"Domino..." A heavier tone seeped through her deep slumber pulling her towards reality. For second when she opened her eyes the vision she saw was Marco leaning over her his face a lazy smile. She smiled back at him and turned to her side trying to reach for him before he faded away and the picture of her navigator stood instead.
"Yeah?" She asked with a grumpy tone, she hated being woke up and hated the fact that she woke up alone. But she couldn't feel bad now.
"Sorry, to wake you, just Adaline didn't come back last night." He asked nervously. His sharp green eyes moving back and forth as he leaned over Domino.
Domino gave a light nod and rolled over facing the plan wall. "That's okay, "She hummed as she snuggled her head back to sleep. Or least she tried to, in reality she was trying t hide her face as it twisted with the hurt and realization that he had left.
Gator who watched the tall figure cuddle herself deeper in the blankets gave an uneasy smile. "Domino, we found dead bodies in the alley ways. It seemed to be some businessmen. That and Adaline being gone doesn't sit well with me." He asked her moving to wake her up again when Domino took in a deep breath and turned around.
"You found businessmen?" She asked yawning widely and stretching out her arms letting the twisted nightgown she wore stretch with her. There was no sense in dwelling on the cold truth that Marco left.
Gator looked at her unfazed by her charming good looks and nodded "Yes. Sir." He whispered. Domino moved to sit up and rubbed her eyes. "Adaline didn't kill them." She stated smacking her mouth and scratching the spot Marco had just healed the night before.
Gator looked at her his pointed chin slicing the air as he did so. "How do you know?" He asked her "We can't be sure but the marks look like tiny slashes like with claws or Katanas." He explained.
Domino nodded her head and gave a small smile "That's not her MO, she's more of a sniper then anything it would be silly for her to have katanas? Where would she even carry it she's so tiny." Domino asked moving to get out of bed. Gator watched wide eyes thinking to himself.
"Are you sure?" He asked her as she placed her hand on her bare knees and pushed herself up. For a second before her night gown feel to her knee's he caught glimpses of bruises of what looked like finger prints that trailed her thighs. "Business men you say?" She asked as she was clearly lost in thought.
Gator watched her and then nodded leaning in "Yes-sir, business men we haven't asked the locals yet, it was a patrol that found them." He stated with unease. When it came to navigating the open seas he was the pro and cool and calm but standing before his captain he was a nervous wreck.
Domino nodded as he spoke thinking to herself. Those must have been the eyes she felt when she walked around the towns. "They must have been the ones pulling the chains." She stated matter of fact and moved to look down at the stack of clothes that she had laid out the night before. Before she took in a deep breath and twisted her wrist.
"What I don't understand, do you mean to say that these men may have been the former captains accomplices?" He asked before Domino sent him a reassuring smile "That's exactly what I'm saying. But Tell me about Ada she didn't come back last night you say?" She asked pushing her nightgown up to pull her shorts on wiggling as she did so. Still she looked up at him as he stared at her with no arousal.
"No sir, I'm worried, she normally always comes home." He stated before catching himself as Domino froze with a smile on her face. "This isn't our home Gator; this is just temporary if we're lucky." She mumbled to herself. He nodded "I know sir it was a slip of the tongue." He convinced himself.
Domino shrugged "It's okie, what time is it now?" She asked lifting her arms and peeling off her gown only to notice Gator turn quickly. "Um about 8 sir." He stammered shaking his head it wasn't that he liked Domino it was juts the plain fact that she openly did this with no emotion frightened him.
"Am, or Pm?" She asked curiously her tank top falling above her shoulder and her hair going up. "Why, Why would It be pm sir?" He asked curiously turning back around to see a dead pan Domino.
"Am Gator? Damn she probably hasn't even finished her rounds yet." She mumbled Gator leaned in close and looked at Domino. "Wait she's on rounds sir?" He asked to see Domino shrug and look towards the ceiling.
"No, she's probably going a few though." She stated calmly towards the ceiling boards and then looked back at Gator and nodded towards the door. "Giver a few hours and about 12 if she hasn't come back by then I'll go search for her. Anyone else not checked in?" She asked slipping on her marine jacket and rolling the cuffs up moving to her desk and looking at papers that scattered it. She caught a glimpse of a blond hair and looked down at the wanted poster biting her lip.
