Unmoored [Portgas D. Ace x Female Reader]

Oddness

"Uh. Hi...? Hi." She smiles awkwardly, putting the shirt behind her back. Ace frowns, setting the fish down and walking closer. "Is that...my shirt?"

His shirt? Crap. "Uhh. Maybe? I was just washing it. Doing the laundry. Aha."

He doesn't look too convinced. "Laundry."

Y/N sighs. Why does this always happen? "...Yeah. See, I was just hanging up some laundry, and I noticed a stain on this shirt, and-"

She raises her hands and mimes scrubbing.

He stares for a second, glancing over to the hung laundry swaying on the line. His expression softens. "...That's what you were doing?"

She nods, hoping he believes her. She really does not want to give him another reason to think her strange.

He pauses before picking up the fish and walking off toward the house. She exhales, hanging the shirt up. Always a close call with this guy. 

After finishing off the clothes, Y/N retreats into the house. It's just turned dark, and she isn't willing to risk another call with the wolves. Wolves. She steps to the window, watching the forest. It's been three days, and Luffy still isn't back. She wonders if Luffy is really okay by himself...she shakes her head. Luffy's a tough kid: he'll be fine. She sighs and rests her head onto her hand. All she can do is wait...

Time drifts lazily by as it does, and the days pass without much action. Ace drops by occasionally, rarely offering her anything more than a passing nod or a spared glance. He leaves early and returns late, spending most of his time within the confines of the forest. Without Luffy or him around, Y/N honestly feels rather lonely. She tries to keep busy with chores, though they too fail to keep her mind as occupied as her hands.

After a particularly uneventful day, Y/N walks outside and sprawls directly onto a patch of grass, shutting her eyes. The sheer monotony of this way of life is killing her. At least back in the village she'd had her mother... Here, she has no one. Luffy's disappeared to someplace else and the only other kid her age won't talk to her. She wants to tear her hair out. No. Y/N shakes her head. She should be grateful for the company she gets. She's fed, she's clothed, and she's happy. Well, kind of happy. But at least she isn't completely alone.

Sometimes, after Ace returns from his forest escapades, he'll sit with her. The two of them would sit side by side, watching the clouds. Neither of them saying a thing. Ace was of few words, and though Y/N loved good conversation, she really didn't mind. As long as there's someone near, close enough for her to reach for if she ever needs to. Close enough for her to take their hand. Not that she'd ever do that with Ace, though.

Though all that those moments were filled with were faint rustlings of leaves and silence, Y/N finds herself beginning to look forward to them. Though Ace isn't much...he's pretty much all she has. Luffy's still gone. Dadan doesn't even look at her unless it's to tell her to do the laundry or yell at her for doing something wrong. The other bandits ignore her. But not Ace. He doesn't speak, but he's there. When they sit, silent and still, she feels it. Somewhere between the embarrassing quiet and averted gazes, there is wordless understanding. Something she appreciates, though she isn't sure if he realizes it. Y/N yawns. Still pretty early in the afternoon, and she's already done with her tasks...

She closes her eyes and waits for Ace to return.