Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece
Two pirates walked around the more beat parts of the city. Surveying the damage and trying to find any injured or –in worst case- dead. One was smoking, he had dark hair and serious eyes. The other was grinning happily, red-hair that could be seen from miles away covered by a strawhat. They walked round and round, eyes spotting a figure sitting near a body. She sat there unmoving, looking lifeless.
"Hey, kiiid!" The red head yelled out.
Aiko's head snapped back, tears stained cheeks met with two tall men peering curiously down at her. There was only silence between them, before, "No! Stay away from him!"
She hit the ground between them with her fist, causing the entire thing to go up. Chunks of stone falling around them, Aiko tried her hardest to cover Gin's form when she saw what she had accidentally done. A large rock about to fall over her head, before it was punched out of the way.
Aiko looked up, towards the red head who had punched the stone. His hand didn't even have an injury, in fact it looked like it was coated in some kind of steel. She slowly got off of Gin, quietly looking at the man's fist. How did he do that?
"Relax, kid." He said, raising both hands, the universal sign of 'We come in peace,' "We're not going to hurt you."
"S-stay away." Aiko said, holding back tears. She stood up, slowly backing away from them, she didn't want to hurt them, didn't want them to get near Gin. She just wanted to be left alone.
"Hey, kid." He continued, completely ignoring her words, "That was really cool, so you can't control your Haki, huh?"
Haki?
"Who's he? Your friend?" He continued with a friendly smile, "We'll help you bury him if that's what you want, kid."
She didn't understand.
What were they talking about?
Why would pirates help? Weren't they the scum of the sea? Why were they being so nice even after seeing her power? Did they want something from her?
Why were they looking at her with such friendly smiles and kind eyes?
She was beginning to tear up again, before she remembered Gin's words and she tried her best to hold them back.
"Hey now… C'mon, it's okay to cry, we won't judge ya. Right, Bennie?"
"Yea." The dark haired man said, he was busy lighting up another cigarette and even though he wasn't smiling like his red headed companion, he was looking at her with kind eyes.
"Mmm…" She nodded as tears began streaming down her face.
"I'm Shanks." The red haired man introduced, "And this here is Bennie." He placed his strawhat over her head, so she could cover her crying face.
"Are y-you t-two p-pirates?" She hiccupped, she didn't know how Shanks could understand her words through her tears and runny nose.
"Are you scared of Pirates?"
She shook her head.
From the hat, Aiko could barely make out Shanks giving her one of the largest grins she had ever seen. It was amazing how his face didn't crack.
"I'm the Captain and we're going to be one of the greatest crews ever. Weee'reeeee…" He built up the suspense trying to get the young girl to smile with his foolish antics, "The Red Hair Piiiraaateeesss!"
Though he didn't get the reaction he wanted.
"I-I'm Aiko." She said quietly, holding the sides of his much larger hat, so that it covered her eyes.
"Aiko, huh?" She didn't know why, but the sound of her name leaving his lips sounded really nice. The only one that called her by her name was Gin, though an insult usually came after it. Shanks was back to using his kind voice, no longer trying to joke around. "That Haki of yours is real amazing."
"H-H-Hak-k-ki?"
"Yea." He made a punching motion in the air, "That killer punch of yours is from Haki."
She looked down at her small fist.
So, this man knew about her power?
"Uhh… ummm…" She was about to say something, but Shanks cut her off.
"Why don't we get that friend of yours cleaned up?"
Her eyes widened, nodding eagerly as she began wiping the many tears from her eyes. Handing the strawhat back to the much taller man, Shanks could make out her honey eyes and she had different hair from the others on the island.
"Your parents?" Shanks asked cautiously, he didn't know if it was a sensitive topic for the girl.
"They're with Gin." She replied clearly, pointing down at said man, as she rounded the rock stuck on him. Tears were still stuck at the corner of her eyes, but they stubbornly clung to her lashes, refusing to fall. "Mama and Papa died last time the Marines came."
Shanks' stared at the girl, not saying anything. There was nothing to say. She seemed at peace with that part of her life, there was no need for him to reopen an old wound. Once she went a full circle around the rock, she nodded and muttered a small, "Sorry, Gin."
The two pirates' eyes widened as she smacked the large boulder away with her tiny fists. She didn't seem to mind that she was now standing in a puddle of Gin's blood as she looked up at them, wondering what she was supposed to do.
She didn't want Gin to be lying down here forever.
She wanted to bury him under his favorite tree.
The two pirates gave each other a look, before nodding, each moving to help the girl.
