The sun shines down upon the inhabitants below as the gleeful giggles of cheering children echoes as they play amongst themselves splashing in the pool as the run rays shimmer against the washing waves of the pool in the resort where two familiar figures reside in their respective sunbeds either side of each other. Ann adjusts her perky pink shades with glinting gold frames matching the pink and gold bikini she adorns as she lies there beneath the umbrella, the shining sun shimmering down upon the sprawl stray strands of pink and blonde, looking like she was enjoying it oblivious to the narrowed hues beneath said shades searching scanning scowling at the man they were looking for…
The soft snore by her side makes her tut turning to the man sleeping by her side, a small shy silver of saliva descending down the corner of his mouth, a magazine he was once reading now splayed over his face. Ann turns her face towards her half drunken drink seeing the perky pink substance by her side bubbles busting from the bottom to the surface popping as the ice bobs up and down shimmering shinning from the shining sun above as she eyes the perky pink and white straw similar to a candy cane almost as she reaches for it, taking a shy sip of fizziness and strawberry. She closes her hues pleased by the sweet strawberry substance, enjoying the sweet taste of her drink, with her arm behind her head enjoying this little mission of theirs until…
"Hey baby! Was your mother a beaver? 'Cause damn!" Hollering a voice calls out as Ann simply blanks it out feeling a fair few hungry hues on her but sadly…they don't seem to get the message.
"Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk past again?" Amused, the man approaches the unamused Ann simply staring at the soaring sky above noting the clouds going about their day and the feeble flap of the tall towering tree towering over the entire resort. Annoyed, Ann furrows her brow at the leering two, too tired to dispose of them not even wanting to make a scene considering their purpose for coming here. However it was getting tempting she couldn't lie it was…
"You can walk into the pool." Pointedly, the gruff of the annoyed Aokiji deadpans done with the two.
"E-Eh?" The boy reels back befuddled by the new voice before squeaking scared as the man himself stands upright upon his sun bed, removing his shades eyeing the two boys before him, boys even when put on top of each other pale in comparison to his height.
"What my boyfriend means is…" Ann sighs softly sensing the hostility from the man by her side and the terrified two, not wishing to make a scene, she sets her hand on his taller, rougher, bigger hand, easily clasping over hers, feeling his thumb draw patterns into her warm hand, seemingly melting his rough hand as she squeezes it ignoring the shy sparks dancing between both of them from the tender touch.
"Leave." Aokiji asserts annoyed eyeing the two that quickly scatter scared, screaming out apology after apology until they were out of sight.
"Did you have to freeze the ground like that?" Tiredly, Ann sighs softly at Aokiji eyeing the ice spread across the ground beneath them shyly spreading out.
"...Did you have to wear that outfit?" Kuzan coolly counters eyeing her up and down.
"I need to fit in unlike you how are you not boiling in that?" Tiredly, Ann eyes his stuffy clothes.
"Devil fruit." Simply, he shrugs.
"You mean your lazy." Ann deadpans.
"Any luck seeing the pirate?" Aokiji changes the topic.
"Afraid not…the reports said he was seen here." Ann mutters brow furrowed.
"He could be inside." Aokiji points out.
"…Maybe…why are we doing this though? This seems something Rosi would do." Ann sighs softly, this wasn't her line of work nor was it Akoji's so why Sengoku sent the two of them out here still baffled Ann.
"Didn't you say he was doing some undercover work elsewhere?" Aokiji recalls brow furrowed.
"…Yeah wish he could tell me what though." Tentatively, Ann sighs softly sadly, she hadn't seen her friend for quite some time, she had hoped to talk to Sengoku about it but instead all he did was tell her he couldn't tell her what he was doing, she knew his line of work was secretive but…
"You know what it's like…" Aokiji assumes as she sighs softly sadly even at the sad truth of the matter, Sengoku refused to give her even a bit of information to know if he was still breathing him just entering her office was her only form of assurance.
"I know…" Ann mutters under her breath brow furrowed from it all as she shuffles forward a bit, brow furrowed leaning forward wrapping her arms around herself.
"Here." Astonished, Ann's hues widen when a jacket is suddenly draped over her form.
"What's this for?" Frowning, she gathers the feeble fabric around her draping it over her form, feeling a small sense of security and warmth from it, ignoring the shy urge to lean into the jacket's comforting scent.
"You're my girl remember?" Amused, Aokiji reminds Ann as he drapes his arm around Ann's shoulder shyly brining her close as Ann bows her head, her heated cheeks burning briskly by the contact and comforting scent.
