As Captain Shotz had promised Crocodile, they left Maverick's port in the morning just as the sun was starting to lighten the sky into a deep purple. Shotz hadn't had a problem with Crocodile bringing Daz along with her. Had just shrugged and told them they'd have to share a cabin. And while the room was cramped with both of them in it, they'd only be sleeping in it.
The three-day journey through the calm belt had been painfully dull. The weather unchanging, the air stagnant and unmoving. Only the sound of the rowers below deck, their oars stirring the waters. Crocodile hoped to at least see some of the Neptunians that supposedly nested in the belt.
But nope. Nothing.
Calm belt, indeed.
When they finally passed into the South Blue, Crocodile welcomed the storm that awaited them. Daz was also enjoying it, his face turned towards the sky, uncaring of the rain that drenched his face. Crocodile brushed her wet hair away from her face, watching a bolt of lightning streak across the sky. They were standing with Shotz behind the helm, both of them too restless to go below deck. Even after Shotz told them that help wasn't needed.
On the Grand Line, a squall like this could sink a ship even when a crew had a highly-skilled, veteran navigator. Storms were always an all-hands-on-deck event. One wrong decision was all it took for everything to go wrong. This was so unusual. Shotz's crew were still all taking it seriously. But there was no panic. No scramble.
It was routine for them.
"This isn't a Grand Line storm Crocodile, my girl. Our navigator sees them coming miles off." Shotz boomed, the crash of thunder almost eclipsing his voice. Crocodile knew that the weather of the Grand Line was unpredictable, but she didn't realize how different it was from the four blues. Daz looked equally bewildered by the calm way the sailors were handling the blowing winds, pouring rain and cracking thunder.
They were sailing for Killian Island. The first of many stops that Shotz and his crew would be making while they were in the South Blue. And where Crocodile and Daz would part from them. Killian Island was home to one of the South Blue's largest coalition of shipbuilders, "That'll be where you and young mister Bones will part from us, Miss Crocodile. Plenty of reputable shipbuilders there, the finest you'll find in the South Blue."
Crocodile would take him at his word. Shotz had proven to be trustworthy, "Any recommendations?" She raised her voice to be heard above the gusting wind.
Shotz tugged on his beard, eyes squinted against the rain, "A few. I'll write you a list of names later once the storm has passed."
"I would appreciate it, sir."
He clapped his hand on her shoulder, "Think nothing of it–"
A shout from the crow's nest interrupted them, "Dead ship to port!"
All unoccupied crewmen moved to port to look. Shotz bellowed up to the lookout, "Friendlies?"
"No idea, Cap! No way to identify them; the main mast is gone!"
Shotz growled, sounding like a bear as much as he resembled one, hesitating for only a moment, "Helmsmen, bring us alongside."
"Aye, Cap."
Crocodile shifted to the port railing, Daz on her heels. She could see the ship in the distance, a massing black shadow rocking with the waves, ominous in the encroaching evening. Shielding her eyes, she squinted, trying to see any movement on the deck as they drew closer.
Nothing. Or nothing above deck, at least.
When the ship was next to the wreck, Shotz ordered a group of his men aboard to investigate. Daz offered to board with them, curious and with Crocodile's unspoken permission. Once the two ships were tied together and a gangplank dropped into place, the group of men went across. Some of them were visibly apprehensive about what they might find.
Together, Crocodile and Shotz waited.
After about half an hour, Daz returned, frowning lightly, "Looks like it's been abandoned. Except someone forgot they had a man chained up in the brig when they did."
"That's cruel," Crocodile mused, sounding thoughtful and heading for the gangplank. After a moment of shocked silence, Shotz followed her. She thanked Daz when he steadied her, a wave rocking both ships when she was halfway across.
"Is he alive?" She and Shotz followed after Daz, who led them down into the bowels of the eerily silent ship.
"Alive and asking if we'd be kind enough to let him out."
Shotz sputtered, reaching out to grab her arm, "Crocodile, you should stay on the ship. We don't know if this man is dangerous–"
She cuts him off, shrugging out of his grasp, glaring back at him, "I can handle myself."
