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The sun was setting on an eventful day, ending with a celebration of food, drinks, and camaraderie. Marco remembered that night very well; that night that he found a certain fire user, curled up in a ball and sulking after trying and failing to kill Pops for the hundredth time. The alpha remembered bringing him food and planned to let the beta sulk by himself, but it was Ace who had started the conversation.
"Why do you all… call him Pops?" And just like that, Marco could feel the shift change.
"Because he calls us his sons."
After that, everything changed. It was no secret that Ace had gone to talk to Whitebeard that night; though the topic of their conversation was unknown, the following morning Ace had appeared with a new tattoo of the pride of the Whitebeard on his back, just like their father's. That called for a new celebration for the new family.
Of course, things weren't that easy. Even though everyone was thrilled to have Ace as their new brother, there was still not a lot of trust for the young beta after fighting for so long to try and kill their father, only to completely flip literally overnight. Some of the crew, like Vista and Haruta, would offer Ace tight smiles or watch him carefully during their duties, while others like Fossa or Jozu kept their distance and avoided talking to him unless necessary. Sometimes, Ace would catch a group laughing and fall silent when he appeared, or notice a few wary glances whenever he joined mealtime. Still, there were moments when Thatch would purposely call him over for seconds at dinner, or Izou would quietly nod approval when Ace pitched in extra hard on a task. Ace had been bending over backwards to try and make up for what he had done, but as the newest member, there was only so much he could do.
"Ace! No worries, the 8th division has that handled, no need to wash the deck a second time." Marco watched from a distance as the bucket and mop were taken out of the onyx-haired beta's hands, a forced smile appearing on Ace's lips. As the person taking over the chore turned, the beta's entire body deflated as he quickly walked away. It was always hard being the new guy, but it was especially hard going from being a captain to being put into the lowest ranking, and not having anyone trust you. Marco followed after the freckled boy with a sigh. This all had been going on long enough.
The alpha walked to a secluded part of the ship, where some storage crates were placed. To anyone else, it would have seemed like no one was there, but Marco knew the young beta was hiding behind those crates. Even being integrated into the crew, Ace still had several hiding spots that he would go to when he was feeling down. Marco leaned against the wall and squatted down next to a gap in the crates.
"Hey, you doing ok, yoi?" Marco chuckled as the young beta jumped out of his skin, head whipping around to look at the sudden intruder.
"Marco! Oh, hi, didn't see you there. I was just… cleaning." Ace was a terrible liar; he was so easy to read with how his cheeks got all puffy and red, and especially how he avoided eye contact. The phoenix would be lying if he said he didn't find the younger male cute.
"Yeah, I saw that. You know, I think you're the only person I know on this ship that would go out of their way to scrub the deck, yoi." Marco smirked at the beta, which fell into a soft smile as he watched Ace deflate. It made his heart ache to see the freckled male look so sad, curling up into himself like he could shield himself from the world.
"Oh, you saw that… I… want to be useful." The beta's voice was filled with so much sadness. The alpha let out a little bit of a soothing scent, hoping to reassure the beta.
"I know it's hard being the new guy, especially after being a captain for so long, yoi. I know it may not seem like much, but I promise that they will come around." Marco winced as he saw the beta curl into himself more.
"You don't have to say that… I know no one really wants me here, not after all I did to… pops." Ace was still not used to calling Whitebeard pops, but he would come around to having a father eventually. The phoenix's eyebrows pinched together hearing the beta's words; he hated knowing Ace thought so little of himself. The space Ace had squeezed himself into was too small for Marco, so the alpha forced the crate further from the wall so he could get closer. Ace looked startled as Marco got closer to him, sitting down next to him so their shoulders could touch.
"That isn't true, yoi. Everyone is happy to have you here; it will just take a little time for them to get used to you, yoi." Ace looked away from the older male, but he didn't pull away, which was a win in Marco's book.
"It's fine… I don't want to be a burden." The alpha didn't like hearing that from the beta, leaning his head down so he could catch Ace's eyes.
"You're not a burden, yoi. I really like having you here." Ace's eyes became wide in shock at the confession, searching Marco's face for any trace of a lie.
"Listen, I know my words can only do so much, but I think you're wonderful, yoi. You will find your way among the crew in no time." Marco smiled, enjoying the small sparkle he could see in those silver eyes. An idea popped into the alpha's mind as he reached down for the sash tied around his waist.
"In the meantime, I want you to have this, yoi." The sparkle in the younger male's eyes shone even brighter in wonder as Marco held out the prized blue sash that he never took off. Ace could feel his heart flutter and instincts short-circuit. Ever so slowly, Ace was gently taking the sash, looking at it in disbelief.
