I swear, I update this story more often than even Divide. Not that that's a bad thing... Also, we get our first flashback this chapter :D And I finished To Be a Boy! It's over! Complete! My first finished chapter fic! XD
Question: Do you collect anime merchandise? Me, I get the occasional DvD, manga volume and figure. Just got a Sabo figure. I swear it made my month :D
Disclaimer: I have this strange urge to write another tragic onceshot... and listen to German music... but I really should work on Imagined Life...
Lunch ended. It was a quiet, awkward ordeal that Ace was happy to get away from. No one spoke and he caught the kid—his new 'servant' or whatever—stealing glances at him throughout. It was obvious that they knew each other before he lost his memories but he wasn't sure he wanted to know how—not with how terrified the boy was of him. Rouge most likely filled him in on what happened so that should have cleared up any confusion. Maybe that was why he kept staring; he was curious about his condition. That's what Ace hoped, at least.
Ace's enthusiasm vanished when his mother said that the kid's job was to begin right then. She mentioned something about him being in serious need of money but he didn't pay much attention because he was too focused on thinking of a way to make the boy less scared of him.
Swallowing a bit nervously, he turned to the scarred teen. "Come on," he ordered, waving him over as he stepped out of the dining hall. He saw the youth proceed with tremendous trepidation. Even those two simple words were enough to make him jump. Ace couldn't help but feel bad for him.
The freckled heir led him up the large, overdone staircase and down the hall to the right, stopping at his bedroom door. Before he entered he gave the boy a quick glance, noting that he was taking special care to keep several feet away at all times.
Sighing, he turned the knob and walked forward. With a flip of the switch the room lit, veiled in a yellow glow. It was only seconds later that he heard the one behind him gasp. Apparently Ace forgot to replace all of his weapons after he and Thatch investigated earlier. He must be terrified.
When Ace twisted his torso he saw the boy flinch and take a step back. "You can stay there," he said, gesturing to the doorway the boy was standing in. "I'll clean this up so don't freak out."
Luffy watched in silence as his new employer scurried around the room, picking guns and daggers off of his desk and nightstand and disappearing into the walk-in closet to the right. He never knew Ace had a weapon collection like that. Why did he? More important than that, would Luffy be safe working for him? Rouge practically assured his safety, but…
Ace reappeared in the doorway of the walk-in closet and staggered over to the bed, plopping down on the mattress and gesturing his servant closer. When the teen complied and took a few hesitant steps across the room, Ace stared straight into his eyes, taking in the fear that he saw with the utmost concern. "Look…" he began, trailing off as he thought of the right thing to say. "You don't have to do this, you know. Search around a bit and I'm sure you'll find something better."
The teen bit his lip. "…I tried."
"Hm?"
"There's nothing… Please, I need the money."
Ace sighed. "Guess I have no choice, then." He shuffled over to his nightstand and opened the top drawer to remove some of its contents. Then suddenly he stood, startling the boy as he stepped closer.
Luffy drew back and closed his eyes, scared of his approach. Moments later he found a warm hand on his head and a bundle of papers firmly placed in his grasp. He opened his eyes to see that Ace was gently patting his head. Looking to his hand, he saw several hundred dollar bills. He looked questioningly to his employer.
"Go home," he ordered with a smile as he removed his hand and allowed it to drop to his side.
Luffy's eyes widened. "B-but I can't! This…" Was that really Ace? Was he really telling him to just take the money and leave? Or was it some sort of trick? The Portgas heir never gave things away for free, especially to him.
"You're scared of me, right?"
The teen looked to the floor, doing everything to keep from making eye contact. Was he mocking him?
Ace exhaled and scratched his head. "Look, I don't know what I did but I'm sorry. Think of the cash as compensation."
Wait, what did he just say? He didn't know? Luffy clenched his jaw, anger replacing fear. He was about to snap at the older despite knowing that it would only lead to more pain. But something stopped him.
"What's your name?"
Immediately all of the muscles in Luffy's body relaxed and he looked up to stare blankly at the other. "…What?"
Ace blinked a few times. "Your name—what is it?" When he was met with silence he came to a sudden understanding. "She didn't tell you, did she?" Well, that was awkward.
"…Eh?"
"I, uh, well…" He began nervously rubbing his neck. "I kind of have amnesia."
Luffy kept looking at the man who was averting his gaze, wondering if he was joking. But since when was he known for making jokes? "You… you don't remember?" He began chewing on the inside of his mouth.
The freckled man finally looked at him again, this time with an apologetic frown. "…Sorry, kid."
Luffy stood there in silence. He couldn't peel his eyes away from the man in front of him, trying to tell based off his face whether it was a lie. Even then Ace remained unreadable, just as he always was.
Before either had a chance to move there was a quick knock on the door followed by the entry of the blonde servant from before. Luffy watched in speechless silence as the one he feared—his problem—broke out into a wide grin.
"Hey, Marco," he greeted as he swept past the teen, completely disregarding their conversation.
