The night passed like a bad dream.
You leaned your chin on the railing and let the black waves lull you, trying to clear your mind in the silence.
From time to time, a few pirates walked behind you, stopped for a while, then let you alone.
Shivers ran down your neck when icy gusts of wind moved your hair from your face.
"So you left the Marines as well"
You shut your eyes.
"Would you like to join the Marines?"
Where are you, sensei?
What are you doing right now?
Do you ever think about me?
Again, you buried your face in your arms.
Heat stepped on the deck at the first lights of dawn, still trying to tame his messy locks with his fingers.
The air was cold and transparent, that morning. Just a few men were already outside.
He frowned when he noticed you at the railing, exactly in the same position you had when he last saw you the day before.
«She hasn't moved for the entire night.» the Mohican said, walking over from the mast «She just stared at the sea for the whole time.»
Heat clicked his tongue and marched towards you.
«[Y/n], come and have breakfast.» he said, peremptory.
Your eyebrows had a twitch, but it was just for a second. You didn't detach your eyes from the horizon.
«Thanks, but I don't feel like eating.»
«What's that supposed to mean? Do you plan on staying here like a zombie?»
«Unless to you force me to do something else.» you replied, plainly.
He blinked at you.
«Force?»
You pressed your lips together, torn apart by the struggle cutting inside you and the desire of not saying anything hurtful to the pirate.
Luckily for you, Wire appeared beside his comrade, his calm demeanour unfazed.
«Leave her alone for now, Heat. We still have to see how murderous the captain is. Better not to have the two of them in the galley at the same time.»
The blue-haired man looked like he wanted to add something, but he eventually decided to drop it.
With an irritated shrug, he headed to the kitchen.
Wire glanced at you, before following him.
«How long do you still need to think?»
Eustass Kid appeared on the deck less than an hour after, and it was immediately clear he didn't want to be approached by anyone.
The pirates retracted at his passage, waves of rage radiating from his burning gaze.
He went straight to his workshop and slammed the door behind him, making the closer men jump.
You didn't turn to watch him traverse the ship, but your body stiffened when he passed behind you.
If he looked your way, you couldn't know.
During the rest of the day, it became clear how much the mood of the two of you could affect the rest of the crew.
You seemed glued to that particular spot on the railing, while Kid stayed holed up in his workshop.
Killer watched as the crew turned more and more nervous.
The pirates were glancing at you, quieter than usual, but no one got close again.
From early afternoon, some strange metallic bumps and several curses started to come from the workshop.
«What the hell is the captain doing in there?» the Mohican asked, moving from the door and eyeing it suspiciously.
Wire shrugged.
«A weapon of mass destruction?»
«That's it!» Booka growled, throwing some cordage on the floor.
He headed towards you with heavy strides and pounded his fist on the railing beside you.
«What the fuck is your problem, woman?!»
You grimaced at his yell, but still refused to look at him.
«I'm warning you, Booka,» you slowly said «if you provoke me now, you'll have to seriously fight me.»
He frowned and squinted, like your words were really something absurd.
«What? Am I supposed to be intimidated by you? Who the fuck do you think you are?»
You didn't reply, your tired eyes still fixed on the sea.
«Don't you dare ignore me, prisoner!» he snarled, brusquely grabbing your arm.
That was it.
Flexible like a cane, your body followed his pull until his guard was lower.
With a brusque roll, you escape his grip just when the two of you were inches from each other.
Being smaller and quicker, it was easy for you to reach for his belt, extracting his gun from the holster.
Another turn, and you gained a small distance.
Your fingers loosened the safety and moved on the trigger.
You stretched your arm and pointed at his chest, face blank.
Booka froze. The crew froze.
Killer pushed through the men gathered around and earned a place in the front row.
«[Y/n].»
Like that, with your body turned to the side as you aimed at the man in front of you, hair waving around your lethal face, he caught a glimpse of commander [L/n] of the Marines.
A drop of sweat lined Booka's temple as he sneered.
«What now, girl? You gonna kill me?»
It was like his words snapped you out of a trance.
You frowned, and a painful grimace flashed through your face.
Your fingers readjusted the safety, then you dropped the gun on the deck, violently turning to the railing.
«FUCK!» you burst, brusque hands pulling your locks away from your face before you buried it in your arms.
What am I doing?
I can't kill him. I won't kill him.
But why? Is this the effect of captivity? Is this the Banaro syndrome?