Shotz hesitates, averting his eyes and allowing her to continue without saying anything else. Something in her eyes had him cowering. Crocodile may have been young, but she was not to be trifled with.
They reached the brig and found Shotz's crew loitering around the locked cell, staring nervously at the chained inhabitant. Crocodile pushed passed two crewmen to be able to see inside. Her eyes widened slightly when she met the gaze of the wild-looking man on the other side of the bars.
Unusual golden eyes watched her, his pupils a narrow cat-like. Tracking her movements as she stepped closer to the bars. He was enormous, taking up most of the space in the cell that was likely meant to hold five or six normal-sized men. The chains were tight across his body, straining against his muscular chest and arms. He had shoulder-length multi-coloured hair, primarily black with patches and stripes of white, red and even some gold. Crocodile thought he was very handsome, but something about him had her on edge.
He was all predator. Caged. Wary.
Behind her, she vaguely hears Shotz ask, "Did you learn anything?"
"Only that he's a devil-fruit user."
"He told you?" Crocodile kept her eyes trained on the chained man, her brain telling her to keep her voice low and calm even as her heart started to pound, making her itch to run. Crocodile listened very closely to her brain.
"No," the crewman admits, "But those are sea stone chains. Whoever tied him up wouldn't have used those if they hadn't needed to."
The man tilted his head, grinning at Crocodile. He had very large canine teeth. "Give the man a cigar. He's not nearly as dumb as he looks," He said sarcastically, his voice rough and brash.
"And what is your devil fruit?" Daz's question was quiet, but the prisoner didn't look strained to hear it.
"Neko Neko no Mi; model white tiger."
Shotz and his men were alarmed by this revelation, stepping back collectively, "A carnivorous zoan? Those are rare." Crocodile raised her eyebrows, "So, why are you imprisoned on an abandoned ship?"
He snorts, sounding bitter as he explains, "A big storm killed the captain a week ago. I was first-mate, so I took command. We lost the mast. Needed to be fixed if the crew wanted to go anywhere. Our shipwright could jury-rig something that could get us to Killian. Second-mate didn't like me giving orders. Didn't think the ship was worth saving. Ignored the fact that the dinghies weren't going to get far, especially with a second storm coming in." He shrugged mountainous shoulders, "Told them to let the shipwright do what he needed to. They didn't like that and decided to chain me up. Pretty sure they're all dead."
"You don't seem bothered about that," Daz points out.
"I was only on the ship 'cause the captain wanted me at the helm. He had my loyalty, and my loyalty died with him."
Crocodile scoffed lightly, "Your name?"
"Sin Valoran, miss," He bowed at his waist as best he could, the chains hindering his movement. He straightened back up, a handsome smile now curling his mouth, "Mind letting me out? I'm starving."
Crocodile's narrowed, trusting her gut, "Keys?" Sin told them where they ought to be, and Daz went in search.
Shotz stepped in then, finding his courage, "Crocodile, are you mad?"
"Nope," She smiled at him, patting his bicep, "I doubt Mr. Valoran is going to cause any trouble. Are you Mr. Valoran?"
Sin laughed, "Rarely a troublemaker, miss."
"See," she could tell Shotz thought she was being naïve. The uneasy feeling she'd had when they'd first gotten to the brig had eased. She knew it was because Sin was no longer feeling cornered. "If it's a concern, Captain Shotz, then allow me to reimburse you for transporting him to Killian with Daz and me."
These were the correct words to say to pull Shotz firmly into Crocodile's corner. Shotz gaped at her before shouting, "I wouldn't dream of charging you for the transportation of a man who'd been wrongly imprisoned by his own crew!"
Crocodile turned her face away to hide her grin, smug. Noticing the way that Sin fought a chuckle. Shotz ordered his men to search the ships for valuables.
Daz returned then, jingling the keys in his hand, "They were right where you said they'd be."
Crocodile watched as Daz unlocked the cell door, stepping into the cell to free Sin from his chains. Shotz had followed after his men, so Crocodile took the opportunity while the old captain was out of earshot, "You're a pirate."
