"Y'all have entirely too many skidmarks for a bunch of grown-ass men!"

Dumping my eighth giant basket of dried laundry onto the ground in the main hall, I dusted my hands and placed them on my hips, watching as UK, Compo, Hip and Reck shied away, embarrassed.

"I already told you, you didn't have to do all of it..." Killer sighed, bending over to pull his freshly washed spotted top from the pile.
"Well, it's done now, so I'm gonna explore while I get the chance." Giving his shoulder a light fist bump, I scurried off to have my own little adventure.

It had even about four days since we had arrived on what I had dubbed Metalhead Isle, much to Kid and Killer's annoyance. I had certainly made myself useful, not only by hunting down the large buck, but also by doing laundry, and helping out in the kitchen. It was now time for sightseeing.

Things started off pretty boring. I followed a rat to a hole in the wall and got my arm stuck until Bubblegum rescued me. Then I checked out everybody else's rooms, finding out that not all of them purely enjoyed punky aesthetics. Gig even had his very own plushie collection.

That had only killed a few measly hours, so I decided to wander down a set of stairs, into the very bottom of the castle. On my way down, candle in hand, I saw murky red scrawlings all over the walls, telling me to turn back or perish.

Kid really needs to work on his handwriting...

Finally, I came to a large iron door with the words 'KEEP OUT' painted across them in the same manner. I could read, of course, but I pretended I couldn't so I could open the door and check it out.

Inside, I found a workshop. Tools and scraps of metal were laying around everywhere, and the metallic scent was almost overpowering. A few weapons here, some gauntlets there, even big machinery which I knew had to have been stolen from a legitimate metalwork factory.

I was smart enough not to touch anything, but I continued to look around, fascinated by all the interesting things that had been collected. In the far corner, almost hidden behind a large hunk of steel, was a small, almost adorable looking robot toy. It had long legs, and a tin-can body, and I bent over to have a closer look.

"You have two seconds to tell me why the fuck you thought you could come down here." Kid's voice growled low from behind me, but I didn't flinch. I just pointed to the little robot and turned to peer up at him.
"I like this little guy. Did you make him? He's cool."

Kid faltered for a moment before reaching over the top of me and pulling the toy out, and I turned so I could check it out in full.
"What, this? Yeah...when I was just a brat." He muttered, invisible brow raising when I smiled wider.
"So, you're good at making things? That's awesome, Kid. Can I hold it? I promise I'll be careful."

Eyeing me suspiciously, he took a moment to decide, cautiously handing the robot over. I was as gentle as I could be with it, seeing that it was obviously sentimental to the bastardly pirate.
"You still didn't answer my damn question."

And I'm not going to.

"Does he have a name?" I asked curiously, tracing the metal rings around its eyes. Scoffing, Kid took a few steps to the side to lean against one of the many benches, folding his arms.
"What? No? Why the hell would I name it?" He replied, somewhat defensively, but after a few moments of me giving him a knowing look he deflated. "I called it Tinker..."

It took a whole lot of self restraint to not gush over the adorable name he had given the item, but I managed. Instead, I just stretched my smile wider.
"I like it! Suits him well." Offering the robot back to him, he hesitated, studying my face before taking it and placing it behind him on the bench.

"I don't like people in my workshop." He stated bluntly, but it didn't look like he was about to get aggressive, so I didn't react as such.
"My bad. I was just curious. Don't worry, I don't plan on stealing anything from you again. I learnt my lesson the first time." I chuckled, hands behind my back as I wandered along the skirts of the other benches. "Seriously, man, this is awesome. I always wanted to do stuff like this back home."

I could feel his eyes on me. I always could when he was around. It was a heavy feeling, but not entirely unpleasant.
"Why didn't you? It's not like Water 7 doesn't have plenty of scrap."

Three words.

"I'm a girl. I know there are plenty of handy women in fields like that, but my family...well, they wanted a little princess. Take two doting parents, and an overprotective big brother, and what do you end up with? A renegade teen who steals shit for a living on the other side of the world. I never got the chance to make cool things like you do."

Humming along to my answer, Kid began to fiddle with a socket wrench, tossing it from one hand to the other.
"So, what? They made you wear frilly dresses and go to dumb tea parties and crap?" He snorted, and I snapped my fingers, shooting him a thumbs up.
"Yup. You're looking at the previous Little Miss Water 7 for three horrific consecutive years."

There was a short silence before Kid broke out into wild laughter, banging the wrench on the bench behind him. I couldn't blame him. It was hysterical, looking back on it.
"I would give my left arm to see that!" He cackled, using the heel of his hand to wipe a stray tear from his eye.

"Don't get any ideas of dressing me up all princessy outside of heist or intel missions, Kiddo. I'd sooner walk around in my birthday suit than wear that at any other time." I warned half-heartedly, coming to a stop by his side and lifting myself to sit on the bench.

