Laying your head against the steering wheel you groan.

The old wagon has given up the ghost, and it's decided to do it at approximately 10pm after hours of socializing. Luffy's tucked into the backseat, and Marco's standing outside the wagon, Ace asleep in one arm, Sabo asleep in the other. You just wanted to start up the wagon and the heat before getting the boys the rest of the way in and now here you were.

"I can give you all a ride home, yoi." He assures you as you look over at him. "It'll be a tight fit for you and the boys in the back seat, and Dadan up... front..." both of you look over and see Dadan with her arm around Kokoro, the old woman returning the gesture so the two of them could lean on one another.

They were unconcerned about the car, and things in general, given the bottles in their hands. Well, it wasn't like Dadan didn't deserve to let go every now and then, and with you here she didn't have to worry about the boys as much. The problem was they were declaring how nice the clear evening sky was, and were rather vocal about walking home.

Not that Dadan expected you to walk with her and Kokoro, but you would be worried about her if you left her on her own.

"I'm debating bodily pushing her into your car." You admit, coming out of the wagon.

"We can walk with them."

"You've got 150lbs of sleeping demons in your arms, and it's a forty minute walk."

"I can make it." He asserts, giving you an easy smile.

You look from him, to Dadan, and back, and sigh. "Drop one of my new baby brothers, and I will embarrass you in front of Izou."

"A deal." He agrees.

"Let me get the emergency blanket, to keep them warm." You say, opening the trunk and pulling a blanket out. You and Marco work together, draping it over his shoulders, and tucking it so it's wrapped around the boys and pinned against his hips.

Grabbing the other one you manage to make a slightly over sized baby sling for Luffy, so you can carry him easier. Once that's done you and Marco head off toward Dadan and Kokoro. They've got a bit of a lead, but you can hear them, and there's no need to rush.

You'll catch up to the two sauced ladies soon enough.

"So what do I get?" Marco asks after a couple minutes. Dadan and Kokoro are keeping a decent pace, they're drunk and stumbling just a little, but they're both tall ladies, and it's two of your steps to their one.

"Get for what?" You question looking up at him.

"For our deal. If I don't make it, you'll embarrass me in front of Izou. So if I do make it, what do I get?"

You open and close your mouth a couple times, caught off guard. After a moment you pull yourself together and grin. "The peace and serenity of not being embarrassed in front of Izou isn't enough?"

"Please, I've been surviving his snark my whole life." Marco shoots back.

"Well... what would you want?" You prompt.

"That's a dangerous thing to offer."

"I'm! I'm not offering you anything you want, I'm asking what you'd think was a fair trade and then I can decide better based off that." You assert, stopping yourself from kicking him in the shin, like you were both still kids.

"Drinks. Just you and I, maybe down at Makino's bar." He admits after a little more thought.

"Drinks? That's it?"

He nods once, smiling as he looks down at you. "A couple hours of your time, without kids or family or nosy brothers? That'd be enough."

"Looking to," you stop, realizing what you were getting ready to say. It was suddenly entirely too embarrassing to think about. Besides you could already hear what he would say in response.

Looking to have me all to yourself, pineapple?

As many times as I can manage it.

"How'd you get so smooth anyway?" You grumble, crinkling your nose at imagined flirting.

Marco's eyes go a little wide, the comment having caught him off guard. "Who knows?" He muses. "I did a lot of traveling, and talking to people, yoi. Had a few broken hearts," he shrugs when you look up at him. "Had a few intense negotiations too. I don't know, maybe after all of that, this is easy."

"This? Like, running a one stop shop in Small Town, Grandline?" You question.

Marco laughs. "I meant, more this. Walking on a cold autumn night with a pretty lady beside me, watching two old ladies celebrate their love, yoi."

"Pretty- wait, their love?" You look back over at Dadan and Kokoro and see how Dadan's arm is almost cradling her. How the two aren't nearly the same height, but your mother leans down easily and they nuzzle each other's cheeks.

You watch them for a long time, a little irritated you didn't notice sooner.

"Huh." You muse. "I had no idea."

"In your defense," Marco says quietly as you've gotten a little closer to the two ladies. "It didn't start until about two or three years ago."

"Well, I'm happy for them both." You admit with a smile. You wondered for a split second if Dadan hadn't been comfortable telling you, but you imagined she was probably more worried about your recent trials than anything else.

