You guys are just too good to be true. A week and already 4 reviews, 6 faves and 1 follow? It may be normal for others, but for me, you are the most amazing readers ever! Thank you so, so much! You guys truly made my day!
My friend found some grammatical errors, so I'm just passing by to fix that up. And to thank you guys! And to ask the others 300 readers to make yourselves present, it really can boost an author's moral. Aaaaand I just figured I forgot the Disclaimer, so...
Can I have you attention please? *cof cof* No, I do not own One Piece, neither Oda-sensei himself. Nor Nami, Luffy, Ace and Sabo. Still, I'm gathering money to buy Oda-sensei... Anyone interested in a partnership?
It was night in the Thousand Sunny. No one should be by the deck this late, but still, there they were. Nami wasn't sure if her captain knew she was up, watching him; it didn't matter anyway. None of them should be up this late at night, but Nami had a guess why they were. Still, after all that happened in his life those two years they were apart, she was scared to go to him. It was in times like this that Nami would think that, maybe, his wounds were too great and too deep to heal completely. And it scared her, because, maybe, none of them could do anything for him, the man who saved her life so many times.
Suddenly, memories of her hometown came flowing like a river; Gen-san, Nojiko, Bellemere. The day Arlong came, the day she became a true orphan, the day she became a pirate. The day she returned, broken, after betraying Luffy. The day she asked for help, and he put his hat, his greatest treasure, in her head. The day Arlong Park fell, and she became a true Mugiwara. And then, she suddenly understood.
Nami made her way to the head of the lion, were Luffy was seated. Without a word, she leaned on the railing next to him. It took some time, but he was the one to speak first.
"Couldn't sleep?"
"Yeah." She said. "You couldn't too, I guess." The silence fell between the two. None of them asked why; it was written in the silence. "He showed again, right, Luffy?"
The answer took long to come, but Nami waited. She would wait until One Piece if it took that long.
"I almost touched him this time. And he wasn't alone. Sabo was there too, and it was almost as a good bye. I don't- I can't… It's just…"
"At the same time you are happy to see they're ok, you are scared of those dreams, of losing them again. You want them to go in peace, but still, you don't want them to leave you."
She didn't have to look to fell the amused look the captain was giving her.
"How did you…?"
"Been there, done that, Luffy. It was the same thing when Bellemere was murdered."
"I thought that I was stronger than this. That I had overcome his death. I still have you guys here, with me. I guess I'm just weak…"
Silence fell between them again, and Luffy returned his gaze to the ocean. After a few seconds, Luffy could hear Nami walking away. Some time later, when she walked back, he still didn't looked to her, but, when he heard some strange noises, as if she was climbing something, he turned to see. The only thing her saw, though, was a tangerine. Nami was smiling when she put the fruit in his hand and sat, back to back with him.
"You know, you are the strongest person I've ever met, Luffy. Yes, you can be an idiot sometimes, and sure, you're extremely naïve, but still… That day, in Kokoyashi, I really had no hopes. Everyone would fight. The goal I had search for the most time of my life, gone. Vanished, like dust in the wind. And than, there were you. You gave me your hat. You fought for me. You've made me you nakama. And, as far as I know, you've made that not only for me but for every one on this ship too. And this is how you are, Luffy. You jump into battles where all the odds are against you just to protect us, and you ALWAYS can pull it through. You taught us so many things. Taught me so many things. I learned from you to keep smiling. I learned from you that strength is something you choose. You show to me, every day, the reasons to keep on believing. So, it's ok to be weak sometimes. You don't need to be strong always, because I'm here. I'm here, so I can be strong for you, just the way you've been for all of us. This things… I know they don't heal. They say time will heal it, but it won't. It will be forever a scar in your mind, constantly reminding you of what have you lost. But you learn to live with that, and to remember the good times. And that's what takes time." She could fell him shaking slightly, a few sounds coming from him as he cried. "Cry all you want, Luffy. Cry until it doesn't hurt anymore, until you can say goodbye. I'll be here, waiting for you. I'll be strong for you now, just like you were for me one day."
She felt his hand looking for hers, and smiled when their fingers entwined. Nami held his hand until he stopped crying, and still held his hand when the sweet aroma of tangerine filled the air. She could hear him snuffling, and gave a light chuckle.
"It's sweet…" He murmured, loud enough for her to hear.
"Don't grow used to it, though. It's only for today."
He laughed, and she smiled. Good. Her captain was back on track. Then, she let a yawn scape her lips, and he laughed even more.
"Come on." He said, getting up and pulling her too. "Let's go to sleep." With the hand that wasn't holding hers, he held her and, in one jump, they were back on the deck. Then, they parted, but Nami still was worried, and he could see it.
"What?"
"You sure you gonna be okay?"
"Don't worry. I still have one left." He said, showing the last slice of tangerine. "If I have a nightmare, I just eat this one and everything's gonna be all right."
She chuckled, and, when she started making her way to the woman's quarters, he held her back.
"Oh, Nami! Could take care of this for me tonight?" He put his hat in her head. Without having and answer, he grinned. "Thanks." And then, did something no one would ever thought Monkey D. Luffy would do; he gave her a light peck in the cheek, and walked away, leaving a flushed Nami behind.
And, somehow, Nami had a feeling that he knew that she, too, had a nightmare about her past.