Absolute impromptu story idea that came from a conversation I had with Emmasuriname (Wattpad). I had so much fun writing this, and to summarise, it all came from the sentence: What if (Merman) Ace asked (Human) Marco to cuddle with him and then, Surprise! A baby-mer!

Everyone, I hope you will enjoy this as much as I did.

(Side note: This is not directly linked to Fiery scales, but Ace is a merman and Marco human)
(Side note 2: Thank you for those that did suggestions on how to write the clicking sound!)

Groaning at the light shining in his eyes, Marco reluctantly starting to give up on sleeping more and was on his way to get up and out of bed. Though, when hearing some small snores from besides him, he decided to postpone it for another moment, he knew that his lovely boyfriend was still asleep.

Even after all this time, no matter the amount of practice and ease he has with it once awake, Ace still opens his gills when he is sleeping, creating these small adorable snores.

They had gotten a free day today from Pops, the other commanders will be taking over his duties. It had been around a year since he and Ace had started dating, so this was kind of their gift from them. A day they could spend together however they want, not being called away for duties or the like. Of course, if they were attacked or if there was an emergency, they could always call for them.

Still with his eyes squeezed shut, him facing the porthole that's trying to blind him, he turned around and stretched his arm out to reach for Ace. The mer instantly letting out a mumble of some kind and taking a hold of his hand in his sleep.
He opened his eyes so he could start the day by seeing the sleeping face of his lover.

Aaah, he was as beautiful as ever, those freckles sprinkled over his cheeks that seem to increase every day, silk blond hair draping over his fa- -BLOND?!-

… no no no, he is still dreaming, let's go over this again. There's a tail, okay good, blue scales... -BLUE?!-

-Wth ?- He shook his head lightly, let's try this again.

Tail, check. Freckles, check. Silky hair, check. ….. Tail, blue... Hair, blond... -Wha?-

"Hmmm Mahco? What a(r)e you doing."

"A-Ace? That's you... right?" -What's he saying, he knows it's Ace, he would recognise that voice from anywhere and how when waking up he still reverts back to the old speech of his name, he likes it though, it's cute.-

There was some movement from the other side of the bed before a head filled with brown silky hair popped up at the other side. "Huh, yea?"

Marco retracted his hand and pushed himself up a bit and looked over to the figures next to him and started counting. -One tail, two tails... one... two... One...?-

"I think I'm still asleep-yoi." Marco murmured and closed his eyes to rub at them. "I'm seeing double."

"Hehe, you're so funny Mahco."

Behind his closed eyelids Marco could hear some more shuffling besides him before there was a confused noise.

"Marco... Since when do you have a tail?"

"I don't-yoi."

"But... Then what am I touch- AAAAH!"

Finally snapping his eyes open to try and face the world again, he was greeted not by a normal morning of Ace laying down next to him as he hoped, but by Ace having a hand on the tail of said figure he thought was a fragment of his imagination.

And now that Ace had his hand on the tail... The scale was ... off? Ace's hand palm was already a third of the size of the whole tail.
Attached to the apparent very real tail, was a human torso, a shade lighter then Ace himself, before it reached a head framed by blond hair and a face filled with freckles.

"Ace... You're seeing this... right?"

"Yes... Marco... What? What's going on?"

"I don't know Ace, I d-"

He stopped speaking the moment the thing, ... no..., the little mer, in between them started wiggling. Small chubby hands started moving, one went to grab at Ace's hand that was still resting on the tail, while the other went to one of his eyes to try and rub it. It didn't seem very effective though. But it didn't matter, big eyes opened and he could hear Ace gasp beside him, and when the little mer turned his head to face Marco, he could see why.
The eyes where the brightest blue he had ever seen with a sparkle in it that melted his heart. He could see the full ocean in those big orbs.

Ace and Marco both stayed silent, the child wiggled around at his own pleasure before he finally really locked eyes with Marco himself instead of looking around unseeing. He opened his lips and "Yoi!~"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Marco fainted on the spot.

"MAHKO!"

The next time he woke up, he was greeted to Ace sitting up straight next to him in the bed, holding a small merman in his arms that was resting against his chest.

"It wasn't a dream-yoi." was the only thing that came out of his open mouth.

"It's ours."

"Ours?"

Ace just nodded in return, weaving his finger trough the small child's hair.

"How? We... we didn't do... anything?" And Marco means it, even if they had been together for a long time, they most they did was some heated make-out session with kisses that always ended in cuddles before going to sleep or going on about their day. There had never been any urge from any of them to take it further. They hadn't even researched how they could do 'more' with them being different species. And now Ace was saying they... they... they had a … a baby? -Had Ace been pregnant? But … how? And he hadn't looked pregnant?- He was pulled out of his thought by the soft voice of the merman.

"I... I don't know, but... I just know. I can … Feel it? I... I can't explain it, but I'm sure he's ours."

Even if he wanted to contradict Ace and once again say that they didn't do anything, nothing, literally nothing that could have created a child and definitely not in the span of... one night?
The proof was right in front of them. No matter how you looked at the child, he had traits that obviously came from them.

