Hope you enjoy, the second chapter of Until I Say I Love You
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.
The crew stared as they watched Luffy march into the forest and out of sight. Only Nami's soft sobs broke the silence that Luffy's departure had created on the deck. The first to recover was Zoro, who felt it was best to wait until he knew everything about what happened. He walked over to the mast and sat waiting for the crying red head to calm down. He pondered to himself what could have happened to make their captain who was so possessive of his nakama make one cry. Especially Nami he thought, one of the few people Zoro had seen Luffy willingly give his hat to on multiple occasions. He yawned, whatever had happened they would figure it out.
Sanji watched as Zoro sat down near the mast, he turned to Nami, pulling out and lighting a cigarette as he turned away sending a glare towards the now gone Luffy. 'You better have a damn good reason for this shitty captain, or I'm going to stomp you flat.' He thought as he took a long drag, blowing out the smoke in a long sigh. He leaned against the railing of the ship as he forced himself to wait for Nami to calm herself enough to explain their captain's unusual behavior.
Robin simply looked down at the girl in her arms, shoulders heaving as she sobbed out another heavy breath. She wished she could do more for her, but for now like the rest of the crew she would have to wait for Nami to give some explanation for what was going on with their happy go lucky captain.
Chopper seeing Robin take charge of Nami, walked over to Usopp who still stared after Luffy. "Do you think will Luffy will come back soon?" Asked Chopper. Usopp looked down at the reindeer, "I don't know, but until Luffy calms down, we just have to wait." He sighed looking over at Nami. 'You better calm down soon, Luffy.'
Franky pushed up his sunglasses, whistling quietly to him self as he stared at Nami. "I've never seen Mugiwara-aniki make Nee-chan cry like that before, so not SUPAAA." He said taking a big swig of cola before once again staring down at the navigator.
"That was very shocking, my eyes were popping out. Except I have no eyes Skull Joke! Hohohohohohohoho" Brook laughed out.
"Oi, oi." Both Chopper and Usopp slapped out their hand, at Brooks inappropriate timing for his joke. For the rest of the crew, small sweat drops fell at Brooks humor.
"But Luffy-san must have been pretty upset to leave Nami-san without even trying to reconcile with her." Everyone looked up at the statement and sudden change in attitude. Sometimes they forgot that he was the oldest member of the crew, living almost twice as long as any of them. Brook walked away from the railing and sat down next to Zoro, near the mast. He brought up his violin and started playing a soft yet cheery tune. By this time Nami had stopped crying and was sitting eyes closed, listening to Brook play his violin.
She took a long breath before firming her resolve. "Nami?" Robin looked down at her, worry in her eyes. She looked at the rest of the crew seeing their worried faces. She took a deep sigh, put a hand on Robin's for support. She looked out one last time towards the forest, the slightest of hopes of seeing Luffy sauntering back towards the ship. One more sigh, she looked at them and began with Luffy falling asleep on the sofa in the observation room.
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Luffy stomped through the underbrush of the forest. Following a barely discernable path as he walked. Somewhere he had found a stick, swinging it around bashing at the underbrush. For about an hour he meandered through the forest, humming a random tune, he tried not to think about Nami.
He remembered her face full of sadness, fear and unasked questions. It pulled at his heart that even though not on purpose, he had hurt her. He had told them that he was ok, that those two years the wound of Ace's death was healed. But deep down he knew it wasn't, it was still open merely not mentioned as not to trouble his nakama. He didn't want them to know, to worry about him and try to protect him from something that can't be changed. Before he noticed it himself, he had started walking up the mountain, feeling that there he could find solitude.
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Nami told them everything, from his outburst in his sleep, his spasms and his reaction to her question. At the mention of the spasms both Chopper and Usopp had jumped up to run after Luffy to go check if he was ok, but were held down by Franky and Sanji. She blushed faintly when she told them about him waking up and how frantic he was to make sure she was ok. Finally she told them about his reaction that led him to jump off the ship, when she asked about Ace. She hugged herself remembering his face, feeling herself freeze at Luffy's blank emotionless expression, but feeling the bottomless chasm of sadness in his body language.
At that Franky whistled, Brook stopped playing his violin, Zoro and Robin exchanged glances and the rest held painful looks on their faces. They all knew that Luffy went through hell after Ace's death. If he relived that moment in his dream then that could explain enough about why Luffy had gotten so emotional. The crew sat in silence as Nami settled down beside Robin.
Robin was the first to speak. "I think there might be more to his dream?" The others looked over to her, confused expressions on their faces. "Ace's death could explain why he had a nightmare, but I feel that there was more to it than just reliving Ace die." She looked down at Nami.
