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Chapter 21

Obstacle course

"Luffy!"

Behind the closed door, the navigator had screamed with all the strength of her lungs, even distracting Zoro busy with his daily training at the back of the ship to enjoy the beautiful weather a few days later. The other crew members around him winced and slipped away at full speed, sensing the tornado that was about to burst and fearing to be caught in the heat of her anger. The swordsman didn't let it throw himself off and he took his dumbbells back to restart his interrupted series.

While Nami was actually turning up, cheeks red with anger, she screamed again the name of her captain, tearing the first mate's eardrums.

"Luffy! Get your chicken carcass in here right now!"

With that, she turned on her heel and the library door shook behind her. For a moment, Zoro felt sorry for the captain who was probably going to get the biggest telling-off of his life. When he saw him approaching with a singing step, he wanted to salute his courage before thinking he wasn't probably aware of what was in store for him.

"Hey, did you see Nami, Zoro?"

The swordsman put his dumbbells down and nodded toward the door that had just slammed.

"Don't know what you did to her but she's damn pissed off."

"Oh?"

The young man seemed to think for a few moments before shrugging his shoulders.

"Don't remember."

Zoro mentally told him he would know it soon enough while the straw hat boy was walking away cheerfully.

A few seconds later, the fencer got confirmation when Nami greeted the captain in an outburst of screams.

"Do you realize what you did, you idiot?!"

As Luffy didn't answer or didn't know, the fury continued.

"Weeks of work ruined! I spent nights redrawing all the outlines of these islands! You have no respect for anything!"

The swordsman smiled as he switched sides for his series of sit-ups. Luffy must have damaged one of Nami's precious maps and he wouldn't give two bits for him.

"You have no idea what this works means!" she shouted again. "You can't worry so little about my dream because yours only takes into account fights and food!"

"I'm sorry, Nami."

The captain looked sincerely sorry but that didn't seem enough.

"Look, I showed you this map because I like it, because it's important to me!" the navigator explained to him in a voice now strangled. "And you, you treated it as if it was nothing more than a piece of paper! It's not fair, Luffy! What would you think if I told you we're headed to the One Piece when in fact, I'm just looking to find an island I could map?!"

The young woman suddenly looked tired and Zoro was surprised. Usually, Nami could pour her anger for hours without faltering but she must have been more hurt than he had thought.

"I'm really trying, Luffy", she continued. "I know it's not easy for you either but if I share something so personal with you, I'm expecting you to become aware of it. I don't ask you to be serious all the time, you can't, but just for some things. Otherwise, what's the point being together?"

Zoro slowed down the pace of his bending. Apparently, Luffy had really screwed up.

"I brought you tangerines!" he heard the captain say.

There was no sound on the other side of the door for a long time during which Zoro couldn't help but eavesdrop a little.

"Tangerines?" Nami finally said wearily.

"Yeah. I thought you'd like it!"

"These tangerines aren't ripe. They'd had to stay in the sun for another ten days."

"Ah."

The silence stretched for several more seconds before the young woman's voice rose in a sigh.

"Pay more attention next time, that's all I ask you."

The swordsman released his breath he hadn't been aware of holding back. Luffy was on the right track but he had to learn to be a little more attentive toward his navigator. Zoro snickered. Fortunately, he didn't have that kind of problem with Sanji.

"What are you laughing at, marimo? And since when you listen to other people's conversations?"

Obviously, the cook had to appear at that very moment. The fencer shrugged his shoulders.

"I wasn't listening. They're talking too loud."

"Oh, sure."

The blond leaned back against the railing and handed him a sandwich that Zoro devoured without even thanking him. Not paying attention, Sanji glanced at the door.

"I made a delicious refreshing cocktail for Nami-san but I don't know if it's the right time..."

The swordsman glared at the cook who was staring at the library door with concern. Nami-san? He could be so annoying with his ridiculous nicknames!

"Leave them alone. Luffy's gonna be busy to be forgiven."

"That idiot doesn't know how to behave properly with women", Sanji said, saddened.

"Well, at least he doesn't have to crawl on the ground to get one in his bed", his crewmate slyly replied.

"Don't talk about our navigator as a sexual object!"

"I wasn't! It's you who has a dirty mind when it comes to women!"

Zoro was in a bad mood now and Sanji noticed his features had hardened. Sweat was still shining on his tanned skin and the cool wind was ringing his three earrings. In spite of himself, the cook thought he was adorable and he decided to lighten the mood.

"Women are exceptional beings, they're all future queens and I have to worship them as high as their beauty", he explained with a seductive smile.

The swordsman gave him a disgusted look in return.

"I'm struck by the number of bullshits you can utter..."

"Don't make fun of my principles, Cactus-kun. I may venerate them as goddesses but that doesn't mean I don't notice others."

