Epochal Oracle

One piece:

Whitebeard pirates:

AO3: Feathers, Fire and Fear

Feathers, fire and fear:

Part 1 (edited) Part 2 (edited)

Part 3 (edited) Part 4 (edited)

Part 5 (edited) Part 6

Marco the Phoenix:

Birthday special: Well Earned (oct 5th)

Fire Fist Ace:

(coming soon)

Twin Blade Thatch:

(coming soon)

Sir Crocodile:

(coming soon)

Kid Pirates:

(Coming Soon)

Star wars:

Darth Vader/ Emperor Anakin:

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

(more to come)

The Bad Batch:

It was early. Too early. The sun wasn't even up yet. Normally I wouldn't be caught dead getting up this early but today was special. 

I lifted my head just a little, Marco laying beneath me, his arms wrapped around me, hugging me tenderly in his sleep as his chest rose and fell slowly. 

I almost never got to see him like this. Being the first division commander was demanding. He was always up before the sun had come up, working on chores, tending to Pops, talking to the nurses. Honestly, if I wasn't his lover I doubt I'd even think this man could relax or even sleep. 

When we first got together he moved me into his room right away, I was a little worried I'd disturb his schedule with my own, his being so much busier than me. I didn't want to cost him any rest. But I figured out pretty quickly that it was the exact opposite.

Marco, despite preaching to everyone about taking care of their health, never took care of his own. His sleeping habits were practically nonexistent. The only thing that got him to come to bed consistently was me. 

I remember when I first found out I was shocked. 

I had been in the kitchen one late night with Thatch, he was helping me finish doing all the dishes from dinner service after the rest of the fourth division had gone to bed, when I started telling him about how worried I was that Marco never came to bed. Every night I'd go to sleep, late in the evening after cleaning up the kitchen and Marco wouldn't be there, and every morning when I woke up with the rest of the fourth division to make breakfast and he wasn't there. 

I knew he was busy but I figured at some point he would join me in bed but he didn't. And if he did come to bed he never woke me up, making me think he didn't come to bed at all. I told Thatch how I was worried that my presents had interfered with his routine, even saying I thought I should move out.

When I said that Thatch burst out laughing, his head falling back as he laughed, his hair starting to fall out of place from his long day of work and his hair products starting to give. 

“Oh, honey. It's quite the opposite. You're the only reason he does sleep.”

I looked at him with an unimpressed stare, once he noticed he raised his hands in surrender.

“I’m not lying (Y/N). I'm up most of the night taking care of things here, and before you moved into his room I'd see him at all hours, he'd come into the kitchen every two hours like clockwork for a cup of coffee and then he'd just keep working. But now that he has something to look forward to, he actually sleeps every night.”

Thatch gave me the most smug, shit eating grin I had ever seen. But after a few years of Thatch being my commander and my closest brother, it didn't faze me. 

“How are you so sure?”

I couldn't help questioning him, but Thatch just gave me a reassuring look.

“Honey, every night, he comes and gets his last cup of coffee around nine pm, brings it back at eleven pm, and I don't see him again until the morning. Very early in the morning but the morning nonetheless.”

Thatch continued saying how much happier and healthier Marco has been since I moved in, and if I even mentioned off hand that I wanted to move out, Marco would break apart. 

I didn't really believe him, I was convinced that my presence was a detriment to him.

That night I found myself lying awake, all Marco blankets and pillows. I hadn't meant to stay up, I really didn't, but some part of me really wanted to know if Thatch was right. 

And I was very pleasantly surprised.

Just like Thatch said, a few minutes after eleven, Marco came sauntering in.

He removed his sash, gold chain, and his unbuttoned shirt before coming to the bed and realized I was awake. 

Marco sat down on the side of the bed, his lidded eyes looking deep into mine, a sleepy smile spreading on his lips.

He took off his sandals before turning back to me and taking my face in his warm hands, slowly kissing my forehead, my cheeks, my nose, finally finishing once he had kissed both my eyelids. 

“What is my sweet little blue bird, still doing awake, humm?”

I smiled softly at him as he got comfortable beside me, laying on his back and pulling me so my head was resting on his chest, his warm thigh finding its home right between mine.

“I had a little chat with Thatch tonight.”

Marco hummed again letting me know he was still listening as his eyes closed as he hugged me impossibly closer to his body while waiting for me to continue.

“I had told him I was worried I was affecting your sleep cycle because I never saw you in bed when I went to sleep or woke up, and I never woke up in the night so I assured you didn’t come to bed at all. So I figured I should maybe move out, go back to the crew bunks so that I wasn't interfering with your schedule.”

Marco's head shot up so fast I was worried he was going to snap his neck. 

“What?!”

His arms tightened around me, as if he thought that if he didn't hold me tightly I'd disappear.

I laughed at his face, he looked so put off, like he had just drank sour milk. 

“But Thatch told me about your old, nonexistent sleeping habits, and how you only actually got a sleeping pattern once I moved in.”

His face relaxed a little but he didn't close his eyes again or lean his head back, just looking at me as I continued.

“He said that you did in fact come to bed every night because he noticed you’d bring him your coffee mug at eleven and didn't show up again after that, so he figured out that you had actually been going to sleep.”

Marco huffed a laugh, his head falling back into the pillows while one of his hands made its way from my waist to my cheek. He just laid there for a few minutes, the only indicator I had that he didn’t fall asleep was his thumb continually stroking the apple of my cheek. 

“You didn’t think I was coming to bed?”

He finally asked. 

I nodded.

“Like I said, I never saw you in bed, ever, unless we were fucking, and I never woke up during the night so I assumed you never came to bed and I was worried it was becasue of me.”

Marco didn't say anything for a second, just looked at me before he laughed. It started really low, just a rumble in his chest, before it grew into a full blown laugh.

While Marco seemed to be having the time of his life laughing at me, I just stared at him with the most deadpan look I could manage. 

It took him a while to calm down but once he did he took my face in both hands and coxed me up his body till our lips met in a warm, passionate kiss.

The kiss was slow, his lips moving meaningfully against mine, his tongue starting to gently prod at my bottom lip until I parted my lips just enough for him to enter. His tongue started to move smoothly against mine. 

I could feel him starting to get hard. I moaned into his lips while slightly grinding my thigh against his growing bulge, my own cunt starting to get wet with anticipation. 

Our lips only separated when we had run out of breath. 

Marco warm breath wafting over my face while we tried to catch our breath. I was about to move so that I was properly straddling him, but just before I could move he had flipped us, reversing our places so that I was the one under him. 

“Well, If my sweet mate is so worried about me not coming to bed and not loving her, I guess I'll have to prove her wrong. 

“Hey, I never said I thought you didn't lo–”

I wasn't able to finish my sentence before Marco gave me another passionate kiss.

We didn't get much sleep that night. Marco having made it his personal mission to prove how much he loved being in bed with me.

I couldn't help the smile that creeped up to my lips as I looked at his sleeping face. The next morning Marco explained that he did his damndest not to wake me up whenever he came to bed and got up in the morning. But ever since that night Marco was sure to wake me up with sweet kisses whenever he came to bed, so that I knew he was there while keeping me half asleep. 

But for once, I was the one awake before him, not only that it was October fifth. Marco Birthday. And the first birthday we would have spent together as a couple. 

For a few minutes I just basked in the sweetness of it, excited for the day to come. Thatch and I had already prepared his favorite cake, vanilla pineapple, and I had gotten him a new chain for his sash, a beautiful gold and blue chain just like his flames that I had custom made to look like his feathers. I even had them carve my initials into the back of one of the little feathers. 

As I stared longingly at the love of my life I decided I didn't want to wait for him to wake up. But I also wanted him to have the best day possible and just waking him up with a few kisses didn't feel like it was good enough. 

I slowly started lowering myself under the covers, stopping right at his V line. His soft blonde happy trail that would usually be covered by his sash on full display. I decided to start slow before getting to the main course. 

I started just above his bellybutton, pressing my lips into him. I slowly moved downward, my hand caressing his slowly growing length through his pants. I could already feel him pulsing to life as my lips slowly made their way down, my tongue coming out to lick his smooth skin. 

Once my lips met where his pants met skin, he was already hard and luckily for me, still fast asleep. I carefully unbuttoned his pants, lowering the zipper as carefully as I possibly could. His cock was already fighting to get out of his underwear by the time I had lowered his pants so that they didn't constrict him. 

I froze for a second when Marco made a gruff moaning sound when his cock finally had some freedom, worried he was waking up. I waited, worried he was about to wake up right in the middle of his surprise. 

I knew if he did wake up at this moment he wouldn't be annoyed or put off, not quite the opposite. He’d be pleased as punch, but I wanted to already have him in my mouth when he woke up. My warm throat engulfing him, my soft tongue caressing him. 

But luck seemed to be on my side. It was as if some gods heard my silent plea.

Marco stilled, relaxing into the bed again, I waited another breath before continuing, just to be sure.

Once I was , I continued kissing. First at the top of his happy trail, slowly moving down, nuzzling my nose into it as I took in his natural musk that only drew me in more. I continued to work my way down, my hand still caressing his bulge, keeping him warm and ready for my lips. 

Once I made it to the waistband of his underwear I continued down, my hand moving from his warm bulge to his thigh. 

I took a second to properly settle between his legs, one hand on either one of his thighs. My hands kept his legs spread just enough that I could fully lay between them.

Once I was sure he wouldn't be closing his legs I continued my kisses. 

