Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

ace was a troubled kid, to say the least. He swore, and fought, and was harassing cops a lot. But the worst thing he did by far was burn down one of his previous foster homes, he deserved it, his old foster dad. That bastard killed aces friend, and threatened to kill his brothers. For what its worth ace only felt remorse that he didnt die quickly. That bastard had an underground dog fighting ring that ace and hid dead friend had to fight in. That was the only reason he wasn't found guilty, but he was separated from his brothers, sabo and luffy, but sabo and luffy were together.

ace blinked back into reality as dandan told him to get out of the car cause they were at his new foster home. When he stepped out of the car she pushed his backpack into his hands and he slung it over his shoulder.

"Be good."

dandan would always say, he hated her.

she knocked on the door a man awnsered, and ace heard dogs, he was not a dog person needless to say. The man had a pompadour hair style, he wore a chef's uniform and looked like he just got off work.

"You must be ace!"

too happy. Ace immediately hated this man. So no response was in order.

"Ace, awnser the man."

dan dan practically hissed out.

"Fuck you, hag."

He could've sworn she would kill him, right here right now.

"What did i say?!"

"Dont be a little shit ace, or else you will be on the streets because no one ever wants you, you pathetic little street rat."

That was infact not what she said but he thought it was close enough. 

She sighed and looked at the man in the chefs uniform, he only nodded and smiled.

"My name is thatch. Its nice to meet you."

He rolled his eyes, he was sure it was nice to meet him, so sure.

"Well, um, come on in."

Ace hadnt realized it, partially because he hadn't lifted his eyes off the ground beside to look at mr pompadour, but this house was fucking huge, how many people even lived here? What thatch the eldest? Or perhaps the foster parent?

"Be good."

Where dandans last words before ace walked into the house and the door shut. He didnt take his shoes off, one of the main reasons he was never able to escape a couple foster homes was because he didnt have shoes.

"Well. This is the first floor, i mean we do have a basement but you know. You room is on the third floor."

God what was all this happiness for? And how many floors does this house have?!... and why is there a dog coming from what ace assumed was a living room. Oh no, no, no, no. He did not do dogs, no. No dogs. He didnt move though, because a voice called out and the dog came sprinting back into the living room.

"That was izou and stefan."

Izou looked kind, had one of those faces that just shone with compassion and empathy, everyone in here looked kind and empathetic.

"How many people live here anyways?"

He had a sharp tone, he hated being this mean, truly he did.

"30, but dont worry none of them are mean. Where all siblings after all."

Siblings? This was more like a hotel or hell a bed and breakfast. He was going to get out of here, he didnt care about being a street kid. He just cares about surviving.

"Where do i sleep."

Rooms dont exist just sleeping quarters. Which helped with knowing given aces narcolepsy.

"Here ill bring you to your room."

They walked up the flights of stairs to the thrid floor, all ace could think of was how bad that would be if you were hammered. He had the furthest room in the corner. Which most kids would be thrilled about, but he wanted a room roght next to the stairs so he could bolt if need so.

The room was nice though, nice and cozy as mom used to say. His own bed, and tv, and wardrobe for him to put his clothes in and a bathroom attached.

These people where fucking loaded.

"Thanks."

"Of course freckles."

If ace could he would rip out his freckles because of that now nic name.

"Well i will get you for dinner, need anything just hollar."

Hollar, in this house you would need a telephone to get a hold of anyone.

Ace looked through his stuff, he didnt unpack, unpacking meant he was staying, he was not.

check time, he checked his bag, everything was still there. Luffy's old birthday card he made for ace, sabo's old goggles that were too big for him, so to ace they went, yamatos necklace she gave me before being pulled off with that stupid dad of hers, and... deuces medical book, it was old and weathered, it was a hard cover book called "i do's and dont of medicine" it was a book his dad had written before he died, deuces dad seemed really kind, deuce was really kind, but he was gone now. Then there was dads old knife, it was green, ace didnt know how in hell he got this past so many foster parent but he did not care. So ace carried on through his bag, three sets of clothes not including the one he's wearing, bandages, toothbrush, ect.

