Chapter 6: Nami Stays
Nami ended up staying with me until the sky began to get dark. She did not return home to whatever horrors were waiting for her, and I was glad.
We sat on the floor of my room with a single plate piled high with tangerine peels between us, watching through my slightly opened window as the stars began to flicker into existence in the night sky. Nami hadn't spoken a word since our encounter in the kitchen, and I understood. She simply wanted the silence to be her words for a little while, to take in the situation she now found herself in and analyze how to deal with it. She held onto me and cried for a long time after I'd made my promise to her, and the skin below her eyes was red and puffy. I'd led her up to my room, taking the fruit bowl with me because I was also getting hungry, and from then on we remained as two solitary entities, each slowly growing accustomed to the presence of the other. And I was happy because it meant that Nami was accepting me as her friend.
If there was one thing I needed, it was friends. I was still on my own a lot of the time, and it still hurt far worse than any fit of coughing or intense pain I'd felt. I absolutely hated being alone. Sure, Zoro was my best friend, and whenever he was around, the world was brighter and full of hope, but he was also my only friend. Ace and Grandpa had begun to isolate themselves from me these past few weeks, whether it was from the strain of taking care of me or the desire to just forget the fact that I was dying I didn't know. Nami being here was actually the first real contact I'd had in days. Whenever Grandpa or Ace came around me now, they were always distant, almost like they were eager to get away from me. Ace hadn't told me a single story in almost two months.
I heard her yawn and I looked over. Nami's eyes were drooping heavily, and I could tell that she was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I glanced over at the clock by my bed and saw that it was almost ten o-clock at night. Internally I winced. Of course she would be tired, she'd been here for almost seven hours! I stood up slowly and Nami looked up. I met her eyes and we both smiled.
"Man, it's getting late," I said, stretching. "I guess we should figure out where you're gonna sleep."
Nami frowned and looked confused. "Sleep?" She asked, tilting her head. "Who said I was sleeping here?"
"I did." I said firmly. "It's too late for you to go home and there's someone I want you to meet tomorrow."
Nami stood and faced me with her hands on her hips. "I can always come back, I dunno, tomorrow dumbass." I liked the way that Nami always said exactly what was on her mind.
"Nope." I said again. "You're staying here. Even if I have to tie you up and shove you in my closet, you're staying here." She blushed at my last statement and crossed her arms. I could tell by the way she bit her lip that she wanted to protest, but at the same time wanted nothing more than to stay. I laughed at her face and went over to my closet, taking out the spare futon and laying it out gently by my bed. "I'll sleep here and you can take my bed."
Nami raised an eyebrow. "When did I say I wanted the bed?" she asked.
"I could tell." I said. "That, and Grandpa told me that girls like it when guys let them have things their way." (whatever the hell that means). Nami's blush deepened and she stared at the floor.
I smoothed out the futon and put the blanket and pillow in their proper places. "There," I said, a satisfied smile on my face. "Looks good. Now all you need are some pajamas and a toothbrush." I turned to Nami and she raised her hands quickly.
"I'm fine in what I'm wearing," she said quickly. "I won't be staying here for very long so don't worry about it." I laughed at her embarrassment and stood, Nami clutching the front of her dress tightly. She puffed out her cheek in annoyance, muttering something along the lines of "not funny" under her breath. I was about to say something, when suddenly I heard a sound that made my heart stop.
The sound of the front door opening.
Shit.
Already, I could hear Ace and Grandpa's voices echoing up the stairs. I had completely forgotten about their existence up to this point.
I stiffened, nervous sweat beading on my arms and face at the thought of my over-protective family discovering an uninvited guest in my room. Nami must have heard the disturbance downstairs because she grew uncharacteristically still as well. Grandpa wouldn't be happy to find Nami here. It would mean that I'd done the unthinkable and ventured outside, which, in his eyes, was the surest way for my disease to catch up to me and kill me. The doctors had told my family and I time and again how dangerous it was for someone with my condition to do anything even remotely strenuous, including walking, running, hell even getting out of bed to get something for myself. Both he and Ace would be furious. They might even cry, and I couldn't handle that. I had to figure out a way to prevent them from seeing Nami, yet still enable her to stay here like I promised.
I heard Ace say something loudly to Grandpa, which was followed by the old man's gruff response, and then the sounds of medium-sized footfalls ascending the staircase. Right up to my room. Where Nami and I were still standing frozen wondering what the hell to do.
Quickly, I grabbed Nami's shoulder and pushed her towards my open closet. It was our only chance of preventing Ace from seeing her. At first, she struggled, gasping loudly at the sudden movement only to have my hand plastered over her mouth. "Quiet," I whispered close to her ear. "My brother will here you and then we're screwed. Just hide in my closet for a bit, and after they leave, you can come out." Nami nodded slowly and I released her from my grip. She had just slid shut the closet door and I had just quickly climbed into my bed when my bedroom door swung open, revealing a very worn-out looking older brother with a weak smile painted on his face.
