Chapter Text
The Moby had finally made it to Heddle Island and you’d been practically counting down the seconds until your girl’s day with Tate. You were so excited to finally be allowed off the ship and on solid ground again, nothing could dampen your elated mood. Well, almost nothing. Marco said that if your good behavior continued you’d be allowed off the island but he was holding the promise over your head to extract more kisses from you at every turn. The boat had already been docked for a day and you still hadn’t been on the island. Tate was working until the following day when she was granted shore leave. You were going stir crazy with the island so close but not being able to go.
On the first day that the Moby had docked, Marco and Thatch disembarked, saying something about scoping out the island. You weren’t sure why, there wasn’t a strong Marine presence on the island. If anything, it was held as a neutral territory, the materials that they produced too precious to pirates, Marines, and civilians for anyone to cause trouble. It was also extremely close to the Calm Belt, not a very advantageous position to maintain for any particular group. Even so, you didn’t ask if you could go with them. Marco had explicitly said you would only have one trip off the ship and you didn’t want anything to get in the way of your day with Tate.
You were fixing a few musical instruments on the deck when someone put their hand on your shoulder. Squeaking, you turned around to see a grinning Thatch, with members of the Fourth lingering behind him, chatting among themselves. You instinctively leaned back away from the chef you’d known for months. Something was wrong with him, he was radiating an malicious presence you hadn’t felt before. The chef you knew was pushy and emotional but not evil .
“ Mija, do you notice anything different about me?” he asked. With every word he took a step forward and you a step back until you were caged against the side of the deck with his arms around your body.
“Um. I’m not - I’m not sure,” you hedged. Thatch was making you nervous and you didn’t know how to answer him.
“I ate a Devil Fruit mami. I’m going to spend some time with Marco today and figure out what my new powers are. I have a feeling this is going to change our lives,” he said while looming over you. You wanted to cringe backwards but there was nowhere to go.
“Congrats,” you said lightly. There was no sense in telling him to be wary of its power now that he’d already eaten it.
“I can try researching it for you in the library if you’d like,” you suggested. You hadn’t known what yours did before you ate it, many people didn’t. Still, it was always a good idea to try and find information beforehand if it was possible.
Thatch tutted his disapproval. “I have a good feeling about this one. Maybe it’s the Break -break Fruit and I’ll break things and you’ll fix them. We’ll be a matching set,” Thatch said, smiling at you. You smiled back but it didn’t reach your eyes. Even though you had mixed feelings about Thatch, you knew that this fruit was bad news.
“I’m going to spend the afternoon and night with Marco in the infirmary to make sure there’s no adverse reaction. I should be fine by the morning, but I don’t think I can make your girls day trip tresora . I know Ace, Izou, and Vista were already planning on going. That’s enough, right? Three Commanders for two little ladies, no?” You nodded, thankful he didn’t reconsider your trip now that he wouldn’t be going.
“I can already feel my power swelling mija. It makes me want to pull on your Devil Fruit,” Thatch said, grasping your forearm in his meaty hand and pulling to hold it in place over your head.
“W-what do you mean?” you said biting your lip. Thatch was acting out of character and the sudden change had you on edge.
“I’m not sure exactly. I feel like I want to…suck you in. Take you for myself. I don’t know -” he trailed off, kissing the palm of your hand. “Come visit me in the infirmary tonight if you want to know more.” He let go of your hand and pushed off the deck, releasing you from his hold. You didn’t want to be anywhere near him in this state. You hoped whatever change he’d gone through would dissipate through the night and return the chef back to his jovial, kinder, self.
With Thatch and Marco occupied with the Devil Fruit, you were spending the night with Ace. Coming into his room, carrying everything you would need for the following day, you found Ace laying on his bed, arms behind his head, lost in thought. You set down your belongings and crossed the room, sitting down next to him on the bed.