Is anything of what I'm feeling real?
Eustass Kid...
You didn't cry, but you couldn't avoid your body to start shaking.
The pirates looked at each other, a cold sense of uneasiness spreading in their chest.
Even Booka grit his teeth at the sight.
«[Y/n], I...»
«Leave her.»
Killer stepped between the two of you.
«Everyone, go back to your duties!»
Booka faltered for a second, but then nodded and walked away.
The second in command sighed, his gaze briefly grazing your trembling figure before he reached Heat and Wire, not too far.
«Everything was going well...» Heat murmured.
«This crisis is worse than the previous ones.» Wire added.
«I guess it was just a matter of time.» Killer said «There's nothing we can do.»
He glanced at the captain's workshop.
Maybe there was someone who could help, but he was the worst person on the ship dealing with that kind of stuff.
«She has to go through this on her own.» the blond finally stated.
Wire nodded, but Heat stared at him.
«Killer-san...» he hesitated «What if she tries to leave?»
The Massacre Soldier meditated for a moment.
«If that happens, we report to Kid and let him deal with it. Now go back to your business.»
Kid came out of his workshop for a brief moment, later that afternoon.
He walked to the bow with an unreadable expression, stretching his muscles and looking at the sun starting to descend the line of the horizon.
The air was getting warmer, and pools of golden lights painted the deck.
No one dared to approach the captain, and you avoided looking at him, despite sensing his presence not too far.
It was easier to keep your mind blank rather than face the painful struggle within.
«[Y/n].»
It was Killer who leaned beside you, this time, his long locks transported by the wind.
It reminded you of a few days before, when he rescued you in icy waters, and you thought for a moment you saw his face.
«Aren't you the one who told the men to leave me alone?» you asked.
«True.» he agreed «You know, Booka hasn't said a single word from this morning. I think you traumatized him.»
You frowned.
«I'm sorry.»
«Don't be. He's a big man, he'll get over it.»
«Don't I deserve a punishment for pointing a loaded gun at one of your men's face?»
«The men here threaten each other to death on a daily basis.»
«But I'm not one of them.»
Killer paused, observing your tired face staring right in front of you.
«[Y/n]... what do you want?»
Your jaw tensed up.
In a surge of rage, you pushed yourself away from the railing and hit it with your palm.
«What do I want, Massacre Soldier?! Can't you imagine? I want freedom! The fucking freedom you pirates took away from me!» you snapped, finally turning to him.
Your burning eyes dug holes in his helmet and, for a second, you thought he was going to hit you.
But Killer, of course, was the one able to read your emotions like you were transparent, just like he was able to read his captain in the same way.
«What freedom are you talking about, [Y/n]? The freedom to go?»
He moved his masked face to the bow of the ship and you followed his gaze.
Eustass Kid was staring at the wide sea, giving his back at you, wind in his fur and in his hair.
You surprised yourself guessing his expression.
Killer bent over you, lowering his voice.
«...or the freedom to stay?»
You grimaced, a stinging pain piercing your chest.
«Listen to your own advice and leave me alone, Massacre Soldier.»
The pirate watched you going back to your position on the railing.
Shortly after, Kid returned to his workshop and locked the door.
You ran into Smoker coming out from Aokiji's office.
His brown eyes met yours and you saluted.
«Commodore. I must thank you for helping me at Marineford, during the battle.»
He inhaled deeply from his cigars.
«No need. Good job, out there.» he replied, surpassing you.
A small smile lingered on your lips as you entered the office.
Aokiji was sitting at his desk, busy with the post-war paperwork, so you dropped on the small couch nearby.
«Have you heard the rumour spreading around, sensei?»
«Mm.»
«They say Sengoku is going to retire.»
He didn't say anything. You scoffed.
«Are you going to run for the position of Fleet Admiral?»
«You know me, [Y/n].» he mumbled, not raising his eyes «I'm too lazy for that kind of work.»
«Yeah, yeah. But, if it's not you, it's going to be Akainu.»
Aokiji stopped, finally looking at you.
«What about Kizaru?»
«Oh, please. He will gladly back down in Akainu's favour.»
He closed his eyes and sighed.
«You're a smart woman.»
You hummed, relaxing in your position.
«It wouldn't be so bad, you know, with you as a Fleet Admiral.»
Aokiji scratched his nape.
«You have too much trust in me, [Y/n]. I've made a lot of mistakes too.»