"I feel as if this doesn't fit it but I'm going to take it anywhere." Annoyed, Ann lightly pulls herself away from Aokiji as she drapes it over her form, zipping it up, ignoring the disappointed looks from onlookers one pair in particular as the wife angrily glares at her husband lightly slapping his lovestruck state scowling.
"Do what you want…" Aokiji shrugs her off making Ann furrow her brow at him huffing, shyly nuzzling into the far too big jacket practically draped over her as the two head on inside heading to their room.
Quietly, Ann stands in the bathroom, her heels clicking against the tiled floor below brow furrowing as she looks at herself in the mirror, makeup casted around the sink, seeing her work, trying to deem whether it's good enough or not as she ponders to herself whether to put her hair up or leave it loose. She grabs a bundle of her pinkish blonde locks, a side ponytail would look nice but letting it loose would look nice too…maybe a bun? Ann considers calmly before dropping the idea growing too tired to even care.
"How do they expect us to share a bathroom?" Baffled, Ann ponders perplexed as she saunters out of said bathroom befuddled as she applies her perky pink earrings, her head to the side firmly focusing on it as she stares at the slumped state of the lax Kuzan, spread out across the bed in a world of his own as Ann simply sighs at the dolt she was stuck with while trying to get ready.
"They think we're dating. Couples share bathrooms you moron." Aokiji deadpans stating the fact firmly as Ann brushes past him, looking in the mirror crouching down trying to tend to her earrings oblivious to Aokiji eyeing the girl by his side adoring a off the shoulders sort of dress, with a snow white ruffled puffy shirt with perky pink petals adorned upon said ruffles while wearing a dark reddish pinkish scarlet skirt of sorts, wearing black leggings below barely being seen by the ruffles of said skirt. She wears a similar scarlet shade to her heels with her long wavy locks of blondish pink loose small straps of black beneath said dress.
"…What are you doing?" Done, Ann turns on her heel to face Aokiji quirking her head to the ide eyeing the sloth before her.
"I'm sleeping." Simply, he states his attempt at an endeavour lying flat on the bed befuddled Ann.
"We need to go down there." Tiredly, Ann reminds Aokiji, the two were on a mission not a holiday, restaurant were the best place to scout out any suspicious person or at the least understand how the staff worked in this place seeing if they were hiding anything or if anything could be made of use to them when it came to the investigation…not to mention the mission being all paid by the marines at that…might as well make use of it while they could.
"We can get room service." Simply, he states the fact turning his back to her as her hues narrow at him, hands on her hips.
"We need to scan the perimeter what better place than a restaurant." Resolved, Ann reminds Aokiji as she places her hand over one other leg, sitting down upon the bed looking down at the man below her, brow furrowing from the sleepyhead.
"URGH…" Said male groans plopping his head into the pillow further groaning.
"Don't urgh me come on." Lightly, she hits his shoulder, shyly trying to push him, probe him to move.
"Fine…" Frowning, he gives in getting off the bed going to change.
"Thank you." Ann leans back on the bed stretching out, waiting for him as she looks around the inn. She eyes the dark brown walls with accents of cream and white while she sits upon the single queen-sized bed, nuzzling into the plump pillow below, wrapping her arms around it, swearing she smelt a familiar scent to her bringing her at ease as she nuzzles into it. She looks around the place, noting the chandler dangling down swinging from side to side from the air as she sees the warm glow of the lights around the place as next she knew…
"Better?" Aokiji asks as he leaves the bathroom. Ann's hues widen when seeing his attire.
"You look good." Ann smiles softly standing up from her seat noting his loose tie.
"Thanks." Aokiji bows his head sheepishly scratching his cheek.
"Oh wait…" Ann reaches out gently taking his yellow tie, tightening it, unaware of hues carefully watching her.
"Stop doing that with your face, someone else is going to snatch you up." He blurts out astonishing Ann, a heavy hue of ruby red crossing her crimson cheeks.
"Snatch me up?" Ann arches a brow by his wording befuddled by it all astonished even.
"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" Annoyed, he huffs slumping said shoulders exhaustion etched into every single syllable he releases as Ann sighs.
"Because it's your job." Ann reminds him tightening said tie, her fingertips gently spread over his shoulders trying to give her last adjustments to his suit ignoring a faint feverish tint to her cheeks by the suit alone.
"Technically this isn't." Aokiji argues as he looks down at her seeing her try to do some finishing touches on his suit dusting his shoulders off.
