Forget Me Not - One Shot Series

Izou/Thatch/Marco/Ace - Semi-Sweet

Eyes alight with flames, a hand wreathed in fire, a voice booming and desperate - the last things you had seen before your body had hit the ocean waves.

"The rough storm had ripped you off the deck of the Moby, you don't have a devil fruit, but the ship was massive, and you aren't. Even with your haki protecting you, you hit the water so hard it had knocked you unconscious.

"Even with the storm raging, members of the crew had dove off the ship to find you. I got held back, but someone like me diving into the water wouldn't have helped.

"You were in the water... a long time. Thatch couldn't find a pulse when he surfaced with you, couldn't get you to breathe. Pops had used his own devil fruit to banish the storm, and the entire crew had turned toward you. Izou had performed CPR until you hacked up half the ocean and started breathing on your own. He cracked three ribs in the process, and no one knew how hurt you were before that.

"Marco didn't sleep for almost three days. Even with Me an' Thatch an' Izou helping him, he couldn't barely find fitful naps, let alone any useful sleep. He kept abusing his devil fruit to keep himself sharp, until Pops' laid him out and forced him to rest yesterday."

A cheerful young man sat beside your bed, clumsily peeling apples for you. When you'd asked him what happened he hadn't held back. He didn't look or feel threatening, and the warmth that radiated from him was comfortable.

"Thatch and Izou got some sleep once you were stable, and it was my turn to watch over you, so here we are." He hands over the plate of apple slices, and you happily begin to nibble on one. You're pretty sure you shouldn't eat after four days of being in a coma, but you're too hungry to let good sense stop you.

"How do you feel?"

"... Sore," you answer softly, taking another small bite. "Hungry." Your brow furrows, and you set the apple slice you were working on down. "Confused."

"Confused about?" He questions, tilting his head.

You are quiet for a long moment, but he gives you plenty of time to sort your thoughts before you reply.

"I don't... know any of those names." You admit, frustration on your face. You're not looking at him, but you can see his body jerk. "I don't..." Your voice shifts from frustration and becomes small, tears pulling at the corners of your eyes. "Remember you."

"You - Ah, it's okay." He responds. You look up and can tell the smile on his face is strained, but he's trying to look cheerful. "Marco... um, he's the ship's doctor, he said that you might not remember things when you woke up." He puts a hand to his chest. "I'm Ace, we're... we're crew mates, you're part of the Whitebeard Pirates. You joined before me, so Thatch or Izou or Marco would be able to fill you in better than me."

"Ace." You say the name and watch his face twist in an odd emotion. "Thatch pulled me out of the sea, and Izou cracked my ribs."

"To save you, to save you!" Ace adds quickly. "Izou has amazing control, and Marco was busy getting the sick bay ready in case he needed to do something more complicated to save you."

"... I caused distress. I'm sorry." You say it firmly, eyes downcast.

"Bwha- what? No, I mean, yeah, but... er... you don't hafta apologize for it." He assures you. "People were worried cause they care."

"That's -."

"Ah, little miss negative is back." A voice says from the doorway, you and Ace turn and look and Ace nods toward the tall dark-haired man.

"Izou."

"You helped save me, thank you." You bow slightly from your position in the bed, wincing against unexpected pain.