Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.
A/N: This is a collection of specials also posted on my fanfiction blog. The URL can be found on my profile. I just decided to upload these chapters here for those that haven't checked my wordpress. Please follow if you're a fan of this pairing as I may release a Harmless Fun mafia AU soon. Thank you!
I'm also in the process of trying to get my novel published, so anyone interested in it pls PM me so that I can contact you when its released or just follow my fanfic blog. :) It's leagues above my fanfic stuff, I swear.
Minisode #1 © blob80
A/N: Story takes place sometime after the events of Weatherton (OMAKE 3) and before Chapter 1 of Harmless Fun.
It was a usual evening for the Red Hair Pirates. Except tonight, dinner was out on the deck. Musicians played a ballad version of Binks' Sake as the crew ate and drank. Their loud voices filling the otherwise silent air. Lucky was in the corner having an eating contest with some foolish cabin boy that thought he could take him. Rho next to them, ready to intervene before said cabin boy ate himself sick. The New World was peaceful tonight.
Aiko sat quietly on the railing of the Red Force, looking out at the tiny speck that was an island they would be docking at in another hour or so. Feathermill, a prosperous Summer Island, part of Red Hair Pirate territory. They wouldn't have anything to worry about there. Only the foolish and the devilishly strong would dare challenge a Yonko crew. But, as Aiko kept looking across the length of sea, her gut was telling her not to go there or was it telling her to go because something was waiting? She didn't know. That was the thing with instincts, they were always so damn unclear. All she did know was that something was waiting on that island.
Hopefully, something she liked.
"Excited?" Benn Beckmann asked, sneaking up next to her and leaning down to cross his elbows on the railing by her side. He took a swig of sake from the bottle in his hand, before handing it over to her. "You've got that look on your face."
Aiko raised an eyebrow at him. "What look?"
She had just taken a large sip of sake when Benn said, "Like you're going to see Whitebeard's first division commander."
Aiko choked. "W-What?!"
"Not denying it?" Benn said with a mischievous little smirk.
A flash of blond hair and bright blue flames invaded Aiko's mind.
"It's already too late for that, right?" Aiko asked with narrowed eyes as she rubbed her throat. The sake had gone down wrong. "I can't hide anything from you, Bennie."
"Were you trying to?"
She immediately shook her head. "When did you find out?"
"Weatherton." He said simply.
"I figured as much." She muttered, thinking of the time she had met with the Phoenix on the Sky Island. The place had been crawling with both members of their crew, if anything, Aiko was lucky that only Benn saw them together. "When did you see us?"
Benn raised an eyebrow at her, still donning that mischievous smirk. "Just how long were you two together?"
Aiko shrugged. "Until they left."
"Aiko." Benn said seriously, "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"
She paused for a moment, meeting Benn's gaze head on, before she broke out in a large smile. "Yea, I do."
Benn closed his eyes, content with her answer and with a secretive grin lit up another one of his cigarettes that he never seemed to run out of. Aiko didn't know if they just kept an entire storage room filled with cigarettes or if he had some kind of Devil Fruit ability she didn't know about. The ability to multiply objects or to will into being whatever he craved.
She left him be and they settled into a comfortable silence. If Benn had something to say then he'd say it. If he had a problem with her relationship with the Phoenix Commander then he'd bring it up again and make her see his reasoning. The fact that he wasn't meant that he gave his blessing and would let her make her own mistakes. Smiling to herself, Aiko took a -proper- healthy gulp of sake. The hot drink calming her nerves. The effect of the alcohol was a reminder to her that if one of the Red Hair Pirates were ever to die, it would most likely be due to the insane amount of alcohol they consumed on a daily basis.
"You shouldn't sit on the rail." Benn's voice rang once more. "Captain'll freak out if you fall."
"Captain's busy ri—"
"AIKOOO! DON'T SIT ON THE RAIL! WHAT IF YOU FALL?!" Shanks interrupted. Aiko's eyes widened and Benn shot her an amused smirk as if to say 'see?'
"Relax, Cap't. I'm not gonna fa—"
"AIKOOOO!" The rest of the Red Hair Pirates yelled, their jaws dropping to the floor as they panicked.
"GET DOWN FROM THE—"
"YOU'LL FALL OVERBOA—"
"WHAT IF YOU GET HUR—"
"Alright." Benn held a hand up and everyone immediately shut their mouths. "She gets it, right?"
Aiko smiled at them, sliding off the railing and standing firmly on the ships wooden deck. "Right."
They all let out a collective sigh of relief.
"AIKO!" Yasopp yelled, coming up and ruffling her hair. "Ya know better than not to eat with us. That's the start of mutiny."
Aiko showed him the drink in her hands. "I was sharing a drink with Bennie."