"And technically this isn't in my portfolio either." Amused, Ann steps back bemused hands behind her back.
"Yet here we are." Aokiji huffs plopping down on the bed bouncing briefly by the fall.
"Yet here we are." Amused, Ann agrees as she softly sets herself down by his side, feeling his arms coil around her side bringing her into a side hug, which she doesn't flinch from simply let things be.
"Any other reason you got?" Aokiji asks Ann as he softly sets her down on his lap, her leg over her own still as he eyes her legs briefly.
"…Cause there's free food?" Frowning, Ann offers oblivious.
"…Any other reason?" Aokiji tries to pry.
"…Everything else is free?" Ann offers shrugging sheepishly.
"…I give up." Aokiji sighs bowing his head furrowing his brow by her answer.
"Eh?" Ann quirks her head to the side lost.
"Come on." Aokiji gently takes her hand in his, wrapping his fingertips around it ignoring the sparks shooting from them both as Aokiji helps her stand up from the bed, holding her hand in his squeezing it enjoying the warmth she gives and she enjoying the coolness he gives as the two head to dinner…
"Oh shit!" Startled, Ann's hues widen when she sees the couple ahead as she suddenly stops in her tracks taking Aokiji aback as he too stills staring down at the girl holding his hand.
"What?" Kuzan whispers looking down at the girl below brow furrowing from her suddenly stop.
"He's here he's here come on come on!" Panicked, Ann anxiously gestures to the man up ahead.
"I'm coming I'm coming chill." Calmly, Aokiji tries to calm the girl down as they approach the restaurant.
"Don't make a ice pun at me just come on!" Ann huffs as Kuzan simply smirks while the two enter the restaurant.
"Hi. Table for two, please." Politely, Aokiji requests from the guy.
"I'm so sorry. There's nothing available. We're totally booked up." The woman behind the counter apologises.
"Oh, no, that's horrible. Tonight's a really important night for us. Johnny and I just got engaged, and this is where our first date was." Smoothly, Ann lies wrapping her arms around Akoji's side, bringing her close nuzzling into his side smirking.
"Oh, yeah, it would mean so much to Dora and me. I would have made a reservation, but I didn't know if she was gonna say yes, so..." Aokiji adds as he goes with the lie squeezing her arm.
"Oh, I love how nervous you were, you little goose." Ann asks as she leans in getting on her tippy toes pecking his cheek brining a small smile to Akoji's lips.
"You are just so sweet together. You know, I'm sure I can find room for two young lovers." Smiling, the woman behind the counter coos.
"Thanks…." Aokiji smirks slightly.
"Okay. Thank you so much for waiting. Your table is almost ready." The woman waitress leads them to a waiting table.
"Great." Aokiji exclaims as the girl waitress blushes brightly before bowing her head and leaving, lovestruck just from said single meeting mystifying but also impressing Ann.
"Sorry about springing the engagement and romantic stuff on you." Apologetic, Ann smiles at Aokiji scratching the back of her head.
"It's finne, it's what got us in here." Aokiji reminds Ann as the blushing waitress returns.
"Okay, and if you'll just follow me." Smiling, she guides the two over to their table, Ann noticing the girl slipping a slip of paper into Akoji's pocket but he doesn't even bat an eye to it as the two sit down, her noting him tearing the number into pieces perplexing Ann but before she could ask about it…
"Hey! You're the couple that just got engaged!" The two perk up at a familiar pair their hues widening when seeing their targets just right next to them.
"That's us, Johnny and Dora, a couple for sure." Smiling strained, Ann answers.
"So when did you guys meet?" The girl asks the two, the girl has long curly orange locks with glistening gems of baby blue littered all over her bony fingertips matching her long sharp claw like nails wearing a orange and white polka dot dress with snow white frills matching her orange heels.
"Last year." Ann answers.
"Five years ago." Aokiji answers as Ann panics while Aokiji remains stone faced.
"We first met five years ago, but we don't count it, because..." Ann anxiously begins brow furrowed sweat sliding down her tense temple turning to look towards Aokiji for an answer when…
"She was my superior." Aokiji admits.
"She was?" The pirate with bright blue hair with streaks of perky pink exclaims his hair in a mohawk like braid of sorts, wearing a pink and blue trench coat with black boots and a light cyan shirt and trousers.
"Uh yeah." Ann glances to the side lost, he knew her before!?
"She worked hard to get the position she did she didn't even notice me." Aokiji tells the two.
