Hello everyone, here is the next chapter
Things are starting to look better for Ace, and hopefully, it will keep going that way
Hope you enjoy
Read and relax
Marco gave a small chuckle to something Eustass said, Ace doing the same, sitting at a table in a somewhat small restaurant. This was a more half-hidden one and not full of people, at least not now as it was still early.
He thought the memorial at the grave had gone fine, and even though Ace knew his brothers were fine, them being in heaven, he understood that it had still been hard for him. They weren't around, and they were dead. He would ask Pops to see if there was a possibility to order another meeting, knowing he needed the man to agree on it since it had something to do with heaven. They aren't on the best of terms to put it lightly. He was glad it had seemed to go fine earlier, even though Ace had broken down, but that was no surprise. It was his brothers after all, and they did seem to mean a lot to Ace.
But, the fact the others, Pops and the other High Lords, had shown up, was a huge shock.
He had a feeling Pops had told them about it, seeing as neither him nor Ace would be in Hell today, or most of today, and he knew Thatch wanted them, or mostly Ace, to join dinner, or other meals, to get to know him better. He did think it was a nice notion from them, to show up. But, Marco would have liked if he had gotten a heads up about it, so he could prepare Ace. The other mightnot have wanted them there, seeing as they had acted earlier. But, it had gone fine, Ace seeming to really appreciate them offering their support, which was good. He would say it was nice of them when he got back to Hell, but to not randomly show up like that, seeing as it was not for them; it was a private matter. Eustass seemed to think the same, even sending them away at the end, even threatening them- aside from Pops- since they hadn't been the nicest around Ace.
After a few more seconds, Ace stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom. Be right back." He gave a nod, Eustass too, and the kid left. Ace looked better, not as on edge or sad, but still a bit down. Not that he blamed the other; he was sure this was a hard day. As Ace was away from the table, Eustass looked at him. "Ace seems… happy around you. He looks better, not as depressed." He gave a nod. "I've tried my best to help him, yoi. He is a nice person." Eustass gave a nod, giving a small breath. "It's really good to see. He was so… depressed, had us worried as we didn't know what to do. He was really lively before, before everything. And then, he suddenly disappeared. We thought he might have… done anything. I'm really glad he was just with you."
He gave a nod. He had seen some small signs of Ace being happy and having a big smile, more and more later, not looking as down or being as tired. He still looked depressed, but less and less. He had a feeling Ace had gotten really depressed after losing his brothers, locking himself away in his home. Eustass had no idea how true what he said was, afraid Ace might have done anything. Ace had a plan to kill himself if he didn't manage to call him, or if the request was denied. He was really glad he had accepted, as he really liked Ace.
"Not that I know him well, from before, yoi. But, he does seem to get more lively and happy. I hope he will get even better." Eustass nodded, giving him, for the first time, a smile. "He's really better than what he was. He smiles and looks to enjoy himself. You are really good to him, Marco." Marco gave a smile back to Eustass. "I hope I am doing things right, and you have helped him too. He was really glad to still have you as a friend. He told me that, yoi." The other gave a smile at that, seeming glad at those words.
It was only a couple of seconds after that that Ace came back, sitting back down and taking a sip of his drink. As Ace sat down, which was next to him, Eustass at the other side of the table, Marco moved a hand to Ace's leg, moving his thumb on his leg, glad Ace was fine, and to still give some comfort. Ace gave him a smile at that, seeming to relax a bit more. He guessed Ace was still tense about this day. Marco gave a smile back, and they turned back to the food they had left, Eustass giving a smile, him sure the other knew what was happening, and seeming glad on Ace's behalf. Marco really hoped he would be able to help Ace get better, and it was looking to get better, especially as the others was trying to be nice now and fix their mistakes.
They stayed at the restaurant for a couple of hours, before they moved out, heading back to Ace's home, Eustass joining them. When they got to the home, Ace looked at Eustass, smiling. "Thank you for coming today, and everything." Eustass gave a chuckle, shaking his head, giving Ace a hug. "It's nothing. I'm just glad you're fine. Are you staying here for a bit?" Ace gave a small smile to the other, letting go of their hug. "Not long. Marco and I still have a few things to do for a small bit, plans. I promise I will tell when I'm home." Eustass nodded, moving to jokingly hit Ace on the shoulder. "You better, or you will meet my wrench." Ace gave a chuckle, nodding. It was nice to see the two being as good friends. They gave each other a last hug and goodbye, before Eustass left.