"Are you sure?" Ace looked skeptical at the phoenix, anxiety filling him that this was all just a joke. It was more common between alphas and omegas to give gifts of clothing with their scent on it, but they only did that to people they cared about and trusted deeply, and Ace couldn't believe there was anyone in the world who would care about him enough to do such a thing, aside from his brothers. There was no trick, though, as Marco just smiled at him warmly and nudged their shoulders.
"I'm sure, yoi. I have other ones, though that is my favorite, so take good care of it." The alpha chuckled softly at the way Ace clutched the sash to his chest, nodding quickly. Marco knew that if their crew saw Ace wearing his sash, then they would know Marco trusted him, which would hopefully get them to start trusting the beta as well. Ace didn't take his eyes off the sash, so many confusing feelings swarming inside him.
"If you ever need anything else, never hesitate to ask me, yoi." Marco managed to get his arm around the freckled male, not realizing the intimacy of how his hand brushed over Ace's dormant scent gland, unlocking something within the beta.
"I think lunch is going to be ready soon, yoi. Do you want to go together?" The alpha purred internally at the soft blush that painted the beta's cheeks; Ace truly was beautiful.
"I'd like that."
Several weeks had passed since that interaction, and things had shifted for the better. Ace had been wearing Marco's sash every single day, and everyone instantly picked up on the piece. There was still some hesitation, but not too soon after, people were warming up to the beta, and he was finally integrated into the crew. Forced smiles turned to warm and welcoming ones, those that hesitated around him were soon seeking the beta out to talk and goof off with. He even started to gain more responsibilities as more trust fell onto the freckled man. Seeing Ace walk around with the sash on all the time made a pride swell inside the alpha, but he made sure not to let it get too out of hand, especially since his intentions were only to help the beta, not for his own gains.
Of course, wearing something every day was bound to make it dirty eventually, so Marco made sure to let Ace know that he could go collect a new piece whenever he wanted, letting him know to leave any dirty ones in his room. In the end, the beta never did retrieve a new sash, and soon the blue one he wore every day was no longer making an appearance.
It was bittersweet seeing the beta come out of his shell, and Marco tried not to dwell at the fact that he missed seeing him wear a piece of him all the time, but the alpha knew it was all only temporary and Ace wouldn't need that crutch forever. Seeing Ace laugh and have fun with their brothers was worth it, and eventually Marco would move on from those secret feelings. He hoped so anyway.
The first division commander's eye twitched in annoyance as he looked at the partially empty closet. He knew he didn't have a lot of clothes, but he still had more than this. Marco had just finished his laundry and was hanging up his shirts when he noticed a few more bare hangers than usual. Normally he would chalk this up to possibly something misplaced or being left on a drying rack, but this had to be the third or fourth week that something was missing. At first the alpha thought he was being paranoid, but he had counted everything just to be sure, and now he knew he was missing several things. First he couldn't find his sashes, then some shirts went missing, and even some pants. Marco had looked everywhere for them but had come up empty-handed. There was only one explanation, and the alpha felt himself growl in annoyance as he stalked out of the room.
The door to the kitchen swung open with a bang, causing the people inside to jump. Instantly, Marco's eyes locked onto the bastard chef, the notorious prankster of the ship.
"Thatch, give them back, yoi." Thatch could easily be considered the alpha's best friend, but as such, Marco always was a victim to the chef's tomfoolery. The other alpha in question just raised an eyebrow in amusement, though there was confusion in his eyes.
"Give what back?" The phoenix glared at the man as he walked forward, grabbing the bastard's yellow ascot.
"My clothes, you ass. I know you've been taking them, yoi." Thatch held his hands up in surrender as he tried to hide a chuckle.
"Listen, as much as I would love to take credit for that, I didn't take anything," Marco growled in challenge, and Thatch fixed him with his own challenging stare, but unfortunately, the chef wasn't doing any of his usual tells.
"I swear to the seas, if I find out you've been stealing my shit, I'm making you clean all the bathrooms on this ship with a toothbrush, yoi." The brunette alpha scoffed in offense.
"That's an abuse of power! And I swear it wasn't me!" Now Thatch was sounding desperate, knowing the blond alpha would follow through with that threat; he had learned that from experience. Marco just let the man go with a huff as he grumbled under his breath, exiting the kitchen.
It was early morning, so breakfast had just started. Marco had walked over to the buffet and made himself a plate, grabbing an extra plate to stack with meat, knowing it would be the first thing gone. The galley was still relatively empty, but slowly more and more people started filtering in. In the far-off table near the exit of the kitchen sat a geisha-dressed omega, reading the morning newspaper, and finishing off his own specially prepared plate of food. Marco sat across from Izou with a huff, still pissed.
