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Sunlight peeked through the window into the small captain's quarters on the Thousand Sunny, drenching everything in a soft golden hue. People were already moving about on the rest of the ship, mirthful chatter drifting over the tangle of limbs in the hammock. Ace squinted one of his eyes open, peering out the window where the offending light was coming from. He grunted softly as he let his head loll to the side to rest his cheek on Luffy's soft mess of hair. Luffy mumbled something under his breath and Ace smirked, squeezing the boy's shoulders. He yawned, shaking Luffy gently.
“Lu, wake up,” he said, his voice cracking slightly from sleep.
Luffy groaned and rubbed his face into Ace's chest. “Don't wanna~…”
Ace chuckled softly, ruffling Luffy's black hair. “But, you gotta~,” Ace kissed Luffy's forehead, “Besides, Nami's gonna burst in here demanding you wake up any second now, so you—”
Luffy sucked in a quick breath, pushing his upper body up from where he was laying on Ace. “It's today?”
Ace laughed at his little lover. “Yes, Lu, it's today,”
“It's today!” Luffy shouted, falling out of the hammock and pawing at his shorts on the floor.
“Whoa—” Ace tried to grab him, but the rubber man just bounced off of the floor, scrambling up and tugging his shorts on. Ace chuckled. “Careful, there, love,”
“It's today~! It's today~!” Luffy sang as he bounced around the small cabin. He reached for Ace. “Ace! It's today!”
“Yes, I know,” Ace said with a laugh, standing as well and picking up his discarded shorts on the floor with his foot, shirking them on.
Luffy pulled a tank top from under the table in the middle of the cabin and pulled it on. He bounced over to Ace, kissing him on the cheek as he vibrated with excitement.
“It's today!” He squeaked again before suddenly disappearing out of the room, leaving the door open behind him. Ace chuckled as Luffy's arm reached back into their room to grab his straw hat off of his chair, donning his own as he walked out of the cabin and headed into the daylight of the deck.
A warm summer breeze hit him in the face as he stepped out, looking around for Luffy. They had made port in a bay on the south side of a tropical island, very similar to their childhood home. The mountain in the distance was covered in lush greenery and cascading waterfalls, crystal-clear streams feeding into the turquoise waters of the bay with white sand beaches. The air practically danced with the sweet smell of exotic blossoms, the songs of the island birds, and the rhythm of the gentle waves. The island seemed to hum with a quiet joy, mirrorring the happiness that radiated from the Thousand Sunny.
Ace heard Luffy's cheerful laughter from above him and looked up to see the boy swinging on the rigging of the ship, a smile spreading across his freckled face as he watched him.
“Luffy! Get down here! We're on a schedule!” Ace flicked his head around to look at Nami standing on the upper deck, scowling at Luffy.
“Hi, Nami!” He waved up at her.
She flicked her eyes in his direction, smiling down at him when she noticed. “Good morning, Ace! Sanji has breakfast ready for you, hurry up and get in there!”
“You got it, boss,” Ace said with a wink. He headed behind him toward the dining area.
“Luffy! Breakfast! Now!” Nami demanded.
“Wee~! Breakfast!” Luffy shouted as Ace felt strong, rubbery fingers gripping his shoulders and he braced for the impact as Luffy rocketed across the ship to land on Ace's back, wrapping his legs around his waist. Ace caressed Luffy's knee as he walked them into the large room that was divided into the kitchen and dining room.
Sanji and his father, Zeff, were in the kitchen half, each handling more than one station and seamlessly dancing around each other as they diced, seared, minced, whisked, chopped and glazed with practiced ease. Zeff masterfully crafted a delicate sauce while Sanji julienned vegetables with lightning speed, the air filling with the tantalizing aroma of sizzling garlic and fresh herbs.
“Good morning, captain! Morning, Ace!” Sanji said, beaming at the couple that walked in.
“Hi~ Sanji~!” Luffy cheered.
“Morning, chef,” Ace smiled as he sat down on the bench at the table with one foot under the other knee.
Luffy climbed over Ace, sitting in his lap and slamming his hands down on the table. “Meat!”
Ace laid his head on Luffy's shoulder, giggling and wrapping his arms around his slender waist as Nami came through the door and Sanji approached them carrying a serving platter.
“Don't be rude, Luffy,” Nami said as she flipped through the papers on the clipboard she was carrying.
“But—!” Luffy cried as Ace kissed his cheek, suddenly distracted by the food Sanji was setting before them.
