Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece

Aiko watched as Marco casually side stepped a man about to hit him with a sword before sending him flying with a kick straight out the door. The men seemed to be getting anxious because Marco had, for the past minute taken out at least half of the men without breaking a sweat. Aiko stood beside him grinning and surveying the damage he was causing, she had opted not to fight simply because Marco's cocky demeanor was always amusing to watch. Men scared shitless around him while he stood there with a perfectly composed expression, his eyes trained only on the fake before him that was beginning to quiver in fear and wonder why they weren't afraid of him.

'This is bad, these lackeys are all so useless, what if they might make me fight this guy…' The fake Marco, who was actually Menco, a 27 million Beli pirate from the North Blue that came to the Grand Line just a few months ago with his partner Maki who didn't even have a bounty. Their ship had been destroyed by a giant whale guarding the entrance of Reverse Mountain taking most of their hired crew along for the ride, so they had tried to steal another ship, but they didn't know that the pirates here in the Grand Line would all be so seriously powerful, so when they had seen in the papers that two big shots were travelling together. They just had to take the chance and use their names. When the people in the factory heard their fake names and the fire they produced from a simple match trick, they willingly offered up everything to make them leave. It was great, they had stolen millions of beli, gotten very powerful subordinates and no one, not a single soul suspected.

So, why the hell were these guys attacking them like they didn't give a shit?

Maybe they hadn't heard him?

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?!" Menco yelled once more.

"Oh! They're getting the Commander mad!"

"You're gonna get it now, scum!"

"Get him, Commander Marco!"

"I'M MARCO THE PHOENIX! SURRENDER NOW OR DIE!"

The two only blankly stared at him.

Menco took a deep breath, before yelling one more time. "I'll give you one more chance! You don't want to mess with me! I've got Whitebeard, the strongest man alive backing me up!"

Again. The two didn't even bat an eyelash.

'WHY?! Why aren't they scared?!'

The woman even took the time to yawn at him as if tired of whatever nonsense he was spouting. His eye twitched in anger for a second before he took the time to focus on the woman, the blonde man had with him. She had raven-hair, ample assets and an amused smile. He concluded that this woman probably had no idea how to fight, seeing as how she just took the backseat and let the blonde she was with handle everything. She was beautiful too, he'd never seen another woman like her. She would definitely make a fine prize once he got the man she was with scared out of his wits from his name. He let his eyes trail longer than necessary at the woman, examining her every inch before his line of sight was blocked by the powerful man that had just moments ago beat another one of his subordinates into oblivion.

"What are you looking at, yoi?" Marco muttered unamused in every definition of the word.

Menco grinned lecherously.

"That woman…"

"Hmmm…" Said woman spoke up, peeking her head out from behind Marco's lean form. "Don't you have your own Aiko-san though?" She made a gesture towards her fake that had her eyes opened wide from seeing so many men kicked around by one guy. Maybe fake Aiko had realized who they were, Aiko thought somewhere in the corner of her mind.

"Gehehehe…" Menco chuckled under his breath, before addressing the blonde audaciously blocking his view. "Surrender the woman to me and maybe I'll let you liv-"

Blue flames erupted all throughout the room, the man's words cut off by a haki infused kick that no doubt broke all the bones in his face, if the sickening crack produced by the man's head straight on colliding with Marco's heel was any indication. Menco hit the ground, his whole body breaking the buildings hard wood floorboards.

"Surrender that woman?" Marco said as his hybrid forms flames began to grow and move around him. The man was beginning to lose his cool for once. "Who do you think you're talking to, yoi?!"

He gave Menco's unconscious body another haki infused kick that sent the man flying through wall after wall. He flew through so many buildings that they couldn't even see a speck of his big body anymore.

"I'm Marco the Phoenix, yoi!"

EH?!

Aiko grinned as the numerous men around her seemed to be glued to the spot in disbelief. All of their eyes were the size of dinner plates as they searched for a wanted poster to compare.

"Wait…"

"Does that mean…"

All eyes landed on her as they looked at her wanted poster then back.

EH?!

"Phoenix…" Aiko called as the man turned to look at her. Everyone still seemed to be frozen in place. "You're so violent."

"Oi. Whose fault do you think that is?" He gestured to her outfit. "If you'd cover up more then we wouldn't be having this problem."

"But you like it this way." She grinned.

"If something happened to you…" He muttered under his breath before saying in a louder tone. "Do you have any idea what Red-haired would do, yoi?"

"Go on a rampage." She answered simply, honey eyes meeting dark ones.

He shook his head at her response. Before turning to Maki who was trying to ever so slowly back away. "What should we do with this one, yoi?"

"No! Wait! I don't know anything, I can't fight!" She spout out in a panic.

"Hmm…" Aiko contemplated, ignoring whatever the woman had just said. She took a moment longer to look at her form as she tried to shrink into herself so as to avoid Marco's relentless gaze. Aiko couldn't blame the fake her, Marco's gaze could be really creepy and threatening when he wanted it to be. She knew from experience, from fighting the blonde man which wasn't a feat many could say they've done. "The money. Where's the money you stole?"

