A/N: Before we get on with the actual thing, I would appreciate some help with something I've been working on. All I need from you guys are suggestions of OP fanfic plots/plot devices that get done to death (E.G. Fem!Luffy, Straw hats watch Luffy's memories, someone on the crew gets de-aged). If I collect enough, you'll eventually see why. Preferably you can send it in a PM, but I don't mind if you leave it in a review (it's just easier to keep track of in PM form).

And now the actual thing… This is a challenge prize for one Sully-van, who won a guessing game I advertised on a different fic by being the first one to answer with Bartolomeo. They asked for an Acelu fic, fairly dark, and centred on organised crime. Enjoy!

The rusted, red pick-up truck bobbed and jerked as it rolled over the uneven dirt road. Its fuel tank was dwindling — it had been driving for over four hours that day alone — but still had enough to carry itself to the nearest gas station. At the time, though, it wasn't heading anywhere near that direction. Instead, it was going forward into the woods as the trees got thicker and thicker.

Marco, the truck's current driver, gave a small sigh of relief when he saw how far they were from civilisation and any prying eyes. Pulling out a cigarette, he turned to the man in the passenger seat, the truck's owner.

"Got a light?" he asked, needlessly. Ace, a known pyromaniac, always had a light.

Unsurprisingly, the younger man tossed Marco a dark blue lighter. Marco reflected that he must have had many; he'd seen Ace using lighters of several different colours and even more different brands.

Someone in the back seat groaned as they went over a harsh bump. Marco didn't bother slowing down.

Ace turned around, narrowing his eyes at the man critically. "Are you bleeding?"

In response, the man merely whimpered through his gag. Pitiful, really.

Ace's eyes roved the man for a few seconds longer before they saw what they were looking for. They narrowed even more. "You're bleeding."

"Ace," Marco warned, "don't get worked up about it."

"Don't get worked up about it?" Ace repeated. "Marco! He's bleeding all over my seats! Do you have any idea how hard it is to get blood out of those things?"

"I have a good idea, yeah," Marco muttered, but Ace ignored him.

He glowered at the man. "I'm gonna have to get them fucking reupholstered, you piece of shit. Do you know how expensive it is to keep doing that all the time? Do you?"

"Just let it go," said Marco. "I'll–"

"No. Pull over, right here."

Marco suppressed a forming argument and did so. He wasn't in charge of 'disposal,' anyway. That was Ace's job, and he was just the ride.

Immediately upon the car stopping, Ace hopped out, opened the back door, and dragged the man out by his ankle, dropping him on the hard, jagged ground. Marco thanked the stars there was no one around for miles to see.

Leaving the man in the literal dirt, Ace circled the truck and opened the back, from which he took his preferred weapon: a lead pipe.

He returned and ripped off the gag. The man, surprised, sputtered for breath and managed to say between choking gasps, "Spare me!"

"Spare you?" Ace growled. "You think I'll spare you just because you asked, you self-centred asshole? I got a boyfriend at home, you know. You expect me to tell him why I'm getting the upholstery redone again?"

The man, exhausted and confused, snapped, "Why should I care?"

"You should care," Ace said carefully, "because you're going to pay for it."

"You break it, you bought it," Marco quipped from where he had come to lean on the truck's hood. It didn't do anything for anyone's mood.

"How?" asked the man. "You took all my cash!"

"That's right," said Ace. "Marco, get his cheque book."

"Don't order me around," Marco said with irritation, but he did it anyway.

Ace held the book open in front of the man's face, giving it a little shake. "I haven't got all day." He dropped it, letting it fall into bound hands.

The man sneered. "Why would I– Agh!" he exclaimed as Ace dealt a hard blow to his ribs.

"Hey, hold up a minute," Marco said as Ace lifted his pipe to take another whack. "He's still gotta tell us who the snitch is."

The man, still coughing from the force Ace had hit him with, spat back, "I don't have to tell you anything!"

Ace looked to Marco, who nodded, before driving his pipe into the man's knee.

Only fifteen minutes later, the man was wearing thin from the abuse. Soon enough, Ace had his cheque, and Marco was nearing his answers.

"Who is he?"

"I won't t– Fuck!"

"Who?"

