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Current Show : Shining Ray - Justin Houston.
"Love is not enough. It must be the foundation, the cornerstone-but not the complete structure. It is much too pliable, too yielding." - Bette Davis.
Chapter Fifteen : At the Waterfall's Edge.
He was given two days to think about the rest of his life. Who in their right mind gives a person two days to think about what do with their rest of their lives? Portgas. D Ace did that's who. Antaeus finally understood what Robin meant when she said Ace was manipulative and downright stubborn. Honestly, who in the hell did that pirate think he was? Ordering him about like some child who couldn't decide what he wanted for dessert.
Except, Antaeus didn't know what he wanted. -of course, he always knew what he wanted for dessert, but that was so not the point- he didn't know what to do about Ace. Which was silly because one should know what to do about one's husband, especially if one's husband was the king of pirates.
Huffing out an exhausted breath, Antaeus rose from the tangled blankets and proceeded to get showered and dressed. Once that was out of the way, he slipped out of his room and down the hall stopping when Ace's deep voice came from the living room. It sounded frustrating, weary and angry. Good. At least he wasn't the only one running himself ragged about this.
"You think I was too hard on him, Robin?" Ace's voice asked. Antaeus heard the leather of the couch creak before Ace continued. "I shouldn't have said those things let alone give him two days to decide."
"He's needs to decide." came Robin's firm, but gentle voice. "Antaeus must choose to remain here in Baterilla or go back to the seas with you and your crew. I know you can't stand being in one place for too long."
The room became silent, so much that Antaeus couldn't help but peak around the corner and see that Ace had his head in his hands and Robin sitting next to him with a slim hand on his shoulder. Whipping back around the corner when Ace raised his head back up, he leaned against the cool wall and waited for the conversation to continue. As it turned out, he didn't have to wait but a moment before Ace spoke again.
"Maybe it's best that he stay here, you know?" Ace sighs, heavy and weary. "he's not the same person I knew and married. He's not my Luffy. Memory loss be damned."
"He's getting his memory back bit by bit." Robin said soothingly. "I know it hurts, but it possible that the Luffy you knew will never come back. Tell me, will you settle for the Luffy you know now?"
At this point, Antaeus was cautiously peaking around the corner and waiting for Ace's answer with an anxious breath, wondering if Ace did want him back. He wanted the man to want him back despite their argument hours ago. He took a step back when Ace blew out a big sigh that echoed throughout the living room.
"I will settle." Ace finally replied. "There is no way that I couldn't settle. I love Luffy and I will never stop doing so. I want him to decide which path he wants to take, you know? If he decides to stay in Baterilla then I won't stop him, but my decision to leave in two days still stands."
"Then I will decide." Antaeus blurted out before he could stop himself. Seeing no use in hiding, he stepped into the living room and for once not flinching under Robin's and Ace's eyes. "I will have made my decision by the end of those two days."
"Luffy-"
"No," Antaeus shook his head, his bangs obscuring his gaze. He had enough of this and he would put an end of it and if Ace wanted two days then he would give the man two days. "I will have my answer and I will not change my mind about it." he crossed his arms and stared his husband down. "Are you satisfied with that, Ace?"
"Yes." Ace's face darkened at this tone. "I am satisfied and I hope that your answer with sooth me, yeah?"
"Yes, now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going out for a bit." Antaeus drudged past Ace and Robin, slid on his shoes and was out of the door before either of them could protest. He slammed the door shut and made his way down the path and into town. He couldn't believe that he had said that, but he couldn't take his words back-No, he wouldn't take those words back. If Ace wanted his answer in two days then he would have his answer within that time span.
"Antaeus! Antaeus, wait up!"
Hearing his name, Antaeus whirled around to see Sabo racing towards him, his long blue coat bellowing out behind him and like magic, the tension flowed out of his body at the sight of his friend. He raised his hand and waved while crying out. "Sabo!"
"Good." Sabo walked up to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. "You're not with him."
"He's really not that bad, Sabo." Antaeus murmured, feeling a need to defend Ace even though he didn't exactly know why yet. "I mean, he's been looking for me for weeks on end."
"So?" Sabo released him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders instead. "It doesn't matter if he's good or not. What matters is that he'll be gone, without you if possible."
"What if I want to go with him?" Antaeus questioned, mentally slapping himself for his big mouth. That had become a problem as of late, one he hoped to rectify before it got out of control. Well, more out of control than it already was.
"Do you want to go with him?" Sabo inquired. "He is your husband after all." Sabo stopped them in the middle of the road, sticking out his tongue when a few passerby's glared at them. "Well?"
"I don't know," Antaeus bit his lips and continued on, wary at the thought of telling Sabo anything else. "He's leaving in two days."
"Two days?" Sabo gaped at him. "He gave you two days to decide your life? Sorry buddy, but your husband's an asshole." Sabo grinned apologetically and pressed on. "Have you decided on what you're going to do?"
"No, not yet. I need some time to think."
"Well, don't think for too long." Sabo gripped his shoulder tightly and released it. "It's wrong to press you to decide, but maybe it's best if you are pressed into a decision, you know? If you're indecisive your whole life then so much time can pass and before you know it." he snapped his fingers. "You're an old man staring out into the sea wondering where in the hell your life has gone."
"That was such a morbid way to motivate me, Sabo." Antaeus drawled dryly. "I thought you were my friend."
"I am!" Sabo chuckled heartedly before a serious expression crossed his features. "Listen, I think Ace is an asshole for making you decide this so quickly, but you and I know that a decision needs to be made whether it's two days or two years, something needs to be done and said, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Good." Sabo looked him in the eye. "I want you to know that whatever you decide Drake and I will be with you."
"Even if I decide to leave with Ace?"
Sabo scowled at his words, but he nodded his head nonetheless. "Even if you decide to leave with Ace."
