Marco finding out who Luffy might actually be with some stabbings, he's not that unknown after all~ Someone interesting from Luffy's past is making an appearance too!

Ik I said Luffy didn't meet Shanks but he has a similar but slightly different dream which I am still looking for a way to reveal later on. Honestly, I am considering if I should make short flashbacks or past retelling or just the whole past. I'm also thinking of how to deliver the past, to who and all that or just a self remembering kind of situation (Aghh).


Chapter 6 ~ Golden eyes (10th day)

It's been 10 days since he ended up here. It was bright outside when he woke up, Marco felt warm puffs of air near his collarbone which reminded him that he had slept with the teen last night. He glanced to the side slightly, to see a drooling raven lying on his shoulder. He grimaced in disgust, excuse him, but he was not wearing any shirt.

Luffy stirred and got up, wiping his mouth, until he realised who he was drooling on and glanced at the man slowly, cheeks quickly turning pink. He chewed on his bottom lip, looking away.

'Dammit Luffy, you totally broke down and now drooled on him. Ugh,' he groaned inwardly while he quickly wiped Marco with the sheets. It was stained with blood anyway, so what's a little more mess. The damn chicken just laughed at him, he huffed and pouted.

"Get up, we have to leave soon to get you something to wear," he said, "...and thank you," he sighed, "for last night."

Marco chuckled, "no problem yoi, you needed that," he said as he stood up to prepare brunch. He was quite surprised by the fact that he managed to wake up late, he tends to wake up early in the morning, usually. His wounds were getting better and noticed, Luffy too, didn't seem to wince much while moving anymore.

"You should try and transform, then cut yourself a bit to see if you could heal," the raven suggested as he changed and took out two new cloaks.

'Just how many cloaks does he have yoi,' Marco wondered, amused.

"Right, I'm kind of worried about my family, yoi."

"Family, huh…" he muttered softly. He was now wearing a loose red shirt, with the top unbuttoned, and tight black pants together with his daggers and throwing knives.

"Yeah, they can be really stupid yoi, but that's what family is for, right?" He smiled fondly.

"Okay, why don't you tell me about your family later when we're on the way," Luffy suggested, smiling. The blond nodded. They ate and got ready to leave. Marco tried to transform but it didn't work, causing him to frown slightly.

"Don't worry, it should be back soon, be patient alright," the raven assured, before he joked, "do you want to leave so bad," pouting dramatically.

Marco shrugged playfully, "maybe, yoi," he said, playing along.

"Ouch, pineapple. That hurt," Luffy gasped, gripping his chest dramatically while Marco rolled his eyes.

"Before we leave," -he grabbed Marco's hand and cut his finger with the dagger, just slightly- "well, I guess you are avoiding fights."

Said pirate raised his eyebrow and smirked, "I don't need my power to fight, yoi. I just need to avoid getting hit."

"Hai~ hai~, Mr. I am a strong pirate," he teased as they walked to the dock and Marco grinned in response.

"Are we expecting a fight, yoi?" He asked.

"I hope not, both of us are still wounded," he grumbled, prodding his wounds, "though, I don't really feel it anymore."

Marco scoffed, "Only you. And stop that yoi!" he scolded, stopping the raven from poking himself. Those wounds were pretty deep, most people would still feel the pain. 'High pain tolerance?' he mused.

"AONEEE~," Luffy bellowed, to call his friend over. Then turned around and passed Marco a bubble coral, "just in case, since this ship is tiny," he replied to the questioning look.

"Why can't you just use your powers yoi?" he asked, nodding towards the blue sea king.

"It takes up a lot of my energy. Especially the water powers, you could say it's a drawback," Luffy explained, before changing the subject, "so, want to tell me about your crew or family as you said."

