Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, that right belongs to the talented Rumiko Takahashi; nor do I own One Piece, that right belongs to Eiichiro Oda.
Ace blinked sleep-encrusted eyes and shifted only to go still at the fact that his movement was impeded. It was causing him to narrow his dark eyes and look down. Only to catch black waves peeking out from underneath his blanket. Making him pause as the night before came rushing back with a vengeance that had him feeling light-headed. It was hard to believe what he recalled as he shut his eyes. The past two years were playing like a slow-motion movie behind his eyes. The first time they'd met was what seemed to have set the tone for every interaction they'd have after.
Two years prior
Marco had just finished explaining why they all followed White Beard and giving a small side warning not to piss off the ship's healer. Not caring, Ace shoveled the food into his mouth. There was no more as Marco was called. It was not too important, as there was no continuation. Not that he gave a flying rats ass. He would not be there much longer if he had anything to say about that.
The next morning he had, of course, continued his assault on trying to beat White Beard. Only to have the heavy, ham fist of the legendary pirate backhand him and send him flying towards the ship railing. What he hit was not wood. That much was clear, as there'd been a distinctive squeak, of all things, before gravity drug him and whoever was dumb enough to get behind him just as the silence on the deck made him sit up and look at the horror on everyone's face.
"Would you get your bony butt off me!"
The muffled words rang clear in the silence as Ace looked over his shoulder as something smacked him, frowning as his eyes traveled down from two tiny-fisted hands to a robe covered person with brilliant blue eyes. Which were narrowed at him as those little fists smacked him again? Snorting, he stood up and looked down, watching as the person stood up, the robes hiding their gender as those blue eyes just kept boring into him. Then they were ignoring him.
They were moving around him as if he was not even there or of interest. But the waves of anger rolling off them said that he was not forgotten. What happened next as he watched the tiny person walk over to White Beard and smacked his knee that they barely were the height of. They are going into a shrill lecture about how he was not supposed to be drinking due to his health. Then to watch as they turned on Marco, who looked sheepish as they lit into him.
"So, when did you decide you needed to bring a temperamental toddler onto the Moby Dick? And yes, I am aware he is the oh so talked about Super Rookie. Looks like a giant pain in your butt, Edward!"
Ace had to fight from visibly twitching. Just to have White Beard burst out laughing, calling the tiny person by their name, Kagome and affectionately reaching down and pulling the hood from them and revealing a feminine face that was not amused.
"Ace, his name is Ace, Kagome. And he had not yet joined," White Beard guffawed. "Ace, meet the ships, Healer."
When those blue eyes turned back to look at him, Ace had this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Marco was looking at him pityingly. There on that angelic looking face was a cold smirk that promised him trouble. Ace didn't deal well with females; they made him nervous. Not that he didn't enjoy their company on occasion, but there was something about this one that had him wanting to stay as far away as possible.
1yr 7 months ago
The next time Ace encountered the small female healer, who was an unofficial crew member, was just as unpleasant as the first time. There'd been a large bird flying in the sky. And being hungry, Ace had thought that the bird would make an excellent meal. He was also very bored being sent up to the Crows Nest for watch duty.
His aim had been perfect. He nailed the giant bird, which gave a sharp squawk of pain as it plummeted into the ocean. At that point, Ace had jumped down to the deck and was already running towards the railing when a cry reached his ears. Next thing he knew, he was slammed to the deck, painfully. A loud hiss of pain mixed with anger before he felt a punch being delivered to the back of his head, pushing it back into the deck.
This was followed by a loud round of laughter from the rest of the crew. Not amused Ace didn't hesitate; he pushed himself up and spun around when a thump was heard, followed by an indignant huff. Just to meet familiar blue eyes that were blazing in pure unrestrained anger. Narrowing his own eyes, Ace tried to figure just how the hell the damn girl had appeared out of nowhere and landed on him.
"You fracking moron! Seraph didn't do a damn thing to warrant your pathetic, scrawny, wannabe, pirate booty attacking her!"
