An Encounter With The King

Daring Stupidity

I sat on the deck, calmly reading my book while Fluffy, Luffy, Chopper, Usopp, and Franky ran around playing. Law was nearby, snoozing. While reading, I would smile or quietly laugh at their childish antics. Yes, life as a pirate is dangerous. You risk your life every day.
However, with a captain like Luffy, a crew like the Straw Hats, and friends like Ace, Law, and Fluffy, it can also be fun and exciting. I wouldn't trade places with someone for a hundred million berry.
I was knocked from my thoughts when something bumped into me from behind. Hearing the familiar "Ushishishi" laughter of the Strawhat captain, I grinned. "Luffy, can ya get off? You're heavy," I asked, lying under the rubber boy.
"Shishi, sorry Jewel," he replied, sitting up. "Why don't you come play with us?"
"Maybe later, Luffy. I'm relaxing right now."
"Promise?"
I glanced at his adorably pouting face and smiled. "Promise," I said, holding my pinky out to him.
He grinned and wrapped his pinky around mine. We were just about to go back to our separate activities when something rammed Luffy from behind. Due to our close proximity, I was also knocked over and my book slid out of my grip.
Struggling from under the doggy pile I now knew as Fluffy, Usopp and Luffy, I caught sight of my book as it slid over the edge. There was about two heartbeats of silence before I screamed, "NOOOO!"
I ripped off my heavy outer layers, leaving me in my bra and long underwear, dashed to the railing and leaped into the frigid waters. Winter island be damned, I wasn't about to lose my precious book.
Rising back to the surface, I glanced around desperately.I spotted my book about five feet down and sinking fast. Taking a deep breath, I dove after it. I was luckily able to keep my heart rate down to make it easier to hold my breath. Down, down, down my waterlogged book went. I only too happily went after it.
Just as I was about to grab it, a large fish swam up and ate it. I froze for what seemed like forever before, enraged, I went after the fish. Even slowed and weakened by the water, I gave the fish enough of a beating that it coughed up my book. Grabbing it, I swam back to the surface. I was running out of air.
I reached the barrier between water and air just as my vision started to go blurry. Gasping for breath, I crawled onto the shore and curled protectively around my treasure. "Jewel!"
"Jewel!"
"Jewel, are you alright?" I heard the worried calls of my friends on the deck of Thousand Sunny. Panting and occasionally coughing, I raised a weak arm and waved it. It was the signal I was ok. For how long, I wasn't sure.
"Luffy, you have to get her or she'll freeze to death." I heard Nami instruct. Instinctively, I curled tighter around my book. I wasn't about to lose it again. I felt something wrap around me and lift me up. Shivering and with everything going numb, I barely registered that I was back on the Sunny and in Luffy's arms. The last thing I remembered was someone saying, "She's suffering from hypothermia. Get her warm, quick!" before I succumbed to darkness.
Law's POV switch
I was relaxing on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, Mugiwara-ya's ship. Most of the crew probably thought I was asleep as my hat covered my eyes but I was actually watching Jewel-ya. She was such an interesting character.
She could be as loud and annoying as the others, often getting into trouble, but she could also be such a sweet girl. I often found myself in her company; weather it was because one of us sat next to the other, or simply because we were doing the same activity. She was rather amusing to tease as the blush that would cover her cheeks added a lovely color to her tanned skin.
I was snapped out of my musings when I heard Jewel-ya start talking to Mugiwara-ya. I was too far away to hear what they were saying but, based on the grins they each wore, I assumed he'd invited her to play. I started to dose off when I heard a sharp cry of "NOOOO!"
My head snapped up just in time to catch Jewel-ya jump over the railing. In her undergarments. I sat stunned for about thirty seconds before I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the railing. Looking down, I saw Jewel-ya break the surface before diving down again. I almost broke the railing and dove after her in panic.
Has that girl lost her mind?! I wondered. That water is freezing and the weather is twenty degrees! If I didn't know any better, I would've cast ROOM and got her back up here. The only reason I could imagine someone doing something so unbelievably stupid was to save a treasure.
