Complimentary Children
2025-01-29 22:38![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mekachu04An AU where Kidd has known Killer his whole life, a brother raised along side him.
wrote this in late 2024, was editing in early 2025.
Did some cleaning up of what i did have, and putting it up here. Inspired the background for what went on to be Feveruary [2025]
Brichtrede kicked at the marine again, her baby clutched to her chest as she lashed out like a feral thing at the man. "Don't you touch me!" she snarled. The island had already taken her partner, her beloved, she would not let her child go so easily.
The marine in question struggled to get his breath back, doubled over and wheezing. "I'm just doing what they told me...."
"Roger didn't have nuttin' to do with this island, and you bastards all know it."
"I don't know anything but my orders, ma'am -"
"Don't you dare! Don't you 'Ma'am' me after you tried to steal my SON!"
Her son, the babe in question, whined where she clutched him tight, and she bounced him lightly on her hip, attention drifting over to the cart of children the marine has been 'escorting' when he'd stopped for her son.
Tiny little faces stared back, confused and scared.
"They're unwanted" the marine said, following her gaze. "We've got schools and homes off island waiting for them. Most of them don't have any family left, a few that did.... would rather sell them off than keep them." He at least sounded as disturbed as she felt at the revelation.
"Buy em up and then you'll have an never ending supply of cheap little soldiers." She caught the eyes of one little boy - pale pale blue and wide. He wasn't crying like the others, but looked back at her pleading and scared. He couldn't be more than three. Four at the absolute oldest, hands not even big enough to wrap all the way around the bars.
Fodder for the World Government might be kinder than staying on Kutzk.
"Let them go."
"Ma'am, they don't have anyone-"
"Kutzk is not part of your rule. We don't answer to you. You sure as hell don't get to waltz in here and just start taking things."
"Hey, we paid for a fair few of them - "
"Slaves. You buy slaves of us!"
He balked at the word slave but said nothing. Brichtrede tightened her hold on her son but stepped up into the man's face. "Let them go."
Most of the little ones did apparently have people waiting for them at home; Brichtrede noticed them more now out and about on the streets, shy little faces clinging to siblings or behind the tall legs of a parent. Maybe they had been once sold, but none looked any worse than the day she'd watch them flee from the cart.
Some of them recognized her still. A few would point her out to their minders and she'd exchange little chats - they'd thank her for freeing their child, they'd coo over her little one, growing fast even with the embargo caused famine that gripped the island. And then they'd vanish back in to the streets. Little waves were still exchanged from time to time, but by the summer's end their meeting was forgotten by all parties.
A few others wouldn't make it pass the winter - she'd watch the little funeral processions with a heavy heart. Would they have been better off alive with the marines in the end? As the weather turned and the food that could be grown locally grew scare, she'd hear about the little ones found with no one to mourn them. How many of her little ones died alone?
Maybe that's why when she sees the little boy with the blues eyes, she approaches first.
He's all alone, maybe he has been the whole time; Brichtrede does know that he's far to under-dressed and in the 9 months since she saw him, last he doesn't look any bigger. Any baby fat that he had is long gone, and he's so dirty the only colouring she's sure of is those blue eyes.
And Kidd - bless him - breaks the ice before she has to think of what to say. He's babbling non-stop these days, and grabbing anything in reach. And now he's got his eyes on the little boy, kicking and stretching, making grabby hands. The boy had been watching her warily when she'd crossed the street to him, but at the sight of the baby, his face softens.
"Hi!' He chirps, smiling at the baby, wagging his fingers in a little wave. Kidd tries to grab his hands, and the boy's smile dims a little, and he keeps out well out of reach, looking at his fingers and the dirty stained into his skin.
Kidd find this to be an affront to him, looks up at his mother and cries, still trying to grab for the little boy, "ma-ma-ma-ma-ma!"
She lifts his higher, gives him her own fingers to cling to - the baby whines. Its not what he wants, but clings to the offered digits all the same. Blue eyes smiles awkwardly, and she glances around for his minders. Still not a soul giving him the time of day.
"Wee barra, where.." Hmm, maybe not that question, "Dear, are you hungry? Kidd and I were heading out for lunch, would you like to join us?"
