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It was supposed to be a joke. Just a little pranks Haruta pulled. He and Thatch pulled so many little pranks on the crew. No one was safe from their pranks. It didn't matter if you were a crew mate, commander, or even their captain. There were a few hard limits of course. They never touched food, or the alcohol. If the person they are pranking had limits they were careful not to over step them. Haruta had a target in mind this time, though he would be working alone. To be fair he didn't think this prank would need more then one person.
Sure Ace was new and Thatch was taking it slower with the young man. But it wasn't like Ace was made of glass. If they knew anything about Ace it was how easy it was to talk and fight with him. The man could laugh at almost any joke around. Enjoying being around them. Haruta thought a little pranks wouldn't be so bad. Something to warm the other up to more then just Thatch and Marco. To bring him into more of the crew. A welcoming to the Whitebeards. Everything was going to be perfect. So he waited until the other fell asleep while eating. The quickly put make up on his tattoo. Spelling his name right. Haruta narrowed Izou's makeup for this little prank. When the other work up Haruta thought he wouldn't notice right away. Might finish his meal then walk around for a bit. Until someone pointed out how he got his name fixed. But he did.
When Ace was mad he reacted. He fought against pops, Thatch Marco. Yelling, kicking, and throwing punches. Ready to let the world know just how mad he was. He never hit those innocent around him. Until then, they all thought Ace was just a spit fire who needed to learn to control his temper. Then he woke up, and looked at his arm right away. At the tattoo they had joked about with him before. How he could have misspelled his own name so badly. But he wasn't smiling or yelling.
Hatura was ready to run. To laugh and ask the other for forgiveness. He even went out of his way to pull this prank while Thatch wasn't looking to not get the other mad at his closest Whitebeard. But the longer Ace was still the more he wished he'd talked to Thatch about it. Ace was quite, with a frown on his face. Not making a scene or laughing at it. It took a moment, but small flames ignited then extinguished, before igniting again. Those flames continued that cycle for a long moment. A fire under his skin they were waiting for it to explode. For the anger to leak out of him.
Haruta braced himself for having gone too far. When Ace stood up. He didn't ask what happened or who did it. Just turned, leaving his food there on the table. Walking out of the room and away from them. The flames at the base of his neck and shoulder still cycling as he slipped away from them.
They couldn't believe what had just happened. How Ace had just left them all there without a word. "So that didn't go well…" Haruta whispered, watching the other go. He hadn't meant to hurt the younger man.
A hand grabbed his shoulder. "What did you do Haruta?" Thatch asked, voice icey cold.
Haruta held up his hands in defense. "It was just a prank!" He defended. Out of everyone Thatch shouldn't be too mad at him.
"What did you do?" Thatch asked, sounding a little warmer. Though it was still edged in steel.
Haruta sighed. "I just put make up on his arm, and rewrote his tattoo. It'll wash off!" He explained.
Thatch stood quite for a moment. A long sigh leaving his mouth before he moved. Grabbing the plate Ace left behind, and heading after him. Leaving the others to wonder about it. Though they were now getting that it wasn't just a tattoo. Haruta was already planning on how he would make it up to Ace and say sorry later.
When Thatch found Ace he was watching the sea. Thatch placed the place close, just in the others vision. "…You want a hug or should I pretend I didn't ask and awkwardly hover until you give in?" Thatch asked.
Ace didn't speak for a long moment. His brow furrowed in thought. Thatch figured it was the second option. Letting the other think things through before he spoke. "It's not just a tattoo." Ace muttered a few moments later.
Thatch nodded, handing over a damp rag. Ace looked at it. "It'll wash the makeup off." He said. Ace took it and held it to his arm.
The letters returning to their real look as he wiped his arm. It took less then five minutes to have his arm back to how it was. Nothing happened. "I'm not mad." Ace said.
"Could have fooled me." Thatch said, "Though, I thought you'd scream and hit something. Bet Haruta did too."
Ace hummed. "I'm not that bad… am I?"
"You get a little hot headed sometimes. Not that we mind it. If I pulled that prank I would have thought I'd be running from fire not left sitting in the dinning hall." Thatch said. Laughing as he leaned closer. "We pulled that on Marco once. His chest was completely white, pops mark gone. He threw both of us into the sea three times before he stopped being mad. Once for each time it took to wipe the makeup away."
Ace smiled, rolling his eyes. "I… It's my brothers flag." Ace muttered. His hand holding the crossed out S.
Thatch blinked. "Thought Luffy hadn't set out yet."
"He hasn't. But Sabo did… he didn't make it far." Ace explained. Letting the words hand in the air. Thatch nodded, throwing an arm around Ace. He pulled the younger in a bit.
Thatch placed a hand over Ace's face. "You know. It's okay to cry."