Somehow, Jewel-ya's book must've fallen in the water and she went in after it. I drummed my fingers on the railing as I impatiently waited for her to resurface. she has to be close to running out of air. I thought, irritated I could do nothing.
Movement below caught my and everyone's attention. I wasn't sure when they'd gotten there but I didn't care. Looking down, we all watched as Jewel-ya crawled onto the shore and curled protectively around something. "Jewel!"
"Jewel!"
"Jewel, are you alright?" the others called to her, but I remained silent. I was trying to gauge how severe her hypothermia was but from a distance, it was impossible.
I saw her raise a weak arm and wave it, signaling she wasn't hurt. She was far from ok though.
"Luffy, you have to get her or she'll freeze to death," Nami-ya instructed. Based on the bluish-purple coloring on her skin, I'd say she was already freezing to death. We all watched as Mugiwara-ya wrapped his arms around her and pulled her aboard.
Up close, I saw her condition was much worse than I thought. Her lips were almost black, her skin was so pale, you could easily see the network of her veins and she'd stopped shivering. I assumed she'd gone numb. "She's suffering from hypothermia. Get her warm, quick!" I ordered.
"How do we do that?" Mugiwara-ya asked.
I didn't have time to explain so I just said, "Give her to me."
He carefully placed her in my arms and I rushed to the infirmary. "Somebody grab some towels!" I snapped as I placed her on the bed.
I checked for a pulse and just barely felt one. I was in the middle of removing her soggy long underwear when Fluffy-ya came in with the towels. "Law, what're you doing?" she asked.
"She needs to be dried off and warmed up," I explained, taking the towels from her. "Out." I pushed her outside and closed the door. Drying Jewel-ya off, I somewhat dreaded what I had to do next. Once she was dry, I wrapped her in blankets, stripped and crawled in with her. Pulling her close to me, I warmed her slowly with the body heat I had to offer. All I could do now was wait for her to wake up.
Back to Jewel's POV
Feeling warmth slowly seep back into my body, my muscles began the rapid twitch of shivering. I knew I wasn't exactly conscious yet, but I enjoyed the warmth I was getting.
As I became more aware of my surroundings, I snuggled closer to the warmth that was pressed against my back. Slowly, I regained enough consciousness to open my eyes.
Doing so, I noticed I was in the infirmary. How did I get in here? I wondered.
"Jewel-ya, are you awake?" I heard behind me.
"Law?" I rasped, my voice was barely audible to my own ears. Apparently, he was close enough to hear me because he spoke again. "I need you to do me a favor, okay?" he asked.
"I'll try."
"I need you to take a deep breath and try to cough it out. Can you do that for me?"
I took a deep breath and, feeling like I was breathing water, coughed rather violently.
"Good girl. Very good. Now, I need you to drink this. It'll warm you from the inside," Law instructed.
I saw his arm stretch out and noticed it was from behind me. I realised he was the warm presence against my back and relaxed.
As he handed me the cup, I noticed his arm wrap around me to help me sit up. That's when I became aware of something. Or, rather, lack of something. "Law," I spoke calmly as I sipped the tea in the cup.
He hummed in response.
"Are...are we... naked?". There was a long moment of silence and I could feel heat radiating off of Law as I calmly drank the tea.
"It's the best way to warm someone up from hypothermia," he finally answered. His voice sounded muffled so I assumed it was buried in the pillow.
"Getting naked?" I inquired.
"No, sharing body heat."
Unsure how to respond, I finished my tea and lay back down. It was so awkward, yet I wasn't uncomfortable.
"Go to sleep, Jewel-ya. You'll feel better when you wake up," he advised, shifting so we could be comfortable.
"Alright, captain. Goodnight." I agreed.
He chuckled. "It's afternoon, Jewel-ya. Goodnight though."
He placed a kiss on my cheek, nuzzled his head against mine and we both fell asleep.