1
Baratie disappeared over the horizon after a few minutes of sailing towards north.
Their companions were shrieking seagulls, humming weaves and gusty wind that almost knocked Gin at the rudder. Not to metion sea monsters waiting under water to eat them at any moment.
Men complained and yelled every time someone moved, but their had accepted temporar inconvinience after louder groan came from the water and quick shadow circled around their boat.
For the moment it was quiet, then wind wizzed in Gin's ears, knocking him out of his marasm and forced to continue swinging, even if his arms lost strenght and his back were bowed – in a short time it became painful to lift the arm with agonizing sensesion sent to Gin's brain from his shoulders.
The memories were still alive, still pushing him to do his best, to give whatever strength remained in his muscles into achieving his goal, to reach for a dream that they all had, but lost the sight of it until they'd met an enthusiastic rubber kid.
There was still life in him.
Even if Gin's lungs were burning and blood filled his throat, he kept swinging a single paddle, their only hope to survive, only way to live an hour, a day, a week longer, until the next land could have been seen in pervasive blue.
Metallic smell surrounded him every time Gin started coughing, leaving red marks on right sleeve and a wooden paddle handler. A few drops from his nose landed on the shirt or dirted the upper lip. It also drippled out on a boats deck under Gin's feet.
Some of the men looked at him with concern, but didn't tried to convince their first mate to stop – Gin was too stubborn and focused on one goal to pay them any more attention that an occasional check, if somebody hadn't dropped into the sea by accident.
Besides, their boat was too small to let them move without any danger of rolling upside down or to let anyone switch places between two different ends.
So Gin leaded them, while Don Krieg moaned in his sleep, recovering after the spectacular defeat that would leave scar on his pride and teach him something – or Gin hoped it end with learning a lesson and not making the man obsessed over meaningless revenge.
Something in their crew shifted though.
Gin knew – but didn't want to admit it – what was that.
He was still loyal to the captain, but their men saw that Don Krieg had weaknesses like any ordinary human being, therefore his reputation of being invincible had been thrown down.
Hoping that there was still faith in their hearts and not only anger for the man was fruitless, but possible. He needed to believe in that small miracle, because Don Krieg was someone who would help Gin to recover and instal new strength into their crew.
The truth is they would leave Don Krieg to his fate already – on Baratie or drop him to the cold blue under their feet – if not for Gin and his loyalty to the man, thinking he wasn't realistic or naive to still put faith into the man, this arrogant and cruel man, not worth such an effort.
Or Gin's life.
The same life that was leaving him with every breath, every swing, every glance in Don Krieg's direction. But hating him and dwell on past actions wouldn't erase them and make everything better. The poison running in his veins, devastating his organs and stealing his precious time.
Nobody can undo it, only trying to patch him up and help moving on for a day, a week, a month, if he was lucky enough.
Gin knew what would be Don Krieg first decision as a reelected captain, but he already made up his mind. It was only reasonable solution and the fastest way to gain the power they'd lost confronting Dracule Mihawk.
As a captain Don Krieg hadn't given them nothing in long run to be pride of, only troubles and worries. They had been starving for days before Gin said that he would go and find something to eat. He begged for it – even knowing the chief of Baratie was reluctant to feed them, for a good reason, Gin discovered.
Everything for their men.
And Don Krieg had ruined it too, only to receive an important lesson.
Thr defeat at Baratie only convinced them that the time had come to demand their rights and vote over the position and give it to the person that would lead them to the Grand Line - strong and unwavering.
If he would survive today's night.
2
Gin felt worse than before, but continue sailing and searching for an island.
They needed new ship, food and drink to regain their strength.
And faith.
Faith that everything would be alright, that the future wasn't lost, only clouded for a moment or two. Doubts, a feeling of utter uselessness must be crushing them, but nobody said anything.
Gin noticed that Don Krieg's breath wasn't even any longer, that the man regained consciousness, but didn't call him out. Non of them did, even Perl, who was awaken too. With so much free time, Gin let the man think and come to his own conclusion.
Sometimes he answered an unasked question: 'how much longer?'.
"I think there's an island a few miles away on north. Should come there before the night" Gin reassured them, even if heat and the smell of sweat, salt and blood started overwhelming them, make them dizzy and nauseaous.
