Well, the journey is ending... Last chapter here for you :) I so extra unsure about this, it's the "explicit" one and it's the first time I write something like this in english, so sorry for mistakes or the likes. I hope everything is written well and not so "to be expected".

Dar'ska: I agree, but Garp is Garp and he wanted to protect him... He doesn't exactly know how to, but he tries xD Oh, well, Marco... See here :P I hope you all will like it :) Thanks!

Rei: Honestly, I was starting to worry... Everything ok? Anyway, thanks and don't worry :) I agree, Garp is a meanie xD Yeah, reactions and a lot more in this one :D I'm making you say "can't wait" too many times, I think xD And don't worry about the rambling, it's not bad ;) See here for your questions, but some things I can tell: Newgate knows about Luffy's dad, no alliances are formed but their ties are stronger than those :D Thanks!

Words: 4407.

Enjoy!

04 – Resolution

Marco almost pouted, escaping his pops and brother's snickers and knowing gazes. Damn. Izo was right. But. Heck. He couldn't care less. He entered his cabin and flopped with his back into his bed. It was so strange. It felt so strange… And so right. So fucking right. He couldn't help but smile and wonder when exactly he had been entrapped so through fully.

He put an arm on his eyes. True, he had felt the pull towards the black dragon since the beginning. He had felt the urge to protect him since first laying his eyes on the wounded creature. He had trusted him, missed him, taken care of him. And not like a mother-hen… Oh, no.

Those feelings were driven by possessiveness, desire, longing… And he didn't regret any of those. On the contrary, the more he reasoned in his fighting mind, the more he liked the idea. It was mad.

"What's that shit-eating grin?"

As much as he wanted to jump in surprise, he succeeded in staying still and lazily freed his eyes of his arm. Marco looked at Luffy, sitting on the ground next to his bed. He didn't even want to ask how the hell was he so sneaky…

"And why are you in my cabin, yoi?"

"You don't mind." Luffy rolled his eyes. "And it seemed to me like you wanted to tell me something."

The pirate sat and looked at the other's black orbs. "That may be true."

Luffy arched a slim brow in confusion. "Uhm, so what?"

Marco couldn't hold back the smirk. That caught the other by surprise. To hell the plans.

he Phoenix grabbed the black, half-buttoned shirt and swiftly flipped their position. Luffy was then trapped under him, bodies lined, shocked and frozen, but with an amused glint in his eyes.

"What's this thing about you licking my face, yoi?"

The raven smirked, relaxing. "You didn't like it?" He propped his head a bit and licked his chin playfully.

"On the contrary…" Marco made their noses touch. "… But I want to know why."

The light pink on the other's cheeks contrasted with the playful smirk. "I don't know. I do what I want."

Marco brushed his lips on the soft ones of Luffy, smirking. "I'll follow your example, then."

He grabbed both wrists and blocked them on either side of Luffy's face. The Phoenix closed the useless and unnerving distance between their lips, keeping his eyes open. They were soft as he had expected, slim, sneaky, playful. He looked at the other, that closed slowly his eyes, completely relaxed and lost. Marco did the same, nibbling and biting at his lower lip. He gained a muffled moan and, consequently, the entrance to the hot cavern. In no time, he separated a bit and conquered again those addicting lips.

He clashed his tongue with the other's muscle, engaging a hot battle for dominance. He didn't expect the fierce retaliation. Luffy was not the passive one. He was meeting Marco's wet muscle with an ardent desire to win… Or maybe only to play with him, he wasn't sure. The Phoenix blocked the other's hands with only one of his own, crossed over his head. He brushed the now free one along Luffy's arm, feeling him shiver. He was sure now, the other was simply playfully fighting him, else he would have tried to free his wrists. Instead, he was being passive and active at the same time, the sneaky bastard.

Marco let his hand massage the armpit, earning an eager whine and an arch of his back, and slid to the hip. He gripped fiercely there and used the fingers to caress the shirt, that was slowly going up, and the backside. Without noticing, they were already sliding against each other's body. He separated their lips to breath, finally at his limit, and looked at the other.