He was blinking rapidly as he processed the words being said to him as the tiny woman turned and marched stiff-backed in heavy robes she always wore to the edge of the deck. Her hands were clamping down onto the side of the railing before throwing herself over it. This had him a bit worried. So, he moved over and looked down to find that she had landed on his custom mini-ship. The one that ran off his Mera Mera fruit and was paddling toward the now floating large bird.
A hand clamped down on his shoulder as he tried to rationalize shooting the impudent girl for taking his mini-ship. "Do not do it. Trust me. Kagome is already pissed as is; you don't want her making your life a living hell."
At Marco's words, Ace just lifted an eyebrow to let the first mate of the Moby Dick know that he didn't believe him. Just to have the man shakes his head and walk away. The shrug of Marco's shoulder he had learned meant he was now on his own. Again that sinking feeling settled into the pit of his stomach, making Ace look back out at the tiny woman. Wondering just how the hell she got her position as the ship's healer and made everyone a giant wuss.
1yr 5 months ago
Ace was now staring into a red face, blue eyes sparkling. But not in anger. No, his comment had been a defensive reaction. How was he supposed to react? The whole fucking incident was not even his fault. No, it was Thatch's, the meddlesome cook. Who had been at Kagome for a while now? Teasing the woman, not a girl, he had found out after actually asking Marco about her and learning a bit more than she was a year older than him, just really petite and short.
He'd been told to get some more water barrels from below. Hearing Thatch threatening Kagome with tickles and getting her to laugh. Something she never did in his presence. A thing that was actually starting to bother him. Why, he had not a single clue. He'd shrugged it off and set down the two barrels he had where they went on the top deck. Placing his hands on the small of his back, he leaned back to stretch and pop it when the sounds of feet falling reached his ears. From how fast they were hitting the wood of the deck, accompanied by laughter, told him who it was.
Straightening himself, Ace had gone wide-eyed. Kagome was jumping over the barrels to get away from Thatch. And him righting himself put him directly in her path, blocking it. The resulting crash was not just awkward for her, but himself. It was as if time slowed down for comedic effect as she crashed into him. Forehead against forehead, lips pressed against his own. Effectively they were kissing as they hit the deck.
He was amazed at how fast she scrambled off of him, her hand coming up to her lips as she just stared at him. Fear, horror, sadness, loss was echoing in the depths of her eyes, turning them from the brilliant sea blue to almost midnight blue. Then he had sat up and opened his mouth, saying that it was the worst kiss he'd ever received, causing a hush to fall over the deck, which only made the whole thing more uncomfortable than it needed to be.
"You, Butthead! That was my first kiss!"
At her words, the tears that made her eyes shine fell, and he suddenly hated his reflective way to answer. Before he could apologize, Kagome was up and running away, while he could feel the weight of everyone's eyes weighing down on him. Ace just pulled his knees up and rested his head against them. Women and him just didn't seem to mix well. Why did they have to make everything weird?
Nine months ago
Ace sat there a smug smile curled his lips as he watched Thatch trying to pick up a rather cute brunette at the port they were currently docked at. It was one of the ones under pop's control. Thus it was protected and gave them a free berth. Meaning women were just as plentiful as the food and drink. He would not mind joining in and showing Thatch up, but he had been asked by Pop's himself to make sure nothing happened to Kagome. Who, after their last run-in was not looking at him, let alone talking to him. Hell, Ace would not be lying if he said that whenever she could, she outright avoided him.
Of course, he had gotten ripped into for his comment after kissing her. Even if it was accidental, Ace found out just how protective Pops and Marco were over that little woman. Who was sitting at a table, laughing and joking with Jozu? The large man was shaking his head. On occasion, he would send a dark look at any male who thought to creep closer to the small woman. Said women didn't have an ounce of sense in his head. So friendly with everyone else. Which only further rubbed him wrong. He had apologized for his comment and stealing her first kiss. Ace was not so ignorant as to not know the meaning of a ladies' first kiss.
