Hello everyone, here is the next chapter!
Hope you enjoy
Read and relax
Ace hummed as he drove to where the person who had hit them lived, or it might be to the person who had hit them. And as he parked, Ace went and he saw a car that was damaged, and it looked exactly like the car that had hit them. So it had to be the right car he felt. So he went and rang the doorbell to the apartment that was connected to the car, where Adam and Viola lived. If he was right, Viola had been driving. But he wanted to have the full story before he did anything, one never knew what their situation was and he felt something was wrong here. Viola had been in rehab before, and yes, many did go back to drugs, but he felt that wasn't the full case.
After a few seconds, the door opened to show a woman who was in her 30s, blinking at him, her eyes a bit red. "H-hello?" Ace hummed. "Hi, I saw your car had some damage, and wondered how it ha-" Ace didn't get to finish before the woman started to cry, looking very upset. Ace moved a hand out to her. "Are you okay?" The woman shook her head, crying badly, so Ace moved a hand to her shoulder and then into the home, closing the door so they were alone as he spoke. "You hit something, right?" The woman nodded, crying more, before she took a couple breaths before she spoke. "I- I did. I hit a car… God, I know they got sent to the hospital… I am awful! But Adam…" Ace nodded a bit. "Adam what?"
Viola took a shaky breath, drying her tears some. "He got so mad and said to not tell! If he did, he would…" Ace moved a hand to Viola's arm as comfort and support. "He would do what? I can help." Viola moved a hand to dry her tears, before she spoke on. "I stole money from cafes and such, and he knows. I want to get clean! I want to be free! But- but he keeps making me use! I shouldn't have driven that day, but he said I needed to get him! Oh God. I hit a car! What if I killed someone! I can't go to jail! I am a mess!" Viola sobbed a bit, before she spoke again. "I hate him!" Ace nodded. "I can help, but I need something from you." Viola looked at him. "W-what?" Ace smiled. "I need to know everything you know about him." Viola nodded and started to speak. She was high, obviously, which was one of the reasons this went so well.
After half an hour, Ace had all he needed. And looked at Viola. "And now, I need you to do me a favor." Viola sniffled. "What?" Ace smiled. "I can send you to rehab, and when you're out, Adam will never bother you again." Viola sniffled. "Can you… do that?" Ace nodded. "I can." Ace could, he knew Adam had a shady past and was on parole from punching someone in a bar fight, and he had been to jail before for a hit and run. Ace would easily get him behind bars. Viola sniffled. "Who… who are you?" Ace smiled. "I was in the car you hit, and we both are fine. Blame Adam. Now, I need you to pack what you need, and you will go to rehab." Viola sniffled. "What… what if he finds me?" Ace gave a supportive smile. "He won't. I will make sure of it. Go pack." Viola did and soon came back with a bag, looking at him. "Are you… my guardian angel?" Ace smiled. "Something like that. Now, I will call you a cab." Viola nodded and Ace did, sending her to a high end rehab facility with high security, giving Viola his name and number before she left. Ace then called the rehab center and got Viola in.
Then Ace waited, and he did some research on Adam, so he had all he needed. And it took some hours, but Adam soon came into the apartment, yelling "Bitch! Where is dinner! I don't smell it!" Ace hummed and stood up, and Adam saw him and seemed shocked, before angry. "Who the fuck are you! Where is Viola! Viola!" Ace hummed. "She is safe, from you." Adam rolled his eyes. "I am not harming her! Now! Get out! This is my house!" Ace hummed. "You got 10 minutes until your parole officer comes here, for a drug test and check, and guess who has been lying about working? Clocking in hours and never working? And would you pass a breathalyzer? I smell the booze from there." Adam blinked. "You can't do that! Viola!" Ace hummed. "I can, and I will. And if you're not here, guess what? You will definitely go to prison. So… have fun with that. And try to approach Viola again, your life will end. The IRS will be on you, as you work a lot of shady work for money. The police, when seeing your car or you, will always check you. You want that life?"
