A Devil's Jealousy - Robin x Nami
The aquarium was empty as usual, just the way Nami liked it. It was exhausting having to keep up with the energetic boys upstairs, and the only place where she could be undisturbed was here. Just her, the muffled sloshing inside the tanks as the fish swam about, and today, some of the many maps she had drawn up since she had become one of the Straw Hat Pirates. She wasn't sure what had compelled her, but she had woken up that morning with a nostalgic memory of the blue-haired princess of Arabasta. She was suddenly brought back to the days where she had caught that horrendous fever at Drum Island. Vivi had never strayed from her side, trying her best to keep her from suffering any more than necessary. Nami couldn't deny how much she missed the younger girl, and wished she had joined the crew. But with her duties as the princess of such a large country, who could she blame?
Without even thinking, Nami had grabbed the map she had drawn up there, as well as a couple others further into their journey after departure, and brought it with her to the aquarium. She had even declined the offer of breakfast, though she was glad Sanji was stubborn enough to send down a plate of omelettes, sided with hashed browns and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, despite her protests. Nami had spent a good chunk of her time scrutinizing her maps, trying to figure out if she had missed anything, and was a tad irritated when nothing came up. She was lost in thought as she focused on the speck that marked the Nefertari Palace. She didn't hear the light footsteps behind her.
"What are you doing?" a quiet voice said from behind her.
Nami jumped and spun around on her barstool in slight annoyance. "Robin! You scared me," she said, letting out a breath. "And nothing, I'm just remembering things."
"Arabasta?" Robin inquired rhetorically as she peered over the Nami's shoulders. Her dark eyes narrowed, and the slight smile she had on her lips turned. She didn't say anything more, but she didn't have to. Nami knew that the memories of her days as Miss All-Sunday were anything but pleasant.
"Well, not so much the battles. I was just remembering Vivi, that's all."
"Vivi as in…Miss Wednesday?"
"That's right. It's a shame you two didn't have the chance to get along. She's a really wonderful person."
"Times were different then, she was one of Crocodile's biggest threats, so what was I to do? Besides, that girl hated me more than anything," Robin replied dispassionately.
"I'm sure it's different now. You know Luffy, he doesn't recruit just anyone. So she knows you're not an enemy anymore."
"Yes, well, it appears you miss her very much for you."
Nami let out a small sigh, followed by the slightest of smiles. "I do. She was like a little sister to me. Not to mention that she was the first female crewmember here, even if it was only temporary. I really wish she had joined. I think she would've made a great pirate given her courage and persistence. Both she and Luffy shares the same need to always help those in need at any cost, as well. It's just a good thing that she doesn't share his thirst for adventure, that'd be problematic."
"A little sister? Really?" said Robin with a raise of a brow. "Does that mean you are disappointed that I joined the crew in her place?"
"Of course not! That's totally different!"
"How about back then, putting aside the fact that I had brought a fair amount of money with me?"
She opened her mouth to deny it, but shut it knowing she couldn't. She had been ecstatic at the amount of money Robin had exchanged for her place in the crew at first, but she hadn't trusted her at all.
"That's what I thought, Miss Navigator."
"I thought we were beyond that now," Nami said with a frown. She had never liked the name Robin had given her before the incident with the World Government. It was so formal, the way she avoided saying her real name. The formality made the older girl seem so far away, as if they were no more than strangers living in the same place.
Robin straightened herself up and strode over to the cushioned seats that lined the edge of the circular room and fish tank. Taking a seat directly in behind Nami, she crossed one leg over the other and pulled out the book she had brought with her. Nami looked at her confusedly. With a sigh, she pushed herself off the stool, knocking over one of her maps in the process, but she ignored it as she made her way over to the older girl.
"Are you angry?" Nami asked cautiously, standing in so close in front of her that the raven-haired woman's knee brushed against her bare legs. "Things are different now, you know. Back then, you were an enemy until you spontaneously appeared on the Going Merry, so we can't be blamed right? But I thought that was all behind us. Any one of us, Luffy, Sanji, me, Usopp, Chopper, Franky, and even Zoro, are willing to lay our lives down without hesitation for you."
Robin smiled amusedly and let out a short laugh, "You're pouting, Nami. And yes, I know that. I'd do the same."
"Then?"
"Then what?"
"You're just playing with me, aren't you?"
"Perhaps," Robin said, her blue eyes glinting mischievously. "Though I will be honest with you and tell you that I don't appreciate the fact that you're spending so much time dwelling on that little girl."
"She may be young but she's a very capable girl," Nami said defensively, "and like I said, you'd like her too if you spent time with her like we did."
Robin bookmarked her page and set down her book, her face stilled as usual. She uncrossed her legs and looked up at Nami, a serious expression set on her face. Nami swallowed thickly, wondering if she had said something wrong, but kept her gaze. The raven-haired beauty smiled and brought up both arms, crossing them in front of her with her palms to the ceiling. Before Nami could react, a pair of arms sprung up on her back and pushed her forward, disappearing as soon as they appeared in a whirl of flower petals. The redhead collapsed onto her, her face bearing an obvious sign of surprise. She flushed a little to find herself straddling the taller girl's lap, her hands held up in front of her in a guarded stance, but not touching anything.
"W-what was that for?" she said. "If you wanted me in this position, you could've just pulled me down instead of growing your arms everywhere."
"But since I have this ability, I should make good use of it, should I not?"
"Not like this! Just because you're a Devil Fruit user…show-off."
"Yet you enjoy it as much as I do. Though if you insist," her arms broke away from its previous "X" position and slithered around Nami's waist, "I will only use my original arms."
"I see how it is now," Nami said with a sly smirk. "It's not that you don't like Vivi, you're just jealous, aren't you?"
"Perhaps. Although she would've made my life a lot easier if she hadn't shown up at all, back then and now."
"Think of it this way, if she hadn't play double agent, she would never have met us. We'd just be on our way and you would've never met me. Then I'd just be stuck with a ship full of boys and I wouldn't be too happy."
"Now what's wrong with ship full of boys, Miss Navigator?" Nami bit her tongue to protest against her use of that nickname, but decided she could let it go since it was used in a playful manner.
"I'm sick of men, I don't know if you'd understand that. I've lived them for so long, since the day I decided to work for Arlong. I had Nojiko, yes, but nothing was the same after Bellemere's death. I mean, there isn't anything wrong with these particular boys, but they are just that no matter how strong they may be."
"You are telling me this as you are sitting on my lap, Nami-san," Robin said with her trademark smile.
"You're the one who shoved me here," Nami said, averting her eyes from the other woman.
"You are welcome to get off. I'm not going to stop you."
"You're mean."
"Then would you prefer if I dye my hair an ice-blue and grow it to my hips, find myself a pet duck, learn to wield a pair of coasters chained together, and be shy, modest, and nice-nice?"
"Robin!"
"Yes?"
Nami gaped at her. "If you were Vivi, then I'd consider you no more than a little sister."
"Oh? And what do you consider me right now?"
"Not a little sister, that's for sure."
"Be more specific," she said in a collected command. Nami looked at her disbelievingly.
But with a sigh, she replied, "I think you know, you big green monster."
A/N: Just the other lame story I posted in my anthology (of two stories). Didn't like this one as much, but the other has a higher chance of being rewritten xD