AN: Er....Okay, I guess I must be missing something. More than one person guessed Anselmo comes from some singer (that I have never heard of. xD) but no one knew what the heck I was talking about so...We'll call this a draw. :P (If you're curious it comes from Strong Bad...and if you don't know what that is then you are missing something wonderful in life and I highly recommend going to Homestarruner. com, without the space obviously...this website hates all others. D:)
Thanks for reviewing guys!! It makes me a happy happy chicken!! :D (Don't ask....I'm insane and I know it.) I'm not sure how fast I'll be able to update this one...(sorry!) but that's really only because I'm kinda addicted to a different story I'm writing, (or 8. xD) so it's been harder for me to get these chapters done...But I'm on chapter 5 now, and when I get that one finished I'll put up another. :)
I do not own One Piece...which causes me much mourning. :P
Paulie followed her inside the building though not directly to the front desk, choosing instead to hang back and take a look around the lounge. He'd never been here before, why would he need a hotel room when he had his apartment? And he wondered why Nami had chosen this one in particular. The shipwright was distracted from his thoughts though when he heard the desk clerk's hassled voice.
"Please miss, I can't change the policy!"
Nami had folded her arms across her chest and was glaring at the young man, who was beginning to sweat nervously. Though she had her back to him Paulie could imagine the look on her face and he coughed into his hand to disguise his grin.
"It's only 9:48." She said stubbornly. "I'm checking out right now."
The poor man tried reasoning with her again. "But miss, you can't check out if you haven't emptied your room…" He cut himself off, and the blond assumed her glare had intensified, but when she spoke again her voice was sweet. "So my stuff just has to be out of my room right?"
"Er…yes miss. I can't check you out if your room isn't empty." He sounded relieved, thinking she was finally listening to him. "Okay then." She said sweetly. "Just one moment."
Then she turned and looked back at Paulie and his grin dissolved. "What?" He said almost defensively when she walked back to him. Rather than answer the copper haired woman fished out a key from somewhere inside her clothes and tossed it at him. "Room 304."
"Eh?" He looked down at the key and then back up at her. She wanted him to…? "Oh no." He said firmly. "I'm not letting you out of my sight yet."
The thief sighed with aggravated patience.
"Paulie…" She said reasonably. "I'm asking you to get all my stuff….Why would I run away when you've got that?"
Oh…He hadn't thought of that.
Apparently the look on his face told her he had gotten it. "There's a bag on the bathroom sink so be sure to grab that…" She leaned towards him and said in a quieter voice, "There's also a black bag under the bed…Don't forget that bag."
Without giving him the chance to reply she turned and made a bee line back to the counter and the young man gulped as she came closer.
Feeling a bit like a servant the blond could do nothing but go and get her things…Though on the plus side this meant he could get them home and the chances of her remaining were greater. As she said, why would she leave if he had her stuff?
Room 304 wasn't hard to find, and when he opened the door he was amused to see that she was a bit of a slob…amused for only a few seconds before realizing he was going to have to clean it up.
Grumbling under his breath the shipwright moved around grabbing clothes off the floor and tossing them onto the hotel bed. There was a black bag sitting on the small table that he assumed those would go in. Mindful of her instructions, and how pissed she would be if he didn't do it right, Paulie retrieved the small bag from the bathroom counter, (Thank God she at least kept that clean…he didn't want to have to deal with…all that girly shit she undoubtedly had..) and then dropped to his knees to get the black duffel bag from under the bed.
He grunted in surprise when he tried to pull the strap. What the hell did she carry in here, bricks?! Just like a woman to carry so much shit…He dragged the heavy bag out and tossed it onto the bed as well. Ignoring his curiosity he shoved the rest of her things into the first bag and did a quick check of the room to make sure she hadn't left things somewhere he wouldn't be able to find them.
