– WHAT? – All of them (except Zoro) screamed.
Luffy laughed. She picked an excellent crew. They were all so funny!
– Luffy, this isn't funny! – Nami said. – Why were you sleeping with the boys then? Are you crazy? What-
Nami stopped herself. She didn't want to offend her captain nor her nakamas. If Luffy is a girl, she is even more bad shit crazy than she thought she was.
– All this time I treated you like a boy... – Sanji's cigarette fell to the ground and, soon after, he was at Luffy's feet. – Please forgive Luffy-san, I would have never treated a delicate sunflower like you the way I did if i knew-
– Told you he was a perv. – Zoro cut Sanji's apologies looking at Luffy. She laughed.
– He isn't! He is just kind. – She looked back at Sanji on her feet. – And a delicate sunflower? Have you met me? – Luffy laughed again. This crew is so good!
– Shut up mosshead! You don't know a thing about how to treat a lady! – Sanji barked at Zoro, who was just at the back of the room drinking his sake calmly.
Sanji started to apologize to Luffy again.
– Wait a second... – Usopp (who was frozen this entire time) came back to life. – You knew all along? – He looked at Zoro. Nami and Sanji almost broke their necks to look at the swordsman.
– And you told her I was a pervert? – Sanji's ears were fuming.
– I just told her what I saw. – He kept drinking his sake, unfazed by everything.
– Wait… You two were traveling alone before I came along... – Nami said, trying to make someone else question what she didn't want to say out loud. Both Sanji and Usopp looked at Nami and widened their eyes.
– Are you two a couple? – Sanji and Usopp screamed. The first one looks at Luffy and the second one at Zoro.
– What? No! – Both said it fast and at the same time.
– He knows just because he saw my boobs, that's all! – Luffy said it. They all looked at Zoro, judging him. He flushed. Sanji was furious.
– You did what, perv? – Sanji emphasized the word.
– Hey, don't even try to turn the tables. You are the perv here! And I don't know what you guys are thinking, but what I saw was by accident!
– Yeah! – Luffy assured her crew. – All three times! – Luffy said, trying to help and definitely not.
– Did you take advantage of this idiot? – Nami said, looking at Zoro and pointing in Luffy's direction with her thumb.
– What? Of course not! I was the one that covered her and I closed my eyes when they were hanging out! – He defended himself, red like a tomato. Luffy just laughed out loud.
– Yeah! Your face was so funny! You are as red as you were that day! – Luffy was on the floor, laughing, holding her belly. – That situation was hilarious! I told you it would be a funny story later! – Zoro drank his sake.
– I can see it's a great one. Everyone's amused. – He said sarcastically, frowning and crossing his arms. Luffy sits on the floor and cleans her cry from the laughter.
– But really guys, Zoro just helped me out. He even made some pointions that were great! Like that I should let my waist straight and narrow my butt.
Usopp, Sanji and Nami, who were hearing Luffy, just turned around and looked at Zoro again with judgy eyes.
– So… You were looking at her butt? – Usopp said. Zoro facepalmed. He was almost purple now. This conversation was sounding really bad, even for him that knew that none of that was malicious.
– She asked me too! She bothered me until I had to say yes! You all know how she is!
– Yeah… Right. – Usopp said, not convinced.
– It 's true! I had to beg him to look at me. And Zoro would help me out a lot, especially when I was sleeping, cause that's when my body would go back to normal.
– Oh yeah! Sometimes they did weird things and I even thought they were in a relationship… But since they are weirdos, I never knew if it was really a thing... – Nami said.
– Something is still off… – Sanji would look from one to another.
– Are you sure you're not hooking up? – said Usopp.
Luffy laughed again.
– And how in the hell someone wouldn't be sure about that?
– A naive idiot. – Deadpanned Usopp, Nami and Sanji.
– Oi! What the fuck is the matter with you all? I ain't a perv like this cook, and I would never hurt my captain in any way.
– So… Are you guys in love? – Asked Nami.
– What are you talking about sea witch? What's all these weird questions? – Zoro stood up, very frustrated.
– Well, you two are often too close… – Said Usopp.
– I will teach this Marimo a lesson-
– Guys, stop! – Luffy screamed. Everyone looked at her, then she looked at Zoro. – Zoro, thanks for keeping my secret and helping me out. You're the best! – She smiled.
– No problem, captain. – Zoro said.
The others were looking at both of their nakamas back and forth. Now they were just looking at each other, still very confused. Nami looked at Luffy.
– Luffy... Can you start from the beginning, please? Why did you lie to us? When did it start and what happened until now?
– Ok! – Luffy said it with a smile. She took a long breath.
She was going to tell a tale bigger than any of Usopp's until now.
Everyone was panicking in their own way.
Sanji is depressed on the floor.
– I can't believe I hit a lady… I should throw myself in the ocean and die!
– Oi Sanji, you didn't know! – Usopp intervened as Nami screamed and hit him in the head.
– Stop this drama now! There are more pressing matters, stupid!
Zoro sneaked out of the kitchen. He knew she would be in her captain spot. The swordsman approached the Merry's head. She was looking at the sky and she wasn't being her bright self, which made Zoro worry.
– So… Your secret is out. – He says sitting next to her.
– What? Really? – She looks down at her chest immediately.
Zoro smacks his hand at the back of her head, screaming.
– Not that, idiot! – He crosses his arms and releases a sign. – I'm talking about you telling the crew, obviously.
Luffy looks at Zoro. He is looking at her, trying to figure out what she is thinking about.
