[Normal P.O.V.]

"I'm fine." I answered, struggling to maintain the movements within my wrist. It wasn't a lie, it did cease to hurt a bit, but the annoying aching pain was still lingering.

"Is it a lot uncomfortable?" Bonney continued, persistently longed to hear the entire truth.

"I'm ok." I said, cutting her off. In return she had slightly nodded before she wrinkled her features and hissed: "Uh, I'll kill him I swear. I don't care if we have known each other since childhood. But what I hate the most are assholes!"

The pinkette was careful enough to lean towards me and grab the unharmed hand, then tugged me from the crowd. "Come. I know what will cheer you up."

"Alcohol?"

"Alcohol isn't the answer, duh...But consider this as an appreciation gift. Surely this will cheer you up...Y/n, come."

"Why can't we take the elevator?" Still feeling a little bit guarded, I acquired, walking prudent high heels on the staircase.

Bonney rolled her eyes as it was like the most obvious thing on Earth and snapped her tongue. "Cause it's crowded there." The couple of minutes that took our time to get to the final destination, were full of apologetic gestures and bows, of course so were some curses and deceitful stares for which I couldn't complain. Yet, it wasn't my fault for being dragged to god-knows-where.

"Voila."

"It's...beautiful..." I beamed. The balcony grew from the walls, Greek like columns were ordered two meters from each other, the whole interior made of pure marble, petite spirals and diamond shapes decorating the floor. Above us, another balcony wad built, but in contrast from this, it was full of laughing noble men, drinking luxurious high quality wine. Everyone was too busy to eve notice our existence, the fault had to be in the stone fence that was inbuilt, curving like champagne glasses.

"It's my favorite place here. Of course, after the kitchen." Bonney laughed on her account, facing me with the front, while her back was leaning on a vase.

"Who would have known?" I grinned, following her example. I leaned on the fence and took a deep breath. Slightly shuddering, because of the chilly wind that night, it was scarcely impossible not to notice the stars that burned with the illuminating pallor of electric light.

"I didn't even know I was suffocating inside until I came here." I inhaled. "It's so refreshing, for which I'm surprisingly impressed. I can actually see the stars." Giggling at the astonishing discovery, my infatuation didn't proceed to continue.

Bonney face fell into a sorrowful grimace as she pungently whispered. "Has he ever laid a hand upon you?" Her eyes examined every small detail on my face. "I'm being serious. Was he ever violent to you to that degree, that you were physically hurting?

I frowned at the allegation. "Why so suddenly...?"

"Just answer." She interrupted me. My eyes widened at the sharpness of her tone, that minute later made me give in to her request."

"On the beginning." I could feel the sudden magnetism pressing me to the ground. "But it wasn't anything severe."

The loose hair hung from the leaning part of the balcony, but Bonney decided not to mind it. "I see." She hummed. "Why did you look hurt?""

"..."

"You don't have to be confused. My question was correctly asked. Obviously, I know it was because of the pain. But it wasn't the physical part that hurt you only, right? Was it also something more...intimate?"

Slightly panicked, I asked. "What do you mean?"

"Were you sad because he was the one who did this?"

"..." Her words I considered with surprised calculation. It took me kinda off the track, so she decided by herself, to discharge all necessary waiting for the acquired information and dig further.

"Y/n...do you love him? I couldn't help but to notice how you watched him the entire time." The pinkette threw her hand up, suspiciously grimacing. "Not even gonna bring up how you blushed when he was the one who sent you a glare."

I misheard every part, except for the first question. Instead of calmly denying, I burst in frustration. "L-Love him?! I don't even know the guy for that long! Have you gone crazy! " I jogged from her and twirled on the spot. " I would have told you that I wasn't expecting that from you, but because we have only met each other a couple of hours, I really can't bring myself to say that."

"When you mention it like that...Is it strange that I feel like we have talked to each other before?"

"No...It's the same for me."

She chuckled to my pouting expression. "Now stop distracting me. Do you love him or not?"

"I-I-...already told you."

"Do you love him or not?!" Everything from the way she held herself, the way of authority, to that unreachable confidence, she forced me to speak up

"I don't know! I've never felt anything like this for anyone before! I mean...Oh, man...I-I-I..." I crunched to the floor and leaned my forehead to the cold rock, barely whispering. "I'm pathetic. I should be scared of him...Isn't that normal? Looking at the circumstances. Right?"

