Ace finally gets the chance to meet his father Roger. It goes about as well as you might expect.
Reincarnation AU Modern
XXX
I am obsessed with Roger getting to meet Ace only to get hit with his sarcasm and attitude and complete lack of interest in meeting his dad.
XXX
Her grave was beautiful and lonely.
He lingered there far too long unable to tear himself away.
He had loved her like no one else in the world-
And even if he looked for a thousand years, never would never find another like her.
Truly she was one of a kind.
He gave her the flowers all the same running his hand over the smooth stone.
"Oh, my love," Roger told the stone. "If I could have spent the rest of my life with you that's all I wanted." But the universe rarely took requests.
What an odd world they lived in. He had left her to meet his fate. Shoulders squared; chin held high. As a man with great pride should greet his own death- head-on.
He would die. There was no getting around that.
But she would live- and their child with them.
So why on earth did it end this way.
Thousands of years later- in another lifetime.
He was still here.
-She was already gone.
The irony of it all was sickening.
Roger arranged the flowers at the headstone thinking aloud. As he often did. Rogue had always been a great audience.
"It seems like the world carries on without us."
He patted the stone. He would see her soon enough. But it looks like he would have to carry on without her for a time.
"I should probably go see what everyone's gotten up to while I've been gone."
XXX
Ace's alarm clock was going off. It felt way too early for this. He could hear Sabo moving around in the kitchen and the entire apartment smelled of coffee. They both had things to do today.
-He should really get up.
He felt something shift beside him. That would be Luffy. Sometime during the night he had either switched beds or got into the wrong one by accident after his midnight snacking. Either way, it was annoying. This clingy behavior hadn't been cute when he was seven and it definitely wasn't now that he was fourteen.
"You're too old for this!" Ace groaned kicking blindly behind him to get his point across.
"Stop," Luffy groaned back still half asleep. "Wy're in m'bed."
"My Bed!" Ace told him.
"S'not."
Ace huffed, already this day was annoying him. Just one of those mornings. He sat up a little bit to push his foot into Luffy's side. "We're- not- kids- anymore!" He accented each word with a shove until he succeeded in pushing Luffy off the edge and onto the floor.
Luffy yelped in surprise as he landed on the floor but instead of getting up the room went silent.
Ace shifted himself a bit to look over the edge, surprised to see that Luffy had gone back to sleep. Only him.
He wanted to go back to sleep as well but he was too awake now. Stupid Luffy. Besides he had things to do and there was this little voice at the back of his mind warning him that today was going to suck. He better get it over with so he could go back to bed.
He got up, stepping over Luffy to go get changed and brush his teeth. On his way back Luffy was still on the floor sleeping. Ace kicked him in the butt again.
"Luffy, Get up!"
"I've- more minutes."
"You've been late to school every day this week!" Ace told him. He knew this because they kept calling him about it. That was impressive because it was Monday and school had just started last week.
"I won't be late," Luffy mumbled.
"That's what you say Every time!" Ace stepped over him again, heading out into the kitchen. Maybe he could be Sabo's problem today, he was eternally more patient with their little brother than Ace was.
He looked up as Ace entered their shoebox kitchen. "You look… really tired." He told him.
"I feel really tired." He took the mug of coffee the other one offered him gratefully. Sabo was having a better morning than he was. "What time did you get back last night?"
Ace honestly didn't know. "Late enough that I think the sun was rising."
"Sorry."
"Yeah, me too. Can you deal with Luffy?"
"Deal with him like wake him up or put him in a cardboard box labeled free kittens and see if anyone takes him home by accident."
And despite himself, Ace smiled. "Try the first thing and then if that doesn't work maybe we can try to rehome him." He sat down at the table, placing his mug down. If he wasn't careful, he was going to fall asleep all over the place today.
"Today's not going to be my day."
"That's the spirit."
There was a knock on their apartment door and the two of them looked up. "Is anyone coming over today?"
