Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Despite the slight pause in his escape, the air in freedom was still been different. Inhaling it, he seemed to do it much easier than in Udon, where it came out hard and tight. It was really difficult to breathe in the prison, as if it was too crowded for oxygen to circulate normally.

Kid was enjoying the gentle breeze, that was running through his hair. It somehow calmed him down. Made him take his mind off running through the same record. Music would be good right know.

They had already moved far away from their place of detention, the wasteland was still pleasing in its appearance. Kid was also thinking about it: how confusing the space around here can be. Whether it was from the fumes, or from the landscape, or from temporary insanity, but for some reason some places here stretched to eternity, and the others shrank to a one hour journey. He still remembers how he'd already started crossing some snow-covered forest when he saw Killer in one of the convoys. Or... Hitokiri Kamazo.

If he came up with this boring name, then this is still his Killer. Even if he was trailing behind him now, completely unrecognizable, and laughing softly from time to time.

For the first time, Kid didn't want to talk to him, although the need for communication was terrible right now. He wanted to get every bit of information from him. What happened after he was knocked out? What happened to him, to their team, what was done to Killer and what was he doing? In the end, it didn't look like he was imprisoned, and neither was Kid. Hitokiri Kamazo? Failed the shogun's mission? What does it all mean?

If he asked him about something now, he would definitely explode. He already yelled at him trying to get him to his senses. And all he got in response was laughter and tears. Maybe Killer knew where he was. But his mind was jumping somewhere out of reach. Perhaps this is some kind of Fruit user that had done something to him. Maybe he was just brainwashed. Maybe something worse. Perhaps-...

Kid hit the rock with all his might to calm his thoughts. Those days of training that he spent back at Udon was worth it: it split almost in half, forcing Killer to jump away from the debris that fell to the ground.

The sound of falling stones continued for a moment, until with each small pebble it disappeared completely. As a result, only the warm air and Killers stunned laughter remained to sound. Kid looked at him, seeing the shock in his eyes alongside with a wide-open smile.

"So!" He began, returning the smile, "Situation is simple: We're fuck knows where. Fuck knows what's wron with ye. My crew is also the fuck knows where. Conclusion: we're a fucked! Any ideas?"

Killer stood as he stood, saying nothing. There was no hope for him. He seemed to have come to his senses, but he still looked out of his mind. Maybe it's because of his outfit that this impression is created?

Frowning at the bridge of his nose from powerlessness, Kid asked bitterly:

"Are you even here?.." And Killer just smiled in silence.

"What time is it?" Kid asked, not hoping for an answer.

Killer seemed to be following him, but continued to stay away. By this time, they got dry, thanks to the incredible heat that was all over this area. They walked for quite a long time, - damn Wano with its strange landscape. Their path was marked by their small footprints disappearing in the sand. The heat began to burn through Kid's skin and dry his mouth.

He wonders what Killer felt? He seemed to start laughing more, or it was just tired sighs that were fused with laughter. That was strange. There seemed to be an inhale, - the beginning of a laugh, and then an exhale, - its end. Or a wheeze. Or snuffling. Kid couldn't understand anymore. Killer laughed loudly, and judging by his voice, he did it too often to break his voice. Even this was not completely clear, because Killer always had a broken voice. And not knowing something he wanted to know about - the most annoying thing for Kid.

"D' ya know at least somethin? Can ya talk? Or did they take it from ya too?"

It seems the sun has started to set. Kid was desperate, wanting to talk to his best friend, but unable to do so. He didn't want to be angry or sarcastic with him either. After all, this is his dear Killer. But now he was in turmoil. In the end, it's his fault that this happened to him. And you can't technically beat yourself up, so Kid have to be angry at everything he can, even if Killer will become a target.

"Where're we goin, Kill?" Once again, when he hear no answer, Kid turnes to him with rage, "Talk ta me, goddammit!"

Killer looked like he was sick. Apparently the sun was heating him too much. Although it warmed them up after the ice cold water, but, damn! - the heat was nauseating! And Killer could only laugh softly, or rather whine, because he was completely weakened.

“What? Don' tell me you have a sunstroke. Where can I find shade or water for you? Suck it up. You're a Massacre Soldier, dammit! Remember? Oi?" Kid impatiently grabbed him by the collar and shook him.

Killer's body dangled freely in his hands until the torso weakly leaned back, not falling only thanks to Kid's hand. His head was pointed upward, directly at the sun, where his glassy eyes stared with a sleepy smile.

"Oi, are ya with me? Kill. Killer!" He wasn't, "Fuck!.."

Kid quickly threw him over his shoulder, his body suspiciously thin and limp, and ran in an unclear direction.

He is not good at orienteering. If he had his other hand, where he embedded the Logpos, then maybe yes. But now he was nothing but a crippled prison escapee with a piece of laughing shit on his shoulder.

The extra load on his back only added coins to the pile of problems he was having right now. It was necessary to do something with the crew, find Victoria, cure Killer!...

The sun was hot even during sunset. Kid was burned in all exposed places. His hand was reddened and covered with peeling skin. Later he will definitely have a huge red imprint on his body in the form of a cutout of his jacket.

As soon as they were able to stop at some cliff, he leaned against a stone, completely dehydrated. Sweat soaked his body completely, dripping from his neck and sticking to his skin. He had to take off his fur coat and pull back the ends of his clothes to let at least some (suffocatingly hot) air inside. He was thirsty. For the same reason, their punishment began to be remembered. There was so much water, but they couldn't drink it.

While thinking about the heat, Kid looked at Killer lying on his side. These bags of clothes and bandages. He must be boiling hot in them.

From here it seemed that he slept peacefully, but upon further investigation, his permanent smile could be seen. He smiles even in his sleep. Looking at him, Kid felt powerless. He felt like he'd made a mistake. Although it's really difficult to make him feel guilt, but now he's angry and blames himself for it all. How could he have screwed up like this? Maybe if he hadn't been sitting on his ass at Udon fooling around with Straw Hat, then maybe...

"Damn," Kid hissed quietly.

Now's not the time to feel defeated. A temporary pause in the plan to destroy Yonko? Yes. A complete defeat from him? Yeah, as if! Eustass Kid was coming out of the battle against the Emperor in the worser state.

Now they had two main problems: the missing crew and Killer's strange condition.

Kid is one hundred percent sure that if his partner is here, then so are his bastards. The idea of their demise at the hands of the Beast Pirates was as ridiculous as the alliance with Hawkins and Apoo. Those traitors. Another important thing is to kill these two fuckers when they see them next time. They'll pay the price for bending under the Kaidou so quickly.

Kid had been in the tank for too long, cut off from the world and its news. He doesn't know what happened here in these three weeks, and he doesn't know where he is right know. It almost seems that they'll walk endlessly through the desert until they die of heat or exhaustion. The only one who can know about anything is Killer. Who's not himself right now. And Kid don't know what's wrong with him for sure. Perhaps this is the effect of some kind of fruit. Temporary insanity, perhaps. Kid didn't like to speculate much. He loved facts. And the only fact is that his partner was now lying next to him and laughing softly in his sleep.

Killer inhaled heavily, but signed with a laugh. Even in his sleep, he can't control his laughter. And he will have it permanently know? It must be terrible to smile all the time.

But that wasn't what he needed to worry about right now. The sky began to turn purple. The desolate suffocating heat began to change to a gnawing frost.

As soon as it got on the sweaty skin, Kid breathed out a steam cloud with a shudder. Succumbing to the first thoughts in his head, he looked at sleeping Killer.

Although his smile seemed to be permanently stuck on his face, he looked like he was freezing. He was trembling slightly from the intensity of the temperature under his baggy clothes, which had not yet dried out from the torture of cold water.

It reminded Kid of something. An old distant memory. Vague, but nostalgic.

It was the same cold night, but instead of Killer, Kid was the one who's lying and shivering. His partner asked him more than once "Is it cold?", but he always answered to him with a barely moving lips "Nah, s' warm!". Despite the fact that he was proud and stubborn, afraid to undermine his status as a man, Kid's pride couldn't warm him. But Killer with one of his conspiratorial smiles said, "But I am! Move, hothead!" and brazenly broke into his personal space. And he wasn't cold at all. Hot as a fire. But Kid couldn't go against his friend, already twice his size. As a result, he snored with him in his arms, because without him, Killer couldn't do anything - he would frooze to death.

It was just like that! Killer was always freezing, so he huddled to him for warmth, and Kid couldn't help, but give him this warmth, because unlike him, he was always hot. Yep. Always.

"Damn, Kill, ye can't do anythin without me help. How were you livin 'ere without me, hm?" Kid was asking gently as he took off Killer's kimono.

If he's lucky, he'll be able to dry it before dawn. He just need to find some firewood.

The comment about Killer's helplessness proof to be true. The bandages all over his body were soaked with more than just moisture. Poorly tied, as if hastily replaced, the bandages on his chest were completely red.

"Who did this to my partner?" Kid muttered glumly, tying the bandages properly.

As soon as it got wrapped tightly around the wound again, drops of blood spurted out from under them. Killer let out a whine-like laugh, and Kid tensed, but his partner didn't wake up, continuing sleeping.

"Fuck, sorry, Kill," He apologized anyway.

And when did he get into the habit of talking to himself? Not that Killer could answer him at all.

The absence of a kimono only added to his body's trembling. The temperature began to drop so much that Killer's eyelashes began to cover with frost. If this goes on, then any brushwood here risks being unusable. It's better to act faster if he doesn't want them to freeze to death.

He untied Killer's bandages on his face, while examining him for something that was bothering him. Kid didn't pay much attention to this at Udon, but now he could notice dark circles under his partner eyes, already on the way to becoming bags. There was a barely noticeable bruise on his cheekbone, healing, but causing worry. Along with his goatie, he managed to grow a noticeable stubble. He looked like a hobo in some way. What happened to him? There are too many questions and no answers. In order not to burden himself with thought processes about Hitokiri Kamazo, Kid took off a tight bandage from his golden hair, which caused a whole hairy explosion. It was funny.

For now, Kid threw his coat on Killer as a replacement, and spent the rest of the sunset looking for suitable firewood for a campfire. Remembering their old days in the garbage hole, Kid somehow fired it, cursing all this time. Yeah, Killer could've handle it much better. Kid was more of a builder in their survivors duo. Sheds, shelters, fortified bonfires - everything that required an engineering approach, but not knowledge of how to light a fire, which berries are poisonous and which trails are belongs to animals.

But what if Killer doesn't recover at all? Kid squinted at him.

Killer was already blushing from cold, but he at least he stopped shaking. Under this fur coat, he looked too petite, despite his usual appearance.

Never in his life Killer was small. Strong and reliable. There were no limits to his loyalty, which was reflected in his acts. Back when when Kid lost his arm, Killer swore to him that he will become stronger to never let it happen again. They both needed to become stronger back then. A strong captain needs a strong first mate.

They seemed to share each other's grief. When Victoria died, - they cried together, when Kid lost his arm, - Killer almost burned his own, when Kid was fighting to the end with Kaidou, - Killer stood shoulder to alongside with him, when Kid lost this battle, - Killer...

If fate do exists, it is especially cruel to them. Sharing both joy and sorrow. Truly, they were two halves of the same soul.

"For seas sake, Kill" Kid exhaled, unable to control his emotions.

If it was all his fault... If it was because if his weakness, then shame on him. He was supposed to be their captain, be a shield for them and their example. In the end, he lost so shamefully, unable to even lay a finger Kaidou. What a shame. How humiliating it is when your crew begs for your mercy. Otherwise Killer wouldn't have let himself to get caught without a fight, if it hadn't been for Kid's life.

"You're stron'. Stronger than anyone I've ever seen. So be okay. Please..." Kid begged him, looking at his sleeping unresponsive body.

If it's a matter of fatigue, then he's ready to wait as long as it takes. He will wait and try to do everything to bring Killer to his senses. They will spend the night in peace. And tomorrow they'll start looking for clues. As well as medicine for Killer, if there's a cure for this. They need to rest now. Get enough sleep to be ready.

Not immediately, but Kid fell asleep and slept until half the night, until the most frightening thing related to Killer happened...

Chapter Text

"Are you - the killer?" The boy asked, picking his nose unbothered.

His hair was like a frozen explosion, sticking out in all directions and held back only by the old dirty googles that were too huge for his childish head. All of his clothes were too big and unsuitable in general, judging by their condition. However, the redhead wore it with pride, if not with hidden avarice.

The other boy was bigger and older than him, but he looked almost the same. Golden, voluminous and dirty curls covered his apprehensive gaze, and a blue T-shirt hung on his thin body. Although torn and dirty, his clothes looked more expensive than everyone else in this hole.

The blond boy, nicknamed "The Killer," knew why he was being asked that. Knowing about his reputation in this God-forsaken place, he clutched the rusty piece of iron, which he dared to call a blade, in his bloody hand.

"If you'll continue to smile like that, you'll know" He threatened with his broken voice, however, the redhead only began to smile harder.

Apparently, the kid was itching to fight, and the killer didn't have time to give him that.

The redhead threw his booger somewhere and wiped his hand on his clothes. After that, he pointed towards the settlement, whose silhouettes were hidden by the smoke from garbage recycling. The blond followed the finger and tensed when he saw whose house the boy was pointing at.

"See that house? My girlfriend leaves over there! The girlfriend witch ya harass"

The killer would have hesitated if he hadn't been on a dangerous island. A couple of weeks ago, by chance, he woke up in that house after a serious fight. His wounds were healed, and the girl who saved him threw a bundle of bread and a flask of water in him as he was quickly ranning away from her. It hit right on the head. He doesn't know her name or who she is, and honestly didn't want to know. If you trust someone with your life in this place, you can definitely die.

Although she was the same child, she was definitely older than this red-haired with freckled cheeks. And that's why the killer grinned.

"Aren't ye too youn' to have a boner on a big women?"

And the redhead got provoked right away, confirming his explosive hairstyle.

"Son of a-!"

The killer did not have time to recover, as he was knocked to the ground with incredible force, not inherent in a small boy. They brawl on the muddy ground for twenty minutes, striking each other hard. The whole square was flooded with their cries, as if two cats had clashed in the fight. Perhaps if someone had seen them now, they would think that they couldn't share the food.

In the end, they ended up in a draw, falling to the grass tired. The killer never thought that he wouldn't be able to handle just a little punk.

"What's yer name?" The redhead asked, laying beside him.

The blond hesitated, not knowing what to say to him. He forgot his name for a long time now.

"People call me the killer"

"Hah, and they call me - Eustass's kid" Red head said in solidarity, "But I can't call ya DA killer. And you can't call me Eustass's kid"

"I can call ya just Kid. Kid"

Kid looked at the sky in thought. As a result, a satisfied smile stretched across his bloody lips.

"Eustass 'captain' Kid. Already sounds like a name!"

"And what're ya commanding, captain?" The blond asked ironically.

"A couple of rogues, for know. But thats okay! I'm plannin' to set sail into the sea and became a captain of my own pirate crew!"

"That'll end a disaster"

Kid got angry, but calmed down quickly, smiling with his crooked teeth again.

"Not, if 'm gonna have a reliable partner! So what'd ya say, Killer? Will ya be my right hand? You're the only one who managed to come out alive from the fight with me! Let's be partners!"

The blond was taken aback for various reasons. First of all, "Killer?". Second of all, a couple of minutes ago they were trying to bite each other's throats because of a girl. This scam sounds suspicious.

"Go ta hell. And I won't respond to Killer. I'm good alone" The killer turned his back to him, looking at the casual view of this place - a piles of junk.

There was a rustle behind him. It was Kid standing up.

"Well fock! At least join my gang! It'll be fun!"

"I already have mine" The blond answered, referring to the guys, that were hiding behind his back because of his reputation.

Kid made annoyed "tsck" sound.

"You're all the same! Ready to spend all of ya entire short life sitting in the pile of trash, breathing in the scum and fighting for the piece of bread"

"Aren't ya the same?" The blond turned to him with interest.

Kid looked dreamily at the orange sky, covered with clouds and smoke.

"I wanna get outta here. Become a pirate and explore the seas. Did ya hear what they're sayin' about me? I was left be 'ere by pirates. And that means that it's in my blood, - to be a pirate!"

The blond looked into his golden eyes to find a lie in them, but didn't find a single hint of it.

"What exactly do you wanna find in your sea anyways?"

Kid lit up at the question, looking more like the kid he was.

"Have ya ever heard about One Piece?"

Kid not fully understood what was going on when he woke up. Somewhere in his dream, he heard a familiar loud laugh, but didn't understand whether he was dreaming or not. When he woke up, he realized that, unfortunately, this was happening in reality.

In the light of the dying fire, the shadow of Killer writhed on the wall. His laughter was so loud and hysterical that dirt was falling off the cliff.

"Shit!" Kid hissed, getting up and running to him.

Taking Killer by the shoulder, he hesitated. The look of his partner was so unrecognizable that doubts began to creep into his head. What should he do?

All that comes to mind is thoughts about engineering. If the mechanism behaves strangely, then first you need to find the source of the problem to begin fixing it. But Killer was not a machine. Sure, he's a killing machine, but he's alive! His body is warm, sweaty and trembling, as befits living beings. His hair consists of the same thing as the hair of all living beings, and now it is scattered all over his face. In the dim orange light, orange and blue mix in his eyes, getting some shade of green, and they glow like headlights under a shock of hair, thanks to wide-open eyelids. These two green balls were aimed at Kid, and they even recognized his reflection, but they were empty, looking into the void. His mouth took up almost the entire area of his face, revealing sharp incisors of teeth as crooked as his captain's teeth. The purple lipstick had already started to wash off, no matter how waterproof it was, and the corners of his mouth began to tear from the strain. And all that came out of him was a hoarse laugh, a continuous stream, like water or vomit, coming out of his throat and gurgling somewhere inside, one might even say, bubbling.

"O-oi!" Kid tried to call him, pushing him with his hand.

Killer's gaze focused on him, but he still laughed, looking damn scary and overwhelming for Kid. He was laughing like a maniac. He laughed when it was inappropriate to laugh. He was laughing, but he must've felt something else. Something suffocating. Painful.

This is wrong. People should only laugh out loud when they're having fun. Killer should laugh only when Kid fell over or blew up the floor of the garbage pit with his childish engineering discoveries! Not now. It's not like that at all. Who dares to make his partner laugh when he doesn't want to? His partner hates his laughter and laughs rarely, which is why his joy is so valuable! This is not funny at all!!

Thanks to the boiling rage, Kid collected himself.

"Hey, come to yer senses, Killer!" He begun to push him again and again, still perplexed.

He's probably in pain or feel himself bad, and can't even say it. He was choking on his laughter!

"Come on! Fight it, Killer! You can do it! Come on!"

Killer didn't stop, but with each laugh his voice sank more and more, as if he lacked oxygen. And with each new laugh, he inhaled with a wheeze. Because of the shock of hair on his face, it wasn't seen for some time how the ends of his eyebrows rose up, and how prayerfully he looked at his captain.

"Aaaargh!" Kid looked around in search for something, that could help, even if there wasn't any idea of what could've help in this situation.

When the panic began to boil stronger, throwing at the last thoughts out of his head, Killer's hand clung to Kid's arm. Their gazes crossed, and the laughter seemed to subside a little. Killer stared at him intently, catching his breath with a hoarse laugh. Something began to seep through the sounds... And Kid began to recognize the words in these sounds...

"...cap-...tain..."

Kid froze for a while, looking at Killer. His hand relaxed to just rest on his friend's collarbone. Now there was no time to think that this was strange, because Killer was naked under his fur coat, something important was happening now. Now, between them.

"Kill? Are ya with me?..." Kid asked just to make sure.

It seemed that he'd finally done it. His partner came to his senses. But Killer laughed once again, which made Kid frown in disappointment.

"Can you imagine?" Killer asked between the laugh, "The future Kin' of the Pirates first mate?? Fa-fa-fa~ Laughin' like a clown!? Fah-! How hard they will laugh at you when they'll know!? Fa-fa~ Such a shame for me! For you! I'm so disgustin'!! Just kill me!"

"Shat up!" Kid loomed over him, so that Killer's gaze won't run across the hideout.

He wants to tell him a lot. That's not why he chose him as his first mate. That's not why they're partners. He's never been disgusted or annoyed by Killer's laughter! It was the opposite! When he laughed, it seemed that for the first time Kid was able to bring people to positive emotions! He never had a friend before Killer. Only those who were afraid of him or sought their benefits from him. They didn't dream the same thing as Kid! No one took his dreams seriously! No one except-...

"So this One Piece..." Killer asked in middle of their fourth battle.

And Kid grinned, but didn't show his claws yet. After all, his future first mate equal with him in strength are fighting him!

"Yep! Interested? And you were runnin' away from me like from the plague! If ya wanna be my partner, then why are you runnin'!?" He asked during his air kick.

But Killer dodged that attack.

"Don't get me wron'. I ain't dealing with babies! S' just that you're always talking about this treasure, so m' curious... What so special about anyway?" He asked gribbing his metal blade at the start, but then decided to hit with just a fist.

The words about the baby gave Kid extra strength to counterattack.

"Ah you-!" After the attack they flew away from each other for quite a distance.

The piece of metal fell out and disappeared somewhere in the trash, where Killer looked desperatly, until he took a boxing stance. And Kid triumphantly did the same.

"Every treasure of Gold Roger are stored there! And I ain't talkin' about just belli! I'm talkin' about the gems, jewellery, chests and boxes of pure gold! They say there's even a golden statues, decorated with the most expensive beads in da world! There's so many, that you can buy the whole world with it! Just imagine! All that, and it yours! The one who owns the One Piece, owns the whole world!" He punched Killer's block a couple of times, seeing the interested smile behind the hands, "Still wanna sit there n' fight with the future Kin' of the Pirates, partner?"

The other boy laughed, too quiet to distinguish its features.

"I'll think about it"

Kid instinctively put his hand over Killer's mouth when he heard the voice in the distance.

"Hey! The sound came from here!"

And even with the hand on his face, Killer continued to laugh.

"Shut up... Killer, be quiet!" Kid whispered, looking around.

Dim light began to come out of the stone, and he had to instinctively grab Killer to hide behind the opposite edge. There was little time and it was impossible to think about his actions. It's better to just hope they leave.

While the unknown men were looking around their camp, Kid was fighting with Killer, wrapping his legs around his torso and clamping his mouth. Sounds were still passing through his palm, and there was a feeling that someone would hear them at any moment. Kid, of course, was always up for a good fight, but now even he could realize that he was not in shape for this.

"Killer, shut up!.. Shut up, idiot, quiet!" He wispered into his ear, only tightening his grip on the mouth.

There seemed to be no end to the stream of laughter. And Killer couldn't seem to stop it on his own.

The idea of some kind of broken valve did not leave Kid. His partner, a dear childhood friend with whom he shared his dreams and who supported his endeavors, wasn't himself now. All these wounds, healed and fresh, all this thinness and bruises. It was wrong. If he makes excuses, he will not become the King of the Pirates. If he says that his thoughts were occupied by his partner, so he could not properly hide the evidence of his stay, he will become a laughing stock for himself. It's a fucking life! Death doesn't care how you died or who's to blame for it. You just died, that's all.

Except Kid hasn't died yet. And he's very angry. So the Beast pirate, who looked around the corner, will be the one who'll explain to good ol' Death about how and why a sword got stuck in his ass. Well, Kid didn't find the sword, but he still broke his jaw with one punch.

Killer fell to the ground, hiding behind captain's huge fur coat, while Kid, with an angry cry, pulled to himself all the metal that he found on the others. With purple lightning and a rumble, there came only few things - swords and belt plaques, there even was someone's piercing. But there was something he could do about it, - a single small flying hand, clenched into a fist, from the little garbage that he could collect.

Oh, he was furious, and they were just unlucky enough to stir up the bear's den during hibernation.

The swords dug into the ground near him, so that the enemies would not even dare to think to go after Killer. The Beast pirates looked scared and demobilized, but they were also determined to fight, which Kid was ready to give them, standing in a boxing stance.

People crowded in front of him, probably trying to bring him down with the majority, but all the Kid saw and heard were memories of Killer.

"And how do you plan to acquire One Piece, if you're can get hit so easily?" Killer asked thoughtfuly, looking at Kid on the ground of the alley.

His body ached and it was hard to breathe through his nose because of the blood and the huge dent on the bridge of it, but Kid smiled anyway, letting his lips burst and stain the pink skin with bright red.

"They got hit much worser than me!" He said pridefuly, hinting on three guys who's teeth he punched out.

Killer sat down next to him, because of the bangs it was unclear how the boy felt about this. He just got beaten up almost to a pulp, and probably would've been sold on to that expensive ship that came unnoticed along with boats full of new garbage. And Kid, as some kind of wild a dog, attacked them and even bit them, hence his bloody mouth.

"Why are you followin' me? Ya better stayed away from this, know all the town will be against you" Killer hid his head in his knees, sounding gloomy and hoarse from the punches.

Kid looked at him like he was crazy. What kind of news is that? Is he really that stupid?

"You didn't came to your usuall spot, where we're always fighting. So I decided to search for you. Are you dumb or something?" At that moment Kid thought, that everything was clear as day, and perhaps this is what confused  Killer.

"M' not askin' you about that! Leave me alone! You're chasin' me all over the place, and when m' tryin' to beat yer ass, - you laugh! There's definitely somethin' fuckin' wron' with you!"

When people tells that there's something wrong with him Kid always gets angry. He walks, thinks and talks. What else do they need!? He's fine, it's them that are wrong! They inhaled this trashy gases and now they consider everyone to be some kind of faulty machines!

Kid sat down and started aggressively pulling Killer's hair, ignoring his cries of pain.

"It's you're the one who's wron'! Ya don't understand simple thing! When m' tellin' that I want to set sail, then I mean it! When m' tellin' that I wanta be Kin' of the Pirates, then I mean it too! And of course, when m' tellin' that yer my partner and you'll set sail with me, then that's means that!"

Soon the quiet laughter began to sound from Killer, instead of painful screams. This made Kid take aback and stop - that was the first time he saw his partner's blue eyes looking at him through tousled bangs. The remaining tears fell from his lower yellow eyelashes. Kid even stopped for a while, peering at something new in his future partner.

"That's why there somethin' wron' with you. People here don't have dreams, - they've been thrown away with the trash. And you're some kind of an alien. Run around, laughin' and talkin' about things. Alright. So be it. I'll set sail with you. Or else you'll definitely end up getting your arm chopped off"

Kid wanted to object in response to the insults, but then he rewound Killer's entire monologue in his head, and then opened his mouth in childish admiration.

"That means, you're agreeing to search One Piece with me!?"

"Yep, I'll help you search your One Piece" Killer adjusted his bangs and extended his fist, "I swear, that I'll put my life on the line to make you Kin' of the Pirates"

Life on the line sounds too stupid. Kid wants Killer to follow him to the very end, and it won't be interesting to take One Peace without him. Therefore, he extended his fist towards Killer's fist.

"I swear, that I'll become Kin' of the Pirates without sacrificin' yer life"

Killer smiled, and Kid returned the smile. Both boys bumped the sides of their fists, confirming their oath...

Kid got tired, but most of the opponents were lying on the ground. They managed to recognize him, so they definitely couldn't stay alive.

"Surrender, Captain Kid! You're nothing without the metal!" The one of the opponents screamed with a huge smile.

To run into an entire caravan heading to Udon was in the style of Kid's luck. Like the magnet that he was, he lured to himself the largest fights he could get, for which they were often not ready. South Blue or here he always had the most interesting encounters.

Kid didn't want to accept that his enemies was right, but they were right - he was sorely short of metal, and some of them were Gifted and had equal strength with Kid without his magnetism. He can beat them. But most likely he will leave the battle crippled. In addition, he was slowed down by frost and exhaustion - he was hungry and desperately thirsty after a huge hike through the hot wasteland. They just force him to use his Haki.

The moment his organic fist got covered with dense protection, Kid felt the familiar flash and stepped aside, pulling two swords out of the ground especially for him.

With a roaring laugh, Killer pounced on the remnants, killing the Beast pirates with their own swords. Blood spilled everywhere, falling into the embers and onto Kid's shoes. Silhouettes of his partner's victims danced through the moonless darkness of the desert, laughing like a madman, scaring the horses harnessed to the cart.

The screams and sword swings stopped a little later, leaving behind only Killer's heavy breathing. Covered only by Kid's fur coat, he looked crazy and deadly, and Kid wasn't asking anything more from him. Perhaps they had the advantage of the general shock of their enemies when a half-naked maniac flew at them. Maybe Killer was laughing at that, or at least that's what Kid wanted to think.

It was already impossible to sleep in their temporary camp, because it was filled with corpses parts, so a thought came to Kid's mind, since the fire from the runaway cart stopped in the distance. Kid's luck was ruined - any unlucky meetings certainly had its advantages. He seems to know what they're going to do for the rest of the night.

"What do ya think about cowboys, Kill?"

Chapter Text

Just a quick run to the last two horses (which aren't escaped after Killers wild appearance) was enough to bring them back by the reins. An old and tall cart rumbled along behind, accentuating the strength of these interesting animals. They were brown, but had their own unique features and were most likely a breed bred only within the Wano country. But now it wasn't worth thinking about horses, although vague memories of their journey along the first part of the Grand Line still came to mind.

"I remember, you loved cowboys!" Kid stated with a smile, when he returned to Killer.

He was sitting by the coals, comfortably wrapped in a fur coat. Before Kid his attention was focused on his kimono, which had managed to dry out and now laid on stones covered with a thick layer of frost. And so he looked at him with a frown and a smile, as if he wanted to kill him for it.

"Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. Anyway, we can take this cart to-Wait, yer understand me, Killer?" Kid had to stop in the middle of his thought process to understand that.

Killer didn't answer him. He just got up and walked past him, exploring the cart. Kid just remained in awkward silence. It will torment them for a long time, adding only tension and coldness to their journey.

On account of what turned out to be in the cart: Four Wano people beaten half to death. Neither of them wanted to know how or why did those guys end up like that, so they exchanged glances and laid them out in a row next to the rock.

Killer was already calm, but then laughed again when Kid began to remove the kimono from the biggest of the guys. With this sound, he allegedly said, "What the fuck are ya doin'?"

"Relax. You'll know" Kid smiled and starting to take his clothes off.

Then Killer jumped up, looking more stunned than he already was a minute ago. Just looking at how calmly and casually Kid was stripping naked in the middle of the desert, adding to everything else the fact that he himself was in nothing but bandages and a fur coat, clearly scared him. And it made him laugh uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Kid was putting on something that didn't belong to him, although at any other time he would've got disgusted. Despite the fact that the kimono was slightly smaller than his size (even if it was taken from the largest of the unfortunate lads), it was much more comfortable than sweaty and wet clothes, still dirty from his own blood. He will do something about it in the future.

The kimono was red, he gave it its due, and had a butterfly print on the ends. Kid signed, but didn't say anything, starting to tie his sash.

He remembered, Killer had it tied up like... This? Make a loop, make a knot from the other end, thread it into the loop... No, it fell apart. Shit. It turns out to be some kind of flimsy crap.

While he was unsuccessfully fighting with the sash, Killer approached him and tore the ends out of his hand. Kid let him tie it, which didn't come out as pretentiously as he had it. After that, he took off his fur coat and put it in the cleanest place before putting on his own kimono, tying it in the way that his captain tried to repeat.

"Oi, what's that mean?" Kid paid attention on this sash difference, for what Killer waved his hand with a laugh.

As a result, both of them wore clothes with chests for show, even though Killer had a kimono his size. The bloody bandage on his chest annoyed Kid, so he closed it by the collar. They don't need an unwanted attention.

"So yer... You at the moment?" He asked, still holding him by the collar.

Killer said nothing. He was completely distracted by captain's hand on his clothes. Out off his smiling lips the steam was coming and his cheeks were bright red.

"I suggest, we'll not gonna wait for the sunrise and move forward know. This shit hole will fuckin' freeze as to death..." Kid backed away shyly.

In the darkness, only Killer's blond hair stood out, which got tangled and lost its luster. Kid misses how pretty they shimmered in the sun. Right now, he just had to look away.

"What happened after we got seperated? Where's our crew, Killer?" He asked directly, not expecting to hear an audible answer.

Killer seemed to remember something, so he shook with suppressed laughter. Whatever it was, it definitely provoked his current state. And Kid didn't want to admit it, but now he was afraid to talk to him about this subject. What happened last night was enough for him. That camed absolutely out of the blue. And what the hell was that? Did Killer saw something in his dream? What exactly? All the questions only centered on one single and very important one: What had been done to him?

While Kid was reflecting on this, Killer moved towards the horses. In one smooth motion, he climbed onto one of them, taking the reins in his hands. The action was so fleeting for Kid that it seemed as if time itself had jumped a couple of seconds further.

Kid took this as a positive response. Yes, he knows something, and he can at least take them there. And if he knows where they all are, then they have a chance to find Heat and Wire, and Kid really hopes that they're not in the same condition as Killer. Heat and Wire are the third most important people on the ship. Until Kaidou caught them, they controlled the third and fourth ships of his small pre-Emperor legion. But these ships were completely destroyed and it's unknown whether the crew was alive. They probably know more about Killer's condition and the whereabouts of their ship. 

It was only when he put his foot in the stirrup that Kid realized that he'd never climbed on a horse in his life, much less ridden it. Will it even bear his weight???

"Fuck!.." Kid clumsily threw his leg over the horse back and tightly grabbed the reins, as if his life depended on it.

The saddle was so smooth, - one move and he would slide off it right under the hooves. More to that, the horse moved wildly, creating even more shaking for poor Kid.

Only Killer saved him from an alleged fall, supporting him by the elbow with his hand. When he was sitting more or less comfortable, he finally sighed.

"Phew... Okay. And where are we goin'?" The most important question is - how?

What were the riders doing to get the horse to walk? "Go!" and hit the reins. But Kid wasn't ready to experiment when he was so high from the ground.

All doubts were dispelled by Killer, who smoothly raised the reins, which was enough for the horse to go. Grabbing the reins of Kid's horse, he smoothly forced it to follow beside him. The sudden movement only made Kid's hand tighten on the reins.

Perhaps he was squeezing them so tightly that Killer needed to squeeze his hand to make him relax. And Kid gave in. Despite everything that had happened, Killer's palms were still warm.

An hour's ride on horseback, and they reached the distant cliffs, with smoking chimneys. The further they went, the harder it was to breathe. All the smog had accumulated below and created one dark spot on the ground.

Just imagine one huge allocated area, completely devoid of any vegetation, even ordinary desert plants, and animals too.

In such an environment, even horses began to be stubborn, and soon began to turn back completely.

"Hey! Go, ye stupid horse!" No matter how much Kid hit it's belly, the only thing that changed was the opinion of hypothetical people around him.

No matter what he was doing, right now he was just a knacker. Killer laughed in response, and then suddenly stopped the cart with one short whistle.

When he got off the horse, Kid followed him, falling awkwardly on his ass. He hopes that hypothetical people still remain purely hypothetical. The only witness let out two short "Fa-Fa" and then unhooked horses from the cart. The animal quickly ran away, leaving Kid in indignation.

"What are ya doin'!? We need them! How do we get to-... Wherever we were headin' at!? Fuck is it anyway??"

Killer didn't answer again, he just continued walking on his foot. And Kid followed him irritably.

All this stress and frustration finally began to come out in the form of, apparently, a monologue.

"I don't understand, what do ya want! Did I do somethin' wron'? S' that the reason? Why can't ya just talk with me about it? You can, right? Can, but don't want to! I ain't askin' ya to talk about... That thin'. Just talk to me about somethin'. The weather. Th-The... The horses, u-... Us?" Kid stopped when he got how pathetic he must've sound.

He's the captain. He was leading them long before Kid's Pirates. Before their gangs got mixed up. Before they became allies with Killer's gang. He had never humiliated himself in front of him. He never showed his weakness in front of anyone. He didn't let anyone push him around or laugh at him. They have a specific code that pirates must commit to. And the clearer the pirate code of the crew is, the more prestigious it is. Now he was shaming himself in front of his first mate like he was a whiny girl. What is more important to him in the end? The voice of his friend, or the whole team on his shoulders?

"I ain't mad at you for this. And absolutely don't give a damn that yer like this, Kill" Kid started walking, while Killer slowed down, "As much as I know, ya still killin' people and judgin' me with yer gaze. What was this talk all about? Ya must've forgot about our oath. Killer, I'll acquire One Piece only with you. Those treasure will be just the pile of shiny metal without ya"

At that moment, they were walking next to each other, almost touching shoulders. During the monologue, they began to climb the mountain, from which smoke was coming out. It became difficult, but they didn't notice it, completely absorbed in this moment. The sun had already begun to rise from the horizon, turning the sky red. The only thing that spoiled it was the dark clouds formed due to the dense smoke. It vaguely reminded about something nauseating.

Kid kept looking at this horizon, indulging in nostalgia. Although he never loved his native island, but now he remembered their time together with Killer and Victoria with warmth in his soul. He wish he could bring back the days when there were just three of them - the trio of the captain, first mate and their navigator.

He flinched when Killer connected his ring finger and pinky with Kid's. The smile on his face relaxed, the wrinkles smoothed out. He totally wanted it now, which made Kid confused. He was never understanding such situations, so he walked foolishly, looking at everything he sees.

Their intimate contact was interrupted only when they reached the slope where the strange village was located. The houses are plain, built on a dump, somewhere they were just tents. Kids were running here and there on the ground covered with a thick layer of dust. All the people dressed in old rags stayed closer to their "houses" and silently stared at them. The faces expressed either discontent or sadness, it was unclear. Perhaps they didn't express anything at all, almost like Killer, forced to always walk with frowning faces.

Kid was taken aback for a while by the sight, but then returned to normal, becoming more and more disappointed with the politics of this country. Not that he was super interested in it, but the impression of his surroundings still remained.

Killer casually moved on down a single street, Kid hurried after him. And immediately this whole corner in the middle of nowhere came to life. Conversations began to break out, as if their arrival had only put people in a short pause. Just a small amount of them was about household matters. Most of them were addressed to intruders.

It's clear that outsiders are not tolerated here. They discussed everything, without laughter, but also without contempt. More like they would discuss an exhibit in a museum. And Kid felt uncomfortable with so much attention. Everything was so uncomfortable that he glared at everyone he heard clearly, and sometimes even growled at them for their words.

Meanwhile, people just continued whispering.

"Look at their hairs! They must've escaped prison! So scary. And their kimono! It's so strange looking. Did they came from the capital? Wait, aren't this Chouzuke clan's symbol? Are they yakuza? Look at the long hair! I swear i've seen him before somewhere. And here's the answer! Look at the sash! Does Chouzuke came to sell sex workers?"

He probably shouldn't have listened to their conversations at all, although Kid would've blamed himself if he had missed it. He had never received such a strong insult before. In front of his eyes. To call his first mate a sex worker... Just why would they think of it?

"I see you have a problem, eh!?" In any case Kid was already walking at the person who dared to say that with a clear intention to beat him up.

But he was stopped by Killer at the same moment. People fell silent again after hearing his non-stop laughter. It's obvious that it insulted him too. But for some reason he stopped him anyway, even though he would've beaten him himself any other time. What was wrong with him? What was Kid doing wrong?

"Hey, his laugh! He's from Ebisu clearly! They all laugh like that in there! In Ebisu. I've heard people in there often resort to sell themselves, to gain money for food. Poor guy! If someone has money, help him if they ask!" The whispering didn't stop along with humiliation.

"Are ya all crazy in here!?" Kid exclaimed in rage, and the flash of his Haki maid everyone tremble.

Someone even lost their consciousness, although this is not the most terrible outburst that Kid is capable of in rage. One more word, and he will definitely tear this city to pieces.

In defense of everything here, a weak-looking girl ran out to meet them. She fell into Kid's lap with such fervor that he was taken aback, immediately forgetting about his rage.

"Please, do not rage, Chouzuke-dono! I beg of you, do not get mad! People in here got troubles with their tongues, but they aren't bad! Please, have mercy, we did not wanted to insult you in any way!"

Kid was even more confused. This woman begged at his feet for mercy for everyone here, calling him by some strange name, while people hid completely, only occasionally peeking out of their windows without glass.

"Ah..." Kid wanted to object, but Killer nudged him with his elbow, hinting to continue this show, "Get up. I forgive ya-you. But next time you should watch what you talkin' about... My subordinates"

The girl obeyed. She looked more like his type. Plump lips, a dark short hair, a mole under her eye, that is so dark brown that it turns black. She was dressed as poorly as everyone else here. A muddy gray kimono with a pair of barely noticeable cherry blossoms at the ends. It reminded him of Victoria in some way.

"Please, I can see, you are tired after the long road from the Flower Capital. Allow us to welcome you as we can" She bowed her head and Kid saw her sad and tired face.

She was speaking in half a voice, too weak to speak louder.

Kid just nodded, still looking at the image of Victoria in her.

They were led along the entire street until they reached one of the houses familiar to every other house in here. And how do they tell which one is whose? There's was absolute no personality here!

There was only one room inside the house, where everything was arranged: an old table and only one stool with a lopsided leg, one mattress - as Kid later learned, a futon, and an old wicker basket where fruits and vegetables were stored, definitely not that fresh. There also was a peculiar smell of rot coming from them, eclipsed only by the stronger smell of incense. Another stool was intended for a makeshift altar, on which stood a half-burned, lopsided candle and an old small photograph.

Kid didn't feel himself uncomfortable here, he was used to such landscapes during his childhood, but he was rather dreary. It was as if he had lost something important, and now it couldn't be returned.

"I apologize for the mess. I will place another futon for you immediately" The girl put forward the stool and placed it above the dark whole in the ceiling right in front of Kid's eyes.

How can she be so brave to stand on such an unstable structure?

The girl calmly jumped up and hung in the air with her feet. In one motion, she pulled out another folded futon and fearlessly jumped back onto the stool. Although the small weight of this lady was tolerable for the old leg, but it definitely couldn't stand the jump, - it collapsed, and the girl fell down with an unexpected sigh. 

And Kid, as if by instinct, rushed forward to catch her, placing her on his lap. Killer also rushed forward, but was ahead of him. They seem to have similar associations with her.

"What are ya doin'? Is there no one to fix the stool!?" Kid got angry at such carelesness, even his accent slipped off, "Can you not just buy another one?"

The girl immediately got confused, not knowing how to react to this. As a result, she began to apologize tearfully.

"I am sorry! I am so sorry, Chouzuke-dono! The town is poor! I do not have such money to buy another one!" She pressed the futon to her chest, as if Kid was about to start beating her.

What a bunch of animals, - this Chouzuke clan!
Stool was forgotten and haven't got a single look at it since. They laid out the futon and prepared the first one. At the end, the girl bowed humbly and began to leave. Then Kid got a logical question.

"Where will you sleep? All the futons been taken" With them, perhaps?

The girl smiled humbly.

"Have a rest. Do not worry about me. All the house is yours, that is the smallest thing that I can do for you"

"Ah... Okay" Kid decided to shrug his shoulders.

They looked at each other briefly, after which the lady hesitated.

"I am deeply apologize for such a poor welcome. To calm your anger at least a little bit, I suggest you to visit our onsen. Gomi village is proud of our hot spring" She bowed and left them alone.

Then Killer seemed to exhale for the first time and now modestly looked at the floor. Kid didn't look up at him for a long time, not knowing what to make of their arrival at Gomi... It was hard to breathe here, people were unfriendly, he was confused with some kind of Chozuke, he didn't know anything about... And apparently Killer is a sex worker know! The more they sit here, the more it seems that people have their ears pressed against the walls of the house and are listening to them.

"Killer. Onsen. Now"

Despite the overall picture of Gomi, the onsen turned out to be pretty good. Hidden behind the roof of the cave, it emitted dense steam and was cleaner than any water in this place. In the distance, it seemed so blue that it glowed in this cave dome.

Kid checked the water first, and it was perfect. Hot, not to the point of pain, but to a pleasant feeling when the skin tingled slightly. After making sure that the water was good, Kid began to undress while Killer stood nearby, not intending to do anything.

"Need help?" He was asked, when Kid placed his clothes on the rock.

Killer laughed nervously, playing with the sash of his kimono. Well, Kid had no choice but to go over and start undressing him.

The sash turned out to be not that tight, apparently it's also difficult for Killer to tie a kimono. Although it was interesting why he tied them differently, because Kid's knot turned out to be not only the strongest, but also simpler than his own. Killer stood modestly and smiled, saying nothing and not even laughing.

His clothes were taken off again. Kid was already a pro at doing things with just one hand. Killer was left with only his bandages, which he didn't really want to take off. So Kid did it himself, stripping off all the remaining fabric. And it revealed what he had long suspected.

Despite his vast chest, Killer was clearly severely malnourished. His wounds were treated very sparsely, more to keep him alive than to cure him. His entire stomach was still teeming with bruises and abrasions from the battle with Kaidou: the spake marks from his bat stood out. Despite the fact that Killer retained muscle mass, the ribs began to sink in under it.

Kid silently led him into the water, where he shuddered at the temperature difference. Both now were sitting in the water just like frogs, afraid to talk to each other. Well... At least Kid was afraid.

The cave already had a good view from the mountain and from here it was the best. The sun already turned pink, painting the area into gold. Even the water has taken on this shade. Nice. The warmth was relaxing.

"Can we talk about this? The sash? The sex worker? Killer, have this shogun did somethin' like that to you? Just nod if ya don't wanna say it out loud, I just wanna know who to ad to the dead man list!"

Killer just started laughing, not really saying anything. His hair was terribly dirty, which is why Kid scooped up the water with his hand and poured it on him to somehow relieve him of the extra weight. He sat down on the rocks behind Killer, trying to occupy himself with his hair. He didn't even want to think about the sash. After all, if he'll start thinking, then he'll start assuming, and when he'll start assuming, the body will begin to tremble. The scariest thing will happen when he'll start to imagine. For some fucker... To touch Killer without his permission...

Dirt rustled under his fingers, which Kid pulled out in lumps. In response, there was nothing, but a non-stop laughter that sounded almost like crying. Kid didn't want to look. He didn't even want to think about it. He's just couldn't accept Killer's weakness.

"Just nod and I'll destroy this country for you. They'll be hanged for what they did to you" Kid muttered, massaging the blond head.

And the laughter only trembled more violently, interrupted, fluctuated between breathing and laughing.

"Don't..." He muttered between the laugh, and Kid started to listen to his every word, "Nothin' like that happened"

"Yes?"

"Yes" Killer answered clearly.

Kid's thoughts finally disappeared, and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Good" Mentally, he decided for himself that Killer would never tie a kimono like that again.

Chapter Text

Dirt was coming off Killer in small lumps. Still, Kid's palm was too rough to scratch it gently. There were more bruises and scratches on his back, some indistinct spots, as if from a belt or...

"Don't do that again" Kid ordered and the both of them understood what he was talking about.

"I won't" Killer responded in whisper.

He looked tired. The water probably  exhausted him more, because there was no movement coming from him. Kid was still nervous, scraping the dirt off the roots. They weren't even given any cleaning products, just some homemade soap and two torn towels. It can't clean anything so easily - it requires some efforts.
At least Kid could touch him. Touch him and understand that he's real. Real and alive. And no matter how much Kid wanted to say "I missed you" or "I was so afraid for you," it was prohibited to show a single emotion. Otherwise, something terrible will happen... Otherwise, he will fully lose him.
Killer remained silent, and Kid didn't want to force him anymore. Now he was afraid that he would only make it worse if he got the words out of him. For now he'll let him keep quiet if he needs to. He will hold back his anger even if he wants him to talk. Kid just doesn't understand it, so he's afraid to do anything. He hates that he doesn't know what to do, and usually does the first thing that comes into his head. Only now there's a prickling fear in his chest that his actions will hurt Killer more.
When he was done with his hair, he began to work on his body, which was covered with dirt and wounds. Kid was experienced and knew that if the wounds weren't well cleaned, they would fester and infection would occur. He doesn't think that Gomi has an antiseptic or a simple doctor.
By the end of the cleaning, Killer even managed to doze off, which actually wasn't something surprising. To begin with, the sunstroke hit him hard, then a nightmare, a panic attack, a fight, four hours on horseback without food and water, with half-open bleeding... He didn't deserve what Kid has put him through, but neither he nor his captain would complain about that, of course.
Kid hurried to wash off the sweat, dirt and dried blood that hadn't had time to come off at Udon. Along he kept touching his stump, thinking that he would be much stronger with his other hand. Of course, he could borrow the iron of this village, but it was risky to attract attention to himself so soon, when he hadn't yet found at least Heat with Wire. On the other hand, wouldn't they have been found faster if he'd caused a riot in Wano? He looked at Killer and imagined him saying that this was a very bad idea with his displeased look, not visible, but tangible under his mask. Oh, right...