"Hey, Luffy," he said, entering the room and closing the door behind him. "How're you feeling?"
I smiled widely at my brother. Despite everything, I was happy to see him. "Hi, Ace!" I said cheerfully. "You and Gramps sure came home late tonight. I feel great! Just a little tired."
Ace smiled and ruffled my hair with his bandaged hand. "That's good to hear," he said warmly. "I was getting worried. The old fart and I stayed later at the dojo than we'd originally planned. Sorry to leave you for so long."
I grinned, trying to keep any hints of loneliness out of my gaze. "Don't worry about it," I said, keeping my voice as light as possible. "Nothing really happened today anyway. I took my medicine on time like I was supposed to, and other than feeling tired, I was fine." My hand drifted up to my chest without my knowledge and I thought about the incident with Zoro. I hadn't told Ace or Grandpa about it because I was afraid that if they knew, it would only make them worry. Also, I was afraid that if they found out about my secret get-togethers with Zoro, they might forbid me from being friends with him for fear that the excess interaction might aggravate my condition.
Ace sighed and pinched my cheek lightly. "I see." He said, looking down at my hand on my chest. He was quiet for a moment before he reached over and took my small hand in his own, gently prying it off my shirt and flipping it over so that the wrist was exposed. He did this every night before going to bed, almost to reassure himself that I was still fully alive, and that I hadn't done anything to infringe upon that fact. The two scars on my wrist were silvery in the low light, and for a moment, I felt ashamed. When I had first marked myself, it had been as a reminder that my days were limited. I hadn't known at the time that it would make my family worry for my life even more. Ace eventually released my hand and I let it drop to the comforter. I didn't look up to meet his eyes, but I could still feel his gaze on me. For a long time, neither of us said anything, and after a while, Ace muttered a low "goodnight" before slipping quietly out the door. It was always like this between us now. Ace says one thing, I say something else, and then the gravity of the sickness pulls us in and kills whatever good mood or happiness might transpire around us. It made me sad, but I pushed it down as I thought of Nami who was still trapped in my closet.
"It's okay," I called softly. "You can come out now. Grandpa won't be coming in here because he knows I need my sleep." The closet door slid open to reveal a slightly red-faced Nami. I hopped out of the bed and walked over to her. I noticed that she was clutching her shoulder rather tightly, and I wondered if something was wrong. Upon closer inspection, I saw tear tracks running down her cheeks and that bothered me. "You alright, Nami?" I asked.
"...I'm sorry." She said, taking me by surprise.
"For what?" I asked, confused.
"For causing you so much trouble." She said. "You had to lie to your brother for me, and... and I think I heard some things that I shouldn't have. That were private, I mean." She looked down in embarrassment, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she did, and I smiled softly. Her honesty made my insides glow, which was a welcome relief to the raw sadness and guilt I had just been feeling. I stepped forward and pulled the girl into a hug. She didn't stiffen like I was expecting her to, and surprisingly wrapped her own arms around my middle so that we were both holding each other.
"It's alright." I whispered into her hair. "It's worth it."
"Worth what?" she asked.
"Having you for a friend."
"Oh."
The two of us stood like that for sometime, our embrace only broken by a muffled yawn that we both shared. I laughed lightly and pulled away. "You're really tired, aren't you?" I chuckled.
"You too, idiot." Nami replied with a hint of annoyance.
"We should go to sleep." I said. "The bed's all yours." Nami remained standing in the middle of the room for some time, glancing awkwardly at the bed like she was wondering what to do next. "It's okay. I don't mind." I saw Nami nod. She made her way slowly over to the bed before peeling back the covers and climbing in. She snuggled into the comforter, pressing her face deeply into my pillow before I finally heard her sigh contentedly. It wasn't another ten minutes before I heard deep even breaths coming from the mattress above me, indicating that she had fallen fast asleep. I was glad, and adjusted myself beneath my own blanket until my position was satisfying. I closed my eyes and reflected upon the events of the day; meeting Nami, making her my friend, and even letting her spend the night at my house.
It had been an odd day to say for sure. I wondered what Zoro would think when I introduced the two of them tomorrow. I hoped that he would like her as much as I did, and that the three of us could form some sort of awesome three-way friendship force of doom.
I realized that I now had two friends.
Two people to laugh and cry with, as well as two people who saw me as their equal, and not just the kid with the deadly disease. I was so happy that I thought my heart was going to burst. I grinned into my pillow and welcomed the darkness that silently overtook me, signaling the start of a new day, and a new chapter in my life.
Once again, I couldn't wait.
Awwwwww! Chapter 6 is finally done! I'm so glad for all of the feedback that I've been getting from you guys. Make sure to keep commenting and tell me how I'm doing. I'll make sure to update as often as possible, because, as you see, "shit be goin' down" in the story right now. Well, until we meet again!
