Luffy's ecstatic to see his crew but, even as he squeezes Chopper until he squeaks and slaps Usopp's back hard enough to knock the long-nose off his feet, they can all see his gaze fluttering between them, searching for one particular face. They feel no disappoint or resentment for his distraction; their captain loves all his nakama unconditionally and they don't doubt his sincerity. But they've always known which crewmate holds a special place in his heart.
Sanji takes a long, slow drag from his cigarette and reluctantly stubs it out in the overflowing ashtray on the table before him, easing out of his seat. That shitty bastard is probably snoring his way through another afternoon aboard the Sunny's solar-drenched planks. Or maybe the Marimo got lost on his way to meet them here; after all, some bad habits are too deeply ingrained to lose in ten years, much less two.
The corners of Nami's mouth were already turned up, but they go positively sky high as the cook slides out of the booth; Sanji might have spent the last fifteen minutes grumbling over their companion's absence, but of course he's the first to decide that somebody better go retrieve the bastard before Luffy starts fussing.
Her delight results in Sanji's suave exit disintegrating into a noodling whirlwind of idiocy, complete with floating pink and red hearts that produce tiny fireworks with audible popping sounds as they collide with nearby objects.
"Oi, ero-cook. There's people trying to eat in here."
The Mugiwara Pirates still seated at the table only see it because they're looking for it: the barely perceptible widening of their captain's eyes at the familiar voice. But there's no mistaking the enormous grin that spreads across his face, an expression of joy so sincere that Sanji bites back his scathing retort and Usopp gropes blindly through his overall's pockets for a pencil even though he knows he can never do it justice on paper.
Luffy turns and although the glow never quite leaves his face, he studies his swordsman in silence. His gaze is drawn immediately to the most dramatic change - the closed eye, bisected with scar tissue - but quickly moves on to less immediately noticeable details: the increase in muscle mass, longer hair and, most importantly, the steady calm that bespeaks a heavy weight lifted from broad shoulders.
The two newest crewmates fairly vibrate with excitement amidst their fellows; Brook declares that he's moved to tears (if he had the proper ducts, yohoho, skull joke!) and Franky declares this reunion "SUPER!" and pounds the table hard enough to rattle the silverware. The patrons at the next table decide they've had enough and call for the check, but Robin sedately rescues her cup of coffee before it overturns and smiles as she pats the shipwright's hand.
Hand resting casually on his sword hilts, the former bounty hunter studies his captain with equal interest; passersby might mistake his placid expression for boredom, but his gaze is riveted on Luffy's open vest, which frames the starburst scar emblazoned on his chest. It's a short eternity before he meets his captain's eyes again.
The silence between the two is stretching long enough that Nami and Sanji exchange nervous glances, half convinced of an imminent explosion, and the navigator opens her mouth to suggest that they both sit down before the tension between them clears out the entire-
"Zoro."
"Luffy."
Luffy's surreal tranquility leaves him with the greeting and he launches himself at the swordsman, who brings up both arms to catch him. Holding the rubber man is like grappling with an eel; an elbow slams into his chin, a flailing foot narrowly misses catching him in the balls and Luffy is babbling faster than his own mouth is capable of forming coherent words, cramming twenty-four months worth of news into two minutes. Zoro throws back his head and laughs.
Nami releases a soft sigh of relief and reaches for her teacup. To her annoyance, her trembling fingers clatter it against the saucer, and she immediately lets go, annoyed with herself for imagining anything but this. She has to blink to hold back the tears threaten to overspill her eyelids, but she's grinning from ear to ear as she watches the swordsman clutch their captain and whirl him around in a gigantic hug that nearly spins them into the table.
xxx
Before long, they're all seated at the table and exchanging stories and news and laughter and tears, somehow carrying on a crew-wide conversation even though half of them are talking at once. Luffy's louder than everyone else, of course, pelting them with questions faster than they can supply answers and hollering to the harried waitress for more meat.
