Two Hearts

Beloved

"All I'm saying is," continued Shachi, leaning over his plate of potatoes, "Women! Think about it! We could have two on ship!" His face turned slightly red as he thought about it.

Picking up where his friend left off, Penguin also blushed, holding his fork in a tight fist. "You said yourself that she didn't seem threatening, and you already..." He trailed off, glaring at the captain (who watched them with annoyance). "THAT'S NOT FAIR CAPTAIN! YOU SHOULD GIVE OTHER PEOPLE A CHANCE TO STEAL WOMEN'S HEARTS!"

Law sighed. He should have known it would be this way. "Where is Bepo-ya?" The bear was nowhere to be seen in the small, obnoxious cafeteria.

Since Ikkaku demanded there be more color than white and grey somewhere aboard, her area was full of sunshine yellows and golds. The floor was the same white tile as the rest of the ship, and the two tables and eight chairs were grey, but the walls were a yellow-ish persimmon with trails of gold etching glittering in the white light. The trimming around the kitchen window was sunshine yellow, as was the door separating the kitchen from the eating area. Law could only assume the horrendous color had completely taken over Ikkaku's kitchen. He wouldn't know for sure, because he was not allowed there.

"Haven't seen him." Jean Bart took up much of the second table himself, leaned over to better reach his pile of potatoes. "Could be still sleeping."

Law disagreed, but it wouldn't hurt to check. Later. "Jean-ya, Shachi-ya and Penguin-ya seem to think it's a good idea to keep her on board."

The former captain nodded, swallowing a large mouthful of food. "You say she drained you like the sea-prism stone. Could be a good idea to not make her an enemy. I say either kill her now and be done with it, or keep her so she doesn't try to kill you."

The captain tucked his chin in, arms crossed over Kikoku and hat obscuring his face. Jean had a good head on his shoulders, always proving that he had most definitely been an excellent captain worthy of his bounty. He could feel the stranger's heart beating steadily in his pocket. The rhythm had changed: It was still calm, but the stranger was awake. "I should find Bepo-ya. It looks like we've agreed to keep the stranger-ya on board unless she does something dangerous."

Ikkaku peeked her head through the kitchen window. "I think she's just looking for attention. She teased you, flaunting her power, but didn't do anything serious, right?"

Law nodded his agreement. "Correct. She appeared to lose interest in having me paralyzed when I started to ignore her."

"And then she just moved you to the bed and went to sleep?" She put her weight on her elbows on the window sill/ counter, setting her chin in her hand. "Then, you woke up, and she had made it clear that you had permission to remove her heart? I don't think she's looking for trouble, Trafalgar. Just company."

Law stood. He didn't quite agree that keeping the stranger around was a good idea, but he couldn't argue with Jean or Ikkaku's logic, either. The most important thing now was to find and inform Bepo. He wandered out into the hallway and towards the bear's sleeping quarters. Fortunately, he did find the cowardly bear there. Unfortunately, he also found the stranger.

"Captain!" Bepo called cheerfully, waving from the bed, "I made a friend! I don't know how she got here, but she's so nice~"

The stranger rubbed Bepo's ears with wide, mismatched eyes. The right eye was a dark, reddish-bronze while the left eye was blue with yellow spokes at the center, making the whole eye appear green. She didn't seem to notice the interruption. "And you're really sure you're not a devil fruit eater?" Her skin glowed pale blue as she poked the bear in various places.

Bepo giggled, "That tickles! No, Bepo is just a bear."

"You don't feel anything weird when I touch you?"