#idk as an ace person its hard to tell where this places on the scale

[sandflakedraws]

The way you draw hickory makes me truly believe that troll should work as a pin up model lmao. He's so cute(and kinda sexy((who said that?)) At the same time

gonna be so real with you anon,

this is a Popular Sentiment regarding hickory, potentially down to his design team, even.

(this excerpt is just. so much.)

man showed up for like 30 minutes and was instantly labeled Trolls Most Eligible Bachelor. if the bounty hunting thing doesn't pan out, i think ur right; he's got a promising career as a pin up model.

[fanatic-author]

Dressrosa AU part 1

I’ve been writing this fic for a little while, and I decided to post part 1? this is unbetaed, unedited, and incomplete so idk when I’ll get around to finishing it but once i do i’ll edit and post it on AO3. For now, enjoy the tumblr exclusive

Ace smiled to himself, a little hesitantly and still internally shaking with nerves. He fiddled with the skinning knives he'd left out on the counter to distract himself, a testament to how distraught he was that he even managed to forget his knives out. They still had fish scales on them.  

Usopp smiled sadly from his place at the dining room table, the sun shining through the window and catching on his dark curls. The entire room was pleasantly lit with the happy sunlight streaming through the windows overlooking the waters outside, where most fishermen were laughing and joking as they made their catches of the day. Ace was forever grateful for Usopp's friendship, that he was willing to stay inside on such a wonderful day just to calm Ace's nerves.  

"You know he'll be fine" Usopp assured from where he sat, watching as Ace paced and fiddled with random objects around the room "It's an honest question, and an honest inquiry. The king will placate him, and send him on his way no worse than when he began"  

Ace heaved a huge sigh, desperately trying to rid himself of the weight that plagued his heart "I know, but that's the problem, it is an honest inquiry because there are legitimate reasons to be suspicious of what happened that night. Everyone just accepted what his majesty said pertaining to that night but-" he shook his head, tearing his eyes from the window to pace some more "I'm just worried. I've never been more terrified than on that night"  

"And what do you think will happen?" Usopp insisted "The king will imprison him? Execute him? Just for asking-" he cut himself off as Ace paled, actually considering the potential consequences of the foolish inquisition "Ace, come on..."  

"I should have stopped him" Ace moaned in grief, burying his hands in his face. Slowly Usopp rose to guide Ace to a seat at the table "It's just not worth it, what if he is killed?"  

"It's worth it to him" Usopp offered "He's a knight, he values things like justice and honor, protecting the innocent and wonderful bullshit like that"  

Ace hiccupped on a sob, desperately fighting tears "Yeah he really does" he rubbed the ring on his hand, the golden gleam catching the light "It's what I love about him"  

Usopp rubbed his back reassuringly "Hey, there you go it'll be alright. Those two idiots have been stuck together through thick and thin, they'll come back just fine. Probably a little pissed off but then you'll be there for him, right?"  

There were tears dripping down his cheeks now, stubborn little things insisting on showing his distress further. He brought up a hand to rub them away, smiling at Usopp "Yeah, yeah they'll be fine"  

"There you go!" Usopp exclaimed, popping up onto his feet "Why don't we make a nice big meal for the two of them, to help placate their frustration at the situation?" The added bonus of distracting Ace went unsaid.  

He rose from his spot at the table to join Usopp in the kitchen "That sounds good, but do you even know how to cook?"  

"Of course I do!" He rebutted, affronted "I can make fish stew, fish pie, fish on the cob..."  

Ace mimicked a yacking noise, ignoring Usopp's overzealous displeasure at Ace's implication "All you fishermen are the same, you're lucky you have Kaya or you'd be dead by now, I swear"  

"I'll have you know I once cooked for the king himself, and he swore it was the best meal he'd ever had! In fact, he said it was so good, he made me swear to never cook for another again!"  

Ace laughed at the ridiculous story "Oh really, and was that the new king or the old?"  

As Usopp floundered for a witty response, Ace approached the large gaudy vase taking up more than its fair share of counter space with its enormous flowers. He'd put it there since the kitchen window received the most light during the day, but for now they'd survive a few hours in the dining room.  

"Here Usopp" he called over as he lifted the heavy vase into his arms "You can go put this thing in the other room for me"  

"Oh! Isn't that the one-"  

Ace didn't manage to hear the rest of Usopp's question, because a shock ran through his entire system, freezing his muscles, his tears, and the very thoughts running through his mind.  

