Prompt: Imagine Person A calling Person B on the phone really excited and happy, but when Person B answers it's just a voicemail. Person A freezes, drops the phone, and breaks down into tears because Person B died a long time ago, but they still call them because voicemail is the closest thing they have to hearing Person B's voice.
Pairing: MarAce
Anime: One Piece
Contains: Death and birds. Damn. Annoying birds.
Author's Notes: AU where it's okay to be gay and in the army.
Marco had woken up in a good mood since the sun shone particularly bright on the town. He didn't have work today so he was free to rein the day as he pleased. And after all, today was a special day. He made his way down the stairs hurriedly and was greeted by various squawks coming from the living room.
Placed on a table was an ivory cage that contained two fairly large birds. Marco had always had a fascination with birds. Mythical ones at that but he knew when he decided to buy a one that he couldn't actually own a Phoenix so he settled for Rurakan.
Rurakan was an Indian Ringneck covered in azure blue feathers with tinted yellow at the tips. The fine, stunning feathers made him look as if he was a slicked out ball of blue and yellow flames. Marco however only owned one of the birds and the other belonged to his partner, Ace.
Ace's bird was an orange Cockatiel called Hotaru. The bird was smaller than Marco's but his orange fluff made him look slightly bigger. The yellow circular spot on either side of it's cheeks stood out on the rest of its body. Marco was holding Hotaru until Ace returned home. Both birds enjoyed the others company and got on very well, as did their owners.
The man completed his daily activities such as ironing his clothes, washing the dishes from last nights meal and browsing the Internet for neat little toys the birds could play with.
Earlier Marco had purposely left the cage door open after feeding Rurakan and Hotaru since they enjoyed flying about the house when no one was visiting. They'd often perch on Marco's head and shoulders, on looking whatever he was doing.
"Damn birdbrain." Hotaru chirped.
In response Rurakan playfully launched himself at the cocky bird as they began to squabble, throwing mimicking insults that Marco and Ace once threw at each other. If they were fighting in any place other than on top of his head, he would be amused.
"Oi Oi, you two. Go have your feud somewhere that isn't on me -yoi." He chuckled.
The birds paused their play and flew off in the direction of the kitchen, seconds later continuing.
This was really a daily routine. The birds would always quarrel and Marco would always remember the first time he met Ace. They did the exact same thing when they first became friends.
Ace was 19 and new to the neighbourhood so Marco who was 3 years older decided to befriend the teen. Of course at first it was hard and tried Marco's patience since Ace was quite cold and stubborn but they soon grew a liking to each other and became close. At the age of 20 Ace joined the army and went to fight on the front line. Of course Marco was worried but he knew that Ace would survive. After all, he went with his brother, Luffy. Both men were strong and an even stronger force when together. He had witnessed that first hand.
They still lived in separate houses but Ace promised that they would live together after he got back. Marco was overjoyed and always counted down the days until that would happen, eagerly waiting.
Today was the day Ace would return from the war.
Marco stood up and stretched. He had hours left until Ace returned to his house. He just didn't know what to do with himself. He had never been this excited before in his life.
A week before he had brought a banner and had decorated it with bright colours. The corners of the cloth were carefully painted with green vintage swirls and running along the top and bottom - in a not too straight line - were two orange lines. In thick, bold, blue writing scattered along the middle were the words "Welcome home, Ace."
Well that was all up until the two birds had decided to squabble and not look where they were going. The balls of feathers rolled and flung themselves all over the wet paint, causing the letters and drawing to smudge into a vaguely unrecognisable mess.
He hauled the banner from the attic and as the birds were still arguing in the kitchen, he hung it up himself. He positioned it carefully so that when he invited Ace over he would walk right in and see it plain as day. He spent the next 20 minutes blowing up balloons and sealing them shut with glossy, black ribbons. The ribbons reminded Marco of Ace's hair. How it was along enough to rustle in the wind. How the sunlight bounced off the strands and created strips of white in his hair.
The sound of balloons bursting snapped Marco out of this trance. His patience had run out.
"Cage!" He instructed.
Rurakan was the first to to speak.
"Now you've done it, birdbrain!"
"You're the birdbrain, birdbrain!" Hotaru squawked back.
Both birds flew into their cage and that's where they spent the rest of the day watching the blond put up the rest of the decorations.
Once the task was done, Marco collapsed on the sofa with a heavy, relieved sigh. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was 3:35pm. Ace would be at his house any minute now. A sharp pang of nervousness pooled in his stomach along with the thought to call his boyfriend to see how far away he was.
He pressed down the urge to squeal like a fangirl as the clock struck 4. Ace would be at his house now so with the extra adrenaline he had, the man launched himself up and over to the phone attached to the wall.
After nearly ripping the phone from the wall, he dialled his number and awaited for the raven to pick up."
One ring.
Two rings.
Three rings.
Four rings.
Five.
Ace's voice filled Marco's head as he greeted "hello" in a shrill voice.
"Hey-" he greeted back but it was only a breathless whisper and only half of the word made it out. Something caught Marco's eye from a far.
Listening in on Ace's voicemail tone, Marco broke out in tears as his legs gave out and crumpled to the floor. The phone was left hanging from the cord only inches away from Marco's ear.
He wanted to throw up. The sadness that welled in his stomach sucked away at any strength that he had left. The physical pain he felt in his heart throbbed and tore him apart from the inside. He couldn't hold it in any longer.
A strangled sob pushed its way out of Marco's throat and replaced the quiet atmosphere that once was. Not even the birds made a sound. Everything around him stopped. The time, any source of noise and as it felt like it, his heart. Everything ceased apart from his crying. How pathetic he sounded. He never wanted to move again. What reason did he have? His only true love was never returning from the war.
Over on the desk sat the piece of paper that piece of paper that had caught his eye. A death notice.
MR. MARCO JAYMES PHOENIX,
WE DEEPLY REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR PARTNER, PORTGAS D. ACE, IS OFFICIALLY REPORTED KILLED IN ACTION DECEMBER TWELFTH.
JOZU, THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
710PM