Sanji, with a flourish, proceeded to present a breakfast feast fit for the Pirate King and his beloved. A tiered stand overflowing with golden-brown croissants, flaky pain au chocolat, and delicate fruit tarts drizzled with honey. Platters of perfectly ripe tropical fruits—mangos, papayas, and pineapples—were artfully arranged alongside bowls of creamy yogurt and granola. A stack of pancakes sat next to a pitcher of warm maple syrup, while a separate plate held selections of savory smoked meats and cheeses. And of course, for Luffy, a mountain of juicy grilled sausages occupied a place of honor at the center of the table. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the sweet scent of fruit and the savory notes of the cooked meats, creating a symphony of flavors that made Luffy's mouth water.
“Oh, wow!” He cried as he enthusiastically grabbed a sausage off of the platter. “Sanji, this looks amazing!”
He was immediately stuffing pancakes and fruit and meat in his rubber mouth, attempting to consume the entire table in one go. Ace laughed and started reaching for his own food, taking a big bite of a pastry while grabbing a handful of different cheeses. Everything was delectable to the point of tears as the two young men easily demolished everything Sanji continued to bring them, much to the cook's amusement. Ace nodded his head at the chef, grinning.
“Absolutely delicious, as usual, Sanji,” He said.
A slight blush appeared on the man's cheeks, but his face was beaming with pride. “I'm just glad you two like it,”
“Love it!” Luffy said around another bite of food. Ace kissed his ear making the younger man to giggle.
“I love you so much,” Ace whispered so only his beloved would hear him, sending shivers up Luffy's spine.
He turned his head to grin at Ace before kissing the man. “I love you too!”
Ace's eyes burned with adoration as he studied Luffy's radiant face, his heart beating faster, even after all this time. He laid his head on Luffy's shoulder again as he turned back to eating, content.
“Alright, you two,” Nami said in a chipper, stern voice, “Are you satisfied?”
“Never~!” Luffy threw his fists up in the air. Sanji and Nami shook their heads. “Hey, thanks for the food Sanji, Sanji's dad—it was really yummy!”
His smile lit up the entire room.
“It was an honor,” Zeff said, clapping Sanji on the shoulder, “It was nice to be able to see how this one has been screwing up!”
Sanji scoffed, rolling his eyes, even though a smile was tugging at his lips. “I've surpassed you old man,”
Zeff's laugh boomed through the room as he clapped Sanji on the back again, making him stumble slightly.
“Sure~, you have!” Zeff said around his mirth, “Besides, it was high time for me to meet that boyfriend of yours that you've been hiding from me!”
Sanji's cheeks turned a bright red and he huffed back into the kitchen. “Get in here and help me clean up, we gotta head to the beach to check on the preparations for lunch!”
Zeff followed him, still laughing. “You can't hide him forever!”
“You'll meet him at the reception…” Sanji mumbled.
Bada-bada-bada. Bada-bada-bada. Cah-lick. “Go for Nami,”
“Hey Nami!” The chipper voice on the other side of the snail said and Luffy's head snapped around toward the sound. “We're pulling into the bay now!”
“Great—” Nami tried to get out.
“Colby!” Luffy jumped on Nami, trying to wrestle the snail from her. “You're here?! Is Gramps?! What about—”
Nami hit him hard enough he was caught off guard and fell to the ground with a thud.
“Stop it! No one touches my snail!” She cleared her throat and held the snail up again. “Anyway— Great, Colby! Pull alongside the Sunny and we'll let you all over!”
“Aye, aye!” Colby said on the other side. “See you soon,”
Cah-lick.
“Okay, you two, gotta get on deck—actually,” Nami walked over to the two boys and sniffed, reeling back as soon as she did. “Okay, no, Ace, take a shower, and please, I beg you, take him with you,”
“Awe! I don't wanna!” Luffy pouted, his arms crossed.
Nami hit him on the head, speaking through grit teeth. “It. Is. Your. Wedding. Day. Idiot. Go. Shower. Now.”
The King of the Pirates continued to whine and pout at his navigator as Ace laughed, standing up and throwing the smaller man over his shoulder, making him giggle. Luffy was kicking his feet as Ace carried him down the hall towards the bathroom, but he was still in a fit of laughter like a child. Ace was able to wrestle Luffy into the bathroom and out of his nasty clothes and into the actual bath. The taller man slid down into the hot water with a contented sigh, pulling Luffy to him so his back was leaning on Ace's chest. Luffy let his head fall back onto Ace's shoulder looking up at him, smiling.
