Hi guys! Here is the next chapter!
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Marco sighed, standing out on the deck. Ace was here right now, having arrived a bit ago and would stay until tomorrow. And Marco saw Izou sending looks at Ace and when Izou probably thought Marco wasn't looking, Izou sent looks at him as well. So, when lunch starting and everyone was heading to the galley, Marco stopped Izou, who looked at him confused, and Marco took him a bit to the side and waited until no one was close by. "Why are you sending me and Ace looks?" Izou blinked. "I am no-" Marco shook his head. "You are, yoi. Why?" Izou looked a bit around, before he looked at him. "Do you realize he is dangerous?" Marco sighed. "Izou. You sound as if we asked an island that hates us, yoi." Izou blinked. "I don't hate him!" Marco gave a breath. "Fine. Like an island who doesn't know us, or has never interacted with us, yoi. Who believes others lies."
Izou blinked and looked like he didn't know what to say, so Marco spoke again. "I know he threatened your life when we asked for his help the first time, yoi. But you were technically the aggressor, and it is forgotten. You apologized." Izou looked unsure. "How do I know it is forgotten?" Marco hummed. "Pretty easy; you talk with him, yoi." Izou blinked, before he looked shocked. "Are you insane!" Marco hummed. "I am not. You need to talk with him about this, yoi. To see he doesn't hold it against you." Izou shook his head. "No. I won't do it. I will not go up to him and say 'remember the time I threatened you? Let's talk about that. No! I won't!" Marco sighed. "Fine." Izou gave a proud look at making him change his mind.
Izou then started to walk away, and Marco spoke. "If you don't head to him on your own accord and speak about that before dinner, I will tell him you need to talk with him, yoi. As in, I will send him to you. So, you choose how you want to do this." Marco then walked into the galley and he could see Izou looking shocked and scared, but also knew Marco was right. It would be interesting to see what the crossdresser chose.
He then sat down and started to eat lunch, and Izou came a bit later and looked to be in thought. When Thatch asked what was up, Izou said it was nothing and tried to act normal. And Marco would hold his end up. If Izou didn't speak with Ace before dinner, Marco would tell Ace to speak with Izou.
-x-
Izou took a deep breath, standing a bit to the side and looked at Ace, who was close to the railing and standing alone right now. He was just looking out at the sea, and Izou didn't want to disturb him. Izou felt he had already annoyed him too much. Izou took one more breath, before he approached the assassin, moving to stand beside him. He saw Ace had his eyes closed and felt his was a grave mistake, but didn't want Ace to approach him as that felt much worse.
Izou took a silent breath. "H-hey." Ace gave a hum. "Hi, Izou. Do you need anything?" Ace opened his eyes, but didn't put his gaze on him, which he felt was good. Izou gave a small nod. "I just… I am very sorry for coming on as hostile the first time you were here." Ace gave a nod. "I know." Izou blinked. "Y-you do?" Ace nodded. "Yes. You apologized for it. Just before I left after returning Sumiko." Izou nodded. "I know. I just wanted to say I am sorry for it." Ace gave a nod. "That is good." Izou then nodded before he walked away, feeling to unsure to further the conversation. But as he had taken a step away from Ace, Ace spoke. "But," Izou stopped, feeling terrified now, before Ace continued. "I have a feeling you want to talk more about it."
Izou tried to think, before he took a breath and turned around. "It is just… I don't want you to hold any bad feelings towards me." Ace gave a hum. "And I don't." Izou blinked. "You… don't?" Ace shook his head. "No, I don't. You made a mistake, and you are allowed to make mistakes. The fact you knew your mistake says a lot." Izou nodded, hoping what he would say next wouldn't be mistake. "Why… don't you? I mean, I came on as hostile, when you were there to help us." Ace nodded. "I know. Want to know why I don't?" Ace blinked, before he nodded. "Yes."
