Ikari ][ One Piece ][

Chapter Four

                "How long has she been at it?" I asked him curiously.

                "Awhile."He grimaced.

                I sighed unable to watch her deteriorate anymore. "Hey! Doll Face, give it a rest."

                She shot a glare in my direction but kept training.

                "Oi! Take a break!" I called to her as I finally decided to cross the deck.

                She continued ignoring me.

                "Ikari!" I snapped angrily as I reached out for her wrist.

                "Don't call me that!" She turned with a snarl and I winced as she lashed out at me scratching me across the chest with her nails. Her eyes widened as a small amount of blood dribbled up from the scratches.

                "Thought you didn't like being called Doll Face." I noted with a smirk tugging at the corners of my lips.

                "I told you not to speak to me." She covered with a huff as her garnet eyes stayed glued to the wound she'd inflicted on my chest. Regret brimmed in her eyes.

                "You done?" I asked her calmly as I motioned to the training area.

                Her glare returned, "Leave me alone."

                "How long has it been since you've slept or eaten?"

                "Why do you care?!" She shot angrily ready to lash out again, but held herself back. Why? Why did she restrain herself with me?

                "You're slipping, Doll Face." I sighed deciding to use her words against her, "You're becoming weak."

                This sparked more rage and she lunged at me with a shriek. I was right; her movements were sluggish and half-hearted as she swung at me. The constant stress on her body had taken its toll and I was easily able to catch her in my arms.

                "Let me go!" She snarled as my arms encircled her and I held her tightly against me. "I'm not playing around rookie, release me!" Her elbow swung back and connected with my diaphragm and in the next instant I was being heaved over her shoulder and slammed into the deck of the ship.

                I got to my feet and shot her a glare only to stare in awe as she panted softly her breathing becoming labored from the effort of throwing me. Her cheeks were scarlet with fever and her garnet eyes looked glassy and somewhat unfocused.

                "You need to take care of yourself." I said softly as I approached her cautiously not realizing just how much attention we'd gathered from our little spat. Half the division commanders had shown up to watch.

                "Why do you care so much, rookie?" Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I keep trying to push you away, but you just keep coming back, are you really this dense or do you just crave the abuse?"

                I smiled softly at this, "Call me crazy; your mouth may be saying hurtful things geared to distancing yourself from everyone, but your eyes are always pleading because you don't want to be alone."

                "You really are an idiot." The doll like girl panted softly and slipped to her knees unable to support herself any longer. She placed her hands flat on the deck in an attempt to keep herself partially upright. Why did she fight so much?

                I cleared the space between us and knelt beside her, "I'll watch over you, just trust me and get some sleep." Her body suddenly jerked as I reached out to her.

                "I can't trust you." She snapped, "I can't trust anyone!" Desperately she tried to get back on her feet but only managed to collapse to the deck gasping for air as her fever spiked.  

                Even on the brink of collapse she couldn't let go of her rage and mistrust. Her fever weakened her enough for me to swing her into my arms. "I won't let anything happen to you." I attempted to reassure her.

                "Why?" She croaked as her forehead fell against my neck and she slumped into my arms admitting defeat as her fever took hold. Her skin felt like it was on fire. "I've been nothing but mean to you, so why are you doing this?"

                I looked down at the doll like girl in my arms as I carried her past the commanders and couldn't help but smile. It was the first time since I'd met her that she actually looked vulnerable. "Because, despite it all, I kind of like you."

                A faint blush spread across her pale cheeks and at first I wasn't sure if it was from the fever or if she were embarrassed by my words until she ducked behind her long champagne blonde hair. "You really do have brain damage." She muttered half heartedly as her arms sidled around my neck and she finally gave in to her exhaustion trusting me with her care.

[Next chapter will finally be in Ikari's POV]

Video- "Misery Loves My Company" By Three Days Grace