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The news about the payback war hit them in the morning, about 48 hours after it had been concluded. Shanks didn’t wait long before telling his crew they were making their way to Sphinx. He knew that’s where Marco would go to lick his wounds, and to treat anyone else’s.
He had told the blond not to do it, that there was more to Teach than had seemed. Something had been off about Marshal D. Teach for a long time and Shanks had never quite figured out what that had been linked to. It could have been the greed in his eyes, and the way he had been able and willing to stab a family that took care of him for 30 years in the back as if it was nothing.
“Boss,” Beck started, but Shanks shook his head, “It’s not up to us to interfere, but we do have to check in with them if they are alright.”
Part of him knew they weren’t alright. The losses at Marineford had been great already, and the Newscoo mentioned a great number of losses after the Payback War too. Marco had never been meant to lead the crew, that should have been Ace’s role once the Old Man was gone. But he had been too hurt and was still recovering. The firecracker called at times, to check in on them, and had told Shanks he had tried to talk Marco out of it. Which was one of the reasons Shanks was making his way there to begin with.
The connection between him and Marco had been there for ages now. They had always been in each other’s orbit, but since the loss of his Captain, the Phoenix had lost his way and Shanks was certain he (and Ace) were one of the few anchors the Zoan had left in his life.
As such, he had been certain Marco and whoever was left, would be going to Sphinx at the end of it all.
Beck sighed, “Boss, you need to think about what you’re going to do with this all. The Whitebeard Pirates are a thing of the past. This has shown the world they’re not who they once were and where Ace might be able to revive them he’s not even close to being strong enough to be doing that right now. I know… We all know how you feel about Marco, so I just want to put it out there.”
Pouting, for a moment Shanks had hoped that Beck would keep silent about that. He knew he had been offering Marco a place on his crew for ages now. Oftentimes in jest, but recently he did want the blond on his crew. Not that he didn’t want Hongo as his Doctor, but Marco was different. He was so much more than just a Doctor and he deserved it to have another Captain (seeing as it’s either Shanks or Ace either way).
“I just… I need to check up on him, Beck. He isn’t dealing well and despite both me and Ace telling him to leave Teach alone he still went and I know that it didn’t go well,” Shanks said in the end.
A large part was indeed because of his feelings for Marco. Because the blond had been one of his oldest and dearest friends. To know he was hurting, hurt Shanks too. That being said, he knew he needed to make a choice there and to talk it over with both Ace and Marco. Things were about to happen, all of them knew and he didn’t mean Luffy coming out of hiding and taking the world by storm.
No, what he meant was that Teach was obviously gunning for Newgate’s previous spot as an Emperor. Linlin and Kaido already made moves, so something needed to be done. Shanks has too small of a crew, and a fleet, to keep a territory as big as Newgate’s under his cloak so he wouldn’t do it. But that didn’t mean he’d leave it all to fate.
In the end, they do sail for Sphinx. What he finds there breaks his heart in two.
Ace is holding Marco close, hushing the older man as he laments on how he broke everything their Pops had built. Tears streaming down his face and too many fresh graves for it to be anything but guilt over what happened in the Payback War.
Shanks is hurrying towards him, exchanging a look with Ace who lets go and winces as he gets up. Not even arguing when Hongo steps forward to lead him away to check on his abdomen and the scar still healing there. As his crew takes care of Ace, and the remnant, Shanks turns back to Marco to pull the older man into his embrace and allow him to cry into his chest. Hushing him, talking nonsense and letting him cry it out.
Only after, does he slowly stand, help Marco up, and make his way to the houses on the outskirts of Sphinx’ largest town where the Remnant had set up. Helping Marco into the house he called his own, and leading him to the bathroom to clean up as Shanks set up the kettle to make tea.
Soft foodsteps behind him let Shanks know Marco is back, the soft voice only adding to that, “I didn’t expect you to be here quite so soon -yoi.”
Looking back, he sees Marco standing there? His eyes are still red from crying, but the streaks on his cheeks have been washed off. He looks exhausted still, the flickering of blue flames telling Shanks he isn’t as healthy or alright as he wanted others to believe. Ace might believe it, but Shanks had been there as Marco tried to make sense out of his devil fruit. He had been a lanky teenager growing into a man and it hurt to think that Marco actually believed he had destroyed everything Newgate had built.
Sighing, he keeps his eyes on Marco as he places the now steeping tea pot on the table, “We read about the Payback War and I knew you wouldn’t be dealing well.”
The snort Marco lets out is harsh, self-hatred more than clear in the noise. He looks away, even when he admits that he should have listened to Ace and Shanks. That Teach is not the brother they had grown up with. He’s vile and backwards and not afraid to use anything and everything he knows about them against them. He killed without prejudice, taking out about half the remaining Commanders and about as many crew.
“There is nothing left now -yoi. Ace is here, but he will be setting out with the Spades once he’s fully healed up. I don’t… I’m not… There is nothing else left, and I doubt he’d want me on the ship after seeing what I did with the remnant of our crew”, Marco’s voice is quiet. Staring at his hands, he adds, “I never should have gone out to meet him, even if he kept on challenging me -yoi. He knew I wasn’t Captain material, never was and never will be. He threw it in my face and he was right about it too.”
Shanks shakes his head, taking a hold of Marco’s hand, “You made a choice to go after the man that killed one of your brothers and your dad, who would have been indirectly responsible for the death of another if things had gone differently at Marineford. He knows you from years on board the Moby, Marco, and we know that Teach is a snake given everything.” He rubs his thumb over the back of Marco’s hand, “He’s been trying to get under your skin and you shouldn’t let him.”