I could feel his pulse throbbing through his cock, my lips lingering on each swollen vein so that I could enjoy the feeling. Knowing it was only me that could do this to him. 

I couldn't help my own soft moan while I continued my sweet assault on his manhood, his own low grunts filling our room but this time I didn’t care to stop to ensure he was asleep, too focused on my task.

I could already see precum from his no doubt angry looking tip soaking his underwear. My own in no better contention. Slick coming from my sweet cunt as I thought about all the things I was going to do to the love of my life on his day of birth. 

I moved up just a little so that my lips met with his warm tip, my lips separating a little so I could give it a good suck. The fabric of his underwear got wetter as more precum fought its way out of his tip with the help from my warm lips while Marco remained asleep.

I couldn't wait anymore, my hand moving from his twitching thigh to the top of his waistband, pulling it down just enough so that his cock could come free. It made a wet slapping sound as it came loose from its confines, finally able to breath as it pressed into Marco's stomach. 

Marco groaned a little louder now that his cock was free, while my mouth salivated at the sight of it. 

No matter how many times he’s made love to me, no matter how many times he's stretched me so that I would be able to take him, his cock still took my breath away every time I saw it.  

I started at his base, my lips pressing into the skin where his swollen balls met his shaft before slowly moving upward. My tongue would dart out to caress him every now and again, getting him ready for my throat. His veins pulsing even more now, the warmth was almost overwhelming. 

His tip, just as I thought, was red and angry, precum coming out in a steady stream. His happy train was soaking up any that I couldn't get before I sucked it into my mouth. 

My lips sealing around his glands as I circled his tip with my tongue. The taste of his precum coating every inch of my mouth. I gave his tip a particularly hard suck just before I took a bit more of him into my awaiting mouth, Marco’s hips thrusted up just a little. His low groaning turned into breathless moaning. But he still hadn't woken up.  

I took one of my hands from his thigh, gripping the base of his cock as I started taking his down my throat in earnest. I used my hand to rub his cock in a twisting motion while my tongue coaxed his tip into my throat. 

I have never been able to take all of him, his size being just a little too large even after all the times we’ve tried, streaking my throat, fighting my gag reflex but that didn't stop me from trying my hardest to press my nose into his soft coiled hair that awaited me at the base of his cock. 

Marco was moaning consistently now, getting louder with every second as my head continued bobbing up and down, holding my breath as long as I could before I pulled back so only his tip rested on my tongue as I took in a few deep breaths. 

I could feel Marco's hands twitching, one moving down so that it rested on my head from above the covers. I must be giving him a very sweet dream right now. 

I continued to take him deeper and deeper until I finally hit my threshold, my lips stopping just before my hand as I started to reminisce. 

I remember when we first tried this a few months before I had moved in. Marco was sitting at his desk in his clinic late at night. I had come down to see him only to find him stressed as hell, his head handing in his hands as he looked over Pop’s charts. He had been going through a bad patch and Marco was fearing the worst as he always tended to do. So I took it upon myself to loosen him up a bit. 

He greeted me once he noticed I was there, smiling a tired smile that couldn't reach his eyes, but I didn't let him say much else before I settled myself on my knees in front of him under his desk, making quick work of his clothes and taking him into my mouth while he was still soft, coaxing the lift into his cock. Within a second it expanded in my mouth until it was fully hard. Marco had melted into my mouth in seconds but I could only take half of it, and even that was pushing my limits at the time. 

But now, I could almost take all of it. Not that Marco ever complained about my limits. Instead he was always encouraging, coaching me through it while always being happy with whatever I could give him, as well as returning the favor, Every. Single. Time.

I was able to bob my head on his cock for a few more minutes, his cock getting warmer with every second, even starting to twitch delicately a few times before his hand tightened on my hair through the blanket, a loud moan coming from his lips, the loudest yet, right before he tore the blanket off of us. 

His eyes wide as he looked down at me, Cock in my mouth, big eyes looking up at him while my tongue continued to trace every vein I could find. 

“Ooooooh, haaaa, B-baby Bir-bird…. Fuck!!”

Marco's head fell back into his pillow with a deft thump, his hand moving so it could grip my hair directly now that I didn't have the blanket over me. His hips started to rock ever so slightly, his hand gripping my hair to keep me right where he wanted me. But even now when his cock was close to bursting and he was barely awake he was still constantly mindful of my limits, never going past them. 

It didn't take long till he was twitching uncontrollably in my mouth, Marco’s other hand finding its place over my head  while he thrusted a little hard, a little faster until finally he stilled. He groaned deeply as he realised in my mouth. His cum filling my mouth to nearly overflowing as I tried to keep up with his massive load. 

The taste of him was overwhelming all my senses, my own moans joining his. His cock being stimulated by the vibrations, encouraging even more cum to coat my tongue. 

After a few more seconds of his hands gripping my hair, keeping my mouth wrapped around his cock, clearly determined to get most if not all his sperm down my willing throat, finally let go. His hands fell limply as his sides as he tried his best to catch his breath. 

But I didn't make it easy for him. Once I had swallowed everything in my mouth, I didn't let go. Continuing to suck in ernest, determined to get all I could while simultaneously cleaning his cock with my tongue. 

“Ohhhh m-my god, (Y-Y/N)....”

As I continued to overstimulate him, Marco’s legs twitched uncontrollably. He was overwhelmed by the feeling of my tongue massaging each vein meticulously, not letting him soften after coming so hard. 

Finally he couldn't take it any more, his hand shooting down to grip the hair at the base of my skull and pull me off his poor cock. 

Once it was freed from my lips with an echoing pop Marco let go, his hand falling to his side while his eyes were locked on mine. His all fucked out and sleepy, mine cock drunk and all to pleased with myself. 

I licked my lips, cleaning away some of his cum that had formed a creamy ring around them, refusing to break eye contact. I could feel his poor cock twitch ever so slightly as my arrotic display.  

Marco's head collapsed back onto the pillow again, having to tear his stare away from me or risk getting hard again so quickly. 

“Damn it, Baby Bird, are you trying to kill me?”

I giggled as I crawled my way up his body slowly, taking my time kissing my way up his abs, his chest, his neck, to his cheek and finally kissing his lips.

Despite his words, he had an adorible fucked out smile on his lips, exhausted but oh so satisfied. 

His arms wrapped around me, making me collapse into his chest as he hugged me.

I let him catch his breath a bit more, letting him gather his thoughts that I must have scattered every which way before he could even properly wake up as I tenderly kissed his neck. Lightly nibbling every now and again. Cute little hickeys blooming under my lips. 

After a few more deep breaths he removed one of his arms from my waist to the back of his head so he didn't have to strain his neck while looking down at me.

“What has gotten into you so early in the morning, my love?”

My smile grew even more as we gazed into each other's eyes. 

“Well it’s not every day I wake up before you, and on such a special day like this I had to make it worthwhile. After all, today it’s my job to make sure the birthday boy has the best day ever. And I figured this would be the best way to start it. And you work so hard every day, I just felt like it was well earned”

Marco scoffed playfully, glaring at me with no real heat as he looked down at my smug face that I had lowered so that I was resting my cheek on his chest, right over his tattoo, tracing the dark blue ink with my fingers as we both basked in each other's presents. 

“Well, if you really want to make the birthday boy happy….”

I perked up when he finally broke the silence, getting excited, waiting for him to finish. But instead of words his face twisted into a mischievous smirk while flipping me on my back where he was just laying. Pulling away my night clothes and tearing away my underwear before I could even gasp. 

He placed my knees over his shoulders as he nuzzled my own soft curls. 

“.... his favorite chef should serve him his breakfast in bed.”

Marco ran his tongue expertly up my folds, gathering my slick, letting it  coat his taste buds before flicking over my clit, licking and sucking it while his fingers buried deeply in my cunt. Bringing me closer and closer to climax, not that it took long, my pussy had been throbbing uncontrollably with need since he woke up.

Marco continued to work me until I was twitching uncontrollably in his arms. My legs tightening around his head till all I could see was his tuft of blonde hair poking out from between my trembling thighs while his fingers curled right into my g-spot as he sucked on my clit like a man starved.

“M-MARCO!! F-UCK!!!”

I could feel him chuckle into my clit, the pleasure shooting up my spine like a bullet. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that only he could control every feeling, every sensation, every reaction. All of it worked for him. Exactly how he wanted it to. In times like this I was his willing puppet and he, my puppermaster.

“O-OH… I-I’M CL-CLOSE!!!”

With one last particularly hard suck I came loose, my eyes squeezing shut my body shaking like a leaf at the intensity of the pleasure I felt while my juices flowed into Marco’s mouth as he lapped mine up just as eagerly as I did his. 

His fingers slowly stopped thrusting, letting me come down from my high but now before giving my clit a kiss forcing a gasp from my mouth before he moved his way back up the bed, caging me with his forearms on either side of my head before kissing me. 

I moaned at the taste of myself on his tongue. After a few more seconds of catching my breath I finally opened my eye to look up at him. Now it was my turn to wear the fucked out face awhile he just looked like the cat who got the cream, literally. 

After a few more breaths I was finally able to form words again.

Just as Marco suspected we had found Ace down in the galley, but he wasn't passed out into his plate, no far from it. He was currently involved in what looked like a fight for his life but was really just him trying to steal one of his crewmates' plates while trampling everyone else's. Though I'm not a hundred percent sure if it was really just one plate he was fighting for while everyone else was trying to play keep-away while food and everyone else's plates that weren't Ace’s main focus at the moment went flying.

