Chapter 4.25: Hate At First Sight.

Ace hated Leviathan. The first moment he laid eyes on him, it was hate at first sight. He knew it was irrational. He tried to avoid him, because hating someone for no reason was a bad thing.

   He told himself, I wouldn't like it if someone did the same to me. Since he hated Levi, instead of simply blinking his eyes and teleporting back inside the ship he decided to walk back, even though he would have to suffer from more Invictus' observations of everything around them.

  When Levi and Ace first met during training, Levi was quite friendly. So friendly, actually, that Ace started to think that he had ulterior motives. One day Ace asked him point blank, and Levi became flustered and embarrassed. He denied it all, but Levi's reaction just solidified Ace's theory.

He told Levi, it's okay that you're gay, but I'm not interested.

Levi adamantly said that he was not, which just further made Ace try to be kinder, to assure him that he wouldn't tell anyone.

  Ever since that day Levi was quite horrible to Ace.

  While Ace walked through the halls of the ship his mind ran in circles, trying to figure out who Candice had left him for.

Someone stronger than me, he thought. Someone who probably hates me?

After some time he came to the conclusion that it could be no one other than Levi.

   He couldn't date me, so he took my girlfriend, Ace thought. Or maybe all along he wanted Candice and pretended to like me.

Once Ace had an idea in his mind, even if it was wrong, he would run with it like he stole it.

  Ace was the last to arrive at Rikka's suite, much to Levi's annoyance.

"Why are you the last one here when you can travel that fastest," Levi barked. "Why do you think you can do whatever you want?"

  Everyone was quiet, feeling awkward whenever Levi was shouting. His pale face turned red and his words seemed to cut into people, being as loud as possible to push them into subservience.

   Everyone was used to their fighting, but lately it was getting worse and worse, and more antagonistic and one-sided from Levi. Ace's refusal to try anymore whenever Levi was around didn't help.

At this point Ace figured that no matter how hard he tried, Levi would allways bully him.

  "I got lost," Ace lied.

  Levi's eyes glowed a deep intense blue. He was about to speak, but realized everyone was staring at them, waiting for another fight to happen.

I can't chew him out in front of everyone, Levi thought. It's unprofessional.

  Levi sighed and mumbled for him to follow him outside. They stood in the hallway, which Ace noticed was strangely empty.

Where is everyone, Ace thought. The entire ship was full earlier.

  Levi groaned and shook his head. "Ace, why do you hate me," Levi asked. "Why do you do this?"

  "I could ask you the same thing," he hissed. "Why do you always pick on me?"

  "I don't pick on you," Levi mumbled. "I'm just trying to make sure you can keep up with us."

   "You've always hated me ever since I rejected you."

   "There was nothing to reject," Levi hissed. "I am not into you."

  Ace smirked, seeing the reaction Levi had, further entrenching his belief that Levi liked him, instead of just initially being too friendly.

"It's cool, I get it," Ace winked. "I know this is hard to stay away from."

  Ace rubbed his chest and grinned, wanting to be the one who was harrassing others instead of constantly being on the receiving end.

"Ace, I have a girlfriend."

"Is it Candice," Ace whispered. "She said she left me for someone else."

"What, no," Levi shrieked.

  He twisted his face in disgust, the very idea of even being next to her revolting. Ever since he had seen her eat fingers like they were gummy bears he couldn't even look her in the eyes, afraid that she knew.

  Ace paused. The neurons in his brain began to fire off, finally working after being lazy all day to come to a proper conclusion.

"You… don't want Candice," Ace asked.

"Never. She shows too much and she's not my type."

   Ace felt very stupid. His face turned three different shades of red, and he looked at the floor. He had come to the wrong conclusion, all on his own, out of anger.

"I… I'm sorry," Ace mumbled. "I thought….you..I mean…" He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence, staring at the burgundy carpet on the floor.

"I am not into you. I do not want Candice. Is this why you've hated me this entire time?"

Invictus snickered, which just added to Ace's embarrassment and shame.

  "I'm sorry", Ace rasped.

"It's fine," Levi grumbled. "Stop assuming things about people. I'm honestly just trying to help you out."

"How does yelling help me with anything," Ace snapped.

"If you actually pushed yourself you could be very strong," Levi smiled. Ace was taken aback when he glanced at Levi's face. He rarely smiled, and Ace thought he was actually quite handsome when he did so.

  "Thank you", he mumbled.

Levi noticed Ace was still staring at the ground, and he lifted his face up by his chin which just made Ace panic and turn stiff. "You're confident, but in the wrong ways," Levi chided him. "Just focus on the right things and you'll be fine."

  Ace felt like he was turning into a puddle when Levi's hand touched him and he began to doubt himself.

Have I been projecting this entire time, Ace wondered. Was I the one that liked him instead?

  "Okay," Ace mumbled. "I'll do better." Levi smiled again and Ace realized that no one else was in the hallway, and suddenly he started to feel very nervous.

What is wrong with me, Ace thought. I get a little attention and my mind wanders to weird places.

"Let's put this all behind us," Levi sighed. "I don't like yelling at you. I don't want you thinking that I hate you."

"You don't hate me," Ace asked. "How could I ever," Levi asked.

"You've never done anything to me."

In fact I'm the reason you act like an idiot now that you've got the memory of a koala, Levi thought.

  Ace smiled weakly and held his other wrist, suddenly unsure what to do with his hands, unsure what to say next, feeling hot for no reason. Levi patted him on the shoulder and grinned. "Let's go back to work. Okay?" Ace nodded and continued to look back at the ground, flustered, feeling like a child that was caught lying.

  Fenton made a face when they came back in. Ace and Levi weren't angry, in fact they were better, which just confused him. He got confused even more when he saw the color of their auras, pale pink, and his mind started piecing together things that he never saw before.

  I hate this dumb ability, Fenton thought. I should not need to know these things.

Fenton made a mental note to just ask Ace later, but he wasn't really sure he wanted answers to his questions.