The pair wandered about, admiring the sights before them. It truly was a beautiful town. The structures were reminiscent of Dressrosa, as was the layout of the shopping district. There were various shops and food stalls scattered along the paved strip. The atmosphere was lively and simultaneous bursts of chatter filled the air.

They received a few glares in their direction here and there, recognition as to who they were was flashing in the eyes of some, however, the majority of onlookers seemed nice enough. Not that it mattered though. She could only bring herself to care about one thing at the moment.

Him.

Nami basked in the feeling of his fingers laced together with hers. At times, Luffy would stroke his thumb along the backside of her hand and she had to mentally remind herself to breathe. With the way he was holding her hand so tightly and the way he'd glance at her every so often with those alluring eyes of his, like a brand burning her skin, anyone who didn't know them would bet they were a couple on a romantic escapade.

A couple...

The navigator's chest immediately contracted at the thought. She wasn't entirely sure how much more of this predicament she could take. It was unbearable. Luffy had been acting rather... bold lately, parading around like he hadn't crossed multiple lines between them. It wasn't the normal relationship of a Captain and his navigator in the slightest. And sure, she admitted that it was mostly on her. She was the one who initiated the almost kiss the very first time after all. However, a part of her wasn't really expecting Luffy to reciprocate. So now that he couldn't seem to keep his hands (or lips) off of her, she was itching to know where they stood emotionally and romantically.

Tonight... I'll tell him tonight.

They explored the different shops and stands, taking their time to meander about. It was really nice being with Nami like this and he wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity presented to him. They rarely had any privacy on the Sunny, so when the crew agreed to help him out, he was ecstatic. He smiled to himself, recalling the conversation earlier that day.

"I actually have a favor to ask you guys."

The room sat quietly, waiting for their captain to continue his request.

"If the next island we get to is inhabited, I wanna spend time alone with Nami. Sabo had a name for it..." he brought his index finger up against his temple and visibly turned red as he thought of the term.

"A date?" asked Robin with a tentative smile.

"Yeah! That!" he retorted cheerfully.

"Yohoho! Luffy-San, I didn't know you were such a hopeless romantic!"

"Yeah, right." muttered Sanji under his breath.

"So you'd like our help planning your date, right?" Robin asked, beaming like a proud mother.

He nodded furiously.

"You can SUPER count on us, Cap'n!"

"Well, knowing Nami, she'll want to split up into groups, right?" Chopper mused.

"That, and she'll most likely ask me to join her on a shopping spree so I'll come up with something. We'll all make sure to pair up before Nami has a chance to do so for us." said Robin.

The room nodded in agreement.

He snickered. "Thanks guys!"

He had never felt this way about anyone or anything before. It was love, he had no doubt about it. He was unbelievably drawn to her and he felt like that warm bubbling feeling in his chest would erupt at any moment. The swarm of emotions he felt just being next to her was astonishing.

They walked by a flyer that was taped to a glass wall outside a shop, to which Luffy did a double-take, reading it carefully.

"SUMMER FESTIVAL TONIGHT!"

His lips formed a face-splitting grin and he swore luck was on his side. The Captain stopped abruptly in his tracks, causing Nami to stumble slightly, her hand still firmly in his grasp.

"Luffy?"

"Nami, look!" he replied enthusiastically, pointing to the flyer.

She took a step back to glance over it. It had been a while since they attended any sort of event and she honestly didn't mind what they did as long as she was with Luffy.

"That sounds like fun." she said smiling softly.

"Do you wanna go?"

"Sure. Give me a minute. I'll let the others know as well." she said, pulling out the Den Den Mushi from her pocket.

Luffy's eyes widened in panic. "No!" he spat immediately, quickly placing his hand on top of the contraption.

"No?" she repeated back slowly with her own enlarged eyes.

"Only us."

Her heart began thumping violently against her rib cage. She had never seen this look upon her captain's face.

He looked so... so...

She didn't even know. Before she realized, she was nodding at him absentmindedly, not really aware of her actions. And it took everything in her to not indulge in his lips right then and there.

"Okay. Only us."


"Naaaamiiiii, do I have to?" he whined.

"Come on, Luffy. It's not every day we get to go to a festival. Don't you want to at least look the part?"

