Hey everybody,

here is the new chapter, unfortunately I'm a bit in a hurry, so no long introduction (I hear the sighs of relief ;-P) and it will me take somewhat longer to answer y'all, please be patient with me ;-)

Have a great weekend!

Chapter 15 - Changes

"Cora-san!"

Surprised, he turned around. Law came along the harbor, a lunch box wrapped in a heart-embroidered cloth in his arm.

"Liuliu, can you take over?" Rosinante asked, pressing his clipboard into his assistant's hands. "Make sure they're securing everything correctly this time. These plates are worth millions, if only one splits, your father will deduct that from your salary."

The youngster nodded only seriously and took the clipboard, while Rosinante rushed over to the landing bridge.

"What are you doing here, Law?" He asked with a broad smile as he reached the other. "Are you already done for today?"

"Sorry to bother you at work," Law muttered, and a slight redness crept over his nose, "but you forgot your lunch, it was still in the kitchen."

"And you took the time to bring it to me? Oh, Law!" He happily hugged the other and almost made both of them fall. "That's nice. However, I will hardly have the time to eat today. All three ships still have to leave today and..."

"You didn't have lunch yesterday and when you got home you were so exhausted that you hardly ate any dinner." Law was relentless as always.

"And that comes from you? Since when are you the expert? Just because you go to bed earlier for a few weeks and have more than just coffee for breakfast." He grinned slightly as Law stared back unimpressed. "I told you that the days will be tough when all ships arrive at the same time, but the advantage is that if we can do everything today, I will be free tomorrow."

Law still didn't look convinced, but apparently didn't want to discuss further, as he just raised both hands and looked at the ship.

"You enjoy the work, don't you?"

Rosinante didn't respond, just regarded the other.

"Okay, then go back, Cora-san. The longer I stay, the later you will come home."

He bent down and allowed Law to kiss him briefly.

"Don't stay up too long to wait for me, okay?"

Law rolled his eyes.

"As if I were going to bed before you're back. If you want me to go to sleep early, come home early."

Laughing, Rosinante went back to the ship and made sure to tell everyone that Law had brought him his lunch, only to end up sharing it with the half crew when they finished working on the second ship.

He left the village's market square behind. It was already dark, but by now he knew the way like the back of his hand. They had actually managed within two days to unload all three ships and then loaded them with the new goods. Due to the capacity utilization of the port and the labor force, there should never be more than two ships to be supplied at once. But because of a misunderstanding, it had been different this week and that meant they all had to work hard.

To Rosinante's luck, Sansan's three nephews had apparently made a misstep, and their father had sent them with the goods on both days to help Rosinante.

The oldest of them, Liuliu, had worked with Rosinante one or two times before, as he would later take over his father's company, but the other two were unfortunately not as reliable. Nevertheless, Rosinante was grateful for any help, as they had actually managed to complete the work of four days within two and that meant that he had the rest of the week off.

That was also a good thing, because Law had very little to do lately and therefore they had considered going hiking the next free day together. Something they still hadn't done, even though they had already spent several months on Natsu.

There was always something distracting them. At first Rosinante had wanted to learn to swim decently – it really had bothered him for quite some time that he had made little progress for weeks, but two sessions with Ninnin had been enough for him to get the basics – and then they had wanted to repair the veranda and everything else around the house.

The biggest change, however, had been Rosinante's employment, and not just for him. Rosinante had quickly realized that he was good at and even enjoyed his new work. Sansan had joked after the first week already that he didn't need to teach Rosinante much anymore, but very quickly he had turned this joke into reality and after almost two months Rosinante had the feeling that he had never done anything else, so naturally the procedures were to him by now and so well he already knew the individual dockworkers and crew members of the different ships.

His tasks were not only to supervise loading and unloading, but also to make arrangements, to inspect material and to ensure that contracts got complied with and, if possible, to resolve errors directly by himself. Sometimes he even mucked in himself, especially on days like this, when every pair of hands was needed, but he liked to do that. All in all, he had quickly become accustomed to the work, and from his first paid salary, he had invited Law to dinner.

Law, on the other hand, seemed to have his problems, nicely expressed. Although he supported Rosinante and really wanted to encourage him, it was more than obvious that he hated coming home and Rosinante was not there. Too often he came to the harbour, mostly with flimsy excuses, to make sure Rosinante was doing well – the Vivre Card didn't seem to reassure him the least – and no matter how late it was, Law was waiting for him.

It was awkward for Rosinante, he really didn't like the fact that his absence was so hard for Law to bear. At the same time, he thought that Law was kind of exaggerating. But he admitted that Law was trying and probably just needed a few more weeks to get used to the change.

As expected, light greeted him from the dining room, and when Rosinante came in, Law stood in the kitchen, a huge bowl of salad in front of him. As soon as his gaze fell on Rosinante, his face lit up and a small smile slid over his lips.

"What the hell do you look like?"

"Like a man who worked all day, thank you."

"Go, take a shower, Cora-san, the food can't get cold."

Rolling his eyes, he dropped on the counter.

"Do I have to? I'm so tired, I just want to eat something and then go to bed."

Unimpressed, Law regarded him.

"You don't get into bed that dirty."

"It's still my bed."

"Fine, you don't get into your bed that dirty."

For a moment, they stared at each other, then Rosinante gave in.

