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A sister.
Portgas D. Ace had a sister.
Portgas D. (Y/n).
The blood shared between them never seemed as important as the bond they created. It didn't matter if they were twins. What was blood compared to a bond built on trust and a shared sake cup? She had been there since the beginning. Spending time with Ace, Luffy, and Sabo, then following after Ace to chase their dream together. A young woman just as spontaneous and energetic as the hot headed male. Someone who understood him in a way the others couldn't.
But someone he also annoyed to no end.
Marco stood on the top deck, watching Ace and (Y/n) run around each other. Ace had thrown her into the ocean during a prank and she was trying her best to get back at him. It didn't take a genius to note this wouldn't end well, but the rest of the crew decided just to sit back.
Except Thatch, who loved to antagonize the two. What was better than an angry Ace? An angry (Y/n). Beating up Ace.
"You know, he didn't just throw you in the ocean, he tricked you and THEN threw you in the ocean. Even worse. I think he deserves to be thrown in the ocean, too."
(Y/n) huffed a laugh as her brother struck out to hit her, but she knocked his hand aside and smacked him upside the head. Heat and fire pooled around him, but from the numerous burn marks and scars littering her body, it was easy to see she barely felt it anymore.
"I'd throw him in if the chicken could swim. But since I'm one of the few who can, I'd have to fish him out. I've spent enough time in the ocean today, thank you ."
That caused a chorus of laughter from the others. Marco shook his head, laughing along with them as Ace whined about being hit. She glared playfully and they both stuck their tongues out at each other. A normal occurrence on the Moby Dick.
"Gurarara, with how much you two argue, it's a miracle the others haven't tossed you both into the ocean to cool your fiery spirits." Pops called out, making (Y/n) push Ace, the indication that she was claiming it was his fault. Then Ace pushed back, and the two siblings were trying to one up the other for the second time in ten minutes.
While the two siblings were too busy paying attention to Pops, they didn't take into account their brothers who could be just as playful and had pulled numerous pranks on them. Thatch was stepping up behind them, Vista at his side. Vista grabbed Ace and Thatch picked up (Y/n) by the waist and both were tossed overboard towards the unforgiving and cold sea.
However, they were stopped short when (Y/n) reached out for Ace and a hand reached out for her. With Ace's foot brushing against the surface of the ocean, a shudder running through him, the other individual pulled them both up.
It was Marco, holding tightly to (Y/n)'s arm and keeping them from ending up in the icy waters.
"Pops, please. You keep giving them bad ideas. They do not need the help." He grunted as he brought the siblings onto deck and immediately, Ace was up in flames and chasing Vista and Thatch. (Y/n) stayed behind to whine to Pops about how mean that was.
Later that evening, once the others were busy with eating dinner, Marco came out to sit with Pops to check on his sake intake and maybe discuss plans for the next island but was stopped short when he heard not just Pops' voice, but (Y/n)'s too.
"I don't know but he does this all the time Pops!"
"And saving you is a problem? I think I should be very concerned for your future spouse if you don't like being safe."
"You know what I'm talking about Pops! How is my heart supposed to take this? He should just let me drown next time. Save me the misery."
Who were they talking about? (Y/n)'s voice sounded sad and distant, like she was hurting. Pops sounded just as cheery and playful as usual, so that must mean nothing was really wrong, right? What caused her misery?
"Oh come on, sis!" That was Ace's voice. He wondered where that flame headed idiot went. Usually his black hole of a stomach kept him in the kitchen long after all the others, but he had followed after his sister, teasingly poking at her as they left. Apparently to come talk to Pops.
"Just tell him you're in love with him. I can't take this in the middle crap you keep pulling. He's got such a soft spot for you that even if he doesn't love you, he'll let you down easy. Come on!"
All Marco could hear was a long sigh and then a dull thud. Whether one of them had a narcoleptic episode, she hit Ace, or she hit the table herself, Marco couldn't see from his spot. So he waited in silence to see what would be said next.
"Oh come on," That was Ace again. Marco took a chance and leaned over to see if he could see them and saw (Y/n)'s head down on the table with her (h/c) hair shielding her face. She looked utterly defeated. Or asleep.
"Marco loves you. You know this, I know it, Pops has been trying to set you up for months. Why are you still so scared?"
Marco froze in his spot, hearing those words coming out of Ace's mouth. There was no way this was real. They were messing with him. They knew he was in love with her and were messing with him for whatever reason.
Then (Y/n) sat up and leaned against her brother's shoulder. Her back was to Marco, but the way her shoulders were slumped and the way she let herself fall onto her brother told Marco just how real all of this was.
"He deserves someone better anyways. I mean, I'm just (Y/n). He's Marco the phoenix, first division commander," She ran a hand through her hair and stood up, pushing herself away from the kotatsu she was sitting at.
"But it's whatever. I have to go see Thatch about kitchen duty tomorrow so I'll see you guys." She squared her shoulders and steeled her expression, ready to go back and see the others. She was caught off guard when she turned and caught sight of a very pleased Marco.
