Raion slept FOREVER.
He probably could've slept longer, his body and mind more peaceful after seeing Eevee than it had been for a couple of days, but he was starving. So, finally, he dragged his sorry ass out of bed sometime in the late afternoon.
He jammed his shades on his face before he braved the outdoors. He felt like a groggy mess. He hadn't slept much at all, actually, for the last couple of days. He trudged down the stairs to the lower deck, his feet not cooperating quite as much as he would've liked.
"Well, well, well!" Margherita's voice was the first one to greet him, "Look who's back from the dead!" she was sitting on the grassy part of the deck with Lukas, weapon parts scattered around them. They were both complete gear heads.
Raion waved his hand at them half-heartedly. Lukas gave him a nod. Maybe he was too messed up, but did his cousin-in-law look just as tired as he felt? He decided to dismiss the idea, making a note to catch up on everything once he was fed and caffeinated.
He pushed into the kitchen. Zeke was there, washing and organizing. The guy lived in the kitchen. But the fishman wasn't the only one. Sabo was there too, his head on the table, pillowed on his arms. He looked like he was dozing.
"Hey," Raion tapped his head to rouse him and sat in the chair next to his best friend, "What're you doing?"
Sabo lifted his head and peered at Raion before grinning, "Hey, yourself. I was just wondering about you."
"No you weren't, you were sleeping." He pillowed his own face on his arms so that he and his best friend were just inches apart, "What's going on?" he asked quietly, the question a disguise. What he really wanted to know was how Sabo was coping. Unlike him, Sabo had to cope in silence.
The blonde man shrugged, "I'm not really sure, to be honest. I've been in the library for three days. Lukas dragged me out this morning." He made a little face, "Being a terrible co-captain."
"Join the party," Raion muttered, "You seen the Dragon at all?"
Sabo shook his head, his face completely betraying his feelings of anxiety over his sister. But it was okay for the moment because they were pretty much alone.
Zeke came over in that moment and laid two plates down in front of them and two little vials, "Eevee wants you to have those," he said in his deep voice. And then he swacked the two of them on the backs of their heads.
"Oi!" Raion groaned. Sabo winced.
"Eat. Don't miss any more meals or I'll force feed the two of you," he said. Then, he went back into the kitchen and continued whatever task he was working through.
Raion rubbed the back of his head, feeling thoroughly chastised. Zeke was quiet most of the time and only spoke more than simple phrases if he was aggravated. Which was rare. Raion glanced at Sabo, who smirked. Clearly, the two of them missing three days worth of meals had sent their calm, stoic nakama over the edge.
They tucked into their food, their first real meal in days.
That afternoon, Raion got the scoop from Titus, who had taken over managing the ship during Raion and Sabo's 'absence'. They were making good time, following the Eternal Pose. Technically, the Pose pointed towards his home island, a small fishing island in the northern part of the East Blue just off the coast of the Red Line. But, seeing as his island was less than a day's journey from Fuusha Village, it was fine. Besides, once they passed the Calm Belt and hit normal ocean, he could navigate by standard compass again.
"Based on our progress, we'll hit the Calm Belt tonight, senchou," Titus told him as they poured over the map together. It was a huge, detailed map of this half of the Grand Line that stayed right at the helm, protected under glass. His mother drew it and it was intricately detailed. It was the only map of its kind, as far as he knew and allowed him to navigate his way around the Grand Line without relying solely on a Log Pose. It had dozens of color coded routes and details about how long it would take for the Pose to set on each island and that could determine a change in your route. It was coveted information to him, who craved absolutely freedom and domain on the ocean. His parents had laid the groundwork for him and now, he made the Grand Line his bitch.
"Do we have enough Cola to get us across?" he asked.
Titus nodded, "And Lukas brought over two barrels from his skiff as well, for reserve. We'll have to restock in the East Blue though."
"That's fine. Set the motors to high. I wanna quit the Calm Belt by tomorrow morning. That'll put us at Fuusha Village in…" he did some quick number crunching in his head, "Three days, four, if the wind is against us."
"Aye, senchou."
"And I'll keep watch tonight, in case any creatures bother us," crossing the Calm Belt was tricky business because Franky couldn't get his giant hands on enough sea stone to coat the bottom of the ship. So… Raion's job was to sit on the snake figure head and scare the Sea Kings away.
"Aye."
The captain clapped his hand on Titus's big, gray-blue shoulder, "Thanks for keeping us steady."
Titus nodded.
That night, as predicted, they entered the Calm Belt. The ship stopped rocking. The sails went empty. The sea was so calm, it reflected the stars like a mirror. Despite its name, this belt of ocean water put him on edge. Nothing happened here. It was the desert of the sea. No clouds passed overhead, no weather patterns, no wave patterns. Without a motor and a compass, more than a few sailors would lose themselves in this sea, eternally stuck until either they perished, or, more likely, the Sea Kings got to them. There was no way to navigate.
The deck was oppressively silent. No one liked to come out when they passed the Calm Belt. Noise attracted monsters. In fact, the motor that they used to get across was specially designed to push air rather than water. It consumed more Cola than your standard propulsion engine, but it was far, far safer. Stirring the water stirred up trouble.
Raion leaned over the railing to look into the water. Smooth as glass, except for the slight ripples made by their ship. They were moving fast, faster than he would have normally felt comfortable going. But he needed to get to the East Blue. He needed to see Ji Ji. He needed to be there for his father and it was his worry that was causing him to take risks.
At the same time, he didn't mind a little excitement. That's what being a pirate was all about.
He turned and glanced at the door to the medical ward. He could sense Eevee in there. He strode over and knocked very quietly three times before opening the door.
"Hey," he whispered, "Get out here. There's adventure to be had," seeing the Sea Kings was part of being a pirate. She couldn't miss it. Besides, not that he wanted to overly analyze it, but… he kinda wanted her out there with him. Just her.
The utter silence and stillness of the calm belt was unnerving to Evelyn. She was rather more nervous about this crossing than she wanted to admit. Working had provided her a welcome distraction from thinking about the huge monsters likely swimming beneath them. Quietly making and bottling medicines had become rather soothing after some time, and she fell into a sort of trance-like state as her fingers did work she'd done hundreds of times before.
She was so into her work that she jumped when she heard a knock at the door. Spinning around in her chair, her eyes were wide with alarm as Raion stepped in. Feeling silly for overreacting over something as silly as a knock like it was a Sea King attack, Evelyn blushed. "Raion. You startled me..." she muttered as a way of explanation for her reaction.
His request made her hesitate. Lately, she'd jump at the prospect of being alone with Raion, but her fear of the Sea Kings gave her pause. Biting her lip, she glanced at her worktable, wondering if she could use that as an excuse to refuse. Looking back at him, she opened her mouth to do so, but her eyes drank in his smile, the expectation on his face. Her words died in her throat, and she sighed.
