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Soft arms wrap around his body, gently cuddling him while holding his head, resting it gently on a fluffy pillow. The comforting beats of his heart resonate in his ear, matching her breathing. A hand calmly runs through his locks, and his body vibrates to a soft melody as he hums.
Ace sighs, lost in a comfort so comforting that he could easily surrender to sleep. His eyelids, heavy, give in to the desire to close, ready to surrender to the rest of the afternoon without worrying about tomorrow. Just as he is on the verge of sleep, a kiss on his hair subtly wakes him up.
Then, other kisses follow: above her ear, on her cheeks, on one of her eyelids, on her nose and, finally, on her lips. The kisses on his mouth come quickly, brief, fleeting, each meeting of lips accompanied by her laughter, clearly delighting in the man's struggle with sleep, while he, still sleepy, tries to keep up.
- What are you doing? —Ace murmurs, still sleepy, debating between fighting for sleep or surrendering to the kisses of his beloved.
[Name] laughs and cups her freckled cheeks in her hands, giving him a clear view of her sleepy love. - I'm kissing you.
— Mmm, why now? —Ace whispers, half-opening his eyelids.
— Because I want to — she Playfully kissed him again — What? Can't I kiss my pretty boy now?
- Pretty boy? “That's new,” he yawns.
- It bothers you?
- I do not love it.
Taking advantage of her proximity, Ace kisses his lips again. [Name] responds gladly, intertwining her fingers in her raven hair, while her other hand caresses her tattooed arm. He settles between her body, hugging it more, and they melt skin to skin. Ace's fingers gently caress the flesh of her back.
A slow, almost lazy kiss, overflowing with so much love that either of the two could feel overwhelmed by the deep feeling that the other gives them without expecting anything in return.
Finally, they part to breathe, breathing still heavy, Ace looks at her with as much appreciation, love and devotion as if she were looking at a goddess worthy of veneration until the end of her days. She is her confidant, sharing joys, anger and sadness without fear of being judged by the blood that runs through her veins. She is his queen, his love, her life, her heaven, her safe place.
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To [Name], he is his savior, his lover, her love. She can't help but wonder what would happen to her if Ace had never come into her life, whether by chance or destiny she is more than happy that their paths will cross. [Name] couldn't be more grateful for Ace's mother for bringing him into the world. A thousand lives could pass, and still she would find a way to meet that woman to show her how happy she is for her treasure, her life, her darling, her pretty boy, her love.
For her Prince of Fire.
They both look at each other with so much love that words are not necessary to express what they think about each other.
— I love you, my fire prince.
— I love you, I love you so much my sea
Both merge again in a longer and more passionate kiss where Ace's dream quickly disappears, just to show his queen how much he loves her; Whispers of delight escape their lips as the clothing fades to the floor, revealing their bodies. They kiss every inch of each other's nakedness, their hips colliding tenderly in an intimate dance, hands tenderly intertwined, [Name]'s legs splaying. They entwine lovingly around Ace's hips, their gentle movements creating a deep connection that they can both feel intensely, a choreography they both know perfectly. Intertwined moans speak each other's name, yearning for more. A unique bond, incomparable to any other, something so special that there are people who seek their entire lives to experience what they both share.
Once again, they find themselves in an act that goes beyond the physical: making love.
They both feel deeply grateful for the simple fact that the other was born.
....
When Ace wakes up, [Name] is not next to him in bed, where she should be. The security and warmth that are supposed to surround his bed are also conspicuous by his absence. He does not hear the cheerful singing of the birds at his window, nor can he perceive the warm rays of the sun; Instead, his weary eyes meet the bars of a cold cell. His arms, tied with sea stone chains, cause him pain for hours in the same position. The prisoners' moans echo deafeningly, the darkness of the place contributing to his despondency.
Ace lets his head fall back, hitting it against the walls; The impact causes no physical pain, unable to compete with the affliction his heart cries for. Is this a punishment? A form of psychological torture of her brain, bringing back memories so beautiful that she knows she would never forget, only to wake up to the harsh reality of the present? She longs to laugh at the cruel irony she can't stand, but she doesn't even have the will to do so.
"Will [Name] be okay?" Ace wonders. Surely for other people, worrying about others when your own life is just a few days away is stupid, but for the raven, that reasoning did not interest him in the slightest; He wanted to know, needed to know, that she is okay, that her Mar is traveling freely through the world and not distressed by it.
"Of course she's okay, she's strong," her mind responds, but the statement doesn't seem to be enough to calm him. He closes his eyes in an attempt to remove from her mind the woman with whom he fell so deeply in love that he was sure that not even in a hundred reincarnations would he be able to forget her.
....
[Name] smiles, showing her teeth as her eyes shine with a light that makes the night stars look ridiculous, envious of the unique radiance that emanates from her precious pearls. She approaches him with her simple dress dancing to the beat of the wind, her hand firmly gripping his characteristic beach hat, a gift he himself gave her on a summer afternoon. Then, she looks at him as if he is the only one in the vast world.