"Aye." He murmured, thanking Daz as the chains fell from around his body. "I suppose it's a good thing we lost the main mast. I doubt your captain would have bothered if the ship was still flying the Jolly Roger." He unfolded himself from the cell, and both she and Daz had to take a few steps back so they could still meet Sin's eyes. Sin led the way out of the brig, ducking and weaving to avoid smacking his head on any beams.
"How long were you in there?" Daz wondered as they stepped into the cool evening air, the rain a light drizzle as the storm moved further away.
"'Bout a week," Sin's belly chose that moment to start rumbling. He looked sheepish, placing one platter-sized hand against his stomach, "As I said before, I'm starving."
Shotz appeared, pocketing a few things, "Then we shall feed you, Mr. Valoran."
"I'm in your debt, sir."
The cook had taken one look up at Sin before he got to work determinedly. Before long, he started piling food in front of Sin in the galley within half an hour. The tiger man was practically drooling. The old man smiled, "Well, dig in."
And Sin did.
"Is it a devil fruit user thing?" Crocodile asked, and both Sin, who had a mouth full of food and Daz, who was picking a few things for himself, looked confused. "The need to eat as much as you do?"
Daz shrugged, but Sin nodded, "Oh yes. Even when you aren't actively using your abilities, your body supposedly uses energy. Especially the fruit powers that actually change your body." As Sin explained, Daz was paying close attention, "With some powers, it's all mental. It still takes power but doesn't seem to be nearly as much."
"For myself, I eat enough for ten men…." He trailed off, shrugging his shoulders and pulling another plate towards himself, "Even when I haven't gone a week without a meal." Daz didn't seem surprised to hear that, snorting softly.
Crocodile thought over all of the people she knew that were Devil Fruit users. Her father wielded the Gura Gura no Mi and did eat large meals, but he was also nearly twenty-two feet tall. All of her siblings with fruit powers ate a lot, but so did all the rest of her siblings. Her mother's appetite was the only one she could say was truly unusual. Raven had been a Zoan-Type user like Sin and only as tall as Crocodile now was—a few inches over eight feet. And yet, she'd always eaten as much as her large husband.
Sin may have had a point.
"So," Sin began, swallowing a bite of food and examining the two of them, "Where are we going, and what are we doing?"
Daz looked baffled, but Crocodile was unfazed, "Killian, to buy a ship. Then to explore the South Blue and gather a crew."
Sin, Crocodile figured, must have been about thirty. Old enough to have a decent amount of experience. He had an intrigued look on his face, still eating. "Do you have a Helmsman or Navigator yet?"
"Not yet," She scrutinized him, curious.
"Then allow me to offer you my services, Miss Crocodile. I am experienced with both and would be happy to join you."
Crocodile thought it over but couldn't think of a reason to turn him down, "And I think I speak for both Daz and myself when I say that we would be lost without you."
Sin beamed.
–
The ship sailed through the night to reach Killian. The docks were bustling with activity. Crews unloading cargo. More crews loading up. Crocodile packed her bag, listening for the loud clatter of the anchor dropping to know they were docked. She headed topside and found Daz and Sin waiting for her by Shotz.
Shotz was the first to notice her approach, "And here's where we part company, Crocodile, my girl," He held out a piece of parchment to her, "The list of all the trustworthy shipbuilders on Killian that I've worked with before."
Sin overheard and glanced at the list over Crocodile's shoulder, "I know a few of these names as well."
Crocodile nodded, smiling up at Shotz, "Thank you for everything."
He huffed, avoiding her gaze, "Think nothing of it, lass. It was a pleasure to have you aboard." They start to leave, but Shotz stops her, "I forgot. Take this. If you need anything while you're in the South Blue, I'll do what I can to help." She accepted the smaller piece of parchment, blinking at the string of numbers, recognizing that it was a Den Den Mushi comm code.
"I'll hang on to it."
