I shook my head. I can't keep crying like this.. ace is right it is pathetic.
I've already cried enough.
I wiped my tears and sat up. my room that I shared with Ace was pretty empty. it just had a few blankets and some thin mattresses and then my stash of books.
I looked down at my clothes and saw the same dirty and small clothes i had on when I left the school yesterday. I grimaced in disgust and walked out of my room. I saw ace and dadan argue but quickly stop when they saw me.
I looked away shyly and speed walked out and into the wash room.
I entered the room and peeled off my clothes and got into the warm bath. I sat there watching the bubbles move around for a few minutes. so much happened yesterday that it hasn't really processed in my brain. first I was being bullied, then the teacher humiliated me in front of the class. and then I was kicked out completely. my heart hurt when I thought of my life there. I was being bullied everyday, those nobles really know how to turn someone's life hell.
my trail of thoughts was cut short when the door slowly swung open and there stood ace with the usual sour look on his face.
he threw off his clothes and jumped into the bath which made the water splash everywhere.
"ace! at least knock!" I complained and he rolled his eyes.
"what the hell is wrong with you? mind explaining all that?" he said as he scrubbed his body.
"I don't wanna tell you..." I said, avoiding his gaze.
"Hah?" he stopped what he was doing, "why are you acting tough now?"
I threw the soap on his head and a bonk was heard. "hey!"
I giggled but stopped once he went underwater and felt something holding my legs. suddenly he pulled them upwards and my upper body fell inside the water.
I splashed and kicked, my head underwater until he finally let go.
"ACE! I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DROWN!" I screamed as I pushed my hair out of my face but all he could do was laugh back at my face.
i scowled and tackled him. he obviously didn't seem to expect it because I overpowered him easily. we began to fight, me trying to dump his head underwater and him gripping me by the shoulders and trying to push me off.
suddenly dadan slammed the door open, "why are you two being loud- what the hell happened here?! why is there soap and water everywhere!"
"oops.."
♡
me and ace walked out wrapped in towels like burritos holding our butts. dadan smacked us with a broom and threw us out, but at least we washed up before that.
"all this is your fault.." i grumbled quietly.
"my fault? you're the one who wanted to be all secretive and mysterious all of a sudden! you still haven't answered my question too!" he shot back.
"its nothing! just stop asking! why do you care anyway, asshole!" I yelled back and ran away.
I heard him scoff but he didn't run after me.
I walked into my room and quickly dressed up in my pajamas (ace's clothes because all I had were dresses) and sat on my mattress.
I glanced to the empty spot beside me and frowned. I shouldn't have exploded on him before he was just curious.
but why does he care anyway?! he's always an asshole to me!
he never even introduced me to his friend. he obviously doesn't care that much about me then. if I'm not that important enough.
♡
I sat and waited for hours but ace never returned. I wanted to apologize to him and try to explain myself but he never came back. my heart was beating quickly and I felt so guilty for yelling at him.
the sun began to shine through the blinds, and I gave up waiting. I went to sleep at that time.
♡
soft yelling woke me up once again. this time I heard garps voice and dadans.
I stood up immediately and threw on a simple soft pink dress and my shoes and ran out of the door. I missed garps so much!
I opened the door to see my mom, dogra and magra looming over garp who was holding a kid with a straw hat.
I immediately ran to her side and hid behind her leg. she turned to look at me and greeted me a goodmorning with a tired sigh.
"garp! I already have my hands filled with two kids! and ace is a pain to take care of!" she complained and dogra agreed, "yeah this isn't a daycare garps!"
he shrugged his shoulders, "you have two choices... either take my grandson or live in prison from now on."
I peeked from my mom's leg a bit more to see them fully.
"oh hey y/n! how are you?" he said with a smile, as if he hadn't just threatened my mom.
I was about to answer him when the strawhat boy beat him to it.
"hey I'm luffy! wanna be friends?!" he said, already in front of me. I squeaked and hid behind my mom but he was insistent so he tried to come closer but dadan pushed him, "back off you snot nosed kid!"
"I just wanna be friends!" he said and garps picked him up by his shirt with a laugh. "y/n is just shy luffy! she'll warm up to you with time.
now dadan do we have a deal here?"
after some "discussing" (garp threatening them) he finally left. luffy began looking around and suddenly he was spat at and I immediately knew who that was.
luffy started yelling at ace but he just ignored him and walked right past him.
when he walked past me to reach the door he didn't even spare me a glance. I frowned, did my words really hurt him that he'll ignore me this much?
dadan sighed and went inside after patting my head and I was left alone with the boy. he was about to say something but I just ran inside.
"man what a weirdo..." I heard him say.
it's lunch time and ace brought home some meat as usual. I don't go and hunt but I'm still allowed a fair share as I act as the doctor of the gang because I have the most medical knowledge.
I sat opposite of ace and ate my food staring at him but he avoided my gaze.
luffy entered the room and demanded food but everything was eaten before he could take anything. he frowned and ate his small bowl of rice in just 1 bite.
"in this place you gotta work to get food! otherwise all you'll get is water and rice per day! ace is allowed more than you since he's the one that brought home the meat." dadan said as she ate her food.
