A/N- I know he's not exactly relevant at the moment, but I thought I should take a second to clarify that Beau's Father is specifically a Masked Palm Civet Mink. Do with that what you will.
Arrangements for Faust's to visit had been made the very next day, the Mink agreeing to speak with Beau onboard Victoria as they really had no reason to trust him beyond what he'd claimed so far. The very first thing Kid did upon guest's arrival was question him, poking at his story and demanding proof that he really was telling the truth. Faust rose to this challenge by describing little nuances Wembly had shared of his daughter's behavior, such as the way she twitched her nose if a sniff was inquisitive, or how she curled her fingers repeatedly in the motion of grabby hands when stretching her arms post slumber as if kneading the air. The Captain stalled at the last fact, aware of it's truth as he witnessed her do it most mornings, no longer able to deny Faust's connection was genuine.
With his lengthy interrogation out of the way, Kid simply stood outside the kitchen while Killer provided chilled drinks for the two conversing Minks. Arms crossed and back casually placed against the wall, he eavesdropped without a care- It was his ship, and this was a stranger, why should he trust them alone? Ignoring the fact that his First Mate's presence was enough to guarantee safety, he remained and listened as Hawkins' subordinate filled Beau in on the existence of Zou, how he'd never been there himself and neither had his Father, but that their small group of enslaved Minks kept the truth alive and the culture in their veins, with stories of an elephant so massive she could carry their whole civilization upon her back, forever roaming the oceans while the Mink tribe thrived above in symbiosis with her hide. Electro was the next topic of discussion, and Kid fought the urge to stomp into the room and interrupt as he heard Faust ask-
"May I hold your tail for a moment?"
Beau's quiet consent was enough to keep him put, though the crackle of static and Faust's thoughtful hum had him almost childishly curious, he told himself he'd simply bug Killer for details later. Apparently this 'electro' was something the Mink tribe produced, channeled through their fur as static electricity and used as a natural aid to their race's fighting style. As a half breed it seemed Beau did possess it, but only her heavily furred tail was capable of channeling it properly, the energy barely causing a tingle over the rest of her body as it struggled to exit without it's usual conduit. The thought of using her to power one of various personal projects gave him momentary mirth, picturing her with fluffed tail against various wires as they powered the flamethrower he still dreamed of mounting in Vic's mouth.
As the visits continued daily, Kid relaxed enough to simply ignore the Mink instead, hiding in his workshop or heading into town until finally reconvening with his crew at Whiskey Cream less he was posted on the look out. With a week's worth of interruptions souring his mood, he sulked into his drink and glared at anyone attempting conversation. How much crap could that cat want to talk to her about in the first place? He knocked back the last half of chilled whiskey in one go, signalling for another as he hoped the new eyesore would just piss off already.
That wish became regret within the hour, Beau explaining upon her own arrival that Faust had offered to take her camping at the island's flower fields, near the lake of it's namesake. It would be a couple of days on foot for each half of the round trip, with the surrounding jungle acting as a natural buffer that kept it's innermost sanctum safe and pristine. Kid shot a glance towards Killer, who simply nodded in silent acknowledgement of what his Captain wanted, before telling Beau it was fine to do as she pleased so long as it was her choice to go. Overjoyed at permission, she'd thanked him by rubbing soft cheek against his arm, contentedly sipping at fresh squeezed juice.
"Maybe Beau can finally see the quicksand you told her about" She mused. Kid nearly crushed his glass.
Placing the innocent drinking vessel down to avoid ruining it, Kid swallowed the unexpected lump in his throat. On the one hand, he found it endearing that she'd remembered that conversation to begin with- But on the other, more pressing one... He was annoyed. He was supposed to be the one showing her, that's what he'd wanted, wasn't it? To show her what the New World had to offer? So then why was some skeevy little alleycat beating him to the punch? It made him angry, both at the eyesore that was Faust, and at himself. The thought of forbidding her from going crossed his mind, before he quickly shoved it away and reminded himself that he had to let her make her own choices if he wanted her to accept independence. Locking her away from other people would achieve the opposite.
And so through grit teeth, Kid saw her off the following morning, bag stuffed with clothes, art supplies and snacks as she made promises to bring him anything interesting she found- Or at the very least to draw as many pictures as she could. It felt weird to say goodbye, even if it was to be for less than a week, he couldn't help but press a hurried kiss to her temple during their final morning in shared quarters. She'd peppered his jaw with several in return, elated as always to receive affection, before making her way to the main deck and waving one more time for temporary departure.
