I know this isn't my normal range of characters, but I really love Basil Hawkins...and I'm really starting to like this pair.

Fine By Me

A HawKidd Story

Neither one of them was good with words. One hardly spoke at all, while the other normally only threw taunts and jeers at his enemies, or orders at his men. Yet, right this very instant, the only thing that Eustass Kidd wanted to be able to say was 'I love you' – to Basil Hawkins, no less.

Yes, it was true. The demon known as Eustass 'Captain' Kidd had fallen in love. Stupid as that emotion was, the redhead was hooked. It seemed that everything the blonde did attracted the pale man even more.

The way that he would play with those damned cards all the time, the way his bloody eyes would scan his face as if looking for an answer hidden in his strong features, his voice when he actually decided to speak, or the way he would entangle his hair around Kidd's wrist to keep him there if he needed to speak to him – Hawkins was utterly irresistible.

Currently, the pair was sitting at a bar, drinking their cares away – well, at least Kidd was attempting to. Hawkins was shuffling his cards, and would pull one out every once in a while. The blonde would hum softly, before sticking the card back and shuffling some more.

Normally, the soft sound of the cards brushing against each other was a comfort to the redhead, but tonight, it was grating against every single one of his nerves. He couldn't pull it off any longer – it was tearing him up inside. He had to tell the Magician.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Kidd asked suddenly. Hawkins paused his shuffling to look over at his red-eyed companion. The redheaded Captain shifted a bit uncomfortably at the stare. "Jus' a nice night, 's all." He turned his attention back to his drink.

Without a word, the blonde silently pocketed his cards and stood. His hair wrapped around the pale man's wrist, alerting Kidd to his agreement. Nodding quietly, the redhead downed the rest of his beer, stood, and followed after Hawkins who led the way. They both stepped out of the bar into the cooling and rather sobering night.

The duo walked along the winding streets of the ocean-side town, neither one speaking. The silence was comfortable enough, although Kidd's heart was racing. Now that he had the Magician alone, what was the next step to his brilliant plan?

After what seemed like just a few moments of being lost in his mind, he felt a hand grip onto his wrist. The pale Captain jumped at the sudden skin-on-skin contact. Hawkins never physically touched him before.

"…You were about to step into the ocean," Hawkins said in his normal monotone. It was true – Kidd was standing a breath away from the lapping waves of the sea, licking the beach. He had been too deep in thought to realize that they had traversed to the beach.

"…oh," was all Kidd could manage.

Hawkins stopped to stare out at the ocean in the moonlight, his blood-coloured eyes scanning the shimmering water. All the while, he was still holding onto the pale man's wrist.

"How come you always look at your cards?" Kidd asked suddenly. Mentally, the redhead kicked himself – the Magician wouldn't answer his prying questions. He never did before.

"…So that I am prepared," the blonde replied.

Kidd blinked at the response. That was new. "For what?"

"Anything."

Kidd mulled that answer around before he finally swallowed it in order to speak again. "Doesn't that make life a bit borin'?"

Hawkins snorted a bit as a small smile found its way to his lips. It lit up his bloody-eyes in a way that made the pale Captain grin, too.

"I suppose it does. Yet, you defy the cards."

"Really?" the redhead asked. Rebelling was written in his cells – to be able to defy even Fate was rebelling to the extreme. He was very interested in this.

"Yes. The cards tell me that you hate me. They say that you shall be the death of me. Yet…that isn't true, it is?"

Kidd felt his heart skip a beat. Did Basil know how he really felt? Had those damned cards actually shown him the truth? The pale Captain's heart was racing uncontrollably, and he was pretty sure that the entire town could hear its frantic thumping.

"Do you hate me, Eustass?" Hawkins asked, releasing the other's wrist. As the blonde stepped away slightly, Kidd realized that he liked the feeling of the other's hand so damned close to his.

The slightly shorter man watched as the Magician slowly drew away from him, and internally he screamed at himself to do something. Anything! Pull Hawkins close and tell him that you love him! Kiss him until all of the air leaves his body! Hold him close and never let him go! Do something!

"Perhaps it is best that I leave," the older male said, after what seemed to be an eternity of silence. He spun in his heel in the sand, and began to walk away.

Eustass wanted so badly to scream at the Magician to stop, but no sound would come out of his mouth, no matter how many times he opened it. So, he did the next best thing.

The redhead Captain leapt at the other, effectively knocking him down into the sand. Hawkins turned to face the bulkier male, and Kidd decided to strike. Quickly, the pale man pressed his painted lips into the blonde's, his eyes fluttering closed. The taller man stilled and laid in the sand in shock. When Kidd didn't feel any movement, he pulled away and tried not to let the disappointment he felt show on his face.

"…I'm sorry," the redhead muttered. He pushed himself off of the blonde, only to be pulled back down by the other. Warm lips found his again as Hawkins wrapped his arms around the other man's neck.

Kidd let himself succumb to Basil's touch, gently kissing the blonde back. He gently pried the blonde's lips, delving his tongue inside to taste the Magician.

A soft moan left Hawkins and was muffled by the pale man. Black-nailed hands intertwined in golden strands, pulling the older male even closer. Their tongues danced around one another's, tasting and swirling. The kiss turned hungry, and soon enough they had to break apart for air.

Kidd gently pressed his forehead to the blonde's as he tried to catch his breath. He looked down at the slightly taller male and licked his lips.

"I don't hate you."
"I know," Hawkins chuckled – a sound that sent a pleasurable chill running down the younger's spine.

Neither man said anything. No promises were made there. No oaths of love or an eternity together. But, the unspoken words that traveled between them said that if Hawkins stayed, Kidd would love him. The blonde nodded, and kissed Kidd again – if Basil didn't need words, then that was just fine by Kidd. He probably couldn't say it out loud anyways.

Sorry for my recent lack of activity. I've been a bit stressed lately, what with my graduating high school, and the pressure of trying to find a college...and I'm also in a slump. I swear, I'm working as best as I can on all of your requests that I plan on doing...I'm so sorry for my absence...Please. Forgive me?

I hope you like this little thing. Please...tell me what you think. And, I'm sorry again. I'll try to work a bit harder.