Luffy was flushed, panting, with half-lidded eyes full of lust. A mess, in few words. And that made some strange pride fill his stomach. He smirked, foreheads touching and breaths mixing in small puffs.

"Is this what you wanted, yoi?"

The raven's blush darkened a bit. "I wasn't expecting you to crumble so fast…" He smirked at Marco's frown. "But I don't mind."

In an instant, Luffy freed his wrists and flipped them over. Marco let him, feeling playful himself… And excited. The teen was then straddling his lap, sitting with his palms on his torso. He put his hands on the other's hips and sneaked his thumbs under the shirt teasingly.

The position brought a new fire in his growing erection. He could feel the other's excitement, too. Well, he could see the bulge, and it was not so little as one would think.

"Like what you see?"

Yeah, the brat was too teasing for his patience, that was already running out for the situation at hand. Marco slid the other fingers under the shirt, gaining a bitten lower lip and a straddling. He himself bit back a moan and sneaked some fingers between the hem of the pants and the skin. He smirked when Luffy propped forward and caught his lips in a steamy exchange.

If before he had been the one exploring and mapping, this was the raven's turn. He let him ravish his mouth, seemingly defeated and playfully caught the tongue, sometimes, making the other whimper. Meanwhile, he sneakily opened the belt and let it slide to the floor. With one hand, he massaged the growing bulge in the pants, bathing in the muffled moans of appreciation and eagerness, with the other he unbuttoned the shirt and massaged the naked hip.

When Luffy separated for air, Marco took him by surprise and swapped their positions. He was then in-between the other's parted legs, bodies lined and manhood' grinding. Without giving him time to adjust, Marco captured again his lips in a mind-blowing kiss, rendering him completely inoffensive this time.

He felt the other's hands sliding to his shoulders and used his ones to undo the raven's pants. He cupped the bulge, now covered only by the boxers, and smirked in the kiss at the wild groan. With the other hand, he got rid of the pants entirely and started playing with the hem of the boxers. Luffy bit Marco's lower lip and used the surprise he caused to brush lightly his fingers on the other's rather big bulge. He smirked in victory when Marco hissed and groaned, resting his head in the crook of his neck.

Luffy circled the pirate's waist with his legs, grinding their erections and moaning lowly. His objective was clear then. He wanted Marco to lose his control, to lose himself, to let the situation flow and to give the raven what he was asking so eagerly. The pirate smirked and blocked the other's hands again on the pillow.

"You are dangerous, yoi."

"I was a Rear Admiral, First Division Commander." Luffy smirked, slightly breathless. "What did you expect?"

"Nothing less."

The heated tongues' battle began again. They undressed each other hastily, clothes discarded on the floor. Their awakened manhood' were now freely brushing in a messy rhythm. The two were moaning in muffled voices. But Marco was not stopping. Luffy wanted him to lose his cool, so be it.

He didn't have any lube, so he started pumping slowly the other while giving him his free hand. Luffy understood right away what Marco wanted. Lost in the pleasure, he took the hand and began coating the fingers in his saliva, sucking and licking. Unconsciously making the other blush a bit at the show.

Not wanting to come right there and then, he switched his attention to the raven's member. He administered some licks and took it in his mouth. The resulting shocked moan was enough to urge him into going on. He retreated the wet hand, making the other whimper a bit, and slowly pushed a finger in the little hole he was about to abuse ruthlessly. Luffy looked at him, no traces of discomfort or pain in his lustful eyes.

"I'm not a girl." He said with a frown.

Luffy cupped his nape and brought him down to lick and nibble at his neck. He sucked at the spot, causing a red mark. He lapped it with a mischievous grin while the pirate pushed two more fingers in.

"Now, what are you waiting for…" His voice was low, guttural, almost a purr. "… Marco."

His name. He had never called him. And never would he have expected so much lust, desire, cockiness and playfulness. A chuckle erupted when he pulled back his fingers.