Shotz nodded, lifting his hand in a wave when Crocodile descended the gangplank. She put the small paper in her breast pocket and smiled at the two waiting males, "Shall we?" Shotz started barking orders behind them, and his boisterous voice dropped off as they walked away.
"There's one name on that list I recommend working with more than the others," Sin offered.
"Lead the way, " She told him.
The crowds parted before Sin's bulk, and Daz and Crocodile followed in his wake like ducklings trailing behind their mother as he led them through the town to the shipyards. Sin kept up a constant stream of chatter as they walked. Coming from anyone else, that may have grated on Crocodile's nerves, but Sin managed to avoid coming off as annoying for some reason. Sin's chatter was full of bits of information. The big man was obviously very familiar with Killian and likely with the whole of the South Blue.
Killian's largest city was brimming with all manner of people. Citizens, Marines and Pirates all brushing shoulders, "Killian is a free island. The Marines don't have a hold here, nor do the pirates. The city is owned and run by the shipbuilders. And they'll take berries from anyone willing to pay." Sin explained as they crossed paths with a group of armed white-coated marines one second and a rough-looking bunch of pirates the next, "The marines don't much like it, but they can't purchase land to build a base, so they really have no say in it. And the pirates have to deal with the shipbuilders' mercenaries if they cause trouble."
"No world government influence?" Crocodile inquired, ignoring the lingering stare of a Marine Captain they brushed past.
"No nobles on the island, so the world government barely recognizes Killian as inhabited." Sin rolled his shoulders, staring down the Marine, who quickly looked away. Sin continues on as though it hadn't happened, "So, for now, the island's control stays in the hands of the Shipwrights."
Sin pointed ahead at the open gate of one of the larger shipyards, "Adrian's one of the best Shipbuilders on the island and the least likely to scam you out of as much of your money as he can," Sin grinned, "Come on."
As soon as they stepped into the yard, they heard a delighted yell, "Well, I'll be damned; Sin Valoran, is that you?!" A lean, weathered old man standing atop one of the scaffolds around the half-built shell of a large galleon shouted. He was unexpectedly energetic, swinging down from the scaffold one-handed, slipping his hammer into his tool belt. Reaching the ground, he trotted towards them, dodging around his working employees with the agility of a cat. He slapped Sin's arm, where he could reach, "You seem alive and well for a dead man." Adrian, Crocodile assumed.
Sin scowled at him, "Who the hell told you that?"
Adrian flashed a brilliant, gapped tooth smile, waving his hand dismissively, "Nicholas' second-mate. The eely guy, whose name escapes me."
Crocodile's eyebrows jumped, tilting her head back to look up at Sin, "Guess your old crew didn't die."
Sin flapped his hand, exasperated, "Of course not. That would have been too convenient." He sighed at the old man. "Captain Nicky is dead."
Adrian's smile softened sadly, "So the little bastard told me. Died when the mast crushed him."
"Yeah."
Adrian exhaled, "It's a shame. He was a damned fine man. I'll drink a toast in his honour later," He looked melancholically across the yard, warm brown eyes dull. It was only for a few seconds before he gave himself a bodily shake and clapped, startling Crocodile and Daz. "You two, I do not know. Which means you must be here for a ship."
Crocodile recovered first, "Yes."
Adrian gestured for them to follow him, "And what sort of ship are you looking for, young lady?"
"I want something on the smaller size, something that can be handled by a ten-to-twenty-man crew." She shrugged, "But not so small that I," She glanced at Sin, "Or my larger crewmates will have to live folded in half."
Adrian guided them through the maze-like yard of ship skeletons, passing Crocodile a considering look, "You know, I may have just the ship." They reached a closed warehouse, and he pulled a ring of keys off his belt, unlocking the padlock across the door. He slid them open just wide enough for them to get through. "I built her years ago for a young woman who never returned to collect her. In all the years since, I never had anyone come looking for a ship that felt like the right fit for her. Not until now." Crocodile glanced at Daz and Sin, following after Adrian still. Both males looked as bemused as she felt.
Adrian finally stopped, reaching the ship he wanted to show her, looking back at her as if to see her reaction.