The blonde glanced over at Luffy briefly before turning back to the freckled youth in front of him. "So you took him in after all yoi?"
Ace sighed. "I had no choice. Could you show him out?"
Marco raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"He's terrified." Ace threw his thumb over his shoulder to gesture at the boy. "I figure with the money I gave him, he can tide himself over 'til he can find another job."
Without another word the butler nodded and turned to look at the teen, then gestured for him to follow.
Luffy wasn't sure what to make of anything. He was still trying to grasp the concept of his former and current employer not recognizing him. As such, he complied with the wishes of the blonde and was led out of the room. Unsure of what to make of the situation, he thought maybe leaving was for the best. After all, he hated Ace more than anyone else. He was just paid to leave and not come back; that was the best thing he could have hoped for, even if it did make him feel a little guilty.
Despite how he swore he didn't care about Ace, he found himself asking the blonde something. "Umm…"
"What is it?"
"Is it true? Did he really forget everything?"
Marco glanced at him before placing his hand on the mansion's front door. "Yeah, he did. He hit his head in the accident yoi."
Luffy quieted, deep in thought. So what Ace said was true. It was still hard to believe but it explained how different he was. The heir never smiled at him like that, nor was he kind enough to help him out. It must have been a pretty hard hit to the head to change him as much as it did.
"You're Luffy, then?"
"Huh?" The teen snapped to attention, pulled away from his wandering thoughts. For the first time he really looked at the blonde. The man had mostly-lidded eyes and seemed pretty lax—not friendly but not rude, either. He didn't seem like the type Ace would hang around despite what Rouge said. And though Luffy was cautious because he was the one who stood up to Ace earlier, he didn't feel like he was in danger—not like when he was around the freckled youth himself. "Yeah," he replied with a bit of confusion.
"Don't hurt him. He's been through enough yoi."
Luffy groaned as he watched his friend's face contort in shock and understanding. His reaction was predictable at best. Well, it was expected after what he just told him.
"You went back?" he asked, putting strong emphasis on the last bit.
The teen nodded reluctantly, knowing what was to follow.
His long-nosed companion sighed, dropping his head into his lap. There was no doubt that he was disappointed in him. "Oi, Luffy, you could have come to us, you know. We could've helped you out."
Shaking his head, the raven-haired boy looked across the park, his eyes absently following the people walking by. "I can't keep freeloading off you guys. I feel like a parasite."
The other palmed his forehead. "Well, to be honest, you are one."
"Shishishi!" At least he was telling the truth. Being a pathological liar, Usopp would get so caught up in stretching the truth that sometimes he wouldn't realize he was doing it. "It was different this time."
Usopp raised eyebrow. "Different how?"
Luffy lay against the back of the bench and turned to the sky, groaning as he tried to put it into words. Really, what could he say? He wasn't the best at explaining things and just mentioning the heir's amnesia would leave the story incomplete. There was something about him, though, that wasn't the same as before and it was more than just his recent display of kindness. "He… helped me."
"He helped you?" the other asked in a mocking tone. When he saw the teen's seriousness his face fell. "Oi, Luffy, don't fall for that crap. You know better than anyone what he's like."
"But…"
"Just forget about him. I'll try to see if I can get you in at my place—how's that?"
Pulling his mouth into a taut line, he contemplated that. Somehow he didn't think working at a bakery—especially the bakery Usopp worked at—would be a good idea. He'd likely get them both fired. The money Ace gave him would last a few months, at least. That gave him time…
Luffy shook his head.
Furrowing his brow in concern, Usopp placed a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't trust him. He's a monster."
Taking those words in, he tried to count the number of times he said the exact same thing. "He wasn't always like that." He, himself, couldn't believe what he just said.
At seven years old, Luffy found himself with a box over his head, shielding his lithe form from the frigid, merciless rain that beat against the earth. Sniffling, he wondered what he was going to do. Where could he go? After abandoning his home only days earlier he had nowhere to return to. His only set of clothes was drenched and covered in filth, sticking to his lean figure in a disgusting, wet mess. He was tired. He was hungry. He wanted to go back… but he couldn't.
The box proved to be a horrible cover as the inside began to drip, soaking in the falling water like a sponge. Scrunching up his mouth, he threw the cardboard off his head and curled up in a ball.
Luffy almost didn't notice it but vaguely he realized the cold droplets were no longer hitting him. Curiously he looked up, met with a boy holding an umbrella. He watched in silence as the stranger crouched down in front of him.
"You alone?"
Slowly Luffy nodded, unsure of what to make of the boy.
The freckled youth smiled, offering his hand. "I'll help you."
His eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really," he replied with a curt nod.
Breaking out into the widest of grins, Luffy took his hand and rose to his feet, staring with admiration at the stranger who offered to take him away from the rain.
Things were looking up.
Ace yawned as he headed down the stairs and into the kitchen, greeted by a blonde at the stove. He'd just woken from a short nap he had. "The cook's gone?"
