A/N:: *Rises from ashes gasping* Well, it's been awhile. Hope you all had a great summer as I seem to have skipped any updates during that time! Also, trying to get my drive back for the story as I have main events plotted but the in between can be hard sometimes.
Hope you still enjoy reading!
The party had been over the top, just like any Whitebeard party, and I had been made to be at the center. Everyone let second division have the floor, surrounding me in bellows of laughter and joy expressed immensely. Though, as the night carried on and people started to pass out, I slipped away to Marco's room. It hadn't missed my lover's eye, following shortly after and giving loving nuzzles as I tried to dress down for bed. We both slept hard that night, joy lingering and bodies curled against one another.
When morning came around, a meeting for commanders had been called. It had been more than just to congratulate and catch me up as I noticed Marco festered about something he was in disagreement with. I couldn't ask, getting chatters from his phoenix side more while nuzzled. That had me stop asking so we could make it to the meeting room without him pinning me to the side to grasp onto me. Most ignored it, mostly because they were too groggy or suffering a hangover. I knew my division were, not a single man in sight and I wasn't planning to wake them until the last bell for breakfast, which we told June as he came by to talk with Marco.
Walking into the meeting room, food is provided to eat while we discuss, and I knew it would start light. Though, most seemed aware of Marco's grumpy attitude and probably the reason as well. As we started on the food, everyone is happy and congratulating me on becoming a commander. It's odd, gaining the full status, but at least I was used to it. I wonder how long they had been practically training me into the role.
Once finished eating, we talked of the docking in a few days—Maiden permitting. It was the run down, and I was exposed to more of it than before. Not much was different, but I was picking up on things and sure to remember my role for my men. Besides, papers would be handed out the day before we dock to meet with our divisions to give a run down.
"There… is another matter," Pops begins with a finger tapping to his armrest as he looks unsettled, grey eyes finding me. "As you are aware, Ace, we have the scientist below." A nod leaves me, showing I am highly aware of him being down there. "Well, he has been quiet until we give him one thing that will make him talk." This brings a tension in most of the others and I watch Pops as he looks uneasy. "He will talk to you."
"Me?" I ask, confused on why it would matter on talking to me. If anything, the man should want to talk to Marco as he was the original planned person for the experiment.
"Yes, he won't say more on why." Haruta provides, all looking to me in concern and Marco is seething. It has me understand on why he didn't want this brought up, my trauma showing enough.
"Okay… so, I just show up? Is… is that enough?" I ask, unsure of what to do with the situation as I didn't want to see the man but would for information.
"Haruta will be with you, Ace." Pops reassures, and I look to the other, getting a sharp nod in agreement.
"I mean, it will be fine. If anything, I will have to be sure not to burn him to a crisp." I comment, keeping myself leveled and pushing down that lump in my throat that wants to bring a strain in me. It's stressful, not wanting to see the scientist and solely for the reason of flashbacks and my fire being consuming. Though, my core heats in reassurance of only protection and I inhale to keep the warmth lingering. "When," I pause to swallow as I know embers left my mouth and I calmed them, "when do you want to do this?"
Marco peers to me in knowing, probably sensing that I was unsettled and wanting to be there for me. Having him there would not be ideal, we would be trying to hold him back from attacking more than anything. So, going with one brother that wouldn't be so on the offense is more what we needed to do. Though, I can tell everyone is tense over the matter, knowing that things are rocky, and that man is more source of having major trauma. No doubt everyone was anticipating the guy executed.
"We can now," Haruta says with a nod and I nod in return before looking to Pops.
"Go ahead. Rakuyou, go and stay by the prison hall door." He comments, more reassurance lingering at hearing that.
The others were told to stay, Pops seeming to want to keep an eye on everyone and those eyes linger mostly on Marco who cooed in disappointment. I knew he wanted to go so bad, but it's for the best. We left to go down into the ship more, near the stern, and Haruta lingers just a little ahead. As we make it to the door, he stops to look to me with a comforting hand finding my shoulder.
"We can leave at any point, if you need to." A smile finds me before nodding to his words. He returns a quick smile before turning to go into the room, Rakuyou nodding to me as he waits by the door like told. Leading the way, we go along an area with cells on each side but separate from one another. They are clean, and very few linger as only three on each side, but one rests at the end in the middle. It's our goal as I notice the scientist having his head down before slowly raising as we approach. Seeing me, icy eyes flicker and a grin spreads along his face. It gives me the chills, a scowl forming on my face as we stop before the bars. The body shifts in the chains to the back wall and he lifts his head more while viewing upon me as I stand before him with a glare.
"Ah, to see you coherent now is quite fulfilling, especially as I wasn't expecting you to survive. Your percentage was so… nonexistent." Dr. Shisaku starts in as I cross arms and stare to him with raised brows, showing I was unimpressed.
"Talk," Haruta starts firmly. A low chuckle lingers from the scientist as he keeps eyes lingering on me, checking along my figure.
