A/N - I had an issue with the last chapter, it was showing the wrong chapter for me so if you saw this chapter as the last one, please go back and read it again, correct one is now up!

Ace

Ace woke to pounding on his bedroom door, "Get up yoi!" Marco's voice shouts through, with a groan he rolls off the bed and rubs his eyes before glancing at his phone, cursing under his breath at the time and quickly grabbing clothes before rushing to get them on. Upon getting downstairs he finds Marco shoving food at a half asleep Luffy in an attempt to wake him, while Sabo is putting on his shoes on, "Bout time you got up yoi," Marco shakes his head, rubbing his face and yawning Ace grabs his bag,

"Where's Thatch?"

"Had to head to the diner early, Dan's fallen ill so he's taking over morning shift," with Sabo's help they shove Luffy's arms into his jacket, "you better get running, your seriously late yoi,"

"Come on Luffy wake up already," Sabo shakes the boy, Ace shakes his head and hooks his arm under his little brother's arm,

"Grab his other side, we'll see ya later Marco," he then proceeds to drag a grumbling Luffy out the house, "come on Luffy, you need to wake up,"

"Don't wanna," Luffy seems to slump even more in their grip, Ace shares an annoyed look with Sabo but they both struggle on with hopes the brat would wake up before getting to school. The sharp shrill of a car horn has them jolting in shock and looking to the road where a car pulls up, the window scrolls down and (Y/N) peeks out at them. Ace blinks, her (h/l) hair was slightly ruffled with strands sticking out at random points, he found it rather cute,

"You guys want a lift? If I'm running late, you three definitely are," the moment she says that Luffy jumps up with a burst of energy,

"SHOTGUN!" he yells diving for the front passenger seat,

"Oh, now you have the energy," Ace scowls heading around the other side,

"I didn't know you could drive (Y/N)," Sabo queries,

"Yeah, I learnt as soon as I could, but never had a car until now, my Uncle gave me the keys this morning," she smiles at the two older brothers as they climb in the back,

"Does that mean we can ride with you every day!" Luffy bounces in his seat grinning,

"Luffy that's rude," Sabo scolds,

"Oh, I don't mind, I'd feel more secure if others were in the car with me, as long as you're willing to take the risk with my driving," she chuckles, Ace smiles at the sound of it,

"Are you sure?" Sabo insists,

"Yes, I'm sure," she sounds amused, "put your seat belt on Luffy,"

"But..." Sabo starts, Ace places a hand on his arm,

"She said it's fine, chill out," he snickers getting a disapproving frown,

"But it's putting her out,"

"She would say no if it was, don't get so wound up about it," Ace waves off Sabo's concern on the subject, sadly for him it doesn't mean Sabo stops. Which means Sabo is still lecturing him as they drop into their seats in homeroom, Koala looks at the two boys surprised,

"I'm pretty sure you told me you would be late...?" she directs at Sabo,

"We were," he sighs,

"(Y/N) gave us a lift," Ace tells her,

"Oh?" she raises a brow then smiles, "I bet that was nice for you, pretty thing like (Y/N) coming to your rescue,"

"I wouldn't exactly call it that," Ace frowns,

"Are you saying (Y/N)'s not pretty?" she leans forwards and smiles knowingly at Ace,

"I wasn't saying that either," he scowls,

"So, you're saying they are pretty?" Sabo watches his best friend, wondering what she's up to,

"Well of course they are..." Ace immediately shuts up, a blush spreading across his cheeks, he glares at Koala before turning away from her. Koala giggles and looks at Sabo,

"What?" she asks, "Did you want me to ask you too?" she grins,

"Nope, that's fine," he pulls out a notebook from his pocket and goes through some notes for the school council meeting that would be happening later and trying to ignore her chuckles.

Ace had to deal with similar questions from Koala during the next two classes and was thankful when he dropped into his seat in his culinary class, although it would have been better if it was like a Tuesday or Thursday, then it would mean spending music class with (Y/N). He sighs and rests his head on the table, "Rough day already?" he glances to the side as Vivi slips onto the seat next to him,

"I think Koala should have been a journalist for the student paper," he grumbles and gives her a small smile, "I don't know why but she's been firing questions at me all morning," the blue haired girl just gives him a small smile. The class begins and Vivi gives him the job of peeling vegetables. After Monday he hadn't been allowed near the stoves.

"Can I ask you a question?" she enquires, receiving a slightly annoyed pout from him, "It's just one question, I promise," she giggles,

"Fine," he sighs, "ask away," he knew he would probably regret this and that somehow Koala had teamed up with the shy girl,

"Do you like (Y/N)?" her question has him slipping with the knife, he blinks and looks up at her, her gaze is on his hand, quickly looking around to make sure no-one else saw and he drops the now burnt carrot into the trash bag,

"Logia devil fruit," he mutters with a shrug and wiggling his fingers to show he didn't cut himself even if it looked that way,

"Oh..." she looks surprised a little but then focuses back on her task, "So, do you like them?" he picks up another carrot,

"Sure, they are funny and sweet and they don't think I'm a freak for my narcolepsy, but you're not asking if I like her in a general sense, you're asking if I like them more than friend, right?" he raises a brow at the girl who gives him a sheepish smile, "my answer to that is I don't know, I've only known her a week," he shrugs, "so I can't make that decision,"

"Alright, I can accept that answer," she smiles brightly,

"At least you didn't ask weird questions like Koala," he sighs making the girl chuckle.

