Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece


"Welcome, Phoenix!" Aiko exclaimed loudly as she stepped onto the wooden docks of Saké Island, said Phoenix slowly following after her with a small amused grin. She began twirling and spreading her arms out wide, before turning to him with a wide smile. "To my hometown!"

With one arm, she gestured to the large, bustling town. People stopped to openly stare at her as if the woman was mad. Though Marco could understand her excitement, she obviously didn't come often. She made a drinking gesture with her free hand. "You won't find a better place to acquire quality sake, I assure you."

Marco looked out at the settlement, cobble stone and sturdy housing. Everything looked quaint and cozy, perfect for a small island. There were multiple food stands scattered about and from his –somewhat faraway- spot Marco could make out the incredible amount of liquor stores. His eyes wandered to the people who all had the same shade of dark red-orange hair making him able to differentiate at a glance those who were only stopping by the island for a small visit from the locals who had lived here all their lives. Men and women yelled, trying to coerce their customers to come into their humble establishments for a quick drink, each claiming they only served the best.

The blond spotted a few pirate ships docked on the far side of the port, but he didn't recognize the Jolly Rogers. But –famous or not- the fact that they were out in the open and not hiding their ship meant that this island wasn't affiliated with the Marines. That, or those pirates were incredibly stupid. Though he doubted Marines would be near this type of island, since the ones that kept the alcohol trade in business were without a doubt, pirates.

"No worries, Phoenix." Aiko told him, watching his eyes scan his surroundings, before she began leading the way into the town. Salesladies already calling out to her to come browse their goods. "The townspeople protest and make the Marines leave whenever they attempt at establishing a Marine presence on the island." Marco raised an eyebrow at her as he quickly caught up to the woman, walking by her side as she maneuvered through the semi-crowded town. "Because if the Marines started making pirates leave it would be bad for business."

He couldn't argue with that.

Marco was confident that he could outdrink a Marine any day.

"So," He yawned loudly, not in a real rush to do anything. The Log Pose would take another solid twenty four hours and there were no bothersome Marines around to try and arrest him, so he could take his sweet time. "Give me the grand tour, yoi."

She smiled up at him, stretching her arms out above her head.

"Well, could we stop by somewhere first?"

He shrugged, not really caring. The only thing he wanted to do on this island was sit down, kick his feet up and drink. As long as he got to do that sometime within their twenty four hour stay then he didn't care where they went. Aiko bought three bottles of sake from a nearby vendor, handing him one as she opened up her own and began leading him to the quieter parts of the city. When he brought the bottle up to his lips and the sake invaded his taste buds, he couldn't help but open his eyes slightly in surprise at the taste.

"This is…" He let the sentence hang. Pops had been right, this island really did make the best sake. There was no compare. It was smooth and ran right down, its taste and smell strong, but not so potent that you'd choke on it. He brought the bottle to his lips again, this time taking long, healthy gulps in succession.

"Orgasmic is the word." Aiko said, a playful grin dancing on her lips as she took her own swig.

He didn't deny her wording.

It was true.

The sake was orgasmic.

"We have to buy a few dozen crates of these, yoi." Marco said, already calculating in his mind how much he'd bring back for the crew. Of course, Pops would get his own crate of the stuff.

"You should taste their other types." She looked at the bottles label it read 'Junmai Ginjo-Shu', "I think this is the best, though Bennie prefers Honjozo-Shu."

Marco's mind took a moment to register who 'Bennie' was, before he realized she was talking about Benn Beckman, the first mate of the Red Hair Pirates. He wasn't used to someone referring to the man so casually. They usually didn't bring up their mates special tastes in front of each other, since it felt a bit awkward to know personal interests about rival pirates. He didn't want his relationships with any of the Red Hair Pirates to grow past the acquaintance level. They were the enemy.

But, they did tell each other about embarrassing stories.

Those were always fun.

"Bennie?" Marco muttered amused.

