~Ace's POV~
Days turned to weeks and Ikari relentlessly kept attacking the Old Man, after my hundredth attempt on his life I was beginning to feel as if it were pointless. But her determined rage, her unwavering persistence and that hellish fire that burned in her broken gaze spurred me forward. I'd lost sight of the real reason I'd chosen to face Whitebeard. I wasn't as angry as I used to be and I had a suspicion it was because of what I witnessed it doing to Ikari. Her rage was taking a toll on her health. Her paranoia led her to neglect sleep. She didn't trust anyone or anything. I'd never caught her accepting food from anyone and she was constantly patrolling the ship, never sleeping, never eating.
She was on a downward spiral and the only thing that waited for her at the bottom was endless torment. I lost myself in my thoughts about the enraged girl and my own ambitions. Originally I'd set out to defeat the strongest man alive to prove to myself that I was stronger than that bastard father of mine. I wanted to prove that I could stand against his enemies, but I wasn't strong enough yet. Being on this ship, I was beginning to lose sight of my original goal and hang up my past hatred and regrets. I didn't want to live off my rage; I didn't want it to eat away at my soul like it did with Ikari.
I heard approaching footsteps and looked up as someone placed a bowl of creamy stew beside me. The first division commander, Marco, retreated back to the crowd.
"Hey." I called after him causing him to stop and turn to me, his electric blue eyes brimming with curiosity. "Why do you all call him father?" I asked dryly.
"Because he calls us his sons." He replied simply.
I scoffed at this and was prepared to wave it off. He wasn't going to be serious with me then I didn't care.
"To the rest of the world we're outcasts." Marco continued on. "It's just a word, but it makes us happy." He smiled and I felt something grip my heart. I'd always longed for a family growing up. I wanted parents and siblings and so I found myself two brothers, but there was something more I was missing. I wanted a father figure in my life, someone to look up to.
"How long are you going to keep risking your life, Ace?" Marco sighed as he knelt before me, "You can't take on the Old Man as you are now. You have to decide, are you going to get off this ship and find your own way or are you going to accept his name?"
I heard a familiar voice snort in derision, "You're pathetic, rookie." Ikari stood before me glaring between me and Marco, betrayal and hurt burning in her garnet eyes. "I can't believe you're actually considering it."
The blonde division commander turned to the irate girl with a sigh, "You can join us too, Ikari."
"Over my dead body." She hissed icily before shooting me another glare, "I should have known you'd cave." Her glare intensified but it was the glassy look to them that had me concerned. There were tears welling in her eyes as she turned and stormed away.
The fact that she felt so betrayed by me made my heart hurt, "Oi! Doll Face, wait up!" I called after her, but Marco stopped me with a shake of his head.
"Best to leave it alone." He said morosely as he raked worried fingers through his hair, "She won't listen to reason."
Ikari was spiraling and it was becoming painful to watch.
Later in the day while most of the crew made their way to the galley for dinner, I headed to the main deck to find Ikari training. Her body shook from the effort, tired from her relentless rage, training and pacing. Thatch watched her from the edge of the main deck shaking his head softly.
"How long has she been at it?" I asked him curiously.
"Awhile."He grimaced.
I sighed unable to watch her deteriorate anymore. "Hey! Doll Face, give it a rest."
She shot a glare in my direction but kept training.
"Oi! Take a break!" I called to her as I finally decided to cross the deck.
She continued ignoring me.
"Ikari!" I snapped angrily as I reached out for her wrist.
"Don't call me that!" She turned with a snarl and I winced as she lashed out at me scratching me across the chest with her nails. Her eyes widened as a small amount of blood dribbled up from the scratches.
"Thought you didn't like being called Doll Face." I noted with a smirk tugging at the corners of my lips.
"I told you not to speak to me." She covered with a huff as her garnet eyes stayed glued to the wound she'd inflicted on my chest. Regret brimmed in her eyes.
"You done?" I asked her calmly as I motioned to the training area.
Her glare returned, "Leave me alone."
"How long has it been since you've slept or eaten?"
"Why do you care?!" She shot angrily ready to lash out again, but held herself back. Why? Why did she restrain herself with me?
"You're slipping, Doll Face." I sighed deciding to use her words against her, "You're becoming weak."
This sparked more rage and she lunged at me with a shriek. I was right; her movements were sluggish and half-hearted as she swung at me. The constant stress on her body had taken its toll and I was easily able to catch her in my arms.
"Let me go!" She snarled as my arms encircled her and I held her tightly against me. "I'm not playing around rookie, release me!" Her elbow swung back and connected with my diaphragm and in the next instant I was being heaved over her shoulder and slammed into the deck of the ship.
I got to my feet and shot her a glare only to stare in awe as she panted softly her breathing becoming labored from the effort of throwing me. Her cheeks were scarlet with fever and her garnet eyes looked glassy and somewhat unfocused.
"You need to take care of yourself." I said softly as I approached her cautiously not realizing just how much attention we'd gathered from our little spat. Half the division commanders had shown up to watch.
"Why do you care so much, rookie?" Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I keep trying to push you away, but you just keep coming back, are you really this dense or do you just crave the abuse?"
I smiled softly at this, "Call me crazy; your mouth may be saying hurtful things geared to distancing yourself from everyone, but your eyes are always pleading because you don't want to be alone."
"You really are an idiot." The doll like girl panted softly and slipped to her knees unable to support herself any longer. She placed her hands flat on the deck in an attempt to keep herself partially upright. Why did she fight so much?
I cleared the space between us and knelt beside her, "I'll watch over you, just trust me and get some sleep." Her body suddenly jerked as I reached out to her.
"I can't trust you." She snapped, "I can't trust anyone!" Desperately she tried to get back on her feet but only managed to collapse to the deck gasping for air as her fever spiked.
Even on the brink of collapse she couldn't let go of her rage and mistrust. Her fever weakened her enough for me to swing her into my arms. "I won't let anything happen to you." I attempted to reassure her.
"Why?" She croaked as her forehead fell against my neck and she slumped into my arms admitting defeat as her fever took hold. Her skin felt like it was on fire. "I've been nothing but mean to you, so why are you doing this?"
I looked down at the doll like girl in my arms as I carried her past the commanders and couldn't help but smile. It was the first time since I'd met her that she actually looked vulnerable. "Because, despite it all, I kind of like you."
A faint blush spread across her pale cheeks and at first I wasn't sure if it was from the fever or if she were embarrassed by my words until she ducked behind her long champagne blonde hair. "You really do have brain damage." She muttered half heartedly as her arms sidled around my neck and she finally gave in to her exhaustion trusting me with her care.
[Next chapter will finally be in Ikari's POV]
Video- "Misery Loves My Company" By Three Days Grace