I'm cheering myself up by updating. Hopefully it'll make someone's day. I'll TRY getting the next chapter of Skip up, too, but I haven't written it yet so no guarantees. I'll do my best! Got a oneshot out, too, about Marco and Ace. Born in Fire. It's going to be the prologue of a fic I'm starting in a few months... probably. What else...? Oh! From now until I decide to end my semi-hiatus, I'll only be doing uploads on Thursdays. Make's life simpler.
Question: Would you guy's like me to start answering the reviews in PMs? I'll take a vote and do whatever gets the most votes.
Disclaimer: I don't know why, but I feel like I lost my best friend ._. Like, you know that feeling when you watch/read a really amazing tragedy? That. Now I want to write something depressing... What were we talking about?
Ace glanced down at the sleeping boy in his arms, smiling fondly before gently placing him down on the plush surface of his mattress, watching him fidget until he got comfortable. Pulling the thick blanket at his feet up to his shoulders, he watched him and nodded in approval when he deemed him secure, plopping down next to his resting body.
Well, he no longer had a bed. Couldn't sleep beside him, could he? The kid would freak if he woke up to not only find himself in his ex-tormentor's bed but lying next to him—especially since Ace preferred to sleep with minimal clothing. He didn't mind giving up his place of rest, though. In fact, his mood was too elated knowing that the boy showed concern for him to even mind that he'd likely be sleeping on the downstairs sofa.
To think Luffy showed a little bit of care for him—that he cried for him... it felt great. Ace had to wonder about that thought, though. Am I a sadist? He pulled his mouth in to a taut line, shaking his head in disapproval. That wasn't it. He didn't get pleasure from seeing the kid suffer. In fact, just seeing the boy flinch whenever their eyes met sent horrible, guilty pains running through his chest. And he didn't even know what he did to make the kid so scared of him!
But…
Despite his fear, he still worried. That made Ace's chest swell with renewed hope, thinking that maybe he wasn't as worthless as he made himself out to be. He knew the others cared about him—Thatch, Marco, his parents—but they were all hiding things from him, forcing smiles. Luffy didn't do that. He showed his fear and his discomfort and dislike. The boy was honest. That meant that those tears were real, too, right?
Ace looked to his right at the servant's sleeping face. Seeing him lay there, deep in a peaceful sleep, felt familiar. As he reached out his hand, gently running his fingers through the teen's hair, he felt an overwhelming calm wash over him. He closed his eyes and continued to stroke the boy's head.
"Ace, I'm scared."
He took a deep, steady breath.
"You're already eight! Sleep on your own!"
"B-but…"
He leaned back, all of his weight pushed onto his left arm as he turned his head to the ceiling.
"…I guess it can't be helped. Come on."
"Shishishi! Thanks, Ace!"
Opening his eyes, he grimaced. That wasn't a memory, was it? There was nothing malicious about it, no abuse… But Luffy did say that he wasn't always like that, right? So then…
Suddenly he became truly aware of what he was doing. His face brightened into a deep red as he hurriedly snatched his hand away from Luffy's hair, staring in disbelief at the devious appendage. What was he thinking? No, he wasn't thinking! He just spent the last—what, five?—minutes petting Luffy like he was a damn pet! Well, he did kind of remind him of a puppy with those big eyes of his…
He shook his head. No, bad! Don't get attached!
Glancing back at the kid with narrowed eyes, he realized that it might have already been too late.
Heaving a sigh, he rose from his place at the edge of the bed and scurried across the room and to his desk, plopping down on what had become Marco's favourite seat and opening one of the drawers to grab his journal.
For a moment his hand hesitated over the pistol that was kept there. He watched it reflect the light of the lamp, its handle shining enough to see his reflection in. There was something about it that was different from the weapon stash he had in his closet. For one thing, why was it separated from the others? And then there was something about the engraving in the handle that caught his attention, but he wasn't sure what it was.
Something was nagging at him and before his mind could protest, his body already held the item in a firm hold. He checked, just as he did when he first found it, to see if it was loaded. It was. To make things even more interesting, the safety was off. Great, I was probably homicidal. Or an idiot. Or both.
Glaring at the hunk of metal once more, he put the safety on and replaced it, removing his journal instead. He flipped through the pages, all filled with writing, until he came to an empty one. Grabbing a pen from beside the lamp, he placed the tip to the paper and watched as the ink pooled. Where should I start?
Groggily the servant's eyes opened, blearily staring out at the spacious room he was in. It wasn't long before he closed his eyes once more, deciding a little more rest would do him good. He'd been losing too much sleep over the past week.
