Author's Notes: No shoutouts this time, but I'll post this chapter for the lolz.

~ ... The Emperor's Favorite Lingerie ... ~

Nesi was reading her book for the afternoon while the ship cook was preparing a large dinner for the Red-Haired crew. With the men gone on their adventures, Nesi was able to assist with laundering and cleaning duties. Once her help was no longer needed, she formed her study station on the deck and enjoyed the quiet. She wasn't familiar with this new coastal land the Red Force had docked on, so she followed Shanks's orders and merely stayed put. She could hardly get a moment's peace with Shanks on the loose during the night, and he refused to let her study during the mornings. She wasn't sure why reading made him more playful. If anything, she thought his game nights were the time to be playful and mischievous. Nope! The emperor was getting bolder the longer she stayed on this forsaken vessel. Alas... Nesi couldn't complain. Shanks was kind enough to help her and allowed her to join his crew from time to time as a temporary crewmate. He seemed to be impressed with her martial arts and sharp-shooting skills, so she accepted her staying on his ship as a compliment. Ace had taught her well, and Pieter refined her to an appreciable level. She hadn't practiced her fighting skills in a while. Perhaps she could train for the night.

Baragon hopped on her lap for cuddles while Mothra danced in her hair. Checking her watch, Nesi spotted the time and went to the laundry room to begin her washing routine. She packed her books away for a moment to carry them over to the captain's cabin. Shanks was apparently "allergic" to her reading materials, so she had to place her studies outside until he was reasonably distracted enough for her to sneak them inside. She took up residence on the deck usually, but, when the nights were cold or rainy, she pardoned herself into the kitchen... Until his majesty politely yanked her away for game night. Tonight, she would have to decline in favor of cleaning her undergarments. She was running low on men's underwear and seeping into her ladies' underwear. That would be a problem with the captain of this ship. Baragon hopped onto Nesi's shoulders with his blanket in his mouth as a way of asking her to wash it. She chuckled at her friend and retrieved her companions' items for laundering, too.

In the distance, Shanks caught the scent of orchid and sweet lemon oils. His nostrils flared open, eyes widened, and ears perked up. He knew that scent. He even knew who was using it and why. It was laundry day. He started breathing faster uncontrollably, chest heaving in that distinctive hunting rhythm. Benn heard the captain growling a bit and turned to him to see what was going on.

"Shanks, you're breathing kinda weird. You alright?"

"It's time," Shanks replied darkly with a wicked grin.

Benn immediately regretted being concerned for the man. He was more concerned for the dancer girl on the ship. For the most part, Shanks was well-behaved when they docked. He was simply resting himself and taking it easy while the men followed his orders like usual. Ever since he stumbled upon Nesi on her laundry day that one time, he automatically went on the prowl no matter where he was. Benn didn't know how Nesi managed any of this. He would've lost his mind! But, the dancer girl somehow or another was hip to the redhead man's game. She managed to escape "The Good Mood" cuddles and hide her ladies' articles away in some unknown blackhole that Shanks has yet to find. Shanks was speaking to the captain of another pirate crew on route to a nearby town. While the captain didn't know Nesi, he knew about her from one of his crewmates and threatened to take her. Interested in the crewmate knowing about Nesi, Shanks's attention went to him and he asked the man about what he knew. Apparently, he respected Nesi's fighting prowess in street boxing and had fought her in a match before. She never took anyone's money, and she was more comfortable going toe-to-toe with a man. She never used haki or extra powers to fight, just straight technique and aggression. That was the second person Shanks had come across who knew about Nesi's hand-to-hand combat skills, so he decided to formally ask her about it.

