♡

You frown and pretend to mimic him under your breath, only to give a squeak in surprise when his hands meet your hips and squeeze in teasing.

"Stubborn woman, you irritate me like no other, yoi." His words were stern but his tone was light, added with a warm kiss to your bare and uninjured shoulder. "I know the sling is uncomfortable, but it'll help you heal faster."

You huff slightly, your good hand tugging at the padded part of the sling that digs into your neck. "I know, I just don't enjoy feeling choked." He gives you a pointed stare and you add with a small smile, "non-consentually choked, I should say."

Marco hums, moving his large hands from your hips to your stomach, his chest resting gently against your back as he murmurs in your ear, "do you want to come rest for a bit? I'll ask Izou if he feels like braiding your hair."

You sigh and try not to look pathetic, though you're sure you do as you almost pout, "I don't want to bother Izou, he just got back from his trip."

Marco then pulls back and moves his hands to run through your hair, being very kind in making sure he didn't snag any small knots. "Would you like me to try?"

Your eyes said everything, even as your lips released a saddened, "...I don't want to be a bother."

Marco smiles as you in the mirror before leaning over and turning your head slightly to give you a kiss. "When have you even been a bother for me, my love?"

You give him a shaky smile in return, ignoring the tears that wobbled in your bottom lids. "All the time," you joke lightly, forever enamoured with the way his chuckle rumbles in his chest, as it always did when you made his heart soar.

"Only when you act like a brat, yoi." He teases back before giving you another kiss and finally pulling back again to split your hair down the middle. "You want one or two braids?"

After a good 45 minutes, you sat in Marco's room with two messy but completed braids on either side of your head, your arm snug in the sling and a book in your lap. A knock at the door makes your head rise and you can't help but grin as Thatch peeks in, a plate of food in hand as well as a mug of what you assumed was grog.

"There's our sweet girl!" He steps in with a teasing, "Marco told me you were being stubborn."

You give a small sound of dismissal, hiding a smile behind your hand as you pretend to yawn. "Me? Stubborn? Never."

Thatch places the plate and mug down on Marco's desk beside the bed and slides into the chair with a pointed look.

"Sweetheart, you are the most stubborn woman I've ever met. You can't play that game with me."

You hum and reach for the mug, which Thatch happily picks up and hands you. "Funny how Marco said almost the same thing earlier."

"Almost like you're the common denominator, love."

You give a low chuckle before taking a sip, humming at the slightly bitter taste of the grog. "Thank you, for bringing me this."

"It just gives me an excuse to see your beautiful face," he teases, leaning forward to press a kiss to your forehead. He reaches out and sort of tugs on the end of one of your braids.

"I can tell Marco tried to braid your hair."

You snicker, giving a slight shrug before wincing at the movement. "Ah, I didn't want to bother Izou, so he offered. I think he did an alright job, it's out of my face which is all that matters."

Thatch hums in agreement. "I'm sure if you asked Ace, he'd just walk around the ship holding your hair up all day."

The laughter that escapes you echos in the small room, blessing Thatch with tingles over his flesh. He'd never tell anyone, but he could listen to you laugh for hours on end and never get tired.

"I think that would last about 5 minutes, let's be real here."

"Mm, you're right. He's too handsy, that lad."

A comfortable silence washes over you two before Thatch asks lightly, "How are you feeling? How's the pain?"

You sigh again, looking at your left arm in the dark blue sling, giving your fingers a little wiggle before you reply honestly, "I'm... alright. Kind of irritated that I'm stuck with this for at least two weeks, but I'll get there." You take another sip before handing the mug back with a grateful smile. "The pain is manageable, luckily Marco keeps me on a strict schedule-"

Two knocks on the door echo before it opens and in walks none other than your blonde doctor. "Ah, Thatch. I'm glad you got my message."

Marco plucks a small bottle from his pocket and rattles it at you with a grin. "Med time, love."

You grin and chuckle, "we were just talking about that."

Marco sits on the bed beside you as Thatch picks up a spoonful of rice, marinated chicken and corn, holding it out to you as Marco holds out your meds. You take the bite of food and chew it up before grabbing the meds and quickly throwing them into your mouth. You swallow and grimace at the amount of meds going down your throat, barely disguised inside the bite.

"They'll kick in shortly. You may want to take a nap or simply sleep for the night once they do."

