Chapter 65: The Minks Party

~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~

The party was still in full swing, and as Emi settled back onto a stool, a small winged figure gently landed on her shoulder.

"Coco!" she exclaimed, delighted.

The bird let out a joyful chirp, and Emi gently stroked its feathers.

"Did you have a good dance too?" she joked, laughing softly.

She spotted Chopper sitting nearby, sipping on a fruit juice while observing the lively celebration. Emi suddenly recalled a scene she had witnessed a few days earlier: Chopper transforming into multiple different forms—far more than the usual three a Zoan user was supposed to have. Since then, she had been wondering how that was even possible.

Curious, she approached and sat down next to him.

"Tell me, Doctor," she began with a small smile, "how many Zoan forms do you have?"

Chopper's ears perked up in surprise. "Uh, nine. Why?"

Emi narrowed her eyes, her expression a mix of amusement and surprise. She hadn't expected that many.

"That's impressive… How does that even work?"

"It's thanks to the Rumble Balls I invented! I developed seven additional transformations!" he explained, adjusting his hat.

"Not bad, Doctor. Must've taken a lot of work to create something like that," she admitted. "But it reminds me of something else..." She pulled out a small box from her satchel and opened it, revealing bright blue pills.

"These are what I give Coco to help her grow. Look."

She handed a pill to the bird, who pecked it before leaping off her shoulder. Within seconds, Coco transformed into a gigantic seagull, her wings spread wide, creating a gust of wind that sent leaves and dust swirling.

Chopper's eyes went wide in shock. "W-Wait… giant pills?! That's actually possible?!"

Emi shot him a confident grin.

"An invention from my scientist friend, Ambre. She's a bit crazy, but you can't deny her results."

Franky, who had been sitting nearby, suddenly burst into excitement. He jumped to his feet, striking one of his signature exaggerated poses before dramatically declaring that it was 'SUUUUUUPER!'

Feeling flattered, Coco spread her wings even further, sending an even stronger gust of wind that knocked over plates of food and made several torches flicker. Some of the Minks burst out laughing as they watched pirates scramble to pick up their fallen plates or help each other up.

Just as Emi was about to take a sip of her drink, Luffy suddenly came storming in like a whirlwind.

"Whoooaaaahhh! Your bird is SO COOL!" he shouted, practically bouncing in place, his eyes sparkling as he stared at Coco. "Hey, join my crew!"

Emi, who had just brought her glass to her lips, nearly choked. She coughed violently, slamming her drink down before pointing an accusing finger at Luffy.

"WHAT?!" she blurted out.

This kid really had the guts to invite her bird to his crew.

Luffy, oblivious to the awkwardness he caused, continued to stare at Coco with unrelenting excitement.

"So, what do you think, Coco?" he added with a big grin, as if the bird would actually answer.

Coco turned her head toward Emi and let out a plaintive chirp. Emi rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she addressed Luffy curtly.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but Coco already has a job: sticking with me. Go find yourself another giant bird."

Luffy didn't seem remotely discouraged by the rejection. Instead, he laughed joyfully and said, "Oh well, too bad. But Coco's really awesome!"

Emi sighed, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite herself. She still couldn't believe this guy had taken down Doflamingo.

Luffy was now bouncing around Coco, his eyes still gleaming with excitement.

"So, Eli, was it one of your pills that made Coco so huge? That's so cool! I wanna try one!"

Emi narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms with an exasperated look. "Gosh, this kid is unbearable," she thought with a sigh.

Shaking her head, she gave him a firm and absolute refusal. "No. These pills aren't made for humans. You hear me? Not. for. humans."

Chopper, who had been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly looked up, a spark of concern in his eyes.

"It's true, it seems impossible to work on humans... even Caesar failed," he muttered. "But if this Ambre managed to develop something that can transform a bird... that's already impressive."

Emi shrugged. "Well, Ambre is a genius. But I'm telling you, these pills only work on birds. So forget about testing them on anyone else, or I won't be responsible for what happens."

She turned to Chopper, ready to explain more, when a sudden movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention. Too late.

Luffy's stretchy arm had shot out and grabbed a pill from the box Emi was holding. Before she could react, he'd already popped it into his mouth with a big grin.

"What?!" Emi shrieked, her eyes widening in shock.

In an instant, she lunged at Luffy, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him with surprising strength.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! I SAID NO, YOU IDIOT! SPIT IT OUT, RIGHT NOW!"

