A New Heart

Bepo!!

Law's POV:
I sat down after finally sewing up Chi. She had a bullet wound on her left arm, another in her right shoulder, and a long gash in her stomach. It was so deep I wondered how her intestines hadn't just dropped out of her.
I took a breath and stood up to wrap some bandages around her. But upon inspection they were already starting to heal. They looked days old not hours old.
I gaped down at her.
Was this another part of her powers?

I took Chi to my room and laid her down. I knew she was going to be fine. Probably by tomorrow I would need to pull her stitches out.

I went to find Bepo. He was at the helm steering. We'd taken off from that damned island as soon as me and Penguin were on board.
"How is Miss Chi?" My first mate asked.
"She's fine. She heals at an unbelievable pace."
"Is that a part of her powers?" Bepo asked.
"I think so."
"Why did you want her to join the crew so badly captain?"
"Because she interests me. Her powers are unheard of."

I'd met Chi originally four years ago. The heart pirates weren't as strong as we are now but we were formidable.
I smirk. "Back when I was a bit more reckless I came across Gorra Ne Houta."
"Captain of the Spade Pirates?" Bepo asked.
I nodded, smirking at the memory. "I saw him in a village. He was looking at swords. Not paying me any attention. I knew of the Spade Pirates and I knew of their reputation. I thought if I could get one good kick on Houta, then everyone would know of the Heart Pirates. I opened my room planning to give him something to remember me by but that's when I saw her. Matsune Akanechi. She looked younger back then but still like how she does today.
Her hair is still that pastel red, her eyes are still black pits, and her body if anything has only matured further."
"Law" Bepo said calling me back to the point of the story.
"Right. Anyways I was gonna leave a scar but she moved in my dome. She stepped in front of her captain and stared at me with those harsh eyes. I'm ashamed to say I was shocked. Frozen in my own doing. Never had anyone been so unaffected or uncaring of my power." I sighed remembering the look she gave me. "Anyways she beat the crap out of me" I said scornfully. "She kicked me in the face, throwing me back. And then she did the strangest thing. With her hand held out with her palm up and fingers clawed, she had me in her powers." I laid my head back thinking of the pain she had inflicted on me. "It was like nothing I've ever felt before. My legs didn't work as she pulled the blood from them. I laid on the ground struggling just to stay conscious. Her eyes were like demons, looking like my pain excited her. Then the pain started to travel upwards and my head began to feel like it was going to explode. I think she almost killed me that day."
"But she didn't" Bepo said happily.
"No. Her captain stopped her. He said that was enough and she stopped immediately. After she stopped blood began to flow normally and it slowly began to feel better. Then he told her, to make it right with me. Make me feel better and then buy me a drink. She complained and growled at his idea but he just walked off. Putting her hand out to me instantly I went to feeling normal. I followed her to a bar and she bought both of us a drink. We talked for a while and she wasn't too bad. But they left that night and I haven't seen her since."
"That is a nice story captain" Bepo said. I didn't respond. "Is Chi the one they call the Ace of Spades?"
I nodded. "The ace of spades is the death card. Which is accurate in describing Chi. She doesn't have many people she's fought and left alive."
"You are captain" Bepo said.
"I am."
"It's kind of a shame they disbanded" Bepo mused. "How do you think the marines managed to catch Houta. He had a 657,000,000 bellies bounty on him."
"Another pirate to bite the dust" I said.

After making sure everything on the ship was running and everyone was okay I went to my room where Chi was still asleep.
I made room for myself and laid down next to her.

I was woken by my name being whispered and a weight on my chest.
My eyes opened slowly and right in my face was Chi.
My cheeks burned instantly. She was sat upon my torso, leaning over me looking at me with her dark eyes. "Law" she called in a sing song voice. "Are you awake Law?"
"That's Captain Law to you."
She smiled. "Good morning peaches." my cheeks burned further from her nickname. I gazed down and cleavage could be seen from slight dip in her shirt.
Wait that's my shirt.
"Are you wearing my shirt?" I asked.
She nodded. "I have no other clothes. You left the island."
I gazed up. She was wearing my hat too. I snatched it off her head. "Don't touch my hat. And don't call me peaches."
"Don't you like your nickname?"
"I don't need a nickname. You shall address me as Captain."
"Ooo someone is grumpy this morning."
I scowled at her. "I'm not grumpy."
She sat up and crossed her arms over chest. She mocked me in a grumbly deep voice. "I'm not gwunpy!"
The beating inside my chest picked up.
I noticed the shackles around her wrists and neck. "Let me take those shackles off."
She held out her wrists. "Thank you."
"Room."
My blue dome went up and I quickly sliced away the metal on her wrists. "Now hold out your neck" I commanded.
She pouted. "This is not from the marines. Do not touch it." She wrapped her hands protectively around the metal cuff.
I shrugged calling back my room. "Suit yourself."
"Thank you anyways peaches."
Ignoring her childishness I changed the subject. "How are your wounds feeling?" I asked.
"Much better." She lifted up her shirt to show me. "My arm and shoulder are fine but this one is still kind of tender."
She gazed down at the wound on her stomach.
She was basically half naked before me. Her shirt lifted. Her tiny shorts were on display. I could see the under curve of her bra.
"They nearly killed you with this wound. You're lucky your organs didn't just fall out."
She nodded. "I'll remember that next time." She put her shirt down and looked at me with her calm black eyes.
I looked at her confused. "What does that mean?"
A sly smirk pulled up her lips. "I don't know."
"I demand you tell me."
"Alright." She got off of me. "But you have to catch me first."
She ran out of my room laughing.
I sighed. Why did I ask a three year old to join my crew?

