The next morning Ash woke up with a very sore throat, scratchy and raw. She grimaced as she pressed a hand against it. How was she to go about requesting some more of that pain medicine from yesterday? Then she noticed a tiny vase on the desk, a small arrangement of snowdrop flowers. She blinked in surprise at the unexpected sight. She carefully climbed out of bed and approached them curiously. This wasn't the season for them to bloom, and as far as she knew Law's small greenhouse aboard the Polar Tang was only to cultivate medicinal herbs. She sniffed them cautiously, but they didn't give off a scent. She reached out to pick one stalk from the rest and stiffened in surprise at the unexpected texture. This wasn't a plant, it was glass! She inspected it with a mixture of pure bewildered wonder. How incredible! How delicate and realistic too! Whoever sculpted this masterpiece was a true artist!
Then she noticed a note tied to the vase with a ribbon:
Now that I have your attention, here's your morning dose.
Indeed, there was a small dosage cup with two familiar capsules with a mini bottle of water.
And be sure to report on time to the medical bay for your appointment. I don't have time to go chasing after you today. ~ Law
Her face pinched in irritation at his flippant message, but it was hard to stay mad when the flowers were so beautiful. She pressed it tenderly against her lips with a secret smile.
Law had a very busy morning, which included sifting through the intel his team had gathered from Korenaga's Estate. He would have done this weeks ago, but Ash's surgery and recovery took priority. Once again, he was impressed with the impressive amount she'd collected. This sort of intel would have been heavily guarded, or even been stored within his private quarters…which would also explain the level of retaliation once caught. His gaze darkened at the thought of that massive man force-feeding her that lousy excuse for a poison. The newspapers reported that his death had been such a terrible one. The Collkirk Brigade had set out to make an example of him, intending to strike fear into other Marine big wigs.
In his personal opinion, Korenaga had gotten off lightly to be taken out by small-town vigilantes. Based on the intel Ash alone had collected, he was guilty of far worse crimes. He should have been taken to court and tried publicly for each and every offense. But to die in this fashion just garnered undue sympathy for such a tyrant, what a shame.
He was curious about the other information she had collected; it went beyond the current assignment. She had found leads that tied into other cases he'd been investigating separately, several of which had grown stagnant or turned cold altogether. To say that he was impressed with her work, would have been an understatement. She truly had a critical and discerning eye; this level of skill couldn't be taught. Once again, he marveled at how she had grown into this, especially coming from the prestigious background she had. He set aside the info as he mused for a moment. I suppose we're all called to some great end or another. Maybe its destiny, or maybe its pure luck, he chuckled softly to himself before taking a swig of coffee.
He became so engrossed in his general review that time was beginning to pass by faster than he had anticipated. By the time he realized this, he was late for their appointment. He hurried as fast as he could, but Ash stood by the great doors waiting impatiently. She folded her arms, tapping her elbow in a frustrated manner. She scowled at his approach. "You give me crap about being late and now-"
He chuckled at her temper; he just couldn't help himself. "Fair enough, so let's get to it then." He turned the crank to open the door.
"Where did…you find those flowers?" She murmured beside him, struggling to keep her tone neutral.
"Hmm?" He rose a curious eyebrow as he kept his face blank, but he was inwardly pleased to see the faint blush that slipped across her face.
"The Snowdrops made from glass," she reminded him with a soft side smile. She was curious if he realized just how precious a gift that had been. Those weren't just a personal preference. They reminded her of both her home country…as well as her late sister Rena.
He shrugged casually. "Not sure, I can't remember," he said nonchalantly. He wanted to play it cool without sounding dismissive about it. He was well aware of its importance to her but knew better than to boast about it. It was meant to be a gift, not something to guilt her into feeling obligated to reciprocate.
She took a seat on a nearby table, and he raised his sword to conduct a thorough medical scan. "Hmm, it looks like your throat has become a bit more inflamed," he frowned in mild disappointment. "You have kept your voice to the level allowed?" She nodded mutely. "Then it may just be due to being used, you've never been silent for so long." He smirked at his own terrible joke, even if it twisted her beautiful face into a scowl. He turned aside to pull on some gloves before squirting some lotion on his hands. He rubbed them together before reaching out. "Raise your chin to face the ceiling," he instructed. He gently massaged her neck in a circular motion. It must have been a topical pain reliever because it mercifully took the edge off her discomfort. It felt so good that she groaned slightly, making him pause for a moment.
She reddened at her slip and her mouth moved a bit uselessly as she scrambled to recover. He was amused by that and turned her chin to the side as he playfully nibbled her earlobe. "Hmm, if you thought that felt good…" his voice trailed off meaningfully as he tossed the gloves aside. His teeth gently added a thrilling bite that made her tremble. He leaned in closer, his breath grew warm against her neck as he focused his attention on that sweet spot where her ear connected to her jaw. Her hand pressed against his chest; her fingers grasped hold of the front of his shirt. She was torn between pushing him back and pulling him in closer. She didn't need his attention, but she craved it all the same. Did that make her weak or selfish? She released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding as his lips continued to wander. This time along her jawline as he softly sucked along her skin. She tried to meet his lips, but he held her chin still, gently refusing to indulge her just yet.