For a while Gin tried not to vomit, but it became harder with every second. His nostlis weren't any better suited to such disgusting odor than any others' noses, but he kept going, having in mind his final goal.
He must reassure them that the next day would come sooner than they expected, if only the vision of defeat wouldn't overcome their senses and hearts.
A small boat like theirs couldn't survive any changes in weather, not to mention an Marine attack or even sudden interest of another pirate crew. They were an easy prey right now, which meant that the only option left was a search for hideout.
The problem was the general resentment towards Don Krieg an unwillingness to share space with him.
Their – unofficially former for now – captain was still half-conscious or pretended to still be asleep, but most of his men looked like Gin was the only thing that separated him from being thrown into the deep, unforgiving blue. Even as pirates they felt respect and admiration towards him, knowing that their first mate had made the right decision on the Baratie's deck.
But Gin's health turned worse with every second he made an effort to lead them toward the right direction. Before the sea could cast them off on the random beach in enemy's territory, the shivers and cold would ate him during next few hours, if Gin didn't hurry.
Not much time left for him, so before the death would claim him into his cold, hollow arms, Gin had decided he wouldn't give up hope and any opportunity to objection against their – unofficially former for now – captain.
3
He had found a nice, calm place under the old tree with a view on the sea.
They'd made it before the sunset, so a planty of time to make a camp.
Sounds around him – crew members trying to organize their space and arguing over a simple task like who should boil water, while others would go fishing – were lively, making Gin smile under his nose.
They would survive even without him as a leader or a protector of their intersts as first mate.
Gin had looked for Don Krieg over an hour ago, but the man had wandered somewhere the moment their boat hid the beach.
Before anyone could react or even try to hid their reluctance, he stormed out into the dark forest. Their anger was still fresh and justified, but soon they should resolve it and Gin found the best way to cut all arguments against their unoficially former captain.
But for now, he decieded that sleep was too tempting to resit any longer.
Gin closed his eyes, imagining smiling face of a young man with straw hat and his companion that promasied to met him on the Grand Line one day, even if their reunion was impossible because of an obvious reason.
Having faith was crucial in their world. Gin had a lot of it, agains all odds.
Until now fighting death and cheating it were two different things and throughout his life Gin had done the latter too many times to be deluded that he had one more chance to spare.
His end would come soon.
The only thing he could do for now was fulfilling a simple promise.
There were depts that should be paid and the death could not come in the way to make a dying man wish true.
4
Gin suggested that the best way to resolve their problems was a vote.
Pearl looked surprised, but nodded.
He was the strongest among them excluding Gin and Don Krieg, so men would listen to him first before objecting.
Ideaman wasn't eager to back him up, but Gin knew that all of them had the same goal: remove Don Krieg from his current – unofficially former – position. Any animosity among them was secondary to this issue right now.
"I'm proposing Gin-san to the position as our captain" Hustle took the lead in their deliberation, adding a humor into a challenging situation.
Most heads nodded in agreement.
Gin sighed.
He had been expecting it, but still had hope that a few days he had given them to calm down would work in his favor. Knowing in wasn't an option, Gin looked every one of them in the eyes and sighed again, hidding his expression under the well-worn hat.
His hand froze on the forehead as a shield from terrified, shocked or betrayed looks.
"I'm... proposing Don Krieg as our captain."
The silence was deafening. Only shrieks of seagulls and a sound of weaves hitting the clif could be heard on the coast.
"But... Gin-san..." Ideaman tried to formulate convincing argument, but it seemed that even he struggled to voice his own thoughts, while Don Krieg loomed over them at the edge of the bonfire.
He was listening to every word, still staring at Gin for sudden revelation and a proof of loyalty that he had thrown away with surprising lightness.
Some of others looked at the same direction, swallowing and casting down their eyes, when they noticed that their – officially former – captain stopped pacing like a wild animal waiting for prey.
Gin smile with grimce of pain, when something stung in his lungs.
"You all know that I've got not much time left" Gin started, but Kagikko interrupted his speech.
"It's because of that man." He pointed at Don Krieg. "Why are you doing this? Would it be better to leave him and sail to the Grand Line without him? What do we own him except pain and fear?"
