Her head hurt, her eyes refused to open to the early morning light, and a troubling queasiness rolled through her stomach, but she forced herself to trudge out of the bedroom, lured by the scent of strong coffee wafting from the kitchen. Loud snoring greeted her as she passed through the living room, and she dared to open an eye to see Zoro, Luffy, and Kid passed out on the couch.

Well, mostly on the couch. It seemed they had fallen asleep while fighting over who would claim the sofa for the night, leaving them tangled up half on the floor.

Kid let out a particularly loud snore. Luffy whined and kicked him in the head. Kid groaned and kicked back.

Zoro slept on, oblivious to it all, even as Luffy shoved his foot into Zoro’s nose.

Leaving them to sleep — they couldn’t get into any trouble while they were asleep — she continued on to the kitchen as her nausea gave over to hunger at the scent of cinnamon and the sound of something frying.

“Good morning,” Killer greeted, his low voice blessedly soothing to her migraine.

She collided with his back and buried her face in his soft blonde hair, muttering something she hoped sounded like a good morning. Killer’s warm chuckle washed over her with a gentle shiver. She wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled deeper into his hair, until she could feel the firm muscles of his back shift as he tossed something into a pan.

“What’s for breakfast?” she mumbled, her stomach growling at only the sound of food frying.

“French toast with fresh berries.”

She moaned and squeezed him in gratitude. He leaned back in response, a subtle bump that conveyed more than words ever could.

“Go back to bed,” he whispered after a few comfortably silent minutes. He shifted against her, turning slightly to move the French toast from the pan to a plate.

She smiled into his hair. “Mmm, breakfast in bed? That’s so sweet.”

He chuckled again. “You had to babysit those three without me last night. It’s the least I could do.”

She sighed as she pressed her cheek to his back. “I have to get ready for work.”

“I already called Haredas and told him you weren’t feeling well. He said your TA’s can handle your classes, and he’ll collect the metrics for your research,” Killer said as he spun in her arms. She kept her face buried against him, but he didn’t mind, only shifted to dig his fingers into her hair and give her scalp a firm scratch that sent a pleasant tingle down her spine. She moaned and nuzzled some more, nudging him to do that again. His chuckle rumbled beneath her ear, he gave her head another scratch, and then he began to walk toward the island counter all while she remained tucked comfortably beneath his arm. “You can spend the whole day in bed.”

“It almost feels like you’re apologizing for something,” she muttered. Killer was a sweetheart to her most of the time, and this was far from the first attempt at serving her breakfast in bed, but after her hellish night corralling their friends at Shakky’s bar, she couldn’t help but be suspicious of his motives.

“I’m apologizing for anything Kid did without me there to keep him in line,” he said, a warm mirth in his voice as he shifted, bending down to wrap his arm around her thighs and haul her up as he walked. She wound her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, and clung to him with her face buried against his neck until he set her down on the countertop. She heard him place her breakfast on a wooden tray beside her, but she was too content wrapped around him to bother looking at what else he thought to spoil her with. “I was surprised to see him and the others on the sofa when I got home. I expected them to be in jail.”

She sighed. “Almost. Thankfully Shakky won’t call the cops on anyone she likes. I’m the only reason Kid didn’t get arrested when he got into a fight.”

“Thank you for saving him the bail money.”

“I was saving myself the bail money,” she admitted. “Luffy and Zoro thought it would be fun to help him. They would have been arrested to.”

Killer was moving against her, doing something with her breakfast while he held her on the counter. He kept one arm around her, his hand gliding over her back, but she could tell he was still partly focused on the finishing touches of her meal.

“I didn’t think Shakky would call the cops on Luffy. She likes him.”

“He ate most of the food in her kitchen last week and didn’t pay for it. She’s still pissed about that. He’s lucky she gives him a discount, so he barely has to pay anything at all, but her generosity only goes so far.”

Killer snorted. “Farther for him than anyone else.”

“Mm, true.” She took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh, smiling to herself at the scents that clung to her boyfriend. “You smell like cinnamon and vanilla.”

She could tell he was trying not to laugh when his idle stroking paused so he could give her a tight hug. And she knew he was smiling when he buried his face against the side of her neck. He was still so shy about his smile and laugh, but she loved them both.

“It wasn’t all a bad night,” she whispered. “But I missed you.”

Killer’s other arm came around to deepen his embrace. She sighed happily at the warmth encompassing her and sank into it, taking everything he could give with such a simple hug.

“I figured you would be in a fouler mood this morning after I found you passed out in your clothes from last night. You barely even made it into bed.”

“Well, that explains why I woke up in your shirt with my hair braided.”

“Your hair would have been a nest of tangles if I didn’t take it down for you.”

