Chapter 7: Feelings inside the cocoon

Yulie never had a problem dealing with her feelings, she wore them on her sleeves because she hated the idea of confusing anyone. So, when Law told her that she looked like she wanted him she felt confused herself. Did she want him? Did it look like that? Was she attracted to him? What is it? She could feel herself freeze underneath Law and the fact that he was just staring at her made her heart beat incredibly faster.

She felt Law shift his position slightly before pulling her up into a sitting position. Yulie felt even more confused now but Law just stood up and turned his back on her, hands leaning on his desk. 

"Yulie-ya you better get out of here for now"

Yulie could hear the strain in Law's voice, making her shiver. She hadn't known Law for too long but was so sure that if she didn't do whatever he said, she would probably be unable to get out of there. It took everything in her to stand up and walk towards the door. She glanced one look at Law before turning the doorknob.

"Goodnight Law"

Yulie didn't need to hear what Law was going to say next, she quickly pulled the door open and closed it behind her. She slumped down outside of Law's door. It took her minutes staring into the empty hallway before it dawned on her that Law had kissed her. And that she had kissed him back.

"Oh my God"

Yulie could feel the heat rising up to her face as she abruptly stood up and ran to the bedroom that she was sharing with Ikkaku. The thought of kissing Law played over and over inside her head eventually making her forget about the nightmare she just had.

This is so awkward.

Yulie thought as she saw Law standing at the door to the ship's supply room. It had been two days since the kissing incident inside his room and none of them had said a word about it to each other. They act normal when they need to be but they haven't been in the same space where it was just the two of them again. Yulie can't even imagine how it'll be inside Law's room again.

She had urged herself to help inside the ship just to take her mind off of Law which led her to the supply room with Shachi who had just excused himself. Shachi and her were arguing about some stuff that needs to be organized when Law suddenly appeared in the doorway. He had given some orders to Shachi to which the other male gladly obliged leaving Yulie with Law inside the ship.

Yulie looked away when she met Law's gaze. He was silent, almost too calm that it made Yulie think that he probably wasn't affected by their kiss.

"In two days we'll be making our descent to the island, we'll wait until we get a reading for Elbaf."

Yulie didn't bother to look in his direction and just proceeded to organize some of the supplies.

"How long till we get a reading?"

"Bepo estimated at least a week, from then on, it'll probably take another week or two to get to Elbaf"

So she'll arrive at Elbaf in more or less a month. Yulie nodded.

"Alright, thanks for letting me know"

That was the only thing she said, she waited for another word from Law but when Yulie turned around she found that she was all alone now. She pursed her lips and let out a sigh.

"Jerk"

She mutters under her breath before continuing her work in hopes that she'll forget about him but she can't. It didn't matter what she looked like back then, not when all she could think about was how soft and rough Law's lips were. How his calloused yet careful hands held her and how she could easily melt in his gaze.

This is unfair. She couldn't help but feel like it.

She couldn't help but feel like the kiss didn't affect Law even for a tiny bit with how he was acting around her. But she, on the other hand, could vividly remember that. After all, it was her first kiss and she couldn't believe that a friend of his brother had taken that from her.

Within the days before they landed in the island, Yulie and Law never had a word with each other anymore. This affected everyone around them, as the crew could feel the weird tension between the two. So when they had free time to roam around the island, they thought of a plan to be able to get the two some alone time with each other.

"Huh? Where are you going?"

Yulie asked when she saw Ikkaku fixing herself in front of the mirror.

"To the island, there's a bar there that offers good beer, Yulie you don't drink do you?"

Yulie shook her head as an answer. She never really had a chance to drink beer or any alcoholic beverages since it might intoxicate her butterflies and she can't take any chances.

"Then please watch the Polar Tang"

Yulie raised an eyebrow at this.

"Is everyone coming?"

"Yup, do you want to come too? I can stay if you want to go"

Yulie shook her head, she couldn't do that, and besides she was avoiding a certain raven-haired jerk. If Law was with them on the island then she'd be happy to stay in the Polar Tang all alone. 

"Nope I'm good, you go ahead. I'm pretty sure your captain will lose his temper if you guys don't get going"

"Still not feeling to share with me what happened between you two?"

Yulie shook her head hard. She meant no offense but Ikkaku wasn't exactly the most tight-lipped person. She knew that if she told her then the whole crew would've known about it in a short amount of time.

"Okay then I guess I'm off, be careful here alright? Just send one of your butterflies if you needed help"

"Will sure do"

Yulie laid down on her bed the moment Ikkaku left. She wondered what she could do alone on the ship and couldn't think of anything. She lay there for a couple of minutes before she decided to get up and head straight to the kitchen. She hadn't joined the crew for dinner because Law was there and well, she just really couldn't handle seeing him for now.

She was mad that the kiss meant nothing to Law while it did crazy things to her. Whenever she sees him, she remembers their kiss, and her heart instantly races like crazy. 

She wanted to be mad at him for kissing her but at the end of the day, she finds herself just wanting more. Wanting to feel that kiss again, feel him, be close to him, and that scares Yulie more than anything. It was the fact that one kiss could make her go crazy. 

Yulie was near the kitchen when she heard the clattering of the utensils. No one was supposed to be on the ship aside from her. While she contemplated what to do, Law came out of the kitchen with a bowl of fried rice in his hand. Yulie's eyes widened at the sudden closeness between the two of them. 

"He… hey"

She muttered under her breath, her words almost coming out like a whisper. Law blinked several times before opening his mouth.

"What are you doing here? I thought you went with the others"

Yulie's brows creased in the middle.

"Ikkaku told me you were going with them"

Law blinked several times again before finally putting the pieces together. He let out a sigh before glancing at Yulie again. His heart did a little somersault again making it almost ache. 

"I didn't, they told me you were going out with them"

"I don't drink alcohol"

"Yeah, should've figured"

Yulie eyed Law and only now did she notice that Law was avoiding her gaze. She felt defeated when she realized that Law probably stayed behind for the same reason as hers.

"Well, I… uhm"

Yulie cleared her throat just to clear the invisible lump she was feeling there. She didn't know why she suddenly felt upset when that realization dawned on her. 

"Yulie-ya"

Yulie didn't look at Law when he had called her, she couldn't. She could feel her eyes stinging for some reason and she didn't like it.

"I'm gonna go cook some food so I won't bother you or stop you on your way"

Yulie took a step toward the kitchen and walked to the sink where she opened the water faucet. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She was upset, and then she was mad all because she realized that Law didn't want anything to do with her anymore. To why that fact upset her she couldn't exactly pinpoint.

It shouldn't matter to her if Law acted cold to her, he was her brother's friend who she saved and helped. That was all there was to their relationship, that was all there should be. 

Yulie froze when a hand extended behind her turning off the water faucet that was running. She didn't need to turn around to see who it was. There was only him and her inside the Polar Tang. 

"Yulie-ya"

There it is again. Yulie thought recognizing the strain in Law's voice, the one he had used the last time they were together. 

Without even thinking twice, Yulie spins around facing Law who was leaning on the sink. Law met her eyes and for the first time since their incident, Yulie finally saw an emotion there. An emotion that might very well be the same as hers.

It was then that she understood what she was feeling.

Why she want Law to care about their kiss. Why she want Law to just talk to her without his default responses. Why she feel upset when she learned that Law had stayed behind.

Indeed, the answer was all in their kiss and she'd die to experience one again.

So she did.