Chapter 17: Return of the King - Part 3

And indeed, it was agonizing.

Nami took a deep, shuddering breath and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Fresh out of the shower, she was wrapped in a large towel with her wet hair wrapped in its own towel. It was early in the morning after an extremely restless night. Naturally, she hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep after Chopper had assessed her hormone levels and verified that the elevation was a probable sign of pregnancy. The blood test would be repeated in a couple days to ensure that the hormone levels were progressing as expected in a viable pregnancy. Based off her last menstrual period, she was estimated to be at 4 weeks.

One month already.

She hadn't told anyone else yet. She was…waiting. For what, she wasn't exactly sure. But she did know that she needed to take some time to think this through by herself first before she decided to tell Luffy, who should rightfully be the first to know.

But how long could she keep her pregnancy a secret from the rest of the world?

If she revealed her condition to anyone while they were still in Foosha Village, she just knew that word would spread. So would it be wise to wait until their departure? They were set to return to the Grand Line very soon, after swinging back to Cocoyashi Village first to pick up Nojiko and Haruto. This meant that her sister and brother-in-law would inevitably be in on this secret, which was fine, she supposed, since they were bound to know sooner or later—but there was no way she could find the courage to tell Genzo anytime soon. He would take drastic measures to prevent her from sailing, and there was no way she could just stay on land when they had plans ahead of them.

This was all happening too soon. Too sudden. Too unplanned. All her worst fears were now on their way to becoming reality, and she felt like she didn't have control over anything. And in these uncharted waters, she was lost and freaking out.

Was she really sailing back to the Grand Line—out of all places—pregnant?!

She gripped the basin of the sink before her tightly.

Then, Luffy was abruptly barging into the bathroom, flinging open the unlocked door. "Nami! You done yet?! I need to pee!"

And this was all his fault. Damn him for making her forget about using backup protection. Damn him for always having a preposterous amount of luck on his side. Damn him for unknowingly putting her in such a dilemma. Damn him.

She whipped her head over and glared daggers at him. He was sporting a laughable mop of mussed hair, and she was barely able to restrain herself from smiling.

Still half-asleep, he belatedly noticed her animosity as he was in the middle of his third yawn in a row. Blinking blearily in confusion, he slowly inched toward the toilet in his half-naked state.

And suddenly, she felt the nausea she'd been desperately trying to control for the past half an hour hit her full force. She rushed to fling herself over the toilet bowl, effectively blocking his path.

Startled awake, he watched with horrified eyes as she proceeded to empty her already empty stomach. "Nami?!"

Her only response was a tired groan as she slumped over the toilet.

He crouched down next to her and set a hand on her back, frowning pensively. "You sure you're not sick? Chopper said you weren't, but you look like cra—"

She shot him a warning look.

He audibly gulped and illogically amended with, "Crab?"

She managed to roll her eyes and grumble, "Just rub my back."

He silently obeyed, still frowning.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she focused on regulating her breathing. A minute passed.

"Oi, don't fall asleep on the toilet."

Eyes flying open and jaw clenching, she was just about to snap at him for his poor and misleading word choice when she suddenly felt herself being lifted off the bathroom tiles. She involuntarily squeaked, instinctively grabbed onto his shoulders, and met his stern gaze.

Without another word, he was carrying her back to the bedroom they were sharing at the inn and gently setting her down on her side of the bed. He straightened and crossed his arms across his chest, continuing to frown down at her. She blinked up at him inquisitively.

"You need more sleep," he concluded with a firm nod.

Her lips quirked up. "You think sleep is the solution to everything." She paused and amended, "That or meat."

He flashed her a full set of teeth and flopped down onto the bed next to her, seeming very pleased with himself. "It always works! Just listen to me!"

"Yes, Captain." She chuckled fondly and shifted onto her side so she could look at him.

Luffy wasted no time in covering both of them with blankets and making himself comfortable. He propped his arms behind his head and shut his eyes, appearing completely serene. Nami watched him closely and gnawed on the inside of her cheek. She wanted to tell him—she really did. But how?

Just when she thought he'd drifted off to sleep, he suddenly spoke up while still in the same relaxed posture, "Nami, you know something."

It was a simple statement that was said without any particular tone, but it still made her freeze in apprehension. How did he just know?

"You know something," he repeated, his eyes opening to stare at the ceiling above. "But you're not telling me."

Again, there wasn't accusation in his tone, but she felt the guilt overcome her all the same. She sat up quickly and downed the glass of water on the bedside table. When she chanced a nervous glance back at him, he was still staring up at the ceiling. Waiting.

With agitated fingers, she unraveled her hair towel and shook out her hair to allow the rest to air dry. Taking a shaky breath, she picked at the towel in her hands. "It's not that I don't want to tell you," she murmured softly. "I'm just not ready yet."

"Not ready" was a massive understatement. She felt incredibly unprepared to embark on the journey of motherhood. To put it simply, she was scared shitless.

"Why? Is it something bad?"

"No," she reassured him without missing a beat, still looking down at her hands. "I just…need some time to process it myself first."

And it was true—being pregnant wasn't a bad thing per se, but she hadn't quite decided yet if it was good either. It was just a lot for her to process. Telling him would make this all the more real, and she wasn't sure if she was mentally ready to have this talk right now.

