Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Garp approaches Dawn Island with a debate raging in his mind. The little raven haired boy sleeps peacefully in his arms. The brat is completely unaware what a headache he's giving the marine. However, when the Vice Admiral tries glaring down at him all he receives in return is a wide smile, just like his father. He knew he had to protect that smile. Keep it safe from the World Government, all those that hated the blood in this boy's veins. 

Gol D. Ace.

The name his mother had given him. The life she had given him with hers. Although that could hardly count as Ace’s fault. It was the marines, the ones who took orders to kill every mother and child that fit the timeline without question- some with joyous hate. Garp was well aware it was his intuition that forced Portgas D. Rouge to such extremes. 

Part of him still couldn’t believe death managed to take such a fierce woman. The other part was still shell shocked over the tenderness she showed her baby boy. Something Garp never thought he’d see from the tough woman. He thought Dadan would have been a good match in that regard. Showing Ace the way, using tough love to make sure he was strong enough to survive the world.

Yet, Rouge’s touch was soft and adoring. While Garp was sure she would have raised a hellion, that gentle love wouldn’t be found among bandits. It wasn’t something he could give either. He remembered how many times he had been scolded by the villagers in Foosha for being too hard, too rough with Dragon. They were always the ones to patch him up with band aids after a training session, even if the things were basically useless.

The baby in his arms squirms. Drawing Garp's attention down as Ace makes nonsensical whining noises. A boy already hated by most of the world. With a mother who held him in a sweet embrace for her last moments. Perhaps, instead of growing thick enough skin to withstand what the world threw at him he needed band aids instead.

---

Really Garp didn’t know how he kept ending up in this situation, on a boat with a baby in his arms. The only conclusion was that he surrounded himself with terrible parents. Ignoring the fact that his son was a world renowned criminal who handed over his own baby because he knew the consequences if he kept him. A loud brat who sure as hell let you know when he was hungry and ate like a beast when food got near him. He was sure the boy would shatter the peace in Foosha village… if Garp decided to drop him off there.

The townsfolk were already harboring one D. the world wanted dead. While one scrawny little kid who might have a passing resemblance to Roger, if you knew the man well enough, could be easily overlooked. Putting two with that will in the same village… Particularly one Garp was from. When one of the kids had the last name Monkey and everyone knew he was much too old to have another child. However, they did know that Garp had a son, a foolish criminal idealist, their connection was known among the upper brass. 

If a kid showed up in his hometown with that name there was no way people would miss the obvious. They’d look into the town. Luffy would be killed. The villagers would suffer if not be killed for simply being nearby. Ace would be found out and… no Luffy needs to be better hidden.

He's a sturdy kid and the jungle had practically been Garp’s playground in his youth. He’d drop him off with Dadan and if the kid hated it? Well that would just push him to becoming a marine wouldn’t it!

---

Ace sits on a stool in Party Bar. His legs dangled over as he kicks them idly. Makino putters around the bar making sure everything was in order. No one comes in during the early afternoon but she has lots to do to make sure everything runs smoothly in the evening. Not that anyone in the village would be mean to her, but they never knew when they’d get sailors in.

“Can I have some booze?” He asks cheekily, after a moment tacking on. “Please?”

“Ace, you’re ten,” Makino chuckles, wiping a glass with a rag.

“I need to be able to make recommendations to the customers!” He insists, this time getting a hearty laugh from the barmaid.

“I don’t think they would or should be taking recommendations from a child.”

“They shouldn’t if you don’t let me try some.” 

“I’ll tell you what,” Makino leans forward conspiratorially, Ace gravitating closer with bright eyes. “I’ll let you drink on your seventeenth birthday- at a reasonable time of course.”

“But Makinnoooo,” Ace whines, his head plonks against the bar and he feels fingers ruffle up the wavy hair.

He can hear the way she giggles. His cheeks warm up but Makino doesn't tease him further. Instead she idly pulls her fingers through a knotted part of his hair, tugging gently until it comes loose. Ace sinks into it, letting her work out the tangles so brushing it will be less of a pain later. The door creaks open behind him and Ace doesn’t concern himself with looking up until Makino’s fingers go stiff.

“How can I help you gentlemen?” She asks, perfectly polite and steady but lacking any of the usual warmth she greets customers with. Ace peeks up at her as her hand leaves his head. She doesn’t look scared… more concerned.

“We’re just looking for a drink, no worries we won’t cause any trouble,” The tone is friendly, almost lazy which is weird with how Makino is reacting.

Ace twists around to see a crowd of men entering the bar. Some of them are swaying slightly as they walk, a tell tale sign of someone already being drunk or freshly off a ship. With sailors it could be both, but these folks look rougher than the typical sailor. Their clothes are more sloppy and while they’re not going out of their way to make it obvious like most of the bandits that come through here- they are carrying weapons.

“Of course, anything in particular you would like?” Makino says pleasantly, and it would be welcoming if Ace didn’t know how she actually sounded.

“Anything really,” A man says, approaching the bar while the rest of them disperse, taking up tables throughout the room. He has an easy smile on his face, and striking red hair tucked under a straw hat that would fit a farmer. What’s really eye-catching is the big scar over his eye. Ace knows Makino wouldn’t freak out over something like that, but the profession it implies… “We’re not picky, isn’t that right boys?”

A cheer sounds across the bar. Makino nods politely and moves to start grabbing tankards but her eyes don’t leave the stranger as he comes over to the counter next to Ace. His smile is friendly but whatever he’s doing is freaking Makino out. Makino says it’s not nice to scowl at customers, so he tries to at least keep it down to a glare. The man looks between Ace and Makino. The man blinks as if realising something and pointedly takes a step away. Sitting down, leaving an empty barstool between them and turning his attention to Makino. The barmaid startles, giving one last lingering look before turning to fill up the cups.

Usually Ace would help her out and take booze to the customers but he got the feeling Makino wants him to stay put. She sometimes got nervous with him out around the rowdy sailors even if they weren't criminals. He also knows it's rude to just up and leave when people walk in, causing more problems than slipping out quietly when the customers are buzzed enough not to notice. Ace is fine with staying, he doesn't like leaving Makino alone around those sorts anyway, they usually gave her more grief than him. Like the red head who's watching the barmaid a little too closely. Good thing Ace knows how to get the attention on him.

“Are you guys pirates?” He asks, getting Makino to whirl around and pin him with one of her looks .

“ Ace .”

“Sorry,” He mumbles, mostly to Makino but he does turn in his seat to properly face the man. “Excuse me sir, are you a pirate?”

“Not what I meant,” Makino groans, running a hand down her face. She watches the man as he bursts out laughing, slapping the counter like it’s the funniest fucking thing he’s heard.

“I used manners,” Ace grumbles, shoulders hiking to help hide his burning cheeks.

“And they were lovely manners,” Makino reassures, which only makes him flush more. “You did well Ace. How about you go play and leave these men to their drinks?”

“Ah, it’s alright miss I don’t mind,” The red haired man says, still chuckling, but he fixes Ace with a smile despite the boys scowl and holds out his hand. “Yea I am a pirate kiddo, names Shanks, nice to meet you, Ace was it?”

“Yeah,” Ace says surly, but he still reaches out to shake the man's hand like Makino taught him. “Are you the captain?”

“Sure am,” Shanks grins all goofy and it sure doesn’t make him look like a captain. Even with a sword at his side the man doesn’t look intimidating in the least.

“Do you know how to use that?” He asks, gesturing to the blade.

“Yeah, I’d even say I’m pretty good,” Shanks chortles as if there’s something really funny about that. “Her name is Gryphon.”

“Swords have names?” Ace blinks in surprise, none of the bandits ever introduce their swords, they just wave them around to be annoying.

“The really cool ones do,” Shanks smirks, his hand moving to rest against the hilt. It doesn't seem like a threat as he runs his thumb against the grip, like Makino will do to him when she draws him in for a hug. “You know my old Captain had a sword named Ace.”

“Really?” Ace perks up as the man nods. “Huh, that would be cool, you think I could wield it?”

“Her,” Shanks corrects although it’s without bite, the same way Makino idly reminds him to use someones proper name. “And a scrawny thing like you? Nah.”

“I’m not scrawny!” Ace growls pushing himself up.

“Yeah you are- oh cheers,” Shanks takes the tankard Makino passes and Ace willfully ignores the warning look she’s giving him.

“I’m not! I could take you out easy- let’s go, I'll prove it!”

“Whoa there Spitfire,” Shanks chuckles, grabbing him by the scruff when Ace tries lunging. “Learn how to hold a sword first before you go challenging people, you know real swordsmen don’t mess around with duels.”

“Why not?” Ace huffs as he’s put back down.

“Cause they take their training very seriously. So they get real excited when the time comes to test their skills,” Shanks ruffles his hair and Ace considers lashing out for that, but Makino is already looking worried enough. “I have this one friend who sails right across the calm belt to come spar with me.”

Ace has heard about the calm belt. The sailors that have to pass close by it on their supply routes talk about it with dread and there’s always extra sea kings in the areas near it. Also, if he was passing through the calm belt that probably meant he was from the Grandline. Everyone said the pirates there were way stronger than the ones from the East Blue.

“Why would he? Why not fight the people nearby?”

