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A03 - Blog Posts
*Sees A03 back up after off-and-on downtimes*
*Smashes "download" as quickly as possible on 4 different fics*
hey, so. if the fic is tagged with “dead dove: do not eat” don’t read it! you think after my 10 years on the internet i’d know that…….
I think we can all agree that when the Hwang In-Ho | Frontman x Seong Gi-hun fics hit 1,000 on AO3, it is officially time to throw a party.
This is important!!! If anyone has had their works stolen by this person they deserve to know. If you can tag anyone about this please do, this is unacceptable behaviour.
To all One Piece AO3 writers!! There is a Wattpad account with DOZENS of stolen stories. I've already reported them for stealing mine (Loving Luffy and Secondary Emotions). I've reached out to the authors of stories I recognized but there were a lot I didn't recognize! If you are a writer on AO3 that does MiShanks, Dofuwani, Rouge centric, Luffy centric, or Dadodile you should look for your fic in here and report it as well!!
PLEASE REPOST THIS SO IT CAN REACH MORE AUTHORS SO THEY CAN KNOW IF THEY ARE BEING STOLEN FROM!
Based off AO3 fic De spatio inter astra by @thicctails on chapter 6
With @mikiusol Miko predacon design
Words cant express how much I don't wanna go to work tonight for my second shift today but yunno,money or whatever. Anyway,I have a lose idea for the next chapter of folie. Hope everyone's weekend is well!
Does anyone else think it's kinda weird how some people are apparently allergic to two dicks being in close proximity to each other while writing fanfic so thay whenever they write about a gay couple they have to make one of them FTM without bottom surgery and make them sub all the time? Like it's always the sub who has to be FTM but still have vagina and it's only brought up during sex scenes. Im not policing how people white gay fanfic and obviously it's fanFIC and I'm not policing the amount of dicks a gay couple should have and gender doesn't equal genitals, I know all this. But in my personal non trans person opinion, isn't bringing up the fact that someone is FTM so that they have a vagina only in relation to sexual activities kinda weird? I don't think it counts as transphobia or homophobia but it's obvious something. I don't know, anyone have any thoughts?
Hello everyone,
AO3 has a donation going on right now. Give as much as you can in this economy to support that beautiful platform.
Give 10 or so. If you can, try to cover the additional fees, so they can get the donation directly.
Thanks!
When you go through and like mutiple Fandoms posts a day and the algorithm gets confused on what you want to see.
My For You Page:
**EDIT: This can pertain to multiple social media websites😅🤣**
Fanfic Bookclubs and sharing comments
I've seen a few posts about how fics are being read in private discords and the author never even knows (no comments, no kudos, nothing).
I wanted to share about the fanfic bookclub that I'm a part of because I think it is run really well. It's super fun, and we do share with the author, and I feel like it creates a lot of positivity in the community.
What we do:
Our Discord has a Bookclub channel with a link to a Google Form document where any discord member can submit links to fics. In our case, since our server is dedicated to a specific ship, we have a rule that the fic must be about that ship, and also that the fic must be complete.
A random number generator helps pick the next fic. A meeting’s chosen fics may include: 1) a size-able one shot, 2) multiple short fics, 3) a few chapters of a longer fic, with subsequent meetings on subsequent chapters, or 4) a few chapters of a longer fic plus a very short fic. There is a little juggling required based on fic lengths to figure out how many to fit in a week, but our thoughtful mod only bases it on fic length, not on submitter, title, author, or tags.
We read fics of all different ratings, but we understand that some members have tags/tropes they don't like. Members simply choose to attend or not attend based on the tags and based on their availability. Easy peasy.
We meet once a week. Timezone can be a problem, and definitely it is not a time that will be accessible for everyone. We initially tried to have two meetings to accommodate all timezones, but did not have enough attendance. But like with all global things, we just do our best.
The conversation focuses on the positive. Things we loved, things we thought were clever or funny or such delicious angst. There may be general conversation about how frequently we see this headcanon in fics (and that's a fun thing), etc. There may be some questions like "I found this confusing...what did this mean?" but there is no critique.
(The conversations often include some readers pointing out themes or easter eggs or some interesting details that others may have missed…truly, it is so fun)
One person volunteers to take notes the old-fashioned-way..typing! Not via AI or any other recording. The notes do not show who said what, so that people can feel comfortable speaking.
Sometimes the author joins if they are able to, which is super fun! If the author is not a member of the discord, we may invite them, especially if anyone knows them, but we don't actively reach out because we don't want the author to feel overly pressured. But we are always extra excited to have an author join.
Since we intend to share our discussion with the author, we keep all the notes positive and focused on the fic. We do not put anything that came up in conversation that is not relevant (like if we talk about other fics or HCs outside the fic).
The notes are posted into the author's comment box in ao3.
We all know about the DDOS attacks on AO3 as it is still down. So it is very important we talk about the KOSA(Kids Online Safety Act) that is going to hit the floor soon. Because if that act goes through this could very much be the new reality of not only AO3 but online fandom spaces within the next year. The point of this act is to limit queer media and to eliminate online queer spaces.
Let me stress, the politicians are lying to you. Democrats and Republicans are lobbying for this. It is not pro trans rights and it is not pro lgbtq rights. This is very reminiscent of the Restrict Act! Politicians can SUE websites for having QEEER CONTENT. This act will not protect kids, it will further separate and marginalize the queer community!
If this bill goes through AO3, Wattpad, TikTok, Tumblr, and Twitter will be limited and fanfiction websites could be wiped out all together. If you are apart of fandom spaces pay attention and ACT! Call and email your senators! AND SIGN THE BELOW PETITIONS!
Reblog this! Send the links to people who aren’t on Tumblr! If you care about fandom, fandom spaces, your ships, your blorbos, fanfiction writers’ works, freedom to create, etc. Spread this!
Hey girl, um, we were trying to review your fanfic on Ao3 and um. yeah, it crashed, so um, your boyfriend's nightly routine is off course. yeah sorry.
Chapters: 3/7
AKA: 8 days to Rally [Redux]
Only one things changes. It shouldn't mean much, in the grand scale of things. One chromosome shifted. The story remains the same, the players unchanging in their roles. In every incarnation, Killer is Kidd's partner, and nothing will change that.
The story was already written. Their plight always set to follow this path. Nothing changes. Except...
Chapter 3 under cut on on A03
Her time spent as Kamazo had been well spent, Kidd came to find out. When Killer was allowed freedom from her handlers to go assassinate whoever Orochi was cross with at any given the time, she took as long as she could possibly get away with, scouting and mapping out every part of Wano she could. The two of them slipped away from the Punk in the quiet morning, Killer moving through the scattering of towns and countryside like the shadow of death itself, Kidd following her lead just like the old days. They moved through Wano without so much as a second glance from the locals, even as Killer took them dangerously close to the center of one of the town centers.
She lifted food from a stall so smoothly, Kidd himself almost missed it, even as she passed the pilfered meal back to him. By the time they slipped back into the shadows, she'd snagged him a second round and was awkwardly shoving rice into her own mouth as they walked.
It wasn't just the food, Killer knew where everyone of their crew was - had even known where even he was - in her time as Orochi's puppet, and had spent what sanity she'd had left pulling strings and trading favours to get their crew moved around and taken care of.
The indiscriminate killing had never been the hard part; Killer would do it all over again for her crew without batting an eye. On the surface, it wasn't even the favours she'd done that bothered her, although they'd shaken her more than she'd admit. No, it was that her ability to compartmentalize and cope had been completely screwed once she'd eaten that fruit, and with how lost she'd been when Kidd had first found her, he knew the lucidly she had now was held in place by the barest of tethers.
But she was holding it a death grip, only the softest of chuckles escaping when she waved her free hand to the first of many work camps they would visit, just as desolate and gloomy as Udon had been. Kidd waited for her to compose herself before pulling his own hand from her, feeling out the fencing and weapons and piping that made up the compound, mapping the camp out in his head.
Killer had taken Kidd to Wire first; their tallest commander spotting them before the guards did, and immediately turning on his captors. It seemed what Orochi had forgotten was the Kidd Pirates were only placid because they believed he held their Captain's life in his hands. The sight of Kidd walking free meant all bets were off, shackles were thrown down, and Kidd walked out of there with not just some of his crew but a good number of forced-laborer locals there to help.
He was... not sure how to take that turn.
Wire got them weapons, and freeing Heat was next.
While Wire had been quick, efficient and clean in his killings, Heat took one look at his crew come to free him, and turned on Kaido's men with all the fury he'd been forcing down since they'd been subdued on their own turf. He'd been the last of the four standing against Kaido, and Apoo, the one to watch Hawkins take a knee as he himself was beaten down.
Wire had fallen first, taken out by Kaido before they'd understood they were under attack. Killer had been next, that bastard Apoo having moved like he'd watch her back, to uphold an alliance they'd just sworn to, only to step aside to let her take Kaido's club full force to the head. Heat had been frozen in place, uncomprehending as her helmet cracked and splintered in a single blow. Kidd had fallen next, blindsided by rage, even his fury no match for an emperor. Hawkins had knelt then, surrendered. Heat felt all eyes to him, both his enemies and crew alike, and had answered the only way he'd known how; he'd spit a fireball at the monster, and then knew no more.
Since waking up, he'd been with a few surviving crew mates, forced to work. He didn't know if Wire or Killer had survived, only being told Kidd lived. And would only continue to live only so long as they didn't cause Kaido's people any trouble. So against every fiber of his being, Heat had kept his mouth shut and head down. He'd tolerated their abuse, horded supplies and weapons, and waited. and waited. and waited.
And then a wild man stood at the gates, dressed only in boots and kilt and the red of fresh spilt blood. Heat did not freeze up this time. He was not even sorry to have left so few for his captain to get to fight.
Seeing Wire dressed in the same drab prison garb as himself was disheartening, but the blood splatter on them both livened it up pretty well. Heat then broke one of the biggest rules the crew had, and pulled Killer into a hug without warning. He'd not seen her face when her mask had broken, but the fact she was still bare broke his heart, and the only way to keep from staring was to put her out of his line of sight.
She gave an uncomfortable giggle, a sound so strange to him he didn't place it as her making the noise at first, as he cupped the back of her head in his hand. Solid bone, whole and unbroken, unlike his nightmares. Frighteningly more, was she allowed the embrace at all, only Kidd ever granted the privilege of being tactile because of the long history between the two. Her own hands warm against his back as she tucked in under his chin, returning the gesture.
