A/N: Hello everyone! Hmmm….-looks around- Well, this is different! Welcome to my first EVER One Piece fanfic (usually I write for Pokémon), let alone my first LuffyxNami! So this is just a short little oneshot I felt like doing! Like I said, this is my first attempt at One Piece so be nice please! Well, here goes nothing! Hehe enjoy! :D

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Floating

Bliss. Utter serenity compared to what we'd been through lately. Floating in this water, everything felt perfect. I loved this. I--.

"Uuggghhh…." A loud groan interrupted my peaceful thoughts. Rolling my eyes, I closed them, attempting to drift further away into nothingness. No way was he going to ruin this rare opportunity for relaxation. Tuning out all sounds, I cleared my mind of all thoughts. Today, I was going to get some well-deserved--.

"Uuggghhh!!" The groan pierced the air again, this time coming from directly above me. Startled, my eyes shot open, and I squealed, sinking back into the water with a splash.

His face peered down at me, inches away, as he leaned over the edge of the rowboat.

I stood up in the waist-deep water, crossing my arms and glaring at him with as much intensity as I could muster. Of course he had to screw up every good moment in my life with that goofy smile perpetually slapped on his face. That's just how he is. Still, that didn't mean I had to like it.

"Urgh, Luffy! I am trying to relax here! Now what is it?" I said through clenched teeth.

He sighed again, resting his chin on the edge of the boat. Trailing a finger through the water, he looked up at me. "Can we please go back to the ship now? Watching you float around all day is stupid."

I raised an annoyed eyebrow and eyed the Merry Go anchored in the distance. Cocking my head to the side, I wondered if I'd be able to punch him that far.

"Namiiii!" He whined again.

How could one person be this aggravating?

"Luffyyy!" I mocked. "Well then why the heck did you come with me in the first place?"

He seemed to hesitate for a beat longer than usual before replying. "'Cause I was bored. But now I'm bored again….and hungry, come to think of it. So let's go!" Reaching out an arm, he tried to grab me and pull me into the boat.

Feeling defiant, I stepped away. "No! Just go back by yourself! I'm staying here!"

He frowned. "No way! I'm not going back by myself!"

"Why not? It'll take you two minutes!" I said, gesturing to Merry in the distance.

"'Cause!" He remained ever-stubborn.

"'Cause why?"

"Urgh, fine! Maybe I will leave! Sheesh!" Finally giving in, he glared right back at me. But he still didn't seem to have any intention of leaving.

"Uh, aren't you gonna go?" I said, contemplating whether I should shove the boat away myself.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Aren't you gonna go back to floating?"

That didn't answer my question, but at this point, I didn't care. "Yes!" I resumed my previous relaxing position, letting the small waves carry me up and down.

I sighed. Arguing was what we did best. Ever since I'd met Luffy, we'd been butting heads. We were so alike, two strong-willed crazy people on a quest to fulfill our dreams. Maybe that's why we make such a good team, Luffy and I. I mean, I think that's what I like about him so much. The fact that there's someone in this world who's just as stubborn as me; a constant challenge.

That's probably the reason why I always picked fights with him, just to see who would end up on top, to see who would have bragging rights for the day. At least, that's how I saw it. So then why was it that these days I had been feeling, dare I say it….bad whenever we argued. For some reason, I always felt the need to apologize afterwards, just so I could hear him laugh again and see that seemingly endless smile return to his face.

I shuddered, breaking out of my reverie. I mean, this was Luffy I was talking about.

Speaking of Luffy, I realized that he was still sitting in the boat, watching me intently. Whatever…..as long as he didn't talk. But of course, he did.

"Hey Nami?" I heard him say quietly.

Turning my head as calmly as I could, I decided that I was going to try my hardest not to snap at him. "Yeah?"

His bored expression had been replaced by one of deep thought (a less than common sight, may I add), a distant look in his eyes. He almost looked a little sad, which was strange considering his usually upbeat attitude. Fiddling with his hat, he turned his gaze to me. "What's it like to swim?"

I paused. I hadn't been expecting this. He was so unpredictable, that boy. One minute he could be an annoying little pest, the next, a mature, responsible leader. With his guard down, he exuded a sort of childlike innocence as he stared at me with those big brown eyes of his, waiting for an answer.

Slowly, I smiled. As weird as it was, I suddenly felt the need to be extra nice to him. I stood up in the water. "Here, I'll show you."

He looked at me quizzically before a huge smile spread across his face. Quickly, he removed his hat and shirt. He glanced hesitantly at the water.

"It's okay. It's shallow. See? I'm standing in it." I coaxed.

Luffy nodded and cautiously slid into the ocean.

"Whoa! It's cold! Jerk! You should've warned me!" He laughed, splashing me in the face.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. Luffy had always loved water, despite his predicament. "Hey! Watch what you say around me! I could still shove you under, y'know!"

"Like you'd have the guts!" Carefully, he dipped his head in the water, wetting his hair. He then proceeded to shake his head around vigorously, making sure to do it while in close proximity to me.

"Hey! Luffy! Eww! Do you want me to help you swim or not!" I shrieked as water from his wet hair splattered my face.

Suddenly, he stopped and stared at me wide-eyed as if he'd just remembered something important. "Yes, please. Sorry."

And this was important. I hoped that we might find some sort of loophole in the curse that would solve all our problems, well, his problems mostly. It was worth a shot.

"Okay then. C'mere. Now lie flat on your back like you saw me doing earlier." I instructed.

Nodding, he slowly positioned himself in the water. Any other human would have floated. Luffy began to sink. He panicked for a second until I grabbed his arm, steadying him.

I gently rested my hands underneath him, one under his back, the other under his legs, to help him stay afloat. Of course I began blushing wildly, but I forced myself to focus, for I was dead set on helping Luffy.

His eyes were closed, arms spread wide as he felt the motion of the sea. He smiled. "You're right, this is nice."

I smiled too, nodding even though he couldn't see me. "Hey, I'm gonna let go now and let you try it by yourself." I was feeling so good about this moment that I thought maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to do it.

Slowly, I pulled my arms out from under him. He lay suspended in the water for a promising second before he began to sink once more. Quickly, I pulled him up before he could slip under.

Standing up, he shrugged. "It's okay. We almost had it."

Still, I couldn't help but feel extremely disappointed. For that second, I thought he had been free, that I had freed him from that awful Devil Fruit curse. I sighed. "Still….I….I thought…."

He must have noticed how upset I still looked, because the next thing I knew, Luffy had wrapped an arm around me and pulled me in to him.

"It's fine, Nami. Seriously." He murmured into the top of my head. He then brushed some of my hair aside and kissed my forehead. "But thanks for trying!" Looking at me, he grinned. "Anyway, I think I'm better off in the boat. I am a pirate captain after all!" He held onto me for a second longer, a promising second, before pulling away. Still smiling, Luffy climbed back into the boat and pulled on his shirt.

I just stood there, shocked that such a sweet gesture could have come from Luffy. Well, maybe I shouldn't be so shocked anymore.

Smiling to myself, a blush creeping across my face, I slipped back into the water.

Luffy had sprawled out comfortably in the rowboat, eyes closed, smiling as well.

It was bliss. Utter serenity compared to what we'd been through lately. Floating in this water, everything felt perfect.

I loved this.

….I loved him.

THE END!!

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A/N: Ta-da! That's it! Sorry if they were a little OOC, but, like I said, this was my first time writing these characters…..So yep! Hope you liked it! I'd appreciate it if I could get a few reviews…just so I know how I did with One Piece! Thanks for reading! Catch ya later!! :PPP