][Malice][ =One Piece=

:: Chapter Twenty Four ::

Kid mentally kicked himself as Malice stormed off to her room with tears burning in her smoldering eyes. He’d made her cry, in front of everyone. His crewmates all threw him disapproving looks and even though Killer’s face was completely covered by a mask he could still feel his disappointed gaze burning a hole in his forehead.

                “Alright already!” Kid grumbled and stomped after the irate girl while trying to think of what to say, he’d never really had to apologize to anyone before, or never felt the need to, more like he never cared enough.

                Trudging up the stairs with a heavy heart, he worried she’d slam the door in his face or tell him she was leaving. Selfishly, he wanted her to be happy, but only with him. He didn’t want her to leave. She infuriated him with her stubbornness, muddled up his brain with her infectious smile, pulled at his heart strings with her melancholy looks and she stirred something within him every time she said his name.

                “100 berri says he’s not even going to knock.” Titan snickered from the deck.

                “200 says he’s going to make her cry again.” Spike chuckled.

                Kid ignored the ongoing bets of his crew and potentially the bets of the Red Hair Crew as they all talked quietly amongst themselves. To get away from their scrutinizing looks he quickly threw her bedroom door open and stepped inside only to freeze in awe as he spotted her doubled over clutching her side and gasping for breath.

                “Malice!” He darted forward into the dark room allowing the door to click shut behind him as he ran to the struggling girl.

                “I’m fine.” She grumbled and roughly attempted to shove out of his hold.

                “You’re not fine!” He growled at her as she could barely even stand on her own. “Take off your shirt.” His face exploded with heat as he realized what he’d just ordered her.

                “What?!” Malice yelped and attempted to scramble out of his grasp but his strong arms had encircled her, pinning her against him.

                “So I can look at the wound.” Kid barked as his face turned a brilliant shade of crimson.

                “I told you it healed.” She said shortly as she tried to wriggle out of his hold, “Let me g-!” She cut off with a gasp as his big strong hands fumbled at the buttons on her simple black button up shirt. “Get your hands off me.” Her voice came out in an almost animal like growl.

                “Stop lying to me.” Kid hissed softly in her ear sending a delightful shiver down her spine as he finished with the buttons on her shirt and tugged the light cotton material away from her body with one swift pull.

                A furious blush clung to her pale cheeks as she suddenly found herself in nothing more than a simple black lace bra and her tight fitted black skinny jeans in her captain’s arms. A sharp intake of breath from the aforementioned captain startled her from her self-conscious unrest. She inclined her head slightly to the side to get a look at Kid’s face and saw him staring at her shoulder in awe at the bubbled up burn scar spilling over onto her bicep, down her shoulder blades and stopping just beneath her clavicle.

                “What did this?” He asked softly as he lightly traced the scar with his finger in gentle caressing strokes.

                “None of your damn business.” Malice hissed and finally managed to shove from his hold.

                Kid stared at her revealed torso in horror, she was nothing but scars. Angry bubbled up slashes, and brilliant red and even purple arcs as well as a mix of burns lining her otherwise untouched porcelain skin. “What happened to you?” He asked her quietly.

                Malice shot him a glare and attempted to cover herself with her arms, “It doesn’t concern you, now get out!” When she was alone with him, her walls came tumbling down and she couldn’t keep up her cool façade. “I’m fine, you don’t have to apologize or whatever they put you up to, just leave me alo-.” Her voice faded away a gasp hitching in her throat as she felt him tenderly caress her pallid cheek. “K-Kid?”

                His heart skipped a beat as she said his name in that irresistibly hypnotic voice. He met her smoldering garnet eyes and felt his heart begin to race at the look of longing he saw reflected within them. Their burning pools were an endless well of emotions, longing, fear, uncertainty, self-loathing, rejection and the constant heartbreaking loneliness he always managed to see deep within them. Maybe it was because he was the one who brought it out in her by acting cold and distant, or maybe it was more than that, maybe he was the one she let her guard down with.

                “Wh-what are you doing?” She breathed as he placed a strong hand on her unscarred shoulder and leaned forward so he was down to her level.

                “Something I should have done awhile ago.” Kid smirked as his other arm snaked around her waist pulling her closer.

                Malice squeaked adorably in his arms as she found herself face to face with him. Her heart raced in her chest so loud she couldn’t hear anything else around her; all other sounds were drowned out by her pounding heart as his face drew nearer. What was he doing?! Anxiousness gripped her heart as their warm breath intermingled in the small gap of space between them. Her body trembled with anticipation as she hesitantly looked into his feral amber orbs and she nearly gasped at the emotion revealed within, it was warm and filled with certainty.

                “Kid-.” She attempted to protest as she sensed someone approach from outside, but he cut her off with the gentle brush of his dark lips against hers and her mind instantly went blank. It was just a light teasing caress, nothing more.

                “Hm?” She could hear the smirk as he pulled back to meet her gaze once more. He smiled to himself as he saw a new mess of emotions lingering in her fiery gaze, longing, hope, fear and what he thought might possibly be a splash of desire.

                He couldn’t resist any longer, no matter how much he loved toying with her. His grip around her waist tightened and he gently caressed her cheek before streaming his hand through her hair and resting it on the back of her head ensnaring her. She trembled against him in anticipation as he gently brushed his lips against hers once more, smiling to himself as she shivered in his arms before pressing his lips to hers and stealing a tender kiss. A soft gasp escaped her and she leaned into the passionate kiss entwining her arms around his neck. It was pure heavenly bliss.

                “Whoa!” A familiar cockney accented voice exclaimed from the doorway causing the pair to separate instantly.

                “Titan!” Kid and Malice snarled simultaneously their faces a matching shade of scarlet, “GET OUT!” They raged as Kid quickly swept his bulky fur cloak over the petite girl in an attempt to shield her scarred body from view.

                “Ye move pretty quick, cap’n.” Titan chuckled.

                “You have to the count of three to disappear before I disembowel you.” Malice shrieked as her deep garnet eyes suddenly swirled with burning amber golden embers and glittered like hellfire.

                Kid chuckled as Titan paled and ran for his life.

[XD]