She was pirate now, after all. She was supposed to be brave.
Squaring her shoulders, Evelyn nodded and turned back to her worktable. Quickly, she finished sealing a vial, then stowed her materials away. Then she got up to join him, self-consciously pulling the shorts down a little. She still wasn't used to her wardrobe change, and though it seemed perfectly natural to see Rouge waltzing around in her little shorts, it felt strange on Evelyn. Tonight she had on a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt with cut-off sleeves that had a generic jolly roger on the front. It was very comfortable and cool, compared to her dresses, but it was strange not wearing a corset and having so much skin exposed.
"I'm not sure what adventures you could mean...it's been so quiet for hours now. We're safe from the Sea Kings, right? Your ship must have sea stone on the bottom or something, right?" Evelyn asked as she exited the doctor's cabin with him. Outside, the stars were bright and the dead ocean stretched out around them like a glittering desert. It was rather beautiful, actually. And eerie.
He saw her hesitate and the rush of disappointment he felt startled him. He brushed it off, mentally frowning at his own insecurity. They were on the fucking Calm Belt, for crissake, of course she didn't want to come out and get eaten by Sea Kings. It had nothing to do with him.
But then she agreed and wrapped up her medical supplies and joined him on deck. He felt instantly better and dismissed his previous brush with disappointment as a fluke.
"Funny story, actually," he grinned, taking her hand and leading her towards the black snake figurehead at the bow of the ship, "Franky couldn't exactly get enough kairoseki to coat the bottom of the ship. It's sorta a commodity for pirates," he helped her up onto the snake head and sat down, his swords resting beside him, "I'm the first and last line of defense that keeps us from being eaten."
He leaned back on his hands and glanced sideways at her. She was wearing shorts and a cut off tee-shirt that hung over one shoulder. He wasn't used to her wardrobe change yet. Then again, he hadn't given himself much time to get used to it. So far, he'd seen all of three different outfits. It was startling to see her in something so… casual when in his head, he pictured her as a princess still in her frilly, flowy dresses. She was taking to the pirate life like a fish takes to water and he was taking to her like the sun takes to the horizon and he didn't know if he was freaked out or not about that yet.
Raion stretched one leg out and glanced over the ocean. It was dark, but not so oppressive that he couldn't see by the light of the thin moon. He leaned into her a little and pointed out, "Do you see the ripples in the water?" he said quietly, keeping his voice low, "Don't panic, but that's one coming towards us right now…"
Sure as shit, less than a hundred feet out, two eyes appeared, each the size of a beach ball, reflecting back at them. They blinked slowly, the translucent film shiny, watching Raion carefully. A nose appeared next, huffing, spraying water. More ripples to his right. Two more eyes appeared. Then two more. He expected as much though. Three Sea Kings was usually the norm. That's how many always came to investigate his ship.
"They know I'm here," he told her, "They're smart. They communicate with each other, tell each other not to fuck with me or I'll fuck them up." He narrowed his eyes and one set of peepers disappeared under the water with a quiet blurp. It wasn't always the case that the Sea Kings left the ship alone. Some stupid ones would try to go after the ship, but Raion always took care of them real quick.
Evelyn's eyes went wide as saucers as she saw the Sea Kings poking their head out of the water. A shiver went down her spine and her fingers darted out to wrap around Raion's arm, leaning in to him as if being closer to him would protect her. Her heart started racing in her chest as she considered the enormous size of the monsters that were effectively surrounding their ship. Their size made her feel like a doll in comparison. A very small doll.
All her life, she had heard stories about the vicious brutality Sea Kings were capable of. They were the most feared creatures in the ocean, and could sink a ship within seconds. Stories spoke about how they loved the taste of humans, that they were evil, and other such bed-time tales that made kids wary of going in the ocean. The hairs at the back of her neck stood up in fright just at the thought of them. Seeing them, even in the dim light of the moon, had her body trembling a little.
Raion, however, was as calm as day. She glanced at him, noting the way he was glaring off in the direction of the Sea Kings, and glanced back towards the ocean.
Practically silent, the Sea Kings slowly retreated back into the ocean, and it was mere minutes before the water was as still as glass once more. Only then did Evelyn let out the breath she'd been holding, and relaxed her grip on Raion. She realized, belatedly, that she shouldn't have grabbed on to him. If he had needed to fight, he would have needed that arm. Blushing, she released him completely and scooted over again. "Sorry..." she murmured, looking from the ocean to him and back.
"I can't believe they knew you...That they were able to sense your ability to defend yourself. No one ever told me that Sea Kings were intelligent. That's amazing..." she whispered, her voice low in fear of attracting more of the monsters. "I can't believe that you could take a Sea King down...that seems like an impossible feat. You must be even stronger than I thought..." she added with a little smile, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.
He hadn't been expecting her to clutch him in fear, first wrapping her fingers around his arm, then slipping her whole arm through his and leaning into him. He grinned a little, despite himself. He kinda forgot that the general population of people feared the Sea Kings. They were widely rumored to be merciless and ruthless, savage predators. Well, maybe not so much rumored. It was a fact, really. With rare exceptions.
"You give me far too much credit," he chuckled, "I've only taken out a few Sea Kings. But they remember and they can sense strength in humans. They know who I am. Trust me though, they don't like to be stirred up," he added, "We had an engine before that pushed water instead of air… it was ugly. Sea Kings every mile. They wouldn't leave us alone." He nodded towards the ocean, drawing her attention to the serpent-like tails that appeared like ghostly shadows, "They'll follow us to the East Blue. They may be smart enough to not outright attack us anymore, but they're highly territorial. If we were to linger here for too long…" he didn't finish his sentence and simply shrugged, "Well, it could be troublesome."
It was quiet, the sea still as a mirror, interrupted very occasionally by ripples made from the Sea Kings as they got a little close. Sometimes eyes would appear briefly, only to disappear again under the surface of the water. Maybe it was just him, but the monsters seemed a little perturbed this time around. Maybe it was because the ship was moving faster than usual.
Then... a pair of eyes appeared off towards Eevee's side, blinking slowly and he knew what was making the Sea Kings restless.
"They're watching you," he commented, his tone amused, "They don't know what to make of you. Usually I'm here alone. They must be sizing you up," he leaned into her, his mouth scant inches from hers, "Quick, gimme a kiss so they know you're strong."
Evelyn tried hard not to be freaked out by the constant Sea King presence so close to their ship, which seemed like a toy in comparison to them. Raion's presence certainly helped; he was exuding such a calm confidence that she truly believed he could keep the ship safe if need be. It took some time, but she was able to relax more.
When a pair of large luminous eyes appeared very close to her side, she had to bite her lip to keep from squeaking in alarm. She wasn't sure if Raion's comment was good or not. She turned her head to look up at him, and found his face close to hers, the warmth of his breath fanning across her lips.