"I don't think so," Ace stood up to go check. To his mild surprise, it was Marco who stood on the other side of the door. "Hey?" He greeted moving so he could come inside. "What are you doing here?"
Marco waived at Sabo in the kitchen. "Morning."
"Want coffee?"
"I'm okay, thanks." He turned his attention back to Ace, "I tried to text you but you weren't answering so I thought I would swing by on the way over. We have a morning meeting today, I figured you forgot about it."
"No, I didn't forget I-," Ace looked over at their chaotic fridge calendar. Today was underlined in red. "-I totally forgot. Sorry."
"That's okay," Marco told him.
Ace's jacket was on the couch, where he threw it last night. He fished in the pockets finding his phone. It was dead. He had forgotten to charge it when he got back late last night.
"Today really isn't your day," Sabo told him.
"I want to go back to bed."
"It's all right," Marco looked more amused at his suffering than anything else. "I can give you a ride over there."
"Thanks."
"So, where's Luffy? Usually, this place is a bit louder."
"Oh right," Sabo put down his food disappearing into the hallway. They heard a loud thump followed by a second one and a yelp. Sabo came back a moment later.
"It's anyone's guess what he was up to last night," he said sitting back down at the table.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I got back around one-thirty and neither of you were here."
Ace had gotten back around Four- or five in the morning and Luffy was already asleep. At least he thought he was. It was dark and he hadn't looked too closely at the lump in Luffy's bed. "He hasn't even been here a month yet and he's already finding trouble."
"Maybe we can just ignore it until it sorts itself out," Sabo said. They both had a lot going on with their own lives right now.
"Yeah, that always works right up until the cops show up."
"That sounds rough," Marco said. He didn't sound sorry in the least.
"Stop enjoying this so much." As far as most of the Whitebeards were concerned whatever trouble Luffy gave Ace, he deserved for being equally stupid and making them worry. What they didn't understand was that Luffy was a different kind of crazy than Ace. Where Ace knew what he was doing would bring a hailstorm of trouble down upon himself- and chose not to care. Luffy didn't even think that far. Consequences had never really bothered him.
"Do you have any idea about what Oyaji is going to tell us today?" Ace said as Luffy stumbled out from the hallway, looking as sleepy as Ace felt. He made a beeline for their fridge raiding it in search of breakfast. He was hopeless at feeding himself.
"Yeah," Marco said. "Course." It was a stupid question, he was like Oyaji's right hand.
"Want to tell me?"
"And spoil the surprise?"
"I guess I'll find out soon enough," Ace finished his coffee, trying to wake himself up. The last thing he needed was to faint in the middle of a commander assembly- again.
Luffy wandered back to the table, helping himself to Sabo's own coffee before the other could stop him.
"You, I'm not worried about Lu," Sabo said taking the cup back. "You have enough energy- once you get started."
"Hey, Luffy." Marco said and the younger boy looked at him as if just realizing he was there. He really was tired.
Luffy waived at Marco, reaching again for the coffee which was held away from him.
"And where the hell were you last night?" Ace asked him. Luffy looked up at him all innocent. Luffy had brought something back from the refrigerator and was digging into it. He answered with his mouth full of leftovers. "Oh- Oh yeah! I was gone."
"We got that part. Where were you."
"Out," Luffy said again swallowing the mouthful.
Ace doubted Luffy understood where the questions were coming from. Usually, nobody cared what he did so long as he wasn't currently dying or in the process of dying.
For his part Ace wasn't used to not knowing what Luffy got up to anymore. He supposed it was all part of growing up but when it came to Luffy ignorance on the topic wasn't always the best option. Not if they didn't want it to bite them in the ass later when Luffy's insane scheme exploded.
"He means are you going to end up in the police station again?" Sabo said. Twice was plenty for how short of a time he had been here.
"Or with a thousand frantic calls from your principal who hates both of us," Ace told him. As Luffy's legal guardian dealing with his fallout was a nightmare. Especially since he had his own problems to worry about.
