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What a mess.
The once beautiful lush land near Dressrosa was in chaos after Issho had ‘dealt’ with the disagreement between Doflamingo and Trafalgar Law. Aramaki buried his feet into the damaged ground, letting the vines twist and contort, mulching the dirt to fill holes leaving behind large splinters to feed the ground.
“Tsk” He could sense the trees that had been felled by Doflamingo's strings and the bodies of them that had been tossed around like sticks for dogs, likely by Law. Morphing his arms into larger vines, pushing them into the dirt, he breaks down the discarded wood clearing a path further into the forest. More damage. Some of the plants had barely sprouted and they had been trampled by the ex-warlord. A disgusting disregard for the lush and diverse vista.
Aramaki focused on the life energy flowing in his form from his devil fruit, encouraging the life to sprout back through the ground to regenerate and fix the mauled land. Pulling his feet from the ground, leaving behind fresh roots that will grow into new grand trees, Aramaki makes his way deeper into the jungle. While his alias may have referred to him as a bull, he was nothing but careful and delicate with the plants within the forest, every step bringing new life rather than taking it. He hated cities, the dead pavements not giving him the thrumming feedback he gets from walking on plain earth. It was like a constant reassuring feedback loop between himself and the plants.
He found the clearing as instructed. Just as Issho had said, a crater the size of Law’s body and the indents of Doflamingo's shoes close by. There was blood everywhere.
“The ground would have soaked it up eventually. Don't know why we have to make amends this way. I am only doing this because he asked.” Speaking softly as if the forest would reply, Aramaki got to work. Vines breaking up the dirt again, burying the blood and making the ground appear as if there never was a battle in the clearing at all. The forest itself guided him on how to put it back together, certain trees belonging in particular spots to shade certain plants, it was exhausting listening to it all. He would much rather just let the forest go wild and fill as much space as possible.
Suddenly, it felt like the forest was screaming in agony.
“What now! Don't like where i put the darn-”
The scent of sweet ash, fire and burning plant life. The only man that could cause such fear into a forest while he stood at the centre of would be-
“What's taking so long?” Sakazuki practically growled, walking into the clearing leaving a trail of burning foot prints behind him. Cigar firmly gripped between a snarl. The flowers and trees desperately try to lean away from the man but Aramaki would never show him such disrespect! He forces the plants to bask in the man's warmth, scorching the grass and wilting many of the new vines. Some flowers even burst into flame as Aramaki twisted them to take in Sakazukis warmth as the fleet admiral walked closer to him.
“Sakazuki-san, there was more damage on the beech then we were originally to-”
“Chair. Now.”
Not missing a beat, Aramaki pushes a large root from the ground for Sakazuki to sit on. As the man drops himself onto it, It burns. The pain deep and radiating. Sakazuki wasn't holding back his feelings of anger and impatience his lava pooling out from his form, charing the root while Aramaki was still connected. He forces the root to stay in place despite nature's protest.
“How much is fixed?” Even the statement was cold compared to the waves of heat he could see emanating from the fleet admiral.
“Most of the main part of the forest Sakazuki-san, my roots are able to run deep here. I can-”
“I need some shade.” Sasazuki puts out his cigar on the root beneath him, burning the abused wood further.
“Yes Sakazuki-san.”
A grand flower sprouts, twisting the stem, petals creating a cool shadow over the two men. Aramaki could feel the flower threatening to wilt against the heat but he kept focus on it, ensuring the shade for the man he loved. Even if it meant his own destruction, he would keep himself in the presence of Sakazuki, even if to catch a glimpse of his sun while his body burnt. But even as the image passes his mind, Sasazuki cools, the pain stopping.
“Come here.”
Aramaki does as instructed, loyal, obedient as always.
Sakazuki grabs the lapel of his admiral coat, pulling him down into a burning kiss. Aramaki immediately melts into the touch, kissing back with NEED. The flowers around them blooming rapidly and the trees bending towards the scene. But just as quickly as it began it stopped, leaving him wanting more.
“You have done well. Efficient. Clean. We can discuss this matter further, later.” Sajazuki smiles, it reaches the corner of his eye. Just for him.
“T-Thank you Sakazuki-san!”
His roots began to violently clean up the mess further away from the clearing, pests, witnesses that had heard too much of Doflamingo's admission. People the marines couldnt be seen dealing with. But the forest could, people go missing all the time deep within the woods.
Anything for Sakazuki… anything for his sunlight.