PC: ACE 💀

[resumed]

Comments

[selfimmolation]

I wonder if it's like with animals. They like stuff smelling a certain way, you know?

[ pet pet ]

Your clothes must've been the only thing familiar for the little guy.

[resumed]

I suppose so. [ he says, not really being that familiar with animals. ]

It eventually found Will, too, but it seems to prefer my things over his. So I think it's a losing battle more than anything.

[selfimmolation]

I get it, you're the favorite. Poor Will's been abandoned.

[ has he ]

[resumed]

Like that matters because Will's my favorite. [ it's said more reflexively than anything and he, like, pauses. that was bad. even for him. why did he say it like that. ]

But I think I'm the favorite because I also let it eat whatever it wants, so what can it complain about?

[selfimmolation]

[ he's. yeah he's laughing. gay. ]

Uh-huh. Is Will harder on the diet?

[resumed]

Will's a doctor. [ tiredly. ] It's hit or miss depending on if he feels like contradicting me that day or not.

[selfimmolation]

[ laughing at nico's pain ]

Oh, so it's like that? Abusing his doctor knowledge?

[resumed]

Yeah, he's a menace. [ completely deadpan and ignoring that he is also a gremlin child. ] Whenever he wants me to do something I don't agree with he tacks on that it's "doctor's orders" so I don't even get to say no.

[selfimmolation]

That's your own fault for letting it work on you. I'm great at ignoring doctor's orders.

[ he's faux bragging. but also. yea. he is. ]

[resumed]

I kind of get the feeling you're great at ignoring orders in general, Ace.

[ you know. pirate. ]

[selfimmolation]

Hey, I listen to my captain.

[ most of the time. ]

[resumed]

Until he says something you don't agree with? [ he senses the chaos, dude. ]

[selfimmolation]

[ this laugh is a little more wry as he scratches the back of his head, ducking to look away ]

Ah, well. [ well. ] It's rare he can't convince me even when I'm being stubborn.

[resumed]

[ hm... ]

Just the sign of loyalty, isn't it?

[selfimmolation]

Of course. [ that comes faster, a little fierce. ] I wouldn't have joined his crew and put his mark on my back if I wasn't.

[resumed]

[



i'm assuming he's shirtless so he's just. leaning to look at the mark a little closer. squinting. studying it. ]

Did it have to be that big...?

[selfimmolation]

[ if he's not shirtless i'll mention it. it's worth noting when it happens. ]

Nah. A lot of the crew have it smaller, or elsewhere. I'm the one who wanted it like this.

[resumed]

[ that's fair. ace you whore. ]

Oh. Can I ask why? [ he's mostly curious if there's an actual reason or if ace just went "why not." ]

[selfimmolation]

Ah...

[ he's not hesitating because he doesn't want to say, but because there's a lot of context that's hard to explain. ]

I didn't set out to join Whitebeard. In fact, I tried to take his head-- about a hundred times. It's a bit hard to explain, but despite all that, he offered me a place on his crew. As his son. So when I accepted it, I didn't take that oath to him lightly, and I wanted to make sure the world knew it. Now, I'm always carrying Pops' will and pride with me. [ it's very sentimental and symbolic, is the point. he grins lightly ]

[resumed]

[ first of all, he kind of respects the idea of ace trying to murder his captain. listen. you establish yourself first and then figure stuff out later, it's normal. but the rest...makes sense to him in a different way. he can understand the idea of taking an oath and wanting to abide by it. he can understand the idea of intense loyalty. he can understand what it means to be accepted somewhere and want everyone to know how it shaped you.

so yeah. he sort of grins in thought. ]

...the tattoo Will's got is because of his dad. Similar reasons, like...a symbol to honor him. A lot of the time people like us don't have the best relationships with our parents or...you know, authority. So when it happens it's kind of a big deal.

[ which is to say he gets it. ]

[selfimmolation]

[ i love that icon i'm distracted by it. ace kind of smiles, briefly, at the comparison. ]

... Yeah. [ because it's similar. ] Whitebeard's the only father I'll acknowledge. [ he doesn't say much more than that on the subject, because it says enough about his parental relationships there. but he does have a funny anecdote: ] Although, he's even worse about ignoring doctors than anyone else. Stubborn old man. [ soft and fond ]

[resumed]

[ it's my favorite. he seems a little pleased that ace got the point though.

he doesn't think it's a bad thing if ace is only accepting an adopted father. listen, he's one of the last people to talk about daddy issues. so he does not voice it out loud, there's just a quiet sense of understanding. ]

Well now I see where you get it from. [ teasing. ] ...Apollo's the god of a few things where we're from, including the sun and healing. So...[ he kind of shrugs as if that explains things. you pick the things from the people you love and run with it, really. ]

[selfimmolation]

[ leave his daddy issues alone thanks. anyway this is the first time the terms gods was used im pretty sure which is hilarious ]

... A god, huh? Is that where your powers come from, then?

[ gods and the devil. little funny for ace. ]

[resumed]

[ no. also yeah it is it's fine, nico seems to like. be aware this is the first time he's spelled it out for ace so he doesn't seem surprised. ]

Yes. Jason's as well. [ he had mentioned that they got their powers from their fathers, but he never outright said they were gods. so. ] Our camp's for people like us who're children of the gods. It's how Will and I met.

[selfimmolation]

[ gods do not have children in one piece, only devils :) ]

It's kind of impressive to think there's a place where the gods have so many kids they'd make a whole camp for them, but... [ but knowing what he does about the camp and the note about not getting along with parents. it kind of sounds like gods are deadbeats, so. ] Glad to hear Will gets along with his, at least.