Satisfied he had collected all of her things he gave his watch a quick glance and then swore. 9:53. Nami would be pissed as hell if he didn't get her out on time…
Walking back down to the lobby with her two bags Paulie thought about her…Nami was a total stranger…and at the same time he felt like he knew her really well…well enough to guess what her first reaction would be this morning, enough to guess she wouldn't call his bluff about losing his job, and enough to know she wasn't the sort of woman one kept waiting if they could help it. The petite thief had a hot temper, that was for sure…but then again, so did he. The blond smirked. 'This will be interesting…'
Nami was smiling a bit smugly when he returned (at 9:59) and if he had to judge by the desk clerk's face the blond guessed she had managed to check out before they tried to extort more money from her. Tried being the key word…he wasn't sure what would have happened if they hadn't let her check out while he got her things but he was sure it would have been unpleasant…
"Got everything?" She asked him brightly.
"Yeah…" 'I hope so…' He didn't finish his thought aloud, instead choosing to hand her the lighter bag and walk towards the hotel's main entrance. A second later she had caught up with him, still smiling like the cat that ate the canary.
Once outside the blond paused to light a cigar.
"Where to now?" She asked in a mild tone that he didn't trust at all. The shipwright raised an eyebrow at her but she kept smiling serenely.
Where to indeed…
He had told Iceburg that he'd be back in today but if he went in without her she would skip town. (He wanted to trust her, but he knew it would be foolish to do so about that so soon…Nami was going to need to be watched carefully until she capitulate, and accepted his help.) On the other hand…if he brought her with him he was in for the teasing of his life, which was something he'd rather avoid…Lulu in particular would love to have something like Nami to hang over his head…
"I'm starving, let's get some breakfast."
Paulie blinked at her as she nodded decisively and began marching away. Well…it was somewhere to go anyway…shrugging the blond caught up with her in two steps.
"What kind of food do you want?"
She looked up with a thoughtful expression on her face, her black bag swung up to rest on her shoulder. "Dunno…What's good around here?"
She seemed awfully relaxed now…Paulie watched her carefully, and if she noticed it she was ignoring him. There was something different about her now…something had changed between the argument at his apartment and leaving the hotel and he wasn't sure what it was. Resolving to keep an even closer watch on her he took the lead again…there were at least a few restaurants around here that served decent food.
Nami chose one that had tables outside, and she settled herself quite comfortably into one of the decorative chairs, making sure to keep both bags close.
She was aware of the way Paulie was watching her…she was a thief after all…if she couldn't even notice that then she would have been dead long ago.
'Yeah, like that's the only reason you noticed…'
'I thought you were gonna leave me alone.'
The other voice didn't answer and the beautiful woman resolved to ignore anything else it said…she was actually feeling pretty good and she didn't want to deal with strange voices in her head that were encouraging her to do stupid things.
'What stupid things have I encouraged you to do?'
She leaned one hand onto the table and began tapping her fingers against the glass top, firmly pushing any thoughts about the strange argument she had been having with herself into the back of her mind.
'Spoil sport…'
The voice went silent again, almost sullenly, and Nami caught a smile forming on her lips…She was feeling…wonderful, actually. She should still be angry with him…he was keeping her prisoner after all…but for some reason she couldn't muster up that emotion…all that was there was a blank contentment. Though she wished he would stop looking at her like that…
Her coppery hair slid down off her shoulder as she turned to look out at the scenic view…Water 7 was actually a really pretty place…she breathed deeply, letting her eyes flutter shut…When was the last time she had felt like this? Just so…peaceful…
She finally allowed the smile onto her face, eyes still closed as she spoke. "Stop looking at me so suspiciously…You're gonna make me think you don't trust me or something." Her little smile was threatening to become a full blown grin…it was so nice to be open like this…
With her eyes closed she couldn't see his face but she heard his chair shift and she guessed that she had startled him…making her smile just a bit wider.
"You're being pretty complacent compared to this morning…I'm just wondering what you're up to."
Well…seemed he didn't have a problem with being honest either.
