Ace is a jolly and cheeky student-athlete. A jack-of-all-trades, and annoyingly, master of everything? You would usually see him in your university's sports page, winning medals and trophies from different competitions, both within and outside of uni. However, on this particular day, you see him manning the sports booth in this year's open university school festival.
Your friends know you like Ace. I mean, as if the fact that you are attending a game of his once a week doesn't make it obvious enough. So, whilst you guys were looking around the booths, one of your girl friends just so happened to be interested in football despite taking a cab to travel 500 meters on the regular. You are there, your friends are there, and Ace is there, all buzzed up excited to show-off.
"Heyya there! You guys don't look like the sporty ones, but welcome! We have all sorts of equipment..."
You don't register his words properly. All you can focus on is his sweat stain just below his chest, maybe from demonstrating how to use every ball or racket every time a student visits their booth. Anyhow, Ace noticed you weren't responding, or at the very least, nod. He paused and smirked before faking a pass at your face, Matt Barnes-style. You were no Kobe Bryant, and you jumped out of your daze.
TRIGGER WARNING: themes of isolation and hopelessness.
Night of December 28, 2025
i wrote:
because one day, i realized that i never really did take up any space in this world. i don't shout. i don't tug a rope whose other end is already being held. i don't pout when they don't give me gifts. i don't bother being seen as someone who lives. once the girl who shouts, now, i keep my mouth shut, not because their words told me to, but because the subtle wrinkle above their brows said "your voice will never hold any more meaning beyond a noisy filler tune." once a competitor who bleeds her hands just to keep her hold on the rope, now, i let go, because i turned to see my teammates gone from behind and present in front of me.
i do not get a thrill with gifts anymore, because i learnt that gifts are also not for free. the only exceptions are the returnable ones.
i followed a strict way of living to show how people matter to me, and i see their ways to show their beloved how adorned they are. ah, but do not confuse me for a christmas tree.
at this point, my ideal man is a 400-year-old vampire who will take me as his wife in a remote castle in the Scandinavian forests near a cliff by the sea. i'd have my own garden to tend to, and maybe even a pumpkin patch. in the evening, he would read me poems from generations ago as a raven watches our baby bat who sleeps in her crib beside the windowsill. is that too much to ask??!!!š„š„š„
ā¢ Will definitely pick you up wearing his usual attire: ugly pants and humble sandals included.
ā¢ Despite his unimpressive outfit, the restaurant he's taking you to is beyond what you'd expect: pure luxury, from the food to every piece of silverware placed on your table, clothed in wine-red cotton drapes.
ā¢ Pulls out the seat for you and gives you that damn smileāthe one that makes your knees weak.
ā¢ He knows what he wants and somehow makes you know what you want. He doesn't just sit there waiting for you to order in silenceāhe suggests dishes based on your preferences (ugh, observant).
ā¢ You order a whole lobster? He cracks it open and removes every ounce of meat for you š„¹.
ā¢ Gently dabs your face with a napkin when you get sauce on it.
ā¢ Will askāor dragāyou to the dance floor with that heart-melting grin.
ā¢ Slow dances with you like JSJDJWKDODELOāone hand on your waist, face resting on your shoulder, mouth whispering sweet nothings in your ear before gently nibbling on it.
ā¢ He pulls back, acting like he didnāt just engage in foreplay (fuck him).
ā¢ Takes home a bottle of rum, of courseāand champagne for your after-party.
ā¢ Kisses your forehead and asks where you want to go next (your bed, obviously, you dumbass emperor š).
ā¢ Escorts you to your roomā¦ until you finally tell him you want to spend the night in his quarters. (AHHHHHHHH WIFHELXJi'mferal)
ā¢ 100% dumbass whose only idea of a date is "eat, hold hands, and kiss."
