One Piece: Strawhat Theater
"Our Mrs. Monkey"
Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fan-based work of prose. One Piece is the property of Toei Animation, Funimation, and Eiichiro Oda. Please support the official release.
A flashback set a few days after the Going Merry leaves Long Ring Island.
Written by UnknownAnon.
It was too good not to share, so please forgive the delay of more Dressrosa!
A few days after leaving Long Ring Island…
Exiting her charter room, Nami stretched as she stepped out onto the upper deck of the Going Merry. The early afternoon sea breeze was a song to her senses, and feeling the sun's rays on her skin felt great after spending all morning hunched over a desk working on her maps. They were making good time towards their next destination, her stomach was full from the delicious lunch Sanji had delivered to her an hour earlier, and she was ready to relax and have fun for the rest of the day.
Looking over the railing and sweeping her eyes across the main deck, it looked like the rest of the crew was doing just that. Zoro was napping on his workout mat, Sanji seemed to be cooking everyone something on a barbecue grill for an afternoon snack, and Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were all huddled together laughing over something or another.
There was only one person missing from the picture…
"Where… ah, there she is." Nami nodded to herself as she spotted her fellow female crew member leaning over the side rails of the ship. "Hey Robin."
Nami blinked at the small flinch in the older woman's shoulders when she called out to her. Robin's head turned sharply to stare at her over her shoulder, posture tensing… before she slowly relaxed and gave her usual serene smile as Nami approached her.
"Ah, navigator-san… hello to you." Robin greeted. "All finished with your maps and charts?"
"Eh, I've got a few more things to do but I was at a good stopping point. Figured I could take a little time off and enjoy the day." Nami smiled as she stepped up beside the older woman.
"I see. That does sound nice."
Nami watched as Robin turned back to gaze out at the ocean, the older woman's smile dropping down into a frown as she stared at some distant point across the waves. Nami shuffled on her feet, concern for their newest crewmate welling up inside her.
While at first Nami had been suspicious and resentful towards the woman when Luffy accepted her into the crew, as she was a former enemy AND she had essentially taken Vivi's place as the only other woman on the ship, she'd grown quite close with the dusky woman over the past few months. Sure Robin seemed to get her kicks out of teasing her and the others with leading comments and coy gestures… but the navigator had actually come to admire her in a way, sort of amazed at her temperance and how she could approach seemingly any situation with a calm smile. Whether it was dangerous pirates or even their own crew's wacky antics, Robin reacted to most everything with that self-assured, serene demeanor of hers.
She was way different from Vivi, and honestly more similar to Nojiko if Nami really thought about it, but Nico Robin was a cool, composed, and mature woman who Nami had grown to trust and genuinely enjoyed the time she spent with her.
Not to mention unlike herself, Robin could actually hold her own in a fight. While Nami did feel proud of herself for getting the hang of her Climatact and defeating Zala back in Alabasta, she didn't hold a candle to Robin who had Devil Fruit powers and knew how to use them. Nami knew that Robin was FAR more confident in a battle situation than she could ever be.
Which is why Nami found it a bit unnerving how shaken up Robin was lately.
"Well, it's not like I blame her." Nami thought to herself with a grimace. "An Admiral attacked us. One of the most powerful men in the navy suddenly showed up out of nowhere and took us apart like it was nothing."
Aokiji had frozen Robin solid and incapacitated Zoro and Sanji in seconds. A woman with one of the most versatile Devil Fruit abilities Nami had ever seen plus their two strongest fighters besides Luffy, and they couldn't do a damn thing against a marine admiral.
Even Luffy had been…
Nami shook her head, pushing the memory of that encounter to the back of her mind for the time being.
"Don't think about it…
Instead, Nami waffled on how exactly she could improve Robin's mood… or broach a few topics that had started to concern her. As close as they'd gotten over the months, Nami knew very little about Robin's past. Aokiji's words had hinted at a few things, but Nami was hesitant to bring any of it up.
"Are you… feeling okay?" Nami asked finally.
Mentally she kicked herself. Was that really the best opener she could come up with?
"Much better now." Robin replied, taking the question in stride as she stood up straight and gave Nami a smile that at least looked honest. "Chopper is quite the doctor despite being so young. I have no lingering side effects after being frozen half to death."
"Ah, well, that's good to hear." Nami managed a smile. "Er, sorry I couldn't do anything. Usopp either. We kinda just… ran."
"It was the smart thing to do. You couldn't do anything against an opponent like that." Robin said, giving a light shrug. "I'm honestly surprised we're all still alive."
"No kidding." Nami grumbled.
"And yet Luffy did something quite amazing, didn't he?" Robin smiled, the teasing tone Nami had become familiar with returning to the archeologist's voice.
