Broken Faith

Observation 4: Paranoia is a tricksy thing

A/N: One quick note, non-native English speakers may find the last section a little hard to read. It's meant to be like that, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just don't feel scared when you see weird sentences/words that don't make sense.

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Rain Dinners was just as tacky as you remembered. That same old faux golden 'luster' that flimsily covered up the various cracks and crevasses that people couldn't be bothered to fix. Construction workers cost 'too much' right?. Might as well slap on a fresh coat of paint to hide the multitude of sins this place had to offer. Your nose wrinkled, despite being over a block away. It still stank of booze too.

"Hey Ang- uh, Saint?"

Your body felt like it had been shot.

No matter the amount of times you had practiced, the amount of times you had tried to drill it into your head, you just couldn't get used to hearing Ace call you by that title. He refused to say your birth name ("You were always Angel to me so I ain't gonna call you anything else") which made it a little better. As if you were performing a role, instead of being yourself.

Which, you supposed, was exactly what you were doing. Or hoped you were doing.

Checking yourself, you turned. "Yes?"

"Is this..." Ace gestured towards himself, "Is this all really necessary? I don't care about being spotted y'know."

You rolled your eyes. "Well I do. I can't be seen with a pirate like this, especially one of your notoriety. Do it for me, if not for you."

"Fine... fine..." His fingers reached up to twiddle at his military cap. "I still think this is a little over the top though."

"You still have the option to be a slave if you want to!"

"Fuck no!"

"So keep your mouth shut and deal with it."

Stop it. He was only doing this out of the kindness of his heart. There was no need to lash out at him like that. But... You felt your metal knuckles grind into a fist. Why did he have to come with you? You were more than used to dealing with this by yourself. Alone. He didn't need to tag along 'for your protection'. What protection? You didn't need protection! One click of a button and an Admiral would be summoned to your side. What more protection could you ask for?! So why... why was he...

"Hah..."

Pausing a moment, you swept a hand across your hairline.

There was no point in lying to yourself. You knew full well that wasn't what you were really annoyed about. Didn't you.

"Everything alright there An- Saint?"

Did he want an honest answer to that? Or the one he expected to hear?

"Can you-" your lips pursed- "just promise me something. Or somethings. Please. Just two things."

Ace arched an eyebrow. "Anything."

He trusted you that much did he? Well that... That felt... Like you were about to be sick to be honest. You didn't deserve that blind faith. Not in the slightest.

"First..."

But you still had to keep going. You still had to face forwards and claw your way through. No matter the cost.

You had already lost too much to give up now.

"First, no matter what happens in there- What I do, or how they treat me..." You trailed off, taking in the growing disbelief on Ace's face. "Don't react."