Ace nodded. "When I showed up, I realized Whitebeard didn't know you were there, meaning you did it on your own accord." Izou blinked. "How?" Ace hummed. "Easy. I sent a look towards you, a dissatisfied look, to see his reaction. He looked confused. Meaning he didn't know. If he had known and allowed it, I would have been mad." Izou blinked. "Oh. Yes. I did it without telling. I regretted it immediately." Ace nodded. "I know. And I know since you had this unsure aura around you. And you couldn't move. Because you had three options. 1, head into the room you were close to, which would have alerted those there, and they would most likely have told Whitebeard. 2, you could head down the stairs, which would have alerted Whitebeard that way. Or 3, stay still and hope for the best. You choose the last option." Izou nodded, he had.
Ace then hummed again. "I wasn't going to mention anything. But, you had your guns out, the reason I did." Izou nodded, feeling embarrassed. Ace then looked at him. "But, there is a reason I did nothing more. A reason as to why I didn't leave or was mad." Izou blinked. "What?" He needed to know. Ace hummed. "Easy. Yes, you had your guns out, the reason I said you were there. But, you didn't have your finger on the trigger." Izou blinked, before he realized ce was right. He had no idea he had noticed that. And he was glad Ace had noticed that, so Ace hadn't just left or gotten mad.
Ace hummed. "The reason I gave the threat as I did, is to make sure you didn't do it again. And, you apologized. Most don't apologize, which means you knew you did wrong. I don't blame you for hiding in case, many do. The only reason I said what I did, is because you had your guns out. But again, you didn't have your finger on the trigger. I don't hold it against you. You made a mistake, but you knew your mistake and apologized for it. I hold no hard feelings for you. Everyone is allowed to make mistakes. Hopefully this will give you some peace of mind. I don't think one mistake you made in the heat of the moment defines you as a person." Izou blinked, before he nodded. "I see. But for what it is worth, I am sorry." Ace chuckled. "You've apologized over 3 times now. It is fine, Izou. I don't hold it against you, especially since you knew your mistake." Izou nodded and smiled. "Thank you." Ace nodded, before he went back to looking out at the sea, and then closed his eyes again.
Izou then walked away from Ace, feeling much better about this thing, and about Ace. Maybe him being with Marco wasn't so bad after all. As he walked, he walked past Pops' chair, which Marco stood next to, and as Marco stood pleased, Izou sent a glare. "Don't say it. Don't you dare say it. But, thank you. Now, don't say it." Then Izou walked on and to stand beside Thatch, who looked at him. "Hey, Iz. How are you?" Izou hummed. "I am well. Just had a chat with Ace." Thatch nodded. "And how did that go?" Izou hummed. "It went very well and was good." Thatch nodded. "Good." Maybe Izou could help Thatch feel more okay with Ace, now that Izou himself was more okay with him.
-x-
Marco chuckled as Izou walked away. He knew it would help Izou, and it did. Pops looked at him. "What was that about?" Marco hummed. "Nothing special, yoi." Pops sent a look at him in curiosity, but nodded and went back to looking at everyone who was dotting around. This was good. He felt this was a step closer in making everyone accept Ace. Next one was Thatch, although he felt that would be hard. Maybe start easier. Like with Namur or Rakuyo, they already were sort of okay with Ace, but unsure. He would take it as it moved along. Ace did stay until evening, and he really enjoyed spending time with Ace.
Then, 2 days later, he was standing out and enjoying a calm morning, not that many up yet, when Sabo moved over to him. "Can I ask you something?" Marco nodded and looked at Sabo. "Of course, yoi. You know that, Sabo." Sabo nodded. "I do know I can ask you anything I need to know, but this is more a personal question." Marco nodded. "Okay, yoi. Ask away and we take it from there." Sabo nodded. "I wonder. Has Ace ever stayed the night with you?" Marco blinked, feeling a bit confused. He was sure Sabo knew this, based on the comment Sabo said when they had been caught at the look out. "I don't think our intimate business is your business, yoi." Sabo nodded. "Agree, and it is none of my business. And I don't mean intimate. I mean, has he ever stayed the night with you. He has been here a few nights now and then, has any of them been spent with you?" Marco nodded. "Yes, yoi. Quite a few actually." Marco still didn't get why Sabo asked this.
