Getting Ace to talk was not as easy as Zoro would have expected. Or rather, he would talk, but it was like trying to direct a wave with his sword. To an extent Zoro could stab it into the sand and block off a small path - provided the torrent was small enough, but the water still flowed on either side and as the tide rolled in, he might as well have stabbed the ocean for all the good it did. Ace hopped about dealing with customers right and left, seemingly always charming everyone with a smile. And no sooner would Zoro finish a bit of his sandwich than Ace would be there, leaning in close and beaming at him in a way that made Zoro a little leery.

"So you mentioned fighting before," Zoro tried to drop casually, "Is that only at the gym or anywhere else?"

Ace didn't seem to catch on though. Either he was a genius at evasion or dense as a brick. "Depends!" he answered cheerfully as he filled other patron's drinks. "Mostly it's just because I have to deal with my Gramps, and Luffy. I've got a punching bag back home, but I've split it so many times, it's not even the seams, just leather. Punching steel seems like a bad idea though."

Zoro certainly couldn't argue with that, but he didn't know how to steer the conversation back towards the underground, fight rings, or Garp. Before he could even try to ask about professional or sports boxing, Ace chuckled softly, a dark glint in his eyes. "Although I have been known to dent cars when I get angry enough."

"What?" Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Ace delivered the drink and cracked his knuckles. "For practice. I have to be able to defeat my little brother forever after all."

"Yeah?" Zoro leaned back slightly, relaxing again now that he had booze. "I'm not so bad myself, maybe you should try me on."

A spark of mischief flickered orange through Ace's eyes like that ridiculous hat, but he just smirked lazily, "Oh, I will. Later."

And... that sent chills down Zoro's spine. Why did he get the feeling Ace was not talking about arm wrestling? No, he had to be... what else could he mean? Better just try to get it back to casual. "So do you... arm wrestle often?"

"Arm wrestle... or wrestle?" Ace's eyebrows bounced suggestively.

"Arm wrestle," Zoro insisted firmly, glaring slightly.

Ace pouted slightly that his innuendo had been rebuffed and he rubbed the back of his own neck in thought. "Luffy sometimes, and Jozu. Not that often."

"Hm," Zoro mused quietly and took a deeper drink, "But you do other kinds of fighting?"

"Here and there, for fun," Ace answered as though completely oblivious. And with this guy, it was hard to tell. It wasn't like Zoro could just wait until closing time when he promised Ace a drink and then ask him how to get to the Underground - no wait, it was exactly like that. He just had to wait a few hours.

"So, how did you come to be working here and that other gig?" Zoro did his best to seem like he was making casual talk.

"Same way," Ace grinned, "Luffy and I wanted to escape Gramps' insane habits and shit so I promised to work anywhere in the area so Lu and I could get a place of our own. It's closer to his school, and it means Gramps doesn't wake us up at all sorts of weird hours. Oh, plus I got my licenses for this stuff uh... couple years ago? Since I could do training and weights and coffee, and then bartending lessons at night, and massage therapy on the weekends."

Zoro blinked at that, "You keep busy," he stated the obvious.

Ace laughed softly, "I get restless."

"I noticed," Zoro added dryly.

Ace chuckled even more, and pushed the brim of that ridiculous hat up with a single finger, "I used to have to look after Luffy and that was pretty much a twenty-four-seven job. Along with avoiding Gramps and Dadan."

"Dadan?" Zoro tilted his head.

"Our foster Mom," Ace had a fond grin about it, and pulled out the red beaded keychain Zoro had seen before. "This is from her. Ah, and it's thanks to her that I spent so much time in bars."

Zoro arched an eyebrow, but didn't comment, after all, he didn't grow up all that much better so, really, what was there to say? "You seem happy though," he did remark quietly as he sipped his drink. He had only been taking sips, hadn't he? That Irish Coffee had gone too fast.

Ace grinned softly, leaning in closer, and much to Zoro's annoyance: tousled the spiky green hair. "You know something? I am." A blink, as Ace realized what he was doing and glanced away, withdrawing his hand, "Ahhh most of the time," he ducked his head with a cough.

That begged questions. Like who at the bar was he supposed to keep an eye on then? And for a second, Zoro wondered if he was being paranoid thinking that Ace was ducking another issue hidden beneath. Was it because he was trying so hard to figure out the circumstances with the underground fighting ring? It was kind of impressive to have it right under the Police chief's nose, but then maybe Ace was part of keeping secret. Or was that yet more paranoia?

