at one end of the table, you sit next to Zoro, posture stiff.

Across from you, Ace is watching.

You can feel his gaze on your skin like sunburn. Every time you smile or laugh at something Zoro says. Every time Zoro nudges your shoulder casually. Every time you try to look like everything’s fine.

You’re not fooling anyone. Least of all Ace.

“Here,” Zoro says suddenly, shoving a cup toward you “You look like you need this.”

You blink “Sake already?”

He shrugs “It’s dinner. And you look like you’re about to jump overboard.”

You snort under your breath “Thanks.”

You drink. So does Ace.

And then again Sanji pours a fresh cup for him, glancing sideways “You alright there?”

Ace leans back with a grin that doesn’t touch his eyes “Peachy.”

He knocks back another drink.

You try not to look at him, but it’s like your eyes betray you every five seconds.

Zoro strangely keeps talking. Trying. He keeps you grounded when your thoughts threaten to drift into the fire sitting across the table.

But the alcohol is catching up to Ace.

His words get looser. His stare, more obvious.

“So,” he says after his third or fifth cup “How long’s that been a thing?”

Your head snaps up “What?”

Ace nods lazily toward you and Zoro “You and him. The whole… power couple thing.”

Zoro’s hand pauses around his cup “Didn’t know that was a thing.”

Ace shrugs, leaning an elbow on the table “Oh, it’s not. But I saw how you looked at her. Pretty sure I’ve seen animals less possessive.”

You set your cup down, jaw tight “Ace.”

“What?” he asks, eyes wide in mock innocence “We’re just catching up, right? Friends talk about relationships. Or is that off-limits too?”

Sanji clears his throat “Maybe you should pace yourself, Fire Fist.”

“Oh, I’m pacing,” Ace says, slouching back “Just catching up on a year of silence and disappearing acts.”

Your stomach drops.

Zoro glances at you but says nothing.

You speak slowly “This isn’t the place.”

Ace huffs a laugh “Yeah, no kidding. Because the place for it was back then, right? When you could’ve said something. Anything.”

Robin gently closes her book.

Nami’s eyes flicker between the two of you.

“I didn’t think I owed you an explanation” you snap, sharper than intended.

Ace leans forward, finally letting that bitter smile crack through “No, you didn’t. But damn, it would’ve been nice to get something other than your coat and full silence.”

Zoro moves slightly, like he’s ready to shut it down, but your face makes him understand he has to stop.

Everyone’s watching now, and you feel like you’re under a spotlight.

Ace shakes his head, laughing dryly “Hell, maybe I was the only idiot who thought it meant something.”

Your breath catches.

The words are out.

And for a moment, no one knows what to say. Not even him.

The dinner table clears awkwardly.

No one says anything outright, but it’s obvious they’re trying to give you space.

Luffy yawns exaggeratedly and says, “Wow, I’m full. So full. Gonna go sleep. Right now. So full.”

“Goodnight!” Chopper squeaks, tugging Usopp by the sleeve.

Even Sanji backs off, flicking his lighter once before disappearing into the galley.

That leaves just you, Ace and Zoro, standing up slowly, watching Ace with unreadable eyes.

“You gonna be alright?” Zoro asks, voice low.

You nod “Yeah.”

Zoro looks at you for a bit longer, then gives a short nod and walks away, leaving you with Ace’s stare burning holes in your side.

The silence stretches.

You finally break it “That was unnecessary.”

Ace doesn’t flinch “Which part? The part where you never said goodbye, or the part where you show up on a new ship with a boyfriend like none of us meant anything to you? Couldn't you just tell us you were leaving for love?”

Your jaw tightens “Zoro is my friend.”

He snorts “Could’ve fooled me.”

You look him dead in the eye “It’s not like that. It never was.”

The silence that follows is heavier than anything he said during dinner.

“…Oh.”

His voice is smaller now. Less fire, more ash.

You exhale “You seriously thought I left because of him?”

Ace’s fingers run through his hair “No. I don’t know. I thought—maybe—I don’t know, okay? You just vanished. You left without a damn word. I woke up, and you were gone. And now I found you here...”

Your breath hitches, but you stay rooted.

“I told Whitebeard to not worry you all too much” you say quietly.

“Only him...” Ace snaps, stepping closer now “Why? What was so bad you couldn’t even say goodbye to me?”

You blink fast, but your voice stays even “Because if I saw your face, I wouldn’t have been able to do it! It's not that hard to understand, Ace.”

Ace’s whole body stills.

You go on, voice low and raw “I didn’t leave because I hated the crew. Or you. I left because I hated me. I was tired of pretending I wasn’t falling apart inside. Tired of pretending I didn’t feel anything, especially around you.”

Ace doesn’t move. Doesn’t breathe.

You shake your head “You didn’t need someone like me stuck in your shadow.”

“That’s not—” he starts, but you hold up a hand.

“I didn’t want to be another problem you had to solve.”

Silence again.

Then, slowly he says “You were never a problem.”

You glance up.

