Ace was the last to arrive at Rikka's suite, much to Levi's annoyance.
"Why didn't you check your phone," Levi barked. " I sent you a picture so you wouldn't walk here this time. 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 always 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. He shook his head, shaking off the anger, and reminded himself, not to get caught up in everyone else's drama. Levi sighed and mumbled for him to follow him outside. They stood in the hallway, which Ace noticed was strangely empty.
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. 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! 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 harassing others instead of constantly being on the receiving end. It made him believe he was winning some kind of imaginary competition.
"Ace, I have a girlfriend."
"Is it Candice," Ace whispered. "She said she left me for someone else."
"What? No! Gross."
He twisted his face in disgust, the very idea of even being next to her revolting. Ever since he had seen her do something despicable last week, 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.
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"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 said.
"It's fine...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, but still a little scary when he did so, his smile somehow still looking like a smirk.
"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. "Stop cheating."
Ace felt like he was turning into a puddle when Levi's hand touched him and he began to doubt himself. That he was projecting all along. He averted his eyes and tried not to meet his gaze, and started thinking about his hands.
"I'll try not to get caught again," Ace replied.
Levi sighed in exasperation.
Ace noticed again that no one else was in the hallway, and suddenly he started to feel very nervous. "Let's put this all behind us," Levi sighed. "I don't like yelling at you. I don't want you to think that I hate you."
"You don't hate me," Ace asked.
"How could I ever? You've never done anything to me."
Levi couldn't ever hate Ace, since he believed he was the reason why Ace had the memory of a koala, and the reasoning skills of a hardened marshmallow.
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.