"I guess..."

It was now the raven-haired Captain's turn to get tugged along. They were inside a store on the hunt for Kimono's. Honestly, she didn't particularly mind attending in her normal attire, but tonight was different. Tonight, she wanted to get dressed up for him and at least look put together for when she broke the news. And Luffy? Well, she just wanted to get an eyeful of him in a Kimono.

There was a decent variety throughout the store. She took her time glimpsing through the isles of the men's section. She eventually came across a red Kimono with blue patches on it and took it off the rack, holding it up to show Luffy.

"Do you like this one for you, Luffy?"

He gave the Kimono a once over and smiled softly, giving her a firm nod. "It's nice."

She smiled triumphantly and handed it to him.

"Okay, go change. I'll find one for myself now."

She peered around and her eyes eventually landed on a dusty blue Kimono in the corner that had flower petals scattered all over the smooth fabric. She left Luffy's side momentarily to inspect it. Nami lifted the Kimono off the rack and held it against her person in front of a nearby mirror, eyeing it considerably. It was cute. Really cute. A little too short, but that's what thrilled her about it. Feeling satisfied with her selection, she draped the material over her arm and made her way over to the clerk to pay for their items.

When she finished, it didn't take long for her eyes to drift to him. He was the most striking person in the room after all. Luffy changed into the red Kimono that she had picked out for him and the way his chiseled pecs were peeking out near the collar made her question if she could keep her hands to herself for the remainder of the day. He just looked too good.

And apparently, Nami wasn't the only one to think so. Not even a moment later, some woman was all over her Captain and her lips immediately fell in distaste. She mentally scoffed at the sight. Luffy seemed to try and keep his distance, but her? She was giggling at every word he said, and began tracing her finger along his sleeve.

Who does she think she is? She's eyeing him like he's some piece of meat! MY meat!

She watched them like a hawk from afar. Luffy smiled back awkwardly at her to which the woman invaded his space, and Nami snapped. She felt her blood boil and rage filled her veins. Nami didn't really consider herself to be the jealous type but then again, she's never been so infatuated in her life. In the past, she's teased and seduced men before but only for her own amusement as it was never anything serious. It was completely different with Luffy. Even though they weren't together, her heart had already claimed him as hers... as much as it pained her to admit.

The navigator marched up to them, feeling a sense of urgency invade each step she took and coughed harshly when she reached her Captain's side.

"Oh, Nami! There you are! I was looking for you."

"Are you ready to go, Luffy?" she plastered on a sweet smile.

"He seemed a bit lost. Are you his sister?" interjected the woman, cooing in the most unamiable way.

This bitch...

Nami was at a loss for words. This lady had some nerve. What she really wanted to do was punch her square in that smug face of hers, but she controlled herself and thought of the next best thing. Her hands gripped Luffy's Kimono and she lifted herself up on her toes slightly to plant a firm kiss on his lips.

Luffy didn't even flinch, in fact, his hands immediately found purchase on her hips and he oozed with delight as he deepened the kiss, irrelevant to the glances of those around them. It was just supposed to be a quick smooch though, so to Luffy's dismay, he frowned slightly when Nami suddenly pulled away, ending it way sooner than he'd like.

"Does it look like it?" she retorted bluntly in the woman's direction, and dragged Luffy away in a huff, leaving the woman gawking at their retreating backs.


"Nami?"

...

...

"Nami? Are you mad?"

His voice snapped her out of her blind rage and she came to a halt. Nami didn't even realize she had dragged the poor guy about a block away from the store to an unpopulated area of the shopping center. She bolted out the store so quickly, she didn't even have a chance to change.

She turned around to face him and guilt suddenly churned within her gut. Luffy's gaze offered uncertainty and his brows began to furrow in concern. The navigator felt her chest clench at the possible thought of Luffy feeling responsible for what had happened.

She didn't really peg Luffy as someone that would flirt with other women, and regardless of whatever this was between them, she should have known better although it did irk her. If even the Pirate Enpress couldn't incite those feelings out of him, some random woman most likely wouldn't either. Right? That's what she would like to assume. So had she grown obsessive over her Captain? ...Perhaps.

