The Bell's Chime

Chapter 12: Free fall

Chopper and Bell squealed as the gong sounded out with a sprightly ding!

"You rang the bell!" Chopper cheered.

Usopp leisurely leaned on the hammer of the test-your-strength, donning a proud smirk.

"Outstanding, Usopp-San!" Brook applauded delighted.

"Ooh, not bad, Nii-san!" the large stand owner chimed in. "What about you, mister? Want to give it a try?"

"Huuh, me?!" Brook jumped slightly at the suggestion. He threw up his hands, refusing politely. "I'm not the brawny type."

"No harm done just giving it a try, mister" the man insisted with an inviting smile.

Brook hesitantly took the hammer from his hands. "Well, here goes nothing," he hummed as he galantly approached the stand under the view of his Nakamas' curious eyes.

The skeleton in disguise took a spirited swing.

Dong! the gong rang heartily, along with Chopper and Bell's excited screams.

Brook humbly rubbed the back of his Afro. "Yohohohoho, I didn't think I had the muscle it takes," he jollied. "Ah, I don't have any muscles."

"You rang it out even louder than Usopp!" Chopper cried out in disbelief.

Usopp brushed off a brief frown and instead began puffing out his chest, catching his impressible friend's attention. "Of course he did! I was totally holding back! A man has to know his own strength! If I went all out, I would end up busting that poor gong right off!" he boasted.

"Really?!" Chopper burst out in utter admiration.

"Of course," Usopp persisted. He held his nose high up in the air. "Do you think I have been sitting on my thumbs these past two years? The great me today could even take Zoro!"

"EVEN ZORO?!" Chopper shrieked while his eyes sparkled with awe. Usopp was so cool! And the theme park was so much fun! It sure was nice of Nami to sponsor this trip, Chopper thought, even when there was nothing in it for her...

o-o-o

Nami took a step forward as soon as her feet touched the ground. She slipped her hands onto the shoulders of the man that was holding her, as she leaned in a for brief, but heartfelt kiss on the lips. Once she drew back, she saw the slightly amazed expression on Luffy's face, leading her to smile at him reassuringly; and for a moment, it looked like he was struck with the same relief that Nami had felt just a little while before.

Unsuspecting, a small voice escaped her lips when his hand suddenly grasped her waist and he pulled her back in close, his lips ensnaring her in another, more passionate kiss. Startled, Nami pushed against him with her arms trapped in between their bodies, but quickly gave in when his other hand got entangled in her hair to hold her against him desiringly.

A forceful wave of heat rushed to Nami's face and she panted against Luffy's lips when she opened her mouth to welcome his tounge. Her fingers slid from his clothed shoulders to caress his bare neck, making him shudder in delight.

There was still that inelastic feel on Nami's skin where trails of tears had dried on her cheeks. It was incredible to her how, just minutes ago, she had still been crying away all that bitterness that had consumed her for over a year, while lying in these very arms that were now inciting her. Luffy was just the kind of man that could turn any sorrow right around...

Fully enjoying the sudden change of mood, she raised herself up on her toes and pushed against Luffy slightly, to lean further into the kiss.

Nami's eyes shot open when she suddenly felt her lover give into her weight, letting himself fall back with his arms still tightly wrapped around her; and she shrieked when his actions caused both of them to topple over the rail and plunge to the lower deck.

Opening her eyes, Nami made to check on her captain beneath her, who had fully cushioned her fall. „Lu-" she began, only to be cut off by the unaffected man made of rubber, pulling her back in to resume their kiss. Luffy's grip loosened around her in favour of beginning to venture his hands over her body in search for patches of unclothed skin.

Struggling to breathe, with her breasts pegged against his chest and his lips entrapping her breath, Nami pushed herself up and slid her legs to his sides, where the spongy surface of the ship's coating bolstered her bare knees.

„Luffy" she breathed again, only to press her face in between his shoulder and neck when his hand trailed up her thigh and his fingers slipped underneath her short skirt to stroke her gently.

A pleasant shiver ran up Nami's spine and a tingle spread down in her lower belly. She was almost about to lose herself in the touch of the man that she loved, when suddenly, he pushed himself up and spun them around. Her back sinking into the soft coating, she glanced over Luffy's spacey eyes as he slightly pushed her knees apart, to kneel in between her legs.

Nami was only brought back to her senses when she watched her dazed lover reach down to undo his pants...

o-o-o

Chopper turned his head to where Bell was seated on his back. Happily, he took a bite off the cotton candy in her hand, that was already beginning to leave a sweet glaze on just about every part her body.

