Disclaimer: One Piece and its characters are not mine. Nor shall they ever be unless I win the mega lottery ( but probably not even then sooo... yeah basically never...)

Thank you guys for your Supah support! I honestly cant remember anytime where I've written this much of a story in a few days and still have more ideas and still be interested in it. I think most of my inspiration comes from reading the other stories like your guys's. Shishishi! Thanks for reading!

Warning: this has a little fluff in it, I guess, if you can call it that. I have no idea what some might deem to be fluff...but yeah. Oh, and Lucci is a bastard. He sorta, kinda rapes Ace. Its at the very end, though, AND IS IMPLIED. So if you dont like it, dont get your panties in a twist. I needed an ending so PLEASE DONT JUDGE ME!

Hellfire

Chapter 5

"Damn it," Smker groaned, " Tashigi's gonna kill me for ruinning these clothes."

Ace wanted to chuckle, but he could see that Smoker was in bad shape and loosing too much blood. Ace was glad he had been there in time to chase off that bastard Eustace and his lap dog. Who the fuck knows what could have happened.

Ace looked around instinctively to see what he could use as a bandage to bind Smokers wounds. There was nothing around. Hell, he was practically naked himself, with only shorts and boots on in the chilly November night. The only thing to use was Smokers shredded leather jacket.

Ace gently peeled the jacket off of Smokers bloody body, using his softest, most reassuring voice. The man was practically unconscious from the pain by the time the jacket was off. He saw were the wounds were bleeding the heaviest and tried to tie them off as best he could. Ace took Smokers arm and put it over his shoulders, helping his boss to his feet.

"I don't need your help, you fucking brat," Smoker swore at Ace. "I don't need you OR Hina... I'm fine by myself. I've always been fine by myself..." The raven ignored the jibe until Smoker had said Hina. Had 'Hina' been his other partner? Ace shook his head. No time to worry about that now.

He practically had to drag Smoker back to the alleyway where he had parked his car behind Upper Yard. Ace placed Smoker as gently as he could in the front passenger seat, then patted Smoker down for the car keys, but couldn't find them. Pressed for time, he hurried around to the driver side and hot wired the car. Ace decided to drive to his apartment, it being the nearest and also because before Smoker went to the hospital, he needed to have the massive hemorrhaging problem fixed.

Thank God Ace's apartment was on the first floor and not many people were out that night, because he was pretty sure that it would have been suspicious if he was seen carrying on conscious, playing man into the apartment. He was also pretty sure that would classify as something "above the radar" according to Lucci.

Ace clumsily unlocked the door and stummbled as he hauled a very heavy Smoker into the tiny apartment, and sat him upright on the couch. The raven quickly put a pan of water on the stove to boil and rushed to find the first aid kit he had packed away in the numorous boxes littering his apartment.

"Where are we?" Smoker asked, sounding a little dazed. Ace continued to rummage through the boxes, "My place." "Oh," was all the older man said. Then, "Thats a nice cat." Ace was getting anxious now. WHERE HELL WAS THE FIRST AID KIT?! There were to many fucking boxes! "Yeah. Real nice." Ace said absently, "Dont touch him though because he'll bite you as soon as look at you..." FINALLY! Ace thought as he pulled the desired kit out from under some packing peanuts and turned toward Smoker.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, his jaw almost dropped. There, on the couch next to Smoker, was Ace's vicious, devil cat incarnate whom Ace had owned for years. "What the fuck!" He exclaimed as he glared at the fat grey cat. Smoker petted the purring cat and asked, "Whats his name?"

Ace shook his head in disbelief as he watched Smoker and his new friend. "Sinbad," The raven said sourly, "Like the pirate. " A cold,heartless bastard. He added in his head.

Smoker didnt acknowledge Ace's reply. He just continued to pet the cat as Ace brought the now boiling water and kit over to the couch. The raven placed the hot water ontop of an oven mit on the floor and then proceeded to disinfect the needle and thread he would use to patch up Smokers wounds.

The younger man happily broke up the cat man duo by shooing Sinbad away with hiss and a couch pillow to the face. The cat stalked off with a huff and a hiss at Ace,disappearing into Ace's bedroom.