Marco stood on the stairs with me in his arms for a few seconds. Standing as rigid as one of the masts on deck, staying a safe distance from the chaos while glaring at his fellow crewmates, though mostly Ace. As well as a few from his division as a bunch of crew members tried lunging at Ace to pin him down and stop what had become a battle to the death in its tracks, only for it to be horribly unsuccessful as Ace used his devil fruit and let them all pass right through him and slamming into one of the tables behind him, all the while Ace staying razor focused on his goal.

Marco sighed, his head hanging down as I continued to stare wide eyed at the sight in front of us. 

“What….. exactly am I looking at?”

Marco lifted his head just enough to make eye contact with me, contemplating his answer before responding.

“Ace has a bad habit of stealing other people's food.”

I look back over to the brawl taking place in the galley. I don't think you could consider this as something as lowkey as ‘stealing’. No, this was a whole ass war for the greater good. Though both sides had a very different idea of what was the greater good, as wars tended to go.

“He…. he doesn't have his own?”

Marco finally peels his eyes away from the mess in front of him, now looking at me with the face of a man who was about to lose what little of his sanity he had left. 

“Oh no, he does, Baby Bird. But he’s a black, endless void of hunger who is insatiable and would never feel satisfied even if he had all the food on the planet and because we don't have an endless void worth of food or all the food on the planet he compensates by eating everyone else's food. Or…. at least, tries to. He was more successful when he first joined, but the crew has learned how to adjust after about a year. But because of Ace's powers even with the skills they've learned Ace still wins more times than not.”

I turn back just in time to witness Ace full body tackle three guys at the same time while simultaneously shoveling all of their plates into his awaiting mouth. I’m pretty sure his jaw unhinged like a snake. He really was eating like a starved man. 

“But on the other hand, it has really improved everyone's combat skills across the board both offence and defence. No one fights harder than Ace when it comes to food, and no one fights back harder than a crew of tired, hungry pirates.”

“Silver lining I guess.”

Marco chuckled at my dry tone but nodded.

“Ture, it's murder on our furniture budget though. At this point I'm gonna force Ace to learn carpentry so he can fix it all himself. And Thatch just about throws him overboard and lets him drown every time because the food always ends up smeared on the floors and walls, occasionally even on the roof and there is nothing Thatch hates more than wasted food.”

Just as Marco finished his sentence an incredibly loud cracking sound was heard, followed by an orchestra of crashing plates and cups with utensils clattering all around. 

Someone, somehow managed to grab Ace by the back of his shorts and slammed his back into one of the tables, cracking it right in two. 

Marco groans and mumbles something about Thatch throwing a fit. 

Ace shakes his head and places his hat that had fallen off during his body slamming back on his messy black curls right before we make eye contact. His face went from pinched and angry, the face of a man on a mission, to smiling so bright I could have sworn the sun was in the galley. 

“Firefly!!”

He jumps up, completely abandoning his feud with what looked like half the crew for bounding over to me and Marco with the kind of speed only a human torch such as himself could ever dream to achieve. But before I could even greet him in return, Marco beat me to it. 

“Really Ace? Thatch is gonna kill you. It looks like you broke half his dishes again, and we both know that table is going to be murder to replace. If we weren't about to make land I'd bet Thatch would make you eat off of the floor, that is if he let you eat at all.”

Ace didn't even bother responding to Marco’s snide comment. The rolling of his eyes the only indication that he heard him before his eyes locked on me, smiling like a cat that got the cream as he bent a little so we were eye to eye.  

“How ya feelin’?”

Ace’s warm hand finds its way to my forehead. With his unusually high body temperature I wasn't sure if he could actually tell if I was warm or not. Not that it mattered, I was actually pretty cold making his warm palm all the more welcome. 

“A little cold but I took my meds a few minutes ago and Marco just changed my bandages so other than that I'm feeling fine.”

Ace’s eyes lit up like a child about to get his favorite treat. 

“Well that's easy enough to fix!!!”

Just as Ace reaches for me Marco twists his body so I was just out of the fiery man's reach. Ace glaring at Marco so hard I was pretty sure his face was going to get stuck like that and Marco was about to burst into smoke. 

“Before that, we need to talk.”

Ace took a second before he stood to his full height and agreed through gritted teeth. Walking down the last few steps before letting Marco pass him. Marco makes his way to the back of the galley so that we could have some privacy while also sitting at a table that's not cracked, straight up broken in two or more, or smeared with food. 

Marco took his seat, plopping me down in his lap and the coats beside us on the bench while Ace took his seat across from us.

“So, what do you need to tell me that's apparently so important that you’re going to let our poor girl freeze to death?”

I could feel Marco rolling his eyes from behind my head. The air getting heavy with every passing second. 

“She’s fine, Ace.”

Marco's voice was tight, practically speaking through gritted teeth. 

“I disagree, she’s shivering…. Give her to me.”

I didn't think Ace could sound so serious. Marco sighed but apparently decided not to fight Ace this time around, but I think my slightly trembling body helped to convince him. He took a second before he eventually stood up, walking around the table and placing me in Ace’s warm, and eagerly awaiting arms.

Ace gathered me like a small child and cradled me to his chest, taking his hand and pressing my cheek into his chest just like last night at dinner. Letting me absorb all his warmth that he produced in excess as his temperature carefully increased a few degrees. The heat wrapping around me like a cocoon.

“Better?”

Marco’s voice was so dry I was worried he'd start coughing up sawdust. Ace looked at him like a grinning idiot before responding with a little bit too much smugness.  

“Yes, much.”

“I wasn't talking to you, Ace.”

Ace’s face dropped as his features shifted to glare at Marco, but it was short lived as I let out a deep sigh of content as Ace’s powers compensated for my inability to hold in body heat and Ace turned his attention back to me, resting his cheek on my head. 

“Yes, Marco. I feel much better, thank you.”

Marco's smile matched mine before he looked back at Ace who I could practically feel smirking as he continued nuzzling me with his cheek until Marco cleared his throat and decided to skip any more pleasantries and got straight to business. 

“Did you see the sunrise?.”

Ace tightened his arms around my middle a little. He didn't answer right away, instead he just kept his cheek on the top of my head.

“No… Why?”

“It was red.”

‘Aww shit.”

Ace groaned as he tossed his head back dramatically. 

“The crew know?”

“Not yet, I'll gather the other commanders and they’ll all alert their respective divisions, I'll take care of the first and second divisions today.”

Ace raised an eyesbrow.

“Why?”

Marco smirked knowingly. 

“Becasue, you will be taking care of (Y/N).”

I could practically feel the joy radiating off of Ace. I didn't even need to see his face to know he was smiling like an idiot.

“Looks like I lucked out this time, Firefly.”

Marco rolled his eyes, while ace hugged me into him even more, At this rate I’ll end up sharing a body with him

“Just keep her safe, you hot head.”

“Yeah yeah yeah.”

Marco’s face hardened faster than I'd like to admit.

“I’m not kidding Ace. Her skin is so fragile that if she tripped or fell out of her own bed her skin would tear open. What do you think will happen if you're cashless for even just one second and she gets thrown around the ship's interior during a storm?”

Ace didn't say anything. Marco’s words sinking in like a knife in flesh. 

“She'd be torn to ribbons and be bruised like a peach that was thrown around. You need to be holding her the entire time, keep her in the cabin and don't let her go till someone comes and gives them all clear. Her body can only take so much trauma.”

Ace doesn't say anything for a few seconds, instead opting to press his lips onto the top of my head and taking a deep breath. 

“I got it Marco. She’ll be fine.”

It was weird hearing Ace so serious and yet solemn at the same time, his usual carefree attitude taking the side line for a moment, really showing how much he did understand the weight of the situation and what was at stake.

“Jeez, you guys are acting like I'm helpless.”

Unfortunately, despite my best efforts in the moment, my attempt to lighten the mood was not well received but I could still feel Ace smile ever so slightly into my hair. Marco did not. No, instead Marcos’ eyes hardened while his hands clenched together so tight his knuckles were as white as snow and Aces’ arms tightened around me. For a second I was worried he'd break skin.

After a tense drawn out silence Marco spoke up again but not before taking a breath. The kind of breath only an overworked or stressed out doctor could take. 

“I know you don't like it, Baby Bird, and you really don't want to admit it, but especially after over using your hand last night; you are.”

Marco's words weighed heavy on me, my shoulders sinking under the invisible weight. It's not like I was oblivious or ignorant to my condition, for gods sake I couldn't even walk by myself. But it still hurts to hear it said so bluntly. 

Ace leaned down to kiss my cheek, lingering a little longer than he should. It was like he could feel how depressed I was, not that I was really trying to hide it. 

“Cheer up, Firefly. We’ll find a way to have some fun. I’ll get snacks and we’ll tell scary stories, it'll be a fun little sleep over.”

I couldn’t help the smile creeping onto my lips, Ace’s happiness was just so contagious it was hard to be sad around his bright optimism. 

“I know it hurts, Little Bird. But once we land Izou will take you to the island and you can explore and do some shopping, you just have to humor us for at most twenty four hours.”

I look at Marco with an unimpressed face.

“Shopping?… Really?….. With what money?”

Marco smirked so wide I was worried his cheeks would tear.

“Let me worry about that, Baby Bird.”

Before I could get another word in, Marco had already risen from his seat, taking one of the coats with him and moving the other from its place on the bench to the table beside Ace and me. 

