Characters: Ace, Luffy

(Obsession) It's Infectious

Over that year, Ace met Shanks a grand total of five times. It wasn't that he didn't like the man, or his crew, or his occupation, or getting free food at Makino's (as opposed to getting free food of a lesser quality anywhere else). But Luffy was annoying with his hero-worship, and frankly Ace didn't see what all the fuss was about, so he found other things to entertain himself with (it was mostly napping, but not only).

Then one day his rubber brother came back with a new hat and eyes that shone with determination. Maybe that was what incited Ace to listen to what Luffy had to say without falling asleep, and even answer at the appropriate moments, for more than two minutes.

More than an hour.

Long past dinner.

So late it became early.

So maybe pirates were more interesting than he'd thought, he reflected as he watched the sun rise, absently patting his asleep brother's hair. Maybe he shouldn't try to discourage Luffy so much. Maybe they should talk about it a little more, when Luffy woke up.

The day Ace turned seventeen, Luffy waved him off with the promise that he'd let Ace join his crew when they met again. For a moment, as he grinned at his brother, Ace thought that maybe he should wait until Luffy was of age, so that they could do it all together.

But just for a moment.

Three more years would be too long to wait.