Backtracking a little here, and hey, it's finally Haruna's turn for a chapter! ...Okay, two chapters, since she and Nami flirted too much to fit into one. Which is also why this was a bit delayed, because I foolishly thought I could fit everything into one update.

In any case, please enjoy some backstory for Gin's crew. :)


Haruna squinted resentfully at the sun, regretting her drinking challenge to Nami the night before. She'd suspected that she'd made a mistake at the sympathetic grins a few of Nami's nakama had worn, and had known it at Nami's too-innocent look and cheerful, "Oh, I'm not much of a drinker, but sure, it might be fun." Still, Haruna didn't regret the contest completely. She'd held her own pretty well, even if she'd lost. And then there'd been the way Nami had taken to resting her head on Haruna's shoulder towards the end, a warm, heavy weight that Haruna hadn't minded at all.

Remembering Nami's half-lidded gaze and the flush in her face, some of the pain in Haruna's head eased. She kept the scowl on her face, though, scattering her nakama with a glare until she claimed a good spot at the Sunny's railing to watch Gin's fight.

There was no sign of him or the cook yet. She hadn't thought to ask how long it would take to collect all the jellyfish. She shifted a little, impatient to watch Gin wipe the floor with the cook. Sure, he was Black Leg Sanji, but he didn't seem worth such a huge bounty to Haruna. He seemed like an idiot. Every stupid smile or compliment he directed towards her or Meifeng or Ethelyn irritated her. If Gin hadn't made it clear that she couldn't, she would've knocked out the cook's teeth already. Even now she itched to do it, remembering how Gin's face had crumpled in dismay before he'd gotten control of himself.

"Morning," Nami said, smiling at Haruna as she leaned against the railing. She was close enough that they were almost touching. She had a mug in her hands, which she offered to Haruna. Her eyes gleamed with amused sympathy. "Chopper found this recipe a while back that helps with hangovers. I thought you might need it."

Pride warred against the fact that Haruna's head still pounded. Sensibility won out. "Thanks," she said. When she took the mug, Nami's fingers lingered against hers. She was sure it wasn't by accident. Well, pretty sure. It was hard to tell when someone was flirting or just being friendly, though Haruna's instincts rarely steered her wrong. At the very least, she thought wryly, she was better at telling the difference than Gin, who'd nursed that crush of his for three years on a man apparently obsessed with women. And then there had been that trouble on Paest Key...

She took a sip of the medicine and nearly choked. Nami might've warned her. It tasted disgusting, like an awful, lukewarm mix of cinnamon and watermelon. Grimacing, she downed the rest of it in one swallow. For a few seconds her stomach twisted in protest, and then settled. Trying to distract herself from the taste, she set the mug on the railing and nodded towards the sea. "How long do you think it'll take them to get the jellyfish?"

"Depends on if they run into a smack or not," Nami said. She laughed at Haruna's expression. "You know how it's a pack of dogs? It's a smack of jellyfish."

"Huh," Haruna said, frowning, though mostly at the lingering foul taste in her mouth. At least the medicine seemed to be working, her headache fading to something more manageable. She settled herself more firmly against the railing and looked sideways at Nami. This close, she could see the unusual black tattoo on Nami's shoulder. It didn't look like any symbol that Haruna knew. She reached out, her fingers hovering over the thick inked lines, not sure if she should touch it without permission. "What's the story with this?"

Nami's expression changed, a look flickering across her face that made Haruna feel like apologizing. Before she could, Nami smiled crookedly. The shadow lifted from her expression, replaced by a look Haruna hoped was flirtatious. Propping her chin in her hand, she asked, "What makes you think there's a story?"

Haruna snorted. "Every tattoo has a story. Even if it's a stupid one, like you got really drunk and wanted a tattoo and no one was there to stop you."

Nami's eyebrow rose. She bit her lip, like she was trying not to laugh. "Sounds like you're talking from experience." Then she reached out, her hand settling lightly on Haruna's arm, just above the elbow.

