Author's Note: So this story that began as a one-shot and turned into a two year project is finally over with this final chapter. If you're still reading, enjoy the end of the story. This is still dedicated to "davidjokerortega" and although I don't think you're reading this, it wouldn't have been written without you. Thanks for everything everyone, stick around for more content and Allons-y!
One Week Later (Luffy's House)
Nami sat in a room that was slowly becoming familiar to her the more she visited Luffy at his home. From what she'd seen of the place, it was comfortable. Homey and moderately safe aside from the rubble wall in the basement. He kept everywhere besides his weight room a lot cleaner than someone would expect although that may only be for when I come over.
A few vibrant noises and a screech of joy road the waves of buttered popcorn as they made their way from the kitchen before sitting beside Nami on the couch. Luffy walked in with a bowl of popcorn as large as his head and plopped down next to the girl.
"Hey Nami, I picked up that fat free popcorn you said you eat. I figured I'd try the stuff too. Can't really mess up popcorn." he said pointing the bowl in her direction with a nudge. She took a handful and resumed the movie they were watching. Nami took her popcorn with victory because she 'convinced' Luffy to watch this.
"It's been about an hour now" she thought was a smirk leaning into him some melting into serenity.
Luffy threw the first handful of popcorn down his throat and his face gradually turned sour. "No! I've had it! This boring movie has no ending and they somehow screwed up popcorn. I can't handle this" he thought determined.
"This movie sucks. There are no explosions and Judy's just a bitch" he complained before filling his mouth with popcorn. It tasted like cardboard to the straw hat wearer but cardboard flavored food was still food. "And this popcorn is terrible I don't know what you see in it" he said as he began to fill his mouth with more of the bitter counterfeit food.
"Damnit he finally said something" she thought only half serious. "At least he almost got Gina's name right but he's right about this crappy movie."
She looked to the movie on the television and realized she didn't want to watch this either. It was more to see if he'd let her and boy did she enjoy holding the whip.
"Do you want to do something besides watch the movie then?" she said closing her eyes and leaning towards the teen. Nami was nervous since she asked him to take things slow with all that had happened so this was only going to be their second kiss. An important one or so she figured though she held the position that the first one would be hard to beat.
Luffy heard this and leaned in kissing Nami before swallowing. She didn't notice until it was too late and she instantly pushed him away grossed out.
"Swallow first, idiot" she said wiping her lips with her finger. "And I thought you didn't like that stuff" she teased, laughing as she watched him choke attempting to swallow the popcorn that stretched his cheeks.
He pounded on his chest freeing the lodged food and allowing the teen to breathe again. His laughter incited a cough that he bowdlerized into sobs as he hugged Nami's waist hoping it would help.
"Someone help, I'm falling for a dumbass" she smiled looking down so her eyes could match his. She leaned forward slightly and he matched her motion, though she seemed more timid than the first time as her lips retreated hesitantly away from his. He tried to follow as he took went to pull away but Nami used her free hand to grab his chin and kiss him gently. They broke apart and she smiled at him before nuzzling under his arm as they lay there.
Luffy breathed in a sigh of content before his eyes brimmed past his hat toward the orangette in his arms. "How were things with Nojiko at home now that you told her the truth about Arlong and your mom?" he asked knowing this was probably a tough question,
Her skin prickled at the memory of Nojiko's face when she came clean with everyone in the ambulance that day. Arlong killing her mother, her hiding the truth about it all those years from her sister and even when he came back and hurt Roy. She looked devastated and she instantly broke into tears. Nami expected that but it still crushed her soul to see. The anguish she'd felt now reflected into her on her sisters face she'd been forced to suppress all these years, Nojiko was only now realizing the burdens Nami was forced to endure.
"I was so scared she'd blame me. Maybe even hate me…" Nami began recalling everything that was on the line if he sister hadn't forgiven her. "But she deserved to know." She knew she risked her sister hating her forever but the closeness she once had with Nojiko would never come back if she kept something like this in any longer. She didn't have to now that Arlong was gone.
"She could never hate you. No one who knows you could hate you" he said squeezing her hand in his. "Plus now you two can finally fully relax around each other. Go back to normal" Luffy began before reaching for the phone.
"Wanna get a pizza and watch a zombie movie or something" he asked with a mischievous grin. Nami couldn't think of anything she'd rather do.
"My kind of date" she said laughing as her saliva pooled at the thought of the cheesy pizza. She couldn't recall the last time she was so tranquil and Nami lacked a worry in the world. Cloud nine was what Robin called her situation with Zoro. She swore to secrecy, meaning they also told Vivi and Nojiko, but that was a nice way to sum up how she felt as well.
She squeezed his hand back as he started dialing the pizza places number. "Perfect…"
*KNOCK *KNOCK
"Ruined" she thought with a huff sound like that of a horse. The breath blew some hair from Nami's face and she noted it had gotten longer from its usual chin length.
