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ofoceansandtombsanew · 5 months ago

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it flows and it flows and it flows

cw. selfship-coded, f!reader (no specified anatomy), pre-canon, pre-relationship, childhood friend au, reader eats a defined devil fruit, love as sacrifice, denial of feelings + mutual pining, vulture culture mention

pairing. portgas d. ace x black!fem!reader

synopsis. as a hydrophiliac, eating a devil fruit is a horrifying thought. as a pirate, eating a devil fruit is an incredibly dumb decision. you'll gladly embrace the horrors and stupidity to keep your loved ones safe.

notes. the way i planned on writing something else for my next childhood friend au installment but this decided it would be making a cameo first whoops. cover comes from monet's impression, sunrise (1872) it just reminds me of ace.

For its moniker of Faerie Faerie Fruit, it isn’t pretty to look at.

The name itself invokes the imagery of translucent wings, tinkling laughter and pixie dust at your fingertips. The fruit in your hands invokes anything but the aforementioned. No, this fruit seems more akin to invoking something out of your nightmares with its gray and pruny peel. All the more damning is the way the face of the fruit is caved in, like a woman in mourning.

According to the encyclopedia you’d skimmed through, once upon a time, this isn’t even the ugliest the Faerie Faerie Fruit can achieve. That has been allocated to the sickly green Goblin model. Knowing this does nothing to quell how unsettling the fruit in your hands is to look at. A fitting feeling for Model Banshee, the variant of the Faerie Faerie Fruit that had fallen in your hands on this most recent adventure across the Moss Isles.

“You should eat it!” Wallace insisted at dinner with a sharp-toothed grin, holding his keg of beer in your direction. “Then the Spades'll finally have a power holder besides the captain!”

Ace squinted at the good-natured fishman with an offended pout, leaning over as best as he could with Kotatsu on his lap. “So I’m not good enough now, Wallace?” The gray lynx mewed, disgruntled at the movement and Ace settled down. “It’s nice to know how you really feel!” In spite of his words, Ace’s lips were curled into a smile as he snickered. He blended perfectly against the Grand Line’s reddening sky, carmine and vermillion painted against the clouds.

“Won’t it be confusing to have two banshees on the ship though,” you asked with a half-smile in return, nodding in the direction of the strawberry blonde. At the mention of her name, the woman grinned at you impishly.

“Maybe you should sell it to me then,” the ginger nodded in satisfaction at the thought. “Then I really would be a banshee!”

“You want it?” You leaned over with intrigued.

As quickly as she brought it up, Banshee shot it down, “no offense to Ace, but if I’m gonna be a pirate,” she gestured beyond the borders of the Spadille, to the sea itself. “I want the security of knowing I won’t drown if I fall into the ocean.” A chorus of laughter followed as Ace whined that his eating the Flame Flame Fruit had only been an accident. A very unforeseen accident.

In one exchange, you were brought back to square one.

You sigh, unable to help a few chuckles. It’s only luck your time on Sixis Island didn’t result in you losing your ability to swim then when you unknowingly bit into the Flame Flame Fruit. Being the first to bite into it, only Ace received any abilities from it. As much as he hadn’t been prepared to eat the thing, however, you can admit it is an ability that suits him.

Ace is like a flame that draws in anyone lucky enough to notice its glow. You want more and more people to see it and relish the warmth of your friend as much as you do.

That doesn’t mean you want to necessarily join him in the ranks of being cursed to drown should you fall into a body of water. Eat, sell or toss it back into the depths for someone else to discover. Those are the only options for a person who finds a devil fruit.

“You shouldn’t eat it anyway,” Ace told you softly when the conversation moved on to a different topic. “You love swimming.”

You love water as easily as you breathe. It has been one of your best friends since your childhood on Dawn Island.

You remember jumping into crocodile infested rivers.

You can hear Luffy’s sniffles as he clung to you desperately. How Sabo sighed, “Can’t you become one with the water in a way that doesn’t look like you drowned?” How Ace, whose face donned more scowls than smiles at 10, rasped a fist against your head in agreement and ranting all the while.

You recall the cool of the returning tide as you looked for seashells on the beach. Then you’d take each one back to Dadan’s, resting them beside your growing collection of unconventional treasures of mummified paws, empty turtle shells and dissected owl pellets. Seashells and stones were the bones of the sea and earth respectively, your grandfather had told you once, so they belonged with your treasure trove as much as any of your other finds.

I wonder if Dadan’s tossed all that out by now, you wonder vaguely. Well if she does, I hope she doesn’t touch my eggs. Protect ‘em for me, Luffy. You remember the beaming haul of large anaconda eggs you’d painted over after Dadan cracked them open for breakfast. There had been four for each of you.

A yellow egg for Luffy, a red egg for Ace and blue for Sabo before you finally painted one over in your own favorite color. You think Sabo’s egg is the collective favorite of the members of your quartet that remain.

It’s only been 7 months or so since you left your life on Dawn Island but it feels like it has been years. Yet throughout it all, the ocean had been a steady companion.

You love it as an extension of your very being.

And yet…

Sloppily drawn eggs and raucous laughter filling the air when you should have been sleeping flood your mind. Your eyes rest on the creepy fruit resting in your hand once again. You don’t necessarily desire joining Ace and Luffy in the ranks of incurring the disdain of the sea, truly. But-

“Flameo, Hotman,” you say suddenly at the approaching heat and footsteps that announce Ace’s presence before his words can.

Ace grins as he rests his arms on the edge of the Spadille, “how’d you know it was me,” he asks unnecessarily, sea breeze running its invisible fingers through his wavy locks. Your eyes crinkle from how you smile at the sight.

You nudge him carefully, fingers tightening slightly over the fruit in your hands, “I felt the furnace getting closer and closer.”

Ace snorts, signature grin on his face. It should feel stranger, seeing him smile so much when he tended to frown and furrow his brow constantly when you were children, but it doesn’t. Smiles suit Ace more than any other expression you’ve seen him have in the past. “What are you over here thinking about?” His eyes dart to the fruit in your hands. “Are you gonna throw it back?”

“It certainly crossed my mind,” you admit with a shrug. Maybe if you hadn’t stopped to think about the past, you would have. The fact you hesitated is more than enough of a sign that your heart hadn’t been into the idea. “I changed my mind, though.”

“What does it do anyway?” Ace poked the wrinkly face with a curious finger.

“Banshees are supposed to be some kind of faerie of death,” you think back to your base information you know about the beings the fruit derives its name. “When someone is gonna die soon, they scream and keen to let people know. But that’s about all that’s really known about ‘em. When you think about it, it kinda suits me, huh?” He hums thoughtfully, looking at the thing deeply and you continue on. “Remember when you gave me my first turtle shell?”

