A Little Older (Marco x Reader)

Back In High School

Chapter 2

"I don't see why we have to drop you off here and then come back and get you once you're done eating with Marco," Ace grumbled as he pulled up to the front of the high school, scowling as he watched you gather up your stuff and adjust your gray plaid cami dress before getting out.

"Because we're already going shopping after this and I promised Marco I'd eat lunch with him, plus you promised Luffy you'd treat him to lunch yesterday after you lost the round of darts at work," you smiled, sticking out your tongue at your freckled friend and giving Luffy a high five before turning around to head inside the school.

"That dress is showing off way too much cleavage anyway, it's not appropriate for school!" Ace yelled after you. "Oh..." he smirked mischievously. "You still have a crush on Marco, don't you?"

"[Y/n] totally likes our pineapple, shishshi~!" Luffy laughed, giving away your secret with ease.

"LUFFY THAT WAS A SECRET!" You yelped, gaining yourself weird looks from people walking by. "Whatever! Just pick me up in an hour, freckles!" You huffed, turning back around and texting Marco to say you were here before walking into the school.

Inside you immediately stepped into the front office, being greeted with a look of judgment from the receptionist as she observed your outfit. "Uh hi, I'm [F/n] [L/n] and I'm here to see Marco, the art teacher..." You smiled nervously at the girl who pushed a clipboard towards you over the counter.

"Sign in and then make a name tag, he's in room 127, the art room," She snapped, going immediately back to her work after her few words.

"Right..." you sighed, quickly signing in and filling out a name tag, placing it right above your left breast before heading out the office door and down the hallway.

You tired your best to remember which way the art room was, but it had been four years since you set foot in the building and you had to stop and ask some poor student to point you in the right direction.

After only a few turn arounds, you finally managed to make your way to the art room. You heard Marco's laugh as you neared the door, and when you peaked inside he was leaning against the front of his desk, smiling and laughing with a pretty female teacher. Words of hate started to fill your mind before you quickly realized the woman was your good friend Nico Robin. She must have grown out her hair, I hardly recognized her at first...

Despite Robin being a good friend, you still didn't like seeing your pineapple smiling at another girl like that. I mean...he's not mine and Robin might actually be a better match for him, but still...

"Ah, [y/n]! I didn't know you were home yet!" Robin smiled, spotting you in the doorway before you even entered the room.

"I got home last week! Zoro told me he tried to get you to visit us at the bar but you were busy," you explained as you walked in, smiling slightly and trying to not look at Marco who was staring at you with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open. He's been looking at me like that a lot lately, it's starting to make me nervous.

"He didn't mention you were back, otherwise I would have come," Robin frowned, pulling you in for a tight hug. "I wouldn't miss seeing my cute little friend~! Isn't she just the cutest, Marco? You two are even matching," Robin chuckled, looking down at Marco's gray plaid pants and then to your similarly patterned dress.

"Uh yeah, real cute..." He mumbled, turning his head to avoid eye contact with you.

"I didn't do it on purpose, Marco! I completely forgot what you wearing!" You exclaimed, taking his refusal to look at you as a sign of him being upset.

"It doesn't matter! Just sit down already yoi!" Marco huffed, pulling up a chair to the front of his desk before going to sit down on the other side.

"Okay..." You frowned, obediently sitting down in the chair.

Robin chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, I'll leave you two to enjoy your lunch. I promise I'll come to visit you at the bar soon, [y/n]," Robin assured, before walking towards the door.

"I'm looking forward to it!" You smiled after the woman before turning back to Marco who was now frowning down at his phone. "Look, I didn't mean to embarrass you by dressing like you, please don't be mad at me."

"W-what? I'm not upset about that yoi!" Marco looked up at you, his cheeks glowing red. "I think you look good..."

"Oh, um, thanks..." You blushed, hiding your face by bending down to get the lunchboxes out of your bag, handing him a bento box and starting open your own.

Marco thanked you and opened his. "Did you make this all yoi?" He questioned after taking a bite. "It's amazing!"

"Thank you," you blushed again, smiling as you watched him scarf down his meal.

"Can you bring me lunch every day?" Marco jested, leaning back in his chair contently after finishing.

"I mostly work nights so that could be arranged," you informed him, a bit surprised by the chuckle he let out as he shook his head.

"I think the others would get jealous if you always made me lunch and neglected them yoi," Marco smiled, putting the bento box together before handing it back to you.

"I'm allowed to play favorites some times," you pouted, crossing your arms across his chest.

"You just love giving me that look, don't you?" Marco sighed, lowering his head only to raise it suddenly in realization. "Wait yoi, did you just say I'm your favorite? What about Luffy? I thought he was your best friend yoi."

"He is, Luffy will always be my best friend but I feel differently about you, Marco," you admitted, starting to reach across the table for his hand but retracting it quickly when someone walked through the door.

"Hey, Marco! You better be coming to the bars tonight, that girl you've been talking to is going to be there~!" Shanks called as he walked in the room, pausing when he noticed you sitting across from Marco. "Ah look who it is~! My Favorite employee~!" The red-haired man smiled before sauntering over to you two.

"Shanks, please don't tell me you drove all the way over to the high school just to ask me to come out tonight yoi. There's such a thing as a text, you know," Marco sighed, leaning back in his chair and finally noticing the large frown across your face.

"You're seeing someone?" You asked, completely ignoring your boss who was now whining about the slight.

"Uh, well, kinda? Just talking to her yoi," Marco scratched the back of his head nervously, looking like he was a child being scolded.

"Oh...I see. I didn't know," You remarked coldly as you started packing up your things. "Maybe she can bring you lunch and then you won't have to worry about me playing favorites."

"[Y/n], look, it's not—" Marco started but was suddenly cut off by Shanks' louder voice.

"You know if you dressed like that at work we would get more customers~!" The red-haired man commented, gaining a sigh from you and a sharp glare from Marco.

"Shanks, don't make me punch you..." You grumbled, standing up. "Come on, we can walk out together. We're probably annoying Marco anyway."

Marco quickly stood up, stopping you before you could usher Shanks out the door. "H-hey! You're not annoying me yoi, far from it," he frowned, placing his hands on both of your arms as he held you in place. "Are you okay? You're acting weird all of a sudden, plus you didn't tell me why you feel differently about me."

"It's not important now..." You murmured, looking away from him. "Marco I gotta go, Ace and Luffy are picking me up soon," you huffed, pulling away from him and continuing to user Shanks out the door.

"Ah, my other favorite employees!" Shanks sang, letting you pull him down the hallway.

"We're your only employees, dummy," You shook your head, laughing at the goof next to you. At least he appreciated you, unlike someone.