Sometimes.
Pairing: PauliexIceburg (Because I can still count the number of PxI stories with barely two hands.)
Summary: Sometimes Paulie wished he had left Water7 when he still had the chance. Sometimes he didn't.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece and characters.
Unbeta-ed. Spotting typo's will be appreciated.
Sometimes, Paulie wishes that he had left Water7 when he had the chance.
He could've grown up in a normal and wealthy environment, with no dorm full of other orphans who competed over every small bit of attention that supervisors and childless couples gave them. He imaged that then he would've gotten a real education and a real chance to develop himself when he was still a child. He wouldn't have known how cold it could be during winter; he wouldn't have known the dangers of being alone on the streets at night. He would've learnt all kinds of intelligent things, and he would have grown up to be really sophisticated.
He could have had a normal childhood.
But he had grown up in Water7, so he hadn't. He had run away from dogs, yagara and rabuka bulls (those could be quite vicious if you riled them up!), older boys, tugs, thieves, pirates, police.. He had become a good runner though. But still, he could've had a decent upbringing, someplace other than Water7.
Paulie really hated Water7 at times.
He hated the scorching afternoons when buildings seemed to melt. He hated the storms and hurricanes which destroyed parts of the town that people had built with so much difficulty. He hated Dock1, because Dock1 hired everyone who asked; people like those fat witches Mozz and Kiwi, and government agents who fucked your mind for five years before they betrayed you.
Dock1 was his only home, and if Dock1 would ever close or disappear, Paulie would not have a home anyone. Paulie was terrified to lose his home. He wished he wasn't. He wished he didn't care so much for Dock1. He hated that he cared so much for the stupid terrain.
Sometimes, Paulie wished that he had gone with the Strawhats.
He could've left with them. He could have said he was looking for adventure and he could've mentioned he wanted to go with them. Surely it was a more obvious choice for Franky to go with them, but he knew that they would've welcomed him as nakama.
He had never asked or showed initiative to come with them. Now he was missing all kinds of great adventures, he was sure of it. And thus, Paulie hated Water7 a little bit more.
Sometimes, Paulie hated Iceburg.
The man was too good, Paulie often thought. Paulie hated the lax attitude Iceburg had treated Franky with. He hated that Iceburg could just hire those tugs from the Franky Family, like it was nothing that they had done bad things in the past. He hated to know that Iceburg cared so much for them.
Sometimes, Paulie hated it when Iceburg looked at him. Iceburg's eyes would look demeaning when Paulie arrived at work with a hangover, or they would look disappointed when Paulie had gambled away his latest pay check (plus more) again.
Iceburg's eyes seemed to pierce right through Paulie. As if Paulie could never hold a secret. Paulie hated it. When Paulie would lie and say he didn't care about Iceburg, Iceburg knew this wasn't true. When Paulie tried to maintain his pride and dignity when he saw the New Secretary blow Iceburg a raspberry, Iceburg knew it had upset Paulie. Paulie hated to be transparent to Iceburg. He sometimes wished he wasn't.
Paulie hated Iceburg and his stupid secretary. Iceburg happened to attract all the wrong women in the world. The worst part was that he was oblivious to this, or just did not care enough. If Paulie had ever thought Kalifa had dressed scandalous, then it was because he hadn't met the newest woman-thing which called herself Iceburg's New Secretary yet. The New One (Paulie refused to call her by her name) was a lot worse.
And Iceburg did nothing about it.
He seemed immune to her whorish clothing and the way she always flaunted over him. The looks she gave him when she brought her boss coffee made Paulie think she was already humping him in her mind.
The worst part was, of course, Iceburg himself. He drank his coffee as if no-one was mentally undressing him. He did not give any attention to all the innuendo's his secretary made.
But Paulie knew better of course.
She was nice, and almost as good as Kalifa had been in doing her job. Surely they were having sex every day. Paulie was sure of it.
And that is why Paulie wanted to leave Water7 so badly sometimes. Because his boss fucked the secretary, but did not pay attention to him when Paulie was talking about ships.
Sometimes, Paulie loved Water7.
He had seen barely anything of the world, but he was sure that there was no better place than Water7.
He had the greatest friends in the world. They lightened his world when everything seemed gloomy; they made jokes and fun of each other when Paulie felt like needing a break from all the work; they helped each other. He could not go on without them.
Whenever Tilestone would start laughing (and whole Water7 would hear), Paulie could only laugh with him. And when Paulie had a problem, he knew that Lulu would always listen to it. Paulie always said that he hated the Franky Family, but his heart always shone with happiness when he was called 'Paulie-Aniki'. When Mozz (or was it Kiwi?) once arrived at Dock1 in long jeans and a long-sleeved jacket, Paulie had immediately blessed her soul and told her she was the only woman in the world who was like an angel.
More hands meant less work, and Paulie loved his friends and colleagues for working just as hard as he did, to built ships from scrap and to help making Water7 a better place to live.
Paulie loved his work.
He loved building ships. He had been so incredibly proud when he had helped building a ship for the first time in his life. He had been thirteen back then and when he saw the ship leave the harbour for a test ride, he knew he wanted to make ships for the rest of his life.
He loved building things from scrap. The way that he could transform a pile of junk into something useful always gave him such a satisfying feeling.
Paulie loved Iceburg.
They could talk about everything. Even though many thought this, their conversations did not only cover topics of carpentry. Sometimes, they talked about hopes and dreams; about their childhood, or the lack thereof; about their friends and 'family' and about the other. Sometimes, they did not talk at all; at times like that, the two of them seemed content with the silence around them.
