"You can go and come back and go and come back and I shall always be here. I shall always be here."

— Yrsa Daley-Ward, bone; "this was the story"

Tama peeked out from behind Nami's skirts at Bellemere and Nojiko. They both smiled rather supportively even if Nojiko still looked a bit too wide-eyed from the news. The little girl looked at Nami though. "You don't look anything like them."

"I told you so. This is my mother and sister."

Her lips pinched in her pout before she narrowed her eyes at the pair.

"They won't bite," Nami said. "I told Nojiko she can't do that anymore."

Tama squinted at Nami, but eased out from around her. The seamsters had finally fitted her for new clothes, so she wore a silk kimono now — bright blue with silver embroidery depicting trees on a mountain. To Nami, it looked like a robe — much like the orphanage's proprietor had worn — but she seemed happy, and the Lord Conqueror had said it was proper clothes for a child in either case. She wasn't quite sure why he wanted Nami to have her own kimono, but someone had made measurements for her as well, though, the garment wasn't complete just yet; the ball gown for the ball took precedence.

"Tama, this is Bellemere and Nojiko. And you two, this is Tama."

Bellemere beamed, holding her arms out. "Aren't you the cutest little bug?"

She glanced back at Nami doubtfully, but Tama trotted a little closer, those strange clogs — geta she called them — clopping on the tile as she came closer. "You're Nami's mama?"

"I guess that makes me your new grandma."

Tama didn't seem to know what to make of that, tilting her head, but Nami patted her little bun. All at once, Nami realized she had never really asked Tama about her own parents. Would Tama find it difficult to talk about if she asked though? Should she wait for her to tell her? Or was there something in those papers that they had given the Lord Conqueror?

Nami frowned to herself, but Nojiko eyed her. "Couldn't wait for a baby then?"

Wide violet eyes went to her. "Are you having a baby?"

With a squawk, Nami's head whipped between the two before she said, "We aren't having a baby. You're my baby now."

In the way of all children, Tama puffed her chest out, chin held taller as she waved her arms. "I'm not a baby!"

"My little girl then," she said, smiling when Tama's eyes glimmered before she slowly smiled toothily. When Nami sat, Tama hopped beside her on the couch, kicking her geta. She kept wanting to take those off too. Nami would have to figure out why later.

Bellemere sighed with a tremulous smile. "It's so good to see you adopt though. Lord Conqueror, so many boys and girls need a family around them."

Nami nodded, realizing she was patting Tama's hair again. She didn't seem to mind at all though. Now and then, Tama would peek at her with a smile. She had to smile back.

"Where are you from?" Nojiko grinned when Tama perked.

"Wano! I'm from Amigasa Village," she said.

"What kind of place is it? Amigasa."

Tilting her head, Tama put a finger to her lips as she pouted in thought. "Uh, small? We made straw hats."

Bellemere straightened as if something occurred to her. "How'd you get to Ruskaina, Tama?"

She kicked her feet some more, geta dangling from her toes before she glanced at Nami. For some reason, she looked away, but Nami understood when she said, "Mama and Papa brought me here."

Nami went still, but she watched Tama carefully. Her demeanor didn't suggest any sort of distress, nevertheless, Nami wavered. Would going any further hurt her?

"Um, Mama and Papa are gonna be born again, right?"

Bellemere's smile warmed, and she nodded. "They already are."

Tama bowed her head, frowning at the floor before she said, "And I get to see them again if I'm good?"

"Of course," Nojiko said even while Bellemere settled back with a sigh.

"Even if you're not good." Nami's hand shifted to squeeze her shoulder, biting her inner cheek to stop the swell in her eyes. "Your mama and papa love you so much, they'll come find you no matter what."

Tama's little lip finally poked out, but her eyes only warbled before she shrieked, "I hate him! Why'd he take them away!?"

Nami's brow pinched as Tama's words stung in her eyes, and Nami pulled her against her, arms tight as she kicked, angry now and sobbing. When she looked at Bellemere and Nojiko, her breath hitched, suddenly seeing herself in Tama. Knowing. What would she do without her family? Her new daughter?

Bellemere shook her head, but she came over to kneel beside them, smoothing her hand over her back. "He didn't take them, Tama."

"He's a bad god! I hate him, I hate him!"

"He wouldn't take your parents from you. The Lord Conqueror is here to protect as many people as he can as he is now. We need him now more than ever. That's why he's still here with us."