They stood in front of a tree, a small grave marker there. Aiko had found a few wild flowers to leave him, she also found his little stash of Beli, giving it to the two pirates who just shook their heads at her, telling her to keep it with friendly voices.
"Gin." Aiko mumbled, she was tired. Her eyes red and puffy from her continuous tears. "I told you to wait."
She could feel the two pirate's eyes on her, their gazes were heavy. Were they mad at her? Mad that she was crying? Like how Gin always was? Or were they pitying her? Like how Shima did when he played with her. Or was it genuine worry in their eyes? Like how her parents used to be whenever she came home with a scraped knee.
"Now I can't follow."
She wouldn't be able to hear Gin calling her an idiot anymore. Wouldn't be scolded by him, wouldn't be protected, wouldn't be treated out to eat. She stared down at his grave, wondering just what she was supposed to do next. She had never really thought of it, but with him gone she was so lost right now. She realized that she lived for the moments he'd spend time with her, the moments he'd bother and annoy her. She was content with that, just waiting for him.
Because from the very beginning, she never had a goal or future for herself in mind.
"CAPTAIN!" She heard a voice yell, the three turning to see a fat man and a rugged looking blonde come near them.
"That's Yasopp and that over there's Lucky Roux!" Shanks pointed at each as they stopped in front of them. "And this here's Aiko!"
"Nice ta meetcha Aiko-chi!" Lucky said, taking a large bite out of the meat he was holding.
"Hey there, kiddo!" Yasopp was next to greet.
She waved her small hand up at them, no matter how she looked at it these pirates were too damn friendly for their own good.
"HEEEY! Guess what, guys?!" Shanks said excitedly as if he just had his mind blown to epic proportions, "She's got this crazy punch like you wouldn't believe!"
Aiko froze at his words.
Why was he telling everyone how much of a monster she was?
Why was he openly announcing it as if it were some kind of great thing?
"HAH?!" Yasopp raised a skeptical brow.
"Don't mess around with us, Captain!" Lucky was next to say, punching a mocking fist through the air as if he didn't believe it.
"But, I'm serious! Bennie'll vouch for me!" He yelled at his crew, they didn't seem to fear him at all even though he was the Captain. In fact, they were like best friends. "Right, Bennie?"
Said man just took a long drag from him cigarette, peering at the nervous looking Aiko from the corner of his eye, before shrugging in a 'whatever' gesture.
"OHH! C'MON BENNIE!" Shanks yelled out as his crew all broke into laughter at his downcast expression.
"Yes, yes…" Yasopp said, clearly not believing him. "Anyway, the ships ready to set sail, Captain."
Shanks suddenly sobered. Attitude back in serious mode as he nodded, the two new arrivals walked off first, once they were out of sight, Shanks and Benn Beckman were next. Aiko stared after the two kind pirates that had helped her. Wondering where they were going, wondering if she'd ever meet them again. Wondering if they'd remember her.
"AIKOOO!" Shanks yelled back at her in that ridiculously loud voice, one hand on his strawhat as he looked back at the young girl who had tears unexpectedly running down her eyes. She didn't know why she was crying again, especially when Gin hated seeing her cry. "ARE YOU COMING OR WHAT?!"
Her eyes widened.
Tears coming to a halt, though the leftovers still streamed down her face staining her bloodied and tattered clothes.
Had she heard them right?
Did they just ask her to come with them?
She felt a push on her back making her stumble from the sudden unknown force before her small ears picked up on a whisper, "Didn't I tell you to smile?"
Her eyes widened, but Aiko didn't bother looking back, she couldn't bring herself to. Out of fear. She was afraid, afraid to see nothing, afraid to see no one, afraid it was but a figment of her lonely imagination. Instead, she gave the two pirates looking at her with expectant faces the widest grin she could muster, as if trying to copy the same one Shanks had permanently plastered on his scarred face. It felt weird, stretching her cheeks so much without Gin, -the only one usually around to see and cause such a wide smile - so much that it hurt.
When Shanks and Benn Beckman saw it they grinned right back. Shanks motioning with a hand for her to hurry up. She ran towards them at full speed not wanting to be left behind by anyone ever again. She made sure to grab a fistful of Shanks' black cape tightly in her small hand.
"Will you guys be taking care of me?" Aiko asked though she didn't wait for an answer, her eager voice continuing onto a different topic entirely, "Haki!" She said loudly this time, her voice bright and feet becoming lighter with every step she took away from the island, away from Gin's grave. "How do I use that?"