"Your talking about why he was for frantic to make sure Nami was ok?" Zoro said, looking around the group to see if anyone was following his train of thought.
Robin nodded. "I think somehow Nami was somehow integrated into Luffy's nightmare." Nami looked up as this her eyes widening in shock.
"But that doesn't explain why he would be so worried about Nami being safe?" Usopp asked. Getting some confused glances from the crew. "I mean if Nami was in his dream wouldn't she be one of the aggressors?" He got a glare from Nami, and hid behind Sanji's back. "I'm just saying, it just seems more likely, because you're always hitting him."
The rest of the crew just nodded their heads understanding where Usopp was coming from. "Baka, that doesn't explain anything." Sanji said blowing out some smoke, kicking Usopp away. "If anything I feel he probably saw her get hurt or something." Pointing out Luffy's overprotective nature, to protect his nakama. The silence wore on for a time everyone engrossed in their own thoughts.
"I hope Luffy is ok, I think it would be better if he was with us so we could be there for him," Chopper said breaking the silence, looking once again to the forest.
"I'm going to my room." Nami said quietly, standing up quickly and heading towards the women's sleeping area. Robin quickly followed her, throwing one last look over her shoulder as they disappeared inside the ship.
"Leave her. Right now, just let her be by herself." Sanji who had moved to follow after Nami, looked over to Zoro. Quirking an eyebrow before giving a slight nod and headed off towards the kitchen to start prepping for dinner. Chopper and Usopp were herded to the other side of the ship by Franky, who started talking to them about doing some fishing until dinner. Brook stayed seated gently changing what he was playing. It became something a little darker, giving more depth to the music. Zoro closed his eyes letting out a long sigh. Listening to the musician play was relaxing, he felt himself drifting off to sleep.
"It must be hard being the first mate." Zoro opened an eye to stare at the man, well skeleton, next to him.
"Aye, it can be at times with such a captain and navigator." He responded after a second of thought. "Sometimes there's just something there between those two, been like that way since he defeated Arlong, maybe even before." He shrugged.
"When I see those two, I can feel the love from their souls." Brook laughed out.
"Love, huh." Zoro heaved a sighed but thought about it. 'Could Luffy understand love? He thought about Luffy's moments with Nami. He'd given her his hat, saved her life at risk of his own, trusted her when all the evidence told him not to.' These moments flashed through Zoro's mind. "Maybe, but I don't think that either of them understand their feelings as anything more than friendship."
"Hohohoho, they may not think it consciously, but they know it in their soul." Brook said as he stood up. "I think it's time for some tea." With that Brook walked to the kitchen.
Zoro watched the Skeleton walk away. 'He'd been with Luffy from the start of the journey and their friendship and bond was strong. It was still nowhere near the strength that Luffy and Nami's. If they ever figured out their feelings, he would be happy for them, even though he believed Luffy could do better than that greedy conniving witch.' He smiled. 'Though the best part of all, if those two got together, would be Ero-cook's depressed expression.' He chuckled darkly to himself.
Robin walked out, stopping near Zoro. "She's asleep." Answering Zoro questioning look. "What Brook said wasn't wrong, deep down they know about their feelings. But subconsciously they prevent themselves from understanding it, because they feel it could distract them from their dreams. Though their dreams seem to match together very well from my perspective." A small smile on her lips as she finished contemplating about the dreams of their captain and navigator.
Zoro glanced over to Robin. "Eavesdropping is not the best of hobbies."
Robin smiled. "Well knowing what going on around me is simply a habit of mine." She said as she turned around and walked off towards the kitchen.
Zoro shrugged looked one last time towards the forest, before once again drifting off to sleep.
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Luffy found himself at the peak of the mountain. He could see the Sunny anchored at the beach below. He looked out to the distant horizon, the deep blue of the sea distinct against the light blue of the sky. The top of the mountain was a flat base at the center a low backed chair made from stone.
'Luffy faintly remembered Nami talking about it, saying that the villagers call it the Kings chair or something. She was very excited about the island, because it only rains right over the mountain. The spot was called the Kings seat or what ever, because it was said that the gods were pouring the king a drink of water when he sat in that stone chair.'
Half way down the mountain, Luffy could see a large lake, probably where all the rainwater accumulates, before it starts flowing down into the village below. Luffy sat down feeling sleepy; he had eaten a lot of fruit as he walked through the forest below. He wanted some time away from the crew. Or, did he just want to be away from Nami? He felt a twinge as he remembered her face, shock and sadness in her eyes. He shook his head, staring out again to the distant sea, letting his mind wonder away from his worries.
He felt himself drifting off, feeling sleep take him. He placed his hat over his face, and fell asleep.
