This one-shot was actually written in German, but I have given my best to translate it.
There may be many mistakes, but I hope you like it anyway.
Goodnight, my Love
It had been a very ordinary night without incident and yet it took a very special place in Marcos memories. A fairly quiet evening, in which Ace was staying in their room to comfortably enjoy the last hours of the day. Thus, the so-called fire fist laid on the blankets of his bed and had put his hat across his face, so he could use his folded arms behind his head better as a pillow. Marco watched this spectacle from the desk, since the strong muscles at Aces entire upper body presented themselves quite interesting with every movement. This mistake corrected Whitebeards right hand, however, very quickly, by unceremoniously throwing a log pose at the younger devil fruit user. It hit as expected Aces head, whereupon Marcos roommate just lazy raised his hat slightly to look at the object "... What is it ?".
"A Log pose", the phoenix replied curtly, as he occupied himself with the documents on his desk again "Some people on the ship are worried, that you will not find back with your Striker". The ensuing silence was quite unexpected and the phoenix almost was a bit worried, but Aces suddenly audible steps let these feeling disappear quickly. "They better worry about my lack of sleep, because with you in the same room quiet nights are very rare," the younger pirate replied eventually and then pushed with a quick flick the papers on Marcos desk into a messy pile together. The Phoenix responded with a quick grab to the wavering candle, which Ace accidentally had hit by his action.
"The reports will also be here tomorrow, so go to sleep. There isn't much interesting to read anyway... ", Ace continued with a small grin, as the phoenix threw him an annoyed look. "Who told you, that you can read my documents?" Marco finally said, but the younger pirate didn't answer. Instead he just leans slightly over the desk and quietly blew out the candle, which enveloped the entire room in a silent darkness. Marco watched this with a still slightly irritated mood, before Aces breath suddenly brushed his ear "... Good night, Marco."
Ace probably didn't remember that night, but as his heavy breathing now three years later grazed Marcos ear again, it was almost everything what the Phoenix could think of. For it was exactly on this day, as Whitebeard gave him this very special order 'He is very strong, but also inexperienced. So take good care of him. '
"Marco," suddenly whispered a pained voice, what immediately pulled the pirate back to reality. Ace got this one word only over severe coughing and wheezing breaths out, which pierced the icy grip of fear deeper into Marcos heart. It should have never come to this, the younger pirate should never have been forced to kneel on the scaffold... should never allowed himself to be provoked by Akainu.
...
Two weeks earlier …
The heavy rain in the last few days was quite unusual even for these waters and caused some unrest in Marcos thoughts. Some of the crew joked that this would be the omen of a terrible day, what had a negative impact on the mood of the phoenix. He felt rather guilty ever since the day of Aces departure, which is why these things now tugged on his nerves. This also noticed the crew fairly quickly, so that such conversations stopped within a few hours.
The rain finally vanished on the fourth morning, what caused the sea and the wind to be very quiet again. Marco took advantage of this shift for a little trip to a nearby island, which on a closer look suddenly seemed very familiar to him. "Hey, Marco ! Have you ever seen such a big melon ? " Ace asked with a wide grin as he held a large , green ….fruit in his hands. The Phoenix gave the younger pirate a short look, before he replied" The grow around here quite often. I think really large hibiscus flowers were also on this island." Ace suddenly looked very interested and was a few seconds later on his way in the opposite direction. Marco watched this with a small sigh, but a smile quickly followed. The younger pirate always had to do things his way and under certain circumstances it had a certain appeal. However, these and similar thoughts disappeared within a few minutes under the pressure of suddenly emerging concern. Ace was quite able to defend himself, yet pulled a strange feeling at Marcos heart. A feeling which now felt even more extreme and the surrounding area at once seemed very cold to the phoenix. It felt like a strange connection to something unknown, that let him feel strange fear and then ... nothing. The feeling ripped like a thin thread off his thoughts, what alerted Marco to spread his wings faster than ever a situation before. In the lowest confidence knowing, that it was already too late...