Snuggling deeper to the pillow, he waited to once more drift off. But something was off. He furrowed his brow, thinking deeply about what was wrong. It didn't feel right. Sure it was comfortable, but it was foreign. Why? Then there was the strange smell wafting his nose…
His eyes burst open and he shot into an upright position, gawking as his surroundings. It was Ace's room. He was in Ace's room—in his bed. A shiver ran up his spine and he jolted from under the covers, immediately making his way to the door. He had to get out of there. He wasn't sure why he was there, but he had to get going.
Luffy raced through the hall and down the stairs but was brought to a halt when he heard a few familiar voices coming from the kitchen, accompanied by the sweet aroma of breakfast. Curiously he headed over, stopping beside the entranceway.
"—remember?" That's Marco…
He could hear Ace huff as he moved about in the other room. "It's not much, alright? But…"
"But?" the blond pressed.
The footsteps stopped, drawing them into a long silence. "I remembered him—when we were kids."
Luffy's eyes widened.
"At least, I think it was him."
The teen felt his heart sink. No. No no no no. He didn't want that. Ace couldn't remember. If he did, wouldn't he start acting the way he did before? Wouldn't it be the same as last time? He didn't want to go back to that. He wouldn't.
"So it was just one memory yoi?"
"Yeah, that's it. And I think…"
"What?"
"I think we were getting along. Luffy wasn't scared of me." There was a long pause. "It was… nice."
Lowering his head with those words, the teen took a deep breath and slid down the wall, waiting for his heart to slow. Ace… he seemed genuinely happy. If what he recalled was a good memory between them then it had to be really old. If it was something like that, it was fine. He shouldn't worry. Actually, he kind of felt bad, hearing the hint of sadness in his employer's voice. Luffy didn't want him to remember out of fear but was that really fair? Good or bad, those memories were his. They were a part of him. Who was he to deny that?
"I hate knowing I ruined that later on."
Luffy's ears perked up and he peeked into the kitchen.
"Growing attached?" Marco teased from his place at the island.
"Shut up, Pineapple." He glared hard at the blond before turning to face the doorway. Immediately Luffy hid behind the frame. "Lu, breakfast is ready. Why don't you join us?" He paused. "Ah, shit—Luffy," he corrected, realizing his mistake.
He'd been found out. Why was he hiding in the first place? Discarding the thought in favour of his growling stomach, he stood and nervously made his way into the kitchen, taking a seat next to Marco.
"Good morning," the blond greeted with a lazy smile. He seemed a lot less tense than the day before—friendly, even. Yesterday he was distant and cold. What changed?
"Morning," he replied, smiling meekly as his eyes followed his boss across the kitchen as he moved plates full of food from the counter on the far wall to the top of the island they sat at. He swallowed as the aroma filled his nostrils. Ace's cooking was definitely commendable. He'd managed to learn a lot during their time apart, huh? Well, it had been years, so…
"Is something wrong?" Ace asked as he slid Luffy his portion, looking over him with concern.
The teen froze, eyes fixated on the far wall. Ace just asked…
"Eh?"
"You look pale," he elaborated, leaning onto the island to get a closer look, ignoring it when the other pulled away. "Not feeling well?"
After the initial shock wore off, Luffy lowered his head, allowing his bangs to caress the skin of his forehead. Even with amnesia, he never expected Ace to worry so much. He wasn't the type. And why bother yourself with someone who disliked you so openly? Swallowing, he shook his head. "It's nothing."
"You sure?"
He nodded, continuing to avoid the heir's gaze.
With a sigh, the subject was dropped and they went about their meal. But Luffy didn't forget.
The rain beat hard against the front awning as Luffy stood there, looking out at the gray scenery as he waited beside Ace. Marco was getting the car. He was asked to drive the teen home because, well, their employer was worried. He'd been pale and unfocused all day—though it wasn't for the reasons Ace thought it was—and so they wanted to make sure he got home safely. Really, they didn't need to go out of their way like they were. In fact the boy found his employer's concern strange and foreign.
Unsettling.
Face downturned, he stole quick glances at the one beside him, swallowing nervously as he thought. It really was weird seeing Ace act friendly—no matter how much time he spent with him. Would he ever get used to it? Probably not. The memories from before were deeply ingrained within his mind. They would always remain a part of his past; no amount of kindness would change that. But… it felt wrong to hate him when he didn't even know what he did.
Stupid Ace…
"It's strange," he managed to mumble, eliciting a confused look from the other, "seeing you like this."
Ace blinked in silence before realization washed over him. Attaining a calm, understanding expression, he turned to look out into the rain. There was an awkward quiet that only the rain could fill and, for a moment, Luffy regretted saying anything. The words just slipped from his mouth.
"What was I like?"
