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ace is so whipped.
he's been on this godforsaken island for, what, a few hours?
well, in any case, definitely not long enough to warrant this incredibly hard to fight onslaught of feelings he was having for the tall, handsome man laughing opposite of him by the fireplace.
not to mention that the very reason he'd even come to this island was to kill the guy's dad.
but yamato is just irresistible.
something about him feels so warm, so right - if he could, then ace would stay on this island with him forever. however, he has duties to fulfill, adventures to complete.
well, at least now he could, instead of having to wait for the man to return to his home, leave the kaido-killing to someone he knew deserved to take the bastard's head.
what kind of father locks up their own son?
then again, what did ace know about dads, really.
well, anyway, ace has arguably made the situation even worse for himself. because now he really does not want to leave - well, leave the island, in a heartbeat, but leave yamato? no - anything but that.
"yamato, now you tell me something about yourself! i've been talking for way too long," he urges.
and so he listens on eagerly as yamato then recounts his lonely childhood, further fueling the flames of hatred for kaido burning inside ace's heart.
the sun sets as they talk and talk, it slowly sinks down into the dark waters, paints the world around them in warm orange hues and finally makes way for the darkness of the night, hugging them in a pleasant wave of chills after a long day of the sun searing down hot, unrelenting rays of light.
yamato looks stunning, radiant, in every shade and hue.
now the fire cackles as darkness envelops like a blanket, and across from ace, lights up yamato's features almost as much as his own smile does.
ace wishes he could burn this view into his brain.
the feelings were no longer to be contained, ace feels his mouth moving, vocal chords at the ready, then comes the sentence, fast, one word chasing the next: "yama, have you ever been in love?"
"oh!" makes yamato, then giggles.
"well, i've never loved a person, no!"
ace pauses, stares at him from the other side of the fireplace.
"ah. me too, i think. it's just..." ace trails off. yamato had gotten up and is now closer than ever.
"what a funny way to ask for a kiss," he mumbles into ace's hair, then giggles and crouches down, their faces suddenly only a finger's width apart.
ace has never been at such a loss for words.
"i think i might just love this one, though."
ace's eyes immediately close shut.
he feels yamato's lips softly touch upon his own a few seconds later, and everything promptly comes to a halt.
now there is only yamato. yamato, brimming with warmth, yamato, kissing him softly like a drop of dew on a leaf in late spring.
"oh," ace manages.
another one of yamato's cute chuckles.
then ace comes to his senses and cups yamato's cheeks to pull him in for a second kiss.
"i love you too, yamato. sorry for being shy about it, i guess your beauty flustered me," he says as they are still breathing into each other's mouths, foreheads touching.
"today is truly the best day of my life!" yamato suddenly shouts into the night sky, jumping upwards in, as ace had learned, true yamato fashion. and then, quietly: "i wish you'd never leave."
ace's cheeks are burning.
"me too. i wish i didn't have to." he takes yamato's hands, then shouts into the night: "but i promise! i promise to return! and when i do, yamato kozuki oden shall be a free man!"
still caught up in the moment, his eyes closed and his hands clutching yamato's, ace feels startled when the cold wetness of a teardrop hits his hand from above.
"yama? why are you-"
"thank you, ace. thank you so much, but i- i..." yamato trails off as he starts sobbing, and ace pulls him into his arms, confused at this outburst.
he can feel a pain sear through his chest, sudden, growing, like a flame burning for yamato, its warmth longing to protect the other boy from any and all possible hurt.
"it's just, sometimes i get so hopeless," yamato whispers into his shoulder.
"nobody is ever there for me like you are right now. i've been alone almost my whole life. in chains, in literal stupid chains, without even being able to do anything against my own father destroying the country i love so dearly. sometimes, i just... feel so useless."
the words are pressed out between sobs, and ace feels his heart sting as he thinks of what to say to the beautiful man in his arms.
once yamato's sobs have died down, ace breaks the hug, puts his hands on either of yamato's shoulders to hold him at arm's length and looks him deep in the eyes as he tells him: "yamato. oh, you are so radiant. look at me, please. i believe you will one day free this country, you hearing me? don't listen to anyone who says something else. because, look at you. you're so fucking strong! like hello, yes, crush me with those muscular arms, and your heart is so big and kind, its warmth has already surpassed any flame i could ever produce. you're strong on your own, and you can free yourself."
speechless, yamato stares at him for a few seconds, then smiles the warmest smile he has smiled throughout the entire one day ace has known him for.
"ace, thank you!" yamato says, then screams "WAAA," as he jumps on top of him, taking both of them to the floor.
"i love you so much." and with that, ace receives yet another kiss, leaving him smiling from ear to ear.
oh how he wishes he could expand this moment, make it last ages, no, forever.
as they stay wrapped up in a consuming hug, ace feels a subtle light creep over them.
"yama... hey, yama-o," he whispers in his love's ear.
"the sun's rising. look."
yamato reluctantly crawls off of ace's furnace of a body, and ace shifts them into a comfortable sitting position, arms around each other, as they watch the sun slowly ascend before a clear blue sky.
ace can only train his eyes on the ball of fire for so long until his gaze trails off to focus on yamato, once again.
without turning his head, yamato reprimands him after a few minutes: "ace, you're not watching the sunrise, baby."
ace could feel all the blood in his body rush to his face at the endearment leaving the other boy's mouth.
"yamato! hey- why, you little shit," ace yelps when yamato points at his beet red face and bursts out laughing, at which point he has no choice but to hide it behind his hands.
"i will get you back for this! just you wait- hey, get back here!!"