Oda Eiichiro owns One Piece, not me.

Chapter X: A Forgotten Enemy

Trafalgar Law could feel the woman in his arms trembling through his thick coat. He hadn't meant to scare her, but his sadistic side may have taken over in the heat of the moment, and much more than he would have liked. He had only wanted to make her flustered, and test how she might react if he tried to kissed her. He was pleased that she really didn't put up the sort of fight he was expecting of her. He was quite sure now that he could kiss her and get away unscathed, but not yet. Not until he knew she's forgiven him for almost dropping her from the top deck. He'd been too keen to taste her, so may have been too aggressive. His body wanted much more than that from her though, a fact that became very apparent as she hung over the edge of his ship, her body pressed against him. The hot knotted sensation that it caused in his lower abdomen had still not fully dissipated.

He was surprised by the lack of violence shown on her part. She usually lashed out instantly with her fist, or an electrical attack. Yes, she had tried to slap him, which he encouraged her to do, but since then she had done nothing. He was carrying her to his infirmary in the same position she was in when he lifted her safely over the rail. Her legs wrapped high on his waist, and her breasts pressed firmly to the side of his face. It was difficult to fully appreciate her grip on him since he felt so guilty. She truly was frightened, or else she wouldn't still be clinging on to him like she was.

"You're a terrible person!" Nami whispered. She was holding on to him tightly as if she was still dangling over the edge of his ship. She continuously insulted him as he carried her.

His face turned more sullen by her every word. "I know." he said, trying to ignore the uncomfortable sensation that had been developing in his chest. He really didn't want her to hate him, and he was just starting to realise how much. 'A new approach is needed' he decided. There was something there though, otherwise she wouldn't still be in his arms. She couldn't hate him that much or she would have fled already. He shifted her weight in his arms, taking the chance to draw her slightly closer to him.

Law sat her down on one of the beds in his infirmary. She didn't immediately disentangle herself from him, so Law grabbed her arms to pry his head free.

"I wouldn't have dropped you." Law tried to console her. He wasn't a fan of the sombre and taciturn Nami that sat before him.

"But you did drop me!" she said more animately than anything that had come out of her mouth since she asked him to pull her back up. She unlinked her feet from around his waist, releasing him.

"Well, I wouldn't have let you fall." He had tried to show her that by reclaiming his hat the moment it fell from his head. He wouldn't have let any harm come to her.

Law walked to one of his many cabinets and picked up a couple of bandages to redress Nami's arm. He was disappointed when he turned to face her again and saw that she was still sulking. He wasn't used to feeling guilty, and that was starting to irritate him. "Give me your left arm." he asked his patient, trying to keep his voice cool.

Nami offered her limb with a cold expression. Law tentatively took hold of her arm, more gently than he had done during dinner, and checked to see she hadn't damaged it further during the incident a moment ago. Her wound still looked fine, so he slowly began to cover it, wrapping the gauze carefully around her forearm.

He was pleased to feel that she was no longer trembling. He just had to cope with her scowling expression now. "How long do you intend to have that icy glare?"

Nami didn't answer him. Her silence was some how worse than her anger. At least he'd expected the latter, and knew how to deal with her. This, he had no answer to.

He rolled his eyes before speaking. "The prospect of getting frost bite does not interest me in the slightest. So, good night, Nami-ya."

Trafalgar Law left the infirmary a little dejected to say the least. He'd hoped to elicit the fiery side of Nami, not a cold one. After ordering Jean Bart to take his ship beneath the waves, Law headed for bed. Hopefully, his guest would be back to her usual self by the morning. Though, he felt he had to make it up to her. To get back in her good graces, if nothing else.

Thankfully, Trafalgar Law had left Nami to her own devices over the last couple of days. Never once seeking her out when she sought solitude. He had spent most of his time in the gym on board his ship, much as he had done for the rest of her stay. She would converse with him on the bridge, speaking of their current location, and on choosing a spot to rendezvous with her crew, but nothing beyond professional. She'd had time to clear her head of what happened between them a couple of days ago.

