Work Text:
Ace was humming where he helped the Fourth Division to prepare for the grill fest they were having on one of their islands. After the scare that was Marineford, and the honest to get ages it took for both Oyaji and him to get on their feet, today felt like a good day to celebrate.
Looking up at the sky, its blue, cloudless view reminded him that times really had changed. That for once there was no storm brewing just out of sight. Instead, they could do just about whatever they wanted to. The years had brought a lot of change with it, even if he hadn’t been on the front row for a lot of those events, he had been there when Luffy made it to Laugh Tale and was crowned King.
Shaking his head, he pondered on the way life was so very different right now. Sabo and the Revolutionary Army managed in their revolution. The World Government was overthrown and slowly a new government was being instated. One that didn’t bend over backwards for inbred fools living on top of a mountain. It had been quite a shock to learn that Sabo had survived his boat being blasted to pieces as a 10 year old. He had lost his memories, only regaining them when he believed both Ace and Luffy to have died in Marineford.
When Luffy revealed himself two years after those events, with Ace following when the Strawhats and the Heart Pirates took down Kaido in Wano, they had their reunion. One that was filled with a long hug, and more than a few tears from all three brothers.
Luffy was Pirate King for about 6 months now, it had been one hell of a ride. Oyaji would be celebrating his birthday soon, even if he had to do so clustered in a bed or wheelchair. His age was catching up on him, not that this was stopping him. Between Marco and Ace the Moby Dick still held its course, and the Whitebeard Pirates were known as they were before their hiatus.
“You’re happy today.”
Grinning at Thatch who came to stand next to him, Ace nodded, “Yeah, I love grilling. And I look forward to the party that is about to burst out as soon as everyone gets here.”
Thatch grinned, looking at Marco who was overlooking the proceedings, “Let’s home Shanks doesn’t get here first, I don’t think that Marco can handle that. Despite everything the man did for us, he manages to get under Marco’s skin i na way I haven’t seen happening before.”
Shaking his head as he looked at his lover, Ace knew that Shanks did on purpose. After all, for a while it had been the man pulling figurative pigtails when he just set out after Roger died. But after that it became a routine. Shanks liked Marco, even if Marco didn’t see it like that. The fact that the man was dating who could have been Shanks’ little brother only made the redhead step up his game. He knew that Shanks would be one of the last to arrive. Luffy and Law were much closer, and one of them must have picked up Sabo as he had heard his other brother when he called Luffy to tell him what they were planning.
“He isn’t the closest. My brothers and their crews, as well as Sabo and Koala will be here first. I heard Jiji was around too, so maybe we’ll be getting a visit from the new fleet admiral and his mentor. I’m not looking forward to that, but it’ll be better than before.”
Thatch hummed, following Ace as he walked the last few pieces to where the grill was being put together. The two of them were still the only ones that could man a grill on the whole of the crew. Not that they minded, not when soon there would be some extra hands to help out. Sanji and Pinguin were a mean hand at the grill. And once Benn arrived, they could count on him too. They would need all the help, once all of their allies arrived. Both those that sailed under Oyaji’s flag, and those that didn’t.
“How did your brother react to a barbeque?”
Ace snorted, “How do you think, it involves meat, that’s more than enough to get Luffy to look forward to this. I heard him tell his crew that they were in for a treat. He even told Sanji that I’m a better grillmaster than he is. I almost feel sorry for him.”
Shaking his head, Thatch could only agree with that. He had met Sanji a few times, and had known the man’s adoptive father (Zeff had quite the reputation before he disappeared). As such he knew what praise it was from Luffy to tell him that Ace was better at the grill than his own chef.
“When do you think they’ll arrive?”
Despite not having very well developed observation haki, Ace was able to tune in on his brothers as soon as they were close to him. He never realized it, but more than likely it was from all the times he needed to fish Luffy out of the mouth of whatever animal he had managed to get himself stuck in.
“Not too long now, They just docked at the beach.”
As they finished their last preparations and Ace lit up the grill, Monkey D. Luffy came flying through the trees to wrap himself around Ace where he was looking over the meat already on the grill. As if there wasn’t another human on his back, Ace just positioned himself to hold the weight better. Repositioning an arm or a leg now and again, but continuing as if nothing had happened. A soft smile on his face as Luffy talked a mile a minute in his ear.
The rest of the Strawhats, as well as Law and his crew, followed by Sabo and Koala, made it into the clearing. Holding out a wrapped present for Oyaji when they noticed the man seated to the side with several of his children around him.
Luffy, as if remembering something, looked at the older captain, “Happy birthday, old man!”
Oyaji just hugged out a laugh, unwrapping the giant flask of sake,before toasting it towards the younger captains and taking a swig. His nurses all pursed their lips, but knew that they wouldn’t be able to say a lot about it. He was still alive after all this time, there was no way he would leave sake now.
As the first of the meat was finished, Ace popped a piece of sausage into Luffy’s mouth before shrugging his shoulders to get the younger to get off. Pointing very obviously into the direction of his crew, Law and Sabo.
“First everyone else, Lu. If I let you get to the meat now, there won’t be enough for Shanks and his crew when they arrive. They’ll be the last ones. As soon as they are here you can go all out. I don’t doubt that Shanks at least knows how much you eat and got extras.”
