The halls were relatively quiet, though Summer could hear men behind their doors assumably trying out their new gifts. Summer had put her camera and shoes in her room earlier in the day. She was rather excited to see what the camera could do.
With a small gasp, she had forgotten all about Law's gift. She supposed now was the best time to bring it to him. Passing by Shachi's and Penguin's room, she could hear them arguing.
"If you don't think that the drummers were the best part of the festival, we can't be friends anymore." Penguin said.
"Fine! Then don't ever talk to me again! And the dancers were better!"
"No, baka!" She shook her head. Grinning, she thought of how childish the two were. Continuing down the hall, she approached her door, stopping when she saw something tucked behind the wreath. It was an envelope, plain and white. Raising an eyebrow, she grabbed it. All it said was 'Summer' on the front. Glancing around, she slipped inside her room before tearing the top open.
There was a small white card on the inside, with plain black printed letters. It read:
.
Summer,
If you want your final gift, go to the lake on the north side of town at midnight.
.
She flipped the card over several times just to be sure, but there wasn't a name on it anywhere. She didn't recognize the handwriting either. Who had sent it? She panicked, glancing at the clock and realizing it was already 11:44. She only had 15 minutes to get to the lake!
"Shit…" She muttered, scrambling to put on her jacket and boots. Setting the envelope on the desk, she got properly dressed and grabbed her bag. It still had Law's present tucked inside, but she would worry about that later. If anything, she could always give it to him the next day. A late present was better than no present at all.
Taking off out the door and down the hall, she hoped she'd make it on time.
Outside, there was a full moon. This greatly helped her find her way down the path out of the town. It was snowing lightly, but at least it wasn't a blizzard. She shivered at the thought of being stuck in the cave with her Captain that day. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to retain some warmth. She was glad Law had gotten her the jacket so long ago. It really helped against the wind on these winter islands.
She topped a hill, looking down on a small valley. She gasped, seeing the small lake below. It glistened, completely frozen over from the cold. It was surrounded by a forest-like span of trees, as if Mother Nature had tried hiding a small piece of beauty away from prying eyes. Summer smiled, slowly making her way down the side of the hill.
No one was around, at least from what the blonde could tell. There weren't any voices. No footprints that she could see. Walking up to the edge of the lake, she stopped, admiring the beauty. Suddenly, something cold and hard smacked against the back of her head.
"Hey!" She said, recognizing it to be a snowball. Turning, she didn't see anyone. Narrowing her eyes, she stooped down to make a snowball of her own. "So it's gonna be like that, huh?" She called out, slowly scanning the surrounding trees.
To her surprise, Law's voice responded. "I thought you were better than that, Summer-ya, getting caught off guard that easily. It's not like you." He mocked, and she smirked.
"Well, you know me. Always full of surprises." She held the snowball close to her chest, prepared to throw it at a moment's-
Smack! Another one hit her in the side. Gasping aloud, she dropped her own weapon. It had been too fast for her to pinpoint exactly where it had come from, and so his whereabouts were still hidden.
"That's pretty low, picking on a poor, innocent girl." She laughed, brushing the snow off her jacket. Grabbing another snowball, she started circling the lake. Her attempts at mock pity didn't go unnoticed.
"You make it too easy." He taunted, and she thought she'd pinpointed his position by the direction of his voice. Smirking, she stalked closer to the place as silently as she could.
"Don't get too cocky." She warned, still approaching the tree she believed him to be behind. "Ha!" She raised her weapon, sprinting around the tree. No one was there. "Dammit." She muttered, looking around in confusion. She was sure he was there!
"Looking for me?" A voice asked behind her. As she turned, a snowball was shoved unceremoniously into her face.
"Ah! It's cold!" She stumbled backwards, wiping away the snow from her face. Law chuckled, walking closer to her as she rid herself of the cold substance. Her face was bright red from the unexpected temperature drop to her face.
"Not. Fair." She said, and Law shook his head.
"Haven't you learned by now that pirates don't do 'fair.'" He made quotation marks in the air. She sighed.
"Still. A snowball to the face is pretty dastardly."
"Hmm." Was all he said before turning and walking towards the lake.
"Hey, where are you going?" She started towards him, and he glanced back with a smirk.
"Don't you want your gift?" He led her back to the lake, where she saw two boxes sitting on the ground. Summer hadn't noticed them there before, and Law stooped down to pick them up.
"For you." He said, holding one out to her. She grabbed it gently. Hesitantly lifting the lid, as if there was some sort of trap inside, her eyes widened when she saw what was inside.