She blushed, her eyes dropping from his gaze to his lips, then back up. "How is that supposed to make me strong?" she asked, confused by his statement, but then she saw the amusement dancing in his eyes. He was teasing her.
Her mouth quirked up at one corner and a small chuckle slipped out. Nodding her head, she leaned in and brushed her lips against his. The contact sent instant electricity down her spine and into her belly, forcing heat to spread through her veins. Wanting more of this feeling, she kissed him again, pressing her lips to his a little more forcefully. Her eyes slid shut, and her shoulders relaxed more than they had since she'd first exited the medic cabin.
It sent a thrill through him that she kissed him first, despite the fact that he all but demanded it. It was brief, so painfully brief that it actually hurt when she pulled back. He didn't have time to protest though, or even take charge before her mouth was back, harder, more forceful and it made him feel like he'd swallowed fire. The boldness of her kiss was hot. He hadn't exactly forgotten the fiery chemistry between them, but suffice it to say his mind had been other places for the last couple of days.
Raion threaded his hand through her hair at her nape, keeping her close, tilting her head to deepen the kiss, his tongue sweeping into her mouth. His other hand looped around her hips and all but yanked her towards him until she was straddling his lap.
He should try not to want her so much. He should try to keep a clear line between nakama and... this. Whatever this was. What was this anyway? It had to be more than one of his flings, or was it just because she was nakama too that everything seemed skewed? He didn't know, he didn't have the answers and he couldn't think about it now when he could feel the heat from her body so close and taste her in his mouth.
His hand travelled up from her hip, pushing her tee shirt out of his way. He encountered skin and it took him a second to process why that was wrong.
"What? No corset?" he pulled his mouth away from hers, his breathing a little unsteady, and cocked a brow at her, "I'm so disappointed..." he trailed his mouth over her neck, his tongue tasting her skin.
His comment startled her, and her eyes flashed open to stare at him. He liked her corsets? She'd stopped wearing them because she thought she should be more pirate like...But if he liked them so much, then perhaps...
Her thoughts scattered when his lips moved to her neck and she could feel the slide of his tongue against her flesh. Her fingers tightened against his shoulders, and she forgot completely that they were out on the calm belt with Sea Kings teeming below the surface. Her world narrowed down to sensations. He'd pulled her onto his lap, and the warmth of his body, between her legs, against her stomach, under her hands, pulled an answering heat from inside her. His scent filled her nostrils and his taste lingered on her tongue.
How is it that he could make her so mindless, so...wanton, with just a kiss, a touch? She'd never before felt these inclinations towards a man, and she'd never realized how heady the feelings were. Now she completely understood the spark in the eyes of the women who'd described sexual relations to her. It was a fire in the blood.
Eevee let her head fall back to give him more access to her throat, her eyes falling closed once more. Her back arched under the touch of his fingers over the bare flesh of her sides, and she craved more of his touch on her skin. Her own fingers slid down his chest, feeling out the ridges and dips of his muscles. Finding the hem of his shirt, she pushed it up, letting her fingertips explore his stomach and pecs.
The warmth of his skin was delectable. She instantly thought that she wanted to taste it. It was such a unique sensation, the softness and warmth of his skin over the hardness of his muscles. Her hands travelled higher, as if she wanted to remove his shirt, dragging her fingertips over his flesh as she went.
Perhaps it was because it was Sabo, who always had such a light step, but Eevee was so engrossed in Raion and what he was doing to her that she didn't notice the blond man until it was too late. He came around the corner towards the masthead, saying, "Raion, I think that-"
His words died in his throat when he saw the two of them, and he stopped in his tracks. The sound of his voice jolted Eevee out of the haze she'd fallen in to since Raion's lips had first touched hers. Her eyes flew open, landed on Sabo, and her mouth popped open in surprise. "Oh no!" she squeaked, instantly removing her hands from Raion's stomach. A hot flush swept over her cheeks, and she scrambled off Raion like he was burning her, nearly falling into the ocean in the process.
Feeling utterly embarrassed at being caught in the act, she couldn't even say anything. Head ducked down with her hair covering her face, Evelyn shot past Sabo. She didn't stop until she was back in the girl's dormitory, leaning back against the door as if she was afraid someone would come barging in. Thankfully, mercifully, it was empty. While she knew that Margherita had sort of figured out that things were going on between her and Raion, she was a woman. It was entirely different to have one of her male nakama find out that she was fooling around with her captain. What he must think of her!
Mortified, Evelyn covered her face and hurried to the bed, sliding under the covers like they were going to protect her from the judging that Sabo was likely doing right this moment. After all, a lady didn't mess around with a man until they were engaged, or married!
She was really turning him on.
In the stillness of the dark, there was nothing but their racing hearts and unsteady breathing. His hands on her skin, pressed flat against her spine to keep her close, his mouth against her neck and shoulder, the subtle but tart earthy scent of herbs and her shampoo. He was so into her and less concerned with the fact that he was supposed to be on watch, keeping the Sea Kings from sinking their ship into a dark pit of hell.
But her hands were tracing over his shoulders and down his chest and watch duty fell to the wayside in comparison.
It was such a small act, but it was enough to make his insides combust and the blood pound right to his cock. It was so bold for her and just the fact that she was starting to initiate more was so hot. Her hands tugged at his tee shirt, sliding under it, over his stomach and his chest. He grabbed her chin and kissed her, the memory of her writhing under him just days ago while she came sharp and clear in his mind. Again. He wanted, no, needed that to happen again. Her hands flipped over and grabbed the hem of his shirt to yank it off over his head...
Sabo's voice scared the ever living shit out of him and he jumped slightly, whipping his head around to peg his best friend with a glare that certainly would have killed him if looks could do that. Eevee scrambled off of him with such force that she almost fell off the figure head and he whirled around to grab her wrist and steady her.
"What the fuck do you want, Sabo?" Raion growled, trying to even out his breathing.
The blonde man puckered his face, sucking back a laugh and suddenly, Eevee ghosted out. She slid her feet to the deck, her hands shielding her face from Sabo's view and beat feet down the stairs. Three seconds later, the sound of a door being shut.
Raion ground his teeth together, "You have no idea how much I wanna beat the shit outta you right now..." he growled.
Sabo burst out laughing, like he wasn't able to hold it back anymore. Bent forward, hands over his stomach, holding his sides. The only thing that saved him from being grabbed by Raion and thrown overboard was the fact that the captain couldn't reach him without leaving the snake head.
The laughter wound down and Sabo straightened, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "You know, I don't even remember what I came out here for now." He chuckled.
"I hate you."
The ship suddenly jolted to one side and Raion gripped the railing and Sabo pitched sideways. The captain shifted and glanced over to the side of the ship. The telltale serpent-like tail was shifting in and out of the water, circling the ship.
"Hey! Cut that shit out!" Raion called, "I'll slice you up and feed you to my crew." Oh man, he was rearing now for a fight with a Sea King...
