Luffy was on his lunch break looking up a video about sign language, he was getting the hang of it since he been studying it the last three days . He wanted to be able to talk to Nami a bit better and this way she could answer him back without having to write him any notes. But in the mean time when ever he was at work Nami was able to reach him through text thanks to an old Iphone he had, he was lucky he kept it when he brought a new one. This way he knows whats going on at home and to be aware if she needed anything. Vivi had manage to buy Nami some wearable clothes and got her cleaned up along with nursing her bruises. Nami had been taking her antibiotics for that infection she had and that too was slowly healing. Over all Nami was slowly but surely recovering. For Luffy though these past three days had him rather stress. Not because of taking care of a woman he didn't really know but not knowing what the hell happen to bring about how she became the way she was the day he met her. Luffy was mad when he first found out about her being abuse and it doubled when he saw the bruises and burn marks. Luffy nearly broke his steering wheel while he was on his way to pick up the items Vivi sent him for. It took two days to fully calm down his nerves. It wasn't getting in the way of his work or anything but the last thing he needed was to take his anger out of someone that he might hurt very badly, he at least want to have a legit reason of kicking someone ass then using his anger as an excuse for it. There was one thing thats been bothering Luffy however and that was Nami has been sleeping alot and he was worried, nearly every time he got home she was in bed, the first couple of days he ignored it thinking it was lack of sleep but today he began to bother him.
Nami had been his houseguest for three days and he was getting more and more concerned about her and decided if today she didn't stir, perhaps a trip to a doctor would be in order. Nonetheless, he continued to practice with his signing.
His iPhone buzzed, and there was a message from Nami, "Luffy, I'm sorry. I've been so tired. It felt as though I've never been to sleep. I'm good now. See you when you get home. Love Nami."
Luffy looked at the message again. Yup, she sent love Nami. He smiled a bit before setting the phone down and went back to the video. Luffy be lying if he said he didn't start to have feelings for Nami. And no it wasn't cause she was all cleaned up and everything, he thought she was cute when they first met and she was eating the food down, he even wanted to take a little picture just to see it whenever he was bored. He liked her but he didn't want to push her into anything, after what she been through a part of him wonder if she would want any man touching her. He understood why he was so pissed off, it was because he was slowly starting to like her and after these last three days of checking up on her and doing what he could to take care of her and putting his time to learn how to sign then it was clear that he didn't just like her.
Luffy continued to practice. he just wanted to let her know he thought enough of her to try to communicate on her level. Passing notes and sending texts were okay, but this would be something she'd appreciate, that was how Luffy did things anyway, try to make others happy as best way he could.
Arriving home at his usual time, the house was just as clean and tidy as a photo out of Good Housekeeping. After being on his own for a couple of years, Luffy grew accustomed to his own mess and clutter, after all, He was the only one around to look at them. Of course after a "Talk" with Vivi he had to make sure the house was decent (By Talk he means a few blows to the head and a reminder that she would call his grandpa on him) Luffy shudder at that thought, his graps was the LAST person he wants to deal with right now.
Out of the back bedroom walked Nami. Oh damn, what a difference a few days had made. Nami wore a pair of the dark blue jeans He picked out, along with a red long sleeved shirt. The white shoes she wore made her legs seem even longer. Her light orange hair fell just to her shoulders and surrounded her round face highlighting her cheekbones. Those brown eyes Vivi mentioned drew him in like a magnet. Her eyes seemed to glow like a dragon from medieval times.
Nami not only had a fine figure; she was just ass kicking cute. For a woman a year older then him , damn was she was a looker.
Nami looked good. No, scratch that. Nami looked damn good!
She looked up and saw me staring at her. She smiled and spun around showing off her outfit. Luffy smiled showing giving her a thumbs up of approval.
Luffy then thought of something and a bulb lit up in his head, he drop his backpack and took a breath and look at Nami. "Here goes" Luffy thought
He put his hand out so Nami knew he was going to sign something. "W-O-W, N-A-M-I. U- L-O-O-K G-R-E-A-T."
Luffy was hoping he had it right, three days of watching videos plus using his brain more so then normal was tiredsome but he knew it would be worth it, that she was worth it.
Luffy then began to panic as she started to tear up, he watched her as he try to figure out what to say or do freaking out some.
Nami walked over and placed her arms around his waist surprising him as she lowered her head on his chest. Luffy could see a few tears falling down her cheeks as they rolled away from her face. Luffy only known this woman for three days, and yet he felt such a deep connection with her.
Luffy didn't know why but as she was being this close to him, he felt a feeling he never felt in his life.
And then it happened. Luffy didn't plan it. He didn't think about it. It just happened.