“Put this coat on her before you leave and keep it on her, the temperature will drop drastically and very, very quickly. I don't want to see her out of this.”

Ace snorted out a huff as his own smirk spread across his lips.

“Please, with these…”

Ace flexed his bicep, which looked to be nearly the size of both my firsts, and used his power so beautiful orange and red flames flickered around the taught muscles.

“She won't need a damn coat.”

Marco rolled his eyes as his head tilted back with an exasperated huff. 

“It's not negotiable Ace. Either she wears the coat with you or I'll find someone else to take care of her.”

Ace lets out an all too cocky and very confident laugh.

“HA! Like anyone else would be able to keep her safe and meet all her needs while she's in this state especially in a storm like this.”

Marco’s eyes squinted even more, if that was even possible, pinning Ace in place. Though to Ace’s credit he did very well holding his own, very cocky, ground.

“Try me.”

Marco's voice was cold and calculated, clearly not messing around. After about a minute of a very intense staring contest between the first and second division commanders while I awkwardly sat silently on Ace’s lap, Ace finally huffs dramatically before grabbing the coat violently placing it beside him on the bench.

“Fine, coat on at all times.”

Ace says every word through gritted teeth. I couldn't practically hear his enamel grinding away bit by bit. I was starting to wonder whether or not he was going to crack a tooth. On the other hand, I don't think the smirk on Marco’s face could get any more smug. Taking a second to bask in his success before getting in the last word. 

 “That’s what I thought.”

I swear I started to hear steam whistling out from Ace’s ears. Like an incredibly angry, self heating, living tea kettle. 

Marco cupped my cheek with one hand while kissing the other, inhaling deeply through his nose while Ace continued to pout before pulling away from me. 

“I’ll see you later, Baby Bird.”

I couldn't help the blush that worked its way up my neck and onto my cheeks. The galley suddenly became a little too stuffy between my heated embarrassment and the very angry living furnace I was currently sat upon. 

“O-ok.”

Marco smiled softly before he stood to his full height, shooting Ace one last rather pointed look before leaving the galley with his own coat now around his shoulder as he went to no doubt let the other commanders know about the imminent storm and start prepping the ship.

“God, I thought he'd never leave.”

Ace nuzzled his face into my neck, tickling me with his nose and making me giggle uncontrollably. 

“There we go! No gloomy faces allowed.”

It takes me sucking in a few deep breaths to calm down after Ace finally stopped tickling me but once I was breathing semi normally Ace plants his hands firmly on my waist and twists me around unexpectedly so I was straddling him on the bench, my hand shooting out to grip his shoulder for support as I yelped from the sudden movement. 

“There, much better.”

Ace seemed very content with our new position while I had to take another second to gather myself. 

Ace’s hands rested comfortably on my hips, his fingers grazing the top of my ass while he got comfortable, leaning back into the table a little. In fact he was looking a little too comfortable considering we were in a public space with his crew, some of whom were his subordinates. 

Speaking of, during our conversation a few more crew members had wandered in to get their own breakfasts, only to be met with the mess Ace had left during his food rampage and a fairly destroyed buffet line that the fourth division had worked so hard on that was not splattered everywhere it shouldn't be as the crewmates Ace was previously fighting so vigorously for their own breakfasts, had been cleaning up. Much to their displeasure that now that Macro was gone, they decided to voice rather loudly. 

“OI!!! ACE!!! Get your ass over here and clean up your own mess you dumbass!!!!”

One of his crewmates yelled at him, finally letting all his displeasure loose not that Marco wasn't there. Despite being the second division commander, the gap of respect that was given to him compared to Marco was quite vast. Everyone was on their best behavior when Marco was in the room. But Ace? Not so much.

Ace just smiled innocently, which he definitely wasn't, and took his hat that was resting on his back, hanging from his neck by the drawstrings and plopping it on my head. It definitely didn’t fit, but when I reached to take it off Ace just grabbed my wrist and pulled, forcing me to wrap my arms around his warm neck that had soft sparks coming off his tan skin. 

“Sorry boys, no can do. Gotta take care of the lil’ lady. Marco’s orders”

He wrapped his arms fully around my middle, forcing me to practically lay on his chest. My head, that still adorned his hat, rested on his shoulder. 

You didn't have to be looking at the crew to tell how pissed off they were. I could feel most of the crew in the galleys eyes burning holes through my skull with sheer spite and will power. 

“Now, what do you want to do, Firefly? Have you eaten?”

I just stared at him for a second once he loosened his arms enough so that I could lean back just barely till I could look him in the eye. 

“Do we really have many options for activities, between my condition and the coming storm?”

Ace scoffed like I had said the most irrelevant thing in the world. 

“Of course, there are tons we can do in my cabin. We’ll have all kinds of fun in there.”

It was my turn to raise my eyebrow in skepticism.

“Really, like what?”

Ace thinks before stuttering and trying to find an example, it looked like he had a few ideas but then thought better of them. 

“Uh……. you know what? Don't worry about it. And anyway you didn't answer my other question.”

I laughed a little as he dodged the question. Clearing drawing a blank but not wanting to admit it.

“Yes I ate, Thatch woke me up before the sun came up and had me keep him company while he made and fed me breakfast.”

Ace groaned like he was in pain. For a second I thought I was too heavy and tried lifting my weight off him by planting my knees on the bench and lifting myself a little but I didn't get far. The second my bandaged knees made contact with the wood I felt pain shoot up my legs and spread throughout the rest of my body. But it didn't last long as Ace gripped onto my hips with impressively gentle strength, forcing me down so I was properly sitting/straddling him before he spoke again. But not before shooting me a look you would give a misbehaving child. The kind of look that screamed: ‘Don’t you fucking dare.’

“You poor thing, he barely sleeps. I've gotten to the point where I don't think he understands normal people need at least eight consecutive hours, or better yet; nine.”

I laughed, I really couldn’t disagree. 

“Maybe, but I still enjoyed it. It was cool to see how magic happens.”

Ace rolled his eyes, 

“Sure, Firefly. You're a good sport. A better sport than any of us deserve but at least we’ve figured out one activity for us.”

I tilt my head a little.

“Oh, and what would that be?”

Ace looks at me with closed eyes and a childish grin. 

“A good long nap.”

I look at him like he’d grown two heads.

“You really think that's a good idea?”

He opens his eyes to look at me softly.

“Why wouldn't it be?”

“Really? Taking a nap? In the middle of a brutal ice storm?”

Ace’s innocent smile grew into a mischievous smirk. 

“Dont worry, Firefly…..”

His arm tightened around me again so that our chests were pressed together and our noses were touching.

“.... I’d never let anything happen to you, even in my sleep. I've got some of the best reflexes around.”

As if the universe decided Ace needed to prove said reflexes, one of the crewmates, who was clearly fed up with Ace not helping clean up the mess he created, threw a plate directly at his head. 

I flinched, yelping as I ducked my head at the unexpected projectile, but Ace didn't even blink. His half lidded, practically sultry eyes never left me as his hand moved with the speed of lightning and caught the plate right before it could come in contact with his temple.

I looked up after a second, hearing the collective groans of the crew. A few go as far as complaining, some saying “I told you it wouldn't work.”

I looked back and forth between the plate in Ace’s hand and Ace and his all too smug face. 

“Doing that awake and asleep are two very different things. This proves nothing.”

Ace rolled his eyes, taking a second to throw the plate back, hitting his crewmate smack dab in the forehead, the man collapsing on the floor with an “Ack” sound followed by a thud of him dropping to the ground like a ragdoll.

“Oh, ye of little faith.”

Before I could respond with my own snarky comment, Ace yells over the crewmates, finally taking his eyes away from me. 

“Try that again when she’s nearby and I'll make you eat those broken shards! You’ll be shitting sharp ceramics for a month by the time I'm done with ya!”

I blinked a few times at Ace’s bluntness as the crew cringed at the very thought. But he just looked at me and practically giggled like a school girl at what I assumed was my all but gobsmacked face. 

“Well if you’ve eaten, why don't we head up to the deck before Thatch comes down and sees this mess.”

“Not worried about the rest of the fourth division?”

Ace takes on a face that tells me he’s all too proud with what he's about to say.

“Nah, I'm a commander, I outrank them. I can do whatever I want.”

One of his crewmates yells back a response before I could get a word in.

“Liar!!! They just learned to stop trying because they can't beat him, but commander Thatch could mop the floor with him if he wanted!!!”

The crew erupts into laughter, the tense atmosphere lifting almost immediately. 

“Yeah, yeah. I could still make you eat those shards you assholes!!”

The room goes silent for a second before the chatter starts back up again.

“Come on, Firefly.”

Ace reaches beside himself to grab the winter coat Marco left for me, helping me put my arms through the arms of the thick coat. The coat was much longer and thicker than it looked, going all the way to my ankles and the hood would have encompassed my entire  head and then some if Aces' hat wasn't still on my head.

Once I was wrapped like a burrito Ace hoisted me up into his arms again, holding me bridal style and starting making his way over to the stairs leading up to the deck, only to be stopped by a very angry looking Thatch who had his arms crossed across his chest and veins popping out of his forehead.

“Oh, hey Thatch! How goes?”

You could hear how tense Ace's voice was as he tried to sound casual and dare I say even going as far as to attempt to pull off innocences. Thatch on the other hand didn't answer right away, his eyes leaving Ace and drifting down to me wrapped all snug in the coat, his eyes softening instantly only for them to harden just as quick when he looked back at Ace who had the most ‘innocent’ look on his face that he could muster. 