Iceburg appreciated the little things in his life, and that was what mattered. When Paulie had barely hit puberty and demanded to work from him, Iceburg was grateful for Paulie's effort and attitude. When Paulie chased away nasty and scandalously dressed monsters which called themselves 'women' (or more specifically 'Soon-to-be-Iceburg's-wifes') Iceburg always had to laugh. He was grateful when Paulie tried making him coffee (and failed. But that was not the point).
One day, Iceburg had bought him a toothbrush, because Paulie kept forgetting to bring his own when he stayed over. Paulie had smiled, and the day after that, Paulie bought Iceburg a toothbrush too; 'So you can come over to my place someday too, and don't worry about your teeth.' After that, Iceburg had laughed and laughed, and Paulie felt like a King. See! It were the little things that mattered.
Iceburg always dressed properly. Paulie loved that so much. Even though he attracted a lot of attention, it sure as hell was not because of his clothing. He always wore nice suits. And if the situation called for more casual clothing, Iceburg would still refrain from dressing like a male whore. Iceburg left nothing and everything up to the imagination of others and Paulie was grateful for that, for no-one in their right mind should show skin in an improper manner.
He loved kissing Iceburg.
Iceburg was passionate about everything. About his work, about his morals and standards, about his friends and family. And about Paulie. When Iceburg kissed Paulie, he never did this half hearted as well. He kissed with so much vigour and energy, Paulie always felled dazed afterwards. And apparently Paulie always looked like he wanted more after such a kiss, because Iceburg only had to look at Paulie's face before stealing Paulie's breathe away all over again.
Whenever Paulie would take the initiative and he would try to kiss Iceburg, Iceburg would find it endearing and let Paulie kiss. Those kind of kisses were usually not as passionate, but from a whole other level. Those kind of kisses were dangerously close to emotions Paulie did not like to think about too much. Paulie didn't use his tongue much when kissing like that, and he almost never seemed to choke out of sheer passion and lack of oxygen. Yet those kisses seemed a lot more intimate than the kisses Iceburg usually gave. Paulie was sometimes unsure what kind of kisses he liked better.
Paulie loved having sex with Iceburg.
Iceburg was the best lover Paulie could imagine. Iceburg would kiss his skin until it sang from pleasure; use his mouth, lips, and tongue to do things that Paulie considered very sinful but could never deny himself. Iceburg was always careful not to hurt Paulie too much when being on top, and if Paulie wanted to reverse the roles then that was okay. As careful and caring as Iceburg could be when pushing his cock deep inside of Paulie, as rough and out-of-control he could be while riding him.
He loved it when Iceburg was inside of him, filling him both so literally and figuratively. Iceburg would try and please Paulie alongside his own pleasure and at moments like that, Paulie knew that he was the only one on Iceburg's mind. Iceburg always made sure that Paulie received pleasure as well, and sometimes made that his top priority instead of dealing with his own urges.
Iceburg, as controlled, well-spoken and responsible as he was when being the major of a blooming city, always tried (but always failed nonetheless) in maintaining control during sex. Paulie knew exactly how to twist his body to make Iceburg stop thinking altogether.
Paulie loved being bottom. Knowing that he was the only one in Iceburg's mind at that moment, knowing that he was the one that could make Iceburg lose control.
Paulie loved it when they made love.
Sometimes, Iceburg and Paulie argued about leaving the lights on. Paulie wanted them off, prudish as he was; shameful and dirty acts should only happen in the dark. Iceburg wanted to leave them on, liberate as he was; he wanted to see every face that Paulie made. He did not want to only feel but also see his lover.
Sometimes, but more than usual, they left the lights out. Iceburg sometimes said having sex without seeing properly wasn't intimate, but then Paulie would show Iceburg exactly how intimate sex could be with touch alone. Iceburg would usually agree afterwards.
They left the light on at times as well. Paulie would blush and blush and be shy and flustered. This turned Iceburg on more than anything and the sex that followed was amazing.
Sometimes, they did not have sex. On nights like that, Paulie would talk about ships, and Iceburg about annoying costumers. They both brushed their teeth in Iceburg's royally-big bathroom, and then before going to sleep, Iceburg would put T-rex in a small basket on his nightstand. When the lights were turned off, Paulie would twist and turn very annoyingly. Iceburg always understood the silent message that Paulie made clear: Just because we're not having sex tonight, it doesn't mean we don't get to kiss. Paulie always denied that he liked getting goodnight-kisses from Iceburg; Iceburg didn't mind that Paulie was stubborn.
Paulie appreciated the small things between them. He loved the way Iceburg would always crawl against him at nights. Paulie sometimes suspected that the sole reason Iceburg let Paulie sleep in his bed was because Iceburg had cold feet, and loved to warm them between Paulie's legs. But sometimes Paulie just gave Iceburg a sound kiss as he felt those cold feet wrench themselves between Paulie's legs again.
Sometimes, Paulie thought he was going crazy. Sometimes, Paulie thought that worrying about things was quite normal for human beings.
Sometimes, Paulie hated Iceburg's secretary; they were surely fucking every day behind his back. Sometimes, Iceburg's secretary brought Paulie coffee as well, and then Paulie didn't dislike her all that much, because he knew that he was the one who could touch Iceburg and not her.
Sometimes, Paulie thought he thought too much about what he liked and disliked.
Sometimes, Paulie didn't think at all and simply kept going, loving the life he was living.