Hello Friends! Happy Pride Month! So I'm not dead and neither is this story! A lot of shit happened in my life but I'm trying to get back to writing and this story was a nice way for me to ease back into things :) Anyways, enjoy!
Also shout out to deathXbeforeXdisco for commenting all the way back in January and not giving up on this story! Thank you friend! About 90% of this chapter would not exist without your support!
"Now Addie, you're a nice young lady." The interviewer said as he sat in an armchair across from Addie on the stage.
Addie smirked playfully and fluffed her hair as she looked out at the live studio audience as well as countless cameras and said, "So people keep telling me. I guess I don't have a choice but to believe it."
The audience and the interviewer laughed and said, "Yes! Yes. So, you're pretty, you're smart, you're incredibly talented, you're at the top of your career, so why are you still single?"
Addie's smile faltered for a second when she heard him before she fixed her show stopping smile firmly back in place. Determined not to let him get the better of her she said, "Well you know it's pretty hard to find someone genuine when the entire world is staring at you through a magnifying glass."
He laughed even as his eyes narrowed and he leaned forward in his seat.
"But no one special at all?"
Addie forced a laugh and said, "Well you know I'm far too busy for all that! But you also know I don't talk about my personal relationships! Right?"
"Oh come on, just one little hint! You haven't had even a single relationship in your entire career! How is that even possible? I mean I'm starting to wonder what the defect here is." He said the last part in a stage whisper to the audience who burst into laughter.
Addie forced a sickly sweet smile and gave an equally sweet giggle before saying, "Well you can keep pushing or I can walk off this set right now! Your choice."
"Oh my, am I going to get to see the spicy side of Addie?" He said with a laugh before turning back towards the audience. "Girls am I right?"
"Interviewers, am I right?" Addie countered, her smile finally falling away. "I am a musician. Not a dancing monkey. I am here to discuss the closing of my tour but if you would rather disrespect me and pry into my personal life then I see no point in continuing this interview."
"Just one little name and I'll let it go! I promise."
Without another word Addie stood from her seat and said, "Thank you for your time." Waved to the audience, and walked off set.
"I'm so sorry miss Addie! I promise he had the list of approved topics and-"
"Tales of your incompetency do not interest me." Addie said as she quickly walked towards her dressing room.
As they walked her assistant continued to chatter on about how she had done her best and that nothing was her fault until they reached the room and Addie opened the door. She rolled her eyes as she turned to stand in the doorway and look her assistant up and down. The girl fell silent and stared back at her.
"You're fired." Addie said before letting the door swing shut.
Once it closed Addie turned to lean her back against it. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pressed her palms into her eyelids. She took another deep breath and when she lowered her hands Andy walked across the room and sat heavily in the makeup chair. There she stared into the mirror and tried to catch up with everything that had just happened.
Welp you did it again Addie. Thanks. I needed another mess to clean up.
As she thought that the door to the room swung open again and Sera stormed in.
"What the hell was that? Not only did you just completely embarrass yourself on national television, your assistant is now sobbing in the hallway. What the fuck is wrong with you today?"
Andy sighed and said, "You know I don't talk about my personal life. That asshole should have known that as well. He-"
"Addie you can't keep doing this! How do you expect to still have a career when you are acting like this?"
"I don't know!" Andy shouted. "I'm just doing my best alright! I don't know what you expect from me! If you have a problem then take it up with Addie. Not me."
"Oh don't give me that 'split personality' bullshit. You're an adult. You are fully capable of behaving yourself."
"It's not a matter of 'behaving' Sera. I expect to be treated with respect."
"Right, well why would you expect that when you insist on acting like a petulant child?"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I know you went to meet Ace last week."
"Yes and? You were the one insisting I tell him who I was, weren't you?"
"Tell him who you are, yes. I never told you to go to his house without telling anyone where you were going. Come on Ariadne! Do you have any idea how stupid that was? He could have-"
"You literally just said that I was an adult. I think that means I can make my own choices. You aren't my mother Seraphina."
"No I'm just the one who has to make sure that you don't wind up in the tabloids again." Sera said as she opened the door. "We're leaving in 5 minutes. Your ass better be in that car."
Andy watched as she walked out and then turned back to the mirror. Her phone vibrated on the vanity and she glanced down to see that it was a text from Ace. She sighed before shoving her phone in her pocket without reading it. Then she picked up her purse and walked out.
After a drive that felt like an eternity with Sera talking nonstop about how much trouble she had just caused, Andy finally made it home. With one more threat to "not get into any more trouble" Andy sulked all the way to the couch in her bedroom. She sat on it with a heavy sigh and sank as deep into the cushions as possible. She closed her eyes and just as she started to take a deep breath, her phone started to ring. She sighed again and picked it up without even looking at who the caller was.
"So I hear you're having a bit of a rough day." Shanks, owner of New World records and close personal friend of Ariadne's family, said as soon as the call connected.
Andy groaned and said, "What do you want Shanks? Sera already yelled at me enough for the both of you."
