You can vaguely hear Scratchmen screaming for help in the storage room; literally nobody wanted him put in there for the time being but leaving him in the middle of the base's main room made it all too simple for the moron to overhear the captain's plans for him.

Considering Kid and Killer don't always see eye-to-eye on the treatment of prisoners, it was for the best that Apoo gets tucked away in a separate room, still bound to a chair though, of course.

Kid's having the time of his life breaking the snitch's fingers while you read the newspaper in attempts to find out whether or not the guy has been reported missing yet.

Though, reading is never easy when you have somebody screaming in the background. 

"His cries are putting me off my food." Nami crankily complains to Killer, only earning herself a muffled 'deal with it' in response, naturally Bonney takes this opportunity to lean across the table and steal some of Nami's food. "HEY!" 

"You're put off it, right~?" The pinkette happily chimes with her mouth still very much full and spitting small pieces of the meal over the table in the process.

"Ew! That's so gross!"

The two only causing your frown to deepen as you try to focus your full attention on the paper before you, somehow thinking that the more you frown, the easier it'll be to read.

But sadly, it doesn't work like that.

Ah-ha!

You've finally found an article worth your time at least, the title boldly stating;

'Restaurant Owned By Donquixote Doflamingo Almost Kills Customer.'

'Almost' kills...so that brown-haired man survived. Good.

Quickly scanning the news with your eyes, you see that the reporter's don't even seem to give a shit about the cook, they're more focused on Doflamingo and his methods of employme--And then there's Nami and Bonney still bickering in the background, completely throwing off your concentration.

"Doflamingo has been known to hire cheap cooks which often leads to..." You quietly begin to mumble-read the article to yourself, your brows knitting together so tightly that they must surely resemble a monobrow by this point. "Them knowing very little about actually..."

"Stop stealing my food!"

"You said you weren't hungry anymore!"

"I said nothing of the sort!"

A grunt involuntarily escaping your lips as you misread a word due to the yelling in the background, refocusing your attention before continuing. "Doflamingo reassures that it was just a terrible mistake and he'll make sure that it doesn't happen ag--"

"You did! You were all; 'Eww that screaming is putting me off my meal! Woe is me!' so, I'm helping you eat it!"

"I DON'T SOUND LIKE THAT!"

"Will you two shut the fuck up?!" You finally bark at the pair, your eyes surely resembling a serial killer's as you glare up at them and your hands impulsively gripping onto the newspaper, crinkling it within your grasp. "I'm trying to fuckin' read!"

Thankfully, they both fell quiet the second you snapped.

Your burning gaze swiftly shooting back down to the article and resuming your investigation with only Apoo's distance screams of agony echoing throughout the base in the background. 

"Damn..." Nami lowly whispers as she scoots a little closer to Bonney to avoid being heard by you, mainly because she doesn't want to get shouted at again. "She really is Eustass' type, huh?"

"Yep. If you're a light-sleeper then you'll sometimes hear them in the bedroom...I think those sounds will haunt me until I die."

"Oh God, I'm so glad I don't sleep here..."

I will seriously stitch these girl's mouths shut in a minute...

Finally managing to finish up reading the article, a bright smile etches itself into your features as you close the newspaper before energetically throwing it down on the table, your eyes shifting toward Killer who's simply listening in to conversation while he cooks.

"Apoo hasn't been mentioned in the news, not even once, so we're currently in the clear."

"Good." You can tell by the tone of the blonde's voice that he must be smiling behind that mask of his, the male chopping up the last of the carrots before slipping them into a stew he's making. "You should let boss know, he must be eager to find out."

Of course, you're not buying that in the slightest.

You'd wager that Kid wouldn't give a crap even if Scratchmen was reported missing, he'd likely still torture the jerk.

But despite your scepticism, you still make your way over to the storage room, entering just in time to see Kid tear off one of the guy's fingernail with a pair of pliers and earning himself a bloodcurdling scream in return.  

Of course, the show of immense pain only makes your hot boss chuckle as he removes the bloody nail and flicks it back into his victim's face. 

"Do you regret opening your fat mouth now?" The redhead hisses at the tortured brunette as you close the door behind you before leaning back against it and watching in amusement. 

"Eustass, please--!"

"Please what? Remove your other nails? With pleasure." 

"No! Please don't do it!"

Naturally, his pleads were all in vain and your brute removes yet another fingernail, all while you openly tell the pair that the newspapers hasn't mentioned the name 'Scratchmen Apoo' at all, coldly reminding the snitch that he's just that worthless as your boss gives him a gory manicure. 

It doesn't take long for the brunette to burst into tears, begging Kid to stop and let him go and claiming that he'll change his statement but your boss and lover isn't quite done yet.

"I think there's something else you want to make amends for; you insulted my queen." And with that, Eustass hands you a baseball bat with a sinister smile gracing his painted lips. "So, she gets to have some fun with you first."

It doesn't take more than a mere second for you to grab the bat, ignoring Apoo as he desperately begs for forgiveness and swinging the thick wood straight into his ribs as hard as you could muster which much to your delight, makes him cough up blood. 

Nobody snitches on your king and gets away with it. 

Kid chuckling at your feisty streak as his amber orbs practically devour you, watching your figure very closely as you swing at the brunette again, his sights lingering on your ass for a little longer than needed before his attention focuses back on your face. 

"Are you having fun there?" He essentially growls as he watches you repeatedly hit the prisoner with the bat, over and over until your arms grow too tired to swing anymore, earning a cold laughter from your lover. 

Though, much to your horror, you realise that the prisoner has stopped screaming and moving. 

Your violent side immediately diminishing as your eyes skim the man; he's covered in blood with his head hung weakly, a pool of red pouring from his mouth and nose as silence fills the room and your face fills with worry as you desperately gaze up at your boss.

Shit! I wasn't meant to kill him!

For once, Kid has cooled down himself, the redhead still smirking a little though as he approaches Apoo's limp body and presses his fingers to the man's neck, seemingly searching for a pulse. 

"Huh...I think you killed him, Shadow." Your boss carelessly chimes with a slight chuckle in his tone before he simply shrugs it off as his fiery gaze meets yours. "Oh well, he was probably gonna sing like a canary when we let him go anyway." 

He's not mad at me?

Despite the reassuring realisation, you're still a little shaken up, you never intended to kill anyone.

You can't help but tremble as you unwittingly stare at the beaten and bloody corpse before you, Kid seemingly noticing your tense state and making his way over to you, forcing you to turn away from the sight before wrapping his arm around your shoulders and escorting you out of the small room.

"C'mon, you did good, Shadow!"

I did good? Yes, I must have done...

"He was a snitch and he got what was comin' to him!"

Yes, he would have ratted us out, no doubt. I helped the guild.

Kid pauses once you're both outside the room upon noticing your silence, his amber orbs never leaving your small frame as he pulls you into his warm chest firmly, his lips lightly brushing the shell of your ear as he whispers;

"Oi...I love you, y'know that? Now calm down, my little shadow."

Somehow his words work a certain type of magic on you; your heart flutters and your cheeks burn up a little as you instinctively lean your head against his strong chest, your tense muscles slowly but surely easing at his claim. 

...I love you too, Eustass Kid...

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