][Malice][ =One Piece=

:: Chapter Twenty ::

[A/N- I just couldn't write out the war arc, just thinking about Ace makes me a complete and total mess and I'd be crying for days, lol so if you're wondering why I kinda skipped them watching it all, that's why... your author just can't handle the feels right now haha...]

It had been a few days since they’d left Sabaody Archipelago, Malice kept to herself for awhile after they’d witnessed the events of the war at Marineford. She’d never gotten especially close to any of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marco and a man named Thatch were the only two she’d actually carried on a lengthy conversation with. Whitebeard and her had different ideals, so they constantly but heads. He believed family and loved ones were a strength, something to protect and drove him to be stronger, she believed they were a weakness, just another way to be betrayed or abandoned. If the Old Man could see her now, and see the attachments she’d formed with the Kid Pirates he’d laugh and tell her ‘I told you so’. Perhaps the Old Man had been right. She felt as if she had something to protect, something to cherish, a place of acceptance, home, and she would die to protect it.

Maybe she’d been wrong, maybe Rayleigh was right, perhaps her father truly never knew of her existence. He may even be searching for her, like Rayleigh said. Perhaps family could be a good thing. She wrapped her arms around herself and gripped the locket in her hands tightly. How many families had she broken apart?

“Malice? Are you alright?” Killer called from the other side of her door.

“Go away.” Malice barked as she flopped onto her side on her bed and crumpled into herself, “I don’t want to talk.”

Her bedroom door flew open in the next instant and she heard Kid’s thundering footsteps as he stormed toward her. Malice yelped as she felt herself being cocooned in her sheet as Kid gathered the corners and heaved her over his shoulder in a sack made of blankets.

“What are you doing?!” She snapped as she futilely kicked and hit at every inch of him she could reach through the blankets.

“We’re going to have that conversation you’ve been avoiding.”  Kid chuckled as he carried her away from the rest of the crew to his private quarters.

“I said I don’t want to talk right now!” Malice screamed as she was suddenly dropped onto something soft and plush like. Desperately she fought against the constricting blankets that had entwined around her and after a few moments of struggling managed to break free.

She was in an unfamiliar room. There was a plush bed large enough for two people to sprawl out on, that she was currently sitting on, covered in ebony and crimson bedding and a mountain of ebony and crimson throw pillows. There were two bookshelves against the wall with various volumes all bound in dark leather with metallic lettering. A decent sized desk littered with various sketches and art tools faced a big bay window positioned at the aft of the ship looking out over the white capped water trailing behind them. The bay window had an ebony bench lined with crimson and silver throw pillows.

Kid sat in a wooden desk chair with his arms folded across his partially bare chest his feral amber eyes smoldering as he watched her intently. “Talk.”

“I don’t want to talk right now.” Malice growled.

“I didn’t ask.” Kid challenged her, “Start talking.”

Malice clenched her fists at her sides, but before she could protest Kid held his hand up to stop her.

“You promised.” He reminded her with a smirk.

Malice groaned and fell back on the plush bed with a sigh as she melted into the ultra plush bedding. “What would you like to know?” She asked in defeat.

“The pirate you’re looking for, who is it?”

Malice stared up at the ceiling not wanting to meet his gaze, “My father.”

“I thought you didn’t have parents.” Kid pondered.

“I said they forsook me, I never said they didn’t exist. My mother is a famous dancer who travels around the world by the stage name of The Black Dahlia. She didn’t want a child to ruin her career so the day I was born she left me to die in the street. Her understudy took me in and left the academy.”

Kid watched the cryptic young woman in silence. It pained her to talk about her mother, about the family that abandoned her. He wanted to reach out to the girl, but forced himself to stay still. “And your father?”

“I’m still piecing that together.” She sighed, “I’d always believed he didn’t want me, but Rayleigh said he never knew of my existence. I don’t know what the truth is, but I intend to find out.”

“How does he know your father?” Kid asked warily.

Malice smiled softly, “He was once a swabbie on Gol. D Roger’s ship.”

Kid stared at her wide eyed, “What? Who is he?”

“Before I disclose that information, I need to tell you something first. I’ve been betrayed more times than I can count, and if you even think you can use me as some kind of bargaining tool after I tell you the truth-.”

Kid punched her in her side, “Baka!”

“OW! What the hell was that for?!” Malice snarled as she clung to her tender side and threw him a glare. She gasped when she was met with an even more menacing glare. His feral amber eyes seemed to glow like molten metal.

“After everything we’ve been through, you still think-.” He paused and took a deep breath to keep himself calm and resist lashing out at the young woman. “Just get out. I don’t want to know if it’s going to distress you so much.”

Malice stared at him in awe, “What are yo-?”

“Get out.” Kid repeated coolly as he got to his feet and headed to the door. He wrenched it open and held it as he stared angrily ahead, refusing to cast her a second look.

“Kid?” She called tentatively.

“Just go.” He growled.

“Why?” She felt something inside of her begin to crumble as he turned cold.

“I’ll make you leave, by force.” He barked as he finally turned his glare to her causing her breath to hitch in her throat and her heart to freeze. There was pain in his smoldering gaze. Her inability to trust in him was hurting him.

“I’m sor-.”

“I said go!” Kid growled as he stalked toward her. He caught her by the arm and wrenched her to her feet, “So go!” He dragged her toward the door.

“Stop!” Malice snapped as she struggled against him. “KID!” Hot tears welled in her eyes as fear gripped her heart, was he going to abandon her?

He ignored her.

“It’s Shanks!” She yelled causing him to stop dead in his tracks.

“What?” Kid asked her incredulously.

“My father is Shanks.” Malice repeated softly, “Now, let go of my arm, you’re hurting me.”

Kid eased his grip on her arm and kicked the door shut before returning to his seat.

Relief flooded through her as he motioned for her to take a seat. A single tear slipped from her hold as she made her way back to him and Kid stared in awe as he watched the crystal tear cling to her pale cheek.

“Are you crying?” He asked flabbergasted.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Malice snapped as she quickly wiped away the evidence, “I don’t cry!”

“You were crying!” Kid growled.

Malice slipped to the floor beside him and rested her head against his knee, “Just don’t leave me, please.” She whispered so softly he almost didn’t hear her.

How many times had she been abandoned by people she thought she could trust? Kid gently placed a hand atop her head and soothingly streamed his fingers through her silken hair, “I’m not going anywhere.” He attempted to sound cool and indifferent but his voice came out soft and affectionate.