Yo people! I'm back… Actually this chapter wasn't supposed to be updated until I've finished writing the next chapter for my Kuroko no Basuke fic.. But what can I do?

It happened already..

Seriously I'm thinking that Zoro's "Directionless" illness is contagious..

Me: *walks towards terminal*

*goes the other way* *notices bakery* Eh? Where the heck am I going?

*goes back* XDD

Next day…

*get down from unloading station. *goes the other way*

Eh? Where's the street I'm supposed to go? *notices the other way* Ah. There it is.. XDDDD

Read and enjoy people!

I own—

Law: absolutely nothing..

Hira: tch. =3=…

Law: *smirks triumphantly and walks away*

(~page break~)

Ace went inside the bar together with Zoro and Sei.

"Luffy, what did you do?" Ace started, not wanting to cause more trouble than they are already in. He scanned the whole area noticing some thugs—which are obviously pirates too—already drawing their pistols and swords ready to attack his brother. Luffy on the other hand didn't seem to be bothered by his enemies, and still eating his mountain of food while glaring at the men.

Luffy's eyes lit up upon seeing his brother and comrades. "Oh, Ace, Sei, Zoro!"

"Sheesh, Luffy. Can't you eat in peace? What kind of luck do you have for attracting trouble even at the table?" Zoro grumbled.

"I didn't start it. They kicked my food!"

Sei sweatdropped. "Luffy-san… what food?" Seeing that Luffy's foods are still intact on the table in front of him.

"The food on my second table of course!" Luffy stated using a tone that somehow felt like she was told 'are you dumb or something?'.

"Right."

A guy wearing a captain's coat approached the trio with an annoyed expression on his face. "That bastard doesn't respect me." He smirked evilly as he raised the pistol on his hand and pointed it towards Luffy.

Of course the three, knowing that bullets doesn't affect Luffy, just stared at the man and his subordinates with a blank face, waiting for what is going to happen next. Ace sighed seeing that his brother resumed his banquet, completely ignoring the ruckus he started as well as the pistol pointing on his head.

In an instant Ace is already beside Luffy with his hand holding the pistol away from Luffy's head. His eyes somewhat sharpened as he stared at the man who dared point a gun on his younger brother in front of him. His brotherly instincts started kicking in. "I suggest that you keep that pistol away from my brother's head. That way I can assure your safety."

Zoro was impressed by the Fire Fist's display of speed and smirked, waiting for things to unfold. He could practically see the surprise written on Sei's face. Now that he thought about it, she had never seen the Fire Fist fight at all. Sei just joined the crew a few months after what happened at the Marine Ford.

The man grinned wickedly at Ace not being bothered by his stares at all. It was either the man doesn't recognize Fire Fist or he is dumber than the Straw Hat captain not being able to realize who was in front of him. Ace and Luffy's name became more famous after the way after all.

"C-Cap-Captain…' A voice full of fear coming from the man's subordinates were trying to get their leader's attention. The group finally recognize the people in front of them and are beginning to sweat and tremble from fear.

"What the fuck are you standing there for? Kill his companions!" The captain roared at his crew not even noticing the plight written on their faces. It was quite a funny scene to watch adding the comical reactions of the pirates inside the bar who cannot even speak straight and looked like they wanted to bolt outside the place just to spare their own lives but their legs already betrayed them.

"C-Captain… T-That i-i-is…" the crew still trembled in fear not even able to speak the names of the pirates before them.

"I'm quite surprised he doesn't recognize Ace and Luffy given that the Marineford War happened just a few months ago." Zoro stated dryly. How stupid could these people get? Zoro started to wonder how they managed to survive inside the Grandline up till now.

"I'm impressed they haven't started running away yet." Sei pointed out the blanched faces of the pirate crews who looked like they were ready to faint any second now.

Everyone's attention were diverted at the entrance when once more the swinging doors of the bar opened revealing a blonde man with a cigarette hanging on the side of his mouth.

"Oh, Shanjih!" Luffy greeted as he chewed on his food.

The cook glanced at the crowd of people, then to Ace who was standing in front of Luffy pushing the tip of the gun away from his brother's head, the stupid man in front of Ace, and to Zoro and Sei who were just watching from the sidelines.

"What have you done again shitty captain?" Sanji grumbled as he walked closer to the group.

