Last time: Luffy fails to understand why exactly Marco is angry with him.
Their argument was a long-time coming, and the solution is obvious: they need to stop. Marco wasn't right for Luffy in Rusukain, and he's starting to see that Luffy isn't right for him now. Marco needs quiet and peace and safety, and life aboard the Thousand Sunny is none of those things. It's joyous and beautiful and entertaining, but that's beside the point. Marco's usually better at seeing the end of his relationships and the bittersweet determination settles clear on his chest as he ponders life with Luffy's soft snoring by him. He aches to reach out to him, but the phoenix needs to realize that it's time to let him go.
This is it. Marco doesn't feel like it's fair to either of them, continuing this charade, this normal that has no boundaries or name. Marco's sure what he will say to Luffy next. No further thought is needed, but then...
I love you, Marco.
It's Dressrosa and Luffy's takedown of Doflamingo. Marco hears about Luffy's injuries, but he doesn't really understand what it means until he sees Luffy after fighting Cracker, Sanji, Katakuri… emerging almost life-less out of the mirror, so fragile in Sanji's arms. Always fighting and reaching and making the impossible possible at whatever cost. Handing so much of himself to the world, the sea, his dreams that Marco wonders if there will be anything of him for Marco himself to take. The older pirate tries to avoid taking it personally and fails.
I'm sorry to worry you, Marco, but I'm going to be okay.
He's a fool for believing such a thing.
Wano tests them in ways Marco's not ready for since the moment they arrive. The air between them is tense, careful, charged with uncertainty they have never known. Marco and Luffy have always fit seamlessly into each other with nary a word. Learned their lover in the ways of the sea, in the unspoken intentions of dreams, in tender touches through the night. Marco's gut churns with anxiety, a familiar feeling that whispers about cold laboratories and rusting chains and sea stone screws. Wano is going to be dangerous. Luffy's goal seems more hair-brained the closer they are to it. The crew notices the distance between captain and phoenix, and their curious stares weigh Marco down.
All such worries become inconsequential when Luffy's suddenly off the ship, and even Marco's phoenix form isn't fast enough to catch him.
There is a whole minute when Marco lives and breathes in a world where Monkey D. Luffy is dead.
It's the same. The sea is just as rough, the sky just as blue. The beach Marco and the rest of the crew stand on is just like every other beach Marco has sunk his feet on, but the very air he breathes seems unfamiliar, lacking. Things happen a little slowly, hard to process while Luffy's flailing form replays itself in Marco's brain again and again. By now, he's familiar with the beginning of a panic attack. The phoenix tries to recall any advice to stave it off, he knows he has some, but all he can see is the last glimpse of Luffy's straw hat. What was the last thing Marco even said to him? This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This isn't-!
Stay with me then.
Nami's hand clasps on his shoulder. It startles him, the touch overwhelming in his hyper-focused state. Her mouth is grim and downturned, but she shows him a white slip of paper. Marco doesn't understand what she's trying to tell him until he catches the katakana, tiny drawn on the corner: Luffy, it reads. Marco holds on to Luffy's vivre card with both hands.
The suspicion begins the moment Luffy wakes up on the beach. It's cool that he's alive and all, but Luffy's kind of used to weird things just working out around him, so even when he fell off the Sunny, he was confident he'd be okay. He briefly acknowledges that such a thing isn't necessarily true for his crewmates, but he's sure they'll meet each other soon enough.
The thought falls a little behind when he meets Tama, because she knows Ace, and Ace was once here in Wano too. The idea is sobering and exciting simultaneously, a bittersweet emotion that consumes Luffy's entire being. Absolute joy upon learning a sliver more about the life Ace lived, definite grief at the reminder of all the dreams his brother left behind, all the promises that can never come to be. Luffy's here now, though, and he will carry on Ace's will. Always and forever etching pieces of his brother into the future and the world. Luffy will bring Ace's memory all the way to Laugh Tale; Ace believed in him after all.
The small niggling in the back of his head stays with him as he steals the food and the water, an exasperated, pleading voice in the back of his head. Luffy knows who it sounds like, but he's always been good at ignoring common sense.
When he goes to beat Kaido up - incensed and burning with desire to put an end to what's happening to Wano, trying to believe that his friends are fine because they have to be - it tickles the edges of consciousness. No time for any of such things when Luffy's too busy staving off the taste of defeat. Kaidou... isn't as easy to beat as Luffy wanted him to be. (It's frustrating, being so outmatched after all the training he's done. His argument with Marco echoes in his mind as he loses consciousness.)