"Sorry..." Kid apologized, but forgot to tell for what exactly.

Killer woke up immediately and gaved him a sleepy look.

"Eh?"

"I forgot about your mask... Maybe, we still can do something about it..." Kid considered his options.

As a child, at that special age when people's opinions about you matter and hormones jump like dogs, Killer wore a bandana so huge that it covered almost his entire face. Then he started talking about how men have cool beards and wanted to grow something like that, which Kid from the start laughed at (his stubble grew with difficulty). But his first experiment with appearance failed, because he had to take off his bandana to look at it, and he didn't like to look at himself. By his teenage years, he had become so paranoid about his face that he once just started breathing heavily, which, of course, scared the hell out of Kid. His best friend is in a panic attack, not knowing what's happening with him or what to do to stop... As a result, Kid dug out some old armor helmet and pulled it on Killer's head, after which the whole attack began to subside. And he sneezed because of the dust. Commenting that Killer looks funny in this helmet, Kid came up with the idea of the first prototypes of his mask, and there were many of them. With spikes, made of leather, iron, in the form of animal heads, fabric... It was a period of trial and error, after which Killer's best reviews finally formed into his signature helmet with a blue and white stripe. It was comfortable, and he could lift his head to look at his stubble. Although it became harder for Kid to see his emotions, Killer showed his happines with his body language.
His helmet was breaking or scratched a lot, and Kid repaired it every time to see Killer's genuine happiness. He never expressed strong emotions - hello from home, but then he was almost jumping with delight. Kid really liked giving him gifts. He wonder when he became so dependent on Killer's happiness when he builds something necessary and functional for him?

"Forget about it..." Killer signed with a laugh, but it was hard to believe that he wasn't troubled by it.

Kid continued to bathe in silence, during which Killer fell asleep again, leaning back on a rock.
It seemed that the dirt was flowing somewhere, leaving the water clean. Surely there was an incessant stream beneath them, carrying away the water from this reservoir and filling it with new and fresh. It was so clean that he remembered thirst. When was the last time Kid drank? He was so desiccated because of this desert! And again, there is water in front of him that cannot be drunk! Actually...

"Kid..." Killer said with disappointment when he woke up and saw Kid up to his upper lips in the water.

Kid gave no answer, squinting at him. The water was warm and good, but it hardly restored thirst due to the fact that it was warm. Well, at least a little, but he quenched his thirst. 
Leaning out of the water, he wiped the last layer of lipstick from his lips.

"People, needs to drink, Kill. Ya should drink too"

Killer turned away from him in refuse, which made Kid to have audacity to splash around to get what he wanted. As a result, both started fooling around in the water, laughing loudly. Both were so used to friendly brawls that they couldn't see the world without them. The splashing continued, and fights, and kicks, and soft punches... When they got tired, they stopped, a little more than one centimeter away from each other's faces.
One glance was enough for Killer to distantly push his face away with his palm, moving towards the towels. Kid was left completely perplexed, well, as always.

"What's wron'?" He asked, while Killer was drying himself on the rocky shore.

"Nothin'" His partner answered vaguely, not turning to him at all.

There's seemed to be nothing wrong, but...
Kid dried himself and put on his kimono. Killer's an idiot. He's always been one, and he remains the same. Isn't that a good thing? He don't think so. Now Kid was afraid to do anything, because any action he took could trigger this. After all, as he realized, his partners negative emotions are now displayed by laughter.
They returned to the house in silence and decided to take a nap to make up for the hours spent on the road. Anyway, Kid will not sleep completely standing at Killer's guard, and Killer will not sleep completely because of his laughter and nightmares. Kid's been through it, and Kid knows what it's like to flinch at night at the slightest sound.
Killer turned away from him, and it's not clear if he fell asleep. It was uncomfortable under the old blanket, he was practically lying on the floor. Oh, he wanted to rest in his own hammock in his workshop, on which he always dozed when it was necessary to compensate for sleepless nights of engineering and fighting. Killer would come in very quietly, but Kid always knows that he comes to him to throw a blanket over his body. The seas are often cold, and the heating has started to fail recently. It probably stopped working after the fight with Kaidou. Victoria will require full maintaince when they find her.
After half an hour of thinking about what would need to be improved on the ship, Kid finally dozed off, having vague dreams.
The most recent one was the most vivid and memorable because it was a nightmare. Everything changed there, and in place of the bastards from that gang was Kaidou, and in place of Victoria was Killer. He was lying there in his blood, already dying, and Kid, - little Kid, - was sitting over him, not knowing what to do. With his baby hands, he clutched at his wound, intending to clamp it, but his hands only sank deeper into the body, getting stuck in the insides, more resembling a minced meat. Killer wasn't even breathing anymore, looking at him with bleary eyes. A tear rolled down his cheek, as the only indicator of near-death horror, and then he stopped moving his eyes at all, looking at one point. Kid didn't know what to do. The little Kid didn't know what he should do in this situations. There were so many words stuck in his head that it was useless to say anymore, and the only thing he could do was howl.
And when Kid woke up, he thought he had actually howled. But no. It doesn't seem so. He was sweaty again, literally all soaked in water. His chest was still oppressed by heavy breathing, and moments from the nightmare were repeating in his thoughts.
Yes, it was definitely the scene of Victoria's death, at least as he remembers it. Whether his hands fell into her body or not, that's was up to his fantasy. He didn't really have time to tell her anything, although there was a lot inside. He took her death so hard that the desire to start a relationship was cut off forever, at least now he couldn't perceive other people's actions as sexual or, sea forbid, romantic. He is often called slow-witted for this, because he honestly doesn't understand when people flirt with him or fall in love with him. Actually, this is his basic state, - not understanding feelings. And the fact that he had no romantic or erotic feelings was the purest truth.
Sighing heavily, he looked at Killer, trying to figure out what this dream was all about. He had already turned to him and was sleeping with a slight smile. He was breathing softly and steadily, his wet hair had already begun to dry out and get tangled. Killer will have a fun time for the next two hours.
Kid didn't really want to wake him up or leave him alone, but there were a lot of things ahead. Killer's wound was crusted and didn't need bandages, although it can easily reopen. He should wait here for a while. In this Gomi full of people mistaking him for a sex worker. It's unclear what's on their minds, and what's on Killer's mind as well. Where did he take them, and most importantly, why?
Although Kid was worried, he was sure that his partner would be able to stand up for himself. Both with weapons and in hand-to-hand combat, he is by far the best of the people he know, so he can safely be left alone.
Kid got up, straightened his kimono and brushed his still-wet hair with glasses. Because of the moisture, they fell down, making some kind of fool out of him. Well, at least his enemies won't recognize him right away. Even though he will grumble all the time to Killer, because who else he can complain about it to?
He needs to find his crew. And probably the key to the solution was somewhere here or in the vicinity.
When he went outside, Kid was surprised to see that there wasn't a soul on the street. Even the children who were always under their feet had disappeared somewhere. It wasn't exactly like they were hiding from them at home again. Although it was sad that there were no windows, you could easily look inside the houses and even notice something valuable. But they didn't have anything of value either. According to that girl, the village was poor.
Kid coughed from the smog flying from above. And what was the point of washing if they got dirty anyway?
Suddenly, his wanderings along a small street were interrupted by the same girl.

"Chouzuke-dono!"

Very well. At least there's someone alive in this God forsaken place.

"Where's everyone?" Kid asked, when she ran up to him.

When she stopped, she looked confused, as if Kid should know that. Chouzuke probably knows. But not Kid. Kid doesn't know what needs to be known as a Chouzuke.

"They went working. Every day without the day offs we go up the mountain on a factory to work from sunrise to the deep night. Everyone who lives and breathes work and eats their only meal in there, as we should" The girl responded.

It all sounded terrible. Get up at the crack of dawn, no matter who you are, an old man or a child, and work for a some crumbs. It must be quite difficult for this girl there, since she's so- Wait a minute, something doesn't add up here.

"Why ain't ya working then?" Kid asked, feeling like he's being fooled.

The girl was embarrassed, but smiled politely.

"Usually I am being called by noon. Do not think about it. Allow me to escort you instead"

"Ehhh..." Kid shrugged indifferently.

And so they walked to the very end of the street, like some kind of couple. It's not that Kid feels embarrassed or excited. It was just wasting his time.

"You have a really odd village. What's yer name?" He asked to distruct himself from the landscapes.

"O-Ku. Do you wish to know?" O-Ku answered. 

Kid nodded idly. They had already left the borders and were walking along a path devoid of any vegetation. Or was it just not visible behind the pile of dust?

"This mountain used to be a popular hiking place, thanks to its onsen. And when Orochi-sama came to power, this place was quickly converted into a factory. Gomi, on the other hand, is a labor camp where the families of shogun's traitors were placed"

"Bullshit" Kid whispered.

Ahead was an old well with a broken roof. It immediately came to mind that he hadn't drunk a normal water.

"The well" He stated.

"Do not drink from it. It is connected with the lake, they drop the toxins in. You will get poisoned" O-Ku warned him.

"You have ta work all day fer food crumbs, the water is poisoned... How do ya live here??"

O-Ku hesitated. They walked around the well and continued along the path.

"Someone survives, someone dies, and someone resorts to trickery. The people here are really good, they just want to live, so they have to make necessary sacrifices just to see the next day" The girl explained quietly, as if trying to reassure herself.

For some reason, it seemed like she wanted to make him sympathize. It was unclear who these Chouzukes were, but it was clear that they were people with connections. Maybe she was trying to suck up to get out of this hole.
The road led along the slope and circled around the entire mountain. From it there was a view of another similar cliff, where another factory was located. The shadow of the bridge hung from above.
There was a crevice in the rock ahead, barely visible, both from here and from that mountain. It was equipped with steps, which means that the humans definitely reached in here.

"What's that?" Kid asked.

And O-Ku got immediately worried, thinking what to answer.

"This is a cave. It used to be another attraction, but now there are a lot of bats in it... It is better not to go there if you do not want to get dirty."

Kid agreed, but decided to visit there later.
As it turned out, Gomi didn't have many attractions, just something abandoned or wild. Kid was bored here, but apparently his companion was very happy in his company. She asked him something, he came up with answers on the go, she laughed, and he was proud of his jokes. By noon, she excused herself and went to work. Kid was finally left alone.
When he was sure that no one would notice him, he decided to visit the cave and look into it: the girl was too nervous when she told him about mice. But some kind of Wano beast blocked his path. A small boar, almost round in shape, looked at him relatively maliciously, to which Kid licked his lips with appetite. When was the last time he ate, excluding some kind of a small Udon meals, with which the hunger could not be satisfiedsatisfied? He needed meat, and he was happy to get it out of the boar.
And the residents are starving? There are so many animals running around! Are they poisonous? Well, Kid never poisoned himself with food, - he even ate wolfberry as a child, and nothing happened.
He hastily lit a fire, tore off the fattest pieces with his hand: he threw away the intestines and other digestive stuff, - let them fertilize the earth. He took a branch, planted the meat and hung it on amateur holders under the fire. He should leave it to Killer, too. Although, he can hunt it himself.
Soon, a pleasant aroma began to come from the meat. The boar seemed so soft that Kid swallowed his saliva. He knows how to roast meat, so he had no doubt about its quality.
But the food turned out to be bitter. Fibrous and too soft. But Kid didn't complain much because he was hungry. He ate all kinds of filth, so he hoped that his stomach would hold up.
After the meal, he sighed and wiped his mouth with his hand. So, the meat of this boar doesn't taste very good. Kid will know. At least he's fully recovered his strength to look for his crew wherever they are. His hypothesis is a factory. It's worth visiting it, but for this they need to come up with a raid plan. That would be bad to get caught at the first stage, and it wasn't a fact that he would not put them in danger.
Returning down to the cart, Kid took his clothes and washed them as best he could at the onsen. Let it dry: they will perform at night.
Along with the laundry, he returned to the house, where he found Killer already awake, sitting on the futon.

"Awake? Get yerself in shape, we'll visit the factory tonight. With all needed damage" Kid placed his clothes on the table and picked the freshest fruit out of the basket.

Killer looked at him sleepily, one might say in a sickly. And of course, smiling, as if he was happy with his condition.

"What's the matter?" Kid asked him, biting the pear.

There came a weak laughter in response.

"I feel bad..."

"Don't tell me ya got sick"

"I am not sick" Killer objected and stood up to his feet "Where have ye been?"

"On a walk. Looked, planned, hunted"

Kid stopped mid-bite when his partner looked at him with shock in his eyes.

"Kid, don't tell me ya ate the animals or drink the lake water" Killer nervously laughed.

And why did he got so scared all of a sudden? Are the animals really poisoned?

"I caught a boar" Kid indifferently shrugged his shoulders.

And Killer was stunned by the stupidity of his captain. At first, he just stood there with his mouth open and smiling, but then he put his hand on his face and laughed at the full force.

"It's so hard with ye, Kid..." He muttered into the palm of his hand laughing.

Kid looked at him in disbelief. And all this reaction is due to ordinary meat. When he hastened to remind him that he had eaten things much worse, Killer began to talk.

"Fa-fa-fa-Kid, they put chemicals in the lakes! The animals drink from those lakes! Do ya understand that you ate the meat full of poison!?"

Well, that explained the unpleasant taste. But Kid really see nothing wrong with that. He ate things that were not the first freshness, and snakes and poisonous plants. And everything was fine with him! He's poison resistant! So why Killer was laughing so hard about it? He never said a word to him those last times. Or... Was he hiding his concerns?

"Well..." Kid hesitated, crossing his arms, "M' fine. As always. Geez, Kill, at least have some faith in me stomach!"

Killer exploded. For the first time in their long friendship, he yelled at him so hard.

"THE DEAL AIN'T-!!!..." But he quickly interapted himself with long sign, "The deal... ain't in your stomach, Kid. I've already lost you once. Please, don't make me do that again"

With the hand on his forehead Killer sat down on the futon with his head bowed, laughing silently. Kid stared at him in surprise. No, he didn't mean that. He didn't plan to poison himself on purpose! And he won't intentionally leave Killer alone. He didn't even understand why his partner had thought of this!

"I won't leave ya, dumbass" Kid said as if it was obvious.

And it was obvious! Why does Killer thought that he will leave him?

"I know..." In response, a quiet laughing whisper.

He laughed nervously on the futon until Kid realized what it all meant. If he knew, why did he say that? He has a strange way of thinking. But for some reason Kid felt ashamed. Even his stomach started tingling.

"Sorr-.." He grabbed it when the tingling switched to sharp pain.

Killer raised his head to see his captain clutching his stomach in terrifying pain.

"Kid" He stood to grab him and lead him to the futons.

Yep. What a boar it was! So bitter that his stomach ache. The pain was so sharp, as if he swallowed the needles instead of meat. Every breath, every movement, - the mix of horrible pain.

"Yer an idiot! Yer such an idiot!" Killer laughed.

Kid fell on the futon and opened his eyes to see his partner above him, bursting into laughter. At any other time, he would've been angry. It's a shame. Kid blushed. And Killer just laughed and talked in between:

"It's ain't funny! Fa-fa-fa! Not funn-he-Fe-Fe-Fe-Fa! Ye can die! Die, and I w-he-ll laugh! Yer such an idiot!"

And Kid imagined Killer laughing at his body. Laughing and crying, unable to experience anything but joy. What a disaster it would be. His best friend would die in such a humiliating way, and Killer would just laugh like it was the funniest thing that had ever happened in his life.
Fuck, no! Kid got up, but quickly shuddered in pain and fell back onto the pillow, breathing heavily. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that everything was floating now. The pain was so sharp that he felt sick.

"Kid? Hold on, I-... Pfff, I'll think of somethin', ok?"

Kid huddled on the bed in a sweat.

"Hurry up..." He squeezed his eyes shut.

Killer's quick steps disappeared from the house, and Kid was left alone. The feeling of fear came immediately after. He trusts Killer with his life, but just physically cannot suffer alone. He needs his friend by his side. Now... He missed him so much. He wanted to hug him. And fall asleep together again.
But instead there was only pain, loneliness and comforting memories...

Chapter Text

“Okay, we’re ‘ere!” – Kid dragged Killer into the shaggy café that didn’t smell any good.

In his partner’s hands there was a sac with money, because it was safer with him for sure. Killer himself looked rather lost, still not fully trusting Kid. Probably, he still didn’t get why Kid asked him to keep the money. Well, good for him.

“Are ye ready for the most memorable lunch in yer entire life?” – Kid smiled with his still growing permanent teeth.

Killer wanted to answer, but his stomach did it for him. Because of that, Killer shyly grabbed it. Oh, he was extremely hungry.

“Did we steal money to just eat?” – Killer whispered, surely thinking it was a bad idea.

Oh this killer! Ruined so many lives but yet doesn’t understand the simplest things! Well, that’s why Kid’s the captain!

“We’re pirates, remember? By the way, they were asking for it” – Kid patted his shoulder mentoringly before shoving him in the back to lead.

They sat the bar counter – the only place which wasn’t occupied. There were so many people, that the boys almost lost each other in the crowd.
A huge old woman approached them and asked with her eyes about their order, while looking specifically at Kid.

“Two curry udons. More curry, old hag!”

A woman hurried to the kitchen, leaving those two alone.

“Udon…” – Killer glanced at him from under his bangs, clearly not knowing anything about this amazing meal.

“Udon!” – Kid confirmed with a broad smile – “Wait and see! Ye’ll know evr’thing! And ye’ll taste evr’thing!”

In anticipation, Kid took the chopsticks out of the glass and began hitting them on the table. He couldn't wait for Killer's reaction rather than the dish itself.

“Ye’ll love it, Kill! Ye probably have ne’er eaten anything like that in yer life! Just-… Just wait! Wait, okay?”

“Okay-okay” – Killer smiled tenderly to the other boy's delight.

When the bowls were placed before them, Kid didn’t eat straight away, - he searched for his new friend’s reaction. Killer opened his mouth in admiration, looking at his portion from under his thick bangs. Even though he was four years older than Kid, - already a thirteen-year-old teen, now he was just like a little child. Clumsily picking up the noodles with chopsticks, he blew the hot steam off them. And finally, Killer took the udon into his mouth, sucking it in with a loud "sluuurp" sound. Kid almost fell from a chair, so impatiently he rocked on it.
And here it is! The long-awaited reaction. Through the golden bangs, the blue eyes shone, and he straightened himself, loudly swallowing.

“Delicious!” – with amazed shout he began eating, loudly rattling dishes.

He used one chopstick to stick pieces of meat, and when he needed to eat noodles, he helped with the second one. He slurped the broth straight from the bowl, although he could always scoop it out with a spoon from the glass full of tableware. Looking at his partner's appetites, Kid himself focused on his udon. When they had finished their portions, they placed their bowls on the table with a loud thud.

“More!” – they yelled in unison.

The woman-cook just tsk’ed, waiting for emptying another pot. At least she would has a good profit (unless Kid leaves without paying).

They emptied bowl after bowl: here’s first, another, one more… Kid's appetites knew no bounds, and Killer, supported by a boyish desire to compete, did not lag behind. Both of them ate almost to their limit, although Kid could still eat the whole pot.

“Tasty, innit?” – he looked proudly at Killer, who was lying on a table from tiredness.

He didn’t answer anything but a delightful rumble. Most likely, today Killer ate as much as he had never eaten in his entire life. And it made him guess.

“Why did ye do that?” – Killer lifted his head.

“Uh? What?” - Kid began to look around himself and the dining table, remembering what he was doing at that moment.

The idea that Killer meant lunch took a long-long time to reach him, and it never did. Kid communicated with others only with his fists and filthy cursing.

“Ye’ve offered me food. Why?” – Killer clarified, when he ran out of patience because of Kid’s long thinking.

Kid looked at him once again with that look that casually said, “Are you an idiot?”.

“To seal our alliance”.

“But the sake is needed…” – Killer reminded, but Kid glanced at him annoyed, not wanting to accept that no one gave him sake.

“Fuck it. Sake, udon… Same thing. Ye can drink it, so it’s all right”

“Such a meaningless reason” – Killer answered skeptically.

“Who cares?! Quit being a smartass! I wanted to do something nice to ye, and ye…” - Kid had already begun to be offended by him, but then he thought about something else and was instantly distracted - “When is yer birthday?”

“Uh…?” – Killer turned away – “I… I don’ know. I don’t remember”.

“Shit… Actually. That’s a good reason. Happy birthday, Killer!”

Killer looked at him in amazement, not knowing how to react. But in the end, he pursed his lips, accepting that every February 2 he would celebrate the day he was (not) born. Even his cheeks flushed with red. Killer turned to his table with a grateful smile.

“Thanks, Captain”

Ah, how great this “captain” sounded. Kid laughed happily, kicking the chair legs. Then Killer glanced at him tenderly with a transparent thought “That’s it. I will protect him ‘till the end of my life”. Curry udon was delicious. He had never ever felt himself so full.
When Kid opened his eyes and looked somewhere ahead, he spotted someone whom he could call his girlfriend.

“Oh! Vic!”

Killer looked at the same direction and what he saw made him freeze. Yes, they were looking at the girl who brought them together. Victoria Shiruton Doruyanaika.
She was sitting across the room and eating the very same curry udon as they did. Her eyelashes, as always, covered her languid eyes, and her lush lips were stained with curry. The most beautiful girl on this island. And she belongs to him. Yeah. Only his.

“Beauty, innit? Talk to her and ye’re dead!” – Kid bragged proudly, yet it sounded more like a threat.

“Didn’t even think ‘bout it. How awkward… Maybe she wants her flask back…” – Killer sank as low as possible, so she wouldn’t notice him.

Kid didn’t really know the whole story, he just listened to Victoria’s complaints that the boy she was nursing had left without even saying goodbye. She was also embarrassed that she hit him on the head with a flask, but there was no other way to give him supplies. He just wanted to find the jerk and punch him in the face. But it was Killer who turned out to be that jerk.
And then the unexpected happened. She noticed them. First, the red top of Kid’s head (it would be a miracle not to notice such a redhead), and then Killer next to him. Victoria immediately rose from her chair, but didn't have time to say anything - the entire plate of curry udon spilled on her along with the bowl.

“Fuuuuck” – she expressed herself uncensoriously and began to complain, pulling her wet dress away from the skin.

And Kid couldn’t stand this scene. She literally put her whole arm in the bowl and spilled it all over herself! This is hilarious!
Killer watched in confusion as Kid laughed at the scene.

“Hilarious! Oh, Vic! Pfff-ha-ha-ha! How’s the noodles? Not to soft? And the temperature?! Ha ha! Vic, yer dress is not alive, ye don’ need to feed it! Ha-ha-ha-ha!”

Killer couldn't stand it and covered his mouth with his hands so as not to laugh out loud.

“But hey, kinda useful! If ye can’t finish it, ye can feed yer dress with the leftovers – and ye’re done! Why waste food? It's just as if ye shower in curry udon!” – Kid looked at Killer, now especially trying to make him laugh out loud.

He moved closer and made sure that he’s watching, whispered into his ear:

“Th’ noodle shower”

And Killer exploded. For the first time in their entire acquaintance, with his head thrown back, he laughed loudly with his unique laugh.

“PFFF-FA-FA-FA!~ THE NOODLE SHOWER! FA-FA-FA-FA-FAH!”

And because of this laughter, Kid laughed harder. It was so contagious. They both laughed out of their minds, and when Kid accidentally snored, causing him to cover his mouth with his hand, he almost fell to the floor from laughing. Stomachs were churning due to the endless fun. It seemed like nothing could stop their laughter, but...
The pot thundered, and Kid and Killer were suddenly knocked to the floor. Now an outrageous Victoria was sitting on them with a pot still full of udon.

“Noodle shower, huh? I’ll show ye the noodle shower!”

On the second of February, the first Killer’s birthday, they faced a punishment worse than death. All this time Victoria was forcefully stuffing udon into their mouths, not daring to stop for a minute. They both choked on the noodles, spicy and unbearable due to their quantity. Their stomachs were already hurting from overeating. Both were sweating, Killer was even crying.

"So?! How did ye like the shower?! Not bad, huh? Maybe some more?!" Victoria shouted, looking at their curry-stained faces.

Killer wanted to give up. Beg for mercy. But Kid was faster.

“Go on! I can eat th’ whole pot!”

“No, Kid-…”

“Oh, the whole pot?! Then eat, Jaggy!” – Victoria tilted the pot in front of his face and poured the rest of all the curry udon directly onto Kid.

It got into all the holes - in the nose, mouth, eyes and ears, got stuck in the hair and goggles. When the udon finally ran out, the girl left the cafe, leaving only dead ones behind. Well... Half-dead. Both lay motionless, and Kid was still tormented by the fact that the spicy curry irritated everything possible.

“Kid…” – Killer sobbed.

“Yeah, Kill?” – Kid snore in return.

“I don’… really like udon”

Kid glanced at him. Pieces of noodle on his cheeks and brown curry. A sickening scene.

“Yeah… I also feel sick from udon already”

Killer sobbed one more time, whipping udon from his face.

“Let’s… on my next birthday… Let's just have spaghetti”

“Yep. Whatever ye want”

Kid starred at the ceiling, simply grateful that they’d met. Killer has such a contagious laugh, and he holds it back. How wasteful! 

“Kid?”

“Yeah, Killer?”

“Kid”

“Yes, what?” – Kid turned but saw no Killer there.

Actually, he hadn’t seen the café’s floor either. Just some earth. The smell of curry changed to something similar, but it wasn’t the smell of udon. What’s going on?.. 

“Kid!”

Kid looked up at the ceiling again and saw Killer's shadow above him. Under his shaggy curls, his tired eyes darted worriedly. In his hands he was holding some kind of deep plate, from which this strange smell was coming from.
Oh yes. He got poisoned. His stomach still hurts, but now he was sure that he would throw up.
A friendly hand lifted the top of his head and a plate was brought to his lips.

“Fa-fa~ Drink. That’s medicine”.

Kid took a sip without a question, and immediately shuddered from the sharp bitterness. The vomiting rose in his throat.

“Ugh! Bitter!” – Kid looked at him offended, but Killer persistently shoved the cup into his mouth.

“Drink! It supposed ta be bitter!” – he was indignant, although he spoke with laughter.

Out of hopelessness, Kid frowned at him, took a preparatory breath and drank it all in one go. His throat tightened from incredible bitterness. It's like he was chewing on a tea bag.

“Shit! I’m gonna throw up!” – Kid shot a look at the wet herbs that was left on a plate – “Should I eat this as well?”

“Ah…” – Killer got confused and turned somewhere to the side – “Should he eat herbs, too?”

“Well, he can, if he’s herbivorous!” – a hoarse female voice came from somewhere.

“Who is this?” – Kid stood up warily, but was immediately put back.

Yes, his stomach was still hurting. It seemed that the bitter liquid only made things worse.

“Lay down. She helped me”.

Kid looked around and realized that he wasn’t in O-Ku's house. No, it looked like the inside of a cave, well decorated with Wano attributes.

“Where the hell are we?”

“This hell is my home, you sicko” – the woman’s voice approached until an old woman came into the light.

More precisely, Kid called her an old woman, because of the prominent grey threads in her blonde, disheveled hair. Holding a smoking pipe in her hand, the old woman looked at him accusingly with her blue eyes, one of which was cut with a vertical scar all over her face. She was dressed in a white kimono, stained with soot (do Gomi even have white kimonos that haven't turned gray?) with yellow dandelions, which by some miracle didn't fade along with the white color.

“Where did you bring me?” – Kid asked Killer.

He stood up, not knowing what to answer. His smile didn’t calm Kid down at all. And by the way, he yet again decided to stay silent.

“It’s all your own fault” – the woman said instead of him, – “To eat the wholeass boar alone, what an appetite you have!”

Kid bared his teeth in defense.

“I’m pretty insatiable”.

“And dumb” – the woman retorted, only getting on his nerves.

“Who the fuck are ye, hag?!”

“Your god and savior, - O-Hira. You better be more cooperative, if you don't want to die in the most disgusting way for a samurai - from a rupture of the rectum” – O-Hira lighted her pipe in a businesslike manner, and if she had been closer, she would have blown it straight into Kid’s face.

“Ugh, get the fuck out!”

“I live here. You’re the one who’d leave, if you continue talking like this with elders”

And Kid would leave, if he wasn’t feeling if he wasn’t about to throw up. To wake up in a cave with an old hag, who looked like she was stronger than him. He can break her like a stick with his knee! Who does she think she is?!

Killer laughed quietly somewhere to the side.

“Can ye… at least for a second- fhe-fe-fa-fe… not yell at strangers?” – Kid glanced at him to retort, but stopped when he saw that Killer was completely leaning against the wall.

Right before his eyes, a familiar figure in a dark kimono slowly slid down the wall to his knees, and his face was covered with falling hair.

“Ah-… Killer?” – Kid rose up, ignoring the pain.

What’s going on with him? What’s happening to his friend? What has this old hag done to him?!

Grabbing Killer by the shoulder, he pushed him in confusion, and in response a quiet laugh escaped his lips. And then he laughed out loud again, but it sounded too alarming. It was as if Killer felt bad, but he could only draw out a laugh, half-heartedly, hoarsely.

“Ki-Killer...!”

“Ooooh...” – O-Hira shook her head disapprovingly – “That’s it. He’s done”.

Other people's comments were of no use here. Kid growled at her like a dog. There was an immediate rage created from the belief that this witch had done something to him. Or from the need to protect the weakened Killer from a potentially dangerous woman?

“Witch! What did you do to my partner?!”

“Nothing! For now” – O-Hira said calmly and pointed the tube at the futon – “Put him on the futon, if your tummy has stopped hurting”.

Shushing her with displeasure, Kid led Killer to the futon, where he himself was lying a couple of minutes ago. He was weak in his arms. Comparable to when he got sunstroke. Kid suspected that he wouldn’t get away with it just like that... But that terrible!

“Faaa-fa-faaah.....I don't want to la-ha-ugh.....shut up, pfft-please!....please, shut u-ha-fa-fa-ap!....” – Killer wheezed in a fit quiet laughter – “....it's not funny to me..... it's not funny...!”

He was burning. Suddenly, he warmed up so quickly that Kid didn't even have time to blink an eye. Killer fell onto the futon like a rag doll. And he continued to laugh. Burst into laughter as if his state was cheerful.

“What's wrong with ye? Killer, answer!” – Kid pushed him, confused.

Killer looked at him again, like that time in the cave. His eyes seemed to shine, but most likely it was just the lighting of the cave.

“....it tickles....” – was the only thing he said before he just collapsed on the bed, giggling quietly like he was drunk.

It was unclear what he could do with this information. It's like Killer gave him a big hint about how he feels, but it doesn't help him at all. He can feel tickle for various reason. Maybe he's really tickled? Or does it hurt, but his condition makes him feel like it tickle? Then how ticklish is he? Not too much, as long as Killer doesn't laugh too loudly. Or he just can't laugh anymore. Tired. Exhausted. Kid fell into a confused stupor. He was not a doctor. He never had a doctor on the ship. His hand was first cut by Killer, and then burned by Heat! When Victoria was dying, all he could do was sit next to her in a stupor, only thinking how weak he was without others. If it weren't for his gang, he would have remained just an evil kid and would have died somewhere in a ditch from tetanus, dreaming of the seas and treasures.
On the other hand, his partner did not seem to be dying. But it didn't look like he was okay either.
If Killer wasn't dying, then he suffered terribly. He turned completely pale and let out hoarse laughs. His chest was heaving through his kimono, and beads of blood appeared on the crust of the wound.
Kid thought hard. Everything will be fine. Killer can handle it... Probably. After all, Kid managed to hundle that time when they inserted the handle of his dagger between his teeth and, looking straight into his eyes, pressed the mechanism for rotating the blade located on his not completely severed arm. And Killer can handle it. Will handle it....

“What are you sitting for? Press it to the forehead!” – something cold and wet fell on his shoulder.

A rag. Kid looked at her confused, wondering why he needed a rag on his forehead. And then he finally understood where to put it.
Killer was now lying down and cooling himself with a cold compress.

“What's wrong with my partner?” – Kid looked at the old woman menacingly.

O-Hira rolled her eyes as if she was talking to a nine-year-old. Adults kept flashing this gesture when Kid was nearby, so for him this was an insult. Of all the metal things here, unfortunately, there were only nails.

“A cold? Fatigue? Maybe the death agony, who knows?” – she said in retaliation, to which Kid flew at her with his fists.

And he would have hit her, if he hadn’t held her kimono with his only hand.

“Don’t fuck with me, witch! I don’t give a damn whether ye’re a woman or an old monster, I’ll smear ye all over the wall, and won’t even notice!”

And O-Hira laughed a smoky laugh, making Kid wince from the nicotine smell.

“You’re funny, sicko! You seem to be a captain, but you act like a noisy baby!”

Kid's eyebrows twitched. No matter what “noisy baby” he was in her opinion, he understood her words quite well.

“Who are ye and how did ye know?”

“You chose a good disguise for yourself, but your South Blue accent is too hard on the ears”.

Kid hesitated embarrassedly, looking around in confusion.

“Ah, well... Um...”

“Who would have thought! The murderer Hitokiri Kamazo himself and his beloved and dear captain showed up at my house!”

There's that name again. For some reason, hearing it from others was suspicious and dangerous. Kid let her go and reflexively backed away towards Killer.

“Have you lost your temper right away? That’s it! Better calm down if you want your friend to feel better”.

Kid thought about it. Perhaps this was the only doctor he would meet in Wano. There was none among the crew. This was probably the only chance to find out something about this laughter, patch up his partner well and... But... Images of Hawkins and Apoo began to come to mind again.

“I don’t trust anyone except my crew” – Kid said, thinking about the best way he could kill this woman.

“I don’t work for free myself. Consider this a quid pro quo. If you were a real Chozuke, I would finish you off and hand him over to the Beasts” – O-Hira displeasedly pointed at Killer with her pipe, and Kid took it as if he'd been pointed at with a gun.

He covered him with his body, looking like a wolf at the old lass.

“Bitch!”

“Don't give me a hard time here! Your friend has a fever from his wounds, and the SMILE effect just made it worse. Plus... He looks like he's been through hell. Whatever you boys did, it wore him out in the end” – O-Hira poked the pipe at him, the burning end loomed too dangerously at his collarbone – “He is strong. Very strong. But strength has a limit, and he has reached his”.

In the light of the burning embers, Killer's bright red skin stood out, covered with hair stuck to it. The corners of the lips were forcibly extended to the ears, creating wrinkles, the eyelashes trembled due to the movement of the restless eyes under the eyelids. The blood continued to pour out in streams, and the laughter seemed to intensify it - the scarlet liquid flowed down the heavily rising chest under the kimono. And Victoria looked the same.

“What are ye suggesting? If ye heal his wounds and stop his laughing, then I might not blow yer head off when I'm done”

“Stop his laughing?” – O-Hira burst into laughter – “If you will be a good pirate, then I’ll raise even the dead from the grave! But I’m the one who set the conditions here”

Kid didn't want to give in to his emotions, but for the first time in a long time he felt hopeful. Hope that Killer will be okay.

“Deal. But if he goes bald... Or worse-...!”

“Yes, yes. You’ll blow my head off. Got it, got it!” – O-Hira lit a pipe again – “Know I’m really interested in knowing what you’re willing to do for your... Who is he to you? A friend? A family? Maybe more?”

“More?” – Kid looked at Killer.

Since childhood he has had no friends. No relatives, no caretakers... He hated everyone, and everyone hated him. He loved one, but at the same time, he hated her a little less than the others. He didn't know how to love or be friendly. He loved to fight. He loved it when his fists were bruised, he never allowed them to heal, he smashed them as soon as they became crusty. This was his way out. A way out of this world. Repair and assemble some stupid robots in trash heaps, blow them up with firecrackers, and then fight, fight, fight! So that the adrenaline is pounding in your ears, so that your nose is squelching with blood, so that there is always a metallic taste on your tongue. He would not have lived to see his adulthood, but he still dreamed. He built boats and sailed them in puddles, like some kind of a blueprint. They were drowning. They drowned and drowned, as a sign that he would drown, too. In this garbage, like another scum. And that's why he fought. He didn't want to accept his death. He thought about fights, but not about death.
Killer was one of his punching bags, but he simply fought better than the rest. One blow from him, and Kid was thinking about death again. About never being able to get out of there. About that his pirate blood is just a rumor. About the fact that he is nothing and no one. And so he continued talking. Talking and talking. Fighting with him and talking. If it weren't for Killer, he would have died. Is he his friend? Family? Or something more? He is his partner. They grew up together. Killer raised him as best he could, because “he is the eldest”. He taught him what he knew and treated his wounds after every fight. They fought, argued, had fun, dreamed...! Without Killer, he would have died. Without Killer, he would never have been able to get out. And without him, he won't be able to get One Piece. After all, most of all, he wants to see Killer’s reaction when they finally reach Laugh Tale, as he did at Udon’s restaurant. So much so that he wants to kick a chair like a child. Without him, everything would have been in vain. You could say that Killer is part of that treasure. His One Piece.
O-Hira looked at the thought processes in his eyes with a knowing look, and then grinned, lighting her pipe.

“You...” – she pressed the burning end to his collarbone, but Kid didn’t even twitch when the fire hissed on his skin, “You have to go upstairs and knock down these factories. Otherwise, we won’t be able breath normally. Well, will you save your dear don’t-know-who?”

Kid looked at Killer again, considering the offer. All the same, he planned to take over these factories. It's just that this plan will come out more in his style - smash and slash. In addition, he is entitled to a pleasant bonus - Killer will be spared his laughter.

“Deal. Old hag…”

“Hey, who are you?!” – security at the factory became wary when a silent silhouette began to approach them through the darkness of the night.

Up close, it looked majestic and conquering. The soot-covered exterior, the incessant rumbling of machinery and the suffocating smog...

“I ask you, what do you want!” – one of them fired and would have hit somewhere in the shoulder if the bullet had not stopped a centimeter from the fur coat hiding the body.

Kid coughed and muttered. All the iron responded to his voice - it trembled and creaked. Then the two Beast Pirates began to back away warily.

“I’m saying...” – Kid coughed – “YE MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BREATHE!”

As if having heard the call of its owner, large gears, the size of a round shield, took off and, knocking down both guards at enormous speeds, flew behind his back. Kid looked up at the factory again. If you think about it like that, it's the same as Udon. "Unapproachable" and has a bunch of snails in it.
His strength is magnetism. It looks simple, but in reality it requires a lot of concentration. When he had just eaten his fruit, he almost fell victim to the landfill and it's iron, which moved almost all the metal garbage from the island towards him. One day he just sat in a deep puddle, like a hippopotamus, with the fear that he would be stupidly smashed into a tortilla. And then, he started to figure it out. First, he learned to control the magnetic force of his own body (although sometimes small objects still stick to him), and then the force of his magnetic attraction. Killer brought him a book on physics, and it turned out that none of them could read. As a result, they slept until late night while Victoria read, and then got hit with the spine of the book because they weren’t paying attention. Magnets are a cool thing, especially when there are a lot of them and especially when they are part of electromagnetic waves.
Although it requires strong concentration. It is easy to emit weak discharges of electric waves during attacks, but doing it yourself is more difficult. Kid had a hard time learning the basics, only because his quick-tempered mind lacked concentration. But now, thinking about how poorly the Beast pirates treated him, how they laughed at Killer and him, how this country maimed him. He was furious. And the rage helped push the waves away from the metal, flaring up like thunderstorms. Purple lightning raged around him, increasing its power. Stronger. Stronger!

“Punk Unit!” – the entire area was illuminated by a flash of purple lightning, which struck the ground with a roar and, like a network, spread across everything conductive.

All the devices were now infected by these discharges, something exploded inside, which caused panic, and the panic gave him the opportunity to break into the building, pushing the metal doors apart with magnetic force. Here it is, the best place for his abilities - a completely metal, motherfucking factory!
Illuminated only by discharges and candles, everyone gathered here: prisoners, Gomi residents and Beast pirates. Only those who run fast will escape, but no one has ever run away from Captain Kid.
For a second, he seemed to feel a familiar presence with his Haki, but it disappeared as quickly as the post-fury calm. But no, he wasn't imagining it, a familiar voice was heard through the twilight of the smelting apparatus.

“Ca-captain?”

And Kid smiled as wide as he opened his eyes. Among all the people here, only these two stood out, chained.

“Why the fuck are ye sitting ‘ere?! Heat, Wire!”

Chapter Text

Flashes of electricity, dim lights from work areas, and emergency lights lit by the Beast pirates. All this was mixed into some kind of lighting, dimly outlining the faces of the crowd. Kid didn't care about a single face. He didn’t remember a single face... Except for the only two.
The long figure was never impossible to spot in the crowd. The man the size of a telephone booth stood out too much. His hair was a complete mess, usually too smooth and strange, now it was both burned and stained with something, and even cut off in some places or gathered into huge lumps. This is what Wire looked like, - exhausted and sleepless.
Next to him stood his faithful friend and ally - the one with whom they had an alliance between gangs, so that if something happened, they could fight off another, more powerful gang. His hair, although it had always been disheveled, was now darkened with ash. His clothes hung on him like on a skeleton. It was Heat, how can you not notice such a tattooed weirdo?
Kid was happy, but at the same time he was upset by their appearance. These bastards forced his crew to starve and work like some kind of slaves. Is there anyone here besides these two? In the entire factory, among all these faces, no one seemed to be familiar. Well, they were, more than enough.

“Why the fuck are ye sitting ‘ere?! Heat, Wire!”

And this was enough for their disbelieving faces to turn into joyful, almost crying ones.

“CAPTAIN!!!” – they cheerfully screamed in unison, just grateful that Kid was okay.

As suspected, they were not wearing seastone shackles: just ordinary metal chains, which they could break in no time. But why haven't they gotten out yet? Why are they standing here now in these prison uniforms at the peak of starvation? Why? Why didn't Killer rescued them out sooner, if he knew where they were?
As soon as they tried to run to the captain, they were stopped by some huge guy, pulling the chains. His entire body was just a bear, and his face peered out of his wide-open mouth. The two immediately fell to the ground, weakened, and the bear's paw immediately stepped on Wire's body. A crunch was heard and blood sprayed from tightly clenched lips.

“Where are you going? Now you are all Wano's property, and he is Kaidou's property. Pray to him for your salvation as much as you want, maybe you’ll even be lucky and he will remain your boss, if he doesn’t die in torture” – a roar was heard from his mouth.

Kid studied him first, and then his subordinates.

“We didn’t on-… didn’t agree on this!” – Heat shouted, suspiciously slurring his words – “Orochi we said-… said that we can take on all of his torture! You said that the captain would not die as long we as-... we suffer for him!”

Something clicked inside. What did he just say? Despite the presumptive agreement, he was never deprived of torture. They tortured and beat him, like everyone else. As soon as he started a fight or tried to escape, he was immediately punished. But Kid didn't want to put up with it. No, if he began to obey, it would mean he would begin to submit. But the fact that Heat and Wire voluntarily agreed to take on his torture in order to ease his fate, without even suspecting that they were suffering in vain, made his stomach ache. And why does Heat speak so strangely? What did they do to them?

“What have ye done, ye idiots?” – Kid asked, and the metal shook with him in anger.

He was surrounded by guards, motivated by the calmness of their executives. All the prisoners shook in fear.

“Give up! Your subordinates are our hostages!”

Heat was confused and panicked, while Wire was regaining his breath by coughing up blood.

“We have been deceived” – he said quietly.

“Did ye finally understand?” – Kid looked at them like they were fools.

What kind of idiots they were, when they had to be in charge! He would shame them, but he was too glad that they were alive...
Instead, Kid looked at the one who said something about his subordinates being held hostage.

“Ma subordinates? Hostages? If ye mean ‘em, then they are probably not ma subordinates at all” – he nodded in their direction – “Heat and Wire, idiots! What kind of parade of self-sacrifice are ye all having, huh? Ye thought about doing what was best, but in the end, ye fucked up, as always. If, due to yer stupidity, ye trail behind, then I will destroy this factory and ye as well!”

How to understand this? They lie there, whine, saying something stupid... Do they think that now Kid, like some kind of superhero, will pull them out of the fire? What an idiots.
Heat, the only one who wasn't being held hostage, stood up and with one jerk broke the chains on his hands into pieces. Turning around, he blew a huge barrage of fire directly onto the bear's highly flammable fur. He immediately retreated, burning, freeing Wire as well.
His long figure somehow rose above everyone, and, with just slight movements of his hands, the handcuffs fell off him, too. Although they did not have the power of the Devil fruits, they were strong, dexterous, and knew how to break locks.

“Finally” – Kid grinned at their eagerness to free themselves.

The situation changed, and instead of the easy capture of Captain Kid, the Beast soldiers died at the hands of three pirates. Metal pieces, flames, people, and blood were flying in all directions.
Kid made sure that he repaid these people enough for “sheltering” his subordinates. Laughing loudly and throwing blows, he swept away everyone in his path indiscriminately. Prisoners, Beasts, and even residents of Gomi.
People escaped and fled, but not the Beasts pirates. They did not leave a single person in their uniform alive. Kid hopes the escapees will take the hint. Keep. Your. Mouth. Shut.
During the massacre, he ran past the room. A special room. Where he had met O-Ku. O-Ku, who, it turns out, was sleeping left and right for the fruit basket. Well, Kid at least understood why she was being called at noon. As a gift for providing shelter, he left only her alive in that room and allowed her to escape.
When Kid met with Heat and Wire, a small handful of enemies remained, who rather fled across the bridge to another factory for reinforcements.

“There’s also a factory there! If they bring reinforcements from they, will there-… they will waste our time” – Heat said irritably.

Kid was calm.

“They won’t waste it. Are any of our people in there?” – they both shook their heads, and he smiled – “Wonderful!”

At first, Heat and Wire didn’t understand why they were kicked out onto the street. Kid didn't have fireworks to celebrate their reunion, but he did have magnetism.
He reached up his arm to the top of the factory and pulled himself toward the roof before standing at the other end, where he could clearly see another building. A bunch of torch lights had already gathered there, like some small fireflies, but it was already too late. They definitely won't be able to cross the bridge.

Kid put his hand on the floor.

“Assign. N!”

The entire tower lit up with purple sparks. A huge letter N appeared all over the building.
Kid jumped with his feet onto the edge of the roof and with the command “Repel”, he flew towards the second building like a bullet.
Just one touch was enough to end the fight. Just one command, so that they won.

“Assign. S”

The factory shook with a loud whine of metal. The Beast Pirates could only look at how Kid's figure stood out majestically in the light of the purple glow and the huge letter "N".
Heat and Wire watched joyfully as their personal hell fell on top of another one. No one voiced it, but it became easier for both of them to breathe.
A couple of minutes later, through the huge clouds of smoke, Kid’s figure appeared, stained with ash and dirt. He immediately shook himself like a dog and cleared his throat as he approached them.

“Captain... Captain Kid...” – Heat sighed in admiration as he watched Kid walk between them.

Both of them immediately surrounded him on both sides, asking about everything at once. About his imprisonment, about the crew, how he found them, is he wounded, is he hungry, where is their ship, where are the others, and where is Killer?

“What?” – Kid asked, looking at Heat, just after he mentioned Killer.

“Killer. Oh, ye probably don't know! For the sake yer of the-... yer safety, he ate an artificial Devil Fruit and is now serving under that scumbag Orochi. Have ye seen him? Do ye know where he is? We need to least at-... at least let him know that we're okay” – Heat chattered excitedly, not noticing how Kid went from astonished to calm.

