I saw him in the street, standing right beside his poster like nothing was wrong. I was rooted to the ground. 100,000,000 beri. I needed that, and he was just standing there. 2 steps, maybe 3, and I could have enough money to sustain my village for 20 years. He turned this way, feeling my eyes boring into him. But he didn't look worried, he didn't look scared, he didn't run. The minute I locked gazes with him, I was drawn to him. I walked to him. A lighthearted 'Hey!'. A smile. A wave.
I didn't even think. I just waved back. Smiled back. Replied to his hello. We didn't lose eye contact.
He seemed unworried. I couldn't even breathe.
That gaze made me realize what it was like to have my heart stolen. I couldn't turn him in. I didn't want to. The words spilled out of my mouth faster than my heart could beat.
"Take me with you!"
No objection. No agreement. No reply at all.
Hesitation.
Surprise.
The emotions on his face kept flickering in and out faster than a hummingbird's wings. Finally a smile. An agreement. A happy little 'Sure!'. It wasn't much to others. To me it was everything I needed. Everything I wanted. My life shrunk down to the only word that meant anything to me in that moment.
He didn't bother to ask my name. We walked to his ship. We didn't speak on the way. We didn't try to get to know each other. We didn't have to. A mutual connection hung in the air. Some unseen force. We knew everything about each other, from the moment we exchanged greetings. A hey, a hello. We saw everything. We read each other. Facial expressions. Body language. Eye contact. Everything was there, and we both saw it all.
I didn't care about the other crew members. I kept my eyes on Luffy the entire time. Fascinated. Love-struck.
I probably seemed to be studying him. But no, there was no need for that. I knew him inside and out already. I just couldn't bring myself to take my eyes from him. Like if I did he would disappear. Leave me behind.
We breathed at the same time. Hearts racing faster than ever before, beating loudly in our chests. No-one else could hear the angry melody of racing blood coursing through us. A step. Two. Nobody was near. We were alone. Closer to each other. We kept taking small steps.
Finally we were embracing, listening to the steady chorus of music.
Loud, violent, heavenly.
A beating drum, a raging guitar, a sad violin, a jingling triangle. Silver light passed by my eyes in bright flashes, blinding me. My way of seeing the truth. This is irrational.
I didn't care. His scent, his breathing in sync with mine, his voice murmuring in my ear. It was all I could hear, all I could tell was real. We were drowned in ourselves, lost in a world where only we could be. Maybe I was drowning. I didn't care.