– Why are you down? – He asks after a minute of silence. She closes her eyes, sighs and looks back at the sky.
– I don't know, I just thought it wouldn't be so hard for them…
– But you said so yourself: things were going to change.
– Yeah, I knew that… But I didn't think they were going to judge me this much…
– You mean Nami, right? – She turned her head quite fast which made him think that he was right.
– Did you notice that?
– Yeah I did. It was quite obvious. For me, at least.
She didn't know what to say. She was always surrounded by men and the only two other women she grew up with were always telling her she needed to be different, she needed to change and hearing that from her only girlfriend kind of bummed her out.
– But I think you're being too hasty. They just found out about it and they are still processing it. – Zoro pause a bit. She was still looking at him.
– You know… You are not like anyone else we ever met. Maybe you are thinking things may change too much, but I don't think that's true. I think things won't change that much, because you are just… You.
And there it was her big smile back.
– Just give them a little more time.
– Thanks, Zoro! I didn't know you were so smart. Shihihihi – Luffy laughed.
– Hey! – Zoro protested.
– What? That was a compliment!
– No it wasn't! You basically just said I look stupid!
Luffy laughed.
– Sorry! – She said, not sorry at all.
They sat there for a little while. He was happy that she wasn't sad anymore. It was nice to see that bright smile again while she was talking about how hungry she was. The sunset light bathed her skin, enhancing the features of her face. He never noticed before how gentle the lines of her face were. Her big brown eyes are full of excitement for their next adventure. That made his heart warm. Nothing was going to stop his captain, certainly not a little disagreement between the crew.
– I wanna sleep here… It's way funner! I like it best! Why does it have to change? I'm still me! – Damn. She just broke Usopp's heart just now. What a great question... Why does it have to change?
– 'Cause you chose a pervert to your crew – Intervened Zoro behind Usopp, who is at the door talking to Luffy.
– Yeah, you! That saw her naked 3 times, fucking pervert! – Sanji said.
– I'm the one that kept her safe from guys like you, stupid eyebrows! And the three times were an accident!
– I bet you took your time looking before you did the decent thing!
– If I were you, maybe, perv!
– Oi.
Zoro and Sanji look at the captain. She was mad.
– If I sleep here, neither one of you will attack me, cause neither of you are animals nor perverts and you're my nakamas. And this is a fact. – She crossed her arms. – Now tell me: why can't I sleep here?
The three guys were silent at first. Then Zoro spoke:
– You know that I'm okay with it from the beginning. The only worry I had I already told you. And as I said it before: I trust you. You're the captain. You decide what's best for you and the crew. – Zoro said.
– I have to agree with the stupid marimo – Sanji said. Zoro growled at the cook. – You're the captain. You decide. I am ok with it.
– I can't say anything that should stop you. Just something that it was always like these and I never actually thought about it... Girls rooms and boys rooms. Just a way things always were. I like your company 'cause you're my friend and I don't see any problem in things continuing to be the way they were. – Usopp said it and Luffy just trusted herself onto him, giving him a bear hug.
– You guys are the best!
– Help, please! – Usopp tried to ask while being suffocated.
Zoro would have to keep his attention on the cook. He still thought he was a perv. But it would never cross his mind that Sanji was thinking the exact same thing about him.
– Luffy, come shower with me! – Nami called the girl from inside the bathroom.
– What? – Sanji screamed, fuming and in a second was in the corridor where Luffy was standing in front of the door.
– But I don't wanna bathe! – She whined.
– Oh, yeah… Luffy is a girl. – Sanji wasn't fuming anymore.
– But you have to, idiot!
– Why? Because I'm a girl? – Luffy put her tongue out, like she was vomiting.
– Because of hygiene, moron! I would scream at you to bathe when you're a boy too! – She threw a soap at Luffy's head. – Where is this coming from? – Luffy fell on the floor with the headshot soap.
"Two ladies, bathing, fighting…" Sanji thought and got a nosebleed.
– Ugh, fine! – Luffy carreced her head and got up from the floor. She entered the bathroom and closed the door.
Luffy stripped and entered the bath where Nami was already submerged.
– You are avoiding me. – Nami said with a brow raised.
Luffy wanted to say "No, I'm not!", but that wasn't going to help make things better. She signed.
– Just… I never had a girlfriend and I grow up surrounded by boys and the only women I knew were always repremending me and telling me I should change. – Luffy was looking at the water. – So when you started judging me…
– Luffy, – Nami put a hand on her shoulder. – I wasn't judging you! – Luffy looked at Nami and she was with her big eyes, surprised and happy.
– You were not?
– No, Luffy! I was just surprised, because you are a woman, so you know how dangerous it is to sleep in a room full of boys. I was just worried about you, because you are innocent and I was afraid that someone would have taken advantage of you. But I know you are not a princess in distress! You could kick any ass on any day… – Luffy laughed at the compliment. Nami smiled. – I was just worried! I don't want you to change! Ever! You're amazing just the way you are!
Luffy jumped and hugged Nami.
– Thanks Nami! You're the best! – She laughed and so did Nami.
– Alright. Now… Let me help you with your hair. – Nami turned Luffy on her back. – Did you ever brushed this? – Nami took the hair full of nots. – Ever? – She was shocked.
– Now that I'm thinking about that… No… I don't remember when was the last time I brushed it. – Luffy was thinking, looking at the ceiling. Nami signed.
– You're such an idiot.
Nami started to apply shampoo on her capitan's hair.
"I will have to ask about Zoro later…"