Hello! Hope everyone is having a great heart day! With the holiday in mind, I wrote up this chapter. I wonder if you guys can tell? Also wanted to give a personal shout out the review section! Thank you! Its great to upload a chapter and read your witty comments! :) Also a personal shout to those that have followed this story. Your support really hits home and thank you so much for that! :3 Kind of had a rough day of all days, so you guys really did cheer me up.

Hope to see you guys tomorrow!

Kuzan was quietly left alone with the sleeping young woman. The admirals never really spoke much to each other minus meetings or a get together over a drink. He had to be honest, now that he thought about it, they were pretty much like three brothers. Kizaru being older, kept he and Sakazuki from killing each other. The officer couldn't believe how swiftly Katie was on the money with that statement. She had only met the other two once before.

The admiral in his marine uniform, slipped up next to Katie's bed as her back was towards him. A ginger smile played upon his expression. His large hand supported his chin as his arm bent at the elbow. The other free grip settled on her jaw. Rough pads traced her silken lips.

The woman's sensitive nose flared and wrinkled in her sleep. A pleasant simper appeared before her body lazily rolled over to face him. His arm raised and made room, allowing his hand to cradle the turned up side of her head. Blue hues blinked open once more. He could see the drug dissipating in waves. A good sign for the long healing process but it meant disruptive sleep for now. He guessed the little brunette was going to become more of a handful than ever.

"That feels good…", she hummed before hissing. "Can you close the door? There's a smell I really don't like", the smaller female explained. Katie's brows had furrowed and her smile slowly faded.

Without an answer, the officer rose to his feet and closed it but not before he heard a voice. Damn, it was familiar but he simply couldn't place it. It gave the marine a brief concern. Also a new found respect for that sense of smell of hers.

As Aokiji returned to his seat, he found a small brunette climbing into his lap. His heavy hands had to help guide her or she was going to fall. Her weight wasn't much and easily maneuverable. A pleasant noise left his presence once her supple breasts molded against the man's chest. Delicate arms wrapped around his neck as she hugged him.

"What are you doing", he purred barely above a whisper enjoying the moment. Feeling her delectable body melting into his, Kuzan couldn't resist the curve of her spine. His self-restraint crumbled. Large, strong fingers slipped down her back and slid over her heart shaped rear. The admiral gave a gentle squeeze causing Katie to release a lustful gasp.

"I'm trying to hide", the woman whispered before arching into him. The man's will nearly shattered. An indulgent growl reverberated past his lips. The deep sound cause the brunette's loins to shiver and her shoulders to shudder. Blood rushed to her cheeks.

The officer's grip tightened. "Damn it", he hissed. "If we weren't in a hospital", the admiral choked shamefully. His heart was pounding while his soul nearly broke into tears. Copper orbs were forced to close. Too many reasons to not to touch her but the temptation was all too real. "What are you trying to hide from", Kuzan asked, trying to distract himself.

The brunette's long hair brushed the back of his hands when her head tilted. The silken delight sent a tremor through his arms. White teeth bit her lower lip once she felt the hardened bulge press against her nether region. Aokiji reacted by guiding her off his pulsing manhood which had stirred to life but not without grinding his own teeth first.

Katie's heart began pounding rapidly. Now was not the time to be thinking sensually! Her mind was a blizzard of fear and physical attraction. It was the drug. It had to be the morphine mixed with other things.

For example, Kuzan made her feel safe. He also turned her on in ways she never thought was possible. The man was guilty of giving her so many nosebleeds, for god's sake! On a more reasonable note, the admiral washed away most hidden anxiety she held in her heart when they had little moments together. This included breakfast and sometimes when he found time to treat the two of them to dinner. Blend all those times with saving her life, being there the entire time at the hospital, and having heavenly hands squeeze her sensitive rump. He was so hard to resist!

Katie whined. She was terrified but at the same time her inner emotions were starting to run wild. The woman didn't know what to do. Cherry faced, the brunette buried her nose into the collar of his button up.

"Katelyn… Tell me what you're so scared of", Aokiji's voice demanded in a crystal clear tone. Her own frustration and fear brought him back from the pits of hellish yearning. He managed to catch his breath when she started whimpering.

"A monster…" There was a dry chuckle as if she were telling a bad joke. "You know, I can take on sea kings, swim with sharks, dive deep into the blackness of the unknown during massive typhoons and I'm ok. But it just takes one person… One marine… and I freeze up. I've tried so many times to confront him but I can't. I choke. Afterwards I regurgitate everything I've eaten that day…"

Katie leaned back. Aokiji could see her eyes begin to well up but to his relief she rubbed them dry. "You probably think I'm stupid or it's the drugs… but I will never forget his cologne. I know he's near. And I know it's childish of me to sit here", she avowed with such a serious tone.

