Leviticus 20:13

"If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."


When he isn't in front of his friends, Ace finds it hard to contain himself. Their prying eyes, their intimate nature, their open opinions that were too easily voiced and judgmental, and the fact that he unconditionally knew how they would react if he were to ever 'come out'; was what forced Ace to be masked within a different persona in their presence and eventually, come to despise his true self.

It would have been so much easier if he was always their Ace, but the full reflection of him by the bathroom mirror illustrated a bitter truth. That he couldn't change who he was, even if he tried. . . Even if he wanted to. He would regularly pretend to be allured by a woman's curvaceous figure in front of them to prove himself, but never once, did he ignore coming across a male's gentlemanly act towards others. For that; the genuine heart within a refined man who selflessly bestows goodness, as well as the sturdiness and vigilant quality of masculinity, was what truly allured Ace.

Studying his lonely figure in the smoggy reflective glass; Ace simply could not contain himself to admit it. He then strained his pathetic self to smile; hot hazy moisture slowly beginning to fill his glassy grey eyes, sprinkles of freckles shaking in quivering tremors as a distorted and broken smile cracked his face.

"I-I… am…" Ace forcefully started with a choky gasp, trailing as the singular words lingered on his gapping lips.

All sorts of descriptions that Ace would define himself as, flashed through his twisted mind, eager to be said. I am disgusting. I am monstrous. I am dirty. I am sinful. I am revolting.
Unconsciously, a sombre tear began trailing down his trembling cheek as he continued eyeing his god-forsaken body in the mirror and painfully finished with a soft whisper of the truth, "…gay…"

All those degrading terms he had thought of before and being a god-damned homosexual; to Ace, it was all the same. It was all awfully, horribly and excruciatingly the same.

No longer able to continue dwelling his eyes on the image of his hideous person, Ace quickly grasped the nearest solid object and threw it into the mirror with a frustrated cry, "ARGH!"

Blinking away the hot droplets that soaked his eyes as slow laboured breaths escaped through his lips; Ace looked at the glass dangerously crack amidst a reflected freckled-face that disfigured his features. Upon seeing this, there was a satisfaction within him that lifted a smile on his face at how appropriate and accurate the broken image of himself was. Only until it suddenly shattered in a rain of shards and ear-piercing fractures, did Ace hastily scramble out of the bathroom and dash towards his bedroom. Silently praying that he would not have to encounter and explain everything to a certain person on the way.

But irritation washed over Ace's face as he let out a groan, for the path to his private haven was obstructed by his mother; curly ripples of strawberry-blonde tresses streaming down to the waist of her silky cerulean dress, soft slender arms tucked into her chest and swirling hazel eyes flickering in motherly concern.

"Ace. .." she gently called, voice like wind chimes in an autumn breeze as she stepped closer to her beloved son, "Is something wrong?"

Brushing pass her without another glance, Ace hurriedly stalked towards the door of his room and violently pulled the handle open with a shout, "Go away mum!"

"Ace…"

Squinting his eyes in remorse at the gentleness his mother always approached things with; Ace obviously knew that his outburst must have deeply hurt her. However, he didn't have the heart to tell her the truth of his identity; for it would just make matters worst and, there was that fear . . . A fear that will always haunt him for as long as he was gay; that she would leave his life in disgust of what he had become, and never love him again.

Ace pushed himself into his bedroom before painfully muttering, "Leave me alone."

"Please Ace, tell me what's-"

But Ace reluctantly cut her off his a harsh slam of the door, the crash sending a throbbing echo of guilt that churned Ace's insides. He knew how much he must have hurt his mum, who had done so much for him throughout his life, but he had to do it. Because he could never tell her, never let her know of his abomination, never break her image of the perfect idealistic son.

Sliding his back against the rough wooden door and limply seating himself on the carpet floor, Ace dug his face into his hands. Nails pinching the creamy delicacy of his skin, moonlight filtering through his hanging strands of ebony hair and teeth sinking into the bottom of his lips in a poor attempt to avert the melancholy that was bubbling up into reality. But when he isn't in front of his friends, Ace finds it hard to contain himself. . .

Finishing what he had scarcely started before, Ace freely let the tears held up in his eyes, pour out into salty streams down his face that spewed pass the cleft of his fingers and down his pastel arms . . .Not even slightly aware that his mother was softly pressing against the closed door, letting out her own set of painful tears hearing her own son sob into the empty room on the other side.


A/N: Poor Ace ; A ; Just another depressing chapter to go and I'll bring in some (much needed and over-due) MARCO LOVEE to this ~

Hopefully he will brighten things up because I have a hunch that this chapter wasn't as well written as I hoped it would be and that it's boring you lovely readers out there ~ I fail at trying to set some character background and reaching emotional depth OTL

Anyways, I would like to thank the following beautiful people for giving me the motivation to continue; VS Yaney , TheStupidRaven , Guest & Son Goshen~ You all move me to tears with your nice words ; A ; Thank you so much ~

Also Portgas D. Paula and MCRxRoxx for your favourites ~ They mean so much to me (:

Please look forward to the next chapter and remember to please express any comments, questions, criticism, opinions, feedback, critiques, recommendations . . . etc. They will be greatly appreciated!

-Mochi