Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece in any way, shape or form. I'm only using the characters for play. Please forgive me.

I'm a bit embarrassed by this, actually. But since I wrote it, I thought I might as well post it here. Enjoy, and drop a little thought on your way out! :)

Note: italics do not equal "thoughts" here.

If you see any mistakes then please tell me. This is set somewhere after chapter 560. Ace hasn't been executed yet. (With luck, he might not be at all)

Luffy had always been a silly child.

The world spun around him in one huge blur, or maybe it was just the tears.

Luffy always did the stupidest things during the most awkward moments.

Yes, it was just his tears. Though he promised a long time ago that he could not and would not shed tears over ridiculous things, especially in public, Portgas D. Ace could hardly blame himself at the moment.

Luffy always asked the dumbest questions.

"NII-CHAN!!!!"

Ace smiled through his tears at his approaching brother, who was still screaming. His heart beat like drum against his chest; he knew what was coming, and he knew what he had to say back. This was the last time Luffy would ask him this question, and though in public and near his own death he'd give Luffy answer he wanted.

This was perhaps the silliest, stupidest, the most awkward question ever.

It had no purpose- completely impossible, unthinkable. But for once and for only once, it wasn't something random. Ace couldn't remember how many times his brother had asked this question.

There was a story. It went back a long time.

He was seven. Luffy was four...

"Hey, Ace."

"What?"

"I saw something really weird today."

"What did you see?" Ace asked while wondering just what happened. They lived in a small village on a small island in East Blue- the calmest ocean of the world's four blue giants. What could possibly happened on a nice sunny island like this one?

"There were a girl and a boy walking together."

Birds chirped as Ace frowned with confusion.

"They were holding hands."

"So?"

"Then the boy got down on one knee..."

"....PORTGAS D. ACE..."

Luffy ran, swinging and punching his stretched arms as he sped towards the platform. The world was watching, hearing his scream.

The question was asked periodically throughout the years, and Ace always answered "no", and laughed. Then, that day came...

"Aaaace!!"

Ace fought the temptation to stop and wait for the grasp of his little brother. Instead he kept his vision and focus on the little boat that was suppose to be his grand pirate ship, and trusted Makino and the Mayor to hold Luffy back. He'd been anticipating this day for too long. If he went back to Luffy now, he might never set sail and complete his dreams.

Tears and snots ran down his face like waterfalls as he hopped onto the little tub and quickly unfurled the sail- his Spade of Ace Jolly Roger flared in the wind proudly.

"Ace! Look! I bought the ring! Please take me with you, nii-chan! You said you'll say yes if I got you a real ring! Ace! ACE!!"

"Luffy, stop that," pleaded Makino in the distance.

"ACE!!!"

The older brother stuffed his ears with cotton, refusing to hear the rest as he pulled out two paddles and rowed out into the ocean to help with the speed. If he listened anymore, there was no doubt in his mind that he'd turn back and tell Luffy "yes". He couldn't go back, he couldn't say "yes".

"...WILL YOU..."

Each second seemed like eternity to him. The world was still a blur save for Luffy's screaming.

Two more words...

Arabasta.

"Haven't seen you in soooo long!" Luffy's hug felt like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. "Look at you! You haven't changed! Look at me! I changed. I've grown taller and you haven't grown at all, Ace! One day I'm going to catch up with you, you'll see! Hahaha!!"

"Baka, as if!"

Luffy hummed and hugged him tighter, the familiar grin tattooed on his face. Ace smiled; same little Luffy.

"Hey, Ace," he called suddenly. A feeling of dread formed inside the older brother.

"What?"

"I don't have a ring right now but-"

"Luffy, I thought we went over this hundreds of times!"

His younger brother shoved him aways and glared at him. "But we aren't related by blood, so that means it's perfectly fine!"

"It's more than that! There's no way we can-"

"What does it matter? We're both pirates! We can do anything we want to!"

Ace quirked his eyebrows. "You just don't get it do you, idiot. You can't ask me that. We're brother, blood or not, and we're both boys. Besides, we're in different crews. What will your nakamas say? I knew Whitebeard won't be pleased."

"That doesn't matter at all! You don't get my point, nii-chan! If we love each other then we have every right to-"

"Luffy! I don't-"

The look on his face stopped Ace from continuing.

"Will you-"

"No."

For ten minutes as they walked side by side, no words were exchanged.

They had casual talks, Ace met Luffy's crew, and he took off again with a pounding heart and an unsettling feeling in his stomach. Later that night, he kept thinking about all those times and ways Luffy had popped his question; writing on a cake, being dragged through streets, crying until Ace promised him some sort of treat, trying to spell it out in the sky by setting off massive amount of balloons...

No idea, he had no idea why or how this even got into Luffy's head. Just what convinced him that they loved each other like that?

He then thought about that morning, and the cute grin.

And wondered if he should have said "yes".

He might die today, he might not. It all depended.

Seeing Luffy here today only surged his buried feelings with a new energy. Luffy was coming closer, covered his blood and crying as well. But he still took time to dig into his pocket.

Only thirty feet away.

Running.

Twenty.

A ring glimmered in the sunlight.

Ten.

Ace smiled , he knew the perfect response.

"....MARRY ME??!"

There was dead silence as Luffy screeched to a stop, panting, kneeling on one knee. With both of them covered in dirt a blood and heaven-knows-what, this was indeed a very unceremonious, awkward proposal. Ace could feel everyone's eyes on them, probably wondering if this was some sort of prank the outrageous Strawhat rookie plotted. Later, those faces would be drenched with disgust.

The world watched, Whitebeard watched.

Luffy smiled hopefully.

"Only if you wear the wedding dress."