Luffy touched her face, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, it wasn't deep or anything of the sort, more like a peck if anything else
Nami was warm and inviting as he pressed his body slightly against hers. Luffy slipped his hand from her face and ran his fingers down through her hair, the softest hair Luffy ever felt, continuing his touch as his fingers slid down along her spine. Luffy could smell the scent of her body and her freshly washed hair. He moved from her lips and kissed her eyelids as gently as he could. Luffy then placed a small kiss or two on her ear and down along the side of her neck. Luffy ran his hand across her shoulder and felt her bra strap hiding under her shirt. He moved the strap back and fourth across her shoulder with one finger, teasing her…
Luffy mind snapped back to life, what the hell was he doing!? He backed away a little red in the face as he stared at the woman, he did not plan on doing any of that, it sorta came out like that. At least that what Luffy assume happen. As he stood there he was trying to remember the sign of saying sorry but his mind although snapped back was too much in shock as to what he just done.
Nami moved her fingers slowly and he tried to follow their movements. Wait, Luffy remember seeing that one, it means 'kiss.' She signed, "Kiss me again." Luffy was able to understand her first sign to him. Nami took a few steps in toward Luffy, then she placed her arms on top of his shoulders, and stepped into him.
When Luffy recovered from the shock of being pulled in for more, He took her into his arms again and brushed back the hair from her eyes. Luffy ran his fingers across her ears and down the side of her face. Nami closed her eyes and her head fell back as though she was in a trance. Her hair fell from her shoulders and hung down her back.
Luffy placed small kisses down the side of her face and along her neck. As he continued his way back to her warm velvet smooth lips, which she parted slightly, his tongue darted inside her mouth as he pulled her tight against him. God she smelled sweet. Luffy could feel Nami's heart pounding in her chest. Her face was aglow and he could feel the heat when her cheek touched his.
Luffy had moved the front of her shirt's collar to one side as he kissed down her neck and along her shoulder. he could feel Nami melting in him arm.
Luffy was caught up in the moment. Before Luffy was aware of what his hands were doing, it was too late. He somehow managed to drop both on her butt and was slowly touching her. Luffy could feel the outline of her panties against the tight jeans. She felt good.
Then Luffy got a grip with my emotions, and he moved his hands from her jeans and pushed her back.
Nami looked confused. Hell Luffy was confused. He only known this woman for three days, and they were getting beyond friendly. Luffy wanted her. He wanted her badly. He closed his eyes for a second and envisioned pulling her jeans down those slender legs of hers, slipping her shoes off to see her in those white socks of hers. Touching her between her legs to feel her moisture. Luffy knew he only had to make one move, and she would comply. But that's not what he had promised her. Luffy didn't want her to feel as if she was obligated to repay his kindness.
He guess what they just did had an effect on Nami too. She wasn't upset with him, instead she took his hand and led him over to the computer in his home office. She pulled out a chair and motioned to him to sit down beside her. She opened up the word processor and began to type. Now, Luffy can type, it's wasn't the biggest part of his job but he can do it well, but Nami, damn could she type. Her fingers flew across the keyboard; the images of words popped up on the screen.
Nami typed and Luffy watched letters form into words on the screen, "Your signing made me feel wanted. It's the best feeling I've had for years. I'll work with you if you want to continue to learn to sign."
"And….you're a good kisser. For all you have done for me, I am in your debt." Nami looked back over her shoulder to him.
Luffy place his hand on her shoulder and smiled warmly, "You're welcome Nami."
She smiled back and then turned back to the keyboard. "Why did you stop?"
"Consider that kiss as payment in full," He said, although a part of him knew that wasn't the case at all. "I don't want you to ever think you need to do something you don't want to do. If the time comes, we'll both know it." He said with a big smile on his face while patting her head.
She smiled back at the cute gesture. Luffy then looked at her placing his hands on his knee, "I'd really like to know happened to you, Nami." Luffy knew it wasn't the best time to ask this, he just a few seconds ago was kissing this woman and groping her butt. He just needed to know what had happen to her before he found her three days ago.
Her fingers started typing again, "I have master's degree in English literature. Kind of odd considering I'm deaf, but I find words to be magical. They talk to me. Being deaf makes it harder to get a teaching job, especially in English literature so, I started editing manuscripts for the college kids. I got such good feedback that many of my jobs came from the professors working on their dissertations. I did a lot of books and stuff, editing for grammar and flow. I wasn't getting rich, but I made enough to pay for the rent and buy food." Luffy took in that info and smiled a bit, she was sure ahead of him in the learning aspect of things. Sure he got his teachings from Tony and learn a few other things from his high school but she sure seemed to had gotten around for the most part.
"Then I meet Arlong. He was much younger than I was, almost six years younger than I at the time we met. But, what a smooth talker, and within a month we were living together. I thought I was in love. He told me he loved me. I was wrong. He went through all the savings I had. He even sold my personal things. I found out too late he was big-time into drugs. All he wanted to do was get high, it didn't matter what it took to afford it, he lived to get high." Luffy eye slightly twitch, just slightly, he told himself to chill and read this through.
"He sold everything I owned, the only clothes I had were the ones on my back. Then he tried to trade me for drugs. The deal was I was to give his friends sex in return for some meth. I fought with him. He wanted the drugs, and I was his only source of getting them. My body for his drugs."
