Chapter 15: Trust The Fall

Gravity was a peculiar thing. When Newton had his epiphany on the subject, it had been thanks to the iconic apple falling from the tree. At least, that's how the story goes. At this moment, Skyler and the rest of the pirates were about to witness the power of gravity first hand. But they weren't observing it as Newton the polymath. No, this time, they were the apple.

The initial euphoria of being launched into the air had faded, replaced by a sinking panic. It felt like it was a cruel joke. One moment, she was flying, soaring past seagulls, shooting through the clouds. The next? Gravity was there to remind her just how real the situation was.

She glanced back and caught the shimmer of excitement in Kidd's eyes. He had never looked more alive. She caught herself staring, drawn to the strange mix of confidence and security radiating from him. How could he look so unshaken? They were about to plummet to the ocean below. At this height, the ship would likely shatter on impact. At least, that's what she thought, but this world had a way of throwing logic out the window.

The ship started to tilt downward, offering her a clear view of the vast, unbothered ocean below. Then, with merciless inevitability, gravity took hold.

Around her, the air filled with a chaotic mix of shouts – some of panic, others of exhilaration – from the pirates. A surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins as she tightened her grip on the rail. The ship plummeted, the sea rushing closer. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.

Then, the descent slowed. It wasn't the crash she'd expected. The ship seemed to float, its fall easing and controlled.

"I told you I got it covered." Kidd's voice cut through her surprise. She turned to see him, close now, a grin stretching across his face. His breath, warm against her skin, comforted her in a way she hadn't expected. Her gaze lingered on him. His sharp jaw, the intensity in his eyes, the confidence that wrapped around him like a shield. She should be focused on the ship, on survival. Yet all she could do was watch him, struck by the sheer force of will emanating from him.

Kidd nodded towards the sails and, following his gaze, she saw them billow open, catching air like a massive parachute. A metallic ringing accompanied the controlled fall. Kidd had used his devil fruit to manipulate the ship's metal framework, adjusting it just enough to let the sails catch wind.

She exhaled, realizing only now that she had been holding her breath. The way he'd done it so effortlessly, the certainty of his actions – reckless but calculated. His confidence wasn't arrogance, it was control. She felt it, too, as the rush of adrenaline subsided and something deeper settled in her chest. It wasn't fear that made her heart race now. It was something else. A spark of recognition, of trust.

Relief flooded her, but her heart still pounded. And it wasn't from fear.

It was him.

The ship landed on the water's surface, sending waves around and away from the vessel. The vessel steadied, the shouts from before calming down. There was a moment of silence before some pirates started to mutter between themselves, some laughing in relief, others still catching their breath.

Skyler's grip on the rail tightened, her breath still ragged, pulse hammering in her ears. Kidd stood beside her, equally breathless. The heat of his body lingered near her skin, and for a brief moment, everything around them seemed to fade.

She had thought she had him figured out. A brute, arrogant man, throwing his weight around because he could. But now, in this moment, she saw him as an anchor. For the first time since arriving to that world, Skyler didn't feel alone.

Skyler realized she still hadn't let go of Kidd's arm. Her green eyes locked with his copper ones. The smug grin on his face hadn't faltered. There was an understanding between them, something unsaid but shared.

Next to them, Killer was admiring what was unfolding before him. He had seen this before – not often and not just with anyone. Kidd was a force of nature, he was brash and people feared him. Their crew wasn't numerous because of that, and the few that followed him, held him in high regard. There was mutual respect between the pirates – and above all, trust in their captain.

And here was Skyler. She had been an outsider, a stray they had picked up on accident and now she was no longer just a tagalong. She wasn't questioning Kidd, she wasn't second-guessing whether he could pull them through the impossible.

She had witnessed the impossible and he had kept them safe. She believed in him and Killer couldn't help but respect that.

Despite it all, Killer wasn't about to let them have their moment unchecked. There was a quiet challenge in the air, one that might be a bit too personal for his taste. He cleared his throat, loud enough to shatter the quiet exchange.

Skyler snapped out of her reverie, her eyes shooting to him, as if she had forgotten they weren't alone. Kidd didn't even blink.

"If you're both done staring lovingly at each other," Killer said, a teasing tone in his voice, "maybe we should check if the ship's still in one piece."

Skyler, flustered, immediately let go of Kidd's arm, like she'd been caught in a trap.

"Not lovingly!" She corrected.

Kidd chuckled, a deep rumbling sound. Skyler's cheeks flushed, her embarrassment settling in. She quickly smacked her own cheeks, as if trying to shake off the awkwardness.

"Shut up and check on the ship, froggy." She huffed, trying to regain some composure.