Marco lifted his head to look better at the bastard under him. Black holes stared back with a lot more than lust in them, but he couldn't identify what. And he didn't have the patience to. He captured his lips, immediately invading the other's mouth with his tongue. He lined his member with the entrance and pushed without restraints. They both groaned in the kiss, lips slightly apart, breaths mixing in their heat.

It was beautiful, enveloping, warm, addicting and, damn it, his. His and no one else's. This encompassing feeling of possessing and being possessed, of belonging, of having and giving. Incomparable, almost inevitable. And he would have not let anyone have it. No. Fucking. One.

Marco smirked at Luffy's grin and pulled out fully, before slamming back in. Judging the loud moan that escaped the raven's lips, it was a pleasurable movement. He did the same two more times, all the while biting and sucking at his collarbones, leaving delightful red, possessive marks.

Luffy crossed his legs at Marco's rear, urging him to take a faster pace. He obliged. With a hand still pumping the teen, he matched the pace of his hips, faster as seconds ticked by. Waves of pleasure and growing dizziness were hitting both, panting and moaning in hushed voices. Luffy left nails' marks on his shoulders and Marco hissed at the pain they caused, but kept fastening his pace.

They were both near, he could feel it in the pit of his stomach and in the throbbing veins along the other's shaft. He grabbed Luffy's butt cheek with his free hand and spilled his seed in the boy's hole, pumping him till he was done.

Marco rested his head in the crook of the raven's head, catching his breath. Luffy lifted a hand to the other's neck, brushing with feather-like touch his fingers on the skin, absentmindedly. With a grunt, the pirate pulled out of the other and slumped on his side, circling the teen with his arms. The raven smiled and took a blanket to cover their bodies, cuddling in his lover's embrace.

"Not bad, old man." He teased.

"Yoi, who the hell are you calling old man?"

"Of course you. Being a Phoenix, I fear how old you are really…" He chuckled.

Marco flicked a finger on his forehead in retaliation. "Respect your elders, then."

"Never." Luffy pecked his lips and cuddled more, totally peaceful.

The pirate wanted to sigh at the sight. But, honestly, he was too cute in that moment. And he felt refreshed, more than he'd like to admit. Damn youngsters and damn hormones.

"CHEEEEERS!"

Everyone lifted their cups, drinking the liquor in one gulp. Currently, the two crews were scattered on the Moby Dick's deck. Franky was arm wrestling countless of Whitebeard's pirates, included Vista and Fossa. Izo was casually and peacefully conversing with Nami, Robin and Brook over some tea. Thatch was cooking like mad and Sanji was gladly helping. Zoro had challenged the Captain and some more to a drinking battle, the result was that the two were the only ones still going. Chopper was playing with chopsticks stuck between his blue nose and his mouth. Luffy was laughing at him while eating no-stop. Ace was still sulking and again bruised from his brother's harsh scolding, but he was near him with a stretched and relaxed smile. Jimbe was talking with Whitebeard… well, was trying to. Between being overwhelmed by the horrendous amount of alcohol disappearing in instants and deciding what to do with Nami, he was a little shocked and taken aback.

Marco, instead, was peacefully drinking and enjoying the show. Really, their parties were always crazy, but this one was beating the others soundly. After an hour or so, half the crew was out cold because of too much drinking. The nurses were already starting to fuss around pops, but failing in making him stop. Something about pride as a pirate captain and shit. Honestly, the most interesting, in his personal opinion of course, was Luffy, but that was to be hidden for the moment. He still had some things to think through. And the boy wasn't helping. Not one bit.

He kept stealing glances towards him with a following knowing smirk. Every five minutes. Unnerving. And exciting. Oh, hell… What was he? A lovesick teenager? No, damn it. And neither was Luffy. He was, again, playing and enjoying Marco's reactions… He would have showed him what all of this could cause in a man… But, then again, it was Luffy's objective. The damn sneaky bastard.

