One Piece x Reader - One Shots, reactions, headcannons, etc. CLOSED

100K Special - 7. Portgas. D. Ace

Tropes:
Childhood 'friends'
Enemies to lovers
Word count: 10,006

A/n: so this story contains one paragraph which includes female anatomy, the one little paragraph is marked with a '-*' to start it and a '*-' to end it, so you can skip that paragraph and the story will still make sense.

We're on day 4, number 7 in my list already?? HOW!! Anyway, whilst I love his Daddy, Ace comes in just before him for me! This is probably my least favourite of the stories, but I honestly hope this story and Roger's makes up for the therapy you all need after the Sanji one 😭 (I'm still sorry!) Also this still isn't the longest 👀.

Your small town was the kind of town where nothing ever really changed. Summers were hot, the crickets were loud, and everyone knew everyone else's business. For some, that was comforting, a sense of stability in an unpredictable world. For you, it felt like a trap.

Still, the park had always been a place where you could escape, even if only for a little while. The woods and greenery was probably the only thing big city kids rivalled.. then again they probably had all sorts of fancy technology to keep them busy. You didn't.

The park wasn't far from your house, just down the dirt path that wound through the woods. You walked there now, your shoes kicking up dust as you went. The sound of the creek bubbling in the distance made you feel a little calmer, though your heart still raced with anticipation. Ace was waiting.

When you reached the park, you spotted him immediately. He was sitting on the lowest branch of the old oak tree, his legs swinging lazily, his dark hair sticking out in every direction. He looked like he belonged there, untamed and completely indifferent to the world around him.

"You're late" he frowned, his voice sharp as he glared down at you. "Sorry" you mumbled, shifting on your feet. "I- I got caught up helping my mother". Ace snorted, hopping down from the branch. "Yeah, whatever. You're always late".

You opened your mouth to protest but thought better of it. He didn't like excuses, and you didn't want to make him mad. Instead, you ducked your head and muttered, "I'll try to be on time next time".

"Next time" he repeated with a smirk, grabbing a stick from the ground. "Who says there's gonna be a next time?". Your stomach twisted, but you forced a small smile. "Well... I thought you liked hanging out".

Ace stopped in his tracks, turning to look at you like you'd just said something ridiculous. "I don't 'hang out'" his tone was dripping with disdain. "You just follow me around like a lost puppy".

Your face burned with embarrassment, but you didn't argue. You'd known Ace for years, and this was just how he was, blunt, dismissive, and impossible to read. Still, you couldn't help but hold onto the belief that, deep down, he didn't really mean the things he said.

'Kids have a way of being mean sometimes' you'd hear your mother say in your mind, and so you'd give him the benefit of the doubt, despite never having been a mean kid yourself, you understood others could be.

The two of you walked to the creek in silence, Ace occasionally stopping to poke at things with his stick or kick a rock out of his way. When you reached the water, he crouched down by the edge, tossing pebbles into the stream. You stayed a few feet back, unsure if he wanted you there or not.

"You gonna stand there all day?" he asked, not even bothering to look at you. "Oh! Um..." You hesitated, then sat down on the grass, careful to keep some distance between you. "Sorry".

Ace didn't respond, focused on skipping stones across the water. You watched him out of the corner of your eye, marveling at how effortless he made it look. He was always so confident, so sure of himself. You wished you could be like that.