...
"Stay calm, Ace. Everything is going to be fine, but you have to stay with me now, do you understand? " the nervousness in Marcos voice was strange and totally out of place, but it helped Ace to understand his present situation faster. The slightly trembling hand, which was moving in a familiar gesture through his hair again and again was also evidence enough, yet he nodded. Even if his pained body screamed, that it would not be fine again.
That his glassy eyes, who were desperately trying to remain open and all the blood had to be bitter truth enough. But Ace just couldn't say it, not least because of the numbing pain in his chest. The younger pirate barely felt Marcos supportive presence anymore and therefore focused on his faltering breaths, while some memories reflected in his mind's eye.
...
"I hate rain," Ace muttered annoyed, while he laid his hat carefully beside him on the stone floor. The phoenix was watching this with a small smirk on his face, as the younger pirate bleated continuously for about five minutes because of something as small as rain. Maybe it was also because of his devil fruit, but this island had to be checked for enemies and both Marco and Ace had been selected for this mission. Neither of them had expected this heavy rain, yet this fact could not be changed, which is why the two pirates had to wait in a small cave now. There was no trace of enemies anyway, so they probably could spend the whole night in this little shelter.
"What's your problem, on the sea it rains constantly and there you don't say a word ", Marco finally said and then leaned in a sitting position with his back against the rock wall. While it was far from comfortable, the phoenix had already survived with much worse conditions similar situations. Ace replied only with a few muttered words and then drew his dagger to deal with his earlier discovered melon. Their conversation was also over, so Marco closed his eyes - perhaps also to escape the sight of a dripping Ace. It was after all just not fair, that the small water drops were allowed to slowly slide over the upper body of the younger pirate, while he could only watch from afar.
Ironically the phoenix didn't notice Aces own heated gaze, which was resting on Marcos entire body. It was a game that the two of them played for months, but no one dared to take the first step. After all, this was like a jump over a sinful bridge that Whitebeard had actually made inaccessible with the word 'brother' long ago. Marco also couldn't help but jumped slightly, when Ace suddenly sat quite close beside him, only to lean his head on his shoulder "What are you-". "Good night, Marco", the younger pirate interrupted immediately any attempt to discuss this behavior, what left the phoenix actually silent. Tomorrow they would arrive in an allied village and then this night would be forgotten anyway …
...
Alcohol has always been a good way to break through resolutions or boundaries. Especially some concoction that the villagers have created specifically for people with devil fruits - whatever that means. Anyway, it seemed no matter how much a person can normally drink, this alcohol would even Whitebeard declare to his favorites. There was not even a special feast, only a short visit to a bar after Marco and Ace had made sure the safety of these people.
So the phoenix didn't even have the chance to react accordingly, as both eventually moved into a empty room at the edge of the city and Ace pulled him with slightly trembling hands to himself. The kiss that followed then was aggressive and wild, yet it didn't – as Ace almost feared – startle Marco from his slightly drunken state, but encouraged the phoenix immediately to similar older pirate also quickly took control of the kiss and tasted his triumph after a brief struggle over dominance with a slightly slower tongue play. However, this euphoria moved for the clear mind a little to the side, as Ace is suddenly pulled at his white shirt. "Wait ... stop, Ace," breathed Marco and quickly recoiled from the kiss to push the other male away "We should stop".
"I don't want to stop," Ace muttered huskily, which sent a shiver of pleasure down the spine of the phoenix. The younger pirate had already waited so long for such an opportunity, so he didn't want to waste their limited time with talking. "I want to feel you...", the Fire Fist continued, his lips slowly kissing along Marcos neck, before he felt a strong grip on his upper arm that hold him in place, so he roughly bit into soft flesh "... here and now".
