A promise to kill

A jealous god and two lovers

" I heard you were telling stories today on deck." I feel the man sit beside, facing the ocean, feet dangling off of the deck. " It wasn't much of a story. I was just telling them about my power." He hums a reply, slowly peeling off his mask. The sea is quiet, not a sound on deck. Everyone had retired for the night leaving us on night watch.
" So what's your theory?"
I think for a moment and sigh. " I think that because my power was undeveloped, I unconsciously summoned a type a plant that I thought would benefit me against that admiral." He leans back on his hands, glancing at me. " That's what I heard from Wire, he was bragging about you like your his own child." Killer chuckled finally laying back on the wooden deck, closing his eyes.
" Killer, we are supposed to be on watch." I try to scold him but I feel myself being pulled down beside him.
" If something come's up, we'll be the first to respond. Don't worry. " He hums and I sigh, making myself as comfortable as I can on the hard wooden deck of our ship. I let a thin branch grown from the skin on the back of my hand. Dark wood and a bright red flower with feather like petals. 

" Ohi'a Lehua is a love story. A lady used to come up the mountain to teach us things once in a while and I would beg her to tell me the story over and over again. The boys would make fun of me but Makino-san would smile and tell me every time I asked." I point towards the sky. I feel Killer grasping my hand, shifting to his side to face me, urging me to go on. 

" There was a goddess. She was the most beautiful and powerful god around. She was respected but also feared. One day, she met a warrior. He was a tall strong man with a handsome face and lithe form. He was what ever man aspired to be. His name was Ohi'a. When the goddess first laid eyes on him, she was smitten. What she didn't know was that Ohi'a's heart was already taken by a beautiful maiden named Lehua. Lehua was the pride of the village, the most beautiful girl in the land. Every man wanted her and every woman wanted to be her but Ohi'a, he only had eyes for her and was happily married to her." Killer has closed his eyes, his his arms behind his head, listening to my story telling. I see him open one eye peering at me from his position, waiting for me to continue. 

"In disguise the goddess walked the forest near the home of the handsome Ohi'a and spied the young man at work. She went at once to engage him in conversation. Ohi'a spoke politely to the beautiful goddess, but did not respond to her advances, which infuriated her. She was determined to have this young man for herself, but before she could convince him, Lehua came to the place her young husband was working to bring him a meal. When he saw his lovely wife, Ohi'a's face lit up with love. He dropped everything at once and went to her side, leaving a fuming  goddess to stare in jealous rage at the young couple. Dropping her human disguise, the goddess transformed into a raging column of fire and struck Ohi'a down, transforming him into a twisted ugly tree in revenge for spurning her advances.

Lehua fell to her knees beside the twisted tree that had once been her husband. Tears streaming down her lovely face, she begged the heavens to turn him back into a man or else turn her into a tree, as she could not bear to be separated from her beloved. But the goddess ignored the girl, taking herself up to the cool heights, her anger satisfied. But the other gods saw what their sister had done to the innocent lovers and were angry. As Lehua lay weeping in despair, the gods reached down and transformed the girl into a beautiful red flower, which they placed upon the twisted Ohi'a tree, so that she and her beloved husband would never more be apart. 

And now, to this day,  the Ohi'a tree has blossomed with the beautiful red Lehua flowers. While the flowers remain on the tree, the weather remains sunny and fair. But when a flower is plucked from the tree, then heavy rain falls upon the land like tears, for Lehua still cannot bear to be separated from her beloved husband Ohi'a." I place the thin branch between us, as I'd turned to face the massacre soldier while telling my story. 

" Romantic but pathetic. I would have killed the goddess right then and there if she were to ever attack you. I'd force her to turn you back and then kill her." he huff, disregarding the tragic story line. I laugh at his commentary.

" Even if the world hates you for killing one of their gods?" He grins. A wide grin that reached across his face. A smile that doesn't suit his beautiful features. 

" That's why I'm a villain. While a hero would sacrifice their loved ones to save the world, I'd forsaken that world and make them my enemy if it meant I could have you." I realize just how right he is. I'd do just the same for any one of my precious people. I've make a villain of myself to protect and save them. Killer included. 

" I'd fight for you too. I'll never let anyone take another one of my precious people away from me again. Not the navy, not some pirates, not even the gods above. I'd fight them all to stay by your side." I feel myself being pulled against his chest, arms wrapping around me, shielding me from the cold air of night. 

" Guess we'd better be prepared then cause every god out there will be jealous." I tilt my head up to stare into his mesmerizing eyes, eyes that depict the emotions of his soul. I find myself reaching for him, caressing his cheek softly, memorizing the curves and shapes of his face and slowly, I run my thumb across his lower lip. Soft, as soft as they look, as soft as they feel against mine. 

My eyes closed, I hope that my emotions can be relayed to him through something as simple as a kiss. He holds me so gingerly yet firmly, as if afraid to let me go. I pull away to whisper to him a single statement, a promise. 

" I'm here. I won't leave anymore." 

" I know"