(no subject)

[mera_mera_ace]

Characters: Ace, Marco, Thatch, Grell, Espio, Toby, Namur, Open
Location: Quad, Marco/Grell's room, who knows where else.
Rating: PG +, never can tell with this family
Summary: Ace just arrived and needs to meet the rest of his wonderful family. That includes the rest of Garden too.



It had been a few crazy days to say the least. Ace had gone from a near death experience to being dragged through time and space to a completely new place unrelated to his own world. After take a few days to get rested up, learn the ropes of Garden, and enroll in classes he finally felt as though he could hold his own here.

So here he stood outside of his room waiting patiently for Marco to come along and get him. The blond had asked him to meet up with him so he could introduce him to the rest of the family. Ace had to admit it. He was curious about Marco's child. What would he be like and would he accept Ace as his uncle? He took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. Marco sure as hell better hurry up before he got bored of waiting and wandered off.

Comments

[mera_mera_ace]

Ace was about to give Marco a snarky comment when he noticed the pink chameleon being thrust towards him. He knelt down, Espio sure was tiny, and he knew he was huge and really didn't wanna be intimidating, even if the kid was giving him a cold shoulder. Ace had no idea that he and Espio were the same age at all.

"Sorry I don't remember you. I know for a fact it's not fun being forgotten. What do you say we start over? Hi, I'm Ace." He said holding out his hand and smiling widely at Espio.

1/3

[fierybluebird]

Marco let out an exasperated sigh. Screw it, he has lost the will to hide shit. You're all annoying him.

"Fine, Espio is also mad that his universe or realm got destroyed so I vowed to drag him to our world and he feels like Namur and Thatch don't love him as much yet, which is because they're being idiots who are scared of dealing with new nakama and trying not to feel replaced, oh right, and Toby and Espio are also blaming themselves for everyone's problems when the reality is, it's all just it's colliding at once, a lot to deal with and everyone needs to get over it and move on with me already. Can we stop rehashing the past yet?"

2/3

[fierybluebird]

Yeah.

No.

Marco did not actually say any of that. Just thought it very hard and had he been a fraction less composed he might have said it out loud, but as it was, for all his info-dump mode, he hadn't taken leave of all his senses yet.

3/3

[fierybluebird]

Instead, since Marco was still trying to figure out how to resolve all those issues, he tackled the most direct one in front of him, as is his way.

He picked up Espio to his cheeks and gave him an overly affectionate squish to forcibly remind the chameleone that he was he still very, very loved. "So now's your chance. And then if Namur or Thatch say you don't know about the past, you can tell them that you do know it, through them." He pat Espio's head and handed him off to Ace with a big grin.

"Espio was my best man at my wedding. And he's a pilot that flies the Garden sometimes. He's also the only person I'd even ever remotely trust with Toby, so you don't have to kick his ass. Plus, he's been dealing with hotheads almost as long as you've been one, so he could probably kick your ass. More incentive to play nice, eh?"

Ironically Marco didn't need to tell Espio anything about Ace, because well, he already had. Ad nauseum. Poor Espio was probably as sick of the stories as they were all sick of Ace's stories about Luffy.

[espio]

If Marco was expecting that hug to help at all, he was proven wrong. Espio just shoved him, pushed himself away and jumped to the floor before Ace even got to hold him, without so much as a sarcastic comment about being picked up or passed around like some pet.

"You know, I'm really not bothered right now. I'm going back to my room."

[mera_mera_ace]

Ace just kept kneeling and shook his head. He could remember being that standoffish himself when he first was adopted into Whitebeard's crew. He nodded to Espio and grinned still. "No worries kid, I'm not going anywhere. I'll come find you later....we can have some...'fun'." And by fun Ace meant raising hell and making a mess that the blue turkey would have to clean up.

Ace had to admit, it was a little disheartening to not have Espio's approval or acceptance. But he was used to that feeling, and more importantly he could tell the young chameleon wasn't in the best of moods. Best to wait and badger him for real when he was in better spirits.

[fierybluebird]

A sigh and Marco actually let Espio go. "It's not you," he informed Ace with a small frown. "They've all been a little messed up for awhile, and Espio's always been a little like that. Just that age, eh. Actually," he suddenly grinned deviously, "Want to help?"

[espio]

"I don't need help," Espio said, with none of his usual snappiness - he just sounded tired. He then sighed and turned away, starting to walk off. "Look. I know you're excited your brothers are here, but seriously. I'm going back."

[mera_mera_ace]

Ace waited till Espio was out of sight then turned to Marco with a wide grin. "What did you have in mind?" Mischief might as well have been his middle name. He liked causing mayhem and actually having permission from his typical wrangler was like getting a present. Whatever Marco had in mind, Ace was all for it.