"What's got your panties in a bunch this morning?" Izou raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow as he glanced at the grouchy alpha.
"Thatch is stealing my clothes but won't admit to it, yoi." A chuckle left the omega at the mention of his mate's antics.
"Well, I can say that nothing new has come into our room. Though he does have a few hiding spots around the ship." The geisha just laughed as Marco fixed him with an unimpressed look.
"That's not helping his case, yoi," Marco grumbled as he began to eat, planning how he would figure out his brother's hiding spots.
"I'm not trying to. Though, I think a little someone can make you feel better." Marco could feel the slight heat bloom in his cheeks. Even if he had never said anything, Izou was instantly able to pick up on the fact that Marco was smitten with their newest fire resident, and as if on cue, the large double doors to the galley were slammed open as said fire user sprinted in.
By the time Ace had made it to breakfast buffet, most seats had been filled and the "good stuff," as he put it, was all gone. Marco chuckled as he watched the beta run up to the buffet line and deflate as many trays were empty, yet somehow he was able to fill 8 plates with what remained. It was insane to think about how someone his size could pack away so much, but after a while it was easier to just accept the impossible. Now, with plates hazardously stacked up with a mountain of food and balanced on all available limbs, Ace looked around the crowded room before his eyes locked with vibrant blue, his entire body instantly lightening up as a large smile broke across his face. A warmth fluttered in the alpha's chest at the sight, trying not to make it obvious that he was thrilled that Ace was walking over.
"Good morning, Marco! What's up with you today?" Ace plopped himself down right next to the phoenix, their knees touching under the table. Marco shrugged nonchalantly, but Izou spoke before he got a chance.
"Marco's pissed because someone keeps stealing his clothes." The alpha made a face at the geisha, but Izou didn't look bothered in the slightest.
"Oh, that's unfortunate. Do you know who it is?" Ace's eyebrows pinched in concern as he looked at the alpha, and any tension the man had instantly vanished.
"It's fine, it's probably just Thatch being an idiot, yoi." Marco had to swallow the purr he felt wanting to bubble out of his chest as the beta tilted his head in confusion, but smiled at the alpha's reassuring look.
"He'll have to give your clothes back sooner or later." Ace instantly dug into his food, scarfing things down like it was going to suddenly vanish. Subtly, Marco slid over the plate of meat he had, knowing how much the beta loved it. It was worth getting up early to see how the freckled boy's face completely lit up, leaning just a little bit closer into the alpha at the present. There was a chuckle across the table that Marco glared at, Izou looking coy as he pretended to continue reading the paper. The geisha teased the alpha constantly about his little crush, and things like this didn't help Marco try and convince the man there was nothing there.
Just as Ace was finishing his third plate, the phoenix sensed the change and quickly stuck an arm out. The beta fell forward but was caught from landing in his food as soft snores left him. Marco gazed at him, and a soft smile spread across his lips. Even asleep, Ace was beautiful.
"So… Are you going to ask him out or just keep pretending nothing's there?" The moment was ruined as Marco glared at the geisha, hushing him threateningly.
"Shhh! He's right there, yoi!" The galley was loud with so many conversations, but even so Marco was terrified of Ace overhearing, even in his sleep.
"You and I both know he's going to be asleep for at least another few minutes. He never learns to slow down while he eats." Izou folded his paper as he leaned forward on his hands smugly.
"Whatever… There's nothing to tell him, yoi." The omega gave the alpha an unimpressed look.
"Yes, and the sky is green. Come on, Marco, even a blind man could see the spark between you two! It is so obvious he likes you too." Marco would forever deny the fact he was blushing.
"There's nothing there, yoi! He's like this with everyone." Marco refused to take advantage of Ace's kindness; he wouldn't risk their friendship. Izou groaned loudly as he rolled his eyes.
"Marco, you are a dumbass if you think he acts like that with anyone else." Marco tried to respond, but Izou interrupted him.
"He always only sits with you for every meal; he constantly is finding reasons to see you, plus even when he is talking with other people he always brings you up. Plus you both are basically courting already!" The phoenix could feel his face heat up more with every word, but he squashed down those hopes. In that moment, the beta who had suddenly fallen asleep began to rouse, and Marco sent the geisha a warning glare; Izou just held his hands up in surrender.
"Huh, what's going on?" Marco loved Ace's sleepy voice and the way he looked right after waking up; he wondered if he looked different waking up from sleep versus a narcolepsy attack.