There were valid questions, but before Gin could answer a new weave of cough forced him to bend. The metalic smell hung in the air and a lot of blood left marks on the ground. Gin couldn't pretend he was fine now, when they saw the truth.
He shut his eyes, taking slow breaths to fade violent spasms out.
"Until now... Don Krieg..."
His throat felt like it was filled with a sand paper – even swollowing didn't help. After a few seconds someone gave him a cup of water. Cold fiquid fell down to the stomach, stopping the burning sensation and leaving a temporary relief and shining traces on Gin's neck.
Trying to surpass aftermaths of painful attack wasn't an easy task, but letting their men lasted in a state of clear shock, concern and anger, wouldn't help his case.
So Gin continute, hoping that the next interruption wouldn't come before the end of his speech, giving him an opportunity to explain reasons behind this decision.
"He'd given us an opportunity to..." More huching breaths. "...to become reach and... and famous. We've got a lot... a lot of treasures to buy... to but... to buy" His lungs wasn't cooperating, but Gin foced them to work for a few moments more. "...a small island. It's what we're signing for."
With reluctance some of them hummed, accepting this and paying more attention to lurking figure at the edge of the forest that had given them a temporar shelter.
"We all own him for that" Gin stated with weak voice after a minutes of silence.
It sounded strained and cause for some men to grimace hearing it.
Gin's condition was an evidence that Don Krieg couldn't repay for loyalty or devotation. Instead he had tried to kill Gin, because he hadn't caried out the unjustfied order.
"Why should we go there with him? It dangerous even without a man who would abandon us or kill just because we couldn't do it?!" Kagikko shouted, trying to reasoning with Gin, but his battle was lost before it even started.
He wasn't backing down on this.
"Who else is... who else qualifiy to lead... to lead you?" Gin asked, looking around with grave expression. "I'm d... dying. I have a few... days top, I can't bring you there!"
This time Gin almost fell, while coughing so strong.
Taking breath was too hard. Black spots started dancing in front of his eyes, but he brushed off any attempts of help. Gin's eyes stung, but he ignored it with force that made them step back.
"You're my way to keep this promise!" Gin shouted with desperation and force that almost knucked them out.
After the sudden display of terrifiing power Gin possesed, they all went silent.
"You're... you're my... my only... only... damn, my only chance to live... live a little bit longer, damn it, so... I'm..."
The coughs get worse and worse, they couldn't understand him. Tears falling through his cheeks and snarks dropping from his nose were making everything even more difficult and heartbreaking.
Some of them looked away – to hide their own tears, to try not to look at the praideful man begging them with his last breaths or to not see what was obvious to him, that at Gin's heel stepped a dark shadow with a scyth in its hands.
"So please, please, this one time... one time I'm as... asking... asking you... I'm asking to give it a try. Only... damn it, damn it all, a try. Go... go there with... with Don Krieg. Go... Grand Line... Grand Line we all dreamed... about adventure and... and treasures... and met them as... please, as my promise in my place. I know... I'm sel... selfish... Please"
Gin's arms almost gave up, but he managed to touch his forehead on the ground, then sit on his heels. Taking large breath and stressing his body, he stood up on weak legs.
"Think... The night... is long."
Then he went towards Don Krieg and sat under the tree, while the man watched him with strange face – almost like he was caring – but his captain wouldn't show it. Gin's life wasn't worth the effort of giving the opponent a weapon.
That was the reason why Gin admited him and cured at the same time.
Don Krieg was his captain, a man that Gin saw as the Pirate King, as a invincibile man who was keeping his strenght and offered a stranger a place to live when others shushed Gin. Don Krieg hadn't be afraid of a demon, but now... his eyes shined and a touch of fear and respect showed there for a second, before it was strained and hidden once more.
This man had took a demon under his wings couldn't be sentimental or toutched, yet... Gin would always be gratefull for that, making him the captain again.
He smile, leaning more on the hard surface behind his back.
Something so solid should be enough to let him rest for a moment, so he shut his eyes with an image of Don Krieg's worried face.
I must be feverish to think that I would deserve even this small sign of kindess.
5
Gin woke up a few hours later, covered with blanket and lied on the soft grass near the firecamp. Heat from camp fire lessened shivers and give an relief to his sore muscle. The pain decreased to constant, managable throbbing in his side.