All in all, Izo had been right. He was already wrapped tightly around his finger. Well, aside accepting the fact, the only thing he could possibly do was… to make it permanent. Yeah, he was being rather possessive. A lot. Ok, maybe too much, but he couldn't care less. And he thought that the boy had every intention of doing the same.

"Well well well…"

Oh, he should have expected this. His brother was not one to stay silent.

"What, yoi?" He drank another gulp.

"Everything went good, huh?" Izo sat near him at the table with a smirk.

"I should say… Even better."

"And? Are you satisfied?"

"I am…"

"But?"

Marco sighed. "I don't know, yoi."

"Don't tell me you already miss him..."

The Phoenix scoffed. "It's not that."

"Uhm… But it's a part of it." Izo gripped his chin. "Maybe you want to have a talk with him?"

"I don't even want to hear how you know what happened, yoi."

"First of all, you were not exactly mute. I think some of our brothers know what happened in your cabin, but not with who. As soon as Thatch hears about it, he'll set up a betting table. Anyway… Second reason, you are so much more relaxed I thought you were going to melt."

"Is that so…"

"I think he is… Good for you." Izo said, eyes narrowed. "You're so stiff all the time." He rolled his eyes. "Just… Be yourself, Marco. And talk to him, okay?"

Despite being annoyed at the introspective conversation, he smiled at his brother. "I will, yoi."

"Nice." Izo grinned. "Oh, and be sure to talk to pops, he's been itching to, I can tell."

"I noticed, but he's busy."

"Pfff, just go, idiot mother-hen."

Marco smirked, but did as asked and went to sit on his knee, facing the party. Zoro arched a brow at him but shrugged and nodded to the Captain, taking his leave. He seemed a bit sulking, though.

"These brats sure are strong." Whitebeard laughed.

The Phoenix chuckled, thinking about the morning. "I agree."

"You skipped lunch, Marco, that's unusual." His pops carefully inquired.

"I was… Busy, yoi." Making the raven his again and again.

"Hard not to notice." The man snickered. "And what do you think about it?"

"I think…" He frowned. "That I liked it, yoi."

Newgate nodded thoughtfully. "But?"

"But." He sighed. "Was it only a flicker?"

The man hummed. "Depends on you both." He looked at his son. "What do you want?"

"I want…" He didn't even process what he was saying, letting his mind decide. "Him."

"Then, I'm fairly sure it was not."

Marco huffed, arms crossed on his chest. "How, yoi?"

"That's for you to understand. Why don't you just talk to him?"

It seemed to be the solution, but why was he so… against it? No, 'against' was not the proper word, but the right one was… Nevermind. He was a man of the sea, he would do what his mind was telling him, as always, and push back his heart's pain.

"Okay, I will."

Whitebeard shook his head in fond exasperation. "You didn't answer my question, but do as you see fit."

Marco smirked, leaving his pops' side and launching an inviting gaze over to Luffy. The teen blinked but understood. He waved at Chopper, that hastily joined Franky's cheering squad, and followed the pirate on the Sunny's deck.

"You know, Zoro is not so stupid, he noticed."

"I'm aware, yoi."

Luffy snickered and entered the kitchen, followed by the other, that closed the door. They sat at the table and looked at each other for what seemed like hours.

Marco was at a loss of words. What exactly did he want to talk to him about? He could remember. He was lost. In the black orbs, in his own wild thoughts, in the craziness of the whole situation. There he was, facing a teenager that had been able to steal his… His… His what? What had he stolen?

"Marco."

He blinked, looking again at Luffy. He sighed and scratched his neck.

"What's the problem?"

Oh, that insecurity was too cute. Was he worried?

"I need to understand, yoi." He said, careful of every word… The teen blinking cutely like that was not helping. "What are we?"

Luffy frowned. "Aren't we… What people calls… Lovers?" Now, he was blushing, too.

