Chapter Thirteen: Too Vast
The sea seemed so vast again. When upon the ship of the heart pirates, at times the ocean felt as though it could be tamed. Or at least understood. Having been on the blue waves for so long, Penguin and any other true pirate was familiar with the way the sea moved, her moods and her storms and her immense peace and clarity.
Yet now it seemed so vast and unreachable again. Penguin could barely inhale correctly as he watched the notorious White Knife leave the harbour and set off for god knows where.
The fact the hat clad man had no idea where scared him out of his wits. The loss of his captain and Killer in what seemed like a final blow of cruel fate sent him to his knees and he ignored the burning concrete beneath him as it seared through his drenched clothes. Kid breathed hard beside him, sitting up groggily as though a teen boy demanded to rise early on a Monday morning. But there was not a trace of humour or good nature on the redheads face.
"They took Killer, didnt they?"
Penguin nodded, replying with a quiet "Y-Yes"
Pure contempt and bewildered fury took over his expression and he stood up quicker and with more stability than Penguin expected.
"We need to get on Laws ship, now!" he snarled, turning around furiously to storm towards the submarine. Penguin followed obediently, limping a little with his nerve shook legs but keeping up as the Kid Captain turned up the docking bridge and assembled what staff were there into a small cluster.
"I don't know how to run this yellow tin but I need whoever can to head for that ship, immediately!" he ordered. The heart pirates were still at first. Not so fickle that they would obey Kid for the sake of his livid tone in the absence of Law.
"Do you want your captain back or not?!" Kid urged angrily, eyes like brimstone and Shachi turned to his fellow crew and told them to follow the demands. After that the heart pirates moved pretty damn quick, storming down the stairs and closing the tight suction door once Kid and Penguin were inside and the ship started to go under. Orders travelled fast it seemed. Yet there was an air of loss and distance between the overall wearing members. Kid didnt blame them, nothing could describe the relationship between a captain and his crew.
Travelling down the corridor, with only vague knowledge of the control rooms location, he yelled for Penguin. The still rather damp and raggedly clothed young man ran up to him.
"You were with Killer this whole time?" he asked, voice quiet and questioning as though surprised. Penguin took the lead slightly and turned right at the correct interval into another corridor, knowing Kid was no doubt keen on finding the main control room. Kid followed with silent relief.
"...Yes, since we were in the first prisoners bay on the ship" he told the redhead. Unlocking the door they went in where the navigators turned to Kid, this time with less anxiety and more awareness, as though expecting a command. But they knew the drill, pursue the White Knife.
"So he actually dragged you along?" Kid uttered with a grim chuckle and Penguin scowled.
"At times I was dragging him" he commented, recalling the several times the hat clad man had all but thrown himself at the blonde which led to their temporary safety.
How strange it was looking back on the countless times they had been caught and chased, they hid and disguised themselves in both manner and clothing. It seemed like none of it happened, almost. Penguin couldn't ignore the fact that his captain and...dare he say, new partner of sorts was very much in the claws of the enemy.
"I see" Kid replied, sincerely turning into the smaller room in which he and Law had mostly slept in and tried to keep away from each others vital organs. Well, in Kid's case he had been getting rather close to the older pirate captain.
Sitting at the desk, Penguin blinked twice at how efficiently the ruthless, large man was getting into action. Had he been working with Law so much that he understood some of the technology of the ship?
"Did anyone hurt him?" Kid then asked, slipping his headphones off a little to hear the answer.
"...We've fought a lot of people...he got knocked down a few times but no serious injuries..."
"Unlike you I see?"
Penguin had near forgotten about the bandages over his slashed shoulder.
"...Pretty much"
Penguin looked down with mild shame, he expected the redhead to laugh or make some cruel quip or even look irritated about Killer having been knocked around a bit but when the young man looked up, Kid was smiling...gently. What the hell?
"I'm glad, then again you hardly knock Kil around too much" he chuckled.
"When we have em back, you can get your surgeon of death to check out that wound, thanks for helping me back there as well, I owe you" he turned back to the pale blue screen and it took Penguin a while to snap out of his dumb bewilderment.
"We're too far to see em now at the island but I don't see any ship coming after us thank god" Captain Arabella Mint laughed harshly and turned to Killer who was leaning over his reopened wound on his leg with coarse breath, Law out cold nearby next to Brace.
"Now THIS...this is just fabulous" she paused half way just to take in how apparently amazing she was. Looking over her prizes like a little spoilt brat at the fair.