Her hand flew to her mouth, before she gave him an embarrassed grin. "Sorry, it's what we call him."

"Hmmm…" Marco hummed, face bored and dead serious as ever. "Should I use it to make fun of him?"

Aiko paled slightly, before glaring at the Phoenix. "Don't you dare."

He shrugged fluidly, carelessly, "Or what, yoi?"

"Maaarrcooo!" Aiko groaned.

He tried to suppress his own at the sound of her pleading voice, the rare sound of his name once again leaving her voice in the most arousing way. Why couldn't she just say his name normally like every other person he knew? It would have made his life so much easier and his body so much more controllable. He hated these sudden urges to pin her against the nearest surface and taste that snarky mouth.

Aiko suddenly tore her eyes away from him and his nonsense. Honey orbs moving towards a bulky tree just at the edge of the forest surrounding the town. Marco watched as she knelt down in front of an average sized stone, but upon further scrutiny, he realized that it was a grave marker. It was so old and uncared for that moss and vines were growing over it, turning it into a part of the large tree it was situated under. Over the years it became underbrush, but to his eyes it looked sturdy, stubborn even. As if the small rock wouldn't -refused to- topple even under the most severe weather conditions. Aiko patted away some of the dirt on the grave that wasn't even marked with a name. Just another stone slab in the forest that no one entered. Marco stared at her as she looked fondly at it, wrapping her arms around the small grave and kissing it. Placing her forehead against the stone as if it were the most important thing in this world, as if she couldn't bear to be apart from it.

It felt too intimate, he felt like an outsider as he continued to stare, but he couldn't turn his eyes away from the loving expression adorning her face. A look he had never seen before. Completely different from everything she had shown him over the years, yet the expression was so undeniably her that he couldn't –wouldn't- look away. She seemed so vulnerable right now, it made him wonder why she had chosen to bring him along. He would've understood if she wanted to visit Gin's grave on her own. Right now, it felt as if he was overstepping his boundary as a rival of her and her crew.

"Gin." She murmured, it was barely a whisper, but his trained ears could hear her clearly in the silence around them. "I miss you so much." Her voice was loving towards a ghost that -Marco had no doubt- was definitely listening.

There was a brief moment of silence as if she were expecting Gin to answer.

"I'm sorry it's been so long," She continued, remembering the last time the Red Hair Pirates had docked there. Shanks was a new Yonko then and they had a banquet around his grave. "But I'm here, no flowers, but I've brought along a friend, his name's Marco."

Marco looked down at the grave her forehead was still resting against. He raised his bottle of sake to it in a silent acknowledgement, not wanting to ruin Aiko's moment with his words for someone he had never had the pleasure of meeting.

"He's good to me." Aiko's voice invaded the silence once again, that loving voice that sounded so foreign yet so right to the blonde's ears. "Just like you were, you…" She pulled away a bit, so that she could stare at the unmarked grave with honey eyes that Gin always said he hated, before whispering "Idiot."

Aiko grabbed the extra bottle of sake she had bought, popping the cap open and pouring it slowly over the stone grave. It puddled around it, the tree it practically merged with sucking the sake into its roots. She looked up the tree, seeing Gin's body sleeping over the branch. One arm hanging out just as he had always done when she was a child, though she knew it was just a trick. A trick that her mind played on her. A trick of the light on her eyes. But, she was still grateful for it.

"I'll be back before I leave."

Don't bother, idiot.

She heard her mind whisper to her in his harsh voice. The things she knew he would've said had he actually been there with her to say them. "Then maybe I'll wait another ten years before coming back to see you."

Nobody wants to see your crying face.

Aiko cursed her mind, before standing.

"Later, Gin." She smiled brightly at the grave.

She took a swig from her own bottle as she turned to Marco who stood quietly there, as always, patiently waiting for her. She made a gesture for them to continue their tour around the island. He raised his sake bottle once more in the direction of Gin's grave, before following the woman back into the busier parts of town.