He stared at her for one long moment as if not processing her words. Then suddenly, he looked down at the floor and slumped his shoulders. Yasopp turned back to the crew and exclaimed, "Aiko likes Bennie better than us!"
"EHHH?!" Came the intelligent response.
"DAHAHAHAHAHA!" Shanks' laughter echoed across the Red Force.
"What? Captain?!"
"We thought you'd be the most broken up about this!"
"How could you betray our image of you like that?!"
"What are you guys talking about?" Shanks asked, downing his large sake cup. "Aiko likes me the most."
"SHUT UP!" Rho screamed. His voice was backed up by the rest of the crew.
"Oi, oi." Lucky intervened, talking around a mouthful of meat. "Shouldn't we ask Aiko-chi?"
Everyone rounded on Aiko. A predatory gleam in their eyes as if just daring her to say that what Shanks said was true. Unfortunately for them, Aiko wasn't deterred. She shot them a dazzling smile and said with an almost brutal kind of honesty.
"Captain's the best."
What followed was chaos.
"Ace, you can't do these things, yoi." Marco reprimanded.
They were currently walking through an island that they were forced to stop at to get supplies because Ace had decided that he needed to consume all the food while Marco slept. Whitebeard had sent them out on a mission to retrieve a Devil Fruit over a few islands away, but with Ace being… well, Ace, here they were making unnecessary detours. But that wasn't the reason why Marco was upset. No. His foul mood was due to the fact that the island they had stopped on was part of Red Hair Pirate territory.
"We don't need unnecessary attention, this isn't Pops' turf." Marco pocketed his pouch, now considerably lighter after he paid for his and Ace's meal. They already attracted too much attention, what with their half-naked manners of dress and their towering height. Plus the fact that this was the New World, so many knew their name.
"I wasn't gonna dine and dash." Ace muttered.
"What was that?" Marco raised an impossibly arched eyebrow, daring him to say it again.
"Nothing, mother."
Marco ignored the snippy remark and eyed their surroundings. It was a peaceful little place, not many people, but not so little that everyone knew each other. The market was filled with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The inhabitants seemed to be happy being under Akagami's protection. He stopped his thoughts of the Red-haired emperor, before a certain woman he hadn't seen in years flashed through his mind.
"Hey, Marco." Ace called with his usual trademark grin. He had a hand on top of his ridiculous cowboy hat as he spoke. "When we get back, you have to tell Rem to make me something."
"Do it yourself, yoi." The first thing he would be doing when he got back to the Moby Dick was take a long well-deserved nap. Preferably, undisturbed.
"She'll just say no again."
"Too bad, yoi. Her food's good."
"Now you're just rubbing it in." Ace narrowed his eyes. "I still don't get why she cooks for you." He spat the word out as if it had done something to physically harm him.
"Haven't we been through this already, yoi?" Marco took a step up and onto the small ship he and Ace had been travelling on. "You don't want her cooking for you."
"You still haven't told me about that you know."
"About what?" Marco feigned innocence as he flew up into the crow's nest.
"What you and Thatch were talking about that day." Ace continued to press him for an answer, no longer able to reign in his curiosity.
Honey eyes and a bright smile invaded Marco's train of thought. Unwanted memories that he couldn't bring himself to let go of. They were always there, lingering somewhere in the recesses of his mind. A torrent ready to gush out whenever he let himself daydream.
Roger, he hated this.
"It wasn't anything important, yoi." Marco told him from his position above.
Ace shot him a skeptical look, clearly in some kind of internal battle between his curiosity and respecting his brother's privacy. In the end, his respect won because Ace just merely nodded and unfurled the sail so that they could get a move on.
Marco mentally thanked him for not continuing his questions. Talking about her always felt wrong. She was their enemy, at least that's what he told himself. Despite these thoughts, when the Phoenix looked out at the sea, he got a view of the sunset that would forever imprint itself in his mind. Not because of just how breathtakingly beautiful it was to see a clash of red and orange get swallowed up by the oceans waves, but because there, in the far-off distance, he could just barely make out the figure of a woman standing on a ship's deck.
Staring right at him with a large smile on her face.
Minisode #2 © blob80
A/N: Story takes place sometime after the events of Hand Island (OMAKE 1) and before Elbaf (OMAKE 2).
The Red Hair Pirates were docked on a small island in Kaido's territory, happily getting supplies as they were in the middle of conducting a general cleaning of their ship because of the massive banquet they had the night prior. A banquet so ridiculously wild that walls needed to be scrubbed down, counters needed to be repaired and rooms needed to be aired out. It just wasn't enough for the poor, overworked cabin boys to take care of.