Luffy shrugged, the point going over his head entirely. "I can't control what people do." He told them honestly like he honestly thought his principal's actions were independent of his.
"I'd ask you to stay out of trouble," Sabo said. "But I know that's a lost cause. Just try not to get caught okay."
Luffy smiled brightly, showing his teeth. "I can do that."
"You guys are such role models," Marco said.
Ace shrugged. "Whatever works."
There was no way Luffy was listening as he agreed, and everyone knew it. He waved at them as he pulled his backpack together, heading towards the door. "Bye guys!"
"Actually, Go to School this time!" Ace called to him as the front door closed. He sighed. "This isn't funny."
"Mmm-hm," Marco agreed, trying to hide his laugh. "Luffy skips school a lot?"
"All the time! His principal is ready to kill me."
"Whereas you never missed school a day of school in your life right?" Ace frowned, looking away.
"Okay point received. But he still has to go whether I'm a hypocrite or not."
"Hm," Marco said "He's impulsive and irresponsible and makes you crazy when you try to look after him right? I wonder what that's like."
"Okay," Ace said standing up. "Let's go before I dig myself deeper." He reached over to pick up the mug but when he grabbed it the handle shattered. Ace pulled back his hand shaking it.
"I think that means I am about to have a really good day."
XXX
Whitebeard summoned all of his children the next day, gathering them together for his announcement.
"Good morning my sons and daughters," he started, his booming voice carrying across the room. I have some news to share with you. I've been in contact with an old… acquaintance of mine and we may have trouble coming in from the east. Our groups that were are also reporting strange occurrences. As of yet, it could be nothing but something tells me that this is the start of something….
There was a small commotion from the back as someone feinted.
…
After his briefing, Whitebeard headed back to his office where Roger sat waiting for him. "You didn't tell them." He said as Whitebeard sat down at his large desk.
"I told them everything we are sure of. If your claims are right- then time will tell old friend."
It had been a shock when Roger had called him earlier that week, from six countries away no less. But the surprise had quickly turned to necessity when the man told him what was up. Although the more Edward thought about it, it really wasn't that surprising. Roger, after all, always had a habit of popping up where you least expect. Despite what most people said, that he was spending eternity in hell for his crimes, Whitebeard had always expected to see his old friend. In this life or the next.
"You were watching?"
Roger smiled, "Your crew didn't take the news well it seems. I figured they would be less cowardly.
Whitebeard actually laughed, a gruff sound. He was referred to Ace, who had fallen asleep yet again at the morning meeting. That amused him on so many levels, and the more he thought about it the funnier it got.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about them," Whitebeard said when he finally got ahold of his humor. "My children are as brave as they come. You will see for yourself soon enough if what you say is true."
Roger's face darkened at that. "Let's hope for all of our sakes I'm wrong."
Whitebeard only shook his head. Sometimes he forgot how old he was compared to everyone else. "Life will unfold as it will. There is no point in hoping for anything. Not when the outcome of either situation is unknown. You just have to take it as it comes."
"Still speaking in riddles then," Roger said.
"Still behaving like a brat."
XXX
At the beginning of the second period, Usopp caught Luffy halfway out the window, with one leg in the classroom, and the other dangling out the window as he moved to toss his backpack to the ground.
He shut the door quickly, hissing at his friend. "Luffy what are you doing! Class is starting. You can't leave now. The day is just starting!"
Luffy looked over at his friend before smiling broadly. "Cover for me- kay!"
"What no!" Usopp said. "We've been through this! I'm terrible at covering. They always find out and then I get detention."
"It'll be fine," Luffy cut off his rant easily. "Besides, your ay better at lying."
Usopp was torn between worry and pride, he chose the latter. "It's all in the details," he boasted. "It's a natural talent. It's not your fault you are so bad at it. The gift isn't for everyone."
"Sure!" Luffy said as he dropped his backpack, moving after it. "See you later yeah!"
