Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!
All in all, have fun!
Otaku-chan, this one is all for you ;)
Chapter 19: Italiana – Severina (I don't usually listen to this kind of stuff, but I like this song :3 )
Dear cuz,
How are you? How's the bird? Have you crashed yet? Just kidding, cuz. I hope you're well.
In Arcadia, everything is as mental as always. I got an earful, from both Bohai and auntie, for letting you fly off into the sunset. Uncle is still pissed. In fact, he isn't speaking to me. I thought he would explode when he found out. Don't come back until he cools off. Like a year or so should do it.
On the other hand, mom and dad have been ecstatic about you leaving! They have actually sent you a package. It will arrive to Grandia in around four days under your full name. I also managed to sneak in some supplies that may come in handy. Mom and dad are also sending their congratulations on your bounty, as am I. Good job becoming an outlaw, cuz! I'm proud of you!
As far as I know, the nobles won't be bothered by your criminal status on the Blue Sea. Not like they will notice one or two commoners becoming outlaws out of the border anyways. However, if you do get caught, your Arcadian documents should give you some kind of protection. Just a tip, in case you get caught.
I've been considering coming down to the Blue Sea for a while. I'll send you a letter if I give in to my deepest desires.
I love you always,
Shrimp
P.S.: Did that firemotor work in the end?
Ran smiled at the letter and folded it. She placed the paper into her notepad and tossed it into the storage. The Sparrow swayed on the waves gently. The contraption that Ran had built during her stay with Elder Pinjao bumped into the wing rhythmically. The pilot got up, checking the horizon. She didn't see anything except waves and a couple of clouds. In the north, there were stronger currents, moving the white fluff faster. Ran could tell. There was a storm brewing there. If she didn't leave soon, it would catch her. Not like she was running away from it.
Ran stood on the glider and slammed the storage closed with the heel of her boot. She breathed in the salty air. It felt good. She tied her hair back up and secured her helmet back on. She would have to buy new goggles soon. It was annoying to fly without them. With a soft press of the hidden paddle, the Sparrow took off into the air, its cargo following.
It had been a few days since Ran had left Elder Pinjao's place. She had ended up landing on an island and staying there for around two or three days. She had landed a few land jobs, carrying things around the island. It had been quick money, and she had managed to stay under the radar. Ran found out that if she bound her hair and changed out of her pilot suit not many people connected her with her wanted poster. It wasn't as bad as she had first thought.
A crack resounded across the skies. Ran shivered in anticipation. She felt excitement pool into her stomach. She really was incorrigible. Doing this with cargo swinging from the Sparrow was going to be a bother, but she could pull it off. A flash of light signaled the coming of next crack of lighting. Ran felt her face stretch into a grin. It was time to fly.
Another push of the paddle got her into the stormy clouds. She cursed in her head at the cold that hit her face. This was going to be a pain without goggles. She really needed new gear. And no baggage. Soon, Ran consoled herself. She had seen the report on Ace going rampant in the New World. He had made a whole pirate crew surrender on his own. This gave her the general vicinity of the Moby Dick. Ran could guess that they were heading towards Wano Kuni. The pilot hoped that she would catch up to them and drop off her cargo.
The rain started soon. She felt the icy drops hit her suit despite the inner heat regulation. Another crack sounded. The lightning that hit next was not too far from her. Ran grinned. It was time.
"Would you fold your wings, love?" She heard the song loud in her ears, but the Sparrow didn't change the position of the gears. "Fly with me, old friend." Ran murmured against the wind and the rain. And then, the wings folded, making the bird nosedive. The pilot screamed with joy. Her heart jumped to her throat. She felt the excitement burst in her stomach. Her head was pounding beautifully. She could feel her fingers grow numb from the adrenaline. Numb and cold. She was shaking. She loved it.
The song in her head intensified and the drumming became louder. Suddenly, in the darkness of the clouds and the blur of the rain, Ran could see the currents. She caught one swiftly, enjoying the boost that it gave her. The cargo followed, the Sparrow trembling because of the shape and the size of it.
