A/N: Hello! This is my first English fic in a while and it's a translation of a work of mine originally written in my main language (what it's kind of a surprise for me, because I don't like translating that much, hahaha). I translated it last month, when I couldn't write anything new for some reasons, but I only finished revision today, orz. I chose this fic because 1) one piece is really important to me and this ship is my favorite otp among all my otps and 2) it is a short fic, so it didn't take so long to translate it, hahaha. (one thing you must know about me it's that I'm very lazy)
Excuse my mistakes, I am far from being fluent in English. ;w;
Hope y'all like it!
It was a special night in the island where the Straw Hats were staying, since a huge festival would happen near the sacred grove. It was a religious celebration, which purpose was to show gratitude for the prosperity of the village. It also was a nice opportunity for the people to have fun, and by having acquired the sympathy of many villagers, the Straw Hats were invited too.
Nami stared at her own reflection in the big mirror one last time. She wore a white floral dress, with red and pink roses filling it, as well as light green leaves. She also decided to pull her hair up in a ponytail, using a red scrunchie to complement her look. After being sure that she didn't need to adjust anything else, she left the room.
They have been staying at the house of a kind lady since they arrived at the island, thus they volunteered to help her with anything she needed in retribution. The crew wouldn't stay for too long, though that place was wonderful and surely memorable. The memories they have been creating here would never be forgotten.
After going downstairs to the living room, Nami saw Robin and Chopper talking casually. The other crewmates have already left, but the three of them have agreed on to go together. All of them were very excited for the festival, so they really wanted to make the most of the night.
A cool breeze met them when they left the house, but it didn't bother them. Even though there were few stars in the sky, the night seemed enjoyable and receptive, it almost looked like it also was in the mood to celebrate. The place where the festival was being held wasn't so far from there, and while Nami, Chopper and Robin walked and talked—Chopper being the more enthusiastic about it among them, with many guesses about the sweets they would be trying there—, they could feel tranquility in the silent village. Many people were going to the same place and sometimes Nami watched them. When they passed by a little green house, a woman was closing its door while holding a kid in her arms. The kid smiled at Nami the moment their eyes met, and that also made her smile.
Nami felt that this would be in fact an amazing experience.
It didn't take too long for them to find the others. Brook and Franky were spotted helping the lady that has hosted them with the last preparations for her stall. Usopp joined them a few minutes later. He was holding two cotton candies. He gave one to Chopper, and so the two of them went checking everything else at the festival. Zoro was drinking sake and surprisingly seemed to have a normal conversation with Sanji—this festival really worked miracles. The cook, however, as he saw Nami and Robin, immediately invited them to join him.
There was only one person who hasn't been spotted yet, and Nami didn't refrain from asking, "Have you guys seen Luffy?"
"Luffy? That idiot went running ahead of us," Sanji answered with a frown. "We lost him from sight before even getting here."
"He must be over there eating everything he can pay for," Zoro complemented while offering sake to Robin.
"It totally sounds like the kind of thing he would do." The archeologist laughed, accepting the drink. Soon, the subject was dropped.
Nami nodded, but she still wanted to see him. A couple of hours ago, when she was coming back from shopping, she bumped into the captain. He seemed to be in a hurry, but when he saw her, he suddenly stopped. With the usual energy, Luffy told Nami that he needed to talk to her, but not at that moment; he wanted to do so at the festival. Like always, he didn't specify a place for them to meet and didn't even wait for her to arrive. Nothing that would surprise her, though.
She was curious, but she decided to pay attention to Robin, Zoro and Sanji instead. Soon Sanji and Zoro started to bicker—even the festival couldn't stop them after all.
So, she suddenly heard, among all the noise and excited voices, someone yelling her name.
The navigator turned around immediately, finding Luffy. He was running in to her with a takoyaki skewer in his mouth and another three in a hand. Shortly thereafter, he reached her and grabbed her hand with his free one, smiling at the others.
"Hey, Luffy, what do you think you're doing?" Nami screamed while she was forced to run with him. As an answer, Luffy just laughed and finished eating. He was dragging her further and further of the stalls. She was confused, yet she sighed in resignation; she knew too well that he wouldn't give up so easily on bringing her wherever he wanted to. "I can walk on my own, y'know?"
Then he stopped all of a sudden, finally letting go of her hand. Nami rubbed it—Luffy didn't really have the necessary delicacy to hold her gentler—and she was about to feel relieved, when she looked up and noticed that they were at the entrance of the sacred grove. It was protected by a medium-sized marble statue of a impressive woman, who was wearing a long dress. Her closed eyes gave some serenity to her face, as well as the flower crown she was holding. It was an endearing statue, a good representation of the meaning of faith to the villagers.
"Come with me, Nami!" Luffy said, adjusting the hat in his head. "There's something I wanna show you so much."
She followed him through the grove. Obviously it wasn't so dense, but some trees had an admirable splendor. It was a comfortable place, even with the low luminosity.
As they moved forward, Nami's curiosity only grew. However, Luffy stopped after a while, reaching out for her hand and grabbing it. Their fingers were interlaced.
"It's a surprise, so close your eyes now!" he stated before Nami could say anything. A little reluctant, she did it, focusing on the warmth of his hand on hers. They walked taking short steps, Luffy always guiding her. Even though she felt the urge to peek countless times, she didn't do it because of how animated he was about it.
A comfortable silence grew between them, the only sounds they could hear came from the ambient. The rustle of the treetops in the face of the breeze, the subtle noises they made every time their feet met the earth. It was extremely tranquilizing, although Nami also was too anxious for whatever that would be coming next.
"We made it!" Luffy announced, but he didn't loose his grip. "You can open your eyes now."
When Nami finally could see what was surrounding them, she got breathless. She was in the middle of the most dazzling scenery she has ever had the chance to admire.
They were in a clearing of endless, indescribable beauty. There was a small lake in its center, not so far from where they stood. Around the lake, big rocks aglommerated onto each other irregularly, and it was on one of them that they were. The sight itself was delightful, but something caught Nami's attention—an enchanting element that made her goggle.
Plenty of shining little dots were flying over the lake, their light being reflected in the water. They were here, there and everywhere, including near Nami and Luffy. They were so beautiful that the place looked even more fascinating. Nami smiled in wonder.
Dozens of fireflies with a warm yellowish light. It was so wonderful that it didn't even seem real.
"Luffy... It's beautiful," Nami muttered, analyzing the scenery. She felt exposed to something so rare that she tried to move as less as possible, otherwise she would break the magic moment in the clearing. The captain, though, stared at her.
"When I found out this place, I had a feeling that I needed to bring you here." He laughed.
Tenderness filled her face, showing how much she liked the surprise. Nami looked at him and she could see the same brightness surrounding them in his eyes. A warm and welcome feeling bloomed—it was like being in the right place, in the right moment. It was like they belonged to that instant, and the simple thought was very pleasing.
Luffy also shone in his own way, Nami was sure of this. Certainly their relationship has been changing a lot over the last few weeks, in a way she wouldn't ever think it was possible. The increasingly admiration she had for him was mutual, Nami herself already knew it. Yet it was still subtle, even if the word "subtle" didn't suit none of them most of the time.
Moments like this, however, were appreciated under a different perspective.
Nami embraced him because it seemed like the rightest thing to do.
But as Luffy held her face and slowly got closer and closer, almost in a silent ask for her permission, she didn't complain.
And when their lips finally met in a sweet kiss, she felt that it would be more than appropriate to designate that night as somewhat eternal.
A/N: About the title: according to wikipedia, kairos "is an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical, or opportune moment."
Eventually I'll come back with some new content or more translations!