Marco rubs a hand over your back as Thatch holds out another bite. "I can feed myself," you huff slightly, only to frown slightly as Thatch does nothing but continue to hold the spoon out to you.

"Alright, alright."

You're nearly finished your dinner when another few knocks hit the door, before swinging open and revealing a very tired looking Ace and a slightly irritated Izou. You frown at Ace when he pouts,

"It took so long for us to find you guys-"

You cut him off with a puzzled, "You didn't think to look here first?"

Ace's silence proves to you that he did not.

"I told him you'd be here, but apparently, I know absolutely nothing." Izou bites out before finally noting your arm. "Oh my, little flower. Now why would you do that?"

Your face burns bright red as you huff back, "It's not like I did it on purpose. I'm accident prone, you guys know this."

Marco chuckles beside you, giving your back a few gentle pats. "And yet, we are surprised by it every time, yoi."

"Not me!" Claims Ace as he climbs into the bed and settles against the wall behind you, his legs on either side of your hips. He ignores your grumbling, even when you playfully slap one of his legs. "I'm never surprised hearing that you hurt yourself - ow, hey! Stop hitting!" He whines when you slap his leg for a second and third time.

"I'll stop hitting when you stop bullying me," you snark back, throwing Ace a teasing glare over your uninjured side, only to wince and turn back when it tugs and aches behind your injured shoulder blade. "Ugh... I'm sick of being in pain."

Blue flames erupt over your upper back and shoulder, pulling a heavy, happy sigh from your lips as your head tilts forward. A feeling of release and calm flows over your internal wounds, giving you a gentle reprive from the non-stop hurt. "You should start getting ready for bed," Marco begins, his hand soothing over the ache with a slight frown. "You've overexerted yourself, I think. Can you finish your dinner or are you done?"

You shake your head, waving your right hand slightly with a tired, "I can't eat anymore," you shoot Thatch a sad, apologetic look. "I'm sorry." You notice the blue flames die out in your peripheral as Marco's hand moves to comfortingly rest on your thigh.

Thatch shakes his head with a small smile, offering the plate to Ace who finishes it off easily. "Never be sorry for things like this, sweet girl." He's quick to snatch the empty plate from Ace as he stands, leaning over to press a few kisses to your face and lips before standing tall once more. "Get some rest, sweets. I'll have a gorgeous breakfast ready for you in the morning."

He then motions out the door with his head while looking at Ace. "Come on, kid. I'll whip you up a proper snack so we can let our girl rest."

Ace sighs before he leans forward into your back, being careful not to put too much weight on your injured side. His hands meet your waist, warm fingers gently running over your skin as he mumbles by your head, "you okay if I go, babe?"

You give a chuckle, patting his hands as you agree with Thatch. "Go on, Ace. I'll see you tomorrow."

He sighs before giving your uninjured shoulder a wet kiss, causing you to laugh and give a fake groan. "Gross."

He finally moves around you, standing up with a grin on his face as he teases back, "Yeah, but you love it." He then gives you a few quick kisses before heading out the door. Thatch winks at you before following behind the Fire Fist, closing the door behind him.

Izou takes up Thatch's chair, sighing deeply as he sinks into it. Hes silent for a bit, simply staring at the sking before he finally asks, "Is this why you tell me to be safe when I go? So that you can run around and get hurt instead?" You can hear the hint of teasing in his tone, but the words stab in your head in seriousness.

"Truly, it's funny how we find you injured in the strangest ways." Marco chimes in, giving your thigh a squeeze.

"I keep telling you, I am accident prone." You grin a bit before sighing lightly, covering Marcos hand with yours. "It's not a normal day on the ship if I don't hurt myself even a little."

"That worries me, love."

You can't help but laugh at that, giving Marco a cheeky grin. "Ah, come on. It keeps me interesting!"

Izou scoffs a half-chuckle, shaking his head slightly as he gripes, "Woman, you are ridiculous sometimes." He then looks to Marco. "Are you keeping her caged in here or might I selfishly steal away our little treasure for the evening, hm?"

Your cheeks burn as Marco sighs beside you. "I'd rather keep her here, but..." He looks to you, tilting his head slightly as he asks. "Do you wish to stay with Izou tonight? Your pain management is all I'm worried about right now."

You look between them before deciding, "I should probably stay here, in all honesty." You give Izou a loving smile, letting go of Marcos hand to reach out and take one of Izous. "Please don't think I don't want to, I just know I won't sleep well, and neither will you."