Two eyes, no, more, six eyes, peered out of the water at him. He growled at them, flexing a little of his Haoshoku Haki. The monsters disappeared immediately and the ship settled. Satisfied, he turned his attention back to Sabo.
"Sorry," his best friend said, but the grin made it seem less genuine, "You got it bad, don't you?"
Raion ran his fingers through his hair and shifted around so his back was to Sabo, facing the ocean. His ears pinked, "I don't know what you're talking about," he grumbled, "What the hell are you out here for anyway?" he attempted to change the subject.
Sabo wasn't having that, apparently. He climbed onto the figure head and settled next to Raion. Raion shoved him. Sabo laughed and shoved him back, "You know what I mean. Dude, you don't date girls. It's not your motif to hang around after the sex. So what're you gonna do? Kick her off the crew after you fuck her?"
The captain rubbed his face, "No. I don't know," he muttered.
"You like her."
Raion tensed, then shrugged, "I guess so."
"So why not have a relationship?"
"Because that's not how it works, Sabo."
Sabo laughed, "Bro, that's exactly how it works."
Raion and Sabo watched the sun rise. It was soon after that that they left the Calm Belt behind and the Sea Kings with it. Raion's log pose went still, the magnetic pull of the Grand Line too far away now. The compass on the helm starting pulling towards North though, further indication that they'd now left the world's most dangerous ocean behind.
Sabo convinced Raion to go get some sleep, that he'd manage with their nakama for a couple of hours. He opposed at first, but when he tried to argue, he yawned and that just made every retort he had weak. So, he complied and went to his room and passed out in his bed, his mind swirling around Eevee and the way she ghosted on him.
He was woken up suddenly and rapidly hours later as his door burst open. His first instinct was a sword in his hand before he realized it was Sabo.
"Senchou! Get out here!"
"Wha...?" he rubbed his eyes, his heart racing. Wind whipped through the door and he processed that it was dark outside. He glanced at the clock. It was early afternoon.
The ship pitched under them and Sabo disappeared from view and Raion fell out of his bed. Then, he smelled it. Felt the cool wind.
A storm.
He scrambled to his feet and slammed out of his room. The sky was the color of a bruise, wind tearing at his clothes. The ship rocked under his feet as the waves crashed into them. It took him precious seconds to analyze what was happening, his brain slow from sleep.
"Lukas! Sabo! Furl the sails up!" he pointed at them, "Titus! Take the helm! Zeke, the rigging! Rouge, Margherita! Get rid of these chairs and shit and for the love of all that is holy, DO NOT fall in the ocean. Eevee! Go get the three life jackets from storage for you three," he indicated Rouge, Margherita and herself.
"Raion, I can fly, I don't need a - "
"Yes, you do!" Lukas called from where he was climbing the ropes with Sabo up to the sails.
"Now, Rouge!" Raion didn't leave room for argument and she threw up a hand in consent and started helping Margherita drag in their furniture.
Raion jumped up to the helm where Titus was wrestling the waves. Big fat raindrops started falling, one by one until within seconds, it was torrential downpour. He pulled his spyglass out and looked out into the ocean. Waterspouts, little ones for now, were forming all around them, some distance away, for now.
"Take us 330 degrees north west," he told Titus, raising his voice to be heard over the rain and wind, "We'll get out of the storm and circumnavigate around it. I don't wanna be dragged into those waterspouts."
Titus nodded and cranked the helm hard to the left. The ship lurched.
When Evelyn had woken from a fitful sleep, business had returned to usual on the Hebi-go now that they had exited the calm belt. Raion was nowhere to be seen, and she figured he was likely sleeping. Breakfast had been uncomfortable, to say the least, when she showed up and found Sabo sitting at the table. Zeke, Margherita, Titus, Rouge, Lukas, and Sabo all looked up when she entered, but Sabo's eyes lingered and her face grew hot. A smirk pulled at the corner of his lips, and when she sat down as far from him as possible, she caught his wink.
She ducked her head, feeling like there must be a giant flashing sign above her head that said she was a trollop or something. However, soon into the meal, she realized that Sabo must not have said anything to anyone else. Rouge struck up a conversation with Evelyn immediately, one which Lukas and Titus partook in occasionally, despite their grumpy morning demeanors. Rouge was a morning person, and her energetic air grated on many of the male crew members who had more trouble gaining such energy so early.
"So how did you like crossing the calm belt? Pretty exciting, right?" Rouge grinned, shoving scrambled eggs into her face like she was starving. She always ate that way, much to Evelyn's amazement. Where did she put it all...?
"Well, it was actually less exciting than I thought it would be..." Evelyn put in, trying to avoid Sabo's knowing stare and focused her attention on her plate. The food was delicious, as always, and she lifted her gaze to smile at the chef, "Zeke, your breakfast is wonderful."
The fishman's cheeks pinked a little, but he nodded his head at her as he flipped a pancake on a girdle. It was as much of a thank you as Zeke was capable of, and Evelyn relaxed a little. Clearly, Sabo was the only one who'd found out about her shameful act. And rather than scowling, he was all but grinning at her.
Confused about his reaction, she decided to ignore it, and turned back to Rouge as the smuggler said, "Usually it's a little more exciting than that...We didn't even get attacked once!" She sounded completely bummed by this, and Evelyn stared, a fork full of sausage halfway to her mouth.
Lukas barked out a laugh and reached over to pat Evelyn on the back. He was so strong that the act caused her to drop the sausage from her fork, "Rouge is just adventure-hungry. The more danger, the better. It's giving me gray hairs..." he added with a scowl, looking over at his wife and shaking his head.
Evelyn's brows rose, and she retrieved her fallen sausage. "You are all very brave...Sea Kings are very frightening."
Margherita looked up from the unidentifiable gadget that she was tinkering with and smirked at Evelyn, "Pirate's are fearless, doc, and now you're one too. So grow some guts." Her words were somewhat harsh, but her eyes twinkled with amusement, belying her teasing. Evelyn blushed a little and nodded, squaring her shoulder.
"Good," Titus pipped in, smiling down at Evelyn from where he sat next to her, towering over her much smaller form. Please by his praise, Evelyn beamed up at him, and the fishman shook his head ruefully and returned to his plate.
Several hours later, it was quite early in the afternoon when the skies began to darken at an alarming rate. She'd heard from Lukas that they were making great time, and would be arriving at their destination within a day or two, but this weather didn't look good for that. Evelyn was out on the deck, labeling the many vials and jars that she'd prepared in the last few days. Margherita sat next to her, working on her own tinkering, and Rouge was up on the mast with Sabo, the two of them laughing at things the rest of them couldn't hear. Watching them, Evelyn couldn't help feeling like they were closer than they let on. Something about the way they looked at each other...joked with each other. It was even different than the way Sabo and Raion acted, who were the best of friends.