"Um, Kato I believe sir." He stated watching in amazement as she left her shoes off and sat down at her desk with a smile turning on the lamp. She then Yawned and nodded "That's weird. But same for him, if he hasn't checked in by 12, then we'll search for them both." She stated picking up a pen and rubbed her eyes before looking at the paperwork.
Gator hesitated but nodded. Domino still looking at her paperwork called after him. "Gator? You have any ideas?" She asked him, scribbling something on the paper. Gator shook his head "Um no sir." He stated with a light bow.
Domino tilted her head "Are you sure? You hesitated before you left." She asked now looking up at him. Her eyes seemed red and puffy but intuitive. He sighed and tilted his head "Sir, if we wait till 12 then something could happen to the both of them." He confessed. He was worried for both lieutenants of course Adaline was more capable then the other but still this island was hostile enough.
Domino took in a deep breath and put the pen in its holder. "Yeah, okay, go get breakfast first then at about 10 we'll go look, will that...Wait." She paused and then smiled and held her hand and snapped running to her bed and reaching under the mattress and pulling out a leather-bound book and opened it. Inside where three white cards. He knew these well.
They were Vivre cards. But who's? Domino pulled out the top one and smiled flipping the paper in the air its name clearly written Adaline. "See? No danger." She smiled before placing the paper back and closed the book carrying it with her to the desk. Her bare feet fanning out under the desk as she sat.
Gator nodded letting out a small sigh of relief before he tilted his head "What about Kato sir?" he asked holding on to the doorknob. Domino sighed "Him we'll give till about 10." She mumbled and shuffled papers and looked up "Sound good sir?" She asked him a smile on her face.
Gator smiled back a little feeling of uneasiness growing but still he nodded. "Yes sir." He quickly moved to close the door when Domino called out "Leave it open, if anyone needs me I'm here." She chirped. He blinked and nodded not understanding how the woman who spoke so coldly now had a chirp in her voice. He just took his ascot and patted his head thankful that she was on their side.
Domino stared at the open book afraid of writing what she wanted to. With no one around and the distant sound of people beginning to walk around the stones she couldn't help but feel her heart flutter as she looked at the wanted poster on her desk. She bit her lip and giggled as she looked at the writing.
"Now we're even, Phoenix." It wrote however a heart was drawn around Marcos face. She shook her head and quickly folded it placing it in the leather book and giggled to herself.
Then she caught herself staring at empty pages. "What am I doing?" She asked herself before blinking and shaking her head standing up and walking around the cold hard floor tapping her feet as she did so. How could she let herself get so carried away? Why did it bring her so much happy giddy feelings when she thought of him. Well she knew why, she even said last night it was true they were both just lying to themselves that they could walk in and out like this. It was becoming painfully evident that he left more then just marks on her bodies. And this drove her mad. The person she was before she joined the marines would have relished in this new found feeling. It would have given her a feeling of freedom and want to be rescued but she wasn't that girl anymore.
She didn't want someone to know her without her speaking. She wanted to be her own person. Which she was sure wasn't a problem with Marco. But still the idea of her being lost in someone else like she was with him terrified her and she resolved herself to not think about it or Marco and just move on with her life. In a strange way she got closure by him leaving like she had done. It was a nice little circle that she could say was complete and now she wouldn't have to worry about it. Anymore the whole things was and will be over.
Domino shook her head and quickly rushed over to her desk again and giggled at the paper before losing track of time daydreaming with a satisfied smile. It wasn't long before she heard a quick jostling of pants approach the door.
Domino raised an eyebrow closing her book with a smile and prospering her head up with her hand waiting for the storm that was about to blow in.
Adeline's red face appeared in the doorway before she quickly closed the door behind her. Her hair was misshaped from the night before and her makeup was smeared yet her clothes were intact.
Domino shook her leg under the desk and smiled letting out a light giggle. "Finished already?" She asked as Adaline leaned against the door biting her lip and letting out a soft sigh as she seemed to fall to the ground before pulling herself back up.
"I see what you meant girl!" She hummed happily. Domino nodded "I know, so did you color coat your charts?" She teased and moved from her desk and crossed the room to motion for Adaline to sit on the bed while Domino leaned against the wall. She was finding it hard to stand still. Which was always the case.
"Well while I can say I do not have charts I do have some things to report. I enjoyed it very very much. But we were interrupted." She shook her head giving an aspirated sigh and looking at Domino who gave an amused smile.
