A/N: I originally wrote this one-shot in German and translated it afterwards.
It was written for a little "contest" on another website, which was about the line "Sweet Revenge". And since there was a word limit, I was fighting with that a bit at the end |D
It was interesting for me to write something fluffy like this for the first time xD
.
(First) Love Makes You Behave Differently
.
"Here's your tea, Nami-swan."
"Thanks", came the weak reply.
"Hey, what's up with you, you have been this cheerless all day", asked the cook and sat down across from her.
Nami sighed and took her cup to carefully take a sip out of it. Then she put the porcelain back down.
"Robin is so distant again at the moment." She curled her lips in displeasure.
"Hm."
Sanji watched the navigator, how she was sitting here so pouty at the table in the dining room. A rare sight.
.
As of late, she'd been together with the archaeologist of the ship, Nico Robin.
Detachment was an attribute that basically wasn't really strange to use at the description of the black-haired woman. After all, her past had taught her this behaviour.
But since she had thawed with her time at the Strawhats and especially opened up to the navigator, it seemed weird if she was to close again now.
.
"But I thought you'd get along well with each other and things would be good between the two of you?" the cook asked therefore.
"Yes, it was like that. And since a few days she's refusing everything I'm suggesting if it got anything to do with us two spending some time alone. I do so not understand why. Since we were on the last island it's going like that. She bought some books again there and has been reading since then. And she refuses to stop and put this one book aside!" was Nami moaning. "Besides, there hasn't anything really happened between us yet..."
The blonde saw how she looked back at her cup and started toying with it while she blushed a little.
.
"Well, you don't have to be all over each other frenziedly on the first day. It is really nice going about everything slowly in sequence and taking your time. Then you can enjoy it so much more. And you know that you are important to your partner."
"Haha, did you learn these tips from a book?"
It was right, Sanji was changing in mode from adoring women to relationship-adviser. But at least it could get a little laugh out of Nami already.
.
"I'm not even saying there should be happening who knows what. But...we...we haven't even kissed yet..."
"Oh." Yeah, Sanji was a bit surprised that it hadn't even come that far apparently. "Well, maybe she simply needs time for all that. You've seen on Water Seven and Enies Lobby how difficult it already was for her to continue accepting our friendship after she had decided. Anything that has to do with love must be even more difficult."
"Yes, I know that all. And I was prepared for it from the beginning on. But how is it supposed to progress when she is withdrawing completely?" Nami's frustration could be heard clearly.
.
"Don't worry. It won't be because she doesn't love you. 'Cause you are a great woman, Nami." He winked at her. "And if I should be wrong, surprisingly, then there's still me whose heart beats for you." He was beaming at her, being more of his flirty self again.
"Pff, forget it, Sanji!" She was grinning rather sure of herself again. With that, she reached for her drink and emptied the cup with a few decent sips directly.
.
"I just don't know how I am supposed to get Robin away from her book", said the orange-haired girl, pondering.
"That's possibly because you are respecting it when she's doing something and don't disturb her while at it... Not the way it is with us boys..." He looked directly into her eyes, smiling. "Maybe you've got a reason right now to make an exception for once." The cook stood up, took Nami's dishes and went to the sink.
"Do you really think so?" Nami mumbled to herself and thought, until she got up with motivation to become active.
.
.
So the two women were in their room a few hours later, not saying a word, like it was more often for the past days.
Robin sat on the couch, still the same book in her hand. She seemed to be really lost in it, sometimes her eyebrows went together in thought or a single one was raised, as if she was wondering about some things that she read.
What a book might that be? Otherwise the other woman didn't seem to be effected so much that you could notice it from the outside. Weird. Momentarily, Robin was really weird.
.
Nami, on the other hand, was lying on her bed and was pretending the whole time to read as well. In reality she turned the pages lazily and skimmed listlessly over the text. It turned out to be a story. She had reached for a random book of hers on the shelf without really looking at it.
Instead she was looking at her girlfriend again and again and was thinking of her plan.
In doing so, she couldn't get around the fact how stupid this whole thing was actually.
It was quite childish, so the exact opposite of both their behaviour normally, but Robin gave her no other choice now if they were serious about their feelings and their relationship.
.
What they generally said seemed to be right – love made you do strange things sometimes that you wouldn't do normally.
The navigator sighed exhaustedly. As if her life on this pirate ship with this crew wasn't stressful enough in general already.
.
"What's wrong?" heard she from the other one suddenly.
"Hm? Oh, nothing." There was no use to it now beforehand.
"But that sounded as if something's up. I- … I read something like that, that people – especially women – like to react like that to this question when something is bothering them obviously, but their counterpart-" The archaeologist stopped when she turned to Nami and saw her raised eyebrow – be it because of surprise or as an accusation -, cleared her throat and turned back around quickly.
Had the younger one just seen a light blush there on her cheeks?