Nami finally turned back to look at him but he had looked away. "Up to?" She asked, artfully innocent. "Whatever do you mean?"
He turned back to answer her but then stopped. His mouth opened but no sound came out and she raised one eyebrow. Her natural instinct was to tease him but he was saved by the waitress who had come up behind her. "Can I take your order?"
Nami looked up at the pretty little blond, who was looking right back at her, with a speculating look on her face that the thief didn't trust.
"Good morning Paulie-san." The young woman turned to look at her companion, and the cat burglar resisted the urge to raise her eyebrow again…Did he come here a lot of something?
The shipwright didn't answer; instead he had buried his nose into the menu, a slight blush on his cheeks.
Well…this was an interesting development…Brushing her copper colored hair out of her face the cat burglar felt a cool smile grace her face when the other woman looked back at her.
"Uh…What do you want Nami?"
Refusing to look at her companion she glanced at the menu…she wasn't that hungry anymore…
"Coffee please."
He was looking at her again but she ignored him, for a different reason this time. After a second he placed his order, real food, and the waitress smiled at him flirtatiously. "Sure thing Paulie-san! Be right back." And then she disappeared back inside.
"I thought you were hungry." He leaned back in his own chair, with his head tilted back, letting the cigar smoke rise into the air in a thin trail.
"Coffee can fill me up." She answered…Great…now her relaxed mood was gone…'For no damn reason too…'
'Are you really that stupid or are you doing this just to irritate me?'
'Shut up…'
She looked out over the water canal streets again so she wouldn't have to converse with him…She had thought he was just super shy…but it appeared that wasn't the case.
'You're over reacting.'
'Over reacting means there's something to react too and there's not.'
'How about the fact that you're jealous because you think he has a girlfriend?'
Nami's eyes narrowed and she shifted in her chair so she could cross her legs…She didn't care in the least if he had a girlfriend or not…
'Sure…'
But she didn't rise to that bait either. If she was a little…annoyed…that he had…acted so nice to her when…
'When what?' The other voice said in a snarky tone. 'When he's taken? I thought you weren't interested.' The argument would have gone on longer but a different waitress, this one a brunette with green eyes, came out to bring them their drinks.
"Here you are…" She said cheerfully as she set the steaming cup of coffee on the table. "And here you are, Paulie-san…" Then she giggled and went back inside as the shipwright across from her turned an even brighter red.
Without looking back at the table she picked up the hot mug and brought it to her lips…for some reason her hand was shaking…and she was feeling less annoyed and more pissed off.
They sat there in awkward silence for a few more minutes. Nami didn't know what the blond was thinking but she didn't really care to know either. She was just…
Finishing her coffee she set the empty cup on the table, still not looking at her companion. Finally he spoke again…"What are you so angry about all of a sudden?"
Arching one delicate eyebrow she turned back to him. "I beg your pardon?" She said in a deceptively sweet tone. He had been frowning slightly and her words made his frown deepen. "I said, what're you so angry about?"
Nami brushed her hair off her shoulders, feigning indifference to his question. It appeared he was still being bluntly honest.
'Unless that's just how he is…' If he hadn't been looking at her she would have given a cold smile at her inward voice…it no longer sounded as sure.
Unfortunately for Paulie his breakfast arrived, brought out by yet another waitress. The blush that had been on his cheeks came back and he looked down again.
The redhead smiled, even though he wasn't looking at her. "Here you are Paulie-san!" Her voice was cheerful but there was an edge of teasing in it. Under the table the thief's hands clenched.
'Still think I'm over reacting?' She snapped into the vault of her mind. She didn't even care that she was right while the annoying voice was wrong…
'You don't actually know what's going on though…' The other part of her mind continued to sound unsure, the slightest hint of depression in its tone. 'Serves you right!' She thought viciously, ignoring the fact that she was saying it, technically, to herself.
"Would you like more coffee?" The waitress was addressing her now…and though she was angry it was less awkward when she had something to keep her from talking to him.