He woke up hours later, it was dark, only the light of the moon lighting the land below.
He sat up, the moon in front of him so close he felt he could grab it from the sky. He put his hat back on his head. He looked down, watching the black waves hit the rocks far below. He turned around looking down at the Sunny, the lion head visible in the moonlight. Luffy thought he saw a smallest flash of red on deck, but it must have been his imagination. He turned around, a small smile on his face watching the waves below dance in the light of the moon.
As the sun rose above the horizon, Luffy was still there staring out, his body in the same position it had been for hours, but his mind unlike his body was far, far away. What filled his mind was Nami's face as he wretched his arm out of her grasp, her touch burning him, her pained expression as he walked away, making his heart squeeze. He just couldn't explain why it hurt.
He turned as he heard footsteps coming from behind him. Wondering who could be coming up to the mountain peak so early in the morning?
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Nami woke up, the light from the full moon coming in through the window. She sat up, being as quiet as possible as not to wake the sleeping form in the bed next to hers. She felt tired dinner had been a mess. She sighed remembering what had occurred.
'Sanji had made a fabulous dinner it tasted fantastic as all his meals did. But without Luffy it was quiet and unusual. There was some conversation but she kept to herself, she didn't feel up to say anything.
She felt an anger growing inside, why wasn't anyone blaming her for driving Luffy their beloved captain away. They had all believed he would show up for dinner. Everyone was acting as if his not being there was normal. Usopp and Chopper had tried to go after Luffy when dinner had started and he hadn't shown up. Zoro had put a quick stop to that.
'Zoro slammed one of his sheaths onto the floor. Everyone turned to him some confused others surprised. "Luffy said that were not to look for him." He glared at each of the crew making sure that they understood that this was direct order from their captain. "Tomorrow we will explore the island, and see if he has cooled down." He glanced over to Nami, seeing her eyes to the floor, he grimaced. "If he has calmed down we'll figure things out. But for now we leave Luffy alone to figure out his own feelings." Zoro glared at both Usopp and Chopper until they sat down and began eating.
After dinner Sanji and Zoro had gotten into an argument, which she had put to a stop quickly, by bashing their faces into the floorboards. After that she ran out of the kitchen, to her room. She left behind worried and surprised faces of her nakama. She was upset, why didn't any of them blame her? She even yelled at Robin who had followed after her. She tried to sleep but her thoughts were full of Luffy. Robin had come in a few hours later, quietly undressed and went to sleep.'
Nami walked over to her closet and put on a light red jacket before stepping out on deck. It wasn't cold, but considering what she had on, it was more than enough protection against the sea breeze. She walked up next to the head of the Sunny, her eyes locating Luffy's usual spot, searching for the missing back of her captain. She turned to the railing, her eyes wandering over the beach. Her eyes wondered up to the mountain, she gasped as she saw the signature shadow of the Straw Hat of her captain back lit by the full moon.
There he was, so close but so far away, she held a hand to her mouth covering a small smile. Tears flowed down her cheeks, feeling her heart flutter. Even with her heart in chaos, just the mere knowledge of him being there, made her feel safe. A movement of his head made her jump, into the shadow of the Sunny head. She felt that he had looked down at the ship. She laughed softly, at her own silliness. She looked out of the shadows her eyes focused on Luffy. Her heart fluttered as she thought of his grinning face.
'Is this love? Can I let my self fall in love with my captain?' She felt herself ask. She smiled to herself inwardly. Just the mere knowledge of his presence calmed her, made her feel safe. So she watched her captain, back lit by the moon until she could no longer see him. She finally went back to bed, not seeing the small petals float away with the wind, as she returned to the women's sleeping quarters.
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"Captain, we'll be in sight of the next island some time afternoon." Said a man at the door.
"Good, we'll take stock before we head to the next island." The shadowed man said as he lifted up a giant harpoon towards the other man. "Check the speed of the ship, see if we can get there some time around mid day."
"Yes sir, Captain." Said the man as he closed the door behind him.
"We're so close, and that treasure will be all mine." The man quietly chuckled to himself as he looked out his window towards the full moon.
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The man walked up the path to the top of the mountain. As he walked up to the peak he saw someone already there. He wore a Straw Hat, he eyes glazed over as he stared at the horizon.
A small laugh escaped the old man's lip as he looked at the straw hat wearing young man sitting in the stone seat. 'A long time since I've seen the thousand mile stare, and on a man so young.' The old man thought to himself. A pebble bounced off his foot skidding off to the side. The young man turned at the sound, a questioning look plastered on his face.
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Thank you for reading the second chapter of my first Fanfiction Until I Say I Love You
Please review :)