A short one this time, but the idea had bothered me for a while. Not nearly as racy or even suggestive as the previous ones, but I haven't given Ace enough backing yet. Time to fix that!

Enjoy

Snake liked stripes. He wore them on everything – tanktop, pants, even the inside of his hat was striped, if you got close enough to see it get knocked off his head. Ace, often the one doing the knocking, was witness to it quite a bit. He wasn't sure why he liked them so much; he could barely say the word without tripping over his tongue.

Ace was a little less partial to them.

He had a few himself, the blocks on his vest and the wristbands too. Unlike Snake, he didn't plaster himself with them. The Gangreen leader shrugged and plucked at the elastic bands. He wasn't even really all that patriotic. It came in handy every once in a while. The guys at the salvation army would give him a nod and let him take something small for free every once in a while if he played up the patriot act.

It was the stripes the red, white, and blue hid so well that bothered him.

It wasn't bad. No not at all. They were barely there. Just a little rough compared to the surrounding skin. He pressed two fingers over them, following the vein the three marks criss crossed. Barely a bump. Unnoticeable, kind of. Unless you squinted or thought he was capable of something like this.

He was young and stupid once. Hell, he was young and stupid now. He just used to be worse. Used to think that dying would maybe be better. Fuck that. He knew being buried six feet under would only make things better for the worms. Wouldn't make his shit life suck any less. It wasn't even that shitty anymore. The last time (and he meant LAST) he was alone, fighting for scraps he couldn't even choke down. He felt desperate and hopeless and all that shit that people used as an excuse.

But then he found someone to keep his mind off of it, and that was that.

Ace had found Snake, something more miserable and messed up and mutated than he could ever hope to be. He'd like to say he kept the skinny thing around just because it made him feel better about himself, but that wasn't the case. Not entirely. Snake had proven to be a pretty good pal, and he even attracted more people. Now he had a bonafied gang goin' here. Not bad.

He snapped the band back in place and leaned back on the cot. He doubted Snake would like them, but he was sure he would understand. Maybe. Of course he would – maybe he was hiding some of his own under his bands. Probably was. Even if he didn't Snake would know better than to say anything. He'd just nod and smile and that would be that.

Then again.

Snake liked to blow shit out of proportion, was all. He'd get all sensitive and shit. Start telling him off like he was his fuckin' mother or something. Ace would have to crack him in the jaw to get him to shut the hell up. But then he'd look at him all desperate and sad like. He'd be all fuckin' disappointed and shit. Not that he cared. Fuck no. He was the boss, Snake should be damn near honored to even be in his shadow.

Ace grunted and looked up at the ceiling, stretching out. He slid the band off his arm after a moment of thought and held his arm above his head. Three thin lines looked back at him. They weren't nothin. He'd fucked up, but it wouldn't happen again. He had too much to live for.

"Bosss?"
"Hey Snake." Ace gave a cursory wave, slipping his band back in place. "Whassup?"
"Nothingssss. Where'ss everyonesss?"
"I dunno. Off somewhere. They'll be back for eats."
"Mmmssss."

Snake shuffled closer hissing softly. He could have been going for the cot next to him, but that would have been too easy. Snake had a weird way of dropping hints, but Ace knew better. He'd been around he block a few times. Ace slid his arm around the skinny body hovering nearby and forced it back-first to the cot's edge. Snake hissed softly, but said nothing. He had wanted this, after all.

It took him a few minutes to calm down and stop being so cautious, but after a moment the spine uncoiled and angled back, draping over his chest. Ace smirked a little while Snake hissed softly and relaxed. He moved his arm up onto the bony, curved chest and let it stay there.

Heartbeat over stripes over stripes over stripes over a fluttering heartbeat.

Ace figured stripes weren't so bad.

D'aw.
I have a secret love of mush!Ace. Could you tell? I bet not. I hide it so well.
Shameless plug: I Know Why The Jailed Bird Sings. I don't know who writes it but it's awesome.

Thanks for reading!