Author: Yay new chapter for Beneath the Moon! Hope everyone enjoys it! Enjoy your weekend!
—
" Ace, stop!" Ai moaned lightly as her Groom nipped the nape of her neck. " We need to head to breakfast."
" I'll have mine right now." Ace growled cupping one of her breast greedily. " Along with some desert as well."
" You're so cheesy." Ai moaned as he brushed his thumb lightly across her nipple. A flush of pink flooded her cheeks as she felt his eagerness press against her bottom. " Your parents are waiting." Ai whimpered happily.
" They can wait a little while longer." Ace growled his free hand trailing down her abdomen. He froze when his hand brushed over an area that was once flat but now…there was a small curve present.
" Ace, come on! Your mother is going to worry!" Ai said oblivious to his sudden change of mood.
" Right, we should go." He said worry clouding his brow. The dream he had had over the past few nights seemed to be a foreshadowing. This isn't good. He thought hurriedly as he watched Ai get dressed.
As she dropped her night dress his concerns were verified. A small bump was developing just below her navel. The sight made a sudden fear settle into his chest. He did his best to avoid looking at her but he found his eyes darting back towards her with every move she made.
She was pregnant.
Pregnant. He thought fearfully. She couldn't be pregnant.
He hated himself for how he was feeling. He knew that there was always a potential that she could get pregnant, especially how he couldn't keep his hands off of her. Damn her and her delicious scent and seductive curves. Even now he wanted to toss her onto the bed and have his way with her.
He watched her pull her gown over her head and attempt to lace the back up. As worried he was a small smile came to his face as she failed horribly to reach the strings behind her. She had this adorable determined look on her face. He walked over to her and took the laces in his hands.
" I didn't know you knew how to lace up a dress." Ai said cheekily, winking at him from over her shoulder.
" I must admit I've had more practice undoing dresses than helping women into them." Ace said as his hand brushes against her soft skin. His eyes softened as he saw his fang marks on her neck. The exact spot where he had turned her. He wrapped his arms securely around her waist, pulling her against him and he buried his face against that spot.
" Ace?" Ai said in concern, feeling the change in his demeanor. She tried to turn so that she could see him but his arms were to tight to allow her. " Ace, what's wrong?"
" Nothing." He said weakly.
" There is too!" Ai said becoming nervous. " What is it?"
" Just…" He paused at a loss for words suddenly. How could he tell her that he didn't want her to be with child. With their child…he would crush her. Especially since he saw how good she was with Mira. She was going to be a wonderful mother…but him, he would be the person who ruined her happiness.
He didn't know what was going to do. Vampire pregnancies didn't last as long as human ones. They were only a few weeks. Two to three months tops. Their baby would be here before he knew it and there would be so many attempts on it and Ai's life.
Ai paused as she felt Ace's hand gently cup her abdomen. She sensed his unease and fear wafting from him. " Ace…please, what's wrong?"
" Let's head down for breakfast, love." Ace said kissing her cheek. " Mira is waiting for you to give her a tour of the gardens. The winter roses will be blooming soon."
" She did seem excited." Ai said sensing his determination to distract her. " We shouldn't keep them waiting." She went to take a step forward but found his arms still locking her in place. " Ace, we can't go down there if you don't let go."
" I don't want to ever let you go." Ace whispered quietly.
" I'm not going anywhere, love." Ai said in a comforting tone. " I promise." A loud growl escaped into the silence causing an amused laugh to come from her Groom.
" Come, love. You are rather hungry it would appear." Ace said an earnest smile appearing on his face. He saw an embarrassed blush appear on her cheeks earning another laugh from him.
As they headed towards the Great Hall Ai noticed how unusually close Ace was to her. How one arm was locked securely around her waist. Ace had always been protective of her but this was different. Now he was on edge, on a constant look out.
" Ai! There you are!" Ai hadn't thought it possible but Ace tensed even more. Until he saw Koala and Robin approaching them eagerly. " We've been waiting for you, Mira has been so excited for us to take her to the gardens! I've never seen a child so excited before!"
