hmfan24: I started watching One Piece again after about ten years. Give me pointers within the fandom, please. Thank you.

Edit: I broke up the paragraphs a little bit, so maybe it's easier to read this chapter now. I made a few other minor changes.

Prolog: Surprises

Among the Straw Hat Pirates, they typically didn't keep secrets away from each other. After risking life and limb for each other routinely throughout their journies, keeping thoughts under wraps proved difficult. Along with an ever present laid-back atmosphere, the thin walls and close quarters allowed for information to pass freely from one member to the next. Without the prospect of romance or sex among them, the biggest secrets that escaped were what foods disagreed with their stomachs.

If by any chance, rested did arise, everyone would know about it immediately. That would seem like an unwritten rule of the pirate crew. The captain remained an open book for everything on his mind, and such an attitude fomented openness in everyone.

That night, through the walls that separated the boys' and the girls' rooms, sounds piqued suspicion among the shipmates. A particular variety of laughter kept some of the members of the ship awake. For the third night that week, Luffy had snuck away to the girls' room to hang out with Nami for whatever reason. After all the time everyone knew him, no one could read his mind.

Most of the crew probably made the assumption that he had nothing on his mind on a day to day basis. In fact, for all they knew, this was just a new quirk he developed. There was nothing perverse that could be going on between him and Nami. They were close, but Luffy didn't think that way. This was the captain that treated all his shipmates equally and fostered the love and respect that they all hold for each other. Even Despite expressing infatuation towards Robin and Nami, Sanji wouldn't break their code of friendship. However, nothing was written in stone and by the sounds of giggling, that slight suspicion everyone had could be a reality.

During the day, no one had the guts to interrogate Luffy or Nami. Robin would probably have the most information if she didn't spend the early parts of the night elsewhere. By the time she returned to her quarters, they were usually asleep. Perhaps fear hindered their curiosity - fear that something true occurred past the walls of the sleeping quarters. Luffy had reached adulthood, but he wasn't an ordinary man! Chopper mentioned he saw the pair bathe together, so there was room for doubt on whether Luffy was incapable of acting on natural impulses. How did they become so close out of nowhere?

"Nami~," Luffy laughed, vaguely echoing Sanji's sing-song style of saying Nami's name. The medium of the wooden wall muffled the rest of his words.

Someone was going to get hurt. Sanji stirred. Meaning, he was seconds away from kicking down the wall and rescuing Nami from Luffy's newly lecherous grasp. He didn't feel possessive of Nami, but he did feel protective of both of them. The team did discuss whether or not he should intervene and they decided against it. What did they know? Most of the crew hadn't experienced heartbreak. The majority of them were virgins! They were in denial and Sanji had been sulking all week. Even children could develop infatuations, so why could their manchild of a captain somehow resist such a pull? "I think something is going on. No man could take a bath with Nami and be able to resist her," he muttered to himself, but really to anyone who was awake.

Usopp figured something happened between them. The thought alarmed him. Luffy in love meant he had a favorite. Hopefully, their crew didn't break up because of a relationship. Unlike Sanji, he assumed Luffy and Nami's recent behavior to be Nami's fault. Their captain didn't usually express interest in women, and so that change in behavior could only have been triggered by Nami's guile. First hand, he witnessed her cause guys like Brook and Sanji swoon over her. Something seemed different between her and Luffy. It had to be friendship. "Luffy would tell us if something was going on right?"

After sleeping sporadically during the day - and every day, Zoro couldn't sleep between the stirring and snoring and sounds of giggling. "Can you quit it?" he growled at Sanji. "It's none of your business even if something is going on." He knew that wouldn't shut him up. Chopper and Franky and even Brook would probably chime in their opinion. He couldn't give half a shit what took place on the other side of the wall. The chances were pretty unlikely. Zoro himself barely interacted with women outside the crew and their temporary allies. Luffy's reasoning was probably something simple like the beds are more comfortable in the girls' room than in their room. The swordsman realized he was expending way too much energy on rationalizing the situation.

Meanwhile, Luffy lied between Nami's arms. Contrary to Sanji's suspicion, he merely rested there for her warmth and company. They spent nights telling stories and jokes until they fell asleep. What the crew or Luffy may not have realized is that he came there on nights where his thoughts kept him on edge.