«Are you talking about Ohara?»
«Maybe. And maybe not only that.»
You frowned and turned your face to him. Your heart missed a beat when you realized he was staring right back at you.
«Do you remember how the Whitebeard Pirates cried when their captain died?» you slowly asked.
«Yes.»
«Wouldn't you like it if we had that kind of connection, in the Marines?»
Aokiji's eyes sharpened and your mouth twitched.
«I'm just saying... I think it could happen with you in command.»
There was a pause.
«You do realize that, if I become the Fleet Admiral, you and I roaming around the Grand Line will be over, don't you?»
You took a deep breath.
«I know. But you said it yourself: I need to become more independent.»
He huffed.
«How come I still think I can win an argue with you?»
You chuckled.
«By the way, being more independent means that I can choose my own fights without receiving a kick in the face from you, sensei.»
«I didn't "kick you in the face".» he grumbled, resting his face on his hand «I gently moved you from Yasop and Van Augur's line of fire. And thank you for made me rethink that "smart woman" thing.»
You shook your head.
«I know it was reckless, but that's not the point! I need to see where I am right now, so I can–»
«Enough.»
For the first time that day, Aokiji's voice was cold.
You stopped instantly.
«No matter what the reason is, I won't let you commit suicide in front of me. So, if you try to die, make sure I can't see you next time.»
You looked at him bending over his paperwork once again.
«Yes, sensei.»
You must have dozed off with your face leaning on the railing.
It was dark now, and the sea was lightly brushing against the keel.
The night was filled with stars.
Almost no pirates were around.
During the whole day, you had moments of trance followed by intense thinking over and over.
At some point, the rage dissolved, leaving you with just sadness and nostalgia.
Yes, Kid had been an asshole the night before, but you knew why he burst like that.
He was hurt.
Hurt by the fact you froze for being considered part of his crew, hurt by your body not reacting with pleasure at his touch.
You closed your eyes.
The way I feel about him... can it really be a lie?
And why do I feel like I'm burning alive for only considering it?
What if I don't care?
What if I... what if I just don't go back?
You swallowed, your heart now pounding like crazy in your chest.
Suddenly, something snapped around your right wrist with a loud click.
You jumped aside with a gasp and brought it in front of you.
A line of turquoise steel encircled your wrist.
Tiny swirling waves were craved all over it, their edges fading in deeper blue, creating beautiful shades.
A thin, dark line ran in the middle of the bracelet, and the steel was slightly elevated around it.
Passing your fingers on it, you realized.
Seastone?
Frowning, you searched for the latch to open it, but there was none.
«You can't take it off.»
You raised your eyes.
Eustass Kid was standing a few feet from you, a satisfied smirk on his sadistic face.
«What do you mean I can't?»
«I sealed it with my powers.» his smile grew wider «It's too tight to be pulled out and there's no lock. You simply cannot take it away, birdie. It's for you to always remember that you're a prisoner. My prisoner.»
He approached you with resolute strides, while your eyes dropped on the bracelet.
A stripe of Seastone...
Wait. Did he do it himself?
If Kid worked it with his hands, that would explain all the groans and the curses coming from his workshop throughout the day.
Your touch on it turned softer, your gaze still captivated by the blue patterns.
Wasn't he angry with me?
"It's for you to always remember that you're a prisoner"
...did he do it to ease my mind?
You were so buried in your thoughts, you failed to notice him leaning beside you, looking at the sea.
The captain cleared his throat and you blinked, moving your eyes on him.
Your mouth almost fell open at the sight.
Eustass Kid had lost his cheeky smirk.
His lips were curled in a light pout, instead, and his gaze was avoiding yours. His fingers were lightly scratching his cheek, and... was it a soft blush that was adorning his face?
«Do you... hum... do you like it?»
Your eyebrows knitted together, high on your forehead.
In your life, you expected to see many absurd things.
But Eustass "Captain" Kid blushing in front of you wasn't one of them.
A rapid grimace deformed his features when the silence went on a little too long, so you hurriedly shook your head.
A sweet smile blossomed on your face.
«It's beautiful.»
His amber eyes darted on yours and, for a second, he was taken aback from your expression.
Your smile quickly turned in a crooked smirk.
«Sure, that's a weird question for something that was just announced as a restrain, but well.»
«That's also a weird answer, then.» he smirked too, his flesh fingers pinching your cheek.
«Hey!»