"I thought I had lost my main man!" she clapped her hands together.
"That's you blondie" she purred as she knelt in front of him and cupped his mask. Killer moved his head away quickly with a snarl and the green haired woman only chuckled before moving on.
"And this...Garth fellow, once such a dear, so polite...turned out to be the even more infamous and prized Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law! Just look at that body" she asked Brace to move as she knelt before the Heart captain and surveyed his unconscious features.
"Lovely hair, nice face, don't know about those dark circles under his eyes...he need more sleep or something? I guess it can add to the charm, his skin is good, not too scarred, alluring dark complexion" the Teeth captain muttered under her breath as though checking out which diamond ring she wanted next.
"Tall, lean frame...decent age, unusual arm tattoos but not unattractive" she lifted up his thin worn shirt after tugging off the thick coat he wore slung over his shoulders.
Killer; who had turned to watch the antics of the creepy woman, stifled a gasp under his mask and his eyes widened as he recognised the attire.
"Ah, delightful...abdominal structure and general muscle, more tattoos too"
Killer would have spat on the ground for her lack of shame at inspecting an unaware man. Of course he knew it was Law, he knew the second he saw him...well actually, as soon as he got a proper look, it was hard to identify him in the unusual scraggy outfit he wore now and the coat of captain Kid. Why was he wearing that? Killer had his suspicions they would be looking but together? He was shocked.
"I'm going to snail-phone Mirage, tell him what's going on. Plus we'll be there soon so I need to find the damn contracts" Arabella sighed but the grin on her white painted lips never fading.
"Chain em both to the wall and keep sharp items at a distance, blondie is injured and cutie is still asleep so you just guard the door" she commanded Brace who stood and nodded before gathering up the limp wrists of Law and tying them up firmly before linking the cuffs to a chain.
"Hey! We got any SeaStone?!" the captain screeched down the corridor and Killer froze.
"Yeah!" someone replied and a kid called 'Paste' ran up and handed Brace the heavy dull blocks as he ran in briefly, taking a startled and slightly scared look at the prisoners. He was shooed away by his captain shortly after.
"Our Killer friend here isn't a devil fruit but this guy...let's just say I don't want him working his magic" she told Brace. If the massacre soldier was not completely sickened by her, he would have given her credit for her precautions.
"Oh I am such a lucky girl! We're gonna be fuckin' rich after this boys!" a cheer went up from the guards present.
Brace tied Killer up hard and he refused to groan at the discomfort as the larger guard left with captain Arabella Mint. He and Law were left alone.
As cruel as it was, by the time what could have been half an hour had passed, Killer was irritated that the surgeon of death had not yet awoken. Hardly upholding his medical reputation by being out so long after being poisoned. Killer recalled it had taken him around thirty minutes to be cured but then again he hadn't exactly had the Teeth captains venomous tongue shoved down his throat. He was sure Law would be pissed when he realised what had happened and Killer wouldn't even consider shedding a tear of he went to kill the bitch.
A faint murmur and a sickly tremble told Killer that this may be the moment. Looking over at the man he watched him open his dark eyes slowly and look down at himself, the story revelation meant it hadn't took him long to realise where he was. Killer felt obliged to assist his memories nevertheless.
"We're on the White Knife, Teeth pirates, that green haired woman is Captain Arabella Mint, the person I assume you have been pursuing" Killer explained flat, tone dry as he spoke.
Law leant back against the wood he had been chained to and sighed, stretching as much as he could and running his tongue through the contours of his mouth with a look of contempt, spitting out to the side. He then licked the outer areas of his lips to remove the chalky white paint that had been smudged there from the vicious woman.
"So she kissed me...how vulgar" was all the surgeon of death said and Killer nodded once.
"Yes, we have been pursuing her, terribly hard to keep up and it's so ironic I am now the one needing to be rescued" he chuckled sourly and frowned.
"You are wearing my captain's coat...you have been working together?" Killer inquired.
"Correct again, I am just as surprised to be admitting it as you are hearing about it" he answered absently, focusing more on the room they were in and how they could get out.
Later on, as the sun began descending toward the ocean, Kid was confident they had managed to keep the White Knife within their sights and on the radar. The navigators were working tirelessly alert for the sake of finding their Captain. Kid had followed Penguin out as he went to see his closest ship-mates. The sunglasses wearing Shachi and the considerably moody white bear, Bepo.
