Nine Minutes

Disclaimer: No luck on the owning One Piece front so far, but I remain hopeful.


Previously:

The pirates have left Alabasta and are on their way, with Vivi and Robin recently joining the crew. Vivi eats a Devil fruit, which she discovers to be the Sand Sand fruit previously belonging to Crocodile.

Meanwhile, Zoro makes a humiliating and painful advance on Lieutenant Tashigi as she tried to arrest him, leaving an awkward Zoro forced to ask the worst possible person for help…


Chapter 7: Girl Problems


Sanji laughed harder than he had in years. The chef was practically bent over, struggling to breathe through the laughter. Zoro gritted his teeth with frustration.

"Are you done?" He snapped finally.

"You... You're having girl problems!" Sanji exclaimed through gasps of breath. "I always assumed you were in a relationship with your swords! You mean the shitty swordsman is actually interested in human females?"

Sanji suddenly stopped laughing. "Wait; she is human, right?" The chef wondered. "This isn't some sort of weird sword fetish-"

"Yes!" Zoro growled angrily. "She's human, you damn pervert."

Sanji smirked as he leant back against the kitchen cupboards. "So who's the unlucky girl – Ah, of course," he realised instantly. "It's that marine girl isn't it? Tashigi?"

Zoro was strangely quiet as he murmured, "Yes."

"Ah…" The chef nodded understandingly. "Looking to play a bit of cops and robbers with the beautiful marine? Have you ever thought about what else she could use those handcuffs for…?"

The swordsman's eyes flashed. "Get your mind of the gutter, you pervert."

"Oh! So you need my help in wooing the beautiful lady?"

Zoro spat a choked agreement.

Sanji nodded sagely. "Well…" he mused, thinking about it for a while. "Yep – she's way out of your league. Honestly, you would be better of sticking with your swords."

The vein on Zoro's forehead bulged dangerously. This was a mistake, he thought furiously. He had just pointed Sanji at the most emotionally sensitive subject he had.

"Are you going to help me or not?!" The swordsman snarled.

"Ok, then," Sanji asked, a teasing look in his eyes. "What do you need help with?"

Strangely, Zoro found that he would much rather repeatedly and brutally stab himself in the stomach than force the words out of his mouth. "Well…" He muttered in a choked voice. "How do I…"

Finally, he had to just close his eyes and spit it out. "…woo her…?"

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Listen, Marimo," the chef explained. "It's really quite simple: all women are goddesses."

Suddenly, Sanji was throwing his arms wide and posing with a glazed look in his eyes. "A woman is the perfect, magnificent creature to walk the world!" He proclaimed. "It is a man's privilege to even stare upon one's face! To engage in the subtle and glorious art of romance, you must only treat the lady like divine and flawless beings that they truly are!"

Zoro was quiet for a long time. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," he thought about it for a while. "…And it has been a long list."

For once, Sanji wasn't even insulted. "Oh, but the tin-man does have a heart, doesn't he?" He teased. "Even if it is hidden beneath an obsession for blades."

"Let me guess how the fair Tashigi makes you feel…" He continued, lighting a cigarette smoothly. "Your heart pounds. Your legs become jelly. Suddenly you don't know what to say, and the words jam in your throat. You feel so weak, but at the same time you never want to feel anything else. She's all that you can think about, and any moment that you're not with her feels like a wasted opportunity."

Zoro was quiet. Sanji looked smug. "And that, shitty swordsman…," he declared. "…is the majestic power that the female race holds over a man's heart!"

The chef smirked, and then added, "Of course, it's wasted on you because Tashigi is so far out of your league."

"That's it!" Zoro snapped finally, already drawing his swords. "I'm going to kill you now."

Zoro lunged at Sanji, and the two of them started wrestling. Kitchen utensils clattered to the ground while the two men tried to force each other to ground. Perhaps Zoro wouldn't actually kill or seriously maim the chef, but he wasn't above inflicting some light injuries.