"Oh, so you're a captain huh? What kind of pirates would follow a weakling like you?" the man laughed his ass off, not noticing the sudden serious expression of Luffy's crewmates. Ace on the other hand mentally smiled at these.

Zoro automatically had his hand on the hilt of his swords ready for anything insulting that the man would say again.

Sanji's eyes sharpen as he prepared another cigarette to light.

Sei grabbed one of the daggers hidden on her clothes, her hand quite itching to test it out on its new victims.

Luffy chose great comrades.

"I can bet your crews are weaklings too! How the hell did you manage to survive here in the Grand Line? Pity? Running away like chickens?"

Luffy's crew almost started the fight but they saw their captain raising his hand. A silent order to just let them be. The three automatically had their guard down and just let the captain badmouth them. Yeah, this is one of the fights that they needn't get themselves involve into. It was useless.

The captain who seemed to be more pissed that the crew in front of him aren't reacting at all grinned maliciously and once more pointed the tip of the gun towards Luffy's direction.

Ace frowned. What part of 'keep that pistol away from my brother's head' did this guy didn't understand?

*BANG!*

Was the sound of the sound of the gun, booming throughout the whole place. But there wasn't any bullet embedding itself on any of the pirates inside the restaurant. Instead, one can see the melting gun on the floor discarded away by its owner.

The sound was indeed the gun exploding as the trigger was touched.

"What the hell did you do?!" the man glared at Ace as he held his swollen hand, burned.

"Sorry but my brother hates getting shot by pistol." Ace grinned sheepishly though his eyes were somewhat sharp expressing the irritation that the man dared shoot his brother in front of him. It ticked something inside him.

"C-Captain t-t-that's Fi-Fire F-Fist A-A-Ace…" A trembling crew finally managed to get the man's attention. The captain paled upon hearing the name and stared at Ace.

"Fire Fist Ace…" The captain went paler and then glanced at the others who were watching from the sidelines.

"Black Leg Sanji." He paled further.

"Roronoa Zoro." Paled another hue.

"The c-cursed girl!" The captain somehow saw a glimpse of the lavender colored hair of the girl and fell, his legs unable to support his own weight.

Cursed? Ace glanced at the girl who just grimaced at the name call but didn't retort anything back. In an instant the group together with its captain are already cowering on the farthest side of the bar trying to get as much distance as possible from Luffy and his comrades.

Luffy on the other hand, had resumed to his eating spree and ordered more from the poor bartender who had a hard time of accommodating Luffy's bottomless pit of a stomach. The group casually sat together with their captain getting food of their own and let the other pirates escape frantically in front of the bar.

"Luffy-san, are there ice cream and sweets here?" Sei turned to Luffy. In Ace's surprise Zoro and Sanji somewhat stiffen and shook their heads.

"Shere hish." Luffy's voice still muffled by the food on his mouth. "Ish quieh deliscious. You shouldh trhy isht."

In an instant a pile of desserts lined up in front of Sei which made Zoro and Sanji cringe. Her appetite may not rival Luffy but those amounts of sweets were definitely something you'd categorize as normal intake.

"Huh, so you've got quite sweet tooth there Sei. You sure you can finish all of those?" Asked Ace who also started on his own pile of food.

Instead of answering Ace's questions, Sei began to start on munching the desserts in front of her. Her expression changed from pissed to extremely delighted. It was quite amusing to watch someone who more than often glares at you making faces that you don't usually see on those impassive demeanor of hers. "Hunnnyaaa~"

"Hunnnyaa?" Ace sweatdropped but nevertheless smiled.

"Don't mind her. She's like that when she eats those sugary stuff." Zoro stated as he called the waiter to get some booze.

Cute.

Ace smiled again to himself but automatically halted upon realizing he had just thought.

He never thought of 'someone' being 'cute' before. Things yes, but a person?

There are still things he needs to learn especially about himself. Ace glanced at Sei while eating. The girl seemed to have noticed the stare at caught Ace's eyes on her. Sei uncharacteristically smirked at him and slightly nudged him.

"You know, Ace-san. Never thought you've got an extreme case of brother complex."

Both Sanji and Zoro choked on their foods as the words left the girl's mouth. Not that they didn't notice it, but it was the first time they heard the thoughts being actually voiced and on the person involved himself. No one dared to ask the Fire Fist about his strange antics about Luffy's wellness but sometimes it was downright…. Overrated.

