One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Fifty-Five: Inked

Luffy
We get back to the ship and I remember Kuro gets cold easily and he is shivering, still completely soaked, his damp hair falling into his face. I quickly run off to the airing cupboard and get the warmest, fluffiest towel there. Plus it is black and that's Kuro's favourite colour so that is always a good idea, especially since he seems pretty adverse to real colours. I head back with a grin heading over to him.
"Here!" I say with a grin, handing it over to him.
"Thanks," he says with a small smile, wrapping it around for some warmth and using the end of it to try dry the hair somewhat.
"So I'm guessing you flooded the place?" I say. He nods. "That must of sucked...it is harder to fight in water because it slows down speed and you tend to use that lot in fighting."
"Ordinarily, yeah," he agrees. "But given it was an enclosed space their were shelves, piping, furniture and walls I could use."
"How did you do all the cool flippy things?" Nova asks coming over. Honestly was kind of wondering too, sure we all do similar things in our fights sometimes but now Kuro doesn't have the claws his fighting style seems to be primarily that.
"I spent quite a lot of years doing competitive gymnastics," he mutters with a reluctant expression.

He never mentions his accomplishments, huh?
"You never mentioned that," I say.
"That's because I hated it," he says with a rueful grin. "Given how much of a wuss I used to be being in front of people...No. I liked the actual gymnastics just not the competitive and as I learnt to fight at a similar time my fighting style was incorporated..." He frowns. "Besides. Me dropping out of the competition because of an injury was why Dad tried to kill me so I quite resent those years." His dejected expression makes me feel bad so I quickly give him a hug, not caring that I get damp because of it. I don't push the matter further but I figure that knowing his parents and psycho uncle another reason he probably hated it is they forced hi and if he didn't win they probably hurt him even more. If his parents weren't already dead I would so make them pay for everything they did.

"Thanks so much for saving my home and family guys," Vivi says with a grin, coming over because the food from Sanji is nearly ready. "Again..."
"No problem!" I say with a wide grin. "I would never leave a friend to do something like this alone!" We head to where the food is and I grab the largest piece of meat I possibly can. So hungry! "Guys I've had an idea!"
"Yeah, what?" Nami asks me.
"Well remember last time we got the temporary tattoo so we could tell us apart? Well because it represents that, no matter how far apart we are, that we are friends we should get it done permanently!"
"That actually isn't a bad idea, Luffy," Nami says.
"Thanks!" I say with a grin. Wait, why does she sound surprised? I have lots of good ideas, right? Right?! "Vivi, what do you think?"
"It's a great idea!" she enthuses. Tattoos it is then! "Hey, why do tattoos hurt? It's just ink."
"It's because you are being stabbed over and over with a needle," Kuro replies as cynically as ever. It doesn't sound nice when you put it that way. That is probably the definition of don't ask questions you don't want answers too.

After eating we all get the tattoos and I grin as I look at mine under the bandage.
"Can I take the bandage off yet?" I complain. I want to see the X, not just have it hidden under the fabric.
"No, Luffy," Chopper replies. "You need to keep it on to keep bacteria getting to it. "It isn't long though, so don't worry." I huff and cross my arms, fiddling with the fabric. "Luffy, leave it alone." No fair. Everyone else's is done and somehow no one else except Nova is fiddling. Actually Nova doesn't even have to have a bandage at all because he technically doesn't have skin cos he's a robot. No fair!
"Guys, I'd better head off," Vivi says. "Home needs my Dad and if I don't go with him then I'm sort of stuck."
"Aw, okay," I agree. I don't ask her to join the crew permanently because I understand why she can't. As a princess she has responsibilities to her kingdom and family so it is unfair to ask her to leave it. "We'll miss you though, Vivi!" I give her a hug.
"I'll miss you guys too," she says, hugging back. She says goodbye to the others which last a while then leaves.

After an hour most of us are still sulking, missing her again. Kuro is sat cross legged reading and I head over, hoping he can distract me from feeling down.
"Chess?" I ask, eagerly.
"Sure," he agrees. "Let me just finish my chapter, k?"
"Kay!" I say happily. "Is the set on your desk?" He nods. "I'll go grab it!" I head to his room and on the way back go into the kitchen and make a green tea. I know with green tea he doesn't have milk and he never has sugar so I make him one and head back out to where he's closing the book.
"Here," I say, passing it to him. He smiles, taking it.
"Thanks Luffy," he says, taking a sip. I help him set up the pieces, happy I'm now at the point where he is teaching me actual chess not just the mini games. He absolutely crushes me but it is still fun!

"Think I'll ever beat you?" I ask, looking in confusion as he check mate's me in four moves flat. "And what was that?!"
"That was four move checkmate," he says. "To get out of it you need to block in a position that won't just be taken. And as for the beating me...well it is possible but unlikely." Is he finally admitting he's good at something? Yay!
"Because of how you are so good and have done it competitively?" I guess.
"I mean...partially," he says. "Although I wasn't thinking that. It is more because I'm the one teaching you chess so any strategies you develop I'll learn as you do."
"And you're brilliant and a strategist!" I say happily. "You really need to start seeing how great you are."
"I'm not though," he says. "Rematch given how quick that was?"
"Mhm!" I say. "And yes you are!"
"But Luffy-" he tries to argue but I am not going to let him keep putting himself down.
"But nothing!" I say. "You're great so accept it!"

We play a bit longer and between moves I go back to picking at the bandage.
"Luffy, leave it alone," Kuro says, glancing up.
"How are you not tempted to pick at it?" I say, huffing. "It is so tempting!"
"One, I don't want infection," he says with a grin. "Two, I've had a tattoo before so I'm used to it."
"Can I see?" I ask, eagerly, as I didn't know he had a tattoo. He shakes his head. "Aw. Why?"
"It means very short sleeves," he says, eyes locked on the floor. "Which is always a no. I ordinarily never would have had short sleeves to even get it but there was a particular scar worst than the others I wanted to cover up."
"Can I ask what or is it too sensitive a topic?" I ask, trying to use tact rather than blurting out like I normally do because I know how much he has been through and a lot of the topics are difficult ones.
"I mean talking about it with you usually helps..." he says. Then sighs and nods. "Keizo. Long story short, a brand so I wanted to cover it." I quickly reach across the board and hug him because even though I know he would deny it, I can tell he's hurt.

The result, obviously, is the pieces falling to the ground but it is totally worth it when I see his down expression shifted to a smile. I don't like any of my crew being upset but for some reason I have a particular aversion to Kuro being upset. I don't know why and I don't particularly care why as long as I can do something about it. I think it is working because recently Kuro has become more and more open. I think mere weeks ago he wouldn't have admitted that but he now is and that is a great sign! Although why am I so happy he opens up to me in particular? What is going on? Why am I so confused?