][Malice][ =One Piece=

:: Chapter Twenty Two ::

[Because I don’t know if the two unnamed crew members of the Kid Pirates are ever going to be named…. I’m giving them names and if their names are revealed later on whilst I’m writing I’ll fix it, but the ginger with the Mohawk shall be called Titanium “Titan” for short and the muscular blonde guy that I think has a scar over his right eye shall be called Spike… I’m tired of describing them as the crew members Malice doesn’t know very well and I’m going to develop my own personalities for them since we haven’t seen much of them yet]

Nerve wracking, finger nail biting, crippling silence filled the room as the conscious Kid Pirates anxiously waited to see what would happen next. They were currently sitting around a large luxurious dining table in plush chairs that looked as if they’d been carved from oak barrels. Malice had claimed a seat between Killer and Kid as they were the only ones still conscious after what she could only assume had been a burst of Haki from her father, the captain of the Red Hair Pirates. Fear and anxiety gripped her heart as she waited impatiently, fidgeting in her seat between her captain and the first mate.

“Will you stop that?” Kid growled as she tapped her foot causing the heel of her sleek black boots to clunk against the base of her chair repetitively.

What if he’d only sought her out to end her existence? Perhaps this was a test to see if she really were a disgrace. He was just trying to finish cleaning up his mess. Malice’s brain worked in overdrive jumping to every possible horrible outcome as her nerves got the best of her.

“I don’t think she heard you.” Killer muttered as he looked over to the cryptic young woman. Her face was at least two shades paler than usual, worry lines were etched into her forehead, her lips were a bright bloody red from habitually biting them every few seconds in an attempt to keep herself composed and the backs of her knuckles were white from how tightly her fists were clenched in her lap.

Kid looked over at the crumbling girl in concern. He hadn’t told the other’s about her father, if she wanted them to know she’d tell them.  “You’re making me look bad.” He grumbled at her trying to sound tough and indifferent hoping it would give her some kind of strength.

Her deep garnet eyes flashed in his direction and he held his breath at the torn look in her eyes. On the outside she looked stressed, but on the inside he knew she was a hysterical mess. Her eyes were filled with terror, uncertainty, rejection and a familiar heartbreaking loneliness.  Kid sighed and looked away from her as he dropped his hand into her lap to cover her trembling fists.

“We won’t let them take you away, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He scoffed as he tried to avoid meeting her gaze. The trembling in her hands ceased and Kid stiffened as she slipped a small hand in his. Her hand fit perfectly in his, it was so small and delicate, almost childlike in a way and he fought off the smile that threatened to worm its way onto his lips as their fingers intertwined.

Titan, a somewhat scrawny pale man with a ginger Mohawk, atop his otherwise shaved head, and a pair of small circular black sunglasses covering his beady dark eyes, jolted from his unconscious state and ended up tumbling out of his chair and onto the floor. “Oy, wot the hell?” He grumbled as he scrambled back to his feet and dusted off his oversized white fur jacket. “What ‘appened? I was fightin’ dis bloke an’ next thing I know ’s lights out. Bloody wanker pulled a fast un on me.” He spat in a somewhat understandable cockney accent. When he was pissed off, drunk or disoriented it was impossible to tell what he was saying, usually his accent was almost nonexistent.

Malice cracked a small smile and struggled to keep in a laugh as her overworked brain finally snapped.

Kid looked over at her curiously as he felt the slight quiver in her hand as her body shook with silent laughter, “What’s wrong with you?”