#Fic: Miscalculations and Misfits

[anubislover]

Miscalculations and Misfits

The Big Daddy was hardly the most reputable tavern, nor the cleanest, but considering how the entirety of Joras had been damp, dreary, and full of people giving him and his crew suspicious glances, it suited Law just fine. He was a rookie pirate anyway, so the eighteen-year-old captain rarely felt any inclination to show his face in more respectable establishments. What mattered to him was that it was dry, the food was edible, the ale was strong, and there were only seven other customers, a barkeeper, a cook in the back, and a tavern maid manning the tables, so it was relatively quiet compared to most places a pirate might visit when seeking a meal not cooked in their own galley. Sure, a few people had still given questioning glares, especially since he’d walked in with a sword nearly as tall as himself and a polar bear, but for the most part the clientele seemed more interested in sharing grim stories or serenading the tavern maid with macabre folk songs. So, the quartet had ordered their food with the confidence they wouldn’t be chased out should anyone recognize the jolly roger on any of their backs.

Booted feet propped up on the creaky wooden table, Law linked his fingers behind his head as he regarded Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo. His oldest friends had uncharacteristically serious expressions on their faces, especially considering how they would usually be joking around and chatting loudly in most circumstances. Golden eyes narrowed in irritation. They hadn’t shown nearly this much resistance with any of his past recruits. Hell, the main difference between their new shipmate and the rest was the fact that he’d actually asked her to join, unlike, say, Darter who had simply declared he was trading in his serial killer career for piracy, or Crozier who had taken one look at a ship full of teens and decided they needed adult supervision.

Well, there was one other difference, he supposed, but if the guys were seriously giving him the stink-eye because a girl was joining the Heart Pirates, he might just remove their eyeballs for a bit. Ok, not Bepo’s, but only because his expression was more worried than judgmental. And it was infinitely cuter than the others, but he wouldn’t admit that, even on his death bed.

“Are you three seriously going to give me crap about the new girl?” Law finally asked, raising an eyebrow challengingly. “I wasn’t aware that ‘No Girls Allowed’ was one of my ship’s articles.”

Behind his sunglasses, Shachi rolled his eyes before sneering, “Oh, so sorry, Cap; here I thought we were looking to hire a new mechanic. Not picking up some eye candy.”

“She is our new mechanic; she’s the reason we weren’t screwed out of millions of berri for a new engine and instead just had to pay for a few new parts. She sure as fuck diagnosed the problem faster than Hikigaeru-ya ever could!”

The entire table’s expressions soured substantially at the name. All except Bepo who instead hung his head shamefully, the tips of his claws making soft clicks as they tapped together. He had nothing to be ashamed of, of course, but the polar bear Mink clearly still felt guilty. It had been three months since their former mechanic had been chained to a desolate rock in the middle of the ocean, his torso cut open to expose his organs and muscles to the hungry seabirds that flew overhead.

Cruel and unusual punishment? Yes, but the bastard had deserved it. The fucker had been smart enough to keep his racism against Minks mostly to himself for the six months he had sailed with them, but he’d belittled and tormented poor Bepo in private during his entire tenure as a Heart. And because Bepo was meek and a people-pleaser, he’d stayed quiet about it until Darter had brought up his concerns about the Mink’s increasingly depressive moods, and the captain finally made him spill the beans. No one should have had to endure that—least of all someone as good as Bepo.

Law was still kicking himself over not noticing that the now ex-mechanic had been mistreating Bepo. As much as he’d like to say anyone would have been fooled, the fact was he’d made a lot of mistakes since he and his friends had set out to sea two years ago. He’d been an angry sixteen-year-old with big plans for revenge. Even more aggressive and reckless at seventeen when he’d started making a name for himself but wasn’t seeing as much progress as he’d liked. That had unfortunately led to frustration, which led to more anger and recklessness, which had resulted in mistakes. Failures. His subordinates getting hurt both physically and emotionally. If nothing else, the realization that he’d failed to notice Bepo’s mistreatment for so long had been the wake-up call Law needed. As much as he wanted to destroy Joker and burn his empire to the ground, he had a duty to his subordinates. He’d never admit it aloud, but he loved those loyal idiots who were willing to follow him into Hell itself. He owed it to them to protect them as best he could. Starting with getting their submarine fixed and recruiting a mechanic that wasn’t a two-faced prick.

“Ok, let’s say she’s as skilled as you say. It’s true we need a mechanic, and those are in short supply. But the reason you sacked Hikigaeru wasn’t due of a lack of skill; it was because he was a massive dick to Bepo,” Penguin reminded him bluntly, crossing his arms across his chest. “You said you wouldn’t make the same mistake with his replacement.”

“I did and I’m not!” Law argued. It was true. With Hikigaeru, he’d been thinking only of the necessity of having a mechanic on board. He and the boys had managed to keep the Polar Tang running with the basic maintenance skills Wolfe had taught them, but it was vital to have someone who could actually repair a broken engine or diagnose problems. But he hadn’t considered the importance of assessing the man’s character as well as his skills. That had been a mistake, so this time, he was trusting both his brain and his gut. And they were both telling him that Ikkaku was perfect for the job and the crew.

Despite having just a secretarial job at the shipyard and being dressed in a crop top and shorts that should have guaranteed hypothermia, the girl had known her stuff. Her boss, Mr. Bowers, had told Law that the whole engine would need to be replaced—a costly job, to be sure. One any business would be thrilled to do for the amount of berri it would give them and would keep the Heart Pirates stuck on the dreary island for at least a week or two. But then Ikkaku had spoken up. Told Law that she did her own diagnostic, and the engine was easily fixed with just a few new parts that would cost him barely a tenth of what Mr. Bowers had estimated, and she could get it done herself in only four hours.

That had made quite the impression on Law. Ikkaku had risked her career to keep Law from getting swindled, standing up to an asshole boss for a guy she’d just met. He still wasn’t entirely sure why she did it; such altruism wasn’t exactly pirate-material. But she had guts, and the second she’d proven she could put her money where her mouth was and fix the engine as easily as she’d boasted, Law had already kind of staked his claim on her.

