Just popping in to let you know that since this one of my older works, you may see some things that ended up being part of some of my other works (I am a creature of habit ;P).
The icy air clawed down her throat as Onyx sucked in a desperate breath.
She was running.
She was running and she couldn't remember why.
The snow underfoot muffled her frantic scrambling as she sped through a grey and formless landscape.
Where was she?
What was she running from?
Why did her heart feel like it was being gouged out with a thousand knives?
Onyx rested a hand on her heaving chest only to pull it away when she encountered something sticky. A scared whimper left her lips upon seeing her palm smeared with red.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she stumbled to a halt. Her extremities began to go numb as a shadowy figure emerged from the hazy background.
Suddenly she remembered.
She remembered everything.
Her heart stuttered and the pain in her chest grew ten-fold.
"You-?!" it was her own voice that broke the heavy silence.
The figure lifted a hand and beckoned to her.
Come here. Come with me.
Onyx tried to run to him, but her legs were suddenly buried thigh deep in the snow drifts.
"W-wait!" she let out a panicked shout as the man turned away, his cloak shrouding his silhouette in a feathery darkness.
Her struggles only sunk her deeper into the snow. It was now up around her waist.
Her chest.
Now her shoulders were engulfed in the heavy drifts.
She tried to lift her arm, tried to reach him, but the man walked steadily away until he disappeared into the grey shadows at the edge of her vision.
As she let out a final scream, a pair of pink glasses appeared out of the whiteness and hovered over her vanishing head.
"Onyx! Onyx! Wake up!"
Her body stiffened as someone grabbed at her shoulders.
A scream ripped from her throat and she shot upwards.
"Whoa there!" a familiar voice grunted as she wrestled against the arms trying to restrain her, "Calm down, Darlin'! Yer havin' a nightmare."
A nightmare.
Onyx blinked her surroundings into focus and recognized the pink curtain and the small cabin beyond.
The hands on her were removed and the mattress shifted.
Onyx felt her muscles relax as the scent of wood oil and sawdust washed over her. She let out a low whimper as pain seared across her chest, but it was slightly dulled by a smile that tugged at her lips.
It had been a while since she'd seen him... she couldn't help but be thankful for the dream.
"That was a rough one," Paulie's gruff voice anchored her to the present.
"Y-yeah," Onyx took a deep breath and ran a hand over her aching chest, feeling her heartbeat steadying, "Sorry about that. Did I interrupt your work?"
The blond scoffed and sent her a quick frown.
"You didn't interrupt anything, Darlin'," he chewed on the butt of a lit cigar, "Ah, sorry. I rushed in here without thinking."
He removed the cigar and stubbed it out on the floor.
It must have been bad if he's calling me that. Onyx stretched her arms up over her head and let out a groan. A slight sting pricked her knee. Damn, why do the little ones hurt more whenever it's Paulie?
"Well, now that I'm up-," she shifted her legs and Paulie stood to give her room, "What would you like for breakfast?"
"You know I hate makin' requests," the blond grumbled and shoved his hands deep into his pants pockets.
Onyx swung her legs out of the bed and squished the blue shag carpet under her toes. She let the familiar sensation soothe her. The pain in her chest subsided to a tolerable level.
"How does... pancakes sound?" she hummed, gathering her hair into messy bun.
"Delicious," Paulie mumbled, still giving her an anxious stare.
Onyx let out a sigh and stood, making sure her baggy black pyjama pants and long sleeves were covering her body fully before brushing the curtain aside and striding for the kitchen.
"Don't worry about me, Paulie," she said as she pulled out a bowl and some flour, "I'm used to it. But... waking up with someone else there was... it made it a lot better. Thank you."
She didn't turn around, focusing instead on beating some eggs and then mixing the ingredients together.
"You know..." Paulie hesitantly cleared his throat, "If you stayed... I could always be there."
Onyx's hand froze, bowl hovering over the warming frying pan. She could feel her heart beating against her ribcage as temptation reared its beautiful head.
If I stayed...
Then the figure from her dream drifted through her mind.
Rule #1.
She let out a quiet sigh and shook her head.
"Sorry, Rope Man," she mumbled, "Nature of the job, you know. I have to keep up my contacts..." she poured the first drops of batter into the pan and listened to it sizzle.
A low sigh from behind her told her that Paulie was now at the table.
"Was worth a shot," he muttered under his breath.