A couple pass overs through his stuff, he had everything he needed, he looked all around his room, he didnt know why he didnt this with every new foster home but he did. Nothing special, normal soaps and body scrubs in the bathroom and towels, boxes in the closet filled with nothing, and a blanket folded on his bed and he realizedthat he had never had a properbed since he was 9, he was tired but didn't sleep now to figure out how to get out of here. He just onto his bed, standing on it, he opened his window, it was less than two inches, but with the screen off it would be a little more and the wires that kept it that far open were bad enough he could just snap em, there was a large pool next to his window too, he could jump from the roof to the pool get out and sprint for the exit, then run, run, run. ace mentality took a note of his plan and walked back to his bag he grabbed a little burner phone and texted sabo's burner, they always joked they were siblings, twins even, because they were the same age and they were blood brothers, he looked at the little knife scar of his hand where he cut it open to then put onto sabo's open hand and boom! Blood brothers. Sabo texted back fast. "Who'd you get placed with?!" "Just a huge ass family, i haven't even met the dad yet, some guy named edward." "Im with some guy named shanks and makino, they seem nice enough and they talk to luffy a lot about pirates and stuff. But we all know how knew foster parents are. 'They are adorable when they're little but then they grow up and well'" sabo typed mockingly "Just keep luffy safe lol." "Will do, and keep yourself safe." "Right back atcha.".

And then there was a knock at his door.

Chapter Text

knock knock knock

Ace quickly hid his phone under the pillow that was on the bed, the door opened and a tall, tall and when i say tall man stood there, i mean a tall man stood there. He had a white mustache and looked old but indecipherably so.

Ace looked up at the man, he gulped silently. This was edward, this was the fostar dad.

"You must be ace? Im edward newgate, or pops, or dad, or father, i go by a lot of names."

His booming laugh made ace feel as if the floor was moving, jumbling up and down like a waterfall was in the room.

"Yeah i am."

Ace tried to keep the mean uptight persona but on the inside he could feel it cracking and breaking. This man was terrifying.

"Well than ace, how are you holding up? Everything okay with the accommodation?"

"Everythings fine old man."

He felt rude being mean to this man, but he flushed those thoughts away and reminded himself that he was leaving in at most a week.

"Well that good to hear boy! If there is anything just tell me."

This man was kind, ace kinda hated it. He wanted this newgate, edward, pops guy to be mean so he could leave easier.

"Well, ace, would you like to come downstairs and meet the whole family, or at least the one's who are here rigjt now?"

He didnt. 

"Fine."

Fuck.

They walked back down the flight of stairs, ace untying the knot in his stomach.

Once they got back down stairs there was a lot more people in the living room, thatch and, izou, was there name? Were there.

Ace followed newgate into the room. Newgate sopke for a minute normal mumbo jumbo of new kid, be kind, stuff.

"Ace, would you like to introduce yourself."

This felt like school, but more hellish if even possible.

"My name is Portgas D. Ace."

The foster parents never really let him introduce himself, this was new. Weird, but new.

"Anything important we should know about you son, could be just little things or something big."

Son, what a dick. Ace wasnt anyone's "son" no ones.

"I have narcolepsy. It shouldn't flare up but if i have an attack and fall asleep just leave me alone."

Something not fun about being a foster kid with narcolepsy is that people are weird about it. "Y-you have narcolepsy, poor thing!" He wasnt poor, well money wise yes, but no. "So you must get a good night sleep, heh..." no actually, quite the opposite. "Do you ever get scared just... falling asleep." Around you, yes sir i wpuld. All things peopke have said to ace... but not today.

Today everyone just sat there, smiling. Nodding. Knowing. Listening. It was weird, they cared too much, an awful amount.

"Thank you son."

Not your son.

"Now my sons, and daughters, do you want to introduce yourself to ace?"

They went one after another, they all seemed nice, if not a little weird. 

But soon mr pompadour himself who must have snuck off to the kitchen came out and yelled for dinner, everyone went running, except ace. Oh no... food!

Chapter Text

Food... 

The one thing that really REALLY flared up his narcolepsy, he felt sick thinking about falling asleep infornt of people he didnt know, well now he did know them, but regardless.

Ace slumped into the dinning room, everything smelt good, so good. Ace sat down in the one empty chair he assumed, hoped was his. It was thankfully. Ace plated a little bit of food after mostly everybody else, he didnt want to be yelled at for being greedy and eating first, but he also didnt want to be starved for eating last.