"Me an' him are nice guys, so don't you worry your pretty little head." Shanks' said with a wide grin, ruffling the much shorter girl's dark hair. He watched as the girl looked at her small fists as if in wonder, no longer hating what they could do. She couldn't, not when she saw that Shanks' could do the very same thing. They stepped onto the large ship and the red haired captain gestured to a nearby barrel. "We'll teach ya how to do it properly. But first, sit down… IT'S A BANQUET!"
"Wait, wait! Captain! Who's the kid?" One of the crewmembers yelled, he had a small monkey on his shoulder as he gestured to the young Aiko in her tattered clothes. She was seated on a small barrel, looking around her with only excitement dancing in her eyes. They all looked so strong and dressed differently. She wondered if she could dress like them too. Plus, unlike the island, everyone seemed to have a different hair color. Was that normal? Or were the islanders considered the abnormal ones?
Aiko spotted Lucky Roux eating something at the corner of the deck with a few other men and she ran over to him with all her might, preparing to ask him for a bite.
"She's strong, so don't stress the small stuff guys!" Shanks' yelled out with a laugh, clearly in a good mood as he somehow procured a bottle of sake seemingly out of nowhere.
Benn Beckman just shook his head at the Captain's stupid response to his baffled subordinate, lighting another cigarette in favor of explaining to the crew why Shanks had brought her along with them.
"OI, CAPTAIN!" Lucky Roux called loudly, making everyone's attention go to the always eating man. He took a large bite of meat and gestured to his side. There, they saw Aiko taking a huge bite from a chunk of sea king meat, the portion as large as the one Lucky held in his hand.
"SEE GUYS?!" Shanks yelled, motioning to Aiko, who was currently stuffing her face. "Be more like our new crewmember here! DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!"
"EHHHH?!" The entire crew –minus Shanks and Benn Beckman- seemed to yell in unison.
"CAPTAIN!" One scolded, none of the crew seemed to actually be afraid to speak out against the red head.
"NEW MATE?!"
"She's a KID, Cap!"
"Don't jus' go decidin' t'ese typesa t'ings on yer own!" A heavy accented mate yelled out. Shanks almost missed the protest.
Yasopp went up to said kid, giving her a grin and a pat on the head. She looked up at him and smiled, food still in her mouth. A docile little thing. He wondered why Shanks' would actually take a kid under his wing. Shanks' had always been a bit idiotic and did things however he pleased, but to take a weak child into the Grand Line with them? That was a whole new level. It was something Yasopp knew Shanks wouldn't just do because of a mere whim. Raising a young girl wasn't something that his Captain would just impulsively try, not unless he found something interesting about her and not unless he was sure that there was no one left to take care of her.
So that's why Yasopp only patted her head and opted not to speak.
He'd blindly trust his whimsical Captain on this decision.
But, that couldn't be said about the rest of the crew.
They just thought this was another one of Shanks' more impulsive whims. Which, no one could blame them for. Shanks' was more oft than not a hopeless idiot. One of the crew members picked her up from under the arms –away from her chunk of meat- and held her out for Shanks' to take a good look at her. Aiko immediately protested at being carried, but the man disregarded her completely.
"Oi! Captain! This isn't a joke! We can't have a weak kid coming along with us." He said seriously, completely against the idea and completely ignoring the fact that Aiko was thrashing around trying to get him to put her down. They were only trying to look out for her, a kid in the perilous sea of the Grand Line would get hurt. Or worse, killed. Especially since she'd be travelling with pirates.
Shanks still had that friendly grin on his face even though everyone was dead serious around him. He knew that they were only worried about her well-being out in the Grand Line with pirates like them and for that he was happy. Happy that his crew cared enough to question this somewhat impulsive decision. He chose them well.
"She's not weak." He said and made a punching motion, "I'm tellin' you guys, Aiko here's got this killer punch like you wouldn't believe."
"Captain! This is serio-"
The protest was cut off as Aiko's tiny fist came into contact with the arm of the man holding her. The sound of bones crunching filled the air as the man hit the nearest rail. Aiko fell on her rear when the man dropped her, she had begun crying again. The entire crew was silent, staring at the bawling Aiko with shock.
Was that… Bunsoshoku Haki?
"C'mon, guys! Don't be like that." Shanks said in a soft, kind voice as he walked up to the sobbing Aiko with that stupid grin still plastered on his face, so as not to alarm her. He easily picked her up into his arms as he turned to the stunned crew. "You're scaring her."
They all seemed to sober.
Understanding in their eyes at why Shanks had brought her.