The freckles, tail and silky hair texture were Ace's, even his nose screamed Ace.
While his hair colour, eye colour and eye shape were his. And did he dare to say that the tail colour was the exact same shade of blue as his phoenix's flame...

"We.. We have a baby." Marco stuttered out. He was absolutely flabbergasted, but you could hear it was making way for a new feeling "A son" he whispered again "Our baby boy... ha-hahaha Ace!".

… Marco was next to Ace in a second, cupped his cheeks and kissed him fiercely. Releasing his lover a minute later to allow him to breath. He started laughing again and smiled at him, he could even feel the strain on his face, that's how big his smile was!

"We have a baby! Together-yoi!"

"YOI!~" the baby yelled in return to Marco's last word.

It melted Marco's heart, he didn't even care if it was a speech-tick he had hated for years, it was now the proudest moment of his life that the kid... no, his kid, was saying it, his speech-tick!
He hasn't even held the baby yet, hell, he didn't even know this was possible, and he has only seen him for over a few minutes, but he's already attached, it's his, HIS own son. He'll protect this child with his life.

Sob

"huh?" Ace was crying, why? "Ace, why are you crying, are you okay? Are u hurt?!"

"Ma-mahko~"

Ah, the gills were working against him, he could see Ace trying to close them but he was so overwhelmed he couldn't. Marco didn't hesitate and wrapped Ace, and the boy in his lover's grasp, in his arms, cradling Ace's head with one hand, the other rubbing circles on a broad back.

"Ace-yoi, everything fine, what's wrong, talk to me."

"We... Mahko... Baby... A real baby!" Ace was still sobbing and sniffing, but Marco quickly realised they were happy tears, combined with simply being overwhelmed by the same realisation Marco had had himself, they we- "We a(r)e pa- pa(r)entssssss?"

He smiled and pulled Ace even closer in his arms "We are Ace" oh god, he felt tears forming in his own eyes "We a-are, this is real, he's real."
When he could feel Ace nodding against his shoulder, he slowly let go, and they both admired the small being in Ace's arms.

He wanted to touch him too, hold him, feel his child's heat, proof that he's real. "A-ace, can... can I-"

Before he finished speaking Ace was already furiously nodding "y-yea" Carefully Ace moved the baby away from his chest and towards Marco.

With the most delicate of hands, Marco reached for the bundle and tried to mimic how Ace had been holding him before. He was essentially holding the full being in one arm, with his front the baby was facing his chest, while he held him up by having his palm flat under his tail, only the lower part and fin hanging freely, his human back resting against his upper arm.

Both Ace and Marco were silent and looked on at the baby in awe and adoration. It was a little them, a perfect, beautiful mix. The baby had moved a little in discomfort when he was being passed between them, but quickly settle back down once Marco had a good hold on him.

With a small bit of hesitation, he raised his hand to stroke through the soft blond locks, the feel a perfect replica of his lover's hair. Marco felt how the small head tried to lean into his touch and it made him chuckle, it's exactly as Ace acts when Marco pets his head when he's still slightly asleep.
He stopped his actions a minute later, wanting to say something to Ace, but he was interrupted by the man himself.

"Marco, wait, keep going, I … I heard something."

Following his lovers wishes he started weaving his fingers through the hair again, not minding it in the slightest. Even though he could see, and literally feel the being in his arms, it still felt so surreal. They ha-

Click.

"Huh? Ace?"

"Keep going Marco, please."

Click. Click. The more Marco stroked the head, the louder the sound became, and it was coming from the small being, not Ace. Click Click! Click!

Sniff – -Ah, Ace started crying again-

Not a moment later was it Ace's turn to envelope the others into a hug. And just like the little one, only louder and with more emotion, did Ace start clicking next to Marco's ear. In return it seemed like the little one tried to up his volume too, to match his dad's.

-Dad. Ace was a dad, he was a dad, they were really parents! -

"Ace-yoi." Marco pulled away to look at Ace with love filled eyes "I love you."

The mer quickly wiped his eyes and whispered the words back to him before they locked their lips in a soft but meaningful kiss.

They did not know how long, but the duo sat with each other, with their child, for an unknown amount of time. Basking in each other's presence while holding their new joy close to them, stroking his hair, patting his back, exchanging words of love and adoration.

Rrrrrrr

Marco and Ace stopped all movement and sound and looked stunned at each other, what was that?

Rrrrrrrr

There it was again! It was coming from between them.

Rrrrrr!

"Pffffff hahahahaah, he's just like you Ace-yoi!"

"N-nooo-"

RRRRRRRR

Ace blushed as the same sound was now coming from him too and hid his face in his hands.

"Hahaha, c'mon, let's find something to fill both your stomachs, I wouldn't want to become the prey of TWO merman! Hahhaa"

"... Marco... Are you sure we're not too heavy?"

"I promise you, you're not-yoi."

"But..."