He looked at the food, his mouth watered, he could feel his stomach growl silently. He didn't know if these people prayed, ace just sat there. A girl or boy, he couldn't exactly tell sitting next to him nudged him, there name was haruta if ace was remembering right.

Haruta:"you can eat whenever, by the way kid. The one's of us who do pray, pray to ourselves then eat, not everyone at once, you know."

Huh, haruta seemed nice. No, no, no, no there are always alternative motives.

Ace:"thanks."

He muttered, but not meanly. Not yet at least. He grabbed his fork, most if not everyone was eating now. He took a couple bites, it was good. God damn aces stupid ego and persona, this food was fucking magical.

Ace ate slow but not too slow, he ate enough to finish af the same time as everyone else who were talking to eachother, in aces state of bliss eating this food he hadnt realized everyone was talking to eachother, most foster homes he was in you weren't allowed to talk to people at the table. This was new.

But then the feeling hit. Like a bull of steroids, his eyes felt dizzy, his head was light. He was gonna crash. But he knew what to do. He quickly moved his plate a bit so he wouldn't crash into his food, put his hands on the table and laid his head down as he slumped. He was dead asleep. 

Haruta was the first to notice, looking over at ace nudging him once more. He was out. Haruta chuckled a bit and spoke.

Haruta:"hey dad, i think ace fell asleep."

Thank the lord in heaven for medical documents, cause at least a couple people knew about narcolepsy.

Whitebeard:"ha ha ha! Well i suppose leabing him at the table would be the best bet, or am i worng marco?"

Marco:"well given he jasnt been here ling enough to be comfortable with us, i would say yeah lets leave him."

Whitebeard:"well my children, can we grab a blanket for ace?"

Vista went and grabbed a blanket, they all soon started cleaning, ace still asleep, it amazed thatch and haruta how deep ace slept in a narcolepsy attack, izou though quickly shooed them away from the sleeping ace, slowly smeaking a pillow under his head.

Soon the kitchen was clean and tidy, some had gone to sleep and some had gathered in the living room watching shitty late night tv.

Ace, when he woke up felt not the best. He lifted his head, and slowly realized he had a pillow under his head, it was one that was formerly in the living room, they didn't even go in his room for a pillow without his permission... he also had a deep navy blue blanket, again not from his room but he saw it while peeking into vistas room while walking over to his room with thatch. Why? Why were they being to caring, and nice and considerate?! Tears weld up in aces eyes, he laid his head back down, mot even thinking of sleeping, just thinming of these people, the hums of sleep from upstairs, and the quiet chatter from the tv in the other room.

Ace got up leaving the pillow and blanket behind. He walked to the entrance and exit of the dinning room, and looked out, he could see the living room from here. He wanted to say thanks but couldn't bring himself too. He wanted to ask "why are you being so nice? Why do you all care about me? Why are you all acting as if your really family?! No foster family i have ever seen has been this... this..." he was only thinming it but tears still fell, he cried silently. He hid behind the wall the separated the dinning room from the veiw of the living room. 

He prayed no one would cone in as he frantically whipped the tears away, shaking, and confused. He caught a glimps of himself in the decoration mirror in there... he truly looked like a dog. A dog that was abused, and beat. He was a dog.

He felt the dizy spout come back on but this time it hurt a lot. It was probably a seizure, he had dealt woth these before he had about 5 minutestill it started, and he saw the "pops" or "dad" or whateje was called, outside there, and ace, as much as he was self reliant, he needed someone to be with him while he had a seizure.  First it was mom, than it was sabo, then deuce, than luffy. He needed newgate.

Ace:"hey umm, newgate can you come here for a second?"

This was going tk be longer than a second. Ace could feel his mind waving, his head banging his knees giving out, his hands trembling as he bit his lip harder then he should've. His voice was weak.

Newgate:"of course ill be there in a second ace."

We dont have a second.

Once newgate appeared ace sighed more happy to see a man he's met once than he ever has been. 

Newgate:"do you want the door open or closed."

Itw as a slidy door that went into the wall, ace hadnt even noticed.

Ace:"closed?"

It was more a question than a statement but newgate closed the door. Ace finally looked then man in the eyes, newgate kneeled down to aces level, he hadn't even realized it but hsi knees had buckled and ace was sitting on the floor.