Someone must take him here and make more comfortable than a stiffing position under the tree.
Most of the crew was asleep around him, except of Don Krieg who must hide somewhere far away from them.
Gin smile.
There was hope for them.
Only a three people on a night watch, keeping them save.
He fell asleep again, feeling like someone put a blanket over his shoulders again and left a cup of fresh water at arm length.
6
"We're leaving" Don Krieg stated, when Kagikko announced their mutual decision. "Without any burden around our necks."
At that he looked at Gin sitting under the tree again.
"You have two hours to prepare. Make it fast or you'll regred it."
While he was saying this, Don Krieg never once looked at Gin, showing him only his armored back. Gold shined in the full sun, making the captain look like a divine creature. His voice was strong and his shoulders streight. No room for doubts there.
Gin smile, expecting this kind of answer.
He had chosen the right man, even if the crew looked like they wanted to struggle him.
"Captain! We can't leave Gin-san here!" Kagikko protested.
"You can stay with him. I don't need a man with a weak will on my board."
"He'd chose you! You're captain thanks to him!" Ideaman shouted with teras in the corner of his eyes. "How can you do that to him?"
"He's almost dead. What a use of him on Grand Line anyway? Pack up and see, if we can find a ship to get us over the River Mountain."
With that Don Krieg left them to sort their feelings.
They didn't see it yet, too upset to consider the fact, that they could object their captain and instead of being punished, they concerns were dispelled.
As much as Don Krieg was capable of normal communication, but it was the start that Gin had been looking for in years.
That was the right thing to do – leaving the weakest link to make up their chances.
He would do the same. Maybe.
7
They left hours ago, but Gin couldn't stop crying.
The image of tears on Don Krieg's face was too much for him.
The man that never showed a weakness to anyone, that could toss him away at any given second and reasoning that it was neseccery, that would say streight that life was cruel to those who didn't know where they place belong.
It unexpected act of kindness and final goodbye. A weakness that Don Krieg showed only once – to him, to the man that stayed loyal, that chose him over the comfortable death among their men. Gin didn't know how much he wanted to see it, to feel the soft, single tear escaping from the corner of stubborn, hard look.
He hadn't any strenght to wave to them, he just smiled, tired and upset.
Then, only then, when he almost dropped his head to hide tears, he saw it. A tear, a shining, real tear on a face that would always belong to his captain.
It was enough to make him histeric, they almost jumped off the ship they stole a few days ago, to help Gin. But he managed to calm down and smile. They sailed further to the horizon line.
In the end it was only him, a calm wind and a cry so overwhelming that Gin almost choked. New weave of tears attacked his body, making him struggle for breath and strenght to keep his back in line.
He didn't want to die. Not with so many regrats. He wasn't ready.
Please, not yet. Please, let me live. Please.
He has a promise to keep and a favor to return.
Why he was so weak? Why?
But nobody was listening and Gin lost conscious with an image of graving man that would never admit how much he carried, only in face of death he had made it plain and simple.
Please, let me see them again.
8
Wachting like the sun wandered around the sky was entertaining only in the first day.
The wind was stronger at the edge of the cliff and the hum of weaves made Gin missing the salty water unter his feet and on his bare skin, while he was helping fastening the knots or setting sails. The aroma of rum in his nose was still there, even if overhelm by the metallic odor.
Just one more day, he tought.
An half-empty bowl, tenodd looking onigiris wrapped around the dirty sheet and a two canteen – one with rum half-empty, the other full of delicious tea – at his side.
Only one day, and it'll all be over.
It's two-shot about a guy from Baratie Arc. The second one is all about Shanks and Gin, because this all pervert (he is - in my head at least) somehow find a way to make an appearance here (like in some my others ideas completely out of nowhere).
I know I should update another fics, but this one occupied my thoughts from last few days and didn't let go, so I've took the chance and write it down.
I hope you like it, because I like it. Gin was a great character and I'd be happy to see him again, even if the chances are less than 10%. I really him and was upset that it was only a dozen episodes, when he appeared.
Feel free to share your thoughts. Did you liked it or maybe you want to see Gin in the manga too? Do you even remember him?
To the next time!
PS. Don't forget to visit me on tumblr to say 'Hi' or whatever you like to say :)