444

It comes to a point where you spend more time in the infirmary than out, and everyone in formation knows to keep an eye on you for when the slight sway of your shoulders gets to be too much, ready to jump in and catch you when you inevitably crumple under the abuse of the sun.

And so you were sent to work in the clerical department. Some may consider it an insult but you were just grateful to be out of the sun. Your family was still sent half your pay in any case, allowing them to live more comfortably, and that was all you were concerned about.

Your captain had recognized your keen eye for detail and skill for retaining information. Someone who would do better work outside the battlefield. It would make more sense to send you back to a winter island where you could truly flourish, but your skills were deemed too valuable to be sent to a near abandoned post of the least desirable Marines.

Still, even being out of direct contact with the sun, the office proved to be too much at times.

Your desk was located away from all the windows to avoid the sunlight, and two fans were constantly running, leading to an innumerable number of paperweights to keep everything from blowing away. Water stains litter the wood of your desk to the point it looks like a pattern of its own. It's not ideal, but manageable.

Then comes the cursed- or blessed, depending on how you look at it- day that you first met Aokiji.

You'd heard of the Admiral plenty, and had even seen him around from a distance, the lumbering, lanky figure he was, but your work never brought you together. He tended to prefer a more hands on approach to things and was frequently out in assignments.

The breakroom you normally used was out of commission after someone accidentally set it on fire trying to cook their lunch faster, and so you were forced to trudge across base through the brutal heat, already melting the moment you stepped outside.

Not even your lunch is warm, consisting of a cold soup and yogurt frozen into cubes retrieved from the freezer. While you didn't have to cook it you still had to get back to your desk, and it took splashing cool water from the sink to gather the courage to face it once again, wearing a towel soaked in freezing water around your neck like a bizarre fashion statement.

It's on the way back that you discover it. Well, more like it discovers you, nearly slipping across the icy floor.

As you sit kneeling, recovering from almost smashing your head on the floor and ready to give a piece of mind to whoever mopped the floor without putting up a sign, a wave of freezing air hits you. A blessed cool spot in a dessert of heat that takes you back to your home island. It's near the inner offices where the more important people are but you can't be too bothered by the fact as you locate the source.

The door crusted with a sheet of thin ice, creeping across the glass and wood is spiraling patterns, of which you delicately press your hand against, hardly able to believe what you're seeing.

How long had it been since you've seen snow? Or even frost? The location of Marine headquarters where you worked always remained warmer year-round, even the technical winter season was too much for your taste. There wasn't much opportunity to visit home either and this reminder did nothing but stoke the longing.

It's too good to be true. You had to be hallucinating. You’d actually slipped on the floor and given yourself a concussion. But the chill feels too real, and before you realize it you find yourself pressing yourself as close as possible to the source, uncaring of how your body heat melts the ice and dampens your clothes.

The migraine that always seemed to linger finally abated, leaving you in a moment of bliss. If only you could stay like this forever.

Your mind is made up before there's even a chance to contemplate.

You turn on heel, marching to find the next two biggest marines you have the authority to order around.

• ···················· • ···················· •

Aokiji liked nothing more than to nap in his office. It was relatively private and there were only a few who would disturb him. He kept the temperature in the immediate area cooled as well to his own taste. More than anyone would prefer, and it worked to keep most others away.

That's why it was all the more surprising when he opened his door intending to go find some lunch and instead found you sitting just to the side, sorting through a mountain of paper and files that hid you as he nearly walks past.

It took a moment for his mind to catch up, freezing in place as he looked back to the newest addition to the hallway. You didn’t pay him any mind, seeming content as you worked, entirely focused on the task at hand without paying him any mind.

"What are you doing?"

Your slight start confirms your absorption in your work, peeking from behind the stacks of papers. Well, more like up, as Aokiji is tall enough to stand above your work load.

"Approving shipment logs and cross referencing them with what was lost in the recent attacks, sir?" You say, as if it should be obvious. As if you being here was completely normal.

“Why are you doing that here?” He emphasizes, looking around the- previously- abandoned hallway.

“Because this is the only place I don’t feel as if I’m melting.” You say, straight faced.

Aokiji doesn’t know what to say to that, staring at you a moment longer before shaking his head and walking off. He was too hungry to care too much, and he could deal with it later. You didn’t bother him with your work and it was too much of a hassle to care.

