𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 { 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 | 𝟏 }

Chapter 8:Whiskey Peak

Dark and Lonely, I need somebody to hold me

-Lana Del Rey (National Anthem)

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Kora pov

"So it seems to me that you've survived the first day at Grand Line High." I muse, as we walked out of the school building. "Yeah, but the real question is this: Can Grand Line High handle me?" Shanks chuckled. "Well if it can't handle you, then it needs to pick up its pretty princess tiara, and move on." I stated. He looked at me, "You do realise I'm never gonna leave you now, right?"

The sentence made my stomach do triple flips. I could feel my cheeks begin to heat up before I could even stop them. I dug my nails into my palm to calm myself down. The thought of him staying with me forever just felt...comforting...safe.

'Don't jump to conclusions. He might not want you in that way.'

"Heh, you're stuck." I smirked, hiding the fact that I was blushing.

We got out to my beautiful wife Camomile Rey-I mean, the Camaro. We both got in. "So, wanna go anywhere?" I asked. Shanks smirked, "Whiskey Peak." "Supplies?" I asked. "Who do you take me for, an idiot?" He asked sarcastically. "Well since you suggested it, you're buying it." I said, starting her up. Shanks huffed, "Fell into that one." "Of course you did, sweetheart."

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Whenever someone talks about the Whiskey Peak, it's usually the place where all the so called cool kids go to nowadays, to just drink or get high. Shanks and I first went here heaps back in the day. Of course, because we didn't have any ID, we couldn't exactly swipe some drinks, so we'd lamely sit there and drink coke. The last time we were up here together, we were around about 13. I nearly told him that I liked him, but I backed out at the last minute.

Whiskey Peak was hidden way up in the hills by cacti. From Whiskey Peak, you can look one way and see the Grand Line, look the other and see the Red Line high way, look another and see Alabasta, and then if you squint, you can see Dressrosa and maybe Raftel if you squint.

"Man we haven't been here in ages!" Shanks recalls as we got out. "Four years?" I asked rhetorically. "Fuck..." He swore, cracking open an apple cider, "Now look at us, all grown: physically but never mentally." I smirked, opening my can of grape vodka, "To never growing up." I toasted, rising my can. Shanks raised his bottle to me, "To never growing up." We chinked our glasses, before finally taking a sip. He let out a sigh of happiness, "Tastes like freedom."

'Why can't we just be free together, Shanks? Why won't you love me back? Please, I need you.'

We sat down together on the bench nearby, staring out at the view towards the Red Line Highway. "You still drive on those roads?" He asked. "Of course." I smirk, "I'm the Queen of the Roads." "How Akira never takes they keys off you, truly baffles me." He muses. "I hate taking the limo is why." I said, "Thats just not me. No one else drives me, other than myself. Especially if someone tries to touch Camomile Rey." "At least you even get an offer to be driven around." He huffed, taking a sip.

Shanks was abandoned as a child. He told me that his original parents dumped him off at an orphanage as a baby. Then just growing up, no one took care of him, so he was forced to grow up, and just fend for himself. We met because he tried to pick pocket me when we were 9, but I easily kicked him in the gut. Afterward, I felt bad, and went off to find him with Anahera and Napier, and give him some food and money. We would've adopted him if it wasn't for the fact that Father was in a crime war with Whitebeard at the time. Ever since then, we've been inseparable.

"Hey, I can always drive you around to places if you want." I offered. He smiled at me, "You'd do that? But don't you have things to do?" "You know I hate being at home. I'll take you anywhere." I said, my heart pounding with passion. He held my hand, giving it a squeeze, "I've missed you, Kora." He sighed. I held back the urge to kiss him, "You know that I missed you more."

'Not only did I miss you, I craved for you..I still crave for you. How have you not noticed? Why does loving you hurt?'

I found him looking at me, his midnight eyes looked with mine. His long eyelashes feathered his naturally tan skin. The fact that we were close enough was what nearly drove me insane. We both swore out loud when I saw my phone ringing. I looked and saw that it was Father ringing me. I sighed, begrudgingly taking the call.

"Where are you?" He demanded. "Er....town." I lied. "You need to come home now, we have dinner with Whitebeard, and Anahera needs to clean you up so that you're presentable." I cursed my Father in my head for disrupting the moment, "Alright, I'll be back soon." I said. "Be prompt." 

He hung up, and I sighed loudly. Shanks gave me a sorry stare, "Duty calls?" He asked. I sighed loudly, "Let's go."