Time [Ace x Reader]

Chapter 24 / vivid dreams

Y/N's POV

"I'm so sorry."
Trembling is let myself sink onto a stool next to Lou's bed.
The beautiful jolly fairy lay there motionless, her skin coloured in an unhealthy mixture of sickly white and feverish red.
"I'm so sorry I let you down. I pushed you too hard. I should have known you were at your limit. I should have been there to treat you immediately I-(voice gets stuck in throat)."

Lou was my companion, my best friend, the person I loved most in all of the world. She was my family outside of the world of elves, which I had long left behind. We had spend decades together and still I hadn't realised that she wasn't well. Actually it was even worse. Although I knew that she had absolutely exhausted herself I still argued with her and stormed of, consequently not being there for her when she needed me.
And what did I do whilst Lou's condition worsened by the second? I hurt my other, new companion and destroyed the harmony between us three.
I was truly the worst.

Lou had been unconcious for three days now.
And thankfully she seemed to have recovered most of her energy. She hadn't woken up yet, however she was very active when dreaming in her feverish state. From time to time one could hear her mumble something and sometimes she'd even move.
I wonder what she's dreaming about?

With a worried smile I brushed away a few rouge strands of hair that where sticking against Lou's forehead.
During the past few days I hadn't thought much about my encounter with Ace. I had been too busy with stabilizing Lou's health that I hadn't had time to think about anything else.
However now that she was pretty much fine and all I truly had to do was wait for her to wake up my mind kept revisiting that evening where Ace found out about my fishman heritage.
He had looked absolutely heartbroken when I told him that I had been too scared to tell him.
Unnerved I rubbed my head.
I know that the fact that I didn't tell him about my fishmen heritage makes it seem like I don't trust him... But is it really so hard to understand? Ace is a pirate. He knows fully well how badly people react to fishmen.
I was scared he'd hate me... I am scared that he hates me. ARG! I'm going to go crazy if this continues. He won't even talk to me about it.
Beaten I hung my head.
"Hey Lou, what do you think I should do?"

_______________________________________

Ace's POV

(Thump, thump, thump)
Angrily I punched the wooden dummies before me, their wood splitting under the force of my palms.
I had been very irritated recently. Ever since mine and Y/N's encounter at the underground sea to be precise.
Thinking back on that evening, my emotions were all over the place. It was truly tugging on my sanity. However as much as wanted to forget the events of that day they seemed to replay constantly in my mind.

I had been an absolute jerk. Actually I was still being an absolute jerk.
I was really hurt, annoyed, bothered and angered by the fact that after living together for a year Y/N had still not trusted me enough to tell me about her fishman heritage.
It really confused me.
Normally I wouldn't care about such trivia. Honestly I believe that people should mind their own business.
However the fact that Y/N had been too scared to tell me she was a mermaid made me feel a throbbing pain in my chest.
However the worst thing about this entire situation was that I myself had absolutely no right to feel this way. I was doing pretty much the same to her as she had done to me.
I myself was keeping secrets from Y/N. And I too was to scared to tell her about my own heritage.
So why in the world was I feeling this way?

Should I tell her?
No way I can't. Who knows how she would react she might end up thinking I am a monster...

I was the son of whom was known as the worst ever criminal. He was the most wanted man when he was alive, he hurt so many people, did so much terrible stuff. He was a pirate just like me and even after his death his name brought fear and hate into the eyes of many. When people found out about me being his son they called me a demon child. The world wanted me dead from the moment my existence was rumoured and if it weren't for my mother's sacrifice they would have gotten what they wanted.
She died for me.
I had taken my mother's name in order to honour her and to hide any connection to him. But still his blood remained in my veins. The blood of the one who I used to hate the most. Gol D Rodger the king of the pirates.