“Hey, you alright?” It wasn’t the first time you’d seen Ace like this, he was prone to depression. He hadn’t ever told you the full details about why, but it didn’t really matter. He needed support and affection, which you often provided. Ace pulled you into his arms, wrapping himself around you like a koala. You allowed yourself to be maneuvered, resting your head on Ace’s chest.
“Yeah, M’fine. Listen, I wanna talk to ya,” Ace said, looking down at you. Waiting for him to continue, you nodded encouragingly. “Do you, um, like being on the ship?”
You blinked a few times, trying to think how to answer the question without getting in trouble. “I did prefer living on land, but I know that’s not really possible right now,” you hedged, not answering the question directly.
“No, no. Like, um, do you like being here with us? Like with me and Marco and Thatch?” You bit your lip. You didn’t know how to answer.
“Um, I…I’m not, um……yes.” You stuttered in the beginning, unsure what to say. The truth was that there were some things about them that you did like but many that you didn’t. But you weren’t sure how much you could trust Ace to keep your confidence or not to get angry and punish you. Ace smiled, you must have said the right answer.
Ace POV
Ace watched you wring your hands and struggle to answer his simple question, eagerly awaiting your response. He’d been wondering about your feelings for a while and had even talked to the other Commanders about it. He didn’t want to keep you here if you were miserable, but Thatch and Marco assured him that wasn’t the case. Marco said that you were still settling in, that you were trying to find your place on the crew but that things were getting better. Thatch said that you were so broken from your time with the Marines that it would probably take a long time for you to recover, and that you may never recover completely. You did look much better than when he’d found you and saved you, so Thatch and Marco were probably right. You’d just confirmed that you liked being on board and Ace was always one to believe what people said.
He was overjoyed to hear you liked being on the ship with them, Ace didn’t want to think of what his life would be like without you. Ace still loved you and everything about you. He loved the way you smelled, the way you helped him, your thoughtfulness, your kindness, your beauty. He was just as taken with you now as he had been when you first fished him out of a pile of wood and made him shower. He loved the way you fit into him perfectly at night, your breathy sighs, your tight cunt, all of you from head to toe.
He ran his hands up and down your back under your shirt. Ace was proud of you, when he first met you, there was no way you’d let him see your back, much less feel it. You’d made a lot of progress with them, just like Marco told him. He hated the raised scars, the physical manifestations of the suffering you’d been through. But he loved holding the woman he treasured tightly, reassuring her with his touch.
“Do you want me to take it off?” you asked quietly.
“Mmmh, that’s a good idea,” Ace replied, already stripping you of your shirt. It wasn’t supposed to be his night with you but since Marco and Thatch were indisposed…well Ace knew to take opportunities when they presented themselves. After you were divested of your shirt you laid back down and Ace took his time rolling your sensitive nipples between his rough fingers. He’d learned his lesson from Marco that you didn’t like when he was rough on you. Sure, the punishment was its own fun, but Marco later sat him down and explained that it was too much for you to see physical damage on your own body. Ace didn’t understand it - he loved when you accidentally marked him with your nails - but he didn’t need to. If that was something that bothered you, he wouldn’t do it.
After what felt like hours but was probably a few minutes, Ace picked you up so you were straddling him while he continued laying on his bed. His mouth watered as he saw your pert buds before his eyes. No longer content to feel with his fingers, Ace pulled you closer and captured a nipple in his mouth, sucking and gently biting as his other hand continued to pull and pluck at your other nipple. You were moaning softly as Ace built up the pleasure he’d provide you. Ace started bucking up into you slowly, grinding his erect cock into your still clothed core. Letting go of the nipple in his mouth, he kissed his way over to the other, poor, neglected, nipple.
Ace could feel the gusset of your panties getting wet as you squirmed but he wanted to take his time. Sucking on your tits was the stuff of dreams, he could never get enough. You huffed softly, causing Ace to smirk.
“All right, pretty girl. Not gonna tease you too long tonight. Abandoning the nipple between his fingers, Ace pushed aside the skirt you were wearing and teased your wet entrance with his aching cock. Moving his cock forwards over your slick folds, he teased it over your clit with increasing pressure.