"Who would dare?" She asked faking curiosity. Adaline rolled her eyes "It was your birdy, barged in on us completely drunk Girl! I was naked and we didn't get to finish!" She hollered as Domino let out a genuine smile imaging a drunk Marco walking in and heading straight for Thatch not caring for the nakedness Adaline described.
He must have left right after she fell asleep.
Adaline shook her head "Not funny!" She called as Domino nodded her head and moved to a drawer and pulled out a bottle of untouched whiskey and two clear glasses pushing her leather book aside.
"A little funny." She teased handing Adaline a glass.
Adaline took it and rolled her eyes "It's to early for whiskey Dom." Domino nodded and moved to the same drawer and pulled out another longer clear bottle "Tequila it is." She stated shooting back the whiskey and pouring tequila in the glass.
Adaline rolled her eyes and did the same holding out the glass as Domino poured her some as well. "Ah that stings." She smacked. Domino nodded "It goes smoother the more you drink." She spoke and leaned back sipping her glass. It was only 9 am after all.
"I bet." She hummed and sipped hers making a face. Domino held the bottle in hand and poured her another drink. "So what happened?" Domino asked smiling like a giddy school girl. She wanted to get to her juicy parts too so naturally she wanted Adaline to hurry up.
Adaline rolled her eyes and let her smile grow bouncing on the bed a little. "Alright so like I guess I'm still a bit tipsy but. I don't remember much. Like you where jumping Marcos bones in the back, then I came in and we left and then we went back to the ship." She spoke smacking her lips as she did so. Domino looked at her glass and then the bottle then back at Adaline and made a face. Realizing that Adaline was already drunk.
"Go on don't leave me in suspense." She waved as she poured herself another glass. Why shouldn't she? She wasn't drunk yet, plus she was celebrating.
Adaline quickly nodded about 3 times before she smiled and fixing her sleeve that was falling down. "Okay look, so like he was showing me the place you make the food for the people and it was really good food."
"The kitchen?" Domino asked before Adaline made an over exaggerated scoff "No silly the place where you make the food. Oh we should order one of those things." She nodded with a smile. Domino nodded an amused smile on her face "Kitchen, but sure, anyway."
"Right, right anyway we had a taste test and he realized that I was tipsy and somehow we got more? AND THEN! " She hollered with laughter.
Domino nervously giggled as her friend doubled over spilling the clear liquid on the floor as she did so. "WE, DID It!" She giggled.
Domino gave Adaline an confused look "What?" She asked to see Adaline go wide eyed "We colluded?!" She whispered yelled.
Domino gave a slight playful smile "Colluded, or COlluded?" she emphasized. Holding out the second word longer with a wink.
Adaline giggled pulling her head in to her shoulders trying to take a sip. "Colluded." She squealed as Domino let out her own girlish giggle to match Adaline. Even breaking out in to a little dance. "Me too!" She called as Adaline threw out her hands and jumped up grabbing Domino's arm and they instantly began spinning around sticking out their feet and singing "Collusion, Cooolllusion. CollusioncollusioN COlusion." With giggling laughter.
Adaline stopped and let out a loud cheer as she fell backwards on to the bed pulling Domino with her she yelled and tried to take a drink before Adaline smacked the glass out of her hand and Domino frowned but then laughed at how serious Adaline looked at her.
"oh no, OH OH NO!" she yelled before Domino jumped up with her and held out her hands to quite her down grabbing the bottle and drinking straight from the bottle. "Hey shush dude!" She whispered putting her finger to her lips. Adaline looked at Domino going sober and putting her hands to her face.
"Oh god, oh god, we did, we so did right there on the counter, the bar-top, even the wall." She groaned as Domino counted on her fingers where and how much Marco and her did and then made an over exaggerated face when she realized they did a lot.
"Hey its okay Ada!" Domino stated wrapping her hand around Adalines shoulder pushing a strand of hair off her shoulder before sniffing her hair. Domino pulled away.
This bitch had taken a clean shower with no sea salt. She decided to save that for later.
"No, no I have to write myself up I have to write the both of us. Oh no." She hummed lightly before Domino moved for her to sit back down on the bed taking a long swig of the bottle before she made a face and smiled at Adaline.
"You don't need to write us up. Because it won't happen again, it's come full circle." Domino cheered waddling over to her desk like a penguin and reaching for her leather-bound book again before opening it and pulling out the Wanted poster. Then waddled back with a giggle. As she did this her arms were beginning to feel heavy and tingle throughout her body. She only welcomed the happy feeling more.
