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Portgas D. Ace x gn! Reader,
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💥~☆ Yippee, my first long form fanfic, I'm hoping to keep working on trying to write longer fics alongside headcanons, this was a very fun one to do. I love Ace a lot~☆
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You still remember the first few days on the Moby Dick, Jozu had found you in one of the storage crates, you’d managed to climb in there, hiding from celestial dragons when the Whitebeard pirates had docked at the Sabaody Archipelago.
Since that day, you had been part of the Whitebeard Pirates for a good few years now, moving through the ranks until you eventually got your own division centred around making sure to keep track of all of the crates on the ship. A disorganised ship, especially one that was such a behemoth wasn’t good and therefore, your eye was essential in keeping things moving smoothly.
When pops had first found the spade pirates and consequentially found Portgas D. Ace, getting him to accept any shred of care was like getting a cat to willingly jump into the bath… pretty much impossible. Whenever you tried to get close to him, you'd hear the same damn thing.
“Listen, I don't know what game you and this damn crew are playing, but i’m not letting my guard down, you can’t stop me”
Each day is the same routine, Ace tries to attack Whitebeard, Whitebeard entertains it for a little bit before that booming laugh is heard and Ace is promptly thrown out of the captains quarters and onto the deck outside. Sometimes Ace even ends up tangled within the netting that is pulled tightly between two of the front masts of the Moby Dick. Originally, they had been used by the Whitebeard Pirates in the old era when Marco first got his mythical zoan devil fruit, the first division commander and doctor of the whitebeard pirates had fallen a lot from the crows nest or general gliding around the place whilst he was still getting used to it. Those ropes had been a lifesaver for the doctor.
“When do you think that boy is going to realise that he can't beat pops?”
Vista asks, a lazy grin on the rose blade wielding burly man, he uses one hand to twirl his moustache.
“Its a good show, but even I know when a boy goes from being seen as a ‘threat’ to becoming part of a joke. I'm starting to feel some secondhand embarrassment"
Vista's other hand rests on the handle of his cutlass, the silver blade engraved with roses that have been dyed in order to turn them red, Vista's blades were always something to marvel at.
“Well, I better hes got another week in him. His crewmate, Deuce I believe, he did say that Ace is quite stubborn… Besides, I hope that he doesn't give up soon. I have a thousand berries riding that he lasts another week”
“...You've been betting?”
“Hey! Thatch and Teach started it! I just joined in. C’mon, as long as Ace lasts another week then Teach doesn't win!”
You try to defend yourself, only for Vista to chuckle and shake his head.
It takes a good week before Ace stops trying to make attempts on Whitebeard's life, you think it's because the flame fruit user ended up with a broken ankle from getting flung into the mast a bit too hard when Ace had tried to kill Whitebeard whilst pops was in deep sleep. The yonko could barely hold back his strength when he was awake, it was practically impossible when pops was actually asleep.
It takes another month before you eventually find Ace on the deck, the stars are out and there's only a few deckhands that are on watch tonight. Flames flicker across Ace's shoulders as he is lent back on one of the storage crates that the ropes for the sails are attached to. Ace seems to be glaring at the ocean, his brow is furrowed under that orange hat of his.
Ace flinches at the sound of your voice and he glares up at you tiredly.
“Is it alright if I sit?”
Ace starts but you quickly interrupt him. Its been a whole month of failing over and over to try and get through to him, you'd tried food which had worked for some time, but honestly? It was hard to give even the most basic of affection to Ace, he would always move back from a shoulder pat from Thatch or getting clapped on the back by Jozu.
“No, it's not manipulation. That's not what I'm trying to do, you do know that if you really want to leave then you can, right? We aren't going to force you to join if you don't want to”
“Don't you mean ‘family’?”
"That's what everyone calls it here, some damn family”
“...I guess you don't like that we call it that, huh?”
You say as you carefully move over and position yourself on another storage crate close by, making sure that you aren't encroaching on his space.
“Family abandons you. They aren't there when you need them, they just follow their selfish dreams and you're supposed to just forgive them because you share blood, it's bullshit!”
Ace snaps, it isn't hard to spot the tension in his body or the fact that those warm dark brown eyes are filled with an anger that Ace has never been able to actually express. Anger that is probably deserved, nobody gets that angry unless someone deserves it.
Aces head snaps up and his hat falls slightly, the string around his neck letting that orange hat rest against his back.
“I said, stay angry, but know this. We won't give up on you if you're angry. You're allowed to be angry and stay angry. You do not owe anyone forgiveness, especially not family… and you're allowed to remember the pain. You don't have to forgive and forget. Just.”
You sigh, reaching your hand over and gently placing it on Aces shoulder, smiling at him.
“Just know that we will let you leave if you actually want to. Family is chosen here, all of us chose to follow pops, most of us come from broken homes and those that didn't want to stay? They left”
Ace is quiet, the quietest that you've seen him since the firework of a man had first made contact with the Whitebeard Pirates.
It's a good few minutes of silence and you let your hand fall away from his shoulder as you stare out at the sea with Ace.
“...Have you ever been judged here?”
“No, never” You answer truthfully.
“I’m just not used to this...any of it…I'm Ace. Portgas D. Ace”
Ace puts his hand out, voluntarily giving over his name and you smile as you take his hand.
“Y/n. It's good to meet you Ace”
“Hey, uhh, do you know where I can get some food?”
Ace says sheepishly, rubbing his hand at the back of his neck, his stomach was aching. Ace had been refusing to eat the food left outside his quarters out of defiance but also caution and he was really wishing that he hadn't been so stubborn.
