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Soulmates.
The one thing in the entirety of the world that was an unbreakable bond. It was a silent and fast acting connection that could only happen the second that someone had touched their soulmate. That one person in the entire world that was meant to be their perfect half. Another part of their soul that conjoined with their own.
Ace had learned of soulmates at a young age. He had learned of them from Makino whenever he had been in the East Blue. To him, all it sounded like a fairytale. A senseless thing that this world could do. A soulmate for someone like him? Not a chance. If he was being honest, he didn’t think that he would ever want one. If he did, he hoped that he would never meet them. They didn’t need to be cursed with being connected to someone with bad blood running through his veins. It would even be safer that way.
Though, there was a part of him that was yearning for it. That wanted to know if someone like him could truly have a soulmate.
It was said that a soul mark would appear on the skin as soon as someone’s soulmate touched them. He had seen it himself. Ace had met people who had found their soulmates. He had seen their soul marks and how happy that they were with that one person. He had even came across pirates who had them. Ace always wondered what it was like for a pirate to have one. If it was like his own thought, and it was better not to engage with the person who was bound to them by a spiritual connection? The World Government wouldn’t care who they were. If they were innocent. Being connected to a criminal was never a good thing. It would just mark them for death. It was a scary thought.
Still, even as he traveled the seas, Ace couldn’t help but have this thought.
What would he even feel if he had a soulmate? One would only know the second that they got touched. Ace was always careful not to allow touch. There was this fear in the back of his mind that he would even get rejected by his soulmate if he just so happened to be one of the lucky few that had a hidden soul mark or even had one to begin with.
Ace’s life would be far less complicated if he didn’t, but Ace’s life had been complicated long before he was even born.
Marco couldn’t deny that he wouldn’t love to have that one person that would be completely intertwined with himself. Knowing that there was someone out there who would be his perfect match. Marco had seen many times what happens to the soulmate of a pirate, and it had cemented the thought in the back of his mind that he couldn’t ever indulge into it if it came down to it. The World Government didn’t care. A soulmate for a pirate was made to be out as a criminal just as much as their soul partner. Even if they were completely innocent.
Marco didn’t think he could ever allow that to happen. If he just so happened to stumble upon his soulmate and discovered that they were an innocent civilian. He would do everything in his power to keep them from being connected to him.
He also knew that it was painful for someone to be rejected by their soulmate. They would be fine in the end, but there would always be this desire and yearning within them until they could be with them again.
That was just not something that Marco would be able to allow.
Though, he had to admit, that he wished that he could meet someone out there that he didn’t have to worry about. Someone who could face the world. Someone who could be by his side.
Only time would tell for him.
Soulmates might complicate things, but Marco had this feeling.
He wanted to see what the future held for him.
It didn’t seem to matter what he did. Whitebeard saw everything that he tried to do. It was getting infuriating. Trying to take the Yonko’s head wasn’t coming as easy as he would have hoped. He could see exactly why this man’s name was feared on the seas, but it only sparked the fire underneath him. Ace had completely lost count at this point just how many times that he had gone after Whitebeard.
The Whitebeard Pirates thought it was funny. They looked more amused at him for his attempts than they did for actually being concerned. It was single-handedly the most aggravating thing that came along with this. He was actively trying to assassinate their Captain and they were laughing about it.
It was turning into sunset whenever Ace had sat down on the deck. Panting in annoyance as he threw his arms over his legs. He didn’t understand these people. Despite his actions, they were treating him with kindness.
If only they knew.
It had taken him a while to catch his breath. His body was sore and screaming at him from the last time that Whitebeard had thrown him across the deck and damn near sent him into the ocean again.
Ace wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there before he heard the soft footsteps walking up to him and the clank of a bowl next to him. He hadn’t looked up at first until the person had started to walk away. Whenever Ace poked up his head, he could see that it was the First Division Commander Marco walking away from him and as he looked over, he spotted the food that he had left for him. Right, he hadn’t eaten all day. Marco – and most of the time, it was Thatch – would constantly bring him food to make sure that he had been eating.
At the moment, he wasn’t interested in it.
The thought of the Whitebeard Pirates came back to mind as he looked at the food. Bringing him food was such a caring act. It made him wonder. So, Ace had spoken, bringing up one of the things that had been bothering him since he had arrived on the Moby Dick. “Tell me… Why does everyone on this ship call him Oyaji?” He heard it constantly. Everyone did it. He didn’t understand it. He knew what that word meant. Father or, at least, a form of it. The more he witnessed the workings of the Whitebeard Pirates, the more that he did see just how familial that they were.
His question had caused Marco to turn and look at him. The Commander hummed, smiling as he replied with, “You don’t get it?” Marco questioned. Duh. That’s why he was asking. “It’s because he calls us sons.” It made Ace lift his head again. Marco was looking at him, giving him a genuine smile as he spoke. It made the shock run through him. That was so… simple. “None of us have any family left. Hell, the whole world hates us.” He knew that feeling. He knew that feeling really well. It was making his heart skip a beat in his chest as his eyes widened with each word that Marco said. “So, it’s nice, right? I mean… I know it’s just a word… But it still feels nice.”
Ace choked, looking down to the deck as Marco’s words really hit him. Is that really all it took? For weeks, they had been trying to get him to join their ranks. Become a Whitebeard Pirate. Even after everything he did. Even with who he was.
