Odd Eye (One Piece Fanfic)

-4- Don't talk to Strangers; with Blond hair and Green eyes.

"The name's Titus." 

The introduction was short and simple. No more, no less. Just a name, and the blond man inched closer over the edge of his medium-sized fishing boat. 

He had a head of hair a shade of yellow Cross rarely saw from where he came from. 

"My name's Cross!" Cross giggled. Settling down casually on his boat, slumping over the edge, he grinned. "You have weird hair, sir."

"You have weird clothes, son." Titus answered back with a smile, "Can you even see me?"

Cross nodded lightly with an 'uhn!'. "But Takara told me I can't show anyone my eyes," he admitted loudly, a voice childish and babyish. "It's a secret!"

Titus sighed, "Did he also tell you secrets aren't supposed to be told?"

Cross froze. Realizing his mistake, he wallowed in regret for three full seconds before he just sighed. Pouting, he whined, "then you keep the secret too!"

Resting his chin on his hand, Titus only smiled in resignation. Children always pleased him to be around, and being an older brother, Titus didn't find this situation a hassle. 

"Sure then." Titus agreed easily. 

Shaking off his hood, Cross swiped his messy dark hair into place. With a goofy grin, he lifted his head, a naive trust now built for Titus.

But Titus-- he held back a light hiss.

Cross had complete heterochromia, Titus noted. That's rare. One of his eyes were normal, a shade of black anyone could have. And the other was a bright, mystic shade of blue. Strictly speaking, there was nothing odd about having eyes of a different hue.

Nothing odd, Titus had to remind himself.

So why was that gaze sending shivers down his spine?

Forcing himself to divert his attention from the eye, Titus smiled nervously. "That what your companion didn't want anyone to see?" he brought up a casual question.

"No one should ever look at it." Cross' voice was somber now, "It's a despicable eye." 

His voice was low, calm, and toneless. 

Titus' breath held. This kid was beyond weird. Eerie, strange, unnatural. Creepy, and Titus instantly knew he'd be trouble to get close to.

"Titus, was it?" Cross spoke up. "You a traveller?"

Everything about the boy was different the instant he took off the hood, what the fu-

"Yeah," Titus felt a smile rise. Hell, this boy was unnerving. Unnerving, and incredibly interesting. "A treasure hunter."

"Awesome." Cross chuckled, "We're pirates."

Titus did a double take, "With two people?" he gaped, "And a bear?"

"Interesting, ain't it?" Cross grinned, "By the way, do you navigate?" 

"Interesting, well yes it is but--" Titus didn't even know what to think here. He was just-- so taken aback, "--oh, uh, yeah, I kinda do..."

"Wanna join my crew?" Cross interrupted quickly, "We kinda need a navi."

There was a silence. The two eyed each other, gaze transfixed-- wordless. Titus stares into those eyes again. That one blue orb that seemed to draw him in-- 

Cringing, Titus looked away. 

"I can't think of a reason to reject," Titus sighed, "But no. Thanks for the offer, kid."

"Ehhhh," With a childish whined, Cross complained, "Why noooot??"

With a groan Titus guessed this kid was bipolar. "I have my own goal, and that doesn't include become a pirate. Treasure Hunting would be a hassle if I were a pirate!"

Pouting, Cross sighed. "Then, fine." he gave up. 

Oh, he gave up. Titus was mildly glad. He was impulsive, but not stubborn and irritating. Good, he's mature enough to be mindful of others.

"What're you looking for," Cross mumbled pulling his hood back on and slumping down lazily, "That you'd give up the fun life of a pirate?"

Fun life of a pirate, Titus bitterly thought, "Fun's nice, but freedom is better," he decided, "Pirates can't be out in the open too much."

"But pirates are free people?" Cross was genuinely confused.

Titus chuckled. "You're right," he agreed.

Pirates are free. Free from anything that bounds them. They force themselves out of whatever chains bind them, and pretend to forget about them as they run off, away from them.

But now-- Titus can't do that. He must hold on to those chains.

"I'm searching for the Knavan Stone," he started. Cross perked up with interest, so Titus continued. "It's a mystical, beautiful gem, apparently. And it can grant the user any one wish."

"A wish granting stone," Cross breathed, "Awesome."

"No matter how illogical, ridiculous and impossible the wish is, the stone will grant it." Titus grinned, "Ain't that interesting?"

Cross' expression was a mixture of bewilderment and entrancement. After a surprised pause-- his face swelled into a smile, "that's so cool!"