Adaline smiled and then held it out and squinted "Which I look at?" She asked her head twirling as she held the poster upside down. Domino laughed and pointed "The middle one." She giggled before she took a step back leaning against the wall. Normally she wouldn't let herself act like this but since she was so happy and her body was warm and she was with a warm person she too wanted to be warm too.
Adaline smiled and nodded before handing it back to her. "That's cute." She stated her body hiccuping. Domino snatched the paper from her concerned and quickly held it to her chest before she moved to put it back, taking a few swigs between the motions of course.
"What? What you mean that's cute. That is closure. I did It to him, and he he did it to me so so." Domino placed the paper back in its new found home and placed the bottle down leaving it on her desk feeling as if her body was really heavy. And hot, she was hot hot.
Adaline "Girl, girl closure? I wish my clothes were closed when Marco walked in." She sighed before giggling. "He asked bout you." She nodded.
Domino leaned in one eye slight bigger than the other. "What you mean he asked bout me? What he ask." She asked trying hard to focus on the red head who giggled trying to fall over before Domino pulled her back up. With more giggles.
"Silly things. But anyway I didn't tell him about the Celestial's, that would have been bad..bad..bad SO instead I just said you where the bestest person I ever met and that he stupid if he didn't march right up here and Snatch yeah away." She then held up her arms acting like a jelly fish as Domino searched her face leaning in close.
"Why?" Domino asked frantically. Her hands went to her hair as she stumbled away from Adaline. "Everything was good he left before I slept we had hot sex it was good we was done? why Adaline why?" She asked before laughing nervously. "What is he going to think? That he can waltz up here and take me that's not..that's not how that works." She mumbled looking around for her bottle before grabbing the one in the middle and took a long swig.
"But it's okay, I told him about the deal with Sengoku and all that so he'd understand why you can't be with him. I like saved you." Adaline giggled as Domino frantically looked around but instead took a deep breath.
The old Domino would freak out. The drunk Domino would freak out, but this drunk Domino would not. She would not misplace the tingling sensation in her hands as nerves but as alcohol. In reality she was sure she would be fine because why would she care what some two nightstand turned out to be. Before she went wide eyed. Not just a two nightstand but a two nightstand and a shower. An awkward cold shower but a shower.
Domino smiled nervously her crooked canines reveling themselves. "You helped." She murmured. She helped end her life. But she tried.
Adaline waved her hand and fell over again before bouncing up, "I Also told him and Thatch how when you died you called out his name." She stated a cheerful tone in her loud voice.
Domino looked at the bottle in hand and lightly put it down. Then stopped. "Wait I called out his name?" She asked surprised. Her nervous mixing with the drinks she had mixed.
Adaline nodded with a giggling smile. "Yeap. Like you totally did. Garp made me promise we wouldn't say anything. And boy I promised till well Thatch, but see he don't count cause he a pirate." Adaline giggled again and then leaned forward and backwards. "Anyway Girl Girl apparently Thatch said that when Marco got drunk he would call you stuff like the sun and the moon." She smiled holding out her cup for more and frowning when Domino didn't pour anymore.
Instead she smiled "He called me that mushy stuff?" She asked shrinking her nose and giggling.
Adaline leaned back on the bed and giggled as she did so "Yep! But Thatch, ah man Thatch. He was such a gentleman. He called me Angle." She stated. Domino giggled herself and tilted her head "I think you me Angel Ada." She spoke softly.
Adaline shook her head "No, Acute Angle." She hollered in laughter and fell back on the bed giggling to herself.
Domino watched Adaline holler with laughter and struggle to get out of the bed before Domino shook her head and pulled the covers over her. "Adaline, go to sleep okay?" She asked as Adaline sat up and gave her a confused face "No! I want to tell you about Thatch, Thatch." She spoke before she yawned and stretched. Domino nodded and laid her down.
"Adaline go to sleep that's an order." She whispered as Adaline frowned "Really an order Dom? Please you don't even listen to your own." She spoke before she took in a deep breath and laid down closing her eyes. "But okay girl." She snuggled into the pillow as Domino stumbled over to her desk a smile on her face and attempted to get to her chair before she tripped and laughed as she hit the ground.