"I'm serious, yoi." Marco said smoothly, Aiko's laughter ringing loud in the small bar they had entered. The place didn't stand out too much, it wasn't classy, nor was it as bad as the bar he had first met her in. A regular place with not too many people, but Aiko had assured him that it didn't matter where they got their sake from on this island because it would still be better than any other island they bought from.

"Fire Fist really is Luffy's brother, AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She laughed again at the man's story about Ace after consuming ungodly amounts of sugar had the sudden urge to play strip poker with some of his subordinates even though Jill had told the pyro commander multiple times that he was at a clear disadvantage.

Her voice was loud though no one in the bar seemed to mind because though there weren't many people, her voice was still drowned out by the sound of catchy music and people dancing. Plus, the loud men in the corner that were boisterously celebrating some sort of great find. Marco hadn't really paid them too much attention once the waitress had brought their drinks.

"That's not all, yoi. He always claimed he was the hottest man alive, then when he saw my blue flames," Marco made a quick flame appear in his hand for a split second as if to prove a point, "He started this entire argument about me being hotter than him and started throwing a tantrum in this island known for its nature and wildlife…" He took a moment to take a swig of sake, "…In the dry season."

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Aiko's laughter rang out once more at the sheer childishness as she wiped a tear from her eye. Now, she really wanted to meet the infamous Fire Fist Ace. "Oh, I got one." Aiko said, placing her small sake cup down.

"So Rho,"

"Your playboy doctor, yoi?"

She nodded with a smile, before continuing, "He ate the Chicken Chicken no Mi."

Marco almost choked on the meat he had taken a generous bite of as he began coughing uncontrollably and pounding his fist on his chest. Aiko had begun laughing again at his expression as he downed the food lodged in his throat with his sake. Taking large gulps to push the meat down.

"Anyway," She began.

"There's more, yoi?" Marco interrupted with surprise clear in his voice. What could be worse than eating the Zoan Fruit that turned you into a giant chicken? If that went into the news, the smooth doctor might never get laid again. Plus, who wanted to be a chicken? What good would that do you? If that was the fruit he ate then he really was cursed.

She nodded slightly, amused smile still dancing on the corners of her lips.

"So, when the cooks prepared dinner that night, a chicken dinner. Shanks and Yasopp began staring in horror at Rho who had taken a generous helping, before they started yelling 'cannibalism' at the top of their lungs." Aiko said with a laugh, Marco giving a more controlled chuckle at the ridiculous story.

"How did he even eat that fruit, yoi?" The Phoenix questioned, curiosity piqued at why he would willingly eat a fruit that turned him into a flightless, domesticated sorry excuse of a bird.

"Well he ate the thing by accident, a girl brought it to him in a lunchbox she had made and Rho, playbo-," She coughed, "Gentleman that he is didn't want to hurt her feelings and kept it to himself that it had a really disgusti-," She coughed again, "Unique, taste. He quickly ate the whole thing in a few bites." Aiko explained, "Then when we were setting sail, Benn came onto the ship holding a chicken, which everyone of course questioned."

She remembered how Bennie had told everyone with a little amused grin that it would be their new source of eggs, the statement made the chicken squawk in anger.

"Anyway, Rho who couldn't control his Zoan yet ended up transforming back in front of the entire crew who died of laughter." Aiko finished with a large grin on her face.

Marco's unobtrusive laughter flowing in the air between them.

Aiko took a large bite of food as Marco poured the woman another drink. "Did I tell you about the time Thatch started an interdivision prank war, yoi?"

She shook her head, watching him empty the bottle into her small cup before opening another one. "Which divisions exactly?"

She knew for a fact that Whitebeards crew had a grand total of 1,617 members –not including Whitebeard's allies- and that each of the sixteen commanders oversaw a hundred men. Did Thatch really involve hundreds of men in his idiocy?

"All divisions, except the eighth, ninth, eleventh, twelfth, and the fifteenth, yoi."