Nami gaped at her, even while she clung closer to Tama, wanting to cover her ears, but Tama peeked up with a sniffling nose from Nami's wet bodice.

She wiped her eyes. "But I miss them!"

"If nothing ends, nothing begins." Her smile gentle, Bellemere dabbed her other cheek with a handkerchief. "What happened to them?"

When her head bowed, Tama sniffed hard and said, "They — they brought me here on the ship, but … they didn't come here. The storm ate them up."

"You see? The weather did that, Tama. The Lord Conqueror would have helped as many people as he could if he was there. But he helps a lot more from the capital. I bet that's why your mama and papa brought you here. So he could protect you. And you see? He can protect you so much more with you by his side."

Nami clutched Tama tighter still, and her heart ached to hear Bellemere's words. Of all the times to know the right thing to say, why did it have to be now? But Tama nodded, her blubbers calming while Bellemere continued her rhetoric, and Nami's tense shoulders slackened. She felt useless. Anything she could have thought to say to calm Tama might have only infuriated her instead. She hadn't adopted a girl that hated the Lord Conqueror. Nami had adopted a little orphan, scared and alone, who didn't know who to blame but her god.

I can protect you too though, she thought. He might not be a god — even a bad god — but I'll make sure he never hurts you.

"And you're his daughter now. We're all his children, but you were chosen by the Lady Conqueror herself."

Nami scowled at Bellemere for that remark, but she couldn't stop her smile when Tama looked at her. Hopeful and innocent. She wiped at Tama's cheeks and nose with the handkerchief from her sleeve, trying to imprint this into her mind. Yet, again, Bellemere was right. The Lord Conqueror hadn't taken Tama's parents from her. He had even brought Bellemere and Nojiko to Nami.

Tama raised her head, eyes glittering as she turned to Bellemere. "He won't ever leave, right? Never ever?"

Bellemere patted her head with a smile. "That's not for us to choose. His words say that when the Many Who are One come for him, they will end his reign, but it's supposed to mean peace for all. All things must end, Tama. Remember that."

People somehow filled the Grand Hall the brim. Noble houses from far and wide had come to see the Alabasta delegation as well. When Nami had seen Sanji, she had thought to go greet him, but the young lord had slinked away at the sight of the Lord Conqueror. She wondered how he had found the courage to come to the capital at all.

Yet the number of people that gaped at Luffy astounded her as well. When he smiled, most of those in the hall seemed to find nothing more engaging. Nami just saw another grin though. Another tease in her ear. It wasn't anything new.

Tables set on the second floor of the hall let people mingle away from the undulating dance floor. In the end though, servants had taken away room from diners since it appeared everyone wanted to dance through another song or try another step with someone else.

And as those fashion plates had warned her, every other woman of note wore a gown much like she had donned in that first ball — Nami Style. She felt a hundred years older rather than only a few months away from the event. Most others had gone for longer skirts instead of showing as much petticoats as she had. Her own gown had been more of a jacket rather than two pieces of a skirt and bodice anyway which was where some ladies had apparently drawn a line.

They couldn't expend the money for a gown to be for only one event or activity.

Her gown shimmered. Under the light of normal lamps, it was hard to see. Her petticoats had appeared jet black, but the lights blaring in the Grand Hall now set off every glittering blue and green shade in the swirling mounds of lace. So her white jacket lined in pearls did not seem so odd in comparison.

She watched the doors throughout the night, waiting for Usopp to come running in, but her manservant had assured her nothing would go wrong. Still, she pouted across the Grand Hall while Nojiko giggled beside her.

"The proud mother."

"She doesn't like sleeping by herself," Nami said, frowning at Nojiko's smile.

Nojiko shook her head. "I'm sure she'll be fine for one night."

Nami narrowed her eyes, but glanced at the doors again. "Why don't you go looking for that husband or whatever?"

Pouting, she shrugged and said, "You're sure you want that? Isn't Bellemere too old? Am I too old too?"

She turned away. "It's not like that. It's just—" You're going to leave me. What would be the point of protecting them if strangers carried them away to other provinces and countries? "It's just sudden," Nami said lamely, shoulders drooping as she watched the doors. She would have time with Tama at least. Nami smiled only to frown when she spied her mother dancing with someone below. Possibly her age, the man had deep scars across his face. Who—?

"What is?"