" I'm sorry! We had a hard time l-"
Ai broke off as Ace covered her mouth quickly, preventing her from continuing her sentence. " I was tired and didn't want to wake up." Ace said calmly. " Ai was trying to wake me but I was up late working." Robin quirked an eyebrow at his words, the stewardess noticing how close he was to her.
Ace cursed inwardly.
This was one of the few times he wished the dark haired woman wasn't as inquisitive as she was. He wasn't ready to tell his friends what he had discovered. He hadn't fully processed it himself yet. He couldn't picture himself as a father. He didn't know the first thing about children, other then the constant headaches that Luffy caused himself and Sabo growing up.
" Ai, you look hungry." Robin said, her eyes never leaving Ace's. " Let's hurry and get something to eat."
" I am rather hungry!" Ai said happily. " I could eat enough for four!" Ace froze at her words.
PLEASE NO! He thought fearfully. PLEASE NOT TRIPLETS! Another panicked thought raced through him. What if there were more then one child on the way? What if they all were like Luffy? Ace would go grey before he was Rayleigh's age.
" Ace however, appears to be rather ill." Robin stated, an amused look on her pale face. " Maybe you should go rest."
" I'm fine!" Ace snapped as Ai watched him worriedly.
" You look pale, Ace. Maybe you should go back to bed."
" I'm fine!" Ace said quickly securing her closer to him.
" Ace, I'll be fine. Koala and Robin are with me and we are just going to the Great Hall." Ai said in concern. " Then your mother is going to be with us all day. I'll-"
" NO!" He snapped sternly to her surprise. " I just need something to eat and then I'll be fine."
" O-Ok…?" Ai said with concern still evident in her voice. " Let's go then."
—
" NEE-CHAN!" An excited squeal wrang out as soon as they entered the Great Hall. Ace saw a small blur dart quickly towards them, hugging Ai's leg tightly. He smiled nervously down at a small at the small girl that grinned excitedly up at his Bride.
Mira had become quite attached to Ai in the recent weeks. It wasn't a surprise for Ace, he had expect it but what he hadn't expected was the girl to be attached to him. " Nii-chan!" Mira said excitedly smiling up at Ace once she was done greeting Ai.
" Hello Mira." Ace said awkwardly.
" Nee-chan is gonna show me the gawbens!" Ace noticed the small hint that the girl hadn't completely mastered the pronunciation of certain letters. He found it cute. It reminded him of when Ai was this small.
" Are you excited?"
" Yes!" The child said eagerly.
" Aren't you worried about how cold it will be?" He asked curiously.
" No need to worry, Ace!" Rouge said as she held a small winter jacket in her arms. " I have found several layers of warm clothing for our sweet little guest!" Since Mira had arrived to the castle Ace noticed how excited his mother had become. He knew she always wanted more then one child. It was why his father had taken in Sabo and Luffy. To help ease his Bride's sadness for wanting a large family.
" And we found a heavy coat for Ai too!" Koala said eagerly. " She said her other one didn't fit anymore so we had a new one made for her birthday!"
Ace paused, he had forgotten that Ai's birthday was coming up. May 1st…where she grew up it was the beginning of hurricane season. However, here in his father's country, winter snows could last well into summer. He needed to find something for her. Something that showed he loved her more then anything else in the world.
Koala said that Ai was no longer able to wear the coat she came her with. Ace knew that his mother would figure it out quickly. She was eager for grandchildren and was always on the lookout for affections between the Ai and himself. No matter how much Roger tried to quell her eagerness. Ace knew his mother had meant well, she wanted him to know how much having a family could make his life happier, yet he knew she knew how fearful it could be.
Rouge had also told him how he had been the Peace Baby that had ended the war between his father and Whitebeard. A war that Roger had caused.
Ace was unexpected child.
His father had kidnapped his mother as a means to show Whitebeard that he was stronger and braver then him. She was a ward of the Strongest Vampire in existence. She had been on her way to visit Ai's mother when Roger had captured her. This act had led Roger to become the King of Vampires.
He hadn't expected to realize that she was his Bride. He had even fought those developing feelings. That was until he had left his own castle to avoid his growing feelings for her. He returned when he felt a crippling pain in his chest, realizing that if the pain was bad enough for him to notice then it would be twice as painful for her.