"I do not!" Ace suddenly exclaimed with his voice unnaturally high and indignant. Actually the fire fist himself was shocked with the statement and actually choked on his food.

Actually you do. Both Sanji and Zoro exclaimed on their heads.

This was the second time I heard that term. Ace slightly frowned upon remembering Marco telling him the same thing after the Marineford war…

(-)

Both Ace and Luffy were being fetched by the Whitebeard pirates from the Heart Pirates' submarine—Law being the one to have them escape from the Great War. After checking the brothers' condition from the Surgeon of Death, the D's thanked the doctor (who actually ignored them) and boarded Moby Dick. Though many are still recovering from the injuries, it didn't stop the pirates from rejoicing upon seeing their comrade safe. Party was immediately held ignoring all of the doctor's orders in their ship (including Law who just sighed and facepalmed knowing that they won't listen at all).

Luffy pretty much decided to stuck himself with Ace throughout the party, always following his brother wherever he goes. The older D actually didn't mind at all and just let Luffy with his way. It reminded him back when they were kids, Luffy also followed him around like a shadow just like what he is doing right now. He is pretty much used to it. Besides the worries he had over at Marineford are still in his head. His brother really knew how to be reckless and make him worry.

"Not going to party yoi?" A voice familiar to Ace was heard.

The phoenix actually found it strange not to find Ace and his brother partying among the crowd knowing their personalities. Instead he found the two sitting somewhere on the uncrowded part of the deck both slumping on the floor Luffy leaning heavily on Ace.

"Nah, Luffy is already out." He pointed at his brother who was loudly snoring while using his as a support so he wouldn't slump completely on the wooden floor of the deck. "And besides those guys are already drunk. Gotta take distance."

Marco's bows raised in amusement watching the two brothers interact with each other. Surely he what Ace meant by 'distance'. Fights usually breaks out in arty like this especially when the crowd involved are pirates. Tough it was already made sure that no one would sustain deadly injuries at all, scratches and bruises are still present among some.

"That's one brother complex you have yoi." Marco chuckled.

"Hey! It's a brother's duty to keep the younger brother safe!" Ace intently insisted.

"Like a mother hen?"

"Yea—What do you mean by that?! Is it bad to look after your brother? I just wanted to keep distance so Luffy won't be involved in any fights that the other guys might start. He could be hurt you know! He's still recovering from his injuries! And besides Luffy looks younger than his age, anyone could mistake him to a girl and I'm not letting anyone lay their filthy hands on my little brother!"

When Ace finished his little speech he was already huffing from being out of breath.

"…."

Ace flushed upon realizing what had just come out of his own mouth.

Damn it!

He just dug his own grave.

"A bad case of brother complex." Jozu appeared out of nowhere who seemed to have heard Ace's declarations and joined the conversation.

"Hopeless case." Izou joined walking towards their direction with a smirk plastered on his face.

"I DON'T HAVE BROTHER COMPLEX!" Ace screamed at the top of his lungs as he blushed further.

(-)

Ace's cheeks started to flush with a bit of pink as he recalled the incident which happened a few months ago. His crewmates never let him live it down and still tease him and his 'protective instincts' with Luffy.

And now… this.

Yes you do. Both Zoro and Sanji spoke in their heads.

"Believe me Ace-san but you really got one big brother complex in you. You should've seen your face back then." Sei began to laugh hard, her face getting red with the slight lack of air.

The other two men tried to will themselves not to join the laughing but failed because grins are still plastered on their faces making Ace somewhat ticked off.

"What's a 'brother complex' Ace, a food?" Luffy asked growing curious with the conversation his brother and weapons master were having. He had heard those words from Ace's comrade who looked like a sleepy pineapple back at Whitebeard's ship but he never got the chance to ask what it really means.

Ace blushed deeper at the question and began gulping some water before he chokes on his food completely. Now, now, how would he explain to his brother the meaning of the word without digging his grave further? He glanced at Sei who was grinning from ear to ear and still eating one of her parfaits with delicate grace as if she had done nothing wrong.

Who would've thought that she would be able to put him in a situation like this?

With the lack of reply from his brother Luffy turned to his comrades who were trying to avert his eyes (except for Sei who was smiling happily with her food) in order to avoid his question. "What is brother complex? Can you eat it?"

Both Sanji and Zoro looked away pretending to hear nothing.

Idiotic shitty captain. Sanji thought, hearing Luffy's lack of knowledge about the topic.

