Protectors [One Piece Fanfiction]

Old Adventures: Party Reveal

Old Adventures: Party Reveal

The sound of laughter filled the air while the men drank and ate away. It was dark out but the Moby Dick was brightly lit with colours of happiness. Many men crowded over the pinkette as they offered her endless amount of food. Thatch threw his arm around Irin while Marco held a cup of beer towards her, the two had once again stolen Irin away from Ace.

"Have some beer-yoi, Irin-chan!" Marco offered, holding the cup of alcohol closer and closer to her face.

Irin smiled awkwardly, "N-No thanks, Marco-san," she rejected kindly.

"Oh c'mon, Irin... Don't tell me you're a lightweight and you're scared of getting drunk..." Ace taunted as he brought his cup of beer nearer to her face.

She glared at him and snatched away his cup of beer, taking a sip from it, "For your information, Ace, I've never been drunk before."

All the men that were present at that time stared at Irin with wonder and hearts in their eyes. A girl who could hold her alcohol was attractive after all...

"... But that's only because I've never drank before,"

There was a beat of silence as the men stared at her with little imaginary hearts that broke above their heads. 

"Wow, this is pretty good..." she whispered to herself, looking at the drink in her hand with wide eyes.

Ace, Thatch and Marco blinked, staring at the girl in disbelief..

"Pfft! You've never drank before? What have you been doing with your life this whole time?" Ace laughed, breaking the silence and making fun of his childhood friend. One thing that he had always done to her since they were little was make fun of her, he didn't know why but he enjoyed doing so.

Irin pouted as she glared at Ace, "Shut up! You're still so mean!" she scolded as she chugged the beer, till there was not a single drop left.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Too bad! It's gone now! Whatcha gonna do about it, hmm?" she stuck her tongue out. This was the side of hers she reserved for Ace and only Ace. Growing up with his snarky comments and constant teasing she learned how to retaliate towards his annoying remarks, though she never really meant harm. Neither did he. The two were just strange in that sense.

Ace then smirked, "I'm just worried that you'd get knocked out after a single cup, that's all... I mean, after all, you've never had alcohol..." he crossed his arms smugly, "Consider this as a... Friendly concern..."

"Since when did you start to worry about me? Aw, did the strong, all-powerful Ace grow soft on me?" she chided and under old circumstances, Ace would have blushed and shut up but the current Ace was no longer as much of a tsundere he was.

He sat straight up, raised a brow then tilted his head to the side, "Of course I worry about you, you're my best friend," he stated boldly

Catching Irin off guard, she was unable to form a comeback, "Are you really the Ace I used to know? That sounded way too mature to be you," she stared at him with wide eyes.

"Huh?! Are you saying I'm childish?!" he yelled.

Irin smiled at her best friend softly, her smile was gentle, beautiful and sincere, "No... Not anymore at least..." she whispered as she stared at his charming features; his freckles, his slight blush and his beautiful wavy locks. 

This time Ace blushed despite the fact that she wasn't trying to make him, she became even prettier than she was when they were little but she was still the same, kind yet fun to be around.