Luffy, despite being throttled by a furious Emi, just laughed.

"Too late! It tasted good, too!" he said, still laughing.

Suddenly, his laughter stopped. Everyone froze, and an eerie silence fell over the group. Luffy began to swell. Slowly at first, but then faster and faster.

Luffy's chest expanded, his arms grew massive, and his face took on an expression of awe mixed with confusion.

"Uh… guys… I think I'm getting bigger!"

Emi let go of him, stumbling back a few steps.

"What the—?!" she shouted in shock, clearly not expecting it to actually work on him.

Chopper watched the scene unfold with horrified fascination. "Wait a second… The fact that he's made of rubber… It must be interacting with his Devil Fruit powers!"

Luffy kept inflating, his arms swelling to the size of giant balloons. His legs had quadrupled in size, and his goofy grin remained plastered on his face.

"Wooooohoooo! I'm huge! This is awesome!" he yelled, laughing uncontrollably.

Usopp, who had been watching his captain balloon up in disbelief, ran to stand next to Emi and shouted at Luffy, "What are you thinking, messing with your Devil Fruit like that?! You're gonna wreck everything!"

Luffy raised one enormous arm, nearly knocking over a food stall. "I didn't even use my powers! It's Eli's pills!"

Coco, still in her massive form, looked at Luffy with what could only be described as visible confusion, letting out a bewildered squawk.

"Luffy, stop moving!" Chopper shouted, already running frantically around to keep him from causing more destruction.

Luffy, naturally, ignored him. Instead, he attempted a victory pose, throwing his hands on his hips—except his bloated body made it impossible to actually find his hips.

Emi placed a hand over her face, rubbing her temples. "I'm going to kill this idiot…" she muttered through gritted teeth.

Then, suddenly, a strange hissing sound filled the air.

"Psssssshhhh…"

Luffy's enormous size suddenly began to shrink. Slowly at first, then faster and faster, like a punctured balloon.

"Huh?!" he exclaimed, watching as his arms and legs began to deflate.

In the blink of an eye, Luffy completely deflated, collapsing to the ground with a wet, undignified flop.

He just lay there, sprawled out, his body limp and wrinkled, like a piece of laundry left too long in the sun.

"Well… this is weird," he said, his droopy cheeks sagging as he tried to sit up.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Oh my god, you're completely SHRIVELED! You look like an old dish glove!" Usopp cackled, doubling over in laughter.

Luffy frowned, though his face, still wrinkled, made the expression even more ridiculous.

"Hey, it's not funny!" he protested.

Franky, arms crossed, nodded solemnly. "Not SUPER."

Emi crossed her arms, staring at Luffy with a mix of exasperation and morbid fascination. "Thank god for that elastic Devil Fruit of yours. If you didn't have it, your bones would've snapped like twigs during that transformation."

Chopper crouched next to Luffy, carefully examining him. "How do you feel, Luffy? No pain? No dizziness?" he asked.

Luffy gave a wobbly thumbs-up, his arms still hilariously floppy. "I'm fine! But… why am I all weird like this?"

Emi rubbed her temples harder, trying to calm the murderous rage bubbling inside her. "Because those pills weren't made for you, idiot! They're for Coco, a bird! How many times should I tell you ?"

Luffy burst out laughing, even in his pitiful state. "But it was fun, right? I got huge! Eli, your pills are awesome! If you've got more, I wanna—"

Before he could finish, Emi grabbed a nearby stool and hurled it at his head.

"IT'S EMI!"

.~~~~

The party was still in full swing, with laughter and music echoing through the giant trees of Zou. Penguin sat on a tree stump, chatting enthusiastically with Usopp, whose eyes sparkled as he described his latest inventions.

"You see," Usopp said, gesturing animatedly to emphasize his point, "I recently built an upgraded slingshot that can fire explosive projectiles with incredible precision, even in extreme conditions! Imagine using that in a submarine, with all the pressure and stuff. Not easy to maintain, right?"

"Not bad, but trust me, keeping a submarine running is a whole other level of challenge. Between the humidity, the electrical systems, and deep-sea navigation, everything has to be flawless. Otherwise, you're done for."

Usopp nodded in agreement before asking, "So what's so special about the Polar Tang? I've heard it's a real technological marvel."

Penguin puffed out his chest, ready to sing his beloved ship's praises, when a figure suddenly stepped between them.

