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[Her question gets him to smile, as if realizing that she's asking about his well-being first. She truly is special, huh?]

It doesn't hurt.

[He confirms and while he could just explain his powers, Scott pauses for a moment before leaning just a little closer to Nami. He's now close enough where she can easily reach his face.]

Would you like to take my glasses off? You won't see my powers, because I'll have to keep my eyes shut, but... [At least offer her a view of his full face, even if she can't see what he looks like with his eyes open. It's still something, right? Scott thinks it's okay offering it, trusting Nami with this much as he looks at her through his red lens.]

[ Her expression warms at the offer, the hand resting on his tightening gently for a moment in a wordless show of appreciation as she shakes her head, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering not unpleasantly at the though. ]

Yes. [ Obviously. ] But, not here.

[ Nami gives his hand another light squeeze before she gives into the desire to shift her chair around the side of the table until she's sitting more beside him than across from him. ]

I don't want to see your face for the first time with a table between us.

[ What is with this guy getting her to say the dumbest stuff?? ]

[As she closes the distance between them, Scott smiles. There are still many things he's learning about her, but it feels like a large gesture for her to initiate such a move and draw them closer. Of course, one may think it's because she's a pirate and wants to steal something from him, but such thoughts are nowhere in his mind. She's just a talented and smart individual that has greatly captured his interest.]

Back in your bedroom then? [His eyes glint behind his shades.] So, I did earn my ticket back to your room after all.

[He's so definitely teasing.]

You sound confident about that.

[ He should sound confident about that. For all the dryness in her tone, there's warmth in the way Nami lifts the hand not holding onto his to brush his cheek before she goes back to her drink, trying not to think about how easy it felt to let herself be so drawn in by his offer to let her see him without his glasses on that she got closer without thinking about it. Smirking from behind her glass, she shrugs a shoulder, facetiously noncommittal. ]

I've got a big suite, but, you're going to get a tour.

Just this once.

[Scott chuckles, the confidence in him unwavering even though he has felt out of his game for a while now. Not like he's dated a lot since Jean's death, but slowly and surely, he's been feeling better. It helps not having his suit be active or something else in this casino influencing him. Sure, those things give a temporary boost, but it never made Scott feel better.]

I noticed that your suite was upgraded from last time. Congratulations on that, by the way.

[Although, at last, the server comes to take their order. Scott orders something relatively light, like salmon with rice, along with some light wine, but otherwise, his focus returns immediately to Nami once she's done finishing as well. His smile still borders on playful, totally content with keeping their new arranged seating as he holds her hand.]

[ Laughing quietly at that answer, Nami favors him with a slight shrug, the fingers of her free hand tracing the back of his as she holds it. ]

Could be more than once if we end up doing this again sometime. [ Already coyly hinting at a second date while they're still at the start of the first? She's usually upfront about everything except things like this, a little too guarded to be the flirtatious promises type, but Scott brings it out of her, like there's something extra gratifying about getting him to loosen up and smile. ]

You could decide to get used to it.

[ Her order follows his – duck in tangerine sauce and rice. It's not as good as her mother's, but it's still a favorite (and truth be told, she'd be unsettled if the resort's version were as good as Belle-mere's). Once the waiter departs, she looks back at Scott, lips quirking in amusement at the well-wishes. ]

I'm happy I have a place to go when the casino gets weird. [ As with most of her life, she made a plan and stuck to it, getting herself where she felt she needed to be, regardless of any time spent quietly feeling like she was in over her head. ] People on the lower floors can't escape a lot of it.

[ What she doesn't say is that she did it as much for her friends throughout the resort as she did to appoint herself in luxury. They deserve a spot of refuge just as much as she does. ]

You're going to have to tell me if your place is bigger, by the way. I might have to go for King if it is.

I'd... like that, Nami. A lot.

[And there that playfulness goes, at least some of it, morphing into something that is just a little more sincere, almost earnest. Taking her out on a second date and possibly more in the future just because they like each other's presence so much... it's exciting, if a little terrifying in a way. Not that they can become too attached to each other, to anyone in this place (at least in Scott's mind), but it's still a big step. Going on multiple dates, really learning about his date or partner of the night... almost like a couple.

It's okay. He's allowed this, right? Jean... will always remain in his heart.

But focusing on her words, Scott's glad that Nami has a place to go to, somewhere she truly feels comfortable. It's strange that he never had to worry about that since he got here. Perhaps he's spoiled in that way.]

Wish we could do more for those people... they don't deserve that. Maybe it's time to start a revolution. [His mouth quirks up, but honestly, he plans on taking down the House one way or another. This can't be continued.]

Well, you can come by my suite someday too. Get a second opinion.

[ The suggestion that they start a revolution is met with a wide-eyed, pointed look, Nami wordlessly making it clear she's up for it, without saying so directly somewhere so public. ]

I've showed a few friends the way up to my suite. It's big enough for them to use it when they need a break without me even noticing. [ She sighs, glancing down at the table thoughtfully. ] You're right about it not feeling like enough.

[ Scott gives her the chance to shift topics back to lighter fare when he extends an invitation to the king suite, making her meet his eye with another grin, raising an eyebrow at him . ]

Sounds like you are gonna have to ask me out on a second date then, Scott.

[ He's also going to have to deal with the fact that if things continue as they are, Nami will be happy not to let this first date end until tomorrow, but something about the openly sweet expression on his face tells her he's unlikely to complain. ]

Feels more just like a temporary band-aid than an actual solution, correct? I've offered my suite to others before, just for them to have a place to stay, but it doesn't solve the fundamental issue here.

[But with that last statement, he matches her grin with his own, something almost boyish about it. They can't solve the suite issue for others right now and he still wants to enjoy this date with Nami without getting bogged down by deeper issues. Those problems can be addressed later. Even back home, he had breaks like this, because it's not like one can solve mutant acceptance just by talking about it over dinner.

It's okay to experience life a little still.]

It sounds like it. [He agrees easily, only looking away from Nami when their orders arrive on the table along with an extra bottle of wine, which the server conveniently opens for them before leaving once more. Oh, right, he really hasn't been drinking all that much, huh? But guess he's just been so interested in learning more about her.]

Looks pretty good. [Scott glances down at his meal, reaching for his utensils to start digging in.] I'm assuming that you've had to eat whatever is available, since you were at sea a lot.

[ Likewise, it's only after the waiter brings them more wine, that Nami remembers her glass, pulling it closer to have a sip as she glances over the plates set down in front of each of them.

Reaching for her fork to try a bite, Nami glances up at Scott's words. There's a brief pang of sadness that darkens her gaze, there and gone in a second, before she shakes her head. Sanji was here up until recently, and while she's relieved he's home, the unwitting reminder that she's without her crew is still sobering until she brushes it aside. Which she does in short order, flexing that poker face, unwilling to dwell inwardly and ruin their date. ]

We fish a lot, but, we've got one of the best cooks in the East Blue on our crew. It's always a surprise what he can make. Before him, I did a lot of the cooking, but the guys didn't like it when I charged them for what I made.

[ To which she shrugs. Business is business, after all, and back home Nami's always into the business of affectionately exploiting a crewmate for their cash. ]

inbox for golden peacock

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ignore me booming this back bc that tag is too cute not to

hehe :>

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