They both jumped as another voice joined them. For once, it was not their mother, but Nami blinked at the sight of the young Princess Vivi in one of her robes made of flowing green silk.

"Your Majesty," Nojiko said with a beam. She was at least delighted to talk with the delegates, but Nami pursed her lips.

She kept having the odd sensation that Vivi continuously judged and marked her. Her blue eyes fanned over Nami's gown for instance, and her slight frown twitched before she dared to look back into Nami's eyes. That was something Nami hadn't realized until recently. Bellemere and Nojiko were the same as always, but the only other person who would meet her eyes now was the Lord Conqueror. Until Vivi dared to squint at her.

Nami liked her.

Vivi asked, "What's so sudden?"

She cast her mind back to remember her thoughts before she shrugged. It was sudden after all. "Everything? The wedding? Being brought here at all? The silly fool is probably going to spring something on me before the night is even through." When Nojiko grinned deviously, Nami blushed. "He's always doing that."

Vivi's jaw dropped. "Lady Conqueror!"

She raised a brow at her. "That is what marriage entails, Princess."

The princess actually looked to Nojiko as if she might corroborate, but she found no help from that tease who snickered. "I'd say you're complaining, but you haven't actually said he's bad at it yet."

Nami's teeth clicked shut while Vivi gaped in astonishment.

"That's — he's your god though."

"Gods have sex," Nami said with a sniff. Funny how she had never thought to wonder about that. Did gods not have sex in other religions? Or did they just have no one to bother? Or was it that they weren't real?

He's not an actual god anyway, she thought, sipping her wine as she watched Vivi turn interesting shades of red. Either she had formed a new hue, or it just looked odd against her blue hair.

Vivi glanced at him with wide eyes, wonder flickering there while Nami frowned. Did that blush mean something else? But Vivi said, "And the girl?"

Nami tilted her head. "The girl?"

"That girl you picked off of the street."

Stiffening, Nami gaped while Vivi straightened herself. "Excuse me!?"

"Can your god not make those too? Or did you actually think you needed to look like a family in front of my delegation to fool us with a ploy?"

"I'd give you a baby if I dared. I'd give you anything."

Nami's eyes narrowed at the princess, lips pinching before she said, "My daughter is not a ploy. That she came before you means how much more important she was to us than you were."

Vivi frowned, clear disbelief in her eyes. "At least, she's not some dumbstruck worshiper like you."

"He'd like to think that," Nami said.

She blushed again. "I know what you're trying to do. You think you can chase me away with talk about — about embarrassing things."

"Embarrassing?" Nami sniffed, and Nojiko seemed amused. Grateful Nojiko was not interrupting, Nami said, "Sex is not embarrassing, Princess Vivi. It's natural."

"It's a sacred act between partners!"

Nami shared another look with Nojiko before they burst out laughing. Nojiko slapped the table. "Who the hell said that!?"

"Sacred—? Why? Some idiots can be the jealous types, but sacred?" Nami giggled between inhalations. "Who slept with their husband?" She turned to Nojiko with a whisper meant only for their table while Vivi burned brighter, "You know, when I told the Lord Conqueror I had other lovers, he didn't care? I tried to make him jealous and not want me, but he goes and tells me how nice it is he doesn't have to teach me anything."

Screaming in laughter, Nojiko clutched her wine to her chest. "Nami, you idiot! What's he care when he's had over a hundred wives!"

"Right!?" It felt good to laugh even though it still mortified her to recall it.

Vivi stood rigid as a rock as she glowered at them, and Nojiko sighed. "Princess, if you want to fight, I have a sharp right hook, but we should go outside for that kind of brawl. Otherwise, I don't know why you came here to talk to adults like this."

She scowled. "I am an adult in my country. I'm eighteen, and—"

"Still a baby here," Nami said with a frown. "And acting like one too. Your country is still so backward about that sort of thing? Or is it all the other countries? Even poor girls like us know our worth isn't tied to a flimsy piece of flesh."

"You know you might not even have a hymen," Nojiko said.

"It might even break just running around and you'd never know it."

Vivi just stiffened more, scowling in her obvious refusal to listen.

Nami pursed her lips before she sighed. "And you might think you know what we're doing and what we're planning, but aren't you the ones that came here willingly? You're almost a sacrifice yourself, Princess."

Her eyes widened, darting to where the Lord Conqueror spoke with one of the other delegates. "What of it?"