“Mm, you’re such a gentleman… but I should charge you for undressing me while I was asleep.”

He snorted. “Already put a twenty in the jar.”

She pulled back to grin at him and was gifted with brief glimpse of his smile — lopsided and lazy from his late night at work, but there was a hint of a dimple that she had to lean in and kiss. “You’re the best.”

His smile grew with her kiss, and the sight of it made her heart flip. She brushed her nose against his, unwilling to break that rare smile until he leaned in for a proper kiss. She hummed against his lips as he drew her closer, moaned when he nipped her and deepened the kiss.

His hand grazed up her back to tangle in her hair. She broke the kiss to moan when his fingers gripped the back of her neck and squeezed. “That feels so good,” she whispered as the tension of the previous night began to melt away with his touch.

Killer chuckled as he brushed his lips over her jaw, taking advantage as she let her head fall back into his touch to nibble and kiss the sensitive skin beneath her ear. She shivered and squeezed her legs around him, drawing him in to settle firm between her thighs.

His other hand had just begun to glide over her hip, inching up her shirt, when the clatter of silverware on a dish and a deep, rumbling chuckle shattered the moment.

“Breakfast and a show,” Kid said behind her, “no better way to start the day.”

She jerked away from Killer to glare at the unwanted audience. Kid sat at the island, digging into her breakfast with a shameless grin.

“That’s Nami’s,” Killer said.

Kid jerked a forkful of her French toast, dripping with syrup at her. “She ain’t eating it.” He shoved the bite into his mouth and moaned before saying, “Don’t let me interrupt you guys, you know I love to watch.”

Killer flung her over his shoulder before she could launch herself at his best friend and strangle him. She shrieked as he carried her out of the kitchen, aiming for their bedroom.

“Aww, don’t be stingy, Killer,” Kid called after them, “it’s even better when she’s pissed off.”

“I’m going to kill him,” she hissed while flaying in Killer’s hold.

“Later. For now, you’re going back to bed while I make you a fresh breakfast.”

She slumped in defeat when her stomach growled. “Fine. At least punch him for me when you go back to the kitchen.”

“Already planned to.”

“And—”

“And I’ll put his fine in the jar,” he said just before tossing her into their bed. “Hundred?”

“Two-hundred,” she corrected as she pushed up onto her knees and beckoned Killer in for a kiss. “He ate my breakfast and interrupted us,” she whispered against his lips. “If you don’t pay me for that with your body later, he can expect to have his debt tripled.”

Killer chuckled and gave her a hard peck. “Understood.” He spared her one last kiss before lightly pushing her back into bed. “Get some rest, Nami.”

She happily crawled back under the covers, grinning as she watched Killer leave her alone in their dark bedroom.

Nothing suited her more than an outdoor wedding. The sun made her ginger hair glow, only outshone by the radiant smile she wore as they exchanged their vows. The breeze off the ocean made the white lace of her veil billow around her like the thin wisps of clouds in the sky above.

That day the whole world was drowned in her beauty, nothing else could compare in his eyes, nothing else existed in his eyes.

When he saw her at the end of the aisle, he had to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming. There was no way someone like her could want to marry someone like him, but there she was, looking at him with joy glistening in her brown eyes and he knew it was real.

Even though his eyes were hidden behind thick blond bangs, she still found his gaze and held it throughout the ceremony. She looked so certain, so determined, and he knew it was all real. He would be hers and she would be his, ‘til death do them part.

He wanted to kiss her at the first breathtaking sight of her, but he resisted. He forced his hands to hold hers, forced himself to smile calmly. All he wanted to do was toss formality away, wrap her in his arms, and kiss her until he couldn’t breathe, until she became the very breath he took in.

But he waited. And waited. And waited.

And then finally he could kiss her.

His hands were calloused, rough from years of fighting. Blood stained him to his very core. Still, they were allowed to touch her, to brush over petal soft skin, to run through silky orange hair, to hold her there as he bent down to tease his lips over hers in the briefest of kisses. Her tangerine scent wafted over him with the faint touch, and he knew it wasn’t enough, would never be enough.

So he kissed her again.

Her lips melted to his, as soft as her skin, as silky as her hair.

On the edge of his consciousness, he could hear their friends cheering, whistling, one shouting for them to get a room. Not a single one of them mattered.

The only person that mattered in that moment was the beautiful woman pulling away with her radiant smile and glittering eyes.

His wife.

Killer wasn’t the jealous type. At least he never was until he got into a relationship with Nami.

She was friendly, warm, and had a habit of flirting with men to get what she wanted. He had never before had his patience tested in such a way, and he hated the urges that came whenever he saw her distract a man with a coy wink as she stole his wallet. He wasn’t so much disgusted with the violent images that came to mind every time he spied her in the street, letting some creep grope her while she robbed him for everything he was worth. He was a violent man, despite his calmer temperament, so the thought of slicing a man’s hand off wasn’t out of the norm for him.