To say Kid's behavior worsened over the next few days would be an understatement. The first day was bearable enough, he'd simply carried on as normal until evening came, ignoring the way he looked up each time Whiskey Cream's doors swung open, telling himself he wasn't hoping she'd gotten scared or changed her mind. Night came too soon for his liking, and upon returning to temporarily private quarters, he noticed the old shirt Beau slept in was still placed across her pillow. She'd forgotten to take it. It occurred to him as he moved it that maybe she hadn't wanted to use it during her trip, and the thought had him frowning at the notion that she didn't prefer it anymore. Sure she'd purchased other sleepwear for the sake of spares, but had yet to wear any of it, leaving it to the side of the drawer she'd taken over that previously housed his socks. Before he could really question his own motivations, Kid found himself in front of the large drawer, sliding it open to reveal the clothes Beau hadn't packed- Including all three of her newly acquired Summer nightgowns. Realizing he was digging through her private belongings, he simply slid the drawer shut and ignored the fact that he'd checked, unwilling to unpack the mess of emotions that'd led to this point as he removed excess clothing and lay down to sleep.
And yet sleep rejected him. Night after night, he found himself bothered by the lack of a presence next to him, by the lack of usual mint, soap and herbal smells that clung to Beau once she was ready for bed. He'd roll over in a half doze and expect to bump against smaller form, shaken awake when registering he was alone. With Killer tailing after the pair for safety, there was no one to pick at his brains when he grew wary of failed sleep attempts, no one to pour him coffee and lecture him on whatever obvious issue he had, or to offer advice on how to fix it. He could approach the others, he supposed, but the chances of any of them actually providing helpful advice as opposed to teasing him like children for his issue were slim. Not that they were unaware of his plight, as it quickly became their burden to bare through petty arguments and senseless squabbles, their Captain's fuse shorter than ever as he stormed about, picking fights seemingly just so he could throw his weight around. As the fourth night approached, Kid opted out of their ritualistic squabble for the establishment's living menu, earning looks of genuine concern from the gaggle of men surrounding him.
"Alright- Time out. Captain, you good?" Fletch asked, shooting their nosy waitress the side eye as she sidled over in the hopes of juicy gossip.
"I'm fine, piss off." Came graveled reply as Kid hurried to knock back his first drink for the evening.
"I've literally never seen you pass up the chance to stick your dick in something, the fuck is wrong with you lately?" Sunnie whined, tired of putting up with the absolute disaster this man was turning into.
Kid felt the urge to get violent rising with every word out of Sunnie's mouth, molars grinding into themselves as he glared the man down despite ever present sunglasses. A hand on either shoulder redirected his attention as he shot said glare behind himself, surprised to find Wire's looming presence as he was steered not so gently off of his bar stool and towards the door. For a man that hated physical contact, he sure was insistent.
"Come on, I can make coffee without ruining the kitchen" He offered, not pausing despite sputters of protest.
"The fuck makes you think I wan-"
"Killer said to do it once you hit this point" Was Wire's nonchalant reply, leaving Kid unusually speechless as his shoulders were released. Of course Killer would rope someone else into babysitting him.
Their walk home was silent save for Kid's angry muttering, the red head talking to no one in particular as he cursed that stupid cat, as he cursed Killer for setting Wire up like this, as he cursed- Well, everything really. Coffee was brewed and two mugs were poured, Wire simply drinking his own in silence as he waited for his Captain to snap.
"Who the fuck does that mongrel think he is..." Came the eventual complaint, muttered into a disinterested sip of coffee.
"You mean Faust?"
"No I mean that other asshole cat- Yes him"
"Hm. you could always kill him" It was a knowing suggestion, Wire's not so subtle way of digging up the real issue.
"Yeah, great idea, let's just kill the only guy that knows about the Runt's family, that'll make her real happy." He spat. His friend sighed.
"Kid, you know it's fine to miss people, right?"
It wasn't often that the crew took such casual tone with him, usually reserved for more private moments like this one, or drunken times where no one cared much for formalities. Kid eyed his friend warily for a moment, almost as if assessing how safe it was to drop his guard, before letting out a tense sigh and lightly slumping forward.
"Not like this." It was all he was willing to say.