“Because no one’s strong enough to challenge him,” Shanks grin has a cocky edge as he leans forward. “Cept me.”

“Is he good?”

“The best.”

“Does his sword have a name too?” Because naming a sword was pretty cool. Especially when you share a name with one.

“Mmhm, Yoru, she’s about as strong as Ace- the sword Ace,” Really?! “Although he’d probably use a butter knife against someone scrawny like you.”

“Not scrawny!”

“I know Spitfire,” Shanks says in a tone that doesn't sound like he believes what he’s saying.

“I’ll find the Ace and prove it to you!” They had the same name. It was probably fate or some junk. “Then I’ll take down you and the other guy!”

“That’s quite the tall order,” Shanks teases but there's a gleam in his eye, a certain intensity that Ace can see clearly when he leans closer. “Think you’re up for it Spitfire?”

“ Yes .” Shanks throws his head back and laughs. Ace is about to attack him for it but a hand lands heavily on his shoulder.

“Alright then, but I’m not going to bother taking you on unless you’re strong enough to make it interesting,” Ace settles back down, he supposes that’s fair. He didn’t want to give away any of his moves until he could beat Shanks into the ground. “And don’t think I’m telling you where the Ace is either.”

“I don’t need you to,” Ace sticks out his tongue. “I’ll find her on my own.”

“Ha, good luck kiddo,” And despite the teasing in his tone Ace thinks he means it.

---

The red hair pirates- a dumb name because Shanks is completely lame- become a pretty common fixture in Foosha village. They'll show up for a couple of weeks to drink and tell stories. Then go out to sea for a few months before returning. Ace asks why they bother to come back to a boring little village like theirs; Shanks only raises his drink with a smile. Still, despite being totally annoying, Ace kinda likes the guy. He had even taken Ace away when Makino wasn't watching to teach him how to hold a sword properly without stabbing himself.

“So you stay Spitfire not spit pig.”

The problem is kind of really wants to like the pirate, but he can’t. Not without asking the question Makino hates him asking. She had covered for him the first time he asked it when the village bar was full. Reassuring him it didn’t matter what the drunken sailors or villagers he didn’t know well said. While also telling him not to say such reckless things because it could give him away. Answering his question better than drunken insults ever could

Even if Makino said she was glad he was alive. That she thought the world was better with him in it. She knew he shouldn’t be. Knew that people would try to do the world a favour and take him out of it.

He promised not to ask the question. But he wanted to trust Shanks, even if he knew what the answer would be. At least then he could close his heart to the red head. Ignore him until he left the village and one day he would run the man through with his old Captains sword and show him what a curse on the world Ace could be- Not a curse, Makino said, your life is precious.

“Hey Shanks,” Ace starts, the adult is lying back in the sand because he’s a lazy ass and they’re meant to be training but he decided to take a nap like an old man. Putting his straw hat over his face to block out the sun and Ace. “What would you say if the Pirate King had a son?”

“Nice to meet you brother?”

Ace blinks. Silence rolls through the hills before-

“WHAT?!”

“What?” Shanks raises his hat a little with a teasing lilt to his smirk.

“Gol Roger was your Dad?!” Ace practically jumps on top of him. It’s meant to be a tackle but Shanks catches him with a laugh.

“I mean he’s not my dad Dad but he found me as a baby and raised me so what does blood matter?”

Blood doesn't matter? How could it not matter? His blood was the reason his Mother and so many others were dead. Killed by marines so Ace’s blood wouldn’t curse the world further.

“Don’t you hate him?” He demanded, surely if anyone would it was the man stolen as a baby. Ace was bound to him the moment he was born, both of them forced to accept that man into their lives.

“No, why would I?” Shanks sits up properly, Ace falling into his lap, but he can’t focus on that right now.

“Because he was a monster!”

“Very true,” Shanks idly agrees, fixing his hat back in place.

“He started the great pirate era and flooded the seas with criminals,” The sea was more dangerous than ever, everybody complained about it and Ace knew it was his fault.

“He sure did,” Shanks laughs, bright and loud and it holds none of the anger other people agreeing to that statement have.

“He was cruel,” Ace insists, which at least gets Shanks to stop laughing but his smile never leaves.

“Only to his enemies.”

“He’s evil.”

“No.” Shanks says, dead serious for the first time Ace has seen. The hat shadows his eyes and suddenly it doesn't seem like a silly thing for a pirate captain to wear. “He was a good Dad, a screw up and an idiot who died too soon, but he was my Dad.”

How can… how can he just claim that? Choose to take on a legacy he’s not blood bound to. Didn’t he know what people said about Roger? Shanks even agreed with them! He was a monster… but Shanks didn’t seem mad about that.  Shanks was nice, he always thanked Makino for the drinks and paid more than he needed to. He even fixed a chair one of his crew broke when they were getting rowdy, apologizing to Makino all the while and threatening them with staying on the ship for the rest of their time in Foosha. 

Every time Ace grumbled about Makino correcting his manners she said it was up to adults raising them to teach kids the right way to behave. If Roger had raised Shanks… was he the one who taught him all that stuff? 

Gol D. Roger was a monster. Shanks agreed with him. People called him evil. Shanks didn’t agree with that… so he wouldn’t think Ace was evil either right?

“... my name is Gol D. Ace.”

A beat passes. Shanks' smile freezes. A wave crashes. Then across the ocean a shout echos-

“WHAT?!”

Chapter Text

Ace should have never told Shanks his connection to Roger. Now the man was absolutely insistent Ace listen to every story he rambles on about. Not that he ever hesitated to tell stories before, but now they had names. His old Captain was now Captain Roger and sometimes when he was just talking to Ace Dad . And maybe… maybe Ace didn’t completely hate that name anymore.

He still hated it. His mother had died because of him- 

“Oh Rouge was such a badass- Sorry Makino-  but she and Captain were always making lovely dovey eyes at each other- so gross. You couldn’t mention Rouge around Captain at all unless you wanted to spend the next few hours listening to him wax poetic about her, and Cap was sh-horrible at poetry.”

People were killed because Ace was born.

“Those damn marines, world government cowards, the lot of them. Always so desperate to show off their power. Oi Benn! Next time we’re out let’s take out a few bases yeah?”

He chose the seas before his Mom, before him.

“I always wondered what Captain did for his last year before the illness took him. I guess he wanted to spend it with you and Rouge rather than go on another adventure.”

He was a monster.

“Hm? Yeah of course I loved Dad, he loved me too. You should have seen him when someone threatened to hurt me, or the crew. A true monster.”

Ace still hated him, but the reasons, the foundational basis of that spite was crumbling the longer Shanks kept laughing and talking about him.

“Shut up will you?” Ace kicks out at Shanks’ stool legs. Not doing much other than getting the chair to wobble and Shanks to chuckle.

“Sorry, sorry, sick of this old man reminiscing already?" Shanks ruffles his hair.

“I was sick of it about three hundred years ago actually,” Ace grumbles, which predictably, Shanks laughs at.

“Wanna hear about some recent adventures then?” 

“Aren’t you capable of shutting up?” Ace asks, surreptitiously glancing at Makino to make sure she wasn’t listen. She probably wouldn’t tell him off, but her disappointment was sort of worse.

“Suits yourself,” Shanks shrugs, picking up his cup and swirling the booze around. “Guess you don’t want to hear about what’s in that treasure chest you’ve been eyeing up.”

“Treasure?” Ace guesses sarcastically, eyes flicking to the box that had been set preciously on the bar but left unaddressed.

“Something better, a devil fruit,” Ace perks up, weren’t those things meant to be a myth? “Not sure what it does though, we were looking for another one but I’m starting to think it’s not in this sea.”

“Which one are you looking for?” Ace had heard from sailors that each fruit granted an awesome and terrible power. He didn’t know you’d be able to tell which is which, or what sort of power was apparently worth searching multiple seas for.

“Secret~”

“Probably lame then,” Ace deadpans.

“What? No it’s not!” The pirate defends childishly. Getting a chuckle from those of his crew that were listening in.

“Definitely lame,” Ace reaches for the box while Shanks splutters. It’s got a heavy lock on it that Ace is pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to pick even if he knew how. “What about this then? Why haven’t you eaten it?”

“I quite like swimming,” Shanks shrugs, taking a key out to show him the fruit. It’s definitely weird looking, bright orange with spiky looking berries all over it. “Did you know that if you eat a devil fruit the ocean will never let you swim again?”

“I think I heard something like that,” Ace pokes at the fruit, it’s stiffer than he thought. Tough like a pineapple. “If you’re not going to eat it then what?”

“Probably sell, most go for a pretty penny,” Shanks says but he doesn't stop Ace from continuing to prod it, it kinda felt warm? Maybe the box was stuffy. “We’ll need to pick up an encyclopedia at some point to figure out which one it is, although I've got a pretty good idea, will have to poke around to see how much it should go for.”

“There's a-”

Ace instinctively ducks at the splintering crash of wood.  All eyes in the bar turn to the entrance. The slat doors now have one door on the ground and the other hanging to the frame by a hinge. There’s a large man standing in it with a crowd at his heels. Behind him Ace hears the chest thud closed. He turns to look at Shanks but the Captain isn’t paying any mind to the commotion.

“Sorry for the interruption,” The man says in a tone Makino would chide Ace for not actually being polite. She doesn't tell them off though, only responding with a stiff.