They've claimed the largest booth in the diner, but nine people still don't quite fit into a space made for six. Squeezed between Brook and Sanji, Usopp periodically wrings his fingers in his ears, deafened by maniacal laughter and declarations of love. Chopper perches on Nami's lap, a seat from which the table top is easily accessible, but scoots over to visit Robin now and then as well, totally oblivious to Sanji's fits of jealousy. Franky looms over them both, and Robin ducks her head periodically to avoid his out-flung arm. Zoro slouches in his chair at the table's end, dozing, while Luffy perches on his shoulders, heels tapping against the swordsman's chest.
Most of the nearby tables are empty; when the Straw Hats moved into this corner, everyone else moved out. In fact, even the few people determined to enjoy their meals are heading for the door, and Nami wonders briefly if she ought to leave a bigger tip to apologize for the inconvenience. The staff looks resigned to facing a long evening with little business thanks to the commotion produced by the celebrating pirates, especially Luffy, who wouldn't know dining decorum if it bit him in the ass.
"Psst, Chopper!" Usopp hisses across the table. He has been toying with the sugar cubes provided with Robin's coffee, stacking them in neat little towers and intricate designs. When Chopper glances up at the sound of his name, he delicately flicks the top cube of a sugar pyramid into Nami's teacup, where it bobs briefly before sinking into the ochre liquid.
Chopper shoots a horrified look up at Nami, but the navigator's busy counting beli in her head and doesn't notice. He claps a hoof over his mouth, giggling, and it's all the encouragement that Usopp needs. A steady barrage of sugar cubes fly across the table, plunking into Nami's tea.
Thankfully for Usopp and Chopper, Sanji is too busy admiring his female crewmates' new hair styles to notice their mischief. He leans over, resting his weight on his elbows. "Nami-swan, Robin-chwan; your lovely locks-"
Nami, who has just favored him with a smile before taking a sip from her cup, sprays a mouthful of mushy sugar into his face and spits frantically into her napkin between sputtered curses. Chopper dives for the safety of Robin's lap. Luffy explodes into laughter, slapping his hands on Zoro's head. Woken from his nap, the swordsman yawns and promptly punches Sanji in the shoulder, blaming the cook for disturbing him.
"Brook did it!" Usopp wails as Nami glares at him, jabbing the skeleton repeatedly in the side. Chaos erupts around the table.
"That tickles! Or it would if I had skin; skull joke!"
"Shitty bastard, what's your problem-?"
"You, you damned ero-cook!"
"Shishishishi!"
"It wasn't me! It wasn't m-!"
"SUPER!"
Nami stretches across the table, unconsciously treating Sanji to a generous helping of cleavage, and dumps her ruined tea in Usopp's lap. He howls as the hot goop soaks through his pants and bangs heads with the frozen cook, just as Zoro pitches his empty beer mug directly into Sanji's face.
Tucked in Robin's arms, Chopper breathes in sharply, tears standing out in his eyes, as his doubts and fears regarding Zoro's vision vanish. The swordsman's depth perception can't be impaired too badly, or at least he's adapted to it, if he can hit a selected mark - Sanji's nose, in this case.
The ensuing ruckus leaves the table fit for kindling and the diner's owner begging Nami to consider their meals on the house and never mind about reimbursement for the table if she would just please remove her battling nakama before the rest of the room matches the table. She gladly raises bumps on the heads of cook and swordsman alike, as well as the idiots cheering them on. Usopp, Chopper and Franky whine as they rub tender spots, but Luffy keeps laughing and Brook's skull is hard enough to make her wiggle smarting fingers.
"Ship, NOW!" she orders, pointing toward the door. Fearful of her raised ire, they make a run for it, Luffy still chortling madly as he stretches out rubber arms to latch around Zoro's neck. The impact almost knocks the retreating swordsman off his feet, and she can hear the startled man cursing the captain for choking him as they disappear outside.
She sighs and turns to look at Robin, still seated with the remains of the table at her feet. The older woman is laughing softly into the hand cupped over her mouth, merriment dancing in her eyes.
Nami surveys the deserted diner, taking in the damages and tearful manager, and then her own voice rises in laughter. She grabs Robin's hand and they dash madly after the men, giggling as they go.
As they race to catch up, eager to reach the Sunny together, Nami recalls that old saying that home is where the heart is.
It's good to finally be home.