Death Do Us Part

Dream II: Adoration

Six years earlier. . .

It didn't take Lovely long to realize she had fallen in love with Luffy. 

In the beginning, they were only friends. They did everything together, from walking to the schoolhouse every day (except for weekends) to baking pastries in her family's kitchen. She read him stories from a book while he told tales from the heart. They always visited each other, mostly at her family's home. She rarely stopped by the house Luffy and his father lived in. (Dragon had no time for others as his work, whatever it was, kept him busy most days and was "no business for children.")  No matter what secrets Luffy and Lovely had to keep from each other, they stayed by each other's side through thick and thin.

As time went on, Lovely became a young woman at the age of 16. She had developed foreign emotions and sensations she thought only an older woman could experience. Her heart leaped in her chest when Luffy held her hand or slightly brushed his arm against hers. Her stomach tingled when he laughed or called her by name. Her legs grew weak when he embraced her in a friendly manner. Her thoughts were filled with her and her close friend doing everything lovers could do. Her heart pounded with these fantasies before she began to reflect on her feelings. 

I'm in love, she told herself. I'm in love with one of my closest friends.

_____

As she was sweeping inside her home, Lovely heard a voice in the distance calling her. She looks up from her work to see Luffy waving a hand as he races towards her. As usual, Lovely's heart pulsed with excitement. She quickly drops her broom and races outside her home to meet him. Anteia groans as she picks up the broom.

"Oraios, what have I said about dropping your broom to meet Luffy?!" she exclaims as she props the broom on the wall.

Lovely was far out of earshot to hear her mother's admonishments. The thrill of embracing the object of her desires gave her the adrenaline to rush into his arms, knocking him back to the floor. Lovely giggles as she sits up on the road. Luffy chuckles as he takes her hands to help her back onto her feet. Their cheeks grew pink in each other's presence. Their eyes cast down to the ground, afraid to meet each other's gazes for fear of speaking out of turn.

"Lovely," Luffy says at the same time Lovely says "Luffy."

They pause before looking away from each other, chuckling.

"You should go first," Luffy says.

"No, you were the first to speak," Lovely says. "It must be more important than what I have to say."

Luffy takes a breath before he smiles brightly. "I have a surprise for you! I have a feeling you're going to love it!"

"A surprise?! What could it possibly be?"

"I've rented a carriage for the both of us. All I can tell you is that the surprise is in town."

Lovely smiles, overcome with great joy. Could this be their first step at courtship? Is this a date he planned just for the two of them? She nods vigorously. "Oh, that sounds exciting!" she exclaims. "But won't I have to close my eyes the whole time?"

"Yep!" Luffy smiles. "I'll guide you to the surprise. Just make sure you don't bump into anything or fall."

Lovely giggles. "With you around to help me, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."

She fell out of the carriage and may have tripped on a step or two before she and Luffy stopped in front of a small section of the village. Luffy takes his hands away from her eyes. Lovely looks at the sight in front of her. It was an empty wooden building with a blank shop sign hanging over the doorway. Lovely was confused but smiled.