The reason for it was, though.

That was what he got for sleeping with a cat thief.

He knew she would never stand to see him show such possessive, aggressively jealous displays. It was hard enough getting her to overlook the reputation he had developed with his crew, the last thing he needed was for her to see what happened to each of her marks after she walked away.

In his defense, Kid was the one who bashed their skulls in. Killer just didn’t bother to stop him as he went in search of his lover to make up for the time they were apart. He could still feign some innocence if she ever became suspicious.

That night, he couldn’t pretend he didn’t feel jealous with her any longer.

He hadn’t seen her in weeks, but that wasn’t anything new. He had only just begun to long for her touch again when they spied her ship anchored off the coast of an island. Kid didn’t say a word when he took off the second they landed on the beach. He knew well enough not to get in Killer’s way when he wanted to see his lover.

If he had known what he would find, he would have thought to wait for Kid to join him.

What the fuck is she doing in that guy’s lap? He thought to himself as he stood outside the bar, peering in through a window to see her crew partying with some of the locals. He growled at how cozy she looked, flirting with some random guy with a blush staining her cheeks that he hoped was from the wine she was drinking and not the hand trailing over her side.

It took every ounce of control he could find to keep himself from crashing in there to cut the guy’s arm off and drag Nami out. She would never forgive him if he did that. There had to be a rational explanation for her actions. She was probably stealing his wallet. And anyway, they were pirates, they could do as they please, and it wasn’t like they had ever agreed to any sort of monogamy in their relationship. They were out at sea and only saw each other every few weeks if they were lucky to be on the same island, so it wasn’t any of his business what she did when he wasn’t there.

He was starting to rethink the lack of restrictions in their relationship the longer he stood out there watching her flirt as she encouraged the man to drink shot after shot of whiskey. He hadn’t been sleeping with anyone else while they were apart, hadn’t even thought about it. She was the only one he wanted in his bed, and he didn’t like the idea of sharing her with anyone else.

Nami had never seemed like the type to sleep around, though. She might flirt, but when she genuinely liked someone, she wasn’t as open about it. He was the one to make the first move in their relationship, after all.

Maybe he was overthinking things. Maybe Kid’s jealousy and possessiveness were rubbing off on him. Whatever it was, he still wanted to make sure there was an understanding between them.

It might save a possibly innocent man’s life.

He took a deep breath and calmed the urge to act rashly. The party looked like it was winding down, and the guy she was with wouldn’t be conscious for long. She was up to something, and it wasn’t going to lead her into some other man’s bed. He was sure of it. He had to be.

He waited in the shadows of the bar, listening to the party, still fighting back the impulse to run in and cut heads off. He wouldn’t be getting anything from Nami if he did that.

When she finally left, luckily alone, he pounced.

His hand clamped over her mouth to muffle her surprised shriek as he dragged her into the alley. She thrashed, her back pressed to his chest, and tried to grab the pieces of her staff to fight him off.

“Nami,” he hissed lowly, and she instantly stilled at the sound of his voice. Good thing she recognized it. He was certain that he was half a second away from being electrocuted.

“Killer?” she whispered harshly when his hand dropped from her mouth. She spun when his hold loosened and smacked him hard on the chest, glaring harshly up at his masked face. “You scared me,” she hissed.

He didn’t apologize for scaring her. She should have been more alert while walking around alone at night. Instead he lifted his mask to rest on top of his head and then harshly slammed his lips to hers. She squeaked against his lips, but once she was over her surprise, she eagerly returned his kiss, quelling a fraction of his jealousy as he backed her against the side of the bar.

“Miss me?” she giggled when he pulled back for a quick breath. He grunted in answer and snatched up her lips again, insistently deepening the kiss, desiring all the affection she hadn’t given to the stranger back in the bar.

The thought of what he witnessed made him tear away with a quiet growl. Nami blinked at him, her lips swollen and parted, begging for another kiss.

He’d get to that in a minute.

“What were you doing with that guy in there?” he asked, needing a reason to silence the lingering jealousy clawing at his chest.

“What guy?” Her head cocked to the side, honestly confused about who he was referring to.

He growled again, wrapping her tight in his arms, and dipped down to press his lips to her ear. “The one whose lap you looked comfortable on.”

She stiffened and he pulled back to frown at her. “Oh, you saw that.” She had the gall to look bashful and innocent as she shifted in his hold to take something from the pocket of her holster. She waved a small cloth bag, the telltale sound of gold coins clinking together inside easing his worries. “Just wanted a little extra spending money.”

