He stepped outside. Staring amusingly around the deck, his thoughts drifting to memories of romance and childishness. He walked toward he railing, looking out to the glimmering ocean. He sighed as he pulled the small paper from his pocket.

"Midnight."

It read, stuffing it in his pocket he turned back. Looking across the empty deck as he recalled he and Nami's blossoming love. Perhaps it didn't start all that perfect, nor were they perfect their execution, but they still fell in love. He couldn't believe he fell in love, and so soon into his journey. But his thinking didn't last as he heard footsteps walk out from the shadows. Her black hair appeared to have disconnected from the darkness like it was apart of it, her dark skin made her blue eyes glow all the more making them stand out. Even her black nightgown was hard to discern. It was like she was spawned from the shadows, it sent a chill down his spine.

"I didn't think you'd show. Especially after that promise you two made."

She giggled with crossed arms and her constantly amused smile.

"We agreed me and her wouldn't spend time at night again. This is different…"

He explained. She hummed curiously as she walked to stand beside him.

"Why?"

She questioned, staring out at the ocean, not meeting his stare. He took a short breath and leaned against the railing behind him.

"Cause I know."

"Know what?"

"I know you want a friend."

He smiled to her. She looked towards him with narrow eyes, her smile turned flat as she looked to him without an ounce of belief.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well you don't trust any of us. And you so easily left crocodile."

"He didn't have power anymore."

"But you weren't looking for that to begin with."

He retorted halting their brief exchange. She closed her eyes with an amused and smug smirk.

"Perceptive. That doesn't seem like something you'd have…"

"I'm only going off what I saw. You wanted that block with the writing…"

Her smile flattened again.

"Do you have any idea what that was?"

"Nope. But if you told me, then I can probably understand."

She looked to him and stared deeply into his eyes. He looked back determined and saw her let out a shallow sigh.

"Those… blocks. Are ponygliphs. Written pieces of history forever preserved. They are unbreakable and scattered across this world."

She explained.

"I, am an archaeologist. I discover and read these ponygliphs."

"Why? What's on them?"

She smirked.

"Depends… history forgotten… a weapon… a map…"

He hummed as he scratched his chin.

"So you just wanna learn?"

"Knowledge is power."

He nodded in acknowledgment, and turned to her with an assured grin.

"Let us help."

"I don't know what you mean, I'm apart of your crew."

"You say that but I doubt you believe it. We're on our way to achieving our dreams. And you know, nothing will stop us."

"I wouldn't say that so soon."

She muttered under her breath.

"We're going around the world. If you… join, maybe you can find what your looking for. While helping us achieve our dreams."

"What makes you think for anything?"

"Everyone gets drawn to endless sea. Fame, wealth… power."

He held out his hand.

"Your smart, we need more of that here."

He chuckled. She looked down at his hand and back to his cheeky grin. She hummed and fully turned to face him. She gave him her usual smile, the sight made him groan as she clasped his hand.

"Officially."

She giggled before leaving back to the dark hallway leaving him more confused than before. He didn't think it'd be this hard. Nami didn't take too long, Zoro even less. He growled as he scratched his head but let out a exhausted breath. At least he's getting somewhere, maybe that'll be enough for a while. He kinda just hopes she comes around. As he takes one last glance at the ocean he turned away and starts walking back before getting rushed by someone from the hallway. Falling back with a muffled thud as his rubber body bounced and took the force of the fall. He was shaken for a brief second before looking down and seeing his redheaded beauty.

"Nami?"

She hugged his torso tightly with a low growl.

"I knew she planned something…"

"Huh?"

"You didn't tell me you were meeting her out here."

She hissed as she pushed herself up, pinning his wrists to the floorboards. He couldn't get up, she straddled him and held his arms down. He knew he should've said something.

"I didn't get the note till late in the evening…"

She stared down at him with narrow eyes.

"Liar…"

He groaned.

"Ok it was after breakfast! But we agreed-"

"We also agreed to tell each other things."

He pouted.

"Understand how I feel."

She started.

"My hunk is taking time out of his night to help this other girl get accustomed to her new home."

He felt himself sweat a little.

"Yea…. That does…"

"I'm jealous."

She stated outright.

"Of the attention your giving her."

"I was just trying to-"

"I know. You keep telling me that but you still lie about meeting up with her."

"Sorry…"

"I don't want an apology."

She growled down at him.

"I want you to update me on things. Tell me when your meeting, what you talked about, where you met up."

At that moment he realized he might've been playing the whole thing a bit to lightly. Looking up at her usually beautiful face and seeing it stare down angrily at him. Not like before, but genuine furiousness.

"From today… until she gets accustomed and really joins us… I'm sleeping with you."

As much as he loved hearing that he knew it wasn't for those reasons. He didn't think she'd get like this, but, it was his fault for not telling her, perhaps he thought a more one on one approach was better. Guess it backfired.

"O-Ok."

He stuttered seeing her glare down at him.

"I expect a lot of cuddling and touching."

"Yep."

"And if I find out your hiding this crap again…"

She threatened making him gulp.

"Then expect a break from this… "romantic" couple stuff."

He felt his heart sink in utter despair. He didn't like the sound of that.

"Ok. I promise… I'll tell you everything…"

He promised seeing her features soften and turn pouty. Letting go of his wrists she sat with crossed arms on him.

"I can't believe you…"

"I didn't mean to… make you mad."

"I know… deep down… you aren't that guy. I know you too well to know you'd do that… but my brain… I.. I can't not… think about it."

He sat up and hugged her tightly.

"I don't wanna a break. I wanna keep cuddling. I'm sorry, I knew how you felt and I still didn't tell you… I didn't mean to make you jealous."

"Maybe take a break from her? I… she's kinda… worrying me."

"I will. I'll give you the time you need."

The two hugged tightly, pulling back to exchange lips, embracing tighter with a loving and passionate kiss. Exchanging saliva and breaths they pulled away and pressed their foreheads on each others.

"Where?"

He muttered out of breath.

"The mapping room."

She stated huffing, gasping and giggling as he lifted her in his arms and stood walking toward the mapping room, where they would start sleeping together. It maybe temporary but the two make the most of it, absolutely passing out in each others arms the moment they laid down.

It's short, not alot happens, maybe even some weird character choices. It's inexcusable and my only explanation is I kinda wrote myself into a corner. From the moment I made them have sex to now I didn't know where else to go. I thought about a Robin plot point but I was so busy with other things and took too long I didn't know how to do it. I'm not a writer. I just write cheap erotica with a shit ton of spelling errors cause I'm just too lazy to go back and fix them. I don't know what to do next and that realization came crashing down even harder as I thought, "How can I end this?" From where I started which was just after Arlong park, and to now with is just before Jaya and skypiea. One piece isn't over and I don't know where I should end this. My other stories were clear cut. Even Stranded, a very popular One Piece story I had made had an ending somewhat planned. It needed to, and wasn't restrained by the current timeline. This is, I've ingrained this so much in the main story the moment I deviate it becomes something else. I don't know where to go from here and I don't know where to end it. I might not update it for a while so I can think about how to continue this/ end it, and so I can focus on writing one-shots again, cause they were quick and easy and gave me the satisfaction of finishing a little pwp erotic partial story. So goodbye for now. Thank you to everyone who commented and supported me. I'll try to come back as soon as I can. In the mean time, maybe some recommendations on one-shots I could make? Or maybe even suggestions on where to go from here.