Well... he caught her doing her laundry. Her undergarments consisted of a lacy chemise fitted to her shape and showing just a touch of her pronounced butt. She bent over to put away some of her shirts, so Shanks saw her bottom swelling up in her shorts. She wasn't paying attention to him whatsoever because she continued her laundering without a hitch. Mothra was the only creature alert to the captain eyeing her, but the pink moth usually wanted Nesi to be more of a lady. So, the large moth blessed Shanks by pulling Nesi's shorts up to show more of her butt and making her turn around to notice his shadow in the doorway. When she looked up, the face she was met with was horrific enough for her to scream and panic. Didn't matter. Shanks became relentless in his cuddling endeavors.

WHOOSH!

Now was no exception.

BOOM!

"Eek!" Nesi yelped, dropping her waistcoats in the bucket of water unintentionally. Welp, the colors were going to be ruined now. Great! Snapping to the doorway, she spotted red hair emerging from the cloud of dust and a tanned hand gripping at the doorway like it was made out of thin glass.

"Llandala..." the nightmare before laundry day purred. "That scent... is almost perfect. You forgot something, though, little love."

"Y-y-y-ye-yes, s-s-sir?" Nesi asked, regretting using her scented oils for the soaking step.

"Every day used for laundry is ten minutes worth of cuddles. That's your rental fee," Shanks reminded the privateer who was cringing and blushing at the slow turn towards her. Really, no restraint. None whatsoever! "You do intend to pay up, don't you, my cute soldier?"

"Can't I just give you the money for laundering? I offered to wash the men's clothes," Nesi replied, trying to offer the service again. Shanks gripped the doorframe tight enough for cracks to reach the ceiling and floor in one vice grip in response. That was an obvious no. She sighed in defeat and said, "Yes, sir."

"Something pink," Shanks said cryptically.

"Sir?" Nesi questioned, unclear on his vague instructions. Pink what?

Rub, rub, stroke. Deep breath, moan, hum.

The emperor was enjoying his massage very much as he closed his eyes to relax into the privateer's bosom. Nesi, unfortunately, had to wear pink lingerie for this cuddle session. Shanks was in "The Good Mood". The good thing was little to no games were required to satisfy his boredom. The bad thing was a sexy voice had to be used at all times, and light trivia was the main form of entertainment here. The worst thing about it all was that Shanks found a small collection of body oils in Nesi's belongings and made it his mission to make the uptight girl use each one at least once. They were a gift from Moga for "fun times" with Captain Ace because the Tongueless Siren fleet was all about couples and their romantic callings. This... was not fun. She'd rather scrub floors. At least she knew her massages were nice. Shanks hardly moved and even complimented the oil's fragrance.

Nesi had to cue Moga in on scents that she liked, so her friend switched things up. Apparently, Schooner's been cuddlier since Nesi suggested certain fragrances to pair for romantic evenings. While Nesi didn't know anything about romantic escapades, she at least knew how to relax for herself. Her mother felt it was important to embrace herself as a woman. Such a thing could be taken away when surrounded by men, and it's easy to forget about yourself in stressful and tough times. It was a good thing Ace didn't care for massage oils because that would've been a nightmare. It already was, actually!

"Lower, little love," Shanks purred.

"What is the longest recorded flight of a chicken, my Valentine?" Nesi asked, looking over her shoulder to read the trivia card. She was surprised by the innocence of this trivia game. Maybe the massage was balancing it out.

"'Bout the length of our cuddles?" Shanks replied, humming with thought but not really.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Thirteen seconds, lover. If you want this to last, you have to please me with the right answers," Nesi suggested, returning her hands to Shanks's shoulders. "Let's try a different one. Where does the word 'mortgage' come from, my darling?"

"Funny story, sexy. That's French for 'dead pledge'. Homeowners died before their debts were paid off, hence the name. Why don't you let me take care of your laundering debt for tonight?" Shanks asked, leaning back to rest on Nesi's body.

Nesi wrapped her arms around the emperor, making him eager for a potential kiss, and said in a not-so-sexy voice, "Because my clothes are ruined now!"

That startled Shanks enough to scramble around from shock while Nesi just smirked evilly...