"Well, well, good evening," Nami chimed in with a mischievous smile, settling gracefully between the two.

Penguin froze for a moment, caught off guard by her arrival. Usopp, however, immediately sensed trouble and squinted suspiciously.

"What do you want, Nami?"

"Now that we're officially allies," she said, resting her chin on her hand and turning her gaze to Penguin, "we should get to know each other a little better, don't you think?"

Usopp rolled his eyes, already exasperated, but Penguin… Penguin was already captivated by her charm.

"Ah, uh, yeah, of course!" Penguin stammered, his face turning a shade of red.

"We were just talking about the challenges of keeping a submarine operational," he added quickly, trying to regain his composure. "The Polar Tang is a masterpiece of technology, but it needs constant maintenance, especially with all the… uh… adventures we go through."

Nami raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh really? And do you have anything else interesting on that submarine? Diamonds, maybe? Or gold?"

Penguin, caught off guard, blushed furiously. "Uh… Diamonds? Not really… I mean, I don't think so…"

Usopp smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand, exasperated. "Oh no, here we go. Nami's sniffed out an opportunity."

Ignoring his comment, Nami turned to Penguin with an innocent expression. "You know, Penguin, after everything we've done to help you, I'm sure your crew would want to show their gratitude. And what better way to seal a great friendship than with a little treasure?"

Penguin, completely under her spell, stammered, "Well, I… I guess we might have some interesting things in the hold… Maybe some gemstones we found at sea… I could check."

Usopp shook his head, despairing. "Don't do it, Penguin. She'll bleed you dry. I'm speaking from experience."

But Penguin was already lost in Nami's smile. "It's fine, Usopp. After all, it's thanks to you guys that we're still here. It's the least we can do."

Nami gently placed a hand on his arm, nearly making him keel over. "You're so generous, Penguin. Are you sure you don't have a little nugget of gold or two? Just for me?"

Sachi, watching the scene from a distance, burst into laughter, clutching his sides. "Is she seriously trying to rob her own allies?"

Usopp threw his arms in the air, defeated. "Why does no one ever listen to me? I'm telling you, she's going to clean him out!"

Nami turned to him, feigning indignation. "Usopp, I'm hurt. Do you really think I would do that?"

Usopp shot her a skeptical glare. "Yes. Absolutely."

Nami flashed him a dazzling smile. "Oh, Usopp, you're so suspicious. You should learn to relax a little."

Penguin nodded eagerly. "Yeah, Usopp, lighten up! It's a party, after all."

Usopp collapsed into a chair, looking defeated. "I warned you…"

Meanwhile, Nami led Penguin a bit further away, chatting cheerfully as Sachi continued laughing and the Minks' drums echoed through the starlit night.

.~~~~

Law, was leaning against a tree away from the crowd, calmly observing his crew enjoying the evening. Then, he decided it was time to slip away. These kinds of gatherings weren't really his thing, and he'd already stayed longer than he wanted.

But as he cast a final glance toward the campfire, he noticed Emi quietly getting up and disappearing into the shadows of the night.

A slight chill ran through Law, though he couldn't say why. It was just someone leaving, an innocent enough gesture, yet something in his instincts told him not to let her go like that, not without knowing why. He didn't understand the urge to follow her, but he didn't hesitate. Without a word, he moved after her, his footsteps silent, his eyes locked on her figure fading into the darkness.

Law crept through the shadows, staying out of sight as he followed her. He stopped when he saw her standing alone, far enough to remain unnoticed but close enough to hear the sounds around her. She seemed engrossed in a conversation, holding a Den Den Mushi in her hand, her gaze focused on the device.

"... But I'm fine. I'm on Zou with the Straw Hats," he heard Emi say, her voice calm.

The voice that responded through the Den Den Mushi was familiar. "Luffy's with you? I hope he's not giving you too much trouble."

Emi laughed. "Oh, he's definitely eccentric, that's for sure. But he's funny too. Hard to believe he's your brother."

Law, still watching from the shadows, frowned slightly. A strange feeling crept over him, one he couldn't quite identify.

Before he could focus enough to listen further, the connection abruptly cut off. Emi let out an exasperated sigh.

"He always does that," she muttered, annoyed. "Cuts off the call without warning. It's so frustrating."

She turned her head, her eyes meeting Law's, frozen in the shadows. She blinked for a moment, surprised. What was he doing here? Had he followed her? Either way, he looked hesitant, and Emi seized the opportunity to tease him.

