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Law's eyebrow twitched as he watched his crew ogle and aw over the mermaid sitting on their small deck. After sailing away from Fish Man Island, Law hadn't expected to ever see a mermaid again. They generally stuck to the island for safety, which Law couldn't blame them for. Not after seeing a mermaid being sold at auction before Strawhat-ya punched out a Celestial Dragon.
The mermaid laughed, a large backpack on her back. Her white tail was colored with red and black spots matching her short white hair. Law tapped Kikoku against his shoulder aggressively when Penguin asked if the mermaid would like to see the inside of the Polar Tang.
"Absolutely not," Law interrupted while he shoved off the side of the sub where he had been slouched. "I'm not letting some stranger in here, she could be here to gain information. You know better than that." Penguin flinched but the mermaid's gaze remained on his face, the happy smile transformed into a look of intensity as her eyes narrowed. As Law got closer he realized what he thought was a brown from afar was actually a deep red.
"I'm not here to betray you," she said, and although Law couldn't detect a lie in her voice, he didn't let down his guard.
"I don't care, get off my sub."
"Captain!" Several members burst out; a single glare quieted down the protests.
"C-Captain, she's so far from Fish Man Island, we should help her!" Bepo stuttered out, shy at first before becoming more convicted. Others nodded in agreement and Law fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"Don't fall for a pretty face."
"I don't want to go back to Fish Man Island," the mermaid spoke up. "My name is Pearl. I'm here because I caught a ride on the outside of your submarine. I want to join your crew, as a mechanic," she pressed her hands together in a praying gesture. "Please let me join your crew!" Mouths dropped at the admission but Law spoke up quickly before a few of the men of the crew jumped on the realization that a mermaid wanted to join them. Better to nip this in the bud now.
"No. We have mechanics, we don't need another one."
"What are we supposed to do then Boss?" Ikkaku asked, her arms crossed. "Just throw her back into the sea? She'd be dead meat out here all alone, or worse." What exactly the 'worse' was went unspoken. Everyone was well aware of the horrors a solitary mermaid could run across.
"That's not my problem, nor is it yours. Pearl-ya here made the decision to follow the Polar Tang and that's hers alone. Let's go." With a pointed nod at the door, a few of the crew started filing away looking awkward. Only a few were left on deck when Jean Bart looked at Law.
"Captain," he began, "You know that I'll follow wherever you go, but if you do this, be aware that I don't approve." Law nodded once.
"Duly noted Jean Bart, thank you." Jean Bart lingered for a second more before ducking down to join the others below. Only Penguin, Shachi, Bepo, and Ikkaku remained. With a scoff, Ikkaku began to head for the door.
"To be clear, I agree with Jean Bart," Ikkaku stated before she stormed down the steps, slamming the door behind her. Law sighed, feeling a headache pulsing against his temples.
"I'd be a good mechanic," Pearl-ya piped up. "Plus you wouldn't have to deal with going feet dry every time you had an issue that you couldn't fix underwater."
Law ground his teeth together in irritation. "My crew has been able to fix issues in the past underwater without a problem."
He ignored the incredulous looks the others shot him. In the past a few of the mechanics had done underwater repairs, it was true. But they were difficult and always fraught with problems. It was easier to go feet dry but even then that was difficult. Not many ports were equipped to take a submarine out of the water, plus how vulnerable it made the Polar Tang made it less than an ideal solution.
Pearl-ya's gaze didn't waver. "I'm a good mechanic and I've always wanted to work on a submarine. Yours is one of the few that I could possibly work on, along with being one of the few I'd be interested in working on in the first place. I heard you were there when Strawhat Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon. You have a mink on your crew. Your crew dress like former slaves, whether that is on purpose or not you must know what that shows."
Law bristled. "They chose that uniform."
Pearl-ya shrugged. "When I saw it in the newspaper I always thought it was a good reminder."
"Reminder of what?" Bepo interrupted and she smiled at him.
"That slaves are still people. That anyone on your crew could be a former slave and what does that matter? The Celestial Dragons are a stain on this world, doing whatever they please. It's nice to see, even if your crew didn't mean to show it, that there are always people who will fight against what the government decides is 'right'." Law thought of Jean Bart and how the crew told him he didn't have to wear the uniform or that if it made him uncomfortable they could change it, even if several of the members had been a little sad at the thought. Law rubbed at a temple, more than a little irritated by the entire exchange. Perhaps sensing weakness, the other three jumped in.
"Come on Captain, she could be a great help!"
