2007 11 06
Words: 1431
The Joys of Reading
Luffy shuffled through the piles of books. Pulling out one book, deciding he didn't like it, tossing it out behind him and repeating the process. Luffy furrowed his brow in concentration and annoyance.
Damn it, isn't there any pictures in these books? Geesh, what's the point of reading if you can't even see what's going on?
Luffy had been up on the deck fooling around with some squids he had caught earlier in the day. Needless to say it had gotten messy and boy, did he pick the wrong day to squish and squeeze an inky slimy squid.
Sanji wasn't pleased when he found his state of arc, top notch barbeque dripping with black ink. The real party began when Franky just so happened to slip on the slippery grass. Who knew those two could cause such a riot.
During the yelling Sanji had somehow made the ship seem less important than the ship's green grass, much to the annoyance of Franky. Luffy began to quietly slip away from the extremely loud pirates and make his way over to Robin's beach chair. Robin suggested he had better find somewhere to hide out before Sanji and Franky realized he had disappeared.
Luffy being the genius he was, decided to go somewhere no one would ever find him, the library.
This is where Luffy's dilemma started. After staring at the empty fish tank for a few minutes, Luffy decided he might as well put the library to good use. He had began looking at all the books spines, they were thick. Of course, this delighted Luffy after all; he grew up learning the bigger the book, the more pictures.
Luffy was highly disappointed when he found out his logic didn't seem to apply to all books.
So one after another, Luffy would pull out each book, flip a few pages looking for pictures then sadly toss the book away.
While Luffy was busy 'sorting' books, he failed to notice his navigator enter the large room. As most people cannot ignore books been thrown through the air, Nami noticed Luffy. Nami just sighed, shook her head at her captain's odd behaviour, and continued on her way. She headed over to the bookshelf where Luffy was by dodging the air born books. She stared at Luffy, who was still tossing books over his shoulder, he had no idea she was here. She stared a few moments at Luffy waiting for him to look at her before giving up and grabbing a book.
Nami decided instead of going back to her room to read, she would observe her captains strange but funny book keeping skills. Of course, once she had found out what he was doing she would demand he pick up every book before eating dinner.
So Nami walked quietly over to a nearby sofa and opened her book. She tried reading it at first but she just became too interested in her captain. Just what was he doing?
"Dang it! These books are useless!" Luffy yelled as he slammed a book into the ground. Nami was thoroughly shocked by Luffy's fit. Luffy angrily stomped one foot to the ground, crossed his arms and pouted at the book shelf.
"Uhhhh, Luffy? You okay?" As soon as the words left Nami's mouth, Luffy turned around suddenly. Immediately Luffy felt heat rising to his cheeks, 'Did she see me...?' Luffy thought. Luffy didn't get embarrassed usually but he had just thrown a five year-old hissy fit because he couldn't find any picture books. It didn't help that Luffy is Nami's captain.
Luffy could just mutter out some jumbled words, which confused Nami even more. Seeing Luffy's flustered position, Nami decided she would be nice to him, just this time.
Nami put her book on the empty seat beside her and walked towards her captain. "Do you want me to find you a book?" Luffy nodded eagerly, 'Nami will definitely get me a good book' Luffy thought happily. Nami only sighed when she saw the bare bookshelves and began searching through the piles of books on the floor.
Nami took a small novel book out of the pile and handed it to Luffy. Luffy took the book warily, it wasn't as big as the other books but it still seemed complicated. Luffy not wanting to upset his navigator took the book and sat on the opposite side of where Nami had been sitting.
Nami sighed and walked back to the sofa. Hopefully Luffy wouldn't be causing any more trouble and would let Nami read peacefully. As Nami was about to pick up her book and read, a thought suddenly came to her.
Just what was Luffy doing in a library?
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X
"...While in Irons remember to jive downwind for a quick recovery..."
Nami was so engrossed her book she didn't even notice Luffy standing right in front of her with his finger on a page. Luffy quietly waited for Nami to acknowledge him, after a few seconds he coughed. Nami jumped when she heard Luffy coughing.
Raising a hand to her chest to slow her heart beat Nami asked, "Luffy you could've given me a heart attack!" Her captain just shrugged and smiled nervously. Nami rolled her eyes, "What do you need, Luffy?"
Luffy raised the book to Nami's face and pointed somewhere on the page before looking away. Nami gave Luffy a puzzled look then looked down at the book in front of her. 'He doesn't know what that word spells?' the navigator thought. Nami smirked at Luffy's coy frown. He was embarrassed!
Nami looked down at the word, imperial Not that hard of a word but this was Luffy. Nami glanced at the clock, they had been reading for half an hour. Nami noticed Luffy had only gotten to page six. She frowned slightly then gave the awaiting captain the word and a brief explanation. Nami noticed he was greatly relieved when she explained 'imperial'.
Nami then watched Luffy bumbled over to his chair on the other side of the room. She began to skim read but her curiosity got the best of her and she peered over the top of her book. Nami looked worriedly at Luffy who was mumbling words under his breath and following the sentences with a finger. She saw him pause a few times and mutter words over and over again, he seemed to still be on the same page.
Nami frowned sadly, she knew Luffy wasn't the brightest guy and had chosen a book she thought he could easily understand. Nami mentally berated herself, 'I've been with him all this time and I never noticed he was a bad reader!'
When Nami actually thought about it, she had never seen Luffy actually read before, sure he had read the odd sign or so but never a book. Nami closed her book and decided she couldn't just let her captain look like a moron, even though he did anyways.
"Hey Luffy, come over here a second." Nami called to her captain. Luffy looked up. His face was free of the tension and concentration it held moments ago. Luffy got up and diligently walked to Nami. This whole reading ordeal had made him quite silent and obedient today, Nami noticed.
Nami then patted the empty seat next to her, motioning for him to sit next her. Luffy obeyed and stared at Nami. Nami raised her hand to Luffy. He stared blankly at her hand.
"The book, Luffy." Luffy gave Nami a perplexed look but gave her the book any way. Nami opened the book to the first page and began to read aloud.
Luffy interrupted her by saying, "What are you doing?" Nami smiled and replied, "Reading out loud helps me understand the story better." Luffy gave an 'Oh.' and began reading the sentences Nami was saying.
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.
A Few Weeks Later
"Hey! Nami! Look!" Luffy shouted as he ran down the street. He was holding a book in his hand and pointing to it as he sprinted towards Nami and Robin.
Luffy had ran up in front of Nami and shoved a book towards her. Nami read the title, "Treasure Island...?" Luffy smiled enthusiastically and replied, "Yeah! It's about pirates and treasure!"
"You don't say..." Nami said sourly, Robin giggled beside her. Luffy still seemed to be jumping around happily with the book in his hand.
"Do you think you could read it with me!?" Luffy said energetically. Robin seemed unable to stop her giggles that only made Nami blush red.
"Sure Luffy, anytime..."
Constructive criticism is loved:P