The feel of a smooth, dainty hand had Ace looking away from Kagome. To see a pair of mischievous green eyes looking at him from under a blond fringe. There was no mistaking the offer in the woman's eyes. He gave a lopsided smile and reached out and wrapped an arm around her. His 'charge' was safe with Jozu at the moment. And he was staying sober. Leaning down to give a kiss to the blonde forehead, Ace was stopped by a distinctive disgusted sniff.
"Well, if you have to lower yourself to wanting something that is so obviously beneath you."
Stiffening as his eyes narrowed on now very wide green eyes, Ace looked over to see Kagome standing there, arms crossed over her chest, a smug smile on her lips as she just looked at him and his partner.
"I think that was uncalled for," Ace said.
This had Kagome lifting her eyebrows and looking at him, confused for a second before she laughed.
"Oh, I wasn't talking to you Ace, I was talking to Shayla. She is worth her price and then some — really sweet woman. And from what the boys say, a sheet turner. It is you who are beneath her."
He didn't know what to say or even thought as smothered feminine laughter came from the woman next to him. He saw the smug smile return to Kagome's lips as her eyes told him that they were now even. Meaning she had been lying in wait to get him back for his comment after taking her first kiss. It gave him a new insight into her actual personality though he knew that she was hiding something, from the few conversations that he had partially overheard.
Four months ago
He was livid. His eyes didn't move even a centimeter from the blue ones that were sparking with a new level of rage that it had sweat beading on the back of his neck. Ace felt justified in asking her what she was hiding from him and the rest of the Moby Dick's expansive crew. He had done it away from everyone else to boot. But her reaction was to go pale, then red. It was rather amusing to see her color-changing abilities. Thatch seemed to be the only one to get her to turn that odd purple-blue and sputter, though.
Now, it was not that important. As Ace watched her take in a deep breath, nostrils flaring as she tried to calm down. Her body was visibly shaking, where she stood as she took another nostril-flaring deep breath.
"You... implying I am hiding something from the crew?"
At her question, Ace just nodded his head yes. He was choosing not to open his mouth. Because at this moment, his instincts to live were screaming at him to be silent. The topic was dangerous ground already. But by Davy Jones Locker, he'd get that information.
"I am sorry you feel that way. But spying on people who are having a 'private' conversation that doesn't 'include' you, Portgas D. Ace, is childish and beneath the man who is now the Commander of the Second Division."
Her words were to the point, putting him in his place, sort of. And he let his gaze tell her that he wasn't going to leave this alone. Moreso since she knew he was there. Then there was a lot of pain. White, hot pain flaring from his shin, causing him to hop up and down. Pain like this he had not felt since he ate his Devil Fruit. It shouldn't even be possible. And due to the pain, Ace was unable to even go after the impertinent woman, who even now as she got further away, he could feel her anger rolling off of her.
Two months ago
Once more, he found himself looking into a pair of blue eyes that were impossibly wide as they stared down at him. He knew his face was just as flushed as hers was. The crooked smile Kagome gave him as her very alcohol glazed eyes slowly slid to being half-shut had Ace wondering what had happened. In almost the full two years, he'd known the woman she had avoided liquor like it was a tool from hell come to corrupt the world.
Now, he saw first hand what a drunk Kagome looked like as she started to giggle. It was a soft sound as her hands fisted in his shirt, making him go very still. This was a new experience, and from the way that lopsided grin was turning into something that didn't make him want to be anywhere near her. If it weren't for his pride, he would be yelling at the others to pull this drunk version of Kagome off of him.
"You... are... are a certifiable... booty head! Yeah! All that swagger when you walk...like... like you... you sumbuddy special... But... Asche, your nothing... but a pretty boy with... a ... yeah..."
At the high rank coming from Kagome, Ace felt the heat in the face go from embarrassing to amusement. The urge to laugh at her bumbling. It was almost adorable. But he knew her. And he was still trying to figure out how the hell she could hurt him after he ate a Logia Devil Fruit. It shouldn't happen unless Haki were involved, and he knew she didn't have any of that in her body.
"Asche... you list... listen to me... I am being serious... You... are... such a royal pain... in the patooty. And it amazes... me you are... still... so...sin..."
