𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 66

"Officer Nanko..." Domino, for the first time in a long while, was speechless.

Meanwhile Shiryu was chuckling, ripping the kunai out of his shoulder. "I like people with guts." He declared, like he wasn't the one who started this whole ordeal by releasing his bloodlust upon their arrival.

Nanko tilted his head before walking closer to the huge cell. "I don't care." He twisted his hand, making the kunai fly back to his hand before it disappeared under his sleeve.

"Shall we move along?" he smiled at Domino, while untying his hair—the tie was too tight. His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the pink color her cheeks. He ignored Crocodile's sneer.

Nanko wasn't in the mood to entertain either of the criminals—Shiryu would have to find his source of entertainment somewhere else and so would Crocodile.

They started walking again, a heavy silence weighing on the group. Domino glanced at Nanko, feeling awkward when he didn't talk. A few times, she opened her mouth, before closing it, finding nothing to say. Nanko was unapproachable.

Reprimanding him didn't ever cross her mind.

Only Crocodile saw the absurdity of the situation—she was dancing in Nanko's palm and he didn't even seem to care. He wanted to probe Nanko but even he felt the frigid air around him, and as much as he was curious, he still cared for his life. Earlier, he didn't even see the kunai leaving his hand. He wasn't his match with his powers sealed.

Meanwhile Nanko was gazing absentmindedly at the different cells, recognizing most of the criminals from when they appeared on Masked Truth. He finally stopped in front of one peculiar cell. "Knight of the sea, Jimbe," he mumbled.

Sat on the floor of the cell, the fish-man opened his eyes to gaze at Nanko. He was calm, perhaps too much so for a criminal detained in the most infamous prison of the seas. Jimbe momentarily observed him before closing his eyes again.

Nanko could sense the vague pride such a move indicated. He might be reduced to less than a slave in this cell—a criminal left to rot, but he wasn't willing to cooperate nonetheless. It was admirable in a way. Despair hadn't tainted his mind yet.

"You..." he didn't know what to say, or more exactly if he had any right to say anything to him. It was the first time he met the fish-man but he had heard much about him from Queen Otohime, him and his crew's dream to free slaves. Another dream that ended in a tragedy.

At the thought, he wanted to turn away but, "why is he imprisoned here?" He couldn't help but ask.

Domino was startled but she quickly answered his question, "He refused to abide by the Higher-ups' wishes."

"What? Our demon caught some feelings?" Crocodile interrupted, seeing Nanko stare at Jimbe. He barely had time to see it coming before he was sent crashing against the wall.

That made Jimbe stare up at them, more specifically at Nanko. He sighed, rolling his shoulders back before getting up, his chains clinging against the floor and pulling at his skin. "What do you desire, young marine?"

Nanko dragged himself closer to the cell's bars, feeling it was disrespectful to stay far away. He stopped a few feets away, having to look up to properly see Jimbe's face. The man exuded an extraordinary presence, his very being demanded respect.

"Nothing," Nanko answered. "I desire nothing you can give me." Perhaps his voice appeared too worn out but Jimbe bent down to his level, his fierce glare softening ever so slightly.

"You..." Jimbe hesitated, "why are you here?" He noticed the way the young man didn't flinch, even when his blue palm grabbed the bars, dangerously close to him.

Nanko simply stared at the approaching hand, eyes focusing on the details, the small scars, the blue gleam, the bones protruding from his clenched hand. Finally he opened his mouth, "I'm here because I have things to do."

Domino saw his lips moving but didn't hear anything, so she simply moved Crocodile to his cell. "You're not getting out of there anytime soon."

Crocodile simply laughed, watching in the corner of his eye Nanko handing something to Jimbe. He couldn't see from afar but he vaguely distinguished a white shade.

When Nanko finally came out of the prison, he headed alone to the Marine boat waiting ahead. He forced a slight smile when he saw Hina waving at him.

He boarded the deck, watching Hina head toward him. "Hey."

"Hey," she frowned the moment she saw him from closer. "Nanko."

He knew that voice and he immediately felt an urge to disappear. But she caught his arm as if she knew what he was thinking. "Don't."

Nanko stared at her, face emotionless. His head was in a mess but he didn't feel like dealing with it—the moment he opened the bag of poisonous bugs he was carefully keeping at a distance, he knew he would go under. If not forever, for a while at least. It wasn't a process he was unfamiliar with.

"Nanko," Hina called him again, pressing her palms to his cheeks. "Look at me."

He stared at her, noticing the wrinkle between her eyebrows, the way her pupils were slightly dilated, the specks of sweat on her forehead.

"I don't know what's bothering you and I don't want to force you if you don't want to tell me, but I don't think you should be alone," she said firmly, pressing his cheeks harder when she saw his eyes unfocus, "Do you understand?"

He nodded dumbly, tilting his head slightly when he saw her frown deepen. His finger went up to smooth out the skin between her eyebrows. "-fine." he barely mumbled.

"You're stuck with me whether you want it or not." Hina took hold of his hand and led him inside, waving away all the nosy crewmates.

She quickly tidied her room, gathering all the blankets to form a nest on her round bed. "Here." She patted the mattress, not allowing any refusal to leave his mouth.

"Thank you," Nanko whispered under his breath, hugging her as he laid down.

"We've known each other for close to 10 years now, did you really think i wouldn't notice?" Hina was stiff in his arms for a bit before relaxing, patting his arm softly till they both fell asleep.

Neither noticed the big ship anchoring itself mere feets away from theirs, to deliver a certain prisoner.