Zoro ordered a sake, and tried not to drink too much of it. He was always careful about his limits, a swordsman had to stay sober for any given circumstance, after all, but in spite of the massage earlier he was still too tense. Like there was something buzzing about his ears that was just in range, but impossible to focus on or recognize. And besides, he needed to make it last. Free sandwich or not.

"So tell me about yourself, Tiger," Ace smirked, leaning on a hand in a posture that reminded Zoro more of a tiger or a large cat than Zoro himself could ever possibly emulate.

Zoro grunted, he didn't really have a good answer to that, nor did he want to, "Why do you call me that?"

Ace smirked and wiggled slightly, looking some absurd mix between demonic and childish and Zoro could practically see the swinging tail that wasn't there but would have belonged to a feline with the way Ace was acting. "It fits," the smirk was challenging, a dare, a taunt that seemed determined to antagonize Zoro to respond, whether in acknowledgment or otherwise.

It'd been one day with Ace, and Zoro didn't know whether he wanted to punch him in the face again or… something else. "Hardly," he replied calmly, simply sipping his sake more, exuding a perfected aura of indifference.

There was a small scowl and Ace seemed disappointed that Zoro wasn't playing along, rather than recognizing the composure as Zoro's way of trying to rise above the challenge. Well, if it wasn't going to work...

Zoro reached forward, and tugged Ace close by the necklace with a small twist to it, so Ace couldn't escape. "Besides," Zoro smirked his own defiance and evil dangerous grin, "You're way more like a tiger than I am."

He could feel Ace's throat, see the wide-eyed surprise, and sense the Adam's apple skip under his fingers, and Zoro liked it. He wanted to push it further, see what else it would take to surprise Ace and how he'd react, and for a very small second, he felt a surge of bloodlust, the desire to fight Ace one on one and show him why Zoro was not to be underestimated. Ace's surprise didn't last long, and the smirk was back on, all fire and danger, like the sparks from metal on metal.

"Better be careful then," Ace said in a low voice, so that only Zoro could hear the genuine warning in his voice, so opposite the false smiles and behind-the-counter demeanor Ace put on before, instead telling of hidden stories of a man who would sooner incapacitate everyone in a room than admit defeat. "I bite," Ace's smirk didn't change at all, nor did his tone, and whatever edge Zoro thought he'd gained by startling Ace was clearly gone, and the other young man hooked a hand to the back of Zoro's neck and just very light massaged - and without warning, Zoro's arm on Ace's throat went limp, and the rest of him felt like warm putty all over again. "And I know your weaknesses."

Zoro was blushing. He could tell. He could blame the sake, the fact that he was in a pretty public bar trying to exchange barbs or maybe even flirting with a guy he'd only met in the same day, but it didn't stop the fact. His ear tips even felt pink and he felt too stunned to find a good retort. If he buried himself in the sake cup, he'd finish it off too soon, and it'd be a clear sign he'd lost.

He glanced away stubbornly, "Don't count on it," he growled, trying to sound manlier than he felt just then.

Glancing back at Ace, he caught this stupidly fond grin instead of the smirk, as Ace leaned his chin into a hand resting on the bar and let go of Zoro's neck with a quiet contented hum. What a dork. Okay, maybe Zoro hadn't known Ace long, but he could tell the guy was at least easily smitten, and that… was admittedly a morale booster. Zoro shoved the freckled face back further behind on the counter. "You don't know everything," he insisted, and swallowed the fact that even his own lips seemed ready to add "yet."

Uncertainly he ran a hand through his own green hair, "I've just got one weakness," he stubbornly insisted, glancing away, noting that business was going to pick up again and he would be best trying to assess everyone else in the bar by actually talking to others than simply Ace, who was also going to need to go back to his job, "Stupid too-friendly bartenders who keep me supplied with things I like best," he folded his arms.

Ace laughed then, a loud bell sound that seemed to light up the whole area and infect everyone around him with good cheer. It was strangely rare for someone who smiled too much, but Zoro was starting to get a thumb on why that was. Ace was like a sword himself, but without a clear swordsman directing him, so to try to refrain from cutting everything that came near, he tried to use the blunt edge, and hold back the rest. Which shouldn't really make Zoro curious to get the rest of the edge out, but it was who he was. And despite the blush and vague hatred of being laughed at, Zoro still felt pretty proud of himself.