The wind started picking up at an alarming pace when the sky became so dark that Evelyn had difficulty reading the labels she was making. Frowning, she looked up and across the sea. Her eyes widened at what she saw. The waves were becoming very large...
Just then, one hit the side of the ship, and the vial in her hand went flying as everyone was pitched to the left. With a cry, Evelyn scrambled after it, landing on her stomach with her arms outstretch, her fingers closing over the glass. Luckily it was small enough that it had bounced on the deck rather than shattered.
She was just getting to her feet when Sabo's voice called out, "Storm!" Evelyn turned, and Sabo dropped from the mast to the deck, landing in a roll that propelled him towards the cabin that held the quarters. She was surprised by how quickly he moved, disappearing into the cabin before she could blink.
Storm...?
Unease rippled through her, and Evelyn hurried back to the wooden box that held the rest of her vials. As she leaned down to pick it up, replacing the missing one from her hand, Margherita was also hurriedly picking up the various pieces of her work that were scattered around.
"What should we do?" Evelyn asked, having to raise her voice over the increasing wail of the wind.
"Put your shit away, then come back to the deck. Raion will be up momentarily. He'll direct us. Storms are his forté," Margherita barked back at her, her brows furrowed as she shoved everything into a leather bag she had lying nearly. Her blue hair started whipping around, and Evelyn was shocked by the strength of the wind that nearly bowled her over.
She had never been more thankful than right now that she wasn't wearing a dress. In this wind, the dress would have been a complete nightmare to move around in. Today she wore her new leather pants and a flowing white shirt. Under the shirt, hidden, was one of her old corsets...She'd decided to wear it on a whim this morning, Raion's words fresh in her head.
Her shirt whipped around her torso as she ran for the medic cabin. The door almost flew off its hinges as she flung it open, and she had to struggle to get it to close. Once she'd stored her vials, strapping them down for good measure, she hurried back outside.
Things had gotten even worse. Frantically, Evelyn reached back and secured her hair with a tie to prevent her long strands from blinding her in this wind. Soon, rain started to fall, and her eyes found Raion as he raced across the deck towards the helm. He was shouting orders, and she had to strain to hear them.
"Go get the three life jackets in storage for you three," he hollered, pointing to the three females on board. Just then, the ship pitched alarmingly, and her chest constricted in fear. Spurred into action, she dashed to do as she was told.
The life jackets were stored in a compartment at the front of the deck, and it had started down-pouring by the time she reached them, making visibility difficult. Struggling against the strength of the wind and rain, Evelyn hauled the lifejackets out.
Margherita was nearby, and in the craziness of the storm, she'd shifted to her half form. Her yellow eyes practically glowed through the darkness, and it struck Evelyn why it was so important that Rouge and Margherita get life jackets. They were anchors in the water. If they fell over, they couldn't even try to swim to save themselves.
Fearful for them, she forgot about herself, and dashed towards them first. It made sense, in her panicked mind, that they receive their lifejackets first. Running up to Marhgherita, she grabbed the girl by the shirt and shove the lifejacket at her. The snake-girl hissed at being stopped, but when she saw what was being offered to her, she nodded brusquely and dropped the chair she had in her arms. Evelyn helped her with the buckles, speeding up the process, and when she was securely wrapped in the jacket, Evelyn turned on her heel, seeking out Rouge.
Rouge was dragging a larger chaise towards the storage deck, her eyes glowing a soft blue, but she hadn't shifted. It almost looked like she was struggling not too...
Her wings! Evelyn realized that her wings would be a hinderance in this wind, might even blow her far from the ship if she wasn't careful.
Gritting her teeth, soaked to the bone and starting to shiver from the cold, Evelyn hurried over to her. "Rouge!" she cried, gaining the woman's attention. "Here!" she offered the life-vest. Rouge turned, nodded her head, and snatch the vest from Evelyn's arms. Just like she had with Margherita, Evelyn moved in closer and helped her fasten the clips.
"Where is yours?!" Rouge yelled over the screaming wind. "You're supposed to put yours on first, silly girl! Go!" Rouge pointed back to the storage closet, where more of the life vests waited. Evelyn nodded, barely able to catch her words, and started for the closet.
"WAVE!"
The shout came from Lukas, who was up on the mast. His deep voice bellowed the warning, and Evelyn looked up at him just in time to see him latch onto the mast with both his arms and his legs. Frowning, she turned to look towards the side of the ship.
An enormous wave was rising above the ship. For a moment, she was stunned by the size of it. Then she remembered she needed a life vest, and she needed to hold on to something. She scrambled towards the storage closet, but the ship pitched from a preceding wave, and she barely managed to get her fingers to grip the edges of the compartment. The force sent her to her knees, but her mind kept repeating over and over, "life vest, life vest, life vest."
Her fingers scrabbled for the orange vest, and had just closed over one corner when the wave hit the ship.
Water swept across the deck, and hit her with enough force to rip her and the vest free from the compartment. She struggled to maintain her grip on the vest, but the force of the rushing water was too much. Within seconds, the vest was gone. Evelyn let out a cry, pumping her legs to try and stay above the water.
But it was useless.
She was tossed and pitched in a spinning roll through the water, becoming disoriented. She didn't notice that she'd been shoved clear of the ship entirely until she was able to break the surface once more, her starved lungs gasping for air. Her eyes saw the looming dark shape of the ship, and realized it was above her instead of under her.
Panic set in threefold, and she cried out desperately, waving her hands in the air. The act was futile as another large wave swept over her, plunging her down into the cold, black ocean. No matter how strongly she kicked, no matter how much she pulled with her arms, she couldn't overcome the force of the churning water.
Her vision became hazy, and she shut her eyes tight against the stinging sea water. Thoughts became muggy as she struggled against the force of the water. Then there was nothing at all, and her body went limp.
It grew colder.
Raion had taken over the helm, ordering Titus to survey the ship for damage, especially to the steering mechanisms below. The Hebi-Go wouldn't, no, couldn't cooperate against the waves. His shoulders tensed, trying to keep the helm straight, his brain full of weather terminology and navigator-speak as he analyzed the environment.
Cold front... localized low -pressure system... He glanced up at the sky, blinking as the rain pelleted down hard, the clouds... that thunderhead is rotating. Is that a supercell? Fuck... they had to get out of this storm before a mesocyclone appeared and burst the ship to smithereens. This type of weather in the East Blue was crazy, especially for this time of year.
He shook his head and dared to push his hair out of his eyes. The helm spun and the ship tilted dangerously. He snatched it back, bruising his knuckles and cranked hard, keeping them as close to on course as they could get.
He glanced over his shoulder. His visibility was shot from the rain so he relied heavily on his Haki to keep tabs on his crew. Sabo and Lukas were wrapping the sail. They needed to get down from that crossbar soon. Zeke appeared to be wrestling the rigging still as it kept flying out of his big hands from the wind. He saw two bright orange vests breaking through the shroud of rain and then saw Eevee fighting her way back across the deck to the storage compartment near the bow.
