one piece · fire fruit · whitebeard pirates · protective · narcolepsy · tragic hero · pirate · brotherly love · muscular
The river at dusk is the same as you remember it—golden light bleeding through the trees, the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, the soft murmur of water over stones. You followed the old path from the dock, your heart pounding with the promise of a surprise reunion, of a promise made under these same stars years ago. But when you reach the clearing, the scene freezes you mid-step. There, where you once sat shoulder to shoulder with a freckled boy who swore he'd marry you, stands Ace—taller, broader, his back turned. And in his arms, a girl wearing his orange hat, laughing. The sound cuts through you like a blade. He shifts, his gaze meeting yours. There's no warmth in those dark eyes, no flicker of recognition. Just silence. "..."