"Teach! It's Teach, all right?! Let me go!" His eyes widened as Ace only lifted the pipe over his head again. "Hey! I gave you what you want! DON'T–"

The pipe slammed directly into the man's head, and he lost his already tenuous grip on consciousness.

Ace pulled the pipe back and swung it again, hitting the target's neck and causing a break. For a few seconds, he and Marco waited silently, but the man remained unmoving.

"Marco, get the shovel."

"Don't order me around." But he did it anyway.

Later, when everything unnecessary was disposed of, they were back on the road with Marco driving once more.

"You know, Pops would have gladly got your seats done free."

"Oh, I know," Ace said, the cheque safely in his pocket. "If Luffy asks, I got a surprise bonus for 'exemplary work ethic.'"

"The infamous boyfriend," said Marco. "Does he know where you are?"

"Gimme a break, dumbass. He doesn't know what I do."

A few minutes passed wordlessly as the truck found its way back to the highway. Dimly, Marco wondered what had happened to his cigarette.

"I'm gonna call him," Ace decided suddenly, opening the glove compartment to look for his cell phone.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Maybe I can spend some time with him, now that this job's done."

"Don't make too many plans," Marco warned. "I get the feeling you're gonna get your next job sooner than later."

"Teach, right?" Ace asked. "I'll keep that in mind."

Hours away, Luffy stood in front of his own captive, a man named Nezumi.

Nezumi, a seedy, mouse-like man, was tied to a wooden chair sitting solitary in the middle of the room. Around him, the walls and floor were the dark grey-blue of a stone, and they contained no other furniture but the chair. A threateningly muscular man with green hair stood stoically by the only door.

Luffy, ridiculously, was pouting. "Tell meeee," he whined.

"I don't know anything!" Nezumi insisted, a bit too passionately.

"We know you know," said Luffy. "Just tell us already."

"I said I don't know!"

"I heard what you said." Luffy sank to the floor, sitting cross-legged and resting his head on his hand. "But I don't believe you. I just want to know where it is."

Nezumi scowled and looked away. "You won't get anything out of me."

"Oh, I think we will," Luffy said, gesturing the green-haired man to approach. "See, we had a deal, Mousey. Remember the deal?"

Nezumi's eyes darted between Luffy and the other man, Zoro, and he gulped. "I do."

"Are you sure?" asked Luffy. "Because, deal was, you'd bring me what I want and we'd give you the money you asked for. But I don't have what I want."

"Y-you don't?" Nezumi stammered, poorly feigning surprise.

"I don't. So, tell me, what did you do with the money I gave you? I think you said you'd use it to order the goods…?"

"I… I did! I-it just hasn't arrived yet, I swear!" he tried. "You know how it is; the good stuff always comes from overseas–"

"Really?" Luffy asked, looking thoughtful. "That's weird, you know. Nami's been watching your back accounts, and you haven't been doing any spending outside the country."

"Oh, that?" Nezumi laughed weakly. "Of course, I wouldn't be using my actual bank account to buy something like that. I used my–"

"Save it," Luffy snapped. "I don't like when people cheat me, Mousey. You know that, right?"

"I-I do."

"So what make you think you could get away with it?"

"I didn't!"

"Of course not," said Luffy. "Zoro?"

Zoro reached for something at his waist, and Nezumi only caught a brief glimpse of a blade before a noise distracted him. Someone's phone was ringing.

Luffy stopped and took his phone out of his pocket, checking the caller ID. "It's my boyfriend," he addressed to Zoro. "I'm taking it, so keep him quiet."

Zoro's grip on the blade's hilt tightened and he gave a dangerous smirk. Any thoughts Nezumi had of making a sound right then died at the sight of it.

Luffy took his call obliviously. "Ace! I am so glad you called right now. …Bad day? Same here. …The seats? Again?" He laughed at something the other person said. "I think so, too. …Oh, definitely. …Yes! That sounds perfect. Tomorrow? …Yay! Love you," he finished. There was another short pause before Luffy laughed softly. "No, you!" Another laugh. "Okay, okay, see you! Bye!" He hung up then and smiled at nothing for a moment, before he seemed to remember where he was.

Luffy grinned devilishly at Nezumi. "Lucky you," he said, "I'm in a good mood. I'll give you another week to get the stuff. Isn't that great?"

