A/N: I reeeeaallly enjoyed writing this one. In this one-shot we go back in time to when Luffy and Nami (as well as a few of the other characters) are children. I only included Zoro, Sanji and Usopp, because they all met in East Blue in the first place -just not when they were children.

I don't even know how I came up with the idea for this one. Initially it was going to be called "Of Pirates" but I think "Of Promises" suited it better. But when I was writing it as "Of Pirates" I figured that adults who are already pirates don't play pirate games -even with a captain as childish as Luffy :P

Oh, also! The idea of Luffy and the others being... miniature, has triggered the idea of me doing a series of one-shots with adventures starring the mini-straw-hats! Tell me what you guys think!

Well, I hope you all enjoy! :D

Of Promises

He drew his wooden sword, holding it to the throat of the other, green-haired boy. He was in dire need of a haircut, his black hair falling in front of his eyes. Still, he grinned, even as his friend got the upper hand, knocking him back and onto the ground. His straw-hat went flying.

"Shishishi," little Luffy laughed, rubbing the back of his head; "I've never been good with swords."

"Dummy, if you want to be a pirate, you have to learn how to use a sword," a young Zoro crossed his arms.

Something whizzed by them, and their lying friend shouted down to them, "Or you have to have good accuracy!"

"I'm strong enough without swords!" Luffy jumped to his feet defiantly, grabbing his hat. "My punch is as strong a pistol!"

"You guys are so childish," the small red-head said as she walked by. She carried a book in her arms, its contents purely on weather. "Pirates are bad people."

"I agree, Nami-chan," Sanji said, running up to them, panting heavily. "Why did you guys leave me behind?"

"Because nobody wants you around," Zoro growled at him.

"No! Not all pirates!" Luffy said, ignoring the two of them. "Not all of them are bad, Nami."

"Yes they are!" she said firmly. "You should just listen to your grandfather –and aspire to be a Marine!"

"Ehhhhhhhh? Why?" Luffy frowned deeply

"Because," she blushed a deep red, quickly looking away. "Because then I can be your navigator."

"Navigator?" he asked.

"I'll travel with you, and guide you to new places," she said. "And keep you out of storms as best as I can! That's what a navigator does!"

"Why can't you be my navigator if I'm a pirate?" Luffy sat, crossing his legs and arms frowning even deeper. "I'm going to be the Pirate King!"

"Because I refuse to be a pirate!" she said.

"Then that makes her the damsel in distress!" Usopp called down from a nearby tree.

"Damsel in distress?" Luffy questioned.

"It's the girl that the hero saves!" Usopp scolded him.

"I'm the hero!"

"I thought you were the pirate," Nami tightened her grip on the book.

"I'm both!" Luffy laughed.

"You can't be a pirate and a hero," Nami told him.

"I can so!" Luffy said.

"Play with us, Nami," Usopp called, lowering himself from the tree.

"No," Nami said, turning and beginning to walk away.

"Zoro –be the bad guy!" Usopp called.

"Eh? What do I do?"

"Take Nami and run! Put her into dangerous situations and we have to save her!" Usopp grinned.

"No!" Nami shrieked as Zoro picked her up and began running away.

"You bastard!" Sanji took off after him.

"No, Sanji! Only one bad guy," Usopp called after him.

"Shishishi, it's fine," Luffy said. "How long do we wait until we go after them?"

"Uhhhh," Usopp paused. "Right away!"

"Shishishi! Okay!" Luffy took off running.

"Wait for me!" Usopp called after him.

"Kya~!"

"Oi! Luffy!" Usopp called, sliding to a halt. "This way!"

They changed the course of their direction accordingly, hurrying after Nami's scream. They stumbled, coming to the edge of a cliff.

"Zoro! You pig!" Nami was shouting at him, tied up and hanging from a tree that branched out over a waterfall. Zoro sat on the branch above her. Sanji was no where in sight. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Eh? I was just following Luffy's orders," Zoro sighed.

"Why? He's an idiot!"

"He's the captain," Zoro sighed. "Duh."

"Captain? You're kidding me!"

Zoro didn't answer.

"Save her," Usopp nudged Luffy. "I wonder where Zoro got the rope."

"Eh? Isn't it just vines?" Luffy asked.

"Whatever!" Usopp said. "Now you have to go and save her!"

"Ehhhh? How?"

"With a sword!" Usopp pushed the wooden sword back into his friend's hands.

"Do I cut the rope?"

"No! You attack Zoro!"

"I can't beat Zoro with a sword," Luffy grumbled.

"You can't just let Nami hang there!" Usopp said. "She'll kill us all!"

"Fine," Luffy said, climbing the tree up to where Zoro sat. The ledge the tree was rooted too only went out so far –and below was a pond, which opened into a river. More trees lined the banks down there.

"Luffy," Zoro greeted him. "What do we do now?"

"Usopp says we fight," Luffy shrugged.

"Luffy, you jerk!" Nami shouted up at him. "This is your fault."

"Ehhh?" Luffy looked over the edge at her, then his gaze turned down to Usopp. "Do I have to save her?"