"Eleven divisions?" Aiko asked, the disbelief clear in her eyes and voice.

"Ten, yoi. Ace wasn't there yet." He explained, "Though at first it started with only three of us, "The first, third and fourth divisions. So, me Jozu and Thatch, yoi." He gave her a moment to see if she had followed, they had a lot of members, so he'd understand if she didn't remember each commander's division number.

She nodded slightly, gesturing for him to continue.

He remembered all the times he had stepped through his door only to be drenched by a bucket of water –or grease- or the times members of his division slipped on the floors only for him to find that they had been waxed with oil. All the times Thatch had come out of the shower seething in anger when his gel was replaced with honey.

"Well, he started it by insulting us, yoi." Marco began, "Then when we ditched him as wingmen he brought his entire division into it. The only time the little civil war had stopped was when Pops sat all the commanders down and hit us all with his Haki." Marco shuddered at the punch he had taken that day and all the nasty glares his fellow commanders had shot him after he healed not five minutes after receiving it, while they had to deal with the ache and bruise for days.

Aiko winced at the thought of being hit by Whitebeard.

"What did Thatch say to start that?" Aiko asked, taking a drink.

Marco eyed the small diamond ring on the waitress as she placed a few fresh bottles of sake on their table. He waited for the woman to leave, before saying, "Thatch said Jozu is what a girl wants."

It was her turn to choke, coughing wildly as she began patting her chest with a gloved hand. Letting her sake cup clatter to the table noisily. He looked over at her and her eyes closed in pain as the sake went down the wrong tube, he stood, sliding in beside her in the booth. Rubbing her back as he handed her an untouched glass of water. She drank the entire thing in half a second, breathing a sigh of relief once she set the empty cup down.

"That moron." She said simply.

Marco only grinned in agreement as he let his hand drop from her back. The two now sitting next to each other as they drank.

"So," She began, Aiko couldn't help but notice that the Phoenix said Thatch had insulted both of them. But that comment had only been directed at the third division commander, Diamond Jozu. "What did he say to you?"

"I told you, yoi." Marco muttered irately at Thatch who had swung his drunken arm over him, leaning most –if not all- his weight on the Phoenix. "None of them interest me."

"S'not my fault you can't look at women for months whenever you leave that woman's company." Thatch retorted, lips loose after having one too many. He was grinning all too happily at the already irritated Phoenix, not even noticing just what he was saying, "I know you hold onto that picture. If you're so worried let's just tell Pops you left something at Weatherton, the Red Hair Pirates should still be ther—"

Marco let the man stumble and fall on his face.

He eyed her for a moment, before shrugging broad shoulders.

Aiko frowned in response.

When he saw it, he swore that he would have given her the world if it meant she'd wipe it off her face. It didn't belong there, not when she was in his company.

Instead –referring to her loud laughter- he said, "If I tell you I might have to bite your tongue for you to stay quiet, yoi."

He was glad to see the small frown immediately turn into a grin, even though it was so easy to see that he avoided her question. She remarked suggestively, "I might like it."

He rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Of course you wou—"

"AIKO!" The sound of her name coming from an unfamiliar voice interrupted Marco as they both turned to see a man with dark red-orange hair come up to them. He was well built, but not as toned as Marco who was a seasoned pirate, the age was already beginning to show on the man's face and on his stomach. A woman with the same hair color followed behind him, the onset of age covered by makeup as she donned loose clothes that covered every inch of skin. Clearly not trying to show it off as pirates of her age tended to do, which meant she was a local, just another civilian, though that was obvious from her hair color. Her loose shirt -as she quickly followed the man- billowed exposing small stretch marks, Marco's observant eyes saw them out of reflex. It was a sign that she had just recently given birth.

Marco eyed Aiko in silent question at who they were. She only shrugged, not quite sure either.

"You are Aiko, right?" The man asked as he came to a stop in front of their small booth, the woman by his side.