On top of that, Ikkaku had a quality that he’d realized the rest of the crew was sadly lacking—she was willing to call her superior out on his shit. As much as he loved the boys and how supportive they were, Law had come to realize that the Hearts were, at their worst, enablers. They always let him have his way. Darter cheered him on when he got sadistic and considered him an artist. Crozier was no-nonsense but firmly believed in following his captain’s orders regardless of whether they were the right ones. Malamute and Shiroiruka had been in a gang before joining him and eagerly did what their new boss told them to do. Not even his original trio of loyal misfits were willing to tell him “No” most of the time. Bepo was too meek while Penguin and Shachi still retained their fascination and hero worship from their younger years.

It figured that now, when he was actually getting his act together and found someone willing to give him some well-deserved shit, that his friends finally decided to push back. The irony annoyed him immensely.

“And yet the second she lays eyes on him, your new recruit literally shrieked in fear,” Shachi stated, bearing his pointed teeth aggressively. It was clear his defiance of his captain’s orders was solely due to his desire to protect Bepo, which Law could respect. He suspected much of it was due to guilt; he’d bullied Bepo in their youth, and even now still picked on him occasionally. Perhaps he’d seen too much of his younger self in Hikigaeru’s misbehavior. Perhaps he wished to make amends. A commendable reason, but sadly one that made him blind to the fact that Ikkaku wasn’t their enemy.

“Well, yeah! Most people are gonna be scared when coming face-to-face with a polar bear!” Law defended. Admittedly he did feel a bit guilty about that; he should have warned Ikkaku that the crew wasn’t entirely human, if only so Bepo wouldn’t feel self-conscious. He’d neglected to inform her as a joke—it was always funny to watch a newbie freak out when they were suddenly in the presence of a large bear in an orange jumpsuit. Usually, after some initial panic, they quickly realized he was basically a big teddy bear when it came to the crew. Only this time, Bepo’s skin wasn’t as thick. His wounds from Hikigaeru’s mistreatment were still too fresh. And he couldn’t have predicted that Ikkaku’s grandfather had been mauled by a polar bear in his youth and she’d grown up with nightmares from the story. Once again, he’d been reckless, though luckily his miscalculation hadn’t been too costly. Just some hurt feelings and misunderstandings that had been somewhat ironed out. Both parties had left the encounter shaken, but apologies had been exchanged, and Law was confident that his cute navigator would quickly endear himself to the new mechanic. Trauma aside, Ikkaku hadn’t seemed to care that he was a Mink, which was already a step up from Hikigaeru. In fact, she’d been quite contrite and ashamed of her reaction as Law had walked her to the edge of town after, asking him to pass on further apologies to Bepo and promises that she’d make it up to him.

Yes, Law had definitely screwed up with the introduction, but it had served to prove that he’d ultimately made the right decision with his new hire—he couldn’t remember ever hearing Hikigaeru apologize, even while the seagulls pecked out his liver. Mostly he’d just screamed, which had been quite the satisfying sound, but while Law had enjoyed it, it hadn’t really helped Bepo.

“I’m sorry,” the Mink whimpered, interrupting his train of thought.

“Ugh, you don’t need to apologize, Bepo,” he quickly amended, taking his feet off the table so he could reach across to pat his furry shoulder reassuringly. “She just wasn’t expecting to meet a bear. You’re an apex predator, remember? You’re supposed to be fuckin’ scary!”

“But I don’t want to scare my nakama,” the navigator replied, eyes watering a bit.

“And you won’t, because she’s not going to be nakama,” Shachi cut in, fists clenching. He hadn’t said two words to the new girl, but he’d already decided she didn’t belong, and nothing Law said would change his mind.

“Yeah, she is,” Law snapped, glaring at the redhead, practically daring him to keep defying his orders. It was getting more and more tempting to take him outside and beat the insolence out of him, but he refrained. Shachi standing up to him, especially in defense of Bepo, was ultimately a good thing, so he needed to solve this matter diplomatically. Or at least without physical violence. “I’m fetching her first thing tomorrow after she’s said her goodbyes and gotten her affairs in order. And even though she’s already apologized, the first thing I’ll have her do when she boards is apologize to Bepo again.”

“I’m not mad at her, Law,” the bear insisted, round ears drooping but expression a little less sad. “It’s not her fault she was scared of me. I’ll…I’ll give her some space for a few days so she can get used to everything, then maybe we could try again.”

While things weren’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped when this conversation started, at least Law seemed to be getting through to one of the trio. Considering how Bepo was the actual injured party in all this, his opinion held far more weight than the other two. Still, he’d rather have all three of them back on his side. Ikkaku didn’t need to come onto a ship full of hostility; he’d already seen her get dirty looks from her former colleagues, and he was sure he’d caught a few civilians glaring at her as they’d walked through town. He’d nearly insisted on escorting her the two miles through the moors to the lighthouse, but she’d claimed that she was safer outside of town than in.

She was a weird kid, but then again the island itself was pretty fucking weird. Joras was rather infamous among the North Blue. Stories of ancient horrors and the cultists who worshiped them were still told around the fireside to scare children. Arkham Hospital boasted incredible medical minds but also unethical practices. Lobster buoys were carved to look like grotesque human heads. The dead were cremated due to an alleged incident where corpses came back to life and wreaked havoc across the land. The birth rate of twins was unusually high, with some claiming they had psychic powers. Ten years ago, there had even been a plague that had caused the afflicted to go mad and bloodthirsty.

This island was fucked up, and Law could hardly wait to leave. Yes, places like the hospital were intriguing, but the fog was dense, the smell of fish and smog was far from appealing, and even he could say the feeling of paranoia and ennui that hung over most of the locals was extreme. It was clear Ikkaku didn’t belong here. Hell, she was the brightest, most vibrant thing he’d seen on the island, and he was looking forward to stealing her away from this place.

Now he just had to get the boys on the same page.