That doesn’t stop him from noticing the way you seem released when he arrives at his office, or the numerous cups stacked around your desk filled with cold drinks instead of the warm coffee and tea that most prefer. How you keep your uniform unbuttoned more than regulations dictate with your sleeves rolled up, allowing the draft of the hall to reach you.

Eventually his curiosity is piqued enough that he asks Garp about you in passing. He was always more in the know on peculiar Marines, collecting them like one might shiny rocks.

“Oh them?” He says, your name finally clicking into place after Aokiji mentioned your odd comment. “I guess I should have wondered when this was going to happen. Their Captain calls them the Floor Inspector. Has a mind like a whip and a patience for paperwork. Can navigate and find near anything you need if you can keep them upright long enough to do it. I tried to get them under my command but knew they wouldn’t be able to stand the heat.”

The old man sighs. “It would have been such a relief on the administrative side.”

Not long after their conversation Aokiji got a firsthand look at your intolerance, finding you laid out after attempting to head to the records room to investigate a discrepancy, the office unfortunately located on the other side of the base. Just passed out in the middle of the courtyard, breathing shallow and hair stuck to your skin with sweat.

You likely hadn’t been there for long, as he’d looked up your records himself and saw the numerous times you were found in a similar situation and brought to the infirmary for an ice bath. He could order any Marine to do so, but another though took root in his mind and refused to leave until he tried it at least once.

Aokiji conjures a simple ice ring, placing it around your neck as he hits you with a chilling blast of frost. Nothing extreme and a far cry from anything he would use in a fight. In fact it was almost more difficult to use the delicacy needed not to turn you into a frozen statue.

Like magic, a sleeping beauty woken by true love’s kiss, your eyes snap open, face heating for a new reason as you see Aokiji above you as your common sense comes back.

Quickly getting up and apologizing, you gathering your things and all but run off, leaving behind a bemused Admiral.

It’s only as your heading back do you notice how odd it is you haven’t become victim to the heat once more, now noticing the ring of ice that acts as a necklace. There’s only one person you know who can make such things that wouldn’t have already melted in this heat.

Later that day Aokiji finds a thank you note and a bag of cookies tapped to his door.

You’re not annoying in any case, offering simple greetings and goodbyes when he passes, normally focused diligently on your work. It takes two months for your conversations to go any further than that.

“Finish that report on the Kato island inspection yet?” You ask casually one morning, already having been working at your desk for hours when Aokiji arrives in.

He pauses, door half open, looking as if you were crazy.

Should you really know about that? Maybe not, but it wasn’t too secret or anything. He’d been gone for a week, and while the area was still cooler than the majority of the office you still found yourself missing his presence.

So of course you had done a bit of digging, getting it out from one Akainu’s paper runners that he had been sent away. You also got from him that his report was late and the missing file was sending some of the other upper brass up a wall.

You shrug, trying to play it cool and not make it apparent you wanted to shove your foot in your mouth. Acting casual with an Admiral? This wasn’t the squad breakroom for crying out loud! Maybe it was just the constant proximity and his lack of outward annoyance for your presence that made you slip into a feeling of ease around him.

Thankfully you didn’t receive a reprimand, only another odd stare as he entered his office. He didn’t come out until around lunch time, though that wasn’t unusual.

“What the-!” You nearly fall out of your seat as a stack of papers slams on your desk, looking up to see Aokiji leaning against the doorway.

“Take those to Sengoku.”

You internally groan, knowing you can’t ignore the order while already dreading the journey. The Admiral’s office was filled with sunny courtyards and stairs, a sweat already breaking out at the thought. You weren’t a paper runner for a reason.

It seems Aokiji picks up on your misery, his mouth twitching at the corners.

“Think of it as rent for staying out here.”

Well, he’s got you there.

Reluctantly gathering the papers, you nearly drop them as fingers brush along your neck. Heat rushed to your face at the realization it was Aokiji who had touched you, followed by a wave of cold. One that had you shivering not in an attempt to warm up, but delight, as you catch sight of your skin. Every inch is covered in a layer of frost, the swirling patterns almost like decoration.

“That should be good for a half hour. If you don’t drag your feet it should be enough to get you there and back.” Aokiji waves over his shoulder, heading back into his office. Likely for another nap, often hearing snoring coming from within.