The freckled man’s face softens with a nostalgic smile, “Dadan said boys are supposed to give girls flowers not corpses.” You can hear the cranky woman’s voice even now, exasperated at how you excitedly twirled with the item in your hand. She never quite understood your interest in vulture culture but beside the odd complaint, she never discouraged it.

“I thought it was pretty cool,” you snicker in return. “But you probably should default to flowers whenever you find someone you like. I don’t know if they’d be as appreciative as me.” Whoever that person is, they’ll be lucky. You disregard the strange itch in your chest and thoughts of sky blue hair as Ace rolls his eyes with a chuckle. He may think the idea of someone loving him is ludicrous but he’s an idiot when it comes to such notions.

Portgas D. Ace is special and deserves to be loved in a special way. He will be, someday.

With a sigh, you turn so your back is facing the edge of the ship rather than your front. “Anyways,” you divert the topic back to the former. “I have to admit that it’s pretty useful, objectively thinking. There’s a lot of people out there who wanna avoid death like the plague.” Your heart clenches uncomfortably once more, albeit for a reason you can discern.

Ace nods at your words, “it’ll definitely go for a lot when we get to the next island. So try not to accidentally drop it now that you’ve decided you won’t be doing it intentionally.”

“Oh shut up,” you snort but not unkindly.

But he’s right, this would probably go for a shit ton, not that you know how many berries most devil fruit go for on the market. A devil fruit that grants its user the ability to sense death, however, certainly is above the average.

A smile missing a tooth comes to mind and you have to stop yourself from squeezing additional indents into the Faerie Faerie Fruit. The rough hands of your grandfather covering your own as he shows you how hook a worm follows.

Sabo and Grandpa are gone, there’s no bringing them back.

There are people you love who are still here though, your thumb brushes against the face of the fruit. Indented in anguish as it silently screams for the imminent loss of life. You glance at Ace who is content to stare out at the waves carrying the crew to its next destination. You feel yourself smiling again before you can stop yourself, wistful.

You love the water, it’s as easy as breathing. It’s been your best friend for as long as you could remember.

You remember listening with giddy awe to your grandfather recounting how taking you out the bath as a baby was nigh impossible unless the tub was empty first.

You can hear Makino’s panic as you groggily wake up, realizing you fell asleep in the midst of your floating. Your head hung sheepishly as she scolded you, voice uncharacteristically sharp about the dangers of falling asleep in the ocean. “Heaven forbid the sea king was around!”

You recall the shared panic of Luffy falling underneath a lake’s surface, you, Ace and Sabo diving after him in unison.

If you could become the ocean itself, you’d gladly do so and let your limbs dissolve into it and feel the pulse of every living creature residing within.

Another sigh slips from your lips as you look over your shoulder at the sunset-stained gem the Piece of Spadille sails across. I’m really going to miss being in it. You don’t necessarily want the curse eating a devil fruit will bring, but even if you can’t swim in it anymore you will find ways to still enjoy it.

With solidified determination, you bite into the ominous fruit resting in your hands without a second thought.

At your movement, Ace looks in your direction.

His eyes go from inquisitive to as wide as dinner plates in the span of seconds, calling out your name in frantic surprise. “What are you doing?!” Large, freckled hands reach for you and you side step him immediately before breaking into a run. “Spit it out!”

God this tastes awful, you nearly gag but you force yourself to swallow the piece anyway. Hearing heavy boots chasing after you, you bite into the wrinkled fruit once more. Just in case the first bite doesn’t take.

“Um, [First]?” You barely hear Deuce’s confused reaction. “Ace?”

“Can you stop Ace for me? Thanks!” You call back to the masked man.

“Stop her from being an idiot!” Ace shouts after you.

The Masked Deuce smartly decides being neutral is his only course of action. “You guys figure it out! We’ll, uh, we’ll be over here!”

You could squeal from how close he is but you manage to bite into the foul-tasting flesh a final time before warm arms wrap around your waist, preventing further escape. You swallow instinctively.

“[First]!” You pull against how he tries to grapple your possession from your hands. Try as you might, you aren’t able to get a fourth bite in. You squeeze your eyes shut, not that it does much but it does prevent you from seeing what is undoubtedly an Ace with a frown.

“Can’t spit out anything,” you cry before Ace can start that up once again. It is far too late for the man to do anything about your consuming the Faerie Faerie Fruit. “I already bit into the shit three times!”

“But why?!” Ace asks incredulously.

“Because it’s useful! I’m not giving this sort of ability up!” You stop wriggling, knowing it is redundant when you’ve already done what you’ve set out to do. “I just,” you open your eyes, downcast. “I don’t want to lose anyone else I care about.”

If you were to ever sense Ace or Luffy’s deaths, it will break you. At least you know in those moments, you’ll be able to do something about it. There doesn’t have to be anymore Grandpas or Sabos, not for you. Not if you can stop it. You’ll gladly eat a dozen more Faerie Faerie Fruits if it gives you any ability to keep them safe.

There’s a pause then a groan of resignation as your feet touch the deck again. I guess there’s no point in eating anymore of this, you look at what remains of the fruit. You aren’t sure exactly how it will change you in ways beyond a newly acquired death ping. You resign yourself to eating the rest regardless.

The silence isn’t entirely uncomfortable but it isn’t comfortable either, it just is. There’s nothing else that can be done about your decision.

“You can’t ever take this back, you know,” his voice is soft.

“I know,” you murmur after the last of the devil fruit has been eaten. “I don’t need the ocean like that anyway.” You will find new ways to enjoy it. Finally you turn to look at the man who has been your closest friend since you were 10. You were practically family. Family, that’s right. Family looks out for each other. You are going to look out for Portgas D. Ace whether he likes it or not, you promised yourself this after you met Old Man Naguri.

Even as Ace looks at you with equal parts acceptance and sorrow on your behalf, you think the sacrifice is worth it. It’s bitter but the sweet in your chest outweighs it.

“That’s one more thing we have in common,” you try to lighten the mood. “Paramecia and Logia differences aside.”

Ace sighs but he gives you a snicker of courtesy, “I would have been fine with us not having this in common.”

“Eeeh, you’ll get over it.” I’ll get over it, you chuckle, turning back to face the horizon. The sun’s almost been swallowed entirely by the sea and there are more things dotting the sky than you remember there being a few minutes ago. Your eyes widen at the ghastly image of whales swimming through the skies as if unaware their time has passed many moons ago.

Whales, stingrays, sharks and unidentifiable fish as far as you can see.

A silent procession across the Grand Line only for your newly acquired eyes. It almost makes you want to cry.

“Is everything alright,” Ace draws you back in, eyebrows knit in concern.

You wonder if Grandpa and Sabo’s ghosts are gallivanting about Dawn Island.

“Yeah.”

