Bon Voyage! [Ace x Reader x Law]

[𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖊]

You were deep in your thoughts until you feel somebody shake your body. You can only groan at the movement as the nauseousness slowly returns, hurting your head. Are you dead now? But you can definitely open your eyes now, you think. You slightly hesitate as the previous sight of the fire worries you. But if you are really in hell, maybe you deserve it-

"Hey, hang in there!" Now you can feel someone lightly patting your cheek. And it is slowly getting annoying. Is this hell populated? But that voice...

Realising who that voice might belong to, you woke up with a start, too fast for your headache. Your hand instantly clutch your head to lightly massage your scalp, hoping to soothe the buzzing. Wait, all those shades of red are now gone, you ponder as you take notice of your surroundings. Bewildered, you quickly scan your limbs to find all four of them intact and unscathed. Wait, you are not dead?

"You okay?" You almost forgot that somebody was holding you. Turning your head slightly, you find his face. So close to yours. Those shining black eyes that reflect your dishevelled form, and.. those freckles.

And all the fire that surrounded his body. It's not like it scorched you, but your body recoiled at the sight of it. And so you push him away hard, forcing him to release his hold of you. You tumble over from the momentum, falling back to the ground but you didn't care. You cannot be near him, and you need to escape from this place before Christensen finally catches up with you.

You shakily inhale as you look at your trembling hands, trying your best to pick yourself up.
Ace can only look at you worriedly. He was caught off guard when you pushed him away. You didn't push him that hard, but the feeling of your shaking limbs was more than enough for him to understand that you need some space. He is not going to deny that he feels a tad hurt from your reaction. But it intrigues him even more to know why you are behaving this way. And what were you running from earlier anyway?

As if on cue, the two of you hear a name being repeatedly called. You shut your eyes tightly, trying to rack some ideas on how to escape this situation. If only this anxiety attack stops, you mentally groan as you hit your chest as if that could calm your throbbing heart even faster. Christensen finally steps into the clearing where you are. Feeling alarmed, you try to stand up only to frailly tumble over once again. Ace is quick to catch your weak body, but you weakly push him away the second time with your remaining strength. You do not understand what is wrong with you right now. You clearly do not want anything to do with this man who has triggered the worst memories in you, yet pushing him away hurts you so much. Is it from the guilt since he saved you repeatedly? This time from something that almost cost you your life? Christensen who witnessed you momentarily being touched by Ace runs to your side, probably misunderstanding your interaction with Ace.

"Are you okay, Egret?" Christensen helps steady you. The distressed look you are shooting at him gives Ace a little idea of your current predicament, and without thinking twice, he steps in between you and Christensen.
"What business do you have with her? You're making her uncomfortable."

Christensen initially did not want anything to do with this stranger. His tacky fashion clearly shows that he is not from around here. And the way this man touched you earlier angers him. Christensen knows that you're never his, but after your supposedly 'death', he regretted not courting you and protecting you with the power his family has. Now that you're actually alive, he knows that he cannot let you go ever again.
"Uncomfortable? From the way she pushed you away earlier, I think it's you who is making her uncomfortable," Christensen retorts as he composes himself. Not waiting for Ace's reply, he quickly diverts his attention back to you.
"Is it alright if I carry you? Well, it's not like I'm going to take 'no' from you," the royal officer murmurs the last part only for you to hear. You stay silent as Christensen props you up against his shoulders.

It's not your intention to accept his help right now, but having run for forever and experienced an episode from earlier exhausted you. You decide that you will get as much rest as you can get so that the next time you open your eyes, you will have more than the energy to face whatever this mess has now become. You'd have to deal with this Christensen problem in another way, you note to yourself as he carries you away.

Before he is entirely out of your line of sight, your eyes catch Ace's, his expression unreadable. You find yourself holding his gaze with feelings you cannot understand. Stressed? Guilty? Apologetic? ..Regret? You cannot shake his image with the fire off of your mind, but you can still remember how he looked at you that night, how he held you during the fall, how his hands felt on yours.

Yet you still don't know his name-

"It's Ace!" He shouts, interrupting your train of thoughts. It took you a while to understand what he could have meant. You go with the most possible explanation that he was referring to his name, as if he could read your mind. Christensen halts momentarily at the sudden exclamation. He is unsure if this stranger is still going to force his way to get to you with how he is acting right now. He might need to prepare some measures to have this man deported if that ever happens.

Trying to dissociate yourself with the unnamed hubbub inside you, you mentally point out to yourself how he is so full of himself. Too naive for your liking. You can see how he is going to get himself killed with that attitude. You were about to give him your disapproving look, hoping that it would get him off of your back. However, all that petty scorn is completely washed away with one last glance of his smile.

Ah, how can somebody smile so beautifully like that?

Deep down, you wish to witness that smile again.