When the redhead had left, Ace looked at him. "I know we need to go back to Hell, but… can we stay here for a bit? Just... relax for a bit?"
He gave a smile to the other. "Of course, yoi. We can be here for an hour or so, yoi. Why don't you go and find something to watch while i make some coffee?" Ace gave a nod and a smile, moving to the living room and couch, sitting down and starting to flip through the TV. As Ace did that, Marco moved to the kitchen, boiling some water and making two cups of coffee for himself and Ace, remembering how Ace took it. When he was finished, he walked to the couch, seeing the TV on a movie channel. "Here, Ac-." He cut off with a small chuckle at what he saw.
Ace had fallen asleep on the couch, half-lying on a pillow. He guessed Ace was tired, which wasn't a big surprise. Today had been a tough day.
He moved the two cups to the table, before moving to sit down, carefully moving the pillow Ace laid on away and moving the other's head to his lap, hand on his head and stroking, letting the other sleep. Ace did somewhat stir, but quickly fell asleep again, being tired. As he let Ace relax, he looked at the TV, the movie on being a sort of half-documentary or something, seeming to be about the second war, interesting and dramatic. He liked movies like this. As the movie went on, Ace didn't wake, or even stir, Marco having a hand in his hair, relaxing himself.
When the movie ended a bit over an hour later, Ace was still asleep, and he moved a bit in the couch, knowing they should get back to Hell. He moved and turned things off, closing the door, before he went to Ace again, a hand on his shoulder as they disappeared in flames, being sure to land them in his room, Ace in the bed to hopefully not wake the other. Ace stirred a bit, half-startled. "Wha-" He shook his head, moving a hand on his head. "It's fine, yoi. I just took us back to Hell; you can still sleep. I need to go to a meeting." Ace gave a nod, moving to lie down again, moving to have his head on the pillow. "Okay… Come back soon."
He gave a chuckle as he nodded, moving the covers over the other, giving a kiss to his head, before he left to speak to Pops.
When he got to the others office, the man seemed to be waiting for him. "Son, how did things go?" He gave a nod. "It went fine, yoi. Ace is asleep now, tired from the day." The man gave a nod, having an understanding look. "That's no surprise. Today would be a hard day for him." The man gave him a look. "I hope we didn't step out of line when we showed up. Thatch really wanted to give his support, and the others joined." He gave a small sigh. "Ace really appreciate it, yoi. But that was by luck. I would have liked to have a heads u about it, so I could have warned Ace, prepared him." Pops gave a nod. "I realised that when we got there. I apologize for that." Marco shook his head. "It's fine, yoi. It went good, Ace really did appreciate it, but for the future." Pops gave a nod. "I will. How is Ace after everything?"
He gave a small sigh. "Okay, mostly. I think things are half-catching up with him, but he's doing okay."
He had, the last days, been more and more around Ace, after finding out both of them felt something, and he had noticed Ace was often relaxing, seeming tired. He now started to think Ace was tired from more than the bond, knowing he had been down being out a lot was most likely taking a small toll. Ace was doing okay and seemed to do more and more okay each day, which was really good. Pops gave a nod. "He seems to be doing good, at least from what I can see. And the others are trying." He nodded. "I know, yoi. And Ace likes it. He's just a bit whelmed." Pops nodded, seeming to understand that. He shared a few more words with the other, before they gave a goodbye and he left back to his room, where Ace was still asleep.
He gave a small chuckle, moving to lie down in the bed too, not seeing a reason not to relax, having the time and the day off anyway. He rarely got a chance to relax, and he would enjoy this, especially as he could relax with Ace. As he was lying down in bed and had made him somewhat comfortable, lying a bit close to Ace, the other shifted, turning around and moving closer, head lying against his chest. "Thank you for being there today…" Mumbled Ace, half-awake. Marco gave a smile, moving to hold around Ace, giving him a kiss on the head. "It was nothing, yoi." Ace gave a small mumble again, him not sure what the other said, before Ace seemed to fall asleep again.
He gave a small chuckle, glad Ace was relaxing, and able to relax himself. He had a feeling things would go better now, at least hoping.