“Aah, please Ace,” you moaned while trying to position your hole over him. He was a sucker for when you said his name in bed, he wasn’t going to deny you any longer.
“Shh. Take it, pretty girl. You’ve done it before, I know you can,” Ace murmured into your ear. He hadn’t done much in the way of prepping you but he could feel your wetness slicking his hands. Pushing apart your folds, he lifted himself so just the tip of his cock entered you. “Come on, push down on me, nnnnnh, yeah, just like that, c’mon,” Ace encouraged you, pushing your hips down flush to his cock. He was usually on top but he also loved when you rode him, your tits bouncing in his face.
Normally Ace would take his time with you, but the bags under your eyes suggested you were tired. One orgasm for the night should send you both right to dreamland. He fucked up into you, rubbing your clit with the pad of his thumb. “There it is sweet girl, c’mon, come on my cock,” Ace murmured as your face scrunched in pleasure. He could feel you tightening around him, squeezing his shaft as you approached climax. Keeping his pace consistent, Ace’s thumb kept stimulating you until your lewd moan and slick fluids told him you’d come. He quickly flipped you and chased his own pleasure, shooting you full of his come just moments later.
“Good job, baby,” Ace said, collapsing on top of you. Turning over, he positioned you on his chest and kissed the top of your head. You hummed, burying your face into the crook of his neck. Ace rubbed your back until you fell asleep and a while longer after that. Ace fell asleep not long after, content to hold you in his arms all night long. He always fell asleep so easily with you, he knew you were meant to be his.
Your POV
You woke the next morning to a snoring Ace and sunshine streaming in through the windows. You disentangled from his arms as gently as you could and shut the shades for him to continue sleeping. It was early but you were too excited to sleep. After changing your clothes and making sure you had your letter to Vista’s brothers in your pocket, you hurried off to the Women’s Quarters, knocking on the door lightly. Tate, already dressed in civilian clothes and carrying a large stuffed tote, answered the door. She had deep bags under her eyes and her eyes were scanning the hallway. Seeing you, she broke out into a smile and came out, quickly closing the door behind her.
“Hey lady, you excited too?” the nurse asked, covering her yawn with her mouth.
“Of course, I can’t wait. I’ve been practically pacing the deck waiting to get off the ship,” you replied. It was too early to disembark, you needed to wait for at least Vista and Izou, if not Ace as well.
“We should check on Thatch and say hi to Marco before we go,” Tate mused. “We’ll get more undisturbed time if we see them in the morning. An ounce of medicine is worth a pound of cure and all that.” Her idea made sense, you knew they both liked to lay eyes on you as often as possible, so seeing them this morning probably meant fewer calls on the Den Den Mushi or emergency lift off from Marco.
“Good thinking, let’s bring them breakfast. You know how Thatch gets when he’s hungry,” you grumbled. You’d only seen it once, but he was so bitchy when he needed to eat. You hadn’t said it to his face, but it was amazing how quickly he’d become his jovial self once he ate a stack of pancakes. Tate probably knew what was happening with Thatch - she was the head nurse after all - and you were curious about her opinions. The two of you headed over to the kitchens, loading plates with the Commander’s favorites in the hopes of appeasing the men. Tate carried Marco’s and you carried Thatch’s as you chatted on your way to the infirmary.
After Tate opened the door, the two of you walked into the infirmary and heard Thatch and Marco in conversation with one another. Tate handed her plate off to Marco and left to check in with the nurses in anticipation of her day off while you walked over to Thatch.
“Good morning, Marco,” you said, kissing him on the cheek while passing by on your way to Thatch.
“Good morning, Doveling, thank you for the breakfast. To what do we owe this surprise?” Handing over Thatch’s plate, he instead opted to place you holding the plate on his lap.
“ Buenos dias mami,” Thatch said, kissing your neck.
“G-good morning Thatch. How are you feeling?” You didn’t offer to feed Thatch, you weren’t sure the feeding thing went both ways.
