A/N: This is just poor humor. Literally. I was bored and considering I HATE spiders, why not write a one shot of short and purely based on my own amusement haha

Fear Of Spiders

"Geez, Luffy. How do you always manage to find trouble?" Sabo mused, staring up at the seven year old who was suspended in air by several vines making the ten year old whistle at the height in which he dangled.

It was an odd sight. His brother somehow got stuck in a tangled mess until he was immobilized, unable to move. The thick vines secured around him, hugging to his body like a snake constricting around it's prey. In a sense, Luffy was the unfortunate snack considering he was restricted the helpful use of his arms and legs. That didn't stop the tears rolling down Luffy's face or the loud sobs filling the tense jungle.

"It's Ace's fault! SABO!" Luffy wiggled, or at least tried, swaying side to side in attempt to break free and doing a poor job at that.

Sabo stared at Luffy in slight amusement, his staff resting firmly in between the crook of his neck. He looked at his brother questionably. He had no doubt Ace was probably partially behind Luffy's current situation. Luffy was annoying and followed them around to no end. Sabo didn't mind it, not really. At first it was a little a pain, but Luffy had a way of growing on you. Though, Ace was a little different, always yelling at Luffy and telling him how personal space was important. Sabo's, though slightly entertained by his brothers bickering, would always step in between them to stop the arguing.

Not to say Ace hated the kid, because Sabo knew that wasn't the case. Ace was difficult to understand when it came to affection. He often showed it through his actions. Even if those actions involved hitting them on the head and glaring. Sabo knew Ace cared. He just wish he showed it a little differently at times.

Sabo sighed. "Speaking of Ace..." He looked around. No sign of his other sibling. That was strange. "Hey Lu, where is Ace?"

Luffy went still, his pointless struggling coming to a halt and he sniffled, remembering what had happened. "Stupid Ace. I don't care where he's at." What was an attempt at a glare failed the moment Luffy's bottom lip quivered.

Sabo scratched his head. They must have gotten into another fight. He wasn't all to concerned about Ace. His brother was more than capable of taking care of himself but that didn't completely dispel his concern. Twirling his bo-staff, Sabo ran forward, jumping up and swinging at the vines that held Luffy captive. They easily broke, releasing Luffy, who fell to the ground face first. The vines falling away, freeing his limbs.

Sabo landed on the ground beside him. Gently, he rolled Luffy over. "Sorry." He said, seeing the pained expression Luffy was making.

Luffy rubbed his eyes and looked at Sabo with big eyes. Sabo swore they shinned like fine glass in the bright sun. "Do you think Ace hates me?" He asked wrapping his arms around his knees, hugging them close to his chest.

Sabo looked taken back by the question. His eyes twitched.

'Bonk'

"Ow!" Luffy rubbed his head where a now throbbing bump was forming.

"Don't ask stupid questions. He doesn't hate you. Neither of us do. Ace...Ace is..." Sabo hesitated, trying to find the right words to say so that Luffy would understand. "Ace is just stubborn. He's hot-headed and foul tempered. He cares but doesn't show it in the sense you know. His is through actions."

Luffy picked at the grass, suddenly finding it fascinating. He listened to Sabo. "Ne, Sabo? Is that why Ace is mean?"

Sabo tilted his head to the side before a fit of laughter left him with an arm snaked around his middle. He couldn't help but imagine Ace's face if he heard Luffy calling him 'mean'. The poor kid wouldn't survive Ace's wrath. He felt sorry for anyone who pissed his brother off. Instead of saying what he wanted to say, the words bellowed out of him almost mechanically.

"Shishishi, yeah Ace is a jerk."

'BONK'

Two hard bonks were echoing through the forest and instead of just one, both brothers were clutching at their heads. Luffy had a bump forming on the one Sabo had given him and cried. Sabo was rubbing his own matching lump and he didn't have to look back to know what hit him. He really should learn to keep his mouth shut when his mind was in control. Leave it to Ace to show up as soon as Sabo decided to insult him.

"Who's the jerk?" A low voice caused both Luffy and Sabo's body to tense. Ace was pissed.

Sabo didn't dare look back at his seething brother knowing he would be met with hard eyes and a glare. No doubt a popped vein protruded from Ace's forehead. He could feel the dark aura surrounding them. Sabo gulped and shifted his eyes towards Luffy. His brother was looking at him in fear. There was no mercy when it came to an angry Ace.

Reading each others thoughts, Sabo and Luffy got up and ran, Sabo being the one to be in the front and Luffy right on his hills. "Run for it, Lu!"

"Ace is so mean!" Luffy yelled and Sabo face palmed.

"LUFFY! SABO!" Ace's angry yell sent shivers up their spines, he was right behind them and catching up quickly.

Sabo ran faster, his eyes closed and his arms wildly going front to back in attempt to get away from a raging Ace. "Luffy! What the heck did you do to make him so angry!"

Sure, him calling him a jerk didn't help but Ace wouldn't get that angry. No, this was all on Luffy and Sabo dreaded the answer. It didn't take long for Ace to catch them...

Later that night, under the clear stary sky, found two boys tied to a tree in front of Dadan's house, sulking. Several lumps covered their heads.

"STUPID ACE!" Luffy shouted, his legs kicking.

Sabo sighed. After Ace had caught them and dragged them back to the bandits home, his brother gave them a good thrashing on the head, tying them to the large tree. "What did you do? He was pissed. More than usual." He asked again.

Luffy pushed out his lips in a pouting manner. He mumbled something that Sabo didn't quite catch. Something about spiders? "What was that, Lu?"

"I found a nest of spiders. They looked really cool!" Luffy's eyes lit up for a moment. "I thought Ace would like them, too. So I put them in our room."

Sabo blinked. "YOU WHAT!?" He yelled, glaring at Luffy.

Luffy glared back. "They were cool looking! It wasn't my fault Ace got scared and screamed!"

Sabo froze. Ace? Scared? No way. He doubted that. "You must be imagining-"

A scream tore through the night, interrupting whatever he was about to say. A moment later Ace stomped out of the house looking murderous. Sabo was glad that the look wasn't concentrated on him. Instead that blazing storm was heading straight towards Luffy. He realized that it was Ace who had screamed and he wondered if there was more spiders in the house. That would explain the balled up fists and snarling.

Sabo swallowed. "Uh, Luffy. How exactly did you end up in that tree?" Ace was getting closer and Luffy was still crying.

Sabo knew exactly how Luffy got in that tree seeing as the next day he found himself dangling from a set of vines, Luffy right next to him.

Well at least he knows one of Ace's fears.