Pairing: Nami/Robin
Notes: For Share the Love month! Today's day was Nami/Robin.
I hope you enjoy and definitely check out the other stories that are already posted and to come this month. It's been amazing so far and I'm looking forward to seeing everything else that comes out :D Thank you especially to the organisers of this event, myladyday and aerle. You are magnificent stars!
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Nami put a hand to her forehead in exasperation, closing her eyes and forcing herself to take a deep breath. It was hard and she was so angry.
"I don't understand," she said slowly, the words edging out from between clenched teeth. "Please could you explain it again."
At her side, Robin sighed in equal annoyance, sitting down heavily in a theatre chair. She crossed her arms over her chest and Nami sat down beside her, bringing the heavy bag she'd been carrying all day to rest on her lap.
An odd wheeze came from a man sitting on the stage. He was dressed as a jester and Nami wanted to stuff his ridiculous hat in his mouth for all the trouble he'd caused. Behind him, a play was being rehearsed, the actors moving their mouths only to have silence to fall out.
Obviously the jester guy had a devil fruit power and obviously it was a ridiculous power that made people act. Or something. And as humorous as it was to see their nakama decked up in tights and very short bloomers, Nami and Robin were tired of the jester's games.
"We did what you said," Nami pointed out, raising the bag. "We collected your stupid element orbs."
"You should free our nakama," Robin said softly, a warning in her voice.
"Ah," cooed the jester, springing up and dancing in a circle. The bells on his stupid hat jingled, matching ones on his feet following his movement. "But you've missed one!"
The jester laughed gratingly and Nami had had enough. She stood up, the bag of orbs jarring her shoulder as they moved down quickly.
"We want our nakama. We didn't do anything to insult you or cause you harm. You were the one who attacked us and did… that." Nami narrowed her eyes, grimacing as she saw Zoro fall dramatically to the ground, clutching his heart. Brook swayed in the background as a melancholy tree and Usopp made a show of sneaking away, cackling silently.
It would be very, very amusing if the jester wasn't refusing to let their nakama go.
The jester laughed again and Nami set the bag on the ground, preparing to storm forwards and give the jester something to really laugh about. A soft hand around her wrist stopped her and Robin shook her head when she looked back.
"Will you tell us then? What it is we're missing?" There was a dangerous undertone to Robin's voice and Nami sat down, well aware of what Robin was capable of. There was more than one way to stop a devil fruit's power and if they had to kill the jester then Robin would feel no fear in doing so.
The jester paused in his dancing to tilt his head and hum.
"I can help you, but I cannot tell you exactly. It's different for every person, after all." He beamed and Nami sighed, rolling her eyes and standing again. She was done; she couldn't stay another moment here.
"You'll need to go through the maze," the jester said sadly. Nami turned and wondered how he got his hat to droop with his mood. "Then you'll have to bring what you find back." He smiled again and returned to dancing.
Nami walked out of the theatre, rolling her eyes as Robin joined her.
"What is his deal," she muttered. Robin touched her shoulder gently, pointing to a strange hedge- structure. It was like any maze Nami had seen before, except the hedges were incredibly tall and red.
"I hoped we wouldn't have to go in there," she said and Robin laughed, the sound brightening Nami somewhat.
"It won't be so bad. I'm sure there won't be any horrible creatures waiting to eat us up." She looked at Nami, humour dancing in her eyes.
"The only one I want a horrible creature to eat someone up is that jester," Nami said, running a hand through her hair with her free hand. She rolled her shoulders and patted the clima-tact at her hip.
"Well I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she said, slinging the bag over her shoulder and sighing. They set off together into the red-hedge maze.
There weren't horrible creatures that popped out at them at all. The first obstacle they came across was a high stool with a pompous-looking man sat atop it. He twirled his moustache and unfurled a scroll, clearing his throat and looking down at them.