“Better now. You didn’t visit last night, I was so depressed,” Thatch said melodramatically.
“I was um, with Ace and -” you began to say your excuses but were swiftly cut off. You were glad for it too, the truth was that you hadn’t wanted to visit.
“Pfff. That boy is so greedy, kept you all for himself while I was in the infirmary,” Thatch lamented, kissing the juncture of your neck and shoulder.
“I wanted to say goodbye before I went with Tate,” you said, leaning back against Thatch’s broad chest. Thatch placed his plate on the closest side table and his arms encircled you.
“If this is what your behavior is like in anticipation of a reward, perhaps we need to think of more yoi,” Marco said, watching your interaction with Thatch intently. You would be embarrassed if Tate came in and saw you like this, your face flushing from shame at the thought. But you didn’t pull away, you let them do what they wanted. Thatch held you in place on his lap as Marco came up and kissed you deeply, Thatch’s hand grabbing at the fat of your ass and kneading it.
“Mmm, she’s being such a good girl for us, Marco,” Thatch cooed into your ear as Marco held your jaw between his fingers to kiss you at length. Thatch’s hands had moved to your inner thighs, holding your legs apart.
“Maybe after your trip today you’ll spare us a few minutes, hm? To thank us properly yoi?” Marco spoke in a teasing tone but you knew it wasn’t a request.
“Yes, Marco.” Inwardly you groaned, you didn’t want the thought of whatever would happen later that night hanging over your head and ruining your day. Marco gave you one final peck on the mouth but still held your chin in his fingers.
“And you will behave, Doveling. I’ll know if you don’t,” Marco said, his eyes boring into your own.
“Yes, Marco,” you said, a shiver taking over your body. Marco and Thatch released you as Tate popped her head into the room and cleared her throat.
“Ready? Everyone’s all set here, we should be good to go,” Tate said, glancing between the three of you.
“Have fun, ladies,” Marco said, picking his plate off the floor. You scurried off Thatch’s lap, eager to begin your day on the island. The two of you climbed the stairs to the top deck, looking for Vista, Ace, and Izou. Finding the older two Commanders, you were surprised to see an annoyed looking Ace waiting with them.
“Everyone ready?” Tate asked the gathered crew.
“Yes, let’s go,” Vista boomed, twirling his mustache. Ace looked like he was still half asleep, you came up behind him and rubbed his back.
“C’mon, Ace. We can get breakfast on the island,” you said, Ace brightening up immediately. “I’m sure I’ll have leftover funds from the budget.” You had been to the island a few times, you wondered if anyone remembered you. Even if they didn’t, you were pretty good at haggling, you could get the prices of almost anything down, especially throwing a name like Whitebeard’s around.
“Don’t coddle the boy,” Izou tutted at you. “He’s known about this venture for days, he knew what time we were leaving.” You stuck out your tongue at Izou in defense of Ace, and Izou rolled his eyes with a smile.
The Commanders helped you and Tate board the dinghy, and sailed the smooth waters to the island. You, Izou, and Tate all excitedly discussed which fabric stores you’d want to go to, as well as the spa that you were all excited for. Vista was excited for the spa, not the fabric stores. Ace wasn’t excited at all, still hungry for breakfast. You thought he might like the spa once he got there.
“Let’s start at the fabric stores. It’s always better to get work out of the way before relaxing and this way we can get a few drinks this afternoon, too,” Tate suggested.
“Sounds like a good idea. I’ve been here before, I don't think the shopping will take over-long,” you agreed easily.
“What? I thought you said we were getting breakfast. I don’t wanna look at clothes, can’t we go to the spa first?” Ace complained.
Tate shook her head. “The only reservations I could get for a group of two women and three men were in the afternoon. I can always cancel the reservations and we could try to get in now but the women’s spa fills quickly. I can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to get in.” Her explanation made sense, and you really did want to revisit their wet saunas and hot tubs.