In his panic, Heat looked to Kidd, demanding answers to what their vice-captain had been forced to endure. Kidd's face was carefully blank; Wire's pinching as he drew his own conclusions.
Kaido's men here had died too fast; Heat would be sure to make it last longer at the next camp, grinding his jaw as he rested his head against Killer's for a brief moment longer before pulling away. He kept his gaze lowered, frowning as he took in her getup.
"Boss Killer, you really do not have to indulge Captain's atrocious taste in patterns, you know." Although, she at least wore the shirt better than he did, even if it was poorly fitted for different reasons.
"You know a place I can get a good pair of jeans?" she asked dryly.
"All leather here I'm afraid. But," he nudged the wooden sandals she was balancing on, "that does include shoes. Lets find you something better?"
As the prisoners raided the supplies, trading out ragged linen for furs and leathers, and even if it wasn't quite their style, Heat and Wire made it work for them. Killer also got boots, but - with Kidd's blessing and don't think Heat didn't catch that look he gave her - stayed with the clothes she had. Kidd also passed on clothes, and admittedly, he looked fearsome enough as is, so it worked for him too.
"I do have one last thing," Heat admitted, as they made ready to leave to march on to the next camp. Some of the locals would go with them, but most had gone their own way already. As long as it caused chaos and a headache for what passed as authority on this island, Kidd didn't care either way.
Heat's camp had been mostly responsible for metal work, and that was both the ore being mined on the island, and the melting down the scrap from other projects. Or other ships.
He and the few crew mates that had been assigned here and been slowly salvaging little bits that they knew had been taken from the Punk. Enough for Kidd to build a respectable new prosthetic. For Wire to have a trident that would work for his taller frame. Older punishers that had been retired; not because they were broken but because Kidd and Killer had perfected a new design. Still perfectly functional, and between Kidd, the weapons on hand, and the camp's tools, new blades had been procured and affixed easily. The strange new smile that never seemed to waver on Killer's face seemed genuine the first time as the machine spun to life in her hand.
"Don't say thank you yet," Moai grinned, before hoisting up a wooden crate that had clearly been buried in the ground until recently.
Most of the crew had never heard Killer laugh before, something she'd stopped doing a world ago, long before they'd given up trying to kill each other instead of turning their ire to bigger targets. So it took them by surprise to hear her burst into both tears and cachinnations. Kidd's look to them was a clear and present warning not to react, as he took the helmet from the open crate in Moai's arms, who worriedly looked at him to make sure he'd not done something wrong.
Kidd loosened the latches on the spare helmet, before holding it up for Killer. Heat could see in his eyes he was furious about the situation, but was doing an admirable job in acting like nothing was amiss. Killer lowered her head to let him put it on, the Captain pausing only to ask, "Bangs?"
"Don't care right now," she laughed back, little mirth in her voice despite all. And despite the laughter and tears, the moment the metal was carefully latched back into place, her whole body eased just a bit, relaxing enough for all to see just how tense she'd been up to that point.
All told, they hit eight different labor camps that night, before all that was left was the most delicate extraction: getting the last members of their ranks from the pleasure district.
The locals show them where to sail to keep the Victoria Punk out of Kaido and Orochi's prying eyes. They told Captain Kidd to give them a few days before they can get the ship refitted with more of the day to day necessitates.
What they can do now is give them a ships worth of fishing nets and someone even finds her main sail, enough to maneuver her to safety. Temporary main top-gallant and Mizzen-mast have also been secured. The promise of food and hopefully enough pieces for Kidd to rebuild the water filter to come with the night's sun set.
For the time being, the crew are camped out in the lower deck, reworking the nets into new hammocks. Attacking the labour camps would take some time for word to get back to Kaido and his men. A similar approach on the pleasure houses would not work, would get all eyes on them before they were ready for such a confrontation. The plan was for them to sneak into the Flower Capitol to get the last of their people, but they can't do it running on fumes like they are. They will rest the daylight hours away, and start out at dusk.
Those of them that have been sailing with Kidd since the start know their way around mending nets; Killer practically lived on the docks before her and Kidd starting running together, and twenty years hadn't lost the muscle memory of knots and weaving as she worked.
She was second only to Wire - a man who's fibrecraft skills had kept them clothed and stylish for the last decade. The two are working back to back at the moment, deft hands having already finished four hammocks apiece.
When suddenly Wire froze, looking around the room in a panic.
Kidd noticed immediately and started looking around to see what the man had spotted, only for Heat to let out an soft, "oh...."
Kidd looked between the two in confusion, before Heat motioned him over. Killer had drifted off at some point, hand in mid knot, slumping back against Wire. Now the taller man was the only thing keeping her upright, her breath soft and steady from under the helmet.
Some of the other crew had taken notice, chatting dying off and movement easing until the room was comfortably quiet. Jaggar took one of the finished hammocks and strung it up in Dive's usual place; top placement, in the middle of everything, yet out of everyone's way. Safest place in the room. Heat took one of the few blankets they had and lined the netting with in, knowing first hand the nightmare the coarse rope would do to one's hair.
Kidd lifted Killer up, the new prosthetic he'd assembled since they got back to the Punk taking her weight with ease. Disk J helped hold her hair out of the way when he settled her down, making sure it didn't pull or tangle, setting in the safety of the blanket Heat had put down, before going back to his own work.
"Is it safe for her to sleep in the helmet?" Compo worried, looking over but carefully keeping their line of sight under the hammock level. Kidd did not like that they had a point, looking down at his partner.
"Nobody's gonna go peeping." Gig assured him, "We wouldn't think of disrespecting Boss Killer like that."
Each turned back to their own work, giving Captain and First Mate their privacy, even in the middle of the room. Didn't judge either as Kidd fussed over the netting and the blankets before removing the metal shielding. Kidd tucked her helmet in her arms, frowning as his right hand brushed her forehead when he smoothed down her bangs. She was warmer than he'd like, and he pulled the edge of his shirt down to check her bandages. He needed to get her stitched up properly still, the skin red and splotchy where he could see. They didn't have clean supplies to rewrap her; if infection was setting in then they were in trouble.
Chapters: 1/28 Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Characters: Eustass Kidd Additional Tags: Time Travel, deals with the death of parents, Parental Abuse/Neglect, Age Regression/De-Aging Summary:
He's not sure why it feels like he's still asleep, even long after he's woken up, tiny child body curled up under smelly blankets in a dingy back alley. He wonders where Killer wandered off to this early, his friend's body heat sorely missed in the dreary summer rain of Kutzk. The air is wet and cold and he reaches up to pull the blanket higher, water beading and rolling down the wool as he huddles under it. It keeps trying to slip off his left shoulder, the stub of his arm aching, partially the phantom pain that regularly haunts him, and then something deeper driven by the bleak weather.
Things are not what they seem when Kidd wakes up in the wrong place, the wrong time.
wip title. i'll think of something eventually
Gunpowder, Gelatin; Dynamite with a Laser Beam
Chapters: 2 Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga) Rating: Mature
Eustass "Captain" Kidd / "Massacre Soldier" Killer
Mob / Hitokiri Kamazo (aftermath of)
AKA: 8 days to Rally [Redux]
Summary:
Only one things changes. It shouldn't mean much, in the grand scale of things. One chromosome shifted. The story remains the same, the players unchanging in their roles. In every incarnation, Killer is Kidd's partner, and nothing will change that.
The story was already written. Their plight always set to follow this path. Nothing changes. Except...
There was no running water right now; Kidd making a promise to Killer for the world's most luxurious bath once this is all over, running the fingers of his right hand through her hair in attempt to brush it out. He was probably only making it worse, but they both needed this, this grounding soothing action. She made no attempt to stop him, still resting against his chest, her own hand warm over his heart, red nails tracing faint patterns against his skin. Soft touches were rare for the both of them these last weeks. Depending on how the night goes, it might be the last they get for a while. The light creaking of the ship in the harbor's gentle waters sooth away the early daylight hours, their infiltration having gone unnoticed despite the messes left in the galley. Messes they will be returning to shortly, mussed Kidd as he shifted, glancing at the soft dark red smear left on his own skin where blood has started to stain through the bandages across Killer's breast. She's still dozing against him, neither awake or asleep, and he's loathed to disturb her, but... He sat up, not so much a kiss, but a firm press of lips to the top of her head as he does. She gave him an irritated little warble and tried to bury her face in his collar, hunching so the fur coat hid more of her face.
warnings under cut
Warnings: Depictions Of Violence Rape/Non-Con (aftermath)
Additional Tags:
always a woman!"Massacre Soldier" Killer
Wano Arc (One Piece)
Killer injured from the fight with Zoro
author subscribes to fancanon:, Kamazo was an oiran for Orochi when he wasn't being used as an assassin based on his obi
discussions of previous injuries
very hurt!Killer
wearing each other's clothes
SMILE Fruit
Post Udon Prison
Rape Aftermath Implied/Referenced Underage Sex (later chapters) Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution (later chapters)
Dead Dove: Do Not Eat
warnings expanded upon in notes in the story start notes ->click on them to expand for more details
20 questions for fic writers
@master-of-the-sorrowful-order, who has become one of my favorite people to brainstorm ideas with, thought it would be cool to have me fill out this questionnaire, and i agreed =^.^=
1) how many works do you have on ao3?
I have 34 works under Mekachu04, 4 works under my old nom-de-plume, and at least 5 orphaned works flouting around in old fandoms
2) what's your total ao3 word count?
of the 38 will linked to me: 142,059
3) what are your top five fics by kudos?
173rd Airborne Brigade (The Umbrella Academy)
Just our hands clasped so tight, waiting for the hint of a spark (Good Omens)
I'll think of you every step of the way (Good Omens)
Whenever this world is cruel to me (Good Omens)
Southbound Hearts (One Piece)
4) what fandoms do you write for?
These days it pretty strictly One Piece, for the Kidd/Killer duo
5) do you respond to comments? why or why not?
I didn't used to because i'd just get overwhelmed (in a good way!) and didn't know what to say. I've done a lot better in the last year or so, even if sometimes it takes me a few months to collect my thoughts. i think i'm just more confident shouting into the void, and when the void answer back, i no longer know what to say, ya know?
6) what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
XD ... uh... that tends to be the genre i enjoy writing the most. as far as endings... toss up from a VERY old one from 2007 archived under my former name, or Cephalophore. (Pluton & Last Emperor Blackbeard are also very close) (all from One Piece)
7) what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
Living without, Living without, Living without you or Just our hands clasped so tight, waiting for the hint of a spark, both from good omens
8) do you get hate on fics?
not as much on the fic themselves, but offsite i get shit for the concepts i like to write for. just block and move on with my day
9) do you write smut?
poorly. i dabble in it, but i have a love/hate relationship with it. i like writing the emotions and thoughts that go along with such intimacy but i dun really know how to write the act itself
10) do you write crossovers?