He realize that she was his Bride, that she was the very breath he needed and that he refused to live without her. Before he had left they had succumbed to a night of passion that resulted in Ace's existence. Rouge becoming pregnant along with Roger leaving had more then tripled her sickness that came from Couples being separated.
Roger had returned and refused to leave her side. The fact that she carried his child wasn't the reason he stayed with her. The fact that life without her meant no future that he wanted. That the dream he had fought for his entire life meant nothing without her by his side to see it through. She brought him something that he never realized he wanted.
A home.
When Ace saw Ai that is the only thing that came to his mind. Home. Someone that loved him entirely. Someone that was designed to make him a better person. Now that he sensed a new life on the way, Ace worried that someone would take the most precious person in the world to him away.
He glanced down at Mira who grabbed his hand suddenly and smiled up at him. The child was very resilient and Ace had admired her. She loved her mother and father very much and talked endlessly about them, as if they were still alive and coming to find get her any moment.
Ace knew that the girl's parents weren't coming to retrieve her but he didn't want to cause her any more pain then she had already been through. " I know you are going to enjoy seeing the flowers, Mira." Ace said to the girl. " They are beautiful this time of year."
" Are tey?" Mira asked excitedly.
" They are. Winter roses have a wonderful scent to them too." He said attempting to relax around the child, attempting to develop an relaxed atmosphere around children. There was no doubt that his child was coming. He couldn't turn back time to stop himself from finding Ai as his Bride and keeping her and any children they may have safe from the Order. There was no turning back now, he needed to adjust to the fact that he would be a father.
" Nee-chan smells nice!"
" She does." Ace said agreeing with the child. Female vampires had sweet scents to them to relax their offspring and mates. Ai's scent relaxed Ace and Mira without her even realizing it. " Now Mira, I'm going to trust you to help make sure Ai relaxes today." His words caused Ai to look at him in confusion.
" But Koala-nee-chan and Robin-nee-chan are here!" Mira said curiously.
" I know, but Ai is so mischievous that she needs several sets of eyes to make sure she behaves." Ace said causing his Bride to huff grumpily at him.
" I do not need a baby sitter!"
" All do respect, girl!" Koala said linking an arm with Ai. " But you are a bit of a handful at times."
" How rude!" Ai said grumpily.
" But it is only because we care about you!" Robin said ruffling her hair lightly. " You made this one behave, which is a feet in of itself! So someone as special as you needs to be protected." She smirked at Ace who now had an irritated face.
" Well, I did have my work cut out for me." Ai said standing on her tip toes to give her Groom a kiss on the cheek.
" Well let's get some food in us before we head out!" Rouge said happily scooping Mira up and cuddling her close.
—
" Ace, what's got you on high alert?" Sabo asked as he noticed how tense his brother was.
" It's nothing." Ace said trying not to worry his brother.
" Just stop, you and I have known each other since we were kids. We're brothers, damn it! Now what's going on?" Sabo demanded angrily. Ace sighed weakly, knowing his brother was right.
" Ai…"
" Ace, we are all on high alert! We're going to keep her safe no matter what!" Sabo said in irritation. " She's family and that means something to us!"
" I know, I know!"
" Don't tell me that you know! I know she's your Bride but that makes her my sister now! I'd never let anything hurt my sister, damn it!"
" Sabo, I know!"
" Really? Because I'm tired of having to tell you that I'd never let anything hurt her! Just like I know that you'd never let anything hurt Koala!"
" Sabo-"
" Gods damn it, Ace! I'd rather die then let someone hurt your Bride!"
" SABO!" Ace yelled causing his brother to pause. " I KNOW YOU'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP HER SAFE! BUT EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED NOW!"
" Ace…what are you-"
" AI IS PREGNANT, DAMN IT!" Ace growled slamming his fist into the nearby wall, causing several large cracks to appear. Sabo felt his blood run cold. He now understood why Ace had been so tense this morning. He knew Ace had always been fearful of having children. He knew the dangers that came with someone like him procreating.
" Ace, the only thing that changes is how we protect her." Sabo said attempting to calm his brother. " I promise you that we will keep her and the baby safe"
" Sabo…I'm going to be a father…"
" Yeah…" Sabo said awkwardly. " You need a drink."
