Things changed again, though they weren't anywhere near better. Ace didn't full on ignore you now but that didn't mean he spoke to you either. He always had this pained guilty look on his face that just made you feel pitiful. It was tense between you both, enough that even Luffy, the ever-oblivious boy, had realised something serious was up. You tried to pass it off as nothing, even going so far as to use the upcoming football game as an excuse. He bought it, at least you think he did.
Vivi, Shachi and Kid had taken it upon themselves to make sure you were eating lunch, especially when it became apparent you hadn't been eating with anyone the past few days and it was Law's idea that you should be watched. So, lunch times had now been split between sitting on the roof with Kid and his friends, who had you forgetting how terrible you were feeling by encouraging you to torment Kid, and other times you now sat with Law, Shachi and Penguin, Vivi would join you on occasion and had managed to make excuses to the others. It wasn't the best, you could see your friends were confused, and you really wished things could go back to normal but they couldn't. You simply didn't understand what was going through Ace's head right now, and you weren't sure you wanted to. It still hurt that he had broken the promise he made, it still hurt that you had let yourself open up to someone only to be pushed aside with no explanation. You scowl to yourself as the thoughts roll through your mind once again only to be jerked back to reality as someone flicks you on the head, you look up to find Shachi was the culprit,
"You were lost to us there for a moment,"
"It's starting to get painful watching you think so hard," Penguin notes,
"Sorry," you cringe, "Just, a lot on my mind,"
"You can talk to us about it if you want you know," Vivi huffs beside you, you smile thankfully at her but say nothing. They continue the conversation they were having before pulling you out of your thoughts, while you found Law watching you. You raise a brow at him and he just returns it. You know what he's after you doing, talking, he keeps subtly not so subtly reminding you it's better to talk about your problems rather than withhold them. But you had talked and look where it got you! His gaze turns steely and you sigh in defeat. Dropping your gaze to your half-eaten lunch you take a steadying breath,
"So, my mom asked me to move back home," the silence from them is instant, you peek up to see they're all shocked, before Shachi half rises out of his seat,
"No, you gotta stay," it sounded a little whiney, Penguin kicks his leg,
"Sit down you moron, it's not your decision."
"Your mother has been released from hospital then?" Law enquires as his two friends start swatting each other,
"Yeah, back at Christmas," you lean back in your seat, "she asked me if I'd like to move back home,"
"Do you want to move back home?" Vivi's word echo the very same question Ace had and you frown down and clench your hands together,
"I, don't know," you say after a moment, all eyes back to you, "I mean, it's home right, it's my mom, I should want to go back, to live with her, right?" you look between them all, half begging for an answer,
"It's not a bad thing if you don't want to (Y/N)-ya," Law says softly, "she asked if you wanted to, which means you have a choice,"
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you decided you wanted to continue staying here," Vivi wraps an arm around your shoulders, "what does your uncle say?"
"He said this is my home as long as I want it to be," you sigh and lean against your friend, "I just don't know what to do, I don't want to upset my mom but..."
"But you might want to stay?" Shachi asks hopefully,
"Maybe? I don't know, I haven't decided yet," you bite your lip and glance over at the table where your other friends are,
"(Y/N), have you told Ace about this?" Vivi asks carefully, getting glares from Shachi and Penguin, Law leans back, he was glad she had asked because otherwise he was going to and he wasn't in the mood for a lecture off his friends,
"Yeah... he was the first I told," you fiddle with a string on your jumper, "he said we would talk more about it when I got back, but we never did," you bite your lip harder,
"I see, so that's how it is," Vivi looks thoughtful,
"How what is?" you frown, looking between them, seeing they all looked like they suddenly understood something you didn't,
"Leave it to me," she gives you a smile,
"Leave what to you?" you were so very confused, sadly you didn't get to push for an answer because Luffy suddenly jumped on your back, nearly knocking you off your seat to the floor,
"(Y/N)!" he yells down your ear,
"Luffy," you ground out through clenched teeth and hit him on the head, "don't do that," you scowl and rub your ear,
"Shishishi," he chuckles, "Sorry," he hugs you tightly,
"You're very pumped up today Luffy," Vivi giggles,
"Yup, I'm getting to play in the next game," he grins wide then looks at you with wide eyes, "You'll come watch right (Y/N)?"
"Your basketball game?"
