Because of the Mistletoe
For his first birthday after reaching the end of the Grand Line, Chopper had asked, in a rather small voice, if it would be possible to return to Drum Island. Everyone had stopped what they were doing, blinked at him, then dissolved into choruses of "of course" and "you don't need to look so guilty, geez." Chopper's eyes had brightened in excitement, a large smile spreading across his face, and he'd rushed off to inform Dr. Kureha and King Dalton while the others promptly delved into discussing the logistics of getting there.
So here they were, back in the icy castle Dr. Kureha still resided in one day before Chopper's birthday. She was so happy to see her adoptive son that she'd taken out her finest plum sake to celebrate his return, an act that Zoro silently appreciated. While the Straw Hats indulged in a variety of sweets and desserts, the elderly doctor cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention as she stood at the head of the dining table, her sharp eyes sweeping over the group of pirates.
"You brats aren't staying here for free," she stated bluntly, folding her arms over her chest.
The reindeer's mouth parted in shock. "Doctorine!"
Nami bolted to her feet in a flash, matching the doctor's stance with a hard glare. "What do you want from us?"
Dr. Kureha regarded her shrewdly. "I don't care for your money, so calm down, little girl." The navigator visibly relaxed, but her face remained tight as she waited for the doctor to continue speaking. The leader of the Isshi-100 tossed a rolled parchment at her, and Nami caught it with relative ease, the tension in her body disappearing as curiosity took over.
She unrolled the parchment and quickly scanned the written words, her brows drawing together in confusion. "What's this?"
Robin, who was seated next to her, looked over and read the contents of the parchment, her eyebrows raising. "It's a list of…various characters?"
On Nami's other side, Luffy swiftly snatched the parchment from her, squinting at the words. "Huh? Santa Claus?" He glanced up at Dr. Kureha with a frown. "What's this about, basan?"
The elderly doctor was knocking him to the ground in an instant. "How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that?!" She huffed and straightened her clothes, continuing to speak as if she hadn't just violently accosted the Pirate King and ignoring the incredulous looks from his nakama. "It's a list of different roles you'll be playing as you deliver presents to children on this island."
"Like hell we are!" Nami barked. "We're not a delivery service or here for your entertainment!"
"Don't forget that I saved your life, girl." Dr. Kureha wagged a condescending finger at her.
"And I'll always be grateful, but don't forget that Luffy saved your country!" The navigator countered fervently.
Dr. Kureha arched an eyebrow but was otherwise expressionless. "It's a special request from one of my patients. Her dying wish is to celebrate Christmas with her family, friends, and Santa."
The navigator's mouth closed with an audible snap.
"Dying wish?" Luffy echoed.
"There's no cure, Doctorine?" Chopper questioned, his eyes downcast.
Dr. Kureha sighed and dropped into her chair, lines of exhaustion appearing on her face. "I would've saved her a long time ago if there was one. She was born with this illness, and it's a miracle that she even lived past her first birthday."
There was a minute of silence. Nami asked softly, "How old is she now?"
"She turned five a few months ago." The elderly doctor took a large gulp of sake. "I don't expect her to make it to six."
"You don't know that," Luffy retorted defiantly from where he was still on the ground, his jaw set and fists clenched. "She's already lived until now and can continue to survive."
"Maybe," Dr. Kureha conceded. "I hope you're right, but there's no effective medicine at this point to slow down the progression of her illness. Her condition has severely worsened in the past month."
The silence that followed was heavy and stiff. Luffy bounded to his feet and looked the doctor in the eye. "We'll do it." He shifted his determined gaze to his nakama. "Right, guys?"
A few of them hastened to wipe away their tears. Those who hadn't shed tears replaced their grim expressions with smirks. "Yeah!"
"Have they agreed?" King Dalton's booming voice came from the doorway. He smiled broadly at them as he approached the table.
"You're in on this too?" Nami asked, partly in surprise and partly in accusation.
"Of course. If it pertains to the well-being of my citizens, I'm involved." The king came to a stop next to Dr. Kureha. "The preparations are ready as well."
"It seems like you planned it all in advance knowing that we would say yes," Robin mused with an amused lilt in her voice.
King Dalton chuckled. "Well, I had faith you all wouldn't let me down. You've always been a tenacious bunch, and I think your strong spirits are exactly what the people need this Christmas."
Usopp tapped his nose and grinned. "It can't be helped. Luffy already agreed to it, so we're all in!"
Nami pursed her lips. "Who would have fulfilled this wish if we didn't happen to be here at the right time?"