Ace:"i-i im sorry, i called for you, i just, im about to have a seizure and i can deal with it and its going to be okay i just need someone with me. Please"

Ace felt tired and powerless, and upset. Upset that he wasnt with luffy and sabo anymore, upset yamato was basically off grid half the time, upset his best friend was dead.

Newgate:"i know, i know. Can you just lay down for me on your side ace?"

He sounded so calm, so fatherly. Ace remembered Rayleigh, one of his dads friends, Rayleigh sounded like this, Rayleigh sounded fatherly. Ace thought as he slowly laid down in the ground, shaking slightly, it was never pleasant, never fun.

After 5 minutes of convulsing on the ground he finally stopped, he hadnt realized but newgate held aces hand the whole time. Ace was weak now, he was going to be kicked out in a day, at most. Thats was the last man would do, thats what would happen here, ace was a no good dog, and a weak dogs gets put down or abandoned.

After all that ace felt better. A lot.

Newgate:"you okay, son"

He wasn't gonna argue the title.

Ace:"more so now."

Ace said numbly getting up, he druled a bit, he whipped his sleeve over it before getting up to his feet.

Ace:"thanks, newgate."

Ace said slowly leaving for his room. He didnt listen to what newgate said just flopped onto his own bed, not sleeping not fir a very long time, think about these... good people...

Chapter Text

It was been 4 days, 4 days! Ace was still planing on escaping, still planing on leaving, and still planing on running till his legs gave out. He hadnt talked to many people this morning, he didnt find a need too and just didn't want too.

Plus not many people were here today, jozu was out on jury duty, vista was out on a competition for sword fighting, blamenco and namur both went out to support him, kingdew was also out for unexplained reasons. And others were just out, ace didnt bother to ask, why get attached?

Ace got breakfast (a apple and thatch didnt look happy it was only an apple.) 

Haruta:"popppppppsssss, im board."

Marco:"haruta your 17, go do whatever you want."

Haruta:"but i wanna hang out with you guysssss"

Izou laughed a bit in the background as ace was about to leave to go on a walk. He wanted to see the neighborhood, scope it out if you will.

Pops:"im sorry haru i cant really do anything right at this moment,"

He said placing a hand on harutas head, he had his laptop and phone out, very busy. 

Pops:"but why dont you go hang out with your brothers and sisters."

Haruta sighed and marco and thatch left the kitchen to give there dad some space, thats when haruta saw ace leaving, she skipped right over to him. Ace had learned that haruta was gender fluid.

Ace:"can i do something for you?"

He asked the hovering person.

Haruta:"waaacha doing?"

Ace:"going for a walk."

Haruta:"mind if i come along?"

Yes.

Ace:"i dont care."

Whyyyyy!!! Why does his mouth speak before his brain?!

Marco:"im comin' with you two, yoi."

Oh god now it was an group activity.

Thatch:"well now i feel left out, im coming with."

Izou:"and it would be a pity if i didnt come with."

Its like a parade of people.

Ace finnished tying his shoes, he still kept them upstairs in his room though. 

And thus they were out on there excursion, there was a decently sized part behind the hous, down a block or two. Ace honestly really liked the veiw it was really serine, even if haruta and thatch were contemplating there next prank. Or if izou and marco were talking about work while quietly glancing back at him, this was a nice moment.

Until, ace felt someone hug hkm and pick him up from the back, he knew there was only one person tall enough and bad enough at social interactions to do this.

Ace:"YAMATO!"

Ace said smiling, the others whipped there heads back as they looked at the two teens laughing.

Ace was put down, as held his stomach as he laughed.

Ace:"Jesus yamato! How long has it been?!"

Yamato:"i would say two-ish years. Too long if you ask me."

Ace:"no kiddin'! So what in the hell are you doin here?"

Yamato:"my dads movin around again, you know how the bastard is."

Ace:"your telling me."

Yamato:"hows sabo and luffy."

Ace:"good, good. Nothing too special with them, both got set in stone with a new home."

Yamato:"right! Who the gell were you placed with, if anyone, i mean you killed the last guy."

Ace:"hey hey hey, self defense! But yeah just some guy named edward newgate."

