Brother Complex
Chapter Six: It's Not What It Looks Like

Summary: Ace walks in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Warning: BAM! The Thousand Sunny, Franky and Brook have arrived. XD And, finally, tiny sexual references! Along with a tad bit more AceLu and Ace protectiveness!

Ace wandered around the large ship once more, still awed at how beautifully built it was. The guy was a weird, but he was definitely one hell of a shipwright. He remembered the first time he met speedo-wearing male, and how *cough* awkward it had been. Let's just say a few inappropriate thoughts ran through Ace's head, and he ran over to Luffy, asking if anyone showed or touched or forced him to do anything 'pleasuring'.

Luffy had simply tilted his head in his normal cute fashion and asked what exactly Ace meant. Okay, so maybe the freckled male slightly overreacted to the new pervert on the crew. To give him credit though, he didn't overreact with he found out – of all things – a skeleton joined the crew. Yeah, that had been an awesome moment. Who wouldn't love a talking skeleton after all?

It was about the third time going over the ship's design and admiring every little detail that Ace began to feel a familiar tingle run down his spine. Before he could even say or do anything, his narcolepsy took over; leaving him prone face-first on the floor in Usopp's Factory.

- x - x -

While Ace had that comfortable little nap on the hard wooden floor, Zoro was up crow's nest training like he did whenever he could. It was just about when he set down the weights to start doing push-ups did he feel oncoming danger. But it was too late to act or dodge, and something tackled him from behind. He didn't need to look to know who it was.

"Zorooo~" Oh yes, the ever whining voice of their captain. How lovely. "Play with meee~" How old was Luffy again? Seventeen? They why in the bleeding hell did he always act like a five year old?! He could never understand how Ace managed to live with the hyper ball of rubber for seven years and not lose his sanity.

Zoro thought on that last sentence.

He took it back, Ace had lost his sanity.

Zoro felt Luffy's arms and legs wrap around his already sweaty body and he gave an internal groan. Luffy took the word 'clingy' to whole new frickin' level. "Shishishi! Now you have to play with me!"

"Luffy," he quietly growled, "I'm in the middle of training. Go play with someone else."

"No," Luffy stubbornly replied. "I want to play with Zoro." Knowing words wouldn't persuade Luffy to let go, he wiggled his arms a little in order grab the rubbery limbs that were currently wrapped around him. He managed to get ahold of one arm and began to unwrap it when Luffy let out a determined pout and doubled his efforts in holding Zoro.

Both battled each other, and Zoro had to admit it was quite the work out. He managed to get out of Luffy's arms, but Luffy wanted to play and he wanted to play now. And that's how it lead them to wrestling each other all over the room; Zoro just wanted time to himself to train, whilst Luffy wanted someone to cure his boredom. "Go play with your brother!"

"Ace said he's busy!" Really, the last thing Zoro wanted was to get on Ace's bad side. He had noticed the freckled male throwing him glares every single time Luffy was near the swordsman. He didn't know why the guy did that, but it was honestly starting to make the green-haired male wonder if he should start worrying about his safety.

"Dammit, Luffy! I said let go!"

"Neveeeer!"

- x - x -

Ace wasn't sure how long he had taken his nap, but what he did know was that his face was a little sore from the impact of falling. Groaning, he slowly got to his feet and gave a small yawn. "Damn narcolepsy," he mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Hey, you okay?" Turning, Ace's eyes fell on the concerned look of Usopp. Looking around, he realized he had fallen asleep in the male's workshop. "Ace?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks," he flashed the male a smile. "Didn't mean to fall asleep in here. Oh, do you know where Luffy is?"

"Last I saw, he was running around the deck."

"Thanks." Leaving the workshop, Ace gave one more yawn before he made it to the grassy deck. The sun's soft rays warmed his skin and he gave a sigh of pleasure at the feeling. Then he set off on his quest to find the ever elusive and cute creature known as Luffy. He started, of course with the kitchen. Oddly enough, it was empty. He tried the men's quarters next. Nope, not there either. Maybe the baths? Nope, empty. Aquarium bar? Ace let a frown cover his lips when he saw that this room was empty too. 'Where the hell could he–?'

The crow's nest. If Luffy wasn't there, he was seriously considering the idea that the hyper ball fell overboard. It was with that grim thought in mind that he raced to the crow's nest as fast as his legs could carry him – which was pretty damn fast, mind you. Scrambling up the ladder, he popped his head into the area and gave a sigh of relief at seeing his brother.

Then when he saw what state his brother was in, Ace nearly had a heart attack and almost fell off the ladder.

Luffy was sweaty, panting, and red-faced, and was being held down by an equally sweaty, panting, and red-faced Zoro. Luffy's eyes looked partly dazed over, and Zoro was staring straight down into his captain's eyes. It was also at that moment did Ace realize Zoro had no shirt on and Luffy's was unbuttoned.

And the zipper to Luffy pants was down.

Luffy gave a soft whimper and tried to free his wrists from Zoro's grip, but it was to no avail. The swordsman also had restrained Luffy's legs by setting his own legs on them, effectively trapping the younger male beneath him.

A few scenarios ran through Ace's head in that moment. Luffy just had sex with Zoro. My brother is no longer a virgin and mine for the taking! Ugh, I knew that damn swordsman was a threat…! Wait. Why is Luffy trapped like that, did Zoro…? The word 'rape' popped into Ace's mind. Oh. my. god.