They don't know that Killer is with him. They probably thought so, because he didn’t accompany him on the raid. Of course, if Killer had been okay, he wouldn't have been left behind.

Kid stared ahead, processing the information he had received. Heat and Wire were surprised, wondering why he was so calm.

“So Killer is with ye” – Wire guessed, and his face changed from eternally tragic to relieved.

Heat stared at the captain in amazement, and he hastened to confirm:

“Killer’s fine. Tell me, what ye know”

On the way back to the cave, Kid was told everything about the defective SMILES, and about the deal with Orochi, and about the information where the others could presumably be. All his officers were sentenced to work for the life of their captain, and all the rest were made ordinary slaves of the Beasts. Surely, they were told something like that Kid submitted to Kaidou. They didn’t provide any information about Victoria Punk.
When Kid asked about their condition, they told him about the terrible torture they were subjected to while working. As a result, almost all of Heat’s palms were burned – he could move them, but they lacked of senses. Wire was covered in cuts - small, but so numerous that in some places they gathered into huge spots. They were also assigned to test dangerous things. It wasn't enough to kill them, but after the last time, Heat still sometimes confused words in sentences, and Wire could get a nosebleed. The most recent thing they tested was Quinn's poison, a generally lethal psychotropic substance. They said that they survived only because Queen decided to give them an antidote, seeing them as good test subjects for non-lethal and semi-lethal poisons. Test subjects, of course!
Now they both walked in confusion, either expecting some kind of consolation, or upset that they were doing everything in vain. At least for once he didn’t pick up his subordinates in silence.
As if realizing that there were no more factories, the rain began to fall on the ground in heavy drops. Kid gave Wire his coat so that he could hide them from it, and they gathered together under the coat.

“You did well. Well done for surviving and waiting for me” – he said and felt an invisible but heavy load get off them.

“We are still guilty for what happened to Killer. He tried for our sake, not us -... we could not save him from this terrible fate”

“And what would ye do?” – Kid asked – “Would ye eat the fruit for him? Apologize to him when he's better. This hag owes me so fucking much...”

When they returned to the cave, they were greeted by a surprised O-Hira.

“Am I seeing double, or are there more of you?”

“Buy glasses, old hag! I've done my part, now take care of ma man” – Kid stood in front of her, crossing his arms over his chest.

Both gave brash glances at each other.

“I perfectly remember that the agreement was to help your significant other. But there was no agreement about these thugs”

“Are ye breathing well now? I demolished two factories at once! Which means the price is double!”

“Okay, choose one of them. One per factory” – O-Hira smiled sarcastically.

“Go to hell! I’m not your errand boy, running around the mountains and blowing up factories!”

“Then don’t complain” – O-Hira turned around and went to the table where the half-assembled medical bag stood – “You gave me the work. You killed half of the locals and maimed the others. You’ll definitely get a fine”

Kid was about to feel embarrassed (even a little worried), but quickly found a loophole for himself.

“Ye told me to destroy the factories. And there’s not a word about whom to kill and whom to spare!”

O-Hira closed her bag and sighed heavily. Her thought process swirled in the smoke from the smoking pipe.

“Are your big guys good at sewing?” – She pointed at them with a one gesture.

Heat and Wire looked at each other in confusion. First, their captain argues with some unknown lady, and now they are being asked about their sewing skills. In the end, Wire hesitantly raised his hand, as he was the only one responsible on the ship for the quality of the fabrics.

“And can I... I can breathe fire” – Heat said, mixing words in the sentence.

“Great. While we’re walking, tell me where it hurts and what bo-bo's need to be kissed. Let's go! And you stay! Kamazo-chan will tell you everything” – O-Hira quickly thrust a bag into Heat’s hands, and then dragged them both out of the cave, leaving Kid alone with the only person he wanted to see now.

He walked deeper into the cave, passed some kind of passage from which he could hear the baby crying, and then finally returned to where he woke up in the beginning.
There, still on the same futon, Killer was lying. His kimono was unbuttoned and thrown off his chest. Instead of a bleeding wound, a bandage was applied, outlining the cut in red. He was lying on it and breathing hoarsely, his smile not so wide. His hands were turned palms up, and all were covered with something dark yellow, apparently an ointment. All the bruises on his body were covered with the same ointment.
Kid sat down next to him and touched his forehead. There was no temperature.
It seemed like he was destroying factories for an eternity. Because of the last attack, his whole body was now aching and cramping. When using Awakening power's, everyone experiences different symptoms, one way or another related to their weaknesses. Kid was so exhausted by these abilities that he lost his magnetic powers for some time. And along with magnetism, endurance also suffered, which he would hide and push to the limit until he completely passed out. In addition to fatigue, he was tormented by melancholy and a wild desire to finally end everything, so that Killer would finally be cured. After all, he was here, right under his palm. He’s smiling, but soon he will return to his usual gloomy state, and they will be partners as before-…

“Ye look tired...” – Kid's vision focused when he heard Killer's voice.

He had already turned his head towards him and lay with his eyes half open. His smile was gentle, although it was probably not sincere. Of all of them, only he is the most tired.

“Ye’re the one to talk” – Kid smiled welcomingly, sitting down more comfortably – “How are ye feeling?”

Killer tiredly scratched his eyes with his palms before laughing quietly.

“Like I was drunk on cheap booze”

“Ha-ha! Yeah, it’s the same for me"

Kid fell wearily onto the cold ground next to Killer.

“I found Heat and Wire”

“Really?” – Killer looked at him enthusiastically.

After a few moments, he looked up at the ceiling with a smile.

“How are they?”

“They blame themselves for yer condition. Actually, this will no longer matter. Don't worry, Kill. I will cure ye of this!” – as expected from the captain.

Killer suppressed a laugh and fell silent for a while.

“Kid...” – he said evenly, sounding even grateful with a smile.

“I know, I'm cool, right?” – Kid smiled proudly, trying to elbow his partner.

But Killer suddenly sat up, hugging himself with his arms. His kimono had completely fallen off his shoulders, no longer hiding his torso.

“Kid” – he said evenly, swallowing his laughter – “Ye can't cure the power of the Devil Fruit”

Kid looked at him with his mouth open. It looks like there was some misunderstanding between them. Or maybe Kid misunderstood something. Or maybe it was his stubbornness that went to his head.

“But-... The hag said she would cure ye, if I blew up the factory. D-don’t give up on yerself so soon, partner!” – he sat down next to him, laughing nervously.

“Fa-fa! She cured me” – Killer agreed sadly – “But she is just a doctor. Not a wizard and not a devil”

They looked at each other for a long time. Killer's face remained unchanged, and Kid kept bringing his eyebrows to the bridge of his nose with every particle of understanding of what he had done. He allowed himself to follow someone's lead. Again. Once again his partner was hurt. As if these three weeks weren’t enough for him, he was also told that there was no cure for this..!
Kid felt stupid. He was dumb because he succumbed to his emotions, joyfully not noticing the deception. He grabbed his hair with his hand, diving face first into his lap.

“Fuck. She fucking lied... I'm such a-...”

“Don’t blame yourself” – Killer interrupted his self-flagellation – “It was me who found her. And it was I who negotiated an alliance with Apoo and Hawkins”

Kid looked up from under his knees, looking at Killer.

“I don’t understand, what are yer point is?”

Suddenly the situation only began to escalate. Killer sighed, shaking with laughter, but stopped to finally start speaking.

“Kid, I want to leave the Kid Pirates”

Chapter Text

Kid didn’t immediately realize that he had lost any perception of reality. He just sat there in a stupor. He couldn’t even really comprehend the situation because he stopped completely for a couple of moments. Meanwhile, Killer looked at him unchanged, as if (he was joking, right?) he said this all seriously.
It seemed that now he would smile and laugh, tapping Kid on the back, because he was able to successfully prank him. And Kid would laugh with relief because it was just a stupid joke, and then he would get angry and order him to never joke about such things again.
But he kept looking at him as if he really meant it.
Throughout Kid's life, Killer has been a constant thing. Wherever he went, Killer walked side by side with him. No matter what fight he got involved in, Killer would grumble and be indignant, but he would never stand aside. Whenever he shared the loot and rejoiced in victory, Killer always joined him. Even when he was at the lowest point in his life that he could get to, Killer never left him, even if he himself felt miserable at heart. He did not disappear when Victoria died, did not disappear when he lost his arm, did not disappear when standing in front of the huge monster - Kaidou, Kid involuntarily took a step back. Even in Udon, his image was comforting, it made him wince at the memory of the spicy curry in his nose and eyes, but then he relax when in his mind happy Killer appeared, having tasted curry udon for the first time...
But now it seemed to Kid that he was disappearing. He was pouring through his hand like sand. Fading away... You can call it different things, but it means the very same..! Killer is leaving. After that, he is no longer with him. Not on his crew. Not in his life. Not in his dream...
Killer leaned a little towards him, seeing on Kid’s face not the usual spinning gears, but complete nothingness, diluted with a stunned open mouth. It probably reminded him of a deer caught in a spotlight.

“Kid, I know this is very hard to accept, but I-..” – the words that will make it all over.

And Kid, as a leader, as a captain, must accept this. Swallow it and move on! Crews don’t always stay with the original line-up. Someone leaves, someone comes. One way or another, it happens. Not all members of the Kid Pirates came from South Blue. Previously, there were 40 of them, 10 people from each gang: 13 people left on their own, 5 died for various reasons, and 9 people joined him on different islands of the Grand Line. He never had a problem letting anyone go: why keep cowards on a ship? And now he can do it...

“We're both tired!” – but Kid still interrupted him – “Let’s discuss this tomorrow when we’re well rested and have gathered our thoughts, okay?”

“Uh-..” – Killer opened his mouth to answer something...

“OK! Cool! Good night, partner!” – but Kid had already begun to run away, talking and talking during his strategic retreat, that, for the love of all the seas, Killer wouldn’t speak!

That night he escaped from the cave, simply not wanting Killer to catch up with him and continue his thought. Upon returning to Gomi, he saw only wounded people who had fallen right on the street, a team of O-Hira, O-Ku, Heat and Wire working around them. He didn't even think about them and simply disappeared into O-Ku's house, where he lay down on a futon awake all night.
It was funny how a couple of minutes ago he was ready to give up his other hand just to fall on the bed and fall asleep until the morning, and now he was suffering from insomnia. Kid was thinking about a lot of things. About what an idiot he is, about O-Hira, about Killer’s words, about what he should do next, about what he will do tomorrow, about their childhood together... The thought that he would continue his adventure without his partner drove him insane, annoyed him, enraged him..! And upset him. It’s strange, but for some reason, he couldn’t see his future without Killer...
In the morning, when the light began to shine through the window frames, he finally passed out from fatigue. But his sleep didn’t last long, because he was awakened by the rustling of the door. And the fact that he did not expect to see O-Ku there was not the most unexpected thing. In fact, he was alarmed because he thought he would see Killer instead.

“Oh! Good morning, Chouzuke-Dono! Did I wake you up?” – for someone who Kid might have killed in the factory, O-Ku looked... quite friendly.

He didn't even know what to answer. Should he ask? God, his thoughts were confused after yesterday... Although for him it was still yesterday...

“Well... Yes” – Kid rubbed his eyes heavily.
He thought of coming up with something before tomorrow. But tomorrow came too quickly, and in his mind there was only a plan - “run away from Killer like from the plague”.
O-Ku went to the fruit basket and found a bruised orange there. She peeled off the peel and divided the slices into wrinkled and still good ones.

“Did you know that oranges are considered an invigorating fruit?” – sounds like something Victoria would say.

“Is it true?” – Kid took his portion of unwrinkled slices.

He ate them in one gulp, like pills, chewed them, and...

“Sweet. Perfect for lemonade. Maybe I can make lemonade?”

O-Ku was surprised, but nodded in agreement.

“But there is no juicer!” – she mentioned.
Kid just waved his hand.

“I’ll make it. Don’t be wimpy"

And he didn't lie. He found the necessary parts in the ruins of a factory, made a juicer out of them, and squeezed all the fruits that were in the basket. As a result, a lot of juice came out. But there were no required vessels for long-term storage. Knowing that the fruits are no longer fresh, they’ll for sure expire soon. And why did he make so much? Apple, and peach, and orange, and... Does he really not want to talk to Killer that much?

“Do you mind, if I give it to others to drink?” – O-Ku quickly found a use for the extra cups of juice.

“Yes, but it doesn’t taste very good without sugar” – Kid just waved his hand, because from the very beginning he had no plans for juice.

If his invention finds a purpose, he will be happy to give it to the right hands. Again, so as not to find time to talk with Killer.
As a result, he repaired the fed-up stool, patched up the table a little, greased the door with oil, that was in the same factory ruins, made a ladder to climb to the attic, built shutters on the windows, and when there was nothing else to do in the O-Ku house, he simply went around the village to break into people's houses without permission and repair their furniture.
O-Hira slapped his ass a couple of times in retaliation for the ton of work he brought with him. Although he was angry with her, the old hag had a tendency, like a snake (which she was), to shirk responsibility. After scolding him for stealing her precious time, she took him somewhere just to save the poor survivors from the unplanned restoration of their houses.
Somehow, Kid didn’t immediately understand how he sat down and began to furiously pound some herbs in a mortar and pestle. Meanwhile, O-Hira kept adding more herbs for him to grind, not forgetting to explain the purpose of each one. These, which look more like bells than the flower of the same name, were used in decoctions for coughs and sore throats. This root could help clear the respiratory tract if steamed; it is also useful for digestion in heat-treated form. This herb with small round pistils is inherently poisonous, but the powder from its beads could serve as a high-quality antidote if crushed and turned into an ointment - wait, stop!

“Why am I doing this, hag!?” – Kid threw the pestle into the mortar and looked at O-Hira with the eyes of a rebellious, freedom-loving teenager.

“Oh!...” – O-Hira sighed disapprovingly – “You really don’t understand the reason? Or are you pretending to be such a slow-witted person? Think, Sicko! It's simple! Do what you did when you went from house to house and fixed everything without blinking an eye, you serial builder!”

Kid didn’t even want to think as a sign of protest, he growled and irritably continued grinding the herbs into powder. After a couple of seconds, O-Hira finally confessed.

“Kamazo-chan said that your crew doesn’t have a doctor. So sit down and learn to heal, since you don’t want to have ship doctors!”

More than orders, Kid didn't like those who tried to teach him something. If he wants to learn a skill, he will be happy to learn it himself. But when they poke him with ignorance, orders, instructions, and the words, “It’s so simple!”, then he will only flip them off, if he doesn’t smear them on the wall.
So Kid stopped, getting ready to go about his business:

“Why should I be able to do this? Killer's the smart one among all of us, so teach hi...m” – the mortar fell out of his hands.

Killer won’t go further with them. What good is it for him to know about medicine, if he leaves the crew? 
There was a kind of painful constriction in his throat. Kid bit his cheek, picked up the pestle, and continued what he was doing.

“And what, can these beads neutralize all the poison?”

“Only on the skin! There is no need to eat ointment!” – O-Hira walked over him like a teacher, watching his progress.

She introduced him to the whole course of the matter: how to make an ointment, what herbs can often be found on the Grand Line, recommended handbooks on plants, which decoctions give what effect, what can be applied directly from the garden, and what needs to be prepared first. By the time he finished the entire batch of medications, Kid probably knew more about herbs than he knew about magnets.

“The Grand Line is a dangerous sea. You understand this yourself, Sicko” – O-Hira said between tying up the medicine – “Even though it takes a long time for you to understand, and you rely only on your emotions, but you are not as stupid as the Beasts”

“In gratitude for the boring lecture, I’ll take it as a compliment, hag” – Kid took into his hands what the hag gave him.

O-Hira laughed at the joke. They walked the streets of Gomi and gave the medicine to the residents. During this, they began a dialogue.

“Why don’t you have doctors on your crew?”

“Bullshit. I have people who know first aid!” – Kid hastened to defend himself against any caustic statements – “But I still can’t stand doctors”

“that's how it is! Such a thug, but he’s afraid of doctors!” – O-Hira laughed a smoky laugh.

“Tch! Do ye want to die? There's a reason for that!” – Kid leaned towards her threateningly, intending to bite off her ear if something happened.

“I’ll be happy to listen”

And then Kid realized that he had fallen into the trap of an agile snake. Now he definitely won’t be able to get out of it and will have to tell her! Although it’s not too late to tell her to fuck off and leave, but...

“Our doctors had no such thing as anesthesia. Either drugs or get beaten by a stick”

He doesn’t really want to remember how some shady surgeon set his arm in place, and of all his help there was only a gag in his mouth and Killer’s hand, which he grabbed with such force that for some time he couldn’t move it. In addition, this doctor was acting too strange... So much so that Kid bit him when he pulled his blood-stained hand towards his partner's cheek with compliments about his face. Who does this? He doesn’t just mock or insult, but praises. He praised, when it was clear to everyone, that Killer was uncomfortable being observed.
Kid didn't see anything unusual in his face. He's looks like Killer, nothing more. When he admitted this to him, however, his partner blushed, probably with rage, because Kid had never received such a blow to his liver!

O-Hira gave the medicine to the last resident.

“Well, you have to trust people with your life. Yours didn’t stop talking about you, they’ve been bragging all the time”

Kid sighed both heavily and with relief. Heat and Wire are fine... If they could brag to everyone about how cool their captain was, then they were fine. But the witch's words made him think.

“I trust my crew. And I trust Killer. Perhaps, I will never trust my life to anyone as much as to him. If it weren’t for him, then I would have died a billion times already” – as soon as he remembers those cases when he would have been dead, if Killer hadn’t been around, something immediately sank in his heart.

He's so close to losing him...
When they approached the tents, Kid was the first to notice the huge figure of Wire, and then the legs of Heat, lying behind his long back. Just as he wanted to say something, O-Hira pushed him in the back.

“Let's continue classes”

Kid was seated with Wire, who, wiping his bloody nose with a napkin, looked at him with an unreadable gaze. He seemed to say hello with one movement of his eyebrows, but he also seemed to look with too many questions. Kid, with just his facial expressions, asked him not to ask them out loud.
Heat lay in front of him with his hand on his forehead. O-Hira came and sat down next to him. As soon as the hag extended her hand, Kid instinctively stuck out his own.

“Relax already. I won’t eat him” – she said, slapping his hand – “Now you’ll do everything yourself.”

“What’s next?! Ask me to give you a cream pie” Kid knitted his eyebrows, but complied. 

The procedure wasn’t complicated. Heat needed to apply a cold compress - he could do that. Pour the powder from a mixture of dried three buds, called Mitsuhana, into his mouth, and when Heat begins to choke and complain about the taste, wash it down with herbal tea. While he is tormented by drowsiness (as it turned out, for the first time, after testing the poisons), you need to apply a healing ointment to all of Wire’s wounds and be surprised that his face didn’t change, even if the ointment made the wounds sting very much. After applying the medicine, make him breathe in the boiled fruits, and to strengthen the immune system, let him eat them.

“That seems to be it. How are you feeling?” – Kid wiped his hands tiredly.

Wire gave him a thumbs up and smiled, staring at the sleeping Heat.

“I'm glad. Rest as much as you need, but don’t overdo it!”

As Kid was about to leave, Wire stopped him and quietly informed him. Killer wants to meet him. The stupor came over him again. Oh no. The day has passed, and absolutely nothing came to his mind... What to do? What to do???
For a second, it seemed that hope had faded away completely, but...

“Chouzuke-Dono, can I talk to you?” – O-Ku saved him, and Kid went with her, relieved.
And the all-knowing O-Hira only sighed in annoyance.

“Have fun! In the meantime, I’ll give your guys new clothes, otherwise they look like prisoners!”

When they left the village to the well, a conversation took place between them.

“I see that you and O-Hira-san have become very close friends” – O-Ku said with a satisfied smile.

Kid was offended by this remark.

“Who's this hag anyway?”

“She is our midwife. She heals us for free and also babysits the infants while the others work” – O-Ku said willingly – “She used to be a doctor of the Beast Pirates, but ran away due to the disagreements. We do not report her to them, and in return she helps us”

That's how she knows about the outside world. Well, that explains a lot. Perhaps, her name is not O-Hira either. He should ask her, if they meet again. There is absolutely nothing more for them to do in Gomi, they need to move on, because those two days in this country were unbearable. Heat and Wire were saved, and the operation to rescue the rest could proceed. By the way…

“I killed yer neighbors and tore the Beasts into pieces before yer eyes. Are ye really not afraid of me?”

O-Ku became gloomy, although she did not remove her smile.

“We both kept terrible secrets. I sell myself for food, you are a pirate. I think, we are equal in this. I'm not upset about the Beasts and I am not even scared anymore. I no longer even have the strength to fear for people. I have felt nothing for too long to worry more. To some extent, you saved us, so thank you."

Kid hesitated. It's not like he saved them.

“By the way, my name is Eustass Kid. Spread bad rumors about me throughout Wano” – he asked with a grin.

O-Ku laughed.

“I will cherish the story of you until I die, Kid-Dono”

The well beckoned with its dark hole (and smell). Kid hung his head to look, but found only a couple of animal corpses and muddy water.

“What are ye going to do next?” – he asked, leaning against the well.

“Gomi is our home. No matter where we go, we won't run away. We will stay here, and the Beasts will find us. Probably, we die” – O-Ku answered with a smile.

This lady's pessimism was terrifying. Still, these similarities with Victoria had their effect. Kid felt sad. He had already lost her once, and now he seemed to be losing her image again.

“Well. I'm going to fight Kaidou, and also kick that Orochi's ass” – he stood next to her, as if he wanted to reassure her of this – “So don't be afraid. Ye definitely won’t have to die!”

O-Ku looked at him in amazement. Her eyes darted around in thought, and then she smiled, blushing. She stood in front of him, clasping her hands together.

“Is this a promise?”

“Yes! I swear, I’ll kick Kaidou’s ass for ye, too!” – Kid confidently placed his hands on his hips – “In gratitude for your hospitality”

He wanted to smile, but couldn't. O-Ku kissed him. She pressed her lips to his, causing him to fall into a complete stupor. For a second, only the whistling of the wind could be heard everywhere, which continued even when she pulled back. Anyone could have been embarrassed, flared up, run away, rejoice... But Kid felt nothing but bewilderment. Just like the time he finally won Victoria over. She kissed him, but he felt nothing. All this waiting was for nothing.

O-Ku noticed that there was no reaction to this, so she became upset and embarrassed.

“Why did ye do this?”

“Sorry, I thought, it would be appropriate...” – she bowed with an apology – “Apparently, I was mistaken”

Kid tilted his head to the side, not understanding anything. So, he was kissed. Why? For what? How did he even get to this point? It’s good that no one saw this, otherwise they’d call him the dumbest slow-witted person on the planet.
But someone saw them. The most unwanted person. 

“Kid” – Killer stood on the path to Gomi, and the situation became even more tense.

Chapter Text

It was cloudy outside. The wind blew so hard that even beams were torn off from the tops of the garbage mountains with a loud crack. These debris fell down, creating huge rubble, changing the landscape, and managing to hit someone.
But Kid didn't care about them. Didn't care what danger they were.
He was walking in an unknown direction. He took unbalanced steps, as if he could fall at any second. The blood on his hands seemed to form red gloves. A couple of times he tried to comprehend what had happened, to plan his next steps, but all that came out were insignificant attempts to wipe away the tears from his cheeks and pull his hair until it hurt. Not even a sound came from his lips, only blood came out from under his jaw, tightly fixed on the pink skin.
During his life, he was hit on the head a bunch of times, and with such force that he just walked around without a single thought and tried to understand where he was. Apparently, this also happens due to emotional turmoil.
Kid even tried to smile. Come on! It's so easy to say! Say it!
His foot slipped down, and his body almost fell down the slide, if Killer hadn’t caught him. Killer, - his most reliable support. Only thanks to his hand, he sat down on the edge with his leg still dangling...
The head snapped up. Useless garbage flew overhead. And there was nothing nearby to help Victoria...

A strange voice broke through his ears.

“Kid. Kid! Stop that. Stop it” – Killer’s voice sounded evenly, but the foul trembling gave him away.

He shook him in his hands, but his body dangled as if there was only sawdust inside. Kid glanced up at the sky again. Through the incomprehensible noise in his head, a single question broke through: “Is this our life?”

“Kid, listen. Ye won't find any help. Death cannot be cured. Victoria is de-...” – Kid didn’t let him finish, he writhed, clutching his head, and let out the heaviest scream that he had held inside.

His throat tightened from the sudden change in timbre. Firstly, he growled like an animal, full of rage and revenge, and then it all ended with something like a high-pitched howl that only brought more tears. The world made its way to him. Victoria is dead. If he hadn't told her that he didn't feel anything for her anymore. If only she hadn't left. If only she was next to him. If---….

“I FUCKED UP!!!!” – Kid screamed in despair.

He. The leader of the Kid's Gang. The son of a pirate and the kid of the most brilliant engineer on this damned island. Future Pirate King. And a simple seventeen-year-old boy.
He's so fucked up.

“SHIT! Shit! Shit shit shit shitshitshishitshhs..!” – every scream is a blow to the head.

Every blow, - Killer's words.

“Kid. Kid!! Enough! Calm down! This is not yer faul – !” – as soon as he touched Kid, he started to fight.

It's funny. During the kiss, he felt nothing, but now he was overwhelmed with some illogical emotions. There were too many of them. It was as if they were attacking him, interrupting each other, fighting, contrasting...
Kid fought with Killer. Why? He doesn't know. Killer didn't even defend himself. He accepted everything that was given to him, sometimes covering himself with his hands. And when the blows and screams became too frequent and erratic, he grabbed him by the shoulders, pressing his thumbs on his collarbones.
The pain calmed him down and made him look at his partner.

“Kid, look at me! Listen, damn it!” – his voice was like a high hiss, the highest note he could shout.

When Kid calmed down, Killer did the same, no longer pressing his thumbs on his bones. They looked at each other. Because of the mask, it wasn’t visible what his partner felt; he didn’t want to understand. Bastard. He loved her too, then why is he so calm!?
Killer slowly removed his hands from Kid's shoulders to place them on the fixators of his mask.
The wind caused his golden hair to flutter and cover his face. Kid wanted to glare hatefully at him because he was angry. And he wanted to kill something. Yes. Why is Killer so calm? He wants to break his jaw, but...
His expression trembled when, instead of coldness, Kid found the most pitiful cry on his partner’s face. Because of the mask, Killer didn't even have the opportunity to wipe away the snot, which he could only swallow. Everything was so wet that his hair was stuck to his cheeks, as red as his eyes. The tears weren't even just drops, they were streams that overflowed his eyes in one huge waterfall.
This calmed Kid down. Made him realize the situation.

“Breathe through yer nose” – Killer spoke evenly, although the trembling in his voice was no longer muffled by the mask.

And Kid instinctively clenched his jaw, first taking a couple of breaths through crooked teeth, and only then sniffled. The snot was just annoying. He tried to look at Killer, but ended up looking around, looking for something to catch his eye on. Just not to suffer from this pain.
When the crying didn’t stop, Kid raised his head in irritation, taking a couple of steps back. He awkwardly tripped over something and shamefully fell on his ass onto a pile of rubbish, which also fell on his head. Hanging his hands from his knees, he looked at his feet and there were only his pants, carefully patched up by Victoria, so short, that his ankles were shown, where there was a plaster on the knuckles - also from her first aid kit.
She was the best girl among this garbage. The daughter of some fallen nobleman. But she wasn't some kind of arrogant person. She was real. With feelings. And if he didn’t love her romantically, then as a friend he valued her to the grave. To the grave... How ironic.
Killer's shoes approached him through the veil of water. His partner squatted down next to him, still looking like a beaten dog. The only one he had left.

“What’s up with ye?” – Kid casually put his hands on Killer's neck – “Come ‘ere”

Killer’s forehead was obediently pressed against his shoulder; a luxury previously unallowable. Even though Killer was older, wiser, and smarter, they both knew who the daddy was among them.

“We will find everyone, we will punish everyone. I will hang the heads of these fucking Ramons, or whatever they are, in front of the palace of their recruiters. And then I’ll smash those “nobles” into pieces. Are ye with me, partner?”

For a minute, Killer didn't want to answer. It was hard to speak, but he still mumbled.

“You’ll probably end up being hung there without me. How can I leave ye?”

Kid sighed with a smile. What a relief.

“Weeell... That’s right!” – he kept talking while exhaling.

When Killer pulled back, he received, although stained with rage and grief, inspiration in the eyes of his future captain.

“Get your guys together. I'll gather my own. Heat? Wire? These too: Everyone else has been killed, they should stop cowardly hiding and start attacking!”

Both helped each other up. Killer raised his helmet, holding the still unsteady Kid by the arm. He probably wanted to say something, but changed his mind. Instead, he put on his helmet and said in a barely audible voice:

“You can do it, Kid”

The clink of mugs. Beer flowed on the ground, loud shouts of celebration and good music were exchanged between gangs with heated convictions. Kid tried alcohol for the first time in his life. It was not bad, to be honest. It was bitter, but at the same time it pleasantly enveloped his head in cotton wool, which made him want to laugh in euphoria. He got into a fight with someone, and then danced, and only then was he taken to the cabin of the ship of the now fallen Ramon gang they had captured and laid on the bed.

“You’ve drunk too much” – Killer stated briefly, looking at the giggling mess on the bed.

Kid barely opened his eyes. His cheeks burned pleasantly, and his mind was covered in fog.

“…Aren’ ye… too…?” – he barely muttered.

“Sleep” – Killer patted him on the shoulder without an answer.

Just as he was about to leave, Kid became sentimental.

“Killer... Shit, wait...” – he clutched his polka dot shirt with his hand.

Through the fog in his eyes, he made out how Killer turned his helmet towards him.

“I…. I’ll probably sail out to sea tomorrow...”

“Oh” – Killer said, probably not believing the drunk man’s words.

“What’s “oh” about? Ye’ll sail with me... Pack yers... these...” – Kid twirled his hand, trying to remember the word, but then gave up – “These, fuck it... Pack them too!.. Why are they... having fun there at my expense... And who will pay!?...”

When asked to pack “them”, Killer laughed, raising his equally drunken head. His laugh came out quietly but sincerely, probably due to the alcohol. He reached out his hand to Kid's cheek and patted it in a friendly manner.

“How can I leave ye? Ye’re the only one left for me now, captain”

The reminder of what happened moved Kid to the point of weakly hitting his hand against the wall and quietly grunting in pain. It's feels really reluctant to go to sea without Victoria... Is there really nothing that can be done to honor her memory?

“Kill...”

“Hm?”

Kid shouldn’t have closed his eyes. Now he started to doze off.

“I……. Now I won’t….. I probably won’t love anyone like that…… Well, except for yemmmmmph…..” – he didn’t immediately understand how he fell asleep without saying something stupid.

But Killer understood everything. And he blushed. Afterwards, Kid will wake up with a terrible hangover and, together with Heat, will rinse his intestines somewhere at the pier. Of course, he won’t have a single memory of last night. But Killer will keep his words to himself until the last breath.

It was suspicious, and even funny, but at that very moment that a very sturdy wind blew.
Firstly, Kid hadn't even recognized Killer, until he spoke up. Suddenly, his new clothes looked so foreign that even his golden hair was unfamiliar.
The hem of the kimono with blue and white stripes fluttered in this wind, trying to expose the calves stained in the yellow ointment. To think that Killer had once put on socks, you would have to not know him at all. And now he was also standing in these uncomfortable wooden sandals, which Kid would never have stood on in his life. Even his butterfly-filled kimono was long enough to hide his boots under the fabric. But the most inappropriate thing about Killer was on his face...
It was a mask. Some kind of ugly, in the form of someone’s face with narrowed eyes and a small mouth smiling with its 33 small teeth. If before Kid was unsettled, now he has completely lost his composure. Fuck the reason, fuck the logic! What…

“What kind of crap have ye put on yerself!?” – he didn't even know what to do, laugh or get angry.

Everything suddenly became so surrealistic. Perhaps somewhere in this strange picture, one could find the deepest hidden meaning that any person versed in art could easily discern. But Kid wasn’t a connoisseur of art, but a brilliant solution to this “deep meaning” arose in his head. Everyone around him just went crazy.

“I believe...” – Killer closed the distance – “These are the clothes of Wano”

“Clothes of the Wano country” – it sounded even worse after his statement yesterday. As if he had already decided everything, got ready, got dressed and left them. Left Kid.
And this made him confused. His head was swarming with so many thoughts that he didn’t know where to start.

“Wha-Wha-What is this stupid mask? Ye look ridiculous in this, have ye even looked in the mirror?” – his hands gesticulated incomprehensibly, indicating his difficult thought processes.

Killer didn't answer. He just laughed a couple of times, and then let the wind rustle the grass. His face now looked incomprehensible. If it was hard for Kid to figure out what he thought with that stupid smile on, then now he absolutely can’t figure it out anymore. Not when his speech suddenly lost all intonation.
But in the past, Killer was absolutely against masks in the form of other people’s faces. “I don’t want to change my face for another one” – he said then – “I just want to hide it”. And Kid immediately understood the assignment. It was already intuitive. Color, texture, shape. Everything seemed to start making sense when Killer finally told him. His blue and white striped helmet is his face. And not this... monster.

“This is a Noh mask. All theaters use it!” – O-Ku explained, but Kid didn’t even want to know Noh this or Yes.

“I don’t give a damn what kind of mask it is or what theater it’s from!! I want him to get this off him!”

The situation fell into tense silence. Now here stood Killer, not a single soul being able to read his mind, his absolutely distraught captain – Kid, and the worried O-Ku, who did not expect such a sudden outburst of emotions.
It was the causer of this silence who decided to speak first.

“Sorry, we need to talk in private” – Killer bowed politely to O-Ku, causing her to nod frequently.

While the girl walked away, waving to both of them, Kid sat down on the well and sighed heavily. They are alone. Alone with this incomprehensible mask...

“Kid” – Killer leaned against the weathered stone, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Ye-.. Did ye notice that this girl looks like Victoria? It's funny, isn't it?” – Kid stubbornly changed the still brewing topic.

But his partner didn't want to be distracted.

“Ye can’t run away from this conversation forever”

“It’s just... Such a coincidence! Wow, the world is really big, huh?” – but Kid continued to avoid the conversation, afraid to look at him.

“No, Kid...” – a heavy sigh was heard behind him.

“By the way, there is so much to do on Victoria Punk! Clean her up... Increase the protection... Surely the mast is fucked..”

“KID!!” – he was suddenly grabbed by the shirt, causing him to almost fall into the well from a sharp cry.

A cold mask looked at him. Never before had Killer's helmet looked at him so coldly. No, it wasn't him. It wasn't. It was someone else, but not Killer! He may have been brainwashed, or that SMILE did something to his mind, or sunstroke, but Kid can handle it! He will be able to cure him, even if it is something serious. Even if there is no cure. He won't let his partner walk around in this state...

“Kid, I’m leaving” – and again something painfully squeezed inside him.

The ability to be a responsible captain had disappeared, along with his gaze. Kid wanted to look anywhere but him. Not now, when he wasn't even laughing. After all, if he laughed, then Kid would at least know that he was experiencing the same thing as him. But this alien face remained unchanged.
Killer grabbed him by the jaw and forcibly turned his head towards him.

“Look at me” – even despite the insistent order, his voice did not have a single note of a smile –  “I am leaving the Kid Pirates”

He paused, giving Kid a chance to respond. But he was overcome by a stupor. He didn't know what to say. How to oppose. Killer simply hit him over the head with his statement.

“Ye can accept it, Kid. I know ye can”

“No...” – Kid growled quietly before reaching his hand towards that mask.

But Killer only pushed him away. They both stood up and backed away from each other.
That's it! Perhaps Killer is just on edge about what happened. Stress rages in the body, without any possibility of release. And every time his partner was exposed to this, Kid did the most relaxing activity with him!

“Listen! I know we're both a little under the weather! Damn, we've been through so much! We need to let off some steam! Come on, Kill, let's fight! There’s just plenty of space here!” – Kid stood up, waiting for Killer to make his move.

It's always been like this. One of them wasn’t in the mood, and they sparred. The best way to calm your nerves and train your muscles! Both were always bruised after that. And still their fights ended in a draw.
Killer stood and looked at him, thinking about God knows what. And then he turned around and walked towards Gomi, leaving Kid in a stupor.

“After we defeat Kaidou, I will stay here. I'll come up with a new name for myself. Perhaps I’ll open a shop and sell noodles. So don't worry about me. I'll be looking forward to hearing about ye, Kid”

His silhouette disappeared from view. The wooden clicking sound of sandals was silenced by the loud wind.
It became cloudy. The clouds covered the sky, and the wind continued to intensify, growing more and more.
Kid first looked at the path, and then at his feet. Under the boots, in the waving grass, some kind of a bug was clutching for life, which was eventually carried away by nature.
The wind blew away his unstable body too. Kid fell into the grass. He turned on his back and stared at the sky. It was expressing absolutely nothing... It looked at him with an unclear intonation. More precisely, with the intonation that Kid so stubbornly wanted to consider unclear.
The lump in his throat was already starting to prick. And the sigh only provoked more desires to cry.
He sat down, took a couple of breaths, but realizing that he couldn’t get rid of his emotions, he jumped up and hit the well with a loud, frustrated cry.

Soon the weather began to resemble a hurricane. Gusts of wind picked up the wreckage of the factory, causing large pieces to roll down the mountains, picking up the soot that had settled on the ground and turning it into a large fog. Gomi was simply shaking from the gusts of wind. Its unstable roofs flew off small houses.
Kid didn’t hide there, but chose to return to the old hag’s cave, angry and upset. He never expected such a blow from his friend. He was ready for everyone's betrayal. In his heart, he understood that he wasn’t the best captain. But for Killer to announce his resignation so coldly. They've been through so much together, they've been hurt, they've been happy, they've been angry... Doesn't that mean anything to him?
The burning lamps there swayed like crazy from the gusts of wind that hit at the first levels. Inside, all the whistling turned into an ominous howl.
Wire, in a black and brown kimono with some kind of huge shawl on his hair, met him, nodded in greeting, and led him to their makeshift base of operations. In the middle of the room they had been assigned, was the map borrowed from O-Hira, and Heat was sitting above it in a white kimono with huge seams on the shoulders. Somewhere in the corner, a hag peacefully smoked a pipe in her chair, sometimes glancing at her guests.
At first, Kid didn’t understand what was happening, and when he finally did, he only became more upset. They were already thinking through a plan. A couple more steps, and Killer will leave.
Heat reported on all the collected information:

“Every year, the capital holds a Fire Festival, at which all the Beast Pirates and the shogun, and his entourage go to Onigashima to celebrate. There will be no guards in Wano all night, our bec-Hrm, so our best course of action will be to carry out a raid after the departure of the big bosses”

Wire continued to speak after him, while Killer came out from somewhere in the depths in the same stupid outfit and silently assessed the situation. Kid kept his offended squint at him, trying to figure out if he felt even the slightest bit of guilt.

“Our people, although under the control of the Beast Pirates, were assigned to work on the shogun’s property. This means that they report directly to the gang of the Dozing Kyoshiro, who remain in the capital”

Kid was distracted by them, pressing his fist to his mouth.

“When is the festival? Wouldn't it be logical to take them out before it starts, so as to catch all the enemies at Onigashima on the day of the Festival? If we have such an opportunity, then I’m not going to waste this precious chance on a rescue mission”

“And what do you suggest?” – Killer spoke up – “Forget about them and go to Onigashima without reinforcements? Or take a risk and gave us out before the final battle. This is just stupid, Kid”

“Really? I thought, ye no longer had the right to discuss the plans of our crew” – Kid looked at him offended.

Perhaps he is trying to get him emotional. And it was even pleasant to see how Killer felt silent discouraged. If he wants to continue this pointless masquerade performance, then so be it.
Only the two of them understood the entire situation, maintaining intense eye contact. Heat and Wire looked at each other, carrying on a conversation with just their facial expressions - it was their strange language, due to the frequent silence of one of them.

“Uh, are ye two okay?” – Heat began awkwardly – “You've been avoiding each other all day. Did ye quarrel?”

Killer shook his head dismissively and answered just as coldly:

“It’s nothing important”

He said this about his leaving. Apparently, for him it was nothing. Well, of course, he’s just leaving the crew, nothing more!

“Oh, ye didn’t even tell them” – Kid said with a devil smile –  “Of course, why would they know that ye’re a coward!”

Heat and Wire looked at their first mate in bewilderment, and Kid also wanted to enjoy the show. Among all of them, apparently, he is the only one who is in pain.
But Killer stood there still, having already decided and planned everything long ago.

“Yeah, I'm a coward” – he shrugged – “I'm leaving, Kid. Because I'm scared"

“Ye're lying!” – Kid slapped his knee.

“When was the last time I lied to ye?” – was his only argument.

This only got on his nerves. And he wasn’t even angry at him, but at the fact that it was so easy for Killer to tell Kid all of this.

“Bitch, right now, for example!” – he jumped up, but was stopped by Wire's hand.

“Don’t get emotional” – he said, and then looked at Killer – “Killer. Why do ye want to leave? Maybe we can talk about this?”

Despite his taciturnity, Wire has always been a peacemaker with diplomatic skills. Of course, he is strong and always ready to fight, like any other Kid Pirate, but before starting hostilities, he always tries to resolve issues peacefully.
Kid trusted him when it came to avoiding unnecessary fights. Therefore, now he restrained his ardor, looking expectantly at Killer, who turned away.
Heat also joined the compromise team, carefully walking on the other side of Kid.

“Killer. We’ve all had a terrible month. Maybe we can somehow understand and support each other? After all, we have the very same experience! We can do without yer leaving. We don't blame ye in anything. We're all fucked up here”

Strange. Kid should have spoken these words to him. Never in his life would he blame Killer for what happened. He would never leave him.

“That’s not the point” – Killer wheezed through suppressed laughter.

He didn’t fall into this trap. He began to go outside. Past them. Past Kid. Now he will leave, and there will no longer be anyone named “Killer” on their crew. No first mate, no partner. He won’t let it slide…

Kid grabbed his hand tightly. When Killer stopped, the dark holes of the mask's eyes peeked out from behind his shoulder.

“I decline” – Kid whispered tensely. 

Killer froze, trying to understand what his captain meant.

“What?”

“I decline yer resignation” – Kid said with furrowed eyebrows.

His hand, as if to prove it, tightened its grip on the other’s wrist. Killer didn’t immediately understand this, only laughing in shock.

“Fa-fa! Kid, I'm not asking for yer approval. I’ll leave anywa-..” – he was prevented from finishing his sentence by a hand that suddenly grabbed him by the collar.

There was a loud knock on the wooden mask with Kid's forehead.

“Then prove that ye’re serious!” – his angry voice echoed off the walls – “Do ye want to leave? Over my dead body!”

Everyone froze in tense silence, a harbinger of some kind of cataclysm. A cataclysm worse than the nature raging outside.

“Are ye kidding? Small child” – Killer grabbed Kid's hand, but the grip only tightened – “Quit being childish! I don’t want to participate in your goddamned fights!”

Kid came closer, resolutely not letting go of Killer.

 “Killer, if ye leave now like a coward, I will catch ye and beat ye up! Ye're still on my crew, and I'm still yer captain. And when I say fight me, that’s what I expect from ye!”

 There was a commotion behind them. Heat was already walking toward them, opening his mouth, but Wire stopped him and pulled him back. Instead, O-Hira intervened in this struggle of interests.

“Whoa-whoa-whoa! Can I remind you that you, guys, are walking around with open wounds? The doctor’s words mean nothing to you?”

“Shut up, hag!” – Kid hastened to shut her up – “I’m talking to a lady here!”

“Ye’re just provoking me now” – Killer noted.

“Just like ye, all this time”

 Both looked at each other. If Killer had the Conqueror's Haki, then they would have been measured against it long ago.

“Okay,” Killer whispered – “You want a fight. So be it”

Kid just grinned triumphally.

“That’s better!”

Chapter Text

“Okay, the rules are simple!” – Kid began as they both stood in the middle of the ruins of the factory. 

Heat, Wire and O-Hira were to the side from them, at the safest distance. The wind blew so hard that their kimonos frayed under its gusts. Wire had to hold his veil with hands, and Heat somehow tied his hair into a ponytail. 

“If I beat ye, not only ye won't leave, ye won’t even take a step away from me anymore”

O-Hira just disappointedly looked at this childishness 

“Are you sure you don't want to resolve this peacefully? I'm not going to stitch up your wounds again! This can be solved by a simple game of cards!” – but her voice was drowned out by the loud whistle of the wind. 

“And if ye win, then ye can do whatev’r ye want! Because ye'll have to kill me to win!”

Through the noise, Killer’s slight muttering was heard, somewhat reminiscent of an irritated “This is ridiculous!”

“I won’t kill ye for my leaving, Kid!” – he said louder – “But I’ll definitely beat you to death and run away while ye’re passed out!”

“Ye can only dream ‘bout it” – Kid's body lit up with bolts of lightning, and his left arm was assembled from the rubbish available to him. 

Swords covered in blood landed next to Killer's feet. 

“Take yer swords”

Killer hesitated. But in the end, he obediently took them out of the ground, shaking them off from the dirt with one stroke. 
A moment of absolute inaction. Both exchanged glances. After counting down for themselves, they began the fight. 
The spectators watching the battle were shocked by the level of brutality with which they fought each other. At the beginning, there was metal hitting metal, Devil Fruit attacks, and Killer's quick thrusts. A battle of strength versus agility. Determination upon determination. There will only be one winner. And he will get what he wants. But Kid never got hit even once, although he noticed many possibilities to himself. 

“What the fuck are ye doing!?” – he slashed at Killer's crossed swords in annoyance, pushing him back – “Attack me!”

But his opponent didn’t stay close for long. Swinging his swords to the side, he forced Kid to step back, after which he cut off his metal arm with one blow. And one more possibility. He attacked with one sword from the side close to him. He could have easily cut his throat with an attack with the second sword. But he stood up, waiting for Kid to get up. 

“Attacked. Are ye satisfied?” – his words were just a provocation

Kid growled. 

“No!” – with one wave of his hand towards Killer, he threw at him all the sharp pieces of iron that succumbed to his magnetism. 

They quickly flew away from the swords, which skillfully blocked them all. And again, he stood waiting for the next move. Killer either takes advantage of Kid’s anger or doesn't want to fight at all. 

“If ye don’t fight, I’ll make ye!” – Kid waved his hand towards himself, and lightning created a chain between him and Killer's swords. 

The blades began to tremble, and before Killer realized what had happened, they flew with him towards the source of magnetism. They were close to each other in distance, and Kid's strength was incredible, so Killer didn’t react immediately. 

“Wait-.. Kid!-..” – but it was too late. 

The blades passed by the torso, almost grazing the skin. The only thing left injured was Kid's organic hand, which he used to grab the swords. This took Killer by surprise, so Kid took advantage of Killer, throwing him over his shoulder by his swords with a devilish smile. The body rolled awkwardly into a pile of garbage. 
And he didn’t even give Killer a chance to come to his senses. Kid jumped with Repel and in the air collected enough metal for Punk Gibson. When the fist hit the ground, Killer miraculously dodged and was even able to save his swords. The first tactics in his head weren’t destined to come true, because Kid just as violently jumped on him, along with the garbage nearby. 
Killer backed away and somehow defended himself from all the attacks that the enemy kept hitting him with a devilish smile. In the end, the garbage flying at him still cut his knee. Killer was distracted by a sharp pulse of pain and immediately regretted it when a metal hand grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ground. 
With his foot, Kid stepped on his solar plexus, knocking the air out of him, and hovered over the ugly mask. 

“Admit that ye don’t want to leave!”

“I just don't want to kill ye, Kid!” - Killer shouted with a smile in his voice. 

Kid was hit between his cheekbone and ear, causing a ringing sound to be heard instead of wind. Although his head stopped thinking during the fight, he reacted quickly to Killer's attempt to hit him with the hilt of his sword, stopping the blades with magnetism. 