—My fire prince...
....
Now Ace is definitely convinced that this is psychological torture, because the instant his eyelids close, another memory comes, but not just any one.
No, it had to be that memory
It is the last night they were together, making love between the four walls of their room. It was the same night that he was finally able to let go of his insecurities and take the next step any couple truly in love would take.
He longed for someone or something to knock him out, for some god to take pity on him and stop his cruel mind from replaying this memory like a non-stop movie. It was unfair to remember something so beautiful when the current situation was so horrifying.
Apparently, this was heard by some divine being who must have felt compassion for him, because before diving back into his memories, a familiar voice called out to him.
— Ace — Jimbei looked at him with concern — Are you okay?
"I've had better days," he laughed without humor, "but let's not talk about me." Tell me, what are you doing here, my friend? Aren't you a Shichibukai?
—The Government demanded that the Shichibukai fight at their side in the war against Whitebeard, but I refused. "I can't fight the man to whom I owe so much," he explained sincerely. "They locked me up until I change my mind."
Ace hummed in understanding. “I see.”
They stopped talking. Ace moved restlessly, thinking about resuming the conversation even if it lacked a topic, he didn't want to remember that day again. The day he left, vowing to come back for her, but he didn't.
Nausea stirred within him, a physical response to the emotional storm raging inside him. Palpable regret manifested itself in his trembling hands as he tried to untangle the emotional tangle he had woven. Inside him, the weight of responsibility was a heavy burden, like an anchor sinking his heart into turbulent waters of regret.
Blame.
[Name] was going to hate him, no, she probably already hated him.
He had promised that he would come back for her, but he didn't. At the time when he needed him most, both emotionally and physically, he wasn't there; Instead, he engaged in a revenge chase against Teach.
Although they met again at sea in Alabasta, he could not look her in the eyes, aware that he did not fulfill what she promised. After months of ignoring her calls on the Den-Den Mushi for months even when he had the chance to explain himself, he didn't. In Alabasta in the loneliness of the night he tried to apologize, but the tired, hurt, and disappointed look [Name] gave him made him shut up and lower his head like a scolded puppy.
—You look restless, but I don't think it's because of the execution.
— Yes, believe me it's not — he closed his eyes. Her mind was immediately filled with Mar's face filled with disappointment. — Oh Jimbei, I screwed up, and I'm not talking about Teach.
Jimbei remained silent, hoping that at least the young man would vent to him even if it was in some way to help him.
—Do you remember... Do you remember that I told you about [Name]?
- How to forget her. She was the first woman you talked about with so much enthusiasm. Oyaji even told me that her commanders were already tired of hearing you talk about her.
—I asked her to marry me
- That?
The Fishman's face was filled with utter amazement, his mouth opening and closing like that of a fish out of water, his eyes now wide in shock. He hadn't expected that Ace, being a man who loved freedom above all, would be the one to take on the responsibility of being with someone on such an intimate level.
— I asked her to marry me and she said yes — without waiting for a response, she continued talking — That same night, we both made love necklaces.
—Love necklaces? —She asked, recovering from the shock.
— Ah, that's another story. When we were becoming friends, we traveled to an island where they have the custom of wearing necklaces instead of wedding rings. These necklaces carry the colors and small objects that represent their partners. I thought that a necklace would be better than a ring, so no one would realize that I was married, and it would be used against me — Jimbei nodded, understanding — Only she and I would know the meaning, and my enemies would not look for her to take revenge on me .
— That's the necklace from what I see — He pointed with the movement of his eyes at Ace's neck, a necklace made with four ribbons of different shades of blue, small seashells and purple flowers made of fabric.
— She reminds me of the Ocean — He smiled fondly — My Sea... Surely she hates me now, I made a serious mistake — The smile disappeared. Jimbei was silent - I told her I wouldn't abandon her but... In the end I did, I didn't come back and I didn't answer her calls either, I wanted to but I was focused on catching Teach
— you didn't want to involve her
Ace denied
— A few weeks after she left the island and the same day that Teach killed Thatch, something happened on her island — She pursed her lips, still remembering the words she said in Alabasta — an incident occurred on the street where her family was, no one came out alive. Her Uncle was murdered and the island was taken over by a crazy dictator who bribed the marines to keep silent and have several islands under his law, and as if everything else were not enough [Name] was forced to work under his rules to try to free the people they kidnapped.
- Ace...
— [Name] she tried to communicate. Only she and I knew she had a Den-Den to call. He called me, but... but...— her fists clenched tightly, managing to draw blood with her nails out of frustration, anger, and self-loathing. —But I didn't answer.
She could still see it: her love's face ruined by a frown, her eyes full of sadness on the verge of tears. [Name] was clenching his own fists so angrily that he wondered if she would hit him, but instead, she just looked at him with such disappointment that no other human being had ever seen him.
At that moment, she realized that she had lived through a true hell.