So, Marco told him about oyaji and how they all called him pops or oyaji which basically means father, and he calls them son and daughter. Then he told him about Thatch, the prankster chef who can't live without his hair gel and how he's not sure if he survived. To which Luffy just said, 'he should be fine, since he's strong right? And he sounds fun!'. Told him how much he'll love his food. Then moved on to the other commanders, Izo who's a crossdresser and would probably love dressing the raven up. to which he just giggled and said, 'that sounds fun too, they did that before, but noble dresses are yucky.'. He told him about Haruta, the intel collector, who loves to play pranks too. He told him about all the commanders and their quirks, which the raven would just smile or laugh about. Then, he told him about their 2nd division commander, Ace, which is a hothead and would quite literally explode into flames, but is honestly a softie deep inside.

'Ace…sounds familiar.' "Uggh..." Luffy winced, holding the left side of his head. It suddenly hurts like it was getting stabbed with tiny needles.

"You alright yoi?" Marco asked, worriedly.

"Ah, yeah…just a headache," the teen said, waving his concern away, "you must really love them huh? Don't worry we'll get you healed and back soon enough!" he cheered, grinning.

Then they spotted a pirate ship, it was green in colour with yellow flags, overall tasteless. "Ew, that's an ugly ship," Luffy blurted out, scrunching his face and Marco facepalmed.

"What're you doing yoi?" The blond questioned as the teen got up and passed him a cloak.

"We shouldn't be seen together, you're too well known, and-" he grinned ferally, "I want to see if they can be ignored or be fed to Aone."

The raven geppo-ed over to the enemy's ship and kneeled with tippy toes, legs spread slightly. One hand on the pirate's deck and the other on his dagger. He didn't smile, looking cold and expressionless.

Marco frowned slightly (or maybe none at all, who knew with his stoic face), he's only ever seen him look like that after a nightmare, and he definitely didn't like it. He also noticed the raven did that pose on purpose, as in to seduce them. What is he planning? He knew how to use one of the marine's rokushiki too and maybe some of them, how? Marco's sure the raven wasn't lying about being a slave and a test subject, so what about this? For now he'll observe by the sidelines. Aone underwater, probably drooling if drools were visible in the sea.

Luffy smiled, although fake in every purpose, "can you spare us some food? We've been stranded for several days," he lied smoothly, while standing up. The pirates weren't even holding out weapons, just eyeing him while smirking, obviously underestimating the raven.

A short, stocky, pale man in a blue hat walked out arrogantly, most probably the captain, and smiled greedily, "Sure boy…" he said sweetly. Luffy narrowed his eyes, but eased up slightly until he continued, "only if you give me a service," the man said, licking his lips, not even looking at the teen's face.

Luffy sighed and barely held back an eyeroll. "No, thank you," he said, digging his nose, "I don't do pigs," he finished and flicked his pinky.

Marco smiled and scoffed slightly at his antics.

The hatted pirate sneered, "let's see how you scream, when you're pinned under me and used by us!"

The blond growled from their ship, making Luffy smile slightly. The raven looked back at the other pirate, emotionless mask back on. "Let's see how you scream, when I slice you up piece by piece," he grinned darkly. He took out his daggers, holding them in a reverse grip and then blood was everywhere.

Marco was amazed, those were New World pirates, probably rookies or lucky survivors. But still New World pirates, and he took them down single-handedly. He was right, the teen knew most of the rokushikis, was flexible, not a single movement wasted and always hit to kill, unless he wanted otherwise.

It reminded him of a famous assassin that disappeared a few years ago, Marco mused. The blond wondered how he got involved with someone like him, but couldn't help the growing feeling of adoration. The raven was kind, gentle, and humble, unlike what was said about him from whispers and rumours. Yet, he could be strong, sly, and jaded sometimes. Plus his beauty only helped, Marco's falling and he can't stop it.

"Shishishi, I'm done," he laughed, totally back to his old self, "Marco, help me loot," he shouted from the ship and threw him a ladder.

Marco shook his thoughts out and climbed. He whistled at the sight, there was blood and bodies everywhere. They were mostly cut or stabbed on the neck, face, or chest. Precise indeed, Marco thought.

As much as some would like to believe pirates just love adventures, and want to be free. The reality is that most of then are pillaging, raping, murdering scums, and he was not sorry for them. Especially after what he said to Luffy just now, and they were right too.

