Forget Me Not - One Shot Series

Kaku - Bitter-Sweet

"If it's that important to you, come back in five years." There's irritation in his voice, but not anger.

"Five... years?"

"We'll be gone by then."

"We?" Your confusion is doing nothing but getting worse, and suddenly Lucci grabs you by the collar and lifts you easily, his body changing as he holds you against the wall.

"For your own sake, continue to forget Kaku." He says the words evenly, almost quietly, despite the jaguar zoan hybird form he was currently in. "Leave Water 7 and live peacefully somewhere else."

His eyes narrow and you nod frantically. You were caught between being mesmerized by the change, terrified by the understanding that he could easily just shred you to pieces, and you were positive you didn't want to test this magnanimous offer of his.

Lucci lets you go, changing back easily, cold dark eyes focused on you. The weight of his gaze was making your stomach knot. The understanding that this was between you and him was a cold truth in your gut. A word to anyone about any of it, would be the last word you ever uttered.

Of that you were certain.

It took you hours to fall asleep after that, and the rest that followed was full of nightmares and fits. By the time you needed to get up you'd had a few fleeting moments of actual rest.

What little energy you'd manage to recover was wrung from you with the terrible return of your memories of Kaku. Sitting up in bed you could see him approaching you for the first time, morning sun halo'd around his blonde hair, everything muted by the light in his smile.

The memories, a welcome mercy the day before, were a vice around your heart right now. One memory waltzed into the next. All the dates, the sweet words, how he'd tried for months just to get you to say yes to a first date.

The small gifts.

The soft kisses.

The gentle words in the small hours. Words of how he felt, words of how if he left suddenly he'd do his best to be back. You wouldn't have to wait for him, but if you did...

If you wanted to...

You throw an untouched breakfast in the trash and grab your bags, heading to the train platform with iron around your ankles and lead in your heart.

Rain that was light at your door was heavy and cold when you reached the train platform. There weren't many people around, the busy season for the trains hadn't started, and your departure was early. The city was just beginning to wake up.

You'd told the crew you didn't want anyone to send you off. Leaving was already going to be hard enough.

But you weren't surprised to see him.

Standing alone on the platform, you could hear the rain drops his his hat and shoulders with more clarity than anything else. As though they were trying to drive him into the ground. He doesn't look up, but you can't just walk by him.

Even if you hadn't remembered.

"Sorry." His hand moves to take yours, but he pulls it back, head moving enough you can see his face. "I... wish that I could go with you." He's soaked. He must've been standing here most of the night and into the morning.

It's impossible to say if the lines down his cheeks are tears or rain.

"... It's alright." You reply, trying your best to smile. You're sure the dark circles under your eyes are evident. Maybe even the fear that slips up your spine at the memory of Lucci's visit. "I wo-."

"I love you." Kaku says, cutting your already fragile words out of the air.

I know. You want to say the words, but you can't. "... I... won't be back."

The words make him flinch, drops of a broken sigh falling from his lips with the rain. Emotions over ride your fear, your good sense, and you reach out.

Your hands slips into the cropped hairs at the nape of his neck and you tug. Surprised eyes relax as understanding hits him and you pull one another close.

The kiss is cold with rain and sorrow, hot and pained with memories and limitations.

"I don't want to kiss you properly until you remember."

You release the hold on your bag and wrap your other arm around him, lips parting as desperation drives you both to want more. If one part of you could just hold on. If one part of you could stay.

"Then, when I remember, I can... kiss you?"

Hands against your back threaten to leave bruises, and you want to tell him to do it. To mark and mar you in a way that won't fade. Something to lock this moment and memory into place in ways deeper than just the depths of your heart.

"That would be a wonderful way to tell me, little filly."

The taste of tears and rain mix between your lips.

The whistle from the train shatters the air and the rain and you step back. Strong arms you couldn't ever escape on your own let you go as you grab your bag. The sounds of the world devour the apology on your lips before you turn and run to the train.

"Maybe, we could take a trip together, to celebrate," he offers, handing you a plate of peeled apple slices. "I know the Grandline well, no one would find us."