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When Ace opened his eyes, he felt disoriented. Because despite after a good night sleep (it has to be another narcolepsy attack, right?) his whole body felt tired. And the second thing he registered was his empty stomach; he was starving and nothing could stop him from getting his foo—
Tug.
Huh, Ace noticed his left arm was connected to an IV he usually saw in Moby’s infirmary. He pulled his arm, well, tried to, because it turned out his hand only shifted a little. That alarmed the freckled man. He glanced around only perceived then that he was in fact in a room he didn’t recognize and the ground below his bed certainly wasn’t something that floated above water.
“You’re awake!” a shrill from his side startled him and he caught a little girl in orange dress staring at his face with big scarlet eyes. As soon as he turned his head towards the girl, she dashed out of the wooden door and screamed something that caught his breath away.
“Marco, he’s awake!!”
.
As the door burst open the second time, Marco, his usually calm and collected Marco, rushed to his bedside and Ace suddenly found himself in a tight familiar embrace. The phoenix muttered something about I almost lose you too and don’t ever do that again.
Then all at once, everything came back to Ace and the first thing he asked was Pops whereabouts. Marco tighten his embrace, shaking his head. “Answer me, Marco! Is he okay? Where is he? Where are we!?” But Marco’s silence was enough for tears to flow down Ace’s cheeks at the realization.
Marco brushed his hair as Ace bawled his eyes out, telling the freckled man not to apologize; Pops had died because “he loves his children and you are his son, too, of course he’d do anything for you, yoi.”
After Ace calmed down, it was his stomach’s turn to growl. Ace chuckled into Marco’s shoulder and the older snorted, carrying the younger man towards the dining table because his legs were disobeying him (“It’s okay, Ace. It’s sort of a side effect from being in a coma, yoi. Nothing a little exercise couldn’t fix.”)
They spent the rest of the day catching up, and oh, how much Ace wanted to take part in the Payback War because that son of a bitch Teach was still out there being alive. Marco also told him all about their current residence, Sphinx, Pops’ homeland.
And Luffy. His little brother didn’t know that Ace was supposed to be alive. Marco told him Trafalgar D. Law—Heart Pirates’ Captain, the one who had saved his life—didn’t want to give Luffy any false hope, because within a period of six months, the surgeon hadn’t even known whether or not Ace would survive.
(Also, if that same night as they went to bed Marco held him too tight, burying his face in the freckled man’s chest too deep as Ace could feel his shirt gotten damp around the said area, he wasn’t going to say a thing.)
.
Ace, shirt already discarded, was getting ready to push the log cart when he saw a flicker of blue flames flying towards him. He groaned and threw his hands up. “Come on!” Ace said in an exasperated tone.
Always, every time Ace about to do any ‘excessive’ work, he always appeared out of nowhere.
“Don’t you have another thing to do, Marco?” Ace said as the phoenix shifted into its human form, revealing the face of the man he really loved, but right now, wanted nothing but to get away from.
“Ace, don’t you remember what I told you, yoi?”
“These are only logs, for God’s sake Marco! These are for Emi’s old man, apparently Tama accidentally destroyed their kitchen, again, and I’m going to help them whether you like it or not,” Ace turned away from Marco and took the cart’s handle with both of his hands, ready to flee from the phoenix’s sight.
Ace took a deep breath and pushed the wooden cart up. It had been 3 months since he woke up from his coma and had been walking again by a month from sheer determination. Still, Marco still thought he was some sort of fragile little thing who couldn’t—
Flinch.
Ace grimaced as a small pain spiked up from his upper abdomen. However, knowing his luck, of course Marco noticed, because the blonde was suddenly standing beside him.
“How about I handle the cart and you sit up there until we get to Emi’s house, yoi? Then you’ll get to do the repairing,” Ace was frowning, ready to disagree, especially towards the blatant lie because he’d end up watching Marco did all the work, again, before Marco added, “Please, Ace?”