"You're always saying we need to be prepared for anything!"
"We can't leave her all alone!"
"Enough!" Law shouted and they quieted down. "Fine, she can come aboard. However," he glared down at the mermaid who met his look, excitement shining in her eyes. "The moment I decide that you're a burden or acting suspiciously then that's it, you're done. You'll get dropped off and whatever happens to you is your own problem." Pearl-ya nodded in agreement and the boys cheered while Law sighed. What a pain.
Pearl sat, tail fin twitching behind her as she quickly unbolted a void. It stuck out of the wall slightly, low to the ground, a rounded rectangle shape with bolts running along the edges, evenly spaced. There were several along the wall, all leading into a new compartment. It was an extra layer of protection so if there was ever a leak from the outside, ocean water wouldn't immediately fill an entire level (that was the hope anyway, it all depended on the damage). Instead, it would only fill one compartment, leaving the rest of the space free from water, so the Polar Tang could still run until they reached a safe enough spot to drain the room and fix the damage.
Today though the problem was that there was a fuel leak somewhere, the fuel gauge ticking down rapidly. Fuel or oil leaks were always a concern but a rapid fuel leak was especially troubling. Fuel was rare and hoarded by the government and military. They had to steal all their stores and it was difficult to come by. They were running low as it was.
After fanning out with the other three mechanics they had determined that it wasn't in an easily accessible space, so it had to be locked behind a bolted void. The space she was working in was small, as was every space in the submarine that was for the machinery. Pearl worked quickly, bagging the nuts and bolts before placing the bag beside her tools. Grabbing the void she heaved. It was heavy, being made out of metal and the salt made it stick slightly before it finally popped off and took the gasket with it. She leaned it against the wall. Immediately the sharp scent of fuel hit her nose and she grinned. Good, she'd found the leak. Grabbing up the den den mushi sitting next to her, she clicked it. "Pearl here, found the leak on level two I'm going in."
Immediately she got a response. "Roger that! We'll keep checking in case there's more, keep us updated." She stuck the snail on the outside of the void entrance, so she could get to it but also so the snail wouldn't suffer from breathing in the pungent scent of fuel for however long she'd be stuck down here to fix it.
Slipping in past the now hole in the wall, she wrinkled her nose as her tail was dipped in fuel. It covered the floor by several inches, no wonder they were losing it so quickly. Pearl ran her hands over the couplings which connected the fuel pipes together. They had turned off the fuel once a leak was discovered so they could work without losing more. Finding one connection that was covered with fuel, she bent closer to observe it. The coupling had failed, letting fuel run out, instead of passing into the next pipe. As long as they had a new coupling it should be an easy fix.
After checking the rest of the space to make sure that was the only problem and finding it clear, she shuffled back to the open void. Pearl ended up splashing more fuel over her scales but there was nothing she could do. A mechanic got dirty. Rubbing one hand on her shirt first to clean off as much fuel as she could, she reached out to grab up the den den mushi.
"Pearl here. A coupling failed, I'll need a replacement."
As always, the response was prompt, "Great! Someone will run down with one right away."
"I'm going to begin taking this apart while I wait for the replacement."
"Roger!"
Pearl started rolling up the sleeves of her shirt in preparation. They had offered her a white coverall uniform, cut in half so it only had the upper portion after she had officially been added to the crew. It was a fantastic day, her dream come true honestly. Although she always wanted to be a mechanic and not only that but on a submarine, all her life she had been told it was impossible. Submarines were rare, mostly owned by the government. No mermaid alive would ever work for the military, it was too risky. Fish Men may try, mostly half-human ones, but the military would easily hand over its own people if the World Government asked them to. It wasn't worth the trouble. Finding out about the Polar Tang had reawakened that dream, but that didn't mean she'd be able to do it. And, she reflected, she could have easily hated the lifestyle. Being a pirate wasn't really what Pearl had set out to be. But these people had treated her so well, she was happy to discover. They felt like a family and that meant more to her than anything else.
Pearl had refused the white shirt at the time. White would stain too easily; she couldn't imagine why the other mechanics wore them. She didn't mind the coverall shirt, Pearl liked the idea even, but the pain of the staining wasn't worth it. After some heavy consideration, she had been given an orange one instead so she would still 'match', even if it was only to Bepo. Pearl didn't care about the color and seeing Bepo start to cry out of happiness that someone wanted to match with him made it more than worth it.