Did he plan to teach her how to control it? They gulped, suddenly ashamed as they averted their eyes. Realization of their Captain's true intentions in their minds. They had thought this another one of their Captain's whims. How were they supposed to look their Captain in the eyes now? Even the bosses of the crew were looking at them with worried expressions.
There was a moment of silence amongst the crew. Painfully awkward silence. The only sound came from Aiko's continuous sobbing and her repeated apologies for what she had done.
Before…
They all gave their best grins.
"That was really cool!" One of them stated as they begun crowding around Aiko still held by Shanks. "Why didn't you tell us, Captain?!"
"Yea, Captain!" Another yelled out in complaint as they got even rowdier, taking out food and booze for the banquet. They all shot apologetic looks at their Captain though as they neared to get close to Aiko, looks the red head just grinned stupidly at.
Aiko looked around at the smiling faces around her as they began to talk –yell- all at once, the excitement ringing clear in their voices.
"Hey, how'd you do tha—"
"Bunsosho—"
"You're Haki's crazy stron—"
"Want me to help you control i—"
"Shut up! I'll be the one to help her contro-"
"Let's go get her some new clothe-"
"We'll take good care of yo—"
"Oi, oi!" The voice of Benn Beckman rang out, the crew immediately stepping back to look at their grinning –ever smoking- first mate as he approached the overwhelmed looking Aiko. He had the man she had punched in tow, he was already bandaged up and grinning at her with the same wide smile all the crew seemed to have. "You guys are scaring her again."
"Wha-"
"No way."
"We were just curio—"
The bosses of the crew grinned at the pouting crew. Lucky Roux soon approached with Yasopp trailing behind him. Yasopp took her from the arms of their Captain as the eating man introduced, "This is Aiko-chi!"
All attention was brought back to Aiko who dried her face with her hands and looked around at all of their smiling faces. She was a bit nervous, they looked as if they were expecting her to say something, what she was supposed to say she had no clue. Aiko opened her mouth to speak not really sure what she was going to tell them, only for a loud growl to interrupt it.
A blush spread to her cheeks as she covered her growling stomach with her hands, the fact that Lucky was holding a chunk of meat next to her was not at all helping the situation.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Every Red Hair Pirate laughed at the situation only making the blush spread to her ears. Four or five men already began shoving different types of foods into her small hands. Aiko even noticed a bottle of sake being one of them, given by Shanks himself.
"OI! Don't give her sake!" Benn said complete with a smack to his Captain's head.
"What was that for Bennie?!" Shanks' yelled, holding the top of his strawhat covered head in pain.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The entire crew laughed once more.
"You can't just give her that Captain!"
"She's a kid!"
"She's a pirate!" Shanks argued with a petulant look.
"JUICE!" One of the crew yelled, "Someone get some juice!"
"Uh—Uhm!" Aiko tried to get a word out.
The crew turned to her when they heard her small voice, all waiting patiently for her to speak. Only acceptance in their eyes. It had been a long time since she had been around so many people.
"What's a banquet?"
Silence…
The entire crew once more looking at her in shock.
"Should we show her a proper one?" Shanks' muttered under his breath.
The crew nodded dumbly, not really sure how to react to someone not knowing what a banquet was.
"What do you say?!" Shanks yelled out with a grin, placing his trademark strawhat on her small head, Yasopp holding her high, so that she was level with Shanks. "Is she a Red Hair Pirate?!"
"YEAAAA!" They exclaimed in unison, "WELCOME TO THE CREW!"
"THEN IT'S A BANQUET!"
Aiko smiled widely.
"And that…" Aiko said to the Phoenix Commander as they both sat on the bottom bunk of their bunk bed, she had long put aside the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. She grinned widely, closing her eyes as she remembered her first days on the Red Force. "Was how I met my first love."
"Hmm…" Marco went over the story in his head, thinking through it once again. So, the island really wasn't dangerous, just like she had told him. Why did they erase it then? Because the young Aiko didn't like seeing it? That was a childish reason, but then again her Captain was the epitaph of childish. So, that meant the place was perfectly safe for them to trav-
Wait.
Had she said, 'How I met?'
His eyes snapped to her smiling face.
The only ones she had met in that story was…
"HAH?!" He questioned, surprise clear in his voice and lethargic eyes coming to life. "Wait. Wait. Wait, yoi."
"Hmmm…?" Aiko hummed, looking at him with an amused grin on her face. She'd never get tired of making emotion flash through that neutral expression of his.