Izou brings your hand to his lips, staining your flesh with his lipstick as he presses kisses into the back. "I understand completely. Once you're more healed, I'll keep you all to myself for an entire week." The promise sealed on your skin make your heart soar, thankful to have such caring and understanding partners.

"Come, yoi." Marco stands and holds his hand out for you to take once more. Izou reluctantly lets go of your hand and Marco helps you stand, eyes on your face for an indication of pain. He's pleased when you give none. "Let's get you ready for bed."

"I can get ready by myself," you grumble, only to sigh when both men simply stare at you. You knew this would not be an easy fight.

"I genuinely can," you try to start, only to be silenced when Marco begins leading you towards the door.

"Just let the good doctor do his job, flower. Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be." Izou follows behind, stopping Marco from taking you for a moment as he collects your face in his hands. "Goodnight, treasure. Rest well."

You smile up at Izou and sigh happily into the kiss he gives you as he leans down. "Goodnight, Izou. I'm glad you came home safe."

Something akin to pride and adoration came over Izou at those words. He says nothing though, only giving you another deep kiss before pulling away and turning down the hallway towards his room. He knew he'd see you in the morning, saving a seat beside you as you always did.

Marco gently cleared his throat, snapping you from watching Izou walk away and smiling back when you turned and gave him your full attention. "Alright, bed time." You affirm, letting Marco lead you once more.

After helping you change into your sleepwear, he waited for you to brush your teeth before taking you back to his room. The second you walked in, you yawned, finally affected by the pain killers and the long day.

"I'll join you in a while, I still have some work to finish up tonight." Marco sits on the beside as you settle in, pulling the blanket up enough that you could comfortably cover yourself once you started getting cold. He cups your cheek and you gently hold his wrist, smiling into his palm as he murmurs, "You'll be alright until then, love?"

"Of course," you reply, already feeling your eyelids become heavier and harder to keep open. "I love you."

Marco swears his heart stops for a moment every time you say that to him. The way your words feel so different than how you say it to his brothers, the words filled with something deeper that only he could sense. "I love you," he swears, his lips meeting yours as he leans down to kiss you. "I love you."

He pulls away and you're quick to cover your face as you yawn again. "Sleep, miss stubborn. I'll be in soon."

"Promise?" You ask, settling deeper into the matress as you let your eyes slide shut, a smile resting on your lips as Marco confirms, "I promise."

He sits back in the chair and waits for your breathing to even out, smiling to himself like he's won a top prize as you fall into a restful slumber. He waits a few more moments before finally rising and slowly walking out of the room. They door closes with a soft click, and he heads back towards his and the nurses office sat.

Even as he pulled up the last of his workload, he remained steadfast in keeping you on his mind. Knowing there was fianlly something to look forward to, Marco jumped in, eager to come and rest beside you once again.

You frown and pretend to mimic him under your breath, only to give a squeak in surprise when his hands meet your hips and squeeze in teasing.

"Stubborn woman, you irritate me like no other, yoi." His words were stern but his tone was light, added with a warm kiss to your bare and uninjured shoulder. "I know the sling is uncomfortable, but it'll help you heal faster."

You huff slightly, your good hand tugging at the padded part of the sling that digs into your neck. "I know, I just don't enjoy feeling choked." He gives you a pointed stare and you add with a small smile, "non-consentually choked, I should say."

Marco hums, moving his large hands from your hips to your stomach, his chest resting gently against your back as he murmurs in your ear, "do you want to come rest for a bit? I'll ask Izou if he feels like braiding your hair."

You sigh and try not to look pathetic, though you're sure you do as you almost pout, "I don't want to bother Izou, he just got back from his trip."

Marco then pulls back and moves his hands to run through your hair, being very kind in making sure he didn't snag any small knots. "Would you like me to try?"

Your eyes said everything, even as your lips released a saddened, "...I don't want to be a bother."

Marco smiles as you in the mirror before leaning over and turning your head slightly to give you a kiss. "When have you even been a bother for me, my love?"

You give him a shaky smile in return, ignoring the tears that wobbled in your bottom lids. "All the time," you joke lightly, forever enamoured with the way his chuckle rumbles in his chest, as it always did when you made his heart soar.

