It was amazing how quickly things could change. The transition from pirate hating thief to, well, pirate had taken less than a week. Now Nami was fulfilling her dream with what amounted to a rag tag bunch of misfits one would read about in stories.
What was it Bellemere had said? As long as you keep living, good times will come. Cocoyashi was more than due for some good times. Nami was more than due for some good times.
But not right this minute. Now she was scheming, thinking up plans to-ahem-expand their funds, pouring over the charts Luffy didn't completely destroy, looking up everything her book collection had to offer about the Grand Line, and attempt to keep the crew in order. Simply put, it was exhausting work trying to prepare for the biggest journey of their lives.
And the boys, bless their annoying souls, honestly were all idiots. Sanji didn't understand the fact that she wasn't interested (but oh how easy it made manipulating him into following her every word); Usopp was a coward and a liar, prone to leaving his ammo making crap in places where Luffy could find it; Zoro didn't realize that there was a difference between north and up; and Luffy had an IQ lower than a goat along with the curiosity of a hyperactive child.
Nami could only hope beyond hope that Luffy would recruit someone with some common sense soon. Preferably a woman, before she died of testosterone poisoning. Until then she would endure.
But they were worth all the work. There was something very refreshing about a captain as free spirited as Luffy. His leadership style was…unique to say the least, but Nami had to admit that for the most part it got the job done. The way Luffy inspired the absolute best out of his little crew was undeniably impressive, and he was the strongest person she had ever met.
That didn't change the fact that he had no idea what the word 'budget' meant, or understand the concept of 'restraint'. No, those things were her responsibility, and it was a responsibility that Nami took very seriously.
"What're ya doing?" Luffy asked, peering over her shoulder.
Nami flinched. She hadn't heard him come up behind her. Damn he could be sneaky when he wanted to.
"Don't come up behind me like that!" she snapped back at him.
"Sorry," he replied, not sounding very sorry at all, "it's just that you've been looking at those books for hours."
"I'm just looking at the currents we'll be facing, nothing you have to worry about." Nami replied, rubbing her eyes. Had it really been that long? A quick look at the clock showed that it was nearly supper.
"Oh. Well, after supper everyone's playing a game, because today has been really boring. Do you wanna play? Oh, and we're having that big octopus for dinner tonight. I bet it's going to be really, really good, because everything Sanji makes is good," he babbled, his train of thought easily derailed at the idea of food.
"I'm sorry, Luffy. There's some more stuff that I want to get done tonight. You want us to make it into the Grand Line safely, don't you?"
Luffy looked torn. Obviously his crew was important to him, and he wanted them all to be safe, but there was fun to be had now. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to have fun now?
Suddenly his eyes brightened, "You could do that stuff tomorrow! You said that it was supposed to be warm again, and we know where we're going, so why not play with us tonight?"
The idea was tempting. Nami had been working for hours, and her eyes were tired. Even if Luffy's idea of a game had more potential for injury than a normal person would consider fun, a break of some sort probably wouldn't hurt. But what if something came up tomorrow? Nami needed to know what was coming, and eight years of living under Arlong had taught her that putting her work off until later was a bad idea.
Luffy continued to stare at her, with that ridiculous grin on his face. What she needed was a little more time to sort herself out. Perhaps a compromise of sorts would pacify him.
"I don't know…let's eat first, I'll tell you afterwards. Sound good?" Nami asked.
If anything his grin got wider (how was that even possible? Stupid rubber body), "Shishishishi! Okay, let's eat!" And with that he rushed to the kitchen, demanding food as he went.
Nami could only sigh as she put her things into some semblance of order, and follow.
Dinner was an entirely normal affair. While Luffy pigged out on anything he could get his hands on, Sanji was kind enough to help guard her plate. No fewer than three arguments erupted between Sanji and Zoro, and Usopp alternated between hiding under the table and telling boastful stories.
It was a wonder she ever agreed to sail with them. Their childish and immature antics threatened to driver her over the edge. And Luffy (the captain!) not only let it happen, was often in the center of it all.
But that was life. Deep down, Nami knew that this is where she belonged. When she was on this crew she felt like she was ten years old again; part of a group that, while not related by blood, was family none the less. She wasn't just some tool to them.
Nami was responsible for these idiots's safety. She was their navigator, and they would be traveling to the most dangerous ocean in the world. And if anything were to happen because of some screw up…she didn't know if she'd be able to live with herself. They had saved her, and fought monsters on her behalf. They may be idiots, but they were her idiots, and if anyone messed with them there'd be Hell to pay.
As dinner wound down, Nami saw Luffy looking at her with those childlike eyes. He grinned again, despite his mouthful of food and asked, "So wo gon' pwa a gwam?"
"Don't talk to Nami with your mouth full, you manner-less shit!" Sanji yelled as he threw a violent kick towards Luffy, who nimbly dodged as he gulped down what was in his mouth.
"Is Nami going to play with us? Usopp and I ca-"Luffy was cut off as Sanji's kick connected as he howled in wordless rage.