“You're amazing,” Luffy chirped as Ace lifted the rubber man's arm out of the water and started running a sponge over his skin.
Ace grinned down at his beloved. “Nah, you're amazing,”
Luffy smiled so wide his eyes closed and melted even more into Ace. They stayed in the water for a little while, Ace falling asleep for a few minutes at one point, before Nami knocked on the door, cracking it and sliding in some clean clothes, demanding they get changed and meet her on the deck now. The couple laughed at her commands, but they crawled out of the hot water and dried themselves, dressed in the clothes Nami provided, and headed outside hand in hand.
“Makino!” Luffy shouted when they reached the deck, letting go of Ace's hand and running across the Sunny and leaping into his mother's outstretched arms.
“Luffy!” Makino cried, spinning her boy around in a circle, tears of joy in her eyes, “You've gotten so big! Oh, my!”
Ace approached the group more slowly, his heart beating in his ears as he took in the sight before him. That old hag, Dadan, she had come. He walked up to her, breath hitched in his throat and tears stinging his eyes as he did so.
“Hey, Ace,” She said, looking up at him with bright eyes. She was smiling.
He hugged her, his arms firm and a little tense around her shoulders and his face in her neck.
“Hey,” he whispered.
They held each other for a moment before she gruffly pushed him away and hit him over the head. “We thought you died!”
“I did die! Kinda! Technically… I'm alive now! Hey! Stop!”
Dadan sniffed, her eyes misty. “I know, and I was so happy to see it in the world news,”
Ace grinned at her, reaching out instinctively for Luffy's hand when he felt him near. He squeezed it twice. Doki-doki. Like a heartbeat.
“Hey, Dadan!” Luffy chirped, squeezing Ace's hand twice in response.
“Luffy!” She ruffled his hair and hooked her arm around his neck. “Look at you! Look at both of you!”
Makino came up to Ace and hugged him tightly, still crying. “You're so big,”
Ace laughed, squeezing her and lifting her off of the ground for a moment. “Hey, Makino, I missed you,”
A booming voice interrupted them. “Aren't you forgetting about somebody?”
“Grandpa!” Luffy cheered and leapt over to Garp, landing on his shoulders. “You came!”
Garp laughed loudly. “Of course! Wouldn't miss this for the world!”
Ace gave Garp a half-smile, scratching the back of his head and ficking his eyes to his bare feet before flicking back up to look at his grandfather.
“Old man,” he said softly.
“Ace,” Garp's eyes narrowed on him, his voice stern for a moment before he broke out into laughter again. He reached out, grabbing Ace in a tight hug. “C'mere!”
Ace grunted, surprised for a moment before hugging Garp back. The admiral clapped his grandson on the back and let go of him after a moment, looking over his shoulder to see Luffy bouncing around Colby. He laughed again, and so did Ace.
“Okay! Okay!” Nami said, waving her clipboard in the air. “We're right on schedule, it's time to move people! Luffy! Over here!”
Luffy bounced over to where Nami and Ace were standing and latched onto Ace's waist. The taller man hooked his arm around his fiance's shoulders, pulling him close.
“Okay, moms—” Nami started, pointing at Dadan and Makino.
Ace and Luffy squeezed each other slightly when she said that. Ace looked down at Luffy to see they were both blushing a little.
“Moms,” Luffy giggled.
Ace beamed at him.
“—go ahead back to Admiral Monkey's ship and get ready,” Nami instructed, “The rest of the family here, you too. We'll see you at noon down at the beach,”
Dadan and Makino hugged Ace and Luffy again and returned to the ship with Garp, Luffy waving them on. Nami turned to the couple, reading from her clipboard.
“Okay, I need you two to go back to your cabin and get dressed, t-minus two hours!” She squeaked and shook her fists in excitement. “I'm going to my room to get ready. Meet me back here in one hour. Do you hear me? One. Hour.”
Ace pulled Luffy close as he led him toward the cabins, waving behind him at Nami. “One hour, got it!”
He kissed Luffy's temple as he guided him down the hall, turning into the open door of their cabin and closing it behind them. Luffy bounced through the cabin as he hummed merrily to himself. Ace beamed as he watched the man flit around the room. He walked over to the other side of the cabin where their clothes were hanging, grabbing them down and laying them on the table.
