A/N I realize this has been like three chapters of the same couple of in-story days, but I'd rather pack it in and make it content chonky than skip shit and be unsatisfied with it. Still gotta dig back through everything to add the missing apostrophes, though...
With the ship mostly to themselves, Kid commandeered the kitchen table he'd earlier attempted to destroy, shouting for Heat to keep out and mind his own business after shuffling Beau towards an empty seat. Awkwardly fumbling with the kettle as he put it on to boil, he kept his back turned to curious gaze, returning to the table with two mugs of slap-chop instant tea, bagged leaves still bobbing within. A cringe-worthy gesture, he thought, but he'd attempted it none the less. His ego was spared as Beau accepted it giddily, gently swinging bare feet below the table as she sipped. Taking an uninterested sip from his own mug, Kid finally gained the courage to speak.
"Hey, listen..." He began, searching for the right words as Beau perked to attention, "How much do you know about, uhh... People, I guess?- No, never mind that doesn't make any fucking sense ugh"
Really, how did Killer expect him to explain any of this? Kid wasn't good with words, hell it was a miracle his friend could pick his brain apart to begin with. How was he supposed to work this out on his own? On some level he knew what Killer was saying, 'Put in the effort to do it yourself, she saved your life so the least you can do is help her with this', Or some shit like that. Really, his first mate did mean well, but right now Kid was particularly pissed at being left to handle it himself. A glance at Beau revealed he still had her undivided attention, and renewed guilt pressed him to try again.
"You know people tend to... Get together, right?" He settled on.
"Oh, like when there's a party?"
"Well- Yeah, but I mean only two people- Sometimes more than two but that's not the point- Shit where was I going with this..." He grizzled, quick to lose his train of thought as a mixture of embarrassment and inexperience muddled his mind, " Do you know what a couple is?"
"Do you mean like- 'A couple of mugs', Captain?" She asked, pointing to their two drinking vessels.
"Kinda. It means something different for people"
"It does?" The little woman seemed curious, head tilted slightly as she pondered his meaning.
"It's uhh- Sometimes people figure out that they like each other in a way that's just- Different. They might be friends and figure out that they wanna be more than friends, so if both of them want it enough then they kinda 'choose' each other and become a couple. Making sense so far?" He explained, the gears in his brain working overtime to put it all together.
"Beau thinks so... It's like w-when birds pair off to build a nest and have chicks, isn't it?" She offered, much to Kid's relief.
"Yeah, exactly. There's things people do to show that they're a couple, or to show that they're interested in becoming one. It's different for everyone I think, but, a lot of people see kisses that way, especially ones on the lips..." He admitted, averting his gaze to stare at cooling tea.
"O-oh, Beau didn't- d-did she mess up?" She stammered, realizing now that she'd done such a thing after tending to split lip.
"No, I did. I should've stopped you and explained it, but I didn't. That's my fuck up"
Much to Kid's surprise, instead of asking him why he'd neglected to stop her, a simple sigh of relief left her lips before she asked a different question entirely.
"How do people know that they want to be more than friends? Is it like when you feel thirsty, so you know you need to drink something?"
"That's... Actually not a bad example. It starts out small and they might agree to go do shit together like going out to eat or whatever else they're into, then if they like it and they haven't gotten sick of each other, they make it official," Another sip of tea washed down his words, tension leaving him as the main admission hadn't caused disaster, "It ain't always that simple, sometimes people can't sort their feelings out so there's a lotta arguing or avoiding each other, so sometimes it doesn't work out"
"So is Killer your couple?" She asked, not knowing the word for an individual member of said arrangement and causing Kid to choke on his drink.
"No, No we're more like brothers I guess. And 'couple' is just the name of the relationship, there's different words for the people actually in it. Usually shit like 'boyfriend and girlfriend' or 'husband and wife' if they're married. It ain't always a girl and a guy though- Two dudes can be a couple. Pretty much anyone that wants to be together can make it a thing"
A pause followed as Beau let everything sink in, thoughtful hum echoing out of her mug as she sipped.
"Captain?"
"Hm?"
"Does that mean all the girls at the bar are your girlfriends?"
"N-No, that's uhh, that's different," Came embarrassed reply, "Sex isn't just something couples like to do, some people just do it 'cause it feels good, so places like that hire people that'll do it for money"
"Oh... So you don't kiss them?" She asked, seemingly curious.
"Uhh- Some people do. It depends. I don't."
"You don't like kisses?" It seemed like such an absurd thing to dislike for someone who viewed them as comforting touch.
"Not usually. I don't look for relationships like that, they're- I'm too busy." He frowned at the sight of drooping ears, unsure what he'd done to upset her.
