And just like that, my heart performed an Olympic-level gymnastics routine in my chest.

The heat that rushed to my face could have properly melted steel beams. Cuddling. She wanted to cuddle. On my bed. The same bed where she’d slept just hours ago, still in her wedding dress. Now here she was, asking to cuddle like it was the most natural thing in the world—and somehow, it was.

"Y-yeah, of course," I managed to stutter out, my heart performing The Drums of Liberation almost outside of my chest.

The squeal of pure joy she let out sent my heart into another tailspin. She bounced onto the bed with an energy that reminded me of Luffy himself—pure, unrestrained enthusiasm. The Gear 5 hoodie she still wore rode up slightly as she propped herself up on one elbow, revealing a hint of skin that short-circuited several of my brain functions at once.

She patted the space beside her with her free hand, her smile somehow both innocent and knowing. The way she lay there, turned on her side with that inviting expression, made it clear she had spooning in mind. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks—this wasn't just cuddling, this was advanced cuddling.

As I approached the bed, watching her smile grow wider with each step, my nerves manifested in the only way they knew how—random references and wild metaphors.

"Just so you know," I said, my voice cracking slightly, "if you want me to be the big spoon, you should prepare for some medieval jousting."

Her expression was absolutely priceless—a perfect mixture of 'how did you even think of that?' and barely contained laughter. But then her eyes lit up with understanding, and she let out a laugh that made my soul sing. She got it. She actually got my terrible attempt at humor.

"I'm okay with that," she replied with a coy smile that made my knees weak. "As long as you don't mind me pressing up against you."

The playful challenge in her voice, combined with the way she looked at me like she'd already decided I was hers forever, completely destroyed my ability to form clever responses. She had this way of being both adorably cute and devastatingly sexy at the same time—a combination that left me perpetually flustered.

So instead of trying to match her wit, I just rolled onto the bed beside her, facing those impossible turquoise eyes. The mattress dipped slightly under our combined weight, bringing us naturally closer together. The fragrant scent that emanated from her skin grew stronger, mixing with the familiar smell of my old room in a way that made everything feel dreamlike.

God, those eyes. Even in the dim basement light, they seemed to glow with their own inner radiance. Then, as if the universe itself wanted to emphasize her perfection, the clouds outside shifted. Sunlight streamed through the small window, catching her face at just the right angle. The light transformed her eyes into pools of liquid turquoise, like looking into the depths of the clearest tropical ocean. I nearly gasped at the peak beauty that was laying in front of me.

Her confidence, her smile, the way she looked at me—everything about her struck chords in my soul I didn't even know existed. And she was here, in my bed, looking at me like I was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen. If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up. And if this was reality, then reality was far more beautiful than any dream could ever be.

"Like what you see?" she asked softly, her voice carrying that same playful tone that made my heart dance.

The sunlight played across her face, highlighting the perfect proportions that had first caught my attention in the cemetery. But now, seeing her this close, I could appreciate even more details—the slight upturn of her nose, the way her eyes crinkled slightly at the corners when she smiled, the barely visible freckles that dotted her nose bridge like a constellation waiting to be mapped.

"Immensely," I breathed out, surprising myself with my honesty. "Like a hermit who just found his lantern, like the moon who just found their sun."

The metaphors spilled out naturally, born from years of alchemical studies merging into something that felt true in a way I couldn't quite explain. She looked down for a moment, then back up at me with that knowing smile that made my heart stutter in my chest.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

My shyness must have been radiating off me in waves, because she suggested, "You can turn around if it helps you relax."

The offer was so considerate, so perfectly attuned to my comfort level, that it only made me fall for her more. With a grateful nod, I turned onto my other side, tucking one hand under my head. The position felt vulnerable in the best way possible, like I was offering her my complete trust.

What I wasn't prepared for was what she did next.

The moment I settled on my side, Eli pressed herself against my back, molding her body to mine with a certainty that took my breath away. The contact was electric—I could feel everything. The gentle press of her stomach against my lower back, the soft weight of her chest against my shoulder blades, and most intoxicating of all, her warm breath ghosting across my neck. Her scent enveloped me completely, making my head swim in the most delicious way.

She settled one hand on my side while keeping the other tucked under her head. Then, with deliberate slowness that made my entire body tingle, she began tracing her fingers up my arm. The touch was feather-light but left trails of fire in its wake. When she reached my shoulder, she didn't stop—her fingers continued their journey up to my head, where they buried themselves in my hair.

A shiver ran through my entire body as she started gently scratching my scalp. Goosebumps erupted across my skin, and I had to bite back a sound that would have been embarrassingly close to a purr. Everything she did felt so natural, so perfect, like she'd been practicing these exact movements for lifetimes.

Then she started speaking, her voice soft and intimate against my ear. "Do you want to know everything I love about you?"

My heart nearly stopped. Before I could even attempt to respond, she continued, her fingers still working magic through my hair.

"I love your eyes—how they light up when you talk about things you're passionate about. I love your skin, how it seems to glow from within." Her voice took on an almost reverent quality. "I love your freckles, especially the ones on your face. Did you know they form the Pleiades constellation?"

I froze. How could she possibly know that? I'd never told anyone about that pattern—it was something I'd only noticed myself after years of studying star charts during my occult research.

But she wasn't done. Her hand traced patterns on my arm as she continued, "I love your clothes, your interests, everything that makes you uniquely you. I can't wait to watch One Piece together, to go to conventions, to cosplay. I want to meditate with you, to explore the depths of esoteric knowledge together. I want to scour the web for hidden truths with you at my side."

Her voice grew softer, more intense. "I need to tell you about that day in the cemetery, when we first met. When I ran away... it wasn't because of a lucky guess that you were afraid of the dark. It was because I felt everything all at once. All the possibilities, all the potential, everything we could be together. It was overwhelming in the most beautiful way."

She pressed closer, if that was even possible. "You're mine now, Tris. Mine alone. I know it sounds crazy, possessive even, but I don't care. I've spent twenty-seven years feeling lost, feeling like I was playing a part in someone else's story. I was so close to ending it all, to giving up on finding any real meaning."

Her voice cracked slightly, and I felt a wetness against my neck that I realized must be tears. "But then we collided in that cemetery, and everything changed. Everything made sense. Do you understand what I'm saying? I want to spend the rest of this life with you—and not just this life. Every dimension, every timeline, every possible version of reality. I want all of it, all of you."

My heart was beating so hard I was sure she must feel it. Every word she spoke resonated with something deep inside me, something that had been waiting to be awakened. She wasn't just checking boxes I knew existed—she was fulfilling wishes I hadn't even known how to articulate.

She matched every piece of me with equal passion, equal intensity. Where I was uncertain, she was sure. Where I was shy, she was bold. Yet somehow, she also understood exactly when to be gentle, when to let her own vulnerability show through. It was a perfect dance, a cosmic alignment that defied explanation.

She finished her declaration by pressing a soft, deliberate kiss to the back of my neck. The touch sent electricity down my spine, igniting something primal and unstoppable within me. I turned around to face her, my movements almost desperate in their intensity.

And in that moment, looking into her eyes, everything crystallized into a single, perfect truth. Without thinking, without filtering, I said the only thing that could possibly encompass everything I was feeling:

"The One Piece… it’s real. There wasn’t a single book in Ohara that could’ve described the way you make me feel, Eli."

Her expression was incredible—a battle between trying desperately to hold back laughter and dawning understanding as she saw my face and realized I wasn't joking. Not even a little bit. I was dead serious. In that moment, it was the truest thing I'd ever said.

Her smile softened.

The One Piece—that ultimate treasure, that thing that drives people to chase their dreams across impossible seas—it wasn't just a story element anymore. It was here, in this basement room, in the space between our heartbeats.

She understood. Of course she understood. Her eyes softened, filled with a light that put the sun streaming through my window to shame. She wrapped her arms around my neck, drawing me closer to her. And then she was kissing me.