"Marco! Marco put me down you're-!"

The survival knife was sunk to the hilt. The backside was notched. You couldn't take it out, you shouldn't take it out no matter what, it was better to get to the hospital and let them. It was and you knew that, but you wanted it out of him. You didn't want him to get hurt at all, and certainly not like this.

Marco sets you down once you're by the car.

"Please, we have to," you wipe away the tears threatening to shatter what little calm you're managing to hold onto. "I can drive you to the hospital, I can." You assert, knowing you must look and sound like a mess right now.

"It's okay." He says calmly, hands on your shoulders.

"It's not okay! You got stabbed! It was for me and, and, and you've got eight fucking inches of fucking serrated steel in your stomach!" You cry, your calm cracking once you put the reality of it into words. "You punched someone with that in your stomach, why would you do that?" You sob into your hands, suppressing the urge to hit him yourself for doing something so stupid.

"It's okay, pretty bird." He says again, still in that same insufferably calm tone. "I'm going to take it out-."

"No!" You reach out to stop him and Marco grabs your hands. Your eyes are wide and full of fear, he can't take it out here. "No, please, please, I can get you to the hospital first, you can't!"

"I'll be fine. I swear it."

"You won't!"

"I will, it's okay."

"Marco, please, I can't stitch that with a field kit."

"I know."

"Then don't, let's-." He puts both of your wrists in one hand and you start tugging against his grip. "Don't, don't!"

"I swear on my life, (Y/N), I will be okay." He asserts, the calm tone giving way to a more assertive one. You look up at him, and the look on his face is so serene, you don't know if he's being honest or simply ready to die, and somehow knows the hospital won't be able to save him.

"Please," you say it softly, desperately. There's a twisting pain in your gut as you hear the blade come out of his skin and you force yourself to look.

It's Marco. If he has to die, then you'll bear wit... ness?

Your mind stutters as teal and gold flames curl from inside the wound, out to his stomach. There's no blood around the tear in his shirt.

"Eh?" The odd sound escapes you and he carefully lets go of your hands, making sure you're not going to sink all the way to the ground. Marco is nearly biting his lips off trying not to laugh.

You move the tear in his shirt off to the side with a finger, eyes still transfixed. The knife's in Marco's hand, and it is completely clean.

Without thinking you grab his shirt and pull it up, you know he was stabbed. You heard the grunt, you saw the impact. The man who stabbed him knew turned his anger at you because Marco had been stabbed and he wasn't concerned about him anymore. At least not until that haymaker laid him out.

You hadn't been punched, but you were reeling.

"You're okay." You murmur, and Marco hums.

Patting your hand on his stomach you nearly cry again, but the confusion of how he was so completely unharmed was all you could focus on. "I saw the knife go in. I heard you pull it out - I - I don't..." You shake your head, still pressing your fingers into his stomach like there was some trick you were going to uncover.

Marco slowly, and gently, takes your hands in his and brings them up to his lips, kissing your finger tips at first, and trailing quiet kisses down to your knuckles. You watch him, murmuring broken words of confusion for another moment or two until the warmth of the kisses help you calm down a little bit more.

"Let's go somewhere we can talk, pretty bird." He says softly, and you nod a little dumbly as he opens the car door and gets you settled in.

Marco gets settled into the driver's seat, pulling out of the bar's lot. Some of the ruckus of the fight had spilled out into the front, but you'd both been away from it, and over by the car before then. You wondered what happened to the man who tried to attack you, but you weren't going to bother asking. The answer was fairly obvious.

If Thatch got a hold of him he was either going to be arrested or buried. If Thatch didn't, then it was hard to say what would happen. You imagined that a good portion of the bar was on the hunt for a single guy, and if he was smart he'd be on a different island come tomorrow.

But for now, that man, and why he was still in town after everything Katakuri and Marco did, wasn't really at the fore of your thoughts.

"Brain slowing down a little, yoi?" Marco questions. He's driving to the overlook, you're sure of it. If anyone else is there it'll be young lovers, and no one is going to want to bother anyone else. Assuming they even notice they have company, honestly.

"A little." You admit. "You're not hurt. I'm... really not sure how you're not hurt, but you are most certainly not hurt, and I'm not just hallucinating that because of shock or something." Marco makes a noise, but it's hardly a full sound of anything, let alone a laugh. You have to give him credit, you are beyond confused and it's dripping from your words.

"You were stabbed, right?" You ask.

"I was." He answers.

"... Did it hurt?"