"Wonderful!" agreed Nezumi. "Spectacular! Absolutely magnificent!"

Luffy giggled — yes, giggled. "That's what I thought."

A loud crack filled the air, interrupting the indistinct but cheery music. A few metres away, a wooden, duck-shaped target fell.

"Woo!" Luffy cheered, throwing his arms into the air. Next to him, Ace smirked and raised the SHOOTY-BUSTER(tm) to his shoulder again, taking a shot and downing another duck. Luffy cheered even louder.

A few minutes later they left the duck-shooting booth hand in hand, their prize, a teddy giraffe wearing a t-shirt that screamed KEEP YOUR NECK OUT, tucked under Luffy's arm.

"You're always so good at the shooting games," Luffy said jealously. "I can't aim for crap."

"Aw, now," Ace muttered, struggling to think of something complimentary to say about Luffy's aim. "I'm sure you could hit the side of a barn, if you really tried."

Luffy laughed, socking Ace on the shoulder. "I can aim my fists!"

"Well, that's something!" said Ace. "So, what next?"

Luffy beamed, eyes alight. "Ferris wheel?"

"Ferris wheel it… is?"

Luffy quirked his head curiously as Ace trailed off, staring in the distance. When he turned around, he saw someone dart behind a structure.

"What was that?"

"I, uh, I gotta take care of something," Ace said brusquely. He took out his wallet and shoved it into Luffy's hands. "Here. Go do something fun, okay? And meet me," he looked around, "meet me at that little food place over there. Then we'll go on the Ferris wheel — I promise."

He was gone before Luffy had time to say anything.

A few minutes later Ace caught up with the figure, trailing them into a deserted, alley-like area.

The man stopped and turned to Ace with a wicked grin. "Fire Fist."

Ace's eyes narrowed as he studied the man. "Burgess. What are you doing here?"

"I've come to make you an offer," said Burgess, "on behalf of my leader."

"Your leader?"

"Teach."

Ace's narrow eyes turned into a full glare. "And the offer?"

"He wants you to join us."

A pause. Ace bit back the urge to turn the offer down on the spot — he could make this an opportunity.

"What makes him think I will?" he asked instead, stalling. "He's the one who got Thatch sent to the big house."

Shut up, a voice told him. You're letting on too much.

Burgess' grin faltered, but returned just as easily. "I didn't know you knew that," he remarked. "The boss was sure you wouldn't, but oh well. He thinks you'll join because — well, why wouldn't you? You're under Whitebeard now," Burgess leaned in smugly, "after all that time you spent trying to kill him… and you stopped so suddenly. You still want his head, don't you?"

"Maybe I do and maybe I don't." He didn't.

"Well," Burgess grinned even wider, sure of the wrong answer. "If you decide to accept…" He slipped Ace an envelope surreptitiously. "You can find us there, for the next few days. Come alone. And between you and me, Teach is after Whitebeard's life too."

He thought it would sweeten the deal, but it only ripened Ace's anger.

Ace tucked the envelope into his pocket anyway, still playing along outwardly. "I'll consider it," he said.

Burgess' grin turned into a smirk. "I knew you would." Then he slipped away.

Ace did the same.

He returned to the eatery he'd pointed out to find Luffy devouring the order of fries and double cheeseburger in front of him. Luffy looked up upon seeing Ace and frowned. "Where did you run off to?"

"Oh, you know," Ace shrugged awkwardly, "work stuff. PR is hell."

Luffy closed his eyes and sighed in sympathy. "I know the feeling." A second later, one eye cracked open. "But why do you have to run PR on your personal time?"

"It's some weird policy at my office," Ace recited his prepared lie. "If we see a co-worker making trouble, anytime or anywhere, we're supposed to get involved." He scratched his neck, looking for a way to change the subject. "...Hey, where'd your giraffe go?"

"I put it in the car," said Luffy. "Do you still want to do the Ferris wheel?"

"With you?" Ace smiled. "Wild horses couldn't keep me away."

Ace and Luffy sat on the couch in their living room days later, watching Donald Duck cartoons so old they proudly displayed the words In Technicolor! on the title screen.

"My God," Ace said emphatically. "Did no one ever sit down and just appreciate how insane these were when they were new?"