Haruna was suddenly very glad she'd gone sleeveless, most of her tattoos on display, ready to be touched. Goosebumps rose as Nami's fingertips ghosted across her skin. Haruna's breath caught in her throat, but she didn't move, not even when Nami paused.

"And what's the story behind this one?" she asked, beginning to trace the name masked under a second tattoo of flowers. Trust her sharp navigator's eyes to see what most other people missed.

D. A. R. I. -

Haruna spoke before Nami could shape the final A. Time to see if Nami had been flirting or just being friendly. She kept her voice low, though none of the other Straw Hats were within hearing distance. "That was a mistake. I was too young to know that tattoos tend to last longer than, well-" Haruna twisted her mouth a little, remembering. God, Daria had been beautiful. Too bad she'd been a traitorous little shit. "We ended up on opposite sides of a mutiny. She won, marooned me and the captain on an island. Sort of put a damper on the relationship."

"I bet," Nami said. When Haruna studied her expression, she saw sympathy touched with a hint of satisfaction, like Haruna had answered two questions at once. Nami brushed her thumb across the hidden name, a lingering stroke that made heat pool in Haruna's stomach. "Did you learn your lesson, or are there other names to find?" It might have been an innocent question, if not for the way Nami looked at her, her eyes half-lidded, her smile slow, like they were alone rather than surrounded by Haruna's nakama.

Haruna suddenly wished she hadn't heard about Gin's sparring match with the cook. She wanted to find someplace quiet, where she could show Nami all of her tattoos, and a few other things. She licked her lips and answered Nami's smile with one of her own. "Well-"

"There they are!" Anfinn said excitedly.

When Haruna turned, reluctant to look away from Nami, Renshaw had his hand on Anfinn's arm as though to keep him from tumbling overboard as he pointed towards the sea. She looked, spotting first Gin's dark head, and then the cook's paler one, as they swam towards the ship, dragging a net behind them. She helped Nami with the rope ladder, smirking at Gin's narrowed eyes and obvious irritation. Apparently he hadn't been expecting an audience.

As Gin headed back to the Tsuchinoko to change and the cook began to drag Mauro off to the kitchen, Haruna picked up where she and Nami had left off. She said, lightly, "Actually, I was a bit of a slow learner. There's one more." She lowered her voice. "Though your cook might have a heart attack if I show it here…."

Nami ran a slow, considering gaze over Haruna's frame, and Haruna went hot all over at the look in Nami's eyes. Damn the cook and Gin's fight anyway. She hoped Gin took him out quickly. She had much better things to do.

Nami raised an eyebrow, her mouth quirking as though she'd read Haruna's mind, and murmured, "Oh? You'll have to show me later." Her fingers stroked over the flowers camouflaging Daria's name one last time and then dropped away. Cool air replaced the warmth of her touch.

Haruna was content to stand there in silence, imagining all the fun that she and Nami could have once they were alone, but apparently Nami wasn't, glancing thoughtfully between Haruna and the Tsuchinoko.

After a minute, Nami propped her chin on her hand once more and asked, "While we're waiting, mind telling me the whole story of how Gin met Luffy and Sanji? I tried to get more out of Luffy and Sanji, but Luffy's explanations are crap, and Sanji clammed up." The corner of her mouth creased, like she was remembering the cook's obnoxiously fervent apologies for not answering her questions.

Haruna blinked. She was surprised for a minute, and then wondered at her own surprise. She'd seen the baffled curiosity in Nami's expression when they'd first met on the Tsuchinoko's deck. Of course Nami would want to know the whole story. Haruna shrugged. "I wasn't there. I joined Gin's crew later. 'Sides, I'm not a good storyteller. You should talk to Anfinn." She frowned, remembering how Anfinn tended to cry when he got to the part about Gin giving up his gas mask for Straw Hat, and amended, "Or Luong. They were both there."

"Haruna, you need something?" Anfinn asked, looking over at the sound of his name, and brightened when Nami repeated her question.

