totalacehole

[totalacehole]

Satisfied, Ace resumed watching over the meat sizzling over the bonfire, rotating it occasionally to thoroughly cook it. Sure, he's not the biggest fan of alligator, but now that they've been sneaking off to build their treehouse, Dadan is getting more sulky anytime they crawl back in the late hours, when the chirps of the bugs become more pronounced, a certain quiet tranquility that comes from a night out in the wilderness. So, he's learned to be less picky.

Lips pulled down and head lowered, he wordlessly checks on the meat. It's still tender; he's lucky that the scaly hide hasn't hardened yet. Using a pocketknife, he cleanly sliced off a piece and threw it to the rubber child as a reward for his patience. "Looks 'bout ready," he conceded, having also broken a part of the lower tail for himself. Chewing on the white meat, he skillfully rotated the skewer, cutting up sections as he served Luffy first before settling down with a small grunt as he pushes his hair away from his freckled features to take a sizable bite out of the slightly charred animal.

"...You don't have to pretend," he loftily replied, the tell-tale curve of his mouth promised he wouldn't allow Luffy off the hook quite so easily. "If you're too chicken, then maybe I shouldn't tell you this one."

Swallowing, he gets up and curls his hands and sways as a ghost, continuing in a spooky voice, "A wandering mother roaming the rivers, looking for the children she had drowned in her grief–but I'd hate for ya to get nightmares, being the crybaby you are."

It was a challenge, as he cheekily smirked at the skittish male who appeared noticeably apprehensive as Ace teased him.

the soft ow that eeks out from luffy at the hit is due to the reflex to react more than actual harm being done to him, him being made out of rubber & all, though it still stings, aided by ace's well-meaning, but rough-tongued reprimand. & with a small huffy pout, the boy with the straw hat snatches back his stretchy limbs & drops his greedy, grappling fingers & hands back into his lap -- now the perfect picture of a good listener, straightened back & all, showing off his determination to be on better behavior.

he reigns himself in for both of their benefits, not wanting to actively aggravate ace when it was time for them to relax for the night after a long, hard day. they had plenty of meat left, sure, but it was ultimately better in the long run to enjoy it together, cooked. alligator wasn't luffy's all time favorite food anyway, it was boar. maybe they could catch one tomorrow? they hadn't seen one in quite a while....

"okay, okay, 'm sorry, ace!" he happily chirps back in earnest apology, briefly losing interest in the food in favor of focusing on his older brother as he starts to talk again. his lips instantly & dramatically thin at the threat, almost as if ace had abruptly shoved a lemon into luffy's gluttonous, black-hole of a maw; easily betraying his unease at the thought of the aforementioned story.

"noooo, that one was b-boring, ace!" he lies with an outright whine, nervous sweat breaking out on his open pores as coal-dark eyes shift away; suddenly skittish. "I wanna hear something else!"

[totalacehole]

Tbh Ace dying at Marineford is peak older sibling behaviour not (just) in a heroic emotional way but also in a petty way. Like if MY silly little brother publicly rescued me from a govt execution I would also immediately have to one up him by sacrificing my life for his as an assertion of Sibling Dominance

[totalacehole]

"...I don't think that's quite how it works," he quipped, inwardly wondering if his cooking skills would fail him like always. "Seeing as it's your birthday, I'd like nothing more than to be the one to cook for you."

Coughing, he sheepishly admitted, "Though I'd be a fool to deny any pointers. My track record in a kitchen isn't the best." Leaning forwards, he pressed a digit to relight the match as the sea breeze nearly extinguished it, an infectious smirk as he peered at Sanji beneath sleepy lashes before softly inquiring, "So, what are ya craving, birthday man?"

"Come now, my birthday doesn't mean that people don't still need to eat," crowed the cook as he leaned over the taffrail. The end of his cigarette glowed when the sea breeze enveloped it; tendrils of smoke stretched around him briefly. A gentle crinkle at the corner of his eyes accompanied a broad, genuine smile. "Go ahead, tell me what you'd like and I'll fix it for you."

open

[totalacehole]

i take forever to ship if damn do i enjoy writing kisses.

