Chapter 8 - Night and Fireworks
Lucy - 11, Ace & Sabo - 14, Coby - 13, Law - 18, Zora & Sanji - 12, Nami & Ussop - 11, Chopper - 9, Koala - 16
Ace wants to curse all the God there is in every religion and in every language. Because they just enjoy seeing him stressed out because of Lucy.
Every damn year, someone new would show up in Lucy's life just to remind him how easily Lucy attracts everyone.
First was Sabo, well he's now her brother but the bastard would still threaten him in stealing Lucy and keeping her for himself if he continues being an asshole. And Lucy's damnable father still refused to sign the adoption papers.
Coby was the safest in his book because the boy idolize Lucy so much
Law was still unsure because he acts like a big brother to Lucy but Sengoku, Garp, and Corazon would still partner him up always with Lucy and he wasn't doing anything to stop them.
Then there's these two new friends Lucy befriended.
"This is Zoro and Sanji!" Lucy introduced his two new friends "This is Ace!" she introduced him to her new friends
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ace."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Zoro."
"It's very nice to meet Lucy's brother!" Sanji said
Ace glared and gritted his teeth "I'm not her brother."
"Shishishi, silly Sanji, my brother's name is Sabo, not Ace." Lucy laughed clearly missing the implication of Sanji
"Did you Lucy-chan? I must have heard wrong." He smirked
It's official, he hates this Sanji person.
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They are now in a restaurant waiting for their food. It turns out Sanji's father owned one of the best restaurants in town and was an apprentice cook. Maybe that's why Lucy befriended the pervert.
"So how did you three meet?" Ace asked. He needs to know more about her new friends to know his plan of action
"I met Lucy in prison." Zoro deadpan
Ace choked on his coffee "Excuse me? Did you say prison?" he looked at Lucy for confirmation and to his horror Lucy just giggled and nodded "What did you do Lucy?"
"I didn't do anything!" Lucy protested, shaking her head "They just arrested me for punching this one guy."
"It was the son of the marine base captain." Zoro added
"Then the brat arrested me and threw me in prison. Then I met Zoro."
Ace sigh, before looking at Zoro waiting for his story
"The brat's dog was pissing me off so I killed it." Zoro deadpan
Ace stared at him waiting for further explanation. When he didn't get one he looked at Lucy.
"The Hemepo's dog was terrorizing the town and was about to bit this small girl when Zoro saved her and killed the dog."
Ace sighed in relief, at least Zoro was thrown in prison because of a good thing "What happened next?"
"Well, the captain Morgue-"
"Morgan." Zoro corrected
"-refused to let me call someone but luckily Coby was stationed there and let me call Grampa." Lucy explained.
Ace will be sure to thank Coby the next time they meet.
"Grampa was so mad because turns out, Morgue was a corrupt captain! So when Grampa arrived there he beat Morgue up then the town celebrated. They fed me a lot of meat! Shishishishi" Lucy smiled "We should visit there Ace, I didn't get to sight see because Grampa dragged me back to Fuscha village."
Ace paused, "But what are you doing on that island?"
Lucy pouted and looked away "Well, I want to travel but daddy and mommy were busy, so is Sabo. So I snuck in a fisherman's boat and explored the first island they dock to." She laughed nervously "Then I got lost."
Ace sighs in defeat, he really should find a part time job to save up money for a nice tracking device for Lucy.
"But why did you punch the guy?" Ace asked, Lucy was the kindest person he knew. She wouldn't hurt anyone just because she wants to
"He tried to kiss me!" Lucy complained, making Ace freeze.
Zoro watches the two interact in amusement. He knew that something was going on between them. Well clearly Ace has a thing with Lucy, he's just not sure if Lucy herself realizes this.
"What?" Ace asked in a deadly tone
"Yeah, so I punched him! Sabo told me to punch anyone that tries to kiss me and tell him!" Lucy said proudly but deflated "But I still haven't talked to him yet." she pouted
"So where is this Hemepo guy?" Ace asked
"He's with Coby now training under Grampa." Lucy shrugged without care
"Coby claimed that he's a friend and will get better if trained as a marine." Zoro smirked as he saw the dark aura sipping from Ace. It was truly no boring day befriending Lucy.
Ace changed his mind, he will still thank Coby for saving Lucy but he will beat him up after for helping the guy that tried to harass her.
"Yey food!" Lucy shouted as soon as Sanji went out the kitchen area with their food
"Bon appetite Lu-swan!" Sanji was doing his noodle dance with hearts in his eyes. Ace really don't like this guy
After an hour of eating, Sanji went to their table with two more people claiming to be Lucy's friends.
For the first time in his life, he thanked any God listening, Lucy finally was able to get a girl friend. He just needs this girl to see that Lucy is too innocent and needs to be protected from everyone, especially this Sanji pervert person.
"Nami, Ussop!" Lucy greeted in between chewing her food
"Lucy, don't talk with food in your mouth!" Nami shouted sitting on the other side of Lucy before Sanji could take the seat.
Ace grinned. She likes this girl. She is deliberately putting herself in between Lucy and Sanji.
"Nami, Ussop this is Ace!" Lucy introduced him again to her friends as soon as everyone was seated. "Ace this are Nami and Ussop!"
Ace stood up and bowed "Nice to meet you, I'm Ace."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ussop." The boy with long nose greeted back
"I'm Nami. Nice to meet you." The orange haired girl greeted. She smirked as she leaned into the table with her elbow on the table "So you're Ace?"