Huffing as he said that, he gave a stink eye towards someone from the Fourth Division. Kyle had been on the team to get everything they needed for today. But the man hadn’t believed him when he told him that needed double the meat. He was one of the new recruits, Ace was aware of that, but that was one more reason to listen to a division commander when they told you something. For whatever reason Kyle thought he only needed to listen to Thatch because of whose division he was in.
“Let up on the new guy, alright, Ace.”
Looking at Marco where he came to stand next to him, Ace scowled, “He doesn’t like for whatever reason. I think it’s because I’m younger but a division commander.”
He could see his lover shaking his head, “What makes you think that?”
Ace hummed, “He doesn’t listen when I ask or tell him things. I know he ignored me more than once since he joined and in the few hours they’ve been here I’ve seen him glaring at Luffy and Law more than once. Zoro picked up on it too, he’s been keeping an eye on the guy with Sanji and Sachi for the better part of an hour now.”
He could see Marco frowning at that, despite their young crew, he knew that the Strawhats had amazing instincts. If Zoro was also keeping an eye on this guy, this might just mean trouble.
“Have you talked to Thatch about this?”
Ace nodded, “I did, he told me that the guy works well in the kitchen and listens well when he's being told something. Jozu and Vista told me the same thing, if you’re wondering. I’m not telling you this to whine, or to be a brat. But something just rubs me wrong about him. And not just because he didn’t bring enough meat to feed multiple D’s.”
Marco sighed, but nodded, “I’ll keep an eye out. Did Luffy tell you something too?”
Ace hummed, “He told me he didn’t like the guy. That he was weird.”
He licked his lips, making Marco turn to him, “Ace?”
“He said his voice reminded him of Teach. I… I know better than to doubt Luffy, especially after Wano.”
Marco nodded at that, he too had been on the front row to see Luffy awaken his devil fruit and to be able to hear the voice of all things. It didn’t seem like much, but that together with his gut instincts made it more than clear that the Pirate King was someone to trust when he told you something.
He made his way over to Zoro to talk to the other first mate about one thing or another. Ace let his eyes trail over the people there, cursing under his breath when he could see Kyle anywhere.
Concentrating on the meat in front of him. He sighed when a wave of subtle conqueror's haki washed over him. It would seem that Shanks did arrive, just in time too. As the last of the meat they had was being put on. Turning as he felt the yonko walk up, he was shocked to find Gryphon out and against his head, the sharp twinge of a bullet being deflected vibrating in his ears.
Turning with wide eyes, he followed Shanks line of sight to look at Kyle, who had a gun pointed towards him. Several others pointed their own weapons towards the man, before he was knocked out when the combined conqueror's haki of Oyaji, Luffy, Shanks and Ace himself reached him.
Thatch and Marco were at his side at the same moment. Looking him over and thanking Shanks for what he had done. The other yonko nodded, before he greeted Ace with a smile on his face. Turning to catch Luffy when he flung himself at the older man.
Looking at the heap that was Kyle, Ace bit his lip as he looked at Thatch, “Do you know why he did it?”
Thatch shook his head, “Not yet, but he will answer that once he wakes up. Oyaji is pissed, wanting answers, especially as the bullet was seastone. If it had hit you, you’d be seriously injured as the guy was aiming at your head.”
Shuddering at the thought, Ace turned back towards the meat on the grill, accepting some more packers from Lucky Roux and Benn where they handed them to him. Ben shooed him away soon after.
“Get some rest, kid. You’re pale as fuck.”
Licking his lips, Ace took a step back, feeling Sabo’s arms around his waist before the world turned around him. His narcolepsy pulled him under before he knew what was happening. Luckily Sabo still knew the signs by heart and had been there before he could face plant. His brother swept him off of his feet to lay him down on a blanket with the Strawhats to help keep an eye out. After the thing with Kyle, they couldn’t be sure that the man was working alone.
Coming to, he noticed Law looking at him, golden eyes worried in a way he hadn’t seen a lot before.
“What happened?”
Law hummed, “You had a narcolepsy attack, the traitor woke up about 10 minutes in your nap. He confessed to holding a grudge for something he had been told Roger did. We all educated him on the lies the marines told. Marco-ya and Thatch-ya took great pleasure in reminding him what an idiot he was for doing that in a clearing full of allies. Even if he had managed his assasination, he wouldn’t have left here alive, Lu-ya and Sabo-ya would be enough to rip his to shreds.”
Ace nodded at that, keeping still as he tried to get through the heavy feeling in his head. Accepting a drink from Sanji when the man handed it to him.
“What happened to him after that?”
Law shrugged, “He was escorted away from here by Vista-ya and Benn-ya, I don’t know what they did, but he’s not a part of the Whitebeard Pirates any longer.”
Nodding, Ace slowly took to sitting up, glancing around to see that just about everyone was looking at him. Relief in their eyes at knowing he was fine. Sabo returned at that moment with a place for Ace and himself. Pointing towards the table he had just come from.
“Lu’s sitting with Shanks to eat.”
Settling down against his brother’s side to eat. Ace smiled, he hadn’t liked that their family was once again almost betrayed. But he was happy that it had happened here surrounded by allies. Able to stop it before it became a problem. They were having fun, despite the thing with Kyle they were celebrating Oyaji’s birthday (where he was once again drinking sake, this time a gift from Shanks). His brothers were here, and he was quite sure Luffy called him the ultimate grillmaster once more.