“Alright, we can go to the spa in the afternoon. We’ll get better deals first thing in the morning, that’s when bulk customers shop anyway,” you stated, knowing how the businesses on the island tended to work. Ace tied off the boat to the dock and helped you off the vessel. You waited for the group, walking together down the pier towards the town. You saw a few people point at you and whisper, but didn’t mind. The Whitebeard Pirates were an extremely notorious crew and you’d come to the island with famous Commanders. Making your way downtown, a few people gave you shocked waves, and you waved back. The town was just as beautiful and charming as you remembered. Every building was richly colored, a pictographic sign above each building delineating what the business inside was. You and Tate walked arm in arm ahead of the men, chatting quietly as you passed varying boutiques.
Passing by a thread store you’d bought from several times in the past, the elderly owner came out to greet you herself. “Amo? Is it really you?” the old woman asked, looking at you over her green framed glasses. Tate stood back, allowing you the private conversation, but Ace broke out to come stand next to you and put his arm around your shoulders. His slouched posture gave the impression of relaxation but the look in his eyes made you wary.
You smiled kindly and stopped to hold the hand of the grandma. “Hi, Nana. Yes, it’s me. I’m back,” you said sheepishly.
Nana had tears in her eyes as she clapped your hand between hers. “We’ve missed you so dearly! We all heard about your island being destroyed and nothing for years after that. We all thought…well, it doesn’t matter. You’re alive and here now. But…” her voice dipped to a whisper, “you’re a pirate?”
You laughed awkwardly. “Oh um, kind of? I sail with the Whitebeard Pirates for now,” you said, trying to diffuse the strained conversation.
“For always,” Ace said, kissing your temple. Your throat went dry, you remembered all the brutality he’d committed against innocent Marines. You had no doubt he’d do the same to civilians if they dared stand between you.
“They’ve …helped me,” you said, kissing Ace’s cheek back. Nana nodded at you slowly.
“I can’t believe you’re finally back after all these years! It really is a miracle,” Nana finished, speaking at full volume once again. “Come by the store later for a cup of tea if you’d like,” Nana said while eyeing Ace warily. You thanked her and continued on your way, Ace’s grip on your upper arm tightening.
“Wow,” Ace said with a whistle, “you’re popular here. Everyone’s muttering about you.”
You laughed nervously again, about to reply when Izou spoke. “Pff. I told you, she’s incredibly famous. Probably the second most famous person on our ship, after Pops. She’s just humble.” You blushed, you didn’t think that was true, but didn’t disagree. It was kind of nice having people value you for your skills rather than what you could provide to them. After you had picked out the first few stops you wanted to make with Tate and Izou, Ace and Vista decided to split off for breakfast. You handed Ace money and told him exactly where you’d be, in what order, and when you expected to reunite at the spa.
“Bye,” he said, wrapping his arms around you, burying his face in your neck.
“Bye, Ace. See you this afternoon. Hey, would you mind dropping off this letter for me?” you asked while being squished by the Commander. Ace hummed, kissed you on the mouth chastely, and smiled.
“Yeah, sure,” he said, folding it and putting it in his pocket. He and Vista walked off together, reigniting their friendly feud about swordsmen versus devil fruit users.
You led Tate and Izou to the stores you remembered from so many years ago. As expected, some of the staff were familiar with your prior work or had heard of your reputation. As a result, you were swarmed by sales staff, old friends and acquaintances, and fans alike, all hoping you’d stop in their stores. Their hospitality was pleasant though Izou did have to act as crowd control from time to time. Focusing on the task at hand, you showed Tate fabric after fabric, explaining to her why each would or wouldn’t work. You’d brought your designs and tried to find the most suitable fabric for each. Izou was in seventh heaven, enjoying both the fanfare and free champagne that you received at every site. After the third store you thought you’d found what you needed and were ready to be done for the day. You hadn’t done so much fashion related work in years and forgot how tiring it could be. You were ready for the spa, even if Izou was the one carrying all the shopping bags.
The air outside was getting smoky, like something was burning. You looked in the sky, trying to determine the direction the smell was coming from but couldn't find anything. Coughing, you were glad the walk to the spa was short so you could get out of the fumid air.