"I don't think anyone cared back then," Luffy noted, not really watching the screen.

"Still. They didn't even tell Donald what species the kid he was adopting was! How do they expect a duck to look after a freaking kangaroo if they don't warn him?"

"I don't really care now…" said Luffy.

"Lord, the orphanage receptionist is annoying. How does she even know Donald's phone number?" asked Ace.

Sighing to himself, Luffy scooted a bit closer to Ace. "Pass me the remote?"

Ace did so with a grunt, still watching the screen incredulously. Luffy quickly hit the pause and then the off buttons, drawing Ace's eyes to him.

"What are you…" he trailed off as Luffy edged even closer, putting his weight on Ace. He began tracing circles on Ace's knee. "Ah."

Not a minute passed before their lips were together and their hands wandering. At some point they went horizontal, Luffy on top.

Ace pulled away and began trailing kisses down Luffy's neck, stopping when he hit cloth. He looked up, and Luffy gave him a permissive smile.

The shirt had only just hit the floor when Luffy's phone rang.

They groaned as one, but Luffy checked his phone anyway. He cursed.

"I have to take this," he said, to Ace's disappointment. "More work stuff."

Ace did appreciate, at least, that Luffy didn't bother putting his shirt back on as he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Straw-hat-ya."

"Traffy! Hi!" Luffy exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. Law rarely ever involved himself with Luffy's… exchanges. "What's up?"

"You've been dealing with a man named Nezumi, yes?"

"You mean Mousey?" Luffy paused. He glanced down at Ace, but the older didn't seem to be paying much attention to his conversation. "Yeah, I have. Why? Did you want something with him?"

"No… Not exactly. He began associating himself with another ally of mine some time ago and I've been keeping an eye on him since, in case he did anything suspicious."

"Uh huh," said Luffy. "What does this have to do with me?"

There was a short silence on the other end, which seemed odd to Luffy. Law wasn't one to hesitate, usually. "Since he's doing a job for you at the moment, I thought maybe you had something to do with his recent actions… You are aware, aren't you? What he's been doing?"

Luffy sat up fully, frowning. "I'm not. Why? What's he done?"

"Hm. Nezumi's dropped off the map — going into hiding, I'd say. I'd hoped you might be able to tell me why, but I can see I was wrong about that."

"He what?"

"As far as I can tell, he spent most of his funds all at once before disappearing completely. We're still working on finding him again."

"What did he buy?"

"…I believe that is one thing better discussed in person."

Luffy's frown deepened. "All right. When can I meet you?"

"Tomorrow," Law said immediately. "Usual time, usual place." Then he hung up, leaving Luffy to listen to an apathetic beeping.

He put the phone down, trying his best to put the conversation from his mind. With any luck, Nezumi had disappeared only because he needed to for the job — with Luffy's luck, though, something was definitely going down.

He shook his head. Sending a grin at Ace, Luffy reached for his belt. "Where were we?"

The next day found Ace utilising Luffy's distraction — a meeting with his business partners, the younger had said — to investigate Teach's offer.

When he'd brought it up to Pops, the old man had complained about Teach overstepping his boundaries before telling Ace he should go to the meeting anyway, if only to collect information on what the traitor was getting up to.

The commanders had quickly stepped in to set up a more concrete plan, arguing about whether Ace should pretend he was open to the idea, whether he should bring weapons with him or not, whether anyone should accompany him…

And that was how Ace found himself standing in front of a seedy little building in Chinatown, wearing a wire under his clothes.

He spared a look backwards to his truck, where Izou was waiting, before taking a deep breath and heading in.

The men inside, who had been laughing crudely to each other when he entered, quieted instantaneously when they saw him. Ace stopped, suddenly self-conscious for some reason, as a familiar, grubby man stood up from the table. He hoped the wire wasn't causing any noticeable bulges in his shirt.

"Fire Fist Ace," Teach, the man who was standing, greeted. He beamed. "I have to admit, I almost thought you weren't coming." He laughed, and the other men joined him, obviously as a curtesy.

Ace didn't bother. "Well, I'm here. I'll listen to what you have to say, but don't expect much."

Teach's cheer fell away. He almost seemed disappointed. "I thought you were going to join us, Fire Fist."