"Heh…Anyways, about a year ago, we bumped into each other at a meeting and…" Anxiously, Ann adds but soon trials off looking towards Aokiji for aid once more.
"We haven't been able to keep our hands off each other since." Smoothly, he slides his hand over hers.
"Mm." Humming, Ann agrees as she comfortably entwines her hand with his, feeling a strange sense of security as his larger hand easily claps over hers, squeezing it, ignoring her heart racing roaring.
"So how did you know she was the one?" The woman queries.
"…You know, just whenever I look at her face and the attached physique." Bluntly, Aokiji answers as Ann lightly glares at the ass and his answer better than the mention of bazookas she supposed.
"And you?" The man asks Ann.
"Uh... He makes me smile…and takes care of me. I mean deals with me I mean…" Meekly, Ann bows her head, using her spare hand to pull a stray strand out of her ear unable to look at Aokiji, feeling steam spew out of her heated flustered facial features feeling his eyes practically feasting on her reaction.
"She knows what you mean…" Aokiji assures the anxious Ann squeezing her hand.
"Right heh…" Ann smiles thankful.
"Okay, so enough chitchat Let's see the ring." The woman exclaims.
"Uh…" Anxiously, Ann panics perturbed looking towards her empty hand worriedly only to feel Aokiji grab her hands, squeezing said hand as next she knew, she felt an icy touch to her hand, her hues widening when seeing said ring form from ice.
"Here it is." Ann shows said ice ring off.
"It's gorgeous." The girl gushes over said ring.
"We should get going. Good luck on your wedding, guys." The man stands from his seat turning to leave.
"Yeah… Oh, have fun on your honeymoon." Happily, the woman wishes the two well.
"We will." Aokiji promises as the two watch the two leave which as soon as they are out of sight….
"All right all marines they are heading out I repeat heading out, prepare to surround ship on my mark…." Ann gets our her snail, swiftly delving orders.
"Let's go." Aokiji arises from his seat as Ann nods, the two beginning to trail them from afar keeping a careful eye on him when…
"Look, there he is freeze him or som-shit!" Alarmed, Ann leaps back as the man from before turns, his hues meeting Ann's.
"What?" Aokiji furrows his brow by the alert Ann.
"I think he's seen u-" Anxious, Ann begins but before he could finish said sentence as the man approaches, suddenly she is slammed against the wall, her hues widening when next she knew…he's kissing her.
He's kissing her.
He's…
Once, twice, until he's had a taste and realize he'll never have enough like a man starved in the desert. He's everywhere up her back and over her arms and suddenly he's kissing her harder, deeper, with a fervent urgent need neither never known before…Ann couldn't explain the rush of relief she felt from those lips along as they moulded together, fitted against one another with stunning perfection. Ann had never felt as she did now, exploring the taste of him his tongue touching her own. Feeling the strength of his arms around her, like this was how they should've always been.
"Excuse me." Ann jolts up at the voice leaping back from Akoji's lips, a thin trail of salvia separating from them both as anxiously Ann swipes said salvia trail to the side startled, a heavy hue of ruby red dusting her crimson cheeks.
"Oh, hey. We were just looking for a place to..." Aloofly, Aokiji calmly coolly greets the man.
"Boink." Anxiously, Ann blurts out as Aokiji gives her a look.
"Yep. Boink. That's my preferred term for it as well." Aokiji answers straight-faced stunning Ann at his cool calm composed expression despite what the ma had just caught the two doing.
"I get it. Newly engaged kids. Enjoy." The man smiles softly at the two.
"Thanks." Ann smiles strained seeing said male go off.
"All marines go go go." Anxiously, Ann takes out her snail hissing harshly into it, her hand firmly on Akoji's chest with his hands on her shoulders, a still silence hanging heavily in the air between both of them.
"Well he should be surrounded in a matter of minutes…" Ann reasons as the two watch the man go on ahead.
"Yep…" Aokiji answers taking note of her dishevelled state her heaving huffing her crimson cheeks burning baffled by what had just occurred.
"Hey we're good right?" Anxiously, Ann asks Aokiji looking up at him.
"We're fine." Firmly, Aokiji assures.