"Only when you act like a brat, yoi." He teases back before giving you another kiss and finally pulling back again to split your hair down the middle. "You want one or two braids?"

After a good 45 minutes, you sat in Marco's room with two messy but completed braids on either side of your head, your arm snug in the sling and a book in your lap. A knock at the door makes your head rise and you can't help but grin as Thatch peeks in, a plate of food in hand as well as a mug of what you assumed was grog.

"There's our sweet girl!" He steps in with a teasing, "Marco told me you were being stubborn."

You give a small sound of dismissal, hiding a smile behind your hand as you pretend to yawn. "Me? Stubborn? Never."

Thatch places the plate and mug down on Marco's desk beside the bed and slides into the chair with a pointed look.

"Sweetheart, you are the most stubborn woman I've ever met. You can't play that game with me."

You hum and reach for the mug, which Thatch happily picks up and hands you. "Funny how Marco said almost the same thing earlier."

"Almost like you're the common denominator, love."

You give a low chuckle before taking a sip, humming at the slightly bitter taste of the grog. "Thank you, for bringing me this."

"It just gives me an excuse to see your beautiful face," he teases, leaning forward to press a kiss to your forehead. He reaches out and sort of tugs on the end of one of your braids.

"I can tell Marco tried to braid your hair."

You snicker, giving a slight shrug before wincing at the movement. "Ah, I didn't want to bother Izou, so he offered. I think he did an alright job, it's out of my face which is all that matters."

Thatch hums in agreement. "I'm sure if you asked Ace, he'd just walk around the ship holding your hair up all day."

The laughter that escapes you echos in the small room, blessing Thatch with tingles over his flesh. He'd never tell anyone, but he could listen to you laugh for hours on end and never get tired.

"I think that would last about 5 minutes, let's be real here."

"Mm, you're right. He's too handsy, that lad."

A comfortable silence washes over you two before Thatch asks lightly, "How are you feeling? How's the pain?"

You sigh again, looking at your left arm in the dark blue sling, giving your fingers a little wiggle before you reply honestly, "I'm... alright. Kind of irritated that I'm stuck with this for at least two weeks, but I'll get there." You take another sip before handing the mug back with a grateful smile. "The pain is manageable, luckily Marco keeps me on a strict schedule-"

Two knocks on the door echo before it opens and in walks none other than your blonde doctor. "Ah, Thatch. I'm glad you got my message."

Marco plucks a small bottle from his pocket and rattles it at you with a grin. "Med time, love."

You grin and chuckle, "we were just talking about that."

Marco sits on the bed beside you as Thatch picks up a spoonful of rice, marinated chicken and corn, holding it out to you as Marco holds out your meds. You take the bite of food and chew it up before grabbing the meds and quickly throwing them into your mouth. You swallow and grimace at the amount of meds going down your throat, barely disguised inside the bite.

"They'll kick in shortly. You may want to take a nap or simply sleep for the night once they do."

Marco rubs a hand over your back as Thatch holds out another bite. "I can feed myself," you huff slightly, only to frown slightly as Thatch does nothing but continue to hold the spoon out to you.

"Alright, alright."

You're nearly finished your dinner when another few knocks hit the door, before swinging open and revealing a very tired looking Ace and a slightly irritated Izou. You frown at Ace when he pouts,

"It took so long for us to find you guys-"

You cut him off with a puzzled, "You didn't think to look here first?"

Ace's silence proves to you that he did not.

"I told him you'd be here, but apparently, I know absolutely nothing." Izou bites out before finally noting your arm. "Oh my, little flower. Now why would you do that?"

Your face burns bright red as you huff back, "It's not like I did it on purpose. I'm accident prone, you guys know this."

Marco chuckles beside you, giving your back a few gentle pats. "And yet, we are surprised by it every time, yoi."

"Not me!" Claims Ace as he climbs into the bed and settles against the wall behind you, his legs on either side of your hips. He ignores your grumbling, even when you playfully slap one of his legs. "I'm never surprised hearing that you hurt yourself - ow, hey! Stop hitting!" He whines when you slap his leg for a second and third time.

"I'll stop hitting when you stop bullying me," you snark back, throwing Ace a teasing glare over your uninjured side, only to wince and turn back when it tugs and aches behind your injured shoulder blade. "Ugh... I'm sick of being in pain."

