Too late for Christmas, not too late for the New Year!
Chapter 10:
The fight had been hard, but quick... a lot of blood had flowed...
The mere thought of it made him smile.
The sensation of victory and superiority was overwhelming... the smell of blood was inebriant... and it made him feel... no, he WAS... invincible...
Now, there was only a man left... and someone he would have to fight him for...
But unlike his "ally", he had no compassion in him.
He would rip that bastard into pieces.
Eustass Kidd inched in his bed, still deep asleep.
He could still feel his heart stopping as he pierced his chest with his hand... could still hear his last groan of pain and feel the warm blood dripping down his arm... red, dirty blood... the blood of a pirate... the lifeblood of a mortal enemy...
Behind him, someone screamed.
He had an absorbed expression, as he was thinking hard about something.
A voice rumbled in his ears... strong and desperate... hearing that sound, a cold chill ran from his back up to his hairline...
The inebriant sensation was growing stronger and stronger...
The adrenalin in his body was so much he was quivering...
The cover had to have fallen down during the night.
It had taken him some time to figure out how to cut his skin without taking too much damage in return... it had been difficult...
His men were staring proudly at him... and of course he was proud of them...
He tossed away the corpse of his enemy with no respect... he had been just an idiot, in the end.
After all, what he wanted from him... he had already taken it...
A smirk grew on his face.
The screaming form was being held down by Killer…
Desperation was all he could hear in that voice.
His body trembled in anticipation at the sound, distinguishing the hidden fire in it...
Hate was all he could see in those eyes.
Warmth started to pervade him at the sight... how he loved them...
Those beautiful, brilliant eyes of hers...
A sigh escaped his lips as the morning sunbeams reached him through the window.
In a moment, he saw that light in her eyes die... her slender figure collapse to the ground...
He felt powerless...
His heart was suddenly empty.
"I hate you", the last thing she had said.
He started to shake violently, cold sweat formed on his forehead.
She had preferred to die rather than be his... she had rejected him... humiliated him in the worst way...
He had done all that for her... just to have her... and she had hit him deep in his soul...
His head was spinning, he felt like he was falling... the dead eyes of Monkey D. Rufy were staring at him with derision...
Then nothingness.
The pain in his head made him wake up suddenly. His eyes were wide and terrified as he stared at the ceiling but he could still see some red stains from his dream. He was struggling to breath. The panic he had felt was still paralyzing his mind.
"Kidd! Kidd!"
Killer's voice was muffled and it startled him, but it slowly put him out of his state of agitation.
"Kidd, you okay?"
He had to wait a few seconds to regularize his breath and be able to answer.
"Yes. It was just a nightmare." He said.
"It had to be one hell of a nightmare to scare you of all people." Killer answered.
"It was." He stood up and seated on the edge of the bed. He was confused and that wasn't even his room.
"Where am I?" he asked Killer.
"Strawhat's infirmary. They called me 'cause they thought it would have pleased you." He explained.
"Infirmary?"
"Don't you remember? During the fight Hawkins managed to hit you pretty hard on the head, you and Strawhat had just finished him off when you fainted from blood loss...that doctor, the reindeer, is for certain one of the best. I thought we had lost our captain. It took us so much time to take you here, big and tall as you are..."
Hearing that, Kidd noticed the bandage on his head and his hair falling over his eyes. At least that explained the red stains he had seen before.
"Where are my goggles?"
"I have them, don't worry. I'll give them back to you when your head is alright."
Kidd said nothing else for a while and Killer didn't press him. He seemed deep in thought, like he was trying to figure out something that haunted him. Maybe his dream? But that was strange, Kidd wasn't an impressionable person. In the end, he just set for asking.
"What are you thinking?" Kidd jumped, startled by his question.
"What?" he asked. When Killer asked him again, Kidd's face darkened.
"I dreamt about the fight of yesterday..." he said.
