"I can feel it, Sabo!"

Law looked up from the paperwork that he had been signing and Sabo from the couch he had been resting on -Law knew Sabo-ya hadn't been sleeping, that liar- to stare at Ace's panting form in the doorway. Clearly he had run all the way to his office to say that and immediately Law put his head into his hands.

"I'm feeling it too," he muttered, and Ace perked up in confusion, looking over at Law as if just realising he was there.

(Considering it was his office, Law wondered if it was worth the energy to feel annoyed that the freckled teenager hadn't taken into consideration that he might have been present in his own room instead of having what was probably meant to be a private conversation with his brother.)

(Probably not.)

"...Really?" Ace asked, and Law glared at him from between his fingers.

"Sure. If 'it' is a massive migraine coming on from the sound of your voice then yes, I can feel it very well."

Sabo snickered at the annoyed look on his brother's face, and leapt up from the couch to sling an arm over Ace's shoulders.

"Don't mind Law, Ace! Law is always grumpy when he doesn't get any," he exclaimed cheerfully as he perfectly timed a dodge for a paperweight thrown at his head -an accomplishment considering the lack of depth perception Sabo had as a result of being blind in his left eye-, "What's gotten you so pumped up?" Ace began to grin, red slowly beginning to spread over his cheeks.

"Today's the day that Lu finally figures out my feelings for him!" he exclaimed with bright eyes and clenched fists.

Law let out an involuntary snicker at the thought of Straw Hat-ya figuring out anything.

Sabo froze.

Ace ignored the both of them. Now that had finally been said out in the open -no longer stewing in his mind until it was all that possessed his thoughts-, Ace could begin to formulate a plan of action. Luffy might have friend-zoned him in the past, he might have brother-zoned him and on one never-to-be-spoken-of-again occasion he might have even dad-zoned him. But no more. Ace was nothing if not determined.

"Y-you like Luffy?" choked out Sabo, and Ace raised an eyebrow at him.

"Uh, yeah? Sabo we've been over this before remember? I swear, we have this conversation every time I bring the topic up..." Ace trailed off when Sabo stood up and calmly walked to a wall.

"...Sabo?"

Sabo lifted a hand to the wall, checking for any imperfections in the architecture, before curling the hand into a fist and slamming it into the wood in front of him. An ominous cracking could be heard (Law was personally unsure if that was the wood or Sabo-ya's sanity), and Sabo calmly walked back, passing Ace -who was staring at him in bemusement- to sit down on the couch and to clasp his hands together gently on his lap.

"Was that necessary Sabo?"

"It was that or your skull."

Sabo peacefully glared daggers at Ace (a phrase Law thought he'd never use, but every day brought forth a new discovery with these brothers) and Ace stared back at his scarred brother with determination. A staring competition quickly arose between the two and, seeing that the two weren't going to be distracted from each other any time soon, Law sighed and took out his phone, sending off a text to a contact titled 'Irritation #2' before noticing that the two had yet to falter in their competition during his time being distracted by his phone.

Law chucked another paperweight at Sabo. The resulting 'thunk' and "ow!" was like music to his ears.

"If you two are quite done with your pissing contest," he began, "if Fire Fist-ya could kindly hurry up with this conversation and get out of my office so that I can continue my paperwork in peace, I would be most grateful."

Ace huffed at him.

"I don't see you complaining about Sabo being in here," he muttered, and Law twitched.

"I have quite the differing views of you and your brother," was the miffed response. Sabo smirked over at him, an unidentifiable expression lighting up his features.

"Oh? Do tell." Law eyed him in distrust.

"Your head makes a better sound when hit with a paperweight, is that good enough?" Sabo's smirk became a little more strained, and Law refused to call the emotion he suddenly felt at hurting Sabo-ya's feelings anything other than amusement. Ace eyed the both of them, feeling the sudden tension in the air. (Wasn't this meant to be about his big day with Luffy? Those two were just the side characters in this story, and yet they were acting like the main characters!)

"Keep your flirting under wraps until later, I need a plan to help me win over Luffy! He's so damn oblivious, I'm not even sure if he knows what love is!" Ace loudly complained, distracting the two from their little bubble. Law cursed silently to himself at the heat he could feel emanating from his cheeks, while Sabo cleared his throat in embarrassment.

"If you're so sure Straw Hat-ya doesn't even know what love is, what makes you think he'll be able to respond at all?" Law asked. Sabo remained silent. Now that the conversation had turned back to Ace's plans on confessing to Luffy -and off the unorthodox flirting methods he used with Law- Sabo was wound up tighter than Doflamingo's ex-subordinate Bellamy became every time the pink ball of evil walked into his line of sight.

(It was such a turnaround from Sabo's original reaction when Ace walked through the door that Law had to wonder whether Sabo-ya's yandere tendencies would extend to even attacking Fire Fist-ya for Straw Hat's welfare if it came down to it. Only time would be able to reveal the answer to him.)

