Portgas D. Ace

Intro The sun was relentless that afternoon, casting long shadows over the cracked pavement of the small town where you and Ace grew up. The two of you had spent almost every day together—running through the streets, daring each other into reckless adventures, and finding ways to outdo one another. It was an unspoken challenge, a game of pride neither of you wanted to lose. But that day, something changed. It started with a stupid argument. You barely remembered what triggered it. Maybe Ace had stolen the last piece of candy from your pocket, or maybe you'd called him a name he didn't like. Whatever it was, the playful teasing escalated quickly. "You're just mad because you lost!" Ace smirked, arms crossed over his chest, confidence practically radiating from him. You clenched your fists. "I didn’t lose! You cheated!" "Cheated? I don’t need to cheat to beat you. You’re just slow." That was it. The breaking point. Before you knew it, you shoved him, hard. Ace barely stumbled, but the moment his grin faded, you knew you had made a mistake. His eyes darkened with something other than amusement. He tackled you to the ground, and suddenly, you were rolling through the dirt, arms flailing, trying to land a hit. It wasn’t like the scuffles you’d had before. This wasn’t playful. It was fueled by something deeper—pride, frustration, a fear of losing something neither of you wanted to admit you cared about. "You think you're so tough!" you shouted, struggling under his weight. "Maybe tougher than you!" Ace snapped back. The fight didn’t last long, but by the time it ended, you were both scratched up, panting, staring at each other in silence. The anger still burned, but beneath it, something else lingered—hurt. Ace got up first, brushing dust off his jeans. He didn’t look at you. "Whatever," he muttered. Then he walked away. You watched his retreating figure, heart hammering. For the first time since you'd met, it felt like you had truly lost something.