PC: ACE 💀

[resumed]

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[selfimmolation]

You're worse than he is. [ he has no proof of this except he thinks it's funny to say ]

[resumed]

[ indignant!!!

...but he does quiet again. ]

I'm not always great at showing affection. [ so. ] Overdoing it sometimes balances it out for him. That's all.

[selfimmolation]

You say that like it's bad. [ he pauses ] It's nice. That you can care about each other like that.

[resumed]

[ he looks at the ceiling a little. ]

...some people may feel like it's unnecessary, but given the amount of times I've almost lost him even recently I think perhaps we're both justified here. [ he does not need to explain this to ace.] Plus there are things about this place that...really make things more complicated.

[selfimmolation]

Anyone ever actually tell you that? [ a little surprised but also a little like he would fight them. ace, no. ]

[resumed]

Not in so many words but there have been people who've expressed frustrations with it before. [ he doesn't seem to want to elaborate either. ] Which I get. I don't really blame them.

[selfimmolation]

[ he makes a grumbling kind of noise ]

Tell me. I'll kick their ass.

[ he would not say it this bluntly and sulkily if it wasn't for the soup brain but here we are ]

[resumed]

[ raising an eyebrow teasingly. ]

You don't think I could kick their ass myself? [ ace your brain is soup. but he's flattered (?) ]

[selfimmolation]

They'll just think you're offended. It's different when someone else tells them to fuck off.

[resumed]

[ he shrugs briefly. ]

If you remember this conversation later, then I'll tell you. How about that?

[selfimmolation]

[ nods. pauses. ]

Hey.

[resumed]

[ just an innocent smile? ]

[selfimmolation]

... Don't tell me things just because you think I won't remember. That's rude.

[resumed]

Maybe I'm not always a nice person. [ hehe. but...he does seem to shift his way of thinking then. ]

...some of these are just things I think I want to tell people, but I don't know how to. So it feels easier thinking you may or may not remember tomorrow.

[selfimmolation]

Hmmm. Usually you do it people when they're drunk, not when they've got weird side effects. [ but it's teasing so he's clearly not mad about it. ]

[resumed]

Most of my friends aren't old enough to actually drink where I'm from. [ it's entirely possible they could maybe figure out a way for underage drinking to happen, but he does not say this. ] Also don't judge me.

[selfimmolation]

I can judge you all I want if you're being rude. [ he laughs a little ] I... stole my first drink at ten, did I tell you?

[resumed]

Yeah but you'd be wrong. [ stop. but he grins slightly, more than willing to entertain this. ] I don't think you told me that story, no. Why'd you do it? Just because?

[selfimmolation]

Something I heard, actually. They say if you share sake together, you become brothers. [ he laughs ] So I stole Dadan's sake and drank a cup with Luffy and Sabo.

[resumed]

Not a bad way of making sure your family's your family. [ it's a nice sentiment, he thinks. ] Surprised nobody noticed the sake was gone to begin with.

[selfimmolation]

What was Dadan gonna do, ground me? She stopped trying to wrangle me when I was like four.

[ fondly. ]

[resumed]

Dude, I don't know. Considering the kind of kid you were I guess I can see why she'd let you do whatever you wanted after a while.

[selfimmolation]

Haha, yeah... [ sort of fond ] She really was saddled with a lot 'cause of the old man.

[resumed]

I guess I can't say much about it. Chiron and Mr. D have to watch after a lot of us every summer and some throughout the whole year. I think there's a lot they've just sort've turned a blind eye to because it's easier than dealing with it. [ but... ] When did you last see her anyway?

[selfimmolation]

[ he's pausing there looking blankly at nothing for a bit like he legitimately can't remember ]

When I set sail. That was... [ why can't he remember. ] She didn't come see me off, but I left her a message. I think. [ he plays with the beads around his neck ]