-x-
Marco looked at Ace, who was ready to head out. "You really sure you're okay with this, yoi? You don't need to go." After their return yesterday, they had stayed in his room all day, but Ace had wanted to jon everyone from breakfast, and while there, Thatch had said he wanted to go out for a trip to the human world. He had asked if Ace could go with him, if he wanted to, and Ace had said yes, and the two would now go out, Marco having told Thatch to be back before the end meeting of the day, which still gave them many hours out. He did trust Thatch, but still was worried, feeling this was a bit too fast.
Ace gave a nod. "Yeah, I'm okay with this. And, if anything should happen, I can still call on you, right? Thatch have really been trying to be nice, I think he deserves it, a chance. And maybe being away from here will help?"
Marco gave a small sigh as he nodded. Ace was really kind-hearted, and he did think Thatch deserves a chance. But, he still felt it was a bit fast. "You can call me at any moment, yoi. I will show up." Ace gave a nod and a smile. "See? It will go fine then. I'm sure of it." He gave a nod, glad Ace was this willing to give the others a chance. "Also, Thatch haven't been up in the human world in long, centuries, so he will be a bit distracted, yoi." Ace gave a small chuckle. "I will be sure to watch over him." He gave a small chuckle. Thatch would need someone to watch over him. He moved and gave Ace a kiss, Ace kissing back, just a small one. When they parted, he gave a smile to Ace. "I'll see you later, yoi." Ace gave a nod. "We will."
When Ace got to the door and opened it, Thatch was out in the hall, waiting for Ace. The man gave a smile to him, saying a goodbye, before leaving with Ace.
Marco really hoped this would go well.
-x-
Thatch gave a small laugh, glad that Ace had agreed to do this, to join him on a day out in the human world. He really wanted to bond more with the kid, and he and the others had managed to do it a small bit the last days, but this was big. He knew the kid was worried, to go out with him, but he hoped the kid would have fun too. He would have fun, it had been ages since he had been in the human world.
It was nice to be here again, a lot having changed, basically everything. And Ace was a huge help, explaining and telling what he knew, but still had a few thing she didn't know the answer too, but it was still fine. It was a lot to look at and take in, and he would be sire to tell everyone how much things had changed. It was amazing!
They had been to something called a cinema or something, which had sounded boring at the start. Like, moving pictures sounded the most boring thing ever, and to pay so much for it. But, it had been really amazing, exactly what they saw, a hero movie or something, funny. Ace had seemed to enjoy himself too, the two of them talking a bit but mostly about the human world, Thatch no idea how to apologize right, but felt this helped. He was at least out with Ace, and he did seem to enjoy himself.
Thatch gave a laugh, knowing they should maybe go and eat something now, it was getting late, the sun having set while they were inside the building and looking at the movie thing. That was nice, and he needed to plead to Pops to get a television thing in their home, Ace telling him that was a thing to watch movie things at home. It sounded amazing to be able to watch what they wanted, when they wanted on a small screen, or just keep more up with the human world.
He saw a restaurant a bit away, over a small street or something. All this pavement stuff was complicated, but it did seem to make walking easier and show more where to walk. Ace had also said to walk on the walkover things, with the white markings, and he saw that so he headed over there. "Come on, Ace! Let's go eat!" He made a motion with his hands happily. As he started walking over the street, trying to figure out what kind of restaurant the place was, what kind of food they had, he heard a bit of yelling to his left, deciding to just ignore it. The humans had gotten more loud over the last centuries.
"Thatch! Look out!"
That was Ace. He was on his way to turn around, to see what Ace wanted, what to watch out for. As he turned, he heard a loud sound, hearing something screeching, seeing a pair of bright lights, making him freeze as he didn't know what this was.
He heard more of the loud sound, before he felt something- someone, push him, before it all went black, barely hearing more loud sounds and people screaming.
And that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed
Things are happening as things are going good, but also not too good, and what happens to Ace and Thatch will be told in the next chapter
If you have the time, I greatly appreciate feedback
If you want to, come follow me on Twitter, where pictures and such will be posted, as well as updates and if I'm late. My twitter is "at" Azuruko (Link also at my profile) You can leave comments, requests, ideas, or just say hi
Or, you can join my Discord server, Azuruko's fiction, for the same reasons as my twitter. Instant invite: discord . gg / 6hzMhbR
