One-Shots: One Piece | One Piece x Reader

Marco x reader | Healing

Your mind rumbled with stray thoughts as you watched the burning fist belonging to the one and only Admiral Akainu grow closer to your close friend - your nakama.

"ACE!"

You screamed and screamed at him until your throat ran dry, blood lining your gullet as you outstretched your hand. No tear ran from already-empty eyes as you watched him be impaled. Through the chest. Your eyes went wide as you watched him leaned on Mugiwara, his brother, his body falling to the floor only for his D smile to rest upon his still features.

It was if someone had taken a knife and stabbed it over and over into your chest even when your heart stopped beating. He was gone.

"ACE!"

It was silent.

Sweat ran down your forehead as you gripped your bedsheets with such a forceful bunched fist: as if the item would slip away... just like your nakama had the year prior.

Nightmares.

Every night your mind was wrung violently by the harsh hands of your traumatic experience. Breaths that were ragged came falling from your mouth as you began to calm yourself. But it was as you looked to the other side of your bed and the door opened wide, that you snapped back into a feeling of security. Tears bunched in your arms as the figure wandered over to your shaking body and embraced you - the hug tightening as you wept.

"I'm here, it's okay."

Marco the Phoenix. Your crew may have went their own ways but as Marco dragged your blood-drenched body from the frightful battlefield: he made a promise to never leave you. Ever again.

"But-"

"We have to go."

You bit your lip as a choked sob came from your strangled throat.

"Marco please I can't-"

"(Y/n)."

The blonde man squeezed your shoulder as he held up what was your broken body. You looked up to see his eyes closed tightly shut; he was clearly also restraining himself from going back and making the marines pay. The marines and that damned Teach.

"It's okay."

Marco held you gently, your cheek against his chest as his heart hammered at a steady pace, calming you from your shaken self. You gripped the back of his shirt tighter.

"I want to do something about it, Marco. I can't just sit around and do nothing when I know Te- Blackbeard is alive..."

Your words came as whispers and Marco held you tighter - as if you were the salty sea's water which would slip through his fingers. But unlike that water, you never would cause him to drown. You knew that he was also feeling the heavy weight of that day inside his chest, but as always he allowed you to cry to him. For the man you loved to hold you up even if he was neck deep in his own sorrows.

Another thing was that you knew you had changed. He saw it, you had too. From someone who laughed and sung on the deck of the Moby Dick with a maybe a pint or two of beer sat comfortably in your hand as you danced. The only daughter of Whitebeard and one of the finest warriors to ever set foot on earth; your sword always raised and your pride tattooed to your heart like the Jolly Rodger which leant on your upper shoulder was.

Maybe you should have ripped the life from Teach the day he had left the crew. Maybe you should've caved and went out to seek him... if only Ace wasn't as stubborn as he was. If only it was you, and not him. Would've given Teach a right laugh to have caught the fish known as the woman he always tried to chase if it wasn't for the bold and strong Marco who always stood in his way.

The festivities on the grand vessel which carried the legendary crew were in full swing as the people who were on board sang the song of dreams, Bink's Saké, as they danced with their laughter ringing.

"Hey, (y/n)!"

Ace was frantically waving to you as he sat by Marco. The younger man raised a pint of what looked to be beer swinging in his hand as he called to you.

Marco welcomed you with a smile as you took the usual approach of sitting right in his lap; his warm arms instinctively wrapping around your waist as he placed his head into the crook of your neck. His breath radiated off of your exposed skin from your red tank top as Ace had handed you the strong drink. Your longsword was leaning next to you as you had taken it from your back to not poke your lover in his chest as his muscly chest pressed into your back. His kisses trailed your neck as you conversed with Ace - him telling you all sorts of stories of his smaller brother he had left back in East Blue. He told you of his dreams and of how he wished to be Pirate King. 'I want to meet this kiddo' you always thought as you heard of him and saw Ace's face brighten up every time.

Over on the middle of the deck it was the rest of the crew who danced and sung, you three away from the main stage as you spoke: well more you and Ace as Marco had settled into your hair, his arms around your waist. It was always funny; watching how the large Teach danced around after one too many drinks as he called over to you playfully, Marco always deflecting his comments with a stare. Then it was harmless, really. Teach always had that sort of attitude. Izo and Thatch danced too, the other commanders laughing and cheering at their silly ways. You loved when Izo got drunk, it brought out his funnier side as he attempted what looked to be a Macarena. You giggled.

"Hm?"

Marco lifted his head to see your cheeks tinted a fine rose as you looked at the crew; happy and content.

"It's nights like these," you shuffled to look around into his alluring eyes, "when I remember how lucky I truly am."

Oh how you wished to go back to the time where no slight jostle shattered your already unrepairable heart. Even as the man you loved held you, you wished to go back. Even as the Payback War rounded the corner and the fight on Wano alongside Ace's brother and his allies was in future sight - all you could do was sit and wallow. Sit and think. Sit and wonder if even Marco's devil fruit, healing of anything,

Could cure your fallen heart.

~~~

15.01.2021

Author's Notes

God I stabbed myself in the heart. Love Marco, SOB SOB SOB.

But I'm *sniffle* going to go recover.

Cya

- TransponderSnail