I had prepared a suit for myself and Hancock, we were both dressed in white but she still had to go to the bathroom to touch herself up, and put on some make-up? I don't think she needs that, she's perfect as she is. She must be just putting some perfume or something, I'm smelling something like strawberry coming from there.
"Are you taking her on a date?" I heard a voice next to me, it was my mom, although I could see Prim, Sandersonia and Marigold were in the process of waking up.
It was about time when she asked me I realised that my plans were so impromptu that I didn't even think about them. But at this stage, I just wanted to go with Hancock for now, how could I say it?
"Yes, if you're all okay with it?"
They looked at each other before breaking into a fit of laughter that left me a bit awkward.
"Are you asking us? Why wouldn't we be okay with it? Go and have fun" Prim sighed and they all began preparing for their date, merely walking past me after kissing me once each. I guess I was worried for nothing, I think my wives have already gotten used to this lifestyle... they're harmonious with each other... it is me the one that still finds it inconceivable that they're all mine.
...
"I'm still sore from yesterday... is big sis in the bathroom? I want to have a long and nice bath" (Marigold).
"Little brother you were too rough fufu~ I loved it" (Sandersonia).
"Sweetie you look amazing! Let me help you!~" (Primrose).
"Mom?! I thought you were sleeping- ah!" (Hancock).
"You can't just leave your hair loose like that, how long has it been since you two had a date? You have to look breathtaking!" (Primrose).
...
I heard them gossiping and giggling in the bathroom and turned my gaze towards my mother whose deadpan was obvious, glancing in the same direction. In the end, much to my shock, she just went back to the bed and covered herself with the bedsheet.
"Mom?"
"I'll sleep some more".
I sat on the bed next to her and kissed her soft cheek, even in the disarray of the morning, she still looked so gorgeous.
"Everything alright? If you want you can come..."
She turned around slowly and grabbed both sides of my cheeks softly.
"Go and have fun... stop overthinking, none of us feels excluded. Any second you stay out of that workshop and enjoy yourself is a second I'll be happy, it doesn't have to be me, do you understand?"
"I don't want to make a mistake and hurt any of you".
"Veyron... if you love me, you will know how to please me".
She turned around uncaringly after dropping those cryptic words on me. It took me a while to think about what she said... I may not spend as much time with them... but I know them well.
'Hmn...'
Now that I think about it except for Hancock and Prim, I don't think any of them would be particularly 'thrilled' to have a fancy date in a restaurant or something like that. Is it because of my modern mentality? Have I been looking at it the wrong way? I guess I'll have to try 'that'.
"I'll find the most delicious wine and bring it to you, Mom".
I confessed and stood up as Hancock was about to pop up. I think I understand what she meant and her subtle giggle and quiet answer told me everything I needed to know.
"I'm looking forward to it~"
**
**
'My lord, if you're looking for something, why not try Deepsea Wonders? It is a new restaurant that opened a month ago, you won't be disappointed~'
The only people I could ask were my colleagues... the scientists and workers who work in my workshop in Rusukaina, they live on the island and although it ashamed me, know the island way more than I do. While Hancock was tidying herself up in the bathroom, I made that call.
As it turns out, since I'm the God of this place, I can just show up without any reservation and they will stop everything to attend me, how convenient. Usually, I would have taken Hancock during the evening, but we had things to do during the noon, so... I took her for a breakfast date.
"My lord, please come, we have prepared a floor for you".
"I don't need a whole floor, I just need a table..."
"Our lord is so humble! Please be at ease, you can have the whole restaurant from morning until the evening!".
"We're only having breakfast..."
No amount of words was enough, they shut down the restaurant and attended us even though they weren't even in opening hours. The restaurant was breathtaking. It was a gigantic orb of water in the middle of the city where the restaurant was located. Inside this orb, it was like being underwater, like a second fishman island, but just for a restaurant.
In it fishmen and mermaids were serving, they took our order and we asked for some recommendations since it was our first time here.
