The marketplace was strangely busy as young couples crowded and swarmed the streets looking at little cheap trinkets and jewels. As vendors themselves shouted for the couple's attention or lonely men that were in scurrying through the street looking for last-minute gifts for their girlfriend. The scent of sweet perfume wafered through the air, intoxicating all those around them. The food stands that were just as busy made any hungry person wait impatiently in line.

Ace was one of those lonely hungry men the vendors called out, tempting the young boy with free samples of peanuts lightly dusted in cocoa powder. He found himself tempted by the idea of free food as he walked towards the vendor and began snacking on the sweet-tasting peanuts, that crunched in his mouth barely satisfying the rumbling in his stomach.

"Did you forget about Valentine's Day?" the Vendor asked, his dark eyes scanning the knapsack that hung over Ace's shoulder, "I can fix your mistake if you see would like to see my merchandise," he waved his hands over the glass case showing off pretty jewels, in all shapes and colors. "Whatever mistake you made everything can be forgiven for the right price," the sleazy salesman spoke, not noticing that half of his free samples were disappearing from the bowl.

"Val-what now?" Ace questioned shoving another handful of peanuts in his mouth. He never heard of the day as he lazily glanced at the colorful but obviously fake-colored jewels. The vendor finally glanced up and slapped Ace's hand away before he could reach for more of the delicious snack.

"Surly a handsome man like you has a date on the most romantic day of the year?" he questioned, his sweet tone slowly dying as the realization was dawning that Ace was not a paying customer, "A young temptress who stole your heart?"

Ace stared blankly at the man as he was tempted to sneak another handful of chocolate-covered peanuts before his hand got slapped away.

"A boyfriend you are trying to win over?" as the fake politeness was almost gone. The handsome young lad before him was not a paying customer but a drifter stealing free samples from him and wasting his time.

Ace shook his head stealing another handful of peanuts and shoving them in his mouth.

"Get out of here," the merchant growled waving his hands off and moving the now-empty peanut bowl from Ace's sight, "You are wasting my time,"

Ace shrugged walking off, curious about what this strange day the vendor was talking about only to be lured by another unsuspecting merchant offering free sweets in exchange for a large purchase.

"What is Valentine's Day?" Ace asked later that evening, shoving a spoonful of fish curry into his mouth. The savory taste outweighed all the sweets he had eaten while shopping in the busy marketplace. He had filled his belly with sweet-tasting chocolate, as vendors assumed he was a handsome young man shopping for a lover that didn't exist. He even tried new and exotic desserts such as dark chocolate and truffles, each he found and grabbed more whenever offered a free sample. Still, he couldn't understand what all the fuss was about or if it was a day people offered free candy.

Thatch and Izou stopped mid-conversation to stare at their country friend as he shoved another spoon full of fish curry into his mouth and stared at the crewmates waiting for an answer before also shoving some bread as well making his cheeks like chipmunk storing food.

"It is a day of romance," Izou answered dryly. It wasn't his favorite holiday, a reminder that few females seek warmth and romance from him, something he wasn't willing to give. He had managed to scare off females seeking his attention by being cold and aloof but a few female admires were courageous enough to hand him chocolate and sweets as gifts, "a nuisance of a holiday," he took a bite of his own fish curry chewing the food slowly and savoring the taste.

Thatch chuckled lightly a small smirk on his lips, "Now come on man don't be like that," he gave a hard pat on Izou's back knocking the spoon out of his hand. The younger man glared at the older man. "You have loads of pretty girls begging at your feet to be your sweetheart, and all of them putting their heart into their candy,"

"It is endearment I do not wish to reciprocate," Izou answered in a dry tone picking up the fallen spoon and replacing it with a new spoon from a cup full of mismatched silverware sitting in the middle of the table.

Thatch just grinned at his stubborn friend shaking his head. He of course had a few admirers himself, young nurses wishing to learn his skill in the kitchen and hoping for more. He was more than willing to show them the skills but like Izou he couldn't reciprocate their love.

Ace was still confused as he watched his other two commanders discuss, romance and such as well as failed dates they had with the opposite sex. He found Izou's answer a bit unsatisfying, swallowing his food he shook his head. "I am not sure if that really helps," he answered taking another spoon full of food but waving the spoon around a bit, "I got a lot of chocolate and sweets," he spoke with his mouth full, his stomach rumbled at the memory of all sweets he ate and he took a full bite of his food.

"I am not surprised you have admires Ace," Thatch spoke dumbing more fish curry into his friend's plate. He heard Ace's stomach growl and had long given up on uncovering the mystery of the boy's stomach. It was as if it was a black hole and was only satisfied after a long battle.

Ace gave a questionable look, still not fully understanding the statement Thatch just made. He didn't have admires, he had no time for love. He was either, training, eating, or sleeping. Any admires that would talk to him, were often ignored or dragged into training with him. And the ones that stayed and were tormented with all his talk of his brother, or Whitebeard. Often enough they were left in the friend zone never to escape.

"No chocolate for your admires?" Izou questioned a bit envious.

Ace shook his head wishing a few of them would give him chocolate if he had any admires , "I just had vendors handing me chocolate and trying to get me to buy fake jewels," he answered after swallowing his food.

Both commanders stared at the young commander registering the day Ace just had before they both laughed tilting their heads back and laughing. They could only imagine the distressed look of the merchants trying to sell the country boy anything and only finding out the boy was clueless about the holiday and had no intention of buying the jewels or other items they tried to sell on him.

Thatch shook his head placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and shaking it a little, still chuckling wishing he had been there to witness the scene. "Valentine's day is a special holiday for couples, where lovers go overboard to prove their love and remind those who are lonely to seek affection between the sheets,"

Ace listened to Thatch's explanation and nodded a bit; he seemed still lost. He wasn't exactly sure, but the holiday sounded like a pain in the ass. He remembered seeing an overabundance of flowers, and jewels as well as couples crossing his path. He had thought it was a little strange but chalked it up to a festival, continuing his mission and search.

"It is a pointless holiday," Izou said finishing his food, "Where people are reminded that their life is worthless unless we have the approval of someone else," he shook his head, "Where lovers and romantic couples, just try to prove their love for one another,"

Ace nodded as he was slowly understanding, he still had a few questions, "Is it just for lovers?" he questioned.

Love was a strange concept itself. He remembered having a conversation with Makino about love when he was a child when he was trying to figure out all the complicated emotions he felt about his brothers. She had spoken gently about the complicated emotion of love pointing to his heart and why he feels so protective of his brothers and wanted to be near them and help them grow. He understood familial love from between the sheets was still so foreign to him. He knew he loved Whitebeard and his crew but from the brief explanation, the holiday didn't seem so welcoming to the kind of love Ace was familiar with.

Thatch rubbed his beard deep in thought before nodding, "Valentines could be more for familial love," he said remembering the boy's attachment to his brothers, "but is more fun if you think of a young lover waiting for you eager to give you sweets and even more in the bedroom,"

Ace chuckled, "the only lover I have is for adventure," he spoke jabbing his thumb in his direction and giving his awarding winning smile, the freckles on his face crinkling a little bit.

Thatch and Izou froze before both the long silence had them bursting into laughter.

They couldn't believe their friend uttered such a cheesy and lame line, with such confidence. They started laughing harder as Ace seemed frozen into place calling the other crew members to enjoy such an obscure view and words coming from their young commander.

Ace could feel his face heat up as he sunk into his chair hiding his face with the tip of his large cowboy hat. The laughter of the dining hall filled the air before he himself joined the crew in laughter.