Turning towards his quartermaster, Law hoped Penguin would be more reasonable than Shachi. He’d always been a little bit calmer and more forward-thinking, even if his reckless streak was still a mile long. “Her completely understandable reaction to a polar bear aside, are you foreseeing any problems with my decision?” Not that it would change Law’s mind, of course, but if there was going to be a mutiny, he’d rather know what to look for so he could see it coming.

Mouth twisting in thought and irritation, Penguin replied, “Not to be sexist, but a woman aboard an all-male ship is gonna change the dynamic, Law. You’re smart enough to know that, right?”

“Lack of Y-chromosome or not, I’m expecting her to be treated the same as anyone else on the ship. Or did I recruit a bunch of brainless horndogs who only think with their dicks?”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Good, because given how her old boss made her dress, I’m planning on giving her full permission to kick anyone that treats her like a piece of meat right in the balls. And I won’t be giving them painkillers after.”

All three boys winced. It was not an empty threat.

Clearing his throat, Penguin sought to explain himself. “I meant that having a girl around means a lot of adjustments are gonna have to be made. I doubt she’ll be comfortable bunking with any of the boys, so she’ll need her own quarters. For laundry rotation, is she going to be ok with somebody else washing her underwear and stuff? We have communal showers for fuck’s sake, Law. Even if none of us are attracted to her, it’s still going to be weird and awkward for everyone.”

“Me more than anyone else,” Law countered. Yes, he had considered the ramifications of a woman aboard the ship. He had to. He was the doctor, after all. “Don’t forget I’ll be giving her medical examinations, including some pretty female-specific ones.” Which reminded him, he’d need to brush up on birth control and pelvic exams and menstrual cycles. Luckily, he was hardly squeamish, though he could agree it would likely be a bit awkward to discuss these things with his new subordinate. But he’d meant what he’d said about her being treated the same as the rest of the crew, and that meant she’d be getting a full medical exam the moment they set out.

That did seem to mollify Penguin a little bit, as his shoulders relaxed and he sighed. “Alright, Captain. I’ll take your word for it that you’ve got everything all figured out.”

“Are you seriously gonna just roll over like that and let him win?” Shachi exclaimed.

“Hey, at least this way when it all goes to shit and Law looks like a fool, I get to rub it in his face and say ‘I told you so’ for once,” he chuckled, smirking at his captain. Yes, he still had his reservations, but if Law was really that fixated on making Ikkaku their engineer, there wasn’t really anyone who could stop him. Not even Ikkaku herself. If she’d refused his offer to join the Hearts, there was no doubt in Penguin’s mind that their next mission would involve kidnapping her before setting off for the next island.

Which, yeah, would be pretty shitty of them, but hey, they were pirates, after all. And at least their uniform was less ridiculous than what he’d first seen her in. Had Bowers really required her to dress like that? It was like he was trying to have her catch pneumonia or something. So really, this was beginning to feel more like a rescue. How unusually noble of his sadistic friend. The recent changes in Law’s habits and demeanor had not gone unnoticed by Penguin, and he was now curious to see how things would play out under this calmer, more forward-thinking Law.

Law could see the frustration lining Shachi’s face at having lost both his allies in this petty argument to his captain’s side. His own lips pursed in displeasure. It was an expression he usually saw in the midst of squabbles with Penguin; a sign the stubborn redhead wasn’t giving up the fight just yet, despite having clearly already lost.

Thankfully, before Shachi could start another argument, the tavern maid came over with their meals. She was pretty enough with a smile friendlier than most on the island, but like all servers, the sincerity of it could never be fully trusted. “Sorry it took so long, gents,” she said, setting down the heavy tray laden with plates of grilled fish, clam chowder, and steamed lobster. The cheap price for the latter had initially raised a few eyebrows, but the woman had explained that the surrounding seas in fact had an overabundance of the crustaceans, so it was rather common fare. “Had a feisty one in today’s catch. Nearly took the cook’s finger off. But I’m sure a group of strong lads like you are brave enough to brave these beasts,” she giggled, giving Law a flirtatious wink.

“If it’s already dead, I doubt much bravery’s needed,” Law said with a disinterested shrug, grabbing one of the pints of beer and a bowl of chowder, blatantly ignoring the roll that had come with it. “At least now we can shove food in Shachi’s face to shut him up.”

The redhead flipped him off in response, which Law nonchalantly returned.

“It’ll be ok, Shachi,” Bepo attempted to mollify as he eagerly tucked into a massive piece of fish. “It’s important that we have a good mechanic on the ship, and I trust Law’s judgement. And just because we had a rocky start doesn’t mean we won’t become friends. I mean, you and Penguin beat me up when we met, but we’re nakama now, right? Give her a chance.”

Both Penguin and Shachi tugged their hats over their eyes in shame while a small spike of guilt hit Law at the words. Fuck, Bepo was really too good. Yes, he was doing his best to not make another mistake that could hurt his navigator, but the fact that Bepo so easily trusted his decision despite his past fuckups proved that he really was a better friend than he rightly deserved. And he even forgave Penguin and Shachi for how they initially treated him and considered them his true companions. How was Bepo able to go through life having been hurt so often but not holding any grudges? It was a complete mystery to someone like him.

“Ya’ll hired a mechanic from around here?” the maid asked as she set out forks and spoons and knives for the table, not dissuaded by Law’s brush-off. It was her job to be charming, and there’d been plenty of gossip about the crew that had sailed in on a submarine of all things. Including an outrageous story that Mr. Bowers had gotten decapitated, but his head had still been talking and screaming even afterwards. That was odd, even by Joras’ standards. “Our docks have some of the best in the North. Even the Marines have come recruiting for bright lads to work on their new warships,” she added proudly.

Shachi quickly latched onto that little tidbit. “Hey Law, if your newbie’s so good, how come the Marines haven’t snatched her up?”

“Because she’s got taste,” he countered easily, taking a sip of chowder. Not really to his tastes, but it was hot and still better than anything he and the boys could make. Once they had their mechanic settled in, he should probably start looking for a proper cook.