"..."

"But, strangely..." I deeply exhaled. " I'm not. Not in that way that I would despise him. I mean... I just don't...hate him?" I felt my stomach plummet. " I don't know if that is called love or not." I glanced at her. As if someone switched off the sad button, I mildly smiled. "It sounds like I have Stockholm Syndrome, doesn't it?"

"You don't have it." Bonney said softly, giving me a sideways glance.

"Sure about it?"

"Yep. Seen a lot of that. I know the symptoms. Now cause you see uncapable of saying yes or no...And I won't accept that measly I don't know. I'll ask you differently so it won't confuse you. Do you find him attractive?"

I blinked rapidly.

"Y/n have you ever had a boyfriend?"

I seemed a bit withdrawn. "No." I finally uttered. "After all what was happening at home with dad, the moving, transferring schools...I never got the chance."

"Shanks...Was he a good father to you?"

I stiffened. The way she asked me made the chills run up my spine. "He still is." I corrected her, standing up. "You used past tense. You don't think we'll find him?"

Bonney nervously tugged her dress at my aggressive voice. "No, it's not..."

"Don't underestimate me. I know he is alive. I can feel it. He wouldn't just bail on me like that. He has been through worse." Sounding oddly formal, I continued after a short halt. "I've seen something that I shouldn't have, regardless of the opportunity to escape."

Bonney's eyes shifted to the side and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears.

"I didn't mean it like that." I quickly chimed, suddenly feeling sorry for the way I attacked her.

But she ignored the apology and took my hands into hers, determination shining from her eyes. "Of course we'll find him, Y/n. Neither Law nor Kid won't let their ego suffer for failing in a mission. Mark my words."

She paused. "And Y/n...You'll know if you love him or not. Be sure of it."

A slight cough behind us brought us apart and our heads around.

"Would you like some drink, ladies?"

I was taken aback when a slender, high woman interrupted us. She had long, wavy, light green hair, while the color of her eyes was covered by glasses. By the looks of her outfit, she was definitely a waitress, wearing a small white apron, moreover a plate of drinks rested on her hand.

"Yes, please." Bonney eagerly answered. The green haired woman lightly smiled and stepped to her.

"Thank you." Beamed the pinkette.

"May I say, miss." She surprisingly turned towards me, examining my attire. "Your dress is incredible! Would it be rude for me to ask you were you got it?"

I nervously laughed, bewildered by her boldness. "I would gladly do that, but you see, I wasn't the one who bought it. I'm sorry."

"No worries, miss. You just enjoy the night." Before she had the opportunity to go inside, I guess something suddenly made her uncomfortable or bothered her, as he exclaimed. "Oh, Miss, please! You can't a gun with you! It' s prohibited here on the rooftop! You'll have to give it to me!" The greenette stretched out her free hand towards Bonney and patiently waited for her too pull the weapon from her hiding place. The pinkette grumbled in frustration. The woman ignored her protest and firmly grabbed the metal object, eventually skipping away like a ballerina and leaving us in the dark night.

An involuntary ' huh' escaped my lips. "What... just happened...?

"Y/n?"

"Hm?"

"Hehehe~ look what I got?" She proudly waved the back-up object in her hand, pure wickedness radiating on her face.

"Another gun...You sneaky cat!" I laughed.

"I'm not going to separate from my precious baby!" She intentionally pouted and to seriously prove her point, she snuggled with the weapon. When her redden cheek peeled off from the metal, she grinned. "Let's play truth or dare!""

Raising a brow, I commented. "You've gotten rather quickly drunk."

"Nope." But even with that happy-go-luck expression, she lightly touched her forehead, huffing.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, Mom. No worries. Ok. I start. Truth or dare?"

I rolled my eyes. The first choice was so obvious. "Truth."

"Do you find Kid attractive?" "Why are you doing this to me?!" I squirmed.

"Then answer this...Do you find Law attractive?

"Shouldn't you be asking only one question?"

"Nah," she denied, flicking her hair. "My rules are better."

"Yeah, I find him...attractive. I guess?" I nonchalantly answered, not even blinking or having second thoughts.

Tho, I am scared of him. Should I...Tell her?

"Ok. Again now. Do you find Kid attractive?"

"Stop it."

"Y/n!"

I felt a blub forming in my throat. I gulped before cautiously saying: "Yes..."

"Very. Interesting. You are blushing." Bonney giggled. Not really wanting to find an excuse, I pointed at her redden cheeks. "And just for info, you are blushing too, drunky!"

"I'm not drunk! I haven't even drank so much!"

Dismissing her obliviousness I grinned mischievously. "My turn. Truth or Dare."

"Dare."

"Let's go back to the Hall. It's getting cold outside."

She threw her hands in the air "No fun, Y/n. So not cool. "

"What can I say. I learned from the best."

"Y/n, I like your style. We're going to become really good friends."

~~~

"Why are we using the stairs? The first time you explained didn't really stick in my head."

"Cause this is better than being with all of those rich bastards in a closet, having to share my private space. They are not worthy."

I nodded. "Understood. I'll remember that."

We trudged along the pavement hall at a sedate step. My mind was focused on the echoed sound in the desolate twirled staircase. We were on 1 stage, still two floors until reaching the center of the party.

"John, what's wrong?"

"Hey, are you alright, sir?"

"Darling?"

"Johnny... Why are you so pale?"

Jabber of tranquil voices reached my ears. "Hey, Boonney did you heard that?" In respond, the pinkette looked at me confusingly, making a 'heard what' facial expression. I stopped her in her step and pressed my index finger to the upper lip. "Listen." I whispered. I wished to hear the remaining of the conversation, but everything appeared quiet.

I flinched, nearly missing a step and tripping down.

A scream.

A kind of scream that made anyone's blood run cool. It pierced my brain and ignited my thoughts to the border of unbearable pain.

"What was that?!" Shouted Bonney. The pinkette's reflexes hadn't gone unnoticed. Her fingers wrapped around the handle of the gun, firmly, without shaking like mine.

"I...don't know."

"... Fuck."

The moment when the glass window crashed into million pieces, spreading without a warning, I screamed like never before. It was deep within my throat that forced itself from my mouth. Subconsciously darting from the impact, I shut my eyes, losing the sense for time.

Bonney was the first one to sober up. Logically, she took everything as a normal everyday activity. This was her profession, she lived for things like that.

"W-w-what h-happened?"

There was no acknowledgement to my required complexity.

"What the hell happened?"

[Warning~Gore]

"Y/n! Don't look !" She hissed, her temper on half-trigger. "Under no circumstances can you look!"

But it was too late.

Curious as I was as well enough stupid, I peeked through the glued eyelashes.

My gut crunched at the sight and my stomach heaved, nostrils filled with the irony smell.

No, this wasn't a sight.

It was pure horror.

Lifeless. Lifeless body.

Lying in a spreading pond of blood.

Where there had been a smooth skin on the chest, it was now a long line of torn muscle and blood. The ribs cage had been cracked and pried open from the dreadful scar, pieces of glass deeply pushed into the skin like a needle when making a puppet doll.

"Fuck Y/n, I said don't look." Not even one curse word could have made me turn around, for I was grief-stricken with the bloody scene.

The man was dead. His eyes fixed and distant. His facial muscles crumpled in pure horror.

"He's dead." I whispered, trying to comprehend what was before me. "Dead."

"Y/n? Whatever you do...Don't move from me! Got it?" I nodded at the distant voice. I hadn't even noticed the coldness of the floor until my legs gave in under the pressure. "Please, Kid is going to come for you, ok?" She continued with the desperate pleading.

As if I had arouse from a heavy slumber, I finally gathered enough strength to look at her, eyes still widened and my heartbeat working like an excellent fueled machine on full overpower.

"What is happening?" I stuttered, clenching her arm, with the little force that still remained in me.

"We haven't suspected anything. I am not sure what could have gone wro...Ugghh..." Bonney couldn't withstand the far- from-indulging throbbing pain. She coughed and the place where my hand locked her arm, was now gripped by her own. While ogling at the walls, as if she could find the orientation she needed, she squirmed.

"I...am not able to stand. Y/n..." Bonney gasped. "I can't feel my legs anymore. Something is wrong with me."