He gave him a suggestive look and Zoro felt himself blush in spite of himself.

"You really are a pervert", he grumbled to hide his embarrassment.

"At your service!"

With these words, the cook stole a kiss from the corner of his lips before heading back to the kitchen, leaving Zoro shivering despite the sun.

After lunch, Robin sat on the deck with a book to watch for the imminent appearance of the next island. The swordsman then decided to take advantage of his second daily nap before their arrival and he walked to the back of the Sunny to be quiet.

"Zoro, come look!"

The fencer slowly turned his head towards his captain standing in the middle of the tangerine trees. He got close with a sigh and watched him touch all the fruits within reach with his fingertips.

"You know something about tangerines?"

The swordsman immediately thought a new fight had probably taken place between Luffy and Nami. Why would he look for tangerines otherwise?

"What'd you do this time?" he asked, leaning against a tree.

"Nothing, I just wanna learn tangerines!"

"You wanna learn tangerines?"

"Yeah! That way, Nami'll see I'm trying too!"

So that was it. The fencer approached his hand toward a small fruit, still yellow, dubious.

"I thought only the girls and the cook had the right to come near tangerine trees?"

"I'm careful!"

Zoro shook his head.

"If you ask me, you've already played the tangerine card. You must think of something else."

"Really? Like what?"

His captain turned his gaze on him in a posture of great attention and the swordsman immediately regretted his words.

"I dunno, something she likes. She's your girlfriend, not mine..."

"I know! She loves maps!"

"Yeah, talking about that, did you repair the one you ruined?"

The straw hat boy sighed.

"Nami said she'll have to start all over again", he admitted. "That's crazy, I didn't mean to but all the sauce landed on her map!"

Zoro didn't comment but he understood better the navigator's anger this morning.

"This whole thing is really complicated with Nami", the captain complained, scratching his head. "I don't understand everything she wants but I feel it's important..."

His first mate didn't add anything. He didn't know much about relationship and what he understood about the navigator wasn't to her benefit so he preferred to keep quiet.

"I have to ask Ussop, I'm sure he'll know what to do!" Luffy suddenly decided happily.

"Really?" the swordsman wondered.

"Yeah, he explained to me for the things I can't tell!"

As Zoro looked questioningly at him, the young man began to recite with pride.

"Everything I do with Nami when there's just the two of us is only for us so I can't tell you all about it and especially if it concerns my stomach ache."

"I wouldn't have suspected Ussop to be able to explain it to you", the fencer admitted, impressed.

"He's too strong!" the brown captain agreed, laughing.

"Anyway, Nami forgave you, right?" the swordsman spoke again. "It should be fine if you don't start again, you just have to stay out of trouble."

Luffy shook his head, annoyed.

"That's what she said but Brook noticed she hasn't been herself during lunch and Franky told me the same thing earlier. I think she's still angry and that really bothers me! That's why I wanted to learn tangerines!"

"Yeah, well, you should think of another gift if you want my opinion."

And without further ceremony, the swordsman left Luffy to his thoughts for a well-deserved nap.

"You have to give her a jewel! Women love jewelry!" Franky exclaimed with aplomb.

"Or a precious stone!" Brook suggested.

"A precious stone? But it's expensive!" Luffy pointed out, eyes wide.

After his discussion with Zoro, the captain had decided to gather all the male crew members in the kitchen to explain his problem. This is how his friends were lavishing on him more extravagant advice than each other for him to be forgiven by the navigator while his first mate couldn't go to sleep.

"You could invite her to Mermaid Island. It seems like a really pretty place", Ussop suggested.

"Bad idea", Sanji intervened. "Women are renowned for their extreme beauty there and Nami could see a misplaced comparison. Although there's no one as beautiful as her on Grand Line!" he added blissfully.

"You could steal a treasure to give it to her," Chopper thought. "Nami loves treasures!"

"That's smart", the straw hat boy agreed. "What you think, Zoro?"

"I don't care", the swordsman honestly answered before closing his eyes on his chair.

He had to stay there out of loyalty to his captain but he didn't have to take part in it and he intended not to do so.

"You boor, you could help us!" Sanji reproached him with a kick under the table.

The fencer opened his eyes with a start, furious. He was going to respond with a well-placed stroke of sword when Luffy abruptly interrupted them.

"I know! I'll buy her a ring!"

"A... ring?" the gunner stammered. "Isn't it a little rushed?"

"No, why?" his captain replied, a big smile on his face. "Franky said girls love jewelry! A ring is a jewel, right?"

"That's true, Luffy but rings are special jewels", the little reindeer explained to him.

"A ring is often a sign of important commitment between two people. For now, you're looking for a gift to be forgiven so this is perhaps not the right time", the musician added.

