#galley la

[doodlepiece-scrapyard]

Ok so here is my hypothesis for instrumentals that fit their vibes somehow

Paulie - Metallica, Orion (esp the second half with 80s double denimy metal meets sea shanty vibes? that's Paulie rigging a ship from 3:59 on)

Lucci - NIN, My violent heart instrumental version (the eerie industrial calm with violent outbursts and pigeon like screeches, idk this is just his whole vibe in one song even without the lyrics/spoken word which also fits)

Kaku - Zedd, Shave it (he is just very EDM to me, going for parkour morning runs to dubstep and compliance with the evil system he is stuck within)

Iceburg, hardest for me but - GoGo Penguin, Ascent (somehow complex and minimalistic at the same time modern jazz, makes me think of trying to hold himself and the city together, the piano is water, aqua laguna building towards the city, the drums are the industry of galley la and Iceburg is the bassline)

+ adding on a song for Kalifa cause I also found her hard to pick one for but have now decided on - Kaki King, Playing with pink noise (pretty much the closest instrumental song match to a repressed lesbian scream idk it fits her)

[lunacove-arts]

it's been 90000 years but Livvie finally has an updated art ref

[hoursgirlpretty]

Mountain Wind, Winter Iris

Chapter 14: A Taste of Indecision

(Chapter 13 here)

Kaku’s POV

"Come down from the clouds, loverboy."

Kaku smirked to himself, glancing over at Lulu from the other side of the roof. His hammer picked up its speed again, his focus back on the project.

Tilestone hollered out in laughter nearby. "Let the boy fantasize, Lu! He certainly deserves it after all his moping the last few weeks!"

Kaku didn't have the energy to be upset with the comment; he did feel more recovered in spirits since Elestren and he had made up. It felt wonderful to be back in everyone's good graces again.

Kaku gathered his coils of rope before hopping off the side of the new house. "I assure you I can multitask, Lulu."

Lulu returned his smirk. "You think any harder and you might procure Miss Elestren right here on the ship!"

Kaku's blush was genuine. "That obvious, huh?"

"More certainly now! I've never seen your face get so red like that!"

As the men laughed at him, Kaku found himself joining in. It was almost empowering to hear them laugh at his expense, as it felt more real to him than any interaction he's had thus far. It wasn't quite a hard thing to be easygoing in general, but since opening up to Elestren, Kaku found it more bearable to be real with the others, apart from Lucci.

Thinking of his friend, Kaku glanced around. "Where'd Lucci go?"

"Took his break a bit early. Should be back soon for the next rotation of breaks," Paulie replied as he entered the yard, trailing cigar smoke behind him.

Kaku took off his cap to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "He probably won't need to return. We might have the next house done in three hours tops."

Paulie grunted as he observed the finished houses. "You could be right. But many hands make light work. Besides you've been at it for a while." He situated his goggles and affixed his tool belt onto his waist, ready to start working again.

Kaku got closer to Paulie, his voice dropping. "Ah, Paulie? Hang on."

Paulie paused, eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"I never got to say thank you for the advice the other day." Kaku took a breath and continued. "I know we don't see eye to eye most days, but I appreciate you saying something and, you know, looking out for Elestren." Despite the growing awkwardness, Kaku offered a small smile. "You're a good guy."

Paulie looked wildly uncomfortable with Kaku's gratitude, but after blinking a few times, seemed to accept it.

"Ah. Don't mention it, Kaku."

Relieved it was over with, Kaku tried to look nonchalant. "Anyway, I'll check the interior, make sure everything's good to go."

Paulie grunted in response, leaving to rope himself up to the rooftop with Lulu and Tilestone.

~~~

Kaku fixed his jacket, wrapping a scarf around his neck to go with it. It was getting colder, the warm fall weather bringing in gusts of harsher winds and frosty windowpanes. Luckily the wind would be at his back when he went to go see Elestren.

His chest warmed at the idea of seeing her. He couldn't wait to cuddle up with her, to run his hands down her arms and back. He could almost feel the ghost of her fingers in his hair, making his eyes flutter sweetly at the idea. It would be a good way to end his evening, maybe a good way to start the next morning as well . . .

Kaku's face couldn't help but go hot. The prospect of spending the night at her place wasn't too far out; he had done it before. But this might be different. Who was to say it went farther tonight? What if she wanted him in her room? In her bed?

Kaku shut his eyes, shoving the idea out of his mind.

No, he wouldn't go there. As tempting as it was to give in to that carnal desire inside his stomach, he would never compromise Elestren like that. She didn't want to go farther than what they had been doing. And that was just fine with Kaku. Rushing didn't sound ideal to him either. He wanted a clear head for himself, and for her too.

Taking a breath, Kaku quickly slid his shoes on and started for his front door, eager to get to Elestren.

He paused at the sound of knocking. He wasn't expecting anyone tonight; had Elestren beat him to the punch? She hadn't been inside his place yet.

Kaku was quick to open the door, not expecting to see Kalifa of all people on the other side. She quickly held a finger to her mouth, signaling for him to be silent. Kaku obeyed but with a look of uncertainty.

Kalifa beckoned him to follow her toward the outside ledge, out in the open air.

They silently jumped onto the rail and dove into the air, launching through their power, racing toward a faraway cliff on the outskirts of the city. Kalifa landed quietly, Kaku landing not far behind.

"What is it?" he asked, voice low just in case. He wondered if something went wrong with the mission. Was there some kind of interruption? Did some piece of important information become compromised? Had they become compromised?

Kalifa stayed stoic as she turned to face Kaku. "I couldn't speak of this with certain ears listening from the next apartment over."

Kaku blinked, wondering what he needed to know that didn't involve Lucci. "Is this about the mission?"

"No," Kalifa replied. "As a matter of fact, I'm unsure why I'm even telling you this." She adjusted her glasses. "It concerns the young medic at the hospitality center. The one you suspected all those months ago."

Kaku's chest couldn't help but begin to pound at the mention of Elestren. "I don't understand."

"Do you... care for her?"

Kaku felt cornered. What was going on? "I... To some respects, yes, I care for her. What does this have to do with Lucci?"

Kalifa's features stayed stony. "I was going to ask you the same question. Seems Lucci does not hold her in the same regard, uncontrollable urges aside. To hear her come up in conversation again, it made me wonder if she was becoming a distraction for you."

Kaku wasn't eager to speak of Elestren in this light, but he straightened upon hearing something strange. "'Uncontrollable urges aside'? What are you talking about?"

"Not important. Lucci let me in on your predicament with the girl. He tells me you are diving into dangerous waters being involved with her." She took a step toward Kaku, the corner of her mouth twitching. "However. You know I am an equal opportunist. As much as Lucci thinks he's right, he also exaggerates quite a bit." Her eyes met Kaku's. "I will ask the question again, Kaku. Do you care for Elestren?"

Kaku's throat was tight. He wasn't sure if Kalifa would report back to Lucci what he would tell her, if he did tell her the truth. But Kalifa had never made him look bad before. She was always kind in her own absurd way.

It was also a matter of saying it out loud, voicing his opinions and truthful secrets. There was no point of going back once he spoke. Would he regret it?

Kaku rolled his shoulders back, eyes looking out toward the crashing waves below.

"Elestren is... unexpected for sure. But she's harmless. She's not going to ruin any future plans or the mission for me."

"I gathered that much. But what I want to know is how deep this goes for you. Is this going to be another Alicia situation?"

At hearing the old familiar name, Kaku winced openly. He hadn't thought of her in so long, maybe ten years at least. He had made it a point to never think of her or let her name bother him should it be mentioned again. Yet the old scar was still a bit tender it seemed.

Kaku swallowed. "It won't be." He hated the tremor in his voice.

Kalifa tilted her head. "That is good. You're smart, Kaku. I trust you will do the right thing after our mission is nearing its completion."

He met her eyes. It wasn't quite a threat as it was a subtle warning. Kalifa's regard was held in a much kinder light than Lucci's. Kaku figured it was less about the mission and more to do with his future.

Kaku shifted slightly, feeling smaller in stature, like a child about to be punished. "I will make the right decision."

Kalifa didn't respond, her stony eyes reflecting indifference yet a smidgen of gentleness. She studied Kaku silently, taking in his quickness in breath and nervous fidgeting.

Her smile was unexpected. "Forgive me for bringing up the past. You've always been softer than the rest of us."

Kaku bristled. "I'm not-"

"You are. It's not exactly a flaw, Kaku." Her smirk was evident. "It's nice to see you this way for someone again."

Kaku didn't like the scrutinization he was under nor the misplaced comments on his character. He huffed out a breath. "Are we done here?"

Kalifa pushed up her glasses. "Yes. I would just be mindful of the circumstances." She turned to the edge back toward the city lights. "And make sure Lucci doesn't know we spoke tonight."

Kaku watched her leap off the cliff and disappear in the shadows of the buildings. He stayed where he was, recounting the conversation. He wasn't sure if Kalifa was being ordered by Lucci to seek his account of Elestren again, or if she willingly wanted to talk on her own accord to get his side of the story.

Kaku's face was flushed, from the conversation or the fall wind he wasn't sure. His mind was scattered. All he wanted to do was go back to his apartment and hide away from the world; he was sick to his stomach about the whole thing. He launched into the air and back toward home. He would have loved to let Elestren calm his frazzled mind, but he couldn't seem to face her right then. He wanted to be alone.

His mind disengaged as he locked himself in his room. His body felt itchy, lungs suffocating like fluid was filling them up. He stripped himself of the multiple layers of clothes, trying to force breath. His eyes were blurry.

Laying on his bed, Kaku squeezed his eyes shut and drowned out the sound of his labored breathing.

What was going on with him? Why did he feel this way? Why was he so affected by the mere mention of a deceased fellow child? He should have been over her death. Why did it yank this response out of him?

The heels of his palms dug into his eyes. Get a grip, he demanded internally. Get a grip.

~~~

Kaku fiddled with the coffee ground scoop, unsure how much to put into the filter.

Paulie's jean jacket appeared into Kaku's peripherals. "Since when do you drink coffee?" he grunted in amusement.

Kaku massaged his temple. "Didn't sleep well last night. Just need the extra push I guess."

Paulie hummed, watching Kaku fidget. "Let me."

Kaku let him take over, watching in diluted interest as the man scooped a good portion of grounds and pressed a few buttons. As the machine began to whir and produce a steady stream of coffee, Kaku stifled a yawn and sat against the counter.

Something was bugging him since the previous night. He couldn't help but dwell on the event of Alicia passing away, the details blurry in his mind. But the more he dwelt on it, the more things started to feel misconstrued. He couldn't remember the important details regarding her. With the way things were going with Elestren, it felt like the common denominator in both these problems involved-

"Lucci! Did you listen to the game last night? Yagaras beat the Yominees by ten points!" Lulu exclaimed from the breakroom table.

Lucci, who only gave Lulu a bored look, made his way to the counter for a mug of coffee as well.

Tilestone's loud guffaw was heard around the room, but Kaku had tuned out his reply, focus now on his partner.

Lucci cut in front of Kaku, taking the coffee pitcher and pouring himself a generous amount. As he sipped from his mug, his cold eyes met Kaku's. They both stared at the other, observing the indecipherable look in each other's eyes. It was the first time in a long time they couldn't read their expression.

