Marco: I fucked up!
Thatch: I'm trying to sleep man
Marco: I kissed F/N before I left for work
Thatch: Thats a hilarious string of autocorrects
Marco: She did my tie and we were talking and I just kissed her on the cheek
Thatch: on the cheek?!
Thatch: I could be sleeping right now and you're talking about pecks on the cheek?!
Marco: cmon man. You know there are reasons I never do that stuff with her
Thatch: yeah 10 years ago.
Thatch: she's an adult now
Marco: but she just got out of a relationship
Thatch:yeah... you never had good timing
Thatch: now leave me alone
___________
It really wasn't a big deal. Luffy, Thatch and Ace kissed your forehead and cheek all the time. Sabo even had a few special occasions like your birthday or the time you got caught under the mistletoe a few years ago. But never Marco. He'd ruffle your hair to make you mad or slap your back and of course if the time called for it, a good old innocent side hug. He hugged his brothers often and well, you'd seen him kiss more girls than you'd care to remember.
Now that you think about it why did you seem to be the one being singled out here? This was getting depressing.
Your thoughts shifted to his warm and surprisingly soft lips. How he gently swayed with you while you cried into his shirt two months ago.
Ugh. What is this?
It was just too comfortable, completely natural and required zero effort. Like everything you ever did with Marco. Though Ace was your best friend and by far the closest brother to you he was incredibly hard headed; as was Luffy. You'd swear they were related by blood. Sabo always did his own thing and was far too clean and polite to have been raised in this house. Thatch was the group mom despite his mischievous streak. He was always stopping you from making a mess and making sure you learned your lesson.
Familiar feelings bubbled through your chest.
It was nothing. It was nothing. It was nothing.
"I know that face." Ace smirked pushing the bottoms of his feet flush with yours as you laid on opposite ends on the sofa.
"You don't." You replied flatly.
"Mhm ~" He hummed, "You're thinking ab-"
"Ace," You interrupted raising your right leg, "If you ever want to have kids you won't finish that sentence."
"OK geez." The raven whined protectively cupping his groin.
"F/N!" Thatch shouted from the kitchen, "Set the table. Dinner is almost ready."
You pushed yourself off the couch and slinked into the kitchen. Marco was pulling plates down from the cabinet so you counted out and gathered utensils.
Family dinner was something pops made sure happened as often as possible. There were usually at least two or three of you missing during dinner on week nights which is why no matter what everyone came together on Sunday evenings, no devices allowed, for dinner. Tonight, Sabo and Luffy would be out and Thatch had to leave as soon as he was done eating for his shift at the bar.
There was a bit of awkward tension as you and the blond walked into the dining room to set the table.
"Uh about this morning yoi."
You didn't lift your eyes from the napkin you were folding.
Be cool. No biggie.
"No worries. It was like a knee jerk thing, right?" Your face was on fire.
Don't look up.
"Well - uh."
"It's just a peck on the cheek, everyone does it." You shrugged forcing your shaky hands to keep folding, "You just aren't as affectionate as the others so it caught me off guard."
You saw his shoulders drop a little in your peripheral.
"Ah yeah," He let out an airy chuckle, "I just didn't want you to be weirded out."
See me, no big deal.
"Of course not." You forced a smile.
Why did it feel so disappointing?
He made a speedy exit while you sighed and finished setting the table.
This was reminiscent of high school and that wasn't good. All of the teasing and weird feelings really strained your relationship with the pineapple. Things were finally sort of normal.
You passed through the kitchen door hushing the whispering brothers immediately.
Suspicious.
"What's going to the table Thatchy?"
"Marco will take it. Can you go get pops from the garage? Please?" The brunette smiled over his shoulder at you.
"Aye-aye." You sauntered out to the garage to fetch the old man.
"Nami called you while you were outside." Ace chirped following you into the dining room where Marco and Thatch already sat on either side of pops' seat.
"Did you answer it?" That was a stupid question, of course he had.
"Yup!" He grinned, "She wants to set you up on a date."
"I'll tell her no later." You sighed slouching down next to Thatch.
"Oh - I already told her you'd do it." He said gaining the attention of everyone at the table.
"W-hy would you do that?" You gaped.
"What? It's been long enough."
"Two months." You strained.
"Exactly." He nodded.
"You can't just decide things for her yoi." Marco swatted the raven.
"I'll just call her after dinner." You huffed.
"Well, maybe you should go." Pops suggested shifting the shocked glares from Ace to himself.
"I thought you loved me pops." You whined.
"Of course, I do!" The old man boomed, "A little date won't kill ya. You might even feel better after."
"It's not like you have to marry the guy." Thatch added.
"Would you like to add to the betrayal?" You crossed your arms and glared at Marco.
He sipped his beer and very calmly shook his head.
"We just want you to be happy lass." Pops added.
"I'm ... " You paused thinking about the last 12 hours, "Ugh. Fine I'll do it. But I'm gonna be an awful date."
_________
You sat nervously twisting a lock of your hair at the five-star hotel's bar/restaurant. It was an enormous opulent room with huge chandeliers dangling from the vaulted ceiling. You'd made sure to dress accordingly and had no problem getting your hair and makeup exactly how you liked. But you still felt out of place. This place was expensive – too expensive for a blind date. It was the kind of restaurant that you go to for your ten-year anniversary.
"Can I get you a cocktail miss?" The young bartender asked wiping the marble counter in front of you.
You weren't a cocktail girl... but you didn't see a beer tap or any bottles for that matter.
"Can I just get a white Russian?" You slid your credit card across the counter to open a tab.
"I've got this." A smooth baritone voice drifted over your shoulder as a tattooed hand slid your card back, "A white Russian? Would you like to go bowling after this?"
You chuckled at his reference, eyes trailing up his tailored sleeve to his ridiculously attractive relaxed face. What the hell was Nami thinking? Thick black hair shadowed his sharp dark features that were only enhanced by his seemingly glowing amber eyes.
"Trafalgar Law." He stated evenly responding to your no doubt bewildered expression.
I AM gonna be a awful date.