"Met? So, your first love was…" He let the sentence hang, waiting for her to answer. Hoping for once in his life that his instincts and intuition weren't right.
"Shanks." She supplied what he didn't say.
There was a moment of silence, before…
"If this is a joke, it isn't a good one, yoi." He told her, face and voice dead serious.
She held up her hands in surrender, "It's not, bird brain."
He let the insult slide because in all honesty he wasn't expecting her first love to be Shanks. Yes, he knew that Aiko was strange and there would be no way she'd fall in love with some average guy, but for that guy to be her Captain? Just… Why? Her red haired Captain was a good five to ten years older than her. He almost openly shuddered when the thought of a teenage Aiko trying to get Akagami's attention invaded his mind.
"Not Gin, yoi?" He questioned, from her story he obviously cared a lot about her. More so than a normal friend.
"What?!" It was Aiko's turn to be surprised, "No way! He was like a brother!"
Marco would bet money that the green haired man was turning in his grave from those words.
"After that," Aiko said with a reminiscent look in her eyes, "Everyone made me hide my face with this creepy ghost mask and when I was old enough," She gave him a happy grin, "I officially joined Shanks' crew as a rookie, even though I really wasn't. Then came my first bounty after joining…"
He let her finish talking as she tried to piece the distant memories together, making sure she was getting the timeline of events right in her head before saying them out loud.
"Shanks had just risen as a new Yonko then and if I remember correctly," She placed a finger on her chin in thought, "That was also around the time we met, you had only been with Whitebeard for a few years, not even a commander yet."
Now he understood why he didn't recognize her when they first met even though she had apparently been with Akagami –a pirate whose fame far exceeded his own- for most of her life, because their first meeting was around the time she had just 'officially' joined the Red Hair Pirates. If she had 'officially' joined when she was much younger then no doubt he would've known her face. Covering her face was a smart move on their part, especially since she was a child. It kept her younger self safe from Marines and Pirates alike.
"So… Satisfied with my story, Commander?" She asked with a teasing grin, before saying, "Oh, sorry, is calling you that too hot?"
He shook his head at the woman, who could so easily go back into their usual rhythm after the story she had just shared.
"I'd rather have you screaming it, yoi." He said right back as he moved to lay down on the bed.
"You're not that good, Phoenix." She said, amused.
"Not that good? Maybe you've forgotten, yoi." He gave her a cocky smile, "But just how many times do you think I've had you begging under me?"
"The same amount of times I've had you begging under me." She shot right back, giving him the same cocky smile.
"You're not that good, yoi." He said, grin still in place as he closed his eyes and spread himself out on the bed.
Her grin grew wider at his words, this was exactly the reason why she could never get tired of his presence. His words alone could keep her entertained for weeks, then there was also the fact that they could fight each other without holding back. Plus putting a perfectly sculpted body and a ridiculous libido into that mix, she really couldn't blame her younger self for always taking the chance to get the man into bed during those rare times they found themselves in each other's company.
It was like instinct.
Finding the perfect species of male and all that.
"I'm still better than you." Aiko muttered under her breath, she knew Marco heard her from the way he opened his eyes slightly to shoot her an indignant look. He didn't move from his relaxed position though.
"Anyway," She moved onto more pressing concerns and not the part that would lead them trying to up one each other, that path would only lead to bed and since they were already on a bed that would just make things more tempting. A temptation she wasn't all that sure she could resist, what with his open jacket revealing toned abs and zero percent body fat, despite his age. She swore he wore this damned purple jacket just for the sake of showing off his body. "About those Devil Fruits."
Marco's lethargic eyes opened completely, moving to meet her gaze as she explained what she had found in the Encyclopedia before Marco's curiosity got the better of him.
"Mist Mist no Mi, creates that mist that swallowed us whole, leaving our eyes useless and the Suppress Suppress no Mi," Aiko gave Marco a meaningful glance, indicating that this was a powerful fruit, something a crew would be lucky to have, "A fruit that completely blocks out the Kenbunshoku Haki of a person once that person has been targeted."
The Phoenix thought it over in his head, so that was why it took an hour or two for the mist to come after them back in Rice Kingdom, because the machine wasn't a human, so it took more time than necessary to target each islander that left their tightly sealed homes. While a human could identify a male and female at a glance, a machine could not. Which meant that the machine mixed the Suppress Suppress no Mi's power with the Mist Mist no Mi's. He had to admit, Vegapunk was truly a genius of no compare, to create a machine that could bring out the power of two Devil Fruits and use them as one. The machine was most likely set to target only males. If it could even target a specific gender, then could that machine have targeted a specific person as well?