"The fight of yesterday? What about it?" his first-mate asked, his captain was making him more and more worried with each passing second.
"I had already killed Hawkins, but then...I was killing someone else, in the same way I did with that damned fortune-teller of my ass. And then I killed all his crew but one...and..."
"...and?" Killer asked.
"...and nothing. I woke up." Kidd said as he stood up.
"Who was the one left?" Killer asked curiously, but Kidd diverted the conversation.
"I'm hungry, how about you?"
"...a little." Killer guessed he would have no explanation for the moment.
They both went out of the room and headed to the kitchen saying nothing else.
"AHAHAHAH! You've become extremely good at imitations, Luffy!" Usop laughed. Next to him, Chopper had his clogs on his belly. Everyone else had tears in his eyes from too much laughing.
"Well, during this two years I had to entertain myself sometimes and I made exercise so I would show you guys! – Luffy answered – Any suggestions?"
"Oh, I have one! Do an imitation of Kidd!" Usop said.
"Yeah, sure! Give me your goggles, Usop!"
Luffy arranged his hair with the glasses, then turned to Nami at his left.
"Your lipstick!" Nami growled.
"Why should I?"
"Aw, come on!"
"Here, Luffy. Take my red pen." Robin offered.
Everyone watched curiously as Luffy turned his back to them and painted his lips red.
"Oi, Luffy...what the hell are you doing?" Zoro asked him.
Then Luffy turned back, put the silverware from the breakfast table between his fingers and said in a though voice: "I'll kill anyone who laughs at me!" in a perfect imitation of the red-haired captain.
A loud laughter filled the air as Luffy smiled proudly. The laughs were so loud they covered the sound of the door opening.
"So...who should I begin with, then?" Kidd's voice made them freeze in their places.
Luffy, on the contrary, just stared at him in his usual way.
"Hey, the infirmary is connected directly with the kitchen. – he said, indicating the door behind him - Why did you do the long way? Are you stupid?"
"HOW COULD I KNOW THAT, WISEASS? AND DON'T THINK YOU CAN DISTRACT ME LIKE THIS! I DON'T LIKE YOU MAKING FUN OF ME LIKE THAT!" Kidd replied, offended.
"Not my problem, that's sure. Anyway, Chopper told me you have to eat to recover well, so take a seat. You too, knife-man." Luffy told him uncaring.
"His name is Killer." Said Nami.
"That's what I said!" Luffy replied. Nami sighed.
"Just shut up and tuck in."
"Okay." And tuck in he did, much to the dismay of both Kidd and Killer.
"Tsk, stupid monkey." Kidd murmured as he too started eating.
"Oi Nami, when can we leave from here?" Luffy asked her.
"Whenever you want, actually. The log-pose magnetized yesterday night. But a huge storm is coming, so it might be risky, since it's going to last at least three days. It'll be worse than yesterday." She explained.
"Hm, I'll think about it." Said the captain.
Killer raised his head and stared out of the window.
"But the sun is shining today."
"You're right, the weather is good today. Not tomorrow, though." She told him.
"You're so smart, Nami-swan!" Sanji screamed from the kitchen.
"She is, shishishi!" Luffy said as he hugged her tightly.
Killer saw his captain suddenly tense at the scene in front of him.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he muttered to him.
"Nothing!" Kidd quickly replied, turning his head, his reddened ears being the only thing visible to him.
"Luffy, I can't ...breath!" Nami was screaming.
"Okay, okay..." Luffy released her and turned back to his beloved meat.
Kidd visibly relaxed. Killer almost laughed out loud at his friend's behaviour, he acted like a teenager.
"How is your head? The bandage isn't hurting you, right?" Chopper asked him.
"It's fine. Both my head and the bandage." Kidd replied with a bored tone.
"Good. – he smiled, then turned towards Nami – Good job with the bandaging, Nami! You've been of great help."
Kidd's bite stopped in his throat and he started to cough violently. Killer gave him a big slap on his back and he managed to breath again.
