Thatch waltzed into the room and Taiga stifled a laugh, placing her hand over her mouth. The rest of the crew glared at her, while Marco smirked.
Trying to steal Ace's girl, Thatch?
That wasn't too unusual. Not stealing other people's girls, no. It wasn't unusual for Thatch to try and make friends with new crew mates or just anyone on board that a newcomer.
Ace walked in as Thatch joked around and Taiga giggled softly.
Was that really her? She's never genuinely laughed around Ace like she's doing now. Ace growled softly in the doorway and clenched his hand into a fist.
Why does Taiga laugh so carelessly around Thatch? Why couldn't she do that around Ace?
He decided he wasn't hungry and left the room, not bothering to say good morning to anyone. He just wasn't in the mood.
Unfortunately for him, Taiga noticed, and excused herself from the mess hall. She trailed behind Ace quietly, seeing him leaning over the edge of the ship.
"Hey. Good morning." She greeted softly. Despite her initial cold demeanor, she was trying to listen to Marco.
"Go easy on him, ok?"
Ace didn't respond. He ignored her and kept his mouth shut. As much he wanted to say good morning back with a smile, he couldn't. There was just this feeling of disappointment and sadness when he saw Taiga with Thatch like that.
He didn't even know what he was feeling. And he doesn't know how his silence is making Taiga feel.
She feels really awkward. She's so used to him nagging her with questions, the way he was acting did not sit well with her. She sighed and leaned on the railing of the ship next to him, humming a soft tune.
"Oi. Why won't you talk to me? Are you mad at what I said before last night?"
Ace still didn't respond, not even bothering to look at her. He ignored her as if she was nonexistent.
"Ace...I don't know what's up with you, but I'm trying, ok? I'm trying to let my guard down. But you have to understand, it's not easy for me. I've been isolated from any kind of human interaction since I was seven. I-"
She was cut off when Ace started to walk away. "Seems like it was easy for you to let your guard down around Thatch. And you were right. I can't understand." he spat, making Taiga's eyes widen.
"Ace! Wait!" She reached out her hand to grab Ace's wrist, but he slapped it away.
He looked at her with an unidentifiable look in his normally bright onyx orbs, that were now dull and blank. Taiga felt a throb in her chest, and it hurt. Not physically, but mentally. She couldn't wrap her head around it. And when Ace turned his head and walked away from her, she bit the insides of her cheeks.
I don't get it. How do other people work? It's been 10 years. Perhaps I've forgotten the basics of how humans act.
****
The rest of the day was no better. Ace continued to ignore her and she hid herself in the Crow's Nest. She loved heights. It made her feel so far from reality, so far from all the struggles in her life. It made her feel free. Free from the restraints that held her back.
But today something was off. Her brain wasn't clear and wandering like it usually was. It was focused on one subject and one subject only. Ace.
"How long are you gonna stay up here sulking?" Thatch's voice interrupted her thoughts.
She hummed in response. "I don't know. I... just don't know."
"Y'know, if there's something bothering you, if it's a person just go up to them and tell them. If it's something else, you can tell me if you want."
Taiga snorted and looked away. "Believe me, I've tried. But Ace has been avoiding me lately. I'm really confused. I don't think I offended him that much."
"You should go talk to him then."
Taiga groaned. "Ok, fine. But so far every time I've approached him, he turns around and walks away. So don't expect anything that different."
She jumps down from the crow's nest and lands on a platform of ice halfway through the fall. From there, she jumps onto the deck and starts looking for Ace.
****
"Whew! I found you." Taiga panted, running toward the freckled man.
"What do you want?" He growled.
"I want to apologize. I'm sorry if I offended you last night. I swear, I didn't mean to offend you. I was only speaking the truth. And-"
"Why don't you go to Thatch or Marco to talk about something else?" He snapped. "You already said. I wouldn't understand. Maybe you were right."
Taiga's jaw dropped and her mouth gaped open slightly. She tried to speak, her breath hitching in her throat. "I...You didn't let me finish my sentence. But if that's what you want, then I'll leave you alone. I'm sorry that I did whatever I did to make you this upset."
She walked away and whispered to herself, "I was gonna say that I wish I had said that we coulda been friends. I didn't realize it at first, but you...you make me feel things I haven't felt in a long time. But if you want me to stay away, then I'll do it. I'm sorry for whatever I did..."
Unbeknownst to her, Ace had heard the first phrase and nothing else.
"I wish we coulda been friends."
"Oh lord, what have you done?" He mumbled, biting his lower lip.
I'm the one who should be apologizing, Taiga. Sorry.
----
Wooooo 30 minutes late do my update schedule
LATE CHAPTER GUYS OMG SHAME ON ME
Abchdjdjjwjd will shortish chapter again sorry
I feel like the quality of my chapters are getting worse this is not ok ahhhhh
Idk man the story isn't going how I originally planned, so I made a few adjustments so now it might slow my update schedule down a bit. Abchdjdjjwjd I've also been kinda busy with piano and school, my piano recitals thsi Sat, national audition is Monday, we've been doing state testing blah blah blah
But uh I hope you guys still like how this story is going and if you do;
Vote comment follow? Thanks, it really helps if I know you guys are enjoying my story. :)
-Sylveresque