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Ace looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching, heavy boots crunching loudly through deep crisp snow, and he turned away from watching Luffy try to wrestle Sabo to the ground and down a hill in favor of smiling at the sight of Deuce’s surly expression as he trudged over, bundled up far more than Ace or his brothers, though not more than Rouge, who loved to complain about any depth of snowfall with a glint of warm amusement in her eyes.
He held out a hand to his partner, his fingers bare, contrasting with the heavy gloves Deuce was wearing, and he shivered and laughed when Deuce tucked himself close to his side, cold nose pressed against his neck just above the collar of his unzipped coat.
“Thought you would’ve gone inside ages ago,” he said, snorting when Sabo swore and disappeared into the snow, Luffy cackling maniacally as he leapt onto the same spot. The snort turned into a soft, startled yelp when what felt like long ice cubes slipped under the hem of his coat and sweater, gluing themselves to the small of his back immediately. “You were wearing gloves, how the hell are your fingers so cold?”
“Genetics. Circulation,” Deuce muttered, the words muffled against Ace’s neck and coat collar. His hands flattened against Ace’s back, and he shivered again but folded his arms around Deuce to return the hold and turn it into a hug. He was already thawing out anyway, the initial bite of cold mellowing into something closer to the usual cool touch of his fingers to Ace’s skin. Deuce sighed happily, his breath warm as it ghosted over Ace’s neck and over his earlobe. “ Warm.”
“You’d be warmer if you’d gone inside,” Ace pointed out, fairly reasonably, he thought.
“Garp and Roger are inside complaining about their joints,” Deuce grumbled, and Ace huffed a laugh.
“That’s what they get for being living fossils,” Ace said sagely, laughing when Deuce’s amused, exasperated snort tickled against his neck. “Fair enough avoiding them, then.”
“Knew you’d understand. And keep me warm,” Deuce murmured, sounding tired but happy, and Ace tightened his hold around him and studiously ignored the faces and gestures his brothers were making at them, apparently teamed up now that Luffy had briefly buried Sabo.
“Course I will,” Ace agreed softly, pressing a long kiss to the side of Deuce’s head, enjoying the feel of smooth pale hair against his cheek. Deuce hummed happily, returning the kiss with a gentle mouthing against Ace’s neck before settling back with his head on Ace’s shoulder.
The little ring box sat just a bit heavier in Ace’s pocket, but he smiled and leaned his head against Deuce’s instead.