I know i've been posting this everyday but that'll stop soon. As in now. ENJOY

/-—XXXX—/

Thatch was the first one to wake up, when she did, she found herself in a very sticky situation. Not only does the brunette have a pounding headache. She is tangled with the worst person possible. Izo was still sleeping soundly. His hair fell out of his usual bun, making it lay on his forehead and cheek. The man also didn't have his face paint on, it must've washed off from last night's activities.

The thought of last night sent a tingle down Thatch's spine. How embarrassing! Thatch wanted to yell and scream at herself. How could I do that to Izo! The man is… we're close… but. Thatch looked back up at Izo. Their faces were inches apart, giving her a great view of all the details she missed before. The male has a soft and elegant face, different from other men. He is also more lean than muscular. Izo has a muscle toned chest, but his arms are slender. Thatch likes the man's body, when she hugs him she doesn't feel trapped. Even right now. His arms around her, bringing her closer, but with Izo it feels comfortable.

Thatch decided to go back to sleep and enjoy the man's company. When she did, she buried her head under his chin, making them closer than before.

—XXXX—-

The sunlight smacked against Ace's face, burning his aching body with its heat. Ace let out a groan as ringing reverberated throughout his body. Damnit! Ace rubbed the back of his head, running his slender fingers through his hair. He was laying on the top deck, right in front of Whitebeard. When the events of last night tumbled into his head, he let out another annoyed groan.

"The alcohol is not playing nice I'm guessing?" Whitebeard said with a chuckle. Ace looked at his captain with a frown, "the headache is not what I'm worried about. When she finds out I spilled her secret, she'll kill me." The brunette grumbled. The thought of the red head fuming sends shivers down his spine.

"Lucky for you, they will be leaving soon." Boa said from behind Ace. She placed her hands on her hips and scowled at the brunette. "You better of not hurt my little Red." The woman barked.

Ace snorted, "I didn't. And why are you so attached to her anyways?" The Warlord being so nice and protective of Red is confusing. Is it something to do with Red's past? Now that I think of it, we know nothing of the girl's past. Ace thought.

Boa raised a brow, "then you haven't seen her thigh then?" Ace and Pops gave her a confused look, but instead of answering their questions, Boa walked to her ship. She needs to get ready for their departure.

Whitebeard pushed his curiosity aside and asked Ace to go fetch the four for their trip. Ace obeyed and traveled to the lower deck.

Ace tucked his hands behind his head and strolled to Thatch's chamber. On the way he started to think about Red, or what he knows about her. I know the woman's personality, lazy, funny, confident, a ray of sunshine, hot tempered. The woman is a bunch of things, but what about her past?

The girl is the daughter of an emperor, Red Haired Shanks. She mentioned before that she has three siblings. Eustass Captain Kid, a little brother named Nako… but what about the other one. 'There's four in total. I haven't seen my oldest brother in a long time.' Her voice was cold when she mentioned the fourth child. What happened?

Ace stopped thinking once he came to Thatch's door, with a sigh he opened the it. "The ship will be departing-" what the hell? Ace stopped talking when he saw Thatch and Izo cuddling on the bed.

Izo woke up from Ace's voice, his eyes were as wide as plates. His throat went dry, he couldn't think of any excuses on why he's in this situation. "A-A-c-e." Izo finally said, making Thatch squirm. Ace saw Thatch move against Izo's chest, showing off more of her cleavage.

The second commander didn't know if he should laugh or cringe at the sight. He wants to laugh and tease the two, but the situation is too awkward not to cringe.

"Well, I'll be going now." Ace slammed the door shut before Izo could explain himself. That was strange… please tell me Marco and Red aren't in the same state. Pops better not let those four go alone.

This time, Ace knocked on Red's door. When he heard a muffled 'come in' he opened it. This time, they weren't in an awkward position. Marco was sitting beside Red's bed, and Red was passed out.

"I hope you guys didn't have too much fun." Ace said in a taunting voice, earning an eye roll from the blonde. Ace walked to the bed and started to shake the redhead awake.

"Go… away… Ace." She mumbled. She stuck her foot up, trying to shoo him away, but Ace kept shaking.

"You need to get up Red. Remember your favor to Boa." Marco said, nudging the woman with his finger. Red doesn't like waking up early, the boys figured that out when she sent a kick to Ace's face and bit Marco's finger.

