However, this time, she was the one that enveloped her arms around him. Muttering at his ears.

"I hate seeing you crying."

Luffy, for his part just smiled at those words and answered back, simply.

"I hate seeing you cry too."

Recalling how much perturbed he's got after seeing Nami's eyes swell up in tears earlier.

They both separated,

Still each other's eyes lingered within their gazes, until Luffy decided to avert his eyes look at the surrounding.

He was at the grassy deck of the ship and he just noticed that the sun has already gone down, with stars encompassing the ocean along the waters with just them two on the deck.

Luffy just realized that he has fallen asleep on the deck. This however is not a rare occurrence for him, in fact, napping at random places around the ship is only a normal thing for Luffy and Zoro.

But currently, looking at the sky, it's dark.

Luffy only stared blankly until realizing something, panic started to take over him.

What is it that he is so concerned about?

grumble*

His stomach grumbled

"That's right!..."

"Dinner!!! I haven't had dinner yet!"

He shot himself up looking disquieted, and asked Nami with face of desperation.

"Where's everyone? Nami, what time is it!?"

Nami chuckled at his antics.

"Heheh~ Don't worry Luffy, It's still only about 7 pm, There's no signs of anyone here right now because I saw them all gathered up at the kitchen."

"Well, let's see, Sanji told me earlier before I left to look for you to get ready for dinner, that the sea king meat is taking longer to soften. So he said, it'll be ready in about 20 minutes. I got here, I think..."

Prolonging her answer to purposefully tease the tensed up Luffy

"...That's right! I first got here about 20 minutes ago already!"

Luffy's eyes almost bulged out.

"Then the dinner is already probably being served right now! Let's go and hurry, they will probably eat it all up and nothing could be left for us!"

Nami had a ticked mark on her forehead after he said that.

"You're the one who's eating all our meals up until nothing remains, stupid."

"Oh, that's right... Shishishishi~"

Nami expected that Luffy would run away already into the kitchen. However, he stood just stood there while looking at her.

The woman tilted her head, asking.

"... What?"

Then Luffy reached out his hand to her, acted to assist her to stand up from her sitting position.

The reason why he stood still was because he was actually waiting for her.

Nami simply smiled and took his hand, unhesitatingly.

"I thought you would just run straight into the kitchen, who would thought that you would actually wait for me considering how hungry you are."

He grinned and said.

"Let's go together."

He pulled her up, however, the moment Nami got up, she tripped and went straight towards him. Her face went on and got unexpectedly placed towards his shoulder.

"Eh?"

Nami's heart beat went faster and faster.

The question is, how could she be so flustered on a single bump with each other's body? When earlier, she even freely went and embraced him with all her heart, but how could such a simple accident make her heart race and face, reddened abnormally?

Well for her, the act of comforting her captain was something that she is abided to deal with as a Nakama. But right now, what happened was something she did not even desire as it was an accident.

Right now there is no sad dreams to be comforted about, there is no friendship, no camaraderie... Simply a man and a woman under a starry night.

Nami eyes appeared slumberous, it's happening like magic that her mind forgot the ability to think. She felt like her vigor has been drained by this man.

She felt like she could tell the truth.

Her lips opened up to say.

"I love y-"

"Shishishishi~ What are you doing Nami? You suddenly tripped."

Nami who was about to confess, was halted by this same man who she was about to tell her love to.

"By the way? Were you about to say something?"

Her eyes opened wide and she immediately took a step back, curling her hand just about the level of her shoulder close to her chest while her palm were facing him. The scene were something she does whenever she's caught stealing back on her theif-life. And right now, she's acting like she just got busted.

"Say something? Nu-n-no way, I-I didn't s-se-sssay something! I in no way did, I p-promise!"

Her face was sweating while trying hard to lie, swaying both her hands side by side together with her head.

"Huh?"

Luffy found it odd that Nami suddenly acted this way, but he's too hungry to think for that.

"Well, if you say so. But let's go now, I'm so hungry that I could die."

He clutched his tummy and let out a drained sigh.

"Ye-yes, I'll be sure to come and follow."

Nami stood there as she watched Luffy's back as he's running for the kitchen hurriedly. Then she suddenly remembers the advice Brook told her.

- "I'm not telling you to tell to all the people about your feelings towards Luffy, I'm hitting on about fighting for it. If you love him truly, then I suggest to fight for it and take pride in it. Be sincere to your feelings, because I'm telling you..."

She looked down and spoke in a solemn tone.

"I almost said it, yet... Yet I can't... It's too difficult for me after all."

As if realizing something, she shut her eyes tightly and lightly clapped both her cheeks, the light sting of the blow woke her up and gave her a felicitous thinking.

Looking back into what her mother, Bellemere, had said a long time ago as they both laid down together to sleep in one bed covered by the blanket. Bellemere advised her two daughters about love life.

Backstory;

--"Listen, Nami, Nojiko, if ever both of you will get to find a man you think that you truly love... Well, as of now, you shouldn't think of something like that, you two are still snot nosed brat after all. But I'm just worried because you both are girls so I better remind you in still early age."

Nojiko spoke at Bellemere's left side with full interest.

"Ohh~... Romance, let me hear it, let me hear it!"

Nami, at Bellemere's right side just sounded apathetic about these kinds of stuff.

"Not interested..."

"Whatever, you two just listen, I will not be at your side forever, you know? When you love, you must make sure to give out your all, but you should also expect to loose your all."

"So it's a gamble."

Nami asked.

"Hehe~ That's right, it's a frickin gamble."

"Hehh! In no way I would bet my all in one go."

Nojiko was quite pissed at the snorting Nami.

"This has nothing to do with money, Nami!"

Their mother figure just chuckled lightly and kept going.

"You see, a love between a man and a woman isn't so simple, it goes on through many process and challenges, something like that. In a relationship, don't expect that all things will just go on smoothly, it won't. 'Love is patient', think things through and don't just rush in hastily. It will do you no good if you solely follow your heart, you will only hurt yourself; have some space for your mind too, make sure both should be in balance."

Nojiko rubbed her head.

"I don't understand what you're talking about, Bellemere!"

"Well, someday you will understand, like I said, 'be patient' Hahaha~"

Nami scoffed at the woman.

"Pffft! That's some deep words coming from someone who's single."

A tick mark appeared on the woman's head, and pinched the young girl's cheek.

"Shut up!... Anyway, it's time for sleep now."

End Backstory;

"That's right, I should just be patient."

She lightly smiled upon the recalling of the past.

"It sure takes back memories, huh?"

A cold wind passed by, her orange hair flew as it does. Nami couldn't help but gaze at the direction where the wind is going, then slightly tilting her head upward looking at the countless starts that's reflecting upon the sea.

She arranged her tied hair sidewards before saying, with a delightsome face.

"It's getting cold out here, I guess I should go inside."

Aaaand that's it!

I'd like to know, guys... which girl are you rooting for?