What the fuck was that girl doing? Where the hell was her life vest?
"EEVEE!" he hollered, trying to get her attention.
Titus appeared, "No damage, senchou," he shouted his report.
Raion nodded, "Good! Here! Take over! Keep her steady!" he handed the helm to Titus and leaned over the railing that overlooked the two bottom decks, "EEVEE! LIFE VEST!" he shouted, but his order was interrupted as Lukas shouted a warning from his post on the cross bar.
Raion turned. A huge wave was barreling towards the ship, easily twenty feet high and climbing. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.
"Titus!" he warned, but the fishman was on it, tightening his grip and adjusting the Hebi-Go to take the brunt.
A preceding wave rocked the ship and the captain pitched sideways. He grabbed the railing, his boots sliding on the slick wood and managed to pull himself upright just as that massive wave crashed over lower deck, tilting the Hebi-Go dangerously to the left.
Everything broke down into slow motion. His eyes bounced around, taking in everyone. Zeke had both the devil fruit users by the backs of their life vests. Sabo and Lukas were secured indefinitely as they clung low to the crossbar. Titus was behind him. Someone wasn't accounted for...
Because she was tumbling like ragweed across the lower deck, swept up by the wave. Everything inside him tightened, his breath ceasing.
"EVELYN!" he shouted. Her life vest that she'd managed to wrap her hands around ripped away and like hungry hands, the waves grabbed her and pulled her right over the side of the ship.
"GOD DAMN IT! TITUS!" Raion hollered, whipping around. He grabbed the helm and the fishman burst into action, diving over the edge of the ship, "ZEKE!" Raion didn't even need to say more. The other twin lassoed Margherita and Rouge with rope to the mast and bounded up the stairs, his long legs eating them four at a time to take the helm from the captain.
Raion cursed and launched himself over the railings, hitting the lower deck and slipping. He shoved his hair back out of his face, the wind tearing at his clothes, "SABO! LUKAS! GET DOWN NOW!" Damn it, only one sail was up... the back mast sail and rigging were whipping around above the galley.
The boys came down as Raion snatched some of the heavy rope coiled on the mast.
"Lukas! Take the girls inside!" he snapped, "Sabo, help me."
"Raion, the sail...!" Sabo protested, gesturing towards the back mast as Lukas untied the girls and bodily hauled them into the galley.
"Now!" he demanded. There wasn't any time to explain. They'd just have to sew the sail up afterwards.
They stumbled and slid to the railing. Raion's eyes rapidly scanned the water until he saw Titus's head appear, his dark hair and gray-blue skin nearly invisible in the raging waves. Raion tossed the rope to him, feeling Sabo's shock and panic. Ya. Raion was trying not to panic. He hadn't had someone go overboard in years.
Together, the two of them hauled Titus towards the ship until the fishman could grab the wooden rails and climb, his charge draped over his shoulder.
"Go secure the rigging on the back mast," Raion ordered to Sabo, "Get Lukas and see if you can drop that sail," The blonde man nodded and raced up the back stairs to the deck above the galley.
Titus dropped onto the deck and carefully placed a sputtering and coughing Eevee down. Raion dropped to his knees and gave her a sharp thwap on the back to force the rest of the water out of her lungs, then grabbed her face.
"Are you alright?" was the first question out of his mouth. She was shivering like mad. He switched his attention to the Fishman, "Do we have enough Cola for a Coup de Burst?" like the Sunny, the Hebi had a blast cannon in the back for emergency getaways.
Titus looked like he was doing math in his head before he shrugged, "Maybe. We'll be dry though."
"Go charge it."
He nodded and disappeared.
Raion scooped up his shivering doctor and fought his way forward to the girls dorm, the wind tearing at his clothes as it literally rained sideways. He ripped open the cabin door, battling with it momentarily as the wind attempted to blow it off its hinges. He managed to get them inside and slammed the door shut.
"Sit here," he told her, kneeling down and carefully placing her on the floor next to her bed. He picked his way across the room, tripping over Margherita's shit and kicking it aside until he could retrieve some towels from the bathroom. He came back out and wrapped Eevee's trembling body in them, "Listen," he grabbed her face. Her lips were blue, "Get out of these clothes and get in the bed. I'll be right back."
He gave her one final glance over, as if assuring himself that she'd be alright for a couple of minutes before he darted out of the room.
There was a heavy thump above the galley. Lukas and Sabo had dropped the sail. Raion battled his way over there. He could feel the vibration under his feet of Titus charging the blaster.
"The rigging's damaged!" Sabo hollered, seeing Raion, "And the sail's all torn up!"
Fuck. This was terrible planning on his part, "Never mind it," he waved his hand, "We'll sew it up tomorrow! Titus is gonna fire the Coup de Burst in a few minutes!"
They nodded and the three of them hopped the railing. Sabo and Lukas went into the galley and Raion headed for the helm.
"Zeke!" he hollered, gripping the railing. On the helm, a red light was glowing next to a pull lever.
The fishman nodded and as soon as the light turned green, he yanked that lever as hard as he could.
There was a loud rumbling, audible even over the violent tempest around them, a glowing light from the rear of the ship and then with a giant lurch, the Hebi-Go blasted forward, skimming over the water like a waver. They moved at speeds unparalleled by even the best engines or the best tailwinds. Raion fell into the railing, feeling his stomach get left behind.
For several minutes, Evelyn couldn't move. The cold had affected not only her body, but her mind. And she was in shock. Being a doctor, it was pretty easy to recognize the symptoms, which were made only more severe by the cold, slowing her reaction and thinking times. All she could do was shiver and stare at the wall across from her, her numb fingers clutching the towels wrapped around her.
She'd almost died. Sinking into the ocean, not sure which way was up, knowing she didn't have the strength to get to the surface even if she did know which way to go..She'd accepted that she was going to die. Her heart constricted and her stomach tightened at the memory, and each time the ship lurched or pitched, she winced a little. What if the whole ship turned over?
The thought caused such a sense of panic in her that her lungs seized for a moment. Her shivering got worse, affected by her mentality more than actually being colder.
Then, right at that moment, there was a monumentous lurch, and Evelyn crashed to the side, skidding across the floor until she hit the wall that her bed was against. For several seconds following the lurch, the ship moved eerily like it was flying, and she realized with a snap that they had used the Coup de Burst. She'd experienced it only once before, but it would explain the sudden tumble she'd just taken.
Her panic subsided significantly, and she was prepared for the second lurch as the ship crashed back into the waves. After several seconds of stillness, Evelyn knew they'd outrun the storm. She let out a slow, stuttering breath, one intermittent with chattering teeth.
She was still in her wet clothes, and they were sucking any heat from her body. Her brain was working a little better now, and she focused on the need to get out of the sopping fabric.