"I'm okay, Luffy. I'm sorry if I worried you." she placed a comforting hand on his cheek, smiling warmly.

His gaze instantly softened, and it was as if a physical wave of relief washed over him. He moved to wrap the free arm that occupied their shopping bag around her shoulders. Today was supposed to be special and he preferred that Nami not be upset. His face nuzzled the crook of her neck and he mumbled something but she couldn't hear him.

"What?" she asked softly, her heart thumping fiercely against her chest. The sensation of his lips brushing against her sensitive flesh was enough to make her feel extremely lightheaded and it sent jolts of pleasure throughout her body.

He pulled away and gazed at her through half-lidded eyes. Instead of repeating himself, he decided to close the distance between them, on a mission to wring more kisses out of her and she delightfully obliged.

It was the incessant ringing of the Den Den Mushi that brought them out of their trance, that, and they unfortunately needed to breathe.

Luffy groaned, not really wanting the moment to end but unwillingly peeled himself away from her and pulled the Den Den Mushi out to retrieve the call.

"Luffy, I'm going to find a place to change while you get that. Okay?"

He nodded and let her go, watching her retreating figure before answering.

"Hello?" he muttered, feeling vexed.

"Did I interrupt something?" Robin giggled on the other line.

"Oh! Robin! How's everything coming along?"

"According to plan. Usopp just finished loading the shells into Franky's canon ahead of time. Remember, be ready by 10 PM sharp. As long as you're able to find a tall building with a roof, you should be set. Okay?"

"Yosh! You guys are the best, thank you!"

"Our pleasure, Captain. That's what we're here for. Good luck."

Luffy eventually heard the clicking of heels approaching and he turned to eye the source. Needless to say, the Captain gaped and felt rather flustered as his heart began to beat erratically within his chest.

She looked amazing.

"Woah." he muttered.

Luffy honestly could not keep his eyes off of her. He was sweating bullets and was a stranger to the foreign sensation that engulfed him. His eyes shined with something she couldn't quite place and a magnificent blush adorned her face. She sauntered over to him, feeling quite giddy with the way her Captain ogled her.

"You ready to go?" she chuckled.

"Ready."


The pair made their way through the plethora of people that stood surrounding the stalls. The sun had set and the golden glow of the lanterns that were strung above them illuminated the night sky.

Nami was quick to admit, she was really enjoying herself. It's not everyday she was able to spend time like this with Luffy and she wasn't complaining, in fact, the days events were better than she anticipated. Her Captain, being the literal definition of a ball of energy, was relaxed for the most part.

Now Nami? Let's just say the more she'd feel his arm snake around her waist or the enticing glances he'd steal in her direction, the more she had to work herself up to let him know those three words that plagued her mind. She was earth shatteringly nervous, but she had to tell him. She just needed to find the right moment.

The night was filled with mirth and entertainment. They had walked a good amount, taking their time to leisurely explore their surroundings. At some point in the evening, they had come across a weeping little girl probably not much older than Momo, who had lost her parents in the crowd. Luffy, being the kindhearted human magnet that he is, took it upon himself to help her look for them. By the end of their short time together, the little girl had clung to his side, calling him "Onii-Chan" every chance she could get. Eventually the little girls parents found her upon the shoulders of one of the most infamous pirates across the seas, and they dragged her away, thanking the pair for watching over her.

She thought about how well Luffy got along with children. They would always gravitate towards him and she admired the way he always made them feel safe. Nami had to stop herself from imagining Luffy with children of his own... their children. It's not that she particularly wanted children right now, there was a lot more she needed to accomplish beforehand, but she'd be lying if she said the thought of an orange-haired baby with onyx eyes hadn't crossed her mind at least once during her time with him.

"Look Nami!" he said excitedly, pointing to something in the distance, snapping her out of her daze.

"Hm? What is it?"

"A Takoyaki stand! Can we get some?" his mouth began to water and without awaiting her reply, his feet traitorously moved on their own towards the delicious aroma.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled under her breath at his now rhetorical question.

"Welcome! What can I get for ya?" asked the man at the stand as they approached.

"Takoyaki! And lots of it!"

"Coming right up!" he chirped merrily.

Soon enough, multiple containers of Takoyaki were brought out and Luffy just about lost it.

