Chapter 11

Burakkuson slowly opened her midnight colored eyes, blinking slowly as she saw dawn starting to tinge the sky with pinks and yellows. She sighed, stretching her body and trying to conserve warmth, not wanting to get up so early. Suddenly her stretching body hit something hard. She froze as last night's memories slammed into her, with her still groggy from deep sleep. It was then that she noticed the large source of warmth behind her, as well as the pale, muscular arm that was on top of her arm and twined up with her hand. She turned an amazing shade of red to rival HIS hair, and then slowly turned her head. When she was facing the ceiling, she turned a little more and saw him propped up on an elbow, smirking that infuriating smirk at her. She glared as best she could with sleep still in her eyes. She felt every part of his body against hers; she could feel how tall he was, feel the undercurrent of strength that always ran through his body. He was broad shouldered with a smaller but still broad waist. In her mind she thought it was to allow for such power as his to reside in one body. She was struck at how he seemed to naturally dominate those around him, even her. She shook her head, silently beating her slow head, trying to wake up faster.

He grinned and leaned down quickly, biting her ear, just barely not hard enough to draw blood. She gave a small gasp and tried to struggle her still tired body away. He just chuckled and pulled her closer, turning her around so she faced him. She struggled tiredly before collapsing against his chest. She just didn't have the energy right now to fight him. Besides, she thought absently, his rock hard chest was everything she thought it would be, and she loved the feel of it under her hands and under her cheek. He had so many scars… she drifted off, curled up against his broad chest. He grinned, tugging her in closer and digging his hand roughly through her soft hair. She protested softly, too tired to even wake up properly. He just chuckled, watching the sun light up her face. He touched the marks and bruises on her body softly, grinning at each one. If just touching her was this good, he couldn't wait for the rest… he grinned a predatory grin, his hand tightening in her hair. Yes, he had definitely done well by taking this living weapon. She was powerful, both physically and mentally, and she was entertaining for him both physically and mentally. There was never a dull moment with her around. And, because of her presence, he might encounter stronger enemies to beat and raise his bounty. He chuckled darkly and she stirred, trying to avoid the harsh sound in her hazy dreams.

Next thing he knew, his eyes were snapping open and he sat up abruptly, trying to remember when he had fallen asleep again. He felt to his left, then swore and threw the blanket into the air. His gold eyes glinted as they took in the empty space next to him. His hand felt the warmth where her body had been. His pale face creased into a frown at his lack of awareness. He hadn't even notice her leaving. Then he grinned, his arm braced and bent on his tucked up knee, his face staring out from the shadows under his arm. So in the end, she got away. Bravo, little shadow. This makes it that much more interesting.

She grinned, leaning against the wall outside of his bedroom door. She listened to him swear as he realized she had gotten away. She pushed off the wall, swaggering up the steps with a smirk on her face. Take that, control freak extraordinaire! In the end, I escaped. What will you do now? She swaggered all the way up the stairs until she got to the door that led out onto the upper deck. She paused, and pulled it open very slowly. She slithered out, trying to be small and inconspicuous. She muttered as she slid through the shadows, "Don't mind me, I'm just passing through, don't mind me…"

Killer watched, leaning from the crow's nest, as a rumpled, shirt torn Burakkuson tried to sneak furtively from the captain's quarters. He sighed, knowing that if she was sneaking, they hadn't really done it. He didn't really care what they did, he just didn't want Kidd more angry than normal. He went back to scanning the horizon. A few minutes later, he was slightly surprised to sense her coming up to the crow's nest. They hadn't had much to do with each other, just the occasional short conversation, and later Evil Eyes due to his involvement in a particularly delicate situation involving her weak moment. And Killer didn't mind it that way. It was an understatement to say he wasn't really a chatty, people person. But he respected her abilities, and was actually itching for a chance to fight her one on one. Just a weapons fight, but he could tell even that would be a challenge, after seeing her in action. She leapt over the edge of the nest gracefully, landing softly next to him. She rose to her feet, nodded and smiled slightly at him, then leaned over the edge, eyes on the sunrise. He heard her chomping on something, and as he turned to see what she was doing, she tossed an apple and a large glazed bun with chopped roasted peanuts on top over to him. He caught them out of the air, weighing them in his hands and then looking at her. The whole time she just looked out to sea, chomping on her apple and eating her bun. He looked down at the food, unsure of what to say.

"I noticed that you don't eat a lot, especially when you're on graveyard shift," she said, breaking the silence with an easy, companionable voice, "so I thought, since this is my favorite place on the whole ship especially in the mornings or at night, I would keep you company and bring you a snack, even if you do where a mask and can't eat in front of me. I don't like to eat much when I first wake up, but this stuff is delicious." She muttered and chomped away, leaning on the rail, looking out to the ocean. He looked at her, nodded, and turned his head. She heard his mask come off, but knew better than to look. She was content to hear him chomp and chew quietly. She could tell he was an interesting man with a very interesting story. He didn't speak a lot, but what she had heard was intelligent, sometimes sarcastic, and loyal to his captain. She had had a bone to pick with him concerning his tattle telling, but she wasn't one to hang onto such little grudges for too long. Too much effort. Effort that could be spent elsewhere. That was her motto. She hummed a little quiet tune, eating and watching the sunset. She had started to day dream before realizing that Killer was back to his watch position. He looked at her and nodded.

