Dirt Tracks And Lilacs [Ace x OC]

apologize

Ace was never a cryer. He usually just became destructive to himself or anything around him, but this time, all he could do was lay in his bed and cry for days.

"Ace, you know it's not your fault," Sabo comforted from the foot of the bed. "Everyone makes their own choices." He said.

"No, it is my fault!" Ace cried out in frustration. "I chose to drink, to smoke, it was my choice to sleep around!" He argued. All he wanted to do was curl into a ball and disappear.

"My plane leaves soon," Sabo frowned. "I'm just here to say goodbye, but you know I'm just a phone call away." He added, patting Ace's leg as a final attempt at comforting him before the door creaked shut behind him.

Ace wanted to disappear, to dissolve into the bed and never get up, but he knew that wasn't a possibility. So, he did what he knew best and got drunk. When that didn't work, he hoped that maybe something stronger would do the trick.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Harsh!" Marco answered. "I can't believe you kissed Eustass because Ace kissed some blond girl. Have you even considered that maybe she kissed him?" Opal was silent for a moment as the thaught passed through her mind. Opal felt stupid.

"Truck 81, truck 81, potential overdose-"

The world went silent as Ace's address rang from the radio once again. This wasn't something she ever expected to hear.

"Opal!" Marco hollared, snapping her from her trance. "We are the only truck in county. We have to go!" He scolded, dragging her to the truck. The ringing in her ears had yet to stop and overpowered the sirens blaring above her head.

Nothing seemed real as the ambulance pulled into the yard, and the two hopped out of the ambulance and rushed into the house.

Nothing could have prepared her for the sight in front of her. Luffy was crying, Daddan was nowhere to be seen-as per usual-and Ace was on the ground.

"Opal, focus. Get me a set of vitals," Marco breathed out shakily as he struggled to find a heartbeat on Ace.

Opal focused, not on his beautiful olive skin that was paler than she had ever seen it, not on his chest that was barely rising, but on getting a set of vitals.

"Pushing 2mg Narcan." Marcos voice boomed as he administered the medication. "Chest is rising." He breathed, checking again for a pulse.

"Get off me!" Ace screamed as he fought against Marco. "Get away!" He yelled even louder.

"Opal, control him while I get the stretcher," Marco commanded, rushing outside to get the stretcher.

"You're okay, Ace." She soothed, holding his hands in hers. "We've got you," she smiled sweetly. She had never felt so relieved as she did at that moment.

"I didn't mean to!" He cried, seeing her. "I didn't know this would happen," Ace cried out as best he could. "All I do is hurt people!" He sobbed uncontrollably.

"Come on," Marco stated, gesturing towards the stretcher. "We have got to go." Marco explained, helping put Ace on the stretcher. "Your mom is on the way to watch Luffy." He added, bucking Ace in and pushing him to the truck.

"I'm sorry..." Ace croaked to Opal in the back. "This time, I'll get clean," he promised, holding her hand in his. "I don't want to hurt you anymore." He added, his lip quivering as he held back tears.

"Calm down, Ace." She shushed, rubbing his fourhead to calm him. "I forgive you," she lied, knowing it's what he needed to hear.

"Seriously? You shouldn't," he argued. "After that girl kissed me, I assumed you'd never even speak to me again."

Guilt wracked Opal as the words came out of his mouth. He was this bad off because he thought she would never speak to him again. Maybe she should have just sucked it up and kept trying. She was yanked from her thoughts by the ambulance doors swinging open.

"Please, I don't want to be alone." He begged, tightening his grip on her hand.

"I'll never leave you again."

~~~~~~~~~~

Violent coughs tore through Aces' body as he awoke from another nightmare. The alcohol beside him had tipped over from the jolt and spilled all over the hardwood floor.

Ever since he had considered the pills, Ace
Had constant nightmares about what would happen if he followed through, and the dreams were more than enough to keep him away from it.

"Shit," he grumbled loudly. His eyes had landed on the spilled liquor, and he hoped it would not stain the expensive flooring.

"Ace," Luffy's hushed voice called from upstairs. "I'm hungry," he admitted, tightening his grip on his blanket, clearly nervous to talk to his brother.

"Go get in the car," Ace grumbled, holding his head as he struggled to stand from the floor. "I'll drop you off at Calias, and I'll go shopping tomorrow," he grumbled, reaching for his previously discarded keys. They had found the couch as their new home.

"Okay..." Luffy mumbled, nervous about his brother driving. "You really need to cut back," He added warily. "It's been two weeks of constant drinking, and you race again this weekend." He exhaled, frowning deeply at the sight.

"Yeah, yeah," Ace mumbled as he swung the front door open. "Worry about yourself, crybaby." He barked back, closing the car door as he entered the driver's side.

Luffy was right, and Ace knew it, but he wouldn't listen. Ace had nothing left to feel for. He had done this to himself, and he planned to lay in the grave he had dug. There was no point in trying to fight it, he fucked up everything he touched. Besides, no one would care if he was gone, he told himself.

Kinda filler ngl.

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Sleep well! Don't forget your medications! Make sure you've had a glass of water and eaten