Freckles 55
Holy Shit

Ace did not let Eli go on her own this time, and even if he kept his distances and walked a dozen meters away from her, she could hear his every step behind her.

Above them, the moon was shining brightly in the clear night sky, but through the thick forest's canopy, the ethereal rays of light barely reached the two silent pirates. However, Eli did not care for the dangerous aura emanating from every bush and shadow. She was lost in her thoughts and the darkness prevailing around her were nothing to the ones of lingering in her soul.

Listening to Ace's every muffled step, the pirate girl wondered how they had come to that critical point. They used to be so close and even closer recently, but now... they were wordlessly walking in the same direction, a few meters away from each other, as if they were complete strangers, and in the end, maybe they were.

In spite of the years spent together, in spite of being in the same crew, in spite of the evident affection they shared, there was always a wall separating the two friends from each other. An invisible and impassable wall, and as she could see it at last, Eli couldn't help but think that she was the one who had built it.

The girl knew that she had kept too many secrets from her friend; her painful past obviously, but more importantly, her feelings.

All things considered, Ace was the only person with whom Eli restrained herself, and for that very reason she could not blame him for acting the same, but it hurt nevertheless. The ache was real and unbearable. A sad frown on her face, she pressed the south bird against her pained chest.

Even though she was aware of that self repression, within the years, the girl had never been able to find the strength to fight the chains that she had put upon herself because she felt, from the very first day she met the young man, that if she let herself act freely with him she would inevitably end up injured.

Eli didn't see why though, or more accurately, she couldn't see the obviousness; she was falling in love with him, and it was a long fall, a years long fall...

But somehow, it was too big for her to see. As if she was standing in front of a huge picture, her field of vision only showing a part of it, she was incapable of understanding its whole.

However, at that moment, as they were walking silently in the Jayan forest, what she saw, what she knew was that she needed him, more than anyone else. Not to protect her, not to fight for her. She needed him to talk to her like they used to, make her laugh, smile at her, and for all those little and wonderful things he did, she wanted him to be by her side, always.

And she needed to tell him...

On an impulse, Eli came to a stop and swirled around, swinging one of her legs. Ace froze on the spot. Looking at the girl as if he had been caught doing something wrong, she saw him opening his mouth before closing it again.

Clenching her fists, she resolutely walked over to him while the south bird she was holding observed the scene with expectation. Eli didn't want to be scared anymore, she was ready. While she kicked the ground with her feet, the chronicler felt assurance swelling inside of her with every step she took toward Ace. She would speak freely, let her heart decide and forget her fears because she trusted him, because she needed him.

A serious look on her face, she came to a stop a step away from him while Ace wasn't quite looking at her, an unfamiliar glimmer in his dark eyes.

"I miss you, Ace," she simply said, for once speaking her mind without restraint. "Don't ever leave me again."

Eli wasn't aware of how intimate her demand was, and even if she were, she surely wouldn't care. The only thing she cared for was for him to be by her side. She stared at him in the eyes, without fear, without doubt, nothing but pure truth, and Ace seemed to be pierced through by the girl's unstained stare.

"I thought you were scared of me," Ace finally said gravely. Barely withstanding her eyes, he lifted hesitantly his hand to his temple. "I don't want-"

"I was wrong !" Eli claimed loudly with an angry frown and with a quick shake of her head, it soon became sad, pleading. "I was wrong... Stay with me, please."

His previously lifted hand fell to his side, the black haired pirate looked like he was at a loss for words, and so was she. The silence making her conviction wane, as well as her every muscle, Eli took a step closer and leaned against his chest, seeking solace for the both of them.

"Please..." she murmured in his ear.

On the spot, Ace firmly grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away from him, creating a painful distance between him and the girl. The south bird's eyes widened, almost as much as Eli's as they looked at the young man.

Why ? Why was he holding her away from him ?

Ace's head dropped down, startling Eli as his flashy hat stood right before her eyes. Her jade eyes filled with incomprehension, she was desperate and lost for it was the first time that her friend had pushed her away. Unconsciously, she had always feared this day, and so never asked him anything. She had feared this moment, and now that it was upon her, somehow, it did not hurt, it just seemed... unreal, and so very wrong.

"Ace I-" she began and found herself cut short, as the young man briskly lifted his face, staring at her right into the eyes.

"You have to tell me what you want," Ace ordered, frowning at her. "I won't understand until you tell me."

Swallowing hard, Eli tried to find the words through her rushing mind, but it seemed that her previous assurance had quickly withered. It was her turn to avert his unendurable stare. Her head drooped loosely and she absently gazed at their feet, anxiety stirring inside of her.

Ace was holding her, yet he was pushing her away, demanding answers from her, and for the very first time, she wondered; just how much did she want of him ?

All of it...

"Please..." she quietly said once again, yearning for his warmth, needing his embrace just as much as she needed to breath.

Eli slowly raised her face when she felt the young man's grip tightening on her frail shoulders, and as she looked at him, she saw something keen quivering in his inky eyes. It wasn't anger nor hate, not even annoyance...

Pain.

Ace was in pain, and upon realizing that she was the cause of it, something akin to guilt rustled within her chest. All this time, she had thought that she was the one suffering the most. She thought that he didn't care for her.

How selfish and blind she was.

Digging her teeth in the flesh of her bottom lip, she lifted her hand to his cheek and spoke her regrets with the gentle motion of her fingertips. At the touch, Ace held his breath for a second. Eli felt his hold loosening while his eyes flickered strangely as he gazed at her lip where her teeth remained.

"I'm sorry..." she said weakly.

With a deep sigh, Ace pulled her back in his arms securely, the south bird's eyes filling with tears of emotion as he watched the tender embrace of the two pirates.

"...you'll have to tell me, Eli," he said softly in her ear.

With a hearty smile on her face, like a child; naïve and carefree, Eli wallowed the affectionate moment. She closed her eyes and wrapped her thin arms around him, soothed by his voice as well as his familiar warmth, so capturing and reassuring, like no one else's, and as she felt her heart gradually warming up inside of her chest, she knew...

Holy shit !

Her eyes wide open, she knew.

Oh, no...

Her heartbeats increasing tremendously, she knew now.

Oh, god...

At that moment, Eli wanted to go back to the ignorant person she was a few seconds ago. Clutching Ace's shirt with her numb fingers, the girl chewed her bottom lip nervously while she desperately wished for a little jump back in time. Just a little ten second jump... Was that too much to ask ?

Damn !

Eli stiffened in Ace's arms while her mind filled with one thousand questions. Why ? When ? How ? What the hell ? But in the end it didn't really matter; she was screwed, completely, utterly screwed. Screwed to death, because she had made a terrible, irreparable mistake.

She had fallen in love with her best friend...

Fuck...

to be continued

Betaed by Fox MC.

Sorry, short chapter but it really deserved to be published on its own.

I feel that 'Somewhere Only We Know' by Keane fits this chapter quite well.
If you like the song just try and read it again while listening to it :)

So, how long have you been waiting for Eli's epiphany ?
I wonder if you liked it and if it came up to your expectations.
Please tell me, I'm really starving for your reviews on this one.

See you soon :)