Nami dragged her hand down her face. "Ugh, don't remind me…"
The crew all stood tense as they stared down the tall man before them, identified by Robin as someone who held the rank of admiral in the marines. Given that they were a group of pirates, there was really only one way an encounter like this could go down and everyone prepped themselves for a fight, sans Tonjit who just stood around looking lost. Being the focus on the admiral's gaze, Robin trembled in place as her mind worked to figure out what the best action to take was.
…And then the admiral's gaze shifted away from here and to the other woman in their group.
"Oh my, here's another curvy hottie." Aokiji drawled as his eyes scanned Nami up and down. "You free tonight?"
In the corner of her eye, Robin could see Sanji and Usopp puff themselves up.
"HOW DARE-" Sanji started.
"DIDN'T YOU-" Usopp began.
The crack of a fist impacting someone's face, a sound familiar to everyone in the crew, echoed through the plains and cut off whatever Sanji and Usopp had been about to shout.
Robin barely kept her jaw from dropping as Aokiji staggered back a bit. Most everyone else was in a similar state, eyes wide as they registered that the admiral had just taken a hit to the jaw. While the man didn't seem very much affected by the blow, his expression had gone from tired to surprised, eyes now focused on the one who had hit him.
"DON'T HIT ON MY WIFE, JERKFACE!" Luffy shouted as his fist snapped back.
"L-Luffy! What did you just do?!" Nami hissed, grabbing Luffy's arm in the middle of his second wind up to stop him from throwing another punch.
"Ah… she's your wife?" Aokiji mumbled, pointing to the orange haired woman. "Come to think of it, Garp barged into my office a while back, bragging that some relative of his got married recently…"
"Wait, you know my grandfather?" Luffy asked, anger snuffed out and replaced with slight trepidation at that bit of news.
"Uh, yeah. He and I go way back and I owe him quite a bit." Aokiji muttered, scratching the back of his head. "He'd probably be pretty pissed if he ever found out I tried hitting on his granddaughter-in-law. Could we just forget I did that please?"
"H-Hey you didn't know, so it's fine. Right, Luffy?!" Usopp pleaded from where he was trying to hide behind Zoro.
"...Just don't let it happen again." Luffy said sternly, crossing his arms as he glared at the admiral. Nami for her part tried to fight back a blush as she held her captain back.
"It won't, it won't. Still, that was quite a punch. Won't say I didn't deserve it for trying to hit on your woman, but it sure woke me up." Aokiji drawled, shifting his gaze back to the newest Strawhat crew member. "You've attached yourself to some pretty interesting people, haven't you Nico Robin?"
"How else was he supposed to react when another man tries flirting with his wife?" Robin smiled, which earned an eye roll from Nami.
"It was ONE bad compliment. It's not like he tries knocking Sanji's lights out whenever he makes his comments."
"Though it says something about your husband that he'd be willing to punch a marine admiral for you." Robin smiled. "It was the one good hit he got in, come to think of it."
Admittedly, that was only due to a combination of how fast Luffy's punch had been thrown and the fact that Aokiji's lackadaisical demeanor hadn't put him on guard against someone he wasn't taking seriously. Still, seeing the powerful man sporting a split lip had helped Robin beat back her fear a little during that confrontation.
Granted, that fear had spiked up again when Aokiji made the decision to attack them after Tonjit had been sent on his way, but it was a memory that Robin was glad she was still alive to chuckle about now. Beyond just Crocodile's defeat and the dissolution of his Baroque Works organization, she had borne witness to a number of impressive feats since she'd attached herself to this crew of pirates.
"And it wasn't just for Nami he was prepared to fight for." Robin reminded herself. "The captain stood his ground for me as well. He was still willing to fight that admiral to keep me from being taken away."
Really, what on earth had she done to inspire that kind of loyalty from a group she'd been with for only a few months? Was just being considered a member of his crew enough for Luffy to risk himself for her? The concept was as baffling for Robin as it was touching.
"That hit might've been what made that admiral push for a fight in the first place." Nami grumbled, snapping Robin out of her thoughts.
"...No, I think that confrontation would have been inevitable." Robin murmured. "I think the only reason he let any of us go was because he seemed to know the captain's family."
To think that probably the only reason she hadn't been shattered into ice cubes was because her new captain had connections in the navy. It was quite a surprising revelation for Robin, and something she reminded herself to keep in mind if they ever ran into marine forces again.
…Robin's lips twisted down as she mentally berated herself for that self-serving thought.
Luckily, Nami didn't notice her change in expression as she continued their conversation. "Right, he did mention Luffy's grandpa. I guess it'd make sense for them to know each other since they're both high ranked in the navy."
