Chapter 2
"What are these? Oranges?"
I snipped a little further on the branch that I meant to. I didn't reply right away, just put the dead pieces of the mikan tree in the basket by my feet.
"They're mikans," I replied smoothly. I wouldn't be intimidated by her. This was my ship she was on, and she was interacting with my nakama. She was a visitor. And I could compete with her in beauty easily. I was pretty sure I already beat her in cup size. With a calculating eye I looked her over as I straightened up. So I didn't beat her in cup size... If I couldn't see flesh I swear she shoved melons down there. Watermelons, even. Either way, I still have her a run for her money. I just wished she'd leave the money and get off my ship.
"They smell sweet," Hancock raised her hand to touch the smooth exterior of the fruit. If she pulled it off its branch, I'd have to smack her. The one she was reaching for wasn't quite ripe yet. She simply ran her thumb over the surface and dropped her hand to her side.
"Mm," I said, examining another part of the tree. I reached between the branches and clipped a small twig off. I bent down to pick it up. She remained silent. I didn't want to, but I asked, "Have you seen around the ship?"
"Chopper was really kind in showing me around," Her voice was breezy, as if she knew I was speaking just to fill the silence. I clenched my fist around the fallen piece and felt the bark dig into my palm. I dropped it in the basket and moved on, daring her to speak first.
She didn't for the longest time, just moved with me as I moved between the trees that we had onboard. I stood up straight, drawing my hand across my sweaty forehead and looking up at the sun for a moment and basking in its warm glow. I checked the log pose and looked over the railing at the crew. Sanji saw me, who was all better now, saw me, and headed inside to make me something to drink, and perhaps a small snack. Well, I hoped there was going to be a snack. From hardly eating earlier, I was kind of hungry.
It wasn't until I was tending to the last few branches that needed it that she spoke once more. She was leaning on the railing, facing away from me. Through the railing I could see Luffy, Usopp, Chopper and Franky trying to play pranks on Zoro as he slept. Robin was nowhere in sight. I could faintly hear music coming from within the cabin, which is where I assumed Brooke was.
"What's your relationship?" It was a sly question.
"We're all nakama here," I answered, finishing up. I took the basket and brought it to the side of the ship. I brought a branch up to my nose, inhaling the sweet citrus scent that lingered even past its death. Then I tipped the basket over, the dead twigs and branches being blown away in a light breeze before actually hitting the water.
"That's not what I meant," She hadn't turned when I moved around. Or maybe she did. I didn't really have eyes in the back of my head, although Luffy and the crew sometimes acted that way. She continued, "You know that's not what I meant."
The way she spoke irritated me. She changed so much between speaking to Luffy and to anyone else. I set the basket beside the other utensils I used when tending to the mikan trees. Sanji waved up at me as he came out of the dining area. Robin appeared. Perhaps she had been in the aquarium.
With a tight grip on the railing as I made my way to the stairs, I barely glanced at her. "I assure you I don't."
"Wait!" She grasped for my arm, but missed and stumbled forward. She collected herself rather quickly, her flushed face of embarrassment disappearing in mere seconds; I felt disappointed. I really liked to see a girl like her flustered and frustrated. "I meant with Luffy. What's your relationship?"
"With Luffy," I repeated.
"Mm," She nodded.
"What's my relationship with Luffy?" I don't know why I was verifying the question like this. I did know what she meant. But if this was the only way I could control who was superior and inferior, I'd take it. In a heartbeat. Empress, my ass.
"Yes," She said, blushing. I don't know why. Perhaps it was because 'relationship' and 'Luffy' were in the same sentence. Following the pattern she seemed to be setting, I would have to say that was the case.
"He's the captain of this ship," I told her. "I'm his nakama."
"Nothing more?" She asked.
I gave her a funny look and shrugged, not really giving a yes or a no, which I knew would twist and flip inside her until it was unbearable. But having no reason to keep me, I was able to walk down the stairs to the main deck, where Robin and Sanji were chatting beside the lawn chairs and the table there. I picked up my glass as I sat down, enjoying the coolness of the glass in the palm of my hand.
"Nami-swa~an," He greeted me. He used the back of his hand to cover his nose. I pulled my shirt up a little bit at the top to help him recover; poor Sanji, landing on an island with a bunch of transvestites –now that was unbearable. "Would you like some dainty dishes as well? I have some cooling in the fridge."
"That would be great," I sighed, bringing my legs up onto the chair and folding them underneath me. It felt great to relax. I checked the log pose as Sanji began to walk away.
"Working hard?" Robin asked, not glancing up from the book in her hand.
"Always," I said, taking a sip before placing the glass down once more.
"I wasn't talking about the mikans," She murmured, using her devil's fruit power to develop another hand to bring her own glass to her lips while she held the book and flipped the page with her actual hands. I watched as the extra hand put the cup down and disappeared.