Ace jumped back, clenching his face from the pain, "Ow! Red! Get up!" Ace activated his devil fruit and sent a fiery kick in her direction. Marco was going to interfere, when a weapon appeared out of nowhere, blocking the kick. The weapon was a seven-foot-long, red and black, scythe. Where the hell did that come from!

Red was awake now; her murderous aura was seeping out of her. Ace shivered under her demonic gaze, "Are you trying to burn me!" She growled. The second commander backed away from the woman and gave her a nervous smile. "No…" he answered. Her glare intensified as she gripped her scythe, "THEN WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU TRY TO USE YOUR DEVIL FRUIT ON ME!" Her fury took physical form, making her blood colored hair flow with her anger.

Ace only had one option… to run. The second commander bolted out the door, with the red monster chasing after him. Marco's confused about what happened, but he followed them. He needed his questions answered, and he needed to make sure Red doesn't kill the second commander.

The two of them ran to the top deck, with Ace screaming the whole way up. The rest of the crew woke up from all the ruckus, but they were too scared to comment on it. Not with a pissed off Red right behind him. The chaos reached all the way to Whitebeard, he gave his son a questioning look when the man ran behind him.

"P-Pops! Sa-Save me!" The man pleaded, before Whitebeard could ask any questions Red appeared. Her ferocious eyes wandered around the deck. Landing on Whitebeard and the man cowering behind him. She gripped her scythe, making it grow twice its regular size.

"STOP HIDING AND FACE YOUR DEATH PORTGAS D. ACE!" Red growled.

Whitebeard sighed, "what did you do?" He whispered to his son. The second commander shivered, "I might've used my devil fruit on her." Another sigh came from Whitebeard.

One of the snake heads started to glide down to the top deck, "Oh, it's Red!" A voice cheered. Ace looked up to see Boa Handcock with heart eyes, glaring at Red. I still don't understand how the selfish Warlord could have such a soft spot for this monster. Ace thought.

The Warlord hopped in front of Red, ignoring her malevolent aura. "You look as beautiful as always Red!" Red opened her mouth to speak but stopped when Boa popped something into her mouth.

The monster immediately relaxed when she started to chew on the item, making her sigh with a smile. "Thank you Boa!" The red head gave the woman a tight hug, and Handcock almost fainted from the contact.

Marco came running to the deck, he was out of breath and panting when he stopped. The blonde was shocked to see that the fury in Red had disappeared. His eyes scanned the deck, a sigh left him when he saw Ace's body intact behind his captain. Once the first commander caught his breath, he walked over to Whitebeard.

"What just happened yoi?" Marco asked, snapping the two out of shock. Ace was the first one to answer, "I don't know." He was still staring at the two women, with his eyes as wide as planets. The brunette is thankful he's alive, very thankful, but what made the woman change so suddenly.

Ace decided to ask the Warlord, thinking the trick might come in handy. "It was chocolate." The woman answered, running her hands through Red's hair. Red hummed from the woman's touch, her anger and stress continued to melt away. It's as if she forgot everything that happened this morning.

"Chocolate always calms her down." One of the other Kuja pirates said, from the snake head. "No matter what?" Ace pressed; he made a note to himself to buy chocolate. "Yep."

Whitebeard couldn't help but chuckle. Of course chocolate would stop the carefree woman. "Ace, I would like you to go with the four as well. You guys have seemed to make a friend group, including Thatch and Izo."

Ace smiled, "Ok!" He has no problems with spending more time with Red. This means he could tease her about Marco for a solid two days!

After Thatch and Izo came off deck, blushing from the fact Ace saw them cuddling, the group went aboard Boa's ship.

"Bye everyone! We will see you soon!" Thatch and Red waved to the crew. Once the ship was out of view, Boa and the other Kuja pirates started giving them further detail. "It is a simple gathering; all you have to do is go to dinner on the second night you spend there. We will be there in twelve hours, so it will be nightfall by the time you get there. I will give you a map of the area, so you can find the hotel. The first half of tomorrow is free time, you can go to the shopping district, order food, it doesn't matter. But you need to be at the hotel by five. I will show Izo the preparations for your outfits." Boa explained.

"Wait, we all have to wear outfits." Ace said in a grumpy tone. The brunette doesn't like to wear fancy clothes, he doesn't even wear shirts.

"If I have to suffer, so do you." Red side, displaying the same grumpiness as Ace.

Izo ignored the two and gestured for Boa to continue. "There is one problem. There are only three rooms for you guys."