Luffy froze. What did he just ask? Looking from the cement to the youth, his eyes went wide. He never expected such an upfront question. Up until then, Ace hadn't inquired much about his past. He knew how Luffy felt about the subject and respected his wishes not to speak of it. So why the sudden change?
When Ace returned his gaze, the look in his eyes made it clear that he wanted a proper answer. But what could he say?
As Marco pulled up with one of the family's cars, the teen swallowed. He ignored the mist that brushed against his exposed skin as the vehicle drove through a pool of rainwater, ignored the loud crash of thunder as the sky lit the house in a veil of brilliant white, and looked away.
"You were… scary."
Pacing forward immediately, he didn't give the other time to respond—didn't look back. He simply entered the passenger's side of the car before it promptly drove away, leaving him oblivious to the heir's faltering smile.
A/N: You know that thing called a plot? I found it. I found it and will be implementing it once more next chapter. Hopefully it'll... pique some interest for anyone who read this chapter and yawned. There were a few key points, though! Just saying.
And a huge flashback is coming up. Oops. Probably shouldn't be giving away spoilers in the AN. Well... whatever. It's not next chapter, anyways. One after. I'll shut up now.
To my lovelies~
Mon Esprit Libre: I refuse to take loans that I'm not certain I'll be able to pay back. Don't want to end up like my cousin. Meh, it was just a typo. And it wasn't even part of the chapter. No big deal.
SkittlesTheUnicorn: Doesn't it? I find it so fun to add. Thank you :D
Bluebird42: I managed with textbooks. Problem is that our professors write a lot of their own textbooks and only sell them at the university -_- Them bastards.
yukiko hyuga-chan: Thanks~
mad100141: I can't tell you that :P No spoilers! Plus, it would depend on what you were asking for: the scale of the act itself or the scale of the trauma. Because they're different. Very different. Keep in mind, it's an AU. The characters aren't all going to have the same roles as canon. Vivi certainly doesn't, since she's a nurse here. Yes, the accident will be thoroughly explained later on. No worries :) Trigun reference - I love it XD I actually think that's the third Trigun comparison I've heard readers make with my stories... Weird coincidence. Lol don't worry, you'll have your answers soon enough. Well, it'll be a while, but... you know what I mean.
samettikettu: Awe it's fine XD I don't really celebrate my birthday, anyways. Thanks!
Starry Roses: Thanks!
Koiwasenso: You'll find out eventually ^^ Glad you like!
TheAnalei: Really happy you see it that way ^^ That scene'll be really important later on, so hopefully it had enough of an impact for you guys to remember. You'll find out when Marco sleeps next chapter :P Thanks!
luffylova! Glad you like! That explanation will take a while, but we'll get there.
DianaLea: Thanks! Here's an update!
siqwithaQ: Again, I am so sorry ;A; Thanks! Ugh, I know what you mean... school's killing me T^T But, we'll make it through! Just gotta keep trying! Glad you liked the chapter :)
LostFairyMantic: Glad you like!
ssspooky: Thanks! I appreciate the support. There're no jobs where I live, either. Most of the factories closed down a few years ago, leaving thousands jobless. We have a 41% unemployment rate in my city, it's the worst in the country. Tried for over a year now, no success in finding a job. But I'll pull through! I'll survive and prevail and keep writing!
Diclonious57: I've already got a scholarship, but it's a small one. If I want a better one I have to raise my average. Working on it! :)
MysteriousEyez: Yeah, everyone reacts differently, you know. My mom's death was the only one I really reacted to, myself. All other deaths I was like "Oh. He's dead. Alright." Really depends who you are, you know? Nope, that was just his narcolepsy. As it stands now, he has no other known ailments. A lost child, huh? Actually, that really fits. It'll fit even more later. Thanks~
shadowmarialove: Nope, he didn't know. Good, because there'll be more of that later ;)
Guest: Nope, no crush. None that was mentioned, at least. Well, here it is!
Kitsune Foxfire: He could, but where's the fun in that? :P Luffy'll learn more about the accident later. Can't guarantee he'll learn of it from Marco, though. Mortal fear of his mother's drapes - I like that XD Made me laugh. Yeah, I think it fit. I was just worried other people wouldn't.
azab: Glad you like!
sakura240: IF he remembers ;) ...Who am I kidding? Of course he will; that's what you're all waiting for. Then again, I'm the Troll Empress... Here's an update!
spoons-are-evil: Thanks! Yep, it was a huge step. But we'll be stepping away from Luffy's perspective for a while now. Something else is going to happen ;) Vivi is actually a very important character, even if she doesn't seem it. And the way they met is especially important. Marco, too. Their meeting was pivotal. Yes, it's something Whitebeard related. More on that later ;)
(That wraps tonight's update. Well, 'til next time. Adieu~)