As You Are Pt 1: Their Love

Chapter Two: The Storm

Ann shouted as the strong waves and wind rocked the ship. Rain poured from dark storm clouds as the sky roared. She held onto the inner railing, not wanting to fall. The storm had come out of nowhere, like any other weather related thing in the New World. Pops yelled out orders and others compiled.

A big wave then washed itself over the front deck. Ann held onto the railing tightly. She hated storms like this. She was basically useless like this. She was soaked in sea water damping her powers and her strength. She was barely holding on when another wave washed itself over the deck. She cursed loudly as her hold slipped. A hand grabbed her before she went overboard. Her face was meant with a strong chest. She wrapped her arms around the guy. "You ok yoi!?" Marco asked her loud enough for her to hear. She looked up at him.

"Besides feeling weak, I'm good!" She told him. He smiled softly at her. She blushed some.

"I'm glad! How about you go inside!" He told her. Before she could answer the sky roared loudly with thunder, lightning striking the water and the Moby, harder waves hitting the ship sides. Ann screamed as she held onto Marco tighter. Marco cursed under his breath, his arms tightened around her, holding them up the best he could. "Hold onto me as tight as you can!" He told her. Ann nodded as she moved her arms to wrap around his neck tightly. Marco transformed his arms into wings and flew up into the sky. Ann wrapped her legs around his torso. Marco flew over to pops, who sat in his chair. He landed on his shoulder. He turned his feet to talans to hold onto Pops shoulder better and turned his arms back to normal, wrapping them around Ann's waist.

"Marco?!" pops said.

"I think I'll be wise if some went inside before most of them go overboard!" Marco told him. Pops nodded.

"Those that are devil fruit users or can't handle the weather, go inside!" Pops told his children. He got 'yes captain' and 'Yes Pops' back as many of them headed inside. "Marco, take Ann inside," he told him. He nodded. Marco turned his arms to wings and flew over to the entrance to the dining area. Ann unwrapped herself from him and looked up at him.

"Go inside! I have to help the others!" He told her.

"But you're a devil fruit user too!" She told him.

"I'll be fine! Just go inside!" He told her before flying off. Ann knitted her eyebrows together before heading inside.

Marco helped others get inside and made sure no one went overboard. Namru could get them but with this bad storm he could get lost. After a while the storm had slowly started to ease up and the sky started to clear. Ann had run out of the dining hall to make sure Marco was ok. She didn't see him on deck, making her start to panic. She then saw the blue phoenix fly up from the side of the ship. He landed on the deck in front of Pops.

"No damage to the side of the ship. Namru is cheeking the bottom," Marco told him as she ran over to him.

"Good to hear," Pops told him.

"Marco!" Ann yelled as she ran up to him. Marco looked at her.

"Ann, are you ok yoi?" He asked her. She frowned.

"I thought something happened to you when I didn't see you on deck! You scared me!" She yelled at him as she stood in front of him.

"I'm sorry. I was only making sure Moby was ok," he told her. "But are you ok?" he asked again.

"I'm fine but you should dry off," Ann told him. He chuckled as he ran a hand through his soaked hair. Thatch threw a towel at his head. Marco grabbed it and started to dry off.

"Thanks Thatch," Marco told him.

"Of course, but it's not like you'll get sick anyways," Thatch told him. Marco rolled his eyes.

"I'd rather not be wet and cold either way," Marco told him.

"Maybe Ann can warm you," Thatch smirked. Ann blushed.

"I'll throw you in the water," Marco threatened.

"No! I just changed and fixed my hair!" Thatch told him as he grabbed his hair. Marco snorted as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm gonna go change yoi," he told them before walking off. Thatch wrapped his arm over Ann's shoulders.

"You can always follow and help him," Thatch teased her. Ann elbowed him in the gut, her face red. Thatch tumbled to the ground holding his stomach in pain as he groaned.

"You guys are both so mean," Thatch cried. Ann rolled her eyes. She walked off towards Marco's room. She still has to thank him for saving her.

When she got to his room she knocked. "Come in!" She heard Marco say. She opened the door. Her face flushed when she saw Marco. He didn't have a shirt on. He was putting on another shash. Marco looked over at her. "What's up?" He asked her, looking over at her after tying his shash. Ann walked inside and closed the door behind her.

"Um, I wanted to thank you for catching me before going overboard and getting me inside," Ann told him, looking anywhere but at him.

"Your welcome, but you don't have to thank me yoi," He told her. Ann heard rustling, making her look up. Marco had gotten a new shirt and was putting it on. Ann blushed and bit her bottom lip as Marco's muscles rippled and flexed as he moved.

"O-of course I do! You saved my life!" She told him as she grabbed onto her shorts. Marco looked at her. He walked over to her and cupped her cheeks, making her look up at him.

"If you're ever in trouble, I'll always be there to save you no matter what," He told her, his voice soft. Ann's eyes widened before tears welled up in her eyes. "Hey, don't cry," He told her, his voice still soft, using his thumbs to whip away her tears. She grabbed onto his shirt as she bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling.

"D-Do you promise?" She asked, her voice shaky and quiet. Marco smiled softly at her.

"I promise," He told her.

"Thank you," She told him, holding back a sob. Marco pulled her into his chest and ran a hand through her hair. Ann wrapped her arms around him. Her feelings for him only grew, making her fall for him all over again. She doesn't want anything to take this feeling away from her.