"God damn," whispered Marco, as he saw the burning desire in Aces eyes and any resistance almost completely vanished. The phoenix wanted so much to just give the younger pirate what he so clearly demanded, but he had to clarify a few things first. "You drive me far too long into madness, you know? How often I wanted to see you lying obediently beneath me, " the phoenix forced out under crumbling will, whereupon Ace with a shaky breath slide his hand over Marcos upper body. The phoenix grabbed the younger pirate with an almost painful grip now on the other arm and urged Ace against a large wooden table in the middle of the room, on which were some cards and an oil lamp "Just answer me one question, Ace ...".
The Fire Fist groaned in frustration, but then let himself with coarse movements be pushed on the table. "Are you sure you want to betray everything what your tattoo on your back stand for, just because of this one night?" asked Marco seriously, whereupon Ace suddenly became very quiet. "I am not here for a one-night-stand," admitted the younger pirate after a long moment, while his gaze lowered to the ground. Marco had these words resound again in his mind, before he placed his index finger under Aces chin and gently forced him to make eye contact again "Good thing, because otherwise I would have been forced to leave."
The younger male seemed to be quite surprised from this answer, but it was very difficult to search for words, when Marco suddenly pushed between his legs and was now standing directly in front of him."I hope ..." the phoenix whispered then, while slightly leaning forward and sliding a hand slowly over Aces strong muscles to the zipper and belt of his black pants. "... That you have no further objections now," Marco continued in a low voice and then bit roughly into Aces neck, for which the older pirate was rewarded with moan of pleasure. The Fire Fist had long clawed in hands back into the phoenix shirt and his whole body shook as Marco finally finished his sentence, "Because I'm not going to let you go now."
"Well...What are you waiting for?" the younger pirate finally asked with lust filled eyes and Marco immediately claimed Aces lips again. This game had went on far too long and it was time to burn the sinful fire, which has always been between them.
...
There have been many strange devil fruits, but to be able to transform into a different person was just annoying. Especially if said person came up with the bright idea to pose as Whitebeards first commander. "Nothing happened," Ace said for the third time this evening, sounding more than bored, as Marcos eyes roamed suspiciously over his body again. The phoenix didn't like it that this bastard had tried to attack Ace, what the younger pirate obviously couldn't understand.
"How did you recognize, that it was not me in front of you at that moment?" Marco finally asked, ignoring completely the annoyed look of the Fire Fist. "I mean ... he's just walked past the rest of the crew ," the phoenix continued after a short pause, in which Ace got up from his bed and sat down on Marcos lap. "What's your problem, Marco? Are you annoyed, frustrated ... or just jealous? " replied the younger pirate, while at the last point a small grin crept on his lips. "He got pretty close to you", Marco began with an irritated voice and stopped when a finger suddenly laid gently over his mouth. "I could tell that he didn't love me," Ace whispered then, what completely shocked the phoenix into silence. Such things as love were never discussed between them and certainly not spoken out loud, which is why Marco now probably for the first time in his life didn't know what to say. Of course it was left Ace to destroy this moment again ... "Also, I was just wearing towel and this idiot did not even bat an eyelash. I mean, come on! I know exactly how you react to this perfect body."
...
"Tell me where Luffy is... Please, Marco," Ace whispered suddenly with labored breathing, while his hands clawed deeper into Marcos shirt. The desperation and fear was clearly audible in the voice of the younger pirate and it chased the cold feeling of panic through the entire body of the phoenix. It was normal that Ace would care for his brother, but the expression in his eyes told a different story. They seemed to be prepared with something, what Marco couldn't accept .
The cruel certainty that this moment could be their last and therefore he had to be sure about the future of his brother. But Marco was not ready for it and probably would never be... "He's safe, don't worry. Luffy seems to be as stubborn as you," the quiet, bloody laugh, which interrupted the phoenix drilled like a dagger through Marcos heart, as it was so damn similar to Aces honest laugh. It was not fair that because of one single mistake, all the beautiful moments that the older pirate connected with this sound suddenly were tainted with the dark blood, which is now running in thin lines along Aces chin. "Damn, Ace ..." whispered Marco and then swallowed hard as he watched helplessly, how the younger pirate was trembling in his arms.