(Law was betting the answer was yes.)

A slight scuffling sound could be heard outside Law's room, but as Sabo was still sitting stonily and Ace was too deep in thought -trying to formulate a good response to Law- that the Student President was fairly sure he had been the only one to hear it. The shadow of a smile danced on his lips.

So, he had finally showed up, huh...?

"Believe me, Law, I know better than anyone how oblivious Luffy is. But it all adds to his charm I guess," Ace let out a slight chuckle, a fond look entering his eyes. "Then again, it's possible I'm majorly biased when it comes to Lu. Every little thing about him makes me fall a little bit more in love. That laugh of his, the way his eyes light up whenever he sees his friends, his tenacious and rebellious attitude, his smile, and the way it shows his gums, and how it's just so genuine..." Ace let out a sigh. "He's perfect."

Law side-eyed him.

"He got suspended for breaking out half the prisoners at Impel Down and bringing them here to 'meet their true nakama'."

"Just perfect."

"At least twelve of them tried assassinating the Principal."

"Not a single thing wrong with him."

"Our 80 year old Principal killed them all in broad daylight. #MightyWhitey was trending on social media for weeks (Law cringed just saying the name, he really wished they had used Principal Newgate's actual name instead of the joke nickname the faculty had come up with. The man didn't even have a beard.), do you know how confused Fox News was?"

"Truly, no other being could come so close to perfection."

Law looked to the roof in resignation. The man was hopeless.

"...you really love him, don't you?" spoke up Sabo, and Ace whipped his head over to his brother at the tone. It wasn't as murderous anymore, which was always a good thing in Ace's books.

"I do," was the unhesitating reply. Sabo grimaced and stared at the ground, indecision written all over his face. Glancing up for a moment, Sabo caught Law's eyes. The darker-skinned man let out a nod. Sabo sighed, before turning back to Ace, who had been watching the interaction with worry, knowing better than his brother did the sway Law had over Sabo.

A nod wasn't much, barely anything at all in the grander scheme of things.

But it was enough.

"...I've crushed the skulls of people for less than this," admitted Sabo while running a hand through his hair (Law twitched and quickly glanced up at the camera installed in his office. There was always so much footage that had to be deleted whenever one (or both) of these brothers entered his office, sometimes for less personal reasons than others, but evidence all the same).

"I'll be trusting you with Luffy, Ace. You know what that means, right?"

"That you don't think Luffy can't think for himself who to trust?" Ace quipped, but snapped his mouth shut at the withering look Sabo shot him. Law would have found this short interaction more interesting if he hadn't been distracted with watching a fluffy head of hair poke around the doorway, eyes not having deviated from the freckled teenager from the moment he had arrived.

"I mean, be careful with him. Despite all his... quirks, he has a gentle soul. If you ever hurt him..."

There was no need for Sabo to finish the threat, they all knew what Sabo had planned. Ace still managed to look offended.

"C'mon bro, you're making me use cliches here. I'd die before I let myself or anything else hurt a hair on his head. You happy bro? You got me speaking cliches."

Sabo let out a small grin and gave an inclination of his head.

"Yeah, I'm happy."

"But not," interjected Law, and the two brothers looked over at him in confusion, "as happy as a certain other someone that I could name right now."

Ace still looked confused -it was becoming his default expression-, but understanding filled the features of Sabo and he began to gape. Law jerked his head towards the open doorway. They followed his line of sight, and Ace flushed furiously in embarrassment.

There, eyes staring unblinkingly at Ace and with the same red flush on his cheeks... stood Luffy.

"L-Luffy!" yelped Ace. "How long... how long have you been standing there...?"

"A while," Luffy admitted, scratching the back of his head with a bashful grin (the red was slowly spreading). "Sorry for interrupting, but Traffy texted me to come over 'cause he had something important to say, nishishi!"

It was Ace's turn to glare, but Law refused to feel bad about this. He had been friends with all three teenagers that were standing in front of him for a while now, and he knew how Fire Fist-ya worked. Or rather, how Fire Fist-yadidn't work, especially when it cames to matters of the heart. He would have taken forever to spit it out, and due to his roundabout way of admitting his feelings Straw Hat-ya would have never understood (It's how the infamous dad-zoning situation had arisen after all, and Law had no interest in watching anything like that disaster happen ever again).

"Ace... did you mean what you said before?" Luffy asked, focused on nothing else but Ace.

The freckled teen swallowed, but nodded all the same.

"I meant every word, Lu. With all my heart," he stated sincerely. In the corner of his eye he noticed Law dragging away a disappointed Sabo. That was... probably the best course of action for everyone, he decided. Ace and Luffy could have a private moment together, and Sabo wouldn't try to cave in Ace's head. A win-win situation all around.