"Oi, you okay?" The brat asked.
"Yeah, yeah..."
Did he hear well? She had bandaged his head? What the hell was that supposed to mean?
"Hm, yeah. – Nami blushed, embarrassed. – I'll be in the map room if you need me."
With that said, she stood up and flew out of the room.
Luffy watched her leaving the room with a serious expression, then look at Kidd in the same way.
"Kidd, I'd like to have a few words with you when you're finished."
"Huh? The last time we talked, this was the result – he said, indicating himself on the Sunny – What do you want this time?"
"I'll tell you later." Luffy ended the conversation. He absolutely had to know what was going on...
Nami closed the door behind her and sighed. She wouldn't have been able to be in the kitchen a minute more. Since the day before, Robin had been looking at her with the expression of someone who knew more about something than the concerned person, and she feared that concerned person was none other than her. It was better to stay away as long as possiblewhen she behaved like that because it meant she had some awkward or embarrassing question to ask. Of course, Robin always found her way to confront her in the end. Her tentative was just wasted effort, but at least she had a few more hours.
Other than that, she still hadn't thanked Kidd for saving her life. Actually, Franky had been more grateful than her and, to show him how much he was, he had started a new, "top secret" project the previous night. The only thing she had understood was that Kidd's missing arm had something to do with it. Not that she cared...
Giving a quick glance at her desk, she decided she didn't want to think about that at the moment, so she just wore her glasses, tied her hair into a pony tail and started her new map.
That island was easy to draw, since the civilization had been kept to the minimum. She wondered why Shanks always seemed to prefer deserted islands, but seeing what had happened to the inhabitated one she guessed it was better that way. Maybe that was why he chose islands with no population, who could know...
It took her only two hours to complete the map, so when she finished she reached Sanji for a morning snack. It was time for Luffy's snack too, so she hoped he wouldn't mind making something else for her.
"So, what the hell do you want this time? And why do we have to talk in your shitty library?" Kidd asked.
"Because no one will interrupt us here, at least for a while..." Answered Luffy.
Kidd sat down and waited for him to start.
"What are you doing? With Nami, I mean..."
Fuck, caught!
"Nothing. – Kidd said with nonchalance – What should I do with her?"
"Are you kidding me? When you slapped her butt, I thought you wouldn't do it again, so I said nothing. Nami's always had to deal with pervs, but she can manage on her own. And then you go and... and... w-what was that? Why did you touch her arm like that? What the hell did that mean? Then you saved her life, and I'm grateful you did, but still it's not something you would normally do, right?...Oh! I'd also like an explanation about that night in the kitchen!"
Kidd certainly didn't expect something like that. The brat seemed really angry. But so was he, he didn't have to explain everything he did to him! He was not someone of that damn crew of his, he was Eustass "Captain" Kidd!
"How do you know about that night?" he decided to ask instead.
"I followed you, of course! With all the mess you were doing, I knew Nami would go and check, thinking it was me! Now answer my questions!" Luffy said.
Kidd didn't know what to say. He had realized the reason behind his actions only that morning, did the brat really expected him to "confide" as if he was his closest friend? He needed time for that kind of things...and Strawhat sure wasn't his closest friend!
"Okay, listen. It doesn't take a genius to know, so try to get it on your own because I won't tell you." He replied.
"Well, if it's so obvious why can't you tell me? Are you planning something? I swear, if you harm her.." Luffy said.
"I would never! I may be a bloodthirsty person, but even I don't harm the ones I care about!" Kidd told him angrily, without even realizing what words were slipping out of his mouth. Luffy stared at him with wide eyes.
"C-c-care?"
Damn, he had let it all out! Kidd thought. He instanly blushed. He felt so humiliated, blushing in front of his number one enemy wasn't exactly at the top of his To do list.
Deny, deny, deny!
"You heard wrong, I didn't say anything like that!" he said.