[totalacehole]

Of course Deuce would think of it like that. Why was he not surprised? Not deterred, the curly-haired male was about to open his mouth and give him a piece of his mind when suddenly...

"Oi..." His view was temporarily obscured as he absently fiddled with the curled edge of his cowboy hat; his words once again failing to surface at the sudden rush of misplaced gratitude he felt towards the other pirate.

"This is all just hypothetical, yeah?"

But even he knew that he was being stupid, for there was no mistaking the earnest look of devotion that his former first-mate was giving him. That only caused his stomach to flip, a foreign sense of emotion that nearly crippled him as his mouth parted in bewilderment at the tender manner that Deuce was speaking, dammit, that wasn't simple admiration, was it?

Obsidian eyes flickered over to the of the steady curve of the taller male's lips, his suspicions laid to rest at the feel of Deuce's mouth meeting his. He wanted to protest, do anything to push away the swell of desire that allowed him to tilt his head slightly to allow him to cross that barrier of inadequacy to savor the kiss before reality set in.

It was only after pulling away did he voice his frustration. "You're driving me crazy here, Deuce." Shakily, he appears almost disgusted at having to lowly confess, "If you seek freedom–shit–you could've had anyone else instead of a filthy child of a monster."

"So what if you're a man Ace? You're still a person, a person that has the right to be treated gently and with care. Not as a means of thinking your delicate or not capable of being strong but because you don't need to be strong in those moments. What you really need is someone to just silently say I got you and know that you're safe. That you can be vulnerable without any judgement for it."

Deuce knew he and Ace had different ways of growing up, different ways of viewing things. Some of those things may never leave them but it was ok, they were out here living lives how they wanted to. Free to do things as they wished so what was the problem in doing something different then the norm?

"Besides we're pirates so we don't have to follow how things normally go. We're free to do things how we want to, to live without regrets and I for one want to live with none." Just like Ace taught him to, his hand reaching out to take Ace's into his own. What he was doing next would change things between them but he wanted to live like Ace did, without regrets. And Deuce would never regret doing something like this, leaning down to give Ace a soft kiss. Showing how he loved Ace in a way that couldn't be denied or ignored.

[totalacehole]

Sanji <3

[totalacehole]

@dreamdrove

Huffing to himself, Ace reached over to swat a certain rubber boy's extended palms aside as he busied himself with cooking the massive alligator they had recently killed earlier today while scouring for supplies to build their treehouse.

"...Quit it, Luff! If you keep taste testing, there’s not gonna be anythin' left by the time we’re supposed to be done."

Rotating the skewer over the wild flames of the bonfire, a slight grin overtook his freckled cheeks, the cherub appearance merely highlighting the noticeable youth as he adopted an almost devious expression. Leaning over to giddily whisper in the smaller child's ear, he appeared almost pleased with himself.

"I still didn't finish that ghost story from last time, y'know–so don't push it."

memes: cooking and baking starters

[totalacehole]

ace doesn't comprehend the idea of someone loving him when it concerns anything intimate.

can you blame him? although dadan and garp loved him dearly, they sure showed their love rather roughly.

[totalacehole]

Of course Deuce would think of it like that. Why was he not surprised? Not deterred, the curly-haired male was about to give him a piece of his mind when suddenly...

"Oi..." His view was temporarily obscured as he absently fiddled with the curved edge of his cowboy hat; his words once again failing to surface at the sudden rush of gratitude he felt towards the other pirate.

Dammit, Deuce was being much too smooth for him to not notice, not that he would admit such a thing. Doing so would admit defeat, and while he couldn't fathom the idea of another person seeing him in anything resembling passion, he abruptly lit his palms on fire before slapping his face to gain a much-needed reality check.

This is all just hypothetical, yeah? So–why can't I meet Deuce's eyes?

"You're such a damn sap, Deuce." And just wait for his stupid mouth to betray him as he carelessly stated, "I'm almost jealous of whoever you choose to sleep with."