"How much do we owe you?" Nami asked, directing her attention to the man behind the stand.

"That'll be 5000 Beli." the man smiled like a Cheshire Cat.

Of course it is... with Luffy's bottomless pit of a stomach anyway.

Just as she was about to reach for her wallet that was nestled inside the shopping bag with her change of clothes, Luffy gently gripped her wrist, halting her movement.

"I got it, Nami." he said with a grin then reached into his pocket.

Nami blinked. Luffy actually paying for his own food? She already thought this day was taking a strange turn but now she was flabbergasted.

"You sure?"

"Un." he nodded, handing the man his due.

The captain was naturally irresponsible when it came to his money. He often spent it immediately on stupidities after Nami would distribute everyone's share. This time though, would be different. This time he had it all planned out thanks to Sanji.

"Also Luffy, knowing you, you're going to stuff your face if there's food around. And knowing Nami-San, she won't question a thing. Whatever you do, make sure you pay. Not her. Ladies don't pay on dates. And for the love of Oda, don't get food all over her. Got it?"

"Let's find somewhere to sit."

They found an empty bench nearby and sat side by side. Nami preoccupied herself with smoothing out the wrinkles of her Kimono and just as Luffy was about to stuff his face, he paused abruptly.

"Don't be greedy either, Luffy. Make sure you actually share your food with her for once." muttered Usopp.

"Nami."

"Hm?" she turned her head to face him and was immediately met with a steaming piece of Takoyaki.

"Want some?" he asked, a small grin playing on his lips.

She glared at him in disbelief and proceeded to raise a thin brown in question. "Really?" she mused.

He nodded furiously.

She raised the back of her hand up to his forehead and hummed, wanting to tease him a bit.

"Are you feeling alright?" she said, a small giggle escaping her lips.

He pouted. "Naaaamiiiii."

Her giggles erupted into laughter and she turned her head away from him in order to calm herself down. After her laughter subsided, she gently gripped his hand to steady it, eating the morsel off the toothpick in one bite.

"What do you think?" he smiled.

She licked her lips, savoring the taste.

"It's really good, not as good at Hachi's though."

'Shishishi' "No one can compete with Hachi's Takoyaki.

Nami giggled and observed him carefully, taking in even the minor details. She was pleasantly surprised. Was this the same man that would constantly coat her in food during meal times? Because she'd agree to disagree. He actually looked like a normal human being when he wasn't busy shoveling food down his throat.

From the corner of her eye she saw the crowd begin to bustle. It seemed as if most of them stepped out of the way for something. Nami sat up in her seat, peering over to get a better look and her heart suddenly sank to her stomach at what came into view.

"Luffy, we gotta go. Now."

"What's wrong?"

"Marines, and lots of them."

Luffy immediately placed a firm hand on her back, and motioned subtly for them to leave. They did their best to slip away inconspicuously, however, it wasn't long before one of them spotted Luffy's straw hat.

"There's Mugiwara! Get him!" the admiral shouted.

They all launched forward simultaneously and the pair made a blind dash away from the festivities. They moved quickly but cautiously, doing their best to avoid running into any civilians.

Luffy would have usually just kicked all their asses by now but he refrained himself. He didn't want anything to ruin his night with Nami. So he settled for the escape route.

The Captain held a tight grip on her wrist, leading them away from the pursuit. They sprinted into town, the Marines hot on their trail, as they maneuvered through buildings and alleyways. The pair skillfully slipped into a poorly lit alleyway and firmly pressed their backs against the brick structure in attempts to hide. Their chests heaved and the thudding sound of footfalls eventually faded away in the distance.

"…Man! That was a close one!" he exclaimed, erupting into laughter like a madman.

Nami's lips twitched, her own laughter slowly mixing in with his.

"Yeah." she said softly, placing a hand on her chest to catch her breath.

Luffy glanced up at the sky. He could tell it was getting closer to the designated time and he couldn't afford to run into any more distractions. He eyed his surroundings and saw a tall building in the distance that seemed high enough.

"Luffy? Is everything alright?"

He turned to face her and held his hand out, beckoning for her hold it. When she did, onyx and honey orbs clashed.

"There's something I wanna show you."

