Hello everyone, here is the next chapter
This is chapter 100, I can't believe it, but it is, I never believed this would go so far and that people would still enjoy it. Thank you so much for supporting this story!
Also, happy new year!
Hope you enjoy
Read and relax
Whitebeard sat in the galley, supper being now and they were enjoying themselves and each other's company. As they were speaking, they got in on the theme of religion. And Ace had some inputs, which were good, and it had Claus frowning. "I thought you didn't like religious people?" Ace hummed. "I don't like extremists. I have nothing against religious people." Claus blinked. "Really?" Ace nodded. "Yes. If you believe in something, that is great for you. I just don't believe, and I don't like people who dedicate their lives to make others believe what they do. You don't. If you believe in something, that is very good for you. Makes you feel much better, makes you feel safer. And that's good." Claus nodded. "True." Ace nodded. "Think of it like a cock. It's great that you have one, it is great you take pride in it. But don't go shoving it down people's throats." Whitebeard blinked, that was actually a very good way of putting it.
Claus nodded. "I agree with that. That was a nice way of saying it." Ace nodded. "I have nothing against you for believing in God or a higher power. But I don't belive, and that's fine too." Claus nodded. "Yes, that's okay." It was and he was glad Ace was okay with it. He had been a bit worried about it as he knew some of his children were religious.
They then continued to talk, before Ace got a request, which would take some hours, Ace would come back in the morning. And it was fine, Ace had control.
-x-
Marco stood in his room, and when his door opened, he was glad to see it was Ace. But as he got a closer look at Ace, he frowned, especially when he saw Ace's eyes, which was blank, and when Ace came into the room, he smelled the smell of booze, which had him frowning. He guessed the assignment wasn't a good one. But he wished Ace came to him before he started drinking. "You okay, yoi?" Ace sighed. "Sorta…" Marco nodded and moved closer to Ace. "When did you return?" Ace hummed. "An hour ago." That had Marco give a breath, he wished Ace would come to him, not drink. Ace frowned a bit. "Anything wrong?" Marco sighed. "I just wished you wouldn't do this, yoi." Ace frowned more. "Do what?" Marco looked at Ace. "Come to me drunk." Ace still had the frown. "What am I supposed to do?"
Marco gave an annoyed breath and looked at Ace. "Why can't you just not drink and come to me, yoi?" Ace gave a look to him. "I'm sorry, when did you start to control my life?" Marco moved his hand a bit. "I am not trying to control your life! I am trying to save it, yoi!" Ace rolled his eyes. "I don't need to be saved!" Marco moved his hands up. "Well, obviously not, because you are the great Ace of Spades!" Ace frowned a bit. "Is this about my work or my drinking?" Marco looked at Ace. "It is about both!" Ace moved his hand a bit. "Well, I'm sorry! I'm not going to change! This is me!" Marco gave a look to Ace. "I don't like this you, yoi!" Ace rolled his eyes. "Then what do you want me to do!" Marco gave a look to Ace. "To stop being like this!" Ace moved his hand. "Like what! Stop drinking?! Stop being Ace of Spades!? Stop being me?!" Marco gave an annoyed breath. "Stop being so careless, yoi!" Ace gave a look. "I am not careless!" Marco shook his head. "Well, you are! You put everyone before yourself, yoi!"
Ace rolled his eyes. "I do not!" Marco rolled his own eyes. "No! It is not like you put others ahead of your own happiness! You don't sleep! You don't take breaks! You do everything you can to help others! But not yourself, yoi!" Ace gave a look. "I take care of myself!" Marco moved his hand. "Well! It certainly doesn't look like it! You're drunk for heaven's sake!" Ace gave a glare back. "I am allowed to be drunk! Over half the crew is drunk!" Marco glared back. "They don't drink to hide their emotions! You do, yoi! It is not good!" Ace moved his hand up. "I know what's good for me and not!" Marco glared. "Well! Obviously you don't!" Ace moved his head a bit, before he moved his hand up. "You know what! I am not doing this right now!" Marco glared. "Then you never will, yoi!" Ace gave a look to him, before he left, and Marco sat down on his chair, bringing his head to his hand. Ace was being really hard about this. If he would just listen.
