The Redemption of Ace Merrill

Hero & Leander

Stella soon walked out the clothes shop, following Ace as Eyeball trailed behind, carrying 4 bags.

"Remind me why I'm left carrying the bags?" He grumbled as the three began walking down the street.

Ace shrugged his question off but answered anyway. "Because a gentleman always carries a lady's shopping."

"So why aren't you carrying any?"

"I'm not a gentleman." Ace replied as he focused back on Stella skipping ahead.

She had gotten changed into fresh clothes, to his annoyance, she chose the dress. And he refused to take his eyes from her as she held it's sides and swung it around slightly.

"She seems happier." Eyeball mumbled as he nodded at the girl in front.

Ace nodded. "Shopping does that shit to girls."

Yet Stella stopped as her eyes fell on two young girls across the street.

One was doing cartwheels and the other was encouraging and supporting her friend.

"Stell..." Ace mumbled, his eyes noticing what she had.

Yet just as he thought she recognised them or remembered something, he was proven wrong.

He watched as Stella stretched her arms out. She wouldn't.

Her leg raised as she attempted to watch the girls. She wouldn't.

"Stella don't fucking-"

*****

Ace sighed heavily as he kept a firm grip on the girl in his arms. Stella's arms were wrapped around his neck as he carried her along bridal style. Eyeball couldn't stop laughing as he followed them along.

"Maybe next time when I say don't try to fucking cartwheel you'll listen." Ace grumbled.

Stella looked down at her knees. Both were bleeding as she knew her legs would soon have bruises.

Her eyes fell on Eyeball behind them as he was really struggling to breathe. A small smile came to her face.

"It ain't fucking funny you know?" Ace snapped at her.

Yet Stella didn't stop smiling.

*****

She was placed down on the chair in his kitchen as he sighed again. Eyeball had placed her stuff in the living room and appeared in the doorway.

"Eyeball can clean you up." Ace mumbled.

Stella looked behind Ace as she saw Eyeball quickly shaking his head and pointing at Ace.

Somewhat confused, she accepted his suggestion anyway.

"Can't you?" She asked quietly.

Ace was silent before he got up and shook his head. "Not my girl, not my problem."

"I gotta go though, Vince needed me to pick up him up and drop him off at the garage to pick his car up." Eyeball quickly blurted out as he raced off before Ace could stop him.

"Later Merrill! Later Artois!"

Ace growled slightly as he turned and looked down at Stella.

"Fine." He snapped as he grabbed a handful of tissues from the side.

Stella winced slightly every few minutes as Ace tried to clean the dirt out from her grazes.

"You're all good." He mumbled as he finally stood up and dumped everything in the rubbish.

"Hungry?" He asked as he opened the freezer and flicked through the barely empty drawers.

Stella nodded slowly as Ace managed to find two steaks.

"Please tell me you eat this either rare or medium rare?" He asked holding it up. "I can't be dealing with that well done crap."

Stella shrugged slightly. "I don't remember..." she mumbled.

Ace's face softened slightly before he shook it back to his normal hardened look.

He eventually managed to cook them both up as he placed both plates on the table. Grabbing the sauce he smothered his but watched as Stella poured out a small pile on the side of her plate.

Yet before he could start eating, he watched her cautiously pick up her knife and fork. Without hesitation he got up and walked behind her.

Bending down slightly he wrapped his hands over hers as he made her grip the cutlery right.

Silently he cut up the steak for her as his hands did most of the work but they were completely covering hers.

As it was done he gently let go and went to sit back down. She gave him a small smile and slowly started eating.

Ace shook off the feeling he got as he quickly went to finish his own.

*****

"Read to me?"

Ace looked up from the tv as Stella stood there, holding a book.

"Where'd you get that?" He asked, nodding at it.

"Found it in your room." She replied as she sat down next to him. "Please?" She begged as she held it out to him.

"Meant to be going to the bar in a bit." Ace groaned slightly.

"Please? Just a little. I want to remember." She begged again.

Ace softened again, it was the fact she couldn't remember anything that always seemed to get him.

"Fine." He grumbled. "But only for a bit, I'm meeting the guys remember."

Stella nodded quickly as she beamed at him. He groaned out as he took the book and opened it up.

He tensed up slightly as he felt her shuffle about on the sofa right next to him. She brought her legs up and wrapped her arms around them as her head rested on her grazed knees.

"The great priestess by the name of Hero lived in Sestos, with beauty that even nature rivalled. Even the sun god had pleaded for her hand in marriage." Ace started as he saw Stella somewhat snuggle deeper into her knees.

"But he knew of her oath to the goddess Aphrodite, and the promise to never marry or entertain a man in any way." Ace sighed. "Really? This bullshit?" He snapped at her.

Stella gently nudged his arm. "Keep going!"

Ace groaned but continued. "Until one evening, during the festival to celebrate the great goddess Aphrodite, she happened upon the temple gates where she met the handsome man known as Leander..."

*****

"Ssshhhh!" Eyeball mumbled as he slammed his hands over Billy and Charlie's mouths, smothering them slightly.

"How the fuck do they sleep like that?" Billy whispered as he shoved Eyeball off.

The three swayed slightly as they looked down. Ace was fast asleep sat upright, a half open book on his lap as Stella was fast asleep, leaning against him, her head resting against his shoulder.

Eyeball attempted to stumble over the table as he grabbed the blanket from the floor. He chucked it at Charlie as him and Billy attempted to drape it over Ace and Stella.

"Turn the tv off and let's fuck off." Eyeball mumbled as Billy almost tripped.

Charlie himself almost stumbled as he attempted not to wake either Ace or Stella.

Yet if Billy hadn't been so focused on trying not to laugh at Charlie, he would have seen Stella's picture once again flash up on the tv on a news broadcast, just before he turned it off.