hmfan24: I love writing this. It's so fun. I want to keep it that way, so I think I'm going to write chapters at a moderate rate. I don't want to burn myself out. It's difficult cranking out 5k long chapters! It'll still be long, though. Anyway, I realize things seem like they're happening pretty fast for the flagship pairing, but maybe their relationship won't be what you're expecting at first.

Disclaimer: I don't own the art and I don't own the characters. I got the art from Leika on pixev. She's pretty cool.

Surprise Island Adventure

As the cat burglar looked up to the palm tree, she facepalmed. Her face gave away her sentiments about last night. Everything went pretty well for the majority of the night. However, shit started going south after midnight. "What do you remember about last night?" laughed Nami. Nothing major happened, but talking aloud about the shift of currents for their relationship proved to be more difficult than she initially thought. The way she felt had nothing to do with how easy it was for her to verbally recount what happened.

Luffy cocked his head to the side. Upon jumping to the ground, he began to give her the impression that he remembered nothing. The sight of Nami getting so flustered around him seemed so novel and curious. As he leaned forward into her personal bubble, he observed her face gradually redden. In turn, his face reddened, too. How odd! Blushing is contagious. That didn't stop him from grinning. "I remember telling our Nakama about how I love you," he said, nearly gloating. Drawing back a bit, he crossed his arms. There were other things that happened, too. He didn't drink a substantial amount of alcohol compared to the amount of food he ate, but drinking alcohol wasn't his forte like it was Nami's. Recalling the events of last night was difficult for him.

Pushing his face away from hers, she looked away with a mild scowl. "Then everyone freaked out and then they calmed down," she recalled as she was talking. Intentionally, she left out the biggest details (not the biggest detail, but close enough). Maybe Luffy forgot.

"Ah," exclaimed Luffy, "So when did we kiss?"

How could they go back to normalcy now? Nami got a bit dizzy. Of all people, how did she end up falling for someone like him? The way their crew perceived their relationship was the least of her concerns, however. If she could just find a way to interact with the captain without getting so flustered, that would be a paramount step to regaining a grip on her sanity. After taking a deep breath, she could finally get out a few more sentences. The navigator cleared her throat, "After some time passed, a few of our crew members decided to have us 'walk the plank' and land on this island for mutiny."

"What?!"

"We agreed to it," added Nami, "I'm sure they'll come back for us once they wake up." She felt almost positive that they planned on returning. Brushing her hair off her face, she briefly surveyed the coast for any sign of ships. If only she had her notepad, she could at least make a map of the island they were stranded at. For now, her memory would have to suffice.

Still curious to know Nami's sentiments about last night, Luffy grimaced. It wasn't like her to avoid expressing her feelings. By her avoidance, he began to assume that he upset her with the kiss. The numbers didn't add up. Why did she hold his head the first time? All this pondering made him hunger for food and for her. For now, he could only fulfill one of those desires. "Ah," he announced, "I'm going to look for food." She stayed attuned to the land and disregarded what he said. Was that intentional? If he stayed any longer, he'd start to get annoyed. Luffy usually didn't think this far ahead, but he was taking extra care to avoid pissing her off today. This new feeling - love, was it - matured him like fighting for what he believes in usually matures him.

He had the attraction to her. Definitely. Marriage at the tip of his tongue, he wanted to leap to that milestone with her. Love equals matrimony, right? At least, that's how she spelled it out to him. In his mind, he'd already proposed. If they got married, then they could become Pirate Queen and King just like they agreed upon. It was as simple as that. He also knew that if he didn't play his cards right, he could alienate her. Maybe he could find some nice things to give her that would help her become more comfortable. While he wanted to touch her in more, warmer places, that wasn't the priority. Now, part of his dream was to be with Nami along with his other Nakama.

Again, he felt guilty. She shouldn't be his priority.

Luffy had yet to be able to rationalize why she was at the top of his mind. Was that the reason his Nakama had reacted the way they did? Nami was just as important as everyone else, but he wanted to do different things with her. Like, he liked to joke with Chopper and Usopp. He liked to spar with Zoro. He liked to sing with Brook. He liked to talk about food with Sanji. He liked to get pumped with Franky. He liked when Robin told him stories. Everyone was different. It just so happened that he liked to sleep with Nami. That was it! Everything was so clear about how he felt now. Even though he liked them all the same amount, the way he felt about Nami was in a different flavor. He couldn't wait to explain this revelation to Nami and the rest of the crew.