Marco took a deep breath, and he should probably calm down. He decided to do some light paperwork, to just calm down. After some hours, he went to Ace's room to speak with Ace, if he was awake. He should have sobered up by now, But when he got there, there was no Ace. It made him frown. Where was Ace then? Maybe he should check with Trevor? Ace shouldn't go far in the state he was in. He decided to wait a bit, and then see if Ace was back. He couldn't have gone on an assignment, right? Not when he was drunk. He at least hoped not.
-x-
Trevor frowned when there was a knock at his door. It was almost 2am, who would come so early? When he opened his door, he was shocked to see Claus. "Claus, this was an early visit." Claus nodded. "Yeah, I got a message from Benn." Trevor nodded. "Okay?" Claus sighed. "Ace is there, with him, and not to tell anyone, not Pops, nor Marco, not anyone, but you." Trevor nodded. "Okay, thanks." Claus nodded. "I was scared Pops would be out, or Marco, I wouldn't know what to say." Trevor nodded, he got that. "Go back, should they be out and would ask, say it was from Daisuke and it is not information for them." Claus nodded. "Okay, that makes me feel more sure." Trevor nodded. "Yeah, thanks for dropping by." Claus smiled. "It was nothing. Have a good night." Trevor nodded. "Yeah, same." Claus then left, and Trevor hoped Ace was okay.
He stayed in his room and did a few things to make the time pass, and when the clock was 6am, there was another knock at his door, and he had a feeling who it was, and wasn't surprised to see it was Marco. But he would still act surprised. "Marco, what bring you by?" Marco gave a breath, hand moving to his face. "I hoped Ace was here, yoi." Trevor frowned. "Why would he be here?" Marco sighed. "I… we had a stupid fight, yoi." Trevor nodded. "Why was it stupid?" Marco sighed. "Well, for once, he was drunk. One shouldn't fight a drunk person, or argue with them, yoi. And then he left." Trevor nodded. "And he's not in his room?" Marco shook his head. "No, he's not. I'm worried." Trevor shook his head a bit. "No, Ace knows how to take care of himself. What did you argue about?" Marco sighed. "About him being drunk, and his work, and just… everything. I wasn't fair, yoi." Trevor nodded, now he had a bit more story. "I'll tell you if I hear anything." Benn wanted to not tell, he would heed that.
Marco nodded and then he left, and Trevor stayed in his room for a bit more. He would maybe call Benn in a bit and then ask about Ace, how he was doing.
-x-
Benn frowned when his door opened, he expected to see Shanks, but was even more surprised when it was Ace. "Ace?" Ace shook his head and moved to fall on his bed, head in his pillow. Benn gave a breath, sure something was up, and moved his chair closer to the bed and moved his hand to Ace's back. "Ace?" Ace said something that was muffled by the pillow, and Benn felt the smell of alcohol hit him as he was closer. Well, Ace was drunk. Which wasn't the most surprising. Benn moved his hand on Ace's back. "Okay, one more time, and this time, lift your head." Ace nodded and lifted his head. "I had a fight with Marco." Benn nodded. "About what?" Ace sighed, and moved his head down, but this time his face to the side and not down in it. "About my drinking and work." Benn nodded, that wasn't the most surprising. Benn moved his hand on Ace's back. "It will be fine." Ace nodded and closed his eyes, and after a minute, he was asleep. Ace needed to sober up, so it was good he was asleep.
As Ace was asleep, Benn moved out and to the communication room and called the Moby Dick. "This is the Moby Dick, you're speaking to Claus." Benn hummed. "Hi Claus, it is Benn. I need to deliver a message to Trevor, and no one else. Not to Whitebeard, not to Marco, not to anyone." The Den Den frowned a bit. "Okay, I will do my best." Benn nodded. "Okay. Tell him Ace is here, no one else needs to know, even if they ask you specifically." The Den Den nodded. "I will do my best. Have a good night." Benn nodded. "Good. Have a good night." The Den Den then went back to sleep, and he went back to Ace, who was still asleep.