"AIKO!" Shanks yelled from his spot on the Red Force.
"Whaaaaat?" Aiko called out. Yasopp and one of the cabin boys stood behind her, waiting for her to hurry and get a move on. They were about to go shopping for some Eternal Poses for the ship, seeing as how the navigator was busy and couldn't really trust a job like this to just anyone. Especially since most of the Red Hair Pirates were flaky when it came to responsibility.
"Wait! I'm gonna come too!" He yelled, hyper as ever. Clearly he wasn't interested in cleaning.
Benn suddenly appeared, banging the butt of his rifle against Shanks' head. "No. You have to fix your room."
"Ehhh?" Shanks whined. "But I'm the Captain."
"Oh, really?" Benn wasn't having any excuses as he said with a serious tone, "Then as Captain come help your crew."
"Tsk." Shanks frowned as he took a rag from a passing mate and began dejectedly wiping the ships rails, muttering a whirl of curses and insults under his breath.
Everyone grinned at the scene.
"Get going now." Benn ordered, waving them away. "Rho fixed your things up for you anyway, Aiko."
"Wha–! What about me?!" Yasopp yelled.
"You're cleaning when you get back." Benn replied with an amused smirk.
"THAT BASTARD!"
"YEA!" One of the Red Hair Pirates yelled out. "WHY DOES HE GET TO GO INTO AIKO'S ROOM?
"RIGHT?!"
"THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKI—"
"THAT STUPID PLAYBOY DOC—"
"I BET HE—"
Rho suddenly stuck his head out from a tiny window on the body of the ship, leading to his infirmary. "I CAN HEAR YOU, YOU BASTARDS!"
"GOOD!" They yelled in unison.
Aiko laughed loudly at their antics, before waving a hand. "We're going now!"
"Be careful!" They said with large smiles.
"WAIT!" Rho suddenly yelled in protest. "What's the kid doing with you?!"
"Eh?" The cabin boy with Aiko and Yasopp suddenly paled as the attention of the much older members of the Red Hair Pirates turned their attention to him.
"He's our personal cart." Yasopp said with a shrug.
"If you need someone to carry your bags, I'll do it!" One of her mates volunteered. His suggestion followed by a chorus of others.
"NO WAY!" Shanks finally yelled out, recovering from his dejected state as he threw the rag he had been using at one of his subordinates' face. "If I can't go then you all have to stay here!"
"EHHHH?!" Their jaws dropped to the ground.
"No fair, Captain!"
"How could you be so heartless?!"
"We looked up to you!"
"You can't just betray our trust like this!"
"Fine! Let's let Aiko decide!" Shanks yelled, turning to Aiko.
Everyone looked toward the docks, but the three that had been idly standing there just a moment ago were nowhere in sight. Already escaping somewhere into the city. The Red Hair Pirates turned back to their jobs and went back to furiously cleaning the ship with tears in their eyes.
Minisode #3 © blob80
A/N: This takes place sometime after the events of Elbaf (OMAKE 2) and before Weatherton (OMAKE 3).
"I L-L-LIKE Y-YOU!"
Thatch choked on the generous sip of grog that he had just started drinking. The fourth division commander coughing uncontrollably as he repeatedly pounded on his chest with his fist. Marco sat across from him, looking at the renowned Fire Fist Ace who had just confessed with amused eyes and a small smirk.
"Ace…" Thatch muttered, "I don't think Marco swings that way."
"I've got a girl already, yoi." Marco teased, losing the battle for his composure as he wanted so badly to laugh at the freckled commander's red face. "But I appreciate your sentime—"
He couldn't do this anymore.
Marco banged his hand on the table and joined Thatch as they two commanders howled in laughter. Marco's though was more toned down. But still, a laugh was a laugh. Their laughter was starting to gather the attention of some of the other Whitebeard Pirates, seeing as how most of their brothers on deck were now staring in their direction. Ace stood there with his face steadily growing redder, before he exploded.
"SHUT UP!" Ace yelled, "YOU GUYS SAID YOU'D HELP ME PRACTICE!"
"Because we didn't think you'd actually do it!" Thatch defended, tears in his eyes as he held tightly onto his stomach. The man already having trouble breathing.
"What's with that, yoi?" Marco said in between chuckles. "I can't believe you actually said it to me."
"Shut up!" Ace's hand lit up in flames, trying to be intimidating. Unfortunately, that only seemed to have the opposite effect. The two commanders laughed harder when they saw just how angry he was getting.
"I know this is a radical suggestion, yoi." Marco said, back to his usual voice. His face once more a perfect mask. "But you could… Oh, I don't know, yoi. Be a man."
"Exactly." Thatch agreed, finally getting over his little laughing fit and taking a proper sip of grog. "Why do you have to practice? Man the fuck up. You're a Whitebeard Pirate."
