Disclaimer: "Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger" is property of Toei, Bandai, TV Asahi, etc.
Story 4: That Someone
The crew returned to the Gokai Galleon after parting from Ninjaman. Gai and Don prepared the evening meal together, once again apologizing to the others for their earlier behaviour. After dinner the two cleared the dishes while the others were left to themselves. Marvelous went to his cabin and Joe left to train. Luka sat on the couch, sorting and polishing her jewelry, and beside her Ahim brought over some clean laundry to fold.
"Hakase and Gai weren't too much of a problem, were they?" Luka asked as she rubbed a silver ring with a soft cloth.
"Not at all. When they broke from the spell they were so exhausted they collapsed into my lap." Ahim grinned at the memory.
Luka was returning the ring to its place when her hand paused over the jewelry box. "Is that right?"
"Hm?" Ahim inquiringly inclined her head.
The ring fell into the box and Luka tossed the cloth she had been using onto the low table. She took the shirt Ahim was in the middle of folding from her and threw it back onto the pile of unfolded laundry. A bewildered Ahim pulled her arms back when Luka briskly swiped a hand over her lap as though brushing away dirt. After deeming it a satisfactory job, Luka twisted around and reclined herself across the couch, smartly resting her head on Ahim's lap.
Ahim blinked at this sudden development. "Luka-san?"
A moment passed before Luka softly replied, "It's comfortable."
The princess' hands were still raised in the air and it didn't appear that Luka would soon be moving. Conceding, she placed one had atop Luka's head and, more hesitantly, placed the other just below Luka's collarbone. She could feel Luka's steady heartbeat, and felt her own quicken. Ahim had to consciously prevent herself from gasping.
She ran her hand over Luka's hair, feeling the softness between her fingers. Luka tilted her face toward Ahim and the princess felt as though her stomach had flipped. It occurred to Ahim that these were not the usual reactions she had when she and Luka engaged in skin-ship.
Her fingertips twitched against Luka's striped shirt, eliciting a sound from within Luka's throat.
Suddenly Ahim's thoughts were running, and she recalled when Luka had been briefly reunited with her childhood friend Cain. Gai had speculated that maybe Cain was an ex-boyfriend of Luka's. At the time Ahim hadn't surprised if it were true. There were many qualities Luka had which would be appealing to anybody… and one was the beauty Ahim found herself gazing upon.
"Say," Luka unexpectedly said, causing Ahim to flinch. "Were you ever engaged on your home planet?"
"Eh?" Momentarily stupefied by the question, Ahim responded, "No, I was not."
"Hmm." A subtle smile touched Luka's lips. "Ahim, since becoming a pirate you've learned how to defend yourself – but don't forget to protect you heart."
"My heart?"
"Don't give your heart to just anyone." Luka opened her eyes and peered into the princess' face. "Be sure it's someone who will treasure you."
There was a tenderness in Luka's expression that filled Ahim with a warmth she was beginning to recognize.
The princess thought to herself it was likely too late to be protecting her heart – a certain thief seemed to have already stolen it.