"Nothing, you just fell asleep, yoi." The beta nodded his head before the food before him caught his attention, and immediately he was digging back in. It was strange, but something seemed different in that moment as Marco stared at Ace, but he brushed the feeling aside even if his alpha side suddenly was becoming restless.
Marco was going to kill Thatch. He had looked everywhere, and still his clothes were going missing; he was down to his last pair of pants and only had the shirt on his back, not to mention all the sashes he tied around his waist were completely gone; it was infuriating! Plus, Thatch had evolved from stealing clothes to even taking his bedding! Not even his sheets were left on his bed. Every drawer and closet was empty, leaving the alpha with nothing to wear.
The alpha stormed out of his room as he hunted down the chef. Every person who passed him quickly fled, not wanting to face the phoenix's wrath. Marco arrived at his brother's room, banging on the door almost to the point of splintering it. Hurried footsteps followed as the door swung open, the alpha in question looking alarmed.
"Marco, what's-"
"Thatch, I'm sick of this game! Give them back, yoi!" The chef just blinked in confusion, eyebrow raising as he tried to figure out what the man was talking about.
"I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about." Marco let out a challenging growl, getting his own growl in return.
"Just give me back my clothes! This is ridiculous, yoi!" Thatch squared his shoulders at the scent of a pissed-off alpha, but realization hit him, and he relaxed as he chuckled.
"Sorry, man, but I told you. It's not me that stole your clothes." The bastard chef leaned against the door frame casually, loving the way his brother was getting more heated.
"Thatch, I swear to the seas! I know it's you, yoi! You always do shit like this!" Thatch just smirked as he shrugged.
"Normally, yes, but it wasn't me. I swear on my bond mark that it wasn't." Marco sputtered in anger. No one would ever swear on a bond mark unless they were serious, but the phoenix refused to believe that Thatch hadn't done this.
"If it wasn't you, then who the fuck else is stealing my clothes, yoi!?" A list of everyone on the ship ran through Marco's mind, but no one would be dumb enough to enter the alpha's room without permission, except Thatch.
"I don't know, but send the new prankster my way when you find them. Anyway, I need to get ready, so have fun searching!" Before Marco could say anything else, he was getting a door slammed in his face; the sound of laughter was barely muffled. The alpha growled in frustration as he reluctantly began his search.
Ace hummed happily to himself as he made his way to the old room he had been staying in. Technically, the room wasn't his anymore since he had accepted Whitebeard's mark, getting moved into a bunk room with 7 other brothers. He did check and no one was using it, and it was going to be turned back into storage anyway, so he was planning to use it until that change happened.
In his arms was a fluffy pillow and warm bedding that he had borrowed from Marco's room. He knew the alpha wouldn't mind since he gave him permission to take what he wanted, and it calmed the omega to have something with Marco's scent for some reason. Ace would bring it back, eventually, but Marco hadn't said anything, so he knew it was ok. It did worry the omega that someone had been stealing the alpha's stuff, it stressed Ace out just thinking of Marco's things getting taken with no way of knowing who had done it.
Once inside the room, the omega walked over to his bed and placed the new material onto the pile, fretting over their position and building a fluffy barrier. Ace didn't know how to explain it, but he just had this visceral need that drove him to slowly collect soft and comforting material. He threw his own pillow to the foot of the bed as he replaced it with the alpha's, fluffing it up and situating it into the best position. The omega had been sleeping better than ever since he had started to collect such soft things, and had loved trying to rub his own scent all over it, though his scent was incredibly weak.
Ace had never understood scenting, but he hadn't ever been in a position to do so. He heard all the time how alphas and omegas are known for scenting everything, that their unique scent was such an important part of how they interacted with the world, but Ace never understood any of that. Always needing to fight for his life and constantly feeling on edge, his own scent gland had gone dormant, and it was funny how many people assumed he was a beta because of it, not that he ever corrected anyone either.
Nesting was a whole other issue he never wanted to deal with. He had seen nests before, but he'd never had the urge to make one himself, it seemed dumb and like a waste of time, plus why would he make a stupid nest in the first place? Growing up, Ace never really had a safe place of his own, sure he had Luffy, but they were constantly fighting for their lives in the jungle, always needing to take care of themselves, and usually ended with Ace taking care of both of them. No one ever taught him about nesting, and the idea of claiming a space or admitting he needed comfort felt foreign. The only thing he had ever relied on was himself, and the thought of needing a nest felt like admitting weakness. The omega's first mate, Deuce, had explained how a nest was important for omegas to feel safe and secure; supposedly, it had to do with surrounding themselves with the scent of those they cared about, but Ace had spaced out somewhere in their conversation. He didn't feel the need to nest, and he would never make something so embarrassing.