Paulie severed the stare with a polite cough. "'Scuse me, boys. Just grabbin' some Joe."

The two stepped away from the counter, eyes reigniting. Kaku puffed up his chest lightly. "You got a few minutes, Luc?"

Lucci stayed stoic as he followed Kaku into one of the conference rooms down the hall, the door shut tightly behind them as they faced each other.

Kaku stayed calm and unreadable, wanting as much control over the conversation as possible. Lucci didn't seem concerned about Kaku's indifference, much less intrigued or surprised at the private request, which worried Kaku a bit.

"What's this about?" Lucci asked.

Kaku straightened. "Do you remember Alicia? The girl in our unit back on Guanhao?"

Lucci could have been a brick wall. "Sounds familiar. What about her?"

"How did she die?" Kaku took a ghost of a breath. "The details are fuzzy to me."

Lucci blinked, his only reaction since they went in the room. "How should I know? I didn't know her. Why bring this up?"

Kaku could feel his frustration growing. He didn't want to fight this fight with Lucci; he had a feeling it was a losing game no matter what. He wished he had more of a backbone to confront him. Why didn't Lucci own up to his actions?

Kaku swallowed. "No reason. Just... thought of her last night."

Lucci didn't believe Kaku one bit, but Kaku didn't give him room to ask any further on it, he was already changing the subject. "I understand you and Elestren had some kind of chat yesterday."

Lucci shifted. "Didn't realize this was an interrogation."

"What did you discuss?"

Lucci's smirk almost caused Kaku to throw a punch at him. "Am I not allowed to talk to your girlfriend?"

"I know you like to go to extremes if something doesn't go your way," Kaku countered. Lucci's height seemed to grow as his back straightened considerably. Kaku knew he was starting to become brash, but he didn't favor Lucci's game either.

Kaku kept his eyes level with his partner's. "I respect your protectiveness of me, but I don't appreciate you cornering Elestren."

"So you don't deny your relationship with her?" Lucci remarked. His lip curled in displeasure. "I thought you'd be more mature about your decision, considering you had time off to think it over."

"Let it go, Lucci. She isn't jeopardizing anything! I can multitask doing the mission and having a relationship, can't I?"

"Are you aware she isn't staying in Water 7?"

Kaku paused, jolting slightly. "What?"

"You didn't know?" Lucci questioned, eyebrow raising. His lip twitched. "She's taking her leave as soon as she has all the experience one needs for being a doctor. With the rampant sickness invading her island, I doubt she's wanting to waste time here."

Kaku felt off kilter, eyes searching the floor below for some kind of answer. Why hadn't she told him? She had every opportunity to. With an urgent issue like hers, she should have let him know immediately. Kaku felt beside himself in confusion. Why did Lucci know before he did?

Lucci tilted his head. "And here I thought you had this little tryst built on trust. You really are ignorant of it?”

Kaku tried to gain his composure back. “We... haven’t discussed the future. We were apart for a while so there wasn’t-“

“It shouldn’t matter in the long run,” Lucci cut in. “You will be out of each other’s hair in less than 4 years time. Any kind of future you're hoping to develop is nonexistent." He took a step closer to Kaku, eyes narrowing. "She's a tempting kind of beast, but that's all she is. She isn't worth your time or your future."

Kaku's fists clenched, anger stewing beneath his skin and turning his cheeks and ears hot. What did Lucci know? In the fifteen years he knew Lucci, he didn't engage in any kind of relationship with anyone. Flings perhaps, one night stands, but nothing that lasted past twenty-four hours. Lucci didn't understand anything of what Kaku was feeling. Why should his opinion matter after everything?

Before Kaku could open his mouth to counter Lucci's comment, a knock came outside the door.

"Boys! Daylight's burnin'! Let's go!" Paulie called before his boots went stomping back down the hall.

Kaku swallowed hard. He looked away, unable to look Lucci in the eye.

Lucci adjusted the suspender straps on his shoulders. "Don't be any more foolish than you've already been, Kaku. Time is going by fast. Don't waste it." He turned on his heel and walked with finality toward the door. He grabbed the doorknob before turning back to give Kaku one last look. "You want closure? Maybe you should fuck her and get it over with. Once it's out of your system, she'll become nothing to you." The door closed behind him with a slam.

Kaku stayed behind in the room, stock still like cement had been poured over his feet. His tongue was heavy, stomach full of boiling rocks. Lucci's cruelty made him feel small, but not as small as he made Elestren. How dare he speak about her like that in front of him? How could he be so treacherously mean? Why didn't he see how much Kaku liked her?

Kaku wanted to throw something, to blast holes in the wall with his fists. It was all unfair.