'How could he…'
"Ice skates?" She questioned, hope flowing into her voice as her smile widened. He chuckled. Helping her lift them out of the box, since she wasn't doing much besides stare at them, he held them out.
"I assume you can tie your own shoes, yes?" He joked, and she smiled a little. But she remembered a very important fact, and her voice sounded full of dejection.
"But…I don't know how to ice skate. I never learned." He raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you think I had you meet me all the way out here? In the middle of the night? At a lake?" Her eyes filled with questions and that rejuvenated hope.
"You'll…teach me?"
"It's my job as the Captain to teach you things, yes. After all, there may come a day when learning how could save your life." He said sarcastically, and she took the shoes from him.
"Well, I suppose you'd better teach me then. Don't want to die anytime soon." She went along with it, only because she knew pressing his buttons about it would only make him retreat into himself more. He had a tendency of doing that. They both put on and laced their shoes, and Law waited on the edge of the ice. She held out her hands to keep balance, but her body wobbled every once in awhile.
"How do people not break their ankles on these things?" She questioned, to which Law laughed.
"Because they aren't as clumsy as you are." She pouted, huffing a little. He had a point. But that didn't mean he had to point it out so blatantly. His ever-present smirk was kind of getting on her nerves. Obviously, this was just so much fun for him.
Taking small steps on the death shoes, she inched her way to the ice. Once the tips of the shoes touched, she stopped. "You're sure I won't die?"
Rolling his eyes, he grabbed her upper arm and dragged her onto the ice before she could do anything. Her arms flailed wildly.
"Wait! No, I'm not readyyyyy!" She cried, even as he pushed her forward towards the center of the lake. She stiffened her legs, trying to keep balance as she slowed to a stop on the ice.
"Keep your center of balance in your hips, not your legs." Law said, skating smoothly beside her. She reached out to him for support, but he glided just out of reach.
"Hey!" As she leaned, her balance began to shift, and she flailed her arms furiously to prevent from falling. Somehow, she managed to stop herself.
"Don't over adjust, just let your body relax." He stopped, facing her with crossed arms.
"That's easier said than done." She said through gritted teeth, focusing on not falling on her face. Her legs wobbled as she tried keeping them straight. She looked up, seeing his smirking face. She narrowed her eyes with a pout.
"You're not a very good teacher, by the way." He chuckled, not moving from his spot.
"The best way to learn is through experience." Seeing her continue to try to keep her legs as straight as possible, moving them back and forth to try to go forward, he sighed. "Summer-ya, at some point you're going to fall. Everyone does. Stop trying to prevent it and just push forward."
"Fine." She cried, preparing herself for impact as she dug one point of the skate into the ice and pushed off. She wobbled off balance on her one foot and teetered forwards. "Ah!" She cried, sticking her arms out to catch herself.
Luckily, Law was there to catch her, as much as her pride took a hit to admit it. He righted her, gliding away again to watch. Sighing heavily, she looked to him.
"Alright, what's the first thing I have to do?"
"Let your legs relax. They're too rigid and will strain from use." Swallowing, she tried doing as she was told. Immediately, she lost balance, legs going back and forth to try to regain her center of gravity. Law wasn't there to catch her, and so she fell straight onto her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. His gentle chuckle greeted the now-pervasive cold to his belly.
"Ah…" She moaned, trying to push herself off the ground. "What…did I do…wrong?" She ground out.
"You didn't compensate the change in center of gravity." He finally drifted forward, stopping just before her and helped her up. She welcomed the help, but she'd be damned if she ever admitted it.
"It'd be easier if you actually helped me." She pursed her lips, and Law chuckled in amusement.
"I suppose with your clumsiness I'll have to." She ignored the jab, focusing instead on how his hands began positioning her body. She was conscious of every touch, every shift of his body.
"Keep your head straight, legs slightly bent, and don't hold your arms to your body. Relax a little." She nodded, not looking him in the eye. Summer was sure he'd say something about it, but if he noticed he gave no indication.
"Now how do I go forward?" She asked, deciding to focus on the ice skating part of what was going on. She was sure her cheeks were going red again. She hoped he'd account that to the cold weather.
"Push forward with the side of your skate, not the tip. You'll just lose balance again." He demonstrating, pulling her along with him. She froze up again, and he stopped, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Sorry." She muttered, relaxing her body as best she could. He grabbed her hand, sending a small chill up her spine with the contact. He didn't seem to be as affected by the gesture, but then again he was skilled at hiding his emotions when he didn't wish to display them. She gulped, pretended nothing had happened.
"Like this?" She asked, trying it out for herself. She wasn't nearly as at risk to fall as she was before, and got the feeling that she was getting the hang of it.