Hours later, the leak was repaired and the Polar Tang was on its way. Pearl had already cleaned herself off and changed clothes. The smell of fuel still clung to her hands though. Even after scrubbing them to death, the scent would linger for a while. She created a bubble around her waist with a bubble maker and made her way down the galley, she was starving.
As she floated along, automatically she lifted her tail as she went through any doorways. The sub had bulkhead doors, elongated ovals with an edge so if there was ever a leak, the doors could be shut and water wouldn't leak through. However, this created a 'knife's edge' as others liked to call it. If someone wasn't careful they could end up knocking their shin against it. Pearl had quite the bruise on her tail before she learned to avoid them. It had been an interesting time learning all the lingo. Quite a few of the crew were former marines, Pearl had been surprised to find out. So their names for things had permeated throughout the entire crew's vocabulary.
Once she arrived she took a seat at her normal place. The galley had one long table for everyone. It was more lively in here than usual, about half the crew sitting and eating. Jean Bart handed her a plate with a friendly smile and she smiled back gratefully before she started to dig in. Movement from the corner of her eye made her look over to see Law swing his long legs over the bench and sit next to her, hat pulled down over his eyes.
"Hey Captain," Pearl greeted. He merely grunted back but she didn't take offense. After a few minutes, she noticed that the galley had quieted down slightly. Looking around with confusion, her eyes met Law's whose gold eyes burned into her. "Er, what's up?"
"Good job today, Pearl-ya."
"Oh!" Warmth spread through her. Law rarely complimented people, it meant a lot. Even though he still hadn't dropped the 'ya' with her yet, she was hopeful it would happen someday. Everyone on the crew said that Law took a long time to warm up. Pearl didn't notice as the rest of the table seemed to lean in with anticipation. "Thank you Captain! Always happy to help."
"Hm." And with that Law slowly got up and left the galley. Pearl watched his back for a moment before turning back to her food. As she was taking a bite she jumped when someone pressed in close to her side.
"Man, that's soooo sad," Penguin cried, leaning dramatically against her. Shachi, who was never far behind Penguin, collapsed on the other side of her on the bench.
"Tell me about it! How depressing to watch, seriously," Shachi agreed with an equally dramatic sigh.
"What are you guys talking about?" Pearl asked with a frown.
Penguin gasped loudly. "She doesn't know?!" Before Pearl could start to get annoyed, Ikkaku sat across from her.
"What these idiots mean—"
"Hey! Watch it!"
"We're like the smartest ones here!"
Ikkaku ignored their outburst entirely. "Is that clearly the Boss has a crush on you and is being utterly useless about it." Pearl felt her face heat immediately. Casting a glance around the room she was surprised to see it emptied out completely, only Bepo slowly inching out the door.
"Bepo!" Pearl called urgently and he froze for a second before his legs started shaking immediately.
"Y-yes Pearl?" He stuttered, not turning around.
"Bepo, why are they telling me lies?!" She put more of a pout into her voice than normal, Bepo was especially weak, which is likely why he wasn't turning to look at her.
"I uh—I can't say Pearl I'm so sorry!!" Bepo yelled before bolting out the door. Watching her only help disappear down the corridor she slowly turned back to Ikkaku who smiled at her wickedly.
"Now back to what I was saying," Ikkaku began. "Boss has a crush on you. Question is, do you have a crush on him?"
Pearl felt Penguin and Shachi lean in closer from either side and her blush deepened. "I don't see how that's relevant at all since he doesn't—" it was difficult to even say, "have a crush on me!"
Penguin snickered. "She's not denying it!"
"I told you she wouldn't!" Shachi burst in. "Told you, she keeps casting glances at the Boss when she thinks he's not lookin'."
"I don't do that!" Pearl screeched, wheeling around to face Shachi.
"Now now," Ikkaku interrupted, as Pearl was attempting to shove Shachi off the bench. "Let's all be civil here. I just said the Boss has a crush on you, now the question is, what are you gonna do about it?"
"Do about it?" Pearl repeated before sitting up straight, Shachi spared for now. "Nothing. I don't believe you anyway." She crossed her arms with a huff.
"You should. Now then, the boys and I were thinking..."
"On the next island—" Shachi started.
"We could set you guys up on a date!" Penguin finished with a bright smile.
Pearl stared at their excited faces before she tried to spin around on the bench, in order to leave. Penguin and Shachi pinned her in on both sides.
"Ah, ah! No leaving! You gotta do this with us!"
"Why?!" Pearl cried out with exasperation.
"The Boss is keeping something from the crew," Ikkaku said firmly. Pearl froze.
