Happy Birthday Ace!
I really wanted to write something for his birthday, and it's also the new year, soooo... Here ya go.
Amid the light of fireworks, he found his youngest brother sitting on a rocky decline near the fringes of the festival. The ocean spread out before them, an inky blackness punctuated with sparks of light with each blast. Here, away from the crowds, it was almost quiet... Besides so the loud crashes and bangs of the fireworks, of course.
Each light was like a giant flower, bursting in the dark night sky into a hundred colors. What a way to enter into the New Year, he thought to himself, sneaking over to his brother and chucking an arm over his shoulders, laughing when Luffy shouted in surprise but turned to hug him back just the same.
"Another year gone, eh Luffy? How time flies! Though, for a while there I wasn't sure we'd both see it." He trailed off as the arms around his middle tightened just a little. He could faintly smell the smoke from a bonfire down on the beach, and it made him think back to that day. His execution, the day they both almost died.
It was a miracle either of them survived, let alone the both. He'd been prepared to die, to protect his little brother. To keep Luffy safe, he'd do anything in his power, even lay down his own life.
Reaching up his other arm, he pulled Luffy into a proper hug, grunting a bit despite the smile tugging on his lips as the younger boy flopped straight across his lap, not letting go, and not losing sight of the fireworks, either. He grimaced a bit as the colorful fan tucked into the back of Luffy's obi dug into his stomach a bit, grabbing it and setting it aside, before wrapping his arm back around his brother, before he could complain about the missing appendage.
"Ace isn't allowed to die..." The muttered words from Luffy sounded almost like a child, drawn out and petulant, but he could hear the sadness, the seriousness underneath. "...Because then who would share meat with me?" He continued with a smile and Ace barked out a laugh in reply.
"Who said anything about it being shared, you serial food thief! I looked away for three seconds and my plate was EMPTY. Cmon, Luffy." He groused good-naturedly, which earned him a stream of laughter in return.
In fact... "And thieves, you know... They get... Punished!" Hands darted to his brothers sides, Luffy shrieking as Ace tickled him mercilessly. He couldn't remember the last time they'd played around like this, but he was going to do it more often when he could.
After Luffy cried for mercy, he gave him a quick kiss on his head, then laughingly relinquished him. Luffy jumped free, cheeks flushed from laughing, righting his straw hat carefully on his head. The whole situation made him think back to the days with Sabo. Back then, it was just the three of them. Things were so simple! Their world ended at the edge of the island, and at the time, that was fine.
"I think... This year is going to be better. Or at least there's no way it can be WORSE..." He sighed a bit, trailing off to look at Luffy, then frowned as noticed the other watching him intently. "Hey, Lu, what-"
Whatever he was going to say was cut off, as a series of massive fireworks lit up with entire sky, and the two of them both turned to the display.
Stars and flowers, even a dragon shaped firework. Definitely the work of a Devil Fruit user, considering the finer details. Each was bigger and brighter than the last, hanging vividly in the sky for the longest time, before slowly fading.
Arms wrapping around him made him turn to Luffy. "Hey, Ace."
"Happy New Year!" He said with a smile, leaning up and kissing Ace on the cheek.
"And... Happy Birthday!"