Anyway. So it's settled. Luffy is amazing, he's gonna be the king of the pirates, and here we don't have to worry about piracy or marines or any shit like that. [Hey you two, break it up, have a slobbery ball pushed between by an impatient dog.]
Well, neither of us will be there to see Luffy go to the top. [And it absolutely hurts him, in a way that he won't word.] So we just gotta keep making the best of here.
If you stay here long enough, you might see his dream come true. I don't know how time works between universes. Your phoenix might. But I know even though no time progresses for people who live there, people can still come here progressively further in the future than the last person from that point.
Happened with Jinbei. Sabo. A few others.
So even if the next time Straw Hat comes back, he might be a little kid again for all we know, he might also actually be King.
I might see him as the king of the pirates, sure. But I wouldn't have been there for him. I can't be. [He's in a quiet mood now, pretty drunk and snuggly and bittersweet. It hurts, it aches, but he's happy somehow at the same time.] You'd better hope we don't get him here as a brat, he cried so much.
Maybe. I left him, we had our own paths, and I keep thinking that if I could go back, I'd do so much differently. But hell, it's not like I'd have known. So maybe my memory can be there for him, maybe a part of me can guide him. [He shrugs.] Something like that.
[He's getting sleepy, and it's obvious. Eyes closed a little, too much rum and late nights catching up to him.] He was pretty weak back then. A cry-baby and fussy, and really cute. I shoulda been nicer to him early on, but I didn't know how to.
[Snorts.] Nah. It's a big brother's job to be an asshole.
Top secret, but that's why I don't mind Namur too much. It's too hard to fight the Whitebeards when they've decided to treat you like one of their own. Completely exhausting.
Yeah, maybe. But I wish I hadn't had been so much of one.
[He's gonna nuzzle a little while throwing a ball that's been literally shoved into a hand by one of the dogs. They're demanding.] Yeah. I didn't know you'd gotten that close to Namur, but if more than one of us likes you well enough you're kinda stuck.
He's been through a lot of worlds. I don't know about close, but enough that I trust him. And everyone loved Adela so.
Rip is Augustine's girlfriend too, don't look at me, I don't know how that works either, but it does, so fuck if I'm gonna make waves for 'em. And it's all one big... "Smoker why don't you quit the marines and be a pirate already?" [Snorts. And he should get some fresh balls these are COVERED gah.] Well not Augustine. He likes soldiers.
Namur threatened to put me through a woodchipper if I hurt Faye. It's funny, because pretty much everyone wondered why he didn't go after her himself. And he'd made a promise to her and someone else important to them both that he wouldn't. And he decided it carried over, even if no one else but him remembered it. I can really respect that. Seeing as I'm the same damn way.
See, I feel like I've missed out on some crazy stuff. You've had so much going on, so it's like there's this... [Kind of gestures with his hands, like somehow a couple of random movement equal distance or gap.] There's a secret time that I don't get to understand unless it's second hand. [There's a pause.] And a lot of sex happened for a lot of people during it. [This is complicated.] Relationships are complicated.
[Snorts and gently pushes Ace back down so Ace is on his back, and Smoker's leaning on him.] This is going to be a first for me, but you're overthinking it. [Wry grin.] Usually everyone, especially you tells me that.
[Relaxes, leaning on Ace's shoulders with his own arms slightly on Ace.]
It's true though. You don't have to understand anything or keep up. Just live. Be.
[Gives Ace one of his cigars from his mouth.] Nothing between you and me was ever simple. But... it wasn't difficult. Believe it or not. It was like this. [Waves a hand vaguely, with a half grin.] Just existing. [Takes his cigar back and puffs on it, looking up at the clouds.]
[He doesn't know why he likes just being moved like that, maybe it's something trust based, maybe something else. He doesn't know, or care.] Well, you usually do overthink things. I'm allowed once in a while.
[Okay, he's not sure why he just takes a damn drag off of the cigar, he doesn't love the idea of smoking, but it tastes like Smoker smells and that's amazing.] Simple is boring anyway. [Maybe all he has to do is ride this out and just live. It sounds too simple to be true.]