Gathering back his slipping composure, Kaku took a big breath and walked quickly out of the room, the doorknob bending and denting under his hand.

~~~

Kaku's leg bounced nervously outside Elestren's door. His heart was hammering in his anxiety to see her.

Lucci's words had plagued him all day, making him almost run laps around the entire shipyard—even the other dockmen noticed his behavior, Paulie giving him leave from work an hour earlier than usual.

Would Elestren deny her leaving? Lucci could have been exaggerating. Maybe it would be a long while before she left; Kaku wanted her in one place, even when the mission was completed. Once he got his reports done at Enies Lobby, he could possibly go back to Water 7 for her.

Elestren opened the door, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him.

Both their arms were around the other before words could be exchanged. The smell of her bergamot soap instantly calmed Kaku, his nose burying in her hair.

"I missed you," Elestren murmured, nuzzling her face into his chest.

Kaku breathed out a sigh, the weight in his chest dissipating slightly. "I missed you too, flower. I'm sorry for the delay."

Tea was soon fixed in mugs, a small plate of fruit on the table as the two of them laid on the couch in a tangle of limbs.

Kaku ran fidgety fingers through Elestren's hair as he tried to think of how to start his confrontation. He shouldn't be too hard on her; it wasn't like she was leaving him immediately. But he needed the confirmation from her, not from his partner.

Elestren raised her head off his chest, her eyes big and worried. "I need to speak to you."

Kaku blinked, taken aback that she beat him to it. "Okay, flower. Why don't you start?"

She sat up, keeping her legs lain over his, picking at her nails for a moment. Her eyes darted around her apartment before landing on him and taking a breath.

"I... think it would be best if... we don't solidify our relationship."

Kaku certainly wasn't expecting that. He quickly scrambled up from the cushions, eyes searching hers. "What do you mean?"

Elestren's breathing sped up, her hands nervous again. "I just... I think we rushed into something we weren't ready for. And, you know, you work many hours, as do I. It might be beneficial if we just remain friends." She swallowed visibly. "But I mean, that doesn't mean we shouldn't see each other still, right? We have so much fun together, and we like the same things, and it's been.. a good time either way."

Kaku started feeling more confused as she spoke on. He cut her off. "Flower, are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Elestren swallowed again, eyes looking glassy. "I don't know."

Suddenly she began to cry, hands covering her face. "Oh, Kaku! I don't want to stop seeing you! I like you too much to let you go! I don't understand why Lucci is so awful about it, he should mind his business! But he told me if I don't leave you alone, he'll-"

"Lucci?" Kaku repeated. He ripped Elestren's hands away, bringing her eyes to his. "What did he say? What did he do?"

Elestren looked guilty for letting it slip, but Kaku refused to back down. Now that it was confirmed Lucci had cornered her, he wanted to know what he said to make Elestren cry like this.

She sniffed and shuddered. "He.. told me to stay away from you. That's all."

"You're sure he didn't do anything else?"

Elestren went quiet.

Kaku maneuvered her head to eye level again. "Elestren?"

Despite her hesitance, Elestren shook her head. "No. That was all he did."

Kaku didn't believe it for a second. Elestren was fiery; Lucci was stubborn. They would clash quickly if he demanded her of something and she refused to follow his orders. But she looked uncomfortable, and the last thing Kaku wanted was to force her to tell him what happened.

Pulling her into his chest again, Kaku pressed a kiss on top of her head. "He won't bother you again, flower. I promise."

Elestren took a breath. "Do you mean it?"

"I do."

She sniffled again, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Kaku waited for a few minutes before speaking again. "I... heard that you were considering leaving the island for your home soon."

Elestren shook her head against him. "Not for some time. I have to build up my experience in clinicals before I move onto something more complicated." She raised her head up, chin resting on his pec. "I'm here to stay for a good while."

The smile spreading across Kaku's face was genuine. "Great to hear." He fondly brushed her hair back from her face. "I like you too much to let you go."

Elestren blinked back tears, smile watery.

Kaku pulled her up, lips finding hers. She was so soft and warm, wet face not bothering him in the least. He let himself sink back into the cushions below, holding her steady against him as he lost himself in her kiss.

The minutes seemed like hours when they finally came up for air. Kaku watched with widening eyes as Elestren sat up, hands bringing her shirt up and over her head. Mind going blank, his eyes studied her lavender lacy bra; her chest was lovely, igniting something forbidden under his stomach.

He couldn't compromise her like this. She was too irresistible, and that was the problem. "A-Are you sure? You don't have to do this."

"I want to," Elestren whispered, smile shy as she lowered herself back toward him and pressing a kiss to his nose. "Maybe you should join me. I'm starting to feel a little left out."

She didn't have to say it twice.

The late afternoon bled into early evening, mugs of tea cold, fruit withered dry from the hour. All warmth and liveliness now stayed fresh between Kaku and Elestren's half-naked bodies, their lips swollen and wet from shared affection.

A blanket covered them, both their eyes drifting closed from exhaustion.

Kaku felt no need to rush home; he was quite content to stay where he was for as long as he wanted. Smiling tiredly, he shifted Elestren up to kiss along her collarbones again.

Elestren giggled quietly. "You're very strong."

Kaku hummed. "You're very lovely."

More sweet giggling filled the air. As silence fell again, Kaku peppered kisses down her sternum and cleavage, wanting very much to use his tongue on the round mounds of skin below.

"Does this mean we're... friends? Or something more?"

Kaku paused, head lifting from her chest. Elestren's eyes watched him, expecting an answer. Kaku knew Lucci would be furious if they continued to stay in a relationship, but for all he cared, it wasn't his business what he did.

They may be partners, but Kaku was his own man. He knew what he was doing. Besides, he didn't want to ruin this happiness Elestren gave him. He would do anything to keep this peace and tranquility around him forever.

Kaku's smile pressed against Elestren's forehead. "Of course we're friends, as far as Lucci needs to know."

Elestren blinked a few times before smiling slowly. "But to us..."

"Us is all that matters." Kaku mouthed at her neck. "I'm not letting you go."

As their lips met again, it felt like a seal being stamped into place. Whatever the future held, Kaku knew Elestren would be in it. He would continue the mission, check into Enies Lobby, and bring Elestren with him after it was over.

No matter how it happened, no matter what the next four years brought, he knew Elestren was going to be a main factor. Lucci would have to deal with it sooner or later.

He wouldn't ruin it. She was his saving grace, and he wanted to keep it that way.

~

[hoursgirlpretty]

Mountain Wind, Winter Iris

Chapter 8: A Magnificent Balm

(Chapter 7 here)

Kaku’s POV

Kaku stared up at the windows on the ceiling, watching the downpour of the rain splatter beautifully on the panes and roll off elsewhere.

It was a beautiful room.

The building's attic seemed like an impossible place to find solace in; Kaku had pictured dust and cobwebs and moldy floorboards. He didn't think it would lead to such a well-kept space, wide and tall with beautiful ceiling windows that revealed the sky. Elestren was lucky to have found this perch; it reminded Kaku of his own perch atop his vacant ship—both an escape from the demands of work and life, a way to pause time and soak in the solitude.

Kaku laid next to Elestren, the blanket underneath them scratchy and rough. They watched the rain for a while, the occasional slap of water and wind somewhere below. The city must have been flooding by now; the sloshing had gotten louder within the last hour.

Elestren shivered beside him, a subtle draft floating by. Kaku glanced over at her, his eyes trailing along the raised gooseflesh on her skin. He contemplated taking off his hoodie; she would benefit from it more than he would. But he couldn't, not when his skin was-

Kaku forced his mind to go blank. He shifted subtly, trying to get closer to her so she had some kind of heat source to press against. She turned to look at him, her tired eyes fluttering softly.

Kaku swallowed at the leap his stomach gave. "Do you have a Devil fruit power?"

Elestren blinked her round eyes at him. "No I don't." She scratched her side. "Someone in my village did. She had the ability to grow plant life within seconds. It worked really well with remedies, but with winter season all year round, the crops she produced wouldn't last long." Her arms stretched above her. Kaku's eyes briefly flickered to the small flex of muscles along her biceps. "Do you have one?"

Kaku smiled. "I wish I did."

Elestren sat up, propping her hand under her chin. "Really? Why?"

"I've seen what some can do. It's a little impressive to witness such power and control."

Elestren went quiet beside him. Kaku glanced up at her, watching her stare at the wall ahead of them. "What kind of power would you want?"

Kaku closed his eyes. "Logias have always fascinated me. But I wouldn't mind something that modifies the body like the paramecia. Anything to make me stronger."

There was a pregnant pause before Elestren spoke, her voice quiet. "Why would you need to be stronger?"

Kaku's eyes opened. Shit. He shouldn't have been so open about it. He cleared his throat. "It would help make ship-building a lot easier. And it would help to protect the city from pirates and their reckless decisions."

Elestren seemed to accept the answer, choosing to be silent and stare up at the windows again.

Kaku followed her gaze. He watched the rain form into small waterfalls down the panes of glass, flowing down into the world below. He felt like he was above the clouds, away from earth, too far up to think about coming down. He closed his eyes, his mind drifting to the reoccurring dream he was having as of late. Far up, in the trees, above the solid ground, hoping to attain something just out of his reach. The farther he climbed and leapt to get to it, the faster it would slip away.

And yet here, up in this dingy attic with Elestren, he felt as if everything came to a pause. The end goal, the dream, whatever it was he was chasing, seemed to take pause in the pursuit as well. Life seemed to stop its rushing; the clock stopped ticking. Time didn't exist in this small hidden world.

It was just him.

Him and Elestren.

Kaku could feel his state of awareness expanding, making him nauseous and cold. He wasn't sure what to do with himself. Was he safe? Was he vulnerable? Would the armor fall the longer he stayed here? Elestren shifted slightly beside him, and Kaku used every fiber of his being not to flinch. He stayed frighteningly still, unsure of himself, unsure of the girl beside him. Was he safe?

Your vulnerability is on the line.

Her words haunted him, even with her right next to him. He tried to flex his hands, spreading his fingers wide and curling them back into his palms. Small crescent shapes pierced his skin as he dug his nails into flesh. He was losing his cool; he should have never come up with her. Now that they were alone, he felt danger start to settle in. He thought he had control of the situation—playing the perfect picture of sweet and innocent, riling her up and flustering her like she did him—only for him to fall victim to his patronizing guilt and self-blame all over again. Elestren wasn't a threat. But she still made him feel exposed. He was alone with her.

Kaku was beginning to spiral, face neutral as he studied the outline of the room over again in his head. The only exit was back behind her. He could knock her unconscious, it would only take a small hit with the knife-edge of his hand to the fragile nerve under her cerebral cortex. He could make a run for it-

Elestren's hand brushed Kaku's shoulder. His eye twitched, thoughts coming to a halt. He blinked once, then twice, the sound of the rain taking over the pounding of blood rushing from his ears. His throat was dry, parched of breath and hydration. Swallowing hard, Kaku looked over to the girl beside him, momentarily forgotten about. Her hand was still touching him, light as a feather. It was her eyes that held him hostage—kind eyes that displayed a warmth Kaku had never known. His breathing began to slow again.

He watched her for a moment, studying her face. The darkness of the room cast shadows across her features, making her jaw sharp and her eyes bright. The setting only enhanced her beauty, even away from the light of day. Kaku swallowed. He resented how beautiful she was, how enticing she grew with every moment he spent in her presence. It was even worse that she didn't have a fruit power that manipulated him; if she did, he would have an easier time casting the blame off himself and onto her charms and spells.

Their unresolved conversation from the kitchen came back to him again, this time with gentleness. He thought about her words, coarse and cruel but true regardless. He knew he was holding back, unable to be true in his feelings for her.

What would become of him if he let go just to have her? What would the next few years look like? What would his position in CP9 look like?

You should consider if I’m worth the trouble, or if it will make things worse in the end.

Kaku tried to find equilibrium. He understood why it was frowned upon; it was one thing to enter CP9 with a loved one already in the picture, and it was another to seek one out when the commitment to the organization was set in stone. There were always risks being involved with people in this line of job—family, friends, romantic partners. The enemy could easily use any of them against the agent; it was inevitable.

Kaku had to prevent that. Minimal socialization kept you focused on the mission and kept others from getting hurt. It was only fair. And yet… did Kaku make a mistake by upholding it religiously? Was he truly missing out? Risking a connection because of his job?

It would all be for nothing, Kaku. You can only do so much of that before you lose yourself entirely.

Kaku jolted slightly, making the girl above him draw her eyebrows together, eyes holding fierce concern.

“Are you alright, Kaku?”

Kaku found it hard to swallow. He hated how she looked at him, like he was something to be treasured, to be adored. Why did she do that? How could she do that despite doubting if he wanted to be vulnerable with her? Kaku wanted to manage a smile, to tell her how great it is just to bask in a beautiful girl’s presence. But she would see through it without fail; he knew she would. Damn her.

Kaku blinked and tried to rationalize his answer. “I think you do have a fruit power.”

Elestren became confused yet curious. “What makes you say that?”

Kaku's cheeks became warm. “You put some kind of spell on me. You did something to me that I can’t get out of.” He wanted to shoot himself for admitting something so simple-minded.

Elestren smiled sweetly down at him, face a little closer than before. “And what did I do to you?”

Kaku felt his ears become hot, his eyes blinking rapidly. “You-You just…,” he closed his eyes to halt the overwhelming feeling in his gut, “you drive me crazy. You frustrate me.”

He knew blocking out the vision of her would do nothing; the imprint of her figure remained pressed into his eyelids. Her hand gently traced the apple of his cheek, making him raise his hand up to clasp around her wrist. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her to stop or to continue her tracing. He needed an anchor of some sort, anything to keep him rooted to the ground underneath him.

Elestren let out a small giggle, making Kaku open his eyes to look at her. Even in the darkness, Kaku could make out her furious blush. A small wave of triumph shot through him at her reaction. Knowing he was the cause of her blush made him feel victorious, like he accomplished something out of everyone's realm of possibility.

She moved back slightly, tilting her chin down. "I believe you.”

Kaku felt a smile tugging at his lips. He was a bit relieved she didn't take it in the wrong way. The hand around Elestren's wrist slid upward, grazing her fingers as it ascended to her own cheek. Her skin felt warm underneath the pads of his fingers. Kaku felt dizzy, stomach clenching and unclenching at the weighty look in her eyes. He wanted to kiss her; the urge wasn't foreign to him, but it still made him nervous.

Elestren's throat constricted in the darkness, mirroring his nerves. Taking her hand off his face, he watched her reach up and tilt his ballcap off his head, revealing his short hair. He watched her study him for a moment. Kaku's blush deepened; he hardly took off his hat, it wasn't very often that others got to see him without it. He wondered if she liked what she saw. As if answering him, Elestren's fingers made themselves at home in his locks, twisting and tangling and brushing through them intricately.

Kaku couldn't hold back the small sigh that left his mouth, eyes drifting closed as she played with his hair. Used to only his fingers combing through, he didn't realize how beautifully delicious it could feel to have a girl do it. Elestren's fingers were soft and cool, soothing his scalp and skin. Kaku knew he shouldn't allow her to touch him so intimately like this, but for a moment, all thoughts seemed to cease. He let himself be selfish for a few fleeting minutes; her hands felt so wonderful and gentle, like he was something fragile. No one had ever touched him like this.

Something behind his ribs ached. For years, he stood on the sidelines of intimacy, never letting it come within an inch of him. Yet, he more often than not would watch interactions between others—an embrace, a kiss, a lingering touch. He knew what they looked like, but never knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end.

Until now.

The realization almost brought tears to his eyes. Kaku never cried. He opened his eyes slowly, forcing himself to come out of the serendipitous moment. Elestren's small smile almost hurt to look at. He sat up and fixed the ballcap back on his head, making Elestren bring her hand back to her side. "I-I suppose I shouldn't keep you from everyone else. They might be worried about your absence."

Elestren hesitated. "You might be right." She scratched her arm, suddenly looking awkward and slightly disappointed. Kaku didn't say it, but he felt the same. He would have loved to spend more time with her tonight, would have loved continuing to let her touch him so tenderly.

Elestren stood up slowly, stretching her back a bit. "Did you want to sleep here? I can bring up more bedding and some other things for you. My living space is also an option." Realizing what she said, her hands raised defensively and a dark blush fell across her neck and face. "I-I mean my couch! My couch is an option!" She let out an exasperated breath. "Just, in case the floor up here isn't to your liking. But, you know, I'll keep my door unlocked if there's an emergency or something. Or if you need anything."

Kaku chuckled lightly, finding her stumbling words amusing. "Up here is just fine with me, flower. I'm used to sleeping in random places."

Elestren cleared her throat, trying to look more business-like. "Right. No problem. I'll get your bedding." She hurried off quickly, hiding her face in embarrassment. Kaku watched her leave, the feeling of her hand in his hair making the skin of his scalp buzz lightly.

As he stared at the windows on the ceiling later that night, the rain continuing to pour, he tried to summon the feeling of Elestren's hands again. The light scratch of her nails on his scalp, the soft pads of her fingers, the gentle look in her eyes. . .

Kaku curled into himself on the padded blanket below him. He swallowed hard, a hollow feeling springing forth inside his chest.

~~~

Kaku wasn't sleeping well.

It had been three days of Agua Laguna; three mornings and afternoons of assisting Elestren and the hospitality team with tasks and helping the people they were sheltering; three days of lingering stares and small brushes of hands when Kaku and Elestren passed in the hall; nine meals total, two of those meals shared between them; one phone call on the Den Den Mushi from Paulie, asking for Kaku's assistance to help get started on disaster relief starting the next day.