Walking to the spa, you were greeted with the soothing smells of lavender and bergamot and the sounds of rushing water. Ace and Vista were already there, waiting for the three of you in the lobby. This particular spa was known for recreating hot springs inside, complete with a large waterfall. Tate ambled up to the counter and slid a card to the receptionist, speaking with her casually. Picking up the card, the receptionist nodded and handed Tate two pink robes and towels. Coming back to the group, Tate handed you the robe and towel.
“Alright, boys. Time to split up. The receptionist will hand you what you need, we’re going off to the women’s side of the spa. Let’s meet up in say, three hours? How does that sound?” Tate asked the men.
“Mmh. You may not recognize this one when we leave, he is likely to be a puddle,” Izou said, poking his husband with a long finger.
“And this one may stay in the sauna so long he evaporates,” Vista teased back. You laughed and said goodbye for the moment. Tate took your hand and pulled you quickly towards the door marked for women.
“We gotta go! Our massages are very soon!” Tate said brightly, waving to the men. With that, Tate practically pushed you inside the changing room.
Tate POV
Tate was nervous, she’d worked hard to save you but her plan had hit some snags along the way. She hadn’t expected Thatch to recover so quickly, she’d hoped that he’d be keeping Marco busy on the ship. She had been nervous that the old woman was going to ruin everything with her implication, but thankfully Ace didn’t raze the shop to the ground. Tate hadn’t told you about your impending rescue. Tate knew you couldn’t lie well and Marco would be able to detect something was going on. He’d figure it out quickly, and Tate shuddered to think of the consequences for you both.
Pushing you into the changing room away from the men, Tate quickly grabbed you by the shoulders. “Listen,” she said to you, “you’re not staying in the spa. You’re leaving.” You looked at Tate, eyes filled with confusion. “We can talk freely here, the sound of the running water means no one can hear us, even if they have observation haki,” Tate explained. “We don’t have a lot of time, you need to move fast. There’s a Kuja ship docked on the other side of the island. They’re waiting for you, they’re going to take you to Amazon Lily,” Tate said in a rush. She had met the Empress long ago, and Boa owed her a favor. Besides, Boa was already interested in your Devil Fruit ability, you’d be invaluable there.
“What - why would -” Tate cut you off. She was sorry to interrupt but time was a luxury she didn’t have.
“Shh. Listen, listen. I know what’s been happening on the ship. With Marco, Ace, and Thatch. It’s not…it’s not right. It’s not what - you deserve better. A better life. Not…not what you have on the ship. I called in a favor, the Kuja sometimes rescue women in need, especially women with unique skills, like you. They’ll take you to Amazon Lily, we’re the closest you can get on the Grand Line. Marco won’t be able to follow if they set sail soon. The Calm Belt is too dangerous even for him to fly through and besides, there’s political considerations that tie his hands regarding the Kuja. So, you have to go. Now. Don’t get undressed, take this,” Tate said quickly, handing you her heavy tote. “It’s some of your belongings, a few of mine, and money the nurses gathered for you. I’ll lead you out the back door.” Tate grabbed your hand and started walking you through the spa.
“Wh-what about Izou and Vista and Ace? Won’t they come looking for me?” you asked, still processing everything Tate had just told you.
“If you move quickly you should be gone by the time they notice,” Tate said in a rush. You were chewing your lip and rolling the fabric of the bag between your fingers. Tate had guided you to the back door, and had her hand on the handle.
“I’m scared, I don’t know if I can do this, Marco’s gonna find me,” you sobbed. “Aren’t you going to get in trouble?” you asked, lip quivering.
“No, it would cause a riot if Marco killed me” Tate said furrowing her brow. “Besides, I was getting a massage, you were in the sauna, how was I to know you escaped?” Tate’s expression turned serious, “Now, go. You don’t have time. Take this alley to the very end and turn right on the main street. Take it all the way to the far docks and ask for the Kuja ship. They’re waiting for you. Hand them this,” Tate explained, giving you a note ending with her signature. Tate hugged you fiercely, she knew it would be for the last time.