"Oh my god, what a bitch...who would do something like that?!" Shachi stepped off the wall with a growl and stamped the ground with his boot.
"Will they try and do something like that to Captain?" Bepo twiddled his large furry fingers, his usually snarky manner around the two heart pirates very much diluted by his fear for his beloved captain.
"If they do, we'll fuck em up real good" Kid told them and they looked over to the unfamiliar pirate with surprise. Kid just folded his arms and seemed unbothered by the lack of reply and perplexed stares he received.
"One captain to another" he eventually justified before leaving, too pent up with rigid anxiety and anger to stand around. He was going back to the small control room where the lingering scent of white musk and medical gear kept his urgency up to the maximum. He couldn't help but realise his own animal instincts as he left the trio, reminding himself to update Wire and Heat on the present events.
When he was out of earshot, Shachi leant into Penguin who perked up curiously.
"Captain Kid has been getting pretty close to Captain, at least that's what I heard from the navigators..."
"Really? Like...attacking him close or..." Penguin added, voice just as quiet.
Bepo shoved his large head in between them with a less than hushed voice.
"We reckon he is starting to admire Captain Law, and so he should!" he claimed and the two men grabbed a cheek each and yanked.
"SHH!" they hissed in unison and the bear sighed. Shachi let go and leant back against the wall.
"Call it what you will, but admiration is one of the lesser emotions I'm deducing" he scoffed, pulling his cap down a little more. Penguin hadn't returned to his normal overalls. Not for lack of loyalty but more for the fact he couldn't bring himself to accept the comforts of what was essentially his home when he knew Killer and his captain were in danger. So he was presently attired in long black trousers and a tight fitted white tank top. If it wasn't a current matter of pursuit and alarm, he would have admired his more...pirate flesh...spending time with Killer and being on the run had given him the thin scars and the tan of any rugged pirate and he liked it.
Thinking of his own changes caused his thoughts to drift to Killer. Almost immediately to his face, the strength and surprising slenderness in his features. He too had the sun brazen tan of a pirate despite his constant mask, his luxurious yet wild golden hair that fell to his thighs and brushed over his forehead in a thick fringe reminded Penguin of the merchant ship, the smell of the older man when he had just showered and had fallen asleep beside the heart pirate. A lash of guilt and sadness clenched his heart when he thought of Morris and he looked down to the ground with gritted teeth and a low hiss.
"Hey Pen, you alright?" Shachi moved a little closer, placing a hand on his friends shoulder. Penguin nodded and inhaled deeply.
"Just thinking about everything you know?"
"I know you probably don't feel like it but seriously, go lie down and get some rest...it's best for if we do need to get into a bit of a scrap and it will...just go Pen" Shachi urged, pulling him toward him in a hug. Penguin let his chin fall into the material of the white outfit and nodded with a small frown, like a child refusing it was child and yet being commanded to go to bed.
"I'll take you" Bepo said out of the blue and both looked up at the white bear who had an unfamiliar, soft and sincere smile on his face. Penguin nodded again and left Shachi who gave a short wave before jogging off to help the others in the main room as the heart pirates were having a hard time complying to Kid's brash orders when they were loyal to Trafalgar Law. Shachi was like a translator in some sense to the kid captain.
Penguin had expected to be guided (though he didn't need directions) by Bepo but he stifled a gasp when he was picked up bridal style in the strong, orange overall clad arms.
"B-Bepo!"
"Come on Penguin, shush" was the childish reply and Penguin shook his head, passing other crew-mates who actually didn't seem bothered by the pair as they wandered down the corridor. Reaching the room Penguin joint shared with Shachi (through a thin, movable wall), he slid Penguin into his bed and left with a short wave and a small promise they would find everyone and it would be alright.
Back in his room, it all seemed so surreal and knowing he was the one safe and sound drew his thoughts to Killer. His eyes this time, immediately the heart pirate thought of the intelligent, strong and...deep green eyes of the older man. Albeit the only time he had seen them was in a moment of shock and they had been wide with alarm and anger so Penguin couldn't say much about his attraction to the velvety irises but it was a different story with his lips.
How many times had those lips trailed over his body and taken his own? Such a romantic fantasy it was to blush over the thought of the warm, moist heat of a kiss. Yet Penguin curled up ontop of the sheets on his bed as his face turned scarlet.