...
"Good night, little one," said the Fire Fist with a sad smile, as he put the small body of a young kitten into a deep hole under a cherry tree. He had found the completely soaked animal a few weeks ago on an island and brought it back to the Moby Dick. Marco couldn't quite follow this sympathy, but the cat seemed to have stolen Aces heart within seconds and the younger pirate cared daily for the sick being. That she still died in the early morning hours, was also a severe blow even for the phoenix. After all, the cat took a little piece of joy in Aces eyes to the grave, which would probably be lost forever.
"Goodbye sounds pretty final, you know?" the younger male suddenly murmured, as he took a last look at his finished work and then turned around to the bright sun. Marco followed Aces movements and stood with a slightly quizzical look beside him. "We don't know what happens after death ... So perhaps we see each other once again," finished Ace his sentence, whereupon the phoenix let his eyes thoughtfully slide over the many cherry trees.
Ace wished him since this particular evening pretty much always a good night, but he was never aware of the deep meaning behind it. As a pirate, your life was in danger all the time, but about death itself Marco never really thought. Ace, however, seems to have already his own opinions and this somewhat let split feelings rise inside the phoenix "You shouldn't think about death so much, Ace ... Otherwise you will miss the real life now". The softly spoken sentence was accompanied by a small smile and a gentle kiss, as Ace looked at him quite surprised. The barely audible 'Good Night' of the Fire Fist was never returned by Marco in the past and due to new views, it would remain so in the future.
...
"Thatch was murdered ... we think it was Teach".
It was only one sentence and yet it feels like curse. First, Marco just felt rage against this traitorous bastard, but at the same time also a deep sadness. Thatch was part of the family for a long time and they both made with Ace an inseparable team. However, the phoenix at that time couldn't know, that this loss was only the beginning. It also changed nothing about the hurtful words, that Marco said to Ace as he heard his plan to pursue Teach. The damage was there and would follow the older pirate for a very long time.
...
"I guess you were right then..." Ace whispered barely audible now, as Marcos grip grew stronger with increasing desperation. Both pirates already knew that this would be their last moment together, yet the phoenix just couldn't let the younger male say such things. How could Ace apologize now, when Marco alone was responsible for the deep wounds between them. It was absolutely out of place and far too close to a final farewell, "What the hell are you talking about, damn it? I shouldn't have let you go this day. "
The tremor in Marcos voice prompted Ace to lift his head one more time, to give the phoenix a small smile. The Fire Fist already felt how his body was crying out for salvation and every deep breath no longer pumped enough oxygen into his lungs. "You have to watch for me, when Luffy fulfilled his dream," the younger pirate said regardless of the previous sentence of the phoenix, before he gently leaned his forehead against Marcos " ... and you have to forgive me, Marco...please."
The older pirate had like Ace closed his eyes, to focus his attention onto the dying heat in his lovers body now. Ace couldn't stay with him and time was running away in cruel speed . The younger male had forgiven him long ago, even if Marco couldn't understand it. So it only remains to put the doubt in Aces minds also to rest, so that he didn't have to further torment himself for the phoenix.
"I love you," Marco whispered finally, once he gently forced Ace to look at him again and then kissed the younger male. This gesture was so different from their kisses in the past, yet it spoke so many things finally out loud.
'I forgive you ','I'm sorry', 'I regret nothing' and a silent 'You can go ... '.
For Ace, this seemed to be a bittersweet liberation, as his dark gray eyes now radiated a final rest. Luffy was with his crew in good hands and Marco would be able to go on without him. It was a comforting feeling, that let Ace whisper a barely audible 'Thank you', before he no longer resisted the ever-present fatigue. The pain has moved to the depths of his subconscious and his head was resting on Marcos strong shoulder, while the phoenix whispered to him soothing words. Some of them made the Fire Fist smile gratefully for one last time, but it were these three very special words that let Ace finally rest in eternal sleep ... "Good night, Ace."