A/N- Oof, time sure does fly, doesn't it. Apologies for that, life likes to get in the way of the things one loves until they're practically forgotten. I haven't finished with this though, and life be damned I'll get to the end one day. Not even a literal plague will keep me from my self indulgent nonsense for long.
Apparently several people were sad to think I'd abandoned it or wouldn't keep updating, so though this is still intended to be for me first and foremost, I find the encouragement very heartwarming, and am glad that others besides myself are getting enjoyment out of it. You're all very kind, and I do hope I can keep delivering.
Novels were never of much interest to Kid, far preferring books full of diagrams and other such information that held practical use as well as personal attention; Though the old, dirtied picture books he'd buried himself in as a child were certainly to blame for dreams of adventure and grandeur.
With a copy of one of said picture books in hand, the pirate scowled, brows knit tightly together as he eyed the library book. It was too pristine, colors too vivid, with none of the marks of excessive handling he remembered leaving on his own before it fell to bits, and flipping through the pages showed no sign of fold or smear. Cushioned footsteps fell upon the carpet beside him, and he left memory lane in favor of the present.
"Did you choose a book too, Captain?" Asked Beau, arms cradling the three she'd selected as curious eyes assessed the picture book.
"Hm? Nah, Killer and I had a copy of it when we were brats. You ready to go?" He asked in return, nodding to her burden as he slipped the book back in place.
Nodding, Beau eagerly made her way to the counter and set all three down, greeting the attendants by name as they smiled awkwardly to her courtesies. Had it just been her, Kid didn't doubt they'd be more willing to engage, but the nervous glances his way reminded them how bad of an idea that might be.
This was how it'd been for the past week or so- Whoever Beau joined for the day would eventually escort her to the library, where she'd return finished books in favor of new ones, or simply browse for future selections if her stories remained unfinished back on the ship. No one seemed to mind all that much, though Fletch heckled his Captain at one point over the myriad books in storage. He was promptly told to keep his mouth shut.
To Beau these visits were something to look forward to, a chance to find new stories she could bury her nose in to learn more about worlds both real and imagined, widening her understanding of common customs and introducing her to myriad words she'd never encountered before. Regardless of her personal fondness for the library, these visits were intended to make the crew's lingering around the building less of an oddity and more routine- An unpleasant presence that the staff and locals may find distasteful, but not out of the ordinary. Their smallest had no knowledge of such ulterior motives, and so with her genuine enthusiasm as a farce they made the establishment a common stop.
It was tedious, Kid thought. Unnecessarily complicated when he'd have no trouble ransacking the place for whatever it was worth. Were it not for Killer's insistence that this could and should be done with as little fuss as possible due to the length of their stay, he'd already have his hands on whatever juicy secret these rich folk had squirreled away. Regardless, his first mate rarely fumbled this sort of thing, and so as much as he hated pussyfooting around, he obliged to follow the plan.
The pair's eventual return to their local watering hole was met with a boisterous round of half drunk greetings, those who'd already had their fill of flesh well into their third or fourth strong drink of the evening as they waved the newcomers over and cleared space for them. As soon as their Captain had parked himself down, Beau all but pounced on his lap, settling herself against his chest and humming over which book to begin first.
Amber scowl quickly found it's target at the far end of the room, Kid giving a smug faced Paisley a look that demanded she keep her mouth shut. The woman merely rolled her eyes and pushed off from her spot against the bar, assessing the other customers now that she knew her 'regular' was occupied.
Catching the exchange much to Kid's dismay, Beau tilted her head to glance up at him and ask-
"Are you angry with her?"
Startled to stillness, his glare moved to the woman on his lap, softening at the sight of genuine curiosity.
"Kinda. It's nothing." He sighed, signalling the barkeep for a couple of pints. He needed something he could chug.
"Oh... Isn't she your favorite, though?"
He flinched at that.
"Huh? Who- What's got you thinkin' that?" He asked in return, grimacing at the present conversation. Beau simply placed her books on the table and turned, straddling his lap to face him properly without the fear said position would bring were he anyone else.
"Well- You're always so busy with her i-in the evening, more than you were with the girls at Whiskey Cream..."
"It ain't *always* her" He argued, feeling vaguely interrogated. Beau cocked her head in confusion.
