Chapter Text
It was a drizzly morning, with the sun just barely peeking through the clouds.
Sabo yawned at the kitchen counter, hot coffee in hand, reading the paper.
"Who does that?"
Ace fake grimaced as he walked by, his sole purpose to annoy his husband, apparently.
Sabo just grinned into his cup, not taking the bait.
Ace fished around in the cabinet, looking for a mug. He poured himself a tall glass of milk. The toaster popped, and Sabo threw down a slice for the both of them, with bacon and eggs.
"They say only psychopaths like drinking that much milk…" He mentioned, pointlessly.
Ace just looked at him.
"That's what someone who doesn't like milk would say."
"Hm, true."
Ace stared at Sabo's cup.
"You know, they say the same about black coffee drinkers."
Sabo raised his eyebrow. "But this has milk and sugar in it."
"Then it's gay psychopath coffee."
Sabo and Ace both looked at the non-existent camera. Then they laughed.
Out through the balcony, Sabo could see branches strewn across the parking lot from the storm. During the night, he'd been woken by a particularly big one hitting the roof.
There was leaf litter all over the plywood, as well as acorns. Lots and lots of acorns.
He carefully walked out, collecting them. One…five… fifteen… eighteen…
Aw, how cute. Exactly nineteen, just like them. He chewed on his lip, dumping them in the empty candy dish on the coffee table.
"Ace, look." He pointed. "Count."
He did. He looked at Sabo, confused. "There's…seventeen?
Sabo rolled his eyes. "Count again."
Ace did. Then he slapped his forehead.
"I… don't even talk to me."
Sabo just laughed, falling into his lap on the couch.
Apparently still insistent on spoiling him, Ace very carefully tucked Sabo into his thicker, dry coat; the long, beige one, and wrapping him up in his scarf. Then, he put on his blue newsboy hat for him, and his gloves, and even his boots.
"Ace, I'm sure it's not as cold out as last night…"
Nevermind that he was enjoying the attention, very very much.
His husband just grunted, oafishly.
Sabo smiled to himself, while the scarf was maneuvered high around his neck. Ace finished off with a peck to his nose, taking his hand as they walked out the door.
The streets were also covered in leaves and branches, and many, many more acorns as they walked to the grocery store. It was nice and quiet, 10am on a Friday. The sun was coming through, revealing a rich blue sky.
Ace glanced at him from time to time, still holding his hand. Sabo grinned.
"What is it?"
Ace blushed, looking away. "You're just cute, that's all."
His smile grew wider, leaning into Ace's shoulder as they walked.
"Don't be a sap."
The leaves were turning red, orange, and yellow, glowing like fire in the morning sun and dew. Sometimes geese would fly overhead, going south for the winter. Wind blew, crisp and cold, and Sabo was grateful Ace ignored his hard-headedness.
Hm, maybe he was growing a bit thoughtless, lately.
The grocery store doors made their little ding, and they traipsed about, basket in hand.
"Ace, do we need more paprika?"
"Nah, I think we're good."
They always got overzealous in the grocery store. Before long, the basket was filled with many unnecessary things, like candy corn and donuts and spicy cheetos.
"If you keep eating those things, you're gonna get an ulcer." Sabo sighed, perusing the seasonal isle. Hmm…. Pumpkin chocolate…
"Even if I did, I'd make it." Ace boasted behind him, standing close enough to feel breath on his ear.
"Don't worry so much, babe. A tiny hole isn't gonna bring me down."
Sabo grimaced. He was right, but it begged too much to think of, right now. Bad days were behind them, after all.
"Yeah."
"Aw, I didn't mean to sour your mood…" Ace wrapped his arms around Sabo, nuzzling under his scarf to kiss at his neck.
Sabo giggled. "Ace, we're in the store…"
"So?" He nuzzled deeper, tickling him with the tip of his nose. "What're they gonna do? Complain? They're just jealous then…"
He shivered, trying to focus on anything he wanted to buy. It wasn't going very well. He glanced side to side, the isle was empty…
"Whateverrr…" He exhaled, putting a hand on Ace's temple to scratch. "You utter sap…"
"You like when I'm sappy."
He slid Sabo's hair out of the way, sticking his tongue down his collar.
"Ah!"
Sabo tried squirming, but Ace just locked his arms around him, assaulting his neck.
"Agh! Ace, Jesus, you bastard!" But he was laughing, couldn't help himself.
After sufficiently making his husband as red as a Christmas ornament, Ace pretended like nothing happened; digging through a surprising variety of festive candles.
"Hey Sab, do you like uhhh…" He squinted at the label.
"Do you like pumpkin-waffle spice, pumpkin-cocoa, pumpkin-spice latte, or… regular better? Or, Apple orchard? Or, apple strudel… or apple crate, apple cart…"
He scratched at his head. "Why the-"
Sabo grinned. "They basically all smell the same."