Baby Blue - she'd asked once, what his name was... Was horrified by the slur he'd said in response, and had since called him Baby Blue after his eyes ever since - Baby Blue was a sweet, if not skittish, little boy. He always had time for her son, and waited patiently every day for her to wash his hands before touching the baby. He'd sit on the floor with Kidd, stacking blocks like they held the secrets of the universe, leaving her free to her own housework, free for a few minutes to herself each day.
It wasn't that someone hadn't taught him hygiene - only cemented in his head the awful idea he was dirty and dirty wasn't allow to touch. Or even be touched, judging by how he reacted the first time she'd carelessly put an arm on his shoulder one day early in their reunion. She's at least convinced him that washing his hands were enough to be 'clean' enough to play with Kidd. And given that Kidd shoved Baby Blue's hand in his mouth first chance he got, the washing was needed.
Unfortunately, the same could not be said about the young boy's hair - and Kidd very much wanted to eat that. One day, Kidd had grabbed on to the dirty brown locks and refused to let go - nearly ripping the fistful out at the roots in an attempt to stick the handful in his mouth.
She and Baby Blue had stopped him in time, and as she washed her son's hands, she offered to wash the boy's hair too. He'd run away so fast she'd never heard him get up.
He'd refused to go in their little apartment ever since.
She'd almost scared him off for good when she insisted - before she clued into it was more than just a child's distaste in bathing causing his reaction. She let it drop, and before she knew it, Baby Blue and Kidd were passing the summer away together, chasing ants in the yard, watching butterflies on the breeze.
Baby Blue always left as the sun passed behind the city skyline, and it was a coin toss what afternoon he inevitably showed back up again. But whatever the mood or shape he was in, was gone and forgotten as soon as Kidd saw him, and he lit up with a smile all for the little baby.
As Kidd started walking and talking, she worried more and more about Baby Blue - who stayed so thin and ragged thought the months. He refused any gifts, and even the ones Kidd insisted on never made a second appearance.
She couldn't afford to worry about another mouth to feed, and once Kidd was on solids she had no excuse - and dwindling funds - to put off going back to work.
The plan had been for her husband to work, but he was long in the ground by now. The marine raids on the island had also left her with no support network from one reason or another and she couldn't take Kidd with her...
"Baby Blue?" she found herself asking one day, "How old are you?"
He paused where he and Kidd had been burying his own leg in the sand and mulch, looking thoughtful. For such a strange child, he wore his mood on his face with such ease, not having mastered anything remotely like a poker face yet.
He then looked down at his hands and seemed to be counting to himself. Kidd was also watching his hands, and her stomach dropped that he didn't know it by heart. That he had to think on the matter.
"Six," he decided finally, holding up two fingers and a thumb on both hands to show her.
Six, still a baby himself. She must be loosing her mind. "Six, oh wow!"
He beamed at her - always eager to soak up any praise she offered. How far he'd come in the strange few years she'd known him.
Six was so little. But she needed to go back to work and she couldn't being Kidd with her... Surely... Surely Six is old enough to watch Kidd for a little bit, just a couple hours. Just enough for her to go in for a few hours. Once she was working again, she could pay someone older to be a proper child minder.
Just this once. Baby Blue just needed to keep Kidd busy, they could stay in the gardens - both boys loved it there and they already spend hours playing in the grass and chasing bugs...
Just.. Just a couple hours.
The boys weren't at the little garden anymore.
Three laps around the area, and nothing. In fact, no one had seen them all afternoon. One old bitty said Kidd had tripped and started to cry, and that was the last anyone knew of the two.
Brichtrede was besides herself in panic. How could she have left them? How could she had trusted a maybe-six year old with her three year old baby to be okay alone for so long?! Oh she was a fool!
It was well after dark when she finally had no where left to look and crawled the steps to her home, too tired to even cry anymore.
Only to stop short. Her door was open.
Not just opened - someone had broken the lock to get in.
The lights of her home shown under the door crack. She could hear muffled voices inside. She tried to ease the door open to see who was in her home only to have it set off a cacophony of falling glass and metal. The voices went quiet immediately. On the other side of the entry was lay dozens of cans and bottles now rolling across the floor from where they appeared to have been stacked carefully against the wood.
An alarm.
But for who?
Her tiny home only had two rooms and a washroom. The main was one was lit up - plates and a jar of peanut butter on the counter that passed for her kitchen. The washroom door was open, the room dark, but she still glanced in it to be sure before opening the door to her and Kidd's bedroom. She flipped the light on to see some of Kidd's blocks on the floor but otherwise nothing out of place.