ā¢ Marco and Izo are his top coaches. They pick out his outfit, style his hair, and insist on giving him a bath to purge whatever dirt they think he couldn't clean himselfācalling it āclearance for a successful date.ā
ā¢And Ace was like, āHuh? Clearance? Successful date? The hell, I don't get it!ā (these bitches are corrupting my sweet boiās mind and he doesnāt even know it š)
ā¢ Baby boy is a heated badass but totally clueless when it comes to romance š
ā¢ Comes to pick you up at your cabin and freezes when he sees you in your stunning red dressāhair down, nails done, makeup on point, and lips a smile away from taking the life out of him.
ā¢ Marco and Izo whisper from behind a barrel:
āāāTake her hand! Take her hand!ā
āāāIdiot, say something!ā
ā¢ āYou look like a royal wedding feast.ā
ā¢ Marco and Izo facepalm so hard. āSHE IS NOT FOOD, DUMBASS,ā Izo screams internally.
ā¢ You just laugh and take it as a compliment.
āāāThank you. And you look like a full-course meal,ā you flirt.
ā¢ He blushes.
ā¢ The two coaches get giddy behind the barrel like proud stage moms.
ā¢ He takes you to an al fresco restaurant by the sea. Warm lights hang low, live music plays in the background, and couplesāyoung and oldādance in the open space.
"I'll leave," I said in a hushed tone. His eyes widened.
"I don't want to make things difficult for you and I don't want to keep you from fulfilling your dream."
"Where the hell do you pull all this BS from?" He snapped, his voice modulated but his tone sharp.
"Do you think that's all I see in you? That I chose to stay with you all these years because I thought you could give me kids?"
"But..."
"But what?"
"But you gave me such a sad and disappointed face."
He looked surprised.
"I'm sad and disappointed because you didn't tell me right away, ābecause you thought I couldn't be trusted with something like this."
I took a deep breath and swallowed hard before I faced him.
"I know how much you want a family. To have kids of your own, little ones running around this ship, clinging to you, begging for your attention. I wanted that too, Shanks. I dreamed of us having beautiful childrenāour childrenāto dote on, to proudly show off to the crew. But tell me... how was I supposed to say I can't give you that? That I can't fulfill the dream we shared? That Iāyour loverācan't bear your children?" My voice cracked.
I took a moment to catch my breath.
"I love youā¦ And I promised myself I'd do everything I could to make you happy. But this?... I can't."
I started crying, and he pulled me into his arms.
āIām sorry,ā I kept repeating, the words tumbling out as he just held meāno pressure, no rushāhis warmth steady against my unraveling. I could feel him crying tooāhis tears soaking through my clothesāas we grieved together for the life we couldnāt have. When our sobs finally subsided, he spoke.
When my cries finally quieted to shaky breaths and hiccups, he spoke, voice low and sure.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, my love. It's heartbreaking, yes... but weāll face it together. I donāt want to lose youākids or no kids."
I hiccupped again, trying to form words, but he gently cupped my face.
"But your dream..."
He smiled softly, brushing away my tears with his thumb.
"My dream is you. Itās always been you. That future I talked aboutāraising kids, running around the shipāit only matters if itās with you. If you werenāt the one bearing them... if you werenāt the one by my side raising them... then it wouldnāt be the same."
"Itās you. Itās always been you. And it will always be you.ā
"S-shanks," I croaked out before pressing my head against his chest, his arms wrapping me in a tight, comforting embrace. He nuzzled his face into my hair while pressing a warm, and lingering kiss on the top of my head.
He lets out a deep breath.
"Still...." He pulled back to meet my eyes, while I looked up at him, both our faces tear-streaked, waiting for what he was going to say.
"I haven't forgiven you for keeping this a secret." His tone shifted to a dangerously low and suggestive one.
"Why don't you make it up to me. Besides, no longer worrying about pregnancy scares will give us all the freedom to just go at it like rabbits in hea-"
"OH MY GOD. SHANKS!"
He chuckled, cupping my face gently, his voice still teasing.
āHey, we oughta look on the bright side, am I right, babe?ā
"You're such a whore even at the most inappropriate times!"