"She is too." Ace stressed. "Beside's that's easier said than done."
"Hey, this isn't anything like this guy's relationship." Thatch said matter of factly, pointing a thumb over at Marco who shot him a glare. The pompadour haired commander was always using his relationship as if it were the almighty example to which all other relationships should be compared. "You just have to walk over there and -–OH! Rem!"
Ace turned to see Rem walking out onto the deck, Izou by her side. The two talking about something with soft voices, too quiet for his trained ears to hear.
"Look, see that Ace." Thatch said wisely, closing his eyes and nodding repeatedly. "Just go over there and ask her out to dinne—"
"He's gone, yoi." Marco said.
Thatch's eyes snapped open to see Ace furiously bowing and asking for food. Rem, as usual, denying him. Thatch frowned as he watched. His brothers were always making things so complicated. He was jealous of them actually. But only a little bit. Because Marco, no matter how messy his relationship was and Ace, no matter how increasingly stupid he acted, they both had someone to think and dream about when the day came to an end. If they just got their act together, then they'd easily be able to make anything work. They were Whitebeard Commanders, after all.
Whitebeard Commanders could do anything.
Thatch sighed loudly, rolling his eyes at the usual scene. With an exasperated groan, he went back to nursing his drink.
"That idiot."
Minisode #4 © blob80
A/N: Story takes place sometime after the events of Hand Island (OMAKE 1) and before Elbaf (OMAKE 2) of Harmless Fun.
Aiko sat with her mates around a small camp fire. They had all been drinking and telling stories when something interesting caught their attention. Actually it was beyond interesting. It was a downright rare sight, the kind people only got to see once in a lifetime.
Rho, who had been lounging around became the perfect target for the crew's antics. It was quiet at first, they snuck up on him on their tiptoes as they desperately tried to remain as silent as possible. They had even taken their shoes off and when they were right in back of the playboy doctor…
"Boo," they whispered in his ear.
Rho didn't jump, his eyes didn't widen, he didn't even let out a girly high-pitched scream.
No.
It was much worse.
"BAAAAK!" The sound had everyone turning to the scene. Rho had turned into a chicken. Something he vowed never to do again. A damn chicken and the Red Hair Pirates, being who they are, did the only thing they could.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Everyone laughed in unison. Others spit out their drinks and choked on their food, all unable to control the scene before them.
"The return of Doc Chicke—Pfft—AHAHAHAHAHA!" Yasopp couldn't even finish his insult.
"Doc Cock, alright!" One of their mates yelled out and everyone laughed again. Aiko and Shanks doubled over at the comment, holding their stomachs while Rho –still in chicken form- had decided to run after and chase their mates that had scared the life out of him.
"Oi, oi, look at him go," Benn muttered, whistling under her breath.
Rho eventually caught up because his mates had fallen to the ground in a laughing fit. The doctor was quick to begin pecking the life out of them. His beak leaving dark purplish bruises as his mates cried out in pain. Not many seemed to care though because most were still laughing at the pathetic bird form of the supposedly amazing doctor of the Red Hair pirates.
Lucky, who had just woken up from a nap suddenly walked over. The large man looked clueless and groggy from sleep as he observed the scene playing out before him. Without much though, Lucky picked the chicken up by the neck, choking the poor guy.
"Can we cook this?" Lucky asked.
"DAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Shanks' laughter rang out along with the rest of the crews, but that only lasted for a moment as they realized that Lucky was completely serious and that Rho was starting to turn blue.
"Oi!" Aiko called out, "Lucky!"
"Oh, Aiko-chi," Lucky grinned at her, but the smile immediately fell when he saw the panicked faces of his mates. "Did something happen?"
All the Red Hair Pirates –minus the bosses- immediately charged at him.
"PUT RHO DOWN!" They yelled in unison, tackling the man to the ground. "YOU'LL KILL HIM!"
"Wha—" Lucky opened his mouth to speak, but he moved to the side. The Red Hair Pirates falling to the ground, while he still held Rho's poor chicken self up by the neck.
"THAT'S RHO!" They yelled, trying to charge at him again.
"Who?" Lucky asked, tilting his head. He obviously needed to go back to bed.
"THE CHICKEN!"
"DAHAHAHAHAHA!" Shanks only laughed as he watched his mates.
"I hope he doesn't die," Aiko said, pouring a cup of sake for each of them.
"Nah," Shanks said, carelessly. "He's tough. That's why he's a Red Hair Pirate!"
Aiko grinned, handing him the cup. "To toughness?"
He clinked his small glass against hers.
"To our crew," Shanks corrected.
