An Eternal Bond

Alabasta

"So... are you actually paying this time?" I questioned. Ace and I were at yet another restaurant, and I really didn't want to be chased by an angry chef again.

He had just asked one of the people at the market place if they had seen Luffy, but I got a weird vibe after he asked. I didn't want to cause a sudden commotion in a foreign town because he decided not to pay again.

I stirred my drink, which Ace refused to allow alcohol into, and looked over at Ace. "I'm still awaiting my answer here."

"...Do we have to?"

"I know you have money, and I know I have money."

He opened his mouth to speak, but to my dismay, he never really got anything out. Instead, his face fell into his food, making the whole restaurant think he was dead.

"Calm down, calm down!" I assured as people gathered around. I shook him a little. "Ace..." I whispered in his ear, and I could see the chill down his spine as his head shot up. "Good morning, sle-"

"I guess you have no problem with eating in public, Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Second Division, Portgas D. Ace." I turned around and tilted my head. "Who... are you?"

Ace put his arm in front of me and turned in his seat. "Aw, come on! You don't even recognize my little partner here?"

I'd personally prefer that he didn't.

The marine looked over at me and furrowed his brow. "Who, exactly, would that be?"

I poked Ace's shoulder and whispered in his ear. "My wanted poster's from 11 years ago, remember?" Ace 'oh'd' in realization. "Well, this is Y/N L/N."

Okay, never mind.

"H-HAH?! You were—!" I lifted my finger. "Look bud, now that you've learned our— or, my name, you need to say yours. It's not a secret if you have the word JUSTICE on your back."

He was silent, which I found quite rude, but I wasn't really thinking of that at the moment.

Ace had told me that he left a message for Luffy back at Drum Island, and that we would be staying here for ten days. Since I was told that, I've been constantly checking to see if Luffy was here.

"Um, A-Ace..."

"So? What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to sit there and let me arrest you."

I shook Ace's arm. "Ace..."

"Rejected. I'd rather not." I pursed my lips. "Ace-"

"I expected as much." The marine continued. "I didn't come here for your head."

I looked around him to see exactly how close our little companion was, and furrowed my brow. "Ace, I.. um..."

"So why not let me go?" Ace tried to negotiate.

"Never... As long as I'm a marine and you're a pirate."

Ace looked down with a smirk. "What a dumb reason. Shall we have some fun then?"

I heard the familiar "Gomu Gomu no Rocket" from a distance and I sat up straight. "Um, Ace, I-" Out of instinct, I moved out of the way as Luffy bashed into both the marine guy and Ace, blasting them through multiple walls.

"OH!!" I looked down the long tunnel of holes that Luffy had made, seeing him emerge through the rubble. He sat on a nearby stool as if he didn't just blast through three different buildings.

"Finally, I found a restaurant! I'm starving, I thought I was going to die! Hey, you, give me food."

I chuckled dryly, still wondering if he even noticed what he just did. I walked down the long path, through the buildings, hoping Ace wasn't in the next town.

"Ace!" I ran over and shook him. "Dammit, Ace, you just can't listen to two things at the same time, can you?"

Ace emerged from the rubble and took my hand, stomping back to the restaurant.

"I can't believe this! What kind of small minded idiot would do this?!"

I sighed. I gave up a while ago, but you saw that I tried, right?

We came to an abrupt stop as Ace noticed a family that was trying to eat. "Ah, many apologies for disturbing your meal." He bowed.

I placed some money on their table and sighed. "I'm sorry about my boyfriend's little brother. They're both reckless."

Ace pulled me back to the restaurant and his eyes lit up. "Lu- AH!" The marine guy slammed his head to the ground and I stepped away.

I could just kick him and take Ace out of here, but I kind of wanted to see how this would play out. Besides, I wasn't in the mood for having to fight this guy as well as keep him away from the other people around.

He chased after Luffy as he retreated and I watched the two figures run down the street. "Ace." I shook him, seeing that he was panting. He wasn't unconscious, just... dazed, I guess?

"Ngh..." His eyes slowly opened and I tilted my head. "You alright?"

"Yeah, let's go." He immediately took my hand and charged down the street in pursuit of the marine man and Luffy. "Ace, I can-!" He pulled me up onto his back as if I had lost the ability to run and chased after the crowd of marines.

I gently kicked the back of his thigh and he turned his head, though his feet didn't stop running. "Yeah?"

"I... can run by myself."

He gave me a short nod and put me down, still holding onto my hand. While I'm not the fastest runner, he was making it seem like I was turtle. Not that I'm complaining or anything.

"Room!"

I created a large operation space and took out my sword. "Scan."

Ace looked over at me. "Marine amount?"

"37, possibly including Luffy and his crew."

He nodded and ran around the bunch of marines. "Heat Haze."

I walked up next to Ace and glanced at Luffy. "Heya!"

Luffy stared at the two of us, the rest of his crew dumbfounded. "A-Ace? Y/N?! Ace ate a Devil Fruit. You're— HAH?!"

I waved my hand dismissively. "We'll chat later. Ace and I will hold them off, you guys go." Luffy nodded and his whole crew followed him.

"I've been waiting to do this." I said, cracking my knuckles.

"You're cute when you do that."

The marine furrowed his brow. "Why are you helping him?" Ace smiled. "It's natural for a big brother to help his little one, right?"

I glanced behind me, then back at the marine. "Besides, you haven't told me your name!"