Three hours later, Hadrian was napping on the bed while I stared at my hand that was still joined with Marco's. He hadn't let go as I told him my story. Of how I grew up. Life in the family manor with a prankster brother, childish father, and cunning mother. How magic was real and that I had gone to a school in order to learn how to properly wield it. I told him how war broke out in my home country, taking many lives in clouding my father's. Loosing my mother to an illness not long after and inheriting the family fortune. I told him of my brother's wedding and how I had been so happy when Hadrian had been born. I had paused then, staring off into space until the man gave my hand a gentle squeeze. Moving Hadrian, who was now asleep, to lay on the bed properly, I continued on to tell him about the prophecy that lead to my brother and his wife being murdered and my nephew getting the scar on his forehead due to a failed killing curse. How I had felt it the moment that my brother died and took off to their house as fast as I could. Seeing their bodies. Cradling Hadrian to me as I cried. Taking him with me after grabbing a few things from the house. Death visiting me a few days later and taking us away. How I had been told by the being that we would not be safe unless we left.

Marco had been silent through it all. He just held my hand and let me talk. It was nice, but he hadn't said anything in the ten minutes since I had finished talking.

"Elizabeth, look at me, yoi."

I looked up at his request, meeting his teal eyes hesitantly. Wonder and curiosity shown in them along with sorrow and something else that I couldn't quite identify. I almost held my breath as I waited for him to continue.

"I believe you, yoi. I don't see any reason you'd have to lie about this. I'm sorry that you had to go through that, but I'm also glad that you're here instead of there." He placed his free hand on my cheek and leaned in slightly, moving a bit closer. "If you hadn't have left, I fear we never would've met, yoi. I've been looking for you since I joined Oyaji almost twenty years ago. Now that I've found you, I don't think I can ever let you go. Would you stay with me, yoi?"

I searched his eyes, his face very close to mine at this point, and tried to determine if he was telling the truth. I knew that Hadrian would be protected here, but would I even be allowed to keep him with me if I accepted what Marco was offering?

"On one condition," I finally said. "Hadrian comes with. I will not leave the last of my blood. Not even for you."

The smile I got sent my heart soaring. Like I had just given him the best gift in the world.

"We'll have to ask Oyaji, but he wouldn't be the first child to be on this ship. Especially knowing that he has no one else, yoi." He caressed my cheek with a feather light touch. "I promise you, he will be protected on this ship."

I leaned forward and rested my forehead against his, closing my eyes. This was more than I could ask for. To have my nephew so easily accepted by my soulmate made me so happy. It was the one reason that I hadn't blood adopted him yet. Now...would Marco be okay with that?

"Thank you." My voice was quiet as I spoke. Barely above a whisper. "I was so worried that my soulmate wouldn't accept him. I may not have given birth to him, but he is my little kitty. I have seen him as my own since I first held him in my arms."

"If you see him as your child, then how can I not, yoi? If I've learned anything from Oyaji, it is that family of the heart is sometimes closer than blood family because we choose them."

I hummed in agreement, thinking of a teenage Sirius running away to live with us after his mother had blasted him from his family tree. Blood did not mean family. Not always.

Pulling away slightly, I opened my eyes and gave him a smile.

"Would you like to see something interesting?" I asked. "It might explain why your soulmark is a fox."

Marco nodded, letting me get up. I gave him a wink before shifting into my animagus form. His face was quite funny as I jumped into his lap.

"That...definitely explains it, yoi." He looked down at me before running his hand over my fur. "Are you only able to turn into a fox?"

I nodded my head and leaned into his touch as he pet me. It was nice, and I soaked up the attention he was giving me.

"Will you be telling anyone else about your magic, yoi?"

I jumped off of his lap, shifting in midair, and moved to lean beck against his desk. I couldn't talk in that form, so best to shift back.

"I'll need to. Hadrian has already shown signs of accidental magic, and it'll only get worse until I start teaching him to control it. Maybe...I'll start with Whitebeard and let you and him help me tell everyone else." I paused and looked at my sleeping nephew. "It could cause problems if it got to the wrong people though."

"No more than we can handle, but I doubt anyone will mind keeping an extra eye out to protect you both."

I smirked and conjured up a cup of tea for myself, taking a sip. "Oh, I'm not worried about myself, Marco. I've spent the last nine years fighting a war. Haven't lost a fight yet." I let my magic flow out in gentle waves, giving off the power I held without being overwhelming. "I do worry about Hadrian. He could be kidnapped if we're not careful."

Marco seemed to give a shudder at the feeling of my magic enveloping him. He got up and walked over to me, placing his hands on the desk and blocking me in. His eyes burned into mine as he looked me over, teal eyes darkening slightly.

"We'll protect him, yoi. I'm sure that won't be an issue. Between the two of us, not many would be a match."

I watched as he leaned in closer, dwarfing me even with my 5'8" height. I breathed in, smelling sea salt, pineapple, and ash. It was an intoxicating combination.

"You know, power is one hell of a drug if you don't know how to wield it."

"And you do, yoi?" he asked, leaning down to run his nose along my neck.

"Mmm...yes. Do you?"

He chuckled against my neck, causing a shiver to run down my spine. Dear Merlin, this man was lighting a fire within me like never before.

"I do believe I can, yoi."