It proved to be more difficult than she'd hoped. Her arms and legs were exhausted from the massive exertion of trying to swim through the strong currents of the stormy ocean, and her fingers were still so cold that they were having trouble executing simple commands. The simultaneous shivering from the cold and trembling of her exhausted muscles made her motor skills sloppy and weak. She managed to get her shirt off, but failed completely at working the corset she had underneath off.
She gave up on it for the time being, thinking to return to that task when her fingers weren't so numb. She set on her boots next, forcing her trembling fingers to work the zipper down. By then, her teeth chattering had subsided, but she continued to shiver, her lips still tinged blue. Removing the shirt, however, had done a lot in returning some of the warmth to her arms, but the sopping corset was doing the opposite to her torso. With a small grunt, she managed to pull one of her boots off.
The Hebi crash landed in the water, rocking dangerously back and forth until the ship righted herself. Raion sat up from where he'd been thrust back against the railing and pushed his soaking wet hair back off his forehead. It seemed like they'd outran the storm for the most part. It was still pouring, but the wind had died down significantly and the sky was much lighter.
He stood and pulled out his spyglass, adjusting his vision. Holy fuck. They'd dodged a bullet. A mesocyclone was forming under the supercell he'd seen earlier. If they had tried to fight their way out of that, even the strength of the Adam Wood would have been strained.
Satisfied that the worst was behind them, Raion told Zeke to go inside and get dry and help the crew. The fishman nodded and disappeared down the stairs and Raion stayed to adjust their heading, checking his compass and the weather patterns north east of them. Once they beat the storm, hopefully it would be clear enough out to mend the sail. That pushed them back some. They wouldn't arrive tomorrow evening like he'd hoped. It was gonna be at least another day, if not two.
Down in the galley, everyone was soaking wet. Raion entered to see his nakama righting the chairs that fell over and hanging wet clothes and towels out them to dry out. Margherita and Rouge were hunkered down in chairs with towels over them and steaming cups of something in their hands and all the boys had taken off their boots and shirts, wringing them out in the sinks and shaking them out to dry.
"Everyone alright?" Raion asked, snagging an extra towel and making a vain attempt to dry his hair out.
There was an affirmative groan around the galley and Sabo asked, "Is Eevee alright?"
Rouge snorted, "Of course she's not! Poor girl just fell in the ocean during a violent storm. She's probably in right shape."
"She'll be alright," Raion assured, "We've all fallen overboard once or twice," he glared pointedly at Sabo, "Or more."
The blonde man held up his hands innocently, "I haven't fallen overboard in years," he chuckled.
Zeke handed him two warm pint sized mugs of... was that tea? "Alright," Raion said, nodding his head in finality, "We've cleared the storm for the most part. Just... dry out for now. And get some sleep. We have to fix the rigging and the sail and check the ship for damages, but we can wait until morning."
Everyone agreed, Sabo gave an "aye aye" and Raion left the galley, moving swiftly to the other side of the ship and opening the door to the girls dorm.
Eevee... was exactly where he'd left her. Except she had her shirt off and... one boot. She was struggling with the next one, but it didn't look like her fingers were cooperating and she was making little noises of whining frustration. He felt like someone was squeezing the inside of his chest again.
"You're a hot mess," he said with a half smile. He kicked off his boots, placed the two mugs on her bedside table and dropped to his knees in front of her. His fingers were much more apt for the job of unzipping the side of the boot and tugging it off her foot. Then, he scooted closer to her and pulled her into him so that she was leaning against his shoulder and he could unlace the corset down the back. He'd always wanted to unlace one of these bad boys, but this was a far cry from the situation he'd imagined he'd actually get the pleasure of doing it.
The wet laces were tight and he struggled to get the last of them undone while she trembled against him. After what felt like a frustratingly long time, he managed to pull the soaked corset from her body and he draped her in a towel to cover her. The leather pants were next and he literally had to peel them off her. It was extremely difficult and he tugged her over on accident.
"Sorry," he said, "Wear cotton next time. This is ridiculous."
The undies were thankfully last - she was wearing them to match her corset which he definitely remembered making a comment about yesterday. He found this suspicious and a touch thrilling - and when she was naked and under the towels, he dug through her dresser drawers for a nightgown thing and tugged it over her head. Last, he fluffed her hair and braided it swiftly over one shoulder, his fingers sure and confident. Her skin was still translucent and her fingers freezing as he grabbed her hands to check. Her eyes looked almost too big for her delicate face.
"Let's get you in the bed," he instructed, lifting her up and plopping her down on the mattress. He pulled the covers back and made a motion for her to crawl under them and then he covered her with them. She was shivering and trembling like mad still; even under the covers he could tell.
He paused as a thought cross his mind. At first, he dismissed it right away, but as he really thought about it, it seemed like a good idea. He was fine. He was a little cold from the rain, but he wasn't shivering and his body emanated heat like a furnace on a good day. He could get in the bed with her and help her warm up. Just for a few minutes wouldn't hurt, right?
Raion gathered up her clothes from the floor and strode into the bathroom to hang everything up to dry. Then, he stripped down to his tight black boxers and hung his clothes up too. Out in the room, he dug around in Margherita's stuff until he procured one of his old tee shirts that she slept in. Or maybe it was one of Sabo's? He didn't remember and he held it our to judge the size before shrugging into it. It was tight around his chest and shoulders, but giving it a few good tugs helped loosen the cotton just a little.
She hadn't moved an inch and he pulled the covers back and crawled under them with her.
"Come 'ere," he flexed his hands in gesture for her to scoot close enough so that he could wrap his arms around her to try and stifle the quaking, "Just relax, girl, you're fine," he rubbed his hands up and down her back.
Evelyn was grateful to Raion as he helped her finish undressing. With the rest of her clothes off, she finally started to feel a little warmer, though her shivers persisted. The dry towels felt like heaven, and her fingers cooperated enough now that she could pull it tight around her.
Evelyn lifted her arms for him as he helped her get into one of her nightgowns, then looked up at him as he braided her hair, an odd feeling tightening in her chest. She watched his face, her eyes tracing the lines of his jaw, his lips. The feeling grew stronger, and if she hadn't been so cold, she might have blushed a little. It was more than gratitude, something softer. Her eyes drifted closed in contentment as his fingers swiftly but gently moved thought it hair, and it did more than even the towels to help calm her trembling body. The feeling felt very warm, and very fragile, so Evelyn decided not to investigate it further. Her brain was having trouble functioning as it was.
Soon, he had her in her bed, under the covers, and she curled up for warmth, nuzzling her face against the pillow, which felt amazingly warm and soft. Already, she felt exhaustion tugging at her consciousness. She was still shivering, still very much cold, but she was in a far better place than she'd been moments before, with her wet clothes clinging to her blue-tinged skin. She wondered, briefly, how long it would take for the blankets to get her warm enough to stop shivering.