King Dalton and Dr. Kureha exchanged a look, and the latter shrugged. "I'm sure I could've forced the Isshi-100 to participate, although their time and skills are definitely more valuable utilized elsewhere." She waved them off. "Well, go ahead and decide on your roles."
The Straw Hats crowded around the list, and Usopp took it upon himself to lead the discussion. "So, the main star of the show is obviously Santa Claus," he began.
"Yohohoho!" Brook chortled. "If you're looking for a star—"
"I can be Santa Claus," Sanji interrupted, his eyes bulging with hearts, "and Nami-san—"
"I wanna be Santa!" Luffy interjected heatedly, his nostrils flaring.
No one else objected, and Brook and Sanji visibly deflated as Usopp scrawled Luffy's name next to the role of Santa. The sniper looked up with a smirk. "Who wants to be the lucky Mrs. Claus?"
The men immediately looked toward the two women in their crew. Robin merely smiled. "I've already decided that I want to be an elf. And besides, Nami is much more suitable for the role."
The navigator's mouth dropped open, and she flashed her only female companion a dark glare. "Who says the person acting as Mrs. Claus has to be female?! How about you, Zoro?"
While everyone snickered, the swordsman glowered menacingly. "Hell no! Sign me up for anything else."
"Anything else?" Usopp's gaze flicked back down to the parchment. "Well, it's either an elf or a reindeer so take your pick. And I'm putting Nami down as Mrs. Claus."
"I didn't agree to that!" She protested vehemently, her cheeks flushing as her eyes involuntarily darted over to Luffy. He blinked back at her. "Usopp, you be Mrs. Claus!"
"No thanks," the sniper rejected the notion easily. "I'm going to be a reindeer. And of course, our honorary reindeer is the birthday boy—Chopper!"
The little doctor beamed proudly. "I don't even need to act!"
Nami watched in silent horror as Usopp proceeded to seal her fate, writing her name next to the role of Mrs. Claus. Luffy sidled up next to her and grinned. "Why do you look so shocked, Nami?"
She clicked her tongue and glared daggers at him. "Because now we're married, you idiot."
"M-Married?!" The captain's jaw hung open, his eyes widening. Beads of sweat began to collect on his forehead, and he was suddenly overheating in his thick winter coat.
She arched an eyebrow in faint amusement. "You hate the thought of being married to me that much?"
Luffy spluttered incoherently, and she laughed at his expense, finding that this might be entertaining after all.
Nami placed her hands on her hips, surveying the scene before her. She had already changed into the costume prepared for Mrs. Claus, and it was surprisingly a good fit. She had always thought red was a great color for her complexion, and she appreciated the fact that whoever had designed the costume did their best to make it stylish. Adjusting her red bonnet, she watched as King Dalton's staff loaded a large sleigh with bags containing the presents they were supposed to deliver.
"Nami!"
She turned to find most of her nakama approaching and promptly burst into laughter. Chopper, Zoro, Usopp, and Brook were dressed as Santa's reindeers, complete with antlers and collars that had jingling bells. Zoro looked extremely aggravated, as if he'd had to be forced into wearing the accessories. Usopp and Brook seemed to be embracing their roles wholeheartedly, dancing and prancing around. Robin, Sanji, Franky, and Jinbe were an odd group of elves to behold. It had clearly been difficult to find costumes that fit Franky and Jinbe, as the two of them were wearing their normal coats, just with elf hats.
An ecstatic whoop caused them to look over, and Luffy appeared in a flurry of red and white, hopping straight into the sleigh with a large grin stretching across his face. "Let's go!"
Huffing out a laugh, Nami approached him and roughly fixed his Santa hat, which he was comically wearing over his straw hat. She patted down the front of his already rumpled red suit and smirked at his fake white beard. "That looks uncomfortable."
"Nah," Luffy said as he fussed with the beard. "Just a little scratchy."
"All right, you two lovebirds!" Usopp called from behind them. "We're gathering to go through the plan."
Rolling her eyes, Nami grabbed Santa Luffy by his collar to join the huddle. There was a total of four towns they were supposed to stop at, with the final town being that of the little girl who'd made the wish. Obviously, the "reindeers" weren't actually expected to pull the sleigh, although Zoro adamantly stated that he could carry all of their weight without a problem. They were using two sleighs each pulled by four oxen, and the Straw Hats would be evenly divided to travel accordingly. Naturally, Nami was the one who kept the map of their route and navigated from her seat next to Luffy, who refused to relinquish his hold on the reins.
