Winning the tournament didn't just earn them the right to Jerusalem it also came with a hefty reward of twenty million Berries, a windfall that significantly bolstered the ship's finances.
To celebrate, Ethan Chen decided tonight called for a feast. Hot pot was on the menu: premium cuts of meat, fresh seafood, all-you-can-drink alcohol. The theme was indulgence and joy.
After the banquet, Ethan stepped out of the cabin to catch some fresh air and help his digestion.
From where he stood, he could see the distant town lit up in raucous celebration. This exhausting yet fulfilling day was finally drawing to a close.
"Here," Tifa said, handing him a drink the color of pale sunlight. "Lemon mojito non-alcoholic. You had a lot of meat just now, this'll help cleanse your palate."
"Thanks." Ethan took a sip. Refreshing and light, it reminded him of the lemon-lime sodas from high school tea shops. Without the alcohol, it was basically a fizzy lime spritzer.
"Captain," Tifa leaned against the railing beside him. "So, what's next? Are we setting sail for another town? Or going after some infamous pirate?"
"We head to Loguetown, and from there, the Grand Line."
There wasn't a mission yet requiring them to enter the Grand Line, but Ethan had a hunch it was inevitable.
Maybe once they completed the navigator recruitment quest, it would trigger. Rather than drifting aimlessly, it made sense to head straight to Loguetown, which sat near the entrance of the Grand Line.
Of course, if they came across islands or towns along the way, they could make stops. It wasn't about rushing there it was simply a short-term objective.
"The Grand Line? You mean that place the Pirate King always talked about?" Tifa asked. "The one that supposedly holds all the world's treasures and beauties at its end? Do you really believe in that?"
"I don't," Ethan said honestly. "But adventure is a man's romance. While I'm still young, I want to travel, grow stronger. I can't imagine settling down on some remote island farming vegetables and hiding from the world."
"Why not?" Tifa murmured. That kind of peace was exactly what she longed for to run a bar with the people she loved, to live quietly with her friends.
"It's a good life, but you need to be strong enough to protect it first. That's why I want to grow. And once I'm strong enough, I'll open your Seventh Heaven on the highest peak of this world."
On the red-soiled heights of Mary Geoise, he added silently to himself.
"I still think peace is the most important thing." Tifa sipped her drink. "Back in Nibelheim, life used to be peaceful. I trained with my master Zangan, lived quietly with my father… until those Shinra soldiers came to our village."
Ethan said nothing, quietly listening as Tifa recounted her past how her hometown had been razed by legendary Shinra warriors, her father slain, and she herself gravely wounded, burdened with crushing medical debt.
"So, it all comes down to strength," Ethan said at last. "Without power, you can't have peace. If you'd been strong enough back then, your father wouldn't have died so helplessly."
"Don't call him that!" Tifa protested, cheeks flushed. "We only just started dating. Calling him 'father-in-law' is way too early!"
"A few days doesn't make a difference," Ethan chuckled, setting down his drink and wrapping his arm around her waist. He tilted her chin up and kissed her deeply.
"Mmm…" Tifa let out a soft hum, melting into his embrace as their lips tangled in a heated kiss.
Even in the middle of their passion, she still held tightly onto Ethan's hands refusing to let him get grabby. No groping, no squeezing, no wandering fingers. This was still outside the ship's cabin, facing the port. Just kissing like this already made her feel shy. Anything more would be unthinkable.
Ethan didn't push her. He knew better than to get carried away in public.
Still… kissing alone didn't quite scratch the itch.
"Should we head back to our room?" he finally asked, dropping the pretense. "Just to relax."
"Sure," Tifa replied without hesitation. She assumed it'd be like last night or that afternoon at most. Kisses, caresses, exploring each other's warm, vibrant bodies, offering release and comfort in each other's arms.
She didn't know the times had changed.
They had just secured Jerusalem the Holy Land itself. How could one claim ownership without planting a flag?
If no flag was raised, then had they truly conquered it?
There was no better day than today. They had just won the culinary championship. Celebration upon celebration. It was the perfect moment.
Back in their room, clothes began to fall away as they kissed their way to the bed. When Tifa noticed Ethan kneeling before her, poised to claim the sacred ground, she instinctively reached out and blocked him.
"What are you trying to do?"
"I think it's pretty obvious," Ethan murmured, trailing kisses along her cheek. "I want to deepen our bond. Truly."
Tifa bit her lip, shook her head. "It's too soon…"
"We've come this far already. Just one more step. Don't you want to feel it too?" Ethan whispered by her ear. "You're so shy, and yet you were the one hiding behind the door to sneak a peek…"
Tifa trembled. "You… you knew?"
"2B knew. How could I not?" Ethan guided her hand to the burning heat between them. "Feel this? You did this to me. Are you just going to walk away from it?"
Tifa's eyes darted away, her fingers trembling like she was mixing a cocktail. "I… I can help with my hand. Or my mouth. But not… that."
"But that is exactly what I need." Ethan's hand slid along the flawless lines of her stomach, tracing the soft curves until it reached a secret patch of downy grass, seeking the wellspring hidden within.
It was like a trap in a forested swamp, oozing an irresistible danger. Just the touch of it was enough for Ethan to feel its pull.
If it caught him, even a gentle push would draw him in. Give it time, and it would consume him whole.
Terrifying.
And yet, Ethan had always craved this kind of danger. These hidden caves, these alluring swamps this was his idea of adventure.
He had waited long enough.
Tifa shook her head. She was a woman of incredible resolve. She'd once sold buns to pay off medical debts and still managed to save tens of thousands. Her willpower was leagues beyond most.
She never gave in to desire easily.
Her hand gripped Ethan's firmly, refusing to let him stake a claim in that untouched sanctuary.
But desire was a strange beast. It could swallow you whole in an instant or it could wear you down, drop by drop, like water eroding stone, like a frog in a pot slowly heating.
Ethan kissed her again. His hands wandered carefully, teasing, circling the edges of the forbidden.
He didn't need to force it.
He would let desire melt her slowly, until her own longing overwhelmed her restraint.
Tonight, he would plant his flag.
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