Haruna fought back a sigh, and resigned herself to watching Anfinn get all red-faced and emotional. She half-listened to the story, knowing it almost by heart after three years. She didn't like to think about it, how badly Krieg had treated Gin, how carelessly he'd used Gin and thrown him away. Anger soured her stomach as Anfinn spoke. She wanted to knock out the cook's teeth, but that was nothing compared to how she felt about Krieg.

Some of that must have crept into her expression, because Nami eyed her as Anfinn described how Sanji had given them a ship. He'd managed to hold himself together longer than Haruna had expected, but now his voice wobbled as he repeated Gin's wish to see Luffy again on the Grand Line. He fell silent. His throat worked, his eyes bright, and Haruna wasn't surprised when he sniffled loudly.

Nami leaned against the railing, shifting so that her arm pressed against Haruna's. Smoothing her hair away from her face, her voice soft, she said, "Sounds like Gin planned to stay with Krieg. What made him change his mind?"

Anfinn's face went even splotchier. When Haruna studied her nakama, most of the crew that had followed Gin from the remains of Krieg's armada were looking suspiciously red-eyed, though Luong seemed to be holding it together better than the rest. Even the crew who'd come with Haruna from Swinburne's ship had been affected by the story, wearing frowns and pinched looks. Only Ethelyn met her eyes with a wry smile, seeming amused by their nakama's emotional display. Fond exasperation caught at Haruna. She wondered, not for the first time, how Gin had managed to gather up such a crew of crybabies. She hastily caught Luong's eye and nodded at him.

Understanding, he tossed a handkerchief at Anfinn. As Anfinn caught it and mopped at his face, Luong said, "Let me tell this bit, Finn."

"Sure," Anfinn said, his voice muffled by the handkerchief.

Anfinn was the better storyteller, but Luong's voice was steadier and easier to listen to. Haruna was drawn into the story in spite of herself, though she tried not to listen. She wasn't much for what-if scenarios - most days she let Gin handle the strategy and bigger picture stuff - but whenever she listened to this part she always wondered what might have happened to her and her nakama if Krieg hadn't been stupid enough to send Gin away. The thought made her want to hit something.

Haruna gritted her teeth, digging her nails into the railing as Luong explained how Krieg had woken up just as they'd reached the nearest island. He'd told Gin to leave, and Gin hadn't argued, unsteady on his feet and still struggling for breath with damaged lungs as he turned and headed up the beach towards the village. She tried to make Luong's words go in one ear and out the other, but it didn't work. She'd seen Gin in pain, knew what his expression was when he was hurt and trying not to show it. She could easily imagine his face, a mixture of that pained look and the crumpled, disappointed expression he'd worn when Sanji had started flirting with her.

Here, though, Luong paused, as though hunting for words. At last he shrugged, a helpless smile on his face. "And some of us followed him and dragged him to a doctor. And then we just…wouldn't go away."

"Krieg would've killed everyone to win." Renshaw's voice was low. When Haruna looked at him, surprised, he was staring down at the pier, where Gin had arrived and was beginning his warm-ups. "He didn't care about us. And-" It was his turn to shrug. "I thought that was how it always was, you know? The strong survive. But then I saw the cook and Straw Hat, how they protected people while Krieg poisoned Gin just for trying to pay back a debt. And then Krieg wasn't the strongest anymore- And Gin..."

"Gin did so much for the don," Anfinn said when Renshaw paused. His eyes were still red, his voice hoarse, but he spoke steadily enough. "For years, he was- After Hawkeye took out the armada, when the Navy attacked us, Gin volunteered as bait to help us escape. It wasn't just for Krieg. I saw Gin when he came back to the ship and saw us all starving. He cared. Your Straw Hat was going to be the Pirate King, but he'd never throw away his nakama to do it. He'd protect them and anyone else who asked for his help. I figured Gin would be a captain like that. And I was right."