“Oh not bad, but you know… I’D BE BETTER IF MY GALLEY DIDNT LOOK LIKE A GODDAMN WAR ZONE!!!”

His yelling took me by surprise, I couldn't help flinching at the sudden increase of volume. And for some reason Ace decides the best response is to feign ignorance.

“What mess?”

I'm pretty sure I saw steam starting to rise from Thatch’s ears.

“WHAT MESS!!!! WHAT MESS!!!”

He moves past Ace, making his way down the remaining stairs so he was standing in front of the broken table and even more broken dishes and started on a rant about what was all broken and how much this would cost and how hard is would be to clean but I couldn't hear much else as Ace quietly made his way up the stairs and onto deck with surprising stealth before booking it as fast as he could to the far side of the deck before he stopped. 

He set me down on a barrel, his hand resting on my waist keeping me in palace as he laughed, clearly very pleased with our grand escape. But even with all the distance we could still hear Thatch shout Ace’s name so loud I'm pretty sure the whole new world heard him once he realised that we were no longer behind him. 

Ace took a while to calm down from his cackling laughter till he finally looked at me again, I could see tears that developed from his uncontrollable laughter.

“Dodged a bullet, for now at least.”

“What do you mean, “for now?”

Ace grins as smug as a fox.

“Well if I hadn't had a beautiful girl in my arms…”

Ace leans in a little closer, my legs having to spread little to accommodate him

“......he would have beaten my ass without a second thought and I would have been in for a very bad day.  But unfortunately you can't always be in my arms, and Thatch never forgets.” 

I found it harder and harder to hold eye contact with Ace, my pulse quickening faster than I'd ever admit, even to myself as embarrassment flushed my system. I have to look away. Opting to look over to the horizon only to gasp. Ace turned his head to see what had gotten my attention and made me so spooked, letting out a whistle.

“Damn, this one's gonna be nasty.” 

Off in the distance, getting closer with every minute was rolling black clouds. Swirling with a vengeance, bits of white snow and ice twisting and turning around the clouds like a cyclone.

“Y-you're kidding m-me!”

I turn to look at Ace, but while I look terrified he looks as calm and smug as ever. 

“There’s no way the ship or we can survive that!!”

Ace pouts dramatically.

“Wow, our little Firefly really has no faith in us. I'm hurt.”

Ace lays his hand over his heart dramatically. But before I could say anything to defend myself or call him absolutely insane, someone else came to my defence.

“Come on Ace, cut it out. She's never been on a ship before. Remember when you experienced your first New World storm? I didn't know a man could scream so high pitched.”

Ace turned his head to glare in the direction of the voice.

“Oh come off it Izou, she’ll be perfectly safe.”

Izou walked over till he was standing beside me, his hip leaning on the barrel but he didn't bother talking to Ace, instead giving me his full and undivided attention. 

“Well don't you look cute in your coat. Is it warm enough for you?”

Izou runs his hand up the sleeve, and past my neck. He takes a second to let his gloved hand linger on my chilled cheek before he grabs Ace’s hat off my head and tosses it back to him. 

Ace squawking out a very offended “Hey!” in protest. But before I could actually answer his question he frowned. His eyebrows pinched together in what looked like anger.

“What is this? Who got you up this morning?”

“Um, Thatch?”

Izou’s frown deepens.

“I’d think someone like him would know the importance of proper hair upkeep, yours is all messed and tangled again.”

Ace scoffs while putting his hat back on his own head.

“Her hair isn't that bad Izou, besides she’ll be taking a nap later so if you really want to fuss over her appearance like a mother hen, then do it after dinner or tomorrow morning after the storm passes.”

Izou and Ace take a few seconds to glare at each other until Ace decides to speak up again.

“Speacking of, are you warning your division about  the storm?"

Izou nodded, clearly annoyed about the coming storm if his exasperated tone was anything to go off of. 

“Yes, I'm heading to the galley now to give the rest of the sixteenth division their assignments before we’re in the thick of it.”

Ace nodded.

“Might want to wait a bit, he's in a mood.”

Izou tilts his head to the side, a knowing smile spreading along his painted red lips.

“Well, I can't imagine why. I’m pretty sure the entire ship heard Thatch yell your name a few minutes ago. If anyone should avoid him it's you.”

Ace nods with a smug smile.

“Yeah but I have a secret weapon.”

Ace squishes our cheeks together to emphasise his point. 

“Thatch wouldn't dare come at me while I'm taking care of such precious cargo.”

“As true as that is, you can't hide behind our Little Flower forever. Besides he’ll be too busy preparing the kitchen for the storm and by the time it’s past and you have to get back to your own duties and it’s my turn to take care of our girl and accompany her to her first new island he'll hunt you down with a vengeance.”

I could practically hear Ace gulp nervously as Izou's words really sank in. but it only took him a second till he bounded back.

“That's ok. At any rate I'll have a head start.”

Izou didn't even bother responding, his focus shifting to me again. 

“Marco will be the one to grab you after the storm and make sure you're ok, but after that you're all mine. The strom will most likely last all night so you'll be sleeping with Ace tonight so that you're not tossed out of your bed in the middle of the night. We will make land fall shortly after. Once we are anchored and Marco gives the go ahead I'll come get you and we’ll explore the markets. Sounds good?”

I smiled, excited to get to the island and spend some time not on a ship.

“Sounds good.”

Izou smiles, kissing my forehead before he turns and continues his way to the galley. Before I called out to him.

“Oh! Izou, wait!”

He turns back to look back at me, waiting for me to say something.

“The dress you let me borrow, Thatch left it on the top of my dresser for you to grab.”

Izou's eyes narrow as he fully turns and makes his way back to me. He didn't say anything till he was right in front of me.

“That was a gift, Little FLower. It's for you to keep. I can definitely hold on to it for you if you truly wish but it's yours now.”

I flush at his words, a little embarrassed and Izou spoke in such a blunt ‘are you kidding me’ tone.

“Oh, um…. Ok. I-i’ll keep it.”

The words sounded more like a question than a  statement but Izou just smiled, kissing me again before he continued his journey to the galley. 

I look back over to the horizon, before I get too deep in my own embarrassed thoughts. The storm is feeling closer than it should be. The temperature dropped so much I thought my hands would turn to ice cubes. But it didn't take long for Ace to notice me trying and failing to rub my hands together subtly to warm them a little bit.

“Cold?”

Before I can even answer, Ace grabs my hands and places them on his abs. I don't have a second to ask him why or even be embarrassed before his actions answered my unspoken question. His hands moved to cup my chilly cheeks once he was sure I wouldn't move mine, flames flickering all over his shoulders and down his arms, stopping at his hands. 

We stay like that for a few moments as I let myself enjoy his intense warmth before the silence becomes too much for me and I have to break it before I go crazy. 

“Even if you can become and control fire, I still think it's absurd to be shirtless and in shorts.”

Ace laughs a good deep belly laugh. 

“Maybe, but even before I ate my devil fruit I dressed like this as a kid with my brothers, Luffy and Sabo. So even before I couldn't get cold, this was already a habit.”

“Luffy and Sabo? I haven't met them yet, have I?”

Ace takes a second staring at me both blankly and with intensity. I could see the gears actively turning in his head as he tried to figure out what I just said till it clicked. 

“OH!! No Firefly, they're not on the ship. Sabo passed when we were kids and Luffy is off with his own crew. He actually would have just set sail a few weeks ago, the day he turned seventeen but he already has a pretty good bounty, I'll show you the poster later.”

I frowned when I heard Ace say one of his brothers had passed. 

“Oh, I'm sorry to bring it up.”

Ace smiles at me fondly, leaning in so our noses rested together. 

“That's ok, I'm sure Sabo would have loved you, and Luffy will too. I'll introduce you one day but we’ll have to wait for him to come to us. But knowing his ambition he’ll make his way over the red line and find us right away, probably wanting to fight pops as soon as possible. Were a little to alike like that,”

A smile worked its way onto my lips before I even had a second to think about it, it was just so wholesome listening to Ace talk about his brother with some much affection. 

“Well, he’s lucky to have such a supportive big brother.”

Ace opened his mouth to say something but he was cut off when I shivered violently, my body curling in on itself as a gust of freezing wind racked its way through the deck.

The crew started clamoring around the deck even more trying things down, clamoring up and down the masts to take care of the massive sails, moving with a newfound motivation to get their tasks done and take cover as the storm arrived, its unforgiving wind being the first sign of the beast to come. 

“Come on Firefly, let's get you inside.”

Ace picked me up without a second to waste and made his way over to the door that led to the stairs and up to the commander's wing. 

Ace opened the door to his room that was right beside mine and set me down on his unmade bed yet very comfy, keeping my coat on like Marco had told, more like threatened, him to while also wrapping his blankets around me.

His room was almost identical to mine, The only real difference was that his porthole was above his bed, not his desk, instead there was a small little shelf attached to the wall above the fairly empty desk. 

“You wait here and don't move, I'll be right back with some extra blankets and some food. With the looks for things I don't think we’ll make it down to lunch or dinner.”

I nodded,

“Ok.”

And with that Ace gave me one more bright smile before heading out the door. It doesn't take him long to return with a tower of blankets and what looks like several little lunch boxes.