His eyes are different now. Not angry. Not jealous. Just… aching.

“You were a storm I wanted to chase,” he murmurs “but then you were just gone.”

Your chest tightens.

“You never said anything either” you whisper.

He laughs bitterly “Guess we both suck at this.”

Your heart pounding “So what now?”

Ace shrugs, but there’s no fire in it this time. Just quiet, open hurt “You tell me.”

Ace’s words hang in the air like smoke from a dying fire. You stare at him, heart tight and hammering. Part of you wants to move, say something, anything, but your feet won’t cooperate.

“You think I had some kind of perfect answer?” he says, voice cracking just slightly “You weren’t the only one pretending nothing hurt.”

Your brows knit “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

He steps closer.

“Because I didn’t know I could!” he bursts out “Because you always looked so strong. Always sharp. Looked like you never needed anyone, least of all me.”

You flinch. He sees it. Regrets it instantly.

“I didn’t mean—”

“No,” you cut him off, voice thick “You’re right. I made it look easy. I wore the mask. I made you all believe I was fine when I wasn’t. I guess it's normal you thought so if that was my plan to start with.”

Your eyes burn, but you keep going.

“You know what I remember, Ace? Nights on the Moby Dick where I stared at the ceiling wondering why I felt like I didn’t deserve to be there. Why I wasn’t enough. Why I could throw myself into battle for my crew and still feel like a fraud every time someone looked at me with respect.”

Ace’s breath catches “You were never a fraud.”

You laugh bitterly “I know that's a family, I love them all... but sometimes I felt like a fraud.”

The pain in your chest rises, sharp and breathless.

“But you...” your voice breaks, “you were the biggest thing I couldn’t handle. Not when I saw how easy it was for you to smile at someone else. Someone better.”

Ace’s eyes widen “Better?! What the hell are you talking about?”

You take a shaky breath “All these girls. The flirting. The way you lit up when you were with them. I saw it all. And I told myself... of course he doesn’t want you. Why would he?”

There’s silence. Only the sea, and your heart breaking against the rail of the Sunny.

Ace looks like someone just punched the air out of his lungs.

“That’s what you thought?” he whispers.

You nod, lips trembling “I left because it hurt to love you.”

The words hang there. Raw. Bleeding.

“You left,” he says slowly, “and took everything with you without even trying.”

Your throat closes.

Ace’s jaw clenches.

“I would’ve chosen you,” he says quietly “Every single time, if you gave me the chance.”

"But you can't blame me for being oblivious... You were always with some new girl, how could I even think I had a chance"

"I know. But you also knew I would have chosen you over some strangers, I wouldn't want to hurt you at all. If you gave me a change I would have put the whole world aside for you, Y/N."

You don’t know whether to cry or scream. So you laugh... a single, broken sound “And now it’s too late, right?”

“I don’t know” he says honestly “You tell me.”

His eyes are locked on yours, and he steps closer.

You don’t move away.

His hand hovers, hesitates, like he wants to touch your face, your shoulder, your hand, something, anything, but doesn’t know if he has the right anymore.

Your breath catches in your throat.

“Ace…”

And then—BANG. The galley door slams open.

“Yo, have either of you seen—oh.”

Luffy. Of course it’s Luffy.

He stops in the doorway, blinking wide, oblivious to the emotional minefield he’s just barged into “Uh. Am I interrupting?”

You jerk back instinctively. Ace steps away too, fast.

“No!” you say too quickly “No, you’re good.”

Ace turns away, face unreadable now. Mask back on, smooth and practiced.

Luffy glances between you two “You guys look weird.”

Neither of you responds.

He scratches the back of his head “Anyway, Robin and Nami are looking for you,” he tells you. “Something about maps and weird island currents.”

You nod, voice tight “Got it. I’ll be right there.”

Luffy eyes Ace for another second, then shrugs and leaves just as fast as he came, door clicking shut behind him.

Silence falls again but it’s different now. The moment is shattered, scattered like glass.

Ace doesn’t look at you.

You speak first, voice barely above a whisper “Ace…”

He cuts you off gently “You should go.”

You flinch “We weren’t done.”

“I think we were.”

You step toward him, but he doesn’t move.

He doesn’t let himself.

“I meant what I said” you tell him “About everything.”

His voice is quiet “Yeah. That’s the problem.”

And then he walks away. Leaving you standing in the dark, alone with the weight of all the things that almost happened.

You make it to the girls’ quarters, swallow hard and enter the room.

You close the door and put your body agaist it as if you're trying to let all the problems stay out.

Nami stands there, brows lifting when she sees your face “Hey, we were just—”

But then she looks closer and her casual smile drops right off her face.

“…You okay?”

Your throat locks up.

Behind her, Robin looks up from the maps she’s laying out, calm as ever but watching you with those eyes that always seem to see what you don’t want them to.

You try to say something. Anything.

You don’t.

You sit down instead. Hard. Right on the edge of Nami’s bed like your legs stopped working.

Nami follows instantly, crouching in front of you “What happened?”

