#free falling

https://x.com/larrysuprem28/status/1986813043331006546

I know. I don't know if he could have made that song MORE obvious if he'd tried. LOL!

Chapter 5- Severe Diplomatic Consequences

Sometime during the night, Dina stirred.

Her consciousness returned in slow waves. The first thing that hit her was the scent—Ellie’s cologne, rich and mouth-watering, clinging to the sheets and filling her senses.

The second thing she noticed was the temperature. She was fucking roasting.

Slowly, her eyes blinked open and immediately found the source for the overwhelming warmth.

Dina was practically draped across her bedmate.

Her head rested on Ellie’s chest, close enough to hear the slow, even rhythm of her heartbeat. One arm was slung across her waist, Dina’s hand having ventured beneath the hem of Ellie’s soft, cotton t-shirt during the night and was currently splayed across the warm, ridged plane of her stomach. Beneath the covers, one of her legs had somehow become tangled with Ellie’s, while her other leg rested comfortably across Ellie's thigh.

And Ellie—she had an arm wrapped around her.

Not loosely, either.

Her left arm was draped securely around Dina’s back, holding her close even in sleep.

Dina froze, heat immediately rushing to her face.

The last thing she remembered was lying on her side of the bed, carefully maintaining a respectable amount of space between them as they’d talked about. Apparently Sleeping Dina had decided that was a terrible plan.

Very carefully, she tilted her head upward.

Ellie was still asleep.

A soft glow from the streetlights outside filtered through a gap in the curtains, painting faint, pale streaks across her face. Her expression was relaxed, peaceful.

Dina felt a tug of fondness.

The previous day replayed in fragments through her mind—the long conversations, the shared meal, the easy laughter that had somehow come so naturally.

Dina swallowed.

She should move. Immediately. Retreat to her half of the bed.

As if sensing the impending movement, Ellie shifted slightly in her sleep. Her arm tightening for half a second around Dina’s back, her thumb rubbing absently against her shirt.

Dina’s breath caught, then Ellie settled again, exhaling softly.

Still asleep. Still holding onto her.

Dina lifted her head again, just enough to study the firefighter who’d seemingly turned her world upside in a matter of hours. She found herself studying the details she hadn’t had the opportunity to notice for long. The faint crease in Ellie’s eyebrow that remained even in sleep. The small scar near her temple and lip. The way the stray light softened the sharp angles of her face.

Most striking was how peaceful she looked.

Her head had lulled slightly to the far side of the pillow sometime during the night, her auburn strands fanning across the pillowcase. Dina's gaze wandered to the smooth column of her neck, the sharp line of her jaw, the relaxed curve of her mouth. A quiet ache bloomed low in her stomach and Dina wondered how that skin would feel beneath her lips, against her tongue.

Her fingertips began to move. Slow, feather-light strokes traced the grooves between Ellie's abdominal muscles, following each defined ridge, dipping into the valleys, then gliding over the gentle rises again. The motion widened with each pass, palm spreading wider across heated skin.

Ellie stirred, a soft, contented sigh escaping her chest that vibrated against Dina’s cheek, but Dina kept tracing, lost in the feeling under her fingers.

After a few moments, Dina glanced up, the green eyes she had been admiring all day were now open and quietly gazing down at her. A fond, sleepy smile touched Dina’s lips the moment their eyes met. The air between them thickened instantly, charged with a sudden, electric tension. Dina’s gaze flickered down to Ellie’s lips, the urge becoming unbearable.

To new beginnings.

Dina stretched upward, her body arching slightly as Ellie responded in kind, leaning down to meet her. When their lips finally touched, the contact slow, gentle, and tentative—a soft question being asked in the dark. But the hesitation didn’t last long. The kiss deepened, turning bold and explorative as heat flared between them— breath mingling, tongues brushing, bodies pressing closer under the covers.

Dina’s hand slid out from under the hem of Ellie’s shirt, her fingers reaching up to tangle firmly in auburn locks, pulling her closer. Ellie hummed softly into the kiss, her right hand coming up to caress Dina’s cheek and jaw with a tender intensity, while her left arm tightened around Dina’s waist, hauling her flush against her body until there was no space left between them.

Holy shit!

Dina's brain short circuited, her body taking over. 

The kiss deepened, tongues dancing in a slow, rhythmic slide that mirrored the heat building between their bodies. Their hands wandered with a soft, innocent curiosity at first—palms skimming over shoulders, fingers tracing the curves of waists—until Dina’s hand wandered lower. Her fingers traced the waistband of Ellie’s boxer briefs, the fabric thin, the skin beneath it searing.

