Disclaimer: I do not own 'One Piece' or the character Lucci. Layla, however, is my property.

For You

When the rain started, Layla could only sigh.

She was far too tired to run from it, to search for safety. Whatever care for her appearance that she had once possessed was long gone, leaving her perpetually tired, and happy to become drenched as the rain continued to pour down. Although she wore a cloak, it did little to stop the wind and water that seemed intent upon ruining her mood.

But, considering this, Layla decided that it would be hard to make her feel any worse than she already was.

Nearly a year had gone by, and she had still had no luck in her search.

It was a search that had led her all over the Grand Line, chasing vague hints and a cold trail. She had never given up, however, and she had vowed she never would. It was perhaps her natural stubbornness, more than anything else, that led her to where she was currently stand; Water 7. She'd often imagined it to look more like a waterpark than a city, although she was greatly mistaken.

When the wind changed, blowing the light rain underneath her hood, Layla gripped the outside of her cloak and pulled it tightly around her. It limited her vision even more, but she wasn't too worried. There were very few people about at this time of night, and only one man on the street she walked.

She had considered asking him for directions to the nearest accommodation, yet given that she recognised him, decided it was safer not to. Not yet, at least.

She would rather stay unnoticed, given her precarious position with many powerful and prominent figures in the world. So no matter how much she might love to stop, to reveal herself to him, she couldn't.

Layla lifted her hand to her hood, tugging it further down as they passed by each other. She held her breath, waiting for the moment to pass. She felt all too aware of how close they were.

And just when she thought she would pass unnoticed, he stopped.

Layla was about to keep walking, only to be grabbed by her hand. She was forced to turn around, so violently that her hood fell backwards.

The man, dressed inadequately for the current weather, stared at her hand. Layla followed his gaze and then realised her mistake; on her hand, she wore a ring. It was a simple, gold band with a dirty blue stone embedded in it. It had hardly any value other than sentimental. He knew this.

When he looked up at her, his evident shock was hardly surprising.

"Lucci."

She smiled up at him, while he remained the same.

"Layla." He said, only his lips didn't move.

When she realised the bird on his shoulder, whom she knew to be called Hattori, had opened his mouth, it was her turn to be surprised.

"You're a ventriloquist now?" she wondered, smirking a little.

Lucci's eyes grew cold, narrowing down on her. Resentment was easily the most predictable of his reactions. Layla went to push her wet fringe from her vision, only found that Lucci still held her hand in his grip. She looked between that, and his glare, hinting she wanted him let her go.

Instead, he took her hand and began to pull her along with him.

He said nothing more as they walked forward, while Layla had a number of questions on her mind, and was brave enough to speak them.

"Where are we going?" was the first.

"To where I live." was the answer.

Layla hurried her steps to keep up, and used her free hand to draw her hood over her head once more. Her hair, a light brown in colour, was already wet enough.

"Why?" she asked.

"We need to talk." Lucci replied shortly.

Her lips ghosted a smile, which faded as he pulled her around a corner and into a confined alleyway. Without thinking, she moved closer to him. Even after a year of separation, it was easy to be around him, as natural as breathing. It had always been so, even when they were younger. Though their respective careers within the government may have led them on different courses, and though there were distinct differences in their personalities, there were always certain things that remained the same.

When they stopped before a door, Layla blinked up at Lucci. He held the door open, staring at her until she moved passed him and inside.

"You're such a gentleman." She praised as she passed him.

In the hallway, she paused and let Lucci pass her by. Hattori turned on his shoulder, facing Layla, and opened his mouth in time with Lucci's voice.

"Make yourself at home."

Layla glanced around, offering a small smile.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" she remarked.

The small apartment was simple in both design and decoration. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving her in the confines of Rob Lucci's house. She glanced at the row of hooks along the wall, on which Lucci's hat now hung. She followed example and whipped off her heavy cloak, flinging water droplets everywhere as she hung it up.

Lucci didn't glance back at her, instead walking further inside.

In this, Layla copied him as well. She was treading carefully, so unsure of his reaction. Underneath his cool, emotionless façade, there was no knowing what storm of emotions that could lurk there. Layla had great experience with this, during her many years of knowing the man, and knew better than to test it.

What Layla saw upon entering was one room was a small kitchen, a table for eating, and a bed. It figured Lucci would only want for the necessities.

"Are you on an assignment?" Layla asked.

Lucci faced her and nodded. Hattori flew from his shoulder, landing on a perch near the closed window. Layla didn't comment any further, instead taking off her jacket so that she wore only a plain t-shirt and black pants.

"What are you doing here?" Lucci asked, dropping the ventriloquism.

"Why are you talking through a bird?" she replied.

Lucci took a step closer, and if Layla had been the type to be threatened, she might have felt fear. Instead, she ignored him and continued to wander around his apartment. There were very few places to hide, with only one small cupboard full of clothes and a small beside table. Layla inspected them both, searching for danger out of habit. Nothing unusual could be found in the cupboard, although she immediately noticed something upon opening a drawer in the bedside table.

"You kept it." She murmured, holding up a ring identical to her own.

