Sooooo! Here's the new one and it was hard to write, you know? I hope it is alright... I'm extra-unsure, actually... Well, let me know if you want :) MaLu rules!

sousie: This chapter will please you :)

Neko Gina: Here's for you :3

Rei: Oh, good then :D Here's the new chap, hope you like it :) Uhm... can you believe I'm still unsure about that? I think it may be similar, but it may also be completely different... I'm currently writing the part in which it transpires ;D Any luck in finding the present? I'll wait impatiently! Ahaha, you didn't, but I guess you will also like the present I'm writing all of you for Christmas, in this case :D Enjoy this chap and tell me if the characterization and the little moments are fine :) They were hard to write!

Words: 3076.

Enjoy!

11 – Relief

Honestly… Why did he steal hairs from him just to make a Vivre Card… He couldn't have expected that…

Well… Maybe from Coby, he should have. The boy was too much a worrywart to stay put. Seeing Garp didn't exactly make Luffy more prone to forgive the pink-haired, anyway. The old geezer was leaking Haki everywhere, making half Torao's crew faint, while the other half barely stood. Few were unfazed, Law included. And Mihawk, obviously, that was glaring at him while protecting the stairs to Luffy's room. He was watching from the corner near the balustrade of the first floor, carefully hiding his presence.

"I know he's here, let me through!"

Luffy sighed.

"No, he's healing and bed-ridden. Go away from my island."

Lovable. Hawky was as lovable as always. He had to properly thank him, again.

"Like hell I will! Let me see my grandson!"

Another sigh escaped his lips. What a headache… Was the old geezer considering that the presence of a Vice Admiral in the near vicinity of that island was going to attract a lot of unwanted attention? Of course not.

"I said, no."

"I don't fucking care!"

"You can't go upstairs. Either you wait for him to be fine or you leave."

Luffy didn't like the first, and…

"We'll wait."

Coby… Ugh… Why, what was wrong with his life… Even if he was happy the geezer cared so much for him… Couldn't he read the situation? Honestly..!

Luffy slowly and silently stood, thinking it was better to at least act as the bed"ridden man he was supposed to be. The heavy door opening made him go back to his spying corner. Who else now… Oh, Smokey… A Vivre Card… Him, too? Mother-hens… And, obviously, his whole crew… Tashigi, too.

"I didn't think the island of a Shichibukai could be a tourist location for so many marines." Law commented, drinking his tea.

The wide living room, with black walls and floor, red carpets and dark wooden furniture, was filled and Luffy carefully checked everyone. Smoker had his trade-mark two lit cigars in his mouth, seemingly calm, but he could see the worry in his eyes. Tashigi was far more obvious in her distress. Behind them, Zoro was totally at ease, completely fine in his trainer's home and probably utterly sure about Luffy's well-being. Sanji was fascinated by the overall magnificence and probably agreed with his Vice on the last point. Nami and Robin were focused on Mihawk, glaring and demanding. Soon enough, the two were going to cross their arms and demand verbally. But the swordsman was not likely to fall so easily. Chopper was hiding in his own way behind Brook's legs, that was deadly silent and unreadable as always… Perks of being a skeleton. When the singer wanted, he could hide everything behind his bones. Franky was looking around, worried and, thus, angry at the same time. Usopp was visibly worried, biting his lips and almost breaking skin.

Luffy sighed. He wanted to meet them… Why hadn't they come before gramps?!

"Where is Luffy?" Smoker asked.

Mihawk, irritated for the more than bearable occupation of his safe heaven, glared. "Resting."

The marine nodded, took a seat and poured himself some tea. Luffy almost snickered.

"Wait!" Nami.. "We need to see our Captain!"

"Not yet, he's resting."

"B-but…"

"Has he seen a doctor, at least?" Robin put in her two cents.

Mihawk nodded, tilting his head to Law. "He's a surgeon."

"Trafalgar Law, the Surgeon of Death…" Sanji lit a cigarette and made himself at home, preparing more tea. "Good hands, huh…"

Three… Two… One…

"WHAT!" Chopper, Usopp, Nami and Brook yelled in a chorus.

"It was my pleasure…" Law began, and they started assuming a dark background. "… To stitch him back and keep him alive. No need to thank me."

Zoro, however, looked at him and bowed. "There is, instead. Thank you for taking care of our Captain."

Law shrugged. "I owe him, anyway."

Garp and Coby just sat, too, defeated.

