DOMINO - Eustass Kid x Reader

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: Pop

I had grown up with large festivals, so I was used to the sights, the smells, and the loud noise that came with them, but this was the first time that I had actually been someone comfortable being in attendance. Physically speaking.

Back on Water 7, my mother had always forced me to dress to the nines, signing me up for every kind of pagent under the sun. Bows, ribbons, make-up and ungodly pastels, I had never been able to enjoy them.

This time, however, despite Kid having ordered I dress pretty, I was comfortable in my skin, wearing dark jeans and a black tee with some kind of demonic skull decal. He had told me the outfit was perfect to suit his image. Honestly, I had been trying to piss him off, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

The streets were lit bright, and people of all shapes and sizes were having a blast, moving from stall to stall, buying food, playing sketchy looking carnival games. It was almost nostalgic.

"Oi, Kid, I wanna play something." I tugged on his sleeve, but he brushed me off, looking annoyed that I had even dared to ask.
"What are you? A child? We need to go meet up with that Reinier bastard." He yanked himself from my grip and I began to sulk.

I turned when I felt a hand on my shoulder, stopping when Killer ceased walking after Kid.
"I'll take her to play just one. If she doesn't get to play, she's just gonna keep bitching. Aren't you?" He knew me all too well, and I nodded insistently to confirm.

"I'd like to play too. Some of them look like fun..." Heat dropped back to join us, looking a little embarrassed that he had admitted such a thing. Kid looked between the three of us and rolled his eyes, waving his hand over his shoulder before he continued walking.
"Whatever. You know where I'll be."

I'm surprised he didn't scream at us...

Looping my arms into the elbows of my two companions, I lead them off towards the one game I knew we could all win easily. The balloon pop.
"This one? It seems almost illegal with how well we all aim..." Heat murmured when we approached, and I chuckled up at him.
"You're a pirate. What does it matter?"

The man tending to the game brightened up when he saw us walking over, throwing on the charm and tipping his cap in my direction.
"Well, Goodevenin' little lady! Would you and these..." He gave Killer and Heat a quick once-over, barely faltering. "...fine gentlemen like to test your skills? We've got some great prizes!"

He motioned to the various stuffed creatures hanging above him on the frame of the structure, and I started to pull out my coin purse.
"How much?" I queried, knowing I had a decent amount to spare after our little heist gone-somewhat-wrong.

"Five berries a dart, but you get five for twenty! What a deal, aye?!" The man seemed to be going pretty overboard with the energetic demeanour he had going on, but it didn't phase me too much. I still kept a close eye on him, though.
"Well, in that case, I'd like-"

Killer stuck his arm out in front of me and stepped forward, placing a handful of berries on the counter.
"Give me five." To say I was shocked was an understatement. Killer? Willingly playing a game? He hadn't even had a lick to drink yet.

The vendor's eyes raked over Killer slowly, and I noticed that they lingered on his flanks, where his scythe attachments were sheathed and prepared for use.
"Okie dokie, my fine fellow! Five shots to win your lovely lady a fluffy friend!" He snatched the money quickly and replaced it with five regular looking darts.

I didn't bother correcting the man, and nor did Killer. Heat, on the other hand, snickered into the back of his hand beside me. Picking up the first dart, the blond seemed confident, taking a few seconds to line up the shot and throwing.