"But you always smell like her"
A loud sip of beer was all Kid could hear over the beating of his own heart, staring dumbfounded at innocent accuser, unsure of what to say or do. The arrival of his drinks interrupted the agonizing awkwardness, along with giving Heat the cover he needed to whisper *'busted...'* into his own tankard.
With her own interpretation of things in mind, Beau blushed furiously and took in a shocked little gasp, holding fingers to her lips. Deciding she'd most likely found his secret, the eager detective carefully cupped a hand to the side of her mouth as Kid began to indulge, whisper yelling an unfortunate-
"Oh! Is she your girlfriend, Captain?"
Alcohol frothed from his lips and spewed upwards to exit his nose, the animated display of shock gaining his crew's attention while simultaneously covering his charge in spittle and ale.
"No-" He hacked, "Fuck, no. That's not-" There was literally nothing he could say to properly explain things to her without revealing inner shame.
Killer leaned over to pluck the mug from his Captain's grasp, much to the latter's annoyance, and nodded towards the mess he'd made.
"It would probably do you good to take this conversation somewhere more private," He 'suggested', taking a napkin to Beau's cheek as she grimaced to the clinging spray, "At the very least, escort her home so she can bathe. You just spat six ounces of slurry in her face"
With most pairs of eyes on the current scene either laughing or jeering in drunken stupor, Kid let out a strained growl, frustrated at his lack of a single peaceful night ever since they'd docked at this particular hellhole. Regardless of his desire to drown in alcohol and mess around with the rest of his men, he relented, though not without grumpily slinging Beau over his shoulder and stomping his way out of the establishment.
The seat remained empty for as long as it took to be claimed, Paisley sliding herself in and gingerly taking a swig from the second untouched drink Kid left behind. Those nearest her at the table turned to stare in drunken confusion, giving her the opportunity to speak up first once she'd sated her thirst.
"Phew, so what's his problem?" She asked, as if her presence weren't a factor.
Turning in his seat to face her properly, Killer waved off the rest of his companions' curious pokes and lewd comments, silent indication to let him handle this.
"I'm not entirely sure what possessed you to join us like this, but I'll humor you- He's emotionally constipated. My turn. What on earth do you have over his head to be keeping him occupied for longer than it takes his belt to hit the floor?" His tone was firm, almost sober, and the woman before him sighed as she realized they wouldn't be easy to squeeze for gossip.
"Basically just that. Take it you're all in on his little problem then? Wow, that makes it a little juicier actually"
Heat moved his eyes from Paisley to Killer, attempting to remain inconspicuous of his urge to pipe up, though failing as the First Mate's mask turned towards him in one smooth motion, lingered for a second too long to be comforting, and then returned in the direction of their uninvited guest. 'Keep your mouth shut'.
"So no dice, huh? Tight ship you run here, stripey. How come you're not the Captain? Wouldn'-"
"I'm afraid that's a little too personal." Killer cut in, nipping that train of conversation right in the bud, "Why exactly are you trying to poke the hornet's nest? clearly you know enough to get what you want, or are you perhaps merely moonlighting as company for hire?"
Humming in understanding, Paisley took another deep drink from adopted ale, before tapping the rim with a well filed fingernail.
"I get it, you're reasoning I'm here to dig up anything useful from this drunk bunch of seadogs, and then I'm off to cough up the information like a parrot to whoever's paying, right?" She asked, taking his silence as agreement before continuing, "Honestly I'm just here for the gossip"
"I find that quite hard to believe"
"Nono, I mean it. Seriously, swear to God or- Whatever it is you lot pray to out there," The Prostitute insisted, holding one hand up in front of herself while holding the tankard close to her heart with the other, "Spend enough time around a man like that and you start to wonder what makes them tick"
"So instead of asking him yourself, you decided it was easier to approach the rest of us while we're assumedly drunk enough to talk?"
"Pfft please, he's as good with his words as he is with his dick" She muttered with a roll of cat-like eyes.
It was Heat's turn to spew alcohol out through his nostrils, quickly grasping several napkins to press against his face as he coughed out the rest. Killer held back his own chuckle, finishing his drink with a particularly lengthy slurp, and sliding his chair back enough to stand.
"Well then, I suppose you'll be wanting to fill your suddenly empty schedule?" He asked, stretching one shoulder at a time after hours of slouching.
"Oh? Paying to shut me up, are you?" She guessed while resting flushed cheek against her palm, pinky finger suggestively held between parted lips.
