A red-headed path

7. In the forest

Sabo ran only a little into the forest trying to move smoothly so Luffy could continue to sleep. Ace was close behind, so Sabo slowed down, and turned around catching his breath a little. That sure woke me up Sabo thought to himself, running right after waking up is bound to make you lose breath.

Sabo flipped his arm over his back so he could move Luffy to his front, tightly and close to his chest. Sabo smiled at his adorable brother, he couldn't help it, he was too adorable with his little amount of drool that started to dampen his clothes.

Ace flopped down onto a tree stump catching his breath too, clasping his head with both of his arms trying to think what he should do about Shanks.

Sabo whispered with a small chuckle. "Don't think to hard."

Ace threw his arms into the air, not hearing what Sabo had said. "He won't leave us alone!"

Sabo jumped a little to help keep Luffy from sliding off his side, then looked over to Ace pacifyingly. "I think we should get know him more-"

"NO!" Ace jumped up from his stump cutting Sabo off.

An angry tick formed on Sabo's forehead. He brought his finger up to his mouth motioning a shhh. Sabo went down to a whisper, "Luffy is still sleeping!"

Ace folded his arms and looked away with a grunt.

"Anyway..." Sabo continued. "Before you interrupted me. I think we should give that Shanks guy a chance. Remember how Luffy said we could trust him?" Sabo stepped a little closer to Ace. "I think we should carefully take time to 'study' him, alright?"

Ace shot a daring glare towards Sabo.

He knew exactly what he was asking. "Yes, without Luffy involved." Sabo almost rolled his eyes like it were obvious.

Ace closed his eyes and exhaled. "YOU KNOW WE CAN'T LEAVE LUFFY ALONE!!" Ace jumped up, dragging his hands down his face. "You know we can't leave Luffy alone!!"

Sabo sighed. "Hear me out."

Ace grumbled and sat down with folded arms, looking away. "Fine!" He turned his attention back onto Sabo. "I'll hear what you have to say." Ace knew Sabo was the smarter one, though he'd hate to admit it.

Sabo gave a small grin. "Just one of us!"

"Huh?" Ace cocked his head.

"Just one of us can get to know him, while the other stays and watches Luffy."

Ace looks up into the air and thinks. "Yeahhhh..." He looks back to Sabo. "Luffy is a" he air quoted. "'more than one caretaker' kind of person. And you very well know this."

"Heh-" Sabo knew he was right, but it was their only option at the moment.

"Can't we just wait till he leaves?"

Sabo shook his head. "No. You heard him earlier, they're probably going to be docked here for awhile, so we can't keep avoiding them."

"What makes you think that they ARE going to rest awhile?"

Sabo didn't want to explain since he was tired, so with a sigh. "I just do."

Ace shrugged, then agreed. "Alright."

"Now," Sabo turned around. "Let's go get some shut eye." He smiled and turned around. "....." Ace was conked out on the floor.

. . .

he boys had fallen asleep in a little treehouse they built awhile back. It was a circular shaped room tucked away in a large tree, with a black jolly Roger with the letters A S L painted into it.

The treehouse was there for fun and no one else knew about it, they did have their little shack that their grandpa had built them. But they liked to spend most of their time here, in the forest. Often times they would actually sleep in their treehouse, or eat, play, draw, fight, anything they wanted. It was home as long as they were together.

Sabo had tucked Ace into the bedsheet that were scattered across the treehouses floor. And snuggled up right next to Ace holding onto Luffy, who he made sure was in between them.

. . .

The morning had come quickly with their dreamless sleep, and a loud set of footsteps hitting up against the floor.

Sabo opened his eyes and groaned, he rubbed the sleepyness from his eyes and got up to look around the room. "Luffy..." He complained as his little brother ran around the room. "It's too early for this..."

Luffy just laughed and ran around in a circle even faster.

"You're gonna hurt yourself." Sabo sat up.

"SHISHISHI!! NO I WONT!" Luffy lifted his arms up and closed his eyes, making him unable to see where he was going....quickly after, tripping and falling out of the window.

Sabo just sighed and plopped down onto his back for a second. "Ahhhhhh...okayyyy....mmm" Sabo yawned again and jumped up onto his feet. He walked over to the window and peered out onto the ground where he saw Luffy laid flat on his back. Sabo pushed away from the window and rolled his eyes. "Come on Ace, WAKE UP!!"

Nothing.

Sabo crossed his arms. ".....ACE!!!" He shouted. "Oh come on......I'm just tired.." Sabo wanted to cry. He walked over to Ace, picked him up by his tattered collar. And tossed him out of the window.

"Mkay!" Sabo dusted his hands and climbed down the ladder to meet with his other brothers down on the ground.