“C'mere, rubber boy,” Ace laughed.
Luffy spun over to Ace's side and grinned up at him, chuckling. Ace placed his hand on the small of Luffy's back, pulling him in for a quick kiss before turning back to the clothes.
“Okay, let's get dressed,” he said, smiling down at the clothes on the table.
Ace slipped his shorts off as Luffy started bouncing around the room again, flinging off his shirt and shorts as he did so. Nami had done an amazing job with their custom outfits for the day. Ace pulled on loose-fitting black slacks, securing them with a red belt and a large gold buckle that featured a shining red A in the center. He was going bare-chested, but he had a scarlet cape that he donned with ties around his shoulders, gold detailing on the edges. A long, gold chain hung around his neck with a single red gem resting above his heart. On his left wrist he slipped thin red and gold bracelets over delicate hands. His boots were black and sleek, with gold flame detailing. Luffy pulled on the white shorts Ace threw at him, matching the white shirt he just threw over his shoulders, leaving it open. He wrapped a bright red sash that matched Ace's cape around his waist, tying it tightly and letting the tails hang loose behind him. He had new white sandals with gold detailing swirling over them. He was still wearing his straw hat, but he let it fall on his back, leaving his head bare like Ace's.
Luffy spun over to Ace and fell into his arms, beaming up at him.
“You look nice,” He chuckled, his eyes closing.
Ace brushed a piece of hair from Luffy's forehead, gazing at him with tender eyes. “You do, too,”
The two of them stood together for a moment gazing at each other. Luffy's black eyes flicked all over Ace's face, from his eyes to his lips and back again. Ace's eyes slowly grazed over Luffy's face, taking in every little detail he was intimately familiar with. He slid his hands up Luffy's arms and cupped the shorter man's face in his hands, running his thumbs over soft cheeks. Luffy beamed up at him, eyes scrunched closed again as he wrapped his arms around Ace's waist.
“I'm so happy, hehe,” Luffy said, his voice strained from the amount of mirth building in his body and mind.
“Me too, Lu,” Ace said softly as he leaned down and pressed his forehead to Luffy's, their noses brushing. “Thank you for everything,”
“Thank you for coming back,” Luffy said quietly, his voice more serious than usual.
Ace slid his hands through Luffy's raven hair on his neck, pulling the small boy into a warm, tight hug. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as Luffy's fingers trailed up his bare back under his cape, drawing spirals.
“I'll always come back for you,” Ace whispered in Luffy's ear.
Luffy tightened his grip on his beloved, nuzzling his face into Ace's neck, he hummed contently as he smiled against freckled skin. Ace was his. No one else's—his. And no one could take that away from him anymore. He'd surpassed every powerful enemy on the Grand Line. He'd become more free than anyone and powerful enough to write his own destiny. Their destiny.
He leaned back slightly to look into Ace's burning amber eyes. He placed a soft hand on Ace's sharp jaw, caressing his prominent cheekbone.
“My flame,” His eyes shone with unhinged adoration and something akin to possession, hunger.
A mischievous grin laced with passion crept across Ace's face as he looked down at Luffy's radiant smile. “My heart,”
Luffy burst out in happy giggles, throwing his head back and letting himself go limp, making Ace catch him as he almost fell to the ground. Ace started laughing with him and spinning around in circles. The joyous young man threw his hands in the air, his giggles filling every inch and cravat of their home. Ace held him close, savoring every sweet second.
Eventually, he had to put his lover down, to his disappointment. Luffy pouted up at him and Ace pecked him on the lips quickly.
“Nami said one hour,” He said, rubbing Luffy's arms.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Luffy huffed.
Ace chuckled, taking Luffy's hand in his and squeezing. Doki-doki. He returned the gesture in kind.
“Okay…” Ace breathed. “You ready?”
Luffy looked like he was vibrating. “Hell yeah, babe, let's do this,”
Ace threw his head back, laughing, and led Luffy back out to the deck where Nami and Usopp were waiting. Nami was in a long burgundy dress that had a slit up the side and a low back, her long hair sprawling down her shoulders. Usopp, however, was wearing dark maroon fitted slacks and a buttoned vest in the same color that showed off his muscles. Both of them were wearing flower crowns, Nami yellow and Usopp red. In his hand Usopp held two more flower crowns, these two woven with both red and yellow flowers.
“Hey! Usopp! Nami!” Luffy giggled as they got closer.
