WinterRose61 - This chapter is not yet their getting together, but it's their very first meeting! Can't always be our poor chef, Izou gotte share some of the blame hahah. I did... I did however kind of make Thatch the reason Marco and Ace met... BUT! That's a good thing! Since they got together in the end, he was cupid without knowing haha.
Also, I'm so delighted to once again see you in a story of mine! Thank you so much for reading and commenting!
Pirate Ace, someday I shall make it too! My biggest thing I'm debating between is if to make him blind from the start, or make him get blind while already with the WBP.

… It's Ace's view.. Kind of... I don't know how to do these things! It switches... but if it starts up out of nowhere, and you're like 'hey, who's this?', It's Ace.

He was just walking home from work when to his left he heard a door open and lots of music, laughter and talk filled his ears. This was no surprise since he knew there was a popular bar there, it was known for its flashy light effects, it's a real pity he couldn't see them, he walked past it every day, yet to him it sounded like a regular, albeit busy, bar.

He smiled a bit at the happy voices coming from the building until he suddenly felt someone bump into him and making him lose his balance, throwing him to the ground, as it was unexpected.

Near him he could hear someone curse, while another voice panicked.

"Damnit, Thatch! Watch out, this is why I said to not walk backwards!"

Not even a second later he heard movement close to him and turned his head to the sound just as a soothing but worried voice spoke to him, "Are you okay-yoi? Can you get up?"

Marco was just the slightest bit worried, the raven had looked towards them after his fall but... had not looked looked at them... it was weird, and he was also blatantly ignoring his outstretched hand to help him up. And it wasn't like this, 'Oh I see your hand but I don't want it', no, he never even glanced at it.

"I think I am okay, don't worry." He patted on the ground around him before sighing inwardly, turning back towards the voice after his small unsuccessful search, "Ehm, Is there a cane somewhere close by? I dropped it in my fall."

"Cane-yoi?" Scanning around him he quickly spotted the item, his eyes slowly widening as some things that he had thought were strange started to make sense.

"I PUSHED A BLIND GUY!?"

Turning to the new guy, probably 'Thatch' as they had named the man before, or well cussed at him.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." He smiled, "I'm also to blame for not looking where I'm going haha"

As he was smiling at the still panicked voice, Marco had gotten up and retrieved the very recognizable white cane. A … well... white cane... with a red marking towards the bottom and a handle to hold, the strap for the wrist seems to have snapped though. Did they break it?

Carefully he kneeled back before the young, blind teen, slightly being in awe at the bright smile and oh... freckles... cute... AHEM, Marco, keep your cool. "Don't mind him-yoi", a tiny bit unsure of how to proceed, he didn't want to just shove the cane at the guy, but well, he couldn't see him offering it. With the gentlest care he took the hand the raven wasn't leaning on and held it up and put the cane in it. The hand instantly closed around the object and that bright smile was turned to him, "Thank you!"

While the other started to get up, and was probably very able to do so, he couldn't help but hover his hands, and slightly touch, over the other's shoulders as he got up, should he fall or need help or well... anything.

The other thanked him again and blindly... literally... patted over his bum to get rid of debris.

"Ehm..."

"Yes?" the eyes, which Marco now saw were slightly misty, looked at him questionably.

"Are ehm, Are you really okay? And the cane isn't damaged, right? The strap, for your wrist is broken, if you tell me the amount I'll pay you for repairs, or you can send me the bill later, I'll give you m-"

"Wow wow, hold up haha"

Oh, that laugh sounded so wonderful and it made Marco stop talking instantly.

"It's okay, I am fine, really. And don't worry about this thing." The freckled one tapped his cane to the ground a few times, far harder than one should, probably... "This thing is as sturdy as rock. Only, as you said, the straps on the other hand," He pulled at the useless string, detaching it from the stick to show it for a moment before pocketing it, "are useless."

"I'll p-"

"No, no, they break every other day anyway, I have tons of spares at home, don't worry about it. That it broke from this small impact just means it was time to replace it anyways."

"... If you're really sure-yoi..."

Smiling he nodded, he had to keep in a small laugh at the tick, yoi. Yoi-yoi. It sounded funny, but he also liked it. It made the man recognizable, even if he didn't see him. If he ever met him again, he would know it would be him instantly from it.

"Then, I'll be on my way."

"Ah right, yes." Marco was the tiniest bit sad the other was leaving already, ha had wanted to talk more, but it was understandable, there was no reason to stay. They were only talking because Thatch pushed the guy over, nothing more, nothing less. He stepped aside and the blind one took one step before looking towards him, just slightly off, looking a bit lower than his eyes, which Marco guessed would actually be a pretty good guess for most people, but he was taller than most.

"Ehm..." The raven scratched his neck, "Am I still facing the direction of the shopping centre?" he laughed nervously, "I don't want to start walking only to end up going the wrong way."