"Of what? That my serum worked, that the user no longer is affected by seastone? It took many to reach this point, a time where I knew if I could get someone of regeneration that I could examine the results to do the process where it wouldn't be so… extreme." The man says while I stare into icy eyes, feeling my core burn hot with wanting to destroy him. "Oh? I wish I could have been able to examine your power more, Firefist." I begin to realize my skin is cracking, an outlet as my form wants to shift into ethereal, but struggling to keep as I am.
"Ace?" Haruta is asking, having me tear eyes away and look to my brother with a shaky inhale.
"It's fine, my fire just wants to melt his skin off." I comment plainly, not bothered by my words as I go back to looking to Dr. Shisaku as he is grinning wide.
"Too bad you burned my facility; this new serum could have helped many to becoming one with their power." He mentions with eyes examining my arms that still show cracks along them to vent. "I should have doused you before reaching that peak of such high temperatures." That has my eye twitch as I lock my jaw to keep quiet as he leans a bit with a smirk. "Then I could have taken you somewhere more secure to examine such properties I was unaware of for a fire user."
"Stop talking about us like an object…" I seethe, embers swirling from my mouth as I glare with heat radiating from me.
"Ace…" Haruta is next to me with a strain in tone, trying to keep me calm, but the scientist tilts his head with a wider grin.
"Oh, such coexistence. Incredible. I wonder if your fire would have kept you alive if you were such a weak individual." My head shifts sideways, a screeching leaves Dr. Shisaku as I let fire flare just below his feet.
"Ace!" Haruta hollers, grasping my arm while yanking me to have him in front of me to grab my face next. His back is to the cell where I had pulled my fire away and was gazing to my brother. "Calm, he's doing it on purpose."
"He's useless, he won't mutter anything." I clarify as I feel like my mind has reached an area where it blocks the trauma. I know it is blocked, a seal to contain it while I challenge the man to cause it in the first place. Eyes look to me in concern before he brings me down more towards him.
"Don't worry, Pops is going to publicly do it on deck. Just stay calm, okay?" The mentioning has me soon inhale shakily while blinking a few times while gazing down to the side more.
"I understand," I respond and that brings a relieved look on him while letting go. Turning, Dr. Shisaku is smirking and I keep myself calm, liking the way his burnt feet are blistered and bleeding.
"You better start talking," Haruta starts back up again.
-o-o-o-o-
The guy gave us the run around, but Haruta was able to slowly extract information and keep to mind on such matters. When I came back to the room, most looked to me in worry as I kept quiet with a stale expression. Marco had been extremely bothered by this but listened as Haruta explained what he could. It was a serum, mixed with seastone to force an adjustment along with other chemicals that he is unsure of, but known were there. He also mentioned of the taunting to me, a lot of it. I ended up burning not only his feet, but also part of his neck and hands.
At those points, Haruta had to grip to my shoulder as I hardly could contain my impatience of letting the man talk to me like he did. The others did not approve of the scientist being like that to me but were more concerned about me. All I could reply was that I was fine, knowing embers linger when speaking out and some cracked skin showed from under my clothes. My fire was still agitated on what was spoken to us and I knew blocking was helping to keep it at bay for now.
When the meeting was released, Pops had suggested that I go rest for having to deal with such attitude and I could only agree. Marco had followed, not saying a word as he made sure I went straight to his room. No one approached, seeming to notice the foul air around us as Marco was frenzied at what he heard. As soon as we were in the room, he pushed me along to the bed before pushing my back into it. I sprawled out and then moan in surprise as he swooped down to kiss me deeply.
I move my hands to grip at his shirt and pull on him more, passion blooming through me as my temperature regulates back to normal. As he pulls away for a breath, I gasp with my nose nudging to his. This has him cooing before pressing back in for our lips to move in a messy kiss. Moans leave me as he moves my legs to be around him and then his hands run along my sides, pushing under the shirt. I move my hands to his neck to keep him close, trembling as it feels good, sparking me in a way that wants more.
Sharp gasps leave me, swirling embers in my breath as my core is heated for a new reason. Coos linger from him as I notice eyes sharpen at my emotional change on the matter. Instead of the current mood, my body reacts more to what the scientist said and trying to keep my trembles at bay. Hands move back down to hips and I shake my head while pushing into him more.
"N-No, don't stop…" I almost beg, not wanting these memories to flourish at a moment like this.
"Mmh, can't… Want to build nest…" He admits while hands move to wrap arms around my waist to keep me close.
Gripping him tightly, tears are welling as I try to control myself and nuzzle my face into his. Kisses find my lips as he carefully soothes me to relax legs and release him, so he can move us more on the bed. When my head finds the pillow, he leans into me with hand brushing through my hair as lips linger along my cheek. I let out a shaky breath while relaxing more, feeling tired and cracks form to expel heat as I know my body has been stressed. A cooing lingers as Marco experiences the burst of heat more and is bristling at the sensation.
"Nest, nest…" Chatters linger, having me chuckle softly while gripping to his shirt as I am dragged lightly, and he looks to me curiously.
"Let me help…" I whisper, knowing it will help more and he smiles to that.
"You do make it best, yoi."