"Oh?" the young man sighed, disappointed. "But I don't have any other ideas!"

There was silence for a moment during which everyone - or almost everyone - sought a solution to his captain's problem before a voice outside interrupted them.

"Island in sight!" Robin told them.

Everyone got up immediately, pushing aside chairs and table before running to the deck to watch their new destination excitedly.

Sanji winced. Why had he inherited Luffy for shopping already? Oh yes, Ussop had pretended to want to visit the big factory in the city and Franky had wanted to accompany him. Brook then offered to help Zoro get the cola and Chopper went to the pharmacies. Nami had resolved to stay on the Sunny since there were obviously not many clothing stores and Sanji had hoped Robin would accompany him. Unfortunately, the navigator had asked her friend to keep her company and he had ended up watching the captain among the market stalls.

Coming out of his thoughts and as quick as lightning, the blond suddenly slammed his foot on Luffy's hand who dropped the twenty sausages the stallholder had imprudently given him. The crew's cook caught the food with an expert hand and put it away carefully.

"Stop drooling on everything we buy", he reproached him, pulling on his cigarette butt with an unhappy air.

"It's not my fault, it just seems too good!" his captain whimpered.

"Try at least not to eat everything before we get back to Sunny."

Luffy swallowed his saliva before smelling a delicious odor of smoked fish. He was going to rush toward its source when Sanji grabbed him by the collar.

"Stay still. We'll go to the vegetables, it may calm you down."

The straw hat boy firmly nodded and followed him with a smile but as soon as he saw the mountain of fresh fruits and vegetables juicier and more appetizing than each other, he began to drool again in abundance.

"I can't believe it", the cook grumbled.

The situation was such that he was forced to admit he still preferred to watch the swordsman with his pathetic sense of direction rather than Luffy and his monstrous appetite. Although. One didn't catch up to the other in truth and it was unlikely that a crew as well known as theirs was provided with such millstones, he thought.

Sanji threw his cigarette while contemplating his environment in search of a bright idea. He then saw a candy store not far from them and approached.

"Do you have sticky nougats?" he asked, lighting a new cigarette.

"Sticky nougats? But these are failed nougats", the man pointed out wonderingly.

"I know. Do you have some or not?"

"Hm... There are those of this morning we kept..."

"I take everything you have."

The man's eyes widened then shrugged before bringing back what his strange client had asked. Sanji paid the nougats and meet his captain.

"Eat this and wait for me here."

The captain had literally stars in his eyes as he dipped his hand into the big bag the cook had just handed him. He threw in his mouth a full handful of nougat, radiant.

"Nougats, it'ch too good! Shank you, Sanshi!"

"Yeah, you'll thank me later."

Luffy was vigorously chewing and the nougat stretched quickly between his teeth and on his tongue. The captain wondered for a second about this characteristic before putting some again into his mouth with enthusiasm.

"It'ch schiky, shat's funny!"

The cook took a puff from his cigarette, watching him struggle with satisfaction. He then went to the vegetables stallholders to peacefully do his shopping. With the amount of nougat Luffy would have to fight against, he wouldn't have to worry about finding him drooling or devouring his precious food before he even paid it. He should simply inform Chopper to be attentive to the development of possible cavities but it was the lesser of two evils.

When he came back about twenty minutes later, Luffy was covered with bits of nougat from head to toe. Sanji pulled his cigarette butt out of the corner of his lips wearily and put his bags on the floor.

"What happened?" he sighed.

"I wanted to make a nougat bubble because it stuck", his captain seriously explained to him. "It was really huge and everyone was encouraging me but when it exploded, it got all over me!"

"I see..."

Sanji dragged him to a fountain and helped him to wash himself. The nougat was really sticky and to think it had gone through Luffy's mouth didn't help his cook not to feel disgusted.

"By the way, you found a present for Nami-san?" he mumbled when they finally finished.

"Yeah, a guy told me about his shop when I inflated my nougat bubble!" the captain said excitedly. "That's exactly what Nami needs but the thing is, it'll be expensive..."

The straw hat boy then rummaged in his pockets to take out the money the navigator had confided to him for the day and frowned after recounting.

"I don't know if I could buy her a present if I got a little snack before", he said, annoyed.

Sanji firmly shook his head.

"Priority is to satisfy Nami, Luffy. The rest will wait."

"You're right!"

The captain screwed his hat onto his head and punched his hand.

"I'm gonna give her the best gift and then, she won't be mad at me anymore!"

Luffy giggled and Sanji nodded.

"As soon as you get her present, come back to Sunny, I'll prepare a meal just for you."

"Oh, thanks, Sanji! You're the best! I'll get right on it!"

The dark-haired young man sped to one of the alleyways and his cook watched him clear out with a smile. Luffy wasn't the most considerate man but he certainly had a heart of gold.

