Authors Note: Alrighty friends, if you had seen my other story, Mercenary, then you would have seen the last note I posted. Well this is that story. I apologize that I haven't been active on the account for a while, things went on but I'm trying to make a comeback! Enjoy!

(Timeframe is around when Ace first set out as a pirate, like a year or so before he met the Whitebeards)

Marco rarely miscalculated. However, this was one of those rare moments. He was currently on a mission, one which he had chosen to do alone. More currently, he was collapsed in the middle of a forest.

(FLASHBACK TIME)

Marco had read through his task more then once. He was supposed to eradicate a group causing trouble in one of Pop's claimed islands, simple. He had left the ship a day before. Having the ability to fly, he made a three day journey by ship into just a few hours. When he arrived at Magello Island nothing was out of order. Magello Island was fairly uninhabited, but it was wide in variety of rare animals and plants; the main reason they had protected it. Before, the island was a constant victim of poachers, something the villagers on the island hated. When the Whitebeards arrived there the villagers took a while to warm up, but took their offer to help not to long after. Back to the present, Marco was heading to the only village on the island. He had been hoping that the villagers might give him some insight to the problem.

It didn't take him long to find the village, and as usual, everyone who recognized him was extreme welcoming and friendly. He made his way to the bar, where one of the villagers he knew more owned. When he walked in he was welcomed by Haru, the bar owner, and he took a seat at the bar next to a raven teenager. Haru got him a cup of sake, and leaned on the bar on the opposite side of him.

"Whitebeard sent you didn't he?"

Marco took a sip from his drink.

"Yeah. Do you know anything about them, yoi?"

"They call themselves the Southern Raiders. The last time I saw them was when" -the owner gestured to the teen sitting next to Marco-"freckles over here picked a fight with them and got his ass kicked."

"Hey! It's not my fault that those cowards attacked me from behind."

The raven scowled, and Marco found it slightly cute. Then the freckled teen looked over to Marco.

"Ace." He widely smiled and extended his hand to Marco.

"Marco, yoi." He took the hand with his own and shook. Slightly disappointed when the other let go.

"Do you know where I can find the Southern Raiders, yoi?"

"Why? I mean sure I'll tell you but..."

"Marco here is the island's exterminator." The glass cleaning Haru pitched in.

"No offense buddy, but I don't think going after them is a good idea."

Marco chuckled,

"Worried, yoi?" Ace blushed, and quickly tried to hid it.

"I'll be fine, yoi. So where is their hideout?" Having recovered from his embarrassment, Ace rested his head on his hand, while his elbow supported him on the table.

"The assholes took off before into the mountains, so I'm pretty sure they're hiding out around there."

"Hmm. Okay. Thank you, yoi. I hope we'll meet again." He smiled at the teen, who slightly blushed and smiled back.

"Good luck."

Marco put the payment for the drink on the bar, and said good bye to Haru. Then, he exited the bar into the direction of the mountains. Making his way through the forest he tried to make up a basic outline of a plan. From what he heard from Ace, the group is conniving and will use dirty tricks. He had to be careful, they might have seastone and if he gets hit he'll have to deal with it alone.

He was close to the mountains. Cautiously, he let out a wave of observation haki. He could sense a large group of people very close. He continued in the direction of where they were. Peaking through bushes he frowned, his haki yolk him the people were supposed to be right in front of him. Yet, no one was there. He had an extremely bad feeling. Not long after, he felt something pierce his back. He coughed, specks of blood coming up. He wiped around fast, meeting a single person.

"Marco the Phoniex! What a lovely surprise to see you. You like my trick? My devil fruit lets me cast illusions, and I made your observation haki trick you. How does it feel to be powerless?" The man before him had an extremely crazy look in his eye, and was pointing a seastone gun right at Marco.

"I asked you a fucking question! Answer me!" The man shot, and Marco just barely moved to the side. He had to get the bullet out of his back soon, or he was going to either bleed or pass out. Having no fire to use against the man, and his hands occupied with pressing the best they could down on his wound he did what he could. He ran. The man followed after him in hot pursuit, but even injured Marco was faster. Eventually, after what felt like forever, Marco lost him, at least for now. He collapsed down next to a tree.