"He's the Lord Conqueror, and yet here you are talking to him about how he might swallow your country whole. Isn't that the gist of it?"

"Our — our country will be better off without the likes of him ruling us."

Nojiko hummed, sipping her wine. "Oh? Why's that?"

"For one thing, you wouldn't have been forced to lose your virginity before marriage."

Another shared look and snicker, but Nami covered her mouth. "Oh, really? We were forced too now?"

"I know you're stunned by all the wondrous new things here. Those electric lights. Sinks and baths only a twist of the knob away. But don't let it all blind you. I know you grew up poor, Lady Nami," Vivi leaned in so insistent and honest that Nami had to raise a brow. "But you have to see past his lies and remember how you lived before this."

"We had a sink."

Vivi blinked. "But the reports said you were poor. Your family must have gone broke to afford it and why bother?"

Nojiko's eyes widened as she gaped, head tilting. "Afford it?"

Nami struggled to not share another bewildered look with her sister, but the urge overwhelmed her. She said, "The Lord Conqueror has been giving the people running water for years now."

"Started about forty something years ago, right?" Nojiko looked to Nami as if they had some shared memory, but Nami nodded along, recalling the information while she watched Vivi blink rapidly. The number arose in her head then. Forty-two years ago.

"We were the last in the village to get any running water though. It took a long time to spread to everyone."

Nojiko nodded. "We lived so far out, it took forever to run the lines to get it to the house."

"Remember how much fuss Bellemere made about them wanting to go through the orchard? She only allowed them to run it through the paths!"

"And that made it take even longer," Nojiko said, giggling.

Vivi's mouth worked, brow furrowing before she said, "You couldn't have been that … that poor then …"

Nami scowled. "We barely made ends meet to keep that orchard going." Her eyes widened before turning to Nojiko. "What is happening with the farm anyway?"

When Vivi brightened as if happy to see some kind of strife, Nami raised a brow at her.

"It's still in our name," Nojiko said. "The Lord Conqueror has someone working the orchard for us now. I guess we have a sort of estate?"

"The estate of a one sink, one-room house with three beds shoved in a corner," Nami said with a smile before she turned back to Vivi.

She almost seemed lost for words. Sighing, Nami took a passing glass of wine to hand to her.

"Here. You can drink at eighteen at least." Vivi chewed her lip, and Nami softened. "I can see if they could water it down a bit for you?"

"Ah, no … thank you." Crystal blue eyes darted away from them only for her to sip from the glass as if she might prove something, but the bluster had vanished already.

Nojiko sighed. "Really now, coming to make a fuss without even the right—"

"It's all right," Nami said, and Vivi's shoulders hunched. "You're a wonderful princess."

Vivi twitched while Nojiko settled back, curious. Her eyes defiant, her chin lifting as if she even might look at the ceiling instead. "I don't appreciate the joke, Lady Conqueror."

"You're so worried about your people. Even the poorest ones. I'd say that makes you an admirable princess at the very least." Vivi slowly relaxed. She didn't bow her eyes again though. Nami smiled. "So it's not a joke at all."

She sipped her wine, and Nojiko hid her grin as Vivi blushed. "You aren't what I expected, Lady Conqueror."

Nami shrugged finally, considering that. "I didn't expect it either. Like I said. It's all very sudden."

"Why did you adopt Tama? She's cute enough," Nojiko said.

"I guess I saw me."

Nojiko frowned, but Vivi chewed the side of her bottom lip. She asked in a hush, "Why not have his heir though? He's never had one that I've heard. Is … is he …?"

"I don't think so, at least, his proclivity to corner me in the library at any moment makes me think not."

Vivi colored again. "It — it has only been a few months since your wedding, right?"

"And he's not slowed down," Nami said with a heavy sigh while Nojiko laughed and Vivi held very still — like a gazelle about to be pounced upon herself. "Besides that though, they feed me a healthy amount of silphium anyway. He seems to think he's potent enough."

"At least you shouldn't have your period so often," Nojiko said only to start when Vivi blushed further. "Even that? What do they teach you, Princess?"

"Ah, well, I don't really talk about these matters. It's unseemly, isn't it?"

"Unseemly conversations are the best kinds!" Nojiko turned to Nami. "So — since Bellemere isn't here — how is he anyway?"