His arm moved, and he pressed the wrench flat against my upper chest, only releasing it once I had taken hold.
"I'll tell you what. You quit being so damn annoying all the time, and I just might let you into my workshops sometimes and teach you a thing or two."

Wait, for real?

"Seriously?" I perked up, feet kicking excitedly in the air. "Like, for real, do you actually mean it?" I really was excited. Paulie had never once directly taught me anything to do with building. He had always insisted that I was too fragile, or I'd get hurt. The fact that Kid was offering to was astounding.

"Don't get the wrong idea. You're still a bitch, and you still owe me for sparing your life, but you had every chance to double cross me, more than once. You could have ratted us out to the Marines when you went for the key, and the other day you could have easily swiped one of the lifeboats and made an escape." He explained in all seriousness, folding his arms again. "I mean it, I'm not trying to be nice and friendly with you. If you're gonna be on my ship, you need to know how to fix and build stuff to my standard. Got it?"

Giving him a salute, very nearly smacking my own head with the wrench I held, I grinned like an honest to god idiot.
"Aye aye, Capt'n Kiddo!" Rolling his eyes, failing to hide the ghost of a smile that played on his lips, Kid snatched the wrench away before I could actually hurt myself, tapping me on the head with it.

"Quit calling me that. It's Captain, Kid, or Eustass. None of that Kiddo shit. Now, get the hell out of my workshop before I weld your pissflaps together." His threat was mostly playful as he shooed me away, but I only skipped a few steps backwards.

"Hmmm...Nah, I think I'll be sticking to Kiddo. You never call me by my name, so why should I use yours properly?" Acting like a smartass was probably going to get me beat up again, but nothing ticked my funny bone more than seeing the man's angry face.

"I'm gonna have to change that name tag to Annoying Bitch..." He grumbled under his breath, shifting his attention to his bench. "Get out of here, because I mean it. I'll actually weld them together."

"Aye aye, Kiddlett!"

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***KID POV***

When I turned to actually throw the wrench, (Y/N) had already began scurrying up the stairs. Sighing out my frustrations, I felt that my jaw was still tight.

I had hated her from the very beginning, I knew that much, but after having seen her so weak and fragile, I couldn't hate her completely. That alone made my blood simmer.

When she had taken down several Navy officers, that had been impressive, and that monster of a buck she had killed and dragged all the way back here. She had gusto, that much was for sure, and I quite liked gusto.

Then she just had to take an interest in my hobby. Specifically my first ever project. That had been the kicker. That had been what just may have ticked hatred over to mild dislike, at most.

She wasn't just trying to suck up...She was serious about being impressed...

At least I hoped that was the case. The last thing I wanted was to be tricked by that sneaky bitch after having caught her in the act the first time. If it hadn't been for Killer, she would have robbed us blind. I still had to keep a close eye on her in case her compliance was a long-running ruse.

The little robot caught my eye once more, and I shifted over to pick it up again. It was getting a bit rusty, and had obviously been through a lot. Of course it had. I had taken it everywhere when I had first made it. The fact that this, out of everything else down here, had been what she had liked the most, was ridiculous to me. It was one of two physical things I held dearest to me, for deeply personal reasons, so why did she like it so much?

You idiot...It's because it's small and cute. Women like small and cute shit...

Sitting it back down, I raked a hand down my face and groaned, knowing exactly what was happening. Perhaps it was because I had been so busy lately, and not taking the time to attend to certain physical needs, or maybe because I had already seen part of what she had to offer, but it was bugging me to no end.

Having a woman on my ship was weird on its own, but one that everyone seemed to like? That everyone fawned over? One that Killer seemed to be growing rather protective of? And now, possibly, me..?

This had happened before, and it hadn't ended well. The feelings, the laughing, the bloodied faces, the ingrained mutual hatred for something so pathetically irrelevant. Cursing under my breath, I walked over to my rickety revolving chair and sat down, letting my head hang back to stare at the dark, dank ceiling.

"I wonder what we're gonna end up hating this time..?"

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***If you aren't a manga reader (I haven't read it either but I've read a bunch of the SBS sections), in the last part Kid is referencing when he and Killer were children. They both had a crush on a girl named Shiruton Doruyanaika. One day, they were all eating Udon noodles in curry soup together, and Doruyanaika got it all over herself. Kid and Killer burst out laughing, and she beat the absolute everloving fuck out of them. From then on, they both shared a deep hatred for curry udon noodles.

I did a little doodle thing of the outfit I think Heat made for (Y/N). Of course, this is just in MY brain. You imagine what y'all want, I just thought I'd share.

Only one of the many I believe Heat made for her. But again, just my brain.

Next Time: Brotherly Lovebomb***