Okay, I would like to take a moment to reiterate that this relationship is not going to be healthy, and I am not going to sugarcoat Nami's, and even more so Kid's flaws and issues... Especially Kid's. Also, I would like to remind you all that Kid is a violent man. Just keep that in mind with this fic.
Also, while in this AU there aren't devil fruits, I am retaining the fishmen race, mainly because humanizing them made it more complicated than I cared, also it would have made the structure of Nami's history too similar to the LawNa AU I'm writing, and I want to avoid that. But her history with the Arlong is too important to leave out, especially when dealing with a relationship involving Kid, so I can't ignore it for the sake of simplicity, either.
But without further ado...
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda.
Bruised Knuckles and a Secret Past
After a long, stressful week of class, Nami was excited for Friday night to finally come, especially when she had plans that, if all went well, will see that she ends the night with a lot of money. The only thing standing in her way was the fact she had to go into dangerous territory to get it, but with her two escorts, she couldn't find a cause for concern.
"Nyuu. Are you sure it's alright I come along, Nami?" The man to her left asked with a worried frown. "I don't want to cause you any trouble."
Nami laughed and wrapped her arms around one of his, smiling up at the octopus fishman reassuringly. "Of course it's fine. I invited you for a reason, you know. No one will try to bring me any trouble with you and Zoro around, Hatchi."
"But I don't fight anymore," he frowned deeper.
"And you won't have to. That's what Zoro's for." She grinned, reaching to slap a hand on the green haired man's shoulder to her right, preventing him from straying down an alley. "You're just here to look scary and mean, but make sure that I can run away if something happens."
"Nami, I thought this was just some gambling hall you wanted to go to. What are you so worried about?" Zoro muttered, even as his eyes swept over the street; ever observant, ever on guard.
"Because this is on the edge of Big Mom's territory, and since Luffy went and pissed her off once, I'd rather play it safe in case some of her men were around." She explained. "And you know how people tend to act in poker tournaments with me."
"If you weren't so greedy, you wouldn't even take this risk," Zoro sighed heavily, turning as she pulled him into a dimly lit alleyway on the left. "Surprised you didn't bring Luffy."
"He'd bring too much attention."
"True enough, but Hatchi sucks at poker."
"Nyuu," the fishman hung his head. It was true, but it still stung to hear.
"He doesn't have to win. He's a distraction and bodyguard." She gave a tug on Hatchi's arm, pulling his attention back to her as she smiled. "And don't worry, I'll share my winnings with you."
"You don't have to do that, Nami!" He began waving his five free arms. "I'm just happy to help you."
"Don't be silly. You're my friend. You can use it to get that new grill for your takoyaki stand." She waved him off as they reached a heavy, metal framed door.
"Why does he get money, and I don't?" Zoro glared at her. "I'm the one who's gonna do the fighting if it comes down to it."
"You owe me money, that's why. You're paying off your debts to me." She said shortly, smacking him upside the head when he cursed at her under his breath. "Stop complaining or I'll take whatever you win for yourself, too."
"Damn it," he growled, opening the door to head inside. "Greedy witch."
As she walked ahead, she turned to stick her tongue out at him, not bothered by the surly glare he sent her way. Not aware of her surroundings, though, she was startled when she suddenly ran into an outstretched leg barring her way.
"Oi, thieves aren't allowed here," an all too familiar voice came from her left. She glowered as she looked at the crimson haired man standing against the wall, her eyes narrowing when she noticed the arrogant smirk on his face.
"You work here?" She asked, her brow quirking up when she noticed the small office beside him. She spotted another guy in there, sitting in front of a few monitors, watching the entrance and other areas of the not so legal gambling establishment.
"I do. Surprised?" His smile grew, obviously reveling in her annoyance.
She bit her tongue before she said what she was thinking, that she was surprised he could keep any job, instead she huffed and smacked at his leg. "Whatever. I don't need to rely on pick-pocketing to take people's money in a poker tournament."
His leg didn't budge, he even shifted on the wall, lowering himself as he leaned forward to grin right in her face. "So you're here for the poker, eh? Ya might not steal anyone's wallet, but you're still a thief, which means you're probably prepared to cheat."
"I definitely don't need to cheat to beat a bunch of thugs at cards, Kid," she glared.