Kaku was relieved to be finally getting back to his usual routine, but something inside him disliked the idea of leaving what occurred between him and Elestren. He found himself enjoying the small moments he had with her within the week—passing glances, knowing smiles, quick bites to eat between tasks, bumping her hip when they would pass in the kitchen; he even got to see how cute she looked shooting him a shocked squeal when he managed to pinch her waist in the laundry room.

Despite the countless smiles and exchanges shared between Kaku and Elestren, there weren't any opportunities to get her hands in his hair since that first night. He wasn't a needy person, especially when it came to physical touch. And yet, all he could do on his last night was stare at the windows, dark clouds looming over him, sleep not on the fore-front of his mind.

Kaku would have liked to blame the hard wood floorboards for his restlessness, but he was accustomed to sleeping on hard floors, such was the life of a trained assassin who needed to accommodate to foreign places. He knew his resolve was slowly draining strength. Not for the first time that week, Kaku considered sneaking into Elestren's dorm.

She did say he was allowed to enter if he needed anything; it was an offer, an invitation. Why should he feel like he was intruding on her privacy? He had been inside her dorm before; he knew where the couch would be despite the darkness. He wouldn't be bothering her. He would leave the next day as soon as he opened his eyes, maybe leave her a really nice note about how wonderful she was this week. He didn't like dwelling on ideals, but he shamefully hoped Elestren would rise before him in the morning, that way she could wake him up with her sweet hand against his scalp.

Feeling more convinced, Kaku grabbed his pillow and blanket swiftly, rising to his feet and heading out of the attic. As the elevator doors closed in front of him, he suddenly paused pressing at the button.

He considered his options again. It wasn't raining tonight; it would make more sense to go back to his condominium, he could travel without the harsh winds or rain. He would have his clothes and bed back, not having to borrow from the hospitality center any longer. He would be able to sleep well for the first time in a week. It was tempting, it was logical.

And yet... that meant leaving Elestren without any note. And, well, he really should let her know how grateful he was to have her be his sanctuary from the storm. It was only fair. He needed to make sure she knew.

Pressing the button, the elevators took Kaku down to the staff's living quarters.

Kaku was deathly quiet as he opened Elestren's door, trying to steady his racing heart. He had snuck into many buildings before, locked or unlocked; this should have felt no different. But it did.

Upon entering, he didn't expect to see the light on, nor Elestren sitting cross-legged on the couch, a mug of something in her hands. Her eyes widened at his arrival, and Kaku couldn't help but freeze in the doorway.

"Kaku! Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice croaky from sleep, or lack thereof.

Kaku swallowed, closing the door softly behind him. He stayed put for a moment. "Of course. I didn't expect you to be awake. Are you alright?"

"Yes," she answered, her gaze going to her mug, "I've been having trouble sleeping tonight."

Kaku was glad to hear he wasn't the only one. Elestren glanced at the pillow and blanket in his arm, smirking at him. "You need something comfier than the ground?"

"Unfortunately," Kaku lied, smiling at her.

Elestren stood up, setting down her mug on the table in front of her. "I'll get out of your way then."

"That's not necessary," Kaku countered, making his way to the couch and setting his things down. "I don't mind some company for a while."

It didn't take much to convince Elestren, a tired smile appearing on her face. "Would you like some tea?"

"I'd love some."

Once they were both settled on the couch with their mugs, they spoke in low, hushed voices about the week. Kaku gave her his honest opinion about what he enjoyed and what he didn't care for. Kaku supposed he did enjoy helping the staff; it was great to meet many people and learn more about what Elestren did. But he loved being a shipwright more.

As Elestren spoke about the week, Kaku found himself mesmerized by the sparkle in her tired eyes. She enjoyed what she did, that much was evident. But Kaku adored how much she loved helping others. It was evident in several moments throughout the week; he had a keen observant eye naturally, and often he found himself pausing in what he was doing to watch her work. She was good—something he wasn't.

Elestren slowly stopped talking, her mouth quirking up and cheeks turning pink. "Don't do that."

Kaku blinked. "Do what?"

"Give me that look," she replied, hands fidgeting with her mug. "Like you're wildly invested in what I have to say."

"But I am invested," Kaku said, eyebrows furrowing. "You have a knack for keeping my attention."

Elestren blinked at him. "I do?"

Kaku hummed in reply, smiling softly at her. He leaned back against the couch cushion, eyes hooding. "As soon as you walk in the room, I can't focus on anything else." It was getting late; if he continued speaking, he would let something slip—honesty hours, Kalifa liked to call them.

He still reveled in the way Elestren blushed a deeper shade of pink, bringing her mug to her lips to stifle a rising giggle. "That's...very kind."

"I wasn't trying to be."

Elestren smiled at his teasing. "What were you trying to be then?"

"A flirt."

"Oh I know it. You're really good."

Kaku couldn't help the way his chest puffed up at that. "Is it working now?"

"It's worked since the first day I met you," Elestren answered honestly, her eyes shy yet sparkling.

Kaku's smile hurt his cheeks. He really wanted to kiss her. "Splendid."

Elestren let out a genuine laugh. "'Splendid?' Nobody says that anymore."

Kaku smirked at her teasing, his hand reaching out to place on her bare knee, uncovered from his blanket. "I say that."

"Yes. You and my sixty-year-old neighbor from back home."

Kaku huffed out a small laugh, feigning a hurt look. "You wound me, flower."

She gave him a knowing wink and smile, her hand overlapping his on her knee. "I'm also a doctor. I'll make sure to take care of each wound I inflict."

Kaku couldn't resist. "I can think of a great remedy right now."

"Hmm. What's that?"

It was late. It was late and he was tired. That had to be the reason why Kaku leaned forward and placed a kiss to the top of her hand over his. It was impulsive of him to do so, but he needed to satiate that weird urge inside of him to kiss her somehow. He couldn't kiss her lips, not tonight, and not on her stupid couch. If he were to kiss her properly, he would do it when it mattered. When he would be more clear-headed and prepared.

The kiss to her hand still gave effect anyhow. Elestren gasped lightly, her mouth parted as she stared at him.

Kaku leaned back up, trying not to look as rattled as she did. Maybe he read her wrong; maybe she didn't like what he did. He held his breath. "Was that okay...that I did that?"

Elestren blinked, a small smile gracing her features again. "Yes. Just...didn't expect it." She took a quick sip of her tea to fill the silence. "It was sweet."

Relief filled Kaku's chest.

Elestren then smiled wider. "Did the remedy work in your favor?"

Kaku returned her smile, glad to have back their banter and teasing from before. "Yes. I feel splendid."

Her laugh filled the air. Kaku wondered how far he could take this before it went overboard. "Although, I think maybe I need...something else, just to be sure I'm better."

Elestren played along, blinking her eyes with fake concern. "Of course. Can't be too careful. What did you have in mind?"

Kaku's hand turned upright to tangle his fingers with hers. His eyes became hooded again as he leaned a little closer to her. "It would be great if...maybe...a certain doctor's hand could massage my head. I think I may be experiencing some kind of neglect." He went the extra mile and batted his eyes. "A doctor's diagnosis is very important to me, you know."

Elestren's smile made her skin crinkle by her eyes. It was incredibly charming, watching her beam at him so excitedly. "I'd love to. I want to make sure all of my patients are taken care of."

Kaku internally cringed at the speed with which he practically threw his ballcap to the ground and placed his pillow into her lap, his head soon following. Elestren seemed to like his eagerness; she wasted no time tangling her fingers through his hair and scratching his scalp tenderly. It only took milliseconds for him to melt into the couch cushions below him, a low breath exiting his lips.

He would be embarrassed by his behavior later. Elestren's hands felt too marvelous; all his thoughts seem to cease with each small tug of his locks and trail of her fingers. It was nice to not overthink for once, to just let himself be touched like this, with nothing to earn from it.

Kaku could feel the familiar pull of wooliness start to drift over his mind. His eyelashes fluttered, the beginnings of sleep taking its course. He tried to stay awake, ashamed of keeping Elestren up for his sake. He was selfish in his haste to have her hands on him, but he wasn't that selfish.

As if sensing his unease, Elestren stroked his cheek. "You're okay, Kaku," she murmured lowly. "Get some rest. I'll be here."

She had a way of convincing him to do anything. He obeyed her at once, allowing the darkness to coax him into deep rest. Her fingers continued to stroke and smooth his hair, a beautiful remedy to his restlessness.

~

[hoursgirlpretty]

Mountain Wind, Winter Iris

Chapter 7: An Intentional Breath

(Chapter 6 here)

Elestren’s POV

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

Elestren could feel the frustrated tears come welling back up. She leaned against the hallway and tried to swallow down the lump in her throat. She couldn’t face the hoards of people she was sheltering right now. She hated being so vulnerable like this, especially when she had work to get done. Why did he have to be so mean?

If this was anyone else, Elestren would have rolled her eyes, dismissed their attitude and carried on with her day, maybe give some of that attitude back.

But it wasn’t just anyone. It was Kaku. Kaku was charming, friendly, and charitable. He didn’t seem to have a mean bone in his body. And yet, he had done a full 180 as soon as he had hung up the phone.

Had something happened to make him so angry? Did she do something wrong by convincing him to stay at the center? She did admit, it was a bit selfish on her part to keep him from going back to his condo, but she did have his best interest and safety in mind.

Elestren blinked ahead of her, focusing on nothing as her mind raced. She couldn’t get Kaku’s eyes out of her head—the subtle flicker of annoyance, his smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

He had been annoyed with her.

Elestren’s stomach began to hurt. It wasn’t such a bother that he was annoyed; it was the idea of him trying to act like he wasn’t. She didn’t want him to pretend with her. If he had to pretend to not be annoyed with her, what else was he pretending to feel, or not feel?

The door next to her opened. Elestren struggled to lift her eyes to whoever it was that was talking to her.

She blinked heavily at Ava. “What did you say?”

”Jettie said to get some extra chairs from the dining hall. Apparently some of the kids on level five want to build a fort!"

Ava thought the idea was charming; Elestren couldn't help but feel irritated. At a time like this, kids wanted to build forts?

Biting her tongue, she followed Ava to the elevators. She tried to summon some fake happiness back, if only to make herself look more composed for the people. They deserved someone who was happy to help them in a crisis—to be authentic in their hospitality.

As Elestren and Ava grabbed carriers for the chairs, a vicious wind chose that moment to knock against the doors, water sloshing against the windows and hurling its winds to and fro. Both the girls flinched at the loud noises. They picked up their pace back to the elevators. They didn’t want to remain on the main level longer than they had to be.

A horrifying thought came to Elestren as the elevator began to lift them up. What if Kaku didn’t get back to the condos safely? The weather was getting worse by the hour; sending anyone out would be a death sentence.

Elestren could feel her stomach tying in knots. Perhaps she had been too careless in her anger; kicking him out of the building had been a mistake. If he was badly injured or even killed, it would be her fault. Swallowing hard, she tried to remain neutral as the elevator doors opened. Elestren would help Ava get the chairs into the lodging space, then she would hightail it to her Den Den Mushi and check in with the foremen to make sure Kaku got back safely.

Elestren didn't quite register the sounds of children squealing or giggling fits of laughter. She followed behind Ava as they opened the lodging doors and gaped at the scene before her.