#look she's writing #one piece x reader #op x reader #ace x reader #portgas d ace x reader #one piece #portgas d ace #i just have been brainrotting a lot about this man #him his freckles his large hands his warm skin #look it's self shipping hours #sea otters #flaming pearls #one piece imagines #op imagines #flaming pearls (sea otters)#ace x black!reader #x black!reader

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firstdivisiongirl · 6 months ago

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Hii, saw your request were up and recently I got my henna done for a celebration.

So Ace x fm!reader where reader gets some henna designs one her hands and feet (I know it weird on the feet but it's really normal when wearing sandals!) and Ace sees it. How does he react will he want henna too? Short fic.

Thanks!

Hey! Sorry for the delay. I bet your henna is really pretty. I always thought henna was super pretty, so I am happy I get to write this for you. Thank you and I hope you like it!

Ace x Fem Reader: His Girl

It was Ace’s turn to guard the Spadille today. Usually it annoyed him, but it was kind of nice to relax a little on his own. He just took a nap and waited for everyone to come back with supplies and souvenirs. He wondered what you were doing. He hoped you were having fun. A lot of times you came back with cool jewelry or traditional outfits worn on the islands. He wondered what you were gonna come back with this time.

***

“We’re back,” you yelled, walking around to find Ace.

“Up here,” he answered, waving from the crow’s nest. He hurried up and came down from his spot in the crows nest. When he came down he noticed your hands and feet were covered in intricate henna. It was beautiful. He never saw anything like it and it looked even more beautiful with the sunset illuminating them. You looked like a goddess. “Do you like it,” you asked, interrupting Ace’s daydream.

He smiled widely and looked closer at the henna design, “yeah, you look like a goddess. I can’t believe how detailed it is. How did they do that?”

The rest of the day you explained how henna is done. He sat and listened very intently. It fascinated him so much. You were a little shocked he found it so cool. He said that next time you do it, make it look like little flames and fires because it was like a symbol you were his girl. And henna or not, you were always gonna be his girl.

Please do not copy, modify, translate or repost my writing on other platforms. Comments, reblogs and likes are highly appreciated!

#one piece #first division girl #one piece x reader #one piece x you #one piece x y/n #character x y/n #character x reader #character x you #one piece x female reader #ace x you #portgas d. ace #ace x reader #ace x y/n #portgas d ace x reader #portgas d ace #fire fist ace #portgas d ace x y/n #portgas d ace x you

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spadillelicious · 10 months ago

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LDR FANFIC???!!!!!! 👀👀👀💖💖💖 I'M SO NORMAL SO SO SO NORMAL ABOUT THIS I SWEAR!!!!(<-lie)

Heart of Glass is such a good song, and fits so well!! 😭😭💖Also??? Soft Sun!!! Soft Sun!!! Soft Sun!!! I think we all needed that after the recent couple chapters...!! 😅💖💖

I love all of this but there are some lines that go ESPECIALLY hard and just punch you straight in the gut!!! /pos "You just prayed that Sun would keep his promise. Because the hurt at his betrayal would kill you long before a bullet from his gun." <- this one especially!!! Also that soft forehead kiss...!! Will be thinking about that one for a while, that's was so sweet 💞💞💞 And thank you so much for writing this, it really feels like a love letter to the story with the way it's written, staying very true to the format and characters! It truly was a joy to wake up to this lovely lovely writing and get to experience LDR from a reader's perspective! Made my day! Thanks for enjoying the story and for tagging me in this!! 💖💖💖✨✨✨

Heart of Glass

A friend of mine finally talked me into reading LDR and this was the result. Takes place after chapter 13. LDR belongs to @spadillelicious

At your wit's end, you decide to try and have a normal time with Sun before opening hours.

cw: suggestive

You x Sun

wordcount: 2040

You came into work feeling a little more rested than you have been in the past few days. You chanced taking a quick glance around for Moon but the janitor was doing a good job of making himself discreet, and you couldn't exactly blame him given recent events. A knot formed in the pit of your stomach and you rubbed at your temples.

You missed the days when your greatest concern at work was customer service, or not making a total fool of yourself while skating, or… confessing to your crush. It was beyond agonizing how your world had gone from bright and sure to being filled with shadows of uncertainty at every corner overnight. And each day the shadows seemed to grow bigger and more numerous. It almost made you wish you could go back to the days of blissful ignorance before you knew the horrible, horrible truth.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Sun chirped from behind you, causing you to jump nearly a foot in the air. He placed both hands on your shoulders to steady you before you could fall over. “Careful there. You don't even have your skates on and already you're unbalanced.” He gave a soft, playful chuckle in your ear that made your heart squeeze in your chest and your breath catch in your lungs.

“M-Morning, Sun,” you forced out, trying to simulate even a sliver of the cheer he was radiating..

“You're here early again I see, perfect. That means we can get more practice in. I'll make an expert skater out of you yet,” Sun declared, giving a spin and winking at you.

You gave a soft snort in answer, doubting his claims. Your clumsiness on wheels aside… A dark thought pervaded your mind… would you even live long enough for that to happen? You stared up at Sun, seeing the eagerness in his body language, the way he was practically bouncing in his roller skates, the way his eyes were lit up with excitement and anticipation. He was eager to get you on the roller rink. His dance floor.

You considered him, and you considered one of your more recent conversations. His confession about the mixtape, how it meant everything to him, how he’d kissed it and handled it like the most precious of treasures. A part of you desperately wanted to believe his words, that he would never hurt you, that he wanted to keep you safe and protect you. But your mind was still swirling in a fog of doubt and fear.

After what you saw him do you didn't know what to believe anymore. You didn't want to think that all those months of you and him had been a lie. But if they had been… would he really be trying so hard? And then another thought occurred to you, a crazy and possibly insane thought. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to keep Sun endeared to you. If his feelings were really as true as he claimed, then perhaps keeping him on your side might be the smart thing to do. You felt like such a scuzz for even thinking that but it wasn't just about self-preservation on your part. You really did miss your friend. Your Sun.

“Not this time,” you said, straightening your back and puffing out your chest a little bit. “This time we're going on to MY dance floor.”

Sun stared down at you, his eyes widening in surprise as he blinked at you. Clearly, you had caught him off guard. “Oh?” The sound was drawn out, laced with intrigue, and his rays gave a little spin. “Do tell. Where is this said dance floor?”

Swallowing down all of your nerves -and they went down as smoothly as a thick wad of dried bread, with no water to wash it down- you took Sun by the hand and pulled him towards the DJ booth. He gave a soft giggle clearly intrigued as he let you tug him along, his roller skates gliding easily along the floor. When you got to the DJ booth you began flipping through the vinyls looking for the record you had in mind.

“Skates off," you told him.

Once again Sun was taken aback by your request. “Sunshine, this is a skating rink,” he reminded you.

“Oh, what's the matter?” You asked, throwing him a raised eyebrow and the hint of a smirk. “Afraid I'll show you up?”