It’s clear from the look in Marco’s eyes that he can’t just let it go. But he isn’t looking quite that lost anymore so Shanks is going to count it as a win.
Still holding onto a hand, he adds, “And you know I’ll always come running to you, I thought I made that clear years ago.”
A flush appears on Marco’s cheeks, and it’s the one of the best things Shanks has seen in a long time. He honestly hadn’t seen Marco blush like that since they were children. Back when his crush was obvious, but as they crew older. As Shanks established his own crew and Whitebeard’s got bigger, Marco distanced himself more and more. It became more of a game, as the message had been clear. But now… Things had changed and a part of Shanks wanted Marco on his ship.
To his surprise, Marco twisted his hand in his hold, not to get out of it but to link their fingers together, “After all this time?”
Nodding, Shanks flushed as bright as his hair, “I never stopped, I never plan on stopping. You’re it for me, Birdie, but I knew the chances of you leaving the Old Man’s side were zero so I never pushed. But things changed…”
Marco sighed, “They did -yoi. Ace… Ace doesn’t see me like that, he has Deuce and the Spades, as well as you and Luffy as allies. He’ll be fine, I think…”
“So where does that leave you”, Shanks whispered, his eyes on Marco seeing the way blue eyes link onto his. There is longing there, a spark he had believed lost in the blond.
As he opens and closes his mouth a few times, still keeping a hold of Shanks’ gaze, Marco needs a moment to find his words, “You already have a doctor and a first mate -yoi.”
Humming, Shanks nods, “I do, so you wouldn’t be taking on that load on the Red Force. You work too much, Birdie and it showed. Newgate got used to you being his right hand and Ace eventually being his left. But I don’t need that,” looking at his missing left hand, he snorts, “Well, I do, but not like that. I just need you and whatever it is you want to give to me, to my crew.”
Looking at their joined hands, Shanks feels the need to bring it up, “You’ve been running the Moby Dick for half a decade, Marco. Newgate was old, and we all knew it, but that doesn’t mean it gets easier to lose him. You went from one war into survival mode into the next, did you ever take the time to grieve? Did you let yourself take that time, or did you hold onto before and let it consume you?”
The answer comes in the way a sob passed Marco’s lips before he’s using their linked hands to pull Shanks up from where he was seated to burrow into his chest. Tears wet the front of his shirt as he doesn't mind, not when after more than a year, he can get Marco to just let go. That had been the hardest part after Marineford, and why he had come straight here after the news. Because he had seen Marco push it all back to help Ace heal, to help the crew stay afloat, and he knew it would all break down once the loss of the Payback War came around.
Holding on, making sure that Marco knew he wasn’t alone. Staying there as the tea he had set was oversteeped and probably bad now. They stayed there until Marco succumbed to sleep as he released all the emotions from before. Beck and Ace come to check up on them and with their help Shanks puts Marco to bed.
Pulling Ace to the side, and before he can say anything, the younger one says, “Marco is going with you, isn’t he?”
Blinking once, Shanks nodded, “He is… I… I hope you don’t mind?”
Laughing, Ace shakes his head, “The two of you aren’t really subtle, and in a way you’re both my big brothers so I know you’ll look after one another. He has been carrying too much and I know if he joined me, he’d feel responsible like that once more. With you he doesn’t… That’ll be healthier for him too.”
Pulling Ace into a hug, Shanks basks in the knowledge that his little brother is a great captain for seeing that. He tells him as much too, before adding that they’ll only be a call away. This isn’t the end for either of them, but it is the end of the Whitebeard Pirates.
“It’s for the best,” Ace whispered, still hugging him, “The Whitebeard Pirates were broken for a long time, I think, but no one wanted to see. Marco was the one doing all the work until I joined and I think that’s the reason it all fell apart. But this is a new chance, a new dawn, and I know he’ll be able to get that second chance at sea with you.”
Shanks is there when Ace tells Marco as much and he’s there when Marco agrees and gets onto the Red Force. Waving Ace goodbye and knowing that in a year's time, once Luffy appears again, they’ll all be ready to rally behind him and bring him to Laugh Tale. To join another era, to follow a new King.
—
Marco goes to help in Wano, leaves the Red Force to do so once Ace calls with what Luffy is planning. When he returns, it’s with a soft kiss to Shanks’ lips and a grin a mile wide, “He really is going to be Pirate King -yoi. I can’t wait to see him again.”
Laughing, Shanks just looks into the direction of Wano. He can feel Luffy’s haki reaching out and does so in turn, grin widening at the utter joy coming over the connection.
He’ll bask in that feeling later.
For now, he has a boyfriend to welcome home and he knows his crew is well aware that he’ll be occupied in his cabin for at least an hour. They shouldn’t mind, not when he’s been much more mellow since Marco is on board. Of course, as designated ‘Captain’s Boyfriend’ he can drag Shanks off for other pleasures than drinking or a battle.
Laying in bed, naked, and wrapped up in each other, Shanks sighed against Marco’s lips, “I love you.”
Humming, Marco kisses him softly, “I love you too -yoi. Thank you, for being there when I needed you and for showing me what I needed even if I didn’t want to see.”
Running his hand through Marco’s hair, Shanks leans in to kiss him softly, “Always, I’ll make sure to always show you you’re not alone. You’re never alone, not if I can help it.”