When Luffy returned to the Sunny in the middle of the afternoon, he immediately rushed to the kitchen without even looking at the rest of his crew grouped together on the deck.

He landed in the room with a crazy look and literally threw himself at the feet of the blond who was stirring the contents of a pot.

"Sanji, please! I'm so hungry!"

The cook freed his foot from the captain's elastic arms and served him a large plate of soup he placed on the table without a word. Immediately, Luffy jumped towards the food and began to swallow it noisily.

"Sit down and eat properly", Sanji ordered him, authoritatively putting him in a chair.

The captain let himself be sat down without his mouth unglue the plate and his cook shook his head before going to get the rest.

When he had come back alone to the Sunny, he hadn't missed Nami's disapproving look on him and he had felt mortified to have to lie to her even if it was for a good cause. He then had prayed the straw hat boy wouldn't antagonize half of the island on his way because the navigator would have unquestionably held him to be partly responsible.

Sanji half-opened the oven door. He had promised Luffy a full meal if he could find a decent gift for Nami and he was a man of his word. However, he first wanted to make sure Luffy had fulfilled his part of the contract.

"What did you buy to Nami?" he asked as the young man was holding out his empty plate to him imploringly.

"This!"

He abruptly put his plate down again and pulled out of his pocket a roughly wrapped parcel. Sanji frowned.

"What is it?"

"Drawing papers! There were all kinds of it so I took everything!"

The blond nodded with satisfaction and filled his captain's plate with a large portion of leg of jamb after removing the gift to protect it. Luffy's eyes lit up.

"Awesome!" he yelled.

He dived toward the food and Sanji turned away to continue his own preparations. He then served Luffy up again three times before he was satisfied.

When he had finally finished, the captain got up and repositioned his hat on his head.

"I'm gonna give Nami her present!" he said, determined.

"Not so fast", his cook stopped him. "Wipe your mouth and wash your hands first. You wouldn't want to ruin everything after doing so much."

"Oh, yeah!"

The young man washed himself quickly before rushing to the door, bursting with impatience, and Sanji quietly followed him, lighting a cigarette.

"Nami, I got a surprise for you!"

"Huh?"

The navigator raised her head from the newspaper and saw the captain hand her a small packet as he sat down beside her on her deckchair. The crew was waiting for the end of the Log-Pose recharge on the deck, calmly keeping them busy, but at Luffy's words, Nami felt all their friends - minus Zoro who was dozing against the mast and Robin who was glued to her book - suspend their motions and turn their eyes on the scene which was taking place. She also saw Sanji stop a little further and watch them while dragging on his cigarette.

"Uh, thank you", she finally answered as she picked up the packet.

"I want to be forgiven!" Luffy told her with a huge smile.

"Ah."

The red-haired young woman unwrapped the slightly crumpled gift-wrap and pulled out a wad of pages she carefully examined for longs seconds. Finally, she looked up at her captain who was watching her closely.

"Luffy, it's gorgeous", she murmured, sincerely touched.

"So, you like it?" the straw hat boy asked, enthusiastic.

"What is it?" Ussop inquired, approaching with curiosity.

However, he was stopped in his tracks by one of Robin's hands which was holding him tight as she continued reading a little further.

"How could you afford all this?" the navigator went on, testing the paper's quality under her fingers.

"Oh, that? I didn't spend what you gave us on the island, I kept everything!"

"Everything?" the young woman wondered. "But... How did you eat?"

"Well, I didn't but after, Sanji cooked me a huge leg of jamb!"

Nami opened her eyes wide, perfectly incredulous. There was an incredible diversity of types of drawing paper under her fingers: medium grain for charcoal, thin grain for the fat textures needed for color as well as very smooth paper she could use for work with ink and pen. The navigator had no doubts about the price Luffy had had to pay to give her such a large quantity and it was certain he couldn't buy anything else.

The fact he was obviously able to change a meal just to buy her that gift made her smile in spite of herself. Maybe it was what she liked the most. She knew his captain's outsized appetite and the fact he had spend all his money just for the purpose of offering her a present, there was nothing more romantic in her eyes.

She straightened up on her deckchair and grabbed the captain's red jacket before firmly pulling him close to her, planting a passionate kiss on his lips.

"I forgive you, Luffy."

When she pulled away from him to admire her gift again, she noticed the softened or excited looks of their friends on them and she frowned.

"Is that all you have to do, perverts?"

That was enough for everyone to get back to their previous activity while Luffy was starting to laugh.

It's true Luffy got scuffed again but he finished brilliantly, don't you think? He knows what to do when he gets started, it's just not natural for him.

It had been a while since we saw Nami and Luffy and next chapters will focus exclusively on Zoro and Sanji so I hope you enjoyed!