"Yes."
If the redhead was offended by her tone it didn't show and she slipped back into the café without another word.
The carpenter was giving her a puzzled look, the red in his cheeks once again fading, but she continued to ignore him. If he couldn't figure it out then-
All three waitresses came out, the redhead holding her new cup of coffee. Nami picked it up again as soon as it was set on the table, looking away furiously…
"Paulie-san!" One girl said cheerfully. "It's such a nice surprise to see you!"
"How come you don't come in more often?" The second asked. The third only giggled as all three flirted with him simultaneously.
Since she wasn't looking at him she couldn't begin to guess what was happening on his part, but she could tell the blond had started choking slightly, and she guessed he was blushing again…Probably embarrassed to be caught with so many girls at once, though none of the three seemed to mind the others company.
While Nami drank her coffee, and Paulie began sputtering, another female voice suddenly intruded into the situation…very loudly.
"Now that's enough out of you three!!"
The speaker was a middle aged woman who had apparently been passing by and decided to interfere. She was a large woman with wild reddish-orange hair, and three children behind her.
"Off with you!" The woman commanded. "Shoo! Shoo!"
The thief, unable to look away any longer, was surprised and confused to see the three waitresses laughing as the woman waved her hand at them. Paulie had turned in his seat and was looking at the woman so she couldn't see his face.
"Sorry, sorry! It's just so rare to get an opportunity like this!!" The redhead laughed and then went back inside without a fuss. The blond and brunette smiled at both the older woman and the shipwright. "Sorry Paulie-san!" One said cheerfully. "But you know…you really are welcome any time!"
He looked up at them briefly, and Nami was confused again to see him glaring at them, before they both waved and followed the other woman into the cafe.
The intruder was looking down at the blond and shaking her head.
"Thanks Maki-san…" He mumbled while looking at the table top.
'Wha…?'
"Paulie!!" The older woman began chiding him. "You have got to learn when to tell them off! Otherwise things like this will just keep happening!"
The copper haired woman looked back and forth between his companion and the wild looking woman.
The blond was just looking down at the table top, taking her chastisement silently. "I know I just…"
"Oh, and who's this!"
She had turned to look at Nami now and she was smiling in a friendly way. "She's obviously not giving you trouble." Though the cat burglar didn't understand this the shipwright began choking again, his face burning even brighter than before.
"I'm Maki." The woman introduced herself in a confident voice. "This is Yuuga, Akihito, and Sho." She motioned to the three boys with her, two of which bowed politely and the third hid behind her, looking out from his hiding spot timidly.
She was…extremely confused. Looking again back and forth between her companion and the older woman she finally reached up a hand, and Maki immediately took it in a firm handshake.
"I'm…Nami." She felt dazed…Who in the world was the crazy lady and what had just happened?
Paulie seemed to have recovered, somewhat. The blush was still there but he looked up at Nami with almost a warning in his eye before turning back to Maki-san.
"Maki-san this is Nami." Though they had just introduced themselves to each other he did it anyway. "Nami this is Maki-san…"
The oldest boy, Akihito moved past his caretaker and without preamble jumped onto the carpenter's lap. "Paulie! Guess what?" The kid said in excitement. "Michael made Hoichael eat a worm, and he got sick, and puked everywhere, and now Michael's grounded for a week!!"
The thief watched them with barely hidden confusion. 'Who are these people…?!'
Yuuga had begun snickering as Akihito told his story and now he moved away from Maki-san and towards the table too. "That's not all…he has to do the dishes and iron the clothes for a whole month!!"
"Hey! Hey!!" Moving fluidly despite her size the older woman sat at the table with them, the third boy, Sho keeping pace with her so he could remain hidden. "Is that how we treat each other?! Maybe you two would like to help Michael with his chores?" The two boys immediately shook their heads, their smiles replaced with solemn looks. "No, Ma'am!" The chorused.
