A/N: Hey guys, this is the first fanfic that I've ever published (notice how I wrote-said 'published' instead of 'written' - I've started some and have plenty of ideas for more but this story has been on my mind for a while – a few months actually). Anyways, please go easy on me when you review and/or criticise my work. I know some people don't read Author's Notes *cough* me *cough* but for those of you who did thanks and I hope you enjoy my story.
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1.
Meeting Ace
The sound of thundering feet approaching her shelter shook her awake. She blearily opened brilliant gold eyes, lifting a slender hand to rub the sleep from them.
"Oi! Get back here you little shit!" She groaned in annoyance at the loud voice and looked out of the window of her hidden make-shift home to see a group of vendors – she could tell because of their clothes – chasing a small boy carrying a large sack on his back down the road. She blinked, before getting off her stolen mattress and leaving her shelter. She found herself staring blankly at the not-so unusual sight of the pursuit as they got closer. And closer. And closer. Until they were only mere feet away from her. When her eyes met the boy's silver she broke out of her stupor and quickly snatched the boy to her with one hand, the other immediately going to his mouth to stifle his screams.
The men ran past her shelter, a gust of wind following their wake whipping her long snow white hair around her body and the boy she was clutching acting like a shield, separating them from the rest of the world. Speaking of said boy, he was struggling to pull himself out of her grip.
"Hey! L–Let go of me!"
"Oops. Sorry!" she laughed releasing him, hands falling to her sides. Silver eyes glared balefully at her before they adjusted the large sack, which, now that she thought about it, smelt suspiciously sweet. Hmm…it's probably food. Thinking of food made her stomach grumble which made the boy turn distrustful eyes on her moving his body a little so that the sack was further away from her reach. Not that she couldn't just reach above him and get it but that's neither here nor there. Still, she smiled a little sheepishly and rubbed at her still grumbling – though now slightly less loud than it was before. However, the distrust in his eyes made her inwardly wince at what he must have gone through to inflict that look on someone like her – an almost-teenager.
"Don't worry I won't take your food, I just haven't had breakfast," she reassured him, smiling softly. Unfortunately smiling made the boy even more wary of her. She sighed in exasperation before holding out a hand for the boy who flinched back at the unexpected movement. For a split second the shine of her eyes dimmed a little at his reaction before returning back to normal no one none the wiser.
"My name's Kana Alice, you can call me Alice," her smile widened a little as his small calloused hand was placed nervously in her open palm. She closed her hand, holding his hand securely. He was gazing at his hand in hers in wonder before he snapped back to reality and quickly shook it before snatching it back.
"Ace. Portgas D. Ace," he mumbled, cheeks flushing an adorable red.
"D?" Alice hummed. Ace looked up and frowned a little at her thoughtful expression. "So!" she clapped her hands together startling Ace, "Do you want to get something to eat?"
"Huh?"
Alice sighed and held out her hand again.
"Come on, let's get something to eat, I bet you're starving – my treat," she winked, which seemed to only further startle him, "Oh and you can leave your bag in there, no one comes down this alley anyway," she gestured behind her to the narrow alleyway that sat between two tall buildings. At the very end was a small wooden shack – which Alice had made – with flat roof, one wall, a door and two windows. Ace leaned his body to the side to look around her body, unfortunately the weight of the bag made him lean more than necessary making him stumble and nearly lose his footing if not for Alice's hands holding his shoulders securely. She giggled at the blush that painted his cheeks. He gave a resigned sigh before moving to the shack and placing his bag just inside the door.
"Come on then! Let's go!" He grumbled as he walked past her. She giggled softly into her hands. Cute.
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"Here ya go kids!" Two plates of food were placed in front of Alice and Ace.
"Thanks Ossan!" they both chorused. The old man who gave them the food chuckled light-heartedly before leaving to another customer who called for him.
Ace didn't wait before tucking in to the delicious smelling meal, wolfing it down as though it might disappear at any given moment. This made Alice frown before putting a smile on her face when Ace looked up, still eating – somehow.
"Aren't you going to eat?" he tilted his head to the side, wisps of black hair falling about his face and silver eyes large. Alice had to hold in the urge to hug him to death or do something equally as embarrassing like 'Aww-ing' out loud. Instead she settled for smiling at him and fawning on the inside. So cute.
