Of Flight and Fish

Chapter 3

KILLER

Killer was returning from the marketplace after hearing some sort of commotion happening. He was curious about the rumors which told him enough to return to his companions. All Killer had done in town was retrieve supplies as Luffy began gathering materials with some helpful birdfolk.

Killer flew up to the makeshift tent they were staying in and slowed upon seeing a worked up Kidd pacing nearby. As Killer watched he could see the concerned telltales over his irritated expression. So perhaps the rumors were true.

He closed his wings and eased off his bag before walking over to Kidd silently. By the time Kidd noticed his approach, Killer was just about close enough to touch him without moving.

'A distracted Kidd is a distressed Kidd.' thought Killer with a hum.

Kidd didn't wait for any questions or explanations before towing Killer into the tent where he would see something he never expected to. His suspicions were right, the rumors were true. Scarily so.

Killer looked over the battered, fishy body in front of him as Kidd let him do so without much urging. Perhaps he was finally cooling off from the long flight.

"Can you fix him?" or not.

Killer set his bag down to get closer for a better view to assess the damage. Kidd scowled impatiently, moving restlessly.

"They hauled him into the townsquare with a net, bastards, " Kidd growled as Killer touched the wounds on the scaled body.

"I heard, " Killer stated before looking to Kidd, "and I'm no doctor, even for... this."

Killer gave a tilt of his head before turning back to the being and lifting them up, "Probably needs water."

With that said, Killer brought the being to a nearby stream with a small pool. Kidd had tagged along and grabbed the bag just in case.

"You able to help him any?" Kidd grumbled childishly with a pout.

Killer placed the raven haired fishman in the pool and sat on the ground, gesturing Kidd to do the same. He sat and Killer took the bag and ruffled though it.

A few minutes later Killer was finishing the bandaging on the human upper body of the being. Kidd helped drag him out of the water to try and clean the scaly part before they left them be.

There was no thanks as Killer packed up his bag and walked back to the tent to help Luffy. Or find him. Whichever came to be the case since Killer had found either could equally be the case. He grinned beneath his mask with a certain strain at the thought. Truly the two of his companions were similar to one another.

-

KIDD

Kidd sat at the pool quietly in deep thought. He watched the fishman and occasionally wetted the few scales on the upper torso. They all seemed to cluster more at the shoulders, up his back, and his neck. The scales seemed to fade over the man's stomach and face, his sides were bare of scales as well.

But the scales weren't what he was thinking about, well he was but it wasn't at the forefront of his mind at the moment. No, it was the black tribal like markings on the man's torso that wasn't covered in scales. Oddly enough, the scales on the shoulders followed the black markings. Markings like those he had seen in his dream a few nights ago.

Perhaps it was a coincidence. At first that's what Kidd believed until he looked back into his hazy memory, the days had blurred together making details hard to define. He continued to study the being and absently began to feel the scales and trace the tattoos. It was a bad habit of Kidd's he had picked up from his childhood and being a mechanic. He was kinda handsy, the thought caused a smirk to tug at the corner of his mouth.

Kidd traced the tattoos down to the man's hips and notices some slits in his sides that seemed to fan out at a regular interval. Out of pure curiosity, Kidd ran his hand over the scales.

"Gills?" he quietly wondered aloud as he stroked them.

A tattooed hand rested over Kidd's, stopping his movements. Kidd's eyes snapped up to be met by familiar grey ones. Those eyes widened in recognition as well and the grip on Kidd's hand tightens.

"It's you," came the smooth voice of the merman that held a certain wonder to his tone.

The merman offered a wry grin and raises his opposite hand to gently close Kidd's mouth he had managed to let hang open, "Good to know I'm not the only one then."

Kidd blushed from embarrassment as he yanked his face from the semi-stranger's hold. He pulled his hand away and backed up for good measure, sure not to look to the merman.

He spoke gruffly, hoping to hide his sudden weakness, "So you saw me in the dream then too. "

The merman nodded and voiced his confirmation after noticing the birdman not looking towards him, "But why did you save me from the others of your kind?"

Kidd honestly didn't know. Why did he?

"Law."

The merman's voice broke through Kidd's thoughts, causing him to look up, "What?"

"My name is Law, Trafalgar Law." he smirked, finding the birdman entertaining.

A grunt left Kidd before he sat and faced Law, "Eustass Kidd."

"Eustass-ya?" Law turned over onto his stomach and slid up on the pool edge.

Kidd watched Law cross his arms to prop himself up, "Are you alright? We weren't sure how to treat your wounds."

Kidd narrowed his eyes in agitation as he looked over the bloody pool.

Law gave a shrug and gestures Kidd over with a coy smile, "I'll check later. For now I do believe it's my turn to check you out."

Kidd tensed at being so easily caught but grudgingly made his way towards Law who had pushed himself up eagerly. He let out a cold chuckle as he pushed Law back in the water to sit in the shallows.

"Give yourself some space, it might help if you stay hydrated until you're healed, right?"

Law blinked in surprise before getting over it just as quickly, "I didn't know you cared, Eustass-ya. Or had the brains to put two and two together."

Kidd simply scowled and gestured for Law to get the inspection over with. Law easily complied and moved up to Kidd and touched his face with a webbed hand. He took note of Kidd's grimace, though he didn't pull away like Law had expected.

Once Law seemed satisfied with memorizing Kidd's face, he heaved himself up into his lap by wrapping his arms around Kidd's neck. Kidd let out a disgruntled hiss as he held onto Law's waist in reflex.

Law looked to Kidd mischievously before reaching for his wings, "What are these?"

Kidd looked over his shoulder, "Wings, feathers, they let us fly."

"Wings," Law quietly muses as he pet Kidd's wings.

At Law's touch, Kidd sat up and tensed. He wasn't one for familiar contact, let alone with someone touching his wings. They tended to be sensitive.

Law seemed to pick up on this fact. He slowed his hand and trailed it up Kidd's wings; Kidd was grateful Law at least knew to be careful about pulling his feathers. The two held a silent staring contest as Law's hand rode higher, a challenge for the other to speak against the other. As Law's fingers brushed those small feathers at the base of Kidd's wing, he jolted with a suppressed gasp.

All movement stopped for Law to flick his gaze to Kidd's face before smirking, "Easily stimulated, Eustass-ya?"

"Don't tease, " Kidd growls as he grabbed Law's arm in warning, "I think that's enough."

Kidd stood irritably and roughly dropped Law back into the pool, "Don't stray, I'll be back."

Law surfaced from the pool and silently watched Kidd fly away, "Where else could I go?"