"Yes, but keep looking forward, otherwise you'll still fall over." He guided her across the ice, turning as the edge of the lake did. The first turn almost sent her face-first into the ice again, but Law kept a firm grip on her hand and elbow.
The moon reflected on the lake, illuminating the sparkling frozen water. It was like a mirror, and she imagined she was skating on the moon itself. The light snowfall made everything seem quiet, and Summer could hear the pounding of her own heart. Or maybe it was Law's? He was rather close to her. Their breaths came out as white clouds in front of them.
They skated laps around the lake, picking up speed with each pass. Her anxiety of falling over slowly melted away, and the fear was replaced with happiness.
She wobbled every once in awhile, but her Captain's hand made her steady once more, and she began to enjoy the way she glided across the ice. It was like she was flying! Her smile returned, which didn't go unnoticed by Law. He looked sideways at her, pleased that she was enjoying herself.
"Can I try to skate by myself?" She asked, and he nodded. Slowly letting go of her hand and allowing her to glide forward without him. She went straight, but she gently angled her body to go right, following the curve of the lakeside.
"It's not as hard as I thought!" She called, feeling her confidence rise, successfully pushing forward without falling. Albeit, her speed wasn't nearly as fast as it was when Law was guiding her, but she was still much faster than before.
Summer was thoroughly enjoying her final Christmas gift.
She wasn't sure how long she'd been circling the lake, alternating between skating solo and with Law's help-he was an expert skater, attributed to years of practice-but the moon was slowly starting its descent towards the horizon.
"Let's take a break." The Captain suggested, and Summer agreed. Her leg muscles were beginning to tire. They skated to the edge of the lake, and Law stepped off the ice first. Summer followed, nearly falling over as her legs tried to adjust to the firm ground. Looking back, she saw the thin lines their skates had made over the sleek surface.
They walked over to two large stumps nearby. Summer had hung her bag from a tree beside them, and it was then that she remembered Law's gift. But before she could say anything, he took out another box from behind the tree.
"You actually have two gifts." He said, and she took the other one. What was inside made her smirk. She lifted Law's old hat from the box, immediately placing it on her own head.
"Yes!" She exclaimed, reveling in how warm it was. "I've always wanted a hat of my own!" Law only shook his head, smirking. Secretly, he admired how cute she looked wearing it.
"Oh, I almost forgot." She reached over the the bag, taking out the box that contained his present. "This is for you."
Eyebrows raised, he glanced between her and the offered gift, slowly taking it.
"I promise it's not underwear. God." She rolled her eyes. Still slightly suspicious, Law removed the silver ribbon the box was wrapped in, opening the lid. Surprised, he set the lid aside.
He held up the sweater, inspecting his jolly roger emblazoned on the front. With a smirk, he felt the collar and how soft the feathers were. It reminded him of something.
'Just like Corazon's jacket…' He thought bittersweetly. But how could she have known…
"Where did you get this?" He asked almost reverently, looking to her curiously. She shrugged, a grin tugging at her lips.
"Oh, just a little shop. And how'd you know I wanted to learn how to ice skate anyway?"
"Bepo told me." He admitted, directing his attention back to the jacket. Summer shook her head with a chuckle. She should have known.
He felt the soft fabric, knowing that it would be rather warm when worn. His lack of response to the gift must have made her insecure, because she squirmed in her seat.
"Umm…do you like it?" She asked, fidgeting with her fingers. He chuckled.
"Yes, thank you." He allowed a small bit of his pride to slip through. But only a tiny bit. Setting the sweater back in the box, he replaced the lid and set it to the ground. Rising, he held out his hand, indicating Summer to take it. Curiously, she did, allowing him to pull her forward.
"We should head back to the sub now. It's rather late." He said.
"We should head back to the sub now. It's rather late."
Her anxiety level instantly rose about a thousand notches, as the one thing she wanted to know rose it's way to her consciousness at that moment. She didn't immediately voice it though. Her courage only rose to prominence after they'd taken off their skates and put on their normal shoes. Forcing herself to speak, she cleared her throat.
"Umm…" She muttered, catching his attention. One brow rose, noticing her shift in mood.
"Something wrong?" He asked, and she closed her eyes.
"No, it's not that." She stood, stepping towards her bag that hung from the tree. Law followed, confused as to what was going on.
"It's just…" She faced away from him, but he noticed she took something out from her jacket pocket. She cradled it in her hands, but he couldn't see what. "I…" She sighed. "God, why is this so embarrassing?" She was getting frustrated with herself at that point.
"What is going on, Summer-ya?" He moved towards her. She faced him, hiding the mistletoe behind her back with both hands. He continued to approach her, and she backed away, her back hitting the tree. He placed both hands on either side of her body, effectively trapping her against the trunk.