"Spying on me now, Trafalgar?"

Law felt slightly caught off guard, but his irritation at the situation only grew. "I'm not spying on anyone," he replied curtly, trying to mask the unease he felt. "I was just passing through."

Just passing through, huh?

Emi stepped closer, her smile widening. "Really? That's quite the coincidence, isn't it? Makes me wonder if you had another reason for lurking around." She looked at him, amusement flickering in her eyes, waiting to see how he'd respond.

Law stared at her for a moment, his piercing gaze cutting through the darkness as he observed Emi. She hadn't changed. It was always the same every time they crossed paths after a while apart. She was confident, almost playful, as if nothing could touch her. But he knew that if he pushed this game further, another side of her would eventually emerge—a quieter, more vulnerable Emi.

For a second, he wondered if she'd show that side now if he provoked her a little more. A faint smile tugged at his lips at the thought. But instead of indulging his curiosity, he chose a different approach.

"You know I don't need a reason to be wherever I want."

Emi laughed at Law's response, deciding not to tease him further about it. But her amusement was short-lived.

A deep, thunderous roar echoed through the air around them, coming from the colossal elephant Zunesha. Both of them furrowed their brows, knowing what it meant.

"I didn't think he'd do that in the middle of the night," Law muttered, his gaze instinctively shifting toward the sky.

Zunesha was about to spray seawater with its trunk, a phenomenon they'd seen several times before. It was the sign that they were about to be submerged, and they weren't close enough to the center to take cover.

"We need to get to shelter," Law said, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

Emi nodded. There was no time to waste.

They moved quickly, running toward a tree large enough to protect them from the water. As they climbed, the water shot up and swept across the land violently. The impact caused the tree to sway violently, and Emi suddenly lost her balance.

"Damn it!" Emi panicked, slipping on a wet branch. Before she could react, she fell into the water.

Law moved instantly, his hand shooting out just in time to catch her before the current could sweep her away. He gripped her tightly around the waist, pulling her out of the water with force.

Emi was drenched, her white dress clinging to her skin.

"T-thank you…" she murmured, breathless.

Law, still holding her securely, exhaled sharply, his brows furrowing. His grip loosened slightly once he was sure she was safe, but his hand lingered at her waist a second longer than necessary before he finally let go.

"Try not to fall next time."

Emi shot him a sharp look, brushing soaked strands of hair from her face. "It's not like I did it on purpose."

A heavy silence settled between them, only broken by the sound of the water raging below. Perched in the tree, they were now too close to ignore the proximity of each other.

She tried her best to ignore the situation, but every movement, every subtle shift of Law made her more aware of how close they were. Her back pressed almost into the rough bark of the tree, and it felt like the air was getting thicker with each passing second.

Law, crouched in front of her, seemed much more at ease, his impassive face betraying barely any discomfort. But when he averted his gaze, Emi caught a slight movement of his eyebrows. Nothing major, but enough to make her suspicious.

"Why do you…" she started before noticing where his gaze had briefly landed.

She looked down and… oh no.

The fabric of her wet dress had become almost transparent, revealing the outline of her bra.

Heat rushed to her face. She instinctively pulled her knees up to her chest, trying to cover her torso with her arms.

"Damn dress," she muttered, her voice strained with embarrassment.

Law exhaled, the sound barely audible over the water still surging below. "I'm a doctor."

Emi's head snapped up, staring at him like he had just lost his mind. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

She gaped at him. "What does that have to do with anything?!"

A small, amused smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "It means I've seen worse."

Something hot and irrational flared in her chest. Worse? The thought grated on her nerves more than it should have. How many times has he—? No. Nope. Not her problem. And yet, her fingers curled involuntarily, an unfamiliar irritation prickling at the back of her neck.

Oh, he was enjoying this.

Emi's eyes narrowed. "Oh, great! Maybe I should just walk around half-naked then, since 'Doctor' Law is so used to it!" She clenched her fist, ready to throw anything, just to wipe that smirk off his face. "Step back."

Law let out a soft sigh, as though the request was an unnecessary effort, and moved back just a few centimeters. She was clearly still just as easy to embarrass, and it amused him more than he would admit.

"Am I making you uncomfortable, Emi-ya?" he murmured, a gleam of mischief in his eyes.

