Chapter 16

Lyanna woke when she felt the weight and warmth of Law leaving the bed. He disappeared into the bathroom, and she yawned and stretched, pleased that she didn't feel too hungover. When he emerged, running a hand through his hair, he was still completely naked, and she watched him walk back over to the bed with appreciation. She gave him a quiet wolf whistle, and he rolled his eyes at her, even though he was smirking faintly.

They'd returned to the sub just over two hours before sunrise, and it was probably around 8AM. She was still surprised that no one had come from the island or the sub to find them and tell them to shut the fuck up since Law seemed to be determined to make her scream his name the entire night. He had achieved his goal, further inflating his desire to make her do it again. And again. And again.

She'd done her best to give him a run for his money, and he'd become putty in her hand when she had ridden him for the second time that night. Out of everything they'd done in the bedroom together, that never failed to wreck him. Watching him be so enraptured with her and pleasured by everything she did made her feel like a goddess. Having his hands on her hips to encourage her to move, squeezing her breasts and moaning underneath her was exhilarating. He clearly enjoyed making a mess of her, so it was only fair that she evened the playing field to give as good as she got.

Unfortunately, it was time to get up. She quickly used the bathroom and freshened up, then began to get dressed, still naked herself. Law dressed faster than her and waited patiently for her to be ready before he headed over to the door. Before she could open it, he stepped in front of her to block her path. She looked up in question and saw his unreadable expression. It was like he was trying to think of the right thing to say, so she waited silently to give him time to figure it out.

"Lyanna..." He was almost stumbling over his words as his eyes darted around in uncertainty.

"Mmm?" Not wanting to interrupt his train of thought, she didn't say anything else.

After another moment of indecision, he made eye contact with her and lifted his hands to cup her face. The affection was welcome, and she smiled in response. He leaned down and kissed her a little more passionately than she expected. She grabbed his shirt eagerly, enjoying the kiss, until they finally separated to breathe. She smiled again, and although his own smile was more subtle, it held the same meaning.

They left his quarters and joined everyone in the common room, where they were chatting, eating and drinking to prepare for the day before they set sail again. As per usual, no one commented on the fact that they appeared together, and no one asked where they'd disappeared to last night or what time they got back to the sub this morning. The crew just greeted them cheerily, even if they looked hungover. Shachi looked a little worse for wear but in good spirits, nonetheless.

Everyone sat and ate together, and Lyanna did her best to remember the time she had spent with these people who had become her friends in such a short time. Although she wasn't sure when they'd see each other in the future, the goodbye wouldn't be forever. The universe had brought them together once and would certainly do so again. Lyanna was confident about that fact.

During breakfast, Law didn't seem to feel embarrassed or awkward as he put his arm over her shoulder in a possessive gesture. He pulled her close just to nuzzle his nose into her hair that hopefully didn't smell like sweat and sex anymore since she'd washed it after they'd returned to the sub. Law had joined her in the shower, which turned into their third round for the night. Or was it the fourth?

Lyanna got up to clean up when everyone had finished eating, but Law pulled her outside the sub above deck. The crew must have either known or simply guessed that it was a private conversation, so none of them followed or joined them outside. She hadn't tied her hair up yet or put it into a braid or plait, and she recalled Law's devilish smirk when he grabbed a fistful of it as he was behind her last night. He seemed to enjoy her long hair and ran his fingers through it as he looked down at her, his expression guarded. Unsure if he just wanted a quiet moment with her or if he wanted to say something, she just smiled up at him and enjoyed their brief reverie.

"Since you won't stay..." He started, keeping his eyes on his fingers in her hair as he spoke. "Come aboard again in the future." Law's eyes were soft, and his expression relaxed into something warm and caring.

"Of course I will." She agreed, beaming back at him. "I'll go get my things."