Flustered and stuttering, (Y/n) took a step back. Ace turned to see what had caused her to act like that and laughed loudly when he realized that Marco had been standing there. And from the looks of him, had been standing there for a long time.
Pops pushed (Y/n) with one hand, causing her to stumble forward towards Marco. It wasn't chance that he caught her, for the second time that day. He had been her personal savior since the twins joined. Though (Y/n) wished he had let her drown earlier. Then she wouldn't be in this situation.
"I see you two have much to talk about. Why don't you two go to the back deck? Ace can take kitchen duty tomorrow." Ace's face fell for a second but nodded at his sister.
"Yeah, I'll go see Thatch. You spend some alone time with bird brains, here." Ace stood and dusted himself off. As he passed the two, (Y/n) who was frozen and Marco who was just happy to be there with her, he stood close to Marco and whispered in his ear, " You hurt my sister and I'll drown you ." Then he smiled happily at the two, walking off to see their beloved cook.
Turning out of Marco's hold, (Y/n) looked up at Pops for a confirming nod before squaring her shoulders and turning back to Marco with a serious expression. "We need to talk," She said in a tone that Marco couldn't decipher.
She didn't wait for a response, only turned on her heel and walked off towards the back deck. She was a Portgas, not a coward. She would face this like her and her brother faced everything. Head first, no idea what to do, and hoping that at the very least, no one gets hurt badly.
Marco found her standing at the back of the ship, leaning against the railing a few minutes later. Not wanting to rush this, and letting (Y/n) take the time to try and think it over, Marco decided he would let her do most of the talking. Not that he really thought she would do too much thinking. Portgas' were known for diving head first. If they thought too much, they'd get stuck in their own minds.
Finally taking his spot next to her, Marco glanced at (Y/n) and noted her expression. It wasn't happy, sad, or even determined. Just blank. He could see her staring off at something, thinking about what it was she needed to say. It didn't seem like this would be an easy conversation for her.
"I think it was before we joined,"
Marco watched how she spoke. Careful, planned, and calm. Unlike her usual brash and loud way of speaking, she was taking her time with this. He had only seen her like this when comforting a friend or talking to Pops about serious matters.
"We knew about a lot of you. Had to, if we wanted to take on Pops. I think I even had one of your wanted posters." She huffed a laugh, crossing her arms on the railing and resting her chin on her freckled arms.
"Ace didn't like you much, but I couldn't help thinking how cool a phoenix could be. The fire, the healing, the regeneration! What kind of person could hold onto that kind of power? And then I met you." She frowned. Marco didn't move, letting her take the time to think of her next words.
"You weren't what I thought. I mean, you were calm and cool, but you didn't seem anything like a pirate I had ever met before. I was so used to Luffy, Ace, Dadan, and of course that loser Shanks," She snorted a laugh, standing up straight and running a hand through her hair. "I expected brash and loud. And boy, did the crew deliver. But not you. And I think that's what drew me in, at first." She paused, unsure what to say next.
There was a pause.
"It was when you first joined." Her eyes glanced over at Marco. He wasn't looking at her, looking towards that same thing she had been. Something just too far away to be seen. That look had been on her face a lot since joining. Distant.
"You were this spit fire, and Gol D. Roger's daughter. Ace had gotten our attention by attacking Pops. But you," He rested his chin in his hand and looked at her. "We had heard all about the second in command of the Spade pirates and how she backed down to no one, got into too many fights,” She laughed sheepishly. “But you let Ace fight Pops on his own. Believed in him and supported him but from the sidelines instead of right next to him.”
(Y/n) smiled, looking back towards the front of the ship where Ace was laughing with the others.
"And I guess it was when you smiled for the first time, after that fight. You told Pops he would get back up and try again, and I think I had no chance. Just seeing that smile on your face."
A blush rose to her cheeks and she looked back towards Marco. He had this soft look, one she'd never seen before. She wasn't sure she could look away, even with how embarrassed she was.
"At first, I thought you liked Thatch. I mean, you spent all of your time with him. If you weren't with Ace, you were by Thatch's side. It took a while to realize it was because he bribed you with sweets." She laughed, caught off guard by the confession from him.
When they first showed up, Thatch had taken to giving (Y/n) small snacks to get on her good side. They didn't need two angry Portgas kids, so Thatch kept her mood up with tea, sweets, and cracking jokes. It had worked, and Thatch became really close with her, but to imagine that she had liked him? She couldn’t imagine that.
"You know, he said once he was worried if he didn't keep giving me sweets, you'd steal away all my attention. I thought I was being subtle, but he caught on to my feelings for you even quicker than I did."
The two stood in silence for a moment. (Y/n) rested her head on his shoulder and he took the opportunity to rest his arm around her.
"I didn't want anything to change. I like how we were," She crossed her arms and got this thoughtful look on her face. "But, I think this isn't so bad. I don't know why I was so worried. Worst you could've done was told me you didn't feel the same."
The warmth from being so close made (Y/n) close her eyes, just basking in this feeling.
"Ace is going to kill you if you hurt me."
Marco sweatdropped and laughed, holding her tighter. "I'll let him. I don't intend to ever hurt you."