Whumptober 2021
Summary: Whumptober 2021: Day 24: Losing Control. Marco/Ace. When Marco suddenly lashes out at everyone, Ace realizes something. It's not Marco's doing.
Author's Note: Hey everyone and welcome back to Whumptober. I hope you enjoy this! I don't really have an author's note for you. On with the fic!
Whumptober 2021: Day Twenty-Four: Losing Control (Marco/Ace)
"Marco! Stop!" Ace screamed as Marco swung at him using his talons. His eyes were clouded over. Leaving just white irises staring back at him. While Marco couldn't actually hurt him, he was using haki so if it connected, Ace would definitely feel it. Why the hell was Marco acting this way? "Marco!" He tried again.
It was like Marco couldn't hear a word he was saying. Almost acting on an animalistic instinct. Attacking blindly. He had came back from a simple supply run acting strangely. It was like a switch flipped the second his eyes landed on Ace.
The Second Division Commander jumped out of the way, landing on his feet on the rail. Marco's head snapped in his direction again. "What the hell is going on, Marco?!" Thatch screamed, arms wrapping around Marco's torso and attempting to pin his arms down.
He wasn't expecting the growl that came next. Marco turning around and swinging at Thatch. Hitting his fellow Commander and the blood spurting out of the wound on his shoulder. Thatch stumbled back, but Ace was left with no choice but to jump again as Marco lunged at him.
"Marco!" Ace shouted.
Marco still wasn't saying anything to him. Lashing out at anyone who dared to try and touch him. Nothing appeared to be stopping him from going after Ace specifically. Like Ace was the target all along. No matter what anyone said or did, Marco wasn't reacting to them like he would usually. This wasn't Marco. It couldn't be.
"Son, what is going on with you?" He heard Whitebeard question. Whitebeard looked completely torn on what to do. They all did. None of them wanted to hurt Marco but he was lashing out in such a vicious way. Something happened on his outing. That's all Ace could narrow it down too.
Marco's gaze stayed firmly on Ace. The younger pirate yelled out, "Stay back! Stay away from him!" Instructing the others. He would rather Marco just come after him. He could handle this.
"Commander Ace!" He heard the shout, giving him the warning that Marco was swiping at him again.
Ace landed on his feet on the deck, gritting his teeth. He didn't want to hurt Marco, but he wasn't getting much of a choice if Marco wasn't listening to reason. "I can handle it!" He had to somehow break through whatever this is. He was clearly not thinking like himself. Marco's eyes showed as much. It was like everything was clouded over.
This felt like a lose lose situation. No matter what he did. He kicked as Marco's arm came at him again, blocking it from connecting with him. He flipped backwards, pushing off of the deck and grabbing Marco by the shoulder before he was pinning him to the deck below.
"C'mon, Marco! This isn't you!" Ace screamed. He could feel the tears coming to his eyes. This wasn't the man that he had fallen in love with. Marco was so kind and funny. Would never do anything to hurt his nakama. Thatch, Izou, and Jozu all had injuries now from trying to intervene, but Marco had attacked them. All of them trying to get in between Ace and Marco. If it was him that Marco wanted, he would give it to him. Just if it meant that Marco would stop attacking the others.
What the hell happened?
"Ace!" He heard Haruta scream but it was already too late as he felt his chest getting pierced. Ace choked on the air in his chest. Looking down to see Marco's talons had broken through his skin. The blood pooling over his hand. It had been so long since Ace felt pain. It felt so foreign to him now.
Marco growled, using his hips to flip them over, pinning Ace on his back. Feet settled on his wrists to keep them from moving. Nails in his chest. Ace coughed, feeling the blood slip past his lips. Marco's hand shook. Eyes widening for a split second before it was gone again. Ace blinked.
He could hear the collective shout of his name. The fear that was in the voices of those around him. He chose to ignore it in favor of looking directly at Marco. This couldn't be Marco's doing.
"It's okay, Marco." Ace whispered.
Marco's hand jerked, sending the talons deeper. Ace could see the black dots dancing over his vision. Seeing the way that the white started to flicker in Marco's eyes. Flicking from white to blue every second.
"Are you better now?" Ace questioned. Marco froze, squeezing his eyes shut as he shook his head. A low growl rumbling from his chest. "Whatever it is, fight it, Marco. It's okay. I'm here."
Which each word that left Ace's mouth. It was like something was hitting Marco each time. He grunted as he felt the talons retract. The blood covering his chest.
"I love you, Marco."
"Ace…" He heard Marco finally whisper.
He couldn't say anything back as the black cloud covered his eyes and he felt consciousness slipping from him.
X
Marco wasn't even sure what happened. He couldn't control his body. His actions. It was like something else was controlling him completely as he lashed out at anyone who came near him. The worst feeling he had was seeing Ace and suddenly a bloodlust reigning over his mind. Begging him to attack.
He tried to will his blood to stop moving. To stop each attack. He couldn't. He could barely hear the others talking to him. What was even happening to him. He didn't even know. He couldn't speak no matter how much he tried to. He was crying out. Begging for this to stop. He didn't want to do this. He was hurting his family. Hurting Ace. They were trying not to hurt him either. Just trying to restrain him, but the power was overflooding his veins and working to control him completely.
