With different eyes

Part of the family

Lucia's POV

Ace drags me towards the galley. "Ace, slow down," I tell him. Why does he always think there's nothing left for him to eat? He turns to me worriedly and asks: "Are you still not feeling well? Do you want to go back to bed?" I shake my head and say, "No your legs are just too long and the way you're rushing down the corridors I get the feeling you haven't had anything to eat for a week!", although that's kind of true, because during my illness Ace didn't destroy tons of food, I guess he wants to make up for that now. Ace walks on again and adjusts his speed to mine. I can see how difficult it is for him, he seems a bit nervous. I am merciful and say: "Just go ahead or the others will eat everything!" Ace looks at me in panic and probably sees his worst nightmares coming true. I mean he grew up with Luffy, food envy is no longer a description. I push Ace forward and say, "Now go on! The only thing that can happen to me on the Moby is that I tear a splinter!" Ace grins cheekily at me and runs off. "But leave me something!" I yell after the black-haired man. Somehow I doubt that he still heard me. I walk leisurely along the corridors to the galley, I'm in no hurry. My food is safe from Ace in any case, before he voluntarily touches the muesli, he learns to swim. I shake my head at my screwed up taste in men. I enter the galley yawning and look around. Right next to me, a cup slams against the wall. What the hell is this? I look around for the culprit but it's pure chaos here. Food and crockery are flying haphazardly around here, reason for the breakfast getting out of hand? Neither Marco nor Whitebeard are present. I roll my eyes at this adult behaviour and look for Ace. He has already stashed away a huge pile of food and is systematically destroying it. I approach him and the rest of the commanders and sit down at the table. Am I even allowed to do that? But apparently it's not a problem because I'm greeted happily by everyone. I notice how I am being examined by everyone present, understandable, after all, they have never seen me in person before and afterwards I was sick. "Come with your questions or comments!" I say laughing. The behaviour is unbearable.

And immediately the questions started: "How old are you?" "Are you staying here now?" "You really are a girl!" "Wouldn't you rather go out with me?" I think the last question was just to annoy Ace, because the question came from an older calibre guy with mischief in his eyes. Ace gives him an annoyed look and throws him off with a spoon. The man ducks away laughing. I start to answer the question: "I'm 22 years old, yes I'll stay here, provided Marco doesn't abandon me somewhere. Uh, I'm a woman, yes, and I insist on the WORD woman here! And no thanks I'd rather stay with Ace, that's chaos enough for me!" my last reply leads to an outburst of hilarity, while the others are still laughing Whitebeard and Marco come through the door. Immediately there is peace and order in the galley. Marco approaches the commander's table while Whitebeard sits down in his chair. He sits down opposite me and grins at me. I suspect terrible things, really terrible things. "Now that you are officially a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, you must also accept Father's mark!" Oh shit! The reason I don't have a tattoo? I'm panic-stricken about it, but I'm sure as hell not going to tell that catty chicken that! "The doc said I had to go back for a final check-up!" I say hastily and want to leave the room, but unfortunately Ace puts a spoke in my wheel by saying, "But the doc checked you out yesterday and pronounced you healthy!" I give Ace a nasty look, but he continues to eat without a care in the world. Marcos starts to smile, only this smile reminds me of a predator about to snatch its prey. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little needle, you little disaster magnet!" he says, dripping with self-satisfaction. Um yeah what am I supposed to say to that now? I look blankly at Marco and then abruptly storm off. Whitebeard is laughing his head off in his chair while Marco curses. I run confusedly along the corridors and then open a door at random. A storeroom, how many of them are there in the Moby? I quickly jerk a few crates until I find one with a loose lid, which is also empty. I hurriedly climb in and put the lid back on the crate from the inside. Ok, I stay here until Marco has given up his idea of the tattoo. He will see who has the bigger stubbornness! "Lucia?" I hear Ace ask.