“Welcome.”

“We’re bandits, but we’re not here to destroy your bar,” The man says, sauntering forward with a sadistic smirk. “We need ten barrels of Sake.”

Ace bristles, rearing up to kick their asses. Too many criminals come through Makino’s bar, saying the same thing. It usually means give us drinks for free if you don’t want a bigger problem on your hands. Makino usually has to play along. Even if she reassures Ace it’s fine he’s seen her pouring over the ledgers late at night after visits like this. This time they don’t have to! Shanks is here, he was on Rogers crew, he’s a good swordsman and his men at least match the bandits numbers. He’s strong and they can fight the bandits off. Makino doesn’t have to worry this time!

“I’m sorry, we’re out of Sake at the moment.” Makino denies, and Ace tenses at the way the bandit leader twitches.

“Hm, that's strange the pirates are drinking,” He drawls, looking over the crowd. All eyes except Shanks’ are on him, but nobody moves. Even as he threatens Makino the person who’s been letting them use her bar as their base of operations for months! “Or are you telling me that's water?”

“All the Sake we had is out there.” She says, not calling out the red haired pirates even if it is their fault. At least Shanks finally looks up.

“That's not good, we drank everything. Sorry.” Ace’s jaw drops, why is he apologizing?! Why wasn’t he chasing the damn bandits out! Why was he holding out a bottle of Sake? “If you want you can have this, I haven’t opened it yet.”

The man takes the bottle and Ace is tempted to rip it out of his hands, he doesn't deserve it. He doesn't have time to give into his impulses as the bottle is raised and smashed down on Shanks’ head. All over his hat, the one he said Roger gave him, Shanks’ greatest treasure. Ace ducks, protecting his face against the shattering glass, but Shanks doesn't so much as twitch. As booze runs along the bar and drips down onto the floor. The Sake pooling towards the treasure chest, the lid slightly ajar, showing a hint of the orange fruit.

“I’m a wanted man, I’m worth eight million berries. I’ve killed forty seven people” The bandit boasts, making Ace freeze. They were mad, the village was in trouble, Makino was in trouble. They could- “One bottle won’t be nearly enough, don’t take me lightly.”

“Now the floors all wet. Sorry about that Makino, do you have a mop?”

Shanks kneels down on the floor and starts picking up glass. Cold washes over Ace. They weren’t going to do anything. Ace stares straight ahead. His vision swimming with damp brown wood and orange. Why is he frozen? Why can’t he move?

“I’ll take care of it.” Makino says, running from behind the counter, getting closer to the bandits. To the murderer who was still seething. Who was drawing his sword-

Ace’s hands scramble forward. He’s not really thinking, he knows the sailors spoke about devil fruits like the mere idea was terrifying. Yet, Makino’s in trouble and no one else is doing anything . The taste in his mouth is disgusting but that’s not enough to make him spit it out.

“Looks like you enjoy cleaning, you’ll enjoy this even more.” The bandit raises his sword. Shanks still on the floor. Makino close, too close. 

Ace raises his fist and pounces.

“Stay away!” He shouts, vitriol boiling out of him. His fist follows through but it doesn’t connect- instead his entire arm bursts into flames.

“WHAAATTTT?!”

The bar screams. None louder than the bandit leader who clutches his face. They both end up rolling on the floor, Ace desperate to pat the fire out but no matter what it stays and his arm feels weird and the fire is spreading and-

“Spitfire- Spitfire, Ace! You need to calm down- dammit the booze is catching- Fuck water! Someone get sea water!”

It’s a mad scramble. At some point, while everyone is running around the burning bar, the bandits retrieve their leader and make their escape. The smell of burning flesh follows them. Ace can’t worry about that, his arm still feels weird and there's fire everywhere and it’s spreading across the counter. People are running around, some beating the fire back with rags. The sharp stench of alcohol hangs heavy in the air, made more potent as it burns.

“Ace, buddy you need to calm down,” Shanks’ voice breaks through the ringing in his ears. “Take a second and feel, you’re not actually in pain. Stop screaming and take a deep breath for me.”

Ace looks up at Shanks through blurry eyes and he hadn’t even realised he started to cry but now all he can make out is red. Yellow blurs by as Shanks uses his hat to waft smoke away. Ace sniffles, his breath hitches as he tries to do what Shanks says. He tries to move his arm and it’s… weirdly floaty and kinda warm but there’s no pain. He dares to look down at it but there's only a few wisps of flame dancing along his skin, growing and shrinking with his breath and stuttering when he inhales sharply.

“That's it, that’s it, just keep breathing, it’s all good,” Shanks reassures, sitting back a little. There’s scorch marks all around him. “It’s not hurting and look, the fires going down now that you’ve calmed down.”

Ace follows where he points even if his eyes are still blurry and sure enough what was once covering the floor and creeping along the counter to the rest of the alcohol is mainly scorch marks and a few embers. Smoke hangs heavy at the ceiling and everything smells pretty horrible. Makino’s watching from a few steps away and she doesn’t look burnt so it’s… okay, everything's fine.

“Guess we know what fruit it was now,” Shanks teases and the glare Ace gives him is weak at best. 

Shanks sighs deeply and scrubs his hand through his hair. His gaze lingers around the bar and Ace follows it. Swallowing at the blackened wood that leaves the acidic taste of ash in his mouth but doesn't burn his lungs. Half the counter has been eaten away by embers. The floor in front of it is going to need to be replaced. Several chairs are either kindling or unusable now.

“What were you thinking Spitfire?” Shanks draws his attention back. His crew is behind him some of them holding buckets, most have ash smeared on them. “You can’t take back a devil fruit you know?”

“They were going to hurt Makino!” Ace shouts, he knows Shanks planned to sell that fruit. It was rare, greater than treasure, but he had to do it!

“I would have never let that happen,” Shanks' face turns serious. Its nerve wracking on the man and it makes Ace flush all hot- too hot its like there’s something simmering under his skin just waiting to boil over.

“You did! You didn’t even dodge when he smashed that bottle over you!” He cries, he didn’t even do anything when the bandit drew his sword, what kind of swordsman-

“That was just me, I can handle a lot worse than that,” An easy grin slides into place on Shanks’ face. “It wasn’t worth the fight.”

Wasn’t worth the fight? They were breaking Makino’s bar! That all cost berri, it meant she would have to work harder and fret about no customers coming in. But… they hadn’t really broken much had they? It was Ace freaking out, eating something he should have. Stealing something that would have earned Shanks a lot of gold. Burning the bar so bad- what if Makino couldn’t pay for it? What if he had ruined everything?

“I- I…” tears burn behind his eyes, and not just that.

The pot that had been simmering is about to boil over, steaming the tears before they can properly form and stinging his eyes. Ace chokes on a sob and bolts up. There's sounds of surprise as he streaks past Shanks and dodges through the crew. They scramble back to avoid him. Ace doesn’t know if he’s already on fire but he needs to go. Before he can do any more damage. Before he can hurt anyone else.

He races down the street, ignoring the calls for him. Instinct takes him down the beach until the sand turns to rocks that lead up to the cliff. It’s low tide now, with rock pools formed throughout. Ace’s foot splashes into one as he tries to scramble by and it’s like all his strength is sapped out of him.  He collapses onto the rock, harsh edges digging into his skin. There’s a splash as he falls across several more pools and it makes him so tired it borders on nausea. Shanks said he wouldn’t be able to swim if he ate a devil fruit but he didn’t know even touching water would make him so weak.

He groans and tries to pull himself up but the water weighs him down, soaked through his clothes like that makes the fabric too heavy to lift now. What’s going to happen when the tides come in? Is he gonna be stuck here unable to move as the waves wash over him and drag him out? Everybody back in town cursing his name for being bad luck after all?

“Ace! Ace, where are you!?” Makino calls. He doesn't shout back, he’s too weak to… and he doesn't want to anyway, let the ocean take him. “Ace!”

He looks up unsteadily. Makino crouches down next to him. Hovering all around and checking him over with a worry he doesn't deserve.

“Ace? Can you hear me? Can you say something? What’s wrong?” Makino frets, making his heart clench and stomach lurch like he’s actually going to throw up.

“... wa-ter,” He makes out, head thudding back on the rock.

“Water? Oh, Oh!” Makino realises, the next moment she’s scoping him up. Carrying him like he’s a little kid again, “Don’t worry, let’s get you dried off okay?”

Her hand rubs along his back and water drips off him as she picks her way carefully along the algae ridden rocky area. When they hit the sand Makino makes sure that they’re resting up next to the sand dunes where the water doesn't touch and the grains are hot from the sun before sitting down. 

She doesn’t let Ace go. Keeping up rubbing his back and holding him close. He should be pushing her away. He’s dangerous now, what happens if she’s hugging him and he bursts into flames? Makino will burn just like her bar. But he’s too weak, and Makino is warm and he craves that warmth like he never has before.

“I’m sorry,” He mumbles, as his hands curl in Makino’s apron. “I’m sorry I broke everything.”

“Nothing's broken,” Makino hums, and he can hear the smile in her voice. “It just needs a good scrub, and we’ve needed a new countertop for awhile now, will you help me look for a better replacement?”

“I’m sorry,” He repeats because he knows she’s just trying to make him feel better. Like less of a monster. “Wanted to protect you.”

