One Piece One Shots [x Reader]

Signs (Ace x Reader)

Set after Time-Skip, Warning: Angst

Inspired by "Signs" by Bloc Party.

"I'll come back for you."

His words still echoed inside your head, tormenting you every night when you tried to fall asleep while images of his smile, memories of his touch invaded your mind. You'd been the spark, and he'd been the flame. Before him, there'd been only embers, waiting to be set free.

Even though it was currently a winter season on your island, the air tonight felt exceptionally warm. Maybe you had catched a fever? Knowing you wouldn't get another minute of sleep, you resignedly pulled back the covers from you body, slipped into your clogs and got up to make yourself some coffee. Might as well get some paperwork done.

Ace had always tried to encourage you to leave your life, to break through the stalemate of your daily routine and explore the seas. Once, you had dreamed of leaving with him. It had been the third and final time he'd visited your island, while he'd been on the search for Blackbeard. Unlike the times before, he wouldn't have had to convince you, you'd been sure you wanted to go. There'd been nothing holding you back anymore.

But, alas, the feelings had been there, but the timing had somehow never been right. That time, he'd been on a quest of his own, unable to take you with him. When you'd made your goodbyes, not knowing this would be the last time, he'd promised to come back with his crew as soon as he was finished with Blackbeard, he'd promised to introduce you to all of his brothers, to Shirohige himself. The first two times you'd said goodbye to him, you'd cried, but on this day, you had been happy. You'd been sure he'd come back because he'd told you he loved you. And after everything Ace had told you about his past, about his feelings of insecurity and self-loathing, you knew he wouldn't have told you if he hadn't been serious. It had been the happiest day of your life.

If only you'd known better, you told yourself afterwards. Maybe not crying on that day had only multiplied the tears you'd cried after you'd learned about what happened. You remembered never being so on the edge, never so fearful, never such a nervous wreck as on the day of his execution, the day of the war. And when it was all over, when people everywhere had cheered that Fire Fist Ace, last living relative of the King of the Pirates, was dead, you had felt like nothing of you was left except an empty shell.

You had always been alone, had lost your parents long ago. You were used to it. But when you knew he wasn't going to come back, you weren't just alone. For the first time, you knew just what you had lost. Never again would you see his lopsided grin when he noticed you starting at him, never again would he pull of some fire tricks to make you laugh and call him a show-off, never again would you be able to trace the outlines of his tattoos, the freckles on his face with nervous hands before he'd kiss you softly.

Now, more than 2 years later, you'd managed to live on – barely. You had never made it out of your town or off your island, had never dared to try and break your chains again. You weren't happy, but at least you were able to make it through most days without shedding a tear, and that was enough. It had to be. Without him, you didn't believe you had the strength to breakaway.
You'd also feel guilty for being able to explore what he had loved so much but would never be able to see again. It had been a dream the both of you had shared, but now he wasn't there anymore, so what was the point?

He wouldn't want you to think like this. He'd want you to be free.

Of course you knew that. Ace had always told you to live your life with no regrets – and the things we regretted the most were those we didn't do, after all. But each time the thought of leaving it all behind wormed its way into your mind, you quickly pushed it back, too scared to act.

Some nights, you still tried to convince yourself it all wasn't real – that he'd somehow found a way to escape, that he was still out there with his brothers, living and breathing. When the sun was exceptionally hot, when the light of your candle flickered just a bit too often, when the winter nights felt extraordinarily warm, like tonight, you immediately thought of him.

Did he still think of you, wherever he was now? Had he ever told his family about you? Was there some way the both of you were still interconnected?
As you sipped on your coffee, you quietly looked out of the window. What you saw almost made you drop your cup.

The snow beside your house was melting. And not just slowly, rapidly. Without thinking, you immediately grapped your coat and went outside. Your eyes hadn't deceived you – not just right beside your home, everywhere, the snow was melting and had stopped falling. Instead, the air was seemingly getting warmer by the minute.

You knew it couldn't be him, of course you did. Yet that didn't stop the tears from falling, your heart from beating faster or the memories from flooding your mind. But this time, there were happy tears. Maybe this was just a coincidence, but maybe, this was a sign. A sign it was time to finally live your life the way you'd always wanted to, the way he had wanted you to live. The sign you'd needed to finally take next step, to start over again.

You knew immediately what you had to do now. The knowledge had always been there, in the back of your mind, buried by memories, thoughts and regrets. Until now.
Tomorrow, you'd prepare your departure. Watch over me, Ace.

Even though it was all but a distant possibility, you knew you wanted to meet his little brother. Ace had always talked about Luffy, about how proud he was of him, about how much they went through together. No matter how long it took, you would try to find him. You wanted to be free, yes, but you also wanted to honor his memory in every way possible. No matter how long it took.

On the horizon, you were able to make out just the faintest hint of light. As you went back inside, tears still blurring your vision, you could swear you saw the silhouette of a man between the trees a few hundred feet away.
But surely, that must've been your imagination.

I see signs now all the time
That you're not dead, you're sleeping
I believe in anyhing
That brings you back home to me