You shake your head, blinking fast, jaw clenched.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” you whisper, voice barely there “I don’t know how to fix this.”

And then it breaks as you cover your face with your hands.

The tears hit before you can stop them. Hot, shaking, ugly sobs that you’ve held down for too long. Too many months of silence, too much guilt, too much everything.

You’re not even crying quietly. You break.

“I left because I thought it was the right thing!” you gasp “I thought he didn’t feel anything and I couldn’t take it anymore. And now he’s here and he does and it’s just—it’s too late and I ruined it.”

Nami wraps her arms around you instantly, holding tight.

Robin doesn’t say anything at first. She just sits beside you, brushing your hair back from your wet face with a gentle hand.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Nami whispers “You were hurting. That’s not the same as ruining.”

You shake your head against her shoulder “He hates me.”

“He doesn’t...” Robin says simply.

You choke on a bitter laugh “He walked away.”

“Because he’s hurt too,” Robin adds “But that doesn’t mean it’s over.”

You wipe your face with your sleeve, trembling “I feel like I’ve been bleeding since the day I left.”

Robin’s voice is soft, but steady “Then maybe it’s time to stop bleeding. Start talking.”

Nami looks down at you, eyes gentle “Do you want to fix it?”

You nod. Miserably. Broken.

“Then we’ll help you,” she says “You don’t have to do it alone.”

And for the first time in a long time, you believe it.

The next morning, no one says anything out loud but it’s clear something has shifted.

You don’t talk about the breakdown you had the night before. You don’t talk about the ache in your throat or the way sleep never really came. You just sit at breakfast and try to act normal.

Except Robin keeps watching you. Nami keeps nudging your elbow like it’s nothing, but her smile is just a little too knowing.

Zoro doesn’t say a word but when Ace walks in and his eyes meet yours across the room and then quickly slide away Zoro exhales through his nose and mutters, “This is stupid.”

Nami catches that.

Her eyes flick to Robin, who arches a brow.

Time to get to work.

“Ace,” Nami says casually, catching him after breakfast, “Luffy’s going to be real mad if you leave before sparring with him again.”

Ace pauses “We already did yesterday. I'm here just to take some food.”

“Yeah, but now he wants a rematch. Says you cheated.”

“I didn’t cheat.”

“He’s Luffy,” Nami shrugs “He doesn’t care.”

Ace gives her a side glance “Why are you so invested?”

She smiles, all teeth “Me? Not at all.”

Later, Robin finds you on the deck alone, staring at the waves. You haven’t seen Ace since breakfast.

“He hasn’t left yet” she says gently.

You don’t look at her “I know.”

Robin glances out at the horizon “You’re not the only one afraid, you know.”

You grip the railing tighter “Then why does it feel like I am?”

Robin’s voice is soft “Because you’re not used to being vulnerable. But strength isn’t always about standing tall.”

You finally glance at her “You’re not really here to talk about fear.”

She smiles “No. I’m here to remind you that there’s still time.”

Meanwhile, Zoro corners Ace on the training deck. No swords, just crossed arms and that usual scowl.

“You leaving?” he asks.

Ace shrugs “Probably.”

Zoro raises a brow “You couldn't care less about that coat, did you?”

Ace laughs once “No.”

Zoro nods “Figured.”

“She cried last night.”

Ace’s shoulders freeze.

Zoro keeps his voice even “Not for attention. Not for drama. She broke. I heard her from the girls’ room”

Ace turns his head, jaw tense “…She okay?”

“No,” Zoro says honestly “And neither are you.”

He starts to walk away, but pauses.

“You don’t get many second chances,” he says over his shoulder “Don’t be a dumbass.”

Later that day, Luffy walks up to Ace and beams.

“Hey! Are you and Y/N in love?”

Ace nearly chokes on air “What?!”

Luffy tilts his head “You’re mad. She’s sad. You love each other, right? Just fix it already.”

Ace blinks at him, stunned.

“…You know, for a rubber guy, you’re terrifyingly blunt.”

Luffy grins “Thanks!”

By sunset, you’re back at the rail again. Same spot. Same ache.

Footsteps approach and you already know it’s him.

Ace stops a few feet away.

“You’re avoiding me” he says quietly.

“I’m trying to give you space.”

He exhales “I think we’ve had enough space to destroy a fleet.”

You swallow, heart pounding.

He steps closer.

“Can we talk?” he asks.

Your eyes meet his and nod.

The sky bleeds orange and gold as the sun dips low behind the sea.

Ace steps up beside you, quiet and calm. No tension in his shoulders.

“I’m leaving tomorrow.”

You turn slowly to look at him.

“I figured” you whisper.

Ace nods “I came for a coat. Didn’t expect to get set on fire instead.”

You almost smile. Almost.

He looks out over the ocean “Whitebeard misses you. So does Marco. Thatch tried to make your favorite meal last week but burned it like an idiot.”

You swallow hard.

“They never said it but I know they all knew why you left” he says “I was the only one not understanding…”

He doesn’t look at you yet.