Sun laughed and it was the first genuine laugh you heard since... you shook your head. No you couldn't let those thoughts frazzle you now. Not when you had a good flow going. “Someone is feeling daring today,” Sun remarked, and he sounded pleased as punch about it. “All right, then. We’ll play by your rules.”

While Sun changed out of his skates and into his casual footwear, you searched for a particular vinyl. It didn’t take you long to find what you were looking for, and once you got it set up, the music started and Heart of Glass by Blondie began blaring over speakers. You turned to face Sun and then you begin to move your hips to the music, doing a shuffle as your elbows and knees popped to the beat.

Sun gazed at you in utter awe. “I didn't know you could dance, sunshine. You've been holding back on me!”

Normally you didn't, normally you were too embarrassed and self-conscious to dance in front of others. But if this helped you to mend some kind of bridge…

“Once I had a love, and it was a gas,” you sang as you swayed your hips.

“Soon turned out, had a heart of glass,” Sun continued as he joined you, shuffling his feet, his limbs moving with a flawless elegance that was so enviable.

As it turned out Sun was just as graceful off the roller rink as he was on it. He matched you move for move and even had the cheek to embellish on some of them. Clearly trying to impress you, and probably also show off a little. Halfway through the song, Sun caught one of your hands and spun you around before pulling you into a dance of his own. With one hand holding yours and the other on your hip, he rocked and swayed your bodies together in time with the music. Your heart surged in your chest a mix of fear and something else. Excitement? Giddy? You decided not to look at it too closely and just enjoy the music and the rhythm that your bodies were making.

The two of you spun and danced around the small space and you felt a little bit more in control without the skates to put you off balance. Sun did a good enough job of that to you as it was all on his own. At one point Sun had spun you around so that you were face away from him, and you were acutely aware of his hips gently grinding against yours as your back pressed against his chest. It was only for a moment, maybe two, but it caused you to fluster enough that you nearly had a misstep as Sun spun you back around to face him, his smile perfectly bright and innocent.

Despite your nerves, you felt yourself actually having fun. “Lost inside, adorable illusion and I cannot hide,” you sing softly.

Sun continued the next lyric. “I'm the one you're using, please don't push me aside.” You heard his voice quiver a little at those last few words, his voice becoming almost pleading.

He pulled you a little closer in the dancing and once again you felt your heart being clenched in your chest. A thought occurred to you just then. (You’d been having a lot of those lately.) What if Moon wasn't the only victim here? You saw how Sun acted around Afton, how whenever the owner came by Sun distanced himself from you. Maybe… maybe Sun acted the way he did because he had to.

Was that stupid of you to think? Was that naive of you to wish that that was the case? At any rate, you couldn't allow yourself to fully believe it as much as you wanted to. There was too much doubt, too many holes in this gruesome picture that you found yourself a part of unwittingly. But in your heart of hearts you wanted to hold on to that hope that the Sun that you knew, the friend who had always been there to brighten your day and bring a smile to your face, you wanted to believe that that was the real Sun.

The two of you finished out the song, Sun slowing down the dance as the outro played until he was just gently swaying you with him. Holding you close so that your heart was practically hammering against his chest plate.

“I missed this,” he murmured against your hair. “I missed us.”

“Me too,” you said, allowing yourself to be honest.

Sun began humming, but not to the tune that was playing. It was a different song entirely. A much older one. “You Are My Sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray~. You'll never know dear how much I…” His whole body shuddered, his sun rays twitching and his words seemed to hitch.

You stared up at him, your mouth agape. “S-Sun?” It was a question, and you still weren't sure you wanted to know the answer.

Sun slowed the both of you to a halt, staring down at you with those pale eyes that seemed so… vulnerable at the moment. His hands reached up to cradle your face and your cheeks were hot against his cool silicone and metal digits.

“I know you're still… uncertain. But unlike you, there is no doubt in my mind about how I feel.”

He leaned down and in a panic, you closed your eyes too scared to back away or to move forward. But instead of a touch on your lips, you felt his smile press against your forehead in a sweet and affectionate gesture.

“Not to worry, sunshine,” he said softly. “If… when that happens, it will be because you wanted it.”

Your heart swelled and you almost wanted to cry. So many emotions and thoughts and feelings were swirling around in your head, distorting your reality and making you dizzy. Were you a terrible person for leading him on like this? Were you an even worse person for still loving him as much as you did? You opened your eyes to look at him but before you could say or think to say anything, you heard a distant banging on a door breaking the mood.

Sun glanced over to the front doors, an unamused laugh emitting from him. “Looks like we have some eager beavers this morning. It's still ten minutes til opening.”

Sun parted from you and you had to fight the urge to reach out and grab his windbreaker to stop him. He slipped his roller skates back on and flashed you his trademark grin. “I'll take care of things, sunshine. Why don't you go grab yourself a cup of coffee real quick? I made you a fresh pot.”

“Thank you,” you said, giving him a smile. And for the first time in a while, it didn't feel forced.

“No, thank you, sunshine.” He lingered in the doorway, gripping the door frame tightly. “I really needed this. More than I think you'll ever know.”

With that, he skated off to help the customers, all while singing the song that was playing “The tide is high but I'm holding on, I'm gonna be your number one~.”

You collapsed down into one of the swivel chairs, needing to catch your breath from the whirlwind of the last several minutes. For just a short while things had felt normal again. It felt like you had your friend and crush back. The hope in your heart, once a little seedling, was starting to grow, and you were wondering if it was too late to root it out. You just prayed that Sun would keep his promise. Because the hurt at his betrayal would kill you long before a bullet from his gun.

#love death and rollerskates fanfic #<-omg that get's to be a tag??? :D :D :D #other people’s amazing writing #spadille speaks #tw suggestive #cw suggestive

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dcafanzine · 4 months ago

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Hi everyone! We’re super excited to start introducing our contributors! Let’s let them introduce themselves!

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Ello! Names Cloudy, Void, or CloudyVoid (preferably Cloudy), and I am one of the page artists for the backstage zine! This is actually my second Zine and about my 4th collaboration project! Huge fnaf fan ever since the first one, and my interest really rose and fell until Security Breach came out. Hopelessly addicted to the DCA within seeing a few fanarts. I'm a huge fan of fnaf DCA OCs too! I think, they're neat.

@cloudyvoid

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Hiiii!! I'm Clou (@imclou on tumblr) and i'll be a page artist for Glitches and Glitterglue and the Backstage Pass zine! I've pretty much loved fnaf as soon as my eyes fell on it when it first came out and i was just a middle schooler. I honestly don't remember how i stumbled upon the DCA but boy am i glad i got to join this fandom. There are so many talented artists and writers here it's crazy! Actually, it's been a few years since i made art regularly, but the DCAs worms and the artists/writers were so powerful they pushed me into picked it back up. I'll be forever grateful for that so i'll try to cook something real cool for you all!