Blue flames erupt over your upper back and shoulder, pulling a heavy, happy sigh from your lips as your head tilts forward. A feeling of release and calm flows over your internal wounds, giving you a gentle reprive from the non-stop hurt. "You should start getting ready for bed," Marco begins, his hand soothing over the ache with a slight frown. "You've overexerted yourself, I think. Can you finish your dinner or are you done?"

You shake your head, waving your right hand slightly with a tired, "I can't eat anymore," you shoot Thatch a sad, apologetic look. "I'm sorry." You notice the blue flames die out in your peripheral as Marco's hand moves to comfortingly rest on your thigh.

Thatch shakes his head with a small smile, offering the plate to Ace who finishes it off easily. "Never be sorry for things like this, sweet girl." He's quick to snatch the empty plate from Ace as he stands, leaning over to press a few kisses to your face and lips before standing tall once more. "Get some rest, sweets. I'll have a gorgeous breakfast ready for you in the morning."

He then motions out the door with his head while looking at Ace. "Come on, kid. I'll whip you up a proper snack so we can let our girl rest."

Ace sighs before he leans forward into your back, being careful not to put too much weight on your injured side. His hands meet your waist, warm fingers gently running over your skin as he mumbles by your head, "you okay if I go, babe?"

You give a chuckle, patting his hands as you agree with Thatch. "Go on, Ace. I'll see you tomorrow."

He sighs before giving your uninjured shoulder a wet kiss, causing you to laugh and give a fake groan. "Gross."

He finally moves around you, standing up with a grin on his face as he teases back, "Yeah, but you love it." He then gives you a few quick kisses before heading out the door. Thatch winks at you before following behind the Fire Fist, closing the door behind him.

Izou takes up Thatch's chair, sighing deeply as he sinks into it. Hes silent for a bit, simply staring at the sking before he finally asks, "Is this why you tell me to be safe when I go? So that you can run around and get hurt instead?" You can hear the hint of teasing in his tone, but the words stab in your head in seriousness.

"Truly, it's funny how we find you injured in the strangest ways." Marco chimes in, giving your thigh a squeeze.

"I keep telling you, I am accident prone." You grin a bit before sighing lightly, covering Marcos hand with yours. "It's not a normal day on the ship if I don't hurt myself even a little."

"That worries me, love."

You can't help but laugh at that, giving Marco a cheeky grin. "Ah, come on. It keeps me interesting!"

Izou scoffs a half-chuckle, shaking his head slightly as he gripes, "Woman, you are ridiculous sometimes." He then looks to Marco. "Are you keeping her caged in here or might I selfishly steal away our little treasure for the evening, hm?"

Your cheeks burn as Marco sighs beside you. "I'd rather keep her here, but..." He looks to you, tilting his head slightly as he asks. "Do you wish to stay with Izou tonight? Your pain management is all I'm worried about right now."

You look between them before deciding, "I should probably stay here, in all honesty." You give Izou a loving smile, letting go of Marcos hand to reach out and take one of Izous. "Please don't think I don't want to, I just know I won't sleep well, and neither will you."

Izou brings your hand to his lips, staining your flesh with his lipstick as he presses kisses into the back. "I understand completely. Once you're more healed, I'll keep you all to myself for an entire week." The promise sealed on your skin make your heart soar, thankful to have such caring and understanding partners.

"Come, yoi." Marco stands and holds his hand out for you to take once more. Izou reluctantly lets go of your hand and Marco helps you stand, eyes on your face for an indication of pain. He's pleased when you give none. "Let's get you ready for bed."

"I can get ready by myself," you grumble, only to sigh when both men simply stare at you. You knew this would not be an easy fight.

"I genuinely can," you try to start, only to be silenced when Marco begins leading you towards the door.

"Just let the good doctor do his job, flower. Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be." Izou follows behind, stopping Marco from taking you for a moment as he collects your face in his hands. "Goodnight, treasure. Rest well."

You smile up at Izou and sigh happily into the kiss he gives you as he leans down. "Goodnight, Izou. I'm glad you came home safe."

Something akin to pride and adoration came over Izou at those words. He says nothing though, only giving you another deep kiss before pulling away and turning down the hallway towards his room. He knew he'd see you in the morning, saving a seat beside you as you always did.

Marco gently cleared his throat, snapping you from watching Izou walk away and smiling back when you turned and gave him your full attention. "Alright, bed time." You affirm, letting Marco lead you once more.