He goes on “I’ll say you found your place. That you’re with Luffy’s crew now. That you’re surrounded by people who care about you. That you’re safe. I know my little brother will take good care of you. Even that green moody head seems to care about you.”

His voice softens “And I’ll tell them you’re happy.”

You feel something twist in your chest.

“And what about you?” you ask.

Ace is quiet.

“For a long time,” he says, “I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. Flirting, smiling, messing around… it was easy. It was nothing. Because the real thing scared me.”

You finally look at him.

He’s already watching you.

“I told myself I didn’t care,” he says “That the way I looked at you didn’t mean anything. That it was fine if you didn’t look back.”

He laughs bitterly “But I did care. I cared so damn much it felt like it was choking me.”

Your breath catches.

“Feeling things terrified me”

Silence.

Then he finally says it, soft and aching “I was in love with you. Still am.”

The air rushes out of your lungs.

Ace looks away.

“But I’m not asking you for anything. Not now. Not after all this. I just… I couldn’t leave without saying it. I couldn’t let you think it didn’t matter. That you didn’t matter. It will hurt to go back without you but I meant it before, I'll be happy to know you found another family here, with Luffy out of all people.”

You stare at him, heart pounding.

“You still love me?” you whisper “I thought it was too late...”

“It probably is,” he says with a small smile “But at least you’ll know.”

He turns to leave but your hand shoots out and you grab his sleeve.

“…Stay one more day,” you say, voice shaking “Please.”

Ace freezes.

Slowly, he turns back to you and for the first time in forever there’s hope in his eyes.

Neither of you say much since you asked him to stay.

But the silence is comfortable now. Familiar. Safe.

Ace glances sideways, his voice low “You sure about this?”

You nod, just once.

“Yeah.”

His fingers twitch beside yours, like he wants to reach for you again but he waits.

“I don’t mean just staying,” he murmurs “I mean… this. Us. Me.”

You take a breath, and your hand moves to cover his.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure.”

He lets out a breath, almost like relief.

You both look out at the sea a while longer before you speak again.

“I missed you every day.”

Ace turns to you.

Your voice trembles, but you don’t look away.

“I thought about you every time I smiled. Every time something good happened. You were just… there in my mind, like you never left.”

His hand turns under yours, fingers lacing gently through yours.

“I hated you for leaving” he whispers.

You blink but he’s not angry. His voice is soft. Wounded.

“I hated you,” he says, “because you didn’t give me the chance to try stop you. But also because I was scared and stupid and thought I had time to figure it out.”

You’re quiet for a long moment.

Then you shift closer, just slightly, knees brushing. His hand stays in yours.

“You still have time.”

He looks at you then. Like you’re the first sunrise after a shipwreck.

“Can I kiss you?”

Your heart stutters.

You nod “Yes.”

And he does. It’s not desperate. Not rushed. Just real.

His lips are warm and trembling against yours. One hand moves to cradle your cheek, thumb brushing soft. You kiss him back, slow and full of everything you never got to say.

When he pulls away, his forehead rests gently against yours.

You rise slowly, fingers never leaving his, and lead him back into your room, silent, sure.

The night is tender. You lie beside each other in the dark, hearts bare and hands exploring familiar skin like it’s new.

When he presses kisses to your shoulder, your neck, your temple, you know it’s not just affection. It’s an apology. A thank you. A promise.

When he asks softly, “Is this okay?” you say “Yes” like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

And when you make love, it’s not about what you lost. It’s about what you finally found again.

No masks. No fear.

Just warmth.

Just you and him.

Just home.

You wake up warm.

Ace’s arm is draped across your waist, his breath steady at your back. His fingers twitch every so often, like he’s dreaming something wild. Or maybe something peaceful, for once.

You don’t want to move but you do, because you have to, because you both knew last night didn’t mean nothing’s changed, it meant everything has.

The galley is loud by the time you walk in.

The crew’s halfway through breakfast, everyone arguing over eggs and toast like nothing happened, like your world didn’t shift overnight.

Ace walks in behind you a second later, and the room stills for a heartbeat.

Then “YOU’RE FIRED!”

Luffy slams his hands on the table and points directly at you, grinning wide.

You blink “What?”

“You heard me!” he says “You slept with my brother! And on my ship! That’s illegal!”

You blush embarassed that even your oblivious Captain knew what happened.

Robin lifts her teacup “There’s no such law.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Luffy declares “I’m the captain. I make the rules here. Y/N, you’re fired.”

You open your mouth, then stop.

Because behind the ridiculous accusation, behind the over-the-top delivery you see the way his voice softens just slightly, the way his eyes look proud, not mad.

The way Nami nudges you, it’s okay.

This is Luffy's way of letting you go. He doesn’t want you to feel like you’re abandoning them.

So he turns it into a joke. A ridiculous, loud, Luffy's joke.

You laugh. You can’t help it.

Tears prick your eyes anyway.

Even Sanji tries his best to play it cool, almost looking proud, of you? Or of his Captain for understanding.