Everyone besides Ace, froze from the news. "I call being alone!" The second commander shouted with a mischievous grin. The rest were still frozen, even after Boa handed Ace a key.

"S-So we have to s-share a room with s-someone?" Red stuttered.

"Yep! You guys can draw straws!" Marco snapped out of his trance and sent a glare towards Ace. The brunette was twirling his key, sprouting a cocky grin.

Thatch gulped, "why don't we do it by gender." Red nodded, "y-yeah."

Ace pouted, how boring. He thought. Izo cleared his throat, "yes, that's a great idea." Marco sent a look to Ace, he smiled at the brunette's frown and nodded.

Boa handed the map to Izo, "Lunch will be made in an a few hours. My crewmates will show you around the ship." Boa trotted away. Red had no interest in looking around the ship, especially since she's seen it before. Instead, the red head decided to take a bath, for some reason, she was still in the dress she wore last night.

-—-—XXXX—-

The steaming water cleansed her skin, healing her aching bones. Her red hair flowed in the clean water, giving the hair a darker shade. Bubbles filled her hand when she dipped them into the water. She cupped her pale hands and brought them to her mouth, blowing the bubbles at the Warlord.

"You never change, do you?" Boa smiled. The redhead shook her head before blowing more bubbles at the older woman.

"Can I ask you something? Why the Whitebeard Pirates? I thought you would only be a part of his crew." Red stopped blowing bubbles and gave Handcock her full attention.

Red pov

A sigh escaped my lips as I slid against the ring of the bathtub. To be honest, shes right. I thought I would only join his crew. I dipped my hand down in the water, laying it against the mark on my thigh. "I will always be part of his crew. Whitebeard reminds me of my father, I've seen the way he treats his members. Like family. That man will always have a place in my heart, don't get me wrong. Whitebeard is slowly finding a place too, I guess." A smile graced my lips.

The old man has definitely made a special place in my heart, him and his crew. Thatch is like a sister to me, a sister I've never had. I am the only girl in my family besides my mother, so it's nice to have that kind of connection with Thatch. Izo and Ace feel like older brothers, lecturing me and teasing me. And Marco… Red's face heated up from the thought of the blonde's smile. How could a scent be so pleasant, it stirs my whole body from the thought. It's not just his scent anymore, his smile, his eyes, his smarts, his kindness. The man's so gentle yet so stern.

Whenever he's near me, I have the urge to test him. Whenever I think about him, my whole-body shivers. It's gotten so bad that I can't be near the blonde for a long period of time.

Boa noticed my long silence, "So it isn't because of the first commander?" The red on my cheeks flared, proving Boa's suspicions.

"W-why would you- t-think that." I cursed my voice for stuttering. Boa smiled at how flustered I've become from the mention of the first commander. The older woman couldn't help but giggle. "Stop laughing at me Boa! It's not ok?" I ducked my head in the water, trying to hide the blush spreading through my face.

The older woman took a seat beside me, dipping her head over the ring of the tub. "I see the way you look at him, I also notice how flustered you become around him. I'm very familiar with your abilities and heightened senses, I'm guessing his scent is too much for you to handle. Am I right?" The raven haired woman looked over to me. I nodded as I took my head out of the water.

"Does anyone besides Izo know about the mark? Have you bared Whitebeards?" Boa's tone was serious.

"I haven't told them, but I plan on doing it soon. No, I haven't gotten Whitebeards either."

"I suggest you tell them soon, the hotel you're going to has a bathhouse. Thatch will see it there, you should tell them after your bath. If you would like, I can give you a private area on my ship to tell them." Boa stood up and stepped out of the bath. Wet footprints traveled with her as she went to the door, before she left, she turned around to look at me.

"Red… I'm still grateful to you… know that you are my friend. Please stay safe."

"I know Boa, I will. I will always be a friend to you, no matter what." After my words, Boa left the room, leaving me and my thoughts.

How am I going to tell them anyways? Will they think of me differently? No. What a stupid thought. I know the crew won't care, it's just… my past… the thought of it scares me. To think, at 13 I ran into him of all people, then I ended up in that place. That wretched, horrific place. The thought makes my blood boil! How dare they treat me like an object! How dare he put this cursed power into my body! I found peace years after, but then he comes back and tries to drag me with him! I don't care who he is or his status! That man will never be considered my-

I exhaled, I can't keep thinking about him. I need to hurry up, it's time to tell the crew, they will understand. I know they will.

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