Mate of the Phoenix

Chapter Four

I hummed as I walked into the galley, feeling much better after sleeping for most of the day. It was now dinner time, so I had gotten myself and Hadrian changed and decided to head down to eat with everyone else. I was sure that there would be questions, but I honestly hoped that Marco could answer most of them. I didn't really want to get into how my magic reacted to threats against those I saw as mine.

While still a bit shaken up, the boy smiled widely once we entered the galley and he spotted Whitebeard. I had started calling the man Oyaji like the others a few days ago, and my little kit had just accepted him as his grandfather, or Jiichan as Marco had taught him to say, almost immediately. It surprised me, if only a little bit, but that was the mind of a child.

"Jiichan!" he yelled, pulling away from me and running to Oyaji's side. "Are the bad men gone now?"

I smiled as I walked calmly over to the table the commanders sat at. Few had their soulmate, if they found them, stay on the ship, but I, like a small portion, was not keen to leave. Even if some thought that a ship wasn't the right place to raise a child. I had talked with both Marco and Oyaji about it, and they were fine with my choice to stay on the Moby with Hadrian.

"Gurararara! Yes child. They are gone now thanks to your aunt and everyone else." The large man gave me a smile as I sat down next to Marco and started to make myself a plate. "How are you feeling, daughter? Marco said that burst of power took a lot out of you."

I smiled back as I conjured up a hot cup of Earl Grey tea for myself, taking a sip. "Much better after some rest, Oyaji. Slight magical exhaustion is easy to cure when you know how." I hummed and chuckled softly at the sight of Hadrian climbing onto the man's lap. It was becoming is favorite place to sit besides mine and Marco's at meals. "Hadrian dear, don't forget to eat some fruit with dinner. If you do, you can have a chocolate tonight before bed."

I heard a few of the crew nearby laugh as the boy quickly grabbed an apply while Marco made him a small plate. It was a well known fact that I had an emergency stash of chocolate for when anyone was upset or one of the nurses were on their monthly. Even after only two weeks, I was the one to go to if you were upset. After I had successfully cheered up Jozu, who was missing his own soulmate who chose not to stay on the ship full time, on my second day in front of a few others, word seemed to get around. And so had my penchant for stating chocolate as a cure for unhappiness, a habit gotten from cheering up my brother and his small group of friends over the years. Especially Remus.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Marco nudging my shoulder and blinked. Merlin, I missed them.

"Are you okay, yoi? You looked lost in thought there."

I looked over at him and smiled softly at him. "Just remembering saying something similar to James and his friends. One of them often needed some cheering up, and that's why I tend to carry chocolate with me."

He gave me a soft look and leaned over to kiss the top of my head as I turned back to dinner.

"Is that way you give it to anyone who's upset?" Vista asked from a few seats away.

"Yes, though those boys were happy pranksters more often then not." I smiled a bit brighter as I ate, remembering some of their pranks. "They were thick as thieves back in school, and I had my hands full when they came over during breaks. The amount of times I had to hex Sirius alone is crazy. Especially once he moved in with us when he was sixteen. It was like I had four younger brothers instead of one."

I laughed along with the others, though only with a touch of sadness. Four had become two and I wasn't sure how Remus and Sirius were doing with me gone. After getting settled, I had asked Death to give them a letter from me, but the being refused to tell me anything when he returned to say that it had been done. It made me worry, but there really was nothing that I could do. Hadrian's safety came first and foremost.