Ran crouched further down, allowing her to navigate more easily. She swished left and right, jumping from one current to the other. It was the first time that she had seen the air this way. Usually, she could just feel them. Kind of guess where the next one would be by the way the clouds shifted. This was unusual. The currents looked like pale, almost transparent tunnels, winding and constantly shifting. They were breathtaking. Ran felt her forehead go hot, head pounding.
However, the pilot dismissed her musings, focusing on the task at hand. She could worry about the shiny tunnels later.
~~~~pb~~~~
Marco looked around the cafeteria once more. He rarely came here. He brushed his fingers through his hair and drank some more booze. There were quite a few pirates in the room. As usual, Thatch and Ace were the loudest, celebrating the most recent victory. Ace had proven himself on the most recent mission. The raven had ended up on watch while the rest of the division members went to investigate the island. The enemy pirates had tried to attack the vessel, only to realize why he was called Fire Fist. It was one of the many recent victories that the young pirate had brought home. His training was finally paying off. He still sucked at using Haki, though.
The phoenix, however, he had bigger problems on his shoulders. After doc told him about Penny and her new interest in navigation, the first mate had become paranoid. In the end, he decided to tail the young cook and see her guilt firsthand. So far, he hadn't seen anything suspicious.
The girl would get up and get a shower in the medical wing, with the nurses. Then she would head for the kitchen and work. She ate while preparing breakfast for the crew. Penny took a couple of breaks, on which she mostly hung out with Ace or Kondor. In the afternoon, she would juggle supplies for tomorrow, help out with the food or clean. She usually didn't cook lunch nor dinner. Penny baked a lot. She tended to make cookies, cakes and other sweets and give them to the pirates as they left the cafeteria.
All in all, Marco wasn't sure what he was supposed to notice. Sure, the girl did go out of her schedule sometime, but not a lot. She was always on time. She always did her work. Penny wasn't suspicious in any form. Marco's gut told him that he was on a wild goose chase, but he argued with the instinct. It was Jade who had told him about Penny. He trusted Jade just as much as he trusted his gut. Maybe even more.
The phoenix frowned and took another swig of his drink. The liquid went down fine, burning slightly, causing him to feel warm all over and have a brief moment of buzz. He didn't want to deal with this. He was one of those people who believed that you were innocent until proven guilty. And he didn't want Penny to be guilty. Then again, he didn't want anyone to be guilty. The phoenix stood, leaving his drink behind. Penny would be here for some time, working on the food. Marco needed to finish his own paperwork.
His sandals clanked through the corridor as he walked. He wanted an adventure soon. In Wano Kuni, one was bound to happen, as usual. They had been there some time ago. The trade was profitable. The people were rather nice. Their warriors were skilled, fun to spar with.
"Marco!" The blonde turned to see Izo trying to catch up to him. He waited for the Commander. The cross dresser panted and then handed Marco some papers. "I want your opinion before I go to Pops with this." The phoenix nodded and started looking over the information.
"Someone needs to go there, yoi." The first mate decided, giving the report back to Izo. The pink Commander nodded.
"It looks rather urgent and we are at least a week away from there, if not more." Izo explained. Marco nodded.
"It would take eight days to get there by ship, and that is if you have good weather." The phoenix looked to his comrade. "What did you have in mind?"
~~~~pb~~~~
Purupurupuru!
Ran heard her Den Den Mushi ringing. She frowned and changed her position on the glider. The Sparrow evaded yet another lightning bolt and spiraled down. The girl had been playing with the storm, following it as it raged. It had been a blast. She held onto the bar with only one hand, the other rummaging through her pouch for the snail.
Purupurupuru!
The Den Den Mushi looked absolutely terrified, cowering in the rain and the wind, as Ran placed it on her shoulder. Another crack of lightning drowned out the sound of the pilot picking up the call.