"Oh? Then ya don't mind if I search ya, do you? Make sure you're not hiding any cards or anything?" He chuckled, his eyes racking over her red hoodie and jeans. She had to force herself not to shiver at the intensity of his gaze.
"Listen, buddy, Nami may be a greedy witch, but she doesn't cheat," Zoro spoke up beside her, and Nami felt her posture straighten haughtily with the reminder of who she had to come to her defense. Zoro stepped closer to her side, and Kid's eyes shot to him, all humor gone as he stared blankly at the man. Hatchi shifted, too, his six arms crossing over his chest after adjusting his black bandana, ensuring his sun tattoo was hidden on his forehead, and Kid spared him a quick glance before settling back on Zoro.
There was something in the way he was looking at Zoro that Nami didn't like. An unspoken threat. She didn't need to look at Zoro to know that his own good eye was set in a glare, defiant and unafraid of the larger man. As confident as she was with Zoro there, she could feel the tension rising in the hallway, and with a quick sweep of Kid's frame, she spotted the gun he had two years ago, once again holstered beneath a black vest over his blue shirt. He hadn't had that the last few times she saw him, but she imagined he mainly wore it to work, when he might have reason to use it against any of the criminals who ran rampant in that district.
She let out an exasperated sigh, breaking into the men's silent posturing as she pointedly reached for the zipper on her hoodie. That immediately got Kid's attention, his eyes narrowing onto her hands as she began to tug it down.
"This is stupid, Kid," she said, once her hoodie was completely open and she slipped it off. She spared him a glance to see his eyes widen at what she had on beneath. He schooled his expression quickly enough, though, only a trace of heat in his gaze left as evidence of what his opinion of her top was. "If you really think I'm hiding anything, please tell me where I might keep it."
Zoro snorted as she spun around, his posture relaxing as she took a risk to prove that she had nothing to hide. Her black chiffon top hugged her breasts, much of her bust exposed by the fabric as it cut low over her cleavage. The top had thin straps, showing off her shoulders and tattoo, and endless amounts of skin. The shirt stopped just before her waist, not even to her belly button, and putting on display her trim abdomen and wide hips with her low cut jeans. The top itself was little more than a bra with how much it showed off, and judging by the way Kid's eyes had a hard time staying on her face, it was the right shirt to wear for the poker tournament.
You don't need to bluff if your opponent can't even concentrate on what you're doing.
"So? Can we go in?" She asked sweetly, finally distracting the man from whatever thoughts were plaguing him, his eyes snapping back up to hers with a grunt. She smiled devilishly and placed a hand on a cocked hip as she waited.
He finally barked a loud laugh, realization dawning on him as he leaned back and let his leg drop from the wall across from him. "Kitten, if you're hiding anything in that top, then I'd applaud you for managing it. Still wouldn't mind searchin' ya, though, but for a whole other reason."
She glared and rolled her eyes, knowing very well what he wanted, but chose to ignore him in favor of heading into the gambling hall.
"Oi! I'll still be keepin' an eye on ya, Nami! So don't go gettin' tempted to pull what ya did with me while you're in there!"
She glanced back at his warning, and she could tell by the way he glared that he wasn't worried about her stealing, it was what she did in order to lift a wallet that he didn't like. Suddenly nervous, she reached out to hook her arms with the two men flanking her, and she didn't miss the way Kid's eyes narrowed in further annoyance before she let out a huff and turned her attention away.
She was starting to question if coming there was really such a good idea.
"I don't like that guy," Zoro muttered as they entered the casino.
"He's not someone you need to worry about," Nami sighed with a roll of her eyes. "Actually, it might be a good thing he's here. He's an ass, but he'll keep anyone from causing trouble for me."
Zoro sent her a look that clearly said he wasn't worried about Kid being on their side or not, but Nami refused to acknowledge it. He didn't voice any more of his opinion, he'd already had his chance after finding out she stayed the night at Kid's shortly after returning to town.
"Anyway," she huffed, "I'll be paying your entry fees. So, Zoro, just win enough to pay that back, and we'll call it even. Hatchi," she glanced at the fishman beside her with a smile, "just have fun."
After signing into the ongoing tournament, the trio split off to different tables, ensuring they had a better chance of making as much money as they could. As much as it was Hatchi's job to keep an eye on her, Nami kept a close watch on him, frowning when he'd sweat nervously after attempting to bluff, and laughing when he danced around when he'd win a hand. He was a good distraction, threw a lot of the players off with his behavior, but he could never seem to hold a poker face for long.