Minisode #5 © blob80
A/N: Story takes place sometime after the events of Weatherton (OMAKE 3) and before Chapter 1 of Harmless Fun. PLEASE READ MY ONE-SHOT Gochisōsama BEFORE READING THIS.
"Sooo," Ace said, bounding up to Marco and Thatch with a blinding grin on his face. "Are you ever gonna tell me what you and Thatch were talking about back when we had that conversation in your room."
Marco kept his cool and said, "Conversation, yoi?"
Thatch was laughing in the corner as Ace kept trying –unsuccessfully, at that- to get Marco to fess up to what he had said about longing for a certain woman. A woman that Ace heard and knew nothing about. Ace was already failing at subtlety and just began asking outright. The only way he could ever one up Marco was through actions. With words, the Phoenix easily shut him up and turned the tables on him, almost as if that was his aim all along. It probably was.
"Oh, C'mon!" Ace complained, "We're brothers aren't we? I should know who the girl is! You know who I like!"
"It's obvious who you like," Marco said, finding a hole where he could easily change the subject. "You've got no moves to speak of when it comes to her."
"Hey," Ace said seriously. His smile immediately dropping. "I can get any girl."
"Not the one you want, yoi." Marco shot back, grinning slightly when the pyro commander narrowed his eyes.
"It's harder than it looks!" Ace said, slumping his shoulders.
At that point, Thatch let out a bark of laughter. The happy sound making the two flame commanders turn to their pompadour haired companion who had his hands on his knees.
"What's so funny?" Ace was the one to ask.
"Marco totally made you forget about your question," Thatch said with a wide grin.
The Phoenix smirked. "Don't go pointing it out, yoi."
Ace narrowed his eyes, then whirled around to face Marco. "Marco!"
Marco raised an eyebrow. "What, yoi?"
"Tell me, man!" Ace said, puffing out his chest in an attempt to make himself look more intimidating. Didn't work much. Especially since Marco was about a head and a half taller.
"Tell Rem you like her first," Marco said with a shrug.
"Alright!" Ace said, thoughtlessly. The shirtless man running off to the other side of the deck where Rem stood with Izou.
Thatch let out another bark of laughter. "Is he even thinking right now?"
"No," Came Marco's instant reply.
The two watched from the sidelines as Ace stood in front of Rem. The man opening his mouth, closing it, then opening it again. Ace repeated that action a few times, properly registering in his mind what Marco had told him to do. Rem seemed to have had enough because she flicked the fire commander's forehead.
"I'm not going to cook for you," Rem said, obviously thinking that that was what Ace wanted to say. She soon walked off when Pops' had called out to her. The big man asking if he could get an early lunch.
Once Ace returned to them, he had a frown on his face. The man looked like a kicked puppy.
"Damn, Ace," Thatch said. "That was painful to watch."
"Nice moves, yoi."
"Shut uuuup!" He said, easily bouncing back to his usual self.
"Ok, I think he deserves a reward!" Thatch said, nodding his head repeatedly. "I'll tell you who the girl is!"
"Really?!" Ace's eyes brightened and Thatch leaned in.
Thatch whispered, "It's A—"
Ace's eyes widened as Thatch's face was smashed into the deck of the ship. Marco looming above the man and placing his foot on his back, preventing him from getting up. Everyone looked to where they were for a long moment, before shrugging and letting it be. Thatch had probably just annoyed their first division commander again. Ace, however, was staring at Thatch -who was groaning in pain- with wide eyes. He looked over at Marco who had on that nonchalant gaze.
Ace immediately held up his hands. "That was all him. I swear, I didn't ask him to tell me."
"You trait—OW!" Before Thatch could yell the rest out, Marco put more pressure on his back.
"Sorry, Thatch," Marco said. "What was that?"
"I said Marco liked Ai—OW! STOP IT! YOU DAMNED OSTRICH!"
Ace and the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates witnessing the scene had begun backing slowly away. Marco's arms were alight with a blue flame. The man about to shift into his Phoenix hybrid form, and when that happened, it wouldn't be pretty for Thatch.
"One more time, yoi?" Marco said, evenly. "I didn't quite catch what that was."
Everyone watched Thatch take a deep breath, then "YOU LIKE AIK—AAAHHHHH!"
Marco shifted into his Phoenix form and hauled Thatch up into the air, the two going for a joy ride. All of the Whitebeard Pirates on the ship sweat dropped, their eyes wide as they watched the spectacle. Marco was flying around, before dropping Thatch carelessly. The man free falling and just when he was about to fall into the water, Marco caught him. The Phoenix threateningly holding Thatch above the water as the pompadour haired man yelled profanities left and right.