"This is the Sparrow, how may I help you?" The girl yelled, hoping that the other side could hear her. Another crack sounded and Ran switched positions. She could feel her head grow hotter and hotter and the song of the Sparrow intensified. She realized that she was flying, skipping from current to current with the barest of leanings. The Sparrow was listening to her will, even though she wasn't expressing it out loud. It was an interesting change. Intriguing. It definitely brought more to her experience while flying through the storm. She was able to rely on her feel, rather than stress about the constant switching of positions.
"Ran? Are you in a storm, honey?" Izo's voice came from the terrified snail. The pilot felt the small animal press against the side of her face as another lightning hit right beside them.
"Yeah!" There was a smile on the girl's face. She loved the thrill. The danger. The adrenaline hit. "What can I do for you, Izo, dear?"
"A storm? Is it big?" Ace's voice came from the snail. Ran grinned even wider. Her heartbeat quickened even more.
"Yeah! I've been following it!" There was a whoosh of unexpected wind and the pilot made the Sparrow spin away sideways, the girl flying head down for a bit.
"Stay safe, honey!" Izo spoke again.
"Uwaaah! Take me next time!" Ace supplied.
"Is that Ran?" Someone else asked in the background. Obviously, they were calling from the deck. This was going to be a public call, through and through. But, Ran didn't have a problem with that.
"The one and only, ladies and gentlemen! Izo, sweetie, what can I help you with?" The pilot shouted over the storm. The Sparrow propelled upwards, his cargo following. The weight was getting rather annoying. She hoped that Izo wanted her to drop by.
"I was wondering if you could be a darling and take me somewhere?" Izo explained. "It's too urgent to go by boat."
Another jump of the Sparrow made her switch currents. The pilot moved to the side, making a sharp right turn. Once more, she shot upward and then, out of the gray clouds. She took a deep breath, adjusting to the difference in oxygen concentration. The whirlwind or the storm raged below her, but Ran flew smoothly further north.
"I was actually looking for you guys. I have some cargo to drop off. After that, I can give you a lift." The pilot spoke. She could hear people talking from Izo's end of the call. The Den Den Mushi finally relaxed on her shoulder.
"We're heading to Wano now. Where are you?" The Commander answered. Ran could hear Ace and Thatch discussing what sounded like pudding in the background.
"I'm heading to Wano Kuni, too. I'm near Kazebara at the moment, heading north." The pilot looked to the horizon. She could see the calm sea beyond the whirlwind of the storm. She angled the Sparrow, aiming for the blue waves.
"Our next stop is Grandia, as far as I know. Shall we meet there?"
"Sounds good to me. I need to pick up something there anyways." Ran agreed. "See you soon, sweetie." She prepared to end the call when Ace yelled from the background.
"Ran! Hey! Ran! Bring us some good booze!"
"Shut up, kid!" Thatch interrupted. "We have the booze, bring the women!"
"Move you buffoons!" Izo snapped, and Ran could hear a commotion. It sounded like they had started fighting. A 'stop that, yoi!' alerted her to the fact that Marco had gotten involved. Ran laughed. It sounded like they were having fun.
"Ran, see you soon!" One of the pirates shouted over the commotion and the line died.
Kacha!
~~~~pb~~~~
Grandia was a rather large island, which also held a city with the same name that spread all across the rocky structure. It was thickly populated and filled with houses, inns and stores. The place was a mix of cultures and the Capital City of all Trade. It was rather interesting to see a traditional man from Wano walking with an exotic dancer from the far eastern islands. However, what was really special about Grandia was the fact that they traded with Sky Islands. One of their biggest clients was Arcadia, the city of steam. In exchange, the red soldiers of the sky city had granted protection to the whole island, with the cooperation of the World Government. All in all, being a person from Arcadia in the New World gave you a certain amount of political influence.
Ran didn't land on the dock of the plane port. She chose to position the Sparrow next to the hotel that she usually checked into. The pilot instructed her bird to fold its wings and threw a cover over it. In the tent that that made, she changed from her suit and tied her hair up. Ran packed a small bag and threw it over her shoulder.
