Author: YAY ANOTHER CHAPTER FOR OJH! Hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks for your support, you guys rock!
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" Guys, please put those away!" Ai squeaked hurriedly. " Right now!"
" Answer the question, boy!" Izo said taking a step towards the two, his pistol aimed directly at Ace's temple.
" IZO!" Ai yelled angrily. " PUT THE PISTOL DOWN, NOW! ALL OF YOU, WEAPONS DOWN! NOW!"
" I would suggest you lot doing what she asked. You're aggravating her condition by pointing those things at her lover." Law's smug voice said from out of nowhere. He stood up on-top of a balcony, smirking down at the scene below, his chin rested propped on his hand.
" LOVER!" Thatch said a vein popping out of his temple, his eyes narrowing on Ace who suddenly went very pale. " KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OUR SISTER, PERVERT!"
" L-Lover?" Ai squeaked, her face reddening. " W-We're n-not, l-like that!"
" Thanks a lot, Law." Ace growled up at the young doctor.
" You're welcome," Law laughed evilly. " Oh sorry, did I just let the cat out of the bag? Should I not tell them you both were planning on running away and getting married"
" LAW!" The two teen's screamed in irritation.
" Oh…" Ai whispered, cupping her brow as a sudden wave of dizziness hit her.
" We can continue this conversation later." Ace said worriedly. " We should get you back to bed." He looked up to see Law pointing in the direction of her room. Another wave of irritation ran through him at the fact that Law knew where she slept.
" We'll take her." Thatch said stepping in-front of the teen, preventing him from ascending the stairs.
" Oh, will you all just stop it!" Ai snapped angrily the kitten on her lap meowing indignantly up at all of them.
" Ai, why is your lap meowing?"
" Gives new meaning to the word-"
" SHUT UP, LAW!" The men yelled to Ai's confusion.
" I found this little baby kitty outside in the garden. She's wet and cold and hungry." Ai said hugging the kitten closer to her.
" Right, let's go." Ace said maneuvering around her brothers and made his up the stairs. Opening the door to her room he was blasted with her overwhelming scent. Her scent always made him hungry but now it was almost unbearable.
" My…um…my bed is right there…" Ai whispered shyly jogging him back to his senses.
" Uh yeah…" Ace said trying to ignore the thoughts of what he wanted to do to her on that bed. He walked over to a full sized bed with satin sage green sheets. " Here," he said setting her lightly down on the bed. " Do you have a towel or something to dry her off with?"
" In that drawer there." Ai said pointing to the dresser near the bathroom door.
Hurrying over he opened the door to reveal several pairs of differently colored lacy panties and bras. Ace felt a sudden wave of heat flood his face as he stared into the drawer, suddenly unable to move.
" It doesn't matter which towel, any will work." Ai said rubbing the kitten's cheek lightly, earning a happy purr. " Don't worry, little one. We'll get you all cleaned up soon."
" Um…Ai…" Ace said slamming the drawer closed causing the blunette to jump, his voice going several octaves higher. Shutting his eyes instantly, he tried to think of something extremely unattractive to block out the images he was currently picturing in his mind. " There aren't any towels in this drawer."
" NOT THAT DRAWER!" Ai squeaked suddenly, her face fire engine red.
" THAT'S THE ONE YOU POINTED TO!"
" NO I DIDN'T! THE ONE BELOW IT!" Ai squeaked trying to avoid eye contact.
" WELL BE MORE ACCURATE WHEN YOU GIVE DIRECTIONS, DAMN IT!" Ace said, his voice becoming strained. He managed to peak an eye open slightly, enough to open the drawer below the heavenly one he just saw, and pull out a fluffy towel. " H-HERE!" He said shoving the towel towards her.
" Th-Thank you!" Ai said trying her best to avoid eye contact with him.
" D-Don't mention it…EVER!" Ace said gritting his teeth angrily. All he could think of was what she would look like wearing those undergarments…especially the lacy black thong.
" Could you get me a warm bowl of water?" Ai asked quietly. " There's a bowl in the bathroom…through that door."
" A-Alright…"
" And could you put a little bath gel in it for her." Ai asked.
" Y-Yeah…o-okay…" Ace mumbled walking into her bathroom and glad for the small break from her and her alluring panties. Yet that was all he could think of. He pictured her in that lacy thong and no bra, shyly covering the best part of those voluptuous mounds with her arm. " Damn it…" He said in irritation, his pulse quickening, his mouth going dry. " I can't do this! Sabo was wrong!"
She was to innocent for him.
He didn't deserve her.
She deserved way better then him.
—
I CAN'T BELIEVE HE SAW THEM! Ai thought her heart rate racing in a panic. I SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET NAMI BUY TALK ME INTO BUYING THEM! OH GOD, I'M SO EMBARRASSED!
The small kitten on her lap bopped her head lightly against her good hand, demanding a loving scratch behind the ear. " You're so sweet, little kitty. I'm worried as to where your mama and siblings are." Ai whispered lightly giving the kitten what it wanted.
" Damn it…" Ai heard Ace say from the bathroom. She looked over to the door where he had left open. " I can't do this! Sabo was wrong!"
She felt her breath catch in her chest.
She knew it. Ace didn't want anything more to do with her. It was all because she hadn't responded to him the way he had hoped that night. She had messed things up royally with him.