Kidd's laughter deepened, his chest puffing like he had won a small victory. He leaned closer to her, dropping his voice to a near whisper. "You sure you don't want me to check on you first?"

His voice was teasing, but the hint of what he'd suggested lingered, sending a shiver down her spine. Skyler's eyes widened. She wanted to argue, to scoff, but instead, her body froze for just a second too long.

She forced herself to snap out of it.

"Save the sweet talk, froggy. I'll take my chances with the ship." A smile grew on her lips when she heard Killer stifle a laugh.

"What!?" Kidd's eyes flashed in mock surprise. Killer raised his hands in defeat, barely suppressing his laughter. Kidd turned back to Skyler, his grin widening. "Your loss, witch."

"I don't think it is a loss, captain." Her smirk turned even more mischievous as she purred, daring to let her voice take on a playful tone. She watched as Kidd's face twitched, just for a second, almost losing his composure. He rolled his shoulder and now it was Skyler's turn to look smug. She had pushed his buttons the best way possible and was proud of the results.

"Alright." He turned his back to her, facing his crew. "Get to work! Before I start throwing people overboard for fun!" He roared out the order and, like a well-oiled machine, the pirates started checking for damages on the sails, or going below deck to see if there were any structures that had been compromised. "That goes for you too." He looked over his shoulder, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Aye aye, captain!" She joked and heard Kidd scoff in amusement before he headed below deck to evaluate the damages to the vessel. A sombre expression crossed Skyler's face as she stared in the direction the captain had walked away. There was still a mix of feelings that lingered, stuck to her mind.

"You understand now, right?" Killer asked, catching her attention. He was also staring in the direction Kidd had walked off. "Why we follow him and trust in him as our captain. You understand that now, right?"

"I guess I do…" Her voice trailed off as she spoke, her gaze drifting back to where Kidd had disappeared. Something clicked in her mind, a thought she couldn't ignore. "Killer?" He turned to her. "Why did you interrupt the way you did?" A playful smile crept onto her face. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looks like you both are fighting for my 'affection'." She emphasized the word with air quotes, teasing.

"Who says we aren't?"

He had said it so casually, that it caught her completely off guard. Her face burned with embarrassment – she hadn't expected such a blatant declaration.

Then, realization hit her.

"Wait… we!?" Skyler stumbled over her words, rushing after him as he started to walk away, his pace suddenly quicker. "Wait, Killer! What do you mean!? We!? You!? Both!? WHAT!?"

It has to be some kind of joke. Right?

She wanted confirmation – some reassurance that he was just messing with her. But deep down, a small, foolish part of her hoped otherwise. Hoped that maybe, just maybe, Killer was interested in her. That both Killer and Kidd had some form of interest in her.

She almost laughed at the absurdity of it. That couldn't be true, not really.

Sure, there had been moments, glances held too long, touches that lingered. But she had brushed them off, convinced herself that she was reading too much into it. Just playful teasing, nothing more.

They were interested in her? No, it was ridiculous.

It felt ridiculous.

They were Kidd and Killer, and she was just… Skyler. And yet the thought wouldn't leave her. Because the more she tried to push it away, the more it made sense. Kidd challenged her, pushed her further than she thought she was capable of. He was intense, harsh edges and all.

And Killer? He was the pull, the undercurrent beneath the surface, coaxing her in without her even realizing it. He didn't seem to demand anything. He understood and gave her space, allowed her to come to terms with what was needed.

They weren't just two people she wanted. They were two people she felt she needed and that realization was far more terrifying than any moment of attraction.

Because now that the thought had taken root, she wasn't sure she could ever let it go.

She felt greedy for wanting them both, for even thinking she could have them. But it wasn't just about having them. It was about not wanting to lose either one.

And now, she wasn't sure what scared her more: the idea that she might be imagining all of it… or the possibility that she wasn't.

A loud whistle from the crow's nest snapped her back to the present. Looking up she saw Heat climbing down the ropes in a rush.

"Land ahead!"

In the distance, she could see a blip of green where they were headed next. She remembered Quincy talking about the island they would be headed: Sabaody. At first, it had sounded like an adventure, maybe even fun. She had mentioned an auction house and Skyler wouldn't mind participating.

But Quincy had clarified that it was a human action house.

She swallowed dryly, her fingers curling into fists.

She had to be careful.

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

A/N:

Finally they've arrived at Sabaody. This point on I will be following the anime, so dialogue will be similar to the show at the appropriate scenes.

My objective is to fit in the OC within what is already existing in the anime. I will be adding additional scenes, interactions from 'behind the scenes' so that it isn't just a blatant description of the episodes.

My objective is to fill out the in-betweens of the anime, from when the Kidd Pirates aren't on screen – not to change the course of the story.