And, see, Ace couldn’t refuse that plead for his own good, because dammit You’re lucky I love you, pineapple head, the freckled man thought as he dropped the cart with a loud thump and climbed up the cart to sit on top of the logs.
Ace knew his condition perfectly well, that’s why he’s got to train his body in order to be able to do everything normally again. But Marco seemed to think differently. The blonde always managed to stop Ace from doing anything that would overstrain his back and muscles, said it has something to do with Ace’s condition after his battle at Marineford, yada-yada. Ace really thought Marco was overreacting.
Damned doctor. And damn those glasses, making everything harder for Ace.
The younger would prove it to the other that he was in fact, perfectly fine, just watch.
.
Ace honestly loved this island. This is his father’s homeland and the very place Pops had fought and protected for years so it could obtain the peaceful days it has now. But one of these days, when the children didn’t come over to play or went on an adventure with Ace, he felt reaaal bored.
He lounged outside of his and Marco’s house (Ace always felt giddy remembering it was their house) while observing the clouds. Usually Marco’s there to accompany him but today he had a patient so he had left Ace alone with his thoughts.
The freckled man smiled a little to himself and thought, perhaps, his old self would feel guilty about surviving the whole mess. He would have thought he didn’t deserve to be where he was now. But never once that thought appeared ever since he’d seen Marco crying himself to sleep when he found out Ace was awake, alive. True, he still have some of his doubts about some things, but—
Ace shook his head, no, no depressive thoughts! He was here to protect the island, to ensure its villagers’ wellbeing because this island was what Pops’ had entrusted. He noticed Marco had finished tending to his patient and rushed towards the house.
“Marco, let’s spar!” Ace said with enthusiasm in his tone, his fire already begging to be used. “It’s been, what, more than a year?! Come on, Marco! Help me blow up some steam!”
Marco though, he didn’t seem at all amused nor showing his usual smirk when he thought Ace was going to have his ass owned. Instead, the blonde looked doubtful, unsure.
“Ace, you know you are not allowed to overextend your body and fighting certainly not only will burden your back but also affect your recovering organs, yoi. It’s still dangerous—“
“I know! That’s why I asked to spar, so I can work it little by little! Please, Marco, don’t be a party pooper!”
“We are working through it little by little. You see you are now allowed to deliver medicines across the hill and play with the kids in the forests—“
“Don’t bullshit me Marco! I know you’re always watching from afar every time I’m away. You didn’t forget who I am, did you? I was the second division commander of our crew, dammit, I’m not that dumb!”
Marco’s posture softened at that, but Ace was having none of it. “Ace, you know I don’t think of you that way,”
“Yeah? Whatever, I’m gonna go fishing. Don’t you dare follow me, you bird brain!” Ace stomped away because this was not a fight he could win and headed towards the farthest river from their house.
But, Ace huffed angrily, of course Marco still followed him at a safe distance.
.
Ace swore he didn’t realize he had led the kids way too far from their usual route this time.
Marco had been tending to several emergencies, something about food poisoning? Ace wasn’t sure but perhaps that was why the freckled man unconsciously dared himself to go further because there had been no one keeping an eye on him. At times like this, he was reminded of Dadan and ugh, that wasn’t quite a reassurance, especially when he knew what he was doing was in fact, wrong.
“Ace, what is this cave? Can we go in?”
Uh-oh. “Eh, no, the cave is dark and cold. You wouldn’t want to go there, nope,” Ace answered, panicking a little because he had accidentally brought them towards the border of the village. The cave wasn’t endless, no. Beyond this cave was a waterfall, Marco had told him, the waterfall that connected Sphinx with the outside world.
“But you have fire, Ace! We can look for insects in there! My book says there’s a glowing insect inside a dark cave, can we enter, Ace?”
“Nonono, we’re going back, okay? Marco always told you not to do anything dangerous right? And this cave is dangerous so we are not entering that cave,”
“But Ace is strong, right? You will protect us from anything dangerous!”