"He might have mentioned it to these fools here," Pearl felt Penguin and Shachi tense on either side of her. "And maybe Bepo. But he won't breathe a word of it to the rest of the crew and it's got me nervous. He's always played things close to the chest and I know prying won't do any good."
"So what's with this little scheme then?"
Ikkaku stared at her intensely, obviously passionate. "Maybe it won't do anything. But I'm hoping that by at least getting you guys together it'll...help relax him a bit. Take his mind off of it. Hell, it would be even better if he got to the point that he trusted you enough to talk to you about it. Gods above he needs someone other than these knuckleheads to turn to."
"Hey!" Penguin objected.
Pearl bit her lip. "Even if I tell him I like him, that doesn't mean anything will happen."
"Ha! I told you!" Shachi shouted and the sound of a high five slapping over her head echoed around the room. A glare from Ikkaku and they both settled back down.
"No, I know that Pearl. But even if the Boss turns you down, that won't change anything. He'll still treat you the same. If you felt comfortable enough to confess to him I think taking the chance would be worth it." Ikkaku stood and snapped her fingers at the boys to get them to move. "Just think about it. You don't have to, but just let me know before the next island if you want to do it or not."
Which was how Pearl found herself trailing next to Law awkwardly. She was floating on a bubble, as she normally was whenever they landed on an island. Law gave strict orders that she wasn't to be left alone, it was too dangerous. Already there had been a few occasions when someone had attempted to nab her. Even with the danger though, Law always gave her the choice of leaving the Polar Tang. He never wanted to force her to stay behind, which she appreciated greatly. And she got to see so much! It was amazing. Where else could she have seen any of this?
Although normally she would marvel at yet another brand new island to explore, today her stomach was fluttering with nerves. It felt like she might burst and tell Law everything; the date idea, her bad attempt at confessing, all of it. Something she desperately didn't want to do.
"I didn't know you were interested in coin collecting Pearl-ya," Law's deep voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"Oh! Um. I overheard some of the others talking about it? So I wanted to learn more!" Pearl smiled shakily, hoping he didn't notice anything amiss. When his eyes narrowed, she had to keep herself from gulping with terror. Ikkaku had told her the excuse they were using for this 'date' that Law didn't know was a 'date' but still. She might ruin this before it even started if she didn't think fast. "There's not much you can collect on the ship! It seems nice since they're so small."
Law relaxed slightly and so did Pearl. Thankfully he seemed to buy it for now as he nodded back and led the way through the town. They ended up in front of a small store, Law held the door open for her as she floated inside. It smelt slightly musty and she wrinkled her nose before seeing Law step away and she rushed to follow.
As he peered through some glass cases, brow furrowed with concentration she wondered what to do. Law kneeled down and the hand not holding Kikoku shot out and pressed against the top of her bubble. Pushing down, he lowered her closer to him, so that they were basically side by side in front of the glass. Her tail rested on the ground and she bit her tongue against the complaint. Who knew how dirty these floors were?!
"Here, listen closely," Law began as he rested Kikoku on his shoulder and started pointing with a finger at some of the coins inside. "What you're looking for—" The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. Law was instructive and although Pearl couldn't care less about coin collecting herself, it was interesting to listen to him talk for so long. He clearly knew his stuff. And, she reflected as she watched him barter with the man behind the counter, it was nice to spend time with him one-on-one.
They had spent time together, of course. Living on a small submarine doesn't allow for much time...apart from anyone. Everyone on the Polar Tang was taught basic aid, but Pearl hadn't been able to grasp any more than the basics. Not nearly enough to have a conversation with Law about medicine so that was out. Law was educated, he could understand mechanical issues if she explained it to him, but those conversations were hardly...inspiring.
Honestly, she didn't even know when her crush on the ill-tempered captain started. Law was an ass on the best of days, moody and grumpy otherwise. Still, the small moments of kindness, seeing the way he respected and trusted his crew, all of it added up. Pearl wanted to impress him. But also she kinda wanted to see him without a shirt on, see how far down those tattoos went...She rubbed her face with a wince at the thought. Not really the best time Pearl, she thought to herself.
"Here," once again Law surprised her; apparently done with his purchase. His warm hand wrapped itself around a wrist and tugged it towards him. Forcing her hand flat he pressed something into her palm. "For your collection."
Pearl looked down at the coin with surprise. It was to commemorate the joining of Fish Man Island to Whitebeard's Territory. The Whitebeard's jolly roger smiled up at her, mother of pearl mustache shining.