After checking into the hotel she decided to take a walk around the island. It was time to see the status of Shrimp's package. She had been at the sea for at least two days, and since it took one to two days for the Letter Coo to deliver the letter, the cargo ship should be arriving any day now.
Ran decided to browse the new things on the island while she waited for the Whitebeard Pirates to dock since she didn't find the Arcadian golden shuttle on the plane port. The streets were packed with people from all around the New World. Ran avoided different women and men, searching for something interesting. She saw a peculiar store and went to check it out. It said 'Vivre' on a bright sign in the front. How interesting. A store called 'to live'. With a smile Ran entered. The inside looked like a right dump. It was dusty and antique looking, a sharp contrast to the recently painted outside. There was a reception desk and a green lamp lighting the dusty space. The pilot walked forward, a bit put off by the atmosphere.
"Hello?" The girl called out.
"Good day, mademoiselle." The man seemed to have peeled off the wall. He lowered his book to show a middle aged face, reading glasses on his nose. His eyes were clear, pensive. Ran could tell a pirate when she saw one. She gave him a small smile.
"Hi." The pilot dragged one finger over the reception desk surface, dust staying on her gloved fingertip. "I haven't been in the city for a while. I noticed a new store." The man nodded, separating himself from the shadows. He walked to the desk and placed his book down on the only section that wasn't dusty. "Besides, the name of the store, 'to live' was intriguing. Why is it named vivre?"
The man put his glasses down on the book. He gave her another once over. "Have you ever heard of the Vivre cards, mademoiselle?" Ran shook her head.
"It's a useful piece of paper." A familiar voice came from behind the pilot and she whirled around. Her eyes widened and a smile bloomed on her face, her heartbeat picking up. "You should get one-ooof!"
"Ace!" The girl had launched herself at the unsuspecting pirate. He accepted her hug, laughing. The clerk glared at the loud duo. "How did you find me?" Ran let the raven go to inspect his face.
"Skill." Ace shrugged. He turned to the man behind the counter. "Make one for her, would you?" The clerk nodded, turning to a cupboard behind him. He rummaged the shelves for a moment.
"I need some of your fingernails, mademoiselle." He turned to her with nail clippers. Ran gave Ace an unsure look, but the pirate nodded, encouraging her. She stepped forward, taking off her gloves and allowed the clerk to take a piece of her nail. It took a moment, since Ran had to keep her nails short, but the man managed to gather enough. He looked her with his analyzing eyes once again. "Do come back in a day or two." He packed the fingernail pieces carefully into an envelope. "Under what name should I keep this, mademoiselle?" Ran opened her mouth, but Ace was faster.
"Portgas D. Ace. Thank you very much." The raven was aware that the girl was glaring at him. He had done it again. Smothered her. He gave her a cute smile, attempting to get out of the lecture that was coming. She ignored it, slightly pissed.
"How much will that be, sir?" Ran asked, reaching for her purse. The clerk looked to her once more, eyes twinkling with mirth.
"I thought that monsieur Portgas D. Ace would be picking the order up? It gets paid after the product is finished, after all. Since the sample doesn't necessary have to make the Papier de la Vie." The man explained. Ace frowned sadly. Ran grinned wider.
"Thank you very much, sir!" And with that, she grabbed the pirate's hand and dragged him into the busy street. Ace was sulking.
"When did you guys dock?" Ran asked, letting go of the pirate's arm. He grabbed her hand before she could pull away, tugging her closer. She was painfully aware of the heat his shirtless body gave off. Her heart sped up. Ran ignored her body's reaction and gave Ace a questioning glance.
"So I don't lose you in this crowd, tiny person." He replied cheekily. Ran snorted, but accepted his answer. Not like she wasn't enjoying the contact. His hand was deliciously hot, but not overly sweaty. She could also feel his muscles move. Somehow, either she was insane, or his hands had become manlier in their time apart. Maybe she has gone a little coo coo for coco puffs.
"You listening to me?" Ace shook their joined hands.
"No, sorry, I was spacing out." Ran laughed. The pirate shook his head.