Aiko and Marco walked back to the ship with a large suitcase filled with 50 million Beli. The town had been so happy that they returned to clear things up that they had given it to them. Even though they only returned to tell them to tell the Marines that they had nothing to do with the destruction of this place and that they were absolutely not recruiting random weaklings from Paradise. They couldn't have people thinking that they were out to recruit that would only ruin the reputations of their Captains as Yonko, if they ever recruited weaklings. But they were sure that they would be on the paper once more. They were on the paper a lot these days, no doubt Ace must have seen the two.

Ace no matter how stupid he could be and tended to act, the man was anything but. His instincts were like a wild animals and right now his instincts were probably telling him that the only reason two enemies would call a truce was if they both thought something was a bad idea. Whitebeard didn't like the thought of him leaving and Shanks liked to meddle. Ace most likely knew they were after him, so he would definitely make himself harder to track. Marco rubbed the back of his head, seems laying low just wasn't something they, as Commanders, could do.

"We've got a lot of money now Phoenix." Aiko said happily.

"Not like we need it, yoi." He replied, holding tighter onto the suitcase, it looked so formal. So out of place in his hands. "We still have a lot leftover from what Shanks' gave."

"We should go shopping or something." She smiled up at him.

He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, not really enthusiastic about the idea. "Don't you have enough clothes, yoi?"

She shook her head at him. "I meant for some furniture for the ship and souvenirs for the crew. That stuffs important to them, y'know?"

Marco remembered the laughing and teasing voices of his crew over the DenDen Mushi. There was no way in Hell he was buying them anything. But… wasn't there an island that Pops' really liked the saké of? What was the place called? It was a Sky Island. Skypiea was it? He couldn't, for the life of him remember the exact name.

"When there's time, I suppose."

"After Jaya Island then? There's nothing really interesting to shop for there. If I remember right, it's like a tiny fishing village or some such."

"There's still a lot of other islands, a lot of other chances, yoi."

'I can guarantee you there won't be another.'

Pops' words echoed in his head for a second before he sighed and rephrased his statement. "There's only a Marine Base and Sky Island after Jaya. If we're not ordered to do anything we can head right out to Water 7, yoi. A huge place like that will be filled with information and Teach will definitely head out there which means Ace will too." He met her eyes with his own as he used his usual logic and reasoning to make sure that she knew they were only stopping there because it was part of the mission and not for anything else. "We can go then, yoi."

She beamed at him. "Alright, hot stuff. I haven't been to Water 7 in years. I went on the Sea Train once… But it was no good."

"Not the same as a ship." Marco finished for her. He obviously knew the feeling too. He had gotten on the Sea Train because Thatch and Ace had been playing around and wanted to ride it, so he went along to watch over the two troublemakers. The feeling of being in the Sea Train… It couldn't compare to the feeling of smelling the ocean and the sea's breeze that would caress the entire body if on a ship.

They reached the small beach where they had docked, it was late. Soon the sun would be peeking out and trying to blind them. They had gotten no sleep at all and the people of Velveteen –after giving them 50 million Beli- were so happy when they returned that they decided to throw a banquet for the two, a banquet the two ditched all too happily. There at the shore, Regis and Diego were in front of their ship, fast asleep on a small blanket.

Aiko grinned at the sight, before jumping up the ship and landing as quietly as possible before unfurling the sail. She motioned for Marco to push the ship out, the man placed a small note in Diego's tool belt before giving the ship a firm push and jumping up himself. As usual, they turned on their propellers that would get them to their destination a little quicker.

"You left a note?" Aiko asked him, when did he find the time to write it? She yawned slightly as they lounged on the deck until the father and son were no longer visible and the sun began slowly peeking out from the other side of the world.

He just shrugged, motioning for her to come inside. "Let's get some sleep, yoi."

"Something to eat first." She corrected.

Diego stirred from his uncomfortable position as the bright rays of the sun blinded his vision. Where was he? He looked around to see Regis sleeping next to him, mouth open in silent snores. All around there was sand and a breathtaking view of the sparkling ocean. Why was he on the beach? Ah… yes. He had been waiting for Marco-san and Aiko-san. He looked up, but the ship was gone. Eyes widening and looking around, he sighed under his breath. Pirates, always leaving out of the blue like that. Take your eyes off them and they'd be gone.

He looked down to see a piece of paper inserted into his tool belt. Taking it out quickly, his eyes scanned quickly through neat handwriting.

Diego,

We took care of the things on the island, it was nice seeing you again, yoi. I'll be sure to tell Pops'. We're in a hurry to leave right now, but next time let's have a proper drink.

P.S. Thatch took this a long time ago, do what you want with this picture, hopefully another great sculpture, yoi.

Marco

Picture?

He flipped what he thought was a paper around, it was crumpled and the sides were a bit weathered and torn from age, but on the back was a picture of a younger Marco and Aiko. Aiko had her usual grin pointed at the young Phoenix who looked exasperated as if someone forced them -him- to take a picture together just for the hell of it. At the bottom, it had the word 'Elbaf' written on it in sloppy handwriting.

