𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐞 | 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 ✔️

over

"He's my father."

"That's impossible." Her fists clenched. "Your father can't be a pirate. It doesn't make sense."

William didn't know what to tell her- he didn't know what to do other than wait for some sort of reaction good or bad. But for some reason-- somehow there isn't a single doubt that the reaction she's going to give him either won't be one at all or will be kind. He's beginning to lose all of his memory, William wants her to remember for him.

"Whitebeard- Pops, is my father. He's the only man I'll ever call my father. Marco, Izou, Thatch, Haruta-- all of the people on his ship are my brothers and sisters. I haven't traveled with them since I was ten, but that doesn't make me any less of a pirate."

He was right.

Masayoshi shifted herself on the bed next to him, gripping his hand tighter and staring at their interlocked fingers.

"You're a good pirate."

"I'm not the only one, Masa."

Heat crawled up her neck at the nickname and red lips curled with a scowl. "Perhaps, but you're the only one I care about. Everyone else is irrelevant."

William was too tired to speak further. Normally, Masayoshi wouldn't care for conversation but today was different. Today, she needed to talk with him. The ravenette had opened her mouth to speak when a shiver cut her off and she pursed her lips, reaching down and pulling up the blanket to cover William. 

Continuing, she stood out of the bed and strolled over to the window, closed it, then returned to the warmth beneath the sheets to hold Williams hand once more.

"William," Voice a mere whisper, "I don't know what you did. You took my heart, cleaned it of it's filth and hate and you have yet to return it. I can't control myself and my actions when I'm with you, and the most bizarre thing of all is that I never think of my father when I'm with you. I never think of how pressured I feel by the expectations he placed on me, I never worry about the trouble I would get in if I disobey him-- you make me forget about him. Not even Alfred can do that... thank you."

He responds with a smile. "Yes, Masa. I love you too."

Had she been the same as a few months ago, Masayoshi wouldn't have smiled. But the expression of happiness fades at her next realization, one that has William offering her a smile that even she could tell wasn't a happy one. "You haven't seen them in years, have you?"

"That's not true. They visit every year, time just seems to slow whenever they leave-"

"Do you want me... to call them?"

Golden eyes widen in shock. Would Masayoshi really do that for him- would she really risk her entire career as a marine officer just for this? He assured her that it was fine but cursed himself when desperation and desire slipped through his voice revealing his true emotions. 

His lover frowned at him for a moment, raising a finger to playfully flick his forehead so lightly he barely felt it before she reminded him that while she hadn't lied to him, that didn't mean he could. 

William apologized and went quiet for a moment, watching as her silver eyes glazed while peering at his own honey eyes, her hand twitching with the desire to hold his own.

Instead, Masayoshi informed him to wait for her return and in response he questioned whether or not she was about to phone his father.

She replied, "The communication lines returned two days ago, and I have your fathers number."

"Why do you have pops' number?"

"Father is obsessed with defeating him." Was all she needed to say for him to understand.

~

"Hello, yoi?"

That's not whitebeard's voice. Masayoshis eye twitched. "Is this Whitebeard?"

"Who are you?"

"William want's you all to come visit. As urgently as you can."

"Who are you?"

"I won't tell you, so give up. I will say this though, there isn't much time left for him."

"...Okay. Tell him we'll be there in a week, yoi."

"A week?" The marine grits her teeth, "That's too long."

"We estimated he had at least a year left, there's time."

A bitter snarl curls her lips as she thinks ignorance is bliss. "None of you deserve him. You should have visited him every week if not every day."

She hangs up without waiting for an answer, an anger so strong in her stomach that she can't seem to keep a level head. It wasn't hatred anymore-- no this was Williams family, people who provided him with love and care and so even if they are pirates and contrary to her fathers belief, she can't bring herself to hate them just for that. 

Still, Masayoshi has seen and heard his hallucinations-- the way his voice is soft with love and filled with desire to see them once again angers her to no end.

'They should never have left him' Her knuckles turn pale, manifesting the anger that her expression could not.

She has a bad feeling about this week.

~

At first, it's a mere crackle; and it stayed that way for a while. But then it increases and like a sudden strike of thunder, hit's her all at once. Yet as a contrast there's no noise. 

Much like lightning, it still flashes and blinds her with pain, assaults her brutally in silence and strikes in different areas leaving so space for her to piece everything back together. At the final strike it collapses, falling into a sea of red slowly turning black.

"Who are you?"

When her heart collapses she begins to heave, as though her lungs are corrupted.

"You don't remember me?" Her voice cracks.

"I don't know if I even know you." His eyebrows scrunch up in concern. "But... I think... that I should?"

Masayoshi fails to control herself when she drops to her knees, grabbing his hand and placing it against her cheek. Perhaps- perhaps his body would remember if his mind couldn't.

The cold fingers fall against his side, no longer familiar to her.

"William..." The broken expression shifts to one of stoic, and she appears unphased. "Would you like to dance?"

No, there was still one more strike of lightning.

"I'm tired, I don't think... I really want to."

The captain quickly stands at her feet, staring at him for a moment.

"Okay."

The near end of the book here I come >:D