“Oh, ye asked for it!” – in response to the attack, Kid only smiled. 

And the battle finally became serious. Both fought like dogs: one beat his fist into blood, and the other beat with the hilts of his swords. One blow after another, and now no more blocks. Only endurance. 
Kid had a goal. He needs to win at all costs. It's not clear what motivates Killer, but for some reason he wants to believe that he's just confused. It's just fatigue, stress and wounds. He should lie down and rest normally. No shouting and no quarrels. They both need to rest. But Killer didn’t give up, even when Kid shot him with a fist right into the seam on his chest. 
For the sight of passersbys, their movements were inhuman. Fast. Polished. None of them ever gave in to each other. It hurts to admit, but Killer still didn’t give in one bit. 

“Why do you want to leave so fiercely!?” – between the constant barrage of attacks, Kid asked – “Is this the shogun? SMILE? Maybe Kaidou? Hawkins with Apoo!? Are you upset because those idiots from Udon laughed at us!?”

Not a single assumption brought Killer to spill the beans. His movements continued to be precise and fast, as if it were not the swords that were the weapon, but him. Killer always saw himself as something of a sword to Kid. Sometimes he could directly subject himself to objectification. But Kid never saw him as just a killer or his weapon, which you can use until you find a new and shiny one. His inventions and weapons in battle, although they were nothing but garbage for him, but Killer for him is a valuable treasure, which he will never throw away. 
Does Killer really consider himself unfit? Or…

“It’s because of me, right?” – Kid asked in the middle of his partner's attack. 

And unfortunately, Killer lost his pace, which is why he missed and was only able to hit his cheek. But for some reason, this was enough for Kid to take a couple of steps back, looking forward with despair in his eyes. He knew he had failed him as a captain. He knew he had screwed up greatly!
Every time he leads his crew into battle with the Emperor, it ends in either defeat or retreat. Even after the battle with Shanks, Killer started this conversation with him. He didn't need flattery to get into trouble. Although his crew would follow him to the edge of the world, his partner then said that Kid could someday give him a heart attack, if he puts himself in danger. 
Tears treacherously welled up in his eyes, and to hide them, Kid irritably pulled his goggles over them. 
Electric discharges appeared beneath him. Garbage from the entire landfill began to swirl like a hurricane. Kid screwed up. And he will take responsibility. 

“Punk Rotten” – the pieces came together for his final attack that would end everything. 

Wire’s cry was heard from the spectators’ side. 

“Captain!” – he wanted to stop him, but it was too late. 

Killer looked at this with emotions hidden under his mask. As the shadow of the demon rose above him, he drew his blades, strengthening them with the Armament Haki
The attack started. Kid will fix everything...

Rubble. Pieces of useless metal that were easily carried away by the strong wind. 
Kid lay in this rubble, completely incapacitated, only able to breathe heavily. Through the dust on the goggles, he saw only the dark sky above his head. Something allegorical that could only sound in his favorite songs. He looks at the sky, but for him it is completely hidden. 
With a loud laugh, Killer approached him. 

“Fuck, I thought ye were really going to kill me, Kid”

His body ached from the fall. Kid couldn't even sit up normally, reclining and immobilized. Blood was flowing from his nose. 

“Do it” – he whispered. 

Killer froze. But then he raised his blades, pointing the tips at him. The metal glinted in the reflection of his goggles, and with a confident thud his eyes closed. 

But there was no pain. The blades pierced either side nearby his head. 

“Ye tried. But I won. Farewell, captain” – Killer walked away from him, turning around on his sandals – “Tell our crew that... Actually, ye’ll probably come up with something to tell them for me”

With each sound of wood hitting stone, the goggles filled more and more with water. Kid didn't think he would lose. He honestly thought he could make a difference. Perhaps that's really the issue. That he is so weak. 

“I won’t tell them anything for ye!” – Kid shouted in despair. 

Killer didn't even turn to him. 

“As ye wish”

With an effort, Kid sat up. 

“I won’t tell ‘em, because... There will be no one to tell!” – with his hand, he finally took off these goggles, which is why all the excess liquid wetted the stone under his feet. 

He had useless junk in his palm. A gift from Killer that meant nothing in the end. Just a piece of garbage that shattered so easily in his clenched fist. If he can't keep him by his side, then all his dreams and ambitions mean nothing either. 

“The Kid Pirates are done!” – the last phrase made Killer stop. 

The wind blew his hair. Now it was his turn to stand up in a stupor. The shocked questions of Heat and Wire broke through the whistle of the wind, but the only thing that came out of Killer at first was a giggle. 

“What?” – he finally turned to him. 

Kid sat down more comfortably. 

“I disband the Kid Pirates!”

Another pause for Killer to accept it all. And then, with an aggressive tsk, he walked up to him and grabbed him by the collar. Kid's body howled painfully as he lifted him up, but he was willing to endure it. 

“Don’t even think about it! Damn baby! Manipulate me as you please! You won’t disband them just because I’m the only one who left!” – the only time Killer would get angry like this, was if the plan was too terrible. 

“I will!” – Kid shouted back decisively –  “Do ye know why? Because there will be no Kid Pirates without Kid! And there would be no Kid, if ye aren’t by ma side!”

The statement outraged Killer to such an extent that he couldn’t even laugh the first time. His hand let go of Kid and he fell back into the trash. 

“Don’t be so dramatic, Kid! You'll survive without me!”

Now angrily, he tried to leave again, saying along the way:

“Find yerself another first mate. Make them Heat or Wire or someone else! We almost all joined the Kid Pirates at the same time, so there will be a huge choice for the first mate!”

If his previous statements sounded crazy, now Kid was simply offended. He lay in a pile of garbage and could only look at the black sky above his head. He couldn't even look at his friend. At his partner. At his treasure!

“I DON’T NEED ANOTHER FIRST MATE, I NEED YE!” – so he shouted to the sky, as if hoping that a star was now falling above him. 

Tears flowed down his cheeks freely. 
The wind calmed down, as if the world itself was trying to listen to his words. A simple wish. Bring his Killer back. Why is everything so obstructive to this??
A surprised “Fa” was heard from the side. Kid let out a shaky breath to push the lump back into his throat. 

“All this time, neither Heat, nor Wire, nor anyone else saved me. Stop being an idiot and think about how many times I could have died if ye weren't there. Killer, I will die without you...” – Kid paused to swallow a sob, – “And even if I don’t die, then I definitely won’t get One Piece”

“Ye’re bringing in children’s vows again!” –  Killer laughed irritably. 

And Kid couldn't even move to object. 

“No, Kill, it’s not about the vows! It's about us! Yes, I'm a terrible captain. Forgive me for being so weak that I couldn’t save ye! I’d never want to hurt ye on purpose, Kill, but ye're just asking for it! Ye walk around in that stupid mask, and I don’t even know what’s on yer mind! Talk to me, damn it! Just talk, please!”

Again, he sounds pathetic. Desperately screams and begs, because there is nothing else left for him. It seems like everything he tried didn't work. And Kid is no longer even angry for crying so openly. 

“Let's not talk about the past. Fuck the past! Let's talk about our... Feelings??? I don’t know...” – he grabbed his head with one single hand – “I’ll start first, so that it will be somehow calmer for ye to convey to me what ye feel now, okay?”

It was easy to announce a sudden moment of revelation. But the most difficult thing is to understand your emotions. What did they have in common? They're all humiliating, that's what! Kid feels humiliated because he is now crying like a woman and cannot in any way establish contact with his friend, whom he has known since he was nine years old! Well. Perhaps it is worth starting with the emotion that is most understandable to him. Anger. 

“I’m angry...” – Kid fell silent, trying to put these logical chains together – “...Because I don’t understand ye! For me, ye’ve always been like a closed book, always on yer own mind, and I can’t figure out what confused ye! But no, I don't blame ye. Perhaps each of us wants to keep something to ourselves. Me too. But fuck, Killer, talk to me! If something is weighing ye down or ye're on edge, just tell me! I won't laugh at ye or judge ye. Kill, ye’re my friend, I would never reject yer feelings.”

There was no answer. But somewhere in the periphery, the rustling of garbage was heard.

Fine. He didn't leave. 

What does Kid feel next? Ah, yes... 

“And it’s the reason that I feel despair! I don't know what to think or what to do. I'm not good with emotions, so maybe I'm doing something wrong!? I don’t even know what exactly I’m doing wrong, ye’ve completely hidden yerself from me with a mask! I feel like I should save ye, but I can't! No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, ye just... get further away from me”

And then the most difficult emotion.

“I feel sad because I can’t keep ye by my side. I feel like I'm fucked up. And I feel like it will be even worse if I let ye go. I don’t know what to call it, but it seems to me that my whole world will split in half if ye are not with me. It hurts me, Kill”

There was a little silence. It is unknown if Heat and Wire heard this. He doesn’t care. Kid is really in pain. Kid really feels bad that Killer is leaving. 

“So... It's yer turn”

The ability to move returned to him a little, so he looked around to find Killer. And he found him very close, sitting in a pile of garbage in silence. For a long time, he just sat and, perhaps, didn't even think to speak. But he laughed anyway. To begin with, it was very quiet, and only then he switched to weak chuckles. He cried. And Kid too. 
And this fight ended in a draw. The wind died down, turning into a light breeze.
They didn't speak to each other when they were helped back to the cave. Too much stress. Kid wasn't even angry anymore. There was nothing inside anymore except some kind of lousy state, as if he had been woken up very early, or he was sick. He didn’t even have the strength to argue with the hag, so he allowed her to do whatever she wanted with him. 

“Look at you! Covered in dirt, as if you hadn’t washed at all! Oh!” – she said, wiping his face with a rag. 

When he focused his attention on this, he immediately woke up. She treats him like he’s a little boy. 

“Maybe ye wipe my snot as well, old hag!?” – from the waves of his hand, the rag flew somewhere to the side. 

And in the end, Kid, who did not want to be treated like a little boy, crossed his arms over his chest offendedly, looking... actually, like a little boy. 

“Stop being drama queen! It’s all your own fault, and now you’re even offended! You are persistent and impudent! That’s why everyone worries about you!” – O-Hira angrily put her hands on her hips, but Kid didn’t listen to her - he looked around. 

“Where's Killer?” – his face was forcibly turned to its previous position. 

O-Hira, without releasing her claws from his cheeks, smeared medicine on his scratches. 

“Your sweetheart won’t run away anywhere! Too much stress. This cannot be cured in one day”

Kid's eyebrows immediately relaxed at the mention of stress. If everything could be explained only by stress alone, then he wouldn’t have bothered for so long. 

“I know this without ye! It’s just... Killer isn’t the kind of person to just lose his temper and want to leave the crew! Something is happening to him. Something I don't know about! And I just can’t figure out what it is exactly. It's about emotions, not mechanisms or... I'm good at solving problems, but how can I help him if I don't even know what the problem is!?”

For a second, Kid stood in silence as his face was scrubbed of dirt and wounds. O-Hira smiled strangely. Not maliciously. But heartwarming. 

“You still haven’t answered my question, Sicko”

“What?”

“Who is Killer to you?”

Kid looked at her with an “Are you serious?” expression and then broke eye contact in thought. Killer is his friend. 

“He is my best friend. My one and only friend. My partner! We went through a lot together, and…” – but this was too banal, just the tip of the iceberg. 

Kid tried again. 

“He was the only one who took my dream seriously. I was completely alone and didn’t even want to think that I would die there. Killer saved me. He was always there when I was happy or when I was miserable, and... I just want to be there for him too. He... He is a dear person to me”

These words began to make O-Hira think of some of her own witchy thoughts, because her smile began to widen. 

“And what do you feel for your dear one?” – she asked, as if bringing the conversation to some conclusion. 

Kid froze again in thought. It's that simple. He feels for him...

“I have confidence in him. And I believe in him. And I know that we can protect each other. And I feel... joy? I don't know. Every time I see that he is nearby, and I’m not alone, something happens inside me... Something that I cannot fully understand. This is a very complex feeling that makes me want to... Rejoice, and relax, and be myself?” – and even now, when remembering some of their activities, the mouth itself stretched to the ears. 

“Almost like love, right?” – O-Hira hinted, although Kid didn't immediately understand her. 

He sat with the same smile, in complete bewilderment. Why did she say this? But then it started to dawn on him. And his pale skin took on a shade similar to his hair. 
A couple more objects flew towards the rag. Kid was angry. Outraged. But most of all he was confused. How could this be imagined!? Him and Killer... Kissing like some lovey-dovey couple! Ugh! 

“Are you completely crazy? I’ll definitely smear ye all over the wall, just hold on!”
O-Hira just laughed while Kid waved his hands in front of her. 

“How nice! You didn’t even blush so much from a kiss with O-Ku!”

The statement caused him to change the object of his anger. And rightly so, otherwise he would definitely have killed her. 

“She told you!? Oh, she-...” – but Kid still thought about it

But it's true. He had never blushed so much over something romantic. He didn't care about the girls who approached him at the bar. He didn't care about flirting or declarations of love. He just wasn't interested. And even if he was interested, then... He still wouldn’t do anything. Because Victoria eventually died because of his confusion in feelings. 

“Relax, Sicko! I’m not interested in your romantic adventures” – O-Hira brought him to his senses, still not letting go of her obsession with them. 

“Fuck you!” –  Kid growled, still thinking about it. 

Let’s suppose. He fell in love with Killer. So what? The guy can stand up for himself, cooks well and will help with advice. And his hair is beautiful, so smooth. And laughter is contagious. And smile. And the eyes sometimes glow as if the coastal sea. And on the battlefield he seems to be flying, so free and light. 
Let's just say he fell in love with him! And what should he do about it? Play family with him? Well, he doesn’t know how to care for someone! Especially for Killer. How to care for him? How to love? How to treat him? Does he need all this? He doesn’t even need him, let alone his love!

“He wants to leave. He didn’t care about my feelings” – Kid said bitterly while O-Hira finished treating his wounds. 

When she finished, she put the medicines in their rightful places, after which she finally began to speak. 

“Are you sure this is what's going on?”
Kid shrugged, looking towards the bedrooms. 

Perhaps for the hag he was some kind of child who needed help with advice. To tell the truth, he really didn't know what to do. But to say this, being the captain of the ship, a man and just a pirate, was equal to stripping naked on stage and doing a helicopter. 
O-Hira still sat down next to him, looking into his golden eyes like a mother. 

“Your relationship is now going through its most severe test. You will either part ways here or continue as more than friends. You are his captain. I'm sure he'll want to listen to you if you stop running away or fighting him. And I’m sure he won’t laugh at you on purpose for wanting to talk to him”

“What can we talk about?” – Kid asked in bewilderment – “Killer always walks around like a closed book! I don't understand what's on his mind, and I want to understand, but he doesn't want to. And I don’t know how to make him”

He thought about how they had been friends for almost their entire lives, but Killer had never talked much about himself. All the things that Kid learned about him only appeared during their time on Victoria Punk. For example, his passion for cooking pasta, or drums. Actually, these are all his known hobbies. If he don’t take into account his very suspicious knowledge of military, Killer also didn’t talk much about how he knew all this. 
O-Hira just patted him on the shoulder. 

“I think you’ll understand what you need to do if you talk”

“Right now?” – Kid got a little nervous. 

The old woman's gaze began to become stern. 

“Right now, Sicko”

Throughout his life, Kid has committed many rash acts, but this is exactly what he tried to think about a thousand times. Killer secluded himself in one dark recess where he had to climb to get there, and until then no one had dared to touch him. Heat and Wire just sat quietly, only listening to the laughter. 
When Kid came to them, he asked them to leave with a nod. And he was left alone with the nervous laughter coming from the hole. 
Gathering all his will into a fist, he finally said:

“I'm crawling to ye”

Without his prosthetic, weapon or anything else, he climbed up to him with the completely pure intention of talking. When he got there, he realized that there was only room to squat, in the dark and alone. The recess continued long enough to hide a man there. At the very end, with his back turned away from the light, lay Killer. 

“Hey” – Kid greeted, but received only laughter in response. 

Crawling closer, he lay down on his back next to him and began to look at the veins of rock in the stone ceiling. He hopes that there is something valuable there, otherwise it is simply not interesting. 
He didn't want to put pressure on him, but apparently this elephant in the room only made them both nervous. 

“Let's talk about this month”

Killer said nothing. Therefore, Kid decided to provoke him into conversation. 

“I've been in Udon all this time. I suffered from crap, carried huge blocks and ate some balls of unknown origin... Like rice, or dough”

“This is rice. Dumplings” – Killer explained. 

“Well, as I said! Rice!” – Kid smiled, but then stared at the ceiling again – “What were ye doing? Besides eating some stupid Devil Fruits”

“Kid, stop it” –  Killer pressed his legs to his stomach, clutching his head – “Just leave me alone”

Kid stared at his back, examining the striped pattern on his kimono, his hair, and the mask's knot. 

“Why d’ ye want to push me away from ye so badly?” – he turned to him and carefully grabbed the end of the knot – “Did I do something wrong? Or did they tell ye something?”

“There are many reasons”

“Oh, ye always have reasons, but ye never tell me them, as if ye don’t trust me. Am I really so disgusting for ye that ye decided to settle on the "because I said so" argument instead of actually looking for solutions to the problem or-?”

“Kid, I'm in love with ye”

Again

Wait, what?

“Oh” – Kid's hand shook and the knot of the mask came undone. 

Killer kept the mask from falling off with his hands. 

“This is the nastiest of reasons. Satisfied? Can ye let me go now?”

Kid just drilled into his back for a couple of minutes. Many thoughts were racing through his mind, but there was also a feeling that he was beginning to understand something. 

“When did it happen?” – one laugh in response. 

“Honestly, I don’t know. Probably when we made that oath. I just know that I was too young to understand it, and when I grew up, it was no longer right”

“Why? Why were ye silent about this?” – Kid decided to clarify, completely unaware of the problem of subordination and age difference. 

“Because. To begin with, I was twenty and ye were sixteen. And then ye became my captain, and ye had much more important things to do than caring about our relationship” – Killer answered honestly, and after a little laughter he continued – “Besides, I don't really mind just being by yer side”

“Uh-.. Ah-.. Then what is this whole performance for? Why did ye suddenly want to leave!?” – Kid was completely confused

Well. Talking is definitely not for him. 

“Because I'm a burden to ye, Kid!” – Killer laughed, and the mask fell onto the stone with a thud – “Just imagine, one of ours died or got seriously injured, and I just laugh at it! Imagine, if ye get seriously injured, or lose, or die, and all I can express in response is laughter!”

He finally turned to him, and Kid was finally able to see his face, along which barely restrained tears flowed. 

“I just don't want to be a burden to ye, Kid...”

The smile stretched across his entire face trembled, while Killer held back hiccups with his teeth. Even now he is trying not to hold back his tears, but his laughter. He is laughing. Although he wants to cry. He will stay with this for the rest of his life. He will laugh until the last moment. Surely, it must be painful to smile all the time. What about laughing? When your stomach cramps. Can't people die if they laugh too long? Have such cases already happened in this country?
Kid didn't know. But he knew one thing for sure. Killer isn’t a burden for him. So he jumped up, almost hitting his head on the ceiling. For him, sometimes Killer's words about himself sounded like the most vile insult. 

“Why do ye even think so?!” – he shouted indignantly – “Among all the people I’ve known, ye’re the least likely to be a burden to me!”

He grabbed his head, unable to withstand the scale of hatred that Killer had for himself. This idiot was so stuck in this cycle that he began to impose on himself some non-existent stories. Kid consider him a burden? He give him up? Leave him alone? Maybe Kid himself fell in love with him as a child! Among all the people, Killer was the only one who listened to his stories about the life of a pirate, admired his talent for mechanics and followed him to this day! How could he have thought that Kid would do such a thing. 
Suddenly everything became completely clear. Both Killer’s behavior and his own. The words came to the tongue themselves, and Kid didn’t even try to hold them back. 

“Killer, I fell in love with ye too. So we're stuck in this together. And I’m definitely not going to let ye go”

The honest confession made Killer sob. And openly wail, silencing his laughter. Kid gave him time, and then lay down, pressing his head to his chest, and hugged him with his only arm. 

“Why!?...” –  Killer howled –  “Why, can’t ye just let me go!? Why can’t ye get rid of me like all normal captain would do!? Why didn’t ye let me die when I had the chance!?”

Laughter broke through the sobs, but they both knew it wasn't real. Why didn't he let him die? Because Killer never wanted to die. Nobody wants this. They just want their suffering to end, but will Killer be that happy if he stays in Wano? No. He will never be happy without Kid, just like Kid will never be happy without him. Without each other, they simply wouldn’t exist in the world. There would be no Captain Kid, there would be no Massacre Soldier Killer, there would be no Kid Pirates. Who knows, maybe that island from the first part of the Grand Line would still be standing intact by know. 
Kid doesn't know what will happen tomorrow or if they can defeat Kaidou... But he knows for sure that he already lost the person he loved once. And he won't let this happen again.

Chapter Text

The crying gradually began to give way to hiccups and howls, and then turned into sobs, until Killer fell silent completely. Kid was still lying quietly on his partner’s chest, his hand didn’t let go of his striped kimono. Along with the smell of dampness, he could also smell the nasty smell of sweat emanating from both of them, but now he was too overwhelmed with feelings to think about it.
They lay there for a couple of minutes until Killer sighed loudly and laughed again. Such giggles were repeated all night, which is why Kid was only half asleep. One time he woke up because the giggling got louder and the fuss started to wake him up. Apart from this, no other incidents occurred, - at least something good.
When the whistle of the wind stopped sounding, Kid finally passed out completely, and was even able to dream. Of course, this could not relieve the fatigue that he had been carrying in his body since yesterday morning, but the feeling of accomplishment certainly relieved the accumulated tension.
He woke up at an unknown time. It was dark and muffled in this hole, as if they were in a separate world. Away from problems, from Kaidou, missing team members, the hag, and Heat and Wire’s questions.
Killer was completely unconscious. He slept so soundly that it seemed that he didn’t breathe at all. The only thing that showed him as a living person were his eyeballs, diligently moving under his eyelids.
Let him sleep. Covering his body with a fur coat, Kid crawled out of the hole, stretched, and walked towards where the smell of food came from. Heat was frying potatoes over the coals. Kid didn’t know where he found it. The main thing is that he finally ate normally, even though the food was dry and slightly charcoal-soaked.

“How are ye feeling?” - Kid started the conversation as if nothing happened yesterday.

Both officers were sitting on the floor with him. Wire silently blew on his portion.

“Well...” – Heat checked his feelings - “I don’t feel like I’m going to pass out at any moment. And I seem to have stopped getting confused in my words”
Kid looked at Wire.

“Wire?”

The man put his hand on his head.

“Just a mild headache”

“It’s still better than a nosebleed” - Kid shrugged.

He took a huge bite from his potato, not afraid of the clouds of steam that came out of his lips. While he was eating, he kept feeling a worried gaze on him.
When the audience became intrusive, Kid looked up at them.

“What?”

Heat and Wire looked at each other before answering.

“Ye spent th’ whole night next to Killer last night, right?” - Heat asked awkwardly.

“Yes” - Kid answered and raised an eyebrow as a request to continue.

So Wire did.

“And ye talked to ‘im about his leaving?”

“Well, we talk ‘bout that” - Kid nodded.

“A-a-and...” - Heat stopped to look at Wire.

They exchanged glances that only they understood, as if deciding who would ask. As a result, no one won in this skirmish, and both asked in unison:

“Are the Kid Pirates staying?”

Kid thought about it, although he didn’t want to at all. Last night, Killer cried more than he expressed any desire to stay. But he could easily push him away. Or keep asking to leave. Beat him up. Kill. But no. He didn’t even get out of the hug. And when he laughed in his sleep, he didn’t mind that Kid promptly woke him up and hugged him close. Sometimes he himself pulled closer, like some kind of dog or stray cat. The pretty one. Doesn't that itself answer the question?

“Killer stays”

The answer made them both breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thank God” - both whispered and then laughed in surprise at their synchronicity.

The matter remains small. Kid washed himself again and put on the kimono offered by O-Hira. It was a black kimono with bright red tulips on the hem and sleeves, tied with a blue belt.

“This is the kind of knot samurai tie. Don’t forget if you don’t want to be revealed ahead of time” - O-Hira told him while she helped tie it.

He didn't really care what status he was assigned. The only thing that mattered to him was why he had floral clothes, damn it!?

“The tulip is a symbol of happiness and love. Red tulips often mean declarations of love. Which you are not good at”

“Go to hell! Better give me a block of wood! And a knife. And paints and varnish. Hurry up, hag!”

O-Hira didn’t ask why he needed all of this. Heat and Wire did the same. The only thing they did was watch as Kid carefully carved something out.
He only had the opportunity to work with wood a couple of times, and even then, most of these cases were for the construction and improvement of Victoria Punk. At least a little, but he knows how to shape a board; his hands still grow from the right place.
When the outlines of the planned thing began to appear, Heat and Wire immediately understood what exactly their captain was doing, so they smiled. Having made the fixators, Kid twirled it in his hands to find any flaws, and when he was satisfied with the result, he began painting. By that time, the disheveled Killer had already come out to them.
He was without that strange mask. Perfect. Now Kid turned away from him so as not to ruin the surprise.

“What are ye, guys, doing?” - he asked, trying to peek behind Kid's back.

“This is a gift!” - Heat replied.

“A gift?” - Killer tilted his head to the side.

Then Wire came up to him and threw his veil over his head.

“Uh-... Ah... Wait, what are ye doing?”

“You'll see!” - Heat responded happily, protecting the veil from falling off the golden head.

When all the colors were applied just right, Kid finally exhaled with a sense of accomplishment.

“Done!” - he stood up, looking at his work with satisfaction.

When Killer realized that no one was holding the veil over his face now, he took it off with a laugh.

“What are ye up to, Kid?” - he laughed nervously when he saw his excited face.

Another gift was thrust into Killer's hands.

“What’s th-..?” - as soon as he looked at it, he understood everything without question.

He held a mask in his hands. His mask. With slits and the same specific blue stripes. Kid took great care to line the inside with padding for a comfortable fit, the elastic was adjustable and was even deliberately decorated with a homemade skull.
The lips were incomprehensibly stretched into a smile, but the look was puzzled, nervous and sad. It seemed that Killer was now thinking about all those days, all the quarrels and decisions. And then he carefully put it on.
Although it wasn’t his helmet and didn’t cover his ears, the back of his head and the top of his head from the whole world, but in it he finally looked familiar.

“So how's it?” - Kid asked, confident that everything was perfect.

Killer looked around before finally answering. Now nothing could hide how red his ears were.

“It smells like paint...” - he was definitely embarrassed.

And then nothing could stop them from affection. Heat and Wire were the first to rush at him with hugs. Killer was already taken aback, embarrassed and nervously tried to somehow object, and Kid looked at him as if he were some kind of cool shiny thing from a garbage. So beautiful. It sparkles and shimmers in the light. Everyone avoids it, doesn’t even notice it, but Kid, like some kind of magpie, specially came up, dug it up, and picked it up. There’s just no one to show off, because his friend in this interpretation appears as that shiny thing. And he is no longer his friend.

“Tulip” - O-Hira said quietly in response to his satisfied grin, to which he barked at her.

“I’ll beat the shit outta ye!”

“Now, let’s find the crew?” - Heat asked hopefully.

They have been postponing this since yesterday, and they are wasting a catastrophic amount of time. They have three days left to do everything.

“Yes” - Kid nodded confidently, but Killer seemed to suddenly wake up and quickly approached him.

“Wait. Kid. Let's discuss the plan one more time”

Since Killer offered to discuss the plan, it means there will be no questions, nor improvisations. And thank God. Their best strategist (though they don't plan often) is at it again.
Kid grinned happily.

“Now there are no quarrels?”

In response, Killer chose silence.
They again sat around the map of Wano, and now their best informant talked about the structure of the country.

“Itachi's residence is a place in the port close to the Flower Capital. It is responsible for shipbuilding, the clan is the main supplier of ships for Wano and the Beast Pirates. We could arrange a rescue mission during the Flower Festival...”

“But it would be better to leave a day to raid to Onigashima” - Kid continued for him.

Perhaps his desire to completely change the plan can be considered childish, but all he has in his head is what this Straw Hat told him about his plan. If they hesitate, he will take all the glory for himself.
Killer sighed heavily, hanging his head wearily to the side. He fell silent for a minute, and everyone stared at him, waiting for the verdict.

“The building has a huge garden in the middle, there is an exit to the port. If on the night before the Festival we can sneak through the roof into the garden unnoticed-...”

“So, is this a yes?” - Kid smiled excitedly.
Killer looked at him.

“Only if ye follow the plan”

The smile became wider. Great! They're coming the night before the festival! Killer continued to explain the plan, but Kid didn’t listen to him. He admired him. To begin with, just a mask, because it was his masterpiece... But then he caught himself thinking that he had never looked at him from a purely professional point of view. It often occurred to him that his helmet fit his thick neck well. How harmoniously it looked together with the weapon. How the Punishers hung - so heavy, but easily carried by strong muscles. Was he really looking at Killer like an engineer all this time?

“Is there something wrong with my plan, Kid?” - Kid even shuddered when, instead of enthusiastic speech, Killer looked up at him.

The cheeks quickly turned red.

“No!” - he turned away sharply.

Killer remained silent. And then he laughed mysteriously. And he returned to the plan.

“As I said, the samurais of the Dozing Kyoshiro clan are looking after the estate. He’s a shady guy. I haven’t really figured him out, but it’s better to be careful with him. If we plan to visit there before the festival, then we need to do it as quietly as possible. I'm sure that even if guys really got into something, they will immediately go on the attack when they see ye, Kid. I suggest first getting there and dealing with Den-Den Mushi”

“Of course” - Kid nodded - “I trust you here”

Heat turned to him.

“That's cool! But... Why do ye know so much about it? Have ye already been there?”

In response, Killer laughed vaguely. Who he was made to be in Wano continued to simmer in Kid’s mind. All this time, his first mate was here alone, like a sex worker, surrounded by people unknown to him. Did they look at him with joy? Or with anger? Or with disgust? In any of these cases, Kid barely restrained himself from tearing this island into pieces.

“This is no longer important. We will soon leave this God-forsaken place” - Kid looked at Killer with a smile, as if convincing him of this.

And Killer held his gaze for a moment before tilting his head back to the map.

“Yes” - his ears were burning again.

After a small party in honor of their reunion, the crew began to get ready to go. O-Hira brought them bread and butter for the journey. And also a bunch of all sorts of ointments and medicines.

“What’s the matter with ye!? Why the hell do we need so much!? Ye babysit us like we’re little kids!” - Kid screamed when the bag began to tear from all kinds of jars and piles.

“Not with all of you, but with you only! You’ll get sick there, and you’ll never find a doctor! Who knows? Maybe after your suicide mission with Kaidou, I’ll even have to join your crew! You'll be dead further at sea!”

Kid growled in response. What an impudent old hag!

“I’ll never let ye on the board of ma ship! Dream on, hag! I don’t even know yer real name. Wait, I know it - Bitch!”

O-Hira laughed warmly.

“Don’t catch a cold there, Sicko” - the gentle parting words melted something in Kid, but he didn’t immediately think about gratitude.

First, he found Killer, who was cleaning swords at the springs.

“He-e-ey!..” - Kid didn’t know how to make this less awkward, so he stood in the aisle like a statue.

Yesterday they seemed to confess their feelings for each other. And now who are they? Couple? Are they dating? Kid found himself feeling like he’d never dated someone in his life. He was just courting. And even then, probably, just to get what he wants. What should he tell Killer now? Does he expect a kiss from him? Or a compliment? Or dates? Or maybe...

“Hey” - Killer greeted casually in response.

But he, as it seems, wasn’t tormented by these feelings. His hand just as easily passed the grindstone along the blade, sparks flying off to the ground in sharp flashes. If he were without a mask, he would definitely look concentrated.

“These swords...” - Kid pointed at them - “They’re much worse than the Punishers... Do ye want me to make ye a much cooler weapon-?”

“Those are alright” - Killer answered quickly, almost interrupting Kid.

Both fell silent, and all that remained was the sound of the clanging of the grindstone on iron.
Kid had no intention of leaving, and apparently Killer realized that he wanted to talk to him.

“Ye weren't listening to the plan” - he said without looking up from his swords.

At this affirmative intonation, not containing even a drop of doubt, Kid turned away again, blushing deeply. Suddenly, he forgot how to speak normally to his friend. Is he still his friend?
When Killer finally finished, he put his swords aside and placed his hands on his knees. His posture looked slightly... Tormenting. Kid doesn't know. It’s just that, usually, when people sit on their knees like this, after a couple of minutes their legs become numb, because on top of them was laying their huge as-..

“Are ye worried about something? I'm fine if that's what ye want to talk ‘bout” - Killer shrugged in addition to his answer.

“No, no, no. I'm not talking about that, it's just-...” - now Kid isn't sure he understood everything correctly.

It seemed like yesterday they had simply expressed how much they loved each other and, on some spiritual level, decided to remain friends. But Kid didn’t decide anything. He couldn’t even think about it then, completely concentrating on Killer’s condition. He values him a lot. And he doesn’t want him to cry like that. Killer is persistent, and if he cries, it means he’s really in pain. But Kid's crew doesn't cry. Because it’s his responsibility to make sure everyone is happy.

“Killer, are we dating now?”

In response, Killer straightened up, and again his ears became red, like Kid's hair. His shoulders shook with laughter.

“I mean... If ye don’t mind, then yes” - he turned his head to the side in embarrassment.

And Kid may have taken the news too joyfully. Still, relief got the better of him.

“Great! Because-...I-...Wait” - Kid again felt like he understood something wrong – “I'm not forcing ye to do anything, right? If ye don't want to, we'll just forget about it”

“No, I really want to! It’s just...” - Killer hesitated, but the laughter that escaped said it all for him - “Pff-! Ye-.. Fa-fa!~ Doesn’t my laughter piss ye off?”

Kid was pissed off about a lot of things. And his laughter too. Not the way it sounds, but the fact that Killer can't control it. It infuriates him that Killer doesn't like his laughter, but now must feel discomfort all the time because he is essentially revealing something personal about himself to others. They literally got into his soul and started pulling everything out without permission, as if it were some kind of goods.

“Well... Yes. Ev’ryone will be annoyed that their friend laughs, although he doesn’t want to. It’s also painful, probably” - Kid shrugged.

Killer nodded, accepting the answer.

“I’m already used to the pain. My cheekbones cramp so badly sometimes...” - after a pause, Killer suddenly continued with enthusiasm - “Did ye know that if ye hit the facial nerve, yer lips can lose any movement?”

"We won't cut yer face!” - Kid laughed, hoping it was just a stupid joke.

But for some reason Killer looked disappointed. After a while he confirmed.

“It hurts, Kid. It was so painful when I was alone”

Kid's heart sank for a moment. The light from the sources outlined a mask that expressed much more than the theatrical one. Thank the seas, he took it off.

“Um... C-can I...” - Kid hesitated awkwardly – “Can I hug ye?”

Killer was surprised when his captain sat down on a stone nearby and spread his arms to the side in invitation. Since childhood, Kid didn’t particularly like physical contact, at least when Killer hugged him for the first time, he got hit in the liver. That boy never knew that there were hugs, handshakes and more... He knew grips, choking techniques, and also how to bite more painfully.
When Killer moved, laying his head on his chest, Kid’s arms closed, shielding him from all of Wano. In this position, revelations were more tempting, and he continued with a laugh.

“It was difficult alone. I didn’t know where the crew was, and whether everything was okay with ye. I understood that ye wouldn’t let yerself get hurt... But I was still afraid that they would do something bag with ye. I was so lost, and I didn’t even know what to do. What to plan. There was a feeling that I was left alone. And I continued to collect information because I thought that it would be useful to us in the future, but for some reason in my mind I even doubted that someone besides ye remained alive” - the mask muffled a quiet sob – “I was afraid that I was left alone. And when I got tired, and there was no news from ye, then, forgive me, I gave up.... I thought that if I give in to this feeling, I’ll be able to somehow muffle the pain, but in the end, I just lost mind”

Kid involuntarily remembered about the reunion. Back then Killer wasn’t himself. He just laughed and attacked people, as if he was having fun. The lips stretched across the face, cutting it into two parts. The teeth were exposed and glistened with saliva. A moment, and they’ll cling to someone. The eyes darted, closed and rolled back in some kind of ecstasy. And it was impossible to think that this was his Killer. Then a lot of different thoughts arose in Kid’s mind. For example, his first guess was that someone brainwashed Killer. He didn’t know who this Queen was, but he came a couple of times and experimented on people. This man was definitely crazy. And then Kid feared that Killer had fallen into his hands.
The arms tightened around the body, and now Killer was reclining between his spread legs.

“I’m so ashamed...” - a light laugh was heard through the mask - “I’m sorry for doubting ye, Kid, I just... I was alone for so long”

“I don’t blame ye” - Kid stroked his shoulder - “I’ll kill ev’ryone who dared to hurt ye, partner”

The water of the spring gurgled in the twilight. They lay in silence, but Kid still couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to say something more.

“I love ye, Killer” - the words slipped easily from his lips, like a melody, a whistle, or a curse.

It was as if these words were always present, flying somewhere nearby, felt in every word and gesture. It’s as if they don’t need much confirmation. Kid feels that everything is right, although there is a slight fear. Paranoia that all this is just a repeat of the story with Victoria.

“I love ye...” - Killer was embarrassed - “I love ye too...”

And Kid was immediately distracted, accidentally touching Killer’s ears, hot as fire, with his hand.

“Are ye seriously blushing because of this?”

“N-no?” - Killer abruptly covered his ears with his palms so that Kid would stop making them an indicator of his mood.

Whether from his eternal secrecy, or by pure coincidence, the only thing that had the habit of blushing were his ears. Kid always laughed when they did this, and always managed to grab onto them. His favorite color after all. And how many fights followed after these grabs!
Now the fingers gently slid over the knuckles of Killer's hands, precisely in the area under which his ears were. It was very hot when he accidentally touched them. He wanted to touch them now intentionally.

“Enough, Kid” - Killer exhaled, but it was enough for Kid to raise his hands up as if he had been scalded.

Damn, did he make Killer feel uncomfortable? Was it painful or... Unpleasant? How does he know!? He's never been in a relationship! He doesn't know how to care! Maybe he pulled something or scratched something..?

“Uh-...I'm sorry! Did I d-do something wrong?” - his emotions were getting the better of him, and he even blushed because he managed to stutter while he spoke.

“No” - Killer shrugged - “I’m just not used that ye...”

Like what? Like that? All red, somehow very excited and tensed. Kid didn't even notice that he was giving free rein to his emotions. Usually he... isn’t so emotional.

“Ye...” His eyes darted around in thought, - “Do ye want me to stop?”

Killer thought about it.

“I'm not sure”

“So ye don’t want to?”

And Killer's self-control was lost. He laughed heartily.

“Ye look like a wet puppy, Kid!”

Because of his laughter, Kid's cheeks turned pink. The last time Killer called him a “wet puppy”, he thought the hug was an attempt to strangle him.

“No, ’m not!”

The laughter only intensified. Kid was very embarrassed, but looking up, he was immediately distracted. Killer... Is really handsome.

“Fa-fa-fa~ I don't-... Kid?” - the laughter stopped only when Kid came close to him.

They are now... A couple. Which means they have to do all sorts of romantic things.

“Ummm...” - Kid hesitated, trying not to look him in the eyes.

It's strange that there is so little distance between them. Even the thought of a kiss makes his head spin. They’ve been friends for so many years, and Kid can’t even imagine that they could just be like that... In just a couple of centimeters... They could destroy everything.
But Kid took a step back. He was scared. He even felt ashamed. Perhaps Killer was waiting for this, and he... Damn.
The second attempt to approach was met by Killer's hand. He didn't push him away, but put his hand on his chest. Wait.

“Ye don’t have to force yerself” - Killer tried to sound as calm as possible, but for some reason Kid thought he was offended.

“No, I-... Fuck. I ruined everything!”

“We had our moment” - Killer shrugged - “And I liked it”

Kid looked around, pouting his lips.

“So... We're like... Not partners anymore?” - he asked, looking away.

Killer's hand carefully slid onto the fabric, where his fingers subtly began to fiddle with the button.

“We’ll be whoever ye want. I won’t be against any of yer decisions”

Kid frowned nervously, dissatisfied with this situation. Of course, he likes to command, but isn’t a relationship an alliance where both participants make decisions?

“I know, but...” - his hands fell on Killer’s shoulders - “I don’t want to decide ev’rything for ye. I want to listen to ye too before making a decision!”

The fabric crumpled under the palm. Killer laughed nervously.

“I really don't know what to say. I love ye, Kid, but I never even thought about the fact that we would ever be in a relationship. I just want ye to be happy, and not make some kind of sweet-couple things”

Kid sighed with relief when he heard that Killer didn't want to get too romantic. This was great news, considering that all the couples he saw were lisping each other up like they were mentally retarded. He doesn't want the same! Well, he didn’t even know exactly how to behave in a relationship before this.

“Phew! That-... That makes it easier! I really don't want to do that romantic shit like those idiots from the other islands. But maybe ye want me to do specific things?”

“No, Kid. I'm not asking ye to change for the sake of our relationships. Just be yerself” - Killer took his hand in his own, calluses scratching the skin – “I've been witnessing ye and yer growth for many years. Ye've achieved so much, and I'm glad that ye let me follow ye”

Kid straightened up. With a frozen heart, he listened to what was said to him. He didn’t think that he would ever feel flattered because adults recognized his strength. But now he was on the cloud nine. The prosthesis itself dragged Killer to him, while Kid's smile was wide.

“I missed ye, Kill”

Killer stood there in a stupor for a couple of minutes before hugging Kid back.

“Me too, Kid”

They stood there for so long. Never before had Kid thought that hugs could be so pleasant. Killer's hair exuded a very faint, familiar scent, and his breath warmed the scar on his collarbone. Just think how much he didn’t notice when he didn’t understand his feelings. On the other hand, perhaps everything was always here, right on the surface, and he, the fool, did not notice.

The gatherings continued. Kid collected some flowers from somewhere, the ones he could find, and prepared lipstick according to O-Hira's instructions. Of course, it didn’t have such a bright color, and there was a bitter taste on the lips now, but it was better than nothing.

“Have ye made a lipstick?” - Killer asked.

“I made a fucking lipstick!” - Kid confirmed enthusiastically.

Joyfully, he handed his partner a small jar of purple (more like lilac) lipstick. His lips themselves were a bright coral color. He didn't even try to perfect it, he was just glad that he made the lipstick himself and didn't buy it from a store.

“Ye’re preparing well for the raid” - Killer remarked sarcastically, examining the case.

Kid coughed nervously.

“Well-.. Just try it already!”

“Fa-fa-fa!~ Ok-ok” - Killer laughed.

Due to the lack of any tools for application, he collected the lipstick with his finger. The texture is good, by the way. He lifted the mask to his nose and smeared the color unevenly across his lower lip. Damn, that's really uneven. Not much like Killer's usual bold strokes.

“What are ye doing?” - Kid looked at his hand and noticed a slight tremor – “Are ye okay?”

Killer calmed his trembling by clenching his hands into fists.

“Yeah, sorry”

There was silence. Kid looked away. If there were any cotton swabs here, he would-... And then he opened his mouth excitedly.
Snatching the jar from Killer's hands, he smeared lilac lipstick on his finger and, holding his partner by the goatie, carefully painted his lips. Well, of course! They're dating now, so now it's possible! Kid had never done Killer's makeup with such enthusiasm.

“Are ye satisfied?” - Killer hummed under his finger.

The smile relaxed, became sincere and full of affection. Even kind of tricky.
This is what made Kid realize what he was doing. And he ran away.

When all the preparations were made, everyone stopped at the entrance to Gomi. O-Hira and O-Ku saw them off like old friends. Despite all the damage and forced restoration that Kid did, of course.

“Don't forget to take your medicine, change Kamazo-chan's bandages at least once a day, and drink more water!”

“Will ye shut up already? Is this a farewell or a doctor’s appointment?”

O-Hira and Kid were brawling again. It was funny how they could bicker about anything. Heat and Wire smiled casually, as if they were already accustomed to this dynamic in their relationship. Therefore, none of them expected what Kid would say next:

“So be it. Maybe if ye catch up with us by swimming after leaving, then... Just maybe I’ll think about hiring ye as the ship’s doctor”

O-Hira shook her head.

“As if I need your condescension, Sicko”

“Don’t die, hag” - Kid chuckled and turned to his crew - “Guys! We’re heading out!”

All three headed towards the entrance. Heels clicked on the stone.

“My name is Soul” - Kid heard behind him, which made him smile.

Without turning, he extended his hand in a farewell gesture.

“See ye, Soul!”

The weather was favorable for their departure. From somewhere in the forest, the first butterfly of their entire stay flew out and landed on Heat’s cheek. Wire laughed tenderly at how the animals loved his friend.
O-Ku screamed behind them.

“Be careful, Kid-Dono! I won't forget you!”

Kid smirked, but then remembered that Killer saw O-Ku kiss him. Well, since he was in love with him all this time...

“Ye didn’t even understand anything when she kissed ye” - Killer answered to a silent question in his eyes - “Ye’re a real slowpoke, Kid”

His partner’s hand hit him in the side lightly, and Kid laughed. They continued their journey, holding hands covered with a red fur coat.

Chapter Text

“I see something....Orange and big”

“It's a fucking desert, Heat! Ev’rything ‘ere is orange and big!” - Kid howled in irritation.

A couple of hours ago, when they decided to play a guessing game, everything seemed much more interesting. Now the objects either began to repeat themselves or were too noticeable in the same type of landscape.
Kid started to get impatient.

“Killer! How much longer will it take ‘til capital?” - he shouted behind Killer, who had been leading them until now.

After a couple of minutes of thinking, he finally answered.

“We'll get there by morning”

“BY MORNING!?” - Kid almost tripped.

Heat sighed wearily. Yes, they would rather die of boredom than get to the Flower Capital! Or from sunstroke...

“Can't we take a shortcut somehow? Maybe ye know some other ways?”

“This is the shortest route. In any other case, it would take us two days, no less”

So IT IS A SHORTCUT! Killer, of course, wanted to calm him down, but Kid only growled louder.

“Be patient” - Killer interrupted him.

They waste too much time. Too boring. Too monotonous. His legs are burning. His body is burning. His head hurts. He wants to keep his hands busy. And now he is playing with the metal on his prosthesis. At least some entertainment. Now everyone was at least briefly distracted by the iron butterflies.

“Maybe we’ll think ‘bout something in our minds instead of what we see?” - Heat suggested as a compromise.

Kid was annoyed. He would kill him if he was in the mood.

“I’m thinking of... Something small!” - Heat started, but Wire and Kid immediately responded in unison.

“Butterfly”

“Eh!? How!? How did ye know?”

Wire laughed softly.

“Ye always think of butterflies”

The idyll might even seem cozy if Kid weren’t bored out of his mind.

“Who's next? Wire or Captain?” - Heat looked at both of them.

Wire pointed at Kid.

“Hey! No fair! Ye don't even want to play!” - Kid got angry but still made his move - “’m thinking...”

But only the image that came to him often appeared in his head.

“I’m thinking of someone alive”

“Is it an animal or a human?” - Killer asked without turning around.

“Human” - Kid grinned, looking at the chosen man’s back.

“Are they a man or a woman?” - Heat asked next.

“Man!”

“Is he a member of the Kid Pirates?”

“Yes”

“Does he have blond or dark hair?”

“Blond!”

“Is he handsome?” - Wire asked a question, and Kid was about to open his mouth without hesitation.

“Kid” Killer interrupted him – “Is it me?”

Kid smiled widely. The irritation disappeared as if by hand.

“Ding-ding! It's yer turn, Killer!”

But Killer fell silent.