Law nodded but didn't move, leaning against the wall just by the door as if he was going to wait for her to get back. Most of her things were in a small pack, which she'd left in Law's room since that's where she'd spent most of her nights onboard the sub. Once she ducked inside, she swiftly collected some of her toiletries from the bathroom, shoved them in the pack and cast her eye across the room to see if she'd missed anything. When satisfied, she returned to the dining and kitchen area, where everyone was still gathered. They noticed her pack and immediately knew it was time to bid her goodbye, so everyone followed her above deck. Bepo whined softly along the way, and Penguin was pouting.

The Heart Pirates Captain hadn't moved from his spot and stayed there while everyone went up to Lyanna individually, wishing her the best as they said goodbye. It was definitely bittersweet and made her heart equal parts full and empty. Full, because of how welcomed and kind they'd been, and empty because she would greatly miss them and their company.

"We'll miss you. Make sure you call us." Shachi said after giving her a tight hug.

"I'll be expecting your call to let us know you've safely gotten to your next location," Ikkaku spoke firmly and affectionately.

"Be safe." Bepo hugged her and pulled a small package from his boiler suit, handing it to her as she raised a questioning eyebrow. "A first aid kit." He answered her silent question with a smile.

"Thank you, Bepo. I am accident-prone." She hugged him tightly in appreciation after she accepted the gift.

The rest of the group wished her their best as they said goodbye, some offering hugs or handshakes. Clione looked like he wanted a hug but was a little too shy to reach out, so Lyanna took the initiative and wrapped her arms around him. She could have sworn that he giggled softly. Ikkaku pulled her in for another hug, tight enough that she couldn't breathe. Smiling broadly at everyone, Lyanna slung her pack over her shoulder after putting the kit from Bepo inside it. She waved at them and walked past Law, who still hadn't moved from his spot against the wall. He just observed her as she headed over to the ramp from the sub to the jetty.

Before she could react, Lyanna was abruptly spun around, but she relaxed upon realising that Law's hands were on her. She squeaked in shock when he kissed her fiercely with one hand on the small of her back to keep her close and the other cupping her face. The crew cheered and whooped in encouragement, making Lyanna blush at the sudden display of affection from him. Once he pulled away, he yelled for them to shut up, but the shadow of a smirk she saw told her that he found their reaction amusing and was just putting on a front for them.

Lyanna didn't want to admit to herself how flattered she was by his actions, but she was glad that Law made her feel like a little more than a one-night stand, even though it lasted two months. Romantic relationships were too complicated for pirates and people travelling the Grand Line. Despite that, this was as close to a proper relationship as Lyanna had gotten since she had set out on her own journey. She didn't know what Law thought about whatever it was that they shared, but she could safely assume that he had some sort of affection for her. For someone with his reputation, it was unlikely that he would let just anyone get too close to him. His bounty was far too high for him to put himself at risk. But he had still let her in, at least a little. It gave her enough courage to say something to him.

"Don't forget me." She said seductively, looking up at him through her lashes.

He huffed softly, then smirked. "I won't."

"Bye, guys! I'll miss you all!" Lyanna yelled out to the crew, then walked down the ramp and landed on the jetty.

Everyone called out their goodbyes as she strolled across the jetty, then turned to wave at them again before she headed further down the docks. She could still see them for a few minutes when she glanced over her shoulder, but the Polar Tang eventually disappeared under the water's surface. She allowed herself a deep sigh as she continued on her way; it was time to get to work.

Now that she was on her own again, she knew getting used to it would be a little tricky after being in close quarters underwater with an entire crew. Feeling that she had people who cared, even if they were far away, made the loneliness of her existence much less intense. For now, she would work towards getting information on the remainder of the Whitebeard pirates and finding out where they were. She also intended to go to the old man's grave to pay her respects to both him and Ace, and say a final goodbye.

Meanwhile, back on the Polar Tang, the crew headed below deck and set off with Hakugan at the helm after Lyanna left. Law returned to his room and lay on his bed, staring at the low ceiling. Her scent lingered, and he knew that it would eventually fade with time.

For now, he would enjoy it while it remained since he would be back to waking up alone...