He glowered and then relaxed with a huff as she slipped the bag back in her pocket. She snickered up at him while she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Were you jealous?”

“No,” he lied.

Her brow rose to say she didn’t believe him.

“Have you slept with anyone since I last saw you?” he asked bluntly rather than admit to his jealousy.

Her eyes widened and she began to pull away, but his arms tightened around her waist to keep her there. “Or course I haven’t,” she answered. She seemed hurt by the question, much to his surprise.

“Has there been anyone else since we started sleeping together?” he asked, holding her closer when her hands slipped down to his chest and she frowned solemnly at him.

“No,” she said quietly. “Have you?”

He shook his head.

“You don’t have to be jealous, Killer,” Nami huffed, her hands slipping back around his neck. “I have no interest in anyone else.”

He nodded his understanding, and dipped down for another kiss, slower but no less urgent as he took the time to fully taste her.

“We’re anchored off to the north,” he said after finally pulling away a few minutes later. Her chest was heaving against his, desperate for air, but her hands were knotted in his hair, eager to pull him back in for another kiss. “Tell your crew we’re here and then I want you to myself for the rest of the night.”

“Okay,” she agreed, sounding half in a daze as she stared at his lips.

With a quiet chuckle, he leaned in to give her what she obviously wanted. He wanted it, too.

“Nami,” Robin cooed beside her, “you’re staring.”

She ducked her head behind her book with a startled squeak. At least it was only Robin who noticed. If he had, she would be mortified.

“I could introduce you two,” Robin continued quietly as she flipped a page of the text she was reading. Nami sent her a confused, sidelong glance, careful to keep her head hidden from the two men on the other side of the library, or at least just the one with long blond hair that kept catching her eye. “He’s a grad student in history. I’m actually his advisor.”

“He’s a grad student?” Nami’s voice cracked in surprise. The man who looked like he could be a part of a metal band with his hair, and whose friend looked about ready to kill everyone in that room, was a grad student? And there she was, an eighteen year old, drooling over an older man. She had the worst luck. “How old is he?” she dared to ask. Maybe he was like her, ahead of the class. She was already in her second year of college, after all. Maybe he was younger than she thought.

“Twenty-five,” Robin answered.

Seven years. He was seven years older than her.

Her head smacked against the table with a groan. She really did have shitty luck.

Normally age didn’t matter to her. She would actually prefer someone older, more mature, but seven years was quite a gap and there was no way he’d give a teenager a second glance, even if she was technically an adult. At most he’d look at her as an option for a fling, maybe. She doubted he’d think about anything serious.

What was she thinking about all of that for, anyway!? She didn’t even know his name. She knew literally nothing about him except that she had seen that glorious mane of hair all over campus and all she could think about was tangling her hands in it as he did very sinful things to her.

She slammed her head against the table again.

Crushes were the worst.

“Miss Nico,” a quiet, deep voice broke into her round of self-pity, and Nami glanced up to see who had come over to talk to her friend.

Her mouth fell open at the sight of the tall blond standing on the other side of the table. She wanted to crawl under the table and will the floor to open up and swallow her whole.

“Killer,” Robin greeted with a far too sweet a smile to be ignored. She was enjoying Nami’s misery.

Wait, Nami thought to herself, eyes widening, his name is Killer!?

Could a man be any more wrong for her!? How was he a grad student? And in history? He definitely should be in some metal band, and the tall red-head scowling behind him, too. Or maybe they belonged in prison, or some gang. Not a major university!

“Hawkins has asked me to oversee his seminar this week. Apparently one of the other grad students is ill, and he wanted me to check if you needed assistance in your seminars since she was one of your TA’s, as well,” Killer said.

Nami was struck with how even his voice was. Calm and collected, and so deep she felt her insides flutter at the sound. Oh, she was screwed.

Robin cleared her throat to hide her snicker when Nami pointedly buried her nose back in her book. She knew what Nami was thinking. Damn her.

“That would be most appreciated,” Robin said, smiling. “I have all the papers for this week in my office. Can you stop by after your last class to pick them up?”

“Of course,” he agreed with a nod.

The two men began to turn away and Nami barely managed to stifle her relieved sigh. Her cheeks felt way too warm and her heart wouldn’t stop racing.

But damn her friend’s enjoyment of her misery.

“Oh, one more thing, Killer,” Robin called out as she set her hand on Nami’s shoulder. “I’d like to introduce you to one of my friends. Nami,” she said, turning to the younger woman with a bright smile, “this is Killer. Killer, meet Nami. She’s an undergrad in the oceanography department.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said with a polite nod.

“You, too,” she said quickly, glad she didn’t stammer.

He gave her a small smile and wave, and turned away with the introductions done.