Onyx gave the pancakes a sad glance before she flipped them.
"Don't worry, Paulie... When I do eventually settle down..." her voice was soft but she knew he could hear her, "This area is near the top of my list. There's an abandoned little island a few leagues west of here that looks promising."
She sensed the man approaching her and carefully put the pancakes onto a plate before turning to find him standing right behind her.
"Here you go," she said, but then paused when she saw his frown, "What?"
Paulie's hands slowly came up and clenched lightly on her shoulders. He met her gaze and Onyx felt her heart thump at the cautious warmth in his honey-brown eyes.
Had his grip always been so comforting? Why was there a flicker of anger in his expression?
"You better mean those words, Darlin'," Paulie rumbled.
Onyx blinked and a flush moved slowly over her cheeks.
She lowered her eyes.
"You know I could never lie to you," she mumbled.
His brow relaxed and he gave her a soft smile.
"I just didn't want to hope for nothing," he muttered before taking the plate and returning to the table.
Onyx gave his back a gentle stare before turning and preparing her own meal.
As Paulie was finishing his second helping, footsteps could be heard coming up the dock outside.
"Good morning!" a bright and boyish voice called, "I brought the wood you wanted."
Onyx stiffened and leapt up from her seat.
"Why is he here?" she growled, rounding on the foreman currently swallowing his last pancake.
Paulie flinched and held up his hands in a pleading gesture.
"I-I just needed some stuff from the yard," he stammered, "Kaku had some free time and offered to bring it down."
"You know I don't like strangers touching my baby!" Onyx gritted her teeth in an attempt at composure and cast a hateful glare at the door.
"Hello?" Kaku called from outside.
Paulie ran a nervous hand through his hair as his teeth worked hard against his unlit cigar.
"He ain't a stranger, Darlin'," he muttered, "You know his work is as good as mine."
Onyx let out a sigh and shook her head.
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, "Just get out there and make sure he doesn't ruin anything. And for heaven's sake light that thing up! You'll end up eating it if you don't stop that." She jabbed her finger at his cigar.
The blond nodded and quickly left the cabin.
Onyx sat back down and listened to the muffled voices of the men discussing their plans for her boat. When the sounds of hammers and saws began filtering in through the walls she relaxed somewhat and forced herself over to the sink.
After cleaning up the kitchen, she quickly changed from her pyjamas into her usual dark turtle neck and cargo pants. Then she grabbed a bag from under her bed and sat down in front of a small mirror on her bedside table.
After dabbing on some moisturizer, she pulled out a tube of lipstick and retouched the black adorning her lips, then refreshed her mascara and eyeliner. Finally, she took out a hairbrush and smoothed out her locks until they flowed down her back in a black waterfall. It looked like her roots were still in good shape... but she should get some more supplies soon, just in case.
"There we go," she muttered, giving herself a once over before grabbing her hat and jacket and putting them on.
Ready.
She lifted the curtain on the small window set in the door and peeked out. When she was satisfied that a certain long-nosed man was nowhere to be seen, she opened the door and stepped onto the deck.
Onyx took a deep breath of fresh sea air and rolled her shoulders.
Time to lay down the law.
After fixing the iciest look she could onto her face, she marched around the corner and found the two men inspecting the remaining rotted planks at the bow. Both looked up as she approached and Paulie's face paled when he saw her expression.
"Oh shit! Kaku, sorry, I forgot-!"
Onyx lunged her hand out and felt it connect with Kaku's cheek with a satisfying SLAP!
"Ow!" the man staggered slightly from the force of the blow, "What was that for?!"
He sent her what could almost be called a glare and gently massaged the already red patch of skin.
Onyx leaned forward until her own nose barely brushed his.
"Rules." She stated, prodding his chest, "You don't come aboard without my permission. You don't do anything unless Paulie or I have agreed to it. You absolutely do not enter the cabin."
She splayed her three fingers in his face and bore her glare into the young man.
Kaku stepped back and gave her a playful smile, his angry aura dissipating as quickly as it had come.
"I profoundly apologize, Miss Onyx," he gave her a deep bow, "May I have your permission to remain aboard your beloved vessel to aid in its repairs?"
Onyx's cold stare softened a tad and she nodded when he righted himself. He was being genuine.
"Fine, just don't break any more rules," she said.
Kaku gave her a small salute before turning to help Paulie.