"Hancock?" I closed my eyes and leaned back. "Mm… A girl in love is a girl easy to manipulate."
Robin chuckled. "Is that so?"
"It's why I'll never fall in love," I told her, reaching blindly for my glass. I was so thirsty. I couldn't find it though. I opened my eyes to find Robin teasing me with her extra hands as they held the glass just out of reach. I laughed, leaning forward and reaching across the distance to get it. "I hate being the one that gets manipulated."
"Mm," She said, smiling as I brought the drink to my lips.
"Mm," I mocked slightly as I felt the cold liquid substance slide down my throat. I closed my eyes in bliss –because sometimes Sanji's dishes could only be described that way –and relaxed. If I were to have a devil's fruit, in that moment, I would be a woman that could melt into a puddle. That's how relaxing I found our Thousand Sunny to be; though it was usually minus the empress, of course.
"Zoro sleeps really heavily," Luffy grumbled. His voice was right beside my ear. The chair creaked under his weight as he leaned on the back of it behind me.
Keeping my eyes closed, I held the drink a little tighter and a little further out of reach. "Don't," I told him.
"I'm not doing anything," He said.
"You're eyeing my drink. Don't. Get Sanji to get you something to drink."
"Nami," He began. "You're scary, you know that."
I swung my fist over my shoulder, hitting nothing but air but hearing a soft thump. I opened my eyes and leaned around the chair to see Luffy sitting on the ground, laughing. His hat rested on the grassy deck beside him. "You almost got me, but I saw it coming."
He got to his feet and picking up his hat as he straightened. With two quick brushes, he dusted his hat off with his hands and set it back on his head.
"Luffy," Hancock appeared. Luffy's eyes were on Sanji though, as he came over with our snacks.
"Here you are, ladies~" Sanji returned, laying the tray out in front of us on the table.
"Sanji," Luffy grasped his friend, ignoring Hancock. "I'm so hungry. You haven't made lunch yet."
"But you all ate lunch nonetheless," Sanji refilled my drink. "Hancock-chan made you a swell meal."
"Mm," Luffy crossed his arms, grumbling. "Who told him about lunch?"
"When our food supply goes from about half full to near depletion, what do you expect me to assume?" Sanji asked, handing a glass to Hancock.
"Next time I'm getting myself a cook with short-term memory loss," Luffy slid to the floor beside my chair. He sighed heavily. Hancock looked like her heart was going to break, and dropped to her knees beside Luffy, pulling his head into her chest.
"It's okay, Luffy," She told him. "When my girls come to pick me up, we'll prepare a huge wedding feast, just for you!"
"Then why'd you let them leave?" He asked, pouting as he pulled away. I don't even think his mind processed the word 'wedding'. Hancock got her hopes up –it was clearly readable on her face, until Luffy looked up at her and said, "Oh, and I'm not marrying you."
"Dinner's in two hours," Sanji sighed. "Take it or leave it."
"Sanji," Luffy's stretched arms held onto Sanji's leg as he tried to walk away. "I thought captain's orders were always final. Why won't you listen to me?"
"Luffy, if he listened to you when it came to food, we'd all be starving now," I brought my hand down hard on his head. He released Sanji and took cover under his rubber fingers.
I picked up one of the snacks and took a bite. Luffy was practically hanging off my arm as I took a bite.
"Oh, Luffy," Hancock was frowning with pity for him.
My gaze slid between the two, and a sly grin grew on my face. Should I? I really wanted to see her get angry. But Robin was watching. Robin was always watching. Screw it. No, I'd have to put up with Robin for longer than I'd have to put up with the empress. But now that the idea was in my head I had that itching feeling. I was pulled taunt between the two sides.
"Nami," Luffy was still pouting. "Are you going to eat those all?"
"Here, Luffy," I said, holding my hand under my other to catch the crumbs. I held out the snack I had just taken a bite out of. "Say ah~!"
He didn't understand what was going on, but Luffy was never one to deny food. He opened his mouth, and I placed the snack in his mouth. His lips nearly closed around my fingers as he swallowed the snack whole. His eyes closed as he smiled happily for just a little food. I smirked up at Hancock as I patted his cheek lightly and said, "Good Luffy."
I got up, picking another snack and taking my drink with me as I went.
"Oi, Nami!" Luffy called. "What about the rest?"
"All yours," I called over my shoulder. I glanced back at Hancock. She was watching me angrily.
I stuck my tongue out at her and winked before mouthing the words "indirect kiss". I could practically see the flames rolling off of her as I turned to head to my room in search of a book to read. Robin's chuckle followed me to the door. I couldn't help but feel like I've won this round.
Nami: 1. Hancock: 0.