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Hi! I'm @spadillelicious or Spadille for short! I'm a page artist for the Glitches and Glitterglue zine and the Backstage Pass zine, and this is my first time participating in a zine

I've been a fnaf fan since seeing Markiplier's first playthrough of the game, but the brainrot began for real when I saw the DCA for the first time.

I think the DCA have so many interesting aspects to them to explore in art and writing, and I've always liked jesters, space and robots, so it was no surprise that they quickly got a special place in my heart

It's wonderful to see all the talent and creativity of the DCA fandom, and it definitely shows in this zine! I'm so excited for everyone to see all the amazing art and writing all the contributors have been working hard on

Ao3

#glitches and glitterglue zine #dca fan zine #dca fanzine #fanzine #dca fandom #contributor spotlight

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silly0shark · 8 months ago

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I did some moon doodles for

I 💙love death and roller skates!

#artwork #my art #art #artists on tumblr #digital aritst #fnaf moon #moondrop

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gemkun · 7 months ago

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Please recommend Aventurines and Acherons for me to follow! I came back to the fandom and finally finished 2.1/2.2 and now I love them.

hi anon ! thank you for giving me a chance to gush about some of the best aventurine and acheron writers out there. see them below !

aventurines

@blindbet : i cannot express how much i love ( and hate ) dak's aven. the hcs he has spun and the way he writes aven is so delicious that i am so lucky ( and cursed ) to be able to write with his menace. not to mention his dialogue sounds like it's literally ripped out from hoyo's script. from one - liners to multiparas , dak never fails to let his peacock fan his feathers. i cannot imagine my hsr journey without him in it uwu

@luckquartzed : luna is incredible. the amount of thought and time she puts into her aventurine is . . . insane. she has shared so much research with me and literally is so invested into this blonde golden goose and you can see it in every response. the way luna manages to write him with an assortment of other characters honestly amazes me because it's something i struggle with. it's something i admire greatly.

@defiedlife : jenna loml. she might have been one of the first aventurine's i wrote with and he has such a special place in my heart. she writes him as the little minx he is ( saff's words ) but goes into so much more depth. her writing is so rich and refreshing and the way she delves into his psyche has me in awe.

@kushtibokt : naans is known for writing little shits and aventurine is no exception. thankfully he's not ginger. their aventurine is so cocky and true to his character. not only do you get a good giggle out of naans' portrayal but on the other hand , there is exceptional insight into the darker traits of his character which i think is truly admirable. they also write amazing hcs and pick out details that people often overlook ( myself included ).

@apocryphis : ventium is just a must follow in general. i haven't written with her aventurine ( guilty as charged ) as much as i should but you only need to read some responses to understand how much care and love she invests into the gambling trickster. not to mention her character studies are so informative and you can tell each aspect has been critically analysed which just adds to the amount of passion she puts into her muses.

@starspurn : kit my beloved. she's on hiatus rn but she writes a spectacular aventurine. i miss him and kit a lot actually. he will prod and poke your muses and rile them up until he's grinning like the cat that got the cream but it is exhilarating.

honourable mentions : @aventvrina , @highrolls , @spadilled , @raytm ( even if all you write is gepard ) , @stagehunt ( i know we have never written vos but i've seen your writing and it is chef's kiss ) , @ephemyrals ( bring him back from the war mona )

acherons

@amourem : saff is just an incredible writer overall. this is her multi cause she deleted her acheron ( boo ! ) but i'm sure if asked she will pull her out of the abyss.

@finalism : please please please follow ori. i have not written with her acheron yet but i've glimpsed some of it and the dialogue and description and mystery is so . . . on point. ori in general writes brilliantly from her blade to her ratio to her acheron and of course her dazai.

#* ✦ 𝐈𝐈. ❮ asks ❯ ⸻ ❝#consider this a masterpost i guess #or a mass compliment for writers that deserve love hehe #okay but i feel so ashamed for the disparity between aventurines and acherons cry #also for the mentions you guys are phenomenal writers don't feel discouraged i would simply be repeating myself #i know there are so many more out there and you are all incredible as well

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heliantart · 2 months ago

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❝HIRAETH❞

───────•••───────

«Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.» - No Man is an Island

───────•••───────

Soundtrack : ❝ Eyes Wide Open ❞ - Tony Anderson

───────•••───────

❝This mask was the conditio sine qua non for existing as I am.❞ — Deuce, One Piece Novel A

───────•••───────

❝ A Pencil and a Dream ❞ MASKED DEUCE

───────•••───────

WHILE DEUCE HAD A PARTICULAR TALENT for writing, she excelled in the arts. She was so attractive when she painted and drew, that it was difficult to take your eyes away from her.

It was for her particular talents that Arlys embarked on the Piece of Spadille after meeting two odd pirates on Sabaody island; a flamboyant young man and a masked writer.

───────•••───────

Sitting on the deck of the Peace of Spadille, Arlys found herself painting a new pirate flag. The previous one had been accidentally incinerated by one of their captain's overly powerful attacks.

As the crew's artist, Arlys was ideally suited for the task. Although she preferred to paint freely, she didn't mind tracing the symbol of their crew. She was able to memorise it with her fingertips, so that she could redraw it later on the pages of her sketchbook. She applied herself diligently to the task she had been given, taking only a few breaks to stretch and admire the island they were moored at.

A little further out on deck, a familiar figure was watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Deuce was about to join his comrades on the shore, but was interrupted when he saw the young woman busying herself.

As the weeks went by, he had quickly noticed her homebody nature. Arlys liked to stay on the boat most of the time, and was often on watch during stopovers.

Recently, however, he had noticed her hesitancy when the crew disembarked on an island. Over the last few days, the idea of leaving the boat had seemed to tempt her, and today was no exception.

Deuce stepped towards her.

- “Arlys?”

The latter looked up from the flag in her hands and met the young writer's eyes. Curious, she gave him her undivided attention.

- “Deuce?”

- “I'm going to explore the island too, do you want to join me?”

She remained undecided for a few moments, returning her gaze to the flag with the Jolly Roger almost finished, then to Deuce, then to the flag... Before finally deciding to follow him. Spending time with Deuce was a pleasant prospect after all.

She stood up, and laid the banner next to Kotatsu, who was asleep, lazily stretched out on the deck, enjoying the sun.

- “Keep an eye on this for me, Kotatsu.”

After a final pat on the head, and a questioning, sleepy meow from the animal, Arlys joined her comrade, taking with her a satchel that Deuce guessed was filled with her drawing supplies.

- “Let's go.”

She smiled at him, and Deuce's cheeks turned a light crimson.

He smiled back and they headed for the heart of the island.

While Arlys loved the peace and quiet of the ship, walking outside and discovering new islands was also a great source of inspiration for her.