Curiously, Luffy heard the clattering and walked into kitchen. Luffy's muscles were still aching and sweating from his late-night workout, but he popped his head around the corner interestedly.

"Hey guys," Luffy greeted, without surprise at his two crewmates trying to kill each other. "What you doing?"

Sanji grinned, kicking Zoro roughly in the chest. "Marimo here is having girl problems!" Sanji teased.

"Huh." Luffy's face was clueless. "What girl problems?"

"You know…" He motioned suggest fully. "Girl problems."

There was no hint of realisation. The chef deadpanned. "Zoro is having problems getting a girlfriend," he explained finally.

"Oh…" The captain scratched his head in confusion. "Wait, aren't Nami and Vivi your friends?"

Even Zoro stared at Luffy's obliviousness. Sanji looked dumbfounded. "Luffy… do you not know what a girlfriend is?"

"Uhh… yes," Luffy replied finally, after a long moment's hesitation. "But you explain it first, just to be sure."

The chef blinked twice. "Do you know the thing that men and women do with each other in private?" He tried.

Luffy started panicking slightly. "…Eat meat?" He hazarded.

Zoro burst out laughing. It was incredibly reassuring to know that at least there was someone more clueless than he was.

Sanji looked shocked. "Unbelievable; how can both of you be so clueless about the appreciation of the opposing sex?"

He didn't even wait for an answer, but slammed his fist into his hand with determination. "As a fellow man, it is my duty to enlighten you both on the intricacies and mysteries of the opposite sex!" Sanji proclaimed. "And I have just the tool for the job!"

Without hesitation, Sanji darted across the kitchen and pulled a slim book out of a drawer, and then held it triumphantly. The book was old and worn, but still in good quality. The title, in broad letters, proclaimed 'Pleasure in the Garden of Eden'. The cover showed a picture of a beautiful woman, mostly naked except for a few dollops of squirty cream over her body.

Sanji looked proud. Luffy looked confused. Zoro looked embarrassed to even be here.

"…You keep that in the kitchen?" Zoro said finally.

"It gives me inspiration when I'm cooking."

Zoro started to look sick as he imagined Sanji cooking alone. Curiously, Luffy snatched the book out of Sanji's hand. He flickered to a random page in the middle.

"'…Wendy moaned as he planted his member into her wet soil…'" Luffy read slowly, looking confused. "I don't get it – is this about gardening?"

Sanji was quiet for a very long time. "Ok," he decided eventually. "We're going to have to start with the very basics."

He rushed over to the meat pantry and pulled something off the hook, before quickly grabbing a pastry from the sweet cupboard.

"Oh! Are you making something to eat?" Luffy asked eagerly.

Sanji shook his head. "Nope." He held up the sausage and the doughnut. "These are teaching aids."

Luffy was very confused now. He was still struggling to read his way through the book. "There's too much writing in this!" He complained loudly. "Words are confusing…"

"Don't worry!" Sanji said eagerly, flipping through the pages. "There are pictures too!"

Luffy's eyes bulged as he stared in page. Sanji smiled with satisfaction and was already starting to narrate the 'story' from the book.

Zoro looked at the two of them for a long time. He tried to maintain a look of disdain for a while. Finally, he gave in and went to sit down next to them, peering at the small book.


After midnight, Robin restlessly stood up and walked quietly out of her cabin. She was used to sleeping at sea and the gentle waves didn't bother her, but it was discomforting being in such a strange place. She had spent so long being hunted that it was hard to close her eyes in a new environment.

Silently, she walked barefoot from the quarters and left the women's quarters. The ship was silent this late at night, and Robin figured that she would get a snack from the kitchen to help her sleep. As she crept out on to the deck and felt the ocean breeze, she heard whispers coming from the kitchen.

The kitchen light was still on, and the sound of a hushed conversation spread across the deck. Curiously, Robin approached quietly.