"I said that we docked a few hours ago, but not in the main port. We had to go around, like all the other pirates. Since Pops doesn't want to lower his flag when docking." Ace chuckled and the pilot shivered at the sound. What was wrong with her?
"Not like that would do him any good. Every fool would recognize the Moby Dick, even without the flag." She kept her cool. Ace nodded. He glanced down at her, grinning. She hadn't noticed until now just how taller he was than her. "What's with the smile?" Hopefully, he hadn't noticed her body betraying her in his presence. She wasn't used to reacting to men like this. She was the one causing all the reactions. She was the one in control. It scared her that his mere presence could make her feel this flustered. Maybe she had never actually liked the men that she had been with before? None of them had made her feel like this, after all. She couldn't be near this man. He was dangerous.
"Nothing. Just happy to see you. Objections?" Ace was all cheeky and proud. Confident. She hadn't seen that before. Where was all this confidence coming from? The person from a few months ago, that shy, not really sure of himself, kid. When the hell did he become this proud and confident pirate? Or maybe she had been blind. She had missed it. But, if anything, it made him even more attractive in her eyes.
"Many." Ran supplied, a smirk appearing on her lips. She saw the look that Ace gave her. She reveled in the shock laced with arousal. She knew how to play this field well. No matter how shy she was sometimes, this game, she understood.
~~~~pb~~~~
Docking at Grandia was always a mess. Marco sighed, rubbing his forehead. The docks personnel were always asking questions, rerouting them to a new space, telling them not to cause trouble. Generally, being a pain. The First Commander sat on the railing, watching the pirates unload onto the shore. They had registered and made a deal with the port manager. The man had been persistent. In the end, Marco wasn't able to convince him, and the brave civilian had walked onto the deck of the Moby Dick and sat in front of Whitebeard, demanding to speak with him. After a few moments of relative privacy, the two had come to an agreement, and the crew started the settling in process. This was their last stop before Wano Kuni, after all.
"You seem tense." Soft, but strong hands gripped his shoulders, gently squeezing. Marco let out a grunt of confirmation. He was tense. Not only were they docked at the Capital of Trade, where one misstep was an instant disaster, but he didn't know what to do with the situation with Penny. He didn't think that she was the traitor, but he just couldn't disregard doc's words. "What's on your mind?" Said woman asked from behind him. The phoenix leaned to the side and tilted his head to see her. She looked like she hadn't been sleeping.
"You look like crap, yoi." There was an instant change on her face. She became ticked off and her, until now gentle massage of his shoulders, became a painful pressing of pressure points. Marco winced, but didn't move away.
"You sure know how to woo a woman." Her touch became gentle once more and the Commander relaxed into it. She certainly knew how to make him feel like he was in heaven. He sighed in pleasure and let his head loll back. It landed onto doc's chest, but she didn't push it away. She kept kneading out the knots in his shoulders and upper back.
"How long have you gone without sleep, Jade?" Marco opened his eyes and looked lazily up at the woman. His tone was serious, though. She gave a small smile.
"A while." Her hands came up, going over his shoulders and onto his chest. They glided over the fabric of his open shirt and her fingertips gently traced his tattoo, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. Marco sighed once more. However, he wasn't distracted by her ministrations.
"How long, yoi?" His voice had gone deeper, huskier, but he wouldn't be deterred. Doc sighed this time, stepping back. Marco caught himself before he could fall because of the sudden loss of support.
"Leave it alone, Marco." The dark woman sounded adamant. She walked away from him, avoiding the unloading pirates as she headed towards the city. The phoenix sighed, running a hand through his hair. However, he let her go. He always let her go.
~~~~pb~~~~
The Whitebeard Pirates could throw one hell of a party, and that was a fact. Ran had refused the generous offer of the Yonko to stay on his ship that night and check out of her hotel, but, she had accepted his invitation to the party. Izo had received the girl with open arms, ecstatic to see her again. The crew had been happy to see the pilot, too, many of them congratulating her on her bounty. Most of them were kind of preoccupied with the women that Thatch had brought to the ship, though. He had gone to a popular café that hired belly dancers and geishas and asked the ladies to join their celebration. Since the Commander was a regular in the café whenever they docked on Grandia, the girls accepted happily.