"Enough," Haruna said, hearing the wobble return to Anfinn's voice. Her chest was tight, embarrassment pinching at her. Why did her nakama have to talk about their feelings so much? She cleared her throat. "I think she gets it." She startled as Luffy laughed, the sound loud and pleased. Looking around, she realized that the other Straw Hats had been listening. Most of them were smiling; Franky wiped at his eyes and muttered something about allergies. When she turned towards Luffy, he was grinning broadly.

"Hear that?" he said. "I knew Gin was a good captain!"

"Who said he wasn't?" asked a new voice. The cook smirked around his cigarette as the crowd parted for him. He'd cleaned himself up. Even his shoes looked polished. Haruna sourly wondered who he was trying to impress. Then something shifted in the cook's face. His expression softened, but not in the stupid, sappy way it did when he looked at women. His smile went crooked, his voice warming, and Haruna felt a rush of reluctant goodwill as the cook added, "Of fucking course he's a great captain. Gin's too damn loyal for his own good."

Then his eyes narrowed. "Oi, what's he's doing, wearing himself out before the match?" Before anyone could answer, he vaulted over the railing and landed on the pier, sauntering over to where Gin was still practicing and saying something that made Gin grin.

Haruna leaned against the railing, watching the cook kick at Gin's head. She still didn't like him much, but between that little speech, the pleased grin when he'd first seen Gin, and the fond way he'd smiled when Gin had cried over the rice, maybe he wasn't completely awful. She still wanted to knock his teeth out, though. She felt Nami settle next to her, allowing herself to be distracted by their arms brushing again. She dismissed the cook from her thoughts. She brought her mouth close to Nami's ear, smiling at the goosebumps that rose on Nami's skin and the hint of color that came into her cheeks.

"I have to go into town after this, but maybe later I can show you all my tattoos."

Nami smiled that slow smile of hers. "I've got a better idea. How about I show you the town, and afterwards I can give you a personal tour of the Sunny. You can show me all your tattoos then." The gleam in her eyes promised that the tour would end at her quarters.

Anticipation coiled low in Haruna's stomach. She kept looking at Nami even as Gin or the cook did something that made Anfinn holler encouragement. Again she wished that she and Nami were alone. She wanted to lean in a little closer and kiss the spot just behind Nami's ear. She swallowed. Fighting down the urge until she knew she wasn't going to do something stupid, she said, "Great idea." Then she forced her attention on the match, watching as Gin blocked a flurry of kicks from the cook and answered with a blow of his tonfa that sent the cook skidding across the pier.

The cook was good, Haruna realized as she watched. Better than she'd thought he'd be. Then again, he'd fought against Gin before. Sourly, she wondered how he'd fare against her kamas or Meifeng's hook swords. She snorted. He'd probably get distracted, showering them with compliments instead of kicks. She wistfully imagined wiping that fawning look off his face. The thought of Gin's reaction and the argument they'd have afterwards made it a brief but sweet fantasy, but she enjoyed it while it lasted.

Then she settled against the railing, waiting for Gin to win.

Every time one of Sanji's kicks landed, Jedrik made a sympathetic noise, looking unhappier and unhappier. Haruna was about to tell him that Gin would survive a couple bruises when a bright voice said from somewhere around their knees, "It's okay, Mister Jedrik! Sanji won't hurt your friend too badly!"

Haruna watched, amused, as Jedrik's face contorted, like he was thinking several thoughts at once, all of them clashing with each other. Then his expression smoothed out. He even smiled, looking down at the Straw Hats' strange little doctor, who had slipped through the crowd to pat at Jedrik's knee in reassurance with his hoof.

When Jedrik spoke, it was like he always did, like a teacher instead of a pirate. Haruna had never heard him use slang in all the years since she'd joined Swinburne's crew and Jedrik had immediately fussed over her arm, which had been bleeding from the fresh tattoo covering up Daria's name. She sometimes thought he believed that talking like the rest of the crew would wipe his education straight out of his brain.

"Thank you, Doctor Chopper, but the captain can handle himself." Something like smugness colored Jedrik's voice. "See? Your cook's bleeding."