Despite the questioning raise of Wire's brow, the Captain simply finished his drink in silence, leaving empty mug on the table as he lumbered off to bed. Several hours of further failure drove him near madness, and after rolling over once more, yellow eyes landed on his grey shirt, draped over the back of wooden chair where he'd left it. Berating himself for so much as thinking about it, let alone actually doing it, Kid slowly took hold of the old memento and stuffed his pillow inside of it, laying back down and taking a deep, hesitant breath through crooked nose. It took mid day's harsh sunlight focusing through his porthole in order to wake the sleep deprived man, and with a grumble he buried his face against comforting scent despite the shame that clawed at his innards. Alright, fine, one more day to go, he could suck up his pride and make it through a second night like this.
It wasn't the first time Killer had been tasked with following someone at a distance for days on end- But it was certainly the first time he'd been asked to do it to a friend. He understood why though- Even if Beau was one of them, Faust was not, and rather than simply being a kind stranger, he was part of a rival crew. Fraternizing between crews docked on the same island wasn't unheard of, but it always came with certain risks, and their smaller crew-mate wasn't exactly equipped to handle them on her own. Faust seemed well aware of his presence, too, which was good. If he did have less than savory intentions, he'd be less likely to act on them this way. Haki aided him in watching close though he followed from afar, silently stalking through the thickening jungle behind friend and potential foe. Idle chatter never reached his ears, but body language was all he needed to determine their discussions were pleasant.
Beau had spent enough time conversing with Faust among the safety of her own crew to feel at ease around newfound friend. She seemed content to scurry around him as they trekked through charted path, looking under fallen branches and carefully placing them back down so as to allow their miniature ecosystems to remain undisturbed. Her companion watched in amusement as his charge took everything in, simply fascinated by the world around her in a way reminiscent of childhood wonder. At evening's approach, he assisted her with the laying of bed rolls on cleared undergrowth, Beau digging through her pack for something and seemingly distraught by the lack of it. Foraged meal was consumed as they readied for bed, preserving supplies for an occasion where nature might not provide, and she took great delight in her first taste of plump, ripened figs before attempting to sketch their likeness to preserve the memory.
Once both campers retired for the night, it was Killer's turn to rest. His body was a well oiled machine, and he knew exactly how to make the most of it, aided by being fully healed and in peak condition. He settled himself in the branches above, resolving to doze for six hours before recommencing diligent watch. Surprisingly, Beau lay with her eyes open, seemingly unable to sleep. Perhaps the anxiety of such a foreign setting had kept her awake? Regardless, the following day played out much the same as their first, before finally arriving at their intended destination on the third.
Lago Dedaleras took it's name from this secluded lake, pristine waters surrounded by rolling fields of Foxgloves in all colors imaginable, and Beau found herself thinking she lacked the appropriate variety of coloring pencils to capture it all correctly. She still made earnest attempt, clumsily sketching in the sight before her and adding myriad colored flicks to represent the vivid flowers. The end result was nowhere near as spectacular as living image, but it would have to do as visual aid for showing the Captain and crew at journey's end. Faust took care to set up their camp surrounding a well used fire pit, evidence that many others delighted in this same sight before them. With kindling prepared in anticipation of evening feast, the Mink beckoned Beau over with a smile, readying a pole of some kind and retrieving a jar of... Soil?
"Have you ever caught a fish?" He mused, plucking a worm from within and attaching it to threaded hook as it squirmed.
"You know how?!" She asked, visibly excited as green eyes darted between the seemingly endless lake and the springy rod Faust prepared.
"Would you like to learn?"
Eager to gain such a skill, she frantically nodded, ears perked to attention as she grasped at every word and action the older Mink showed. With the line cast out towards shimmering depths, Faust took a seat at lake's edge and his student followed suit.
"Now, these fish are most likely used to hunting winged prey trapped against the water's surface, so the trick is to twitch the line as if it were a struggling insect" He instructed, gently flicking his wrists every few seconds to mimic drowning bug.
"That seems so cruel..." Beau mumbled.
"Ah yes, but such is nature, my dear. A plant must die so that a herbivore may live, and they too must die so that predators may live. Nature's gifts are fleeting, and it is the way of life to benefit from death. There is nothing wrong with this, so long as one is grateful for what they receive and respects that which came before them" Faust explained.
A hum of understanding was the response he received, both sets of eyes stuck firmly to the bobber as it occasionally twitched or jerked. The eventual pull of snared fish had Faust leaping to his feet, hauling his catch from the water with both strength and precision as silvery fish flew towards land. A quick strike to it's head stilled it for good, and Beau stared at the meal sized fish in awe of both sparkling scales and her mentor's skill.
"I'll prepare this one for cooking, would you like to give it a try?" He asked, deftly using sharp knife to de-scale the fish.
"Ah- Beau would love to, but she doesn't think she can pull something like that from the water, it's probably very heavy!"