I'm not opposed to crossovers, but the only true crossover i ever wrote never got shared because i got stuck in the middle and it lies languishing in my wip folder I much prefer fusions/ AU where one series is inserted into the world of another, but with little to no interaction with the cast of that series.
11) have you ever had a fic stolen?
if so, i dun know about it. Having said that, I have had *ideas* stolen. In a previous fandom, i had a BNF steal one of my AU concepts wholesale and they couldn't even be bothered to leave a kudos on the work they stole it from. (they even admitted it, though they did not know i was the original author. i had reached out to them on twitter (which did not have my fandom name) because i had thought it was so cool that we both had the same idea. i had shared my story with them (not stating it was mine, just *a* story with a similar idea) and they flat out said that's where they got the idea. The fact they did that, but couldn't even be bothered to leave a kudos or comment still hurts, not gonna lie. (at the time, the fic was several months old and had zero comments and only like 8 kudos)
12) have you ever had a fic translated?
!!Yes! its a very recent thing, and it's been super exciting! Not just on the fic exchange side, but getting to chat cultural differences
13) have you ever cowritten a fic before?
Not so much, but my dear friend above has been great a helping me work out of plot pits I've dug myself into and also going back and reworking stories that certainly needed more context for the reader. We spend a lot of time bouncing ideas off each other and i know soon i'm going to stop using the no beta we sink like the punk tag and that neat!!
14) what's your all time favorite ship?
Currently, Punk Aibou aka KiKi aka KidKil aka Eustass Kidd x Killer. the problem with "all time favourite", is its always going to be the current one, even if they are in a rotation. Ineffable Husbands is sitting right there, along with oldies like Starsky and Hutch.
15) what's the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?
* Side eyes the pile * i got so..... many.... I think, heartbreakingly, it's Southbound Hearts. I have an outline, i have a three part plan... but i fear i bit off far more than i can chew with that one, and I'm really struggling to get characters to sound right.
16) what are your writing strengths?
hmmm... i feel like i'm doing stuff no one else is. maybe it's just cause my little corner of fandom is a little isolated these days, but i feel a lot of what i write is *becuase* it doesn't exist yet, at least on a03.
17) what are your writing weaknesses?
finishing a story
18) thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?
it's a tread carefully thing. i feel it has its place - like you see in movies - but authors really need to look at *why* is this in another language? I try to keep it for more when characters are making a point to exclude someone from a conversation, but a clever reader might be able to read between the lines, or someone who knows the language gets an extra little part written just for them, like they're in on the secret. Or if the whole purpose of a piece is focusing on communication. i have one story where some guys are just screaming at each other in other languages as a form of dick waving, only to find out that the guy who speaks more languages is technically illiterate, and the story ends up being about cultural genocide im pretty cool with loan words getting sprinkled in; i know some readers get annoyed by it, and it has absolutely been done terrible more often that not, but that's never bothered me
19) first fandom you wrote for?
oh.... its been soo so long... probably G-Force. not Gatchaman or Battle of the Planets, but this adaptation specifically. XD that has all LONG been lost to time. I think the first fanfic i *shared* for was the animated mighty duck series back on a Disney message board. pre ff.net
20) favourite fic you've ever written?
i have no earthly idea. i did LOVE writing KiKi'tober [2024] and while it's not the most polished thing i've done, it was the most memorable to write
Gunpowder, Gelatin; Dynamite with a Laser Beam
Chapters: 1/6 Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga) Rating: Mature Eustass "Captain" Kidd / "Massacre Soldier" Killer Mob / Hitokiri Kamazo (aftermath of)
AKA: 8 days to Rally [Redux]
Summary:
Only one things changes. It shouldn't mean much, in the grand scale of things. One chromosome shifted. The story remains the same, the players unchanging in their roles. In every incarnation, Killer is Kidd's partner, and nothing will change that.
The story was already written. Their plight always set to follow this path. Nothing changes. Except...
It's home... or the husk of home at least.
Their personal effects have been stripped out, the machinery and appliances gone. Nothing but bare wood and cabinetry.
They'd gone to find clothes for Killer first, only to find nothing at all. Her quarter's were completely bare. Her clothes, her masks, her knives. The mattress, the drapes from over the windows, the bottles of lotions and conditioners she hoarded in the privacy of her own room. Her drum kit, her music dials, her cook books, her collection of miniature little butterflies and wolverines - started by a tiny Kidd almost two decades ago.
Everything. All gone.
warnings under cut
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Rape/Non-Con (aftermath) Additional Tags:
always a woman!"Massacre Soldier" Killer
Wano Arc (One Piece)
Killer injured from the fight with Zoro
author subscribes to fancanon:, Kamazo was an oiran for Orochi when he wasn't being used as an assassin based on his obi
discussions of previous injuries
very hurt!Killer
wearing each other's clothes
SMILE Fruit
Post Udon Prison
Rape Aftermath Implied/Referenced Underage Sex (later chapters) Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution (later chapters
Dead Dove: Do Not Eat
warnings expanded upon in notes in the story start notes ->click on them to expand for more details
Fandom: One Piece (Anime & Manga) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Bartholomew Kuma (Briefly), Bartholomew Ginny (Briefly), Killer (One Piece) Additional Tags: Bartholomew Ginny lives and they get to be a happy family in the background, Victoria Lives but she moved away already, Vaguely Highschool AU, Alternative Universe - No Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit, USA Western Rural 90's AU, Victoria Punk is a Datsun 620 - aka 4 hooker lil'Hustler, Aged Down Character(s), Aged Down!Kidd, Aged Down!Killer, Aged Down!Wire, Aged Down!Heat, the four Emperors are basically Cattle barons, Kuma is a pastor and even the punks like him, Underage Driving, Child Abuse, Child Neglect Series: Part 3 of Reposed Rebellions
Summary:
Reposed Rebellions is a 90's Rural/Western AU staring high schooler Kamazo "Killer" Bujin, the few bright lights of community that care about him, and his best friend Kidd "Captain" Eustass
The B Side will be Killer's story from age 15-22 as he deals with being left behind by his friends, trying to be more than his family, and with the fact that growing up rural and queer is minefield of its own.
The B Side is thematically about rest, finding a place to feel safe
tags will be added as the story goes on. This is an 18+ story, a much more somber look a the events of the A side. There will be a lot more focus on the situation Killer grew up in, dealing with child abuse, neglect, and then a slew of poorly thought out choices as he navigates teenagerdom and young adulthood.
Read on A03 or under the Read More..
Kidd & Killer (and Heat & Wire) in SPACE!
Notes:
Wrote over the summer, i just really wanted some claustrophobic space stuff. Not sure how to expand it into anything larger, but the sandbox is open if anyone else wants to play
"Wire to KiKi?"
The radio called out a third time, only dead air in response back.
Stationed outside of the asteroid field, the Victoria Zeta drifted. She was on a skeleton crew for this run - the task retrieving lost cargo instead of their usual mining operations.
As the oldest of the four, Wire & Heat remained behind as their captain and his vice had gone to man the grappler. Wire was more than comfortable piloting V.Zeta when needed, even if he and Heat were technically maintenance crew. Captain was also navigator in times of trouble, able to recalculate paths as fast if not faster than the computer - a skill leading itself beautifully to the shifting fields of debris and stone. Killer was their first mate and lead pilot, but he excelled in the smaller craft the way few physically could, both with the fast chaotic spins she was known for and the small spaces he found more home than claustrophobic.
Right now, Kidd and Killer were out on their own in the smallest of their Victoria collective - the Victoria Punk - a small grappler pod more storage then crew space. There was a second more battle ready grappler - the Victoria Gibson - for outright dog fights. Both were designed for a crew of two, but Kidd was capable of soloing the Gibson as a tank if Killer needed to stay with the Punk to fly quick maneuvers - running distractions rather than outright fighting. The Punk was small but fast - and Kidd had taken advantage of Killer's smaller form to refit the ship to give himself more maneuverability in the arms.
<><>
"Wi.... Ki"
Lost among the screaming alarms was the tiny voice of the comm as Killer took to desperate measures to escape his tail. He'd been behind Kidd in the swivel trying to adjust a loose connection when the attack had thrust them off the face of the asteroid they'd been docked at - free spiraling into space; and he'd only not been thrown against the control panel by Kidd's quick response and holding in him place as they were knocked loose.
He'd slid into the cocoon of the pilot controls of the Punk and was trying to fly and battle alarms simultaneously when Kidd removed his helmet and pulled himself from the gun seat to hang off the shoulder of Killer's station.
"Just fly" he'd ordered - before all the sound fell away when Kidd's headset settled over Killer's ears. Kidd had disconnected the input, leaving Killer to the silence of space and dealt with the plethora of system warnings himself.
Killer knew the Punk by vibrations alone and instinctively continued and adjusted as his displays went in and out. Kidd- the only one who might know the Punk better than Killer - began triage on his ship.
"WiHe to - "
"Zeta - this is Punk. Head's up. We're being ambushed!"
Wire's voice paused. "You need Heat in Gibson?"
"Negative - just stay alert and be ready to grab us when we get to you. We don't have time for a dock at this point."
"Copy Captain"
<><>
Kidd eyed the next set of alarms worried. Killer was doing well in avoiding further damage but the Punk was starting to strain under his hair pin flying.
Killer was also without his helmet - the blue striped plating audibly clattering around the guts of Punk's arms right now.
Executive decision made - Kidd detached his left arm from the Punk's system, and tucked himself in fully behind Killer's station.
"Kidd?" Killer spared him a glace before unclipping the shoulder of his harness. He handed the right shoulder back blindly, trusting Kidd would take it.
"Wrap it behind you and I'll clip you in at the hip." It was an awkward moment of contorting, Kidd twisting himself full circle in the tiny cavity and handing the clip back on Killer's left. There was no room left for Kidd to try and twist to get the left shoulder in as Killer replaced the strap with the one now behind Kidd - the left strap retracting uselessly into the seat.
Kidd patted his partner's shoulder reassuringly, before hitting the seal between the pilot and gunner pods. Maybe before the modifications, this could have been comfortable, but those days where long past them. Really, Kidd was fine just as long as he didn't inhale too deep. He was still too tall for the area, knees bent to each side awkwardly, but when the inevitable leak happened, they would be on the same side of the door no matter the outcome.