“Hey! Luffy!” Usopp waved at him. “These are for you!”
He presented the flower crows, intricately woven together with soft vines and two different types of tropical flowers. Luffy giggled, snatching his crown from Usopp's hand and immediately plopping it on his head.
“Thanks!” He said, eyes closed, he was smiling so big, “They're amazing!”
Ace reached out and took his crown, placing it atop his mop of waves, smiling. “It's beautiful, Usopp, thank you,”
Usopp grinned, a slight blush on his cheeks, scratching the back of his head. “Awe, it was nothin’ for you guys!”
Luffy enveloped him in a big hug and got lost in a fit of laughter again, making Usopp laugh as well.
“Okay! Okay! C'mon, get it together, we have a schedule!” Nami had a slightly serious tone, but she was still beaming.
She led the small group off of the Sunny, attempting to head down the beach and past the tent that had a lot of good smells from it, but struggling for a moment with Luffy. Ace eventually picked him up and slung him over his shoulder, somehow, effectively disarming him. The rest of the Strawhats had stopped questioning why the technique worked, or why it only worked for Ace, but they didn't question its usefulness. He was able to put him down once their small group was down the path a little bit, taking his hand and pulling him close. Luffy leaned into Ace, humming quietly under his breath as they walked through the lush jungle.
At the end of the path was a small hollow area in the trail where the rest of the crew was chatting, as well as members of their family. Franky wore a maroon suit jacket, his hair was big and fancy, arranged in swirls and with a red flower crown. Beside him, Robin wore a floor length dress similar to Nami's in the same burgundy, but hers was a halter with a triangle cut out and practically no back. Her raven-black hair cascaded over tanned skin, topped with a yellow flower crown. Sanji wore a tailored three-piece suit with tails in the same maroon color as the others, with gold cufflinks, a white handkerchief and a red flower crown. Zoro stood close to him looking bored, wearing a dark maroon kimono with a white sash and a red flower crown. Brook had on a beautiful maroon suit, while Jinbe was wearing a maroon kimono, both wearing yellow flowers. Copper chased Tama around the clearing, wearing an adorable little maroon suit jacket and top hat with yellow flowers going around it. Tama had on a burgundy kimono and a yellow flower crown.
Cheers and greetings broke out among those gathered there as the small group approached. Luffy bounced over to hug Sabo, who was wearing a suit extremely similar to Sanji's in the same color and red flowers in his hair. Yamato soon joined their conversation, also wearing a maroon kimono and red flowers. The rest of Ace's groomsmen stood slightly offset from them, listening and laughing. Marco, Juzo, Vista, and Blueno each wore a maroon suit for the occasion.
Their family had surrounded Ace, making him giggle nervously. Makino wore a beautiful burgundy dress that went to her ankles and looked like a little bell. Dadan wore a loose-fitting burgundy suit that wasn’t unlike Sanji and Sabo's. Both of them were wearing yellow flower crowns. Garp was a simple man and had insisted on wearing his military attire, but he did agree to wearing a red flower crown, at least down the aisle during the ceremony.
The family member that had slightly surprised Ace was Red Hair Shanks, now standing with Luffy and Sabo. He stood wearing his nicest black coat and captain's attire, a red sash with gold detailing tied around his waist. Yellow flowers rested in his hair. He carried a bottle of Whitebeard's—Ace's father—favorite sake. Ace caught his eye and nodded slightly to him, Shanks raising the bottle toward him in a salute. A mixture of pride and sadness drifted over Ace as he nodded to Shanks.
“Okay, everyone!” Nami cheered over the chatter in the small space, “We gotta get lined up!”
The tiny crowd started moving as Nami directed them.
Fanky had put together their venue for the day in a large clearing in the trees on the edge of a turquoise pool, a waterfall cascading into it, rainbows misting over in arcs. There were thousands of guests, everyone Ace and Luffy ever touched coming to celebrate them. They were sat in a sprawling half circle with an aisle up the middle. Above, was a canopy made of different interconnecting pieces of wood and metal in an open pattern so the sun and the sky shone through. The canopy sat on top of intricate stone pillars in equal intervals. In the center of the half circle, on the edge of the water, was a slightly raised dias covered in red and yellow flowers. The beautiful blooms also weaved over the pillars and canopy above.
The guests milled about, but sat once they saw Jinbe and Brook walking down the aisle toward the dias. There was a piano off to the side where Brook took a seat while Jinbe stood in the center of the dias facing the crowd. Silence fell as Brook began playing over the keys.