Inside the ship, there was a lot of money and there were several dead, naked women and girls. It was disgusting, he glanced at the raven, who just sighed with a knowing look, as he took sheets to cover them up and then burned them. Marco grit his teeth, hating how much the teen looks like he understands what those girls went through.

"I should've given him a more painful death," The raven growled through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, but at least he's dead yoi," Marco said and grips his shoulders comfortingly, "come on, let's go, Aone is probably hungry yoi."

"Oh, Righttt!" he exclaimed, smiling now. Marco swore he would get horrible whiplash from Luffy's extreme mood swings.

They went to clear the treasury and kitchen for money, food and drinks, then went back to their dinghy. Like before, Luffy burned everything to ashes except the bodies.

"Your fire control is great yoi," the pirate praised, watching the bodies fall into the sea, unburned, for the sea king to devour.

"Mmmm… like I said before, it burns what I want. But the more I have to separate, the harder," he elaborated, "for now, all I have to think is 'don't burn any bodies', but if there were several people I want to burn, I'll have to consciously separate them in my head, do you get it?"

"I think so yoi," he replied. "Neh, I was wondering yoi, but how old are you?" he questioned. Marco wants to know him better before he leaves and maybe convince this guy to come with him.

"I'm 20 right now, I think," he stuttered.

"You think, yoi?"

"Well, I count it by year since I don't remember my birthday," he explained.

"So, you never celebrate your birthday before yoi?"

"Not since I was 10," he replied nonchalantly, "It doesn't really matter to me."

Marco sighed quietly, deciding to drop that topic, and questioned something he had been itching to, "you have a mythical zoan fruit, don't you yoi?"

Luffy chuckled, "I was wondering when you would figure that out," he said, "do you know the model then?"

"Something to do with a cat, yoi?"

"I'm not a cat!" Luffy huffed loudly and pouted. "Not that I have anything against them," he quickly added.

"I just assumed, with the ears…" he wondered out loud, "...a fox yoi!" he smirked, "right?"

"Yep, definitely not a cat," he said, narrowing his eyes in mock anger, "I ate the kyubi-kyubi no mi, found it by the beach when I was young and would eat anything I see," sweat dropping at himself and smiling sheepishly. Marco laughed lightly at that.


They wore their cloaks as the island came into view, and Aone was ordered to wait and hide around the island, while Luffy used his power to direct the dinghy onto the beach on the other side of the town. It was a larger island compared to the last one, with a big forest on one side. They had to walk past the forest to get to the town. It looked decent, with several bars and shops.

They went to shop for some clothes for Marco first since he was currently shirtless under the cloak, then headed for some food in a bar. The bar quieted down when the customers saw them enter, but soon enough ignored the suspicious cloaked figures.

That was when they both noticed a bounty poster posted on a board behind the bartender, it was a picture of Luffy. The left side of his face was covered with a cloak, but you could see a cold, almost gold eye glaring out. A sneer with inhuman sharp canines on the face, decorated with messy raven locks around it. Below the picture was written, 'The Golden Reaper', 'Alive only' with a whooping bounty of 450,000,000 beri.

Luffy stiffened, pulling his hood further down to hide his face. They found out. He had failed to kill them all that day and now his face was captured, even if slightly covered. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, failing.

What would Marco think of him now? Would he realise now that he was just a monster in disguise? A disgusting murderer that killed many people, innocent or not. Then he felt the blond grip his shoulder and tensed, involuntarily. He was scared, but turned around anyway, expecting disgust and hate just like everyone else. He wants to just rip the band-aid, but was met with a concerned look on that ocean blue eyes. He let out a shuddering breath and placed his face on his palms, why did he care so much about what the blond thought? He never cared about what people thought of him, he regretted nothing he did.

After noticing the bounty, Marco noticed Luffy stiffen next to him and pulled his hood further down. So he was right about the assassin part. Then he noticed the raven's breathing picking up, was he panicking? He gripped his shoulders and noticed how his whole body tensed up.

The raven turned around, and he was met with a scared and resigned onyx eyes. Almost like he was expecting Marco to just outright stab him now. Marco realised he must've thought he would hate him now and decided to help a little.