“Good news, Thatch had made a bunch of these lunch boxes for us so we are all set, and I got plenty of blankets but dont worry, i’ll be able to keep you plenty warm...”

Ace stops dead in his tracks when he sees me looking down and rubbing my bare feet and gently as I can while still trying to generate warmth and not breaking skin. No wonder Marco insists he bathes me.

“Whats wrong?”

Ace drops the food and blankets and comes to kneel in front of me.

“M-my, my feet are really freezing. I-I hadn't even n-noticed till you left.”

“Oh, Firefly, does it hurt?”

Tears start to gather around my lash line.

“ A-a little…..y-yeah”

“Oh you poor thing, hold still. I got you.”

Ace gently removes my hands from my feet and takes them in his own, but instead of heating up his hands like I expected, he leans down and kisses the tops of both my feet right above my nearly blue toes that peeked out from the bandages. His lips linger on the tops of both my feet for at least ten seconds each.

I tried to pull my feet away, but Ace held them firmly in his hands, not giving me the opportunity to pull away. 

“A-Ace!”

Despite my shrieking and protesting he didn't seem to care at all. He just continued to kiss my feet, going back and forth till he was satisfied with his work and the color coming back to my toes. 

“There, all better, Hmmm?”

I couldn't look him in the eye for a while but eventually nodded.

“Y-yeah…. Thanks.”

My voice was just a whisper but he heard it, a big grin stretching over his freckled cheeks.

“Of course, any time, Firefly.”

Ace got up off of the floor and walked over to where he had dropped the blankets and lunch boxes. He placed the lunch boxes in the bottom drawer of his dresser and the blankets underneath the bed.

“There, that should keep them in place till we need them.”

Once he was satisfied with his work, he took off his hat and beaded necklace, placing them on his bedside table before sitting on the bed and taking his shoes off. Once he was settled he scooched over and plopped himself on the bed behind me, propping himself on his pillow against the headboard, pulling me back between his legs so that I was leaning on his chest. 

His hands work their way to my front, slowly peeling off the coat Marco gave me and tossing it to the ground to join his shoes.

“Are you sure that's a good idea? If Marco comes in and I'm not wearing that I'm pretty sure he'll have an aneurysm.”

Ace laughed while pulling up the blanket that was by our feet over our laps, wrapping his arms around me so my arms were pinned to my sides so he could keep the rest of me not under the blanket toasty. The blanket was the same doop red as the one that was folded at the foot of my bed, the one covering the bed and the same as Marco’s. They must have given me their extra blankets.

“I wouldn't worry, I got blankets for days and like I said….”

He brought his hand up to my face, a flame igniting spontaneously in the palm of his hand. 

“....you don't need a coat with me.”

Now that one of my arms had been freed, I couldn't help but raise my hand, letting my fingertips graze the edge of the flickering flame. It really was a beautiful thing. The flames just tickled my fingertips, not even burning my bandages, just dancing around them gently. The flames looked as alive as Ace. I guess it made sense, with his powers he was the embodiment of flame.

“It doesn't hurt, even a little.”

Ace chuckled, the rumbling in his chest vibrating down my spine. His fingers wiggle, making the flames flickering but not dimming with the movement. If anything it looked like they got brighter.

“Do you trust me?”

My hand froze mid air. I wasn't sure what to say. Did I? We barely knew each other. But if the short time I've spent on this ship awake has taught me anything, it's that for some reason, they would keep me safe. Besides, he hasn't done anything to not make me trust him. 

“.....yes…..”

I said it so quietly I wasn't sure if Ace had even heard me.

“Hold my hand.”

I turn to look at him, his black curls a little more messy looking without his hat to tame them. 

“What?”

His eyebrows knit together in faux offence. 

“I thought you just said you trusted me, it's not like you haven't done it already anyways.”

I think back to my first morning on ship, Ace holding me and lighting himself on fire to keep me warm. Marco forced my hand into Ace’s while it was covered in fire.

Gingerly, I raise my hand, placing my palm in his awaiting one. 

I gasped a little as the fire wrapped around my hand, but it wasn't a gasp of fear. No, this time I was just amazed. 

“How are you doing that, making fire but fire that doesn't burn.”

Ace rested his chin on my shoulder, joining me in watching the flame on his palm dance around my hand. 

“In all  honesty, I have no idea. I wasn't able to do it when I first ate the devil fruit, but I did learn how to do it pretty quickly out of necessity.”

I turn my head a little looking at the side of Ace’s face. While his eyes are still on my hand in his. 

“What do you mean?”

Ace chuckled a little, a slight blush blooming over the apple of his cheeks.

“Well, when I first got my powers I had no idea what I was eating, and the next thing I knew, my hat had burst into flames. It scared the shit out of Deuce and me, but as I was exploring my powers I figured out that my flames would turn my own clothes to ash, and you can imagine how embarrassing that was, so i some how figured out a way to make flames that were warm, but didn't burn so that my clothes stayed in on piece.”

I stared at him for a second, completely stone faced before laughing so hard I thought I would pass out cause I couldn't inhale. While I was dying of laughter Ace turned his head from our hands, his fingers curling around mine to keep it there, to glare at me playfully. 

“It's not funny, Firefly. You can't even imagine how much money I had to spend on new clothes every time I tried to use my powers for the first few months. My crew saw me naked way more times than any crew should ever see their captain naked. It got to the point I was so poor I stopped buying shirts”

I finally calmed down, taking in a huge breath of air. My other hand came up to my eye to wipe away a tear that had slipped past my eyeline as I tried to picture Ace wearing a shirt. 

“You were a captain? And who is Deuce?”

I could feel Ace puff his chest out in pride before looking back to our hands and answering my questions.

“Of course I was a captain, I wasn't always Pop’s second division commander. And Deuce was my first mate.”

I looked back to our hands, my fingers wiggling around in the flames, enjoying how they wrapped around them like a warm silk. 

“How did you meet?”

Ace hummed.

“That is a long story.”

I looked past Ace’s head and over to the porthole, the sky almost black with storm clouds.

“I think we have time if you're willing to share.”

Ace followed my line of sight, grimacing at th esky,

“Yeah I guess we do.”

In an impressive show of strength and speed Ace laid me down on the bed, my back to the wall and him laying facing me with his arm under his head while he gave me him pillow. 

“Guess we need to get cozy.”

He had the biggest smile on his face, the kind of smile a little kid would get, the kind of smile that could only come from innocence.

I adjusted into the bed, getting smug in the mattress while Ace’s arm that wasn't under his head snaked its way over my waist, bringing me a little closer practically hugging me. 

“Tell me if you get cold, the temperature will probably drop really fast pretty soon if those clouds are anything to go off of.”

I nodded before looking at him with my best ‘tell me the story’ eyes I could muster.

With a huff Ace started his tale.

“I first set sail at seventeen, with big dreams and absolutely no skill. It was no wonder I ended up marooned on an island that was infamous for never letting people leave, the seas that surround it were so choppy and cruel no ship made it in in one piece and even if they did they never left the island. But much to my good fortune, I wasn't alone.”

My eyes widened as I listened, I couldn't believe a life like this was even possible. It really made me think how boring I was in comparison.

“I had found Deuce, he was also stuck but unlike myself, he had sailing experience and was a genius to boot. With his help we were able to build a ship, a ship that didn't even last three seconds in those waters.”

I laughed a little at his unimpressed tone.

“We had been there for days at that point, and worse yet we had no food. The Island was completely barren. We were both getting really pissed off, even lashing out at each other. While looking for food we came across this cave. Inside was a giant ship that had been torn apart. While we explored, hoping to find anything to eat, when this giant very angry bird attacked us. We fought it off and one of the blows had forced it to throw up a chest.”

I made a face of disgust at the thought of a bird vomiting out a chest, my face making Ace laugh a little before continuing. 

“When we opened the chest we found what we would soon figure out was a devil fruit. But even though it looked a little strange we didn't think twice, we split it in two immediately digging in. I had taken the first bite, seconds before Deuce which is why I got the powers.”

I looked at him with wide eyes, I was too wrapped in the story. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t even believe something like this was possible, devil fruits being so rare, the cases of finding own being slim to none, but Ace was laying right in front of me, the living breathing proof he was telling the truth. 

“Fun little fact about devil fruits, they taste like shit. So insipid and bland, it was the worst tasting thing I could imagine, so bad I couldn't even compare it to anything. If I wasn't starving I would have thrown up but being as hungry as we were we just kept eating the horrible thing.”

I grimaced at his description of the fruit, my stomach churning while my chest tightened, feeling so bad for them that they had to eat such a horrible thing or starve. 

“While chewing Deuce started freaking out, I thought he was reacting to the taste but he was yelling about fire. Next thing I knew my hat was on fire. I started freaking out, trying to put out the flames but they wouldn't go out. After a while of panic we finally realised what had happened. And what he had eaten.”

Ace’s voice softens a bit.

“I had mixed feelings, on one hand I was excited. My brother Luffy had a devil fruit and could do amazing things, but it's complicated living as a pirate that can't swim. And while being surrounded by some of the cruelest seas I had ever seen, and having fallen in the water so many times before while trying to build a boat to escape on I wasn't very excited about my new abilities”

I stared at Ace and his crestfallen face as he remembered how he felt before he smiled again.

“But like I said, Deuce was a genius. We built a small surfboard kind of boat with the wood from the old shipwreck we had found and Duce made a kind of engine on the back of the boat so that I could use my powers to propel it forward so fast we were able to get out of the island's sea and into calm waters. Even including a sail so that when I could use my flames anymore he could still get around. We named it Striker.”

