Chapter 4 – Fix It Up

As they made their way to the wreckage site, Killer provided Skyler with some insight into where they were and briefed her on their surroundings. The names of the islands meant nothing to her, confirming her growing fear – she was in an entirely different world. As unsettling as that realization was, neither of them had any clue how it had happened.

At one point, Killer had asked if she possessed any Devil Fruit abilities, but she was completely unfamiliar with that term. That alone seemed to puzzle him, though he didn't press further.

She had to admit, Killer had a knack for explaining things. He was patient with her questions and didn't seem to mind clarifying when she needed more details. But their discussion was cut short as they arrived at the scene of the 'crime'.

Kidd was already there, working on repairs. His long coat had been discarded, leaving him in an old, scruffy shirt. Skyler couldn't help but notice how little the fabric did to hide just how toned he actually was. His arms, in particular, were strikingly well-defined. It was clear he took care of himself, and the bulk he carried wasn't just for show – he used those muscles, and he used them well.

She was so focused on that thought that she completely missed the way his gaze snapped up to her.

"Are you gonna sit there gawking all day!? Or are you going to fix Victoria up?" Kidd's voice cut through her trance like a gunshot, making her flinch.

Skyler rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. "Sure thing, buddy."

Kidd immediately turned toward her, brows twitching in irritation. "Ah!?"

Biting back a grin, she quickly got to work. Together, she and Killer hauled out the broken boards Kidd pointed out, while the captain brought in new ones to replace them.

As she worked, Skyler took a moment to survey her surroundings. The room was a workshop of sorts. Various carpentry tools lined the walls, small storage cabinets were tucked into corners, and a large worktable dominated the space. Thankfully, it had escaped the damage caused by her earlier fall with Killer.

"Hey, Skyler, come here," Killer called out. She dusted off her hands and made her way over to him, following his gaze toward the ceiling. The damage there was extensive. "Let me give you a boost." He stated. "It'll be easier to remove the damaged boards from the top."

Skyler crossed her arms. "Can't I just use the stairs like a normal person?"

She wasn't opposed to being boosted to the upper floor but she wasn't thrilled about jumping on an injured leg.

"It's faster this way," Killer reasoned. "And you can always use your other leg."

She scrunched her nose, still sceptical. "This is a dumb idea… but fine. If my stiches rip open, you're the one patching them up again." She jabbed a singer at him to emphasize her point.

Killer's mask tilted slightly, but she could hear the amusement in his voice. "Even though I'm not a doctor?"

"Tough shit. You break it, you fix it." She shot back, trying to ignore the memory of how warm his hands had been when he'd patched her up at the infirmary.

Before she let him lift her, she walked over to the wall where the tools were handing and reached for a hammer.

She barely brushed the handle before a rough hand clamped around her wrist.

"Hey, hey! Don't touch my shit!" Kidd growled.

Skyler turned to face him, raising an eyebrow. "I need to take the nails out." Skyler yanked her wrist free from Kidd's grasp. "Or do you want me to mess up your ship even more by kicking those boards down?"

She knew she hit a nerve. The way he spoke about the ship, the way he had grumbled its name – it was clear there was sentimentality involved. His possessiveness over the hammer only confirmed it. This workshop was his space, and judging by how protective he was, he likely had a significant hand in the ship's construction.

"Fine…" Kidd grumbled, sounding almost petulant, as if she'd just taken one of his favourite toys. Maybe there was more to him than just anger after all.

"Thank you." She flashed him a smile, a small attempt to soothe the beast before turning to Killer. "Alright, can you give me a boost?"

Killer nodded, crouching slightly and interlocking his fingers to create a stable platform for her foot. Skyler stepped onto his hands, placing her hands on his shoulders for balance. In doing so, she didn't notice just how close her chest was to his masked face – until she did.

Killer's breath hitched, and in the effort to compose himself, he tilted his head up – only to lock eyes with a very red-faced Skyler, who was staring down at him expectantly.

"Hm… Killer?" She prompted.

"Yeah, I know. On three," he said quickly, trying to hide his embarrassment. He counted down and boosted her up before she could dwell on the moment any further.

She landed on the upper deck with ease, years of physical training aiding her, and quickly got to work prying out the nails. She made sure to call out whenever she was about to drop a board, ensuring no one got hit.

