Ace got off the bus, ignoring the perverted eyes of the homeless men who were also riding the late night transit. Was he seriously going to visit Luffys house late at night? Of course he was! Ace always gets his way…

Trotting up Luffy's garden path he made note of how clean it was, not a single weed growing out of the concrete nor any sign of rubbish anywhere. Ace couldn't help but smirk, so like Luffy.

Ace knocked the door, yes he did not even think! Just knocked, hoping that it would be Luffy to answer it but….

"Who the hell are you?!" A man, looked to be in his sixties barked in his face. Ace was sure he has seen his face before...he just could not put his finger on it.

"Oh your Garp right? My dad knows you!" Ace happily cheered, this was also the man Luffy always complained about!

Garp eyed the teen suspiciously like a predator about to attack. "How do you know me, whos your dad?" The man finally asked.

"Oh! Roger?" At once Garps eyes widened, was this kid seriously….

"You get the hell away from here! And tell your Father he owes me money, ya hear?!" And with that the door was slammed in the teens face. That went well…

But Ace was determined to see Luffy. His Luffy. This was the reason he broke out of the hospital. he had to talk to him about Marco and the incident. So he knocked again. The door was flew open and Garp looked like he was about to punch the teens face in, the man's face was all red and filled with fury. "What do you want, do you know what time it is?!" Ace sighed and composed himself, no matter how much this shitty old man aggravated him, he would stay calm. For if he was to lose his temper as well, then he would never get to see Luffy.

"Does a boy called Luffy live here?" That seemed to get Garps attention, but even though he stopped yelling abuse about how Roger cheated at poker games, and what not, his face still fumed a light red out of anger. Seriously how did Luffy stick this dude everyday. He was a lunatic.

"What about Luffy?"

"Uhm, I go to school with him and I have not seen him in a while and I have homework here for him.." Ace lied. But it was the only excuse he could think of.

Garp however eyed Portgas suspiciously, "Luffy did his homework last week, and it's Sunday now leave, plus he's sick right now so beat it!" With that, the front door was slammed a second time.

Fuck this.

Ace walked down the path, Luffy was sick? Even he knew Garp was covering up that Luffy was most likely injured. Damn it Marco!

The image of Luffy on Marcos phone still clear as day in his mind.

Sick.

Ace lit a cigarette as he stood leaning up against the brick wall of the garden. Was it worth it coming here? Maybe he should have waited a little while before rushing out from care… Seriously his head still hurt. Maybe he should go back before they send the cops out to look for his ass….then his Mother would be worried and disappointed.

But Ace feared he would not get get the chance to even get close to Luffy in a few days from now, what with school and things and his friends are going to be around him and stuff….so Ace was determined.

The teen flicked his smoke out of his hand and sneaked into Luffys Gardin once more, this time he crouched down a little and made his way to the back of the house. hmmm...which window? Ace stared up at the two windows at either side of the home, he needed to be lucky with this one. If we was not….he might just end of up in that old mans room. Ace shivered thinking about it. He could picture getting whacked in the face with a fist or a baseball bat… ouch

"Ennie, mennie, minie, mo~"

Ace chanted to himself pointing one finger to each of the windows. "This one is IT!~" He finished on the window of the left side of the house. Left it is…

Ace then began to climb up a water pipe that was just beside the window. Yeah...it was as if life wanted him to see Luffy. Well, it took some time, what with the constant pounding in his head. It seemed as though he was not fully 100% just yet, no but he was not going back into the hospital thats for sure….

There was a creepy, pink haired student nurse with a high pitched voice and that laugh of hers would drive anyone insane. Ace finally reached the window and lucky for him it was opened. God, luck was must really be on his side tonight!

Peering in, Ace could make out a darkened room, a bed and a table with a computer set. That had to be Luffys! So opening the window gently, Portgas stepped in through and soon he was standing at Luffy's bed side. And there he was, the person he came to see...his Luffy. The boy was laying on his side, his back to Ace. To be fair, Ace didn't want to see the kid face….was it still as bad as the picture of Marcos phone?

Oh god. Maybe he should leave? Now that he was here he wanted to leave in case something went horribly wrong. The cops could be called if Garp found him or Luffy could be easily scared and have like a jump-scare upon seeing a boy in the middle of a darkened room. Faint scratching sounds brought Ace out of his trance, gazing down toward his feet, Ace noticed a small cat, lightly clawing at his jeaned leg as if it was a scratching post. Luffy had a cat? The kitten began to meow softly, still pawing the older's jeans. Ace hated cats, but he did have to admit, this one was cute.