After helping you change into your sleepwear, he waited for you to brush your teeth before taking you back to his room. The second you walked in, you yawned, finally affected by the pain killers and the long day.

"I'll join you in a while, I still have some work to finish up tonight." Marco sits on the beside as you settle in, pulling the blanket up enough that you could comfortably cover yourself once you started getting cold. He cups your cheek and you gently hold his wrist, smiling into his palm as he murmurs, "You'll be alright until then, love?"

"Of course," you reply, already feeling your eyelids become heavier and harder to keep open. "I love you."

Marco swears his heart stops for a moment every time you say that to him. The way your words feel so different than how you say it to his brothers, the words filled with something deeper that only he could sense. "I love you," he swears, his lips meeting yours as he leans down to kiss you. "I love you."

He pulls away and you're quick to cover your face as you yawn again. "Sleep, miss stubborn. I'll be in soon."

"Promise?" You ask, settling deeper into the matress as you let your eyes slide shut, a smile resting on your lips as Marco confirms, "I promise."

He sits back in the chair and waits for your breathing to even out, smiling to himself like he's won a top prize as you fall into a restful slumber. He waits a few more moments before finally rising and slowly walking out of the room. They door closes with a soft click, and he heads back towards his and the nurses office sat.

Even as he pulled up the last of his workload, he remained steadfast in keeping you on his mind. Knowing there was fianlly something to look forward to, Marco jumped in, eager to come and rest beside you once again.

You frown and pretend to mimic him under your breath, only to give a squeak in surprise when his hands meet your hips and squeeze in teasing.

"Stubborn woman, you irritate me like no other, yoi." His words were stern but his tone was light, added with a warm kiss to your bare and uninjured shoulder. "I know the sling is uncomfortable, but it'll help you heal faster."

You huff slightly, your good hand tugging at the padded part of the sling that digs into your neck. "I know, I just don't enjoy feeling choked." He gives you a pointed stare and you add with a small smile, "non-consentually choked, I should say."

Marco hums, moving his large hands from your hips to your stomach, his chest resting gently against your back as he murmurs in your ear, "do you want to come rest for a bit? I'll ask Izou if he feels like braiding your hair."

You sigh and try not to look pathetic, though you're sure you do as you almost pout, "I don't want to bother Izou, he just got back from his trip."

Marco then pulls back and moves his hands to run through your hair, being very kind in making sure he didn't snag any small knots. "Would you like me to try?"

Your eyes said everything, even as your lips released a saddened, "...I don't want to be a bother."

Marco smiles as you in the mirror before leaning over and turning your head slightly to give you a kiss. "When have you even been a bother for me, my love?"

You give him a shaky smile in return, ignoring the tears that wobbled in your bottom lids. "All the time," you joke lightly, forever enamoured with the way his chuckle rumbles in his chest, as it always did when you made his heart soar.

"Only when you act like a brat, yoi." He teases back before giving you another kiss and finally pulling back again to split your hair down the middle. "You want one or two braids?"

After a good 45 minutes, you sat in Marco's room with two messy but completed braids on either side of your head, your arm snug in the sling and a book in your lap. A knock at the door makes your head rise and you can't help but grin as Thatch peeks in, a plate of food in hand as well as a mug of what you assumed was grog.

"There's our sweet girl!" He steps in with a teasing, "Marco told me you were being stubborn."

You give a small sound of dismissal, hiding a smile behind your hand as you pretend to yawn. "Me? Stubborn? Never."

Thatch places the plate and mug down on Marco's desk beside the bed and slides into the chair with a pointed look.

"Sweetheart, you are the most stubborn woman I've ever met. You can't play that game with me."

You hum and reach for the mug, which Thatch happily picks up and hands you. "Funny how Marco said almost the same thing earlier."

"Almost like you're the common denominator, love."

You give a low chuckle before taking a sip, humming at the slightly bitter taste of the grog. "Thank you, for bringing me this."

"It just gives me an excuse to see your beautiful face," he teases, leaning forward to press a kiss to your forehead. He reaches out and sort of tugs on the end of one of your braids.

"I can tell Marco tried to braid your hair."

You snicker, giving a slight shrug before wincing at the movement. "Ah, I didn't want to bother Izou, so he offered. I think he did an alright job, it's out of my face which is all that matters."