"Mm… good thing he only enforces his so-called "Lazy Justice" and decided to let us go on a whim. If it had been one of the other admirals I don't think we would have been as lucky…"
Seeing Robin fall silent, Nami waited a few seconds before she decided to bite the bullet. "So… that admiral, how exactly to do you know-"
"BWAHAHAHAHA!"
"S-STOP! STOP! IT'S TOO MUCH!"
Nami clicked her tongue as the loud laughter from below cut her off and ruined her chance.
Robin smiled and pushed off of the side railing, turning away from the ocean view and stepping over to the upper deck railing as she looked down at the rest of the crew. Nami followed her gaze, frowning when her eyes fell on the trio of Luffy, Usopp and Chopper, the latter two laughing uproariously at the poses Luffy was making. He'd elongated his body into looking somewhat similar to one of the lanky animals from the island they'd left behind.
"It's amazing how he can act so merry after an encounter like that." Robin mused as she rested her chin on one hand.
"That's Luffy for you." Nami frowned, eyes fixed on their idiot captain. "Bleeding out or suffering from frostbite one day, laughing and eating a buffet of food the next like it's normal."
Robin's smile grew a tad over the frustrated worry Nami was displaying. "Why do you sound so annoyed about that? I think it's impressive how quickly your husband bounces back."
"That's one way to put it. Sometimes I wonder if his body is just as stupid as his brain. No matter how hurt he gets, or even if he almost dies, his body just doesn't realize it so he can just get up and keep going no matter the situation." Nami said, feeling a spike of irritation shoot through her as she watched Luffy laugh with the duo he was putting a show on for. "Seriously, you'd think that after almost getting killed, AGAIN, that he'd take a minute or two to just…"
Robin smiled as she watched Nami start grumbling about Luffy. Honestly, since coming aboard the dynamic between the captain and the navigator had been a constant source of amusement for her and it was one of the most bizarre, unconventional romances that she'd ever witnessed. Hearing the tale of how Luffy and Nami's marriage came to be… that it had actually been the combined result of a slip of the tongue and forged documents being made official, was something that still made her laugh. Luffy's acceptance and his perpetuation of their status as a married couple and Nami's constant denials about the legitimacy of their marriage, even though they both wore the rings Princess Vivi had gifted them, only added to the humor of the situation.
Robin had perhaps taken a little too much pleasure in pushing Nami's buttons about the whole affair in her first few weeks with the crew. The other members of the crew also enjoyed teasing her about it, aside from Sanji who always cried about it, so it was actually a topic that had helped her bond with the others in the beginning.
…Though Robin wondered if the navigator was aware of the change she'd undergone recently.
She'd been peppering references to Nami's marriage during their discussion, calling Luffy her husband instead of his name… yet the orange haired woman hadn't blushed, stuttered, loudly denied, or made any sort of rejection to that label like she had previously.
It was a shift in dynamic that Robin had noticed beginning right after their adventure in Sky Island concluded.
Robin was probably the only one who noticed the change. The others still made fun of Nami for her marriage here and there, but her exaggerated, angry reactions had all but disappeared. Even when Luffy had proclaimed her as his wife to Aokiji it hadn't been instantly followed up by a denial on Nami's part, a pattern that had once been the norm.
Now any reminder of her sham marriage only resulted in the occasional eye roll from the navigator at most. Perhaps the joke had finally run its course and Nami simply wasn't letting herself get provoked by the topic anymore.
…Though the former Miss All Sunday had noticed that sometimes Nami would smile a little to herself whenever Luffy was called her husband now.
Robin hid a chuckle behind her hand. The over the top reactions might be gone, but the archaeologist was looking forward to when the navigator realized the change in her own feelings.
Or maybe Nami was just finally accepting what had always been there.
"And check THIS out!"
Robin snapped out of her own thoughts and turned away from observing the crew's navigator when Luffy's antics got her attention again. The rubber man had lifted two small sacks of flour up for his audience of two to see before dumping the contents of the bags on his head.
"This is me as 'FROZEN LUFFY'!"
Covered in white powder, Luffy struck a pose as if he'd been frozen in place, earning another round of laughter from Usopp and Chopper. Robin herself even couldn't help the light snort that escaped her at the sight.
"Really… actually making jokes about that fight. It's all just water off a duck's back for him. Maybe it's just an aspect of his being a rubber man. I'm almost envious." Robin chuckled.
"...Does he even get it?"
Robin blinked when she heard Nami speak with a tone that was low and dangerous.
"That's perfect! You looked just like that!" Usopp laughed while clutching his sides.
"More, more!" Chopper clapped his hooves as he cheered.