I checked every room, finally finding her in my office. She was under my desk. "I found you Chi" I said boredly.
She stood up from under my desk and gave me a lopsided smile. "Took you long enough peaches."
I glared at her. "My name is Captain Law. Address me as so."
"Fucking make me" she challenged me.
I quickly swept her up. I pinned her against my bookshelf. I stared harshly into her eyes. "Now tell me."
"Mmm," she made a face like she was thinking about it. "No" she finally said.
She wrapped her legs around my waist, holding herself tightly to me. Then she pushed off the bookshelf making me back up a couple steps. Then ripping her arms from my grasp she sent herself flying backwards. She bent backwards before letting go of me with her legs and flipping her lower half. She landed gracefully on her fingers and toes under me.

She was about to get up and run when I grabbed her waist. I pulled her back to me and pressed her back to my front. Her arms were locked in my grasp. "This is the last time Chi. Tell me. NOW!"
She sighed softening in my ensnarement. "Fine" she sighed. " The wound on my stomach was inflicted by me."
"What?! You nearly killed yourself?" I turned her around to look her in the eyes.
"It's for a technique. It's requires a lot of blood and I thought it would be a better place than my throat or an artery in my leg."
Her knowledge impressed me slightly. "Why would you need so much blood?"
She looked me in the eyes calmly. "To destroy a marine base."
"That's why they were chasing you?"
"Well that and the 80,000,000 bounty."
"You're almost a supernova."
She smirked. "Probably am now that I've destroyed a base and got away with it."

I took her to where we ate. Some of my crew were still in there.
Chi and I stood at the door and looked at my crew. "Everyone this is Chi. She is our newest member."
There was a chorus of hellos.
I took Chi to meet Bepo. He sat at the other end eating some fish.
I sat next to him. "Chi this is Bepo. My first mate."
She looked confused for a minute.
Then Bepo smiled at her and said, "Hello. It's nice to meet you."
Chi screamed at the top of her lungs. I looked at her startled. Was she really that scared of Bepo?
Then she ran at him hugging him tightly. Bepo stood up and Chi merely hung on and her feet hung inches from the ground.
"Oh my goodness Bepo!" The most ladylike I've ever heard her sound. "You're so kawaii!!" She nuzzled her face into the soft fur of his neck.
"Ah. Thank you Miss Chi. Will you please let go?"
Chi let go but pouted at my first mate.

Breakfast was...odd. My men were staring at Chi and trying to get her attention but she giving it all to Bepo.

After eating everyone had left except Chi and myself.
She turned to me. "Bepo is adorable. You should have told me you had someone so cute on you're crew. I would've joined earlier."
I gave her a mischievous smirk. "Are you saying I'm not cute?"
She smirked back, putting her chin on her hand and resting her elbow on the table. She'd leaned closer to me and I could smell her sweet scent. "Only in the morning. You're cheeks are like peaches when you wake up." She pointed out a finger just barely touching the tip of my nose. "After that you're hot as shit."
My smirk widened.
"I like the goatee" she said. "And the sideburns. They make you look all grown up. Not the little pansy I beat up four years ago."
My smirk faltered. "Shut up" I growled. She giggled.
There was silence between us and we stared at each other. I think slowly adding up how the other had changed.

Chi had definitely become much more light hearted. Four years ago I'd barely been able to get a crack of a smile out of her.

She spoke pulling back my attention. "So what am I going to be doing? First mate is taken by your adorable Bepo. Where do I come in?"
A lopsided smirk pulled a side of my mouth up. "You Ace of Spades are for where ever I need you." I leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Where ever and whenever."
I chuckled leaning back. Surprising me Chi had a surprised expression on her face and a light dusting of pink on cheeks.

It's about time she's taught who's the captain on this ship.