Chapter 20
Luffy
Ace was covered in bruises and walked stiffly toward him as Law flew off and he bit his lip, knowing exactly what had happened. The scent of Marco clung heavily on Ace but he decided to keep his mouth shut for now, his brother would tell him what his relationship was with Marco in time. Plus he was extremely worried for his mate; he wanted badly to go with him to the castle. It was hard to think of what Ace was up to when he had Law and his babies to worry about.
"Luffy." Ace spoke, offering a straw hat to him.
"What's this?" He questioned.
"A present." Ace ruffled his hair, something he used to do when they were younger and he smiled, taking the hat and pressing it to his chest. He was glad his brother had come with him; he wasn't sure how he would have survived without him. "Thank you." He mumbled, pulling Ace into a hard hug. It was hard to not let his emotions take control of him. Why couldn't things always be nice like this?
..
Doflamingo
Keep your temper in check, don't kill him.
It was a mantra he seemed to be repeating constantly these days, for many reasons. Sadly the reason this time was because of Dellinger who was giving him that pouty stare, the one that promised so much but never seemed to deliver. Why was he keeping the blonde around again? "What do you mean you're going?" Dellinger whined, taking a step toward him. He raised one eyebrow, daring the lower beta to defy him.
"Yes, I am going to pay Law's little friend a visit. Seems if I want anything properly done, I have to do it myself." He sneered, it was time to handle this himself. How stupid was his nephew? Did he think that the scent of Marco didn't cling to him every time he arrived back to the castle? And the scent of someone else, a familiar scent. He had a hunch on who it belonged to but only a visit to that defiant alpha's house would truly confirm his suspicions. So with that-
"I'm more than capable!" Dellinger exclaimed, cutting off his exit to the door and his thoughts. Before he could stop himself, not that he truly wanted to, he had Dellinger shoved against the wall. His hand squeezed tightly on that slender neck but like always Dellinger accepted it willingly and that calmed him just enough to not snap the neck in his grasp. "Capable? Of what? You could not even kill a measly omega." He spoke softly, venomously, into Dellinger's ear.
The insolent brat ruined a perfect opportunity all because he didn't go himself to kill Sanji. "When I ask you to get a job done, I mean you." He pulled away from the blonde's ear, throwing him to the side roughly and walking toward the door. "We missed a perfect opportunity and now even more time has passed, if you are as capable as you say, the crown would be mine." Grabbing the handle of the door he pulled it open and gave another look at the red faced beta. "Now scurry off and find four other knights to accompany us, ones that Smoker will not notice missing."
With that he left the room, not waiting for Dellinger's reply. Luckily Athena would not be able to warn Law in time, he thought as he walked toward the stables. He'd learned long ago that snap decisions were the way to go when he needed to avoid the pesky dragon. Still, he must hurry.
He didn't have to wait long for Dellinger to come with four other knights in tow, one of them being that green haired knight he'd seen lingering around Sanji. That was another problem that he would need to deal with, at another time. He smirked at the thought of the blonde omega becoming pregnant by the knight. It was obvious Law wasn't going to get the task done anytime soon and what better way to start a war then by having two royal omega's pregnant by the same prince?
Which made him wonder if Luffy was truly at Marco's house? He had to be, that little sneak was never going to let his baby die, no omega would allow that to happen without trying to stop it. Surely Luffy was in this country by now or dead, which seemed unlikely since war wasn't staring down at them. Luffy must be alive, somewhere in this country.
..
Ace
"W-Wait!" He laughed, softly.
The bowl he'd been washing dropped loudly into the sink and he pushed weakly with his wet hands at Marco who was pinning him against the counter. He'd need to explain to Luffy what was going on between them before acting so openly, it was something he planned on doing soon but right now he and Marco were supposed to be cleaning up the lunch they'd just finished eating while Luffy washed up. Which brought up the question of what exactly were they? Not mates. He wasn't even sure Marco considered him a partner and lover. Was this just for sex then?
"Marco-." He started to ask when the house shook and creaked in protest. Dust sprinkled down on top of them and loud distressed chirping sent both of them running toward the door. Marco reached the door first, throwing it open and revealing Attis who was crouched in front of the house, blocking the door. Only the dragon's eyes and snout could be seen at first but Attis quickly pulled away and let both of them step outside.
The white dragon was in a panic, head swinging from side to side in what looked like aggression. Marco was talking quickly, trying to calm Attis and asking what was wrong at the same time. He looked back into the house to see Luffy peering out from the bathroom, half dressed with his hair pressed flat and straight from water not yet shaken off. Uneasy started to fill him as he looked at his vulnerable brother and he turned to look back at Attis who was now motioning towards the distance.
Marco looked confused and lost and Attis seemed to huff in annoyance and then make a beeline towards Gaia and Caerus. The three dragons made a series of quick chirps, seeming to discuss something without words. Caerus's large eyes rolled towards him and he was sure he saw a hint of worry in the glance. Gaia shook her head defiantly, snapping at Attis when the white dragon head butted her, rather roughly.
