Congrats to -cora-san for winning in my latest writing contest I hope you and everyone else enjoys this oneshot. It's been roughly a year since I've last written for One Piece so excuse my mistakes if anything in here is wrong.

Long night as always… Every time Pop’s welcomes in a new crew of ‘sons’ the divisions would all ring together and celebrate till dawn. Barrels of sake are rung out, tankards are overfilled till they’re spilling all over the freshly cleaned deck. While most view this time to drink off their asses, others take the time to gather around a drunken Ace. Ace was one of Whitebeard’s more precious son’s and whenever he begins to drink his mouth would run and run until tomorrow. Nobody gets tired of Ace’s stories, in fact, their inspirational.

Marco had gotten himself settled in. He wasn’t one to drink much, leaving his tankard behind. Even the most mature of the crew has grown to enjoy Ace’s feats of storytelling. “Do you have any family besides your kid brother? We’ve heard enough him,” the blonde chuckled while their large brotherhood laughed merrily behind his lead.

Ace sat within his spot all dumbstruck for a minute and continued to do so for many more minutes to come. “It was just me, Luf and Sabo growing up. You know me, I can talk about them forever,” the ravenette passed off the subject and figured that today wasn’t a day in memory lane if they’re tired of listening to the same subjects as always.

“If I recall,” Vista chugged down on his tankard before wiping his mouth clean. “You spoke of a fine young girl before…”

“I’d wish you wouldn’t bring her up…” Ace sat his tankard upon the ground before his cross legged lap.

“She a past girly-friend? You managed to screw things up with her knowing how much of a horn dog you are!” Vista began to cackle. Judging by Ace’s astonished expression, Vista guessed right on the mark having the band of brothers all laugh side by side.

“Look everyone I’m not very sure what to call her… In fact, I’m a bit ashamed to have liked her in the first place…” Looking back, Ace’s feelings for you was a clustered tornado of everything from love to complete and utter hate. To this day, Ace often wonders about you. What you’re doing, where you are, how much you must’ve grown since he left home many years back. If… If you’ll ever forgive him.

“Okay everyone… Her name is (Y/n) and… She was royalty or noble… Whatever you want to call it. Of all the Nobles at home, she was different and I was stupid to cut her out of my life when Sabo died cause I blamed every single person in town for his death including her…” Of all the Nobles, you were pretty and caring and selfless compared to everyone else who were selfish ugly snobs. They were doubling over in pain to the jewelry that hung from each of their limbs from ears to ankles. You on the other hand, would skip school each and every day with Sabo. You both would trash your fancy pristine clothing for commoner trash and play in the mountains with Ace and Luffy until someone would drag you both home. Ace and Luffy didn’t take it well when they learn that Sabo and yourself were Nobles but the differences were put to rest quite soon.

It’s funny though, how both Sabo and yourself were tired of being rich and perfect. Where’s the fun in having everyone judge you, having to wear ten layers of clothes, to compete with your siblings for just a second of attention.

Luckily everything worked out in the end. You were Sabo’s arranged future wife, you both didn’t want a planned out future so running away was the perfect solution. Dadan adored you cause being the only female in a household of fifty some men wasn’t the most mentally appealing. Luffy kept his distance from you cause he feared that he’d catch cooties. Sabo, although being nice, really didn’t want to be your friend cause again you were supposed to be his future wife. Ace took it upon himself to be your one and only friend.

Ace didn’t care what gender you were. He treated you like his brothers. Actually no, he treated you better than just some other boy he could beat to a pulp and laugh it off later. There were days Ace would go out of his way to pick flowers after hunting all day. He particularly would give you lotus flowers since they were such a pearly pink and elegant like the girl you were. Other days Ace would hold you by the hand and walk you into town because Makino had a baby and you’ve wanted to hold a baby and play. In the meantime, the baby kept you occupied enough to allow Ace to learn proper etiquette from Makino in order to impress you.

“Young love,” Makino adored Ace’s determination to win over the sweetest little girl she’s lied her eyes on. Before the two of you could leave the small cafe, she had poked teenage Ace on the shoulder where his chocolate eyes peered up at her with curiosity. “I wish you luck. No doubt she’ll be yours in no time.”

“Thank you for everything Miss Makino,” Ace smiled merrily and escorted you from the cafe back to the cottage at the top of the mountain of course with the two of you holding hands. Upon arrival, Ace had pulled you aside with his chocolate eyes peering into your glossy (e/c). “I know all our treasure stolen, including all the jewelry you had from home. I made this for you,” your eyes traced the blue velvet box that sat within Ace’s hands as he gave it to you. You tugged on the bow until it was nothing but a long ribbon that fluttered to the ground. The lid was beaten up but managed to keep its purpose. You practically ripped it off and within sat this gorgeous clam necklace that shimmered blue like waves in the great blue sea.

“No amount of jewelry in the world could amount to this…” The necklace fled it’s box as you held it up. Ace took it from your hands to lie it upon the base of your neck.

You looked down at the necklace where it lied. “Does this mean I can travel the world on your future pirate crew Ace?”

“That’s all I could ever ask for,” like children do. Ace mustered up the courage to give you that quick kiss upon your lips before retracting as fast as a buzzing bee and growing so red to the face he was a cherry.

“Despite our promise… The second Sabo died to the hands of a Celestial I began blaming Nobles of all kinds for his death. Since (Y/n) was born to a Noble family I blamed her too and regret it,” Ace had to fight a tear to his eye. To talk about one of the most heartbreaking moments in his life was ripping and tearing at his very heart. “(Y/n) ran away even further than home yet she didn’t go back to her blood family. I haven’t heard from her since and I have so many mixed feelings about her today,” Ace had gone through roughly ten tankards of sake from the beginning to the end of his long painful trip down memory lane. His freckled cheeks were blaring red from his evident drunken state.

A round of applause erupted to celebrate the end of an emotional story. Some gave Ace words of support while others fell asleep on the spot. Marco, he had an earful for the ravenette. “Well Ace… I’ve came across your girl quite a few times over the years and I’d like for you to know she’s doing quite alright.”

“You… You’ve seen her?” Ace couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“She has a different name now,” Marco nods his head. “Apparently, the infamous Dragon picked her up when she was thirteen and drifting aimlessly at sea. She spent a few years as a Revolutionary with him, bounced around from crew to crew including ours until she was eighteen, ate a devil fruit somewhere in there and now… She’s settled down on an island here in the Grand Line. I can give you a pose if you want it-”

“I really shouldn’t,” Ace declined the offer.

“I’m giving it to you,” Marco forced the eternal pose into Ace’s grasp. “She clearly still cares.”

“How do you know?”

“She searched high and low for a clam devil fruit and succeeded,” Marco chuckled. “Plus, she’s adopted a kid a little after she left our crew… Named him Sabo in dedication to him but also you.”

“I may just go see her then…” Ace stared into the eternal pose as the red spike pointed directly back at himself. “Now I don’t have to live with regrets.”