"No." He answers evenly. "After we graduated high school, I did one year at the Academy. Took that summer off and traveled. Thatch, Izou, Haruta, Jozu, Vista, Namur. There were a dozen of us and we just went, well, island-hopping for three straight months.

"Pops set it up. I think he knew his time was limited and he just wanted to make sure we saw as much of the world as we could." He continues to explain. "Anyway, we're about two months in, and we come across this really odd looking pineapple. The stall vendor doesn't even know what to do with it, but since it's one of my favorite foods-."

"It is your only favorite food." You interject, the shock finally wearing off.

"One of." He grumps for a second before continuing. "I buy it. Tear a piece off and it smelled like pineapple. Tasted horrific though." He laughs. "I was so irritated I tried three more pieces out of spite, but the proverbial damage was already done."

Marco pulls into the overlook and you're a bit surprised to note you're the only car up here. It was late, and most frisky teenagers were probably trying to be home on time, since everyone already knew where to come find them if they were late.

"Pops said Devil Fruits were common when he was young. Said by the time him and Roger were nearing their 30s, it seemed like they had nearly ceased to exist. People who had eaten one, had the gift of it, but once that person died the fruits weren't reappearing."

"I've... heard like, fairy tales and stuff about miracle fruits, but -." You turn toward Marco. With everything that had happened it wasn't like it was impossible to believe. It was just hard to imagine a foul-tasting fruit could do such a thing.

"Pops had one." Marco assures you. "Katakuri and Linlin do too - Linlin used her connections and resources to gather as many as she could, but even still she's only got 4 kids who've eaten one."

"Huh. I wonder why they started becoming so rare."

"Well, they weren't ever exactly common, but Pops always thought it was because the world was mostly at peace. People weren't praying for solutions in a dangerous world anymore."

"Hm."

"With how rare they are, I just decided to keep it a secret. Most of my brothers don't actually know, yoi. The ones on the trip, yeah, and Pops knew, but I've kept it close to the vest for almost ten years now." He explains, holding up his hand. It bursts into flames and you flatten back against the passenger door in surprise.

The teal and gold flames aren't cold, but the warmth that's coming off them is soft and gentle.

"A phoenix rises from the ashes, and in my case, the phoenix's flames protect me, yoi." He explains. "They won't burn you." He promises, reaching out to you. Only the tips of his fingers are flickering and you put your fingers against his carefully.

"It's... warm."

"Soothing, right?"

You nod, and Marco turns toward you, reaching out with both hands, and pulling you into his lap easily. The seats creak as you shift, straddling him, your hands on his shoulders to help steady you until you settle into place. You're above him a little bit, in this position, but not by much.

He puts his hands on your arms, and you watch as the flames dance against your skin. His fingers slide up to your shoulders, and even through the fabric of your dress you can feel the warmth of the flames sinking into your tense muscles, relaxing them.

"Oh that's cheating," you purr, rolling your head back a bit as the warmth sinks down your back.

"If this was all I could do, it would be enough." He hums, hands shifting as he leans you back toward him. "Are you okay?"

"Me?" You smile, leaning against him. "I didn't get stabbed."

"Little warrior," he admonishes and you put your forehead against his, closing your eyes. He can feel you tremble, but you still smile.

"I was scared." You admit. "I'm... still... I mean." Marco's hands hold onto you a little tighter. You lean back, putting your hands on his face and looking into his eyes. "I thought you were seriously hurt."

"I'm okay." His smile is soft, understanding, and warm.

"I know." You can feel tears welling in your eyes. "Thank you." Leaning in, you kiss him softly.

"For what, pretty bird?" He hums as you lean in and kiss him again.

"For being okay." You say, kissing him a little longer, pressing against him just a little more. "For looking out for me." You weren't sure if you were worried about losing him, or if you just needed to be reassured he was really there, but the soft persistent kisses continue until he iss holding you close and your lips are unwilling to part.

Your hands wander over one another in the tight space of the car. The lack of space didn't bother you, you wanted to be close to him, pressed tight against him. The heat of him, the reassurance he was there, the way the pleasurable sound in his chest rumbles against you.

Tracing the lines of his arms you shift down a little, not enough to break the kiss, but enough to create friction between your bodies. The hum of pleasure in your throat turns into a muffled squeal as Marco grabs your ass roughly.

The kiss breaks as you sigh pleasure into the air, your eyes meeting in the dim light of the moon. Teal and gold flicker through his hooded irises, making it easier to see him in the dark. You're struck with the understanding that it's a literal burning passion, and it brings a smile to your lips.

