*~.~*~.~*

Sade already knew the bed was going to be empty when she awoke in the morning but seeing the vacant spot next to her made her heart sink a little. They agreed to no feelings. They agreed just to do it out of need, lust, passion. Part of her felt guilty though. Guilty it was just a one-night stand. Guilty she wanted more.

With a few angry grumbles, she rolled out of the bed and stood. Well, attempted to. She fell back onto the sheets, not realizing how wobbly her legs were. Heat blossomed in her cheeks. It was a surreal feeling. Having the weight of another person, feeling pleasure in spots she didn't even know she had. She shivered, her body remembering. It was a shame it only lasted one night.

Pushing all that aside, Sade carefully stood and gathered up her clothes. There really was no evidence of the green-haired man. It was as if he was a ghost. A long soak in hot water will do her nicely. Help her relax. The hotel had its own bathhouse on the first floor with mineral water from the mountain springs heated. It'll be the perfect final unwinding before she leaves this island behind.

She slowly made her way down the stairs, grateful there weren't any passersby. The clerk wasn't at the front desk either. She made her way down the hall left of the front doors that also had a massage parlor along with the baths. She headed inside the opening with the red curtain above for the woman's bath, feeling her heart jump when she saw another person inside. A middle-aged woman with pale blonde hair met Sade's gaze and smiled softly. She sheepishly returned the smile.

Sade relaxed once she realized the woman was finishing getting dressed. The blonde pulled her hair into a loose ponytail before standing with a bundle in her arms and leaving, bringing the subtle scent of orange peel and mint to Sade's nose. It wasn't that she didn't like taking baths with other women, she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts. She sat on the bench that was between wooden shelves with light wicker baskets and started to undress, her body angrily groaning in stiffness.

'What did that man do to me?'

She removed the towels, wash clothes, and robe, all in a pale green color, from the basket and placed her clothes inside once she was naked. She placed the robe on top of her clothes and walked to a sliding door where the baths sat behind. It was mostly inside with the wall completely removed from the opposite side, letting the natural morning sunlight in. The view was of the lagoon that hardly anyone frequented. There were palm trees, monstera, and hibiscus bushes with flowers in shades from pale pink all the way to dark red. The bathhouse sat high enough in the hills so that no one down below could peek in.

Sade first sat in the small washing area to clean herself before entering the bath. There was a wooden bucket next to a plugged-up bamboo pipe that had a steady stream of water once the cork was removed that fell down into a groove that was angled down into a small hole. The chilled water made her skin break out in goosebumps but was refreshing. She used the small bar of soap that was in the wicker basket in the changing room. It was a pleasant yet soft scent of cinnamon, cloves, and apple. She got the washcloth as sudsy as she could before running it over her body, making sure to get in every crevice she could. Especially in her nether regions.

As soon as her clothed hand gently brushed over her slit, a shock ran up her spine and the memory of the night came racing back. She quickly raised a hand to her mouth to catch the moan that threatened to escape. Why was she so sensitive? She gave her body time to calm the fuck down before cleaning herself off down below.

Once she finished soaping herself up, she grabbed the bucket and placed it under the pipe. She watched with a blank stare as the water level rose in the container. When she deemed it was full enough, she grabbed it and dumped it over her head to wash the bubbles away. She repeated the process several times until she knew for sure she was clean before dipping into the steaming black rock-rimmed pool.

The instant her body was in the water, a loud sigh of relief passed her lips. The soreness melted away from her. Being in water always conciliated her. It was her more natural element. She slid lower into the pool until her head was under the water. There she floated with her eyes closed. The sounds outside of her bubble were muted. She could hear her steady heartbeat in her ears. Lazy seconds turned into minutes.

When she was in her own little world underwater, nothing bothered her. She was at peace. The terrors of the world were insignificant to her. All the previous jobs she had in her years of mercenary work were just scars on her body. The warmth that enveloped her reminded her of...

Him.

She quickly sat up with a gasp and cursed loudly. She wasn't going to have feelings for him. She could easily forget him with another partner in her travels. Not that she really wanted to. It was just one damn night. One night she gave herself up to him. One night she let him see her as her most vulnerable. One night she watched as the swordsman lowered his guard. One night he was the only thing she cared about.

"Would you stop moping over him?! Like, goddamn, woman!"

If there was anyone in the vicinity, they heard that. Sade rubbed her hands over her face and stood from the pool, stretching her arms above her head. She stood there for a few moments as the drops of water fell along the curves over her body and the tattoo over her back. Her hand reached up the scar along her collar bone. He really had meant to kill her that first night they met. She meant it as well. But this was an outcome she was grateful for.

She stepped out of the water and reached for the towel just as another woman entered. She nodded at Sade who quickly covered her tattoo and markings. She didn't seem to notice or didn't care as she sat to wash. Sade slipped into the changing room, noticing a couple more women that were too engrossed in their conversation about men to care about the other girl.

Once Sade had dried, put her clothes back on, and placed the dirty items into a large basket, she quickly headed out toward the town. It was still relatively early, but most townspeople were out and about for the morning markets. Now that they could actually enjoy them without being berated by the thugs. With her legs in better working order, she left the hotel behind to join the crowds. She always liked the slow pace of the mornings. Her short stay on this island was relaxing. Sort of.

But it was time for her to move on. Everything was finished. The man she was hired by was dead. She doesn't think that'll go over well with the big Boss. Even though she had a good reason for his death. She sighed.