Why did he find her so irresistible in moments like this? It made his lower stomach tense and his loins throb. Guilt began to eat away at his mind. She was on morphine, he exclaimed in his thoughts. But that didn't stop the officer from touching her. He so badly itched for the intimate physical contact, ever since he met her almost three weeks ago.

"To be afraid isn't silly but running from your fear, is. Let me help", the admiral offered before forcing her chin upward. His body leaned forward a bit with his mouth slanting over her own with his copper orbs staring into enchanting blue hues. He was going to do as he promised but probably not in the way she suspected, the officer thought. Maybe if he indulged just a bit, it would quill his fiery need for her.

The brunette could feel the man's heart against her chest. Her own organ had roared as well. Katie's breath stopped when Aokiji slipped his fingers through her hair and cradled the back of her head. The petite female was rocked with anticipation. The man's hot breath seared her cheeks before he claimed her supple lips with his own thin appendages. Heavenly blue hues quickly shut as a thick tongue invaded her mouth. The female involuntarily mewled with fingers instinctively cupping both his cheeks.

Her heated reaction earned a lustful moan from him. Kuzan could sense her trying to mimic his own actions. With a sober mind this time, it was painfully obvious she didn't have a clue on what to do; but the marine was ok with that. To be fair, the officer only had a handful of women in his life. They all demanded what they wanted and in the beginning, he fumbled about himself. It was easier to kill pirates than to cater to the whims of a woman. It was another reason he put off relationships.

His heated tongue carved out the cavern of her mouth. The onyx haired marine forced her moist appendage to submit to him. The officer burned for the little brunette. He wasn't just satisfied by playing around in the hospital room and having to endure another man putting his hands on her. Now that his mind reared back, he completely understood why his digits had traveled over the carnal temptations of her body.

This wasn't just to help the female get over her trepidation of whoever was out there; but to make no doubt in her benumbed mind that it'll be him that will touch her not someone else. He was a marine and furthermore an admiral. Aokiji was greedy just like the rest of those in power. He napped when he wanted, ate when he wanted, got involved only when he wanted. This was no different. Sakazuki had his reasons but he'd be damned if he was just going to stand by and let it happen without making his mark.

The officer deepened the kiss. A whine reverberated over his thin lips from her own. Katie stiffened to a degree but he felt no push back. The collapse of her knees over his thighs was a dead giveaway. The brunette was enjoying this.

Stealing her breath, Kuzan firmly gripped a fist full of hair and kept the smaller woman in place. The admiral's free, strong, grip curled around her lower spine and pulled towards him. Katie found her knees being spread as her pelvis kissed his.

The longer the kiss took place, the more the brunette felt as if she were going to catch on fire. Kuzan wasn't joking around. The smaller woman could sense his actions becoming more and more aggressive. Naturally the younger female didn't know if she liked it or not but one thing was clear and painfully so. Her stomach hadn't healed yet. The sharp to dull pains radiated and it hurt to be pulled. Her head was light and Katie felt as if she were merely going to pass out; everything else the man did made her heart ache like a cheesy romance novel.

Finally, the smaller brunette was able to wedge her hands over his chest and give a slight push. The little woman could feel his pounding heart as well as a flinch. The officer pulled back, leaving both panting for air. Concern filled his gaze before lightly tapping his forehead to her own.

"I'm dizzy", she muttered in almost an inaudible tone.

"Me too", Aokiji admitted in a muted whisper.

"I need to lay down. I think the drip is finally filling with the painkiller again…", she swayed with blood rushing to her cheeks. Not only was it the drug in her system but the twenty-three year old ultimately had stopped breathing for so long. "You know… I can dive and hold my breath for quite some time but just holding it when we're…", Katie couldn't bring herself to say the word kissing. "Like this", the brunette inserted instead. "My head gets so muddled."

Kuzan was relieved she was alright. He felt himself slipping down a dangerous slope and vowed then and there to not get so wrapped up in his own jealousy. Especially in the hospital. Not to mention with her on a drug which hindered her own thinking. If he were any sort of a man, he would have waited for that moment. The admiral could see how dangerous the emotion could become.

The marine would have to double down and keep himself in check; that meant not letting Katie crawl into his lap whenever she wished and keeping his emotions at a distance. In a perfect world that is. There was no way that was going to happen.

Keeping the young woman off his lap, yes… maybe. Insuring his emotions didn't get the better of him, again maybe; but to stay at a distance, not going to happen. He was too infatuated and it started the day he saw her sleeping so carefree upon her arrival at Marineford.