“What the fuck was that about?” she heard his friend growl as they walked off, and Nami felt herself echoing that sentiment.

“Beats me,” Killer said with a shrug, and Nami spun in her chair to send Robin a simmering glare.

“Stop enjoying my misery, Robin,” she hissed.

Her friend giggled, unfazed with Nami’s annoyance and went back to her book. Nami growled one last time, and then returned to her studies.

“Oh no,” Robin spoke up, and Nami didn’t miss the feigned surprise in her voice, “I just remembered I have a meeting tonight. Nami, can you do me a favor?”

Oh hell, she’d been set up.

Nami fidgeted at Robin’s desk for forty-five minutes. She pulled out one of textbooks in a vain attempt to study. She grabbed some of Robin’s stationary and began doodling on it when studying didn’t pan out. When she was done with that, she began searching through Robin’s desk for… well, she wasn’t sure what, but she would know when she found it. Hopefully it’d be juicy blackmail material because damn did she need some after this stunt her friend decided to pull.

What the hell did Robin even think would happen if she was there to give Killer the papers he needed? They had literally just met that day! Sure, she had had a crush on him for weeks, but it was from afar and she didn’t even know his name. It was superficial. There was zero basis in setting them up like this.

A firm knock on the door made her jump. She spun around to see Killer enter, his long blond hair tied back in a low ponytail, his thick bangs obscuring his eyes. He wore jeans and a loose navy blue button down shirt with white polka dots on it, the top few buttons undone to show off lean muscle. He had a sharp, clean-shaven jaw, and when he spotted her, his lips curled up on one side in a smirk, showing a hint of a dimple that made him that much cuter.

She was going to kill Robin for this. Damn crushes.

“Nami, right?” Killer asked as he came over.

“Ah, yeah,” she said, forcing down her nerves to smile. He was just like any other guy. She didn’t need to get flustered so easily. “Robin forgot she had a meeting and since I’m done with my classes for the day, she asked me to wait for you.” She busied herself with shuffling her books aside to pull out the folder of graded papers Robin had for her small lost cultures class. “Here you go,” she said, pulling out the papers and turning to hand them to him. “She put a copy of the syllabus in there, with notes on the next discussion. She says you should know what to do with them.”

He smiled as he took the papers and slipped them into his blue backpack. “I do. Thank you.”

She was about to go back to her studies, or at least pretend to, casually dismissing Killer now that he had what he came for, but she was distracted by a cell phone ringing. The ringtone wasn’t hers, so she looked up at Killer as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He adjusted his backpack while he looked at the message he had received, and she tried to ignore the growing smile on his face.

“Hmm, interesting,” he mused. She could feel his gaze on her from behind his bangs and despite her best efforts, she felt herself blush. What was going on? “Miss Nico just sent me a text to apologize for not being here,” he explained.

Oh no, she thought to herself. “That’s considerate of her,” she said aloud, managing to smile as if nothing was amiss, and that her friend wasn’t obviously plotting against her.

“It is,” he chuckled, his stance shifting to his left. He didn’t look to be leaving just yet. That wasn’t good. “She also said something else…”

Nami wanted to run. She didn’t know why, but she really wanted to run. “Okay…?” she tried to act clueless, but she could guess Robin had said something about her.

She blinked when he held his phone out for her to read the message, and then balked at what Robin wrote.

Please be kind to my friend if she seems nervous. She has a small crush on you.

“Robin!” she screamed. She didn’t ask for permission when she snatched Killer’s phone away and began angrily typing out a message to her traitorous friend. Killer didn’t seem to care as he chuckled behind her.

I am going to kill you when you get back here, she typed out and sent off. Robin would know it was her, and she wasn’t surprised when she messaged back a minute later.

Oh no, she wrote, you two were together? Well, this is good time to get to know each other. ;)

She groaned and slumped over the desk, burying her face in her arms. She didn’t pay any mind to Killer coming over and slipping his phone from her hand. She listened to him hum as he read the message, and she wanted to shrivel up and die when she heard him drag a chair over to the desk.

“She does have a point,” he said, much to her surprise, as he leaned over the desk beside her. “Seeing she went to all this trouble to introduce us, I imagine I should get to know you.”

“Just ignore her,” Nami sighed, pulling up from her protective cocoon to glare at him. He was closer than she expected, leaning his chin in the palm of his hand right next to wear she sat. He really was cute. Damn Robin and her scheming. “I don’t have a crush on you.”

He hummed again and she swore he was scrutinizing her behind those bangs. She looked away with a huff, hoping she wasn’t blushing again.

“That’s too bad,” he mused, and her head snapped around to stare at him in wide-eyed shock. He didn’t mean…? He couldn’t…?