Adam swallowed. "I- what do you want?" Ace took a step towards Adam. "I want you to leave town, preferably the state, if not the continent, and never return." Adam swallowed, but nodded, before he left, and the parole officer would be here soon, as Ace would call in a tip. And then his life would be over anyhow, and he knew there were drugs here, so he was screwed either way. Then Ace left as well and sent in an anonymous tips that Adam was breaking his parole, and he knew those were checked fast. So Adam was very screwed.
Then, when Ace checked again in the evening, he saw Adam had gotten on a one way flight to Australia, and if he was smart, he would never return. Ace then went home, and when he had his call with Marco, he didn't mention this, as he wanted to make sure Viola was fine first. But the next day, in the morning, Ace got a message on his phone and he didn't recognize the number, and when he read the message, he blinked, before he smiled. It was from Viola. She wanted to see him again, at the rehab center, if possible. And Ace would drop by and would bring Marco. They could do that later today if Marco had the time, it was Saturday after all, and he would meet Marco for dinner after all in the evening, as Ace originally had some plans, but he would postpone them for now. This felt more important.
-x-
Marco hummed as Ace called, the clock early, Marco answering it. "Hey, yoi. How are you?" Ace hummed. "I am well. Hey, are you available this afternoon?" Marco blinked, but nodded. "I am. Why, yoi? Did anything happen." They were supposed to meet later today, in the evening. Ace hummed. "I want you to meet someone. I think it would benefit all of us." Marco nodded and said he could. When he asked who it was, Ace just said he needed to wait and see. So after a bit, Ace came and picked him up, them heading to the outskirts of town, before they parked at a parking area, which had a sign that read 'Moby Dick Rehab Center'. Marco looked at Ace. "Why are we here, yoi?" Ace hummed. "I found out who hit us, she is here, and she would like to see us." Marco nodded and they got out, it was a small walk to the actual rehab center, and it had a lot of security, one already here but they were allowed to pass as they had permission.
Then they walked to the rehab center, which had two ways to it, and they took the fastest, which also had some stairs, a lot of stairs actually. And as they were about 3 quarters the way up, Ace stopped and he gave a breath and moved to sit on a step. "I need a break. My legs are… shaking." Marco nodded and moved to sit down beside Ace. "It's okay. We have time, yoi." Ace chuckled, and as they sat, Marco spoke. "Also, did the cops send her here?" Ace shook his head. "No, I did. I can explain when we meet her, okay?" Marco nodded, and they spoke a bit, before continuing the walk up, getting to the center, and Ace said to the receptionist they were here for Viola, and were led to a room and Viola would come soon.
Then Viola came and when she walked into the room, she stopped a bit and looked at them, blinking when she saw Marco. "Who is…" Ace hummed. "This is Marco. He was driving the car, I was the passenger." Viola blinked. "I hit… you? But… the passenger got hurt… that means you…" Ace nodded. "I did, but I am better now. And I wanted to help you. Why don't you tell your story?" Viola nodded and did. Telling how when she was 17, she hung with the wrong crowd and got her first addiction, before she got some help, then she met Adam, and Adam always kept her addicted, even after she got out of rehabs. And Adam was abusive in every way, but mostly verbally and emotionally. Then she started to rob places, to get money for drugs and since Adam made her. And on the day of the accident, Adam had made her high, before he went to drink and then called her to get him, and Viola had tried to say no, but was forced to as if she didn't, he would use what she had done against her, and a promise to hurt her, so she had driven.
She knew she hit someone, but she couldn't stop as she would go to jail, and while she did deserve it, she also didn't want to fuel Adam. When she was done, she cried, as she had started to cry about halfway, and Marco moved a hand to her leg. "Hey, you're getting help now, and I am sure Adam won't bother you, yoi." Viola sniffled. "But… he is always nearby…" Ace hummed, before he got up his phone and showed a flight manifest, and showed Adam's name. "He fled the continent. He is now in Australia. He will never bother you again." Viola blinked. "How… are you okay?" Ace smiled. "Well, I almost broke my back, but I am well now. Needed a surgery." Viola cried more. "I am so sorry! I- I am so sorry!"