Theme parks sure are nice, Chopper thought content, blissfully unaware of the sticky mess that Bell was diligently distributing in his fur wherever she could reach.

"YohohoHOhaaAAHHH!" it sounded out above the sweets loving pair. Brook frightenedly spit out his soul as the rollercoaster cart rushed back down to inevitable doom.

"That was awesome!" Usopp cheered at the end of their ride. The cart joggled lazily to it's end position. "Com'on Brook, it's time to go," he urged his company, whose literal spirit was dangling livelessly from his already dead body.

"Why~ did I end up having to go on the ride...?" Brook lamented to himself as he was carried out, tucked away neatly underneath Usopp's arm.

Usopp waved a hand on his way over to Chopper and Bell, with their near-comatose Nakama still in tow. His gleeful expression soon changed to an aghast look when he finally got a good view of the sugar-coated baby on the back of her equally sugar-coated spirit animal.

"Sheesh," Usopp scolded, "let's go get you two washed off!" He pulled Bell out of the saddle before hanging Brook's listless corpse over Chopper's back instead.

Chopper happily licked his mouth as they trotted along, looking around for a place to rest. "This is so much fun! I hope Luffy's not sad that we went without him!" he sang.

Usopp took a look at Bell in his arms before gazing out contemplatively. The light mass of people around them dissipated into background noise, as he reflected on their likely reason for this day trip. If everything went according to Nami's resolve, Usopp thought, Luffy and her were probably in the middle of discussing her leave.

Usopp sighed in compassion for his best friend. Rather than the theme park, right now, surely Luffy had other things on his mind...

o-o-o

Nami grasped Luffy's hands, that were unzipping his shorts, stopping him inmidst his immodest intentions.

„Wait!" she shouted aghast. „Not here!"

His quizzical expression quickly turned into a carefree grin. „Why not?" he asked amused.

„Because we're in the middle of the ship, you idiot! Anyone could see us!" Nami blurted out annoyed.

Luffy cocked his head to the side. „But I saw the others leave earlier."

„Can't you count? Zoro and Sanji are still around here somewhere," Nami elaborated irritatedly.

It was her own mention of their crew, that suddenly made Nami realise horrified how far they had already gone. She quickly twisted her neck, trying to look around the ship from her compromising position.

„That's not 'anyone' though, just the two...," her horny lover continued to argue, only for Nami to end the discussion by shoving her hand over his mouth.

„We're Not. Having. Sex. in the middle of the ship!" she insisted.

Startled, Nami let out a small yelp when Luffy promptly lifted himself to his feet, all the while scooping her up effortlessly. Reflexively, she slung her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist when he gave her a friendly upwards toss in order to reposition his grip.

„Aye aye!" the Straw Hat captain complied with a grin as he carried his navigator across their ship to privacy/piracy.

o-o-o

Zoro rushedly turned his back towards the large gym window. A fierce blush tinted his cheeks as he sat down against the wall, facing the other way. „Sheesh! Get a room," he rumbled to himself, before crossing his arms and closing his eyes for an inpromptu midnoon nap.

And had anyone been there to see his expression, they might just have argued that it was touched by relief.

Author's Notes:

I know, such a tease. I hope you're all waiting for the next chapter with Antici... pation!

To my reviewers:

StrongGuy159:

Thank you as always!

Nadylyn Lilac:

You still have another 3 chapters to hope for it. Let's hope it won't happen in the next one though. Luffy's gonna be busy with other things ;)

Oddelks:

Oh, it was definitely heavily inspired by that! Some people also thought of Alabasta and Enies Lobby. I'll say, that all of those moments are part of the Luffy that I'm writing.

Mako-clb:

I'll honestly say, she'd probably feel that way, and rightfully so. Not necessarily regarding being a burden, but being afraid. Luffy has always stressed, that being a pirate meant having the resolve to put your life on the line. Aiside from her trauma, her fears are not irrational imho.

LadyGimmeLove:

Thank you for your lovely comment! I actually wrote it by chance and don't regret it either ^^ I have to say, I'm really, really not into family stories, and yet, somehow, The Bell's Chime has very much grown on me.

NullSilver2005:

While I have empathy for your frustration, I don't quite agree with the points that you're making. Luffy being her father would have nothing to do with whether or not Bell likes him. She has never met Luffy, he's literally just another stranger to her. Likewise, there would be no reason for Luffy to be a good father, as he has no experience being one. Parent-child relationships don't just magically exist, they must be built and reinforced over time. I don't know how far you've actually read the story, but there may just be some answers to your questions in later chapters. Of course that would require you to have an open mind towards the story that I am telling.