Sorry guys! Fanfiction couldn't locate this story so I had to republish it!

Title: Mother Dear

Genre: Family

Summary: Aerie gets fed up with Marco's attitude, so she retaliates the only way she can: excessive name-calling.

It was a normal day on the Moby Dick for Tanaka Aerie. She was busy training with Marco, like she did every day. She wasn't quite sure why, but he insisted they "train" together every afternoon, even though she had proven time and time again she could handle herself in a fight. Though, really, if she had to be honest, they never really trained, it was more like, Marco-make-fun-of-Aerie-as-she-tries-to-land-a-solid-hit-on-him time. On that particular day, he chose sword fighting to be the subject of their "lesson".

"You're not swinging your arm at the right angle, yoi," the First Division commander said in an exasperated tone while lowering his own sword.

At this point in time, Aerie had been fighting him for almost an hour. She was tired, bruised, sweaty, and had been hearing him gave the same piece of advice countless times. Thus, she muttered the first thing that came to her mind as a retort: "Sorry, mom."

Marco stared at her with a bewildered expression on his face, like he couldn't believe she said that. To be honest, he had expected her usual grumbling about being tired, but this insult was new to the Phoenix-man. "M-m-mom?" He sputtered. "I am not your mother!"

The words were already out, and Aerie couldn't take them back. Not that she wanted to. Marco's expression was priceless: his eyes were wide open as was his mouth, and his face was ever so slightly turning red. It was nice seeing him get flustered at what she said for a change. So, Aerie decided to stick with the taunting. "Yeah, well you sure act like one. You're always badgering me about being careful and how I behave. You might as well change your gender and adopt me now."

Marco's face turned even more red. "That's ridiculous, yoi."

"I'm pretty sure you're old enough to be my mother, too."

"I'm barely a year older than you are!"

"Do you prefer mama or mommy? Or perhaps just mother?"

"What are you two arguing about this time?" This was Izo, standing a few feet away with his arms crossed. "Honestly, could you be any less mature?"

Marco regained a little bit of his composure. "It's nothing, Izo. Aerie seems to think it's appropriate to label me as her mother."

Izo looked back and forth between the two; first at Aerie, then at Marco, Aerie, then Marco again. Finally he deadpanned, "I can see it."

"What?! I do not act like her mother!"

Izo turned to Aerie. "Why does he overreact like this?"

"I don't know, maybe it's what happens when you become a parent?" She replied with a shrug.

"OI!" Marco's cheeks were crimson with anger and embarrassment.

"What's goin' on?" Asked Eliza as she and Thatch walked up to the group.

"I declared Marco as my mother," Aerie answered.

Eliza and Thatch looked at her, then at Marco. At the same time, they nodded and said, "Yeah, I can see it."

"I'm not her mother!"

"You think it's his bird instincts that are kickin' in?" Eliza mused, totally ignoring the flustered commander.

"Probably," agreed Thatch. "Honestly, though, he's been kind of like a mother hen around all of us, hasn't he?"

"Will you guys please stop? It's seriously getting old." Marco gritted out.

"Yes, mother," all four pirates answered.