"You seem bothered Sade."

The pale-eyed woman turned her head towards a light brown-haired man named Rado. He was gazing over boxes of apples, peaches, pears, and oranges at a vendor. This was her "friend" her partner in crime in a way. He always got sent to the same island to her to report how things are going while Sade does her job. He's like a phantom. There one moment and gone the next. It annoyed her sometimes, but she trusted him like a brother.

"How long have you been following me?"

Rado shrugged, turning his chocolate gaze to hers. "I thought your sensitive senses would have noticed."

"It's not my fault you smell like nothing! And besides, I'm not bothered. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sade retorted with a mischievous grin.

She picked up a large apple, paid the vendor, and marched her way towards the harbor. The piers were empty today, save for smaller fishing vessels and a brigantine ship. The salted boards creaked under her boots as she took a chunk out of the sweet fruit and walked to the end of the harbor to sit and watch the vast ocean. The sea breeze ruffled her hair as she sat there, swinging her legs back and forth. Her boot tips skimmed over the water, sending ripples across the partially still water. Rado joined her, munching on his own apple.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?"

Sade didn't reply right away, taking a slow bite from the fruit before speaking. "I don't-"

"Don't even try to lie with me Sade," he interrupted with a chuckle. "I know you better than you think."

"Yeah, because you like stalking me!"

"That is my job. After all, don't you think it would be a hit to the morale of the Execution Squad if something happened to their second-in-command?"

She opened her mouth to argue, but he was right. Two years ago, Sade was promoted to the second-in-command of the mercenary squad that specialized in killing targets. She had been a part of the Execution Squad since she joined, trained in the most efficient ways to kill. Whenever orders come in for assassination, it was usually her that was sent once she was seen as adequate enough. It didn't matter if they were a pirate, a Marine, or an esteemed member of the World Government. As long as the client was willing to pay, Sade was willing to kill. If she saw it within reason. She refuses to attack those that are poor or helpless to defend themselves.

"I'm pretty sure they'd be able to find someone else to take my position," Sade replied, throwing the apple core into the dark waters. "You and I are both easy to replace if we do die."

"Aw don't say that. The squad seems to like you. That could just be that you're a girl. And most of the girls are in Negotiations or Intel. And Espionage. All of the squads except Executions actually."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? And to answer your question honestly, yes, I have been thinking about him. Ever since I woke to an empty bed this morning. We both promised to not have feelings. It's just..."

"You have feelings."

"I-I wouldn't call it feelings," she stammered and pursed her lips. "He just...he's someone important, okay? I wanted to have something to remember him by knowing I'll never see him again."

Rado patted her head. "There were plenty of other ways you could have done that other than sleeping with him."

"Shut up you."

"And don't you believe in things like destiny or the red string of fate?"

"Oh please. Those are just stories told to children to give them hope for a bright future with a loving partner. We're mercenaries, Rado. Even if we were to find someone to settle down with, we'll never escape this life. It'll find a way to worm itself into our lives when we least expect it."

"Isn't that the thrill of it though?" Rado commented as he laid back on the boardwalk with his hands behind his head. "I do like this life though. All the men and women I can have affairs with and never worry about commitment."

She elbowed him in the stomach before standing and brushing her pants off. "You're terrible."

Rado wheezed, holding his abdomen. "D-did...did you have to do that?"

"You can say whatever you want. That swordsman will always be someone important to me. Even if we aren't fated to be together, as they say, he's someone I won't forget. Despite how annoying these emotions get."

"Won't it ruin your little mysterious love story if you do see him again?"

"This isn't a romance story, dumbass. Anyway! We should go now. Time to finally leave the East Blue behind."

"Before that, the Boss wants to talk with you."

Sade watched as Rado stood up and reached into his coat pocket where he pulled out a folded piece of parchment paper. She stared at it with her heart pounding in her chest before taking it. It was heavier than it looked. She unfolded it, seeing it was a map and a compass inside.

"Talk to him before you leave. Don't ask me about what, I don't know. It's important whatever it is."

She studied the map with knitted brows. It wasn't often she was summoned by the Boss of the Mercenary Guild. She's only seen him a few times, but he wasn't a man she wanted to cross. His calm demeanor was what scared her the most. Like being in the presence of a regal lion. She folded up the paper and nodded her head with a shaky breath.

"What about you? You are coming with me, right?"

"As far as I know yes. But that might change once you speak with him. There's a ship waiting for us whenever you're ready to leave. It'll take us to the next island we'll go on our own from."

Rado gave her another pat on her head before leaving her alone. Sade turned her attention back to the horizon, placing the compass and map in her pants pocket. Seagulls in the distance played with the wind currents. Dolphins jumped with the waves. There were dark clouds moving in from her left.

What would she do if she did see him again?

She shook her head and slapped her cheeks. Wishful thinking really. She was pretty sure she was just a fading memory to him. He has his own goal, his dream. And what does she have? She was just going with the clouds. There was no grand ambition for her. No bright and shining future for her. The life of a mercenary was her coffin and every job she took was just another nail pounded in the wood.

And that was just fine with her. A toothy smile spread across her face. Time to raise hell on the Grand Line.

*~.~*~.~*

Sorry for the lack of dialogue. Hopefully the paragraphs aren't too chunky and I got all the mistakes in both chapters. And thank you very much for reading!