Her eyes narrowed at his flat expression. He was teasing her. He had to be.

“Why is that?” she asked shortly, sitting back and crossing her arms over her chest.

“Because you’re cute,” he answered matter-of-factly.

She was definitely blushing after that.

“Are you sure you don’t have a crush on me?” he asked with a knowing smile. “Miss Nico is a close friend of yours, I presume. She wouldn’t go through this effort if you didn’t. She doesn’t seem the type to set someone up if they weren’t interested.”

“She’s your advisor, you don’t know anything about what she’s like outside of school. She loves teasing her friends.”

“And what would she be teasing you for if you didn’t have a crush?” His smile grew. He had her trapped there.

She growled at him, a response that seemed to amuse him as he chuckled.

“I’m eighteen,” she finally snapped. She wasn’t sure if she should feel victorious at the shock in his expression that made him sit straight, or disappointed that she had lost whatever tiny chance she might have had with that bit of information. She forced herself to be apathetic. “I’m young. Whatever it is, it’s just a silly crush on a handsome guy I’ve seen around campus. It’ll pass.” She shrugged indifferently. It was true, after all. Crushes were fleeting.

“You think I’m handsome?” he asked, his tone disbelieving.

She shrugged again. “Yeah. And I’ll admit, those dimples add to that. But, as I said, it’s probably just some silly teenage crush on an older guy. People get them all the time. It’s nothing to get worked up over.”

His jaw had dropped open as she spoke, and then snapped shut into a frown.

“I guess you have a point there,” he relented easily. “I find myself developing a teenage crush on you the longer I sit here.”

“What?” she asked, gaping in shock.

He chuckled and leaned closer. “You’re done with your classes, right?”

She nodded, too dumbfounded to speak.

“Want to grab a bite to eat?” he asked. Her mouth opened wider and he laughed. “My treat.”

Free food with a cute guy? She couldn’t possibly say no to that.

“Alright,” she breathed out, smiling shyly.

He grunted and stood up, giving her room to pack her things in her pink backpack. She turned to follow him out, willing her heart to stop racing and her hands to stop shaking. Crushes really were annoying.

“Oh, one more thing,” he said, coming to a sudden stop at the door. She didn’t know what to expect when he turned and grabbed her by the wrist, tugging her closer until his lips pressed to the corner of hers. He pulled away, laughing quietly at her gaping reaction, and went ahead, bringing her along with the grip he had on her hand.

“Yep, I definitely have a teenage crush on you, too,” he admitted low enough for only her to hear.

It had taken a few months for her to warm up to the idea of dating him. She liked him well enough immediately, at least within a day or two of meeting him, but the idea of dating him, or anyone, wasn’t something that came to mind right away. Dating just wasn’t something she did much. It scared her in some ways. Putting herself out there, letting herself be vulnerable, to be known in a way different from her friends.

Just the idea of making friends had been difficult when she was younger, now she had to think about dating, relationships, and everything that came along with it. She wasn’t inexperienced with certain parts of a relationship, but she definitely wasn’t experienced at the whole commitment, working toward a ‘happily ever after’ sort of thing.

Killer was nice, though. Sure, he had his moments where he could be downright terrifying in his brutality, but compared to his best friend, he was docile. He might enjoy fighting, just like all of her friends, but his temper rarely ever came out. If he lost his temper in a fight, it was over something important.

He was intelligent and mature. He didn’t talk much at first, and apparently he didn’t talk much at all. But when he had something to say, it was always well thought out, his words were chosen with confidence, and everyone knew to listen. He was observant, an intent listener, and it was both thrilling and intimidating to feel the full weight of his scrutiny.

She always felt safe with him around. It was also easy to get comfortable with him. He could be so relaxed and easy-going, no demands for attention she might not be able to spare, but his presence was always felt.

When he asked her out to dinner, she almost thought to say no. She liked him, and he was definitely attractive, but the expectations of what one date could bring terrified her. They had a good friendship going, and she didn’t want to ruin it.

But then she heard her mother’s voice at the back of her head telling her to face the future with a bright outlook, and she realized she couldn’t worry so much about what might come.

She said yes, ignoring the anxious pit in her stomach as the date grew near.

Somehow she got through the night. As confident as she was about herself, it was strange to feel like a nervous wreck with someone, especially when that someone had been a good friend for three months.

Killer seemed to pick up on her nervousness early on, at least she assumed he did when he casually slipped his hand in hers as they walked to the restaurant. He flashed her a calm smile and pulled her along, not saying a word about her blush. That little bit of subtle affection was enough to ease her worries and she was able to look at the night as if it were no different than all the other times she hung out with him.

