*(Y/N) POV*

"What the hell've you brats got behind your backs, huh?! You better not be tryin' to smuggle in another snot-nosed buddy of yours!"

Now I kind of understood why Ace had referred to this woman as a hag. She was a beast in both appearance and language, and I struggled not to cower and hide behind Sabo and Luffy as they tried to keep me concealed. 

"Listen, this time it's totally different! Think of it as more of a compassionate grounds kinda deal!" Sabo started to try and calm her down, but the hulking ginger woman wasn't having a bar of it.
"Since when have I ever been compassionate?! Does this look like a play-house to you?! Tell your stinking little friend to get lost, and while you're at it, you get lost too!"

Despite her aggressive tone spiking my already rattled nerves, I could see her point. Why was it her problem? This was her house, after all.
"For once, I had nothing to do with it. It was their idea, not mine." Ace muttered, dragging the corpse of a wild hog they had killed on the trip home into the middle of the room.

"But she's hurt, ya big meanie!" Luffy barked, standing his ground even though he was the smallest of the boys. The woman paused for a moment, eyes narrowing into slits as they flickered to the top of my head, the only part visible to her in the moment.
"Lemme see her."

Okay, I'm probably going to die...

The boys shared a look before they stepped to the side, revealing me in full. Holding my own arms in an attempt to allay my quivering, I held my breath as she stepped forward, inspecting me as though I were a piece of meat. That part I was used to, at least.

I couldn't help but flinch as she took my chin in her hand, but as she knelt down, I saw her gaze soften, and I began to calm myself.
"You're a pretty young thing, ain't ya? Did these shitty little brutes kidnap you or something? You can tell me. I'll kick their asses across the Grand Line if they did."

Shaking my head, I released my breath when she pulled her hand away.
"No...They didn't, Ma'am." It was like a lever had been pulled. No longer was the woman seething. No, in fact, she was almost beaming after I had spoken.
"Ma'am? Gotta say I like the sound of that! Finally, someone with respect!" Her words had more bite towards the end as she glared around at the boys and men filling the building. "What's your name, girly?"

"(Y/N)." I stated softly, finally confirming that she was not going to be a threat to me like I had originally thought. "I promise, I won't be any trouble. I don't eat much, and I can clean." Standing up, the woman started ushering me towards the door at the back of the room.

"I'll hold you to that. Let me take a look at ya then. Magra, get the first aid kit. Dogra, start cuttin' up that hog." Ordering her men around, she took me to the bathroom, helping me to carefully peel off my shredded dress and wash out my cuts.

Dadan was kinder than she let on, it seemed. Gruff as she may have been, she was surprisingly gentle with me, and agreed to let me stay for the time being, as long as I was willing to help with chores. To me, that was more than fair.

Once bathed and patched up by the kindly bandit named Magra, I was given a T-shirt and a pair of shorts that belonged to Luffy, having to tie the bottoms with a rope belt so they wouldn't slip down to my ankles.

Dinner was an experience, to say the least. Never before had I seen such ravenous, almost violent behaviour during a mealtime, and I was lucky that Dadan had saved me a little. After that, the boys all took a bath, Ace loudly complaining that he hated the idea of having to bathe in water a 'weak little girl' had used before him. It was obvious that he already had a problem with me.

Bed time was also a bit of an issue, it seemed. Dadan and Ace really got into a war of words when she announced I would be sleeping in the same room as them, despite me trying to insist I was fine anywhere. If he hadn't been so genuinely pissed about it, it may have been funny when Ace lost.

"So, where did you come from, anyway?" Luffy asked me curiously as we settled into our places, with me being as far away from them as possible, as per the freckle faced bully's request.
"Uh...well, I've moved a lot...but the last place I remember that we stayed for ages was probably...Spider Miles?"

Seeming interested in what I was saying, Sabo sat up, elbows on his knees.
"Where's that? Here in the East Blue?" He queried, earing a sharp glare from Ace.
"North, actually." I wanted to talk with them properly, but I didn't want to upset the raven-haired, obviously self proclaimed 'leader' of the group.

"Woah, that's far! Are you part of a pirate crew?! Is that why you travelled?! Do you have a jolly roger?!" Luffy was so full of questions, and I wasn't willing to answer them yet. Instead, I had one of my own.
"You...ate a devil fruit, didn't you? I saw you stretch your arm super far at dinner..."