She wasn't actually angry with him, and never really had been. Just using the frustration she felt with herself as a mask to ward him off. She needed the distance after having such a strong reaction to him. Yes, she had been scared of falling, but once she remembered his ability, she was fine. Still, you don't instantly recover from something like that. Just as she couldn't instantly recover from being in is arms.

Earlier that morning, when Law had taken the stitches from her arm, she was surprised by how polite he had been. He'd continued to converse with her while he was removing the stitches from his leg, too. It felt as if, for him, the other night never even happened. If she was honest with herself, that made her both a little sad, and a bit angry. Angry that he could be so nonchalant about things, and sad because maybe he was just toying with her, and she definitely didn't need that.

Nami was looking forward to going ashore on the next island, just minutes away. She'd rounded up the monies owed to her, and was excited to go shopping, and buy some clothes that she actually liked. She was getting bored of washing her clothes daily in her morning shower, then having to dry them with her Clima-Tact. Nami planned to mail the letter to her captain, then have a day of indulgence, and pampering. A nice day away from the Heart Pirates.

The submarine resurfaced a little way out to sea. The cool morning was crisp, but not quite cold enough for mist to form above the warm ocean. Nami watched on as Law examined the island through a pair of binoculars.

"It looks clear of Marines, at least." Law informed her and his crew. The expression on his face didn't fill her with much confidence though.

"What do you mean 'at least'? And, why the face?" she couldn't not ask as she took the binoculars off him to see for herself. Nami viewed the island, but still couldn't determine what had earned such a gloomy look from Law.

"This is Charlotte Linlin's territory." His expression was grim while he spoke. The look on Penguin's face mirrored his captains, and Shachi seemed a little white. "We'd better hope that none of her subordinates are here."

"Who is she?" Nami inquired, completely lost as to who they were talking about.

"Big Mom." Law said quite calmly. Then, concern spread all over his face as he regarded Nami. "What is it?"

Nami was scared thinking about the situation they were in. A grudge she'd completely forgotten about since leaving Dressrosa. "Fishman island. Luffy declared war against her to protect it."

"What!?" Law shouted.

"The Fishmen and Merfolk gave us all their candy that was meant for Big Mom. It was part of our banquet at the Ryugu Palace. Luffy, the idiot, gave her all my treasure as compensation, but she wasn't happy with that, so he challenged her."

"So, your crew was already at war with one of the Yonko? Even before he agreed to ally with us to take down Kaido?!" Law's eye's were sharp, and his voice raised. The stress of Luffy's uncontrollable and unpredictable nature apparent in Law's demeanour.

"Yes." Nami muttered.

"Don't you think that information might have been useful a little bit sooner?" His face was contorted with shock and anger.

"Don't scold me! You got into this with Luffy, so it's your own fault! You should have thought to ask things like that." Nami screamed back at him.

"He really does create a storm wherever he goes." Law's laugh was dark as he spoke. Nami saw that familiar sadistic glint in his eyes again. The one that makes him feared by his enemies. He quickly got over his anger, and now he appeared pleased with Luffy's recklessness. "I didn't think he'd go up against one of the Yonko on his own. I underestimated him."

"By the way, after we left the Green Bit, one of her ships attacked us. Sanji disabled the rudder, and we escaped."

"So, they could be not too far behind us then." Law muttered, as if talking to himself. "Can you create heavy fog, Nami-ya?"

"Yes."

Law nodded his head, signalling for her to do it right that very moment. Nami worked her Clima-Tact cooling the atmosphere so the fog was thick enough to conceal the sub, and forced the bank of cloud towards the shore line.

"Come with me." Law asked when she was finished.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to check how close we are to Whole Cake Island. That is her base of operations. There is a chance she won't be bothered by us Heart Pirates, but we can't risk the rendezvous spot being too close to where she may be. Not with Kaido after us as well." Law spoke as hastily as he walked.

"What is your plan for Caesar Clown?" she asked him as she hurried along behind.

"Why?" He stopped abruptly, and looked over his shoulder at Nami through narrowed eyes.

"When that ship of Big Mom's attacked us, they wanted Caesar, as well as to sink us. He said he'd swindled a lot of money out of her, and asked us to protect him otherwise he'd be killed."

"So at least we have a bargaining chip, if things go bad." Law smirked, the continued onto the bridge.