He pulled him closer and leaned to whisper, "I thought you were that assassin," he grinned, "so I was right yoi," he bragged. The teen looked at him shocked and he felt slightly insulted at what the teen implied.

"You don't care that…" he took a shuddering breath, "I am an assassin?"

"I'm a pirate yoi, I don't care, and I judge someone with my own eyes," he smirked.

The teen chuckled lightly, "right… I'm just being stupid."

"Why is it 'The Golden Reaper' yoi?" he wondered aloud this time. A random customer sitting next to Marco replied instead.

"Twas' said that when he targets you, his eyes turn golden and if you've seen it, you would die ," the stranger said sarcastically. "They say he was a cold-blooded killer that murdered children and women alike."

"Load'o crap I say. Them killed ones tended to be the World Government's enemies, kingdoms they wanted," he gossiped, "you see, I say this reaper was with the government, he escaped and now they want im' back." Marco and Luffy exchanged glances, Luffy looked surprised at how accurate it was.

"Plus, I heard he freed some countries, like Crocodile in alabasta," the man continued, "it was covered up. But when I visited, there were words that Crocodile was plotting something, and before he could carry it out, he was brutally defeated and dropped in the castle with sea stones, by someone with golden eyes," he finally finished.

"I see yoi, thanks for the information," the blond replied, turned and gave Luffy a 'wow, i didn't know that' look. Luffy looked away, grunting and shrugged.

After the meal, they spent the rest of the day walking around town, while Luffy bought random snacks and desserts throughout the whole trip. Marco realised the raven also had the same blackhole of a stomach, similar to Ace's. The difference was that the raven could control it and not eat that much all the time, he just didn't bother.

They were heading back to the beach where they docked their ship, when they realised they were being followed by someone strong. Luffy told him to hide, which he reluctantly did.

"Get out of your hiding, I know you're there," the raven growled and took his daggers out, "what do you want?"

Marco was several metres away on a tree, the deal was that he could help if it got way too dangerous. He heard the raven telling the person to come out, then his eyes widened. 'Hawk-eye' Mihawk stepped out of a bush, 'screw the deal!' he thought.

Mihawk was way too dangerous to fight alone, but the man just stood there. And if he looked closely, 'Is that a smile? Is Mihawk smiling? Impossible yoi,' he was conflicted. Luffy just stood there frozen. The swordsman was a shichibukai and the World Government might have sent him. But Marco cannot be associated with Luffy right now.

In the end, his worry got the best of him and quickly got out of his hiding when he saw the raven rush the swordsman who just grimaced and sighed as Luffy body slammed him in a hug. 'Wait, hug yoi?' his eye twitched, he felt annoyed for some reason.

"So you're alive, as I thought," the swordsman said in his usual monotone voice, "why didn't you tell me?"

"Of course I'm alive!" Luffy beamed as he pulled off his hoodie, "I won't die that easily!" Mihawk's eyes softened and a ghost of a smile could be seen, before he scowled at him, the other cloaked figure.

"And since when did you have a companion? Is he trustworthy? Is he strong?" He narrowed his eyes and pulled the teen behind him before grabbing his huge sword 'yoru'.

Marco groaned inwardly, 'What the hell is going on? Who is Mihawk to Luffy? Why is he so protective? And why does he want to fight me already? Shit yoi, what should I do?' he thought and decided to raise his hands up in a placating manner.

"Moh~ ,Hawky calm down. He's safe and it's only temporary," Luffy said almost sadly, which didn't go unnoticed.

'Hawky, yoi?!' Marco thought incredulously.

"I told you to call me sensei," the Shichibukai groused.

"Oh right, Hawky sensei," the raven repeated, giggling.

"I don't know why I bother," he said with fond exasperation, "so, who are you? Reveal yourself," he demanded.

Marco didn't know if he wanted to reveal himself, he looked towards Luffy who just looked back at him and shrugged, conveying that it's his choice. He sighed and pulled his hoodie off. Mihawk's eyes widened slightly and actually chuckled. Why was he laughing now? Marco was confused and so done, though none of that could be seen on his normally bored face.