“Probably took one look at those ugly Navy uniforms and said ‘Nah, man, I’d rather be a pirate and wear a badass boiler suit’,” Penguin joked, attempting to dissipate the tension. Really, this argument was getting tiresome. Law had already made it obvious he’d made his decision, and if Shachi wasn’t careful, he’d end up with worse punishment than laundry duty for insubordination. “I think you’re just worried that Ikkaku’ll wear it better than you.”

Before Shachi could deny it, there was a clatter as the tavern maid dropped one of the tankards of ale, eyes wide and jaw hanging as she stared at the young men sitting at her table.

“You…you’re pirates? Hiring the Light Keeper’s granddaughter?” the tavern maid asked. Her voice wasn’t especially loud, but apparently the horrified words had carried to the ears of every man in the building, with even the cook coming out to stare at them. The entire room went silent, full attention on the outsiders that had apparently committed some outrageous faux pas.

Law frowned and his brow furrowed in annoyance. He could tolerate being questioned by his oldest friends, but total strangers? A man could only put up with so much. If people kept bitching and moaning about his decision to take Ikkaku away, he might have to add some actual heads to the weird-ass buoys in the harbor. “Her old man is the lighthouse keeper, and yes, I’m hiring her,” he stated through clenched teeth, a vein on his jaw ticking with irritation.

“You seem surprised. Why? There something we should know?” Shachi asked, resting his chin in his palms as he leaned in intently. Finally, something to support his argument that the new girl was bad news! “Skeletons in her closet? Dark secrets she’s been keeping? Is she really an undercover Marine looking to infiltrate pirate crews?”

“Well, it’s just…”

“The girl’s cursed,” a grizzled fisherman a few tables over interrupted, turning in his seat to face the newcomers. He looked to be nearly eighty, though a life on the harsh North Blue waters easily could have aged him. “Aye, cursed since she were born. There’s a damn good reason she be named after a corpse whale, lads.”

“Oh, she’s killed someone?” Law asked, mildly amused. He had a literal serial killer in his employ, so that would hardly be enough to scare him away from making her part of his crew. Hell, if anything, he’d be impressed that she had a body count already. Made him more confident that she’d settle into pirate life easily.

“Her own twin brother. Took his life before he even left the womb.”

Four pairs of eyes blinked once. Twice. Three times in confusion. “That’s…it?”

“‘That’s it’?” the maid gasped, offended. “Twins are a sign of prosperity for a family. Her mother had already had one set, so a second would be twice as lucky. They were supposed to be a sign of great things to come. But instead, she was born and didn’t even have the grace to let her brother take his first breath! It should have been her that died!”

“Seriously?” Penguin asked, expression grim. “Unless you think a fetus could possibly have murderous intent, you people can’t possibly blame her for something like that. It’s tragic, sure, but it unfortunately happens, and it’s not anyone’s fault. Especially not the baby’s.”

“And why are you so upset that the girl lived? Shouldn’t the family just be happy one of the children is alive?” Bepo asked, already feeling sorry for Ikkaku. He understood that people with happy, comfortable lives usually didn’t set out to become pirates, but did people really believe she was a killer since the day she was born? And why was there so much emphasis being put on the fact that she was a girl?

“Blasted outsiders don’t know anything, do ya?” another man yelled, slamming his mug of beer onto the bar top with a furious thunk. This one was younger than the first, but was missing an eye and had the muscles that came from working long hours on the docks. “When a boy an’ a girl are born together, it means the lad is human, while the lass be the spawn of an Old One!”

There was a moment of dumbfounded silence before Law ran a tattooed hand over his face, torn between laughing at the absurdity and groaning in exasperation. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Well, perhaps not the stupidest, but easily the top ten in Law’s book. “Firstly, I could give a whole list of reasons why that ain’t medically possible. Second, I don’t give a shit about your eldritch horror gods, and Ikkaku being some tentacle monster’s kid sounds like something out of a bad penny dreadful.”

“Yeah,” Shachi admitted, enthusiasm fading. He didn’t approve of the new recruit, but he wasn’t going to buy into such weird slander out of defiance towards her recruitment. He’d rather have actual dirt he could use against her. In fact, he was beginning to understand why Ikkaku was so willing to sail away with a bunch of pirates. “‘Yo mama banged a tentacle god’ is a great insult, but you people can’t actually believe that shit, right?”

“And thirdly, even if any of that were true, what the fuck is the correlation between ‘eldritch baby’ and ‘dead twin brother’?” Law finished, though he did give Shachi a quick, approving smirk. Oh, he hoped the redhead used that jab against some Marine. Or maybe that Basil Hawkins guy he’d seen in the paper. The weird magician would probably be far more insulted than the average sailor. Or he’d take it as a compliment. Seemed like the kind of weird thing he’d do.

The tavern maid shifted uncomfortably while the men scoffed. “Yer all a bunch of damned fools,” the old fisherman grumbled. “The Old Ones knew her oldest brother is blessed. Knew he’ll go on to do great things an’ climb up the Navy ranks. That lad’ll finally bring honor to this island’s name, but the Old Ones don’t like that. So they planted that wretched seed in her mother’s womb an’ set her out into the world to sabotage him. Startin’ by draining the life from his youngest brother.”

“Too bad a strong, handsome, intelligent man like Ushi couldn’t be stopped by a mere cursed child,” the maid said, resting her cheek in her palm and sighing dreamily. “He’s the hero we’ve been waiting for. A future champion of justice and someone who will bring glory to Joras.”

Law snorted at her clear infatuation, though he tucked away the relevant information for later. Ikkaku had a brother in the Navy? This could be a problem. Though, from the sound of things, they weren’t close. He’d have to grill her about it once she was settled in. He had no intention of rescinding his offer over it, of course—he just needed to know if she’d need to stay out of the way should their paths cross.

Marine or not, siblings shouldn’t kill each other. It was a rule Law held true to. The idea of a pirate killing their Marine brother was not a memory he wished to relive, nor could he fathom an older brother hating his little sister.

