My Sailor

The Beach

[3rd person POV]

Weary and tired from a rough sleep, Caspian trudged her way down the old wooden halls of her house to the kitchen. To her surprise Ace was idly sitting by the window, watching the waves come in and out of the shores.

He looked sad, as though mournfully reminiscent of a bittersweet memory, she studied Ace's features, his face contorted into a concentrated frown, brows knitted together as he lay his head on his palms.

"You're up early, everything okay?" Caspian finally asked, breaking the quiet.

Startled, Ace looked up to meet his hostess' gaze, "Oh, yeah I'm good, didn't sleep well." His eyes were dressed with sleepy bags and his hair unkept, though intrigued to know what was bothering him, Caspian shuffled tiredly behind the counter of the kitchen, scavenging for food.

"What would you like to eat?" She asked, carrying various cooking items in her hands.

"I'm okay for now, maybe just some water." The pirate replied flatly.

[Timeskip]

[Ace's POV]

"I'm heading out, dad needs help hauling in a catch from this morning." Caspian replied. The sun was shining down brightly now, I could see seabirds flocking down by the old man's fishing boat. His snow white hair and weather-beaten face caught my eye, how he looked so mournful yet so at peace with himself, I could never find peace within myself if I were him.

"Hello? Earth to Portgas..." Caspian called again, rudely ripping me from my thoughts, "I'm going outside, you can come if you like?"

"Ah, yeah sure, I'll come along." I replied half dazed, trying to process what she had just said.

I pulled myself off from the couch I'd found myself sitting on, 'man my ass hurts' I thought as I took my hat from the coat rack, following Caspian out into the briny afternoon.

All I could see was the ocean, all I could hear was the ocean and all I could smell was the ocean, that and dead fish as we drew near to the fishing boat and Isakov. I stepped up onto the deck of the boat where a small book immediately caught my eye.

Sitting on a table on the portside of the boat was a small red book titled "Gold Roger, Greatest Pirate of All Time". I frowned, seeing that name anywhere sends a rush of mixed emotions to my mind, disgust, anger, all the usual emotions you feel when you look at a disgraced parent, however whenever I see his face, hear his name, I get this overwhelming feeling of fear, and embarrassment, like my brain makes it known to the rest of me that I cannot change who my parents are and one day I'll end up just like him... a devil and a good for nothing.

"You know Rodger do you boy?" Isakov asked, passing me the red leather book.

I grimaced as I took hold of the book, which was surprisingly heavy for its size; I flicked to the first page only to be greeted by my father's face. Who knew someone could be so ugly when printed on a book.

Well its Him so...

"Oh, thanks I'm not that much of a Rodger fan but I'll give it a read." I replied awkwardly.

Surprisingly, the old man took the book back from my hands, placing back where it had been lying, "Ah no need my boy, I won't make you read a book on a man you haven't met."

For once, this slightly mad sea dog had formed a wise and sane sentence. Letting the breath I had unknowingly held go, I hauled two bags of fish over my shoulders before I heard the gruff old voice of Isakov ring out.

"You know boy, you really do remind me of Rodger, almost the spitting image of him."

I paled, I could feel the sweat bead in the palms of my hands as the unexplainable waves of fear and embarrassment washed over me such as the storm had done two mornings prior. I turned away from the duo, facing back down the docks in an attempt to hide my face.