Looking at the decorated bed, the omega hummed happily as he buried his face in his newly acquired pillow. Marco's pillow was so much better than the one Ace had. It was so safe and warm in the omega's bed, smelling like a mossy forest after a rainstorm. The entire room smelling like all the important people in his life. While Ace enjoyed Marco's scent the most, he had stuff from everyone. He had some of Deuce's old shirts, and even an old blanket Luffy had given him when he first set off; one of his most recent articles of clothing was Pops' cape, which smelled like the sun and freedom, which he used as a border to hold everything in. For the first time in his entire life, Ace had felt truly happy and safe, especially in his little oasis. Recently, the omega had even started to purr, which was a strange feeling, though he kind of enjoyed it.
The majority of things did belong to Marco, but Ace couldn't explain why he needed to have his things surrounding him. The omega always felt so nervous and excited when he was next to the alpha. Marco was so considerate and kind, always giving him food and comfort; he was funny and smart, and very charming. These feelings were incredibly new to the omega, but being around Marco just made Ace crave something that he didn't even have a name for; he wanted something more than just friendship could provide.
Ace could only bask in the safety of his room for so long, so after a while of cuddling up with his acquired treasures, the omega was getting out of bed and leaving the safety of his room. He walked with a skip in his step as he passed his brothers, smiling and greeting them like normal. Because Ace still hadn't been put in a division yet, he had been rotating through each of them, and today he was working with Izou in the gun storage. The geisha told him to meet him at his room so he could give Ace a rundown on what they needed to do. On his way to the commander's quarters, the omega spotted the alpha who made his heartbeat quicken, a warm flutter start up in his stomach, but Marco didn't acknowledge him as he stormed away.
It upset Ace greatly to see the alpha so upset, and also to be ignored, but Marco was gone before the omega could catch up to him and see what was wrong. As much as he wanted to go after the phoenix, Ace did have a job to do, so reluctantly he continued his journey.
Not too long after, the omega stood in front of the shared room of the fourth and sixteenth commander's room, knocking gently. There was some movement before a familiar chef answered the door. Ace smiled brightly at the alpha. Thatch was easily his first friend that he had made on the ship, mostly due to him providing so much food to the omega, but he also was just a very friendly man all around. The omega also felt like he could connect with Izou quite easily, as they were both male omegas; it felt nice being around someone like him, plus the geisha was always keeping Ace in the loop about everything that was happening on the ship.
"Hey! Good morning, Ace-" The chef interrupted himself as he blinked in confusion, head tilting up slightly as he scented the air, eyes widening as they landed back on the onyx-haired boy. Ace raised an eyebrow as the alpha just looked at him with a dumbstruck look.
"You ok, Thatch? Is Izou there?" Ace suddenly was feeling a little self-conscious as the alpha just stared at him. A hand smacked Thatch out of the way as Izou appeared in the doorway.
"There you are, thanks for stopping by-" The geisha interrupted himself as well, eyes calculating before realization spread across his face.
"Oh." Ace tilted his head in confusion.
"Oh? What's Oh?" Izou's face softened with a smile, covering his mouth with an elegant sleeve.
"Nothing, nothing. You just have a very lovely scent." Ace was even more confused as he took a sniff of himself; he had just showered, but he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
"Ok… Anyway, you said to meet you here, right?" Izou smiled as he nodded.
"Yes! Sorry, I meant to grab you last night. I'll actually have you come with me tomorrow; something came up that I need to attend to today, so you get a day off!" The freckled omega deflated slightly; he hated feeling useless, but there wasn't much he could do, so he just forced a smile.
"Right, yeah, of course! Oh, before I go, I hope this isn't too weird of an ask, but could I possibly have something of yours and Thatch's?" Izou blinked in surprise at the omega's request, but he just gave a knowing smile.
"Of course, we would be more than happy to. Thatch, give me your shirt." The alpha sputtered as he was being grabbed and having the shirt he had just pulled on forcefully ripped off again. The elegant omega walked over to his dresser and pulled out a long decorative silk scarf before heading back to the onyx-haired boy.
"Here, will this do?" Ace gently took the offered articles and held them up to his nose. The mated omega and alpha's combined scent complemented each other perfectly, a quiet rumble of approval coming from Ace's chest.
"Yes, this is perfect! Thank you very much." Ace bowed as the geisha chuckled.
"Anytime, let me know if you ever need anything else. I am happy to switch those out for you at any time." The freckled omega smiled as he walked away, proud of the two new articles he could add to his room.
