Work Text:
It was supposed to be a goodbye. Something he never wanted to do, but had to. He didn't want her to keep waiting for him only to be greeted eventually by heartbreak. They had reaffirmed their love and he thought it was enough closure. So when she didn't let go of his hand when he was about to get on his boat, his heart sank once more.
"Isuka..." he said softly, almost pleading her not to make this harder for both of them.
She squeezed his hand. "At least stay the night...please."
Ace knew it would be a bad idea. He knew that if he stayed longer, he wouldn't want to go anymore. He had to leave as soon as possible. So why then did he pull her into a hug, nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck? All that strength and courage he mustered up so he could say goodbye to his love gone with just one plea.
"Okay," he whispered before planting a kiss near her ear.
Out of all the nights they had spent together, this one felt the shortest. They held each other, caressed every part scarred by battles and tragedies—a level of intimacy neither had shared with anyone else.
Tears trailed her cheeks once more as he made love to her. Ace thought he must be a sick man to find her still, if not more beautiful despite the fact. He kissed her tear streak in apology, and her lips in sincerity. Being with Isuka always brought a special kind of peace in him. One where he felt most loved, protected, and accepted. It was foolish to wonder how he ended up falling asleep as they cuddled when he planned to leave before sunrise.
When he woke up to find her bedside empty, his heart raced. Realization hitting him with every beat.
It couldn't be...
He quickly got dressed and ran out of the cabin they had rented, straight to the cove where he stowed away his speedster. Thousands of thoughts were racing in his head—how this wasn't supposed to happen or how he didn't want her to do this much for him.
As he had expected, she was there. Isuka turned around to look at Ace knowingly. It was a short distance between the cove and the cabin but Ace felt breathless. She smiled at him, her eyes the most determined he had ever seen. Ace sighed and smiled back. There was no talking her out of this. A stubborn woman loved him and he would forever be grateful for that.
"Ready to go?" She held out her scarred hand to him.