“I’m scared,” you repeated, wiping your nose on your sleeve. Tate opened the door for you, facing into the spa.
“Go, enjoy your freedom,” Tate said with a smile.
You didn’t smile back as your face drained of color. You were frozen in fear, like a bunny cornered by wolves. Her blood ran cold.
Your POV
Looking out the door, Thatch and Ace were leaning against the opposing wall and Marco was leaning forward against the doorframe. Both older Commanders looked placid and relaxed but you knew better. Ace looked enraged, his eyes ablaze with fury. You backed away slowly, clutching the purse to your front. “I- I- I didn’t, I didn’t -”
Marco pushed himself off the door frame, pulling himself up to his full height and stepped towards you. “Didn’t what? Didn’t make plans to leave yoi? Didn’t try to mail an escape letter to Vista’s brothers?” Marco asked, fishing out your letter and holding it between his first two fingers, crushing it in his fist.
“I’m not - I didn’t - I d-don’t -” you stuttered.
“You did yoi,” Marco said with finality in his tone. You flinched as he clicked his tongue and looked back at a stormy faced Thatch. “You see? I told you there was something going on. And after everything we’ve done for the two of you. Come outside, join us.” You were breathing quickly through your mouth, unable to focus on anything but Marco’s illuminated eyes. You dropped the bag and scuttled to the alley. Marco grabbed your upper arm, pulling you into his embrace. You were already crying from the stress of the confrontation. You wished Marco would yell at you but you knew you weren’t going to be that lucky.
“Come on out, Tate. We know you’re in there,” Thatch singsonged to the panicking nurse. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulder, coming out of the building with her head high. Ace grabbed her roughly and from her grimace you guessed that Ace was heating his hand.
“Now, Tate. Why would you try to rob us of our happy family, hm?” Thatch asked like he was talking to a child.
“You know it’s not right, you know she-” Tate’s words were cut off with a grunt as the smell of burning flesh entered your nose.
“What I know is that you tried to take away what’s ours. What’s mine,” Ace gritted, gripping the struggling nurse’s arm even tighter. Tate’s legs buckled under the pain of Ace’s fire but Ace didn’t relent and yanked her back to standing.
“Ace is right yoi. It was a painful betrayal by a close friend,” Marco said, shaking his head as if from sadness. “You have a choice, Doveling. You can behave while we go back to the ship, act like our loving partner to avoid suspicion from all your adoring fans, the island won’t be destroyed and everyone will get to live to see another day.”
“Or you can find out first hand why our bounties are so high. Which will it be yoi?”
You stood on tip toes and kissed Marco’s cheek. Marco smiled. You hated when Marco smiled.
“Such a smart Doveling. Come, let’s go home," Marco said, picking you up into a bridal carry.
"Wh-what about Tate?" you whispered, catching the nurse's eyes. She smiled sadly at you like she already knew the outcome.
"Everyone knows what happens to traitors," Marco replied evenly. "She's going to meet the same end as her Kuja friends. Ace, if you don't mind?" Ace nodded while Thatch pouted.
"C'mon, why can't I finish the job? I barely got to use my powers, they were so much weaker than I was expecting," Thatch complained. You stared at the man you thought you knew, terror washing through you. "What? You thought we wouldn't destroy the Kuja? What's a warlord to an Emperor?" Thatch laughed. You trembled in Marco's arms as he held you tightly, like he was never going to let go.
Epilogue - Six Months Later
You sat on the deck of the ship enjoying a moment of quiet in the afternoon sun. You were in Ace’s lap as he snoozed and held you loosely with one hand around your swelling belly. Since the last time you’d been allowed off the ship, you weren’t allowed to be alone at any time of day, even when the ship was sailing. Privacy was something you missed dearly, but no more than any other freedom that had been stripped from you.