Maki-san nodded and turned back to the shipwright who was smiling slightly. With Akihito in Paulie's lap, and Sho hiding behind the other woman, Yuuga had no place to sit so he came right up to the bewildered thief and said, "Hey lady! Can I sit with you?"
Blinking rapidly while trying to catch up with the situation she nodded without thinking and the next second found her lap full with the exuberant child.
"Er…sorry…"
She looked back over at the blond who scratched the back of his neck uncomfortable. "Uh…"
"Aren't you usually at work by now?" Maki-san overrode whatever he was trying to say, seeming unconcerned with Yuuga's open behavior.
The carpenter looked at Nami, uncertain about how comfortable she was with a strange child in her lap, but the thief found herself smiling ever so slightly. Maki-san seemed a bit insane…but she found herself liking it…and the cheerful children who were with her.
She shrugged to let him know it was all right and he looked back at the third adult at the table, either not noticing or ignoring the boy on his lap as he began swiping some of the carpenter's food.
"I uh….Usually I am but…" His shyness seemed to drop away somewhat and he grinned at the older woman. "I'm playing hooky to hang out with a friend of mine." He motioned towards Nami who felt the smallest fluttering in her stomach…
'Well now…You shouldn't have doubted him…'
Nami picked up her cup of coffee, sipping slowly to finish it off. 'Oh, like I was the only one.' Her inner voice laughed a little. 'You were, 'cause we're the same aren't we?' She ignored that in favor of listening to the other adults talk.
"Playing hooky?" Maki-san smiled. "That's not like you." She gave him a sly look. "You'd rather spend time with your friend here than go to work, eh?"
Both carpenter and thief turned red at this, and he went into a flurry of denial. "No, no, no! I just…I mean…" It was a wonder he didn't have a heart attack. "We haven't seen each other for a while so I…"
Maki-san laughed at him. "That's fine, that's fine! Though, what will Iceburg-san do without you?" She chuckled again.
Reaching over from his place on Nami's lap, Yuuga also began stealing food from Paulie's plate. The carpenter definitely noticed it this time but he seemed resigned to letting them have it.
"I'll be going in at some point today." He said confidently, giving her a look. Whether it was because he thought his threat had her cowed or not it appeared he was actually going to leave her on her own for a while…
Nami dropped her gaze. That would be when she'd make her get away…'I guess…'
'Awwwww, how sweet! You're sad that he's leaving you alone!' The cooing of the other voice in her head had the thief's teeth clenching immediately. 'Shut the hell up!!' She shouted inwardly. 'I can't stay here and that's final!'
If he was stupid enough to leave her alone, in spite of all his threats, than he shouldn't be surprised to find her gone when he came back. Raising the mug to her lips the petite woman finished her rapidly cooling drink, looking away from her captor as she did. She didn't want to see or know what he was thinking…
"Well, that's good. That poor man would be lost without you boys there." Maki-san was saying. Still smiling she forced herself back out of the chair, motioning to her two children who hopped off their laps, and looked back down at them. "Well have a fun day catching up, you two! And Paulie…" He looked up at her and she chuckled. "Try to drop by sometime soon, the kids miss you."
The shipwright nodded obediently… 'Paulie and obedient aren't two words I would put together.' …and waved good bye as the small group began wandering away.
AN: I wasn't really sure where to cut off so I figured this was as good a place as any. I tried to make it obvious that Paulie's shyness hasn't gone away. it just doesn't really effect him with Nami...as much anyway. I can't imagine him being able to brush off everything she does/says. :P
Also I should mention...Maki and her kids are from episode 318 (I don't remember it's name!) where Zoro gets "adopted" by that family in Water 7. xD I freaking love that episode and I've fallen in love with that family so I decided to go more in depth with them (in a different story actually. :P) and I remembered that Paulie was mentioned as helping her (the mom) paying her debts, so I decided to add them in here. ^-^
Please leave me a review to let me know what you think!!