The entire space had turned into multiple tents and forts for everyone inside, including the adults and small families. Countless children were chasing someone around the room, clambering all over him and fighting to get on his back.

Elestren felt her throat begin to squeeze. It was Kaku.

Kaku had grabbed a couple kids around him, holding them tightly as he ran up the walls and leapt to the other side, earning more squealing laughter from the children. Elestren watched him effortlessly hop from wall to wall, reminiscent of some kind of limber animal. It reminded her of the simple afternoons she spent with him, holding onto his back as he bounded from rooftop to rooftop, his hands tight on her legs.

Elestren took her eyes away from the scene to look around the room. Some of the adults and parents watched the fun obstacle taking place, smiles contagious. The room wasn't cluttered like the other lodging spaces; the tents and forts made enough room for everyone to have their own private section. Elestren blinked in wonder. Had Kaku helped rearrange this room?

Ava glanced back at Elestren, giving her a look of wonder. Elestren couldn't summon a proper smile; she couldn't do anything except stare and gawk at everything inside the room.

She had been so cruel. She didn't deserve to face Kaku after what she had said, but more so now that he stayed and kept everyone in high spirits during the frightening storm. She was an idiot.

The girls carefully wheeled in the extra chairs. Elestren made sure her back was to Kaku so she wouldn't have to face him just yet. It didn't seem to matter; Kaku was already approaching them to help get the chairs set up.

Elestren turned right as Kaku moved in for a stack, forcing her to become chest to chest with him. She gasped lightly and backed up, hitting the cart behind her and staring wide-eyed at the sweet man. Kaku paused, one arm on the stack of chairs, almost barricading her to her spot. She watched him blink softly down at her, overwhelming her with his sweet presence yet again.

Kaku had a couple beads of sweat running down his temple from the play and exertion. He looked lighter, more relaxed and open. Elestren thought he looked so incredibly handsome in this moment; something in the atmosphere shifted at this untamed yet calm demeanor he had. Elestren swallowed hard, cheeks going ablaze as she tried to open her mouth to speak.

"Hi," she said inaudibly, voice creaking like a sick frog.

Kaku's smile was like a breath of fresh air, a warm hand coming up to brush away a small piece of hair on her forehead. "Hey, flower."

Elestren melted into his touch, the nickname making her heart skip.

~~~

Elestren's eyes couldn't seem to blink as she watched Kaku entertain the kids, afraid she would miss a moment of this beautiful exterior he was showcasing.

She tried to focus as she and Ava made sure everyone had what they needed for the night, making lists of things they would need to bring up soon. Elestren reviewed the lists, forcing her eyes away from Kaku, who was throwing a small kid into the air and catching them. It was amazing how well Kaku fit into the current role; what made Elestren so flustered was that he seemed to be actually enjoying himself. There was no trace of annoyance or obligation in his eyes as he played with the children.

Elestren felt sweat accumulate into her palms. Did he feel obligation with her now? Did he always feel that way?

As if sensing her immediate discomfort, Kaku's long legs carried him to her side. He had turned his ball cap backward, his light hair sticking through the opening. He looked youthful this way, more endearing. It made her nervous. She held her breath as he peered down at her, her eyes studying his, searching for an ounce of irritation or burden hidden beneath his irises. His eyes gave nothing away. Elestren's eyes flickered to his mouth when it began to turn up into a small smile.

"You alright, flower?"

Elestren swallowed hard, hands clamming up around the lists in her hands. "I'm alright." She huffed out a breath, overwhelmed with how anxious he made her. "I, uh, I'm getting some more provisions for everyone. Do you...need anything? Are you hungry?"

Kaku tilted his head in thought. "Now that you mention it, I'm starving. Some water would be wonderful as well."

Elestren nodded fervently, scrambling for her pen and adding another tally to food and water. When she looked back up to Kaku, she watched him step closer, his eyelids hooding. Something in her belly flipped at the look he was giving her. She stayed attentive to him, watching to see what he would do or say next.

"Mind if I tag along with you? It could take a while. You might need some help."

Elestren tried to keep herself from shuddering at his low murmur. What did that mean? Did he want to talk? She supposed they did need to talk about their argument and her reaction. Elestren felt that belly-flipping motion ignite inside of her again. She didn't know what the hell that expression he was giving her was. It put her on edge; but not in a threatening way.

Out of her peripherals, she noticed a couple children come running up to the two of them, clinging to one of Kaku's long legs and giggling excitedly.

"Mr. Kaku! Mr. Kaku! Can we play the wind game again? Please?"

Kaku took his gaze off Elestren to chuckle and ruffle the kids' hair, stooping down to get on their level. "I'm afraid I'll need to eat something so I can get strong for games again." He gestured to the chairs and blankets being set up. "But I'll make you a deal. If you help build some new ships until I get back, I'll make sure you're first in line!"

The kids' disappointment didn't last too long. They smiled widely and chattered excitedly as they ran to help with the blanket forts, or the "ships" as Kaku called them.

Elestren blinked in wonder. "You're very good at that."

Kaku raised up to his full height. "At what? Making deals?" he teased.

Elestren couldn't help but return his lopsided grin. "I meant with the kids. You're very-" she paused, trying to find the right word, "-good." It wasn't the word she wanted, but nothing else seemed to suit what he was.

Kaku gave a chuckle. "I wouldn't say I'm that good."

"I think you are," Elestren countered. "You're very good. And kind. And..." She trailed off, lowering her eyes to the ground as the argument from hours ago resurfaced. And I'm not sure if you're being that way because you have to be.

Elestren couldn't meet Kaku's eyes, even when he stepped closer again and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. His touch made her skin vibrate pleasantly. He made her feel so many things in such a short amount of time—from happy to angry, from angry to worried, from worried to flustered. It would almost be whiplash if she didn't find him so lovely.

Kaku gently took the same hand that touched her and placed it under her chin, raising her eyes to meet his again. His smile was twice as gentle. "What if I make you a deal as well?"

Elestren's eyes fluttered as he held her with his palm. "I'm listening."

Kaku's thumb brushed along her skin. "You feed me, and I'll spend the rest of Agua Laguna here with you. I'll do whatever you ask of me."

Elestren blinked. Was he serious? Did he really want to be here with her? Elestren couldn't hold back her skepticism. "All of that for just a meal? I'm afraid what I'll be doing pales in comparison to what you've done for me."

"But it doesn't really," Kaku said, his smile growing. "This is a hospitality center. You're taking care of me and keeping me safe." He trailed his hand up along her jaw and pinched her earlobe playfully, earning him a light gasp. "If I help out, I suppose it's in my best interest to make sure I take care of you and keep you safe as well."

Elestren felt jittery; if Kaku didn't have his hold on her, she feared she would float away.

Kaku had gotten closer; she practically had to crane her neck back to look up at him. His fingers tangled into the hair behind her ear, twisting the locks near the nape of her neck. Her mouth parted at the intimate gesture, watching his eyes hood into that intense look he had given her before. He was never so physical like this with her; this was uncharted territory. It made Elestren's thighs go up in flames, making her breath falter and try to squeeze itself back into her lungs.

Kaku's voice lowered. "We'd be helping each other out, sharing the benefit. Doesn't that sound good, flower?"

Elestren wanted to squeal and shriek, desperate to expel the high energy and pent up tension lodged inside her sternum and belly. What was happening? What was he doing? Was he trying to convince her to let him stay? He didn't need to put on such a performance for her; she already wanted him to stay. What frightened her the most, though, was that there wasn't any lingering doubt or deceit in his eyes. He was doing this of his own free will. He was doing it on purpose.

Did he have any idea what he was doing to her? Making her feel?

Kaku's smile morphed into a playful smirk, long lashes blinking slowly. Elestren felt her eyes widen. He knew; he fucking knew what he was doing. Elestren sucked in a harsh breath through her teeth, eyes darting away quickly. She couldn't stand to meet his gaze knowing he was trying to seduce her, knowing it was working.

Kaku wasn't having it. His large hand spread along the back of her head, cradling it carefully while he maneuvered her to look him in the eyes again. When his tongue stuck out to lick his lips, Elestren snapped. Her face was on fire as she let out a strangled squeak and wrestled out of his hold. She took several breaths, trying to get a hold of herself. She scanned the room quickly to see if anyone had seen what he reduced her to, if anyone had picked up on the way her skin prickled and crackled like kindling in a furnace.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

No one seemed to notice their private moment, much too busy within their tents and forts of comfort. Elestren sighed a breath of relief, trying to clear her mind. She thought back to Kaku's suave words, his request still hanging in the air. A plaguing thought crossed her mind right then, making the tense flutters and blush disappear as soon as they came.

"Would it be a true benefit? Or are you not the good man I think you are?"

It seemed like a mistake to remove the playfulness from the atmosphere between them, but Elestren needed to ask it. She needed to know if this was real, if what he was doing was because he wanted it. Was all of it pretend? Was he obligated yet again by her?

Kaku was deathly silent. Elestren waited for his reply; she'd wait forever if that meant he said something worthwhile, something honest for once.

It was a couple minutes later when Elestren felt Kaku's hand brush her arm. "If it's you, it's a benefit. You're worth all of it."

Elestren turned around quickly, needing to see his face, needing to see it for herself. Kaku gazed down at her, eyes devoid of the intensity he captured her with before, his irises now a soft dark brown. His features looked nervous, almost embarrassed with the switch in mood. Elestren wasn't too concerned about his comfort right then; she wanted his authenticity. She craved it.

Elestren cleared her throat. "I can take you to the main kitchen for some food." She grabbed the chair carriers next to her. "I'll show you the way."

With Ava gone, Elestren greatly underestimated the weight and bulkiness of two carriers. She struggled clumsily with holding the both of them at the same time. When Kaku took the reins and gathered the carriers from her, Elestren let him. She gave him a small smile of thanks and opened the door for him.

"I'll try not to keep you too long. I know the kids will be wanting to have you back."

Kaku gave her a small grin. "Don't persecute me, but I didn't choose to stay here during a storm for the kids."

Elestren stared at him a bit too long, forcing her eyes away and walking ahead of him down the hallway. She missed the smile on the man's face, too focused on the hall in front of her.

~~~

Elestren finished cleaning the kitchen while Kaku ate, piecing together what she wanted to say to him.

She knew she had to apologize, but she knew she needed to express how upset she was with the idea of him holding back emotions from her. It was one thing to not share parts of his past, but another thing to withhold emotions. Especially since she suspected he had some feelings for her.

Kaku cut into her internalization. "Why don't you come sit down, flower?" He gestured to the stool beside him. "You haven't touched your food yet."

She was sure she was hungry; she still had yet to eat anything since that morning. The recent events of the day had ruined her appetite momentarily, but now that things were on the rise, her stomach decided to let out a hollow growl.

Elestren set down the cleaning cloth in her hand and placed herself next to Kaku, picking up her fork and taking tentative bites. Kaku kept his eyes on her. "Something on your mind? I can practically see steam coming out of your ears."

Elestren began her vicious cycle of thinking again while she chewed. When she swallowed, she threw care to the wind and decided to just speak her mind. "I feel terrible about our argument from hours ago." She folded her hands in her lap, trying not to fidget. "I know I was angry with you, but it wasn't fair to kick you out of the center, especially during a storm as bad as this one. I-" she gave a pause, forcing her eyes to Kaku's, "-I'm sorry I treated you like that. I should have been kinder."

