Over the course of the next few months, life was good. Whilst I hadn't found a solid position within the Whitebeard Pirates, I did whatever I could to help out and make myself useful. Assisting Marco in the infirmary, helping with maintenance of the Moby Dick, fighting in the rare occurrence that we needed to. The only place I wasn't allowed to go was the kitchen, but I was still working on that. Thatch couldn't keep me out forever, no matter how much he feared for his vegetables. 

Ace and I had quickly fallen into a fresh normalcy that seemed to even surprise the people closest to us. It was as though we had been together for years, seeming to skip the honeymoon stage with all the over the top, lovey dovey public displays of affection. Sure, we still shared a sweet kiss or a brief hug here and there throughout the day, but it was rare for us to rub it in our crewmates' faces. I was sure they appreciated that. 

After the first two weeks, I had surrendered my room in favour of moving into Ace's. It had been his idea, and even though I did enjoy my moments of privacy, something about going to bed, into his waiting arms, made me almost giddy with joy. However, he still respected my need for time alone, and would give me however long I needed without intrusion if I asked for it. 

Travelling the seas of the Grand Line, I was introduced to more members of Whitebeard's grand fleet, the most notable of whom was the hulking captain of the Little Pirates, Little Oars Jr. Standing at sixty feet tall, he had unnerved me at the start, but once he began excitedly telling me the story of how Ace had woven him his very own kasa hat, to shield him from the scorching sun. 

Little adventures like that made such a difference in my life. Back in Dressrosa I had been so shielded from the world outside of Doflamingo's design, and I felt like I had to catch up. I had missed out on so many experiences growing up, and it looked like Ace was doing his best to make up for it, alongside Marco, Thatch, even Whitebeard himself. I had finally found a real home. A family not only by title. 

"Out out out out!" I yelped out loud as Thatch's broom struck my behind again, skittering to find shelter behind the very amused Deuce and Teach. "Don't talk to me or my carrots ever again, you vegetable-mutilating harlot!" Teach's hand came down heavy upon my head, further messing my (H/C) hair as he uttered a hearty chuckle. 
"Aw, don't be too hard on the kid. She's just trying to help." 

Unconvinced, Thatch closed an eye and pointed the broomstick in my direction, lining it up perfectly between my eyes from a distance. 
"Don't let her fool you, brother. She's a murderer. A produce murderer. I shall not condone it." He warned, only partially joking. It had been my third attempt for the week, but I was wearing him down. At least I hoped I was. I missed hanging out with him in the galley and having our little talks. 

"Oh, come on, Thatchy-Poo! I just wanna sit and chat! I won't touch anything, I swear on my life!" I pleaded, still hiding behind the pair of older pirates as he threatened me with the broom. He took a step forward, prompting me to skitter further away, almost out the doors of the mess hall. 
"I love you, girly, I really do, but so help me God, if you try it again I'll be serving your ass as the next meal, roasted and sliced!" He had said that same line more than once already, but I knew he didn't mean it. Well, I hoped he didn't. 

"Ass? What ass? I'm looking and I see nothing but flat, barren plains." Marco leaned backward and squinted towards my backside, unable to hold back his cheeky little smirk when I snorted. 
"Screw off. This is unfair. A grandpa like you gets thick, juicy buns, and a sexy little creature like myself gets not a single curve? This is unjustifiable and I wish to press charges." That was our dynamic nowadays. It was very similar to how Ace and I interacted, minus the romantic and sexual attraction. We would tease each other relentlessly, but if a situation required for us to be serious, we could in a heartbeat. 

"Speaking of sexy little creatures, your lover boy was looking for you. Something about something." The tufted blond vaguely motioned to the door to the deck, and I gave him a wave of thanks, heading off as Thatch gave me one final threat with his trusty broom.

The setting sun painted the sky with rich honeyed hues as I set off across the deck, locating my partner rather quickly. He was hard to miss, swinging from one of the thick, braided halyards in all his shirtless glory. 
"Heard you were trying to hunt me down!" I called out to him, admiring his form as he beamed, sliding down with no concern of rope burn. Once he landed before me, I noticed his grin wasn't as strong as it usually was. It seemed a little wonky, but I didn't mention it as he threw his arm over my shoulders, walking me towards the bow and up onto the figurehead of the grand Moby Dick. 

"You're happy now, right..?" He asked, genuinely curious, looking out over the stretching ocean ahead instead of to me. Nodding, I followed his gaze, though I couldn't help but continuously glance in his direction. 
"I mean, yeah? Of course I am. You made sure of that, with a hell of a lot of persistence and frustration. Why?" I felt his arm relax over me as though he was relieved, along with a sigh to match. 
"Good! That's good..." 

Is he trying to have some kind of serious conversation or? 