"Oh," he said. A beat of silence passed before he continued cheerfully with, "Well, I know something too!"

Nami was immediately curious and suspicious, forgetting all about her nerves and moving swiftly to hover over him. His eyes snapped over to meet her narrowed ones.

"What do you know?" she questioned intently.

He stared at her for a few moments, seemingly contemplating what to reveal, before beaming widely. "You first!"

She clicked her tongue in irritation. "Just tell me!"

"Nah," he returned dismissively, still grinning.

Giving him her best scowl, she leaned down and demanded, "Spit it out."

"But I'm not eating anything," he replied innocently.

A hand flashed out to pinch his cheek and reprimand him for his cheekiness. "You know what I mean!"

He cackled, clearly having fun at her expense. "If you're not gonna say anything, then I won't either!"

She continued to glower. "But I will tell you…soon."

"I'll tell you soon too," he responded breezily.

"You're such a pain in the ass!" she growled.

He only laughed harder. "But I make you happy!"

"You think you can just use that as an excuse all the time?!" It had been cute the first few times, but her sentiments had quickly changed when he started to periodically use it as an excuse to misbehave.

"Yep!"

Nami huffed in aggravation and took a moment to weigh her options. She really wanted to get whatever he knew out of him. Even if he was just messing with her and didn't actually have anything in particular to reveal, she still wanted to know if that was the case. Now.

She noticed then that Luffy's gaze had dropped and was very much no longer on her face but on other parts of her body that were only somewhat concealed by the towel. She smirked a little evilly.

"My face is up here," she teased pointedly.

"Yeah," he said bluntly, his attention unwavering.

Her smirk became more pronounced. "I'll reward you if you tell me what you know."

That made him look up. By now, he knew what exactly such a reward entailed. "Really?"

She darted her tongue out to trace her lips suggestively. "Really."

His brows furrowed, and he appeared to be indecisive for a few seconds, his eyes flickering from her face to her bosom and back. But then determination crossed his features, and he was once again stubbornly insisting, "You have to say it first!"

She heaved an exasperated sigh and was just about to retaliate when another wave of nausea had her bolting for the toilet again.

Luffy dutifully followed and helpfully held her hair back as she ungracefully retched. "You sure you're not sick?" he repeated his question from earlier, the concern evident in his voice.

"I'm not," she groaned. I'm pregnant with your devil spawn, she didn't say.

He slapped a hand against her forehead, as if he was checking her temperature. After a few seconds, his hand moved down to gently grasp her chin and turn her face toward him. Her breath hitched in surprise at the unexpected action. He continued to hold her face in a manner that made her heart pound and stomach flutter as they stared at each other in silence. It was electrifying, and she idly wondered if she would always feel this way.

Just when she thought about kissing him—morning sickness and bad breath be damned—he was interjecting with a frantic, "Ah, I forgot that I need to pee! Sorry, I really need to pee now!"

Leave it to him to ruin an almost romantic moment with the most unromantic words. Huffing in mock irritation and moving aside to allow him access to the toilet, she didn't bother suppressing the smile tugging on her lips this time.

A little while later, Nami found herself in a very bizarre predicament. It wasn't everyday your partner's grandfather invited—or rather, demanded—you to stop by for lunch. But here she was, rigidly sitting in her seat and warily eyeing the intimidating man sitting across from her. He was in casual attire again, which seemed to be the norm in retirement, but it was still strange to behold and just as disconcerting as it would've been had he been wearing his marine uniform. Luffy had already left, having inhaled his food in a blink of an eye. His grandfather had promptly dismissed him, stating that he wanted a word alone with the navigator. Alarmed, Nami had silently pleaded with her eyes for her captain to stay, while Luffy had frowned, looking from her to his grandfather and back.

Then, he'd asked, "Are you okay, Nami?"

She really wasn't, but before she'd been able to respond, Garp had done so on her behalf.

"We're just having a little chat—it won't be anything like the talk you and I had yesterday."

Pursing his lips at those words, Luffy had stared at his grandfather for a few more moments before shifting his attention back to the navigator. "You gotta eat."

"Hurry up and go before I make you," Garp had threatened gruffly.

And Luffy had booked it, but not without calling behind him, "Jichan, you gotta make sure she eats!"

"I know already!" his grandfather had snapped back in exasperation.

So here she was now, still very tense as Garp resumed scarfing down his meal with gusto. He was completely oblivious to the navigator's palpable discomfort.

"Um…what did you want to talk about?" She awkwardly fiddled with the hem of her casual sundress.

Garp gestured at her untouched plate. "After I've seen you eat a few bites. Frankly, I'm a little surprised my grandson didn't choose someone with an appetite that rivals his." He paused and snorted wryly. "But I suppose that's a good thing."

Nami almost quipped that they just had an appetite for different things; whereas Luffy prevailed when it came to food, she could definitely outdrink him. But she held her tongue and quickly stuffed her mouth with a bite of her sandwich because binge drinking was hardly anything to boast about.

Garp merely watched her with an unfathomable expression on his face. As she racked her brain for something to say, she forced herself to take a few more uncomfortable bites under his intense scrutiny.

"With all due respect, you don't even know me," she wondered out loud, puzzled. "But it sounds like you're just…accepting us?"