Except this time it was just the two of them, and she was wearing an amazing green dress that any other guy would probably have ripped her out of once she answered her door, and he was holding her hand like some polite gentleman who would never dare think of such lewd things even though she knew he probably did, and she had no idea how the night would end.

And she really had no idea what to think about the fact that the longer he held her hand, the more she wanted him to rip her out of her dress.

By the time they arrived back at her house, she was a strange mixture of anxiety and calm.

“Tonight was nice,” she chirped, standing awkwardly on the front porch of her house. She had her keys out, ready to go inside, but she couldn’t bring herself to unlock the door. Idly she wondered if her roommates were up. The house was eerily silent and all the lights were out. Maybe they went out? Maybe she could ask Killer in, allow their date to continue a little longer?

“It was,” he agreed with a nod. “I’d love to do this again sometime.”

Nami smiled, glancing down at her gold pumps as she brushed a strand of orange hair behind her ear. She didn’t know why she felt so bashful. She had never been shy in her life, but apparently tonight was a night of firsts.

First date. First time a man held her hand and she found herself wanting to hold on longer. First time she felt shy, uncertain of what to do next.

“I’d like that,” she said with a quiet giggle. She turned, gesturing toward the house. “Ummm, do you want to come in for a little bit?”

His head tilted, looking toward her house. He was silent for a long moment until he finally chuckled and turned his attention back to her.

“I don’t think that would be such a good idea,” he said.

“Why not?” she asked, pouting in honest disappointment. She thought the date went well?

Again he was silent, but he surprised her as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in for a hug.

“I’m fine taking things slow,” he explained quietly, his other hand reaching up to brush along her jaw. Her mouth parted in a silent gasp when his hand cupped her cheek and he bent low enough to tease his nose over hers. He was smiling, a strange knowing look that held a hint of mirth, and she could feel his breath wash over her lips, filling her with a different sort of anxiety than she had felt all night. “And we have an audience,” he whispered before gently pressing his lips to hers in the briefest of kisses.

She squeaked in surprise as he chuckled. Her head whipped around just in time to see the curtains of the front bay window flutter closed and hear the failed attempts at stifled laughter on the other side of the door. She glowered at the door standing between her and the boys spying on her.

Jerks ruining her perfectly good evening. She’d charge them for that.

Her annoyance was eased when Killer’s arm tightened around her waist, drawing her attention back to him.

“So, next weekend…” he prompted, getting the end of their date back on track while they had a modicum of privacy from her friends.

She huffed, one last show of irritation, and wrapped her arms around her neck, bringing their bodies closer together. His taller frame was relaxed, but his body was harder than hers and still felt tense. He rocked back just enough to force her closer still and she silently cursed her roommates once again. That tiny bit of friction she felt between them had lit something in her that one kiss would not satisfy.

Killer chuckled again, dipped down to press another kiss to her jaw, right by her ear. She shivered against him, all the encouragement he needed to open his mouth and suck at the sensitive flesh there.

She quickly forgot that they were supposed to be talking about another date.

“I forgot to tell you that you look beautiful tonight,” he said as he nipped behind her ear. She couldn’t find any coherent thoughts to respond with, only released a quiet moan as her head lulled back and her hands dug into his hair long blond hair. Her moan grew louder when his hand subtly slipped from her waist to her backside and squeezed, drawing her hips into him. If the extra hard length pressing into her stomach was anything to go by, Killer wasn’t quite as interested in going slow as he said.

His other hand had found its way to wind into her hair and soon she was drawn in for another kiss, this time deeper, his tongue darting past her parted lips for a quick taste before he pulled back. His breath fanned over her lips harshly as he held them barely inches apart.

“Next weekend?” he asked with a breathless chuckle.

“Uh-huh,” she answered, nodding, half in a daze. “I’m free.”

“I’ll call you, then,” he laughed again. He leaned in for one last peck, and then pulled away completely. He didn’t release her until she was certain she had her bearings again, and watched as she turned to unlock her door. “See you, Nami,” he said, smiling warmly as she pushed open her door.

She forced herself to ignore the crash of bodies that came down on the other side of the door. Those jerks were eavesdropping again.

“See you, Killer.” She waved as if she wasn’t plotting the murder of two to four grown men, depending on who exactly had been spying, and skipped into her house. Her soon to be victims were already scampering away while she shut the door on her date, peeking out the crack to see his growing smile for a second longer before shutting the door completely.

She took a moment to let her giddy smile linger, giggling to herself as she leaned into the door. Once she heard his car start up, she spun around to face her dark house and let her smile fall away.

“You guys owe me a hundred thousand for spying on my date!” she hollered.

The faintest echo of their disappointed groans came back from their rooms.