She nodded absentmindedly and trailed behind him as he led the way. They eventually stopped in front of a towering building and he stretched a rubbery arm up to grip the ledge of the foundation. He then gathered her into his arm and held her close.

"Hold on tight."

"Luffy, where are we- ahhh! " She shrieked.

And just as quickly as she had been hoisted up, she was placed gently on the roof of the building.

Nami opened her mouth to scold him, but it immediately clamped shut as she marveled in the sight before them. They were up high enough so that they were overlooking the entire island. Below, she saw a kaleidoscope of shimmering lights that swept over the entirety of the town. In the distance she could also see the crescent moon reflected upon the dark depths of the tranquil, pristine sea.

Luffy took a seat on the roof and motioned for her to do the same. She carefully made her way over to him and sat at his side, feeling a odd sense of Déjà vu take over her.

Do it...

Honey orbs gazed in his direction, as if waiting for him to speak and Luffy took full advantage of the moment to regard the woman next to him. She made his heart throb. Nami was glowing again and she looked absolutely breathtaking. The breeze made her long orange locks sway effortlessly and her lips looked deliciously plump, they were taunting him. He wanted a taste but held off, seeing as there was something important he needed to tell her.

He reached out to brush her stray hairs away and their eyes locked. The longer their eyes clashed, the more flustered she felt. And she realized right then and there that there's no way they could ever go back to the way they were before. Even if she were faced with his rejection, for as long as the waves collided against the shore she'd always love him. Something flashed in his eyes and she felt as if her heart would burst right out of her chest. She was hypnotized.

Do it Nami...

"Did you have fun?" he asked huskily.

"I did... Luffy... I..." she stilled, and she felt her breath hitch when she saw his face inching closer to her.

Do it now...

Through half-lidded eyes, he moved to gently press his forehead against hers, his nose grazing hers slightly. Her heart was screaming at her to confess and her emotions began to spill over.

"I...I... " she trailed, feeling a lump form in her throat.

He hummed softly in question.

"Luffy..." she whispered.

Her Captain grinned at her softly through lowered lids and pulled away from her, remembering he probably didn't have much time left before they'd be interrupted again.

"Nami. There's something I wanna ask you."

She blinked, puzzled by his question, but let him continue regardless.

"Have you ever been in love?" he inquired.

Her eyes widened erratically. His question completely caught her off guard and she found it immensely arduous to control her now irregular breathing.

Why does he want to know that...

"W-why do you ask?" she replied softly, slightly fidgeting under his gaze.

"I guess I learned about it pretty late. Makino tried to explain it to me when I was younger but I never understood how you're supposed to feel when you're in love."

She regarded him seriously, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Then when Sabo visited, he kinda spelled it out for me. He told me that your chest starts feeling all funny and it's hard to breathe." he placed a hand over his chest, his eyes never wavering from hers.

"He said you find yourself wanting to spend forever with the person that makes your chest hurt and you'd do anything to protect that person."

Where is he going with this...

"My pops apparently told him all this. And it made perfect sense when he explained it because that's exactly what I was feeling. And it kinda just clicked for me." he said, his lips tugging upward into a small grin.

Her blood pumped harshly and she trembled in anticipation.

"What did?" she whispered.

"The fact that I'm in love with you."

Her jaw slackened and the sound of her heartbeat was thumping away in her ears. Did she hear him correctly? She opened her mouth to speak but all that came out was silence.

"Nami? Is something wrong?" he asked, his brows furrowing in concern.

"W-what did you say?" her hands trembled and she was in denial again.

Did he...

"Is something wrong?"

She quickly shook her head and swallowed thickly.

"N-no, what did you say before that?"

A smile stretched across his face and he raised a hand up to gently encase her cheek.

"I said I'm in love with you."

She released a shaky laugh and felt relief wash over her as she placed a gentle hand on top of his that held her cheek. The feeling of her heart racing overwhelmed her, and she finally had no reason to deny it any further. That was it. He loved her and she him. Soon, she felt her tears plummet down her face and it was hard to contain the flock of emotions that overcame her.

He flinched and eyed her nervously, his lips forming into a thin line at the sight of her tears.

Did she misunderstand something?

"O-Oi Nami..." he stuttered. "I'm sorry! Please don't cry."