And then it came - an explosive shudder as the hull of the Punk was breached and they were set spinning once again. Kidd wrapped an arm over Killer's torso to hold him when the tumbling sent them ass over heels and Killer left only restrained by the hip belt.
Kidd felt his vision hazing as Killer focused on missing the rocks over steadying the spin and he braved one moment to pat Kidd's arm reassuringly before every light in the cocoon turned red and every siren cut off all in one go.
There was an explosion behind them - something big - and then Kidd came back to himself as they drifted in silence. Killer was panting like he'd run a marathon, blond hair slipping from under his suit hood to plaster itself to his sweaty face. His focus was still solely on his flying, but it seemed to Kidd he'd not only shaken their tail but dealt with it permanently.
"KiKi to WiHe - do you copy?" Kidd asked as the alarm lights flickered out as he let go of Killer to begin dismissing them one by one.
"WiHe to KiKi - we copy."
Kidd squeezed Killer's shoulder as he relaxed, a half hearted massage just as much to calm him as to reassure Killer. "We're not going to be able to dock but we're on our way for a pick up."
"Grap and Go, or cargo bay?"
"Grab and go for now. We might have more friends lurking."
Killer would get them to Victoria Zeta - Kidd had no doubts. If they had a grabbler after that was anyone's guess.
<><><>
The Punks gunner segment was gone. Killer had managed to taunt their tail close enough they couldn't evade the mass when Killer'd forced it to detach.
"I'm sorry - " he's started, only for Kidd to press a kiss to his temple as they sat waiting. Heat had used Victoria Gibson to grab the pilot capsule of Punk, and the two remained clutched in Grison's grip as the other grappler remained docked. And they would remain there until the commanders had piloted Victoria Zeta back into the safety of deep space.
"I'll get you a new helmet, don't worry about it."
Killer scowled, "That wasn't what I meant."
Kidd dug his chin into Killer's left shoulder, eliciting a different angry noise, "I said what I said. We still have the Gibson. We'll figure things out. We always do."
The real question was why had they been baited to the run? Were they always the target or just the first unlucky saps to get there first?
Hell - were they even first? How many others had come out here only to meet their ends?
Kidd hated open questions.
it was so hard to choose a favourite T_T
It was like.. a four way tie XD
I have a few wips still sitting in the back pockets that might go up before the end of the year, but i'm not sure it will be cleaned up in time
These are all from like.. July to now too. Something happened in May, and just.. Killer & Kidd moved into my head and i don't think I've had so many ideas since i first wrote for one piece back in my collage / Live Journal days. everytime i blink, new idea!
<3 its been a blast XD
original template by @spicedrobot
A collection of Non-linear Kidd & Killer vignettes using Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list - imagining their pre-canon backstory, based on the crumbs given in the SBS.
Story ranges from them as small children all the way to the aftermath of Wano
Art included with each chapter (minus the bonus ones) First "Chapter" also includes a chronological order as well, but it may not read as smoothly.
This is a story that ranges in it's themes and ratings from chapter to chapter but is VERY MUCH AN ADULT STORY.
18+ !!!
All A03 Archive Warnings apply:
Depictions Of Violence ‡
Rape/Non-Con [not detailed] ‖
Underage [not detailed]
Character Death ‡
Plus
Children hurt/ in danger *
Teenagers hurt / in danger †
Food/Eating Issues
Poverty/homelessness
Self esteem/worth issues
ALL CHAPTERS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON MY TUMBLR
Prompts
Partners ¶
Back to Back * † ‡
Coat
Mask
Laugh ‡
Lipstick
Hair ‡
Care *
Loyalty †
Grief * ‡ ‖ >> soft/abridged version
Meeting ‡
Love Language
Diner † §
Punk
Modern
Highschool §
Sacrifice
Trust † ‡
Pirate King
Metal Trinkets * ‡
Battle ‡
Aftermath * ‡
Morning
Evening
Night
Cold ‡
Warm * ‖ ¶
Kimono
Date ¶ §
Tears ‖ ‡
Freeform ‡
No Art Bonus chapters
BONUS: Dialogue
BONUS: Smut § [A03 exclusive]
31. 磁気
Kidd - 6 | Killer - 10
Tags specifically for this chapter:
Killer watches a public execution
one that turns rather gruesome in the end
Killer steals food/money
brief mentions of food scarcity
Kidd gets first dibs on the pilfered goods
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
Killer had learned long ago that public executions were one of the best times to steal things - not just from the shops, but lifting money right out of people pockets; adults to wrapped up in the brutal displays to care much about his tiny wandering fingers.
And while Kidd was great and begging, and a perfect distraction for Killer's thieving the rest of the time, big groups like today's had Killer feeling uneasy, and the boy was left to play in the Heaps alone.
With pockets stuffed and a bag of fresh fruit and bread sung over his shoulder, Killer was ready to skulk back to the safety of the junk yards when another cheer went up in the crowd. He heard someone making some kind of announcement, but couldn't really understand it. The crowd seemed to because the cheering was deafening.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Killer climbed up onto the low roofs of a shop patio and tried to understand what had everyone so wound up.
There was a man in a white uniform on the center stage, and some of the men Killer recognized from the City Guard dumping water on him. Everyone cheered when they did.
"Seanmhair,” he called over to one of the women standing off on her own in a balcony above him, "Who is that man?"
She wore a large smile, beaming down at him with her round face, "Marines sent another of of their devil fruit men to bring us to heel. Poor bastard thought we'd be an easy mark with the Heaps - guess he forgot just how much lead they dump on us." She cackled.
Killer didn't really understand what she meant, but she clearly found it funny, so he laughed too.
"Why do they keep pouring water on him?" He'd watched people bigger than him die face down in a barrel of water, but to keep upended it on the Marine-man confused him.
"Seawater dear," the woman explained kindly, gesturing him to climb up and watch from her railing, "When you steal power from the sea, she never stops trying to take it back. Makes devil fruit eaters prostrate themselves before her no matter what form she takes."
They were fitting a noose over the man's head, the crowd seaming to hold their breath. Killer did too, clutching his bag in his lap as he leaned forward on his precarious perch on the old wood beam to watch.
There's more talking, the man trying to scream at that around the gag, and then someone waves their arm and the floor dropped out from under the marine man. He fell, the rope make a 'wrhiip' noise and the he was left thrashing at the end of the line.
The crowd went wild. The lady next to Killer just tutted, shaking her head. He looked up at her curiously.
"Didn't math it right." she told him, voice pitched like some kind of warning, "Really is best for everyone when the neck breaks - now he's gotta dangle. If he had any friends, they'd pull on him to hurry it up, but the Marines have no friends here."
Killer watched as it seemed to take forever. Sometimes, the joints of the buildings would whine, and a few people in the crowd would reach for their weapons, and then someone would dump more water on the man and the world went still again.
In the end, someone either got bored or sympathetic, and a man climbed up on the stage and pulled his knife out.
The crowd cheered and the man made a grand display of strutting around with his knife overhead.
"Dear, you should look away now," the old lady said, hand reaching over to pat his head kindly, before stopping to consider what might be living in the dirty tangles. She tugged lightly on the lip of his bag where it peaked under his arms instead, to get him to look up at her.
"They gonna kill him finally?"
"Yeah, but it'll be messy."
Killer found himself looking back, enraptured. He'd seen men die before; beaten, drowned, burned. Never cut open though. The lady just tutted again, but let him be.
The man with the knife stepped forward to the dangling Marine. And then he draw the blade quickly across the exposed neck. And there was so. Much. Blood.
Killer found his mouth going dry, watching the red get everywhere. The man stopped jerking around under the rope very quickly after that.
All that time spend dangling, and so quick to die once the knife came out.
The crowds below started to break up, and Killer realized his window of getting out of town unnoticed with his pilfered goods was closing quickly.
"Bye Seanmhair!" he called to the lady as he started to lower himself over the railing, judging the drop to the street below as he dangled. She said something back, he wasn't sure what, and he was dropping down with a mostly controlled landing, falling on his ass at the end but unhurt. And then he was darting through the streets, bag clutched close, pockets still stuffed, and today must have been a lucky day, because no one messed with him all the way home.
Later, as Killer emptied his pockets, he described - if somewhat abridged - the execution, though Kidd has a lot more questions about the hanging than Killer knows how to answer.
"Auntie said they didn't math it right. So the rope was wrong."
Kidd looked at his suspiciously. "Math?"
"I guess." Killer shrugged, not really sure himself, "Like... I guess the rope verses how heavy the guy is or something? You want his neck to snap, so it's quick."
"Math someone to death.." the kid muttered, looking in awe of the idea.
"Sure..." Killer chuckled.
Kidd found Killer's laugh funny sounding, and it caused him to join in. But the kid's laugh was.. kind. Not mocking like the other boys, and Killer liked to see him happy.
Killer counted through the money he's lifted that day, counting out some of it and handing it to Kidd. "Hold on to this for a little bit, I'm gonna go hide the rest of this." - It wasn't safe to keep this much money with them, even if hiding it didn't always guarantee it's still be there later. But Killer had a few good spots no one had found yet, and the only others who'd known about them long dead, and he slipped out to go distribute today's money.
Kidd stuck the coins he'd been handed into the bag Killer had left with him as to not loose it, before rummaging though the fresh perishables Killer had loaded up on. Bread and fruit were delicious, and hard to get a hold of, but also not worth stealing in large amounts because they went bad so quick. But Killer had though it worth the risk today, and they had a wonderful feast when he got back.
The problem was waiting for Killer to get back. Kidd's stomach grumbled irritated as he looked over one of the bread loaves, biting his lip. He set it aside, pulling some of the fruit free for inspection.
They weren't rotted or bruised at all, and the kid set them out in a line - some he'd never even seen before. A few had hard peels or something to them, and others were fuzzy. And then there was the one that looked like a bunch of grapes, its vine twisted up all around it still, crooked little spines on the fruit, but curiously not spiny or sharp.
Unfortunately, even if it didn't stab him when he plucked one and bit into it, it sure didn't taste very good. Kidd was glad this was the only one - he didn't want Killer to have had to go though all this work just to find out he stole gross fruit. Kidd would eat all of this one and hope Killer wouldn't try and steal more of them again in the future.
jikijiki
30. Tears
Kidd - 17 | Victoria 22
Tags specifically for this chapter:
Victoria's death
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
He knows her.
Well.. he knew her.
Kidd stares at the body, still partially buried in garbage.
Hip and Hop are quiet behind him, solemn and still.
Its bad enough someone murdered this woman. Then they brought her out to his turf and threw her away.