Was this what it was like for Roger? That desperate need to protect everyone close to you. But being too reckless, too strong, too much that it always ends up hurting people instead. How much did you have to love to become a monster?

“Thank you for protecting me,” Makino presses a kiss to the crown of her head. “I was really scared when those bandits came in.”

“You were?” She never let it show. He knew the difference between her being nice and being kind. The customers she would greet genuinely and the ones she would smile at politely. But he always thought it was annoyance not fear.

“Mmhm, I’m glad I have someone brave like you protecting me.”

Ace's breath shudders out of him. He presses his head into Makino. He won't ever admit to the way he breaks down. Makino won't tease him as she holds Ace close and lets him.

---

Ace avoids Shanks until it’s time for him to go back out to sea again. They scrub the floors as well as they can but there is still a big scorch mark where the boards will need to be replaced eventually. The town carpenter helps make a new bartop and while he jokes about getting a discount on drinks in return Ace knows Makino will actually do it. 

The destroyed chairs get taken out and the furniture rearranged. Then Ace gets spooked sitting at a barstool and they have to space everything out all over again. By the third time it happens Makino’s smile is strained as she says they’ll have to find him a metal chair while Ace sits among ashes.

He doesn't wait around for one. He doesn't go into the bar or even town much at all anymore. Flames spark each time he’s irritated and every time he sees them he gets angrier. He almost caught the old farmer’s fields on fire, and actually burned down the tree with the swing that’s been up since the mayor was a boy. It was too tall now to use properly but if you climbed the branches you could drop down onto it- or at least you could.

The only place Ace can really stay anymore is the beach. Where he has to be careful not to get splashed because Shanks told Makino he’s actually made out of fire now so he’s extra weak to water. Ace had screamed at that and worked hard on the sands, trying to tamp down his flames. Not really getting anywhere with it so he tried to practice his sword play. Only to end up burn up his only training sword. So he was back to relying on his flames. He would probably need to from now on because no way Shanks was willing to help him with it anymore.

He makes a little hut on the beach and refuses to go back to Makino’s no matter how much she insists. He already set his blankets on fire during a nightmare. He’s not going to let Makino’s home be the next building he burns. She, still comes down the beach and drags him back to town for breakfast and lunch, and at lunch she sends him off with food because he didn’t keep his promise of coming back for dinner himself while she couldn’t come get him in the evenings when the bar is busy. That's fine, the less time Ace spends in the bar the less chance he has of running into Shanks.

He eats morosely and doesn’t talk to anyone when they prod him about his new ‘freaky powers’. Instead he resolves to duck his head and eat quickly on his new metal framework barstool that was probably expensive but less expensive than switching out the furniture every week. He tries to block everyone out so he isn’t expecting a cold splash of water at his back.

Ace slips off the barstool, head hitting the counter on his way down. Actually connecting. His body solid and heavy in a way it only is when he touches water now. And cold, so cold, ice water sinks into his very bones and it feels like his body can do nothing to warm back up.

Blood drips into his vision and his head swims, muffling all the noises but he’s always able to hear the tone of Makino’s voice, especially when it’s panicked. He blinks blearily, arms struggling to push up his weight. His vision swims as he tries to focus on the figure standing over him. All he registers is a bright red scar over their face.

Shanks 

He thinks, and despite being weak and bleeding he feels safe.

Chapter Text

It’s not Shanks that came for him. Not even close. It’s the bandit bastards. Their leader with a burn splashed across his face, still bright red and peeling with blisters. His snarl  is crueler than before and his smile sadistic as he drags Ace along the bandit trails through the jungle. They are long and winding, sticking close to the edges to avoid the great beasts further in. Which means it’s a long hike where dirt scratches along his side, scraping up skin.

They keep throwing water at him every time he starts to dry up. Making especially sure the ropes winding around his wrist and arms stay soaked. It makes his legs shaky enough that he can’t even try standing up on them and making the walk himself. Although from the way they keep giving him sharp kicks to the stomach Ace doubts they’d let him anyway.

They’re not going to kill him. Ace wishes they would. He knows their leader wants to, but he’s also greedy and people with devil fruits apparently sell for nearly as high as the devil fruits themselves. Maybe that’s what Shanks should have done. Instead he was out a devil fruit with nothing to make up for it and Ace hadn’t even apologised. Makino would be disappointed.

Their heading to hightown to sell him. Or maybe the underground market working out of the grey terminal. There’s enough shady dealings there to add slave trade to the mix. But it’s a long trek especially when taking the hidden goat tracks through the jungle. The bandits have to stop for the night. The set up camp and start a warm fire that something inside him years for. He’s cold and wet and the night is setting in.

Instead of keeping him close they kick up a fuss about devil powers and insist he’s kept away from camp. He ends up with his legs dangling in the water, strung up above a river the bandits assure him probably doesn't have crocodiles with a laugh.

Honestly Ace would welcome them. He’d rather be eaten than sold.

There are rocks stuck into his flesh that ache and his head pounds. His wounds bleed sluggishly, something about the water impeding his healing. Ace fights against passing out, something in his instincts telling him it would be a bad idea. Then again it would probably piss the bandits off to wake up tomorrow to find him dead. The money gone, and not getting the satisfaction of doing it themselves.

Yet despite it all something pushes him to survive. Something innate or simply spite tells him he can’t stop until his last breath. If the bastards that buy him want a fucking light show he’ll take the chance to burn them up. Then he’ll come back for the bandits. Plus he still has his promise to Shanks to kick his ass. So he fights against the darkness at the edge of his vision. Fights against the shivers that wrack him.

The world has always wanted Ace dead and like hell he’s going to let it be easy for them.

He works at ropes tying his arms until they bleed. Then he grits his teeth against the pain and keeps going. His arms are numb from hanging and rope cutting into them, but it’s not like he can use them to swim anyway. There’s only water below him and he’s just gotta hope that it’s shallow enough he’ll be able to crawl out. Ace only stills when there's a disturbance below. Freezing when eyes reflect back at him. 

Fuck those bastards, there were crocodiles here.

He has half a thought to call out. He doesn't plan to die here, but like hell he’s begging them for help. Ace braces his legs as the croc approaches, even as the muscles tremble. If he times it right maybe he can kick the sucker in the eye. Then with all the thrashing if he gets lucky maybe those teeth will cut the rope, or tear it?

It’s not much of a plan but fuck it, the thing is swimming below, mouth opening to chomp and his only option is- Something drops down from above. The crocodile rears back as the thing lands on it’s head. It’s jaw snaps and something winds around it’s mouth, clamping them shut. The crocodile swings it’s head back and forth trying to dislodge it but the thing is still partially hanging from the trees, slowly pulling it up and up out of the water so the croc has nothing to brace against to help it thrash.

It’s not hunting like any creature Ace has ever heard of. He’d almost think it’s a snake but it’s got too many appendages for that. It moves more like tentacles, wrapping around more and more of the crocodile as it’s lifted from the water. 

Ace squints up at the canopy hanging over the river trying to get a good look at whatever it is that's probably planning to eat him next. Eyes reflect back at him but he’s not the focus for long. The crocodile thrashes until it’s exhausted, or maybe choked out of air. He expects the creature to haul it up but it waits instead. Every time Ace thinks the croc is dead for good it gives a feeble twitch or a last death throw trying to free itself. It's like the jungle waits for the clash of predators to be over for an eternity.

Slowly the crocodile is shifted. Lifted higher into the branches but also towards the opposite bank which is set higher than the one Ace is close to, like a short cliff, high enough that no other crocodiles are going to be able to reach it.

The corpse is set on down and the appendages unwind from it. Ace watches the trees as the leaves rustle and something drops down. It’s not as long as he expected it to be based on those limbs. Actually it’s quiet small and… humanoid- oh fuck that's a kid! One even smaller than Ace by the looks of it. Their eyes flash to Ace as he gasps. He can’t make out much more than ratty black hair at this distance, but that's definitely a little boy that has to be a few years younger than Ace at the least. His attention doesn't stay on Ace long as he turns to his hunt. 

They heft the croc over to expose it’s belly and Ace watches as they run a hand down it towards the tail. They pause at the base of it and then their hand pushes and disappears- Oh gross did he just stick his hand in that things butt?! Ace doesn't have long to be grossed out by that specifically for long as the kid yanks his arms back and the crocodile's intestines come with it.

Ace has a sharper nose than most and it smells foul. The light of the moon filtering through the trees isn’t a lot to go by, but he sees the kid grab onto the guts spilling out of the crocodile's ass and keep ripping. He’s sure there must be blood everywhere on the other bank, the kids arms already look darker with it.

He stops at a certain point and bites into the intestine he’s holding. Thrashing his head side to side and ripping. He tosses a mass of guts away but keeps the end of the intestines in his mouth, idly chewing as he digs back into the gap he’s made and keeps ripping.

More viscera spills out. Ace gapes as the kid grabs onto handfuls of flesh and organs he can’t identify and stuff them into his mouth. Teeth tearing at it and swallowing raw. Ace didn’t know much about cooking, but he knew the cooking part of it was important!