She quickly shook her head and nuzzled her cheek against the palm of his hand.

"Luffy. I'm crying because you just made me insanely happy. Want to know why?"

He nodded carefully, waiting for her to continue.

"Because I'm in love with you too." she smiled warmly.

His concern immediately dissipated and was replaced with a smile so wide, it threatened to leave his face. She leaned forward to close the distance between them, placing a tender kiss on his lips. The Captain felt something pool inside of him and it leaked all throughout his body, recognizing the feeling as love. No doubt about it. They pulled away momentarily to breathe, his lips grazing hers, and he gazed at her through lowered lids.

"I love you." he mumbled against her lips. Already feeling deprived, he captured them once more. Nami was ecstatically happy. She gripped the material of his Kimono in fear that she'd float away from the fluttering feeling that took over every fiber of her being.

Feeling devoid of oxygen, they separated. Their hearts raced together in unison. The way his lips moved against hers felt so much better knowing that he felt the same way she did. They observed each other. He, her honey orbs speckled with gold that were slightly glossy from the tears. And her, his deep onyx eyes that held his deepest desires, loving her now being one of them.

Suddenly, the shrieking sound of hissing filled the air, causing Nami to jolt. She turned to eye the source of the noise and immediately beamed, her jaw dropping in awe. The spectacle of multi-colored fireworks bursted in the distance. The vivid hues of orange, yellow, pinks, and greens illuminated the night sky clearly. Everything felt so right, in fact, she couldn't help feeling as if the array was meant for them. It was the perfect ending to their night.

"That was amazing! Is this what you wanted to show me? I didn't know there'd be a fireworks display at the festival." she said to him.

Luffy snickered, a toothy grin plastered on his face.

"Luffy?" she raised a brow, slightly confused at his reaction. Then it hit her.

Wait a minute...

Her eyes followed the trail of smoke down to the spot of where the fireworks had originated from and behold, there bobbed the Sunny along the coastline.

"Luffy... Did you plan this out?" her eyes widened in wonder, glaring at him curiously.

He laughed softly and his owlish eyes held a mischievous glint that only confirmed her suspicions.

"Wait, so back on the ship when you were all in the kitchen acting strange?"

"Everyone was helping me plan today." he grinned.

She felt relieved in a sense. Now she wouldn't have to bother explaining the newfound relationship between them to the crew. She did however, start mentally preparing herself to endure the endless amount of teasing and snarky remarks that would be sure to come her way.

"And the fireworks?"

"Usopp stayed behind on the ship to make them and Franky shot them with his canon." he said with literal stars in his eyes.

"So that's why everyone split themselves up? To make sure we'd be alone together?"

'Shishishi' "Yup!"

She felt something swell in her chest at the thought of Luffy taking the initiative to plan this all out.

"You really do love me, huh?" she teased, poking him lightly in the chest.

He leaned forward, pressing a soft, chaste kiss on her lips.

"So much."


It was late when they both made their way back onto the Thousand Sunny. She was expecting the crew to be situated in their rooms, some even fast asleep, but nevertheless, there they were... all sprawled out on the deck waiting for their return.

As soon as the crew took sight of them, they directed their attention to Luffy in particular. The tension in the air weighed heavily as they searched for a sign as to how the night went. It was eerily quiet for a moment, until the Captain flashed them a cheesy smile, his arm extending out to form a thumbs up.

Then the questions and teasing came flooding in.

"Congratulations! Luffy, Nami!"

"Have you guys done the deed yet?"

"So when's the wedding?"

"I don't want any babies aboard the ship any time soon."

"Luffy-San, what color are her panties?"

"Pleeeease don't make out in front of us."

And it went on.

Nami didn't even have it in her to shut them up, she merely laughed at the rambunctiousness of her crew. That, and she was still way too giddy from today's turn of events. She also was thankful for their help.

Luffy smiled at her and reached out to grab her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She squeezed back in turn and quickly found herself basking in the warmth of his embrace.

Whatever the future held for them, she'd welcome it with open arms. They'd make more memories and have even more adventures together. It won't be easy, there was still a lot more to accomplish, but she didn't mind whatsoever. As long as she had her Captain by her side.