Their adventure began to fill with variety and became a little more interesting. The ground underfoot became more rocky. They started jumping on rocks, throwing them out of boredom, like teenagers, during their little rest stops. It seems that Wire saw a lizard. Lucky bastard. Kid loves lizards. He had a sign that a day would be a good day for him if he saw his favorite animal. Looks like he'll be left with nothing today.
Heat found the remains of a fossil in a rock. And Killer came across an interesting stone. Transparent. Cool. Wire told him all about it - it was rhinestone, and in some regions it was considered to be the frozen breath of a dragon. Then Killer gave it to him, and he gifted it to Heat.
Having walked a little further, Killer was already buzzing enthusiastically. They came across the remains of a fight. There was interesting armor there. Old and rusty. And Killer kept talking and talking. He talked about the meaning of this armor, about its structure, explained why the weapon was so strange, and then, seeing Kid listening to him with interest, fell silent.

“Sorry... I got a little carried away” - he returned to them embarrassedly, as if he had been caught doing something shameful.

But Kid didn't mind anything like that. It was funny how he once thought that Killer was some kind of spy who knew everything about the structure of the Marine bases. It turns out he's just a goof. His passion for military history is even pleasant now. At least he has something to make him happy.

“I don't think ye’ve anything like that... Do ye want to keep it? I can carry it, y’know!” - Kid hinted at his magnetism.

Killer looked at him with an unreadable expression (but hid his ears with his hair), and only then answered, fiddling with the belt of his sash.

“We’ll just waste time” - he resumed his pace, looking back at the remains of ancient weapons - “Let’s go. There’s still half the way ahead”

Following his gaze, Kid shrugged.

“As ye wish” - he said, quietly drawing the arrowhead towards him.

The rocky terrain continued. The stones, like plants, grew out of the ground, turning everything around into difficult-to-pass chaos. Heat casually shared the theory that the mountains are fossils of ancient trees. And then he fell. It would have been even fun if he hadn't twisted his ankle.

“Maybe we should stop? I can’t feel my legs anymore...” - Heat suggested while Wire helped him get up.

Kid wouldn't mind a big stop, otherwise their little stops weren't so effective anymore. With his arms crossed, he looked at Killer.

“Killer is leading us. It’s up to him to decide”

“Didn't ye want to get to the capital as quickly as possible?” - Killer asked irritably.

This irritation was confusing. Kid was ready to do anything to find out what was on his mind.

“Well, not at the cost of the ankles of my subordinates!”

The logical argument made Killer feel embarrassed.

“Ah... Well... Okay. Let's take a break”

They found a place in the shade where they could make a fire without any problems. By that time, half of them were already hungry, so they waited with bated breath for a chance to eat. But Kid was busy dealing with Heat's ankle.

“Well... There’re no bruises or inflammations. It’s just a sprain. Later we can wrap the dying coals in something thick and apply it. It’ll go away by morning” - he explained, a little more professionally than he did before.

Killer chuckled when he heard it.

“O-Hira gave ye a good time. Even I couldn't force ye to study medicine!”

“Hey, shush ‘ere!” - Kid screamed in embarrassment.

Tying a tourniquet to Heat's leg, he began to think.

“I just don’t want to bother ye anymore. So at least y’know that I can give myself or ye normal first aid if something happens”

There was silence, broken by a unison of tender "aww". This made Kid blush even more.

“Not a lot: bread and butter” - Heat had informed upset when he reached into the bag with provisions.

Two loaves of stale bread, one jar of half-melted butter, and four flasks of filtered water were given to them.

“What were ye expecting from the witch!” - Kid replied irritably.

It seems that they had already walked a lot of kilometers away from Gomi, but the curses of the old witch continued to reach them. And so they sat down near this stale bread with a devastated fighting spirit. The only one who was not outraged by this injustice was Killer. He stood next to the fire, monitoring its strength. What cheered everyone up was just one word from the master of culinary sciences. The Savior who has never left the Kid Pirates hungry.

“Toasts”

Everyone quickly crawled up to the fire, holding bread in their hands. Saliva collected on the mouths of the three pirates.

“But only the one who helps me and does not sit next to me dripping with drool will eat ‘em!” - Killer set a condition, and everyone immediately began to do something.

Healing herbs were used as seasoning. Killer placed a smooth stone in the middle of the dying fire, which he washed and oiled. The surface immediately sizzled, and he placed the cut pieces of bread there. Of course, without seasoning, the toasts will just be rusks that taste stale, so they used a blade of herbs and a piece of butter for each of them. A pleasant aroma came. The crust began to turn golden.
When Killer finished, the sky had already begun to turn pink.
Everyone devoured the toast with incredible appetite, as if they hadn’t eaten for a hundred years. To be honest, this isn’t far from the truth: Heat and Wire ate from hand to mouth, Kid had previously been poisoned by meat, and Killer... No one even saw him eat all this time.

“Do ye want some?” - Kid gave him a couple of his pieces, noticing that he didn't even keep a portion for himself.

“I’m not hungry” – he was lying through his teeth. 

Heat seemed to read the thoughts of those around him, saying with annoyance:

“Eh, if only we had spaghetti, then Killer would eat with appetite!”

“Crap!” - Kid exhaled.

This is not an easy task. Although Killer says that he is not hungry, everyone here understands that he needs to eat more than anyone here. If he doesn't eat, he'll fall unconscious. Why is he so sacrificial?

“Spaghetti or not, I missed yer food, Kill” - Kid smiled at him.

He was in captivity for the whole month, starving like some kind of stray dog. The rice balls, for all their quantity, didn’t satiate him enough. They just irritated with their tastelessness and simplicity. Every time his stomach began to growl again, Kid remembered the huge feasts they had after successful raids and victories. How tasty and colorful the food prepared by Killer looked. Once he seriously said that he was bored with frequent pasta dishes.
Wire leaned over to Heat and whispered something that surprised him. A second later, they were already standing, forgetting about their sore legs and fatigue.

“We're on patrol!” - Heat announced cheerfully (even too cheerfully), backing away - “If something happens, we’ll wake ye up!”

Kid watched as their figures quickly disappeared behind the stones. They were left alone. It's even nice.
The fire crackled, eating brushwood; the toasts still exuded the aroma of spices and butter, carefully left for later. The clearest night sky stretched above their heads, the stars sparkled like polished steel. Somewhere on the side, it was possible to connect them into Orion.

“We shouldn’t stay here for long. We still have half the journey ahead of us” - Killer warned, breaking the comfortable silence.

Apart from their activity, there were no other sounds in the area. They were surrounded by rocks. Roughly speaking, they moved about 30-40 kilometers from Gomi. They left in the evening. This means that if they get up at sunset, they will reach the capital by noon. Then they will have another day to sleep before the raid. Hiking through the desert has already begun to affect health, what will happen if they go now?

“Exactly” - Kid agreed, and Killer thought for a moment that his plan had been accepted - “We still have half the way ahead. Somewhere, what, 30-40 kilometers? We won’t get there, if we move out now”

Killer was confused.

“But...”

“Kill” - Kid gently stopped him - “We’re resting. We’ll head out by dawn”

They were separated by a fire. It was sad to sit like this one by one, but Kid was ready to endure it just to look at the striped mask.

“Ridiculous...” - Killer laughed – “Kid. Time is not on our side. We only have a day to prepare, what if we don't make it, what if we don't have time left to prepare, what if-...”

“Well, now ye’re just panicking” - Kid smiled kindly at him.

A figure in a striped kimono bent over the fire. His hands nervously wrinkled his red belt tied in samurai style. 

“Kill. Ye were nervous the whole hike. What happened?” - Kid tilted his head to the side.

For once, the mask was on him again. Now only body language was an indicator of Killer's mood. His knee jumped nervously, and his hands clenched.

“I just want everything to be perfect” - he admitted - “Ye don’t need any inconvenience”

Kid sighed heavily. Of all of them, the only one who could move freely around the country was Killer. He has more information than everyone else, but he's trying too hard. Perhaps the responsibility is stressing him out too much. Perhaps he is trying to make up for his absence. Perhaps apologize. Why guess? It’s better to act.

“Kid...” - Killer crawled away cautiously when Kid suddenly stood up and approached him.

The red fur coat fell off his shoulders.

“Don't move”

When the fur completely covered Killer beneath it, only his surprised squeak came from there. Under his fur coat he looked like a red and shaggy ghost. Some kind of monster. Of course, the attractive one.
Kid sat down next to him, doing nothing. For now, he just watched as Killer hesitantly lowered his fur coat over his shoulders and wrapped himself in it.

“It’s warm” - Kid smiled contentedly at the statement.

He looked up at the sky.

“Ye’ve been working even when we were separated. But when will you care for yerself?”

A sigh came through the mask.

“There’s no need to care for myself. Ye’re more important”

Self-sacrifice only offended Kid. Still, no matter how many bastards they met, Killer’s biggest hater was Killer himself.

“Care” - Kid insisted - “Care! To worry about me, ye’ve got to worry about yourself. Or I won’t accept a single bit of yer help if yer health is at stake. Understand? I’ll get One Piece without sacrificing one bit of ye”

Killer turned his head towards the fire, the varnish reflected the playing lights.

“It never happens that way”

“It will be” - Kid insisted, leaned over and took the toast from the bag - “So don’t be skittish, Kill. I need ye well-fed and pepful”

The crust of the fried bread was already cold. The rays of the fire played on the crisp surface. Killer looked at the food in thought, but then accepted his lunch.
The frown remained on Kid as he chewed his toast. The crackle of the fire was now joined by the crackle of the crust in the lilac mouth.
When all three toasts were eaten, Killer licked his fingers and, without pulling his mask back, adjusted the brushwood in the fire. His blue eyes reflected its light. So thoughtful. Kid found himself openly staring at him. He wonders how his lips will feel?
Kid turned away from the fleeting thought. His face immediately felt warm, and it wasn’t from the fire. What kind of thoughts is he having? Kisses. It was enough for him and Victoria already. Oh no. He won't repeat this. He won’t kiss him to prevent something bad from happening! Although... What could be wrong with kissing? Besides... What if Killer wants to kiss?
As soon as he looked at him, he realized that Killer was talking about the plan again. He was talking about the building, about the supposed location of the crew, talking about this and that. Kid didn't even have any thoughts about the plan. All that was spinning before his eyes were lilac lips, slightly stained with crumbs.

“Do ye want to kiss?” - this was enough for Killer to fall silent and look at him dumbfounded.

Kid sat like a straight line, ruffled and looking at him like some kind of owl. Hands nervously tapped his knees, waiting for an answer. They had to look at each other for a couple of seconds to finally start a conversation.

“Kid, I'm explaining the plan!” - Killer laughed menacingly.

“Ye can continue after ye answer! Do ye... Do ye want to kiss me?”

With just one glance, Kid finally caught the gist of the thought. Now, out of the blue (literally), he simply asked if Killer wanted to kiss. Wow. Just wow. He couldn't even voice his thought correctly. 

“I mean... Not now-!... Well, I mean, it’s probably possible now, but-... Fuck-!... It’s just... If I just don’t want to kiss... Ye’ll be very upset?”

With every excitedly spoken word, Killer's gaze began to relax. He gradually began to understand the situation.

“I'll get through this” - he said briefly.

Obviously. He himself admitted that he didn’t even think about the fact that they would begin a relationship. How is this even possible? To love, but not to kiss, not to flirt or care after... Does Killer really have such terrible self-esteem that he didn’t even think that Kid would ever love him? On the other hand, who would even think about it? He is a huge guy who killed a lot of people and left a bunch of destroyed islands. A cruel pirate and the embodiment of danger. And for him to just melt just from one look at someone’s face. Crap. It turns out to be unfair. Killer hates something that Kid never minded looking at. The eyes always managed to follow every feature, every dent and every scratch.
Killer looked sad. He had so many explanations and stories with him. His hands were already reaching for the mask to cover his disappointment and resentment. It won’t happen.
All fears faded into the background. Kid confidently reached forward, colliding with lilac lips. Killer fell into a stupor from surprise. Just now they were talking about how they didn’t want to kiss, but now they were kissing. And kissing awkwardly.
The first thing Kid felt was disappointing nothing. All the fear went wild inside. Everything was again the same as with Victoria...
But then he decided to look at Killer. His eyes were closed. Both did nothing, just enjoying the moment when their lips touched each other. No romance, right? Well, Killer has stupidly warm lips. Bitten, moistened with bitter lipstick and stretched into a small smile. With his skin, Kid felt the golden goatie pricking him, how the hair filled his personal space, tickling everything.
And he blushes. Consciousness can barely keep up with him. The gears are spinning, along with the head, and the heart is beating in the chest. Here he is - Killer. His childhood friend and partner. And now he is kissing him. Wow! He's about to explode!
When the moment finally stopped, both looked at each other. Killer has pink ears, while Kid is as red as a tomato with the same owl-like expression on his face.

“So?” - Killer asked – “How d’ ye like it?”

Kid blinked a couple of times. He thought. He got up and tried to run away. He stopped when he reached the shadow. He thought again. He wanted to scream from the feelings overwhelming him, but he restrained himself. He looked at the silhouette by the fire. He ran back, sat down, moved closer to him, but stopped...

“Can I kiss ye again?”

Killer's smile weakened, became gentle, and he kissed Kid again. This time the moment of the kiss didn’t stretch into eternity, it seemed that it didn’t even last a second. And Kid was left unsatisfied.

“More” - he stopped Killer with his hand as he pulled back.

They both kissed again. Kid was persistent this time. He didn’t let go until he was completely satisfied. It turns out to be amazing to kiss Killer. The lips grabbed him desperately, as if they depended on him. And Kid thought it was scary to kiss: the wound had long since healed, but it could still bleed. But this time is not at all the same as with Victoria or with O-Ku. Maybe he just doesn't feel anything for girls? Romantically. And he never showed this to men either. But Killer is neither a man nor a girl. Well, actually, he is a man! But not like everyone else. He's more dear. And more pleasant.
When the kiss broke, Killer looked at him slyly, as if he had figured it out a long time ago. Let him rejoice in his victory. Kid was completely at his mercy.

“I assume, ye’ve enjoyed it?”

His face was burning with embarrassment. If he admits it, then that’s it. What's “that's it”? He doesn’t know.

“Well... It’s okay” - Kid turned to the fire out of embarrassment.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Killer lower his mask over his eyes. The gaze involuntarily slid over his lips, which were colored some kind of crimson.

“I love the way ye make me feel” - Killer admitted before covering his face with a mask – “My face hasn't hurt in a long time”

Kid trembled with joy.

“Really? Ye can always ask for more!” - he smiled with his teeth.

There was a pleasant silence, and Kid was now looking at the fire, smiling like an idiot. If Killer really feels at ease with him, then he needs to try hard to ensure his comfort. He is still a member of his crew. An important part of his life. It needs to be shown that he is still a Kid pirate.

“Without ye, we’d be stupidly running through the desert, not knowing what to do” - Kid put his fingers under the prosthesis.

“Don’t exaggerate. Ye still had Heat and Wire” - Killer modestly answered him.

Finally, he found what he was looking for. Kid handed him the arrowhead, causing him to laugh in surprise.

“Kid, no”

“Just take it!”

Killer looked around, not knowing what to answer. Uncertainly, his hands took the arrow. Although it had lost its shine, the striped mask was constantly looking at it. It seemed that he would now begin to speak. Telling a huge story contained in this small piece of garbage. To Killer, it was a treasure. But he said something else.

“I don't deserve ye”

Kid frowned. He deserves him! He deserves him more than anyone! He wanted to scream, to prove this to him tens and thousands of times, but Kid himself was not sure that anyone even deserved such an awkward loser.

“Ye deserve someone much better than me” - his words made Killer make a surprised sound.

“Ye’ll defeat Kaidou, Kid” - he clasped their hands together - “Because ye WILL become the Pirate King”

The golden top of his head rested on Kid’s shoulder, their hands pressed against each other. A loud sigh came out of the mask with a whistle.

“And I'll be there”

“Hey! Like the Pirate Queen!” - Kid said happily, but then realized what he said – “I mean-... Forget it!”

Killer laughed quietly.

“Will ye share the title with me?”

“Of course! I planned this from the very beginning!”

“How cute”

“Shut up!” - Kid took Killer by the chin and kissed the top of his head.

Well, kissing is a pleasant thing. They make him rejoice like a child.
Kid managed to throw the end of the fur coat over himself, covering them both in the warm fur. The night was still cold, and it would probably be like that in the Flower Capital. Fortunately, there was a fire in front, a warm coat covered the back, and the dear body was warmed on the side. Killer fell silent, staring at the play of the flames. The mask created a whistle - Kid's mistake. It seems he fell asleep on his shoulder.
Such a cozy atmosphere. Allegorical or not, they were surrounded by rocks, as if cut off from the whole world. Nothing could touch them at that moment. There was a lot to worry about, but the problems disappeared one by one with each step.
The fire was quietly eating up the brushwood. Kid threw there some more wood and stared into the flames. Smooth movements, loud crackling sounds and darkening logs began to lull him to sleep. The eyes began to get heavy, each time it became more difficult to open them. Kid decided to close them only for a minute... But he fell asleep, pressing his cheek to the top of Killer’s head.

Chapter Text

The cold that once spread throughout the body has developed into warmth. And it didn’t even create discomfort, but evenly consumed Kid, especially his side. A significant weight was pressing on his shoulder, and if it weren’t for the prosthesis, his stump would have groaned with discomfort. However, Killer positioned himself perfectly on the metal, using his muscles as a pillow. It was even calm to lie like that and have nothing to think about. There was one thing that was running through his head though.
No matter how long he has lived and had been a pirate, he would never have thought that he would melt like that from a kiss. So many people kissed him: on the cheek, and on the palm, and on the lips, and on the neck, and on the ear... And he could always only get angry or just stand still in bewilderment. And how many women undressed in front of him? He didn't even care about them. To be honest, back then he expected to see a “snack”.
Killer's lips are not as soft as women's lips. On the contrary, smeared only with bitter handmade lipstick. He felt the metallic taste of every wound left by his teeth, every crack and crumb of food. And the thought of it drove Kid crazy. Kid was on the cloud nine. He kept replaying these moments in his head. Well, he couldn’t describe this moment in literary terms. But for him it was still like a mechanism that began to work as it should from the very first time. The motor of which doesn’t rumble but produces a monotonous and perfect hum. It's body radiates heat. Not a single bolt or part falls out or shakes. Everything is perfect. And the most ideal thing is that he did it, and perhaps he was given... One Piece for this invention! No, better! The whole world! The World Government has now bowed its knee to him. No, not in front of him alone. In front of him and Killer. Otherwise, he doesn't need it.
The dreams were interrupted when Kid fell. Actually, he woke up at the same time when his body finally went completely limp and leaned back.

“Fuck! -..” - along with a surprised cry, he knocked off his hand, which he tried to lean on, but still hit his head a little.

If Killer had not been sleeping on the prosthesis, he would have easily got off with a slight fright. But now the entire blow fell on his shoulder and the top of his head, causing him to let out a groan of pain. Killer had nothing to do with it - he fell straight onto something soft.

“Ow...” - Kid started laughing after he finally woke up– “Fuck, are ye ‘kay?”

The coat moved, and Killer’s laughter was heard from under it. After a minute, his figure rose and he stood up, covering his mouth with his hand. There was a reason for funsies. It probably looked comical from the outside. And if Kid had also snored, they would have laughed like hyenas.
But it was probably a bad comparison, even if it happened inside the red head. Killer didn‘t laugh at the situation. He just laughed because he couldn’t voice his emotions any other way.
The hem of his kimono slid over Kid’s cheek and disappeared somewhere, so Kid raised his head in the direction of this movement. Killer walked away from the light of the fire with confident steps.

“Where are ye going?” - he asked, still smiling.

If he’ll take a leak, Kid will wait. But Killer didn’t answer. He chose some convenient stone and sat on it.
Then Kid rolled over onto his stomach, rising up. What is he doing? Does he really prefer some cold stone over him?

“Killer?”

“I’ll lie here” - Killer’s sleepy voice was barely heard.

His light silhouette in the darkness lay down on the stone surface, where he put his hands under his head and continued to laugh non-stop. Kid looked at this dumbfounded. After all, it was good a couple of minutes ago. What did he do wrong?

“Well uh... Maybe we can lay together?” - Kid asked confusedly amid ringing laughter.

After minutes, when Killer was finally able to stop, he finally answered.

“Better not”

Kid sat on the rock completely confused. The very first and logical thing is that he did something wrong. But would anyone be happy if he spoke openly about it now? And what did he do anyway!? He just was lying here and laughing? Maybe Killer got hurt? Or his laughter was simply insulting, according to the situation. It seems he ruined everything.
In the darkness, Killer was lying without moving. The fire reflected in the golden hair. It's chill there, away from the fire.
Kid didn't want to disturb him in any way, so he covered him with a fur coat and went back to the warmth of the fire. Even though it wasn't much, at least Killer wouldn't freeze there. Look, he's already wrapped in furs! Only the top of the head sticks out.
With a sense of accomplishment, Kid lay down on a stone to go back to sleep...
 
But he woke up almost immediately when he was pushed on the shoulder. The reaction made him jump up in search of enemies. What enemies? Wire and Heat are on patrol!..
As soon as Kid came to his senses, he saw a familiar, lanky silhouette nearby. Everything was fine. The fire shrank by half, emitting less and less heat.
Wire looked tired. Behind him, by the fire, Heat slept under a familiar veil: his leg was covered with cooling coals. And without words, one could understand what he wanted.
Turning back to see Killer sleeping peacefully, Kid sat down next to the fire while Wire lay down next to his friend to fall asleep.
The crescent moon has noticeably moved towards the horizon: dawn will soon be here. He will spend this entire time patrolling, why should he worry Killer?
But sitting at the fire for a couple of minutes, Kid began to feel very drowsy. The lights danced and enchanted him, and his eyes grew heavy. It was difficult to concentrate on reality, his consciousness was still hovering in sleepy fantasies. When he realized that he had started to fall again, he jumped up, shaking his head. Why is he so tired?
Kid decided to take a walk around the perimeter to relieve fatigue. But even while walking, he felt terribly exhausted. His legs were stumbling, tripping over stones, his head was heavy, and it felt like sand was being poured into Kid’s eyes. Suddenly, his body began to ache. His muscles seemed unable to withstand that huge trip through the desert and began to fail as soon as he relaxed.
What did he even do to be so tired? It seemed like he was resting and sleeping... But to be honest.
To begin with, he only slept for a couple of hours, and then he was awakened by Killer's laughter, and they spent the rest of the night on the road. Afterwards, when they decided to take a nap, he was awakened by a nightmare. He doesn’t consider the escape from reality due to poisoning because he came with a feeling of complete exhaustion. The first half of the night he destroyed factories, the second half he didn’t sleep because of Killer’s words. The next one fought and flinched as soon as the slightest sound left his partner’s lips. Today he hit his head on a stone and woke up because of Wire.
It seemed like the puzzle was coming together. During his entire stay in Wano, he never got a full night’s sleep. He probably felt so terrible now because he finally allowed himself to relax. He spent his entire campaign with Killer in constant tension, which is why he didn’t feel particularly tired. However, their situation wasn’t better, and his body, unfortunately, lowered cortisol.
His thoughts were interrupted by a stone that Kid tripped over and couldn’t keep his balance. The pebbles characteristically slammed together as the bulky body fell back to the ground.
One moment, and Kid had already fell unconscious.
He woke up with a severe headache somewhere around dawn. Damn, how long did he lie there? They should’ve headed out a long time ago. Or... Have they already left?

“Did ye sleep on patrol?” - Killer's voice scared him.

Inhibited reactions and dulled instincts. Yes, he is still tired.

Kid jumped to his feet quickly, causing his vision to go dark. The change in position was not pleasing. He immediately wanted to lie back down. The muscles didn’t want to obey at all, and the body seemed unyielding.

“No” - Kid lied.

Killer tilted his head skeptically, supposedly asking - “Oh, really?” - his mask then scrutinized Kid's face and his hand reached to his cheek.

“Ye look like shit, Kid” - but Kid tilted his head away from the touch, hiding his embarrassment with a frown.

He feels as if he is humiliating himself in front of his subordinates. What kind of captain would he be if he whined about simple drowsiness?
However, Killer took this as a reluctance to his caresses, so he respectfully pulled away. Then Kid was afraid that he was upset, so he took his hands in his and put them on his cheeks with the speed of a cheetah. Probably, Killer could’ve had every reason to be irritated, but he only condescendingly stroked his cheeks with his thumbs.

“We’ll have a better rest once we get to the Flower Capital” - the voice behind the mask vibrated, and Kid’s frown relaxed a little.

“Fucking finally” - Kid answered simply, stroking his tanned arms as gently as his prosthesis allowed.

 
The pain in Heat's leg calmed down, but he spent the rest of the journey on the back of Wire, for whom it wasn’t difficult. Killer was tired too, and Kid, relieved by the friendly rituals of his officers, invited him to also spend some time on his back. Just one silent glance was enough to confuse the captain.
Killer seemed to know more than he did, which was always true. Trained to be careful on Junk Island, he was attentive, noticed a lot of details, and planned all their trips in advance, which is why he was sometimes more silent than usual. Kid wondered, what did Killer know about Heat and Wire to look at him so intently?
The path wasn’t difficult, because they mostly descended from the mountain. Of course, it was difficult to stop because the terrain was vertical, but they didn’t need to. Nobody got tired. Everyone slept well and was in good spirits. Except Kid. He was, to put it mildly, clumsy and howling.

“Kid spent most of the night on patrol” - Killer half-lied.

Heat and Wire nodded understandingly, although even if they were irritated by the captain’s slowness, they wouldn’t have said a word.

“Eh, I hope there’s coffee in Wano...” - Heat said casually.

The cherished word excited Kid a little. Coffee. Coffee would be nice. He always drinks it during his projects’ nights and works like a madman. Killer’d slapped him on the head for this back then, but today he simply rudely dragged him to bed. Caffeine on Victoria Punk... Was in limited availability.

“Why shouldn't there be it?” - Killer adjusted the backpack on his shoulders - “We just need to get it. And Kid needs to sleep. Then we’ll talk about invigorating drinks”

“Who is the captain here, huh?” - Kid tsked.

Wire decided to throw in his two cents, taking some things from the captain so as not to tire him.

“The younger ones need more rest”

And this statement angered Kid, and, at the same time, woke him up. It's always like this. Although Killer was embarrassed about his age difference with Kid, Heat and Wire didn’t brag but rather insisted on it. Wire seems to have grown up in a totalitarian family, which raised him with both respect for elders and responsibility for younger ones. Heat was an abandoned child, and during his childhood he had only Wire, his best friend, as a role model. And so, it turned out, they didn’t take Kid seriously until the main battle with the “bedding of the nobility,” because he is a child, childishly leading a gang of the same little brats. But who ultimately united all the remaining gangs and fought the huge boss guy? Right. Kid. Meanwhile, Heat and Wire were hiding somewhere in fear because they weren’t fools. As they thought they were. In Kid's opinion, they were the same idiots who hadn’t seen the sea, like everyone else there. Having seen how the teenager, albeit with the power of the Devil Fruit, cut the throat of the strong Ramon, Heat and Wire began to respect him. So young, yet so strong. And they tried to protect him because they considered him just a boy at play. Meanwhile, Killer, although he could help, didn’t let anyone near Kid’s battle with Ramon, completely confident in his friend’s victory. He never tried to protect him. He was always there, not looking at him as someone who needed protection. Support, yes. After all, that’s what two men do: cover each other’s backs.

“Who are ye calling a child, huh!? Wire! Why are ye smiling?? Come on, talk to me! Quickly! Where-!? Come back! Come back here and look at me like a man! Old geezer! I’ll carry more bags than ye! Give it here! Heat, ye too! Don’t laugh, give me the bags! I won’t walk to the capital, I’ll run ‘ere! Raaaaagh!!!”
 

The Flower Capital greeted them with a beautiful view. The sun peeked out from behind the roof of the palace, emphasizing its huge silhouette, towering above all the people combined. Even from such a safe distance, the wind carried the delicious smell of food from there. It’d be good to eat right now. It's hard to satiate your appetite with toasts, no matter how tasty Killer cooked them.

“Having a muscle ache, Kid?” – the mentioned one asked sarcastically.

Kid stretched his shoulders, on which he had loaded a bunch of backpacks. No matter how strong he was, his tired body ached strongly with such a tough cardio workout with additional loads.

“No. What do ye mean? I don’t even carry such light loads during training” - but Kid decided to hide this from all of them.

Everyone took their bags back, but at Killer’s insistence, they were in no hurry to enter the capital yet.

“We’re entering the territory of the shogun. And that means heavy security and spies. Don’t ye dare give yerself away. Put on a better disguise, tie yer hair, and make no attempts to kill the shogun, Kid”

Kid tsked.

“Stupid demands. Am I a loser for tying my hair??? Besides, I still hope to swat one annoying fly”

“Kid!” - Killer sternly crossed his arms over his chest.

“What, “Kid”? Don't ye want to return the favor? For a whole month, ye were in the hands of some degenerate who mocked and martyred ye as best as he could, and most importantly, I've got to sit right next to him and do nothing!?”

They exchanged glances. And it was a no brainer that Killer was uncomfortable. Now he himself was too close to his tormentor, but there was a big difference between him and Kid - Killer knew how to plan his moves when Kid acted on a whim. It's always been that way.
When they decided to go after Big Mom, it was Killer who was responsible for the strategy, because both now had a clear idea of what it meant - the Emperor. Kid's severed hand was enough for both of them to learn their lesson. But Killer's plan then crashed against one of Big Mom's officers - Oven, who caused a burn on one of Killer’s hands. And their connection again played a cruel joke on them. Ironically, it was the left hand. Kid was furious, so of course he caused a huge commotion at the borders of her territory, and was even able to defeat one of the officers. If he kept pushing, he would sooner or later be able to get to Big Mom. But he decided to retreat because he understood that it wasn’t time yet. And one testimony of his impudence was enough for him to declare himself. No one gets away scot-free after inflicting pain on his crew.
Kid still had his own approach to things. As long as he was strong, he could go on a rampage without a plan. This shogun didn't seem particularly strong at first sight in Udon. Therefore, Kid could easily kill him. But Killer was afraid and cautious.

“Kid. We can leave this for later. For Onigashima” - he explained, almost begging - “Please”

Kid looked at him for a long time, wanted to argue, but was taken aback by the plea. He thought... He made a decision, and pulled off Wire’s veil to put it on himself.

“I won’t tie my hair” - he clarified with a grin.

Killer laughed.

“Fa-fa~ Of course”

 
The capital was teeming with people. Everyone was fussing, preparing, selling, running, and huddling together. The perfect place to disappear into the crowd. It was loud everywhere. Rehearsal music was playing somewhere, lively discussions were coming from the houses, and decorations, ribbons, and lanterns were already hanging everywhere. People were collecting something, cooking something and didn’t notice them at all.
Kid became so comfortable that at one point he put on the veil like a scarf, but was quickly covered back by Killer's disgruntled hand. Although they allowed themselves to enjoy the pre-holiday mood, he was the only one who was too tense. Nobody canceled their caution, but Killer kept looking around, studying people, their habits, and their looks.
Meanwhile, Kid used his good old trick: he quietly pocketed poorly-laid money for himself with the help of magnetism. No one in such a crowd noticed how they slowly rolled on the ground and stuck to his ankles. In the past, this trick was useful because, before getting the power of the Devil fruit, Kid stole food, not money, and later began to shamelessly steal coins from the crowd. Why steal when you can earn and buy? Why is he collecting them now? Why else do you need money for!?

“Where should we stay?” - Kid leaned toward Killer, causing him to flinch.

All four slowed down and grouped around their guide, who kept turning around in search of a threat.

“There aren’t many hotels in the city. They are all purely entertainment hotels where ye can take geishas to have a good time”

“Are geishas - sex workers?” - Kid clarified after hearing the word geisha.

He knows that this is the equivalent of prostitutes. But the way people here sometimes call them, he can think of them as sex slaves.

“Touching geisha in this way is a deadly crime” - Killer explained, but quietly added at the end - “Unless ye’re the shogun”

Kid, actually, heard him perfectly well, so he got angry again. The one word about Killer was enough for him. That's right, this shogun has a lot of powers, and he does whatever he wants. If he wants to touch a geisha in this way, then this won’t be a problem for him. And to think that Killer was dressed in such terrible attire. Did he tell the truth when he said that he didn’t do anything like that?
While Kid was raging in his head, Killer was telling him which hotel they would go to. Heat and Wire refused to go right now and instead volunteered to check the port perimeter for the crew. Killer responded by warning them not to get involved in unnecessary fights and to be careful.
They split into two groups. While walking, Kid and Killer didn’t speak to each other, each with their own disturbing thoughts on their minds. And when they got there, they turned into a narrow alley.
Kid lifted the hem of his kimono and shook out all of Wano's coins. 40 gold.

“That’s enough for three. And we’ll use the other 10 for provisions” - Killer collected everything in his hand. 

“What the hell? We’ll pay for four and wait until we get home!” - Kid objected.

“Kid, stealth, remember?” - reminded Killer - “The policy of such shebangs is that ye must buy food and drinks with ye. Do ye know why? Because meeting a geisha always assumes that she will serve ye. This is part of the tradition. If the client doesn’t pay for the food, it means he wants sex from a geisha, which is already contrary to Wano law. Moreover, because of this policy, geishas have free entry when accompanied by their clients. Do ye understand what I’m hinting at?”

Without further ado, Killer untied his belt and began making those knots again, which naturally scared Kid. No no NO. 

“No! Kill” - Kid grabbed his hands, not letting go.

Oh no. He didn’t agree with this fucking idea. He won’t use his partner like a courtesan! How humiliating this sounds. Even within the framework of cover. Killer probably suffered enough here, walking like a humiliated dog, and now he will receive the same attitude from his captain. Oh no. Killer is NOT a sex worker. He is NOT a resident of this country. NOT a thing. NOT some dog of this shogun. He...

“Kid” - Killer called out to him.

The hands twitched in an attempt to escape, but Kid's grip was strong. He shook his head disapprovingly.

“I forbid it as captain”

Killer laughed.

“Trust me”

And again, a silent battle of glances. Kid tried to resist but lost. He trusts him like no one else. The hands reluctantly left the belt.
Soon, Killer stood in front of him again, like what he called a geisha. Kid stood offended and angry. It seemed like he was losing to this Wano again.

“Kid” - a tanned hand lightly rested on his shoulder, which only caused more anger.

Kid grabbed Killer by the shoulders, trying to convey this to him as best as possible.

“Remember. Ye aren’t a geisha. Ye aren’t a resident of this country. Not Hitokiri Kamazo, or whatever his name is!? Ye are Killer. First mate of the Kid Pirates. My partner” - the words became softer with each sentence, because he spoke, as always, from the bottom of his heart – “Never forget this”

Killer stood there in shock for a couple of minutes before laughing softly.

“Of course”

The hotel was painted in red and gold tones. There was a floral scent everywhere, and there was a nice woman standing at the reception desk.
Kid just started speaking, putting on a South Blue accent, when Killer decided it would be appropriate to hug his arm, which, of course, took him out of his plans.
The girl herself thought of what these two needed.

“Do you need a room for one?”

And Kid would like to object and answer. In fact, from the very beginning, he was fed up with this performance with the client and the geisha. Besides, this woman doesn’t even seem to see Killer as a human being. Perhaps she didn't even notice him at all. And he is noticeable! Big! Strong. He wanted to start destroying everything so that only his partner would be noticed. He wanted to somehow defend his honor.
Killer shook, holding back laugh, because Kid wanted to say all sorts of stupid things again. His hand silently showed three fingers, and the girl, despite the confusion and despair of her client, quickly put the key on the table. After warning her about their companions, they made the exchange.

“Enjoy the Fire Festival!” - the girl said next, and soon they disappeared into the room.

They were greeted by a spacious and bright room. Although it was furnished somewhat minimalistically - pots on the walls, a huge kotatsu table in the middle, cabinets in the wall, and small paintings - it differed from Gomi in a certain sense of prestige. The right wall was the entrance to the courtyard and essentially served as a panoramic window. The courtyard had a small spring and rock gardens. This whole view could be closed in the blink of an eye with a sliding door, which is what Killer did.
The room plunged into twilight.
Kid closed the door behind him. Now, in this darkness, one could only see Killer’s golden hair dancing with every movement.

“Ye know a lot about geishas...” - he said, ready to explode, if Killer will give him a reason.

“I do” - the lamps and candles began to light up one after another.

Knowing for sure that Killer always doesn’t say too much unless you force him, Kid asked impatiently:

“Why?”

“The shogun loves to invite girls to his place. They practically live with him”

“And ye, apparently, often stayed with him” - Kid crossed his arms over his chest and pressed himself against the door.

Killer stood in the middle of the room. Laughed.

“I received orders from him. I've been to the palace many times, if that's what you mean”

“Oh” - Kid had already thought of everything for himself - “And what kind of orders did ye receive?”

Killer came close to him. The mask glowed in a dim orange light. There were six lamps, and they all shone brightly to illuminate the room. Kid could compare them to a small lamp. At least they won't trip.

“Assasination” - Killer answered as if it was obvious.

But for Kid it was not at all obvious. His expression didn’t change, and he was waiting for something else, which his partner immediately understood, laughing quietly.

“Ye still think that I was raped” - not a question, a statement.

The back of Killer's hand stroked Kid's collarbone.

“Ye can pretend to be a geisha all ye want but I forbid ye to act like one”

“I won’t” - Killer promised, again as if it were obvious.

Not obvious to Kid!

“Kill!..”

“Kid” - Killer mirrored Kid's stance – “I know what I'm doing. I won't take this too far. Call it a simple game”

A game. They’re playing a game whose rules are disgusting. It's like... Playing Twister completely naked in the company of shady strangers.

“I don't want to play this game”

“Ye don't even know the rules!” - Killer laughed, no one knows why, but now there were many reasons.

Kid couldn't fight him in this. Of course, he could quarrel with him in the end, but what would that do? They would’ve break up. Even worse, Killer would’ve decided to leave again. No, he doesn't want to lose his trust. He trusts him.

“Okay. What do these geishas do? Let's hear exactly how they provide their NON-sexual services!” - Kid waved his hands in defeat.

At that moment, Killer's head dropped curiously to the side. It seems that he is up to something, which his captain, of course, won’t be happy about.

“Well... Their duties include accompanying and maintaining a conversation. They’re trained to dance, play musical instruments, sing and... Flirt unobtrusively”

Flirt? Kid imagined... Why did he imagine this? Did Killer ever flirt with anyone? Did he do it himself? In a joking manner - yes, but Kid doubts that he can hit on someone seriously.

“And ye... Did any of this before?” - Kid asked, just not to be distracted from his dissatisfaction.

Killer laughed, which made Kid think he had accidentally pressed on the sore spot.

“I fought. Sometimes Orochi made me fight with Kyoshiro's people for fun”

“And ye defeated them!” - Kid even approved without a doubt, because, of course, Killer beat the shit out of them.

Killer said nothing. He laughed and put his hand on the sliding door.

“Do ye want something to eat? I'll bring it”

“Uh...” - Kid didn't know what to think of this.

But he didn’t even have time to think, because Killer pressed on the door with all his might and pushed it open together with Kid. Oh, this belt made him forget how strong his partner is! Keep it up! No wait.

“Wait, Ki-..” - the door slammed shut.

Kid remained in the illuminated room, not knowing what to think. He asked him if Killer had won because he was sure that Killer could take down anyone. But he didn’t answer. Why? Because it's not true? No, Killer emerged victorious from the battles! Well, it can’t be that that purple toddler on the screens in Udon could have someone stronger than Killer in his crew! No, he doesn’t even want to think about it! Killer defeated them all. But he didn’t say it because he was distracted by hunger. You can’t tell anything with an empty stomach.
A couple of minutes later, Killer came in with a tray of Wano food. There was a whole table of goodies, and cold and warm. And ramen, and onigiri, takoyaki, and meat snacks, and various sauces, cabbage, and most importantly - a bottle of sake! Kid hadn’t had any alcohol in his mouth for a month, so at the sight of a whole bottle of rice vodka, his mouth watered.

“Booze!” - Kid, of course, ignored all the food and reached for the most delicious one.

But Killer, in his favorite manner, slapped him on the palm. Alcohol on an empty stomach is such a bad thing, and their cook understood this very well.

“First of all, ye must eat” - he carried the tray to the kotatsu, under which he hid his feet when he sat down.

Kid followed him, awkwardly falling all over the table with his heels sticking out the other end of the kotatsu. Probably asking him to sit down normally wouldn’t lead to anything good, so Killer laughed irritably.
Kid wanted to finish the meal quickly so he could drink some sake, so Kid reached for the onigiri.

“It’s better to start with soup after fasting” - Killer advised him, which is why Kid glanced sideways at his partner.

Directly opposite, he sat quietly, perhaps having long been ingrained in this image of a geisha. From here, Killer again looked alien, sad and lonely. The head was turned only straight, but at the same time the holes seemed to be looking sideways at the table with food. Everything smelled so delicious. And of all that Killer ate - a couple of toasts.

“Damn right!” - Kid agreed, picking up some ramen.

And he handed the bowl to Killer.

“Eh-?...”

“Eat”

The figure tensed. Killer wanted to object but he just laughed quietly, looking at Kid.
His hands hesitantly accepted the bowl, Kid crossed his arms over his chest expectantly. To begin with, Killer picked up the sticks, his fingers almost skillfully manipulated them, until... They fell out so familiarly. Exactly. His Killer doesn't know how to use chopsticks.
He raised his mask to his forehead, not caring about his rules and principles. He pressed the bowl to his lips and drank the broth with loud swallows. The ramen was put back on the tray. Killer licked the broth from his lips and winced because the lipstick was still bitter. Blue eyes looked at Kid warily, but he still looked at him with an expectant look.
So, Killer continued. Somehow, he took his chopsticks and picked up the noodles. With the same loud slurp, he tried the ramen, and Kid inadvertently remembered the udon restaurant where he took Killer the day after their vow.
Their union needed to be consolidated. Of course, he tried to steal sake, but he was quickly chased away, so he settled for udon. After that meeting, he hated udon, but food wasn’t important to him.
Killer shot a couple more wary glances at Kid before finally beginning to eat confidently and greedily. As soon as the food got on his tongue a little, he could no longer stop. He ate some ramen first, then started on onigiri. The nori crunched along with the filling, and the soy sauce stained the rice brown. One triangle disappeared instantly. He grabbed the takoyaki and removed one ball from the skewer with his teeth. His eyes widened from the goodies he had brought. Killer put down the half-eaten skewer, ate the snacks, and kept interrupting for other dishes without finishing another. In an instant he even choked, so he opened a bottle of sake and drank it straight from the bottle. Now he, not caring about the chopsticks, began to eat the rice with his hands, seasoning it with cabbage.
Vegetables crunched. Several tears fell on the floor. Finally, Killer stopped, wiping the moisture from his eyes.

“Excellent” - Kid praised gently.

He took everything that was left uneaten and finished it off in one fell swoop.
The sake ran out quickly. Both were drunk and now violated all the traditions and laws of Wano. Killer threw off the sleeves of his kimono, shamelessly exposing his chest, Kid's legs lay on top of the kotatsu while he ridiculed everyone who caught his eye today. Killer listened to him attentively, his mask was thrown somewhere to the side. Killer was three sheets to the wind, but his face was satisfied and interested.
At some point, Kid began shitting on this country, saying how much he wanted to leave no stone unturned here, or to conquer it by defeating Kaidou. Become a king here, even if he’d move further along the Grand Line. Their flag will be raised on Orochi's palace, and he will be sentenced for life to walk around naked and shaved his head so that everyone will laugh at him when they see him. But Killer, on the contrary, will be praised as the standard of male strength and beauty, and Kid will be... Shogun. Yes.
Killer, meanwhile, had already approached him, listening and listening, until he finally managed to sneak into Kid’s lap unnoticed. His weight pressed on his hips, and his chest kept rubbing against the captain’s chest. He paused and blushed.

“Hey. What are you doing, Killer?” - Kid growled indignantly.

“I’m breaking the rules” - Killer whispered contentedly.

Kid looked him over drunkenly before awkwardly placing his hands on his sides. If not there, then he would have to touch his bare skin. Killer's lips smelled of sake and food, beckoning him to kiss him again. Kid looked at them, then at the bandaged chest. Oh, fuck it...

“Ye’re not a geisha to break any law” - Kid grabbed Killer’s lips with his lips and kissed them.

A moment of inaction. Killer, due to his experience, went further, and Kid fell into a complete stupor. He didn’t go further than touching lips with lips, so he was confused when his tongue was touched. But he had to be sure. It was very embarrassing to admit his inexperience.
When Kid began to follow him awkwardly, Killer chuckled contentedly. The taste of sake and soy sauce was felt. Tasty. Crap. Kid had never thought before that kissing was so pleasant, but with the tongue. And with Killer. Cool. He might get used to it.
But they were interrupted by a knock on the door, and both jumped away from each other like cats.

“It’s us” - Heat’s voice was heard.

Killer quickly pulled back the sleeves of his kimono and frantically found his mask, and Kid wiped the lilac lipstick off his lips.

“Hm! Come in!” - he allowed them in after he cleaned himself up.

The door opened and light entered the room, along with the silhouettes of two subordinates.

“Um... Did we interrupt ye from something?” – quick-witted Heat asked.

“No” - Killer and Kid answered in unison.

Only then Heat and Wire entered the room. Killer awkwardly sat back at the kotatsu.

“Well, um-... Fa-fa~... Since we're all here, we should discuss the plan”

Kid immediately crawled to the table and sat cross-legged at the other end. But for some reason Heat and Wire were in no hurry to sit down at the table.

“Yeah” - Wire said gloomily - “About that...”

Chapter Text

Heat and Wire stood like some kind of column, immovable. From their tense silence (not broken by the usual silent glances), one could understand that something was wrong.

“About what?” - Kid asked again because both were now silent and kept mum.

Through the light of the lamps, at first their condition wasn’t clear, but the longer he peered at his officers, the more he realized the degree of pallor and gloom on them.
Killer let out a nervous chuckle. Then he motioned for them to sit down next to them. When Heat and Wire finally sat down on the same corner of the kotatsu, their knees awkwardly touching, he gave them the rest of the sake.
Heat refused, but Wire poured the alcohol into the cup. He washed down the lump in his throat. Now they both made faces like they were going to throw up.

“Well...” - Wire began but hesitated, not knowing how to continue.

Instead, he clasped his hands and stared at the kotatsu. The last time he was so out of it was when Reck had three of his fingers cut off. It was... a bloody sight. For some reason, it was this thought that gave Kid the idea that they had seen something terrible, related to the crew, there in the port. They wouldn’t turn so pale for strangers.

“Rally yer wits! We don't have time for this” - however, he decided to hurry them up because they really had limited time.

“Something happened at the port, right?” - Killer guessed, grinning gloomy.

Heat opened his mouth to say something emotionally, but at the last moment, he hesitantly swallowed a lump.

“Well... Victoria Punk is definitely not there... And neither is the crew” - in the end, he answered so vaguely that Kid and Killer looked at each other.

“What the hell did ye see there!?” - Kid asked impatiently.

Not knowing bothered him, especially when it came to his crew. The thought that something unpleasant could happen to them was disturbing. Kid didn't even want to think about the fact that they died or were fed by these defective SMILES. Of course, it will be good if it was something like injury or torture. So at least they will be alive. And the wounds will heal. Both physical and mental.
Wire remained quiet, pursing his lips from overwhelming feelings. His gaze usually moves so worriedly only in emergency situations. Heat began to speak for him only after feeling his friend’s hand.

“When we got to the port, to our regret... We found out that nine of our guys started a riot with our newly acquired divisions. Result? 17 people were hanging there... Dead. Four are half-dead but already dying. We gave them blades so that they could cut the ropes by nightfall, but their chances for escape are low. The remaining six ran away, but they reported that the bodies of two were found at Ringo’s, so there are assumptions that they froze to death. As a result, we lost all our divisions and more. Glam, Gothi, Power and Madchester”

They listened to this speech as if it were just some funny story. Well, this can’t be true! It cannot be that all two divisions could simply lose in battle! How so? What about the rest? Madchester!? This is the same guy who batched the Marines! He was a strong guy, even though he was mad! But this is what made him a dangerous foe. And Gothi!? She composed first-class dark poems, for which Glam wrote his music. Although he was a weakling, Gothi became an enraged monster in battle for his sake! And Power was not far behind. She was always the center of attention, carrying such a huge ax - this lil’ gal! She waved it like a warrior. As soon as you look at her, you immediately remember that lionesses are better hunters than lions. And all of them...