Ellie’s hand hesitantly covered hers, gentle but firm, stopping Dina from dipping lower. She eased back, resting her forehead against Dina’s, both of them breathing heavily, their chests heaving in perfect synchronization as they tried to catch their breath in the dimly lit room.

“I want you…believe me, I do,” Ellie said lowly, meeting Dina’s gaze, her voice strained and thick with desire, yet laced with vulnerability. “I just…I don’t think I can be a regretted one-night stand…not with you. You deserve better than that.”

Dina’s thumb brushed Ellie’s lower lip. Her gaze softening as she looked into Ellie's eyes.

“I don’t think I could ever regret anything when it comes to you… Besides, we’re both headed home to LA, who says this has to be a one-time thing?”

Ellie paused, her eyes searching Dina’s, looking for any hint of hesitation or falsehood. The silence stretched for a heartbeat, heavy with anticipation.

“Yeah?” Ellie breathed, the word barely a whisper.

Dina nodded confidently. She reached up, her fingertips tracing the elegant line of Ellie’s collarbone through the fabric of her shirt, the touch light but intentional.

“Yeah. I really like you, El. I’d like to see where this goes.”

Ellie held her gaze for a moment longer, the last of her reservations melting away under the sincerity in Dina’s expression and the impossible burn of her touch. A look of certainty washed over her face, and she leaned back in, capturing Dina’s lips in a kiss that was no longer tentative, but hungry and sure.

“I’d like that,” Ellie murmured against her mouth, “I really like you too.”

Dina smiled into the kiss, the victory of Ellie’s confession sparking a new hunger low in her belly. With a sudden surge of confidence, she pressed her palms against Ellie’s chest and pushed her flat against the mattress.

Ellie let out a soft chuckle of surprise as her back hit the bed, but she didn’t resist. Dina immediately shifted, swinging her leg over to straddle Ellie’s hips, her weight settling firmly against the woman beneath her.

Ellie’s hands found Dina’s hips at once, fingers anchoring her and pulling her down as they collided in a heated, desperate kiss that tasted of possibility.

Of a potential future.

Dina’s hands slowly slid down Ellie’s arms, nimble fingers curling around her wrists with a grip that was both insistent and tender. She lifted Ellie’s arms above her head, pressing them firmly into the pillow on both sides of her head.

Even though Ellie could have easily twisted free, she chose to yield. The pressure of Dina’s palms against her wrists sending a thrill up her spine, a delicious mix of anticipation and trust.

Dina’s weight was a warm, grounding presence, pressing Ellie further into the softness of the mattress. As their tongues tangled in a wet, hungry dance, the gentle grind of their bodies rubbing together through their clothes stoked a searing heat that made Ellie’s breath hitch.

Breaking the kiss just an inch, Dina trailed her lips down to the sensitive skin of Ellie’s neck, nipping lightly at the junction where her shoulder met her throat. Ellie let out a shaky moan, her back arching instinctively as Dina continued a slow, aching grind. The pressure of Dina's groin against her own was agonizingly maddening, a steady friction that sent sparks straight to Ellie's core.

Pulling away from her assault on Ellie's neck, Dina shifted, sitting back on her heels while her knees still bracketed Ellie’s hips. With a confident, lingering look in her eyes, Dina reached down, gripping the hem of her own t-shirt. In one fluid movement, she tugged the material upward, baring her golden skin in the dim light.

Ellie’s green eyes tracked every new inch of skin, pupils blown wide as the fabric cleared Dina’s head and dropped to the floor, leaving her completely nude from the waist up.

Dina looked like a goddamn masterpiece before her, the contrast striking—the soft curves of her waist leading to a flat stomach before climbing to the swell of her breasts perfectly framed by the shadows. Her skin is flawless save for the slow appearance of goosebumps on heated skin against the cool air-conditioned air.

Ellie felt a surge of heat rush through her and the urge to touch this beautiful woman on top of her could no longer be resisted. Her warm and slightly calloused palms rose slowly, gliding up the smooth length of Dina’s thighs, over the flare of her hips, then higher still until they reached the warm curve of her waist.

Questioning eyes flickered up to Dina’s and after a gentle nod and sexy smirk, continued her ascent, skimming the undersides of Dina’s exposed breasts, grazing the sensitive skin with a lightness that made Dina gasp and arch her back.

Feeling bold, Ellie slid her palms over Dina’s supple breasts, kneading them gently. Nipples stiffened under the attention and Ellie’s breath hitched.