It was Caerus who seemed to make the decision; he hissed loudly at Gaia and shoved at her with his much larger shoulder. Where Attis had hardly moved Gaia, Caerus all but lifted her to her feet. Gaia's demeanor went from aggression to distress as both dragons crowded her, growls rumbling in their chest. She looked once at the house and then all three dragons flew off.
He rushed forward now, grabbing onto the back of Marco's shirt. The alpha was looking worried now, eyes searching in every direction, much like Attis had been doing. The three dragons were slowly fading into the distance and his hand shook, anxiety was threatening to take control. Why would Caerus ever leave him? They were never apart. "What's going on?" He asked, tugging on the shirt, wanting Marco's attention. He needed that simple comfort right now.
"Shh." Marco replied, closing his eyes and focusing. Marco was listening for something and he mimicked the man, closing his eyes and putting all his attention on his hearing. He heard it a moment later then Marco did and his eyes sprang open, now in fear, for Luffy. The sound of horses and the calls of men. Marco's face was drained of color, completely pale and he wondered for a split second if his family had found them. "You must hide! Hurry!" Marco hissed, urgency laced in his voice.
Marco pulled him back into the house, so lost in panic that he didn't realize the grip he had on his arm. He was sure he was going to bruise but he ignored the pain, "What's going on?" He protested, he couldn't simply run and hide without knowing why. Marco didn't reply only pushed him into Luffy who gasped in surprise as Marco started to push them roughly into his room. His brother was still shirtless and covered his belly protectively with his arms. They both stood defiantly as Marco slammed the door to his room shut, eyes practically bulging in panic. "Oh shit, oh shit. Fuck, why?" Marco was mumbling and then looked at them with lost eyes. "Oh god." The alpha moaned and pulled at his hair. He'd never seen Marco act this way and his defiant posture started to deflate, something was very wrong.
"Please, just this once. Shut up and listen." Marco groaned out as he threw open the door to his closet, tossing some clothes aside and opening a large basket. It would be just big enough to fit him and Luffy inside. Marco gestured to the basket, glancing towards his closed door anxiously. He wanted to protest but thought better of it when he looked at Luffy who looked a little frightened now, probably by Marco's odd behavior. Why risk his brother's life for pride? He would get answers later for now, he'd put his trust into Marco.
He reluctantly climbed into the basket, extending his arm out to help Luffy squish inside with him. Luffy settled between his spread legs, naked back pressed against his chest. He could feel the bulge of Luffy's stomach now as he wrapped his arms around his brother, creating a little more wiggle room. Holding Luffy like this helped sooth his alpha, if something happened at least with his body being wrapped protectively around Luffy this way, they'd have to get through him first.
Marco placed the lid back over the basket, shrouding them in darkness. He could hear Marco doing something above them, probably covering the basket or placing something on top of it and then Marco stepped away from them and a dim light filled the space. Marco's leg had been blocking a small hole that he could see through and that was letting much needed air in. Luffy wouldn't be able to see but he could and he watched as Marco paced his room once, picking up the clothes he'd thrown and straightening them out on his bed. Marco let out a long breath, rolled his shoulders, an eerie calm replaced the panic on face and then he left, shutting the door behind him.
He closed his eyes, burying his face into Luffy's damp hair.
..
Zoro
He blinked in surprise when they rode up to an oasis that contained a small house. He could see signs that dragons stayed here and he bit his lip nervously. He didn't like this, he was confused but he had no choice but to obey Doflamingo. So he had followed Dellinger when ordered and now here he was at this place, with no idea what they were about to do.
Slowly he unmounted the horse, keeping his eyes on Doflamingo who was smirking, turning his head he looked at Dellinger who looked very pissed. Together they all walked to the door and Doflamingo knocked. It took only a moment for a young blonde to yank the door open with a scowl. "Nice of you to visit." The blonde crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame, eyes narrowed.
Dellinger who hadn't said a thing since they left the castle leaned forward and took a long sniff, eyes shining with mischief. "Is Law here?" Doflamingo asked. He opened his mouth and then shut it, Law was at the castle, everyone knew it so what kind of game was Doflamingo trying to play?
"No. I haven't seen him." The blonde replied, lips pressing into a thin line.
"You wouldn't mind if we check? Right?" Doflamingo's lips turned up in a vicious smile and Dellinger pushed past the blonde, knocking him back, almost over. He was shocked but held his tongue and followed Doflamingo inside like the rest of the knights. What was with this aggression? This was not how civilians were supposed to be treated.
Once they entered the small house, it was apparent the blonde was not the only one living here. The smell of others was interlaced with almost everything in the house and Dellinger went around sniffing, not inconspicuously. Doflamingo on the other hand sauntered over to the kitchen, looking at the sink with a victorious smirk. "You've had guest, I see." Doflamingo raised an eyebrow at the blonde while Dellinger 'accidently' knocked things off the counter. The blonde nodded stiffly, obviously biting his tongue.
