One Piece and its characters are the creation of Oda Eiichiro. I don't own or have rights to them in anyway, shape, or form. Thank you!
Chapter 1
Night hid his appearance, but she could tell he was in her room. She lay in bed, her stomach turning with anticipation. He had come to her again, just like every night for the past 3 months. If only she could shout how she felt to the world, but he made her promise not to tell anyone. Besides, wasn't it that much more exciting because it was their secret?
She felt the covers shift. She couldn't see him, but he was there with her. A rough hand gingerly touched her thigh.
Knock, knock…She felt his mouth cover hers in a passionate kiss. He was hungry for her.
Knock, knock…Her body complied, arching into his touch.
Knock, knock… "Nami-san?"
Nami lay on the couch in her den, immersed in the new trashy romance novel she had bought in the last town they stopped in. Eyes glued to the pages, her mind lingered on every word. Her mouth was half agape in awe. The book captivated her attention so well; she hadn't even heard Sanji knocking on the door…
Knock, knock…… until now.
"Nami!" Sanji yelled through the door, "are you ok?"
Startled, Nami sat up. "Uh… hai," she frantically looked for a place to hide her novel. The crew wouldn't let her live it down if they found out.
"It's a little after 3:00," Sanji called from outside. "I thought I would bring you some afternoon tea."
"Oh…ok," Nami called back, trying to buy time. She quickly threw the book under the couch as Sanji made his way in.
The cook turned to face her. She was hunched over the maps spread out on the coffee table in front her. Sanji smiled, "you look busy, as usual." Nami glanced up, returning his smile. Then went back to her maps. Did she even notice that he wasn't prancing around her today? He placed her cup on the table, off to the side so it wouldn't be in her way.
"Thank you, Sanji-kun," Nami cooed, almost out of habit, never taking her eyes off the maps. Sanji paused a moment, watching her do her work. A tiny frown formed at the corner of his lips. It has to be done.
He cleared his throat, watching to see if Nami noticed he was still there. The navigator's expression was unchanging. She was lost in her work. He cleared his throat again. "Ano na… Nami?"
"Sanji-kun?" Nami responded mockingly, without a thought. Why was he still there? She wanted to get back to her novel.
"I just wanted to let you know this is the last time."
Nami's eyebrows came together in confusion. "Huh?" She looked up to the tall, blond man standing across from her. "Last time? Last time for what?" She questioned, finally taking notice of the sadness in his eyes. Was that a frown on his lips? Had she ever seen him frown before?
Instead of giving an answer, the cook took out his lighter and a pack of cigarettes. Nami watched as he pulled one out with his lips. Now she was really confused. "Um… Sanji, you know you're not smoking that in here." The look he shot her from over his hand as he lit up was enough to say different.
Once his cigarette was lit, Sanji shifted to one side. He was seemingly lost in thought. Nami watched him, annoyed with his behavior. He took a long drag. "As I was saying," he exhaled, "this is the last time."
"Yeah, you said that already," Nami folded her arms. Who the hell does he think he is?
Ignoring her, Sanji took another drag. "Ever since I came on this ship, I've been waiting on you hand and foot." He stared ahead, not really looking at anything. "I go out of my way every day to try to please you. I put myself at your mercy by honestly professing my feelings for you." He took the cigarette out of his mouth, flicking ashes into a nearby flowerpot.
Nami was now pissed off. She opened her mouth to lecture him, but Sanji continued. "I used to tell myself that as long as you were happy, nothing else mattered." Now he looked her in the eyes. "But that's not enough anymore." Nami's mood dwarfed when she saw his expression. Was it anger or sadness? "Maybe I feel like I now have a right to be greedy after catering to you for so long." He closed his eyes and shrugged, "I don't know."
The navigator stared at her crewmate. She had seen him like this before. He was cool, distant, and a little smug. This was how he treated strangers… Not her.
Sanji approached Nami, looking down at her as she sat on the couch. "Believe me when I say I want you more than anything in this world." One of his hands gently touched her cheek. "But I'm done chasing you Nami." The pain in Sanji's voice was unbearable. His fingers ran through the ends of her short, red hair. "No more favors or gifts." He tilted her chin up to him. "You're no different from anyone else now."
Nami blinked, coming out of shock as Sanji headed towards the door. "Oh! Don't forget to put the cup in the sink when you're done," he added as he opened the door. Nami's jaw dropped open. How dare he…
"Jaa…" He threw a wave over his shoulder and left.
"Hey!" Nami yelled, but the door closed. She was now alone.
Chapter 1 – Japanese notes
"Nami-san, Sanji-kun" – Most of you know this, but just incase: "San" is the equivalent of Mr. or Mrs. in Japanese. "Kun" means Mr. but it's usually used for those who are the same age or younger than you.
"Ano na" – "Ano" is like "uh" or "um" in Japanese. The "na" is added since Sanji is a guy.
"Jaa" – This is short for "jaa matta" which means "see you later" in Japanese.
