***(Y/N) POV***
"This is too heavy for you, (Y/N). This is a man's job, (Y/N). Careful, (Y/N), you'll hurt yourself. Why don't you go find something else to do, (Y/N)? Stupid stupid stupid..."
I knew the rest of the Kid Pirates were just trying to look out for me, but their unintentional sexism was really starting to get to me. I couldn't lift, pull or carry anything without one of them coming to my aid, even if I didn't need it. All I could manage to do without their interference was scrub the deck, wash their laundry or assist in the kitchen, all of which made me feel like a domestic housewife.
That's what I was trying to escape in the first place...
"What the actual fuck are you doing..?" I jolted when I heard a familiar voice, turning to see Kid standing in the open doorway, arms folded across his chest. I could understand why he felt the need to ask, even if I didn't want to have anything to do with him. I probably looked insane, crouched on the inside of the giant skull figurehead, a mop in hand, partially wedged through the large, ivory teeth.
"Brushing Victoria's teeth. What does it look like?" I shrugged my shoulders, motioning my head down towards the thick ropes of seaweed and kelp that were lodged between the gaps. "She needs to look her best. Shame on you, not taking care of her dental health." Kid went to open his mouth and chew me out, but much to my surprise, he stopped himself, swallowing back down an insult or two, maybe a threat.
"Whatever. Do it later. You're comin' with me." He ordered, which was his first mistake. At least for this particular interaction. Turning my back to him, I continued brushing and slapping at the green sludge with my soggy mop, knowing full well it would tick him off. Perhaps I was excited to make him mad again after such a long absence from each other.
"Why should I? Because you're the big, scary captain? I'll come when I'm ready, and only if I feel like it. Right now? Don't feel like it." I explained firmly, stubbornness showing strong through my words. Even over the lap of the sea against the mouth of the ship I could hear his teeth grinding together. It filled me with a type of pride others may have cringed at.
"Y'know, you ain't cute when you're being a bitch." Kid growled, advancing a step closer. Reacting to his movement, I spun around with the mop held like a sword, daring him with my eyes to continue forward.
"Good. Cute isn't the aim of my game."
Come on. React. Arc up. Get mad.
Kid's eyes travelled from the sopping brush, along the wooden handle, up the length of my arm until they settled on my face, silent until he saw me beginning to get uncomfortable with it.
"Please. Just come."
Did...he just..? Say please?
My arm fell limp, the mop hitting the floor with a wet plop as I stared at him. He was being polite, and it was unnatural.
"Uh...okay? You sure you don't wanna pick me up by the scruff? Drag me by the hair? Threaten my life?" I questioned sceptically.
"What? You want me to?" He asked, masked traces of frustration leaking through into his tone. That was the thing. I kind of did. That was what I was used to, after all.
"Um...your call..?"
Rolling his eyes, the pirate captain turned on his heel and disappeared through the door. I hesitated before following, my mind jumping from one conclusion to the next.
Why had he been somewhat polite? Had something happened? Good or bad? Why was I even giving him the time of day?
I didn't really pay much attention to where we were heading until he was holding the door to his quarters open for me.
"Go on, then." He jerked his head to urge me in, but I stood still, raising a brow and taking a step back.
"Into your room? What do you take me for?" I snorted in mock disbelief, actively trying to rile him up. It was foolish, and pathetic, but I knew he wouldn't ever hurt me. Not gravely, anyway. "I already told you, I-"
"I ain't gonna touch you, so can you just hurry it up? I'm gonna be pissed if I've wasted my time..." Kid avoided my eyes as he spoke to me, and that was when I noticed how tired he looked.
The bags under his eyes weren't all too dark, but still very noticeable, and instead of pushing his hair back, his goggles hung loose around his neck. Much to my dismay, I found the natural state of his hair rather attractive.
With a suspicious glare, I did as he instructed me to do, but out of curiosity, not loyalty to his wants and wishes.
"Alright, I'm here. What's this about? I'm still-"
"No shit you're still mad at me. It's hard not to notice when you're shoving it in my face all the damn time..." Kid muttered as he shut the door, matching a direct line from there to his bedside table.
Usually, before I decided to make myself hate him, I would have plonked myself down on his bed and made myself at home. This time, however, I just stood in the middle of the room, watching him closely.
"Then, what? Why did you bring me here instead of just saying whatever it is down in the figurehead?" I questioned, brow quirking when I saw him pick up something wrapped in stained cloth.
"Cuz...I just did. I don't have to have a reason." He muttered, still looking everywhere except my face as he approached, extending his hand with the wrapped item. "Here. Take it."
He's acting weird...
The longer I stared at the item, the harder it was for Kid to stay composed. He was growing more and more agitated by the second, and I could tell by the way his hand began to shake.
"J..Just take the damn thing already, woman! It ain't gonna bite!"
Puffing out an exasperated breath, I grabbed the cloth-wrapped mystery object and looked up into his pinched face, taking note of the way his cheeks were on the path to matching his hair in colour.
It was pretty light, but even through the covering I could tell that whatever it was was made of metal. Weighing it in my hand for a few moments, just to make the irate man suffer a little longer. Flipping back the dirty calico material, I couldn't help but gasp.
It was a pistol. Small, sleek, and the most gorgeous weapon I had ever seen in my life. What really had me in awe were the embellishments. Intricate detailing of ships and seas upon the grip, and creatures within said seas danced gracefully along the barrel.