He was too kind hearted for it.
Zoro, on the other hand, looked bored most of the time. It was the only thing other players could read off of him, but they didn't know him like she did. They didn't notice the slight tick of his jaw when he got the card he needed, or the way he pursed his lips and ran his tongue over a canine when he was behind in the draw. Even if they did notice, it didn't matter, a hard, one-eyed glare made them too nervous to question any tell he had.
Then there was the way she played. She rarely bluffed, she didn't need to when she spent most of her time chatting sweetly with the other players, barely giving her cards a second thought after a glance. She acted as if she were playing on a whim, without a care if she won or lost, tossing chips out seemingly at random. In reality she was calculating every odd, examining every reaction, and charming everyone into forgetting their own strategies and just throwing money into a growing pot that she inevitably won. Her attire and bubbly attitude kept the men from noticing any subconscious tell she might have. The women at her table were won over with kind words, or a sense of 'being on the same side' when playing with men who always underestimated and belittled them. The girls became her unwitting allies, her newest friends, and gave her their trust.
She did actually feel bad when they lost, but for their part, she always tossed a few chips their way to make up for it.
Poker was her game. She was a thief who could steal honestly with a few cards in her hand. Manipulation and statistics were skills she mastered to survive, and poker catered to them perfectly.
The only trouble came from the inevitable sore loser.
"You're a filthy cheater!" A man hollered as he tossed his cards on the table, standing to tower over her with an enraged finger pointed her way. The room went still as she sat there calmly collecting the pot. He was cleaned out, not a single chip left to even tip his waitress with, and obviously he did not take it well.
"Sir," the dealer attempted to calm the situation. "Do you have proof of your accusation?"
"She distracted me! Those clothes and flighty attitude! She's just conning us into handing her our money!" He yelled again.
Nami snorted, but refrained from commenting, allowing a woman with pink hair at another table to come to her defense, a woman named Bonney she had befriended while getting a drink at the bar during a break.
"Hah! Last I checked, that ain't against the rules, dick-bag! Hell, pretty sure that's the whole point of the game! Just 'cause ya suck at it, don't mean she's a cheater!" The woman laughed, pounding a foot on the table as she sat back. Nami glanced her way, catching a wink as Bonney stuffed a slice of pizza in her mouth.
"Stay out of this, bitch! This is between me and this cheating whore!"
"What did ya just say?" Bonney growled, her foot dropping from the table as she leaned forward, a dangerous look in her eyes.
Nami caught movement at another table, spotting Zoro standing as well, ready to come to Nami's defense in case things got uglier. Hatchi had lost all his money early on and was standing at the wall observing, but the fishman began to move closer to Nami, hands balled into fists with his arms crossed in front of him. He was making himself look as big and intimidating as possible, an imposing shadow hovering over Nami to deter any violence.
In the end, they didn't need to do a thing as a crimson haired man was suddenly hovering at the player's back, face set in barely contained rage. Without warning, the man's neck was clamped in a strong grip, fingers digging into his flesh painfully as he was lifted off the ground.
"Watch your mouth and learn some fucking manners, jerk," Kid practically snarled. "The chick's been playing honestly the whole damn time. Trust me, I haven't taken my eyes off her all night."
Nami had gone wide eyed at the sight of Kid coming to her defense so quickly, and out of no where, watching as her accuser coughed and pried at the fingers crushing his windpipe. She glanced at Kid's eyes at his last remark, but he wasn't looking at her then, his whole attention on dealing with the man insulting her.
"I'll deal with this loser," he said, his voice low and calm, belying the temper he held. He looked toward the dealer and manager overseeing the tournament, then sent a short glance her way as he turned to drag the man out. "Keep playing."
As he walked out, his captive still struggling in his hold, the unbearable tension that had filled the room a moment before, suddenly rushed out with an inaudible sigh of relief. Slowly conversations began again, dealers restarted their hands, and Nami's few allies forced themselves to relax, brushing off the interruption.
Nami, though, she was still oddly shaken. Not because of the creep who called her a cheater and a whore. She'd been called that enough times in her life, she didn't bat an eye at guys like him. No, Kid had gotten under skin within the matter of a minute. She hadn't expected him to come in like that, even if she knew that he'd likely take her side in a fight. There wasn't a fight, though, just some drunk ass who couldn't stand to lose to a woman like her.