Out of the corner of his eye, Law noticed Shachi pull out his brass knuckles and start polishing them with a napkin. Meanwhile, Penguin had begun playing with one of the dinner knives that had been provided with their meals. Bepo was still eating his fish, but his ears were perked up and swiveling around, alert for any sounds that could signal trouble. Golden eyes flicked down to where Kikoku leaned against the edge of the table, her cursed blade eager for the prospect of tasting blood.

His attention returned to the other patrons, who were muttering in agreement at the woman’s claims. The old fisherman nodded with approval, though his face was still lined with bitterness. “In the old days, even the merfolk would’ve shunned that girl. She would’ve been raised in isolation until she turned sixteen, then returned to the sea as a bride to the Great Dreamer.”

“You sure we can’t still do that?” the barkeep chuckled, though it held no mirth. “The Light Keeper’s been guarding her since she was six. Basically the same thing, living alone with a crazy old man and his dog for a decade. There’s still time, if you think drowning her will appease something.”

“Don’t think we need to, if this lot’s taking her,” the one-eyed worker noted, his attention returning to the pirates seated at the table. “Be doin’ us all a service, taking her out t’ sea with ya. Though, it’s on yer heads if the Great Dreamer claims yer ship because of it.”

A few men laughed, but the tavern maid’s face was lined with fright. “No, we can’t let them take her!” she exclaimed, grabbing the old man’s arm desperately. “Don’t you see? We can’t let her be associated with pirates! What about Ushi?”

“Ya think Ushi could be killed by a cursed pup like her?” the old man scoffed.

“She’s doesn’t have to,” the barkeep pointed out, rubbing his chin in thought. “If the Navy finds out his sister is a pirate, it could reflect badly on him. Maybe even prevent him from becoming an admiral.”

There was a murmur throughout the tavern, several men commiserating before the old man at last nodded solemnly. “Aye, yer right. The lass must’ve bewitched these fools into taking her along so she could fulfill her dark mission.”

“She hardly ‘bewitched’ me,” Law pointed out, setting down his now empty soup bowl and finally bothering to chime into this ridiculous conversation once more. “If you all hate her so much, I’ll gladly do everyone the favor of getting her the fuck away from you freaks. Call it my good deed for the century.”

His cheek only served to agitate the mob, though Law hardly cared. He didn’t owe these people or their beliefs a lick of respect. Really, this island had gone through a booming industrial revolution in the past fifty years, yet they still held onto backwards beliefs like this?

Yeah, Ikkaku was definitely better off with a gang of pirates.

“If ya take her, she could jeopardize everything,” the dock worker growled. “This island’s reputation has haunted us for too long. But that’s all gonna change! Ushi is the one who’ll banish those old ghosts and allow us t’ truly prosper.”

“You talk about getting rid of a shitty reputation, but you’re not exactly doing much to prove it wrong,” Law pointed out. “Which is it? Do you not believe in your old ways, or do you still think a girl is the spawn of some weird god? Or do you not actually believe that one but pay it lip service because you need a scapegoat so you have a reason for why your lives are so miserable?”

The atmosphere in the room grew even more tense, Law clearly having touched a nerve.

“We’ll give ya one chance,” the old man said coldly, ignoring the question. He stepped forward and drew a knife from his wool overcoat. He’d apparently taken up point as the ringleader, the rest of the small mob falling in line behind him. “You an’ yer crew sail out. Tonight. Leave the lass behind. We’ll deal with her like we shoulda done when she were first born.”

The rim of Law’s hat cast an ominous shadow as he stated, “Counteroffer; you all shut the fuck up and return to your seats. My crew and I finish up our business on the island, then we sail away. With Ikkaku, as our new mechanic.” He could hear Shachi grunt behind him, though it didn’t seem to be in disagreement; sure, he didn’t sound enthusiastic about it, but it was clear he’d accepted that, despite his complaints, Ikkaku was coming with them. “My next offer involves you fucks ending up as a pile of limbs, so you’d be smart to back down now.”

“Fools don’t know what yer dealin’ with,” the old man sneered, pointing the dagger at Law threateningly. “Cursed or not, a pirate in the family could destroy Ushi’s dream! We can’t let that happen!”

The other men in the tavern shouted in agreement and leapt to their feet. Law stood, hand outstretched and tattooed fingers flexing eagerly, when the old man’s call to battle was cut short by a red-haired blur and a loud crack as his jaw was broken by a well-placed punch to the jaw.

Apparently surprised that the pirates were choosing to fight back instead of just allowing themselves to die at the hands of an angry mob, there was a moment where the other men stood still, which was more than enough time for Penguin to throw his knife in a precise arch, the blade easily piercing the dock worker’s remaining eyeball, completely blinding him. He screamed, prompting the barkeeper to throw a pint glass at Law before attempting to run. However, the thick glass was easily batted aside by Bepo before it could even get close to his captain’s head. In fact, his massive paw hit the glass so hard it flew across the room into the cook’s face, shattering on impact and turning the flesh into a bloody mess.

Before his crew could get their hands any dirtier, Law’s Room expanded from his, filling the tavern with a blue glow. “Takt.” Everyone who wasn’t a Heart Pirate, from patron to employee, levitated in the air as if lifted by invisible marionette strings.

“You idiots made a big mistake,” he said, voice eerily calm as he looked them over, gold eyes calculating. Assessing. The surgeon preparing the first cut. As if sensing this, Bepo handed him Kikoku, the Ōdachi’s long blade gleaming as he drew her from her sheath. “I don’t care about your beliefs. I don’t care about your reputation. I don’t care your pathetic little lives. What I do care about is my crew.”

“We’ll leave you alone!” the tavern maid screamed, terrified tears streaming down her cheeks. “I promise, we don’t have any problem with you pirates! You don’t have to do this!”

“Oh, but we do. See, you didn’t just threaten us,” Law stated, gesturing to the young men standing behind him, who glared at the crowd ominously. “You threatened Ikkaku. She’s a Heart Pirate now. That puts her under my protection. And you idiots threatened her. Mistreated her. And if this Marine brother of hers has a problem with her career choice, well, he can take it up with her captain; Trafalgar Law.”