Thatch hums in agreement. "I'm sure if you asked Ace, he'd just walk around the ship holding your hair up all day."

The laughter that escapes you echos in the small room, blessing Thatch with tingles over his flesh. He'd never tell anyone, but he could listen to you laugh for hours on end and never get tired.

"I think that would last about 5 minutes, let's be real here."

"Mm, you're right. He's too handsy, that lad."

A comfortable silence washes over you two before Thatch asks lightly, "How are you feeling? How's the pain?"

You sigh again, looking at your left arm in the dark blue sling, giving your fingers a little wiggle before you reply honestly, "I'm... alright. Kind of irritated that I'm stuck with this for at least two weeks, but I'll get there." You take another sip before handing the mug back with a grateful smile. "The pain is manageable, luckily Marco keeps me on a strict schedule-"

Two knocks on the door echo before it opens and in walks none other than your blonde doctor. "Ah, Thatch. I'm glad you got my message."

Marco plucks a small bottle from his pocket and rattles it at you with a grin. "Med time, love."

You grin and chuckle, "we were just talking about that."

Marco sits on the bed beside you as Thatch picks up a spoonful of rice, marinated chicken and corn, holding it out to you as Marco holds out your meds. You take the bite of food and chew it up before grabbing the meds and quickly throwing them into your mouth. You swallow and grimace at the amount of meds going down your throat, barely disguised inside the bite.

"They'll kick in shortly. You may want to take a nap or simply sleep for the night once they do."

Marco rubs a hand over your back as Thatch holds out another bite. "I can feed myself," you huff slightly, only to frown slightly as Thatch does nothing but continue to hold the spoon out to you.

"Alright, alright."

You're nearly finished your dinner when another few knocks hit the door, before swinging open and revealing a very tired looking Ace and a slightly irritated Izou. You frown at Ace when he pouts,

"It took so long for us to find you guys-"

You cut him off with a puzzled, "You didn't think to look here first?"

Ace's silence proves to you that he did not.

"I told him you'd be here, but apparently, I know absolutely nothing." Izou bites out before finally noting your arm. "Oh my, little flower. Now why would you do that?"

Your face burns bright red as you huff back, "It's not like I did it on purpose. I'm accident prone, you guys know this."

Marco chuckles beside you, giving your back a few gentle pats. "And yet, we are surprised by it every time, yoi."

"Not me!" Claims Ace as he climbs into the bed and settles against the wall behind you, his legs on either side of your hips. He ignores your grumbling, even when you playfully slap one of his legs. "I'm never surprised hearing that you hurt yourself - ow, hey! Stop hitting!" He whines when you slap his leg for a second and third time.

"I'll stop hitting when you stop bullying me," you snark back, throwing Ace a teasing glare over your uninjured side, only to wince and turn back when it tugs and aches behind your injured shoulder blade. "Ugh... I'm sick of being in pain."

Blue flames erupt over your upper back and shoulder, pulling a heavy, happy sigh from your lips as your head tilts forward. A feeling of release and calm flows over your internal wounds, giving you a gentle reprive from the non-stop hurt. "You should start getting ready for bed," Marco begins, his hand soothing over the ache with a slight frown. "You've overexerted yourself, I think. Can you finish your dinner or are you done?"

You shake your head, waving your right hand slightly with a tired, "I can't eat anymore," you shoot Thatch a sad, apologetic look. "I'm sorry." You notice the blue flames die out in your peripheral as Marco's hand moves to comfortingly rest on your thigh.

Thatch shakes his head with a small smile, offering the plate to Ace who finishes it off easily. "Never be sorry for things like this, sweet girl." He's quick to snatch the empty plate from Ace as he stands, leaning over to press a few kisses to your face and lips before standing tall once more. "Get some rest, sweets. I'll have a gorgeous breakfast ready for you in the morning."

He then motions out the door with his head while looking at Ace. "Come on, kid. I'll whip you up a proper snack so we can let our girl rest."

Ace sighs before he leans forward into your back, being careful not to put too much weight on your injured side. His hands meet your waist, warm fingers gently running over your skin as he mumbles by your head, "you okay if I go, babe?"

You give a chuckle, patting his hands as you agree with Thatch. "Go on, Ace. I'll see you tomorrow."

He sighs before giving your uninjured shoulder a wet kiss, causing you to laugh and give a fake groan. "Gross."

