DOMINO - Eustass Kid x Reader

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: Stick Around

***(Y/N) POV***

"I don't know, Kid. Don't you think it's kind of suspicious..?"

I listened to Killer speak as I sat upon the floor of the study, stroking the fleshy pinkness of Missy's body. He looked like quite the charmer with his brand new leather studded collar.

"What, that they invited us to stay for their weird booze festival? Yeah, but they ain't nothin' to be scared of. Even if they do try to double cross us, we'll beat 'em blind." Kid sounded beyond confident, kicking his feet up to rest on the desk.

"Who are we talking about?" I piped up, finally paying enough attention to be curious about the topic at hand.
"We," Killer pointed between himself and Kid. "are talking about something that doesn't require your input. Didn't I ask you to stay outside?"

I have selective hearing.

"You made me wait for like, three hours out on some strange street, all on my own. I think I deserve to at least know why that was the case." I stared him down, showing him that I wasn't about to give in, and the man was not at all impressed.

"We made a deal with another crew, if you really gotta know." Kid spoke up, much to Killer's dismay. "A bunch'a nobodies who call themselves the Tankard Pirates." I noticed that whenever the captain mentioned any crew other than his own his voice became bitter.

"They're not nobodies, Kid..." Killer sighed, hesitating to pull me to my feet when I made a grabby hand from the floor.
"Tankard Pirates, huh? Reinier Cognac, right? I don't get the secrecy, Killz. I know all about that lot." I announced, kind of distracting myself when I realised just how large Kid's boot was when it wasn't planted to the ground.

But he might be right...Those guys aren't exactly stand-up gents...

"I may respect you, (Y/N), but when it comes to certain things, especially stuff like this, you aren't entitled to know." Stern Killer wasn't my favourite Killer, and I shifted closer to Kid's boot in protest.
"I am when you dragged my ass across town and made me sit and wait for you."

Kid snorted, basically confirming that I was right, before folding his arms over his chest, leaning back further.
"We were busy makin' a deal with that Reinier bastard. I've been wanting to get into the broker business, as a side hustle, right? If you know about the Tankard Pirates, you'd know that they specialise in booze."

I nodded along, deciding to wait until the explanation was over before I opened my mouth.
"They want weapons, and they heard about our stunt back at that Navy base. It's pretty much a tit for tat situation." Killer caved, joining to fill me in.

"What's a better gateway into the broking business than booze? A few guns and some ammunition for endless kegs to sell? Worth the risk of a pissy little double cross if you're askin' me." Kid chuckled, and I waited a few extra moments to make sure he was done.

Hopping up to sit upon the opposite side of the desk, I looked between the two of them.
"I mean, I get it. Cognac has the Keg Keg Fruit, which basically turned him into a human distiller, right? It's definitely convenient...but you've heard about his other dealings, haven't you?"

I was met by silence, so even before either of them spoke I knew that they, in fact, hadn't.
"Care to elaborate?" Killer motioned for me to continue, giving me his full attention if I hadn't already had it.

Shuffling my butt back a bit further, I rested my arm on Kid's shin, ignoring him when he tried to shake it off.
"I don't know if it's totally accurate, but I've heard that they're in pretty deep with the slave trade. I may have heard it from a man who heard it from the brother of a friend of a cousin of a baker, but when I hear things more than once across different islands I tend to take it into account."