It was a few more hours before Ace got off work, and Zoro debated leaving in advance to try to get back to his brand-new apartment, preferably before noon tomorrow, but he had decided to wait, and he hated going against his first instincts, and while he couldn't get anything definite on the fighting ring, he knew he was definitely on the trail, and that there were clues all over the bar, not just to his current client's request either.

"Whew!" Ace finished up, Teach and the rest of the kitchens closed an hour before him, though Marco was still left doing… something in the back. Ace rapped on the door and called "Going home for the night, Marco!" and though Zoro didn't quite hear the response, there was a vague grunt from behind the door. Marco had also tended the bar, mixing and delivering drinks, among other things, but only when it was busy, since the rest of the time, everyone seemed ready to leave it to Ace.

"Sorry about that," Ace grinned, and bowed his head apologetically, as he clapped Zoro's shoulders and put back on the ridiculous cowboy hat. "You're a pretty good sport, waiting that long!" a bigger grin this time, and Zoro noted abstractly that it was like moon phases, waxing and waning with dizzying speed. "Can I see you home maybe?" The eyebrows rose suggestively, and whether it was just friendly or flirting, Zoro almost reflexively wanted to slide away out of sheer nerves.

Still… an actual guide to his apartment building would be good.

"Well, I wanted to ask something," Zoro grunted, and took Ace's hand off his shoulders. He'd only had two or three drinks, nowhere near enough to completely lose his head - as no true swordsman would ever allow. Still, stupid over-friendly something… Something about Ace was definitely infectious. Which was all the more reason to stay focused.

"Yeah?" Ace hooked both thumbs in his pockets, waiting for Zoro to decide whether to go outside and ask or do it there, or give a destination at least.

Huh. Now that he was going to ask...

He wasn't sure how to do it.

Straight up asking 'is the underground fighting ring here?' was way too reckless, and even if it was, Ace was the type to dodge the question, unless it wasn't, but then either way, Zoro wouldn't know how to tell.

He was tempted to throw a punch to test Ace's reflex, but if it connected, Zoro would regret it, and if he was too soft, then Ace might not even try to block it.

Damn it. How could he be so iflustered/i around this guy? It was like he never had the right words, and Zoro wasn't that great with words to begin with, but it was even worse today. Maybe it was just an off day, not Ace. He hoped.

"Fighting," he said before Ace could take the silence to even more awkward levels, which he somehow expected the bartender would. "You don't have a bouncer here and you said you do fighting..."

Ace blinked. "Ahhh?" the barista grin was back, a resort-to smile he used to hold as a placeholder while thinking. "Yeah..." he grinned sheepishly, "We don't have much problem here it's a safe neighborhood-"

Zoro stepped in close again and used a straw as a mock-sword to Ace's throat, feeling the man's pulse again, but Ace's reflexes were more on guard now, shielded, but still slipping enough to give away the muscle, the training involved, more than just for his family. "I want to fight," Zoro explained, quietly twirled the straw deftly and put it in his mouth, leading outside. "I came to this town on a job, but I'm looking for a man."

Ace's facade smile was gone, and his eyes were completely focused on the situation, thinking it all through. He made a quiet note of acknowledgement, grabbed a straw for his own mouth and followed Zoro outside, locking Marco inside - for all his talks about the neighborhood being safe. "What kind of man?" Ace asked, neither evasively, nor with any pretense of being willing to answer if he had more details either.

It was dangerous to tell anyone the truth. If Mihawk found out, the trail might go cold, or the cops might get involved. "A swordsman," Zoro grunted. "One of the best." The best, actually, but that might give it away if Ace did know anything about the underground.

Ace hummed again, walking down the street some, twirling and chewing on his own straw. He didn't give anything away more than that. Whether that much even meant anything or it was all just meant to throw others off. "I know a few swordsmen," Ace said quietly, finally, vaguely still. "Why do you seek him?"

"To be the best," the answer came easily enough from Zoro. It was true, and it was easy. He would happily die trying, and forget all about bounties and the occasional private investigation job if he could prove his best.

"Oh," Ace grinned. "Where do you live, Cutie?"

Zoro was completely thrown off his thoughts again. What the hell kind of response was that? What kind of grin was that? What did it mean or hide or - AND WHAT WAS WITH CALLING HIM THAT?!

