When Ash next awakened, she realized that she'd been moved into another room. This bed was much larger and softer than the last one, and she stretched out with a smile on her face. It was dark, aside from one lone desk light across the room. She noticed that Law was hunched over a desk buried in maps and scrolls. He was grumbling softly under his breath to himself as he shuffled through the mess in an attempt to sort it.
It took her a few seconds to realize that she was in his room and not her own. Why was that? Strangely that didn't bother her, but it didn't lessen her temper by much. She sat up and threw his pillow right into his back. He grunted in surprise before glaring at her from over his shoulder. "Ready for round two, are you?" He muttered dryly. "Even at this hour?"
She gestured to her mittened hand…and then noticed that it had been removed. A small bandage was all that was left. He sighed as he turned sideways. "Look, about that. I owe you an apology."
She frowned curiously. It wasn't that Law was above apologizing, but it was still unusual where he felt the need to in the first place. His expression shifted uneasily as regret left him feeling conflicted. "In my rush to get the surgery underway, I didn't think to check if you had any phobias to account for first."
Her face fell at the reminder, and she face-palmed as her cheeks burned with humiliation.
"There's no need to feel bad about it, it's a very common fear." He attempted to reassure her.
She wasn't in the mood to be placated and glared up at him. He shook his head in exasperation. He was just wasting his breath at this point, so he turned back to his work. "Get some more rest, just remember that you can't talk for another twelve hours." He went through a few papers and picked up his pen.
Suddenly it was removed from his hand, and he looked up to see her standing beside him. She picked up a blank scroll and started to write something. His gaze drifted down, and he felt a bit smug at the sight of her wearing an old shirt of his. He could have easily changed her into something of her own but didn't bother to. Any excuse to make his claim on her with such a mark satisfied his selfish desires. She held up the paper for him to read.
Come to bed.
He shook his head. "No, not yet. I have work still left to-"
She frowned suspiciously and caught hold of his chin, turning him towards the light. Her brow furrowed as his face reddened. So she noticed it, huh? He flinched as her hand moved up to gently caress his black eye. "I-it's nothing," he mumbled. "Just bumped into something, is all." He rested his hand against hers, intent on removing it but then changed his mind at the last second. He breathed out a soft sigh as he closed his eyes. Her delicate touch left his skin tingling, it felt soothing to his ache as well. She took a deep breath as she steadied her own nerves before climbing onto his lap. Her heart beat wildly at the risk, was it too soon to assume that…?
A small smile spread across his face as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer. He nuzzled against her cheek with his long, thin nose. It was slightly chilly, but it made her giggle all the same. He gently shushed her, pressing a finger against her lips. "Not a single sound," he whispered. She playfully nibbled on his fingertip as her eyes met his, teasing as it was tempting. He grinned wickedly as he raised her hand to kiss along her palm. The eye contact between them was intense as his golden eyes burned with desire. His teeth had a bit of a greedy bite as he tasted her in turn. He felt tense, as the effort to restrain himself was becoming obvious. She leaned in closer, feeling his heart now pound against her own. She pulled her hand free and angled her mouth towards his. The intensity now sparked like a jolt between them. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him. His hands seized her hips as if to anchor himself though his fingers dug in eagerly. She tasted like the sweetest treat, and he was absolutely starving.
She could feel him begin rise against her. Her hips softly swayed, grinding lightly in his lap. She craved him just as much and was too reckless to exercise any form of restraint. He squeezed her hips harder to stop her. "Don't, that's enough." He grunted as he shifted her position to sit on one leg. She looked crushed by his obvious rejection. "It's too soon, much too soon to exert yourself like this." He explained with a sad side smile. "Patience," he encouraged as he tasted her mouth lightly, one last time. "Practice some patience," he whispered. She scowled at that mild admonishment, and he chuckled faintly. "Fine, it's obvious that you're just too damn distracting." He gently pushed her off his lap altogether. "Go back to bed and warm it up for me. I'll clean this mess and join you." She cheered up at that and hurried back to bed. Before she could crawl in, his pillow slammed into her back, knocking her over. He burst out with a laugh as she whirled around with a fierce glare.
Her temper was cut short as she stared in disbelief. She'd…never heard him laugh like that before. Usually his chuckles were grudgingly given, an emotional slip of the moment. But this time his face just lit up with amusement, so damned pleased with his childish comeback. He turned around to gather his papers and the laughter faded away all too soon. She climbed back under the blankets, still marveling at what had happened. It was both incredible and weird and she wasn't sure how to react to him behaving so…silly.