"Luffy!" She called. "Usopp! Zoro! I don't want to play! Get me down from here!"

"I guess we fight," Zoro said.

"Mm," Luffy grinned. He stretched his arm back, then attacked with the sword. It was harder on the branch than it was on solid ground. But Zoro dodged, and backed up further onto the branch, further into the ravine and further towards the center of the waterfall.

"Go Luffy!" Usopp cheered from the sidelines.

They sparred back and forth, Luffy nearly falling off the edge at one point, but catching himself by stretching his arms.

"Just get me back on land!" Nami shouted. "And you owe me a new book!"

"What happened to her book?" Luffy asked, nearly getting hit by Zoro's sword.

"Eh? She dropped it when I was tying her up –where do you think stupid disappeared to?"

"Ohhhh," Luffy said, accidentally stepping on the knot that held Nami there. Zoro hadn't tied it that well though, and the water that came off the waterfall made the vines slippery, and the knot came a little loose. Nami felt herself drop a couple more inches.

"Kya~!" She screamed again.

"Eh? What's wrong now?" Luffy asked, mistakenly kicking the knot again. It came loose, and the vine unraveled itself. Quickly Luffy grabbed it.

Nami screamed again, as she fell further. She stopped suddenly, the ropes hurting her. She looked up to see Luffy hanging upside down, the only thing holding him was his legs. His tiny hands held the rope, but she could see that it was slipping from his grasp

"Hold on," Luffy said, gripping it tighter and trying to pull her up. He wasn't used to hoisting anybody up though, and his legs were starting to shake from the strain.

"Like I have a choice," Nami said sarcastically, fearfully eyeing the watery depths below.

Slowly she rose higher and higher, and she breathed a sigh of relief –until Sanji came out of the bushes, surprising Luffy –who released his grip. Nami started falling, and Luffy did the same.

He stretched his arms out to grab her, the grabbed another branch of a tree –they swung towards the shore, and he let go, letting them fly through the air, and crashing on the hard dirt below.

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed, sitting up. Blood surfaced on his elbow, scratched on something with the impact.

"You idiot!" Nami said, tears welling in her eyes, struggling out of her bindings. "We could have both died."

"But we didn't," Luffy pointed out, helping her get out of the rope.

Upon release she hit him over the head, tears still threatening to overflow –but Nami refused to cry. "Don't ever do that again!"

"Eh? You don't want to be saved?"

"I don't want to be put in danger again!" She said, a tear finally slipping down.

"Shishishi –don't worry!" Luffy told her, rubbing the bump on his head. He wondered where his hat was, but was relieved that when he looked up he saw that Zoro had it. They all watched the two of them from the tree high above the waterfall. "I'll save you every time you're in trouble!"

"Promise?" she asked, sniffling.

"Promise!" Luffy grinned.

"Will you be a pirate?"

"I'll be the Pirate King!" he said, so sure of himself.

"Then how do I know I can believe you?" Nami asked.

"Because I'll be a good pirate!" Luffy said. "And good pirates keep their promises!"

"I don't believe you," Nami frowned.

"Eh?" Luffy pouted, thinking hard of a way to prove it to her.

"Besides, I still think you'd make a better Marine –the only thing you ever steal is food. Pirates steal everything. You're more of a hero than a pirate!" She meant it as a compliment, but Luffy became offended.

"I can steal!" Luffy said.

"Not without being scolded by your grandpa!" Nami countered.

"I can so!"

"Prove it!"

Luffy grabbed her shoulders, pressing his lips against Nami's, and ultimately stealing her first kiss. She blushed feverishly, pushing him away.

"See?" Luffy said, also going red –though he didn't know why. Above the boys hooted and hollered –Sanji for different reasons.

"Idiot!" Nami said, hitting him again, her face still bright red, before she turned and stomped into the forest. Luffy was about to chase after her, but she paused, just out of sight of the others.

"You promise to be a good pirate?" she asked quietly.

"Mm," Luffy grinned.

"Pinky promise?" Nami held out her small finger.

"Mm," Luffy stretched his arm out, looping her finger with his.

"Good," she said. "Then maybe… just maybe, I'll still be your navigator."

Present Day

"Luffy!" Nami screamed as she was hoisted over the shoulder of a strange man. Luffy's arm stretched out, grabbing her as his other fist came flying at the man. The man went flying into a tree while Nami was reeled into Luffy's arms.

"Shishishi," Luffy grinned. "See? I still save you."

"I still think you're more of hero than a pirate," Nami murmured beside his ear, looping her arms around him so that she could make sure that the log pose was alright. It was, and she breathed a sigh of relief, even as Luffy pulled away. He kissed her, holding it for a long moment and Nami relaxed into his arms, closing her eyes.

"Now am I a pirate?" Luffy asked, grinning widely.

"No," Nami gave him a faint smile.

"Ehhh?" Luffy pouted.

It was Nami's turn to grin.

"You have a lot more kisses to steal before I'll consider you a pirate."

Luffy's smile appeared again, as he went in for another kiss -

"Promise?"