"Do Beau's kisses bother you?" Came timid question, and it was time for Kid to swallow his pride and be honest.
"They used to... but it ain't your fault, it's 'cause I'm not used to gentle stuff like that. It doesn't bother me any more, though. You don't gotta stop. I uhh- They're nice." He explained, chest clenching at the look of relief she wore.
"Beau likes your kisses, too" She admitted in turn, relieved smile gracing her lips as drooped ears returned to proper stance.
Her admission caused him to avert his eyes again, inner conflict wreaking havoc as he told himself she meant it innocently. He'd only just explained romance to her in the simplest of terms, and he doubted she was making a move by saying such things. Besides, she still struggled to see herself as a person, let alone as someone with the agency of choice. Regardless, he felt the heat on his cheeks at the thought of his lips bringing her joy, validated in the handful of spontaneous presses he'd left on her skin. The increased frequency of such softened emotions bothered him, but he could no longer deny that he craved her company and wished for a cooler island where precious contact was comfortable.
With urgent explanation taken care of, Kid spent the rest of the day on watch while Beau continued her work in the infirmary, mindlessly scanning his eyes over the horizon as his shift dragged on, occasionally plagued with myriad foreign thoughts and feelings as he struggled to adjust. He'd really never cared for such relationships, and he still didn't desire one despite suffering from what could only be described as severe indigestion each time he thought of sweeter gestures. He was used to finding women attractive at a mere glance, assessing their appearance and, if applicable, deciding whether or not to hire them. He hadn't felt the softer kind of attraction since he was a boy, and it confused him greatly to feel such a draw towards someone that didn't immediately trigger a lustful response. Some part of him was glad for that, as Beau had been put through enough suffering due to the thirsting of selfish men, and he'd dread being added to that count. He understood the ritual of human courtship about as well as anyone else his age, but he sorely lacked in any kind of experience, the closest he'd ever come to a 'date' ending with childhood crush beating the snot out of both himself and Killer simultaneously. He'd watched his crew struggle with their own fair share of romantic misadventures over the years, usually ending with an argument and a slap as prospective partners stormed away when faced with the reality of their lifestyle. The eventual sight of his crew returning signaled his vigil's end, and he made his way down from the crow's nest to meet up with them as they all poured onto the main deck with the day's souvenirs in hand.
"Did you talk to her?" Came Killer's voice, barely above a whisper as he stood beside younger friend along the ship's railing.
"Yeah. She gets it now... I think"
"And you?"
There was a pause as Kid closed his eyes and leaned back, feeling the salty wind in his hair before answering with the only truth he could find.
"I don't know"
"Well, it's better than being in denial. Just- Think before you act, alright? You made a promise back on Three Point. Don't forget that"
Dinner's accompanying liquor helped to loosen him up as worries faded to the background, gingerly pulling Beau onto his lap once her smaller meal was finished, the red head resting his chin on her crown as they listened to Rocco and J.C.'s recount of how they'd burned a corrupt official alive. Cheery as the mood was, Rocco jokingly asked if the crowd had any questions, humoring Beau when she raised her hand.
"Yes, mon chaton?" He addressed with a wave towards smaller crew-mate.
"A-are you and J.C. a couple?" She asked, earning a round of chokes and coughs at the unexpected query before the whole dining room roared with laughter.
"Not exactly, we's more like partners in crime than anythin' else!" Chortled J.C., knocking back the remainder of his ale before wiping foam from upper lip, "How's about you'n the Captain though? What with sharin' a room 'nd all"
Kid all but flinched when the question was flipped back their way, realizing that even though Killer had explained Beau's situation to most of the crew, Rocco and J.C. were still recruits at the time. They had no idea what the dynamic was, and he didn't doubt that from the outside, it really did look like there was something going on. Not that he should care for outside opinions- Life as a pirate had taught him that years ago- But these were members of his crew, and he'd rather not give them the wrong idea.
"Ah, Captain lets Beau share his bed to help her feel safe, he's too busy to be in a couple with someone" She replied as he panicked, her wording strange as she was still learning the proper terms.
"D'aww, come on Cap'n, ya can't just keep a lass in yer bed 'nd not giver a second look" Came playful taunt, Beau tilting her head in confusion as she misunderstood his words.
"But he looks at Beau all the time, she's not that small"
"Alright, that's enough you old heart-throb, the poor man's going to implode if you keep prodding him like that" Scolded Rocco, thunking the bottom of his own tankard atop his friend's head.
