][Malice][ =One Piece=

:: Chapter Thirty Three ::

"What's that?" Titan pondered as he scanned the ocean with a spyglass while the others groggily lounged about the makeshift crate table waiting for the captain and Malice.

                The masked first mate followed Titan's gaze. In the distance there appeared to be an island with  endless dark skies all around looming into view. Killer strained to see better, but the island was too far away. The captain would most likely want to explore. "I'll get the captain." He sighed.

                "Think he's dead?" Titan pondered.

                Killer chuckled, "I suppose I'll find out." Had their arrogant captain not gotten the cryptic girl to fall hopelessly in love with him there was a good chance he would be dead by now.

                Silently, the first mate ducked below deck. It was unusual for the captain and even Malice to sleep in this late. He paused outside the door of the captain's quarters and listened intently. He didn't hear any unusual sounds nor the captain's snoring from his restless sleeping. Carefully he nudged open the door and peered inside the dark room.

                His gaze was immediately drawn to the bed and he couldn't help but smile at the young couple. As they were now, no one would believe one of them to be a feared supernova and the other the legendary ghost. Malice looked small and delicate cradled in the captain's arms with her ebony hair spilling around her thin frame and over the captain's bare chest. Kid had a small peaceful smile on his lips as he held the girl in his arms. Usually he tossed and turned all night and the majority of the time gave up attempting to sleep and would escape to the deck or his desk to draw.

                Killer chanced a glance at the desk and smiled once more. There weren't any new drawings nor had he heard his captain getting up in the middle of the night to pace. He didn't want to wake them. They looked peaceful, which was something neither of them experienced often.

                "Captain?" He tried tentatively not wanting to startle either of them.

                There was a slight twitch in the young red haired captain's fingers.

                "Captain, we're approaching an island." Killer tried again.

                Kid's feral orange eyes fluttered open and he looked momentarily startled at having been woken up. No one had ever woken him before. His gaze drifted down to the sleeping girl draped across his chest and a tender smile spread across his lips.

                "I'll be up in a minute." Kid waved his first mate away dismissively.

                Killer chuckled and left the room without another word.

                "Oy, wake up." Kid lightly shook the sleeping girl.

                "Five more minutes." Malice grumbled softly as she snuggled closer.

                Kid rolled his eyes and pulled the blankets away causing the raven haired girl to shiver at the sudden exposure to the cold. "Get dressed." He smirked as he disentangled himself from her a little reluctantly.

                "What exactly do you propose I wear?" Malice asked haughtily.

                "I suppose I'll have to have your things moved into here." The captain sighed.

                Malice felt her heart skip a beat. "You want me to stay here with you?" She thought perhaps she'd dreamed that last part.