"I heard very well! I don't get it. If it's just that, what's wrong admitting it?" Luffy asked him.
"Enough! I won't talk about this with you, forget it!" Kidd said, turning his back to him to go out of the room. Unfortunately, a strong grip on his neck blocked him.
"Let go, you idiot! I can't breath!"
"No, you must say it clearly! I won't let go until you say it!" Luffy insisted, a grin on his face.
"Why is it so important, huh?" Kidd said choking.
"Come ooooon! Tell meeeeee!"
"I LIKE HER! I LIKE HER, OKAY? AND YOU CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT THAT! NOW TAKE YOUR FILTHY HAND OFF OF ME BEFORE I KILL YOU!" Kidd shouted.
How he hated that brat! Him, his stupid ways, his stupid ideas! Now everyone on the ship knew his own business, the kitten included! ...and what was he laughing about now?
"Shishishi! You're so stressed, I'm surprised you didn't kill anyone yet! Beside yesterday, obviously..." Kidd ignored him.
"What will you do now?" He asked.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You know the truth, now what? Do not even think to interfere."
"I'm not going to do anything. I mean, this is a nice thing, right? Why should I stop it? I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to harm her and I know you would have never admitted such an embarrassing thing just to hide something else... – Luffy said and walked towards the door – I don't know what Nami thinks of you and I don't mind if someone likes her. She's a beautiful woman, so that's normal. And then, despite being her captain, I have no say in her love life." He then turned towards him with a menacing look.
"But... just a tear on her face and I won't hesitate to throw you in the ocean."
And with that said, he walked out.
Kidd stood in his place for a few minutes. Was the brat crazy? He had lost it, for sure. No one would ever act like him. Not when there was Eustass Kidd on the other side.
"You're doing a big mistake." He said, talking to no one in particular.
He sighed. He needed to sit down.
What astonished him the most, though, was that Strawhat had felt the need to give him his permission...he winced at the thought. He needed no "permission", especially from HIM!
Damn, sitting down wasn't helping him! He needed to go out of there.
"He's very persuasive, isn't he?" a voice said when he opened the door. He raised his head and saw Killer leaned against the wall.
"Why are you still there? I thought you had returned to our ship..."
The first-mate lazily raised his shoulders.
"I was curious."
Kidd laughed. "You're always curious...about my own business! Why is everyone interested in my life today?"
Killer didn't answer and just left the ship. Tsk, typical...
Now Kidd could only hope no one else had heard him scream or he would have said bye bye to his dignity.
Sighing, he walked towards the kitchen, only to stop in front of the door. Just how much time had he passed there since he had arrived? He was on an enemy ship and he hadn't even thought about exploring his surroundings. All he had seen was the kitchen, the bathroom and the bedroom, obviously, and now the library...maybe he could take a tour. He had nothing else to do, anyway. Looking around, he decided his next destination. The orange spots he saw on those trees were fruits, right? Because he was still a bit hungry.
Nami was humming while she picked her tangerines and put them in a basket. She had managed to escape from Robin's attempt to talk with her, Luffy hadn't been in the kitchen to bother her and now she really felt like eating a tangerine cake after lunch. She just had to wait for Sanji to come and take the basket. She could hear his footsteps already.
"Oh, look who's here. Hi kitten!" She froze.
That was not Sanji.
She turned towards him and stared at him with disappoint. Nope, definitely not Sanji. It was someone far more disturbing...though he wasn't looking bad at all with his hair down...
"What are you doing here?" she asked him, trying not to be rude. Maybe if she acted politely, he would end up being bored and go bother someone else.
"I'm kinda hungry. Mind giving me one?" he asked, pointing the fruits. Now that he knew he liked her, it was better if he acted nice, wasn't it? ...with her, at least, though he didn't know how nice he actually could be...
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because."
He didn't answer and just stared at her curiously as she kept doing her work. Her hairstyle was letting her neck and shoulders visible and he could clearly see her tattoo.
