Unfamiliar || One Piece x Reader

4.2

18 September. Three nights since Kid and Law came back, beat up half to death. It's been the same routine since them. They leave late at night, around 9. Every morning they come back around 4, with no explanation as to where those wounds come from. They don't know it, but it's stressing you out.

You thought, at first, it was some kind of rivalry, since Heat, Wire, Killer, Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin had just as many injuries (more, really, but that's beside the point). But you realise quickly that, although they still hate each other for some arbitrary reason, it's like they've found a common enemy. An enemy of an enemy is an ally, you suppose.

Last night, you tried following them, but you were quickly found out.

The last class of the day finally ends, and you slowly make your way back to your room and nearly collapse on Law's bed that's just underneath yours, but you're able to move up to the top and rest there.

It takes a good hour of your day for you to finally convince yourself to get up. You're exhausted mentally. Your brain isn't used to staying up for all those extra hours worrying about your friends. But you push it aside as you force your body, tired from your mental fatigue, to the workshop building where Kid tends to bid his time to.

He's alone in one of the welding rooms, piecing together what looks like one of metal creatures. You watch him finish off the piece and set it aside, raise his goggles, and sigh heavily.

"You've been here a lot lately, in your spare time," you speak up. "What have you been fighting so much recently?"

He sighs again. "Stuff. Did you need anything?"

You nod. "I was gonna see if you could help me with this project thing, but you seem kinda busy." You're not lying, you really do have a project you've been working on. But maybe some ulterior motives bring you to this?

"Oh. I'm not really, what's the project?"

"Ah, don't worry about it. I think you should get some rest, I'll ask someone else to help me. I could ask Sabo and Ace, or I could see if Drake could help," you say, looking up as if in thought. That one's a lie. Sabo's people smart, Ace is... Anyway, you haven't been able to contact Drake since he left.

Kid clicked his tongue out of annoyance. "No, I'll help. What is it?"

"I mean, seriously, I don't need your help. You look tired." He opens his mouth to make some remark, but you talk first. "But," you say, "if you tell me where you've been going, then I'll let you help me with it."

"What? That's a shitty deal."

You shrug and spin around, twisting the handle to the door. "Alright."

"Fine! But you can't do anything about it."

You stop and smile, turning to face the redhead. "Alright. Just tell me."

"The Grand Line."

It takes a few moments for you to respond. "You're... you're kidding right?" He's not kidding. "No wonder! Why?"

"That's a question I don't have to answer," he says.

"But... Okay, fine. Could you tell me why you can't not go?"

"That, giorra," he says, a familiar smirk returning to his lips for the first time in a few days, "is not information I'm required to give you."

You look up at him. "Please?"

"Nope, now c'mon. Tell me about this mystery project."

You force yourself to clear other thoughts from your mind. "Well, I know I'm not that strong," you start. "So, I've been thinking about some weapons that'd help me. I know you like weapons and stuff, so I figured you'd be able to help a little?"