"Good….good." Ann nods her head shyly slowly glancing to the side as next she knew…
Groaning, Ann furrows her brow by the morning rays shyly sneaking in, peering into the messy mess of the hotel room, clothes scattered all over the place, pieces of fabric roughly torn as the two lay in bed, their legs tangled, a pair of arms wrapped around the smaller figure of the two as the two sleep silently in a world of their own. Bite marks litter all over the tall one of the two with a small shy hickey upon the other partner of this tango taken together by the two. The soft sound of snoring and their bodies moving upwards and downwards continues on as they curl into each other's side, their temples touching breath brushing against one another as the sleepy blonde scoots closer nuzzling into the side of the man, almost at ease as the man warmly welcomes her. The two continue sleeping seeking solace within one another's company however said solace doesn't last forever…
Slowly but surely warm brown begin opening, a fuzzy picture projects itself into Ann's blurry vision as she blinks a fair few times trying to straighten said vision trying to provide some semblance of focus as after a few moments she finally manages to stir herself awake. Ann groans at the sudden sharp stinging sensation in her head, holding her head, she eyes the liquor by her side seeing the bottle bare before her, how much had she drank last night? The soft snore soon answers that as Ann's heart drops…
"Crap…" Ann blurts out mortified staring stunned down at the body below baffled by the muscular arm around her waist, her hues widening when her warm browns gaze down at the muscular body below, hearing his soft snores still silently nuzzled into her side as she stares at his bare chest.
Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap…Internally, Ann chants to herself, no she doesn't know if they did anything for all she knew…oh who was she kidding!? The bite marks were clear enough eyeing the man before her, her hues dart towards the sheet draped over them both cocooning themselves together. She had to be sure, she turns to look down peering into the duvet, her hues widening while gawking gaping at the treasure below baffled by it all.
Yep…they did it, they most likely did it, how he managed to get that in there….Ann had no clue nor did she want to know. All she knew now was this…she had to leave. He was asleep, he could think it was some sort of dream or something, yeah he could think that, this wasn't meant to happen, they were both vice admirals, they both had duties responsibilities, she couldn't do this, she couldn't get involved with him…
"Roger having a kid!? That kid would no doubt be cursed, a demon, a monster!"
"The child of a devil with the devil's luck…"
"It would be killed like the creature it is!"
"It would apologise as it was taken by the world government to be rightfully hanged, it should apologize for being born for being garbage…!"
Ann grimaces, brow furrowing from the murky memory of it all, of her young self-hearing such words recalling her young self-decking the men, many times leading to bar fights and her coming back, battered, beaten, bruised, bloodied as her mother would walk over, a stern look of disapproval upon her face as she tended to her rash child…
Roger's child is nothing but a burden to society!"
A child of Roger should just die, no one would care if they died!"
The world would be better off without such a creature causing chaos…"
No one would miss such a cursed thing in this world…"
For his own safety it was for the best. Ann nods her head at the firm fact of it all as she casts a glance towards the sleeping sloth…
"Do you…do you think Gol. D Roger is scum?"
"He's king of the scum."
Determined, Ann carefully pries the arm around her off as she tries to slither out similar to a snake however as she tries to do so she soon squeaks startled by the throbbing sharp searing sensation suddenly hitting her taking her aback as next Ann knew she fell flat to the ground, groaning…
"Arara, I am kind of surprised you can move after all that." Tiredly, the familiar voice drawls as Ann's heart drop once more making her scream internally at the familiar voice, hearing the shy shuffling before feeling the man's eyes on her peering over the bed boredly watching the girl who fell face first into the wooden floorboards below…maybe Ann could pretend she was dead…? He would get bored eventually…maybe he'll go back to sleep still think it's part of the dream so she can get dream then later on like this never happened.
"How long are you just going to lie there?" The voice calls out as Ann remains lying limp on the ground a still silence hanging heavily in the air as Ann remains hopeful however…
"I know your breathing." Bluntly, Kuzan swiftly shoots the idea down.
"…I don't think I can walk…" Ann admits anguished at the fact, feeling her legs scream screech at her unable to properly move not to mention the throbbing she felt below…what the hell had this icehole done to her!?
"Ah…makes sense." Surprised, her hues widen when feeling his arms coil around her hoisting her up with ease as next she knew, she felt his arms around her once more, the duvet draped over her once more, the head nuzzled into her side once more as she was soon back to square one back to where she began…
"You have nice pillows." Perplexed, Ann arches a brow by his words however said question is swiftly answered as her hues narrow noting his head bowed down using her chest as some sort of cushion as she simply sighs, too tired to even ask or to do even more as soon she found herself once more drifting back into the realm of dreams…
*So...that's the chapter, what did you think? Of Ann? Of Kuzan? Of them both? Would love to know your thoughts down below!*