"Show me what you have." He ordered. She turned her head away.
"No, it was a stupid idea to begin with." Shaking his head in annoyance, he reached behind her and snatched the thing out of her hand. " Hey!" She tried reaching towards it, but Law held it out of reach.
Inspecting the mistletoe, he smirked, letting it fall out of his hand. It hit the snow with a small tinkling sound. "Is that all?" He questioned in amusement. She puffed out her cheeks, feeling the utter embarrassment eating away at her pride and dignity. His chuckle didn't help her mood either. Placing his hands on either side of her once more, he leaned forward.
"I must admit, that's rather bold of you." He teased. She didn't answer, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing her flustered. "If you want something, Summer-ya, then have the courage to take it." He whispered. She gazed into his eyes, determination rising up to meet the obvious challenge in his voice. She was tired of being the insecure one, the one that was constantly being thrown off guard. And she was tired of his damned smirk. It was always him that dictated the relationship…or whatever this actually was. It was time to mix things up a little.
'Oh, what the hell?' She shrugged internally. 'It's not like we haven't kissed before. I've got nothing to lose.'
In the next instant, she wrapped her hands around his neck and placed her lips on his, closing her eyes.
Law's eyes widened, hands unconsciously snaking around her waist as she pressed her body closer to his. It took a second to realize what was actually going on. He hadn't thought that she'd actually rise up to the challenge, and even if he'd wanted to see her flustered and embarrassed beyond belief, at this point he wasn't complaining about the outcome.
Closing his eyes, he leaned forward, pressing her back against the tree again. He reciprocated, tracing her sides with his fingers. His fingers slipped themselves beneath her jacket, sending trails of fire down her skin through her shirt, contrasting in a pleasurable pain to the frigid air around them.
"Mmm…" She moaned in pleasure, lips still locked with his. His desire rose up, a dull burn in the pit of his chest, and his body pressed deeper into her, pinning her against the tree with a delicious friction they both desired. The fire flared with each small whimper and gasp he tore from her, sending him deeper into the moment than he'd thought possible. Her nails clawed at his back, and even through his jacket he could feel the sting.
They separated, catching their breaths, and Law took the opportunity to target her exposed neck. She gasped, gripping the back of his jacket in fistfuls as he licked and bit the smooth skin there. Tingles ran up her spine, and she relished in the feeling. He made sure to leave a mark, a symbol of his claim. Summer probably wouldn't see it until that night or the next morning, and he was sure he'd get an earful for it, but his desire to mark her was much too strong to care.
Her hands found their way into his hair, knocking his hat to the ground, where her fingers tugged gently at the unruly strands. This produced a low growl of hunger from deep within him, sending goosebumps up and down her sides.
Satisfied that she was essentially putty in his hands, his lips found hers again and he darted his tongue into the kiss. She gave a tiny moan once more, angling her head. She tried fighting for dominance with her own tongue, but Law was clearly the more experienced kisser, easily crushing her resistance. When it came to his desires, he would not back down.
"Law…" She gasped, breaking away from the kiss. Law's mind was hazy, not quite sure why she'd pulled away. They breathed heavily, white puffs accompanying every exhalation. Idly, he realized she'd said his name.
"Yes?" He asked huskily, wanting to continue what they'd started. There was a question in her eyes though, and he focused on her serious expression.
"What exactly…is this?" He looked at her in confusion, and she clarified. "What do we have…between us?" She looked away quickly.
The confusion vanished from his eyes, and he chuckled with a smirk. "What's so funny?" She pouted, cheeks red from embarrassment. The sight was quite adorable, and he gripped her chin, forcing her to look in his eyes.
"You're my woman." And with that, he kissed her with more force than he had before. She gasped in surprise. After a moment of hesitation, she relaxed into him, allowing the Captain to do what he wished with her.
She supposed that answered her question, though Summer was much too focused on the feelings and emotions her Captain was eliciting from her to really dwell on the implications. Still, there was something she had to do before the end of the night. Holding the snowball she'd secretly stashed in a hole in the tree's trunk before giving Law his gift, she smirked into the kiss, bringing the snowball straight into his face.
"Payback for earlier!" She teased, sticking out her tongue.
The moment effectively ruined, he coughed, backing away to wipe the snow from his face. Smirking devilishly, he narrowed his eyes at her, stooping to gather some snow and his fallen hat. "That was not a wise decision." He growled. Matching his expression, Summer picked up another snowball.
"Bring it on, lover boy." She taunted.
And the second snowball fight of the night commenced.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