Ace exploded.

Literally.

The explosion of fire scared the shit out of Luffy and Zoro, and the green-haired male quickly rolled off Luffy to grab a katana while Luffy hopped to his feet. When they saw it was Ace, however, they gave sighs of relief.

Until they noticed the pure outrage on his face.

Zoro was never one to feel fear, but right now? With Whitebeard's Second Division Commander giving him the nastiest glare ever created? Yeah, he may or may not have taken to the thought of shitting a brick or two. If looks could kill, Zoro wouldn't have stood a chance. Death would have been instantaneous.

He was seriously thinking that his life may end in a few short moments.

Roronoa Zoro: Death by Brother Complex. Yeah, that was the very last reason he thought would make him kick the bucket.

"A-Ace?" Luffy asked, fidgeting slightly. Truth be told, he'd never seen Ace this pissed before. It was actually…kind of frightening. "What's wrong?" Ace's glaring eyes never left Zoro.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing, Luffy," his voice came out cold with a growl. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. W–"

"What were you two doing?"

"I was wrestling with Zoro," Luffy stated in the most matter-of-fact way. Luffy gave a pout. "He said he wouldn't play with me, so I tackled him."

"You tackled me before you even asked!" Zoro corrected, momentarily forgetting the older brother's death glare.

"Because I knew you were going to say no," Luffy stuck his tongue out at his first mate. Ace's fire was immediately extinguished.

"Wait, you mean…it was just normal wrestling…?"

"Well, yeah," Luffy answered, brows furrowed. "Ne, Ace, are you alright?"

"What did you think we were–" Zoro stopped mid-sentence and remembered the position Ace found them in. His cheeks immediately turned red. "We weren't doing that, you idiot! I would never–! That's–!" He was totally flustered.

"Eh? Are you blushing? Zoro? What did I miss?" Luffy looked utterly confused as he glanced between his brother and first mate. Ace looked so relieved he could faint, while Zoro looked like his head was about to explode if he got any redder.

Zoro couldn't take it. He grabbed his katanas and stomped over to the ladder where he pushed Ace aside. "You and your damn brother complex are going to kill me one day," he mumbled, exiting the room and leaving the two brother's to themselves.

Ace walked over and stared at Luffy. "Are you sure you're alright? You guys were just wrestling?"

"Duh," Luffy answered, sticking his tongue out at Ace. "Seriously Ace, you can act pretty weird sometimes."

Ace sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I know, Lu. I'm sorry. It's just… I kind of…" 'Ah hell, just go for it,' he thought. If not now, then when? "Look, Lu, I really like y–" At that moment, Luffy looked down and gave an audible gasp.

"My zipper was down!" He quickly fixed it and looked up at the blushing Ace who *coughcough* accidentally looked down at Luffy's open zipper and caught a quick glimpse of the male's manhood. "Sorry, what were you say, Ace?" But Ace's mind was too far gone. "Now you're blushing, too? Why is everyone blushing?" Luffy gasped again. "Is it catchy? Am I supposed to blush too? Is today like a blushing holiday?! I-I don't know what to do! Ahhhh!" Luffy's mind began to race with too many thoughts and reasons as to why everyone was blushing. His mind was starting to hurt.

He ran towards the ladder, leaving a very dazed, drooling, and blushing Ace to stand there by himself. "I gotta ask Chopper about this! Chopper! Help! I don't know what to do! Wait, maybe I am supposed to blush? But what do I think about to blush? Gah! My mind can't take this! Nami! Robin! I need help!"

And as Luffy disappeared to find the answer to his question, Zoro was below deck in the bath with a blush covering his cheeks, grumbling about how much he hated brothers and their damn obsessive and protective complexes.

x - x - x

Idea from SpecialDevil62: Zoro is shirtless, sweaty, and working out when a bored Luffy tackles him. Ace should walk in and look at a red-faced Zoro and Luffy (from the exertion in wrestling), both sweaty from wrestling and Ace gets the wrong idea.

*Also, if you want to read another really good story about Ace's brother complex, go read the story Beware The Older Brother by ExGratia. It's a LawxLuffy story, but check it out even if you don't like the pairing. Because in that story, Ace's brother complex is taken to a whole new level. Trust me, you'll LOVE it. XD

*Bashes head against Law's nodachi* I have officially decided that I have a mental problem. I could sworn I updated this at least eight months ago, a year at most. But what does fanfiction say? I haven't touched this in THREE YEARS?! I have no words, no way to apologize. See, I have this thing where I think something happened months ago, and it didn't.

I went to the hospital several months ago for a cough I had and told the doctor I was there six months ago for the same thing and if they could give me the same medicine. He left to check the records and came back saying, "Well, according to our records, you came in here two years ago for a cough."

Six months, two years. Close enough.

Guys, I cannot thank you enough for putting up with me, and for all the wonderful reviews you guys are leaving. So there's an actual hint of AceLu there! Naughty Ace, taking glances at open zippers. Tsk, tsk. Anyway, I'm working on the next chappy for this already! Hope this was somewhat enjoyable. Leave a review please? Have a good morning/afternoon/night! XD

You shy ice elemental,
~»roo the psycho«