With different eyes

Lucia, the planner

Lucia's POV

Ace stands up and turns his back to me. I rub my still swollen lip. Ace paces restlessly. I just watch him again instead of saying anything. Ace runs his hand through his hair uncertainly. Ace's visible restlessness makes me feel uneasy, too. "Are you okay?" I ask nervously. Ace looks at me and opens his mouth to say something. Then he closes it again without saying anything and paces back and forth. I rub the back of my neck and then say, "Talking people can be helped." Ace stops again and stands with his back to me, I can see his nervousness because he rubs the back of his neck with his hand. Then he sits back down and hangs his head. I get up and hug Ace from behind. I rest my head on his back. "Talk to me like this if you can't help it," I say to Ace mentally. I feel Ace put his arm on mine. "He's not a monster," Ace says sadly. I nod leaning against Ace's back. "It hurts doesn't it," I ask. Ace nods, then says, "What am I supposed to say to him?" I rub his back and say, "Tell him about your life or I don't know your hobbies. After all, they're the same for both of you. Eating, sleeping, and destroying things, preferably ones that have a seagull as a sign." Ace looks at me over his shoulder, annoyed.

Narrator's POV

Ace enjoyed the togetherness with Lucia. The kisses and the warm body beneath him. The way she snuggled up to him so trustingly. He was hot and would have liked to continue, but no Lucia started with her favorite topic at the moment: Roger. Ace no longer knows what to say about the man or what to think of him. He has watched Roger over and over again during the days. How the crew treats him or how he treats them. Somehow Roger reminds him of a mixture of father and Luffy. Which makes him sympathetic to Ace and that worsens his guilt towards Roger. Ace swallows and enjoys the closeness of Lucia at his back. He holds her arm tightly and strokes light circles on her skin with his thumb. It soothes him. He has to smile as he thinks about what Roger told him back then, when they were both down in the storage room and Lucia was sitting over them. That Roger was sorry he couldn't protect him. And then Lucia says that he and Roger have the same hobbies. Ace turns to Lucia, annoyed. She smiles lovingly at him and his heart trips. He snorts, that was the second part Roger said. That Ace is lucky to have found someone like Lucia and that he should protect her. He's seen a monster in Roger all these years and only Lucia made him realize he was wrong. Which honestly doesn't make it any easier. He doesn't know how to apologize to Roger. He wants to get to know him, but admitting he was wrong isn't that easy. Besides, he doesn't know how to start. He can't just walk up to him and say, "I'm sorry I tried to punch you in the face." Lucia snuggles tighter against his back. She kisses the back of his neck. Ace swallows hard, she should leave that be. It's hard for him to think straight when she's this close. Well any not related to Lucia. And the fact that she's wearing so little doesn't help the situation. Ace feels himself getting hot again. "I HAVE IT!" Lucia shouts and jumps up. Ace turns to her, irritated.

Lucia's POV

I have an idea how Roger and Ace can get to know each other or how I can force them to. Oh yes, if they act like teenagers, maybe a teenage game and a lot of alcohol will help. But only later, for now I enjoy the day. Ace looks at me irritated. I just grin and hold out my hand to him. He ignores my hand and asks, "What do you have?" "A plan!" I say, stroking his hair. He rolls his eyes, but I just walk backwards away from him. He stands up and walks after me. Grinning, I turn around, then run away from Ace. I hear Ace running after me. And I try to run faster and get away from Ace, but Ace is faster. He catches me almost immediately. He throws me back over his shoulder. I wriggle and try to break free, but I can't. Feeling myself panting, I say, "I really need a workout!" Ace laughs out loud and says, "Just don't mention it around Marco, trust me you'll regret it!" I can picture it, it's going to be an ordeal, but I can't even manage to run away from Ace. I hang my head. If I'm going to hang my head over here, I might as well use it. I grin and pinch Ace's butt. He growls and slaps me on the butt. Great how grown up we are, isn't it? "Tell me, since you're playing Neanderthal, where exactly are you dragging me?" I ask Ace mockingly. "What's a Neanderthal?" asks Ace curiously. I just laugh and ask again, "Where are you taking me?" I ask. "Back to the beach area where the Oro Jackson is." says Ace and walks with me in said direction. I laugh, it's been a long time since I've felt this free, even hanging trapped over Ace's shoulder. Closing my eyes again, I enjoy the feel of the wind and the sound of the sea. I feel myself swaying back and forth with each of Ace's powerful steps. The song I start humming was a song from my childhood. I can't remember the lyrics. Ace is silent and continues walking along the beach. I hear a dark strong laugh. I open my eyes and lean on Ace's hip to see past him better. Roger and Rayleigh are standing there next to two dinghies, and that explains how Ace got ashore here. Ace finally puts me back on my own feet. I walk over to Rayleigh and whisper my idea in his ear under the skeptical gaze of both D's. Rayleigh looks at me and asks critically, "And you think this will work?" I look at Rayleigh and say, "Um, what works for teenagers works for D's." Rayleigh shrugs. I turn to Roger and ask, "Can we please have a party on the beach?" Roger looks at me and then says, "Yeah sure why not." I clap my hands in satisfaction and smile at Roger. "Now who's going to tell the guys?" asks Rayleigh. "Always the one who asks!" I say, backing away. After a couple of steps, I bump into Ace's chest. Glancing up, I say, waving, "Hey!" "Your plan?" Ace asks me. I think in a singsong voice, "Roger can hear us!" Ace says nothing in response, but lifts me up and throws me into the sea. I dive under water and swim right back up. "Really very grown up!" I say to Ace. He laughs and waves to me from the beach. Why can they throw so far?