A/N: This would have been up yesterday, if not for my laptop deciding it didn't want to let me on the site. So I did the next best thing and posted it the moment I woke up :)
Hope you enjoy! :D
Chapter 2: Possessive
Luffy's eyes darted across the street at the restaurant as I looked at clothes. He shifted from one foot to the other, making him look like he had to go to the washroom rather than making him look like he was starving. I liked that he was making me his top priority over food, but when his stomach growled, I couldn't bear to torture him any longer.
"You can go eat," I told him, handing him some money.
"I was hoping to eat with you," He smiled sheepishly, putting the money back into my hand.
"If you're hungry, go," I said. "It's fine with me –if you eat and I shop, we can explore the rest of the island together sooner."
He frowned as he considered it, but shook his head, "No, I want to eat with you."
"We eat together all the time," I reminded him.
"Am I annoying you?" He asked suddenly.
"No!" I exclaimed, wondering how he could even begin to think that. I turned my gaze back to the clothes as I murmured, "I like you being here with me."
"Shishishi. It's settled then: shopping, food, adventure."
I vaguely wondered how far I could push him; what would be his breaking point between me and food? What would be his breaking point between me, food and adventure? Our captain was strong, yes, but patient? Not at all.
"That's mean," Luffy said, as if reading my mind. I glanced at him, but he didn't seem to realize what had just happened. I smiled though, not bothering to ask what was. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and while I wondered what it meant, I didn't feel the need to find out what was going on. I liked this connection that we had, even if I was just imagining the whole thing.
"I'll just go buy these and we can go," I said, grabbing the shirt I was staring at absentmindedly.
"Mm," He grinned. Then he scratched his head. "Wait –don't you usually try on the clothes first?"
"I look good in everything," I pulled my hair over my shoulder and turned away slightly, hiding my blush. I had to double check the size of the shirt to make sure it was correct. If it were too small –well, that could be sexy, but uncomfortable. I had to quickly exchange it for a size larger though, glad that Luffy had reminded me about trying things on, or else I would've wasted my precious beli.
"You do," He told me.
"What?" I asked, putting the clothes on the counter.
"You do look good in everything," He said to me, hiding his face beneath his hat. I could see the redness across his tanned cheeks underneath, and couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you," I told the lady, retrieving my bagged merchandise before turning back to Luffy. "Let's go eat."
"Mm," He said, his hand stretching to take the bag from me. He started singing quietly as we walked, swinging his arms back and forth. "Me~at, meat, meee~at."
"We'll get you your meat," I promised. "Let's find a good bar."
Luffy inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring as he took in the scents of the city. He was kind of like a dog when it came to finding meat. With a grin that could only come from smelling his stomach's desire, he grabbed my hand and pulled me along. He led the way through the crowd, always slightly ahead of me, making a path for me to follow amongst the people. Itching fingers slipped a few wallets from shallow pockets along the way, but for me, I couldn't help it. I was a thief to the core.
We turned the corner and onto an empty street.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"To eat," He said, still holding my hand and pulling me along. "The best meat is in this direction."
I didn't doubt it. Luffy knew best. Well, when it came to food.
He stopped in front of a bar and took another deep breath, tilting his head as he grinned at me. He kicked open the door, and we entered the vacant bar. The bartender looked up at us with no real emotion in his face.
"Meat!" Luffy exclaimed, sitting happily at a table. "Lots of meat!"
"And sake, please," I called out.
"Right away," He murmured, though he didn't look like he was in a hurry. He walked over to the bar and knocked on the door, repeating our order. "Meat. Lots of meat, and sake, please."
"Right away," Called a chipper voice behind the door.
Luffy whistled happily, swinging his legs back and forth underneath the chair.
"You seem happy," I told him. I winced at my own stupid words. He was always happy.
"Mm," He laughed. "I am happy. Shishishi."
"I'm glad," I smiled.
"Where should we go after we eat?" Luffy asked, bouncing in his seat as he waited for the food to arrive.
"I'll leave that up to you," I told him.
"Yosh," He said, his grin widening even more when the bartender placed two plates of meat in front of him, and a mug in front of me.
"Keep more coming," I said to the bartender, raising my cup to my lips. "Thanks."
"Keep more coming," The bartender told the guy in the kitchen.
"Alright!" The chipper voice sang. "Do they have the money to pay for it?"
"Do you have the money to pay for it?" The bartender repeated.
"Plenty," I replied, my empty glass hitting the table.
"Plenty," He said after me.
"Good."
"Good."
"Shishishi," Luffy laughed at the bartender and the voice. "I like them."
A man burst into the bar, and I glanced up. He was a hefty man, his features dark and shadowed. A group came in behind him, and they moved to the corner seats of the bar. I wasn't an idiot. These men were clearly bad people. Bandits, was my guess.
"This meat is so delicious," Luffy exclaimed loudly as the bartender placed more meat and sake in front of us.