"Then… how about this?! FROZEN POSE MK2!"
The deck descended into laughter once more while Nami's fingers gripped onto the railing so hard that her knuckles turned white.
"Seriously, that… stupid… freaking…" Nami snarled before turning and heading down the steps to the lower deck.
"Oh dear…" Robin murmured as she watched Nami approach the laughing trio.
Luffy laughed, getting ready for another pose when he noticed Nami walking up to them. "Oh, hey Nami! Check this out, I've come up with some really funny-"
Robin felt a bit of deja vu when the sound of Nami's fist being driven into the side of Luffy's face echoed through the air. Usopp and Chopper immediately stopped laughing and backed away from the splash zone, clutching onto one another fearfully as Nami loomed over their captain. Sanji stopped grilling, absentmindedly turning down the flame on the stove as he watched what was happening. Even Zoro had woken up from his nap, raising his head slightly from where he was lying down to observe the scene.
"Ow!" Luffy yelped, rubbing his cheek from where he was sprawled out on the floor. "Nami, why did-"
Once more, Luffy was interrupted by another hard punch that bounced his head off the floor of the deck.
"Nami-!" The captain tried again.
Another hit, one hard enough to knock all the flour off of his body.
"Hey-"
A fourth hit, which after receiving caused Luffy to fall silent and stare up at Nami in confusion. He glanced down for a moment at the hand balled into the top of his shirt, before looking back up at his navigator who had her arm raised in the air, prepped to throw another punch. He tried getting a good look at her face, but it was hard to see her expression with the way her head was bowed and with her bangs covering her eyes.
"...Nami?" Luffy ventured after a few seconds had passed without her throwing another punch. He watched the woman's fist tremble for a moment before both her arms fell and she dropped him to the deck.
She didn't say anything. Instead, the young woman abruptly turned on her heel and headed back to the upper deck. Everyone watched her go in silence. After a few seconds, the sound of the charter room door slamming shut announced to everyone where she'd gone.
Luffy just stared after her. For a brief moment right before she'd left, he'd managed to catch the stormy expression on her face. Frowning, the Strawhat captain crossed his legs and arms and thought hard about what had just happened.
He was fine with Nami hitting him. It was one way they communicated, and he knew it was how she showed her worry and affection for him. It was a normal exchange between them. Still though, something about these punches had felt… different. Plus, it was the first time she'd punched him without really saying anything.
"Usually she shouts at me when she hits me. It isn't like her to not say anything while she does it." Luffy thought, seriously pondering over what she was upset about.
And she WAS upset. That was so obvious even an idiot like him could figure that out. But what was she upset about?
Luffy's train of thought never made it to its destination due to Sanji suddenly kicking him upside the head.
"OW! Sanji, what was that for?!
"IDIOT! WHAT DID YOU DO TO PISS OFF NAMI-SWAN THIS TIME?!" The cook roared.
"Nothing!" Luffy replied hotly, getting worked up himself before remembering Nami's expression and deflating. "Or at least I don't think I did…"
"Y-You sure…?" Usopp asked shakily, still holding onto Chopper. "B-Because she seemed really angry."
"Like REALLY, really angry." Chopper agreed as he trembled in the sniper's arms.
"What's the big deal? She's always hitting you for some reason or another." Zoro quipped as he laid back down.
"This was different though," Luffy vocalized his thoughts from earlier. "These weren't like her normal punches. Something was off about them."
The swordsman just scoffed. "You a punch connoisseur now? It's the same as it always is."
"How do you know if you're a punch connoisseur? Do you need to get trained for that?" Chopper inquired.
"No, I wasn't being serious." Zoro replied, rolling his eyes at the stupid question. "Though given how many fights this guy has gotten into, maybe we can consider that proof of his credentials. Either way, just let her cool off and she'll probably start punching you the right way tomorrow."
"Don't just brush off Nami-swan's completely justified anger! It was only a matter of time before she finally got fed up with him! Even with my lessons, some things just can't be taught!" Sanji crowed, puffing up his chest. "Only a true man knows how to treat a woman!"
"Well, no wonder he made her angry if he was following your advice on how to handle women." Zoro chuckled.
"SCREW YOU, MOSSHEAD!" Sanji yelled before he swung around, facing towards where Nami had departed with hearts in his eyes. "I'll just go comfort her and then-EAUGH?!"
Sanji's body was suddenly twisted backwards by the hands that suddenly sprouted from his body and put him in a clutch hold.
"Now, now, it's the husband's duty to comfort his wife when she's upset." Robin smiled, arms crossed in front of her as she approached. She turned towards Luffy, who was looking unusually contrite. "Unless you feel it's best to leave her alone for now?"