Hancock and I were giggling and laughing at how new this experience felt for us, we have known each other for more than ten years now, and we have been married for five in three of them she was apart from me, having her adventures while I also focused on my own inventions. It wasn't until recently that we consummated our marriage and although I took her on a date once before she became the Hebihime, it couldn't be compared to this.
Likewise, for me, I never had a date in my previous life with anybody... my life was filled with work and even in this life it threatened to become the same if I didn't put my feet down.
This is no longer just about me.
She was sitting opposite to me as we waited for our breakfast and it was like she was pouring down.
"We travelled to this place called Little Garden where there were two giants fighting each other, Marigold and Sandersonia dealt with them easily, you should have seen them~"
"We met Fisher Tiger too and saved him at that time, I was so grateful to him, we gave him a massive portion of the bellies we had collected up to that point".
Hancock was pouring down on me, telling me all the stories... three years of stories packed up, even from before she left, in fact... the majority of the stories she told me were from when she was still in Amazon Lily before leaving in her expedition.
I felt... so bad.
'Five years married and this is the first time I have sat down with you... and listened to you...'
I felt the gigantic urge to apologise for being such a bad husband but I felt right now this is not what she needs or wants.
"Am I boring you?" She asked me while biting her delicious lips and I waved my hands like crazy, 'Of course not!
"Not at all, keep telling me!"
I wanted to hear more of her stories, I wanted her to release her worries on me.
"Actually darling... I wanted to listen to you too".
"Eh?"
"All that time you spend working, I wanted to know what you do... I have always felt ashamed that I don't understand the things that you do or create in there. It is like everything you do is so complex and difficult, you may think I am a brute" She was fidgeting.
"W-What? I wouldn't think that, Hancock" She took me a bit aback for a second, I didn't even know what to say.
"Yes, and I'm not the only one... we never try to get in the way of your work because we know how important it is to you and also... because we can't understand it".
She leaned forward with a flawless smile, with all her available charm.
"But we know you create amazing things in there... things no one else in this world can create, I would like to know more of it... I want to know if I can help you in any way".
"A-Ah... well..."
My heart started pumping like crazy and I started fidgeting and avoiding her gaze like a little kid. She took my hand in hers with a gaze in her eyes that made me believe her irises had turned into mellow hearts.
'Oh shit... I'm blushing!'
I never felt anything like this before. I think... it is the first time someone I love has praised my inventions.
"If you want to know then I can tell you. Right now I have a big project I want to work on, that's why I'm going back into the workshop ahead of time".
"What is it about?~"
I got in the zone, it was like my mind opened completely and started to look at her... as something different than a character that I liked.
"I want to prevent what happened with Sugar from happening again, so I wanted to create some sort of isolating barrier using my psychokinesis, but in order to repel the devil fruit influence, I was a bit clueless until Isabel told me about your hair".
The appetizers came, the main course hopped in, and we had a delicious dessert... we finished our meal and had drinks.
And I was still talking; she was still listening to me.
By the end of it, we were sitting side by side with a moderate flush in our cheeks, closer than ever. I told her about the plans to build new complexes and she offered to help Crocodile using her Mero Mero no Mi which is now capable of turning even inanimate objects into stone due to her awakening.
I hadn't even thought of that.
"Darling, I want you to rely on me more..."
I nodded and kissed her, proud that I had married this woman... she's Boa Hancock and she's way smarter and charismatic than the manga could have ever portrayed her. I looked at the time, we were way over the schedule. By now I should have already taken Ali to Amazon Lily, but...
As I regarded Hancock she looked more and more appetizing.
She exhaled a deep breath and her finger which had been fidgeting on my chest, squeezed into my jacket, touching my chest directly.
"We should get going... do what we have to do quickly so that the evening is free, don't you think?~"
She didn't even need to tell me twice.
I stood up, dropped a stack of bellies and flew off with her, carrying her like a princess... carrying like what she is, more infatuated than ever.