Yamato:"ohhh, better or worse than, the other guy"

Ace:"ohhhh better, you cant explain how much i hated the other guy."

They both got a good laugh at that. While the others just stared In awe, ace looked happy, genuinely happy.

Yamato:"yeah, well here is my new number."

He wrote down on a spare peice of paper, she always had paper on her.

Ace:"thanks, ill give ya a call, yeah?"

Yamato:"hell yeah you will!"

"yamato!"

it was her dad.

Ace:"what in the hell did you do to make him that mad?"

Yamato:"i guess we'll see. See ya later, pyro!"

Pyro, thats what deuce called him, it was a good nic name.

Ace:"see you later, mato!!"

Ace said smiling and waving. Once she was gone he turned back to the others, his smile slowly disappearing. They looked confused.

Ace:"guys? You okay?"

Marco was the furst one to speak up, clearing his throat.

Marco:"a friend of yours?"

Ace:"of, yeah, her names yamato, shes nice."

He said and kept on walking. As if nothing happened, looking at the note, memorizing the numbers.

Haruta:"were just gonna fly past that?!"

Ace:"huh?"

Thatch:"you were basically a different person!!"

Ace:"sorry? I guess."

Izou knocked both thatch and haruta on the head and just smiled at ace.

Izou:"she seemed very sweet."

Ace hadnt even noticed but izou brought along stefan, their dog. Usually ace would be right on guard around dogs, was he getting soft?

Ace turned away and started walking once more.

Ace:"thanks izou."

Chapter Text

creeeeeek

the window creeks open, ace has dpuple, triple, quadruple checked his escape route, he climbs onto the roof and goes down the tree in thw front yard.

His back pack his snug over his shoulders, and his black sweater can cover his face, aswell the jeans he's wearing can cover gis body more so cameras cant detect its him.

Ace climbs out the window slowly, slowly and calmly, he walks along the shingles his heard beating desperately in his chest.

bum bum bum

his heart is so loud in his ears. He finally gets to the tree, swallowing back the knot that has him double questioning weather or not to do this. But his mind is made up when his foot his on the most sturdy looking branch and his arms are around the tree for dear life.

shimming down the tree took little focus for ace. Instead his mind wondered, he hoped he left the room clean enough, he hoped no one would come looking for him, he hoped he knew where to go.

Once at the bottom he let his feet come away from the tree and touch the wild roots growning from under. 

Ace stopped looking back at the house, under his breath he wished them well, before promptly running away, well jogging away, what he did everytime he left a foster home was he would 

1. Get out of the home (obviously)
2. Jog away, to conserve energy.
3. Whenever he saw anyone he would promptly start running full speed away, any which way he could manage.

And it was a cycle, but he enjoyed it. He stopped at the park. Sat in the gazebo and counted his stuff, its not as if he could have gone back and grabbed anything if he did foget something.

But when he opened his bag his dads knife fell out. Dad. There was so much hate in ace's soul, and he was sure if he wanted too he could direct it all at his dad. He could hate his dad so much it hurts, he could hate his dad for dying, he could hate his dad for not trying to fight his cancer, he could hate his dad for so many reasons but he didnt, well not really at least.

He felt some anger towards his dad but all around there was more a feeling of melancholy and longing. He wanted his dad back, he wanted to cry but he felt so sleepy, so sleepy that when izou showed up infront of him he didnt register for a full minute who it was.

He slung his heazy and rock filled head up to look at her, he hadnt realized he was crying. 

He got his second wind the narcolepsy leaving for a second and he could hear the worry in izou's voice.

"Kid, what happened? Is everything alright?"

... ace couldn't respond, izou seemed nice, izou seemed...safe...

Izou slowly took the green knife from his hands and set it back in the kids bag. Ace could feel the attack coming but it wasnt narcolepsy this time, ace could hear stefan bark and lick his face, he had flash backs to the dogs, the dogs that fought them, the dogs that fought eachother. 

Eventually ace hadnt even realized, izou had him on the ground of the gazebo and was brushing the hair out of his face.

"Shhh its okay, its okay hun."

izou was safe

The seizure this time wasn't awful. He stayed halfway grounded in where he was, thanks to izou and surprisingly stefan. After two minutes, he was done. he was tired and done. 