She continued to laugh till she turned around and looked up at the stone ceiling above her. She placed her hands on her chest and giggled imagining Marco above her before she pushed the idea away and stared at the ceiling laughing. Before she knew it she was lost in visions of a smiling pineapple.
"Captain?" A curious and calm voice asked his head peaking through the door and frightened when he didn't see Domino till a long and slender arm shoot up from the blue and black stones. "That's me!" She smiled.
Then she grunted as she pulled herself up her cheeks red and her smile infectious. She looked up at the 5'8 man with a green ascot around his neck. His pointed chin was probably sharp enough to cut butter with.
She giggled at toast and butter. Before nodding as he entered. "Sir it's time to go look for Kato, should I send out the search party?" He asked before going wide eye at Adaline passed out on the low lying bed her arm dragging on the floor.
Domino nodded and moved to jump up before having to lean on her desk as she went wide eyed. "Yes, yes do that, and can you ask for some bread and water please?" She asked holding her head and looking at the bottle on her desk and narrowing her eyes.
Gator nodded and stepped forward "Uh yes sir I'll send out a party right away." He stated before stopping and giving a salute as Domino now stood proud her jacket hanging sideways on her shoulders.
Domino gave him a confused look before she saluted back and started to following him when he turned around. "Excuse me sir?" He asked confused as Domino leaned over him in the doorway. "You're excused." She smiled before walking off. Gator quickly shuffled his legs to jump in front of Domino and hold out his hands.
"Sir I don't think you're in the condition to search." He stammered trying to stop the woman from walking when she narrowed her eyes and sighed "I can be sober when it comes to my men Gator, you go get the stuff for Adaline." She stated the flush in her cheeks disappearing as she gave a relaxing smile and nodded.
Gator took a deep breath and nodded "I trust you sir!" And ran off. Domino went wide eyed and held her head for a second immediately leaning on the cold stone wall painted white and walked down. She made sure to rub her eyes every few doors she passed until she was down on the 2nd door. There she saw the weaseled eyed, light brown floor mat and smiled waving at him.
"Hey I found you Kato!" She cheered before watching his face pale and his body stiffen. Domino narrowed her eyes but covered it up as she walked straight towards him no leaning necessary.
"Warrant officer." He responded coldly. Domino smiled leaning on the wall next to the door he tried to close behind him. She checked the sign and sighed at the communications symbol.
"Last time I checked, I am your captain now, and while I do not want to hold anything against you maybe it should be said that I do not like you Kato." She stated her voice growing cold with no emotion. She watched his eyes as they matched his shaking body.
"I did not like how you ran this crew, I did not like how you treated Adaline and myself. However you are still a good marine and somewhere deep down when you're not passing out, a great fighter. So I requested to keep you on my service. Please, do not make me regret my generosity you never showed either of us." She stated leaning towards him. She had forgot how tall she was when she was with Marco, in fact even barefoot she stood an inch taller then her former captain and now relished in the difference.
She could feel his fear and it was sobering. She used it against him. "Understood Lieutenant?" She stated the extra growl in her voice as she nodded down to his hand that held a small snail. She smiled as he nodded trying to hold it farther behind her.
She then leaned down towards the snail and noticed it was online and smiled. "Am I out of line vice Admiral?" she asked watching as the snail with the bandanna yawned.
"You didn't have to wake me up for this. I don't care, just be careful." Kuzan's lazy voice dragged out. Domino nodded holding out her hand as Kato handed the snail back to her and sulked off.
"I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again." She spoke before hanging up and briskly walking back to her room.
Once she reached the floor she saw Gator with the bread and water and informed him that she found Kato. She carefully hid the snail in the sleeve of her jacket as she walked in to her room to see a happy Adaline munching on the toast a glass of water in her hand.
"Sawndgouk callwed." She mumbled her mouth full. Domino nodded placing the small snail on the desk before twisting her wrists. "Yeah?" She asked eyeing the bottle and uncapping it throwing her head back.
Adaline swollled the lump and yawned "He appointed a new captain, we're leaving. We need to go back to Marine ford. He said that somethings come up." She hummed as she held up her bread "This some good shit." She nodded staring at it splitting it in half and handing Domino the other piece Domino took it and held it up before she chomped with evil intent.
"Anything else?" She asked before Adaline shook her head "Nope." She popped the p as she continued to munch on her bread. Domino sighed and nodded letting her body fall to the chair and bounce back staring at the ceiling.