Your brother is the greatest example. Zoro deadpanned.

But both never had the courage to voice it out.

Sei, who was sitting just beside Luffy put her arm around Luffy and slyly grinned. "Now, Now captain. Lemme answer your question."

Ace's eyes widened knowing what will be happening next. As an instinct he immediately grabbed the girl across him and covered her mouth his hand. He smiled at Luffy gave him a questioning look. "N-Nothing Luffy. It's just uh…"

"Mrrrphhhh..!" Sei struggled to get away from Ace's grip but obviously the guy is stronger than her. She managed to keep Ace's hands down and still struggling to keep his grip away from her. "It's an obse—mmmrmmphhh!"

"Alright alright. I'd do anything! Just don't tell Luffy what it is." Ace whispered, finally giving up.

"Do you realize you are admitting you have extreme brother complex Ace-san?" Sei grinned.

Ace only pinched her cheeks and stretched it, like what he does with Luffy. "Now answer Luffy."

"My parfaits okay~"

Ace grunted.

"Oi Ace, Sei what are you whispering there? What is 'brother complex'?" Luffy asked once again.

"Let's just say that it is something best to describe Ace-san." Sei laughed at Ace's surprise and blush while Zoro and Sanji snickered.

"Sei you—"

"Sorry Ace-san but as much as I love my sweets I don't like lying to my captain." After smiling apologetically to the pyro, Sei's grin flashed again. "Well at least I didn't lie. Nyahahaha~"

(~page break~)

Hotsprings…

After the awesome brother complex issue at the restaurant, the group continued to eat in peace—at least they weren't disturbed by anymore pirates (because they were too scared to go after Luffy and Ace). Asking some locals about the specialty of the town, the group learned of the hot springs near the mountains which were always visited by tourists. Sei was delighted about it and asked for 'detailed' directions. This was overheard by Nami, Robin, and Usopp who also entered the bar.

"Hmmmm~" The lavender haired weapons master relaxed as she felt the heat of the hot springs crawled into her skin.

Sei sighed happily noticing that she is alone in the hot springs. It was already afternoon yet the patrons of the bathhouse were busy at the moment.

Unknown to her, soft footfalls barely noticeable entered the bath house.

Night…

It was late in the afternoon before Nami and Robin decided to enter the baths. The two enjoyed as much as they can that it was already dark when they got out. In front of the bath house, Ace was already leaning on a tree obviously waiting for someone.

"Oh, Ace what are you doing here? The men's bath is the other way." Robin good-naturedly pointed out to the Fire Fist.

"Nah. I'm waiting for Sei. I've got a promise with her." Ace grinned sheepishly while scratching his head, making him look boyish. Well, who wouldn't blush at the teasing stress of the two women in front of him?

"Huh? Sei isn't inside." Nami stated earning a questioning gaze at Ace.

"She said earlier that she would just go to the hot springs. This is the only hot spring here."

Robin looked thinking for a second before she spoke. "I did notice her things in the lockers."

After nodding to themselves, Nami and Robin went back to the lockers and retrieved what they thought were Sei's possessions. Indeed, its Sei's things. With just the scabbard of the swords, they can immediately tell that it's the twin swords which the weapons master always have with her. And adding the compass that always hangs around her neck, they couldn't be wrong at all.

But what happened?

These are the things that Sei would never forget no matter how much in a hurry she is.

(~pagebreak~)

Yohohohoho~

Done~ Finally!

Haha..

Actually, I was writing at the office on my notebook… Holding calculator on my left, together with papers and manuals.. Then notebook in front of me and twirling a pen on my hand.. haha

It was the epicness of the doujins I've read that I decided to show Ace's… uh… Care for his brother. *cough* brother complex *cough*

Cmon guys.. read and review!

:D :D

Looong weekened~ happiness~~

Thanks again for my friend who named sei's grandfather for me..

Actually I've been bugging her about my story a lot despite of not being able to watch One Piece yet.. XDD

Me: Hey I need a name for Sei's clan…

Hey, I need a name for Sei's grandfather..

Hey what would happen after they…

Me and my laziness for naming my charas.. XDD

Ace: Review folks! *grins*

Luffy: Ace, you are a 'brother complex' aren't you?

Ace: A what?!

Luffy: Sei said it's a word best to describe you.

Sei: *laughs at a corner*