Usopp tries to cover Chopper's ears so that he doesn't hear about these adults' things.

Zoro doesn’t say much. Just leans back, arms folded, watching you with that unreadable gaze of his. But when you meet his eyes he nods. Just once.

He gets it. Even if it hurts a little more than he shows.

After breakfast, you start to pack. You barely get two things in your bag before someone knocks on your door.

Zoro.

He leans in the doorway, arms crossed, swords resting against his hip.

“Guess it’s real, huh?” he says quietly.

You nod.

“…Yeah.”

He doesn’t move for a second. Then he steps forward and gives something to you.

It’s your old Whitebeard crew headband you used to have on your arm, it's tattered and sun-bleached, but whole.

“Found it in the storage room last week,” he says “Thought you might want it back now.”

Your throat tightens “Thank you.”

Zoro shrugs “You were always part of another crew before this one. Doesn’t mean we didn’t like having you.”

“I’ll miss you” you whisper.

He smiles soft, sad “Don’t get all sentimental now. I won’t cry.”

You laugh through your tears and hugs him without giving him time to protest.

Zoro stays still for a while, his arm instinctively around your shoulders but he steps back before he could let him touch you.

“Go on, then,” he says “He’s waiting.”

You find Ace on the deck, bag slung over his shoulder, waiting at the edge of the ship like he’s afraid you’ll change your mind.

You take his hand and when you look back, the whole crew is there. Waving. Smiling. Luffy cheering like an idiot.

Little you know as soon as you’re out of sight Luffy, Nami, Chopper, Usopp amd Sanji all start to cry and act whining about how much they already miss you.

Your heart aches but it also feels full. Because you’re not losing a family. You’re just returning to another one, with love in your wake.

The Moby Dick is quiet when the small boat approaches. Too quiet.

Ace shifts nervously beside you, one hand still loosely holding yours, he hasn’t let go once since you left the Strawhats. You’re both sun-warmed, tired, hearts still tender. But you feel lighter now. Whole.

The closer you get, the more you can make out familiar silhouettes on deck. Marco, Thatch, Izo, even Whitebeard himself arms crossed, massive grin already tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Ace glances at you “Ready?”

You squeeze his hand “You better not let go the second we dock.”

He grins, all teeth and dimples “Not a chance.”

⸻

The second your boots hit the deck, it’s chaos.

“YOU BROUGHT HER BACK?!” Thatch yells, practically jumping over the railing to tackle you in a hug.

Marco stares at you, blinking slowly “I thought you were mad at all of us.”

You raise a brow “I wasn’t mad.”

Then his eyes flick to your joined hands.

Then back to your faces.

“…Wait.”

Izo’s eyes narrow “Wait.”

There’s a pause.

And then everyone starts yelling at once.

“What the hell—since when?!”

“Hold on, you two are—are—what is this?”

“Are you in love now?!”

“Thatch owes me 500 berries!!”

You laugh joyfully, and Ace wraps his arm around your waist like he’s proud to show you off. Because he is.

Whitebeard’s booming laughter cuts through it all “So the brat really did bring you back. And you didn’t punch him?”

“Not yet,” you tease “But the day’s still young.”

Ace leans into you, soft and smug “I’m pretty sure she loves me too much to punch me.”

You elbow him.

“I repeat” you deadpan “The day is still young.”

Everyone groans.

Marco squints suspiciously “No, seriously. You? Soft? Since when?”

Ace, without a hint of shame “Since forever. I was just emotionally constipated.”

“Understatement of the century” mutters Izo.

Thatch’s voice cuts in, cackling “Do I get to be best man at the wedding or what?!”

You choke. Ace doesn’t even deny it, just raises his brows like, maybe.

You cover your face “I hate it here.”

Ace pulls your hand away gently and kisses your cheek in front of everyone.

“Liar” he murmurs, voice low and warm.

You glance up at him and yeah.

Okay.

You really, really don’t.

221 notes · View notes

kikichibee · 5 days ago

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i can imagine him saying this

#fanart #anime fanart #my art 2025 #portgas d ace fanart #portgas d ace #ace op #ace one piece #one piece fandom #one piece #op fanart #one piece fanart

174 notes · View notes

clare-875 · 1 day ago

Text

Irrational Fears pt.2 (Law, Kid, Ace)

_____ Pairings: Law x Reader; Kid x Reader; Ace x Reader Summary: Your fears come to light, but your boyfriend is there to protect you. Warnings: Hurt, comfort, fluff, fears/phobias mentioned at the beginning of each character pairing, Female Reader [One Piece Masterlist] [Part 1: Luffy, Sanji, Zoro] _____

- Law - (Fear of Needles)

If there was one thing that Law was adamant about, it was the health of his crew. You can't remember the number of times you bore witness to his angry facade as he finds crewmates sick or hiding injuries, neglecting their health in the confines of his ship. Whether fear of burden or bedrest, Law did not care for excuses; he would much rather have a healthy and functioning crew. You knew better than to hide from him, especially after being one of the many whom he finds out about anyway.

