Hello everyone, here is the next chapter
This is a bit of this and that and I hope you enjoy it
After a comment, I have a question for everyone. Do you want this to have any romances in it? As in Marco/Ace romance, or any other romances, or do you want me to keep this a family story? Please leave a comment on what you want
Hope you enjoy
Read and relax
Marco stood out on deck, enjoying a good day. Things had been calm the last weeks, nothing much happening. Ace was still herself and was slowly opening up a bit and starting to be friendly with them. He guessed Ace wasn't an open person, but he hoped she would get more comfortable and trust them more. It would be a long road.
But as the next week started, Marco watched as the ship to the red force came closer to them, and he wondered why Shanks was showing up. It had only been a half year since last time, he rarely showed up often. When the boat came close enough so they could see Shanks and speak with him, Pops spoke. "Why are you here, Red hair?" Shanks hummed. "Ace didn't tell? I promised to say hi to her after a half a year." Marco blinked. "I thought it was an annual day out, as in once a year, yoi." Shanks shrugged. "It was, but I changed it, just because I can." Marco blinked. "Just because you can, yoi?" Shanks nodded. "Yes!" Marco wasn't sure about this. He knew Ace wasn't especially fond of Shanks, because of what he did and how he acted with her.
He was about to speak again when He heard a loud sigh to his left. "I hoped you wouldn't show." Said Ace, who came from around a corner. Shanks smiled. "I said I might come." Ace rolled her eyes. "And I hoped you wouldn't show. Let's get this over with." Marco moved a hand out. "You don't need to go if you don't want to, yoi." Ace snorted. "Yes, yes I do. If not, it gets worse." Ace then took off her hat and her hair pin, shaking her head so her hair fell down, before she took on a coat Shanks had, before she pointed at the red-haired captain. "No dresses and braids!" Shanks hummed. "I can agree to dresses, not braids." Ace rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine, fine. One braid." Shanks nodded. "One braid." Ace nodded, fastening the coat around her waist. "Let's get this over with." Ace then started to head off the ship, Shanks following.
When they were out of view, Izou spoke. "How does he get away with this?" Marco shook his head. "I have no idea, yoi." When Deuce came out a bit later and asked where Ace was, he said she was with Shanks, and the man just nodded, as if expecting it. But then again, Ace was really comfortable around Deuce, he wished she was like that around them as well. He hoped they would get there one day.
-x-
"So, how's your half year been?" Asked Shanks, and Ace shrugged, taking a sip of her milkshake. "Normal." Shanks gave a look at her. "Ace." Ace sighed. "I don't know. I mean, Luffy showed up, and that was nice. I wore a kimono and had a braid. Luffy loved it. Sabo visited, and that was awesome. And… I took their mark. And-" "Wait wait wait." Said Shanks. "You took their mark? Where?!" Ace shrugged. "My back. Anyhow-" "No no, not anyhow," Said Shanks. "You took their mark on your back? Why didn't you tell me?!" Ace shrugged. "I did now." Shanks hummed. "You should have started with that. We need to show it!" Ace shook her head. "Shouldn't you be against this as you're rival crews?" Shanks shook his head. "No no, we're friends as well. Now, we need clothes." Ann shook her head. "No no, you promised no dresses." Shanks nodded as he grinned. "And I will keep my promise!" Ace sighed, she had a bad feeling. "I should have specified more, right?" Shanks nodded. "Yup! And it's too late now!" Ace sighed. She would hate this, she was sure of it.
Two hours later, Ann was fuming, staring at Shanks, who was grinning. "You look wonderful! Accept it! Now, your braid. We used two hours on your clothes." Ann knew that, and she hated these clothes. Not only were they sitting tight, it had an open back. "Now, for your braid, we should head here." They then headed to a hair salon, and as the person started on a braid Shanks specified, the worker started and it was silent for a bit, before Shanks looked at her. "So, you said anyhow. What else has happened?" Ace sighed. "Well, Sabo made me show everyone the mark, like you are trying to do. And it was… overwhelming. Thatch got a bit overbearing, so I almost cried. But Sabo was there. Then this guy showed up, and I just torched him. He called me 'baby doll'." Shanks hissed. "Oh no, he deserved that. No one can call you, or anyone, that. Degrading." Ace nodded. "Bay had another check on me, Deuce was there, and it went fine. Then, I got pneumonia, the worst case they've ever seen." Shanks blinked. "How?" Ace shrugged. "Fell into the ocean, and got some water in my lungs, which caused it to happen. I'm fine now." Shanks nodded. "Sounds tough. Glad you're fine." Ace nodded, she was as well.