Crocodile stared up at the finely crafted ship in awe. She was beautiful. All graceful lines and dark, polished wood.
Adrian's voice pulled her out of her dazzlement, "She's called the Eclipse."
"Why didn't the woman ever come back for her?" Crocodile didn't know what compelled her to ask, and the words came out before she realized.
Adrian shrugged, "She wanted a ship that could sail the Grand Line so that she could go and find her father. Maybe I took too long building her, but I heard a rumour a few months after she was supposed to come back and get the Eclipse from me that she had to leave the South Blue in a hurry."
The story was too familiar, and Crocodile wanted to laugh, "What was her name?"
Adrian gave her a knowing look, "Raven Munro." He smiled, "You know, you have her eyes. Your mother?"
"Yes," Crocodile sniffled, wiping her eyes as tears started to gather, "She was my mother."
"Did she ever find him? Your grandfather?"
Crocodile nodded, "She did. Shortly after meeting my father."
"Good. Good." Adrian gestured to the ship once more. "You being Raven's daughter…She paid me upfront. The ship already belongs to you. Maybe that's why I couldn't ever bring myself to sell it."
Crocodile glanced at him sharply, "Let me pay you something."
The old man snickered, "Nope."
–
Knowing that the Eclipse was built to her mother's exacting specifications makes settling into the ship easy. Home before she's even stepped foot on board for the first time. Dozens of little touches reminded Crocodile of her mother, even though her mother had never been aboard. Daz had no idea what to do when he found her crying in the captain's cabin. But her tears don't linger, and before long, they have the ship loaded with supplies and ready for sailing.
Adrian bids them farewell from the docks, and like Shotz, he hands Crocodile a paper with his comm code on it.
"Just in case," He said with a wink.
The Eclipse carried Crocodile, Daz and Sin to their next series of destinations with no problems under Sin's experienced hands. Crocodile recruits as they go, filling the necessary crew positions with skilled individuals.
Their Sharpshooter was a sniper they met exploring a small forested island while following a treasure map named Walter Omar. He had mistaken a transformed Sin for an actual tiger and had taken a shot. Crocodile and Daz had heard the sniper's screaming from across the island when Sin retaliated against him. Sin had nearly eaten the sniper's face, but after things had calmed down and Walter had pulled the bullet from Sin's arm, the two had struck up an easy friendship.
They'd picked up Gem after stopping for food and supplies in a small port town that was part of the much larger Neo Kingdom. The orphan, all sixty pounds of him, had tried to pick a fight with a confused Daz. Crocodile had taken one look at the malnourished ten-year-old, and her heart had broken. No one complained when Crocodile invited the boy to sail with them. Gem had been ecstatic. From then, he'd rarely been far away from Crocodile's side. They may not have needed a Cabin Boy, but Gem had needed them.
On Bruin Island, they'd met their Shipwright. Oliver Brant was as tall as Sin, but where Sin was a muscular mountain, Oliver was rail thin. He smoked like a chimney, cussed like it was going out of style, and had to be the crankiest man Crocodile had ever met. But he treated the Eclipse right. Expert hands repairing all her bumps and bruises with a tenderness that had Crocodile blushing the first time she'd watched him work. Gem grew attached to Oliver, despite the shipwright's standoffishness. But Crocodile noticed how carefully he handled the boy.
Their cook and doctor came as a pair; Remy and Nikita North. A husband-and-wife duo, they'd been stuck living in a pirate port town after being left behind by their last crew after Remy had gotten injured and lost the majority of his left leg. Nikita hadn't been willing to part with her recovering husband, so they'd been abandoned. Few crews wanted a crippled cook. Even though he wore a prosthetic, he was considered a high risk. Daz and Sin, the only Devil fruit users on the crew, had tasted one bite of the meal Remy had prepared and had wept. Remy hadn't been ready to accept a position until Crocodile assured him they were also trying to find a doctor, and Nikita would be an excellent fit for the role. Their acceptance had been immediate when they learned they'd be together.