"Please excuse me briefly...", Robin said and stood up hurriedly after closing the book and putting it down next to her. Then she left the room with quick steps.
.
"What was that just now?" Nami wondered and looked confused at the again-closed door.
But it didn't matter! This was the situation she had waited for the whole time!
Without losing another thought, the navigator jumped off her bed and threw her own book on it fast.
She moved to the sofa and reached for Robin's current reading.
It was in a leathery binder in a dark red.
But a title she couldn't find on it.
.
Normally, the orange-haired girl didn't inspect the books of the other one, if something sounded interesting at her enquiry about the content, she let Robin herself explain it most often. But in this case she had to take a look at it, so she could maybe get a clue finally why the black-haired woman had withdrawn.
While going through the pages, her jaw dropped and she stared at the paper more and more incredulous.
That...was definitely something different from the usual, but...
.
In her light shock, Nami almost missed the steps in front of the door and how it was opened.
Her discovery made her change her plan, instead of hiding the book from the other woman, she confronted her.
"Could you please tell me why you are reading such a crap? And in addition distance yourself from me? What's that supposed to mean?!" Annoyed, she looked at the black-haired woman who just closed the door behind her, befuddled.
.
"That's none of your business", she got out and looked to the side.
"That's very well my business if this relationship is running dry unceremoniously!" Now the orange-haired girl was furious.
"No, it's not like that, Nami, and now please give me back my book."
"No way, I won't let you read a book with the title 'Understanding women in a relationship' when it ends like this! And you're even spending money on that?" Nami was really shocked.
"Yes, I'm doing that, as you can see, and now give it back to me." Robin seemed very controlled, simply putting forth her hand expectantly.
"No", the navigator answered simply.
Now it was the older one whose eyebrows went together in annoyance, and she approached her.
.
Nami stayed persevering at first, but she knew if she wouldn't get rid of the book now, she wouldn't have a chance anymore.
So she backed away since the way outside was blocked.
"You are hopefully aware that that's useless?" said the archaeologist with a raised eyebrow and followed the younger woman.
The latter had to notice after a few steps that she had the wall against her back, and put the book between both, her hands keeping it there at the sides.
Just when Robin stood in front of her, she tried to escape once again sideways, but that didn't work since she was grasped at both her shoulders and pushed against the wall – of Robin's own hands.
She whimpered slightly.
.
"It doesn't look like you to simply take a book away from me, in front of my eyes at that. And then trying to run away childishly in addition." The black-haired woman looked into her eyes.
"So let me on about why you are reading something like that."
"You don't need to know that", countered the taller one and reached for the book with one hand.
Nami turned her back to the other side, with the consequence that Robin let go of her other shoulder as well, so that she could reach for the object.
So there only was the way back again for the navigator, and she pressed back and book against the wall again.
.
Robin sighed and was back to holding Nami at her upper arms. "Good, if you are acting like this, I'm gonna use something, too, of which I have spared you so far."
"What do you mea-iahahahaha – Hey!"
Next to the orange-haired girl, there had appeared two of Robin's devil power arms out of the wall and tickled her now.
At first she could hold herself together, but slowly she was laughing louder and louder and started sliding down the wall.
.
"Are you giving up?" asked the older one, while she stopped her arms.
"Only if you're talking to me", Nami responded between breaths of air and straightened up again.
"About what?" The additional arms disappeared.
"About the reason why you are withdrawing from me since you're reading this weird book!" She looked into the taller woman's eyes, angry and hurt.
.
"That's... That's not as easy", she tried, while avoiding the gaze of the other one ashamedly.
"Why not? What's so complicated about it, Robin? I love you, why can't you just tell me?" Nami let the book fall to the floor to touch Robin's cheeks with both hands and turn her face to her.
The thud coming from the floor let said person wince, but then she sighed and gave as answer: "I... I love you, too, Nami, and right therefore... I don't really know this kind of love yet, that's all new to me. I don't want to disappoint you, but I also don't know how this all works..."
At the end of her explanation, she looked Nami sadly in the face. For a few moments, they looked each other in the eye quietly.
.
Then Nami whispered softly: "But you can't get to know it this way, hm? Let us start with something new that we both haven't done together yet...", she smiled while her eyelids slowly dropped as she came closer to the taller woman, "...let me kiss you."
And so she touched her lips in a careful kiss, which she found accepted when she felt Robin's arms around her upper body.
.
"And, was it that bad?" she asked the archaeologist, who only shook her head smiling shyly.
"Good, then I'll stick like a limpet to you from tomorrow on, as revenge for your behaviour during the past days!" said Nami and stuck her tongue out. Afterwards, she couldn't help but to laugh heartily and freed and to lean her head against Robin's shoulder.
Yes, that would be her "punishment" for the black-haired woman...
Her little, sweet revenge.
And she knew that the other one would put up with it when she went through her hair gently.
.
"We'll make it without any relationship-advisor."