“God, you’re gorgeous,” Ellie whispered, voice thick with adoration and arousal.

Ellie surged forward, sitting upright to wrap her arms around Dina’s back and pulled her flush. Their mouths met hard, tongues sliding deep as Ellie’s strong arms locked her in place. Dina’s bare chest pressed to Ellie’s shirt, heat blooming between them as the kiss turned urgent and hungry once again.

Dina pulled back from the kiss, her head lolling back to expose the elegant line of her throat. The movement was an invitation, and Ellie didn't hesitate to accept it. She leaned in, capturing Dina’s earlobe between her teeth and giving it soft bite. The playful tug that followed sent a shiver down Dina’s spine, a soft whimper escaping her lips. Ellie didn't hold back; she began trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down the column of Dina's neck, her tongue swirling against the sensitive skin.

Dina gasped breathily, the sensation sending a jolt of electricity straight to her core. Her hips bucked involuntarily against Ellie’s, the friction of their bodies grinding together fueling the fire raging between them.

Desperate for skin-to-skin contact, Dina ran her hands down the expanse of Ellie's broad back, her fingertips digging into the muscle. She didn't want the attention to her neck to stop, but the fabric barrier had become intolerable.

Beneath her. Ellie suddenly froze in place, but didn't speak.

As Dina’s touch lightened, she noticed the skin beneath the shirt and her palm wasn't smooth. There were ridges there—uneven patches that felt different from the surrounding skin, stretching across much of her upper back from the feel of it.

"Ellie?"

For a moment, Ellie didn't answer. Her forehead slowly dropped forward and came to rest between Dina's heaving breasts, her shoulders drawing inward as if she were trying to make herself smaller. The easy confidence she carried seemed to disappear in an instant.

"Can we leave it on?" Ellie all but whispered, like she was bracing for rejection.

Dina was taken aback. She waited a moment before gently placing her index and middle fingers beneath Ellie's chin and encouraging her to meet her gaze.

"It's okay," Dina said softly, "we can leave it on if you want to."

Ellie seemed to relax a little, but not fully like she'd been before.

"But," Dina continued after a brief pause, her tone gentle and soothing with sincerity. "Whatever it is, you don't have to hide from me...it won't change how I feel about you."

Ellie's eyes met hers, searching as if she'd heard these words before and had them taken back. She let out a slow breath.

"There was an apartment fire a few years ago."

Dina rested her forearms on Ellie's shoulders, her finger tips running gently through the short hairs at the base of her head—soothing and grounding Ellie all at once.

"By the time we got there, most of tenants had gotten out, but there were still two kids missing. They were hiding in a bedroom closet," Ellie swallowed and continued. "They couldn't have been more than four years old."

Dina listened silently giving her space to continue.

"The fire had already spread through most of the unit, we didn't have time to wait for a line so we went in," Ellie glanced away briefly before continuing. "I wrapped my turnout jacket around them and carried them out, but the heat...was intense..." She shook her head. "It was worse than I realized."

Her thumb subconsciously rubbed over the ridge of Dina's hip.

"I ended up with third-degree burns across most of my back..."

Dina stared at her—not in pity, not in horror, but wonder.

The story itself was remarkable, but what struck her most was the way Ellie told it.

No boasting. No attempt to impress her. She recalled it plainly, almost reluctantly, as if she still didn't think it was worth mentioning.

If anything, Ellie seemed embarrassed to talk about it at all.

The realization settled over Dina slowly. Ellie wasn't sharing this because she wanted recognition. She was sharing it because she trusted her with it.

After such a short time of knowing one another, that trust felt significant.

Dina's expression softened. "The kids made it out ok?"

A shadow of a smile appeared on Ellie's face. "Yeah."

The answer came instantly, without hesitation. As though that was the only part of the story that had ever mattered.

Dina smiled back and leaned forward to capture Ellie's lips once again before pulling back to frame Ellie’s face gently with her hands to look her in the eye.

“I don’t care if you had a third-eye hiding under your shirt,” Dina smiled, “you’d still be just as beautiful to me.”

Ellie studied her a moment then slowly raised her arms above her head, a silent offering. Dina gripped the hem of the fabric and pulled the garment over Ellie’s head, tossing it carelessly to the floor beside the bed exposing the map of burn scars across Ellie's back.