Ace raised his eyebrow "Is there a problem?"
Nami laughed "No, no. We were just expecting something different."
Ace raised his eyebrow further waiting for more explanation when Ussop laughed
"Well, I was expecting someone less polite and more street looking guy." Ussop shyly admitted scratching his cheek in embarrassment
"I thought you'll be a gloomy looking guy."
Ace was shocked. What was Lucy telling her friends for them to think of him that way, "Why?" He was seriously scared of their answer
"Well, Lucy's first description of you is fireworks." Ussop said, and with that Ace blushed to Nami's amusement
"Fireworks and Night." Nami added smirking
"Lucy!" Ace yelled, making the girl giggle but said nothing.
"Do I want to know why?" Ace groaned already feeling more heat on his face
"I'm sure you do." Nami teased
"What did fireworks remind Lucy of?" Ussop asked innocently making all her friends grin
"Freckles. Ace's pretty freckles." Nami answered
"Oh yeah, aren't they pretty?" Lucy innocently asked
"And the night?" Sanji asked humour in his voice
"Because Ace is cool." Zoro answered smirking
"But also because Ace is calm and quiet but sometimes gloomy like the night." Nami said
"And quick to anger and loud like a firework." Ussop said
"Ace reminds her of how the moon bright up the night sky-" Nami paused
"-and how his eyes twinkle like the stars when he smiles." Ussop continued
"And a clear night sky with a full moon filled with stars and fireworks is the perfect combination." Sanji added smirking
"Because together they remind her of Ace, and only Ace." Zoro finished
Ace could fill his whole body blush in embarrassment, or joy, or both he's not sure. He either wants to hug Lucy tightly or just punch her friends. He was also not sure.
"Right!" Lucy agreed "Because a night and firework combination is the best! Like Ace! They're both pretty and th-mmph" Lucy was stopped by Ace's hand over her mouth
Ace hugged Lucy tightly, hiding his still blushing face on Lucy's neck while one hand tightly over his mouth to prevent the girl from speaking.
He can take the embarrassment of her friends telling him how she describes him to them. But his heart can't take him hearing it out of the girl's own mouth.
The four stare at the two in amusement. It was worth it following their stupid captain. There will surely be no boring moment with her around.
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A few table from the group of friends a couple was shamelessly eavesdropping the conversation
"Roger, did you hear that?" Rogue giggled like a teenage girl "Did you hear how sweet Lucy describes our baby Ace?"
"Lucy is just 11 and making boys fall for her. Imagine if she's 16." Roger laughed
Rogue frowned and smacked his head "Stop ruining the mood Roger. I'm celebrating this huge development!" She looked around "Now where are the waiters?"
"Why?" Roger asked nursing his newly formed bumped on the head
"I need them to take pictures of all the angles of Ace and Lucy." Rogue said before calling out a waiter.
After explaining -demanding and threatening- the waiters in taking pictures of the group especially the black haired freckled kid and the innocent looking girl he's hugging, Rogue stood up.
"Rogue, where are you going?" Roger asked
"I need to speak to the owner."
"Why?"
"I need a copy of the CCTV footage of them!" Rogue exclaimed while Roger groaned "I sure hope it has mic." she mumbled
Roger really misses the pre-Lucy era.
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In an opposite direction, a few table from the group and the couple, another group of friends was also shamelessly eavesdropping
"Your sister is sweet." An orange girl hair girl squealed
"Shut up Koala!" Sabo yelled but was ignored the still squealing girl "I can't believe Ace is seducing my poor innocent Lucy." he cried
"Are you sure it's not the other way around?" The fish man, asked
"I'm pretty sure whatever Lucy is doing, it's Ace's fault. Don't try to change my mind, Hack." Sabo retorted
"Sabo, your sister complex is getting worse." Hack deadpan but Sabo ignored him
"I think I need to have another word with Ace…" he paused and glanced at Lucy's new friends who were enjoying watching Ace blush and Lucy giggling - still in the position they were in. "-and her friend. I need a few words with them."
"Sabo, what are you planning?" Hack asked slowly, they know that whenever Lucy is involved, Sabo becomes stupid and loose his common sense
"Koala, Hack, I will take a leave."
"You can't do that Sabo-kun." Koala said
"Of course I can. I haven't seen her in a long time!" Sabo retorted
"You saw her 2 months ago." Hack deadpan
"That was 2 months ago." Sabo said
"You're seeing her now, Sabo-kun."
"But I'm far away." Sabo pouted, "I'll ask Dragon-san for a leave tomorrow."
"Sabo, please don't. We're immediately needed in Drum island next week."
"Fine, then just a few days just to talk to Lucy and Ace and Lucy's friends." He surrendered
"Sabo-kun…" Koala tried to argue again
"Come on, I need to give this tracking device to Lucy!" Sabo whined showing a pretty bracelet Sabo bought for Lucy
"Sometimes Sabo-kun I'm concerned for Lucy. You're going to give her a tracking bracelet." Hack said
"Does Dragon-san know this?" Koala asked
Sabo looked away, "No."
"Sabo-kun…" Koala warned
"But even if he does, he'll 100% agree with me that Lucy needs to be looked after 24/7!" Sabo tried to defend himself
"I give up." Hack sighed in defeat "Sabo is already too deep in her sister complex. We can't save him nor Lucy anymore."
"Poor girl." Koala said glancing at the girl
Word count - 2,029