Kikoku sliced through the air a dozen times in quick succession, the sound of screams filling the room as his victims were cut to pieces, legs, arms, and heads spinning around like balloons in zero gravity. He twirled his fingers, grinning as the body parts spun around like they were caught in a tornado. As much as Law wanted to relish their cries of horror and agony, he was a practical man, so he made another cut to neatly carve out their vocal cords, dumping them into his empty chowder bowl. It wouldn’t do for the screams to draw attention to the tavern, otherwise the Hearts really would have to sail off early, assuming they didn’t massacre the whole town.

“It’s tempting to kill you,” he mused, letting the old man’s head drop into his waiting palm. Curious, he studied the mangled jaw; Shachi had landed a good punch, and he could see the indents of his brass knuckles in the skin. Maybe he should get a pair with some raised letters for added insult. Or better, the jolly roger. His Man-At-Arms deserved some custom brass knuckles as a reward for stepping up when it counted for his crew. He’d look into it later. “But honestly, I prefer leaving you all like this. You’ve got a hospital further inland, right? I’ll leave you as a fun puzzle to solve. Put your doctors’ skills to the test putting you all back together. Oh, though they’ll be missing a few key pieces.”

Dropping the head, he raised his hand once more, crooking his finger to draw the torsos towards him, lining them up like soldiers before slamming his palm against each of them. “Mes.” Out popped their hearts, neatly stored in perfect cubes, still beating rapidly with fear. “I’m taking these. Might as well make a profit while I’m here, right? These’ll go for at least what Bowers-ya tried to swindle me out of with his shitty diagnostic. Something I’ll never have to worry about again now that I’ve Ikkaku as my mechanic.”

Satisfied, Law dispelled his Room, allowing the twitching body parts to fall to the floor like hail, scattered throughout the room in a grisly scene. He had no pity for whatever poor soul would discover the carnage, nor the doctors that would likely spend days attempting to put everyone back together properly. They were all likely no better, considering how easily this lot had fallen into the mob mentality against Ikkaku.

People were scum. Not that he hadn’t known that since he was a child. The world simply seemed to delight in proving him right.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Penguin, who strolled up to him, empty potato sack in hand. “Found this in the storage room,” he explained, already scooping up the hearts on the floor like they were apples Law had shaken loose from a tree. “Figured we shouldn’t walk through town with armfuls of organs. Those tend to draw attention.”

That earned him a nod of approval. A quartermaster was in charge of managing supplies and cargo, and that included his captain’s unique way of earning berri when they weren’t raiding ships or hunting for treasure. Penguin could be an idiot sometimes, but he took his job seriously. They all did.

Law really was quite lucky to have people like them. Made the world seem a little less scummy.

“I still don’t like it,” Shachi grumbled, kicking one of the arms that was trying to crawl away so he wouldn’t have to look Law in the eye, “but I guess Ikkaku can come with us. No one deserves to be stuck in a place like this.”

“I wasn’t asking,” Law retorted, though he was glad he finally had all three of his loyal, foolish friends back on his side. And hopefully the new girl would quickly find her place among them, just as his other Hearts had.

“Heh, personally, I’m starting to think she’ll fit right in,” Penguin said, slinging the bag over his shoulder with a grin. “She’s just as much of a weirdo misfit as the rest of us. Who better for a tentacle god’s spawn to sail with than an unlicensed doctor with creepy powers, a serial killer, an artic survivalist, some former gang members, a talking polar bear, and whatever the hell Shachi is?”

The redhead punched him in the arm. “Notice you didn’t put yourself in that list of weirdo freaks.”

“That’s because I’m the only one who isn’t a weirdo freak. Which in itself makes me a weirdo freak.”

While the two bickered, Bepo walked over to Law, smiling a bit. “I’m with Penguin,” he said softly. “She belongs with us. I think once she’s settled in, we’ll get along just fine.” Yes, there had been fear in the girl’s eyes when they met, but no hatred. No disdain. And once she’d calmed down, he’d seen other things, like curiosity and that gleam he’d seen in Law’s eyes when he thought he was being cute but didn’t want to admit it. And if his captain had taken to someone so quickly, he knew Ikkaku was good people. He had faith in Law’s judgement.

“If I am wrong about her, and she mistreats you, I’m ordering you to tell me,” Law warned, though he reached out to gently scratch behind the Mink’s ear, earning him a happy growl. He refused to make the same mistake twice, especially if it hurt his crew. But his gut told him he wouldn’t have to worry this time. Shachi would no doubt be watching her like a hawk, and hopefully Bepo would be more confident coming forward with his problems. His crew was risking it all to follow him on his quest—the least he could do was ensure they were happy.

He had a sudden, amusing vision of having the Polar Tang submerge while still in sight of the island so perhaps people would believe some ocean deity really had taken her. Then, assuming she was up for it, he’d ensure she got a bounty and a decent poster that could be mailed to Joras. Make the superstitious fools believe Ikkaku had risen from the depths to continue her god’s “mission” while at the same time causing some political trouble for her Marine brother.

Chuckling to himself, he slung an arm around Shachi’s shoulder, smirking a bit when the redhead grumbled that it wasn’t fair his younger friend was now taller than him. “Let’s get back to the Tang. You and Penguin need to set up Ikkaku’s new quarters, and Bepo’s gonna help me dig up a uniform in her size. Oh, and you can also clean and polish Hikigaeru-ya’s tools so they shine like new. He won’t be needing them anymore, and they’ll make a nice welcome gift from you to her.”

Shachi rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. He knew of all the punishments his insubordination could have gotten him, this one was merely petty rather than cruel.

Satisfied, Law led Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo back out into the cold, thick fog of Joras, pausing only to flip around the sign hanging on the Big Daddy’s door from OPEN to CLOSED.

