Just Like Fire (Ace x Reader)

Chapter 23: First, Finally

You and Ace had gotten back home with enough time to clean up, and grab another nap. You'd blame Ace, but with a lot going on, and a lot more to do, the extra rest was the best thing you could do with the time you had. Ace just made it easier to nap because he was so warm.

Once it drew closer to the time you needed to meet with Ichiji, you got ready properly. Sabo was going to come along as well, not just to support you, but also to keep Ace in check if things went south. Sabo's car was also a little more inconspicuous than Ace's older orange truck.

"I haven't been disowned, or disavowed." Sabo says as he's driving you to the café where you're going to meet with Ichiji. "If anything goes sideways, leave it to me to resolve it." He says, his eyes on the rear view mirror for a moment until Ace grunts. "I'm serious, Ace."

"I know!" He barks, arms folded across his chest. "I'm just here for moral support."

"Even though you'd rather light him on fire." Sabo teases.

"He'd survive." Ace grumbles.

"You can't harm a royal, Ace." Sabo nearly growls.

"I most certainly can," Ace emphasizes. "But I won't, not unless it comes down to him or us."

"It won't." Sabo asserts, but you see his hands tighten on the steering wheel.

"It won't." You agree. "Sanji said something earlier this morning that has me thinking Ichiji never meant to agree to this in the first place."

"Oh?" Sabo prompts.

"In two months him and his family are going to be leaving this island."

"Yeah, Germa as a kingdom is mobile, they don't-."

"They travel a lot." You point out, cutting off Sabo a little. "And Ichiji was aware of my illness, to my knowledge, from the beginning." Understanding dawns on Sabo's face.

"I'm not picking up what you two are on about."

"Travel's rough, especially on someone with a chronic illness." You explain, looking back at Ace. "Ichiji wasn't going to stop traveling because of me, he couldn't. His entire kingdom is built around traveling. I'm the worst match possible. Even if some miracle drug made me less weak I'd still be a liability."

"What do they get by agreeing to everything then?" Ace questions.

"They might have been planning to levy accusations against Mom and Dad from the beginning." You admit with a shrug. "Ichiji could end up being happy to hear what I'm going to tell him today."

"They could also be using it as bargaining leverage with another family." Sabo explains. "Getting a better dowry or contract with someone else by leveraging my sister and our family. They could've just been bored and not inclined to decline the request from my father, too."

"... That's - all of that is messed up." Ace says after a moment and you and Sabo can't helped the clipped, jaded laughs that escape you.

You take a deep breath and try to relax as you get closer to the destination. It was a small café, in the downtown area, and because it was Sunday almost no one else was around. When you approached with both Sabo and Ace behind you, Ichiji stood up from the table he'd been waiting at, and came over to meet all of you.

"You come with ill-tidings, it seems." He says evenly. With the shades on it's hard to say who he's looking at, but you're certain he's got his eyes on everyone. His expression and body language match his words, he's not surprised, but he also doesn't appear to be upset either. "Something with more weight to it than a simple cancellation."