"Who's asking?" She asked, not even looking at the guy and instead busying herself with pouring her and the Phoenix another drink.

"It's me! Shima!"

Aiko's eyes didn't snap up to the man, she took her time with looking at him. As if the sake she poured was more important than seeing a childhood friend. To her though, it was. Sake was important in the life of every Red Hair Pirate, hell, even to the Whitebeard Pirates –to Whitebeard himself- sake was important. Especially sake this high quality.

"Ahh!" She said, eyes crinkling in mirth and giving him a happy grin. Marco couldn't help but notice the slight blush that flooded the man's cheeks, a blush that reached his ears. "Shima! It's been… what? Almost twenty years?"

"Old, yoi." Marco insulted the woman under his breath, this had been the only time she had said anything regarding how old she was. She didn't even mention her age in the story she reluctantly told him a few days ago.

Aiko gave a hidden Haki infused punch to his thigh under the table, Marco could feel –hear- his bone crack, but he didn't show it. Instead, he gave her a strained grin that she returned with a full blown innocent smile. He let his blue flames quickly go over the aching spot. Not the first time and certainly not the last time that he was thankful for his superior Phoenix healing.

"Give or take." Shima replied with his own large grin, before complimenting, "But maaan, you've gotten pretty. I remember when you were missing some teeth here." He pointed to his front teeth.

"Don't bring that up." Aiko said with a laugh and a wave. Completely disregarding the topic as she placed an arm on Marco's elbow. It was a bit awkward talking with the Phoenix situated between them. Shima looked as if he wanted her to get up and hug him, but thankfully with Marco between them, she couldn't. "Anyway, this is Marco, yoi."

"Oi, oi." Marco warned, he hated when others mimicked the way he spoke. Aiko just gave him another innocent smile in return.

"He may look scary," Aiko continued, "But he's really a nice boy."

Marco shot her a scathing glance.

"Nice to meet you." Shima held out a hand which Marco took. Shima stepped back a bit, so that they could clearly see the woman he was with. "This is Ami."

"Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, yoi."

Came Aiko and Marco's synchronized response.

"Are you two friends?" Ami questioned, looking between Shima and Aiko.

"Mm!" Shima nodded enthusiastically, "We used to play when we were kids."

Aiko had never been angry with Shima, never held a grudge against him. They were children and it wasn't his fault that she was shunned. If he were to be caught playing with the likes of her, he would have been punished by his parents and shunned by the rest. They were children. She resented him for a time, but that subsided as she stayed with the Red Hair Pirates and Benn Beckman carefully explained to her childish self what would happen if Shima didn't deny knowing her.

"Ah, but your hair…" Ami let the sentence hang. If they were childhood friends then that would mean she was from this town.

"My parents grew up on a different island here in the Grand Line." Aiko explained, Marco listened carefully to what she said. She hadn't mentioned her parents in her story, only that they were dead. "But I was born here. That's why…" She twirled a strand of thick raven hair between her fingers.

"Oh!" Shima's eyes widened in realization, his eyes going to Marco. "Sorry were we interrupting something?"

The Phoenix shook his head. Motioning with his hand to all the drinks and trays of food spread out on the table. "Just a few rounds, yoi."

Shima's eyes moved to the table. There were several different platters of food and bottles of fresh unopened sake sitting right next to even more bottles of empty sake. Had they drunken all that? He looked towards the two, they didn't even seem a little drunk. No red cheeks, no involuntary swaying and no speech or vision impairment. They looked perfectly normal. Well, as normal as a tanned blonde showing off his tattooed body and a pale raven haired woman showing too much of her chest than what was proper, could be. Why was his old friend even travelling with a guy that looked like he had been heavy lifting and weathering through all kinds of things all his life? Judging from the sculpted body that the open purple jacket revealed, he probably had.

"Could we join you?" Shima asked, slightly embarrassed.