"I don't get," Luffy said slowly, sounding confused. "You never mentioned anything about doing that."

"When a woman lets you do that, then it is the truest expression of pure love!" Sanji sighed. His voice had a dreamlike quality to it. "Only one in a thousand men are lucky enough to achieve it…"

Even through the door, Robin could practically hear Luffy scratching his head. "It looks… awkward."

"True love comes in many shapes and sizes."

There was a sound of a page being turned, and a short quiet. This time, it was Zoro who talked. "Ok… I'm pretty sure that position is physically impossible," he said sceptically. "There's no way that you could bend like that."

"True love can achieve many things," Sanji replied happily.

"Oh!" Luffy exclaimed suddenly, having a brainwave. "Do you think he's a Rubberman?"

There was a moment's silence. "If there was a Devil fruit that could let you achieve that…" Sanji said finally, his voice solemn. "Then I will kill the man who eats before I do."

There was a sound of another page rustling, followed by another quiet.

"Hey…" Luffy said eventually. He sounded like a schoolboy trying to learn a new subject. "You definitely said that sex was between a man and woman. So what's that other woman doing?"

"True love doesn't discriminate between genders," Sanji sounded happy. "It's ALL beautiful…"

"Oh." There were a few seconds consideration. "Does that mean it would be beautiful between two guys as well?"

At the same time, Sanji and Zoro both choked with the thought. There was a sound of two fists colliding against Luffy's head, before the pages flipped once again.

"Ah…" Sanji sighed blissfully.

"So much cream," Luffy commented. "What are they using all that squirty cream for?"

"True love requires sustenance."

"…I will never be able to eat your lemon tart again." Zoro said finally.

In response, Luffy's stomach growled. "I'm really hungry suddenly."

As the three of them kept on arguing, Robin became more curious. Finally, she placed a hand over her eye and used her powers. Inside the kitchen, an eye appeared on the inside of the door.

Sanji, Luffy and Zoro were sitting on the floor on the kitchen, huddled around a porno book, all the while trying to ignore the growing bulges in their pants.

Robin blinked twice and the eye vanished. Without another word, she very quickly walked back to her bed.


Nami woke up late the next morning. It was rare for the navigator to be able to sleep in, but the sky was clear and the Going Merry was on a smooth route to the next island. She had deliberately plotted a detouring course after Alabasta in an attempt to lose the Marines that would be chasing them, and so Nami was expecting at least a couple of weeks at sea.

The bright midday sun was filtering through the port-hole. The cabin was slowly becoming blisteringly hot, until the wooden floors started to sweat from the evaporation. As much as Nami would have loved to stay wrapped up comfortably in blankets, eventually it became so hot that she had to get up.

Unwillingly, Nami pulled herself out of bed and sighed as she climbed the stairs on to deck. She was feeling more rested than she had in months, quite content to walk out wearing pyjama shorts and a loose-fitting t-shirt, an outfit that clearly highlighted her curves.

Perhaps Sanji will have a heart attack when he sees me wearing this, Nami thought with a hint of smugness. For all the chef was a pervert, Nami did quite enjoy causing him regular nosebleeds. It was good for her confidence.

Nami pushed the door open slowly, and the bright sunlight caused her to blink several times. She was left completely unprepared for the view that greeted her on deck.

Luffy was standing at the front ship, facing towards the figurehead, and was busy doing squats as he held two cannons over his head. The captain didn't seem to notice Nami watching, but suddenly he was all the Nami could notice.

His muscles glistened with the sweat the poured off him. The golden sunlight highlighted his body in a way that would not be out of place in one of her slim books –Yes; Nami had her own version of Sanji's "cookery" book, except hers was much more well-hidden. Luffy was panting heavily, and Nami could only stare at the sweat dripping down bare chest. During the squats, his shorts had slowly crept down his hips, and perhaps if she watch long enough than they would eventually…

Without even blinking, Nami wordlessly sat down by the door and watched appreciatively. A bright blush settled over her cheeks. She could feel her body heating up, and her hands started to slowly drift towards her hips.

