Flashback
Young Ace and Ai had been at it since the moment they met. He didn't like her impassiveness, she didn't like his rowdiness.
He might be new on Whitebeard's ship, but that didn't mean he acted like it. He took every opportunity he could get to kill that living legend.
Only to fail.
Ai hated him cause his ruckusness often involved disturbing her sleeping time. She hated it. As if the rowdiness wasn't already pouring out of every inch of the ship.
Their tension rose to another level when Ace challenged her to a fight, only to find out, she's much stronger than she looked.
"You? Beating me? You're 100 years to early for that,flame idiot." And he hated her guts equally as he hated his freedom being taken away.
End flashback
"Fire fist Ace is in the town!"
"Really?" Women in their 20s squealed in delight. "I want to see him up close."
"I wonder if he already has a girlfriend."
One of them shook it off. "Impossible. He's a pirate and has a bounty for his head. No girl's crazy enough."
Ai blowed raspberry as she bypassed the townsmen and the spreaded rumours. Fire fist Ace. He was Whitebeard's Second Commander. Also the leader of Spade Pirate.
And her life-long archenemy.
"I'm back." Ai greeted her crewmates. "Here's your grocery." She threw the grocery paper bags nonchalantly at them and went into her room, only to find another surprise's waiting in store.
"Hello."
Without much further ado, Ai kicked the man that was sitting on her bed. Both Ace and her were flying upwards the sky battling it out.
"Ah ah! Look at them going at it again hahahahaha!" The rest of them just looked at the show before their very eyes. "Who's going to win this time?"
"My money's on Ai." One start proposing the bet.
"Really?" Another doubted his decision. "Ace made a name now. He's stronger!"
Five minutes later, Ai had her sword at Ace's neck and Ace had his fire at Ai's guts. "WOW! They're on equal ground!"
"Didn't I tell both of you not to wreck the ship!?" Whitebeard yelled from the dock. "Ace! Is that how you greeted us?! Ai! I told you to act more ladylike!"
"Shut up, geezer." Ai withdrew and sheathed her sword. "I'm being surrounded by a bunch of vulgar pirates with bounty on their heads. Role model much?"
"I'm back!~" Ace waved cheerfully at Whitebeard. "It's so fun outside~"
And Moby Dick had an all-out party celebrating the homecoming of one of their own.
It was late night and the party had ended. They crews slept soundly like a log, except for Ai and Ace chatted in Ai's room, thanks to a bunch of crazily loud snores.
"You're not drinking?"
"I don't like the smell." Ai shook her head. "Seems like your bounty had increased again."
Ace smiled. "For pirates, that's an honour."
Ai looked at him with poker face. "Honour that comes with idiocy baffles me a lot."
"You're one to talk!" Ace threw empty bottles at her. "I've never seen you try to flee, even once."
Ai looked at the wooden wall behind Ace. "I would have, if I had a place to return to."
Ace couldn't believe it. As far as he could tell, Ai wasn't much of a talker. He might be fighting a lot with her, but now that he recalled it, he didn't know anything about her.
Who was she. Where she came from. Or anything regarding her past.
"Say..." Ace scratched his cheek. "Do you hate me?"
Ai shrugged. "Yep."
"Haaaa..." Ace sighed. He got up to where Ai was. "You're strong, you know that?"
"I did beat you over the past decade, in case you had amnesia."
Ace towered over Ai. Within a blink of an eye, he had Ai's hand both up and pinned to the wall. His face now inces closer to her. "I'm a man now. You shouldn't be with a man so casually in a closed room like this."
Ai blinked, trying to process Ace's words in her head. "Do you have girlfriend?" Her blurted question made the latter dumbfounded.
"Haaaaa?!"
"One of the townswomen was asking when I shopped for grocery. I'd say you have quite the line if you're applying for one."
Ace smirked. "I like the feisty girl better." And his lips caught hers in a passionate kiss.