Nami considered herself a lucky woman to have a boyfriend like Killer. At first glance, he looked like the average, intimidating brute most sane people would actively avoid. But he was mature, intelligent, surprisingly kind to those he cared about, and one hell of a good cook.

He also put in an extra effort to celebrate special occasions properly.

Their anniversary dates were always easy-going, but carefully planned to ensure the night ended well. Meaning they weren’t interrupted by their more demanding friends.

That year Killer had planned for a night in. He found one of her favorite old movies to watch after they ate his delicious homemade lasagna and garlic bread. It would be laid-back, quiet, and intimate, with good food and easy conversation.

Nami hadn’t expected too much, but when she walked into their apartment after a day of shopping with Robin, she was taken back by the candles decorating the dim living room. She set her bags down near the door as she stared in awe at the fluttering light from the flames and slowly walked into the room. She found herself taking careful steps toward the kitchen, as if afraid she would break the peaceful atmosphere with the creak of a floorboard.

She found Killer, his long blond hair pulled back in a loose bun at the base of his neck, dressed in a clean blue dress shirt and light washed jeans that hugged his ass and legs perfectly, something that stood out to her with how he was bent over, pulling the lasagna from the stove. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to eat more – dinner or him.

“Nami?” he prompted with a quiet chuckle, snapping her from thoughts that were wandering to the new lingerie she had bought that night and whether she would last long enough to change into it.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said, smiling brightly as she skipped into the kitchen to give him a peck on the cheek. “Smells delicious.”

His smile told her that he knew very well she had been staring at him, but he didn’t say a word as he bent down to steal another quick kiss from her lips. “There’s a bottle of wine in the living room,” he said. “I thought we’d eat out there.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll go change,” she chirped.

She had bought a silky light blue dress for that night. It was Killer’s favorite color and he said he loved her in it, so she figured it would be perfect for their two year anniversary. The halter of her dress left her back mostly exposed, the hints of smooth skin that would peek out from her hair meant to entice him to touch to his fullest. The skirt ended above mid-thigh, hopefully teasing his restraint even more.

It was her restraint she was certain would break first that night, though.

They curled up on the couch to eat with one of her favorite bands softly playing from the stereo. Conversation was light, mostly about their friends. After being together so long, they knew each other’s stories, so there were points of comfortable silence as they focused on their meals. When they were done, Nami nestled closer to Killer as she sipped her wine, leaning into him when his hand came to trail gently over her shoulder.

“Thank you for dinner,” Nami said quietly, tilting her head against his shoulder to invite him in for a kiss.

“You’re welcome,” he chuckled, lips pressed lightly to hers as he took her glass and set it aside. “Should we watch the movie now?” he asked while his fingers brushed her hair from her neck. The kiss he left on her pulse said he wasn’t too interested in watching a movie.

Neither was she.

She hummed, angling her head to encourage him to continue kissing her neck. “Depends on what you made for dessert.”

He laughed as his lips trailed up to her ear. She could feel his smile in the nip her left on the sensitive flesh. “Strawberry parfaits,” he answered.

“Mmmm,” she moaned in delight. “While that sounds nice…” She trailed off as she turned against his side to capture his lips for a long, hungry kiss. His body tensed beneath the fingertips she trailed down his chest, teasing the buttons of his shirt. She pulled back to pant against his lips. Through his thick bangs, she could just make out his gaze glued to her lips, eager for another kiss. “I think I want a different treat tonight.”

His lips quirked into a subtle smile at the suggestion. “And what would that be?” His already deep voice was low and hoarse with desire. He nudged her head closer, intent on getting that next kiss.

She teased him with a kiss to the corner of his smile, and then his jaw. “Something a little more savory,” she said, her kisses following the thick cord of muscle along his neck. “Warm,” she whispered as she slowly slid her body down his. He arched beneath her and groaned quietly while she began to open his shirt. His breathing became harsh as her lips brushed down his chest, his abs twitched when her tongue darted out for a taste. “Salty,” she added as her kisses trailed down from his belly button to the top of his jeans. He sucked in a breath when her palm pressed to the growing bulge in his pants and she looked up, resting her chin on the top of his jeans, to give him a teasing smirk.

“I want something that will fill me up,” she finished, as she slowly tugged the zipper of his jeans down.

He cursed lowly and his hands dove into her hair when she bent down to kiss the tip of his erection. A bead of moisture leaked out as she took him in her hands. She couldn’t resist sweeping her tongue over it, moaning in delight as she gave the tip another toying kiss.

“Do you think you know what might satisfy my craving?” she asked, pressing another kiss just below the head of his penis.

His breathing was shallow as he stared down at her. His hands were tight in her hair, urging her to continue, to stop playing with him.

And then he grinned in answer…

She was in for a very long night.