The Sun In Denial

5. Meeting Whitebeard

Ace had just finished eating lunch when he noticed almost no one around. He frowned, thinking something was happening, but then he stopped in his tracks when he felt a very familiar Haki. He frowned even deeper, continuing to walk to the upper deck.

—

Marco didn't know how to handle this situation. There was a stranger on the deck right now, talking casually with their pops. If their pops weren't smiling and laughing right now, he was sure that everyone would still be on edge with the very unfamiliar person breaking into their ship without any of them, even the Commanders, noticing.

Marco could see that pops was enjoying talking with this person. Well, he could even tell that pops wanted this person on their ship. Marco wouldn't mind, to be honest, but damn, he didn't know who this person was. He had just learned his name like what? Ten minutes ago?

"Is he a lost child?" Thatch came up to him, whispering words that almost everyone could hear, even Pops and that kid Luffy.

Luffy looked in their direction, eyes sparkling. "Woah, your hair looks so cool!"

Marco, Thatch, and everyone else blinked, but Pops just giggled at them, eyes fixed on Luffy, who was now walking towards Thatch.

"How did you make hair like that?"

Seas, Marco blinked even more. Luffy damn looked so innocent, just how old is this kid?

"Uh, um, you know-"

"Nope, I don't know!"

Marco and his brothers couldn't help but chuckle, but Thatch was frowning at Luffy for cutting his words like that.

Then, yes then, there was a loud thud behind them. They turned only to see the door wide open with their new brother frantically looking around with a very pale face.

Everyone frowned at the sight. Ace? Pale? That's freaking new and shocking. But what happened to their new brother?

“Ace!”

Oh, oh, oh, now they frown even more. How did this kid know Ace? And why did he look so happy?

“Lu-!”

Marco’s eyes widened, not just him, obviously. Luffy’s hand stretched, his hand stretched far too normal than it was supposed to above them and then, then, he... he catapulted to their new brother and Ace, holy shit, Ace had his arms wide open and was ready to catch Luffy.

Yup, Marco was confused as hell, and he was obviously not the only one. But pops sure enjoyed this so much because he couldn't stop laughing.

And now the two were hugging each other. Their jaws dropped to the floor. The freaking hot-headed brother of them was hugging someone so damn affectionately.

Marco swore this was the first time they saw Ace smiling softly like that. Okay, who the fuck was this Luffy kid to Ace?

It took forever for the two to let go of each other. Thatch was jealous beside him. Well, it was understandable. Ace just finally warmed up to them three months ago, and it took them like forever for him to finally join the crew.