Shrugging, his aimed a crooked grin before he lightly bumped his hip against the taller male's, adopting a smug expression as he continued speaking. "Unfortunately for you, I'm a guy so there's no need to treat me like I'm somethin' delicate." It didn't really make much sense to him personally.

"Exactly and that's why I didn't mark it, I know I'd be folded faster then a house of cards if I arm wrestled with you but my point remains valid." The masked man started off, he knew his strengths and weaknesses. And being able to compete with his captain in terms of strength was definitely a weakness but one that he was just fine with.

"And I'll answer why I didn't mark manhandling simply. The world has hurt you for far too long. you said it yourself, sex is supposed to be intimate. It's supposed to be a vulnerable, tender moment between two people that allow themselves to be exposed and vulnerable to someone they love. Why would I want to be rough with someone when all I want to do is to treat them gently? To give them the love and care that they deserve, make myself that safe space to be vulnerable without judgement?"

[totalacehole]

Damn it. Marco thought his flames were–beautiful? Eyes comically wide, it took him longer than he'd like to get over the shock of the older male complimenting him.

Ace hated the implications of how difficult it was to accept someone praising him.

But what he hated even more, was displaying any vulnerability.

He's always been someone who accepted himself as the demon child; a mistake who never should've been born. His tumultuous childhood was proof of his internal struggle, and while he'll probably hate himself until the day he dies, time has allowed him to meticulously craft his persona to playful grins and nonchalant recklessness.

And yet, his passion and inherent desire to prove his worth makes him subconsciously use his flame powers with an intensity that even Marco recognizes.

"Well," Ace choked out, "It's about damn time you noticed my capabilities!"

In a desperate effort to quell his erratic heartbeat, he fluidly leapt back into a fighting stance, his knuckles starkly white as he slammed a fist into his open palm, only exhaling as the heat from his powers blew his curls away from his face, before almond-shaped eyelids lowered, obsidian hues almost distant from the present.

"It still frustrates me, not being able to land a scratch on you. It makes me feel..." Scowling, he carded a palm to muss ebony strands as he finished, "powerless."

On the contrary he thought that he was in the perfect position to call Ace nicknames. He had decades worth of experience and power over the younger man after all. And while he could be cocky and smug himself at times he had the power to back it up.

So he simply let the younger man attack him with all the fire power he could bring together, keeping calm as his own blue and gold flames came out to wash away any injuries he might have sustained from the attack. the way the colors of different flames mixing together made for a beautiful sight, the first commander simply smiling soft at Ace when hearing his sullen words.

"I do not think of you as pathetic at all, overly reliant on your fruit yes but not pathetic. Your flames are beautiful, a symbol of your passion and desire to reach your dreams. Mine are geared towards support and defense, I can't use them like yours. That's why all of my offensive power came from decades worth of dedication and practice, yoi."

[totalacehole]

it's only when i start musing ace that i start to sleep anytime and anywhere.

on the bus going to work? naturally. on my break? sure, although i don't tend to faceplant into my food. unless it's friday; then anything goes. going home from work? is the sky blue. standing around for the bus to take me home? not my proudest moment, but yes. on the cramped ass bus where i feel like a literal sardine in a can? again, i'm standing why is this a thing. knocked out at like 8 in the evening? damn you, ace.

it's funny, 'cause i used to crash like crazy when i wrote him on facebook. i'm sleeping my usual hours and feel well-rested, but something about writing him makes me sleep in the oddest moments and places. which leads me to think–

(..is narcolepsy contagious?)

[totalacehole]

three prerequisites to getting shit done:

feeling awake having the place to myself did i mention having the place to myself

[totalacehole]

No, he did not totally steal all the juice from the rather vintage, upscale bar in the Goa Kingdom. And no, Luffy didn't somehow nab five delicious cakes and ate three of them on the way, leading to Ace karate-chopping that insatiable glutton away from the remaining two, of which he carried all by himself.

Luckily, he saved the chocolate and strawberry ones just for a dear barmaid.