"GURARARARA!" Whitebeard's laughter boomed across the ship. Ace was next to him and in a voice only Ace could hear, he said, "Are they talking about Killer Punch? Akagami's brat?"
Ace's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. "WHAT?!"
Minisode #6 © blob80
A/N: Story takes place sometime after Chapter 33 of Harmless Fun.
Marco fiddled absentmindedly with Aiko's hair as she relaxed over his chest. Her soft body pressing up against his naked torso in a comfortable way. Today was a lazy day and so they lounged around his room on the Moby Dick with nothing interesting to do, but sleep the day away. Well, at least, Aiko had been sleeping. Marco had been wide awake for the past few hours. Mindlessly touching her whenever he had the urge to do so. She was comfortable with his presence. Completely at ease. Not even stirring slightly even as he slipped his hand under her shirt to run it up and down the expanse of her back.
A thought had been plaguing his mind for a while now and he inadvertently squeezed her warm form closer to his frame. The slight action though was enough to have her opening sleep muddled eyes to give him a questioning gaze. She picked her head up, just enough to look at him.
"Marco…?"
He almost groaned at the sound of his name leaving her lips. "Go back to sleep, yoi."
"Mmm…" She hummed, dropping her head back on his chest and whispering against his bare skin. "Something bothering you?"
He sighed, letting his hand continue its trek over her back. Rubbing in a soothing manner that was meant to get her to fall asleep all the faster. He didn't want to voice the thoughts in his mind. It would lead to an overly sappy conversation. The kind he wasn't fond of having.
Aiko stayed quiet, waiting for the man to speak. He's voice what was on his mind sooner or later, forcing him to would only lead him to avoid it by saying other useless things that didn't need her attention. She tried to ignore the pleasurable feeling that filled her as he continued to rub her back soothingly, making her relax. He always did this. Made her unwind even when she didn't need to.
"You said once that I was one of three, yoi." Marco said, stopping his hand in its track. "Who were the other two?"
Aiko's mind was completely blank for a moment, but then she remembered what he was talking about. Back when they admitted just how many other people they had slept with, Marco had been surprised to know that she had only slept with a grand total of three men while he had an exceedingly grand number. If she were a lesser woman, she would have been jealous.
"You were the third," Aiko mumbled into his chest. He had chosen such a strange time to talk of such things.
He held her tighter, so tight that it was getting harder to breathe. "Who were the other two, yoi?"
Aiko sighed into his chest, kissing him once, before getting up on her palms so that she was hovering above him. "Would it really make you feel better to know who they were?"
He didn't know the answer to that.
Would it make him feel better? Or would he just be even more on edge knowing that somewhere across the vast sea there were two men who had done to her only what he was allowed. Seen and heard things meant only for him. No. That wouldn't make him feel better. It wouldn't because he had asked the wrong question. This wasn't what was plaguing his mind for the past few hours.
"What kind of relationship did you have with them?" He asked. If she had something like what they had, hooking up every time they met then he didn't think he'd be able to take it. He wouldn't be able to stay still. He'd definitely do something unspeakable to whoever those men were.
"No relationship," she whispered. A secret between them. "The first was a man a part of the Revolutionary Army. We knew each other, nothing more. He was lost on a mission a few years back. the second was one – no. Barely half a night and the third…" She trailed off, placing a hand on his cheek. "Was the last."
He stared up at her. "Throughout the years then, I was the only one?" He asked, a twinge of something happy pulsing through his body.
"Did you want me to have a relationship with them?" She asked, craning her head down to plant a quick kiss over his lips. He didn't answer, didn't have to. She already knew what he was thinking. "Now, remind me," she said, turning the tables on him. "How many women did you sleep with in the years we were apart?"
He kept his gaze on her, meeting her eyes with his usual look. But there was a touch of apology hidden deep in their depths. "A lot, yoi." He said, vaguely. "Trying to forget what your touch felt like needed a lot. But, I won't say sorry for my actions."
"I don't expect you to." She smiled a bit. "You're here now."
He gave her a grin. He didn't really get the way she thought. But, he supposed he never would, at least not fully. With a quick hand, he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her in, reversing their positions as she yelped in a mix of surprise and delight.
"Aren't you starved, yoi?" He asked, getting back into his usual mood and closing the distance between them to give her a kiss. Today was a lazy day, he wouldn't waste it for the world. "Only getting laid once every few years? Or did I just satisfy you that much in one night?"
"You're not that unbelievably mind-blowing," she said with a smirk.
"I beg to differ, yoi."
Minisode #7 © blob80
A/N: Story takes place sometime after Chapter 33 of Harmless Fun.
