Here's Chapter 5. Please read summary and disclaimer in the first chapter. Thank you!
Chapter 5
The night was clear with a warm breeze coming off the water. Despite it being dark in the men's cabin earlier, the moon was bright as it illuminated the upper deck. It lit up part of the den as well, but Nami had a candle burning regardless. She lay on the couch, watching the flame dance and flicker. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she had to wait for Sanji. It would be bad if she woke him up in the middle of the night for nothing. "Where are you?" she whispered, half-asleep.
The cook strode out of the kitchen and across the deck. The teacup in his hands left a small trail of steam as he walked. He knew it took a while to make the tea, but he needed that cigarette. Besides, he was sure Nami would not only appreciate the tea, but she would also appreciate that he didn't smoke in her room anymore. Sanji's heart skipped a little, remembering Nami's words from earlier. She wanted to talk to him about what he said last week. Did that mean she was going to confess that she loved him?
Sanji stopped in mid-step. What the hell am I doing? The cook looked at his reflection in the tea. "I'm bringing her tea?" he asked himself in disbelief. Was he catering to her again? How could he have caved so easily? What if she wasn't going to say what he was hoping for? Then he would look like a fool again, like he had since the day he laid eyes on the red head.
The teacup rattled in its saucer while it was balanced on the cook's knee. Sanji lit a cigarette, frowning a little. What to do… Torn between his feelings for Nami and not wanting to give in to her, he decided on a compromise. I'll bring her the damn tea and smoke my damn cigarette in her room. He quickly paced towards the navigator's den.
Nami stirred a little as she heard the door open. Slowly raising her eyelids, she was met with a cup of tea being roughly placed on the table in front of her. Tea? The navigator's brown eyes glanced over to find Sanji sitting in the chair next to the couch, one of his feet resting on the table. She sighed a little with disappointment when she realized that he was smoking in her den, again. Letting out a small cough, she broke the silence, "what took you so long?" Her voice was little hoarse from her small nap and she was sure the smoke wasn't helping.
"Thought you might like some tea," the blond cook responded, taking a long drag of his cigarette. Why does her voice have to sound like that at a time like this? He watched the navigator stretch and lean against the arm of the couch as she sat up.
"Thank you," Nami replied. She picked up the cup in one hand and took the saucer in the other. "I appreciate it," she spoke in a soft, low voice as she looked directly at the cook. She brought the cup to her lips and sipped, never taking her eyes off of him.
Damn it! Sanji quickly looked away, inhaling smoke from his cigarette. It took everything he had in his will power not to jump her when he woke up to find her sitting on his bed, but this was too much. Had it been a week before he probably would've had a nosebleed by now, but he needed to be strong. He took another drag. "So," he exhaled, "you wanted to talk to me about something?"
Nami let out a nervous sigh. He isn't going to make this easy, is he? "I just… uh…" She cleared her throat, "I just wanted to say thank you for everything you always did for me." Sanji looked at the navigator questioningly. She continued, "even if I didn't know that it occurred, I appreciate all of it." Pausing, Nami bit her lip, "but I don't want you to worry about doing anything for me anymore."
"What?" Sanji asked in disbelief.
"I don't want you to wait on me anymore," Nami clarified. She shifted uneasily on the couch.
"So," Sanji sat forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, "you're saying that you don't love me?" Nami was startled at his reaction. What did this have to do with love?
"I… uh… no," she stumbled. She could feel her stomach turning in knots. This was one situation she was not used to. The navigator took a deep breath. "All I'm saying is that I don't want you to worry about catering to me anymore."
The cook's head was spinning. What's she trying to say? Wasn't this what he wanted to find out? What's she trying to say to me? Wasn't this why he decided to give up? "Nami-san… You don't love me?"
"This isn't about that!" Nami responded, attempting to make it clearer. Sanji wouldn't accept it. "I'm just trying to say…"
"Damn it, Nami!" The cook interrupted her, "answer my question! Do you love me or not?"
"I don't know!" Nami yelled back with tears in her eyes, but she refused to cry. She didn't want to hurt Sanji, but she wasn't going to lie to him to save him from pain, even if his expression was unbearably sad. The navigator let out another sigh to calm her emotions. "I don't know. That's the truth," she spoke more softly.
"How can you not know?" Sanji questioned the navigator. The frustration and rejection were getting to him. The cook got up from his seat and headed towards the door. "I'm sick of this," he sighed as he reached for the door handle to leave.
"NO!" Nami shoved herself into the small space between Sanji and his exit. She pushed the door closed and spun to face the tall blond man.
The cook flinched at the navigator's sudden action. He was even more shocked by the anger in her expression. "What the hell are you doing?" He sputtered out, shaken from the surprise. His hand still posed on the door handle.
"Damn it, Sanji-kun!" Nami raised her voice in anger, but wasn't quite yelling at him. "Not everyone knows how they feel about someone! Not all of us can wear out hearts on our sleeves! Not all of us are as brave as you!"
Sanji stared at the red haired woman. "What?" he asked slowly.
Nami continued, "I don't know if I love you or not, but I do have feelings for you. I know that I care about you as much as everyone else on this ship… if not more. I know that every time you brought me tea in the afternoons, it helped me feel a little less lonely. I know that I enjoyed your company when you were your usual cheery self. I know that I don't like seeing you in the mood you've been in for the past week. And maybe if you weren't so pushy, then something would develop between the two of us."
"Nami-san…" Sanji managed, attempting to absorb what the navigator was saying. Everything he seemed unsure of was finally coming to light in the moment. "I…"
"I hate the person you've been this week," she interrupted him as she folded her arms. "You've been so cruel and uncaring. I miss the old Sanji-kun."
The cook smiled. So she really does care. He leaned in a little towards Nami, speaking in a low, playful voice, "how do know this isn't how I've always been? Maybe I was just trying to impress you by being nice?"
"Ha!" Nami laughed at him. "That can't be right."
Sanji frowned a little, "why not? I can't be the mean bad-ass?"
"No, because the badass is a dumb ass… and that's Zoro," she responded with a smile. Sanji let out a small laugh. "Besides," Nami grabbed the cook by the collar and pulled him closer. "I like nice guys," she whispered as her lips brushed against his.
It was the last straw for Sanji. Unable to holdback any longer, he pressed Nami into the door and kissed her like he had always wanted to since joining the Straw hat crew. The strange thing was that she wasn't resisting it either. He pulled out of the kiss for a second. "Is this another dream?" he panted.
"If it is, then I don't want to wake up, yet," Nami breathlessly replied as she pulled him back towards her.
I know, I know… I'm evil for ending it there. I have a dilemma though! I don't know if this is the end of the story or not. Some might be satisfied with this as the ending and some of you might feel it ended too abruptly. So please let me know what you think and we'll see if I continue it or not. Thanks!