But god, you wished you'd tried to hide a bit longer this time.

Being Law's girlfriend, it was harder to keep confined how you truly felt about things or your general well-being than others. You were constantly prey to his ever-observing eyes, his constant worry and constant fear that he might lose you to something he could not control. After knowing of his past, you feel like you could understand where he was coming from, and you tried to be better at telling Law rather than waiting for him to figure out that you had a cold or a cut from a battle that you neglected.

You were doing better, but you just had to make an exception this one time.

You noticed your health had slowly started to deteriorate over the past week since your crew had left an island, plagued, quite literally, by some mystery illness. Your boyfriend, despite his foreboding coldness, had found a cure surprisingly quickly, and the kindness he tried to hide was brought forth as he cured an island's worth of people. And normally, you could only be proud of his endeavours, but the only problem was, the cure he made could only be administered by a needle.

Your greatest fear.

Your greatest fear, which your boyfriend was all too aware of.

You could not even bear witness to Law curing the island's people because of that needle-like apparatus disappearing so unnaturally into skin. And God, had you tried not to get sick whilst helping gather remedies and organising townsfolk as they awaited treatment. But as you compile symptoms of fever and aching pains in your limbs, and chills that seem to have no end, you know you have failed to do so.

You had tried to convince yourself you were fine, but you weren't, and you were terrified. And unfortunately for you, your time was up when Bepo found you collapsed with a fever in the kitchen.

Law wasn't surprised that some crewmembers caught symptoms of the illness he had just cured; they had much contact with patients, and sometimes illness just finds a way to spread despite the amount of protective gear he made them wear. In fact, a couple had come and received medication already. But when he sees Bepo carrying you in haste to his door, he couldn't help the fear that crept up within him despite his confidence that the medication would work.

But would it work on you?

Would it be enough?

But even more so, he hates the flash of fear in your irises as you struggled weakly in Bepo's arms, shaking your head in rapid increments.

"No... please, Law..."

A needle was already prepared, full of the cure, ready to be registered in your system, but Law knew that getting to that point would be a struggle. He was adamant on the health of his crew; on the health of you. It was one of the most important things to him, if not the most. But Law was also adamant on your comfort, on your safety, on your ease. He hated being the one who made you subject to a fear he knew you could not control.

Your breathing, already uneven from illness, starts to become even more uncontrolled as tears spring to your eyes in apprehension. You eye the sharpness of the metal edge like it would be the cause of your undoing. And you were so sure it would be. Sweat rises on skin, limbs tremble, anxiety fills you, and all you know is that you need to get away from the needle, get away from this room; away from your boyfriend.

"[y/n], please, let me cure you."

You shake your head rapidly, and Bepo sits rigidly, concerned but unable to do anything but try and hold you still. In all honesty, the weakness of your figure is no struggle for him to hold, and that makes him worry too about your state; if they do not hurry, the illness may take over your body completely.

"[y/n], come on-"

"No!! Please, Law, don't make me do this- You can't, I can't do this-"

Your voice is faint with exhaustion but thick with desperation. Your boyfriend's brows furrowed tightly together, hesitating as he glanced between you and the cure in his fingertips. God, he hated seeing you scared; despised it. But he couldn't risk losing you; he would beg you to take it if he needed to.

"Love-"

"Law, please don't-"

"[y/n]..."

You shake your head quickly, tears flowing down your cheeks as you see the inevitable outcome, despite your pleas. Your boyfriend's hands are gentle as he guides your face upwards to meet his gaze. You see within his irises worry, hesitation, and hurt. You know he is hurting from seeing you like this, you know you had to put him at ease, but how?

How can you overcome this overwhelming fear?

The hand that holds your face moves to your hand, squeezing it lightly. If you had been sober of fear, maybe you would find yourself surprised at the depths of patience this man has for you, even with his reputation as the surgeon of death. His gaze looks to you imploringly; it asks silently for permission. You don't know how long you both stay unmoving and in silence, and there is comfort in knowing that Law can do nothing in good conscience without your permission.

But you also know how torturous this is to him.

"[y/n], you know I can't lose you."

Tears slip past your lower lash again, as you squeeze your eyes shut, the thrumming of your heart unbearable as you nod.

"I promise, it will only hurt for a second... please."

You continue to shut your eyes, anxiety making you feel dizzy, but you find yourself speaking shakily to your boyfriend, knowing what needs to be done.

"Q-Quickly, b-before I notice."

With the adrenaline coursing through you, and your boyfriend's ever careful hands bridled with accuracy and experience, you only feel one prick of skin until you are told it is over. You feel Bepo's fleeting warmth as he leaves you and your boyfriend be, and when you open your eyes, you are met only with the sight of Law, carefully applying a small bandage to your shoulder. When he looks up to meet your gaze, he gives you a small smile, rare even to you.

"Thank you, love."

His hands caress your hair once he is done, and he catches the last of your tears as you nod wordlessly, falling into his arms in exhaustion of both a subsiding illness and the depths of uncontrollable fear.

