Author's Notes: Alrighty, I will post one more chapter for the new followers I've received and the new review (that wasn't really a review but I responded to it like it was and I am counting it as my third XD). So, I'm dedicating this chapter to LeleMichy, Seasheepunderthestars3, icedmint, and Twxtwaffle. Thank you for your support and interest in this short story. I was planning on returning to it for a fully realized project, but I'm not sure anymore. I keep looking up information on Ace for accuracy in my re-edits, but I get hit with stuff that's either COMPLETELY fan-made or straight-up confusing. While that shouldn't matter, it does when I'm trying to invest my time into creating something new. So, until I'm clear on his character, I won't update this much further. My limit was reached a while ago anyways.

It felt good having Nesi back with the Spades for a much longer voyage. Even though his floor scrubber would return to her training with the privateers, Ace felt like a part of his family had returned. They argued about something goofy again, laughed at some weird dad joke again, bathed with each other again, danced with each other to some song with a serious or aggressively fierce look in their eyes again, and ate together again. Nesi didn't skip a beat in her duties as the floor scrubber, and she didn't seem to worry about a promotion to brawler or brain trustee nearly as much as she did before. She was happy just being able to train. Her combat prowess had definitely increased since they parted ways, though. While that typically would worry or anger Ace, he found that he liked this confidence that Nesi gained through her training. She walked straighter with this saunter that put emphasize on her hips. It was a swagger that developed somehow. Her manner of speech was primmer and more proper than before. She was wearing makeup a little more often to showcase her lashes, eye shape, lip shape and fullness. Though she hid her figure way more than before, she wasn't so oblivious to the way her shape caught another's eye like before. She seemed to be more aware that she was a woman, and that... somehow or another attracted Ace.

As Nesi sat on the ship's rails to stargaze as she often did when she was thinking about something, Ace flopped on the rails next to her to let out a playful yawn and huff. He then said, "Man, I partied harder today than at my birthday party! What gives?"

Nesi just turned to him and smiled warmly. She then said, "I think that means you're really happy. That's good! I like seeing you that way."

"Does that mean you missed me or somethin'?" Ace asked, fighting a blush coming in.

"Yeah, I do," Nesi replied honestly. "It feels funny... not hearing your voice. Even when you're upset that I didn't follow orders! Hehehe! It gets so quiet at the barracks sometimes. I wind up just walking around or thinking about you guys. I wonder if you're eating right, if you're sleeping properly, if you're safe. I guess it's silly to think about any of that. You're all so powerful, and I'm not a mom. I can only hope that I get to see the day when I surpass any one of you. This is a lot tougher than I thought! But..., I like the work. It feels like my calling. I guess what makes it such a lonely path is not being around you as much. I miss all of this. I didn't think I would, but I really do."

"... I miss you a lot, too," Ace admitted, not daring to look at Nesi. "And that flippin' worm."

"Squaw!" Baragon cheered, hopping on the rail with glee. He started singing.

"Hush that noise up, ass-biter!" Ace ordered grumpily.

"Oh, leave my Snookums be!" Nesi fussed, plucking Ace's shoulder. "He's happy that you miss him."

Ace just laughed and watched Nesi smile and return to stargazing. She really was a pretty girl. It was a shame she lost that nice blue hair, but it was replaced with this interesting purple and brown low cut. It looked like Nesi was styling it like a mohawk. It was a good look for her, and he was interested in seeing how it would look when her hair returned to its natural length. No one was sure how far her transformation would go, but Ace hoped that she wouldn't turn into a purple Baragon. As time passed, Nesi finally turned in for the night and left the Spades to their normal nighttime shenanigans. Ace, however, went into his cabin alone and started toying with his knife with some thought. It was getting worse. Things were so much easier when Nesi was just a friend to him. It was easier when she was around all the time. He wouldn't have given this a second thought, but... She left. She gave him time to miss her. She gave him time to feel "funny" not hearing her voice or watching her do her duties. He gave her time to grow, and she had grown into... a woman he'd pine for. She developed into a proper piratess now - one akin to a noble. If she had to disguise herself as a World Noble, she'd pull it off easily. They were alike. He could walk the fine lines between a pirate and a marine, and she could walk the finer lines between a pirate and the one percent. Together, they were dangerous... but was Pieter...?

"Hey, Ace, you sleep? Oh, guess not," Masked Deuce said, entering the cabin to sit down. "Nesi forgot about her reports and asked me to pass them to you."

"Drop 'em anywhere. I know they're immaculate," Ace responded, still fiddling with his knife.

"You're not as cheerful as you would normally be. What's up? 'Nother fight with the floor scrubber?"

"No..." Ace replied, quietly. He looked down at his knees.

"Why the look of doom then?" Deuce asked, blinking and trying to read Ace's body language. It finally dawned on him when he noticed that Nesi's old chaise lounge had been in use and had a blanket thrown across it. "You really do miss her when she's gone, don't you?"

"..."

"Why don't you tell her?" Deuce asked. "She'd like that."

"It's deeper than that..." Ace replied softly. When he turned to look at Deuce, the young teen captain wasn't there. A man - the real man - underneath Ace's cheerfulness had revealed himself. He then said, "It wasn't obvious at first. Hell, it's never obvious! But..., I don't just miss her when she's gone. I'm not just happy when she's back again. I'm not just angry when she leaves to go do her duties. I... I love her..."

Mouth drop.

"Wh-why don't you tell her that then!? I thought Schooner was just screwing around! He was right the whole time!?" Deuce questioned.

"... Yeah," Ace answered, smirking. "I can't tell her."

"Why?" Deuce asked. "Does she not like you like that?"

"I dunno. But..., it doesn't matter. We're so alike but so far apart that it just isn't worth saying anything. She doesn't ask herself whether or not she deserves to exist. Her greatest strength is pushing on and teaching others to do the same. Her fight for justice is her right to exist. That's what makes her so different. She isn't a marine like I thought, and she's not solely a pirate like the nobles think. She's independent of both. What she's been able to do without being some government dog or part of this crew is be a proper composite of the two. That's what makes certain people love her as a friend. I just so happen to love her beyond that..., and I hate it. I'm not a composite of the two. I'm the son of a legendary pirate and an unknown variable. Being a pirate was like taking my life into my own hands for once instead of everyone deciding to just get rid of me. What if I ruin her existence by poisoning it with my own? I don't want to do that to her. She's come so far on her own. I'm really proud of her."

"Ace! You should tell her! She looks up to you and cares about you! She wouldn't be visiting you for no reason. Why don't you just ask her how she feels?" Deuce questioned.

"She's going to be one of the deadliest fighters known in the privateering troops. You should've seen her down that ship, man. She barely blinked! Her stance was strong. She... she doesn't need me anymore," Ace said more to himself than aloud. "Pieter was right."

"Screw this! I'm telling h - !"

Ace was not having it, though. He built a firewall quickly and angrily to stop his friend.

"I'll do it myself... one day. Not now... but some day," Ace said softly, killing the flames and staring at the blanket on the chaise lounge. "Some day..."