“Yeah, he is Marco’s friend, of course Ace is strong too!”
The other kids nodded in agreement and Ace heart swelled at that. Despite only have been here for only a short period of time, they put so much trust in him and who was Ace to turn them down?
“Alright—“
Boom!!
Ace whipped his face so fast at that and saw thick smoke coming out of the cave.
“Ace, what’s happening?” one of the kids asked with fear in her voice.
Pirates. Shit. Marco had told him about pirate attacks that happened quite frequent on this island, said they were here to seek Whitebeard’s hidden treasure.
He could feel his heart pumping blood louder and faster (Marco would be angry because the elevated heart rate!) but he couldn’t back down from a fight! But first, the kids.
“Eiji, you’re the oldest right? Can you help me lead the others back to the village?”
“Yes! But Ace, what’s happening?”
“Pirates,” he said, fist already covered in flame.
.
Ace let out a ragged breath, tried to ignore the pain coming from his whole midsection and his left shoulder because damn fuckers had sea stone bullets with them.
Thud.
The last man fell unconscious and there was no way he’d survive those nasty burn Ace gifted him.
Now that was some sport he had been craving. “Wasn’t that Fire Fi—! But didn’t he di—!” Ha! The horror in their eyes as soon as they realized who he was, the freckled man smiled triumphantly.
Ace had taken down 30 men, one with sea stone bullets and other one with lame Devil Fruit power—but still a Devil Fruit user—easily. Well, ouch, the fight had been nothing but now his body was hurting like hell but nothing Marco couldn’t ease with his regenerative fi—
“Ace, what the fuck!” he heard someone yelled his name out and as soon as he turned around, two strong arms gripped his shoulders, hard. He flinched at the pain from his left shoulder, causing the man who’s responsible for it loosen his grip up. “What the fuck,” the said man whispered under his breath as he saw the bullet wound.
“Hey pineapple head, guess what! I took down 30 men by mysel—“
“Ace, why are you always doing this?!” Marco cut his sentence, voice trembling with obvious anger.
“Whoa, calm down, Marco. See, I’m okay! I defeated all of them, easily, just like the old days!” Ace shrugged, trying to smile because he had never seen Marco this angry towards him.
“That’s it, Ace. That’s the fuck it. Let’s go home, we have to do something with your wound, yoi,” Marco said as he turned around. “And no more ‘adventures’ with the kids from now on. I’d let their parents know.”
That. That sparked Ace’s anger.
“Huh? Now that’s just ridiculous, Marco. I know I went off the usual route this time, but nothing happened in the end! The kids are safe, the island is safe! What’s your problem here?!”
“It’s you Ace!” Ouch, that hurt. “I told you many times over you’re not allowed to do this kind of things, and always, always you went off on your own to do the exact opposite!” ‘Just like the last time’ but it remain unspoken.
“What, now you don’t believe me? You’re afraid I’d harm the kids? You know better I’d die first rather than—“
“Don’t!” Marco exclaimed, his voice heavy with dread. “Don’t fucking finish that sentence, Ace,”
“Huh, why? You know I’m as responsible as you are on the wellbeing of this island. This is what Pops had entrusted us with, you’d do the same, so why can’t I?!”
“I told you it was your condition, dammit Ace, listen to me for once, would you. You are—“
“Weak? Incapable? I know I’m not as strong as the me back in our sailing days but I’m trying, Marco. I’m trying to be strong again so I can protect what I had left. But no, you decided not to let me do anything, even lifting goddamned logs up!”
“Ace, I never said anything about—“
“No, shut it, Marco. You listen. I know I fucking failed everything and everyone before, with Teach, with Marineford, I know. Yet, I was given another chance, I’m here and I still have the others. I still have this island, I still have you. But it feels like you don’t trust me anymore. And I understand that Marco, after all, you lost someone you love the most because of me,” Ace didn’t realize but when he felt his cheeks getting wet, he knew he’s crying. Dammit.
