Just Like Fire (Ace x Reader)

Chapter 2: Free

You lean back in your chair and stretch. Your hair's pulled back enough to be out of the way, and you're comfortable in a t-shirt and some sweats. It's the fourth day of filling out applications, and you're cursing your desire to go at your job hunting quite so hard. You'd taken a week off to get your room organized and get into a little bit of a groove with the boys.

You got added to the chores chart, and the cooking rotation – something you offered to do entirely, but Sabo insisted it was an equal opportunity house. Everyone did their fair share of chores and cooking. You had tried to argue that you weren't doing your fair share of bill paying, but apparently the three of them had agreed on a three-month grace period. If you couldn't find work by the end of your first ninety days, then you could start doing more chores and more cooking.

You were certain you'd find work before then, but since you weren't working, you did your best to dedicate a full shift to filling out applications and sifting through job postings. In truth, you'd rather be doing a few extra chores than fill out another application.

Which seemed reason enough to throw in the proverbial towel for the day and at least relax. There were a few gaming consoles in the living room, and plenty of things to watch, you were sure you could find something to help you unwind.

Going downstairs to the common areas of the house, you heard the television already on. You hadn't expected anyone to be home, but Ace and Luffy had variable schedules, so they came and went at odd hours sometimes.

You see Ace on the couch as you come into the living room, but his hat's over his face and he's already asleep. Soft snores come out from under the orange brim of his favorite hat. He wasn't dressed too differently from you – t-shirt and jeans instead of sweats.

He was cute whether he was asleep or awake.

You smile a little at the thought, and look over to see what's on the TV. Looks like an old western spaghetti kind of movie, and there's an empty bento box nearby. He must've eaten lunch and fallen asleep. You take the bento box to the kitchen, and turn the TV down a couple ticks. Grabbing a small blanket from the den you lay it carefully over his chest, and then turn your attention to the selection of DVDs the boys had.

It was well-organized – by genre and then by title. You imagine that was Sabo's work more than anyone else's. Luffy didn't strike you as someone who organized anything, and you imagine Ace could, but you couldn't imagine he'd put forth the energy over something like DVDs.

Skimming over the titles you recognize quite a few and are surprised to see some more obscure ones. It's not all blockbuster hits and action flicks. There's some romance, comedy, dramas, cartoons and even a few foreign films. Most of those are from Wano and Momoiro. Documentaries from Ohara, and some educational films too.

This was the first time you'd had enough time to really look over all the titles, and since you were a bit overwhelmed, you decided to go with an older comedy who-dunnit movie with multiple endings. Clue never disappointed – it was a favorite of yours and Sabo's.

Sitting down in the recliner you focus on the movie as it begins. You nearly had it memorized, and maybe that's why your eyes kept wandering over to the sleeping firefighter on the couch. You hadn't been able to get the time at the station out of your mind since it happened. It wasn't all the people you met, or how comfortable the whole thing had felt, it was, well, him.

You feel a pang in your heart and pull your gaze away. You can't fall for your roommate. You specifically, cannot fall for your older brother's brother-in-life best friend who is also your roommate.

There was too much drama in that equation. Too much that could go wrong. If things didn't work out, you'd strain the relationship Ace and Sabo had. Even if things worked out well enough, Sabo would be effectively caught in the middle. Even the best of relationships had bumps in them.