Nami looked back to her maps with a sigh. The blank parchment was set aside ready for her to begin translating her notes on the island they had just left into a beautifully accurate navigational tool. The ink was standing by, quill awaiting her poised hand.
Still before she could start her work, the art of this thing that would someday make up a piece of her larger dream of crafting a world atlas…she had something she needed to do first.
A simple mistake could ruin hours and hours of perfection.
She stood with a stretch and went out to check on the crew. One of those idiots barging in on her at the wrong time and it would be all over.
To her delight an earlier comment suggesting that Zoro was probably strong enough to out drink the rest of the crew had paid off in spades. Sanji and then Luffy apparently flew into a fit demanding a drinking contest with the swordsman (who was all too willing if it meant the damn cook would let him drink his fill for once) and the others (save for Robin who was content reading a book in the corner) happily jumping in.
That is to say Nami found Robin reading her book where she had left her and everyone else in passed out in various positions on the deck (although it looked more like Zoro had just fallen asleep normally than actually succumbed to the alcohol). Everyone but Luffy. He was potential nuisance number one and not seeing him in the mock carnage of her plan was unsettling.
"Navigator-san, if you are looking for the captain…I believe he was headed up toward your tangerine orchard."
Nami tossed a quick thanks to Robin over her shoulder and rushed to her treasured trees in hopes of saving them from whatever fate a drunken Luffy might wish upon them.
In fact, Luffy was holding a bottle of booze up in the air, guzzeling it while simultaneously peeing on a tree. NO. Correction…he was doing a weird drunken swaying dance, trying to pee on ALL the trees.
"WHAT do you think you are doing?!" She screeched into his ear even as her fist connected with his skull sending it into one of the trees she had just been trying to protect. For that he deserved another hit and didn't hesitate on delivering a stronger one immediately.
'Oww! Nami! Why'd you hit me? They were thirsty!"
"What?" She really hadn't expected that answer.
"I just came up here to look at them and they told me they were thirsty…and I had to go so it is ok!"
"It is NOT okay!" She objected.
"But you always take good care of them right? Or you have Sanji do it. I want to protect your treasure too Nami!"
Something about that was really sweet so she decided to forgive herself for planting a kiss on her captains cheek. He would be too drunk to remember it later anyway or at least she hoped so. Had his cheeks been so red before she kissed him?
"Fine, but I'll give you some other job later. Don't pee on them again! Sheesh!" She turned to see Sanji wide eyed at the stairs, mouth open. It snapped shut quickly. Suddenly what she had just done fully hit her. It was just because Luffy was sweet…but then how could that be it if Sanji was always sweet and tender and she tended to ignore him.
Her face burned with the embarrassment of what it might all mean.
"Nami-san I could water your trees too…if you'd like?" Sanji tried, hope winning out over pride, she guessed.
"Don't even think about it!" She hissed in half apology as she rushed off the deck.
Nami found herself back in her study and locked the door. Once her heart stopped racing and her cheeks no longer red she got back to work. Those thoughts could stand to wait till tomorrow, quiet she really could only find now.