94 Alone II

It was everything I expected it to be. I had Kong and Larry swim their arses into the sea to get me the tastiest-looking sea king while I strolled with my mom -handheld, may I add- across the beach and around the mansion that was located close to the shore. She was telling me the tales of her journey with the red hair pirates.

The humandrills began cooking our meal which I expected to be something rather barbarian like fish sticks, that would be enough.

"So you met a boy called Luffy and Shanks has a daughter called Uta who is she his daughter with!?"

It was a bit of information for me. I never knew she had met Luffy when he was a kid and then there is this who is supposed to be Shanks' daughter? I never knew.

"We found Uta in a treasure chest... she's not Shanks' biological daughter, she's like you and me, except that they're not lovers, they're just a normal adoptive father and daughter".

She leaned in closer to accentuate the last phrase and remark that by the way, we are not normal.

"Uh-huh."

...

"I hunted a hundred marines when I was angry after not hearing from you in a long time. So I got those den den mushi made for us. They ended up calling me marine hunter Hawkeye ~".

"We destroyed one of Cypher pol's branches".

"The red hair pirates took plenty of poor islands as their territories in the new world. Soon Shanks should become the next Emperor of the Seas".

We took a seat on the soft wet sand, snuggling together.

I kept listening to her stories with attentive ears and a genuine interest in knowing what she had spent two years doing. She told me she fought several powerful foes, but what kept coming back to my mind was Luffy and this girl Uta. It is surprising I know so much about Luffy's childhood and yet I don't know about this Uta girl she keeps talking about who to top it off is Shanks' daughter and also calls her 'auntie'.

"Am I boring you?" "No! I like hearing your stories, did you meet Peter Hornigold during your travels?" "We did attack a ship thinking the devil fruits in there were what we looked for. But there weren't any devil fruits or so we thought. I did defeat that bastard with a single strike, he was an underdog".

"Indeed, *cough* although I think at that time he didn't have that much mastery over his devil fruit".

"So you're saying it would have taken me more time than it did to you?".

"Not at all, I think your chest would have distracted him, so... you'd have finished that faster".

"Just like it distracted you?~"

We regarded each other again, her gaze contained challenge... I guess when she says I'm her rival, she takes it seriously. I couldn't help myself from planting a kiss on those lips taking her by surprise but she answered unhinged.

Our love was like a flame that livened up with anything. A small kiss quickly escalated to a make-out session in which I pinned her on the sand until we were satisfied.

"So you can be quite proactive when you go for it, son".

"Sorry, sometimes I can't help myself... you were saying?"

I unashamedly used her body as my cushion, laying on top of her, listening to her palpitations as she hugged me. But even with this happiness, I continued to feel something wasn't right as if there was a factor that I was overlooking.

...

"We then went to Sabaody once we found the Gomu Gomu no Mi. We stayed a bit longer because Benn got interested in some woman who was working as a cleaner in Shakky's bar. Her name was Stella if I recall... she used to be a slave before Fisher Tiger set her free back then". "Did he get her?" I know Benn has a good reputation with girls, he's almost as efficient as me. "No, he's not as charming as you it seems. Also, she said she already had someone in her heart, although she'd likely never meet that person again. You should have Hancock and the girls get her on the crew, she has suffered quite a bit".

"Do you think she's cut to be a pirate?".

"No one is cut to be a pirate until they become one, son... the taste of freedom is addictive once you've sampled it" Her deep gaze focused on the deep sky we could traverse back and forth freely.

I wouldn't give up my capacity to fly now that I have tasted how it feels, "You're right..."

"I'd also never let you go, you make me feel free" She giggled, placing my head on her chest again.

I blushed over and over every time she released one of those quirky comments. I don't know if it is because we already know how this date is going to end but she keeps flattering me and flirting with me every chance she has.

"Did you go to the fishman island?"

"We did, several times... would you like to go?"

"I'd love to... maybe one of these days I'll visit. When I'm not busy".

"You're always busy... it wouldn't take you more than ten minutes with your speed".

"I wouldn't mind going together... just you and me, once".

She laughed a bit at my proposition, I didn't know if she was rejecting it or accepting it. I got my answer though when she kissed my chin.