"Keep a hold on that for a while," Law added as he moved past her. "It's pretty rare as it is but with Whitebeard's death it'll become even more valuable as time goes on."
"Oh!" Gripping the coin tightly, Pearl could feel her heart speed up as she followed Law out of the store. "Thank you, I love it!" And she really did, looking down she couldn't resist a smile.
Law snorted. "Coin collecting isn't really about loving something, Pearl-ya."
"I know that! But still...you got it for me, that means a lot." Looking up at him, she realized something. "Wait, wasn't this still expensive?" It was an old coin, for a special occasion and something had happened that would make it more desirable for collectors recently. All information Law had just told her was important for determining whether or not a coin would be considered valuable or not. If she hadn't been floating below him, she likely wouldn't have noticed the light blush that lit up along his cheeks and her mouth dropped.
"It's fine, I'm the Captain. Besides, there's no point starting a collection if the first coin doesn't mean something."
"What was your first coin then?" Pearl asked as she pocketed the coin in a zippable pocket. Law tensed slightly and Pearl wondered if he'd even answer the question as the silence dragged on. Then suddenly her stomach growled loudly, breaking the moment and she blushed.
Law chuckled. "Guess we should grab some food huh? What do you want."
"You can pick something!" Pearl said immediately. Law sighed loudly.
"As long as it's not a sandwich place, I don't care. You pick Pearl-ya."
It was almost tempting to argue but she held her tongue. Although she knew he only offered because he was technically acting as her 'bodyguard' for the trip it was still making her flustered thinking about eating out with him. Just the two of them.
"There was a place I heard about?" She offered and Law shrugged with indifference.
Ikkaku had done her research and recommended that if Pearl could get them to eat somewhere, to go to a specific small restaurant on the outskirts of town. The food was delicious and the view was beautiful, the small house covered with ivy, seated right next to vibrant woods only a little ways away from the property line. After they finished eating, Pearl asked to go on a walk through the woods, heart in her throat as she asked. Luckily Law didn't seem to find anything strange about the request and agreed without a fuss.
As they walked, the cry of birds echoed, as the wind rustled the leaves above them. It was stunning and Pearl looked around with awe. Law hip-checked her bubble, tossing her to the other side of the path and she sputtered with disbelief.
"What was that for?!"
Law grinned, and even if he had dark circles under his eyes, she couldn't help but find him extremely cute. "Don't know. Guess it's just funny to see your face so surprised at everything, even trees."
Pearl pouted as she drifted back. "That's not my fault! I've never been away from Fish Man Island before this!"
"Mm. You've never been to a Winter Island before then huh?" Law asked and she shook her head. "Ah well, you'll probably end up seeing one at some point then."
"Are they nice?"
Law's eyes dimmed. "Not really," he said curtly, the conversation suddenly cut off. Sometimes Law got like this, talking normally before something was mentioned and he'd go cold. It was hard to predict. Biting at a fingernail, Pearl wasn't watching where she was going and brushed her bubble against a bush.
Apparently, it had something sharp enough that it burst her bubble, literally, and she fell to the ground with a short scream. Landing in a heap, she groaned as Law instantly rushed to her side.
"Pearl-ya, are you okay? Are you injured at all?" Gently he helped her sit up with one hand on her shoulder while he skimmed her body with his eyes.
"I'm fine, just surprised me," she said with a wince.
"Break anything? Nothing seems to be bleeding."
Slowly she flopped her tail around. "It's sore but I think I'm okay." Tears welled up in her eyes and she rubbed her palms against them angrily. She didn't want to look that weak in front of Law but the stress of the almost-but-not-quite-date plus feeling foolish was making her more emotional than usual.
Law sighed before she felt him wrap an arm around her shoulders and at the crook of her tail, lifting her easily. She squeaked as she automatically looped her arms around his neck. He leaned down and gestured with his chin at the ground. Looking down she saw his sword laid out and reached down to grab it up.
Straightening up, Law began to walk; Pearl holding Kikoku awkwardly in her arms.
Law had heard a creek nearby and it didn't take long to find it, even after leaving the path behind and walking with Pearl-ya in his arms, ducking and weaving so she wouldn't get scratched by stray plants.
She was strangely subdued in his arms, but Law didn't let himself dwell on it. If she was uncomfortable he hoped they were close enough that she felt she could just say so. Finally he reached the creek. It bubbled cheerfully, drowning out the sounds of the woods around them. Eyeing the slick rocks, he carefully found a large enough one that she could sit on.