It turns out you’re quite quick when you’re not overheating, the others on base hardly able to believe their eyes as you run- run! Not shuffle like a melting statue of molasses- through the halls, making it to the Admiral’s office in record time.

“These are from Admiral Kuzan.” You huff, doing your best to solute while not dropping the stack. His secretary seemed stunned, hardly able to get a word out before you were off again, rushing back before your icy blanket wore off.

True to his word, the frost lasted until you were able to get back to the sanctuary of your desk, the Admiral back in his office. It may have been your imagination, but you swore the cold crept just a bit further than before as you sat to finish your own paperwork, utterly too cheerful for someone who still had hours of work ahead of them.

• ···················· • ···················· •

It shouldn't have come as a surprise when you were promoted to be the attendant of Aokiji, though he would never give you a straight answer on if he was the one to request it or not.

He wasn't shy about offloading his work onto you, knowing you wouldn't complain both because of his position, as well as the fact that you were allowed to bask in the pleasure of his devil fruit powers when he was around. Even when he wasn't he would give a good icing to his office before he left, allowing you to work in there until it just made more sense to move your desk all together.

Any and all apprehension you had was quickly dismissed. His presence was no longer looming and intimidating, but a constant that brought comfort in more ways than one.

At such close proximity it was impossible to not pick up on the schedule and duties of the man, and like any good Marine who was looking to keep their walking AC unit close you were intent on proving that you were good enough to keep around.

You did the majority of his reports, writing and cleaning up his recounting as he sat back, half asleep. It became like a second sense to be able to tell what he was thinking or his mood just from the spacing of his words.

You'd never admit how much you enjoy listening to him talk, especially when he was tired or had just woken. When his tone took on a deeper gravel that nearly distracted you from your writing. You chalk it up to your nonexistent love life and make a note to try and go on more dates, though with your workload that proves difficult.

You reminded him of meeting times and dealt with the lower ranks when he didn't feel like it. Everyone knew if they wanted to get to Aokiji they had to go through you. All they had to do was follow the trail of water from the slowly dripping coat of frost you seemed to be constantly wearing nowadays. If nothing else, you seemed to always be lingering in his shadow. Plenty large enough for you to hide from the sun in.

It’s not only you who grows fond of the symbiotic relationship that evolves.

Aokiji likes the way you sort all his letters and documents into piles based on levels of importance. It lets him know what he can push away for later him (or more likely you) without getting chewed out too much. He even found your sense of humor growing on him, more than one laughing at your blunt words, never one to beat around the bush. Another thing he liked about having you around.

It didn't take long for the upper ranks to sniff you out, tipped off by the sudden improvement of his work and punctuality. It was a blatant breach of rank and decorum- one that had Akainu fuming- but Sengouku was willing to overlook the fact as with you around he found himself less stressed by the Admiral. Your superiors also reported an improvement in your own work, and the medical room could finally put your file away properly instead of keeping it out on hand for the next time you went down.

While Aokiji wasn't he most inclined to have an attendant- you sent a glare that had him shivering the one time he called you a secretary- he couldn't deny that having you around made things easier for him. In fact, he had come to almost rely on your presence, and when he was away, he often wondered what you were doing back on base.

He could still hear your voice calling after him to be safe and to remember to check in in the evenings, and he knew that if he didn't you would be calling him instead. Not from the office snail phone but the personal one he had given you, bearing the same sleep mask he often wore.

What if he needed to get ahold of you when you were out of the office? And of course he had one for your direct line as well, always making sure to have the little snail tucked away somewhere safe. Sometimes he would just take it out and stare at it, the small thing seeming content with the chill he gave off just as much as you were.

Were you missing him or glad for the break? Undoubtably he would come back and find everything neat and organized, with no excuse to not be done. He was already late, and you would be cross but still stay behind to help him catch up. And of course he would show his appreciation for the effort by buying you dinner (your salary unfortunately hadn't improved that much in your new position).

The one thing he was sure of was that you would be suffering in the heat, and the fact both bothered and made him almost giddy. Satisfied knowing that you had come to rely on him and there was someone looking forward to his return, but uneasy knowing that you were suffering in his absence with only so much ice packs could do for you. While others shied away from his cold and found it off-putting you moved towards it. Towards him.