Nami coughed a bit. "You said… Stitches?"

The pirate shook his head. "He had a deep wound on his chest, cauterized fortunately, that needed more than 'stitches'. Akainu's job, I suppose." Almost everyone paled. "Without my Devil Fruit Powers, he would have been long dead."

Luffy stood and decided to at least make himself alive to their eyes. He was suffering seeing them suffering. To hell his grandfather. He walked slowly, wary of his… a bit bloody bandages and checking the too big black trousers were in place. He cleared his throat.

The effect was instantaneous. Sanji smiled, visibly reassured. Franky yelled. Zoro smirked, probably smug for being right since the beginning. Robin finally smiled. Usopp, Chopper, Nami, Brook, Coby… And Garp… Got teary-eyed, jumped and started running towards him at a frightening speed. Instinctively, Luffy lifted his hands to protect his healing wounds. They, fortunately, stopped at the wall named Mihawk, that was glaring at them with crossed arms.

"I said…" He emphasized every word. "… He's resting." He glared at Luffy. "Go rest."

The raven smiled, looking at the others. "Sorry, I'm a guest… I'll–…"

The door opened again, slowly this time. Luffy couldn't believe his eyes. They widened. His mouth opened. His hand was lifted to cover it. How could they have… How could he… Just… how…

"Sorry for intruding, yoi." He bowed slightly, not looking at him. "I know your host is convalescent, but I need to have a serious and private conversation with him." He locked gazes with Mihawk. "May I?"

Luffy dreadfully looked at the swordsman, that eyed him curiously. The smirk following made the raven swallow.

"You may."

…

Shit.

Marco gazed over him, from head to toe, lingering more on the bandages and stopping on his eyes.

He couldn't look back.

Luffy ran.

He ignored the angry shouts of the others, focusing on the one that was currently chasing after him. His chest ached, but he didn't stop. He couldn't see him. Not yet. Not Marco. The one he had allowed to pierce through his walls. The one that had almost immediately seen through his lies. The one that…

"Do you want that wound to reopen, yoi?"

Minding said wound, Luffy took a right turn, heading for the hopeful safety of his room/infirmary. His chest pulled skin and he hissed, gripping the handle of the door. He only managed to open it.

An arm had sneaked around his waist. The other hand gripped his wrist. Luffy quickly hid his face from the man, making use of the wooden door. His eyes stung, his chest tightened. He was in pain, different from the physical one coming from his wound.

"You won't even face me."

His tone was so soft and pained that Luffy flinched. But didn't move, he had not the bravery to. What would he have seen? A pain he wasn't prepared to face… The pirate was right.

Marco used his grip on the wrist to turn Luffy to him. He kept his gaze low, hair shadowing his eyes. The other let go of his waist and caressed his cheek, stopping at the chin. He gripped it and forced the man to look up. The raven didn't have the strength to oppose it. Slowly, he let his eyelids lift, gazing upon the pirate. Though the expression was only slightly cracked, his eyes were a vortex. He recognized some emotion lurking in there… The ones that captured completely his mind were the relief… And…

Two demanding lips captured his own and a known tongue invaded his mouth. Luffy got overwhelmed by a sudden rush of passion. He felt possessed, pushed to the door, that opened more, by the unexpectedly wild sensations and the man's hands. They were softly clawing and touching and brushing on his neck, arms, sides… A muffled, low moan escaped his throat. It was then that Marco put an end to the heated exchange.

Their foreheads were against one another, puffs of their breath mixing. And Luffy couldn't look at other things than the man's clouded eyes.

"You're alive…" He suddenly whispered, voice broken. "You're alive… You're really here…"

The tears Luffy had restrained till then slipped through his control. He felt the wet lines on his cheeks. Marco lifted his hands, cupping lightly the other's jaw. His thumbs rubbed the tears away. The usual mask cracked more and the pirate smiled softly, a single tear escaping.

"I couldn't… believe…" Something died in Marco's throat.

Luffy lifted his own hand to the other's cheek. "You saved me, you know that…?"

He nodded. "And then we abandoned you…"

"You… you saw me… die." The raven swallowed, willing the tears to stop. "I… I'm sorry… I didn't know who… It was not sure… I…"

Marco slid his arms around the other's shoulders, softly hugging Luffy. The raven let him and circled the pirate's torso.