"...I'm gonna go talk to her." Luffy decided, making Robin's respect for the captain go up another notch.
"If you need anything from us…" Robin offered.
"Nah, I got this!" Luffy grinned, once against looking like his usual self before he took off toward the upper deck.
"And there he goes, looking happy as a clam even after getting punched into the deck boards. I know he's made of rubber and all, but it's incredible how he can just grin and bounce back like it's nothing." Usopp sighed, making Robin chuckle as the sniper echoed the thought she had earlier.
"Yes, I'd say 'incredible' is definitely a word that can be used to describe our captain." Robin said with a smile. She turned to address the rest of the crew. "Really, the same could be said for all of you."
"R-Robin-swan~!"
"Heh heh, y-you think so?"
"Aw, you jerk! Don't be mean and tell a lie to my face!"
Zoro just arched an eyebrow at her from where he was lying down. "What's with you all of a sudden?"
"What? Can I not voice my appreciation for my fellow crewmates?" Robin smiled coyly.
"Tch. You sure got attached pretty quick if you're saying such mushy things without hesitation." Zoro scoffed as he closed his eyes.
"I'm a little surprised myself." Robin admitted, uncrossing her arms and allowing Sanji to get back to his feet as her extra arms disappeared. "Having been part of quite a number of groups in the past, I will say honestly that this crew is quickly becoming the group I've had the most fun with."
Sans Zoro, seeing the rest of the crew smile happily at her comment, looking at her with eyes that held no suspicion or judgment in them, Robin wondered how much longer she could afford to stay with everyone. When she'd first joined up after Luffy saved her, she had prepared herself for the day when she'd recover her strength, figure out how to cover her tracks, and then disappear and move on. Now though, she found herself dreading the day she'd be forced to part with the new friends she'd made…
"I let my guard down. I really didn't think it would be this easy to get so attached to this crew of misfits." Robin mused in her mind, as she watched Usopp and Chopper move over to bug Zoro while Sanji returned to his grill while whistling a jaunty tune. "How foolish of me. Even though I have nothing to give them, no reason to stay, they still welcome me. I hope the day I leave is a long way off."
Though she knew it would come eventually. For now though, she'd enjoy the time she had with her crew.
And she'd cherish every moment of it.
Nami groaned as she rested her head against the table. Her maps and tools went ignored as she played back the past few minutes in her head.
"Why did I go and do that…?"
That had been such an embarrassing overreaction to his usual antics. Laughing and having fun after a battle, just messing around until they reached their next destination… that was normal for them. It wasn't unusual for him to look back on their previous difficulties or trials and laugh about it. Nami understood that it was how Luffy celebrated. The rubber idiot always lived in the moment and when a fight was finished he would be laughing and eating and doing his usual thing in no time.
It was just… seeing him make that stupid pose, reminding her of that day, acting like being frozen to death a few days ago was a complete joke.
Like almost dying was funny.
She certainly didn't find it funny when Luffy had told them all to run while he fought that admiral one on one. It hadn't been funny when Robin was flash frozen and when Chopper had her and Usopp help try and thaw her out.
And it definitely, most certainly, hadn't been funny AT ALL when she and Zoro had rushed back only to find Luffy as a frozen statue and the admiral long gone.
She'd been scared the whole time helping Zoro carry Luffy's frozen body back to the ship, afraid of tripping or falling and potentially making his body shatter. She'd been horrified when she realized that she couldn't feel Luffy's heartbeat when they pulled him onto the deck. She'd been terrified up until Chopper had gotten to work and confirmed the man's heart was beating again.
"He almost died…" Nami whispered.
But then again, that wasn't anything new, was it? Half the battles Luffy had been involved in until now came with an "almost died" or "could've died" attached to it. The keywords being "almost" and "could've". The same went for the rest of them. They always managed to pull through. The closest Luffy had ever come to "actually died" was in Alabasta after his fight with Crocodile.
This time felt different though.
The last she'd seen of Luffy had been of him squaring up to fight the admiral before she, Chopper and Usopp had rushed back to the ship carrying Robin, with Zoro and Sanji close behind them. Luffy had been out of her sight for barely five minutes, and when she'd gone back for him with Zoro he was in a near death state.
Unlike all his other battles, it was so quick. An almost instant conclusion, and unlike when he punched out Bellamy, it wasn't in their favor this time.
What if they ran into Aokiji again? Or another admiral? What if instead of letting them go they decided to finish the job? What if Luffy actually-
"Hey Nami, you still angry?"
The navigator jolted up at the sound of her captain's voice. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Luffy standing in front of her desk.
"When did you come in?"
"A little while ago." Luffy answered plainly as he scratched his head. "Um, I don't know what I did, but whatever it was I'm sorry."
