Marco leaned against the rail. It had been two days since he'd first met Firefist Ace, and each day he'd found Marco and handed him the dendenmushi before running off to try to kill Oyaji. The kid was a mystery. Anytime he saw Marco he'd hiss and spit like a cat, but when he was about to do one of his murder attempts he'd silently hand Marco the snail, and when he was finished for the day, he'd use sign language to thank him before running off.

Thatch had laughed and said that the kid liked him. Marco didn't think that was quite it. Maybe the kid didn't see him as threatening? That was laughable though, he wasn't first mate for nothing.

Marco thought back to what Thatch had told him when he'd first asked what the cook had known about their new guest. Kid was from the East Blue, and had a really high bounty for a rookie. The kid had been after Oyaji's head from, it seemed, the get go. Not much else was known about him, other than that his name was Portgas D Ace, and he had the powers of the Mera Mera no Mi.

He sighed, something kept drawing his attention to the kid. He wondered if it was the fact that so much about the kid was a mystery. No mystery had ever drawn him like this though, but there was always a first time for everything. Marco turned around on the railing, so that his back rested against it, and watched the workings of the ship. Everything was running smoothly, despite the random holes they kept finding. The assassination attempts were ridiculous, but nothing Thatch had said so far had worked in deterring the obsidian haired youth. He looked at the sun, and frowned. It was about time for one of Ace's murder attempts. So far the kid had had a pattern of five consecutive murder attempts a day, starting around this time.

Sure enough he heard footsteps approach. He looked down, and the kid's angry eyes met his, and his hands held out the small snail. The snail was awake today, and it coo'ed as he gently picked it up. Marco rubbed a finger under it's mouth. He' discovered that the snail liked that. The thing had grown quite attached to him, and if he were being honest, he like the thing right back. He did however, feel like a baby sitter as he let it move around on his hands, entertaining it by wiggling his fingers.

As he'd played with the snail, Ace had failed four murder attempts, and had had to be pulled out of the ocean each time, but on the fifth time Ace came flying toward him, Marco knew that the kid wasn't going to fall harmlessly into the ocean. His thoughts were proved correct when a loud thud echoed over the deck. He turned around and found Ace lying motionless against the railing. He immediately moved closer to the kid. He motioned everybody away, and a hard look from him had them scurrying back to their jobs.

Marco carefully picked the kid up, still cradling the snail, who was making small mewling noises, and carried Ace to Marco's room. Once inside he set the snail down on the stand by his bed, and lifted the boy into the bed. He felt his body, looking for injuries. He didn't find any other than some bruises, and a gash on the kid's forehead. It wasn't deep so he didn't need to stitch it, instead he put a butterfly bandage on it, and then sat at his desk.

Marco worked on his paperwork, only stopping when he heard Ace start to stir. Marco turned in his seat, and watched him.

Ace woke up to a throbbing head, and a throbbing body. He gingerly sat up, and looked around. A frown found his face. This wasn't his cabin. He looked around, and found his snail watching him worriedly so he reached out a finger, and stroked it under it's mouth. It coo'ed at him. He smiled at it, before letting his face neutralize, then he looked around. This time his eyes settled on the blonde with the weird haircut, it reminded him of a pineapple. He'd heard Thatch talking to him. He'd called him something that started with an M. Mitch? Mallard? Marco, that was it. He'd called him Marco.

Ace eyed the blonde coolly. There was something about the guy that drew Ace. He didn't know much about the man, he had no one on the ship to ask. So he'd gone with his gut instinct that said he could trust the man with one of his most prized possessions. His hat and beads stayed in his cabin during his murder attempts, but Hihime cried for him when left alone. If that weren't bad enough, she'd grown attached to the blonde.

He stood up, and picked Hihime up, the small snail moved a bit in his palm before settling down. Ace moved closer to Marco to sign thank you to him, but Marco held up a hand, stalling him, "How about this time we talk a bit. My name is Marco." he said, a lazy smile on his face.

Ace glared at the man, then conceded when the dendenmushi whimpered at him, "My name is Ace, and this is Hihime." he said.

Marco grinned and rubbed Hihime under her chin, "Nice to formally meet you." he said, then his eyes flicked up to meet Ace's, "Both of you." he said.

Ace watched as the man spoke to his snail, and then to him, a warm smile on his face. Ace was amazed by how the Cerulean eyes warmed up so much when the man smiled. He found himself transfixed. He swallowed. He opened his mouth, then shut it before repeating the action. No words came out, he signed thank you, and then turned and ran.

Marco watched him go. For a second there, the boy had panicked. He'd seen Marco smile at him, and then panic had flashed in those beautiful dark eyes. Marco frowned, he needed to know more. He couldn't get the puzzle to leave his head. He couldn't figure out why he was drawn to the kid, or the kid, seemingly, to him.

He sighed, and turned back to his paper work.