"I'm not-" Zoro bristled like an alleycat, and before he knew it, Ace was barely a millimeter away from him, just too close, too warm in the cool night air, smelling way too good for a man who'd been working all day while all Zoro had done was lounge and listen and fucking hell, what was with this guy?!

"You're too innocent," Ace's low voice brushed Zoro's ear, warming it like a breeze from the heated proximity. Ace had an arm around Zoro's shoulders, leaning over, protecting him almost, which sent another bristle of emotions through Zoro, mixed between warm feelings and yet more outrage like that being called cute. "I'll tell you more behind closed doors."

Oh.

Zoro's indignation was stifled like a candle in wind, having to burn low and hidden or risk being blown out entirely, and he shut his mouth with an aggravated grunt. Ace smirked to himself as he pulled back, a hand on the cowboy hat and leaning back to look up at the moon, barely visible with all the streetlights anyway.

"So your place or mine?" Ace said casually, still making it sound like a dare, or flirting, and Zoro couldn't really say that it wasn't.

Shit.

Zoro forgot his own address.

"Uh..." He fumbled awkwardly into his pockets to retrieve the address. "32 Belmont street, 11A."

Ace blinked, the cocky grin fading into a sort of forced nothingness face. "For real?" he asked finally.

"Yeah?" Zoro scrunched his face up. It wasn't like it was a suspect's place or anything, he kept the client's folder in a completely separate place after all.

Ace didn't bother hiding his puzzled face anymore, "That's like... right down the hall from me any my bro!"

Huh. Well, it probably made sense given the price range. "Small city," Zoro mumbled, unsure how to take the turn of events. Probably good, maybe good? Could be bad… How quickly was he going to get sick of the guy? Well maybe not… but...

"Don't iever/i let Lu into your apartment," Ace laughed, threw his arm around the numb Zoro's shoulders again and dragged him along. "He will eat you out everything. Even those Kraft slices of cheese and hot dog rolls. On the bright side, you'll never need a dog if you ever want to get rid of leftovers!" Ace led Zoro along, half dragging, and Zoro basically gave up trying to get physical distance from the man. It was too late at night, and he was kind of amazed at how Ace could still be so damn enthusiastic, even now, this late, about ianything/i and everything. "I keep telling people not to let him in though. At first they think, oh well it's just milk, and 'Gosh that poor boy, how can his brother not keep enough milk for him at home?'" Ace enacted a mocking tone for the sympathy of his neighbors. "Then the next thing they know, everything they had is gone, and Luffy jumps out a window, chasing a cat, and they're like 'Ace Ace I lost your brother!' And I'm like 'Well, these things happen...'"

Zoro briefly wondered if Ace had to deal with visits from Child Protective Services, but then remembered Ace had volunteered to take care of his younger brother over a foster mother and grandfather… which begged more questions than not, really.

"He's like a ninja Santa Claus. Leave him milk and cookies, and he'll eat them when you're not looking and leave you "presents,"" even with Ace's arm around Zoro's shoulders, he still hooked it in closer to make airquote around the word presents for extra emphasis. "Because pet rocks may not have ever been fashionable, but damned if he won't try to make them a fad again. Or pogs. Who the hell has pogs anymore? Hell if I know where he gets them either. 'Buried treasure' he says. Probably at the junkyard, even though I keep telling him not to go there."

"Is that where you punch cars?" Zoro asked, remembering Ace's earlier comments when he was evading explaining about the underground fighting ring.

Ace chuckled, "Yeah, you've got a good memory."

"Well, if you go there..." Zoro reasoned seriously.

"It's different," Ace scowled and gently shoved Zoro up the steps to the apartment building, a tall austere place with historic construction and tasteful renovations. "He's not all…" Ace tapped his head at the temples, "There, mentally."

Zoro felt a strange surge of defiance and loyalty to Ace's kid brother suddenly, "He's smart enough to get what he wanted out of you and your neighbors."

Ace blinked, "That's... true," Ace agreed ruefully, but furrowed his brow and frowned deeply, "But he's got no sense of danger." Ace rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away, "That's not it, he's just..." Ace gently punched a fist to his forehead, while Zoro watched in bemusement. "He's slow. And reckless. I mean, I'm not that much better in either regard, but still better than him."

He huffed, scratched his jawline irritably and fiddled with a set of keys. "Come on," he roughly shove Zoro ahead of him, "Let's get inside."