"I'm still undecided," he said, ignoring the dirty looks sent to him by Teach's underlings. "But I thought, might as well come check it out."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He stuck his hands in his pockets, trying not to show how nervous he was. He was afraid he might slip up while talking about Pops – Whitebeard. Don't call Whitebeard Pops, don't call Whitebeard Pops… "Whitebeard–" Yes! "–treats his… 'employees' very generously. You expect me to believe working for you will be better that what I'm doing right now?"

Teach threw his head back and laughed even louder. "It will be!"

"What? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean working for Whitebeard won't be so glamorous anymore once I'm through," said Teach. "We're gonna throw that man off his pedestal!"

The other men laughed. To Ace, it sounded more like cackling. "Kick him when he's down!" one cheered.

"That's right!" Teach laughed. "And when he's gone, we'll replace him as the most powerful group on the west coast!"

Ace's eyes widened. "You're insane." And then — although it pained him, he knew it would be convincing — he put on a grin and said, "I like it."

Teach grinned in return. "I got a little assignment for you, Fire Fist. There's this nuisance calling himself Foxy running around making trouble." He turned to one of the men, who handed him a photograph. "This guy here," he said, showing the photo to Ace. "I want you to take care of him. When you do, you'll officially be one of us."

Ace took the photo and looked it over. "And if I decide don't want to join you?"

"Then don't kill him," Teach said easily. "It's not that hard."

The photo was folded and tucked into one of Ace's pockets. "I'll think about it." Then he was out the door.

When he was safely out of sight, he let out a long breath. That had been both easier and more difficult than he had thought. Ace turned and started walking back to his truck.

When he got there, Izou was just hanging up his phone.

"You guys were all listening, right?" asked Ace. "What does Pops have to say?"

"He says that, as much as it pains him to admit it, he thinks Teach is right about Foxy," Izou said, looking annoyed at the possibility that Teach could ever be in the right. "Apparently, the man's been generally making an ass out of himself and getting on everyone's bad side."

"So he wants me to kill him, then," Ace concluded.

"Yeah. He says you might as well go ahead and get rid of that annoyance, especially if it gives you an in on Teach," said Izou. "I think you're being set up to be a mole."

"Obviously," Ace snorted. "Where do you want me to drop you off?"

"Same place as last time, if you don't mind."

Once Izou was dropped off — several blocks from his actual destination, to be safe — and Ace's wire disconnected, Ace was able to return to his apartment only just after dusk.

"I'm home!" he called as he shut the door behind him, receiving no answer. "Luffy? Are you here?"

Luffy, as it turned out, was not there. Ace checked every room, but his lover was nowhere to be found. He had already given up and decided to grab himself a snack when he noticed the phone's 'message waiting' light was blinking.

When he pressed the button, Luffy's voice came through the speakers. "Ace! Hey! Sorry about the–" He cut off as something rattled in the background. "–noise. It's no big deal; I'm just… on the move right now. In a car. Yeah. Calling to let you know I won't be home for a few days — my company is, uh, trying to… recover some assets, I think they said. Anyway–" He cut off again, this time punctuated by some distant yelling. "Um. Yeah. They kind of need my help, so… Right. I'll see you in a while, okay? Love you."

The phone beeped to signify the message was over, and Ace sighed. It appeared he would have plenty of time to take care of that Foxy jerk over the next few days.

Days passed with no sign of Luffy. He didn't call, or email, or even pick up his phone when Ace tried it. Ace really had no idea when he would see his boyfriend again and had begun to wonder whether he was okay.

Surely Luffy would have called if he knew he'd be away longer than he'd first said… Surely?

Concerns over Luffy plagued Ace's mind the whole time, but he tried not to let it interfere with his work. Unfortunately, it couldn't really be avoided, and on the day he really needed it Ace forgot his shovel.

When he returned to the apartment for it, he was understandably surprised when Luffy rushed to meet him in the parking lot, over-stuffed bags in tow, and announced that they were going camping.

"W- what? Lu?" Ace sputtered. He winced a little as Luffy tossed the bags roughly in the back, hoping he wouldn't catch sight of what else was in there. "You're back?"

"Yes! I'm home!" Luffy exclaimed. He looked around to see if anyone else was watching. "But we have to go now — come on! Camping! It'll be fun."