Luffy took a deep breathe and sat down on the couch Sabo had previously been occupying. Naturally this action rather worried Ace, who stepped closer to the younger teenager but made no moves to try and interact with him. This left Ace to hover around awkwardly, cursing Law in his head all the while.

See, it was shit like this that made Ace get pissed off with Law. The man couldn't help but keep getting into other people's businesses, and only Sabo could drag him away -and vice versa-. Then again, Sabo liked getting into Law's business -in more ways than one- so he guessed they even each other out...

No! Ace shook his head rapidly. Lu had yet to reply to his confession and here he was daydreaming about his brother's love life? Curse his ever-wandering brain!

Luffy began to shake in front of him, and Ace flinched, multiple scenarios running through his head at Luffy's minute movements. The elder kneeled down in front of Luffy and tried to look at his face, but Luffy had covered up his face with his hands and he couldn't see his expression.

"Luffy...? Are you alright with what I said...? Because if you want me to take it back, then I-"

"Take it back?" The rawness in his voice startled Ace, and Luffy moved his hands down away from his face, letting Ace finally see him. Ace's breath caught in his throat.

Luffy was crying.

"Luffy..." Ace trailed off, feeling horrible. An ache began to form in his chest at the knowledge that he had caused this, that he had made the most important person in his life break down with tears.

Ace floundered for a response.

"Luffy, I-I'm...sorry," was all he could think of. Luffy looked startled.

"Why?" He asked in confusion, and Ace gave him a look.

"For making you cry, Lu. I thought you'd be a bit happier," Ace paused as he winced. That hadn't been the term he meant to use, "at my confession, but I read you wrong and I made you cry. I'm so, so so sorry."

"But I am happy," Luffy admitted with a shaky smile. Now it was Ace's turn to be startled, and Luffy hurriedly wiped away his tears to stare at Ace imploringly.

"...you are?" asked Ace hesitantly, and Luffy nodded in a vigorous manner. A grin was tugging at the edges of Ace's lips, but he forcibly clamped it down. He didn't want to get his hopes up just yet.

But if Luffy was happy, then...

"I am! I really really really am, Ace! You don't know how long I've wanted you to say you like me! I thought you'd never admit it!" Luffy laugh was still slightly watery as he gazed down at Ace. Realising that he was still kneeling down in front of Luffy he flushed red -Luffy giggled at the look, red really did suit Ace in his opinion- and stood up abruptly. He ran a hand through his hair, the grin he had tried to stop breaking through without his permission and widening until he was beaming.

"What, are you saying you knew before? How come you didn't say anything earlier then, hmm?" teased Ace, and Luffy laughed before suddenly throwing himself at Ace who in turn caught him despite his momentary surprise.

"C'z' L'w s' th' 'f 'ce w' a t' m'n y'd s'y it y'rself," was the mumbled response Ace recieved from the figure currently snuggling their face into his neck. Ace chuckled in bemusement.

"What?"

"Cause Law said that if Ace was a true man you'd say it yourself!" Ace rolled his eyes. He didn't want to hear what Law thought a true man was, he'd seen the type of people Law had grown up with, it wasn't any surprise the man had turned out as twisted as he became. But that wasn't important right now. What was important was the fact that Luffy not only accepted his feelings, but also returned them, and Ace wrapped his arms around Luffy and the younger boy gave a delighted shriek as he was spun around. Ace laughed too, the sound bright and cheerful.

"Law," Ace grunted, "wouldn't recognise a true man if it bit him on the arse."

Luffy gave his signature laugh and beamed up at Ace.

"And you would?" he asked teasingly, and Ace hummed in thought.

"Who knows? Why don't..." and here he began to lean closer to Luffy's face, as the other began to tense up in excitement. "...we find out?"

Their lips met.

Luffy was a horrible kisser. He was too rough, and used too much tongue, quickly drenching the bottom half of Ace's face with saliva.

Ace thought it was perfect.

"'Wouldn't recognise a true man if it bit him on the arse?'" Law hissed from his eavesdropping position. "I'll show him, 'bit on the arse.'!"

Whatever else Law was about to say however was cut off when hands wrapped around him and pulled him back into a chest. Law blinked.

"Why show him..." a voice breathed directly into his ear (Law would deny shivering until he died), "when there is someone so much more... eager."

Law slammed his heel onto Sabo's foot and quickly escaped from the blond's clutches as Sabo keeled over in pain.

"You'll have to catch me first I'm afraid, and in your current position I doubt I'll need to be too worried."

And with that Law was off, sprinting down the hallway and around the corner. Despite the pain Sabo managed a smirk, a sharpness appearing in his eyes.

"You'd think the Student President of all people would realise not to run in the hallways," he muttered. He stood up slowly and gingerly tested his foot. It was fine, as he knew it would be. Despite the way Law acted, he never did manage to hurt Sabo seriously.

His mistake.

"I guess I'll just have to punish those... who break the school's rules."

A nice little 'skull crush' should do nicely.