Just Like Fire (Ace x Reader)

Chapter 1: Nakama

"Thanks for letting me stay here." You say for probably the fiftieth time in as many hours, setting down a small box of personal items in the room you'd been provided.

Sabo, your beloved brother, smiles at you. "Of course, (Y/N), I told you as long as you can deal with Ace and Luffy, you're welcome to stay as long as you want." He gives you a hug as the two of you hear a crash from downstairs, and can hear Ace and Luffy starting to squabble. "... Try to make it a month, at least."

You start to laugh as the two of you head toward the stairs to see what happened.

"Oi! Be gentle with it Lu!" Ace snaps, picking up the scattered books carefully while his younger brother helps him.

Ace, Sabo and Luffy had been "brothers" since they were little kids. Your parents blamed Sabo's rebellious nature on the other two, but there wasn't much they could do about it. You knew Ace and Luffy were cursed, Sabo had talked to you about it when you were considering moving in with him. Cursed people had all sorts of things they could do, but the cost was an inability to swim. There were some other weaknesses, something about a certain kind of stone or metal, but unlike your parents you didn't care if someone was cursed or not.

People were born that way, there wasn't anything they could do about it, for better or worse. Just like how you and Sabo had been born to parents that didn't suit you – there wasn't anything you could do to change that.

"Honestly, we could just dump them." You say, coming down the stairs.

"Oh, those are The Books, huh?" Sabo asks, his voice changing when he says 'the books'.

"Haha, yeah, yeah." You smile, as you pick one up. Luffy looks confused, and so does Ace for a moment before he smiles. "Dad's collection of must read titles." You roll your eyes. "I couldn't control what got packed, so these ended up coming along. I'm not going to suggest we burn them, but if you have a wobbly table or something?"

"What's so bad about these books?" Luffy questions, flipping through one idly. "Aside from a lack of pictures."

"It's a bunch of flawed philosophy. Blood purity bullshit," you say with a grumble. "Debunked theories and bigot science."

"Burning stuff like that could be bad for the air." Ace says flatly. "Oh! I know what we can do with 'em – Lu, help me get 'em gathered up."

"Might I ask-?" You start as Ace looks up at you with a smile.

"It's a surprise!" He beams up at you.

You tilt your head and feel Sabo's hand on your shoulder. He gives you a reassuring smile before he continues past you to help the other two gather up the books.

"We're going to the station, I assume?" He asks and both Luffy and Ace chime in the affirmative. Sabo looks back at you. "The station's cooler and usually filled with some rough-."

"-but nice!" Luffy interjects, head popping up over Sabo's shoulder as your brother takes a second before continuing.

"-but nice people." Sabo finishes. "You might not need a jacket, but you might want to dress warmer."

"Any chance of a meal while we're out?" You ask, already heading back upstairs.

"You just ate." Sabo gapes.

"Just was nearly three hours ago, dear brother." You correct. "We've been hauling boxes up these steps for the last three hours. I am hungry."

"How does something so small eat so mu--." Sabo stops as he and Ace look over at Luffy who's already laughing. "Never mind."