The kid keeps tearing more stuff out. Ripping the crocodiles ass wider and wider until it starts to split up the stomach. The kids entire arm able to disappear inside, coming out dripping with gore and going right to his mouth. Ace makes a gagging noise and the boys head swivels around, further than it should be able to but there's no crack of joints. He freezes up under that stare. Blood clearly smeared around the others mouth and dripping from his teeth. He licks them, Ace shivers looking away, unable to stand the sight.

When he looks back up the kids attention is elsewhere. Scanning the forest. His head moves in jerky little movements, sorta birdlike. Then his head ducks and he sticks it into the crocodile. The gap torn in its lower gut is barely big enough. Ace can see the boy thrashing, his arms bracing from the outside until his head comes free with a wet squelch. He throws his head back, a thick piece of bloodied meat in his jaws.

He doesn't chew, only swallows. Blinking blood from his eyes as it drips down from his hair. He turns around to scan the forest and river. Ace can see the outline of the meat bulging his throat. There's no way it should go down. he should be chocking, but he doesn't so much as gag. When it's fully swallowed he dives back in, taking mouthful after mouthful.

When he kooks up and around his eyes keep trailing to Ace. Which is unnerving, but they’re always fleeting glances. Until the boy stops completely, looking right at Ace all tied up. His arm snaps out quickly, stretching longer than his entire body and then he’s gone among the canopy. Ace’s jaw works in a silent scream that threatens to turn into an actual scream as something churns the water around him.

Ace feels the brush of scales and braces himself as the new crocodile lunges but like last time the things- arms apparently?! - hit it on it’s head. Surprising the croc enough it snaps it’s jaws closed and the arms can wrap around them, coiling like a snake to keep them shut.

As the crocodile thrashes right next to him Ace looks up at the actual threat. The arms lead up to the kids body which his hanging halfway between the water and the canopy. His legs stretch further, probably winding around some branches up there. Both of them stretch unnaturally long although they start to shorten as the crocodile is slowly lifted out of the water. The arms only coiling around it fully once it’s out like their avoiding getting wet.

A devil fruit user.

One that was more of a monster than Ace.

The kid constricts the crocodile until it stops moving and it’s only then a chilling realisation hit’s Ace.

“Wait, are you using me as fucking bait?!” He screams, the kid doesn't respond, only pays him the barest amount of attention as he puts the new catch next to his old one before returning to his food.

This time when he keeps looking over at Ace, he knows it’s not out of caution. He’s watching for his next catch.

The kid doesn't stop eating. He destroys the first crocodile and sets into the second, and these things aren’t small! Ace knows he has a voracious appetite, Makino had joked about it enough. He even thinks he could probably polish one of those crocs off- as long as it was cooked. But the kids sets into a new one with gusto. A sort of desperation to eat as much as possible. Ace may be hungry from being dragged through a forest for half a day but he knows he’s never gotten close to that point.

Another two crocs come after him by the time the sky starts to lighten and the kids half done with his second meal. Ace knows the bandits are going to wake up any minute. He’s no closer to being free than he was at the start of the night. Too busy watching in horror at the way the kid ate his food. Hell, he owed half that meal to Ace for using him as live bait, the least he could do was let him go free.

“Hey you!” Ace calls up, impressed with himself for keeping his voice steady. Although it gets less sure when the kids attention whips around to him. The light of dawn makes it very obvious his head his coated in blood, all of him really. Ace takes a breath and steels himself. “Yeah you, you had your fun, now let me down!”

The kids head cocks to the side. Those wide eyes fixed on him with a chilling intensity. But Ace already feels frozen from the inside so he soldiers on.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” Did the kid even know how to speak? “Let me down, they’re coming to get me soon and I’ll be no good to you either way!”

The boys head snaps towards the direction of the bandits camp. So he was aware that there were more people around. Ace follows his gaze to make sure no one was attracted by his yelling and when he looks back to the other bank the kid is gone. 

He jolts, then almost screams bloody murder when the rope holding him jostles. Ace looks up and the kid is right fucking there. Climbing down the rope with this hands and feet like a spider monkey. His unnerving gaze stays trained on Ace. He can’t make out the color of his skin or hair anymore. It’s all red. Blood drips from the strands, splattering onto Ace’s face. He freezes up completely under the stare, not even daring to breathe.

When the adults had explained fight, flight or freeze to him Ace had thought freezing was the stupidest reaction ever. Of course the thing that was trying to kill you would succeed if you didn’t do anything about it. But here and now, Ace knows even if he wasn’t tied up, he wouldn’t be able to move a muscle to defend himself under that single minded attention.

There's a snap off to the side and suddenly the attention is off him. Air comes back into Ace’s lungs and he looks towards where the sound had come, somewhere in the direction of the bandits. The rope sways as the kid scrambles back up it. Ace watches him drop down on the other bank, heft up the two whole crocodiles and book it into the forest. Leaving the half eaten one and the bones of the other behind.

“Made it through the night did you kid?” the bandit that came to get him mocks.

He did and Ace was pretty sure it was by the skin of his teeth.

Chapter Text

The grey terminal stinks like death, shit and desperation. It’s also partly on fire. It, at least, seems to be doing better than High Town, which by the looks of it is completely on fire. Actually most of the fires in the terminal seem to be from embers drifting down from the kingdom. People run around working to put out the small trash fires before they can grow, while most are working to get the hell out of dodge.

“What in the…” One of the bandits trail off.

“Ignore it,” The leader hisses, grabbing Ace by he arm and holding so tight his bones creak. “Lets just get the brat to the buyer at the docs.”

Ace is dragged along, his legs still unable to support himself. The trash sticking out all over Grey terminal litters his legs with gashes as he’s pulled through. They skirt around the chaos until they make it to the shabby thing that passes as the grey terminals pier. There’s people all around and the shouting seems louder here. But honestly his head is still pounding and the commotion just makes it hurt all the more. Ace’s head lulls to the side and the bandit leader has to shake him to prove to the slaver he’s being sold to that Ace is still kicking. He growls and bites the hand that reaches for his face just to prove how true that is.

That ends up with the two men arguing and Ace getting tossed to the side as they start threatening each other with weapons instead of words. His head knocks against the ground and rings out against a sheet of metal. White spots dance of his vision, bright against the dark shadows creeping in.

“Fine! If you don’t want to buy him I’ll shoot him right here and now!” A click sounds from above him and when Ace forces his eyes open he’s staring down the barrel of a gun. 

The bandit leader is looking down at him, face half burnt while his smile is twisted and cruel. Ace growls, something low in his throat and primal. The past two days stripping away his humanity until only instincts remain and the growl is the best threat he can manage.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t,” A cheerful voice calls- no not cheerful. The same way Makino’s polite voice was different when the bandits came in. The tone off but Ace still recognises the man approaching.

“Shanks?” It’s weak and disbelieving. Shanks’ red hair highlighted by high town on fire at his back.

“Hey Spitfire, you doing okay?” Shanks waves, Ace can’t see his eyes, the fire casts deep shadows across his face.

“Peachy.” Ace groans, getting a laugh out of Shanks but it’s a hollow and off putting thing.

“Let’s get you out of here then.” Shanks starts forward and the bandits gun gets turned on him.

“Wait just a second you bastard!” The man spits. “You really think I’m going to let a coward like you take my payload?! I know how much freaks like him are worth!”

“You know,” Shanks says, his hand landing against Gryphon’s hilt. “You really should have kept your fight with me.”

There is only a brief flicker, a split second of fire reflecting off of metal before blood dulls it. The bandit is screaming before his arm falls to the ground with a dull thud. The next moment it’s cut off with a choked gurgle. Blood drips down his throat where Gryphon sticks right through.

“Instead you had to go include my friends and brother in your shit,” Shanks’ head tilts up and- oh, Ace is never going to complain about him being too laid back again, because right now he could stare down a sea king and win. “For that you die.”

Shanks slashes his sword to the side, cutting the bandits neck in half. He reaches for his throat, the stub of one arm moving to try and help as the rest of the limb lies on the ground, gun limp in its grip. The bandit leader, chokes and scrambles and falls. Twitching in death throws like those strung up crocodiles.

“The rest of you too!” Shanks says cheerily as he sheathes Gryphon.

A shot rings out and Shanks doesn't even flinch as the man that was going to buy Ace falls. He hears more shots ring out but doesn't see anything as Shanks kneels in front of him. His black cloak spreading around him acting as a curtain between Ace and the rest of the world. Ace can see Shanks’ face now as he looks him over. While he has a smile on his face there’s something lingering in his eyes that makes Ace look away.

“I’m sorry,” He chokes out, heart and throat closing against the fear. “I shouldn't have ate your fruit.”

“Nah that’s my fault, and you did a good job of protecting me, thanks Spitfire. How’re your arms?” Shanks shrugs off, pulling out a small knife to cut away the ropes winding around him. Ace can’t feel much of anything from them and thinks that’s probably bad. “I shouldn’t have left it out, and shouldn’t have left you for people like that to come looking, move your fingers for me?”

Ace tries, managing to twitch them a little but it feels like the bones inside them are actively working against him. Shanks’ hum doesn’t tell him if that's a good or a bad thing. All he does is scoop Ace up without asking if he can stand. He can’t and he’s glad he doesn't have to admit it. The black cloak falls around him, tucking Ace away from the world as he curls up close to Shanks.

“Sorry you couldn’t sell it,” Ace murmurs, fighting against his anxiety that Shanks did all this to sell Ace himself. He was the pirates friend, his brother Shanks came here for him.