Her words had his attention as she trailed off. Her inability to curse, even while drunk, was breaking him. But he wanted to know what she was going to say as her eyes slid shut the rest of the way as she fell off to the side. His arms were snapping out and catching her. Looking up, he glared at the ring of people around them.
"Hey, a little help?" he asked.
This caused the group to start chuckling, shaking their heads at him and making him feel as if he missed something. Then Marco was there lifting the now passed out Kagome from him and looking at him as if he was daft. Unsure of how to even try to understand what was going on around him. Hell, he still didn't fully trust the girl, as she was still hiding something he felt was important to him and the crew.
The night before D-Day
He was tired; there had been a bit of unrest since they'd picked up that new Devil Fruit. He didn't like the feeling he got from the damn thing. Add on top of his constant bickering with Kagome of late. Ever since she woke up the day after getting passed out drunk, sans the hangover, and looking at him like he was off his damn rocker, Ace had wanted to shake her. No one was backing him up. Of course, he found out about that later by teasing Thatch by threatening to burn down his precious kitchen. That Kagome never recalled what she did while drunk, which was why they didn't usually let her drink.
So, as a soft knock on his cabin door had him pausing from finishing up removing his clothes for bed, Ace called for whoever it was to come in. He was a bit shocked to see Kagome, as she had taken to avoiding him again. Glancing at her over, Ace noted that she held a small yellow pouch in her hands. He knew that bag, and it meant she was leaving again. This had him frowning at her before he pointed to his desk.
Turning his back to her, he shrugged out of his shirt and heard a sharp intake of breath. Glancing over his shoulder at her, he saw the faint blush in the dim oil lamp's light. Her eyes were riveted to his back. He was tracing it actually from the small movements her iris' were making.
"If you are done, you can leave," he said.
This had her stiffening and lifting her head to look at him. Her face was going a few shades darker at being caught. The way she shifted her gaze from him, he didn't wait before going back to getting ready for bed. His gut was churning. A clear indication of either indigestion or that something was going to happen. Something bad. When he didn't hear the door open and close, Ace felt annoyed.
"I... don't hate you, or even dislike you, Ace. Actually, you confuse me greatly. Make me question myself and my motives and morals even."
Her words had him stilling as he stood there. He was wisely keeping silent. He didn't want to discourage her from speaking her mind, willingly to him.
"You are right; I am hiding something... from everyone. But this... is something only pops, Marco, and Jozu know... Because they found me. Saved me all those years ago, Ace."
The way her voice stuttered as she spoke, choking up with emotion, he knew all too well. He felt it last when Sabo died. Still looking at his bunk, Ace heard Kagome move, then the shifting of fabric, causing him to jerk his body around to look at Kagome. What he saw had him going very still and feeling very angry.
"I... have to hide... I know that the others are trustworthy, as is any in pops' crew. But one misspoken drunk moment and... and my freedom will be taken from me."
There on her back was a symbol, anyone, in the four seas and Grandline knew. And it was not just on her back, he could see it on the back of her thighs, calves, which were all bare to his eyes — causing heat to flush his face. When she wrapped her arms around her chest, Ace started to speak but snapped his mouth shut. The click of his teeth was loud in the silence as he saw her sides and front. There at the base of her throat was another, on her arms and wrist, the sides of her thighs, the front, and across her stomach for a total of thirteen.
When she lifted her head to look at him, he saw her shame clearly in those blue eyes. It had him feeling like a total ass. Swallowing, he had nothing to say at all. Kagome had been a slave. And the fact that one of the Celestial Dragons had marked her like that meant she was a prize he hadn't wanted to lose. That she was special, of course, he could contest to that in a few categories, a few not too flattering.
"Ace, I am showing you this so that if we meet again, you will not keep thinking less of me... I meant it, I do not hate or even dislike you. Rather... I... like you a lot..."