Aokiji was smiling before he realized it, eager to get back to you. He stopped short, nearly falling off his bike as his foot slipped on the peddle. Distracted by his thoughts of you.

When had he started caring so much? He wasn't the type to care if more work or headache was created for his subordinates, but when it came to you he was increasingly inclined to listen. He didn't drag his feet when there were meetings, but instead reluctantly allowed you to pull him along, enjoying the way your hand felt almost comically small in his as you stalked through the Marine headquarter halls with everyone parting to make way.

What he hadn't been expecting upon his return was finding Akainu in his office, face to face with you, who stood tall but trembling. Not only because you were faced with an Admiral (Kizaru and Garp stopped by often enough that the grandeur of high rank presence wasn't shocking, though Aoikiji found himself irritated when their attention turned towards you. Even more so when you once blushed at Garp’s compliment for your work both with and outside of Aokiji), but the heat in the room was downright oppressive. Worse than anything one would find outside of headquarters even in the middle of summer. Even the snail phone on your desk seems to have given up, laying on its side panting.

"I...I told you he’s....going to be back to..tomorrow." You manage to get out, using your desk as support to keep from completely buckling, though even the wood seems to sag a bit in the face of the heat.

It was like your worst nightmare come to life. The very heat of the sun unleashed tenfold as Akainu practically glowed with anger. Or maybe that was just a hallucination brought on by heat stroke.

"He was supposed to be back two days ago! What use are you for keeping him on track if you can't even do your job?!" Akainu growled, pushing even closer to you, ignoring the way you cringed away.

Your vision was nearly black, but it helped to not have to look at the face of the seething man. Even breathing hurt, feeling as if your lungs were closing off, and it was getting harder to hear him with the increasing ringing in your ears.

Aokiji wasn't one quick to anger unlike his fellow Admiral, but the sight of you, face flushed, eyes half-lidded, weak in the knees and on the verge of passing out? There was only one person allowed to do that to you, and it certainly wasn't Akainu.

The sweltering heat of the room is cut in an instant, icy coating every inch of the space and crawling up Akainu's legs in thick sheets. It's a shock to your system to go from one such extreme to another but not one you protest. In fact, you nearly cry out in relief as the familiar cool touch coats you like a second skin.

Akainu's head jerks towards where Aokiji stands, face scrunched in anger and eyes blazing. His attention quickly turns from you and onto his new target, now uncaring of your presence as he stalks towards him. Another thing that only serves to add to Aokiji's quickly lessening restraint.

"Where have you been?!" Akainu shouts, easily breaking away from the hold of the ice. His own body is already heating the room up once again, the walls dripping and ink smearing as everything melts.

Aokiji ignores him, walking past to where you stand- barely- placing a hand on your face and turning you to look at him, grunting at the heat your skin retains. Not the pleasant glow it normally has from the chill of the air but a blazing furnace that forewarns nothing good. Unnatural.

"Welcome back sir." You manage to mumble, doubtful if you're really all there as your arm only manages to get halfway up into a salute. It's worse than the time you had accompanied him to an awards ceremony, nearly diving headfirst off the platform had he not been there to provide a chill to bring you back to your senses.

He doesn't ask, gathering you in his arms just as your legs give out and bringing you to his chest. In turn you curled closer, hands digging into his shirt as you sought out the relief he provided.

Aokiji doesn't say anything to Akainu, their glares meeting over your head in a silent battle. One Aokiji refuses to lose, and which Akainu finally gives in after several long moments.

"I expect to see you first thing in the morning." His eyes dart to you, as if expecting an acknowledgment that you would make sure he's there.

"I'll make sure it’s on my schedule." Aokiji says, his voice crisp and sharp. Akainu, making the first rational decision since stepping foot in the room, says nothing as he leaves, slamming the door hard enough that the walls rattle.

Sighing, Aokiji retreats to the couch reserved for his naps. Not the one that came with the room and which he used to force himself to sleep on despite it being much too small, too lazy to get s a new one. This was one he had simply come in one day and found, put there by you.

“If you’re going to sleep at least do it on something that won’t have you complaining about your neck to me later.” Was all you said on the matter.

It fit him perfectly, the end lacking a proper armrest and allowing him to stretch out, and wide enough to allow him to sit back. It’s also enough to hold you as well, balanced carefully in top of him as he eases back into the seat and gets comfortable.