It's...
"Kid..." I murmured, having to drag my eyes from the pistol to find his, only to be received by the side of his face. "Did you...make this..?" He shifted uncomfortably, raking a hand through his unwashed hair.
"N..No shit. 'Course I did. The sister for it ain't finished yet, but they're a pain in the ass to make that well, so...You're fuckin' welcome..."
So that's why he was spending all his time down in the workshop...
He moved to throw himself down onto his bed, and I lifted the pistol to test how it matched with my hand, aiming for a rustic globe that sat upon his dresser.
"It feels like a dream in my hand..." I announced, smiling widely and moving my aim to other things around his room. "I love it. Thank you..."
From where he sat, Kid was finally looking at me from behind his hand, which he had rested over his face.
"Yeah, well, I wronged you, so...Can't have you totin' around shit weapons when you're part of my crew, anyway."
Lowering my new pistol, I moved to set it down on his bedside table before standing by the bed, looking down at him. He really looked like he needed a long rest. Had he really been working that hard on it? For me?
"I forgive you. Not because you gave me something, though. Because you actually put real effort into trying to make me happy. That was...really sweet of you..." There was a lot more I wanted to say to him, but I knew how he could get. For now it would be best to avoid giving him a bigger head.
Grunting, Kid scooted himself further up on his mattress until his head found his pillow.
"Don't get used to it. You're putting in the work to get the other one finished. Should be enough time for that while we get to where we're goin'..."
My knee found the bed beside him, but it barely dipped down under my weight compared to his.
"So you'll actually teach me how to make stuff like that? Like, properly for real teach me?" I pried hopefully, getting annoyed with myself for dropping my pride so easily.
"Will it put an end to you being a catty bitch?" He asked with a yawn, his jaw cracking loudly. I should have been offended, but he had a point. I had been catty, and bitchy, and everything in between.
"As long as you don't...Y'know what? Nevermind. Yeah, it probably will."
I didn't need to see the eyes he covered to know he had picked up on what I had almost said, his lips twitching into a tired smirk.
"As long as I don't what? Chase whore tails again? You want me to exclusively chase yours, sweetheart?"
You're too perceptive for a brute...
"I never said anything about whores, or tails..." I grumbled, glad that he wasn't watching my cheeks flare with the heat of a thousand suns. "Wh..Where are we headed, anyway? It looks as though we're heading back towards Sabaody Archipelago."
Yawning again, Kid seemed to cover his face further, and it almost looked uncomfortable seeing him reach his arm so far over his face so that the bridge of his nose settled into the crease of his inner elbow.
"I've got big plans. Colossal plans. For that, we need to get this ol' girl an upgrade. I take care of her, so don't ever go sayin' I don't." He explained, seeming to have dropped his flirty attitude.
"Plans, huh? So, what, you gonna get her coated with the mangrove resin again?"
That was the only thing I could think of, if we were headed back in that direction. Why would we need that, though?
"We've got buckets of that crap in storage so we can go under whenever we feel like it. No, we need to find a shipwright with the materials we need. You did say that big brother of yours is a shipwright, didn't you..?"
Wait...
It took far too long for what he said to compute, but once it did, I found myself on top of him, caging his head between my arms and finally forcing him to show his face. He looked kind of startled, lips pursing as I hovered mere inches above.
"Kid...Do not fuck with me right now. Are you trying to tell me that we're going to Water 7..?!" I asked urgently, feeling him somewhat relax under my body.
"You better not've been exaggerating about what he's capable of. I expect my Victoria to be unstoppable."
I couldn't stop myself. Throwing my arms around him, I dragged him into the tightest of hugs, blindly twisting my head so I could press a kiss to his cheek, which ended up being on the very corner of his painted lips.
"I swear on my life, he's the best man for the job..! Holy shit, I can't believe I get to see him again! And Iceberg! My parents...not so much, but I can avoid them like the damn plague! Kid, thank you! Seriously, thank you!"
When I pulled back, Kid was avoiding my eyes again, his cheeks several shades darker than usual and his nose scrunched.
"Don't think this is for you...All I give a crap about is getting my ship in top condition...It's weird as hell having you go from hating my guts to bein' all over me..."
Leaping off of him, crashing to the floor when my foot caught on his arm, I leapt back to my feet and beamed, already too excited to stand still.
"Either way, I'm happy! I get to see Paulie, and I also get to rub my success as an adventurer in everyone's faces! I could actually kiss you!"
I really could...
"Oh, I gotta go tell Heat! He's member number two of my Tyrannosaurus Supremacy cult!" I gasped, spinning on my heel and dashing towards the door, but not before picking up my new pistol and waving it in the air. "You've really made my day, Kiddo! When you're a good person, you really are the best!"
Kid watched after me as I started to run out, the way his fingers curled into his sheets going completely unnoticed by me.
"Shit...Looks like I have the guts to fall for her after all..."
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***I had a bunch of dental work done today and I'm in literal agony. Turns out I've lost a lot of bone around my teeth and jaw, so yay for the thousands of dollars I'll have to spend to be able to keep my chompers. (Thank you, genetic dispositions)
I've also been asked to take on a lot more shifts to fill in for another worker over the next five months, including a full-time stint during November and December, so I'm going to try to write whenever possible to make up for when I won't be able to.
Next Time: Unchained Melody***