Dropping his arm from my shoulders, Ace's hand found mine, but he still chose not to look at me, which was odd. 
"Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a pirate. Freedom on the open seas, no rules or regulations, fame, adventure...They aren't, well, conventional." He continued, and I threaded my fingers with his, nodding along with his words. 
"You can say that again. Last week I caught you and Marco crossing streams off the side of the ship." Ace bumped me with his hip as he scoffed, though his hand squeezed mine even tighter. 

"Anywho..." Clearing his throat, he finally turned to me, and I paused. He really was trying to be serious, I could tell, but now I was concerned. "Aside from finding cool treasure, and messing with the Marines...pirates are unconventional in other instances too...We move fast, from island to island, and in other ways..." 

"If this is about the other night, it's no issue, Ace. It happens to every guy at least once in their li-"
"That's definitely not what I'm trying to get at, (Y/N)!" He cut me off extremely quickly, cheeks flaring and eyes snapping from left to right, making sure nobody else heard me. Once he was sure we were still all alone in our conversation, he released a breath, stepping to face me fully and raising my hand to his lips. "Listen, I'm really not good at this kind of thing, so I'm going to save myself some dignity and get right to the point, alright?" 

Seriously, what's he doing?

Why was he so red in the face? Why was he rambling so much? What was so important?
"A..as I said, pirates are a..an unconventional breed...and I guess I'm the type of guy who, uh, who knows what he wants...so...I was wondering..." Shaking his head briskly, he pulled me closer by my hand, his other moving to the pocket of his shorts to root around blindly. "Hoping...that you'd m..marry me..?"

It took me a staggeringly long time to even register what Ace had said, and then another age when he pulled out a ring. Set in a thin silver band, the most magnificent stone I had ever laid eyes upon glistened back at me with vibrant oranges, greens, blues and golds.
"Marry...you..?" All I could manage was to repeat him, looking back and forth between him and the ring.

Ace began to get a little more nervous, shifting his weight from right to left, and releasing my hand back to my own custody.
"Y..yeah! I, um, I just know that I love you...and I mean that with every fibre of my being, and I..I know it's fast! Believe me, I know, and we don't have to get married right away! I know it might be a sore topic for you, but I couldn't hold off any longer! I'm impatient..."

Suddenly, my hand felt heavy. Oh so very heavy, weighed down by a much different ring, bearing a slice of my life that was still near impossible to overcome. Doflamingo's engagement ring was still there. I continued to put it on each and every morning, like a dirty habit, despite leaving him in the past.

Holding a stale breath in my lungs, I began to twist it around, truly considering my decision before pulling it off completely, holding it out in offering towards Ace.
"Throw this, as hard and far as you can...and save me one last time..."

I could hear Doflamingo's deep, parasitic voice in my mind, begging me, pleading with me not to abandon him. Not to cast him aside, and to return to him. I shut it out, as best I could. Ace stared at it for a few short moments before my request really clicked, then in a flash it was out of my hand and he was winding his arm up.

It was as though I was watching him throw my past away. Far, far away from me, where it could never do harm again. I watched the waves long after it disappeared, letting the reality sink in before I returned my attention to Ace.
"Was...that a yes, (Y/N)?" He asked, voice pure with hope.

Slowly, my lips crept outwards and upwards, eventually reaching a point where I was sure my face would split in two.
"As long as we do it immediately, you've got yourself a wife, you freckle-faced dork."

It was painfully obvious how hard Ace had to control himself as he took my hand again, carefully sliding on the ring before he lost the reins, grabbing me into a tight embrace and spinning me around and around, very nearly sending us off the edge of the Moby Dick's bow. To stop that from happening, he forced himself to fall backwards, landing on his back and cushioning me with his chest, beaming all the while.

"You have no idea how much I love you, (Y/N)!" He laughed gleefully, peppering my face with excited kisses until he needed to breathe. In that small window, I lifted my hand to really admire the ring and all of its glorious colours. "Like it? It's a fire opal, I got it back at that island we nearly got arrested on."

Leaning back a bit to give him an incredulous look, I couldn't help but blow a raspberry.
"Seriously?! That long ago?! You had this planned since then?!" He really was unconventional, if that were the case. Back then, I was still not even sure if I really did want to stay.

"What? I told you, I know what I want..." Lowering his voice into the deliciously husky whisper I so adored, he pulled me into a lip lock, but I barely got the chance to reciprocate before we heard the clearing of a throat from the deck.

"New rule! No breeding on the bow unless I'm invited!" Marco teased, standing with his arms crossed, though his expression showed his genuine amusement at the sight.

"BRO, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GUESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED-"

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***Sorry if this chapter isn't any good. I've been insanely sick for the past week and I'm not at my best.

Yeah, I know it's fast but it's for the plot. Also I can't remember if I got YN to dispose of the Doffy ring so...my bad if I did already. 

I haven't watched One Piece for a while now. Had to give it a bit of a break so I wouldn't lose interest. I did, however, get some new babies for my collection.

Next Time: Matrimony***