"Your whore." He winked.
Yes. My whore. My man, the one who I thought I had lost but kept his hold on me. The one I thought I'd cry over in a cold, empty room, but instead cried with me while keeping me warm. Oh, Shanksā¦ the man that you areš¤
Content: female mc found out that she's infertile during her checkup and is nervous to tell Shanks, afraid of what his reaction might be.
fanart by hidaka (pixiv10100522)
After seeing the doctor, I felt like the weight of the world rested on my shoulders. I was so distraught that I didn't notice I bumped into a marine. Thankfully, I wasn't recognized as a member of the Red-Haired pirates. I wasn't really an acting member, more like a kept family, but in my case, I'm the captain's lover. I got back to the ship at dusk and Roo was just about to prepare dinner.
"Let me help" I said, grabbing a knife to start peeling the vegetables.
"Where's Shanks?" I asked.
"The captain is asleep, tired from the day's adventures" he said.
After dinner, I entered our shared quarters and saw Shanks tucked in like a light. The lights were off, and I didn't bother turning them on except for a small lamp to help me see my way and get dressed. After a while, I laid beside him under the sheets, and he suddenly spoke.
"Where have you been all day?" He asked, still having his back facing me.
"Just the usual checkup" I lied.
It wasn't a usual checkup. How could you call that a usual checkup?
"Oh? How was everything? You good? Gonna live to a hundred?" He teased, stirring to face in my direction.
I couldn't answer immediately, and he noticed my hesitation. He gently brushed my hair and traced my jaw.
"Love? Is everything alright?" He asked softly.
I snapped out of it.
"Mmh, yeah. Nothing to worry about. Although the pap smear did hurt," I said, trying to shift the mood into a lighthearted one. He chuckled a bit.
"Do you want me to loosen you up a bit every time before your checkup?" He said in a teasing manner, dragging his hand from my hip to my waist. I rolled my eyes playfully. "No thanks"
I kept the truth from him for a while. I didn't know how to break it to him. Every time we dock on an island, he always enjoys seeing the little kids playing. Sometimes, he would play with them (always cheating in hide-and-seek with his haki) and drag me into it. After we return to the Red Force and into our shared quarters, he would tell me his dream of settling down after he had helped Luffy in finding the One Piece.
"A small family and a simple house on a nice island away from the marines. Doesn't that sound great, sweetheart?" He said, looking at the kids through the window before flashing a grin at me.
Whenever he says things like that, I force a smile as my chest tightens with guilt. I know I should tell him. I feel like I'm taking away his dream, by staying here with him, by not being honest. He's 37 and I'm 29. He might be thinking of setting down now more than ever. The night he saw the medical records I had hidden in my cabinet while he was looking to borrow a clean towel while I stood at the door was when I knew I messed up by not telling him early on. He stood there for a while before speaking up, still looking at the documents.
"What's this?" He asks with a pained expression.
"I-... I-" I stuttered, not being able to explain myself.
"Didn't you think I have any right in knowing this? I've been picturing a family with you for years. Was that all a joke to you?" He said calmly but his voice is laced with betrayal and bitterness.
"It wasn't!" I blurted out, my tone got sharper than I meant it to be.
"It's nothing like that, Shanks." I said softly with a heavy hint of despair, looking at the floor. He stayed silent, seemingly waiting for me to explain myself. I can feel my legs shaking, my breath getting stuck in my chest. I swallowed hard before continuing, still facing the floor.
"I never knew how to tell you. I knew I had to, but my mind was filled with s-so many s-scenes and possibilities... possibilities I couldn't..." My voice faltered. "I couldn't bear to accept if they ever happen." I tried to look at him, slowly lifting my head up to his torso where I could see him holding the papers, a tear streaming down my face.
"I failed you." I choked out, voice heavy with self-resentment and grief for the bond I killed.
"I failed you in so many ways... by not telling you this earlier, by being unreliable and breaking our trust,... and by ruining your dream by not being capable to offer it."