Of all the Straw Hat Pirates, Nami seemed the most receptive to his subconscious venting. When he needed someone to cling to, he could come there with a warm welcome. There were places on her body that were warmer than others, but she scolded him last time he sought the space between her breasts. For some reason, it bothered her to the point where she kicked him out for the night. Nami's anatomy felt deliciously irresistible, especially after a bath. He respected her wishes, however.

Their laughter began to dwindle into a long yet comfortable silence. Captain Straw Hat had something at the tip of his mind and only now decided to bring it up. "After I find One Piece, I still want to have adventures," he said under his breath.

Nami lightly laughed, "I can't really imagine you staying in one place."

"You'll come, too? We could see the entire world and build a large fleet of Nakama."

"Where else would I go? " she replied gleefully.

Luffy stretched his arm the grab his hat the lied under the bed. He placed the hat on Nami's tangerine-colored hair. "You could be Pirate Queen," he said with an ingenuous grin.

He didn't understand what that meant, did he? Nami covered her mouth, aghast by his words. He couldn't have known that he implied marriage. The casual mood and platonic theme of their relationship didn't call for it. For the young navigator, this arose an inkling of emotion that started in Arlong Park. She felt a significance in their moments together, but to maintain a clear head and appropriate friendship, denied such significance.

However, face-to-face with the possibility of a different level of intimacy between her and Luffy, her mind became muddled. "Luffy..." she whispered. At this point, even if he clarified himself, it didn't stop her from realizing how their time lately had meant something different than it did before.

At first, the captain looked back to study her expression. He usually couldn't read people that well, but something told him by her suddenly quiet demeanor that he had said the wrong thing. To him, it was only natural that she would continue to travel with him. Or else, he'd just get lost at sea again and again. Aside from the utility, she gave him comfort and intimacy and peace of mind. He loved his entire crew, but the thought of Nami by his side.

"Of course," she smiled with her grip on him tightening. Even if she didn't understand why she said proposed such an idea, it still made her happy. As Luffy wrapped up explaining his plans for tomorrow's destination, Nami traced the definition of his abs and muscles. With a few more jokes and laughter, the tension experienced before melted away. She felt a compulsion for something, however. "Do you want to go up to the crows' nest?" asked Nami.

"Aw, Nami, I wanted to go to sleep," he complained, turning away from her.

She held back a smile and pulled him closer to her body. Resting her face on the side of his neck, the orange haired navigator let out a sigh. Why did she behave like this with him? They were family, and she was using cheap persuasive tactics. The coercive navigator failed to acknowledge that these were, in fact, seduction tactics. This was just diplomacy. She offered more of her warmth. And that's what he wanted, right? "Come on, Luffy. We could fall asleep up there." she tried.

Luffy shook his head. He protested, "No."

A tinge of pain shot through her chest. Why did that response hurt her? Nothing changed between them. She just wanted to go to the crows' nest. Holding him tightly, Nami felt the shock subside. There was still a tense silence, and she took a deep breath. "I think Robin feels uncomfortable when you're in here with me unless we're asleep. Maybe you should leave," she sighed again.

Turning around to face her, he hesitated before muttering, "No."

What? She was irritated at this point. "What do you mean?!" she retorted a little too loudly. His attitude and words presented a tumultuous horizon. He wanted her to stay, yet didn't want to be alone? Maybe sleep honestly did motivate him, and he probably felt more comfortable with her. Knowing this, the tension she had felt subsided. The moment was pure, and whatever compulsion that pulled her to the crows' nest would have to wait. As she fell asleep, she pulled him to her chest. He muffled words into her skin.

By this point, he heard her light snoring. Guilt settled in. While he laid in this position, Luffy realized why such an arrangement wasn't a good idea. Although he was a man of honesty, he felt himself stifling his impulse to say what he felt at that moment. This unique feeling surged within him as he lied between Nami's bosom. His racing thoughts and heart held him awake for one of the first times in his life.

hmfan24: I intended to keep this vague. I want to surprise you guys. I don't like writing Luffy too much out of character, but I also don't want to write him like a child if I decide to do any lemons or limes. Let me know if it's too out of character or any other issues I may have had. Chapters WILL be longer. My average the days is about 4k.