The Fallen Angel And The Demon In Green

Chapter 20: Trouble Calls

On one table, near the couch, I placed the damn snail transponder and the heinous picture of the royal fool that wants my hand that my brother had given me.

I've been trying not to get bummed up by the threat that's been weighting over my shoulders since I last seen Deliops, but that doesn't mean I have entirely forgotten about it. I don't want to give in to his demands, but it may be the only way. The idea alone makes me sick.

A knock on the door and a familiar tone gets me back to the unclouded reality.

"Oy, dinner's ready," The swordman's head peeks through the door, "Whoa."

He comes in, taking a look at the surroundings, "How did you convince Franky to build this?"

"What, like it's hard?" I scoff, "With enough colas, he'd give me his children if I asked."

Zoro's surprised expression may be one of my favourites, even if he only allows me a glimpse before smirking. With a raised eyebrow, he says, "Last time I checked, you were giving me drinks."

It's amusing, even if it's a joke, to imagine Zoro jealous of someone.

Already locking my arms behind his neck, I chuckle, "Yeah, I see the parallelism there."

It's hard to resist kissing him, so I don't, and it's the way he melts so effortlessly to my body that makes me dizzy, "but I don't have to ask you for something like that, do I?" I whisper into his ear, mischief in the tone. It's not embarrassing to play like this with him, it's actually exciting, even if I still get all flustered.

I swear I don't want anyone's children right now, but how Zoro reacted to my silly teasing, his hands squeezing a little my hips, his almost imperceptible rumble, and the look in his eyes, sending flashes of last night right to my core, has the less evolved part of my brain reconsidering.

He leans forward, unleashing another new, passionate kiss, and it's only when his hands reach underneath my jean that I wake up from the fog.

When did we become so consumed by one another? Lately is hard to see Zoro and restrain the impulse to touch. I guess we unpacked more than just sexual tension last night. It feels like the most natural thing in the world to have him hold me close, but after last night there are new possibilities besides hugs, and we both seem eager to explore that world. 

"Zoro. Dinner." I take a step back, hoping to cool down, "Someone'll come check otherwise."

"Right," he chuckles, "We don't need that idiot to burst open the door and faint again."

Reluctantly, he lets me go, and I give him a chaste kiss as a consolation prize.

"I'm right behind you," I assure him before he gets to the door and exits the room, his lingering warmth still present.

What a man.

With a sigh, I let the new studio know just how much I'm affected by the green-haired swordsman.

I stay there, just amazed by how things turned out between us. Who could have predicted this? I still can get my head around how much my life has changed since meeting him. Not so long ago, love was just a word among the many in the dictionary, another concept I wouldn't live to meet. Now I breathe its meaning every time I think of him.

As I'm sure I've given him enough advantage so that we avoid comments about our synchronized arrival etc, etc, I head for the door. I'm sure Zoro'll appreciate the strategy too. He is not a big fan of the crew's attention on us either.

As I'm grasping the knob, the sound of my dreams shattering stops me in my tracks.

The snail transponder, back to life, mimics the annoying expression of my brother at the other end, relentless on his mission to deprive me of any ounce of happiness I've gathered.

The question, utterly polite and calm. However, no embellishments could hide what this really is: a threat.

My voice is cold, but again, I cannot camouflage my desperation with pompous words. It doesn't matter how I phrase it, I'm doing nothing but begging for more time.

It's a useless plead, and he knows. He must know there is nowhere for me to run, if not, his answer would be different.

"Three days."

And then the snail goes back to sleep.

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It's long past midnight. I can't tell, but it feels like ages since everyone went to sleep after dinner. I would too, if only I could get some rest. Instead, I'm glued to my seat at the table, lights out, laughs and friends gone. My only company is the walling of the ocean outside and the complementary orchestra of thoughts inside my head

Why is it that every time life seems to be too good to be true, it is? And I fall for the ruse again and again. I should've known there was no way I would escape the clutches of my name. I knew this was coming, and yet the call hit me like lightning.

I opted to let the matter cool, ignoring the clock's relentless journey. I gave myself hope that I would figure it out before it was too late, but now I've just worsened the situation for everyone. The longer I spend with my friends, the harder it will be to solve this problem. This is so fucking unfair, especially for Zoro. And the worst part is, I put everyone I love at risk by wavering on my decision. 

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Hi! Sorry about the late update. I'm moving, finally! I have to find a job and a place to live, so I can't really predict when I will be able to publish the next chapter. Anyway, I will do it as soon as possible. 

As always, I appreciate likes and comments. I love reading you! 

And Happy Valentine's Day!