Luffy was walking through the hall of the hospital he worked in, he was a nurse in training and has been for a few months. He took the job cause of his good friend Tony tony Chopper who was the head doctor of the hospital. Luffy made a promise to his friend that when he do see his dream that he would help him 100% of the way. Chopper was away for a few weeks but a replacement doctor was helping him with what he needed to learn. Honestly Luffy was okay with being a nurse and helping out when he can, he always did what he could to make everyone as happy as he is able. From spending times with the kids to helping the old up and walking again. Over all Luffy was a decent a simple minded guy. He was single and has been for a while now, he was 24 but he had a cut face as some women would say. His jet black hair din't made him stand out much but alot of the female nurses often ask about the scar under his eye. He would give the same answer "I wanted to show i was tough" He didn't regret it, during his time at school often bullies would bother him but he had showed them that he could be as tough and often times kick some ass if need be. Of course Luffy would often starts up those fights. It was lunch time and of course that as the best part of Luffy's day. Then something caught Luffy eye in a distance. Luffy wasn't sure if it because he been so busy with work and moving about but he had been seeing a woman this said woman is the same woman wandering around in the hospital lobby the past few days. She seemed somewhat out there, almost in a daze, just walking around aimlessly. She looked out of place, he wasn't sure what to make of it but he ignored it for the last few days till now at least.
Today, he passed her at the hospital cafeteria; she just stood near the doorway and was watching the food being served. he walked by her and then stopped. She just stood there watching, watching hospital cafeteria food being served. Luffy moved out of the way so others had room to pass by. She just stood there, looking at the trays of food. Hospital food.
She had this rumpled look about her. Her hair was light orange leaning, long and bright about shoulder length, and it fell across her eyes like a gray mop. A dark brown knit-stocking hat was pulled down to her ears. Her face looked dirty and her eyes were dark. A ratty-looking worn-out shirt covered her body. A pair of well-worn sneakers were on her feet; she wore no socks. She appeared to stand about five-foot three or so. Faded blue jeans with holes covered her legs. She looked disheveled, tired and hungry. Luffy for some reason couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she needed help. Sure he help some homeless people in the past, hell he even shared his lunch with them at one point, sure if it was any of his friends he be the greediest person around eating up the food but when it came to the homeless or those who hasn't eaten he was always willing to give a helping hand. Something he sure he learn from his friend Sanji.
Thats when Luffy made the decision to see what he could do to help this woman and began walking over to her.
"Say, you can't be that hungry to want hospital cafeteria food now do you?" Luffy made a witty remark with a friendly grin.
He got no response. Nothing, nada, zilch, not even a get the hell away from me response. He tilted his head wondering if she didn't hear him. He tried again, "Nothing like a tuna and bacon melt to pique one's interest in Martha Stewart cooking is there?" Luffy tried again although saying the comment did made him hungry. But still she said nothing to him.
. Now Luffy did had his share of fans in this hospital and most of them was females, he never used it as a means of anything but normally he try to be as friendly towards everyone. Of course there was a few girls who would yell at him or hit him on the head if he was being annoying. This girl did neither. It seemed that a line was drawn in the sand but he wouldn't surrender yet.
Luffy reached out and touched her shoulder. She jumped back, startled, then she turned from him. "Hello Are you okay?" Luffy said with concern in his voice.
He reached out to her again and just as he was ready to touch her shoulder she turned to him. Luffy could see that there was a sheet of paper stuck in her shirt pocket. Then he noticed it was from the hospital emergency room as the hospital logo was clearly visible from the outside.
Before he could react, she reached out and in a wink of an eye pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket. She looked around and retrieved a newspaper from the trashcan. She lifted her knee up using it to steady the paper while she wrote along the margin. She tore off a sliver and handed it to him along with his pen. Her writing was jerky and hard to read, but could make it out. "And i thought my hand writing sucked" He thought, She had written, "My name is Nami . I'm deaf. I can't speak. If you talk clearly, I can read your lips. I have no money and I'm very hungry. If you would buy me something to eat, I will give you whatever you desire of me."
Luffy always thought he was a good judge of people. he looked back at this young woman, and he could see in her eyes she was desperate, hungry, alone, and scared, but she was no hooker. A hooker wouldn't be turning Johns in a hospital trading sex for a tuna fish sandwich. This was an act of desperation.
Studying her face, I said, "Nami. My name is Luffy. Do you understand?"
She nodded her head up and down. He smiled before he touched her shoulder again.