Law's words hit their mark. Emi felt a spark of irritation rise within her, her embarrassment quickly turning into defiance. So that's how it was going to be? Provoking her? Oh, he wanted to play… Fine. She wasn't about to let that slide. She lifted her chin slightly, meeting his gaze with a new intensity, and straightened as much as the branch would allow.

"Do you think you're funny?" she shot back, voice smooth but edged with a challenge. "Be careful, or you might end up soaked yourself."

Fake threat, sure. But she was very willing to follow through.

Law raised an eyebrow, surprised by her growing boldness. She was clearly ready to retaliate, and he couldn't help but respect that… or test her even more.

His hand moved subtly, fingers grazing another branch, but instead of retreating, he leaned in again, slow and deliberate. His knees brushed lightly against hers, barely there, but definitely on purpose.

"Go ahead," he murmured, never breaking eye contact.

Annoyed by his smug attitude, she aimed a sharp kick at him, ready to shove him away—but of course he was faster. His hand closed around her calf with unsettling confidence, stopping her mid-motion like he had expected it.

Her breath hitched. "Law!" she snapped, furious.

He didn't answer immediately, his grip firm but not painful. His fingers were warm against her skin, a stark contrast to the cool air, and to her absolute horror, a shiver ran through her—though whether from anger or something far more infuriating, she refused to admit.

Then, slowly—too slowly—he released her leg, but not before letting his hand glide downward, an almost absentminded movement that sent a jolt through her nerves. Fingertips brushed over her ankle, then her heel, and—damn it, why was she noticing any of this?

Her breath came quicker now, her body tense like a spring. What the hell is he playing at?

"You gonna relax," Law murmured, voice low, measured, dangerous, "or do I need to make sure you stay still?"

Emi's jaw tightened.

"Go ahead." She met his gaze with unflinching defiance. Let's see you try.

The words landed like a challenge, a dare neither of them was entirely prepared for.

Law's brows twitched slightly, not in irritation—no, it was something else. Something deeper, more dangerous. The way she stood her ground, completely unyielding despite the tension crackling between them, set off something sharp and electric inside him.

Something reckless. Something he wasn't sure he wanted to name.

"You really don't know when to quit, do you?"

But he didn't give her a chance to respond. In a swift motion, he tugged on her heel, still holding it, throwing her off balance and pulling her toward him.

His lips crushed against hers, firm and unrelenting, catching her completely off guard. A muffled sound of surprise escaped Emi before she could stop it, her body instinctively tensing at the abrupt contact.

But Law didn't pull away. If anything, he deepened the kiss, fingers skimming up the side of her neck, anchoring her in place like he was daring her to resist. And maybe she should have. Maybe she should have shoved him away, thrown some sharp remark to cut through the crackling heat between them.

But she didn't.

The initial shock melted under the slow, deliberate pressure of his lips, and before she could think better of it, she found herself responding. Her hands, which had been curled into fists, loosened—one gripping the fabric of his shirt as if to steady herself, the other bracing against his chest. She could feel the steady, controlled rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her palm.

Damn him.

The way he kissed her—measured, teasing, like he had all the time in the world—was infuriating. Like he knew exactly what he was doing. Like he knew exactly how to unravel her.

So she bit his lower lip.

A sharp inhale from Law, his grip on her tightening for a fraction of a second. Then, a quiet, amused hum against her mouth—because of course he was entertained by her defiance.

Then, suddenly, as if realizing exactly what she was doing, Emi did push him back, breaking the kiss with a sharp intake of breath.

They stared at each other, breathless. The air between them crackled, thick with something she refused to name.

Emi sucked in a breath, pulse hammering in her ears, her body still leaning into his like it hadn't quite caught up with her brain. His grey eyes locked onto hers, dark, searching. Calculating.

"Well." A pause. Then, the ghost of a smirk. "Didn't expect that."

Emi glared. "Oh, trust me, I'm regretting it already."

"Sure you are."

She hated that he looked so pleased with himself. She hated even more that she didn't trust herself to look him in the eyes for too long without thinking about how good that kiss had been.

Damn. This wasn't Emi's game, responding to his provocations. But Law had this strange ability to push her into reactions she didn't always understand, reactions she couldn't fully control.

So, instead, Emi did the only thing she could think of.

She grabbed his face and kissed him again.

Law didn't push her away. He tilted his head slightly, deepening the contact, brushing his tongue against hers in a silent request.

Emi gave him access, and another wave of heat swept through her body, making her shiver.

