Disclaimer: One Piece is currently unowned (as far as we know), but Luffy's looking for it, so watch out! O'o

Endearment Punches

Nami, shy?

Pffft, the two words don't belong in the same sentence unless it's "Nami is no where near shy." She refuses to believe that the reason she doesn't express her deeper feelings to the man she might (emphasis on 'might' as she has yet to fully admit it to herself, though it was an obvious 'yes') be in love with is because she is shy or scared. 'No,' Nami thought to herself as she lounged in her chair on the deck, peeking from behind a book to gaze at the raven-haired boy, 'It must he some other reason.'

So, there she was, trying to think up an applicable excuse why she didn't just march over there this very second and osculate his lips with hers. Was she scared of rejection? Nami knew she was attractive, a catch for any man. She prided herself on her famine appearance, and her ability to her hold her own as a strong woman. 'Just like Bellemere raised me.' She smirked at the thought of her mother standing in front of her smiling and saying "Damn straight!"

'Ok, Bellemere-san, riddle me this,' She thought; now giving a sly smile to her captain's back. 'If you raised me to be a 'strong woman', then why am I here and not over there confessing my undying love for that idiot?'

"I raised you to smart and strong, not to be a baka! Who are you, Sanji-kun?!" She could almost hear her voice and had to suppress a snicker as her mother laughed in her mind.

Nami had to shift her gaze back to her book, knowing that if she stared any longer, one of her crewmates might catch her and get the wrong idea. 'Well, actually, it'd be the right idea, but I don't want any of them to know that yet, if ever.'

Nami then contemplated whether to just screw the whole subject of why she was keeping her affections in the closet and just have a pleasant daydream; maybe how many kids they'd have. 'Eight, to match my nakama.' She thought. 'Maybe more, if Luffy wanted it.' Her shrewd smirk grew wider as she brought the book closer to her face to hide her small blush. 'Oh, dirty thoughts, Nami. What would Bellemere think if she saw you now?'

"I'd laugh."

She smirked even more. 'Of course you would.' Nami's smile softened to more of a pleasant and content look. She let out a soft sigh. 'Do you think he even has a clue?'

"When has that boy ever had a clue?"

'True.'

"I'd go with the blunt method."

'Walking over there and smacking him?'

"Don't you do that enough already? And how would he get a hint from that. You wonder why the boy's so damn stupid, you causing him brain damage on a regular basis may be your answer."

'Different kind of smack, and he was stupid long before I got to him.'

"Really falters your taste in men."

This time Nami shook lightly with suppressed laughter, proving unsuccessful as a snicker or two escaped her gently sculpted lips. She knew her mother to well. It was like she was right there with her. The small smile on her face turned to a melancholy emotion as Nami's eyes were softened with sadness. 'I really miss you, Bellemere-san…'

"Hey Nami?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"Because, Luffy-"

Nami's words screeched to a sudden stop as she realized exactly who she was talking to and the small amount of personal space he was giving her by peeking over her shoulder like that.

"Luffy," she asked as he stared intently at the book that Nami hadn't read one word of.

"Yeah?"

"Exactly how long have you been reading over my shoulder like this?"

"Not very long." He answered, absentmindedly picking his nose with his pinky finger.

"Oh, he's a keeper, all right."

Nami narrowed her eyes. Maybe she didn't miss Bellemere that much…

"What'cha reading?"

"Hmm, I'm not quite sure, I haven't gotten very far into it yet." Nami lied with skill worth of Ussop, though the fact that the random page that she had opened to when first picking up the book was near the end might have made most people doubt, she trusted her Captain's unobservant-ness.

"Oh." Was his simple reply. He kept staring at her novel.

'I should turn back and look at the book.' She knew she should, but her head just stayed angled, watching his blank, wide-eyed face, observing its shape, how the bridge of his nose curved, the way he tilted it slightly in concentration.

"Cute. I'm starting to see why you fell for this guy."

Nami's smile at her "mother's" thought curved into a small frown as her eyes fell to the scar on his left cheek. She had never inquired about it, but at the moment, the fact that she didn't know how it came about bothered her.

"Knowing him, he probably gave it to himself."

'He's not that stupid.'

"Sure he's not."

Thinking about it, there were a lot of things that she still had yet to learn about her captain. He knew all about her. He had got her entire life story via her Onee-san's tale. 'Wait, hadn't he walked away from that?' Nami's frown grew deeper, trying to remember what her sister had told her before she and the crew departed, her head finally turning toward the book she held in front of her face. 'He hadn't cared about my past. He would have me as his navigator no matter how broken I was.'

"Oh, I see what's wrong."

Nami blinked at the sudden words, almost forgetting who it was looming over her.

"Looming, huh? More dirty thoughts, daughter?"

"What?" Nami blinked at him.

"I've done that before. Here."

Nami blinked, still not comprehending the meaning behind his words. He reached out a hand and took hold of the book, flipping it before returning it to her hands that still hung in mid air as the cartographer sat stunned.

"There, that's better." He smiled. "Maybe you'll be able to read it better now, huh? Shishishi…" Nami blinked at him, her brows beginning to furrow, a blush creeping quickly to stain her cheeks. Nami stared at him, mouth agape on her outraged, yet still mildly confused, face.

He moved to take his hat off and she soon found her view obscured by the treasure being placed roughly onto her head. She heard his snickers and raised a hand, pushing it farther back to look at him. He stood in front of her, arms crossed with that wildly happy grin plastered across his face. He was still laughing through his teeth.

"LUNCH!"

The voice rang through the ship as the blond cook yelled to his comrades on deck, informing them of their meal's completion.

"Oh! Food!" Luffy did a one-eighty to face the entrance to the galley, the grin on his face growing even wider, if possible. "See ya at lunch, Nami!" She blinked as he raced to the door, spinning around once in his sprint to smile, wave, and yell his temporary farewell to her before facing forward in time to burst through the doors properly. His messy hair blew lightly from the wind, his image somewhat incomplete with the absence of his hat.

Nami's gaze stuck to the empty doorway. She hid her eyes under the shade of the hat as Zoro walked by on his way to eat, also. He paused a moment to look at his crewmate, observing her shaking shoulders. The first mate quirked an eyebrow as he bent his head to better see her hidden expression.

Nami's hand went up to grip the front of the worn straw, pulling it a bit more over her head as she bit her bottom lip, trying to hide the smile there.

Zoro stood and leaned back slightly in wonder as the navigator then used her hand on the rim of his captain's hat to pushed it suddenly back on her head, throwing her head back in such full laughter that he had never before heard bubble forth from her.

Nami grasped her sides as she continued to laugh, just giggling at life in general. How funny she found it, through her reasons for its comedic nature were unapparent. Zoro walked by, shaking his head as he passed the laughing girl.

Nami felt so free.

"Ah, Navigator-san, are you joining lunch?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, Robin, I'm coming." A smile still played on her lips as she followed her friend into the galley, a plan already forming in her head. She didn't need to give him only the hat back, after all.

"That's my girl."

WakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWaka-O.o-ZOMG,PacMan!WakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWakaWaka

I have no time for a once-over, so if there are problems, forgive me! Tell me what ya think! I love reviews…(they're like crack to me) Though I've never had crack…(But I'm sure it's addictive, just like me and reviews!) Ok, then, I'm going now…