His metallic hand pulled you against him.
You raised your head to meet his lips, his hand adjusting your face to the perfect angle to devour your mouth.
Your tongues immediately entangled together, while your arms laced around his neck.
Eustass Kid tasted like booze and steel, as always.
That's it, I don't care if it's Banaro syndrome.
I want him.
I want to be with him.
He's the only one.
Your heart was about to burst in your chest.
Deep down, you already knew that Kid cared for you. Yet, you would have never expected from him to go that far to prove it.
And yes, it was still a totally fucked up situation for your captor to manufacture a beautiful chain to keep you by his side.
But you know what?
You didn't give a shit.
The kiss deepened, a strange frenzy getting into both of you.
Kid grabbed your waist and sat you on the railing so your high was closer to his.
When he bit down your lower lip, you leaned back and, for a second, you felt the void behind you.
Your legs instinctively wrapped around the railing and you gasped.
Kid pulled back, face inches from yours, and stared at you with a serious expression.
«You don't trust me, birdie?»
You frowned.
His warm arms, wrapped around you, protected you from the cold wind.
You smiled and slowly released your hold around his neck, letting your weight go completely toward the black sea.
Kid's eyes widened as his arms immediately steadied their grip around you.
Letting your head dangle back over the waves, you let out a hearted laugh.
Is it enough of an answer for you, Eustass Kid?
A second after, he bent over you, making you yelp.
The warmth of his lips spread from your neck and he snickered against your skin.
Your hands dived in his wild locks while he left kisses and light bites all over your throat and collarbone.
You giggled.
Finally, he scooped you up and moved from the railing.
Kid let you down and grabbed your wrist, dragging you inside.
«Wait! How come you can touch the seastone without consequences?»
«Oh, it's easy. Look.»
He mischievously grinned, bringing your hand in front of you.
Watching carefully, you noticed that the elevated edges of metal around the seastone stripe had bent above it, shielding it from Kid's fingers.
«I can control it. Which means that I'm the only ability user that can freely touch you now.»
You chuckled.
«Well, aren't you clever.»
In that moment, Killer crossed the two of you, coming from below deck.
He and Kid exchanged a glance, but no one said anything while the redhead tugged you inside.
Your eyes moved to his mask and you attempted a defeated smile.
Maybe you were right, after all, Killer.
Once in his cabin, Kid turned to you and his fingers hooked to the collar of your shirt.
Before doing anything, though, he looked at you.
«Do you want?»
As an answer, you pulled him down for another kiss.
Taking it as a yes, he started to unbutton your clothes, almost carefully, with a softness that didn't belong to the infamous Eustass Kid.
You pushed his fur away and made his vest slide down his arms.
You were in your bra and pants when he lifted you, bringing you to the bed, mouths always connected.
Your clumsy fingers fiddled with his slacks until he could kick them off.
You lost your bra and Kid pulled out from the kiss, leaning his forehead against yours as his flesh hand caressed your breasts.
You moaned and bit down your lips, blushing dark under his burning gaze.
His mechanic fingers kept your face on his while he played with your nipples, savouring all the cute little gasps and moans you couldn't hold back.
He sneered.
«You're so sensitive you drive me crazy.»
You swallowed and pushed your hand in his boxer, finding his half-hard member and enveloping it in a gentle hold.
He choked down a curse.
Again, his mouth found yours and you almost won the battle against his tongue while sloppily pleasuring him.
Kid dragged both your pants and panties down your thighs, finally leaving you completely naked. His fingers then proceeded in testing your entrance, thumb rolling over your clit.
He smiled in the kiss when you opened your mouth in an airy moan and curled your body against his.
He found you wide and wet.
You closed your eyes, diving in the pleasure, but his metallic hand caressed your face, bringing it closer to his.
«Look at me.»
You swallowed and obeyed.
He grabbed your hips and rolled on his back, leaning against the wall and adjusting you on his lap.
You grasped his shoulders for support and moved to align your entrance with his erected shaft.
You drowned in his amber eyes, your stomach churning in anticipation, the exact moment before.
You both held your breaths as you slowly lowered, enveloping him inside you.
The pleasure spread from your lower abdomen, sending shivers through your whole body.
Struggling not to close your eyes, you noticed goosebumps travelling on his pale skin.
His forehead twitched and his lips pressed together.
His grips on your hips tightened and he started to accompany your movements.
The inner friction made you moan loudly.