“Damn!” - Kid slammed his fist on the table.

He squeezed his eyes to keep the tears from running down his cheeks. But only a month ago, they were planning what surprise they would make for Glam in honor of his upcoming birthday. But that day... passed away a couple of days ago. Kid wondered, if he was alive at that time. Was he able to receive at least some congratulations? Or instead of a gift, he was destined for death.
Killer laughed quietly. How does he feel now? He acted for the good of all of them, and in the end, they...

“And I... humiliated Power’s baking all the time... How can we live without her now?” - Heat pursed his lips from tears.

It seemed that he gave this report in one breath. And as he exhaled, there were tears along with it.
They drank sake for the repose. They were as silent as Killer’s condition allowed. And then they gathered their strength and continued planning. Kid hastily drew a rough map of Wano based on the explanations of his three subordinates. He marked Ringo as the approximate hiding place of his four crewmates and also marked Itachi as the location of the survivors. The matter remained small.

“What ‘bout the others?”

“We don’t know exactly about the whereabouts of others. We’ll be lucky if we can rescue those four” - Wire answered Kid’s question.

Until this moment, Killer had only chuckled quietly on the sidelines, but now he decided to comment.

“They're, most likely, in the palace”

Everyone suddenly looked at him. To begin with, no one could even understand why he thought that. But Killer sat in a more closed position, still pondering the list of victims.
At sea, the death of a crew members isn’t such a rare thing. They can be taken by illness, accidents, conflicts, or battles. Kid was ready to swear he made a lot of mistakes, but during their entire adventure, they often ended up injured. Dive alone received about 101 injuries during the trip. The rest, too, although they often spent time on bed rest, recovered quickly. What happened there? Who did it? 21 people... Of course, their divisions were comparatively small compared to the same Yonko, but they were just recruiting. The crew is still new and full of life... And just like that.

“Then we will pay a visit to the Shogun today” - Kid made a point.

That's it. Stop beating around the bush. He will save this fucking country from one problem. Let them be glad that he is in such a state of mind. No one had ever escaped him so easily when they offended his crew.
But Killer interrupted his impulses. Again...

“This isn’t the main thing now, Kid. We shouldn’t raid tonight! It’s better to wait until the yard is empty. First, we should help out those eight. Let’s split into two groups: one will go to the port, the other will...”

“For fuck’s sake…!” - Kid growled with displeasure and thereby interrupted Killer.

He began to explain himself only when he noticed his partner looking sideways at him.

“Let's wait, let's not rush!..” - Kid imitated him irritably – “I’m done with this shit! I'm the captain ‘ere. I give orders. And I give the order to raid the castle today. As Orochi dies, then Kaido will appear. Then I will fight him. In the meantime, ye rescue everyone and cover my rear”

“I won’t” - Killer said abruptly - “I won’t cover anything yers”

Kid tsked.

“That’s great! I can handle it maself! Without ye...”

Then Killer suddenly jumped to his feet, towering over everyone. They are arguing again. What kind of vicious circle is this?

“Kid...” - Killer called quietly - “Let’s go out and discuss this in private”

Kid sat quietly, at first he even wanted to be stubborn, but... He cooled down too quickly, and he felt ashamed of his words. He didn't want to offend him like that...

“As you say”

The sliding door slammed. The entire yard was fenced in and had a stone path leading to a bench by the pond. The water ran quickly, gurgling and competing with the singing of the cicadas. The whole earth was overflowing with cherry blossom petals.
Killer chose nothing else but a bench, where he sat, staring at the carp in the water. And Kid perched himself behind the back, resting his hands on the tree. Looking at the fish was calming. They swam there, moved smoothly in the water, ate their food, and no human problems bothered them. If reincarnation really exists, then Kid wants to be reborn as a carp. Although no... as the bull. Bulls are tough. Especially in the Dressrose areas.

“We shouldn’t argue about this now, Kid. There’s too little time left. We literally have two days left. And even then, the last night will be very long...” - Killer explained, but such stories only got on his nerves.

“I don't want to wait any longer. There are too many coincidences. It is literally our destiny to kill this shogun. Two birds with one stone. What will he do to us?”

Killer laughed nervously. Suddenly, Kid seemed to be overcome with thought.

“A lot...” - Killer began, swallowing a laugh - “A lot of things”

Now Killer looked scared. Weak. You don't always see him so nervous about something. Perhaps it's the fear of getting caught. Perhaps he is afraid that Kid will also be tortured like him.

“Ye don't want to...” - Kid climbed over the bench to squat on the seat next to Killer – “Talk ‘bout it?”

The striped mask expressed nothing. A petal fell on his head. And one more. His legs were splashed by a particularly active carp.

“I dunno what to talk about” - Killer shrugged.

When Kid realized that he wouldn’t get another answer, he sat down next to him and quietly placed his fingers next to Killer’s thigh. He began to stroke the striped fabric because of his own thought processes.

“Am I a bad captain?” - he asked suddenly, even to himself.

But it had to be logical. He committed so many thoughtless actions, supported only by his ego and insolence. So many times he fought with those who were too tough for him and lost, endangering both the ship and his subordinates. Now he did it again, but he didn't pay for his mistake. No, not even close. Of all the people, he was just bored in prison, carrying huge blocks and doing something that can only be called gaining muscles. His crew here, it turns out, started a riot, was killed, hung on some poles... His officers went to great lengths for him, suffered from chemicals, beatings, and torture, all in vain. His first mate, partner, and treasure was humiliated. They mocked him and amused him so much that, in the end, they almost deprived him of himself... And after that, is he a good captain? Does his crew think he's a good captain? Did Madchester, Glam, Gothi and Power die thinking he was a good captain?

“Ye're a good captain, Kid. I'm proud that ye grew up to be like that” - Killer's palms pressed to his cheeks.

Warm, although dry. Kid looked at him in disbelief. But Killer wouldn't fucking lie about something like that. And it even hurt. No one ever told him that they were proud of him. He had no one to train to command or manage the crew. He learns everything himself, and now doubts that his knowledge is correct. But Killer knows more than him. And he speaks sincerely.
Kid doesn't even want to hold back his tears. He feels sorry for the crew. It was his mistake that they all...
Killer hugged him. Wordlessly, he pressed him to his shoulder, not even afraid of staining his kimono. He didn’t even want to think about what would happen when the hugs stopped. Kid is tired and wants to rest. But he still thought that he was humiliating himself. That Killer will think badly of him when he sees him crying. That's why he remains silent. He bites his bitter lips and remains silent.

“I understand that ye’re upset, Kid... We’re all upset about this. But we’re tired. In this state, we aren’t ready to fight strong opponents. Ye understand this yerself” - Killer convinces him of this, not forgetting to breathe directly into his shoulder.

Kid doesn't say anything. He looks resentfully at the floor. What can he do now? A couple of hours ago, he fainted from fatigue, now he collapses due to alcohol. He will be subject to his emotions and risk losing more than he has already lost. He doesn't want to admit it, but Killer is right. They need to change the plan and act within their capabilities.

“Let's go inside” - Kid wiped his tears on his way to the room.

Heat and Wire were waiting patiently in their seats. As soon as they glanced at the captain, he waved his hand.

“We‘ll act according to Killer’s plan” - Kid sat down at the kotatsu - “We divide into two groups. One goes to Itachi and rescues the survivors. The other goes to Ringo and catches the four there, if they are still alive”
After checking the map, Kid realized that Ringo was not very far from the Flower Capital.

“From here to Ringo it’s a couple of hours’ journey” - Killer explained - “Still, I advise ye to borrow horses for such crossings”

Now everyone was working together on the plan. At least something made them happy. If they manage to get the corpses of their people, then they will be given a decent funeral...

“Oh, we’ll go to Ringo's!” - Heat volunteered.

“It is important for ye to be here before the operation begins. We’ll join ye if anything happens” - Wire agreed.

It was logical. Kid wanted to do just that, so it was even better that they volunteered.

“Great. Then Killer and I’ll visit the port, and ye’ll pick our people up from Ringo” - if they’re still alive...

“But before that, I advise everyone to rest” - Killer advised, looking specifically at Kid.

And Kid would have gladly agreed, only Heat and Wire turned out to be not so tired.

“We’re not tired. We’d better go into town and find horses”

With a worried sigh from Killer, they were left alone again. Now, after the news, there was no sign of a good mood. Kid almost immediately withdrew into himself, crossing his arms over his chest. If they had come here earlier, would they have been able to save them? What if he had gotten out of Udon earlier? What if he hadn’t fought Kaido at all? If he had died somewhere in the trash and not become a pirate, would their lives have been better?

“Don’t think about it” - Killer seemed to read his dark thoughts and sat down next to him.

His hands, as if by chance, made room on his knees - something that Kid didn’t immediately notice, because he turned away with a frown.
Perhaps there is some kind of problem with him. He didn’t save Victoria either, because he was too weak. And he didn’t even get to Shanks... And Kaido knocked him out with one blow... Probably, no matter how strong he becomes, his nasty fate will always put some obstacles in his way. The kind after which he won’t be able to get up. But no. He always bounces back. Even when the wound is so deep that it affects his very confidence. Even if he lies on bed rest every day, it seems that he will never get up.

“Would ye like to lie on my lap?” - Killer asked, laughing nervously.

The first mate’s trick worked successfully again - all the attention of the blushing Kid turned to Killer.
Somehow it happened that Kid was now lying on his partner's lap, like a pillow, with his back turned to him. Of course, this is NOT romantic at all. It's like... Leaning on your best friend's shoulder. And there’s definitely nothing cheesy about it! (Maybe...)

“Holy shit...”  - the first thing he thought about as he lay on his knees.

Although Killer clearly spent more time stretching and training his arms, his legs were... Quite nice. In general, an interesting feature of muscles is that they are hard as a stone when need, but they can also become soft, like some kind of jelly. Comfortable. And Killer smoothly runs his hand over his hair, along his cheekbone and temple. It’s impossible to think about anything bad here.
As soon as Kid turned over on his back out of pure curiosity, he was especially surprised to find that almost the entire view of Killer’s face was hidden by his pumped chest.

“Oh, hi” - Killer greeted him innocently once eye contact was established.

But Kid has something else on his mind. The same “HOLY SHIT”, but shouted as loudly as his inner voice allowed.
Out of embarrassment, he rolled over again, already resting his forehead on Killer's stomach. He didn’t want to think about what stupid emotions Killer evoked in him, and he also didn’t want to think about where his cheek ended up resting. He wanted to think about Killer. About how he magically laughs less when moments like this happen. Perhaps they both benefit from such things. Perhaps Kid likes that his partner feels better because of his presence. Perhaps he even... He don't know, wants to marry him because... Just because.

“Listen... And if we ever get married, what will happen?”

Killer gasped in shock.

“Why are ye suddenly talking ‘bout this???”

“Purely hypothetically!” - Kid convinced him – “Just imagine... We're having a wedding. We're the husband... And the husband, hehe. So what? How d’ye think everyone will react to this? Won't they be too... Disgusted ? Like, two married men will live with them now.”

Killer looked at him with an unreadable gaze. Unreadable, of course, because of the mask. He never answered him because Kid jumped from one thought to another.

“Do ye think Heat and Wire will be happy!? I dunno, they look like two... Very traditional people. Especially Wire. Like, because of the family and all that. And Heat always goes with him, which means he shares his views. Should we then say goodbye to someone who is against it or kill them?”

Killer continued to look at him. And Kid thought he had said something stupid. Well, yes, what kind of wedding!? They are pirates! And marriage is... Moronic. Victoria's parents alone got married and divorced five times. No, Kid didn’t have any strong and long-term examples of such an alliance.

“Kid. Heat and Wire are married” – well, wait...

Wait a minute. What? Was Killer joking now or not? ...

“Sorry... They thought about keeping it a secret, but they're not really hiding it” - Killer laughed awkwardly – “Actually... Almost everyone knows about it. We even made a deal about a gift on their anniversary. Gothi was supposed to give the gift ...”

Kid lay there dumbfounded. He looked at Killer with glassy eyes. In various stages of shock. Why didn't he recognize this? Why didn't he see the signs!? They were literally on the surface! Hmm, they really weren't hiding. Although, maybe they just didn't tell people they were married. They were just carried away by each other, not paying attention to the others. Secret Keepers, damn it! They know that Kid won’t understand anything so easily. Especially matters of the heart.

“And how long have they already-?..”

“They got married at 16. This was before our union with them. It seems they wanted to go against the world and its foundations... Teenagers, what can we expect from them? I asked them about this somewhere during the party after the victory over the Ramons. And they answered. It’s a pity that they don’t have rings. It would be a little easier for ye to understand”

“Let's make ‘em!” - Kid shouted, sitting down - “Let’s make ‘em! Heat, Wire, sons of bitches! They kept such a secret from me, those freaks! That’s it, I won’t let them down! When is their anniversary?”

“26 of May”

“Well, that's it! Consider that the rings for them are already ready! Glam, Gothi, Madchester, Power, look at us and rejoice at our victories! It doesn’t matter where ye are! Here or there, ye will still remain our faithful comrades! So, congratulate Heat and Wire on their anniversary, ye idiots!”

After some time of cheerful memories of the dead, Kid drew plans for the buildings according to Killer's instructions. Well, he knows how to draw plans and drawings. Even too much. He was always praised for his drawings of buildings and blueprints. Like they have nothing else to worry about… Ugh!
This seemed to squeeze the last of Kid's strength, and he laid his head directly on the kotatsu, unable to hold it straight. Meanwhile, Killer kept talking. He explained the plan of the building in detail, and Kid wrote it down, lying on his hand. The pencil peacefully drew straight lines on the paper (another of his talents, with which everyone is in a hurry to embarrass him), but each time they became crooked and crooked. Kid erased the lines a couple of times, but then stopped caring, and later generally closed his eyes from fatigue.
Of course, this didn’t go unnoticed by Killer. He got up and went somewhere. Kid was almost woken up by the racket of cabinets. But what exactly woke him up was the sudden warm hands of his partner wrapped around his ribs.

“What are ye-...” - Kid mumbled, trying to get out of it.

But Killer was a hundred times more dexterous than him. He quickly threw his arms over his shoulder and lifted his tired body.

“We’re going to rest” - Killer said insistently, and apparently it would be difficult to convince him.

Kid was laid onto a futon, which was several times smaller than him, and the warmth was gone.

“Wait...”

Killer sat down next to him, and that was enough for Kid's hand to hook onto his obi. Pulling once, he untied it, causing Killer to close the ends of the kimono tighter.

“What are ye doing, Kid?” - there was irritation and annoyance in his voice, but Kid didn’t notice it.

He had his obi in his palm. Sad. He wanted it to be Killer himself.

“Sleep with me” - Kid said plaintively, looking into his mask.

Killer didn't answer. Just laughed. Then he leaned over and did what he wanted. Freed the shoulder from the prosthesis. Kid hummed quietly as his stump began to be massaged.

“There is not enough space here” - Killer calmly replied.

With a dissatisfied click, Kid slid off the futon along with the pillow. There is enough place.

“This is childish, Kid”

“Just lie down!” - Kid raised his voice with his eyes closed.

But Killer had no intention of doing so. On the contrary, he pushed his captain back onto the futon, but still didn’t go anywhere - he still sat next to him, massaging his tired muscles.
Kid could have fallen asleep like that, but sleep wouldn’t come. All that came to his mind were gloomy thoughts about his crew. Perhaps the entire crew is already dead. Perhaps those hanging are dead, perhaps there is no one left to save in Ringo. And all because of him. How sickening it is to lose someone. They had a pretty good relationship with Glam. He loved to joke, and his jokes matched Kid's dark sense of humor. They could drink together, blow things up, walk around and sing swear songs. Kid wondered, what if until the very end he harbored the hope that Kid would save them. Was he sure that Kid would come to rescue them?
Kid usually doesn't toss and turn in his sleep. Falls asleep instantly. But this can be attributed to its characteristic of being noisy during sleep. Kid tossed and turned for half an hour before Killer was finally forced to lie between his arm and body to hug him and stop these twisting.
Here. That's better. Now he sleeps in his usual position (the one in which his wounded arms, legs, sides and face won’t touch the rough surface of the sheet), Killer hugs him by the neck, it’s warm and comfortable around him. Yes, he can sleep that way.
Now there was nothing stopping Kid from falling asleep. But in his dreams only a nightmare awaited him.
He dreamed that he was hanging on a pole in the middle of a pile of similar poles in the open ocean and with water up to his knees, on which his crew hung. All of them were without significant injuries, but for some reason Kid was sure that they weren’t sleeping, but were dead. Directly opposite him hung Killer, in the bloodiest form he had ever seen. All the wounds he had on his body reopened, but they seemed to have expanded, bleeding and pulsating. Killer was alive. Still alive. He was dying quickly, and the water beneath him turned red. For some reason, Kid was calling to him, as if his life depended on whether he heard him. He called. He screamed, but his voice was hoarse, no matter how hard he tried to scream. He kept calling and calling, trying to reach him. His body was being squeezed by something, almost suffocating him. It was hot and scary.
The dream ended when Kid accidentally began to hum in reality from his own efforts. Tears rolled down his hot cheeks, going somewhere along with sleep. Killer wiped them, woke up immediately as soon as Kid organized the concert.

“It’s okay, Kid... I’m here. Everything’s okay” - through Kid’s heavy breathing, a familiar whisper was heard.

Killer's hands smelled of sake and food. They were pressed tightly against his cheeks. Kid pressed himself closer to them. He remembered how he held him closer to him and fell asleep, resting his head on the golden head. Fatigue quickly took over.
The next dream was not a nightmare. It was somehow surreal.
In it, Killer was a dog, and they were again in the middle of the ocean. But the most important thing is that Kid could stand on the water, and Killer drowned, as if he had fallen into a swamp. Kid held him all the time, and then, afraid that the dog would go under the water, where he could not reach, he picked him up above the water.
The dream was interrupted because Killer began to toss and turn in his arms, and then the feeling of his body began to go away. And Kid, by inertia, grabbed the sleeve of his rising partner and now threw him onto his chest, no matter how heavy Killer was.

“Don’t go... Stay...” - Kid remembers whispering in his sleep, holding Killer’s body close to his.

Yes, right. Now he remembered why the dog was drowning. In that dream, Killer gave up his ability to swim so that Kid would stay afloat. Now it was necessary to find some kind of shore where the dog could be seat, but the dream didn’t continue.
Kid was met only by a deep sleep, because of which he didn’t notice that Killer got out of his arms and went somewhere, slamming the sliding door into the yard.

Chapter Text

Chilly...

Kid quickly became alarmed when he realized this. He was the only one lying on the futon.

The candles had already burned out, and only a couple of them illuminated the room, which, surprisingly, wasn’t that dark. But it wasn’t dark because the curtains were slightly open, letting the sunset light in. The door to the garden was tightly closed...

“Killer?” - Kid looked around the room, but found no one.

He wondered, if Heat and Wire were still in Ringo? Probably yes, but Kid didn’t even want to think about why they hadn’t returned yet. And about why Killer wasn’t there either.

The fatigue didn’t go away, but only put pressure on the body. He felt worse than before. It would probably be much better if he went back to bed. But shouldn't they go rescue the guys?

It was a bad idea to wait. It would be better if they went rescuing them as soon as they heard the report. But Kid hesitated. He was stupid. No, he wasn't stupid. He trusted Killer, who knew more than them. But for some reason, it seemed that he had made a mistake. Not just because of the guys. They hung there for a long time, couple more hours won’t make any difference. Because of Killer. It seemed that some evil plan had hatched in his head, which he didn’t voice to anyone because he knew how they would appreciate it. And now he was nowhere to be found. There was no Killer. He. Was. Not. Here.

Kid opened the door to the garden, hoping that he had simply made a mistake while still half-asleep. But there was only the gurgling of water. A particularly active carp (he called it Speedy Punk for fun) was splashing around with water again. Nothing else.

The Observation Haki didn’t detect anyone except guests, staff, and those passing by. Killer really disappeared somewhere.

Entering the buffet where Killer took food, Kid, for some reason, wasn’t surprised that there were more geishas there than their owners (ugh). He just wanted to drink coffee. Cheer up and calmly think about everything.

Of course, Wano’s coffee had its own special taste and aroma. But Kid didn't think about it. If they were passing through here, he would definitely grab a couple of cans for himself. It was delicious after all.

Kid didn’t know what to do next: save his crewmates or look for Killer. On the other hand, why thinking about it? Although Killer made questionable choices, he always knew how to stand up for himself. Still, with all his wounds and injuries, he lived until their meeting. And Kid trusted him to survive. If something happened to him, he would definitely wait for Kid to rescue him. In the end, how are their priorities set?

The mug is empty. Kid gave it away along with all the food. There are 9 hours left before check-out.

He got rid of Wano’s rags and finally put on his own clothes. By that time, it had managed to dry out and get rid of the blood. It's time to bring his crew back.

The streets were empty as soon as the curfew began. This made it easier for Kid to slip past people with lanterns through the labyrinthine back streets with which the entire capital was teeming. There were all the unwanted people who hadn’t yet been found and thrown out of the city. They looked at Kid without emotion, but Kid didn’t even glance at them. To him, they were just trash. Probably not deserving of such a fate, but still weak. Although there was bias, they didn’t evoke any bad emotions. Just nostalgia.

“I’ve found something” - Killer walked around a pile of legs and debris, along with a package of something in his hands.

Somehow it happened that someone burned down old man Eustass’s old hut, and they ended up on the street. It was uncomfortable to live under the bridge, and the smell there was stronger than at the lighthouse... But Kid didn’t complain. He was sick. But he was too proud to talk about it. His condition spoke for him. Without medicine, - passersby said, - he won’t live. Die from a fever.

The package kept rustling in Killer's hands. Kid liked these sounds, and he stood up from under his old jacket to take a look. His eyes felt like they were covered in sand, and the heat was pounding his head.

Looking around so that no one would see, Killer silently pulled out a crumpled package of pills.

“What's this?...”

“Shhh” - Killer pressed his finger to his lips.

Kid fell silent purely from exhaustion, while his head tiredly fell to his side. It's hard to sit up straight... He's kind of weak.

At first, he didn’t even begin to scream when a pill was slipped between his weak lips and a rusty steel mug of water was pressed to his mouth. The combination of iron and bitter pills made Kid spit saliva just to get rid of the nasty taste.

“Ugh! What’s this!?” - he crawled away, not knowing what to think.

The burn on his shoulder stinged, seared and panged as soon as the muscle tensed.

“Calm down now. Just lie down” - Killer looked around worriedly.

Despite the fact that they were hiding in some nook where no one would notice them, Kid screamed too loudly, and Killer was too bright to hide for long.

They looked at each other for a long time, until Kid finally became exhausted and, waving his hand, curled up on the mountain of old rags on which he had previously slept. The burn hissed as best it could. This made it difficult for Kid to even sleep. It was annoying. And he sighed and hummed too, in order to somehow distract himself from the pain.

The temperature began to drop.

“What is this? What the hell did ye feed me?” - in pain, Kid pushed his head under Killer's arm and lay down on his lap.

His partner was noticeably frightened and froze. Killer sat down so as not to touch Kid too much (he didn't like that), and only then could he allow himself to answer.

“These are antibiotics. There’s also ointment for burns. I didn’t find any painkillers, sorry” - Killer pulled out a crumpled tube of ointment with an almost completely peeled off label from the package.

Where he got this from is unclear. But to begin with, Kid generally thought that Killer had abandoned him. Logical conclusion here.

“I can stand this. Am not a pussycat” - and he even managed to be offended by him, worry and cry.

But Killer’s presence remained unchanged, regardless of his offenses. He didn't leave him. It felt even pleasant once the heat disappeared a little. In addition, through these torn jeans (which weren’t always torn), his skin peeked out, which was cool.

Kid raised his head. And yes, through Killer’s thick bangs, his blue eyes were visible. They weren’t directed at him, but somewhere to the side. It's been too long since they last saw each other (1 hour). Kid had already forgotten how beautiful Killer's eyes were. To be honest, he didn’t want to think about him at all. Because he hypothetically abandoned him.

“I thought, ye’d left me”

“Um? What do ye mean?” - Killer was now looking at him, carefully smearing the ointment on Kid's shoulder.

It would be logical. When someone set the lighthouse on fire, all Kid did was panic. Not only were the old man’s valuables there, but also his own! He couldn't even understand what to grab onto. There are so many memories. It is unclear which of them is more valuable. He woke up when something fell on his hand, pinned him to the floor, and began to burn. And it was getting harder to breathe down there. Then he thought that he would die. There was a loud, crackling fire and smog all around. Kid was already out of breath, and his hand was burning. Until he finally passed out, his lungs began to burn from a lack of oxygen and heat.

And then Killer had arrived. He pumped him out and helped him up.

“Kid! Can ye walk on yer own!?” - Killer himself was out of breath, and his hands were also slightly burned while he was pulling him out.

He could have leave but he is loyal. He and Kid are partners. Now he isn’t going anywhere...

Killer helped bring him to the bridge, where they hid for a while. They need to look for a new shelter. Hide in basements and alleys. Killer was probably used to this a long time ago, but Kid wasn’t.

“Are ye an idiot? Ye’ll die without me before you find One Piece!” - Killer laughed, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Kid smiled too. Really, what is he thinking about? Killer won't leave him. A strange thing is temperature. Anything can happen.

The hand clutched the tattoo on his shoulder. The one that covered the burn. Someday he will persuade Killer to cover his burn with a beautiful sleeve tattoo. But not now. This is clearly not the right time for this.

Pier was deadly quiet. The water beat against the wooden piles and also broke against the pillars, which were placed in a row along the shoreline. Bodies were hung from them like exhibits. The bodies of his crewmates. Starved, sunburned, and bitten by gadflies. Their dirty hair looked more like straw. The faces were frozen in an unreadable expression. Someone was hanging with their eyes closed, their heads down, apparently wanting to rest. Someone, on the contrary, lifted it up, as if they were praying or, perhaps, wanted to look at the sky for the last time. Kid counted three whose faces were unrecognizable due to blood and bruises. From such a distance, it wasn't even visible who was alive and who was not. Perhaps there is no one here anymore. Maybe...

Nearby, near a two-story building, there was a table lit by candles. The people behind it are guards, drunk and sleeping, gorged on various delicacies that were laid out on the table. All the corpses were skinny.

The water was up to Kid's knees. His legs were weak due to the force of the ocean. But he stood straight. Looked into the glass eyes of every person. He remembered. About various trifles. About feasts, about evenings on patrol, about fights, and about fun. Strangely, for the first time in these months, Kid didn’t react to anything at all. Perhaps he was just tired. Perhaps he was too angry all this time to feel anything now. Or perhaps he misunderstood something again.

The waves crashed against the pier and splashed along the shore, sweeping up trash. All sounds were merged with noise. Some kind of terrible - funeral melody. The sounds grew in volume and then died down, only to repeat their move to the shore again. They dulled the occasional snoring of the guards, the barking of someone's dog, and a wheezing sound that sounded very close but too weak to hear right away.

But Kid heard. He turned his head toward the sound to listen. Silence... The waves rustled. And then... Just for a second after the sound of the waves... The sound was repeated.

Kid stumbles a little and walks with difficulty along the pillars. Meets Gothi's eyes. For a second, he even confuses her with a living one. But during that time, he noticed some bugs crawling on the whites of her eyes - this made Kid feel sick. It seems that his face has become even colder.

More wheezing sounds, and Kid reluctantly turns his head away from the half-naked body. And there, the search ends. He quickly finds the one who is wheezing. He could say he's moaning.

“Reck!” - Kid sighs, looking at the suspended man.

There is no doubt. It was Reck. All covered in bruises and scratches, which not only turned black on the body, like holes, but were swollen and inflamed. In addition, his hair was soaked in blood, which had dried on his face in the form of huge streaks. His naked torso was stained with salt dust, which seemed to have also gotten into his wounds. There was literally a sharp stone stuck under his chest. Which they threw at him, no doubt.

Reck didn’t immediately realize that he was called - he raised his head slightly with his eyes closed and then lowered it again. Perhaps he even thought that he was imagining it. Death hallucinations, yes. But Kid is persistent. No, he didn’t go and look for him in order to see him off on his last journey!

“Hey Reck!” - the call sounded more insistently, muffled only by the sound of the sea.

This time Reck twitched. He furrowed his eyebrows and then somehow opened his eyes. They were completely covered in dried blood, which tore off into pieces and came apart in threads, getting stuck on the eyelashes and eyelids. His eyes are bloody, not even because of injuries, but because of the blood that has soaked inside. Although one still turned red due to his sunken lower eyelid. With his slits he looked straight at Kid, but either he didn’t immediately realize that it was him, or he didn’t even have the strength to react.

“Hey! Wake up, c'mon!” - Kid shushed him, looking around at what Reck was tied to.

An ordinary ship's rope was hung from a slot along the top of a post, and there, from two separate strong knots, hung atrophied arms of bright red and purple shades, swollen between the knots.

“Fuck, how do I-?... I thought, Heat and Wire gave ye the blades” - Kid tried to climb the pole, but his body limp due to the water didn’t appreciate this idea.

Reck finally raised his head. He shook myself from sleep.

“...cap...ain?...” - something that Kid might not have heard if he hadn't been hanging on the beam near his face at that moment.

“No shit! Who did ye expect to see!?” - he rested his feet on the balk to climb to the very top - “I’ll free ye soon”

Reck somehow turned his head toward him. A bloody tear rolled down his cheek.

“I thought...... you.... they......”

Kid began looking for the loosest knot, only to tear it with his hands.

“No. I'm fine. Alive, sane, and still yer captain!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Reck smile slightly, his lips tearing with the movement. And then he began to slowly turn his head, looking for someone.

“Heat....Wire?.....”

“Ye're right. I thought, they gave ye the blades so ye could free yerself. Have ye gotten so lazy in my absence?”

Reck raised his head up, looking... First of all, beaten, but also confused. Perhaps he couldn't even remember the blades.

The waves hit the pillar, and Reck let out a quiet “Ow...”

“....blade..... Blade I.....” - he looked down, peering into the muddy water – “It..... Somewhere there..... I.... There .... I..... We must... Before night.... Find..... We must...”

Kid, of course, didn’t know how to speak gibberish, but he understood that Reck had dropped it into the water.

“Don't think too much. Just look forward to Victoria's warm bed and Killer's dinner”

The rope unwound and fell into the water. Reck’s hand flew after it, but hung, tilting his body over the sea. Two left.

“Two more to go. Did ye hear? Wait just a lil’ more, Recky”

From here, his expression was not visible: Reck's curls completely covered his limp head. Kid hopes he's sleeping. After all, if not, then he won’t forgive himself.

He doesn’t even know how he will untie the rope around his legs. They are definitely connected underwater, but if he goes down there, he won’t get back up. It would be a shame to drown in shallow water just a few steps away from victory. So Kid thinks about his options while looking at Reck's freed, pale hand, covered in purple lines, and at the horizon. This slowness, one might say, helped him.

About two pillars away, someone’s silhouette flashed by, and it seemed that someone even made a sound similar to a call. The water began to rustle as something collided with it. Kid didn’t immediately understand what exactly, because the light from the moon only illuminated silhouettes, and the lamps in the port didn’t reach there. Perhaps it was a corpse. Or a seagull. Or fish. Or maybe he was just imagining it because of the tension.

Doubts were dispelled when the almost full moon illuminated someone’s head, emerging from under the ocean darkness. He didn’t understand who it was, but undoubtedly it was one of his guys. The pillar at which this happened was empty.

The figure was holding above the water but, for some reason, couldn’t get out normally, even though the water was knee-deep to Kid. They kept jumping and jumping, sometimes going back under the water when particularly large waves knocked them off their feet.

There was no time to figure it out. Kid patted Reck on the shoulder as a promise to come back for him, and climbed down from the pillar, almost falling under the water.

Approaching the figure, he heard a desperate cry as a face peeked out from under the water.

“HIP!” - and Hop went under water again.

She didn't come up any more.

“Shit-!” - Kid went towards her, and almost fell when his foot fell into the hole.

Yes, there was a slight descent further down, and Hop was smaller than him. Although, in fact, here the water will be just up to her waist. No time to think!

Kid recklessly stuck his hand under the water, sinking lower. Risky. Weakness immediately cramped his limb up to his shoulder, trying to pull him down. But he found Hop's body before that could happen.

The water washed away all the undried blood from her body, exposing the main problem. Hop's leg was broken. A reddened bone peeked out from under a dark spot. This is very bad. What's even worse is that, out of inertia, she began to break free and swing the metal blade while Kid held her shoulder above the water.

“Okay, stop! That's enough! Hop-!..” - Kid let go of her when she hit him in the groin.

The splash of water was heard again. But now Hop grabbed the next pillar, or rather, the pant leg of Papas, who was hanging nearby. She looked at him like a wolf, clearly driven by adrenaline and what had been happening to them all this month. Although Hop was injured, Kid wouldn’t want to fight with her in any condition. She was too harsh. So he extended his palms, remaining in place. It's better to let her calm down.

“Take off yer blinders! It's me!”

Hop was shaking. Her hair was untied, covering her face, and she was literally naked. Fuck them. Kid doesn't worry about women's tits, but he does worry that someone else might worry about them! This is his subordinate. Of course, she always walked quite openly, and no one even shouted at her when she decided to walk around without a jacket, but this didn’t mean any calls to action. Hop hated religion because of the sinfulness of women's bodies, which is why she walked so openly to go against churches that preached "righteous living." Of course, Kid knew this would play a bad trick on her but as long as she was on his crew, she could protest as much as she wanted.

Now Kid looks at her, wearing nothing but panties, and thinks how badly he failed in his promise to protect them all.

The legs moved on the pillar. Papas's hoarse voice was heard through the noise of the sea.

“Hop? Hop!? I... Do I hear the captain? Is that the captain coming for us?”

Papas was also hard to look at. Not only was he hanging from the pillar but his head was also pointed upward by a tight rope around his neck and chin. Kid could guess that his eyes were directed upward towards the sun. Then it turns out that he was blinded in this way. Damn, Papas has always been proud of his sharp eyesight, what will happen to him now?

Hop peered into the darkness from these assumptions, and then sighed when she recognized in Kid.... Kid. Regardless of her leg, she threw herself into the captain's arms.

“CAPTAIN!”

This relief and the tears in her voice almost broke Kid's heart. Okay. Already three. This is good. One left. Carefully, he placed his organic hand on her head. She whimpered desperately into his chest.

“Captain! Hip! She-... They ran away, you-.. My sister is with them! I need-.. Ringo! Papas said-.. We must hurry!-..”

“Stop. Heat and Wire are already doing this. And ye need first aid” - Kid interrupted her gently - “And clothes”

Hearing the captain's words, Hop calmed down a little, wiping her cheeks. When she was able to listen to him, Kid began to give orders.

“Did ye use the blade to free yerself? Can ye help me get Papas and Reck out?”

“Reck?” - Hop followed Kid's gaze.

She looked at the blades in her hand and quickly realized what was required of her.

Together with her, they were able to untie Papas and lower him down.

“Ohh...” - he cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes - “That’s better... Thank you very much...”

Having sharp senses, he probably could hear everything that was happening beyond the sound of the ocean. Surely, that’s how he heard about Ringo, and it was from him that Heat and Wire learned about it.

“Papas. Is there anyone besides ye three who is still alive?”

Papas raised his head, listening intently to the surrounding area. Neither Kid nor Hop dared to make a sound.

“There was Reck. I’ve heard you talking to him, but now he doesn’t make a sound. And House also distracted the guards this morning so that Heat and Wire could get to us” - Papas nodded to the right.

“Oh yeah... It was today” - Hop massaged the bridge of her nose - “I’m more worried about Reck! And Hip! Where’s Killer?”

Kid looked at her with wide-open eyes. Yeah. When he helped Heat and Wire out, it was easier to answer that he was fine, even if Killer lay feverishly in the clutches of an unknown old hag. Now Kid doesn’t know what’s wrong with him or where he is. Perhaps Killer has left. But no. No, Killer couldn't leave him. He’s just confusing himself. He needs to trust him. No matter what he does, he will come back.

“He... He's fine. He just has something else to do” - Kid said, while looking away towards the castle.

He probably sounded insecure to himself, although it was true. He had something else to do. And it seems that Kid even suspects what. If Killer doesn't return before he's done with everyone, he'll have to break into the castle himself. He doesn’t want to wait longer than necessary, although he can allow Killer to do as he wants.

Hop didn’t notice his pause - she was too busy worrying about Reck and Hip.

If House had enough strength to distract the guards, then she was relatively fine. That's why Kid chose her first. They will free Reck next.

Throwing his coat over Hop, he moved forward, holding both of them on his shoulders.

While they were walking behind House, they noticed Glam's dead body. Damn. He and Gothi died so far apart from each other. How long did they hang here? How much did they think about each other? If there is a hypothetical heaven or a hypothetical hell, would they meet there? Marine folklore says that people buried according to sea traditions go on an eternal voyage into the endless ocean with a bunch of different fish, treasures decorating the entire seabed, and uncharted islands, both mythical and real (but mostly mythical). He hopes they met there.

“How long did ye hang here?” - Kid asked without taking his eyes off Glam's completely broken face.

“Two weeks...” - Hop answered quietly.

“The rain kept us alive... But for some it was not enough” - Papas closed his eyes, enduring the pain of tears - “They died one after another, and I just listened...”

Kid's heart sank, and he swallowed a painful lump.

“But we sang Bink’s Sake” - Hop said - “We sang it every day to annoy them! We didn’t stop for an hour. House howled the loudest and continues to howl now. Even when the voices became fewer and fewer, we sang as best we could”

“So that they know that the spirit of the Kid Pirates cannot be broken even by death!” - Papas added as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Some of their friends were among the dead. They all died singing. As a sign of their unbreakable spirit. His eyes stung with tears.

“Great job, guys...” - words not only for Papas and Hop, but also for Gothi, Glam and others.

The sound of the sea couldn’t disguise the alien voice. Faint, but noticeable. It’s a song. The aforementioned Bink’s Sake. The three immediately realized who it belonged to.

As they came closer, they saw the familiar figure of House, hung on a pillar not by an ordinary rope (although that was also present), but by a metal stake driven into her palms. Hmmm. House definitely didn't let them relax for a second. And now she... She slept and sang. As usual. What else can you expect from Dive's buddy?

“Hey! Wake up, House!” - Hop shushed, but she only snored and continued to sleep without singing.

Kid looked at her with warmth. With just her unbroken spirit, she was able to distract him from his sad thoughts. Here it is - their House. Always raising everyone's spirit with her tricks.

“Is she fast asleep? Well, then nothing stops me from throwing away those old records that she listens to on the ship, although I forbid her to do so!” - Kid exaggeratedly shouted that, and it worked (it always works).

House quickly came to her senses.

“What!? Don't touch the sacred, you bastard!!!”

When she finally realized where she was and what she was, she looked at her three companions. And House's eyes immediately began to water.

“Captain? Is it really you!? What a joy that you are okay! Otherwise, I was already thinking about getting out and helping you out!”

House quickly moved her legs, which, to their surprise, were free. Apparently, she had already tried to escape, and when they nailed her to the post, she pretended that her legs were tied. Still, they remember very well that she has blades hidden in her boots. Except for the guards.

“Hold me tight, captain! I'll take her off!” - Hop knelt on Kid's shoulder and reached for the stake, pushing her bare chest into House's face.

“Wow, what a view! What a feeling! It hurts, but it feels good at the same time!”

“Shut up and close your eyes, you pervert!”

Kid grinned at their usual bickering. Stop thinking about what didn't happen. The main thing is that all four were alive. The rest is on Heat and Wire.

Leaving the stake as a souvenir (boo from Hop), they pulled out the half-dead Reck. Of all of them, he was in the most critical condition. He was alive, but he was breathing weakly and didn’t wake up. Kid changed people a little: now Reck was resting on his metal arm, Hop was completely lying under his coat, enduring statements from House like “Oooh, you’re pressing your bare chest against our captain!? Shame on you, Hoppy!”, while she was holding the blinded Papas by the hand to guide him.

No matter how much Kid wanted to break the guards' necks, he risked attracting attention to himself. But he did something anyway. Broke all the pillars. Each of them was caught up in the turbulent current, sending the dead on their eternal voyage. These are not maritime traditions, but at least they won’t rot on the shores of these barbarians. Bon Voyage. And forgive him for everything. For not having time, for leading you to your death, and for not being able to even bury you according to the law.

Everyone cried. Even Kid couldn't hold back the lone tear that ran down his cheek. Hop prayed for them. Only after her quiet “Amen” do they finally leave the pier, returning the same way. Kid needed to give them first aid, wait for Heat and Wire as well as... for Killer.

It seems that problems go away one by one, but it seems that as soon as one goes away, more additional ones appear. This vicious circle can be dispelled. And Kid even knew how. But for this he would need to visit the palace. Preferably by killing one shogun.

Chapter Text

Chilly...

Kid quickly became alarmed when he realized this. He was the only one lying on the futon.

The candles had already burned out, and only a couple of them illuminated the room, which, surprisingly, wasn’t that dark. But it wasn’t dark because the curtains were slightly open, letting the sunset light in. The door to the garden was tightly closed...

“Killer?” - Kid looked around the room, but found no one.

He wondered, if Heat and Wire were still in Ringo? Probably yes, but Kid didn’t even want to think about why they hadn’t returned yet. And about why Killer wasn’t there either.

The fatigue didn’t go away, but only put pressure on the body. He felt worse than before. It would probably be much better if he went back to bed. But shouldn't they go rescue the guys?

It was a bad idea to wait. It would be better if they went rescuing them as soon as they heard the report. But Kid hesitated. He was stupid. No, he wasn't stupid. He trusted Killer, who knew more than them. But for some reason, it seemed that he had made a mistake. Not just because of the guys. They hung there for a long time, couple more hours won’t make any difference. Because of Killer. It seemed that some evil plan had hatched in his head, which he didn’t voice to anyone because he knew how they would appreciate it. And now he was nowhere to be found. There was no Killer. He. Was. Not. Here.

Kid opened the door to the garden, hoping that he had simply made a mistake while still half-asleep. But there was only the gurgling of water. A particularly active carp (he called it Speedy Punk for fun) was splashing around with water again. Nothing else.

The Observation Haki didn’t detect anyone except guests, staff, and those passing by. Killer really disappeared somewhere.

Entering the buffet where Killer took food, Kid, for some reason, wasn’t surprised that there were more geishas there than their owners (ugh). He just wanted to drink coffee. Cheer up and calmly think about everything.

Of course, Wano’s coffee had its own special taste and aroma. But Kid didn't think about it. If they were passing through here, he would definitely grab a couple of cans for himself. It was delicious after all.

Kid didn’t know what to do next: save his crewmates or look for Killer. On the other hand, why thinking about it? Although Killer made questionable choices, he always knew how to stand up for himself. Still, with all his wounds and injuries, he lived until their meeting. And Kid trusted him to survive. If something happened to him, he would definitely wait for Kid to rescue him. In the end, how are their priorities set?

The mug is empty. Kid gave it away along with all the food. There are 9 hours left before check-out.

He got rid of Wano’s rags and finally put on his own clothes. By that time, it had managed to dry out and get rid of the blood. It's time to bring his crew back.

The streets were empty as soon as the curfew began. This made it easier for Kid to slip past people with lanterns through the labyrinthine back streets with which the entire capital was teeming. There were all the unwanted people who hadn’t yet been found and thrown out of the city. They looked at Kid without emotion, but Kid didn’t even glance at them. To him, they were just trash. Probably not deserving of such a fate, but still weak. Although there was bias, they didn’t evoke any bad emotions. Just nostalgia.

“I’ve found something” - Killer walked around a pile of legs and debris, along with a package of something in his hands.

Somehow it happened that someone burned down old man Eustass’s old hut, and they ended up on the street. It was uncomfortable to live under the bridge, and the smell there was stronger than at the lighthouse... But Kid didn’t complain. He was sick. But he was too proud to talk about it. His condition spoke for him. Without medicine, - passersby said, - he won’t live. Die from a fever.

The package kept rustling in Killer's hands. Kid liked these sounds, and he stood up from under his old jacket to take a look. His eyes felt like they were covered in sand, and the heat was pounding his head.

Looking around so that no one would see, Killer silently pulled out a crumpled package of pills.

“What's this?...”

“Shhh” - Killer pressed his finger to his lips.

Kid fell silent purely from exhaustion, while his head tiredly fell to his side. It's hard to sit up straight... He's kind of weak.

At first, he didn’t even begin to scream when a pill was slipped between his weak lips and a rusty steel mug of water was pressed to his mouth. The combination of iron and bitter pills made Kid spit saliva just to get rid of the nasty taste.

“Ugh! What’s this!?” - he crawled away, not knowing what to think.

The burn on his shoulder stinged, seared and panged as soon as the muscle tensed.

“Calm down now. Just lie down” - Killer looked around worriedly.

Despite the fact that they were hiding in some nook where no one would notice them, Kid screamed too loudly, and Killer was too bright to hide for long.

They looked at each other for a long time, until Kid finally became exhausted and, waving his hand, curled up on the mountain of old rags on which he had previously slept. The burn hissed as best it could. This made it difficult for Kid to even sleep. It was annoying. And he sighed and hummed too, in order to somehow distract himself from the pain.

The temperature began to drop.

“What is this? What the hell did ye feed me?” - in pain, Kid pushed his head under Killer's arm and lay down on his lap.

His partner was noticeably frightened and froze. Killer sat down so as not to touch Kid too much (he didn't like that), and only then could he allow himself to answer.

“These are antibiotics. There’s also ointment for burns. I didn’t find any painkillers, sorry” - Killer pulled out a crumpled tube of ointment with an almost completely peeled off label from the package.

Where he got this from is unclear. But to begin with, Kid generally thought that Killer had abandoned him. Logical conclusion here.

“I can stand this. Am not a pussycat” - and he even managed to be offended by him, worry and cry.

But Killer’s presence remained unchanged, regardless of his offenses. He didn't leave him. It felt even pleasant once the heat disappeared a little. In addition, through these torn jeans (which weren’t always torn), his skin peeked out, which was cool.

Kid raised his head. And yes, through Killer’s thick bangs, his blue eyes were visible. They weren’t directed at him, but somewhere to the side. It's been too long since they last saw each other (1 hour). Kid had already forgotten how beautiful Killer's eyes were. To be honest, he didn’t want to think about him at all. Because he hypothetically abandoned him.

“I thought, ye’d left me”

“Um? What do ye mean?” - Killer was now looking at him, carefully smearing the ointment on Kid's shoulder.

It would be logical. When someone set the lighthouse on fire, all Kid did was panic. Not only were the old man’s valuables there, but also his own! He couldn't even understand what to grab onto. There are so many memories. It is unclear which of them is more valuable. He woke up when something fell on his hand, pinned him to the floor, and began to burn. And it was getting harder to breathe down there. Then he thought that he would die. There was a loud, crackling fire and smog all around. Kid was already out of breath, and his hand was burning. Until he finally passed out, his lungs began to burn from a lack of oxygen and heat.

And then Killer had arrived. He pumped him out and helped him up.

“Kid! Can ye walk on yer own!?” - Killer himself was out of breath, and his hands were also slightly burned while he was pulling him out.

He could have leave but he is loyal. He and Kid are partners. Now he isn’t going anywhere...

Killer helped bring him to the bridge, where they hid for a while. They need to look for a new shelter. Hide in basements and alleys. Killer was probably used to this a long time ago, but Kid wasn’t.

“Are ye an idiot? Ye’ll die without me before you find One Piece!” - Killer laughed, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Kid smiled too. Really, what is he thinking about? Killer won't leave him. A strange thing is temperature. Anything can happen.