On the way to the first town, they passed by a few lapahn and a Hiking Bear. Luffy threw himself into his role as Santa with the same exuberance he emitted in battle. Besides delivering gifts with gusto, he allowed young children to tackle him and climb all over him like koalas hugging a tree, and Nami couldn't help but admire her captain's charisma and infectious laugh. As Mrs. Claus, she presented all the children with a variety of cookies Sanji had insisted on baking, and she had to admit that seeing the joy on all of their faces made this endeavor worthwhile. The reindeers and elves helped spread Christmas cheer by playing with the children and singing songs, some more willingly than others. The Straw Hats participated in competitive snowball fights, built a countless number of snowmen, and even went sledding with some demanding children for a little while.
And before they knew it, they had reached the fourth and final town. Taking a deep breath, Nami mentally prepared herself to face the little girl with an incurable illness. She already knew that it would be difficult to remain professional and in a sense, unaffected. The house they were currently standing outside of was bustling with activity; it seemed like the entire town was gathered inside, and she was absolutely certain that this was where the little girl lived. She felt Luffy's presence before she saw him.
"Ready?" He asked with his signature grin, heaving a sack of presents over his shoulder.
She exhaled and gathered her bag of cookies. "Ready."
Luffy squinted up at the roof of the house. "Do you think I can fit through the chimney this time?"
Zoro abruptly had a flashback of being stuck years ago in a chimney in Water 7 and cringed.
"Don't you dare." Nami snorted and stepped forward to knock on the door firmly before he could try anything funny.
The door opened to reveal a young couple, presumably the little girl's parents. They exchanged a look and stepped aside to allow the Straw Hats entrance, announcing loudly, "Santa! We've been expecting you!"
Luffy cackled and stepped into the house without hesitation, his eyes immediately drawn to a large table covered with assorted dishes. He swallowed and involuntarily began to salivate, taking a purposeful step toward the table.
"Hands off," Nami hissed into his ear, gripping his arm tightly.
"Santa!" Came the delighted shrieks of several children, who clambered over each other in a race to reach him first.
Suddenly engulfed by limbs, Luffy stopped sulking and proceeded to tickle the children, eliciting giggles and more shrieks. As the rest of the crew filed into the house, taking in the surroundings, Nami turned to the young couple.
"Where's your daughter?" She asked with a small smile.
The mother returned the smile briefly. "She's in her room. We were hoping to have a private moment with Santa. I hope you don't mind that it's a little crowded in here—our friends and neighbors insisted on celebrating with us."
"Of course," Nami said softly in understanding. She glanced over at Luffy, who was busy handing out gifts to the children. "Do you mind if I speak to her first?"
"Not at all," the father said as he gestured down the hallway. "Her room is the first door on the right."
The mother carefully reached out to grab Nami's gloved hand, giving it a squeeze. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, and she rapidly blinked a few times. "Thank you."
Nami gently squeezed her hand in return before turning to Chopper, who had been observing their interaction. "Come with me?"
The reindeer nodded and followed her down the hallway. The navigator paused in front the door, steeled herself, and knocked twice.
"Come in," a small voice called out.
She pushed open the door, and her heart clenched tightly at the sight of the little girl sitting upright in bed. She had a festive dress on and her hair was tied up with ribbons in two adorable pigtails. Aside from the dark circles under her eyes, she didn't appear to be very ill, just fatigued. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, and suddenly she appeared to be like any other five-year-old.
"Mrs. Claus!" She exclaimed in excitement. "It's really you!"
"How did you know?" Nami asked with a wink. "Wouldn't you expect Mrs. Claus to be an older woman with gray hair and wrinkles?"
"No," the little girl said with a shake of her head, "you're the perfect Mrs. Claus for me."
The navigator pressed her lips together, abruptly feeling emotional. Beside her, Chopper sprung into action, jumping onto the bed with the sound of jingling bells. "Merry Christmas!"
"A real talking reindeer!" She clapped her hands together gleefully, her eyes twinkling. She threw her arms around Chopper, who instantly returned the embrace.
"Merry Christmas," Nami said warmly as she recollected herself and made to sit on the edge of the bed. "What's your name?"
"Hana," she replied, grinning up at the navigator. She had two symmetrical dimples, and Nami found herself wanting to poke her cheeks.
"Hana means flower," Nami mused thoughtfully. "Did your parents tell you why they named you Hana?"
"I'm a flower that bloomed in the winter," she said with a giggle.
"Against all odds," escaped from her mouth before she could stop herself. Nami struggled to speak through the lump that had formed in her throat. "I think your parents saw strength and beauty in you, despite the illness you were born with."
Hana's smile didn't falter in the slightest. "I'm strong."
There was a crash outside the room, and in the next second, Luffy was barging through the door, his eyes wild and fake beard askew. "Those brats—" He broke off as he took in the sight of Nami and Chopper with a little girl, who was peering at him in wonder with large, round eyes.