This is wrong, she told herself firmly. She could only imagine what Vivi or Robin would think if they were to walk on her watching Luffy like this. God knows, she'd never live it down if one of the men were to appear now. I should walk away quickly, Nami thought decisively, right now. Still, she stayed completely motionless; her body seemed to ignoring her commands.

When did he get so many muscles? Nami wondered with a quiet sigh. Luffy had always been so skinny and lean. He had been strong, sure, but he used to be so narrow shouldered.

It had been the Gum Gum fruit, Nami realised. His body used to stretch rather than buff up, leaving him looking scrawny. Even after only a week with his near-suicidal training scheme, the effects were starting to show. His arms were starting bulging now, and his posture had improved. Not drastically; Luffy was still a twig compared to Zoro. Still, it was enough to make Nami sweat as she imagined what it would be like to have those arms wrapped around her, and the feel of his naked chest against hers…

Ok, Nami thought finally as she forced herself to stand up, I have to leave– right now. It had been a weird few days, and she still wasn't used to seeing Luffy acting differently. It was totally understandable that her mind would wander a bit. Those thoughts she was having didn't mean a thing.

They didn't mean a thing, she repeated firmly.

Nami quickly ran back to her room to get dressed, careful to make sure that Luffy never noticed a thing. She shut the door firmly behind her. A few seconds later, Nami turned around, opened the door slightly, and gave a lingering look through the gap. She was biting her lip as she pulled herself away.

Suddenly, Nami realised that she really needed a shower.

Not even Nami noticed the disembodied eye that was hovering over the door. At the other side of the ship, Nico Robin smiled appreciatively as she leant backwards slowly, her hand over one eye.


A few hours later, Nami emerged from her room, fully dressed in the most conservative clothing she had. She took great care when opening the door, but Luffy was no longer on the deck. Curiously and unwillingly disappointed, Nami glanced around before she heard the laughter emerging from the meeting room.

"Do it again!" A happy and high-pitched voice was laughing. Nami opened the door to see Chopper rolling around the floor cheerfully, standing in front of a bemused Vivi. The whole crew was sitting around table, watching Vivi curiously. Luffy was right next to Vivi, and (thankfully!) he was wearing a shirt again.

"I'm still not very good with it…" Vivi said apologetically, scratching her head hesitantly. She just couldn't resist Chopper's wide-eyed innocence.

Slowly, Vivi waved her hand in front of her. Nami could see her outline shimmer strangely, before suddenly sprinkles fell off her arm. Each grain of sand glinted in the bright light. Chopper giggled he tried to chase the sand around the room, and the while the gentle sandstorm started to increase in intensity.

Eventually, the slow-moving sandstorm engulfed the whole room. Nami could feel the sand tingling her skin, but there was no pain or malicious intent there. Sanji was already on his feet and exclaiming about Vivi's beauty, but Nami felt her mouth drop open.

"This is…?"

"It looks like the princess has discovered her power," Robin remarked simply. "It's strange that the Sand Sand fruit has reappeared so quickly."

Vivi glanced around the room nervously. She was looking at what Luffy's reaction would be, yet the captain seemed completely calm.

"Luffy, I–" Vivi tried, but the words jammed in her throat. She really didn't want to bring up bad memories for him, and part of her was dreading what happen if Luffy associated her to Crocodile.

"It's alright!" Luffy grinned brightly. "It's got nothing to do with him anymore. This is your power now."

Instantly, everyone was laughing. Usopp and Chopper were already staring at Vivi with awe now, and she felt all the tension fall from her shoulders.

"This is great!" Usopp exclaimed loudly. "We can make sandcastles now! Let's have a sandcastle tournament!"

"I'm not sure how to… it's only been…"

Even as Vivi tried to protest, she waved her hand around and a huge gush of sand spat from her fingertips. Usopp was suddenly sent crashing towards the far side of the room in a pile of sand, but he brushed himself off happily.

