justicereigns | Appointment Post / Voicemail / All That Jazz

[it just pisses him off even more because he knows he went too far and he can't take it back, but also because it's always the same thing. And maybe it's too late for any of it after all.

But he can't do anything but scream and grow even hotter, fending off Smoker and wishing there was a way he could best him for good or lose for good]

[Which is one hundred percent, what Smoker expected of Ace at this point.]

[So he just pushes them to safer ground, although it'll probably mean going through a portal to get there.]

[he barely registers what is happening, he's so wrapped up in success or failure and knowing that it will be neither that all he can do is to keep trying to get higher and brighter to flick off everyone]

[YEAH FINE.]

[Smoker will just let him burn, but without letting him hurt anyone or damage anything, because he can and he'll fucking prove it.]

[It'll take him, both of them a bit, but when he finally gets the chance, he tackles Ace again, trying to hold him down by the throat in the sand.]

Give it up, Portgas, I won't let you damage anyone, not even the ones you love already, get it through your skull!

[he had been thinking about it but since Smoker told him to he refused. He struggled fire spurting around him as he geared up for another explosion; but while he was down here on the ground, spitting on Smoker's stupid face]

Real cute.

[Sits on him in human form for now. He's tired, and the headache was still bugging him, though it had mostly died down over the day.]

[He rolls over into the sand next to him on all fours, and pushes himself up before offering Ace a hand.]

[throws sand at him. He's not interested. But he won't finish the fight either. If it's over it's over. He doesn't expect Smoker to get lost but he'll turn his back on him anyway, seething]

Portgas...

[Quiet, and reaches out a hand to Ace's shoulder, even though it'll get singed.]

Words are just words. You can still fix that kind of thing. But not if you treat every mistake like the end.

Tashigi's strong because she gets back up. And that's why I consider her so brave. Understand?

[shrugs it away. Don't touch him asshole. Just don't. He doesn't want anything to do with you]

I don't give a shit.

[go bother someone else]

You're a terrible liar.

[Tugs him into the one-armed around the neck, practically choking him tug.]

[It feels extra weird without his jacket.]

Get off!

[flares out of his grip]

Don't touch me damnit! Stay away!

You can't actually make me.

Stop fighting if you're burnt out. And stop exploding inwards! I TOLD YOU! I WON'T LET YOU HURT THEM!

[TACKLES AGAIN!]

FUCK YOU!

[explodes again. He will fight as hard and long as he can!]

[Fights right back, keeping up blow for blow, waiting for Ace's mood to change or die down so he can take the opportunity to try to shock his system again.]

Hey.

What do you think love is?

[Blame Ted.]

[Also shocking his system.]

[is completely thrown by the question and kicks back to get some distance, breathing hard but still ready to fight and flickering with flame and heat]

What the hell does that have to do with anything?

Someone said the way I talked about you sounded like I loved you.

[Lights up cigars and catches his breath.]

I was pretty pissed off, of course. And I told him he was way off base.

But then it got into the idea of different kinds of love and it's complicated as hell.

Still...

[Ace's dying words. Not that he'd remember them now, but...]

Isn't that why you're so mad? Because you try to protect them and you don't know how to protect them from yourself?

[Ugh fuck it. He's tired. He just collapses into the sand, having made it a sandcastle throne for himself to flomp on like a beanbag chair.]

Isn't that why you come to me? Because I can stop you.

[that...has nothing to do with anything. The thought that Smoker might love him sends a jolt of something like disgust through him but he doesn't even understand it. He feels stupid and unclean and just pissed all over but without the inclination to fight someone that looks so worn out and old]

I don't know. I don't care. What's the point of even talking about it?

[he turns away from him again, arms folded. It's not like they'll understand eachother]

[Lassos with a smoke leg.]

I told you.

I'm not letting you do whatever you want.

And eating yourself up with self-loathing and anger while you avoid her forever or until one of you can't stand it anymore isn't going to help anyone.

I don't give a shit! I'll do what I want! Don't... damnit! [he snarls and is a wall of fire again so it's harder for Smoker to hold on to as he heads toward the water. He doesn't care if he's weaker in there at least he'll be able to avoid the damned smoke]

[Smoker waits, takes off his boots and socks, rolls his pants up higher, and jumps through the fire to wade out into the water after Ace.]

[Only to carefully hold him around the shoulders, sort of in that half-choke again, but a bit more like a hug... if you squinted hard and tilted your head sideways and tried REALLY hard to see it that way.]

Let it all out kid. [He tightened his jaw.] Ace. Portgas.

[Ugh... lets go and shoves him, turning his back again.] I wasn't trying to say you couldn't handle tougher, brat. [Just insult him? That doesn't help.]

I was just overreacting in the moment. Same as you.

[Grabs him again and leans down to the crook of his neck.]

Edited 2016-07-30 11:19 (UTC)

[damnit, Taisa! Stop trying to make it better. It's frustrating because he wants to believe it but in the end it all ends up the same. Also...]

Stop. touching. me.

[snarled as he struggles out of his grip yet again and wades deeper. He'll go up to his neck if he has to. Anything to get away]

And leave me the hell alone already.

No, damn it!

How many times do I have to tell you? I'd rather us both drown than let you do something stupid. Stop kicking your own ass instead of letting me do it for you! What is it, your way of paying me back? Well knock it the fuck off already!

[Ace is tempted to take him up on that. But he doesn't want to be the cause of Smoker's stupid. More stupid that he is. He'll just wade waist deep-- which isn't as deep on Smoker damn it all... and shut his eyes and ignore him.]

Edited 2016-07-30 15:45 (UTC)

Ace. [Practically hisses it, but pulls Ace by the chin to look at him, or at least so he can try to search out Ace's dark eyes.]

We're in this together, damn it. Whatever happens.

[Starts to lean in, moving his nose so it wouldn't bump Ace's to kiss him, but pauses, to let Ace shove him back or whatever else.]

I trust you.

[It was a matter of faith, wasn't it? According to Ted. With Tashigi's interruption, Smoker thought he needed to backtrack, to put distance between them, get things back to nuisance and captor, but it threw off Ace's sense of justice, the emotions got in the way, and created a downward spiral.]

[Smoker's eyes sparked mischievously alongside a small smirk that crept across his face.]

You don't have to trust yourself, I'll take care of it. And when I fuck up, which I will, I'll make it up to you.

[jerks back again. Away from him. Moving deeper. It's different now. The tone has changed. Smoker's good at that--even if it's kind of an instinctive thing for him. It's dangerous. He wants to lean in and to give it to him. To just relax.

But then... he can't help but remember what happened and all that happened and it's too complicated and will fall apart. He doesn't want to trust Smoker. He doesn't want to trust anyone. And Smoker definitely shouldn't trust him.

It's just easier to do it alone...

He's up to his chin now, probably recklessly, standing on his toes in the water, hearing his own heartbeat in his ears. If he keeps his eyes closed it's like nothing else exists]

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