"Not to fear, if you select a smaller worm then you're likely to find a smaller catch. Should the worst happen, I can simply step in to assist, is that alright?"
With necessary reassurance, Beau set about re-baiting the hook, apologizing to the worm as she impaled it before casting out as far as frail arms could manage. Repeating the necessary bobs as previously witnessed, she felt Faust sit beside her to watch and offer advice as cleaned and skewered fish lay resting against the unlit fire. A sharp tug at the line nearly startled wooden rod from her hands, and she quickly leapt to her feet, first yank doing nothing to bring the fish ashore. Facing away from the lake, she held the rod over her shoulder and attempted to fling struggling fish away from herself, feeling it smack against the back of her head instead before falling to the ground. Quickly whirling back to face it, she hit light blue fish over the head with rod's thicker end, killing the animal and securing her first catch.
The butt of a knife was offered out to her, and she gingerly accepted it in order to prepare her own fish, pausing to bend closer and thank it as she began the task of de-scaling. Idle chatter accompanied mundane prep-work, before evening's fire was lit and both fish were laid to cook. Some part of Beau was incredibly satisfied by the simple meal of fresh fish over a fire, tail swishing contentedly as they ate in silence and simply appreciated the nature surrounding them. Tired as she was, it didn't stop her from enjoying it all, and at meal's end she began attempting to draw both fish from memory alongside her other recorded images.
Finally, it was time to begin their journey back, and Faust couldn't help but chuckle at the way his charge now carefully collected samples of everything she could find, from packing fresh Figs and other small fruits into jars, to wrapping various pleasant smelling herbs in little bundles of cloth, storing everything safely within her pack as it grew heavier with souvenirs. By the time they breached the jungle on the fifth night, she was absolutely exhausted, her companion offering to carry shouldered burden as he escorted her back to the Victoria Punk. With the ship in sight, he returned borrowed weight and bid her farewell, claiming the pleasure to be his as she thanked him for educational excursion.
Lumbering back from Whiskey Cream with the rest of his crew, Kid's inebriated mind failed to notice the pack that rested beside his desk, kicking off boots and pants before dropping face first into his shirt covered pillow. Was it raining? It hadn't been raining on the way back so why did- Oh, the shower. Oh. Oh. Without thinking much of it, he willed himself to stand and stumbled into the bathroom, seeing Beau's sopping wet head poke out from behind the shower curtain as she checked the sudden noise. Eyes widening at the sight of him, he watched her ears stand to attention as she called his title, excited smile on her face as she gripped opaque plastic. He froze. How was he supposed to act? How did he want to act? His romantically stunted mind told him this was the part where he stripped and joined her in the shower, drunken brain agreeing with the idea until what was left of his sanity screamed in protest and he simply grunted out an awkward-
"Hey"
"Beau brought things back to share! Ah- One moment please!" She exclaimed, quickly retreating back into the shower to finish rinsing faster than she ever had in her life.
With the water switched off, a dainty hand pulled her towel from the rack, slick body emerging from behind the shower curtain once white fabric was securely wrapped around. She was used to Kid seeing her this way, never fully bare and always given the privacy of a turned back once it came time to shed the soft towel in exchange for actual clothing. The wheels in his brain finally began turning again, and he stepped aside to allow her through the bathroom door, following and closing the door behind him as she began to search for something.
"Umm... Captain? Have you seen Beau's shirt? She thought she'd accidentally left it behind, but..." She asked, growing nervous at the thought of having lost such a precious treasure.
Kid quickly pulled it from his pillow while she wasn't looking, face burning with embarrassment easily mistaken for inebriation, and he handed it to her much to relieved delight before turning his back. The usual shuffling of fabrics was heard as she dried herself and slid into preferred pajamas, before she darted for her pack and began pulling out the various fruits she'd hoped to share with the crew. Without the usual hand to his back indicating she'd finished changing, Kid simply stood there facing the bed, awkwardly waiting for her to say she was done when he heard the clinking of various jars being placed atop his desk. Casting a curious gaze towards the noise, he saw the little woman arranging her souvenirs before turning back to him with brightest smile.
"These are all things we found in the jungle! The figs are Beau's favorite, but everything was lovely so she brought plenty back for everyone to try, an-" She continued to amble about offered fruit, but he was no longer listening, simply watching as his brain raced at a thousand miles an hour.