"You're sorry…?"
"For upsetting you." Luffy said. "I can't remember what I did to make you mad, but I must've. So sorry I did… whatever it is I did. You can hit me some more if it'll make you feel better!"
Nami stared blankly at him for a few moments, watching him stand before her with his usual stupid smile, before she let out an explosive sigh.
"No, no, don't apologize… I'M the one who should be saying sorry."
"Huh?"
"Hitting you like that, I shouldn't have… I mean, you weren't doing anything different than normal, so… it's just, acting like it was all a big joke when I… er… I know I should expect it, it's normal for you, but this time…"
She watched as Luffy's expression became more and more confused as she tried and failed to explain herself properly. That made two of them, because even she didn't know what she was trying to say exactly. Sighing again, she pushed herself up and out of her seat and came around the desk, grabbing Luffy by the arm and pulling him toward the couch on the other end of the room. Still with a lost expression, Luffy didn't protest when he was pushed down onto the couch and Nami sat down in his lap.
"Nami?"
"Sit down, shut up and just… just BE here, got it?" Nami demanded, taking his arms and wrapping them around her midsection as she leaned against him.
"Will that make you feel better?"
"It will."
"Okay then!"
There wasn't any argument from him, and Nami couldn't help the smile that came to her face when he wrapped his arms more firmly around her and placed his chin on her shoulder, leaning his head affectionately against hers. In response the orange haired woman leaned back against him, absentmindedly turning her head to kiss his cheek which Luffy unhesitatingly returned.
"Shishishi… I think this is one of the best parts about being married." Luffy told her.
Nami felt the usual impulse to deny their marriage status well up in her, but she ignored it. Instead she slumped against her captain and burrowed her head into the crook of his neck.
"What's that?" Nami asked.
"Just being able to hold you like this. Just me and you together, being super close, kissing you, stuff like that." Luffy said with a big grin. "It's like eating really good food! I mean not actually, it's different obviously, but it makes me feel just as good!"
"There are upsides I guess." Nami replied playfully.
"There's all kinds of upsides! Feels like I discover more every day!" Luffy laughed.
Nami could understand that sentiment even if she probably didn't think of it in the same way Luffy did. She'd discovered tons of new things about herself ever since she met the man whose lap she was sitting on. Heck, most of those new discoveries were directly BECAUSE of him.
Shifting around, Nami turned in Luffy's lap until she was straddling him, resting her hands atop his shoulders and she gazed down at him. Luffy just grinned up at her as his hands came to rest on the sides of her hips, looking like he was getting some kind of kick at how they were positioned.
Seeing him look so carefree and happy…
"I was really worried, you know." Nami told him.
Luffy blinked. "Huh? About what?"
Luffy yelped when one of Nami's fists came down on his head.
"You almost died, you idiot!" Nami shouted angrily.
"Oh, now that hit felt more like her usual ones!" Luffy thought happily. "She must be feeling better!"
"That admiral could've killed you." Nami went on. "When we came back and found you frozen in ice, I thought that maybe-"
"But I didn't die." Luffy interrupted, giving what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "See? All healthy! All warm again!"
"But you COULD have died!" Nami protested stubbornly.
"But I didn't!" Luffy returned just as stubbornly. "Just like how I didn't die when I fought Crocodile, Wapol, Arlong, that guy who messed up that restaurant we picked up Sanji at, Kuro, or Buggy. Sure I got hurt sometimes, but I'm not gonna die, Nami! Not before I accomplish my dream!"
"I just…!" Nami seemed to struggle for a moment before glared at him. "Look, doesn't it bother you? All the fighting? Almost dying? Aren't you at all worried whenever you go into a fight?"
"Not really." Luffy answered, to Nami's shock. "Well, almost dying does suck. That poison Crocodile hit me with made me feel really awful. But I don't really have time to think about that stuff in the moment. I've gotta focus on kicking their asses!"
Nami's expression grew furious. "So that's it? In the end, you don't even think-"
"Besides, I'd be WAY more bothered if I didn't fight!"
Those words doused Nami's rising fury and replaced it with confusion. "What…?"
"It's dangerous out on the sea, Nami! Heck, the whole world is super dangerous!" Luffy said, expression serious. "Shanks always told me so. When I was a kid, every time he told me about his adventures he told me all about how dangerous they were, he said the only reason he and his crew got through everything was because they were strong enough to fight and beat whatever it was they were facing. That's why I fight! It's so I can get stronger! Strong enough so I can protect you and everyone else in my crew!"