Like trash.
Before Kidd took over, bodies got dumps in the Heaps all the time. He'd put a stop to that years ago.
But then someone decided that they could waltz in and do as they liked. Very few had the egos for it. Only one group on the island still willing to openly disrespect him like this.
It wasn't just that it was a body. It wasn't just some poor soul that was discarded to prove a point.
But that was Victoria.
It had been four years. Last time he'd seen her she'd been so upset she'd left crying, and never looked back.
He'd never shed a tear for her leaving.
He's shedding them now.
Compo had gently taken his elbow, as if to lead him away. He jerks himself free, stumbling closer to the body.
They brutalized her, her face bloody, body broken. Her neck is broken, deep dark marks, a solid thick line left by a belt. Burned her and cut her and broke her. Stripped her bare and threw her away.
He's struggling out of his coat, tries to cover her, give her some dignity back.
"Boss," Boogie is murmuring at his side - no ... above him... as Kidd sinks to his knees. He doesn't know what to do; He can't do anything. She's already dead.
Kidd looks over the scrapyard, the Heaps, His Realm. His Domain. And none of that mattered, because Victoria is dead and nothing he's accomplished stopped it from happening. Nothing he's done will keep the next person from being thrown away by Kutsukku's undercity.
He looks to the city, taunting him, just as tall and imposing as it's been his whole life. Mocking him with things he's never allowed to have. Things it's gladly ripped away from even it own people - not because they've done something wrong - but that they've gotten in the way of the boss' games.
Kidd's going to burn it to the ground.
27. Warm
Kidd - 8 | Killer - 12 | Victoria - 13
Tags specifically for this chapter:
Children in danger
Sick!Killer
Kidd is out of his depth
aftermath of Grief
Enter Victoria
drug use (pills) both 'prescribed' and not
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
"What's wrong with him?"
Kidd startled, and the mystery voice yelped as scrap metal flung itself at her haphazardly. Kidd armed himself with a pipe, planting himself firmly between the girl who'd dropped to the ground, and Killer's still sleeping form.
Seeing as no other attack followed, the girl looked up tentatively, before glaring at him as she stood up, brushing the filth from her shorts. Kidd just adjusted his grip on the pipe.
"You're Kidd, right? I've seen you two around town."
"Yeah, so what?" Kidd hisses.
"So, what happen?"
"None of your business."
She blinks at that, looking honestly surprised. "oh.. okay. Fair, i guess." she shrugs, turning to leave.
"I can't get his fever to go down." Kidd admits. She stops, looking back at him. "We got .. we got ambushed. Killer got hurt and now he was a fever and no matter how many times I change the bandages, he doesn't get better."
"You can't... You gotta do more than just change bandages," she muttered, cautiously approaching him. "Can I see?"
The blond boy under the rags is shivering and panting, blue eyes glazed over and unresponsive. His skin is warm and clammy, splotchy red where it's not paper white pale. She doesn't even need to see more to know this is way past her expertise.
"He needs a doctor."
"They don't see Heaps kids," Kidd said bitterly, and Victoria's heart broke - it sounded like the kid had already tried that only to be turned away.
She pulled the makeshift blanket away further, the dirty bandages wrapped to the best an eight year old could manage. She didn't dare try and unwrapped them again with nothing to wash the area. "Okay... okay, let me think..."
Kidd pulled the blanket back up, small face twisting in grief. At least she didn't have to explain to the boy the dangerous situation his friend was in. "Sure."
He looked at her, like he didn't dare to hope. "Help me get him up, I'll carry him." she said, kneeling down so Kidd could drag his friend up onto her back.
"What.. what's the plan?"
"The nurse at the boarding house."
Kidd paused, look at her like she was an idiot. "We're not allowed in the Mill's houses."
Victoria started walking without him.
"Wait! Wait! We're not allowed in!!"
"You're not allowed in." She corrected, "But I am, and if I go to the infirmary Ii should be able to avoid the Widow Matron. It's early enough in the day that the only ones in the house are working and they are too busy doing chores to bother with me."
She was right, even if Kidd was left at the gates to pace worriedly.
<><><>
It was starting to get dark and Kidd was staring infuriated at the large foreboding stone building, angry tears falling without his permission as he waited for any word on Killer or the girl who'd whisked him away. He felt a fool, sure that he' been swindled and now his only friend had been stolen away after everything they'd gone though to stay together.
Killer had worked so hard to keep them together and safe, and Kidd had just lost him.
One of the men at the gates was watching him suspiciously, whispering to on of the other men. Well, let them whisper. Kidd wasn't going anywhere. He wiped some of the snot and tears from his face, glaring back at them, daring them to try and run him off.
He wasn't expecting someone from inside to call his name, some older auntie asking for him to be let inside. The men at he gates seemed just as surprised.
"His sister fell ill today, the poor child's just waiting to hear she's okay."
"Ma'am, no one's allowed in or out after curfew..." One of the men stated nervously, wilting immediately under her glare. Kidd wasted no time squeezing though the gate bars and running to the woman's side unprompted. The men grumbled, but seemed like chasing a kid down wasn't worth their time.
"You're Shiruton's friend, yes?" the woman asked him quietly, and Kidd nodded; He didn't know who Shiruton was, but he'd be whatever she claimed he was if it meant he got to see Killer again. The older woman was waking across the yard carefully, faux-casually staying to the shadows and Kidd made sure to do exactly as she did. They slipped around the side of the larger building, entering in though a food prep area before navigating to the brink building's infirmary.
Victoria sat waiting for him, sitting in a wooden chair next to a bed at the end with the curtain drawn. She must be Shiruton then, Kidd assumed.
Kidd practically threw himself at Killer, even if his friend still slumbered on. He smelt funny - a sharp tangy smell that also filled the room in general. The woman hissed at him, and bodily drug him back off the bed. "You are filthy, get down!"
Kidd hissed at her, fulling intending to bite her for manhandling him. For separating him from Killer.
"Stop it!" She warned him, "You will wash and if you don't have lice or fleas, then I will let you back on the bed."
Wash? Kidd started at her blankly, so thrown that he forgot he was upset. He wiped his hands on his shorts, and held them up for inspection. Her and Victoria both looked horrified. "I'll take him," Victoria volunteered, her face still pinched.
She lead him to a privacy room off to the side, and introduced him the joys of hot water and showers. And then the doldrum of soap and shampoo. She also took his clothes and informed him they should be thrown away, before lending him a nightshirt that was practically a nightgown on him. He stood once again for inspection by the nurse, right down to her checking his scalp with a comb.
"Clean enough for now - go on then." She dismissed him before talking quietly with Victoria for a moment before sending the girl away to her own room before she was noticed missing.
He was at Killer's side in a flash, gingerly climbing up on Killer's right side, avoiding the injuries he knew festered on Killer's left. The injury was unwrapped, and the nurse waited for him to settle before speaking.
"This is a third degree burn, and it's infected. You need to make sure it stays clean." No eight year old should be the one receiving these directions - a doctor should be caring for these children. but Victoria had sad all she needed to hear - Heap's Boys. No one was going to care about if they lived or died. Her Bosses certainly wouldn't either.
She showed the little redhead a jar of cream she'd prepared. "You want to gently use this on the whole area - every day." She demonstrated how to apply it, before then showing how how to correctly wrap the area. Next she showed him a little orange bottle she'd prepared. "He needs to take one of each color, every singe day, until they are gone. Kidd, this is very very important. He has to take all of them. Even if he starts to feel better, he has to take them all."
Once he nodded solemnly, she set it on the top of the burn creme jar. "Make sure he's drinking clean water, as much as he can stomach. After the pills are gone, he might still want some pain killers, just make sure he's taking only as much as he absolutely needs."
And... easy part done. now the hard part. She handed him the last packages she'd prepped. "I was able to stop the bleeping - it's healing up now, but over the next week or so it still needs to heal. You need to make sure he soaks in a warm bath of this, twice a day." He looked over the collection, pointing a the creme - "one a day", the pills "once a day until they're gone," and then hold up the little box of powder, "twice a day."
It may not be enough, but at least she tried. She'd have to kick them out before sun up, hoping the meds would have enough time to get the older boy somewhat lucid. He had already started to sweat, and his temperature was slowly coming back down. Until then, she watched as the younger boy crawled under the thin little blanket to curl up on the narrow bed with his partner.
<><><>
Once they're back on the streets, getting clean water proves to be a task too large for Kidd, try as he might. He's got enough for Killer to either drink it or wash in it, and Kidd finds someone to trade the bath mix to. He brings back soups and painkillers and holds Killer tight when he cries in pain. Holds him tighter, scared when too many of the pills Kidd bought on the street puts Killer in a limp daze as they try to find the right dosage. The bleeding comes back every few days, but it looks less and less each time, so Kidd just hopes and prays
Slowly, Killer heals, and the infection clears up. Kidd can tell that walking hurts for a long time, and his arm is still messed up pretty bad. But Kutsukku doesn't care, and they both know Killer needs to suck it up or the Heaps will eat them both alive.
26. Cold
Kidd - 17 | Killer - 21 |Heat -22
Tags specifically for this chapter:
Head Injuries again
please seek emergency care for head injures like this!
The helmet is born
brief but repeated vomit
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
"What's wrong with him?"
House gestured over to where they'd set up an impromptu infirmary; where Heat had apparently marched Killer off to once the heaviest of the fighting had died down. "Dunno. I think he tried to block a pipe with his face."
Kidd groaned; He didn't like to see Killer hurt - but he didn't like to hear Killer had gotten hurt in such a stupid way even more. He stalked over to the little shelter, throwing the door open to find just the two men thankfully.
Killer was seated on the ground, Heat squatting next to him, red stained cloth pressed against his forehead and their first aid supplies lain out next to them. The cloth mask Killer usually wore over his face had been pushed up as an impromptu headband by Heat to hold his bangs back as he picked through the supplies one handed. Heat waved for Kidd to keep his voice down, the Captain only just biting back a jab at Killer's bad luck.
"hmhmmka" He mumbled to Kidd.
He was definitely not okay; any jest's dying on Kidd's lips as Killer tried to stand up to prove he was fine only for all the colour to drain from his face. He was blinking rapidly, and then Kidd and Heat were lowering him back to the ground before he fainted.
"Get the bucket," Heat warned urgently, dropping the bloody rag to pull Killer's hair back suddenly. Kidd handed it off just in time for Killer to hurl into it. It was not the first time, Kidd frowned, as the bucket already had sick in it. "I'm.. gonna go dump this." His nose wrinkled up at it once he took it back from Killer before he spilled it on himself.
