Sorry for the lack of romance last chapter! I hope I make up for it in this chappie! (No spoilers intended)
So far in this story, I've decided to refrain from the "Lemon" due to how the story is moving along and I have had quite a few reviews saying that "Innocence is the best" which I agree with...But if I get death threats and/or overwhelming feedback...I may still not do it...:P So yeah... ENJOY!
That night Luffy couldn't sleep. Nami hadn't come for him that night, so he just decided to set up his "bed" on the top of a tall tree next to the waterfall. It calmed him. It vaguely reminded him of his childhood hideout, and it was also dangerous, so that was a bonus. Oddly enough though, the sleep-bubble wouldn't come, so he just lay there on the branch listening to the sounds of the nature. Suddenly, he heard a splash.
"Huh?"
He slid down the tree and peeked from behind it. He noticed someone in the waterfall, apparently sitting off the edge next to the spring under it.
"Nami?"
It was indeed Nami. He hesitated, feeling weird once again, but slowly stepped toward her.
"Hi Luffy."
Luffy stopped mid-step, surprised. He then coughed and put his hands behind his back shyly.
"How'd you know I was here?"
She turned her head toward him and stuck out her tongue.
"Bleh! Instinct!"
Luffy grinned and sat next to Nami timidly. Nami unexpectedly pulled him closer and cuddled on his shoulder. They both stared at the beautiful scenery for a minute before Luffy sighed.
"I'm kinda bored..."
Nami rolled her eyes.
"Jeez...there can't be one silent minute with you can't there?"
Luffy pouted and tugged on his hat.
"Oi, Nami?"
"Aa?"
"Why have you been getting so close to me lately?"
Nami giggled and placed her hand in his lap. Luffy seemed unaware of this.
"Because you're an idiot and you don't care if I do or not."
Luffy looked at Nami's head resting on his shoulder. He blushed heavily.
"The weird feeling hasn't gone yet Nami." He rubbed his head. "You said it would be gone soon. What is it?"
Nami lifted her head and turned herself around so she was facing Luffy. Luffy cocked his head and turned too so they were facing each other. Nami smiled and leaned close to him.
"It's called Love Luffy..."
A question mark popped out of his head.
"Love?"
Nami giggled again, unlike her. She was about 3 inches away from Luffy. He seemed nervous.
"Oi, why are you so close to me?"
Just then Nami leaned in and very gently connected her lips with his. Luffy's widened in surprise and he just sat there, utterly lost at what the heck was happening. Nami let go and laughed loudly.
"What was that?!" Asked Luffy, still lost. Nami facepalmed, blushing under her hand.
"That was a kiss Luffy..." Was all she said. Luffy smiled softly.
"Did it make you feel good?"
Nami looked up at Luffy's kind expression and smiled back.
"Yes...very..."
"Me too..."
Nami raised her eyebrows.
"Huh?"
Luffy sat there silent for a moment. Nami grinned and leaned in again. A seagull flew overhead as the Navigator and her Captain shared a long and innocent kiss in the moonlight.
After a few minutes Nami disconnected and gazed at Luffy. He did the same.
"Luffy?"
"Hmm?"
"I-I..." She couldn't think of anything to say. She usually settled this problem with hitting someone and yelling, but she didn't. She just sat there unsure of how to handle this unfamiliar feeling. Luffy thought for a moment, then slowly took off his hat and placed it gently on Nami's head. She stared at him in surprise. He just grinned his horrifyingly giant grin and walked toward the tree.
"Wait! Luffy!"
He bent over backwards to look at her, making him look rather idiotic.
"What?"
She was too flustered to even groan or laugh at the stupid gesture. She stood up slowly.
"I'm afraid to sleep in this place...What if one of those cannon-animals sneaks up on me and kills me? Or worse, steal my Beli?"
Luffy turned around and tapped at his head, signifying his hat.
"The hat will protect you, Nami." He laughed. Nami patted the hat.