Ace shook his head, on his way to speak, when Marco did. "It's okay, we're okay now. And you are getting the help you need, yoi. Me and my fiancèe are both well." Viola blinked. "You're… Oh God… I almost killed you!" Ace shook his head. "No no, I was dumb and took off my seatbelt. I shouldn't have. Now, I want you to get well here, and when you are able to leave, I want you to call me and I can get you a job and a place to live." Viola blinked. "But… you've done so much for me already…" Marco smiled. "You deserve it, yoi. And I would love to offer a job within my company, for you." Viola sniffled. "You're so kind… I don't deserve it I feel…" Ace smiled "You do deserve it. And we want to help. And Adam is gone now." Viola nodded. "And that feels… good. I am free, of him." Ace nodded. "You are. And we both want to help, so please, call when you are better." Viola sniffled as she nodded. "I- thank you, so much." Both Marco and Ace smiled, saying it was nothing. They then left, giving a goodbye to Viola. Marco was glad Ace helped her.
-x-
Ace walked down the stairs with Marco, glad it had gone well with Viola. And as they headed down the stairs again, Marco looked at him. "You made Adam flee the continent? You're good at that, yoi." Ace chuckled. "What can I say? I can be persuasive." Marco hummed. "You sure can be, yoi." Ace just chuckled, and Marco hummed after a few more steps. "I am glad you helped her, she didn't deserve this." Ace shook his head. "No, she didn't, the reason I helped her. She may have broken the rules, but still." Marco nodded. "I agree, hopefully, she will get better now, yoi." Ace nodded, he hoped the same.
They then walked down to the car, and this time, Ace didn't need a break, but walking down was easier than up, Ace guessed he needed to work more on stairs, so Ace went and bought a stairmaster for his training studio, so he could train more on it. He had sort of been avoiding walking on stairs as he knew he had issues with it, but he needed to face it and get better at it.
Ace had also made an order on something he was waiting for, it had been a bit of time now, and he got a notification it was ready. So he went and got it, and now he couldn't wait for the next time he would meet Marco, which would be tomorrow, the two of them going to eat dinner at Ace's place as Luffy and Sabo were busy again. Sabo with work and Luffy was meeting a friend. And Ace was so excited now.
When Marco came to his home the next day, Ace felt ready for this, and as they had eaten, Ace stood up, needing to do this now, this was long overdue.
-x-
Marco hummed as they ate, and when they had, Ace moved up to stand and walked over towards him. "Marco, this is long overdue. But you need a ring as well." And Ace got down on one knee, bringing out a ring box and Marco first blinked, before he smiled, and Ace spoke. "Marco Phillip Fishback, will you marry me?" Marco nodded. "Of course I will, yoi." Ace smiled and got up and kissed him, before he gave the ring to him. "I am not too sure if it will fit, but I think it will." Marco nodded, no clue on how Ace got his ring size.
Marco looked at the ring. It was golden, and one side had the shape of a phoenix's head, which was around a stone, which was yellow, and the other side was a wing, it was… perfect. Marco loved it, when Ace spoke. "The stone is a projection stone, so if you look at it closely, it has something in it." Marco blinked and did, and he saw a picture that was of him carrying Ace, and felt himself confused when Ace spoke. "Luffy took it when I was still healing. I can change it if you'd like. If it is too much. But you were there for me." Marco smiled. "No, I love it. And I love you, yoi." Ace smiled, before they shared a kiss.
Maroc then moved and tried it on, and it fit perfectly, so he looked at Ace. "How did you get my size, yoi?" Ace hummed. "Remember when I asked you to try my ring and it was a tad too small? It is one size larger than mine." Marco smiled, and this was just so perfect. And he felt so happy. He couldn't wait to show off this ring.
And that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed!
If you have any ideas, don't be afraid to share them!
I hope you enjoyed, and if you want to, I do love feedback, so don't be afraid to leave a review, or send a PM!
If you also want to, I have a Twitter/X account, my name is Azuruko, and I have a discord, my tag/username is just azuruko, as well as a server (Instant invite: discord . gg / 6hzMhbR) where everyone is welcomed! Updates is also posted there, both on discord and on twitter