“But I still hope you’d believe me when I said I want to protect what I had left,” Ace chuckled. “I know I have no right to say this, but it hurt that you don’t trust me, Marco,”
After he said those words, he could only hear Marco calling his name out and then the world turned pitch black.
.
“—yeah, he’s still sleeping now, yoi. I’d tell him to call you when he wakes up,”
Ace listened his lover’s voice talking with someone through the Den-Den Mushi. He tried to get up but couldn’t repress a groan escaping his mouth as he accidentally put all of his weight on his left arm.
“Ace? You’re awake?” Marco was suddenly there by the opened door.
[“Marco, give the Den-Den Mushi to Ace, I want to talk to him!”]
Ace recognized Izo’s voice everywhere and smiled fondly at that. “Hello, Izo!”
Marco approached his—their—bed and passed the snail to Ace. The freckled man realized Marco’s eyes were bloodshot but offered no comment at the sight.
A cough was heard, then, [“Now, Marco, if you’d excuse us, I would like to talk to Ace in private,”]
Ace saw Marco sighed at that and excused himself out, but not before he told Ace he’d be outside the house if Ace needed him.
[“Well, hello, trouble maker! How are you? Heard you went and kicked some pirate’s asses today?”]
The freckled man laughed at that but soon enough his thought was replaced with grim ones. “Yeah, but apparently Marco didn’t approve my action today. I almost put the kids in danger, so,” he scratched his head.
[“Oh yes, Marco told me about the kids,”] Ace cringed a little at that then a pregnant pause fell between them. Perhaps Izo felt the same way as Marco, perhaps all his brothers did too, perhaps—
[“Ace, Marco’s worried about the kids, sure. But he lost it because you weren’t there with the kids. And hey, he didn’t blame you, you know. He never did. None of us did, if you’re also wondering,”] Izo interrupted his train of thoughts. [“Have… Have you ever asked Marco what had happened after Marineford?”]
“Yes, well, he told me about you guys going for the Blackbeards and that leads to—“
[“No, you silly. That motherfucker defeated us, yes, don’t need to remind me,”] Izo chuckled, his voice heavy with amusement despite talking about an unpleasant memory. [“I mean what happened to Marco himself, Ace,”]
“I—“ that’s right, Ace never asked anything about Marco himself. Not when he had accidentally caught Marco’s hand lingered too long on Ace’s head as the other tucked him in those nights Ace had decided to sleep early. Not when every time Marco had stared at him like he’s something unreal when Ace had been blabbering about his adventures with the kids. “No, I never asked,”
Ace could hear Izo’s loud sigh from the other side of the line. [“Figures. I’m pretty sure if you ask him, he wouldn’t say a thing anyway,”]
“What actually happened, Izo? Eh, not like I needed to know immediately, I could—ask Marco, later, maybe,” Ace couldn’t believe he stuttered, Izo would have—
[“I know you had a fight with Marco, you dork. But don’t blame him, he didn’t say anything, I’m just good at figuring things out like that,”] Izo said with a laugh and Ace was pretty sure the pretty guy winked.
[“You know the Heart Pirates saved you and you brother’s life, right?”] Izo spoke up when he realized Ace was silent. The freckled man nodded while muttering a small yes. “Complicated surgery, and all,” he said as he rubbed where the nasty scar rested.
Ace waited for Izo to spoke up. [“We all would do anything in order to save you, Ace, we all would. But Marco had begged Trafalgar D. Law to save you, I—“] Ace could hear Izo taking a deep breath in the middle of the loud ringing in his ears. Marco had what? [“I was afraid I’d lose my little brother the same day I lost my father. But Marco, I have never seen him so terrified in my whole life.
At this point he basically is invincible, Ace. He’s never afraid of anything even deaths because being a damn phoenix, he’d just resurrect back. Haha, unfair isn’t it?
And while the others had been blown by the fact Pops had died, Marco knew better than everyone. He told us to respect Pops’ decision on how he wanted his death turn out to be. Pops had gone with a smile, so we’re letting him go with one, too.
