Chapter Text
They had run into each other while in the New World, the summer climate of said island made it humid all around. Even Ace, who normally didn’t have any trouble with heat, was puffing by the time they had gotten prepared for the BBQ that was going to take place.
Between the Whitebeard Remnant, the small group of revolutionaries and the Strawhats that seemed like the smartest thing to do in terms of food. With Ace, Sabo and Luffy together, not even Sanji or Thatch could keep up on their own. Add a couple more people to that party and making regular food became a task and a half.
Not that they cared, with the island they were on full of wild animals, it became a challenge to take back a catch for the cooks to prepare. It was fun, and even in this heat, it allowed them all to cool down once they finished eating.
As such most of the devil fruit users were running around with a popsicle in their mouth, their feet just in the water close to the shore - as to make sure that they wouldn’t be affected by the sea. Cooling down with the sea lapping at their ankles and several popsicles shared between all of them.
“This is nice.”
Luffy just hummed, inching closer to Ace until he was leaning against his older brother, glancing at the scar on his chest.
Ace sighed, “Don’t think about it too much, Lu. It happened, I survived, don’t worry about it.”
Luffy pouted at that, but nodded, turning back to the sea, “I want you to be there, Ace, when I reach Laughtale and take your dad’s title.”
Ace grimaced at that reminder, before sighing and pulling Luffy close again. Doing the same with Sabo once he appeared on his other side, “I think we’ll both be glad to be there, Lu, we want to see you reach the top too.”
Luffy beamed at that, before he got their arms off of him to go and ask Sanji for another popsicle to cool down.
Sabo pressed one into Ace’s hand as they looked at Luffy leave, “He got so far, it’s almost impossible to think that he was a crybaby at the start. Look at him now, close to being Pirate King, and with a whole fleet behind him.”
Ace nodded, “It really is hard to imagine, but he’ll get there, at the top.”
Toasting with their popsicles, they both looked on as Luffy came bouncing back with another popsicle in his hands, beaming at them as he stopped at their side. The conversation took a whole other turn, not that they minded, making all three of them enjoy this time together.