Hot Chocolate

"What's this? It's brown. Is it poop?" Luffy looked up at Makino, who couldn't help but laugh at his strange question.

"It's hot chocolate, silly. Its home made is all. You use melted chocolate so it ends up thicker and it tastes much better than the powder kind. I made sure it was a little cooler before giving it to you though."

Luffy didn't have to be told twice that it was chocolate let alone edible; he already was guzzling it down with a good amount missing his mouth and spilling out over the rim of the mug.

"Hey now, buddy! Don't make a huge mess of yourself! You'll look ridiculous!" Shanks laughed next to him, also with a mug of hot chocolate in hand (which was undoubtedly spiked).

Luffy put down his now empty cup and wiped his mouth, a pout instantly on his lips once his hand left. "Shanks drinks like this all the time and gets messy! I can too! I'm gonna be a pirate anyways, so I have to drink like one!" he whined.

Shanks burst out laughing, nearly falling out of his booth. He was soon joined by his crew mates and other regular customers of the bar. Luffy stuck his bottom lip out further and furrowed his brows. Before he could start complaining, Makino had his chin in her fingers, turning his face towards her to clean the rest of the chocolate mess off that he missed.

"Did you like the hot chocolate, Luffy? Isn't it good on a cold day like this?" she smiled at him.

Once she removed the rag from his face, a massive grin took over. "Yep! And I wanna give Ace some too!"

Makino smiled and drew back "You'll have to bring him next time," she said. She wasn't fond of distributing her good mugs outside the bar; what if Luffy was chased by a wild animal?

"No," he shouted, smiling wider, "I want to make it myself!" Luffy got on his knees to try to whisper to her. Makino met him the rest of the way for him to share his secret. "I want to make something for Ace because it will be his birthday soon, so maybe he'd like hot chocolate."

Luffy wasn't exactly a good whisperer, and Shanks almost let out an "aww" to Luffy's question, but managed to keep his cool and pretend he didn't hear him.

"You'll teach me, right?" He asked as he sat back down. He smiled up at her, fully confident that she would say yes. Of course, Makino couldn't help but give in to his simple request. When he looked at her with those big dumb puppy dog eyes, how could she possibly say no? He was the cutest thing around; his big smile and innocent eager-to-please nature rivaled Ace's precious freckles and messy hair.

She sighed and smiled at him "Okay, but only cook when someone is helping you!" she held her finger out as if scolding him hoping it would make her point clear, but if the instruction actually registered remained a mystery.

Something reeked. What was it? It was definitely the smell of something potentially delicious, but Ace assumed it was now ruined—whatever it was. He wondered if Luffy made his way home yet, but figured he would probably fall into a snow bank and get his little body trapped in a drift. That thought sent a shiver down his spine. He was only a tiny bit worried, but maybe he should go find him… after he found out what that stench was first.

Sabo wasn't home at the moment. He was out in the Gray Terminal trying to find his Christmas gifts for his brothers as well as Ace's birthday present. Sabo liked to have everything planned out in advance; for all Ace knew, he could be looking for Luffy's birthday present too. Ace made his way from his room that he shared with Luffy and Sabo to the kitchen where the burning smell intensified.

"Owwww!"

That voice was familiar.

"Don't burn! Stupid chocolate! You're not doing what I say!"

That was definitely Luffy. So we was home safe after all. But that meant the burning smell…

"Luffy!" Ace yelled.

Luffy almost leapt from the rickety old chair he was standing on and looked over to Ace after regaining his balance.

"Ace! No! You gotta go away because I'm practicing making your gift!" Luffy cried.

Ace felt his cheeks prickle with the heat of an embarrassed blush. Luffy was thinking of his birthday already? Wasn't Christmas closer? He quickly stopped thinking about how happy he secretly was enough to remember his concern about the burning smell.

"Luffy, you idiot! Whatever the hell it is you're making, you're obviously burning it! Turn the stove off right now before you burn the house down." Ace ordered. Luffy fumbled with the stove until it was off and stepped down to the ground with the pot holding a smoking black mass. Ace opened the windows to allow smoke trapped in the kitchen out before going over to his brother.

"What the heck are you even making?"

Luffy bit his lip and shifted his eyes, looking around the room before raising his gaze to Ace.

"…Can't say." He muttered.

Ace sighed and took the pot from Luffy, setting it aside and taking out another

"Look, I can help but you don't have to tell me what it is that you're making, okay?"

In an instant, Luffy grinned and laughed

"Okay, Ace!"

Ace couldn't help but smile back. He knew that Luffy had his heart set on making this—whatever it was—and no amount of meat in the world would change his mind.

"No, you heat the milk in one pot and melt chocolate in the other! Not at the same time!" Luffy yelled, poking his head over Ace's shoulder to scrutinize his work.

"Why not? It's going to be mixed anyways, right?"

"Makino said two pots, not one!"

Ace groaned and set aside the chocolate chunks in another pot to heat up and boiled the milk. Once the chocolate started to melt, it let out a wonderful aroma that made the boys sigh and their mouths water.

"Let's turn up the heat so it's done faster." Ace suggested to Luffy who was matching his excited smile.

"Yeah!" Luffy enthusiastically agreed.

They waited in silence, watching both the milk and chocolate carefully. Luffy was so happy that Ace was spending time with him like this; he almost felt like giving him a big hug. Ace had been warming up to him faster than he imagined he would and it made Luffy extremely happy. He loved both of his big brothers and couldn't imagine life without them—except parting ways for their adventures maybe. Either way, he was happy. Maybe when Sabo got home he would also want some hot chocolate.