Sabo sighed. "And I don't mean staying up all night speaking. Have you slept in the same bed at the same time together? And I still don't mean sex, I mean actually sleeping." Marco blinked, before he started to nod and about to say yes, when something hit him. The times Ace stayed over, and they were together when night fell in Marco's room and about to sleep, they were together in the bed before either fell asleep, but Marco always fell asleep first, and when he woke, Ace was gone. He didn't know for sure if Ace had slept at all. And Ace always seemed to wait for him to fall asleep first. Was there a reason for that? Did Ace avoid it?
Marco looked at Sabo. "We have been in bed at the same time, but I always fall asleep first, yoi. When I wake, he is gone. I don't know for sure." Marco now felt unsure, if Ace wanted a relationship or not. Maybe he was just a sex outlet? Sabo moved a hand. "I didn't mean to make you unsure of this. But I wonder since Ace has some… trust issues, and sides he doesn't want to show others." Marco looked at Sabo. "What do you mean?" Sabo thought for a bit. "You've seen his… back, right? If not, I just screwed up." Marco nodded. "I have, no worries. I also want to tell Thatch, but I promised Ace not to, yoi. Why? It's just scars. His work is dangerous." Many of them even had scars.
Sabo sighed. "I'm not going to spell it out, but I will hint. Getting a brand isn't a small slip up accident. Especially a full brand, which Ace has. It takes time and stillness." Marco didn't know what Sabo meant, before it hit him, and it hit him hard. "Ace has been captured, yoi?" Sabo nodded. "Yes. He has issues with new environments, new people. He has issues trusting others, because he has been burned many times. Often times, even with Luffy and I, Ace pretends he is sleeping until Luffy and I are asleep, so he can leave. And that is not since he doesn't trust us, he does. But, he has a lot of trauma, which brings…" Sabo made a motion to him, and it hit him again. "Nightmares, yoi."
Sabo nodded. "Yes. Or more like night terrors. Sometimes, he wakes in a panic, and when he wakes in a panic, the one sleeping next to him might wake up and make a sound or touch him, and a panicked Ace reacts on instinct. People have gotten hurt. And Ace can't control your room, since it is yours. So, I was thinking of maybe giving you a few tips on how to make him more comfortable?" Marco blinked, before he nodded. "I would like that, yoi." Sabo smiled "Good. Cuz I want this thing to last. First step, I don't know the layout of your room, if your bed is in a corner, Ace doesn't like to sleep close to the wall at the start, it can make him feel trapped. At the start, have each of your own blankets. I know it seem more cuddly with one, but if you have one, there is a higher chance if he wakes from a nightmare it might alert you easier." Marco nodded, taking it all in.
Sabo then hummed. "A thing, which you need to decide. Our bed, has a seastone dagger under his pillow, to make him feel more secure in case of an attack. But, then you need to know, if you trigger him when he is panicked, he might take it out and try to defend himself against you in his panic. So, tell him it is there, and if you wake up and think he might be in a panic or anything. Or more like, all times if you wake up or he has been asleep, never touch him before you have made contact. As in, speak with him carefully, state who you are and where you are, and if he responds, you need to assess and see if a careful touch is good or not, but be careful. No touch unless necessary if he is asleep or has just woken up."
Marco nodded, taking this all in and it sounded like good advice. "Has Ace ever…" Sabo sighed. "Used the dagger on me or Luffy?" Marco nodded, which had Sabno sigh. "Yes, he has. Once on me. I don't think he has on Luffy, as Luffy sleeps so heavy and when he wakes he usually gets up fast. I woke up one night and heard harsh breathing, which was Ace, who most likely had a nightmare or bad memory. I decided I would try to calm him down and touched his arm. Then suddenly I was on my back, Ace over me, dagger out and ready to strike me. What I remember, was that I wasn't scared for my life, but that if Ace did injure or kill me, he would never forgive himself, since I knew he didn't mean to do it on purpose, he was panicked. That's how I learned." Marco nodded, and would try to do this.