Her eyes flickered up to Raion, and she opened her mouth to thank him for his help, but he left before she could, her wet clothes bundled in his arms. Disappointed that she couldn't express her gratitude, Evelyn let out a little sigh, closing her eyes and willing warmth into her body.
Moments later, the bed suddenly dipped, and Evelyn's eyes flew open in surprise to see that Raion was getting under the covers with her. She looked up into his face, and felt that warm feeling in her chest again to see his face and a small, reassuring smile as he settled down next to her. She didn't hesitate when he motioned her over, scooting closer into the circle of his arms.
His scent enveloped her first, then the heat that radiated off of him. Her sigh, this time, was one of happiness, and she buried her face against his chest, letting the warmth there heat her cold nose and lips. "Thank you..." she mumbled against him, curling her fingers into the dry shirt he was wearing.
With his heat, it didn't take long for her shivers to subside. Feeling warm, safe, and content in Raion's arms, Evelyn drifted off to sleep quickly.
An hour later, Margherita and Rouge were still in the galley, warm mugs in their hands. By then, they had changed into dry shirts and shorts, both of which belonged to Lukas.
"Man, why couldn't he have taken her to his room. Then I could be sleeping all cozy in my bed," Margherita grumbled, scowling down at her tea. "Not that he would actually do that...he never lets girls in his room. After this long, he's definitely 'warming her up,' if you know what I mean...In my room." Margherita made a gagging face.
Rouge laughed, shaking her head as she waggled a brow at Margherita, "Oh come on, you're probably Eevee's biggest supporter when it comes to getting her together with Raion. And after the shock Eevee just went through, a little 'warming up'" Rouge waggled her brows suggestively, grinning widely, "is probably the best thing for her. You can suffer one night for that. You can come bunk with me; I'm sure Lukas won't mind, right babe?"
Across the room, Lukas snorted, shaking his head. He didn't look up from the newspaper that sat in front of him. "Oh, the more the merrier..." he mumbled.
Margherita smirked, then nodded her head. "Alright, alright...He'll probably be gone by morning anyways. Senchou never sleeps with girls, he just screws them."
Rouge reached out and smacked Margherita up the side of the head, "hey, watch your mouth where my cousin is concerned! Besides...Eevee is different. I have a good feeling that his man-whoring days are over," Rouge said with a confident grin, nodding her head.
Margherita cast her a suspicious look, "You sure about that...? I mean, he has been acting very weird with her, but you know how much Senchou loves to man-whore..." Setting her mug down, Margherita crudely thrust her index finger through the whole made by the thumb and forefinger of her other hand, waggling her brow like Rouge had down.
Rouge scowled at that, then shrugged, lifting the mug to her lips, "Fucking is fun and all, but there's something to be said for finding the person you like to fuck the most." Her eyes slid towards Lukas, and her grin turned wicked.
Margherita scowled and covered her face with her hands, "Ew, don't ever make that face in front of me again."
Rouge laughed hard, and Lukas glanced at her with a little grin on his lips.
Margherita woke somewhat early in the morning, all considering. Though she didn't mind bunking with Rouge and Lukas, she'd much rather have her own bed. Not long after she woke, she was heading in the direction of her room, thinking of dozing a little more in said bed, nested among the many blankets and pillows she piled onto it.
There was a fog hanging over the water and the ship as she traversed the deck, and Margherita let out a big yawn. She spotted Zeke heading into the galley, to begin preparing breakfast, and waved a greeting to him as she pushed open the door to the cabins.
A second yawn, so big her eyes closed, obscured her vision as she entered the girl's dorm, trying to be quiet for Eevee's sake. Once the yawn had subsided, Margherita got a look of the state of the room, and stopped dead in her tracks. Raion was in the bed with Eevee, his arms wrapped around her. He was wearing one of her shirts! Well, it had been Sabo's...but still!
It was one of those occasions where he fell asleep without actually meaning to go to sleep. His intention of getting into the bed with her had been completely innocuous, really. But his adrenaline had been running so high and hard and he hadn't had much sleep that when his body finally stopped, it was like everything in him stopped and took the rest that it could find.
So when the door opened, Raion started, waking up and blinking as he processed his surroundings. Margherita stood in the doorway, watching him with her yellow eyes. And he realized with a tinge of pink over his ears that he'd just been caught sleeping in bed with Eevee. Something inside him tensed. He wasn't sure where this attraction with Eevee was going and where it was all gonna end up when everything was said and done, so he tried to keep their… he hedged to call it a "relationship" because it wasn't really that, but it was difficult to call it just a "fuck" either… well, whatever they were, he tried to keep it under wraps around his nakama. Maybe it was just survival, like a safety net instinct that kept him from spreading drama like a disease through his crew in case this whole "Eevee plus relationship/fuck/fling/whatever" thing didn't quite pan out or something. He didn't want the crew really involved. Cleaner, he supposed, maybe.
So when Margherita blinked at him, he tensed and shifted, feeling like he'd just got his hand caught in the cookie jar and he needed to get the hell out.
She held up her hands and shook them, a grin spreading over her little pixie face, "No, stop, stay," she whispered, "You'll wake her up. I'm just gonna grab some clothes…" and she tiptoed across the room, picked up some shorts and a tank top and some underwear or something. And as suddenly as she appeared, she whispered out the door, leaving Raion staring at the closed wood.
… what?
She must already know what's going down, he thought, settling slowly back into the bed. Maybe Eevee shares with her? Girl talk or whatever females called it when they got all twittered about boys? That seemed… oddly out of character for the little snake girl, but maybe not so much for the lovely doctor.
And if she knew what was going on… and Sabo knew what was going on… Rouge obviously knew because her and Margherita were thick as thieves when they got together. Lukas must know then… and Titus and Zeke weren't stupid so if everyone else knew, then they would know and all Raion was left thinking was: what did they think was happening?
For that matter, what did he think was happening?
It's fine, he told himself, snuggling back down in the bed and draping his arm over Eevee's hip. It's fine because… because whether he'd made it explicit or not to her, Eevee knew what she was getting into by messing around with him. He… didn't commit. Part of him like to fool around and have a good time with lots of women and she had to know that like, just because they were fucking – or going to, he was convinced – didn't mean that he was 'exclusive'. Or would ever be, though that much only Sabo knew the finer details of. Raion had a bit of an idealistic image of the perfect relationship that he wanted to be in and he was convinced that finding it was like finding one fish in the whole ocean; slim to none. So, he just had fun instead.
And Eevee knew that. She had to. And he knew that. So there was no harm in having some fun.
It was just… a little different because they were nakama too. So there were some allowances, like… sleeping in the same bed together.
He tugged her in a little closer, feeling the tight Mystery Feeling in his chest at the idea of snuggling a body.
"Are you awake?" he grumbled, his voice rough from sleep.