I felt bad for luffy so I slowly walked toward him and tapped him on the shoulder. he turned around to face me and I gave him some of my meat wordlessly. his face immediately lit up, "thanks y/n!" and the meat was gone before I could blink.
my face turned pink and I shook my head and fast-walked out of the house, I was going to catch ace before he left so I can talk to him.
luffy followed me out, "hey wait up! let's be friends!"
I turned around and saw him already in front of me with his wide smile again, "you're very nice, your name is y/n right?"
I nodded and looked away but he moved so he would be in my field of vision again, "why are you avoiding looking at me so much? thats super weird!"
I looked away again nervously but he popped up in front of my face again, "helloooo!! earth to y/n!?"
"yes! my name is y/n!" I squeaked and covered my face.
"why are you so nervous? oh yeah wanna be friends?!"
"sure... okay.." I whispered but he said a little loudly with a smile, "I can't hear youuu! speak up a little!"
"okay! let's be friends!" I squealed and when I looked at his face he had on a wider smile, "alright that's better! are you friends with ace too? do you know why he doesn't speak? maybe he's also shy..."
I shook my head, "it had to do with-" before I could finish my sentence ace bumped into me and walked past us. I flinched but held my composure, "ace! wait up let's talk please!"
he looked back and was almost gonna stop until his gaze fell on luffy beside me picking on his nose. he made a quick wave excitedly and rushed to his side, "hey let's be friends too!"
I sighed, knowing that ace would just run away now somewhere far. I was never able to catch up with him before because he's way better off physically than me. I'm not very athletic since I've always been holed up studying.
I suddenly started feeling a little insecure and looked away. ace's gaze lingered on my form a little before he went away and luffy chased after him.
I went back into my room and tried distracting myself with my books.
♡
hours upon hours passed and I found myself missing luffys presence even though I haven't known him that long. he's really sweet and makes himself known really quickly.
but when it started getting dark I was getting worried, even dadan and the rest of the crew began worrying aswell.
ace entered the room with a tired sigh and I immediately put down my book, "listen ace i-"
"its fine y/n. I get it. I am an asshole. I know that-"
"no ace!" i cut him off, now standing before him. he loomed over me with a grim look on his face and I was nervously sweating at it.
"i-im sorry okay! I didn't mean it I was just... not in a good space. I'm really sorry even if you're an ass to me sometimes ... I still like you." I confessed, gripping my skirt and avoiding his gaze.
he didn't say anything or move, so I looked up to see his eyes wide in shock and his face completely red, "y-you idiot! do you know what you're saying?!" he took a step back.
"what's wrong? are you okay!" I went closer in concern but he just put his hands on my shoulders and held me in place, "i-its nothing! just - don't come closer.. you're forgiven now goodnight!"
he the immediately jumped into bed and lied facing away from me. I felt a little confused still but I was happy to be forgiven. I lied beside him and forgot all about the events of today.
slowly I shuffled closer to him until I was basically a breath away from his back and snuggled my head onto him. he was very warm and smelled of the forest. he flinched but didn't move and instead cuddled into his blanket.
I fell asleep right after, in the comfort of our shared bed.
♡
when I woke up I was in ace's arms, I yawned and pushed his hands away, "wake up ace! it's morning!"
I left the blinds open and went to wash up.
when I finished I noticed that luffy was still not home and I couldn't help but worry even more.
♡
after eating my breakfast I noticed ace going out of the door, "w-wait ace!"
"yeah? what do you want you scrub?" he said with his usual annoyed tone, but avoided looking at me.
"can I hang out with you today? I really missed you." I asked quietly.
"stop sprouting nonsense! and no you can't! you'll get hurt if you follow me so don't be stupid like that luffy."
"luffy? do you know what happened to him? didn't he follow you last time..."
I saw him jump a little but he scoffed, "why should I care about what happens to some dumb kid.. hes the one who chose to follow me anyway." and with that he walked off before I could interrogate him on what he meant.
is luffy okay? like, genuinely?!
♡
a few days passed and nothing interesting happened. lately ace has been avoiding me again and deep inside i feel like it has to do with luffys' disappearance. he's been coming home late while I was asleep and left before I even woke up.
I frowned when I thought of luffy. it's been a while and he hasn't came back... could he be dead?
suddenly the main door slammed open and there stood luffy, covered in scars.
"luffy! where have you been and what the hell happened to you?!" dadan exclaimed and i immediately rushed to his side.
"luffy these injuries are really bad come here!" I whispered worriedly and dragged him along to the toilet where I sat him down.
he was scowling a little and his stomach was grumbling but I wouldn't let him go until I finished treating him.
I grabbed a clean towel, wet it and began cleaning the dirt out of his scars.
"ow ow ow ow!!! owwwww...." he whimpered and I frowned at his pain, "it'll be okay luffy like this you'll recover instantly! just sit still..."
I finished bandaging him up and he immediately ran off to the kitchen after giving me a little "thanks!"
my eyes lingered on his running form before I began packing my things and followed him.
♡
sabo is being introduced soon !