Benn then went and did some work in his room, waiting for Ace to wake up, which he did when the clock was almost 5, moving himself up on one arm and taking a breath, before he looked at him, and then laid back down with a breath. "Hi Benn." Benn chuckled. "Hello, Ace. How are you?" Ace gave a breath. "Groggy." Benn chuckled. "Normal after being drunk. Now, what did you and Marco argue about?" Ace gave a small groan, moving to lie on his back and staring at the ceiling. "First, about me drinking, then about my work, then about me not taking care of myself." Benn frowned. "Not taking care of yourself?" Ace sighed. "Apparently, Marco thinks I don't take care of myself." Benn frowned a bit. "Hmm, you don't do that. Why does he think that?" Ace sighed. "He thinks I put everyone ahead of myself." Benn hummed. "You have at times, but you don't really do that." Ace nodded. "I agree, but he doesn't." Benn moved his hand to Ace's. "It was probably said in the heat of the moment." Ace sighed. "But that doesn't sound like Marco." Well that was also true, but he had a feeling his conversation with Marco had to do with this. But he wouldn't tell that to Ace.
Benn squeezed Ace's hand. "This will go fine. People fight." Ace sighed. "But we've been together for 2 years now, and we haven't fought before now." Benn nodded. "Then it might have been a thing coming. People fight and argue, especially people who are together." Ace nodded. "Yes, but we never have before." Benn nodded. "I know this is something you haven't done before, but it happens. How bad was it?" Ace sighed. "It might seem worse since I was drunk, but I feel pretty bad. He was all like 'Stop being so careless', and I obviously don't know what's good for me." Ace sighed. "He was mad. At me." Benn nodded. "But I have a feeling you were a bit mad too." Ace nodded. "Well yeah, but I was drunk." Benn hummed. "Both you and I know that's not an argument. Unless you get snapped, you have your mind with you." Ace nodded. "Well, yes, but still." Benn shook his head. "It probably wasn't that bad. Everyone argues." Ace nodded. "Okay, but I wanna stay here a bit." Benn nodded. "And you can. I am sure Shanks won't mind." Ace nodded, and Benn was sure Ace was glad about that.
They stayed in his room for a bit, before they left when it was breakfast, and when they got to the galley, Shanks blinked when he saw Ace. "Ace! How are you!" Ace shrugged. "Okay." Shanks nodded. "Staying long?" Ace hummed. "Not that long. Maybe a few hours." Shanks nodded. "Cool." Ace nodded and they started to eat, and when they had, Ace went out on deck with Rockstar, the two being in a conversation. When they were out and the rest followed too, aside from him and Shanks, and when they were out, Shanks looked at him. "Ace okay?" He nodded. "Yeah, he had an argument with Marco. He needs to cool down." Both Ace and Marco did. Shanks nodded. "Okay." Benn nodded too. "Don't bring it up, we've spoken about it, and don't tell them he's here, Trevor knows he's here though." Shanks nodded. "Great." Benn nodded and headed out to Ace, same with Shanks, and he was sure Ace would just stay a small bit before he left back to the Moby, he just needed to be a bit away from Marco because of this fight.
-x-
Marco frowned when there was still no Ace on the boat, not in his room, and not with Trevor still. He was now worried, the clock was soon noon. And not even Dust was here. But then again, Trevor didn't seem worried, and he usually knew these things better than him. So he would try not to be worried. So, he headed out on deck, and walked over to Pops, who gave a curious look to him, probably knowing something was wrong. There weren't many out as it was lunch now, so he made a motion to everyone to go a bit away, before he looked at Pops. "Ace is not here." Pops nodded. "Probably got work, son." Marco shook his head, hand moving to his face. "No, I don't think so. He was drunk last night, and we had a stupid fight, yoi." Pops frowned a bit. "A fight? What about?" Marco sighed. "Stupid, I was mad he was drunk, so I just said some things, yoi. I don't know." Pops gave a comforting smile. "Ace is tough, he probably went to calm down and sober up." Marco hoped so.
He and Pops then went to lunch, and Marco hoped that every time the door opened, it was Ace, but it never was. When lunch was over, he headed out on deck and waited for Ace. He did want to call someone, but he didn't know who. His first thought was Daisuke, but he didn't want to bother the man with their private problems. Ace had to return soon, he couldn't be away forever or too long.