He plucked the two Ace was welding, giving each a sniff. "Yeah, smell." He held them up to his nose, pumpkin waffle and regular.
Ace stuck his nose in, curiously. "You're right. No difference."
"Just fancy marketing and pretty labels, gouging me for my money…" But Sabo took one of each, anyway.
"There is no ethical pumpkin spice, under capitalism."
Ace frowned. "Bro, that's just sad."
"Isn't it? Maybe I should make my own…"
"Yeah, and burn the whole house down."
"And then there won't be a leak."
Sabo laughed, trying to bury his candles under the mountain of chips and cookies, so they wouldn't shatter to pieces.
With an extraordinary amount of luck, their car was fixed by the afternoon. Franky down at the mechanic's said the battery was just dead. Go figure.
Driving out of town, they played soft music on the radio; an instrumental station. Every so often the host would speak up in his bubbly voice, cracking jokes and fun facts about the music. He seemed to be very knowledgeable, if at times a little morbid. If it wasn't so close to Halloween, Sabo would've guessed that the guy might have skeletons in his closet.
He gazed out the window, admiring the fall foliage; the light of the setting sun, passing cornfields. Some people had decorations, on the way to the farm.
It was getting to be another chilly night. Sabo pulled the blanket further up in his lap, one that Ace had so graciously bestowed him with, a birthday ago.
It was a quilt they had slept under together as children, on their many sleepovers. Once Dadan's, then passed to Ace, then passed to Sabo. Needless to say, it was very sentimental.
The parking lot was full, under grape trellises lined with glass bottle lights. Once they locked the car, Sabo made a beeline for hot cider, Ace in tow.
Distantly, the sounds of a haunted hayride floated over the corn. Sabo felt tempted. Too bad Ace was the type to want to fight the scare actors, and Sabo was no better.
There was a gift shop doubling as a food bar, and instead of just cider he managed to acquire french fries, a cheeseburger, popcorn, and a hotdog. Dinner had been small, okay?
"Lemme have some of that-" Ace reached for Sabo's bulking, tinfoil-covered arms.
"Get your own, you glutton." He turned up his nose.
Ace pointed at himself, a stupefied, teasing look on his face. Me?
But, being of an understanding nature, he did in fact get his own. They shared the popcorn.
Overlooking the corn on a wooden bench, they laughed at the people being scared, and admired the view. Sabo cradled his hot cider, fingers still cold even with gloves on. It was lovely and sweet, homemade. They aught to come back during the daytime, and pick apples.
Goldenrod and Black-eyed Susan's shook in the field, bunches upon bunches of the stuff.
Ace took the last bite of his meal, jumping up and over to the flowers. Sabo watched in curiosity as Ace plucked through, gathering a bouquet in his hand.
He briefly wondered if anyone could get after him for it.
Whatever meaningless thoughts he had were banished by his husband's returning smile, yellow pollen dusting his face.
He sat back down with a huff, brandishing his catch in Sabo's face. He smiled, taking a deep sniff.
"Mm, lovely."
He scooted closer to Ace, sticking his nose in his cheek. "You smell like flowers, too!"
He beamed, plucking a few from the bundle. He got to work, braiding a daisy-chain.
Sabo leaned his arm on the table, crossing his legs. He just watched quietly, enjoying his powdery love.
"…done." Ace mumbled, resting the flower crown on top of Sabo's hat.
"Do I look nice?" Sabo grinned, fluttering his eyelashes.
"Stop that. Yeah. Now shut up."
"You are such a little boy."
"We are such little boys, Sabo…"
"Right, right…" He leaned back over, taking a Black-eyed Susan from his hands, and tucking it behind Ace's ear.
"You look nice."
There were hundreds of pumpkins. Big ones, small ones, white ones and orange ones, ones that were green, and ones with stripes.
They both latched onto two that were unnecessarily large, and might… probably… sink the deck. Whatever. What good is the holiday season if you don't have a potential disaster on your hands?
"What do you think, Bo? Should I make a helmet?" He hefted the pumpkin in front of his face.
"That would be so cool…" Sabo rotated his own, examining a good side for carving. "But you'd be covered in pumpkin goop."
"Ah, s'fine. A little pumpkin guts never hurt anybody." Moving it to his shoulder, he carried it effortlessly.
"I want some of the smaller ones…" Sabo mentioned, pointing at a cart filled with tiny white and orange pumpkins that fit into the palm.
"I'll get them for you."
Sabo rolled his eyes, but he didn't stop him either.
After putting their orange behemoths in the car, Sabo and Ace participated (with much restraint) in the hayride. No one needed another lawsuit.
It was… fun.
They couldn't say it was the most talented group they'd seen, organized by some guy named Buggy. They cringed more than they screamed.
But, they had a good laugh about it, on the ride home.