Ace crouched and began to cut away the jacket and Smokers shirt. He cringed when he saw the multiple knife wounds, but was glad that they were the least serious of Smokers injuries. What worried Ace were the two gunshot holes in smokers left shoulder and side.
both were bleeding profusely and Ace was surprised that smoker was even a live. Ace stood and gently leaned Smoker forward. The bullet hole in the shoulder had gone straight through and missed the bone. He sighed in relief, and but sucked it back in when he realized the second bullet wound was not so clean.

Smoker moaned in pain as Ace leaned him back word against the couch. " I'm going to patch up the bullet wounds first, okay? The first one went clean through, but the second one I'm going to have to take out. Smoker, do you need something to bite down on? Its going to hurt like a bitch." Smoker groaned in pain and Ace took that as a yes. Didn't need to the nosy neighbors hearing all the noise going on in here. The older man excepted the gag in his mouth without complaint.

Smoker screamed harshly as Ace started to work on the shoulder wound. He frowned as noticed a jagged scar stretching from Smokers left collarbone to the top of his left peck. Ace wondered briefly what it was from but shook his head to clear the thought away before he leaned the older man forward again, cleaning the back, and stiching up that as well.

Ace could feel Smokers muscular body tense under his fingertips with every gentle touch and press. Ace couldn't help but wonder how great the Captain would be in bed, completely healthy. He smiled stupidly at the thought, but frowned again as Smoker cried out in pain. So Raven then proceeded to dig out the bullet buried in Smokers side.

Smoker forced himself not to writhe in pain, but he could tell that the older man was losing consciousness. " I'm sorry," he said worried, hoping that he wasnt hurting too badly. "I'm sorry."

Finally, the bullet came out. Ace cleaned and stitched it up the hole and then cleaned and binded Smokers torso in clean bandages as quickly as he could. The Raven brushed back his hair from his face with the backs of his bandaged hands and sighed in relief.

Smoker was asleep for now, his breathing regular and deep. Ace wasn't a doctor, but he knew enough to know that smoker was out of danger now.

Whil the older man slept, as creepy as it sounded, Ace had the chance to think about the man who he was going to have to befriend, then have to betray. Ace closed his eyes and leaned against the wall across from Smoker. Ace had to break down the man's barriers and then seep into every aspect of the Smokers's life first. The Raven sighed. If becoming a friend didn't work than Ace would have to seduce smoker and that was something he would rather not do. For his and smokers pride.

Ace was tired of this game of deciet that had started over 5 years ago. Once, Ace had been proud of what he did, proud of who he was. He had once had nakama, had once had a family. Luffy... the Raven thought tiredly. All of this was for them, for Luffy. If Ace couldnt protect his own little brother, his only family left, then he had no right to call himself a man.

This thing with CP9 was wearing Ace down. He had befriended and killed so many people, but he still remembered every one of their faces as they found out who he was, what he found out and what he was going to do to them. No strings could be left loose. That was his job: go where he was needed, gather the info, finish off the target, report back to Lucci and repeat.

Ace shivered at the thought of CP9s top agent Rob Lucci. The man was a heartless bastard with no emotions to speak of. The only time he showed any interest in anything was when he used Ace for his S&M experiments. Ace shuddered at the memories, scars from Luccis sharp nails on Ace's body throbbing with hate. He pushed the emotions down.

"No room for emotions, no room for friends. That stuff wasn't part of the job." Ace's mantra for the past 6 years had been this phrase. He had stuck by it, lived by it. Its rules were ones he never broke... Until he met Smoker.

Smoker was the first person in awhile to really rub him the wrong way, yet intrigue him. The man had made Ace curious since he had first received this assignment. He had known of smoker, of course, but about Smoker? The man was basically a mystery. Nothing before joining the police force 10 years ago pops up in any of the records. It was like the guy had sprouted from the ground.

Something that Smoker knew or possessed was of great importance to Lucci if he wanted to risk Ace coming back to Chicago. He hadn't been specific of what kind of information he wanted Ace to collect, but that was probably for the best. Smoker had a reputation for smelling out rats in the police departments.