He gave her a long, almost dull look. "My grandson's an idiot, but he's always somehow been a good judge of character." He shook his head and scoffed, "And besides, no matter what I say, he's just gonna continue down the path of doing whatever the hell he wants."

The navigator chuckled in amusement. "That he will."

Garp was pensive for a few moments. "I hope you're prepared to take on the challenges ahead of you. There will be many."

Of course she knew that—her brain never failed to plague her with such thoughts on a daily basis. Nonetheless, she tried to be nonchalant about it. "Oh, but I intend to keep our relationship a secret—"

"The world will find out," Garp interrupted brusquely. "It's only a matter of time."

She could only stare at him with an uncomfortable pit growing in her stomach.

"I went to the capital yesterday to ensure that no news would be printed about you pirates." He paused. "I'm still well-respected here, and they know that this island's protection is under my terms."

Nami had a feeling that "ensure" actually involved some kind of threatening and power play but chose to not say anything.

"When you're out there, you'll have to take extra precautions. Stick to the routes you know, and avoid showing your faces," Garp lectured sternly.

"I'll do my best, but historically, things have rarely gone my way," she said dryly.

"You need to exercise more control over Luffy," Garp responded bluntly.

"Because you've had so much success with that yourself," she countered reflexively. As soon as the words were out, she slapped a mortified hand over her mouth.

He studied her with dangerously narrowed eyes for a few moments before bursting into hearty laughter. "You got me there! All right, I concede, Luffy's simply a lost cause. Everyone around him can only try their best to douse the fires he ignites."

"At this point, we're all professional firefighters," she joked with a short laugh.

Still grinning, Garp gestured once again to her plate. "Eat up. You're not leaving until you finish your food."

Nami obediently worked on doing just that, finding eating in front of this man a little more comfortable now.

Garp took a moment to ponder his next words. "As you may know, I knew the former Pirate King. Roger and Portgas D. Rogue managed to maintain secrecy for the extent of their lives, but during those encounters with Roger…" He trailed off and scratched his cheek absentmindedly. "Well, he didn't get to be with his loved one and he knew he wouldn't live to see his kid be born. I can only imagine how lonely it must've been for him."

Even as a shiver crept up her spine, she defiantly insisted, "Well, Luffy isn't Gol D. Roger. We're not them." She took a few invigorated bites of her sandwich and swallowed before declaring, "We'll figure out our own path moving forward."

Garp was silent for a long minute before he heaved a resigned sigh. "I sincerely hope you're right."

"The future and thoughts of the unknown frequently keep me up at night," she confessed candidly. "But if I've learned anything over my years with my nakama, it's that we've been able to overcome all sorts of adversity—together. I wouldn't have the courage to move forward without them, and I know that no matter what we face in the future, I'll have them by my side."

"I'll admit that you're a tenacious bunch. It's truly astounding how all of you made it back alive."

Nami thought she detected some reluctant awe in his tone but didn't dare point that out. She agreed with a grimace, "There were too many close calls, and I honestly couldn't tell you how we did it." She added with a roll of her eyes, "But it does help that Luffy has unparalleled luck."

"Well, this blasted luck of his led him astray," Garp announced with conviction. The navigator had to bite her tongue to prevent an exasperated groan; she could tell where this conversation was headed. "Imagine how impressive Luffy would've been as a marine! He could've easily ascended the ranks! It's all that Red-Haired…"

She tuned him out and finally focused her full attention on eating. She had a feeling this would be a recurring rant in all of their future encounters.

Minutes after Nami had finished her sandwich, Garp finally concluded with, "It's never too late. Maybe you can convince him."

She looked up sharply in confusion and disbelief at that. "Convince Luffy to become a marine?!"

"Not him," Garp scoffed and narrowed his eyes at her before reprimanding, "Were you even listening, Nami?!"

Blinking in stark surprise at having just been scolded like a child, she gaped at him. She was instantly reminded of Genzo, and this situation just continued to get more bizarre.

"I was talking about your children. Any great-grandchild of mine will become a marine," Garp emphasized with confidence that was both impressive and alarming. "I just know it."

She promptly began to splutter incoherently. The eerie coincidence that she actually was pregnant had her internally screaming.

"Well?!" he demanded, leveling his intense gaze on her as he waited for an answer.

She took a large gulp of water before deeming she was fit to speak. "I highly doubt that I can. But just so you know, besides the fact that we're pirates, it's not like I have a personal distaste for marines or anything. I was raised by one, after all."

That briefly stunned Garp into silence.

"My adoptive mother," she clarified with a wistful smile. "She was the bravest woman I've ever known."

The use of past tense did not go by unnoticed. Garp cleared his throat before offering gruffly, "I'm sorry for your loss. What was her name?"

Her smiled widened. "Bell-mère."

He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. "Did she ever find out you became a pirate?"

"No," she responded with a short laugh. "But I like to think she would've eventually understood it was how I would accomplish my dream."

"You and Luffy are just two peas in a pod," Garp remarked blandly after a moment of consideration. "Now, about that ring," he continued casually. "I want to know your intentions."

"I-Intentions?" she stammered, entirely caught off guard by the change in topic.

"Luffy said it was a promise ring. I want to hear directly from you just what this promise is."

She blushed crimson and fidgeted in her seat, feeling like she was certainly going to die from embarrassment and explaining in a small voice, "Um…it's just…a promise to be together."

"In what capacity?" Garp pressed at a significantly louder volume.

She blinked rapidly. Should she tell him that they were now essentially bonded by a growing devil spawn inside of her womb? No. Of course not.

"If you're wondering about marriage, I haven't thought that far ahead," she rushed out quickly.

He snorted derisively at that. "I don't think such a thing has even crossed the mind of that stupid grandson of mine."

She opened her mouth, a disagreement at the tip of her tongue. Remembering Makino's words, she instead went with a flippant response of, "It's not a priority."

Garp took a moment to consider her words. "So you're telling me that you and Luffy have promised to just be together without any conditions?"

"Conditions?" Nami echoed curiously, arching an eyebrow. "I have rules mainly pertaining to basic hygiene, but this isn't a business transaction." She paused and wasn't sure what possessed her to add cheekily, "And even if it was, there are no refunds."

He smirked in amusement and slowly shook his head. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to this, but I do know that you seem to be a good influence on him." He paused. "Well, as good of an influence as a pirate can be."

She rolled her eyes in good humor. This would definitely also be a recurring theme in their future conversations.

"Thank you, Nami," Garp said earnestly with an affable grin. "It's truly a relief that he has you by his side."

She balked at those unexpected words and belatedly realized he was waiting for some kind of indication that she'd heard him. "Um…Garp-san? Thank you."

"That's grandpa to you."

She internally cringed but tentatively repeated, "…Grandpa?"

"Good. Now, back to great-grandchildren…"

Nami did her best to plaster a strained smile on her face.

"What should I do?!"

"Why are you even asking me, Nami? It's kinda sad…don't you have friends?"

"Shut up, Zeus," she growled menacingly. "Answer my question!"

The thundercloud homie frowned at her. "Do you want me to shut up or answer your question? I can't do both."

She threw her hands up in frustration.

"Anyway, I'm more interested in what you're gonna name it," Zeus mused animatedly. "Since you're so terrible at naming things!"

She glowered darkly at her disobedient and entirely useless sidekick.

"Remember when you wanted to name me Fluffy?!" The homie burst into a fit of rowdy laughter.

"Okay, that's it, you're done here," she muttered and forced the obnoxious thundercloud back into her Clima-tact. The peace and quiet only lasted for a few seconds, as her brain decided to once again conjure vivid thoughts of her perilous future.

She really needed some advice. Now.

"Oi, what are you muttering to yourself for?"

Nami looked up from where she'd been hunched over on the bench and sighed. "Oh, it's you."

"Nice to see you too," Usopp quipped sarcastically.

She merely glared at him.

He arched an eyebrow at her open hostility. "You feeling any better today?"

Her glare only intensified.

"All right, that's a no." He shrugged and dropped fluidly onto the bench next to her. "What did Luffy do this time?"

She snorted automatically at the irony in those words and released a huff. Just got me pregnant, no big deal, she screamed internally. "Just talk to me. Distract me."

"Fine, I'll humor you for now." The snipper rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a few moments before perking up in excitement. "Oh! I had a really fascinating conversation with Makino—did you know that she knows my old man?!"

She tilted her head. "Well, yeah, logically it makes sense, considering that he was with Shanks whenever they visited."

"Okay, Miss Know-It-All," Usopp grumbled and racked his brain for something else to say.

Nami abruptly bolted to her feet. "I have to go talk to her."

"Huh? Who?"

She was already walking off with purposeful strides, calling over her shoulder, "Makino-san!"

"Your son is absolutely adorable," Nami remarked as she settled down on a bar stool.

Makino smiled happily. "Thank you."

Both women watched through the window as the little boy raced about with a net in hand, presumably chasing some elusive insects.

"If you don't mind me asking…" the navigator trailed off hesitantly. "How was it being pregnant for you?"

The older woman continued her tasks as she responded with ease, seemingly unsurprised in the least by the sudden question. "It was certainly an experience. Some days were grueling, but other days were pleasant. Nine months feels like an eternity when you're going through it, but looking back at it now…I'm just amazed by how fast time flies. I can't believe he's already turning five."

Nami licked her lips nervously. "Hypothetically speaking…what would you do if you found out you were pregnant, but it was completely unplanned and you had a dangerous journey ahead of you?"

Makino's lips quirked up in faint amusement. "That's an oddly specific hypothetical question."

"I'm asking for a friend," the navigator smoothly fibbed.

The older woman hummed in thought. "Well, my pregnancy was unplanned. I suppose I didn't have a dangerous journey out at sea or anything, but you could say that pregnancy by itself is already one." She chuckled lightly.

That didn't really make the navigator feel any better. But now she was curious to know more. "If you don't mind sharing, how did you feel when you found out?"

"Honestly, I was scared at first. I found out when his father was away, and it was a huge shock, considering we'd been cautious. I was six weeks pregnant without my partner beside me, and it was…difficult. We'd never really talked about the possibility of having a child together, so I didn't know how he'd feel about it and he wasn't planning to be back for at least three months." Makino paused. "So essentially, I had to decide by myself whether to proceed with this pregnancy."

Flabbergasted, Nami could only stare at the other woman and wait for her to continue.

Makino smiled pleasantly. "Obviously, I went through with it, but only after coming to terms with the possibility that I could be a single mother if my partner didn't actually want to be a part of our child's life. I knew that he loved me, but that didn't necessarily mean he was ready to assume the role and responsibilities of a father. And of course, I wouldn't force anything on him—choosing to have my son was entirely my own decision, and it was without a doubt the best decision I've ever made. I just…" she trailed off, and Nami watched her blink rapidly to clear her vision. She swiftly brushed away a stray tear. "I fell in love…with my unborn baby and the idea of motherhood."

The navigator reached over to put a comforting hand over Makino's. "That was so brave of you, Makino-san. It must have been especially difficult without your partner knowing."

"Yes, it was." With both of her hands, Makino firmly grasped Nami's hand and searched the younger woman's face with an unwavering gaze, her eyes still glistening with moisture. "So here's what I'll say to this friend of yours with an unplanned pregnancy—only go through with it if you truly want to have the baby and have the means to do so safely. Of course, you should factor in what your partner wants and it's best if you have their full support, but at the end of the day, it's about you. After all, you're the one carrying the baby in your womb for nine months, and there are plenty of risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth."

Mulling over those words, Nami didn't really like how intently the bartender was staring at her, as if she just somehow knew about the pregnancy. But she wasn't about to give any sign of confirmation. "Thank you, I'll tell her your advice. Luckily, she has a supportive partner."

"I'm glad to hear that." Once again smiling, Makino released the navigator's hand and mused thoughtfully, "You know, I didn't actually see him again until after I gave birth."

"What?!" Nami was out of her seat in a flash, slamming her hands down on the counter in utter disbelief. "So he had no idea he had a child?!"

"It just turned out that way," Makino said casually with a lighthearted laugh and resumed her task of sorting through dinnerware. "He's in an unpredictable line of work, and I understood what I was getting myself into when we started our relationship. I'd already mentally prepared myself to raise my son without his father around, so I didn't hold any resentment or ill feelings toward him for not being present to support me."

The navigator was still reeling in shock. "B-But he's supportive now?"

"Oh, yes, very much so. He's as involved as he can be," Makino reassured cheerfully. "He respected my decision to raise our son on land, although every time he comes back, he begs me to allow him to take him out to sea." She chuckled and shook her head fondly. "But that's not happening on my watch!"

Nami pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Is your partner—"

"Mama! Mama!" The wails of a child effectively interrupted, and he was bursting into the bar a second later with tears and snot streaming down his face.

Makino quickly set down the plate in her hand and rushed over to her child, thoroughly assessing him for injuries. He held out his right hand, revealing what appeared to be a bee stinger embedded in his palm.

Then, Luffy was barreling into the bar, appearing panicked with the child's net in his grasp for whatever reason. "It wasn't me! I didn't do it! I was just trying to help—"

Nami stomped over to him and jabbed a finger at his chest, absolutely livid. She had a very soft spot for crying children. "Luffy, what did you do?!"

"Nothing!" the captain insisted defensively. "I just helped him catch some bugs!"

"And you thought a bee would be a good idea?!"

"Well, when I was a kid—"

She silenced him with a dark glare. "Your messed up childhood experiences aren't normal! Don't assume all children are capable of going through what you did!"

Luffy pouted deeply but otherwise remained silent as he sulked, appearing thoroughly admonished.

Rolling her eyes, Nami turned her attention back to the mother-son pair and watched as Makino carefully removed the stinger and guided her son over to the sink to wash his hands with soap and water. After drying off his hands, Makino momentarily disappeared into the kitchen and returned with an ice pack wrapped in a towel.

Her son looked down at the ice pack she'd handed him and up at his mother, an adorable pout on his face. "You have to kiss it better!"

Makino smiled warmly and planted a tender kiss on his cheek. "Better?"

"Not there!" he protested and raised his affected hand. "Here!"

The navigator observed their interaction with a soft smile on her face, idly wondering if this was what motherhood was like. She suddenly realized that at some point, she'd unconsciously brought her right hand up to rest over her abdomen, and quickly dropped her hand in a mixture of confusion and surprise.

"Nami."

Tensing, she shifted carefully to regard her captain, who also just happened to be the father of this devil spawn she was carrying. Perhaps she needed to stop referring to her unborn baby as a devil spawn lest she accidentally voice it out loud one day, but for the time being it provided her with some much-needed humor in the midst of her chaotic thoughts.

Grinning broadly, Luffy held out the hand he'd been hiding behind his back to show her the state of it, and her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. His hand was covered with an impossible number of bee stingers, and he continued to grin and casually wiggle his fingers as if this was amusing and something to boast about.

"What happened to you?!" Nami leapt into action, guiding him over to a table to rest his hand on and mimicking Makino's technique to remove the stingers. "How did you get stung so many times?!"

"There were a lot of bees," was all he said, still beaming.

"How do you feel?" she demanded, frowning at him in concern as she continued the task at hand. "It's remarkable that they were only focused on your hand. We should have Chopper check on you, since you were stung multiple times—who knows how much poison is in your body!"

"I've had worse," he responded flippantly. "Doesn't my hand look cool?!"

"No! It's gross!" she snapped back heatedly.

"Only cuz you hate bugs," he countered breezily. "I don't get why though."

Still focused on removing the stingers, she launched into a furious rant, "They're disgusting! I understand why they need to exist within an ecosystem, but why are there so many of them?! And why can't they all look more like butterflies, which are more visually appealing as well as useful?! Most bugs are ugly and just cause us misery when they bite or sting us! I'm pretty sure the consequences outweigh the benefits, so I wouldn't mind if some of them went extinct!"

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Luffy reproached mildly.

"Does it look like I care?!" she retorted. "You're lucky your body can tolerate inhuman conditions! Now go wash your hands with soap and water!"

He frowned at her but nevertheless made to obey, and she followed him to ensure he performed proper hand hygiene. After drying his hands, he turned to face her, staring at her expectantly. She folded her arms across her chest and arched an eyebrow at him.

Then, he was grinning playfully. "You have to kiss it better!"

She immediately began backing away from him, now a brilliant shade of red that had nothing to do with the fiery resentment she held toward bugs. "Why are you copying a child?!"

He relentlessly pursued her, all the while brandishing his hand. "Come on, Nami!"

She felt herself hit the wall behind her and braced herself against it, hissing under her breath, "Why are you being like this in front of other people?!"

"It's just Makino," he stated indifferently and proceeded to cage her in.

Her hands automatically came up to his chest in an attempt to put some space between them. "And her son!"

"He started it," he said simply.

She gaped at him, quite unable to believe what was happening. Was he…flirting with her?! He probably didn't know that he was, but she was fairly certain this constituted as flirting.

He was still staring at her expectantly, the overwhelming intensity in his eyes pinning her in place. She swallowed nervously and peeked over at the mother-son duo, who were definitely observing them in outright interest and curiosity. Wearing a large smile, Makino quickly grasped the situation at hand and led her son away.

Once they were out of sight, Nami pursed her lips in contemplation and turned her attention back to Luffy, who was still watching her. She was struck by an idea, her eyes lighting up and lips twitching in anticipation. "I'll give you a kiss if you tell me what you know."

He opened his mouth, surprisingly seemed to think better of it, and closed his mouth.

She clicked her tongue in irritation. "You're really not going to say anything unless I tell you first?"

"Yep!"

She narrowed her eyes and sniffed haughtily. "Then no kiss for you."

He stared at her for a few more seconds, and she barely registered the challenging glint in his eyes before he was abruptly claiming her lips. She melted almost instantaneously, feeling all the resistance seep from her body at record speed. When he pulled away and pried her hands from their embarrassingly tight grip on his vest, he flashed her a winning smile. "Too bad I always get what I want!"

Pulling a face in chagrin, she roughly shoved him away, and he burst into a fit of obnoxious laughter.

"Your hormone levels are trending as expected in a viable pregnancy," Chopper reported the following day with a radiant smile. "This is great news!"

Nami worried her bottom lip, relieved and yet still on edge. It was a very strange mixed feeling. "Thank you, Chopper. What happens next?"

The reindeer took a deep breath before starting, "Nami, I know that this is all so unexpected and sudden. But it's important for you to decide what you want to do moving forward. At around six weeks, we can do an ultrasound to take a look at the embryo. If you decide that you don't wish to continue with this pregnancy—"

"I'm keeping it," she interrupted quickly. "I stopped taking the contraceptive and started taking the vitamins like you told me to."

"Are you certain about your decision?" Chopper asked, his eyes widening as he struggled very hard to maintain a straight face.

"Yes, I want this baby," she confirmed. "I mean, I might not really be mentally prepared for one, but since it's already happened…" she trailed off and shrugged, staring down at her flat abdomen and appearing entirely defeated. "I'm just going to figure it out. As usual." She added with a dramatic sigh, "Because nothing ever goes my way when it involves Luffy."

The reindeer was giddy with excitement. "Once you decide to tell everyone, you'll have our full support! I know that we'll all do our best to make your pregnancy as comfortable as possible."

She sighed again. "I don't know how comfortable it can possibly be—it's already been very uncomfortable, and I'm…what did you say? One month in?" She clenched her fists and made a face of utter distaste. "Which means there's eight more months of this suffering?! When will this morning sickness go away?!"

"It might be like this for the entire first trimester," Chopper informed her sympathetically. "But we'll figure out how to best combat it. It's important for you to stay hydrated and continue eating healthy, nutritious meals. We'll be increasing your calorie intake in the second trimester."

"Oh, great," she muttered sarcastically. "Sometimes, I don't even have an appetite, and now you're telling me I'll have to eat more?!"

"I'll be with you every step of the way," Chopper reassured her gently. "We're all here for you."

She had to crack a smile at that. "I know."

The reindeer suddenly appeared a little shy. "Um…Nami?"

The navigator raised her eyebrows, partially curious and partially suspicious. "What is it?"

"In order to get the technology we need aboard the Sunny for your care…" he trailed off uncertainly and smiled sheepishly. "I'll need some money."

On high alert, she sat up straight and cautiously asked in a low, ominous voice, "How much?"

On their last day in Foosha Village, Nami decided that it was high time she confided in Luffy. She'd been consistently experiencing morning sickness, and he'd surprisingly reacted well to it. No matter how groggy and disoriented he was, he was stumbling out of bed every time she rushed for the toilet, holding her hair back and rubbing soothing circles into her back. It was practically a routine now, and she was eternally grateful for his unquestioning support—he continued to be there despite the fact that he didn't know what was even causing the nausea.

And the guilt of hiding it from him was now too much for her to handle. He deserved to know, and she was determined to tell him today.

He had told her earlier that he wanted to visit the cliff again, and she'd instantly offered to go with him. Now that they were here, once again overlooking the serene waters illuminated by the sunset glow, she felt wholly unprepared for this conversation. She'd practiced the exact wording several times in her mind, but somehow nothing sounded right anymore.

Luffy settled down on the grass, and she automatically joined him. With his eyes fixed on the horizon, he didn't say anything for a while. As they basked in silence and the last of the sun's rays for the day, she warred with herself in her mind.

"It's weird," he finally spoke up.

She pinched herself before asking, "What is?"

"Leaving again." He continued to gaze at the ocean, seemingly transfixed.

She'd noticed over the years that he tended to favor spots with a view of the ocean when he wanted to think. When he was on land, his eyes always found their way back to the sea. She knew that this parting was bittersweet for him; while Foosha was his birthplace and physical home, the sea was his true calling. "It's never easy to leave. But we'll come back whenever you want, Luffy."

He was quiet for a few moments. "When I left last time, it was to become the Pirate King."

"And now?" she probed curiously.

He appeared undecided on his next dream and was seemingly at a loss for words, and she was suddenly overcome by an urge to just tell him.

Steeling herself, she tentatively shifted to angle herself to face his side profile, placing a hand on his bent knee. "I have something to tell you—" A gust of wind had her spluttering from the strands of hair flying into her mouth, and she angrily swept her hair back. "Why does the wind always pick up here when something important is about to be said?! Is this place haunted?!"

Luffy laughed gleefully as she continued to combat the wind, and when things settled down, he remarked with a curious glance, "So you're finally gonna tell me?"

While a large part of her instinctively wanted to deny it, she forced out, "You'll tell me what you know right after, right?"

"Yep," he confirmed.

"Okay." She took a shaky breath and averted her eyes. "Okay…"

"Okay?" he repeated in bemusement.

"Well…I-I'm…pregnant…" she stammered, still refusing to make eye contact.

There was no hesitation whatsoever when he responded with, "Ah, that's it?"

There was a beat of silence. Then two. And three.

Her eyes flew up to his face. "What do you mean 'that's it'?!"

He tilted his head and shot her a funny look. "I already knew that! I was just waiting for you to say something first cuz you're the one who wasn't ready."

She was abruptly lightheaded. "What?! How did you know?!"

Luffy scratched his nose and grinned proudly. "I sensed it."

"How?! At this early stage, it's not a living being—it doesn't even have a heartbeat yet!"

"I don't know how to explain it, but I can just feel the changes."

"Is it Haki?" she demanded. "Or the Voice of All Things?"

He shrugged uncertainly. "I don't hear a voice, but I just sense there's something growing in there."

She continued to gawk at him. "How long have you known for?!"

He shrugged again. "Maybe a week?"

"That long?! So you're telling me that you knew before I even knew I was pregnant?!"

"Eh?"

She wasn't sure if she should be more angry or dumbfounded. "And you didn't think to say anything?!"

He frowned deeply at her. "Like I said, you weren't ready. I was waiting for you to say something first."

"B-But still! You didn't think I would've liked to know as soon as you knew?!"

He blinked at her. "Oh, I thought you already knew and just didn't wanna talk about it."

"What?! I only just found out a few days ago!"

"Oh really?"

"Yes!" She ran an agitated hand through her hair. "But you're right."

He regarded her in confusion. "I am?"

"You're right that I wasn't ready to talk about it. But now…I'm making the decision to do so because…well, we're in this together. You deserve to be a part of the entire process, and I'm sorry for not opening up to you sooner." She blinked a few times and gasped loudly when something horrifying occurred to her. "Does this mean other Haki users might be able to sense it too?!"

"I've only been able to sense it through touch," he clarified. "And only when I actually touch your belly."

It was her turn to regard him in confusion. "When have you touched my belly in the past week?"

"When we're sleeping," he said matter-of-factly.

She continued to stare at him. It was true that they tended to unconsciously grab onto each other in their sleep.

"The first time I sensed it, it woke me up," he added.

"What did it feel like?" She leaned closer, eager to hear his answer.

"Kinda ticklish," he recalled with a thoughtful rub of his chin. "It's like a weird tingling energy." With a look of determination, he proceeded to settle both palms over her abdomen, and she watched him in fascination. After a few seconds, his eyes lit up. "Yep, still there!"

It sounded completely bizarre and if he'd been anyone else, she would've scoffed that it was impossible and sent him promptly to Chopper for an evaluation. But given that he was Luffy, she believed him without question. She only wished she could sense it too.

"Well, maybe you'll even be able to sense the heartbeat before Chopper can detect it with his new technology that costs an exorbitant amount." She paused and pursed her lips. "Should I just tell Chopper to hold off on the technology since you have the potential to sense what's going on?"

He frowned at her. "Chopper's the doctor. You should listen to him."

"I know," she conceded with a disgruntled sigh. Then, another idea struck her, and she asked hopefully, "Instead of buying one, do you think Franky could create an ultrasound machine?"

"What's that?" he asked curiously.

"It's a tool that's used to image parts of the body. Chopper said he needs one to visualize the progression of my pregnancy."

"Oh. Has Franky made one before?"

"Probably not," she surmised. "But I feel like he could. I'm not sure how much money that would save, but—"

"Nami," he interrupted brusquely, "if Chopper needs the ultra-thingie to take care of you, just get him one. Get him whatever he needs."

She narrowed her eyes calculatingly. "But technology is expensive."

He shot her a look of disapproval. "Who cares? We're rich!"

"I care!" she protested passionately. "Money needs to be spent on the right things!"

"This is right," he concluded simply, clearly accustomed to her frequent outbursts when it came to money.

Unable to dispute that, she sulked in silence for a few seconds, picking moodily at the grass. He looked back at the waters and waited patiently for her little tantrum to pass.

Several seconds later, Nami heaved a dramatic sigh. "Fine, you win."

Luffy grinned cheekily. "What did I win?!"

She huffed out an amused laugh at his predictable response, as this was a recurring exchange between them. But instead of presenting him with the usual kiss or more scandalous act, she winked and returned with, "A baby!"

His grin stretched impossibly wider. "So Chopper really said there's a baby inside, right?!"

"I thought you already knew," she teased with a chuckle. "You know, I'm really surprised that you didn't tell anyone as soon as you sensed it."

"It's not right to say anything if you're not ready."

"That's so…considerate of you." She blinked a few times, perplexed. It was almost romantic.

"I'm always considerate," he protested childishly.

She arched an eyebrow at that. "Maybe more so these days, but you were definitely more selfish in all the years I've known you."

He actually looked affronted. "That's not true! I always cared about you!"

She regarded him with mild amusement. "I know, but ever since we started dating, it's gradually become more apparent that you care about me in a different way. Different from the others, I mean."

"Oh, must be cuz I love you," he reasoned simply and transitioned immediately to, "So I'm really gonna be a dad, right?!"

She would've laughed if she hadn't been so caught off guard by his casual proclamation of love. Her mouth fell open in a mixture of wonder and disbelief. "Y-You…"

He frowned in concern, peering over at her. "Nami?"

Shaking her head in a daze, she did the only thing her brain could manage at the moment, which was grabbing his face with both hands and kissing him soundly. When she pulled away, she murmured a little breathlessly, "Yes, you're going to be a dad."

Giddy with excitement, he leapt up to his feet. "Can I tell the others now?!"

She worried her bottom lip. "Not yet. Let's wait until we're on the way back to the Grand Line. I don't want any unnecessary trouble with gossip and drama here. And promise me you won't say a word to Gen-san—he'll kill me." She paused. "But maybe after he kills you first."

Luffy gulped and nodded vigorously. He didn't need to be told twice. It took him a few seconds to come to the conclusion of, "So I can tell them as soon as we set sail tomorrow?!"

She'd actually meant after picking up Nojiko and Haruto and sailing a safe enough distance away from Cocoyashi, but looking up at him now, she didn't have the heart to deny him. "Fine, you can tell them tomorrow."

"Not today?" he tried, his eyes shining hopefully.

She glared up at him. "Tomorrow!"

"Ah, okay." There was a pause as he fidgeted in place. Then, ecstatically, "I'm really gonna be a dad?!"

She couldn't help but laugh at that. "Yes, how many times are you going to repeat yourself?"

He cackled in sheer delight, and she shrieked in surprise as she was suddenly hoisted up into his arms. His arms supported her back and behind, and she instinctively latched her arms around his neck and legs around his torso, thankful that she'd decided to wear shorts today. From this angle, she had to look down to see his face and decided that she quite liked being in his arms like this.

Then, she realized just how close they were to the edge of the cliff and slapped his shoulder in a frantic warning. "I'll kill you if you drop me, you hear?!" Realistically, she'd probably be dead if he did accidentally drop her, but she thought it was appropriate to threaten him all the same.

"I won't!" He beamed up at her and adjusted his arms supporting her weight. "Nami, I just thought of my new dream!"

That captured her attention immediately. "Really? What is it?"

He proceeded to excitedly spin them around and around while still precariously close to the edge of the cliff, and she almost didn't hear his next words over her own frightened screeching.

"I'm gonna be the best dad there ever was!"

The significance of his words effectively shut her up, and she gaped down at him as she struggled to catch her breath. And in that moment, as she drank in the heartwarming sight of his pure, genuine happiness, she decided that being pregnant was a good thing after all.

~To Be Continued~

End Notes: Hi! I promise I'm alive and working on this story whenever I can. I actually had a lot of this chapter written last month but didn't have time to edit until recently. I can't believe it's been about a year since I first started writing this, and it really means a lot to receive all the continuous support from old and new readers alike. For my fellow manga readers, I hope the inclusion of Zeus in this chapter made you chuckle a bit. Next chapter: We're heading back to the Grand Line! And Luffy is determined to win the "Best Dad" award for the rest of his life lol. Thank you guys for waiting so patiently and reading, as always! :)

Exia Zero: Of course I remember your name suggestions! I'm really enjoying all of your suggestions (which you may find bits and pieces of in future chapters), so please keep them up! Thanks for all the support. :)