The navigator watched as Luffy's backside faded into the green of the forest. At the time she finally recognized he'd been talking to her, it was already too late to say something. He could handle himself, she knew. Despite how the relationship changed course, she knew they'd retain their independence. Looking around the coast, she breathed in the air that carried salty sea water.

Nami had a bit of pride - too much to verbally express her love as freely as her counterpart. In fact, she had doubt on whether that was truly what she felt for him. Their relationship was so steeped in a faithful friendship that romantic love only described fragments of her feelings. She revered her friendship. She liked arguing with him for the first time in two years. That feeling didn't differ much from her interest in arguing with Zoro. Ugh, but of course she felt differently about her fraternal comrade, Zoro! It kind of disgusted her to lump them in the same category together. Luffy arose other feelings inside her that would be inappropriate in her relationship with the swordsman.

Their kiss had been proof of the residual feelings that friendship failed to satiate. The way his tongue had gently grazed the inside of her cheeks gave her chills even now. She wanted more. However, she didn't want to sacrifice who he was for the sake of her lust. The risk of losing their nightly joys and laughter bared too great of a burden for a night dedicated to raw, unadulterated pleasure. She acknowledged their hedonism. What's a pirate that doesn't indulge their whims? Although she knew Luffy and herself were virgins, she had a feeling that the taste for sex would linger in their appetites. However, last night when they kissed, undeniable heat swelled in her groin and radiated to the other sensitive parts of her body. Would one night really be so bad if she actually loved him?

She actually thought the word. "Love him," her thoughts repeated. The heated feeling subsided into a falling feeling. The backdrop for Luffy in her mind turned into a rosy color. Her heart sank. Not only did she now see him as a man - she saw him as hers. Vigorously ruffling her hair, she wailed, "No!" Obviously, she lacked experience with love. Most of her life had been spent on robbing pirates. She had no time for romantic endeavors. Either she was surrounded by old, dirty human pirates or old, dirty mermen pirates. Now, she was surrounded by friendly pirates whom she cared for dearly. Even if she already fell in love, at least she knew the dedication Luffy had for her. Their bond would grow, and new adventures would unfold. This caused her to grin. She wanted to tell him she loved him as soon as he got back.

Meanwhile, on the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat crew frantically searched the ends of the ship. They woke Zoro up who bared a scowl. Luffy and Nami were nowhere to be found. Guilt painted across their faces, Usopp and Sanji looked to Zoro. "What?" he answered, sweat dripping from his brow. Since he could see the sun on the horizon outside his window, he concluded that it was still morning and thus, too early for him to wake up. However, something told him that he had several hours before he could take his morning, hangover nap.

Melodramatic tears streamed from Sanji's eyes. "I can't believe I allowed anyone to exile Nami-san!" he cried. Collectively, they were only able to remember parts of last night. The conclusion they came up with involved blacking out and stranding the lovebirds on a desolate island. This feeling topped the anxiety he endured over the newfound romance. He never imagined he'd be the one to inflict pain on his beloved Nami. Already he longed for her return.

Usopp stayed silent. He felt like he should have thought rationally enough to prevent what happened. As much as he wanted to forgive Nami and Luffy, he knew he still harbored resentment. Franky made a comment about how maybe Usopp was just jealous. That stuck with him even as he stood there sober. Jealousy, huh? He knew Franky didn't mean that Usopp wanted to take Nami away, but that he wanted love for himself.

"What are you talking about?" growled Zoro as he turned away from the sun in his bed. "They jumped off the boat themselves. You don't remember?"

In the doorway, Brook and Chopper, who had also been looking, poured into the sleeping quarters with floods questions. Maybe fear blocked basic thought processes, for now, everything slowly but surely came back to them. Well, not everything. At a certain point last night, everyone except Zoro passed out on the deck. They remembered the unnerving of sight Luffy's public display of affection. Whether the captain himself remembered or not, he got to second base and everyone witnessed it. Simultaneously, the crew in the men's' room shook their heads trying to forget. They also remembered locking the two in separate rooms for the night, and that was it.