"Welcome to the maze! You must have gathered the four elemental orbs before you can pass through. You will be tested for each orb and at the end you will be rewarded – if you get there. A wrong step and you'll be evicted from the maze." The man twirled his moustache again, peering down at them with raised, bushy eyebrows.
"Well go on then! I don't want to sit here all day." Nami glanced at Robin as they passed. She really wished they hadn't stopped here.
"It takes one day for the log to set," she muttered, Robin walking ahead slightly. "Why couldn't we have had just one normal day?"
Robin peered over her shoulder, shaking her head with a smile.
"Have we ever had a normal day?" Nami grinned, shrugging.
"I suppose not. Still, at least one of us doesn't have to stop the other careering into danger. Imagine if Luffy had been stuck with one of us." Nami came to stand beside Robin, looking down at a little plinth in the earth.
"Luffy would love this at first," Robin said, bending down to read the markings on the plinth. "But he'd soon get bored of it. This is more of a mental challenge; the plinth calls for the air orb."
Nami reached into the bag, looking for the clear orb. She passed it to Robin's waiting hand, holding her breath as it settled on the plinth. Nothing happened for a moment, then the orb seemed to melt, something floating up out of it.
"Greetings," the smoke-creature said, slowly forming. It looked to be a bird, though not a type Nami had ever seen before, and it settled on the plinth in place of the orb. "I am the guardian of air and the first to test you."
The bird peered at them both and Nami sighed. Mysterious birds that rose out of orbs weren't that interesting when you were a member of the Straw Hat pirates. She wanted to get through here and get her nakama off this bizarre island.
"A question for you both, then," the bird said, fluffing its feathers up and spreading a wing. It was arm-like and Nami could see Robin watching with interest.
Perhaps before they escaped the island they'd look for a few books on this strange maze for her.
"A human needs many things, but arguably the most important is food." The bird dipped its head. "What is your companions favourite food?"
Nami frowned, glancing to Robin just to make sure she'd heard correctly. This was the mysterious maze that they had to pass through in order to save their nakama? A maze with orb animals that was asking her basic trivia?
"Sandwiches, particularly ones that match coffee," Nami said suspiciously.
"Mandarins," Robin replied simply and the bird jumped up, flapping some of the strange smoke over them.
"You're correct!" it said after a moment. "You may proceed."
With that, it shrunk back down, the orb reforming.
"I really don't like this island," Nami said. "A terrible quest I could take, some odd adventure, sure! But simple questions from orb-creatures?"
"I think I've read about this maze before," Robin said gently, turning to the right hand path. Nami followed her, grabbing the air orb as she passed. "But I want to make sure before I tell you anything."
They continued on until they reached another plinth, this time with earth inscribed upon it. Robin placed the earth orb and, as before, the orb melted and a mole formed in mid-air.
"Oh hello," it said politely, waving its huge paws. "Well done for getting this far. You know, a lot of people fall at the first hurdle."
It beamed. Nami shifted closer to Robin, the odd mole-smile unnerving her somewhat.
"What are your favourite flowers?" the mole asked, peering at them with blind eyes.
"Robin loves lilies," she said, thinking to the multitude of flowers Robin tended to and the ones that always held her attention the most. They were gorgeous lilies, creamy white and with a divine scent. Nami enjoyed taking her cartography books to sit beside them and often she'd dozed off there, Robin waking her with a gentle kiss on her cheek.
"Nami loves sunflowers," Robin said simply.
The mole, like the bird, sent smoke towards them, wiggling happily when it discovered they were correct. It sent them on their way and Nami stashed the orb away, humming to herself as they continued on.
"I think I know what this maze is trying to do," she said, linking her arm with Robin's. "I think they're testing us."
Robin ran her fingers down Nami's arm until she reached her hand, threading their fingers.
"Perhaps," she whispered, stroking her thumb across the back of Nami's hand. "But if they think we'll fail their tests then they're going to be very disappointed."
Nami grinned, leaning in for a quick kiss. Her lips tingled as Robin pulled back and she pulled them into her mouth, smiling happily.