«K-Kid!»
He grunted, a rivulet of sweat sliding down his cheek.
«Keep... keep your eyes open, [Y/n].»
You swallowed, complying and pressing your forehead against his.
Your movements became faster, along with your gasps and moans.
Every time your eyes closed you felt Kid's fingers diving in your skin and you forced them back open, locking your gaze to his.
Kid's face was tense as he tried to suppress the pleasure himself, but his amber look glued on yours, making everything else disappear.
His thrusts became desperate and your body jolted at the wave of ecstasy ready to crush you.
«K-Kid, I'm going to...!»
His mechanic hand held your face, nose brushing against his, eyes in eyes.
Keep looking at me.
It came, and keeping your eyes open was one of the hardest things you ever did.
But you did it.
The orgasm hit you both at the same time, so you could taste the extreme pleasure on each other's face.
The way his forehead and mouth twitched, the way he grit his teeth, his erratic fingers squeezing your hip, his marble muscles tensing under his skin.
And he always, always, looked at you like you were the only fucking woman in the whole world.
You felt like you were the only fucking woman in the whole world.
You screamed, and it didn't matter.
Your grip clenched around his red locks and a few tears ran down your cheeks.
After a few more thrusts, he wiped them away, getting out from you and pushing you down on the mattress.
You were panting under him.
He hovered on you, leaning on his elbows, drinking every little shade of your messed expression.
After a while, he bent over, his lips brushing your sweated chest.
«Kid...»
«What?»
«There's something... I need to tell you...»
He lifted his head to look at you, serious eyes boring into yours.
You took another couple of deep breaths, then frowned.
«Stop... staring at me like that.» you grumbled, pushing his face to the side with your hand.
He chuckled and bit it playfully.
«Spit it out, [Y/n].» he smirked, finger tapping around your navel, where he knew you were ticklish.
«O-Okay!» you choked, grabbing his hand «I...»
You swallowed and blushed, but didn't allow yourself to look away.
«Kid, you need to know that... right now, I feel like I'm bursting.» you leaned your hand on your chest. His face turned serious.
«And... these... these feelings for you... they don't go away. Even when you are being the worst asshole in the world, even when I yell the worst things at you just to hurt you. They never ever go away.»
A deep wrinkle cut his forehead and he grit his teeth.
You felt his grip on you tensing up, as well as his jaw.
After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.
«Birdie, I–»
But the words choked down his throat and he grimaced, shutting his eyes.
He couldn't finish.
Instead, he brusquely lifted you enough to bury his face in the crook of your neck.
His hold was so tense you had the impression he was trembling.
A bittersweet emotion exploded in your chest, and your arms immediately wrapped around his neck, holding him with equal strength.
«It's fine!» you whispered, heart pounding like crazy «I know! It's fine.»
It took a couple of minutes before his grip grew looser.
When his breathing was calm again he raised his face from you only to search for your lips, pulling you into another deep kiss.
«Birdie.»
Outside the captain's cabin, a storm was roaring through the night.
The men were running around the deck and climbing the mast in an attempt to keep the ship steady under Killer's shouted orders.
None of that mattered inside the stillness of the cabin.
«Yes.»
His scarred muscles were hard as steel, yet there was no other place you wanted to rest your cheek on. The shadow of his metallic fingers idly playing with your locks was projected on the wooden wall.
«When did you stop chasing the One Piece?»
The fine, sweet sadness in your chest spread inside you.
When I stopped believing in myself.
You couldn't say that to Eustass Kid, though. Not that.
Your finger lightly traced the red scar on his torso.
«Kid.»
«Yeah.»
«Promise me you'll become the King of the Pirates.»
He stopped playing with your hair.
A devilish smile deformed his purple lips and his hands snapped on your wrists. He straddled you with a quick movement.
His wolfish expression hovered on your face, burning eyes into yours, hot breaths mixing.
«Keep watching me, birdie. You'll see.»
After he took your body (and mind) once again, sleep dragged you in its arms almost immediately.
Kid held you until you were completely asleep.
He brushed a stray lock away from your face before leaning over and deeply inhaling the scent of your neck.
Indulging in a few more seconds, he sighed and carefully left the bed to go knock on Killer's door.
*
Okay, guys. It's happening.
Next chapter of Captive will be the last.
It probably won't be posted before 2019 though.
A brief epilogue will follow soon after the last chapter, most likely within a few hours after I post that one.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!