Your temperature has gone down, though you still seem a bit out of it. A part of him wonders if he should take you to the medical room but ultimately decides against it when you burrow closer. All embarrassment is tossed out the window as you relish in the presence that is Aokiji.

His pulse thrums with a mix of anger, nervousness, and relief that concoct into a mixture that has him lightheaded.

It’s not like he’s never touched you before. When he was in a rush and you couldn't keep up with his long legs he had no reservations about picking you up. And seeing the way you would jump when he placed a hand on your back before relaxing into the cool relief it provided never failed to amuse him. Or when you would eat lunch together, sitting so close your legs brushed together and Aokiji could hardly remember to eat as you laughed and recounted something you had heard from the others about whatever drama was going on with the trainees.

But this feels different. Especially as he shifts, your hands gripping his shirt as if fearful he’ll pull away. He doesn’t, instead placing a hand on your back, comforted by the way your pulse slows to a steady thrum under his touch. He draws meaningless patterns there before slipping one to your side on the other to the side of your neck, content as he rests his chin on your head.

The door is frozen shut. Nobody would be disturbing you now. Or ever again. He swore it.

"Then you sir." You manage to mumble, still half delirious but managing to hang on enough for manners as your cheek pressed into his chest.

Your lips brush the inner skin of his wrist, still close as he rests his hand in your neck, and the feeling has gooseflesh rising across his skin for the first time in decades.

As you sit, leaning against his chest in a way that feels only right to him, he knows he's not going to be leaving you behind again. You would be far more useful to him and he would have more peace of mind with you accompanying him everywhere from now on. How was he ever supposed to focus on the task at hand when he would be worrying about what was happening while he was gone?

The only question is what you would fight less; stuffed in a backpack or riding in a cart attached to his bike?

———————————————————————

PSA to everyone else who is also suffering from the heat currently! Make sure to drink plenty of water and stay cool! Wear your sunscreen and make sure you’re not spending too much time outside! Yes sunlight is vital to our health but just like all things it needs to be taken in moderation!

If you still really need to get outside and walk around then wet a towel and slap it over your neck, as well as take a water bottle. Ice packs to inner thighs, sides, armpits and neck can help you cool down. If you feel tired do not nap in the sun! Head inside and take a break! Give yourself an excuse to have a cold sweat treat!

You joined the Whitebeard Pirates not long before the Spade Pirates decided to attack. Marco took you under his wing almost immediately. He's been your best friend and closest crewmate ever since, even though you've always secretly hoped for more. Unfortunately, the universe doesn't care about what you secretly hope for. 

-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-

Thatch looks up from his work to smirk at you, not even needing to follow your line of sight to know you're swooning over Marco again. 

“You should tell him how you feel.” Your eyes shoot back to Thatch's face, widened at the boldness of his statement. Your jaw drops, prepared to say something, anything to defend yourself. One lonely flower petal falls out before you can. Landing on the top of the barrel between you and Thatch. 

His eyes widen to match your own. “You have to tell him about this.” You shake your head as Thatch turns away from you. “Marco!” 

Marco comes over and leans against the barrel, close enough that you can feel the warmth radiating off of him. “Hi Thatch, hi (y/n). How are you both doing?” 

“She just coughed up a flower petal.” 

Marco's brows furrow as he looks over to you. “What?” You shyly point down to the petal laying between you all. “Where did it come from?” 

Your voice is quiet, ashamed to have had this happen where other people could see. “I don't know.” 

“You coughed it up?” Avoiding Marco’s eyes, you nod. He grabs it off the table and starts to turn to head below deck. “I’ll do some research.” 

Thatch watches Marco disappear below deck before turning back to you. “Are you okay?” You quickly nod before returning to the task the two of you were doing before. Thatch accepts your silence for the time being and joins you. 

-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-

A few days later, the crew is sitting down to dinner in the galley. Ace’s is next to you, laughing at a story you’re telling him. Most of the meal goes smoothly. Everyone eats and eventually drinks get brought out to replace the food. 

Marco watches you and Ace as Skull tells a story to the table. An opening appears in the story and Marco takes the opportunity to tell a well placed joke. Skull smiles over to him as you and Ace both laugh. 