Ran had taken a walk around the city with Ace. She had enjoyed it. The raven had talked non-stop, telling her all about his heroic deeds. He had explained to her about Penny, the shy new cook, and about his many fights with enemy crews. He also told her what had happened with the Hollow Skull Pirates and the corrupt Marine Captain Nathaniel Fish. Ran had listened. She enjoyed his voice, the way he retold the stories, the way he got into the stories, like he was back there again.
He was so alive, so free, and so similar to her in that sense, unlike most people that she saw. Of course, her new awareness of her attraction to him didn't hurt either. It seemed like the separation had only intensified her desire. She was going to hold her liquor tonight. If she didn't, she might do something that they would both regret. It seemed like he had understood her subtle message with the chocolates, though. And he wasn't doing anything yet. It seemed like she would have to give him some more motivation.
The music was loud, the pirates laughing and dancing and Ran was buzzed nicely. Sure, she had held back, but the pilot never could resist the rum. After at least half of the bottle, the girl had accepted Thatches persistent attempts to get her to dance with him. They ended up awkwardly jumping around, not like the either minded. The two laughed merrily, messing around, until an attractive belly dancer walked by, giving the Commander a meaningful look. He gave Ran an apologetic glance, but the pilot pushed him forward, supportive. Everyone deserved to have fun.
Ran walked over to Ace and plopped down. The raven was drinking with his division, laughing at some drunken story. The pilot tried to listen in, she really did, but the context escaped her. She borrowed the rum bottle once again. The alcohol made her feel brave. It made her bold, and not just in the words department.
"Ran, listen to this! This is hilarious!" Ace tapped the girl's bare knee, catching her attention successfully. His touch left a warm trail on her skin. Ran's mind flashed back to one of her hotter dreams. She managed to surpass the gasp at the contact, though.
She looked to the current storyteller, but his words sounded like they were in another language. Ran couldn't concentrate. Actually, she could. She could concentrate only on the heat beside her. Ace was always unusually warm, probably because of his Devil Fruit abilities. That heat was distracting. She wanted those hot hands on her skin. She wanted those scorching kisses on her throat. She wanted this pirate to pull her hair roughly. She wanted him to press her against a wall. She wanted Ace to push her over the edge and make her feel bliss.
The pirates around her laughed and she did too, as if she were listening to the story. Ran chanced a glance at the raven beside her. His smiling face sent a pleasant pang to the pit of her stomach. The pilot smirked, an idea forming in her head. She took a swig from her bottle and placed it down. Swiftly, the girl swiped the pirate's hat off his head while he was laughing. She plopped the orange thing on her own head, grinning. She jumped to her feet a little clumsily, due to the alcohol, and then she took off. She heard Ace calling her name, but she didn't turn. She ran, laughing, around the dancing pirates, evading their flailing limbs. Ran crossed the deck quickly and turned slightly, to see if Ace was following her.
When she saw him running towards her, she gave a squeal and took off again. Ran passed a laughing Marco, an occupied Thatch and finally, a smug and smirking Izo. She evaded a couple of staggering pirates and rushed around Whitebeard. Ran stumbled up the stairs, around the entrance to the quarters and headed towards the stern. She could feel Ace's abnormal heat closing in on her with her half-baked mantra.
"Ran!" She heard him yell once again. "Stop! Ran!" He was laughing, though. "Give it back!"
"Come and get it!" She yelled back at him, grinning at the innuendo. Her heart was pounding. Suddenly, her run was interrupted. Ace's hand caught her wrist and stopped her. She turned around, trying to shake him off. In the flurry of movement the pirate ended up slamming the girl against the wall of the Captain's quarters. She groaned at the impact, the pain barely registering in her head as the pleasure pooled in the pit of her stomach.