Aiko looked towards Marco who shrugged, leaving the decision up to her. She smiled up at the two standing and nodded her head. The two immediately sliding into the spot across from them, Shima first so that he was in front of Aiko, then Ami who sat across from Marco. The Phoenix refilled his and Aiko's cups, emptying another bottle of sake as he said in his usual voice, "Help yourselves, yoi."

"Thank you." Ami said politely as she got herself some food.

"Yea, thanks! We appreciate it!" Shima helped himself, as they ate a bit, Marco called the waitress over and ordered a few more things. Once the waitress had left, Shima had another embarrassed look on his face, "You didn't have to order more! We can split the bi—"

"Don't worry about it, yoi." Marco said waving a hand. The man had no idea how rich he and Aiko were at the moment. From the money and gems Shanks gave, the money they had gotten on Velveteen Island and then the pink gems from Rice Kingdom. They were practically rolling in dough. "If I split the bill," He tilted his head towards Aiko, "She'd never let me forget it, yoi."

"I'm glad you know me so well, Phoenix." Aiko retorted with a roll of her eyes as she downed another drink.

Marco followed suit, downing his drink in one go. "Feel loved yet, Hon?"

"Very much, dear." She said in a sugary sweet tone that had Marco grinning in amusement.

"Enough to share some of that love with me, yoi?" He teased, eyes and voice baiting her.

Aiko raised a quick eyebrow at him. He knew that their relationship would never work and that if the two of them hooked up now it would only hinder their mission, so she had to wonder why he was being bolder in his moves against her as of late. She responded of course, no matter how much she tried it was hard not to touch him. She gave in to that urge at times and invaded his personal space because she knew he would resist her in some way. But, each time she invaded his private space he'd allow her closer and closer. Which wasn't good, each touch set her body aflame. He knew just where to place his hands, just what to say to elicit a response, to get her aroused beyond all reason. Marco was good. He had been since the moment they met and that didn't change with time. It only gave him more experience.

But she had to wonder, when all this with Ace was said and done. Would he resist in the end? Maybe he'd give in to a night, just how it's always been between them, but somehow Aiko felt that if they had their night this time around, feelings would develop and linger. When she had even begun to feel something other than an improper desire for the Phoenix by her side, Aiko didn't know. All she knew was that being with Marco -a man she would have to fight as a rival pirate, a man planning to make his Captain Pirate King, a man she'd barely meet with because he was always with his crew, off on his own adventure, off with other people, other women- would never work.

"Now…" Her voice was slightly scolding, she'd shove those thoughts away for another time. Shove them to the recesses of her mind, only to be opened when the mission with Ace was completed. "You know I don't share."

In an instant she leaned up, her lips a breath against his. A hand on his chest as he took the opportunity to let his arm wind its way around her waist. There it was again. The throbbing of his groin as he felt her practically closing in on him. Honey eyes capturing his stare.

"Just…" He breathed, "How many times do you think we've shared the same bed, yoi?"

"Shared?" Aiko muttered against his lips, "I invited you."

He could smell her scent, so close, all he had to do was tilt his head a bit forward to capture those lips. It would be so easy. So easy to lose himself in her, so easy to give their relationship a small shot as they sailed these seas together in search of Ac-

He couldn't do this.

He leaned back, inching his face away from hers. She gave him a small grin in triumph, gloating at her victory. When he saw that, it made him want to give her a kiss that would bang her head against the wall with its force. But Marco's self-control was impeccable and with that flawless self-control he reigned in his desire.

Clank.

The two pirates turned their heads at the sound of a fork dropping on a plate. They were met with Ami and Shima who were staring at them with wide eyes and opened mouths. The two seemed to have stopped mid-chew when they saw the very public display of affection and blatant innuendos the two pirates threw around.

"Sorry you had to see that." Aiko immediately said, an apologetic look on her face.

Their faces immediately exploded in red.