But after consoling us, he would go back to your room, stayed there for days without sleeping nor eating properly. Every time the monitors are showing changes or beeping abnormal sounds, he would panic. Despite being a doctor himself, he had been helpless because his hands were trembling all the time,”]
.
While Ace had been speechless, Izo had told him everything Marco had to go through. About the one night where they had already set sail again and out of nowhere he suddenly left Ace’s room for the nurses. “I’m going to find Teach. Please take care of Ace while I’m gone”. The commanders had been shouting their lungs out that night. Marco had kept telling them to stay behind and the others had kept disagreeing with Marco, because if he’s going to kick the rat’s ass, they’re coming with him.
And of course Izo’s [“All this time Marco was trying protect you because he’s afraid he’d lose you again. He never distrusted you, thinking you’re weak nor incapable, let alone blame you for anything. He’s being a worrywart, Ace. Let him fret over you, will you? It soothes his nerves down,”] made him felt guilty for his action and words. Not to mention Marco had been crying before.
Ace opened the front door and saw Marco was sitting on their makeshift bench, the older’s back towards him. The freckled man shuffled hesitantly and without warning dropped himself down to the sit beside Marco, making the phoenix turned his head in surprise.
“Ace, you finished talking with Izo? Want me to check your wound?”
Ace shook his head slowly while trying to form proper words out and sighed as he failed. So he did the only thing he knew he’s good at; he shuffled closer and snuggled himself up to Marco, resting his head on the other’s shoulder.
“Ace? You okay, yoi?” Marco wrapped his arm around the younger man and rested his palm on Ace’s lower back. There, Ace realized how clueless he had been up until now because Marco always asked him the same question, all with same concern and sincerity, while Ace had never once asked how Marco was.
“I’m sorry, Marco,” Ace managed to let out a weak sound. When he noticed Marco’s confused silence, he continued, “I didn’t know. What you’ve been through the past year. I, I promise I’d listen to you from now on,”
And honestly, Ace didn’t expect Marco to let out a chuckle and tighten his grip around Ace.
“Izo sure talks a lot, huh?” the blonde said with a small smile. “It’s not your fault, Ace, I promise. I do realize I was being too much. I’m sorry too, yoi,”
Ace looked up at that because that he didn’t expect. “Why? You did nothing wrong, Marco!”
“I did. I made you think you’re at fault, I promise you’re far from it, yoi. You are the bravest man I ever met, Ace, please remember that,” Marco shifted his arm so now he was brushing Ace’s hair.
“As your doctor, I’m going to figure out some gradual exercises and healthy diet so you’d get back to your ‘commander’ shape again in no time. Though I’d appreciate you not giving me heart attacks by challenging random pirates out of nowhere too often, yoi,” the blonde continued with light amusement in his voice, one in which Ace didn’t expect. “For the meantime, please let me handle that certain problem, yoi,”
“So,” Ace blinked his eyes at Marco, brown met blue, “We’re cool?”
“Yeah, though we both are in fact the farthest from being cool,” Marco said with that smirk he always wore when he thought he did something smart. Ace couldn’t believe this man sometimes.
“Marco, this is not the time for some joke! I’m being serious! Why’d you never told me anything about your condition back when I was still asleep, I—“
Without warnings, a pair of full lips silenced him with a light peck over his own. The nerve of this pineapple head!
“I want to leave those feelings in the past, is that okay, Ace? You’re here, that’s what matters. I’m happy, so very much, if you’re wondering, yoi,” Marco said while burying his face into Ace’s hair. The freckled man, who had been startled, could only bury his face in the other’s neck as he remembered the words Thatch used to tease him with, but couldn’t help wishing it had been the truth.
“Ace, did you know that phoenixes only mate once in their whole-immortal-lifetime?”
Ace let out a happy giggle. “I’m happy too, bird brain,” he mumbled with a smile. ‘Thank you for waiting for me,’ left unspoken.