Chapter 9
Hawke laughed as Nami, Usopp and Luffy wrestled with the tone dial. She smiled warmly as the shell fell overboard and whispered the telltale words that Luffy hadn't heard, before disappearing below the waves.
Luffy and Usopp hung over the railing and watched the shell sink as Nami let out a huff and retreated to the upper deck, saying she wanted to take a bath.
"The dial…" Usopp looked like he was about to cry, "Those things are rare…Damn you Nami!"
"Hey!" Sanji appeared out of nowhere and planted a kick on the sniper's head, "How dare you insult Nami-san!"
"Ouch!" Usopp wailed and clutched his head as he sulked off to his Usopp Factory to work his gloom away.
Hawke got up from her seat on the grass and went over to the rail, leaning her shoulder against Luffy's.
"Nami's our nakama," she smiled, "And she's really smart. She had to be sneaky to fool Shiki while he was standing right beside her."
The brim of the straw hat fluttered in the breeze and Luffy's hand went up to secure it.
"I know," he smiled at the waves, "It was my bad for doubting her."
Hawke let out a laugh and gave him a little shove.
"Hey," she rested her head on his shoulder, "Thank you… for giving me that little moment."
She was referring to the pause in Luffy's attack that had given her time to confront Shiki.
The rubber boy gave her a happy smirk.
"Shishishi," he chuckled, "No problem."
His eyes flew to her wings, then to her forehead, lifting his hand to rest on the bandage that was still covering her wound.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Hawke blinked and gently pushed his hand away.
"I'm fine, Luffy," she reassured him, giving her wings a small flap them to prove her point, "My wounds are healing quickly."
The captain smiled.
"Yeah, you always recover really fast," he said, "I like that."
Hawke shrugged her shoulders, but smiled.
"Well," she sighed and stretched her arms up above her head, "Shall we continue on our way, Captain?"
A wide smirk was her answer and Luffy jumped onto the rail.
"Set sail!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Let's go to Fishman Island!"
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A few days after Luffy's defeat of Shiki, the Thousand Sunny was sailing through calm, warm waters and the Straw Hats were enjoying sunny weather.
Hawke sat under the shade of a beach umbrella, reading. The wounds on her wings had healed over completely and she was finally able to return them to their tattoo form. The scout hummed quietly as she turned the pages of her book. The novel was a story about a mermaid princess and her magical power to control the tides. It was actually one of Robin's, but she had let the scout borrow it for the day. The archeologist was currently helping Nami water her orange trees.
"Are you enjoying your reading, Hawke-chan?" Sanji suddenly appeared over her shoulder, holding out a tray of three fizzy drinks, "It's usually our beautiful archeologist who sits so elegantly with a book. But you look just as dazzling."
His appearance startled Hawke and her concentration was broken.
"Sanji," she smiled, "You surprised me!"
The cook gave a deep bow and lowered his face.
"My apologies," he said, "But I have brought you a refreshing drink to soothe your thirst."
Hawke let out a laugh.
"Thank you very much," the scout replied, taking one of the drinks offered, "This book is very interesting. You'd like it, since it's about a mermaid princess."
Sanji's eyes widened and he spun around, lifting his hands up in the air.
"A mermaid princess!" he sang, "I can't wait to meet her! Mermaid Island here we come!"
Hawke couldn't help but let out a laugh at the cook's antics.
"You better behave yourself when we meet her," she smiled, "Or you'll scare her away."
Sanji stopped his spinning and gave her a gentlemanly smile and bowed his head.
"I would never dream of upsetting any woman," he said, "It is a man's duty to serve and protect a woman."
Hawke smiled.
"And speaking of serving women," she laughed, "Robin's in the orchard with Nami."
Sanji sent her a grin and a nod before moving off to find the other ladies.
Hawke returned her eyes to her book but wasn't allowed to continue the story due to another interruption.
"Damn cook," Zoro grunted as he sat down under the shade of Hawke's umbrella, "He never makes anything for us guys."
Hawke giggled and held out the glass.
"Do you want a sip?" she asked, "It's fizzy and tastes like peaches."
Zoro wrinkled his nose and scoffed.
"I don't like girly drinks," he muttered.
Hawke laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Well then don't complain," she said.
Zoro frowned, but then shrugged and stretched out on his back. Hawke scowled when she saw the bandages around Zoro's torso were somewhat out of place.
"You haven't been training, have you?" Hawke asked, watching the swordsman as he crossed his arms behind his head.
"Nah," he grunted, "Only some practice swings and stuff."
Hawke frowned and prodded her finger into Zoro's chest, earning a slight groan. His hand came up and massaged the area that had been disturbed.
"What was that for?" he muttered.
Hawke stuck her lips out in a pout.
"Chopper said no training!" she snapped, "And if that hurt then you should still be staying in bed most of the day."
Zoro frowned.
"I'm fine!" he snapped back, "How am I supposed to get past this level if I don't push myself?"
Hawke sighed and crossed her arms.
"You push yourself too hard sometimes," she mumbled, "I'm scared you'll go too far one of these days and it'll put you… and all of us… in danger."
She blinked when Zoro's hand rested on her knee.
"You worry too much," he smirked before closing his eyes.
Hawke smiled as his face relaxed into sleep and she sighed.
"Yeah, I know," she whispered, her eyes lifting to see Luffy sitting on the Sunny's head, "But it's because I love you."
Zoro's snore answered her and Hawke rolled her eyes before lying back and returning to her book.
"You're both idiots," she muttered.
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The End
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