"Okay. Camping. Yay," Ace said awkwardly. "But, uh, I forgot something in the apartment…"

"Oh, what? I'll go grab it for you."

"I can get it–"

"No, let me! What is it?"

Ace cringed. "It's a– a shovel."

Luffy gave him an odd look. "What did you need a shovel for?"

"I was going to… plant a tree? I still have to buy the saplings, though…"

"Okay," said Luffy, but he still seemed to think it was a bit odd. "I'll go get it. Wait right here."

He rushed away, leaving Ace behind to nervously tuck a tarp over Foxy's body — not that Luffy knew that.

No, Luffy only knew that when he got back upstairs his 'company' would still be milling around in his apartment.

He sprinted through the door and slammed it behind him, leaning on it. He took a deep breath as Nami looked up from what she was doing.

"You're back?" she asked, sounding scandalised. "I thought I told you–"

"I know, I know, I know," Luffy said quickly. He glanced around and wondered where Ace kept his shovel. "My boyfriend forgot something. Have you seen a shovel?"

"What does he need a shovel for?"

"He said he wants to plant a tree."

Nami snorted. "What an angel."

Usopp stumbled in from the next room, hefting a toaster-oven-sized bag filled with something white and powdery. "Did you say shovel? Because I saw one over by the fire escape." He dropped the bag on the table in front of Nami, who looked it over and jotted something down on a notepad.

"Thanks, Usopp!"

Luffy ran further inside, careful not to jostle anyone holding another white bag, and picked up the shovel before rushing back to the entrance. One hand on the knob, ready to turn it, he paused.

"Nami? How long did you say this is going to take?"

"Moving all this somewhere else?" Nami checked her notes and seemingly took mental stock of something. "The weekend, tops. Finding Nezumi?" She frowned. "I can't say."

Luffy frowned back, but thanked her anyway.

"Don't worry about it," said Usopp, bringing another bag to Nami. "We'll get him in the end, right? We always do."

Luffy smiled at that, and then went off to rejoin Ace at the truck.

At dusk that day, Ace and Luffy finally stood in a clearing deep in the forest. Ace looked around and recognised it as being not too far from where he and Marco had buried a certain bleeding idiot not very long ago.

"I'll get the tent," he said.

"Do you want any help?" asked Luffy.

"Oh no!" Ace said nervously. "It's fine. I got it."

"Okay then. The bags–"

"I can get those too."

Ace took the tent out of the back, double-checking that the tarp was still in place at the same time, and passed it to Luffy. Together, they began to set it up.

"Are you sure this goes here?" asked Luffy, holding a large peg to the ground.

"Not entirely," Ace admitted. "Didn't this tent come with some sort of user's manual?"

"Oh, I lost that years ago."

Ace sighed. "Well, damn."

Eventually, though, they managed to get the tent standing… to an extent. In the end, they were able to crawl inside together without it collapsing, and that was good enough for them.

By that time night had already fallen, and Ace and Luffy were tired from driving and figuring out their shelter, so they fell asleep in each other's arms almost immediately.

Ace only got a few minutes of rest before he somehow woke himself up. As Luffy slumbered on, Ace moved out of his lover's arms, left the tent, and tiredly stumbled over to the truck. After all, he had a body to bury.

Luffy awoke suddenly to find that Ace had disappeared.

He sat up abruptly and glanced around, but there was no way to tell through the darkness. Reaching to the left, he grabbed a flashlight — not noticing that the other one was gone — and flicked it on, but once his eyes adjusted to the light, all it showed him was that he was alone, and that the tent was perilously close to caving in.

He stuck his head outside.

"Ace?" he called, waving the flashlight back and forth. He saw that the truck was gone, too, and squeaked in alarm.

Luffy scrambled outside, flashlight swinging, and called again, "Ace! Where are you?"

Pointing the light at the ground, he found tire tracks leading away from the campsite and bit his lip. Had he been left behind?

He shook his head. Ace wouldn't do that.

With a deep gulp of a breath, Luffy refocused his attention on the tracks and began following them.

It led him through the trees, past a brook, and to a man-made bridge, where he started to hear, curiously, the sound of digging.

Luffy stepped onto the bridge, which was the covered kind, with walls and a roof, and the digging grew louder as he moved forward. When he stepped out the other end, he found the truck with Ace next to it, putting his shovel to use.