"I wouldn't. I don't think he's done yet."
Kidd's frowned deepened; Heat began to stitching up the still bleeding cut along Killer's hair line. Kidd reached out to touch the end of Killer's nose, blood dripping onto his hand.
"This one is bad."
"/This/ one?" Heat looked nervous, "How many concussions has he had?"
Kidd made a /ehh/ noise, checking Killer's pupils, "I'm gonna have to start sending you out with a safety helmet, buddy."
Killer just looked confused. "Imnt 'uty"
"Oh Killer, you so are fucked up right now." Kidd said sympathetically.
"A'mo wel'day." He told Kidd as Heat finished trying off the thread, before giving a pathetic whine and shudder as Heat pulled away. Baffled by the noise, Heat looked over at Kidd who shrugged back.
Tentatively, Heat put his hand back on Killer's forehead and swore, before using both hands to cup his cheeks. Killer closed his eyes and shivered, leaning into his touch.
"He does feel a little chill," Heat warned, and Kidd pulled his jacket off to wrap Killer up in it.
In a show of gratitude, Killer puked on him.
<><><>
He can't help but have a laugh at Killer's expense when he hands the gag-gift over as they wait for permission to dock on the little backwater island; The Victoria Punk is almost bigger then the entire pier and someone on island wants to make sure she's actually going to fit. It's a reasonable enough request with no undertone of malicious intent, so Kidd is content to wait for once.
"You've had a real head for trouble lately," he cackles, as Killer opens the box to study the crudely made safety helmet.
It's just a basic hard hat that Kidd had shaped out of scrap steel, though he'd lowered the back a little more than was standard and didn't bother shaping the brim onto it.
"Shouldn't there be like... padding?" Killer asked, baffling Kidd in that he seemed to be taking it... seriously.
"Wait.. What?"
"I don't think it's going to be useful without some padding to absorb the blow. It's also going to fall right off."
"Are... Are you fucking with me?" Kidd asked; Killer was inspecting the item like he was actually considering wearing it.
He also looked confused by Kidd's comment. "What do you mean?"
"Because I'm fucking with you. This is a joke..." Kidd said slowly, waiting for Killer to drop the act, "Because after your last concussion? I made that joke about sending you out in a helmet?"
Killer looked down at the helmet in confusion, and then looked back up, still lost.
"Which I'm starting to realize... with your concussion, you don't remember any of that..."
".. I'm sorry?"
"Air son muir, don't be fucking sorry!" Kidd went to take the helmet back, feeling a fool, only to catch a look of uncertainty on Killer's face and pulled his hand back slowly. "I... Di.. Do you want me to make you a helmet? Like... an actual helmet?"
Killer floundered for a moment, "...Maybe?"
Kidd held his hand out, and Killer handed the piece to him this time. "So... Padding..." he prompted, turning the metal over.
"Maybe a face plate too?"
A knot tangled up in Kidd's gut. "Like, are you thinking down the center covering the nose or up over the cheeks?"
He almost didn't hear Killer's response, it was so quiet. It shouldn't have surprised him, not after a friendship as long as theirs.
"Anything you want."
If Killer wanted it full coverage, then that's what Kidd would make for him.
25. Night
Kidd - 21 | Killer - 25
Tags specifically for this chapter:
Heat & Wire have left to go on a date
leaving Kidd and Killer unattended
Killer is our short!King
Hogmanay/First-Foot preparations
chores turned shenanigans
Pomp would like you to take this elsewhere
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
While the Punk would be a wild party later for Hogmanay, most of his crew was off making last minute preparations or napping in advance for the long night. The unchanging standard daylight hours of the Grand Line forcing them to adjust some celebrations, seeing as it would have been long past sundown if they'd been back on Kutsukku by this time of the afternoon. Kidd been trying to find Killer, only to be soundly kicked out of the galley by Pomp, who'd warned him that only the cooking brigade was allowed in there until Killer said so.
"Well, bring him out, I wanna talk to him."
"Oh - no ones in here but me. The prep work is done, and I'm just keeping an eye on a few things that are in the ovens. And to discourage any raids." He climbed back up to his perch on the counter where he'd been messing with some new project. Kidd felt he should say something back, but was so bewildered by being dismissed so causally by one of his own men that he ended up just wandering back out the galley and started for the stairs up deck.
Only to stop, blink, and take two steps backwards, looking down the hall to the crews quarters.
Killer was dragging a little two step ladder around, swapping out light bulbs on the hallway wall. Two steps up, unscrew the light cover, take out the dead bulb. Two step down, dead bulb in one box, new bulb from the second, still in protective wrapping. Unwrap, trash the packaging, then two steps up. Replace bulb, screw cover closed, two steps down. Drag everything over three feet towards the galley and repeat.
"Why is our shortest commander the one replacing light bulbs?"
"I think the better question is why is the guy who wired our ship afraid to change out the bulbs himself?"
"I mean… we did kick him off the ship" And they'd done so every December 31 for 5 years now. As Mr. Tall Dark and Mysterious, Wire been unanimously named qualtagh. He didn't fight it to much, and he'd even had a song to go with it that his mother had taught him as a small child. Technically he just had to disembark the ship before midnight and then come back after the bell tolls. One time they'd been at sea for the new year and had dumped him on a life raft for a few minutes before hauling on board again.
"I told him if he changed these out I'd talk to you and we could kick Disk J or Gig out instead. Make them qualtagh this year. He said no way, and took Heat with him before sunrise."
"… should I be worried about the Punk?"
Killer laughed before he caught himself, an easy sound when it was just the two of them. Wire had been a good sport about the whole life boat thing, but this year Wire had declared if he was to remain qualtagh, then no one was allowed to bother him or Heat until he returned on his own after midnight. "I think we're okay; Anyway, we put all of these in at the same time, it makes sense they all burned out at once." /Please be why they all went out at the same time…/ "New Lights for New Year - gotta be something in that."
"Y'all are a bunch of superstitious fools."
"You're just bummed we couldn't find Trafalgar in time for First-Foot."
"He's probably keeping himself submerged on purpose."
Killer made to step down but Kidd gently -pushed- the ladder over to the next fixture, dragging the boxes with him, and started unwrapping a new one. "Thanks," Killer murmured, opening the casing, "I.. I don't think Trafalgar celebrates First-Foot…"
Kidd took the burned out bulb from him and handed him a new one, "I … may have made allusions to ruining his new year last time we ran into each other."
The bulb light up brightly once it was screwed in, and Killer closed up the casing. Kidd watched the way the light reflected off his helmet, the hint of a beard he'd stopped shaving off every morning at his chin, more noticeable from this lower angle.
"Only one that'd be funnier to crash in on would be Monkey, but the bastard's already had a shit year. He doesn't need my help." He -pushed- Killer over to the last bulb on the hall.
"That's almost thoughtful of you."
"Hardly. It woulda just been a waste of my talents."
Killer shook his head in bemusement, last bulb bright. Kidd went to start putting things away when Killer dragged the step stool over to one ceiling light over the archway to the mess hall. It had been burned out so long Kidd had forgotten about it. It was also much higher than the rest, the entry way build so Wire & Mosh didn't have to duck to get in.
Climbing up, Killer was still a few feet too short to reach. Kidd watched in amusement as his partner stretched on tip toes but still only barely brushed the light casing. "Misjudged that one, shorty?"
"Oh don't you even start!"
Kidd could help but laugh, the image of killer stretched out just burned into his memory, and he fell across the hall so the wall could hold him up.
Killer growled at him - and Kidd just kept smirking. He could tell Killer hasn't playing anymore, but Kidd still had a plan, and he needed Killer to -
Killer stepped off the stool and grabbed his bandolier to jerk him forward, "Don-"
Killer might be faster, but Kidd was stronger. He hauled Killer up over his left shoulder, both hands clasped around his left thigh. He ignored the way Killer's heel tried to dig into his hip, and after some kicking, Killer got his right leg hooked around Kidd's neck, hanging awkwardly down Kidd's back, thighs pressing against both ears and trying to strangle him with his calves.
Pomp came running at the first sounds of a fight, and Killer had told him to get back in the kitchen.
/We have a strange kind of foreplay,/ Kidd though to himself, pointing not slamming Killer's face first into the wall behind them, but getting close enough that Killer could leverage himself up until he was sitting on Kidd's shoulders; If Kidd was anyone else, that knife Killer only just didn't pull would have been in his neck. Instead Killer had a fist full of his hair, twisting his head around to force Kidd to look upward at him, knowing full well that even without seeing his face, Kidd knew how pissed he was.
Kidd just smiled out sweetly, patted apologetically the hand shaped bruises he probably left on Killer's left thigh and -pulled- the base of a new bulb over to himself, holding it up to Killer, face of pure innocence.
Killer looked at it in confusion, before glancing up quickly to find the light fixture now in reach. "You're a prick."
"A massive one," Kidd agreed with a wink; He could tell Killer rolled his eyes at that before he readjusted his weight so his was sitting snugger on Kidd's shoulders, no longer tying to strangle his captain between his legs, instead tucking his toes around Kidd's sides and behind his back for balance. Kidd kept his right hand on Killer's hip to steady him, head still twisted to the awkward angle their tussle had left him in, but it let him watch Killer unscrew the cover to open it, pillowed on Killer's thigh.
Killer removed the dead bulb, plucked the new one like picking a flower from someones' garden, and planted the dead one in it's place. Kidd knew he was getting a cocky smirk under strips of white and blue but patently bid his time while Killer's attention went back to the task at hand. In the mean time, he -tossed- the dead one into the box of trash
He rested his hand back on Killer's hip, the rough denim on his jeans and the soft silk of the sash. He wouldn't likely ever wear a leather belt, but had no problem pilferering Kidd's things and repurposing them for his own means. It was not lost on Kidd that his colours was the thing keeping other wandering hands off his partner, and his alone allowed to remove them.
"Any more chores left?" Kidd asked, his chin brushing the inseam of Killer's jeans. He felt the muscles of Killer's inner thigh flex and he smirked as his ran his hands down either side of the material's outseam until he was supporting Killer with a firm grip on the thickest parts of his thighs.
Killer squeezed his legs in warning, a light pressure around Kidd's head as a reminder that could actually probably kill him if Killer was so inclined.
"I'm just saying," Kidd pushed his luck, "that unless you have anything else on that needs seeing to, we've got some time until you'll be needed back in the galley, yea?"
There was a light pull on his hair, a shift of weight, and Killer had curled down to look at him, still balanced carefully on his shoulders but close enough Kidd could have kissed him if not for the helmet.
