theafflicted | 06

06 - week six

WEEK SIX

Sunday starts with more aches and pains than you might be used to. Florence patched people up after Saturday’s lesson, sure, but it’s not a complete cure - not to mention it doesn’t ease the sting of betrayal. Some classmates that you thought would cooperate wound up breaking your trust in the end, and this week will be interesting with the fallout.

It’s hard to say what this week will have in store otherwise. Things are changing, and it’s not clear what this means for all of you. On the bright side, however, the creatures and places you once knew from home have suddenly disappeared, so that's less that you need to worry about. There are new areas for you to look at as well.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

FLORENCE / LORELEI

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ ????

?? ???? ????

sabo was both there and yet also not "there" for that conversation as much in the same way that ace was "present" with when fai spoke to him about a few things. albeit he did so in a round about way which had sabo feeling like he was played more than anything. though sabo largely put what was discussed there on "the shelf" as something to consider another time.

except, well. he steps closer to ace and takes a seat somewhat close to him. there's a respectable amount of distance between them not entirely intentionally done. ]

Yeah? What did you just "get" then?

[ ace couldn't possibly think that sabo wasn't going to want to know more of what he had started, right? ]

[ when sabo sits nearby, he glances over at him. how does he even answer this? what does he even fully think of this? would it also be weird to follow this line of thought given that they're "brothers?"

he's not really sure. not that laws and rules for most things really matter to him, as a pirate. and he's wanted to keep sabo by his side and never let him go. co-captains. that's a pretty massive thing to want. ]

I get that he was implying some kind of relationship with you. [ does he have to elaborate on what he means on "relationship" here? ]

What I know for certain is that I never want to leave your side. I guess I've been trying to figure out how deep that goes.

[ correct, ace doesn't need to further explain himself about the nature of that relationship since it was also something that fai made him face and. well. that was something he had been carefully dancing around for himself.

ace's confession about never wanting to leave his side does get a mixed expression out of sabo as he is both happy and then sad because he had left. he wanted to protect them both and so he left. (and he would leave again if it meant he could protect them.) ]

...and how far does it go, Ace?

[ and for an extremely rare moment as an adult, sabo will genuinely come off outwardly as a being a bit anxious. he'll still maintain that level of calmness that is inescapable from someone like him, but he is also looking at ace very carefully.

he tries to not make things even more obvious by tugging on the tortilla blanket closer to him but it probably just makes things all that more obvious. ]

[ his eyes are now remaining fixed on sabo at him asking that. this is a precarious situation to be in, to talk about. not only can he see that sabo is tense from his body language, but he can feel the anxiety underneath. in fact, his own emotions echo this back to him after feeling sabo's.

what was causing him to feel that, he wonders. it could be from either answer he could give and he's not sure which. ]

What I feel about you and Luffy are very different. I think I do want more.

[ it's been hard, considering he's not only thought sabo was dead, but had always thought in terms of brothers. but it's true, even before they were sworn bothers, he never wanted to be away from sabo. sure, they were young, but that doesn't change the fact that it was almost like sabo was his other half. ]

But that also depends on you. What do you think, Sabo?

[ it isn't like him to hesitate in what he wants. he goes and does what he pleases, but in this case, it's different. in this case, he wants to hear what sabo has to say, too. he needs to know. ]

[ there's nothing better than an echo chamber of anxiety but the fact that ace also feels the same level of anxiety is oddly comforting. if nothing else than to know that he isn't alone in it and heavily clue him into exactly what ace was asking for. truthfully he hadn't completely let himself accept the idea but when being comforted with it in such a direct way— ]

When you say more do you mean something like this?

[ shoving all of his anxieties down as he's far more commonly used to, sabo will move from where he was sitting over to where ace had sprawled out and kneel right next to him instead. he'll let the blanket drop at his feet as he reaches out to cup the unsupported side of ace's face and leans in to place a quick kiss on ace's lips. ]

...right?

[ the woes of being that of fairer complexion as he will undoubtedly flushed in the face despite any kind of brave face he puts on to cover up his nerves. not that it would have probably mattered given how he hasn't moved away from ace since kissing him. he worries his bottom lip between his teeth. ]

[ ace isn't sure what he was expecting in response to his question, but a kiss was one of the last things he'd thought he'd be getting in response. while it's small and quick, it does give him some answers.

like, what sabo thought and how he would personally feel deepening their relationship. at least this much, he certainly enjoyed. in fact, it left a fluttery type of feeling in him. ]

Right.