"After you guys went to sleep, I saw Luffy kidnap his princess," Zoro reluctantly revealed. "He did that weird thing where he wrapped her to his body with his own arm. Then, he jumped to the nearest island while the ship sailed away."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP THEM?"

Zoro attempted to sooth his probably broken eardrums. "I don't care about things like that when I'm drunk," said the swordsman, "We'll find them."

The slim and dark archaeologist entered the room. She bared a small smile. "Maybe the two will finally prove to you all that their love is true," Robin said, "I believe the captain is more than a good enough match for Navigator-san." Robin saw the blossoming romance before the pair themselves recognized it. She witnessed how their hugs lingered, the warmth in their eyes as they exchange glances, and the depths of the empathy for each other. "The first night the captain spent sleeping in our room happened not too long after Ace died. He was inconsolable for the longest time until he fell into her arms. Despite with you men may believe, they've had this connection for a while," she remembered.

Now, how could they deny Luffy that sort of relationship? Silence fell over the room once again. Just because they feared of losing him or Nami?

"What if,"Chopper began, but his words trailed off. He frowned disappoint that he sought excuses to prevent something that could make the captain happy. "Luffy shared his food with her," confessed the doctor. Luffy valued her company so much that he once set aside his voracious appetite to make her happy. However, just as the archaeologist said, they made a good match. Despite his feelings, Chopper maintained the same kind of friendship with the captain.

Brook stepped forward. "If the two want to be together, then I think they should," he announced. Initially, he was skeptical, but it didn't take long for him to be convinced by Luffy's performance last night. In his many years of living, genuine love was rare; however, apparent when such a spectacle did occur. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were to wed any day now."

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?" nearly everyone shouted.

"Well," Franky sobbed, "Someone has to give Straw Hat the talk." Not wanting to create a tragic romance, he let go of whatever insecurities he held for the sake of Luffy and Nami.

Still uneasy, Sanji grimaced, "That's not going to happen." He set fire to a fresh cigarette. Everyone expected him to say something else, yet all that succeeded the remark was a deep exhale of smoke.

"Or else," Zoro yawned, "There will be little Luffys running around the ship."

"THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN EITHER!" yelled the cook. Once Luffy finds the joys of sex, he won't want to stop. He'd immediately deflower Thousand Sunny's maiden. However, if he had to set aside his antipathy to get the princess back, then he'd do so. His respect for Luffy also overrode his current remnants of resentment.

Being the only one to not verbally express his feelings, Usopp kept his arms tightly crossed. He reflected on a brief conversation he had with Luffy the previous night. "He told me that even if he marries Nami, we'll still be his Nakama," said the marksman, "We should try to believe him!"

Running to sail the ship in search for the captain and their navigator, they collectively decided to try to find a middle ground for such a relationship.

At noon, the sun centered itself in the sky. The tide grew high and the heat thickened across the coast of gold sand and sliding, blue seas. Such a view struck the young navigator as breath-taking. She managed to get a mental map of at least the eastern shoreline. For the most part, the topography of the island seemed to be even and relatively bland with a thick jungle at the center. If she at least had someone from the crew with her, she would have felt more confident venturing around more. Hopefully, someone would return before nightfall.

Suddenly, something rustled around in the bushes 5 meters behind her. An animal? First, a straw hat emerged; then, the rest of the captain himself stood and stepped forward onto the sandy parts of the island. While his grin was there, his eyes seemed duller than before. Beads of sweat formed on the young woman's palms. "Luffy," she yelped out, "What's going on?"

"Nami," said the young man warmly - no inflection in his voice, "I'm glad to see you again."

The way his cold hands caressed her back as he snaked her in for an embrace, disrupted her train of thought. Although his eyes lacked the glimmer, they invited her to stay in his arms. An hour could have passed as he held her with his arms and eyes. His fingers fanned as his hands lowered to the small of her back. This wasn't the happy-go-lucky boy she grew accustomed to over the years. Fear hadn't let her go, and she failed to resist making eye contact. Part of her wanted to take this step by step and enter the dark side with him. She cleared her throat. "Did you get any food?" asked the abruptly disoriented navigator. The words he spoke sounded hollow falling upon her ears. In fact, his words held so much warmth that she thought it impossible for him to sound like that.