"That was so scary..."

Law's heart clenches at your soft-spoken words as he finds you succumbing to sleep in his arms. He vows silently to make every illness curable, even without the sharp edge of a needle. But in that moment, he simply caresses your hair, glad you were alive and safe in his arms.

- Kid - (Fear of Snakes)

You walk with your boyfriend, whose wide strides take him a few steps in front of you, with barely a care in the world. You know that as a pirate, maybe you should exercise more caution when travelling to new Islands in the New World, but you couldn't help your ease. You were part of the Kid Pirates, your boyfriend was one of the most powerful and ruthless pirates at sea, and you could hardly talk down your own strength after countless battles won time and time again.

It seemed your crew could get through anything the world threw at you, and you had never seen your crew members succumb to fear, apart from maybe when your boyfriend loses his temper. Yes, fear was uncommon, maybe even unnatural to members of the Kid Pirate Crew. And maybe that's why you had decided not to let anyone know of your very embarrassing but very real fear of snakes.

God, you hated those slippery things.

You don't know from where such fear arose, but you knew the sight of scales and lack of limbs caused an unbelievable amount of dread to creep into your system, rendering you useless. Whenever you had had the rare misfortune of coming across the wretched creatures along your journey, it had been easy to hide amongst your crew as they either walked past or got rid of them. However, now, alone with your boyfriend, it was much harder to hide your fear.

"Tch, why do I have to do this shit?"

You roll your eyes as your boyfriend grumbles about the task of finding herbs on the island you now find yourselves on. You remember back to the previous battle your crew had faced at sea, and it was difficult to admit, but it had been an awful one. Many crewmembers had been injured and resigned to bed rest, but you hoped a week of rest, with the right herbs for medicine, would be enough to bring them back to their feet.

"We're the only ones without life-threatening injuries, you do realise that, right?" You tease lightly as the two of you start to split up and look to your natural surroundings for a treasure unlike those you usually look for. You hear your boyfriend grumble but not rebuke your words as he travels a short distance from you, doing the same. But it is only a few minutes later, when you witness a sight that fills you with sharp fear.

A snake.

A snake that moves from within a bush you stand beside.

Instantly, it is like your laid-back nature is foreign to you.

You let out a sharp yell, and you stumble backwards several steps, your heart picking up pace so suddenly it hurts in your chest. Your feet lose their usual rhythm in your haste, and a rush of movement entraps them within the other, causing you to fall. You hit the ground hard, but you don't seem to register any pain as you scramble backwards, the beaded eyes of the creature still looking at you, alert.

Maybe you should've thought logically and simply run away.

Maybe you should've noticed the pattern on its scales, displaying its non-venomous nature to you.

But how could you, when suddenly your limbs are slack and your ears are ringing with an anxiety you cannot control?

Your breath comes in faster as the creature moves slowly toward you, curious about the human before it, who stumbles backward in its path. Your hands try to gather feeling as you try to move. Sweat rises on your skin as you unravel panic. One thought clouds your mind; it begs for escape.

Luckily, or maybe unluckily for you, your boyfriend heard your initial yell of surprise and turned abruptly to the noise you made.

"Babe?"

But his call of your name had been unanswered and unheard by you, causing him to move and find you. He would deny in that moment that it was worry that filled him by your lack of response, but when he finds you scrambling in a fit of fear on the ground, he is instantly alert.

As you register your boyfriend who stands by you now, you find the strength in you to scramble, fighting embarrassment as you move to your feet. Your hands clutch the depths of your boyfriend's red coat as you shut your eyes and bury yourself in his back.

Kid is rigid and confused.

"Hey, what are you doing, woman?! Let g-"

"The snake!" You say, rushed and muffled, uncaring of your lack of bravery now that safety in the form of your temperamental boyfriend has come. "Please, get rid of it." You try to control the wavering of your voice and to control what fear has you wrapped around its finger, but you know you fail. Your trembling limbs, the choked-up noise you make, the tears that threaten to fall...

Kid bears witness to all of it.

And weirdly, to him at least, he feels no anger or annoyance at you asking him to do something, although had it been someone else, he surely would've lost his temper. Instead, a weird feeling twists his forgotten heart as he sees you, the strongest woman he knows of, in fear of something. But most importantly, in need of something; something he can provide.

Safety, protection.

In a mix of surprisingly gentle movements, you feel as hands unclench your hold on the coat, and you look wide-eyed at Kid, who feigns annoyance as he moves away from you and moves to the snake. He grabs it without hesitation, comically even, and the snake falls victim to his vice grip as he continues to move a short distance away. When Kid returns, the snake is no longer within his grasp.

He moves to you, not a word, and you feel a flush rise on your cheeks now that your fear has been frayed for him to see.

"S-sorry, I mean thanks, I guess? I- I didn't mean, well, what I mean to say is-"

You don't know why you ramble, but you figure your boyfriend seeks some sort of compensation for your show of weakness, or for his services. But he surprises you when he moves to you, and his rough fingertips catch a single tear that you had forgotten passed your lashline. He stares at it a while, eyebrows furrowed, only now realising he had never seen you cry, had never seen you fearful, and how much he despised that helpless look on your face.