"The meat is so delicious," He said to the other guy.
"Thanks!"
"Thanks."
"Oi! Bartender! A couple of rounds of sake!" The large man said.
"A couple of rounds of sake."
"Yes!"
"Yes."
"And the best dishes you have to serve," One of his men called out.
"And the best dishes you have to serve."
"Right away!"
"Right away."
"Shishishi," Luffy laughed, pulling meat from a bone.
"More meat," I said. "And sake."
"More meat and sake."
"It's suddenly really busy!"
"Not really," The bartender replied, looking over the room with his blank expression.
Luffy and I burst into snickers when he didn't repeat the line. He was laughing so hard he was pounding the table with his fist, and that made me laugh harder, holding my stomach and doubling over.
"Oi! You guys over there are noisy!" One of the men said.
Luffy continued to snicker loudly as he grabbed another chunk of meat and bit into it. I settled down.
"Instilling the fear into men everywhere," Another guy said.
I picked up my mug and took a deep gulp. "Another, please!"
"Or not," Someone muttered.
"Another, please."
"Another what?"
"Another what?"
"Plate of meat and round of sake," I said.
"Plate of meat and round of sake."
"On it!"
"On it."
I watched as the bartender walked across the room balancing two large trays of food and drinks for the other group. The way they ate made Luffy look like a gentlemen. I turned away, disgusted and rolling my eyes.
"Nami, you have to try this, it's soooo good," Luffy looked completely satisfied with the meal.
I leaned over, taking a piece from his plate and sitting back as I chewed. "It is good," I admitted. Really good. "Almost as good as Sanji's meals."
"Mmff, mmmm," Luffy said behind a mouthful of food. I didn't bother asking what he said. The next mouthful wouldn't sound any different.
"Mmff, mmmm," The bartender repeated by the door.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you."
Luffy laughed, swallowing hard.
"Oi! Pretty girl!" The men called. I ignored them completely, but they persisted. "Oi! Red! There's only one girl in this bar."
"And this one girl isn't interested," I said without looking over my shoulder.
"Do you know who we are?"
"I'm pretty sure I don't really care," I rolled my eyes. Luffy laughed.
A chair slid back, and I heard it crash as it hit the floor. I still didn't bother looking. Luffy continued to eat, not even taking a moment to glance at the man approaching.
"I'm sure you do want to care," The man's voice got closer.
"And if I don't?"
"You're going to regret it."
"You don't want to do that," Luffy said, setting his meat down and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Or else I'll have to hurt you."
"Are you finished eating, Luffy?" I asked.
"About sixty," His reply was.
"Alright," I said, taking a sip. "We'll stay then."
"Look at them," We could hear his men whisper. "Not even a nervous drop of sweat. Maybe our leader is losing his authority on this island."
"Bandit then," I murmured.
"Not just any bandits," One of the men said. "We're the Bloody Edge bandits."
"Bloody Edge Bandits," The bartender repeated.
"Nice to meet you," Luffy grinned. "I'm a pirate."
"He's a pirate," The bartender said.
"A puny thing like you?"
"He's like a runt!"
"I'm a pirate," Luffy repeated. "Right, Nami?"
"Right, captain," I said, raising my glass to him.
"Shishishi," he laughed.
"A captain," The men mocked. "How scary."
"Straw-hat," The mystery cook came out of the kitchen –with the same face as the bartender, but the bartender was no where to be seen. "Straw-hat Luffy."
"Do I know you?" Luffy turned to the man. He frowned, thinking hard. "I feel like I've seen your face before…"
"We're twins," The cook said.
"We're twins," The bartender repeated, coming out of the back room.
"Ah!" Luffy hit his fist into his palm as he put it together. I could practically see the gears turning behind his eyes. "Do you poo–"
"Stop asking questions like that," I said, grinding my fist into the side of his head.
"He doesn't seem like much of a captain," The bandit leader said, towering over the two of us. "Are you really straw-hat?"
"Mm," Luffy said, grinning. "I'm going to be Pirate King!"
The bandits all laughed.
"I don't believe it," One of the men said, and the lot of them nodded their agreement.
"You don't have to believe it," I said, reaching for the sake. His hand grabbed my wrist though.
In a heartbeat, Luffy's fist had struck him, and the bandit had flown across the room and into the wall. The wall cracked and crumbled, leaving a hole in its stead. Dust rose up into the air, and fell from the cracks in the ceiling.
My hero stood there, his body tense. I reached out and touched his hand, and he relaxed instantly.
"Whoa," One of them muttered.
"Rubber –"
"Real thing –"
"Shit."
Luffy pulled me to my feet, wrapping his arm around my waist protectively. I didn't pull away, only took out enough beli to pay our bill and the damage caused. I placed it on the table before grabbing my mug and downing the rest of the liquid inside. I shivered happily as Luffy spoke:
"No one touches my Nami but me."