Luffy finally acknowledges what his gut has been trying to tell him since his arrival to Wano once he's bandaged and imprisoned. By then, it's much too late to do anything about it, and uncharacteristic nervousness settles at the base of his spine.
Marco's going to be angry at me again.
Marco doesn't remember the last time he was this angry.
He's been hurt and sad lately, frustrated and numb. He's been tired and irritated, but mostly he's been scared. His fright manifests itself in many ways: loudly: screaming and yelling and rages and murder; softly: in accusations and avoidance and unpleasant conversations. Today might be the first time Marco's wrath emanates from anything other than fear since Sphinx.
(It's probably progress in a promising direction, but fury is all-consuming and doesn't leave room for much else.)
Marco sees Kaido's massive form take to the skies, and of course, of course, Luffy's there to greet him. Nami tries to keep him with the group, they yell about the plan. But who the fuck cares about the plan right now? The phoenix might regret it later, but there's no way the former first mate can stay still, not when Luffy faces an Emperor underprepared.
Marco doesn't reach him.
Law is rational enough to leave Straw Hat-ya to get beaten into the ground - a hobby of his apparently - but as he spies a flying mass of blue flames, he realizes he has a problem. Law is worried for Straw Hat-ya. As much grumbling as he does about it, it's the truth. Luffy and his band of merry idiots have scurried their way into his heart and his gratitude through blood, sweat, tears, and an astounding lack of common sense. Law really hopes the idiot doesn't get himself killed but is aware there's little he can do to prevent it at the moment, not without some serious repercussions. He'd tried to swap him before, but he cannot get close enough with Hawkins and the other foot soldiers on hand.
Law deduces all of this through logic and reason, something that is needed a lot more amongst his allies because he cannot believe he's about to watch Marco the Phoenix - out of all of them - ruin everything they've put into place. It shouldn't surprise him. Law knows Phoenix-ya's circumstances, his relationship with Straw Hat-ya but still. It takes all of Law's concentration to Shambles Marco out of his warpath towards Kaido with the barrel next to him. The bird is gigantic in its rage, disoriented as it squawks in confusion and then indignation. A plan forms in Law's brain, he bites his lip in reflex at the boldness, but he doesn't think he has much of a choice.
(It's what Straw Hat-ya would want anyway... probably.)
"What the- what the fuck, Trafalgar?!" Some of the phoenix's flames melt away, enough for his human mouth to speak and bespectacled feathers to narrow in anger. Law has a microsecond if he's going to do this.
"I'm really sorry about this." And he really, really is. It doesn't stop him from sinking the sea stone nail into the bird's side. The flames evaporate in one quick movement, and Marco collapses on his knees, utter betrayal written all over his face. His hands hover uselessly over the nail, sticking out under his ribs; they tremble. It takes the former first mate only a second to realize what happened, and the blood drains from his face, blue eyes wide and haunted upon his face.
"Look, Phoenix-ya, I get it, but if we go for Straw Hat now…" but it hits Law then, in Marco's eyes. The pirate has raised his shirt, just enough to pick at the nail in between his ribs, and his mouth moves, but no words come out. When he looks up, his gaze goes straight through Law, and he suddenly falls backward, a hollow sound as his knees give out from under him. He abrades his palms scrambling back until his back hits the wall. His legs are dead weight as he does so.
Fucking shit.
Last time: Luffy fails to understand the root of Marco's anger at his lack of care for his well-being.
For all his reason and logic, Law did not think this one through.
"Phoenix-ya, you're okay. I just, I need you you to let Straw Hat-ya do his thing." Not that Law's too sure what that is, but his argument falls upon deaf ears. The realization makes him guilty, which in turn makes him cross. Marco's here, next to Law, trembling and - fucking shit - crying. However, Law can tell, even with inexperience, that the older man isn't here.
When he reaches a tattooed hand forward to try and snap the phoenix into the present, the doctor flinches back, startled and somewhat hesitant as Marco writhes away from him. Law has no idea what's wrong with the blonde's legs, but it's gut-wrenching watching him quake against the wall. The phoenix buries his face into his hands and stays as far away as he can press himself further into the side of the hut.
"No more," he mumbles, slow, haunting and painfully, painfully scared, "no more, please."
"Holy fucking shit," Law curses. He has the urge to look around for help, but anyone he'd recognize is probably trouble. "Fuck," he swears again for good measure, low enough to hopefully not worsen the situation.
He steps forward, crouching to Phoenix-ya's level but still remains doubtful of how to proceed. Insanely, he entertains the notion of electrocuting him into unconsciousness. Very deliberately, Law calls himself an idiot in his head. Yes, more trauma; that's exactly what the older pirate needs. Honestly, Law has always considered Luffy a dumbass, but he has to give credit where it's due if things like this are what his fellow supernova has been dealing with.