The Moby Dick had momentarily left the Red Force's company for a week or two. The Whitebeard Remnants needed to go out and recheck one of the islands that had previously been under their territory. They had agreed since it was an island near Shanks' turf, they'd go through the tedious ordeal of informing the citizens that the island would now be under Shanks' protection. Aiko was with them to ensure that everything went smoothly – that and Marco had asked her to come.
"Aiko-chan!" Izou called loudly. His bubbly voice pierced the quiet morning air of Marco's room on the Moby Dick.
Marco groaned at the sound of his voice as he turned over, he was shirtless and had barely gotten a wink of sleep. Aiko was beside him, sleepily rubbing at her eyes as she sat up with the blanket wrapped around her naked form. It was way too early.
"What do you want, yoi?" Came Marco's lazy drawl.
"I said Aiko," Izou emphasized. "Don't butt in."
Marco clicked his tongue and wrapped his arms around the seated Red Hair pirate whose eyes were muddled with sleep. "She's with me."
"Aiko," Izou called, pointedly ignoring the Phoenix's words. "I need you."
The two pirates' eyebrows shot up at his serious words.
"Need me?" Aiko asked, tapping Marco's arm repeatedly. "For what?"
Izou smiled. A mysterious one.
When Aiko saw that she gave a bright smile, curious about it. "Sure, let me get dressed."
"What?" Marco intervened, tightening his hold around Aiko. "Stay in bed, yoi. It's too early."
She directed her smile to the Phoenix. "Sleep in then, Phoenix."
He just shot her a deadpan stare, clearly not liking the idea of sleeping alone. He sighed and sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Fine, let us get dressed."
Izou raised an eyebrow and said matter of factly, "Oh, you're not coming with us."
Marco turned to Izou, his face and voice very even. "Why not?"
"You can stay in and sleep." Izou said a little too happily. "Aiko spends every waking and sleeping minute with you. Besides, we'll be going shopping. This is girl time."
Marco sighed one last time and shot a look at Aiko, before falling back down onto the bed and turning his back to the both of them. "Fine, yoi."
"Is he pouting?" Izou asked, teasingly.
Aiko laughed slightly and ran a hand down Marco's bare side. "He's cute like that."
Marco didn't respond.
"Marco, cute?" Izou let out a biting laugh. "Alright then, dress up in something easy to take off, we'll be trying a bunch of clothes. I'll be waiting for you on the docks."
"I won't be long," Aiko said as Izou shut the door, once more sealing the two pirates inside their silent abode. Aiko ran her scarred hand one last time against his hard body, before getting up and getting ready, changing into a short dress. Once she was just about ready, she sat at the foot of the bed where Marco was still turned away from her. "Phoenix."
He didn't respond.
"I'm going now," she said, brushing her hair a few more times. When she heard the bed creak, Aiko knew that her words had gotten his attention. The brush was nicked from her hands and she turned her head coming face to face with Marco who shoved his lips against hers.
After a moment, he backed up. "Going off with another Whitebeard Commander?"
"Jealous, Phoenix?"
"Always," he muttered against her skin. Pressing his lips to her temple for a long second. "Bring me back some booze, yoi."
She raised an eyebrow. "I knew there was a reason for you being so sweet."
He scoffed. "I'm always sweet."
"That's news to me," she tapped his cheek once, before standing.
"I'll see you soon, Killer Punch," he said with a shrug.
"Until then, Phoenix."
"Hmm…" Izou muttered, "That doesn't look quite right. Try this one." He shoved a dress in her hands. "Don't worry, Aiko-chan. I'll make you beautiful."
"I'm not already?" Aiko asked from inside the changing room, putting up her best offended voice.
"You don't have my touch yet!" Izou replied all too happily.
"What? Will you be teaching me how to fix my makeup too?"
"Of course!" Izou stood with a happy grin. "This is Izou's crash course to instant drop dead beauty."
Aiko stepped out of the dressing room, mostly everyone in the small shop turning to stare at her. "Sounds fun, I hope it's free."
He waved his hand side to side. "Of course it is."
"How's this then?" Aiko asked, twirling around for him. The dress was a black strap and backless affair that turned heads. But Izou merely shook his head.
"Wonderful," he said. "But you're always wonderfully dressed. As I thought, it suits you. Though then again, these might be better." He lifted a pair of light pants and a fluffy dark brown mid-riff baring sweater. "Eye-catching and Marco would like it. It covers those scars of yours and even shows off that tattoo."
Aiko shot a look at the scars Marco left on her skin, then at the scars on her hands. "Whatever you think is best," she said with a shrug. "Oh," Aiko pointed at the heels Izou was checking out. "I don't like those."
"Hmm…" He frowned. "Why not?"
"I want those," Aiko pointed at some high heeled strappy espadrilles.
"Straps?" Izou eyed them carefully. "Do you and Marco have the same taste or what?"
