#robkaku

[saltywithsarcasm]

I was peer pressured in the comments to add another chapter focusing more on Lucci and Kaku’s relationship in this story so I caved and gave them what they wanted. Careful what you wish for. :)

Bonus chapter - Lucci & Kaku

[saltywithsarcasm]

Rob Lucci & Kaku please I love that ship.

The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the village as the men finally found a moment to take a break from their scouting to bring back lunch for everyone. Lucci saw this as the perfect opportunity to break away from the mountain of paperwork waiting for him to be signed and joins the lower-ranking crew members on their lunch run.

Lucci decides to hang back from the group of men, observing from a distance as they gather food from the vendors. As he strolls along, casually glancing at the various stalls he passes by; Not finding anything that catches his eye, Lucci is mainly here to enjoy the fresh air and give his hand a break from all the repetitive writing.

The man notices that his presence seems to be making the lackeys nervous, they're hurrying to get their food but he doesn't really care and hasn't been paying much attention to them anyway. He's just enjoying this break and not quite ready to return to work yet. Lucci decides to slow down his walking pace, taking his time to browse through the items at a stall and forces the others to wait patiently until he's done.

Something on display piques his interest and steps closer to the stall to get a better look. It's a wooden statue, 10 inches in height, intricately craved and handmade; The attention to detail and the dedication put into this statue resonate deeply with his own experiences as a shipwright and reminding him of the time when he used to work with his hands, crafting and shaping the very essence of the ships he built.

Hattori coos, perched on his shoulder and curiously tilts his head at the sight of the statue as Lucci gives the pigeon a side glance and gently pets the top of Hattori's head with his finger.

“Do you think he'll appreciate it?” He asks his pet, his gaze fixed on the statue as the bird flaps his wing with another coo. The vendor, noticing him lingering in front of the stall, approaches to assist him.

“Can I help you with anything?” The woman asks politely, clasping her hands together.

“How much is this worth?” Lucci asks, gesturing towards the statue. As the vendor reveals the price, Lucci notices that she's undervaluing her own merchandise; The work put into the detail of it alone deserves a higher price. “That’s too low for something like this. Selling it at this pathetic price is an insult to the person who made it.”

“I-I’m the craver.”

“You're the one who made this?” Lucci raises an eyebrow, observing as her face blushes slightly and nods in confirmation. “Then why are you selling it for less than it's worth? Your time and effort deserves to be properly valued.”

“Oh…um…” He can tell that she's relatively young and lacks experience in this line of business. It's clear to him that she's still learning the ropes and may not fully grasp the value of her own work; Perhaps she hasn't yet gained the confidence to price her creations accordingly. “How much do you think it’s worth?” Lucci takes a moment to consider the question but instead of disclosing his estimation, he reaches into his wallet and places down an amount of berries that is twice the original asking price. “What?! That’s far too much-“

“That’s a fair amount.” He bluntly interrupts the woman in the middle of her sentence, forcefully sliding the berries across the table towards her. “And raise your prices, it’s an insult to the craft.”

“T…thank you, sir.” She stammers, her voice filled with gratitude as she accepts the berries from him. She nods her head, unable to make eye contact, feeling a mix of emotions and in the background, his men watches from a safe distance, their expressions filled with sympathy and a touch of admiration. It's pretty unusual for them to witness Lucci showing any firm of kindness, even though he does it in such a blunt and rude manner.

Lucci grabs his bagged purchase from the woman and turns towards his crew, urging them to get moving before the food gets cold. Lucci watches his men scurry back to the ship, their hurried footsteps fading into the distance. Meanwhile, he takes his sweet time, strolling casually with the bag in his hand. The sun shines down, casting a warm glow on the path ahead and soaks in the peacefulness of the moment—the gentle rustling of leaves, the distant cries of seagulls.

When Lucci finally returns to the ship, he finds most of the top-ranking members of CP9 still engrossed in their meeting. They're hunched over their seats, scribbling away furiously even though they've already been served their meals. As Lucci heads back to his seat, he casually sets the bag down beside Kaku without even glancing to see if he's noticed it and sits down to continue where he left off in his work.

Kaku pauses, his eyes shifting to the bag with a puzzled look and then turns his gaze towards Lucci, who can sense his intense stare. However, the other agent remains focused on the document he's reading, paying no attention to Kaku's curious expression. His ears perk up at the sound of a bag being opened and glances in Kaku's direction from the corner of his eyes after hearing the man gasp at the sight of what’s inside.

Kaku reaches into the bag, his fingers delicately grasping the wooden giraffe sculpture and pulls it out, holding it up to the light as he admires the craftsmanship. Running his thumb over the smooth curves of the neck, he turns his head to meet Lucci's gaze with appreciation in his eyes.

Lucci returns his attention to his work, carefully penning his signature at the bottom of the document. As he does, a peculiar sensation begins to stir within him, unfamiliar yet intriguing. Lucci's heart begins to race, its rhythmic beats quickening with each passing moment. A surge of adrenaline courses through his veins, heightening his senses and amplifying the intensity of the unfamiliar sensation that now engulfs his chest. He swallows the oddly foaming lump in his throat, pausing in the middle of reading to sneak another peek at Kaku. He sees the statue is setting off to the side and a small smile on Kaku's face as he finally decides to take a break to eat his lunch.

Lucci finds himself captivated by that smile, a flicker of pleasure dancing in his eyes as the sight darkens his gaze, filling him with a deep contentment as he observes his partner indulging in their meal. With a foreign sense of longing, he savors the moment before finally shifting his focus to his own food.

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