Kid looked like he had been the one who was insulted, not Nami. She wanted to know what had been going through his mind to react like that, all because of a few words thrown her way. But deep down she knew what he was thinking…
She was his.
Out in the alley, the heavy thud of a fist colliding with a face echoed in the night air, the sound barely muffled by the drunk revelers roaming the streets. Pained screams had turned into deep groans, a repentant sob, a plea for mercy.
He didn't stop there. He needed one more hit. Needed to feel the jaw bone shatter. Needed to see the eye swell and hemorrhage. Needed to feel the fingers wrapped around his wrist where he held him by the collar of his shirt, fall away, weak, unconscious. Blood stained his hand, none of it his own. There was even more on the man's face, soaking his shirt as it flowed from his mouth and the deep gashes from the beating.
He stopped short of killing the man. It took a lot of restraint, but he managed it.
He tossed the body out into the main street, on some curb, in a muddy puddle. Perfect place to find garbage like him in those back alley slums.
He spit on the man's face before turning back, a lingering growl hanging in the air to serve as warning for whatever consciousness lingered.
"Call my girl a whore again, and I'll kill you."
Nami had managed to calm herself down, focusing intently on the poker game. She forced herself to ignore Kid's presence when he returned to the room. It was difficult when she spotted the bruising on his knuckles, and she wondered what might have become of the man who had insulted her earlier. She played on, though, rapidly increasing her winnings with each passing hand.
After another hour, she felt completely at ease, and was back to flirting with her opponents to get them off their game. She could feel his eyes coldly boring into her, but she told herself it was a good thing in case someone raised a commotion again.
The tournament was open entry, people constantly buying in as the night wore on. It was useful because it allowed her an opportunity at larger wins, but there was one negative side- anyone could join in at any time.
"Psst, Nami," she heard Hatchi trying to get her attention near midnight. She was in the middle of a hand, but spared a look back at him. He was waving, pointing toward the entry desk and two fishmen standing there. Her eyes went wide and face drained of all color. She had no idea who they were, but she recognized a frighteningly familiar tattoo on the arm of one of them.
She'd had it on her shoulder at one time, there was no forgetting that ugly mark.
She shot her head back to her hand, willing it to end quickly. She didn't care about winning this time, she just needed to get out of there.
"I'm calling it a night," she heard Zoro telling his table. He saw Hatchi's signal and wasn't wasting any time.
"I'm out," Nami said the second she saw she wouldn't win the hand, not without a lot of charm and manipulation, tactics she no longer had the time for. "Thanks for the fun, guys."
She hauled herself out of her chair, forcing her hands not to shake as she grabbed her winnings and headed for her two friends. She could still feel Kid watching her, but she didn't dare look.
He didn't need to see the fear in her eyes.
She slipped her hoodie back on, Zoro helping pull the hood over her head as she got settled. His hand stayed firm on her head as he tucked her against his side, hiding her with his larger frame as they walked toward the door. Hatchi adjusted his bandana again, tucked his extra arms into his own jacket, and kept his head down before he was recognized. The fishman kept close to her other side, boxing her in, protecting her. He seemed to know these men, and wasn't taking a chance at either of them being seen.
Kid was waiting at the door leading to the main area of the underground casino. She finally spared him a glance, and immediately looked away.
There was confusion in his eyes, a hint of worry, and a restrained anger as he glanced between her and the newcomers she seemed to be avoiding. He didn't ask any questions, he seemed to know better than to get in her way then.
He stepped aside, letting them pass without a word, and immediately slipped back in front of the door. She peeked over her shoulder to see his back, large and imposing as ever, a stalwart guard allowing her to escape whatever threat had left her shaken. A tilt of the head, and his eyes were sliding back to her again, narrowing sharply, with a deep set frown that told her he'd be asking a lot of questions she didn't want to answer the next time she saw him.
They decided to go to Shakky's afterward. Nami had a lot of questions for Hatchi, foremost being just who those men were, and she desperately needed a drink in a safe place to calm her nerves.
"There's a new gang forming, using Arlong's name and mark," he explained quietly at their table near the bar, his hands nervously fiddling with a mug of beer.
Shakky cleared out the bar the second they showed up and she noticed how shaken Nami looked, as if she had just seen a ghost. She knew the last thing they needed was an audience.
