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The summer Isuka runs into Ace, she finds him milling about on a pier on her route home. He’s an unknown in this area, the boy who lives in that nice house on the hill. The house with doors that open on their own, the one with halls that voices echo through when empty. The weather is sweltering with nary a breeze in sight, unusual for their island. Every year before has brought intense winds to offset the heat, and rains to cool the hot sands.
So it's a surprise that when the strange boy turns to face her, her body is doused with cold water, her nerves frozen with something akin to fear. But it's not for her, no. This boy of impish smiles and sputtering declarations, and how can she know that when they’ve only locked eyes, with his freckled cheeks and darting looks was never meant to be here. That if anyone finds out the truth, Ace will be run out with harsh words and pointed pitchforks, and that can’t happen.
They have only just reunited.
She waves at him, a wide grin straining her cheeks, and he waves back with uncertainty. Her gut twists as his face morphs into uncertainty, his boots shuffling on the wood when the initial surprise fades.
Isuka wants to see him happy, proper, without a care in the world. She wants to hear his laugh, be the reason there's a smile on his face.
She wants and wants. The difference now, she thinks, is that I can have this.
They sit at the end of the pier Ace had been lingering on, legs swinging as the waves lap at their heels. Ace talks at a steady murmur, a shy smile tugging at his lips when he anecdotes about the people that make up his crew, picking up when his best friend comes up.
“Deuce says” and “when Deuce” frequently leaves his lips.
She hopes to meet this boy that has a clear hold on Ace, and wonders if he’s as kind and snarky as Ace claims. Isuka hopes he is.
The sun has dipped into the ocean and the moon has risen part way through the starry sky when they separate, one to the hill and the other down the shore.
The waves push them over as they play in the water, clothes heavy with salt and a warm breeze brushing their faces.
Isuka’s sides hurt from the laughing they’ve done all morning.
She yelps as she’s pulled under, Ace’s hand wrapped around her ankle. Isuka sputters as she rises back to the surface.
“You suck!”
Ace splashes her with a grin, “I know.”
"Master Ace!"
Isuka scrubs the water off her face and turns to where she heard the call, it's a large man rushing down the coast.
She's never seen so many skulls attached to one body before, but she thinks this man surely takes the record. And the large one that covers the man's features isn't half bad, if a little over done, the crack down the side was a nice touch,
"How's it going, Skull?"
The man, Skull, keels over as he reaches the duo. He must have ran the entire length of the beach.
“You have class with Sir Mihal.”
Ace looks up at the midday sky, “That time, huh?”
Skull nods, hands stiff on his knees, sucking in air desperately.
“Let him know I'll be there shortly.”
“Of course, Master Ace,” the man dashes off with renewed vigor, coat flapping in the wind.
Isuka is mildly jealous of Skull's stamina.
It’s years later, they’ve both grown into their own. She had received word that Ace would set for the sea any day now, she hopes he hasn’t departed without saying goodbye. It would just be like him to do something that dramatic, leave her in suspense for his return.
She pushes ornate doors open, marveling at the intricate woodwork. Isuka has been to his home multiple times over the years, but she's still amazed every time.
“If you’re here for Master Ace then I'm afraid you’ve just missed him,” a gruff voice echoes through the grand entryway.
“Left rather suddenly in the night.”
Isuka steps fully into the house, jumping when the heavy door slams behind, she didn’t think she had used that much force.
“When will he return, do you think?” she asks, eyes wandering to the paintings and statues that make up the foyer. There's few new ones, most likely at Teach's discretion. The man spent the most time indoors out of everyone in Ace's crew after all.
“I’m afraid that was not disclosed to me, but you will be the first informed should news reach us. Pardon me, Lady Isuka.”
Heels retreat and she knows that Teach will no longer be providing commentary.
She's at the wharf, watching the ships bob as the men unload their cargo, lost in thought. She longs to be back at their spot, warmth at her side and their hands brushing hesitantly. It's lonely without Ace, no one to pass the hours, no one to share hushed confessions with. It's only her now, lingering in the house that's now a home, vehemently ignoring the worried looks the Spade's give her.
It's sweet the way they bring her into their crew, into their rooms for small talks, sharing themselves and in turn she does the same.
Ace has left a space in all their lives.
“Hey, you weren't at the usual place. Thought you had run off as well.”
Isuka jerks up, head turned to the voice beside her.
She relaxes when she spots baby blue hair and a ridiculous mask that barely fits the definition.
“Sorry, didn't feel right being there. Without him.”
Deuce nods, hair falling into his face, “it's so quiet now.”
An envelope is placed in her lap, a gloved hand retreats, "He sent that for you, thought it would ease the blow as it were.”
"Leave you to it," Deuce gets to his feet, patting her shoulder before walking off into the port.
It's all the encouragement she needs to read the letter.
Isuka thumbs open the seal, chuckling at the doodled flames that litter the paper. Ace knew how much she hated the cartoonish design.
Her eyes flit along paragraphs, stopping at the lines that look to have been etched in. The words that seem too smudged. The last phrase hastily written, as if it were an afterthought.
“On the dot? You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Portgas.”
The heat was smothering and she was lucky if a breeze graciously blew through the proper doors and windows. It really was no different from that day nearly a decade ago. Had it really been that long?
Knuckles rap on wood, boots thudding over the doorway.
Isuka sighs, she was sure that the closed sign had been put up earlier. It had been a few days past Ace’s supposed return date, and no summon to the house had been delivered. She was already in a bad mood and adding an ornery customer would push her past the edge.
“When I heard Nailer I figured you’d have become a shipwright," a familiar voice mused, "but this isn’t that far off.”
Her heart flutters and a smile tugs at her lips. A year gone and he was no different, a bit rough around the edges with more freckles than she remembers, but still Ace.
“You never could keep a schedule," Isuka answers, laughter bubbling out.
Ace echoes her, "yeah, but I got here, didn’t I?”
Yeah, he did. And that was more than she could ever ask of this impulsive man. To return home to her, nary a scratch on him.
And as Ace makes his way over, Isuka vows to never let go of this life, the one she was promised, come high hell Davy Jones himself would have to claw it from her cold hands.