Sitting her gently on top of it, as he started to withdraw before her hand shot up and grabbed onto his hoodie. Pearl-ya tugged gently, red eyes staring up at him.
"Sit next to me," she pleaded, voice so low the sound of the water almost covered it up. Feeling slightly uneasy, he did. Today had been...not weird but different. He had tried to beg off watching over Pearl-ya in the first place. Even if it was his orders that there always needed to be someone with her at all times on an island, he didn't think he had to be the one who did it today. Law wasn't an idiot, he could recognize the beginnings of a crush. Although they rarely happened to him, he was well-rehearsed on what to do about them. Distance himself as much as possible, shut down any feelings he might have until they went away. If the person still approached him, treat them cruelly until they got the message and kept away from him themselves. Generally, his system worked well but he couldn't really do that with a member of his own crew.
It was frustrating. But Bepo had insisted and claimed Pearl-ya wanted to learn about coin collecting. It was suspicious since Bepo had been acting weird but Ikkaku had appeared with Pearl-ya before he could interrogate Bepo for the truth. Truthfully, Law had given in a little too quickly. He'd have to get better about that in the future, he scowled down at the creek, deep in thought.
"Captai—Law," Pearl-ya said, and Law looked up with surprise. Pearl-ya never called him by his name. She fidgeted nervously and a mixture of dread and butterflies pooled in his stomach. Oh no, this wasn't going to be what he thought it might be, was it?
Before he could interrupt and maybe stop it, she caught his eye and straightened up. Face flushed, she blurted out, "I really like you!" It echoed slightly around them and Law thought he heard a bird cry out in alarm before it took flight. Pearl-ya flinched at the volume before rushing on,
"And uh, I was wondering if maybe you liked me too?" Her eyes turned downcast, as her tail twitched back and forth in the small creek, waiting for his answer.
Law sighed as he took off his hat and rubbed at his hair. This wasn't ideal. "Pearl-ya, I can't." There was a long silence and he watched her carefully for her reaction.
"Can't?" Pearl-ya said finally. "Because...?" She let the statement hang.
"I'm your Captain," Law explained. "I wouldn't want to put someone else above anyone else on the crew. They shouldn't feel like one person is more important to me."
"Right," she turned to face him, suddenly more animated. "But the crew encouraged me to tell you in the first place, so I don't think it matters to them. Is that your only reason?"
Law hesitated. He had to be very careful here. "No, it isn't." Her gaze didn't drop from his, just stared waiting for more. "I...Pearl-ya I have a mission. Something I need to do."
"I can help! I won't be a burden, I swear!" Law chuckled.
"You don't even know what it is."
Pearl-ya shook her head. "It doesn't matter! If it's important to you, then it's important to me! I want to be there to support you, Law." Hearing his name did something to his heart.
"Listen. It's too dangerous," he held up a hand before she could interrupt. "I'm serious. I don't want to put you in that kind of danger. Not you or anyone else. My crew...they're the most important thing to me." He glared at her. "And if you repeat any of what I'm about to tell you..." Law threatened and she pouted.
"I won't."
"I'm planning on doing this mission on my own." She gaped at him.
"Without the crew?!" Law nodded and watched as her eyes filled with angry tears.
"How could you do that?? They would want to be there with you just as much as me!" Law reached an arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his side.
"Calm down," he ordered. "I don't know if I'll be able to make it back. I won't risk you or any of the others." He leaned his cheek against her head and they sat there in silence for several seconds.
"Whether you bring the crew or not, I guess it doesn't matter," Pearl-ya said softly. She pulled back to look up at him, her face much closer to his now that she was nestled against his side. She reached a hand out to clutch at his shirt. "But...if you do make it back, what about then?"
"What about it?"
"What would your answer be then?" Law blinked a few times before he grinned.
"Guess you'll have to ask me then." With pleasure, he watched her face blank with surprise before flushing angrily. Before she could pull away, he ducked down and kissed her. Eyes slipping closed, he let himself enjoy it for just a moment. A hand tangled into her hair as he tilted her head for a better angle. They kissed passionately. When they finally drew apart, for the life of him, Law couldn't say whether it had been a few minutes or only a few seconds. Seeing her swollen red lips, sticky with spit lit a fire within him, but he pressed it down. Not now. Law couldn't start something even if he was tempted. He had to wait, see how this all panned out. Doflamingo was the end goal and he honestly didn't think he'd make it back.
But if he did...well. Hopefully, Pearl-ya would wait but he wouldn't ask her to, as he slowly stood and held out a hand to help her back onto another bubble.