"You jerk," she moaned in spite of her harsh words.
He barely heard it as his heart pounded in his ears. She tasted better than he remembered. What he had meant to be just a taste left him craving more. But even so he wasn't the type to completely lose his head. He had to exercise a measure of restraint, not just because of her condition but because of how public a place they were in. Others may find the prospect of getting caught thrilling but it was the complete opposite for him. This wasn't just vulnerable, it was precious. In quiet moments like this, she was his alone, even when he knew that wasn't actually the case. Ash never told him about the other guys she'd dated, but he could tell by the way she responded to his touch (sometimes hesitant and other times fearful) that she had been mistreated by some greedy bastard only looking to take advantage. He wasn't that kind of guy and he'd never do that, but this was still new for them both. To commit solely to one person? Was either of them really ready for that just yet? He settled under her other ear, sampling this side.
He felt her fingertips trail along his spine, his skin tingled at massaging pressure. He hadn't realized she'd unbuttoned his shirt and slipped her arms around him. He liked that, he liked that a lot. He allowed her hands to wander freely, enjoying how she traced along his tattoos. She tried to muffle a groan against his shoulder, but it didn't quite suppress it. He couldn't resist any longer and gave in. He turned her mouth to meet his at last. For a moment, time stood still.
His mouth tenderly tasted hers, keeping the kiss chaste. Her lips felt soft and warm beneath his. His hands slipped around her as he pulled her in close and her legs wrapped around his waist. It was an incredible high to be this close, but it still wasn't quite enough. She seemed to feel the same way as she tried to deepen the kiss. He resisted and pulled back slightly. "Y-you're not ready for that yet," he objected a bit breathlessly, not wanting to irritate her injury further by exploring her mouth.
Her violet eyes flashed with a level of defiance. "You don't…make that call…for me," she warned in a lustful tone that made him hesitate. She grinned up at him as she pulled him back in. He found himself beginning to second-guess his original reluctance.
Just then the door clicked loudly as the crank was activated on the other side. Someone was looking to enter the Medical Bay. They sprang apart, red-faced. They only had a few seconds to compose themselves. He turned aside to quickly button up his shirt and she straightened her clothes in turn.
Bepo entered the room with a faint groan as he cradled one of his paws to his chest. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Captain," he whimpered. "I-I burned my paw."
Ash looked over her shoulder, horrorstruck. "Oh no! What-?" She moved to jump off the examination table, but Law gently restrained her by the shoulders.
"We're not finished yet," he reminded her. He turned towards Bepo now. "Go to the sink and run your paw under cool water for 20 minutes. I will be ready to see you then." The Polar Mink nodded and hurried over to the large wash basin. He turned back towards her, summoning power to his hand. "Hold still," he instructed as he gently took hold of her throat again to continue with her treatment. "If you don't have plans for lunch today, would you be willing to join me?"
She blushed faintly. "What for?" She asked curiously.
"I want to discuss the intel you gathered from Korenaga," he said as smoothly as he could muster. Just saying his name aloud still pissed him off to no end. How dare he hurt her like that?! To be robbed of such vengeance left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Alright," she agreed softly. "Where at?"
"My office in two hours' time," he said as his hand moved up under her chin. He kept his face blank, but he could still remember its sweet taste. Once completed, he pulled his hand back. "You are free to leave now."
She nodded and slipped off the table. He watched as she hurried over to give Bepo a big hug. He found himself envying him slightly but didn't dwell on it further as he disinfected the table to be ready for his next patient. Ash struggled to open the door again, a sight that amused him just as it had the day before. But there was no sense in interfering. She was strong enough to do this on her own, and if she did join the crew, she'd have to do it often enough anyway. Once she left, he approached Bepo with a thick roll of bandages. He held out his paw, free from any such terrible injury, and Law began to wrap it up.
"Was I convincing?" He asked hopefully. He longed to please his Captain and was excited to be involved in this secret scheme.
Law cracked a side smile in spite of his disappointment. He nodded as he secured the bandage with a pin. "Absolutely. Just remember to ask for her assistance no later than dinner time."
He nodded with a wide smile. "Yes, Captain."
At lunch time, Law placed an order for two to be delivered. He had her intel out on the table, and so busied himself with tidying up as he waited for Ash to arrive. She knocked at the door, holding the entrees in their to-go boxes.
He frowned in confusion. "You didn't have to fetch those from the galley, you know," he condemned slightly.
"I didn't, I met the delivery boy enroute, so I thought I'd save him the full trip," she explained as she entered the room and set the boxes on the table. Keeping one for herself, she sat across from him and opened a silverware packet. She opened the lid to take a deep breath. "Damn! That smells so-!"
He reached out to flip the lid closed. Her expression twisted furiously, and she stabbed the back of his hand with her fork. He recoiled more out of surprise than from the pain. With it being plastic, it didn't draw any blood. "What the hell?" He growled in annoyance as he rubbed the sore spot.
"I'm hungry and you got in my way," she said matter-of-factly as she opened the lid again and set about cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces. "What's the point in inviting me for lunch if you won't let me eat it?"
