Category: Mild Romantic Fluff
Characters: Sanji, Nami
Requested By: fangirlingwithnoregrets (Tumblr)
Additional Tags: College AU
Nami groaned miserably and slammed her forehead against the wood of her desk several times, making the cup of pencils rattle towards the edge. Before it could tip over and fall, she reached out to slide it back into a safe position; the room rang with the harsh scrape of the plastic against the desk's surface. Nami pouted at the scattered arrangement of half-written notes and highlighter-covered textbooks sprawled out before her. For as much as Nami adored meteorology- enough to major in it- studying for exams was a big fat major drag.
Nami leaned back in the desk chair, making the spine of it bend at a dramatic angle. The cushioned surface squeaked mildly in protest. Nami stretched her arms above her head to ease the tension from her aching back and shoulders; after a series of crackling pops, her muscles loosened, and her vertebrae decompressed satisfyingly. She rolled the chair a few feet away from the desk to stare longingly out of her bedroom window. Her apartment overlooked the beach; what she wouldn't give to be lounging in the sand soaking up the sun's rays at the moment. Her college was on a trimester system, so, unfortunately, her summer break was considerably shorter than others'.
"Which is why I need to study for my finals so I can go get a taaaaan!" she lamented and dramatically splayed herself out in the chair. She slumped down until her entire back was flush to the seat, and her head craned up ninety degrees. Using her toes, she swiveled the desk chair back and forth, but she couldn't bring herself to return to her desk. Nami continued to glower at the clean glass panes of the window-slash-balcony door, until a pop of color caught her eye.
"Hello. What's this?" The mystery item was far more fascinating than memorizing the minutiae of atmospheric patterns, so she hopped up from the chair immediately. A hot, humid breeze with just the faintest hint of salt dove into her room as soon as she cracked the balcony door. Thanks to the shade from the floor above them, the balcony's concrete floor was cool against the soles of Nami's bare feet. She padded over to the outdoor glass table where she had spied the unusual thing. Nami then smirked knowingly, sneaking a glance at the assortment of flowers and ferns clustered around the railing of the balcony. On the table sat a bunch of small flowers from one of the houseplants.
Nami picked it up by the stem and twirled it about, admiring the aromatic scent wafting up from the buds. She then smirked and pressed the cluster of little flowers to her lips, gaze sliding to the other balcony door that led into the living room. That is where she spotted her roommates, Robin and Vivi, enjoying a platter of little finger foods while chatting amiably with the boy who lived across the hall, Sanji.
Well, he wasn't just the boy who lived across the hall. He and his entire gaggle of rowdy roommates occupied the floor's multi-bedroom suite, and due to their proximity, the college students had all become fast friends. They often hung out at each other's apartments. Sanji was a bit of a flirt and often came over to woo the ladies; it could easily be annoying, but he was careful to respect personal boundaries and was more adorably playful than creepy, so they didn't mind. He was fond of Nami in particular.
Hence, whenever he jaunted over and found her studying, he would leave a flower on the balcony table where she could see it.
Nami smiled as she twirled the small bunch of flowers against her lips and watched the blond converse amiably with her roommates. He leaned over the bar, tracing abstract patterns into the grain of the granite with a serene smile on his face. He must've cracked a joke, because Vivi and Robin began laughing. His dark eyes flickered to her, and he flashed her a knowing wink.
Nami smiled bashfully and turned to lean against the balcony railing. The waves melodically crashed against the shore in the near distance. Colorful umbrellas and towels and beach chairs demarcated the pristine white dunes, and the beachgoers tromping through the surf and sand were hazy specks. Nami rested her hands on the balcony, with the cluster of flowers hanging down in the open air. The breeze ruffled their small white petals to bring their pleasant, citrusy scent to Nami's nose. Biting down on her bottom lip, she glanced down at the flowers with a giddy feeling bubbling up in her stomach.
He's sweet, she thought blissfully. Nami really hadn't given much thought to the routine gesture before, but now that she did, she realized that Sanji only did small things like this for her. He would drop by to tell her when the tangerine seller at the local farmer's market had pitched his stall. One time when she was ill with the flu and Vivi and Robin were out of town, he slept on the couch and tended to her for four whole days. After every successful exam, he'd make her a special tangerine sherbet sundae, without fail. Then, there were the little flowers he left in plain view when she studied. She brought the fragrant buds to her mouth again, feeling the soft petals against her glossed lips as they curled into a smile.
Could he be sweet on me?
"Sorry, ladies! I'm just going out for a smoke!" Nami heard Sanji's muffled voice cry, followed by the scraping of the balcony door as it opened. Nami continued to gaze out at the horizon, swirling the bunch of flowers while Sanji strode up. Out of the corners of her eyes, she observed him strike his lighter and light the end of the cigarette. He exhaled the gray smoke and crossed his arms against the railing, leaning against it.
"So, how goes studying for finals?"
"Agonizing. I want to go to the beach," Nami replied with a wrinkle of her nose. Sanji chuckled and flicked some of the ash off the balcony before taking another drag.