Kid remained silent, stunned to stiffness at the scene that unfolded before him. Was his frustration really so obvious? He was grateful it seemed to go over Beau's head, but everyone else had already caught onto the possible depths of his fondness. Growling out some generic expletives, he rose for bed, hoisting smaller roommate over his shoulder in the process. She waved goodnight to the rest of the crew as he did so, trusting him not to send her tumbling towards the ground as his 'tantrum grabs' had become a common evening occurrence.
As everyone else began to settle for the evening, Killer made a point of asking their two newest companions to stay behind, taking on the task of filling both men in about Three Point Island's truth and Beau's fragile state of mind. Silence followed their lengthy catch up, Rocco's fingers interlaced with each other and tightened into a white knuckle grip, while his dearest friend held his face in large calloused palms.
"Ah shite. Shouldn't've opened me fat drunk mouth..." J.C. finally grizzled, shaking his head.
"No- I'm actually glad you did. So long as she's safe, it's good for her to be treated like any other person, and it's good for her to see Kid as the butt of a joke from time to time as well. Eventually, it should help her understand that we're all just people- Herself included" He corrected, pleased with how the evening had played out, "Besides, it's about time someone slap him upside the head for pining like a teenager. We've all watched him relish the gore of a good fight, and yet he handles a crush as if he were dying"
Both men before him relaxed, laughing at the way their first mate spoke of the Captain like an exasperated mother. One thing Killer couldn't fault him for, these two were an excellent addition to the crew, quickly fitting in with the usual dynamic while still adding their own madness to the mix. Neither of them were afraid to face the consequences of their actions, and knowledge of said consequences didn't deter them from staying true to themselves- They were free men at heart, no matter the obstacle. On this journey people were bound to die, and while there was no way of replacing friends they'd lost, making new ones helped to ease that lingering ache.
Down in Kid's quarters, the large grump of a man kicked off pants and shoes, sliding Beau off of his shoulder until her feet could reach the bed, and tossed his coat to it's usual spot across the back of wooden chair. Seeing the little beastwoman reach for the gifted shirt she wore each night, curiosity got the better of him, and as he turned his back to allow her to change with dignity, he asked-
"Don't you wanna get something nicer than that? Plenty of shops in town that'd carry pajamas"
"Nicer? How would they be nicer?" She asked, pulling her hair through the overly large collar and allowing the hem to fall past her hips.
"It's a ratty old Tee, don't you want like, idunno, a nightgown or some shit?" He guessed, not overly familiar with the kind of thing she might want to wear.
A palm to his lower back conveyed that she was done, and he pulled studded goggles from his forehead as she stepped towards the bathroom.
"Mm, Beau doesn't really know what she'd choose to buy, but she likes your shirt the most" She replied, beginning evening's task of brushing her teeth. Kid waited for her to spit out residual paste before continuing with another question.
"Why's that?"
"Because it's a precious gift from Beau's favorite person, and she treasures it more than any of her other clothes" Was her reason, sincerest smile on her face as she made her way to the bed.
Kid simply stared at her, clothed in his 'precious gift' as she quickly ran a brush through the day's tangles, and he once again found himself baffled by the fact that his existence could mean so much to someone so soft, despite never having to prove himself worthy. The amount of adoration she showed to his every gesture, whether it be a crudely made cup of musty tea or an old shirt given for convenience, to her they were treasures and she accepted them with nothing but love. She spoke no ill of the patches where shirt had worn thin, or of the bitterness in poorly brewed tea, didn't complain about the awkwardness with which his attempts at softness often stalled, or the brashness in how he spoke. She only saw the good in what he gave her, and either didn't care about or simply accepted the flaws. Simply accepted him. With brown waves neatly brushed for the night, she moved to switch off the light and joined him on shared mattress, oblivious to the marveled stare that followed her.
As she settled on her side, Kid propped himself up by the elbow and tentatively moved his free hand towards her face, fingertips carefully moving a few strands of hair behind exposed shoulder as she smiled to gentle touch. Weaving thick fingers through the hair at her scalp, he earned a contented sigh for his efforts, Beau stretching her arms out in front of herself and brushing up his chest, wriggling closer to form proper embrace as allowed by the evening's cooler air. He knew they weren't likely to stay this way for long, the local humidity making it impossible to bear such contact for more than a few moments at a time, but at this point he was determined to enjoy it for however long it deigned to last. A light kiss to the underside of his jaw sealed the deal, and he relinquished the arm that held him up in order to slide it under Beau's pillow, free arm tucking itself around her waist as she hummed in delight for safest enclosure. The weather turned merciful, and Springtime showers brought Summer's heat to a refreshing low, allowing them both to indulge in sought out comfort until sleep laid it's claim.