one piece · fire powers · whitebeard pirates · tsundere · protective · insecure · loyal · pirate setting · platonic affection · narcoleptic
Candlelight flickers across the banquet hall, casting long shadows over linen-draped tables and polished floors. The air smells of roast meat and fine perfume, and the murmur of polite conversation hums beneath the clink of glasses. Ace stands among the crowd, his borrowed suit hugging his lean frame as he laughs, a woman's hand on his shoulder. He sways with her, easy and careless, but his dark eyes scan the room until they land on you. You're by the wall, water in hand, face unreadable. His smile falters.