Title: Whim
Word count: 300
Media: fic
Characters: Nami, Sanji
Prompt: 'dancing'
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The moonlight painted a thousand crests silver, and the ship rose and fell to the rhythm of the waves.
She could smell tobacco on the breeze that played with her red hair.
"What is it?" She heard him ask, the smell of rich spices mixed with smoke and salt.
A thin smile graced her lips; it was silly.
"Nothing."
"I'm not stupid you know."
"Yes you are, baka"
His soft baritone laugh.
"What were you thinking about, just now?" His eyes honest and piercing blue.
"I just…" she sighed. No point lying to him, he always knew…
"I never danced."
She thought he would laugh… or maybe foam at the mouth.
"I can dance."
The words were spoken with quiet confidence. Optimism.
It was such a stupid thing. After all that had happened. All the years, all the sacrifices, and all the suffering… If she started crying, she would never stop. So she was numb.
But sometimes, a memory of a childhood dream would haunt her. On nights like this, it was the little things that hurt the most.
"Would you teach me?" She whispered.
With a flourish, the cigarette was gone and the cook was kneeling before her, one hand outstretched,
"You would do me the honour?" One long-lashed eye invited her to put her hand in his.
He held her gaze and stood slowly, guiding her arms around his slender waist. He interlaced his long fingers with hers,
"Is this alright?"
"Yes."
When she was a tiny girl crying at night, she used to imagine that a shining prince would come. He would take her out to sea where she could draw maps, and dance with her at night under the stars.
Something inside her broke and a single tear darkened a patch of his orange shirt.
"Thankyou."
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