"Wait! At least tell me where you are going! Luffy!"
XXX
It wasn't even noon yet, and already Ace was tired. Worryingly so. He had stopped outside to get some fresh air to try and stay awake. If he fell asleep at work again they would draw on his face in permanent marker. That was such a pain to get off. Ace had expected to be alone out here, but there was a man sitting on the edge of the loading dock, cigarette in hand. He was wearing a jacket with the hood up so all Ace could see about him was his tan skin and dark messy hair.
He didn't recognize him but if someone had wanted to break in here, they wouldn't be hanging out here of all places.
Actually, one of those sounded pretty good right now.
"Have a spare?" Ace asked as he came over. The man looked up, before tugging his hood down a little bit. He was older than Ace had thought. Like middle-aged, but freshly shaven.
The man reached into his pack, pulling out an extra for him.
"Thank you, kindly sir," Ace said automatically as he lit it. The man watched with amusement.
"You one of Whitebeards?"
When Ace nodded, he laughed. "You're polite for a criminal."
Ace was too tired for a lecture. But he gave the man an easy smile, all the same, it wasn't his principal to be rude to people. "Only when people do favors for me." The man laughed again. He laughed easily, and without hesitation, Ace knew somebody like that.
"Those things will kill you."
"I'm counting on it," Ace said. "And I'm not a smoker. I can't afford it." He was an opportunist, taking whatever other people gave him. "If they kill me, they'll kill you faster."
The man turned the cigarette in his fingers. "If it's these that get me and nothing else then I think I've done something wrong. Race against time eh?"
Despite himself, Ace laughed. This guy was uninhibited and easy to strike up a conversation. He didn't expect that from the man sitting all alone at the truck port with a hood pulled over his face.
"You're getting a head start on your life of crime early. Especially with the Whitebeards. They don't mess around."
"That's why I like them," Ace agreed. "And you're here too."
"Whitebeards an old friend," he said. "I wanted to check in on him. It's been- well it feels like a lifetime."
That explained it. Whitebeard had a lot of old friends- from another lifetime. This guy probably had a rap sheet longer than Ace had been alive for.
"Commander!" Ace turned to see where Karo, another member from his division had finally managed to find him. Shoot. The guy's face lit up when he saw him. "There you are! We've been looking for you." Karo was new to the group and inexperienced. He insisted on calling Ace that even after Ace reminded him daily he didn't like it.
"Commander," The man said in amusement as Karo trotted up to them. "That's quite the accomplishment. What are you, nineteen- twenty?"
Ace was seventeen. But he didn't bother correcting the man. He preferred when people thought he was older. "It's not," he crushed the butt against the concrete, standing up. "I'm coming," he promised. To the man, he said, "It was nice to make your acquaintance. Thanks for the smoke."
The man just smiled, still amused. Ace left him there, sitting by himself on the loading dock.
XXX
There you go. Part one of Ace meeting his father. I can't promise for a fact there will be more, and I don't plan to make this into an epic. Rather part of my Modern Au ficlets that give me life. If people like the story I can try to finish it out or at least make the part 2. If not it's just a cute intro for me. But do let me know and I'll try my best.
I've wanted Ace to meet Roger for so long because I think it would be so funny for Roger to be all enthusiastic to meet his kid, only to learn his son absolutely loathes his existence. Plus Ace is just so cool (in my opinion, Roger would be so thrilled to meet him.)
So, a little background onto the story. This takes place in a modern world where all the pirates were reincarnated. Most of them remember their past lives, but they mostly decide to live in the moment rather than deal with their pasts. I know it seems like the story is setting up to be a large epic (sorry). This idea is a head cannon I like to think about when I'm bored so the plot bunnies get away from me. But the main thing is Ace is trying to look after his ex-crew mate at night so he is exhausted during the day. Roger is worried about a looming threat that only he and Luffy can sense, thus why Luffy is always ditching school. And for the most part all of the characters get to live with their loved ones! In chaotic happiness.