"When I told him I wouldn't do that, he hit me. Then he struck me again, over and over he hit me. He took off his belt, I turned my face into the bed, and he hit me again. He struck my back and legs with his belt. I cried out in pain, begging him to stop, but it only infuriated him even more. Luffy, I tried to fight back, but he slammed his fist into my face." Luffy gripped his knees breathing a little heavily as he read on.
"I started to cry uncontrollably, tears cascading down my cheeks and onto the bed. I begged and pleaded to him to stop hurting me."
"Then I saw a flash. It was a knife blade catching some stray light in the room. My God I felt Arlong was going to cut me, perhaps even kill me. I started to pray dear God don't let me die here." That feeling was slowly creeping back, that same feeling he had when he saw those marks and it was coming back in full force, it amazed even him that he didn't lose it then and there but he held himself in place still gripping his knees.
"Just then, two of his drug buddies showed up. I remember them taking my clothes off. I thought I was going to be raped. They grabbed my waist and flipped me over on the bed. Arlong, the man I thought I loved, took his cigarette and started to burn me. He burned my breast and my legs while his two buddies held me down. He was laughing at me. They were all laughing at me. He struck me on my legs with his belt again after they had taken my pants off. I yelled out in pain. Oh Luffy, it hurt so bad. I tried fighting back, but they were too strong for me."
"They gave me something to drink, Rohypnol I think, and it started to mess with my head. Then suddenly they went back into the other room to get high. I seized the opportunity, and I got up, put on what clothes I could and while they were shooting up, I ran out the door. I never looked back.
"Whatever it was they gave me messed me up. It made me sleepy and put me in some sort of daze. I staggered around for hours before the cops found me. Even at the hospital I felt like zombie. I tried to get someone to help me, but they just pushed me aside. Just today, I started to feel like myself."
"Luffy, I have no way to repay you for all you have done for me. Like Arlong told me that night, "The only thing I have of any value is between my legs and under my shirt."
Then Nami stopped typing. Her story unfolded before His eyes on the computer's screen. She turn to him with puffy eyes, she seemed to been crying, she looked down and was shocked when she saw Luffy's knees. Through out that story he read he was digging his nails through his skin to the point it drew blood. Luffy didn't felt a thing, the pain was nothing at all to the pain he sure Nami went though. His hair was covering his eyes before he spoke.
"He burnt you before didn't he? That's why some of the burns got infected." He said slowly looking at the screen for a reply.
The computer screen glowed with new words, "Yes, but he said he was sorry."
"And he beat you before with his belt. He burnt you before. Nami , that's not love by anyone's measure. Nami, you need to tell the cops, report that bastard!" Luffy said with a hint of anger in his voice, he was trying hard to hold it back.
The keyboard started clacking, "It's three against my one word. Who's going to believe me?"
"I do…" Luffy said in a quiet tone.
Nami attempted a weak smile and began typing again, "Luffy all my life all I ever wanted was to be loved. Just to have someone hold me and tell me that I'm loved. That they love me. I'm twenty-five years old and the only person that ever did that was Arlong. And it was a lie.
"My father drank himself to death when I was just a kid. Mom ran off to the west coast leaving me in different family services. I've never heard from her again. I don't know whether she is even alive. No one wants a deaf kid to adopt, we're almost always judged to be retarded or mentally challenged…slow.
"As a teenager I worked, saving my own money for college. Being deaf, I took great pleasure in books. I read anything and everything. I found that I could pick out errors in the grammar used in books and magazines. I don't know why, but I can recall facts from almost anything I read. It's as though it gets stuck up in my head. It was this gift I had, and one college gave me a free ride because of it.
"And you know Luffy, college, it's just one big party. But, when you can't hear, you can't talk. I'd try, and they would all laugh at me. I know I can't speak very well, so I very rarely try." Luffy read all of this and to be blunt his life wasn't that simple ether, he wasn't the smartest kid at his school and often he would get picked on, he had little friends at that time as well. His mom had passed and his dad disappeared and the only person who took care of him was his grandfarther, he had two brothers, even if they wasn't related by blood he still say them as his blood brothers, one had died during a war leaving him with just his one older brother. He grew up and learn everything he knew because of the help from others, that was Luffy way of living, he knew he couldn't survive on his own and there for depended on his friends and family to help him out through it all and they have been there for him. Which was why Luffy felt it was his duty to do the same for those he held dear to him and Nami was no different, the hell with her being deaf it didn't matter to him. She was a beautiful, smart and cool person to him and hearing any of this didn't made him pity her but made him mad that he wasn't there for her sooner.
"I was always the third person. I was always the deaf girl they made fun of. They would ask me to talk and then mock me. All I ever wanted was to be with someone, someone that loved me for being just me deafness and all. Is that too much to ask for, Luffy?"
Luffy stared at the screen then at her. No it wasn't too much to ask, in fact for him it was the simplest request you could ask from someone. Luffy then understood then and there, he love this woman, deafness and all.