Her words were slowly filtering through the shock and rage he felt as she stood there in nothing. He had seen his fair share of nude women, been with a few. But this was Kagome. Pop's daughter. The treasured, unofficial member of the crew. And even with the brands all over her body, he couldn't help but think how beautiful she was. The moment those words finally registered, Ace felt his jaw drop. She liked him...a lot more than a friend.
He saw a small smile tilt her lips upwards, and Ace fidgeted for all of five seconds before closing the space between them. The soft intake of breath from her before he reached and pulled her flush against his body. Feeling a tremble run through her as she let her arms drop, then wrap around his waist. Ace knew what had him always agitated about her being near other guys. It was not simple, but yet it was.
"Ace... I... can I stay with you tonight?"
That single question had him throwing caution to the wind and mentally telling Pops to screw off. She came to him, baring herself and wanting to be honest. Something she always was with anyone in one regard or another. Ace leaned down and planted a kiss on the crown of her head. His body was heating up rapidly, and it was not with his fire. No, this was liquid heat, and the way he could feel her body heat, Ace was not going to question this.
Five years later
Luffy and his crew were sitting in Rayleigh's bar, laughing it up. He was now the Pirate King. He was having made it to Raftel and learned the truth. A war had broken out, and he'd come out on top. The world was going through a change. The Celestial Dragons and the World Government was reviled for their choice of actions. It didn't matter to him, he had achieved his goal, his crew was safe, and now they were back at Shabody Archeology and happy.
Usopp was singing one of his silly songs when the doors burst open, and a short kid ran in, screaming at the top of his lungs — calling Rayleigh uncle. It had Luffy and his crew going still as they watched the former first mate of Gol D. Roger's crew pick up the small boy. Who was burbling a million miles an hour? Then it happened, the child turned around and looked at them, his blue eyes going wide as he stared, grinning.
What had Luffy was the fact that he was staring at Ace when he had been a child. There was no mistaking that messy mop of black hair, freckles, or that broad, cheesy grin. It was his brother all over again. But that was impossible; he had watched Ace die in his arms.
"Dammit! I told you to watch him. With all the BS that is going on, you couldn't handle your nephew and your daughter? Do I need to talk to Koala?"
The high pitched, angry, yet frantic female voice drew Luffy's attention to the doors of the bar as it opened. Revealing a petite raven-haired woman, who went still upon seeing him there, as the child in Rayleigh's arms called her mommy.
"Kagome? What is wrong?"
That was a familiar voice. One, he knew well. Luffy blinked only once as a familiar lanky form with curly blond hair and a blue top hat appeared behind the short woman whose eyes were still riveted to him before a gap-toothed smile was flashed at him.
"Heya, Luffy!" Sabo said, waving a hand at him before jumping back to avoid the woman's elbow being thrust back at him.
"You... You planned this!"
The woman's words had Sabo and Rayleigh laughing as Luffy looked at the latter setting the little boy down. He ran toward the woman. Grabbing onto her robe and jerking on it.
"Mama! What's the matter? Why you upset? I know who he is... That the Luffy, Kings of Pirates."
The woman stopped and knelt and ruffled the boy's hair — a sad smile on her lips.
"Yes, yes, he is Ace... he is also your uncle Luffy."
When the woman spoke those words, she lifted bright blue eyes to look at him. And Luffy could see no lie or deceit in them. Which only made it that much more profound to him that the boy was the spitting image of Ace as a child. Hell, his name was the same as his brother.
"Wait! Ace didn't have a wife! And we met him!"
At the outcry from Sanji, the woman just lifted both eyebrows as a low whistle came from Sabo.
"No, he didn't. But I can say this, for one night, I was his lover and this is the proof. Or do you not understand how babies are made?"
At the woman's words and her sharp, snarky jab at Sanji, Luffy threw his head back and laugh. There was a story here, and he'd get it. And he knew that Sabo had a daughter with Koala, another member of the Revolutionary army. Giving him a niece, Luffy couldn't be happier with fulfilling his dream as he watched the boy look at him with wonder and admiration from a tiny version of Ace's face with blue eyes like his mother. This was a different treasure. And another complete new adventure.
THE END!