Diego grinned slightly, so was the first division commander requesting he make a sculpture of this?

Marco watched as Aiko after eating and taking a shower, fell asleep right when her head hit the pillow. She was on the bottom bunk, which wasn't fair because it was his turn today. For some reason or another, they both seemed to hate the top bunk. With a passion. Marco sighed, he felt a little restless even though he had been up all night, he couldn't get even a wink of sleep. The sun was already out renewing his energy and not letting him fall into endless oblivion.

He envied Aiko a little, she had such a nice relationship with sleep. She could fall asleep anywhere and it wasn't like Ace's narcolepsy, hers was intentional. He sat next to her, the thought that they really should buy more chairs once again registering somewhere in the back of his mind as he watched her sleep from the corner of his eye. He had been reading a book for the past hour, hoping that it would tire his eyes out, but to no avail. Twenty minutes into it, his eyes started wandering and in the end he just observed Aiko's sleeping figure. Her hair was a mess around her and her clothes were falling slightly off, all signs that she was very comfortable where she was.

On this ship.

Alone with him.

In the years they had been apart she had gotten numerous scars on her hands. From what, he didn't know. He really should have been making more of an effort to find out more about her past, but something like that, never seemed to come into play with them. Whenever they'd find time in each other's company, they were almost always caught by Thatch –who at the time was the only one who knew their little secret- and Marco ended up being interrogated by the man. So much had changed since then, Thatch wasn't here anymore to try and make the blonde commander own up to feelings he wasn't even sure he wanted anything to do with. They were finally alone and with each other for more than a measly day and it was ingrained into his brain that touching her in the ways he used to would be a ridiculously bad idea.

The sun was getting higher and higher in the sky, if the light seeping in through the windows was any indication. He wouldn't be able to fall asleep til around noon. Aiko would probably wake up around that time, which was a good thing. That way they both got their wish of sleeping on the bottom bunk. He sighed deeply, this mission… Why had he accepted it again? Bring back Ace, yes, that was a given, but also to stay around Aiko for a while right?

No.

Now that he thought more about it. What attracted him back when they were younger, during the few times they met and even now, the main reason wasn't her looks or her power or even that air she had that would demand attention. Not even that personality that always challenged him.

NO.

Those things were just an added bonus.

What got him was the atmosphere she exuded. The kind that purifies everything, every moment, wraps everything in warmth. That kind of atmosphere…

'I want to be spoiled by it.'

He watched her stir a bit then slowly open her eyes, confusion dancing in those honey orbs before it cleared and she was calling out to him. "Marco?"

"Go back to sleep, yoi. It's only been an hour." He said it in a low voice so as not to rouse her any more than she already was. Moving some of her hair that was strewn wildly about to the side.

"You're not sleeping?" She asked with a yawn.

"Some cheeky brat took my spot, yoi." He teased.

Lifting her arms up to him, she made a grabbing motion, mumbling "Come here, come here," repeatedly.

He didn't let his mind think about it, he moved before he could let any thoughts flood. Placing half of his body over hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him closer, if possible. He sighed contentedly, his face resting in the crook of her neck. This was bad right? They should stop right? He wanted to, wanted so badly to pull away, but his body remained there completely unmoving over her even as his mind told him to get his ass up. Since this peace between them, would only be for today right? Was it alright, if it was only for a day?

"You do some pretty brutal things, hon." He murmured against her skin.

When was the last time he got to do this?

"Sleep." She ordered him tiredly. Knowing full well what he meant, but it was only for a day, right? She had been holding back, wanting to reach out, but not being able to. A hard thing to do for pirates. How could you not reach out a hand when all the treasure you've ever wanted was right in front of you?

The happiness of a life time before your eyes, many didn't even come close enough to grasp it and for that Marco was glad he could touch it so many times over the years and even now. He wanted to stay awake, to seize the moment as they say. But she had told him to sleep and only because it was her that said it, he was able to.

They could return to reality tomorrow.

After all, this was only for today…

Would a day of this change the game?

A/N: Tell me watcha think :D And my lovely readers, especially the reviewers, I wuv you guys~~ :D Also, since today is my birthday, I made a special omake chappie for the next chapter, you'll get to look into a part of their past. Most, if not all, Omake chappies will be pieces of their past, like their time on Elbaf or Hand Island together... y'know, things like that... ANYWAY,

mittenx7768 & kyskhet: Why, thank you :D

XxFirePhoenixxX & Sleepyreader319: Thank you and here is thy update! :D

Hitsugaya Hibari Nico Robin: Ahh.. the fakes of the One Piece world... All so ugly and over confident.

Aeryan: That banter is what makes them such a great pairing, so expect mawr :D

Alice: Aiko being like a dog... hmm... Maybe I should have Marco reference that? Hahaha, and thank you, this story loves you for always giving your feedback!:D

DarkAngelLida: Haha, thank you so much for saying this is one of the best :) And I tried hard to make sure she was just like her crew, you cant have someone overly serious in the party loving Red-haired pirates, y'know? It just doesn't work.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!