Onyx watched him like a hawk for the first two hours, frowning whenever he and Paulie joked and handing them the tools they needed.
For the third hour she listened intently to Kaku's stories of working in the shipyards and held up the boards they needed to nail.
By the fourth she had relaxed enough to leave them unsupervised as she went to prepare their lunch.
"Here you are, boys," she motioned for them to sit down as she adjusted the platter in her hands.
They eagerly put down their tools and joined her on the deck.
"Miss Onyx, I had some ideas for the new rigging system," Kaku said, holding up a paper with a few sketches on it.
She gave it a quick glance and shrugged.
"Paulie knows what I like. See what he thinks," she muttered, thrusting the plate of sandwiches to the both of them.
A flicker of surprise passed over Kaku's face as he stuffed the paper back into his pocket and took his lunch.
"I've been meaning to ask," he said quietly, glancing from her to Paulie, "How did you two get to be so close?"
Onyx cocked an eyebrow and Paulie scowled at his fellow foreman from under a slight blush.
"Ain't none of your damn business," the blond growled.
Kaku gave a nervous chuckle before starting on his sandwich.
Onyx tilted her head to the side and ran her eyes over the young man's face. She still didn't trust him one bit. There was a shadow lurking behind those bright eyes that reeked of blood and lies.
But...
Now why was there a 'but'? Onyx frowned. There shouldn't be a 'but'. There's never been one before...
She could always rely on her gut and her devil fruit when it came to judging people. Unfortunately, right now her gut was hesitating for some reason.
And as for her devil fruit...
Tapping her fingers thoughtfully along the rail, Onyx abruptly stood up and entered the cabin, only to appear again seconds later with a fishing rod and a bucket. She cast over the rail and settled down to wait for a bite.
The day, which had started bright and sunny, had become overcast with the slightest hint of rain to come.
"I hope the bad weather holds off until you guys are done," Onyx said as she craned her head back.
Kaku followed her gaze and shook his head.
"This'll blow over quickly," he said confidently, "The most we'll get is a slight drizzle. Don't worry, Miss Onyx."
She tilted her head and watched as he finished his sandwich and stood, stretching his arms above his head. His orange vest rode up a little to reveal a sliver of a surprisingly defined six-pack.
"If you say so," she hummed and turned her attention back to her fishing rod.
Paulie picked up the empty platter and walked behind her, patting her shoulder on his way to the kitchen.
"Keep it up Kaku," he chuckled, "She's warming up to you."
Onyx stiffened and sent a glare at the jean jacket as it disappeared around the corner of the cabin. When Paulie came back out, she made sure to jab out the end of her rod, sticking it sharply into his thigh.
"Ouch!" he growled, "Damn it, woman!"
Onyx gave him a malicious smirk as he limped to the stern where Kaku was watching with an amused smile.
"So you do get rough with him," he mused, earning another frigid glare.
"I told you, I give what I get," Onyx snapped, turning her attention back to her rod as it bent under the bite of a fish.
She quickly pulled in a bright purple mackerel, a species specific to Water 7, and dumped it into her bucket.
"Then I hope I can give you some of what Paulie has," Kaku's voice became soft.
Onyx didn't respond, but his words turned over in her mind as she pulled in two more fish. She gave a satisfied nod to the bucket. Dinner would be fried mackerel with some potatoes and... hopefully she still has some carrots in the back of her cupboard.
A grunt from behind her caused her to jump slightly and she turned to see Kaku wrestling with the rigging. She found herself staring at the man's back, watching as he yanked the rope free of the rusty pulleys and coiled it on the deck. Paulie was working out of sight around the edge of the cabin, but the tap of his hammer and the occasional swear could still be heard.
Onyx bit lightly down on her lip as she made her decision.
"Hey, Kaku," she drew his attention and he straightened to look at her.
"Yes?" his tone was soft and his delivery hesitant.
Onyx lifted an eyebrow and chose her next words carefully.
"You seem pretty at ease in this city. How long have you lived in Water 7?"
Kaku smiled and nodded his head.
"Five years, I believe," he jovially replied.
"If you don't mind me asking," Onyx tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear, "Why did you come to here?"
A shadow flickered through Kaku's eyes.
"For work."
A little sensitive aren't we? She cocked an eyebrow.
"Work? So have you always wanted to be a shipwright?" an innocent enough question.
The long-nosed man shrugged his shoulders, shifting his weight from foot to foot. But she could tell her inquiries had him interested.