"Day off," Marco answered lazily, never taking his eyes away from the meal he was cooking.
"Ah," the youth acknowledge, slipping onto a stool at the island in the middle of the room. He rested his head in his palm and stared absently at the back of his friend's head. "I think I remembered something."
For a moment he swore he saw the blonde flinch but immediately he relaxed again as though nothing happened.
"Yeah?"
"Maybe," he shrugged. "Was I a therapist?"
Marco turned to him with a glare, eyebrow twitching. "No," he replied firmly, disdain almost present in his voice.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure," he assured.
"Really? Because it felt real."
"It was a dream yoi."
"But—"
"A dream," he repeated, louder and firmer than the first.
Ace sighed. "You're no fun."
A/N: Any theories? About anything? I'm open to them :D Still need to get working on chapter 13 but... I figure I should catch up on working on some other fics first. Like Reversee_e I swear, one more chapter and I'll get back into writing that fic, it's just... stupid Arlong chapter! You ruin everything! And I can't skip it because it's important! Argh!
Ahem. Anyways, hope you enjoyed and feel free to leave a review! They make my day :D
To my lovelies~
mrsfirefist: He's coming up in a few chapters :D
samettikettu: Lol XD Yeah, I feel bad for always torturing him...
buslimpan: Oh well XD You will find out! Eventually :P
jam klaoo: Here you go :)
Diclonious57: Oh well, hopefully you still liked it!
Kitsune Foxfire: Yes, yes he will be XD I kind of feel bad because he doesn't come back in for a while... he's important later though. I've been so tempted to reveal what happened between them. I will withhold for the time, though. Lol that's an awesome theory XD Made my day!
Honeydee: Exactly. He was wise not to trust Marco. Though... ah never mind, can't say it.
MysteriousEyez: Good - my goal is to make you guys more intrigued :D Wouldn't be a fun read otherwise. Glad you're taking an interest in it!
StrawberryGirlKairi: Well you see the flashback this chapter? There will be more of those throughout (mostly from someone other than Ace's perspective) and you'll get to find out about him bit by bit through that :) Well, now you know when they met, so you could try to make guesses. And now you have at least one question answered!
Guest: Isn't it? I originally had so much trouble writing Luffy scared of Ace... Slavery? Interesting theory, we'll see XD
teengens: Yup, he did. Question is: what? That's one of the thing's Luffy's going to worry about later. Can't say any more, though.
spoons-are-evil: Lol yep, lots of people suspect that. I, of course, can't say one way or the other. So I'll sit back and let you guys ponder it :) That is pretty graphic, but I've thought worse - normally when coming up with ideas for Divide!Sabo :P So if you need therapy then so do I and I'm a psych major XD Isn't he? Yup, he didn't manage to say much between his fear and shock.
azab: You'll find out much, much later :P
Iwan: I like trolling my readers whenever I get the chance :P Lol here's more! And get your own sandwtch! This one's mine! (I'm actually eating a sandwich right now, oddly... o.o)
siqwithaQ: Well here you go :D Though it's kind of spread over 3 chapter so this is only the first part of his reaction. I talk like I don't know the answer mainly because I don't want to give it away :P So when I reply I just play innocent hehe. It's an interesting theory, for sure. You might be able to figure out whether you're right or wrong in a few chapters :) He's going to continue being confused XD There will be more comparisons of Luffy and puppies, I will make sure of it. I'll admit, I very blatantly exploited his fears with that one. I'm so mean to the characters in my fic... Glad you like ^^
TheRoseJr: What? I love cliché fics XD I'll continue with them until death! Hehe I love your reaction. It brought a smile to my face :D Really glad you like my stories! Honestly, I have way too many plot bunnies... You have no idea how hard it is for me to not start a new fic daily -_- Yeah, I feel bad for Luffy coming back to see that. But I'm the one who wrote it... I'm a jerk.
ASLfangirl: You'll find out eventually :D Not anytime soon, though. Let's just say I'm interested to see everyone's reactions to it when I do finally reveal what happened.
Aimiko: Nope, sorry :/ This is a long fic and it's mostly following Ace's perspective, so we're only going to know a little more than he does and he currently has no idea why Luffy's scared of him so we don't know. Hope you don't mind too much.
ThePhobiaPhoebe: Everyone seems to be curious about that XD It makes revealing it tempting, but I can't yet. I promise to make it very interesting when I do, though! Or try, at least! Yep, that's on purpose. Really glad you're enjoying it ^^ It always brightens my day when an author I like reads my fics!
Red-The-Drawing-Ninja: You'll find out eventually XD Here it is~
(Me thinks the fic is catching your interests, yes? Hope so ^^ I promise, it'll get more interesting from here on out! and more complicated, but... don't worry, not Divide level complicated XD I don't think I can match that again... Next chapter is told - mostly - in Marco's perspective, so look forward to it! I'm gonna go write something. Not sure what. Probably melodramatic. Adieu~)