With their chosen rendezvous place not being in either of their enemies territories, Nami had gone ashore under the cover of the fog bank she'd created, to send their massage to the Strawhat Crew. With that mission accomplished, she was now having a small look around town, before heading back to Law's ship. She wasn't too impressed with the company that she now had to keep, though.

"Look, I don't need a babysitter!" Nami demanded. She was really looking forward to the solitary day she'd planned earlier on. "Can't you just go and do your own thing?"

"Yes you do!" Law argued. "This is the New World. Not only is your crew wanted by the World Government, but other pirates will target you, and bounty hunters. You have a pathetic sixteen million belli bounty on your head …"

"Exactly!" she interjected. "Who is going to try and come after me, when there is a four hundred and forty million belli prize like you wandering around? If anything, you're drawing attention to me, not driving it away."

"Your drawing attention to yourself by shouting!" Law said as his eyes constantly searched their surroundings. "You are also the enemy of two out of the four Yonko. It really isn't safe for you to wander around by yourself."

"Is that why you are acting as if we are being hunted?" Nami teased.

The den den mushi in Law's Corazon coat pocket began to ring then.

"Captain!" Penguin shouted the moment Law picked up.

"What it is?" he asked with an aggravated tone.

"Luffy called the ship, just after you and Nami-san left!"

"What! Please tell me you didn't tell them anything?" Law continued to look up and down the built up streets. It made Nami nervous how on edge he seemed.

"No, I just said we'd contact them, and hung up. It keeps ringing, but none of us are answering it."

"Good. We're on our way back now."

"Captain, we had to move the submarine. A marine battleship showed up not too long ago, so it's not safe for us to come and get you yet."

"Tomorrow, then." Law said before hanging up. "Do you still have you vivre card that I gave you?" he asked Nami.

She nodded her head in affirmation.

"Good." Law said while taking her by the arm, and leading her away from where they were standing. "Penguin has one for me, so we're covered."

Law made Nami walk slightly ahead of him. She kept trying to slow down and walk next to him, but he would instantly put his hand at the centre of her back to urge her forward. Nami resorted to glancing backwards every few moments to check he was still following her. She knew that would make them look a bit suspicious, but she felt a little unnerved by not being able to see him at all. Especially since he'd just put their position into perspective. There were a lot of potential enemies around. She was glad he had come with her now.

Law grabbed Nami, and quickly dragged her down a nearby alley. "What are you doing?" She demanded.

"That's Pekoms and Tamago." he declared. He kept his gaze out on to the streets. "They're coming this way. Act natural!" he told her. Law dragged his hat off his head and buried himself deeper into his hood.

"What do you mean act natural?" Nami panicked, she felt a little scandalized as there was nothing natural about the way they were standing. Only an intimate couple would be this close, in her opinion.

"Why are you blushing, Nami-ya?" Law inquired as he lowered his face towards hers.

"Don't even think about it." She ordered, pointing her finger at him.

"Think about what?" He smirked.

"You know what!" She whispered. She hated that she could feel her heart beating faster.

"I really don't think I do." Law's face was level with Nami's at this point, and he pulled his hood so it was half over her head as well.

"Don't even think about trying to kiss me!" she finally admitted, turning even more red than she already was.

"I wasn't." Law said as he raised both his eyebrows at her, wearing an astonished smile. "It's interesting to know that that's what you were thinking about though." he teased.

"Don't laugh at me!" she shouted as she feebly punched him in the chest.

"Shhh!" he snarled at her. His index finger poised vertically beneath his nose. Law had a quick look around before deciding it was safe to leave the alleyway. "Let's walk to the next town and stay the night there."

Nami punched him again, in the shoulder this time, to get away from him. She hurried off out of embarrassment.

"Don't walk too far ahead! I'm meant to be protecting you, Nami-ya!" Law shouted to her as she raced off a little too fast, even for his long strides.

Nami and Trafalgar Law had been walking through a dense forest for the last hour or so, trying to get to the next town. Law insisted that he had seen it when he viewed the island upon arrival. At first, it was a pleasant walk on the spring island, but once the heavens opened up, it was a different story. Law was forced to give Nami his coat to wear since she had no hood, and he had his hat, but now they were both soaked through, and muddy. Nami had tried to give Law his coat back once the rain had stopped, but he didn't want the wet garment, so it was now balled up in her arms.