"You're alive… That's all that matters… You wanted to protect your brothers… Our brothers…"

Finally stopping his tears, Luffy inhaled deeply. "That doesn't mean I couldn't have been more cautious… I can't even imagine…"

"They want to meet you, yoi." Marco loosened the hug, locking gazes with him. "The shadow of Mihawk's power won't hinder them forever, but I managed to buy some time."

Luffy sighed. "They're angry, right…"

The pirate paused. "… I'll leave that for you to discover, yoi. For now… I'm tired…" He leaned his forehead on Luffy's shoulder.

The raven tightened his embrace, smiling softly. "I don't think Hawky will have something against you sleeping here."

Marco frowned. "Don't tempt me, yoi… I might just open that wound again if I could have my ways with you." Luffy blushed. "Just wait that it heals completely…" He smirked, taking the other's hand.

The pirate led him to the bed and they fell onto it. The raven was in the other's arms, face pressed against his firm chest. Their breaths evened. Luffy felt inexplicably peaceful and so much protected that he snuggled closer and hummed.

"Don't ever pull that stunt again, yoi." Marco said just before closing his eyes. "My heart might not survive it."

Luffy took the man's hand and interlaced their fingers tightly. "I'm sorry…"

Marco sighed, kissing his forehead. "At least, allow me to help… next time."

The raven smiled. "Ok."

It didn't mean Marco was going to let something like that happen again.

"Why did you let him go alone?"

Strange. "Why are you so calm about it?"

Ace scratched his nape. "Well, it's Marco after all…" Even though five days had already passed. "You didn't answer my question."

"Oh, you're right."

Silence. The fire user felt a vein throb on his forehead. "Sabo, answer me."

The other sighed. "No specific reason."

"Liar." Ace stood from his place on the floor and punched his shoulder. "Tell me the truth!"

"Ouch! Ace! Stop it!"

"Spill what you're thinking!"

"It's nothing, really!"

"… Sabo, you really think I can't tell when you're lying?"

"Ugh.. Ace, seriously…" He earned another punch. "Hell, drop it!"

"No! What's the matter?!"

"I'm afraid!"

Ace blinked, taken aback. "Afraid… of Luffy?"

"N-not exactly…" Sabo diverged his gaze, half-pouting. "What… What if he…"

A mumble… and some not understandable mutters later… "Talk properly!"

He flinched. "Ok! Fine!" He huffed. "If he was… If he was able to escape Akainu… then, he went to the island… Why… why didn't he come on Moby?"

Ace blinked. That was… Why hadn't he thought about it?

"He… he could have, we've waited a bit before leaving, so… So… Why?"

"I… don't know…" He honestly didn't. "You have an idea?"

Sabo nodded slowly, hugging his legs on the bed. "What if… He didn't want us to know he survived?"

Ace arched a brow. "What the hell! Why would he?!"

"Well… He did protect us from afar all this time… I don't have proof of this, but…"

"I think so, too, get to the point!"

"Fine, fine! Geez… What if he wanted to go on that way? Feigning being… you know… and hiding in the shadows. That's his style, after all…"

Ace still failed to see the point of that all. "So?"

Sabo blinked, looking at him. "'So?'" He mouthed. "We're going against what he wants!"

The other shrugged. "And?"

"And, once more, we're not believing in him!"

He tch'ed. "I don't care."

"You ungrateful stubborn–…"

"Sabo, what do you want?" Ace crossed his arms, glaring.

"What are you talking about?"

"Personally, I'm tired of this situation. I want my brother back. And I want him back now. You say he doesn't want us knowing? Fuck it." He nodded, thoughtful. "Ok, that's it. I'm going."

Ace left the room. And a gaping Sabo. That was slowly processing his words. He stood abruptly when they sank and rushed behind him.

"Ace stop!"

He quickly climbed the stairs and ran after his brother to the deck. It was raining, so few people were there. He recognized Ace far away, on the railing, jumping down.

Jumping down.

Sabo clearly remembered Marco forbidding it.

Shit.

A Shichibukai's island.

Double shit.

He gritted his teeth and followed him, ignoring his own mind shouting at him to stop and the shivers because of the water on his clothes. The thick rain prevented the blonde to see his surrounding, so he focused on the running figure in front of him.

"Ace, stop!"

He was fairly sure the other had answered with 'Like hell!', but the downpour was muffling sounds all around and the distance wasn't shortening. A big shadow covered Ace and Sabo lost his sight. He went on running and something similar to a door, but big, let outside a warm light. He successfully passed through before it closed and was met with an almost full, enormous living room.

