Ghost

The first time Marco saw him was after he had knocked Ace out. Thatch was dragging away the unconscious body. He was lingering at mid-air, semi-transparent in the light of the fire-wall. He wore a red open jacket, blue shorts, brown sandals and a straw hat with a red band. The boy, maybe 16"17 years old, had a half-moon shaped scar under the left eye.

He had a fond expression, watching fire-fist's face. Marco approached him and waved a hand in front of his face. The ghost blinked twice before looking at him, surprised. The boy opened his mouth, then closed it again and bit his lower lip, looking away. And disappeared. As if he had not been there at all.

Marco dismissed it after some seconds, boarding the Moby Dick. He looked at the new addition to the crew and sighed. A lot of work to do was waiting for him. The boy was strong, if the fight with Jimbe was any hint, and stubborn. But his pops wanted him as one of his sons, so he had to endure and try to understand Ace.

*-._.-*

The second time, Marco was on watching duty on the crow's nest. It was around 3 in the night, a week after taking Ace. Two days in the infirmary and then he had been restlessly attacking pops without care. Now, everyone on board appreciated braveness, but not someone destroying the ship every single day.

They had resisted the urge to just stop him only because Whitebeard kept laughing at his attempts. Not counting the fact that the stubborn scoundrel wasn't opening up to anyone. Izo had tried with kindness, but failed. Thatch had tried with food, but failed. The boy did eat everything, and hardly stopped, but that was not enough. Marco was starting to think a heavy burden was well hidden behind a strong façade.

Ace was sprawled on a wooden roof, probably passed out for not sleeping during those days, when the figure appeared. As before, he was looking with fondness at the boy. He put a hand on his shoulder and sat near him.

The pirate was simply too curious to let the occasion slip from his fingers, so he jumped down soundlessly. The boy, however, noticed him immediately. He turned his head towards him, hat hung on his back. His expression was a bit angered and a bit unsure.

"You can see me."

His voice was cracked, filled with unexplainable emotions. Marco nodded, keeping some distance.

"How strange..." The boy looked again at Ace and smiled, sadly. "No one has ever seen me."

"Who are you?" He whispered, hoping Ace wouldn't wake up.

"I..." The boy bit his lower lip and sighed. "My name's Luffy."

"I'm Marco, yoi."

"You seem a good man."

The pirate blinked, not understanding. Had he met this boy before? Why was he judged like that?

"Just a feeling. You all are." The smile this time was happier. "He's still so stubborn."

Marco resisted the urge to scoff. He was about to speak, but the boy disappeared again into nothingness. The pirate sighed, looking with piercing eyes over Ace. He was twitching in his sleep, mumbling incoherent words. Probably a nightmare.

He approached the boy making sounds and wary of a possible attack. With a hand, Marco took a shoulder and shook him. Ace held his breath with wide eyes, looking frantically around. Once he noticed the pirate and the sea, he started panting and the Commander let him go, deciding to take his place on the crow's nest.

No words reached him, Ace just laid there, looking up at the sky as his breath evened.

  *-._.-*