"Don't worry Ace, I promise I'll say something it's too much. Alright?"

"Okay..." With a small pout the mer looked down at the baby laying on his chest and absentmindedly rubbed circles on his hack.

Marco smiled at the sight, he could get used to this, this was perfect.

They were making their way through the hallways of the ships, going towards the kitchen for some food. Marco himself was carrying Ace, while Ace was holding onto their son. It was like a double-decker of mermen!

"What are you laughing at Marco?"

"Nothing Ace, nothing."

"Hmmmmm" He didn't look convinced at all, but decided to focus on rubbing circles on a tiny back.

A few minutes later they rounded the last corner, and the noise from the mess-hall could already be heard. It's not as if people were yelling, but when you're eating with 600 other people, it gets rowdy very quickly.

While laying in Marco's arms, Ace reached out to push open the door so they could enter, receiving a small kiss to his temple as thanks.

As usual they made their way over to the commanders table, ignoring the quickly decreasing volume in the mess-hall and the increase in soft whispers before even that came to a halt.

"You got him-yoi?"

Receiving a nod, Marco gently placed his, now two, loves, into a specially made chair for Ace. Most of them sat at a bench like structure, but Ace had a chair with backrest so he couldn't fall backwards if he lost his balance, the seating part was also slightly slanted to accommodate his tail.

"Morning Marco, Ace, Baby." a person with a big pompadour said from next to them. "Let me get you some food, I'll be back."

Marco looked slightly amused at their chef for the lack of reaction. He shortly returned with a tray and some plates. Marco thanks the chef when he was handed a plate with two sandwiches and accepted a tray holding a plate stacked full of sandwiches and a bowl filled with what Marco expected was some kind of mashed-up fruits. The second obviously being for the baby who Thatch shouldn't even know exists, but yet had already prepared food for.

Thatch didn't seem to be aware of anything going on or even the dead silence around them when he walked around the table to his own seat and sat down to start eating himself. Only after 5 bites did he suddenly spit it all out and looked towards the baby with eyes blown open.

"He noticed."

"I think he did-yoi. Haha, Thatch, something wrong brother?" Marco asked with fake innocence.

"S-S-Something Wrong? Wha- What's that on... on Ace's lap?"

"Hmmm?" He looked over next to him and patted his son's hair.

Click! Click Click!

"I wouldn't know. What does it look like-yoi?"

"I..I... how... I"

"Marco, you're having too much fun."

"hahah, Am I Ace? It's a once in a lifetime chance isn't it."

Ace giggled and agreed while picking up another sandwich to eat.

"ah I.. Why, How.. STOP EATING SO CASUALLY!"

"Thatch-yoi, no need to y-"

WAAAAAAAAAA

"oh no, baby, baby it's okay, shhh shh" Ace immediately started rocking the wailing baby in his arms, letting soft clicks flow in between words and kisses of comfort.

After shooting the guilty looking Thatch a glare, Marco turned around and took a hold of Ace and his son. He doesn't know why, but he started humming softly. It sounded like a song, he didn't know what it was himself, but it somehow worked and the baby was quickly quieting down, only small sniffles remaining before even those died down.

Taking some napkins from the table, (specifically Thatch's napkins), he cleaned up the little one's face. The only sign remaining that he ever cried were his glossy eyes.

With a small sigh Marco stood up and did a scan over the dining room, making sure everyone knew he was about to speak. It seems their little fun had gone on long enough and he didn't need any more accidents like this.

He raised his voice slightly to speak, but made sure it was low enough to not spook the baby again. "Everyone, I want to introduce you all to our newest and youngest member of the crew, Ace's, and mine, son." Raising his head higher he looked towards the oldest member on the ship with a smile, his captain, his Pops. "Pops-yoi, congratulations, you're now officially a grandfather."

The silence ringing through the air spoke volumes about people's thoughts of what was happening.
And it seems that the next events were becoming a common affair with the arrival of the new life. The centre of attention was looking around in curiosity before he locked eyes with the old man at their table, one with a big moustache. The small being was but a grain a rice in size in comparison to the old man, many would fear being in the presence of not only so many new people, but in the presence of someone who towered over yourself by meters. But not this little guy, nope, the moment their eyes locked, something that resembled a smile appeared on his face and he let out a series of clicking noises, followed by a very commonly heard word on the ship.

"YOI!~"

And once again, just like earlier, this was followed by a yell of the person's name... or well.. Title.

"POPS!"

Edward Newgate, the strongest man in the world, had fainted at the sight of his unexpected grandson.

I thought his was going to be a One-shot, but it was getting too long for me to write in one go but this needs more, MORE! MORE SEPERATE COMMANDERS' REACTIONS! AAAAHH! (+ the kid still needs a name too!)

Don't come after me for the kid already speaking and having gotten fruits from Thatch (+ I kinda don't want him to eat that though... I want Ace to go hunt for seaweed...)! But either way, he magically appeared okay! Everything is possible! And he's definitely older than a Newborn already.