There were a lot of people… A robot…? A Shichibukai playing chess with a marine?… Was that a skeleton drinking tea…? But, as interesting as that group seemed, his eyes landed on a bigger figure that was looming over a shocked Ace.

He had just touched the triple shit.

What the fuck was Garp doing there?!

"Why the fuck are you here." Ace growled in his stead.

"Is that any way to greet your grandfather, brat?!"

Sabo felt his blood freeze. "You? Grandfather? When, exactly?"

Garp lifted his head to look at him. "Sabo's here, too? What a family reunion! Bwahahahaha!"

How much thick-headed must one be to not read the atmosphere? Ace was gritting his teeth, fists clenched and shivering in rage at his sides. Sabo was wearing a cold and calculative expression, crossing slowly his arms and shooting glares. Garp was still smiling in utter idiocy when someone cleared his throat, making the two brothers turn.

Now, Sabo knew this one. Thanks to Ace's ramblings. His brother, because of his stubbornness and his hate towards marines, was still in the denial phase. He peeked at him and his lips twitched at the agape mouth and crimson blush.

"I see Luffy's plan succeeded."

The blonde, checking his brother all the while, looked around. They had everyone's attention but a green-haired man with three swords and a pink-haired marine. He recognized Mihawk, that was standing with his back to black marbled stairs, as if blocking the way.

"Y-yes… I suppose…" His blush darkened.

Three girls were chatting over tea and snacks, stealing glances at them. A… uhm… brown… fluffy… yeti… was sumo-wrestling the blue-haired robot. The two had just then lost interest. A long-nosed afro-man was on the floor, messing with a strange mechanism. A blonde was smoking a cigarette and, though checking on the scene, arguing with the green-haired one.

"That's good. He's reassured now, at least."

Trafalgar Law… The Surgeon of Death. Why was he there? Shichibukai's were known for their hate for each other… Was it maybe to heal Luffy?

"Reassured…?"

"Your brother. I've been waiting to check on him and thank him for some days."

And the pink-haired marine was playing chess with him. The skeleton had a black afro and was playing the violin while laughing strangely.

… Wait… Thank him? Had he heard those words?

Sabo turned slowly to the smoker marine and his brother, that were nearer to one another. Ace's blush, that was more on a pink shade by then, returned after processing the other's words. He almost saw smoke come out of the fire-user's ears. Though happy for the obvious show of care, a movement behind the balustrade took his attention.

"T-thank him…?"

He recognized Marco. The man was tugging something with his hand. Luffy appeared. Sabo suffered immediately a replay of what he had seen the day of the exchange. His eyes started leaking tears without any restrain. Luffy looked down and blinked, worry rapidly clouding his eyes. In a flash, the raven was in front of him, gripping his shoulders.

"Sabo, what's wrong?! What happened?!"

The blonde opened and closed his mouth twice, trying to form a coherent sentence. He failed. Then, he clutched his brother's torso in his arms, hiding his face in the crook of the other's neck and letting everything out. He felt Luffy stiffen for a long second, but then he relaxed and the hands on his shoulders slid to completely hug him back. One massaged his head and hair softly.

"It's okay… I'm sorry… Everything's alright… Don't worry…"

He felt an arm detach, lifted to where Ace was, maybe. After some moments, someone clashed into them and they fell with their knees on the floor. Sabo felt an arm he knew on his shoulders and a new wet sensation on his shirt.

"You two haven't changed one bit… This takes me back…" Luffy said in-between sweet nothings. "You were always crying when I was wounded…"

Sabo sniffed. "O-of course..!"

"It was… always… our fault…"

The hand on his scalp made rougher movements. "It was not. It was my choice."

"Y-you… were protecting *sniff* us…" The blonde countered.

"T-thank you… Lu-nii…"

The arm around him tightened and Sabo felt so safe and calm… It was exactly like in the past, like when they were children… Little brats always causing and searching for troubles… Only to be rescued by their big brother… That often ended up wounded, sometimes harshly, to protect them…

"D-don't do… that a-*sniff*-again…" He warned Luffy.

"Yeah… D-don't."

The following chuckle warmed his and Ace's insides. It was a sound they had not heard in years…

The two cried even more.

And next chapter will probably be a bit boring...

YaMi: It focuses on a character that doesn't appear a lot.

Yeah... Even if that's the case, he occupied an entire chapter so... We'll see.

YaMi: Thank you for reading. *bows*

See ya!