#the OTHER one was ace + aftermath of wb death / marineford & he finally stands up up for himself again

[kingsofneon]

I wildly misheard the lyrics to Ke$ha's Cannibal and thought of you. Can we get something on the theme of "my little heart goes pitter patter every time you think you matter"?

me vibrating the normal amount at recieveing an ask: yeah sure bud w/e

________

They find the gold in a ghost ship.

The crew's one man, half-starved and he snarls slurs instead of pleading so Marco doesn't feel that bad about killing him. His bones go up in ash, and then they set about exploring. Pops had sent the two of them out first to stake out the ship drifting their way, haki meaning he wasn't concerned about an ambush but curiosity making him want to explore. Ace can't get sick - his body temperature is literally posion to most viriuses - and Marco's fucking immortal, so if iless was what took them out-

But then again; this section of the Line is known for blowing people off course, and they soon find there's no food in the hold. It's a sure sign of simple mistakes instead of illness, so Marco's not on edge as he trails after a delighted, eager Ace.

For all that they know what caused this ship's fall, it's still cold and still below decks, the ship creaking in the waves and almost completely silent. Marco holds back a shiver as Ace raises his fire-lit hand up higher, light dancing along the weather-worn beams.

And then it strikes gold; the room they walk into gleams, shining shafts of light sent in striking patterns all around them.

"Holy shit," Ace says, eyes alight at the pile in the middle of the room. And it is a pile; almost a mountain of shimmering gold coins and jewels, all iridescent in his flames.

There may not've been food, but if they'd known how to eat gold, they would've been fed for years.

Marco watches as Ace's grin spreads from ear to ear, and then he takes a running leap into the pile, the clatter of coins making the ship's silence shatter. He lets out an oof, then rolls over, covered in gold and grinning.

"Marco," he says delightedly, and it would be nice if Marco could answer, but for the moment he's spellbound by the sight. If he could, he'd leave Ace spread on a pile of gold always; his skin is beautiful, glowing in the reflected firelight, and the gold brings out the warm tones in his eyes and his hair. Ace's expression shifts, a hint of cocky delight coming to his mouth. "Hey birdbrain, think you can make your way over here? Or is this much glitter making you malfunction."

He shakes his head in a vague approximation of a no, but also mainly to get his wits back, taking measured steps toward Ace before bending down to kiss him. Ace sighs quietly, sweetly, biting at his bottom lip and letting his free hand drag Marco closer by the collar of his shirt.

"It wasn't the gold that I was distracted by," Marco murmurs when he's allowed to pull away, and is delighted by Ace's pretty flush. It's barely visible in the light, but Marco's well-practiced in his boyfriend's face.

He's well-practiced, and so that's enough to see Ace cock his head, the heartbeat of time where he makes a decision, where today is just enough for him.

"I deserve it," Ace says, and Marco gets to his knees. You do, you do, you do, chants the part of him obsessed, delighted by Ace taking what he wants. What he deserves, and has deserved since birth.

"It looks good on you," Marco says instead, kissing Ace's knee, the sharp jut of his hip, his neck, and Ace chucks his head back, hands twining in Marco's hair.

"Thank you," Ace says, instead of his normal refute, and Marco wants to crow from a flagpole, pride filling his chest. "You look very good too, pretty bird."

Marco feels his cheeks faintly flush, and levers himself off his knees to draw Ace into a kiss, hand pressed against Ace's half-hard cock. He tastes like blood and gold, heat and joy, and Marco can hear his heart thumping in his ears, a delightful sound when normally it just ticks.

Before meeting Ace- he was so calm, before meeting Ace. Phoenixes are fire, sure, but they're long-lived, they're permanent. They know when to burn but they spend so long in the skies that sometimes they forget humanity. And Marco? Marco's old, old enough that so many things don't bother him anymore.

But Ace's self-hatred bothered him, and seeing him like this? Seeing him confident?

He's pretty grateful that Pops is a good therapist.

"Marco," Ace says, nails gently scritching at his scalp, and Marco doesn't hold down the purr in his throat, "I think you're gonna ride me on this pile of gold. That's a fucking story."

His grin is sharp and stunning when Marco pulls away from kissing his neck. The words aren't a question; just confident, gleeful fact, and Marco has never been more eager to make them reality.

"Anything you want," he says, with a grin of his own.

He wonders if Ace knows how much he means it.

#i will also say i kinda #ooo man idk smth abt the vibes of it also made me think #abt smth kinda sad #dunno what broski!!! #but like a :) haha you dumb fool you think you matter? #pathetic. But so cute #lbr tho i like this one better snickers #vibes inspired by mido assss always #ribs and otherwise - the fic where ace wears a corset and doms the shit out of everyone #marcoace #opnsfw #my writing #anon #asks #the OTHER one was ace + aftermath of wb death / marineford & he finally stands up up for himself again