"Luffy…"
"I mean, what if a guy even worse than Arlong or Crocodile comes along one day? What if he threatened you? Or Usopp? Zoro? Or Sanji? Or Chopper? Or tried to take away Robin like that afro-guy did? I gotta make sure I'm strong enough to win and protect everyone!"
"…But you do like fighting, don't you?"
"Sure! I mean, kinda." Luffy tried to explain. "It's not like I enjoy getting stabbed or hurt or poisoned and other stuff like that. And it's not like I wanna go around picking fights with strangers for kicks. That'd be lame, and also make me kind of a jerk."
"That's… true." Nami admitted.
It wasn't like Luffy, or anyone in the crew, really fit into her original image of a pirate. They didn't terrorize cities or go out of their way to pillage towns. Luffy often wound up fighting pirates that did those sorts of things. Weirdly enough, Luffy was more responsible for actually saving and helping people than hurting them, much different from what one would typically think of a pirate. They'd already saved several towns and cities over the course of their journey, helped random strangers… and the most recent feather in their cap was saving an entire kingdom!
"And this last fight wasn't fun at all. I mean, I lost." Luffy pouted before he smiled up at Nami. "But I was still able to keep you guys safe, so I kinda count it as a win even if I also kinda lost. And I'm not gonna kinda-lose again! I've been thinking about what I can do to get stronger, and I've come up with some ideas!"
Nami snorted. "Thinking? Ideas? You?"
"Yeah! I'm still kinda working things out, but you'll see! It's gonna be awesome!" Luffy assured her.
"…Guess I'll just have to trust you then, huh?"
"You can always trust me, Nami." Luffy smiled. "Trust your husband!"
Again, the thought of protesting that statement popped into her mind… but Nami pushed the thought away.
"I know… I know I can always trust you." Nami murmured. "But that's still not going to stop me from worrying when you fight."
"It's fine! But that's one of the reasons why I'm gonna get stronger! So you don't worry as much!"
"…Maybe I'll put in a little more work too. Get stronger myself." Nami smiled. "Where we're going… I feel like our enemies are just gonna keep getting tougher. I can't fall behind too much. I don't… I don't just wanna be the one who gets protected all the time."
"You won't. We'll all get stronger together!" Luffy grinned. "Because we're crewmates! We look out for each other!"
They were simple words, and Luffy had said similar things before, but hearing them was what finally put Nami at ease.
"I am sorry for worrying you though." Luffy spoke up, saying it almost like an afterthought. "That's why you hit me earlier, right?"
"It was more because you were joking about being frozen to death and I didn't like being reminded of it." Nami deadpanned, pinching his cheek and stretching it out. "There are some things that just aren't funny to joke about."
"Usoaa ah Choppa thow ih wa fuhee." Luffy replied as she stretched his cheek.
"That's only because they have terrible sense of humor." Nami retorted, pulling harder. "And so do you."
"Nahee, thish kinna hurss."
"Deal with it."
Nami watched Luffy's face stretch and listened to his whining protests… and felt her mind start to drift as she thought about the man before her.
Her "husband".
…It really was amazing how far they'd come. How close she'd gotten with him. She never thought that'd she'd be where she was now after the life she lived. Yet here she was, messing around with her captain, who had saved her like some hero from a fairy tale and took her on a journey with him.
"Seriously, this idiot… how can he be so frustrating but so endearing at the same time? How did I ever fall in… oh…"
Nami felt something within her finally settle into place.
The navigator released Luffy's cheek which snapped back to his face, and while her captain worked his jaw a bit, Nami gathered her courage.
"Hey, Luffy…"
"Hm?"
"I… I just wanted to thank you for everything."
"...But I haven't done anything." Luffy said, tilting his head in confusion. "What're you thanking me for?"
"Moron." Nami said fondly, swatting his head which earned a chuckle from the rubber man. "You've done a lot. A whole lot. It's just… I mean for everything you've done, I want to tell you how grateful I am to you…"
Nami took a deep breath, feeling heat creep up her neck as she stared into Luffy eyes so she could hopefully convey the sincerity of her feelings.
"When we first met I thought you were just another pirate. A stupid one. But then in Orange town you helped that dog out and kicked Buggy and his crew out of the place and I realized you were different. You helped Usopp protect Kaya and his village. Then even when I stole your ship… which I actually felt bad about, by the way! That's the first time I ever felt bad about stealing something, you know! That had never happened before, especially over a pirate!"
Nami paused and cleared her throat before she got carried away with her tangent.
"Um, er, a-and then you came after me. Even when I was mean and told you to leave, you stayed. Then… when all the money I'd gathered was stolen and I felt everything was hopeless…"
Nami's hand drifted up to brush over her shoulder where Arlong's tattoo once was, where her new tattoo of a pinwheel and mikans was.
