I guess I can't apologize enough for letting you guys wait again. I don't even have a proper explanation for the late update this time, so… sorry? Everyone? I truly am? I'll try and be better now though and besides finally continuing 'Catnip', I'll try and make it up to you with some One-Shots coming in as well soon :)
Now I've read the reviews wishing for Killer & Penguin to stay in the story and even have some naughty bits so I will – of course – continue to write them as well even though the lemon will still have to wait ;)
Thank you guys for reading and reviewing even though I've been horrible with keeping this story up. Enjoy the next Chapter!
Water disappears in the sink with a low gurgle and Penguin eyes himself in the mirror of the bathroom, sighing a little. Taking care of the Kid Pirate has grown to become quite a tedious business since he does not only have to buy new medication and supplies constantly but the owner of their hotel had started to grow suspicious and Penguin fears that the little hush money he's been paying so far might not be sufficient anymore. Killer is still far from being fine however and moving him to another location would prove to be more than difficult.
He reaches for a towel and dries off his face, again looking at his own reflection with knitted brows. Not his day today, definitely not. Going on at this rate, it would only be a matter of time until he spots the same dark circles under his eyes as Law. Just as he is about to turn and leave, ready to finally get some well-deserved sleep, the bathroom door opens and Penguin freezes on the spot.
It's a weird moment of shock and the seconds pass slowly as both Penguin and Killer simply stare at each other in silence. Only then does Penguin notice that he is neither wearing his bonnet, nor his collar up to his nose and he quickly pulls the zipper of his jacket up, nearly getting his skin caught.
"W-What on earth are you doing?! You're not supposed to get out of bed just yet!"
"Sorry, I- I just-"
Sandy blond, quite short but ruffled hair, eyes like amber and a large, dark tribal tattoo covering the side of his neck. Killer had expected quite a lot but not this. Not a beautiful face like that one. That face surely is a face that someone would not hide normally.
"I needed a drink."
He lifts his empty glass in a nearly apologetic manner.
"Then tell me you need a drink and I'll get you one."
The awkward silence continues and Killer remains unsure whether to address the topic of Penguin's face or not. It's an odd feeling and he's not sure where it's come from but he feels the weird need to ask him to put the collar down again. Not that he would dare to, not with those eyes glaring at him like that.
It sounds like a sharp whistle when Killer suddenly hisses underneath his mask and clutches his side. A deep red is spreading slowly on the white bandages and he leans heavily on the doorknob. Two steps and Penguin is by his side, propping him up as well as he can, considering that he is still about one foot smaller and much lighter than the Kid Pirate.
"Told you it was a bad idea to get out of bed."
"Guess I'm a bit of a bother to you."
"Yes. Yes you bloody are."
He drags the injured man back to the bed and sits him down carefully, his bonnet forgotten already. The bandage comes off and while he tends to the wound, carefully and thoroughly, he doesn't notice Killer watching him silently. He expected a lot. A deformed face maybe, scars or anything ugly on those features but there is nothing there. Just plain, pale skin and an odd tattoo.
"Why are you-"
"Don't ask. And knock before you enter the bathroom next time. I could've been stark naked."
"But you were not."
Wouldn't have been a bad sight though, he ponders quietly before the pain in his side distracts him from any further musings on that matter. He clenches his teeth and no sound comes from underneath the mask until Penguin is done and his wound is bandaged again.
"Stop moving around now. Lie down again, I'll get you a glass of water and I don't want to hear anything about all- this again. Understood?"
Penguin gets up and turns around only to find his wrist in a sudden firm but yet somewhat gentle grip. Startled, he looks at the fingers clasping his wrist.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For putting up with all this."
The Heart Pirate shrugs the hand off and disappears to the bathroom without muttering another word and he leaves Killer to think whether 'all of this' was really what he had wanted to thank him for.
Maybe it rather was a 'thank you for letting me see your face' even though he would never say it out loud. After all, it hadn't been Penguin's intention to show any part of his skin really.
Kid, in the meantime, waits impatiently for some beer to cool. It's been quite a hassle to get the electricity in that abandoned shithole to work again and he had been somewhat delighted to hear the faint buzzing sound of the fridge but by now, it surely feels like ages since he put the bottles in the top shelf. Thus he waits, leaning heavily on the creaking wooden table in the center of the tiny kitchen.
He's heard Law's faint voice upstairs a couple of times, possibly asking for something to drink or to eat but since Kid has decided that his deed in helping the Doctor out is done, he hasn't bothered to check on him again.
