A Light Touch (Eustass X Reader)

Chapter 14: Attraction

"Hey bruiser." Hip says as Emma struggled to stifle her laughter. You cover your face with your prosthetic hand and offer a lazy wave.

Eustass grunts. "You didn't break my mouse, did you Hip?"

"Oh my gods, don't call me that that way right now." You whine, rolling onto your knees before managing to get up on shaky legs. "I'mma take a shower." You take a couple steps and your legs buckle. "Heck!"

Emma catches you before you hit the mats again and gives you a smile. "How about I help you?"

"Please, yes." You lean on Emma and the two of you toward the showers.

"Hip." You hear Eustass say sternly behind you.

"She's not broken." Hip insists. "Bent, a bit, maybe."

"Christ, Hip."

"Hey hey, I'm not the one who bruised 'er for 'er first kiss, you brute. Don't go – eh, Cap'n? You look a bit pale..."

You feel the heat rising in your cheeks even as you can feel Emma trying not to laugh again.

It takes you a bit to get cleaned up, not just because your entire body is sore, but because you're not in a rush to face Kid. You're not mad Hip told him, and you're not upset that he knows, you just aren't really sure how to face him without it being horrifically embarrassing. You're old enough to drink, you'd think you'd have had your first kiss by now, but it just never happened.

During school your mom was super protective of you, and no after-school activities really limited your interactions with others. You were also worried that if your mom found out you were getting too close to someone she'd move the both of you away again. Luffy and his friends were the only ones to really get close to you, but the entire situation had been platonic – even Sanji seemed to tone it down around you, as though he was aware of how uncomfortable you got with too much attention.

Your mom passed away shortly after you graduated, and since then most all of your time and energy had been on surviving. You weren't against people or dates, but you lacked the practice most people got when they were teenagers, so you just hadn't gotten around to it.

You remember Nami talking about how first kisses were just plain awful, but maybe having accidentally waited so long wasn't so bad after all.

When you come out of the shower, all cleaned up and in a fresh set of clothes, the only person still around is Eustass Kid. He's sitting on a bench, poking at his phone.

"Hey." You say quietly, walking over to him.

He doesn't look over, but you can see the smile on his lips. "How's the legs, Mouse?"

"Feeling a bit like a newborn giraffe, honestly." You admit with a nervous laugh. "I'm sure I can make it around the house though."

"... First kiss, huh?" He asks, looking at you with those golden eyes.

You flinch, feeling the heat rise in your face, and look away. "Yes, but I mean... I'm not complaining."

Kid grunts. "You got nothing to compare it to, Mouse. C'mere." He motions for you to come stand in front of him.

You move so you're between his knees, his face just about level with yours, with a concerned look on your face. "I hope you're not going to give me a bad kiss so I can compare."

His brows knit for a second, "I don't kiss poorly, Mouse."

You didn't doubt that. Something told you that Eustass Kid's pride was entirely too big to allow for something like that. But, that pride was what had pulled people to him, and given him the skills to make prosthetics the way he did. His empire was founded on that pride, and it wasn't empty or fragile.

"I just want to show you different," he explains.

Kid's prosthetic hand rests on your hip and his right hand slides across your cheek so gently your eyes close. His fingers brush along your jaw and slip just under your ear, running softly along your hairline before combing through your hair. Your hair was still a little damp from the shower, but none of Kid's movements seemed to run into a single tangle, and he cradles your head as soft lips move across your own lightly.

The sensation caused your eyes to open a little and your lips to part in a soft sigh. The sure smile on Kid's face makes your cheeks go hot, and the soft persistent kiss that follows makes your eyes close again. The light pressure has its own pleasure, and his kisses linger just long enough before he gives you a moment to breathe. There's nothing rough in his grasp or actions, but you're still held captive by the gentleness of it.

He leans in a closer, the hand on your hip sliding up to the middle of your back, the fingers in your hair shifting so his thumb is just behind your ear, tilting your head slightly. His next kiss is deeper, pushing into you and you can feel his tongue slip across your lips, tracing the lines of the center of your lips without pushing beyond them. Your breathing is coming out heavier as the tender pleasure is making your heart race.

You hadn't thought Kid's earlier statement to be an empty boast, but you hadn't expected the truth of it to be what it was. Your brain was muddled, and your fingers tremble against his arms as you find yourself wanting more. More than just kisses, as heat and need were rising up in you more than you had expected from a few minutes of tender kissing.

"Ahmm, Kid... my legs..." You manage between soft kisses. You can feel your legs trembling in a way that has nothing to do with the pleasure filling you up.

Kid lifts you easily, bringing his legs together and setting you down in his lap. Your knees are on either side of him, your feet hooked against the tops of his legs. The new position almost puts you above Kid. His hands shift from your thighs to your ass, squeezing you and eliciting a moan-filled gasp that made you red to your ears.

"You know Mouse, I'm glad no one else knows you make these sounds." He admits, his hands sliding up your back, one holding you steady, the other cradling your head and pulling you into a deep kiss before you can say anything.

You steady yourself against him with your hands on his shoulders for a moment before you lean in against him and let your fingers tangle into his hair. There's a pleasant hum from Eustass before he takes control again, kissing you with the same fervor from the first time, his tongue pushing into your mouth and demanding every moan and shiver of pleasure you have to give.

When you're not sure you have any breath left, he breaks the kiss, his lips following the line of your jaw to your ear. His hands hold you close as his teeth nip at your earlobe.

"The things I want to do to you, Mouse," his words are a soft growl in your ear. Full of heat and desire. "But I won't."

He pulls you into a hug and gives you a second to recover from his kisses. "I'm going to handle him first. I don't want you thinking you hafta please me to stay safe here."

"I wouldn't think that," you assure him.

"I appreciate the sentiment, Mouse." He hugs you a little tighter, his head resting on your shoulder. "But it doesn't change what your situation is, and I won't take advantage of you like that."

"... I hope this doesn't mean you're going to stop kissing me," you say, and it's obvious you're pouting.

Eustass turns his head and kisses your neck gently, before running his teeth against your skin. "Wouldn't dream of it, Mouse." He says softly, before kissing your lips again.

A/N – I didn't plan for my fluffiest, slowest of slow burning stories to be the one with Eustass-!@$#ing-Kid at the center, BUT HERE WE ARE.