"shoo shoo" Ace began to swat at the thing gently, still being as quiet as possible. The Calico kitten did as it was told and backed off, jumping back onto Luffys bed and crawled under the covers of the sleeping boy. Portgas sighed, silly cat.

Just as he was about to turn and leave out the open window before he was seen, faint groaning sounds came from behind him. Turning around, he froze in his tracks, the kitten from before was pawing and running up and down Luffy's now stirring body. "No no no, stop it! Bad kitty!" Ace whispered furiously walking back over to the cat to lift it off Luffy. But just as he had the cat in his hands, the boy under him woke up. Well not straight away, he rubbed his eyes but at once began to wince. Ace bit his lip….his injuries.

Luffy sat up and made a face as if he was in pain before grabbing the kitten and cuddling it tightly to his chest. Ace had to admit….Luffy looked so damn cute right now!

"Lu…" As soon as a whisper left Aces mouth, Luffy jumped out of his skin and reached over to his bed site to turn on a lamp.

"Who...whos there?" He stuttered before he caught glimpse of Ace standing there in the middle of his room. "A-Ace..?"

"Uhh...surprize!" Ace honestly did not know what to do. He was standing in the room of Luffys, completely unannounced in the middle of the night.

"How you feelin'?" The boy only sat in his bed, looking Ace over with wide owlish eyes, upon closer inspection one was black around the bottom. Ace stalked closer, Luffy held onto the kitten who was now falling asleep in his arms, it was a cute sight indeed.

"H-How are you…" Luffy whispered again. Luffy did not know how to feel about this. Part of him was scared, part of him was happy, part of him was confused. What was Ace doing here….

Seeing that Luffy clearly wanted to talk, or so he thought, he walked over to the bed and sat down beside the half asleep teen. Ace noticed that Luffy inched away from him, making his heart drop a little.

"Luffy….I.." Upon seeing the teens face up close he made note of the damages done by Marco. He hoped only Marco.

His face was not as bad as it had been in the picture, but the marks were there clear as day. "How you feelin?" Ace asked

"Fine…". Ace smiled at the teen to assure him. After all they had not seen each other since the party. "So...lets get to the point, but before I start let me explain why I am in your bedroom.." Ace made his usual dopey smile. "I, well...had to see you and I heard about Marco…..I can never forgive him" All of his cheerful energy disappeared at the mention of Marco's name. He would never forgive him.

"Oh...yeah...I don't mind" Luffy said softly, getting up to walk to the other end of the room, kitten still in his arms. "I dont mind...I dont mind.." He brought the cat closer up to his face and closed his eyes feeling the soft warm fur under his nose.

"Luffy...that was unacceptable what he did, I can never forgive myself for that.."

"Huh, I should be the one asking for forgiveness" Luffy once again said, keeping his head low. Ace was taken back. No way, Luffy should not be apologising for anything! No, no way. "Luffy, Marco was the one at fault, not you understand?" Ace said sternly, getting up from the bed also to stand beside Luffy but the teen only back away towards the wall. "Okay...please leave, Ace" Luffy said with a worried expression but he kept it buried in the kittens soft fur not really wanting to look at the older teen standing there.

"Luffy please.."

"Before my grandpa wake up"

The Just as Luffy was about to make a dash for the door around Portgas, he stopped and dropped the cat as he winced, falling into the floor. By instinct Ace bounced up and ran to the teens aid. "Luffy? Are you alright!?" Ace worriedly asked grabbing onto the teens arms. "M'Fine...I'm okay its just my legs…" Luffy said through gritted teeth. He should no better than to move as fast as that...baka.

Ace scooped the teen up bridal style into his arms and put him back into bed. Covering him with the comforter again. All the while the teen did not protest, instead he kept silent and refused to look at the boy hovering over him.

"Ace I...I'm sorry for hitting you on the night of the party" Luffy finally confessed as soon as his eyes scrolled over to the bump just below the hairline. "I was stupid"

"No no Luffy, I should be apologizing, I forced you...and I hate myself for it...then Marco" He cut himself off, he had a feeling the teen did not want to hear the details again. For the first time that night, Luffy looked at him through the injured eyes and smiled slightly

"Ace?"

"Hm?"

"Can you stay with me tonight? My Grandpas bringing me to the clinic in the morning after he does a shift at work and…. I dont want to be here alone" Luffy confessed. A large smile broke out on Aces lips, he leaned down and kissed Luffy's forehead lightly before laying beside the teen. " Of course I will…"

sorry this chapter is horrible I know, it was rushed you see and ALOT of grammer mistakes here too, but I hope you guys like it :)