But just be yourself. And don't try to figure out what that means. Just do. The rest of us will act accordingly. It's kind of terrifying at first. Even just coming that close to death.
When Doflamingo was through with me, I was pretty much a wreck. Not just physically. And I got here and nothing made sense.
It's just another part of life. Life isn't all that sensical either when you stop and think about it.
I'll get it in time, right? As long as I just go with it, and live, I'll be okay. [He sighs, life really is weird. And it got a lot weirder post-mortem.] Hey. Do you think... [He pauses to watch the dogs for a moment, they're a great distraction.] Do you think I really died? Because I still have my fire.
[Stuff like this is why Ace makes Smoker think too. In new ways. Different angles. And try things differently.]
[Maybe it's l-- that l word Namur used.]
[Maybe it's just that Portgas is a pain in the ass.]
[Either way, Smoker moves to actually give Ace a hug. In as much as Smoker hugs, which is not much, even for Adela -- though she HAS gotten hugs from him.]
Yeah, kid. I'm sorry. You died. [DOESN'T LET GO THE HUG THOUGH. But he hasn't lied to Ace yet, and he won't start now.] I don't know what this place is. There've been demons, gods, demigods, angels, whatever the fuck Frieza was -- I think someone told me and I forgot. A lot of dead revived. You can even die here and get revived. Adela lost her leg because an asshole thought it would be worse than just killing her here. Leave more impact. Even when it meant forgetting me, I'm pretty glad she forgot that. Hell, maybe just never lived it. There's some people here all one name, the Doctor, and they're all the same person just through different centuries. I don't know why I've been here so long. I don't know why people come or go. It doesn't make any sense to me.
But this is it. Here. Now. The future. Don't waste it.
And talk to Rip. She's died four times, and been to four worlds. And it took her a lot to get it right, she said.
Yeah, I remember taking a hit that no one could have survived. [It's still so surreal to him, though. He doesn't feel dead, even if the trauma is there, even if he remembers the pain so acutely that he wakes up in agony only to touch an unmarked chest, even if he knows it's so far away at the same time that it's messing with him.] It's just messed up, I shouldn't have my flames, and I shouldn't be alive, and this place is a pain. But I like it. I'm not gonna mess up this round, and I mean it. It's just messing with my mind that this is even happening.
[Laughs softly.] Yeah, fuck. I didn't even remember dying, but at first I thought I must have, everything was so crazy. Sometimes I still think this is purgatory or... something.
But it's too normal for that.
They say we're here to demonstrate life. Isn't that weird? I guess less weird for you. But why the fuck would anyone want me to demonstrate anything other than how to punch things and get in trouble?
You're handling it better than the rest of us did. Believe it or not.
[There's a quiet moment then, and Ace speaks in a surprisingly soft voice for him.] I dunno. You're pretty good at a lot more than punching things and getting into trouble. [He's good at making Ace feel safe and alive, and giving him a wild point of stability in a place of chaos.] I do my best. [He shrugs, and then winces as his hand gets licked. Didn't expect that.]
[Tugs him into a gruffer hug and gently noogies.] Now you're just telling yourself that.
And you are, brat.
If I was a hundredth as good with others as you, I'd actually be Guardian, for starters. And I wouldn't have shrugged off the world for a few months to let it all pass me by.
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Saying it is one thing. Seeing it in practice is another.
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[He doesn't have to say it, Smoker KNOWS.]
If you stay here long enough, you might see his dream come true. I don't know how time works between universes. Your phoenix might. But I know even though no time progresses for people who live there, people can still come here progressively further in the future than the last person from that point.
Happened with Jinbei. Sabo. A few others.
So even if the next time Straw Hat comes back, he might be a little kid again for all we know, he might also actually be King.
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[Snorts.]
[Lightly nudges a fist to Ace's chin, leaning an arm around his shoulders still.]
I think I could handle it.
Way more than if he was stronger than me.