He really needed to contact Pops.
"The power to suppress Kenbunshoku Haki…" Aiko muttered, tone only serious as she stared at the chest housing the two fruits, "If someone from the New World had such a power it would be a bit… hard to deal with."
Marco had to agree with that statement.
To be able to block Kenbunshoku Haki in the New World meant to make almost every pirate and marine practically blind to anything that they couldn't see. Haki was as common as rain in the New World and most relied on whichever of its three forms they had, even Marco himself relied heavily on his Haki. Then, to have the power of that mist that rendered the eyes useless, if those two fruits were used in succession, rising to power in the New World would be no problem.
It was a mistake to place such amazing fruits together in a machine, when they could have had two marines eat them and those two would undoubtedly become the ultimate tag team. But, it was too late for that now. The fruits were in their hands, to do with what they wished. The next step would be to tell their Captains, their Captains would have to come to a decision on who would get them.
Marco eyed the chest the fruits were safely tucked away in.
"You don't want to eat one, yoi?" He asked as he continued to stare at the closed chest. They weren't bad choices, in fact, she could do a lot worse than a Logia and an extremely useful Paramecia.
Aiko immediately shook her head.
The mere thought of eating a fruit making her grimace unattractively.
"I love playing in the sea too much." Her eyes moved over him and she said in an amused voice, "And if I do eat a fruit, it would be a better Logia or a Mythical Zoan."
Even if it wasn't an insult, it still bothered him how she could just say the type of Devil Fruit he ate and still sound like she was teasing him. His Devil Fruit was the rarest kind out there and it was ridiculously powerful, so how in Roger's name could she make her voice sound so amused when saying his fruit type?
He gave her a quick scathing glance, before closing his eyes once more and moving onto more boring topics. "How long 'til the Log Pose sets on the next island, yoi?"
"One day." Aiko answered simply.
Marco grinned at how quick it was, soon they'd be at their destination where they could see which route of Paradise Ace would choose to travel on. They could follow the freckled commander's exact trail. It was only a matter of time. He'd find Ace and haul his fiery ass back to the Moby Dick whether the fire commander liked it or not. When he got his hands on him, he'd make sure to beat the living shit out of his brother, for making him travel all across the Grand Line in search of his hyper energetic self. It was then that his brain decided to remind him of the nagging thought at the back of his mind, the thought that as his time with his brothers would begin once again, his time with Aiko would be over. It was too short. The time he got to spend with her, then again, it always was. He had to admit though, he was slightly proud of himself, he did an amazing job at not jumping into bed with the woman and her nonstop innuendos. A temptation his younger self could never seem to resist. Ever since back then and even until now, she really knew how to test his limits.
He shook his head slightly, there was no need to think about their soon to be separation, that was still days –maybe even weeks- away. He'd think about his time with the woman now and the time they'd share in the future when they'd have unexpected run in's. Those were the absolute best.
"You never told me the name of the next island, yoi."
She smiled to herself, she had to thank the one that came up with the name because the Red Hair Pirates had visited it all those years ago solely because the name of the island had interested them. "Saké Island."
Marco's eyes once again completely opened, checking her expression to see if she was joking with him. He had heard of the island, a year or two ago when Ace -in one of his bored moods- had asked Pops which island he thought had the best sake. Pops' had replied Saké Island in a heartbeat, though some of the other commanders such as Blenheim and Curiel had argued with Pops' answer, saying that the best sake was produced in the North Blue.
Aiko made a drinking gesture with one hand, "Main trading item is sake, the islands local dishes all have some sake in them and they have every kind imaginable."
So, she practically grew up with the drink?
That explained a lot.
A whole lot.
"Sake Heaven, yoi." He said, now a bit more excited about seeing her hometown, though his face didn't show it.
"I should tell Captain!" She said with pure glee in her voice. "He'll be so jealous."
Somehow, the thought of her calling up and telling her red-haired captain had him feeling slightly uneasy. Was he always the first person she thought of when something exciting was about to happen? Probably. He was her Captain after all. But, Captain or not, it didn't mean he had to like it. especially when she called him up, plus it was a well-known fact that the Phoenix Commander had never been a fan of the red head and the things she just told him didn't help with that. Feelings like your first love, do they really go away? He wouldn't know. Marco was never one for love, instead he had an impressive string of one night stands. Now that he thought about it, just how long did she love him? He was tempted to ask and so, Marco –not one to beat around the bush- did just that.