The sink was filled with dishes, not yet washed. "Yes, I have friends. In the line of work I am in, I meet many people." The blonde's chin lifted, standing his ground and Doflamingo's eyes narrowed. The king's guard had just taken a step forward when a loud crash sounded from behind them. "Oops." Dellinger giggled; at his feet was some sort of broken pottery. The blonde's scent flared up in anger and he started to talk, "As you can see, I am alone here."
"We must check the rooms." Doflamingo disagreed, walking towards the rooms without permission. He noticed how the blonde's eyes widened slightly for a split second before his face settled into an impassive state. He followed the men, walking right behind the blonde and he was confused when the blonde stepped to the side, kicking inconspicuously at some clothing to hide it under a desk. His eyes darting to the clothing and he did a double take. What were the royal families clothing doing here? That was the Goa's kingdoms sigil. The blonde noticed his stare and gave him a hard glare, daring him to say anything.
He quickly averted his eyes; something more was going on here but what?
They passed an empty bathroom and then entered a room that was smothered in Law's scent which was interlaced with another. The blonde was very tense now, mouth pressed flat into a grim line. "A pregnant omega has been here. Strange, that one would travel just to visit a friend." Doflamingo pondered while grabbing a book from the bed stand. Why did the king's guard look like he'd just won some sort of prize?
Why would Law's scent be mixed with a pregnant omega? He sniffed now, different scenarios filled his mind. Certainly Law wouldn't.. but the smell of sex was a hard one to miss. "Strange, not impossible. Doflamingo, it is time for you to leave. As you see, Law is not here." The blonde spoke confidently but it was hard to miss the nervous tremble in the words. He wanted to speak in agreement and stop this weird man hunt but to his horror Dellinger flashed his dagger at the blonde with a cruel smile, cutting off any idea he had to intervene. "If nobody is here there is no harm in checking the last remaining room." Doflamingo chuckled, dropping the book onto the floor.
"Go on then." The blonde swallowed, arms crossed.
..
Ace
The sound of the door opening caused both him and Luffy stiffen. He sucked in a quiet breath and peered from the hole, hoping to just see Marco. That wasn't it at all though; a group of men came in, obviously from the palace. Knights. "Where it that beast of yours?" The tallest of the knights asked, his voice deep and menacing.
"I do not keep my dragon in a cage, Doflamingo. He is free to go where he pleases." Marco replied, voice emotionless.
Luffy went completely still and then started to struggle, a growl forming in his throat. He quickly slammed his hand over Luffy's mouth, startled by his brother's sudden behavior. What was going on? As he was dealing with Luffy's struggling his eyes had been pulled away from the hole but he heard the steps getting closer and smelt Marco's overwhelming scent. Was Marco increasing his scent to hide theirs? He looked back through the hole.
"I see. I was wrong, we should be going now." The man, Doflamingo laughed, patting Marco's shoulder.
A long time passed before Marco came to release them.
"Why was Doflamingo here?!" Luffy yelled as soon as he was free.
"I do not know, he said that he was looking for Law but Law should be home by now. He was lying."
"Will somebody explain what the hell is going on?" He cut in, confused and uneasy. Both Luffy and Marco looked at each other and nodded.
..
Zoro
As he entered the castle, he was confused. Why was there royal clothing there? Who was that blonde? He was just deciding to talk to Sanji about it when he saw the blonde loitering around the dungeons entrance, eyes darting around to check for others. "What are you doing?" He asked, not happy to see his lover hanging around such a dangerous place.
"N-Nothing!" Sanji replied obviously flustered.
"Don't bring any more attention onto yourself." He warned, Doflamingo was already sticking to close to Sanji.
"I know! Just trust me!" Sanji rolled his eyes, biting his lip.
He sighed, it wasn't like he much a choice. "Just be safe." He murmured, letting the tips of his fingers touch Sanji's own.
..
Doflamingo
He dug his nail into Dellinger's cheek, slowly dragging it across the pale skin. The beta didn't even flinch, just stared back at with unwavering eyes. "I trust you will deliver this message without a hitch because if you fail, you are never to return to my side." He whispered, pressing the letter he held into Dellinger much tinier hands.
"I will not fail you." Dellinger promised.
As he watched the boat sail away, he wondered if he should have sent Vergo on this task. It was an important one; well it was too late now. His plan was finally be set in motion. He pulled another letter from his pocket, unfolding it and throwing his head back to laugh loudly. How angry would the country of Amphiptere be to hear that the royal family was lying to them all? That Ace and Luffy resided safely in another country? They'd be mad enough to start a war, he was sure.
His nephew had been idiotic to believe he would not find Luffy; he had been surprised and delighted though, to smell not one but two princes. Two princes that had been reported as dead on top of that. This will spark the war he needs to kill his nephew without drawing attention. His plan to start war once had failed because of a stupid marriage but it all seemed to be working out for the best.
He could still remember how happy he'd been to see Law, the idiot, mated to another and not just any omega but a prince. Everything was aligning perfectly. Of course, he now needed to kill Luffy and Sanji to make sure Law had no heirs. Not that he cared for their lives.
The throne had always been rightfully his.
Thanks for reading, sorry for any errors.