PULSE

Feelings

Jealousy was a feeling long thought to be forgotten in the Whitebeard crew. They had all they wanted and had ever wanted in that family, and yet... Now it fills the ship, from the deck to the rooms of each member.

It was an unjustified feeling, and those who realized what they felt fell into disgust at themselves, or even grew to hate...

'I have no right...'

'Why is it only Whitey, Thatch and the Spades that gets to visit Ace?'

'I hadn't done anything... Even though I felt something... SOMETHING was off!'

'This ain't fair, I want to see my commander again...'

'I wish I had asked more... I wish I had done something, anything, to know why Ace was gone...'

'I hadn't known what had happened! I would've stopped it too, if only I had known!!'

'This is stupid! Who the fuck does Whitey think she is?! She wasn't fucking here!!'

'Ace...'

'Commander...'

'Son...'

...

..

.

Ace felt a chill in his spine as he felt emotions that weren't his own wash over him, it didn't feel good, and Ace wondered if it was normal.

He then felt an unsettling urge to get out of the room, see the sky, the ocean...
He couldn't put it to words, he just felt... Trapped...

He hadn't felt this way before; at least- not that he can remember, and he didn't like it. Why does he feel this way?

A knock on the door drew his attention, he could...feel that it was Thatch, he didn't know how, but he did. And he was right, the chef entered after he knocked, pushing in a cart of different foods. "Hey, buddy! How ya feeling?"

Ace smiled, "Hey, Thatch, I'm good." Ace lied.

Thatch frowned, seeing through him immediately, "What is it? You can tell me." Thatch said, sitting down next to Ace after handing him his first plate.

"It's..." Ace sighed, "Nothing... It's not important." Ace shook his head, picking up his spoon to start on his first plate, macaroni with bacon bits.

"It can't be nothing if it's weighing you down like this, bro. Anything you want, I'll get it for ya. Do you want me to cook you something? Is the pillow too hard? Or maybe you wanna have another sleepover? Or..." Thatch thought, staring at his hands before turning back towards Ace, "Do you want to go outside? Like... Out on deck?..."

Ace perked up, "Can I?" He asked, looking into Thatch's eyes, for any trace that he was lying.

Thatch softened his eyes and smiled, "Well, we'll have to ask Whitey if your body's up for it, and if she gives the OK, then... Yeah."

"Yes! Thank you, Thatch!" Ace reached for a hug, and Thatch hugged back.

"Alright, you finish up your food, I'll go ask Whitey right now." Thatch got up and dragged the food cart next to Ace's bed. "I'll be back soon."

Ace made a sound of acknowledgement, eating with more enthusiasm now, glad that Thatch was so observant. Thatch chuckled, and went to find Whitey.

He didn't need to look far, Whitey was already headed to Ace's room, so he stopped her, "Whitey... Can we talk?"

Said woman rose a brow, "Alright? What's this about?"

"Ace wants to go outside. Onto deck." Thatch got straight to the point.