Goodnight Sweet Pirate

Cara sat at the small table with a cloth full of ice pressed to her head. Several minutes had passed and her vision was back to normal though there remained a pounding in her head. The thunder outside wasn't helping anything either. Her gaze shifted to Ace. He was standing at the small stove attempting to cook them a meal. The young man was mumbling under his breath as he slowly chopped up vegetables.

"You're not much of a cook, are you?" Cara asked.

"I can cook just fine," Ace said. "But I will admit I'm better at it on an open fire."

"Not many people are dumb enough to cook on an open fire on a ship."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Ace tossed an annoyed look over his shoulder. "I know you can't have an actual fire like that on a ship!"

"Says the devil fruit user of fire." Cara cocked an eyebrow.

"That's not the same thing!" Ace turned back to his carrot with a huff.

Cara's lips threatened to twitch into a smile. She forced it away upon realizing she was enjoying messing with this guy. Her fingers drummed on the table as she continued to watch him for a few minutes more. With a sigh she stood and walked over to the sink. She emptied her ice in it then elbowed him out of the way. "Let me do it. If we're going to eat we might as well eat tonight."

"I'm not that slow." Ace protested but he went and sat at the table instead of trying to continue cooking. "Besides it's not my fault I don't have much practice doing this stuff. I had my own crew and a cook and now I have another cook on Whitebeard's crew."

Cara clenched her teeth. Why did he have to keep mentioning that old man?

"Tell me something," Ace said a few minutes later. "How is it possible a girl like you has such strength? You're not a devil fruit user. There's no way you should have sent me flying like you did, even with armament haki." He touched his cheek. "I'm surprised you didn't break my face."

Cara tensed, her mind attempting to think of the answer to that question but she forced it away. She shrugged. "Who knows? But you know that old saying. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Maybe that applies to situations like this."

"I don't buy that. If you had such strength then there was no way you would have really sat there and remained a prisoner of those pirates."

"I don't care if you buy it or not. My life is none of your business. So leave me alone and let me get off this stupid ship."

Ace rested his chin in his hand, elbow on the table. "You women make no sense to me. After being kidnapped normal people want to go home."

"Well, I believed we already established I'm not normal."

"That's painfully obvious."

Cara turned to face him. "Look, I don't want to go back to Sphinx because I'm sick of hearing nothing but praise for Whitebeard. Whitebeard. Whitebeard. Whitebeard! All day, all the time. Can you understand that?"

Ace tapped a finger on his cheek. "Not really. No way people talk about one man so much. Besides Pops is amazing."

Cara shook her head. "Of course. All you guys are the same."

"What are you babbling about? I'm one of a kind." Ace gave her a cheesy grin.

Cara huffed. "You're biased. How long have you known Whitebeard? A couple of weeks? A few months?"

"Something like that." Ace nodded.

"I've known him my whole life. He's not the kind father figure people try and make him out to be."

"I really don't understand you." Ace squinted at her. "What's your real deal with Pops? He cares about you. If he didn't he wouldn't have sent me to find you."

"And you don't see the problem with that at all." Cara threw her hands up in the air. "I give up. Keep your hero. I don't want him."

"Women," Ace muttered behind her. "Every single one of your are such pains."

Cara rolled her eyes. If only he knew the truth about Whitebeard. She licked her lips. She could tell him. But what's the point? This guy had his mind made up already. Nothing she said would make a difference.

With a silent sigh, Cara reached down the front of her shirt and pulled out a small vile filled with purple liquid. A smile curled her lips. At least she could still get away from this guy. Of course going on the home island of the pirates who kidnapped her wasn't ideal, but maybe she could blend in with them. Surely the pirates didn't tell everyone on the island their plans to kidnap her. If too many people knew of that then word could have gotten out.

Cara grabbed a couple bowls out of the cabinet then spoons. She then filled the bowls with steaming stew before popping the cap of the vile. She let two drops fall into the bowl she was giving Ace. Closing the vile, she tucked it back into her bra then grabbed the bowls. She sat one down in front of Ace and took her seat. "Here. Don't choke on it."

"You're about as subtle as my younger brother is." Ace picked up his spoon and started eating. "He'd like you. I think you'd like him too."

Cara cocked an eyebrow. "Like your little brother? I doubt it. He's probably annoying as you are."

Ace shoveled in a few more bites before he started speaking again. "He is not. He's actually-" He slumped forward, his head landing with a loud thunk.

Cara watched him for a few minutes, casually finishing her meal. She poked him with her shoe. He didn't move. "Ace?"

No reply.

Cara stood and stepped beside him. She poked him a couple times in the arm. No response. With a smile she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Goodnight, sweet pirate."