"Perhaps. I'm sure we could find a better use for your mouth than all this rude blabbering..." Killer mused, noting the playful raise of Paisley's brow as she too rose from her seat.
"Bath or shower?" Kid asked, setting Beau down at the edge of shared bed as he often did post tantrum grab.
The little woman paused for a moment, humming in thought before asking-
"Can we take a bath?"
They normally bathed on their own, only the occasional shared shower serving as Kid's reminder of just how much she trusted him with. He hadn't expected her to assume his query was for the both of them, and after an extra second of silence, decided he should probably help her wash the mess from her hair.
"Don't see why not" Was his response, dipping into the bathroom to fill his tub.
Softer footsteps followed after him, and at the sound of falling fabric he knew what sight awaited him. Sure enough, Beau stood in naught but her undergarments, though those soon followed the rest of her clothing into the hamper. Entirely unconcerned with her current nudity, she faced flustered Captain with a smile on her face and asked-
"Captain? m-may I borrow your coat until the tub is full?"
The red fur was pulled from his shoulders without much fuss, assuming the bathroom's slight chill must be uncomfortable. With a giddy 'thank you', his companion proceeded to swaddle herself in it, swallowed whole apart from her head as she rubbed her nose into the fluffed fabric. A light rumble caught his ear, and he realized she was purring into it, eyes shut as she enjoyed the softness and scent.
Rather than disturb her strange little moment of joy, Kid busied himself with checking the tub's contents, testing it's temperature and depth every now and then until both were acceptable. Discarding his own clothes into the hamper, he stepped into the soothingly warm water and placed himself as far back as he could, allowing space for Beau to join him- Not that the tub lacked for it. When she continued to amuse herself with his signature garment, the redhead took a moment to glance around, ensuring both soap and shampoo were within arm's reach.
"You gonna get in before it's cold?" He asked, brow raised as he watched both ears perk to attention.
"Ah- Sorry, I didn't realize it was ready!" She yipped out, quickly scampering back into shared bedroom to deposit borrowed coat upon their bed.
Curled toes tested the water upon her return, deciding after the initial dip that it wouldn't scald her skin. And there they were again, both of them sitting in the tub together, casually comfortable with each other's bare presence though prior conversation's awkwardness still lingered, and one of them did their best to hold shameful secrets by the throat.
Seating herself with her back to him, Beau silently bid her protector wash her hair, a request he obliged without complaint as they often performed the task for each other in these instances. Scoops of steaming water soaked her locks, before thick fingers began working the spit and alcohol out of the strands with the aid of shampoo. Prior purr returned in full force, and Kid amused himself with the fact that soft vibrations tickled his fingertips as he worked.
With his main task complete, Kid took a moment to wring the excess water from her hair, wandering eyes landing on the myriad thin scars that littered her back and shoulders. Thin lines of various lengths, healed to scar tissue at the outer perimeter of each wound while the very center had regenerated as smoother flesh- A result of the seastone she'd worn when first receiving unjust punishment.
It startled him at first, to find his fingers tracing along the various intersecting marks, but at Beau's continued rumble of contentment he allowed himself to explore. Did they ever ache? She never complained of such, nor spoke of them now that he thought about it, and he hoped she hadn't simply been keeping it to herself.
Feather-light tracing soon turned to smoothing his palms over her back, as if he could will the marks away and erase evidence of her torture. Slowly, naturally, he began applying pressure the way Paisley had taught him to, following along the grain of her muscles with his thumbs and palms, dragging fingers back over relaxed shoulders in a carefully controlled pinch of sorts.
A soft little sigh tumbled out among Beau's rhythmic rumbling, content and utterly relaxed under his hands as warm water soothed up to her belly. It encouraged him, spurred him to perform the task well as he practiced other motions he'd been recently taught, things he'd originally thought utterly useless. Oh how wrong he'd been.
Cooling water reminded him of their original task, and he freed one hand from his friend's back to fish out the wooden jug, quickly dousing blood red peaks to rinse out the day's sweat. The trickling pour brought Beau back from her sleep-like state, stretching arms and legs out in front of herself as she blinked hazy eyes.
"Captain?" She inquired, wriggling closer in order to press chilled back against his chest.
"Kid." He softly insisted, snaking one arm around her belly as the other rested at tub's edge, "Just Kid."
