"I must say, you look ravishing tonight. May I buy you a-"
"Not interested."
If anyone wasn't in the mood to even pretend to flirt with random guys in an attempt to get into their wallets, surprisingly, it was Nami. The man, rejected, simply walked away, muttering unnecessary insults. The navigator flipped her hair behind her shoulder, raising a hand at the bartender. Understanding that she wanted another drink, he got to work on it. It was tragic, and Nami felt… pathetic.
It had all started when a mail bird had delivered a beautifully embellished envelope to the Strawhats from their beloved Princess Vivi in Alabasta. They were all invited, but decided it would be more beneficial and time saving to send one person. Nami volunteered faster than anyone could even say anything else, and it worked out well considering they were already docked at an island, so wouldn't need her to navigate at all, as long as she could trust Luffy would behave himself.
But now she was here… she wasn't enjoying herself at all.
Her eyes were stuck on Vivi as the bartender handed her her 27th or so drink. As always, Vivi looked beautifully sophisticated. A far cry from the undercover princess she had been traveling the desert with two years ago. She had a huge trailing gown on, that elegantly showed her collarbones off, adorned with gold and sparkling embellishments. Nami felt severely under dressed in her simple black form-fitting mini dress. And there she was, smiling and laughing, talking to her 27th or so potential suitor. Nami had made a drinking game of it. For each suitor that came to Vivi, she would have another drink.
It was undeniable that Nami and Vivi were extremely close. They were close to the point that Nami had spent the past two years wondering if they could have been something more. Naturally they didn't act on it before - Vivi was a princess, serving her country as the respectable monarch they needed. Nami was just a lowly pirate. A criminal. Sure, she helped save Alabasta, but she would never be seen as anything else.
"You love her don't you."
Knocking back her drink, she turned to the bartender, with a sad smirk across her face.
"Maybe. But I'm not sad enough to discuss my problems to a bartender. No offence." She grinned, handing the bartender her empty glass again. "Another one. On my tab, please." A tab she had zero intention of actually paying. She turned back around to see Vivi with the same suitor still, her beautiful blue hair shining as her shoulders bobbed from laughing at what Nami would assume to be a shit joke on his part.
"Another? But she hasn't spoken to another suitor." He'd sussed what she was doing? Impressive.
The navigator abruptly turned back around, and raised her hand. She had her thumb, index and middle fingers extended.
"Watch this. She's been doing the same routine with all these guys. 3, 2, 1…"
And then Vivi bowed, allowing the suitor to kiss her hand before he walked away and the next one would attempt to talk with her.
The bartender laughed, as he gave Nami her next drink. "Ok, you got me. You're more observant than me it seems."
She winked, tipping her glass towards him, before watching Vivi again. She couldn't keep her eyes off her. She could see how readable the Princess was tonight. She knew Vivi wasn't happy about this. She could feel it. It was political.
Nami felt herself spiral into a tipsy state. A rarity for her. She just didn't want to continue watching this anymore. Sadness and frustration were overtaking.
Vivi's eyes had wandered over to Nami for a split second, and she smiled at the Navigator for a split second as she was talking to the suitor before her.
Nami had it at point. She finished her drink a little too quickly, and gave the bartender a tip. "I'll sort my tab out later." She promised, fingers crossed.
"Don't even worry about it. I doubt I was going to get it anyway, Cat Burglar Nami." He laughed, accepting the tip. "I won't say anything. Go on, outta here."
She nodded, and made her way out of the room, only to be stopped just beyond the door when she felt a hand grab her arm.
"Nami, where are you going?"
That voice. Nami didn't face the Princess, she only stopped in the hallway, not wanting Vivi to see her in such a tipsy state.
"… This isn't you."
"What are you talking about..?"
"Don't, Vivi." She finally turned to look at her. Her eyes were wet, as if she was this close to crying her eyes out. "I can't bear to watch you walk around that room, having the same conversation over and over again with these cookie-cutter suitors. But it's not my place to make a scene. So I'm going to the guest room."
Vivi hadn't let go of the navigator yet, and refused to loosen her grip on her arm.
"Nami, I don't want to do this. You're right." There was the faintest tone of sadness in her voice. "I have a duty to strengthen this countries alliances,and if it means marrying a suitor from a richer country, then it has to be."
Nami had enough. Making sure no one was around, she swiftly backed the blue-haired woman to the wall, her hands placed on the wall either side of her head.
"Why bother?" She pleaded at this point. "You know who it is you like. It's torture watching you put the perfect-princess facade on whilst I'm sat at the bar, and you know damn well that the most perfect person for you in there was me." Her cat eyes stared deep into the Princesses brown eyes, before they lingered to her lips.
"Tell me I'm wrong, Vivi. I'll walk away."
But she couldn't. Vivi knew Nami was right. Vivi had been thrilled to discover it was Nami who had opted to come to the palace. With Nami, Vivi felt things no one had ever made her feel. Fate had it that her and Nami would be separated because of duties and destinies, and those feelings had to be repressed in order to continue living her regal responsibilities lifestyle.
"You're right." She whispered, staring into Nami's hooded eyes. Timid hands found themselves wrapping around the navigators slender, tones waist. Her body felt electric from the tension. Nami lowered an arm, leaning closer to Vivi, feeling her body against hers.
"Nami, I never stopped thinking about you, ever." Their faces were so close at this point, it wouldn't take much to lean in and..
"Princess Vivi? Viiiiivi?" A royal advisors voice could be heard coming closer. Nami stepped backwards, swaying slightly with an intoxicated smirk across her face. Vivi had to catch her own breath for a second before he waltzed into the corridor from the ballroom.
"Apologies, I'll return now. I just wanted to chat with Nami since it's been so long!" They both smiles at the King, feigning innocence.
"Well, chop chop, your majesty!" He turned around and made his way back into the ballroom. "Prince Hestor of Fiora wished to acquaint himself with you, and you still haven't spoken to Lord Azrael of Crystal Island. The mining industry there is booming right now." He continued, ignoring the fact that Vivi hadn't yet moved.
Nami brushed a piece of Vivi's blue hair behind her ear, and quickly planted a soft kiss upon her cheeks. Vivi's hands went back to the fabric upon Nami's waist, and her mouth opened just enough to show the navigator that she wanted more. However, Nami backed away, an intoxicated smirk across her face. She gave Vivi one of her signature winks before walking herself down the hallways to the bedrooms.
"Back to your party. You know where to find me when you're bored of those boys, Princess.~"