OMG! Autumn, you are so lucky! And yes this is directed at my friend and reader .com/ Talk to her if you want someone with intelligence as a friend ;) Yes, this is my kissing your ass because I'm abusing you in this story.

Chapter Seventeen: Soon To Be Home, Already Accepted

Wyper took one of his cigarettes and put it between his lips. He was dying, not being allowed to do anything was killing him and he hadn't even been awake that long. Avery took the cigarette from him and put it between her own lips and grabbed the matches then realized with anger that she could not light it in her current condition. "You wouldn't happen to have a lighter would you?" She questioned.

"Nope." He put the cigarette away realizing that he too would have the same problem lighting it. Besides, he didn't want her to smoke. When they were younger he cut down on it a lot because he didn't want her to pick it up. "You shouldn't smoke."

"You hypocrite." She hissed. Autumn had really gotten to her.

"Do as I say, not as I do." He retorted bitterly, he wanted a smoke. Right now without his smoke he was feeling just as bad as she was.

"You've been speaking with Sanji!" She accused with a snarl.

"No, that fucker borrowed my lighter and said 'do as I say, not as I do' before leaving with it." He realized why Sanji had come in half an hour ago not long after Avery had left to cool off. Sanji had came to take Wyper's lighter so Avery couldn't get a hold of it. Without a lighter and only matches she couldn't light a smoke even if someone gave her one. He cursed. But not only had Sanji deprived Avery of the horrible habit, Wyper was now unable to smoke now too.

Closing her eyes Avery moved one hand in front of her. He recognized this movement of her. When she'd gotten angry or upset she'd pot her hand together, only fingers touching, and breath deeply like she was now. "I'm sorry I said those mean words to you just now, and called you a hypocrite, though that technically was a hypocritical thing."

"It's fine." He grumbled. He had noticed all of the metal pieces laying on the ground a while ago but hadn't had a good chance to talk to her about it. "What's with all of that." He motioned to it all.

"Pieces for the arm." She stared at it for a while then stood up and moved over to it. "I should probably get back to working on it shouldn't I?" Wyper moved next to her and together they sat down. "That paper there tells me where all of these bolts go. And that one where those screws go. Each paper has certain pieces on it for where it goes. I have a full copy with mention of everything but doing it this way simplifies it. But before I can do anything with any of that I have to build the skeleton."

"And the Skeleton is?" Wyper said even though he was sort of bored. But then she got to explaining how everything worked. It reminded him of a battle plan. If group A meets up with ehe enemy's group, C, it would end badly for one or both. If wire A touched wire C, bad idea. Yet if A meets B or even A it possibly could word but A to B would have the best result. And The skeleton set up the possibility for that to happen while making sure A wouldn't meet C.

It was dark out and Wyper's stomach was begging for food by the time either of them left the tent again. Avery took her many pieces of cut out metal, and several tools Wyper would never be able to figure out. They sat and ate together. There was some small talk but not much. Both weren't in the mood for much talking. Kamakiri passed just as Avery finished eating. "Why thank yo for the offer, I would lover your help, man with two arms."

.~:*:~.

Wyper smiled contentedly as he sat watching Avery and Kamakiri work together. He watched the sweat on Avery form and drip down. He even got to enjoy watching a single droplet move from her forehead, down the side of her face, to her neck, where it chose to drop right down her cleavage. She moved with such precision that it was almost like a dance, up down, up down up, down, flip and repeat. Put it back in let it get as hot as it could, take it out repeat starting from the banging. Wyper sucked in then let out his lungful of smoke. The fire that Avery and Kamakiri were using to heat the metal plates made a wonderful lighter.

They heated the plate up until it was a cherry red when Kamakiri would remover it and hold it still on a large flat topped rock. Avery banged away on it one handed with the large hammer. Both of them were wearing something over their eyes. Kamakiri had his new pair of Glasses And Avery her goggles. Once she hit one side a certain amount of times he tuned it over and they repeated several times before she either had him reheat it or drop it in a bucket of water. And he had his smoke. He took another inhale then let out, savoring the sweet taste of the deathly object.

Several people had come around to watch Avery work. They knew that Wyper had made a good choice. She would work as hard as a man even with one arm, though she'll have two. And from her mother goosing him while he was unconscious she would be a good woman too. She'd watch over children and the women wouldn't have to worry because if, God forbid, there was an attack Avery could handle an enemy as well as any man and still protect the children like a woman.

And by mother henning, he meant that he'd been told by several people that not one person had entered the tent or even been allowed near it. Except Kamakiri because she had to go to the bathroom. He'd also learned that nearly everyone had learned of that. There were quite a few chuckles and he could see that the people were warming up to her once again. There was this odd charm about her now.

Back when he'd first introduced the idea of wedding her many of his people had scorned her. But back then she held her head high and took the harsh insults without even a bat of her eyes. Then there was the little incident with inking her. Where she'd know that she was allergic to the berries they'd used yet allowed them to because it was custom. Her entire right arm had swelled and it was such a flaming red that the red paint was pale in comparison. Of course after that they had said they wouldn't allow her to do it. Her willingness to allow that pain for the sake of his peoples customs had won quite a few of them over.

But now she helped to fight Enel and they don't trust her. Then she doesn't leave his side as he slept, keeping him safe from any to everyone. That made his people think of how she would help to protect them. Then she shows that she's not really concerned with certain modest things like make up and worrying about getting clothes dirty by yelling about her need to use the bathroom. She even showed a sense of humor by smiling and waving at a red faced Kamakiri. And now she's showing she is willing to work with other people. Many men were milling around, talking with her as she worked. Even setting aside her own project, and making Kamakiri help, to help out several of the warriors with damaged weapons. She was showing many good qualities to his people.

Wyper was grinning. Enjoying his smoke and watching Avery work. "Look at that." Autumn said. "It's disgusting. She's all dirty, and sweaty. Probably smells now too." She tried to point out things that she found disgusting about Avery. Yet thinking about that type of thing, except perhaps how she now smells, was turning Wyper on. "She's doing a mans work! And did you hear how possessive she was of you. Not letting your own people near you. What if something had happened and we needed you to help defend us?"

"In the condition I'm in I would be of no help." Wyper replied and his eyes stayed locked on Avery.

"Well how would-" Standing up, Wyper cut off anything Autumn had to say. He went over to Avery who had a light blush on he cheeks and was shyly accepting thanks. Autumn caught up to Wyper again and tried to get his attention, but at this moment all he wanted was one thing. Reaching Avery he put his hand on the back of her head and made her look up at him.

Her eyes were wide with curiosity. He bent down and smashed his lips against hers and several men cheered. Avery's face darkened with a deeper blush but she kissed him back. Without waiting he pushed his tongue into her mouth, he'd dropped his cigarette bud on the way over but he still tasted of it. Avery just melted into the kiss and soon enough her hand went up to his head and gripped his unbound hair. He twisted his head some and deepened the kiss. She made a small sound of satisfaction.

Then he hissed in pain and pulled away holding his throbbing head with his hand. "I would love it if the young miss would attend to my weapon." The man said and Wyper knew who it was.

"Father." Avery breathed.