Would he kiss him again? Would he see him again? The heart pirate hysterically chuckled silently at the knowledge he prioritised a kiss over a rescue. Removing his trousers to reveal shorter grey underwear and slipping off his clean white top. Penguin removed his hat and ruffled his seawater matted hair; deciding fatigue had a place over hygiene in this circumstance and got himself comfortable in his bed. Guilt overwhelming him once more as he thought of the probably vulgar whereabouts of Killer and his Captain.
Soft, cloudy hair with it's trails of pale almost silvery grey among the snowy locks. Killer could smell the fresh, ice-water scent that mixed so well with a trace of natural musk and soap. Trailing a hand through the hair, it elicited a tiny sound from the man it belonged to. Not a whimper or whine but a chuckle, such a sweet sound it made Killer smile.
Lifting up Penguin's chin, he looked into the startling yet charming marble eyes, decorated with a rim of cerulean mosaic around the warm smoke of grey. Short eyelashes attached to smooth eyelids fluttered to the lower ones as his eyes closed. Closed as he leant up to kiss Killer ever so lightly and sweetly. The tenderness did not last as the blonde took the younger man in his arms and gripped him, slipping a heated tongue within the others mouth to taste every inch of him.
A surprised yet pleased whimper escaped the heart pirate and Killer released him to admire the breath-taken flushed appearance of the surprisingly audible Penguin. Never did he fail to amuse and charm Killer with his constant blushing. Innocence, a purity that drew the infamous massacre soldier in like ripe wine, like something poisonous and intoxicating.
A tremble, a shy hand creeping up the back of his neck beneath his waves of golden hair, pushing him closer with curious eagerness. The other hand intertwined his slender, methodical yet affectionate fingers within the calloused ones of Killer. Kissing him deeply without hesitation, the kid pirate relished in the noises that only increased in volume and length with each daring dart of his tongue into the mouth of the younger man.
"...K-Killer" came that mewl and Killer moved a hair-breadth away from the moist lips. He gave Penguin time to finish after he had caught his breath.
"More..." he opened his mouth and inhaled with a gentle moan. Oh how demanding he was, yet his tone made him irresistible and Killer only complied, lapping his tongue along Penguin's lower lip, moving toward his neck-
A string of emerald ribbon was wound around the pale column of his throat and Killer's eyes narrowed. Green...a colour he wouldn't often associate with the heart pirate. That's when he felt an unbearably sharp pain in his throat and leg with equal measure and he fell back and away from the younger man to look up and see it was no longer Penguin but Paste, the boy with deceptively similar characteristics, salty white hair and sky blue irises but that sharp mint breath as he grinned with pearly teeth was unmistakable and Killer had no time to speak as a blade was plunged into his skull.
Ah that's what was different, something he had subtly pinpointed earlier. There was no charcoal blue thorny tattoo winding over his eyes and upper cheek. Nothing to claim him as the damaged goods of a vicious slave system.
Killer sat up. Too fast as it sent a throb of shattered agony into his wounded leg making him hiss loudly.
"Steady, you'll damage it more" Law told him, un-nerved by his evidential nightmare and Killer was glad. Glad he didn't want to know about the fear of betrayal and unfamiliarity the blonde had felt and glad he would maybe never know just what he wanted to do to one of Law's beloved crew-mates.
As though reading his mind, the heart captain gave Killer no time to recover as he questioned him.
"Is Penguin alright?"
"Yes, he was with me on your ship so should still be there, he has been knocked about quite a bit but nothing permanent..."
"What do you mean knocked about?"
Killer debated on whether to answer the doctor, whose smoky golden eyes where somewhat crazed. Like the slow fury of white molten lava beneath the heavy black crust of volcanic rock.
"He got attacked a few times, shoulder slashed, head wounded and general scrapes...we managed to get his shoulder treated and his head wrapped up..."
Law went silent, staring at the dim lit ground before him as his smoky eyes calmed and he took in a slow, quiet breath.
"Thank you for working with him" he told the blonde softly and Killer only nodded.
There was a sudden battering at the door and both men looked up, squinting at the harsh light that hit them as the door was swung open. Captain Arabella Mint stood in the doorway in nothing but slim fitting white jeans and pale brown sandals, her hat removed for the sake of a single deep green hairband that pushed back the curls of her hair and a pale green bikini top. By the way she stumbled and drawled with her words, Law deduced her to be well and truly intoxicated.
"Alrright boooysss" she purred, falling forward to them, tracing a long nail over Law's face and he flinched at the scent coming from her lips.
"There's no point you two beeing down here all sssaaddd...now now, boo hoo" she made mocking gestures of wiping tears away before grinning and hauling Law to his feet.
