Death Do Us Part

XIX

After dinner, the group was shown their rooms for the night and had their trunks brought in from the carriage outside to change into warm nightgowns and nightshirts. Lovely and Chopper had their own room with Luffy and Tama across the hall. Usopp had a room for himself since he was a regular visitor at the mansion. 

"He's so lucky," Lovely sighs as she lays on her back. She sinks into the mattress. She is surprised at the softness of the bed. 

This is better than the bed I have at home, she thought. It's so soft and cozy and not as firm as a rock.

"Chopper! The bed feels so nice~!!" Lovely squeals.

Chopper hops onto the bed beside her. His eyes widen as he sighs and lays his head on the pillows, hugging them.

"It's like a cloud," he says. "Or how I would imagine them feeling."

Lovely smiles as she lays on the bed. She reads a book she finds on a shelf but quickly puts it back once she realizes it's a book about monsters. She shakes her head. It would be better if she turned in for the night rather than make herself vulnerable to nightmares. She tucks herself in and is about to fall asleep before Chopper pokes her shoulder.

"Lovely," he says. "There's something you should know."

Lovely opened her eyes to look at him. "Hm."

"Remember the maid that collapsed in the hall?" 

Lovely shivers to think of her. That maid's pale skin and how she collapsed as if she passed on the spot. . .

She pulls the blankets over her shoulder. "Chopper, go to sleep."

"But, Lovely-"

"We'll discuss it in the morning. I don't want nightmares, thank you. I prefer comfort tonight."

Chopper turns up his brows and breathes. "Anything you say."

He tucks himself into the blankets beside Lovely. He had difficulty trying to sleep. He must tell her what he saw, or he wouldn't sleep that night. He turns a couple of times in bed as Lovely sleeps beside him. 

Go to sleep, Chopper told himself. Lovely says you should talk about it tomorrow. Go to sleep. Go to sleep.

A knock on the bedroom door startles him. He quickly sits up and gasps. Lovely wakes up from the sudden movement. She slowly wakes up, puts on her glasses, and lights a candle. She walked to the door. She opens it to find Luffy standing by the door.

Luffy sees how sleepy Lovely is and gasps. "I'm sorry. Were you sleeping? I forgot that me and Tama were the only ones who didn't sleep."

"No, you're fine," Lovely yawns. "Did you want anything?"

Luffy shyly looks at the ground, blushing a bit. He shifts his balance from one foot to the other. "I just wanted to see you for a bit."

"Oh," Lovely blushes, too. She quickly changes the focus to lift the growing, intimate silence. "Is Tama comfortable here?"

"Yes," Luffy says. "She's hoping Kaya accepts us soon because she wants a room for herself. She wants to rest and dance in her dresses."

Lovely chuckles warmly. "I hope so, too. How are you holding up? Do you like it here?"

Luffy nods. "It's better than the cave. It's not cold or lonely."

"Great."

Lovely smiles warmly as she looks up at his face in the candlelight. He was handsome, even with his scarlet eyes. She remembers seeing him under this light many years ago. Romantic nights full of love (and a bit of lust here and there) have filled her heart with joy. Every second of her heart beating, she secretly hoped he would somehow recognize her.