•Black Hat•

•44•

"It wasn't hard" Pearl muttered. She was seating on the ground kneeling, her knees stuck together and her legs beneath them facing each to a different direction, forming a v. Law still held her by the wrists and tried to understand what she was saying.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Ending up in Doffy's bed." Pearl explained. "When I first went there to ask for a place in the colosseum he asked me if I would be profitable to him... and I said that I would try my best. After the first week of surviving in there I got an invitation to the palace. I asked Diamante whether I could turn it down but he cocked his eyebrows sarcastically. If I had denied it in then, my upcoming matches would be arranged so that I would be killed, he didn't need to say it, but I understood it from his eyes. So I followed him and he took me to Doffy's chambers. Saying no there, would mean..." Pearl paused in order to avoid a voice crack. "saying no there would mean rape. At least by agreeing to it, I wasn't treated like a stray bitch and I had secured my safety" She concluded. To her surprise Law was still holding her wrists. "I would love to apologize, ask for your forgiveness, but the truth is that I don't regret it... I just can't have you too to be mad at me... so I guess I have to say it." She muttered and took a deep breath "Will you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive"

"I don't care, tell me, will you-?"

"Just shut up kiddo!" Law cut her. "I'm confiscating your blades! I can't trust you with them. Go get some sleep" he said and unbuckled her belt. He took the blade that she had dropped as well and got up.

"Not Ace please" she pleaded. Law froze but remembered that she had named it by the late pirate. "I feel naked without him".

"Better naked than bold, or dead. I don't trust you, go to fucking sleep!" He repeated and walked away.

Pearl didn't move or shout at him like she would usually do. It was as if in the blink of an eye she had lost all her will to live, all her spirit. Still drunk she leaned over and her forehead touched the slightly wet soil. She wrapped her arms around her body and swung lightly back and forward as if she was trying to calm down and fall asleep like a baby in his mother's arms. Her face had taken a pained expression as she was fighting so hard to contempt her tears. She hated crying, she felt weak and vulnerable and this time she really was. Without her blades she could do nothing.

"Hey, are you hurt?" A soft voice asked her and Pearl raised her head from the ground turning it to her left to see who was addressing her. To her surprise and relief it was Bepo.

"No" she muttered as she sat up and brushed the soil off her forehead. She couldn't help herself but sniff and rub her eyes to make her tears go completely away.

The bear opened his arms and signed at her. Hesitantly Pearl buried herself in his fur and felt as if a heavy burden was lifted off of her.

"Thank you" She muttered still clinging onto him.

"I need to go back to my captain, would you like me to get you to yours?" He asked softly. For a moment Pearl thought what it would be like if Law was her captain as well. How different things would be. Her days would definitely be full of tension, her nights as well but... she was now Luffy's nakama and didn't regret it.

"Yeah I need to go see that baka!" She muttered and cracked a smile. "But I have to sober up first"

"Here" the bear said, taking a bottle out of his back pocket. "Drink, it will help you with that" 

It was like scented water so Pearl drank it all and also took a bit and dabbed it on her face. She still felt quite dizzy but at least she didn't want to be buried alive. That's when a thought crossed her mind.

"Did Law send you?" She asked but the bear ignored her.

"I think I heard them say they'd go greet Nekomushi, follow me I know how to get there" the bear said making Pearl half smile.

Without making another comment Pearl followed the white bear into the woods until they reached Nekomamushi's estate out of which they found Luffy and Law speaking with the giant cat. Chopper suddenly jumped beside them and began yelling at Nekomamushi.

"You reopened you wound for the freaking fourth time today I'm done with you! Get back inside!" He shouted and the huge creature obeyed making everyone smile at how carefree he was.

"Captain" Bepo said and stood beside Law as Pearl followed behind him hesitantly. Law seemed surprised to see her there and Luffy didn't even show that he saw her instead he kept talking with Law.

"I'm going!"

"Oi Mugiwara-ya Kaido is already after us, we don't want to get involved with another Yonko. I bet that he has sent his people to find us, and that's bad for the minks here as well! They defied Jack once and look where it got them, we can't burden them with Big Mom's pirates too!" He told him making every mink around them tear touched by Law's compassion for them.

"Let's throw a party shall we?" Nekomamushi proposed from inside his room, angering Chopper, making everyone cheer and breaking the uncomfortable silence that had taken over after Law had spoken. And indeed the minks threw a party that lasted throughout the night, making it hard for Pearl to try and speak to Luffy.

Instead she chatted with Robin and the rest of the Strawhats, feeling more welcomed and comfortable as the time went by. But when she saw Law leaving the party she tailed him silently until he reached his room.

"Ahem" she coughed making Law turn around at once but relaxing once he realized it was her. "Can I have my blades back?" She asked.

"Let me think... no" he said and got ready to walk in his room.

"Wait!" Pearl said and grabbed his hand. "Please! Give them to me I swear I won't do anything dumb"

"I don't care whether you swear or not! I'm a doctor, and I will never let my patients die, so no!"

"But I'm not your patient I'm not sick!" She pleaded with her eyes.

"You think" he said and slammed the door behind him.