Thatch winced a little at Ace's words. It felt a little like a betrayal in a sense. He didn't want to be captain, he said... But they'd all been behind him before, even to push him up to Pirate King and now--everything was changed. Because of one goddamn knife wound. Things changed. As if that made a difference. As if that should.

But it had. And there was nothing he could think of to do about it.Ace was stuck here, too. Without a dream. Without-- He swallowed everything back, settling himself before he punched one of them off the roof. At Ace for being so stupid for going after Marshall like that. For Marco to be so stupid to let him. For himself to have let his guard down so damn easily.

"Sorry, Sparks." He let them go, running a hand through his hair and then pulling it back irritably. He had to say something. Think of something. But he could only shake his head. He should be the strong one here but he'd be damned if he could even think of what to say.