Kissing to the side of his lips you see them part a little as a soft breath escapes him. You trail your kisses down toward his neck, following the line of his jaw and you can feel the tension in his fingers, and the soft hisses of pleasure as he struggles to leave you to it. A deep hum in his chest when you drag your teeth against his neck spurs you to continue.

One hand wanders down his side, the other tugs his collar aside, giving you a little more skin to tease as you continue to press heavy, nipping kisses, into his neck. The soft sounds you're pulling from him are victories as the usually relaxed man shifts beneath you, struggling to maintain his trademark calm.

Part of you doesn't want to show him mercy. You want to devour him. You want to keep him pinned beneath you. Your thoughts move your body and shift carefully, lifting the hem of your dress up and grinding yourself down on the bulge you knew you'd feel in his pants.

Marco's hips lift up to meet the movement, making you both gasp, his hands on your hips guiding the motion and keeping you steady. He's straining against the zipper of his jeans, and the thick fold of denim covering that zipper is pressing into your slit, teasing you like it was designed to get you off.

With one hand on your hip, you feel his other arm shift and he releases the lever on the seat, leaning it back. The new position lets you push into more of him, giving you extra leverage to ride him.

"Fuck," you husk as he pushes the seam into you again, the sweet pleasure ripping through the last two hours of flirting and adrenaline.

"We're heading that way, yoi." He agrees, his own voice shuddering at the edges. Amusement slips from your lips at the phrasing and you lean into him, catching his gaze again. "I, uh, didn't bring any." He admits sheepishly.

"Me either," you admit, grinding against him. "You feel... so good." You sigh, rolling your hips as you bring yourself a little closer.

"I think some of that's the zipper, pretty bird." He teases, his hands still helping you move.

You lift your hips and before you can tell him anything, he begins to undo his belt.

"Just," you start and he nods.

"Yeah, just getting the jeans out of the way, love," he promises, unzipping his jeans as his hard length strains against his boxers. You notice the wet spot on his boxers but it matters little, since your own underwear is soaked.

Marco barely has the flaps of his jeans pushed aside before you settle back down on the hard shaft. He sucks in a breath, gasping a soft swear into the as you grind against him. The warmth is sweet, and the veiny bumps of his shaft, even from beneath the boxers, feels so good. Your hands are on his chest to keep yourself steady as you rut against him.

"Cum for me, baby," you coo, drunk on the pleasure building in your gut.

"Ladies first," he says with a smirk, hands palming your breasts, hips matching your pace and grinding up into you.

The rough teasing against your nipples, even with your dress and bra still on, is enough to surge you forward. Holding onto his forearms, you grind yourself into him with a selfish kind of abandon, your goal shifting from getting him off, to getting off for him.

"Marco, ah, please, I'm gonna," you nearly cry his name as the words shiver from your lips, your hips starting to tremble.

"If that's not the sweetest sound," he hums, helping you keep pace even as your hips stutter.

The pleasure coils tight in your stomach and you look down at him. "Kuh-cum too," you whimper. "You cum too."

"I will," he promises, as you sink into the euphoria of your own orgasm.

"Gods, Marco, it fuh-feels... s'good," the words tumble from your lips and he thinks he would do anything to hear you say his name like that again and again.

He can feel your body go taut, mumbled and shivering words falling from your lips as your face flushes, and your nails scratch thin lines in his arms from your grip. It's enough for him and he finishes in his boxers.

Driving home in cold wet boxers is a small price to pay, but he's definitely keeping a couple condoms in his wallet after this.

The rush of pleasure, the exertion, the length of the day, and all the ups and downs are enough. You lean forward and Marco helps you lay against his chest. You hook your feet against his knees, so you don't accidentally kick anything, and lay against him, listening to his heart beat against his ribs.

A thought strikes you and you giggle into his chest. You can feel the rumbled "hm?" more than you hear it and you lift yourself up enough to look at him.

"Something, something about making up for lost time, but I really didn't think we'd kick things off like a couple of horny teenagers making out at the overlook." You explain and Marco smiles.

"For what it's worth, I didn't come here for this." He clarifies as you lay your head back down on his chest.

"I know," you hum. It was a spot where people kept to themselves, if there was even more than one car there. So it was a good place to explain everything to you, and it was one of those locals only kind of places that they never mentioned to tourists.

He runs his hand down your back while you lay against him. The soothing motion is comforting, and needed after everything good and bad happened.

"I'll... be out of touch for a couple days." He says after a few long moments.

"Mm."

"Partly to keep my secret since I can't imagine word won't get out, but also-."

"I know." You hum, before looking up at him. You shift a bit enough to be able to keep looking at him comfortably while laying on him. "Are you immortal now?"