"Boys?" she hazard, kneeling down to glance under her bed and under Kidd's crib. Nothing out of the ordinary.
It was like who ever had been there had vanished like dream come morning. If she had not heard them, she might have assumed she was alone. But someone was here... somewhere.
She looked right past them twice, before Kidd reaching out for her finally caught her attention.
The two boys were wedged in the back next to her nightstand and the wall, tucked in so small they were lost in the dark. Baby Blue had his hands clasped so hard over Kidd's mouth his fingers had gone white; Kidd was sobbing and distraught, but not a sound escaped.
"Baby? Baby Blue, look at me?"
He did finally, and she saw he'd been crying too, tear tracks smeared over his cheeks. Kidd's cries had turned to distress that he was being kept away from his mother. Baby Blue lost none of his fear looking at her, he clung Kidd to him closer, impossibly hiding more of her baby away with his own tiny frame, as if willing the shadows to shallow them both whole.
"Oh, sweetie, Baby, its fine. Everything is okay. Come out please?"
Kidd was struggling harder now, finally starting to slip free, calling back to his mama.
"Baby Blue, It's okay. I'm not mad, no one is in trouble. I'm just happy you two are safe."
Tears clung to his lashes, Baby Blue looking for something in her face, slowly letting Kidd free. The toddler crawled to her as soon as he was released, and soon her arms where full of crying child as she picked up up, sitting back on her heels. Baby Blue didn't come out, just watched her worriedly as Kidd cried into her shoulder. She rubbed his back soothingly, still watching for Baby Blue to follow the toddler out of hiding. Kidd pulled away to shove his elbow in her face - covered in a dozen plasters.
"Did Baby Blue patch you up? she guessed, rubbing the dried tears off her son's face as he told her all about it.
Baby Blue remained quiet and hidden under her bed.
Once Kidd had run out of words, she set him back down, before glancing under into the dark again. "Please come out sweetie?"
He made no effort to move. Trying to give him some space, Brichtrede lead Kidd back out to where Baby Blue had been clearly making them food. The peanut butter was smeared across the table top, and she focused on cleaning it up, and finished the snack for the boys. She thought she might have heard Baby Blue finally coming out of hiding, and waited patiently for him to come out and join them for food.
He never did.
When she went back to check, her window was open, and the boy was gone.
It took so much begging, but her boss relented, and Kidd went with her to work after that, seeing as Baby Blue hadn't come back around.
Brichtrede didn't have much left in her to try and worry about him, bone tired and weary as she split her energy between her son and her job. She'd feel guilty about it later, once she had a chance to think back and realized it had been weeks since she'd seen the little boy. By then, well, she kept an eye out but it seemed the little shadow that had followed her and Kidd around seemed to dissipated like a morning mist.
It shouldn't have surprised her though when he did come back. She'd missed him in the market crowds, but Kidd had caught sight of him and tottering of across the street to her horror. He moved so fast Brichtrede hadn't noticed him gone until he was at the boy's side. She followed slower, uncertain of Baby Blue's reaction of her anymore. Just as she told him that night, she wasn't mad at him. She'd replayed it over and over in her head - her reaction when she'd arrived home that night. She's thought she'd been calm when she'd found them hiding. Certain she'd been... kind. But when he'd not shown up again, she'd worried she'd yelled. Kidd had been unhelpful in confirming her behavior, but she remembered how he'd been scared too.
Baby Blue had hunched back when she arrived, held only in place it seemed by Kidd's hold on him. She bit her lip, squatting down so she wasn't towering over the two. "Hey Baby Blue," Don't mention anything about last time, she mentally reminded herself, Don't upset him again.... "How have you been?"
There's a sharpness to his eyes, a pinch that doesn't belong on a face so small. There's also some bruising - pale and faint - on his cheek, like someone bopped him in the nose. Same marks on his knuckles. Was it just boys being boys and rough housing or something more....
Baby Blue had never been the gabber that Kidd was, but he didn't offer her any words today, just shrugging and looking away. Looking around the street. Was he here with someone, or just looking for an opening to escape?
"Kidd and me were about to go get lunch," she tried - food had always been a peace offering between them. "Would you like to join us?"
He didn't look up. Didn't even look at Kidd. What she could see of his face was painted with a forlorn sadness. Still, he tentatively nodded.