She was home. Early. Unharmed. Happy. She'd brought him things. She'd been excited to see him. She hadn't been afraid that he approached her with nothing but a shower curtain between him and her own naked self. She was upset that she'd left gifted shirt behind. Before he registered personal movement, the distance between them was gone and he'd bent to wrap one arm around her waist and the other around her thighs, lifting the little woman into a hug that she gladly reciprocated with arms clinging tightly to bare shoulders. Innocent kisses blessed his jaw and temple, and without another word he freed the arm at her waist in order to switch off the light, dragging her to bed with him though no complaints met his ears and she happily curled against him.
"Beau couldn't sleep a wink" She admitted with a yawn, tangling herself with the larger man despite evening warmth.
"How come?" He asked, pretending he hadn't experienced the same issue this whole time.
"She missed you too much, it felt so strange to try and sleep without you, not just because it felt less safe- It just felt wrong"
Kid would never admit that his chest clenched at her breath on his neck, or that his ego swelled at her words. He would never admit that being pressed against her somehow helped him feel safer. Only when Beau was fast asleep would he inhale the scent of her shampoo and finally, quietly admit-
"Fuck I missed you."
With only four days remaining until they set sail, it was time for the crew's laid back routine to end. A thorough stock-take was performed over the first two days, with the necessary supplies acquired and stored away over the remaining two. At Killer's suggestion, Beau had halved most of the fruit she brought with her and prepared them for drying, allowing the supply to last longer and to be shared out slowly. With everything set, a final night of partying took place at the Whisky Cream, Sunnie and Rocco complaining loudly to one of the waitresses about how much they'd miss her as she giggled and gifted them each a chaste peck on the lips to remember her by. Kid considered heading upstairs for a final romp before they set sail, no longer too sleep deprived or stressed out to enjoy himself. Really, it would be the smart thing to do- Get it all out of his system before being at sea for who knows how long, with no guarantee that the next island would even harbor civilization.
A colorful straw entered his field of view, and he refocused yellow eyes on the drink Beau silently offered out to him. It was something new she'd taken to doing after her trip with Faust, finding joy in sharing whatever snack or beverage she had in hand, and he found himself nonchalantly leaning forward for a sip due to his inability to refuse such a simple gesture from her. The taste of mango mixed with the rum on his tongue, and for a moment he wondered if her mouth would currently taste the same, all plans of finding his way upstairs abandoned as he internally pounded such embarrassing thoughts to a pulp. He didn't want that from her, he was just drunk and stupid, that's all it was.
The telltale ring of Kid's denden mushi interrupted their anchor's lift at dawn, a very flustered Faust asking if he still had time for one quick visit before departure. The Captain almost spat a sour 'fuck off' through the line, before Beau's visible enthusiasm caused him to reconsider, and a disgruntled 'fine' was given instead. The Mink was there in minutes, deftly making his way on board despite the boardwalk's absence, and offering a long parcel out to Beau with a bow.
"Pardon the final intrusion, but I was not aware you would depart so early in the morning. This is for you"
Beau nervously took the offered gift from him, repeatedly asking him if he was sure as he urged her to simply open it. Very carefully peeling the brown wrappings away, she found a fishing rod of her very own alongside a book on various forms of fishing, and a box of required supplies.
"I did not have the time to teach you as much as I would've liked to on the subject, but seeing as it was your Father who passed the skill to me in the first place, I thought it only appropriate to see you off with such a gift" He explained, alarmed when the little woman broke down in tears over kindest gesture.
Final goodbyes were exchanged along with promises to meet again when possible, and Kid huffed self righteously as the waving Mink disappeared from view along with the rest of Lago Dedalera. He watched Heat approach Beau for a better look at gifted equipment, and heard the man let out a low whistle as she allowed him to hold it. Whatever, he'd just wait for it to break and then make her a better one, and if he'd known she wanted to keep fishing he simply would've built one for her in the first place. A small tug at his vest drew disgruntled attention back down, and he saw her holding gifted book to her chest as she gazed up at him with those big dumb sappy eyes, unintentionally guilting him.
"Captain? A-are you going to be busy?" She asked, and he could already guess what was wanted of him.
"Nah, I reckon we've got everything covered"
She nibbled at bottom lip for a moment, shyly gazing off to the side before asking-
"Then... Can Beau sit with you while she reads?"
With no need for verbal response, Kid hoisted the little woman over his shoulder and made his way to Vic's skeletal figurehead, sitting himself down with legs crossed and allowing Beau to settle atop them with bent knees. Caged in his arms against the rocking of the ocean, he rested his chin on her crown and stared ahead into open waters, disinterested in her reading material but more than content with peaceful quiet and physical warmth as they sailed away from the sweltering heat.