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[He's getting sleepy, and it's obvious. Eyes closed a little, too much rum and late nights catching up to him.] He was pretty weak back then. A cry-baby and fussy, and really cute. I shoulda been nicer to him early on, but I didn't know how to.
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Top secret, but that's why I don't mind Namur too much. It's too hard to fight the Whitebeards when they've decided to treat you like one of their own. Completely exhausting.
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[He's gonna nuzzle a little while throwing a ball that's been literally shoved into a hand by one of the dogs. They're demanding.] Yeah. I didn't know you'd gotten that close to Namur, but if more than one of us likes you well enough you're kinda stuck.
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Rip is Augustine's girlfriend too, don't look at me, I don't know how that works either, but it does, so fuck if I'm gonna make waves for 'em. And it's all one big... "Smoker why don't you quit the marines and be a pirate already?" [Snorts. And he should get some fresh balls these are COVERED gah.] Well not Augustine. He likes soldiers.
Namur threatened to put me through a woodchipper if I hurt Faye. It's funny, because pretty much everyone wondered why he didn't go after her himself. And he'd made a promise to her and someone else important to them both that he wouldn't. And he decided it carried over, even if no one else but him remembered it. I can really respect that. Seeing as I'm the same damn way.
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[Snorts and gently pushes Ace back down so Ace is on his back, and Smoker's leaning on him.] This is going to be a first for me, but you're overthinking it. [Wry grin.] Usually everyone, especially you tells me that.
[Relaxes, leaning on Ace's shoulders with his own arms slightly on Ace.]
It's true though. You don't have to understand anything or keep up. Just live. Be.
[Gives Ace one of his cigars from his mouth.] Nothing between you and me was ever simple. But... it wasn't difficult. Believe it or not. It was like this. [Waves a hand vaguely, with a half grin.] Just existing. [Takes his cigar back and puffs on it, looking up at the clouds.]
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[He doesn't know why he likes just being moved like that, maybe it's something trust based, maybe something else. He doesn't know, or care.] Well, you usually do overthink things. I'm allowed once in a while.
[Okay, he's not sure why he just takes a damn drag off of the cigar, he doesn't love the idea of smoking, but it tastes like Smoker smells and that's amazing.] Simple is boring anyway. [Maybe all he has to do is ride this out and just live. It sounds too simple to be true.]
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But just be yourself. And don't try to figure out what that means. Just do. The rest of us will act accordingly. It's kind of terrifying at first. Even just coming that close to death.
When Doflamingo was through with me, I was pretty much a wreck. Not just physically. And I got here and nothing made sense.
It's just another part of life. Life isn't all that sensical either when you stop and think about it.
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[Maybe it's l-- that l word Namur used.]
[Maybe it's just that Portgas is a pain in the ass.]
[Either way, Smoker moves to actually give Ace a hug. In as much as Smoker hugs, which is not much, even for Adela -- though she HAS gotten hugs from him.]
Yeah, kid. I'm sorry. You died. [DOESN'T LET GO THE HUG THOUGH. But he hasn't lied to Ace yet, and he won't start now.] I don't know what this place is. There've been demons, gods, demigods, angels, whatever the fuck Frieza was -- I think someone told me and I forgot. A lot of dead revived. You can even die here and get revived. Adela lost her leg because an asshole thought it would be worse than just killing her here. Leave more impact. Even when it meant forgetting me, I'm pretty glad she forgot that. Hell, maybe just never lived it. There's some people here all one name, the Doctor, and they're all the same person just through different centuries. I don't know why I've been here so long. I don't know why people come or go. It doesn't make any sense to me.
But this is it. Here. Now. The future. Don't waste it.
And talk to Rip. She's died four times, and been to four worlds. And it took her a lot to get it right, she said.
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But it's too normal for that.
They say we're here to demonstrate life. Isn't that weird? I guess less weird for you. But why the fuck would anyone want me to demonstrate anything other than how to punch things and get in trouble?
You're handling it better than the rest of us did. Believe it or not.
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And you are, brat.
If I was a hundredth as good with others as you, I'd actually be Guardian, for starters. And I wouldn't have shrugged off the world for a few months to let it all pass me by.