[Ace's Pov] ( UNFLASHBACK )

Ace had to admit, he was a little worried about the man he had met in the bar. He had a first hand experience with who the blond man was going after and he hoped the guy was as good as he said he was. Too try and get his mind off of the older man, he returned his attention to what he came to the island to do. He had just recently became a pirate and he wanted to stop at this island because of the animals and fruit it was so famous for. So, he went to the forest to stock up.

After an hour or so Ace had gotten a pretty nice stack of food. The animals on the island were both full of meat and nice to train on.

He was humming to himself as he strolled through the forest, having left all the supplies he collected back at his ship. Now, he was just planning to explore.

What he wasn't expecting was blood. He had tripped on the ground, and when he looked closely there was a slightest hint of red. There was a trail of blood somewhat visible on the grass. He had too look close to see it. It seemed like whatever was bleeding obviously didn't want to lose the blood. Curious, he followed the somewhat inconspicuous trail. As he was following the trail he heard what he thought sounded like heaving breathing, and it got louder the closer he got to it. Finally, when he went past a tree he saw a collapsed and bloody form of the blond he met earlier that day.

"HOLY SHIT!" He immediately crouched down next to him. The blond slightly opened his eyes, and looked like he recognized Ace's face. Ace was shaking, he didn't know what to do, and he didn't want the man in front of him to die. He was close to tears.

"W-what do i do?!"

"Listen...just..pull...the... Bullet...back...heal...self." The blond's eyelids were dropping. Completely scared and shaking Ace leaned the man forward onto him, so he could get to his back. He saw the hole, surrounded with both dried and fresh blood. With his shaky hand he reached in and tried to find the bullet. Marco coughed up blood, and Ace started to heavily breath almost crying. Finally he could feel the cold metal, and finding a grip on it he pulled it out. As soon as the bullet left the other man's body a bright array of blue and yellow fire erupted surprising the injured man. Ace was fascinated, the flames didn't burn like his own, they felt cool. Almost instantly the wound was gone, like it was never there and the blond man's eyes opened.

"Thank you, yoi." At his smile, Ace burst into tears and hugged the older man.

(Marco's Pov)

When the teen hugged him he was shocked to say the least. After a moment he realized that the raven was crying. He hugged the other.

"I-I-i thought you were gonna-"

"Shhh. I'm not. Thanks to you, yoi."

The younger separated and looked up to him, his eyes were red from crying and Marco couldn't help it. He leaned in and kissed the teen. He didn't know what he was doing but it felt right, he could feel the others hesitance but it soon turned into willingness. They stayed like that for a while, kissing lovingly breaking a few times for air. However all things come to an end.

"How romantic." Marco broke away from the teen and glared at the man. He could see Ace glaring at the man with anger.

"Sorry, yoi." He said to Ace and got up from the comfy position they were in with much resent. Although he would rather have been continuing with Ace, he had to finish his mission.

Ace got up as well, and they both got into a fighting position.

"Working together aren't we? Lovely." He had a sick smile on his face."

"Be careful, yoi. He has a seastone bullet gun and his power is illusions." Ace nodded in understanding, and Marco coated his hand in haki. The man couldn't tell that he was outmatched without surprise on his side, and continued to smile an insane cocky smirk. He pointed the gun at Marco, and shot. Marco was too fast however, and disappeared. Only to appear moments later, his black coated fist merging with the man's face. A crack was heard, indicating that the man's nose was broken. With a scream, the man fell onto his back, clutching his bleeding nose. With no guilt whatsoever, Marco quickly ended the man. After the deed was done he sighed and turned back to Ace.

"So uh?" Ace was no longer in a fighting pose, and was now rubbing his head with his hand. Marco chuckled and smiled, walking over to him.

"Let me do this right. Would you like to get a drink, yoi?" Ace grinned.

"I'd love too."

(A few hours later) Marco PoV

Ace smacked down yet another drink onto Haru's bar.

"Then the idiot got himself swallowed by a crocodile! I had to cut him out and we were both soaked after." A very drunk Ace was telling stories about his younger brother, Luffy, to a very sober Marco. Marco was listening with amusement. He knew what it was like to have siblings, but Ace's younger brother sounded like a riot.

"Do you have any siblings?" Ace looked over curiously at Marco while he downed another beer. Marco laughed,

"Way to many to count yoi."

"Do you live around here?"