Lucci's hand descended upon her shoulder, causing Layla to look up at him. "You kept yours." He replied.

Layla shrugged, before dropping the ring back into the drawer and shutting it. Following this, she stood up to her full height, which was tall enough that she reached Lucci's jaw. He continued to look her, uncannily calm about her sudden appearance at Water 7. Without realising it, Layla reached up and brushed away a raindrop from his cheek.

Next she knew, he was holding her tightly to him, kissing her as if he needed it more than anything else. Layla's reaction was instinctual; as she let her hands move to his hair and pull him down to meet her. She was lucky the bed was so close by.

"Rob." She breathed.

Nothing more was said that night.

.

.

.

When the sun's morning rays first appeared, the rain had long since stopped, though the cold persisted.

Lucci always did his best to stay warm during the days like these. His door and window were both closed, and he slept with many blankets over him, given his habit of wearing very little to bed. That morning, however, he had one other thing to combat the cold; and that was Layla.

She slept facing the door, as did Lucci. Although he knew it was a habit learned from her many dangerous missions as a government agent, he also liked to think she trusted him enough to expose her back to him. As he thought, Lucci ran his hand over the dip of her waist, moving along until he reached her hip. It wasn't the first morning they had spent like this, and Lucci hoped it wouldn't be last.

Of all the things he cared for, Layla may have been at the top of that short list.

But she always found ways to annoy him. Currently, it was her silence, and the lack of answers that seemed most pressing.

Layla turned in her sleep, rolling towards Lucci and wriggling closer, seeking warmth and dragging her t-shirt further up her body. He kept her still by wrapping his arm around her.

"That tickles." Layla mumbled, pressing her nose into his shoulder.

Lucci didn't reply, instead looking down at her. Her hair had grown since they last met, although the fringe stayed the same. She was as tall as ever, and her blue eyes still betrayed the emotions inside. Though Lucci couldn't say she was exceptionally beautiful – as she more often than not looked as if she needed a good night's sleep – there was something about her that made her more exceptional than any other woman. Perhaps because she was his.

"Rob?"

She only called him that when they were alone.

Lucci didn't reply, instead sitting up and swinging himself over her so that he could get out of bed. Layla's gaze followed him, even as he pulled on a pair of pants. Modesty had never been prominent within her.

"Do you have anything to eat?" she asked, clambering out of bed.

She wore only her underwear and a shirt, but didn't seem mind as she went straight to his kitchen and began to search for breakfast.

"Why are you here?" he inquired, because she had never answered him.

"Because this was wear I was led."

"There were rumours you defected."

Layla sighed heavily and took a seat on one of the wooden chairs of his only table. "I didn't. Or, I didn't want to."

Lucci took a seat beside her, spinning it around so that they faced each other. She glanced at his hand, considered taking it, before returning to the conversation.

"I'm searching for Red." She disclosed coolly.

"Luce?"

"Yes, Luce," Layla repeated, "My idiot sister has decided to go missing."

"She's dead."

Layla slammed her hand on the table, standing up abruptly.

"…probably."

Calming down after Lucci clarified that it was his speculation only, Layla took a deep breath. "She's not."

"It's been a year." He argued. "I read the report about Level-X. Red abandoned her mission, and is now a criminal. She has no allies, and she can't run forever."

"She's strong. She's a specialist, like me."

"Not as strong as you." Lucci countered.

Layla exhaled angrily, nails digging into her clenched palm. "I didn't come here for you," she declared, "I came here because she did. At some point, Luce was here."

"I would have noticed if she were."

"She's probably left by now. If she knew you were here, she wouldn't have been found."

"Like you weren't?"

Layla stared at him, and he stared back. "I wanted to be." She said bluntly. "And considering last night's events, I'm confident you won't report me."

"The risk of exposing myself would be too great." He agreed, in a roundabout way.

Layla's face was blank for a moment, before a smile crept slowly into existence. "Now, I know it's actually because you like me." She teased.

As ever, Lucci's expression told nothing of how he felt; unlike his actions.

She stood, meeting him halfway for the kiss. It deepened unexpectedly, continuing for a while longer than either had anticipated. Layla pulled away first.

"Do you really think she's dead?" she muttered, wishing she could just forget about Luce for a moment longer.

"I said probably." He replied.

Layla let her hands rest on his shoulders, looking up at him with more ease than most.

"Thank you." She sighed.

He brushed back some of her hair. "For what?"

"For lying."

In that moment, on a grey, cold morning and while they stood in the middle of a house that didn't really belong to either, he realised something.

Anything, he thought. Anything for you.

So I wrote this because I've begun to develop a soft spot for Lucci, although this will remain a one-shot. It does, however, accompany another story I'm currently planning to write. It will be a Zoro/OC with a little Sanji/OC on the side (meaning, a different OC, I'm not a huge fan of love triangles nor am I capable of writing a good one). It will explain a little of Layla's history, as well as why she is where she is in this one-shot. If you're interested, follow me, if not, thanks for reading anyway.

Sidenote: 'Red' is a codename for Layla's sister, Luce.

Feedback, as ever, is welcome!