Down below, despite his focus on repairs, Kidd found himself sneaking glances at her. He told himself it was just to make sure she wasn't making things worse. That was all. But even he had to admit – begrudgingly – that she worked efficiently, handling the tools with a level of skill he hadn't expected.

What he refused to admit was that every so often, her baggy clothes shifted just enough for him to catch glimpses of her cleavage.

Kidd clenched his jaw, forcing his gaze away. He was not some mindless idiot who got distracted by a bit of exposed skin.

Once most of the broken boards had been removed, he climbed up onto the deck and knelt beside her, casually bumping his shoulder against hers. The sudden movement nearly made her lose her balance.

"Hey! Watch it!" She scolded, gripping the edge of the hole to steady herself.

"Move it," Kidd grumbled, swiping the hammer from her hands. "This is the part where you stop before you ruin my ship."

Before she could snap back, he raised a hand. A moment later, several nails from the workshop below floated up, glowing faintly with a purple light.

Skyler's eyes widened in awe.

"Holy shit… how do you do that?" The second the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Kidd's ego visibly swelled, his expression smug as he opened his mouth to brag. She immediately cut him off with a raised hand and an exasperated look. "Never mind. I'll ask Killer since he doesn't have an ego the size of the world."

Kidd bristled. "What the fuck did you just say!?"

"Who says I don't?" Killer called up from below, his voice laced with amusement

Skyler smirked.

Killer might not have flaunted his confidence the way Kidd did, but he had his own moments of arrogance – especially when it came to combat. He knew his strengths, trusted his skills, and understood his body well. He had every reason to be self-assured. The difference was, while Kidd boasted about his abilities even when outmatched, Killer knew when to rein it in. And that made all the difference.

"Listen here," Kidd's voice cut through the air, drawing Skyler's attention back to him. Before she could react, his hand snaked behind her neck, holding her still. His crimson eyes locked onto her green ones, intense and unwavering. Her breath hitched. Every muscle in her body tensed, instincts screaming to shove him away – maybe even throw him down into the workshop below. Not that she was sure she could, considering he looked to as heavy as he was muscular. "What I have is confidence," he murmured, his voice low and edged with something both threatening and teasing. "And I am very confident in the things I can do. Don't test me on it, or you'll regret it."

Despite his tone, a wicked grin stretched across his lips.

The air between them grew heavy. Skyler's breath quickened – something Kidd didn't fail to notice. His gaze flickered over her face, taking in the subtle flush on her cheeks. Whether it was from exertion or something else, he wasn't sure.

With a sharp click of his tongue, he released her and turned back to his work.

"If you're curious," he mumbled, barely audible, "just ask."

Skyler exhaled slowly, lowering her head and bracing her hands against her knees, willing her heartbeat to steady.

What the hell was that!?

His touch still burned against her skin, a phantom sensation that refused to face. His eyes had felt like they were looking straight through her, holding her in place like a magnet.

She coughed, trying to shake off whatever that was, and distracted herself by gathering her hair into a tight, high bun, pulling away stray strands that had fallen over her face.

"Right, so… how did you do that?" She kept her eyes on her hands, determined to regain control of herself.

She could feel Kidd's gaze lingering on her, sharp and amused. But she didn't dare meet it. Instead, she reached for another board that Killer handed her, grateful for the distraction.

She knew she couldn't hide the flush in her cheeks from either of them, but at least this way, Kidd wouldn't see it and use it against her. The downside was that Killer could see her face burning red like a damn tomato, but there was nowhere to escape. She was stuck here with them, finishing repairs.

Kidd launched into an explanation of his Devil Fruit, breaking it down in the most simplistic, almost arrogant way possible. He was clearly more focused on boasting than educating, Thankfully, Killer stepped in, filling in the gaps with useful details, making it much easier to understand.

The more Skyler learned, the more fascinated she became.

So these Devil Fruits gave people powers, but at a cost. Losing the ability to swim seemed like a hefty price to pay, especially in a world dominated by the sea. The way Killer explained it, there was no definitive reason why the sea 'rejected' Devil Fruit users – it just did. But there were inconsistencies, things that didn't quite make sense.