She instantly turned when he placed his hand on her shoulder. A finger pressed to his lips, as his eyes searched the trees. He stepped in front of her and shouted for his room.

"Stay behind me." he ordered her as he drew his sword.

Nami knew better than to get in the way of his swing. She would have much rather have not been in his 'room' at all. She balled her fist in the back of his yellow t-shirt and turned to look behind them.

He scanned the forest ahead of them, before slashing his sword in the direction of their unseen enemies. Nami could hear the cries of his victims as they'd been cut in half. Law uprooted all the plant life in the area before shuffling it all round, and letting it drop to the floor. Body parts included. Nami looked on, watching all the confusion, in awe of how he could juggle so many things at once. No wonder his Devil Fruit power drained his stamina. He grabbed Nami and used his ability to move them closer to the edge of the forest.

The sun was low in the sky before they reached the town.

"You can't go shopping, Nami-ya!" He forbade her.

"I need some clothes. I can't keep wearing this everyday." she argued with him, pointing to herself. Nami desperately wanted something other than her one outfit.

"There are marines around. That is who was in the forest. And, it's getting late. We'll just get something to eat, and find somewhere to stay." he decided.

Nami just continued to stare at him. New clothes were more important than food, or so she thought until her stomach rumbled. She hadn't even felt hungry until he mentioned it.

"Fine." she sulked "Can I quickly get something tomorrow before we leave?" Nami thought that was a reasonable request.

"Fine." he said as her dragged her into the nearest eatery.

Nami sat soaking in a nice hot bath, erasing the chill from her bones from the earlier downpour she'd endured. She was examining the layout of the spacious room, trying to keep her thoughts focused. The overly large bath sat to the right of the door. The toilet to the left, and the sink with a mirror opposite, as you walk in. That tiny observation was not enough to distract her from trying to not be angry. She just wanted to relax, but that was too hard since Trafalgar Law had insisted that it was not safe for her to have her own room, and that he definitely wasn't going to pay for more than one. So, they were sharing, and it was a double. She told the bastard that he could sleep on the floor. Thankfully, he didn't object.

She threw a towel down on the ivory tiles as she got out the bath. Housekeeping had forgotten to supply the room with a bath mat. Nami cloaked her body with the largest one she could find, then let the water out of the bath before wrapping her hair in a smaller hand towel.

"Hurry up, Nami-ya." Law complained through the door.

She imagined he was quite cold by this point, after sitting for hours in wet clothes. She probably should have let him go first since she loves to bathe, and had occupied the room for longer than necessary, but she felt he deserved the punishment for everything that'd happened that day. For embarrassing her, not letting her go shopping, for sharing a room! He had protected her in the forest, but that was his only good deed of the day, and it wasn't exactly an effort for him. Nami rounded up all of her belongings and exited the bathroom.

"There!" she sneered, as she walked past him.

Law looked at her through cheerless eyes, then walked into the now vacant room, leaving the door ajar.

Nami could heard a faint squeak as he turned the faucet and began to fill the bath. She quickly dried her hair and clothes, waiting until she knew he was in the bath before she got dressed, just incase he came out.

"You used up all the clean towels!" he shouted to her.

"And?" Nami growled.

"Could you get some fresh ones, please?" he requested.

"Get them yourself!" she demanded

"I'm in the bath, Nami-ya." he whined in annoyance.

"Fine." she conceded.

Nami quickly got dressed and left in search of clean towels. She thought it best not to ask anyone. It was risky enough that they were staying in a hotel, instead of sleeping rough. Trafalgar Law had been edgy all day, making her feel as if the entire island were actually hunting them. She eventually found a linen closet, then made her way back to their room with a handful of clean towels.

"I'll leave them outside the door." she informed him.

"What good are they out there? Just bring them in." he suggested.

"What do you mean, 'just bring them in'?" she spluttered. Nami felt her face grow warm.

"You can come in. It is okay." he assured her.