"Of course," she said, wrapping the noodles around her fork before putting it in her mouth. Munching quietly she looked thoughtfully at the boy in front of her. Swallowing she asked him a question that had been on her mind when she first caught sight of him. "How old are you Ace?"
"Why'd you wanna know?" he asked around a mouthful of food.
She just smiled at him.
"I'm seven," her eyebrows rose at how young he was, "how old are you?"
Her smile turned sly and her eyes glinted mischievously, "Why Ace, didn't you know it's impolite to ask a woman for her age?" Ace spluttered and that adorable blush that she was beginning to love brightened his face. "I'm just messing with you," she laughed lightly reaching over to ruffle his hair. "I'm fifteen."
Ace stared at be blankly, "Old," he muttered before tucking back into his food. Alice just smiled.
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"Where'd you get that money from?" was the first thing that was out of Ace's mouth as the left the bar. He was referring to the money that she paid to the old man for their meal. He thought that they were going to dine-'n'-dash, which was what he would normally do. Alice turned to him not stopping their walk back to her little shack and held out a hand in which he hesitantly placed his hand in. He was glancing at her from the corner of his eye, blushing slightly.
"Hmm… I sing," she said.
"What?"
She smiled. "I sing for money."
"What about your parents? Why don't they give you money?"
She laughed lightly. "Well aren't you curious,"
"W-well you don't– I don't– I mean–"
She waved his worries away with her unoccupied hand. "It's okay, I don't mind you asking," she stopped talking for a few long seconds and Ace thought that she wasn't going to answer him. Their hands were swinging between them all the while. "My parents aren't around anymore," upon seeing his confused face she continued, "they're dead." She smiled humourlessly.
Ace's eyes widened and he came to a stop, the hand holding Alice's prevented her from moving forward. She looked back at the young boy who had his head lowered, his hair shadowing his eyes. When his mouth opened, she thought he was going to apologise, but instead what came out was a mumbled –
"I don't have parents either,"
"Oh," she paused, she had thought that might have been the case what with him running around stealing food from the vendors of Edge Town. "Do you miss them?"
"I didn't know them,"
"Hmm… so it's a case of 'How can I miss them if I never knew them?'" she whispered under her breath.
"What?"
"Or maybe it's 'How can I miss something I've never had?'"
"I can hear you, you know,"
Alice just smiled at him and pulled his hand, urging him to move forward. They continued their slow walk back to her shack. They stopped when they reached the mouth of her alley.
"Hey," Ace tugged at their still joined hands. She went to release them, but he just gripped her hand tighter. "What do you think of Gold Roger?" Alice blinked at the abrupt and unexpected question. Where did that come from?
"The Pirate King?"
"Who else?" Ace grumbled impatiently.
She tilted her head to the side, golden eyes glazing over as she pondered. "Well, I never knew him so I can't say anything," she finally said, Ace opened his mouth to say something but she didn't seem to notice as she continued speaking, "but he must have been pretty strong to gone on some really amazing adventures to get to the end of the Grand Line don't you think?"
When Alice looked down at Ace, it was to see him biting his trembling bottom lip and eyes that were suspiciously wet. Her brow furrowed in concern and before she could ask what was wrong, Ace asked another question that stumped her.
"Wha– What if he had a son? What would you think about him?"
Alice's eyes narrowed and her gaze sharpened as they re-examined the small boy from head to toe. No way… Ace didn't notice the scrutiny as he had bent his down again, shadowing his eyes.
"Think about who? The son?"
Ace nodded jerkily.
"Hmm… I dunno, I guess I'd have to meet him first," her tone didn't indicate that she had discovered anything mind blowing. Ace's head snapped up to face her and she wasn't shocked to see tears beginning to gather at the corners of his wide eyes, lips trembling. Those eyes narrowed in frustration.
"You're a weirdo!" His yell was slightly choked and before she knew it, he had snatched his hand back, dashed to her little shack, heaved his sack on his shoulder and ran past her disappearing into the direction of where the Grey Terminal was.
She blinked. And put down the arm that had subconsciously risen in the direction he left.
"I hope he's okay," she sighed and trudged to her temporary home stifling a yawn. So tired. Today was an interesting day.
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A/N: Thanks for reading my story! How'd you like it? Please leave a review I would really appreciate it and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)