'Freckles' - chapter 48.

The strong and roasty smell of the coffee titillating her nostrils, Eli slowly awaken. The tea-girl had never managed to bring herself to like the taste of this bitter drink, but its subtle, yet fierce scent was one of the best thing one could wake up to in her opinion... Almost as nice as Ace's smiling face.

So Close

Staring at the ceiling, Ace was picturing himself setting the Merry's male quarters ablaze. Maybe once he had reduced his crewmates to ashes the flame user would be allowed to enjoy a good night's sleep.

Because of his multiple narcoleptic fits during the day, the young man had often found himself waking in the middle of the night; and whenever that happened, the loud snoring of his companions kept him wide awake. At that point, Ace had already thrown all of the objects within his range at them, but the heavy sleepers barely noticed his attacks, and their consistent snores were starting to get unbearable.

Annoyed, he jumped off his hammock and climbed up the mast, slamming the hatch behind him. Once outside, the young man sighed deeply; the night sea-breeze felt so good compared to the cramped atmosphere of the male quarters. Ace walked to the side of the ship and leaned against its railing, enjoying the salty freshness on his heated skin. Maybe he could just sleep here. Surely the wooden floor wasn't as restful as his hammock, but the weather was nice. The sound of the waves gently rocking the little ship was soothing, and the starry sky was such a delightful sight that he would easily get comfortable.

However, as he was about to climb to the crow's-nest, his attention was drawn to the light piercing through the windows of the lounge room. Curious to see who was up at such a late hour, Ace walked up the stairs. The eventuality of Eli being in the room occurred to him, yet upon opening the door, the young man was slightly disappointed to see a raven haired woman preparing coffee in the kitchen.

"Hey Rob-" Ace cut himself as he saw the woman hushing him by putting a finger on her lips. As she pointed toward the table with her free hand, the corners of his mouth curled up seeing Eli sleeping peacefully, her head and arms resting on the table.

Ace sat himself next to the sleeping girl, and soon Robin served him a cup of coffee, a little smile on her face. Ever since she joined the crew, the flame user had been slightly suspicious about her. The other pirates had accepted her former enemy so quickly that he and Zoro had decided that they had to stay on their guards, for the sake of their carefree crewmates.

The archaeologist was mysterious, that was an undeniable fact. But as the time passed, Ace did not notice anything worthy of their suspicions. Moreover, she was a good asset to the crew; her knowledge of the past would probably find its use during their adventures, and her maturity surely wouldn't go amiss among the young pirates.

Eli stirred slightly, causing Ace's attention to shift toward her. It had been almost four days since he had the chance to just see her lovely face. Despite the size of the Merry, the girl had been quite skillfully using her devilish speed to run away from him. At first, the young man had been trying to play cat-and-mouse with her, but a mouse that possessed the ability to run at light speed was impossible to catch. Knowing this, the cat had decided to bide his time, hoping that patience would work in his favor. Ace was sure that she would come back to him sooner or later, whether she wanted it or not.

And there she was, slowly waking next to the very person she had been frantically fleeing.

As her green eyes opened drowsily, Ace gazed at her, a warm smile on his face. To his delight, Eli looked at him and returned the smile. Obviously unaware of the situation she was in, she had gave him a hearty smile, naturally. Try as she might to deny it, all those things she did unconsciously were perfect proofs of her loving feelings toward him.

However, after a few seconds, her eyes snapped open and her gleeful face morphed into pure alarm.

And there she goes... Ace was amused to see the girl briskly straightening up, apparently very uncomfortable of his presence next to her.

"What ?" Eli said loudly, with a creaked voice while persistently staring at Robin as if to ignore his presence. She vigorously rubbed her face, and shifted on the bench away from him.

"You just looked so cute that we couldn't bring ourselves to wake you up," Robin said, and chuckled looking at Eli with amusement.

The reply did not seem to ease the girl's discomfort, and as she motioned to stand up and walk away, Ace grabbed her wrist; now that she had fallen into his clutches, there was no way that he would let her go that easily. Like a shot, Eli looked at Robin desperately, but the archaeologist stood up with a warm smile on her face and politely excused herself. This caused the young man to instantly reconsider his suspicions about the raven haired woman; she was obviously very trustworthy. Once she had closed the door behind her, Ace slowly stood up.

"So... How have you been ?" he asked, and couldn't help but smirk as he felt that he was going to have fun, at last.

"Not bad, not bad," Eli turned around, a stiff smile on her face. "How about you ?"

"Fine," Ace said as he took a step toward her. Eli briskly took a step back, her smile losing its composure. "I've missed you, you know ?" he said smugly, extremely amused at the situation.

"Well.. heh I've been fine, you've been fine, everything's fine... Great..." The nervous girl sputtered the words rapidly and confusedly. "Gotta go now !" Eli vigorously tried to take back her hand, but Ace tightened his grip on her frail wrist.

With few options available to her, she merely pretender as if nothing were happening, and her act was one of the worst Ace had ever witnessed. The distress in her voice was so highly exciting to his ears, and the more she wanted to run, the more he was enjoying himself. Lewdly, he looked at her from toes to head; her slender legs up to the hips barely hidden under a t-shirt so large that it revealed a bit of shoulder. Ace was glad to see that she was so scantily clad.

"You're really pretty," he said seductively, taking one more step toward her. All the while, the young man was completely aware of the presence of the wall behind her.

