Skin Shedding || Akari || One Piece Fanfiction

Dice🃏

Music^: Mazzy Star- Into dust (Parra for Cuva edit)
+Picture of Crocodile

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21 years ago
Age 14
Crocodile: Age 23
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"Akari, do you like gambling?" The twenty-three years old male asked, while watching me count some Belly. "Gambling... but that's not a fair game, you know. The chances are even, so it doesn't matter what you are betting... only hoping luck stays on your side."

After the accident with Crocodile, who lost his left hand after he saved me, we took a distance from each other. Even if the distance decreased by every time we saw one another, it was weird to see him and knowing he wouldn't say anything to me...

My thoughts made me realize I was doing stupid, just as he was. So, I was wanted to give something in return, something what could save his life. It was quite hard to something...

I wanted him to give something, what wouldn't hide his sacrifice but... maybe even present it with proudness. Eventually an idea popped up, after a crew member told me he was a blacksmith at his hometown.

So, I knew what I wanted to give him. A hook. A golden hook made of the gold I had stolen from others... to show him I lived because of him. I could collect a lot of gold, because he had made it possible for me to live further. That I could do something on my own, being able to survive on my own. Not needing any help... right?

Slowly there started a sound, a slow but steady chuckle, leaving Croco's mouth. He wasn't agreeing with my statement of 'luck'. "I'm sorry, Princess." He claimed with a smile, "but you are wrong!" I laughed in return, while Croco grabbed me with his new hook through my jacket and rose me into the air.

My feet were a few inches from the ground, only my toes touching the surface. Ever since I tried to create the perfect hook; which represented Crocodile, he always randomly kept me in the air. Almost as he was showing me he was happy with everything I give him. Of course, I wasn't satisfied until there were no further improvements needed.

"So, you like this one?" I asked, my emotions changing into seriousness. Well, it was quite a serious subject for me, so I didn't joke about it. He carefully put me back on the ground and stared at his golden hook, eyeing the master piece. "It's perfect..."

"By the way, I want to show you something..." His eyes twinkled with hope, really wanting to show me the trick he had practiced for weeks. I didn't move a muscle, not knowing what was going to happen.

"Look..." He explained softly. My golden eyes followed his eyes, ending up by his right hand. Carefully he opened his hand, revealing some dice. My mind went blank, not quite expecting some dice. He moved his fingers, causing the dice to roll on his palm.

Within a few seconds, sand appeared with the objects in his hand. Sand started to move around Croco's hand, displaying an underground for the spectacle. A little tornado moved the dice around on his hand, while he carefully blew against it.

The unexplained tornado flew into the air, slowly landing in front of me. The sand disappeared as a fast as it showed itself. The dice rolled on the ground until it stopped moving.

"Did you see it?" Oh yes, I saw it. "I-idot..." Crocodile still stared at the dice, what perfectly landed before me. A few drops of tears had hit the ground, some covering the dice, which all fell on number six.

"I-idot..." I repeated. My hands wiping away the tears. Croco looked up, his eyes meeting the ones of a sad expression. "Because of me... you now..." I mumbled, while blaming myself. He didn't wanted to make me cry, he just wanted to make me smile again.

"I can protect you now." He repeated, while pulling my in a hug. The coat covered both of us, my arms were around his waist, crying against his crest...

Even if the accident created a distance, it eventually made us discover... that the distance itself, only made our relationship stronger. Knowing what each of us was capable of, what we would do for the other.