"Oi, if you two don't pick up the pace, the rest of us will freeze!" You call out, and watch as they turn together, never untangling from one another.

"Have something to drink, little warrior!" Dadan says. "It'll keep you warm all the way home."

"Snuggle with the tall cutie next to you," Kokoro says, hand by her mouth like her stage whispering will be some big secret just between you and her. "Works for me." She winks

The two cackle in a gloriously joyful way, but they do start to walk a bit faster.

"Hanging in there, yoi?" Marco asks after another few minutes and you nod.

"I wore flats because of the boys, but I'm glad to not be doing this walk in heels."

"You hiked the hill the day before yesterday too." He points out.

"I walk a lot for my job. I'm okay." You half grumble the words. "Despite everyone's concerns, the city doesn't make a country girl soft."

There's a smile in his voice. "I didn't mean it like that. You've got forty pounds of drooling munchkin strapped to you, and visiting a grave takes a lot out of all of us."

"You're not wrong. And yeah, my legs aren't exactly happy with me, but it's only about ten more minutes."

"I could get the key from Dadan, run ahead and put the boys to bed and then come back for you and Luffy, yoi." Marco offers, and when you look up at him he's got a smile on his face that is both genuine and teasing.

"Run ahead? And then come back and what? Carry me home?"

"Exactly."

You laugh. "Why would you do that?"

"If I don't make it challenging, you're going to end up owing me that drink." He admits.

"As though having a few drinks with you at Makino's is such a terrible thing." You look up at him and then stick your tongue out.

"Oh, more than one drink? Even better, yoi."

You grunt, grinning as the two of you continued walking. If his hands weren't full he probably would've ruffled your hair, or the Marco of 10 years ago would have, standing on his tip toes and pretending to be taller than you for a moment.

"I hope you had a good time tonight." He says, s the four of you hit the small road that leads up to Dadan's.

"I did." You hum happily. "The walk home's been a bit more brisk than I would've liked, but it wasn't so bad."

"Good."

Dadan and Kokoro got each other up the porch steps, your mother opening the door without using the key. You groaned inwardly, Sphinx was a different place, sure, but the fact that she rarely locked the door made you worry. It wasn't a habit you were going to change, however, so it was what it was.

Marco carried Ace and Sabo upstairs, and the two of you tucked the three boys into bed, and when you went back downstairs you weren't surprised to see your mom and Kokoro fast asleep on the couch, still leaning against one another like they had been earlier. Putting the big blanket that had been wrapped around Marco and the boys over them carefully, you walked back outside with Marco.

"Thank you."

"Of course." He smiles, having stepped down off the porch.

You give him a sheepish look. "I'm just now realizing I'm leaving you with a forty minute walk back."

Marco chuckles. "Don't worry about me, pretty bird. The walk was a nice warm up, and I can run back in short order."

You lick your lips, trying to pull the embarrassed look off your face and into a grin. "Pretty bird, huh?"

His smile says it all, and you have to look away to spare the heat in your face. There was something genuine in all of it that was a little scary, but for now it was nice to just enjoy the moment.

"Drinks after dinner tomorrow then?" He prompts. "Text me when you're done eating and I'll come get you, yoi."

"Sure." You agree, nodding, trying and failing to not grin like an idiot at the idea. It was hard to worry about things with Marco around. Maybe it was because of how long you'd known one another, or because you knew you'd be able to tell him your fears and he'd listen.

"Ah." You make a noise as he turns and starts to walk away. The harried, sudden need for him to stay is unexpected, but you shove it aside, bringing up a different concern to cover your unintended noise. "The wagon?"

"Almost all my brothers are at the manor right now," Marco admits. "All of 'em owe Dadan in some way, so I wouldn't worry about it, yoi."

"Damn thing's gonna be in the driveway by lunch, isn't it?"

"Probably with a new starter and that timing issue fixed." He agrees.

You cross your arms, puffing your cheeks in mock aggravation. "I'm still going to get her a new one."

"Let us know when you do, and we'll make sure to put the old one up so she uses the new one, yoi." He offers, giving you a smile before you two bid each other good night and he walks off.

Hate to see him leave, you think idly, tilting your head. You were sure he knew you were watching, but it was hard not to. Long gone was the spindly little kid who could barely keep two feet in line, curly tuft of hair on his head that looked less like hair, and more like an unruly clump of felt someone had just stuck up there.

In its place was a wide back, and, admittedly, a nice ass.