"You really don't like him do you?"
"How can I like him, Antaeus?" Sabo grunted. "He comes in here bossing everyone around and practically demands anything like the pompous ass he is."
"Well, he is the pirate king." Antaeus chuckled when Sabo stuck out his tongue in his direction. "So he's used to getting what he wants."
"And you should get what you want shouldn't you?" Sabo continued. "You should be able to decide what the rest of your life will be like with or without Ace."
"What would you do in this situation, Sabo?" Antaeus asked curiously.
"Me?" Sabo pointed to himself whilst wearing a nervous grin. "Well, I suppose I would say "Go to hell, Ace!" Sabo quickly sobered when Antaeus gave him a hurt look. God, he hated when anyone gave him that look. It made him feel like crap. "Really? I would think about the good and bad, you know? How good did you have it here in Baterilla and how good did you have it staying with Ace? There's a lot of different reasons as to why you should stay and why you should go. But, remember, Antaeus, it's up to you whether you stay or go." he patted his friend on the shoulder once more before saying. "I gotta go, okay? I'll see you later."
"Later."
Watching Sabo race down the street made Antaeus wonder if this was the last time he was going to see his blond haired friend or maybe it wouldn't be the last time he saw him. He loved Drake and Sabo and Kureha and Robin. They took such good care of them and how would he repay them? By saying thank you and going off with his pirate husband to sail the seas. Everyone keeps saying that the decision is his, but then why did he feel like that everyone was pushing him towards leaving?
Didn't they want him here? Safe and Sound and Whole? No, of course they did, but he knew from the look in their eyes what they wanted most. They wanted him happy. But, he had to figure out whether or not he was happy here or happy leaving.
"Daydreaming again, boy?" a rough familiar voice called from behind. Antaeus glanced over his shoulder to see Kureha smirking at him from a few feet away. "Get over here."
"I'm not daydreaming." Antaeus strolled over to the doctor, wearing a weary grin. "How are you, Dr. Kureha?"
"Better than your sorry butt." Kureha roughly grabbed his shoulder and dragged him to one of the bars. "I heard from Robin about your little problem, and I'm here to knock some sense into you since none of your friends nor your so called husband can do it."
"No." Antaeus chuckled nervously, taking a cautious step back when Kureha glared at him. "I'm quite alright-AHHHHHH." Antaeus stumbled back when Kureha suddenly fired a shot at his sandled feet causing him to jump into the air. "WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?"
"Get in the bar, boy." Kureha ordered, blowing the smoke from her pistol. "We're going to have a long talk about what you need to do."
Gulping, Antaeus stepped inside and prayed to the sea or to anyone would listen that he would come out of here alive and hopefully with all his body parts in tact. He didn't have anytime to hesitate in the middle of the crowded bar as Kureha suddenly grabbed him and shoved him down into one of the chairs near the door.
"Do you love him?" Kureha asked bluntly, waving one of the barmaids over. "Well? Do you?"
That was certainly a good question, Antaeus thought sadly. Did he love Ace or was in love with the idea of being with the Pirate King? Both sounded good, but one of them sounded like nothing but a pipe dream. How did he expect for their marriage to survive if he was just in love with the thought of being with Ace and not in love with the man himself? When his eyes locked onto Kureha's she was giving him such a knowing look that he couldn't help but lower his gaze back down to the rickety table.
"I don't know." Antaeus murmured over the crowds. "One part of me wants to go with him while the other wants to stay here where it's peaceful."
"I have a theory." Kureha leaned closer to him. "I think your memories are jumbled up."
"Jumbled up?" Antaeus tilted his head to side curiously and waited until the doctor to continue. "What do you mean jumbled up?"
"Well, there was one time when you never wanted to be a pirate right? You just want to be a shipwright and was content to building ships." Kureha sighed. "Until Ace found you and convinced you to go with him and etc etc, leading until your eventual marriage."
"So you're saying that my memories are causing the way I feel about Ace?" Antaeus smiled tightly at the thought. "My earlier memories about leaving my village?"
Kureha shrugged. "You recovered your memories at a steady rate, but that doesn't mean your emotions about receiving said memories are as steady." Kureha nodded her head when the bar-maid laid down two large mugs of beer. "You're confused, tired and damn frustrated about what's happening, right?"
"Right." Antaeus murmured, he was tired of this. Tired of the emotional up and downs this caused. He just wanted this to be over with. "So, what do you suggest that I do?"
"I suggest you sit here and think about what's really important to you, boy." Kureha swallowed the pint of beer and continued. "Staying here where you'll most likely be bored for the rest of your damned life or go back out into the sea where your family's waiting."
"Family?" Antaeus repeated, turning away and closing his eyes as the images of the Spade Pirates came to his mind. Nami, one of their best navigators, but she had a temper. Marco, Ace's first mate and best friend. So many others came to his mind, Chopper, Zoro, Usopp and many of the commanders that were under Marco and Ace. All of them were his family, his nakama. Antaeus blinked when he felt something wet on his cheek and with a shaking hand, he reached up and touch his cheek to discover a single tear. Blushing in mortifaction, he turned his gaze to the rickety table. All of this time he was thinking of no one but himself. How could he have forgotten his nakama? A rush of shame flowed through him at the thought. What kind of pirate forgets their family? A sorry one, that's who. Huffing in exhaustion he raised his head and met Kureha's gaze.
"Well?" Kureha prodded. "Have you decided?"
Had he? Had he decided what he was going to do? When the images of the Spade Pirates flashed before his eyes, he quickly pushed them away. He had his made his decision and there was no more time to think about it.
"Yes." Antaeus murmured. "I have."
A/N : Antaeus has made his decision, which is pretty obvious, don't you think. One more chapter and the story's complete. See you then.