As Ace rounded the corner back to where his first room was, he suddenly stopped in his tracks at the wide open door. The omega's heart pounded in his chest, terrified at the thought that someone was in there, breaking the safety of his room. On shaky legs, Ace carefully walked closer, and the sight in front of him shattered something inside him.
Marco grumbled to himself as he walked away from Thatch's room; the bastard definitely had done something with his clothes, but he just didn't know what. If the chef wasn't going to tell him, then the alpha would find it himself.
Thatch was a creature of habit, so Marco started with the man's usual hiding spots, but he didn't find anything, at least nothing that belonged to himself. The alpha was near the back of the ship, where the storage was kept, and was opening doors without a care, quickly sniffing the air for any hints of his or the bastard chef's scent, but he found nothing. Marco growled as he rounded the last hallway, walking to the very far door and ripping it open, instantly hit with a wall of different scents.
This was Ace's old room he had been put in before joining the crew. It was converted into a temporary space since the freckled boy wasn't exactly friendly at first, but since being brought into the crew, Ace had been put in an available bunk room. Marco blinked in confusion as he entered further in; it was quite obvious that no one had bothered to put the room back to normal, but what was strange was the chaos that sat on top of the bed.
Layers of clothing, blankets, and pillows were piled onto the bed. The pile created a wall of the strongest-scented things, with the center having the softest and fluffiest things, but Marco couldn't see past the anger that boiled up inside him, for the pile was made of mostly his things. The alpha began pulling thing after thing onto the floor, looking at all the missing clothing and bedding he had lost over the last several weeks, anger building more and more as he identified each thing.
So many shirts, all of his blankets, even his pants were woven into the bundle. He yanked his pillow under his arm as his eyes landed on something he had been looking for for months. A bright cyan sash sat neatly folded under the pillow, clean and in perfect condition, as if hidden away like a prized possession, like Marco's prized possession. Just as the alpha let out a pissed-off growl and snatched the sash into his hand, he heard the most heartbreaking whimper. The alpha's head snapped in the direction of the sound, teeth bared and growling in anger, but what he found wasn't the man he thought was behind it all.
Ace stood in the doorway with the most heartbroken expression Marco had ever seen, dropping the things that were in his hands.
"What the hell, Ace, yoi?!" Ace didn't look at Marco, eyes unable to tear away from the place the safe cocoon he had worked so hard on building was now destroyed. The alpha took a step forward, about to yell again, but the words died in his throat at the smell of betrayal, heartbreak, and rejection; it was the smell of a hurt omega. Marco's mind slowly connected the source of such a scent; the scent hurt the alpha in a way he wasn't prepared for, and all he wanted to do was locate the origin and scoop the poor omega up to fix whatever had caused such devastation. Only the smell was coming from Ace, and instantly everything seemed to click into place.
Marco looked at the freckled omega and then back at the pile of clothes so meticulously collected. The nest Ace had worked so hard to build lay destroyed at Marco's feet.
Ace felt like he was in physical agony from the sight of his destroyed sanctuary; it felt like something had just been ripped from his soul, and to see the person who he cared about so deeply as the cause for that pain was absolutely devastating. The omega felt like he couldn't breathe, couldn't think; his body felt like it was on fire in a way his Devil Fruit could never do. Ace watched as Marco's face morphed from rage to realization to mortification, but the scent of a pissed-off alpha overpowered any of the calming scent Ace had so carefully built up.
"Ace, I-I didn't know, I'm so sor-" The omega flinched away from the alpha as he reached out, breath becoming quick. Before he could even realize what he was doing, Ace found himself sprinting away from the alpha, unable to stand there any longer. He heard his name being called, but he didn't dare stop. The omega didn't know how long he ran, or even how far, but eventually he found himself in a tiny dark corner, curled into himself and alone. Something warm slid down his face, but no matter how much he tried to wipe it away, the tears just wouldn't stop coming. Whines and whimpers filled the space, and Ace could only cry as he grieved everything.
Marco scrambled to follow the omega, tripping over the pile of clothes he had thrown on the ground in his rage. He cursed at his stupidity, wishing to turn back time. By the time he got out the door, Ace had disappeared, but the scent of a distressed omega hung in the air.
The alpha tried his hardest to follow the faint scent, but it grew weaker and weaker the further he got. Before long, Marco was spinning around in circles as he tried to pick up any hint of where the omega had run off to.
Breaking out onto the deck, the alpha ran into someone. The person fell, but Marco reached forward and grabbed them before they could hit the ground. Izou blinked up at the alpha in surprise before he straightened out his kimono.