Shanks burst out laughing at that and said, "Oh I'm sure she did! She even called me but I really don't know what she expects me to do."
"This isn't funny Shanks. This shit needs to stop." She said as she felt exhaustion settle into every bone in her body.
Shanks managed to tame his laughter long enough to say, "Well what do you want me to do Andy? People love you and they want to know everything about you."
"But I'm not in this business so people can 'get to know me'. I'm here to make music! Why can't people just leave my life alone?"
"I know, kid. But this is the industry. You don't have to talk to the asshole from today again but that doesn't mean that there won't just be a new one tomorrow."
"Yeah I know." She said with a sigh. "I just wish I would have a chance to figure out who I am before the rest of the world demands to know."
"Just hang in there kid. You're doing great."
"I don't feel great."
"I know. But do you at least feel a bit better?"
"A bit."
"Good." He paused. "Maybe you should do text your boyfriend and see if he could-"
"Oh my god, not you too. Do not do this to me right now Shanks. Don't you dare."
"Look Sera called me freaking out and so I just have to make sure you know to use protection."
"Pr- NO! Absolutely not! This conversation is over now! Bye!" She shouted and frantically slapped her phone until she managed to hit the end button.
Once the call was over Andy rolled off the couch and laid on the floor, just staring up at the ceiling.
"He's not my boyfriend." Andy said to herself. "That's impossible. And even if it weren't there's just no way he would even be interested in me. He only likes Addie."
She groaned and rolled over onto her stomach and reached for her phone. She tapped the screen and instead of unlocking it, she stared at the picture of Ace from when he had come to her concert (Addie was sloppily cropped out).
"There's no way someone as cute and smart and funny and amazing as Ace would be interested in boring little Andy… Of course not."
She huffed and let her head drop to the floor. But once her face was buried in the carpet she remembered that she had yet to read the text that Ace had sent her while she was still at the studio. She unlocked her phone and went to find it. His message had gotten a bit buried with a bunch of people calling and texting her about her "incident" but she ignored them and focused on the one from Ace.
Ace: Hey! So I was going to ask if you just saw Addie's interview with that douchey guy but I guess that would be pretty stupid now wouldn't it? XD
She smiled softly and typed out her response.
Andy: Maybe just a little…
She put her phone down again, not expecting a response soon. But was pleasantly surprised when her phone vibrated immediately.
Ace: Damn waht took so long to reply?
Andy: Sorry I was busy getting yelled at :( Apparently I'm "irresponsible"
Ace: Well that's bullshit. But you should go get food :P food fixes everything.
Andy: Not all of us spend all day thinking about food.
Ace: BUt food is the best!
Andy: Food makes you fat
Ace: Are you calling me fat?
Andy: Not you you donut
Ace: Ok how in the fuck is calling me a donut not calling me fat?
Andy: ;)
Ace: ?
Andy: ;D
Ace: ?
Andy giggled again and buried her cheek splitting smile in her arm. When Ace didn't reply again she scrolled back in their chat history just so she could reread all the messages he had sent.
"Well I'm glad you're in a better mood after your temper tantrum." Sera said as she walked in the room and took a seat on the couch.
Andy sat up to look at her but before she could say anything Sera spoke again, "You know, you're supposed to make music. Not an endless stream of messes for me to clean up."
"I'm sorry." Andy said reflexively. She looked down and started to fiddle with her phone in her hands. "I don't mean to get like that. It's just hard sometimes. Perfect, stone cold Addie doesn't put up with shit like that."
"Well maybe you could tell Addie to cool it sometimes."
"You know I would if it were possible."
"Yeah I know." Sera said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be such a bitch today."
"No, it's fine. I know I'm a lot to deal with."
"It's not you it's…"
"Addie."
A few days after the interview incident found Ace sitting in the drivers seat of his 2002 Toyota Corolla that just REFUSED to die no matter how much Ace neglected it with Sabo and Luffy crammed in the back seat along with a dozen pool noodles and floaties. "So how do you know this dude again Luffy?" Ace asked as hedrove up the massive drive to an equally massive mansion.
"He's my friend!"
"Yeah but how did you meet him?"
"He works with Chopper I think."
"You think?" Sabo asked from the driver's seat.
"Yup, pretty sure! But he's cool."
Ace and Sabo both looked at each other and shrugged as they parked in front of the door. Luffy bounded up to the massive, intricately carved wooden doors and knocked excitedly.
"Oh hey you're here." The man said before looking at Ace and Sabo and saying, "Who the hell are you?"
"These are my brothers!" Luffy said with a smile.
The man shrugged and said, "Fine I guess you guys can come in but there are armed guards on duty just so you know."
"Um, why are there guards?"
"In case anyone crazy tries anything."
Ace and Sabo shrugged again before following the man and Luffy inside.
"Alright so this is my friend's place so don't break anything. Luffy, I'm talking to you."
"I wasn't going to break anything! I'm just looking."