Reaching up, the youngest pulled on his cheek, stretching it out much further than was natural.
"Yep! I'm rubber! Cool, huh?" He laughed, letting it snap back and knock his head to the side. "So? Are you a pirate?! That'd be so awesome!"

Our attention turned to Ace as he clicked his tongue, resting his chin in his hand as he lay in his resting place.
"As if she's a pirate. We had to save her ass. She's just some girl who got sold off."

Why does he have to be so nasty?

"What if I was a pirate?" I started firmly, starting to get sick of his attitude. "I know you don't like me, but you don't have to be mean." Rolling his eyes, he smirked, and it was one that really made me want to slap it off.
"Aw, I'm being mean? Ya gonna cry about it?"

I had a temper. That was what had gotten me into the mess I was in in the first place, but I was just too tired and sore to bother arguing. Matching his eye roll, I turned over to face the wall, pulling the blanket over me.
"Goodnight Luffy, goodnight Sabo. Sleep well."

The pair sounded their goodnights, but I was sure I heard Ace mutter something bitterly before I tried to tune out. Of course, I was grateful for them rescuing me, and he had put himself in a lot of danger for my sake, but why couldn't he just be nice? I hadn't done anything wrong, had I?

Closing my eyes, I thought about how long I would be able to stay. Surely I wouldn't be able to be free for long. Even though this place was new to me, I felt at ease for once. It was like I could finally breathe, even if it was temporary. I hadn't felt like that for a long time.

.
.
.
.
.
.
"What's the matter, Bruiser? I thought (F/Ice cream) was your favourite?"

Staring down at the frozen orb atop my cone, I shrugged my shoulders.
"He got mad at me again cuz I said he isn't my family..." I murmured, gingerly sticking my tongue out to catch a stray drip before it could touch my hand.

"Did he hurt you?" My companion leaned in towards me, seemingly inspecting me for any physical damage. Shaking my head, I licked again, but there was no taste. It wasn't even cold against my tongue.
"No. He just yelled at me. Said I was being ungrateful..."

This isn't even cold...

Sighing, the man beside me placed a hand upon my head, the size of it almost enough so his fingers reached past my nose.
"Yeah, he can be scary when he's angry, huh? Don't worry though! I've got a plan, remember! I'm sorry it's taking so long."

I felt strange. Wanting to comfort myself, I leaned into the dark, feathered ruffles of the man's mantle, hoping for the familiar tickle, but there was nothing.
"You are, though." I whispered, ignoring as my treat began to drizzle down over my knuckles.
"I'm what?"

Looking up, I couldn't make out any one of his features. Just a mess of colours that seemed to fit my memory. As though it were normal, I grinned, all my troubles vanishing in his company.
"You're family! Like a dad, or an awesome older brother!"

As soon as the words had left my mouth, the man froze, and from his blank, featureless face, tears began to well and stream from where his eyes should have been. Without warning, I was scooped up into his arms, my ice cream falling to the ground.

"Ahhhh, little Bruiser! You're gonna make me cry!" He wailed, and I giggled, still unsure why I couldn't feel his warmth like I usually could.
"You're already crying, dummy!" I laughed, which only caused him to squeeze me tighter before he pulled back, and this time, in complete, picture perfect detail, I could see his bright, russet brown eyes.
"I'll always look after you, you know that, right? Because I love you so much!"

It was then that I finally felt something. A deep, throbbing ache in my chest, and it scared me. Dragging myself back into his embrace, I snuggled in close, never wanting to let go. I knew what would happen if I let go.
"I love you, too..."
.
.
.
.
I was met with darkness when I opened my eyes, and the obnoxiously loud snoring of the boys who had rescued me. My blanket was damp where it had been pulled up over my face, and I shuddered out a breath, closing my eyes again to try and will away the sadness.

"Dammit...I'm already starting to forget your face..."

.
.
.
.
.
.
***Ace is going to be a stinky meanie for a while because kids. I also have a deep love for Dadan, and I always thought that she'd love to have another woman around, hence her softness with (Y/N).

Also, did I just order a figure of Smoker in Tashigi's body? Yes. Yes I did. There is so much boob.

Next Time: Exclusion***