"You okay? Ace"

"I... feel kinna not great but, im fine."

"Do you wanna talk about the seizure? Or tge knife. Or maybe, why you're out here at 2 in the morning?"

"I... you dont want me."

"But we do-"

Ace cut izou off.

"You dont want me. Im broken, im bad, im just gonna cause everything it get worse and you're all going to leave again, everyone does!"

Izou just sat there beside ace who was now curled in a ball. 

"Im just nobody."

Were the last words that fell out of his mouth before he felt his eyes get dazy again, his mouth felt numb and his bones felt heavy. Soon hevwas down, dead asleep.

Izou picked up aces bag and slung it over one shoulder, and picked up the sleeping ace that stefan was sniffing nervously. 

"He's okay steffy, just a little sleepy."

Izou said walking home with ace in there arms.

Once izou got home they unlocked the door, but quickly something caught there eye. It was a little burner phone, one that had a back ground of ace and some other boy, he has blue hair and red glasses that look almost like a mask. 

There are misssed texts from a sabo talking about a luffy. Izou chose not to snoop anymore. They let the phone fall in to there pocket. And walked inside, marco was there in the living room, he didnt even have the tv on he was just sitting there writing in a notebook, izou can appreciate a good writer, but they could tell marco was just drawing random shit. They faked a scoff, a sarcastic sound came out.

Marco looked up his glasses half falling off his face, he looked confused and walked over to close the door and take the bag and stefan as izou currently had there hands full of a sleeping ace.

Marco:"What happened?"

Izou:"well, my theory on why he was outside is because he wanted to run away. But i caught him having what looked like a panic attack then he had a seizure than he had a narcolepsy attack."

Marco:"ah... is he"

Izou:"hes fine, i think."

Marco looked at his eyes and did what doctors do when someone has a narcolepsy attack. 

Eventually both marco and izou walked up the stairs till they got to aces room and they slowly opened the door. 

Marco pushed the covers back and izou slipped ace in, tucking the poor kid in. And set his bag down but before they left izou put aces phone right next to him on his bed side table, then then they felt a hand softly grab onto there sleeve, it was ace.

Though being asleep the kid had tears falling down his face.

"Don' leave, zou"

Izou felt there heart skip a beat and fall on a pang of sadness. Marco looked at izou, trying to figure out the cross dressers next move.

Izou:"marco can you be a dear and go grab the desk chair."

He did and izou sat down with ace for the rest of the night, stefan not far at anytime.

The next morning ace woke up with a grueling headache and confusion on how he got back in his bed. And why was izou here?

Then the memories of the former night came into his head. He cringed a bit at himself for telling izou all that.

But soon izou was awake and looked at ace who was just staring at the ceiling.

Izou:"how ya feeling kiddo?"

Ace:"eh, i could be better, could be worse."

Izou:"well better than awful, eh."

Ace:"i guess so."

Izou started to get up to leave before ace stopped them, and ran infront of them.

Ace:"wait, i umm, i... i really appreciate you not leaving, really i mean thank you."

Izou smiled.

Izou:"if you ever need me to be there with you i will be, from now till when you're 100, i will always be there for you i promise."

Ace could feel tears forming in his eyes, and he hugged izou tight, izou returned the hug and they stood like that for a long while. 

Izou was glad they were a safe person.

Chapter Text

Ace had been spending more time with a few people in the house, the main ones being thatch,marco and izou. He trusted in small quantities.

One day he asked thatch, or mr. Pompadour, if he wanted to go on a walk with ace. Mr. Pompadour being, mr. Pompadour he said yes.

Izou was out on the range anyways, and ace had dared himself to get more used to stefan, he refused to hold the leash however. 

They went for a walk in the same park ace had a seizure. Thatch not knowing how to deal with interactions like a normal human made jokes about it.

Ace just listened, genuinely chuckling at a few.

But off in the distance he saw someone who made him stop dead in his tracks. Sabo, luffy, and... SHANKS?! Since when did he know sabo and luffy? Since when did luffy and sabo know him? And since when was shanks with a very pretty green haired girl? Of course shanks would go for a girl with weird hair like him.

In all of aces inner thoughts he hadnt realized thatch was asking him questions.

Thatch:"kid? Kid, d'ya hear me?"

Ace shook his head getting out of his thoughts.