My mouth hung open,

“That’s amazing, I don't think I'd be able to believe it if you weren't right in front of me.”

Ace smirked,

“Then it's a good thing I'm here to make you believe, I could even show you Striker later.”

I gasped, grabbing his shoulder with my hand.

“You still have it!”

“Of course I do, it's my baby, I could never part with it.”

He put on a dramatic face, emphasizing how he could ever be parted from his precious boat.

“But once we were off the island, we stuck together. He was an aspiring adventurer and seeing as we both wanted to see the world and chase our dreams we stuck together and founded the Spade Pirates. 

“How did you end up here then?”

Ace’s face went red. His hand moved from my waist to the back of his neck, rubbing it.

“Funny story actually…”

I stared at Ace, waiting for him to continue, not even noticing how the ship had started to rock a bit more than usually. 

“.... I was trying to kill Pops, actually,”

I gasped,

“You’re kidding?”

He just stares at me, his hand going back to my waist.

“Oh my god, you're not kidding.”

“I wanted to kill the strongest man on the seas to really make my mark as a raising rookie who already had a pretty big bounty.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. 

“I found someone who had a close connection to him, demanding he get me a meeting but he refused and we fought for five days straight.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

“How the hell is that even possible?"

Ace just shrugged before continuing.

“We had both passed out when Whitebeard had shown up, saying he had heard about me and how I wanted to kill him. I tried fighting him but he beat my ass in seconds. But instead of killing me he decided to take me in as one of his own, not that I was very grateful. I tried to refuse him before passing out and waking up on the Moby. He had even taken all of my crew on board. From that day onward I tried killing him over one hundred times, failing each time and getting my ass bead to boot, it wasn't until Marco finally made me understand Whitebeard's motivations and that convinced me to stay. The rest is history.”

I didn't think my mouth could hang open any wider without dislocating my jaw.

“You tried killing Whitebeard?!”

Ace nodded, trying not to snicker at my bewildered face. 

“Over one hundred times?!”

“Yup”

He popped the ’p’ as I continued to try and wrap my head around what he just told me.

“They all tolerated you for that long?”

Ace’s face twisted,

‘HEY?”

His face made me burst out laughing, him joining in after a while.

“That is insane, I guess that is just one of many ways to join one of the most powerful pirate crews in the world.”

“That’s an understatement, And I was the last one Pops had taken in before you. So everyone is relieved that our newest member isn't persistently trying to kill anyone.”

I scoffed,

“Well unlike you I'm not suicidal."

‘Hey, I wasnt suicidal!”

I looked at him with an unimpressed deadpan.

“Continuing to try and kill the strongest man in the world over a hundred times after he had beaten you ass sounds pretty suicidal to me.”

Ace scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah well I was determined,”

“Yeah…. determined to die.”

“Why you-”

Ace started to tickle my sides making me laugh uncontrollably, wriggling around like a worm trying to get his hands away from me. He continued to tickle me for a few minutes until the ship suddenly rocked violently from one side to the other. Ace stopped tickling my sides and quickly wrapped me up in both arms and hugged me to his chest so that I wouldn't roll and slam into the wall behind me as a harsh whistling wind that could be heard from the other side of the porthole whipped past of the ship, carrying snow and ice with it.

Even from all the way down the commander’s hall in Ace’s room we could hear heavy footsteps and aggressive yelling form on the deck as Ace grumbled.

“I really hope they get the sails secured in time otherwise we are going to be docked for forever while fixing them.”

He looked down at me when he noticed I was shaking like a leaf. My forehead resting on his collar bone as I whimpered, a few tears escaping my eyes as I wrapped my arms around him, clinging to him like he was a life line. And right now, he was.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, what with these tears, no need for those, what's wrong, Firefly?”

I hiccupped as I tried to answer him, the words taking a while to get out as my throat closed tightly.

“A-are you s-su-sure the sh-ship will be o-ok?”

Ace ‘tisked’ before placing his lips on my hair.

“Of course I'm sure, I promise you don't need to be scared (Y/N). I got you and I am not letting go. You are perfectly safe in these arms.”

To prove his point he flexed his arms around me, giving me a tight squeeze. I took a few deep breaths, trying to follow the rise and fall of Ace’s chest. I didn't know why I got so scared all of a sudden, I knew it was coming but I couldn't help going into a full blown panic the second I felt the ship lurch like that. Ace gave me a few minutes to calm down, holding me to his chest the entire time, his grip not wavering once. After a while I looked up at Ace. His warm eyes looked down at me as my chest filled with shame.

“......s-sorry…..”

He huffed out a breath that ruffled my hair a little. 

“Don’t apologise, Firefly. This is a perfectly normal reaction to have to a New World storm. I'd be more considerate if you didn't freak out.”

I looked up at him for a while, looking for any sign of him messing with me or making fun of mine, but I didn't see anything so I nuzzled back into his chest just in time for the ship to lurch violently. I actually shrieked that time, hugging him as tight as I could without hurting my hands too much. 

“Shhhhhh, it's ok, I got you.”

Ace waited for me to calm down again before speaking, it was comforting that he didn't rush me, just held me while I came down by myself. 

“How about we eat a little something and then try to take that nap I mentioned earlier.”

I looked up at him with sore, red eyes. My lip quivered as the ship continued to shake from the force of the storm. 

“I don't think I can sleep right now.”

Ace smiled. 

“That’s ok, at least we can lay here and wait out the storm, I can tell you about all the times Pops beat my ass, some of them are really funny. But either way I want you to try and eat a little something, do you have your pills?”

I nodded.

“You’ll take the anti- nausea and we'll wait a bit before giving you any pain meds, just let me know when the pain gets a little too intense.”

“O-ok.”

Ace smiled at me one last time before he got up out of the bed, grabbing two of the lunch boxes he had brought in earlier from his bottom drawer. He was only out of the bed for a few seconds, but the second he left I couldn't help panicking a bit when I didn't feel my body rocking a bit with the ship, no longer having Ace to hold me steady, but also from the drastic change in temperature. 

The second he left the bed a chill ripped through me, my breaths getting heavy as I spaced out, remembering running up the mountain on my island. The feeling of the cold biting my skin, the sharp tingling feeling I had felt then was almost identical to what I felt now. I knew that the temperature wasn't actually that cold, it was just because I couldn't properly contain any of my own body heat and now that Ace wasn't holding me the change in temperature felt even worse. 

I hadn't realized Ace was kneeling on the floor in front of me until he tapped his palm that was covered in his bright flames on my cheek.

The second I looked at him he jumped into action once he knew I was back to reality. Within an instant he was back in the bed, sitting up while I was in his lap. He had wrapped his blanket around me like a cocoon. He had lit most every part of his body on fire, warming me in an instant. 

It took a few seconds of his staring into my eyes, his presents grounding me before he said anything. 

“Where’d ya go?”

I swallowed hard as I tried to get the words out.

‘T-the moun-tian.”

Ace stared at me for another second before he brought my head into his neck, just holding me rightly. I don't think either of us could find any words at that moment.

“It’s ok, you're safe. I promise you'll never feel pain like that ever again.”

For a few minutes I just cried in Ace’s arms, his flames never wavering and lighting up the room in a way the candles couldn't. 

Once I had calmed down, Ace reached over to the bedside table where he left the lunch box and opened one. Inside was a delicious looking sandwich and while Thatch had already proved to be an amazing cook, I couldn't help but push my head into Ace, trying to avoid the food. 

“Come on sweetheart, At least try a few bites, and then we'll lay down and I won't let you until you tell me to.”

I grumbled a little before turning back around and opening my mouth letting Ace feed me. As nauseous as I felt I could help but moan at the taste. It was some kind of meat that my taste buds couldn't even decipher right now but I didn't care, all I knew was it was delicious and I wanted more. 

In not time at all the samuich was gone and Ave wall pulling my anti-nausea meds out of my pocket before helping me drink it from his own flask of water. 

“Wanna lay down now?”

I nodded without bothering to even look up at him. Even with the rocking of the ship getting worse and the winds starting to howl I couldn't help but feel sleepy while ace laid up back down. 

Ace had positioned me on top of him but not before grabbing one of the blanks under his bed and laying the second layer on top of us. My hands and head rested on his chest while both his arms had wrapped around me, lifting my sweater a little so his hands were on my lower back where bandages didn't cover, both my legs falling on either side of one of his thighs. 

I had immediately started to lull into a deep sleep while Ace mumbled in my ear about all kinds of random things, keeping my thoughts away from that mountain and just on him as he traced his fingers around my lower back and let his warmth envelop me. 

Word count: 440

Marco was taking inventory for the clinic to prepare for the next restock at an island. He was completely focused on his list. He hadn’t noticed the soft 'pat' 'pat' 'pat' of bare feet walking up behind him till he felt a little tug on his shit.

Looking away from his clip board he saw a sleepy little (Y/N) tugging on him to get his attention. She had clearly just woken up from a nap if her bed head was anything to go by. 

He couldn't help the fond smile that grew onto his lips as he lowered the clip board and turned slightly to show she had his full attention. 

"Hello, little bird. Had a good nap, did we?"

(Y/N) sheepishly ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tame the mess before nodding. 

"Ace was on watch and wanted to show me the view from the crows nest but we ended up falling asleep before Haruta came to relieve him."