For some reason, he delayed his answer before nuzzling into the side of her neck. He purred, "I found you, didn't I?" That wit! Luffy didn't make jokes like that. Such an arousing facetiousness was never his sense of humor before. He liked slapstick and impressions, yet there he was damn near licking her neck.

Her body didn't become habituated to the temperature of his frigid hands, yet an unknown force kept her from moving. Did he get poisoned? What kind of poison would garner such a reaction? When his tongue suddenly made contact with her skin, her knees grew weak. The heat between her legs developed and spread to the rest of her body. Such a scenario only occurred in her dreams, but at that moment, the situation felt like a nightmare. "Where's... Where's Luffy?" she shrilled. Before she realized that she just called for a man who was already there, he started to nibble at her earlobe.

This man who could somehow read her dirtiest fantasies wasn't Luffy.

Nearly towards the center of the tropical forest, Luffy scratched his head. Even if he went by the sun, it was too high in the sky to actually use it to orient himself with where he found himself in relation to Nami. After eating and gathering a copious amount of vegetation and meats, he intended to share some with her - if he could find her. Usually, he had faith in his fellow pirates that they'd find a way to fend for themselves; however, his gut currently told him that he should worry for Nami. He wondered if that feeling would be a routine thing. Either way, he needed to find her soon.

Speak of the orange haired devil, she leaped from a tree above him. They exchanged a blank look. Most likely, she expected him to say something, yet he replied with silence. Slithering closer, she wrapped her arms around his Luffy's neck. With a tilt of the head and the bite of her own lip, she flashed a sly smile. Arching her back to elevate her chest, she giggled, "Luffy, I'm glad to see you again." With her small, chilly left hand, she grabbed at his rear end.

Oddly enough, he felt that in his manly regions more than his butt. As he took a quick glance at her bosom, he glowered. He felt certain feelings, but not emotions if that's even possible. That warm, fuzzy pear feeling he usually had was absent in the person's presence. Soon, his intuition caught up to his actions or lack thereof. Although he wanted to move, he couldn't. Receiving such attention made him grow hot, for this body before him aroused him greatly. Of course, he failed to recognize the feeling of arousal. Mostly, the feeling summed up to be confusion.

"I'll make you feel good," whispered the presence. "We can eat all this food together."

Luffy didn't want to verbally consent to anything this thing decided to do. Then, why did this feel so good? The contact its hands made with the most sensitive parts of his body made him want to engage in whatever it offered. However, if not for the sheer force, he would have succumbed. "You're not Nami. I don't want to eat with you!" he shouted. Dropping the food, he whipped his foot forward to free himself. Immediately, he jetted into one direction until he eventually found the coast. As luck would have it, his Nakama awaited him.

They were jovial, but something was missing. Usopp shouted down to the coast with a confused grin, "Where's Nami?"

"I can't find her!" he replied. Part of him hoped they had already picked her up.

No one had a chance to properly react before Nami emerged from the tropical forest bringing with her a feeling of relief. She grabbed at Luffy's arm from behind. "Oh, Luffy, our friends are here," she cheered. Immediately, he knocked her back onto her bottom. His remained closed as his stomach dropped. Even though he knew better, such an immediate reaction shook him.

Immediately, he knocked her back onto her bottom. His eyes remained closed as his stomach dropped. Even though he knew better, such an immediate reaction shook him because, for a split second, he perceived her as Nami. Everything was there except for the scent and the feelings she usually brought him and Nami. Still, he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes and look at her. What if he lost control again?

The entire Straw Hat crew stood at the fore of the ship. What just happened? Their faces ashen by what they witnessed. The usually calm Robin was the first to exclaim, "Luffy! What did you do?" Her trust, broken.

He had seconds to explain himself.

hmfan: I hope this wasn't confusing. Let me know if it was. Also, I promise not to say "manly regions" if I write a lemon!

As much as I hate to admit it after 12 years of writing, reviews are important to me.