Brichtrede smiled sweetly at him, rising to look for something both boys would enjoy. Somewhere on the walk to the steamed rolls stand - Baby Blue has slipped free of Kidd's hand, and was once again gone. Kidd and her waited for him for nearly an hour. He never came back.
Weeks passed this time. Brichtrede watched for the little boy. Kidd turned four.
Seemed Baby Blue was lost to them once again. Her heart sank ever time Kidd would ask where his friend was. She didn't know. She didn't even know who to turn to for help.
She didn't even know his name.
Brichtred
and Kidd sat at the front stoop of their small home, a plate of sweet bread thinly cut for the children who came visiting and sing her and her neighbors songs. It was some new festivity that someone had brought from the the North Blue in the last few years, and had confused her greatly last Candlemas when a gaggle of children had arrived caroling a foreign song and looking to her for treats after. She'd been wholly unprepared, but had recovered quickly and sliced some bread from work for them, and it seemed to please the group. This year she was ready, bread already sliced and prettily arranged on the wooden platter, and Kidd was fascinated as one of the older boys showed him the fire lite paper lantern he was holding. There were twice as many groups this year, and while she didn't understand it, she was happy to see the kids finding something to bond over that didn't involve horseplay and mild vandalism. The last group invited Kidd to go with them - maybe next year she'd negotiated.
Eventually, the children vanished back to their own beds, and she was tucking Kidd into bed as he told her about how the little candles were arranged to not burn the lantern itself. It seemed he was at that age where fire was becoming increasingly fascinating to him, and she'd need to start watching for that.
There was no knock at her door, but she heard the telltale scuffing of small feet, and picked up the remaining plate for what was likely her last visitor of the night, as it had started to go cold and the wind was beginning to pick up.
Her visitor wasn't there to serenade her for sweets. He stood just outside the light of the hall when she opened the door, looking like he wasn't sure if he was coming or going. Tears clung to his pale blond lashes but hadn't begun to fall. He'd been holding them back fearlessly, even if his lip was trembling and he was shaking as he clung to himself. His nose dripped blood and the side of his face was black and swollen.
The plate of bread hit the floor forgotten as she rushed forward and dropped to her knees, pulling Baby Blue up into her arms without any thoughts more than her poor boy. He tensed as if afraid, but she held him close, a gentle hand to the back of his head, pressing a worried kiss to his temple as she held back her own tears. "Oh baby..." she murmured, not realizing how much she'd feared for him until that damn broke as he clung back to her at last. He cried softly against her, his child attempt at stoicism broken in the safety of her arms.
"I have you now, baby." she assured him, tiny body trembling from his quiet sobs. "I have you. No one's gotta hurt you again; I've got you."
She had no idea how she was keeping this promise yet, but the vow solidified in her heart. She picked him up, carried him inside. In the past, he'd been so uneasy about entering her home; tonight his sobs found his voice at last, and he openly wept as he was welcomed in. He cried his little heart out, sobbed and promised to her he'd be good. He said he was sorry, he hadn't meant it. She had no idea what was going through his head, only assured him all was forgiven. She wasn't mad. He was safe and loved.
Kidd had woken up at some point, watching in confusing from the bedroom door. Brichtrede held her free arm open and he joined them, wrapping his arms around her and Baby Blue. She held them both. Holds them until the tears run out, and Baby Blue hiccups, still mumbling out apologies. The hand that had been on the nape of his neck cups his battered face, gently wipes his streaked cheek clean. "No more tears, Baby Blue, not tonight." she assured him, "You don't need to be sorry or sad or scared. Everything is okay now. You're safe now."
He nodded - if some what miserably - into her hand, lip still trembling, looking down at his hands clinging to her smock, the blood from his face smeared on her dress. She kissed his forehead, before kissing Kidd's too. "Go and wash up, Kidd will help you," letting the boys go to and pull out some blankets. Kidd could sleep with her tonight, and let Baby Blue use his bed. Kidd's sleep clothes might be small on the boy, but he'd probably prefer those over anything of hers, she mused, looking for the largest clothes Kidd had - things she meant for him to grow into in the next year or so.
She left them outside the door. Kidd might not care about her barging in, but Baby Blue had always been nervous and skittish with things like that, and he'd clearly had a rough enough night. Soon enough, the two boys stood at the door way to the bedroom, and Baby Blue looked so small and afraid. Kidd was frowning at the white knuckled grip, but was minding his tongue and said nothing.
