fierybluebird | [Voice / Written]

... well... [he sighs.] Someone made a post asking about Luffy, and if he was "suave" or something. I figured that since it was around Valentine's Day, he must've had something against Luffy because of girl, and I knew since he's my brother. So I tried to clear it up by saying he's not like that, and just trying to reassure him. But I kinda... I guess I called him out on liking someone, and that might've ticked him off. I should've just dropped it, but I didn't want him to get the wrong idea. And then he got snarky and... said... [He hesitated a minute. Now the words just hurt.] He said I was being pretty kind to a stranger who... might have a thing against his blood.

[Marco, if you run out that door, he is going to tackle you and tie you down to something. But right now, he just looks down.]

Edited 2012-03-01 06:17 (UTC)

[Holds a hand over his eyes trying to figure this out. The words are there but they're tangled up in so many things. No, Marco isn't going to go kill anyone yet, if anything, he's just confused. What does this have to do with blood at all? Of course it's a sensitive topic for Ace, and Marco is... extremely overprotective to understate it vastly. However, he can't understand the trains of thought.]

He thinks you have a thing against Luffy's blood? Did you tell him you're brothers? Or that you have the same crazy ass Grandfather who punched you and nearly broke your best friend's jaw? [Yes, he just titled himself Ace's best friend, deal with it. Also he's way too exaggerating Garp's punch since nothing could break Marco's bones, but whatever.]

Here. [Holds out a hand for Ace's journal.] Let me see. [Holds up a hand.] I won't kill him if you insist. I just don't get how the conversation went from Luffy to something stupid.

Yeah, I told him we're brothers. [He shakes his head.] He didn't know Luffy and I aren't blood-related. [He takes a deep breath for this part.] That's why he said he might have a thing against my blood. [Even though he meant Luffy's.]

[He goes to his room real quick, and gets his journal. Flipping through the pages, he finds this and hands it to Marco.] I think I really screwed up when I called him out on liking someone.

Edited 2012-03-01 14:49 (UTC)

[Flips through it. And then skims the rest of the entry very quickly.]

Kid's just jealous of your brother. You probably made him nervous since you know how protective big brothers can get. And if you think he knew or cared about your lineage... all I have to do is point out that he thought Luffy was suave.

You said Luffy thought he had a girlfriend during the mix-up? [Tousles Ace's hair and goes to get him something to eat.] Ten thousand berri says this guy's got a crush on that girl, eh? I don't think he'll really hold a grudge against your brother. [A small sigh though, what is he going to do with Ace? Kid flies off the handle same as ever, but it's part of why Marco loves him. Still made for a lot of messes sometimes.] And he doesn't know better about you.

That's what I thought, he was just pissed because Luffy was dating some girl he liked. I shouldn't have butted in like that, really. I know, he didn't know, but--

[And he just cuts himself off there, yes we can drop this now.]

[Hugs.] You didn't do anything wrong. Just don't -- [Hand to forehead again. "Don't jump the gun?" It was still who Ace was, and Marco wasn't going to tell him not to be himself.]

Don't take it so hard when people say accidental things. I know, it's hard. [Tightens that hug.] But they don't know, they don't mean it that way. If you take it that way no matter how they mean it, you'll be cutting them off from having the choice of saying what they really mean, eh? [Rubs his face. It was still a trigger though, and one he knew would hit Ace hard. How could he convince him better?]

... I did when I blew up at him. [He just sort of. Half hugs him now. Cause he feel like an idiot.]

I try not to let what they say get to me, especially when they don't know. I really try to give the benefit of the doubt but... I'm just... god, I don't know. [He actually does. It's like he clams up, and puts a shield around himself so nothing else can hurt him, accidental or not. It's childish and he knows it, but he's sick of being hurt like that.] I'm just an idiot who needs to learn to just... not get hurt by this shit.

[Soft grin. Damn it Ace, you're too cute for Marco to even ever just once get mad at in person, that's what you are. And he ruffles Ace's hair and doesn't let him out of the hug.]

No, you're you. Portgas D. Ace isn't an idiot, but he is a wildfire, and I wouldn't have him any other way. You can apologize to the guy later. Stop beating yourself up over it though, eh? [Affectionately hugs him with another hair tousle.] If you don't like how you handled it, don't do it that way if there's a next time. No regrets, eh? And he could have been less of an idiot himself. If someone got jealous over the things you did over this last week and took it out on me, I'd kick their ass seven ways from Sunday. So you handled it fine Firework.