The less Ace knew for now, the closer he could get to Smoker without arousing suspicion. Plus if he could take out a few gangs that threatened Luffy, what better way than with the White Hunter? Even cp9 intelligence could only go so far.

Ace opened at his eyes and looked at his own bandaged body. They were covered in Smokers blood and his own. He got up slowly, not wanting to wake Smoker, and grabbed the first aid kit. Heading over to the sink, Ace slowly and unwrapped his injuries, hissing in pain as the scabs cracked and new blood and liquid oozed out.

He did his torso first, that wasn't so bad. It was mostly cut some some minor burns and he'd had much worse, but what fucking hurt was the hand that he had grabbed the pipe with. The skin was hard with scabs and every time he moved by finger the skin with crack and puss would come out. He flicked on the faucet and shoved his over heated hand under the running water. The doctor had said to soak it for 15 minutes in the morning and an hour at night in the cool water with only a little ice.

He grabbed a big bowl from under the sink and stuck it under the water and placed his hand in it when it was full enough. Then he awkwardly grabbed an ice cube tray from the freezer while still trying to hold the bowl, and dumped all the ice in the water. The liquid got immediately cooler.

The heat in his hand was still there, but the water made it bearable. He walked back over to the couch that Smoker was softly snoring on. Well, he thought, as he looked at the sleeping Captains face, if I do have to sleep with him, at least he is a man I would fuck with or without instructions. Ace leaned forward dnd took in a long breath to catch the other mans scent in his nose. The man's natural musk mixed in with cologne was almost irresistible.

If Ace hadn't been holding the bowl, he would have reached out to touch the older mans soft, white hair. Maybe if they had meet under different circumstances, or maybe in another life, things would be different. They couldve been friends or maybe something more...

"What are you doing?" Smokers sleepy voice asked loudly. Ace jumped back, his heart almost stopping, and tried to act like he hadn't just been smelling the handsome Captain. "N-Nothing. I thought you stopped breathing, but, uh, it was just my imagination."

Smoker just looked at him with half lidded eyes. "You should still go to the doctors." He said as he shifted the bowl in his arms. Smoker grunted and stood up slowly, his abdominal muscles bunching up with his movement.

" Are you well enough to drive? Your stiches should hold up until the doctor can take a proper look at you." "I don't need the doctor's" Smoker said gruffly. Ace lifed up his leg and placed his boot against Smokers uninjured shoulder, pinning him to the couch.

"You need medical attention. Only God knows what substances were on Killers blades." Smoker grumbled something Ace couldn't hear. "What?" Ace said. Smoker replied, highly annoyed. "My medical insurance can't cover it!" Ace relaxed and withdrew his leg. " Oh, well if that's all, I know a doctor that will take you for free."

Smoke I looked at him dubiously. "It's true," Ace laughed as he insisted. Ace put the bowl down and carefully dried his burned hand. He took a piece of scrap paper and a pen to scribble down a message. "Here, ask for Dr Chopper and give him this." Smoker took the piece of paper and read it, curious. He raised an eyebrow. "Really?" "What? He really does only a favor."

The older man rolled his eyes and stood unsteadily. "Woah, there Smokie. " Ace said as he tried to help Smoker. The captain smacked Aces hands away, "I stand by what I said earlier," he said gruffly. "Stay out of my personal life."

Ace hissed in pain as Smokers hand hit his burned one. That ungrateful... He breathed in deeply and out as he clutched his hand. "Its for the mission, its for Luffy." he repeated 3 times before trusting himself to speak. "You really can say that to me after I just saved your fucking life?! Why are you such a bastard?! Some fucking way to treat a friend." Ok, so maybe he should have said it a few more times...

The last part came out in a small groan as Aces hand throbbed frantically in pain. He placed his hand back in the water and forced it not to clencth as the cold water seeped into the open skin.

He felt Smokers eyes on him as he soaked the pulsing limb. "How is your hand?" The older man asked unexpectedly, and moved closer to Ace. "Its okay," the Raven mumbled, still pissed at the man's attitude. "You know youre covered in my blood, right?" Ace forced himself to suppress a shiver as a Smoker's breath tickled his ear. "Yeah, but it's mostly on my pants so... I can just... wash them."