"I'm trusting you hat!" She laughed along with him. Luffy started clambering up the tree until Nami couldn't see him anymore.
Nami took the hat off her head and stared at it. How many memories does this simple, ratty straw hat hold?
"Don't touch my hat! It's my treasure!"
She quickly shuffled through her mind.
Alabasta, Skypiea, Water 7, Enies Lobby, Thriller Bark, Sabaody Archipelego, Fishman Island,
All the other thousands of islands they've been through...
That silly old hat had always been there, shoved on his head every second. That hat knew more about Luffy than anyone else; it was his treasure, and Luffy trusted her with it. She teared up at this.
God, I'm out of character...
She didn't care that she probably looked like a foolish young girl. She cared for him. She wanted to do something special for him like he had done for her hundreds of times over. She looked back at the ratted hat. It was falling apart from all of the scratches and scrapes it had gained.
She plopped down, took out her needle and thread, and went to work.
XXXXXXXXX
"YO! EVERYONE! WAKE UP YA LAZY BUMS!"
Usopp and Franky were shouting at Luffy from under the tree while Sanji was gently waking Nami by shouting "NAMI-SWAAAAAAAAAAN!" in her eardrum. Luffy fell out of the tree screaming and Nami hit Sanji over the head with twice as much force than before.
"YOU BASTARDS!" They both yelled at the waker-uppers in unison. Luffy sniffed, then whirled into a hurricane that made it's way over to the table with food on it. Sanji was staring at Nami's lap.
"Is that Luffy's hat?"
Nami nodded. Sanji lit a cigarette, smiling.
"It looks amazing Nami-San."
After Luffy and gobbled all the food, and scared Chopper by pretending to be hurt, everyone motioned for Nami to unveil to him his present. Sanji was too touched by how cute she was to wonder why or how she got the hat, and everyone else didn't care. Nami walked toward Luffy, and shoved the hat on his head. Luffy raised his eyebrows, then took it off and stared at it.
"My hat?" He breathed in obvious wonder.
Nami had worked all night; she replaced the faded ribbon, smoothed the prickly brim, and sewed all of the holes so tight that they were unnoticable. It looked brand-new, yet it kept it's character as a worn, adventurous hat, which was an amazing feat. She had done something else too.
Luffy looked at his new string. It was made from his old ribbon, but it was twisted in a unique pattern. Luffy gazed at his hat for a long time before he suddenly hugged Nami. Everyone stared in comic shock, except for Robin who just chuckled. Luffy broke off and grinned hugely.
"This is amazing Nami! Thank you so much!" He pulled the hat over his head, still grinning. "It feels just like new! But the same!"
Nami smiled and wagged her finger at him.
"Now don't go and mess it up again anytime soon alright?"
Nami seemed to remember that the others were there too. They all were watching with soft smiles, knowing how much the hat meant to their captain.
"NAMI-SWAN! YOU'RE SO CUTE WHEN YOU'RE GENEROUS!"
"That was a nice thing you did there, Miss Navigator."
"My heart is filling up with glee...Ah! But I don't have a heart! Yohohohohoho!"
Nami laughed and walked toward them, leaving Luffy to his hat. Zoro had switched topics.
"Alright...Today we need to find those animal-men..."
"BWHAHAHAHA! Zoro's talking about finding something!"
"SHUT UP NOSEBLEED!"
"I agree with Zoro." Remarked Nami.
"Same here..." Added Robin.
"OI! LUFFY!" Shouted Franky. "WE NEED TO FIND THE PEOPLE WHO HURT THE SUNNY-GO!"
"AA!" Shouted back Luffy, who put on his new-and-improved hat and headed toward them. Luffy smirked, hit his fist to his palm, and announced,
"Today's the day we kick some animal ass!"
God, I hope I did OK! Please review with your thoughts! It really helps...especially since I've never written a romance before so...
THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT! :)