“Thatch is asleep at this house. He's the one with the amazing orange hair, I'll introduce you to him in the morning. But I'm sure I can make you some, I'm hungry too”
It seems as if food is truly the way to this man's heart as Ace practically inhales every bit of food that you make. He tries to help, but ends up burning some of his portion with his flames, but he eats it anyways.
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Since that day, Ace had stopped his attempts on Whitebeard's life, serious ones at least, he still tried, and failed horrendously. But it was probably from stubbornness, or something else that Ace needed to prove to himself. Ace had been assigned under your division for now as pops had seen that you had managed to make a strong connection with the mera mera no mi user.
During regular sorting of a new shipment of supplies that the others had gotten, you were helping Ace understand the storage strategy and god, you could tell that guys brain was not having a fun time with it. You cant help but shake your head and pat his arm.
“Alright, just carry all of the crates from the entrance to here, alright?”
“Yeah, thank god, i was trying to listen but-”
“You were staring at the wall Ace”
Ace tries to defend himself as his cheeks flush, but he moves to the stairs and starts to haul the crates to where you instructed.
It takes a good few hours, but you crack open an ice cold bottle of rum, courtesy of Jozu and place one next to Ace. He nods in thanks and takes a swig, before grimacing and using his flames to heat the liquid up.
“What! I like my alcohol hot!”
Ace huffs, but rolls his eyes. And maybe the alcohol starts to loosen his lips as Ace starts to talk after only a quarter of his rum remains.
Ace starts, his gaze distant as he talks.
“She died when I was born”
You didn't dare interrupt him. After a few more minutes of silence, you're about to speak but Ace starts talking again.
Ace spits out, venom in every syllable.
“His blood has made my life so much harder. The ‘great’ pirate king… If he was so great then why did he get caught? Why did he die? Why did he leave? Why did I never get a goddamn normal childhood!”
Tears started to pour down Ace's cheeks, his teeth grit as his brow furrows. He trusts you, why else would he tell you something so personal? Something so private.
“You don't have to give him that title y'know?” You say, “He didn't earn it, you don't even have to say his name. Whitey Bay hated her father, she exclusively calls him ‘sperms donor’ or ‘that jackass’...”
Ace snorts out a laugh, and you reach over and gently wipe the tears trailing down his cheeks with your thumbs.
“You don't owe him forgiveness, you don't owe him a title. Parents have to earn the right to be called parents Ace. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise”
You take a breath and look Ace in the eyes as you keep talking.
“Pops taught us on this crew that family? Real family, that is chosen. People might cling onto family only because blood binds them, but that's not the only form of family” You say, and Ace places his hands on your wrists, holding and entwining your fingers together as he swallows and tries to get himself together.
“...I have two brothers…I uhh, I chose them when I was younger… Got a really cool mom too, her name is Dadan. I think you'd get along with them really well”
Ace says quietly and you smile, and god, Ace gives you a look like he's found the sun once again for the first time since he left home.
“I think that I'd like them too… tell me about them… your real family”
The grin that Ace gives you as soon as hes given the opportunity to talk about his brothers? Its like a dying dwarf star being reignited again.
Life goes on, Ace has started to warm up to the others in the crew. Quiet nights are hard to come by now, Ace's reserved and cautious demeanour from before has practically evaporated. Marco definitely tries to keep himself together but ends up shedding a few tears when Ace instinctively calls him brother for the first time.
And everyone has definitely learned wayyyyy more about Luffy than they ever bargained for because of Ace.
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And you hold Ace in the darker moments, when the flame fruit user collapses in your arms, his head rested on your stomach as he sobs, confiding in you about Sabo, more scraps of the trauma of his childhood as he exposes more of his soul to you each day that passes, and each day that you get closer.
On a cold night, Ace's hat rests on the nightstand in your quarters, he'd been coming here more often ever since the Moby Dick had moved into a colder climate.
“Hah! Can't have my favourite person freezing now can I?”
Ace had teased but now he rested in your arms content as he acts like a hot water bottle for you. Your fingers card through those raven locks of messy hair.
Ace was just…allowed to just… be…when he was around you. He could just be broken with no worry of immediately having someone worry over him. He didn't want to be fixed, he wanted to live his life with no regrets. And god, he had no regrets by staying here with you.
“For loving me…for loving me as I am and not trying to make me forgive…or to fix me”
Your fingers still in Ace’s hair, worry flashing through you as maybe just maybe Izou had bloody spilled about your crush on Ace.
Ace struggles slightly, before he shifts and looks up at you, wrapping his arms around your sides.
“I know that I can be a lot, and if I'm getting the wrong idea then don't be afraid to let me down, gently though, but I…I love you, I love you so much.”
Ace then quickly catches himself and coughs, looking to the side, he can't help the massive grin that splits across his face.
Ace coughs and that grin then turns sheepish.
“I mean, uh, that's great! I'm glad you feel the same. God you have no idea how glad I am to hear that”
Ace's face flushes more as you try to cover the fact that you're laughing, it's adorable, you can't help it.
“Hey! I just poured my heart and soul out to you, don't laugh at me!”
“I cant help it, you just sound so corny!” You laugh harder and Ace props himself up on his elbows, eyes wide.
“CORNY?! Oh i'll show you corny!"
And oh god, you think that you have just given Ace a complex to give the most embarassing, corny PDA ever.
That even the seas may not be able to save you from it.
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2026 by Spark-Canon-Spark. Any and all works cannot be used, edited or republished without the creators permission!
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