"Oh, shit! Are you ok?" Ace asked, his hands going to her arms, gently holding her up. He reached for his hat on her head, raising the edge. Her blue eyes peeked from underneath and Ran looked at him through her lashes. He could see the light blush on her cheeks, both from the booze and the chase. Her chest went up and down rapidly, but Ace couldn't look away from her eyes. They had blue and green flecks in them. He was hypnotized.
"I'm fine." She panted. He could feel her hot breath on his face. His body temperature rose on its own and he pushed it down. Ran hissed at the increase of heat on her upper arm where his hand was. Her eyes closed and her head fell back, hitting the planks of the wall lightly. She sighed in pleasure.
"I think you're more than fine." Ace smirked, but it fell off his face soon. Ran hooked her thumb into the raven's belt and pulled. Their hips met and they both gasped. The pirate caught himself by slamming his raised arm's forearm against the wall. She could feel his excitement clearly. "Ranmao." Ace pushed through his teeth. "What the hell are you doing?" Her eyes opened, locking with his once more. They spoke volumes, showing clear mischief.
Ace's left hand dropped from her upper arm and slid to her hip, gripping it almost painfully. Ran didn't mind one bit. Her heart was skipping beats. She thought that she would have a heart attack. Her thumb pulled on his belt once more, getting his hips closer to hers. She loved the heat that he gave off. Her fingertips had become icy from excitement. Her other hand landed on his stomach, the pads of her fingers barely touching his abs. She could feel him shudder and reveled in the reaction.
Ran moved forward, her lips nearing Ace's, but never touching. She knew that he could feel each and every breath she took. After all, she could feel his. She could smell rum on his breath. It was nostalgic. Like home.
"I'm playing with fire." The girl whispered, but Ace heard her, even over the noise of the party in the background. He smiled, chuckling through his nose. Ran felt it rumble through his chest. Heat pooled in her stomach once more. She licked her lips slowly, making him focus on them.
"You know what they say…" Ace whispered right back, voice low, deep. "Play with fire, and you might get burned." His lower lip almost brushed her top one as he spoke, but she evaded it. Ran's right hand on his stomach rose, leaving a cool trail against his burning skin. She literally felt his breath hitch.
"Maybe I'll like it?" Ran bit her lower lip, almost looking nervous. Ace focused on it once more. There was a small smile on her lips and soon on his, too.
"Masochistic woman." He said. She pulled on his belt deliciously once more. His fingers dug into her hip and his pelvis pushed her into the wall. Ran released a shaky breath.
"You finally get it." Her eyes were open, locking his, hypnotizing. He couldn't look away.
"I want to kiss you." Ace admitted. Ran pushed her hips into his once again, as if rewarding him. She was smirking, throughout fully enjoying his reaction. Ace felt his temperature spike once again and he persistently pushed it down.
"Why don't you?" Her lips finally brushed against his and Ace snapped. He slammed his mouth against hers.
That's all folks!
Mwahahahaha~ I'm sooo eeeebil :D
Anyways! I absolutely love how MarcoxJade and AcexRan clash! While Marco is very aware of his feelings and of the situation, his way of showing and receiving attention is very mature. Jade is quite aware of Marco's feelings, but she isn't too sure of her own, so she isn't acting on them yet. All in all, it is one rather 'adult' relationship.
And on the other hand we have RanxAce. Now, they are hormonal teens, it's all about the fast and the hot, what they are feeling in the moment and all that. Just thought that I'd point out that interesting comparison :D
Reviews:
Otaku: The twins are actually quite adorable :3 Seeing as Sita was made as a Law pairing, that could develop a very interesting angle, no?
Thank you :D I probably feel so 'safe' in the WB crew because they aren't as well shown as the other crews. For example, I am writing a Strawhat story, but it has been a pain. They are veeeery eccentric :P
I hope you enjoyed the AcexRan :D I did… Now, the question is, which was better? Sita or Ace?
Ahhhh I know those words… Sleep is for the weak… But I don't suggest it…. Do get at least some… :D I love my sleep, even though I prefer to nap from 5am till 2pm :D Hehehehehee~
Hope you enjoyed :3