[redcinemareel]

This was going precisely as their last meeting. With no one on the same page, and only a small percentage of them caring. Espio was certainly more disconnected from them than before, and that was rather odd, even for him. She really had to talk to Marco about the power that hugs do and do not have.

During this entire time, Grell had been silent, which is not her style at all. Observing and giving her opinion was her specialty, but as with Toby, things were not that easy.

So she left to follow after Espio, glancing to Marco and giving him a small salute as she passed by. She'll see what she could do.

[fierybluebird]

Marco shot her a wink.

Grell and him made a perfect team so far as Marco was concerned and no one could convince him otherwise. They filled in each other's weak points and made each other stronger. Together.

"Be you," Marco stuck his tongue out teasingly, but he was serious. "You're my secret Ace. I've got every faith that you'll just work your usual Ace magic and then I can be as lazy as I want." He shouldn't say things like that with so much pride.

[mera_mera_ace]

"My Ace magic? You really want me to do that here? You usually give me a beat down for that?" He's totally being deadpan, after all he learned from the best, but he also knows what you meant. He just couldn't resist teasing him.

"Also...you said that with a bit too much pride. You being lazy never boded well in the past for us ya know. That's usually when Thatch and I did our worst."

[fierybluebird]

Marco just arches an eyebrow in return, "Then don't expect me to bail you out this time," he deadpanned right back. It was a lie of course, Marco would always try to rescue the both of them form anything, even a war with the whole world.

"And I'm not sure what you think I meant by Ace magic, but keep your pants on, yoi." Ace, please, you can't out-deadpan the master.

[mera_mera_ace]

Ace laughed and nodded. "Aye, I know what you meant. I'll do what I can to help for sure. Though I'm not sure that kid is willing. Then again, it's a challenge I accept."

Ace grinned widely at Marco. "Hey, is there anywhere we can get a snack? I'm hungry. I didn't get much to eat at breakfast and it's still to early for lunch."

[fierybluebird]

"When aren't you hungry?" Marco stuck his tongue out mockingly, but nevertheless nodded. "Come on, I'll get you stuffed. Just don't eat too fast, eh? I doubt they fed you in prison." Actually, he was completely certain that they had not.

[mera_mera_ace]

Marco was of course right, but that didn't mean Ace wanted to think about that place. It had not been able to break him, but that didn't mean it didn't leave scars. Oh well, that which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!

"Lead on my beautiful blue pigeon." Ace grinned as he shifted in place, anxious to get some food to eat.

[fierybluebird]

Marco flicked Ace's forehead irritably. "Phoenix. Get it right, brat." Still he led him to the kitchens to get the kid some food. "One of our cooks, the cooking teacher is actually someone you'll probably get along well with, eh?"

[mera_mera_ace]

"Best of friends if I have anything to say about it!" Ace smiled as he sat on a stool and waited for Marco to gather things. He really was starving and he could feel his mouth watering as several things were pulled out for him to eat and enjoy.

and thus, the thread was split into two

[espio]

Espio headed in exactly the direction he said he would - back to his room, but didn't seem to be in all that much of a rush. He didn't notice that he was being followed. In fact, he was a little disappointed that he hadn't been grabbed and forced to stay, even though staying isn't what he wanted to do.

It was complicated. Espio didn't want to put much effort into making those conflicting wishes make sense.

[redcinemareel]

Her footfalls were pretty soft, despite her being in heels. Grell caught up to him, a few paces behind.

"In case you were wondering, I've been checking on him each day." Espio should know which 'him' she was referring to.

[espio]

Silence.

It wasn't that Espio didn't hear her - her voice at least made him stop, and he turned his head just enough to catch sight of her. What could he say, though? 'Good?' 'Look after him?' 'Well, at least he can stand the sight of you, I guess?'

All he could really respond to that with was a slight nod - yes, he understood.

[redcinemareel]

Well, at least he stopped, which Grell did as well. She crossed her arms, noting the silence and the single nod. Were things really that bad?

"Perhaps asking if you're in the mood for chatting would be redundant..." She sighed softly, doing her best to not look worried, even if her words convey otherwise. "You both truly need to talk to each other..."

Because she was afraid of losing her son, again. Not to Time Compression. She could live with that, but from heartache. The worst kind of pain there is.

[espio]

And then Espio just turns away again, resuming his walk.

"I think it's pretty obvious that I can't help him. I've done a fine job so far. Making me talk to him might make him run away for good."

[redcinemareel]

"And saying nothing may do just that!" Grell walked with him, keeping pace at his side. "Have you truly given up?!" Now she was just becoming irritated. "Do you want him to leave? For good?!"

[espio]

Ouch... Espio winced. It was the very last thing he wanted.

"No... but every time he's run away, it's been because of me. And... I don't know why."