Disclaimer : I do not own One Piece.

Hello! This is my first OP fanfic and I thank you for giving it a chance. I've been reading tons of Whitebeard Pirates and Ace fanfics and I just had to start my own. I'll try to update once in two or three weeks, but mostly when inspiration strikes. Enjoy!


Distant cheers and laughter pulled him out of slumber as his eyelids fluttered open. Still feeling groggy, Ace rubbed his eyes with his hands and sat up, a blanket falling off his upper body. He scanned his surroundings with glazed eyes, blinking a little to chase the sleepiness away.

The gentle rocking of the waves, chilly, salty breeze and joyful laughter led him to immediately realize he was on the Moby Dick.

He must have had fallen asleep due to his narcolepsy again, judging from the distance between the spot he was sleeping on and where the party was going on wild.

He stifled a yawn but nearly choked when a voice - unyielding but gentle and warm - boomed beside him.

"Had a good sleep?" Whitebeard grinned down at him.

"Yeah." he stretched a little to shake off the sleepiness. "I missed out the fun again."

The Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates chuckled as he gazed at his crew in front of them. "It's not such a bad thing to sit out of the fun once in a while."

Ace took in how one of the strongest man across the seas, Whitebeard looked at his crew. His features visibly softened as he laid eyes on them. Even though he wasn't grinning from ear to ear, that peacefulness that shrouded him warmed Ace's heart.

This man was his father. And he was part of this family.

Ace tore his gaze away from the man and looked ahead.

His gaze slowly moved from one brother to another, as though he was recalling his memories with every single one of them. Ace couldn't help but smile at the sight of all of them.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "It is."

Whitebeard downed his cup of sake and his gaze flickered over to Ace.

"Not going to join in the fun?"

After a beat of silence, he shook his head. "I'll stay here."

He hadn't found his answer yet - whether if it was right for him to be born and if he deserved to live - but right then, Ace really wanted everything to remain the same.

"Is that so?" A grin tugged on Whitebeard's lips as he met Ace's eyes knowingly.

Ace wanted to live on, even if the world was against his will.

"Yeah," Ace grinned back at him, looking like the innocent and carefree child he never had a chance to be. "A little longer."

Because for once in his entire life, he belonged. And he wanted nothing else but stay here for as long as he lived.


Please leave a review if you liked it! Tell me if you have any prompts too. Thanks for reading!