Important Authors Note!
Hi guys. Sorry this is so late. I have been absolutely slammed these last weeks. I graduated high school then immediately had my wisdom teeth taken out and I was drugged up right until the day I left. I really wanted to update before to let you guys know but it just wasn't in the cards.
I got a summer job working as a camp counselor until collage starts. It looks amazing and I'm so so excited. The only problem is I live there 24/7 with no internet connection. So in short I promise I will do my best to update both this story and TWRR but I really don't know how it's going to go. So until August Dolls is on hiatus. All my story statuses are on my bio if you want to see about any others. So sorry to do this to you guys. You're the absolute best and I promise in turn I will do my best to keep my every other week updating schedule.
(In the meantime go read The Woods Run Red !. It's my favorite one piece fic to write. It's a red riding hood AU and I am very proud of it!)
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Thatch sighed as he pulled himself into a sitting position. His stomached ached menacingly but he ignored it. He met the concerned dark eyes from across the room.
"I'm fine." He promised the teenager, his voice quivering a bit.
"Are you sure?" Luffy asked as he pulled against his restraints. "Because you look like you're going to die."
Thatch's eyes grew wide at that. WHAT! He didn't want to die. Not yet at least. He was too young to die! ...except the more he thought about it he probably wasn't. But he still didn't want to. If he did his family would be crushed. He would never again annoy his brothers, cook for his family or talk to Oyaji.
"Your bedside manner is terrible."
Luffy just shrugged as he once again began to pull on the cuffs that's tethered him to the wall. At one point it looked like he tried to bite the metal, either that or gnaw his hand off.
"You don't know when to give up do you kid?"
The teenager paused temporarily tilted his head to the side. "Give up?"
Thatch nodded, "You know… stop trying. Especially when there's nothing you can do."
He was met with a laugh. "Why would I give up? Then I would be bored."
"So this is making you feel better then?"
Luffy nodded not so much as looking at Thatch as he continued to claw at the cuffs.
"Then have at it." Thatch said as he watched skeptically. As futile as it was he had to admire the kid's spirit. Especially considering they were both screwed. But he had made a promise to return this kid and dying or not he was going to keep that promise.
"Hey Luffy."
"Yea?"
"Tell me a story would you?"
He watched as two dark brown eyes shifted over towards him. They looked confused. "Will that make you better?"
Thatch shrugged thoughtfully. Probably not, no. But it would help keep his nerves at bay. Plus it might stop Luffy from further mutilating himself.
"Yea, sure." Thatch lied as he rested his back against the cold stone wall.
Luffy's innocent smile brightened at the concept of helping out. He settled back down temporarily seizing his fidgeting. "Alright!" He agreed readily. "I don't know many stories though."
"That's okay, tell me anyone you remember."
Luffy thought for a second creating an odd silence in the room. "My brother did tell me one I remember."
"Oh?" Thatch said surprised the kid had siblings. From his headstrong attitude he had suspected only child.
"Have you heard about Noland the Liar?"
He shook his head, "Can't say have."
Luffy's smile grew at that. The kind of smile that could light up a room, it certainly didn't belong in a place like this. But either way it was nice.
So Thatch settled back as the teenager began to tell the story of Noland the Liar. It turns out that Luffy was even worse at story telling then he was at coming up with insults. He somehow managed to spoil the ending in the first sentence and left out any and all details. Also for whatever reason he seemed convinced Noland was some form of aquatic animal when from the context Thatch was sure he was supposed to be a human. Honestly? Why would people understand/ believe/execute a whale? It made no sense.
But he pointedly kept his mouth shut. If Luffy wanted the protagonist to be a fish then it was his call. Who was he to tell the kid that they couldn't survive out of water?
"Are you sure he was executed for eating everyone else's food?" Thatch tried gingerly. "And not for… you know lying about the gold?"
Luffy just shrugged. "Dunno, that's how my brother told it to me."
"You didn't by chance eat his food did you?"
"I did!" Luffy said proudly. "He was so surprised."
Surprised probably wasn't the right word but Thatch decided to let it go.
"So you have a brother? Older I'm guessing."
Luffy nodded a fond yet nostalgic smile on his face.
"What's his name?"
"The one who told me the story?"
Thatch nodded confused by Luffy's apparent need to clarify. Who else would he be talking about after all?
"Sabo!" Luffy said happily.
The man smiled at Luffy's enthusiasm. Even from the short time they spent together it was apparent that Luffy was a high energy being. Still there was a particular spark in his eyes when he talked about his brother. It seemed to calm him down, an impossible feat by any other means. Determined to keep the other occupied he asked what this 'Sabo' was like.
Luffy's face once again lit up at the question. "He is the best!" He answered simply.
"Why?" Thatch probed.
Luffy tilted his head slightly as he thought it over. After a few seconds he just shrugged, unsure of how to answer. "Because he is."
From his tone it almost sounded like Luffy was explaining common knowledge to Thatch. As if he was an idiot for not knowing this already. It made Thatch nearly crack up.
"Oh is that so?"
Luffy nodded enthusiastically. This conversation was honestly making Thatch a little homesick.
He was about to ask a follow up question when thudding footsteps sounded from outside. The two of them fell instantly silent as the door shuttered open. But it wasn't Teach like they had been expecting. Instead a sickly thin man stood in the doorway.
"Who are you?" Luffy asked with his usual non-existent tact.
The man's eyes darted over to him before returning to Thatch. He leaned against the door heavily. It looked like he was about to fall over.
"Doc Q," He greeted with a wheeze as he tipped his hat forwards. "I'm a friend of Black Beard."
"That psycho had friends?" Thatch questioned cynically.