"How DARE you infer that the lovely Miss Nami 'play' with anybody you sick bastard!" Sanji shouted. It was a miracle that the cigarette managed to stay in his mouth.
"What? It's only a game of tag!" Luffy yelped as he ducked behind Zoro. This was a good enough reason for Sanji to start attacking the swordsman as well, and the two soon began trading insults at one another.
"Enough!" Nami yelled, smacking everyone involved, "Look, Luffy, I've got a lot of work to do. There should be enough of you here to play your game."
Luffy sullenly rubbed the lump on his head, "You worry too much. And we can't play without a ref; otherwise we won't know who scores the most points, or who gets to be the King Fish, or who gets put in the lava pit."
"What kind of tag are you playing anyway?"
"It's great! Me and Usopp came up with it today; we'll tell you all the rules, and best of all it'll be fun! It's better than all the boring stuff you were doing anyway," Luffy said excitedly. Usopp looked like he wanted to run away, but gave her a shaky grin when she glared at him.
"Fine! I'll play, but every plays by the rules or I'll increase their debt 200%," Luffy gave a whoop of excitement, and rushed out to the deck. The others followed without complaint (with the exception of Zoro muttering 'sea witch' her way).
What followed was one of the strangest and nonsensical 'games' ever to be invented. Despite what Luffy and Usopp claimed, there were no rules. What began with loose definitions of rules quickly fell into chaos that Nami was somehow supposed to regulate.
"Shitty moss head! That was my point!"
"You wish, perv. Maybe if you stopped gaga-ing at Nami you would've seen that I got to base!"
"Umm, actually you're both out. The Great Captain wins again! But this is nothing compared to the survival game I won in the deep jungle as a child."
"Oh! Did you fall into a canyon? I've done that a couple times and it kinda hurts unless you get the landing right."
As Usopp began telling a highly embellished adventure tale that quickly captured Luffy's attention, they failed to notice the argument between the two more...spirited competitors. Nami left her designated "referee spot" to break up the fighting (again).
Zoro and Sanji were much to engrossed in their 'duel' to notice her approach. Nami took a deep breath and got ready to beat some sense into the both of them when an errant attack hit Luffy, launching him across the deck.
Luffy let out a small shout of surprise as he flew through the air. Using his Devil Fruit powers he grabbed the mast, and used his momentum to turn himself around. However, being the absolute genius that he was, he then let go of the mast and shot back toward his crew.
The boys managed to scatter, but Nami was caught flat-footed as her captain hit her and launched her in the air and over the rail. All she could do was let out a scream as she flew off of the wonderful safety of the ship and grew ever closer to the deep, dark ocean.
Even though the fading light Nami saw a look of determination on Luffy's face. The rubber man managed to turn himself midflight, putting himself between his navigator and the water. Once again his hand shot out, catching the railing of the Merry. Nami had to wonder if this was how Usopp's ammunition felt as the pair shot back onto the ship.
The rest of the crew gathered around them after they fell onto the deck. Nami heard them all babbling, but was much to disoriented to understand what was actually being said. She and Luffy struggled for a few seconds to disentangle themselves before sitting on the deck, rattled but otherwise unharmed.
"Shishishi! That was fun!" Luffy exclaimed. Nami having not quite gotten her bearings yet, settled for glaring at her captain. Sanji began to chastise him instead, but stopped when the unhappy navigator turned her glare on him.
"This would not have happened," she began with a hiss, "if the two of you could go for two seconds without getting at each other's throats."
The ship was quiet as Sanji scuffed his shoes on the deck. Even Zoro looked a little uncomfortable, probably because he had lost a little of his control during the fight. Luffy looked at the both of them, his eyes strangely sharp.
Luffy continued to stare at the both of them for an uncomfortably long time. Sanji finally let out a muttered apology and Zoro dropped his gaze. Nami and Usopp glanced to one another in surprise. A type of understanding seemed to spread through the ship. Fighting is okay. Hurting one another, even accidently, is not.
After letting his point across, Luffy nodded once and broke out into his trademarked grin. "Okay! The game's over, it's time for a snack!" The tension broke and everything returned to the Straw Hat version of normalcy.
It wasn't until later that night that Nami had an epiphany that should have happened a long time ago, when Luffy fought Arlong.
Luffy couldn't cook, navigate, shoot, lie, steal, or fight with swords. He was a simpleton, an imbecile, and a moron with no sense of self preservation. He was a selfish glutton with a childlike personality, completely dependent on those around him to survive.
He was also a captain of a crew aiming to be the Pirate King, gathering men and women that he considered worthy of traveling the Grand Line. His crew was like his family, and it was his job as the head of that family to protect it to the best of his ability.
And Luffy took that responsibility very, very seriously.
AN: So I would have had this up earlier had it not been for broken Internet and the wonderfully good time known as microbiology finals/lab practicum. Sorry about that.
The bit where Sanji yells at Luffy during dinner came accidently. I didn't notice the innuendo that "play a game" was until later, so I had to add that part in, lol.
Thanks for reading, I really appreciate the feedback that I've been getting, hope you all enjoyed.