"This might be the easiest test we've ever undertaken," she said, moving forwards and pulling Robin after her.
The fire orb melted into a salamander that circled them with narrowed eyes.
"When do you go to bed?" it asked in a deep voice and Nami flushed.
"What's it to you, you pervert!" she hissed, attempting to catch the salamander.
"I didn't ask what you did in bed," it shot back, pushing against her chest and shooting up out of reach. "Though I'd listen if you felt like sharing." It gave a lecherous grin and Nami took a step behind Robin, holding the side of her dress.
"We go to bed at the same time," Robin answered. "And I'm sure you can use that imagination of yours to think about what we do."
The salamander didn't bother to send smoke to them, instead it curled back into its ball with a laugh. Nami had half a mind to drop it on the floor and accidentally smash it, but she didn't know if they'd need it again once they were finished.
They moved towards the last plinth in step and determination. This was the last one and if they passed this, they'd be able to get their nakama back, leave this island and curl up under the mandarin grove together.
A fish swam through the air, eyes unblinking as it danced around them. It was a beautiful fish and its voice was gentle as it spoke.
"Your favourite animals," it said simply, the words short.
"A cat," Robin said with amusement and Nami raised an eyebrow. She'd never asked to be called a cat burglar, it was simply a happy coincidence.
"A hawk," Nami continued, crossing her arms and waiting for the smoke to drift over them. She was far from disappointed and collected the orb quickly, following Robin as she made to what could only be the heart of the maze.
And of course, the jester was there, with his stupid hat and everything. He'd brought along the troupe too, their nakama still in tight shorts and acting terribly.
"Well we made it," Nami said, shifting her weight to one side, hand on her hip. Robin's arms were crossed and she knew that if the jester gave an unfavourable answer, he'd have Robin's power to contend with.
"You have one more task!" the jester announced, spinning on his heel and twisting his wrist in a flourish. "If you answer correctly, you'll win."
He bent down to the ground and picked up a tray. He pulled a cloth from it, revealing two more orbs. They were completely clear and he offered them to Nami and Robin.
"Your task is to hold these and think of each other. They'll show each other how you really feel." The jester bowed, bells jingling.
Nami looked at the orbs and, for a moment, wondered what it would be like to take them. She snorted a second later.
"I don't need one of your ridiculous orbs to know what Robin thinks of me," she said, knocking the tray out of his hand. The orbs smashed against the floor and it felt good, really good.
"Robin doesn't need an orb to know how I feel about her either. She is my nakama and I love her." Nami tilted her chin, eyes defiant. She dared the jester to give her his petty tasks now.
"And I love Nami," Robin said, laughing softly. "You didn't need to go through that long test to get us to prove our love for each other. We're already quite aware of it, thank you."
Nami moved past the jester, hands on hips as she looked at the troupe of idiots still acting out whatever play they'd been commanded to.
"We've done what you asked, stop them," Nami said, turning to look over her shoulder.
The jester waved a hand, hat drooping. The rest of the crew closed their eyes, Robin's hands catching them as they fell to the ground. They were uninjured, just sleeping.
"Usually people think this is fun," the jester said, taking his hat off. He was just a boy, Nami realised, and she sighed.
"Normal people might find this fun, but we're not normal." Robin came to stand at her side, slipping her hand into Nami's. Nami should really charge the boy for making them waste all of this time, but the look on his face was to pathetic and they had a while before the crew would wake.
"If they wake up and come looking for us, tell them we've gone ahead to the ship," Nami said, devilish smile spreading on her lips. She glanced to Robin, who raised an eyebrow and began walking to the maze's exit, hips swaying.
"The one with the straw hat will need feeding too," Nami said with a wink. Let them deal with the horror that was a hungry Luffy, she thought. That would keep the crew busy and be punishment for what she'd been forced to do.
Still, she supposed as she jogged after Robin. It had freed up some time for them to be alone.
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