Title: Lazy Dancer
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Couple: Luffy X Nami (LuNa)
Rating: T
Warnings: OOC
Inspiration: Collect Call by Metric
World: Original
Lazy Dancer
ZiraUzu
(February 27, 2013)
~X~
"Dance with me."
He groaned. Of all the things she could ask of him, she asked him for a dance. Honestly? Dancing had never been his cup of tea.
Yet how could he refuse her when she looked like this? Her hair was curled and pulled up, yet she had allowed a few stay hairs to hang loose, "adding sex appeal" she called it. He called it silly. Her gown was stunning and fit her curves perfectly, the bottom swayed around her legs when she moved. Then there was her smile. She knew he wouldn't deny her anything when she smiled at him like that.
Almost anything.
"No."
Nami frowned down at her captain. Crossing her arms over her chest, the redhead's eyebrows pulled together in frustration. "Come on, Luffy. Please?"
He glanced up at her. Was she pouting? "I don't dance, Nami."
She let out a frustrated sigh. Why the hell had he invited her to a damn ball if he didn't intend to dance with her?
"Idiot," She huffed as she took the empty seat next to him.
Silence passed between them. It wasn't awkward, yet it gnawed at Nami as she sat beside her captain. The irritation built with the silence. He was infuriating. That much she couldn't deny. Somehow this man had found a way to wiggle his way under her skin; the smallest things set her off when he was around.
"So this is how it's going to be?"
"Hm?" She glanced toward him and saw one of his raven brows form into a curious arch.
"You're always like this now." She whispered as her browns pulled together again. A look of confusion crossed his features yet she ignored it. He could fake innocence all he wanted. She wasn't buying it anymore. "You're infuriating."
Another moment of silence passed, then, "I know."
"Then why do you do it?" She rounded on him, jumping from her chair so she towered over his seated form. Her small hands landed on her hips as she glared at him. "Stop lying to me. Stop wallowing in your own self pity. I'm sick of it."
A look of astonishment crossed Luffy's face before his eyes darkened. He turned his glare away from her, instead choosing to aim it at the floor.
"Stop that!" Nami growled as she reached for his face. Her delicate fingers curled around his chin and attempted to return his gaze to hers, but he wasn't have it. He shook her hand off. She sighed. "You don't see me anymore."
"I see you." He didn't look at her when he said it.
She chuckled, a small, sad sound that vibrated from the center of her throat. He glanced at her then, detecting the sadness behind her laugh. Nami smiled at him; however it didn't reach her eyes as she kneeled before him and grabbed his large hands.
Suddenly the guilt flooded him. His glare softened as he squeezed her hands in answer. She was right of course, he was a liar, and the death of his brother had broken him in a way that was more painful that anything.
"Hey." She whispered. "Talk to me, Luffy. Please. I can't stand the silence anymore, stop pushing me away."
"I see you, you know." He whispered as he pulled her forward, burying his nose into her hair. She smelled like tangerines. "I've always seen you."
Nami let her head fall to his knee and his arms tightened around her head, "Sometimes I feel like you're not looking at me, but through me."
This was true. He wasn't going to deny that his behavior hadn't put a strain on them. While he slowly torn himself apart on the inside she was there, forced to watch as he ripped himself apart day after day. Enough was enough.
"Dance with me?"
Nami glanced up at her captain's proposal. Her eyes widened for a second before she smiled, a true "Nami smile" as he called it. It was a smile that was filled with the happiness that they had developed together years ago.
She allowed him to pull her to her feet as he stood from the chair, leading her out into the center of the dance floor. "I thought you didn't dance." She whispered as he pulled her to him, placing his strong hands comfortably on her small frame.
"I don't." He smiled, "Most of the time."
Then they were moving. His dancing surprised her. She thought his movements would be clumsy, awkward, and she would have to take the lead, yet he moved with a calm grace that she didn't know he possessed. She found that she couldn't keep a smile off her face as he twirled her around the floor.
Happiness is blissful and blinding, nobody knew that better than her. At the end of the night, as she and Luffy walked hand it hand back towards the ship, she found herself wondering again. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and found a calmness that she hadn't seen in awhile swimming across his features.
Perhaps everything would be okay. Perhaps.
However, she had seen that twinkle of happiness in his dark eyes, and she knew. She knew everything was going to be okay for him, for her.
For the both of them.
AU: Eh, I'm not exactly satisfied with the ending. Yet, at the same time I find that it works. I've had this idea for awhile so I finally decided to get it out of my system. Short and quick! Plus I haven't posted anything in like, forever.
Critiques are always welcome! ^_^
Thanks for reading!
3 ZiraUzu