A Fairy's Tale (Kidd X OC X Killer

Chapter 28: Countdown to Sunnyway (Part 2)

Her vacation from her antagonists was over by the fourth day when she was assigned to dinner meal prep. It wasn't bad news; in fact, she was looking forward to it... until she found out it required her to be in close quarters with Killer for about an hour while they both handled sharp objects. It was awkward at first, but Loklynn decided, as always, to try and make the most of it.

"Are you having fun over there," the vice captain said without turning away from the garlic he was mincing, "sitting there staring at my back? It's a surprising new level of creepy for you."

Loklynn inwardly cursed his formidable Haki as she hesitantly broke away from the doorframe she was hiding behind. "In my defense... it's a little daunting to approach you when you're holding a knife."

"I'm a little insulted that you think I need a weapon to be dangerous." The amused man finally put down said 'weapon' and turned to face her, leaning back against the counter with a casual cross of his uncomfortably burly arms. "How about you hold the knife, if it makes you feel better. You know how to dice, right?" The soldier asked as he handed her the impressively sharpened knife.

She opted to try for confidence. "Tch, what kind of plebian do you take me for?" She scoffed, casually flipping the knife in the air as she made her way to the cutting board.

"...Is this a trick question?"

Loklynn stopped to pin him with a single arched brow. "I'm the one with the knife, you know," the irked girl insinuated coolly.

"Oh, we're making threats now, are we?" He chuckled. "Very cute."

She began to skillfully dice an onion without even looking down, keeping her eyes pointedly fixed on him with the skills Benn ingrained in her. A familiar flash of annoyance broke through her nerves; Cute, was it? "What makes you think that was a threat, soldier?"

A small shake of his head was all she got in answer, but she did get the feeling that he was smiling... or more likely smirking.

They worked in peace for awhile after that; it was almost a comfortable silence, only slightly awkward. It was nice, but she couldn't help feeling a little sad after awhile.

"This is a nice change," Loklynn murmured quietly as they each dumped their finished products into a comically large cauldron on the stove. Killer didn't answer immediately.

"You definitely won't hear me say this often," he sighed eventually, "and it probably won't mean much coming from me... but I'm..."

He sighed again, seeming to struggle with himself. The girl's eyebrows shot into orbit as she realized what he was about to say, hardly believing her ears. She took advantage of his good mood by taking the chance to mock him a little bit.

"My word, I think we're making history right now," she breathed as she clutched her heart in exaggerated shock.

Killer paused and crossed his arms. "You know what? Just for that, I think I'll refrain," he flatly drawled.

"You can't stop there!"

"I doubt you can stop me. Dice the veggies."

Her thoughts wondered for awhile as she took the following silence as an opportunity to reminisce about the Red Force's kitchen. Her reverie was quite rudely shattered by Killer's quiet tone:

"...You look tired."

She nearly sliced her finger open at the statement, delivered like a knowing statement of fact rather than a casual observation.

Loklynn was jolted from sleep that first night, and every night after, by a new presence in the bowels of the ship. It was more than the usual flickers of marine life passing by; no, this presence was human, and it was scared. A more familiar aura accompanied them, one that sang with a deliberate and dark intent that she could never forget if she tried; She'd lain awake for the rest of the night, plagued by stabs of second-hand agony as she struggled to restrain herself from bolting out of the room and running to their aid, knowing she'd be a fool to think she'd do either of them any good by going up against Killer at that juncture.