"How long were you in love with Akagami, yoi?"
Aiko lifted an eyebrow at him to give him a questioning look, but he had his eyes once again closed as he leaned against the pillows.
Weren't they done with this topic already? Why bring it up again?
"Why?"
He shrugged, not even opening his eyes. The air of a man that could care less whether she answered his question or not. "Just curious, yoi."
"Hmmm…" She hummed and placed a hand over his bare ribs, she could feel him slightly stiffen as she moved to perch herself above him, settling her body down over his taut tattooed chest. Mouth over the skin of his neck, mumbling into it, "But you sound so jealous, Phoenix."
He forced his body to relax under her, a difficult feat especially with her breasts and soft body pressed up against his chest and her thighs sitting right over his cock that he hoped hadn't hardened. The thought of when the fuck he was last laid coming to the forefront of his mind, before he shoved that thought roughly aside.
"Of Akagami?" He scoffed.
"Hmmm…" She hummed once more, but this time into his neck. Ihe vibrations spreading through him. "Are you a kid? To be jealous of Shanks… is a bit…"
He shrugged, using his best hurt voice, "I thought we had something special, Hon. Then I find out you've been having fun with Akagami behind my back, yoi." He turned over, so that she fell onto the mattress beside him, the two now facing each other. Marco looking down at the woman because he was still elevated by the fluffy pillow, on top of the fact that he was naturally bigger than the woman.
"Makes me wonder who you've been having fun with whenever I'm away." She said right back, looking into those bored eyes of his.
"Not even denying you've been hooking up with Akagami, yoi?"
She raised an eyebrow at him, the air cracked between the two. Tension so thick, Aiko could've punched right through it. Why did it feel like they were about to have a fight? How did they go from teasing to this? They weren't even together, how could they have a fight about something like this?
"As if I could hook up with my Captain." She defended, glaring slightly at the blond.
"You've already been with a Commander from a different crew, yoi." He pointed out, as always, blunt and ruthless with his words. "Makes me wonder who else you've been with."
Aiko gave the Phoenix a frown, "I should be saying that about you. Just how many women have you slept with?"
"As if I'd answer such a trap, yoi." Marco muttered, returning the woman's slight glare. "Why don't you answer first?"
"No way, Phoenix." She rolled her eyes, "How do I know you'll answer after I tell?"
"Well, you'll need to trust me, yoi." She gave him a look that said 'No.' He pressed a tanned hand to his chest. "What? After all this time you don't trust me? I'm hurt, yoi."
"Then you say first." She suggested.
Only for him to deny immediately, "I can't do that."
"So, you're basically saying you don't trust me?" Aiko argued. She turned her back to him, "Then how do you expect me to trust you?"
"Well, someone has to get the ball rolling, yoi." He muttered, pressing his chest to her back.
Quickly turning back to him, she pushed his tattooed chest away with scarred hands, "I said my backstory, so it's your turn."
He looked down at her.
Well, she had him there.
"Fine, yoi." He bit out, finally conceding.
He slowly held up his hand, raising all five fingers first then raising four.
"Huh? Nine? That's not too bad." She said, the slight disappointment clear in her tone. Aiko had somehow been expecting an exceedingly large number from the man, not a measly nine. Especially since he had been a pirate for more than twenty years. Pirates usually had an impressive track record of one night stands. But, somehow his wasn't even that many, what the hell was he so guarded about? The fact that it was actually an awfully small number?
He looked extremely confused for a moment and shot a glance at his hand, before saying, "Uhh… Yea. Nine, yoi. How about you?"
She stared at the confused expression that passed his face for a moment.
Before realization dawned on Aiko.
Eyes and mouth opening wide.
"FIFTY FOUR?!" She screeched, letting it sink in before she began laughing her ass off. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Aiko held her stomach to try to suppress the laughter, but to no avail. Fifty four. For Roger's sake, that wasan impressive number. How could she have thought he meant nine? This was a man that had been a pirate for more than twenty years, a world renowned one that women all across the seas probably swooned for.
"Yea, yea…" Marco said, clearly displeased. "Laugh it up, yoi."
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Her eyes were beginning to water.
Marco clamped a hand over her mouth, attempting to shut the woman up. This was why he didn't want to tell her. He'd gladly tell his mates when they had the sudden urge to prove their manliness and compare numbers, but he just knew that she'd react this way.
"I-I-I-!" Aiko shoved his hand off her mouth as she panted heavily, "I couldn't breathe."
He didn't even bother answering, just giving her a small glare. He wasn't going to apologize. The woman was laughing at him. To his face.
