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Crouching on the rooftop Ace silently watches as the small crew gathered around their captain. The man towered over most of them, his big burly build putting the others in shadows.
Scoffing at the thought of the traitor Ace whistled, feeling a sadistic glee brew up inside him as the crew flinches, jumping and scampering around like rats to locate him.
It irks him to see how Teach didn’t react like the others, no. Instead he tilted his head up and dares to grin up at Ace with his incomplete smile, crow’s feet gathering around the corner of his eyes as he bellows out that once so comforting laugh.
“Commander Ace! What a surprise to see you here.” Teach’s voice betrays no sign of nervousness, no hint of irritation that could hint to a discomfort with Ace’s presence.
To Ace he sounds almost…
-sincere.
Forcing those thoughts away Ace chuckles, giving Teach his trademark smile.
“Teach, I have come to take you in. As your commander it is my duty to right your wrongs, and it was your betrayal under my lead that led to the death of a brother.”
With a feral expression on his face, Ace feels his fire react to his whirlwind of emotions, fire igniting on his shoulders and down his spine. The shadows it cast darken his face, his eyes seemingly glowing.
“Will you give me the honor of a fight before I take your head?”
Throwing his arms open Teach meets his eyes, matching the ferocity in them with his own excitement. “And here I thought you’d never ask, Commander! A fight between you and me. You are fire, I am darkness! Two opposites, who will be stronger?”
Still, something dampens Teach’s mood, his eyes unfocused as he keeps Ace in his view. Lowering his arms Teach’s smile disappears, a frown taking its place.
“I do not regret what I did, Commander. Despite not regretting it, I mourn the loss of your companionship,” Teach speaks out, his voice clear and not wavering. He watches Ace intently, looking for any signs or emotions that could betray what the young man could be thinking.
Clearing his voice, Teach calls out again, this time with the same excitement he greeted Ace with.
“Become my nakama, Ace! Join me and we’ll reach heights no one has ever dreamed off. Your talents are wasted with someone like the old man, come with me instead!”
Propping his hands on his knees, Ace points finger guns at Teach’s crew, smiling at him coyly. “Sorry to disappoint, Teach, but I’m happy with where I am.”
A deranged cackle escapes Ace as he prepares himself, building up his fire in his hands, his index fingers glowing bright orange and barely containing their shape.
“Burn,” is the last thing Ace breathes out before a barrage of fire bullets rain down on them, piercing those that were not paying attention. The rest of the men manage to dodge or find cover, while Teach wraps himself in darkness, swallowing any attack that lands on him.
Jumping off the roof Ace dissolves into fire, letting the wind carry him down to the ground and towards his closest target. Right at contact he manifests again, his feral grin the last thing the pirate sees as Ace grabs his head, breaking it with an upward kick of his knee.
Dropping the body Ace jumps to the next one, hunting each men of Teach’s crew down, unaware of the eyes of said crews captain watching him with mournful desire.
The crew doesn’t seem to have a good grip on haki, barely able to uphold even the basic forms. It leads to a one-sided fight for Ace, killing or knocking the pirates out one after another.
In less than an hour only Teach remains, both standing across of each other.
Panting, Ace tries to wipe the blood splatters off his face but ends up further smearing it.
“It’s over, Teach. This is it.” His words echo across the clearing they are standing at, a hidden meaning behind Ace’s words only Teach could understand.
The bearded man stays quiet, taking in the sight before him, feeling the same love he felt over the years course through him as he watches the blood of his own crewmates drip off his former commander.
“You’re beautiful, firefly,” he finally says, Teach’s voice low as he rumbles the same words Ace once held close to his heart.
Freezing up for a second Ace scowls, insults leaving his lips before he can even think it through, his body reacting as he throws himself at the man covered in shadows.
Bruised and bleeding from various places Ace lays on the ground, all strength used up as his body gave up on him. The island was destroyed from their fight, trees and any buildings either swallowed up by Teach’s darkness or burned to cinder and ashes.
Standing in front of the fallen commander Teach stares at him, his face a mask with no emotions to show.
A broken chuckle comes from Ace, his lips pulling into a pained smile as he looks up at Teach.
“Was it worth it?” Coughing blood splatters on the ground as Ace wheezes, trying to regain his breath.
“Was breaking all the promises we made worth it, Teach?” A desperate tone can be heard in Ace’s hoarse voice, his eyes dull as he tries to meet Teach’s gaze.
Without answering Teach turns his back to the fire user, approaching the few who survived Ace and were already awake.
“Van Augur, call the marines. Tell them we have the requested bounty for the Warlord title.” He ignores the cursing and grumbling of the sniper, eying the others before calling out more orders.
“Get the dead and burn their bodies! Doc Q, check on our prisoner before patching up the crew. It wouldn’t do us any good if he were to die before the marines arrive.”
Said doctor stumbles by, muttering in agreement before halting, a sick glee in his eyes slowly starting to appear.
“Say Cap’, it will take some time for the marin’ to come. We can, let’s say, spend some time with the prisoner, right? You know, get to know him clos-,“ suddenly interrupted by Teach grabbing his throat, Doc Q struggles to breath as he’s getting choked.
“No one touches him.”
The silent promise of a painful death is clear, the dark tone is Teach’s voice complimenting the possessive look in his eyes.
“NO ONE TOUCHES HIM!” He bellows out for everyone to hear, tendrils of darkness lashing out around him before dropping the doctor to regain his composure.
A glimpse of orange catches his attention and Teach finds himself walking over, picking up an orange cowboy hat. Sighing out he trudges back to Ace, who hasn’t moved a muscle since then.
Kneeling down he cowers Ace’s head with it, effectively hiding the tears streaming down the young man’s face.
But before Teach can leave again he hears a quiet whisper from Ace, making him stop in his tracks before resuming his pace, a lone tear streaming down his cheek as he leaves a part of his heart behind.
“Do you remember last Christmas?”
Laughing together both commander and crewmate stumble into the second division commander’s private quarters, buzzed from the alcohol and holiday feeling.
Christmas is always a huge celebration, spanning for many days on end before dying down. It is no different this year with the Whitebeards, maybe even a bit more hyped than usual to celebrate their second commanders first Christmas with them.
Both man throw themselves onto the bed, the large man picking the smaller up to lay him on top of him, keeping Ace in his embrace. Snickering at his actions Ace nuzzles into Teach, enjoying the feeling of being fully enveloped in those warm arms.
“Teach, Teach, Teach,” calling out the other man’s name repeatedly Ace starts to poke him in the face, causing said man to groan out.
“Yes, little fire?” Teach huffs out with a laugh, finding the energy his young lover seems to have in boundless heaps endearing.
“We’ll be together forever, right?”
Grinning, Teach pulls Ace closer, pressing him against his chest before kissing his forehead.
“Of course. I’ll stay here by your side, commander.” The candle lights flicker, the lights dancing around the couple as they lay on the bed.
“I’ll always be there for you, my beautiful firefly.”