The first few weeks back on board the Moby would forever be hazy in your memory. You’d spent all your time naked in one of the Commander’s rooms being punished. Ace had denied your orgasms, teasing you for hours until you were a writhing mess, begging for release. Thatch granted it to you, overstimulating you until you were in a heap, sobbing in his arms as he wrested another orgasm from your aching core. Marco had spanked you until your ass turned red day after day. He told you that you deserved it for your naughty behavior and made you count each swat every time he spanked you. You’d cried from humiliation, shame, and pain as he easily pinned you over his lap, his large hand coming down again and again on your sensitive skin. Each day was worse than the last as you never fully recovered from the previous day’s spankings.
“Doesn’t this make you feel loved, Doveling?” Marco asked, rubbing his hand over your stinging thighs. He had just been spanking your sit spots and was admiring his work.
“Y-yes M-marco!” you sobbed, hoping that he would be done spanking you soon.
“Would I punish a Doveling I didn’t care about?” Marco asked, running a finger up your inner thighs, silently telling you to open your legs. You parted them immediately, familiar with what would shortly be coming. And what would happen if you didn't obey.
“N-no Marco!” you screamed as he spanked your pussy with a resounding thwack. You cried even harder as the sting permeated your bones.
“I know, I know Doveling. Sometimes love can hurt yoi. But once this is all over, we'll move on. You’ll be our good little Doveling again, right?” Marco had emphasized his question with another smack to your pussy. He carried on until you went limp over his lap, all the fight drained from you.
Things had changed when you’d found out you were pregnant. Well, Marco found out. He’d told you one morning as he held your hair back while you puked from what you thought was a cold.
“Congratulations yoi. You’re pregnant,” Marco said with a genuine smile, rubbing circles on your upper back. You retched again.
Ever since that day, you’d been treated like a princess on board. Whitebeard was overjoyed you’d be giving birth to a Commander’s son, it didn’t matter to him whose it was. There was a betting pool among the crew on whose it would be and what gender, with a son by Marco in the lead by a large margin. You were asked how you were feeling hundreds of times a day and given more glasses of water to drink than you could count. Crew had started touching your protruding belly but Marco quickly and violently put a stop to the behavior. Everyone had been giving you suggestions for baby names and each of the Commanders had their favorites as well.
You knew the crew meant well, but you couldn’t bear it. You didn’t want to be pregnant, you didn’t want to be with any of the potential fathers, you didn’t want to give birth, and you didn’t want the child. You didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl, who the father was, or even if you survived childbirth. Not that you said any of that. You barely said anything anymore, just replying when people spoke to you.
You were only allowed to work sparingly, Marco wanting you to save your energy for the baby. Thatch cooked whatever you wanted, but you still had to eat on his lap as he rubbed your growing belly, delighted when he felt any movement from the baby. Ace didn’t take you out on Striker anymore, he said it was too dangerous. You did some design work but there wasn’t much demand for anything beyond shirts and pants. You mostly walked around the deck and waited. Waited until someone called for you, waited until Marco came to check on you, waited until you gave birth, waited until something changed in your miserable life.
Ace woke up behind you, kissing your neck as you sat. “Mmh, good afternoon, Mama,” he said, pulling you even closer. He was gentle with his touch but there was no give in his hold.
“Hi, Ace,” you said, letting him stretch and brush kisses along your shoulder.
“Howya feelin’?” he asked, rubbing your tummy again.
“A little heartburn,” you replied, rubbing your chest where the acid stung you.
“Mmh, that’s my boy,” Ace said delightedly. You’d heard every old wives tale and what it meant for the baby, from your intense heartburn, to the pimples you’d get on your cheeks, to the profuse morning sickness that still plagued you. Ace took every symptom to mean that the child was going to be a boy. “And think, Mama. Once little Sabo’s here with us, you’ll never be alone again.” Ace meant his words to be comforting but they just filled you with a sense of dread. You looked out at the sea forlornly, wishing you were sailing far away from these pirates.
“We’ll always be here together, our little family growing from four to five. And nothing will ever keep us apart.”