Not because of weakness, but because he found he didn't like that you would doubt your safety when on his crew.

He moves past you then, grumbling something under his breath you do not quite catch.

"Tch, come on then, I though we were supposed to be looking for some damned herbs."

His voice is gruff as it reaches your ears, and you find yourself confused but relieved that he did not mock your fear. Unbeknownst to you, he makes a silent vow to rid any snakes you would come by before you witness them, so he doesn't have to see you so fearful again.

- Ace - (Fear of Darkness)

Why did you have to get lost now?

In the middle of the night?

In the middle of a forest, with your lack of navigational skills, which honestly rivalled Zoro's?

That is what you think as you travel in darkness that seems to want to encase you, invade you, torture you.

Hands tremble as they try to reach for an anchor in the uncertain world around you, but every surface your hands find and every small sound that flares in between causes you to jump involuntarily. The depths of the night seem to unravel noises you were unfamiliar with, and as your eyes fight to adjust to your surroundings, irregular shapes continue to invoke fear within you.

You let out a shaky breath, trying to convince yourself that it is alright, trying to find rational thoughts amongst those that try to persuade you that those irregular shapes you see are monsters, or that the next noise you hear brings ruin. More sounds crack and creak as your feet catch roots of trees and dried-out leaves, causing your heart to hammer hard against your chest. Overwhelmingly, you are filled with dread that you cannot escape from.

You would do anything for a flicker of light.

You would do anything for the call of a crewmate.

Anything for your boyfriend, bright with his flames to find you.

Two more steps, then suddenly a creature moves unbeknownst to you and flies swiftly past your head. You let out an involuntary scream as you stumbled and hit the hard etch of a tree. Your heart hammers so hard, you find yourself unable to get up from where you sit, and still, the darkness creeps up on you, suffocating you.

Tears fall freely now from your eyes as you try to make yourself small, knowing you should be stronger - you were a whitebeard pirate, after all - but after all that time with your boyfriend's safety and warmth and light, you had forgotten what the darkness does to you. Hands pull on arms, and you tuck your head within your limbs, squeezing your eyes shut and trying to remember how to breathe.

You are so lost in your fear, you do not hear the worried call of a man who looks for you.

Ace had been searching for what he felt like too long for your presence. After your division members returned to the ship without you, worry filled him instantly, and he had ignored the calls of crewmembers as he ran to search for you. The fallen sun and the size of the wretched forest he travelled through hindered his pursuit of you, much to the added apprehension in his heart.

But you could not know the depths of the fear he felt when he heard your scream ripple through the darkness.

His figure had instantly stilled, his call for your name rushed along with his footsteps. And yet now, as he finds you crumpled beneath a tree and shaking, he finds himself locked in dread too.

What happened?

Did someone hurt you?

Was that danger still imminent?

Lost in his worry, he forgets to move, and all of a sudden, his movement is quick as he reaches for you.

"[y/n], babe, are you okay?!"

Your eyes shoot upwards, shock rippling through your system and causing you to jump. The fear you behold lingers, and yet your sight is suddenly filled with a soothing light that emits from the figure of a man in front of you. And when your eyes meet your boyfriend's and your skin registers the warmth in his touch, you instantly fall into the depths of his waiting arms.

"A-Ace?"

His heat is overwhelming as he encases you, safe and grounded once more, and yet you cannot help but let a few more tears slip in your relief. Your trembling starts to subside, your dread lost simply because of the glowing man now with you once more; your prayers had been finally answered.

Ace breathes you in, but relief has yet to find him; he quickly releases you from his hold as eyes search your figure for injury or harm.

"Babe, what happened? Are you hurt?!"

Worried gaze searches yours for answers, and you feel embarrassed now as your fear has subsided. But as you see the franticity and nerves travel in waves from your boyfriend, as though he was getting ready to fight what has troubled you, you know you should put him at ease. "No..." You murmur, eyes moving from his gaze, but he holds your face gently in his fingertips, lifting it so he can catch your eyes once more.

"Babe-"

"I was just scared, okay... I- I don't like the dark."

Your voice is rushed and low, as though you were ready for him to be annoyed at your proclamation, and your face feels like it has caught Ace's flames and has lit on fire. But to your surprise, your boyfriend just pulls you into his embrace once more, and you feel his relief fall from deep within him.

"Thank God," he murmurs as he lets out a deep sigh that you feel rumbling against you.

"You're not mad?" You mumble into his chest, surprised by his quick dismissal of such an irrational fear.

He laughs out, but it sounds slightly choked up to you, and when you meet his gaze once more, there is love within that seems to have no end. The warm light he emits seems to glow a little more, and maybe you mistake the light for the tears that skim the lower lashes of his eyes.

"Of course not, you're safe, you're here, and as long as I'm here, I'll make sure the darkness doesn't touch you."

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