What's happening what's happening what's going on why-  

No

.

No

.

.

.

NO  

For the briefest of moments Ace fought with everything he had to hold on, unwilling to let go but they slipped through his fingers like water, getting sucked away with such a rapid speed he hardly had a second to cry out in panic-

"ACE!"  

He came back to himself with a sharp gasp, clutching his throbbing hand to his chest, curling up on his knees (when had he fallen to his knees?) His entire body shaking with phantom sobs but for the life of him he didn't know why.  

"It's okay" Usopp assured him, and Ace felt like he'd been hearing that all day, but why? "You dropped the vase, it was a pretty heavy thing. You're surrounded by broken glass so I'm gonna help you out okay?"  

Absently Ace remembered nodding, and Usopp gently guided him out of the sphere of broken shards. All over his kitchen floor lay shattered pieces of bright and colorful glass, the flowers it had held already wilting on the floor without the water and sunlight. A golden ring sat in the center with several droplets of red, his own blood from where he'd cut his hands as he fell, littered around in tiny dots.  

He felt strangely numb, like there was a static running through his mind softening everything around him. He'd stopped crying, but was hyperaware of the tears tracks down his cheeks. His hand absently throbbed in pain, blood still leaking from the wound he'd been left with from dropping the vase.  

"I'm sorry Ace, I know how much you loved that vase"  

He shook his head, slowly, in disagreement "No" he whispered "I honestly don't even know why I had the ugly thing"  

----

"Ho, Ho! Ho, Ho! Here you will find the best quality fish, for the best quality price! Come here to feed your family the nutrition they deserve!"  

Ace chuckled from his spot on the counter, wrapping up the cod in waxed paper for his customer before him. He wiped his hands on his apron before resuming the action.  

His customer gave a small grin of his own "Enthusiastic little fellow, isn't he?"  

"He's one of a kind" Ace agreed "I wouldn't trade him for the world"  

"And you shouldn't!" He passed over the coins to Ace, who dropped them in the jar by his feet "Toys like that are hard to come by. You know my daughter managed to befriend a doll in town, took her months for the thing to warm up to her, you know beyond their usual toy-ness. And then one day poof!" He mimed a small explosion with his hands "This toy car came out of nowhere one day and decided my wife was his best friend! The little thing follows her everywhere now, during the day. Carries groceries for her, helps her clean, that sort of thing. I have no idea how they decide to just stick to one person"  

"My guess?" Ace offered "Luck of the draw"  

The man gave a large guffaw before collecting his fish "You're probably right! have a nice day Ace!"  

"And you too Mister Hernandez!" He called after him.  

The toy calling out advertisements for him offered his own farewell, before leaving his perch to join Ace at the counter. Comically he stuck his arms onto the counter, allowing the rest of his body to hang of the edge. He gazed up at Ace with one small button eye, a bright blue stitched on with black.  

"I think we served even more people than yesterday, Mister Ace!" He proudly exclaimed, clearly taking credit for the apparent increase in sales.  

Ace only shook his head with a fond smile "And I think we served all the same as we did yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before..." He quirked an eyebrow "It’s a small dockyard, Mr. Prince. Not too many wander out this way aside from our usual customers. But" He rubbed a finger through the doll's yellow yarn hair, topped with a small felt crown "I do appreciate the help"  

It was amazing how a little doll with one button eye and a beaded smile could appear so proud of himself. His chest puffed out and he swore his little smile grew that much bigger.  

With an excited whoop Mr. Prince threw himself off the counter, landing as gracefully as his namesake "Then I shall continue my hard work for Mr. Ace, may he be the king we deserve!"  

Ace bit off a sharp laugh "I'm no king, I'm but a humble fish salesman, and I'd be happy to stay one for the rest of my days if it meant a roof over my head, and three meals a day"  

"Oh!" Mr. Prince swooned, spinning dramatically before landing flat on his back "What a noble one! Truly, a man worth protecting!"  

"Oh?" An unseen voice inquired "I did not realize there was a charming prince hiding amongst these docks"  

Mr. Prince spun around with ferocity to face his newfound foe with a sharp "Halt!" But Ace paid the toy no attention, for his attention was caught by the stranger before him.  

Ace could immediately tell he was a man of the sea by his stride, slightly off kilter on solid land, not like the local fishermen who spent all day on the waters and all night at home all their lives, well-adjusted to both.  