Kaku watched her for a moment, his face unreadable. He took a deep breath and slid his eyes to the plate in front of him. "I should be the one apologizing. You were right about everything. I shouldn't pretend to be a certain way if I do not feel it." He glanced sideways to her hands in her lap. "You see me as this wonderful and good person, and doing anything to hinder that would be devastating."

Elestren's eyebrows furrowed as she watched him. "That doesn't mean you aren't allowed to be irritated with me or those around you." She fidgeted with her shorts. "I want you to be yourself, not what others expect you to be."

"It's not that simple," Kaku replied, turning his fork over in his hand. "I have certain expectations for myself, and if I let my emotions get in the way, I won't have good judgment."

Elestren considered what he said. "I'm sure that's smart to do, but ignoring your emotions completely can be just as detrimental."

"It isn't the same," Kaku countered, the irritation evident in his eyes.

Despite defensiveness coming up, Elestren was happy he was being honest. She tilted her head a little closer to him. "Why not? You saw what happened this afternoon when you pretended not to be upset with your circumstances. I'm not saying there isn't a time and place for emotions, but you don't have to deny yourself to feel."

Kaku didn't respond to that, choosing to take a few more bites of his food and drink some water.

Elestren wished he would speak so she didn't feel the need to fill the silence. Was anything she saying making an impact on him? Did he understand where she was coming from? She reached for her fork, gathering food to lift to her mouth when Kaku finally spoke.

"I...don't find it easy to be real with others." Kaku took a small breath, eyes searching the air for words. "It’s much easier to just be what people need me to be rather than find the time to be vulnerable.”

Elestren felt a small twinge of sadness bloom inside her chest at those words. She was sure he was being honest, but he was so nonchalant about saying it—like it was ingrained into him over the years. Elestren reached a hand out and placed it over his empty one. He glanced at her.

”It would all be for nothing, Kaku. You can only do so much of that before you lose yourself entirely.”

Kaku let out a small laugh, finding her seriousness about it amusing. “Would that be such a bad thing if the job gets done?”

“If you desire for whatever’s between us to go farther, then yes.”

Kaku wasn’t expecting Elestren to say that, much less herself. His eyes widened minimally, hand jolting out from underneath hers like she had set him on fire.

Elestren wanted to berate herself internally for letting something like that slip. She was getting flustered with how careless he was in his resolve, she couldn’t help but think about what the future held between the two of them. Did he really like her like she thought he did? Was he pretending about that too?

Swallowing hard, Elestren kept her eyes steady, a flush growing on her neck.

”I remember you saying before that you liked me despite your trouble with revealing details of your past. I still respect that, but now that obligation has come up, I’m starting to wonder what your motives are with being involved with me.” She kept her eyes steely. “Did you mean it when you said you liked me?”

Kaku didn’t take his eyes away from her, meeting the challenge. “I did.”

”Then your vulnerability is on the line. At this point, you should consider if I’m worth the trouble, or if it will make things worse in the end.”

Elestren anchored herself to Kaku’s stare, hoping her glassy eyes didn’t reveal her pain. It seemed cruel to put him in this situation so early in their friendship, but even if they remained friends and didn’t become lovers, he still needed some vulnerability in their connection.

Kaku’s face was unreadable. Elestren tried to keep from shaking him, willing him to be vulnerable to her face. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, holding her breath. Would he cut things off? Had she been too forward in this? She needed to know.

Kaku leaned away from her, taking a slow deep breath. Elestren wasn’t sure if that reaction was good or bad. She wished he would give her something. Maybe he made up his mind already and was debating how to let her down gently.

Elestren swallowed, an idea coming to her. “Do you wanna go somewhere?”

Recognizing the repeat of his own words, Kaku blinked at her, mouth twitching up momentarily. “Where to?”

Elestren stood up from the stool, her hand out to him. “Follow me.”

~

[hoursgirlpretty]

Mountain Wind, Winter Iris

Chapter 6: An Essence of Grace

(Chapter 5 here)

Kaku’s POV

Kaku didn't really miss her.

He might not have been used to such sweet company in a while; and she was pretty; and she made him feel like he was born of the sun; and she asked him lots of intricate questions to get to know him better; not to mention she was such a kind person.

But he didn't miss her.

Elestren was becoming a problem. Kaku enjoyed her, thus becoming too dependent on her to entertain him. Why should he consider going to visit her with the storm coming? Why should he consider going to visit her in general? Kaku couldn't stray from the mission, physically or mentally, Lucci often reminded him.

He needed something else to keep his mind from wandering. He was doing fine before meeting Elestren, what was a few weeks without seeing her? Kaku could feel something inside him twinge. It had been almost a month since he'd seen her last, which had made him face his predicament at hand.

He didn't miss her.

He just...needed to get out of the condo. He would be cooped up in here with the other foremen for the next few days, and it made sense to consider getting some fresh air.

Standing up from his spot on the sofa, Kaku put on his sneakers and left his dorm. He mapped out where he would go in his head—he'd hop around town, check to see how people were faring the advancing storm, maybe get some sushi to-go, then head back to the condos before evening hit. It seemed like a good plan; it would get him out of his head.

Kaku passed Lucci on the way to the elevators, the dark-haired man removing his hat and shaking the rain from it.

"Where are you off to?" Hattori asked from his shoulder, shaking his feathers.

"Need some air. I'll be back in a jiffy." Kaku pressed the elevator button, sensing Lucci's eyes on him. Kaku turned to look back at his comrade, seeing the indifference in the man's eyes.

Lucci didn't have to say it; Kaku knew what he was thinking.

Kaku refused to be defensive of where he spent his time. And why should he be? He wasn't going to see Elestren; Kaku didn't have anything to defend. He would prove him wrong when he returned in less than an hour.

As the elevator doors closed, the last thing he saw was the subtle squint of Lucci's eyes. Kaku rolled his shoulders. He was sensible and responsible; he wouldn't let his comrade down.

~~~

Kaku knew the minute he hopped the town buildings that his legs would carry him to the hospitality center. He shouldn't have caved to temptation.

Now he couldn't leave; the sweet girl ahead of him had him in her clutches. Shifting the bedding in his arms, he forced himself to swallow down his guilt and disappointment. He could still get back to the condo before the evening. Once the leak in the lobby was tended to, he could say goodbye and head back. Elestren might be sad, but he knew she wouldn't be too upset with him. She was kind and forgiving. Perhaps he would kiss her hand or call her by his little nickname so that she would blush that pretty rose color again, give her something to think about during the storm.

Elestren unlocked a door farther down the hallway. It was a huge room, bigger than a presidential suite, with an extra sliding door in the back that extended the space. Kaku followed Elestren to the sliding door while looking around. "This an extra lodging area?"

"Yes. This is usually where we'd hold recreational activities, but we need all the space we can use." Elestren slid the door to the other side, walking toward various stacks of towels and blankets. "We can set the bedding here. We'll start setting up once Jettie gets the rest of the volunteers together."

Kaku obeyed, careful not to let any of the bedding fall from its height. Elestren took some of the blankets and extra pillows onto the ground, arranging them into a small nest. She contemplated how her makeshift bed, talking to herself lowly as she sat on her knees and sorted her arrangement.

Kaku blinked down at her, eyes darting away swiftly and turning around to face the other wall.

He was a gentleman. He would never dare look at a girl longer than necessary, whether she wanted him to or not. He wasn't going to start now, especially when said girl was on her hands and knees fixing a bed space, the arch of her back putting her in a particularly compromising position. But he had seen her regardless, just enough to make a hot, lingering flush crawl up his neck and to the tips of his ears. He felt suddenly too warm in his jacket, itching to take it off and throw it. He needed to get the hell out of this room.

"I think I'll head to the lobby and look at that leak," Kaku said a bit too loudly, forcing himself to move his feet.

"Oh right. Thanks again for offering!" Elestren called after him, oblivious to the internal disgust Kaku was feeling. He didn't let himself breathe until he was behind the elevator doors by himself. He let out a small sigh, taking off his ball cap and fanning his hot face. He felt like a proper creep. How could he think of Elestren like that? He hadn't dwelt on the idea of her being promiscuous in any way; she hadn't given him reason to, and even then, Kaku had self-control. He wanted to respect her.

Yet, something had triggered inside of him at the sight of her position. He wanted to keep looking, he wanted to stare. He wanted to...to-

The ding of the elevator floor cut Kaku's impulsive thoughts from festering. Slamming his ball cap back on, Kaku tried to look resolute as he stiffly marched to the main lobby. He refused to let his mind wander. Elestren hadn't meant to do it on purpose; she was doing her job. And he had a job to do as well. Once the leak was fixed he would get out of there and back into his room, away from the pretty girl and the overflowing piles of bedding.

~~~

Kaku managed to seal off the leak before it turned worse. The rain had started coming down in droves since he arrived at the hospitality center, and with the winds picking up, it seemed like Agua Laguna arrived a couple days early.

Kaku watched sheets of rain pelt the windows, his resolve to leave slowly draining away. He shouldn't be outside in the middle of this weather; despite his strength and endurance, he didn't want to end up swept under a high tide. He might have to stay inside the center until the worst of it was over.

This realization made Kaku feel disappointment in himself. Why hadn't he just taken his walk like he planned? Why did he have to go right into the open trap? Why couldn't he seem to control himself around her?

Perhaps she did have some kind Devil Fruit he didn't know about; one that broke down even the strongest wills of men. He would need to confront Kalifa again, make sure he was the one to go through her background file to know everything. He couldn't bend to her will so easily like this.

Swallowing hard, Kaku turned on his heel and made his way to the front entrance. Damn the storm and hide tide, he would brave the winds and rain until he got back to the condos. He overstayed his welcome here. It would satisfy Lucci to know he kept his word as well; he didn't think he could be on the receiving end of his scowls any longer.

"Hey! How was the leak?" Elestren's voice called to him from behind. "Was it as bad as Jettie made it out to be?"

Kaku slowed down his walking. He could hear her footsteps approaching him. Luck wasn't in his favor tonight. He sighed and rubbed his neck, wondering how he would convince her to let him go. He turned and gave her a hesitant smile."It wasn't bad at all. Just needed some sealant and it was good as new."

Elestren's smile was relieved. "Ah, good." She eyed the door behind him and frowned slightly. "Don't tell me you're going out in that storm?"

Kaku held back a breath. "Well, I didn't want to overstay my welcome. Besides, the guys would worry about me if I didn't return like I promised."

"I see." It was Elestren's turn to hesitate, fidgeting with some papers in her hands. "Well, the weather's getting pretty bad. I would hate to send you out only for you to get hurt or swept away." She came closer to him. Kaku tried to keep his resolve steady; no amount of doe-eyes or sweet words would entice him to stay any longer than necessary.

She blinked her lashes up at him, concern swirling through her irises. "Can't you stay until the worst of it has passed? We have a Den Den Mushi here you can use to call the foremen so they know where you are."

