Yes another chapter! :D Which I'm not sure if anyone is actively following this but, oh well... least I'm writing for me? ha... Not much to say. It's just another step in greater things to come. oh how the story will twist -rubs hands together evilly-


The door opened and shut, Ace making his way into the living room. Face expressionless and unreadable. It made Marco raise a brow when he looked up from some magazine he was ready. "So, how did it go?" He asked.

Ace remained silent for a moment, causing him to begin to worry. "Well..." He muttered. However he couldn't hide the grin that had been on his face the entire way home. "I GOT IT!" He exclaimed.

Marco jumped up. "NO?! You're not lying are you?! Because if you are... I swear to God I'm gonna..."

Ace let a soft chuckle out. "I'm not lying. You are looking at the new waiter for 'Pop's Bar'! They hired me."

Marco was speechless for a moment, frozen where he was with excitement. However, in a split moment, he ran up to Ace and pulled him in for a tight embrace. "God, you had me worried..." He sighed, squeezing tighter.

Ace wiggled in his grasp. "T-tight! D-dying!"

Marco let go and slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't exaggerate!" He growled softly, yet no less than smiled a second later. "You did it... YOU DID IT." Just saying the words, it was a relief off of his shoulder. "I'm so happy. You better not eat all the food there and get fired cause... then I'm gonna kill you."

Ace smirked, placing his hand on Marco's shoulder. "I won't... Though..." His expression suddenly fell again. "I still feel bad that you didn't get hired on at the Baratie... I can't believe they found someone else beforehand..."

Marco shook his head. "Don't you dare let that get you down or stop you... I'm going to be fine... I've made up my mind... I'm turning my back on Teach too, with or without a solid plan..."

Ace drew in a deep breath. "What if that gets you killed?"

Marco looked down for a moment, before taking Ace's hand in his. "The only way I'm going to die, is I'll die protecting you... I can't let my little brother get hurt..."

Ace half smiled. He knew well enough how Marco felt. It was the same kind of bond he had for Luffy... The kind where one would lay their life on the line, without even thinking of it but still... "You know, we can't stay here... I start that job next week... I can't stay with Luffy or any of his friends... It'll be too dangerous."

Marco thought of it. The possibilities definitely weren't endless... They were few at best. "Umm..." He trailed off. "What about... Oh!" As if a light bulb went off, he looked back up to Ace. "What about Shanks?"

Ace recoiled. "S-shanks?! No... No... Noooo... I'm not staying with some... old drunk..." He grumbled stubbornly. "I've only seen him a handful of times when I was a teenager!"

Marco glared at him, squeezing harder on his hand. "But he has reputation here and Luffy trusts him. That says A LOT."

Ace gave a scoff, completely dismissing this. "He HAD a reputation... Had Marco... And that was years ago when he saved Luffy... Could he even fight now? No one sees him anymore... He lives in that apartment, completely alone... Kind of sad... really."

Marco took in a long, long breath, releasing it slowly. "If anyone can rival Teach, it's him... Ace I know you think you can take care of yourself but you are not invincible. Besides... If that's the case... Maybe he just needs someone to talk to... You know the rumors..."

Ace rolled his eyes, however Marco jerked him slightly, bringing his attention back to him. He locked eyes with Ace with serious intent. "It's your best choice."

"And what about you?!" Ace retorted, making no effort to physically fight against Marco... He might be stupid but, he knew Marco had the upper hand on him.

"I don't know... I'll go live with Izo or something..."

Ace had to let out a laugh. "W-what? I-Izo?"

"Don't laugh Ace. I swear... You haven't seen his strength. He'd be good to have around not that Teach is gonna be on me... His focus is going to be solely you. That's why I'm trying to help you here. Listen to me please."

Ace finally jerked out of Marco's grip and walked past him a ways, starting to pace back and forth, a habit he had only picked up over the past year when he was thinking or worried, accompanied by him biting away at his thumb nail.

Eventually though, he stopped long enough to look back at Marco. "Okay... Okay... So, you want me to basically move in with some old drunk, who the town hasn't seen in what... years? Does that not sound dangerous as well?! Oh oh... And while I'm there... You're gonna be in a completely different town with Izo. You won't even be here! OH THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL!" He threw his hands up as if to elaborate. "Just wonderful."

Marco merely watched him silent until he knew Ace was done because... Boy could he ramble and make a mountain out of a mole hill when he was upset. Luckily that wasn't the case here... yet.

"He will protect you. He will not hurt you... You are Luffy's brother. That will mean something to him. I will even go with you to talk to him. As for me... I have to go. The farther I 'am from you right now, the better for you. It has to be this way. I'm not leaving because I want to... I have to but I will come back."

Ace glanced at him before taking a seat on the sofa. His thumb returned to his mouth, accompanied by his foot rapidly tapping against the floor this time. Marco went to sit beside him. He wrapped an arm around Ace assumingly.

"I... I just don't want to be alone... With someone I barely know. I've had you here for years now. You've been my rock... What will I do without you?" Ace looked up to Marco, despite the fact he desperately wanted to hide the fear he did feel.

"Oh Ace..." Marco pulled him in close, stroking his hair gently. "You will still talk to me... I will call you and if you're in trouble, I will rush back here... But even I don't posse the strength Shanks has... I know he's been labeled badly over the past couple of years but those who know him, who truly know him... know he's not any of those things... It's just stupid kids and teenagers spewing shit... Get to know him as I do and trust him as Luffy still does."

Ace clenched his teeth, keeping his head down. He hated to show emotion such as fear, even to Marco and it wasn't Shanks himself that he was scared of... He just grew so attached to Marco, how would it feel to not come home to him? Marco made the worst of times something that he could smile through.

"He's across town too... I wouldn't be able to see Luffy as often as I do..."

Marco pulled back slightly, and made Ace look back up to him. With all seriousness he spoke, though harsh true "You wouldn't anyway... After this you can't just go walking down the street anymore... You can't do the things you're used to. Life will change and things will get worse before they get better."

Ace frowned as he let all of that set in. He pulled back away from Marco. "I guess you're right..." He muttered and sighed. "I just hope it pays off in the end."

Marco offered him an encouraging smile. "It will."


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