He grumbled as he took a seat. "I was hoping we could discuss business first."
"Well, that's too bad, I want to eat now," she said off-handedly as she took her first bite. She closed her eyes as she groaned with delight. "Man, it's so delicious! Where did you find your chef?"
"Busted him from some prison somewhere," he said as he reluctantly started to eat as well. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the food, it was very tasty, but he was disappointed to be derailed.
"What was a chef doing in prison?" She asked skeptically.
"For twenty counts of murder," he coolly replied. "We recruited him for additional muscle, but it seems that his true calling was in the culinary arts," he sighed with a shrug.
She giggled at that. "I like that. People breaking out of their pre-destined molds to live their dreams."
His brow furrowed at that sentiment. "Would that include you as well?"
She paused as she considered that. "Well, yes and no. Thus far I've been free to live my life on my own terms. But I'd be a fool to think that will last for much longer." Her gaze darkened for a moment. "Even a charmed life as mine has been, isn't without its own chains." She thought back to an argument she'd had with the Father when she realized that he'd been interfering with some of her work, eliminating opportunities and artificially creating others. She knew that he'd meant well, to keep her safe, but the façade of freedom was even worse than being stuck at home. Her head tilted to the side as she rested her cheek against her hand.
He didn't like the sudden shift in mood and chose to change the subject instead. "As a child, I planned to become a doctor."
"And so you have," she said dryly as she took another bite.
"Yes, but to become a pirate was never part of the plan," he gently smirked. "My parents never would have approved of that."
"So why did you?" She asked with one raised eyebrow. "Was it the fame, the fortune, the-?"
"My dream changed over time; it grew, shifted perimeters, and came to include others," he said in a soft, musing tone. "A Captain's role isn't just to push others around, to bully them into blind obedience. Its position to meant to inspire others to greatness as well, to give them the chance to achieve their dreams too."
She blinked in surprise at that before her brow knit suspiciously. "Where is this all headed? What are you getting at exactly?"
He waved her statement aside with a brief swish of his wrist. "We'll discuss it after lunch."
That made her stomach knot a bit uneasily, but its scrumptious taste was the perfect distraction. They remained silent for the rest of their meals. Once the boxes were set aside, he stood up and moved a file folder in the center of the table. He opened it and she recognized the intel as her own.
"You were hired to gather intel on Korenaga's dealings with Saint Tatsuzo," he reminded her before shifting through to remove four separate papers. "And yet these particular details have nothing to do with that." She nodded in agreement, completely unapologetic. "So why did you include these in your report?" He asked critically.
"Because I know you, Law," she gently smirked as she tried his name on her tongue for the first time. "You want to see the broader picture that connects all the seemingly separate pieces."
"You are correct," he agreed with a pleased smile. He turned aside to gather up four separate file folders and placed them side by side. He picked up each paper and put them on top of each one. "I have been investigating other leads elsewhere and your intel provided some much need insight into each case."
She looked pleased with herself but kept her mouth shut; to brag or boast was juvenile.
"Your unique skillset is most impressive," he praised before his tone darkened. "But is utterly wasted as a solo profession. If left to yourself, you would have died that night and you know it." She swallowed hard as she shrank slightly in her chair. "As grateful as I am to have this additional intel, I thought I had made it perfectly clear that its worthless if it comes at your expense." She nodded mutely. Even though she didn't appreciate the scolding, she could tell that he meant well. He was silent for a moment before taking his seat again. "And should you join my crew, you should know that I won't condone such reckless antics in the future."
She straightened up in surprise. "What?!" She blurted out.
He kept his expression composed as he rested his chin on one fist. "I want you to join my crew."
Her mouth moved uselessly. Shirazuki had warned her this was a likely proposition, but she had expected it to be phrased as a yes or no question. That was easy to answer, and quickly too. But this wasn't a question at all. It was a statement. To refuse would require a reason and "I just don't want to" seemed rather lame. She was at a complete loss of what to say.
Inwardly he was relieved that she didn't just flat out refuse. That gave him some hope. "I don't expect an answer right away," he reassured her. "I want you to take your time making your decision. When we arrive in Caelfall Pass in a few days to dock for a resupply, I expect an answer then. Should you refuse, I will see to it that you secure safe passage elsewhere. But should you choose to accept," he reached out to tenderly stroke her cheek. "As your Captain, your dream will become mine as well."
She reddened as she pushed his hand aside. "That doesn't even make sense," she scoffed but she couldn't bring herself to make eye contact. "My dream isn't any of your business, let alone your responsibility!"
He wasn't distracted by her outburst and stared back at her in complete seriousness. "Don't confuse me with Straw Hat's optimistic ramblings. I do not speak as recklessly as he does." He gathered up the folders and turned aside to shelve them in their proper places. She watched him silently, not sure if she was expected to respond. Then he made his way over to the door and paused with his hand on the knob. "Likewise, you shouldn't confuse freedom with independence either." He left without a backward glance, leaving the door open.
She rolled her eyes as she folded her arms stubbornly across her chest. "And you shouldn't confuse being cryptic with common sense either, you moron." She muttered under her breath.