The procession began with Nami, Usopp, Yamato, Blueno, Franky, Robin, Vista, and Juzo walking down in pairs, standing on either side of Jinbe. Zoro and Sabo walked down together to stand in the places for the best men. Next came Sanji, walking Makino down to her seat in the front row before standing just next to Zoro, taking the swordsman's hand and squeezing it for a moment before letting it go, a small smirk on Zoro's face. Marco walked Dadan down to her seat, moving to stand by Sabo. Shanks moved proudly down the aisle, a sense of awe cascading through the crowd. He took his seat in the front row, placing the bottle of sake next to him on a seat decorated as a memorial to Whitebeard and bowing his head for a moment. Garp was the last of the family to walk in with a flourish, Colby and Helmeppo standing at attention on either side of the aisle. Finally, Copper and Tama skipped out, Chopper holding the ring box and Tama throwing red and yellow petals.
As Brook's melody changed slightly, the audience stood up and turned to the back of the venue. Ace's breath hitched in his throat as he squeezed Luffy's hand tightly.
“You ready?” He whispered.
Luffy grinned up at him, his face all teeth and his eyes shut tight. He squeezed Ace's hand back. “Yeah, let's go,”
They walked down the aisle hand-in-hand, a symphony of emotions swirling in them as they took in the spectacle their friends and family had put together for them. Some of the people in the crowd they hadn't seen in years. Excitement and nostalgia filled Luffy's heart as he took it all in, looking up at Ace with a big smile. Ace was filled with awe at the amount of care that was being displayed for them, his eyes already watering. Luffy chuckled.
As they approached Jinbe, he grinned at them, motioning for the guests to sit as the music concluded and Brook stood with the rest of the Strawhats. He cleared his throat, looking out over the crowd of guests gathered.
“Welcome, everyone!” He boomed as he waved to the guests. “We are gathered here in this beautiful place to celebrate the union of two extraordinary men who have touched all of our lives in one way or another. It fills my heart with joy to see so many familiar faces—friends, family, and comrades—who have come together to witness this special occasion,”
He looked at Ace and Luffy's smiling faces, both slightly flushed with bright eyes and beamed at them.
“Ace, Luffy, your journey together has been one of adventure, resilience, and unwavering love. You have faced countless challenges together and overcame the most incredible odds—even beating death to be together,” He nodded to Ace who flicked his eyes down and back up, laughing slightly, “But through it all, your bond has only grown stronger.”
He offered his hands to his friends in front of him. Luffy and Ace each took one, their fingers squeezed by Jinbe's strong grip.
“Today, you stand before us ready to embark on a new chapter, one filled with love, laughter, and the promise of a lifetime together, “He smiled out at the crowd, “In the presence of your loved ones, and under the open sky, we bear witness to the love that binds you together,”
He squeezed their hands and then dropped them, turning to look at Ace.
“Ace, I believe you have some words you would like to say?”
Ace nodded, taking a deep breath as he turned to look down at Luffy's shining face.
“Luffy,” He squeezed his hand. “You're a pain in my neck, you know that? Always getting into trouble, eating everything in sight, and dragging me into your insane schemes. But you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. You barged into my life like a hurricane, turning everything upside down and showing me what it truly means to be free. You're the most exciting, unpredictable, and loving person I've ever met. You make life an adventure and you fill my days with laughter and joy. I promise to keep up with you, to be your partner in crime, and to always have your back. I promise to share my meat with you—most of the time,”
Laughter rippled through their guests.
“And to never let you face danger alone,” He finished, “You're my brother, my best friend, and the love of my life. You have my heart, Lu, forever and always,”
Luffy was beaming, but Ace could swear he saw tears misting in his eyes.
“Luffy,” Jinbe said, “I believe you have some words you would like to say?”
Luffy giggled. “Yeah.”
He bounced on his toes as he squeezed Ace's fingers, still beaming.
“Ace,” He chirped, “I know I drive you crazy, but I'm so lucky to have a nakama like you. You've always been there for me. Even when you weren't there, you were still right next to me. I promise to always be there for you, to protect you with my life, to laugh until we cry, and to never let you eat all the meat!”
Another, slightly louder, ring of laughter rippled through their guests.
“You're my brother, my best friend, the love of my life,” Luffy giggled, “I love you so much,”
“Chopper,” Jinbe looked down at his little friend next to him. “May I have the rings, please?”