"I will get you some food, all you can eat, and you don't need to give me sex in return. Is that a deal?" He gave her a toothy smile Nami smiled and nodded her head again. Luffy extended his hand to her and she placed her's inside his. He led her to the front of the cafeteria line, and they both grabbed a tray. As they slowly worked their way through the cafeteria, she loaded up her tray as though it was her last meal. As he found out later, it was her first meal.
She went through the food she had on her tray like a famished dog. Barely looking up as she ate. It reminded of him alot when he eats but this wasn't cause she loves food like he does, this was someone who most likely haven't eated for days. Luffy tapped on the table to get her attention and when she glanced up, He indicated to her he would like to see what was in her pocket. She looked over and pulled the sheet of paper out, handed it to him, and returned to her food.
As Luffy read over the document, it seemed that she came in about three days ago and was treated for some type of infection. It also appeared that someone from family services was supposed to make contact with her. That contact never materialized. She had roamed the hospital for three days, stranded with no money and no food. She was deaf, mute and all alone in her own silent world. The more Luffy read, the clearer things became. Well now, that's not quite true. Nothing was really any clearer, but there were fewer holes in this mystery. Although he be lying if he didn't felt a little angry as to why no one had helped her after all this time if she was sent here.
It seemed that his silent friend Nami is twenty-five years old, a year older then he was. It appeared that Grand line's finest found her wandering around the business district the other night. She had no ID on her, no wallet, no purse, and no money. They considered her a homeless person and brought her down here. That's the end of the story.
Looking back at Nami, she seemed tired. For the present, she was no longer hungry. He noticed her fingers, were well manicured and polished. Her eyes were bright, not like the eyes of a druggie or addict. Clearly there was a story behind this lady. It seemed the more Luffy looked at her, the more he was drawn into the drama set before him.
While Nami was eating, Luffy noticed the sleeves of her shirt were rolled up her arms, he could see no needle marks or tracks. Nami wasn't on heroin or coke.
He touched her hand, she looked up, "Nami do you have a place to stay tonight?" He asked in a soft tone.
She shook her head side-to-side, He knew what that meant. "Nami do you have any family? Any friends you can stay with?" He asked but he had a feeling what the answer was.
Nami looked down at her empty cafeteria tray and shook her head sadly "Damn!" Luffy muttered under his breath. He foled his arms and closed his eyes in thought before he open them once gain with a smile on his face and slams his hands on the table making Nami look up in shock.
He reached over and place his hands on her shoulders. Luffy spoke very slowly and as clearly as he felt he could. "Nami I have an extra room at my house. You are welcome to stay with me tonight. You can get a shower, and I might have some clothes you can wear. You and I can get things worked out in the morning. I won't hurt you Nami took the cafeteria bill and turned it over as she reached out her hand for his pen. With pen in hand, she wrote, "I'm afraid You'll hurt me " Luffy stared at the note for a second, that feeling he had earlier came back and for some reason he felt angry, not at the woman but the thought of anyone hurting her. He shook his head before looking back at Nami and gave her a gentle smile "I will never hurt you Nami, you have my word on.."
She smiled again and when he stood to leave, she followed his lead. Luffy extended His hand to her and she grabbed hold of it. She had a weak grip, a very weak grip. Luffy led the way with her following behind.
When they approached the dimly lighted parking garage, she got a bit anxious, and rightly so, He hate those damn things as well. He smiled and squeezed her hand to reassure her she was not in trouble. "I'll protect you" He said with a grin as she return the smile and they walked to his car. It surprised her when Luffy opened her door; He guess she wasn't used to being treated with kindness. It's hard to have a conversation with someone you don't really know, but try to make conversation with a stranger that can't hear what you're saying is really hard. Lucky for the both of them, He lived only a few miles from the hospital and they pulled into the driveway within ten minutes. When they entered his house, Nami seemed to relax, although she was still a bit skittish. Luffy smiled back at her, trying to make her feel at ease. He hoped she felt she wasn't going to be raped. Luffy asked her to take a seat by the kitchen table.
In the mean time Luffy was calling a friend of his that could help him with Nami, she knew how to do sign language so it would help alot.
"Great Vivi, we'll be here," and he hung up the phone.
Vivi lived a few blocks from where he lived so it was no surprise that within a minute or two there was a knock on the door. Sure enough, there stood Vivi. "Hey Vivi come on in. Let me explain what's happening here."