Marco smirks at you both before your laughter turns into panicked coughing. Ace jumps up, hand on your shoulder as he says your name a little too loud. Most of the crew is standing as Marco runs around the table. Tears fill your eyes as you stare down at the small pile of flower petals on the table in front of you. It’s never been more than one. 

There’s panicked murmurs all around you as Ace tightens his grip on your shoulder and Marco lowers himself to your level. “Hey (y/n), you okay?” You slowly nod as Marco’s hand comes up to cup your cheek. 

“Have you found anything about this yet, Marco?” Thatch’s voice is loud as the rest of the crew goes silent. 

“Not yet.” Marco’s voice is quiet, attention still fully on you. “I’ll figure it out, yoi.” He grabs the pile and presses a quick kiss to your forehead before heading out of the galley. 

Ace grabs your other shoulder and he turns you to face him. “What’s going on?” 

Your eyes come up to his, no longer having the pile of petals to stare at. “I don’t know.” Ace pulls you into his arms as your tears start to fall. 

-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-

After that dinner, the crew doesn’t leave you alone again. Pops has you move into the empty half of Deuce’s room that was abandoned after Ace’s promotion. The younger doctor keeps an eye on you throughout the night. His worry grows everytime he steps into your shared bathroom and spots the trash filled with fresh petals. 

Pops also moves you to kitchen duty during the day, keeping you under the watchful eye of Thatch around mealtimes. 

When not with Thatch or Deuce, Ace keeps you as occupied as possible, subjecting you to be victim of the chaos he causes on the ship. 

Despite being under consistent watch of your crew, the petals come more often and are significantly more painful each time. A couple months go by of them getting progressively worse while Marco hides away in his office buried in medical books from all across the four seas. The stack of petals next to the books gets bigger as your crewmates continue to pass them on. 

-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-

“Hey Deuce? Are you still awake?” You hear grunts from the other side of the room as he tries to pull himself out of what little sleep he was getting. 

Probably not the best time to try to get his attention but it’s a bit needed right now. “I am. What’s up?” 

“Can you come look at this?” You continue staring at your lap, trying not to cry. 

Deuce’s finally awake enough to hear the strain in your voice and he pushes himself up before wrapping himself in his blanket and coming over to your bed. Sitting across from you, he looks down at your lap. His eyes rapidly widen before he looks away from a full flower, only missing a stem. “Shit.” 

“Am I gonna die?” 

He moves the flower over to the desk between your beds and pulls you into his arms, wrapping you both tightly in his blanket. “No, you won’t die. Go talk to Marco in the morning, okay? He told me yesterday that he might’ve found something.” You nod as you hug Deuce back. 

“Stay with me the rest of the night?” Hearing the fear in your voice, Deuce simply nods against your shoulder before pulling you down to lay with him. 

Neither of you goes back to sleep. 

Eventually Deuce breaks the silence as the sun starts to rise. “What was happening this time?” 

A shaky sigh leaves your mouth. “I was asleep, I think dreaming but I don’t remember. The pain woke me up and it was just in my lap when I sat up.” 

Shit. “Okay. Are you feeling physically better now?” You nod before both falling back into silence. 

-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-

Eventually the rest of the crew starts to wake up. Hearing the noise of your crewmates, you and Deuce get up. He gets dressed and heads out to start his day, reminding you to talk to Marco before he leaves. 

You reach for a throw blanket and wrap it around your pajamas before heading to Marco’s office, not having the strength or will to get dressed this morning. 

Nodding once, you don’t hear a response. Slowly opening the door, you look in to see Marco already buried in the pile of books. You knock again, this time on the door frame inside the office. 

“(y/n)! What do you need? Come in.” He struggles to push a book to the side before standing a little too quickly and moving over to the less messy couch on the opposite side of the room. 

Slowly closing the door, you watch him until he’s sitting on the couch. You softly walk over, wishing you had at least put shoes on. Plopping next to him on the couch, you hesitantly hold out your hand, the flower from the night before resting in your palm. 

Marco just stares for a moment before taking it from you. He turns it over in his hand a few times before letting it rest on his own palm. 

The room is silent for a few minutes. 

Finally, he speaks, voice soft. “Stay with me today.” 

Your voice is equally soft, nervous about his lack of response to the flower. “Okay.” The room falls back into silence. 