They strolled around the city for several hours. So much so that the afternoon was drawing to a close. So they decided to visit the festival in the city centre.

After passing some of their companions, most of whom were busy eating their fill, Arlys soon noticed that Deuce seemed rather interested in the Ferris wheel. Of course, she was unaware that his last memories of the attraction were not the best, and in fact dated back to his and Ace's last visit to Sabaody.

- “Do you want to get in?”

Hearing the woman's voice surprised him. It was true that she didn't normally talk much. But before he had a chance to protest, Arlys gently pulled him by the arm, in the direction of the attraction.

She simply nodded in response to the ride steward, who greeted them, and climbed into the cabin without delay, dragging Deuce with her.

The atmosphere was much calmer and more pleasant than Deuce remembered; the last time he'd been on a Ferris wheel had been at Sabaody, in the presence of Ace and Iska, and the tension between them had been so heavy that all he'd thought about during the ride was getting out. For his part, Ace had seemed totally oblivious of the heavy gaze the young marine had been giving them all along.

This time, however, Arlys' presence made the atmosphere more comfortable. She had dropped his sleeve and sat down on one of the crimson seats. Deuce sat directly opposite to her.

Before the ride had even started, Arlys had already taken her sketchbook out of her satchel and, pencil in hand, was already sketching whatever had caught her eye.

──•••──

What Deuce didn't know was that she hadn't just immortalised the panoramic view from the top of the Ferris wheel. She had also sketched the writer's pensive profile, capturing every expression. Transcribing with the tip of her pencil the emotions of wonder that seemed to gleam in his eyes. This side of the pirate was refreshing, and Arlys had to make do with quick glances to detail his face. But as soon as she had more or less finished, she allowed herself to look at him without hiding behind her sketchbook, also occasionally casting her attention to the outside of the cabin.

No longer hearing the steady scratching of the graphite on the paper, which he found somehow soothing, Deuce looked away from the window to meet the pensive gaze of the artist, who was still watching him wordlessly.

- ‘’You stopped drawing? Did you finish your work?”

Caught off guard, Arlys kept her composure and nodded quietly. Rummaging for a moment through her numerous sheets of paper stamped with sketches, she hid the freshly sketched portrait by putting her drawing of the view from the Ferris Wheel, which she had done earlier, back on top.

Deuce didn't seem to notice that the woman's gaze had lingered on him for several minutes. ‘Good,’ she thought.

She then held out her illustration. Deuce picked it up delicately, and carefully observed the meticulous details of the pencil sketch.

He remained fascinated by her technique for a moment.

- “It's very well done.”

The landscape she had depicted seemed to pulse with life, and Deuce didn't even know what compliment to use. He was happy that Arlys was showing him some of her work. Although he would have liked to see a few more.

At last he took his eyes off the sketch and handed it back to her. Quite unconcerned by the simplicity of his comment, she thanked him for his compliment.

- “Is there a reason you joined the crew?”

Keen to seize the opportunity to have a conversation with the young artist, Deuce had asked the first question that came to his mind.

Although he had been there when Arlys had joined the crew, he had never really known her motives. For a long time, he had thought that it had been a matter of circumstances. When Ace was around, things sometimes happened in a very strange way. Perhaps it was their captain's radiant energy that had brought her to their side.

Arlys remained pensive for a short while, allowing herself a moment of reflection as she put her sketch back with the others, flat on her lap.

- "I'm an orphan, but I grew up with several other children back at Sabaody. Most of them were younger than me.”

Sensing that she was about to tell him something she had never told anyone before, Deuce listened attentively, interested and moved by her willingness to confide in him a little.

- “I'd like to help them out of their misery one day, and show them the world.” She said, thoughtfully. “When I saw you and Ace that day, I knew I wanted to set sail. And I think that's when I decided to seize the opportunity to pursue my dream.”

She clutched her pouch full of sketches and paintings between her fingers.

- “When I'll return to see them, I want to offer them a glimpse of what's beyond the sea. And tell them about the wonderful people I've met on my travels.”

She paused, and added;

- “You gave me the courage to start.”

This was the first time Arlys had told him about her life in Sabaody. And it was also the first time he had seen her shine so brightly, a gentle smile on her lips and eyes gleaming. He was so surprised by this side of her that he said nothing more until the attraction came to a halt, signalling the end of their ride.

When they emerged from the Ferris Wheel, both of them felt like they understood each other a little better than they did before.

──•••──

Night would soon fall, and as they walked in soothing silence through the festival's market aisles, lit by numerous lanterns, Arlys turned her gaze towards him.

- “Say, Deuce. Could I take a look at your diary one of these days?”

Deuce winced. After hearing the taunts of his comrades when they had secretly read his notes, Deuce wasn't really comfortable with the idea of letting anyone read his writings.

But he couldn't resist Arlys' gaze, shining with genuine curiosity.

- “Only if you show me your sketches.”

She grimaced, now as uncomfortable as he was. But her curiosity was stronger than her embarrassment, and she ended up smiling shyly at him.

- “All right, we have a deal.”

──•••──

When Deuce returned to his cabin that night, he wrote in his notebook about Arlys.

“I asked Arlys about her dreams today. Perhaps I should have asked her sooner, but then, her answer might have been different.

She said I gave her the courage to start, but I think that she would have left Sabaody earlier or later. She would have left to immortalise, with her pencils and paint brushes, landscapes and faces from all over the world. Meeting Ace and me only gave her an opportunity to start, but she already had the courage she needed, she always had. Because she is doing this for them, her siblings, waiting for her to return and to tell them all about her adventures. Ace was only the one that showed her the way, without even realizing it, just like he did for me.

Now I understand why she shines in her art, it's her dream that she traces, piece by piece, every day.

Arlys, too, has the soul of a true adventurer, a very kind one.”

───────•••───────

While Deuce was horrified when his comrades dared to read his notes over his shoulder, especially after their recent mockery, Arlys, for her part, was quick to get flustered and hide her sketches if one of her companions happened to glance indiscreetly at her drawings. Especially when she was working on a portrait. Suffice to say that the members of the Spade's took malicious delight in tormenting the two artists.

This time, however, it was Mihal who startled the young woman, as she felt a presence attentively observing the portrait of Deuce she was working on. It was the one she had started on the Ferris wheel, and was now busy perfecting it.

- “Mihal?!” She yelped, covering it immediately with her hands.

- “From what I've had time to see, it's very pretty.”

Mihal was very much a homebody, and often guarded the boat with her, but he was not insensitive to art. It may have been due to his profession as a teacher. Regardless, he was always curious and appreciative of the young woman's creations.

Arlys wasn't sure what to say at first, but finally thanked him, adopting a slightly more relaxed posture as she loosened her grip on the edges of her sketchbook.

