Night One: The Hidden Feelings
Marin knew that she didn't want to mess around with Ace when he was like this but she needed to talk to him and possibly find out what was bothering him. "Ace" she slid closer toward him. "Ace please, are you ok?" she slid even closer. Ace brought his knees to his chin and rested his head. "Get out." Marin bit her bottom lip and got so close her chest touched the front of his knees. She leaned in towards his ear. "Tell me what is bothering you." Ace nudged her away with his legs and turned away. He faced the white walls and got lost in them. "You're acting like a child Ace. I'm sincerely trying to help you and refuse it. What an idiot you are." She mumbled softly. Marin was basically talking to herself. Ace had heard what she said but paid no attention. Just as Marin got up to leave he let out a comment. "You're the idiot. You never are sincere or nice to me. You're the idiot here." Marin bit her bottom lip again. She was frustrated with Ace but could not defend herself because he was right. She wasn't the nicest person to him but she wanted to make a difference. Marin stood in between the bed and doorway just watching Ace. She turned around and paced herself slowly. "Just remember Ace: I tried" Ace still paid no mind to her.
Marin walked back downstairs to their guests. "Sorry guys, he just passed out. I guess he was tired." She laughed and sat down beside Usopp. He looked over with a red face, "S-sorry about earlier." Marin hit him in the shoulder and smiled. "No problem, I never said it was a bad thing." Usopps face went even redder making him look like a cherry. Nami looked over and had a sly grin across her face. "So I see, Ace denied her!" Nami cuddled Luffy more and whistled at Marin. Marin looked over and gave Nami and sad face indirectly telling her what had happened. "Anyone tired? I think that movie just killed my energy." cried Sanji. Zoro nodded his head, agreeing that the movie had bored them to death. "Well, we guys will have to see you later." Franky and Robin stood up. Marin raised an eyebrow. "Ehhhh? What is wrong, you guys hittin the road? What happened to the sleep over?" Robin and Franky secretly felt the tension between her and Ace and felt that it would be difficult for them to stay. Marin stood up along with everyone else and bid them good byes with strong hugs. "You guys drive safely!" Marin shouted to them as they drove off. "And then there were six." Nami sighed.
"So much for a party!" she stomped her feet and flailed her arms. "Actually…then there were four." Zoro coughed. Marin's eyes shot out of her head. "What? You guys too!" "Yeah." Sanji looked over and let Zoro take the explaining. "I feel the tension here and I don't like it. Neither does the cook. We'll stop by some other time to stay the night." With the rude remark they both left walking back to their house that was five blocks away. Marin was depressed by this. She planned to have a nice time with the gang but this was ruined. "This is Aces fault. If he wasn't so stupid! What the hell is bothering him anyway!" she fumed but was put to ease when Usopp put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't pay attention to them Marin, they're just tired or something." Marin nodded her head but she knew that this was Ace's doing.
Luffy was sleeping while Nami still sat in between his legs. "Well since he's asleep I guess I'll hit the sack too." Marin sighed letting this whole night depress her. Usopp sat down on the floor. "Yeah same here, I'll see ya in the morning Marin." He smiled and gave her a wave good night. Marin extended her arm out to Usopp. "Hey, come with me." Usopp began to blush a little but took her hand and followed her upstairs. Marin and Usopp walked past Ace's room trying to be quiet but they disturbed him anyway. He looked out into the hallway to see Usopp and Marin holding hands and Marin leading Usopp into her bedroom. "Now what!" Ace screamed inside his head. He got up and tip toed out into the hallway and went to Marin's room. Her door was cracked just enough so he could see what was going on behind. He peered into the crack to reveal Usopp holding Marin in his arms and kissing her lips. "Oh. Fuck." Ace whispered to himself. Usopp ran his fingers through one of her pigtails. Ace then had a flashback to what Whitebeard had told him in secret before leaving.
"Now Ace." Whitebeard began as he was sitting down at the dinner table. Ace sat across from him and picked at his finger nails as Whitebeard spoke. "You and Mari know that I'm leaving for the trip and I know my little Mari is going to want friends over." "Nnn." Ace replied telling him he heard. "I don't care if they come over but by any means son do you NOT let ANY BOY in her room unless it's you." "But Sanji and Zoro are gay, and Luffy won't do anything." Ace defended the others. "Well that's true. Okay, a revision then!" he shouted as he smacked his hands on the table and thought. "What about the one with the mohawk. With the blue hair?" Ace laughed. "Oh please Pops. Franky is obsessed with Robin, there's no way he'd even think about touching your daughter." Whitebeard smiled to himself basking in the "good news" that no one wanted to touch Marin. "But there is this one guy Usopp. Has a long nose, I think he likes her." Ace added. Whitebeard narrowed his eyes. "What!" a vain in his forehead began to show. "Do not let him even in this house Ace!" Whitebeard yelled.
"Sorry Pops. But I'll redeem myself right here and now." Ace kicked open Marins door. The two quickly separated and with eyes wide looked at Ace. "Ace?" Marin thought. Ace picked Usopp up by the collar. "What the hell are you doing in here?" Marin shot up and smacked Ace across the cheek. "What the hell are you doing in here!" Ace looked over at Marin then back at Usopp. "Get out of this house and do not come back. Ever." Ace threw Usopp on the floor and looked back at Marin. Marin sat crisscross with her arms folded on the bed. Her face showed pure hell. "M-m-marin should I g-g-go?" Usopp asked nervously. "Usopp just listen to him." Ace made a fist and held his arm back like he was ready to punch his prey again. "Go on!" he yelled.
"Shut up Ace your loud ass mouth is going to wake your brother and Nami." Marin spat back. "S-s-s-orry Marin." Usopp shuddered then raced down the hallway. Then to the stairs and then he left the house. "You. Stay. I'll be right back." Ace pointed at Marin. He went downstairs quickly and dead bolted all the doors and windows then ran back upstairs to Marin. "Now would you be so kind and explain to me WHY you just hit Usopp!" Ace sat down on the bed beside the fuming Marin. "Pops told me not to let him here, especially in your room and I didn't want him in here anyway." Marin's mouth gaped open. "Daddy said to not let him come?" "Yeah and I didn't want him here anyway." Replied Ace. "And why not? You jealous because he kissed me Ace?" Marin joked. Ace kept a cool face not letting his emotions show. "What did you want to talk about earlier?" he asked trying to change the subject.
"Oh so now you want to talk about it?" Ace rolled his eyes. "Just tell me." Marin started to swing back and forth on the bed. "I dunoooo. Should I?" Ace's eye began to twitch. "Just. Say. It. Now." He gritted his teeth. "Okay okay okay. Fine." Marin paused then started again. "I want us to start over." Ace attempted to get a word in but Marin cut him off. "No, let me talk until I'm done. Then you reply." She cleared her throat. "Ace I like you, and I know you don't like me but I want you to. For the sake of me and Dad. Daddy wants us to get along and I do too. I'm sorry that I acted like a child when I first came here. I just didn't know about you. Dad never told me that you were here, I felt like you were an intruder and that you were going to ruin it for me and dad but in reality….it was me who ruined it. I am always fussing with you and making big deals out of nothing and I just want to start over and actually have a relationship with you." Marin huffed after giving her speech and took in a deep breath. There was silence. No one spoke for what seemed to be years. "I can understand if you don't feel the same." Marin said breaking the silence. Ace stood up and left Marins room without saying a word. Marin felt tears begin to form in her eyes. "I tried…" she whispered to herself. "I tried…but now what?" Marin fell back on her pillows and shut her eyes.