Nami choked on her wine, knowing she was darker than Vivi now. But she bit it out anyway. "Are you joking? He's been married over a hundred times, and you want to ask how he is? The man's touched so many women, I think he could play cello and make every woman in the ball dance to his damned fingers." Nojiko only leaned forward excitedly while Vivi inched closer, eyes down with her little blush. Nami sniffed. "You're incorrigible."

"Now, now, no cursing." Nami flushed as she looked away only to feel Nojiko lean closer still. "Do tell."

"Well, he doesn't … like me calling him Lord Conqueror. So … I say his name," she whispered, and Nojiko's jaw unhinged, Vivi gulping her wine before she caught herself.

"Ooh, Nami, that's filthy." She tapped her lips. "Though I guess it is his name, isn't it?" But she still shivered. "Somehow, that makes it worse, you know?"

"He … really likes hearing it."

"I bet!"

Nami sighed, deflating while Vivi watched curiously. We've corrupted her already.

"So he's good?"

Her flat stare at Nojiko made her grin. "He's better than incredible and he won't even stop sometimes, and I don't even—" She scowled at her sister whose only answer was that smile.

"Oh, so you thought you could outdo him too, huh? Didn't go well, did it?"

Nojiko really needed to stop being right.

When she glanced to find the Lord Conqueror again, Nami glowed as she caught his eye this time. His slow smile before he said something to the delegate had her chug her own wine. And then he was fast approaching. "You could say that."

"I know that wedding night wasn't your first either. Where'd you try to seduce him?"

"In the bath," she whispered, "but he cornered me in a kitchen first when …" I tried to run away.

"That's scandalous," Vivi murmured, hand over her mouth, but she jumped when she noticed him too. She even squeaked. "Well, Lady Conqueror, I — it's been a plea — nice. It's been nice!"

Vivi spun on her heel and ran while Nojiko gaped before she laughed. "Oh, don't let me interrupt."

Interrupt. Please. Something in Nami reached out for Nojiko even as she instead walked toward him. What's wrong with me? I keep thinking about a future here with you. Aren't you slowly killing me? How could I believe anything you say?

So why life thrum through her as he threaded his fingers with hers? Kissed her fingertips.

"May I have this dance?"

She was drowning. Couldn't anyone see it? You're killing me.

His hand on her lower back drew her to his side as he led her down the stairs to the dance floor. The hall hushed or did her heart pound so loud in her ears that it drowned all else out? She thought music played as he pulled her in.

"You looked like you were having fun with the princess. What were you talking about?"

"Conquering," she whispered.

Luffy grinned wickedly. "Is that what it's called now?"

Chest to chest, Nami bowed her head to avoid his gaze. Was this it? The end of her suffering was to just accept his …?

She closed her eyes, swaying with his body. Turning by the tug of his lead. Hand in hers. Hand squeezing her hip. When she peeked at him, Luffy smiled, tilting his head. "I want—"

"She asked about Tama." She had to think about her too now. Would Tama even be happy here? Why did I pick her? Wasn't it because it bolstered my resolve? Why did it feel like it was slipping faster and faster now though? He squeezed her hand, and her thoughts turned to that early morning when he had held — she had to think about other things. "Princess Vivi was curious."

"Maybe about why you won't carry my babe instead?"

Her heart somehow lurched and pounded at the same time. "She asked, but I …" Nami flushed when he leaned in. This is the wrong thing to talk about. "It's not happening. Right?"

He raised a brow. "You're getting awfully quiet, Nami."

Hadn't they talked about this during the last ball? But her heart ached. Nami stared at his chest instead.

I'm going to kill him. She tried to tell herself.

"You're going to take over their kingdom by just talking to them?" He frowned at her switch, but she needed to talk about anything else.

"It's how I've done it for a while. Alabasta has always held out, but I'm not worried."

Nami peeked at him, but he raised a smooth brow. He knew.

She smiled, lips sore from the rictus as she looked aside. "That's good. No war, I mean. You can conquer without bloodshed now."

As he spun her across the dance floor, Nami held her breath. Graceful as ever, he pressed her to his chest so she might catch some of her breath, but his voice hummed over her head. "I haven't had a war with a foreign power in a long time. Not counting trade wars."

She perked as she clung to something she had read about. "But you've always won those through sheer commodity! I bet you could start some of your own trade wars and gain control over time like that as well."

When he tilted his head, considering her, her head bowed as a cold sweat dripped down her neck. Why did tonight have to be the night that she couldn't bring anything else to mind? First when she had teased Vivi and now this. Her mind swam forever in the gutter it seemed.

