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Marco shivered as he pushed open the door to the coffee shop he frequented, sighing as the heat from inside came his way almost like a hug welcoming home. It felt amazing, and had him loosening the scarf he was wearing, while also opening up his jacket as he made his way to the table he used most of the time.
Grinning as Ace appeared at his side the moment he sat down, he grinned at his boyfriend before ordering the same thing that he always did.
As Ace left his side, he totally looked at the other man’s butt as it moved away from him, before letting his eyes roam the bar. Seeing Shanks standing at the register, a small grimace on his face. That probably meant he was dealing with pain from his amputated arm again. Phantom pains as they were called, did occur now and again with people missing a limb. He was also aware that when Shanks had them his younger brothers put him on the register so he could take it easy while they took care of the coffee shop they all worked in.
Luffy and Sabo, as he expected, were working the machines themselves. With Sabo going back now and again to check up on the sweet buns and cakes they were baking back there. It was always a joy to see them working together so well.
Finding this coffee shop had been a blessing and a half, one he didn’t regret even one second after entering here after he put in a double shift at the hospital some months ago. In fact, not only had he a place that was open before and after his shifts, it also got him an amazing boyfriend.
Movement in front of him had him looking up to see Mihawk and Law taking a seat at the table with him. Law was Luffy’s significant other, while Mihawk was dating Shanks. All they were missing was Koala, Sabo’s girlfriend. But he was expecting her to show up soon enough.
Ace appeared with his coffee and a selection of cakes. Pressing a kiss to his cheek before greeting Mihawk and Law, asking them what they wanted to drink.
As he left again, Luffy and Shanks wandered to their table to say something to their boyfriends as well. Shanks, given that he was quite pale, stayed seated on Mihawk’s lap longer than he no doubt intended.
Exchanging looks with Law, Marco knew that something was up with the redhead. He never slacked off, and in the half hour he had been here Shanks had been turning paler by the minute.
“Shanks?”
Mihawk's arms around his waist were the only thing that was keeping Shanks upright. Law and Marco were at his side in a moment, pushing the table to the side to kneel at his side. Hissing at the heat that was coming from the redhead.
When Ace appeared again, he too was pale, making Marco turn to his boyfriend.
“How long has he been running a fever?”
Wide eyes told him that Ace hadn’t been aware of that.
“He… He was feeling a bit under the weather this morning, but he waved us off. We put him on register duty after he started to look pale and disorientated. We didn’t think it was that much.”
Frowning, they turned to Mihawk, “Can you lay him flat on his back with your knee as his pillow?”
Mihawk nodded, maneuvering Shanks until he was laying on his back so Law and Marco could reach everything. They made quick work of that, Marco taking the stethoscope Law handed him to listen to Shanks chest and his at the sounds he heard there.
“Has he been coughing, difficulty breathing, things like that?”
Ace shook his head again, looking worried now. Looking back as Sabo and Luffy took a step closer, he asked his brothers the same thing. With only Luffy saying he had heard Shanks cough a few times last night.
“It didn’t sound like anything, so I figured it was nothing.”
Marco frowned, the fact that this was something that came up in a day was worrying. Especially if they didn’t have a medical history that could explain this.
Ace licked his lips, “Our dad, he had lung cancer a few years back, is that hereditary?”
Looking at Law who was the one more familiar with cancer, he could see the other doctor ponder over his answer.
“It depends on which kind of cancer, really. There are those that are hereditary, but not all of them are. We cannot be certain unless he goes to the hospital however.”
Marco took a deep breath, “Ace, call for an ambulance to take him to Moby general. Tell them Law and I are present and coming with him to the ED. Are you able to keep the shop open without him?”
All three of them nodded, before looking at Mihawk to ask to keep them updated. Ace and Luffy also turned to their own boyfriend to ask them to look after their older brother. As if that was even a question. They would do their utmost best to make sure Shanks could come home as soon as possible.
Luckily all it was, was an aggressive upper respiratory infection. They had it under control before it could get any worse, meaning Shanks had been cleared to go home within a few days. Much to the pleasure of his younger brothers.
It made Marco grin, happy that they had this date type of thing where they all got together one day a week to have some time to spend with their significant others. And to get to know the other crazy people that were marrying into this family.
They all had each other’s back, as proven once again today.