Chapter 1: We are Young

10 years ago

The pouring rain crashed against the club house as Ace, Sabo, and Luffy snored loudly inside. A quiet little cry suddenly woke Ace and Sabo.

"Ace, d-did you hear that?" Sabo whispered.

Lightning shattered through the air rattling the atmosphere.

Ace laughed awkwardly.

"Must've b-been the wind," he huffed.

Another flash of lightning cracked through the sky and the cry became weeping from outside the door.

"CRAP, it's gonna wake Luffy up!" Sabo panicked running to the door. Ace followed trying not to trip over Luffy in the process. The two boys were tired and didn't want to deal with the hyper raven-haired boy any more tonight. Sabo threw open the door to find a sobbing, soaking wet Farra. Ace and Sabo sneered down at her, annoyed she followed them all the way out to their club house. Tears began to drip out of Farra's eyes as here sobs grew louder and worse.

"CRAP!" Sabo exclaimed.

Ace grabbed Farra and yanked her inside past where Luffy was snoring. He threw her down in front of the make shift fire place and stalked off.

"I'm going to get some fire wood," he growled throwing on his jacket and storming out the door. Farra stared after him feeling a chill come over her. He said before he hated cry-babies. Maybe he thought of Farra as a cry baby. Maybe he even hated Farra. She clutched her cloths, which were soaked, and started to cry a little. She didn't want to think of the possibility that Ace might hate her. In her own misery she didn't notice Sabo placing the towel on her head. She looked up, slightly confused at Sabo.

"Why'd you come all the way out here?" He asked.

He stared at her a long while before she answered. When she did finally answer it was a nervous can't-look-you in-the-eye kind of thing.

"I-I didn't w-want to be a-lone," she whimpered.

"You're so annoying," Ace was standing in the frame of the door growling lowly at her. He had several large logs slung over his back, the moisture in his hair the only sign that he actually went outside.

Farra looked upon him with wonder. A look he returned with disgust. He piled the wood in the fire place as Sabo helped him light the fire. Farra watched forgetting for a moment that she was still soaked. After having finished their work, Sabo and Ace slung themselves on the floor next to Farra.

"I'm s-sorry" Farra whimpered when the two were comfortably next to her. Ace growled at her again.

"Whatever, I'm going back to bed!" He stomped away and threw himself on the mat adjacent to Luffy's. Farra Watched wearily, then returned to staring at the fire. After what seemed like a millennium of time Sabo finally rose and smiled.

"Don't mind him," He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. She pulled back stunned. He chuckled and waved her off, "Night."

She waited silently until she heard the last person was snoring before standing in her cold wet cloths and walking over to the three boys. She stopped specifically at Ace's feet and stared at him. She watched him for a while blushing. She closed her eyes and sat down. There was a gap of time from which Farra played with her hair and Ace's breathing slowed.

Suddenly Farra was wrapped in Ace's arms as the boy dreamed something odd. She squeaked nervously and turned to look at him. He sleepily wiped his eyes and leaned on her shoulder yawning.

"Hmm?" He groaned.

He took one look at Farra and scowled. She jumped back confused. It's not like she was the one who grabbed him. He began to lay back down when Farra suddenly squeaked, "Can I sleep with you?"

Immediately she slapped a hand over her lips. Ace stared at her in disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me, you're soaking wet and you want to lay in the same bed as me and get me wet too?"

She shied away and quickly apologized. He glared at her and then groaned in defeat.

"C'mere" He huffed lifting the blanket behind him to let her in. She spent no delay snuggling into the warm blanket. Ace rolled over so he was facing her. He gazed down at her. Rain drops clung to her raven black hair, tears sat dormant in her Oreo brown eyes, she was biting her lips, and she was pressed as close as she could manage to Ace for warmth. He blushed and growled, "You're gonna have to pull your own weight." Farra glanced up to find a blushing nervous Ace staring in the opposite direction. She nodded and laid her head back on his chest. Sleep took over as Ace nervously laid his arms around her.

"Stupid girl."