⚠️ Smut & Gore Warning!⚠️
((Credit to @ShibaLove for the cover!))
Loklynn is a mystery.
Struggling with her missing memory while on the run from the Marines, she has no idea where she came from, where she is, or where she's supposed to go. She does...
Loklynn was surprised when Kid tossed a stack of berry bills onto the front counter on their way out. It was enough money to buy thrice what they'd actually purchased, certainly enough for the terrified shop keeper to replace the call bell... and possibly pay for trauma therapy.
"Keep an eye out for a hardware shop or smithy, we're shopping for me next," Kid told her over his shoulder as they left the store. Loklynn found herself smiling a bit when his hand grabbed her wrist to pull her along, just slightly more gentle than usual. She was still unsure about where exactly she stood with Eustass Kid, but whatever their relationship was at the moment, she found she was surprisingly content with accepting it for what it was.
The things he felt for her and made her feel, the things he wanted to do... it was frightening. But then he'd said that.
"What you felt when I kissed you is what I feel every time I even look at you."
She had the urge to giggle at the memory of the fierce blush that had crawled it's way onto his cheeks as they silently stared at each other in the dressing room, both of them equally shocked by his unexpectedly poignant explanation. She'd only had a moment to admire his reddening face before he'd practically shoved her off his lap and left the dressing room, snapping at her to get dressed and meet him outside when she was done.
She decided not to tell him just how cute she found his embarrassment.
Loklynn was discomfitted by how the energy of the marketplace immediately changed when they emerged from the store. She'd noticed it before, too; It was like there was an invisible forcefield around Loklynn and Kid that forced everyone in the vicinity to part around their path like grass in a field. She found her good mood fading at the realization that no one was so much as looking at them.
"Ignore them," The weight of Kid's arm settling over her shoulders brought her attention back to him, "You didn't do anything wrong. They're scared of me."
She blinked up at him, wondering why he felt the need to voice that distinction. The statement was delivered as a matter of fact, without any emotion that Loklynn could read, yet she somehow got the feeling that he'd said it for a reason... maybe she'd be able to figure it out soon.
"You like scaring people, don't you?" The question seemed to fall out of her mouth before she even realized she was speaking. His mouth tilted upwards slightly as he glanced down at her.
"Heh. You could say that."
"What about me?"
"..."
"Kid?"
"...I found a shop, let's go."
_______꧁꧂_______
The 'shop' he spotted turned out to be a quaint chain of several umbrellaed carts on the streetside, each adorned with a sloppy scrawl of black paint that read, "Hardy's Wares." A plump, jolly looking fellow, presumably Hardy himself, stood behind the carts, eyes twinkling with a smile that was completely hidden behind a bushy, snow-white beard. Loklynn wouldn't have known from first glance that the vendor dealt with metal; the only real indication of his trade was the suede welder's apron he wore. She wondered if Kid's power gave him the ability to sense the metal in the cart, and reminded herself to ask later.
Hardy's nervous reaction upon noticing them was expected, but it still made Loklynn sad. Chatting with people was the best part about the marketplace; was she ever going to be able to do that again?
Loklynn was brought out of her gloomy thoughts by the sight of a little girl staring at them from another vendor a few stalls over.
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