"I'm a pirate actually."

Ace for once put down his still somewhat full drink.

"Really? Same. You should join my crew!" He was smiling widely at Marco.

"Sorry yoi, but I'm taken crew wise. You can join pops if you want though."

"Nah. I'm gonna become a big name, and for that I need to be my own captain." Marco had to admit, he thought and hoped that the teen would join the crew.

"Do you even have a crew yet, yoi?" Ace laughed at that.

"Nope!" Marco sighed, smiling.

"Alright, where are you staying tonight? I'll bring you back, yoi."

"Shit, that's what I forgot. Oh well." Ace started laughing again, drunk as hell. Then he suddenly fell forward.

"Ace?!" Marco quickly checked his pulse, and stopped when he heard soft snores. The teen was just asleep. Relived, Marco sighed and reached into his pocket to get the money to pay for both of their drinks.

"Hey Haru? Do you know a place we could stay tonight, yoi?"

"I have a spare room upstairs, you and the kid can share the room. No charge, in return for getting rid of the Southern Raiders."

"Thanks yoi." He pulled Ace so that he could carry him bridal style. He looked down at the teen. The freckled raven looked younger when he was sleeping, and Marco found it adorable. He wasn't heavy at all, so getting upstairs wasn't much of a task for Marco. It didn't take long and before he knew it he was setting Ace down and collapsing next to the teen. Almost instinctively, Ace curled up to him when Marco laid beside him. Marco smiled and kissed him lightly on the forehead. It hadn't been long since he met the teen, but he was glad he had. It didn't take him long to fall asleep.

(Time skip to morning) Ace Pov

He woke up slowly. His eyes fluttered for a while, before staying open. He tried to move, but it didn't take him long to realize he was in an iron grip. He looked up. The blond from yesterday was sleeping, hugging Ace tightly. He stopped moving when he saw the other, instead thinking about yesterday. He didn't know Marco for long, he knew that, and he just didn't know why he felt this way. Yesterday, he couldn't handle seeing the other in that state. It reminded him of the last person who had died, Sabo. He couldn't stand to see the guy die, and when his wound healed Ace could feel his heart healing as well. He just didn't understand, and he hated that. He didn't understand anything! Why the hell did he kiss the guy back yesterday? Why the hell did the guy kiss him in the first place? Everything yesterday seemed to happen so fast, he might as well say he fell in love with a stranger. After all, that's basically what happened. With all his inner turmoil he missed the other groan slightly. He snapped back to reality when the other yawned, opening his eyes partially.

"Morning, yoi."

Ace panicked, not having decided what exactly he was feeling.

"Uhh hi?"

"You must not remember last night, yoi."

The blond chuckled, sitting up after Ace sat up. Ace froze at that, the blond was shirtless.

"THE HELL DID WE DO LAST NIGHT?"

The blond looked at him for a second, then realized he was staring at his bare chest. Then he stifled a laugh.

"Relax yoi. After you saved me I invited you out for a drink, and you can't exactly hold your liquor."

Ace sighed, slightly glad that he hadn't sleep with the other.

"I'm a little offended that you'd be that upset with sleeping with me, yoi."

Marco had an amused grin on his face.

"That's not what I meant! I mean...ugh."

Ace flopped back down on his back on the bed.

"Why did you...kiss me yesterday?"

Ace avoided the others gaze and instead stared at the ceiling.

"Hmm. I wanted to. And I'd be happy to do it again, yoi."

Ace could feel as the other laid back onto the bed as well, and he turned his head to him. When he turned his head he was meet with the other's lazy gaze, having also turned his head. Now they both were facing each other, and Ace could feel the heat on his cheeks.

"I don't even know you that well, and vise versa."

"We could always change that, yoi. As long as your willing."

Ace contemplated for a second, before his mind made up the decision. 'Screw it' he leaned forward and kissed the other. He didn't care if it would end badly, he wouldn't want to live with the regret of not at least trying.

(Alrighty! Wooho I did it! :D thanks to all of you who stop by to read this. And thanks if you favorite, follow, review, any of that good stuff. Quick question, how many thousand words do you guys think is good per chapter? I know some writers can crank out like 10 or more K per chapter on a regular basis and all but, what would be a good average point?

Alright! Bye for now!

-Axx)