"It's nice today." For once Lucci agrees with a hum, better than what kaku would have gotten from those five years betraying.
And it really was, with a sky full of light clouds and a tidy island with grasses a pretty light green, it's like this wasn't the grand line. Everything had been nice today, has been for weeks of fighting and recovering. Lucci had transformed after that fight with the strawhats, or at least he treated Kaku in this new light of affection that he was considering as Lucci's reflection after being so close to death. He cherished these moments in his time of peace, traveling with the remaining CP9. Kaku was leaning on the beam of the hotel, with a carving knife carefully pulling detail out of the piece of wood just slightly bigger than his hand. Lucci was seated so close, with an arm wrapped neatly around Kaku's waist that all the man did was wrap his arm tighter when Kaku leaned more to the right, against Lucci's chest.
He was content, alone from the others with the warmth of company and his favorite hobby at hand. His duties of murdering wouldn't be over, of course, but the weight of the blood he spilled didn't rear their ugly stains. That wasn't mullings for now though, not when he could feel the abandonment of formality for comfort by finding the content embrace simply enough. He glanced at the tiny face he was creating in the wood, the hair and eyes that carved into a child's simplicity. Lucci was careful, moving slow as to not bump his elbows until realizing it was more that he was resting his forehead slightly against the back of his skull so that Kaku could feel Lucci's lips on his ears every small move.
He was grinning stupidly right now, he knew he had to be, but this kind of affection was rather rare with the type of group that they traveled with and didn't offer for the kind of quiet alone time that the both of them enjoyed. Without the use of words, Lucci tended for sign language but otherwise didn't voice his thoughts. Some would say that not wanting to speak would be unnerving but the way that Lucci seemed so content with their antics of signing to bother Jyabura and private messages between them was more of a comfortable fall back. It was a connection that Lucci had created and Kaku had quickly reciprocated with all the love that he could feel for someone that preferred slaughter.
Lucci was rubbing circles on top of Kaku's knees until he felt a hand nudge at the carving tools in his hands. Kaku looked up playfully but put them down to withdraw deeper into their embrace by tucking his head under Lucci's chin. His arms were strew to the side except for his left hand bend just enough for him to rub his thumb in Lucci's thigh. He wanted to sigh and talk about feelings but of course he bit back his tongue. He didn't want to say anything out of line that would comprise either of them. Mostly Kaku because he didn't think Lucci was the type to be compromised by feelings. Kaku was though, and the mere thought of it was shoved roughly around by his ego and pride ninety percent of the time.
"Kaku." The voice was unexpected. But Lucci was mostly unexpected and everything else was what Kaku already knows, so he doesn't miss a beat.
"hm?"
"You make me happy."
"hmm." He was smiling even worst now, his face was kinda aching now. He turned around so he could wrap his arms around Lucci as well, moving his legs to the side and nestle closer. The fact he was nestling with Rob Lucci would make most blanch. He loved it.
"I love you." It was so Lucci to say passionate things like a symptom of a terminal disease and that made kaku chuckle. That didn't mean his heart didn't flutter and his palms didn't sweat, or the fact he was blinking faster. Lucci's hands drummed quietly on the boards of the house quietly and his other arm was holding him closer.
"I love you too."