"Yes, but…"

"If you are unsure about…" He blushed more. "My feelings… Be not. I may be playful, but I'm not shallow. If I approached you, I was sure. I wanted you."

By then, his blush was a dark red on his cheeks and a bit on his ears. He was looking at his left, pouting in an irresistible way. Marco bit his lower lip and groaned. Luffy looked at him, a bit startled. Of course, he wasn't in his head. He couldn't hear the swirling thoughts that were calming him.

That was the whole problem, apparently. He was feeling unsecure. About the reasons why the teen had approached him in the first place. Like a fucking lovesick teenager girl undergoing puberty. He was not going to voice these… Things. No. They were deadly weaknesses, not thinking about Luffy's teasing habit.

Said boy was by then standing at his side, obviously worried. The heck. Marco caught him by the shirt and made him sat, straddling his lap. Luffy immediately circled his arms around his neck and started kissing him. The pirate responded to the touch by sliding his tongue in the other's mouth and his hand under his shirt, on the hip.

"What the…."

They broke apart lazily and annoyed, looking at the blushing and spluttering Sanji on the doorstep. Luffy sighed and tried to stand, but Marco gripped his hips and squeezed him. He nipped his earlobe and the teen blushed, looking between his cook and his lover.

"Take your filthy hands off–"

Someone circled Sanji's waist from behind him. He turned his head, blush darkening, and Zoro captured his lips in a melting kiss. The blonde lost his will to fight back almost instantly and the swordsman winked at them, dragging the cook away.

Luffy blinked, surprised. "I hadn't noticed." He breathed, Marco was still leaving bright red marks on his neck.

"They hide quite well, yoi." He smirked, kissing again the life out of him. "I fear your brother's reaction, honestly…"

"Ah, the brother-complex…" Luffy moaned a bit, straddling Marco more harshly and needlingly. "But I have something to tell him…"

Marco stopped his doings and looked at him, surprised. Why did he seem so sad… and happy at the same time?

"It's about our brother." Luffy smiled, caressing the other's cheek. "He's convinced that he's dead, but I've met him. He is alive and Ace will throw a fit, I know." He chuckled.

The pirate cupped the raven's cheek and brushed it with his thumb. "Will you tell me about it, yoi?"

Luffy snickered teasingly. "We have all the night…"

Marco groggily stirred and stretched, wary of the warm, naked, sexy body lined to his own. Luffy mumbled something, then opened his eyes. He was still sleepy, maybe even with an hangover, but smiled looking at the pirate and kissed him.

The Phoenix chuckled at the cuddling and hugged him. It was late in the morning, he assessed, and the Strawhat Pirates were bound to depart in the afternoon, at most. He sighed, kissing his forehead.

"Don't worry too much about it." Luffy looked up at him. "Whenever we want, whenever we can, we could just fly and find each other, okay?"

And there he was, a grown man being comforted by a teenager. How unsightly. He scoffed and bit his neck, possessively.

"You better stay faithful, brat."

"Shishishi… That tickles, old man." Luffy bit him back. "You're so possessive."

"Feel honoured yoi."

"I am." He smirked and kissed him again. "Another round?"

Marco groaned at the puppy eyes, hovering on the boy like a predator. "You asked for it."

When Luffy fled through the window in little dragon form, Marco left through the door. He went on deck and nodded at his pops. Whitebeard looked at him and laughed out loud. What a jerk…

He looked at the ship sailing with them. A certain cook was accusingly looking at him… That he had expected. Not the fuming Ace right next to him. Damn.

He swiftly jumped high in the air, taking his beast's form and dodging several fire orbs launched at him. Yeah, he was too angry to reason with him. And pops was being an asshole, laughing at his son's antics. Honestly, what was he supposed to do with this?

Marco fled from a Fire Punch and landed on Sunny's crow's nest, changing back. "Ace, yoi.."

"SHUT UP!"

At least he tried…

A black, huge mass passed between the two, startling them. The dragon, in his middle form, had stopped with his back at Marco and his gritted teeth at Ace.

"Luffy?"