Kidd kissed him anyway.
Kidd - 4 | Killer - 8
Tags specifically for this chapter:
Dialogue only
Original Characters
Companion to Love Language
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
He'll be five - we should throw him a party.
He'll be five - he wouldn't remember a party.
He will. Cook can bring her boys, and your niece can come.
I do not understand this need of yours to have hundreds of children underfoot.
....
Fine, fine. It's a Tuesday, it'll be slow anyway. We'll close the tavern and throw a party for a five year old.
Oh! I love you so.
You better.
....
What about that little blonde fucker?
Who?
The stabby kid, the dock boys' shadow.
Oh, Killer!
... I shouldn't have expected anything else.
I didn't think you liked him.
I guess I should be happy he bit me instead of stabbing me like he did Anndra.
You scared him!
I though the stevedore was getting handsy with him! I didn't know the bastard was just blackout drunk.
....
What?
I didn't know that was what you were upset about. It's just... very sweet of you.
I just don't want that shit going down in my home. They wanna turn tricks, they can go to the red light like everyone else. Stabby fuck knows that and that's why I let him stay.
My brave knight off to rescue damsels and urchins alike.
Stop.
... Do you think Killer would want to hang out with a bunch of preschoolers?
I think that boy would follow anyone who gave him a soft look into a back alley.
Eustass!
Sorry. I'm.. I'm sorry.
Ph! Don't make me think about such things - I'm never going to let him leave next time if you say things like that.
We can't afford that.
We could...
We already pay cook twice her worth to feed her boys.
Don't word it like that!
What?
Twice her worth - Twice her WORTH - gah. Its gross. Don't say it like that.
We do though. You figure in the free meals and board, she makes more than I do at the end of the day.
Maybe we could hire Killer to work with her.
We can't afford that.
.. I know....
....
...What do you have there?
My mom made it for me when I was little - I found it with her things last summer when...
.. Oh sweetheart...
Its supposed to be Moccus; He was mom's favouite old God. The fierce defender.
Wish we knew she had it a few years ago - it would have been a nice christening gift.
You knew what she was like....
Still.
... Maybe.
Hmm?
... It's bad luck to visit someone without a gift.
... I'm not following.
Stabby boy. Killer. He wont come without a gift. Especially a party. And I can't exactly demand a street kid buy my son a toy.
What if he takes it and runs?
Do you think he would?
...No.
If he did... if he did, I would be sad but... I don't think I'd be mad. He could probably use a fierce defender patron.
24. Evening
picture will *not* be included on tumblr.
It IS on the A03 linked above. While not sexual nor graphic it is probably NSFW so be aware if you go to A03 to read.
Kidd - 10 | Killer - 14! | Victoria - 15
Tags specifically for this chapter:
boys bathing
Kidd gets Victoria to help him give Killer a good birthday
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
…. 2400 words and i still didn't get to the original idea i had for this part!
this was supposed to go a different direction completely - Victoria gifts Killer with new clothes - like actually new, never worn clothes, that fit him correctly! - and takes them to dinner at her favorite Curry joint. But then Kidd just… stole all of it.
Kidd's just like.. nope. I know I'm homeless and 10, but I have to get my best friend - who is 14 now and also homeless - the perfect birthday present for his first birthday ever. I own nothing, we have no where to put anything, and i can't waste too much of our food money on things. what do i do? I arrange a shower for my partner
<><><>
He wasn't expecting Kidd to have remembered - he barely remembered; he'd been so tired and would have said likely anything just to get to go back to sleep.
Honestly, he picked the day at random, the first set of numbers that popped into his head.
Well... that wasn't quite true. It wasn't a random day. It was the last day of the winter quarter, which lasted 83 days. 43 days after the winter solace. 32 days after the new year. 28 days until the spring equinox. 23 days after Kidd's birthday. The first day he'd vocally claimed Kidd as his.
Getting Kidd up in the mornings was usually an ordeal and a half - especially on chilly mornings like today - so he should of been suspicious when there was absolutely no fighting him, and Kidd crawled out of their nest of blankets to get dressed with no fuss.
Instead, Killer carefully counted out their coins - they had enough to actually buy something warm this morning if they shared it - and still have enough for a smaller dinner if they couldn't scrap up much during the day. Winter was hard for lifting coins of passerbyers - few things got kept in outside pockets, everyone too bundled up trying to stay warm. But Killer had planned for that, and could usually keep them at least something once a day for about a week out.
It was a little bit of a walk from where they lived right now, but there was a vender who sold morning burritos that would over stuff Kidd's and charged them far less then they should, and it was worth the biting chill that the sun never quite chased away on days like this.
Kidd was bottomless these days, and if Killer didn't keep on top of that, he'd be up all night listening to the boy's stomach bitching. Kidd was at least old enough now that he didn't often complain vocally about being hungry, and Killer was grateful for that; should Kidd say but a word, Killer would go get him food, day or night, and had done so often when they'd been smaller. It had been stressful and exhausting, and neither one of them had liked the person it was turning Killer into. But Killer would do it again if he needed, no regrets.
He'd would do, and had done, many a things for Kidd with no regrets. He would never regret Kidd. Kidd, who still held his hand when they ventured into the city. Who brought him cool looking bugs. Who made him a little metal butterfly when they'd had to move before the cocoon outside the house they'd been caught squatting in had opened. Who would give up an afternoon of prime panhandling to sit outside a backstreet club - with an owner who would let them loiter outside no matter how bad it was for business - all because Killer had stopped once when they'd passed by, transfixed by the heavy beat music played inside.
Who apparently had made plans with Victoria - as she was waiting for them at their usual morning spot.
"I had an outstanding favour that needed to be cashed in, so I thought I'd hang with you two losers instead." The thing is, with Victoria, loser never sounded like a jab, or worse - pity. She didn't say it like she thought she was better than them. It was just a matter of fact with a little fondness thrown in. She wouldn't help in the thieving part, but she was always game to be a distraction, or just keeping watch for both their backs.
They worked though the closest thing a lunch rush had when it was cold, and Killer fingered the coins in his pocket, counting them without looking. It was not great, but it could be worse. He tried not to let it show, but Kidd & Victoria shared a look so he knew he'd not hid it well enough.
"So -" she said, clapping cold hands together, "I have a surprise, if the two of you are up for some B&E?"
A 'Do Not Enter' sign was an open invitation as far as Kidd was concerned - and Killer could not fault him for that. Do Not Enter usually meant something worth stealing - just as much as it meant something worth defending, so be on guard - and it must be good if Victoria had picked a place.
A place that ended up being the factories Victoria lived and worked out, much to Killer's puzzlement. Sure - every time him or Kidd snuck in, that was technically Breaking & Entering, but she'd never dressed it up like that. And he was beginning to think she'd done so solely for his benefit, as Kidd was grinning like he already knew.
"What's... going on?"
Victoria lead them around to one of the rarely used back entrances - one that had been carefully propped open, "So - and I mean this the kindest way possible - the both of you reek to high hell. I think at this point, Kidd would probably smell better if he rolled around in a dead skunk carcass."
Kidd just shrugged, it was what it was after all, even if Killer felt himself dying of mortification inside. If she as bring it up, it must be bad.
"So - I have made some arrangements to get you two assholes a spa day."
"Wait - what?" The secretive little smile was gone from Kidd's face, "Both of us?"
"Oh absolutely. I'm not going though all this for you to just sit and twiddle your thumbs. You getten' a bath, sunshine."
"Hey! Only Killer gets to call me that!"
She blinked, "Call you what?"
"Nothing." He said, far too quickly. Killer just subtly shook his head 'no' at her when she recalled her last statement, and she let it go.
<><><>
Banaltram had been the head nurse here for a few decades now, and was well aware of the rules and in nearly all ways was a strict enforcer of them. But, she was also a soft heart and she also liked to think she was a good judge of character. And for better or worse, she trusted Shiruton and her boys to behave themselves if she turned a blind eye to their friendship from time to time.
She could explain to them how to stitch someone up and how to wrap injuries, but they could never stay, they had to leave before curfew, no matter the wound. She also could provide no more meds - she'd done so only once and nearly lost her position when she'd not been able to provide an adequate explanation for them being missing next audit.
Still, she didn't regret all the worrying and stress that had come of it, seeing Shiruton with real friends. She was never really sure if the older one remembered her, but she knew Kidd did by the shy smile he'd give her as a greeting, before his face would scrunch up into what was likely it's natural state - that boyish disdain for the world in general.
Her infirmary was empty today, and she'd planned to be across the hall catching up on paperwork for the afternoon. A pot of tea was brewing, matching set of cup and saucers at the ready should one of her lovely young ladies decide she was not interested in watching two boys shower, and would like to visit with her instead.
Shiruton and Kidd exchanged some more conspiratorial whispers at the hall door, and Banaltram handed the young man the box that had been locked away in her office for safe keeping in the mean time. Kidd then used the box to playfully push Killer toward the privacy room off to the side where they where going to do their best to run this place out of hot water for the day.
"Tea?" she offered Shiruton.
<><><>
Kidd would not show Killer what was in the box - at least not all at once. There was a paper bag on the top that Killer would get to see now, although Kidd held back as Killer grinned stupidly at him as the hot water started streaming up the little room.
"You gonna shower in your clothes, or?" Kidd trailed off. While they'd seen each other in various states of undress over the years, it was still a bit strange to be completely naked. Most 'baths' they got were dunks in the bay, fully clothed, usually an accident on Kidd's part and rescuing him on Killer's part. The thing was, it wasn't usually safe enough to be fully naked, not for very long anyway. Kidd would not blame his friend at all if Killer stayed dressed to some extent.
Killer didn't see to give it much thought at first, just a casual shrug. He'd stepped under the spray, and Kidd watched Killer's face go from nonchalant to soft awe. Then he was scrambling to get his wet clothes off, bare under the shower, turned up into the warm water like a zealot in prayer.
Being able to count the number of hot showers he'd had in his life on one hand, Kidd turned to give Killer a moment. He rummaged through the bag, growing fragile in the humid air, and pulled out a bar of soap and rag, before stripping his own clothes off. Unlike Killer though, he left them folded up next to the box to stay somewhat dry.
He didn't often get to play the mommy or daddy in his friendship with Killer; Killer didn't need to play pretend to be both roles for Kidd and he was lousy at make-believe anyway. So there was an amused sort of novelty as Kidd lathered up the rag the way Victoria had taught him and threw it in Killer's silly upturned smile. "Wash your face, dumbass."