The next class was tense. He couldn't relax as (Y/N) sat next to him and Koala was behind, he kept catching a small sly grin on the brunette's face. He was relieved when the bell went for lunch. After making the rounds to each of their lockers they headed into the cafeteria. Looking around he noted only Nami, Robin, Franky and Vivi were at their usual table. He stuck with (Y/N) as they got their food and together made their way towards the table. A frown appears on his face as Vivi looks over at them, the girl sending pleading eyes their way. He leans closer to (Y/N) and whispers, "Is she okay?" her (e/c) eyes slide to meet his and he could have sworn a faint blush rose across her cheeks, but when he blinks it's gone,

"I don't know but I bet I'm about to find out," she shrugs, he gives her a smile as he chuckles. They then both make it over to the table. Ace drops down opposite (Y/N) as Vivi grabs her arm, Nami immediately leans around the bluenette,

"(Y/N) are you going to the homecoming dance?" Nami awaits an answer and Ace can't help but be curious himself,

"No," the simple answer surprises him, though probably not as much as it does Nami as the girl leans over Vivi now,

"Why not? It's homecoming!" she emphasises,

"It's also not until next month," she raises her sandwich up to take a bite only to be stopped by the red-head, Ace feels a moment of concern to Vivi who looks like she could fall backwards of her stool at any point now,

"But it's homecoming," Nami insists, as if repeating it will make a difference, Ace bites into his own sandwich,

"Nami, don't pressure the poor girls," Robin beside him chuckles, "maybe they don't want to attend because they have no one to go with," she shrugs, Ace finds himself frowning, wondering if this is true, he watches as Nami thinks this over while looking between the two girls beside her,

"Is that the reason?" she asks, Ace glances at (Y/N) as she sighs and looks at Nami,

"Definitely not. I just don't like those kinds of things, I don't do well in crowds," she huffs while her cheeks turn a little rosy, "and before you pester her, Vivi is the same," she stares hard at Nami for a moment, Vivi looks thankfully at her as everything goes quiet and they all begin to eat. The rest of the group slowly joins the table before Nami perks up once again,

"So, what if someone asked you to go with them?" a sigh rumbles out of (Y/N) as she looks at the red-head as if the girl was crazy, "What? Someone might ask you, (Y/N) you're good looking, and you're fun to be around," she has a point, swallowing his food becomes a little harder,

"I am...?" (Y/N) sounds unconvinced,

"Yes, Luffy!" Nami shouts gaining the boys attention, "Tell (Y/N) they're pretty and fun to be around," Ace watches as Luffy is about to do exactly as Nami tells him, only to be stopped by (Y/N)'s raised hand,

"Nami, you can't just tell someone to say that, especially Luffy, he's too kind," out of the corner of his eye as he takes another bite, he catches Koala's eyes sparkle and she leans in,

"She has a point there Nami," the brunette flashes a teasing smile at (Y/N) and Ace is pretty sure she feels the same dread he does, "you should ask the rest of the boys," evil, she's definitely evil. Ace finds himself freezing, unable to continue his bite into the sandwich, Sabo looks at his best friend in what's almost betrayal. The whole table has gone quiet as Nami's grin grows.

"How right you are Koala," she says slowly, "so, boys," she looks around the table, "anyone care to give your opinion, not you Sanji, we all know what you will say," this brings out a spatter of laughter from Luffy, Robin and Franky, but Nami is still waiting on a response, smiling and tapping those long nails of hers on the table,

"Oh, would you look at that, I forgot I was supposed to clean my locker," Usopp bolts, Ace inwardly scowls at the coward and forces himself to swallow his bite.

"(Y/N)!" everyone looks across the room as someone shouts her to find Shachi waving for her attention, a second later she shoots off her stool like a rocket and over to him. Ace scowls. She glances briefly back before turning to the three friends and talking with them.

"I didn't know she was friends with them," Nami notes, Ace nods slightly, he was unaware too,

"She sits beside Shachi in art, they seem to get along really well," Koala informs the group as she glances at Ace, he narrows his eyes at her, "I wonder if he'll ask her,"

"You think he likes her," Nami eyes (Y/N) as she talks with the trio of friends,

"I wouldn't be surprised, she is a pretty girl after all, don't you agree Ace?" Koala asks innocently, Nami picks up on the suggestion instantly,

"Ooooh, Acey boy, do you like (Y/N)?" Nami grins, even Sabo looks at him questioningly,

"You know, I've answered this question once already today," Ace says standing up, "I'm not doing it again," he takes his tray and walks off to get rid of the rubbish, his eyes on (Y/N) though as it seems she's exchanging numbers with the boys. He frowns and leaves the cafeteria as the bell rings.