“I don’t care about that,” Shanks’ laugh rumbles through his chest and Ace presses into the vibrations as he’s carried away from cut off screams. “I’m just happy you’re okay.”

“Relatively,” Ace mutters, partly to be contrary but he really does hurt all over.

“We’ll get you a bed back home okay? My ships docked not far away and I bet Lucky Roux will let you in on his snack stash.”

“Mmm,” Ace sinks into Shanks’ embrace, its warm in a way he’s been missing. 

The inferno under his skin has gone dead. He’s like a lizard desperate to warm up in the sun. Except in this case Shanks is the sun and Ace can’t even be embarrassed about tucking in as close as he can. He could be embarrassed about the tears though. But he’s not, and Shanks’ doesn’t mention them, his only acknowledgement is holding Ace even tighter.

“Stay awake for me a little bit longer okay?” Shanks tries to jostle him and Ace grumbles at the disturbance.

“Tired.” The word comes out as a grumble and the chest he’s pressing his cheek into shakes.

“I bet, but doc’s gotta look you over and you want food don’t cha?” Ace does but he also doesn’t think he can fight against exhaustion for long. Not when he’s finally safe and doesn't need to fight to keep himself alive, Shanks has that well in hand. “Co’mon Spitfire, stay awake.”

There’s a thread to Shanks’ voice that has him cracking his eyes open. Most of the word is dark thanks to the cape wrapped around him but a slither of bright orange light comes through the crack. Past it he can make out fire, fancy as mansions he had only seen on rare trips to Goa are now completely ruined.

“Happened?” He slurs, pretty shit time for the kingdom to be attacked, but it means they're getting to the docks unbothered, so it might be a good thing.

“Ah, when Makino said the bandits took you I figured they were going to sell you off to the nobles,” Shanks says sheepishly, Ace hums, he had dreaded the same. “So I started there.”

“You started?” Ace pokes his head out of the cloak to get a better look at Shanks- which oh, he’s completely covered in blood. It's dripping from his hair. Ace gets why red haired would be a scary moniker now. He looks back up at hightown, the castle itself, all in blazes. “You did this?”

“I didn’t like their attitude much,” Shanks shrugs, as easy as ever, “Benn said the bandits might be hiding out in Grey Terminal so we went there next, looks like we arrived in the nick of time too.”

“Why, why would you-” Ace stutters, looking around people are running to put out fires. Ferrying water from the sea towards the upper part of the city that's actually on fire. “Do this- For me?”

“Because it’s you Spitfire,” Shanks holds him tighter. He looks down at Ace and his smile is genuine again, not the cold thing he had when facing the bandits or taking in his injuries. The fire reflects in his eyes. “I’d burn the whole world down to save you, a kingdom is nothing in comparison.”

Ace’s jaw opens, then closes, then opens again and hangs like that. What even- who would do something like that for someone- for Ace. He was a monster with fire under his skin… but Shanks was also a monster with fire in his eyes. They were bound to the same father, one by blood and the other by love.

Roger, the man that taught Shanks to be kind to barmaids. To clean up messes even if he wasn’t the one at fault. Who would laugh off any insult or injury to himself then turn around and burn down a kingdom if someone did the same to his people.

Shanks was a monster and for the first time in Ace’s life he knows what his fathers love felt like.

---

Ace drifts off pretty much as soon as people stop bothering him to stay awake. Not stirring even as he knows they move him around to bandage him up. He doesn't wake until much later. Lying on something soft and he’s warm for the first time in what feels like ever.  It’s dark as well and the only sounds are the distant crashing of waves against the shore and the creaking of wood as someone nearby shifts. Ace opens his eyes, the room only has a dim light but his vision doesn't feel all messed up anymore. Even if his eyes ache, which he didn’t think they could do.

Someone is leaning over him, running their hand over his forehead to move his bangs aside, careful of his bandaged temple. Ace sees the scar over their eye and thinks Shanks, this time he’s right.

“Sorry to wake you Spitfire,” Shanks whispers, sitting next to him on the bed, making the mattress dip. Ace winces as it jostles his sore body but he bites back any complaints. “I wanted to say goodbye, we need to go.”

Ace grunts an animalistic noise through his parched throat to let Shanks know what he thinks about that.

“I know, but we kicked up a bit of a fuss across the island and the marines are going to be here soon. I don’t want them bothering you when the doc says you should be resting,” Shanks’ smile is wry, all strung out and tight as he looks away from Ace’s eyes. “We’re not going to be able to come back here.”

Ace bites back his protest. Shanks had been talking about leaving the East Blue anyway. This wasn’t new… he just didn’t expect it to be so soon or sudden. But they were going to meet again. Ace had a promise to keep.

“Still gonna kick your ass,” Ace forces past his dry throat. Contrary to a man who should be worried Shanks’ smile brightens.

“That’s right,” he leans over, fumbling around for something on the floor and making the bed rock. 

It pulls at his tender side and jerks against his shoulders. Judging by the pain they aren’t going to be working properly for a long time. Shanks ignores Ace’s scowl as he sits back up, holding something up triumphantly.

“It’s hard to find in the East so we might of had to dip quickly into the grandline, not quickly enough eh?” Shanks jokes entirely too soon, but Ace can’t tell him off for it as a training sword is dropped on top of him. “That’s Adam wood, super tough, so good luck burning that thing up.”

“You went and got this for me?” Ace asks faintly.

“Sure, you said you’re going to be a swordsman right?” Shanks grins. “Although you better find the Ace before you come after me, unless you think you can beat me with a twig.”

“Totally could,” Ace scoffs to hide how wet his voice is. “Gonna kick your ass old man, just wait.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Shanks’ hand lands on his hat. He plucks it up and plonks it on Ace’s head. Covering half of his face because he’s lying down. “But you’re gonna have to wait to grow into that first.”

“This is Roger's hat.” Shanks had called it his greatest treasure. Ace had called it a shitty as fuck treasure.

“He’d want you to have it, I already have enough of Dad with me,” Shanks’ hand fists into his shirt over his heart and he looks so wistful Ace isn’t even going to call him out for how cheesy the gesture is. “Don’t wear it if you don’t wanna, but I’m not taking it back until you win in a fight and make me.”

Ace huffs to blow air up and get the scratchy straw out of his face. Shanks watches him amused and does nothing to help.

“It’ll happen sooner than you think old man,” Ace growls, getting the hat away from him. “Just wait.”

“I’ll look forward to it, Spitfire.” Shanks picks the hat back up and shoves it over Ace’s face, muffling his frustration.

By the time Ace gets the hat off his face Shanks is gone. 

He didn’t even get the chance to tell the idiot what a stupid idea giving a fire person a straw hat is.

Chapter Text

When Garp returns to Foosha his grandson who already looks worryingly like Roger has the pirate king’s old crown. That's enough- before even adding a devil fruit into the mix- to make the old marine grab him by the collar and start hauling him up the mountain, but he doesn’t get more than a few steps before the green haired barmaid steps in front of him with the most ferocious expression Garp's ever seen on her.

“Garp- san Ace just ate a devil fruit that turns him to fire. He’s struggling every day not to turn the chairs he sits in to kindling.” Makino’s expression is hard set, it makes Garp sweat behind his knees in a way Sengoku can’t even manage. Maybe the fleet Admiral should look into hiring Makino- Not that Garp’s going to mention it, he might actually have to do his job then. “And you want to take him into a forest?”

Garp looks slowly down at the boy with a straw hat atop his head struggling in his grip. Stopped from slipping off only because Garp’s holding him tight with Haki. He can already see the scorch marks all over the bar from the steep learning curve devil fruits bring.

“I’ll hold off for a little bit?” He asks meekly, and Makino gives him a perfectly pleasant smile that sends chills down his spine.

“I think that’d be for the best.”

---

Ace sits at the bar for lunch, scarfing down food as quickly as he can so he can get back to training. Makino watches him bemused, table manners is the one polite thing she has long since given up ever getting him to learn. Ace can’t help it if he’s a physical furnace.

Although he’s been trying to get that last part under control, and he’s making good progress! He doesn't randomly burst into flames anymore at least. He wants to practice more of his sword forms though, maybe this time he won't set the training sword on fire. Not that the adams wood does worse than char but it’s all Ace has and he doesn't want to test his luck. One day when he has a real steel sword he’s going to set his blades on fire and fight with them. Not a typical swordsmaster move but it’ll look cool.

He yawns between one bite and the next, at least remembering to cover his mouth for Makino’s sake. He might fit in a quick nap before he gets back to training. He’s been feeling extra sleepy lately, which makes sense with all the extra work he’s been doing. Usually he catches naps while recovering his breath before getting back to it.

The door opens behind them and Ace half turns in his seat as Makino cheerfully greets somebody, so they must be from the town. Gyro and his wife Chicken walk in, the pair of fish mongers bringing the smell in with them. But Foosha is a seaside town so nobody minds much.

“Hey Makino, fire starter,” Gyro ruffles Ace’s hair as he takes a seat at the counter. “Wreaking havoc?”

“Always,” Ace grins, sticking back into his food. The man laughs heartily while his wife chuckles and takes a seat next to him.