The hand clutched the tattoo on his shoulder. The one that covered the burn. Someday he will persuade Killer to cover his burn with a beautiful sleeve tattoo. But not now. This is clearly not the right time for this.

Pier was deadly quiet. The water beat against the wooden piles and also broke against the pillars, which were placed in a row along the shoreline. Bodies were hung from them like exhibits. The bodies of his crewmates. Starved, sunburned, and bitten by gadflies. Their dirty hair looked more like straw. The faces were frozen in an unreadable expression. Someone was hanging with their eyes closed, their heads down, apparently wanting to rest. Someone, on the contrary, lifted it up, as if they were praying or, perhaps, wanted to look at the sky for the last time. Kid counted three whose faces were unrecognizable due to blood and bruises. From such a distance, it wasn't even visible who was alive and who was not. Perhaps there is no one here anymore. Maybe...

Nearby, near a two-story building, there was a table lit by candles. The people behind it are guards, drunk and sleeping, gorged on various delicacies that were laid out on the table. All the corpses were skinny.

The water was up to Kid's knees. His legs were weak due to the force of the ocean. But he stood straight. Looked into the glass eyes of every person. He remembered. About various trifles. About feasts, about evenings on patrol, about fights, and about fun. Strangely, for the first time in these months, Kid didn’t react to anything at all. Perhaps he was just tired. Perhaps he was too angry all this time to feel anything now. Or perhaps he misunderstood something again.

The waves crashed against the pier and splashed along the shore, sweeping up trash. All sounds were merged with noise. Some kind of terrible - funeral melody. The sounds grew in volume and then died down, only to repeat their move to the shore again. They dulled the occasional snoring of the guards, the barking of someone's dog, and a wheezing sound that sounded very close but too weak to hear right away.

But Kid heard. He turned his head toward the sound to listen. Silence... The waves rustled. And then... Just for a second after the sound of the waves... The sound was repeated.

Kid stumbles a little and walks with difficulty along the pillars. Meets Gothi's eyes. For a second, he even confuses her with a living one. But during that time, he noticed some bugs crawling on the whites of her eyes - this made Kid feel sick. It seems that his face has become even colder.

More wheezing sounds, and Kid reluctantly turns his head away from the half-naked body. And there, the search ends. He quickly finds the one who is wheezing. He could say he's moaning.

“Reck!” - Kid sighs, looking at the suspended man.

There is no doubt. It was Reck. All covered in bruises and scratches, which not only turned black on the body, like holes, but were swollen and inflamed. In addition, his hair was soaked in blood, which had dried on his face in the form of huge streaks. His naked torso was stained with salt dust, which seemed to have also gotten into his wounds. There was literally a sharp stone stuck under his chest. Which they threw at him, no doubt.

Reck didn’t immediately realize that he was called - he raised his head slightly with his eyes closed and then lowered it again. Perhaps he even thought that he was imagining it. Death hallucinations, yes. But Kid is persistent. No, he didn’t go and look for him in order to see him off on his last journey!

“Hey Reck!” - the call sounded more insistently, muffled only by the sound of the sea.

This time Reck twitched. He furrowed his eyebrows and then somehow opened his eyes. They were completely covered in dried blood, which tore off into pieces and came apart in threads, getting stuck on the eyelashes and eyelids. His eyes are bloody, not even because of injuries, but because of the blood that has soaked inside. Although one still turned red due to his sunken lower eyelid. With his slits he looked straight at Kid, but either he didn’t immediately realize that it was him, or he didn’t even have the strength to react.

“Hey! Wake up, c'mon!” - Kid shushed him, looking around at what Reck was tied to.

An ordinary ship's rope was hung from a slot along the top of a post, and there, from two separate strong knots, hung atrophied arms of bright red and purple shades, swollen between the knots.

“Fuck, how do I-?... I thought, Heat and Wire gave ye the blades” - Kid tried to climb the pole, but his body limp due to the water didn’t appreciate this idea.

Reck finally raised his head. He shook myself from sleep.

“...cap...ain?...” - something that Kid might not have heard if he hadn't been hanging on the beam near his face at that moment.

“No shit! Who did ye expect to see!?” - he rested his feet on the balk to climb to the very top - “I’ll free ye soon”

Reck somehow turned his head toward him. A bloody tear rolled down his cheek.

“I thought...... you.... they......”

Kid began looking for the loosest knot, only to tear it with his hands.

“No. I'm fine. Alive, sane, and still yer captain!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Reck smile slightly, his lips tearing with the movement. And then he began to slowly turn his head, looking for someone.

“Heat....Wire?.....”

“Ye're right. I thought, they gave ye the blades so ye could free yerself. Have ye gotten so lazy in my absence?”

Reck raised his head up, looking... First of all, beaten, but also confused. Perhaps he couldn't even remember the blades.

The waves hit the pillar, and Reck let out a quiet “Ow...”

“....blade..... Blade I.....” - he looked down, peering into the muddy water – “It..... Somewhere there..... I.... There .... I..... We must... Before night.... Find..... We must...”

Kid, of course, didn’t know how to speak gibberish, but he understood that Reck had dropped it into the water.

“Don't think too much. Just look forward to Victoria's warm bed and Killer's dinner”

The rope unwound and fell into the water. Reck’s hand flew after it, but hung, tilting his body over the sea. Two left.

“Two more to go. Did ye hear? Wait just a lil’ more, Recky”

From here, his expression was not visible: Reck's curls completely covered his limp head. Kid hopes he's sleeping. After all, if not, then he won’t forgive himself.

He doesn’t even know how he will untie the rope around his legs. They are definitely connected underwater, but if he goes down there, he won’t get back up. It would be a shame to drown in shallow water just a few steps away from victory. So Kid thinks about his options while looking at Reck's freed, pale hand, covered in purple lines, and at the horizon. This slowness, one might say, helped him.

About two pillars away, someone’s silhouette flashed by, and it seemed that someone even made a sound similar to a call. The water began to rustle as something collided with it. Kid didn’t immediately understand what exactly, because the light from the moon only illuminated silhouettes, and the lamps in the port didn’t reach there. Perhaps it was a corpse. Or a seagull. Or fish. Or maybe he was just imagining it because of the tension.

Doubts were dispelled when the almost full moon illuminated someone’s head, emerging from under the ocean darkness. He didn’t understand who it was, but undoubtedly it was one of his guys. The pillar at which this happened was empty.

The figure was holding above the water but, for some reason, couldn’t get out normally, even though the water was knee-deep to Kid. They kept jumping and jumping, sometimes going back under the water when particularly large waves knocked them off their feet.

There was no time to figure it out. Kid patted Reck on the shoulder as a promise to come back for him, and climbed down from the pillar, almost falling under the water.

Approaching the figure, he heard a desperate cry as a face peeked out from under the water.

“HIP!” - and Hop went under water again.

She didn't come up any more.

“Shit-!” - Kid went towards her, and almost fell when his foot fell into the hole.

Yes, there was a slight descent further down, and Hop was smaller than him. Although, in fact, here the water will be just up to her waist. No time to think!

Kid recklessly stuck his hand under the water, sinking lower. Risky. Weakness immediately cramped his limb up to his shoulder, trying to pull him down. But he found Hop's body before that could happen.

The water washed away all the undried blood from her body, exposing the main problem. Hop's leg was broken. A reddened bone peeked out from under a dark spot. This is very bad. What's even worse is that, out of inertia, she began to break free and swing the metal blade while Kid held her shoulder above the water.

“Okay, stop! That's enough! Hop-!..” - Kid let go of her when she hit him in the groin.

The splash of water was heard again. But now Hop grabbed the next pillar, or rather, the pant leg of Papas, who was hanging nearby. She looked at him like a wolf, clearly driven by adrenaline and what had been happening to them all this month. Although Hop was injured, Kid wouldn’t want to fight with her in any condition. She was too harsh. So he extended his palms, remaining in place. It's better to let her calm down.

“Take off yer blinders! It's me!”

Hop was shaking. Her hair was untied, covering her face, and she was literally naked. Fuck them. Kid doesn't worry about women's tits, but he does worry that someone else might worry about them! This is his subordinate. Of course, she always walked quite openly, and no one even shouted at her when she decided to walk around without a jacket, but this didn’t mean any calls to action. Hop hated religion because of the sinfulness of women's bodies, which is why she walked so openly to go against churches that preached "righteous living." Of course, Kid knew this would play a bad trick on her but as long as she was on his crew, she could protest as much as she wanted.

Now Kid looks at her, wearing nothing but panties, and thinks how badly he failed in his promise to protect them all.

The legs moved on the pillar. Papas's hoarse voice was heard through the noise of the sea.

“Hop? Hop!? I... Do I hear the captain? Is that the captain coming for us?”

Papas was also hard to look at. Not only was he hanging from the pillar but his head was also pointed upward by a tight rope around his neck and chin. Kid could guess that his eyes were directed upward towards the sun. Then it turns out that he was blinded in this way. Damn, Papas has always been proud of his sharp eyesight, what will happen to him now?

Hop peered into the darkness from these assumptions, and then sighed when she recognized in Kid.... Kid. Regardless of her leg, she threw herself into the captain's arms.

“CAPTAIN!”

This relief and the tears in her voice almost broke Kid's heart. Okay. Already three. This is good. One left. Carefully, he placed his organic hand on her head. She whimpered desperately into his chest.

“Captain! Hip! She-... They ran away, you-.. My sister is with them! I need-.. Ringo! Papas said-.. We must hurry!-..”

“Stop. Heat and Wire are already doing this. And ye need first aid” - Kid interrupted her gently - “And clothes”

Hearing the captain's words, Hop calmed down a little, wiping her cheeks. When she was able to listen to him, Kid began to give orders.

“Did ye use the blade to free yerself? Can ye help me get Papas and Reck out?”

“Reck?” - Hop followed Kid's gaze.

She looked at the blades in her hand and quickly realized what was required of her.

Together with her, they were able to untie Papas and lower him down.

“Ohh...” - he cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes - “That’s better... Thank you very much...”

Having sharp senses, he probably could hear everything that was happening beyond the sound of the ocean. Surely, that’s how he heard about Ringo, and it was from him that Heat and Wire learned about it.

“Papas. Is there anyone besides ye three who is still alive?”

Papas raised his head, listening intently to the surrounding area. Neither Kid nor Hop dared to make a sound.

“There was Reck. I’ve heard you talking to him, but now he doesn’t make a sound. And House also distracted the guards this morning so that Heat and Wire could get to us” - Papas nodded to the right.

“Oh yeah... It was today” - Hop massaged the bridge of her nose - “I’m more worried about Reck! And Hip! Where’s Killer?”

Kid looked at her with wide-open eyes. Yeah. When he helped Heat and Wire out, it was easier to answer that he was fine, even if Killer lay feverishly in the clutches of an unknown old hag. Now Kid doesn’t know what’s wrong with him or where he is. Perhaps Killer has left. But no. No, Killer couldn't leave him. He’s just confusing himself. He needs to trust him. No matter what he does, he will come back.

“He... He's fine. He just has something else to do” - Kid said, while looking away towards the castle.

He probably sounded insecure to himself, although it was true. He had something else to do. And it seems that Kid even suspects what. If Killer doesn't return before he's done with everyone, he'll have to break into the castle himself. He doesn’t want to wait longer than necessary, although he can allow Killer to do as he wants.

Hop didn’t notice his pause - she was too busy worrying about Reck and Hip.

If House had enough strength to distract the guards, then she was relatively fine. That's why Kid chose her first. They will free Reck next.

Throwing his coat over Hop, he moved forward, holding both of them on his shoulders.

While they were walking behind House, they noticed Glam's dead body. Damn. He and Gothi died so far apart from each other. How long did they hang here? How much did they think about each other? If there is a hypothetical heaven or a hypothetical hell, would they meet there? Marine folklore says that people buried according to sea traditions go on an eternal voyage into the endless ocean with a bunch of different fish, treasures decorating the entire seabed, and uncharted islands, both mythical and real (but mostly mythical). He hopes they met there.

“How long did ye hang here?” - Kid asked without taking his eyes off Glam's completely broken face.

“Two weeks...” - Hop answered quietly.

“The rain kept us alive... But for some it was not enough” - Papas closed his eyes, enduring the pain of tears - “They died one after another, and I just listened...”

Kid's heart sank, and he swallowed a painful lump.

“But we sang Bink’s Sake” - Hop said - “We sang it every day to annoy them! We didn’t stop for an hour. House howled the loudest and continues to howl now. Even when the voices became fewer and fewer, we sang as best we could”

“So that they know that the spirit of the Kid Pirates cannot be broken even by death!” - Papas added as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Some of their friends were among the dead. They all died singing. As a sign of their unbreakable spirit. His eyes stung with tears.

“Great job, guys...” - words not only for Papas and Hop, but also for Gothi, Glam and others.

The sound of the sea couldn’t disguise the alien voice. Faint, but noticeable. It’s a song. The aforementioned Bink’s Sake. The three immediately realized who it belonged to.

As they came closer, they saw the familiar figure of House, hung on a pillar not by an ordinary rope (although that was also present), but by a metal stake driven into her palms. Hmmm. House definitely didn't let them relax for a second. And now she... She slept and sang. As usual. What else can you expect from Dive's buddy?

“Hey! Wake up, House!” - Hop shushed, but she only snored and continued to sleep without singing.

Kid looked at her with warmth. With just her unbroken spirit, she was able to distract him from his sad thoughts. Here it is - their House. Always raising everyone's spirit with her tricks.

“Is she fast asleep? Well, then nothing stops me from throwing away those old records that she listens to on the ship, although I forbid her to do so!” - Kid exaggeratedly shouted that, and it worked (it always works).

House quickly came to her senses.

“What!? Don't touch the sacred, you bastard!!!”

When she finally realized where she was and what she was, she looked at her three companions. And House's eyes immediately began to water.

“Captain? Is it really you!? What a joy that you are okay! Otherwise, I was already thinking about getting out and helping you out!”

House quickly moved her legs, which, to their surprise, were free. Apparently, she had already tried to escape, and when they nailed her to the post, she pretended that her legs were tied. Still, they remember very well that she has blades hidden in her boots. Except for the guards.

“Hold me tight, captain! I'll take her off!” - Hop knelt on Kid's shoulder and reached for the stake, pushing her bare chest into House's face.

“Wow, what a view! What a feeling! It hurts, but it feels good at the same time!”

“Shut up and close your eyes, you pervert!”

Kid grinned at their usual bickering. Stop thinking about what didn't happen. The main thing is that all four were alive. The rest is on Heat and Wire.

Leaving the stake as a souvenir (boo from Hop), they pulled out the half-dead Reck. Of all of them, he was in the most critical condition. He was alive, but he was breathing weakly and didn’t wake up. Kid changed people a little: now Reck was resting on his metal arm, Hop was completely lying under his coat, enduring statements from House like “Oooh, you’re pressing your bare chest against our captain!? Shame on you, Hoppy!”, while she was holding the blinded Papas by the hand to guide him.

No matter how much Kid wanted to break the guards' necks, he risked attracting attention to himself. But he did something anyway. Broke all the pillars. Each of them was caught up in the turbulent current, sending the dead on their eternal voyage. These are not maritime traditions, but at least they won’t rot on the shores of these barbarians. Bon Voyage. And forgive him for everything. For not having time, for leading you to your death, and for not being able to even bury you according to the law.

Everyone cried. Even Kid couldn't hold back the lone tear that ran down his cheek. Hop prayed for them. Only after her quiet “Amen” do they finally leave the pier, returning the same way. Kid needed to give them first aid, wait for Heat and Wire as well as... for Killer.

It seems that problems go away one by one, but it seems that as soon as one goes away, more additional ones appear. This vicious circle can be dispelled. And Kid even knew how. But for this he would need to visit the palace. Preferably by killing one shogun.

Chapter Text

In the silence of their quiet gatherings, a rare opportunity arose to look at himself from the outside.
Why did Kid think about this as soon as Reck's head touched the pillow? He never looked back at the past but walked towards the future. In his mind, he had always won - this gave him an incentive to go forward. He had long seen himself as the king of all seas. And only once. One unfortunate time, this confidence was shaken.
Kid remembers Victoria. The wound had long since healed, but the scar remained as a painful reminder. How her death broke him. How his childhood naive confidence that he could do anything was shattered. Only Killer was with him. He was able to stop him in time and calm him down. A lot has changed since then. His body, worldview, beliefs... Kid grew up and realized that there is something that needs to be taken seriously, and not with youthful maximalism. Of course, he still considered himself a winner. He knows that Kaidou will be defeated by him. And if he dies, he will take Kaidou to hell with him. He may die, but everyone will remember him as Captain, motherfucking, Kid, - the man who killed the Emperor!
Now he sat tired, watching Reck. His subordinate began to turn pink. Until this moment, he was cold as a corpse, even his lips turned blue from the cold. It's good that he just froze. They were all a little cold. Now the rest were doing nothing but sitting together under the blanket, even House and Hop were not against such closeness, although at any other moment they would have fought for territory.
Kid gave them some first aid. He never thought he'd be grateful, but he was glad that O-Hira, no, Soul, taught him it. The hag, it turns out, really was a witch, since she foresaw everything in advance, although most likely all her worries were directed at Kid himself. Even now, sitting in the circle of his subordinates, he really thought that taking her on board after Onigashima would be a good idea.
Although he had bandaged their wounds and their lives were not in danger, the situation was grim: Reck hadn’t yet woken up and probably wouldn’t wake up before their raid, Hop wouldn’t be able to participate due to a broken leg... Papas’ eyesight was in a bad condition, but there was hope that it could be healed. House alone was alright. She was joking, walking around, - at least something, thanks god
Kid wondered if they felt the same unrest and uncertainty when he lay unconscious on the beds. As he remembers, he woke up almost immediately after his hand was cut off and burned. Usually, people need time to recover from such injuries, but Kid never had time for such trifles. He came to his senses too quickly, and it played a cruel joke on him. Killer told him that he was still trying to get up while blood was spraying from his stomach wound and tried to give chase to Red Haired, repeating his name in delirium. After that, he fell into a coma and was passed out for a day.
He knows how much he scared everyone, and he knows how worried they were about him. He wasn't upset by the loss of his arm at all because he knew he could recreate it. Of course, it was a shame. But he said goodbye to it when Beckman took his shot.
He came to his senses after a couple of minutes. He looked at his subordinates. They were tired. Everyone needs to rest.

“Are ye hungry?” - Kid asked quietly.

They looked at him pleadingly, as if he hadn’t known about this from the very beginning. He had to make one last trip to the buffet before going to bed. He took them soup, various snacks, as well as iced tea, along with a bottle of water.
The guys attacked the food like a pack of hungry dogs. House and Hop fought over one unfortunate onigiri and bit into it from both sides. Papas ran his hand over the tray in confusion, once almost sticking his fingers into a bowl of hot miso soup. Kid helped him eat. He gave him some tea to drink. He ate himself when they offered. It was still a pity that Reck couldn't eat with them, but now most of their comrades were probably in the same position. Kid still wanted to wait for Killer, but he had little strength. He wanted to go to sleep. He was terribly tired.
Probably Killer also wanted to eat now. He was walking somewhere, hungry and alone. Kid wasn't afraid that he might make a big mistake (he trusted him, despite the restless thoughts in his head), but he was afraid that Killer would be left alone again.
Loneliness has always meant defenselessness. Kid understands this feeling like no one else. He knows very well what it feels like when dreams and goals are broken against impenetrable walls of ignorance, built by stupid adults and children. And he knows perfectly well what it’s like to be surrounded by unfamiliar and incomprehensible people with their own shit in their heads. Although he was a captain and a grown man, he couldn’t completely get rid of the feeling that there was no one he knew around - just a bunch of unfamiliar people whom he didn’t know, and therefore, he had no idea what could be said and what could not be said. And he is only able to try it indirectly, trained by experience, but all this experience only strengthened his defensive shell, making him nothing but a frightened beast - and therefore furious.
But somehow Kid went deeper into his worries about Udon.
He changed Reck's bandages again and made sure his breathing and pulse were normal. From here, he appears to be sleeping. If you don't know what they all went through, that's what it was.
If Killer was a treasure to him, then what was his crew? “Family”? No, this is a word alien to the two of them and even to all the Kid Pirates. It doesn’t have any important or warm meaning for them. It often caused only hatred, fear, or nothing. Perhaps neither Kid nor Killer would have a warm word to describe their crew other than “nakama”, and perhaps they don't need one. It doesn’t matter who they are to each other, they will still stand strong for each other.
During quiet negotiations, Hop suddenly slammed her bowl on the floor.

“I don' understand... I wanna find Hip and beat these Beast Pirates! Why must I stay aside??”

Kid could even roughly imagine what they were talking about. And he was even ready to agree with the one who proposed it.
The others were silent in shock until Papas began to speak.

“Don’t be hysterical, Hop. Per'aps, even I won’t be able to participate in the raid. What are ye gonna do there? Jump on one leg and scream like crazy?”

His sharp tongue always caused problems, especially for the hot-tempered Hop. No wonder their discussion got so heated.

“Fuck ye! I didn’t hang on that damned pole for a bunch of days just to sit and do nothing!” - she looked at Kid for support – “Cap’ain! Tell ‘im!”

But Kid was on Papas's side here. He doesn't need extra pain in the ass on the battlefield. If he is so careless, he risks losing even more than his divisions.

“Hop. Ye'll stay. Papas' vision may still recover before the raid, but yer leg will take who knows how long to heal”

Hop was taken aback by surprise. Probably, for some reason, she expected Kid to give her a knife with the words “Go nuts, Hop!”. At any other time, he would have done so. But not now, when they will have to confront Yonko and his equally strong subordinates. Last time they were absolutely unprepared, they didn’t know a word about Kaidou, as they were preparing to kill Red Haired, and lost their allies... Now they will be prepared, which means no one will be seriously wounded.

“But it's unfair!” - Hop slammed the floor in rage.

House sighed at this.

“We’re not going for a walk to Onigashima! A huge, motherfucking dragon is waiting for us there! Before ye even have time to breathe, he’ll devour ye!”

But Hop didn't want to listen to common sense. She was upset and burning with a thirst for revenge.

“So what!? Should I just sit and do nothing with those who hurt our comrades!? We died and suffered, and I can’t take revenge for my friends” - Hop pursed her lips in resentment - “Killer definitely wouldn’t stand aside...”

“Killer-..” - Kid put a hand over his eyes to calm himself down – “Listen. I know ye're angry about what they did to us... What they did to Killer!... But ye’ve got to at least a little, but use yer brain and leave the revenge to us!”

Everyone fell silent at once. But the silence wasn’t because of Kid's encouraging words. No, they were shocked for a different reason. One that Kid didn't even suspect.

“Wait...” - even Hop calmed down from her confusion – “What did they do to Killer?”

Before Kid could be surprised by this, the door swung open.
The subject of the conversation was in good condition and carried a bag over his shoulders, filled with maps.
The tense atmosphere immediately eased when Killer walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

“Ye're all safe. Great” - he said briefly, folding his bag.

Apparently, he didn’t waste any time and collected a lot of information that night. But fuck this information! He is back! Killer is fine, breathing, and even brought something important with him!
Kid felt like he hadn't seen him for billions of years. He had already forgotten how big Killer was. Of course, he remembered this, but in reality, Killer looked even stronger. Heck yeah, his partner! So strong and indestructible!

“Killer!” - the girls immediately attacked him with tight hugs.

They wrapped around his chest, waist, and even his legs.
This isn't the strangest thing that could happen. The female part always doted on Killer. He was like some kind of girl-friend to them. No wonder they flock to him for support. Kid also wants to receive some kind of sign from his partner that he is okay, but even without words or touches, he understands that everything’s going great. The best scenario has already begun.
Only Papas didn’t know where to go because he couldn’t see, so he stood aside without a hug.

“Hop! House! I'm... glad to see ye too!” - Killer finally got out of the tight embrace of the girls, walked past Papas, clapping him on the shoulder, and finally ended up with Kid - “Sorry for the inconvenience, captain”

Kid was ready to beat him up for leaving without warning. But he didn’t return empty-handed, and he enjoys special privileges from his superiors, bastard. Today, he will forgive Killer. Just for today.

“Took too long!” - Kid said without malice, shaking his hand.

A moment later, they sat down near the remains of the food and gave Killer something to eat. He checked Reck, specifically how Kid had placed the bandages on his body. It was surprising how they didn’t die from sepsis, although they’d be dead by then if not for the herbs of the old witch. Of course, this wasn’t their 100% solution, but it helped strengthen the immune system.
After a little soppy reunion, House and Hop settled back down on their futons. Hop was now wearing Kid's kimono, which was too big for her, but that wasn't her main problem.

“Why are ye so sad?” - Killer, of course, asked her about this, and she couldn’t help but ask the elder for help.

“Killer! Please allow me to participate in the raid!”

“Eh?” - Killer had just opened his mouth when Kid and Papas shut him up.

“Don't let her!” - Kid shouted, and Papas chimed in - “We don’t need disabled people on the battlefield!”

Killer, who had previously been looking at them, now turned thoughtfully to the girls.

“Disabled...”

Hop had to explain herself.

“I defended our people and fought till the last, even with a broken leg. No matter who I fought with, even on one leg, I won! I can still fight! I can avenge Gothi, Glam, and Mad too! Please give me a chance to show off on the battlefield! I won’t get in the way, I promise!”

It already looked like a desperate attempt. No one will give her a chance, no matter how hard she screams. She should’ve retreated immediately when her leg broke. By fighting on it, Hop only worsens her injuries.
But Killer couldn’t tell her this, even though he wanted to.

“It's-...Pfft-...” - he covered his face with his hand, shaking in another fit of laughter.

As soon as he heard about the dead, he couldn’t restrain himself. And this was precisely something incomprehensible to Hop. At first, she looked at him in shock, and then it dawned on her that Killer was amused by this.

“What's so funny?” 

It is obvious that she didn’t know what had happened. And she didn’t know about SMILE. Kid thought. What did they even know?

“No, it's-Pffa-fa~!” - Killer tried to press his hand into the mask as hard as possible, but he couldn’t stop laughing this way.

Now everyone who didn't know was confused. Everyone suddenly started looking at him like he was a stranger.

“Killer...” - House wanted to say something, but it seemed she herself realized that something was wrong.

“Hey! I understand that these three were difficult to love, but at least have a little self-control!” - Papas crossed his arms over his chest disapprovingly.

Everything turned upside down. They didn't know, so Kid wanted to explain.

“Guys, calm down-...”

But Hop was too upset by the deaths of her dearest friends. Therefore, faster than the captain’s words, she grabbed Killer by the collar.

“What's so funny, Killer!? Our friends died, and ye're laughing! What part of it is funny to you!? Tell me! Say it to my face!”

Killer didn’t defend himself, only laughing harder with uneasiness. Kid jumped to his feet, and House, still confused, screamed. 

“Hop, calm down! Somethin's wrong-!” - but Hop interrupted her. 

“Is something wrong!? I’ll tell ye what’s wrong! I watched and heard my friends die, and he’s laughing! I lost my favorite people! We ate at the same table with them! And ye laugh at their death like it's someone alien to ye!”

A sob was heard through the mask, and Killer's hands squeezed her wrists, which made Hop instinctively look at his face. 

“Nothing...” - Killer exhaled with a laugh - “Nothing funny here...!”

Kid gave him the opportunity to figure it out on his own, but Hop's hands were still squeezing the collar, and Killer couldn’t stop laughing loudly, while with every breath was heard a sob and quiet words “I can’t stop...”, “I’m sorry...” . All this only caused Kid to reflexively rage as a defense mechanism. Listening to his instincts, he stood between them, protecting his partner from unreasonable attacks. 

“Stop it! Stop it now!” - perhaps he didn’t understand what he was saying then, but he foolishly said something insulting - “That’s why we can’t take ye! Ye don’t use yer fucking head, Hop!” 

Killer tried to calm down. Judging by the sounds, he pressed his lips together and cried, but could not stop laughing. This is disgusting. He cannot even mourn his friends normally without causing negative feelings in those around him. Everyone, even his loved ones, will turn their backs on him, so all he can do is laugh. And this is the most tragic thing. Because there is no person on the ship who loves the crew as much as Killer.
For their sake, he was ready to die and showed it more than once. He is the main protector of the Kid Pirates. Cooks for them and takes care of them. Even Kid doesn’t know everything about some of his guys, but Killer knows everything and takes everything into account. And he’ll never be offended by them. He will beat everyone except his guys. 
And it made Kid angry. Really brought a feeling of pain to his heart. Killer tries his best for their sake, suffers and sacrifices himself, and in the end they do this to him. And it doesn’t matter that they didn’t know the reason, they still, without understanding, attacked and made him out to be some kind of villain, although there is only one villain here. Oh Kaidou. Kid will kill you, if not for himself, then for his partner. Walk and be afraid, because Captain Kid's revenge is terrible for everyone! 
Killer swallowed the sounds, but kept laughing and laughing again, no matter what he did. He was in pain as much as Kid was hurt for him. He might have wanted to accept it, but he couldn't because he was busy laughing. With each attempt, the laughter was swallowed along with saliva and tears, only to escape from Killer anyway, because something inside was tickling and gurgling madly, along with that stub of SMILE that was stuck in his throat. 
As a result, attempts turned into despair, into fear that he would not stop. And Kid turns to him to calm him down, but at the first touch, Killer, like a spring, jumps out of his seat and goes out into the garden, closing the door behind him. All they can hear is his maniacal laughter there, only guessing about what is happening outside. 
Kid doesn't want to go after him and return him. No. Not now, when Killer is surrounded by strangers, forced to laugh alone. He won’t forgive Hop for this, but she’s unlikely to forgive herself either when she hears the reason for this. 

“Captain, what happened? What happened to our Killer?” - House asks worriedly, only able to guess – “Ye said they did something to him... Is this it?”

“Sit on yer asses! Now!” - Kid scares guys with a scream and forces them to sit down immediately “I'll tell ye what happened...”

He tells them the whole story that he heard himself. From start to finish. From Orochi's offer to Hitokiri Kamazo. He briefly let slip that he was being set up as a geisha here. Anything to make Hop regret what she did…
All the girls were crying. Papas sat as gloomy as a cloud, but it was clear from his eyes that he was ashamed of his words. 
Hop hit the floor in frustration. 

“Damn!... Damn Orochi!... How dare he?.. Our Killer...”

She sobbed a couple of times, wiped her tears and slowly pressed her head to the floor. 

“Forgive me, captain... I said so many nasty things to him! I promise, I will correct my behavior”

“I don't care, Hop” - Kid stood up and walked to the door. 

Everyone followed him with the feeling that they had done something irreparable. But that’s not why he didn’t care about her apology. They were nothing to him. It wasn't his opinion that mattered now. After all, it wasn’t him who was insulted, even though Kid was involved in it. 

“Ye better hope that Killer will accept yer apology” - the hand lay on the paper material of the door, behind which his partner fell silent -“And he will accept it, even though ye don’t deserve it. Then we’ll talk”

He's left them alone with their guilt, and he hopes they have enough time to come up with the most sincere apology for the Kid Pirates' history. After all, otherwise he would show them hell, for them to repay him for every letter towards his partner.
The night calmed him a little with its coldness, although he was still shaking with rage. Now he shouldn’t have broken and destroyed everything. His partner needed him. Deep down there was a fear that he would run away again.
But Killer didn’t go far from the door. He sat by the door, folded his hands on his knees and hid his face there. It must have been terrible for him. He cared for their crew, giving his all. He never thought about himself, if you think about it that way. It was only thanks to his crew that he lived. And now they hate him. It would probably be the same as having his throat cut. Or being run over. It was rare to see Killer so broken. But for some reason, Kid feels that such states will become more frequent. 
The night was very cold today. Somewhere on the outskirts of the capital there was smoke. Kid would’ve asked Killer about this if he hadn't been busy with something more important. He didn't even think about the fire threat. Now in his mind there was only his partner. Sitting down next to him, Kid looked at him in search of some clues about his consolation.
But he saw only the hair falling on his face and a mask, under which a lot was happening. Kid could only guess what kind of horror he felt at that moment. Like an abandoned child or some kind of stray dog.
Killer once admitted that his parents abandoned him, and he was waiting for them, thinking that they had probably just lost him and would soon return for him. But they didn't return. He was betrayed and abandoned - a child who couldn’t even understand that it was not his fault. All he could think about was what he had done wrong. Perhaps he laughed too much? Or did he look somehow inappropriate? Kid then hurried to answer his questions and said that everything was alright with him. Because it was simple. It wasn’t even difficult for him to say that Killer had a normal appearance and a normal laugh. But he had long been bogged down in this swamp and didn’t want to leave it yet. 
Kid felt pain from these memories. He probably worked so hard for his crew for him to deserve everything they gave him. And now he is being abandoned because of something he cannot control. 

“I'd do it again...” - a quiet confession broke through his mask. 

Kid was ready to listen.
After swallowing another burst of laughter, Killer turned to him to say it again. 

“If someone offers me to turn back time, I would eat SMILE again!”

This is a very terrible confession, and Kid would never want it. Now, if he were offered to rewind time a month ago, he wouldn’t allow him to eat it in the first place. He would become a much more capable captain so that no one would even dare to sacrifice themselves for him. 

“I don't regret it one bit!” - Killer sobbed and laughed “...And I don't care if I'm not accepted among the crew anymore, because I laugh at the death of my friends, it's still worth it...” 

Killer definitely started thinking about something stupid. But Kid knows better, so he hugs him, covering his body with a prosthesis, and puts his organic hand on his chin to kiss his temple.

“Ye're still in the crew, Killer” - Kid reassures him, leaving traces of red lipstick in his hair – “And I still love ye”

Killer succumbed to the embrace, leaning closer to Kid's body. 

“But even if ye didn’t love me, I wouldn’t regret it at all”

“Stop talking about something that didn't happen” - Kid interrupted his cyclical reassurances to himself - “We're alive. Ye're alive. I'm alive. And we're fine”

His hand felt hot, and he took advantage of it, stroking Killer’s neck. And he himself began to come to his senses a little, sounding more and more bashful with every breath. Kid decided to consolidate the result with another promise. 

“Killer, I swear, if I can't cure ye of this, I will at least find a way to ease yer burden”

Killer said nothing, only pressing into him as much as their position allowed. The cold of the street forced him to crawl under Kid's fur coat, which he easily threw over his partner. Already there he allowed himself to laugh quietly from tears. 
He cried quietly, as if afraid that he would be heard. But Kid was ready to give him this opportunity, because he needed to get it all out of himself. The last time Killer held back his feelings, he wanted to leave the crew altogether. Kid won’t allow it again, so whenever the opportunity arises, he will let Killer let off steam. 
When he finally calmed down and quieted down, he crawled out from under the fur coat. He even pulled back his mask to wipe away his tears. 

“I'm sorry... I'm sorry I cried...” - he exhales, but now he sounds calmer than he did before. 

Kid doesn’t feel sorry for his wet clothes or a shoulder to cry on. 

“Ye're welcome”

Although Killer got up, he remained sitting on Kid’s laps, completely taking the fur coat for himself. His attention was now completely drawn to Kid's face. Curiosity glittered on the mask along with varnish and post-stress euphoria. 

“Ye...” - he raised his hand to his lips - “Ye’re covered in lipstick”

A finger gently wiped away the stains under Kid's lower lip. 

“What a horror...” - Kid drawled sarcastically and smiled - “Just kiss me already”

Killer clearly didn’t expect such a request, which is why he chuckled in surprise. 

“Kid!... What if...” - he became nervous – “What if the guys notice?”

“Don’t care about them” - Kid tsked - “Let them know what I did to get ye back”

With one finger gesture he beckoned him closer, and Killer couldn’t refuse. 

“Okay” - he said quietly, pulling back his mask. 

It’s not at all clear how Kid fell in love with kisses. Perhaps it was because it was Killer, or because they were actually nice. But every time their lips collide, the whole world ceases to matter. All worries, grievances and plans immediately fall out of your head. Kaidou? What Kaidou? He's too busy right now to think about Kaidou. And Killer is too busy to laugh or worry about other people's words. They are kissing now, and nothing else matters.
Kid didn’t immediately understand how the kiss deepened, and they seemed to continue where they left off earlier. Geisha and client, right? This is who they are now. Just a geisha. And just a client. No, not even that. Not even the captain and first mate, but partners. 
The way their tongues worked perfectly with each other had nothing to do with the boss and the subordinate. No. The kiss drove them crazy, made them get lost in it and in the warmth that it brought to their bodies. Kid didn’t immediately realize that he didn’t control where his hand was going, so even for him, it came as a surprise when his confident grip on Killer’s thigh, which had emerged from under the kimono, squeezed a frightened sound out of him. 
As soon as he realized that whole chain of events, Kid hit his head against the back wall he was leaning against and raised his hands up, just as scared and red. They stared at each other for a couple of minutes until Kid's ability to speak returned. 

“I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-.. Fuck! I'm sorry. I'm sorry... I'm sorry” 

It was terrible. He's so fucked up. He definitely didn't want to touch it there. Damn, damn, what to do? He accidentally squeezed something he shouldn't have. Fuck. Is Killer annoyed? Yes, he's definitely annoyed! 
But despite his worries, Killer was only amused by this reaction, although Kid didn’t fully understand it. 

“No, no, it's okay, Kid. Ye can touch me wherever ye want”

So Kid touched his chest. Just for a couple of moments, just for fun. Only under his hands it was warm and soft. His heart was beating faster under his palm, and perhaps Kid’s heart itself began to beat in time with him. The fabric of the kimono crumpled under his touch and, for the first time, seemed familiar to him. More dear than the brown one that Hitokiri Komazo wore. 

“Have ye finished?” - at Killer's waiting voice, Kid pulled his hand away. 

The feeling of warmth still remained in the palm. 
Having come to his senses a little, he helped his partner get up. 

“Are ye okay now? Do ye want to stay here or go back to the room?” - Kid asked carefully, holding Killer's forearms. 

He answered him almost immediately. 

“Let's go inside” 

And they entered the room at the same time, meeting face to face with three guilty faces. 

“What, is yer conscience bothering ye?” - Kid looked at them disapprovingly. 

Killer stopped him from scolding with his hand, whispering his name, and when his captain gave him freedom of action, he came closer to them. 

Everyone looked guilty in their own way. House whined, Papas turned away... But the most worried looked Hop, who stood closer to the exit to the garden than everyone else. 

“Killer...” - she said - “Ye...”

A minute was enough for her to compose herself. Papas frowned disapprovingly, knowing that she couldn’t apologize so easily. 

“Ye wouldn't dare laugh at the death of yer comrades seriously, would ye?” - she asked in one breath. 

Killer shook his head. 

“Never in my life...”

Hop first looked at House and Papas, and only then continued, clutching the kimono with her hands. 

“Then...” - she whined - “Then I need to apologize for the nasty things I said-...”

“Ye don’t need to” - Killer said carefully, but Hop couldn’t be convinced. 

She had already decided everything for herself. What she said was unforgivable. 

“This Orochi will pay for what he did to ye! I won’t let him get away with this! We, the Kid Pirates, will restore yer honor, know this! And those who treat ye badly because of laughter, I will personally beat!”

Papas and House nodded in agreement. Killer stood in complete silence, and Kid was afraid that he took this as humiliation, but the truth was much more obvious. 
In response to Hop's speech, he snorted. 

“I see... So ye love me so much that ye're willing to fight for me?” - it was clear from his voice that he had already forgiven them a long time ago, even though they didn’t deserve it. 

All three stared at him in surprise. And then they nodded tearfully. Kid barely restrained himself from smiling. 

“Sign... Okay, ye three. I forgive ye. Now let's forget this misunderstanding and move on to the most important thing” - Killer reached for the bag with his stuff. 

They sat in a circle, with all three, like kittens, positioned closer to Killer, which was accompanied by a grumpy comment from Kid. Although Killer has forgiven them all, Kid will still come up with a punishment for them. For example, now Hop will definitely be stay away from the battlefield. But as for the rest, he is still in creative search... 
But enough harping on this topic! 

“What did ye find, Killer?” - and it better be something good, otherwise he will also punish him for leaving without warning. 

Killer finally pulled out those intriguing maps, books of notes, and more money. Everyone, of course, reached for the most important thing - the money, but they were quickly stopped with one slap on the hands. 
Kid looked at this stuff with surprise. 

“Where did ye find all this?”

“At the castle” - Killer shrugged and took the rope off the map. 

While he was laying out the map, Kid couldn't help but think about what Killer was even doing near the castle? A rapid stream of thoughts flashed through his head while he watched the movement of his partner’s hands on the papers.
In the meantime, Killer began to speak admiringly. 

“Orochi’s Castle is surrounded by the estates of various samurai families conscripted into the service of the shogun. The guys aren’t directly in the castle, but serve in one of the houses. Quess the surname”

How did Kid know? The only surname he somehow remembered was... 

“Chou-...Zuke?” - from Killer's silence it was easy to understand that he had guessed – “What? It’s that really him? That's lucky!”

And on the floor were laid out drawings of the estate, covered in different places with red pencil. Killer opened the book and placed it next to it, examining the notes with his finger.

“By noon, all such estates will be empty. Only small Wano subordinates will remain, which can play into our hands. We will be able to return our people on time, but this is not the most important thing!”

Killer flipped through the notebook to another page. 

“I also have...” - he went a little far, and so he started scrolling back - “Oh, here... I also have information about Victoria Punk”

His announcement, of course, didn’t go without the necessary approval. 

“That's great news, Killer!” - Kid exclaimed happily. 

Finally, everyone will be gathered. And a ship. And the crew. And all thanks to Killer's intelligence. It is only thanks to him that they are still in the game. Although Kid sincerely hates it, he is also very grateful for the fruit. He doesn't want to thank Killer for his sacrifice, but in the end that's why they're here. The game of “What if...” was never Kid's favorite. 

“Ye did a good job, Killer” - he may have put too much meaning into this than necessary, but he doesn't care. 

The warmth of his body was still felt weightlessly on the skin of his palm. It danced with a light memory - vague, but forcing the fingers to repeat what he had done on the thigh and on the chest too. He wanted to repeat this touch right now, because Killer’s hand was still holding the map so that it would not curl into a pipe, right a couple of meters from Kid’s palms. And if he extends his hand now, then... 

“Are we... Aren’t we interrupting anything?” - Papas asked with a smile. 

Of course, he couldn't see Kid's thought process, but he didn't need to. He probably heard everything himself. And House can look and understand. 

“There in the garden!...” - She quickly jumped up in realization. 

Kid and Killer looked at her in fear, because she started the sentence in such a way that it seemed that they would now have to explain themselves. And under the mask, Killer’s lips probably mixed with Kid’s red lipstick. And Kid’s was completely erased. 
But contrary to their fears, House froze with her mouth open, thinking about everything brutally quickly, which is why she turned pink. 

“There in the garden... There are carps!” - grabbing Papas and Hop by the sleeves, she quickly led them outside – “Let's go! Quickly! Feed ‘em!”

When Hop finally hobbled into the garden, the door closed behind them, leaving them alone. 
Killer, looking at the door, laughed. He thought about it for a moment before slowly turning his head towards Kid. Both thought the same thing. They know. This made them feel ashamed. What else did Papas hear? Did he hear how scared and unsure Kid was? Have he heard his declarations of love? Did he hear Killer's words? Did he hear... The kiss??? 

“This is... Awkward” - Killer voiced. 

For a moment he forgot that his ears were still visible, and still bright red. But then he covered them with his palms and laughed again. 

“They're dead if they say that to anyone!” - Kid shouted, as clearly as possible, because, again, Papas heard them perfectly. 

But Killer, on the contrary, spoke quietly enough so that he would not be accidentally heard. 

“Do ye think we should leave everything as it is?” 

Kid thought about it. But then he generally regretted that he decided to question it.

“No! No. I'll ask them not to talk about it!” - but then he still thought about Killer's feelings and took into account the chance that he wanted to announce – “But if ye want!.. I mean... Heat and Wire somehow went unnoticed, we can... Also? I mean, not to announce, but not to hide”

Killer tilted his head to the side in thought. 

“Would ye like to marry me?” - for some reason, he asked exactly that, which didn't help the situation with Kid's blush. 

But he didn’t give a reaction to this, really thinking about the wedding. Who will they be after this? If they get married, they will no longer be partners. He doesn't want to imagine Killer as anything other than a partner. He likes this word. It... Closer and warmer than “husband”, or “friend”, or “elder brother figure”. It's nice. 

“Ye're thinking too long” - Killer huffed - “Does this question bother ye that much?” 

“No!” - Kid lied blatantly. 

What should he do? He cannot call a bolt a nut, or a gear a chain. This is Killer. His partner. But if they get married, they will stop to be them. 

“Can we...?” - Kid wanted to ask if they could remain partners, but he was thinking too much about it - “This is stupid... Don't Heat and Wire get upset when they're called friends?”

At first, Killer didn’t understand the meaning of the question, but then the realization slowly began to come to him. 

“I understand. We can remain partners if it’s convenient for ye” 

“But ye won't be angry...?” - Kid clarified because now it sounded like he was refusing the offer. 

Killer couldn't help but laugh at this. And that seemed to answer itself. Kid felt stupid for even thinking that his partner would be upset about this. 
As soon as Killer calmed down, he fell silent, staring at Kid. He was thinking about something at that moment. About something of his own. Handsome and stupid, probably. And so, when he made up his mind, through the mask there was a barely audible pop of his lips, which he had most likely licked before. 

“I love ye, Kid”

And it was a direct hit in Kid's heart. For some reason, hearing something like that from Killer hit harder than his fist in training. He just... Had such an influence on him. 

“Kid...” - but he froze for some reason, not yet able to fully digest all these emotions that his partner was causing him. 

If he were a dog, he would be wagging his tail with joy right now. He would even climb not the walls, but Killer himself. A stream of giggles somehow froze in his chest, which Kid could hardly contain along with a smile. It seemed that he now understood what it was like for Killer, but he dismissed these thoughts in time. How difficult it was to contain positive emotions. Fury and sadness were difficult for him, but still many times easier than the flow of happiness from just declarations of love. 

“I...” - still, he couldn’t keep his stupid giggles in check - “I love ye, too”

Chapter Text

Reck opened his eyes slowly. His consciousness returned gradually, as if he was waking up from a dream. It would be nice if it was just a bad dream.

Everyone had already crowded around him, waiting for his imminent awakening. During this night of plans and improvements, they all managed to move away from the horrors of Wano and were completely fed up with this kingdom.

“Whatcha doin’?...” Reck asked sleepily, seeing their tense faces.

As soon as he broke the silence, their tension subsided, and the crew began to smile.

“What a sleepyhead you are, Reck!” The first thing Kid said was an abrasive phrase to hide his relief.

Still, they didn’t think that he would wake up at all.

Reck smiled in response and then put his hand on his head, trying to remember his dream.

“I dreamed... That Killer sacrificed his humanity for us... And became a soulless brute-..” ​​Kid stuffed a steamed bun into his mouth so that he wouldn’t say another word.

“Just eat”

When it was clear that everyone was relatively alright, they ate breakfast and began to prepare for the raid. After such a busy week, they couldn’t believe that it would all be over. They will get out of this God-forsaken country, defeat the God-forsaken Yonko, and become... Kid hopes that God will not forget him as easily as he forgot other things.

But there was still something he wanted to do. Wake up his first mate.

While Kid neglected sleep out of pure coincidence, Killer did it on purpose. Either to punish himself or to annoy Kid. Moreover, it wasn’t clear whether he had slept before or was pretending. Doesn't matter. The main thing is that they return to the ship, eat, and sleep before leaving and defeating Kaidou.

And now Killer, at the insistence of everyone present, dozed off and, judging by his snoring, successfully. In order to squeeze his rather big body into this small futon, he had to lie on his side with his hands under his head. His hair was spread out like a carpet all over the floor, tangled and lost its shine. There was a strong desire to crawl up to him and fall asleep together, but Kid would feel so awkward in front of everyone. It never occurred to him that he needed to think about a plan.

But his feeling of awkwardness didn’t prevent him from keeping a warm hand on Killer's shoulder when he woke him up with a jolt. The snoring stopped, and after a couple of minutes, Kid’s partner was already sitting, looking around sleepily.