The boy landed in front of the Phoenix and turned human on the railing. "What are you doing, Ace?"

"You… He… What the… I can't allow this!"

"This what, dear brother?"

Oh, yep, Marco was scared shitless when his little lover used that tone. Made him wonder how much Ace treaded facing it. He looked at him, and felt like joining the other side. He was pale and shocked.

"You should know how territorial I am, Ace." Marine tone back and sound. "What were you doing to my lover?"

Marco blinked owlishly, looking at Luffy. He didn't expect him to say that so… Well, no reason to stay silent about it, but…

"L-lover?"

"Are you going deaf? He's my lover. Mine. Touch him in ways I don't like and I'll eat you."

At that moment, the pirate wanted nothing more than hug him from his back and drag Luffy back in his cabin. Damn, why was he acting like a dog, signing his territory? The raven had no idea how those words turned him on…

"Plus, I have something to tell you."

Ace blinked, startled. But nodded.

"Sabo is alive."

The flames suddenly disappeared and Ace fell to the deck with a loud thud. Marco looked worriedly at him.

"Wish Smokey was here…"

"Smokey, yoi?"

"Smoker, an ex-colleague. He has a thing for Ace. Maybe I should set them up."

"What about Ace?"

"He's too stubborn to admit it, so Smokey is fine for him. He's strong enough to submit him."

"… And you think I will allow that?"

Luffy snorted turning to Marco and bending his knees to be at his eye-level. "Why would you deny him happiness?" He grabbed his shirt, making him approach.

"Because he's a marine, yoi?"

The raven smirked, invading his personal bubble. "I was, too."

Marco sighed. "You're not anymore."

Puppy eyes. "Please?" He wanted to groan.

"… Fine, I will check him first."

"Thanks."

Luffy smiled and closed the distance to kiss him lightly. Marco's desire to snatch him up and go back to his room increased. The raven poked his nose with a finger, looking at Whitebeard, that was smiling, amused.

"We can't." He said. "You told me to be faithful, what about you, old man?"

Marco scoffed. "As if you need that, yoi."

"You think so?" Luffy assumed a Cheshire grin and the other wanted to flee.

The raven jumped on Moby Dick's deck, where Izo and Thatch were playing cards with their pops.

"Hey, guys!"

Marco wanted to die.

"Can I ask you a favour?"

No, better just disappear.

"In my stead, please be sure that old man doesn't cheat on me, okay?"

The floor could swallow him anytime, but right then would have been better.

"But of course, Luffy!" Izo smirked.

"What? Cheat? What's going on here?" The cook, always slow.

"Gurararararara!"

Marco joined them, frowning, arms crossed on his chest. "That was not needed, yoi."

He caught Luffy's collar, the boy was sneakily running away, and kissed him deeply. In front of everyone. Well, he was feeling vengeful. If he was object of shame, so should Luffy be. Tch. The boy was blushing furiously. So damn satisfying. He let him go and smirked seeing Thatch fainted, Izo splutter and pops laughing happily. Ace was grumpily walking to his brother, hugging him as a goodbye. Were those teary eyes?

Luffy jumped back on his ship with a wave. "See ya in the New World, old man."

Marco put his elbows on the railing, watching the Sunny slowly detach from them. A heavy feeling settled in his chest, but he shrugged it off and smiled, waving back. The boy was right, after all. They were bound to meet again, and they could always just search for each other, thanks to the vivre cards they had exchanged.

Faintly, he heard the groan of a waking up Thatch and snickered.

"Wha… Wait… Luffy… I didn't bid him good journey! And… Marco has… Oh gosh…"

And, again, fainted. Izo frowned and kicked him, then looked at Marco with a smile.

"We are all the sons of the sea." Whitebeard said, drinking some sake.

"True, pops."

Marco smiled and looked at them. "Where to, pops?"

"Route to the New World! Gurarararararara!"

Dooone! Ehehe... Hope you liked it guys :) Thank you for everything, see ya!