Sabo flipped down the vanity mirror, admiring his flower crown. It certainly was cute, resting on the band of his hat. He smiled at his husband, fond as ever.
"Stop staring at me, I'm gonna crash."
Sabo reached over, pressing a gloved finger to Ace's lips.
"Shh…don't say such things while driving."
"Then stop staring at meee…" Ace whined.
"Don't whine."
"Shut up, you like it."
They made it home in one piece, thankfully.
Then they nearly fell about a dozen times, trying not to slip on dangerously steep stairs because the elevator was still broken. It would probably be broken for months, too.
Ace took Sabo's right hand, cradling his pumpkin under his other arm. Sabo grunted, ego threatened as much as the gourds in his left.
"I can barely put my whole damn foot on these…"
Ace cackled, above him by two steps. "I heard that there was a couple who once lived in this building, who mysteriously died after climbing the-"
"Stop saying morbid things!! I'm gonna pummel you…"
He went carefully upwards, feet parallel with the steps this time.
"And no such thing happened."
"It might've…"
"Asshole."
Ace just chuckled more, carefully gripping his hand.
"Remember when we had to bring our furniture up these…" Sabo grumbled.
"And we'll have to bring them down, soon."
"Now that, that I can get behind."
It took some time, but they finally got home. Sabo laid down the morning newspaper on the living room floor, putting Hocus Pocus on the tv.
Ace carved the pumpkin ass-up. Like, the pumpkin was ass up. Sabo brought out snacks from the shopping trip, popped some of those little seasonal sugar cookies in the oven, and joined him. Digging into his pumpkin with a wooden spoon, they chatted about nothings, just happy to have a three-day weekend together.
"This will make such a cool head…" Ace muttered excitedly.
Sabo hummed, agreeing. His eyes were more trained on the tv.
"M'gonna check on the cookies…" His husband got up, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Sabo's head.
He moved on to the face once he emptied it, but he wasn't sure what to carve. He thrummed his fingers on the hollow pumpkin, contemplative.
"Done, babe." Ace came up behind him, sliding his palm under Sabo's chin. He tilted his head back, gently resting the cookie between his teeth.
"So cute." His eyes twinkled.
Sabo chewed quietly, feeling a bit tingly.
Ace sat down beside him again, closer so their knees brushed.
Sabo gazed at him, lost in one of his lovestruck moments.
With a private smile, he finally decided on a face.
He shifted to sit in front of Ace, glancing between him and the pumpkin. He didn't fancy himself too much of an artist, but…
It came together easier than he thought. Maybe a little wonky, one eye higher than the other, but the little circles he cut for freckles brought it all together.
"Ace… Ace look." Giddy, he rotated the face to his husband.
Looking up, he watched as Aces face went from interest, to confusion, to surprise. Then he started to wheeze.
"Oh… oh my god, i-is that me??"
Sabo nodded, grinning like an idiot.
Ace rocked back with laughter, falling.
"H-holy shit, it…" He wiped a tear from his eye, reaching for the pumpkin to look closer. "It looks just like me…"
Now it was Sabo's turn to laugh. "No it doesn't! It's the freckles, that's all.
"Uh huh. I'm gonna make mine your face."
Sabo gaped at him, amused. "It's totally not going to be cool anymore."
"Sure it will, it's you."
Sabo fell on his side, trying to hide his face. "Sappp…"
Ace crawled over paper and pumpkin guts, just to poke fun at him. "Aw… you're so cute."
"Stop!!" Sabo begged.
Ace pushed his side, making him roll to his back. "Noooo… you're cute, you're so, so, so, cute…"
Sabo tried to push Ace off, but he started assaulting him with kisses.
"Nuh uh, you're the cute one…" Sabo gasped, dodging his husband's lips unsuccessfully.
Ace was quick to get embarrassed, his weak spot. "Shut up. No I'm not…"
He gasped and wiggled, trapped in Ace's arms, his lips being kissed just to get him to be quiet. Absolutely.
Sabo grew restless, and gripped his fingers through Ace's hair, to pull him off.
"You are cute, accept it."
Ace flopped onto his side, gazing into his eyes. His cheeks were so, so red.
"No."
Sabo scoffed, pushing him down into the carpet.
"You're all beauty, no brains-"
"Hey-!"
But he got cut off by Sabo sloppily giving him tongue.
By the time they were done, they both layed on the couch, rewinding the dvd by 45 minutes. They both looked like they got picked up and set down by a hurricane.
Ace's eyes drooped. "D'ya… wanna finish carving tomorrow?
Sabo yawned deeply; lounging on Ace's chest, watching the movie again. "Uh, huh…"
Ace's fingers played in his curls, and his eyes drifted to his hat on the coffee table. He smiled warmly at the flowers. They took the rest home, now in a vase in the kitchen.
With one last tender kiss, they fell asleep on the couch.