It was like a shift in the world when his talons penetrated Ace's chest. The feel of his blood on his hands almost grounding him back into reality again. What Ace did next shocked him. Shook him to his core.
Ace smiled.
Telling him that everything was okay. It felt like for a second he was finally regaining control of himself before it was ripped from him all over again. Ace urged him on. Keeping a smile on his bloody lips.
"I love you, Marco."
It had him frozen completely. That was the first time he had ever heard Ace say those words to him. It felt like whatever was clouding his mind had completely broken.
He felt the clarity returning as he felt the blood on his hands. He moved his feet, releasing Ace's from where they were on the ground. Marco inhaled sharply, lifting his hand up to look at his blood soak fingers.
He had done that. He had hurt Ace despite the logia powers he had. Made him bleed. Ace was unconscious. Eyes closed and shallow breathing. The blood starting to pool on the deck.
"Ace!" He screamed, scrambling off of him as the others were panicking around him. "Oh God. What have I done?!"
He ignited his flames on his hands, placing them over Ace's chest as the tears pooled in his eyes. He looked up to his nakama to see the pure shock on their faces. Frozen in their places. "Marco…" Thatch whispered, cradling his own bloodied shoulder. "Are you back with us?"
Marco nodded, the fear still going through him as he tried to force as much of his own power into his hands. He could have killed Ace doing that. His talons were so close to his heart. "I don't know what happened. I'm so sorry." He said, looking back down at Ace. "I couldn't control it." He added, he looked up, scanning the others, "Get as much bandages as possible!"
People were moving now, like they were also snapped back into reality. The two of them were surrounded quickly, working to help Ace to the best of their abilities. "Move, Commander Marco." Tate said.
Marco was forced out of the way, being pulled back by Curiel and Vista. "What the hell have I done? I did that to him."
"We need to know what happened." Vista stated. "What was going on?"
Marco shook his head. "It was like… like I was there but I wasn't. I could hear you but I had no control of what I was doing." Marco turned to look back at Ace. Deuce and Jozu picking him off of the ground as Tate held bandages on his chest.
"He'll be okay, Marco." Tate called back. "Your powers healed most of it, but we need to stop this bleeding."
Marco couldn't hear anything as he looked back down at his hands. Ace's blood still there. Thatch's blood was there too. Izou's. Jozu's. His nakama's blood was on his hands. Literally.
How could he let this happen?
X
Ace was still out to the world. His chest covered in bandages. The others had also had their injuries taken care of. Marco had assisted. Trying to fix this mistake with the help of his own abilities.
Now, he sat at Ace's bedside. He couldn't bring himself to move until the second that he knew that Ace was completely okay. That everything was fine.
He held Ace's hand in his own, bringing it up to his lips as he looked at the younger pirate's face. He had counted the freckles on his face more than once within that time. He wanted his eyes to open. See his smile. Just to know that he hadn't done permanent damage. This was all his fault. Ace wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for him.
He didn't even look away as he heard the loud footsteps. He knew those footsteps. He had heard them so many times that he knew who it was without even looking. "He'll be okay, son. Our Ace is a fighter."
"I want to believe that." Marco replied, turning his head slightly to look at Whitebeard. Whitebeard was smiling down at him. How could he be so forgiving so easily? He had attacked the others. Sure, he wasn't in the right mindset, but he had still done it. It was done by his hand. He had broken a rule of the ship. He deserved whatever punishment that Whitebeard could give him. "I hurt him, Oyaji. I hurt the others."
"We know it wasn't you." Whitebeard replied. "Ace knew that too."
"How could I do this to him? To any of them?" Marco questioned. "I should have been able to fight whatever happened to me. How could I hurt the people I love?"
Whitebeard hummed. "Even the strongest can still fall victim to unfortunate circumstances. You snapped out of it in time, son."
Marco felt the tears in his eyes again as he choked on the cry that was ripping from his throat. "This never should have happened."
"It's unfortunate, but it did. No one faults you for it." Whitebeard replied, placing a hand over the entirety of Marco's back. "Now, all we can do is wait."
X
Marco never moved. Staying right where he was throughout the night. Until the second that Ace started to stir and his eyes fluttering open. Ace groaned, lifting his free hand up to his chest as he mumbled, "I feel like crap." Ace suddenly shot up, grimacing as he was saying, "Marco!"
"It's okay, Ace." Marco said.
Ace finally noticed him, a smile coming to his face. Marco could only blink as arms wrapped around his shoulders, a hand on the back of his head. "I'm so glad you're okay."
Marco melted into the embrace, bringing his own arms to wrap around Ace. Hands sprawled over his warm back. "I should be saying that to you." Marco inhaled, breathing in the scent of Ace's shampoo. "I'm so sorry, Ace."
"Don't be. I knew that couldn't have been you doing it." Ace muttered, pulling back, and placing his hands on either side of Marco's face. "I love you."
"I love you, Ace." Marco replied. "I don't ever want to hurt you. Do that again. I never meant for it to happen."
Ace still smiled anyway. "I know, Marco." He said. Ace leaned forward, connecting their lips. Even though he knew that Ace was okay, he couldn't stop the guilt that was running through him. It would be fine. At least, he hoped so.
For now, he would just stay in this moment.
Ace was alive and he was here with him. He would never allow himself to let harm come to Ace again if he had anything to say about it.