As Luffy explain to Vivi the events leading to her impromptu visit, she walked over to Nami and began to sign to her. Luffy could see on Nami's face that Vivi had opened the floodgates and the two began to communicate with earnest. "Luffy, come over here please," Vivi called out, "She wants to talk to you."
"She says thank you for the food and the offer to stay here tonight. She says she has no way of paying you back."
As Nami signed with Vivi, the picture of how and why she ended up at the hospital became clearer. It seemed that her one time boyfriend had hit her, and she left his apartment. That's when the police picked her up and took her to the hospital. Unable to communicate with her, they deemed her mentally challenged and she got lost in the system after she saw the emergency room doctors. They apparently treated her for an infection on her thigh. This info indeed had Luffy blood boiling but he kept it at bay as he stood beside Vivi.
"Vivi can you ask her if she wants to take that shower now." Luffy asked while he glance over at Nami.
Vivi shook her head before looking at Luffy, "Speak to her, not to me. She can read lips. I'll interpret what she to her as you do anyone else. Don't treat her any differently ok ?"
Luffy thought on this before nodding his head, he didn't see her no different then anybody else whether she was deaf, mute or cripple, its one of the reasons why he was likeable at his work place he didn't talked down or differently to anyone with issues like these. Luffy turn and faced Nami, "Nami, would you like to take a shower?" He offer a small smile Nami smiled back and nodded her head acknowledging his question. "Great! I'll let Vivi here show you where the bathroom is and I'll grab some sheets and make up the spare bed." He gave her a toothy smile as he dash out the room to get everything set up.
He was just pulling some blankets down from a shelve when he heard Vivi cry out, "Luffy, get in here right now!"
Thinking that maybe Nami fell, Luffy ran to the bathroom, and when he opened the door, there stood Nami with her bare back to me wearing only a pair of old white cotton panties. Sarah, had her hands covering her mouth in shock.
"Luffy Look at her back!" Vivi manage to get out Luffy looked at his house guest and in an instant saw red at the sight before him. All along Nami's back were large red welts that continued down her thighs to the back of her legs. "Luffy, that's not all, look!" Vivi signed something to Nami, and she turned around to face Luffy. Nami hid herself with her arms from his eyes and then as though she felt safe, she dropped her hands from her breasts. "Luffy just look at her chest, look at what that bastard did to her!" Vivi cried out Luffy looked down at Nami's chest trying hard not to stare, but he saw exactly what Vivi did, there were cigarette burns all along her chest. He counted over ten burn marks on her body. One burn mark was on her right breast. Another one had become infected and was located almost at her waistline. If theres one thing about Luffy most people know is that he gets pissed off very quickly and it goes double if it involves a friend or love one getting hurt. Yes he just met this woman no more then a day but he already saw her as someone he needed to look out for and protect, he made a promise to do so and seeing those burns on her chest on top of the marks on her back. Luffy was using all his will power not to break something in his own house.
Vivi began talking away with Nami the fingers and hands of both women were flying. Luffy stood clueless as to what was unfolding in front of him, not that his anger and thought of murder wasn't taking up some of his time.
Vivi stopped signing and walked over to the sink, took out a washcloth from the drawer and then she drew out some hot water, wringing out the cloth several times. Luffy looked on a bit confused at what Vivi was doing but said nothing. She took the cloth and placed it on Nami's cheek, then ran the cloth around her eyes. She gave it to Nami and looked back at me, "That's not dirt, that's a bruise. Nami's got two black eyes! That son-of-a-bitch!" Vivi said in anger. It was no where as bad as how Luffy was feeling, he place his hand on the doorknob and squeezed it as hard as he could, Luffy was strong, too strong for his own good and often times it would take at least 6 guys to hold him down if he ever lost it on someone The feeling Luffy had however, he wasn't sure an army would stop him from tearing the bastard who hurt her apart. It was odd for Luffy, he didn't knew this woman long and yet here he was in a fit full of rage and wanting nothing more then to beat the living hell out of the man who would hurt her like this.
Vivi pulled Luffy aside outside of the bathroom. "Luffy, Nami need new clothes, she can't stay wearing the ones she has." Luffy nodded not fully able to speak as he himself was trying to calm down. Keyword trying. "I'll write you out a list of things to get and you can head to Walmart that is 5 blocks from here okay ?" He said a small sure before Vivi went to get a pen and pad. Luffy needed a drive out and he needed to clear his head. He look at the door way at Nami with her back turned and he balled up his fist. He didn't know how or when but one day for sure he was gonna get that bastard who did this but for now..All he can do is keep his promise and look after her.