His brows raise for a moment and then he shakes his head. "I don't think so, yoi. I'm not completely indestructible either, just... really close to that."

"What all can you do?" You question, eyes full of curiosity.

Marco's face flushes and you can see the tinge of color even in his ears.

"Ah... ahem, th-the flames heal me instantly. I don't even feel the pain from an injury it happens so fast. I can transform into a Phoenix."

"It's a, uh, Zoo End then?" You struggle for the word.

"Zoan, but yeah. I'm getting better at partial transformations, but I can also use the flames to heal other people, yoi. Just, not as well as I heal myself." He admits. "But I've been experimenting on a way around that."

"Oh?" You prompt and he smiles.

"Yeah, but I don't want to talk about it and jinx it." He says and so you only pout a little.

"Still, the teal and gold suits you. Maybe because of your earrings, but," you reach out and run a finger under the dangly slip of jewelry and watch Marco's whole face rush red so fast you pull your hand back. "Are you okay?"

"Fine!" He says, his voice cracking. "I'm," he holds your hands, moving them away from his earrings. "Perfectly fine." He asserts even as you smile knowingly.

"You are, aren't you?" You muse, and hear the pained groan from him as he can't get away from you right now.

"Mercy, pretty bird." He mumbles, trying to keep what little composure he has left.

"I think," you murmur into his neck since he's looking away from you. "Between the two of us," you continue, licking up the side of his neck until he shudders and groans beneath you. "You're the pretty bird."

"Haa... shit," he huffs, before grabbing the lever on the seat and dropping it back the rest of the way. "I think it fits who sings the best, yoi, and I'm going to prove that's you."

Marco grabs your hips and lifts you up. You squeak from the sudden motion, steadying yourself against the backseat as he pulls your panties aside.

"Marco!" You gasp against the cool air on your exposed, and still wet slit.

"Tell me to stop if you need to," he says, settling you over his face for a moment, giving you a chance to speak up.

"Nnngh... no, no but this is cheating, it's!" You let out a sweet sound as he dives into your cunt. "Oh godsssss-nnnngh!" You hold onto the back seat as Marco holds your legs wide, licking and sucking your clit like he'd put it there himself.

"G-good, it feels so good!" You can't help rocking your hips a little, and he lets you grind against his face. His nose nuzzling your clit as his tongue explores, prodding against your entrance and licking through your folds, returning to your clit when you move back to a position where he can reach it again.

Two fingers push into your neglected vagina and you cry out from the pleasure and the sudden intrusion, your whole body going still. Marco uses that to lavish attention on your throbbing clit with his mouth, pumping his fingers into you at the same time.

You couldn't keep quiet if you wanted to. You sing his name woven between gasping broken words and nearly sobbed swears, grateful to be the only ones at the overlook right now. He's relentless, lapping and suckling your clit like his life depends on it, fingers searching your fluttering walls for every sweet shiver they can find.

Marco's free hand is on the small of your back, holding you in place as you cum against his face and fingers. Every tiny movement sends a jolt through you as you hold onto the headrest of the backseat like a lifesaver. The beast between your thighs allows you no hope of escape as he fingers and licks you through the pleasure, relishing every melodic whimper that falls from your lips.

"Mercy," you gasp as he seems intent to keep going. You move away and Marco let's you, helping you as you roll into the backseat. Smiling and pouting at the same time, you whimper, a mix of satisfaction and concern, as Marco looks energized compared to your current level of tired. "You... you win." You manage to say, sticking your tongue out playfully.

"In more ways than one," he hums, laying on his side on the reclined seat and looking at you. You can feel yourself heat up at the implication, but you're too deep in the afterglow to be snarky right now. The way he wipes his mouth and licks his fingers makes you throb again, but you can't go another round or you're going to end up begging for him raw.

For now there's just some risks you don't want to tempt.

"Let's get you home, pretty bird." His grin is devious and his tone full of song, but you can't argue. "Wanna come back up front?"

"Yeah, but you stay in your seat." You say as he raises the seat back up. "Hands on the steering wheel." You command and he chuckles, putting his hands on the steering wheel after he unlocks the passenger door for you.

"Alright, alright." He says lazily.

You get out and brave the cold night air for a second before getting back into the car. The brisk air cools the hot need still inside you, and you're grateful for it as you buckle yourself in.

"You're dangerous." You pout, pointedly not looking at him as he starts the car and starts driving. "Out here like a bear coming out of hibernation or something."

"Only for you, pretty bird." He hums, happily taking your hand in his when you slide yours over for him to do so.