"Do... do you," Brichtrede reevaluated her plan, "I was going to have you sleep in Kidd's bed tonight. Is that okay? Kidd can sleep with me for now, unless you don't want to be alone?"
The bed was going to be small for two of them, but it would hold them for a night or two until she figure something else out. Kidd looked carefully at his friend, he was okay either way.
Baby Blue didn't seem to know what to say. His face was a complicated mix of thoughts, settling on frowning at her, "Does... does Kidd sleep with you?"
There was a hint of accusation. "Only if one of us has a nightmare." she assured, careful to word it not to embarrassed her son with the fact he did still crawl in bed with her. It was fine, but he though himself a big boy now and sleeping with your momma still - even only on occasion - might be mortifying to admit to his friend.
In the end, the two boys shared Kidd's bed. Brichtrede half wondered if she should offer them her own bed and sleep on the floor but they seemed okay with the tight fit. Baby Blue fell asleep first, Kidd drifting off not long after. They were still asleep when she came back later to go the bed herself.
She was still awake, staring at the cracks in her walls late into the night. She didn't know who had hit Baby Blue, but she'd strangle them herself if they tried it again. This was her baby now, and like hell was she gonna stand by now that it was obvious someone had thought it okay to batter a child like they had.
She was still tumbling it over when she heard a gasp across the room - a soft intake of breath and a whimper. Soft whispers that she tried to not listen too, and then both boys got up, Kidd with Blue's hand in his, both going to the washroom. The sound of water running. She pretended to still be asleep when Kidd pattered softly back into the room. He looked at his bed, before pulling the blanket up. She had an idea what might have happened, but before she could feign waking up, he came over to her, and poked her shoulder.
"Whats wrong, baby?" she 'mumbled' as she 'woke up.'
"Can ... I...." she sat up a little, looking at the frown that dimpled his forehead, "I had a bad dream. Can Killian and me sleep with you tonight?"
If that's the story they wanted to go with, she'd deal with the bedding in the morning. But.... "Of course baby. When..." she frown herself, "Is.... Killian going to be okay with that? I can sleep on the floor, and give you boys the bed.."
"No, It'll be okay," he assured her.
Before he could go get Baby Blue, "When did Killian tell you his name?"
"He said you got upset by the other names, so he didn't want to tell you," He looked at her strangely, not understanding the weight of the foul things adults had called his friend, "and i think he likes your name for him. But he didn't like me calling him that."
She'd keep the secret for now, a topic to broach in the light of a future day. Kidd pulled some clothes from his drawer in the dresser and returned to the washroom.
Baby Blue... Killian?.. and he returned a few minutes later, new sleep clothes for them both and Kidd guided him to her bed. She expected Kidd to sleep in the middle, but he pushed Baby Blue up first, and the three settled in her bed for the night. It was tense at first, before Brichtrede sat up enough to pull the blankets up to the chins of both boys, leaning over to kiss each forehead goodnight.
"Caidil gu math," she whispered to them as she settled back into her pillow.
"Caidil gu math, momma" Kidd parroted back from the far side, and she felt Baby Blue relax next to her. She drifted off, the heavy breathing of her boys as sleep took them off to dreamland carrying her away as well.
Between them both, Baby Blue - Killian - pressed his face into the woman's shoulder, Kidd's arms wrapping around him and starting to drool on him in return.
"Caidil gu math, momma" he whispered to the room.
thanks always to my dearest unnamed friend for always being there for me to bounce ideas off of. I hope 2026 treats you well <3
Thanks as well to lerya on the Grand Line Tavern for helping me with the title. your suggestions where what i needed rethink what to call this piece.
Complimentary in the title is a play on the eye colours of Kidd (orange) and Killer (blue)
Complimentary Colours. When placed next to each other, complements make each other appear brighter. Complementary colors can create some striking optical effects. The shadow of an object appears to contain some of the complementary color of the object. When one stares at a single color for a sustained period of time, then looks at a white surface, an afterimage of the complementary color will appear.
The imported children festivities is based on Liichtmëssdag which originates in real world Luxembourg.
Cillian is a diminutive of the Irish Gaelic name Ceallach which means 'war', 'strife', or 'bright-headed'. I've chosen the anglicized 'K' spelling to line up with his future name of Killer.