Kaku's throat bobbed, hand coming up to scratch his neck. She was making this hard for him to say no; her Devil Fruit spell was working its magic. "I- I don't know, flower. I really should-"

"Please, Kaku? Just for tonight? You can leave tomorrow if the weather permits it. I don't want you getting hurt."

Kaku wouldn't get hurt; he was too fast for any kind of injury to take place. He looked into her eyes again, a grave mistake. Her pretty, gentle eyes were pleading, practically begging for him to remain inside the building. His stomach tightened. Damn it. Why did she have to be so sweet-looking like this?

"Alright, I'll stay. But for tonight only."

Elestren broke into a huge grin, her hand reaching out to caress his arm. "Thank you, Kaku. I'll get you that Den Den Mushi right away!" She turned on her heel and scurried off to retrieve the phone. Kaku rubbed his forehead. Lucci was going to kill him.

~~~

Kaku stared at the small snail in his hand, the eyes slanted into a frown. "I should have guessed you'd be with that girl. What kind of idiot takes a walk during a hurricane?"

"The weather got worse, I had no choice. Besides, they had a leak they needed fixing," Kaku sighed. Hattori's voice wasn't as chastising as Lucci's could be, but it didn't make it better to still hear Lucci voice his thoughts through the bird.

The snail scowled deeper. "Well aren't you just the chivalrous knight in shining armor?"

Kaku felt coals in the pit of his belly start to simmer, frustration and humiliation igniting up to his chest and making him bite his tongue from yelling at his partner. Why should he be so angry with him? He though Lucci trusted him.

The Den Den Mushi made scuffling noises, and the snail's eyes became wide, Tilestone's boisterous laugh coming through the receiver. "Don't let Lucci rain on your parade, Kaku! We know you're in the best of hands! You take as long as you want over there!" The snail winked before more scuffling and background voices filled the receiver. The snail went blank, silence taking over.

At first, Kaku thought maybe they hung up. But the snail was still active, blinking attentively. It started to scowl again, deeper than the last time.

"You lied to me."

Kaku sat up straight at hearing Lucci's quiet, seething tone. He lowered his voice as he answered. "I didn't lie to you. I said I needed some air. That was the truth."

"What are you earning through being with her? You don't need to see her every day, she isn't your girlfriend."

Kaku hated the way Lucci was talking to him. He wasn't a petulant child; he was only keeping shelter from the storm. "I know this. Why don't you trust me? I'm not straying from the mission."

"You're becoming distracted," Lucci growled lowly into the speaker. "That girl is keeping you from working."

"She isn't," Kaku assured, trying not to give away his frustration. "What work would we need to do during the storm anyway? We can't go anywhere; everyone is shut up in their homes or in shelters. The best option for us right now is to follow suit and wait out the storm."

Lucci was silent on the other end.

Kaku sighed again, hating to be the voice of reason for Lucci's lack of judgment. His voice became quieter. "I'm not naive, Lucci. I won't get caught up in something I can't untangle myself from."

The snail blinked for a minute, the scowl gradually turning into an indifferent expression. "See that you don't."

The click of the phone was deafening in the room.

Kaku sighed, massaging his temple as he stood up to place the Den Den Mushi back on the small office table. He felt angry with Lucci’s disappointment, but felt more angry at himself. He thought he had earned Lucci’s trust after training in Cipher Pol for so long, but it seemed one little slip up had him doubting his partner. Kaku rolled his shoulders and left the office, back a little straighter. This wouldn’t cloud his judgment. He knew himself, he knew his limits. He wouldn’t let a girl affect his role in the mission.

The girl in question was standing by the wall outside the room, fingers tapping against her legs. At Kaku’s reappearance, she stood up from the wall and faced him. Kaku tried to summon a smile, but paused at her expression.

Elestren seemed upset. “Look, I’m sorry. I feel as if I got you in trouble with the guys. If you’d rather get back to the condos, I can find some kind of transportation for you.”

Kaku wanted to chastise her for going back and forth in her decisions. If she feared he would face consequences, why would she beg for him to stay like that? What good did it do? Kaku knew he couldn’t be brash with her; it would make things worse. He tried on a smile, albeit a tight one.

“Well, I couldn’t say no to you. You were only looking out for me-“

“Please don’t do that.”

Kaku blinked. “Do what?”

Elestren’s brows furrowed. “Pretend to be chivalrous. You’re allowed to be upset with me.”

Before Kaku could rationalize an excuse, he tilted his head. “No I’m not.”

“Yes you are. Why do you choose to do the opposite of what you're actually feeling?”

Kaku didn’t like how the kindness in her eyes made him rise to the challenge. He hated that she saw past him somehow. “To be logical. If I decided to do what I was actually feeling, then I wouldn't be the great person you think I am, now would I?"

Kaku knew he was starting to become mean. He had yet to show this side to her, but he didn't care right then. She was being stubborn too; he didn't need her down his neck like this.

Elestren didn't let him faze her. She raised her chin defiantly at him, the hurt evident in her eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't keep up appearances then."

"Maybe I won't."

"Wonderful," Elestren said coldly. "I'll start for you. Get out of my hospitality center." With that, she turned on her heel and marched back toward the elevators.

Kaku stood there alone, the howling of the rain and winds picking up outside, matching the turmoil in his chest. He couldn't seem to move. He should have been relieved that she released her hold on him; he could get back to the condos and be in Lucci's good graces again.

Then why wasn't he leaving? Why did he suddenly feel so dissatisfied with how he handled things?

It was one thing to have Lucci disappointed in him. It was something else entirely to have Elestren disappointed in him.

Remorse seemed to sink its claws into Kaku's chest; Elestren's disappointment seemed to matter much more than Lucci's right then. Why was that? Why did it matter so much? Kaku swallowed hard, chest tight and muscles tense. He didn't just make her disappointed in him; she was kicking him out. He had hurt her.

He briefly thought of the conversation back in the dive bar.

"Are you okay?"

"I think so. Much better now that you're here."

"I'll make sure to keep it that way for as long as I can."

Kaku clenched his fists by his side. He was an idiot. Who cared if Lucci was mad for him staying at the hospitality center? He was safe and sheltered, and he was stuck in a building with a pretty girl who cared too much about him. What was there to be upset about?

Leaving seemed so irrational now, a mere secondary thought to what was now a priority in Kaku's mind. He straightened considerably and rolled his shoulders back. He walked briskly to the elevators, pressing the button to the fifth floor.

He would keep his word on two things: dropping appearances, and keeping Elestren happy for as long as he could.

~

[nanamibaiano]

the heat in water 7 can be brutal, even for the strongest.

★ : part 1!, smut, reader secretary, degradation, few nicknames, f! oral, a slap on the clitoris, unprotected sex, creampie.

"didn't I tell you to stop wearing short clothes, woman?!" paulie almost shouts as soon as she sees you next to Iceburg, this time wearing shorts for the hot weather in water 7. "mr. iceburg, look what you're doing! you let your secretary get so comfortable that she walks around indecently! i've already talked to that girl, but she doesn't listen to me!" even after receiving a spanking a few days ago — where your bottom was so red and sore, in addition to the denial of an intense orgasm — you didn't learn your lesson.

no, not at all, you would make paulie lose his mind again, and this time he's going to have sex with you, he needs to have fuck you!

"nmaa, what's all this fuss about, paulie?" iceburg asks while picking his nose. yes, even after years he still had the habit of picking his nose while making a silly face — he forgets that he's an important person to water 7. "i don't see any problem with her clothes, besides, it's hot, man. only a madman would walk around this city in long clothes in this heat." he glances down at paulie's clothes, who was wearing his pants and his typical jacket; even the strongest men in galley-la couldn't beat the heat and surrendered to shorts and bermudas. "yeah, it seems there's a madman for that."

you just chuckle as you see paulie's cheeks turn a deep red, as does the tip of his cigar, which glowed brighter after a quick drag. "i value my comfort. unlike your cheeky secretary, look at that shamelessness." paulie crosses his arms, feeling awkward, hearing Iceburg's laughter and his cheeky secretary's quiet laughter, which only frustrates him further.

he turned his back, leaving you and the mayor behind; it was better for his mental health that way. poor thing, he still dreamed of the soft skin of your thighs and how your ass felt perfect against the palm of his hand. he could still perfectly feel the sensation of your skin, your wet little pussy covered by your panties. but he wouldn't have thought that even after the spanking session you would continue to be a naughty little brat.

paulie tried to go back to work, he swears he tried, mainly because Iceburg was there, but you... oh, heavens! all little good, delivering refreshing drinks to your coworkers, in those tiny shorts. paulie swears he saw a red mark on your ass from the day of the spanking session — he's just paranoid from so much lust.

as soon as Iceburg lowered his guard — paulie couldn't hold back. as soon as you turned your face and your eyes met the blond man's, you saw him making an almost desperate gesture for you to follow him. bingo, he was already going crazy.

without warning iceburg, you sneak away, grateful that ms. kokoro suddenly appeared with chimney by her side. you head to the place where paulie had disappeared, and of course he made you go to his office. you were going to finish what you had started.

before you could even close the office door, paulie does it for you, trapping you against the closed door, snatching your precious clipboard from your little hands, throwing it to any corner of that office. "what did i tell you, brat?" he asked as he brought his face close to yours, making you feel his warm breath against your little face. "you really are a show-off. do you really think a pair of shorts is going to save you from this indecency?" paulie slowly raises his hand to hold your chin, forcing you to lift your face and look him in the eyes. "no, you're not getting away with it this time, little girl. this time i'm going to finish what i started..."

paulie finally pulls you into a kiss, it was desperate and a little awkward — he was still the same clumsy, horny fool — his hand slid from your chin to the nape of your neck, grabbing the short strands of hair that came loose from your ponytail.

you're not left behind, you too were just a clumsy, horny fool, now you could finally unleash all that desire and the dream of coming on paulie's big cock.

"pa-paulie— ngh! yo-you bastard!" your moans echoed obscenely and loudly through paulie's office, your clothes scattered everywhere. you could swear you saw your panties hanging on the coat rack next to the office door. do you care? of course not! how can you focus on where your panties are hanging when you have a ravenous paulie devouring your delicious pussy like it's his lunch?

"do-don't stop, please!— ah! ah!" you threw your head back as you brought your delicate little hands to paulie's head, snatching off his glasses and freely grabbing his blond hair, messing it up however you wanted.

"you're so delicious, kitten..." paulie finally said after spending long minutes devouring you, running his tongue all over your slit, circling the swollen clit with the tip of his tongue and sucking it, making you tremble. if this was paradise, then don't take paulie away from there! "it's better than i thought... so perfect, i think i'm addicted..." he raises his hand, using two fingers to explore your intimacy, opening your lips, rubbing spit and lubricant on your clitoris, making light circular movements, causing you to arch your back against the sofa upholstery. "beautiful. has anyone ever told you how perfect you look when you're close to coming?" he asks teasingly, slapping your pussy; he so badly wanted to slap that swollen button.

"no! this is too much!" you were already crying, gripping his hair while trembling with pleasure; you could feel that you would come with a few more slaps because you were so sensitive. "just fuck me! i need your dick..." your pleas come out in moans, letting go of his hair, taking advantage of the moment when he wasn't attacking your needy pussy to catch your breath.

"looks like i let you down, didn't i?" he asked as he stood up, turning to face you and slowly unbuckling his belt, just to tease you.

