Work Text:
The first thing Marco noted was the fact that the reports from all the divisions were on his desk, on time this time around, starting with the First Division. Which was odd, as he was sure he didn’t do this one. Leaving through it, he tilted an eyebrow at the name on the bottom of the page. So Deuce had done his reports for him. Not that he minded, Deuce was an amazing doctor and one of the best that Marco had the pleasure of working with.
The others followed after, with Ace’s signature on the one below that, followed by Jozu and even Thatch. That last one was the most surprising, as Thatch never managed to get his reports in on time. Marco always had to go and find the man and force him to do the report.
Shaking his head, he bit his lip, part of him happy that this happened now. He wouldn’t be wasting time going after those reports. However, he was sure that this was a one time occurance. It never happened before, and that was alright, he had gotten used to just chasing after each and every one of the commanders and even Oyaji. Even Oyaji just laughed it all off, never bothering with the few reports that he did need to do. Marco did those too, he did almost all of the things that made the ship move from point A to point B.
“I guess I can’t complain about it, this might just cut into the time I was thinking of spending on this today -yoi.”
Taking a seat and looking over the reports, he noticed that they were done in the way he wanted them to be done. Clear, and well written, making it easy to take out the information he needed to add to the journals and put everything away. Looking out of the window, he was aware that it was still early on the day where normally he’d be busy until late at night to have all of this done.
Sighing, before a smile took over his face, Marco set out to check out the infirmary. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his team, but it was still a team and division he had helped build. It was in a way, his baby, and he loved to go and see what needed to be done.
As soon as he was inside the room, Deuce appeared at his side to run him through what was going on. It was very structured, and while not something Marco had told Deuce, he had told Ace about this at one point during their late night talks. Had the newly appointed Second Division Commander told his former first mate about it?
“Deuce -yoi?”
The man stopped talking, looking at him with interest, prompting Marco to continue speaking, “Did Ace set you up to do all of this?”
The way Deuce stumbled over his words told him enough, smiling softly at the man who was slowly setting himself up as his second in command, Marco patted him on the shoulder, “Thank you… I think I mentioned it to Ace once, and the way he retained that enough to tell you means so much -yoi. I also saw your signature on the bottom of the report for the First.”
Deuce grinned softly, “I… I don’t think the others see it, commander, but Ace pointed it out to me how you did essentially four jobs all on your own. He’s been taking over the Second and I think he’s doing it very well. But that still leaves you with three others. If I… We can take some trouble of your shoulders by pulling our own weight I know I would love to do so.”
Marco had never looked at it like that, he never had a reason to. If anything it came naturally to take on the responsibility, he had carried it all for so long and didn’t think to ask for help. Since Ace joined, and especially since he was made into second division commander, he had been pulling his own weight and was pushing others to do the same.
“You’re doing great, just keep on doing what you did this last month and I’m sure it’ll be a lot of help -yoi.”
Deuce nodded, before finishing his report on what had been going on in the infirmary which Marco had interrupted. Ending it by shooing Marco out, telling him he had it all under control. Nodding once, Marco left to look around the deck, realizing that it had been ages since he just took a moment to enjoy it all. To just be there and to do nothing.
“Marco?”
Humming, he turned to see Izou standing there. His best friend was grinning, “It isn’t often that we see you out here just doing nothing.”
Flushing slightly, Marco shared what he had noticed these last few days. Adding the conversation he just had with Deuce and how it made him feel to know that Ace had retained those pieces of information and was using them to help ease Marco’s duties.
Izou laughed, “You really don’t see it?”
Blinking, before shaking his head, Marco tried to go over the things he had just said. Tried to see what he had missed that made Izou grin like that. He would be told anyway. Izou never did keep anything secret from him. Not until it was something as a surprise for him later on.
“Marco, Ace is actively trying to make your life easier, because he likes you and tried to show that he can help you in managing all the tasks you took on for so long.”
Smiling softly, Izou continues, “I couldn’t see it until Ace pointed it out to me, but you took on too much work early on, both as First Division Commander and First Mate. Not to mention Head Doctor, and the person overseeing the Second Division ever since Oden-Sama left. You’ve been doing the work of four men and none of us ever saw it.”