It's not until something nudges his shin, that he looks up from his staring-down-tournament with the fridge.
The grey tabby cat weasels around his feet and for a moment, the Captain feels like kicking it straight into space.
"Piss off."
No chance though. The cat hops on the table beside him, purrs and begins to rub its head against his bare side and back. Kid's crimson eyes follow every move and he pulls a face, before he eventually picks the purring ball of fluff up by its neck and holds it before his face.
The cat lets out a somewhat chipper 'meow' and Kid knits his non-existent brows, since he's not used to animate things not being scared of him.
"How about we shave you and have you for dinner, huh?"
Another chipper 'meow' is the only reply and suddenly the small, pink paw pats the tip of his nose once, twice and a third time with the claws out.
Law looks up from a notably boring book he has found in one of the nightstands when the door to the bedroom suddenly bursts open and he can see that Kid is grinding his teeth in frustration, as he drops the hissing cat ruggedly on Law's belly.
"Keep your fucking cat in your room or I swear I'll make a bedside carpet out of it!"
"Now, now", the Doctor smirks. "Told you to stay away from that grumpy, ugly git, didn't I?"
"You what?!"
Law pets the cat and the furry little traitor rolls up by his side and purrs contently.
The Captain has probably never been so close to brutally murdering a kitten before but he very much feels like it right now.
"I swear that fucking nuisance is taking the piss! Now matter how many times I kick it, it keeps coming back!"
"Ever considered that it might be hungry?"
"How's that my problem?"
"Maybe it wants you to feed it."
"It's a fucking cat, it can hunt its own food."
"I wouldn't count on it. And I'm starting to feel a little hungry as well, by the way."
"Well tough shit."
Law rolls his eyes at the stubbornness that is that man before him.
"Look, my wound won't get any better if I don't gather some more strength so you might benefit from getting me a little something to eat. The quicker I heal, the quicker we can go separate ways again."
Kid hates to admit it but that logic even makes sense to him.
Another point that Kid hates to admit though is that he can't cook to save his life and he's very much reluctant to make a fool of himself by demonstrating it to that smirking demon.
He huffs and turns on his heels, leaving Law and the cat behind.
Law listens to some rummaging down in the kitchen and he quietly smiles to himself. He can already imagine Kid searching through the cupboards, trying to find something with as little effort to prepare as possible. Though he has no clue that the Captain is completely unable to cook, he has figured out that Kid is one lazy half-wit and would never do more than actually asked of him. If he ever does what is asked of him.
Kid returns about ten minutes later with a steaming bowl of ramen, a small plate with ham and a – finally – cold beer bottle. He looks most displeased and snarls a little while he hands the bowl to Law.
"Will that do?"
"It should."
The Doctor watches amused as Kid picks the cat up by the neck again and drops it on the floor, putting the plate with ham down next to it. The tabby immediately gorges the food down and Kid blinks irritated. So Law was right after all. That pain in the back was starving a little.
"I don't think I should have anything alcoholic though, considering the amount of painkillers I had."
Law eyes the beer, musing quietly to himself.
"Who said it's for you?"
The bed groans audibly as Kid sits down on the side and Law can feel the mattress sink in deep enough that he's propped up a little. The Captain opens the bottle with his teeth and Law flinches at the sight.
While he waits of his dinner to cool down, he watches Kid watching the cat and entirely ignores that this is somewhat of an odd situation.
"You know, I've been doing some thinking."
"Good for you."
"You haven't, I know."
Kid growls at him.
"What do you think happens if that somebody who's sunk our ships notices that we're still alive?"
"He'll come looking for us."
Kid takes a sip from his bottle, entirely unfazed by the thought.
Once again Law wonders if the Captain could be any more full of himself but must admit that the confidence is somewhat admirable. Not that he is scared but at least the situation does give him some food for thought while it leaves the Kid Pirate entirely unmoved.
"Ever wondered who it might have been?"
"No."
"I did. And I'm not sure I like the thought of meeting face to face with that guy again. Especially not in my condition."
"You scared Trafalgar?"
Kid grins smugly and Law chucks the book at him, hitting the bare, muscular chest.
"Why should I? I got you to protect me while I'm injured, right?"
The Doctor smirks once again and Kid mumbles something incomprehensible against the neck of his beer bottle but it somewhat sounds like "go fuck yourself".