It takes a couple minutes for you to remember the pajamas you have on and the blanket wrapped around you. “Can I go get dressed first?” 

Marco’s response is immediate. “Yes. Come right back please.” 

Silently nodding, you step out of the office to go change. Marco runs back to his desk, digging out something he read yesterday. The flower you gave him is sitting in the center of his desk as he rapidly flips through a couple books. 

Yep, he’s right. Shit.  

-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-

Despite having figured it out, Marco doesn’t say or do anything about your predicament for the next few hours while you work with him. He’s hopeful that maybe whoever you love will realize soon that they love you back. If not, he’s has what he needs to perform the surgery to save you. 

Currently, you’re both sitting side by side on the couch with a collection of books open on the table. Pops is doing well this week, and Marco already figured out your disease, so he’s teaching you basic anatomy with his free time. 

His hand runs along your thigh as he reaches across the table to point at a diagram. The skin burns as his fingers graze it and you feel that all too familiar feeling coming up your chest. He looks up to make sure you’re looking at the diagram but his eyes quickly fill with panic and fear as you start coughing. 

A full flower, stem and all, lands on the book closest to you.

The panic on your face rivals the panic on Marco’s. Your hands land on his leg, pushing him away from you before you lose your lunch on the floor. A full flower?! 

Pain burns through your throat as you watch Marco panic. He looks at you with wide eyes, hands fidgeting for only a minute before his hands rest on your shoulders. 

He doesn’t do as good of a job as he thinks he does as he tries to calm you down and guide you over to the operating table. His words are rushed and you can hear the fear behind them. “Hey yoi, you’re okay, you’re okay, I got you.” 

Your hands come up to his biceps, clinging to him like your life depends on it. “That’s the-” problem. Cutting yourself off, you can’t let him know he’s the reason your heart aches every day. At every meal when he cracks jokes. Every afternoon when he’s training with the younger pirates. Every time you work with him in his realm. He can’t know. 

Once you’re seated on the operating table, Marco’s turned back by his desk, digging through his notes before he returns with a book. “I looked it up a few weeks ago, apparently only a returned love from the right person makes this go away but we can’t wait around for that forever.” Your heart sinks, sadness filling your face as Marco tries to crack a joke, softly bumping his elbow into your arm as he does. “I can’t lose my favorite crewmate.” He lets out a small laugh, failing to mask his real fear. You bite back the pain at the implication that your unrequited love for the man in front of you is actively killing you. “I found other ways to make it go away. Is it okay if I surgically remove the flowers? The feelings would go away too but you’ll still be alive…” His expression softens as he lowers himself to meet your eyes. He’s deeply worried you won’t let him but doesn’t want to force you into anything. 

As his hand lands on your arm, the familiar and welcomed burning of his touch returns. Let him surgically remove your feelings for him? Is that better than dying from the love not being returned? Your gaze moves from his hand on your arm up to the agony on his face. Your voice is soft yet echoing through the silence in the room. “Yes, that’s okay.” 

He quietly repeats your words back to you, voice quieter than a whisper as he stands and gently kisses your forehead before stepping away. He moves to a small box at the corner of his desk. He takes out a small bottle of anesthesia and comes back to the table, box tucked under one arm. 

“This will put you to sleep since the surgery is for a disease in your lungs.” Your eyes widen as he passes you the bottle. 

“In my lungs?”

Marco sits beside you on the bed, eyes staying on you while the worry on your face grows. His voice is quiet as he explains, a little worried you'll run. He needs to do this. He needs to save you. “The flowers grow in your lungs, that's why you cough them out. They travel up your trachea and get stuck in your throat.” You look away from the bottle and your fear filled eyes meet Marco's. “Do you want someone else in here, too?” 

“No.” You shake your head a little too aggressively as your grip tightens on the bottle. “I trust you, Marco.” 

He gives you a sad smile before pulling you into his side. “I won't let anything happen to you.” His chin rests on the top of your head as yours rests on his chest. 

“I know you won't.” 

You're both quiet for a minute before you push yourself off of Marco and open the bottle. His hand slides down your back before it hits the table. He swallows hard as you down the bottle. 

“Now we wait?” The anxious look in your eyes makes his heart ache as he nods. He helps you lay down before he moves to get the surgery supplies out of the small box he brought over. 