"No actually," he admitted, "I hadn't even considered it before I came here. But it seems that I've found my calling. At least that's what Mr. Iceberg seems to think."
At this Onyx's eyes narrowed and her fingers clenched around her fishing rod.
Don't you dare pretend to be on his side!
She managed to stifle her glare but decided it would be best to make a direct attack.
"Speaking of Iceberg; would you ever hurt anyone in this city?"
Kaku's eyes widened but he managed to hide his suspicion. He didn't answer, instead opting to cock his eyebrow at her.
Onyx fixed him under a firm stare. Kaku's lips pressed together before he shrugged.
"At the moment I see no reason that I would."
Onyx continued her stare for a few moments before letting out a sigh.
"I see," she frowned.
She had expected such an answer. However, she was surprised at his honesty. His ability to dance around the truth had improved remarkably, but there was no underlying threat to his words, unlike Lucci's.
After listening to Kaku all morning she could see that he was genuinely happy to be living a 'normal' life, even if it was for dishonest reasons.
"Miss Onyx? Is there something on my face?"
A light blush dusted Kaku's cheeks as he scratched his chin nervously.
She blinked and quickly turned away, grabbing her bucket and moving towards the cabin.
"No," she muttered.
She was about to reach the door when the tap of approaching footsteps drew her attention. She looked back to see a man walking down the pier, making a bee-line for her boat. His light purple hair swayed around his face and a pair of goggles covered his eyes. Her gaze ran up his bare chest to the dark shoulder pads emblazoned with pink stars.
The Franky Family?
"Hey! Big Sis Onyx!" the man lifted a hand and waved.
"Hello, Schollzo," she called, setting down the bucket and moving to the rail, "What brings you all the way out here?"
The man reached the dock beside her ship and gave her a happy smile.
"We just heard you were in town," he said, "You should come over and have a party!"
Onyx shook her head.
"I appreciate the offer but I'll be leaving just as soon as Paulie and Kaku finish repairing my boat," she stuck a thumb over her shoulder.
Schollzo's eyes widened slightly and scanned the area behind her before he leaned down and motioned for her to come closer.
"Big Bro sent me over," he lowered his voice, "He's looking for some really top class materials and hears there'll be an auction soon, but he can't find out where and when. He thought maybe you'd know."
Onyx tilted her head to the side.
"An auction? I might have heard something," she said slowly, "What did he send you with?"
Schollzo nodded and reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a bulky envelope and a small bag.
"Fifty thousand beri's and a few things we found on our latest dismantle. It was an old merchant ship and had lots of ladies rooms. Big Bro thought you'd like 'em."
Onyx took the envelope and cracked it open, swiftly counting up the bills. She nodded. That should be enough to cover about half of what she owed Paulie. Then she reached out for the bag and peered curiously inside.
Her eyes widened.
The plain brown sack held three tubes of pink lipstick, some smoky grey eyeshadow, and a beautiful black comb. The lipsticks were a common brand, but the eyeshadow and comb were worth a pretty penny.
"This'll do nicely," she said, "Give Franky my thanks for his generosity."
Schollzo smiled and nodded his head.
Onyx put the payment into one pocket of her trench coat and pulled her black notebook out of another. She snapped it open and leafed through her notes, taking a moment to find the information she was looking for.
"Here it is," she muttered and tapped the page with her finger, "Underworld auction... what's today's date?... so in a week and three days' time... in Pucci. Ask for Donovan at the sea train station."
She snapped her book closed and nodded up to Schollzo.
"You can pass that on, right?" she asked, smirking when she saw him scribbling on his palm.
"Pucci... Donovan..." he nodded and then gave her a smile, "Thanks, Big Sis! We can always count on ya!"
Onyx rolled her eyes and waved him away.
"Yeah, yeah, don't forget on your way back," she said.
"See ya!" Schollzo chuckled as he left.
Onyx watched him go for a few moments before turning to the cabin door. She saw a stream of cigar smoke coming from around the corner and let out a sigh.
"Come on out, Paulie," she said, "I know you were listening."
The man barely hesitated before he stepped out and sent her a grumpy frown.
"Why do you gotta affiliate with those guys?" he muttered.
Onyx lifted an eyebrow and crossed her arms as the old sore spot between the two of them was irritated once again.
"I've done business with them in the past," she said, "Franky might be a thorn in your side but he has a good heart, and he pays me well for my information."
