Skin Shedding || Akari || One Piece Fanfiction

11. Concluded Love♣️

Music^: Glass Animals- Gooey (Wild Culture Remix)

Chapter 11: Concluded Love
♠️Memory: 10 years ago

"Oh, come on!" I could hear his shoes follow me, the sound echoing through the hallways. "My pretty bird..." I simply shook my head, while running around a corner, trying to get away. "Ey!" His voice became louder and louder, knowing he was nearing.

It was already a year since I joined the Donquixote Pirates, a weird year. Every time Doflamingo started to be kind to me and I thought he really cared about me... he would push me away. Not literally, but he expressed it with a few current spoken words, very clearly. 'Just a servant.' For example.

Today, the reason why I walked away, was because of the Young Lord. Every day's subject is Doflamingo, always. Like, don't they have anything special to do? So... the reason why the big pink bird was following me around was because he was being a jerk. A bigger jerk than normal. That's possible, right?

"Please listen to me!" His voice was in the distance, slowly fading away. But that only made me run faster. Shivers started to run across my skin, sensing that the man was close. On my bare feet touching the cold stones, I ran to the end of the hallway. While I just guessed my way out of the maze of hallways, I began to realize... I was never good at guessing.

My hands were pulling all the handles of the doors in the empty hallway. Non of them was unlocked, finding myself trapped as a weak animal. "Finally..." A sigh was released behind me, a big shadow hovering over me. Slowly I turned around, first seeing the pink feathered coat.

"What do you want?!" I sneered at him like a cat, my hair resembling a tail, while me eyes started to pierce through his soul. Well, the man in front of me maybe thought it as he took one step back. Of course, he wasn't afraid but he was just joking around, like any other 'serious' moment.

My sight went to his sunglasses, only seeing my own reflection. He looked down on me with a smile, enjoying the situation. "..." "That was cruel!" I shouted at him, not letting him explain. "People are cruel." He mumbled, his mind speaking instead of his heart.

I said nothing as his gaze stayed on me. "I just-" He started, his face pointed sideways, not looking at me. He scratched on the left side of his face, unable to stand still on his feet as he shifted uncomfortably. The smile was gone, eventually both his hands behind his back.

"I thought you- That I- I mean- you-..." He cut off is own words, struggling with his way of telling. Even if I didn't understand him one bit, my face expressed nothing but a curious image. The tall man stepped forwards, his hands still on his back. "The maid costume isn't necessary anymore..." It was a soft whisper, almost too silenced to hear it.

A little package wrapped in a piece of cloak was in his hands, presenting it to me. "What is this?" Our hands were touching each other as I took the little present. We held one another in sight, trying to read the others' emotions. Our touch was broken in a swift, both not understanding the excitement.

My fingertips were meeting the silk cloth, carefully revealing the mystery. "It's some time I'm giving you." Time. That word was a new way of communication, both understanding the countless meanings of it. His eyes were burning on my skin, getting tingles I never thought I could have.  

It was a stack of clothes, clothes I could wear. Finally something else than the black and white clothing. A satisfied feeling filling my whole body. Before I could thank him and tell him I was sorry for my sudden outburst, he was already walking around the corner.