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar, pungent scent.

Something was burning…again.

"Ace?"

No answer

"Ace?" Luffy tried again.

When there was no answer the second try, Luffy grabbed a hold of Ace's shoulder and shook him.

"Yo, Ace! The milk and chocolate are burning! What should—" Luffy discovered that Ace had fallen asleep standing in front of the stove. He gasped and let his brother go mid shake, resulting in Ace falling to the ground with a loud thud, still peacefully asleep.

Luffy didn't know what to do. Ace was doing such a great job helping him! Should he really stop his efforts? He didn't want to hurt Ace's feelings.

Luckily, salvation came through the front door carrying a big, stuffed sack of who knows what.

Sabo stomped snow from his boots and brushed his shoulders and hat off. He dragged his bag of treasure that he acquired in the Gray Terminal into the house.

"Sabo!" Luffy yelled, running over to him. "Sabo, I need help! Ace fell asleep and the hot chocolate is burning!"

Sabo flinched as Luffy flailed his arms in his face. He took off his boots and set them aside with the treasure next to the door

"Is that what smells so horrible? Hurry and turn off the stove before something catches fire." He told him as he made his way to the kitchen. He and Luffy walked to the stove, stepping over Ace, and turned it off. Sabo shoved aside the second failed attempt next to Luffy's original trial.

"You said that you're making hot chocolate? Why don't you use the powder kind? That's a lot easier."

Luffy shook his head, "Makino said that this kind is better. I want to make it for Ace for his birthdays…don't you tell him!"

Sabo raised an eyebrow and looked at Luffy "But he's helping you make it isn't he? Doesn't he already kno—"

"SHHH!" Luffy hissed as he shoved his hands over Sabo's mouth to silence him. "He can't know yet!"

Sabo gently pried Luffy's fingers off his mouth and turned back to the stove. "Well, I guess I could help since Ace can't at the moment," he smiled at Luffy, "Would you like that?"

Luffy smiled and nodded. He was starting to get too used to this type of time he got to spend with his brothers.

Sabo showed Luffy how to use a double boiler—which is something Luffy missed from Makino's lesson—to melt the chocolate without the risk of burning it. He let Luffy stir the milk to make sure it wouldn't burn this time as well. Sabo showed Luffy what to do and directed him over his shoulder, but he basically allowed Luffy to take things into his own hands.

Once everything was ready, he had Luffy mix the both the hot milk and melted chocolate carefully and pour the mixture into the mugs.

While Luffy got the mugs ready for serving, Sabo managed to drag Ace from the middle of the floor and lean him up against the wall, smacking him a few times on the cheek

"Ace. Wake up. Ace!" upon a harsher smack, Ace's eyes snapped open.

"What, what, what?! Is there a fire?!" Ace yelled. He knew he fell asleep at a bad time and assumed the worse.

Sabo laughed and sat near him against the wall "Nope. Everything is just fine. Luffy finished that little project he's been working on that you helped him with earlier."

Ace squinted his eyes at Sabo, unsure of what he was talking about. He was sure Luffy wouldn't have been able to do it all on his own. Just then, Luffy came out carrying a tray of shaking mugs, trying his hardest to balance them. "Ace, I did it!" Luffy shouted gleefully. He managed to set the tray down on the floor without spilling in front of Sabo and Ace. All three took their own mug and Luffy crushed himself between Ace and Sabo, nearly spilling his drink.

"Luffy did this all on his own while you slept" Sabo began before he took a sip of hot chocolate. He sighed, slumping on the wall, and continued "I only kept watch."

Ace examined his drink first, then took a small sip to taste. His eyes widened and he began guzzling the hot chocolate down, paying no attention to the slight scalding he was subjecting his mouth to. "It's really good…" he muttered, completely amazed it was even edible, into his half empty mug.

Luffy's grin became impossibly big. He said nothing and drank his hot chocolate with his brothers while listening to Sabo's story about interesting things he saw that day at the Gray terminal. Ace mentioned something about seeing a giant lion they had yet to tame earlier and he wanted to show them tomorrow, but Luffy wasn't exactly paying much attention. Instead, he was beginning to drift to sleep, listening to their stories and laughter drown out.

"What did you do today, Luffy?" Ace asked. Luffy didn't answer him and after a moment of silence, Sabo and Ace looked at Luffy. He was peacefully asleep against Ace's shoulder, limply holding his mug of hot chocolate on his lap. Sabo chuckled and wiped Luffy's mouth with his own sleeve and took his hot chocolate before he dropped it.

Ace smiled and shifted slightly to make Luffy more comfortable. "Don't tell him I figured out what he wants to make me…I mean it was pretty obvious, but he doesn't know that." Ace whispered to Sabo.

Sabo nodded, smiling at him. "He's more prepared for these things than even I am sometimes. The more important things anyways." he said as he brushed some hair out of Luffy's face.

Ace couldn't hide his embarrassed smile for long and just hoped Sabo wouldn't tease him for letting his heart melt over something so silly.

Dadan and the gang returned a little late from getting supplies and food; they were exhausted and aching, not ready to calm down three rowdy boys. Their pains and exhaustion were lifted once they saw the three brothers all snuggled together against the wall, sleeping peacefully. She smiled softly and decided to make dinner for the boys to wake up to, figuring they also had a long day.

Her aches and pains came back all of the sudden once she saw the chocolaty mess the kitchen was in.

Thanks for reading and junk.

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda