Chapter 12: Love is a Hurricane - Part 1

Nami's homecoming unsurprisingly caused an uproar in Cocoyashi Village and beyond. The impressive reception the Straw Hats were greeted with definitely consisted of more than just the residents of Cocoyashi Village; it seemed as if the entire population of the Conomi Islands had gathered upon catching word of the possible return of the Straw Hat Pirates. For the past week, the villagers had taken turns staking out by the pier, hoping for any sign of the Thousand Sunny to report immediately to the bride-to-be. Three days before the wedding, they finally spotted the unmistakable figurehead of the Pirate King's ship in the horizon, and everyone had dropped what they were doing to rush to the pier.

When the pirates pulled up, Nojiko was already waiting on the pier, a fierce look of determination on her face. Genzo stood beside her with his arms folded across his chest, ready to mediate as needed when the sisters inevitably caused a scene. The other villagers crowded behind them, cheering and hollering in excitement.

Nami hadn't bothered writing a response to Nojiko's letter; although her sister had expressed her understanding if she was unable to make it to the wedding, Nami knew that Nojiko fully expected her to return.

And she was right, from the way things appeared. Taking a deep breath, Nami leapt off the ship and gracefully landed before her sister. She straightened and steeled herself for a heated reunion, her resolute gaze boring straight into Nojiko's own challenging stare.

Her sister beat her to the punch. "What took you so long, Nami?!"

Nami nearly keeled over in outrage and disbelief. "What right do you have to be angry?! I'm the one who should be angry! How could you?!"

Nojiko faltered at that and had the grace to look a little ashamed. Nami watched as the woman before her tucked a long lock of blue hair behind her ear, an expression she recognized as apprehension clouding her sister's face. After several years apart, it was instantly comforting to see that her sister largely appeared the same, aside from growing out her hair. It really was a shame that their long-awaited reunion was destined to be volatile.

Nojiko exhaled a little nervously before locking eyes with Nami again. "Let's talk."

The younger woman nodded tersely, and a stiff silence fell between them as they warily sized each other up. The rowdy villagers had wisely settled down after sensing the tension in the air between the two sisters. The rest of the Straw Hats observed quietly from the Sunny.

Nami sighed heavily and rolled her eyes before launching herself at her sister, giving in to her true desire for a peaceful reunion. Nojiko pitched backward in shock at Nami's unexpected tackle, and the two of them would have certainly toppled over if Genzo hadn't steadied them both. Tears sprung into Nojiko's eyes as she returned her sister's tight embrace. Nami sniffed noisily, too overwhelmed by her emotions to care about how unattractive she probably looked at the moment. Genzo wrapped an arm around each of them, and the three of them took a few seconds to savor this surreal moment. Nami was the first to pull away so she could throw her arms around her father figure.

"Welcome home, Nami," Genzo gruffly offered in greeting, his watery eyes betraying his true emotions. Then, he leaned back so he could pin her with a look of absolute disapproval. "But what in the world are you wearing?! Every picture of you baring too much skin in the newspapers over the years—are you trying to attract perverts?!"

A bubble of laughter escaped from her lips, and then she was grinning as she looked down at herself. She was in what was typical attire for her—a cute bikini top, a pair of comfortable jeans, and of course, her best pair of heels. While she dressed for herself and didn't give a damn about what anyone else thought, she supposed it wouldn't hurt to humor poor Genzo, who looked like he was in the midst of a heart attack. Oh, how she'd missed him and his protective nature.

Nami called up airily to her captain, "Luffy, can you get me a cardigan or jacket?"

There was a delay in his response, and she could only imagine the looks the rest of their nakama were probably giving him.

"What?!" He eventually shouted back down at her.

She rolled her eyes and raised her voice, wondering if she really wasn't loud enough or if this was one of those instances of selective hearing. "Cardigan, please!"

"Oh!"

Her eyes widening, she watched in silent horror as he proceeded to shrug off the cardigan he was wearing and drop it overboard without a second thought. It took her a few seconds to jolt into action, and she scrambled to catch it in time. Glaring down at the offensive piece of clothing, she yelled up at him, "I meant my cardigan, you idiot!"

All he did was shrug and return cheerfully with, "You should've said so!"

As the rest of the crew laughed, Nami huffed in exasperation and shook out his blue cardigan. Her eyes narrowed as she noted there were two missing buttons—she could've sworn she'd just mended this cardigan a few months ago. At least she knew it was clean.

She slipped it on and buttoned it up until the majority of her breasts were covered, fluffing out her hair and arching a mocking brow at Genzo. The missing buttons actually prevented her from buttoning all the way up, so it wasn't her fault that there was still some cleavage. "Better?"

He offered a noncommittal grunt, but otherwise remained silent. He was still trying to process the exchange he'd just witnessed.

Nami inclined her head toward her sister, studying her coolly. "I'm happy to see you, and I missed you so much, but that doesn't mean I've forgiven you. I expect a thorough explanation."

"Of course," Nojiko breathed out with a small chuckle, evidently relieved that the tension had dissipated. "I missed you so much, Nami."

"You too, Gen-san!" Nami pointed at him accusingly. "I'm sure you knew what had been going on for a while, and yet you also never said anything!"

Genzo cracked a wry smile and put his hands up in defense. "You've caught me, but it wasn't my place to tell you." He abruptly grew solemn before he said his next words. "Please listen to everything Nojiko has to say with an open heart."

Nami's lips twitched as she looked between Nojiko and Genzo, mostly amused and a little puzzled. "You want me, a heartless witch, to listen with an open heart?"

Instead of the lighthearted chuckle the navigator had expected, Nojiko was strangely serious. "Please, Nami," was all she said.

Nami blinked a few times, mystified and extremely curious. "I'll try my best," she relented and with lightning speed, grabbed Nojiko's hand. "So let's see that ring!" Her eyes zeroed in on the large pearl atop a gold band adorning her sister's finger. "A pearl?!"

It was intriguing and undeniably a beautiful ring, but she supposed it wasn't quite her taste. Nami had to remind herself that this was about her sister. Not herself.

"He crafted it himself," Nojiko responded softly, and Nami could only stare in wonder as a slight pink tint dusted her sister's cheeks. She couldn't remember the last time she'd perceived shyness in Nojiko's expression or demeanor, let alone witness her blush.

"Nojiko," she started with an incredulous laugh, marveling at how absolutely adorable her sister was. Love was truly a wondrous thing. Movement in the crowd gathered behind caught her attention then, and Nami waved amiably, smiling happily as she identified many familiar faces from just one quick sweep. "Everyone!"

The villagers took that as the signal to resume their celebrations. There were ecstatic choruses of "Welcome home, Na-chan!" and "We're so proud of you, Cat Burglar Nami!"

Nami chuckled fondly at their declarations and turned back to her sister. "So where's the lucky groom?"

Nojiko took a deep breath. "He's waiting at home. I wanted to talk to you first before properly introducing you two."

The Pirate King chose that exact moment to make his grand entrance, jumping off the ship and landing before the gaping villagers in all his half-naked glory. He had undoubtedly been growing restless aboard the Sunny. He beamed radiantly and pumped his fists in the air as he announced exuberantly, "We're back!"

Evidently, his enthusiasm was infectious as a deafening roar rocked the island and the villagers immediately swarmed around him. Nami watched in outright disbelief as Luffy was showered with praise and congratulatory words for becoming the Pirate King. Two men took it upon themselves to hoist Luffy up onto their shoulders and parade him around for the rest of the crowd to admire.

She shook her head in awe. "Why does everyone seem much more excited to see him, huh?! What about me?!"

Nojiko chuckled at that. "He's the one who ultimately saved us all, so he's naturally treated like a hero." She grinned and playfully elbowed Nami in the ribs. "You're just our brat who got extremely lucky with finding the right friends."

Nami snorted, half in amusement and half in indignation. "That's unfair and you know it, but funny enough, I'm not all that offended." She glanced over at Luffy, who was laughing and seemingly enjoying himself. "After all, he saved me too."

She had woken up before the break of dawn in a state of panic and terror after a particularly vivid nightmare involving Arlong. It had been years since she'd last dreamed of that horrific period of her adolescence, but its eerie timing did make sense. She had only recently recounted most of her past to Luffy and in a mere number of hours, she would be back on the shores of Cocoyashi Village of the Conomi Islands, an entire region that had been colonized and terrorized by the Arlong Pirates for many years. She had watched Arlong fatally shoot her adoptive mother in front of her very eyes. Then she had been violently abducted and forced to join the hateful fish-man's crew as his "nakama" when in reality she had only been abused as a map-making tool. A means to an end.

Then, of course, there had also been the matter of 100 million berries, and the hellish life she'd had to endure alone for eight grueling years.

Needless to say, the trauma ran deep, and it was a wonder that she actually never fully developed post-traumatic stress disorder. She certainly had the recurrent distressing dreams and some behavioral changes that had been more prevalent early on, but time had been kind to her, healing most of her wounds. While facing her bleak reality, she had fortunately found ways to cope. Whether it was confiding in Nojiko whenever she had the chance to or pouring her emotions into her cartography, she had known from the start that she needed to stay resilient and survive. Some days had been harder than others, but she always did her best to focus on the future by having faith in her own strength and dream to map the world once she was free. She'd been forced to grow up at an early age for herself and the sake of her family and entire village. It had been unfair for her to have shouldered the burdens alone, but in hindsight, it had given her the push she needed to not dwell on the past. Then, when it was all over, any lingering symptoms of trauma had been effectively managed since her momentous decision to allow others into her life.

Her stupid, wonderful nakama. They had intruded her lonely life rather explosively and unapologetically and in effect, saved her from her past. Especially Luffy.

She hadn't hesitated to wake Luffy up after her nightmare. As usual, he had been snoring away like all was right with the world and therefore had unsurprisingly been upset at the rude awakening. However, upon seeing Nami's stricken face, his surge in irritation had disappeared into thin air and he'd calmly listened to her. He didn't say anything after, but he hadn't needed to. He had opened his arms as a silent invitation that she'd gratefully accepted, and the next time she became aware of her surroundings, it was already close to mid-morning.

As it turned out, Luffy had apparently been watching her doze for a while. Then, bless his soul, he'd had a stroke of genius. In lieu of a morning greeting, he'd eloquently offered, "Do you want me to do the thing for you?"

She'd balked at him because to her recollection, he'd never initiated that before. Their previous experiences with that particular act could be counted on one hand, and she'd had to shyly ask him on all of those occasions. Speechless, she had barely been able to force herself to nod. And indeed, all of her worries had flown right out the window as he proceeded to do unspeakable things with his mouth and tongue. It had been clumsy but earnest, and she'd enjoyed being worshipped. Immensely.

All in all, she'd had a wonderfully sated morning after a terrible night, and Luffy had been just what she needed—attentive and caring in his actions. She hadn't been seeking words of comfort; she'd simply wanted to feel heard. And he'd gone above and beyond.

Ah, but she was digressing. She had to force herself to peel her eyes away from him.

When her attention finally returned to Nojiko, she found that her sister was scrutinizing her carefully. "What?" she asked defensively, disliking Nojiko's foreboding silence and piercing stare.

Her older sister smirked knowingly. "I think we have a lot to catch up on."

Genzo looked between the two sisters uncertainly. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he also wasn't sure if he really wanted to know either, for the sake of his own sanity.

Nami knew that she'd been caught, but she'd been planning to divulge everything anyway. There was no reason for her to feel embarrassed, so she continued to defiantly keep her head held high. "Before we do that, I have to introduce everyone to the rest of my nakama!"

The rest of the Straw Hats disembarked, and the villagers once again offered a warm welcome. Two familiar men finally managed to push their way to the front of the crowd, noisily crying tears of joy.

"Zoro-aniki!" Johnny and Yosaku bawled in greeting.

Zoro gaped at them in shock. "What are you guys doing here?!"

Nami noticed Jinbe lingering behind the group and quickly approached him. He looked at her, an array of emotions flitting across his face. Uncertainty. Guilt. Regret. Apprehension.

A few days ago, on their way to East Blue, Jinbe had candidly expressed his feelings about going to the region ravaged by his former friend and comrade. Despite the fact that Nami had forgiven him many years ago, deep inside his heart he still held himself accountable for being unable to stop Arlong, and thus felt indirectly responsible for all of the heinous crimes that had been committed in East Blue. Nami had seen his pain back when he'd confessed everything, and she saw the same pain again today. But she refused to allow him to continue blaming himself.

Standing tall next to the fish-man, Nami effectively got her nakama's attentions with her commanding navigator presence. The crowd settled down shortly after noticing the changes in demeanor among the pirates. She took a deep breath, noting that the villagers were appraising them curiously and waiting patiently for her to speak. That was a good sign.

"Everyone, this is Jinbe. I'm sure you've read about him throughout the years in the newspapers, so I don't think I need to go into all the details of his past." She paused to choose her next words carefully. "There was a time when he and Arlong were like brothers." Jinbe tensed reflexively, and Nami watched some villagers cringe uncomfortably and others exchange shocked and uncertain looks. He had made sure to cover up the mark of the Sun Pirates on his chest today, just in case it elicited any bad memories. She pushed on, "But that was a long time ago, and they parted ways due to fundamental differences in their beliefs and values. Jinbe has only ever wanted humans and fish-men to coexist in peace, and I have no doubt that he would have done everything in his power to stop Arlong if he had known about his reign of terror here. He didn't find out about the extent of the damage until the aftermath." She shifted to partially stand in front of him protectively, and Luffy hopped down from his pedestal to join them, loyally situating himself on Jinbe's other side. The rest of their nakama followed suit to form a cluster around the fish-man.

Having her nakama stand by her in solidarity did wonders to her confidence. Nami raised her voice to signal the importance of her next words. "Jinbe is my nakama, and I trust him with my life. I ask that you all treat him with the same respect and dignity you treat the rest of my nakama with, and I won't allow anyone to discriminate against him or speak ill of him."

There was a palpable silence that followed. Appearing as if he would prostrate at any moment, Jinbe cleared his throat and started hesitantly, "I sincerely apologize—"

"Welcome, Jinbe!" One villager interjected ecstatically before saying sheepishly, "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you—I'm just so excited!"

"We've been expecting you!" Another chimed in. "It's so nice to finally meet you!"

"Thank you for taking care of our troublesome Na-chan all these years!" A third declared with a large, friendly grin.

Both Nami and Jinbe blinked in stark surprise as the lively commotion restarted, excitement thrumming in the air. They exchanged a glance, and the navigator released a breathless chuckle. "See? They love you already."

In all honesty, she'd had no idea how her village would react to Jinbe's presence given their ugly history with fish-men. She'd hoped that they would at least hear her out and give him a chance, even if reluctantly, but they'd completely blown her expectations out of the water. Their overwhelmingly positive reactions completely caught her off guard. Not a single villager had spit out the word "fish-man," and the only time they'd shown any negative reaction was after the mention of Arlong. It was as if they'd long set aside their painful history with fish-men. She was suddenly incredibly curious about what had happened in Cocoyashi Village during her absence. How had they moved on from their years of animosity toward fish-men?

Nojiko was regarding her with an unfathomable expression, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Nami held her gaze oddly, arching a curious eyebrow.

Her sister merely shook her head and chuckled. "You've grown up, Nami. I'm so happy to see you've become so strong." She paused. "Well, you were always strong, but the aura that you give off now…I can tell that your strength lies within your bonds with your friends, and it's reassuring to know that they're so dependable."

Nami beamed at that. "Well, you're not wrong."

While the villagers didn't bat an eye at Jinbe's presence, they stared wide-eyed in fascination at Chopper, Franky, and Brook. Accustomed to getting more attention, the three of them introduced themselves with practiced flourish, demonstrating a few unique abilities that had pleased crowds in the past. Playing along, Robin dazzled the crowd with a few nifty tricks of her own.

The navigator watched their entertaining antics for a few moments before turning back to Jinbe, who was hastily wiping at his eyes. She smiled softly at him and reached over to squeeze his arm comfortingly. "Make yourself at home, Jinbe."

Still quivering a bit, he gave her a jerky nod.

Luffy grinned and began to pat the fish-man vigorously on the back in what was supposed to be encouragement. "Cheer up, Jinbe! I didn't know some of that stuff about your past!"

"That's because you weren't paying attention when he told us!" Nami viciously snapped at him.

"Oh, that's right. Sorry!" His grin only stretched wider.

Rolling her eyes, she determined that it was high time she and her sister separated from everyone else. "Luffy, I'm going with Nojiko. Remember what I told you earlier, and try to not get into any trouble while I'm gone, okay?"

He cackled and waved her off, intentionally making no such promise. "See you later!"

She yearned to give him a parting kiss but ultimately restrained herself; she didn't need to cause a scene just yet. Not before she and Nojiko came to an understanding.

She shifted to address the sheriff. "Gen-san, please make sure my nakama don't get too out of hand."

"I can see that you pirates haven't changed one bit!" Genzo chuckled in amusement and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I think we've gotten worse with each additional member," Nami countered fondly.

Genzo put his other hand on Nojiko's shoulder and similarly gave it a squeeze. A look that Nami didn't quite comprehend passed between the two of them, but she didn't have the chance to dwell on it as Genzo was sending them off with a light push. "Run along now, you two."

They walked through the town, and Nami marveled at all of the developments that had occurred over the years. Most of the villagers were still by the pier, so she was able to fully absorb all of the changes without having her view blocked by others. There were now many more shops and markets, and she could tell that the streets would normally be bustling with activity. She noticed a park and playground in the distance and houses occupying previously empty land. It warmed her heart to see that there were now houses close enough to Bell-mère's to be called neighbors. She was delighted and relieved to see that Cocoyashi Village had continued to grow and flourish in her absence.

Similarly, Bell-mère's tangerine grove had significantly expanded over the years, thanks to Nojiko's constant love and care.

"Business has been great, thanks to this." Nojiko picked up an apron draped across a bench in front of the house and proudly shook it out for Nami to see.

Nami found herself beholding a replica of her tattoo stitched on the front of the apron. "I remember you mentioning this in a letter years ago, but I didn't think you'd actually do it!"

Nojiko winked. "Of course I had to give you an honorable mention! When word spread that the friends of the witch of Cocoyashi Village had defeated Arlong, everyone else on the island was suddenly immensely interested in seeing our village for themselves. You know how it previously was under Arlong's tyranny—it was each village for themselves because no one could afford to care about the well-being of others. So, with the pirates gone, our island was born anew." She paused, a wistful look in her eyes. "Your symbol has done wonders for our business. Remember your first wanted poster? Your tattoo was in plain sight, so it's easily recognizable. People from all over the island still flock here just to visit Cat Burglar Nami's hometown and buy our tangerines. Even if they grow their own tangerines, they insist that there's just something about ours. We're all so proud of you." She pursed her lips in thought. "Although I suppose I shouldn't actually say that, considering you're a pirate."

Shaking her head a little incredulously, Nami huffed out a bark of laughter. "I'm glad you've been able to capitalize on my fame," she remarked teasingly. "How very noble of you."

Nojiko smirked boldly. "I should really be thanking that captain of yours."

Having seen this coming from a mile away, Nami rolled her eyes and unconsciously played with the hem of Luffy's cardigan. "I know what you're doing, Nojiko. We're not talking about him before you tell me everything."

Sobering immediately, Nojiko sighed and settled down on the bench. She began to wring her hands, and Nami recognized it as a nervous tic of hers. "Where do I even begin?"

"How about a name?" Nami suggested wryly as she made herself comfortable next to her sister.

Despite herself, Nojiko gave a short laugh at that. "His name is Haruto."

The navigator's brows creased in thought. "Meaning the sun?"

Her older sister nodded in affirmation, her hands still going through their repetitive motions.

"So…Nojiko and Haruto." Nami quirked an eyebrow, her lips lifting at the corners. "Together, you're a yellow bunting that flies toward the sun."

Nojiko snorted in amusement. "How poetic."

"So tell me," Nami pressed. "Did you?"

"Did I what?"

She smirked. "Fly toward the sun."

"You're ridiculous," Nojiko scoffed with no real malice. She took a second to respond. "It wasn't that simple. When we first met three years ago—"

"Three years ago?!" Nami screeched in astonishment, glaring at her accusingly. "It's been that long?!"

Nojiko looked at her pleadingly. "I'm sorry! I know apologizing doesn't change the fact that I hid all of this from you, but if you just let me explain…I hope you'll come to understand why."

Pursing her lips, Nami nodded and gestured for her to continue.

"I was constantly on guard, simply because of who he was. And it took a while for me to get comfortable with the idea of a friendship. But he…he never wavered. He was patient and willing to wait as long as he needed to for me to warm up to him."

"Huh." Nami mulled over her sister's words in surprise. "So he's the one who fell for you first then. I'll give him credit for having good taste. I mean, you're gorgeous, and any man would be blind to not see that."

Nojiko rolled her eyes fondly. "Thanks."

"So how did you meet? What's he like? Does he worship you like you deserve?" She paused. "What was it about him that made you so on guard?"

"Be patient, Nami. I'll answer all of your questions," Nojiko promised. "I'll tell you a bit about him, but I'd really like you to hear the rest directly from him. He's inside the house and expecting us shortly."

Nami's eyes darted over to the door, and she contemplated just barging inside to see this mysterious Haruto for herself. But, she supposed she should let her sister do this at her own pace. It took a great amount of effort, but she managed to tear her eyes away from the house and nod.

Nojiko was wringing her hands again, and Nami instinctively reached over to still them. The sisters looked at each other, the older in surprise and the younger in reassurance.

Nami gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "Whatever you have to say, I promise to hear you out with an open heart."

Nojiko nodded firmly, and determination once again stole her features as she took a deep breath, her next words tumbling out from her mouth, "Haruto was born to a fish-man and a mermaid."

She hadn't been expecting that at all. Wondering if she'd heard correctly, Nami blinked a few times, utterly stunned. When she recollected her wits, she realized the reason for Nojiko's hesitation and years of silence. And she wasn't happy about it.

Disgruntled, Nami released her hold on Nojiko to fold her arms over her chest. "Did you really not tell me all this time because you thought I'd hate him for being a fish-man?"

It was Nojiko's turn to appear astounded. "Well, I knew from the newspapers and your letters that you went to Fish-Man Island…and then Jinbe joined your crew later on as well. But I didn't know if you still harbored resentment toward fish-men—"

"Nojiko," Nami interrupted brusquely, "you know that the one I hate is Arlong. I hated the rest of his crew too, but do you know what happened?" It was a rhetorical question, but she paused for dramatic effect. "I encountered Hachi, and although I thought I wouldn't be able to forgive him, I was able to see him in a different light…I was able to move on after accepting that he was really trying to atone for what he'd done. After looking past our differences and getting to know him, I find that I quite like having him as a friend. And as you already know, Jinbe shares a long history with Arlong, but I was able to accept his past and learn to trust him unconditionally. None of them are Arlong."

There was a brief lull of silence between them.

"So the only one you still hate is Arlong?" Nojiko questioned intently.

Nami's lip curled in distaste. "If I ever encounter any of his crew members again, I guess it'll depend on my mood and how remorseful they are. But, as a whole, my resentment is reserved for Arlong." She studied her sister carefully. "What about you?"

Nojiko exhaled shakily. "Yes, I can never forgive him. For what he did to Bell-mère-san, for what he did to you, for what he did to all of us. He played with our lives and made your life hell. The hate I will always feel is something Haruto says he understands wholeheartedly, but…" She trailed off and worried her bottom lip. "I'm just going to say it. As it turns out…"

Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, Nojiko inhaled sharply and rushed out her next words, "Haruto is Arlong's son."

"WHAT?!" Nami was on her feet in a flash and towering over her sister, an array of emotions flying across her face. Disbelief. Rage. Disgust. Shock. "His son?!"

Nojiko had anticipated such a visceral reaction and even prepared her response beforehand, but now that the secret was out, she felt like her heart was lodged in her throat. "He's never met his father," Nojiko hastily said in an attempt to placate the frazzled navigator. "Arlong doesn't even know of his existence."

"What?!" Nami repeated, a little less worked up than before but just as disturbed. She stood rigid and frozen in place, while her pulse and breaths quickened. She was starting to feel a little lightheaded, and a tight knot had formed in her stomach. "How?!"

"He was raised by his mother," Nojiko explained softly. "He was born three years before Arlong ventured into piracy. They weren't married or even in love, for that matter—it was just a brief fling, one that resulted in the conception of Haruto. He told me…" She faltered a bit, blinking rapidly as tears pricked her eyes. "He told me that his mother almost didn't go through with the pregnancy because she knew how dangerous Arlong was and could become. She knew how much he despised humans and filled the minds of youth with this hate. She knew he had an unquenchable lust for power and an uncontrollable desire to dominate the seas above. She feared having a child alone but feared Arlong discovering the truth of the child's parentage even more. She feared that he would instill the same racist values in their child."

Nami could only stare. And blink.

Still avoiding eye contact, Nojiko continued, "In the end, she decided that she did want to keep the baby but did everything she could to ensure that Arlong wouldn't find out. She moved to a different district on the other side of the island, fell in love with a fish-man who became Haruto's adoptive father, and never went back to Fish-Man District. Growing up, Haruto knew that his adoptive father wasn't his real father, but when he asked her about him one day, her only response was that he was gone. And that actually was the truth—by the time Haruto was old enough to become fully aware that he looked nothing like his adoptive father, Arlong had already left the island. And so, he lived seventeen years of his life not knowing who his true father was."

Nami tensed as she waited for the inevitable "but."

"But not all secrets are meant to be taken to the grave," Nojiko continued ominously. "When news of Arlong's defeat and arrest reached Fish-Man Island, under the influence of alcohol, his mother accidentally revealed his father's identity. Needless to say, Haruto was traumatized. He refused to believe that the blood of that bloodthirsty madman and tyrant ran through his veins. He initially resented his mother for keeping it a secret for so long, but with encouragement from some friends, he was able to reconcile his feelings and forgive her. He recognized that she'd intended to protect him and couldn't blame her for wanting to, considering how she'd been right in viewing his father as an extremely dangerous fish-man."

Nami released the breath she hadn't been aware of holding. "To think that out of all the fish-men in the world, he just happened to be related to Arlong. That must have been so difficult for him to come to terms with. During those eight years, I remember thinking on multiple occasions that a heartless bastard like Arlong could never have a child of his own. But ironically…"

"Yeah," Nojiko breathed out, sounding much more relaxed, as if a huge weight had been lifted from her chest.

Nami had many burning questions at the tip of her tongue, but the most important one came first. "So you've accepted his past and lineage and truly love him for who he is?"

"Overtime," Nojiko confirmed. "He was honest with me from the start about his father's identity, as he knew how much damage and trauma Arlong had left in his wake. I distanced myself at first because I just…I didn't want to let someone with an intimate connection to Arlong into my life. But he was patient and persistent in his endeavors to rectify the destruction his father caused and prove to East Blue that Arlong wasn't representative of fish-men as a species. And overtime, as I slowly got to know him, I saw just how different he was from Arlong. So I decided to give him a chance…and I haven't looked back since."

Nami whistled lowly. "Wow, Nojiko. I have to admit—I can see why you struggled to tell me all of this for so long…I can't imagine reading about Haruto in a letter and being unable to demand immediate answers. So what happened after? How did he end up in East Blue?"

"I'll let him continue the story," Nojiko said with a meaningful look. She stood up and gratefully enveloped Nami in a tight hug, her eyes once again welling up with tears. "Thank you, you have no idea how much your understanding means to me, Nami."

Nami returned the embrace with gusto before leaning back to grin cheekily. "Doesn't mean I've accepted him as my imminent brother-in-law though. That's to be determined after I actually meet him."

Nojiko huffed out a watery laugh and gestured toward the door. "Shall we?"

"Wait," Nami interjected hesitantly, tensing and gripping onto Luffy's cardigan again. In the back of her mind, she recognized how utterly dependent she'd become on him, even seeking strength from his stupid cardigan. But she pushed back those thoughts for the time being. "How much does he resemble Arlong?"

Nojiko had anticipated this question as well, and this one was easy to answer. "Thankfully not much."

The navigator automatically sighed in relief.

"He has gills on the sides of his neck and a fin at the nape. He…does have the saw shark teeth that took me a while to get used to, but when he smiles, it's…beautiful." Her sister shrugged helplessly. "He's nothing like Arlong, Nami."

"He doesn't have the nose?" Nami asked seriously, gesturing awkwardly to create a poor imitation of Arlong's saw-shaped nose.

Nojiko snorted in mild amusement. "No, and he isn't blue."

"Oh," Nami started with a curious lilt. "Does he have his mother's skin tone?"

"No, he's a soothing shade of green actually," Nojiko said with a slight chuckle. "I have no idea how fish-men and merfolk genes work, but he thinks that somewhere upstream of Arlong there was at least one green ancestor. He also suspects there were human genes added into the mix on his mother's side, as he looks very human otherwise. His eyes are the most noticeable feature he inherited from his mother. They're literally liquid gold."

Nami balked at that, abruptly intrigued but simultaneously skeptical. "Did you say gold?! I don't believe you."

Nojiko didn't even have the chance to tell her to go see for herself, as Nami was already impatiently wrenching the door open.

Haruto was standing in front of the oven, seemingly preoccupied. He had a tall, well-built figure, suggesting that he was disciplined in training his body—not as extreme as Zoro, but comparable to Usopp or Sanji. Upon hearing the door hinges creak, he promptly swiveled around with oven mittens covering his hands, an affectionate smile curving his lips as he greeted, "Welcome back, love!" He faltered a bit upon seeing that it was an orange-haired woman imposing in the doorway, a look of pure astonishment gracing her features. He recovered quickly, flashing a blinding set of sharp, pearly whites. "Ah, you must be Nami!"

They really were gold. And he called her sister "love." She'd never been one for pet names, but she'd be lying if she said it wasn't adorable. The only coherent sentence Nami could form in her stupor was, "You cook?"

"Quite well, if I do say so myself. But maybe you should ask Nojiko." He was caught somewhere between amused and bemused by her initial reaction, looking over at his fiancée questioningly.

Nojiko guided a stunned Nami into the house and straight over to a chair at the dining table. The navigator obediently sat down, still gaping at the man before her.

"Breathe," Nojiko reminded her, sounding like she was trying very hard to stifle her laughter.

Nami sucked in a lungful of air before expelling it all with her next words. "How are you his son?! Y-You're…" She couldn't even finish her sentence.

"Such a fine specimen?" Nojiko supplied cheekily. "I may be biased, but you have to agree that he's easy on the eyes."

"He's nothing like the fish-men and mermen on Fish-Man Island! They were all so…so unattractive!"

Nojiko shrugged. "I guess he got extremely lucky in the genetics department."

"Extremely," Nami echoed distantly. "Who has eyes like liquid gold?!"

"I still ask him that on a daily basis," Nojiko agreed.

Taking off the oven mittens, Haruto looked between the sisters in faint amusement and mock offense. "Are you two just going to keep talking about me like I'm not here?"

"Oh, darling," Nojiko started, belatedly acknowledging his presence. She closed the distance between them and pecked him on the cheek, smirking up at him. "We're just admiring the perfect specimen that you are."

Nami noted the height difference a little enviously. Haruto was a whole head taller than Nojiko. She idly wondered what it would be like to look up at Luffy while standing next to him. As it was, Luffy was only an inch or so taller than her, but her typical footwear put her at an inch or more over him. She tapped her feet in thought. Perhaps it was time to ditch the heels.

Haruto tenderly brushed back some of Nojiko's wavy locks, the love evident in his expression and gesture. Holding his gaze, she reached up and grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers.

Nami found herself quite unable to look away but feeling increasingly uncomfortable with their public displays of affection. She cleared her throat pointedly, fully intending to shatter this moment between two lovers. "Hello? I'm still here."

Flinching in sync, they looked over at her sheepishly. Nojiko jumped into action, rushing to serve the tea her fiancé had prepared. She set the kettle and three teacups down on the table before taking a seat next to Nami. Haruto turned to check on whatever was baking in the oven before sitting down across the square table from Nami.

The navigator continued to stare at him, mainly because she couldn't stop admiring his eyes but partly because she expected him to start explaining himself.

Eyes downcast, he started earnestly, "Let me just begin by apologizing—"

"Please don't," Nami interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand, and his head snapped up in surprise. "You don't have anything to apologize for. You aren't responsible in any way for what happened on this island, despite the main perpetrator being Arlong. Your blood doesn't define who you are." She looked over meaningfully at Nojiko. "Nojiko and I aren't related by blood, but we're family and closer than some people who share blood ties will ever be."

Nojiko gave her a gentle smile, and Haruto was stunned into silence for a few moments. "Thank you for saying that," he finally said quietly. Then, the charming grin was back. "But I do have to apologize for only just meeting you three days prior to the wedding."

"You can apologize for that indefinitely and I'll still never forgive you both," Nami quipped with an air of finality. "So save your breath and start talking."

Haruto chuckled at the irony in her words and raked a hand through his dark locks. Nami briefly wondered whether that was his nervous tic. After indulging in a sip of his tea, he launched into the story of his past with practiced ease, one he had told many times to many different people over the years.

"My mother named me Haruto for a specific reason. She never agreed with Arlong's views on humanity—in fact, it was quite the opposite. She secretly admired Queen Otohime and was fascinated by the world above the surface, a world that most fish-men and merfolk had never seen. My adoptive father is a shipwright, so he'd naturally ventured up to the surface a few times in his line of work. He told my mother and me stories of the world of humans, and I remember how captivated she would be. She hoped that Queen Otohime's dream of living under the same sun as humans would come to fruition. I was named after this sun, and she told me that she received confirmation of the name she'd chosen when I opened my eyes for the first time."

Nami sipped on her tea, listening attentively.

"She raised me to become curious of humans and embrace a world in which we could coexist in peace. So when Queen Otohime was murdered and we were all misled to believe the assassin was a human, it was devastating. My mother was greatly affected by the queen's death and grew wary of humans. My adoptive father stopped recounting his tales, and I became conflicted myself. And then, one day, everything changed in an instant when we read about Arlong's defeat and incarceration. I had only ever heard his name spoken by others in passing, and I only really knew him as a former member of the notorious Sun Pirates. But then, my mother revealed the truth in what she insists to this day was a 'slip of the tongue.' I was seventeen years old, and I remember that day like it was just yesterday."

Nami winced and braced herself for his next words.

"When I read about all of the heartless, gruesome things Arlong had done in the East Blue, I just…" He trailed off, a look of frustration overtaking his features. Nojiko reached over and grasped his hand in a show of support, and he flashed her a brief smile. "My skin crawled, and the fact that I was actually his son was so nauseating. It was infuriating. I hated that out of all fish-men in the world, he had to be my biological father. And to this day, I still don't know if I hated my mother more for hiding it from me or for telling me the truth. I was just…so angry. At him. At her. At the world for all of these injustices and the division among races. I just didn't understand why there was so much hate and corruption."

Nami could feel his pain. Both of them shared a tragic connection with Arlong.

"Luckily, I wasn't alone—I had friends who I was able to talk to, and they talked some sense into me. Instead of continuing to harbor resentment for my mother, they told me to try to understand her and see things from her perspective. So my mother and I talked, for a long time. I emerged from that conversation with a newfound determination to understand the world above. I desperately wanted to separate myself from Arlong, who I acknowledge as my biological father but refuse to ever see him as so. He corrupted others with hate, fear, and bribery and committed countless atrocities against innocent humans. And the only way for me to understand humans was to see them for myself. Of course, my mother tried to stop me, afraid of the dangers I'd face and the vast unknown. I had to remind her of the beauty she used to see in the world of humans, and only then did she let me go. I vowed that I'd show her just how wonderful humans can be. I believed that there certainly were evil human equivalents of Arlong, but at the same time, there must also be good ones. Arlong wasn't representative of fish-men as a whole, and I sought to prove this."

Nami realized then that the residents of Cocoyashi Village had been able to move on from their dark past because of him.

"Obviously, the only way to actually reach the surface was to secure a coated ship and recruit people who knew how to sail. I had learned a few things about sailing from my adoptive father, but honestly, my own interests were in cooking. Fortunately, one of my friends was an apprentice at the shipyard. With my adoptive father's support, we were able to obtain a small ship. I managed to recruit a few other adventurous fish-men and mermen with different skill sets who'd always wanted to sail the seas above. Through more connections, we were able to get a skilled navigator who was at least familiar with the first half of the Grand Line. And so, we sailed out—not as pirates, but still a collective group who desired to see the world."

Nami spoke up for the first time since he started his story. "So you left Fish-Man Island years before we got there. I'm assuming you know what's happened there since?"

Haruto released a short chuckle at that. "You pirates certainly caused quite the scene. I have to thank you all later for saving my home from the clutches of Hody Jones. I heard from my mother that he's the one who really murdered the late Queen Otohime." He paused, the darkness in his expression gradually lifting as he considered his next words. "The last time I read about Fish-Man Island in the newspaper, it had relocated and fallen under the protection of Monkey D. Luffy."

Nami grinned in return. "That's right! You can count on us to continue protecting your home." She paused as something occurred to her. "Since the relocation happened, have you been in contact with your mother?"

He nodded vigorously. "Yes, she's doing well. She initially had her reservations, but she started to warm up again to humans with each letter I sent her detailing my encounters. She absolutely loves being under the same sun and tells me in great detail about each human she meets." He shook his head fondly. "She also insists that she adores Nojiko, despite having never met her before."

Nami shot her sister an accusing look. "So Haruto was able to write it all out in letters to his mother, but you couldn't even drop me a hint?"

Nojiko put her hands up. "In my defense, he's accustomed to writing novel-length letters and also only told his mother recently."

"Is she coming to the wedding?" Nami asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately, my mother isn't fit to sail," he said with a tinge of regret. "She's always been physically weaker, and I don't want her to risk falling ill while traveling."

Nami bit her bottom lip. "That's a shame."

"Well," Haruto began, his fingers once again combing through his hair. "I'll find a way to see her soon."

Mentally filing this away to ponder over later, Nami poured herself another cup of tea. She peered at her sister's fiancé over the rim of the cup. "So how did you actually make it to East Blue?"

A wistful expression crossed his face. "It took a lot of luck. While on the Grand Line, we encountered Hachi—"

"Hachi?!" Nami exclaimed, the teacup nearly slipping out of her grip. "The very same Hachi who was part of Arlong's crew?!"

"Yes," Haruto confirmed with a tentative nod, gauging her reaction.

Nami gaped incredulously. "Such a small world! I was telling Nojiko earlier that he's a friend now. Did you know that he still runs a takoyaki ship? I always found that so ironic."

"I'm glad to hear his takoyaki dreams became a reality!" Haruto visibly relaxed at that and grinned broadly. "When I met him, he'd only recently escaped from the Navy ship transporting Arlong and his crew. Upon learning his identity, I was extremely wary of him. But at the same time, I saw it as a fateful encounter and one that I needed to make the most of. Hachi told me more about his time with Arlong, and he was the one who directed me to East Blue and specifically mentioned Cocoyashi Village. At first, he hadn't wanted to reveal any details because he didn't want me to see the aftermath of the crimes he'd committed with Arlong. But I insisted that I needed to see them for myself, and he finally caved." He regarded the navigator with a look that conveyed boundless admiration and respect. "I don't know how you did it, but sailing even just the first half of the Grand Line was honestly a nightmare—"

Nami involuntarily snorted at that drastic understatement, and Haruto quirked a smile before continuing, "And it took us quite a while to reach East Blue. When we finally did, we took our time in each village and town. All of the residents were naturally fearful of us and even hateful at times, but they slowly warmed up to us when they accepted that we weren't there to enslave anyone. I helped them rebuild their homes and lives, and it was such a humbling experience. I was able to connect with them on a deeply personal level as they opened up to me about their trauma, and I…I just loved it. Being among humans. Seeing how resilient they are. They looked at me and genuinely didn't see Arlong." He paused and took a moment to exhale before reaching over to grab Nojiko's hand, stroking the back of it with reverence. "After spending a whole year among other parts of the Conomi Islands, I finally made my way to Cocoyashi Village. Nojiko and I had a rather explosive first encounter. She yelled at me and threw her gardening tools at me—"

"Only because you were being an idiot," Nojiko scoffed with an irritated eye roll.

"Okay, I admit that it wasn't one of my best moments, but—"

"You were trying to flirt," Nojiko interrupted with a look of contempt. "It was disgusting, considering I didn't even know who you were or where you'd even materialized from."

"Now that's just mean—"

"It was really creepy, Nami," Nojiko insisted. "It was my first time seeing a fish-man since Arlong's departure, and he had the gall to try to be smooth."

While Haruto continued to feebly defend himself, Nami threw her head back and laughed wholeheartedly. She knew all about explosive first encounters.

The navigator hummed with a mischievous smirk. "But it worked, right? The flirting."

"Eventually," Haruto drawled in feigned annoyance. "When I first saw Nojiko, I just knew that she was what I'd been searching for."

While Nami made a revolted face, Nojiko was abruptly indignant. "Liar! You didn't even know what you were searching for!"

Haruto clicked his tongue. "Nojiko, I asked the villagers of Cocoyashi to direct me to the person who'd been most affected by Arlong. They said that Nami was long gone, but her sister still remained."

Nojiko blinked at him. "I didn't know that's how you found your way to our house."

He ran a hand through his hair. Definitely a nervous tic. "Well, it's the truth. And when you looked at me, I certainly saw fear, but what captured my attention was the genuine curiosity underneath that mirrored my own."

"Oh, so you were actually looking for me?" Nami asked slyly. When Haruto glanced a little uncomfortably at Nojiko, the navigator laughed at his expense and continued airily, "Well, it's too late. I'm already taken."

Nojiko chuckled in amusement, while Haruto raised an intrigued eyebrow.

Nami released an exaggerated sigh and tilted her head in thought. "There's really no good way to say this, so 'the only reasonable course of action is to cut straight to the chase,'" she quoted her sister's words from her letter with a wicked smirk. "Yes, Luffy and I are dating, and that is all."

The oven chose that exact moment to beep, signaling that whatever was baking was finished. Nami detected a hint of tangerine and other aromas she couldn't identify, but it smelled heavenly.

Haruto looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. "You're dating Monkey D. Luffy?! The Pirate King?!"

"The cake, darling," Nojiko remarked casually.

"Really?!" He continued to ignore the incessant beeping and faced his fiancée in abject disbelief. "Did you know about this?!"

"Well, I've had my suspicions for maybe an hour or two now."

"Wow," Haruto breathed out and shifted to gawk at the navigator, seeming a little dazed. "That's crazy."

"You're telling me," Nami returned with a light snort. "I don't even know what to say, except that it just turned out this way."

"I expect details, Nami," Nojiko reminded her cheekily as she swiftly stood up to deal with the oven, seeing that her fiancé was out of commission at the moment.

"Later," the navigator conceded with a purse of her lips.

"You're telling me that I just might become family with Monkey D. Luffy," Haruto continued in amazement, blinking rapidly.

"Okay, now you're getting ahead of yourself," Nami snapped at him, a vibrant blush blooming on her cheeks. "And will you stop saying his full name? It's strange."

"Well, I can't call a man like him by his first name!" Haruto exclaimed as if scandalized. "Do you think he'll mind if I call him Luffy-san?"

Nami rolled her eyes before doing some quick mental math. "You said you were seventeen when Arlong was defeated? Then you and Luffy are about the same age. Just call him Luffy."

"How can I address the savior of my homeland so casually?!"

The navigator couldn't help but laugh at just how much admiration he had for her idiotic captain. "You're so weird, Haruto. Do you really respect him that much?"

"Of course!" He bolted out of his seat, his eyes shining brightly with reverence. "And Knight of the Sea Jinbe! I've heard so much about him and all of the amazing things he's done—he continues to fulfill Queen Otohime's dream!"

Nami sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest, grinning proudly. "How about I introduce them to you?"

"Really?!"

Her grin quickly turned deceitful. "For a price."

Haruto gaped, opening and closing his mouth wordlessly. When he found his voice again, he cautiously asked, "How much do you want?"

Nami burst into peals of laughter. "I'm kidding! You really think I'd charge my future brother-in-law?"

"You really would though," Nojiko mumbled under her breath.

Haruto shook his head in awe. "You really know how to swindle someone, Nami."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she responded haughtily. "So what were you baking?"

"Ah, that's right!" He was up in a flourish and joining his fiancée by the countertop. "It's Nojiko's favorite tangerine cake with some deep sea ingredients that give it a unique taste."

As soon as a slice of the cake was set before her, Nami sampled it with an eager bite, her eyes lighting up in delight. "Are you trying to bribe me? Because it's working. This is amazing!"

Haruto laughed merrily. "Of course, that was the intention all along."

"So," Nami started as she shoveled more cake into her mouth and surreptitiously eyed the rest of the scrumptious cake that had yet to be sliced. Luffy would be so proud if he saw her right now. "How did you propose? And tell me about the ring! And obviously, I want to know all the details about the wedding! Tell me everything!"

The two lovebirds exchanged an amused glance and settled in for a long afternoon of storytelling to appease the demanding navigator.

Luffy had no idea what was going on, but he was growing restless and grumpy. He was just trying to eat to his heart's content, but all of these annoying women just wouldn't leave him alone. As hard as he tried to ignore them, they continued to pester him with flirty caresses along any skin they could touch, pushing each other out of the way to get closer to him. He didn't understand the winks and suggestive leers, and in all honesty, he thought they looked rather dumb and needed to see a doctor about their heavily painted faces—caking on that much makeup had to be permanent. There seemed to be women of all ages, presumably all single attention-seekers but he didn't care to know the details. In fact, he didn't care for them at all. They were only getting in between him and his food.

Grunting in discomfort and elbowing a particularly touchy woman, he glanced over at his nakama, who were also helpless at the moment. All of his male crew members were dealing with their own swarm of women. Sanji and Brook certainly appeared to be having a field day, indulging in all of the attention with their arms around several women. Robin was busy fending off her own admirers, her devil fruit power once again proving useful as she effectively kept men out of her personal space.

Luffy frowned as he tore into yet another drumstick. Where was Nami anyway? She'd been gone the entire afternoon, and it was already dinnertime. He vaguely recalled her saying something about how to respond to other women who tried to get his attention, but he couldn't remember what exactly.

"Boy!" Genzo's curt and commanding tone cut through the throng of bodies, and the women reluctantly stepped aside for the sheriff.

Feeling like he could breathe again, Luffy gratefully perked up at the interruption. The sheriff sharply glanced at the women in blatant disapproval before turning his attention back to the Pirate King. "I want a word."

Nodding quickly, Luffy seized this opportunity to scramble away from the pouting women, swiping a few more sticks of meat to take with him. Genzo led the way back to his station, which was a peaceful and quiet setting in comparison to the buzzing festivities up the road. As Luffy followed him through the door, he found his jaw going slack at the sight before him, a partially chewed piece of meat still in his mouth.

There was an extremely large and close-up picture of Nami covering an entire wall. He recognized it as the one from her most recent wanted poster, the same one that he'd hung up in their room. Somehow, seeing the picture so enlarged was…different. His attention had immediately been captured by her meat-colored eyes before dropping down to trace the alluring, secretive upward curve of her pink lips. It had been hard to notice these details in the wanted poster. He decided right then that this was the best picture of her he'd ever seen.

"Ossan," he began distractedly, still speaking through a mouthful of meat, "how did you get such a big picture?"

Genzo glanced at the blown-up photo before eyeing the Pirate King pensively. "Why do you ask?"

Still staring intently at the picture, Luffy shrugged and finally swallowed before tearing into another piece of meat. "Just wondering." He was secretly scheming how to steal this later and stow it aboard the Sunny.

The sheriff's eyes narrowed shrewdly, and he dropped into his chair. He decided that he didn't like that mesmerized look on the young man's face one bit. After another beat of silence, he asked flatly, "Is there something going on between you and Nami?"

The abrupt question made Luffy stiffen in surprise and glance over at Genzo, who was pinning him with an accusing stare. The rubber man swallowed uncomfortably and stuffed himself with more meat. Once again, Usopp wasn't here to spin a lie when he could desperately use one.

"I thought so," Genzo gritted out icily.

Apparently, his silence had spoken volumes.

"W-What do you mean?" Luffy ventured a bit nervously, grasping his precious meat tightly. Nami was going to kill him. He'd promised to not say anything to anyone before she made the announcement herself, but somehow it seemed like the sheriff just knew.

Genzo remained deathly quiet.

"Ossan?" Luffy dared to question. When he didn't receive a response, he racked his brain for something to say. He brightened, a pleased grin stretching across his face. "Oh! I kept my promise!"

Genzo twitched at that, and he promptly sprung into action. "You think I care about that right now, boy?!"

Upon noting the murderous expression on the sheriff's face, Luffy bolted from the station. Genzo was hot on his heels, shaking a fist and yelling after him in rage. The Pirate King caught threatening words like "how dare you" and "you scoundrel" but didn't dare look behind him. He contemplated diving into the festivities in an attempt to lose the sheriff, but he grimaced at the possibility of being surrounded by those clingy women again. He'd rather get caught by Genzo.

So, he did the only thing he knew how to do at the moment. Keep running.

He noticed that he was now in the outskirts of town, and the sheriff was still chasing him and hurling curses at him. Mildly impressed by Genzo's stamina, he picked up his speed as he spotted a house at the end of the road. It was located by an expansive tangerine grove, and despite this being his first time here, he knew exactly where he was.

Nami had described it to him, and he'd actually been listening.

Grinning madly, Luffy burst through the front door of the house, his eyes finally landing on his target.

She was out of her seat in a flurry of movement, as were the other two people he didn't bother acknowledging. "Luffy?!"

"Nami, save me!" He launched himself over to hide behind her, wrapping his arms around her torso.

"Eh?!" Her eyes darted over to the doorway, where Genzo now stood. Or rather, where he was hunched over and gasping for breath, all the while beckoning the Pirate King over with a menacing glare. "Gen-san?!"

Nami blinked in bewilderment as she felt Luffy shake his head vigorously and pull her tighter against him. He was definitely using her as a shield. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What's going on?"

Genzo straightened, still a little breathless but intimidating all the same. "Nami, are you involved with him?!"

The navigator would've stumbled backwards in shock, had it not been for the man pressed against her back. Consumed by a surge of anger, she whirled around in his arms and jabbed a finger at his chest. "What did I say about keeping quiet?!" Her eyes fell onto his bare chest, and she involuntarily licked her lips. She mentally berated herself for getting momentarily distracted, but her next words were yelled with considerably less venom, "And why are you still topless?!"

Wincing, Luffy meekly replied with, "Cuz you're still wearing my cardigan."

Nami gawked at him, dumbstruck. "And you didn't think to wear another one?!"

All he did was stare into her livid meat-colored eyes, silently deciding that he didn't need to risk his life to steal the enlarged picture in the sheriff's station after all. It didn't hold a candle to the real thing. He blurted out the only thing that came to mind, "Can I have it back?"

She pursed her lips in consideration for a few moments before resolutely ignoring his request, choosing instead to smack at the arms that were still around her. With a wounded pout, he released her, but he found that he didn't mind her dismissive gesture at all. For whatever reason, he liked seeing her in his clothes.

Turning back to Genzo, Nami hesitantly met his penetrating gaze. "Gen-san, I can explain."

"You better," the sheriff grunted, looking sharply between the two of them.

"Oh," Nojiko spoke up, clearly entertained. "Are we finally going to hear your explanation, Nami?"

Glowering darkly at her sister's smug expression, Nami pulled out a chair and ordered brusquely, "Sit down, Luffy, and stay quiet."

He did as she bade and found himself facing a mouth-watering cake. Well, the remaining one-third of it. "Can I have this?" he asked no one in particular, already salivating and inching his fingers toward it.

With those magical words, Haruto was immediately released from his previous state of stupor. He rushed to steal the chair next to Luffy, looking very much like he was meeting his lifelong hero for the first time.

Luffy regarded him oddly. "Who are you?"

"I'm Haruto, and we're about to become family!" He responded with unrestrained enthusiasm.

Nami facepalmed in exasperation.

"Oh really?" Luffy peered at him curiously before grinning crookedly. "I'm Luffy!"

"I know you are," Haruto all but gushed. "I'd be honored if you tried my cake!"

"You made this?!" What was left of the cake disappeared in a matter of seconds. "So good!"

"You really think so?!"

"You wanna join my crew?"

"Huh?!"

Rolling her eyes, Nami did her best to tune out the two chattering idiots seated at the dining table. Nojiko and Genzo were watching her expectantly. Waiting. Relaxing her unconscious hold on Luffy's cardigan yet again, she squared her shoulders and prepared to spend the evening under intense scrutiny.

~To Be Continued~

End Notes: An important note on PTSD...it's very real, but not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD. PTSD has a specific diagnosis criteria, as with all other conditions, and I decided to not make Nami someone who has a formal diagnosis of PTSD because I like to think that she had effective coping mechanisms (like confiding in Nojiko, opening up to her nakama) to heal her. But of course, she can still demonstrate symptoms of PTSD. On another note, I totally got carried away when deciding on who Nojiko's partner would be...and what resulted was an OC whose name unintentionally rhymes with Naruto. The name "Haruto" can have different meanings depending on the kanji characters used, but for the purpose of this story, it's "陽斗" for sun. Special shout-outs to Mako-clb and berserkerpups for allowing me to pick their brains as I struggled between marrying Nojiko off to an established character or an OC. Just as Nami was able to grow as a character and forgive Hachi and Jinbe in canon, I wanted Nojiko and the residents of Cocoyashi Village to have also worked past their trauma involving fish-men, and that's how I started entertaining the idea of Nojiko's mysterious fiancé being a fish-man. Then, of course, I needed to spice things up with a star-crossed lovers kind of situation, but without tragedy because that's not my style. I'm very curious about what you guys think of Haruto. His backstory took me quite a while to figure out, and I had to do way more math than I thought was needed for a fic. Because I got carried away, the wedding will actually be in Part 2...oops. :)

Of course, I need to thank all of my sweet and/or hilarious guest reviewers. I wish I could message each of you to tell you how much your words made me smile/laugh, but a public announcement will have to suffice. Guest 1, I'm so honored that my story has been helping you through this crazy pandemic; writing it has also been a lovely escape from the real world for me. Mara, seriously your words give me life; thank you for being wonderful and so encouraging! Guest 2, hahaha I hear you and here's my response to your hilarious request: I'm dedicating any time I have to write toward this T-rated story, and I want to complete it before I consider any side stories. In the meantime, if anyone wants to volunteer to write some detailed "rewards," let me know lol. Danny Ketchum, thank you for all the praise and the intriguing idea of crack pairings, and I hope this chapter was fulfilling. JuJu Bee, I have no words; thanks for the chuckle!

Thanks for reading my word vomit, and Happy Lunar New Year in advance to everyone who celebrates it! :)