"Thank-"

Apparently she hadn't noticed the obstacle, and now that she was trapped. Eli rapidly looked around, probably in search for an escape. Ace felt so powerful then. No, he won't let her go this time. This time, he will make sure that what she had started a few days ago in the hotel room of Kusai would have a better conclusion... a blissful conclusion. He brought his hand to her exposed shoulder, holding her firmly against the wall. If only Nami hadn't been worried about her absence then, and if only she hadn't knocked at his door... Ace involuntary licked his lips remembering the exquisite moment they had shared then.

"You know I tried to talk to you," he said quietly, letting the hand that was holding her wrist slide up her arm, teasingly brushing her skin before resting it on her hip, which was arched quite invitingly.

"But you're really stubborn, Eli." With every one of his words, Ace felt a force raising inside of him, his body temperature raising with it.

"I've been patient..." The flame user was staring at her. His half lidded eyes burning with desire; the will to dominate her took the control over him. He wanted her, he wanted her now.

"But patience doesn't work with you," he managed to say, despite the urge to let himself loose.

Eli's eyes were filled with fear, but Ace knew that deep inside she wanted him too. He was very serious with his plan to shatter her restraints; by all means possible, to reveal once more the girl that had been so ardently inclined a few days ago. Eli was so exciting back then; straddling his hips, the friction she exerted on his hardened member was maddening. Even though she seemed to have no sexual experience, her instincts were amazing. Ace could still feel exquisite sensation as his hands had been eagerly fondling her small breasts while Eli rubbed her hips against his. Harder, faster, she had set his body aflame. Her hazy eyes were looking at him with raw desire. Her full lips opened, the rapturous moans she uttered resonated through his mind.

She was intoxicating, she was thrilling, and he wanted her back.

The sound of her hard pants arousing his desire, Ace did not reconsider even one split second as he lay his lips on her shoulder, eliciting a very delicious sound from her. Yet, she tasted so good that kissing wasn't enough. He licked, bit and sucked her luscious skin that reddened under the fierce ravishment of his mouth. Ace couldn't retrain himself, he had to taste every bit of her, bare her, lick every last portion of her skin until she'd surrender. His body temperature raised tremendously as the force within him was impelling the young man to subdue her completely.

Eli was unresponsive and that wouldn't do, the young man wanted the wild, the lubricious, and scorching Eli. Behind his closed eyelids the heated moment in Kusai played over and over again. It had started from the very moment she invited to stay with him. At that moment, Ace had forced himself to ask her for a confirmation, not wasting any time once she reiterated her delightful invitation. She was giggling, and wriggling against his body. Teasing him, her fingertips titillated his needful skin and already, he had felt himself growing harder. A soft kiss on his cheek and he was sent to another place, and the ones she placed on his neck were the end of him.

Not having her was a nightmare...

Compulsively, Ace slid his hands under her t-shirt, grabbed her hips and jerked them into a more promising position while he firmly pressed his heavy chest against her frail body. His erection throbbing strenuously between her legs, how much he wanted her surely wouldn't go unnoticed. Dominated, she shuddered within his forceful embrace, whines and shivers driving the young man crazy.

His tongue traced a wet path up her neck, feeling her rapid pulse under his famished mouth. At long last, as an agonizing sigh escaped her mouth, Eli leaned her head on the wall, the tension on her body vanishing. Slowly raising his head from her neck, he gazed at her face as she closed her eyes, her voluptuous lips parted so tantalizingly... Vanquished, she remained immobile for a moment, and loosening his grip, Ace let his fingertips caress her smooth skin.

He felt her delicate hands resting on his chest clumsily, her fingers trembling on his heated skin, sending shivers all over his body. Slowly, Eli slid her hands under his shirt and the young man closed his eyes to enjoy fully the subtle stroke. Under her delicious touch, Ace felt his fury gradually dissipating, his arms loosely falling to his sides.

Exhaling his frenzy deeply, he nuzzled his cheek against hers feeling a gentle and overwhelming sensation raising inside of him; his love of her, his need of her. His hands moved up her body, slowly and lovingly as Eli seemed so fragile at that moment, so precious to him. Ace cupped her rosy cheeks and looked intensely at her pretty face. Her eyes were closed, leading him to wonder. Did she understand what was happening ?

"I'm going to kiss you, Eli," Ace quietly said, pressing his forehead on hers.

The young man had warned her as he felt that he had to let Eli know her. He didn't want to take her by surprise, he didn't want to steal that kiss, no matter how much he longed for it. She had kept her lips from him for so long that somehow he cherished that virginity.

Gazing at her lovely face, Ace treasured that moment when they shared the same air...

Feeling his eyelids weighing heavier by the second, drowsiness fell upon him. Ace tried to tighten his grip on her, but his forces left him so fast... No... Darkness engulfing him, he felt himself uncontrollably falling backwards, hitting the floor with a loud thud. His last thought going to the mischievous one who was playing with his fate and cursing him for his wretched sense of humor.

Betaed by Fox MC.

Yup, I got a new beta. So let's all welcome him warmly.
I hope we'll make a good team, and that together we'll give you good and entertaining chapters.

Now, if you wonder about my previous beta. Well, sadly, Iwin Ulose didn't have that much free time anymore.
Still, he is a wonderful writer, and he writes about One Piece too. So, go check his fanfics :)

Now about the chapter !

Ace hates meh~
But Flame Boy has to remember that I created Eli just for him.
To tease him obviously... :P

Oh, and just one more thing; I don't know if you noticed but Ace used Haki on Eli.
Unconsciously of course, he doesn't even know what Haki is yet.

See you soon on 'Freckles'.