Mihal wasn't the most talkative person on the ship, so Arlys naively assumed that he wouldn't point out what he had just seen. However, she was soon disillusioned when she saw the former teacher sit down opposite her, looking up to the person about to sneak up behind her.

- “Deuce, hm?”

Skull had just peered over the woman's shoulder, giving the portrait and then Arlys an inquisitive look.

His snide comment, full of insinuations, made her blush.

As a good informer, and often working in tandem with Arlys, Skull had more than once had the opportunity to rummage through the young woman's drawings. And although Arlys would be the first to deny it, Skull, and the other crew members who had secretly looked at her work, had noticed the higher number of portraits of Deuce in her sketchbook. Similarly, while she sometimes shared her other portraits without too much reluctance, she seemed to keep those of the young writer well hidden.

Of course, among the crew, no one had escaped Arlys' observant gaze, and everyone had had their portraits painted. Sometimes as individuals, sometimes as a group. Arlys had immortalised many moments of life on the Peace of Spadille. But the way she captured Deuce's gestures and expressions, his smiles, his gaze, the sparkle in his eyes… was very special.

She looked at him like a painter enamoured by his muse.

───────•••───────

Arlys appeared a lot in his notes, too much in fact.

Of course, her name had its place in his novel, Arlys was one of his comrades after all, and often stayed by his side. She was a pleasant, almost comforting presence, and he always enjoyed the discussions they had together. He had got into the habit of writing down some of his thoughts - which had no place in his adventure novel - in another notebook which he usually kept with him.

According to his deductions, it was life in the slums that had most influenced Arlys. Firstly in terms of her physical abilities: Arlys had built herself up on agility and speed, and was more suited to pickpocketing - although she seemed too honest to have given in to pilfering -. She had once told him that she used to spend a lot of time on rooftops. Firstly for her own safety, but also to keep an eye on the other street kids and to observe, out of sight, what was going on below. It was also where she drew.

While Arlys was not generally a very expressive person, Deuce had noticed that she was quite different when she was drawing portraits. She had a funny habit of unconsciously mimicking the expression she was trying to draw, thus reflecting the expression of the portrait itself. These scenes remained almost comical but also endearing in the eyes of the writer.

This thought prompted him to look around for the artist, and he found her sitting on a crate on the other side of the deck. Once again, she was drawing. Her expression was calm, almost pensive. Deuce wondered what she was sketching to look so peaceful.

He smiled, and began to scribble in his notebook the thoughts that were running through his mind.

When Deuce looked up from his notepad again, Arlys was now accompanied by Mihal, Skull and Banshee. The discussion seemed lively, and Arlys was visibly embarrassed. The scene was not very different from the usual moments of life on the Peace of Spadille. If Arlys had been out of the picture, she would surely have immortalised it with the tip of her pencil.

- “What are you admiring like that?”

Ace had just peeked his head over the shoulder of the writer, who gasped at the sudden appearance of his captain. The latter squinted his eyes to find what Deuce had been observing with a smile, until his gaze fell on the artist at the other end of the deck.

- “I see.” Ace's mischievous expression made Deuce freeze, as he tried desperately to maintain a detached attitude.

- “What?”

Ace raised an eyebrow. Deuce was trying to play it cool now? It wouldn't work on him.

He leaned against the rail of the upper deck, watching the lively conversation the four pirates below seemed to be having. He smiled at the sight.

Deuce was perplexed by his captain's change of attitude, but waited for his next comment.

- “She likes you too, you know.” He said, calmly.

Deuce turned his head towards him, speechless and visibly taken aback by his comment.

Ace considered his reaction out of the corner of his eye.

- “You didn't know that?”

Then he remembered that Deuce had never delved into Arlys' drawings like the rest of the crew had. And of course, he didn't realise the way she looked at him.

- “It's not-” Deuce tried, ready to deny what the young man was insinuating. His relationship with Arlys wasn't like that, was it?

Ace sighed.

- “Ahh, whatever, it's not my problem!” he said, placing his hands on his comrade's shoulder. “You'll find out eventually!” With that, Ace left, hands behind his head.

Deuce remained motionless for several long seconds, bewildered by this brief discussion. His gaze drifted back to Arlys, gently teased by Skull, under the amused gaze of Mihal and Banshee.

And for a brief moment, he met her gaze. She smiled shyly, before turning her head towards Banshee, who was addressing her.

The writer leaned against the railing, his eyes thoughtfully turned towards the sky as he remembered her words.

“You gave me the courage to start”...

Did she really view him differently?

───────•••───────

Arlys and Deuce met up on the upper deck in the late afternoon, as the sun was ending its journey across the sky, leaving in its wake only a warm, comforting, golden glow.

The artist had her sketchbook in her arms, and Deuce was holding his notebook in his hand.

Arlys had fallen back against the ship's rail, sitting on the deck. Deuce joined her without further thought. Sitting side by side, the atmosphere was peaceful, with only the sound of the waves and the distant conversations of their comrades filling the air.

Both of their minds were busy. Deuce was thinking about Ace's words, while in Arlys' mind, it was the conversation she had had earlier with her friends that was tormenting her.

Chasing away all distracting thoughts, Arlys chose to enjoy the present moment. After giving Deuce a sidelong glance, she handed him her sketchbook, which he took gently. And he in turn gave her his notebook.

Deuce took a moment to contemplate the sketchbook in his hands. In a way, Arlys' sketches were precious. Not only because they immortalised so many moments in their lives, but also because she had enough trust in him to show him the very crystallisation of her dream. The thought warmed his heart.

Arlys, for her part, had a similar moment of reflection. She too was touched by Deuce's faith in her. But curiosity soon got the better of her, and she began to read his work.

From the very first lines, Arlys smiled fondly; Deuce's writing was like him; simple yet imbued with his personality. She loved the way he thought and handled words, and was quickly absorbed in her reading, happy to catch a glimpse of Deuce's inner world, and discover another side of him.

Deuce couldn't help but study the young woman's reaction out of the corner of his eye. Seeing her smile so sincerely and kindly, Deuce could only blush with surprise. There didn't seem to be any mockery in her gaze. She really seemed to enjoy every word.

Embarrassed, Deuce returned his attention to the sketchbook on his lap, and finally decided to open it.

The first sketches he looked at were representations of Sabaody's landscapes; the merchant streets, the docks, the pirate ships moored around the island, the tall trees surrounded by the many characteristic bubbles... These illustrations reminded him of their last visit to Sabaody, and his first meeting with Arlys.

This was followed by numerous sketches and paintings of classic scenes of life aboard the Peace of Spadille; meals shared in the refectory, Ace’s antics, and even battles and training carried out aboard the ship. Arlys had sketched the expressions of each crew member with remarkable accuracy, immortalising their laughter, their facial expressions and their smiles. At this sight, Deuce could only give a gentle smile of his own, an expression that mirrored the one Arlys gave when she drew these scenes; a peaceful, tender expression. They both shared a mutual affection for their comrades, their true family.