"That's so cool!" The sniper exclaimed loudly. "Maybe I should eat a Devil fruit…?"

She chuckled, and gradually started to experiment with summoning more sand around the room. Within seconds, the room was hazy with sand, but there was no force behind it and it wasn't uncomfortable.

"Vivi!" Nami shouted suddenly with concern. Beneath Vivi's feet, the wood was drying up and splitting. "Careful!"

The sandstorm vanished from the air, leaving a layer of sand covering everything. Vivi jumped backwards, looking at the two footprints of aridness that had been stamped on to the wooden floor.

Vivi stammered uncertainly, "I'm sorry, I've still not very good with…"

"Doesn't matter!" Luffy dismissed cheerfully. "You're going to get better! Sanji! Let's make a meal to celebrate!"

The captain was shouting happily as he hustled Vivi out of the room. The rest of the crew followed, with Sanji proclaim the meal of love that he was about to make. Nami watched them go with a happy smile. Luffy, in his moronic way, must have known that Vivi was feeling insecure, Nami realised.

Suddenly, Nami recalled that moment back in Cocoyasi. She was crying on the ground, and Luffy just wordlessly pressed his hat on to her head. There's nothing more important to him than making sure his friends are happy

"Does this mean that you can turn into sand now?" Luffy asked Vivi excitedly. "Oh! Could you turn into a sand monster? That would be so cool!"

"I've been trying…" Vivi stammered, feeling the infectious laughter as all her friends crowded around. "It's really hard! I can make small sandstorms, but I sometimes lose control, and it takes a long time to dematerialise my body…"

Vivi's voice trailed off as she glanced towards Nami. "I might have accidentally ruined a couple of your tangerines trees, when I was practising," Vivi muttered apologetically to Nami.

"My tangerines?!" Nami exclaimed loudly.

"Only a couple!" Vivi said quickly. "Most of the grove is absolutely fine! My powers just got away from me a bit…"

Nami glanced towards Luffy, her reactive outrage eased quickly. "Doesn't matter," Nami replied with a smile. "They're only tangerines."

Then, Sanji arrived in blur as he carried three large plates of appetisers while reciting a love song to Vivi. The words 'desert princess' were repeated often. Even as the meal was set out, Vivi was dragged by Chopper who begged to see more of her powers. Carue joined in quickly, heaving Vivi onto his back and racing in circles around the deck while the sand swirled idly around her.

The party was already starting, and it was impossible for the crew to do anything quietly. Nami laughed as Usopp, Chopper and Luffy started a 'sand' fight with each other, before she sat down with a drink in her hand and enjoyed the fun.

Wordlessly, Robin sat down next to Nami. The older woman graciously accepted her drink from a gushing Sanji, before the chef blurred off to chase after Vivi.

"I'm impressed," Robin said finally. "Logia fruits are exceedingly rare and extremely powerful. As Vivi learns how to control her powers, she's going to become very strong."

Nami didn't respond. Instead, the navigator just watched Luffy chase after Vivi, and she felt a pit in her stomach.


It was evening by the time the impromptu celebration finally ended. Luffy returned to his workout, and at the other side of the ship, Zoro returned to his. Recently, the swordsman and the captain had been competing to see who could handle the most nightmarish 'training' regime. As much as it killed him to admit it, Zoro was losing that competition.

This time, Zoro returned to practice with a vengeance. Last night with Sanji had been… illustrative in many ways, but he felt just as lost with Tashigi as ever. No matter how hard the swordsman thought about it, he had yet to come up with any action that wouldn't result in Tashigi kicking him in the balls again.

Why do woman have to be so complicated? Zoro thought with frustration. It had been a thought echoed by many men throughout the ages.

Zoro was swinging his swords furiously; each blade was fastened to a heavy barrel, but Zoro didn't care. Right now, he just wanted something to distract him.