Ace:"you see that blond haired kid, that black haired kid and that red haired man, pompadour?"

Thatch:"yeah?"

Ace:"i know'em."

Thatch:"really?"

Ace:"really."

Thatch:"how?"

Ace:"they are my brothers."

Thatch:"... im no marco but i dont think that genetics work like that..."

Ace:"not biologically!"

Thatch:"ohhhhhhhhhhh, ha ha ha! I was scared we were gonna have to give you a lesson on the birds and the bees."

Thatch said snorting, shortly later getting hit in the ribs by ace.

Soon ace was within eye reach of luffy. The little rubber bullet ran towards him with lightning like speed. 

Luffy:"ACE!!!"

Soon enough luffy was wrapped around ace, who was getting whip lash from this kid. Sabo also ran up, his opposite twin hugged him tightly.

Ace:"hi guys."

For once he was the calmest.

Shanks soon got closer though, along with the green haired woman.

Thatch seemed to recognize shanks and shanks recognized thatch.

Shanks:"thatch! God damn how long has it been!"

Shanks said hugging thatch almost as tight as luffy was higging ace.

Thatch:"gotta be since college!"

Thatch said laughing. 

Shanks looked down at ace who quickly looked away. Shanks and buggy left home when dad got sick, they couldnt see there dad die, they couldnt watch there dad shrivel up and die. They didn't even go to the funeral.

Shanks:"hey kid."

Ace:"shay."

His real name. The name that ma had apparently always called him growing up.

Shanks:"your with newgate."

Ace:"mhm."

Shanks:"well thats good! Newgates great, a great dad, and just a great guy in general! Dad really liked him used to get parenting tips from him all the time."

Ace tensed when thatch brought up dad, roger.

Ace:"not like you stayed to talk to dad."

Ace bitterly spat out before turning his demeanor and swiveling his head to look at luffy and sabo.

Luffy:"you and dad have the same dad?"

Luffy calling shanks dad? He guessed he was happy luffy was happy.

Ace:"yeah. We do."

Sabo always being the more emotionally intelligent one and just intelligent one despite his selective amnesia cleared his throat awkwardly.

Sabo:"so!"

He said clapping his hands.

"I suppose then you havent met makino, shes our foster mum."

Ace looked at makino as thatch and shanks spoke in hushed whispers.

Ace:"its nice to meet you ma'am my names ace."

Ace said shanking the womans hand.

Makino:"its so lovely to finally meet you! Ypur brothers have told me amazing things about you, even you older brother."

She said gesturing towards shanks. Shanks looked at her like a kid being caught with his hand inside the cookie jar.

Shanks:"Maki!"

Ace laughed a true and genuine laugh.

Ace:"your face almost matches your hair!"

Shanks:"aceeeeee."

Everyone laughed. Shanks was happy to see his brothers, not just luffy and sabo but shanks. He still wished he could see buggy one day, he was now an actor, so he saw him just never in person.

After a while of everyone talking luffy started talking about food.

Makino:"we better get this one home, eh?"

She said, she seemed nice, especially to luffy, sabo seemed a but apprehensive to all this but he always was.

Shanks:"Sigh alright maki. Hey thatch you have my number, give it to ace so i can stay in contact. I didnt really have a phone before i left the house."

Shanks said rubbing the back of his head in what to everyone else looked like embarrassment but to ace he could see guilt.

Thatch:"of course man!"

And with that ace was home and had thatch write down the number. After dinner, and after marco made sure ace felt alright and izou made sure ace's window was locked ace went down stairs into the common room. His burner was bad with calls and shanks only really replys with calls.

Ace walked over to newgate who was still on the couch in the common room, and sat next to him.

Newgate:"are you alright my boy?"

Ace:"yes sir, i mean kinda."

Ace still couldn't call him dad, not yet atleast, but he still wanted to respect him.

Newgate closed his laptop full attention on ace.

Newgate:"do you wanna talk about it?"

Ace:"me and shanks are brothers. Thatch said you knew him, so you must've known my dad... right?"

Newgate let out a barreling laugh, that ace would still have to get used too.

Newgate:"i should've known you were that brats brother! And that would mean you the blue ones brother aswell."

Ace:"yeah, i am."