It was a couple hours later that Ace came from around a corner, and Marco moved to hug Ace, and closed his eyes. "You're okay." Ace nodded. "Sure, why wouldn't I be?" Marco sighed. "Because I didn't know where you were, yoi." Ace hummed. "I was with Benn." Marco nodded and let go of Ace. "Okay, that's good. You're okay, yoi." Ace nodded. "I am. I just needed a place to sober up without being yelled at." Marco sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled, yoi. I feel so bad." Ace hummed. "Well, it was our first fight, it was due to happen." Marco nodded. "Well yeah, but I still feel bad, I feel I spoke too soon." Ace sighed. "We probably need to talk, right?" Marco nodded. "We do, yoi." He was about to say they should go to either of their rooms, when Trevor came out on deck and gave a smile to Ace. "How is Benn?" Ace chuckled. "Just fine." Marco frowned a bit. How did Trevor know Ace was with Benn? Marco then gave a breath as Trevor probably had known the entire time, but wouldn't tell him since they had had a fight. That was probably why Trevor wasn't worried.
He then looked at Ace. "We should go talk, unless you want food, yoi?" Ace hummed. "I ate at Shanks' boat." Marco nodded, that was good. "My room or yours, yoi?" Ace gave a breath. "Please, your room, you have the best bed." Marco chuckled. He knew Ace liked his bed the best. They then headed to Marco's room, and when they got there, Ace sat down in the bed, he gave a breath. "So much better than Benn's bed." Marco chuckled, that was good. Marco sat down next to Ace, hand moving to Ace's "Where should we start, yoi?" Ace hummed, before he looked at him. "You really think I can't take care of myself?" Marco squeezed Ace's hand. "No no, I do. I was just a bit upset, yoi. I didn't mean it like that. I just wished I was your first stop, not booze." Ace frowned a bit. "But, you are my first stop, Marco." Marco frowned. "I am? But you were drunk, yoi." Ace nodded. "Alcohol isn't my first stop. It is what I'm used to. Before, my first stop was to get drunk until I passed out somewhere, not go and be with someone, but do it alone. Now, I go to you." Marco blinked, he didn't know that, but that sounded… right. "You do?" Ace nodded. "Yes. I don't go to my vodka first because I put you second, but it makes me able to seek that help I need, from you."
Marco closed his eyes and leaned his head against Ace's. "I'm so sorry, I was out of place, yoi." Ace hummed. "Maybe a bit, but it's okay. We were doomed to argue about it one day. We don't have many other things to argue about." Marco nodded. "Maybe, yoi." Ace nodded, before he gave a look to him. "But, do you think I can't care for myself?" Marco sighed "At times, it doesn't seem like it I have to say that, yoi." Ace sighed. "Maybe I can at times set myself a bit second. But I don't know what else to do, I want to help others." Marco nodded and squeezed Ace's hand. "And you can do that, but not put yourself second. Put yourself first, yoi." Ace nodded and gave a small chuckle, which had him frown, and Ace waved his hand a bit. "No, it just reminded me of something Azuruko once said." Marco nodded. "What did he say?" Ace humed. "He spoke to this mother, who almost died of dehydration, and she chose her child and gave him water. But then Azuruko said: 'What would have happened if you died or went unconscious? Your child would have died. Had you been up, you could have run for help. Always put yourself first, since that child is dependent on you, always take care of your own basic needs'."
Marco nodded. "That is a good way of putting it, yoi." Ace nodded. "I know it might seem like I put others first, but I don't. I always take care of my own basic needs first." Marco looked at Ace. "Do you? Do you really do that, yoi?" Ace nodded. "I do. I always take a break to eat and drink, I probably could sleep more at times, but now I am not going at least 4-5 days without sleep. And I didn't avoid sleep to help others, I did it since I didn't want to dream." Marco nodded. "I get that. I just didn't know it, yoi. I'm sorry I yelled at you." Ace shook his head. "No, I yelled back." Marco hummed. "Not really, you just answered me, yoi. I was the one who was mean." Ace hummed. "Maybe." Ace then looked at him. "Are we okay?" Marco nodded and squeezed Ace's hand. "Yeah, we're okay, yoi." Ace smiled. "Good. I was a bit worried." Marco nodded. He got that, but they were fine.
And that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed
This was just a bit of this and that
This story is also not finished, as I have a few more ideas I want to get out, but the main events are over
If you have any scenes you would like to see, don't be afraid to leave a comment, or send a PM
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