𝓒𝓻𝓸𝓼𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 ~ 𝓪 𝓑𝓾𝓰𝓰𝔂 𝔁 𝓕𝓮𝓶 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓷 𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓿𝓮; 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓵 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓵

**A/N**

Hey everyone, hope y'all are good. So sorry for taking so long to update and I promise they'll be more spice in the next chapter. Thanks so much for sticking around, I really appreciate your patience and support! 🙏❤️

<<________________>>

*Amby's POV*

After a long, exuberant soak in the bath you busied yourself by washing Buggy's gloves in the sink; soaking  and scrubbing them repeatedly with soap in order to wash the bloodstains away. In all honesty, the bath had worked wonders to soothe away some of the tension from your aching muscles, so really you ought to have made the most of your time alone and just relaxed. The large bed looked seriously inviting, yet still you felt compelled to devote your energy and attention to doing something for your captain.

You'd been so focused on your task you hadn't realized just how much time you invested in scrubbing them clean. Well, they weren't exactly sparkling white, but still they were infinitely cleaner than they had been. After setting them on the radiator to dry, you walked to the nightstand and used the snail to call down and ask for a first aid kit - more specifically, bandages - as you knew that the wound on Buggy's hand would need redressing soon. You tried not to dwell on what the desk clerk might be thinking. Supposed newlyweds requesting a first aid kit within a couple of hours of checking in. The receptionist clearly knew Buggy by reputation and wouldn't suspect that he could be the one injured due to his chop chop abilities. In fact, you'd been shocked to see it happen yourself.

Soon there came a knock at the door and you opened it to see the concierge, brandishing more than just a first aid kit....

"Champagne, madam. With the compliments of the management" he announced, smiling warmly.

"Oh, uh, thank you. That's very thoughtful and kind"

You stepped aside, allowing him to wheel in the trolley. Fidgeting awkwardly, feeling somewhat self conscious in just your robe, you waited patiently as he took the bottle of champagne from the ice bucket and popped the cork. Once he'd poured you a glass and handed it to you you stopped him before he poured the second one

"It's ok, captain Buggy— uh, that is, my husband, isn't here right now. He's had to run a few errands"

Perhaps it was your paranoia, but you thought you caught the cynical quirk of his eyebrow. But of course being polite and keeping his opinions to himself was a mandatory part of his job description.

"Of course, madam."

After thanking him again, you hurriedly closed the door once he left. You were being ridiculous of course, it didn't matter if the staff were suspicious of your relationship with Buggy. You'd secured the room for two nights, and that's all that mattered.

Still, that didn't stop your nerves from feeling frayed. So much for those 'calming' essential oils you had used in the bath. It had been a very stressful day. First the storm early this morning, then your near death experience when you'd fallen from the rigging, Buggy's violent confrontation with Poppoko and Heppoko, the nerve-wracking ordeal of having to stitch up his hand....and....

.....that kiss.

The kiss you shouldn't be dwelling on, because...it was only meant to be for Alvida's benefit. But, now that you'd had time to calm down after everything that had happened that day, you found your thoughts returning to it, to the way his lips had felt; the way they'd moved against yours, soft yet firm, teasing but demanding....

Shit. You really needed to forget the way that it had made you feel. Because it wasn't real. It was all part of the charade.

Damn. You'd been feeling relatively chill when you'd been languishing in the bath. Now your muscles felt coiled and tight once more. And where the hell was Buggy? He'd been gone quite a while. Surely he wouldn't abandon you. He wouldn't leave behind his best asset, and he couldn't anyway, he was broke!