Final Date

The next morning, Hancock's heart nearly burst out of her chest the moment she woke up.

"Eh? Eh? Eh?"

Her facial expression was a mix of shock and confusion. The reason for her dismay was Luffy sleeping with his head on her stomach.

'What's going on?!'

In contrast to the panicking Hancock, Luffy was peacefully sleeping on her stomach.

'What should I do? Should I wake him?'

She looked down at Luffy's sleeping face for a bit and smiled. She rubbed her hand through his hair after some hesitation. She continued to gently rub his head while laying on her back. She did this until Luffy opened his eyes. She removed her hand as he sat up and smacked his lips. He turned and looked at her.

"Morning, Hancock."

"Good morning, Luffy."

"Today's the day you'll leave right?"

Hancock showed a bitter smile.

"That's right."

"Then, do you want to go on a date?"

"….Huh?"

Luffy drew closer to her causing her to instinctively back away.

"You've been a huge help this past week and I wanted to return the favor by showing some of the cool stuff on this island. With all the bosses gone, it should be fine."

"I-I see. I'm just surprised you're calling it a date."

"A date is when two people who like each other hang out right? I like you, do you like me?"

"Of course!…I lo…"

The last part of Hancock's sentence was inaudible.

"Then let's go on a date. We'll hang out until your crew comes and gets you."

Luffy stood up and stretched his hand out to her.

"How about it?"

Hancock looked at his hand for a bit before taking it. She smiled.

"Alright, let's go on a date."

After freshening up a bit, Hancock headed out of the cave. Luffy didn't know how she did it but Hancock came back wearing a different dress, heels, and earrings. The pattern on her dress remained him of some animals on the island.

"...."

After thinking about it for a bit, Luffy decided not to think about it.

"Luffy, how do I look?"

Luffy nodded.

"You look good."

Hancock's face brightened up.

"So what's the plan?"

"Don't know. Just going to walk around, talk, eat, and show you my favorite spots. You okay with that?"

Hancock nodded.

"Sounds great."

The two started touring the island for the second time since Hancock landed. They approached a cliff that hang over the ocean.

"If you come here at noon, you'll see Sea Kings fighting it out."

As Luffy said that, dozens of Sea Kings emerged from the water. They glared at each other in silence before roaring and attacking each other. They fought fiercely and brutally, the sea was instantly stained with their blood.

"Why are they fighting?"

"Who knows? Probably because they're stupid. I like to watch them because there's a new winner every time."

The fight among the Sea Kings came to end when all but one retreated into the water. The winner roared towards the sky before submerging into the water.

"Such strange creatures."

Hancock mumbled.

"I kinda want to ride one one day. Not a tamed one like you have, but a wild one like those fighting down there. It seems fun."

Luffy looked at Hancock.

"You want to ride one together one day?"

"Yes, absolutely!"

The two failed to realize that riding a wild Sea King could lead to their drowning.

After the cliff, Luffy brought Hancock to the top of a mountain. On the mountaintop was a garden of flowers. These flowers changed colors as they glistened under the sun.

"Wow, they're beautiful."

"And tasty."

"Huh?"

Hancock looked at Luffy with a confused expression. Luffy smugly walked up to a flower, picked it, and ate it. He then picked a flower and gave it to Hancock.

"Try it."

"Ok."

Hancock bit the flower without hesitation. Her eyes widened as she chew the flower.

"It tastes like…meat?"

"Isn't that amazing?! I was blown up here one day when fighting the giant goats on the mountain and I found this place. I was hungry so I ate one of the flowers and it was amazing."

"Giant goats?"

"Yup, they're not here anymore. They were tasty though."

Luffy stooped down and picked more flowers.

"Do you want any more?"

"No, I'm fine."

Luffy stood up and stuffed his face.

"I see. Then more for me."

The two traveled down the mountain as Luffy munched on the flowers. He stopped at a cave on the side of the mountain.

"There's something I want to show you."

Luffy walked into the cave and disappeared.

"Luffy? Luffy?!"

Hancock walked into the cave and felt the ground vanish underneath her.

"Huh?"

She fell and started sliding down a slippery slope.

"Hahahaha!"

She could hear Luffy laughing below her. His laughter calmed her down and made her relax. She willfully slid down the slope until light came rushing towards her. The slope ended and she landed on her feet. Her eyes were immediately assaulted by various colors. She looked around. She was in a room with countless gems of various colors shining in the walls. The gems illuminated the cave like stars in the night.

"Beautiful."

The twinkling lights shone in Hancock's eyes as she looked around the room. Some of the gems formed images of animals like eagles, horses, tigers, and snakes.

"Cool isn't it?"

She turned and saw Luffy sitting on a giant red gem.

"What is this place?"

"I don't know. I found this place randomly. Rayleigh said something about it being proof that people once lived on the island."

Luffy looked at the images on the walls and ceilings and smiled.

"I don't why but when I'm feeling anxious this place always calms me down. It's my favorite place on the island."

"And you brought me here?"

"Of course. I wanted to thank you for staying here for a week. To tell you the truth, I was getting a bit lonely since Rayleigh left. I didn't have anyone to talk to other than animals, and they were trying to kill me most of the time."

He showed her a bright smile.

"Once again, I'm really glad you came."

Hancock's face reddened as she shyly turned away.

"I'm glad too."

She clenched her fists.

"D-Do you think we got closer this past week?"

"Of course. At first, you were someone I was grateful towards, a friend."

"A-And now? Am I more than a friend?"

Luffy nodded.

"You're like family now."

"Family? You want to make a family together? Then does that mean I'm practically your wife?! Kyaa!"

Hancock started rambling, answering questions she asked. Luffy just stood there watching her getting lost in her imagination. He showed a lonely smile.

"I'm gonna miss having you around, Hancock."

After some time, the two left the mountains. As they walked together, Hancock stopped and looked towards the east. There she saw a red flare in the sky.

"…..That's a signal from my ship."

Her shoulders dropped and her mouth formed a frown.

"My crew came to pick me up."