With breath caught in her throat and ears nervously lowered, she pulled both arms in to rest atop the one that warmed her. The tremble in her movements pulled forth a sigh from the man behind her, huffed out slowly through crooked nose as he brought free arm to rest atop her head.
"Just with me. Just- When it's you'n me, call me Kid. That sound easier?" Came almost whispered concession.
For a soberingly long moment, Kid wondered if he was pushing her too hard, being selfish with his spur of the moment request; But she called everyone else by name nowadays, so why should he be any different?
"E-even if people hear that I don't have a Master anymore, they won't- They're not allowed t-to take me from you, right?" She asked in return, wriggling to lay sideways against him.
With her cheek now pressed to his chest and both arms around Beau's middle, Kid crossed his legs behind her in order to lock ankles and fully enclose his trembling charge, pressing his lips to wet scalp now that he understood.
"Hey, the fuckers didn't even get your name right on your poster. No one's gonna hear you call my name and think it's a good idea to snatch you, 'specially with the rest of us around;" He offered, resting his chin atop the spot he'd kissed, "But it's alright if you only wanna use it around the crew. I just... Miss hearin' you say it."
She nodded, and though he wished he'd left that last part out, was glad she seemed calmer now.
"... Kid?" She prodded after a moment of contented silence, original query returning to mind.
"Yeah?" He'd frankly forgotten she had something to say.
"Could we m-maybe get out now?"
Oh, her shivers weren't entirely due to concerns over given name. Emboldened by the willing press of skin to skin, Kid answered silently by pulling her flush against his chest and scooping an arm below wet rump, using pruned toes to yank the plug's chain as he carried his woman away from the remains of their bath.
Seemingly delighted by this, Beau wrapped her arms around his neck and hummed, relaxing in his hold until he deposited her at bed's edge and disappeared to retrieve shared towels. Soft, dry fabric was playfully tossed over her head as he began to dry himself, hearing the towel slide as his roommate pulled it free with a giggle.
"Kid?" She asked again, gracing his ears with the sound of his own name for the second time that evening.
"Mm?"
Toweling the remaining moisture from her hair now that she'd patted the rest of herself dry, Beau closed the distance between them and draped her towel across Kid's chair, leaving her hands free. Tentatively, she placed a palm to his lower back, followed by the other, sliding her hands around his waist to slowly bring herself flush against him. Confused, he froze under softest touch, unsure of what to say or do as she nuzzled her cheek against his skin.
A contented sigh was the only clue she offered him for a handful of torturously long seconds, thumbs softly rubbing up and down where they rested against his upper belly and stirring sensations he'd hoped desperately to avoid while baring his presence.
"I don't know why, but... I just wanted to feel your warmth. I-I'm not really cold but, the warmth of your skin is... Different? I don't really understand..."
He didn't understand, either. His stunned silence served as opportunity for Beau to continue spilling her knotted thoughts to him, all the while relishing how good it felt being skin to skin with her most treasured person.
"One time, Sunnie asked me if I ever- If the way I feel ever makes me want to do things- The way you make me feel, I mean. And, I didn't really know what he was asking about until later, b-but... I just know that I like the way you smell, and how it feels when you share the warmth of your skin with mine... It's like... There's a fire in my belly now, but it's only there because you shared yours, a-and you're the only one that makes it burn so much that I don't know how to let it out..."
Kid's mind raced as he listened, doing his best to both take her seriously and not imprint false meaning upon her words with his own desires. Was she simply describing the joy of basking in his warmth and safety? Surely, that was the extent of her affections, and even that was more than anyone could ask of her. Could she possibly be alluding to more? She had asked if him and Paisley were an item, after all...
"I think, umm, I think what I'm trying to say is... You really are my favorite person, really truly. It makes me want... I don't know what words to use, but, I know it's you. E-even if there are more painful or sad things that I have to go through, if I'm allowed to be near you, I know I'll be alright."
Slowly drawing in a breath, Kid turned in her grasp and looked down at her, wide green eyes peering up at him through damp strands that he carefully brushed out of the way. She was earnest as always, and he knew there were still so many things she lacked proper understanding or experience of, even if she did her best to describe whatever new sensation or urge had popped up.
Placing one hand on her shoulder and cupping soft cheek with the other, Kid moved to one knee and faced her properly, smaller arms releasing their hold on him though they merely slid higher to rest against his chest.