"Mar-"
"Izou, have you seen Ace, yoi?" Marco's voice was filled with panic that made the omega raise an elegant eyebrow.
"I saw him this morning, but I think he went back to his room… Why do you ask?" Izou's face pinched in concern as the alpha groaned, his scent filled with distress.
"Um, you wouldn't happen to know Ace's second gender, would you, yoi?" The omega slowly nodded, a little smirk on his lips.
"Ah, so you found out he was an omega too? Yeah, he asked for some things for his nest." Izou's giggle quickly died as the alpha let out a distressed groan.
"Izou I messed up, yoi. I messed up really, really bad." Marco gripped his hair as he forced himself to take a few deep breaths. Izou placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, trying to calm the man with a comforting scent, prompting the alpha to elaborate.
"You know how I thought it was Thatch stealing my clothes? Well, it was Ace, yoi. Fuck I didn't realize it was him, and he had built this beautiful nest, and I destroyed it." Izou flinched back at the information; an omega's nest was special. Only the omega could choose who could see it, let alone touch it, and to have it destroyed would be soul-crushing.
"Marco…"
"You should have seen him, yoi. Izou, he looked so hurt and scared, and I did that to him!" The alpha wanted to die; he felt like the most shitty human on the planet for doing something so horrible, and the thought that he had done that to Ace was even worse.
"Hey, it's ok, we'll find him."
The bowls of the ship were dark and cold. No one really went this deep into the ship unless there was a reason, but it was also the perfect place to hide. Marco carried a lantern with him as he descended the stairs. He didn't want to cause a panic among the crew, so only a few people were made aware of the development with Ace, specifically Izou, Thatch, Deuce, and Pops. Pops was surprised, but Deuce was confused about how no one had known about Ace being an omega, but after they had learned about his nest, both Pops and the blue-haired man had torn Marco a new one. Eventually they both agreed to help look for the omega.
During the search, someone had mentioned seeing Ace rushing down the stairs into the depths of the ship, and Marco didn't hesitate to investigate. He didn't know how long he had been looking, but suddenly he picked up the faintest scent.
The smell of firewood and amber barely perfumed the air; something sour mixed into the scent, telling of the distress the person was feeling. Marco followed that smell to a storage area filled with old tables and crates.
The soft hiccups and whines broke the alpha's heart, and as he leaned against the furthest wall and slid down, able to pick up the vague impression of tan, freckled skin. It mildly reminded the alpha of that time on deck, finding the omega behind crates then as well, curled up into himself as he tried to hide from the world.
"Hey, you doing ok, yoi?" Marco cringed at his words; he felt tongue-tied as he looked at the distressed omega. Ace jumped at the sudden voice, curling into himself more as he spotted the alpha that had caused him so much pain. The omega didn't respond, avoiding eye contact as he wiped away his tears.
"Ace… I am so sorry, I really had no idea, yoi." Marco wanted to reach out, but the last thing he wanted to do was touch the omega when he didn't want it.
"It's fine… I don't know why I'm crying… It was your stuff anyway." The alpha died a little inside at how small the freckled omega sounded.
"That doesn't matter, yoi. I still hurt you; I hadn't realized you had built a nest." Ace flinched at that; he didn't build nests.
"It wasn't a nest." Marco misunderstood his meaning, thinking Ace was diminishing his hard work.
"Yes, it was, it was a beautiful nest, and I am so honored you wanted my scent to be a part of it, yoi." Hearing the alpha compliment the work Ace had done made a warmth bloom in the omega's stomach, but he shook it off as he growled.
"It wasn't a nest! I don't make nests. They're stupid and a waste of time." The alpha blinked in surprise at the omega's words.
"I… I don't understand. What was that that you made then, yoi?" Ace scowled at the wall, not wanting to look at the alpha. The omega didn't know what he was making; he just liked the scents the things had, and he liked how it made him feel safe. Plus it was so soft and comforting, like a cocoon of clouds.
"I don't know, but it wasn't a nest. Those things just felt soft and smelled good… it made me feel safe. I shouldn't feel so upset about it." Marco nodded slowly.
"Have you… built a nest before, yoi?" The omega growled at the alpha, hating the implication.
"No! Why would I ever make a stupid nest?!" Ace huffed; he didn't want to talk about nests anymore.
"Well… usually they are made of soft and comforting material, plus they smell like the people we love, but mostly because it makes you feel safe, yoi?" It was silent for a long moment after that, only broken by a groan of realization.
