Pretty Fish People (The Luffy Effect)

The Sweater

Sabo is currently digging around in the sand for some reason, Ace observes. They're both back underwater, and have been for a few hours. There's a group of holes and sand clouds where the blonde was digging recently, and he won't tell his friend why when he asks.

He's elbow deep already in the current hole, and Ace hears a grunt of frustration as he pulls himself up and moves on, quickly moving to different areas. Ace is currently sitting in the center of the ring of pits, picking at his teeth in boredom.

Finally, Ace breaks the silence. Dragging a hand down his face, he asks, "Sabo, what the hell are you doing?"

Sabo doesn't look up from his digging, and he takes a moment too long to answer, fixated on his self-assigned task.

"You remember how dull Luffy's clothes were?" He asks, and Ace thinks he knows where this is going, "I usually bury the really shiny things I like, so I'm going to find them and give them to him." He says nonchalantly, like it's not a big deal.

Ace's brain short circuits, so he's quiet while Sabo moves on to dig a new hole.

"What the fuck?" He mutters to himself, then louder, "You never told me about that!" He squawks indignantly, huffing.

"I assumed you already knew, since I know I buried it around here somewhere," the other cooly replies, hissing in frustration when he didn't find anything. "Where the fuck did I bury it!" He eloquently exclaimed, slamming a fist down on the sand.

His frustration causes Ace to grin, "I can help?" He offered, more out of pity than an actual desire to help.

Sabo points at him wordlessly, then motions around the general area as he goes to dig another pit. Taking that as a 'go ahead', he starts digging where he was a few moments ago.

He's elbow deep and ready to move on when his claws catches on something. He calls out, "I think I found it!" and continues digging.

"That was so fast!" He complains, "How?!"

Ace uncovered probably the shiniest jewelry pit he's ever seen, and judging by the cheeky grin Sabo sent him, he probably has a dumbstruck look.

Sabo, still grinning his cheeky grin, reaches into the pit and moves some of the stuff around, hip-checking Ace to get further into the pit.

"So," Ace conversationally starts, fully aware Sabo isn't paying attention, "What're you gonna give him?" he finishes.

Ace is not pouting, and he is not jealous that some little boy managed to steal Sabo's heart in an hour. Granted, it took the same amount of time for Sabo to become attached to him, but he doesn't know that.

Sabo doesn't turn, but he does hum as he rummages around. "I have a sweater in here with shiny plastic bits on the front, I know I showed you it, that I'm gonna give him. Kids like shiny things, right?" He asks, pausing all movement with the sweater in his hands.

The sweater with shiny plastic bits he's talking about is actually a sequined grapefruit pink sweater, the sequins are a lapis blue color in the shape of a heart on the front. The sweater is fluffy and the sleeves are puffed, however the wrists of the sleeves have small holes, likely from decay or bugs eating them.

Ace is pretty sure young kids like shiny things, but that could be his own preference talking. "I'm pretty sure Luffy doesn't care about shiny things," he says anyway, reassuring Sabo.

Sabo grins at him, sharp teeth and all before he reburys the hole, grabs Ace by the wrist, and says, "To the surface!" before quickly swimming in the general direction of Dawn, which isn't that far.

Heads breaching the water's surface, Sabo immediately spots Luffy's small body, which is lying on the sand. It looks like he's napping from where the teens are, and isn't that adorable.

Sabo drags Ace behind him as he hauls himself onto the sand. Sabo's long tail slithered, similar to a snake, as he moved closer to Luffy. Ace copied him, looming over the small boy and casting a shadow over him.

The sudden shade caused the boy to stir, and he was finally awoken by Ace tapping his cheek. "Hey, wake up," the teen called, ceasing his tapping when the boy opened his eyes.

Greeted with the site of two sirens, Luffy's lingering sleepiness was wiped away by the wide grin that split his face. "Shishishi!" He giggles, sitting up quickly and almost headbutting Ace. "Hi guys! Back so soon?" He asks, shooting a curious look at them.

Sabo grins and raises a hand, which was holding a sloppily folded, dripping wet sweater, proudly presenting it. "I brought you a gift!" He says, ringing the sweater of all the seawater and unfolding it for the boy to see. Ace grimaces at all the wrinkles and how damp the sweater still is. Luffy would get sick if he wore it in its current state.

"Ooh!" Luffy exclaims, uncaring of its state as he gingerly takes it from a preening Sabo, "It looks so pretty! The front sparkles too!" he grins and puts the damp article on, looking back up at the tall blonde, "Thank you!" he tacks on, almost as an afterthought.

Ace watches Sabo go through multiple expressions before his pupil dilates and he sinks like a stone down to the little boy's level, hands supporting his head, "You're welcome," he responds, a sappy grin on his face.

Ace couldn't deny it, Luffy was adorable. The sweater swamped him, it went past his knees and the sleeves covered the entirety of his hands. Before he knew it, though, he was already speaking.

"Are you stupid? Don't wear wet clothes, don't humans get sick from that?" He hissed out, not unkindly, arms crossed.

Sabo and Luffy both sport matching pouts, "But it's comfyyy!" the boy whined, grabbing the bottom of the sweater so he wouldn't trip, backing up behind Sabo as if Ace was gonna take it from him.

Sabo's tail flicked and Ace's ear fin twitched at the sound. The boy pouts as he holds onto the blonde's shoulder, then he brightens up and asks, "Can I go swimming with you guys?"

The innocent question caused them both to cringe, images of Luffy's small body folding from the water pressure crossing their minds. Ace viciously shakes his head, "No, it's not safe." he denied.

Luffy's pout returns tenfold, and unable to resist, Ace's pupils dilate and his bravado disappears. "Fine, but not today and definitely not too far out," he resigned.

Luffy cheers loudly, skipping over to Ace and giving him a quick hug, much to Sabo's disappointment.

Ace makes a trilling noise against his will, freezing up in embarrassment as Luffy giggles at the rumble.

"Well, now I feel left out," Ace hears Sabo say, before the blonde scoops Luffy away from him. Ace untenses as he watches Luffy distractedly poke around the blonde's serrated teeth, avoiding stabbing himself. The blonde in question is much more tense than before, and just like their last visit, his pupil is dilated to the point his sclera is barely visible.

Ace feels himself deflate and he's suddenly closer to them, and Luffy's hands are pulling gently on the barbels attached to his cheeks. It doesn't hurt, he realizes detachedly, as he watches the awe on the boy's face.

Fuck, he's down bad now.

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Luffy in his lil sweater