Sabo gave a breath. "But, if it happens he tries to defend himself against you while he is panicked and thinks you are someone else, speak carefully and calmly. Use your signatures to your advantage. Your yoi, your accent, your voice." Marco nodded, he would. "Aside from that, I have a feeling he grabs the dagger many times, but doesn't take it out as he is more calm and tries to see if he needs it or not. Having it there seems to help him a lot. That's why I am telling you this. To help him feel more secure, but you also need to take your security into this." Marco nodded. "Ace wouldn't hurt me on purpose, yoi." Sabo nodded. "I know. I am more scared he might do it accidentally." Marco nodded. "I get that, yoi. I will keep what you said in mind." Sabo nodded. "Good." Sabo then walked away.
Marco then stood in thought. On how he should approach this. When evening came, he went and found Izou. When he got his attention, Marco took a breath. "I need a couple things, yoi. And no, I will not tell you why I need them." Izou blinked, before he nodded. "Okay. I will do my best. What do you need and how fast?" Marco thought for a bit. Ace was coming by in 4 days again, to bring something Luffy asked for and then stay the night since Sabo asked him to, and Marco had a feeling that it was for Marco's sake, so he could do this. "I need them in 4 days, if you can bring me them before, great, yoi." Izou nodded. "Perfect. What do you need?" Marco nodded and told.
When he had, Izou looked a bit confused and on his way to ask why most likely, when Marco spoke. "And no, I will not tell why, yoi." Izou nodded. "Okay. Should I be worried?" Marco shook his head. "No, you don't. It is not to do anything, yoi. It is just to help someone I care about feel safe." Izou nodded. "I will most likely have it in 2 days, we dock then." Marco nodded. "I will reimburse you for anything you need to buy, yoi." Izou smiled. "I know. And, do you promise that if you're in danger, you will tell someone?" Marco nodded. "I promise, yoi." Izou nodded. "Great."
Marco then left and went on with his day. 3 days later, Izou got him what he needed, which was in a box, and Marco took it and put it in his room for now, in his desk. And when Ace came by the next day and evening came, he asked Ace to join him in his room. They did speak a bit as they walked, just to see how Ace was doing, and he seemed to be doing fine.
When they got to his room, Marco looked at Ace. "I have something for you, yoi." Ace blinked as he looked confused at him. "What?" Marco moved to his desk and opened it and took out a box. Ace blinked. "A present? Why?" Marco hummed. "Not a present, per se. More like a… safety thing for you." Ace blinked again. "What? What are you talking about?" Marco hummed. "You'll see." And then handed it to Ace, who took it and looked at him, which had Marco make a motion to open it, and Ace did.
When Ace did, he seemed more confused and took out a gun and dagger. Ace checked them, before looking at him. "I got weapons, Marco." Marco nodded. "I know. But this isn't for your work, or your normal day, yoi. This is for this room." Ace blinked. "Is this a weird kink?" Marco chuckled. "No. Place them where you would feel the most secure and easy to access in case you want to sleep here, yoi." Ace blinked, before he looked at the two weapons, and Marco spoke again. "The dagger has a seastone blade, and a durable handle. The gun is a revolver, so it holds more than one bullet and it is right now filled with seastone bullets, yoi. If you want to, you can change the bullets." Ace nodded as he looked at the weapons. "I don't know what to say."
Marco smiled as Ace. "You don't need to say anything. And this is not me urging you to stay the night, yoi. Just if you want to, I want you to feel safe." Ace nodded, before looking at him with a smile. "Thank you, Marco." Marco shook his head. "It is nothing. I want you to be comfortable, yoi. Place them wherever you want to. But maybe tell me where you place the dagger, so I don't want to hurt myself by making the bed, if you place it under the pillow or mattress, or something like that." Ace nodded, before he looked at the bed, then Ace looked at him. "Maybe… can I place the dagger under the pillow, and the gun under your mattress? If it is possible based on what is under your mattress."