Newgate:"yes, yes i knew your father well, gol. D roger. A good man."

Ace:"mhm..."

Newgate:"i cant belive i didnt know, i suppose you took your mothers name, portgas d rouge?"

Ace:"yeah, i just thought it suited me better..."

Newgate:"theres more to why you came here isnt there?"

Ace:"i... i saw shanks today, right? Well i also have his number and i want to call him, really i do, but... does he want to hear from me? I mean he left when dad got sick and him and buggy lived with uncle Rayleigh after mom died, at least they did for a while."

Newgate hummed.

Newgate:"your brother is a complicated boy, i will say that ace. I saw him grow up, ive seen his life, the good the bad and the ugly, but let me tell you this ace, your brother loves you, and will always love you. I promise. He left cause he had feelings he couldn't handle, if you were to see him the way he was... lets juat say not even buggy could save him."

Ace let out a shutter, that bad, buggy and shanks were two peas in a pod, they couldnt be stopped and wouldn't be stopped ever.

Newgate:"but regardless he is a caring soul, i can see that much even in my old age."

Ace:"... thanks. I think i needed to hear that."

Ace paused a moment before hugging Newgate.

Ace:"dad."

Newgate hugged his youngest and patted his back.

Eventually ace left to go to the kitchen where the house phone was. He took a deep breath and diled each number.

The phone rang once then twice then click

"Hello?"

it was shanks

Ace:"hey shay."

Shanks:"acey!"

there was a pause of awkward silence.

Ace:"so, hows luffy and bo?"

Shanks:"good, good, yeah i think luffys setting in pretty well, he just went to sleep"

Ace:"yeah lu has always been good at settling in. And bo?"

Shanks:"sabo has been a bit more apprehensive..."

Ace:"lots of ignoring and side eyes and silence that could make and army vet uncomfortable?"

Shanks:"yes! Oh my seas its awful!"

Ace:"he just newds time, he had a rough go at life, his family was fucked. You know that scar on his eye? His aunt gave that to him."

Shanks:"jesus..."

Ace:"yeah but he should be fine... uh also, shay... i saw lu wearjng dads old straw hat or i guess your old straw hat, depending on how you look at it."

Shanks:"yeah... he was really brave a couple days ago so i gave it to him to show i wouldnt leave, not like the others have."

Ace:"what happed?"

Shanks:"he fell into some water and when i went down to save him my arm got all torn up."

Ace:"shit are you okay?"

He knew luffy was okay.

Shanks:"definitely been better, and ben killed me when i was in the hospital. But im okay kid, and what about you? How are you?"

Ace too a minute to take in the question.

Ace:"im good. I haven't really been doing much, just getting to know people here, only have had a couple sleep attacks and two seizures."

Shanks:"yeah well, they are good people there."

Ace:"yeah they are."

Another silence laced the call with uncomfortable thoughts in both mens heads.

Shanks:"... ace? Do you hate me?"

Ace was a bit stunned by the question.

Ace:"i dont think so. I mean mad for sure, but hate? No. Were still brothers, through thick and thinn."

Shanks:"we are aren't we. And buggy?"

Ace wanted to ask about buggy. He wanted to ask about how buggy is.

Ace:"i havent seen the guy since i was 10 maybe. I wish i could though. How about you? I mean you and buggy were always together, always! I mean i think theres pictures of you and buggy in the double sink as babys getting sink baths."

Shanks cringed insanely hard and ace smiled knowing he made his brother upset.

Shanks:"we were close weren't we. We didnt talk after dads death, we couldnt see eachother. He had an argument said some things we know we shouldn't have, and we went different ways. I hope he knows i miss him."

Ace:"im sure he does. Its buggy, hes always been sappy."

Shanks:"he doesn't even know i have kids yet."

Ace:"you should reach out, buggy probaby misses you."

Shanks:"maybe kid... maybe. But its getting late and you need to go to sleep your youll sleep in till 4 in the afternoon tomorrow."

Ace:"sigh i guess your not wrong."

Shanks:"never am."

Ace chuckled.

Ace:"well ill talk to you one of these days."

Ace paused another moment as shanks went on in the background, he though about what newgate said.

Ace:"love ya shay."

Shanks went dead silent and ace held his breath.

Shanks:"love you too acey. Have a good sleep."