She moved quickly through the crowd, taking care to stay well hidden under the hood. If everything had gone well, no one would have recognized her. She had to be thankful that some new recruits had decided to go on a spree, her superiors would be busy fixing those hotheads. She'd take advantage of them to steal a boat and go out to sea. She watched with some sadness the navy headquarters. It would be hard for her to see him again. What she was about to do was against all the rules of the Navy. But if that was the only way she could see Rosinante again... ...then she would gladly give up what was most precious to her.

She always remembered with nostalgia the days she spent with the boy. Years earlier they had found themselves sharing the beautiful, but exhausting experience of being new recruits in the Navy with grueling training and battles against pirates. They had never been very talkative, perhaps that's why they were able to enjoy each other's company. No uncomfortable questions or unnecessary comments. Especially from Rosinante. Sometimes being an enlisted woman wasn't an easy experience, there were never shortage of men's arrows. Yet this never happened with him. That's why (Y/n) always felt comfortable in his presence, she felt freer. Rosinante had always been gentle, but also extremely clumsy. It hadn't taken her long to begin to nurture feelings deeper than friendship. But Rosinante never seemed to get out of balance with her. (Y/n) had tried several times to come out to him, but words were always missing. Until one night she decided to tell him everything, she couldn't continue pining away like that. Too bad that fate had decided to rule against her. In fact, Rosinante had returned from an interview he had had at headquarters saying he was leaving on an important mission. (Y/n) had asked him about the details, but he hadn't said much, he just told her that it would be a long mission and that he would leave immediately. Then the girl had decided to postpone the statement until his return.

But Rosinante didn't return. Months went by and no trace of him. Several times she tried to find out where he had gone, she was convinced that the irreparable had happened until one night she happened to overhear a conversation with Sengoku. He was talking to Rosinante. Over the next few days she managed to get the information she needed and arranged to leave. She knew that it was risky and that no one could guarantee her anything, but she knew perfectly well that she could never take part in the mission with Rosinante. She was in danger of breaking the plan. She just didn't understand why Sengoku had chosen him to be sent to that strange pirate crew.

The plan to join Doflamingo's crew was also very risky, she would probably have been killed if they had found out that she was part of the navy, especially because she would have risked exposing Rosinante to unnecessary danger. She thought the easiest way was to get caught and then beg Doflamingo to take her with them. Easier said than done. And yet he succeeded in this amazing feat. She had been captured by Diamante and Doflamingo, which allowed her to get the captain's good graces. Now all she had to do was to wait until she saw Rosinante again. If only she'd known what was waiting for her, she might have been less bold.

When she was introduced to the others, she read astonishment in Rosinante's eyes. She wanted to smile at him, but she couldn't risk compromising them both. "And this is Corazon." "C-corazon?" asked (Y/n) somewhat surprised. "Yes. Corazon. He's dumb, but try to treat him well. He's my little brother!" This time it was her eyes that were filled with surprise. What did it mean?

To make matters worse, they managed to take a more dramatic turn. (Y/n) noticed Rosinante's inability to speak, and he was always trying to stay away from her. This made her suffer. She was hoping for a different treatment. But it seemed that the only thing she could do was to look at him from a distance and suffer in silence.

One evening she was on the ship's deck stargazing, a month had passed since she joined the crew and things hadn't changed at all. Although she had to say that she didn't mind the pirate's life so much, she had certainly never eaten so well in her life. "(Y/n), what are you doing here all alone." It wasn't exactly the voice she wanted to hear, but she didn't complain. "I was having trouble sleeping, Doflamingo." The crew captain stood beside her. "Are you comfortable with us?" The girl just nodded. "Good thing, it would be a shame if you didn't." He took her hand and approached her by stroking her face. The girl immobilized herself. Even if she wanted to, how could she fight him? But before anything could happen, another figure intervened between the two. Doflamingo seemed surprised. "Since when do you care about her?" Yet something in his brother's expression convinced him to leave. Corazon took (y/n)'s arm and pushed her with him.

Once in his room there was a moment of silence. "What the hell are you doing here?" The girl almost cried when she heard that beloved voice again. "So you speak?!" He sighed. "You could ruin everything (Y/n)..." She looked down. "I wanted to be near you. You never came back..." "And coming all the way out here seemed like a good idea to you? Do you realize what you're risking? If he finds out..." (Y/n) had burst into tears. Corazon then tried to get closer to console her, but, in doing so, he tripped and fell, causing the girl to fall too. Being on top of her, he decided for once to give up common sense, leaned over her and kissed her. Both had been waiting for that moment for years. "Damn you, (Y/n)..." "Oh, God, the others might hear you talking!" Corazon laughed. The girl laughed, too, remembering the devil's fruit. "They won't hear me speak and well, they won't hear anything we do." (Y/n) blushed. Corazon smiled. "We have both waited years for this moment. No one will disturb us."

30/03/2020