Ace could hear Marco’s footsteps walking closer to him before the First Division Commander was kneeling down in front of him. He could feel his gaze burning into it. It was making his stomach twist and flutter as his chest tightened. Ever since he had met Marco, he had this strange feeling in the pit of his gut. He had first seen him standing on the figurehead of the Moby Dick whenever he encountered Whitebeard for the first time. It had happened ever since that moment. Though, this was probably the first time that they were having an in-depth conversation.
“What’s the deal?” Marco questioned, “Are you really going to keep doing this even after he spared your life?” What other choice did he have? Technically, Whitebeard did kidnap him. Besides, Ace had a mission in life to fulfill. Whitebeard was included in that plan. God, why was Marco being so nice to him? “Cause, you can’t keep this up. I hate to break it to you, but you aren’t strong enough to kill him.” He knew that. He wasn’t stupid. It didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. Well, he had been. He was just failing… miserably. “Either, you can get off this ship and start over…” Marco’s voice softened after a moment and he added in, “Or you can stay here… And where the mark of Whitebeard on your back.”
Everything that Marco was saying was true. He wasn’t sugarcoating it. At the same time, he had said those words so fondly. Ace lifted his head, letting out a soft breath as he looked into Marco’s soft gaze. Marco did mean every word.
“The mark of Whitebeard…” Ace murmured. For a second, his gaze moved down to Marco’s chest. Many of them either had it tattooed on them or just wore it on their clothes. He saw it on all of them. A mark that symbolized nakama for them.
Family.
Marco smiled at him again, standing up back to his full height and holding his hand out, “Take my hand and run wild and free with us. We’re your family now. We knew from the second that we met you.”
He believed him.
Why did he believe him?
Ace looked to his hand, swallowing harshly at the lump that had quickly formed in his throat. The young pirate let out a soft breath. He believed him. He couldn’t lie and say that he didn’t want any of this. Ace did. There was a yearning there to want the same thing. Even after everything, they were reaching out to him and asking him to join them.
Ace wasn’t sure why he had done it at first, but he had reached up and slipped his hands into Marco’s. At that very moment, it felt like the entire world shifted. Everything else bled away and the only thing that he could see was Marco. It was like gravity itself had changed. Ace could see it. Illuminating on his wrist, he could see a golden glow that was forming as Marco pulled him to his feet. Marco’s eyes were wide, looking down at him in shock. He couldn’t tear his gaze away.
It just felt so… right.
It had taken everything in him to tear his gaze away and he looked at his left hand to see the soft golden glow slowly disappearing before he saw the formation of a blue phoenix wrapping around his wrist. When he blinked, he could have sworn that he had seen it move. It was almost like the phoenix spread it wings and when he blinked again, it was like it hadn’t moved at all.
Wait—Hold on.
That meant— “You’re my soulmate.” Marco whispered in shock.
On Marco’s left wrist looked like a ring of orange and red flames curling around his wrist and he could see the subtle hibiscus flowers within it. Ace couldn’t breathe. No way.
All this time.
He actually did have a soulmate.
And it was Marco.
All he could do was turned a surprised gaze up to Marco as he felt the heat creeping up on his face and his left hand had promptly burst out into flames. It only took a second before he saw blue flames joining within it. It had drawn his attention back and he saw the beautiful hues of purple mixing in. Almost making the fire look like a rainbow. It was so… captivating.
It was like every thought that he had before at the idea of having a soulmate bled away. He didn’t feel fear. He didn’t feel the anxiety of knowing if he would be accepted or not by his soulmate. He knew in an instant that he was. He couldn’t explain how he knew, he just did. Ace smiled a bit, curling his fingers and Marco had done the same with that same gentle smile on his face.
Without another thought, Ace whispered, “I’ll join you.”
And he meant it.
It had been months since Ace had joined their ranks. That one conversation between the two of them had changed everything. Not only did they gain a new nakama – turned their Second Division Commander – but Marco had found his soulmate. It was like all of his wishes had come true. Everything he had hoped for had shown within that moment.
His perfect half.
They were preparing for a fight and Marco straightened his back as a smile came to his face. He looked over towards Ace, seeing that he was sporting the same smile. The same smile that could lit up a room and it made it appear as if the dust of freckles were dancing on his face. His stormy eyes lit up
Without a word, Marco held out his left hand and Ace had done the same. Their fingers touched and he watched the phoenix around Ace’s wrist come to life and spread its wings. Those same wings quickly engulfed in blue flames as the soul mark on Marco’s wrist lit up, almost looking like a crackling campfire as the hibiscus flowers within brightened up to reveal themselves. As their hands met, it looked like the two marks had combined and the ring of fire curled around the phoenix soul mark.
Marco smiled, leaning in and brushing his lips against Ace’s. “Let’s do this, Ace.”
“Already one step ahead of you.” Ace whispered back.
Marco sealed their lips into a brief kiss before stepping back. He let go of Ace’s hand long enough to morph into his full phoenix point. Ace had taken the silent message and moved to hop on his back. Marco took off into the air, soaring high into the sky as Ace set himself on fire. His beautiful orange and red flames mixed into his own, leaving behind the trail of purple behind them as he held his arms up.
It was everything that Marco could have ever asked for.
And they just so happened to meet by chance.
And they were the same.
Living a life of piracy together.
Living wild and free.