Marcos' eyes squinted a little, clearly he'd have to talk to Ace about his behaviour. Its not much of a watch if you're not watching. Not to mention taking their sweet girl up there where she could fall or hurt herself. But he couldn't find it in himself to stay mad long. The adorable look on (Y/N)'s face was just too much.

"Oh? Did you have fun, see some sights?"

(Y/N) nodded. 

"Mostly just ocean but there was a pod of whales that passed us and they had a baby who was jumping out of the water and playing and that was really cute."

'Not cuter than you.' He thought before raising his hand to stroke her cheek. It was really warm, definitely Ace's doing. 

"That sounds wonderful, Little Bird. Did you need anything from me?"

(Y/N) shakes her head.

"You sure?"

She nodded.

"I..... just wanted some company...everyone else is busy.... I can leave...."

Marco smiled at her, his heart warming.

"Well it just so happens I would also like some company."

Marco turns to resume his work, a calm smile resting on his lips that only got wider when he felt (Y/N) lean into his side. He could feel her calm, slow breaths that he couldn't help but match. 

It wasn't long till Marco had finished inventory only to find (Y/N) had fallen asleep again. He smiled down there and wrapped his arms around her, caring over to his desk where he sat down with her in his lap as he continued doing some charting.

"You should come keep me company more often, Baby Bird."

Ace:

Word count: 525

The Moby Dick was currently in a winter island's ocean space. Snow piling up on deck and everyone grumping about the cold weather while shoving the heaps of snow that was on the deck. Ace on the other hand was pleased as punch.

Having finished all his duties he plopped himself down on a barrel he enjoyed the cold weather he couldn't feel while watching the snow fall, he had almost fallen asleep when he felt a soft hand take hold of him.

He smirked, he didn't even have to open his eyes to know who it was. 

"Well hello, Firefly."

He cracks one eye open to look at her. She was standing beside the barrel looking up at him. She was wrapped in a fluffy floor length winter court, courtesy of Izou, with snow flakes making their home in her hair, making her look more ethereal than usual. 

"Want something?"

She nodded but didn't say anything, opting to let her actions speak for her. And speak they did.

Without a word or any warning she clambered onto his lap like a lemur. Taking her place rihgt on his folded legs, her back to his bare chest. Ace was shocked, it wasn't often she even initiated physical contact, he could almost cry.

Ace wrapped his arms around (Y/N) and took her cold hands in his warm ones. After a few minutes of silence he starts to feel her fingers wiggling around. 

(Y/N) had leaned fully into Ace and started fiddling with his fingers subconsciously while watching the snow fall. 

Rubbing the tip of her finger over every one of his nails, tracing the lines on his palms, bending his fingers by the joints and tapping along his knuckles. 

She had never done this before, Ace wasn't sure how to react. Should he react? Would she feel embarrassed? Or worse, would she stop!?!?

Ace settled on not doing anything. Leaning back into the wall the barrel was up against, (Y/N) following the moment, Ace looked up at the snow, enjoying the feeling of her soft hands on his rough ones. 

He had nearly fallen asleep before Thatch and a few members of the fourth division came up from the galley with several trays of hot chocolate, coffee, and tea.

Ace was shocked (Y/N) didn't jump at the chance to get a warm treat. He knew she had heard Thatch announce himself, she was staring right at him. Instead she opted to sit right where she was, socking up Ace's intense warmth and continued to play with his fingers. 

Ace smiled fondly, before hoisting her up so she sat on his shoulder/bicep, holding her securely with his hand on her waist. 

He walked over to Thatch while listening to (Y/N)'s giggles after she had yelped at Ace's unexpected moment.

He grabbed a hot chocolate for her, handing it up to her and one for himself before Namur had thrown a snowball at his head, knocking his hat clean off and making his stumble

Once Ace put (Y/N) down and handed her his drink, it was all our snow war.

Thatch:

Word count: 765

It was a quiet day, clam, practically serine. Everyone was off doing something, to either pass the time or enjoy this brief moment of relaxation before the next storm, battle, or Ace and/or Haruta's next prank.

Thatch, having finished dinner clean up, had sent the rest of the fourth division to go relax. Some join a game of cards on deck or in the galley, some going to tuck in for an early night, some leaving to pursue their own hobbies. 

Thatch decided on having a nice long bath, washing the day off of him before walking back down to the kitchen in a much more lax chef's uniform. His shirt was mostly unbuttoned, having been too lazy after his warm bath to do them all up, his yellow bandana nowhere to be seen and his hair down, a very rare sight for the chef.

Thatch had decided to do some baking, not wanting to sleep just yet and having done the breakfast and most of the lunch prep he had decided to take to his usual relaxation hobby.

After having made several batches of pie dough, and almost ten different kinds of filling. He had just started to roll out some of the dough onto a floured surface and placed them into the pie crusts when he felt a pair of arms try to wrap around him from behind. Their small soft fingers not even reaching each other.

Thatch turned with a smug smile knowing it could only be one person and seeing a very pouty (Y/N) behind him. 

"Well what do we have here? It looks like I have a little koala in my kitchen."

(Y/N) didn't react to his comment, just squeezing Thatch tighter, going so far as to ball her hands into fists and pressing them into his abs.

Thatch raised one of his eyebrows like he was waiting for her to say something, but knowing (Y/N) well enough, he knew she wasn't in the talking mood. 

He looked over her features and the arms around his middle. Other than her usual bandages there were no wounds and blemishes. 

Satisfied that she wasn't hurt he continued rolling out the pie dough while enjoying her arms snug around him in an ever constant hug.

It didn't take long for Thatch to finish rolling all the dough, wiping his hands off on the towel he had on his shoulder. Once his hands were clean and not flour covered, Thatch reached down to remove (Y/N)’s arms, taking her small wrists in his much larger hands and trying to pull them off. 

It always amazed him how much smaller she was compared to all of them. She was a grown woman but everyone on the ship was pretty massive, so she was dwarfed in comparison. 

But as Thatch gave her wrists a little tug, (Y/N) squeezed his middle with as much strength as she could. 

“Come on, Buttercup, I need to go get the filling from the fridge and pre-heat the oven.”

Despite his explanation (Y/N) wouldn't budge, her head shaking back and forth while pressed into his back.

Thatch signed but couldn't help the smile on his lips. She had never done this before and while he was a little concerned he knew nothing was physically wrong with her (besides the obvious) and couldn't help but to enjoy her attention. But he really did need to move now.

Seeming to be able to read his thoughts, (Y/N) jumped a little, loosening her arms just a bit. 

It took Thatch a second to figure out what she was doing till it clicked and he crouched down, letting her clamor onto his back, his arms moving under her butt to support her.

(Y/N)’s arms moved to wrap around his neck, her legs squeezing his middle just underneath his chest to keep herself in place. (Y/N) pressed his face into his neck and his still slightly damp hair but that didn't seem to bother her as she took a few deep breaths and fully relaxed into her position on his back. 

Once Thatch was sure she wasn't going to slip, he let go, just letting her cling to him as he moved around the kitchen.

“Wow, you're really a koala now.”

Her arms squeezed around his neck, a poor attempt to choke him while he just laughed.

Thatch went about his business while enjoying the feeling of (Y/N) pressed into his back. 

Guess he’d just have to get used to his new little koala.

Izou:

Word count: 540

It was early in the morning, the sun had barely risen past the horizon. Izou was enjoying his quiet morning, having just woken up and decided to lay in bed for a while before he had to get up for the day. 

After a few minutes he heard soft footsteps from outside his door, followed by the distinct sound of paws scratching the floor boards. Izou smiled, realizing who was walking outside his door. There is only one person what damned mutt would follow, and Pop’s didn't fit in the hallway.

He was about to get up, wanting to greet his little flower before he heard a soft knocking on his door. 

Izou sat up in bed, his kimono open exposing his chest and abs while his blanket pooled into his lap. Before he could answer the door creaked open ever so slightly and (Y/N)’s head popped inside, checking to see if he was there. 

Normally Izou would be pissed that someone would come into his room without permission but (Y/N) had special privileges. Having made eye contact with him, her eyes still half closed, she told Stefan to sit and wait outside, the dog not being allowed into their rooms. 

It always amazed him how affectionate the dog was towards her, more likely to bite anyone else and murder them if they tried to tell him what to do. But for their sweet girl, he was the kindest pup around, unless you got too close to her, a mistake Ace made a few times. 

(Y/N) sleepily approached Izou and before he could say anything she plopped right down into the bed with him. 

Izou stood frozen in place, she had never done this before. This was uncharted territory. He looked down at her, she had curled up into a ball on the edge of his bed, her back to him as she closed her eyes.

“Flower? Are you ok?”

It took a second but she nodded after a second. 

Izou let out a relieved breath before scooching back into bed till he was against the wall and lying down. He waited a second to see if she'd do anything before placing his hand on her waist. He was about to ask her again if she was ok or needed Marco but she just turned around, scooching closer to him, her forehead resting on his chest as she pulled his arms so that they were wrapped around her body. 

“Flower?”

Izou was getting worried, she had never crawled into bed with any of them before. And while he wanted to enjoy her presence and snuggle a bit before he had to get up he just couldn't relax before he knew what she wanted. 

(Y/N) apparently read his mind. 

“....Thatch woke me up really early….to help him make breakfast….”

She let out a big yawl before continuing.

“Really tired… but…. I don't want to be alone….”

Izou visibly deflated before he smiled and hugged her in ernest. 

“Well, you are always more than welcome to join me.”