Paulie continued to scowl at her and she put a gentle hand on his arm.
"Don't worry so much," she said, "If Iceberg can tolerate the Franky Family—,"
She cut herself off before complimenting the blue haired mayor's ability to judge someone's character. He was just as blind to the true intentions of Rob Lucci and Kaku, not to mention Kalifa, as he was when they first came to the city.
Paulie seemed oblivious to her sudden change in demeanor as he shrugged off her hand.
"Whatever," he grumbled, walking away, "I gotta help Kaku with the rigging. Oh, and we'll need to get you some new sails."
Onyx looked up to the starry sky and then down to the plates and candles littering the deck. The Flying Dodger was not a large boat by any means, and having three full grown adults and a meal spread over him made that fact painfully obvious.
"You were right about the weather, Kaku," Onyx said as she sat down beside Paulie and began to dish out the fish, "It's an absolutely beautiful night."
"Hmmm, yes that is exactly how I would describe you," the young foreman replied nonchalantly as he took his plate.
Onyx froze, arm still extended to him, as she processed his words.
"Um... thanks," she mumbled and sat back when she realized both men were staring at her.
Kaku managed to hide his victorious smile behind the collar of his vest. If he'd said that yesterday she would have punched him clear across the shipyard.
"Hey now, don't go gettin' all flustered by a little flattery," Paulie grumbled as he reached for his own plate, "I thought you were immune to this guy's shoddy pick-up lines."
Onyx felt a blush move down her neck as she glared at the blond.
"I am!" she snapped, "That was an honest compliment."
"Oh?" Paulie frowned and sent a glare across at Kaku.
"Hehe." Onyx looked over to see the younger man chuckling behind his hand. "Ah, sorry. It's just strange to see you so at ease."
A thoughtful look passed over Onyx's face.
Which one of us is he talking about? she wondered as her eyes moved back to Paulie.
It was true; she did feel totally at ease with this man. A warning flickered through the back of her mind but she chose to ignore it.
"Well, I think we clicked the moment we met, eh you old windbag?" she nudged Paulie's arm with her elbow, "You're the only shipwright in this whole city that I trust with my baby."
"Tch!" the blond's cheeks flushed and he turned his face away from her, "It's damn annoying. I've got other things to do, ya know."
"And yet you still help me out whenever I come by. I'm extremely grateful," Onyx said.
Maybe it was the good food and the company.
Maybe the encounter during her last mission had rattled her more than she liked to admit.
Either way, Onyx felt her tongue loosening.
She watched the back of Paulie's head for a moment before turning to Kaku. The long-nosed foreman blinked in surprise as she picked at her food before starting to speak.
"When I first set out to sea... well let's just say I wasn't as well versed in sailing as I am now. I put ol' Dodger through way more than he deserved. By the time I finally hauled my ass over here to get him fixed I could see the water through the kitchen floor," she stroked the deck beside her apologetically, "But every shipwright I asked told me he was unsalvageable and I should just buy a new boat."
She reached over and pat the blond's shoulder.
"Paulie was the only one who offered to try and do the job."
"Only because I found you crying yer eyes out behind some bar," the foreman grumbled, "How could I say no after that?"
Onyx shot him a soft glare, not noticing the surprised and intensely interested glance Kaku sent her way.
"I was going to leave out the embarrassing parts," she muttered, "Like how the first thing you said to me was 'Hey Lady, move it! That's my favourite pissin' spot!'" she did her best male voice impression and smirked triumphantly as Paulie's cheeks burned.
"Hey!" the blond exclaimed, "I was pretty damn drunk that night! And I apologized as soon as I saw you cryin'."
"You did give me a sincere apology," Onyx nodded, "That's why I decided to ask you for help. Honest people are hard to come by."
Paulie grumbled something unintelligible and turned his attention to the fish on his plate.
"Anyway," Onyx continued, looking over at Kaku, "That was years before you came to Water 7. And since then I've always come back here to get Paulie to fix up the Ol' Dodger."
"Hehe," Kaku let out a low chortle, "Paulie approached you first? I find that hard to believe."
"Hey!" the older man snapped, "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Kaku easily dodged the fist swung half-heartedly at his shoulder.
"You can hardly look at a woman, let alone speak with one, without shouting about her being indecent," he dropped the laugh but his tone was still playful, "Everyone's been very curious about why you don't act that way around Miss Onyx whenever she visits."