[ he mumbles close to sabo's lips. before either of them can say anything more, he leans in to give sabo a kiss of his own. there's still some lingering anxiety, but it's hardly much to note about compared to the positive feelings starting to bubble up inside him. ]

[ sabo only had the barest hope of how things were going to go and the continued echo chamber of anxiety didn't make him exactly feel any better.

well, up until ace kissed him back and the anxious feeling was only the nerves of taking this step to confirm things than anything negative. the feeling slowly being overwritten by a different kind of nervousness as sabo kisses ace a few more times before pulling away to take this as an opportunity to crowd ace and be the one to sit in the other's lap. (sorry if ace wanted to keep kissing.)

he'll have his hands pressed flat against ace's chest as he leans in and rests his head on the crook of ace's neck. his face is still burning, if not more so, and there are about a hundred different thoughts that race through his mind. worse is that his mouth feels dumb as he tries to figure out the right ones he wants to start off with. ...not to mention that somewhere inside of him echo the words from others.

what he does end up saying comes out without any kind of bite to it despite the words he uses. ]

...if this was your surprise to me then you need to come up with a new one.

[ he absolutely would have loved to have more kisses, but sabo moving to how he's seated is also good. in response, his arms wrap around sabo to hold him close.

it's a nice, comfortable feeling, being here with him. but he has to laugh a little at the comment made by sabo. what a little shit. ]

Are you saying you didn't like it?

[ of course he has to tease back, but his words are warm and obviously have no malice, either. ]

[ the flush doesn't go down any but as they fall back into the beat of the two of them teasing each other like this, sabo feels his nerves ease off and he's really able to enjoy the moment as he revels in ace's touch. ]

Not one bit.

[ sabo doesn't even try to pretend that he isn't lying and just laughs at how purposefully contrary he's being. there are still plenty of things on his mind and they slowly creep up on him and threaten to suffocate him, but as things are typically with ace, they seem to be so much smaller. ]

If it's any better, I need to think of one too.

[ even if they're walking into a new territory with what they're doing, it almost feels natural. like this should have been their next step. that they would have ended up at this point if they had spent all those years together.

and for as confident and casual as ace is acting, there is still a thread of nervousness under it, even if this felt right. where would all this take them? it's a good question. one that only time will give an answer to. ]

Maybe I'll have to think of something to get a nice surprise from you.

[ not that he doesn't get pampered by sabo plenty. ]

[ whether this would have been the natural progression of their "bond" had sabo not "died" that day or was somehow able to reunite with both ace and luffy before the war took place... truly, who knows what kind of relationship they would have had. ]

Yeah?

[ he'll remove his head from where he had buried it and peers at ace. the smirk on his face almost too obvious. yeah, sabo pampers ace plenty but maybe he does it for a multitude of reasons. ]

And what kind of thing would you be interested in?

[ it's true that nothing is set in stone and different routes of them reuniting could lead to different things. either way, this was the right way for them in the now. for all the tragedy they faced, they deserved some happiness. ]

Now if I told you, it wouldn't be any kind of surprise.

[ besides, he'd probably be happy with most anything sabo could come up with. that's just how it was. ]

[ hmm.

for two people who aren't afraid to speak their mind (when it came to certain things) they sure are both being purposefully dodgy about the things and it was honestly funny. though at least, this time, when they acted this way around one another there was a different way that all of the banter could resolve itself. or, well, ""banter"". ]

I could still act surprised.

[ cue sabo trying to look "cute" for ace by fluttering his eyes at him. oh he's fully aware of how ridiculous he looks but sometimes you gotta. ]

[ sometimes it's just fun to act this way with your bestie. or whatever they could be classified as now. co-captains for life?? ]

I could surprise you by dropping you on the floor.

[ he isn't going to, but that's his response to the ridiculous act from sabo. it's oddly cute, but it's more strange than anything. it's an affectionate bullying. ]

[ if they were both captains of a ship then they could ordain their own marriage? :think: that is. if that is even a road that they'd think about going down at this moment in time.

and sabo knows that ace isn't going to but it doesn't mean he won't goad him a little bit. though, you know, if ace does drop him then he has no one but himself to blame about it. ...and he will not be held responsible for whatever happens as a result of it. ]

I'd love to see you try.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

06 - week six

no subject

no subject

looks at my fan art folder and starts to sweat

stares at you long and hard

:umm:

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject