NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20: Surrounded by Birds
"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak!" The bird chirped excitedly, but the beautiful doctor paid it no mind. Who would think twice about a little bird hanging around nearby? She didn't realize that Luffy was purposefully drawing closer.
The bird fluttered down gently and perched on her thigh, and Luffy, looking through its eyes, felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of her smooth, pale skin. "Absolutely refreshing!" he nodded in approval. Meanwhile, the doctor noticed the bird's unusual behavior.
"Huh? Why are you so interested in my skirt?" she asked, glancing down in confusion as the bird playfully tugged at the hem.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" The bird chirped energetically, nipping at her again and again.
The doctor giggled, "Hee hee! Aren't you adorable?" She found the bird's lively antics endearing. But as it nipped at her skirt and sometimes even at her leg, she began to feel a slight sting. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, the bird's pecking growing a bit stronger. "You little rascal! If you keep this up, I might just have to swat you."
She playfully swatted her hand at it, but the bird was quick, flapping its wings and dodging her every time. The more she tried, the more the bird evaded her, darting around her with surprising agility. It continued its cheeky nips and chirps, sending the doctor into a fit of laughter. "You're really something, you know that?"
The bird only chirped back, its energy relentless. The doctor's hands flew around, trying to catch it, but she was no match for its speed. Time passed as they played, with the doctor sighing in defeat after realizing she had no chance of winning. But the bird kept circling her, tugging at her face and even brushing its beak across her cheeks, making them flush.
"Ah!" she gasped, as her face grew pink from all the little nips. It seemed the bird was here to stay. After a while, it settled on her shoulder as if needing a rest. She glanced at the time and remembered she still had dinner to prepare. After all, she couldn't risk angering Empress Hancock by neglecting Luffy's meals.
The bird snuggled closer, nestling into her chest as she moved into the kitchen. "Aw, are you cold?" she asked, smiling as it nestled in, watching her every move. Luffy, looking through its eyes, was entranced—her big, soft eyes sparkled with warmth, and her smile was infectious.
As time passed, she adjusted to the bird's presence, thinking it was adorable how lively and almost human it seemed. She marveled at the little bird's intelligence, eventually becoming used to its sounds and movements. Soon, the meal was ready, and she carried a plate of delicious food to Luffy's room. There he lay, resting quietly. She noted with some surprise that his chest wound appeared to be healing nicely.
"Hmm?" As she looked him over, she noticed an odd little rise under the blanket near his legs, like a small tent. "What's that?" she wondered aloud, her innocent gaze wide with curiosity.
"Squeak, squeak!" The bird chirped beside her, watching her reaction. The doctor's face lit up with curiosity. She noticed the little "tent" seemed to grow bigger and tilted her head in bewilderment. "How curious!" she murmured. Growing up in an all-female country, she'd never seen anything like this.
"Maybe… maybe this is what they meant," she mumbled, recalling vague references from her elders to mysterious male traits. After some thought, she touched it curiously, spending a few minutes trying to understand this phenomenon before shrugging and moving on. After all, the world is full of mysteries.
"Hee hee!" She laughed, a pure, innocent giggle, as she brought the food to Luffy's mouth, feeding him spoon by spoon. Luffy, unable to speak, wished he could shout, "Give me more! Make it a feast!" But he couldn't open his mouth, no matter how hard he tried.
Suddenly, he remembered he could control the bird. "Squeak, squeak, squeak!" he made it chirp insistently near her ear.
The doctor paused. "Are you hungry too?" she asked, looking at the little bird.
The bird nodded eagerly, chirping as if in desperate agreement. "Alright," she said, smiling, and brought a tiny dish with a few small pieces of meat.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" the bird protested, clearly implying, This isn't enough! Ten pounds, at least!