unknown number (Ace x-reader)

the beginning

well... it was an emotional rollercoaster, but thank you all for supporting me through it.
comment your thoughts if you feel comfortable doing so. thank you for being here.

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  A couple of months have passed since we last checked up on our protagonists. (Y/n) moved in with Ace because she couldn't afford to pay for her own place and she didn't even have a job or money saved up. She tried to tell Ace that it wasn't necessary for him to take her in, but he insisted.
  In order to not feel like a burden, she decided to find a job. So here she is, standing outside the one place she never expected to get a job; the orphanage. The beginning to the whole mess, but if she thought about it, the real beginning to it would be the night she called him by mistake. If he hadn't picked up, how would life differ?
  She takes a deep breath, dispelling those thoughts. Life is too short to get caught up on all the what if's. She places her hand on the handle to the door, once again trying to raise her spirit and self confidence before heading into the building. The cool air from within reminding her just how much time had passed since Ace took her in. Spring has come, and so has the rising temperatures.
  "(Y/n)! What brings you in here today-yoi?" a hand lands on her shoulder and when her head turns the first thing she sees is a toothy grin by the one and only magnificent Marco.
  "I've come to apply here," she sends him a half smile back as a reply for his carefree expression.
  "Apply?" he knots his eyebrows, obviously lost in deep thought. "We don't hire through applications. Plus, we're not really advertising that we nee-"
  "I-I know! It's just..." she casts her (e/c) eyes down at the tile-flooring before looking back at him with a fiery determination. "I feel so useless to Ace, and he told me how he considers you guys his family and I just really wanted to-"
  "There's no need to try and explain yourself, (Y/n)," Marco squeezes her shoulder reassuringly. "Listen, we don't need to hire through applications here. We know who we can trust and who we can't the moment we see them. (Y/n), we don't need you to apply, if you want to work here, then you can start tomorrow. I talked to Pops about this incase it happened and he told me to go with my heart. As long as you meet him, of course-yoi."
  "I'd love to!" she closes her eyes as a smile forms on her lips. "When can I see him?"
  "No wonder Ace loves you so, your smile is amazingly beautiful," Marco smiles as her eyes snap open, not because he said that her smile is beautiful, but because he said Ace loves her. "Come on, I'll introduce you now-yoi."
  She lightly slaps her cheeks as she follows behind the blond man, now's not the time to be daydreaming. The thing is, she still doesn't understand love. Yet, she knows that what she feels for Ace is love. A love so pure she doesn't want to ruin it. It's a flower that she feels afraid to touch because she fears it could wilt any second. But that's foolish. Isn't it?
  "Pops, (Y/n) is here to see you," Marco knocks on a door before he opens it and motions for the woman to enter. "I'll leave you two alone. You're going to be fine, (Y/n). Show him your true self-yoi."
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  "Ace!" Luffy wraps his arms around his brother's neck. "Am I coming over for dinner tonight?"
  "No, for the thousandth time, (Y/n) and I are going out to dinner tonight," Ace lets out a sigh, how many times this week would it make if Luffy came once again to dinner? Every night, Ace believes. "Listen Luffy, Ill tell you how it goes. Quit worrying. You approve of her, don't you?"
  "Of course I approve of her! It's just..." the younger male stops himself, the right side of his mouth forming a frown as he debates his words. "I don't want to lose you again..."
  "Luffy," Ace pulls him into his arms and hugs him tightly. "You're the best brother I could've ever asked for. And you've gone through so much that you didn't need to. You've had to constantly worry about me. About whether or not I'd make it though the night. About weather or not you'd ever see me again, and you've had to mature so much faster because of me... for that I'm sorry. As the oldest, I should've been the one to protect you. But I couldn't."
  "No, I could've," he whispers, swallowing the rock that suddenly formed in his throat, "But I was too afraid to. Luffy, let me do the job of being the elder brother. Stop worrying about me. Live your life. Go through what you should've. Get a girlfriend. Stop worrying about me. Let me worry about you for once. Please... I don't want you to... revolve your world around me."
  They stand there for a few seconds, until Ace goes to break away, Luffy wraps his arms around the elder and pulls him back. Ace can hear the slight whimpering coming from Luffy's throat as he silently cries, "Ace... promise me one thing..."
  "What is it?" he rubs the back of his brother as her stands there, enveloped in his warmth. "I'll do anything for you."
  "Don't... forget... about... us," Luffy says in between sobs. "Don't forget about me... I don't know... what's I'd do if you left me behind."
  "I'd never do that to you," Ace wraps his arms around his brother, pulling him closer to his chest. "You mean too much to me. You've done so much for me. How could I forget about my crybaby brother? Always causing trouble for me?"
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  "How was your day, (Y/n)?" his voice causes her to look up from her meal and smile at him, telling him without any words that she had a great day.
  "I went to the orphanage today," she says, his face falling into a flat line with a puzzled look on his face. "I met up with Pops... he gave me a job, I'll be able to pay you back for taking care of me all this time."
  "Don't worry about it," he says, taking a sip out of his drink. "So then... does that mean you'll be moving out...?"
  "Once I get enough money," she puts down her silverware and stares at him. "Unless, you don't want me to?"
  "That's your decision," he sends her a half smile, noticing her face falter. "Listen, I don't want to control you life. But if you're asking for my honest opinion..."
  He reaches out and grabs her hand, their eyes making contact, "I don't want you to leave... because I'm in love with you. So will you stay with me?"

-the end