“Time…already?”

Kid smiled back at him, ignoring the understanding and, therefore, pleased glances behind him.

“Let's get outta this shitty country”

They left the place in two groups. Kid and Killer walked out the front door, and everyone else went through the back door. Already on the streets, surrounded by people, they split up.

“Ye won't forget me, will ye??” Hop asked, frowning her eyebrows in concern.

Papas adjusted his sunglasses.

“That’d be nice...” And received a slap on the head from House.

“Enjoy the festival, Hop!”

After both girls exchanged pleasantries, Kid approached her. This kimono really didn’t suit the girl, and he himself didn’t want to change back into Wano’s rags, but since Killer says “they have to do it,” then that means they have to do it!

“Remember the plan?” Kid asked, although he knew perfectly well that Hop remembered, but once again he needed to calm down his nerves.

“Meet Heat and Wire and direct them to you. Don't worry!” Hop, although guilty, smiled, “I promise to leave you some caramel apples.”

Kid likes this deal. Especially if it's sour apples in sweet caramel. A festival would be an amazing addition to their victory, but he doubts he'll finish this raid before it's done, and waiting for another one won't be fun.

When they split up, they mostly began to move along alleys. Split up and watched the area. By six o'clock all the streets were empty, and music began to approach from the palace.

The Kid Pirates, without stopping, entered the alley along which Killer and House were walking. Papas positioned himself on the opposite wall, and everyone else hid behind their captain.

“Has the festival started yet?” House squatted down to look out from behind the captain's legs.

Killer laughed nervously, attracting the attention of his comrades, who were not yet accustomed to it.

“No it's not”

He could have explained it to them, but preferred to show it. The music came closer, as did a march of walking samurai bearing the coats of arms of the current shogun. Behind them, accompanied by beautiful geishas, servants dragged behind them a huge platform on which the culprit of the farce himself was located.

“So this is Orochi?” Kid thought he would be smaller, but he was not only bigger than on screen but also scarier.

And this man mocked his first mate and is now terrorizing the whole country. Pathetic! Kid can take him down in no time!

But turning to Killer to laugh at him together, he saw how his partner tensed.

The whole past month began to spin in his head to the haunting music that followed this shogun everywhere. What did he do with his Killer? How long did he make him starve, how long did he keep him close to him, how long did he laugh at him, how much did he mock him? Just the thought made something twist in his chest. Guilt, maybe. It's a pity that Kid didn't get out sooner. If he had woken up earlier, he would have been able to defeat Kaidou earlier. And Killer wouldn't even think about sacrificing himself.

Now there was nothing to change. Just stand right next to the one who was tormenting his partner, and grind his teeth from his simultaneous inaccessibility.

If Kid could, he would kill him now. But he trusts Killer. He trusts his plan and doesn't want to ruin anything before Onigashima. It was at that moment, as Kid had long ago declared, that he would smash and shred.

It seemed that if Killer squeezed his hands harder, he would dig his nails into the skin. The only thing Kid can do for him now is to take his hand, hiding this gesture under the sleeve of his kimono.

Reck watched the procession for a long time until he finally lost patience.

“He's so open. Why can't we just...?”

“Stop!” But he was quickly stopped by Papas.

He stared at Reck to mentally convey to him what an idiot he was.

“Rooftops. The entire route is now being observed. There are...” Papas concentrated, “There are about fifty people in front and behind.”

Reck and House were surprised by this information and began to look up.

“If we even think about acting, we’ll die right away,” Killer added, but he himself was not happy about it, “It would be so good, wouldn’t it?”

They fell silent, but even their thoughts were drowned out by the pompous procession of the shogun. The ringing of the bells and the beating of the drums gave them a headache. Orochi literally mocked them, dancing and making faces as if he was kissing Kaido's ass more than anyone else.

Their three subordinates kept their gaze on Killer before taking action.

“We’ll get to him! Don’t be afraid, Killer, he won’t hurt you again.”

At first, Killer didn't want to answer this, but emotions (no matter that they could be more restrained than people were used to showing) took their toll.

“Thank you,” He whispered quietly, lowering his head in gratitude.

For a second, Kid thought a tear fell from a hole in his mask, but he did not go into details.

For now, they silently merged with the noise of this parade until the music went to the port and beyond. Patience was the key to victory here, but Kid didn't have enough of it. If they get out ahead of time, they will run into Orochi’s people on the roofs. Starting a town fight ahead of time meant a change in plans, something neither of them needed to do.

They stood like that for half an hour, until finally the roofs began to rattle and, with the same suddenness, died down. But this was not their signal to attack, no, they were waiting for Papas’ voice.

“The way is clear” And after another check of the area, he gave them the green light.

First of all, Kid threw his arm over Killer's shoulders and briefly pressed him to himself to direct him to the right thoughts.

“Let's leave the shogun a parting gift”

For a moment, Killer seemed to succumb to his embrace, pressing his head against his bicep, but only for a moment. Their contact was broken, but that was enough for both of them to know that they would both have each other's backs.

The moment of truth. Although this building is only part of the castle garrison, Kid will be happy to destroy its chambers.

As soon as Orochi left, the streets began to come to life. Suddenly, merchants began to lower their prices, dancers were performing everywhere, and their voices became louder and their conversations became freer. At least for one day, the country was free

And Kid would be happy to attend such a festival, give his friends a rest, and drink some celebratory booze. He would even like to visit this country. Free.

The capital had changed so much in just one hour of the shogun's absence from it: the drums were now beating out festive rhythms, not hitting the eardrums with their propaganda but playing next to the people, along with their fun and freedom. The rhythm was danceable. Kid would love to dance to it. He would even wear these kimonos if they weren't disguised.

Laughter was heard on his left. And it wasn't stressful or alarming. It resonated with all the people, the music, and the atmosphere. Kid couldn't doubt it. Killer succumbed to the spirit of the festival.

“Why are ye happy, Killer?” Kid asked with a knowing smile.

His Killer rarely laughs, but once he lets go of all his worries, he simply becomes charming. It felt like his hair was glowing gold as numerous pink cherry blossom petals and confetti tangled in his curls. His face was not visible under the mask, but Kid was sure that Killer was smiling.

“Nothing” He was flattered, “I just like the rhythm”

If before Kid had doubted that he wanted to stay in this country, now he feels that he wants to stay here for the duration of the festival. He hopes they'll be done before dawn so they can dance to the music. Drink rum and celebrate the victory. Just forget what happened to them this whole month.

As a contrast to all the fun on the streets of the city, the entire palace seemed to have lost all its people. The only ones who somehow fell under the Will of Observation were the servants, some small and lonely guards, and rare animals, the shogun’s collection. Sometimes they could move openly without fear of hiding, and in the most tense moments, it was easy to hide or pretend to be the same servants.

Although Kid was pleased, for some reason he was waiting for a drawback all the time, as if something was fishy here. Although the shogun and his large retinue disappeared from here for one day, it was strange that his palace was deprived of almost all the guards. Everything somehow came easily to them. For a fool, this is great news, but for a resident of Trash Island, any silence meant danger. Why is there little security here? Why did the servants take them for themselves? Why did the passage to Chouzuke's chambers begin to become increasingly deserted?

The only reassuring thing was how easily Killer navigated between the corridors. He moved easily, completely confident in his abilities. This operation didn't foretell large-scale clashes because he planned everything. And looking at him, Kid involuntarily calmed down.

Already in the garden, they encountered the Chozuke estate and arrogantly entered through the main entrance.

“I feel a crowd of people in the basement!” Papas warned, but no one could even imagine that these were enemies.

Killer knew the area like the back of his hand. It was even mysterious, considering that they only had plans for the area.

“Have ye been ‘ere before?” Kid asked him on the way.

At first, he didn’t want to answer; he even wanted to muffle his laugh.

“This Chouzuke... If this is really that guy, then he specializes in torture and imprisonment”

“What a terrible hobby!” Kid commented.

If Killer says this, it means he was imprisoned here. Perhaps he was even tortured here...

“Is it okay for ye to be here now?..” Reck asked carefully.

Perhaps everyone was thinking the same thing as Kid. They had already reached the stairs to the basement, where Killer stopped laughing.

“It doesn’t mean anything now.” Despite his eternal smile, his words sounded genuinely joyful.

The dungeon, — there is no other name for this place, — was filled with cold and the smell of earth. When they entered there, Reck and Papas immediately cleared their throats, unable to stand it, which is why they quickly received a snide comment from House. Kid, actually, didn't care about the smell - he lived in such conditions for a very long time to somehow react. His sense of smell was impaired due to his childhood.

When they reached the prison cells, Kid slowed down to scan them. Killer was right, — it is a torture chambers. No matter which one he looked at, they were all filled with dry blood, shackles, and various tools. Even bones... He wouldn’t like to think about it, but he involuntarily began to look for Killer’s cell.

Voices were heard from afar.

“Shh, someone’s coming!” An unintelligible whisper reached them, and all sounds immediately died down.

Killer quickened his pace along the corridor and finally reached the cells where the whispers were coming from. As soon as they saw him, the whispers gave way to voices.

“Killer! It's Killer!” All the cells went wild, not loudly, but not quietly either.

Killer put his hand on the bars and brought his head closer to the bars.

“I promised that I’d find ye” he told them quietly.

Reck, Papas and House ran forward, each grabbing the bars of different cells. They even pulled the doors to check.

“Be patient! We'll get ye out now!” House shouted, squatting down.

The rest of their crew started asking them a billion questions, and as they worked through the locks, they answered the ones they knew the answers to. Kid had no time for this. He seems to have found... Killer's cell.

Bloody chains lay on the floor. Kid examined them and then turned his gaze to the broken helmet, stained with blood. Next to him lay rotten pieces of some fruit. SMILE. And a pool of blood in which golden hair is stuck.

“Kid...” Killer put a hand on his shoulder.

Kid didn't know how to ask him or if he even wanted to ask about it. Previously, he wanted to know too much, but now it seemed that if he found out, he would explode. And all this will create a large-scale conflict within him, which he is unable to suppress. He wants to find out in order to be closer to his partner and take revenge, but at the same time, the truth will simply finish him off.

And with such a worried face, he looked at Killer, fortunately, he understood everything only from his puppy-dog look.

“Here I knew that refusal would mean death for me, as yer first mate. I don’t regret it and now I’m grateful to myself for not regretting it before. The result was worth it” He assured him, squeezing the fabric of the kimono.

Kid thought about it. He wanted to somehow object, but he couldn’t insert anything. Anything he could say would sound like a pathetic whine, so he just nodded.

Having gone a little further, the locks of all the cells were broken at once with the help of Kid's magnetic force, which caused indignation in House and Reck. Papas was only grateful, because poking around in the lock in the dark was a waste of time.

“It doesn’t matter how long you stayed here and who you lost,” Kid walked past all the cells, tearing out the locks and doors from each of them, “We’re getting outta this country and going to beat Kaidou’s ass!”

A few words from the captain were enough for his faithful crew to boost their morale exponentially. The entire dungeon was filled with their joyful cries, despite who they lost and how many injuries they received here. They were alive, free, and their captain was ready to lead them further. There was no need to worry about the rest.

But there was one thing Kid wanted to clarify.

“Where is our ship now?”

Everyone immediately answered him in unknowing silence. One more problem, and time is running out. But Killer didn’t despair. Instead, he walked forward, saying nothing along the way. The confidence with which he took off made everyone confused, but ran after him. His confidence struck even his captain, but didn’t stop him a single step.

By the time everyone pulled up to Killer, there was already a light visible ahead, and the closer they got to this light, the more they slowed down, until they finally reached the stairs to the top floor.

Killer jumped over two steps, staring at the next floor. The light of the candles penetrated the catacombs and fell on his face. It seemed that it was able to illuminate the shadows in the holes. It seemed that in this light, the blue irises of his eyes might be seen.

For a second, Kid saw in the clash of light and shadow only a child, who always confidently led them through private houses in order to profit from all sorts of goods that were not available in a landfill. And for a second, he even forgot everything that they were here for. It seemed that Kid had returned to childhood, where nothing had happened yet. Where were only two of them.

But the thought went somewhere far away when the guys approached him. And Pomp, and Papas, and others.

When Killer was sure that no one was upstairs, he took a couple more steps, looking at the guys.

“There's definitely some information about the ship 'ere. We just need to look while there's no one around!”

Although it was already desperate, the plan was much better than breaking everything here to hell and knocking information out of someone in the castle. Of course, Kid would have wanted it that way, but now he wanted to help his partner as well. He nodded to his crew:

“Ye heard him, guys. Search every inch of this mansion and don't be shy!”

The stairs creaked under the weight of their feet. The Kid Pirates had become so accustomed to the darkness that they closed their eyes when the light hit their faces. Kid rose after Killer, so he heard their inspired voices behind him.

“Is it really over? Oh, just you wait, Kaidou, we’ll kick yer ass! Off to find the ship and to Onigashima! We can still fight!”

All the happy speeches were interrupted by those who were waiting for them upstairs.

“I knew there were rats in the palace!”

Kid didn't have time to see who it was because of the pink spark flying towards them. There was not enough time to dodge, so Kid, by inertia, put out the prosthesis like a block. The spark collided with the metal and exploded into billions of explosions with a deafening bang. Killer's worried cry was heard through it...

“Kid!”

...but Kid was only burned by the sparks, which he easily wiped off with his finger.

Everything happened too quickly. In some pitiful couple of moments, the entire hall that they had ascended to was raided by samurai and the entire mansion plunged into chaos, filled only with screams from different sides.

“You're not welcome here, Kamazo!”

“Let's defend the honor of Killer and the captain!”

People around were falling dead, blood was being shed everywhere, but there were no dead ones from the Kid Pirates. It was even surprising how diligently Orochi's people starved and tortured them, but in the end, they easily gained the advantage through sheer willpower.

Kid just as happily hit everyone in sight with a wide smile. Previously, he was in complete shock, but now he even thanked these fools for the ambush, because now he could take out his anger on them for every drop of blood, for every hair that fell from his partner's head and for every laugh mixed with suffering. And he spared no effort on them. He smashed his fist into blood, only to feel the pleasure growing into laughter. He watched with rapture the chaos unfolding before him.

But when he heard a familiar laugh, he stopped. Something inside Kid clenched, the mechanisms hit the brakes, and he realized that he couldn’t give in to such strong feelings now. One such mistake and he could lose something important again.

In the midst of this chaos, Killer also fought. From his sword, piles of corpses gathered on the floor. The laughter was not even nervous, but hysterical, which made Kid hesitate, turn his attention away from the fight and watch.

The one he had known for many years, knew his every move, manner of speech and step, now seemed to have turned into a completely different person. Distraught and feling the blood on his lips, he moved jerkily, randomly and chaotically. His flexibility and gymnastics now didn’t have any single meaning but were a series of erratic body movements. The movements of a crazy beast driven into a corner. Backed into a corner? No. He wasn't trapped. Rather, it was all the samurai who were trapped with him. But were the Kid Pirates safe? One such unexpected movement, and one of his comrades was hit along with the samurai. Mistakes happen. Even on a regular battlefield, you can hit your own people. But now Killer seemed to be deliberately aiming for both.

“Killer!” Anxious, Kid made his way through the raging battle.

Even Killer himself realized what he had done. Now he stood in a stupor, looking either at Mosh with a wound on his hand, and at his bloody blade. The laughter didn’t cease to be frightening, but despair was now heard through it.

“Mosh, I’m sorry!..” He only managed to wheeze through his loud sighs, which each time began to turn into laughter.

Those around them took notice of this, but instead of fear or rage, they only began to attack their enemies harder. Even Mosh wasn't angry. On the contrary, he reached out to support him.

“Ye bastards! What did ye do to Killer!? Ye made him suffer for us! We won’t forgive ye for this!” It was heard here and there through the wave of screams.

Killer just began to back away, looking around in confusion. A bunch of enemies and allies gathered around him, but it seemed he couldn't tell who was who. He was so disoriented that it made him an easy target. But no matter what enemy approached him with the aim of killing him, he, Hitokiri Kamazo, killed him with ease.

No, he understood where he was. That's why he started laughing evilly.

The moment Kid approached him, someone else noticed him. A man in a red kimono with butterflies.

“Be careful! This guy has the power of a Devil Fruit!” Someone shouted from the crowd.

Sparks appeared again from the old man's hands.

“That is it, Kamazo-chan! Just like I taught you, you beast!” Chouzuke, the real Chouzuke, shot fireworks at Killer from his palm.

Such a projectile, almost point-blank, threatens severe injuries. And the stubborn fool decided to take the projectile head on. With a laugh, drawing his swords, Killer tried to cut the fireworks, which, as expected, exploded just from touching the blades.

The moment with Victoria flashed before Kid's eyes, and then the moment when that bastard Oven easily burned Killer's hand when he tried to attack him head-on. This is how it happens. His partner tries to jump above his head for the sake of the whole crew, self-confidently thinking that he will withstand any blows for everyone. Solves the trolley problem by falling onto the tracks alone. And these forays into the castle, and SMILE, and Totland... Fuck it! 

In the same second that the sword collided with the projectile, Kid managed to cover it with himself and the metal debris that he found in the puffs. The explosion did not spare their eardrums, so all they heard from each other were Kid’s intelligible screams and Killer’s laughter in response.

When the ringing passed, the screams became more articulate...

“Are ye nuts!? What if yer arm was torn off, ye asshole!?”

...Killer's laughter began to fade.

“So be it!...” He answered in all seriousness, laughing.

Outside their shield, a war raged, but Kid didn't care about it. He could only look at his partner with a worried expression on his face. It seems to be intact. It's a bit smoked, but it's intact. Through the shadows, and fireworks, screams and explosions, not only Killer, but also Victoria could be seen. Her echo. That part that has been preserved in the image of his partner, and which he loves with him. The part that made Killer live, think and desire, but because of Kid's neglectful actions, became covered with wounds and pus.

Killer laughed, brushed his hair with his palm and began to explain through a lump in his throat:

“It's ironic... I confidently come up with plans and force ye to follow them so that the New World doesn't kill us at the first opportunity... But every time... Every time, something happens that one way or another ruins the whole fuckin’ plan!...”

Personally, Kid didn’t see anything like that in the destroyed plans. He likes chaos, although he wants people to be much clearer than cogs and machines.

“Well, that's what we're all about!” Kid shrugged naively, “The Kid Pirates don't need plans!”

Killer laughed at this, as if wanting to be sarcastic in response. But in the end, he exhaled through his nose.

“And in the end, everything goes in our favor... Even the most serious situations end up with minimal losses...” He touched his burn under the fabric of the kimono, clearly hinting at this, “I’m so pathetic, Kid... Why did ye take me with ye? So that I letcha down time after time?”

Behind their shield another explosion was heard, more screams. Someone tried to force their way in, but Kid quickly knocked him aside with one blow of his fist.

“Do ye want me to be straight? Or do ye want me to be a normal person?” He simply asked, not paying attention to what was happening outside.

Killer fell silent under the mask, but even without seeing his face it was clear how he looked at him with incomprehension.

“Uh??? Ye're talking about-... Just-... Be yerself, I dunno-...”

“Okay, then...” Kid threw aside all the pieces of metal that were protecting them, and they flew towards some unfortunate samurai, but none of them noticed it - only that now they had to sit down.

All the candles have long gone out. Some of them fell to the floor and started a fire. Someone trampled the lights, but most still turned into flames. Apart from this, the only source of illumination was the fireworks that flew in different directions from Chouzuke's attempts to fight off the enraged Kid Pirates.

“Killer. I don' know how to read people's minds, and I don' know how to talk to ‘em, much less explain what I like about ‘em!” Great start Kid, just keep being a complete idiot, “Listen... Ye're cool. Really cool”

An explosion was heard right next to them, and Killer, without taking his eyes off Kid, dodged the flying piece of... Leg? Or was it a hand? He doesn't know, he's too busy listening to his captain.

“And I didn’t take ye with me because ye make brilliant plans, or cook delicious food, or play the drums well, or cope with all the diplomatic problems with Wire, or even fight cool-Although... Yes, that’s partly why I like ye, but that’s not what I’m talking about now!”

Another firework, and Kid's face lit up blue.

“Killer. I never understood the people around me. For me, they were somehow... Stupid? Incomprehensible, alien... Maybe I even wanted to be like ‘em. Go to work, dream about something mundane, about something doable on that piece of garbage on which we were born... But it would mean my death. I would die, Killer. And... I dunno. Ye saved me”

Kid looked into Killer's mask, illuminated by a red light. In such darkness, its holes are like something bottomless. It was unclear what he was thinking about at that moment. Was he thinking at all?

“My fights have never ended in a draw. Ye’re the only one who is equal to me in strength. That's why I wanted to communicate with ye. Because I thought that... Maybe ye have common dreams with me. I wanted ye to like me so that we were together... Against the whole world”

“But I didn’t dream of anything like that back then,” Killer muttered sadly, perhaps even guiltily from having disappointed him.

“But ye were interested!" Kid interrupted him, “When I told ye about One Piece, ye got interested!”

He took his hand with his healthy hand. It was cold and sweaty. With his prosthetic, he carefully took his other burnt one. The cold metal felt nothing, but it was enough for Kid that Killer rubbed his iron finger with his.

“I've known ye for so long, Killer. I don't think I can let ye go anywhere. Ye were the first one who didn't laugh at my dream. And the first one who broke my finger too!" Killer let a chuckle escape his lips at the mention of the last thing, “And I don’t care if yer plans go wrong! Look how much fun it is! Do ye think the idiots here are very upset about this?”

Killer looked around. He looked for the Kid Pirates and... To his surprise, he found excitement, pleasure and joy on their faces, because everything had gone shitty. When they were surrounded by the Big Mom Generals in Totland, were they scared or angry? Did they lose hope when Kaidou tore them to smithereens? And now, when they were ambushed, they fell into despair at the sight of their tormentors? Kid is right, all the surprises never broke them. The spirit of the Kid Pirates, no, the spirit of the punks, the Grand Line definitely cannot break!

“I like yer food. I like yer drumming. Yer fighting style. Yer plans... Killer, I like ye because it's ye”

Another flash of fireworks, but now they were lit blue and orange. The light merged, turning a shade of purple, outlining their silhouettes for each other.

“Killer. If ye're some pathetic first mate, then I'm yer pathetic captain. And this...” He pointed his hand at Reck, who let out a pathetic cry of victory at his first accidental kill, “Yer pathetic crew. Are ye fine with that?”

Killer fell silent for a while. With his sword he pierced another samurai who tried to attack him.

“If I say that ye are the coolest captain in the world... That automatically makes me the coolest first mate, right?” He asked with an undisguised smile under his mask.

Kid smiled in response.

“And don' forget about the coolest crew!”

Killer laughed. He got up from his knees and helped Kid up. At the same moment a gun was pointed at them.

“Are you done, Kamazo!?” A lot of samurai have already died, but not this Chouzuke.

Kid examined him. Hmmm. Terrible hair. And he was almost forced to tie this bun. Well, he'll make him pay.

As soon as he took a step forward, Killer stopped him. It was his prey.

“You are just the shogun's assassin. Do you know what Orochi-dono ordered when you screwed up!? He ordered both you and your crew executed. The only reason we did not deal with your crew was because of their usefulness as slaves!”

Killer didn't even laugh at this.

“Thank ye for that” He replied coldly.

He pointed one of his swords at Chouzuke, causing him to shoot. But Killer dodged without difficulty, and the bullet only cut his hair near his ear. With quick movements, Killer moved towards him, which scared this old man half to death.

“Stay still, Hitokiri Kamazo!” Chouzuke fired three rounds at him, but was unable to stop him.

In one gymnastic move, Killer cut off his hand, which brought a proud smile to Kid's face. Chouzuke grabbed his stump and screamed, but he was grabbed by the collar and pulled towards him.

“Shogun assassin Hitokiri Kamazo? I don't know anyone like that! My name is Killer. And I am the first mate of the Kid Pirates. The only one I obey to is my captain, Eustass Kid. So remember his name well! He is the man who will become King of the Pirates!”

These words caused a tickle in Kid's chest. And at the very beginning, Killer didn't even want to respond to this name. He didn’t even want to hear about Kid being his captain. But now he is ready to shout about it to everyone. And his partner’s faith makes Kid want to move mountains.

“Ye're damn right, partner!”

And the battle only heated up. Chouzuke's soldiers tried in vain to recapture their leader from the Kid Pirates, but they fought back every time. Their new tactic was to wear down their opponents, but they were destroyed when reinforcements arrived. Heat, Wire, Hip, Emma, Dive and Bubblegum joined in the fun, swelling their ranks. With such an advantage, it was easy to finish off the rest.

Kid was so excited to fight with Killer back to back again. That feeling of having his back covered gave him confidence. And the fact that he can cover Killer’s back too.

“Why are ye happy, Kid?” Killer asked as their backs touched.

Kid rested his head on top of his head.

“Nothing! I'm just glad ye're near!”

The fight ended in victory for the Kid Pirates. The only thing left to do was find their ship. To do this, Killer grabbed the fleeing Chouzuke by the kimono.

“Where is our ship?” He growled, lifting the old man high off the ground.

Everyone else surrounded Killer, all giving advice on what to do with Chouzuke.

“Let's decorate him! We'll hang him from the chandelier! We'll tie him up and beat him like a piñata!”

Each proposed idea was worse than the last, which only frightened this Chouzuke more. Hearing their plans, he turned pale and began to sweat visibly, more than from his lost hand.

“Wait! Wait! Port Neko! In the coastal territories of Kibi! All the conquered ships are there! I assure you! Just do not kill me!” He literally roared in Killer's hands.

In response to his squeals, everyone laughed at him. He pretended to be a tough guy, but in the end he roared like a girl. If you cut him, he will squeal like a pig. But this is Killer’s well-deserved prey, so it’s up to him to decide.

“What are we going to do with him, Killer?” Kid asked him to let him know about his full right to deal with Chouzuke’s life as he wants.

Killer looked at him. He thought...

“I think....” There was an evil laugh and Chouzuke swallowed.

Having decorated him as best they could, the Kid Pirates went to Port Neko, since Killer was quite familiar with the area.

“I haven’t been to the port itself, but I know where it is located. We’ll get there by sunset.”

“Again, gonna cross that damned desert!” Kid complained as he walked.

But Heat was quick to please him.

“Don' worry ‘bout transportation!”

At the exit from the capital, six horses drawn by bands were waiting for them. Dive took the lead, jumping higher than she was tall.

“We fucking stole the horses!”

Well, that explains why they were late. Of course, they decided to steal transport from somewhere!

“Great job, you six!” Kid screamed, even though everything inside was clenching in anticipation of another horse ride.

Killer quickly jumped onto his horse and extended his hand to Kid.

“Hey! Why can't I sit on mine!?” Although he was indignant, he sat behind him without hesitation, pressing his chest against Killer’s back.

“Do ye really want to refuse the trip with me?”

“Nope!”

The horses took them to Kibi in a couple of minutes' ride, and to Port Neko in an hour. The sun has already set below the horizon. The entire area began to turn cold colors. The bridge dividing the regions had long disappeared behind them, but they could still hear explosions from three sides.

“What that?” Kid looked back.

A faint line of smoke could now be seen in the distance. Killer was silent for a moment and then answered.

“It seems that the shogun has some kind of plan. Have ye communicated with the Straw Hat in Udon?”

“I was just tolerating him. This brat seriously wants to take my fame away! Well, that’s okay! I’ll show him who’s boss!” Kid replied.

Killer fell silent, and it seemed that this was the end of their discussion of the Straw Hat, but he suddenly sighed heavily.

“I forgot what he told ye in the end. Something about a raid. Are they targeting Kaidou, too?”

Kid wouldn't want to talk about it because their business doesn't concern him. Let this fool do what he wants, as long as he doesn’t get in the way.

“On the night of the festival, at the hour when the moon is directly above our heads, they and the Wano samurai plan to raid Onigashima, at the height of their revelry. So what?”

Killer laughed.

“Very ironic. By the time our ship turns around and aims at Onigashima, the moon will be above us.”

“Are ye planning something?”

“Just a thought”

And let it remain just a thought. Kid has no plans to become an ally with this monkey! They are enemies. Although similar, they are enemies. This... Luffy or whatever his name is? He dreams of the same thing as him. Therefore, Kid won't give in to him. He will become the King of the Pirates.

The port, as expected, was swarming with Beast Pirates. It was very sad that they couldn't join everyone, but that's okay. Kid will punch them in the face too!

And again, a fight in which they were already going head-to-head. Each side didn't want to retreat. Everywhere there were screams, clanging and the roar of weapons. Those who got to Victoria Punk immediately threw down their weapons and hurried to untie the ship from the port. The Beast Pirates who noticed them, began to gather around the ship.

“They want to sail! Sink the ship!”

“Fuck! The longer we stay here, the faster they’ll drown us!”

The Kid Pirates were now trying to stop the Beasts from burning the ship. Torches flew aboard Victoria, as did cannonballs and bullets. The Beast Pirates tried their best to stop the ship from sailing. They shot at the people on board, shot down the cables and tried to tear the sails. As a result, instead of sailing, the Kid Pirates either put out fires, then fought off attacks, or repelled cannonballs.

“We’re going to fucking drown at this rate! They’ll sink us faster than we can set sail!”

Killer's scream was heard from somewhere on the side.

“That's it! Get to the ship quickly!”

With one swing, he cut through five Beast Pirates at once. It was immediately clear that he was much more accustomed to Punishers than to swords.

Kid and Killer caught up.

“Kid. I'll hold them down. Just sail away”

Kid was shocked. To set sail means to leave him here alone.

“Wait, don't ye dar-!...”

“Kid” Killer's fist touched Kid's arm, “Do ye trust me?”

They looked at each other. At that moment, almost his entire life flashed through Kid’s head, from meeting Killer to the present moment. A lot of words accumulated on the lips. Gratitude that he is still with him. But instead they came out confident:

“Just come back to me”

Climbing onto the ship, Kid took one more look at Killer slaughtering the Beast Pirates on the dock before going to help the others.

The sails unfurled and the anchor was raised. Victoria finally started moving.

“Let’s sail!”

Kid wanted to shout to stop them, but remained silent, believing in Killer until the very last moment. The ship began to move away from the pier, began to move away. Kilometer. Two. It was no longer possible to reach Victoria with even the biggest jump. But Kid waited. Because he believed in his partner.

And so, when the last Beast fell dead on the pier, the Killer appeared again. He ran along the wooden pier, tearing off his mask. Having reached the end, he made a jump. Huge, but not big enough to reach Victoria. Time itself stopped at that moment.

“KID!” He extended his hand forward, and Kid instinctively extended his.

There was a purple flash of lightning, and Killer's Punisher was drawn to him by magnetism. Such madness cost Kid his jaw, but he wasn't upset even a bit. Killer was here. On the ship. He was still his first mate and partner, and was now held tightly in his arms. Wano is left behind.

Kid only came to his senses when Quincy sighed tenderly. His entire crew crowded around them and enjoyed the moment.

“Go get busy, ye fools!!! Wash yerself, get dressed! Hurry up!!” Kid immediately shooed everyone away in embarrassment, causing Killer to throw his head back in genuine laughter.

While they circled the country to set course for Onigashima, Kid could finally wash himself and put on clean clothes. He checked all the equipment, and when he saw that everything was intact, he sighed with relief, running his fingers through his hair. And suddenly he remembered that his googles were missing. His favorite googles, by the way. It was a gift from Killer for his nineteenth birthday, when he stole the previous ones. And even though they were old and dirty, he never parted with them, and only now he broke them, because he thought that they were just garbage. Now he missed them, as if he had lost a piece of Killer.

“Lost something, captain?” The gentle voice of his partner interrupted him from his mental torment.

Kid turned to answer, but immediately noticed a new pair of googles in Killer's hands.

“Oh...” That was the only thing he could say.

Killer was now dressed in his usual clothes, and his face was again hidden by his helmet. For the first time in forever, his hair sparkled, as it always did. It seemed like nothing had happened. Neither their defeat, nor the SMILE.

But he laughed again, and Kid realized that this couldn't be changed. But even so, Killer was still himself. Not Hitokiri Kamazo, not the nameless killer from Trash Island, but himself, Killer. And Kid was relieved to see him like that. It seemed like he could do something with that laugh. It seemed that everything would be fine now. Now that Killer is here by his side again, he will win again in the future.

In the meantime, he let his partner put glasses on his forehead. Killer carefully brushed his hair back, especially touching his temples more often. The striped mask froze on his face before nodding in satisfaction.

Everything was perfect. Kid even felt much more presentable and comfortable when the usual heaviness pulled down his head. In gratitude for this, he took his palm and kissed it in the very middle. Because of this, Killer made a sound under his mask and reluctantly removed his hand.

“Kid, I just took a shower!”

“I don' care! Ye scared the shit outta me, so suffer!”

“I promised to come back, and I kept my promise. Did ye think that I wouldn’t come back?” Killer's head tilted to the side in curiosity.

To this, Kid said “No” without much thought.

“Then ye're just being capricious?” Killer asked with a smirk in his voice.

And Kid couldn’t find anything to answer other than indignation.

“No fucking way! Can’t I kiss you whenever I want!? I’m yer captain! Did ye hear that? Killer!”

“I prepared food from what hasn't spoiled. Go eat”

“Ye're ignoring me!? No, ye're ignoring me, right?”

Killer fell silent.

“Oh, ye! I will... Wait. Are ye uncomfortable talking about this? Or what? Fuck, at least let me know, or something!”

“No, Kid, I-...”

A yell was heard from the crow's nest.

“There are ships right ahead! Three ships of the Beast Pirates! And... Ahh!? Is that... The flag of the Heart Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates!? Hey, captain! Ye shoulda take a look at this! Looks like there's a fight coming up!”

Kid's mouth opened in surprise. So, he tried to get away from them and now he came face to face with them. Oh no! What a terrible coincidence!

“I told ye,” Killer said smugly, as if he knew everything from the very beginning, such a damn smarass.

At this, Kid only let out a defeated growl and frowned at his desk. Still, he hates it when plans go wrong. Well... Not Killer's plans for sure. And when he himself thought of something and already won a hundred times. This is quite unpleasant, although he will still be the winner in the end, how else could it be?

The annoyed Kid only felt Killer place his hand on his cheek and only then realized that he pressed him to his lips and left just as quickly. Before he even had time to blink, Killer was already putting his helmet back on, at the end, deliberately showing off his lips, stained with red lipstick. That was enough.

“Let's go, captain!” And it was as if that sly grin had never been on his face, and this whole conversation was serious, as usual.

Kid stood in the cabin all red and shocked, but quickly changed surprise to joy. He even relaxed a little. Let the two little midges fight as they please. Maybe they’ll even distract the hordes of the Beasts Pirates and allow him to kill Kaidou normally. He will become the King of the Pirates. He and Killer will become the Kings of the Pirates.

With promising thoughts, he left the cabin.

“Head for the ships! I want to look at their faces!”

Chapter Text

Onigashima passed in a kind of haze, as Kid remembers. The key word is remembers. It seems there were a lot of moments that were lost in memory. If you count them, you might make a mistake. It would even be logical if half of what happened turned out to be only fragments of the dream in which he was now. All these fights with dragons, with talking boards, huge ridiculous heads, and talking animals... But almost half of this left real wounds. And they were hurting.

On the other hand, Kid didn't sleep at all. Just. Existed in the unconscious. His body, every part of it, hurt more severely than in previous times, although he had never been beaten with electricity in its solid incarnation. And it’s scary to think - solid electricity. If he could withstand one lightning strike, then this is a solid blow... No, he withstood it in the same way, however, on pure adrenaline and with the help of a concussion...

And now he just lay there motionless, letting relief fill his body. But even in the unconscious, no matter how strange it may sound, he remained conscious.

The war was still going on inside him. Trained by bitter experience, he could not let himself fall asleep, no matter how much he wanted to fall into a coma. If he falls asleep, he will die. Even surrounded by experienced doctors, he could not relax completely because a small voice in his head kept screaming at him not to fall asleep. And this voice sounded familiar.

And now he sees a half-dream and a half-memory. They were stuck on the pavement with Killer after Kid's base was burned down. It's almost unbelievable, so much of the useful junk that he studied with, the drawings that he collected and assembled his own first objects - and all of it burned down and ended up under a heap of garbage. Now this is.... The same mountain of garbage as everything else here. But the lighthouse will forever be stuck in Kid’s mind, just like the burn scar.

Kid has never felt so bad before. Despite where he lived, he was a very healthy child. Whether his father was a pirate or not is irrelevant. Whatever he was, he was a monster who gave birth to a monstrous little copy of himself.

But, as it turns out, little monsters can get sick, too. And even so much terribly. Although it was relatively cool, Kid was consumed by the heat. And the hotter it was, the more he froze. And the more he wrapped himself in rags, the more his body warmed up. It felt like he was burning alive. It was as if the fire from the lighthouse had somehow... Infected him. It was as if its flame had passed through him and was burning him from the inside. Is he faulty? Overheated? Is his internal system—the mechanisms that make his body move—overheating now? Then steam would come out of it, wouldn't it?

You could feel how different his temperature was from the norm with just one touch from Killer. His palms are cold, and not just because he himself is cold, fucking hot bastard, but because Kid was red-hot. His burn was burning, and every time he tried to roll over, he couldn't help but groan in pain, so it was better not to stay in one position at all.

But Killer was there, even when he began to suffer from hallucinations when all the pills that he had stolen for his captain were used. He didn’t abandon him, even when Kid was really bad. He just sat next to him, stroked his shoulder, and spoke quietly with caution, not taking his eyes off him.

"Don't fall asleep, Kid. Stay awake for now, okay?"

And Kid could boast that he knew how to stay awake for a long time. He was a master at this, so he did not sleep until the temperature finally dropped.

He didn’t fall asleep even when his arm was amputated, although he really wanted to just pass out. Everyone was running around him like crazy. He did not fall asleep exactly until the moment when they bandaged him and put a bottle of strong alcohol in his mouth, which finally deprived him of any feelings. And so he lay unconscious and thought that it would be better not to fall asleep. As a result, he woke up earlier than normal and scared everyone.

Now everything is the same. Only Killer doesn’t ask him not to fall asleep. He knows the rules himself. If he lets himself fall asleep, he will die.

He remained conscious until he was pushed on the shoulder and had to open his eyes. His body was bandaged in all places and Killer's body wasn't different from his in the number of wounds. His entire T-shirt was soaked in blood, as was his cracked mask and even his beard. It was like he was caught in a meat grinder, to be honest.

"Can you walk?" Killer asked without a single note of excitement in his voice.

Naturally. Why should he worry if they won? They won... Damn it, they won!

Kid chuckled ambiguously in response, but his partner understood everything without words. Killer at the same moment, threw his body over his shoulder and led him somewhere. Along the way, he started a conversation, receiving the same identical answers from the captain.

"The ship is still on Onigashima... Do you mind if we go there?"

"Mnh..."

“I wonder how's Hop doin' in the capital. She’s probably already rushin' towards us at full speed... Although she’s hobbling, otherwise ye wouldn’t let her go.”

"Mmmn...."

"Ye must be very tired. Ye haven't slept properly in Wano."

"Mmmm..."

"Don't worry, Kid. We're going to rest. We won."

"Hmm..."

The climb to Victoria was difficult. It was good that Kaidou’s power also grabbed their ship and practically didn't touch it (like the Straw Hats’ ship, fuck them), except for a couple of small holes and chaos. It looks like they'll be stuck here for a long time.

“Ye haven't eaten before the raid?” Killer cleared his throat, “I think... I think about soba. It’s like... Cool buckwheat noodles. The national dish of Wano. Ye can cook it with... Hm... Pork. When I saw it, I thought... "

Killer opened the door to the captain's cabin. It still smelled of oil, iron and sweat because some people don't like to take their ass off from work, even to air out the room. Carrying Kid to the bed, he finished his sentence.

"...that if we meet again, I will do it for ye"

Gently, Kid lay down on the pillow, and as soon as his body landed on the bed, he immediately felt imaginary stones suddenly fall off his shoulders. Every part of his body hurts. From what he was able to identify, there were broken ribs, cracks in the bones, torn muscles, a concussion, and just an incredible bunch of sores. And landing on the bed only intensified everything, which is why he had to exhale.

"Ouch..."

He should rest now and not get up for at least another month. But still, he lazily opened his eyes when he heard rustling noises near his desk. This is already a habit. It is instinctive to stop anyone from rearranging his tools. No, it's not a mess! Although he doesn’t know exactly where everything is laid out, he knows exactly where to look to find it. If everything is removed, he won't even know where to look first!

"Hey-..." He says before he can turn around, which is why he shuts up when he sees Killer without his helmet.

His beard is covered in blood, which has already clotted and stuck to his hair. It will be difficult to wash it off. And the helmet, which is now lying on the workshop table, will have to be repaired. Under the blood-soaked T-shirt, everything was covered in bandages. His whole body was in some state of damage. And only red lipstick remained untouched on his lips.

Killer sadly looks somewhere at the floor, and then at Kid. The corners of his lips, although now forever in a smiling state, naturally turned upward.

“Kid” He sighs contentedly, as if in sincere bliss from the sight of his captain or from what he was thinking about.

Previously, Killer was sitting on a chair, but now he stood up, holding his hand on the table. He pushed himself quite easily, but he made the entire way from his place to the bed, almost falling. From his fall on Kid, he was able to save himself by resting his palms on the bed. After moments of trying not to fall over, he finally lay down next to him, where he sighed tremblingly.

“Damn... We're resting on Victoria... I can't even believe it.” Kid mumbles first what was on their minds.

Killer just hums, thoughtfully stroking his captain's chest. There were a lot of things he wanted to voice, but the Kid Pirates' first mate had never been known for talking about his feelings. Kid could only guess what was on his mind. And this was more difficult for him than before, with a head injury. Well, he gave him a difficult task. Ah... Too lazy to think. By doing this, it only overloads the system. He just wants to go to sleep.

“Killer...” He calls and hears an attentive hum, “D'ye want to say something?”

At first, the answer was silence. Killer closes his eyes contentedly.

"Ye want me to say something cheezy?" The next thing he said with an undisguised laugh was, “Like those cute couples on the islands?”

“Well, no,” Kid sighed, closing his eyes.

The events of this evening, no, this entire month, flashed at an insane speed in his head, and eventually disappeared from his mind with just one fact.

"Killer...." He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, "I defeated the Yonko."

The last time he openly opposed the Yonko, he didn't even get to see him. The feelings of humiliation, pain, and confusion at this moment surfaced in his head. Millions of “What if...” and “How so?” questions. But now they have only added some kind of incompleteness to this moment. Not even relief, but what is coming next. That's it. They are no longer in the South Blue, they are no longer on the Grand Line, and even the New World seems to be left behind. Now only the strongest can be their enemies, and Kid... Kid is scared, but at the same time excited.

Now nothing is clear ahead. Even his victory is now in doubt. And isn't this the best feeling in the world? Kid hasn’t felt such jitters for a long time when his body involuntarily begins to shake. He is... So fucking close to One Piece!

“I know,” Killer assured, “I had no doubt.”

And Kid closed his eyes with a wide smile, as if he was waiting for these exact words from his partner for complete satisfaction. But his words made Killer remember something. Something that even Kid forgot about because... Both of them did not believe in the weight of these words.

"Last time I doubted ye, fa-fa-fa~!" Loud laughter filled his ears, making Kid irritated.

“Do ye think I'd believe that show ye put on in Gomi?” He asked and honestly waited for an answer, but it still didn’t come.

Killer thought and collected his thoughts, and eventually whispered sadly.

"But for a moment ye believed. I KNOW ye believed me." He suppressed a chuckle, "It would be surprising if that didn't happen."

“I told ye time after time that I don’t believe it,” Kid insisted, and Killer didn’t back down either.

“Ye refused to believe. But I don't believe that the thought didn't appear in yer head for a single moment.”

Kid sighed heavily at this argument because they both knew what happened there and they both had already talked about it. And he doesn’t want to say that he openly chickened out. That he was so head over heels in love with Killer that in the end he was afraid of losing him...

“Oh, in the name of all the fucking seas and bloody oceans... Killer, I know ye. Ye wouldn’t just decide to quit at the first difficulty, and I just knew that ye couldn’t stop believing in me so easily!”

He remembers his breakdown. How he, like a capricious child who didn't get what he wanted, just lay in the dirt and whined. It wasn't his best moment. A moment much more shameful than the battle with Beckman than this whole story with Kaidou. It was all simple....

“If I really believed it, ye would know it... Ye understand this better than I do. Ye would understand how much the truth would hurt me, so I...” He got scared, scared to accept it, because there is nothing worse for Kid than Killer’s lack of faith, “Fuck, my body hurts...”

And even now he is afraid of something, and it is no longer that jitter but a damn weakness. It will be easier to just change the subject and not talk about it.

“Just rest,” Killer stroked his neck, “When we wake up, I’ll make ye a huge lunch.”

“Yeah.... lunch wouldn't be bad...” Kid exhaled tiredly, “Y'know, I liked that spaghetti ye cooked for Emma's birthday.... Which had shrimp and cream sauce... I guess, I'd like to eat another plate...... And soba too.... It's hard to decide.... I would just like to eat yer food..... And more..... In general... .. All types of pasta in large portions..... I want to over-...yaaawn...-eat....."

There was no longer enough strength to speak. It seemed that with every word the yawn came closer to his mouth, until Kid made a surprisingly quiet sound for himself, inhaling deeply. Now, along with thoughts about the upcoming victorious feast, his head was filled with routine. The rudder will need to be fixed, and they now have electrical problems that will need to be checked as well. Oh, how many things he have to work on now.

"....so cool...." Kid sighed, anticipating his favorite job, before finally settling down to sleep.

Killer settled himself more comfortably between the arm and body of his captain. Finally, a bed that can accommodate them. His hand drew some patterns on the body, studied it, although he was unsure if it was allowed to. But since Kid doesn’t say anything, that means he doesn’t mind, right? He’s not the one who will bite his tongue if he doesn’t like something. Not like Killer. But okay. He's not that quiet.

"I never stopped believing that ye would become the Pirate King. And I never doubted yer powers... Except maybe my own, fa-fa~... I would give my life for ye without hesitation, and if ye didn’t want to see me anymore, I wouldn’t appear in front of yer eyes. But if ye want me to continue walking next to ye, to remain yer partner... If ye say that I am strong and cool, then... So it is. I am strong. Strong and beautiful. And I definitely don’t laugh, as if a hyena was choking on a bone..."

“That last part is a complete bummer,” Kid muttered, listening to the embarrassed sound Killer made, “And yes, yer laugh reminds me of udon. Not Udon, but that same curry udon. That we ate together. And how ye liked it and how I liked what ye liked. And how we had lunch together after that. And all the subsequent lunches. And... Fuck... I don't know... I just feel warm when I hear ye laugh. "

"And that doesn't scare ye?"

"Ye're not scary to me"

"Then am I handsome?" Killer asked such an unusual question for him with a smile.

Killer hates his face and considers himself ugly. But, what can he say, he stopped listening to his opinion a long time ago. Kid is enough for him, and it seems... He just thinks that his world is much better when he is with his captain.

"Handsome" Kid pressed himself to the top of his head with a smile, and Killer repeated the gesture.

And still, this word did something to him. All the regrets and guilt simply disappeared. He's not Hitokiri Kamazo, and he's not a junkyard kid, he's Killer, and for the first time, he's enjoying being himself. So strong and important to someone. And Killer would like to repeat his confessions even until his death....

“Kid, I...” But Kid was already sleeping like the dead.

Or maybe they don’t need a bunch of declarations of love. As a result, Kid will continue to shower Killer with countless gifts and not leave his side, and Killer will continue to take care of him, cook for him, and put him to bed when Kid is especially capricious. This is their way of explaining themselves to each other. Their declaration of love.

This month has been a nightmare. He left everyone with a baggage of trauma, both physical and mental. The last seven days have been a complete rollercoaster. But in the end, they sleep together in the same bed after a crushing victory over the Yonko. And Killer will never stop thinking that this whole month was worth it.