"Oh my seas, I built a fucking nest." Marco smiled softly at the omega as he groaned and hid his face in embarrassment. The alpha took the opportunity to push the crates out more, allowing himself to squeeze in closer to the omega, though checking to make sure Ace didn't feel trapped. The omega barely glanced at the alpha, giving a slight head nod, allowing him to sit next to him. Marco put himself next to Ace. Pressing their shoulders next to each other.
"I really am sorry that I destroyed your nest, yoi…" The omega just shrugged; it still hurt, but he felt a little better having the alpha next to him.
"It's fine… It was stupid anyway." Silence fell between them again.
"I think it was quite lovely, yoi." The warm fluttering got more intense at the alpha's words, and slowly Ace was looking at Marco, trying to find any lie, only to see the man's honest face.
"Y-yeah?" Marco smiled as he nodded.
"It was, though I would appreciate a heads up if you're going to steal my stuff, yoi." The phoenix chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, but the freckled boy just looked confused.
"I didn't steal your stuff… You said I could take it whenever I wanted." It was Marco's turn to look confused.
"I never…" Thinking back on it, though, the alpha did say he could go collect a new piece whenever he wanted, he didn't exactly specify how much or what that piece could be though.
"Ok, I did say that, yoi." Marco felt heat rise to his cheeks at the realization. This whole time he had thought someone was stealing his clothes to prank him when in reality it was his own fault for not being clearer with the omega. It all started with that single sash… A new realization had suddenly hit the alpha.
Marco had given that sash because he cared for Ace deeply… but offering something with an alpha's scent, and then for an omega to build a nest around that scent was steps of a courtship, and adding to that, the alpha remembered all the times he had offered Ace food, given him comfort, and just sought out his company. By evidence alone, Marco was courting Ace. The freckled boy jumped when the phoenix groaned, letting his head fall back to hit the wall.
"Are you ok?" It was Ace's turn to look at the alpha, confused and concerned, and Marco just sullenly nodded.
"Yeah… just realized I was doing a terrible job courting you, yoi." Out of the corner of his eye, Marco could see Ace freeze, and turning to look at the omega, he had to fight down a laugh at the bright red that overtook his face. Even blushing looked beautiful on the omega, his freckles glowing like embers.
"Y-you were courting me?" The phoenix didn't know how Ace felt at the news, but it was better to get it all out now.
"Not intentionally… but I want to, yoi." The onyx-haired male just stared at the alpha for a long moment, eventually looking away as he squirmed slightly. Marco tried not to let the rejection show, but what came next sent him over the moon.
"I want that too…" Ace's voice was uncharacteristically quiet, but so sure about the answer.
"Really, yoi?! Even after what I did?" Marco didn't want to push his luck, but he needed to know if the omega really wanted to do this too. Ace shyly looked at the alpha and nodded, face splitting into that glowing smile.
"Yeah, I would like that." The alpha smiled brightly, bumping their shoulders close together and letting out a happy purr. Eventually Ace's head leaned against the phoenix's shoulder, and they both just enjoyed the other's company.
Marco loved Ace's scent; it was very subtle, and although he had so many questions about why the omega's scent had just appeared, he knew they would have time to unpack that later.
"You ready to get out of here, yoi?" The omega nodded as he followed Marco out, their hands linked together.
Marco walked the freckled omega to his room, but in the doorway they both froze, looking at the horrors the alpha had caused. Ace's hand grabbed the alpha's hand tighter, face pinched in sadness. There was nothing that could undo what had happened, but at least Marco could start to help repair.
"Hey, I know it's not much, but you should have this too, yoi." Marco pulled way so he could take the shirt off his back, handing it to the omega who looked at him with curious eyes. Ace gently took the shirt and brought it to his nose, inhaling the rich smell of earth and rain. The sight was intoxicating, and Marco felt a deep pride seeing the omega purr quietly in approval.
"Thank you." The two smiled at each other, feeling happy in each other's presence. The path ahead of them wasn't going to be without its challenges, but knowing the other was there for them made them both look forward to the future.
Marco walked away with a pleased smile on his face, radiating a happy alpha. Ace had said his goodbye so he could get back to fixing up his nest with the new material he had acquired, determined to make it even better than the first. After explaining what had happened to those that needed to know, the alpha walked back to his room with lifted spirits and a proud grin, already planning everything he wanted to do to properly court the omega.
The alpha returned to his own room and opened the door, his good mood deflating as he looked at his bare bed and empty closet…
Thatch raised an eyebrow at the knock on his door for the third time that day, only to find his shirtless brother, who had earlier torn him a new one about his missing clothes.
"Marco, what can I do for you?"
"Hey… Can I borrow some clothes, yoi?"