for the skin meme—ace's hair has been getting longer lately and so he puts it up into a small ponytail/pins it back or something, and sabo can't help but want to kiss the exposed skin at the back of his neck or trace over the freckles there that he's never seen before requested by anon

warnings/tags coming untouched, grinding, kisses

ship saboace


Sabo pauses in the doorframe to watch Ace paint and sway, the soft humming from Ace's lips some half-remembered song. Under his brush a russet dawn takes shape, and the painting, though obviously unfinished, is beautiful.

But Sabo is far more distracted by something else.

Ace's hair is up.

For the past few weeks Ace has been grumbling about the length of his hair, but so far he'd been too lazy to get it cut. Usually it only falls to his chin, but lately it's been long enough that Sabo has taken to idly braided it when they watch TV, enjoying the feel of Ace's hair in his fingertips.

But this?

This?

Sabo bites his lip, unable to stop himself from taking a step further into Ace's studio, his eyes fastened on the back of Ace's neck. It's slightly paler than the rest of his back, likely because of him wearing his hair down most of the time, but freckles still dot the visible skin.

A paintbrush is tucked just above the messy bun that Ace has made, and a streak of yellow threads through his hair like a bird's feather; it'll make Ace's hair crunchy until he gets in the shower, and Sabo can't help but smile softly at the sight, knowing Ace likely didn't even realise he still had paint on the brush when he tucked it away. Considering the other paintbrushes Sabo could see littering Ace's desk, reminiscent of the disarray that arrived in their bedroom when Ace was trying to find a particular shirt, he'd also completely forgotten where he'd put it, too.

Sabo takes another step inside the studio, his eyes still fastened on Ace's exposed skin and his heart fluttering, and reaches out to gently run his fingertips over the nape of Ace's neck. Ace shivers, a soft breath escaping his lips.

"Hey," he chastises, about to turn his head, but Sabo has already leaned in close and pressed his lips against skin, his teeth barely catching on Ace's spine. Ace drops with a startled moan, barely managing to grab his easel to keep himself standing, and Sabo lets out a surprised, amused laugh, grinning even as Ace turns his head and glares.

"Seriously?" he asks, still sounding breathless, his voice a squeak higher than Sabo usually hears it, and Sabo tries to suffocate his grin but his lips are twitching far too much to hide it.

"Mornin'," he says, and leans in to steal a proper kiss that Ace rolls his eyes but relinquishes.

When he pulls away, Ace tries to turn to face him, but Sabo threads his thumbs through his belt loops and presses his fingertips against Ace's thighs. "Finish your work. This one's due next week, isn't it?"

"Not till Wednesday," he says, a half-scowl at being denied on his lips, but he turns back to the canvas anyway, a sigh escaping his lips. "I expect compensation," he orders, and Sabo hums, his eyes drawn to the ridges of Ace's spine, once more in perfect view. A tiny tangle of Ace's hair has worked itself free of his messy bun, curling up against his neck, and as Sabo leans in close it tickles his nose.

Another moan escapes Ace, then a swear, and Sabo tilts his head to see that Ace has drawn a long line of red paint through his mixing palette. Amusement curves his lips up, and he finds another freckle to lavish affection on, the warm breath that escapes his nose making Ace shiver. A whine escapes Ace as Sabo pulls him closer via his belt loops, sliding one leg between Ace's to keep him standing, and Ace's breath hitches as he tries to catch it. "Ah- Sabo-," he pleads, and rocks forward helplessly when Sabo's teeth graze his spine, "Come on, s-stop-"

"Thought you wanted compensation?" Sabo asks, grinning and nipping at the side of Ace's neck, and Ace almost instinctually tilts his head to bare his throat and let Sabo have access to more skin to bite and lick and kiss.

"Thought you said- I should finish my work?" he says, but the words are broken by his panting, and Sabo can feel Ace's stomach rhythmically pressing against his forearms as Ace struggles to catch his breath.

"Are you not?" Sabo replies, as though the idea hasn't occurred to him, and he moves his head theatrically to pretend he's checking Ace's painting. It moves his lips from Ace's neck, and Ace whines for him, trying to stifle the noise by biting his bottom lip. "Gosh, you'd better concentrate a bit harder then, hm? If it's due Wednesday."

"Sabo," Ace says warningly, but the threat in his tone is thwarted by how his voice cracks.

Sabo smiles innocently, batting his eyelashes, and then lets his attention drift back to Ace's neck. "Now you just work hard, babe," he says, the words a distracted string of half-mumbles, and pushes his thigh up just as he gives another butterfly soft kiss to the back of Ace's neck. "I'll try my best not to distract you."

"Sa-ah, Sabo-"

If he's judging by how Ace is trembling and rocking against Sabo's thigh, however, Sabo's pretty sure he'll only be a distraction for the next half a minute.

Ace shudders and lets out a breathless moan, his whole body slumping in Sabo's hold, and Sabo blinks, then feels his lips spread into a slow grin, mimicking the red that spreads along the back of Ace's neck.

Less than a minute.


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