"N-N-No!" Ami was quick to say, voice shaking as her eyes went back to her food. She picked her fork back up. "W-W-We were t-th-the ones s-s-st-stari-i-ing a-and we j-j-joined y-you t-t-two so abru-uptly…" She was stammering so much, Aiko could barely make out what she was trying to say.

"You two…" Shima began, voice thankfully much clearer than Ami's. Though Marco couldn't help but detect the slight hint of jealousy in his tone. "How long have you two known each other?"

"Hmmm…" Aiko hummed, looking once more at the Phoenix who still had an arm around her waist. "I'd saaay… about twelve years, right Phoenix?"

Marco thought it over in his head, unconsciously pulling her frame closer, so that her shoulder was resting against the side of his body. "That's about right, yoi."

He recalled the times they had encountered each other over that span of time. The bar where they met, Hand Island, Elbaf and lastly Weatherton. Next they saw each other was on the Moby Dick, the beginning of this little journey of theirs. The longest time they had ever spent in each other's company.

"It's been a long time." She muttered, resting her head on his side.

"Have you two been together all that time?" Shima asked, Marco could feel the hopeful tinge in his voice as he said those words. Hoping one of them would answer no.

"Something like that, yoi." Marco was quick to answer, before Aiko could let her voice escape her already parted lips. "We see each other when we have time."

Aiko closed her mouth, letting the blond commander do his thing. Fabricate a story, so that Shima wouldn't bother them anymore. Why he did so, she didn't know. It's not as if she were interested in Shima. He was a civvie, a regular person. Aiko had never been attracted to a normal man that wouldn't even be able to handle one of her punches.

"Ahh… what is it that you two do?"

"I'm a shipwright in Water 7, yoi. Aiko owns a bar a few blocks from the dock I work at." The Phoenix lied easily, natural. He had been doing it all his life, lying about his profession that is.

"The famous shipwrights of Water 7." Shima seemed impressed, it explained the sculpted body Marco had. "And how did you get all the way to Water 7?" He turned towards Aiko snuggled up against the blond for an answer. The last he had seen of her was her leaving with some ship after the fight that caused half the city to burn down. The ship was already too far out in the distance and with his eyes he could barely make out her small form seated on the shoulders of some man with the same dark hair.

"A merchant ship headed there, they dealt in fabrics." Aiko said simply. "One of the men found me wandering around after the fire."

"It really was a horrible fire, no?" Came Ami's gentle voice, Aiko nodded in confirmation.

"Anyway…" Aiko said with a small mischievous smile, "Are you two together?"

Ami's cheeks burned profusely as Shima quickly dismissed it, "No. She's married to my brother, they just had a boy."

Aiko and Marco shot her a congratulatory look which she bowed shyly at in thanks.

"And you, yoi?" Marco asked, lethargic eyes on Shima.

Shima shook his head, looking pointedly at Aiko. "Nah. I'm waiting for the right girl to come around."

That look he shot her felt uncomfortable. "Well," Aiko began, not sure how to address this. If he had been waiting for her to come around for the past twenty years then he would be sorely disappointed. He wasn't her type and Aiko didn't think she could learn to love an average man. "You should make a move, before she gets swept off her feet."

"I should, shouldn't I?" Shima said back with a large grin.

Marco though took Aiko's intentions at diverting the man away from her wrong. Thinking that she somehow wanted the attention, subtly telling the man to go after her. But as he looked down at her uncomfortable gaze, he knew what he needed to say.

"She's right, yoi." Marco spoke up making the man's eyes turn to him. "If I hadn't married her who knows what would've happened."

Shima's eyes widened as a little amused smile played on the corners of Aiko's lips. Playing along, she said, "Y'know no matter where I go, I'll always end up right here, love." She snuggled up against his hard body.

He smirked in amusement.

Lethargic eyes alive once more.

"Well, I'll be sure to find a girl." Marco could hear the obvious strain in the man's voice. "But it's a bad time right now, with all the Marines on their way here. They'll just be passing by though."

"Marines, yoi?"

