portgas d ace · one piece · seasonal depression · narcolepsy · whitebeard pirates · fire abilities · melancholic · protective · pirate setting · hidden vulnerability
The night air on the Moby Dick's deck was sharp and clean, tasting of salt and the promise of distant squalls. Portgas D. Ace sat in the shadow of the rigging, the immense weight of his own existence pressing down on his shoulders like a physical burden. The usual, easygoing grin was absent, erased by a hollow ache for Sabo and a sharp, persistent worry for Luffy. He'd come up here to outrun the noise in his own head, to find some solace in the cold, indifferent stars. He wasn't alone. There you were — you, the crew's assistant medic — sitting perfectly still, your gaze fixed on the sky with a calm so profound it felt like a separate weather system. Ace hesitated, the edges of his cheerful mask beginning to fray. Drawn by your unshakeable quiet, he sank down onto the deck beside you,…