I blinked as he pulled away, taking a step back. I hadn't even realized that I had closed my eyes. What was this man doing to me to make my composure break? Merlin...it was wonderful.

"We should go speak to Oyaji before the party. Knowing my siblings, they'll try to keep us busy."

I glared at him halfheartedly and pushed off of the desk, walking up to him. "Just remember, I can tie you up with my magic and have my way with you," I told him heatedly, patting his cheek. I then reeled in my magic and walked out of the room. I didn't want to wake Hadrian up and knew that he'd be fine, though I did put up a monitoring charm to alert me if he woke up.

"You will be the death of me, yoi," Marco muttered as he followed me, grabbing my hand.

I just threw him a smirk as we walked back up to the deck. Flustering him would be so much fun.

~MotP~

After speaking with Whitebeard and demonstrating some of my magic, Marco and I stayed up on the deck with some others he introduced me to just talking. He had kept his hand either in mine or on my back. I didn't mind really. It was nice to feel wanted like that.

"So Elizabeth, how old are you?" Thatch, who I had met previously asked. This got him a slap on his head from his soulmate, Izou.

"Don't ask the lady her age. That's rude," the cross dresser said with a frown.

I laughed and waved my hand dismissively. "It's quite alright. I look young for being twenty-four. Good genes," I joked with a slight smirk. Truth was, my magic caused me to age slower than normal, making me look barely eighteen. It was a blessing and a curse sometimes.

"Twenty-four? So you're only seven years younger than Marco?"

I rolled my eyes and looked over at Marco in thought. So he was only thirty-one? He looked younger. Must be his Devil Fruit.

"Well, I have always had a thing for older men. More experience, you know?"

Marco coughed and looked down at me with slightly wide eyes. I knew flustering him would be fun. And he made it so easy, too.

Thatch and Izou laughed as I gave the man an innocent smile. He huffed and pulled me to him, back to chest. I could feel his breath on my ear as he leaned down.

"And just how much experience do you have, my little soulmate, yoi?"

A shiver ran down my spine as I turned my head to look up at him. Behind his tired looking expression, I could see a heat that made me want to drag him to a closet like I was a naughty school girl. The look did things to me that made my knees weak with want. It was quite intoxicating, if a bit primal. My inner fox loved it.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I teased. I kissed his cheek, having pulled him down slightly to reach, and turned back to the two other commanders with a soft smile on my lips. "I digress. I don't really care that my soulmate is older than me. A younger man would be too childish for my tastes, and I find myself thankful. Though I do enjoy a good prank every once in a while."

I noticed the excitement in the cook and felt myself sadden as the look of mischief in his eyes reminded me of my brother. I didn't let it show, however. My grief was my own to handle, and I was not one to show such weakness around strangers. Even if I was joining their crew.

"It'll be so much fun having you on the crew," Thatch said, putting his arm around his soulmate's shoulders. "Old Marco here is gonna have his hands full with you."

I gave a soft chuckle as Marco huffed again, seeming annoyed by the cook. As I went to say something, I blinked at the feeling of my magic alerting me to Hadrian waking up. The force of it told me that he had woken up from a nightmare.

Without a word, I pulled away from Marco and rushed back inside the ship to Marco's room. I paid little attention to anything else as I opened the door, hearing my little kit screaming. The sight of him thrashing in the bed just about broke my heart.

I scooped him up in my arms and held him to my chest, letting my magic flow gently around him.

"Hush, my little kit. I am here." I spoke softly as his screams began to quiet down to whimpers. "No one can harm you now. I will not allow it." I rocked the three year old slowly and hummed, running my fingers through his hair. I barely noticed Marco walking over and sitting beside me. My focus was on Hadrian.

Once he finally calmed down enough, I placed my hand over his eyes and muttered a spell to help him sleep without the fear of nightmares. I didn't like doing it, but the child had been suffering from them for the past week. As long as I didn't use the spell daily, it wouldn't cause any harm.

I let out a sigh and leaned against Marco, my eyes closed. I had hoped that no nightmares would pop up yet, but I wasn't surprised by it.

"Um...not to interrupt, but what just happened? And what was that blue light that came from your hand?"

I opened my eyes and looked at the door, seeing Thatch, Izou, and a few others out in the hall. Sighing, I closed my eyes again and spoke softly.

"A small spell to keep the nightmares away. He has been having them for days, and the monitoring charm I placed over him alerted me that he was in distress." I opened my eyes again and looked at Thatch, who had been the one to speak. "Hadrian had been through quite a lot, and he fears me leaving him like his parents did. I will answer any other questions tonight. For now, please leave."

I noticed the hesitation, but Marco spoke before I could.

"Don't you all have jobs to be doing, yoi?"

His tone seemed to do the trick as all of them hurried off, the door shutting softly.

"Thank you," I told him, closing my eyes again as he put his arms around me.

"It's no problem, yoi. Is Hadrian going to be okay?"

I hummed and opened my eyes, looking down at the sleeping toddler. I would need to wake him soon, but I couldn't bring myself to do it just yet.

"He has nightmares of the day his parents were killed. They've only gotten more vivid as he's gotten older, and I fear that he'll be haunted by it for the rest of his life. The only change is that he sometimes sees me dying as well. He may be a happy child, but I don't know if he will ever get over that fear of losing everyone."

"He will have you though, yoi. I know that you will help him. And I will do my best as well. He will not be alone."