For example, a Devil Fruit user had to be submerged for the weakness to take full effect. Rain didn't count. Any kind of water could trigger it but only if there was full immersion. The more she tried to wrap her head around it, the more tangled her thoughts became

She wasn't the only one.

Even Kidd, who clearly didn't spend much time dwelling on the finer details, looked mildly irritated by the paradoxes of his own power.

Still, she'd learned something valuable about this strange new world. A world that was undeniably different from her own – fantastical, intriguing, and just as dangerous as it was fascinating. Still, some things don't change, even in different worlds, and it seemed that the ambiguity of human nature was a constant.

Even in a world so foreign to her, Skyler could find traces of familiarity – of hospitality that made her feel just a little less lost. Killer had assured her that he would help her to at least stay on the ship, maybe even find a way back home. Quincy had welcomed her with an energy and warmth that Skyler hadn't realized she'd been craving.

She was grateful for that.

Some of the crew had greeted her openly, while others remained wary. And who could blame them? She was an unknown variable, a question mark aboard a pirate ship full of wanted men. They were fugitives, outlaws constantly hunted by the Marines and bounty hunters. There was nothing that proved she wasn't one of them – a Marine spy, an officer in disguise – and yet, Kidd had agreed to take her to land once they reached the next island, despite the risk.

That said something about him.

Quincy had hinted at it – at why she followed Kidd despite his temper. Skyler could almost see it now. There was something deeper to him, something oddly compelling beneath all that unchecked arrogance. Not that she'd ever admit it, No way she was going to feed his already inflated ego.

By the time repairs were done, the sun was setting, painting the sky in deep hues of red and orange. The reflection off the ocean's surface was almost blinding, brighter than she'd ever seen from land. It was mesmerizing, the way the waves rippled like molten gold beneath the fading light.

"Oi, you'll burn your eyes out."

A firm smack to the back of her head snapped her out of it.

Skyler shot a glare at Kidd, rubbing the spot he'd hit. "At least I wouldn't be looking at your ugly mug," she joked, sticking out her tongue.

He scoffed, clearly used to her antics, but she saw the slight twitch in his brow – mission accomplished. With a grin that spelled trouble, he grabbed her chin, fingers squeezing her cheeks just enough to make her lips purse.

"I'm much better looking than you," he said smugly, tilting his head like he was inspecting his work. His smirk widened when he saw the fire in her green eyes. "Admit it. You'd miss this face."

Skyler wanted to argue, but unfortunately, the bastard wasn't wrong. He was good-looking – annoyingly so. It wasn't just his sharp features or the strong build that his ragged shirt failed to hide. It was the intensity in his eyes, the way they burned with a confidence that wasn't just bravado. He had every reason to believe in his strength, and it showed in everything he did.

Everything about him was like the sunset around them – bold, blazing, impossible to ignore.

"At this rate, you'll miss dinner as well!"

Killer's voice rang out from the doorway leading below deck, cutting through whatever staring contest they had fallen into. Kidd released her face as if it had burned him and turned on his heel, bolting toward the promise of food as if he had been possessed.

Skyler huffed, crossing her arms. "Unbelievable."

It was ridiculous how quickly he'd switched gears. One second, he was smug and overbearing, and the next, he was reduced to a caveman answering the call of his stomach. And yet, despite herself, she found it endearing.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud growl – from her own stomach.

"You better hurry." Killer warned, amusement in his tone. "Or Kidd's going to heat the whole kitchen clean.

"I'm going, I'm going!" Skyler picked up her pace, limping to his side before heading down after Kidd.

Killer watched her disappear below deck, but his mind lingered on the image of her flustered face from earlier. He felt something stir in his chest, something unfamiliar and irritatingly persistent.

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

Not now.

Pushing the thought aside, he followed them down, pretending it hadn't crossed his mind at all.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

A/N:

Another chapter down and I feel like everything is going along well. I am enjoying more the changes that have been done and with the rhythm of the story itself. I have pushed certain plotlines I had already written to a bit later so as to have time for the other characters of Kidd's crew to show up.

I am taking my time with the rewrite but it's mostly proofreading to make sure there are no mistakes. I've notice that there are a lot of words that are missing because I write too fast and can't keep up with what I am thinking of.

I am sorry with this taking a bit longer than expected but I do want to take my time to make sure I do a better job than before.