“Two lunches of whatever you have on please Makino,” She says kindly, “We had a good morning and thought we ought to reward ourselves.”

“Meaning I don’t have to choke down more fish pie,” Gyro winks at Ace, getting a smile out of the boy which turns to a full laugh as Chicken smacks the man upside the head.

The man cries out and Ace laughs harder- but then his face goes slack and he can’t move his jaw. His eyebrows scrunch up, or at least he thinks they do- he doesn't really know, he’s too distracted by the shaky feeling that goes down his chest into his limbs. Like someone dumped sea water over him, but he’s completely dry.

“So rude, look Ace agrees, my pies are delicious," Chicken huffs, looking over Ace as he slouches against the counter. “Well there’s no need to grimace at that.”

“Wha?” Ace slurs, his jaw trying to work his way around the words, but his muscles aren’t working like they should.

“Ace, are you alright?” Makino reaches across the counter, her hand pressing to his forehead but Ace doesn’t think he has a fever.

“I feel... floppy,” He mumbles, the words sounding strange on his tongue.

“Kid’s been working hard Makino,” Gyro slaps him on the back, and Ace almost tumbles off the stool. “I see him down the beach all the time, he’s just tired.”

“Yeah,” Ace agrees faintly, trying to shake his head to clear it but his neck muscles don’t want to move. 

He leans his head against the bar and tries to tune out everyone’s fretting. He pushed his flames too hard this morning apparently. Makino can’t know that because it’ll just make her worry more, she seemed so happy after he showed he could help in the bar a whole night without setting anything on fire. She’ll make him stop if she thinks he can’t handle it, and Ace needs a way to make up for all the food he packs away. 

He’s pretty sure Gramps gives Makino an allowance for looking after him, to make up for food and the like. But he could give her all the berri in the world and it wouldn’t be enough to thank her for taking care of Ace. After a few minutes of rest he gets his body back under control. He shovels the last few bites of food into his mouth before pushing himself away from the counter.

“I’m done, thank you Makino!” He says cheerily, jumping off the stool.

“Don’t train too hard!” the barmaid warns while passing Gyro and Chicken their plates.

“I’ll rest!” Ace promises, he definitely feels like taking a nap now. But he’ll do that in the little hut he made by the sea that the town carpenter helped him reinforce to make sure it held up to the wind.

“My that boy can eat,” Chicken laughs as he heads to the door. “If you like Makino I can bake the two of you up some pies, it will be nice to have someone appreciate them…”

Ace lets the conversation fade out as he runs from the bar. He yawns as he heads down the street. A quick nap, then he’ll be back to it and ready to keep going.

---

Ace spends the next three years trying to get a hold of his devil fruit. Gramps said it could be hard for kids because they’re already clumsy and awkward as is. Ace had yelled at the man that he wasn’t either of those things and accidentally set a nearby tree on fire. He only got appeased when the old man admitted that those who ate their fruits young were usually better at using them because they had learnt and grown with their fruits instead of trying to adapt to them later.

It still takes awhile until he’s confident enough to wear his straw hat without burning it up in an instant. He thinks of it like his clothes, an extension of his body. The next step is thinking of other things as an extension of himself. Until he learns how to set a chair on fire without charring it. Figuring out how to only burn the things he wants to.

He can avoid any hit by turning into fire. The only person he can’t avoid is Gramps, whose hits somehow always land. The day he comes to visit and Ace proves how far he’s come in controlling himself, the man hikes him up the mountain. Makino warned him the shitty geezer might try to do something like this and told Ace he could come back down to visit whenever he liked. He’s glad she told him back then because Gramps doesn’t give him a chance to do more than grab his Adam wood sword before he’s being marched away, unable to escape in flames because of whatever it is his Gramps does. It keeps Ace on his toes at least and reminds him how to dodge hits instead of letting them go through him.

Garp proves what a shitty old man he is by dropping Ace off with bandits of all people. Granted they aren’t ones who have ever come into Makino’s bar and given her trouble. Apparently they’re just cowards who hide away at the top of the mountain. Definitely cowards because their leader Dadan keeps backing away from Gramps even as she yells at him.

“No way I’m taking in another one of your brats.” The woman yells, as Ace tilts his head, another one?  “Luffy is already a handful, practically a beast!”

“Ah! Where is my cute little grandson?” Garp asks, ignoring the rest of the bandits complaints and looking around. Ace whips his head towards the shitty old geezer, since when did he have another grandson?!

“How should I know, he scrams every time he senses is you come by!”

“Damn brat, I should hunt him down and show him a Grandpa’s love!” Garp brandishes his fist before slouching and rubbing his neck, “But, ah I really don’t have time- oh well- Next time Luffy you hear!” Garp shouts into the forest. “You’re going to give your Grandpa a hug!”

“Kids more likely to rip your throat out,” One of the bandits mutters, but it goes ignored by the marine.

“Stay out of trouble brat,” The man ruffles his hair through his hat. Ace scowls and grabs onto the brim before the geezer can get it in his head to steal it away. It was his ticket to see Shanks again and finally cut the man’s ego down a size.

“No promises shitty Gramps,” Ace growls, getting a laugh and a fist of love for his troubles. Whoever this Luffy kid is, he had the right idea steering clear of Garp.

“Alright Dadan, he’s in your hands now,” Garp waves over his shoulder.

“No he’s fucking not! Take him back, I ain’t looking after him!” Dadan shouts after the marine but it’s pretty clear Gramps isn’t listening as he disappears back into the forest.

Ace sneers as the bandit as she keeps spitting curses. He really hates bandits, but while Gramps may be a senile old man he wouldn’t leave Ace in the hands of child traffickers. Ace growls lowly in his throat, he’s probably going to be stuck here awhile living out of a bandit hut. It’s not exactly his or anyone else's first choice. However, Makino says you have to be very thankful to people who let you into their home.

So Ace lets go of his pride- being polite doesn’t mean you're not proud. I’d say it’s more shameful to be rude- and bows to the bandits, forcing himself to be sincere.

“Thank you for looking after me.”

“Oh it’s no problem,” The bandits echo, bowing back as one.

“Really, I know the old man can be a pain to deal with.” 

“Really, it’s not a problem,” The group intones together, before Dadan snaps up realising she got caught up in expected niceties.

“Wait- no- yes it is!” She yells, “It’s a huge pain in the ass and I expect you to pull your weight around here!”

Which Ace is no stranger to, he’s been helping Makino out at the bar for years. Especially now that he’s thirteen and can actually reach the counters properly. So he bites back his complaints and does the bandits damn chores and all he gets for his efforts is a bowl of plain rice and a measly fish.

“Oi, this isn’t enough,” He snaps before he can think better of it. Sue him, his fire eats through food like nothing else and he’d need at least ten times this to take the edge off his hunger.

“This is the portion you get for the work you do,” Dadan says carelessly. “If you want more, work harder or get it elsewhere- or you can have the scraps.”

Dadan points her chopsticks towards a bucket by the kitchen where the fish guts and heads had been dumped. For some reason the other bandits look horrified at the offer and Ace knows it isn’t out of concern for him.

“Are you kidding? Who would eat crap like that?!” Fuck he’s messing this all up. Ace takes a deep breath and grits his teeth, managing to say, “Can I please have more?”

“Works work kid,” Dadan shrugs, shoveling food into her mouth, “Figure out how to make yourself useful around here.”

“You shitty old hag!” Ace snaps, he had been making himself useful.

“Watch your tone with me brat! You think you’re the only mouth I’ve got to feed? I never agreed to-”

“Oh fuck- he’s back!” 

The bandits all start screeching and Ace is convinced Gramps has come back. But there's no heavy footsteps. Yet everyone screams and fumbles around the room as a shadow streaks through. Ace’s fire reflexively dancing across his shoulders as he reaches for his training sword always strapped to his side. The fire on his hands licks up the blackened wood but it doesn’t catch, it never does even when Ace forces his fire really hot.

“Dammit Luffy! You trailed fish guts across the floor!” Dadan yells up to the ceiling.

Ace squints at the beams, eyes settling on a figure perched up there. Hunched over a bucket and dipping their hand in to bring fistfuls of guts up to their mouth. Ace gapes as they eat them raw. He knows that move, and he knows that face.

“You’re that kid!” He shouts, “The one who used me as fucking live bait!”

“Oh so you’ve met,” Dadan waves off, not sympathetic or surprised in the least. “If you want more food, clean up this mess.”

Dadan points to the trail of blood and guts on the floor. With more dripping down from where Luffy is hunched over on the support beam, eating messily.

“Screw that!” He snaps, sitting down and picking up his meager bowl. Like hell he’s cleaning up after the terror that he’s pretty sure was planning to eat him too.

He starts shoveling food into his mouth and tries not to look at Luffy as he chokes down the fish. But he can feel the kid staring at him. And when Ace glances up he’s scooping a fish eye out with his finger and using his teeth to tear a slices of the gills out piece by piece.

“What’s your deal?!” he demands, making his fire flash bright. 

The bandits spit their drinks out but they don’t have anything to complain about. The floorboards around him don't even get singed. Luffy watches him with keen interest. Not stopping his scarfing down of guts and gore but keeping his eyes on Ace. Not scared, more…. assessing. Ace glowers and doesn’t dare look away. The kid can’t do anything to him anyway, unless he gets water. Although Ace remembers he probably has a devil fruit too so he’s shit out of luck.