Then three islands later, Daz had returned to the ship late at night with Bentham in tow. The two had clearly been in a fight, and Nikita had patched them both up while they'd told the story. Daz had run into Bon-chan ("No, please, I must insist you call me Bon-chan!") outside the tavern. The group of pirates had outnumbered Bon-chan by ten. Daz had stepped into the fight to even the odds. "The swan's good in a fight, boss. Figured he'd be an asset." Bon had been visibly flattered by the younger man's words, preening a little. Trusting Daz's assessment, Crocodile invited the flamboyant man along. And Bon had not hesitated before accepting, pleased.
The last crew mate to join in those few months had been at Sin's recommendation, "I don't mind doing both Helm and Navigation while we're in the South Blue. But we'll appreciate a dedicated Navigator when we reach the Grand Line." So, they'd started looking.
It was another six islands before they'd found Matthias Alexander. Matthias was a year younger than Crocodile, and they hadn't started off on the right foot. The kid had tried to stab an already irritated Daz, hit on an unimpressed Nikita, threatened to turn Sin into a rug, and informed Crocodile that he'd steal the Eclipse. All while stuck in a hole in the ground. Crocodile hadn't stopped laughing for at least twenty minutes afterwards. Once she'd caught her breath, she'd asked him if he knew how to navigate. He assured her that he had the ability. So, she'd told him, "You're our navigator now." That had been the end of it.
–
Crocodile stepped off the Eclipse's gangplank onto the dock of the harbour city Vennia on Marigold Island. As she waited for Daz and Gem to join her for their errands, she looked up at the ship that had carried them for nearly a year, no longer baffled by the coincidence of it being her mother's ship.
Because now the Eclipse was hers.
She pulled her eyes away from the ship's fine lines when Gem bounded down the plank. She barely caught him when he launched himself the last five feet into her arms. Daz followed the excitable boy at a much more reasonable pace, waving at Oliver as the ornery shipwright shouted, "Nails!" to show he'd heard the demand.
"Alright, let's get moving." She told them, putting Gem down on the dock.
Vennia is a lively metropolis, built like a multi-tiered cake, and Crocodile was reminded a little of Water 7. They stopped at a food stall, asking the vendor about the best places to buy supplies. The man is happy to point them in the right direction, even telling them which shops they should avoid. Crocodile thanked him, buying a few kabobs for both boys.
Daz led the way, munching on the grilled meat, Gem at his side, simultaneously eating and pointing out things that interested him. They reached the general store, and Crocodile sent the boys to the building supply store. Reminding them before they're out of earshot, "Don't forget the nails, or we'll never hear the end of it from Oliver." She stepped inside, the dim light of the store a relief from the hot sun. Besides the clerk, the shop is empty.
"Good morning, miss. How may I assist?"
"Buying supplies." She hands him their list, and he takes it from her, scanning it quickly.
"It'll take me a while to gather everything, but I should have everything on here."
"That's fine. I can wait." The clerk headed for the stockroom. Crocodile moved to the shop's front window, looking out at the bustle of the market just outside. Tucking her hair behind her ear, her mind wandered until a large shadow passed in front of the window. Familiar broad shoulders, tall boots and billed cap.
Crocodile squinted at the man when he ducked in through the low frame of the door, and her eyes widened. "Sakazuki?"
Hearing his name, his dark eyes scanned the inside of the shop until they landed on her.
"Crocodile?" Gone was any bashfulness, replaced with quiet stoicism.
She was just as beautiful as he remembered. She was wearing shorts and a tank top, her long legs and arms bare and golden brown in the sun coming in from the storefront window. She had her glorious hair tied into a messy bun, and he noticed her fingers tug on a loose strand.
He wanted to tell her that he never thought he'd see her again, but he didn't. He just draws nearer to her like he's being pulled by a magnet.
She's being pulled by the same magnet, meeting him halfway. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, those same sturdy boots on his feet, and she let her eyes trace the dark lines of his tattoo from his wrist up every inch of his arm. It also curled up a little onto his neck, and she desperately wanted to know if it also licked his pectoral.