Dina didn't flinch or pull away. Instead, she leaned in, her breath warm against Ellie's skin. She began placing gentle, open-mouthed kisses along the curve of Ellie's neck, her lips soft and lingering. Each kiss a silent promise, a way of telling Ellie that she was seen, completely accepted, and wanted. While her mouth worked its way across the sensitive skin of Ellie's shoulder, Dina’s hands began to move.

With a reverent touch, Dina ran her palms over the scarred tissue. She didn’t treat them as something to be avoided or pitied; she touched them as if they were simply another part of the woman she was falling for, gliding her fingers over the ridges and smooth patches as if they weren’t even there. Her touch was light, almost ethereal, tracing the patterns of the skin with a tenderness that bordered on worship.

Ellie let out a long, shuddering exhale, the tension that had held her shoulders tight finally snapping. The fear of judgment, the anticipation of a recoil—all vanished under the warmth of Dina’s palms.

For the first time in a long time, Ellie felt safe. She felt the weight of her insecurities lift, replaced by a profound sense of appreciation and desire.

Slowly, Ellie began to relax, her body melting as she surrendered to Dina’s touch. The rhythm of their yearning, which had momentarily paused for this confession, began to burn white hot once more. Ellie tilted her head back, exposing more of her throat to Dina’s lips, her own hands reaching back to grip Dina’s hips, pulling her closer.

As Dina continued to kiss and stroke her back, Ellie felt a surge of raw affection for the woman above her, the intimacy shifting from a tentative exploration to a deep, soul-aching need to be as close as humanly possible.

Dina sat back on her heels for a moment, her breath hitching as she took in the full view of Ellie's toned body. The dim light played over the defined lines of Ellie's abs and the powerful slope of her chest. Her eyes traced the intricate lines of Ellie's tattoos, ink Dina hadn’t known existed traced across her ribs and climbed up her left arm all the way to the top of her shoulder. Dina’s lips parted.

"Jesus Christ…" Dina whispered, her voice raw and thick with craving. Her eyes scanned every inch of Ellie, drinking her in with an intensity that felt almost ravenous.

Unable to keep her distance any longer, Dina leaned forward. She moved slowly, appreciatively, running her palms across the firmness of Ellie’s breasts, thumbs brushing over the pierced peaks, feeling the heat radiating from her skin. Her hands glided up Ellie’s chest and over the curve of her strong shoulders, her touch possessive and admiring. As she explored, Dina leaned in, capturing Ellie’s lips once again in a deep, searing kiss that tasted of longing and mutual hunger.

Dina pressed her weight forward, her body molding against Ellie's. Ellie took the hint immediately and laid back against the mattress once again with a soft exhale. Dina followed her down, her body sliding over Ellie's, the feeling of skin on skin pressing together sending a wave of euphoria through her.

Looking down into Ellie's green eyes, Dina felt a surge of disbelief and warmth. She had never imagined that her trip would lead her here—to this wonderful woman, and certainly not to this bed. When she had first seen this beautiful stranger walk by her in the terminal, she had felt a spark, but she hadn't known it would ignite into this. Yet, as she felt Ellie's hands slide beneath her shorts to grip her bare ass, bodies grinding, and hearts racing, it somehow felt inevitable.

Another thing that was inevitable?

Kat was never going to let her live this down—

Cavendish (aka Cabbage), world's most prince charming gladiator, is carrying Law to safety after fighting and nearly dying and losing his arm and all that, but Law stops him and literally begs to be left behind because Luffy is still fighting and Law wants to see Doflamingo defeated with his own eyes and Law is almost crying and Cabbage looks into his eyes for a very very long time and then he's like:

"I can tell I won't be able to change your mind so I will stay and watch over you to fulfil this suicidal wish of yours but you'll have to deal with that if you're going to die, it will be after me."

And then he gently lays Law down on the grass by the sunflower field and sits down next to him with a serious expression and a firm sword thump to the ground, ready to guard Law with his life.

They have never met before??? Have they? Did I miss that while swooshing past literally every Cavendish scene without paying much attention?

Edit: they met before. on a horse. I literally posted a screenshot of it yesterday

In any case, Law gets his arm fixed and then we don't get to see what they're up to while everything else is going on. My guess is that Law does absolutely nothing. He's simply existing. Like a very intense and hard-thinking log full of pain and plans while Cavendish probably talks about himself.

Two episodes later, out of nowhere:

Law comes exploding out of a building and lands right on his severed and recently re-attached arm in front of passed out Luffy and his entourage, looking like fresh roadkill.

That's him!

He just really needs to be with Luffy he says.

One episode or so later:

Just Imagine That One Part From "How It's Done" Starts Playing In The BG

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