"Yea. I heard they're after these two big shot pirates that blew up some kinda castle a ways from here." Shima shrugged, not really caring. "They probably totally skipped this island though. I mean what with Peak Runner Island right after…"

The man obviously didn't know how Log Poses worked, they couldn't just skip an island. Not unless they had an Eternal Pose. Marco would have loved if they could have gone straight to Peak Runner, the island they had been waiting to get to for a while now. The island where the routes of Paradise intersected, where they could make a move to follow Ace's trail.

Aiko groaned loudly.

Marco felt the vibrations of her voice go through his body.

She sighed in exasperation right after, could they not land on an island without the Marines, Yonko, crazy okama or some other random people popping up to ruin their adventure? It was starting to get annoying. Really fast. She didn't check the news for one measly day and she finds out that Marines were coming after them. Paradise Marines. It was like sending a child after an experienced fighter.

"I think that's our cue, Phoenix."

He nodded, flagging down the waitress and handing her a few large bills that had Shima and Ami's eyes widening. Once she came back with change, Marco left a generous tip as he grabbed the two largest bottles of sake on the table.

"You two enjoy yourselves, yoi." Marco said, voice still as monotone as ever even though he was being nice to the two locals. Well, then again, they were lucky he spoke to them in his usual indifferent way because anything was better than his hostile tone, the one he directed at his enemies.

The two pirates slid out of the booth.

"And you two?" Shima asked, out of curiosity and impulse. But as he said the words he immediately regretted it, it was no business of his to question where they were going.

"We have a reservation at a nearby inn." Aiko answered easily, a grin on her face. The answer had Marco's smirk breaking onto his face once more. He had long since stopped trying to control his facial expression while this woman was around, all it did was irritate him when he repeatedly found that he couldn't. "See ya."

"Aiko!" Shima called, "We should have another drink before you leave."

Aiko just gave the man a small grin in response. Shima took it as a yes, though Marco knew it meant that she wouldn't willingly seek him out. If they ran into each other she wouldn't mind a drink, but not if it took up precious time they could use to sail after Ace. The man was too presumptuous, Marco wondered if he was still going after Aiko even though he had said they were married. The man was just being another pain in Marco's side, he didn't want to have to worry about some civilian trying to get a woman leagues above him to notice him. The guy lived in a different world from the one they existed in and if he actually thought he could beat him over Aiko's affections then he was sorely mista-

He stopped himself from finishing that last thought. There was no need for him to have a petty fight over Aiko since she wasn't his in the first place. Instead he went back to his previous train of thought about Shima being from a completely different world.

The dark haired man was just being bothersome.

Marco didn't want to read into why Aiko's old friend going after her bothered him, it just did and when something bothered Marco, he had a tendency to get rid of it.

The two left the bar without another word.

Aiko's face losing its usual grin as they moved straight onto business.

"Make a stand here or in the ocean, yoi?" Marco asked, letting her decide what to do with those pesky Marines after them. It really made no difference whatever she picked, they'd still be kicking their asses. Marco's fingers itched for a real fight, but knew he wouldn't be getting one here in Paradise. From the way he saw Aiko's fingers flex, he could tell she wanted this to be over and done with. He'd love to fight her again, but that would take time. And time was the only thing they unfortunately didn't have on this mission. Maybe after all this was over, he could get her to fight him again.

"Whenever they catch up." She responded firmly. Aiko couldn't help but notice that he was looking at her as if he wanted to pound her face in. It was disturbing.

The two pirates bought their crates of Sake for their captains, their crews and most importantly, for themselves. After, heading back to the docks to bring their load. Walking back to their ship at a languid pace to wait for the Log Pose to set or for the Marines to come. Whichever came first.

Though, little did they know the Marines weren't the only ones coming.


A/N: The stories of Aiko and Marco were ideas that came from Second Division Prohibitions by elvenarchress. :D Go check out her Crack fic, dearies. It's funny!

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