Chapter 5: Smashed
Since receiving several pairs of shirts and pants from Roberts, I've been alternating between wearing my clothes and his. I've also begun to join in on the cleaning on a regular basis since there was nothing else to do on the ship.
We docked in Tougate Harbor, much to my excitement. It's been weeks since I've stepped foot on dry land and I've had an itch to do some shopping as well. Some new clothes and stockings were going to be a nice treat!
"Ahh, the smell of civilization!" I exclaim while leaning over a railing. "Hey N? How much money do we have exactly?" N's the one who handled most of our finances.
"Enough" he says simply.
I feel nothing but pure bliss as visions of makeup and lingerie and bustier dresses dance in my head. Nagisa and I gab to each other about everything we want to buy like two little girls gossiping about a crush.
"Don't get carried away" Roberts says, coming up behind us.
Feeling cheeky, N says "What? Are you saying I shouldn't buy-"
Without letting N finish, he grabs my arm, pulling me away from my brother. At the pace he was walking, I had no choice but to follow.
"Hey! You can't just run off with her!" N yelled to my captor. But he ignores my brother's protests, and keeps on walking.
"I have business with her" is all Roberts says.
"What? Are you going to sell her off to the sex trade?" N yells.
"I don't trade in people" Roberts says without so much as turning around. Of course I still have no idea what the hell was going on, so I'm running through all possible scenarios in my head trying to figure it out.
"Where are we going?" I ask him in a dubious tone.
Roberts flashes me a grin. "Somewhere good" he says. My heart thumps nervously again. He was starting to sound like me with a 'client'.
He leads me to a bazaar in the heart of town. The sound of merchants shouting boisterously surrounds us.
"You're going shopping?" I yell to Roberts over all the noise.
"Yes, for you, though" he says. I raise an eyebrow at this. I definitely didn't expect Roberts to be the type to take a girl shopping.
"Whatever the circumstances, a girl can't go around wearing men's clothes forever" he says to me gently.
"I don't really mind, to be honest" I say, unintentionally triggering his nervous anger again.
"Well I do!" he yells before suddenly calming down. "I'm sorry. It's just that you're, ah, different from any other escort girl I've met."
He goes on awkwardly, stumbling on his words, but that's all I needed to hear. 1) I never expected to hear an apology from him. Ever. And 2) I'd have never expected to hear him admit he was wrong.
"It's okay" I say, stopping him. "Thank you."
Roberts' cheeks flush for the second time since I've known him. I find myself staring at his face again, taking in his features. When he notices me looking at him, his anger flares up again.
"Don't stare at me like that!" he says. "Let's just go shopping."
Roberts lets me lead him around the square, letting me stop anywhere I want.
I finally stop in front of a place that sells women's intimates. I could easily embarrass the hell out of the pirate by making him buy me lingerie, but I don't. Instead I just pick out a few of my signature style dress: bustier corset dresses. Honestly, I found it kind of empowering wearing that kind of thing. It just wasn't fair that it was socially acceptable for men to go around in very little clothing, but not women unless they were prostitutes. It wasn't just that I actually was kind of a prostitute, I was trying to make a statement. Even despite the fact that I usually got unwanted responses men.
As we're about to leave for that night's lodgings, I hear the shout of a merchant rise above everyone else. "Hey! Stop that kid!"
Not a minute later, a small boy clutching various vegetables accidentally runs into Roberts' legs.
"What the hell's going on here?" Roberts asks, lifting the boy by the scruff of his neck into the air. "P-Put me down!" the boy cries.
Roberts, unsympathetic, says "Well, well, well it seems as though I've caught myself a petty thief."
"Let me go!" the boy tries again.
The stall owner comes running over, panting.
"Here, let him off" Roberts says, flipping the stall owner a silver coin despite the fact that it's worth more than the cost of the vegetables.
"What do you know? I've been reimbursed. No complaints from me" the store owner says as he accepts the coin and shuffles off.
As soon as he's out of sight, Roberts sets the boy back down and gives the boy a handful of silver coins. "Go get your brothers and sisters some bread and meat, alright kid?"
The kid nods enthusiastically.
"Just don't steal anymore, alright?"
The kid nods again and thanks him. "Aren't you a pirate though?" the boy asks. "Don't pirates steal?"
"Hey, I am no petty thief!" Roberts bellows. "I am a great pirate lord!"
I facepalm right there. Arrogance much? But that was kind . . .
"A man shouldn't live a petty life! Even if it's just for show, you've gotta be proud and persevere!"
And with that, Roberts pats the boy on the head and the boy goes pattering off. I'm left there smiling at Roberts.
"That was cute" I say. "You care." Immediately, Roberts goes into tough-guy mode.
"What? No I don't! Are you an idiot?" he scolds me. He's blushing again, even the tips of his ears are growing red.
"I call 'em like I see 'em" I say with a sassy smirk on my face.
"Shut up! Next time you say something like that I'll feed you to the sharks! . . . I just understand what it's like, okay?"
"Okay" I say solemnly.
I can't help but find this childish attitude he has at times adorable, but what I really can't get over is his soft side. I guess Yoh was right . . .
Our walk back is silent. Just the right amount of awkward. I feel this warm and fuzzy feeling growing inside my chest. Little by little Roberts shares more and more of himself with me, and I genuinely appreciate it coming from someone with such masculine pride.
That night, Roberts takes me to a bar near our lodgings. The place is packed with other crews docked at the harbor since this is the closest bar to their ships. From the moment we walk in, I have to ignore whistles and cat calls from across the room, but this is nothing new for me. And for once, I'm not at a bar to kill anyone; I'm here to have fun for the first time in a long time.
"Hey! Over here!" Yoh, who must've arrived here before us, yells to us from the bar. I sit between the men, and we order some heavy booze for the three of us.
"Are you sure you can handle this stuff? It's pretty strong" Roberts warns me.
"I can drink more than any man!" I exclaim, almost but not really flirting.
After a few rounds, I have to excuse myself to the bathroom to piss. But when I come back, I find Roberts drawing his sword towards a man in what appears to be a military uniform. I go running up to them, feeling as though I'm in a powder keg that could spark at any moment.
Yeah, I rewrote the bar scene. Deal with it (cue sunglasses and CSI-style "YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHH")