I shifted against Law's warmer side as we stopped at the park. "It's so beautiful." I mumble and then take a few steps over to the swing set, taking a seat. It had been a calming walk from the restaurant to the park. "That it is." Law's voice came from next to me as he took the next swing. I kicked a little at the ground to push myself, " It's been a wonderful day but I feel like this park wasn't the next part of the surprise." "Pretty sharp." He gave a gentle chuckle as he leaned back on his swing and turned slightly to look at me, "I did want to have a bit of a serious conversation." I set my legs down to stop my swing and looked at him, "It's nothing bad, is it?" He shook his head no, "I hope it would further our relationship but only if you are willing." I tilt my head as I thought about his words and then gave him my full attention, "What do you want to talk about?" "We have been dating for about three years now and have been going at the desired pace that we had agreed upon on our very first date but," He rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about his next words. "I want to be more intimate." I gave him a thoughtful look. Intimate? Ah. Sex? Well it has been three years and he has gone at the pace that I requested. "It's very unknown territory for me." I admitted softly and looked down at my hands in my lap, taking a breath. "But it has crossed my mind a few times." He reached over and gently laced my fingers through his own, "I can teach you, only if you are willing. We can take as long as you need, discuss anything." I looked up at him, trying to read his expression. It must be hard to be in a relationship with a woman who only cuddles with you. "Law, can I ask you a question?" I squeezed his fingers and he gave me a nod, "Ask away." "Have I ever made you sexually frustrated?" I tapped his hand with my thumb. There was a pause. A gentle silence formed between us as he seemed to be mulling over the question. "A couple of times, but nothing that I couldn't take care of myself." "Why didn't you tell me?" He switched our hands so now he was rubbing the back of my hand. "I deemed it unnecessary, honestly. I didn't want to talk about it with you because I did not want to seem like I was pressuring you into sex just because I was a bit frustrated." His answer made plenty of sense. I was glad that he hadn't told me before. My mental state at the beginning of our relationship was a bit unstable.
I took in a semi deep breath, "I do appreciate your patience with me." I gave him a gentle smile. He gave me a small smile in return before grabbing my other hand, "Why don't we head home, it's getting a little late." He stands and I stand as well, "Law." I swallow pass the lump that was building in my throat, "Can we have sex?" "Are you sure?" He replies softly and I nod, "I want to give it a shot."

The sunlight came in through the window and I shifted slowly under the covers to face my boyfriend. The night before fresh in my mind. His gentle touch lingering against my skin and I let out a soft breath. It was quiet. Oh so quiet. Yet, I wasn't bothered. My phone screen lights up on the nightstand and I lean over to grab it. A few text messages from my friends.
First I looked at Robin's.

I guess it was quite a wonderful surprise. Received at 5:06 pm. Image attached.

I clicked on the picture to see Law and myself sitting in the fancy restaurant just grinning happily.

Yeah, probably the best. Sent at 7:11 am.

I exited our conversation and went to check the rest of the messages. One of from Thatch, Ace, and an unknown number.

Fae, are you okay? Received 6:06 am. It's unusual for you to not show up to work.

I sigh softly. I had forgotten to text my boss and let him know that I was going to be very late to work. I rubbed my forehead and shifted a bit, feeling a sudden soreness making it's way through my lower body. I let out a soft groan, "They never told me about that..." I frown then look back to my phone.
What do I tell Thatch? I don't want to just blurt out my private life. I tapped the side of my phone. A small lie never hurt anyone. I can just work extra hard to make up for it.

I woke up feeling terrible, Law says I should just rest for the day. Sent 7:30 am.

I clicked on Ace's message to see that it was a picture from Sabo, who had stolen his brother's phone. Ace was passed out on the couch with sharpie drawings all over his face. There was empty bottles and beer cans all around him. Luffy was standing behind Ace along with his good friend Zoro, both holding markers. It looked like they partied hard. I smirk and grin at the message underneath it.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. Do your worst. 😉 Received 2:03 am.

I screenshot the picture and immediately begin to post it all over my secret social media with the tagline 'Don't fall asleep at the party~' I giggled softly, knowing that Sabo had probably deleted the evidence from Ace's phone. "What's so funny?" I shook my head and turn from my phone to face Law as he rolls over. His voice is a bit husky from literally just waking up and it makes my insides flip, "Oh just laughing at Ace's expense." I turn the phone to show him the picture. He snorts a bit and then takes my phone to set it down out of the way, "Did you sleep well?" "I slept wonderfully." I answered him honestly. The sex had worn out my body and the whole experience had calmed my mind. I slept without a nightmare. I slept the whole night without waking up. It was honestly something I didn't think I could ever achieve again. A smile broke across his face and he pulled me into a soft kiss, "That's good." "How did you sleep?" I pulled away "Are you as sore as me?" "No, I am not sore. It's normal for your first time." He explained, "You might have a noticeable limp for a couple of days." "Ugh..." I groaned into my pillow before sighing, "I didn't think about that. What am I supposed to tell Thatch? Twisted my ankle? I already texted him that I had stayed home because I don't feel well but if I go in tomorrow limping then I feel like he might know what I was up to!" I could feel the heat rise to my face as Law removes the pillow, "You have more than a limp to worry about." He pulled my phone camera up and showed me my neck. "I gave you a few hickeys." "A few!?" I gasp out at the red and purple marks that seemed to litter my neck and jawline as well as bite marks. "I got carried away." Law mumbles before he stretches out and then shifts out from under the covers. "Man, I need a shower." He turned and held out his hand to me, "Come along, I show you how to properly clean yourself up after sex before I head out." "You're going to work?" I whined. "Yesterday was my off day and as much as I would love to stay cuddled with you, my Love, I can't afford to miss any work." He explained as I took his hand and he eased me off the bed. My legs felt like jelly and I clung to him, "I feel kind of heavy, as if I was working out at the gym." He laughed before he smirked, "Then that means I did my job properly." Slowly we made it to the bathroom for a nice hot shower.

I shuffled through the door of Robin's cafe. A couple of people glanced up from their tables before going back to their own conversations. I try to swallow down the embarrassment creeping up my back as I heavily limp towards the counter.
"Fae!"
I turn at the loud shout and turn to see Luffy, waving his arms excitedly, trying to flag me down from his corner booth. He was surrounded with his normal group of friends. Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Franky, Brook, Ace and Sabo. Excluding Robin, who was working the front counter.
Do these guys ever have a day job?? "Uh, hi guys..." I make my way over to them, trying my hardest to keep the pain off my face and conceal my limping. "You missed the party!" Luffy whined. "I sent you an invite and everything." "I'm sorry," I clear my throat as I take a seat, "I had a previous engagement." "Don't worry, you didn't really miss much." Sabo shrug his shoulders, "Pops' retirement party is still next Sunday." "How did you mange to get that picture???" Ace immediately leans over, butting into the conversation. "I have checked everyone's phone and nobody has sent it to you." "Picture?" I ask, playing dumb. "You know which picture!" He smacks the table to prove his annoyance. "You weren't there but it's floating all over your social media! And I know it's yours because no one else in this group posts from an account with butterflies." "Account with butterflies?" I give him a strange look and pull out my phone to show him that my account had a picture of Bepo playing in the dirt and all my posts were just of the big dog. He grabs my phone and thumbs through everything but I had already deleted the evidence. "Impossible..."
I grin at Sabo behind Ace's back and he gives me a knowing smile before Robin walks over to set down my usual order. "I never took you as one who skipped work." "Ah, well..." I stammer as I prepare to feed her my little white lie. "...I woke up-" "Is that a bruise??" Luffy's innocent voice breaks through my train of thought, causing my cheeks to heat up immediately as my words die on my tongue. Did I miss one with the concealer??? Nami immediately leans over and takes a look at me. She had taken the role of very protective girl friend. She gasped, "Fae, you are covered in hickeys!" "Shush!" I hiss and glance over to the other customers to make sure they weren't listening in on our conversation. I didn't realize that I would be read like an open book. "Congratulations!" Franky smacks my back as Sanji pulls out a wad of cash and hands it over to Zoro, who was smirking "Pay up." The rest of the group begins to fork over money and I stare at them with widened eyes, "You guys were betting on when I would get laid!" My voice cracks and I temporarily forget that we were in public. Robin giggles softly, "Law may or may not have discussed his annoyance while drunk." "WHAT!" I turn to stare at my best friend. "You know how everyone likes bets." Franky continues, "One thing led to another and soon the whole group was pooling in money, guessing how long it would take for Law to bed you. Zoro being the closest guess." My eyes land on Zoro, who just shrugs his shoulders with a small smirk on his lips. "...how much was the pool?" The words slowly leave my mouth. "A couple grand." Zoro's smirk turns into a grin as my shock only grows, "A couple grand!?" "The longer the bet went on, the higher the price." He explained nonchalantly. I could do nothing but gape at my so called friends. How dare they bet on me like that. "Hey Fi," I turn to Ace, a more confused look on his face, "What's with this?" He sets my phone on the table and moves it over so I can see that he was reading the text message from the unknown number. I skim over the words Black Cherry and feel my blood freeze in my veins.

~Flashback~
"Clock is ticking." He grinned widely and I glanced up at the clock. The ticking sounded so loud in the unusually quiet room. Nala was sleeping in the corner and I frown at the man, "What do you mean? I am doing exactly as you tell me. I have won every single fight that you have put me in. I have made you so much money-!" Suddenly the wall is the first thing my teary eyes register. There's a harsh stinging on my cheek and I slowly move my hand to feel at the place. "I did not grant you permission to speak." He growled as he stood, leaning over me, grabbing a fistful of my hair. I grit my teeth as I glare up at the man but stay silent. "What's wrong?" He grins, amused, "Cat got your tongue?" He slowly leans down closer to my face. His hot breath smells of cigarettes and alcohol. His free hand moves to pry open my mouth, shoving his disgusting tongue down my throat. I breath harshly through my nose as I fight urges to bite his tongue. I ball my fists, feeling my nails digging into the palms of my hands. Any building pleasure in my body was overridden by the pain I was causing myself. I refused to give this horrible man the satisfaction of arousing me. He pulls back with a smug look, wiping the saliva from his lips, "You always taste like black cherry." He hums as if this information is somehow important to me. "My favorite~"
He then turns and walks out of the room to deal with a different matter and I silently walk over to the bathroom, immediately dry heaving over the toilet.
He tastes horrible.
It feels like choking on smoke and ash!
I turn the water on to try and wash out my mouth. I glance up at the mirror in the bathroom. It was hard to recognize myself. The little bit of muscle I had gained in the police academy was waning just enough to show that I hadn't had a proper meal in weeks. My left eye was slightly swollen. There was a hand print around my throat along with bruising. Those men in the fight ring sure don't pull punches just because I'm a woman. I pull up my shirt to asset any other damage. In the ring, I'm their equal. I wince at the sight of several bruises. I press lightly against my ribs, "Cracked...?" I couldn't rightfully tell. If it wasn't a bruise; it was deep scratches, bite marks, or blood that had trailed down from some nearby wound. I look back at my reflection again. The woman staring back looked dead. Her eyes didn't shine as brightly. Her skin looked pale and covered in a thin layer of sweat. She was sporting a swollen eye and a few missing teeth. Her hair was a tangled rat's nest. Her clothes were rags. I took a shaky breath and touched the cold mirror.
Who are you, Faith...?
The question struck me hard.
No, this woman couldn't be me. She looked like shit. She looked ready to crawl in a hole and never see the light of day again. I took in another ragged breath and the woman copied me.
Whoever she was, she was struggling just as hard as I was.
Why are you fighting? Nala.
It was an immediate answer. The young girl in the other room had no one here on her side. Her family had been convinced she was dead after missing for two years. Her own mother was called crazy for checking in once a week with the police on her whereabouts. Was the woman in the mirror a fool to take this case? What did she hope to gain? Closure. I blinked a few times and stepped back from the mirror, "I agree with you. Don't give up."
~end flashback~

"Fae, take a breath!"
The ringing in my ears seem to grow only more mind numbing. My eyes sway over the sights in front of me before landing on my hands, shaking violently.
Is that blood?
Why am I covered in it?
"...off..."
There's a faint rumble in my chest as I shakily stand on my legs. Why do I feel so heavy?
I blink and take in a ragged breath. There was a sink in front of me and I turned on the water, beginning to scrub my hands. Why won't it come off?! The bright red blood seemed to just promptly stay. No matter how hard I scrubbed. Another hand turns off the water and slowly takes mine in theirs. I follow the hands to look up at the owner. Robin? What is she saying??
"Fae, breathe with me."
She takes in a breath and I do what I can to copy her. Something was constricting me.
"...can't..." The rumble returned to my chest and she repeated her action, urging me to copy her.
She steps forward after a few minutes of breathing. Her hands feel warm against my skin as she slowly pulls me into a hug against her chest. She whispers words. What is she saying? Why can't I focus? Despite not hearing her clearly, I feel that I can breath easier and the violent shaking throughout my body nearly stops.