"Damnit" Luffy pouted thinking of the delayed pizza he almost ordered. He felt colder as he stood and walked toward the door. He threw a black hoodie over his head from off the coat rack and proceeded to open the door to see the person he now dreaded to see. The visit was long overdue, not only because of the years but because it had been a week since they spoke last.
"Sup Luffy" Shanks beamed with a smile that Luffy recognized as his own. Although now, Luffy wasn't smiling as he regarded his father with contempt and disappointment. Shanks's heart ached as he noted how different that look was from the boyish one that was clearly lost in the years. How the times have changed.
"Cute girl. I like what you've done with the place" Shanks began as he walked past his adopted son and into his home, acting as though the tension wasn't thicker than Usopp's oversized nose. "And I smell popcorn. Terrible popcorn but that cardboard butter is un-mistakable" Shanks said tweaking his final word and making his way around the couch.
"Luffy I'll talk to you tonight" Nami said as she grabbed her bag and slipped her shoes on. She tried to be as swift as she could and she hugged Luffy at the door. He whispered a hasty, "I'll call you" as he held the door open for her to leave. He shut it behind her letting it swing shut.
"She seems like a good girl" Shanks said as he regarded his son with intrigue. His reaction was impossible to predict but he believed he had a few more attempts before Luffy finally exiled him from his life.
"I doubt you came here to start acting like a father. What do you need" Luffy asked genuinely curious because it was apparent his dad wasn't present and probably wouldn't be for long.
Shanks gave the place a once over with his eyes and was happy to see picture frames of himself and Luffy before so many scars sewed between flesh. "Not specifically. How's the hand?" he asked as his eyes glossed over Luffy's now bandaged hand.
"Just a bruised bone" Luffy responded tersely, waiting for the red haired agent to get to his point.
Shanks realized that a direct approach would be best way to reduce any more pointless talk. Tear the band aid off and deal with the recoil until it settles. And hopefully in doing so, you reduce pain and not cause any more damage.
He took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts before turning to face his son who was now as tall as him. "For one, no charges will be placed against you or your friends for the altercation with Arlong. His voice was stern and professional, even to the extent of being cold and distant. "In fact you've helped us catch a bad dude who had a reward on his head. Twenty thousand to be accurate since you guys basically brought him in. Best part is, he'll be in prison on the other side of the country after tonight."
He finished his speech perfectly as he had prepared it and watched to see a reaction from his son. The hat he'd left with him shaded the teen's eyes as he absorbed each word.
"Should I be happy for not being charged with anything?" he said monotone acting as though no words would be able to fix the damage done. "It's your fault he was able to get out again and torment Nami all these years. He's your case, your problem that I had to clean up!" Luffy's voice boomed turning the room into a soundless pit.
Shanks flinched, naïve to the possibility of the volume changing so drastically. It made him rethink what he was going to plead as what he was previously ready to say now seemed insufficient.
"Look, I know things got messy but it's all over now. All that crap's in the past… Arlong, my being absent. I'm being transferred home for my last year before retirement so we can be a family again. It's time, son-…" Shanks couldn't finish his monologue before Luffy interrupted him.
"Like I care!" he said and punched shanks with a jab to the stomach, tears forcing their way onto the brim of his eyes. Shank's eyes widened not fully expecting the blow. His body slide back sliding on the blue carpet but Shanks recovered the way any agent would but restrained himself noticing Luffy's fascial expression.
He takes a step forward and keeps walking toward Luffy. "He hits harder now" he thought with pride that did not slip past his serious expression.
"What does being back now matter?" Luffy asked struggling to not lose control as he let years of pent up emotions free. "All those lost years… the time you were gone while I grew up. That won't ever change." Out of anger, Luffy punched Shanks again in the same spot yet his surrogate father, although slowed down by the strike, continued to walk through the punches. Again and again until he reached arms reach and pulled Luffy into a hug.
"Leaving you for my work was the hardest choice of my life. But it couldn't be helped" Shanks comforted as Luffy fought the tears he would surely deny later. "Surely you can understand my reasons" he finished.
Luffy nonchalantly wiped his runny nose on his dad's shirt as they hugged before he spoke. "I grew up for the most part without you. Became a man you could be proud of. It was so hard on my own….I missed you."
Shanks smiled breaking the hug but still clutching Luffy by his shoulder. "And I'm SO proud" he jeered giving the limb a shake.
"I found some great friends. They saved me" Luffy said smiling to his father. He liked that he was taller than him though the stubborn geezer would probably contest against that irrefutable fact until he was blue in the face. If he mentioned it.
