#marjun

“I won’t be far, okay?” he murmured, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'll be just through those trees."

She caught his wrist before he could fully pull away, her dainty hand so much smaller and paler than his own. “Promise?” Juniper whispered, very much afraid to be left alone in this place.

Marco turned his hand, larger fingers enclosing hers as he brought it to his lips. His eyes smoldered like fiery pools, glancing up beneath his lashes to meet her own.

Juniper swore she felt her heart leap.

VS

When the Whitebeards hear Juniper sass Marco for the first time:

You would be absolutely correct. Marco's molts are almost imperceptible due to his regeneration factor and the fact his "feathers" lose their physical forms after disconnecting from his body. At most what you'd probably see is a burst of sparks in one place or another as each feather regenerates.

Juniper being a raven zoan also molts similarly (ravens molt one feather at a time, unlike water birds like ducks which shed all at once and are thus vulnerable cuz they can't fly), only it obviously takes much longer to pull off. So there will definitely be periods where she's scraggly, itchy, and restless due to pinions regrowing, and will have to shift into her full raven form to preen out the old feathers.

There's a feeling you get when you're in a budding relationship with another, where you'll just look at them one day (exposed skin or not), and in a moment be in complete and utter awe of this person--this being standing before you.

It hits you in a way that the world seems to just... Stop. You look at them and feel such overwhelming affection. Adoration. Love. The way they smile. The way they laugh. The way the light dances along their skin. They are in that moment your entire world, so beautiful and precious that you can't help but stare and everything else pales in comparison.

You're focused. And in your chest there is just an ache. A yearning. Whether it's love or lust or both depends on the person, but it anchors you and draws you in. Warmth. Heat. You burn for them and hope that when the time comes they will burn for you too.

Your eyes meet and you watch as those eyes widen for a moment in recognition. Their brows twitching up in surprise. A smile lights their face, perhaps in confusion, but it's a smile none-the-less. Something quiet. Something secret just for you.

Fleeting. Yet it burns in your mind for eternity.

The moment ends. And you can't help but desire to bring it back. Perhaps find someplace secluded, so you can find it together...

Marco.exe has stop working. Rebooting brain and body functions in 3....2......1

Nope...let's call it- he totally in love.

More like, if Juniper expresses any willingness to kiss him, and I mean ANY, there's no way that man's gonna let that opportunity go by.

Juniper completely oblivious to Marco internal and external torment.

One way or another he gets those thighs wrapped around him during the flying lesson and he practically spontaneously combusts.