Fireworks

One Piece © Oda

Blizzard © Me

Summary- The crew lands on an island and there's a fireworks festival tonight. Luffy wants to take Nami, but he's too nervous to ask her, especially since it's a special night for her. Luffy/Nami. A bit OOC.

Another day on the Grand Line. The Thousand Sunny, home of the notorious Straw Hat Pirates, had recently docked on a Summertime Island. It was here that our story shall take place.

"A fireworks festival, tonight?" Nami asked.

Yes. A fireworks festival. Each year, the island's inhabitants celebrate a good year's harvest by throwing such a festival, and tonight is the very night that it is going to take place.

Nami, the navigator, was very excited. She couldn't wait to see the colorful fireworks, tonight, and was eager to get herself ready for the festivities.

To Monkey D. Luffy, this was a good excuse for their first date, for it had been about two weeks since they had decided to become a couple. Plus, it was a very special day for his navigator. However, there was one problem.

He was too nervous to ask her, himself.

He tried to rack up the nerve to do so, but every time he did, his tongue would end up playing dead on him and all he could get out were mumbles and jumbled-up words, which only confused Nami.

So, Luffy decides that he should and try and practice trying to ask her until he felt that it was just right.

The timing seemed good, for Nami and Robin went out to go buy some kimonos for everybody for the festival.

XXX

Usopp was heading for the lower deck for his Usopp Factory, and Chopper happened to be following along, but as they passed the men's quarters, he heard Luffy's voice from behind the door.

"Nami, will you go to the festival with me? No, that's not right!"

"Luffy?" Usopp muttered, questioningly.

"What's he doing?" asked Chopper.

"I dunno," said Usopp before he opened the door. Once they entered, they felt like they were about to die laughing.

Luffy was standing in front of Blizzard, who was wearing an orange wig atop his head, red lipstick, and one of Nami's outfits. Needless to say, the wolf-dog felt humiliated, and when he saw Usopp and Chopper peeking into the room, his humiliation grew worse.

"Nami, WILL you go to the festival with ME?" Luffy asked "Nami", but then he groaned. "Ah, no! That's not right, either!" He sighed and seemed to puff out his chest. "Nami, I command you to go the fireworks festival with me, no questions asked! Captain's orders!" he proclaimed, forcefully, but then he groaned again. "No, no, no! That one sounded too forceful! She'll never wanna go with me to the festival if I ask like that!"

"You're trying to ask Nami to the festival?" asked Chopper.

"AAAAAAHH!" Luffy screamed and put his hand to his heart when he heard Chopper's voice. When he saw that it was only Usopp and Chopper, he sighed in relief. "Oh, it's just you guys," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"I think we should ask you the same thing," answered Usopp, his arms crossed. "Why did you dress Blizzard up like Nami?"

Luffy sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well…" he said. "When I heard the festival that's going on, tonight, I thought I could ask Nami, you know, since we kind of started dating and all."

"So why don't you?" asked Chopper.

"Because," Luffy answered, "every time I try to ask her, I get butterflies in my tummy, my tongue gets all tied up in a knot, and I can't get my words out!"

"I thought you loved Nami," Chopper said as he helped Blizzard out of his "costume".

"I do love her," replied Luffy.

"And yet you still have trouble talking to her?" Usopp questioned.

"On this particular day," Luffy started, "yeah."

"You never had trouble talking to her before," said Usopp. "So why today?"

"Because…" Luffy said, "it's Nami's birthday."

Usopp and Chopper were silent. They had just realized that today was July 3rd, the day Nami was born and they didn't until Luffy said something.

"So that's really why you wanna ask her out?" Usopp asked. "Because it's Nami's birthday?"

"Yup," Luffy answered.

"You shouldn't have to feel nervous because of it's her birthday," Chopper said.

"Yeah," agreed Usopp. "You're only psyching yourself out! If you wanna ask her, and stop worrying!"

Luffy suddenly realized that Usopp was right. He shouldn't have to worry about asking Nami to go with him. Even if she said no, at least he asked!

At that moment, he heard the girls return.

"Well, Luffy," Usopp said, "now's your chance."

Luffy swallowed the lump in his throat, but then he sighed, trying to compose himself, before he went outside to the deck.

There, Nami and Robin were seen handing kimonos to the boys. As Luffy approached her, she smiled at him.

"Hey, Luffy," she said as she handed him a red kimono with vertical, black, narrow stripes. "Robin and I bought a kimono for you for the festival tonight."

"That's why what I came to ask you about," said Luffy. He felt the butterflies in his stomach, again, but he ultimately chose to ignore them. "Nami, I've been wondering…"

"Yeah?" Nami asked.

"Would you…?" Luffy started to say, but then he trailed off. "Nah, forget it."

"What is it?" asked Nami.

Luffy gazed at her, and then took a deep breath.

"I was wondering if you'd go to the fireworks festival with me tonight," he said.

Nami gave Luffy a bit of a surprised stare. Luffy remained silent, waiting for her response.

Just then, Nami's expression softened.

"Sure," she said.

Luffy suddenly let out a groan and put a hand to his face.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed. "I knew you were gonna say…" he stopped when he realized the answer Nami gave him. "Did you say…sure?" he asked her, a smile beginning to appear on his face. "So…so that's a yes, right?"

Nami nodded her head, simply.

Just then, Luffy threw his hands in the air and cheered.

"YES!" he yelled. "SHE SAID IT! SHE SAID 'YES'! WAHOOO~!"

Nami just laughed at her captain's display of happiness.

XXX

It was later that night that everyone was gathering at the coast, where the fireworks were supposed to be sighted.

Zoro and Sanji were currently fighting over who got the best spot.

Chopper sat upon Usopp's shoulders to get a better view, eating a stick of blue cotton candy as he did.

Robin and Franky were just sitting beside each other, casually.

Brook was busy trying to pry his hand out of Blizzard's mouth.

Luffy and Nami, however, sat next to each other, the latter with her head on the former's shoulder.

Just then, something went whistling into the night sky.

"Here they come!" Chopper exclaimed as he pointed a hoof up to the sky.

BOOM! The fireworks went off, creating a colorful explosion of light. The Straw Hats clapped their hands at the display as more of them went off into the sky. As they did, more colors came into view: Blue, red, gold, pink, purple, green, orange, and hot white.

Luffy looked over to Nami, who was still awed at the display of fireworks until she noticed his gaze.

"What is it, Luffy?" she asked.

"There's something else I have to tell you," said Luffy.

"Really?" Nami asked. "What is it?"

Luffy gestured her to come closer. As she leaned in towards him, he put his lips to her and whispered, "Happy Birthday, Nami."

Nami gasped silently. In all her excitement for the festival, she had forgotten what day it was, and Luffy just reminded her. She looked up at her captain, who gave her his usual broad, toothy grin and chuckle. Nami smiled and wrapped her arms around Luffy's neck, looking deep and intent into his black eyes. Luffy did the same. Then they leaned closer and softly pressed their lips together, and a great passion exploded in both of them…

Just like the fireworks.

Best birthday, ever, Nami thought to herself as she deepened the kiss with her captain as the fireworks display kept going on.

THE END

Happy Birthday, Nami! :D

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