"Then stop looking with your hands you idiot!" Law said as he grabbed Luffy by the arm and started pulling him towards the french doors that lead out to a patio.
The patio ended up being a massive space on a cliff overlooking the valley. In the center of the patio was a pool with curved nonsymmetrical edges. Behind the pool was a sitting area filled with couches and pillows and was covered by a gazebo. Sitting under the shade of the gazebo as a blonde woman in a bikini.
She stood and waved as she called out, "Hey guys!"
Then she jogged over and said, "It's great to meet you. I would say that Law's told me a lot about you but that's a lie. Anyways, I'm Sera, Law's my older brother."
"You look really familiar, have we met before?" Ace asked.
Sera struggled to smother her smile as she said, "Nope. But you're Ace right? The Youtuber?"
"You know who I am? That's crazy! But thanks for supporting my channel!"
"Oh I don't watch your stuff. She does." Sera said before nodding back to the doors.
Ace turned to look back and saw another woman in a swimsuit cover walking out. As soon as she stepped into the sunlight Ace noticed the long, curly, blonde hair that he would recognize anywhere. But before he could say anything the woman looked up and froze.
"Why are you in my house?" She shouted.
"I didn't know it was your house!"
"Well it is, so what the hell are you doing here?"
"I don't know Luffy said we could go swimming!"
"Law said his idiot friend was coming over! Not you!"
"Well I'm here s-so don't make it weird!"
"I'm making it weird? I'm not the one who just showed up in your house!"
"Yes you are!" Ace shouted.
Andy paused before she could shout back and blushed a deep red. "Ok fair."
"Yeah now you know how I felt."
"We have got to stop doing this." She said under her breath before saying, "Anyways, hello, hi, welcome to my house. Why are you here?"
"Luffy's friend invited us."
"La- oh of course. This is why he insisted on hanging out here. Whatever, come on, I want to swim."
Ace suddenly paused in his story and looked around before saying, "Did everyone else leave?"
Andy looked around as well and shrugged, "I guess? I don't know, I haven't really been paying much attention to them to be honest."
"Yeah we've kind of been doing our own thing. But let me text Sabo and see what's going on."
"What time is it?"
"One sec- ok there. It's 11:20."
"11- wait have we seriously been talking for 8 hours straight?" Andy shouted.
Ace laughed and said, "Yeah I guess? Geeze I didn't think it was that late."
"Well I mean I guess this isn't too different from all the nights we stayed up chatting and gaming right?"
"Guess not." Ace said with another smile. He looked down as his phone vibrated on the couch next to his leg and picked it up to read the text from Sabo.
Sabo: We left so we could protect Luffy's innocent ears. Don't forget to-
"Oh gross." Ace said as he closed the app before he had to read the rest of his brother's message.
"What? Did they say where they went?"
"No-yes. Ugh, Sabo said they left so they wouldn't have to listen to us have sex."
Andy laughed at that and said, "Well that definitely isn't happening."
"Right? Seriously, why does everyone always assume that people want to have sex? Like can't I just want to talk to someone? Why does it always go to sex?"
"Exactly! Gotta love being ace in an allo world right?" Andy said with a smile as she shook her head.
"Yeah- wait what?" Ace turned to stare at her with confusions written all across his face.
Any quirked an eyebrow and said, "Being ace in an allo world? Asexual in a world that is very much not?"
"What the hell does that mean?"
Andy's eyebrows furrowed as she said, "Literally what you just described. I'm asexual which means I don't feel any sexual attraction to anyone, ever."
"That's a thing?"
"Yes? Why do you think I've never had any relationship scandals or even rumors about any? Well I guess that's because I'm also borderline aromantic as well, but still I don't feel romantic or sexual attraction. So yeah, definitely a thing."
Ace stared at her with his mouth slightly gaped before closing it and turning to look at the floor.
"You ok?" Andy asked.
"Y-yeah I'm fine. It's just…" Ace trailed off as he stared intently at the carpet.
After a long minute he quietly said, "I thought something was wrong with me."
"Why would you think that?"
"Everyone I've ever dated… I didn't really feel anything towards them. I just thought I should so I went along with what they wanted. They looked nice, I guess, and I liked talking to them and thought that was all there was to it. I thought everyone was just exaggerating all that shit about 'love' and 'chemistry'. I never thought…"
"Hey, it's ok. Everyone's different. Some people really do feel things that deeply and others don't. I've never had a crush on anyone in my life but Sera had a new one pretty much every week growing up and would lose her mind if she couldn't be with them. Same with sex, she loves it and I truly do not see what I've missing by not experiencing it. I kind of look at it like rainbow ice cream, sure some people love it and sure I could eat it, but I'd much rather have some garlic bread."
"I think I might like some garlic bread." Ace said quietly as he slowly turned to look back at her.
Andy smiled and said, "I'll order some."
"Thank you."
"So while we're waiting for that, do you want to play Stardew Valley? We could start a new farm."
"Yes please."
Thank you for reading and please let me know what think!