"Wha-! You damn-! Onyx is different than the usual dames!" Paulie turned his head to blow a cloud of smoke away over his shoulder, "She ain't a harlot that goes around parading her body like some sort of peep show! She's as dependable as they come and won't take shit from no one! And what woman do you know who can understand, hell even just appreciate, the work we do? Don't get me wrong, I ain't lookin' down on the girls in this town. But they got nothing on this one right here."
He dropped his hand as if to point at the woman he was speaking of.
Onyx's eyes were wide and she quickly gave up on hiding the blush warming her cheeks.
"Wow.... Th-thanks, Paulie," she mumbled.
Kaku let out a low whistle and she flicked her gaze across to him. The light from the candles littering the deck glinted in his eyes.
"Now how the hell am I supposed to follow that up?" he let out a sigh and merely offered Onyx a soft smile.
The woman blinked a few times before allowing her lips to curl upwards, earning a shocked look from the long-nose.
The rest of the meal was eaten in comfortable silence and the small group spent a few moments stargazing as they let their food digest.
"Well this was a nice little visit," Onyx stretched her arms over her head.
She stood and ruffled Paulie's hair, pushing his goggles over his eyes in the process.
"Now I'll be getting ready to sail so you guys should pack up your things."
The blond lightly brushed her hand away before frowning and pushing the goggles back up.
"You're leaving right now? Why not stay the night and set off at first light?" his eyes had a sad tinge to them and Onyx had to look away.
"I've already lingered here too long," she said, gathering the dishes and moving towards the cabin door, "And my current client isn't the patient sort. I don't want to lose any more time."
Within the hour everything was ready for her departure. Onyx joined the two men on the pier and handed Paulie the envelope Schollzo had given her and then counted out the rest from her own stash.
"That should cover everything," she said as she pressed the large wad of cash into his hands.
Paulie frowned.
"You didn't take out the meals..." he muttered, dividing the pile in two and pushing one half back at her.
Onyx blinked and began to protest but Paulie placed a rough finger over her lips. Her words caught in her throat and she flushed.
"You still owe the Galley-La Company thirty thousand beris, Darlin'," he said in a gruff voice, "You better get back here to pay off yer debt. We don't tolerate thieves."
Onyx looked down at the sixty thousand beris in her hands. Then she lifted her face and gave Paulie a warm smile.
"I wouldn't dream of it," she said, staring somewhere at his nose, "Onyx always settles her debts. You can count on seeing me again."
Then she turned abruptly to Kaku and pushed herself up into his face, tilting her head slightly to get around his nose.
"And Kaku," she hummed dangerously, enjoying the shade of red on his cheeks, "Keep an eye on Lucci. If anything happens...," she flicked her eyes almost imperceptibly towards Paulie, "I can be quite mean."
Without waiting for his response, she whirled around and tugged the lines free, hopping onto the Flying Dodger and pushing away from the pier.
Onyx waited until she had put some breathing room between her and the glittering city before turning around. She waved to the barely distinguishable silhouettes of Paulie and Kaku as they stood on the dock.
The blond lifted his hand in a mock salute, his orange goggles flashing in the lights cast by the tiered streets of Water 7.
Onyx ignored the ache in her heart.
She had to admit she didn't hate Kaku as much as she had... But she already had one person who made her dangerously close to breaking her number one rule. She didn't need another.
Don't get attached.
Onyx shook her head, her bangs falling forward to hide her eyes.
Fuck.
"Alright, baby," she sighed as she hoisted the sail and scanned the stars for guidance, "Let's go get our hard earned money."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kaku watched his blond friend salute Onyx and felt something akin to jealousy move through his chest.
It was a good thing he and Lucci hadn't invited Paulie into their little game; it was obvious who would have won in that scenario.
The undercover agent let out a short sigh before trailing his eyes over the dark sea that had just swallowed the small boat and the infuriatingly interesting woman who sailed it.
...
But Paulie wasn't playing. And Kaku had just earned a fair few points.
Another flicker of emotion.
Guilt?
Kaku frowned. He had trained far too long and far too hard to allow himself to fall prey to such trivial feelings.
An image of Onyx's face, her usual angry mask slipping away as she offered him a warm smile, flashed before his eyes and his frown deepened along with the sense that he was doing something horrible.
"Damn... just one day this time..." Paulie cleared his throat and turned, starting the long trek back up to the city.
