MAS Bingo Square #17 – Caustic
Standing by the window, Ace looks on outside in longing as the rain rushes along onto the ground. A soft whine leaves him, wanting to feel it on his skin, wanting to know how it feels to get soaked with no care in the world. Wanted to know what it felt like being hit with fresh water instead of salt water. It was unfair for him, getting to see others rushing through or even playing in it—which is why he watches the backyard mostly now—but he couldn’t, not even a single drop should touch him.
Drinking water is different, but the water touching his skin ignited a caustic reaction. He becomes corrosive to anyone around him and to himself if not careful. Unlike most who can control their power at will all the time, Ace can somewhat but is still weak to water, sadly. It makes him always upset over the factor, not being like his two lovers. They were so helpful to save people and he was practically meant for the villain role with his power. He has gotten plenty of offers with that, but he always declines as he knows that’s not the way and doesn’t want to hurt people.
“I’m home!” Marco hollers and Ace perks up a little while rushing to the doorway of the kitchen, beaming to his lover. The coat is removed and as Ace wants to step closer, he stops with a frown. Marco is soaked to the bone from the rain and has him carefully step back around the corner as he gives a hesitant grin.
“Welcome home! Did everything go alright?” The question is to help distract from his tense posture and Marco looks on with a look of sympathy, something that Ace always hated.
“Yes, I had to go pummel someone before my afternoon meeting, but luckily Sabo took over for the rest of it.” Marco mentions while putting his coat up in the sealed area where the rained on items go, shoes shortly following to be dried. “I’ll be done in a few minutes, yoi. Could you make some coffee?”
“Sure,” Ace mentions even though he already made some and wouldn’t doubt the other knows that, but trying to find something to distract him with. The door opens to show Sabo rush in, bumping into Marco and they are giving light laughs. Kisses are shared, and Ace looks on with a clenching heart, desiring that affection so much and only reminded on what happened to let those scars show on one of his lovers. Before Sabo can see him, he turns to head back into the kitchen with hands gripping to the front of his shirt.
The power Ace has can’t have water, meaning blood and saliva can’t touch his skin and that includes just a smidge around his lips. They can’t use anything to do something more as everything has water, though there is some with salt water that helps, but makes him get a bit of irritation when used too much. Ace could feel his limits pressed as he knew everyone was trying to find ways his power wasn’t so destructive, but it was hardly something. Even when Sabo says he doesn’t hold it against Ace, he knows the other’s afraid to do something more intimate with him in fear of being burned again. Marco was able to heal him, but it left scarring behind, something Sabo hated so much he hid it when he could with his hair.
Ace wants to cry, standing in front of the coffee maker and suddenly notices the rain has stopped. Moving along in his slippers, he goes to the backdoor and looks through the window with teary eyes. Thoughts bombard him, knowing they couldn’t keep loving him when they hardly could be intimate with him like they want to. Ace can’t help but to think how they were perfect together without him in the picture and realizes his hand is on the door knob, opening it right up.
Flames overtake his appearance with a dark tone to it and creating a lashing of a dark outfit to snug onto him and his mind feels overcome.
“Ace!” A shout resounds while the head tilts, wind wiping through his dark hair as he stares to green eyes of surprise. “Don’t!” The plea is there, and Ace can’t help that his heart feels consumed with darkness for what has happened.
“It’s for the best…” Ace mutters with a hand lifted to show the burning of skin as droplets find it, but it’s under control for the first time since he discovered them at sixteen. The crackling and sizzling is made with skin looking like burning embers, but soon fade.
“No, look! You can get it under control! Just not like this!” Sabo exclaims as Marco is soon next to him with wide eyes at the sight of their lover. Dark eyes stare to them, carrying no warmth as they would, and they wonder how much of this darkness they have missed.
“Ace! This is great progress, yoi! Let us work on getting it more… good!” Marco tries, already having to deal with a brother who turned to the dark side, but they luckily reigned him back in. Though Ace looked far too deep in an emotional landslide to be easy to get back.
“It’s not meant for good… I am only destruction… I bring misfortune to everyone…” The words are showing the stalling, the last bit that wants to hang onto his life as he watches droplets fall to skin and show the effects.
“But you don’t want to hurt anyone…” Marco continues while treading closer and shows a pleading gaze, though dark eyes are pinpointed to skin. “You can use this power for good… Remember, Thatch has a destructive power, but he uses it for good and evolved it so much since then…”
“Thatch is light,” the snap comes out as Ace glares with teeth gritting. “I won’t change! I practically explode on people! I can’t even understand how Sabo can still look at me! He can hardly be near me! You are always on guard!” Ace is in a flurry as flames crackle along his shoulders from his confliction and the darkness lingers in the flames.
“We just worry! We are trying to help without you feeling bad if you do hurt us!” Marco tries back with a hand reaching out and gets a snapping of flames that shift to just show burning along Ace’s face, the inner part of his mouth glowing as he opens it.
“I am only meant for that! I can only hurt people! How can I protect when I just destroy whatever is in my path?! Not once have I been helpful or seen in a light! You have done nothing to help improve my power! I have been lingering in these depths to watch as my life means nothing to those around me!”
“We love you!” Sabo shouts out while coming up to be closer, but is startled at the glowing silver in those usual dark eyes.
“Do you? Or are you two just loving the fact that you think you can fix me?” They are both alarmed at the accusation and Marco gives a glare.
“We do love you, damn it! That’s just the dark part trying to fool you, yoi! Don’t let it consume you!”
“But Marco…” A foot shifts to lift, the other following easily as he seems to be floating up. Crackling sounds heighten as the glowing skin shows with flames forming just under the black suited male, the two blonds backing away at the whirling starting. They look on in desperation as silver eyes gleam and show to be empty of emotion. “I have never felt so alive.”
And then he was gone in a whirl of flames.