[He hugs him back a little tighter after a while, and is just going to hide his face for a bit because dude, you're embarrassing him. Whyyyyyy do you do this.]

Mn... I'm definitely going to apologize later. [But not now. He looks a bit annoyed at the tousles, but doesn't mind much.] I'm not sure you'd need to beat them up that much, though. But thanks, anyway.

[Because older brothers live to mortify the younger ones. Or something.]

Depends on how many friends you made out with. [Because Marco can only be serious for so long before ruining it with deadpan jokes.] Blood doesn't matter Ace. It's the choices you make. The Malnosso weren't giving anyone choices, eh? So anyone holding grudges is as dumb as someone who'd have a grudge against blood. Don't sweat it. [MORE RUFFLES. He's starting to wonder how many more times he can do this before Ace starts batting his hand away like a cat.]

[Meanie. He chuckles, and holds up three fingers.] Only Nami, Vivi, and Miyabi. Think you can control your anger.

[And here is where Ace freezes. "Blood doesn't matter." Marco, you have no idea how much Ace disagrees with that statement. For a good number of reasons he's learned about his whole fucking life. To say he's extremely skeptical about it is just putting it lightly. "As dumb as someone who'd have a grudge against blood"... try telling that to the shitty marines, Marco. Because no matter how hard he tries to think otherwise, he will always know blood does matter. Which is why he is just not going to answer you now because he doesn't want to say anything. It already hurts too much.]

Those are some pretty hot ladies. Depends on which guys get jealous, eh?

[Marco frowns. He did tell the marines that, so did Pops. They sent the message via kicks to marine skulls. But so far as Marco's concerned, if they can't understand that, they aren't worth bothering with. Because unlike Ace, Marco really and truly doesn't care about people like that. To him they could very well be ants. Someone too dumb to understand that blood didn't mean anything, that people could choose family, that adoption was just as good; maybe better, Marco didn't care what they thought about anything. It made them ants to him. And if an ant feebly called you names, would it bother you? So when Marco breaks the silence, it's quietly intense, a rolling fury wrapped in cool deadpan.]

You have one father Ace. You made that clear to the whole fucking world when you said the Era was his. You know where your grave is? Right next to his. So that no one can ever look at one of you and not see the other.

[Gets up give Ace some space under the pretense of grabbing something.] Don't forget that on me now kiddo.

[He listens to Marco's words, a feeling of pain washing over him. He tries not to let it bother him, that he doesn't care. But... people have been hating him because of blood since before he was even born. Before he had even come into the world, people were saying he needed to die, people were trying to kill his mother, just for holding him. He hated Roger more than he ever thought he could now. It's because of that bastard's blood that he's in this-- even Ace knew blood mattered. It mattered to him for so many reasons. He knew Whitebeard was his father, that was all he cared about. He didn't want to care about who's blood he had, except for his mother's. Hers was more important than anything to him. Ace never wanted to think about Roger's blood. Yet people kept reminding him about it ever since he was a child. And possibly before that. How could Marco just shrug it off? Ace was glad his grave was right next to his father's, it made him feel like he really was his son. Marco could just not care about the rest of them. And at times... Ace wished he could do that. He hugged his knees, hiding his face on his them.]

It's not that simple...

Why? [Comes back to get down on his own knees in front of Ace, on the same level.]

Why isn't it? You want it to be, Pops says it is, I say it is, so why not?

[He grabs Marco's collar and shakes him violently.] I grew up my whole fucking life with people hating my guts just because I'm that bastard's kid! I CAN'T JUST GET OVER SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN SAID TO ME EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER!

[He keeps shaking, but eventually gets weaker and stops, trembling.] I want to believe it... more than anything, I want to think blood doesn't matter! But it's the whole reason any of this shit happened, why Marineford happened at all. I can't just brush it aside no matter how hard I try.

[Nonplussed by the shaking, but blue eyes burn with inner rage.]

Marineford happened because a bunch of people took an opportunity to turn you into a scapegoat. Ace... do you remember what I first told you? Why we call Pops our father? We're all hated around the world for who and what we are. There isn't a single damn person in our family who hasn't been an outcast. Devil fruit users, fishman, okama, Pops' size, Pops' dream, being the strongest damn pirate in the world, do you think people outside the crew, liked him for those things?