"The hat finally fits you. It looks good on you" Shanks pointed causing Luffy to look at the hat that had become like an extension of his head. He'd forgotten that it never truly fit until he'd grown some and was left stunned at where the time had gone.
They shared a small laugh and Luffy inquired, "You think?" with a goofy chuckle as he pinched the front of his straw hat.
"Doesn't look as good as it did on me but that's a high bar to clear, champ." Luffy's ears perked at the jab and fired back best he could in the moment. "Oi bastard. Screw you." Shanks laughed at his response making the young martial artist pout subtly.
"Nami likes it fine" Luffy muttered under his breath losing interest in this reunion real quick.
Luffy's House Party
Sanji and Shanks stood at the grill exchanging recipes for the best way to barbeque burgers. Apparently, Sanji indents a small hole for juice to fill and that helps you know when it's done. Sanji appreciated that Shanks mentioned that flipping the burger too much takes away the juice.
Everyone else was in the sizable yard as well, Robin and Zoro were playing chicken in the pool against Franky and Vivi. It got canceled by the self-proclaimed and self-named pool security officers, AKA Captain Usopp and Chopper, The Medic Of Death, for being overly competitive but it's more likely Zoro and the others just got tired of listening to them whine about authority rules. Brook was playing music in his swimwear and the weather couldn't have been nicer, being near time for summer vacation.
Luffy was sitting on a beach chair next to the curvaceous figure of a tanning Nami. He was enjoying a plate full of burgers, incessantly dipping them into the ketchup on his plate. His eyes met Nami's and although his mouth was overflowing with beef, the orangette couldn't help but smile.
"A week ago, I would have been beaten in a dark room somewhere carrying out my sentence all because of a dumb mistake made by a child" she began to think getting lost in her thoughts. "I resigned myself to that life thinking it was too late to undo all that Arlong had done. My fate was set, engraved on my grim shackles that bastard cuffed me in the day we met. Letting Luffy in was not only a trial but a horrifying one. And yet the courage to take that chance ultimately led to all of this happiness."
"By the way Nami" Luffy began as a mischievous smile molded his face and brought Nami out of her thoughts. "There was a reward for Arlong's capture. B30, 000 and we figured no one but you should get that money. Pay for that Institute of Topographic and Cartography Studies thingy."
Nami couldn't believe what she had just heard. Now she had a clear future ahead of her, one that didn't bind her into submission. Total freedom of choice and the unknown. She was in bliss.
"Thank you, Luffy. For everything" she said as they embraced in a hug. She pulled away and gave him a small kiss on his lip.
"By the way, Robin and I are dating" Zoro said loudly in the middle of the yard. He figured now was as good a time as any to come clean so he decided to just rip the band aid off.
"WHAATTT!?" Sanji yelled, instantly looking to Robin for confirmation in a way that could have given his head whiplash. She smiled at him with a nod as she dried her face with a towel and handed a second one to Zoro. "Thanks babe" he said glancing at a livid Sanji just to twist the katana deeper into the wound.
No one's face dropped at the news aside from Sanji, Usopp, Brook, and Chopper. Everyone else seemed more or less in the loop on the matter.
"Yeah Vivi and I were waiting for things to die down to tell everyone about us" Franky said also watching to see Sanji's cries. Usopp shrieked just fantasizing about all the damage this could do to the group.
"Luffy are you okay with this!?"
He laughed at his friends comment. "Yeah Nami and I are dating too. Don't be a negative Nancy. We can even talk to some people, maybe get you together with Kaya" Luffy teased further making his friends laugh.
"Please don't" Usopp said chuckling.
"Yeah Usopp!" Chopper chimed in. Brook laughed evilly after making Usopp's skin chill. "We can set up a trial of courage with Usopp the hero!" he began making Usopp cheer and ogle at the idea.
"But Nojiko will make me a skeleton again to make it authentic" he finished with a "Yohohoh." Nojiko choked on her drink laughing as she coughed to fight for her words. "I'm in" she laughed much to Usopp's dismay.
Nami just watched them as they all interacted. All of her… friends.
"Please don't!" Usopp yelled at the paralyzing thought.
Again, everyone was laughing. This is what they all wanted. What they fought for. Nami knew this and she was becoming more and more subconscious about that fact and she was realizing how precious moments like these were. Because she knew some people didn't and don't have them and may never.
"Thank you, Luffy." She thought. For this chance at a different path and for giving her the things she thought she would never have again. For saving her from Arlong. For everything.
Shanks patted Luffy on his back with a smile that his son mirrored. "This is a nice crew you found yourself." Luffy looked at all of them, enjoying themselves and being happy. He'd make sure it stayed like this, forever if he could.
Author's Note: Changing Fate's finale has hit its critical mass so until next we meet! Drop your finals thoughts it would mean so much! Hope you enjoyed that's what it's all about! Again, thank you so much for reading and have a great day!