"Their leader had idolized him, and holds a grudge against you guys for bringing us down in the past. I've managed to keep him from finding out anything on all of you, especially you, Nami. So as long as you avoid them, you should be safe." He tried to reassure, but Nami still felt uneasy, and she knew Zoro certainly wasn't happy about this new information.
"Luffy's gonna need to hear about this," Zoro commented, taking a chug of his sake.
"And do what, exactly? Nothing's happened." Nami didn't know what her friend would do if he found out there might be a new threat out there, especially one related to her. She didn't need him running off to fight without a reason.
"Doesn't matter if nothing's happened, he'll still want to know so he can be prepared in case something does happen." The mossy haired man said flatly, brooking no argument from her.
She knew she couldn't stop him from mentioning the sighting to Luffy, and some part of her felt oddly better about him knowing, but she didn't want him getting into trouble again. So much had happened for all of them over the last two years, she just wanted to live her life as peacefully as possible.
The trio sank into a terse silence as they drank, all of them focused on their own thoughts. They didn't pay any mind to front door opening, assuming Shakky would shoo off whatever patron ignored the closed sign hanging in the window. She didn't, though, and Nami's back went rigid at his hard voice.
"Oi, Kitten, we need to talk." Nami's head snapped around to stare at Kid standing just inside the door, frowning darkly at her. He had a bruise under his left eye that wasn't there when she left the casino, the sight leaving a bad taste in her mouth as he glanced at her companions, then back to her, nudging his head toward the door. "Now."
She began to stand up, but Zoro grabbed her wrist to stop her. He was glaring hard at Kid, the red head returning the look, and then his gaze went to her, silently asking her if she was sure.
"It's fine, Zoro. I'll be right back," she tried to smile reassuringly as she shook off his hold. She glanced over at Kid once she stepped away from the table and saw his expression relax before he turned to lead her out to the parking lot.
Neither said a word until the door was shut behind her and she couldn't stand the oppressive silence around her. "How'd you know I'd be here?"
"Hunch," he grunted, moving to lean against the wall beside the door. "So? Mind telling me who those guys were?"
"No one," she answered quickly.
"Bullshit, Nami. They scared the crap outta ya back there. If they were no one, you wouldn't have run off without winning that hand, and ya definitely wouldn't have looked like the devil himself was on your heels."
"They're no one important. Just some wanna-be thugs." She looked away, refusing to meet his accusatory gaze.
"Ya got history with 'em?"
"Not with them personally," she answered, hoping a more honest answer might appease him enough to end the conversation.
"Who then?" He pressed on, standing straight in an attempt to use his size to intimidate her into answering.
She shot him a hard glare, defiant and stubborn. She would not discuss that part of her history with him.
"Fucking hell, woman, it's just one question."
"It's none of your business, Kid."
"It is if they terrified you like that." He said lowly.
"It's all in the past. They don't even know me, so they shouldn't be a problem as long as I avoid them." She argued.
"Obviously you can't avoid them completely. Tell me what they did to you, and I'll make sure they never do it again."
"They never did anything to me! I told you, they're just some idiots using another man's symbol to cause trouble, they have no connection to me, otherwise."
"Who's the other man?" Kid growled, impatient with her avoidance. "And what the fuck did he do to you?"
She shrank away, bowing her head to hide her pained expression. She didn't want to think about that. Didn't want to think of that man and the things that happened in her childhood. She didn't want to talk about it, especially not with a man like him.
Her teeth found their way to her lip, tugging and pulling on it to distract her from her darkening thoughts. She heard Kid sigh heavily, his feet shuffling against the concrete, then a warm hand was covering her head as he drew her against his chest. She blinked, every tormented memory flying out of her mind as her forehead pressed to his sternum and she could hear his every breath and the annoyed growl he let slip a moment later.
"Fine. Ya don't have to tell me. I'll still keep those jerks from touchin' ya, though." He said, forcing his voice to be as calm as possible, despite the anger she knew he must have been feeling.
Nami took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she allowed herself one moment with him. She kept her hands balled in front of her until the way his fingers were slipping casually through her hair relaxed her enough to lean into him more. He grunted when her weight pressed into him, his hand rubbing her scalp more in response; silent comfort she never expect to receive from him. His other hand was stuffed into his pocket, harmless and innocent; Kid either aware of minding the boundaries she wanted, or too uncomfortable with the kind gesture to do anything more. Either way, she was grateful, and greedily took it in, despite the nagging reminders that she was supposed to be pushing him away.