His clothing was practical but fashionable, which was far more than any local could claim of their gear. His boots were of a high quality, but well worn and he had a long weathered jacket with a pair of fingerless gloves pocking out from the pocket.  

A sailor, a marine, or a pirate.  

The stranger also ignored the chattering toy to lean on Ace's counter, golden studs in each ear gleaming in the weak sunshine. His grin was sharp, and his eyes sharper as he evaluated Ace from his old boots covered in fish scales to his stained overalls, and finally his tussled curls much the same way Ace had judged him, sizing him up.  

"If you caught that" Ace finally managed to say lowly under his breath as the man leaned in "Then you also heard me state that I am no prince"  

"Ah" he shook his head "I heard you say you were no king, nothing about a rather handsome prince"  

"Then you admit you were eavesdropping!" He leaned further in, until their faces were inches apart "I am no prince"  

The stranger cocked his head to side, grin not slipping from his cheeks "But you admit you're handsome?"  

It was then at that moment that Mr. Prince, having managed to climb back onto the counter, got between their two faces to point his felt sword an inch from the man's eye.

"Halt I say! Who be you to intrude on Mr. Prince's property in such an insulting manner?"  

With his eyes still shining in amusement he backed up a step, slowly raising hands in the air "Relax little toy, no need to prove your honor. I am Marco, a humble customer here to buy this gorgeous man's wares"  

Mr. Prince sputtered in anger, Ace flushed but refused to leave his stare "Well you're just in time, I was about to close up shop but we still have some left. Mr. Prince" he leaned over the counter, catching the orange sun and pink skies between his neighbor's two houses "The sun is setting now, time for you to go"  

Mr. Prince stilled, his solitary button eye following Ace's gaze to the strip of visible ocean, quickly turning pink in the setting sun's light "Alas" he admitted "Tis time for me to retire for the night, may I see you safely and healthy in the next day"  

Ace hated watching Mr. Prince leave, how his shoulders slumped and a solemn air clung to him as he left, leaving him a ghost of his fantastic character during the day. Sometimes he wondered if the toy really was hit so hard when it was time to leave, or if Ace was gaining a small glimpse into his true character every day. He didn't know which hurt more.  

"So" Marco caught Ace's attention again as Mr. Prince rounded the dirt road up the hill out of sight "He has a curfew? A toy that uptight has an even more uptight wife who keeps him on a tight leash? They're perfect for each other"  

Ace rolled his eyes, groaning in good nature "All toys go home at night, it's forbidden by law for toys to stay out, but you'd know this if you were local"  

"Ah" Marco admitted "Is it really so obvious? Here I thought I was blending in just fine"  

"It's a small community Sir, and I know every face I serve and buy from. You are dressed for the sea, but your gait" he gestured to the man's feet, crossed in front of his counter "Suggests you've been off land longer than anyone else here. And so, I ask you this, are you a sailor, a marine, or a pirate?"  

Marco stilled, his eyes glancing up to meet Ace's challenging stare "I underestimated you, observant one. You could tell immediately I was not from here, and so you are now deducing if I am a simple man, a man of the law or" His grin widened "A man who is of danger to you"  

"I don't like your attitude" Ace decided, leaving Marco sputtering "I ask you a simple question and yet you do not reply with a simple answer. Instead you decide to play mean games meant to intimidate and frighten me, not to mention the way you treated my friend. I implore you to complete your business here and be done with me"  

For once Marco's suave expression was wiped clean off his face, leaving him with wide eyes and a slack jaw before he burst into laughter "I have never met a man like you before, Ace. I will complete my business here, but believe me I will be returning. Two pounds of tuna please, should you have it. "  

Ace grit his teeth but continued his business as cordially as possible, giving him the last pound and a half of tuna he had, plus half a pound of fish he hadn't the slightest idea what species it was of. Marco was unbothered, paying the requested amount of gold (slightly higher than what he normally charged, but it was clear Marco hadn't a shortage of coin) with that, Marco left Ace with some parting words "Don't lose that fire of yours, I'll certainly be back"  

"I sure hope you return with your gold" he shot back, wiping down his counters "and more respect for Mr. Prince"  

Marco laughed, tipping his hat as he sauntered away "Why bother? He's just a toy"  

Ace clenched his jaw, throwing his cloth on the counter and returning to the inside of his shop to clean far away from the obnoxious man outside.  

He decided, right then and there, that he and Marco would not ever be friends.