They're standing close to each other, as close as the first time they met. She was taller and no longer had to crane her neck so far back to meet his eyes. "I was hoping I'd see you again," Her voice was low, no more than a murmur, and she felt a flush spread on her chest from the way he was drinking her in. His stubborn mouth was soft.
"That makes two of us," Sakazuki wanted to carry her away to the nearest inn. Wanted to lick every part of her. But at the same time, all he wanted to do was talk to her, to find out where she'd been, what she was doing in the South Blue. He wanted… all of her.
Crocodile smiled, and Sakazuki squinted, trying to tell if she knew exactly what he was thinking, "You're a long way from where we met."
"I'm not the only one," He tilted his head. She looked like she'd experienced a lot in three years and didn't have the same youthful innocence she'd had before, "You went from the Grand Line to the South Blue. Anywhere in between?"
She shook her head, consciously stopping herself from leaning against him, "Just exploring all the islands we can in the South Blue. We'll head for the Grand Line eventually." Something told her to keep the fact that she was a pirate to herself. To let him think she's an adventurer. "You?"
"All over, but the New World most recently." She had a guess about what it was he did that brought him 'all over.' He crossed his arms, and Crocodile felt her mouth grow dry as she watched the way his biceps flexed with the movement.
"Excuse me, miss?" Crocodile scowled briefly, and Sakazuki smirked at her. She turned to the clerk, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I've finished your order."
If she pictured stabbing the poor man, she would never admit it. She asked him if he was able to have it brought to her ship. "Not a problem at all. My son's out doing another delivery, but I'll send him to the harbour with your order next."
She smiled, "Thank you." She finished her transaction, handing over the payment and giving him the name of her ship and its description. The clerk asked Sakazuki, "What can I help you with, sir?"
"You sell cigars?" The clerk nodded, disappearing into the storeroom once more after confirming Sakazuki wanted three boxes. Crocodile bit her lip, popping her hip against the counter. Sakazuki glanced at her, one hand on the counter beside her hip. "So…no brother around to come and drag you away this time?"
She looked up at him, amused, "Nope."
"Hm," She shivered when his thumb brushed ever faintly against the skin her tank top didn't cover, though she knew he'd barely moved his hands. Her eyes narrowed, and she decided, fuck it, and went up on her toes and kissed him.
Sakazuki was still for a second, and Crocodile thought she'd broken him, but then his hand circled her waist, and his free hand was on the side of her neck, tilting her head back.
Oh.
Oh.
She'd dreamed about what it would have been like, if Izo hadn't interrupted them that day, and…gods, her imagination hadn't even come close.
He kissed her deeply, tongue stroking hers, making her think of what the appendage might be able to do to other parts of her body.
She had initiated the kiss, but he was the one in control.
And Crocodile wanted more. She wanted to experience just how much control he would exert. She wanted to know what he could make her feel. She was like clay in his hands.
Sakazuki wondered if she knew she was making tiny, sweet noises in the back of her throat.
The kiss, unfortunately, didn't last long. Sakazuki pulled away, his cheeks red, his eyes staring at her mouth. Leaned forward to kiss her again. But both of them froze. And slowly looked to the side and down.
Gem was standing there, still eating, glaring at Sakazuki. Fierce waves of protective fury rose off of him.
"Gem?" Gem continued to glare at Sakazuki until he let go of Crocodile. Sakazuki's eyes darted between the small, furious child and the woman he had just been making out with. "Are you and Daz done shopping?"
"Yeah," He stopped glaring at Sakazuki and looked up adoringly at Crocodile. "The shop is going to bring everything to the ship for us. Daz told me to come and get you."
"Good. Thank you, love."
The clerk came back with Sakazuki's cigars. He paid for them, one eye on Crocodile as she interacted with the glare-y child. He smiled faintly, enjoying the sight. The kid started pulling her out of the store, and she threw him an apologetic look. "Bye, Sakazuki."
She didn't tease him this time, looking just as disappointed as Sakazuki felt. Sakazuki lifts his hand, and then she's gone.
Goddammit.
Not a brother this time, but instead, a vicious gremlin.