[a-writing-bear]

[PruCan] Chapter 4: Soft-Spoken Calling, They Want Their Shyness Back

Ao3 Link:

http://archiveofourown.org/works/11159997/chapters/24905436

This Has been cross-posted onto FF & Ao3 under Aliases: BearBooper

You can read this Fic on Tumblr under ‘Keep Reading’

Previous Chapter

Fandom: Hetalia Axis Powers

Main Pairing: Gilbert Beilschmidt & Matthew Williams (Prussia & Canada)

AU:  College AU - Art Student Matthew and Media/Film Student Gilbert

Age Rating/Mature:  Teen And Up Audiences (12+ due to mentions of mature themes as well as swearing)

Trigger Warnings: Recreational Drugs & minor connotations of anxiety (Future addiction to mention themes such as addiction, rape etc.)

Within his short 18 years of his life, Gilbert knew he fell short of a lot of things. Most of the time the list of his personal struggles were propelled far away from the contemptuous moments of strife that he was forced to worry about currently so in turn of all that he wasn’t used to being open to his subconscious pacing mind. All the repressed trouble he cooked up was bubbling over- much like Arthur’s attempt of ‘soup’ from last week. Whenever he seemed to not be distracted by a family issue presented by his brother, it was coursework that acted as blockade from having a social life, or sometimes the extremities faced when dealing with pesters from Elizabeta and Roderich (Only God knows what those two would be doing on a weekend...); even the occasional whining from a certain Frenchman.

A chime of a small bell over the café’s door announced his presence to the other inhabitants. The oaky smell of old counters flooded his senses and the light yellow walls plastered with generic atmospheric photos of Himaruya Academy’s campus populated some of the emptier spaces (You could tell these were taken by students as well, what with the tiny label under each photo). Aromatic aromas of freshly brewed coffee and whiffs of alluring chai lattes made Gilbert smile warmly, it was if he had been hugged by comfort itself. You would think a café would be empty at around 10 pm, but it seems like the need for caffeine for any student was a constant. The distance between his dorm hall and the small campus café was luckily close, a breeze of a stroll that delighted any exhausted student, thus his tardiness in his arrival was actually inexcusable. He mulled over trying to produce an excuse to give later to explain his delay… Of course, his overall excitement was at an all-time low considering Gilbert would have to deal with an infuriated Ludwig-

“Seriously Gil? You’re late 20 minutes”

Speaking of the organised stick-in-the-mud devil, his younger brother (Who, unfairly, had grown taller than the paler of the two) was eyeing him with annoyance and the albino could practically feel the dagger-like stares pushing into his chest. A cockier-than-usual ‘I’m more organised than you and you know it' looks of disapproval caught him off guard… Oh god is he going to say something about the new shir-

“Mein Gott, How the hell are you funding your wardrobe when you can’t even pay me back?”

“Lovely to see you too dear West, I’m doing fine, Gee thanks! How thoughtful for you to ask.”

Sarcasm and mock pleasure rolled off his tongue easily and with a sublime sense of satisfaction. But as he went to sit down at the small table he noticed the change in mood. facing diligently and apprehensively at the stern look of his brother he realised that his obvious joke will not go without consequence…clearly, Ludwig had something serious this time and the call for the older sibling was not an act of choice but instead an act of necessity. Gilbert gulped. Fidgeting slightly, preparing to be the bearer of bad news, the blue-eyed sibling attempted to keep his voice lower than usual and to keep the conversation at a seemingly okay level of panic:

“We can’t exactly quit our jobs this holiday, and my calculations state that we might even have to pick up an extra shift. There is no way we can visit Uncle this year.”

Gilbert flinched and could swear he felt his heart break a little. To others the news may not seem to be ‘that serious’ – sure it was bad but being heartbroken was an over exaggeration right? Consider the fact you had been working your FUCKING ass off your whole life, juggling multiple jobs while studying with a crappy stream of income and pay check-to-pay check funding, being robbed of countless hours of personal time that in your eyes were a privilege, never a minimum, and last but not least the breakdowns when you realised you felt so alone. This news would make your heart shatter like fragile glass. ‘Fuck karma, Lady Luck couldn’t give him a day off,’ It seemed like dog days would never be chased off. Unbelievable. Inconceivably pissed off. Flipping the table, walking out and burying himself in the nearest graveyard felt like a reasonable move as of right now.

“What. The. FUCK.”

“Calm down we can handl-“

“I can’t!- There has to be some miscalculation, last I checked we had enough for that break, I was given time off and a pay raise! This shouldn’t- What-WHY? I PRACTICALLY DIED.”

“Look I get it- I’m not happy either?! But shouting won’t do us any help either!”

He was fuming and he could see the fury shining in his company’s eyes as well. Growing up Gilbert always hid his vents and rants and kept his true thoughts away from the impressionable mind of his sibling but at times like this, it was clear what they were both thinking. Ludwig must have known this news hit his brother harder than it would him, and those awkward compassionate pats were a pitiful attempt at family comfort. They never really used affectionate gestures in the past, there was never any time for stuff like that.

Years and years, harking as far back as the tender age of 14, he could recall working for an extra bit of pocket money. Pocket money soon evolved into a college fund for himself and West within 2 years. Not to mention the small amounts he had to save for indulging to keep the sanity that prevented him from turning into an emotionless working robot. Thankful was not a strong enough word to describe what Gilbert felt for his uncle, there wasn’t any word that could achieve the level of gratitude the boy held for the old man. Respect towards the old man was something he taught Ludwig early on (Come to think of it, they moved in with their Uncle when Ludwig was only...12?), even if the latter didn’t understand their situation at that very young age. Spaced out due to the reminiscing he hadn’t noticed the warm cup of coffee that had been kindly delivered to him (Yes, a nice cup of coffee at 10 pm, go college life!), Ludwig’s strong voice started to come back to the forefront of his attention;

“You take your rest, you deserved the break, Bruder. I can do an extra shift- Feli says his shift has an extra slot anyway that I can take and it’s not very long, we just need to rearrange the bank allocations…” The blonder German was droning on and was in actual fact, talking to himself more than he was meaning to actually converse with the other.