She then sighed. "And, I don't know if you heard, but Roland got humiliated, publically, on Sabaody Archipelago." Shanks nodded. "I heard. What did he do again?" Ace sighed, she didn't like to think about it. "He pulled my hair a lot… told me I looked horrible and should have pigtails or something. He didn't like my hair. I don't know who did it, but I am glad someone did." Shanks nodded. "Right. He was wrong. Your hair is amazing, I wished you had it down more often. Or just out. And I think I might know who did it. The pirates were there." Ace shrugged. "I don't like the fact it can be pulled on. And, they don't know who he is." She hated that thought. Shanks nodded. "Maybe someone told them. Anyhow, continue." Said Shanks as he motioned her to continue, which she did with another sigh. "Then, there came this huge thunderstorm." Shanks hissed. "Oh no, that hit you?" Ace nodded. "It did. Was horrible." Shanks frowned. "Where was Deuce? Wasn't he with you?" Ace shook her head. "No, he was away on duty with his division." Shanks sighed. "So, you were alone." Ace gave a small sigh. "Not all the time… Thatch joined me for a bit." Shanks blinked. "How?" Ace shrugged. "Probably heard me whimpering and came to check… It was kind of nice, to not be alone..."
Shanks nodded. "How have things gone in the sense of being around them as yourself?" Ace sighed. "It's… going okay…" Shanks hummed. "Why don't I believe that." Ace gave a loud sigh. "Fine, it could have gone better, but I just don't know. It's hard." Shanks nodded. "I get that. I just didn't expect you would join them. You never wanted to join me." Ace shrugged. "I know, it just… happened." Shanks gave a slow nod. "Do you regret joining them?" Ace shook her head quickly. "Oh no, I don't. It's just hard." Shanks nodded. "I get that. But you need to trust them. Not only are you a crew, but a family." Ace nodded. "I know. And I like to believe I'm getting there. Deuce likes it there." Shanks nodded, and before he could speak, the worker behind her spoke. "There, done." Ann blinked. So fast? The worker then held a mirror up, and she looked at herself.
The braid was done with a bun at the bottom of her hair line in the back, and two dutch braids that went over her head, no hair loose. It didn't pull on her hair, as a braid often did. When she moved her hand to touch her hair, it didn't sit tight, but loose, not one bit of her hair was dragged on.
Ace blinked as she looked at it more, hand feeling around. "I like it…" She mumbled, and she could see Shanks blinking. "You… like it? You've never liked it." Ace nodded, moving her head a bit around to see if it would be pulled, which it didn't. "I don't know why, but I like it." The worker smiled. "I'm glad you do. You have really smooth hair, so a braid must often feel hard for you since it needs to be pulled and fastened hard. But since the bun helps here, it can be more loose." Ace nodded, that made sense. "How would it look after a night?" The worker hummed. "It would probably get a bit frizzy, but it should stay in." That sounded good. Shanks blinked again. "You… you're going to keep it in?" Ace gave a small nod. "Shouldn't I?" Shanks blinked. "Oh yes yes, please do. I just didn't expect it. You never have before." Ace nodded. "They didn't look as good as this." Shanks gave a half nod. "I think so. But I'm glad you like this one."
Shanks smiled at her. "I'm glad you think this looks nice. I want you to have your hair out of that pin and hat." Ace gave a small nod. She was just unsure. She never had had her down in years, if you didn't count those few days she did, when she was around Luffy or Sabo or Shanks. Which was rare. She then got up and looked at Shanks, who was on his way to pay, when the worker shook her head with a hand out. "Oh no, Whitebeards get free help." Ace blinked. They did? "But, we don't control this place." The worker nodded. "But you have helped us. It's free, accept it." Ace nodded, she could do that. They then headed out, and it was still light out, the sun not close to setting, so they headed to another restaurant and ordered some drinks, Shanks ordered booze, while she settled for another milkshake. She liked those. They then continued to speak for a while, before they headed back to the boat, and Ann looked forward to changing clothes.