He shelved his files and reached over to switch off his desk light. Night-mode lights set along the corners of the room began to glow faintly. Then he stood up and turned forwards the bed. She lay there, her long hair billowed about on the extra pillow as she hugged his own. Even in near darkness, she looked like a vision.
He climbed into bed, cautiously reaching out to take hold of the pillow. Was she holding it hostage? Would he have to fight for it? She let go and rolled over with her back to him. He laid down and made himself comfortable before pulling her back against him. He nuzzled against her neck with a playful nibble. His hand travelled down the length of her side before slipping up inside her shirt, resting on her stomach. He was getting bolder with his touch and normally that would have thrilled her…if she hadn't seen that sea-train ticket sitting on his desk with her name on it.
There had been other documents too, scattered about, mentioning Caelfall Pass—their next destination. It made sense that he'd purchase a ticket, she hadn't given him an answer yet. In all honestly, she hadn't given it much thought. There had been plenty of worrying and stewing about it, but no serious consideration. She was dimly aware of his warmth at her back, but she was distracted as her thoughts began to race. She had to make a choice, a decision, and fast. But how can you rush such a thing? There was so much to consider; how to end her solo career and uproot from her apartment. Or would she be expected to abandon everything? More importantly, what sort of work did Law expect from her? Would she continue in intelligence gathering or something more practical and hands-on? Her lip curled in disgust at the thought of getting her hands dirty on a regular basis.
Suddenly the bed shifted as Law abruptly got up, grumbling about "as cozy as a cactus" under his breath. He made his way back to the desk and she flinched as he switched the mini light back on. She sat up curiously as he went through a drawer. What was he up to now? He pulled out a clipboard and tacked a paper to it. He turned around and pointed a pen at her. "Something is clearly bothering you so spill already."
She frowned at the direct order with a faint glare. So he was right but what made him think it was any of his business to intrude? He sat down beside her and held it out to her. "And neither of us are going to get any sleep until you do." She refused to take it and turned sideways with her arms folded stubbornly across her chest. He scooted closer, staring hard. "I'll wait for however long it takes." He noticed her eyes shift awkwardly; a crack was forming in her armor already. Now to widen it. He reached out to gently brush her long hair from off her shoulder, letting his hand gently sift through her long curls. Touch was electric for both of them, a connection that couldn't be ignored.
She tried to shrug him off, ignore it, but her blush was obvious. He nearly had her now. He turned her chin back towards him as he leaned in closer. "I want to know what troubles you. Please…tell me."
The sincere eye contact persuaded her at last and she sighed as she reached for the clipboard. She scribbled a short message.
Why did you ask me to join your crew in the first place?
He looked a little annoyed. Seriously? "Because I want you to. It's not that complicated."
She made a face as she wrote the second part.
But where would I fit into it?
"Fit in?" He scoffed. "People aren't puzzle pieces."
She was getting irritated with his flippant attitude and raised the clipboard to smack him with it.
He smirked at her nerve; didn't she realize who she was dealing with here? He easily disarmed her. "This is a tool, not a weapon. But if you're looking for a fight…" he lightly pinned her back against the pillows and knelt over her. "You should know better than to challenge a pirate." He grinned from ear to ear, a devilish smile.
She glared at him, refusing to be intimidated. He lowered himself down onto his elbows, his body brushed lightly against hers as he kissed her forehead tenderly. She soon began to relax, the tension in her muscles slipped away and he knew she was ready to hear what needed to be said. He whispered close to her ear. "I want you to join my crew, Ash. It's not just your skills or talent I need, even as valuable as they are." He turned her chin slightly so he could taste her mouth. "I…want…you," he whispered between each teasing nibble.
She breathed out a faint moan, a forbidden sound, and he seized her mouth to silence her. Pressed together, they clung to each other with grasping fingers that explored hidden places. It was getting harder to resist what he clearly desired, and what she was willing to give him. His vulnerable heart pounded in his ears as the temptation to touch her intimately grew stronger. It wasn't just the physical connection he craved, though that was just as terrifying. Other lovers had enjoyed the delicious taste of her skin. He wasn't satisfied with just the surface; he had never been one for such a shallow connection. As soft as her body was, sensitive to his wandering fingers, he knew that her heart was heavily guarded. Perhaps it was the pirate in him that desired such a rare treasure despite the odds against him.