Shrugging, Marco hummed, “I had it handled -yoi.”
Izou sighed, “Maybe, but honestly, if you didn’t have the fruit you have right now you’d have burned yourself out regardless. That’s too much work for one person alone. Ace was the first person to see, and to do something about it. I know he’s working on the Second with people like Teach and Walt, those longest in it, to see what needs to be done to make it all better. I heard from you he asked Deuce to help in Medical and in the First Division. That only leaves First Division and First Mate duties, for the most part, and that should be a lot easier to handle.”
Feeling heat creep into his face again, Marco smiled bashfully, “I guess so -yoi. I remembered I hadn’t been out on deck for ages just to be here to enjoy the ship.”
Looking at Izou, seeing the expectant look in those dark eyes, he asked, “Do you know why -yoi?”
Izou giggled, “Why is Ace doing this?”
Nodding, he turned to Izou fully, looking at his best friend as his face glowed with the smile he showed, “Because it seemed like the best way to court you, in his opinion. We’re pirates, and material possessions, no matter how nice, don't always hold that much value. He wanted it to mean something, and I think he’s managing that quite well.”
Blinking again, Marco opened and closed his mouth a few times. Trying to go over the interactions he had with Ace lately. Lots of those consistent of long talks, and more than a few touches that he didn’t allow with just about anyone. Ace was also always smiling when they were together, that clear look in his eyes that Marco knew wasn’t always there. He knew a large part of Ace’s life before he became a pirate, and what made the younger man tick. He had it though at times, so to know that he helped in making him see the light in this life again did help.
A soft smile takes over his face, “I see -yoi.”
Izou clasped him on the shoulder, “If you want to talk to him, I have it on good authority he’s in the navigation rooms right now.”
Nodding once, Marco turned and made his way to the navigation rooms, knocking once and entering once Ace’s voice called for him to enter. He had to blink a few times when the first thing he notices is Ace’s butt as he leans over the table they have a giant map on, no doubt to mark where they could stop in the next few days. The reports all asked for that, to stock up on several things.
“Ace -yoi.”
The person in question hummed, before rightening himself and turning towards Marco and grinning as he saw him.
“Hi Marco, did you need something?”
Marco hummed, taking those few steps that separated them to hug the man close to him. Just enjoying the warmth that came off of the Fire Logia.
“Thank you -yoi.”
Ace blinks before he is hugging Marco back in that strong hold, he might not look like it, but Marco knows that Ace is stronger than he looks. He enjoys that strength around him, taking care of him, and making sure that Marco is taken care of too.
“Izou told me -yoi. I didn’t see it, and I doubt anyone else did, but thank you for taking care of me.”
He could feel Ace freeze for just a second, before he was hugged even tighter than before. Something inside of him was liking that even more, letting himself sag into Ace’s slightly smaller frame to enjoy the hug for what it was.
“You aren’t taking care of yourself, Marco, so someone else had to do so. I figured it might as well be me, I wanted it to be me.”
Cooing at that, he let Ace continue, “You’ve been helping me set everything right in the Second, have been looking over me even longer and yet no one seems to notice that you do all that on top of your normal duties. I don’t know if I overstepped, but you deserve to have someone out there who looks after you too. I hope you let me be that someone.”
Cooing again, Marco has to try several times to righten himself. Ace’s warmth and the words spoken were enough to touch a part of him that he had neglected for so long. As much as Marco was a caregiver and loved taking care of others (it was one of the reasons he had become a doctor) he also liked it when he was taken care of. The notion that a potential lover had seen that before they had even been an item, who had used that as a courting gift. It did things to him that he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Licking his lips, Marco places his hands on Ace’s shoulders to keep himself standing, looking into warm gray eyes with his own no doubt smoldering ones, before he nodded.
“I’d like that -yoi.”
The beaming smile he got in return was enough to make him close the distance between himself and Ace to press their lips together. Sighing into the kiss as Ace took control of that too, just allowing Marco to feel and to enjoy this moment. He had forgotten how it felt, and was looking forward to what else this could bring him.
Breaking the kiss, he grins softly, “Thank you for taking care of me -yoi.”
Ace laughs softly, “Anytime, it’s no trouble at all.”