Marco turned to his bed. "Let us check how it looks under it, yoi." He said as he started to lift it and Ace helped him, and saw it had planks, which had Ace hum. "Maybe a small slim pillow between the planks and gun, to not make dents and more smooth to get it out." Marco nodded. "Sounds good, yoi. I don't have one now, how about a folded pillow case for now?" Ace nodded. "Yeah, that works."
Marco nodded and went to his closet to grab one, and when he had and moved back to the bed, Ace looked at him. "I am… surprised at how okay you are with this. You're giving me weapons to hide in your room. I don't mean to suggest I feel unsafe with you." Marco shook his head as he lifted the mattress again. "And I don't think you are suggesting that, yoi. You have a few things to make yourself feel safe. Like how many need to have a closed door and window. You need to have this." Marco then placed the folded pillow case down while holding the mattress and looked at Ace. "I want you to feel secure here as well, yoi. If this helps, then we do this. I don't know which way you want it." Ace nodded and placed the gun down, facing the right with the handle down to the frame.
Marco nodded. "Why not the other way? Handle the other way, yoi. It would be easier to make it face the door or window when you grab it." Ace hummed. "Yes. But it would mean I need to reach further, which takes time, especially if I'm not on the edge. It would take longer to reach it that way, than for me to slightly angle it after I reach it." Marco nodded. "I didn't think so detailed, but you're right, yoi." Ace nodded and then let the mattress down, before he placed the dagger under the pillow closest to the edge and not the one closest to the wall, before Ace looked at him. "The handle is facing the door, the blade towards the wall. When you change the bed, try to put it back as it is." Marco nodded. "I will, yoi. And feel free to check it whenever you need to." Ace nodded.
Ace then smiled at him. "And Marco, thank you." Marco smiled and moved his hand to Ace's cheek. "It is nothing. If this might help you feel more secure, we will do it, yoi." Ace smiled, before he leaned in and kissed him. Ace then moved and sat on the bed and felt around with his hand. "I don't think I feel the gun at all." Marco hummed and sat down next to Ace. "Good mattress. Which is a nice way to say expensive, yoi." Ace gave a chuckle, before he gave a breath. "Okay. How much do I owe Sabo? A thank you, or a hug?" Marco hummed. "More like an all day shopping trip where you have no say in anything he wants, yoi. And you pay for it all." Ace chuckled, before he gave a small swear. "Sabo knows me too well." Marco hummed. "Maybe. But, this does mean he really approves of us, yoi. He wants us to succeed." Ace nodded. "That is right, and that is good."
Marco then moved and laid down on the bed. "Come on, let us put it to the test. How it feels to grab the gun and dagger while you lay down, yoi. To see if it is good enough." Ace nodded and seemed to hesitate a bit, so Marco added more. "And if it is to your liking, it is ready for when you feel ready to sleep here, yoi." Ace blinked, before he looked at him, and Marco smiled. "I don't want to rush this. That won't do any good, yoi. I don't care if you sleep here tonight, or in a month's time. But I want it for when you want to try, so you feel secure."
Ace gave a smile and laid down, as he looked at him. "What are the odds? Me finding someone who goes to all these lengths for me and expects nothing in return. So, what is the catch?" Marco hummed. "There is one catch; you need to give me a kiss, yoi." Ace blinked. "That's not a catch." Marco hummed. "Not all catches are horrible, yoi." Ace looked at him, assessing, before he hummed. "But now, you can't add a catch, because you've told me the catch." Marco nodded. "That is fine. But do know, you need to do the catch for it to count." Ace chuckled. before he moved and kissed him.
When they parted, Ace gave a breath. "How much did Sabo tell?" Marco hummed. "Not too much. More like help me add stuff together, yoi. And gave me a few tips." Ace nodded. "Good." Marco nodded and stood up. "Come on, night is still young. Let's see how everyone is doing, yoi." Ace nodded and stood up and headed with him, and Marco hoped it would now be easier for Ace to stay the night with him and possibly sleep in his room. But, he wasn't pushing it.
And that's the chapter! Hope you enjoyed
This wasn't the most interesting chapter, more stuff will happen in the next one
If you have any ideas, don't be afraid to share them!
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