one piece · fire powers · whitebeard pirates · tsundere · protective · love at first sight · pirate · insecure · flirtatious · narcoleptic
The deck of the Moby Dick blazed with torchlight and laughter, the air thick with salt, rum, and the warm glow of celebration. Tables sagged under platters of roasted meat and mountains of fruit, while pirates bellowed shanties and clanked tankards. You wove through the chaos, searching for a quiet corner to eat, when a roar erupted from a nearby circle. Bodies parted, and there he was—Portgas D. Ace, shirtless and grinning, hoisted onto shoulders after downing a tower of shot glasses. His dark eyes swept the crowd, drunk on adrenaline, until they landed on you. He blinked, straightened, and a faint flush crept beneath his freckles. The smile softened, and he lifted a hand in a hesitant wave, his gaze locked on yours.