"Only you, Luffy," he said, still chuckling, "Out of all the people in the world. The Phoenix ended up with this guy," he responded to Marco's raised eyebrow.

"You say it like it's bad," the raven complained, pouting. Mihawk only smirked knowingly at Marco. "So, did you come here looking for me?" The teen asked.

"I heard the news, you were seen in this part of the seas…" he said before grimacing, "but I'm here because that stupid Akagami dragged me along, they're at the docks."

"Shishishi, him again huh, he seems fun," Luffy chirped. He's happy he got to meet his teacher again, his sensei always helped him when he was in terrible conditions.

"Wait, Akagami is here yoi?" Marco cut in.

"Yes," he glanced at the blond impassively, "you could get him to send you back to Whitebeard," he voiced out.

Marco thought for a while before grimacing in disgust, "nah I can't stand him, I'd rather stay with Luffy. I should be healed soon anyway yoi." he smiled at the raven who grinned back.

"Well, that's one thing we both could agree on," the swordsman said.

Marco scoffed a little in amusement, "if you don't mind, can you help me pass a message yoi?"

Mihawk frowned and Luffy just stared at his sensei, giving him the puppy dog eyes, which made the man sigh and grunted okay.

"Thanks, I'll write a note yoi," Marco said, holding back a smile at how Mihawk folded under those eyes.

"I'll go get it, you guys stay here and don't kill each other, okay!?" The raven smiled before leaving towards the beach where the dinghy was docked, leaving them alone in awkward silence.

Mihawk was leaning on a rock, while Marco was sitting on the ground, about several feet away when Marco broke the silence.

"How do you know Luffy yoi?" he questioned. Luffy called him sensei, did that mean Mihawk actually trained the raven?

The shichibukai regarded him for a moment before answering, "I was requested to train him," he paused, "I was reluctant to train a random spoiled brat from the government."

"But I was met with a slave," he looked distant, "he made a deal with the Gorosei to become their puppet in exchange for something, which I have no right to tell you," his smile barely visible as he continued. "Well, that brat managed to bear everything thrown at him and trained harder than I have seen anyone ever done even when he was suffering their abuses daily."

"In conclusion, we spent a lot of time together," the hawk-eyed man ended anticlimactically.

Marco chuckled, "you mean he got you wrapped in his fingers yoi." Which made the swordsman frown but didn't deny.


Fortunately Luffy returned soon enough, holding a piece of paper and a pen. Marco wrote a short note and passed it to Mihawk to give to Shanks.

"Is there a way for me to find you or contact you, Luffy?" The shichibukai requested.

"Oh, right," Luffy chirped as he dug his pockets, pulling a sheet of paper and cutting a perfect square with his dagger, "my vivre card," he said, passing it to the golden eyed man who nodded.

"I will write to you, so you can write back to me," Luffy said again before parting with his sensei.

Luffy forced a hug onto Mihawk, who just awkwardly patted his head, which seemed to satisfy him. So he said his goodbye and left for the dinghy. Marco followed in a more subdued pace after the swordsman actually threatened him.

'If I find out you hurt him in any way, I will come for your head, Phoenix,' the swordsman had whispered. Marco was honestly surprised at the level of protectiveness the swordsman had towards the raven, but he was his student so it made sense...he guessed. Nothing really makes sense with Luffy.


Owh shit! Yeah, I'm sorry but I made Luffy forget his brothers. *unapolegetic smile*

Is it bad that I love good stabbings and bloodbaths, swords, daggers, katana, and knives in general. *drool* I would write more gory stuff but I'm not sure how to put my imagination into words.

Btw I always love it when fics involve Mihawk more, I just generally like him somehow. he's cool, okay?! Maybe it has something to do with him being the Greatest Swordsman er-hem.

Do ya'll think the bounty was fitting, placing a price is kind of hard since it always felt too little or too much.

Rokushiki - the marine's martial art that the CP9 used

Geppo - Sky walk (could float or walk on air, pretty self explanatory name)

Sensei - teacher

(~!~) Edited.

(3830 words)