hiding

Shenanigans

Hey all! Sorry I haven't updated in the last couple days. I'm trying to keep it updated at least every other day. But with college courses, work and my kiddos it can be a little trivial. I thought I would keep this update a simple filler/fluff chapter, to help pass the time until I can really invest tomorrow in typing a better chapter. I know I rated this M, but just a reminder, I do not filter anything really when it comes to my writing. This includes language, adult topics, mental health, blood and gore, etc. With that in mind, I really hope you guys enjoy! Thank you for your support, I definitely have other ideas for stories in the back of my mind but I would like to complete this first, and I plan on this story being quite lengthy as I know I personally prefer works that are a minimum of 40 chapters.

Alexia rolled onto her back, hearing the sound of papers crumpling under the weight of her body. The sound of light snoring causing her to finally open her eyes, looking at Marco from her current upside-down position. His head was laying on the desk, it looked rather hard on his neck. Drool was slightly coming out the corner of his mouth as he snored. Alexia glared at his form, annoyed at his snoring for disrupting her sleep.

The door opened a crack, drawing her attention towards it. Thatch and Haruta slowly peeked out from the edges of the door. Alexia grinned at them as they entered the room, Thatch pulling out a wooden spoon from his pocket. Thatch wacked Marco on the head with the spoon, startling him awake, causing him to fall from the chair onto the floor, piles of paper following after him.

"Yoi! What the hell!" Marco glared daggers at the two, as he rubbed his head.

"How could you Marco?!" Haruta exclaimed, his face a fake mask of horror, "Our poor little sister!"

"I expected this out of some of our brothers, but you?" Thatch gave Alexia a side wink, unnoticed by Marco, as he played along with Haruta, catching his drift.

"What are you talking about yoi?" Marco was not only confused but irritated. He was way too tired to deal with the world at the moment.

"How could you..." Haruta put his hands to his face in mock shock.

"Defile our sweet innocent Alexia..." Thatch shook his head in disappointment.

"Yoi, hold on a second! Nothing hap..." Marco stuttered, his eyes wide, face turning red as he became flustered. Alexia's face almost dropped, her face turning several shades darker than Marco's.

"With that horrendous paperwork of yours!" Haruta finished.

Both Haruta and Thatch had expressions of stupidity and pride as they grinned at their shenanigans. Alexia burst out laughing. Marco looked as though he might kill both of them on the spot.

"Oooh Thatch! It was so awful!" Alexia threw her arm across her forehead, acting as if she was fainting, "The papers just kept coming and coming and I just couldn't keep up!"

Thatch erupted in laughter, not expecting Alexia to chime into their fun so perfectly. Haruta offered his hand, which Alexia took, and he pulled her up onto her feet, as if they all could feel the impending danger. Marco's face remained calm, despite its deepening red tint. Deadly intent flashed in his eyes.

"All three of you gutter dwellers have ten seconds to run, before I hunt you down." Marco gritted his teeth.

"Ten seconds, wow that's much more time than I thought we would get!" Haruta looked at Marco in awe.

"Run you idiots!" Alexia giggled, pushing Haruta out the door, Thatch almost tumbling over them in his own desperate attempt to flee.

Thatch took off towards the kitchen, as Haruta and Alexia ran to hide below deck. Alexia grabbed Haruta's sleeve, which she found to be ridiculously puffy at the end and pulled him into a storage room, recognizing where they were. Haruta looked at her confused, until he saw her pulling back the paneling to the wall, revealing the old ventilation shaft she had hid in the first day she had awoken on the Moby. Haruta was thankfully tiny in stature, as was Alexia, allowing them just enough space to bunch together and replace the paneling. Alexia and Haruta struggled to keep from giggling as they looked at each other in amusement. Their eyes widened as they heard the door creak open; strong, calculating steps filling the silence.

Alexia put a finger up to her lips, signaling for Haruta to remain quiet. As the footsteps started to retreat however, Haruta let out a soft sneeze, bumping Alexia slightly into the paneling, causing it to barely reveal a crack. Their eyes widened in horror as the footsteps became louder, returning near their hiding spot.

The paneling was pulled of, falling to the floor with a light thud, as a chuckle caused a shiver to go down their spines.

"Alexia, you really do suck at finding places to hide yoi." Marco had an evil smirk on his face.

Just as Marco was about to grab both of them, Thatch was heard calling out down the hall for him. Alexia and Haruta exchanged confused glances.

"Does he really want to die so easily?" Haruta asked her stumped.

"Does he have enough brain power to want something?" Alexia replied, earning her a snicker from Haruta.

"Yoi, what could you possibly want now Thatch." Marco hollered out. Thatch appeared at the door, shaking his head in amusement at how easily Alexia and Haruta had been discovered.

"There's an island in the distance. Pops wants you to go ahead of us and scout it out." Thatch held up his hands in surrender.

Alexia and Haruta relaxed slightly, spilling out on top of each other as they fell out of the vent shaft. Marco sighed, sticking his hands into his pockets in defeat.

"Alright, I'll be there in a bit." Marco stated as Thatch went to walk away. Smirking he called out, "Oh and Thatch... don't think this will get you three out of whatever form of punishment I give you."

Thatch and Haruta sweat dropped. Alexia stuck out her bottom lip, pouting.

"But Maaaarco!" Alexia whined, giving him puppy eyes. Marco stopped suddenly, internally cursing her puppy eyes, they were impressively good. He shook his head, trying to remind himself as first division commander, he couldn't fall into something as that so easily. "We were just having some fun, I didn't mean to actually upset you."

Alexia somehow managed to make her puppy eyes even sadder. Thatch and Haruta looked at her, shocked at her betrayal.

"How dare you!" Thatch pretended to be offended.

"Suck up!" Haruta crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at her.

"How old are you all?" Marco wanted to face palm, muttering to himself, "I swear I'm surrounded by children." He paused as he smirked at the foolish bunch, "Don't worry Lexi, yoi. I think I'll let you off easy this time. These two however," He gestured to a very guilty looking Haruta and Thatch, "Can be very deceptive in their acts of stupidity. Since they never seem to learn, it seems as though I'm going to have to ensure they have enough chores to do to keep them busy for a very long time."

Thatch and Haruta groaned. Marco held up a hand, stopping them before they could protest.

"And since you two, believe that paperwork is too defiling for miss Alexia," He gave an evil grin again, "It only seems fitting that the task be handed off to two gutter brains like yourselves... due on my desk by the end of the week, of course." Before they could argue, Marco was gone, headed off to scout out the island.

"Is there really an island coming up?" Alexia asked, attempting to hide her excitement for a chance to stretch her legs on land, and maybe obtain her own clothes.

"God I have no idea. For our sake, let's hope so." Thatch admitted honestly, both Haruta and Alexia paling.