The room falls back into silence as you watch Marco prep. The room starts to fade as the drug kicks in. Marco's eyes keep moving up to you as he works, checking in to make sure you're still okay. 

He looks up a little too soon after trying to set something down and drops it. The laugh that leaves your lips causes his eyes to shoot right up. His heart aches before it drops out of the ship. Oh. 

Your eyes start to drift closed as Marco's mind fills with every memory of hearing your laugh. 

Every time the crew's sitting to dinner and he cracks a joke just to hear you and Ace laugh at it. 

Every time he flexes a little extra working on deck just to hear you giggle while working with Thatch. 

Every time he touches you and a quiet laugh escapes, trying to hide the flusters. 

Oh.

Marco's up, his arms on your shoulders before moving up to cup your cheeks. “Wake up. (y/n) please wake up. I can't do this.” His hands move back to your shoulders to shake you slightly. “Shit.” 

The pressure in your chest and throat fade slightly. You force your eyes back open before the drug can knock you out. “Marco…?” 

“Is it me?” His voice is quiet, fear showing on his face, terror filling his heart as he tries to wrap his mind around what he just almost did. 

It takes you a second to realize what he's even asking. “Who else would it be?” A small chuckle leaves you as his eyes widen.  

“Fuck. Don't fall asleep.” His hands move back up to cup your cheeks as he brings his lips up to meet yours in a soft kiss.

SugarDaddy!Kizaru always gave you money to spend on yourself whenever he felt that you were growing more distant with him. Even if you wanted to refuse the money, you just couldn’t. Like a puppy, you continued to run back to him even if you wanted to stay away.

SugarDaddy!Kizaru…began to notice that you loved him more than the money he gave you often.

ᯓ☆

“Oh ho? Is my precious baby girl yearning for something more? Tell me what more you’d want from me darling~” Kizaru stared down into your flushed face as your body trembled against his, a sweet moan spilling from your lips as your legs began to twitch from the arousal that grew more warm and sticky between your legs.

His long and thick digits traced at your folds so delicately while his other hand squeezed your thigh and held your leg up a bit. You gasp out shakily and turned your head away from slight embarrassment, your hand reaching down and grabbing at his wrist which rested between your legs.

“K-Kizaru…”

“Hmm? That’s not my name Princess…Say my name properly…and tell me what you’d like…”

You whimpered in slight irritation as your legs twitch against his lap, your pussy begging and yearning for his touch deep inside.

His hand began to pull away at an agonizing pace, a sigh leaving his lips while you whined out at his motion.

“Well…If you’re not gonna tell me…I guess I’ll just have to stop-“

“N-No! P-Please!-”

“Hmm?”

“P-Please…Daddy…I-I want your fingers…”

Kizaru’s lips curls up into a smile before he’d chuckle lightly against you, his fingers moving back towards your cunt as he pressed his digits against your soaking folds. “Want my fingers where?~ Here?~” He asked teasingly, his fingers pressing against your swollen clitoris while you gasp out shakily. His playful tone made you huff out in slight annoyance and your hips began to unconsciously grind against his fingertips out of desperation.

“I-Inside…Deep inside my pussy~ P-Please~”

“That’s my good girl~ What else do you want me to do princess?~”

A heavy and sudden whine leaves your lips as you felt his fingers slipping past your entrance, your velvety walls immediately sucking them deep inside while your toes began to curl from the pleasure. “F-Fuck me!~ Fuck me with your fingers please!~” You pleaded, a heavy sigh leaving Kizaru’s lips as he felt his slacks growing tighter due to his cock growing hard from your sweet moans.

“Of course Princess, anything for my precious girl~”

“You adore my hands, don’t you? Just the thought of my fingers roaming your cute an’ tight pussy makes you soaking wet, doesn’t it?”

“Y-Yes~ Yes i-it does daddy~”

His fingers begin to dig deeper into your cunt, pumping faster in and out of your pussy while his fingertips easily smooched your bundle of nerves. A heavy exhale spills from your lips as you threw your head back, your hand gripping tight at Kizaru’s wrist as you fall drunk off of his fingers.

“If you want more of my fingers, all you have to do is ask nicely…My princess.”

“Please daddy- M-Mhh!~ I want more~”

“Yeah? You want more of my fingers deep inside this pretty pussy?~ Hmmm?”