Luffy finishes up his ‘food’ and drops the bucket. It lands on the ground with a clang and splatters blood and bits of tissue everywhere. The kid escapes through a window before the bandits are done yelling about it.

“Brat! Clean this up!” Dadan demands.

“Screw you, if you’re not going to feed me enough I’m not doing shit.” Ace throws his bowl down.

“If you’re living under my roof you’ll do as I-”

“You can’t kick me out because shitty Gramps would skin your hide,” Ace snaps, making the bandit pale. “I’ll find my own food so piss off and show me where I can sleep.”

He’s going to have to learn how to hunt in the jungle. But if that scrawny kid could take down crocodiles Ace could figure something out.

---

The jungle ends up being a lot more dangerous than he anticipated. Which is awesome. The creatures here are strong, not great when he’s trying to get food, but it gives him something to test his swordsmanship against. He practiced what he remembered from Shanks. But mostly he has been relying on his own instincts the past few years, along with figuring out how to integrate his fire with swordplay. Finally he gets the chance to test some of his moves, even if it’s with a wooden sword.

He doesn't bother accepting food from the bandits. Even on days his hunts are unsuccessful and his stomach aches. He spends most of his time out of the hut. Only coming back to sleep and wash, things that are too dangerous to do out in the jungle. Everything else is just a matter of adapting and surviving, but there’s one thing he doesn't think he can get used to; Luffy keeps popping up everywhere. Sure he stops by the bandit’s hut to eat all their scraps. Whether it be guts or bone. But he doesn’t sleep in the hut, and only ever drops by long enough to freak the bandits out. Ace doesn't expect to run into him in the jungle as much as he does, and he’s starting to suspect the wild child is following him.

He catches him watching from branches as Ace tries to track down something to eat. He comes across the kids own kills where the brat will stop eating and stare Ace down until he backs away slowly. A courtesy the fucker never gives him. Once when Ace had managed to snag some sort of bird the thing was snatched from where it hung before he could start a fire. He only caught Luffy’s back as he disappeared through the trees and kept going until Ace gave up his chase. He learnt to quickly roast his food with his own fire after that. Making sure he always had a tight hold of it and kept an eye out. More than once he had caught Luffy watching and waiting for Ace to slip.

So he’s expecting it the day Luffy pounces on him.

Ace makes his fire flicker around him, hot enough to scare but not properly burn. It gets Luffy to back off in an instant. Going to perch on a nearby rock. He sits with his legs folded up close to his chest and his arms laying over them, tucking his head over them. He's all curled us and defensive but he watches Ace's flames keenly.

“Yeah that's right you’re not taking me down easily,” He snaps at the wild boy.

Luffy tilts his head at him, something distinctly bird-like as his long ratty hair falls over his face. It’s just past his shoulders in length but would probably be longer if it weren’t such a tangled mess. Full of sticks and leaves, and matted together with what Ace can only assume is blood and mud. His clothes are in no better a state, more like torn rags than anything.

“What do you want? I don’t have any food,” And if he is the food Ace is not letting that happen.

Luffy makes a weird huffing noise that doesn't sound at all like Ace’s when he’s fed up with something. The boy starts forward and Ace draws his Adam’s wood training sword. It can’t cut but the blunt force Ace puts behind it is enough to tear skin and shatter bone. Luffy moves slowly, like he’s doing it on purpose, making sure Ace can see every move. He grabs onto the end of the sword and tugs. Ace doesn’t let it go but Luffy tugs again and starts walking back.

“You expect me to understand this?” Ace rolls his eyes, “Use your words, you can, can’t you?”

Dadan talked to the boy like he understood. Presumably the bandits were the ones to teach him. But Luffy had never listened to her once. Whether that was willful or he truly didn’t understand Ace couldn’t tell. He gives another tug and steps back, his arm stretching as he goes too far. A growl builds in the boys throat and it’s nothing like when Ace gets frustrated. This is a true animal sound. The boy tugs hard enough to stumble forward.

“Alright, fuck you, I’m coming,” Ace straightens up, following behind Luffy as he runs to the bushes and waits. “But if this is a trap I’m burning your to a crisp.”

Ace knows Luffy’s capable of making a trap. He had been used as the lure before. He starts to think that's what's going to happen again when they angle towards the river(Ace has gotten good at telling where it is, knowing he can orientate himself and find the bandit hut as long as he finds it). When they reach it there is already blood in the water. 

Ace keeps an eye on Luffy to make sure the boy isn’t going to push him as he goes closer for a better look. The water is pretty murky like something was thrashing around and kicking up all the sleet. But poking just barely above it he can see the belly of a crocodile. It’s got a gash going across in the shape of teeth and Ace guesses it lost a fight with another croc.

Luffy tries to stretch out and grab it. His hands scrabbling along the domed belly, unable to find purchase. His fingers always stop right before they hit the waterline. When he retracts his arms, the limbs gross and slithery, he looks up at Ace.

“What exactly do you expect me to do?” Ace raises his hand and gathers fire in his palm. Luffy watches the flames, his head moving all bird like this way and that to get a good look at the fire and Ace’s hands. “I’ve got a devil fruit too, I can’t swim after it.”

He must understand something about what Ace says because he snarls and starts pacing along the bank. Watching the food he can’t reach with an intensity Ace can understand, he hasn’t caught anything today or yesterday.

“I’ll see what I can do,” The boy sighs, starting to poke around the area to see if he can find vines or something.

He ends finding one sturdy enough and ties it around a thick stick. He hands it off to Luffy and instructs the boy to stab it into the crocodile in a weak spot it’s been bitten. It takes a bit of effort to get it in deep enough, as it dips below the water every time Luffy presses in too hard. Thankfully they’re in a shallow part of the river so it doesn’t go too far down. They try to pull on the vine to fish the body out, it shifts a bit but gets stuck on whatever is underneath the water. 

“Wait here,” Ace snaps at the wild child. Stalking back through the jungle to find a couple of sticks long enough they can reach across the water. “Stick them in and pull- like this.”

Ace explains, passing off a stick to Luffy. He jams it in feeling the squishy mud of the riverbank and does his best to use leverage to get the Crocodile further up the bank. Luffy copies, but he’s clumsy with it. Ace ends up sending him back to the other side to pull on the line so they can push and pull it. 

By the time they manage to get it high enough out the water where Luffy can haul it up on the bank, Ace is a panting mess on the other side. Only then is he hit by the foolish realization Luffy’s alone on the other side with the food and Ace knows he can haul ass with a crocodile, even if this one is bigger than the ones that live at the edge of the jungle.

“Dammit,” He pants and pushes himself up to watch as Luffy drags the croc across the bank and properly into the forest where other crocodiles are less likely to disturb his meal. “You better not eat that without me!”

Ace can say he’s truly shocked Luffy listens until he’s managed to make it across the bank. Even if his hands work scratches into the dirt and he’s watching Ace with focus. Ace keeps an eye on him in turn, taking out a hunting knife he snagged from the bandits he starts cutting the crocodile apart. He hasn’t managed to catch one of his own yet, but he’s learnt that all animals have the same sort of bits in the same kind of places. Some of them will make him sick if he eats, and some just taste gross if he does. Not that it matters to Luffy. who he’s never been bothered to cook his food.

Ace makes an incision and starts pulling out the guts, tossing them to Luffy. The kid rips into them with sick squelching noises, that Ace tries to ignore, at least he’s not being bothered. He sets to work trying to separate as much meat from the bone and thick skin as he can. He tosses bits he won’t be able to eat towards Luffy. While the kid does eat he also keeps his head up, scanning the forest in case any threats come their way which lets Ace focus.

He tries to separate the meat into as even piles as possible, accounting for the organs Luffy eats and the head Ace doesn't know how to begin butchering. The portions still favour Luffy, especially when you take into account the bones Ace is pretty sure he can eat. But he guesses that’s fair too, considering Luffy is the one who found the free meal and helped get it out. Ace wipes his knife off on his clothes and starts eating his [ortion. He fires the uneven chunks between his hands and guards the rest of his hoard jealousy. Watching Luffy as he starts finishing off his, not needing to slow down and cook things, plus he had a head start.

At least Ace was right when he assumed Luffy would eat the bones. He grabs them in blood soaked fingers, gripping tightly as he twists and snaps. He slurps up the marrow inside like the bones are a straw. It’s pretty gross, but also good food. Ace is pretty sure if he throws some bones onto a fire and lets them cook for a while they’ll be easier to snap and the marrow won’t be half bad.

Luffy finishes by the time Ace is halfway done cooking his. The fire logia bears his teeth in a way he’s seen Luffy do. Speaking his language to tell him to back off. Luffy doesn’t come closer but he stays lounging in the blood soaked grass, idly gnawing at bones. He watches Ace keenly as he cooks, probably waiting for an opening that Ace is unwilling to give him. 

Thankfully Luffy doesn't make a move to grab his food. Although he does start restlessly looking around the forest. When Ace swallows his last bite Luffy jets off through the foliage. Ace has no idea why he bothered to stick around, but is glad to see him gone. 

He uses the river to make it back to the bandits house. Full for the first time since he arrived here. The kid is creepy but Ace guesses if he’s willing to put up with it for as long as food is involved.