Do you think before you came along no one ever hated me, hated Pops, hated all of us? What do you think would have happened if I fought Teach instead? The exact same fucking thing. It didn't matter which of us got nabbed, they would have used any of us and all of us to get a chance at Pops' head. Teach used us, used them, and all while they thought they were using him.

What is blood? Some construct of someone else's design? You're Portgas D. Ace. You know why? Because you say you are. If I call you a cowboy, you tell me you're not. So why is this different? Why does them hating you for your blood matter over them hating you for being a pirate? Or hating you for having freckles? Or hating you for having tattoos? No one can choose to be born, no one can choose their blood, their species, any of it, so what does it matter? You wouldn't hate anyone for their blood; no one worth talking to will hate you for yours, so leave the rest behind. They're too shallow to think in a grand scale. They've done nothing of worth so they hide behind something they think will make them special. Then they drown in their own stupidity.

Why do you care?

[He can't say it. He looks Marco in the eye the whole while he says that, and just can't SAY it. He bites his lower lip to keep the words from coming out. His blood caused him to die by Akainu's hand, Roger's blood caused his mother to die for him. He doesn't want to think that he's different from his crew, no matter what. He wants to be their nakama, not care about blood and what it means or how it affects someone. He wishes he could just forget it all.]

I care because... I... [He can't even say anything now. His lower lip quivers, and he just rests his head on Marco's shoulder, trying to suppress the tears.]

[Instantly hugs as warmly and soothingly as he can.]

It's okay.... it's okay. I'm sorry. If it matters to you, it matters to me... I just want to fix it. Things like this... [Blood doesn't matter to Marco, but it does matter to him that Ace is hurt over it. It matters to him enough to destroy everything and everyone that ever hurt Ace, but for now he settles with a warm hug.]

I can't change how other people think. What they say, what they do. But I promise you Ace, from the bottom of my heart, your blood doesn't mean a thing to me. [Good, bad, anything. All that mattered to Marco was that it was upsetting Ace and that he had to try to find a way to lessen that.] You will always be my nakama. My fireworks. Whether you're a marine, or join your brother's crew, I know who you are, and I love you just like that. [As a little brother. And Marco would move the world for Ace if he asked it. Wouldn't even think twice.]

People... not everyone's judging you, eh? You know I'm not, and here?? Everyone's got something they want to hide. Something they fear. No one from the other worlds even knows his name. [Tightens the hug and gently strokes Ace's hair.] Be who you want to be. I'm by your side no matter what. Got it? No matter what.

[He doesn't even hesitate to hug back and take in the warmth. He keeps his face buried in Marco's shoulder, still shaking a little. "Fix it"... someone wanted to fix it. That meant the world to him. His blood didn't mean a thing to nakama, and that made him happier than he ever thought he could be.]

... thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you... it means everything to me. Thank you.

[Ahhhh he's going to start crying... Okay holding it together.]

Damn kid. I can't tell you enough. All of the crew, all of us feel that way. We came to get you because we love you, because you would have done the same for any of us and we know it. And it doesn't matter if you're by a blood a tenruubito or related to Davy Jones, you're Pops' son, you're one of us, and that will never change. Once you're accepted, you're with us forever.

[Mumbles and tearing up now, holding Ace tight.] I'm glad you're alive here.

[How he wishes the rest of the world would believe that. That way, he might have been able to have some peace with himself. He holds on tightly to Marco, refusing to let go of one of the few people here who didn't care what his background was.]

... I'm glad, too. I'm really, really glad. [Though the tears coming down his face may seem to suggest he's not. But really. He's glad.

Good. Don't you forget it. [Just holds onto him forever and lightly pets Ace's hair.]

I won't... I swear I won't. [He trembles a little and quietly sobs into Marco's shoulder. He just wants to stay there.]

And if you do, then I'll be right here to remind you ten thousand times over, eh?

[He gives a shaky nod.] Mhm. Good.

[He doesn't have much else to say. He just keeps hugging him to feel secure. And not lonely.]

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[action] worst icon choice, but I couldn't help it

[action] alskdjalsdkj it's cute though ;; and kind of fits

[action] it is frickin adorable ;A; and yes it does fit a little

[action] moe :3

[action] very moe

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