He was seriously screwed, he thought as he kept staring at her.
"You wear glasses?" Nami hadn't paid attention to his silence and was too concentrated in her task, so when he talked again she jumped frightened.
"O-only when I draw maps. How did you know?" she asked.
"They're still on your head."
"Oh, I forgot! Damn!" she said, taking the glasses off .
"So... – he said – what's with the tangerine trees? I mean, why are they here?" Kidd asked.
She had just opened her mouth to answer when another voice interrupted her.
"Nami-san, here I am. Is the basket rea...WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, YOU SHITTY BASTARD?"
"Calm down, Sanji-kun. Here, take it." She said and shoved the basket in his arms.
The eyes of Kidd twitched. Sanji-kun?
"Nami-swan, is this brute bothering you? He didn't touch you, did he?" Sanji asked her anxiously.
"Brute?" Kidd asked.
"Don't worry, he did nothing wrong. - said Nami – Now go to the kitchen and make the best cake of your life."
"Of course, my love!" He flew away.
"Idiot." Kidd muttered.
Suddenly, his den den mushi ringed. What did Killer want again?
"What's up?"
"I can see you from here, you know?" Killer said.
"Yeah? So what?"
"Oh, nothing. I can't tell you now." Kidd ignored his rubbish.
"Killer, why did you call?"
"Ehm...just wanted to tell you... well, I think I might have said something to the crew... practically everything."
Kidd couldn't believe it, someone really was plotting against him!
"You did what?" he screamed.
"You're a bit tardy today. I'll repeat it slowly. I... Said... Something..."
"Enough!"
Damn, the kitten was there, she could hear everything! If Killer said another word...
"Way to go, captain!" he heard someone yell in the distance.
"You really told them? You retarded!"
"I told you I did. Did you prefered to let them find out in some other way?" Killer asked.
"Since it's highly improbable something significant will happen, I would have preferred not to let them find out at all!" Kidd screamed and hung up.
Nami behind him was watching his broad back intently as she heard the conversation.
"Wow. – she said – No wonder why you're always killing someone."
He didn't reply. He was too mad at Killer, no nice word could leave his mouth at that moment.
"When I'm mad at my friends, I beat them up. Badly. You should try it, it helps relieve the stress." She said.
"Hm, I'll think about it." He replied, then an awkward silence fell between them.
"Now that I think about it, I didn't thank you for saving my life." She finally said. Kidd diverted his glance.
"It's okay, you don't have to."
"No, really. I..." she insisted.
"I said you don't have to."
"...a-alright..."
Killer laughed. He had almost been tempted to say they looked cute together, but then he would have ruined Kidd's chances. He had always had fun teasing him, anyway, he thought as he walked on the deck. His captain was just too touchy for his own good...
"Killer!" A crewmate yelled and threw him the newspaper.
Taking it in his hand, he seated and started reading.
Wait a moment...
The fight with Teach, their deal, the reasons behind it, even something about Kidd and the kitten...why the fuck was everything published for the whole world to know?
The Reviewer's Corner:
Awsme Grl: I think the quiet ones are the most dangerous. I don't know why, but that's the feeling I get when I think of Basil XP I always feel bad for Sanji too, but he's just so cut for the part I can't help treating him bad. But I'm sure he'll forgive me 3!
Angel: It almost took longer than the last time, but this chapter is longer too. Happy, dear?
RobinFleur194: I'm always so happy when I get such strong reactions from my readers! Luv you, hope to see you soon!
Fluffystuff10132: Yes, love is finally showing, I couldn't wait to get there myself! And if you liked the last one, I'm sure you'll love this chapter more!
Morgane: Wow, a new entry! Thanks for your kind words, hope you'll keep following me!
Lady Rose: I love when new readers give me such kind reviews! I appreciate the love, I'll try my best to keep it! Promised!
Thanks also to the ones who just read my story, I love you all!