One Piece Oneshots

Marco X Reader

You pulled your knees under your chin and barely dared to breath, looking at him sleeping. Ever since Ace and Pops's death, he would sometimes wake up in a middle of the night, scared and panicking if he didn't find you next to him. He didn't let it show in front of the others, but he was tired. So very tired. And afraid of losing someone else.

He didn't love people easily, wasn't his nature. But when he did, he never let go of them. That usually hurt him the most. Holding onto them so hard, letting them have so big part of his heart also meant that now that they were gone, that big part was also lost. He still held the whole crew dear, but they couldn't repair the hole in his chest.

His nightmares haunted him day and night, even now, while sleeping his eyelids fluttered a bit, ready to open at the slightest disturbance. His cheeks were hollow and face pale. The dark shadows under his eyes deepened with every nigh, when he slept few hours at most. On good days, you even managed to help him nap on days, but that didn't haplen often.

You wanted to lay down next to him and hug him, scare all his troubles and nightmares away, but you were afraid if you were to move now, he would wake and not fall asleep again. You woke from your thoughts with a jolt when he shivered, hand clutching the pilllow next to his head, face frowning at the dream.

Smiling sadly, you rose from the bed very carefully and walked to the small armchair in the corner, and clicked on a small reading lamp just above it. Sorting through the pile of old history books on the chair you finally picked one and put the lights out again, going back to bed.

You slided your fingers over the hard leather cover of the book before opening it and starting to read. You couldn't really concentrate on the words as they danced before your eyes, and soon giving up, thinking about your own nightmares. Unlike Marco, you hadn't gone to the battle, but had stayed behind the lines, helping the injured ones. It still haunted you how much blood there had been. How many had cried in pain and loss of their beloved ones.

You sighed tiredly and felt your eyes close slowly. Struggling to stay awake, you tried to think of good things that had happened today, but instead all you could think was the small crammed tent. Too few doctors. The soldiers laying there and trusting their lives in your hands. You hadn't been able to save them all.

Sharp pain pierced through your chest as you remembered a young boy, barely out of his teens. He had looked so hopeful before the war, but after, when he was brought to you, he was older. The life was gone from his eyes and you could see the grey in his hair. Instead of smiling or crying he just stared emotionlessly at the sky when you told him you had to amputate his arm.

You opened your eyes with a soft gasp, young boy's round and aoft face staying in front of your eyes for few seconds before you blinked it away. You pushed the book of your lap and  breathed slowly in and out. In. And out. That calmed you slightly.

You reached your hand over the pillow and took ahold of Marco's, gripping his fingers tightly. For a second you didn't care if it woke him up. You needed an anchor that would keep you out from the dark madness. He moved slightly and opened his eyes, looking sleepily at you, and you felt guilt washing over you. Now you had selfishly ruined those few hours he managed to sleep.

"What is it-yoi?" He blinked tiredly and yawned. You moved closer, wrapping one hand around his waist, not letting go of the other and just buried your face in the crook of his neck. Silently understanding he just held you tightly, rocking you in his arms until you both fell asleep again.