His breath was becoming irregular as Smoker gently ran a finger along the new bandages Ace wrapped his arms in. Was Smoker... flirting? " You are such an idiot," Smoker said as he withdrew his hand.

Ace should have been mad, but the Captain's words had no bite to them. "Yeah. I'm kind of known for it." Aces heart was beating a little faster, knowing that Smoker was half naked and so close to him. The Captain seemed unaware of the effect he had on Ace. It made him think: when HAD Smoker start having this effect on him? Ace knew when almost immediately. When he had been in the hospital for the first two days he had watched the news whenever he had been awake. Smoker had always been there, along with all the officers at the precinct they could spare. He was right alongside them, working way past his breaking point and without made Ace look at Smoker a little differently. He could tell that Smoker really cared about his teammates and that the Captain hadnt earned his reputation by words alone.

Ace took his hand out of the bowl and turned around to get it bandaged. The water hurt his hand too much now. Smoker was right behind him and when Ace turned all the way around, the top of the Ravens head reached just above the other man's chin.

"So," Smoker rumbled, "We're friends now, huh?" A small smirk graced his lips. "Yeah, I guess so," Ace breathed, not having the will power to move away. He hadn't realized how much he wanted to be friends until Smoker said it like that.

All Ace had to do was tilt his chin up a little and their the lips would touch... No! He scolded himself. You can become his friend. You can gain someone's trust it out sleeping with them!

"Do you have my keys?" Ace blinked in confusion. "Er, your what?" Smoker rolled his eyes as he stepped away, the spell breaking. "I asked if you had my keys." "No..." Ace said slowly as he got hurt his feelings and thoughts out of the gutter. "I had to hotwire the car. Sorry."

He stepped further away from Smoker and over to the bandages in the first aid kit. He struggled for a few minutes before Smokers big hands brushed his good one away.
"Let me do it," he grunted "You're doing it all wrong. The salve has to go on first..." Ace watched Smokers face as the man's cool fingers ran over Ace hot skin. The hand was wrapped quickly and Smoker backed away again.

"Well, it's not like I've never hotwired the car before so I'll be fine. Goodnight." He turned to leave and opened the door. Without looking back he said "Your ass better be at work tomorrow. You're not getting paid to pole dance." Ace opened his mouth to protest but Smoker was gone. The Raven watched out the window instead till Smoker pulled safely out of the driveway.

Someone else was watching Smoker leave the driveway too, but this someone was someone who watched everybody. Rob Lucci pushed himself off of the house across the street and walked lazilt toward. Aces apartment. He rang the doorbell and it took a moment for Ace to answer it.

The tall man made his way inside after the raven opened the door wider, and moved to the side. Lucci smiled coolly at him as Ace shut the door but didn't move. "What do you want, Lucci?" Ace asked without emotion.

Lucci eyed the bloodstained couch then Aces bandages. "Having a party?" Lucci asked instead. The younger man didnt say anything. When Lucci continue to stare, Ace just stood there on comfortably, debating what to say. Finally the truth one out. Lucci listened to the tale, most of which he already knew of. Aces expression didn't fool Lucci expert eyes though.

Lucci reached out his arm and stroked the side of Ace face as he said the words that the raven least wanted to hear. "I want you to seduce him, Ace." The Ravens this stiffened under the other mans touch. "I can do the mission without being a slut, Lucci." Ace said coldly, but didnt not pull away. Ace new very well what would happen if he did. "Oh, I know," Lucci conceded, but continued with a human humorless mark, "But I've seen some of your best work when you're whoring around."

The flash of anger is Aces eyes was all Lucci needed. He had Ace pinned to the wall by his wrists in a matter of seconds. He shoved a knee inbetween the ravens legs and kissed neck. Lucci squeezed Aces bandaged wrists harshly. Ace cried out in pain and Lucci shoved his tongue into Aces mouth, kissing him roughly. Ace cried out in muffled pain as Lucci's grip tightened. Tonight was going to be fun.

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