Sighing into his now slightly cold coffee, the teen pondered over his choices and reviewed his recent schedules: wake up, eat, Attend lectures, go to multiple work shifts throughout the day during his study hours, do some coursework till the morning light and pass out, repeat. He had started slacking this continues the cycle of college-life torture. He had finally worked enough to wager a good break that his boss from his large shift (A shitty – but hey it’s decent? – 7 bucks an hour) at the local cinema, an undesirable night shift that no one wanted to partake when they could be partying. Only this month had he been throwing away his frazzled mind with hook-ups and well-deserved parties with his former Misfits.  He had ached for those nights again, and for a short while, he had them back. What was the point of being a ‘creative’ mind when you can’t produce any of the garbage you actually want to?! Being stuck in the mantra of: “How many tickets sir? Which seat..? Hope you enjoy the show!” was the cause of the internal bomb of irritation that ticked faster and faster and Gilbert wasn’t even sure he would have any fuse left soon.

I’ve got to go. Was it ever possible to become unattached to reality? God I wish, with haste Gilbert suddenly got up and bolted out with mutters of incomprehensible frustration.

“Gilbe-Where are you goi-Hey we aren’t” the protests over his disappearance faded into the background as Gilbert left to walk back to his room. He could really do with some music.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE LIVES NEXT DOOR?! HAS HE HURT YOU? OH MY GOD”

Matthew lamented over his wasted time, the paint covered boy had nestled down on his bed with his ruffled hair and head thrown back onto the cushy red covers, He could be actually painting right now…or y’know…seeing Tim for a drug hit. Eyes shut with another exhale of boredom as Alfred rambled on, shooting an overdose of “He’s the bad kind, he’s not good, and he could be a murderer” lecture into the strawberry blonde’s tired ears. You would think a prodigy with a near IQ of 160 would be able to identify a real threat.

Sometimes he really just wanted to forget about this.

“I don’t think we are even thinking of the same person Al” blurting out quietly, still trying to zone out from his brother’s incessant fussing. “Have you even met him?”

“I don’t neeeed to meet him. I KNOW he’s bad for you, I don’t want him touching and getting all up in my little brother’s space and…poisoning him with all the college nonsense.”

Bullshit, poison what? I already drink and take- Ahh that’s right he doesn’t know about the ‘college nonsense’ I actually do participate in. Woops.

“I have no idea what you are talking about, hell you’re starting to sound old like Artie”

“I am not-I am NOT like Artie! Why the sudden interest in this Gilbert GUY ANYWAY??” This had dragged on for an hour and Matthew needed to make a dash for Tim’s house if he wanted to get done in time to come back reasonably sober.

“Don’t you have some project to do Alfie? It’s getting late and I want to do some work-Besides wouldn’t you want to call Kiku~” 1 point to Matthew, He had gotten his brother to look off in revelation and gain some red tinge on the cheeks. Kiku, a Japanese student who his American sibling had met and been pining for, was located at Himaruya Academy’s Tokyo campus (Mostly shortlisted to ‘The Deen Campus’ after its association). The two had been introduced during their foundation year and it was clear his sibling had a very big soft spot for the guy, so much so after the Japanese student transferred back to Japan they kept in touch with long Skype calls and endless texts. They, to quote: “Are n-not dating!! Kiku’s Not even interested…in guys…..or me.”

Hurriedly and trying to look less embarrassed, Alfred scuttled out. ‘Finally’. A glance at his watch told Matthew he would need to leave now or else Tim will call him out for bailing- ‘I am not gonna lose this cus of Al goddammit’ – Grabbing his trademark and overused hoodie, the stocky 18 year old climbed out of the way too small dorm window. Armed with his phone and car keys, he clambered into the cramped car and drove steadily down out the campus to his friend’s rented house; a typical scene for bad cliché college parties – happily it was not time for any party. As idiotic as it may seem, Strolling through the front door would not be a good idea as his childhood friend always warned him his sister would not appreciate visitors at this time (Matthew was 100% Laura didn’t even know Tim did pot, nonetheless that he did pot WITH Mattie), so he took the safer route (‘Well, physically more dangerous’) and climbed onto a small balcony on the side of the house, softly knocking on the glass that had the curtains drawn-

“You’re late.” Looking up to face his taller companion, the Canadian heard the gruff voice of annoyance as he pulled back the curtains and the sliding glass door opened.

“Sorry T, Al got me caught up in some bullshit, the hoser kept me busy…” The scarfed house owner moved aside and silently invited him into the messy room. On closer inspection, messy would not be applicable – while the floor was covered in some clothes, questionable (?) magazines and beanbags, the dark blue walls hoisted clean neat shelves which held a multitude of knickknacks.

“..You know you could’ve gotten started without me?

“Hah. Yeah right, where’s the fun in that Mattie?” A small tired-sounding chuckle flowed from the taller of the two, a bong had been passed towards Matthew who had founded himself cosy in a familiar beanbag. The haze felt good already. Matthew took it eagerly and grumbled: “How much do I owe you?”

“Honestly…Too much. Hah, No but like come on Mattie, I thought we got over this already. I’m not gonna charge a friend for this stuff. Especially not you.” Grinning with humour the Dutchman took the beanbag opposite to him.

It was all very strange at the beginning of this whole ordeal with his Dutch friend. They had grown up together and Matthew had very good relations with the ‘Van-der-Berg’ family. After joining the Academy he was glad he at least had a recognisable older pal but throughout all of the years that had gone by knowing him, he always noticed the precise and businessman-like nature of this man. Yet when he offered to help Matthew get his usual weed (Something Matt had easier access to in Canada and the times he visited the Netherlands and definitely something you don’t shout about) he didn’t charge a single penny. Hell, this fucker had once charged him after Matthew dragged them to the bathroom at camp…when they were 12 YEARS OLD. This guy always needed wanted to make a dime. Except for drugs. Which…was insanely strange AND expensive. ‘Especially not me? Ah Tim, I still really don’t know you.’  He tried not to think about it so much as when there was sweet dreamy smoke being smothered and pushed into Matthew’s body.

Sometimes it is possible to forget about things, you just need the right stuff.