"The hell, Phoenix?" She began, he mentally prepared himself for the teasing. Gods. Just why did he tell her again? "What is that? A new conquest every island?"
Marco shrugged, there was no use trying to defend himself. "I don't know. I can't remember all of them, yoi. I was just estimating."
"Hah?!" Aiko screeched once more with a laugh. "So, there's MORE?!" She asked, before breaking out in laughter once again.
Marco placed the palm of his hand over her face and shoved.
She held onto the lapels of his purple jacket for dear life, trying her best not to fall from the bed as she laughed. Something she failed at, because he wasn't prepared for her to grab onto him and so they both fell to the ship's wooden floor with a loud 'thud.'
"Owowowow." Aiko muttered continuously as Marco slowly picked himself off of the woman, getting on all fours to allow her some room to raise her back slightly. She was currently leaning on one hand pressed flat to the cold floor. The blond took his sweet time letting his eyes roam and admire her form under him as she busily rubbed at her head with her free hand. He tried his best not to notice her manner of dress, -with great success since the start of their travels- but with her beneath him like this, it was impossible. Her nightshirt clung to her body like a second skin, he could clearly see the outline of her soft mounds and he almost groaned. Almost.
He was tempted to shove her back down to the floorboards and palm her breasts through that annoying piece of cloth that hindered his view while letting his mouth work her body, nipping at any and all skin he could get his teeth on until she moaned and writhed in pleasure under him. Screaming for him until her voice grew hoarse. He was so very tempted to do actions he had not had the pleasure of doing to her in a long time. Too long. All it would take were a few bold caresses in the proper places and a bit of dominating force to get her turned on. He already knew from past experience just what to do to get those sultry moans and those screams loud enough that he swore the entire New World could hear her calling out his name.
But, before he let his imagination and previous success affect his better judgment, he –resolutely- decided against acting on that particular fantasy.
"This was your fault, yoi." He reproached, shoving his thoughts to the recesses of his mind.
Reluctantly getting up to plop himself back onto the bed, not even trying to help the woman who had bumped her head rather harshly on the steel plated wooden flooring of the ship. Simply because if he touched her now he might have not been able to keep his urges down. He didn't trust his self-control at the moment, nor his impatient side that was known to come out when he was aroused.
"You pushed me." She accused as she followed him back to the bed. Back to her spot beside the man.
"You laughed, yoi." Was the simple retort.
"Because!" She defended, lifting her hands up at him, "Soon the number won't even fit your hands anymore!" Aiko scrunched her face unattractively at him. "You must have so many diseases, Phoenix."
He rolled his eyes, tempted to shove her off the bed once more.
"Your turn, yoi." He said, looking at the woman expectantly.
She gave him a happy grin, before raising three fingers.
"Liar." He said immediately. "What, do you only get laid every few years, yoi?"
Her smile never left her face and Marco found that she was dead serious about her number. "What kind of pirate are you, yoi? Three?" He said disbelievingly.
"A clean one." She said, once more laughing at him.
He groaned, she'd never let him live that down, huh?
But, when he thought about it, wasn't hers worse? The fact that she only slept with three men probably meant she had some kind of relationship with them. He was the prime example of this, not that they had a relationship, -because they didn't- but they had some form of weird thing going on. Did she have something like whatever it was between them with the other two as well? If he put it that way, then hers was far, far, far worse than an endless chain of one night stands with no feelings whatsoever. Just lust.
Nothing more, everything less.
"I'm one." He said pointing to himself, before raising two fingers at her. "Who are the other two?"
"Now, that's a trap." She said using his words against him.
He rolled his eyes for the tenth time that day as he stared at her smiling face.
"Fine, yoi." He said once again, letting her keep her secrets.
For now.
A/N: So, I just found out that after the time skip Shanks is only 39 years old. Expect Aiko to be younger than that. College is killing me right now and if I don't have time to post my usual updates, I'll inform you in these authors notes, SO READ THEM!
I PMed most of you because I'm too busy this week, so this is just my response to the anonymous reviewers.
-Alice: I meant this chapter dearie~ Thank you once again for you review! :DD
-j8a8c8y8: Oh my glob. I can't PM you cause of your friggin account settings. As for you questions, I'd much rather PM you so I could give my whole opinion on the subject... but since I can't... just stay tuned! Thank you for your first review onto my story! Hope for your continuous support!
-Guest: Watsup new reader~? I update every Tuesday! Stay tuned and I hope you give me your support from now on!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!