Otherwise, he was afraid he would have to go and get Sanji's little book again.

After half an hour, footsteps marked the arrival of an impatient Nami. She stood with her hands on her hips, watching Zoro and waiting for him to notice her. He did, but Zoro pretended not to see her for a long time.

"Zoro!" Nami snapped finally, unable to think of any pleasant way to start the conversation.

"What do you want?" Zoro growled, dropping his swords nevertheless. "I'm training here."

Nami folded her arms. "Good," she said firmly. "Because from now on, you're going to train me."

That caused Zoro to stop and stare. "What?"

"You are going to train me," Nami repeated slowly, as if talking to an infant. "You are going to teach me how to use a sword."

Zoro looked like he was about to choke. "But… why?"

Nami shrugged, careful not to reveal any of her feelings. "Everyone else here is getting stronger," she said simply. "I want to get stronger too. Now you're going to train me."

The swordsman shook his head. "Go away!" He shouted, but there was a sinking feeling in his stomach. Nami was well-known for getting whatever she wanted. "I don't have time for that!"

Nami smiled manipulatively, reaching into her pocket. "Well, then… in that case I'm just going to have to do something nasty…"

She held out a small photo. Zoro felt his eyes bulge. "What… is… that?"

He was staring at a picture of himself and Sanji, lying asleep on the ground and cuddling up to each other unknowingly. Their arms were wrapped around each other, and his hand was disturbingly close to Sanji's crotch…

Zoro blinked several times. Veins started to throb on his forehead.

"I took it in Aluburna, after the party," Nami explained with a smirk. "The king lent me a picture snail. When you and Sanji were passed out drunk, I might have pulled you're bodies together and took the picture."

Zoro looked like he was about to explode. Nami held the picture closer. "Look carefully," she teased. "I even put my make-up on you both."

The swordsman snapped. He quickly snatched the photo from her hands, shredding it into pieces and then stomping on the pieces. Nami simply chuckled. "Go ahead," she grinned. "Do you really think that I took only one?"

"You witch…!" He snarled.

"Yep," she agreed. "Anyways, either you train me, or that photo is going to appear on the front page of tomorrow's newspaper. Can you imagine what that would do to your reputation…?"

The colour faded from Zoro's face. "But… but…" Zoro stammered helplessly. "Why do you even want to learn how to use a sword? Do you even have a sword?"

"Because I do," Nami replied. "And no, I can just borrow one of yours for now."

He looked like he wanted to protest, but the image of that picture flashed before his eyes. Instantly, it became one of Zoro's life ambitions that no one else would ever see that picture. Particularly, not Tashigi…

Zoro blinked twice. An idea came to him. "Fine…" He said unwillingly. "I'll train you. But in return you've got to do something for me."

Nami raised an eyebrow. "What?" She asked suspiciously.

He gulped. "You've got to help me with a girl," he admitted finally.


The training started quickly, and with lots of arguing. Zoro was a completely terrible teacher, but that was alright because Nami was an utterly horrible student. She refused to follow his instructions, but he neglected to give any so it was fine.

Instead, Zoro simply gave her one of his swords and they started sparring. He decided to lend her Yubashiri, as that was the most forgiving of his blades, while he used Wado Ichimonji. Nami's technique and stance was terrible, but Zoro was unforgiving. It was lucky that he had recently mastered the art of not cutting, otherwise Nami would have been missing limbs very quickly. Instead, she suffered many bruises.

Zoro had half expected Nami to call it quits after the first spar, but her determination never wavered. Instead, she just gritted her teeth and kept on standing up. Eventually, Zoro gradually started to slow down his movement so that she could copy them, and in return she followed his unspoken instruction.

By dusk, they were still sparring, and Zoro reluctantly started to accept that she might have talent. Nami was quick with sharp reflexes, and she was intent on learning. The other crew members came and watched curiously. Sanji was initially fuming with rage at Zoro for being so ungentle with Nami, yet then Robin came and distracted the chef with some light flirting.