"I can't really say I know what you're talking about, 'cause even I don't know what a lot of this shit feels like- But I gotta ask you to promise me something." He said, eyes serious as he searched her own for understanding.
"O-of course, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I just need you to promise, if anythin' makes you uncomfortable, back out of it. Doesn't matter if it's with someone else or with me, or if you've told them you wanna do it and end up changin' your mind. Think you can do that, Shortcake?"
Beau blinked once, twice, processing his sudden request as she searched his stern face for answers. Why ask such a thing of her, and why now? Color tinted her cheeks at the realization that these might be more things that usually only 'couples' do, things that she'd sought out and initiated... Is that what those feelings meant? That she'd chosen him, and hoped for the same in return?
His brows furrowed at her lack of an answer, and she shook herself from such a scandalous train of thought in order to address him properly.
"Sorry, I- I promise," She affirmed, sealing the deal with a kiss to presently relaxing brow, "Thank you... F-for taking care of me"
It was his turn to redden, clearing his throat in embarrassment now that the urgency had passed, and staring off to the side with a half pout to mutter.
"Yeah, well, it's nothin'."
In truth, it was everything.
With their time on Sunspot island slowly crawling to a close, the two men heading the crew finalized their hodge podge plan of action. Beginning their final official trip to the library after a long day spent restocking whatever perishable goods they could load onto the ship, Kid and Killer followed the now familiar path away from the port-side establishments, entering the richer part of the island's residential sector without garnering much attention from disgruntled locals who were used to the crew's daily appearance.
Attached almost perpetually to Kid's arm, Beau paid no mind to the disregard of strangers, entirely unaware of the more pressing motive behind their final visit- Beyond returning these last few books, of course. Killer's own dominant arm hauled a large sack of sail maintenance supplies over shoulder, though plenty of room remained within. Once inside the somewhat stale smelling building, both men were quick in leaving their smallest to handle the returns, feigning interest in the shelves as usual while silently positioning themselves for action.
Removing a novel he seemingly found interesting, Killer flipped the book in order to read the back cover, before sighing and placing it back in it's place. Wordless indication. From the gap between rows, Kid took note of the bookcase in question. Once Killer had meandered off to another aisle, the Captain made sure Beau was engaged in polite conversation with the attendant on duty, before positioning himself near the hidden trapdoor and getting to work.
Ominous creaking alerted those present to the disaster no more than a second before it struck, one of the shelves near the far back seemingly collapsing under it's own weight as vital screws unwound from their sockets. Various startled noises accompanied the loud crunch and rumble of the poor shelf's dying breath, providing Kid with the noise he needed to fulfill his part inconspicuously.
Hand pressed to the carpet in an effort to be as near to the locking mechanism as possible, Kid focused on the different interconnected pieces of metal within reach of his powers, quickly willing them to move via the path of least resistance and clicking the intricate lock open without so much as lifting the plush red rug. He allowed himself a moment to grin smugly at the small victory, at how these 'upper class' people always thought simple things like wood and metal would protect their lives and valuables from someone like him. Oh how he loved to prove them wrong.
Walking towards the source of the chaos now, he loudly announced his approach- Not that his observant partner in crime needed such a signal- asking out loud if Beau had landed herself buried under a pile of books. Of course she hadn't, he knew where she'd been, true concern wouldn't have been so boisterous or uncaring.
Regardless, their smallest was quick to assure her Captain of present safety, lamenting the current mess that littered the floor as books continued to slowly slide and topple off the mound of wood and paper. An exasperated clerk arrived with the returns trolley in order to begin cleaning the mess, and before Kid could get another word in, Beau had joined the cause and started stacking books into it alongside a reluctantly grateful young man.
"You know you don't gotta do that, right?" He asked with arms crossed, somehow knowing she'd continue regardless.
"I know- But seeing them on the floor is so sad, s-so I'd like to help put them somewhere safer... If that's okay?" She asked, deferring to him more as Captain than out of fear.
"'Course it is." He offered back, placing wide palm atop her head for a moment before joining in to maintain the facade, "Picking up a couple fire starters ain't so bad if it'll get us outta here sooner." He added, before she could insist he needn't trouble himself.
With the main distraction well under way, Killer was quick to locate the unstapled seam in the red strip of carpet above their target, rolling it up delicately to gain proper access. Of course, a metal door is likely to betray one's presence with the squeak of it's aged hinges, unless a generous offering of lubricating oil is properly applied beforehand.
