Gram joking he's in love with Newgate, while winking at Newgate because he knows the man doesn't believe him for a second.
Gram fully and completely realizing that his jokes is not a joke when he watches Newgate and Marco interact over some food Marco refused to eat. Marco always refused to eat winter crab, even if he had to starve because it looked gross. Newgate offers Marco some, and Marco refuses. And Newgate just- shrugs. Casually. "That's true, you're not big enough or old enough for such a taste."
And that makes Marco sit up, because he's seven, a full grown adult you know. And he says, "I'm a adult enough, I want some."
But Newgate just sets his plate higher and shakes his head. "No, no, I don't want to force you."
The entire crew is choking back laughter because they tried that before- but it's different when it's Newgate because Newgate's the tallest and strongest. Marco just starts trying to climb up, but Newgate actually plucks him off and sets him back down on his seat. He wouldn't even do that if Marco was swiping a sip from his sake cup. Now, Marco's really protesting.
And finally Marco looks at him, tears in his eyes, as he cries out, "Daddddddd, I'm a adult enough, right?"
And Newgate is keeping the same grave look as he protests Marco's too young and too little for Crab.
It's Gram who cracks first, and just like he thought- Marco actually quite likes the taste. And over Marco's head, Newgate smiles, a far smaller smile then he has when laughing at the crewmates jokes, and it's far warmer then anything he's seen before.
Gram never jokes about being in love again.
(Newgate actually fell in love far sooner then Gram, and didn't realize Gram was joking for a second. He's a man dense when it comes to love, so all he knows is Gram suddenly stopped flirting with him after getting Marco to eat snow crab. The resulting hurt and confusion is not solved until a island is nearly tipped into the sea.)
😭Oh my gods this mini fic is soo adorable!!! I'm crying!!! thank you for writing it, it made my day!!!!
Gram realizing that the interest he felt for Newgate was more than just admiration or wanting friendship, shit got real! And that he is definitely dad material even if he doesn't realize it yet! And I imagine Whitebeard realizing he is treating Marco more and more like a son but trying to think: No, it's not my place I'm not his father. Then one day Marco asks Newgate a story before going to sleep because he likes his voice and finds it soothing and before falling asleep he says: thanks pops. And Whitebeard with tears down his cheeks realizing that this is it. He wants to be a father!!! To have a family with Gram! Omg! Thanks for this mini fic! 🥹