"Thanks," he said. "I don't really think about eating much" she nodded sharply multiple times, as if having a suspicion confirmed. She said, "Anytime," with a sincere smile stretching from ear to ear. He was kind of surprised at how she normal she acted around him. Most of the crew tended to avoid him. He never minded that, and probably never would. But he did have to admit, it was nice having someone around to be on watch with, even if neither of you spoke the whole time. Just her presence in the early morning hours, salt spraying off the bow of the ship as it shot forward through the sea, was enough.

After it was well into morning, Kidd finally emerged, looking as fierce and put together as ever. Burakkuson knew the second he came out, and couldn't help but watch him. Killer looked where she did, nodded slightly, and continued his lookout. After a minute she too pulled her eyes away and looked out, away from the ship and into the ocean.

Kidd looked up with his customary glare, knowing where her favorite hiding place was. He saw her leaning over the edge, completely at ease, in the presence of… Killer. Kidd tensed slightly, then shook it off. He was not in the least bit jealous of their apparent camaraderie. He trusted Killer with his life, and she owed him hers, so there was nothing to worry about. Still, he couldn't help but feel a slight burst of jealousy as he watched their silhouettes, one standing and one leaning, completely at ease in each other's presence. He grumbled that she was never like that around him, conveniently forgetting that his personality made that kind of thing nearly impossible.

Burakkuson couldn't keep her eyes off of him. The way he stood there in the rising sun; brash, ruthless, beautiful, sadistic man that he was; she couldn't help but feel a sort of magnetic pull around him. He had a powerful personality, and if she wasn't careful, she could get dragged up in it, never to be free again. She knew if she gave in to him, she would no longer be her own person. He would dominate her, and her pride would not allow that. She shook her head, trying to clear such muddy thoughts from her mind. She took a deep breath of salty air to calm her nerves. She suddenly froze, her eyes still closed, her face in a mask of fear and desperation. Killer looked at her, noticing her sudden, abrupt stillness and the change in the air around her. He grabbed her arm, looking at her, knowing something was wrong. Her eyes snapped open, staring at him in fear and something else he couldn't identify… and she leaped over the side of the crow's nest, already a shadow being. At this moment she had on the form of a huge wolf, almost as tall as Kidd himself, snarling and whirling, shadows dancing agitatedly.

Kidd looked at her, at this creature made of black fire and animal instinct. He started to grin. Anything that sent her running sounded interesting to him! She had landed firmly in front of him, and when he tried to move, she pushed him back, a plea in her gleaming red eyes. She swung around, facing north, a growl rumbling from her chest, turning into a snarl, an almost human scream. She roared her anger and desperation to the skies, trying to turn the tides and avert the disaster she could smell on the wind. But more than physical senses, she could feel the danger coming, a relentless fire burning across ocean, determined to swallow her up and anyone with her. That was why she was afraid. Her opponents were too powerful for Kidd, Killer and their crew right now. She couldn't let them suffer because of her; she couldn't let their burgeoning power be destroyed by ancient anger. She was almost frantic, head whipping from side to side, eyes closed, trying to think clearly. Come ON! She snarled at herself. Pull yourself TOGETHER! This is not the time to panic… I can save him… there is a way I just have to think it!

Kidd was watching her, utterly still and serious. If she was panicking like this, to the point where even he could see she couldn't see straight, something was terribly wrong. He wanted to rise in the ranks, get a high bounty and be seen as the threat that he was, as the future Pirate King he knew he was going to be. Total annihilation was never a good option, and he knew that tangling with say, an Admiral or a Shichibukai (Warlord of the Sea) was not a good way to encourage progress. Or life. He was strong, but he had no desire to tangle with the highest ranking Marines or the Ex Pirates who gave their freedom to the government in exchange for being allowed to do almost whatever they wanted. They were powerful, none of them having a previous bounty lower than 100,000. They had many legends in their ranks. Kidd cocked his head slightly, staring out above the gigantic wolfs back, through the shimmering shadows that kept pressing him back, towards the dubious safety of the interior of the ship. He growled, pushing back. She swung around to him, her face full of painful decisions and past horrors. He gave her stare for stare. He could see the turmoil in her mind. He hardened his eyes, the air around him changing.

"I will not back down or hid like a coward," he said to her softly, his eyes never leaving hers. She shook her head, trying to deny his words. She couldn't even speak, so far gone in her animal shape and instinctual fear. He grabbed her ruff, forcing her to look at him, forcing her down to his crouch, making her unable to look away. He glared at her. "I will NOT run. I will not hide. I will face what powers that be. There are some things you can run from, and some things you cannot. You should know that better than anyone." She started, trying to wiggle away, her eyes trying to read the sea behind her. He gripped harder, causing her to wince slightly and whimper in pain and raw fear, fear of what could happen if she didn't do something. If she could only think… he held onto her, staring at her. "I will not die." Those simple words shocked her to her core. How could he not die in the face of this threat? How could he not feel death grinning over his shoulder? She looked up at him, then blinked and looked at him harder. She could almost believe him, that he wouldn't die, with that look on his face. He was looking at her, wearing deaths very own grin on his face, his eyes tinged red. Maybe, just maybe, he was right. Maybe if he wore the grin of death than death itself would not be able to touch him. She stared at him, wanting to believe him, this human who had taken her in despite all the warnings and danger.

He stood, eyes locked on hers, bringing her up slowly. She had crouched level with him, and was now unable to take her eyes away from his. His grip loosened, and he stared out at sea, where he had started to feel an ominous threat looming. She turned, his hand on her back, her body slightly angled an in front of his, trying to locate the precise location and timing of the threat. She would not let him die!