"Yeah!" he nods enthusiastically,
"Yeah you should go, we can go together since we watch Law," Shachi encourages,
"It'll be fun, come on," Penguin joins in, all three of them giving you the puppy dog eyes,
"How am I supposed to refuse those looks," you sigh and shake your head,
"It's your own fault you have a weakness for dogs," Law comments gaining scowls from his friends,
"So, you'll come? Yes! Awesome, I'm gonna go tell Zoro!" and Luffy runs off before actually gaining an answer,
"Guess I'm going to a basketball game then," you actually laugh.
The game was only a couple of days later, Luffy made a fool of himself waving at you as he came onto the court. You got hounded by hugs from your other friends who had come to watch in support of Luffy's first game too, you noted Ace wasn't there, most likely he had too much prep for his own game which would be tomorrow night. At one-point Sabo pulled you into a hug,
"Sorry my brother is an idiot," he says in your ear,
"Which one?" you ask amused gaining a grin from him,
"(Y/N) you're going to the game, tomorrow right?" Koala asks joining in the hug,
"The football game... I wasn't really planning to..." football games unnerved you because of the past, you had managed the homecoming game somehow but things were different now,
"You don't have to go," Sabo says,
"Shush you," Koala shoves her best friend away by pushing on his face and then making you face her fully, "You need to come,"
"I don't know Koala..."
"I know Ace has been a dick, he's a true idiot, but you have to come, it's not just him playing after all," she looks at you pointedly,
"I'll think about it,"
"No, I need you to come, please (Y/N)?" she pleads, you frown, why was she being so pushy about it,
"You should check it out, clearly they're up to something," Shachi says from your other side, you glance to him and he nods, "we'll have your back," great even he was for it too. You let out a grumbled sigh,
"Fine, but I have the right to leave at any point," you point out, it makes Koala pout,
"Don't push her Koala," Sabo admonishes,
"Fine, as long as you come," she now gives you a dazzling smile, hugs you again then turns back to the game, all in time to see Luffy scoring the winning shot.
You felt sick with nerves the next day, you played with your breakfast making your Uncle frown before putting his paper down, "So, have you had a thought on whatever you want to stay?" you glance up at him, "And please stop, you've killed it, those pancakes are an inedible mush now," he pulls your plate away and pours you a cup of coffee,
"Sorry, guess I'm a little..." you pull a face,
"Take your time, it's okay to be nervous about going to the game, you went through a traumatic event kiddo, it's no surprise it would trigger anxiety, you don't have to go,"
"Tell that to Koala, she was really insistent I go," you sigh and sip your coffee,
"Maybe it's to do with the boy," your uncle had started calling Ace, the boy, it made you chuckle a little. You hadn't told him what had happened, hell you weren't sure how to explain it all, but he seemed to understand non the less. "He better apologise, and don't you forgive him unless he's grovelling on his knees,"
"Uncle..." you shake your head, "I doubt it has anything to do with Ace," he just scoffs and takes a gulp of his coffee,
"Anyhow, back to my previous point, I figured you've probably been stressing over it, and so I spoke to your mother," you frown at him, "I can read you like a book (Y/N),"
"Only book he can," Shakky perks up as she comes into the kitchen to grab herself a coffee to go before heading off for work,
"Very funny," Rayleigh scowls as you giggle, "getting back to the point again," he grumbles a little, "Your mother still needs to be taking it easy, she can't be going back to that stressful job at the park. They put too much on her," he points out, "So I suggested she move up here, stay here for a while and maybe look for a place for you two this way," he sips his coffee again as your eyes widen, "that way, you get to live with your mother and stay here," he pauses, "I can't do anything about your friend Camie, but I'm sure she will come visit, plus nothing stopping you visiting Saboady in the holidays," he grunts as you slam into him, hugging him hard, "I know, I'm just that great,"
"Thank you, I didn't want to leave but,"
"You didn't want to leave your mother, I know," he ruffles your hair, "go on kiddo, you need to get ready." Grinning you race upstairs, feeling ecstatic. As you get ready you glance out the window, spotting Thatch rushing a clearly late Ace to the car, you guess he overslept. Ace glances up at your window and you duck behind the curtain, when you look again, they're gone. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding.
"Maybe I should try talking to him... if he has an explanation," you glance around your room, you had really made it your own. Painting the walls, even the ceiling and gathering various knickknacks, one wall was filled with photographs of you and your friends, and hung on the back of the door, Ace's jacket. This was home.