His hand slipped down the front of her panties as he fingered her swollen clit. She wet greedily against his fingertips as he massaged it in a circular motion, alternating the level of pressure as he gauged which she preferred. Making love was a complicated challenge by its very nature but he knew that her natural stubbornness made it even more so. Even in her submission her signals were subtle as he gradually wore down her defenses. He wasn't looking to conquer as he aimed to pleasure her first and foremost. There was also the matter of keeping her quiet, something she wasn't so inclined to be. He parted her lips with his tongue, just as his fingers slipped inside down below. She arched hard against him, but his clashing tongue kept her distracted from making any additional sounds. His fingers thrust with a bit of a twist until he found the angle she enjoyed the most and increased the motion. His thumb continued to apply pressure to the clit as her thighs squeezed around his wrist.
She felt overwhelmed, consumed by their mutual passion. With past lovers it had always felt like a clash of desire, each wanting something else. She was raised to believe that sex was a selfless act but, in her experience, it was much more selfish. That had been alright, she was just as guilty in prioritizing her needs. But here, now, Law was catering to her desire alone. Any attempt she made to reciprocate was gently redirected. His unspoken intentions were clear: he was catering to her needs only. She wasn't used to being the center of attention, even though it was she'd always wanted.
She was getting closer to climaxing now; he could sense it. She panted softly as she closed her eyes. Was she thinking of a familiar ex or some other fantasy to help her focus? He felt a flare of jealously as he wouldn't allow that. He took hold of her chin to turn towards him. "Look at me," he breathed out in a firm tone. "Don't look away. I want to see the height of your pleasure."
She reddened at his directness but was too carried away to feel modest about her obvious enjoyment. Her eyes widened as she orgasmed hard, crushing his fingers with intense pressure. He kissed her hard, enjoying how she breathed against him with a faint groan. Soon the sensation slowed down and she gasped as he pulled out. She rolled onto her side and curved into him as she craved more closeness. She felt how hard he was against her thigh, but he caught hold of her hand when she tried to slip beneath his waistband. She frowned as he shook his head.
"No, not tonight," he gently refused as he raised her hand up to kiss along her knuckles. "You still haven't told me, what's really bothering you."
Her face fell as he turned aside to retrieve the clip board that had since fallen off the bed. He sat up as he handed it back to her. She reluctantly took it with a disappointed sigh and sat up as well. He gently rubbed her lower back as he silently waited for her to gather her thoughts. She tapped the pen absent-mindedly before she was ready to write.
It's hard for me to know whether or not to accept your offer when you haven't made it clear what you expect of me.
He could tell that they were getting to the heart of her anxiety. "You would become part of my intelligence division, which you've worked well with in the past." She nodded at that, knowing that her friend Shirazuki was part of that. "Some of what you will do will be separate from the main crew, but I do expect you to pull your weight around here when you're off assignment." She made a face at that which made him smirk. "Oh come now, I'd hardly work you down to the bone. Some light chores here and there from time to time. Just leave it to your Captain to work out the minor details."
She looked a little skeptical at that. "Rebellious to the core, I see," he chuckled as he gathered her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "It's one of the things I love most about you."
She felt her heart stop for a moment. This was an absolute first. Any man she'd ever been involved with always saw her fiery spirit as something that needed to be subdued, quenched, stifled, and even worse…tamed. But Law wasn't like that. Sure they butted heads a bit, but he reasoned with her rather than demanded strict obedience. She had also observed this same approach with his interactions with the rest of his crew. He wasn't above helping out either. Not the sort to remain locked up in his office, he frequently wandered about his ship, checking in or assisting as the situation required. He was an ideal sort of Captain.
"Does that lay your fear to rest for the time being?" He asked softly, breaking through her thoughts.
She nodded. That it did. "Good, so let's get some sleep." He took the clipboard from her hand and put it away. Light switched off once again and he crawled back into bed. He lay on his back and she cuddled close, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving it a slight squeeze in turn. She enjoyed sound of his heartbeat against her ear, soft and steady. She was a little disappointed that it didn't seem to race as much as he made her own.
That wasn't entirely true though, her closeness did indeed affect him every bit as much. He turned his head to nestle against her hair, breathing in her rich scent. He didn't want to rush her decision but in truth he found himself restless for her answer. How long would she keep him waiting? But this wasn't the sort of thing you could rush. And the fact that it was on her mind meant that she was taking it seriously, which is what he wanted. That was good enough for him, for now.
He was exhausted enough that he was the one to fall asleep first. He gently rumbled with a soft snore. She, however, had one last thought that troubled her. It was something that Shirazuki had said. "You just have to ask yourself why you haven't said no yet. And once you can answer that, then your reason will become clear."
She raised her head to gaze down at his face, so peaceful in sleep. My reason…she mouthed silently as her brow knit slightly in thought. She reached out stroke his cheek. It's complicated, she confessed within her conflicted heart. Tangled up in you. How can I ever accept you as just my Captain?