The Fire & The Requiem

Chapter 9

A Reunion unplanned. Ace & Yuki reunite.

Marco looked up at the voice and weakly laughed.
"Oh you know, getting kidnapped by kid like requiems. Then being saved by scary mysterious women."
Ace blinked as he worried if Marco hit his head just a bit to hard, that is until he glanced over and his eyes widened at who was beside him.
"Tell me I'm not seeing shit Marco."
Yet this time the woman beside him laughed. "Sorry Ace, pretty damn sure I'm not a figment of your imagination." She gave a playful smirk up at him.
"Your imagination isn't that good anyway."
Ace blinked before a wide grin formed and he jumped off the ship before he quickly grabbed Yuki. Picking her up he spun them in a circle making them both laugh. And catch WhiteBeards attention.
The pair laughed while Marco watched with a smile as Ace finally set Yuki down.
"Gods look at how much you grew."
Yuki blinked before she laughed. "Look at how much I grew? You did too. Also, where the hell is your shirt?"
Marco laughed and laughed as Ace explained while their old man came down off the ship.
"So this is Yuki?"
"It sure is Pop's. I don't think we'll have Aces attention for awhile."
"Probably not."
"So where are you staying Yuki? And how long will you be here? Why were you here?"
Yuki finally slapped a hand over Ace's mouth and smiled at him. "Ima need you to breathe mister."
Ace blinked as he smiled behind her hand. It had been way too long since he last saw her.
He was so lost to his own thoughts he didn't realize Yuki was calling him till she flicked his nose.
"Jeez, pay attention Ace. I'm answering your questions in order. One, my boat is literally two minutes away from you. Two, I don't know how long I'll be here. Finally I was here tracking down a requiem, same one that kidnapped Marco."
"How did that even happen?"
"Lullaby, when she's lonely and upset. She can pry on the loneliness in a persons heart."
Ace stared at Yuki before he wrapped his arms around her shoulders smiling like an idiot.
"Anyway, I'm about to head to my ship and get some much needed sleep."
Ace only tightened his hold.
"Can I tag along? I wanna catch up."
Yuki laughed at his actions.
"Yeah, come on Ace. I'll bring him back in the morning, or whenever we're done catching up."
WhiteBeard simply laughed as he shook his head. "Take your time child. Swing by in the morning for some food while you're at it." And with that they all left for their respective ships.
As Ace and Yuki headed towards her ship did he finally stare at her. She really had grown, her long obsidian black hair touched the top of her thighs, her stormy grey eyes appeared lighter and her skin still had that sun kissed look as well.
Raising an eyebrow he then noticed the black trench coat.
"Where did you get the coat at Yu?"
Yuki glanced over at Ace and smiled softly, the same one she had given him years ago. Which only made his heart race.
"It was my goodbye gift from Luffy."
Ace blinked before he nodded as he slung an arm over Yuki's shoulders.
"I assume it was to hide your arm?"
"Yeah, I haven't removed the bandages, unless I was changing them."
Ace nodded again as he walked up onto the ship with Yuki.
"When was the last time you saw him?" He was curious, he hadn't seen Yuki in four years and he had no idea how that was possible since he figured she left right after he did.
"I saw him about a year ago. He was just picking his crew out. So I only met the one named Zoro."
Now Ace was jealous. Luffy got to see her first? Where the fuck was that fair?
"How did that happen? I figured you took off after me."
Now Yuki looked a bit sheepish as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Ah, no not really. I waited three months. Trained on my own, with Shade and then I wanted to be sure Luffy would be okay."
"So, he got even more time with you."
Now he was full on pouting and Yuki laughed softly as she patted his back.
"Yes and no Ace. I didn't hang around Luffy long. I only ended up where he was cause I could sense the brat was starting trouble."
Now he understood, didn't mean he was happy. He had wanted to see her first.
"He was with me for a few days before he and Zoro took off on their own."
Ace rolled his eyes and then turned on her pinching cheeks.
"And you didn't look for me?"
Yuki blinked and groaned as he pinched her cheeks.
"Ace, stop that hurts." She groaned as she pulled on his hands. "And yes I looked for you."
She added as he let her face go.
"Then what kept you Yu? Why didn't you just come with me?" Now his voice was lower, and she could see not having her around had left him feeling lost.
So she sighed as she crossed her arms.
"I had to find the requiem's. The ones I could sense, the ones whose rumors I followed. I was hoping during that time I would eventually find you. But alas I had somehow always either missed you or never ended in the same area."
Yuki looked out at the sea as she continued.
"I didn't go with for that reason. I didn't wanna hold you back from your own journey."
Ace stared at her, for a moment he didn't know what to say before he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"I really missed you Yu."
"I missed you too Ace. I really did." And she meant it. She had missed him, he was a constant reminder of the fact she wasn't alone. She would never be alone. And sometimes the loneliness got to her, but at the end of the day, she made her choice.
The two sat there in silence before Yuki yawned and Ace softly chuckled.
"Come on princess sounds like you need some sleep."
Yuki only hummed as she finally pulled away from Ace only to finally realize he was what was keeping her warm.
"Why are you so warm?" Sure Ace always ran a bit hotter than she did but being in his arms felt like she was hugging or standing very close to a fire.
"Oh that, yeah I ate the devil fruit."
"Which one?" Now she was worried, now that meant neither Ace nor Luffy could swim.
"The Mera-Mera no Mi." The flame fruit.
"Huh, sounds fitting for ya."
Ace smirked and before he could say anything else Yuki had walked below deck. She was going to show him to a room when his hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist.
"Ace?"
"Lay with me. I- I'm afraid this might be a dream when I wake up."
Yuki blinked, she hadn't thought of that at first before she nodded. After all she had similar thoughts.
"Alright, come on."
And with that the two went into her room and laid down curled up against each other.