What the hell am I doing?

A voice in her head screamed at her to stop, to not give him this satisfaction. But Law's fingers flexed slightly against her skin, and the way his tongue moved—slow, deliberate, made it terrifyingly hard to think.

For a moment, it was just this. The rush of heat, the intoxicating closeness, the way her body betrayed her and leaned in instead of pulling away.

.~~

For a man as composed as Law, impulse was a foreign concept. He calculated, analyzed, anticipated every move before making his own. And yet—

That scent.

The faint, unmistakable trace of citrus clung to her skin. He had noticed it before—on the Polar Tang, in passing—but now, with her so close, it was consuming.

A curiosity bloomed in the back of his mind, sharp and insistent. Could he taste it?

Before he even registered the decision, Law broke the kiss. Emi barely had a second to react before his lips brushed against the curve of her jaw, then lower, pressing into the warmth of her neck.

A sharp inhale from her, fingers curling against his shirt.

Oh, she didn't expect that.

Law hadn't either.

But now that he was here, he lingered, his mouth tracing the delicate skin below her ear, following that addictive citrus scent. Soft. Warm. It made something coil tight in his stomach, something dangerous and reckless and not at all planned.

His lips pressed a little firmer. Just to confirm.

Emi's breath hitched, her body tensing beneath his touch. Law almost smirked—almost. But then, he felt it too.

The way his own pulse had quickened. The way he had lost himself, even for a second, in the heat of her skin, the faint taste of orange and something else—something distinctly her.

That realization snapped through him like a shock.

Law exhaled sharply against her neck, forcing himself to pull back just an inch, just enough to regain some semblance of control.

But his pulse still hadn't settled.

That was a problem.

Law forced himself to lean back just enough to put some space between them, jaw tightening. He didn't look at her right away. If he did, he might not like what he saw—worse, he might like it too much.

But before he could make sense of it—of her, of himself—their bubble of intimacy suddenly burst with an unexpected voice.

"… And you should've seen the size of that topaz!" Penguin's cheerful voice echoed from just below. "It shines like there's a sun trapped inside. Honestly, Nami, it's a rare find, even for this island."

"Really?" Nami responded, curiosity evident.

Law's attention snapped downward, sharp irritation replacing whatever heat had lingered between them. His brows furrowed. He knew that tone in Nami's voice.

It didn't bode well.

Emi, still trying to process—because what the hell was that—forced herself to sit up straighter, smoothing a hand over her damp dress like that would somehow help her regain composure. Her heart was still hammering, and she hated it.

Instead of dwelling, she exhaled slowly and glanced at Law, the teasing edge in her voice barely masking her own lingering unease.

"Looks like someone's about to loot your precious ship," she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.

Law's gaze remained fixed downward, eyes narrowing slightly. "If she touches anything on the Polar Tang, she won't have time to enjoy it."

Law stood up slowly, making sure not to make a sound, his movements becoming precise and calculated once more. He gestured for Emi to remain silent and still, then turned to observe the two figures under the tree.

Nami, as he had feared, seemed particularly interested in Penguin's descriptions. She nodded, a bright smile on her face, while he continued talking about the treasure they had discovered.

Law sighed quietly and, reluctantly, descended from their spot. But before he left, he threw one last glance at Emi, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Can you make it down without me?"

Emi rolled her eyes at his comment, waving him off with a tired gesture of her hand.

Then, as silently as a shadow, he melted into the foliage, determined to prevent Nami from laying hands on anything that belonged to his crew. Emi watched him go, her heart still pounding against her ribs.

What the hell had just happened?

She ran a hand over her face, exhaling sharply. How had she let it go that far? Worse—how had she been the one to push things further? Biting his lip, kissing him again—what was wrong with her?

Emi groaned internally, dropping her forehead against her knee. Because damn it, it had been good. More than good. The way his lips had felt against her skin, the way he had kissed her back without hesitation, the way he had lost himself for a moment—oh no, no, no, stop thinking about that.

She clenched her jaw, trying to will away the heat creeping up her neck.

She couldn't let this happen again.

…Except if it did, would she really stop it?

Emi groaned again, this time out loud, hating herself for even entertaining the thought. She needed to get a grip. Fast.

~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~

Thanks for reading this chapter!

I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you had just as much fun (and maybe some butterflies in your stomach and a little feet kicking?) reading it—hehe.

Can't wait to show you how their relationship unfolds in the next chapters!