"You mean learning about clouds and rain isn't interesting?" He joked, earning a light shove to his shoulder from the redhead. He laughed as he stumbled to the side, holding up his cigarette so that it didn't bang against the railing. "Right, sorry, of course it's interesting," he corrected with a cocky smirk. When he glanced at her, his eyes dropped to the bunch of flowers she primly held between her index and middle fingers. "Ah, so you noticed."
"Of course I noticed. You leave them for me all the time." He flushed and scratched at the back of his head with a free hand.
"You work so hard. I just thought you could use a flower or two to brighten up your workspace," Sanji smiled shyly. Nami rolled on her heels so that her elbows were now propped on the rail. She pressed her back against it. She flitted the flowers back in forth in front of her like a small white flag, and regarded him with a flirtatious smile.
"You know, when a guy leaves a girl flowers, it's usually a nice big bouquet." Sanji clenched the cigarette between his teeth as his cheeks brightened to a rosy hue. Nami laughed loudly and nudged his bicep with her elbow. "I'm joking!" she clarified, then looked down at the clump of blossoms. "I appreciate the gesture. They always do make me feel better."
"Well, I'm glad." A comfortable silence drifted between them. Grey-white smoke wisped before his face as he thoughtfully chewed on the end of the cigarette. Nami watched the ghostly tendrils kiss his defined features and pluck at his strands of blond hair. With the way his bangs hung, she couldn't read his expression, as it covered the majority of the right side of his face. Nami supposed she ought just to ask him outright.
"Hey, Sanji, do you like me?"
Sanji released a choking spluttering sound. They both watched with wide eyes as his cigarette fell out of his mouth and sailed several stories to plop onto the concrete sidewalk below. An elderly lady jumped as the still-lit bud landed in front of her, and she shook her fist at them and cursed.
"It was an accident, you old biddy! Get over it!" Sanji shouted over the railing before whirling around with a huff. He crossed his arms and peered at her through the corners of his eyes; his left side now face her so that she could see the contemplative glimmer in his dark irises. He worried his bottom lip with his teeth, debating how to answer before he exhaled deeply through his nose. The lingering amount of smoke streamed from his nostrils before adsorbing into the air. "If we're bein' honest here, yeah, Nami, I do," he frowned and rubbed the back of his neck with a large palm. He cast his gaze up at the white ceiling of the balcony bottom above them. "I just didn't want to say anything because I figured you wouldn't give me the time of day."
"Because you flirt with everything that breathes?"
"I resent that! But yes," he huffed haughtily and tapped on the floor with to toe of his shoe. Nami giggled and waved the cluster of flowers about. Their scent mingled with the faint aroma of cigarette smoke. "You're an amazing, beautiful, outstanding woman, Nami- and I'm just… well, me."
"I don't see anything wrong with that," the redhead shrugged and turned to face the beach again. She smiled warmly as she watched the waves roll in and out, bubbling with white surf. "Sure, you flirt, but it's because you want to make everyone feel beautiful, right?" As she side-eyed him, Sanji's visible eyebrow crept up his forehead. Nami smiled wider and lolled her head onto her shoulder as she eyed the quaint bunch of blossoms. "I can't think of many guys that are so blatantly good and chivalrous."
He clicked his teeth as a pink hue rose to his cheeks again.
"Well, when you put it that way…" he smiled teasingly and bumped her shoulder with his. Nami snickered and returned the gesture, and they spent a few minutes just knocking each other around on the railing. After they draped themselves back over the metal, faces flushed from breathy laughter, Nami hummed and tucked the plume of flowers behind her ear.
"I like you too, Sanji. I suppose all your kind little gestures have had their intended effect."
"You make it sound devious," he grinned and laid his cheek on his arms to flutter his long lashes at her. Nami snorted and flicked him in the forehead, prompting him to stand back up. "So, does this mean you'll go on a date with me?"
"That depends. What does Mr. Chivalry have in mind?" Nami teased. He rolled his eyes, knowing perfectly well Nami was going to accept, but still grinned flirtatiously and ran a hand up her arm.
"Oh, I don't know… A steak dinner… A homemade tiramisu… maybe a bottle of wine," Sanji offered vaguely. Nami's lips curled into a toothy smirk, and she snuggled up to him, tugging on the collar of his button-up shirt.
"Hm. This pleases me," she decided after a second of pseudo-consideration. Sanji tipped his head back with a gravelly chuckle before looking down at her in adulation.
"Glad to hear it. Tomorrow at eight?"
"Sorry, Romeo," Nami sighed exaggeratedly and pushed away from him to head to the sliding glass doors to her bedroom. She made a point to put a little extra sway of her hips as she walked. She paused in the threshold of the doors, pouting. "I still have my final."
"What a shame. How about I bring some wine-infused ice cream around eleven, then?"
"Now that is a date!" Sanji snickered again and gave her a light wave as she slipped back into her bedroom. After she slid it shut behind her, she rested a moment against the frame, unable to control the giddy smile blooming over her features. She plucked the cluster of flowers from behind her ear and twisted it by the stem, chewing excitedly on her lip. It's a date, she thought happily.
She could study a bit more if wine-infused ice cream and a handsome man were on the line, if she were honest.