Meanings Hidden In Treasures

Nami looked long and hard at her captain, sitting on her sunbed on the grassy deck of Sunny. She glanced upwards for a moment, tilting her head to the side before nodding to herself in a satisfied manner. The wind was constant and the temperature didn't waver: it was going to be a steady day today.

Which was just fine for her; she had other things to worry about.

Nami glanced towards the figurehead of Sunny, her captain's back tall and proud, but the sight still broke her head. Because although nobody saw beyond the gesture (except for them), it was there and it spoke volumes about their uselessness and weakness and their captain's pain.

Because Nami could see that his hand was pressing onto his chest.

She could imagine the granite eyes—so full of innocence and cheerfulness overshadowed by grief and pain and agony—staring and staring into the horizon of the sea, hand gently pressing onto a scar and remembering, remembering, remembering.

(Of a childhood full of laughter and happiness and love. Of parent figures and siblings that he loved and adored and never wanted to lose. Of childish fairy tales that always had a happy ending.

But then, there was realization because there was no more laughter or happiness coming from the dead. There were parent figures and siblings that—as much as he may love and adore them—had died. Fairy tales may end happily, but the real world was cruel.

But no matter what happened there was love—Nami knew that.)

Nami kept looking at her captain for a few moments before turning on her heel, marching up the stairs to the upper deck and to her beloved tangerine trees. They had just started to ripen and the trees were full with round, orange tangerines. Nami smiled.

Picking as many as her arms could carry, she plucked them off gently and carefully took the armful that she had down to the grassy deck. She ignored Sanji and Zoro fighting somewhere ("Stupid marimo!"—It was nearly music to her ears—"What'd you say, curly-brow?!"—because all it basically meant was 'Welcome home' to them) and walked straight to the figurehead.

"Luffy," she called out cheerfully, ignoring the stab in her chest when she saw the tired eyes of her captain. "Look."

Her captain stared at the fruits with wide eyes before he looked up at her. "But Nami—"

"No buts," she cut in, winking at him. "You'd do the same."

"Luffy...Help me...!"

She looked at a boy, so reckless and fearless and idiotic but who'd managed to immediately steal her love, present, future and hope with a few laughs and a few too many grins. She had dared to dream, dared to hope to be able to continue onwards with him because despite how ridiculous it all seemed, this boy—

This man, would conquer countries, save lives and go to end of the world.

Nami would lie if she'd say that she didn't want to be part of it.

And then there was a gentle pressure on her head—barely noticeable—and she looked at her shadow, seeing the outline of a familiar hat of a familiar person who saw this as his treasure and glanced over her shoulder.

But the man was already walking away and Nami could only stare in amazement at the power and confidence and security his back emitted.

"OF COURSE I WILL!"

The conviction was in every word and—although Nami didn't know it until much later—there were the beginnings of fierce love and complete loyalty. And Nami believed him, because although he may seem like a boy he was her captain and if he said it would be done, then it would happen.

But it was only later where Nami realized that, after the bane of her terror and captivity was smashed into the ground by a foot.

"NAMI!" the shout was screamed to the heavens, a vow and a promise and a love that would never ever break awoke in all of them. "YOU'RE ONE OF US!"

And Nami believed him because he was her captain.

"Come on, captain," Nami took her captain's hand and smiled, happyhappyhappy because they were all together after two years (proving that not even two years in desolation and loneliness and pain could even waver that love they had). "Let's see if I can bring Sanji-kun to make ice cream out of this!"

Her captain looked at her for a moment longer, shadowed eyes watching her before smiling softly. "Yeah."

These things may be nothing more than a straw hat and some tangerines to other people (except for seven other people in world, along with a few people whom they'd known long before they'd learned how to dream), but they were treasures that were valued and loved and adored, far above anything—even money.

And Nami learned that—long ago—from a man who'd shown her how to dream, hope, love, laugh, smile again, taught her how to be free again. Treasures were more than jewels or gold or gems or money, she realized, when he gave her a whole world full of treasures.

(Although all she wanted, all she needed, was a little crew sailing under a Jolly Roger with a straw hat; laughter and smiles and love were everything and more that she ever wanted and they made up her whole world, and that was the world for her.

And that was just fine with her.)

And even if she could do nothing else but give silent support (because there were no words for that pain), she was there like he had been, so long ago, when he'd given her a brighter world to see.

That, she thought, was the least she could do.

And when her captain looked at her and met her eyes, she smiled and he smiled back, because there was quiet understanding in remembrance of a time of liberation.

And then there was only happinessjoylaughtersmilesfreedomlove.

.–.–.–.–.–.–.–.

Author Note:

NAMI IS FINISHED! YATTA!

Is it just me, or is Nami spoiling Luffy after the two year time-skip? You know, going where he wants to go despite her initial protests and potential dangers, answering with 'well, he's the captain.' I wondered how I could use that, but nothing really came to mind since Nami wouldn't spoil her captain with money or a sea map, or letting him be lazy. No, if anything she would spoil him with her tangerines because it's the most meaningful thing and Luffy knows that and knows the gravity of that gesture, just like Nami had so long ago.

Not quite sure if this turned out alright, but we'll see. I got several good ideas from other people about Nami, but I just felt that her tangerines came first, especially since they mean so much to her. Maybe I'll post another chapter on her later on.

I got massive feedback the last chapter, and you don't know how much that meant to me. It gave me a massive confidence boost—not to mention how much easier it was to get through the week. To all reviewers who'd reviewed so far in any chapter, especially those who comment on each chapter, thank you all so much for your continuous support for this, you can't believe how grateful I am.

Thank you for reading and please review!