Of all the islands in Paradise, Ace was pretty sure that Cabetta was the most boring. It didn't have much of anything on it. There was one town, then a bunch of old ruins, and some monsters in the forest that were barely worth the title people bestowed upon them.
This was the first place that Ace and his crew arrived with Sylph.
Her fancy sundress was long gone, now she was running around in a borrowed pair of his own cargo shorts and one of Cornelia's flower patterned shirts. Her hair swung around her back in a tail, for once missing a hat or anything else to cover it. Sylph looked like a whole different person. Even her face was different.
There was no make up, and her sunglasses were on top of her head, leaving her wide eyes there for all to see. Ace was only a little surprised when she physically launched herself off of the ship and down into the water, wading to shore. Her eyes were so bright when she saw the Card Shark he was surprised she was willing to leave it at all.
From the second Sylph had stepped foot on the ship she had looked like a girl in love. She had a million questions and was running around like a little kid.
Ace idly considered putting a leash on her before she tripped someone.
And now, watching her run up onto the sand, straight for potential danger, he considered the option again before dismissing it. She was having fun. She was free, her gold ring chucked far into the sea.
He wouldn't take that from her.
He wouldn't let anyone take that from her.
Sylph looked beautiful in the firelight. The shadows that danced across her face highlighted the spark the filled her eyes. The warm glow flashed across her teeth when she laughed and the sparks floated around her head in a halo of orange and red.
Ace offered her his marshmallow when her own fell right into the campfire the crew was huddled around.
They were the only two who weren't drinking, everyone else loud with the celebration of a new day of piracy and a new crewmate first real fight. True, Sylph hadn't done much other than shoot down a couple of petty bounty hunters, but it was worth drinking to. For the people who weren't made a fire, at least.
Alcohol and Ace didn't really mix these days, and Sylph was a little bit picky about what she drank. Only the fruitiest, girliest drinks would do, and they sure didn't have any of those on the beach.
"That brother you're always talking about, Lucky, did you and he ever fight?"
The question surprised him. They had been talking about tides before.
"Luffy," he corrected mildly. "And yeah, we fought all the time when we were younger. I tried to kill him a couple of times."
He pushed another log into the fire.
"Why?"
"I was just wandering," Sylph shrugged her slim shoulders. "Kukai and Kimel are brothers and I haven't' seen a day where they don't fight yet."
"Ah, yeah. That's definitely a brother thing. Maybe a sibling thing. Don't you have any?" Thinking about it, Ace realized all he knew what that her father wanted her to marry rich. He'd never asked about her mother, or her brothers and sisters. He only knew Sylph.
"No," she shook her head. "They tried after me, but nothing worked. Mom died when I was a kid and Dad never got any other daughters or sons. That's why he was so set on me marrying well. So we could continue on the family legacy."
Ace scoffed.
"Nobles aren't worth the trouble they put you through," he dismissed. A funny look over came Sylph's face, like she was trying not to laugh at him. "Most, at least."
"You knew one who wasn't?" she turned towards him, her knee bumping into her. Ace looked towards the stars in the sky above them, tipping the brim of his hat. His smile became bittersweet.
"Yeah. My other brother, Sabo."
"You haven't mentioned another brother," Sylph's voice was quiet in the night. Still, it was all he heard. Even the roaring laughter seemed to have died, until it was just the two of them, the stars, and the campfire.
"He died when I was still a kid. When we were all just kids. Saint Jalmack shot him."
Sylph sucked in a sharp breath. Ace glanced at her to see the girl's wide eyes, her stiffened spine and her paled cheeks. He tossed her a smile.
"It's okay. It's good to talk about him now and again. Lu never liked to, but I don't mind. It hurt, but in a good way."
"A good way to hurt… Tell me about him? Please?"
Ace shifted a bit and leaned forwards, until his shoulder was against her and their faces weren't all that far apart at all. He tossed a smile her way.
"I'll tell you about when we first got Luffy, and tried to figure out which one of us was going to kill him."
Sylph stared at him incredulously. "I can't tell if you're joking or not.
Ace just laughed at her.