Nami pushed the door open, and stepped through. "I thought you said it was safe!" she squeaked, instantly turning around. She shut her eyes and quickly tried to control her embarrassment. She'd just seen him naked. Completely naked. Not quite long enough to have actually noticed any part of him, but still. She buried her face in the towels in her hands.

"I said it was okay, not safe. I don't mind you coming in." Nami could practically hear the smirk on his face as he spoke.

She remembered the old rumours about him then. About how he was a sarcastic, sadistic devil, who loved to mock and intimidate people. She'd forgotten about the rumours, and even her early perception of him, after having seeing a warmer side to him since he'd been with her crew. Still, she imagined he was loving this situation. Enjoying her embarrassment. His darker side would not have died just because she'd gotten to know him and seen the three dimensional Law, and not just the painted picture.

"Where do you want these?" she asked, lifting the towels above her head.

"On the sink."

"I'll leave them on the toilet." The sink was far too close to the bath tub. She didn't dare go near him. She closed the lid, and put the towels down, then started to back away towards the door. She was adamant about keeping her eyes far from the bath.

"Wait, I want to talk to you about something." Nami thought his voice seemed calm, but this was not the time for a conversation.

"You can talk to me when you're not naked!"

"Go and sit on the toilet. It's twelve feet away. You won't be able to see anything." he suggested monotonically.

Nami thought about his words for a moment. He was right, she wouldn't be able to see anything from that distance, it wouldn't be too uncomfortable. She sat sit down on top of the towels. "What is so important that it couldn't wait?" She didn't look at him as she spoke.

"I'm not like Mugiwara-ya. I don't just go blindly walking into situations without knowing the full extent of all the details." Law reported with a displeased tone to his voice. "What else should I know about this alliance I'm in?" he questioned.

"I don't know. Like what?" Nami inquired, finally being brave enough to look up at the man talking to her.

He relaxed low down in the tub. Law's arms were hiding beneath the rim. His knees were bent, protruding a few inches above the edge of the bath. The back of his head rested lightly on the wall behind him, forcing his face forward. He furrowed his brows at Nami's question, drawing her gaze to his closed eyes. She stared at his dark eyelashes which were clumped together after he had washed his face. Beads of water still rested on his moist flesh.

"I don't know." he eventually responded with a sigh. He lifted both his hands from the water and slicked back his midnight blue hair, then rested them on the rim of the bath.

Nami's eyes were glued to his body. The affects of his time spent in the gym were apparent. She watched as the water had trickled down his tattooed arms. She wanted to run her hands all over his wet skin. To entangle her fingers in his dark hair that he just brushed away from his face. She couldn't help but imagine herself in the bath with him, lay on top of him, kissing him. His lips somehow seemed to be baiting her more now that his face was relaxed, and those fascinating amber eyes were concealed.

He cracked an eye open then to look at her. "Nami-ya?" he prompted her through a smirk.

Nami instantly went a deeper shade of red, wondering how long she had been sat in silence, staring at him. Had he just asked her something, and she was too busy staring to even hear him? She swallowed hard when she noticed how fast her heart was racing, and hoped she hadn't been openly panting as she'd been enjoying the sight of him.

Law leant forward to get out of the bath then, so Nami quickly ran into the bedroom.

The Surgeon of Death triumphantly smiled to himself as he dried his body. His first attempt to ensnare her hadn't worked. Being chivalrous wasn't the best way to capture her attention. His second approach also failed, mainly because he was too sadistic, and pushed it too far. Still, he'd pushed her enough to know she reacted to him, and not out of any sort of anger or irritation. His tactic a moment ago definitely drew her in. There was no way she could deny it, and he knew it.

He didn't know why she was trying to keep her distance from him, but he was going to close it. There was some emotional barrier there, put up by her, but she just responded to him out of pure attraction. He was definitely going to have her, and hopefully, it was going to be tonight.

I have actually gone back to not liking my chapters again! I'm so fickle, it's untrue. Someone needs to inject me with some confidence, then I wouldn't care so much if people liked it or not. But, you know ...

It was such a chore to imagine Law in the bath! The things I go through to write this fic', I don't know why I bother, hahaha.

I already have the next chapter written. Is it evil to make you guys wait?

26th June 2014