"Santa," Nami started pointedly, regarding him with a hint of a warning in her narrowed eyes, "this is Hana."
"Ah, Hana?" Luffy quickly snapped back into the role. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, Santa!" Hana returned the greeting with enthusiasm. "I've been a really good girl this year!"
The captain laughed boisterously. "Then you deserve a present!" He approached the bedside and came to a stop next to Nami. "What do you want for Christmas?"
Her expression became thoughtful, and Hana slowly lifted her arms. "Can you carry me, Santa?"
Luffy blinked rapidly, and Nami jabbed him sharply in the ribs. He sent her a dirty look before acquiescing, picking the girl up and setting her atop his shoulders. She giggled in delight, and the navigator smiled softly. Nami noticed that Hana's parents were standing in the doorway, watching them wistfully.
"Now, Hana, you can tell Santa what you want for Christmas and we'll do our best to make it happen," Nami encouraged, feeling rather comfortable in her role after adhering to it all evening.
"I already got what I want," Hana insisted as she latched onto Luffy's Santa hat tightly. "I just wanted to see Santa and Mrs. Claus."
Luffy and Nami exchanged a look. The former frowned in confusion. "That's it?"
"What Santa means is—what else can we do to make your Christmas special?" Nami expertly amended.
Hana shrugged. "Just spread love. I want there to be lots of love even when I'm gone." She didn't appear or sound sad, and Nami found it devastating that this little girl had come to terms with mortality at such a young age.
Luffy's hands stabilizing her legs tightened, and they heard sniffling from the doorway. Nami felt tears prickling her eyes but did her best to keep them at bay.
"Hana, you're loved by so many people," she began softly. "Your house is packed with friends and neighbors who want to celebrate Christmas together. Why don't we go out and join them?"
"Okay," she said decidedly, "after you show me how you'll spread love."
Nami thought about that for a few seconds before reaching up to take Hana into her arms. She smiled down at the little girl and pressed her lips playfully to her cheek. "Is this enough love for you?"
Hana blinked up at her and touched the cheek that had been kissed, an embarrassed giggle escaping her lips. Then she looked up expectantly at Santa, and Nami also trained her gaze on him. Luffy stared back, uncertain what was going on.
"Santa, give Hana a kiss," Nami ordered. "Or else."
Gulping at the threat behind her words, Luffy quickly leaned down and mimicked Nami's previous action, pressing his lips uncertainly to Hana's other cheek. He stood up straight and averted his eyes, stiffly pulling at his collar and scratching his neck. Nami stifled a laugh; he'd clearly never kissed anyone on the cheek before. Pleased, Hana flashed them a grin.
"Now Santa and Mrs. Claus!"
Astonished, Nami weighed her options as she looked at Hana, who was waiting patiently, and then at Luffy, who was frozen in place. Sucking in a breath, she arched a brow at her captain. "Why do you look so shocked, Santa?" Her lips pulled up into a devious smirk. "We're married, after all."
She observed his palpable discomfort with immense satisfaction. Luffy looked like he desperately wanted to escape, his eyes darting around the room for some sort of excuse. Suddenly, Hana was waving mistletoe victoriously in their faces, and Nami openly balked at the implications.
"Where did you get that?!"
"The reindeer," Hana said with a giggle.
Nami scowled at Chopper, who was innocently looking back at her. He said matter-of-factly, "Mistletoe has its uses in medicine, and I happened to have some with me."
"What a coincidence," she gritted out through clenched teeth.
Luffy was still immobile, and Nami sighed heavily. Adjusting Hana in her arms, she threw caution to the wind and stepped up to him, pecking him briefly on the lips. Indeed, it was a scratchy feeling with the fake beard tickling her face. Shocked, he gaped at her as she retreated, his tongue involuntarily darting out to wet his lips.
"Merry Christmas, Santa," Nami purred with a wink. "Don't be mad, I had to do it because of the mistletoe."
It took him a few more seconds to remember how to speak. "I'm not mad."
"Since you've behaved all evening, I'll give you the rest of my cookies," she offered.
He was back with renewed vigor. "Promise?"
"Promise." She held his strangely intense gaze, her heart pounding erratically.
Hana looked curiously between them. "Okay, Santa and Mrs. Claus, let's go already!"
Luffy and Nami smiled down at her, both silently vowing to make this Christmas one for the books.
End Notes: Just a little Christmas one-shot that I wanted to write. It could fit into the same universe as my multi-chapter fic, "Together Forever," although it works as a standalone as well. Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear from you if you enjoyed it. Happy Birthday, Chopper! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! :)