"Phoenix-ya," he calls out, only for the other to still at his proximity, "Phoenix-ya, you need to calm down."
Brilliant. Yes, this must work. Just calm down. Sorry to have triggered some kind of psychotic break of an attack and make you think you've been recaptured.
This is the reason Law's a surgeon, no bedside manner needed when your patients are unconscious.
He breathes in and out one more time.
What would Straw Hat-ya do?
...hug him? Law is not going to embrace Marco in this lifetime, and from the way the other is seemingly terrified of him, it probably won't work. Cora-san hugged Law when he was little, but Law's not sure it was the hug that made him feel better as much as just having the older man with him. Maybe that's the reason it'd work out for Straw Hat-ya.
Something else then.
.
.
.
Fuck, is that really Law's only plausible idea? Forcibly knock him out or a hug? Giving comfort is definitely not his thing. The surgeon steadies himself. Straw Hat-ya is down, being carried off to who knows where but the focus in him has thinned, so someone's going to start looking around for other intruders soon enough. They cannot stay here.
"Phoenix-ya," no response. A sigh. Marco remains leaning against the wall, every inch of him tense and shivering, his expression hidden in his hands. "Marco-ya," it's not quite an acknowledgment, but the man does seem to perk up some. Kind of. (It can be Law's wishful thinking if he's honest.) "Marco-ya, you're okay. You're not in Punk Hazard anymore, okay? I'm sorry about the sea stone" - a flinch. Good and bad, at least now he knows the other is listening to some extent. "I can take it off for you, okay? You are" okay, he means to say, but... "you are going to be okay," he corrects. "It's just sea stone. I'm going to take it out now, okay?"
Marco doesn't move or react, even as Law's hand gets closer and closer.
"Yes, it's okay, Pho- Marco-ya. You're going to be okay, and..." Law swallows, deciding whether the following is a lie or not and pushing through anyway. "Straw Hat-ya too, okay? I know he's a dumb as a rock, but he's stubborn. He doesn't need rescue, so you need to stay with me. So just..."
Marco's head raises slowly.
He looks gaunt and pale, sweat is accumulating over his brow, and his hands are still trembling even as they grip his pant-legs so tightly his knuckles have gone white. Law freezes with a hand half extended towards him. Not because of the frightened body language, but rather because of Marco's fierce, ice-blue glower. His blonde eyebrows are curled in absolute disdain, and there's so much anger pouring out of him that Law has the need to swallow, unsure of what he's witnessing.
One hesitant hand reaches up under the Phoenix's shirt, and there are a shudder and yelp, but Marco's glare does not shift from the younger pirate. The nail goes bouncing off and away, and Law carefully steps back, his grip on Kikoku a little tighter. Discreetly, he glances around the terrain, equally looking for a possible enemy as well as locational advantage. Law hopes he's been anxious about nothing, but he has the suspicion that Phoenix-ya is about to throw it down with him. An unpleasant thought that has Law schooling his expression while grinding his teeth in agitation.
"Where is Luffy?"
"You can't go after him right now. He'll be fine."
"Fine?" Marco's voice comes softly, incongruent with the rest of his demeanor as he tiredly brings himself to his feet. Color returns to his skin, and flames are visible for a moment under his shirt, healing the small injury found there. "Fine?" he repeats, catching heat. "He could be fucking dead." His gaze is electrified, lightning fire in the blackest thundercloud. Grand Line weather, dangerous and unpredictable. "How dare you?"
Law's temper had been sparking and sparking, hesitant hands trying to light it up, and it finally catches in the face of Marco's recovery (?).
"How dare I? Straw Hat-ya is already fucking up everything we've been doing, and you were about to make it worse. There is a plan for a reason! So that we don't all get our asses handed to us, and we maybe get off this god-forsaken island in one piece!" Law has to wrestle his temper down because his yelling will undoubtedly attract attention at this rate. "Hitting you with the nail was a dick move, but someone had to stop you from going into a fight we were not going to win!"
"I could've saved him!"
"Or you could've gotten us all captured!"
"Luffy could be dead!"
"Men like Straw Hat don't die that easy." Law doesn't know where such a statement came from, but he's surprised to comprehend that he believes it. For his part, Marco's entire self seems to deflate at the statement, and Law wonders if he got through to him, but his blue eyes are baleful when they meet his once more.
"They do," he sneers.
Oof, this chapter ran away from me but I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out! Thoughts?