Sure enough, with liquid toll paid, the masked invader had no further trouble from the door and silently slipped into the unlit depths below. A lighter from his pocket now illuminated the area- Though haki would've sufficed- and allowed him to quickly locate a lantern atop the nearest dusty, but very intricate, wooden side table. Armed now with better lighting, he wasted no time with the grander displays- Pieces of artwork and statues stashed away by the greedy as assurance of wealth, ornate sets of cutlery that were made by the rich for viewing instead of use, while others starved and savored scraps with their fingers.
It disgusted him, really. To see how those of inherited wealth did nothing but continue to accumulate it pointlessly. But that was neither here nor there, and his continued distaste for the ways of richer folk wouldn't get in the way of more urgent task. Creeping his way through the underfloor vault, he took great care to search for any change in the way light shined upon gathered riches- Anything dimmer than the gaudy glow of flame-lit treasure, softer, hidden away in the dark where no one could find or exploit it.
Nobility may be wretched human beings, but they are still human, and people with secrets often need somewhere to speak their peace. As much as both himself and his dearest friend might take pleasure in swindling the items of more immediate value from this trove, it was those secrets he was presently after, information from times possibly forgotten or too scandalous to speak on. Rich men like to think themselves the vessels of wisdom and insight, and few enjoy the prospect of departing this world without a legacy left behind- Even if it's merely left to slowly crumble in their descendant's horde of possessions.
Finally, the duller reflection of light against paper revealed itself, and Killer's cautious approach rewarded him with a long abandoned desk. The chair was long gone, and other belongings had clearly been strewn all across it's surface since the last time it was used with little regard for the presumably deceased owner, but beneath the bags of assorted jewelry and dubiously acquired trophies lay an old, long dry inkwell and quill, splayed out atop ageing paper.
Clearly, whoever had once shared their secrets here was neither respected nor cherished by their next of kin.
Within each drawer, the desk housed hand bound books, each dated and presumably named as belonging to the same individual. Presumably, because other than the numbers present, the words within seemed to be garbled gibberish. A quick flick through the pages of one, and said gibberish revealed itself clearly as a cipher- A lazy one at that, given away by the pattern in it's repeating symbols and markings, but one he'd still need some time to transcribe and comb for useful information.
Careful to ensure he'd located every one of these handmade diaries, Killer took the time necessary to comb over everything one final time, scanning the large, oddly crowded room full of fineries for any more hidden knowledge. An old, unassuming wooden chest caught his attention behind one of many table legs, and he exposed it's contents to find various unmarked letters, still in their opened envelopes. These would be coming with him as well.
With looted literature stored safely among the supplies that filled his accompanying sack of prior purchases, the blonde concluded his duty as infiltrator, extinguishing his light and slipping out through his point of entry- Though not before pocketing a particularly ornate looking dagger. It wouldn't do to have Kid complaining about a lack of anything 'shiny' to show for their efforts.
Crimson carpet was softly tucked back where it belonged, and with no one the wiser to his escapades, he made his way towards the ruined corner that had yet to be set straight.
"I know you have your little heart set on helping with this mess, Beau, but if we don't leave now, we'll have no daylight left with which to safely set sail. It's time for us to go." He interjected, receiving a nod from his Captain in acknowledgement of completed task.
The little woman seemed out of sorts somehow, nodding to his order without raising eyes to striped mask, and quietly placing the books already in her grasp upon the trolley. With a wave of goodbye to the visibly relieved employee, she reattached herself to Kid's arm to comply with their departure.
Once ample distance was between the trio and ageing establishment, Kid flicked his eyes towards the slightly shorter man to his right, commencing a silent conversation of sorts as he grew restless for plundered results.
'Anything good?'
It was a look Killer knew well, though the same could probably be said about most of his friend's mannerisms, and he responded with no more than a single, slow nod.
'Yes, but it's complicated'.
Ugh, of course. Nothing good comes without a catch, does it? Feeling more impatient now than he had prior to their short exchange, Kid merely rolled his eyes and returned a somewhat sour scowl to the path ahead, all but guaranteeing the few bystanders who hadn't already cleared away would soon tuck tail.
'Awkward' Would best describe the silence that accompanied them home, though final preparations for their departure had all able hands on deck and far too busy to stew in personal troubles. It was only once Sunspot island had receded to the size of a dinner plate that everyone settled back into their usual at-sea routine, already giddy for the next sighting of whatever lay ahead.