"I'd rather you take me somewhere else right now, want me to tell you where?~" 'This woman!'

She flinched a bit when she felt something and I knew exactly what it was cracking my teeth with a bit of shame, I guess her knowing is a bit more ashaming for me than the rest.

"It got hard".

"Yes..."

Her hand slittered down my trousers, inside them... I couldn't stop her from sampling the goods, she gripped me by the stem and bit my ears.

"L-Lunch is ready..."

"Can't I get the dessert first...?"

"That's not the natural order of things..."

"Is that so?~ I guess I'll humour you... look at the sky son, the evening is coming".

She dragged me by the wrist back to the mansion, I don't know why I feel so nervous about what's going to happen. Unlike me, she feels ready, confident and eager to take this next step. I know both of us are having our first time so why am I so nervous!?

'Get a hold of yourself Veyron! we have done a lot of things already and I have always delivered!'.

...

The baboons nodded to me and I saw something that I couldn't have expected before. There was a crew of humandrills, dressed in tux. Where the hell did they get those attires from!?

They led us inside and into the main dining table of the mansion. It was massive so instead of sitting opposite to me, Mihawk sat next to me. The humandrills entered like royal knights bringing an assortment of salads and marinated boneless sea king flesh. Placing the massive plate on the room and shocking us with the decorations.

'When did you learn how to cook, Larry!?'

The big humandril winked at me before serving two cups of wine and leaving the bottle behind; departing the room and leaving us alone.

I'm gonna have to reward this brother of mine for this. This is beyond what I expected for servicing!

"Everything looks delicious, son... you trained them well~"

"I swear I didn't teach them any of this!".

"Is that so? then you owe somebody a favour..."

She took a sample of fish and had it, her expression told me that it was beyond delicious. The beauty twisted on her chair until our legs were very close, so close that they were entwining, she then took a piece and presented it to me.

"Say aah".

'This is the legendary...!'

"Say aaah, Veyron..."

"I can eat on my own..." Her displeased expression told me everything I needed to know. "Good boys have to be rewarded, Veyron... accept your reward without complaints".

With no other choice, I let go of my ridiculous pride and took a bite of that fish, it was so delicious that my mouth almost melts.

"Do you still see me as a kid?" I took a portion with the fork and presented it to her, an equal exchange... unlike me, she didn't shy at all and had it... I fed her!

"I'll see you as a kid as long as I can... although your strength is already that of a man's... and you're not as clingy as you used to be".

"Do you want me to be more clingy?"

"I wouldn't mind if you touched me a bit more, ever since the infirmary we barely spend any time together".

"I'll fix that".

"Because you have many women chasing after you now. It seems mommy is no longer a priority".

"That's not true!"

"Uh huh~"

The rest of the evening was spent with her asking me questions about the two years we were apart, about Shandia and Skypea and what our plans were (which I haven't completely defined yet as Garling's visit changed everything for me).

She sipped her wine, and we ate and drank everything... handcrafted wine and a delicious fish meal, the only thing we were missing was music but I guess it is my fault for not planning this ahead of time.

As if somebody had heard my words, a soft melody started to play, attracting both of our attention. I frowned for a bit and then realised this is probably one of the humandrills, it takes them a while to learn things, so... I assumed they had been learning but then again who is teaching them?

"What a beautiful melody... are you going to marry Hancock, Sandersonia, Marigold... or Primrose?" I noticed her gaze switched from me towards the window for a brief second. It was all it took for me to turn around but there was nothing in there.

I don't know why she asked me this question now of all time. Our relationship is special and I know she doesn't have an interest in marrying anyone, she expects our relationship to remain like this. Further proof of this is that she didn't put herself on that list.

"Hancock... I love her".

"So you don't love Primrose?"

"I love her too!"

"What a fickle boy, then what about me?"

"You're, different Mom".

She frowned maybe expecting I'd exclude her from this group, but that wasn't the case. She's my mother, my teacher and my lover... I couldn't put her on the same level as my other sweethearts. 

"I have a special place in my heart for you".

"Then tell me... who do you love the most? Primrose or me?".

At that time, as if to add more tension to the question she asked me, the music stopped... it is a difficult question but at the end of the day, there can only be a number one in my heart.

"Of course, I love you the most, mom!".