Alex sat sipping her beer half watching the cobras playing pool flipping through her spanish homework carelessly. The words made less sense as she finished of the last drops of her third beer. She gave up slamming the book shut and looking around the bar for Ace. Before she could spot him she felt someone brush the hair off her neck and gently kiss the skin, the familiar scrape of his stubble gave him away instantly and she smiled at his touch. He slid into the seat next to her giving the textbook a mocking grin.
"Want another?" He raised an eyebrow encouragingly and she easily agreed. Ace called to Irby for two more beers.
"You're gonna get me in trouble Ace, I know she's not 21"
"Leave my girl alone old man, she can handle her booze better than half the guys in here" Irby only grumbled under his breath knowing like most did that Ace was better as a friend than an enemy.
"The boys and I are gonna go fishing up on the bridge you coming?" she shook her head tucking into her beer
"Can't was at the library all last night I need to get some sleep"
"What the hell you doing in there all night?" Ace snapped, Alex only rolled her eyes.
"Studying, I told you Ace college courses are hard" his frown fell but Alex could sense he was sulking behind his beer. She jumped off her chair leaning up to face him on her tiptoes. "Don't pout, I'll swing by later when you're done" she went to kiss him on the cheek but he moved pulling her in for a deep kiss that left her lightheaded by the time she pulled away. She smiled wide staring into Ace's cool eyes but saw they were elsewhere. His whole body fell tense under her grip and before she could follow his gaze he pushed her towards the back of the bar.
"Go out the back, leave now" his hands were like vices around her arms as he continued to push her back but she grabbed the bar stopping then both.
"Ace what's going on?" she tried to crane her neck around Ace's wide torso but he continued to block her view.
"Don't fight me on this, go out the back and leave. Now." then she spotted him. Frisk had swaggered in from the street, his gang in tow. She hadn't seen or heard from him since the night out by the lake. Rage singed her skin. She felt the urge to rip the smirk off his face, to cut his skin and scar him. Make him regret ever touching her. She nearly launched herself at his throats desperate to rip out his vocal chords.
The marks of their last meeting was still etched all over Frisk's face. He had dark blue bruises set deep in his eye socket while the rest of his skin was as colourful as a sunrise from where Ace has rearranged his face.
She understood Ace's worry but she was still a Cobra and she wasn't scared of Frisk.
"I'm still me" she stated simply before walking towards Frisk's booth. She lifted herself up so she was sat on the back of the seat opposite frisk to create more distance between them. He raised his eyebrows when he saw her, surprised at her confidence.
"Alex" he drawled "still beautiful as ever" before she could reply to cuss him out Ace was towering over Frisk watching his every move.
"You don't talk to her, you go near her again and you'll end up a lot worse than the last time I had to teach you a lesson"
Frisk fed off Ace's anger. The cogs in his brain were ticking away, this was all a game to him.
"If you didn't want me to come back, should've had the balls to kill me when you had the chance"
Everyone in the bar felt Ace's jaw tense. He didn't speak for a couple seconds then his usual smirk spread across his lips, he spoke in a low soft tone that sent shivers down alex's spine.
"I had the balls, I chose not to." Despite frisk's cool persona she could sense a slight glimmer of fear.
"Well you didn't and here I am" he clicked his tongue to punctuate himself taunting Ace.
"What do you want?" Ace asked bluntly.
"There's a lot of things I want" he smiled menacingly winking at Alex making Ace snap. He jumped to his feet with in a fraction of a second towering over Frisk. He's got what he's wanted, Ace was ready to rip his head off.
"You wanna go for round two?" Aces eyes burnt black and his lips were pulled back into a snarl.
"I'm ready whenever you are, but I'm not stupid. I won't fight you here so some cop can come save you. This Friday out by the Back Harlow Road."
"Time?"
"Whenever. I'll be there all day waiting for you"
"Done. Now get the fuck out my bar." Ace all but spat in his face. No one dared breathe till Frisk's back disappeared round the corner.
Before she could speak Ace was already behind the bar. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and started sucking it back straight.
"HEY!" Irby screamed, Ace slammed a handful of bills on the counter before grabbing another bottle and heading for the door.
Alex was quick to her feet catching him just as he left. She reached for his hand but grabbed the bottle instead. It didn't break his stride as it slipped through his fingers easily. She followed slowly behind him unable to think so what she could say, when they reached his car she jumped in the passenger seat realising he wasn't planning to go anywhere.
The weight of the bottle was tempting and she began swallowing huge gulps of the acrid spirit. She was beginning to feel lightheaded by the time she had the courage to speak.
"Don't fight him"
He just laughed shaking his head. "You think I'm scared of him? You remember what happened last time we went at it"
"He's looking for revenge, it's a trap something feels wrong"
"That fucking pussy doesn't know who he's messing with. I'm Ace fucking Merril!"
"One of you is gonna get killed or in jail." she pleaded her voice wavering slightly. Ace knocked back a few more giant gulps shivering at the bitter taste.
"Either way i'll be a legend"
Alex felt her rage consume her and the whiskey began to swirl in her stomach
"You're a fucking dumbass! You'd get killed or locked up and never see me again over a stupid turf war?!"
"This another lecture from perfect princess Alex? You've changed. You think you're too good for all this!"
She jumped out of the car her feet unsteady and beginning to stumble.
"Fuck you Ace! I haven't changed I've grown up, if you'd rather chase Frisk and ruin your life then do it but don't" she threw the door open and climbed out but Ace grabbed her shirt stopping her from running. He grunted stop the fabric of her shirt straining to near breaking point she spun round placing her face inches from his.
"You don't own me Ace" she snarled, his finger relaxed and she stood up disappearing from his sight.