"Huh?" taking a moment to think about the question, it was a weird question? The shopping centre was in sight, why w- AH he's blind! "Yes! Yes! You're still good! If ehm..." he gently took the other's shoulder and made him do a step to the right and one back... was this impolite? Was he insulting him by trying to help? Someone have mercy and tell him how to help without being rude... He blushed as the other looked at him with questioning eyes, "Ehm, I ehm... you ehm... this is almost the exact spot you were standing, and facing, before Thatch bumped into you. I – ehm, I'm sorry for suddenly touching you."

Blinking the blind laughed after a moment and gave a smile, "That's very nice of you, thank you. Then, have a nice day!" after giving a small wave, he put the cane in front of him again, starting to walk his way back home as he tapped and swung the cane in a small area in front of him.

Even if the other placed him back in his original position, -which had been the tiniest bit weird to suddenly be grabbed, but the thought to help was there and he for some reason didn't mind it from this person, maybe because he genuinely felt it was with good intentions-, he may still be off a few steps when he got home just from being disoriented a bit. But well, he'll pass that hurdle when he'll get there.

For now, he was not only imagining pictures of how that 'yoi' stranger may have looked, but also laughing inwardly as he still heard the one who bumped into him cry about deserving a … dip in the ocean? because he had bumped into him in the background. The voices only getting softer because he was walking away.

He had already long forgotten about his little fall from a few days ago, when he had gotten home he had simply replaced the strap on his cane and had given it a wipe down in case it had gotten dirty and that was it. Even the guy who helped him hadn't really crossed his mind that much anymore, until now.

"ah! Ehm.. You! Ehm... blind g- no...no that's rude... oh my god, why did I say that... he has so many other characteristics and you pick that one to call out..."

The moment he heard someone call out, he had slowed his walk to see if it was to him. When he however heard the start of 'blind guy', he had frowned a tiny bit and wanted to start walking again as if he heard nothing, he wasn't a dog to just call like that thank you very much. But once again slowed when he heard the guy stop himself and berating himself, hearing the obvious shame and embarrassment. Chuckling a bit to himself he kept walking since the man didn't continue with anything el-

"Wait-yoi."

Now that made him stop. Yoi... Yoi? He heard that before. He turned around abruptly, getting an eep from the one who had called out and apparently followed him. "you're the guy from last week? The one who helped me up?"

"Huh?" Marco blinked, how... how did he know... he squinted his eyes and... this was definitely, definitely rude and he'll accept going to hell for this, but he waved a hand in front of the other's eyes, not a single reaction... really blind then... "Yes... How... How do you know it's me?"

"Yoi."

"Ah." his face grew red, he was happy the other was actually blind right now so he couldn't see it. "It-It's a speech tick-yoi... like that..."

Hearing an emotion behind the words, the raven quickly waved his arms a bit, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything bad, I just remembered it. Besides... it's cute."

Marco went red till behind his ears, the freckled beauty thought his speech tick was cute! He wanted to jump in the air for some reason but stayed calm and cleared his throat, he did stop the other for a reason. "I ehm, I saw you and I ehm wanted to apologize again a-"

"It's really fine!" Motioning to his body "I look great don't I, in good shape. Nothing to worry!"

"Yea, good shape indeed" he looked very, very ripped... attention Marco! "I ehm, I mean, yes ehm but... could I … could I still offer you some coffee? Or any other beverage you would want."

"hmm? There's nothing to make up for though?" he cocked his head at the other, it had just been a small accident, no one was hurt, nothing was broken.

"I-I insist, please-yoi." he actually just wanted to spend some more time with the other, he hadn't been able to get that freckled smile out of his mind the whole week and... this was his only shot at seeing the other again.

Marco was just in time to see the other's fingers double press his watch before a soft electronic voice sounded out the time, huh, neat.

"Alright, I've got some time right now."

"Please, I- huh you said yes? I mean, of course! I know a small and cozy coffee-shop nearby-yoi, if you're okay with that."

"Sure, lead the way." he smiled and held out his hand, meaning to put it on the guy's shoulder or arm or anything to simple be able to follow his movement, instead it seemed after a moment of thinking the other thought he wanted to hold his hands... Oh well, hand in hand with the funny stranger it would be.

Out of his sight, Marco was blushing madly, he was holding the freckled one's hand! And did he mention the hand also had freckles!? It was so small, delicate, soft, in his own bigger hands. He had, and was still, screaming like a little girl on the inside as he held on to the other. He had been a bit surprised when the other extended his hand, but after thinking about it, he had taken hold of it, remembering the other had asked to guide him, so holding hands was the most logical thing to do, right?

… Why am I making Blind Ace fall this much... I realised while typing this, like damn, I made him fall both chapters... and … I've even already let him fall in the third one I'm working on too! I'm sorry Ace! Besides his first fall he's never injured though.