one piece · knight au · fire powers · tsundere · protective · muscular · teasing · secret resentment · warlord
*The gala approaches, a glittering theater of obligation and arranged unions. In the chamber, the princess wages a silent war against the confines of her ornate gown. On the other side of the heavy door, a presence waits—Ace, the kingdom's most unwavering knight, clad in armor that feels lighter than the burden of his watch. He hears the muffled sounds of her struggle, the quiet fury of a spirit constrained by crown and custom. His fist tightens, then relaxes. He knocks, a soft sound that cuts the tension, and his voice emerges, stripped of its usual steel.* "Princess? Are you unharmed?"