A/N: Sorry for the confusion if anyone caught the update. Some of the edits I made with this chapter was not saved, so I had to go back and get them. Hopefully I got everything.

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Chapter 12:

Cheshire blinked her hazy eyes rapidly, feeling as if she had just been awoken from a dream. She knew exactly what the man was trying to do, but did not expect that it would work like it did. Of course she was still in control of her body, but if she had lowered her guard for even a split second it would've spelt disaster.

Ace glared down at Pietro and his band of thieves, flames ready to dish out yet another punishment.

"Scram before I really hit you." he bit through his clenched teeth, seething at the thought of what could've happened if he had not arrived.

Knowing what was good for them, they grabbed their fallen brother and high tailed out of the tavern before anyone could bat another eye.

Ace then turned to the nonchalant-looking Cheshire.

"Are you okay?"

Cheshire quirked an eyebrow, "Pardon?"

Ace sighed, "I guess there was nothing to worry about." He paused before staring seriously at the girl before him, "But seriously, be more careful. There are a lot of perverts in these parts and I don't want you to get hurt."

Cheshire grinned, "So you were worried about me?"

"Of course." Cheshire blushed. "We're crewmates."

Not noticing the relieved look on Cheshire's face, Ace continued.

"Plus you remind me of my little brothers every now and then."

Cheshire rolled her eyes, not saying anything as she motioned for Ace to sit down with her.

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"Do you have to eat like that?"

Cheshire adorned a disgusted look on her face as she stared at Ace boldly. Never had she ever met a man as disgusting as the one before her. He ate like an absolute pig. They had only sat down to eat for a few minutes and he was already covered in food. His face was covered in grease and scraps of meat, even places far from his mouth like his eyebrows. His cheeks were packed with food that would sometimes fall out and fly around, especially when he talked.

"Wa da madda?" He asked, mouth once again filled to the brim with food.

"You're revolting."

Seeing the scrunched up look on Cheshire's face, Ace couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed with how he was acting. Every time they had eaten previously, they were surrounded by the other members of the crew. Practically everyone on board ate the same way that he did, so he never felt out of place. However, now that it was just him and Cheshire, he couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious.

She ate small, proportionate bites. They were never too big, nor too small. All of them might even have be the exact same size even. Her face and hands were always clean, no matter what she ate. Unlike Ace, she never slobbered or drooled or dropped scraps of meat around. She never talked with her mouthful, either. And something that Ace had always taken notice of was the little napkin- thing that she did. Whenever she sat down to eat her forks, knives and spoons were always places in the exact same spot, as was her napkin. The little white piece of fabric would always be placed onto her lap before eating. After eating, she would delicately wipe the corner of her mouth with a napkin that was folded on her lap – always. She would fold it into a triangle and dap the corners of her lips from left to right – never right to left – and then wipe her entire mouth before wiping her hands and folding the napkin in the opposite direction, then placing it onto the table.

It was always done precisely, as if it were the same choreography that she had been taught to do her entire life. It made Ace feel insecure, almost. They were so different, and although it never bothered him before, he couldn't help but to take notice of it now.

"Well, why do you always do that." Ace asked.

"What?"

"That thing."

Cheshire quirked an eyebrow, obviously confused. She wiped the corners of her lips with the napkin, then proceeded to wipe her already clean hands.

"What thing?"

Ace sighed exasperatedly, pointing at Cheshire's actions.

"That thing."

"What? Wiping my hands?" she inquired, placing the napkin back onto the table.

"NO-" Ace started, "-I MEAN, YES..." he sighed, "You always have this fancy routine."

He then went on to explaining the things he observed with Cheshire, without skipping a beat.

"I don't know whether I should be flattered or disturbed."

The only people that had ever noticed so much about her, were the people trying to kidnap her. They sometimes knew more about her than she did herself, but now someone had taken the initiative to study her on their own terms.

Why?

It wasn't like she was special.

She wasn't very beautiful, graceful, soft spoken, or comforting like most guys wanted their wives to be like. Cheshire had always been told that she was the farthest thing from an ideal wife, when she was growing up. Sometimes when she encountered people during her many travels, they would tell her the same thing.

A lady is not meant to travel, especially alone.

A wife should be at home.

She should be married off already.

Where was her husband?

She must be a great disappointment to her family.

These were things that Cheshire had always heard, no matter the destination. It was why she had always kept to herself.

Mothers would look at her fair beauty and unique features, and instantly want her to marry their unwed sons, or become a concubine to a wealthy husband. They would promise lavish, loving and domesticated lived that did not appeal to her in the slightest. Upon seeing her bounty or hearing that she was a traveller, Cheshire would immediately become the scorn of the town.

A woman as a criminal is simply unorthodox and an abomination to all other females.

Each day she travelled together with Ace, she was reminded of all the times she travelled with her brothers. They were alert, yet carefree when it came to the world around them. It was something that she had been unable to do since the attack that killed their mother. Yet even today, when she could have possibly been kidnapped, she felt a sense of peace in Ace's company.

Seeing the small smile on Cheshire's lips, Ace couldn't help but smile in return as well.