It was black by the time Zoro finally called it off. Nami was panting and sweating heavily, but she refused to be the one to quit. In the spirit of companionship, Zoro carried her into the kitchen and even brought a warm towel for her bruises.

With wordless appreciation, she accepted the towel. Zoro took a seat next to her.

"You're not bad," he said finally. The swordsman was forced to respect her determination, and he had already relented to be the one to teach her. "You need to work on your strength, and you movements are clumsy. It's nothing that a regular training regime can't fix."

Nami nodded silently. After a few seconds, she cleared her throat and asked, "So tell me about this girl?"

Discreetly, Zoro glanced around to make sure that no one else was around. He didn't think he could survive the embarrassment again. "Her name is Tashigi," he admitted. "She's a marine that I meant in Loguetown. At first she just reminded of another girl I once knew, but then…"

"She's the one that saved our lives," Nami smiled. "You really like her, don't you?"

Zoro nodded. With a quick flick of her rest, Nami slapped him over his head, but gently. "Then tell her that, idiot," Nami chided with a smile. "She's the one you should be talking to."

"It's not that easy!" Zoro protested. "She's a Marine! She hates me for being a pirate. She's a swordswoman! She hates me for not being able to fight her properly. I've yet to be able to talk to her without her trying to kill or capture me."

"Ok, so it might not be simple," Nami conceded. "But you've still got to give it the effort. You've got to tell her how you feel, and find out if she feels the same way. Sure, it's going to cause problems, but you need to face these problems together."

"Well…" The words choked in Zoro's mouth. He was barely able to believe what he had to ask her. The whole experience had already made him feel like a schoolchild. "How do I get her to like me?"

Nami grinned, but not with any nastiness. She was genuinely sympathetic to Zoro. "Just be there for her," she said softly. "It's not about doing the right actions or pressing the right buttons, you've just got to be able to make her happy."

Nami's eyes glazed over slightly. "If you really want a girl to like you, then you've just got to be able to put her first. You need to be able to make her smile," she muttered. "Whatever you do, you mustn't let anything make her cry…"

Suddenly, Nami stopped talking. The realisation hit her like a ton of bricks. For so long she had tried desperately not to see it, even when it was right in front of her. The emotions swirled inside her so furiously that she felt faint.

Oh crap, Nami realised with a mixture of dread and anticipation, I'm in love with Luffy.


Luffy groaned as he pulled himself out of bed. His stomach was growling angrily. Without the Gum Gum fruit, he couldn't eat in one sitting like he used to be able to, but his appetite was just the same. It meant that he had to get up every few hours just to get something to eat.

The captain yawned as he climbed out of the quarters. At this hour, everyone else was fast asleep. Zoro was snoring loudly, Usopp was talking in his sleep, while Sanji had a dreamy expression and was making kissing noises while wrapping his legs around his pillow.

The ship was quietly rocking on the waves while Luffy headed straight for the kitchen. He recalled last night, and his late night tutorial session with Sanji and Zoro. That had been a strange night. Despite all the explanations, it had left him with more questions than answers. Sex was complicated, he had decided finally.

As he walked out on to deck, it surprised him to see a dim light on in the kitchen, particularly since Sanji was still asleep. Luffy pushed the door open, only to see Nami staring at him expectantly.

The orange-haired woman looked nervous. She was sitting at the edge of her chair, tapping her fingers uncertainly. She was wearing short pyjama trousers revealing most of her legs, and a loose-fitting white t-shirt that draped low down her chest. Nami was staring at him with wide-eyed expectance.

"'Ello," Luffy greeted tiredly. "Are you hungry too?"

It took a long time for Nami to respond. "I wanted to talk," she said finally, her voice low.

"Oh," Luffy was a bit confused, but he nodded. "Ok, what about?"

Nami cleared her throat. "Luffy… how do you feel about me?"