"Even after betraying you, you still helped me when I asked. You defeated Arlong, you freed my village, and you… you destroyed that room." Nami smiled, closing her eyes as she replayed the moment when Luffy brought Arlong's tower crashing down to smithereens in her head. "I'll never not be grateful for that. What you did, what it meant to me… I'll never be able to give enough thanks for that. But when I say I want to thank you for everything, I don't mean just the stuff with Arlong and my village."
Nami leaned down and placed her forehead against Luffy's.
"You make me laugh. You make me feel safe. This journey so far has been frustrating, scary, or just plain ridiculous at times but… but it's also been so amazing. There isn't anywhere else I'd rather be than on this ship and… a-and here sitting with you. I'm… I'm really happy that we met. I couldn't imagine my life without you. You make me happy. You make me happier than I ever dreamed, Luffy."
Nami took a deep breath, letting everything out before leaning back and stared down at Luffy, who only stared back at her with his usual big grin… which seeing as he wasn't reacting any differently than he usually did, made Nami suddenly feel like she'd been put on the spot.
"So uh… yeah. Thanks for… all of that. T-That's pretty much all I wanted to say." Nami finished lamely, trying her best to look at his face despite how hot hers felt. She wondered how he would respond to everything he said, and if he would-
"I love you too, Nami!"
Nami's face cheeks turned a bright crimson at his words. "I-Idiot! Why is that your reply after everything I just said?! I didn't say that I… er… I-I was just saying that I appreciate you and my life is better because of you and-!"
"You were saying you love me, just with more words!" Luffy laughed again as he embraced her. "And I didn't do any of that stuff to get a thank you from you. I did all that stuff because you mean the world to me! And don't worry, I'm gonna make you even happier in the future! So happy you'll never, ever feel like crying again!"
Luffy's speech was much more direct and abrupt than her speech had been… but Nami felt her heart swell all the same.
"You really love me, huh?" Nami found herself asking, even though she already knew the answer.
"Yep! Tons!" Luffy confirmed with a beaming smile. "I really, really love you!"
Nami felt the words to respond on the tip of her tongue. The words she wanted to say in response. There wasn't any point in denying what she felt for him anymore. Even if their marriage wasn't real, and even if it only happened because she blurted out a proposal in the spur of the moment… what she felt toward him was real. Nami realized it hadn't been a slip of the tongue back then, but her true feelings leaking out, even if she hadn't acknowledged them until now.
So what was wrong with giving him a proper reply after all this time?
...But she wasn't quite there yet.
"Ah, geez! C'mere, you rubber doofus!"
"Whoa-mphf?!"
Nami pushed her lips against Luffy's as she leaned down to kiss him. While he was surprised at first, he began kissing her back just as enthusiastically a few seconds later. Nami's eyes fluttered shut as she felt Luffy deepen the kiss, and she ran her fingers through his hair while hands danced across her lips and back.
She never imagined THIS for herself either… but it was definitely something she was liking more and more whenever she and Luffy got into it. The kisses, the touches, the heated whispers and soft words exchanged in the brief moments their lips separated so they could both breathe... Nami thought it all felt incredible.
"Shishishi… marriage is awesome!" Luffy grinned happily as they pulled apart.
This time, there was no sudden impulse to deny or reject that statement. Instead, Nami dove back in and pressed herself more firmly against Luffy, kissing him even harder than before.
"I'll tell him soon." Nami promised to herself in her head.
She'd be able to say the words back eventually. She had time. For now, she'd just let her actions speak for her.
Pulling back, Nami grabbed the edges of her top and tossed it aside. Luffy's eyes widened and his trademark grin grew even bigger.
"No charge~" Nami said in sultry whisper.
"…I'm gonna change what I said before a little bit." Luffy grinned. "Being married to YOU is awesome!"
Nami blushed and giggled as Luffy pulled her down for another searing kiss.
"Being married to you is pretty awesome too, Luffy." Nami thought as she started unbuttoning his shirt.
"Haha, doing this kinda stuff always gets my blood pumping. Different than when I'm in a fight, but similar!" Luffy said as he kissed along her neckline, before his eyes widened. "Hey… I think I just figured out something that might make me stronger!"
Nami growled. "Think about getting stronger later. Focus on what we're doing RIGHT NOW!"
"OKAY!"
"What are you smiling about?"
Robin uncrossed her arms and leaned back in her seat, shooting Zoro a coy look when he asked her that question.
"Oh, nothing…"
The captain and navigator were certainly escalating their skinship with one another as the days passed by. They hadn't crossed the line yet, but it was only a matter of time.
"I hope I'm still here when it happens." Robin thought to herself, hiding a giggle behind her hand.