"For all I care, but you're to blame when I fall asleep and drown."

"If you manage to drown in the bathtub after even learning how to swim, I will laugh at you and write on your tombstone Here rests an idiot."

"Tze," he waved off and went to the bathroom.

He liked how things developed with Law. In the beginning it had been difficult for both of them, but now this life together on this island was exactly what they both had hoped for.

Of course, Rosinante had made concessions in certain areas, but it was not as if he did not get any benefits from it. For both of them, their relationship seemed to be very clear. Law expected no more than Rosinante could give, and Rosinante accepted whatever Law offered him.

They spoke very openly to each other, in the last few weeks Law had also talked more and more often about things that had happened during Rosinante's absence and slowly he seemed to process these things, slowly he seemed to become really happy.

At times, Rosinante wondered if Law was missing his other friends, just as he wanted to see Sengoku again, but he didn't ask such questions. Law would talk if he was willing to do so, and Rosinante wouldn't push him.

Behind him, the door opened, and Law came in.

"What are you scheming?" Rosinante asked, with his eyebrows raised, as he continued to undress.

"I want to wash your hair," Law said innocently, "and if you're so tired, you certainly won't mind."

"You have dirty ulterior motives, I can see it in your face," he replied with a roll of his eyes, settling on the stool.

"And if so, would that be a bad thing?" Law whispered close to his ear, his hands almost touchless slipping over Rosinante's shoulders up to his neck. "Would you dislike it?"

"I'm tired, Law," he muttered, but couldn't fight sinking against those hands, "the last two days have been exhausting, I really don't need any more activities today."

Law turned the water on and began to brush Rosinante's hair.

"And what if I spoil you again? Just like the first time? You liked that, didn't you?"

"I'm certainly not going to last a night like that today, Law."

"I'm not talking about the whole night, just about the first time. I spoil you and you relax."

Rosinante grabbed Law's wrist, with which he held the showerhead, and then looked up to him.

"I've told you before, if we do it, we do it right. I'm not going to take advantage of you, not for quick sexual gratification."

Law leaned slightly over him, then bent forward and placed his forearms on Rosinante's shoulders, hugging him from behind, only showering Rosinante's feet.

"And I've told you you're not taking advantage of me. I want to do it because it makes me very happy. But it doesn't if you don't want to have sex with me."

Rosinante put his free hand on Law's head and stroked his hair.

"It's the same every time," he muttered dissatisfied, "you worry that I'm just doing it so I won't hurt you and I'm worried that I'm taking advantage of your feelings for me."

Law leaned his head against Rosinante's and nodded slightly.

"That's true, but that's the way things are, that's how we feel, and as long as we talk about it, everything is fine."

"When did you suddenly grow up?" He laughed softly, leaning against the other.

Yes, although at first glance their relationship seemed simple and plain, it was also complicated and both were afraid of doing something wrong. Just because they no longer had any secrets from each other, they knew how to deal with their situation, but that didn't mean it was easy, some days it was and some days not so much.

"Actually, it's quite simple," Law muttered against his neck, "I don't need to worry about you, because you also get your share and you could say 'no' at any time and you don't need to worry because I might as well have been taking advantage of your feelings for me."

Again, Rosinante laughed.

"That's a bit cynical, Law."

"Let me wash your hair, Cora-san."

He let the other do whatever he wanted to. He liked it when Law drove through his hair, it relaxed him like hardly anything else.

"Have you already decided when you want to visit Sengoku?" Law asked, and there was the reason for the subliminal tension.

"Soon," he replied softly. "But you're not ready yet."

"Me?" Law quipped and massaged the shampoo into his hair. "It's not about me."

"Yes, it is," he disagreed in the same tone as before. "You are the most important one to me, Law, and as long as your fear still overshadows your trust, I will not risk anything."

"I don't understand what you're talking about," Law grumbled, washing out the shampoo. "I trust you, you know that, and I'll always worry about you, precisely because of your clumsiness. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go."

"But you don't trust me to come back, Law, so I'm not going to leave unless you come along."

Law sighed quietly.

"I don't know if that would be wise. I'm a former pirate and I'm actually trying to stay out of the public eye, but if I were to travel with you to Kaikkien Maiden, it would certainly cause a lot of attention."

"So what?" He took the offered showerhead and began to wash his body off. "I just want to tell Sengoku and my brother by myself; I don't care what the world thinks."

The other remained silent for a moment.

"I'm not ready to face Sengoku again," he finally said. "I've lied to him all those years about you. He's going to be angry."

Rosinante rose and reached for the towel Law offered him. He was too tired to take a bath.

"He will be grateful, Law, perhaps confused at the beginning, like I was, but grateful." Law just nodded without looking at him. "But as I said, you're not ready yet, so I'm not going to leave yet. We're in no hurry, right?"

Now the other showed half a smile.

"Law, let's skip dinner and go straight to bed."

"What? How was that again with three meals a...?"

"The way you're looking, I want to cuddle up against you and fall asleep by your side and tomorrow I'll make us some grand breakfast."

The smile grew and Law just nodded.

"You're such a softie, Cora-san."

"Well, that's okay. I have no problem with being a softie. Besides, pink looks damn good on me and make-up, by the way, too."

He put on his bathrobe and took Law by the hand.

"Come, let's go to sleep."

"Let me at least put the salad in the fridge first."