He frowned. "You're my friend," he said simply. "What do you mean?"

"Do you care about me?" She asked insistently.

"Of course I do," he replied without a second's hesitation.

Slowly, Nami stood up and carefully approached. "Do you remember that night in Aluburna?" She questioned slowly. "On the balcony? We were so close, and do you remember what you said?"

Luffy nodded quietly, not sure where she was going with this questioning.

Nami was very close to him now, and carefully she placed her hands on his shoulders. "You said that you loved us more than your hat. You vowed that you would never let anything hurt me," Nami whispered, moving her hands downwards. Her heart was pounding so loudly it was difficult for her to hear anything else.

"So… please…" Nami muttered. She was now so close he could feel her breath on his face. "Tell me something… do you love me?"

There wasn't even any hesitation. "Of course," Luffy answered simply. "I love all of my friends."

Every second felt like an eternity. The word 'friends' hurt Nami worse than anything she had ever felt. Nami pulled away from him quickly. She had an expression of shock and hurt. Her eyes were filling up with tears.

"Nami…" Luffy asked with concern. He had a vague feeling that he had just said something wrong, but he wasn't sure what. "What's the matter? Are you in pain? Did someone –?"

"Idiot!" Nami screeched suddenly, her voice cracking through the sobs. Instantly, her hand flashed and she slapped Luffy's cheek with a sudden impact.

The force stung and knocked Luffy to the side. Nami was already charging out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The force blew out the candle as she left.

Luffy was standing in the dark, looking around with bewilderment, and wondering what he had done wrong.

Girls are complicated, he decided eventually.


With a hesitant knock, Luffy waited at the entrance to the women's room. There was a light on, but nobody was answering. After a few minutes of uncertain deliberation, Luffy finally entered the room.

The women's room was so much tidier than the men's. It was neatly spaced and adorned with cabinets, desks and a bar. Everyone's belongings were neatly sorted in chests and the walls were decorated with pictures and curtains. In the men's room, everything just stayed where it was dropped.

The room was strangely quiet. The room was lit by a single candle by Robin's bedside. The dark-haired woman was sitting in her bed, engrossed in a thick book, but she looked up as Luffy entered.

"Mr Captain," Robin said with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Luffy shifted awkwardly. "I knocked," he said apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I was too busy to hear," Robin motioned to the book. "What can I do for you?"

"I was looking for Nami."

"I haven't seen her tonight," Robin explained, gesturing around the otherwise empty cabin. "She never returned to her bed. I believe that Vivi is still practising with her new powers."

"Oh." Luffy was now out of ideas. He didn't have them very often. "Ok then."

Robin smiled curiously. "What do you need with Ms Navigator?"

He scratched his head. "I was going to apologise."

"Really? What about?"

"I'm not quite sure," Luffy admitted. "But I definitely think I must have done something wrong."

She just chuckled quietly. "Well, I hope you figure it out," Robin said kindly. "Goodnight, Mr Captain."

Just as Luffy was about to leave, he glanced backwards at the woman, who was returning to her book.

"What are you reading?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, just a romance," Robin smiled, holding up the cover. "It's quite good."

"A romance," Luffy repeated, looking suspicious. "Is that like a 'cookery' book?"

Robin giggled. "No," she replied. "It's a story of two star-crossed lovers. A classic, actually. I must have read this book a dozen times."

"Huh. I've never read it." Luffy couldn't think of a book he had read, to be honest.

She raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to?" She offered.

After a moment's deliberation, Luffy approached the woman. She shifted towards across the bed, allowing Luffy to sit down next to her. Robin flicked the book to page one, while Luffy comfortably leant against the woman.

She was warm and soft, and it made him feel content just lying against her. He grabbed a hold of the other side of the book, holding it between them as they began to read.

They only reached about five pages in before they both fell asleep next to each other.


Author Notes

This was a fun chapter to write, please let me know how I did.

Next chapter: "Mock Town".