Next time, I'll try to find a way to turn you into a bird form or something, but for now, this is good enough, eh.
[He turns around and picks Ikki up despite the protests. Because he knows. Because he's been there, but at least he had Thatch, at least he had Whitebeard, he could never have done it without them. And whatever Ikki says, Marco doesn't care, because he knows it must have been so much harder without them. It must have hurt so much more, and it's time he doesn't have to hurt so much.]
You were very brave.
[He carries him through the forest, glowing blue because no matter what, it's a comforting light and he knows it. And he wants it there to protect Ikki, from the forest, from his own dark thoughts, from everything. So he casts it all over.]
You were very brave, and very strong, and it hurts because sometimes just being brave and strong isn't enough. Believe me, I know. I've seen that too. Ace is always both, but he still died, eh? She didn't get hurt because you were weak, or not enough, she got hurt because she got very close, very fast, and neither of you had anyway to pull back. That's what scares me about Robin. I'll never know how to pull back. If she doesn't keep me away, how will I know? But it's okay. It's okay because even though it hurts, you tried. You tried and you gave and gave and gave. And you tried hard. Even if no one else ever knows how hard you tried, I know. I know, okay? And it's okay now.
[He shifts Ikki's weight and ruffles his head with one free hand before going back to carrying him.]
Even if it still hurts for a long time, that hurt is proof of how you tried. Our scars are never the kind people can see, and sometimes they don't think they're there. But they're there. [That's why he wore a bandage to his Pops' funeral. No one else could see his scars, but they were there.]
I might lose all my brothers well before their time. Back in my world there's thousands I have to protect, but we're outnumbered. I don't know what to do really. I'm going to keep trying, but I can't protect it all. Even if I could be everywhere at once, there are some things even I can't face. They'll all try to protect me too, and that's even harder to bear. All I can do is hope. Maybe a chance will come, and then I can take it. Maybe I can kill Akainu and avenge Ace. Maybe I can kill Teach and avenge everyone. Maybe I can kill Kaidou. Maybe, maybe, maybe. There's so many pieces, so many threads, even I can't master them all. So I can only keep trying. Fighting to give my best. Take moments like these just to breathe because it's what my Pops would want. He can't tell me what to do anymore, and I'm still mad at him for dying, because it's childish and petty, but that way it stings less, eh? But the older part of me, the better part of me knows I should take these moments too.
It's easier when I remember I have to take the moments so that the rest of my brothers, like Namur, know it's okay. So they will too. Because if I don't show them it's okay, they won't. They'll avoid it, because they're still so young, and so scared, and they have so much to fear. So the best I can do is show them that there are times they don't have to be afraid. That it's okay to laugh again, even though we'll cry more later.
Maybe I'll lose them all in their time. That will let me be done and rest. But if I don't, I'll keep fighting for every last one of them. Because they need me. And I know you'll fight for yours too, okay? Because you are who you are.
But for now, just rest. I've got you. You're strong, but even the world's strongest need to rest, need a friend, need nakama, need family. [Another gentle ruffle, and Marco goes back to singing again.]
no subject
Next time, I'll try to find a way to turn you into a bird form or something, but for now, this is good enough, eh.
[He turns around and picks Ikki up despite the protests. Because he knows. Because he's been there, but at least he had Thatch, at least he had Whitebeard, he could never have done it without them. And whatever Ikki says, Marco doesn't care, because he knows it must have been so much harder without them. It must have hurt so much more, and it's time he doesn't have to hurt so much.]
You were very brave.
[He carries him through the forest, glowing blue because no matter what, it's a comforting light and he knows it. And he wants it there to protect Ikki, from the forest, from his own dark thoughts, from everything. So he casts it all over.]
You were very brave, and very strong, and it hurts because sometimes just being brave and strong isn't enough. Believe me, I know. I've seen that too. Ace is always both, but he still died, eh? She didn't get hurt because you were weak, or not enough, she got hurt because she got very close, very fast, and neither of you had anyway to pull back. That's what scares me about Robin. I'll never know how to pull back. If she doesn't keep me away, how will I know? But it's okay. It's okay because even though it hurts, you tried. You tried and you gave and gave and gave. And you tried hard. Even if no one else ever knows how hard you tried, I know. I know, okay? And it's okay now.
[He shifts Ikki's weight and ruffles his head with one free hand before going back to carrying him.]
Even if it still hurts for a long time, that hurt is proof of how you tried. Our scars are never the kind people can see, and sometimes they don't think they're there. But they're there. [That's why he wore a bandage to his Pops' funeral. No one else could see his scars, but they were there.]
I might lose all my brothers well before their time. Back in my world there's thousands I have to protect, but we're outnumbered. I don't know what to do really. I'm going to keep trying, but I can't protect it all. Even if I could be everywhere at once, there are some things even I can't face. They'll all try to protect me too, and that's even harder to bear. All I can do is hope. Maybe a chance will come, and then I can take it. Maybe I can kill Akainu and avenge Ace. Maybe I can kill Teach and avenge everyone. Maybe I can kill Kaidou. Maybe, maybe, maybe. There's so many pieces, so many threads, even I can't master them all. So I can only keep trying. Fighting to give my best. Take moments like these just to breathe because it's what my Pops would want. He can't tell me what to do anymore, and I'm still mad at him for dying, because it's childish and petty, but that way it stings less, eh? But the older part of me, the better part of me knows I should take these moments too.
It's easier when I remember I have to take the moments so that the rest of my brothers, like Namur, know it's okay. So they will too. Because if I don't show them it's okay, they won't. They'll avoid it, because they're still so young, and so scared, and they have so much to fear. So the best I can do is show them that there are times they don't have to be afraid. That it's okay to laugh again, even though we'll cry more later.
Maybe I'll lose them all in their time. That will let me be done and rest. But if I don't, I'll keep fighting for every last one of them. Because they need me. And I know you'll fight for yours too, okay? Because you are who you are.
But for now, just rest. I've got you. You're strong, but even the world's strongest need to rest, need a friend, need nakama, need family. [Another gentle ruffle, and Marco goes back to singing again.]