X-X-X-X-X

Drake was trying to keep his temper in check. He was also stubbornly ignoring the fact that he was failing miserably.

Dinner had gone by without incident, conversation light and non-work related. Nike had been coldly civil, fielding questions and giving noncommittal answers like a veteran politician. Instead of infuriating Garp, however, the large man just seemed to find it all incredibly funny.

They had just finished with desert when a man came out to uncover the grand piano in the center of the restaurant, followed by a few people carrying various instruments. They finished setting up and a woman came out to stand in front of a microphone. She started to croon along to the light jazz music as the house lights dimmed. A space had been cleared for dancing and several couples were already swaying around the floor when Garp suddenly stood.

"May I have this dance, milady?" He asked, extending his hand to Nike. For a moment Drake thought she would refuse, but, surprisingly, she accepted, taking the offered hand and allowing herself to be led to the dance floor.

And that was how Drake found himself alone at their table, watching as his sniper swayed to the beat with his former colleague, feeling his nails bite into his palms.

Nike tried to ignore her Captain's heavy stare, even as Garp led her through the familiar dance steps as if he'd been doing it all his life. She'd been taught as a child, but she never would have pegged the former Admiral for a dancer. He was grinning unabashedly and she frowned up at him.

"What?" She asked, and despite her best efforts her tone came out far icier than she'd intended. Garp chuckled.

"I wanted to have a word with you, actually. Privately." It was her turn to snort.

"If you really believe that he can't hear us, you're delusional." She said, referring to her Captain's super-human senses. Garp raised an eyebrow.

"Over cautious, are we?" He asked. She rolled her eyes.

"I know my Captain," she said. Garp chuckled.

"Yes, I can see that." She bristled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked. Garp smiled gently as he spun her, putting his back to Drake.

"I've never, in all the years I've known him, seen Drake act like he does with you," he said. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.

"Do you mind if I cut in?" Garp looked over to meet steely blue eyes. He chuckled as he stepped back and bowed over Nike's hand.

"It has been a pleasure, milady." He said, before letting Drake take his place. Nike watched him head back to their table with a raised eyebrow, before turning to focus on her Captain as she felt his arm slide around her waist. She fell into step with him much easier than she had with the former Admiral, feeling herself relax slightly in his hold.

They danced for three songs before Drake spoke.

"What had him laughing so hard?" He asked. Nike rolled her eyes.

"Some nonsense about you acting differently from how he remembered," she said. She felt Drake's hold tighten briefly before relaxing.

"You sound skeptical," he said nonchalantly. She wasn't fooled.

"People change. It's inevitable," she said, watching him closely. He sighed.

"I suppose. But I can't say as I've seen you change much," he mused. She slowed significantly when a new song started, forcing him to do the same. She smiled.

"Oh, I've changed. But you rarely notice it in the people you're close to every day. Besides, I haven't known you as long as Garp-san, so the differences in my image of you aren't as significant," she said. Drake stared down at her for several moments before laughing softly.

"Why is it you can always put such difficult situations into words so easily?" He asked. She snorted.

"I've had plenty of practice explaining myself to a difficult crew," she said. Drake chuckled.

"But not a difficult Captain?" He teased. She laughed.

"You most of all," she said.

They continued to dance until the crowd started to thin. When they returned to their table it was to find Garp surrounded by several more empty wine bottles, though the big man seemed none the worse for wear. Nike excused herself to the restroom as Drake sat down. Garp grinned at him across the table and received a wary stare in return.

"You've got quite a woman there, Diez." He said. Drake huffed.

"You're not the first person to tell me that," he said. Garp shrugged, swirling his wine glass between thumb and forefinger.

"It's true. She's really incredible. Loyal, smart, practical, everything you're not." Drake glared at him and he chuckled.

"What are you trying to get at, Garp?" He asked. He was suddenly on the receiving end of a flat black stare.

"I've never seen you act like this with a woman, and I've known you for a long time." He pointed out. Drake snorted.