Kaku quickly followed in silence, mulling over these strange thoughts.
Was Lucci also plagued by these... emotions? The black haired foreman was clearly just as invested in their game as Kaku was, his actions the other day proved that.
Another flicker of jealousy stirred Kaku's chest. Why hadn't he thought of dropping a mast on her? Then he would have been able to feel her warm body pressed against him and he would have been the cause of her adorable, flustered blush.
Kaku shook his head in an attempt to silence these distracting thoughts.
Maybe it was because she'd asked him those questions... she'd been trying to get him to open up. Something she had never done before.
But in the end it was she who had opened up to him.
Finally.
It had been 3 long years since he and Lucci had made their bet and this was the first time she had let down her guard around him.
It had caught him by surprise.
Yes, that was why his heartrate had increased and his cheeks had flushed.
He was simply surprised.
Her last words to him echoed around in his mind. Just how much of their plan did she know? And why had she bothered asking him those questions when he knew she already knew what his answers would be?
"Oi, Kaku."
Paulie suddenly drew up short.
"Yes?" the long-nosed man stopped a few steps behind his technical superior.
Paulie's shoulders tensed. He didn't turn around.
"I... I wanted to thank you for helping out today," he cleared his throat with a huff.
Kaku cocked an eyebrow at the denim jacket illuminated under the light of a streetlamp.
"You don't have to do that," he smiled, "It's what we shipwrights do every day-"
"That's not it."
Paulie's shoulders rose a little around his ears. He still didn't turn around.
There was an awkward pause as Kaku tried to figure out what those words meant.
"Pardon?" he asked when he gave up.
"Tch!" Paulie finally whirled around and pointed an angry finger in Kaku's face, "Damn it! Just accept my thanks! It took me five goddamn years to get Onyx to open up to me, and you managed to do it in one afternoon! I mean I only saw her a few times a year, but still! This is the first time she's smiled and laughed so openly with me..."
His anger simmered and then cooled as he went on.
"That woman is something special, but she keeps everyone at arms-length. This is the first time I've seen her so relaxed around... for lack of a better word, 'strangers'. Something might've changed with her, but I'm sure you had something to do with how happy she was tonight. So thank you..."
The two men stood in tense silence for a few moments before Kaku blinked and smiled
"Well it's great to hear that Miss Onyx feels comfortable around me," he said, "I look forward to her next visit."
Paulie's cheeks flushed momentarily before he turned back around and continued on up the road.
"Yeah, you and me both," his mutter was so low that Kaku almost missed it.
Almost.
Kaku watched his blond friend's back as they walked through the quiet streets and stifled another flash of jealousy before it fully formed. It seemed the rumours that circulated the shipyard every time Onyx visited had some truth to them; at least on Paulie's side of things.
--!
Kaku stiffened and jerked his head upwards, stumbling a bit on the cobblestones.
Paulie stopped and looked back over his shoulder.
"You alright?" the blond asked.
Kaku blinked and nodded.
"Just thought I saw something," he smiled.
Paulie shrugged and they walked on in silence.
Damn cat, Kaku pulled his head down into the high collar of his vest to hide his frown, He always has to get the last word in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Onyx whirled around to stare at the bright, starry sky.
The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end and her gut was telling her there was something extremely dangerous out there.
"Leaving without saying goodbye?" a deep, primal growl whispered in her ear, "I'm hurt, dear Black Heart."
The woman jumped and her hand flew to her chest.
"Damn it, Lucci!" she snapped, "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
The tall man loomed out of the shadows, stepping across the deck with a deadly elegance. His top hat was pulled down over his eyes, leaving his wry grin glowing in the faint light cast by the lantern hung from the mast.
Onyx had never seen Lucci with anything other than a bored expression. Her body tensed as she sensed a threat.
"No Hattori?" she asked as Lucci stopped before her, his shoulders noticeably absent of his feathered friend.
"He was otherwise occupied."
Damn, that voice... why is he actually speaking to me all of a sudden?
Onyx let her eyes wander over the man's handsome face, curiosity overriding caution for the moment.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked, crossing her arms and relaxing her stance, "I must admit, sneaking up on a woman in the dead of night gives a pretty indecent impression."
Lucci carefully reached down to take her right hand. Onyx watched as he lifted her knuckles to his mouth and placed a soft kiss on her skin.