When Haruna looked, the cook was spitting blood at the wooden planks at his feet. He grinned and wiped at the corner of his mouth, looking delighted. Somehow he still had his cigarette; the wind whipped away the smoke as he threw himself at Gin again. It went on like that for a while. Haruna got a little bored, once she realized they were evenly matched. Who knew the cook could actually fight? As the likelihood that Gin was going to break a couple of the cook's ribs dwindled, her attention waned.

She looked back at Nami, whose bright grin and yells of encouragement for her nakama was much more interesting. She admired the flush in Nami's face. She especially liked the way Nami caught her lower lip between her teeth and winced each time Gin landed a blow. Again Haruna thought of kissing her. Damn, she hoped that the fight would end soon. She didn't look away from Nami through their nakama's gasps and shouts of encouragement, mesmerized by Nami's rapidly changing expressions, the arc of her spine as she leaned over the railing for a closer look.

It was only when she heard a sudden splash and a howl of laughter from a few of the Straw Hats that she looked back at the fight. She smirked as the cook hauled himself from the ocean, soaked to the bone. She wasn't sure how Gin had managed that, but she was a little sorry to have missed the sight of the cook falling off the pier. A snort escaped her as the cook realized his pack of cigarettes was ruined. Then she looked closer at Gin and frowned. She was too far away to read his expression, but something was off. He wasn't making any move, not even to pick up his fallen tonfa.

"Are they going to keep fighting?" Chopper asked, sounding dismayed. The reindeer hopped onto the railing, pacing back and forth. He waved a hoof, frowning towards the fight as the cook waved towards the tonfa and Gin finally picked them up. "Sanji's all wet. He's going to catch a cold-" This ended in a startled squeak as his hooves slipped and he fell towards the sea. Two hands shot out to rescue him, Jedrick's and Zoro's.

"You're worrying too much," Zoro said, sounding bored as he lifted Chopper from the railing and set him on his shoulder. "The shitty cook's never been sick a day in his life. He's not going to start now." Haruna watched, a little unnerved to see the pirate hunter run an absent, gentle hand over Chopper's ruffled fur. As Chopper patted the swordsman's head in gratitude, Zoro added with a snort, "Plus, he's too stupid to know when to stop." He glanced over at Haruna, meeting her eyes evenly, a faint smirk on his scarred face. "I don't know if your captain's the same, but Sanji will fight 'til he's unconscious."

Luffy laughed. "Now that sounds fun!"

Chopper squeaked in concern, hugging Zoro's neck. "Luffy, somebody could get hurt! Can't we get them to stop?"

Haruna smiled wryly, suspecting Gin would welcome a concussion more than a blow to his pride, especially in front of the cook. She frowned again as she looked back at the fight. Gin was still off, though he'd begun to twirl his tonfa in anticipation of another of the cook's kicks. After a second, she realized why. "Footwork's gone to shit," she muttered. He looked off-balance, like he was the one who'd taken a swim instead of the cook, and heavy-footed when he needed to be light on his feet. Her frown deepened, puzzled and a little alarmed. The cook would wipe the pier with him if Gin didn't do something quick. She drew in a frustrated breath, wondering what to do. She couldn't interrupt the fight without getting Gin mad at her.

She startled as Nami yelled, nearly snarling the words, "Sanji, are you two going to fight all day? It's lunchtime!" When Haruna looked at her in surprise, she didn't see any exasperation in Nami's features, only a hint of amusement that belied her frustrated tone. Nami met her eyes and winked. "Sanji's pretty easy to handle," she murmured as the cook whirled towards the ship, the fight apparently forgotten, and began to sing out apologies. "This way they both can take a break. And we can eat."

Haruna wanted to kiss her so badly she ached.

Beyond Nami, Anfinn was inviting Gin along with them to town and Ethelyn was stomping on Jedrick's foot as he began to fuss about Gin's injuries. Their voices turned indistinct. Haruna kept her eyes on Nami. Again anticipation warmed her stomach. There was something to be said about a beautiful, confident woman in command, knowing how to get what she wanted. "Smart," she said, and grinned. The rest of this little vacation was going to be fun.