"Nike said as much. Do you have an actual point to make?" He growled. Garp's expression was suddenly very serious.

"Don't try and fool me, boy, it won't work." Drake lifted his lip at the former Admiral. Garp observed him for a few moments before letting out a sigh, leaning back in his chair.

"You're in love with her." He said. It wasn't a question, but a calmly stated fact. Drake simply stared at him, feeling his jaw go slack, but before he could reply Garp was standing from the table and turning to smile at Nike, who was coming towards them.

"I've had a lovely evening, my dear, but I'm afraid I have an early start tomorrow," he said, kissing the back of her hand. One of her eyebrows lifted and his grin widened.

"Good night, Miss Nike, Drake." He winked at the other man over his shoulder and strode away. Nike cast a questioning glance at her Captain, but he was watching the former Admiral walk away with careful concentration.

She sighed.

Honestly, men were so difficult sometimes.

X-X-X

Because of the distance between the North Face and the West Port they'd made plans to stay the night. However, by the time they actually arrived at their hotel it was late and Nike was cranky. She was tired, irritable, and sore (she was silently cursing whoever had invented high heels). Not only that, but her Captain had been oddly quite since they'd left the restaurant and she didn't know why.

So it was with a heavy sigh that she sat down on the room's bed and started fighting with the straps of her shoes. When they refused to yield she let out a growl of frustration and flopped backwards onto the covers, covering her face with her arms.

A gentle hand on her ankle made her tense before she recognized Drake's presence. Her Captain unlatched the clasp on one shoe and was working on the second when she sat up.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He kept his eyes focused on her feet, letting the second heel fall beside its twin, but didn't let go of her ankle. A hand on his cheek made him look up at her. Her brows were drawn together in concern and he felt himself relax as her thumb brushed against his skin.

"Nothing," he said.

"Liar," she tapped her palm against his cheek. It wasn't a hard slap, but it got his attention.

He frowned at her, running a finger across the arch of her foot in retaliation. She yelped and tried to jerk away but he kept a firm grip on her ankle. She glared at him, but her expression turned bemused when she noticed that he was watching her thoughtfully.

"Why did you follow me out to sea?" He asked finally, shifting his gaze to his hands. He was surprised to feel her other hand move to cup his other cheek, and lifted his eyes just in time for her to press a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Idiot. You're a perceptive person. Why ask questions you already know the answer to?" she asked, smiling down at him. He blinked at her and then sighed, letting a relieved smile spread across his own face.

"I suppose so," he said. She grinned and he moved aside so she could stand, moving across the room to their bags, which they'd had delivered to the hotel before going to meet Garp.

"I'm going to change. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted." She said, waving at him over her shoulder. He nodded and watched her disappear into the bathroom. He couldn't help his own grin as he dug through his bag, exchanging the suit for something comfortable enough to sleep in.

He was in the process of folding the suit jacket when he felt something land on his shoulder. Picking up the object curiously he brought it around to look at it. And was stunned speechless by the scrap of lace caught between his fingers. He turned wide blue eyes to the bathroom door, through which Nike was grinning cheekily at him.

"For you, Captain." She giggled before shutting the door again. Drake stared at the door for a full minute before turning his attention back to the garter in his hand, complete with an attached gun holster, trying to will his brain not to malfunction.

Oh, hell.

X-X-X-X-X

/AN/

Yes, they just confessed to each other. I'm trying to keep away from the dramatic declarations of undying love because they just aren't realistic, at least in this series. I mean, can you even imagine someone like Law saying "I love you". To anyone? I had an awful lot of feels when writing this chapter. Like, ALL OF THEM CAME OUT AT ONCE! It was just...I don't even know...but I have grown to absolutely adore these two. They're so cute.

Anyway, some of the songs I was listening to while writing the dance scenes:
The Only Exception - Paramore
In This Life - Delta Goodrem.

I added the little bit at the end with the garter because it was just begging to be written. Poor Drake.