"As I said," his smirk grew as her cheeks warmed, "It hurt that you didn't say goodbye. So I came to do it myself."
Onyx gently took back her hand and stepped away.
"Well isn't that thoughtful of you," she refused to drop his gaze, "But I'll be coming back eventually. This isn't goodbye."
A low growl rumbled through the back of Lucci's throat.
"I'm afraid it will be," he stepped forward and swooped an arm around her waist, pulling her against his body.
The surety in his statement made Onyx's gut clench.
So Spandam's finally making his move? I guess five years was all I could really hope to stall him...
Lucci's fingers grasped her hip and Onyx blinked as she felt surprising warmth under his dark jacket. She met those intimidating grey eyes and became confused when she saw they were filled with curiosity. His arm tensed behind her and she became acutely aware of just how strong this man was. There was no doubt he could snap her spine without breaking a sweat.
It seemed Lucci was thinking along these same lines.
"How is it that such a ... fragile woman...?"
Onyx cocked an eyebrow as Lucci trailed off but he quickly recovered.
"How are you able to uncover things that not even the Cipher Pols can find out?"
He lifted a finger and traced it lightly along her jaw.
"And, more importantly, how have they not managed to kill you?" he tilted his head slightly as he pondered his own questions.
Onyx tried to step back but Lucci's arm kept her pinned tightly against him.
"You have knowledge that rulers would hand over their entire kingdoms for. You have dealt with all sides of justice and darkness. How has that not led to your destruction?"
He's getting too curious.
Onyx lifted her left hand and gently pushed Lucci's fingers off her skin. He watched her movements, intrigue showing clearly on his face. Onyx was amazed at this display of emotion, but now was not the time to wonder about it. Now it was time to diffuse the situation before she got into trouble.
"You're overestimating me, Lucci," Onyx lied softly, meeting his eyes with a smile as a tingling warmth passed through her fingertips.
Lucci stared at her for a few long seconds. Then an expression of calm wiped away the curiosity.
"Perhaps you are right," he said, dropping his hand, "What could a delicate little thing like you do that an agent like me can't?"
Onyx's smile twitched into a frown and she tried once again to escape his grasp.
"Bragging doesn't suit you, Lucci," she snapped, "We both know you could kill me in an instant. All I ask is that you please don't do that. I have places to be. Shouldn't you be getting back?"
A hungry light flickered through those grey eyes and a predatory smile curled his lips. A chill ran down Onyx's spine.
"Is that all you ask?" he purred as he leaned closer, his arm still wrapped around her waist, "Then I will be on my way. But I'll take this as my collateral."
Onyx caught his intentions but was in no position to reject them.
Their lips met and she couldn't help but moan into the surprising softness that caressed her mouth. The citrusy scent washed over her and Lucci's hand came up to cradle the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. His hot tongue traced lines of fire over her lips.
Even as she refused to allow him further access, Onyx couldn't help but begin to return his attentions. It had been a long time since she'd been kissed. And Lucci was an exceptionally good kisser.
They parted, Onyx gasping slightly for air, and Lucci finally released her.
She took an unsteady step back while mustering the best glare she could under the circumstances.
"What the hell?!" she growled, lifting her hand as if to slap him and trying to ignore the heavy blush burning on her cheeks.
"You may take that back if we meet again, Kitten," Lucci's voice rumbled through his chest, completely unfazed by her aggression.
Kitten? Onyx cocked an eyebrow as he stepped easily up onto the rail.
"You sure have a lot of confidence lately," she muttered, "If you don't get off my boat right now I will throw you off."
Lucci let out a low chuckle.
A chuckle?!
Onyx's eyes widened at the strange sound.
"And you have been quite responsive this visit. You have somehow piqued my interest and I am not one to hesitate to take what I desire," he said without turning around, "Safe journey, Kitten."
He leapt off the rail and up into the sky, and then kept going. Onyx watched in hidden awe as the top agent of CP-9 vanished into the night.
"Bastard," she hissed under her breath before returning her attention to her nocturnal voyage, "Don't think I'll come collecting so easily."
Then she paused as a fruity scent lingered on her skin.
"...Kiwi..." she finally put her finger on the elusive citrus smell.
Ahahaha there's the kiwi with Lucci again. I still don't know if it's canon that he likes kiwis, I might be taking it from that part in the anime Davey Back Fight where there's this leopard guy who really likes kiwis -_- idk