"That's not a bad idea. You've been studying a lot. Is that why you're always stuck in the library?"

He had to know why at this point. She could only pick and prod at the littlest tidbits. But wasn't her source dancing with her at that very moment? The Lord Conqueror had to know she still wanted to kill him!

"It's just calming in there."

"I'd like for you to join me in more meetings, but if you're learning about the kingdom, I guess it's not a bad thing."

Guilt slammed into her, but her jaw firmed before she glanced at him. At least, he was playing along. And he was right there to ask.

"I was wondering actually. Before, you know? When you were warring." I'm rambling, she realized with horror. But anything and everything else to not think about it. To not think about that. His babe in her belly.

The Lord Conqueror's lips pursed in what seemed to be a pout, but he said, "What about it?"

She licked her lips, enduring his dark eyes on hers even while she knew that he knew. Her mouth still cracked open though. "You fought in most of them yourself, right?"

Luffy — the Lord Conqueror, she told herself — nodded. "I fight in all of them."

"And you never got injured?" Nami held her breath.

The Lord Conqueror shifted his hand from her waist to the back of her head, pulling her closer with a soft smile. "Sorry to disappoint you."

Her eyes stung. But she ducked her head. Was it the fear of losing her last chance to kill him? How his eyelids lowered, but he never broke his gaze with her? The words he had said? Or how it twisted her gut?

"It'd be a nice change of pace."

"I love you."

"It's been a very long time. They wrote so much down, but not everything."

"I love you so. I want you forever."

Was she also the change of pace for his eternal life? Not just Tama or even how she attempted to kill him? Just having her at all?

Even if it wasn't for a long time — a blip in fact — did he actually need her?

As his arms wrapped around her, swaying in slower music that drifted across the hall, Nami clutched his shoulders, her face in his chest before she whispered, "Harder."

"Hmm? Harder?" The Lord Conqueror squeezed her, and she shivered.

"Harder, idiot."

He chuckled, but his arms tightened further.

"Crush me," she said, "hold me so tight that I stop breathing."

The compliance stunned her. Sudden power squashed her to his chest, compressing so that she gasped her last for a few long moments before he released her, and she shuddered. She peeked at him, and Luffy raised a brow.

He said, "If you don't want to breathe, tell me later tonight."

Nami flushed, jaw dropping before she snorted. "That's not what I meant anyway."

"You weren't thinking about anything perverted? That's a shame."

Shivering, she checked for anyone dancing too closely, but the rest of the dancers seemed to give them more space. "I just wanted to be held."

Something like confusion touched his eyes, and Nami watched as he tried to reason that out. His head tilted before he laughed. "Then I'll hold you as tight as you like."

She could see it in his eyes. The word he didn't say. The word that didn't make sense to her still.

How could he marry so many women and hold them all so dear?

Even her, the one that wanted to kill him?

Forever.

She found Tama asleep in her bed.

Robin smiled. "She wanted to stay up until you came back, but she passed out an hour after you were gone."

The sliver of light from the foyer thinned as Luffy slipped into the room. Robin bowed as he raised a hand to dismiss her, and Nami pouted when she went only to watch him in the darkness as the door shut. His eyes lay on Tama though, curious until they slid to meet Nami's gaze, and a smile teased his lips.

He pressed slowly into her back. "I haven't had you in my bed for too long, Nami. You refuse to come when I call."

Kisses grazed over her shoulders, and her eyes drifted shut before she whispered, "I'm not a dog."

"I'll teach you to sit anyway."

Her eyes jolted open, and she glowered over her shoulder at him, but he directed her toward the door to his chambers.

"No? How about I crush you instead?"

When she snorted, his chuckle ruffled her hair before he tugged it loose from her bun. Nami shivered from the fall across her neck and shoulders. He opened the door to press her through.

"I'm so hungry," he whispered into her ear.

Nami closed her eyes again, gasping as his kisses became insistent across her throat. Nips were lapped over, and her lips parted from the soft stings. They did not numb like when he bit into her throat, and yet—

He reached into her bodice, under her corset, growling as he nibbled her neck and found her nipple to tweak it. As she arched to the touch with a pant, Nami found his hair in her hands. She almost pushed one hard nip away, but moaned when his tongue laved over for a dab of blood. Nami smelled it now, the copper of blood and the spice of his musk. Luffy plucked at the buttons of her bodice, pushing her forward over the side of his bed. In it, a flood of memories — of that damned wedding night — pumped into her mind. All heady. All mortifying, yet she moaned.

