Broken Hallelujah
Apologies and Revelations
AN: I own nothing in this story. Please R&R.
Nami could walk by Usopp in the daylight but in the evening she had nightmares. She remembered his broken body held in her arms and the way his tears seemed to carve canyons in his face. She remembered calling his name over and over until his eyes met hers and the pain she saw in those dark orbs hurt her just to look at them.
Instead of soothing him as she should have done all she did was repeat that it was alright about the money. A few hours later he had left them, his body lying so still on the rocky island that Nami thought he was dead. She needed to apologize to him or else these nightmares would never end. Her chance came a few weeks later.
They had just finished fighting off a band of weak pirates and Usopp had been injured by some debris thrown during the battle. He had received a wicked slash across his back. Chopper had gotten him out of danger and now Usopp was resting in his room. Nami entered and Usopp sat up in bed.
"Nami, what do you want? If it's about my debt, I promise I'll pay you back as soon as I can, alright?" She didn't respond, merely walked up to his bed and sat down. She looked at his body then, his lower half covered by his sheets. Scars spread out like one of her maps all over his lanky frame, some carving long lines into his flesh, others forming pools in his skin. The navigator reached out a hand and traced his warped flesh wondering how he had survived so many injuries. Finally she spoke and her voice came soft and pleading.
"I'm sorry for not being there for you back at Water 7. I…should have cared for you but I didn't. Can you forgive me?" As she finished her brown eyes met his dark orbs. Usopp's arms wrapped around Nami in a gentle hug and he stroked her tangerine colored hair.
"I forgive you Nami and it was my fault for leaving in the first place. I overreacted and if I had stopped to think I would have realized what I was doing was wrong." Usopp whispered. Nami returned the hug and Usopp winced as she touched the cut on his back.
"Sorry…" Nami said, breaking apart from her nakama. Usopp gave her a smile and shook his head.
"The Great Captain Usopp can endure a lot more than that!" He boasted. Nami chuckled and reached out a hand towards his left cheek and the next words she spoke came out of her mouth without her really thinking about it.
"I love you Usopp." Her face was flushed then as well as Usopp's. "Sorry, I know you and Kaya…" Nami started to say but Usopp put a finger to her lips and smiled at her once more.
"I love you too Nami, although it took me a while to realize it." Usopp said. Nami buried her face in his chest then and chuckled.
"We're really something aren't we?" Nami said, looking up into his face.
"Yup…and I'll love you forever." The marksman replied. Nami gave him a sly grin and pouted.
"Only forever?" Usopp kissed her on the lips then and the navigator melted into it. Once they broke apart, Usopp's eyes were twinkling.
"Forever…and ever…" Nami sighed then, content, and soon drifted off to sleep, her arms lying on Usopp's chest serenely. Usopp followed a few moments later, his arms hugging onto her gently and not letting go. And that was how Sanji found them a few hours later, a pair of content smiles wrapped in white sheets.