"...Uh, 'scuse me, Makino-san?" He's panting rather heavily, damn it. Such poor manners in front of his role model. "We-" A solid smack showed a certain rubber tongue extending about ten feet, readying to devour the chocolate gâteau whole before Ace squeezed the pink appendage purposefully, a rare grin tentatively surfaced on his cherub cheeks.

"Actually, I just wanted to wish you a h-happy birthday!"

[totalacehole]

i still don't know how to make my asks/answered appear more stylish like i see some people do. sfsfaasf

i know some do banners or make it a new post, but i wanna see the original question, so i just answer it as-is. wish there was some way to lower the font size of the sender's post.

[totalacehole]

"You're a fan of experiments, right?" Sanji flashed Ace a teasing grin, a gloved hand raised to reveal a small transparent bag with a pepper inside, its hue an angry shade of red. "Supposed to be one of the hottest in the world. Was kinda curious if it'd have an affect on you..."

Turning at the sound, slanted eyes immediately flickered over to the crimson pepper that Sanji had presented him with. Was this a trick question? Well, it's not like Ace went around bragging about how much he enjoyed any spicy cuisine; his favorite spaghetti aglio was filled with ghost peppers, so he didn't imagine he would fare all that badly.

Still–

The cook had likely gone to some trouble to procure this vegetable, and it would be quite rude of him to not play along.

"...Ah, my devil fruit being what it is, I'm rather adept to handle anything hot in temperature, peppers included." A smirk curved around his freckled cheeks as he saucily inquired, "What kinda reward would I get should I succeed?"

[totalacehole]

The first thing that Ace had thought when he laid eyes on this man was God, he's perfect. Sure, there was the physical aspect of it. Sanji was definitely easy on the eyes, that's for damn sure. Obsidian hues caught every movement, a dopey grin on his freckled visage as he repeatedly got lost in those slate blue eyes of his a handful of times while the blonde was hard at work.

But the sole trait of him that captivated the fire wielder like nobody's business was how humble he was. Here he was, making a meal while conversing with him; although he seemed a little nervous, his movements were smooth. Practiced fingers skillfully sliced the food on the cutting board, deftly maneuvering as he silenced the shrill whine of the kettle once it sounded. And honestly? It all smelled pretty fuckin' good.

Nobody would ever doubt that he was an expert when it came to how to run a kitchen. This was practically his domain, and Ace was but an onlooker who wanted nothing more than to try and figure this man out once and for all.

"You go through all this trouble to make me a meal, simply 'cause I mentioned forgetting to eat lunch earlier." Chin propped on his palm, he hoped that he didn't look as smitten as he felt as he warmly regarded the other male.

"...I guess it's rather touching, how devoted you are as a cook. Seeing you in your element, makes it very difficult for me to think straight." Ruefully, he lowered his head as his smile never faltered. "I'm just being foolish, right?"

@totalacehole sent: "You're very distracting, you know."

The knife nearly nicked his finger. An alarmed gasp was snagged in hastily, followed by a hissed swear which sizzled as it left his lips. Distracting? By . . . doing what, exactly? The comment left him befuddled and . . . quite frankly, a bit flustered. Exhibit A? He almost cut himself. Not since childhood had he exhibited such poor knife control. Exhibit B? A slow creep of redness exposed the bashful reception to Ace's remark. It spread far and fast; it even flooded the entirety of his ears.

"Wh—" Words simply would not form. This silent stammering continued for a moment; slate blue eyes stared down at the cutting board. Anxiety began to head on his flushed skin. He could feel his heartbeat in his ears, followed by a high-pitched whistle. Oh! Never mind, that was the kettle. The knife was abruptly set down. Sanji snapped upright with a desperate, hungry inhale. Quickly, he turned the corresponding burner off and moved to transport the boiling water to the tea set; a luxurious waft of Darjeeling soon filled the galley amongst the aromatics and ingredients for the upcoming meal. Breath held hostage in his lungs was released into the air in a slow, practiced stream. "Sorry," Sanji mumbled; nervous laughter tumbled from his lips as he foraged for the strength to ask his follow-up: "Can you elaborate?"

meme: PROMPTS FOR THE BUDDING ROMANCE.