"you're mean!" you quickly blurt out, sitting up straight, anxious and frustrated, desperately reaching for his belt, taking on the task of pulling down those damn pants. "you use my thighs like they're my pussy, you deny cumming inside me—" with a brusque movement you finally manage to open his pants and pull them down along with his underwear, moaning just at the sight of paulie's big, thick penis again. "aah, i missed you so much."

yes, you were talking to his penis.

paulie laughs incredulously at how stupid you'd become just seeing his huge dick. "you really are a silly little kitten, aren't you?" he raises his hand to stroke the top of your head, like a pet receiving affection, then gently pushes your face down to rub your cheek against its base. "keep doing this for me, be a good girl and stay silly."

you barely notice when paulie turns you over on the sofa, refusing to give him a blowjob — for god's sake, you just wanted to suck that cock! — making you hold onto the armrest of the sofa while he manipulates your body as if you were a little doll, positioning you perfectly; ass sticking out and legs wide open. paulie doesn't let you think, after all you're dumb, he just guides the thick head of his cock to your entrance and enters with a firm, strong thrust.

you've never felt a cock opening you up like paulie was doing, the sensation was overwhelming, he reached points you didn't even know could be reached — now you were sure you wanted that cock for yourself forever.

"ngh! damn... fucking tight, i should have prepared you better— hmn!" paulie is lost in the overwhelming sensation of your little cunt, so tight for him, already sucking his penis to milk it, trying to trap it inside you. "oh god... have mercy on me," he says more to himself than to you, he was in paradise, don't take him away from there!

he starts thrusting, it was fast and strong, he wouldn't be gentle with a brat like you. he would destroy your pussy, mold you to fit exactly the shape of his cock, ruin you for any other man. he wanted you to get addicted to him like he's addicted to you.

"ye-yes, doll!" he slaps your chubby ass, watching the ample flesh jiggle from the impact of the slap and the thrusts. "keep squeezing me... i'm going to fill you with milk." he was already panting, you weren't any different from him — you were worse; small tears streamed down your face, your teeth dug into the fabric of the sofa's armrest, muffling your most obscene moans and drooling on the fabric; you were a truly beautiful mess.

the blond man felt you squeezing him even tighter, contracting in such a beautiful and adorable way, watching your little body tremble. you were practically handing your orgasm over to the vice-president on a silver platter. paulie didn't stop; it seemed impossible to you, but you felt him increase the force of his thrusts even more, sinking even deeper into you. he was churning your insides!

you squirt with pleasure against the man's cock, dissolving on him with awkward, tearful moans. you wet the sofa fabric beneath you, wet paulie's lowered pants, and of course, you wet his entire groin. the sight, the sensation, was enough to make paulie ejaculate inside you, warm, thick jets that made you cry with satisfaction. you were completely full of him.

"good girl..." he finally says, relieved, still inside you, leaning forward to kiss the nape of your neck, caressing your hip with one hand while the other moves to your face, brushing away strands of hair that had stuck to your face during the moment. "you... didn't escape me. you never will... you're mine, understand?" he whispers, leaving another kiss on the nape of your neck, resting his forehead against it to catch his breath.

"nmaa... what happened here?!" iceburg's voice is heard from the doorway, making you and paulie's eyes widen as you look towards the door, seeing the mayor of water 7 with a startled and flushed face, half-hidden by the door.

at least you had the best fuck of your life, now you have to pray you don't get fired.

🗒 : english is not my native language, i had to use a translator, so i apologize in advance for any spelling or grammatical errors.

💭: i sincerely hope you all enjoy this second part. i had a huge creative block, so i hope you all like it ((i confess i didn't really like the result :p but that's it, kisses and see you next time! <3

[nanamibaiano]

when i wear a miniskirt~ but why are you the only one who doesn't notice me? - miniskirt by aoa

★ : smut, reader secretary, spanking session, paulie irritated in her short clothes, sex in the office, using her thighs, denial of orgasm.

good heavens, who was the pretty little thing occupying the position of secretary to mr. iceburg?

that question had been swirling in the poor carpenter's head ever since you started working as the mayor of water 7's secretary. since kalifa, mr. iceburg hadn't found anyone competent for the secretary job — even though Iceburg refused to do some of his mayoral duties simply because he didn't want to. even a child could do the job, but children need to go to school and... be children?

well, that's how Iceburg found you, a woman from outside the grand line who just wanted a home and a decent job. he quickly hired you to replace the little girl who had been his secretary. damn, you were the most organized woman in water 7, everything organized by color, size, category; you could even say you had some kind of obsession with organization — something you denied out of pure stubbornness.

but it wasn't just your organization that caught his attention; your beauty and kindness to everyone also did. when you went to dock one, all the men who thought with their penises — including paulie — drooled over you, but when you complimented them and even brought snacks and bottles of water, the lewd stares turned into pure adoration. so thoughtful.

but there was one problem: your clothes.

you had the same problem, in paulie's eyes, as kalifa; walking the streets of water 7, the docks, exposing your long legs and ample thighs. how many times did paulie wish he could squeeze your thighs or simply press them against his penis? many times, more than he could count. but of course, the lectures come before his perverted thoughts.

"how many times do i have to tell you, woman?! you can't just parade around in that miniskirt exposing those legs!" the carpenter would reprimand you in the middle of dock one. the employees were already used to paulie's comments regarding any short clothing, especially when it was you wearing it.

"i don't see any problem with my clothes, mr. paulie," the woman said, shrugging, with an expression as frighteningly gentle as kalifa's, but the poor thing only had that expression to keep calm and not punch the vice-president of the galley-La company. "mr. iceburg didn't object to my attire, besides, my skirt is within the dress code." paulie could see the woman's mocking little smile.

he would go crazy at being contradicted by a little hottie like you. He'd want to slap himself to get his head straight!

"then mr. iceburg should review the dress code! i can almost see your ass—" the man fell silent as soon as he realized, but it was too late. you were staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

"so you were observing my behind, mr. paulie?" the low, provocative question escaped his lips; luckily for both of them, the employees were more focused on chopping wood than on paulie's clothing crises.

"well, you..." with a loud snort and without arguments to continue the ridiculous explanation, he simply grabbed your free hand, the one that only held the pen, pulling you to one of the isolated corners of dock one. he wouldn't let your comment go in one ear and out the other; he was going to get to the bottom of this.

paulie tried to control himself, as much as he wanted to sleep with you, bend you to his table until you forgot your own name, he also wanted to give you a good hard time. you were younger than him, so he could have authority. that's what he told himself.

but paulie couldn't stand your provocations, the way you teased him, pulling on his tie but still keeping your distance so you wouldn't hurt yourself with the lit cigar in his mouth, how you rubbed your little hands on his chest, down to his stomach, driving him crazy.

you had given him the knife and the cheese.

paulie lost his patience. he sat on the sofa in his office and threw you onto his lap. "you just don't understand, do you? this tiny skirt... i imagined myself so many times taking these clothes off your body..." he smoothed the fabric that hugged your ample bottom, giving it light squeezes, seeing how the chubby cheeks of your behind were perfect in his large, calloused palms. "this can't even be called a skirt, it's just a horrible piece of cloth." he lifted the fabric of the skirt, revealing the tiny panties that were tucked between your buttocks, disappearing into the space.

"look at this... you're so indecent!" the first smack is heard in the room, followed immediately by her little scream, "ah! paulie! are you seriously going to spank me because of a—" her words are interrupted by another little scream. he gave her another slap, this time on her other cheek, already seeing the redness forming there.

"no, now you're quiet, brat. i've put up with you all these weeks since you started working with Iceburg — showing off those legs, those thighs... damn, those thighs!" he stroked the back of her thighs, then squeezed the soft flesh before returning to her bottom. "but now I'm not going to let this go. you're screwed, girl."

a spanking session followed until you apologized to paulie for being a naughty girl and wearing short clothes to get his attention. it got to the point where you smudged your delicate makeup with your tears, but to no one's surprise, those tears were of pure pleasure. it was pleasurable to finally see paulie reaching his limit because of you.

"look at this, all red..." paulie slides his hand, already sore from spanking you, reaching your needy intimacy, noticing the moisture that seeped through the fabric, even soaking your clean pants. "look at you, soaking wet just from a few spanks. you're full of surprises for a little girl who only thinks about organization." paulie laughs as he rubs his middle finger along your covered slit, going from your clitoris to your entrance — but he only slides his fingers, he doesn't even take off your panties to give you the pleasure you so desire.

without another word, the man adjusts you on his lap and picks you up only to place you on his desk, knocking over any items that could hurt you. he might be rough and idiotic, but he wasn't stupid enough to hurt a woman.

he stares at you for a few more seconds, appreciating how flushed your cheeks were, your makeup slightly smudged, your skirt bunched up at your waist, and your panties with a large stain of arousal. paulie so badly wanted to bury her face in that needy little pussy, imagining how greedy it must be to just swallow his fingers or even his throbbing penis. but for now, he wouldn't give you that. he understood now that you were provoking him for this, for him to bend you over and fuck you like an animal. but he wants to vent his frustration — for walking around showing off for water 7 while he's consumed by jealousy, for all the times he had to ejaculate in his own hand imagining it was you.

paulie runs her hands over your thighs; squeezing, rubbing, shaking the ample flesh, until it stopped at her calves, lifting her legs, making her little feet in high heels float in the air.

"paulie? what are you going to do?" her question came out breathlessly as she watched the man place her legs on his shoulders, seeing him quickly, and awkwardly but incredibly sexy, unbuckle his belt. he didn't lower his pants and underwear completely, just enough to free his penis.

and god help you, it's big.

but he didn't take off her panties and move them aside, he simply positioned himself between her legs, rubbing his big cock against her panties and then closing them around his penis. there you understood, he would use her thighs to masturbate, he would deny her penetration.

but when he started rubbing there, thrusting his cock into her thighs, the friction was too much for a little pussy totally craving a good cock beating.

"pa-paulie!... don't be— nhg!... mean to me!" her whiny, whiny protest echoed through the office along with the sounds of skin against skin, but paulie completely ignored it; he was so focused on her thighs. damn, he was simply fulfilling his dream of burying himself in her thighs like a perverted teenager! he was loving the softness of her skin, how it swayed with each thrust, but he was also loving how her pussy rubbed against his base, sometimes feeling the head of his penis brush against her swollen clitoris through the fabric of her panties.

"damn... these thighs!— ah!... i want to live in them, kitten!" paulie groaned as she threw her head back, a small bead of sweat trickling down the side of her face and a roguish grin on her face.

just as you were about to complain again between moans, hot, white jets of semen sprayed onto your clothes and skirt. paulie had ejaculated on your clothes, masturbating on your thighs. it was pathetic. it was exciting. but it was even more pathetic for you, who had been denied an orgasm.

"that's what you get for being a show-off brat" the man said with a proud little smile, patting your thighs lightly before withdrawing from between them. he was satisfied, he'd taught you a lesson, and he'd even had a good orgasm on you.

who knows, maybe next time if you wear a micro-skirt he'll fuck you in the pussy, huh?

🗒 : english is not my native language, i had to use a translator, so i apologize in advance for any spelling or grammatical errors.

part 2 here !!