-x-
Marco stood out on deck, enjoying the good day. Ann was still away with Shanks, and they should return soon as the sun was slowly setting in the distance. He was still curious on how Shanks got away with all of this, how Ace just let him do his thing. It was a bit later he saw Ace and Shanks coming towards the ship, Ace having new clothes on and a magnificent braid in her hair. Ace was a pretty woman, he wished she could see that. When they got closer to the ship and headed on it, Marco saw the side to Ace, and saw her shirt didn't have a back, it was open, so her mark was visible. And Ace didn't look annoyed, she had a content look, which he found weird. Last time Shanks was here, she was fuming.
When they got on the ship, Shanks clapped Ace on her back. "There, you're back home. I'll leave." Ace gave a nod, before she moved to hug Shanks. "Thank you for taking me out." Shanks smiled. "No problem. See you in 6 months?" Ace nodded. "Sounds good." Then the two parted and Shanks left. As he was gone, Ace headed towards her room. "Imma go change." Marco just nodded, and when she was gone, Thatch hummed. "She seemed to like it." Marco nodded. "I know, yoi. I wonder why. She was fuming last time." Thatch gave a thoughtful hum. "Maybe it was because of the dress?" That was true, Ace had worn a dress last time, maybe it was that. It took some minutes, but Ace soon came back out, and when she did, she had new clothes on, same with her binds, but the braid was still in, which had him give a look to Ann. "Can't get the braid out, yoi?" Ace hummed before she shook her head. "Oh no, I'm not taking it out. I like it." Marco blinked, same with Thatch, who spoke. "You like it?" Ace nodded, now looking a bit unsure. "Doesn't it look nice? I think so." Thatch was quick in shaking his head. "Oh no no, it looks magnificent. You've just never had a braid long." Ace shrugged. "No other one looked this good." So Ann liked this braid, that was good.
The day then continued normally, a few commenting on the braid Ace had, saying that it looked nice, which had Ace smile. Marco was glad she had her hair out, as it looked nice, and the braid was beautiful. When Deuce came out, him having been in some meetings and then handling some paperwork, he headed over to Ace. "Nice braid. Shanks?" Ace nodded. "Yeah, I like this one." Deuce blinked. "That's good! Really good!" Ace nodded. "I know." Deuce then moved to look closer at the braid. "Why is this one so special? You've had like a hundred different ones and never liked one." Ace shrugged. "It doesn't pull my hair, it looks short, and I like the bun." Deuce nodded. "Okay. As long as you like it." Ace nodded, and Marco was glad Ace liked this braid, it looked good on her. Deuce then sat down again and looked at Ace. "How was it with Shanks?" Ace shrugged. "Nice, the usual. We spoke." Deuce nodded. "About what?" Ace shrugged again. "The usual." Deuce nodded. "Okay." Ace didn't seem to wasn't too elaborate, which he got. It was probably personal things.
Ace stayed throughout the meal, before she left when it was over, Decue still there, and Marco looked at the man. "How does Shanks get away with this, yoi?" Deuce hummed. "Ace once tried to deny going, but she was then forced against her will. He basically kidnapped her. She just goes with it. And, she does like it a bit. When he isn't too overbearing. Which he can be." That Marco knew. "She seemed to enjoy this time, yoi. She even hugged the man." Deuce nodded. "Probably was a good day. That happens." That made sense. He was still curious about how Shanks had forced Ann, but had a feeling he wouldn't get that information from Deuce, at least not now.
The rest of the day went by fine, and the times he saw Ace, she had the braid in, which he took as a good sign. Her hair was beautiful and she should have it out. It couldn't be good to always have the fake bob and hat on for her hair. It needed to breathe as well.
The next few days went by fine, Ace having the braid in for 4 days, before it got loose and too frizzy to keep in and took it out, and went back to the fake bob and hat. He guessed Ace had been like this for a long time and changing habits could be hard. They just needed to show they were trustworthy, which would take time. But Marco believed they would get there.
And that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed
The next chapter will hopefully be more interesting
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