"Where did you get the black eye?" She asked quietly.
His hand stilled for a moment, then went back to mindlessly running through her hair as he answered. "Those two fishmen started a brawl not long after ya left. Not the only injury they gave me," he shifted, his hand coming out of his pocket so he could lift his shirt enough for her to see the bandages on the left side of his abdomen hiding a wound there.
She frowned, unsurprised to hear that, and glad she had gotten out of there when she did, but unhappy seeing what they did to Kid.
"The guy earlier," she began, taking one last deep breath as she pulled away, putting some much needed distance between them again. She ignored how much she missed the warm touch on her head. "What happened to him?"
"I beat the fucking shit out of him."
She shot her gaze up to him, seeing his serious expression. He wasn't kidding, or exaggerating.
"Why?" She sighed, slumping her shoulders as she gave him an irritated look. "All you had to do was kick him out."
"He called you a cheating whore. You really think I'm gonna stand to see some prick talk to you like that?" He narrowed his eyes on her. In his mind, his actions were perfectly justifiable.
"It was just a stupid insult from a sore loser. He didn't do anything to warrant a beating, Kid. And why do you even care who says or does what to me!?"
"He needed to learn his fucking place, and I made sure he got that lesson loud and clear. You're my girl, and no one messes with you while I'm around."
"But I'm not your girl!" Nami felt her temper snap, his words from two years ago ringing in her head. She had overlooked him calling her his girl when they were drinking a few weeks before, brushing it off as drunk ramblings, but he was perfectly sober making that claim again. "I thought I made that clear to you!"
"Ya did, but that doesn't change a damn thing to me. You're a person I like, Nami. You're a part of my crew, even if ya don't think you are. That ass could have insulted Killer or any of the other guys like that, and I would have beat the shit out of him all the same. Anyone who insults one of my people, insults me, and I deal with them how I want. The fact I want to fuck the living daylights out of you doesn't change that outcome."
Nami felt her face heat up with his blunt response. She wasn't sure if it was anger over the possessive attitude, or embarrassment at the last remark he left off with, but it all left her speechless. She believed him when he said that whatever other interests he had in her didn't play a part in how he reacted to the man at the casino, at least not entirely.
She covered her face, trying to hide her flustered reaction with an exasperated sigh. "Kid, you cannot just beat up everyone who insults me."
"Tough, I don't like hearing shit like that aimed at you."
"Yet you call me a bitch all the time," she glowered at him through her fingers.
He snorted and gave her a cocky smirk. "I don't mean it as an insult, though. 'Least not most of the time."
"How do you-?" She began to ask, but as his smile grew, she shook her head. "Wait, don't answer that. I don't want to know." With one last heavy sigh, she let her hands fall from her face as she glanced back at the door. She sent him a wary, reserved look. "Do you want to come in for a drink with us?"
"Nah. I don't like the way your friend's been lookin' at me."
"He doesn't like me spending time with you," she nodded.
"Figured. It's whatever. I can respect that, but doubt you'd like it if I ended up punching him in the face for it. Better if I head home." He shrugged indifferently before he grinned at her. "I'd rather hang out with you alone, anyway."
"No," she said flatly, gaining an amused snort from him.
"Back to pushing me away, huh? Thought ya had fun with me that other night? I didn't even try anything funny… 'cept for the spanking thing." His grin only got wider as he spoke and she frowned darkly at him. "Come out with me and the guys tomorrow night."
"Can't," she shrugged, "I have plans with Robin."
"Ditch her." She glared hard at him for the suggestion and he groaned. "Fine. It was a long shot. But one of these nights, you're comin' out with us again."
"I will," she rolled her eyes and turned back to the door. "You guys have fun, though, and try not to get into any trouble."
"I think you're the one who needs to be keepin' out of trouble, Nami," he called to her. "Call me if anything happens."
She sent him a short, noncommittal wave behind her back. She really didn't want to get him involved with her past, she was certain it'd only make a bigger mess of things than it already promised to be.
Everything involving him was a mess, she didn't need to deal with more.
Also yes to all the broshipping. I obviously broship Nami and Bonney (actually ship them, too, shh) and couldn't resist hinting at it. Then the ZoNa broshipping, can never have a fic without it.
Anyway, love the reviews so far, and am glad ya guys are enjoying this. :)