"Come and join the party" she breathed, frighteningly stable with those words and it dawned upon both prisoners to what she meant.
"We'd rather not-"
"Nonsense! W-where's...where's...what's his name..."
Brace chuckled from where he stood outside.
"Canine"
"Ah yes! Canine, where is he?!"
"Here Captain"
A tall, lean man with black hair and hazel eyes stepped forward, he had tattoos over his cheeks in downward spikes and war pale white bandages over his wrists and elbows, shirtless with baggy white trousers.
"Do your thingy ma thing and bring them up!" she commanded and was whirled away with the others with shuttering laughter.
The man approached the prisoners with his sharp pearly teeth and knelt down in front of Killer. Placing his hands on the kid pirate's shattered leg he concentrated hard, eyes closing revealing painted eyes on his eyelids that startled the blonde but not nearly as much as the fact the pain was leaving him and he found himself able to twitch his toes and feet.
"Get me a prisoner" Canine yelled, Gum ran off to comply. Killer stared down at his injury which...which was no longer an injury. Law was also watching with shock and glared up at the young man who waited until a middle aged man was thrown on the floor before them, cuffed with thick rope, his dusky brown hair limp over his bruised face.
Canine moved forward and after placing his hands on the man's leg, Killer and Law grimaced as the prisoner began to scream and sure enough his leg deteriorated and bled from Killer's original wound.
"Devil fruit" was all that was heard as the prisoner was moved away and Killer's restraint's tightened.
"They're all yours" Canine swished his hand in dismissal and left down the corridor as Brace and Drill moved in on the compromised two.
"Time for a party" Drill whispered with a sickly grin.
A/N: It's the kind of party that doesn't have Jelly and Ice cream so...fuck.
Actually wrote most of this before chapter twelve because of certain complications so I hope it all makes sense. I have been looking for more Killer/Penguin stuff but it is in the minority, we must build upon it UNTIL IT IS A CRUISE SHIP INSTEAD OF AN UNSTABLE RAFT BOAT.
In result of the reviews regarding the colour for Law's eyes (though there was a very diverse view) I've decided to be a right little people-pleaser and imagine a soft, smoky grey with flecks of gold. The overall effect is quite silvery.
This is a lot longer as well but I wanted to speed along the rescue process in some way I guess and have less of a filler chapter. The dream sequence was to sedate my eagerness to write romantically so I hope you liked it! Thanks to all my reviewers, readers, favorites and followers! Thanks to those who gave an opinion on my OC crew and I'm glad no one is put off by them! :)
-LAW09
Trafalgar Marijane: Very perceptive, it does seem they are in for no form of treat, but what will happen? ahah, it's cool about the spelling and thanks for the review, made me chuckle :)
AriesDanger24: Development indeed! haha, you made me laugh when you went "that's Kid job" ahah, hehe, I'm glad you think it is sweet, it is only natural for true lovers to think of one another, hehe, will this be a party you want an invitation for though? oooh, have fun garage sale-ing, thanks for the review and see you soon!
Anon Reader: The first line of your review had me grinning and blushing, thank you so much for such glorious praise! I always enjoy a story in which a villain that really gets under your skin is dislike/hated by other characters, allows you to vent through them so I am glad you think the same way about this story, I also get a little bothered by some OC's so I am glad you are not bothered by mine! Thank you once again for such an eloquent review it really flattered me and I can't thank you enough :)
ShivaVixen: Hi again! Alas, if only he had! I'm not sure about the Sub's artillery, I will do some research but I feel like Law would be too sly to just use brute, underwater force...Kid on the other hand...who knows? That's a good point and I thank you for the review!
Fuzzalu: WELL, this actually lifted me from any negative spirits within my soul at the time, thank you. so. much! This is indeed my OTP and I am glad you can be part of this UNION! Yeah, I often see them as a side-dish to a Law/Kid main course. Thank you so much for praising my writing and I am glad you see my reasoning's for Killer's mask :) OH MY GOD YOUR COMMENT, I WAS CRYING. -fuck him in a corner-ah ahh h HAHAHSHHAHAHA. Whilst the captains sort it out...ahaha...classic. That was kind of my intention to make them dislike-able and yet appreciated for being such assholes. Thank you so much for voicing said praise! I'm personally surprised but pleased with the updates and I am glad you are too! Hahah, rant anytime! Thanks again!
Thank you to all my favouriters and followers!