His Firecracker Her Rock

Chapter 3 - Let's Eat!

Chapter 3 - Let's Eat!

After talking to Law about Luffy, Rayleigh made his way down the dirt path toward the small house Dawn had made. Once he arrived he couldn't help but heartily laugh at Ace and Dawn bickering like an old married couple. It didn't take long for Ace to storm off towards the beach, no doubt to check on his brother. Although it was unusual for Ace's feathers to get ruffled, especially by a lady, Rayleigh could tell Dawn was anything but the typical woman Ace found throwing themselves at him.

"I see you have a knack for creating trouble. Wonder where you get that from," Rayleigh joked, as he knocked on the wall of the house inquisitively. "Laws leaving tomorrow, but only since Luffy is doing so well, that's a good sign,"

"About Luffy. Seeing as he's not going to be waking up for a while..." Dawn started.

"I already know," He interrupted with a knowing smile.

"You do?" Dawn questioned as she started to gather some fallen tree branches around her fort to start a campfire.

"Of course, you've been ordered around your entire life. I would have already left," Rayleigh said as he sat down on the stone bench below the paneless window.

"Doesn't make me a bad person right?" Dawn asked while scratching the back of her neck nervously. Another thing she and Luffy had in common. "He could be out for a week, maybe more with how drained he is..."

"You can take my ship, it's not the grandest. But she'll get you to where you're going," Rayleigh offered. Amused at the young woman's inability to sit still. Despite the fact that had he been in her shoes he probably would have been itching for an adventure too.

"Thanks, but Law offered to give me a ride to this island on the edge of the calm belt. Apparently, they are well known for building ships and Law has to stop there for a bubble resin coating anyway," Dawn smirked. "Feel free to use this fort while training though,"

"Your brother isn't even awake yet, How can you be so sure he'd want to train under me?" Rayleigh asked despite already knowing the answer himself.

"Easy. You're tough. And he wants to become stronger," Dawn responded with a stretch before walking towards the beach to find Ace. "Plus it doesn't hurt that you were the king of the pirates' right hand. Don't go easy on him! You hear?!"

Rayleigh laughed at her response. Although she looked like Luffy and did act like him quite a bit, most of her mannerisms were exact replicas of her grandfather's. He wouldn't lie and say he didn't miss his old friend but once Roger was executed, the world changed. And both of them struggled to adapt with it. While Rayleigh retired and opened a bar. Garp bought a sword and swore to defeat this pirate pandemic.

"Hey Fireball, come light my campfire," Dawn shouted from the edge of the woods once she saw him walking off of Law's submarine.

"What did you just call me?!" Ace shouted back as he propelled himself forward using his flames.

"Do you want to question me or eat dinner tonight?" Dawn sassed before turning on her heel and making her way back to the fort.

"You can cook?" Ace asked as he practically started drooling. The sudden change in attitude caused Dawn to sweat-drop as she nodded yes.

"Are you good at it?" He followed up as he regained some control.

"Extremely..." Dawn laughed before holding her pointer finger up to his lips to stop him from talking as she focused on the forest behind them.

"Wha-" Ace tried to speak but the shaking of the ground interrupted him as a rather large boar fell from the sky.

"Do you like boar?" Dawn asked as she easily started dragging the beast towards her unlit campfire.

"Not as much as I like spicy chicken," Ace said despite his mouth watering at the sight of their dinner. "But it's hard to beat fresh ham,"

"I think I saw some ghost peppers behind the fort. We can use those to make it spicy," Dawn shrugged, completely unaware that ghost peppers were Ace's favorite.

"Yes! I love ghost peppers!" Ace happily exclaimed before running off to quickly grab some. While he was doing that Dawn tied the boar to a sturdy stick with some vines before hoisting the beast above the campfire. Using her devil fruit powers to hold the stick up she waited for Ace to return so he could light the fire.

"Think this'll be enough for the three of us?" Dawn turned to ask Rayleigh who she hadn't realized had fallen asleep. "More for me then!"

"I found a whole bunch, you were right!" Ace sputtered out with a mouthful of peppers. "You don't want any, do you? They're really hot,"

"I can handle heat just fine," Dawn said as she took one from Ace and didn't even flinch at the pepper's intensity. Ace felt his face flush a bit as he watched her nonchalantly finish the pepper without batting an eye. "Are you sure you can handle this level of heat? Your face is a bit red,"

"Of course I can!" Ace shouted, "I ate the flame flame fruit! I am heat!"

"Hey whatever sparks your fire," Dawn smirked. After checking to make sure Ace didn't wake up Rayleigh she turned back to the boar ready to be roasted. "Speaking of fire, want to start one so we can eat this guy?"

"Why? What kind of marine doesn't know how to start a fire?" Ace teased. "I'll start the fire for you. IF you apologize for making me fall on-,"

Before Ace could even finish his sentence Dawn had used her power to send two pieces of flint flying at one another. The impact not only created a blaze but sounded like a clap of thunder. Dawn turned back to face Ace with a raised brow, victory spelled out upon her face as she grinned, "You're not the brightest are you?" Before walking away to grab a pineapple she saw behind the fort.

"I think you're losing your touch kid," Rayleigh laughed as he made his way over to warm his hands by the fire. "Letting you help cook by starting the fire was her apology,"

"What? That makes no sense," Ace whispered while running his hands through his hair in confusion.

"Had she not called you back over here you would have ended up eating with Law's crew, and I'm pretty sure he has them all on a heart-healthy diet right now," Rayleigh said with a grimace as if even thinking of overly healthy food made a sour taste form in his mouth.

"Oh, my bad," Ace said shamelessly whilst rotating the boar making Rayleigh sweat-drop. "I can at least make sure it won't burn though,"

"I'm back and with some pineapple, bananas, and these large leaves we can use as plates," Dawn smiled as she walked back over to the fire. "Oh Rayleigh you're awake..."

"Don't look so disappointed. You were never going to get my portion anyway," He clarified with a pointed look in her direction. Causing her to flinch in shock that he somehow knew she was going to try and eat his serving. " I would have just eaten in my sleep,"

"Respect," Ace muttered with another mouthful of peppers.

"Men..." She murmured, her cheeks puffing up slightly as she clenched her fists. Something that caused Ace's heart to skip a beat.

"Dang she's cute when she's mad," Ace thought with a devilish smirk.