And Ace is once again the main character!
Title: A Loving Touch
Rating: G
Media: fic
Characters: ASL
Word Count: 294
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece
Prompt: Hold me
Sometimes Ace wondered what it was like to have a mother. He brought up the question one day, in a suitably off-handed manner.
Sabo, the only one among them to actually grow up with his mother, was no help. He told his two parent-less brothers that she had always been stiff and rather cold. At the pairs’ crestfallen looks, he had hurriedly added that not all mothers were like that.
As one, the trio considered their current female caretaker, and each promptly decided that Dadan could not be anything like a mother.
Luffy had fallen into thought soon after, and finally declared after a long moment that having a mother must be very much like having a Makino. To which Ace had rolled his eyes at the peculiar choice of words and Sabo had laughed lightly but encouraged Luffy to go on.
Makino, according to Luffy, was always smiling. She smelt like soap and some kind of flower, and her touch was gentle whenever she wiped crumbs from his face.
“But I like her hugs the best! Besides the times when she gives me food, of course.” Luffy looked at Ace with bright eyes. “Do you want to be hugged, Ace?”
Before Ace could formulate a response, Luffy had already tackled him and was wrapping his rubbery arms around him. Ace had protested, rather half-heartedly, but Luffy just grinned widely and refused to let go. Sabo was later tugged in by an outstretched (literally) arm and fell into the heap laughing.
A while later, Ace lay awake, wedged tightly between his two sleeping brothers. It was warm, Ace noted. Not just in body, but in his heart as well.
Slowly, his eyes drifted close.
He dreamt of soft, warm arms and a loving gaze.