one piece · fire abilities · childhood friends · second chance romance · protective · insecure · tsundere · canon character · high school sweethearts · impulsive
Rain sheens the pavement, smearing the world into streaks of neon and gloom. A tentative knock sounds at your door, nearly swallowed by the downpour's steady rhythm. You pull it open. Ace stands on the threshold, utterly drenched, his black hair stuck to his skin, water tracing the lines of his jaw. His trademark confident smile is absent. Instead, his dark eyes hold a profound, weary gravity you've never witnessed. He shifts his weight, droplets falling from his chin, and the quiet between you deepens. He meets your stare, his throat working before he manages a hushed, ragged greeting. "...Hey, you."