The next paintings depicted various landscapes; Deuce recognised them as the islands they had visited during their travels, and portraits of the inhabitants were attached to the paintings. Once again, Arlys had succeeded in capturing insignificant moments and making them special. These people and landscapes, eternalized between the pages of this sketchbook, would never be forgotten.

He remembered what she had said to him one day, when she was painting a portrait of Ace and Kotatsu, both asleep on the deck. He couldn't remember the question he'd asked her, but remembered her answer clearly.

“One day, my hands will be so bruised that I won't be able to paint like I used to. When that day comes, I want to be able to open that sketchbook again, and relive every moment of this journey. I'll rediscover the faces of the companions who have changed my life and accompanied me for all these years.

Whatever awaits us in the future, I want to be able to remember each and every second.”

That was what she was planning to do once her dream would be fulfilled.

Arlys paused her reading to glance back at Deuce, who was pensively admiring her sketches. He seemed genuinely nostalgic.

When he turned another page and suddenly froze, Arlys couldn't help but look at him expectantly. She had hesitated to put those sketches and paintings at the end of her sketchbook. But she bravely left them there, encouraged by Skull and Banshee.

Portraits of him.

For a long time, Deuce stood speechless before his own portrait, sketched during their ride on the Ferris Wheel. His figure was bathed in the warm lights of the festival, cascading through the windows of the cabin, illuminating his peaceful face with bright red glows. The precision and colours of the painting were striking. Deuce had never seen another portrait as detailed as this one in Arlys' sketches. He felt like he was looking through a mirror, when in reality, he was looking through Arlys’ lenses.

- “I really like this one.”

He flinched at her comment. Turning his head towards her, he could see that she had been observing his reaction for a while, hiding her embarrassed face behind the pages of his notebook.

The ambiguity of her remark caught him off guard.

- “I... it's really well done.” He managed to stammer, moved by what was in front of him.

His expression of wonder, although slightly troubled, was sincere. When he met her shy, sparkling gaze, he couldn't help but ask her the question related to Ace's words, which he was beginning to understand.

- “Is that really how you see me?”

- “To me, this is simply who you are.”

Deuce's heart missed a beat.

Arlys returned her attention to the diary in her hands, which she closed gently, before holding it out to him, ready to give it back, a smile on her face.

- “I felt it when I read your work too, you're a talented writer and an admirable adventurer, Deuce.”

And for the first time, Deuce could see in her eyes the whole depth of her affection and admiration. The emotions that danced in her eyes when she saw him, her tenderness... all reflected in the way she smiled and portrayed him.

Without taking his eyes off her, he picked up the sketchbook and handed it back to her, brushing her fingers with his own.

- “You're wonderful too, Arlys!” he exclaimed ardently, a little louder than he would have liked, face flushed.

A laugh escaped the young painter. It was rare to see Deuce lose his composure, but she found herself wanting to immortalise this side of him too. Dropping her sketchbook onto her lap, Arlys placed her hands on either side of his face, and rested her forehead against his.

- “Let's promise to make our dreams come true together.”

Deuce admired her face, so close to his, lit by the last rays of the sun, about to fade over the horizon. The determination in her eyes sent a shiver down his spine.

He nodded, leaning his forehead against hers, eyes closed, to whisper his oath.

- “I promise.”

Her warm hands, which until then had framed his face, slid up his back, drawing him into a warm embrace. Arlys buried her face in the hollow of his neck.

- “Thank you, Deuce.”

He simply hugged her back, letting her snuggle up against him.

This time, they were sure, after tonight, that they understood each other far more. And undoubtedly realised the tender affection they shared for each other.

───────•••───────

- “Why are you drawing us so much?”

The sudden presence of Ace, leaning over her shoulder, startled her.

The page she was drawing on was filled with portraits of the crew members, Ace, Deuce, Kotatsu, Banshee, Mihal, Skull, Wallace, Kukai, Cornelia... No one had been left out.

- “So as not to forget you.”

Ace raised his eyebrow.

- “Are you planning to leave us?”

- “No, no! I just want to be able to remember your faces, if our paths ever part.”

- “We're not going anywhere, you know?”

Ace flashed her a big smile, which warmed the artist's heart. She now understood more and more why Deuce compared Ace to the sun. His presence was warm and reassuring.

She could only smile warmly back at him.

- “I know, thank you Captain.”

──•••──

Arlys stood perfectly still in front of the large tombstone. The long cloak of one of the four Emperors fluttered in the wind beneath his flag, but she could not look away from the hat placed on their captain's grave.

Next to her, Deuce was as silent as she was.

Arlys took a few steps forward and placed one of her carefully framed paintings among the swords and flowers, at the foot of the grave. Swallowing back her tears, she bowed and whispered her thanks to the two men who were resting here, for all they had done for them.

- “We won't forget you, Ace.”

Arlys gently took Deuce's hand in hers, communicating her support with the little warmth she offered.

In this frame, among blossoms and steel, a painting similar to a photograph; the crew of the Spade reunited, celebrating the arrival of their new recruit. At its centre, a captain and his first mate, locked arm in arm, mugs raised to the sky.

And if you looked long enough, you could almost hear the cheerful laughter and radiant chatter again.

The end of their adventure had been marked by the disappearance of a man akin to the sun, at the centre of everything and everyone.

───────•••───────

A year after the events at Marineford and the disbanding of Whitebeard's crew, Masked Deuce became a journalist for Big News Morgans newspaper.

Arlys followed and worked alongside him as an illustrator and photographer.

They both specialised in articles about the crew of the Straw Hat and the Revolutionary Army.

Despite Morgans' protests, Deuce refused to publish his writings on Ace. Arlys, for her part, kept her portraits from that period to herself. Sharing them only with Deuce, the crew members with whom she was still in contact, and the children who had grown up with her on Sabaody.

Time had passed, yet they still dreamt.

───────•••───────

Deuce Nation, how are we feeling?

On a serious note, I wrote this a while ago (in french) and recently decided to translate it, as I know there isn't much Masked Deuce content out there, especially one-shots. I'm not particularly proud of this one, but I enjoyed writing it. The romance is corny and maybe a bit awkward, but I hope it wasn't too bad overall and that Deuce didn't feel too OOC. Kinda tragic towards the end, as I often do.

I really love Masked Deuce as a character, and I'm happy to write about him. I hope you liked Arlys too.

I won't post for a while after that, since exams are gonna kick my ass, but I'll be back when I can indulge in my hobbies again.

Thank you for reading, hope you liked it!

#masked deuce #masked deuce x oc #masked deuce one shots #one piece oneshots #heliantart #one piece masked deuce #masked deuce one piece #cross posted on ao3

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