By the time evening had passed and supper consumed, Kid finally had the time to notice Beau's suspicious mood. With Killer's short explanation of pilfered papers out of the way, his attention was free to drift, eyes landing on the way his roommate merely sat at the edge of the bed and twiddled her thumbs. Odd, he'd never seen her like this.
"The fuck's your deal? You constipated or something?" He asked, tilting his desk chair back upon it's hind legs as he lazed about for the first time in a while.
A very nervous pout scrunched her face, ears drooped forward as if she were ashamed of something, refusing to meet analyzing stare.
"N-no, I just..."
When she didn't continue, Kid set his chair upright and leaned forwards, scrutinizing her face for a moment longer. She had the look of a dog that'd been caught with stolen slippers.
"Alright, what'd you do." He more-so stated than asked. Her immediate shock at being caught out was met with a roll of his eyes, before he added, "It's all over your face. What, did you steal a book or some shit?"
He'd meant the last part jokingly, but at her mortified expression it was Kid's turn to be shocked.
"H-How did you know?" She asked in a frightened whisper, green eyes wide with fear as she locked them with his.
"I guessed. You serious though? That's what you're all beat up about?"
A whimper of distress was her next response, shoulders curling upwards as she attempted to shrink. Nervously, she moved her hands behind her back and slipped them under her shirt, pulling something free from below the back strap of her bra, and nervously placing it upon her lap.
"It's- I umm- When we w-were cleaning earlier I saw this again and- Well you said it's the same as one y-you had when you w-were small so I thought- I mean I know pirates take things i-if the situation is safe, and we were about to l-leave the island... I- Even though it wasn't m-mine to take I just- There's never a-any children in that l-library and you seemed so lost in the pictures when you opened it, I thought m-maybe... You would like it?"
She was this unsettled by the mere act of taking a children's storybook from those who barely if ever used it, and she'd done it with the intention of gifting it to someone. To him. Beau had independently committed her first real act of piracy in order to take something he'd shown interest in more than a week ago, because the opportunity just happened to present itself.
Lips parting into a grin of absolute elation, the much larger Pirate leapt to his feet, grasping Beau under the armpits to lift her up, lightly tossing her a few inches into the air and drawing a surprised yelp before catching her with one arm supporting her rump and the other at her lower back, holding her upright as her hands scrambled for purchase on solid shoulders. The book found itself tossed to the floor in the act, though the gesture of it's presence left Kid giddy with excitement.
"Are you fucking kidding me? That's sick as hell, you saw something you wanted so you took it!" He praised, setting her down atop his desk.
She... Wasn't in trouble? Part of her stated that of course not, it was their way, and the others had all done such things when the situation was appropriate for it without receiving reproach. Another part of her, one still shackled by fouler treatment and lack of autonomy, insisted she'd be punished for assuming she held the same rights as them.
And yet punishment continued to evade the half Mink, adrenaline rushing through her veins as Kid complimented her theft and offered affection, thick fingers burying themselves in the hair surrounding her ears and proceeding to ruffle it. The display eased her nerves and allowed a smile to grace round face again, shoulders relaxing as tension left and freed her arms to reach for his neck.
Complying, the target of her affections bent forwards enough to press their brows together, and a pleased sigh left her as she encircled frail arms behind his neck. The urge to tilt her head closer reared it's head, and she blinked in confusion for a moment as it dawned on her that what she'd craved in that moment was a kiss.
Seeing her go from relaxed to red as a beetroot, Kid quirked a brow while wondering what on earth her problem was this time. When all she did was nibble her lower lip, he found his gaze lingering on her mouth and wondered- How would she respond if he gave in and caressed her lips with his own?
Stop. Bad. He was doing it again.
Eager for a distraction to ward off unruly thoughts, Kid broke their odd little embrace in favor of picking up his gift, laid open against the floor though no pages seemed bent. As he searched for a place to keep it and attempted to settle his thoughts, Kid had all but forgotten that the shade of Beau's reddened cheeks matched his own heated face.
A/N- I'm finishing this chapter at some ungodly hour, driven by some unseen force to be creative for once. With any luck, I'll ride this wave into the next chapter as well. God can't stop me now, my cravings for oddly specific content are too powerful.