"Ace?"

Ace straightened immediately, startled, and turned wide eyes to Luffy. "Lu? What are you…" he trailed off, unsure how to finish.

"You… wanted to plant your tree at night?" Luffy asked incredulously. He let the beam of light fall to the hole for a better look, but then choked. "What the hell is that?"

A bloody, mangled hand was lying between the hole and Ace's feet, separated from the rest of its body.

"It– um…"

"Ace?"

Luffy counted thirty-two seconds of Ace stammering wildly, truly a deer in headlights, before the older calmed himself down and said something coherent.

"I, well, I kind of lied about my job," Ace said, finding no better alternative in his panic. "…I'm actually a hit man."

"Oh," Luffy said simply, blinking. Well, if they were being honest… "…I lied too. I'm not part of any company. I run a drug ring."

"Oh," Ace said as well, too far past shocked to express shock.

"Yeah."

They looked at each other for a moment, but then Ace glanced down at the body. "I really should finish burying him."

"Right," Luffy agreed. He walked over carefully to get a better look. "Hey, I've met that guy! He's an ass."

"So I've heard," Ace muttered, shovelling more dirt onto poor Foxy.

For a few seconds, the only sound between them was Ace's digging. Then, "When did you kill that guy?" Luffy asked. "While I was sleeping?"

"Earlier today," Ace answered. "I wasn't really expecting you to come home so soon."

"Wait, he was in the back the whole time?" At Ace's nod, Luffy made a face. "Ew! I put my stuff in there!"

Ace chuckled.

Later, when Ace was patting down the seemingly unbroken ground with his shovel, he looked up to see Luffy still watching, but now shifting on his feet.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I was thinking, if you do this all the time…" Luffy started, "you must be really good at, you know, finding the people you're after."

"Well, it's not all me," said Ace. "I know people, though. I guess you'd call it connections. Why?"

Luffy's eyes took on an anticipatory gleam. "Well, you see, there's this one guy…"

The truck rumbled slowly through the forest, hopping and dipping over the uneven rocks below. It was running low on fuel, but it wasn't heading anywhere near a gas station. Luckily, its owner was keeping a few canisters of gasoline in the back — though not necessarily for the fuel's intended purpose.

"Are we there yet?" Luffy asked as Ace steered the truck through a slow left turn.

"Almost," Ace said with a smile.

At that moment, the truck went over a rather harsh bump, and the person in the back seat yelped as they were nearly thrown to the floor.

Luffy turned around in his seat and gave Nezumi a small glare. "Shut up, Mousey," he whined. "We're trying to have a nice drive over here!" Nezumi became quiet, and Luffy turned around with a hum and a cheerful, "That's better."

"We're here," Ace announced, bringing the car to a stop. Luffy gave a small cheer in response.

Ace and Luffy jumped out, finding themselves back in the clearing they had once used as a campsite. Luffy pulled Nezumi from inside, depositing him a good distance from the truck, while Ace went around to the back and brought out with him one of the gas canisters before rejoining Luffy.

Nezumi sputtered as he was doused in fuel. "Pl– Please, don't…!"

"Shut up," snapped Ace. "You deserve it." He reached into his pocket, but stopped when Luffy grabbed his wrist.

"Can I?" Luffy asked eagerly. "Can I, can I, pleeease?"

Ace grinned, pulling the lighter all the way out of his pocket and handing it to Luffy. "You may indeed."

Luffy went forward and, from a safe distance, set the gasoline ablaze before scampering back to Ace's side. Nezumi immediately began screaming, but neither Ace nor Luffy took notice.

They stood back, watching the flames leap to the sky and listening to the crackles interlaced with shrieks. Ace threw an arm around Luffy's shoulders.

"I always love a campfire," Ace said, at which Luffy giggled and leaned closer.

"Did you bring marshmallows?"

"I brought kindling." He retrieved this from the truck and they took turns throwing bits of firewood and newspaper at Nezumi, intensifying the heat around him.

Luffy smiled at a particularly blood-curling scream. "How romantic."

Ace and Luffy cuddled there, under the stars, as Nezumi burned. To them, the future looked as bright as the fire.

And if anyone said differently, well, Nezumi should make a nice example.