Unlacing her petticoats, Nami closed her eyes when he paused behind her. Really looked at her as he pulled down her petticoats and cage skirt for her to reveal the mounds of additional lace below. Her drawers had been so daring, all silk and lace and enough ruffles to make another skirt on its own. The seamsters had said how any man would adore a woman in such pretty drawers. She hadn't said she didn't want them.

And yet it felt so lewd as he grasped her hips through the lace. He moaned as he pushed his face into her drawers, parting them to lap her lips with his tongue. Nami burned as she thrust herself back to it, sighing when he speared her with a hearty growl.

He was hungry. She spread her legs wider as her head bowed, thankful for the mounds of blankets to whimper into so she could muffle her cries. Tensing, thrusting back, Nami clutched his bed while he slurped from one lascivious lip to her clitoris. Her hips jumped to his tongue while his teeth teased without fangs. When he thrust his fingers into her, Nami choked, and he dabbled with her clit on the end of his tongue, breath hitting her core while he stirred her. Her toes curled, feet arching while she tried to keep up and press back.

"Now that I have your attention," he said, "you're going to tell me what had you blushing like a maid with the princess."

She gaped into the blankets, blindly reaching back for his hair again, but finding only air. "That's not fair!"

"So's talking about me behind my back. So tell me. What did you tell them you liked the most? If you tell me, I'll do it for you. I'll make you cum while you blush like you did in the ballroom."

He caught her hand to nip at her finger, not breaking skin while her face flared.

"I didn't tell them any of that!"

"No? You didn't tell them how you liked trying to tease me? Or how you love when I push you down anyway?" She hissed, on fire while her body squeezed around his pumping fingers. "Oh, am I close? Did you tell them how you like it when I bite you? How you like a monster pounding your sweet pussy?"

She gritted her teeth and whimpered when his fingers slowed to draw her back from the fast approaching edge. Her hips trembled when she tried to thrust back, but his other hand held her down. "Bastard!"

"Now, now. I just want to know. So I can make you cum the way you want." He leaned over her, fingers quickening inside while his other fingers curled against her throat. His voice dropped. "Or did you tell them your dirty little secret?"

Nami sobbed, eyes clenched shut as she tried to grind back, but his hand quickened behind her.

Yet when she arched, ready and tipping, he stopped entirely, and Nami cried out in frustration, her ache growing taut inside.

"What did you say?" His fingers slowly pumped again. "Did you talk about my cock in your sweet mouth? Or did you tell her how I held your hand and you got so tight that you almost strangled my cock? I'll make your wish come true, Nami."

Her mouth dried as his fingers flexed, but Nami writhed over the bed, panting as she tried to think straight.

"Nami—"

"Luffy!" He froze over her, and Nami whined. She had told them that she had blasphemed his name. "Luffy, please! I didn't say any of that! I just — I just said … it's your name. I told them I said your name!"

But his fingers pulled out, and Nami twisted to try to grab his wrist, but his hands clutched her hips. Her eyes widened before he slammed inside. She couldn't remember when he had opened his trousers. Hips twitching back, Nami gaped as he pummeled her womb. Engorged around him, throbbing, her unfocused eyes stared out a blurry window before he reached up.

Nami realized too late her tongue had rolled out to lick her lips because he grabbed it, hissed in her ear while he shoved her deeper into the plush bedding, "Say my name while you cum. That's the dirty thing you told them, isn't it? That you cum screaming my name while I pump you full."

Her tongue, in his fingers, tried to form the name, moaning when she could only squeeze him inside and drool on him. Nami sobbed, twitching as he pinched her tongue tighter.

"That's right, you love calling my name." Her eyes bulged, flickering as she wiggled under his hips until he released her tongue.

The curse was upon her lips at once, and she burned hotter. "Luffy!"

"Nami!" Her face imploded in color.

Everything was so hot, inside and out.

His fangs sank into her throat as he drew her hair away. It all faded besides his hips, and his fingers curling in her hair. Holding her hips down.

"Luffy, fuck me …"

The blur of the window became darkness, and Nami's last bit of coherency was of thick seed pouring from her clenching body as he kept thrusting.