He finally moves around you, standing up with a grin on his face as he teases back, "Yeah, but you love it." He then gives you a few quick kisses before heading out the door. Thatch winks at you before following behind the Fire Fist, closing the door behind him.

Izou takes up Thatch's chair, sighing deeply as he sinks into it. Hes silent for a bit, simply staring at the sking before he finally asks, "Is this why you tell me to be safe when I go? So that you can run around and get hurt instead?" You can hear the hint of teasing in his tone, but the words stab in your head in seriousness.

"Truly, it's funny how we find you injured in the strangest ways." Marco chimes in, giving your thigh a squeeze.

"I keep telling you, I am accident prone." You grin a bit before sighing lightly, covering Marcos hand with yours. "It's not a normal day on the ship if I don't hurt myself even a little."

"That worries me, love."

You can't help but laugh at that, giving Marco a cheeky grin. "Ah, come on. It keeps me interesting!"

Izou scoffs a half-chuckle, shaking his head slightly as he gripes, "Woman, you are ridiculous sometimes." He then looks to Marco. "Are you keeping her caged in here or might I selfishly steal away our little treasure for the evening, hm?"

Your cheeks burn as Marco sighs beside you. "I'd rather keep her here, but..." He looks to you, tilting his head slightly as he asks. "Do you wish to stay with Izou tonight? Your pain management is all I'm worried about right now."

You look between them before deciding, "I should probably stay here, in all honesty." You give Izou a loving smile, letting go of Marcos hand to reach out and take one of Izous. "Please don't think I don't want to, I just know I won't sleep well, and neither will you."

Izou brings your hand to his lips, staining your flesh with his lipstick as he presses kisses into the back. "I understand completely. Once you're more healed, I'll keep you all to myself for an entire week." The promise sealed on your skin make your heart soar, thankful to have such caring and understanding partners.

"Come, yoi." Marco stands and holds his hand out for you to take once more. Izou reluctantly lets go of your hand and Marco helps you stand, eyes on your face for an indication of pain. He's pleased when you give none. "Let's get you ready for bed."

"I can get ready by myself," you grumble, only to sigh when both men simply stare at you. You knew this would not be an easy fight.

"I genuinely can," you try to start, only to be silenced when Marco begins leading you towards the door.

"Just let the good doctor do his job, flower. Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be." Izou follows behind, stopping Marco from taking you for a moment as he collects your face in his hands. "Goodnight, treasure. Rest well."

You smile up at Izou and sigh happily into the kiss he gives you as he leans down. "Goodnight, Izou. I'm glad you came home safe."

Something akin to pride and adoration came over Izou at those words. He says nothing though, only giving you another deep kiss before pulling away and turning down the hallway towards his room. He knew he'd see you in the morning, saving a seat beside you as you always did.

Marco gently cleared his throat, snapping you from watching Izou walk away and smiling back when you turned and gave him your full attention. "Alright, bed time." You affirm, letting Marco lead you once more.

After helping you change into your sleepwear, he waited for you to brush your teeth before taking you back to his room. The second you walked in, you yawned, finally affected by the pain killers and the long day.

"I'll join you in a while, I still have some work to finish up tonight." Marco sits on the beside as you settle in, pulling the blanket up enough that you could comfortably cover yourself once you started getting cold. He cups your cheek and you gently hold his wrist, smiling into his palm as he murmurs, "You'll be alright until then, love?"

"Of course," you reply, already feeling your eyelids become heavier and harder to keep open. "I love you."

Marco swears his heart stops for a moment every time you say that to him. The way your words feel so different than how you say it to his brothers, the words filled with something deeper that only he could sense. "I love you," he swears, his lips meeting yours as he leans down to kiss you. "I love you."

He pulls away and you're quick to cover your face as you yawn again. "Sleep, miss stubborn. I'll be in soon."

"Promise?" You ask, settling deeper into the matress as you let your eyes slide shut, a smile resting on your lips as Marco confirms, "I promise."

He sits back in the chair and waits for your breathing to even out, smiling to himself like he's won a top prize as you fall into a restful slumber. He waits a few more moments before finally rising and slowly walking out of the room. They door closes with a soft click, and he heads back towards his and the nurses office sat.

Even as he pulled up the last of his workload, he remained steadfast in keeping you on his mind. Knowing there was fianlly something to look forward to, Marco jumped in, eager to come and rest beside you once again.