—The island was under the regime for three months. In all that time, she was forced to work day and night without rest, manufacturing all types of weapons that they demanded with a time limit. If the product was not ready, she was forced to watch the island's inhabitants being killed. As a warning, they forced her to witness the first execution, and that victim was her brother.
The Fishman closed his eyes, knowing that this was only a fraction of what that woman had to endure.
—[Name] didn't want to reveal more details to me, but I know that more things happened. Just looking at her, I realized how deeply hurt she was. She looked so broken and exhausted that at any moment I thought she would break down.
- How did you find it? - Ask. If the woman was trapped in her own home, she didn't understand how they found each other again in another country.
At the question, Ace laughed humorlessly.
—I was with Luffy in his crew. My brother saved her.
He remembers again, in Alabasta, confusion overcame him when he discovered [Name] among Luffy's companions.
— Luffy and his crew landed on their island, and some of his companions were taken hostage. That's when they both met and fought together. — She repeated what the navigator had told her — Luffy wanted [Name] to join her crew, but she refused. Instead, she asked him for the favor of traveling as a guest so she could be taken to his aunt. Luffy accepted, insisting that they were now nakama.
—That's why you met her on your trip.
— Yes, and when I asked [Name] why she traveled with them, she told me that there was no reason to stay on an island where no one needed her and because... she said she was tired of waiting for someone who didn't I would go back.
—Ace, it's not your fault. How could you know?
- I need me. — He growled — In such a vulnerable moment, he needed me. I didn't answer her calls and ignored her. I don't know what kind of things she saw or felt, and she was just waiting for me to come back. She was left alone without family, Jimbei needed support, and I was not there. I wasn't there!
Her nose stung, as if the thorns of regret had invaded her senses. A sting in her eyes made them cloud, while a lump in her throat blocked the way for words. He felt ridiculous for crying, even after so many years without shedding tears, but the pain in his heart burned like a bonfire, it seemed like his organ was being torn out. Jimbei must have noticed this and did not insist that she continue, remaining silent in the face of his friend's pain.
"I wasn't there, Jimbei," he whispered sadly. His head hanging forward and his face taking on a pitiful expression — He must hate me so much.
Ace is beginning to resign himself to her imminent execution, but even in this situation, his mind is still occupied with the person he never imagined loving so much.
[Name].
If he could have one wish, just one, he would ask to see her again, just to say the words she never said.
....
—Have you ever wondered what would happen if one of the two died?
- Sorry?
Lying on the top of the hill, counting the clouds and looking for different shapes, they both rest on the grass with their faces close and their hats away from their heads, providing a perfect view of each other's expressions.
— Tell me, have you ever wondered what would happen if the other person died? — [Name] asks, looking away from the sky and turning her head to look at Ace.
Still confused, he answers — No, why? What's with that strange question?
— Well, you know, either of us can die at any moment. This may be our last conversation. Suddenly, at this moment, a cow could come by and crush my head and die.
— You think very strange things, my dear — Ace laughs.
[Name] taps him on the shoulder.
- It is a serious question.
—None will die, we will live until we are old people wrinkled like raisins
Not satisfied with the answer, she decides to give her answer—if I were to die
"That you won't," she interrupts.
- Silence - he covers her mouth with his hand - if I were to die, whether today or tomorrow, I would like you to know something.
Seeing that she made no move to speak, she continued, taking a long breath and standing up slightly so that they both looked at each other. Ace watches her not knowing what she will do, but he does nothing to stop her.
She then sees her eyes turn soft, looking at him with a fondness so deep it takes his breath away. Released from covering her mouth, [Name] gently takes Ace's calloused hands from her, intertwining his fingers with hers.
"Ace," she whispers, even though we were alone, she didn't want anyone else, just him, to hear her. "Every small gesture you do for me accelerates my heartbeat; Every adventure we share fuels my desire for more. Every kiss of yours seems like the last, every sigh you cause envelops me in a feeling of deep love. When you make love to me with that romantic touch, I feel like I could cry because of the intensity of the emotions you awaken in me.
With each word spoken, a blush covers his cheeks, but he feels no shame; Her body is flooded with a deep love she thought she would never experience. Ace can only stare dumbfounded at the path he's taking, but like [Name], her cheeks heat up at the risk of sparks at the words.
—If I were to die—he brought both of their hands closer to her face. Her tone being lower but still loud enough for him to hear -, my heart, my heartbeats, my desires, my kisses and sighs that I gave in life belonged to you, Portgas D. Ace.
And she kissed her hands.
—My fire prince.
....
A lot of time had passed since that time, but now thinking back, he had not answered that question, he never gave an answer in the end.
—If something bad happens to me—Ace murmurs so quietly that not even Jimbei can hear him.
His hands, which once kissed with affection, are now hurt and restless, searching for lips that in the deepest and most hurtful part of his being he knows they will never touch again.
- I want you to know that I love you.
However, the sea of him is not there to listen to him.