Aiko gaped, mock offended. "That looks way better than the flashy clothes the Phoenix wears and don't you know that a lot of straps makes fighting so much easier."
Izou let out a bark of laughter. "Marco said the exact same thing when I insulted his shoes."
Aiko smiled. "He's been rubbing off on me."
"Literally," Izou said with a suggestive little smirk that had Aiko smirking in return. They stayed like that for a moment, before he shoved the outfit into her arms. "Now go change."
"You got it," Aiko saluted as she stepped back into the dressing room. "Hey, will these cover my hands? I'm not comfortable if anything other than gloves covers my hands."
"No," Izou replied, looking through a few racks of clothing. "How are your hands anyway? I heard Marco was the one that scarred them."
Izou could hear Aiko chuckling from inside the tiny room. "Marco messed my left hand up even more, but he wasn't the cause of these scars."
"What was then?" Izou asked, "If you don't mind me asking, of course."
He couldn't see her, but he was sure that she was shaking her head. "It's alright, the Phoenix asked the same thing a few months ago." There was a pause and the rustling of some clothes, before, "I got them from Captain."
Izou's eyes widened. "Akagami?"
"Captain trained me, he taught me how to use my Haki. I punched him once and when our Haki clashed…" she sighed loudly. "His always bested mine. He has Conqueror's Haki, after all. Each time I'd hit him, he'd let out a burst of Conqueror's Haki that would pierce my skin. He did it so that I could train my Armament."
"He's a surprisingly brutal guy," Izou said, clearly impressed.
"Captain's the best," Aiko said with a nod as she stepped out of the changing room. "He even had gauntlets made for me and I ended up training with them to the point that it was hard for me to get my Haki under control when I didn't use them."
"So, that's why…" Izou mumbled.
Aiko grinned, then did a twirl for the okama commander. "How do I look?"
Izou nodded, approvingly. "Let me do your make up."
Marco stood leaning on the ships railing, waiting for Aiko and Izou to come back as he absentmindedly ordered a few of his subordinates every now and again. Jozu was by his side.
"We need to set out by nightfall," Marco said, looking up at the already darkening sky. "Any sign of Izou?"
"You mean Aiko?" Jozu snickered when Marco shot him a glare. "They should be back any minute no—"
"Phoenix!"
Marco turned at the familiar voice. Izou was smirking and when he saw Aiko, he knew why. Aiko was waving her arm with a dazzling grin on her face. She was wearing some really form fitting clothes, her mid-riff exposed for the world to see. She was wearing make-up today and her hair was loosely tied up in a bun. Marco knew that she definitely didn't leave in that. He wouldn't have let her out of the room – hell, out of the bed.
"Had fun?" Marco asked, dropping his elbows on the railing and bending his upper half down. The perfect picture of calm and cool. A contrast to how he felt inside. "You're all dolled up."
"Izou did it!" She ran her hand down her side in a way that made Marco want to fly down and squeeze her to his chest. "You like it?"
He shrugged.
"Oi! Marco!" Izou shouted, "What kind of response is that, huh?!"
"He likes her best in nothing at all." Jozu said, intervening.
"Oi, oi!" Marco turned to Jozu, tilting his head threateningly. "That was uncalled for, yoi."
Jozu grinned. "It's the truth."
"Truth or not," Izou said as the two pirates got onto the ship and walked over to where Marco and Jozu were standing. "You have to compliment your woman when she goes out of her way to be pretty."
Marco wrapped an arm around Aiko's waist as she approached, crushing her soft body to his chest. "Oi, oi," he whispered in her ear.
"Hmmm…?" She hummed, the sound vibrating against his skin.
"Everyone's staring, yoi." Marco shot a quick glance around him to see that a lot of his mates were staring at the woman in his arms.
"That's because you're holding me, Phoenix." She shot back.
He shook his head and ran a hand up her curves, "It's this." He tapped her breasts. "Too tight."
She smiled teasingly up at him. "I can take it off if that's what you want."
"You better be serious, yoi."
"WE CAN HEAR YOU!" All the present Whitebeard Pirates yelled.
Marco brought his lips away from Aiko's ear and shot them his usual mask of boredom. "Why are you listening in, yoi?"
"WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?!"
Marco's retort was drowned by Aiko's loud laughter and the crew's yells. A mix between telling them to get a room or to continue with their very public conversation.
With a sigh, Marco only squeezed Aiko's form closer.
A/N: I've said what I needed to on the Author's Note at the top of the chapter, so all that's truly left is: please review, and I hope you enjoyed the ride thus far. I hope to bring this pairing back to life once again in the AU. (More info on the top note XD)
Blob80 (once again) out.