Why couldn't she be like Nami or Robin? They seemed to know what guys liked and she was definitely lacking in that department. She definitely didn't understand those books Nami had lent her. What perv would write a book called How To Tickle His Pickle? Then there were those dirty manga books! She thought in a panic. Where the hell do she and Robin find these books?
She reached quickly for her cell to text a hurried message to Koala.
Ai: OMG! ACE HATES ME! WHAT DO I DO?
Koala: What on Earth are you talking about?
Ai: HE'S HERE AND I JUST HEARD HIM SAY THAT HE COULDN'T DO THIS!
Koala: Why did he come over?
Ai: He was mad that I wasn't answering his messages so he came over!
Koala: But how do you know he's upset with you?
Ai: Why wouldn't he be?
Koala: Maybe he is frustrated with himself. Ace is a great guy, Ai.
Ai: Why would he be upset with himself?
Koala: Like I said Ai, Ace is a great guy. He probably came over to apologize for what happened the other day. Sabo told me that Ace had freaked when he found out what he did. He said he was really upset.
Ai: Oh gods, what am I going to do?
Koala: How about you just talk to him…ask him what is bothering him. Ai, you don't need to jump his bones for him to like you. Just be yourself.
Ai: …but what if he wants to…you know…he and Kalifa used to…a lot…and I'm not sure I'm ready…
Koala: Ai, if you aren't ready to do, you know, then just let him know. He'll understand.
Ai: …but what if he doesn't?
Koala: Then I'll beat his ass and tell his mother! Rouge raised him better then that!
" H-Here…" Ace said emerging from the bathroom with a small bowl of soapy water. Ai noticed that he avoided any and all form of contact with her. He set the bowl down on her nightstand and handed her a damp washcloth.
" Th-Thank you." She said awkwardly, her fingers brushing against his hand causing him to jerk backwards. " I-I'M SORRY!" Ai squeaked, her eyes wide.
" N-No…don't be." Ace said gritting his teeth, his eyes flicking to the door. " Look, I'm sorry to bother you. I really should be going, you should get some rest." He started to make his way towards the door, his hand reaching for the door.
" I-I'm sorry…" Ai said causing him to pause.
" For what?" He asked not bothering to look at her.
" The other night…" Ai whispered. " You're probably mad at me for…"
" Why in Hell would I be mad at you?" He asked whirling around to see her staring down at her hands, tears forming in her eyes.
" Because I…I acted the way I did…when we…y-you know?"
" AH SHIT!" He yelled pressing his hands to his temples, his outburst caused her to jump nervously. " SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!"
" I-I'm sorry! Now you're really mad." She gripped her skirt tightly, the kitten on her lap growled in fear. " I'm sorry for reacting the way I did."
" NO, DAMMIT! I'M NOT MAD AT YOU!" Ace growled flopping down onto the chair beside her desk.
" Y-You're not?" Ai asked not believing him.
" No dammit, I'm mad at myself." Ace groaned. " I should never have done that to you. It wasn't right." Ai watched him curiously. " I wasn't in my right mind when I did that…with you. I'm sorry if I scared you."
" You're really not mad at me?" Ai asked cautiously.
" No Ai, I'm serious." Ace said letting out a huge sigh. " I'm not mad at you."
" Why are you…mad at yourself?" Ai asked cautiously. She wasn't sure that she wanted him to answer. She was afraid that he would tell her that he didn't want to kiss her. That there would be no way in his right mind that he'd ever kiss her.
" Because I shouldn't have done that." Ace said causing her to wince. " I shouldn't have done it, Ai. It wasn't right."
" O-Oh…" Ai whispered weakly, trying to rid her mind of the horrible thoughts that were taking over her mind. She took the damp clothe and began to wipe the grime off of the kitten.
" I should never have done that…really."
" O-Okay, I get it!" Ai said. " You'd never in your right mind kiss me."
" Right…wait, what?" Ace said in confusion.
" You obviously don't like me that way. You had been drinking…plus you were upset about breaking up with Kalifa." Ai said quietly, biting the inside of her lip lightly. " Those two things together was obviously what made you kiss me."
" What…?" Ace said, obviously dumbfounded by her logic.
" Why else would you ever kiss me?" Ai said matter of factly, not meeting his eyes. " But I just want you to know that I'm not some kind of one time sex things…or whatever they are called."
" Those are called One Night Stands and where the Hell did you even learn that phrase."
" N-Nami and Robin lent me some books." Ai whispered her face reddening.
" Of course they did…" Ace groaned, leaning back in her desk chair. " Ai, I know you aren't a One Night Stand. That's why I shouldn't have done what I did that night. You're to good to do something like that out in the open like we were."
" S-So y-you didn't h-hate-"
" No, I didn't hate the kiss…what I remember of it…but I shouldn't have kissed you like that." Ace quietly. " And I'm sorry I scared you."
" It wasn't you that scared me, Ace." Ai whispered, her hand beginning to shake. " I promise."
" Then why were you."
" I-It's not a pleasant story." Ai whispered, jumping slightly when Ace took her hand in his, steadying it. He caressed her palm lightly with his thumb, locking his eyes with her own.
" If you want to tell me, I'll listen." He said softly. " But only if you want to tell me."
" I…" Ai bit her lip, her voice beginning to catch in her throat. " It happened when I was four…it's the reason my father and brothers are so protective of me."