Chopper grinned up at Jinbe and handed him the small ring box. Jinbe happily accepted it, opening it to present the rings to Ace and Luffy. Robin had been in charge of getting the rings made and she put in a lot of work for them. Ace picked up Luffy's ring made of titanium, a flexible metal, and engraved with swirls on the outside, mirroring his Devil Fruit powers. On the inside the words “my heart” were engraved. Luffy picked up Ace's which was made of platinum and engraved with flames on the outside. The words “my flame” were engraved inside of the band.
Ace took Luffy's left hand in his, sliding the metal onto his ring finger. “With this ring, I take you, Monkey D. Luffy, as my lawfully wedded husband,”
Luffy’s smile reached ear to ear as they flipped their left hands so that he was holding Ace's in his. He slid the ring onto his finger. “With this ring, I take you, Portgas D. Ace, as my lawfully wedded husband,”
“I now pronounce you—” Luffy jumped on Ace, throwing his arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. Jinbe shrugged as the cheers broke out and joined the applause, moving to the side. “Friends, I have the honor to present to you, for the first time, Mr's Monkey D. Ace and Luffy,”
The roar of the cheers grew louder as everyone was on their feet, whooping and clapping as the men continued their kiss. Eventually breaking apart because they couldn't stop laughing, Ace and Luffy faced their friends and waved before quickly moving down the aisle with their wedding party following behind them. As they ducked under the leaves at the end of the aisle, Ace picked Luffy up around his waist, spinning him around. Luffy let his head fall back, his laugh infecting the rest of those around them.
“Hey, Ace!” He giggled.
“What's up, love?”
“Is it time for food?”
Ace laughed loudly, throwing his head back. “Yes, Lu, it's time for food,”
“Hell yeah!” Luffy cheered, jumping up to ride over Ace's shoulder, his fist in the air.
Sanji, Zeff, and their chefs from the Baratie had prepared their reception feast on the beach. Brook played cheerful music as everyone began eating, drinking, and dancing. Luffy and Ace had a seat of honor at the head of the reception, but neither of them really sat in their seats the whole night. Luffy consumed food at an alarming rate from anywhere in the celebration as he also sang, danced, and chatted with literally everyone. Ace was quickly flitting around the reception as well, speaking to people he hadn't seen in years, catching up on stories and adventures. They were never more than a few feet from each other the entire night, and when they were across the beach from each other Luffy would quickly find and rocket toward Ace, settling in his lap or on his shoulders.
As the sun set and the moon crossed the sky, the party continued in a beautiful haze of joy and celebration. Once it started turning late, Ace began drooping, dozing off and waking every few minutes. He had found Luffy's lap, forcing him to stay cross-legged on the sand so he could lay his upper body over soft limbs like a cat. He continued with conversation when he could, drifting the rest of the time. When those left awake were only those who could keep up with Zoro in drinking, Ace groggily poked his sleepy husband, who was drifting off with his chin resting in his hand. Luffy opened his eyes slightly, grinning down at Ace.
“Hey,”
“Hey,” Ace breathed deeply, “Wanna head to the Sunny?”
“Sure,” Luffy yawned.
Ace pulled himself up and grabbed Luffy's hand, dragging his sleepy form behind him as they wandered across the beach. The Sunny was quiet, anyone on it was fast asleep already. Ace and Luffy giggled and shushed each other as they stumbled through the hall to their cabin, closing the door behind them when they finally made it.
Luffy immediately smushed his lips onto Ace's, wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Ace laughed against Luffy's lips, wrapping his arms around him, fingers tangling in his hair. They tore at each other's clothes, discarding everything by the time Ace flopped them onto their hammock. They giggled as they tossed in the sheets, Luffy eventually ending gazing down at Ace.
“Hi,” he whispered, beaming.
“Hey,” Ace whispered back.
Luffy leaned down to kiss his husband as the hammock swayed with their movements. The sounds of the ship bobbing on the waves surrounded them as they began to make love throughout the night, eventually curling up together in exhaustion. Ace pulled the blanket up and over them as they both drifted off, Luffy curled up next to him with his face tucked into his warm neck.
“I love you, Ace,” Luffy breathed deeply as he fell asleep.
“I love you, too, Lu,” Ace mumbled quietly, also succumbing to tiredness.
They dreamed contently curled in eachothers arms, well aware the next morning was the first day of forever.