The sickly man ignored him as he began to stumble across the jail cell to where Thatch was tied.
"I'm a doctor." He told him swaying drunkenly from side to side. "I'm here to make sure you don't die. You're no good to us dead."
"There's an us now?" He questioned trying to scoot back against the wall. "What exactly are you guys planning?"
The man just shrugged throwing another glance at Luffy. "Don't worry about it." He said too quickly.
"Now hold still so I can fix you."
XXX
"Ace calm down! It's going to be okay."
Marco watched the young man pace with a heavy heart. He understood what he was going through right now. He felt the same way about Thatch. Thinking of his brother hurt and confused in some psychopaths grasp made him want to puke. Undoubtedly Ace was battling with the very same notion.
The two of them were currently in Sabaody Archipelago. The meeting was in a few hours and Ace looked a little worse for wear.
He looked up at Marco quickly before returning to his pacing. "I'm fine." He insisted leaving no room for argument.
Marco frowned but remained silent. It was just like his friend to be stubborn when he really needed help. At the very least that hadn't changed. One thing that was kind of disconcerting was Ace was starting to revert back to how he was before befriending them. It wasn't like he was going to attack pops or anything. It was more the little things. He was starting to close off again. Just when he was beginning to really truly trust the crew this had to happen. The thought hurt Marco more then he cared to admit. He felt new found hatred flare up at Blackbeard for causing yet another calamity.
The next time Ace passed Marco pulled him down to a sitting position, insisted the continuous pacing was making him nervous.
"Tell me about him."
"What?" Ace asked confusion on his face.
"Tell me about your little brother. What's he like?"
Ace studied his friend hesitantly, unsure whether or not to answer. He looked almost conflicted.
Cursing Blackbeard for the n'teenth time that day Marco made sure to keep his face passive. A secret plea to remind his friend who he could still trust.
Ace sighed tiredly running his hand through his hair.
"He is a mess." Ace admitted finally giving in.
"What?" Marco asked confused. He had been expecting something… more positive.
Ace smiled a bit, the thought clearly cheering him up.
"He is all over the place. He is constantly losing all his stuff, he likes to take on enemies he can't possibly beat, he has no manners what so ever, he forgets he's cold until he has freaking frostbite and too top it all off he is always hungry."
Ace finished contently with a lazy smile on his face. At the very least he seemed calmer now. Talking about his brother seemed to do the trick.
Marco smiled slightly, glad to have gotten through to his friend. "Sounds like a handful."
"You don't know the half of it," He said with a small laugh. "I swear that kid is going to be the death of me."
"So do you guys get along?" Marco probed. From the context it sounded like this Luffy kid drove Ace crazy. But somehow it sounded as if the older teen didn't mind. Still for whatever reason Ace never mentioned his brother.
Ace simply batted his worries away with a laugh. "We still have our fights, just like every other sibling. Especially when we were younger, but not so much anymore I guess. We only ever really get into it when he does something stupid and worries me."
"Sounds rough." Marco said with a knowing smile. He could relate. All his siblings were idiots as well, Thatch included.
"Wouldn't someone realize he was missing by now?"
Ace shook his head, staring out towards sea. "There's no one to notice but me." He said after a few moments of silence.
"That can't be true." Marco argued, feeling dread creep into his stomach at the thought.
"I'm sure they would notice eventually." Ace corrected himself. "But it would take them a while." Preciouses time they didn't have.
Who knows when Garps next visit would be? At the rate he usually poped up it could be anytime in the next two years. Sure Makino might notice as well but once again who knew when she would be able to make it up there. And it wasn't like not being able to find Luffy was cause for alarm. Ace was just about the only one who could predict the sporadic child's movements. Which came in handy when Luffy needed saving. Dadan was honestly the one he had the most hope for. But it would probably take her too long to realize something ws actually wrong. Despite the progress they had made with her they did everything in their power not to rely on her. Ace knew the woman did not appreciate or like kids and their very presence already put her out more then she liked. That being said she already proved she would help them out in a pinch.
"So you two are close then?" Marco asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.
Ace smiled at the question, abandoning the dark thoughts that had started to creep into his mind. "He is the most important person in the world to me."
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So So sorry about the rush job. I literally have to get back to camp in like ten minutes. I wanted to at least put a chapter up despite it being short and terribly written. I am so so sorry but I literally don't have time to proof read this. However I will send it to a beta as soon as I can and she will make it wonderful and amazing. Once again I will do my best to update. If anyone is curious about The Woods Run Red Chapter 11 I am working on it I promise.
Lost dog: Thank you
Guest: Thank you! I passed all my finals! Hope you like the update.
J-Swan: don't worry more frntic Ace on the way. He is barley holding on but Marco is keeping him calm. Brotherly Ace/Lu is also on the way. Luffy is going to meet the Whitebeards I promise, just not right now. Thank you so much for the nice comment I am so glad you like my lil old story.
Saraku: Your review made me so happy. I looove long comments I'm so glad this brightened your day. You should log in so I can reply to you faster. I felt so bad you had to wait so long. Ace is so cute and innocent he tries so hard to be tuff. And Luffy is way to freaking adorable and innocent for this. I did get a beta but at the moment I am a little too stressed/ busy to get in touch with her. Hopefully I will be able to send it over to her soon. So Sabo is going to make an appearance in this fic. But it's not going to be a huge role. Its going to be more of a heart ripped out of chest thing for the audience but the brothers aren't quite going to put the dots together. (IDK maybe Ace is going to). But he is not going to act on it because his priority is saving Luffy. Anyway please feel free to talk to me anytime. Your comments are amazing and it makes me so happy you like my story. I will try to get back to you quicker next time.