Killer sputtered, face blanching as he spit out some errant soap bubbles, and Kidd chortled at the bewildered look on his face as he processed what just happened. Killer wiped his face down, looked at the rag and then back at Kidd, who felt a chill run down his spin, before Killer threw it back at him, square in the face. Kidd squawked when the soap got in his eyes, but didn't hesitate to grab the rag and chuck it blindly back to where he could hear Killer trying not to giggle.
Kidd has no idea how much water they wasted that day, wresting with each other and the rag, a strange game of trying to forcibly wash the other one, with it devolving to the point of them both sitting back to back under the falling water laughing stupidly at the terrible job they'd both done.
Killer had a funny laugh - one the Kidd knew troubled him - and it led him to a weird stoic bravado that he was absolute rubbish at maintaining. But here in the privacy of the shower, just the two of them, Killer cackled with abandon - a stupid noise of pure delight that had Kidd grinning ear to ear propped up against him.
At some point, their combined laughter trickled off in the humid room, the need to breath outweighing the carefree mirth that had settled over them. Eventually Kidd got up, hand lingering on Killer's back, "Stay here a sec."
In the paper bag - ruined at this point - was a few more items. Kidd took one bottle out, and dropped the bag in Killer's lap as he turned the water off for a moment. Killer made to look in it, but Kidd 'ehh!'ed at him, "Just hold it for a sec. And uh... close your eyes"
It was a testament to their friendship that Killer did so before asking, "Why?"
Kidd turned the bottle over, dumping a good size gelatinous glob on the crown of Killer's head. "Because this shit stings way worse that the soap." He warned, before starting to scrub the shampoo into Killer's scalp. Kidd had only done this once himself, again under Victoria's guidance, but as awful as those days had been, it had felt nice. He remembered that much.
And Killer had been tempting fate recently, his hair the longest Kidd could ever remember it being, enough to actually be pulled back. Usually it had gotten caught on something or ripped out in a scuffle by this length, or matted to the point they had to cut around the knots. But Killer has been trying to comb out the knots at night with his hands instead of letting Kidd hack them out. "I'm turning the water back on for a sec, don't open your eyes yet."
Kidd kept Killer's head under the spray until the water stopped coming away dirty, before turning it off again. Even wet, Kidd was in awe of the colour change. "You're like... really blond."
Killer had opened his eyes by that point, head titled up to look at Kidd in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Nope - head back down," Kidd ordered, reaching into the bag Killer was still holding for the second bottle. "But this time you don't have to close your eyes anymore."
When Victoria had helped him hunt down the contents of the paper bag, she'd told him he'd probably end up using most of the conditioner the first time; to let it soak and then try to comb the knots out while it was still in. So that what Kidd did, working it in until Killer's hair kinda felt a little slimey, but in a soft way. "Gimme the comb from the bag."
There was some shuffling, and Killer handed the comb to him. Just how Victoria told him, Kidd started at the bottom by Killer's shoulder blades and slowly worked his way up. Killer didn't make a single sound of protest when the comb would snag on a tangle but the condition worked like a miracle and soon Kidd was able to run the comb from roots to ends.
Killer's hair was still soft even after he rinsed out the conditioner, like spun gold under Kidd's fingers. He had no idea; he legit had never seen Killer's hair clean, he realized.
Later, after they were both squeaky clean and as they toweled down, Kidd climbed up on the counter to wipe the condensation off the mirror, staring back at the red haired boy in the reflection. Killer avoided looking at himself, but he did pluck at Kidd's own vibrant red hair.
"Oh!" Kidd said, "You still have a gift from Victoria."
"Wait, what?"
Kidd retrieved the box, plopping it down in front of Killer. He waited eagerly for Killer to look over before opening the flaps in a flourish. "Happy Birthday!"
"Its not... oh..."
"February Second - you said so. See, I remember things when it's important!" Kidd pulled out the soft plaid button up and brand new jeans Victoria had picked out for Killer, along with a package of clean underwear and socks that Banaltram had suggested when Kidd & Victoria had first approached the nurse about smuggling Killer in for a shower. There was also a pair of new shoes at the bottom, that Kidd had not known about.
Killer looked flabbergasted, frozen in awe. "Kidd.. I dont...."
"Did we do good? Were you surprised?"
Killer smiled, "Yeah. Yeah I was surprised."
23. Morning
Kidd - 6 | Killer - 10?
Tags specifically for this chapter:
Kidd gets named
Killer gets a birthday
more scottish holidays I'm trying to twist to fit into one piece
holidays would be the most reliable way for a bunch of homeless kids to keep track of time
Read at A03 linked above or here below cut
Drabbles from Pocket Jack's KiKi-tober Prompt list
Besides counting the fourteen days between dock pays, Killer also carefully counted quarter days. He had no paper contracts - he wouldn't be able to read them anyway - but its when pay ledgers would be checked, and extra hands would be let go. Leases would be up and one either paid for the next few months or made sure to be out the door before the landlords caught on you'd been squatting there in the first place.
It was also a chance to get hired again and get steady work. And Killer put his best face forward every Martinmas; winter was the most important time to get work. Work meant pay, sure. But good work also meant being warm in the day, sometimes a meal at lunch, and if really lucky, a safe hidy-hole to sleep after dark.
Killer, who was good with numbers and likes sussing out the patterns they made, loved this time of year. Martinmas started on 11/11 and lasted 2 months and 22 days ending on 2/2 on Candlemas, and Killer had always felt that must mean it a lucky time of year. Last year had been hard - the docks were still recovering from the fire and the only people with extra coin for the season hadn't wanted two little boys on staff.
32 days after First-Foot and 23 days after he'd given the last of their coins to the kid, Killer had taken the tiny stub of their last candle and boldly joined the woman who marched to Februa. He's watch them march every year to get their candle's blessed, and Killer needed all the blessings he could get, even if it just meant a candle he'd hope would last a little longer.
The women around him would point and whisper at him as he walked with them, but when his bravado started to fail him, he was saved by the kid who'd gotten bored begging at his assigned corner and left to find him. He was munching on an already partially eaten sandwich, before offering it to Killer. Killer - who was indeed hungry - took a bite before giving it back.
The whispers started up again, and Killer wished he hadn't taken the bite, it knotting up in his gut.
"Whose children are these?" One woman asked finally, addressing the others.
He just wanted his candle blessed. Now he was pretty sure he'd messed up somewhere. Thankfully, the kid didn't seem to notice the unease and stayed focused on his meal.
At least until the woman grabbed his arm, and he dropped the coveted food when she practically lifted the little boy off the ground - "Whose kid is this!"
Killer could have bitten her, and certainly would if she carried on like that, "Hey! Hey, he's mine, let him go!"
She frowned at him, expression unhappy still, "Excuse me?"
"He's mine!"
"Where's your mother?" one woman asked; Killer had no answer to that. "What do you mean he's yours?" asked another, and Killer wasn't sure how to answer that either.
"Is this your bother?" the woman ask the kid instead. He looked just as unsure how to answer as Killer.
"He's my kid! Give him back!" Killer declared, both boys starting to get upset.
One of the women took pity on them it seemed, and she stepped up to whisper something to get first woman to let go of the kid. Killer grabbed his hand and meant to run away, but the woman who's asked about their mothers knelt down to block their way.
"Hi, Kidd, I'm so sorry about your sandwich. But I saw you come over to share it with.. uh…"
"This is Killer." he said it without hesitation, clinging to Killer. He was more upset by Killer being upset at the moment, the whole ordeal making little sense to him.
"I saw you share it with Killer while he waited in line with us. That was very thoughtful of you."
He grinned, and Killer relaxed just a fraction.
She pulled out beri note, and put it into Kidd's free left hand, "Hey, Kidd, why don't you go and get you and Killer a new one?"
Both the boys face dropped in surprise at the paper bill. Kidd practically shoved it in Killer's face, with an awed 'look!'
Beri was off island money; it was worth a lot to the right people. Worth more then the numbers printed on it.
"It's too much…" he didn't mean to say it, but the words slipped out before Killer could stop them. Kidd looked at him curiously.
The woman's smile is still kind but incredibly sad. "Is it just the two of you then? Or are there others?"
"Just us," Kidd pipped up, the beri note having been folded up and put in the little drawstring bag his birthday coins has been in.
"Wh.." she pursed her lips, tilting her head and tried again, "Do you understand what the march to Februa is for?"
"Killer's getting our candle blessed."
Killer showed her their candle stub.
"It's just the two of you?" she asks again, and Kidd nods before Killer can tell him to stop, starting to feel nervous.
But she looks thoughtful, "Is this the first year it's just been the two of you then?"
"The kid's been mine since the coup."
"Okay," she smiles, and when she stands, she ushers Killer in front of her with a gentle hand on his shoulder.
A few of the women had hung back waiting for her as the rest had marched on. "This is Kidd," she says, touching Kidd's red hair first, "and this is Killer," she said, her hand going from his shoulder to his hair too. "This is the first year Killer has had Kidd, and he's going to get get their last candle blessed."
He was still doing it wrong, Killer realized, but the laughs were kind, their smiles no longer mocking but sweet. The woman's hand was warm and soothing where it lingered on his head. They looked at him like people looked at Kidd when he did something cute. The beri woman kept a hand on them the whole way, and no one asked again why they were there. When it was Killer's turn, words where exchanged in advanced, and a confused man said a prayer on his candle.
It would several year later before Kidd would sit up suddenly one night, hours after they should have both been sleeping. Killer bolted upright the moment he did - a light sleeper to the point to of detriment - but also something that had saved their asses many a times. "What it is?!" he whispered harshly when he couldn't figure out what woke Kidd up.
Kidd looked at him accusingly in the low light, "When is your fucking birthday?"
"Wha… what?"
"How do I not know this? How have we never celebrated your birthday?!"
Exhausted, Killer plopped back down, arm slung over his face. "Go the fuck back to sleep."
"No, seriously," Kidd shoved his shoulder, and when that didn't work, pulled Killer's arm down, "When the fuck is your birthday?"
"Who knows," Killer answered, pulling his arm free and rolling away from Kidd to try and go back to sleep.
Unfortunately for him, it was never going to happen as long as Kidd was staring at him; some part of his brain refusing to let him ignore the fact someone was looking at him.
"Candlemas." he said finally, the first day to come to mind, "last term day of winter."
Kidd was whispering under his breath, trying to remember if he knew anything relevant about the day.
"Second of February." Killer supplied, tired of listening to the gears grinding uselessly in Kidd's head.
"Oh…"
"Will you go back to sleep now?"