"Luffy... Oi, Luffy?"
Usopp waved a hand in front of his Captain's face and watched in concern as Luffy swallowed deep. They were at the dinner table. All of them. The problem was that Luffy had stopped eating and was entranced by the navigator of the crew, who sat opposite him, minding her business.
She smiled Robin's way and sighed at a helping of food before taking a sip of her drink.
Her free hair she tucked behind her ear as she ate a spoonful of soup. Suddenly, her eyes flickered upwards and made contact with the Captain's.
Usopp saw the exchange, and the moment Luffy squeezed his fork in his hand, it bent ever so slightly. Then Nami had the gall to place her chin in her hands, hood her eyes, and smile his way.
It all lasted only a second before Nami averted her gaze and continued her meal and chatter but Usopp had enough. Everyone acted oblivious to the whole thing but Usopp was tired of pretending. It was time to shed some light on the situation.
He stood up, causing everyone to pause their chatter, and looked between the culprits.
"What's up with you two lately?"
"What do you mean, Usopp?" Nami asked innocently and Usopp only gaped.
"I cannot be the only one seeing this. You guys have been flirting every chance you get and as your crew, we deserve an explanation."
"..."
"Flirting?"
The crew looked at each other and burst out laughing. All besides the three in mention.
Usopp began thinking he was stupid.
"Haven't you guys seen the way our captain and navigator have been behaving lately? How they look at each other?"
"Dinner time is usually chaotic. Since we all sat here, Luffy barely ate five bites of food. All he's been doing is burning holes in Nami's face. Call me crazy but I think Luffy loves Nami or something."
"I do."
The dinner table went deathly quiet and without a moment's notice, Nami sprang up with a victory pose.
"I won!"
Robin smiled in defeat and handed over her stash.
"What the hell?!" everyone cried. Zoro and Sanji being the loudest.
"It was a bet between Robin and I. And I won fair and square so you have nothing to worry about, guys."
The others looked at Luffy with concern.
"That's not cool, Nami-sis."
"What?"
"You played with Luffy's feelings all for a bet."
"Wrong. I proved that Luffy is capable of acknowledging his ability to feel attraction towards the opposite sex. I proved that he isn't as dense as we thought he was."
"What about you? Do you love Luffy?"
Everyone bore eyes into her.
"I..."
Luffy felt like a monkey in the middle. He sat waiting for Nami's answer, but it never came, and he abandoned his seat and left the room with a huff. The slam of the door gave everyone the chills.
"Now you've done it, Nami. You must be very proud of yourself."
They turned to her and like a gust of wind, she ran past them in the same direction the captain left.
...This was going to be a long night.
Three weeks ago...
After a long day of pirating, Nami, freshly showered and dressed, collapsed in bed and groaned into her pillow.
She had been on this ship, following her captain for 7 years now. She was pushing 30 and just like any other female, she had plans outside of her career, outside of her dream. She wanted things for herself. Wanted love. The romantic kind. And with every island they have been to and with every child she befriended made the baby fever in her rage like a storm.
She groaned again, and her roommate, Robin, could not help but ask.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah... You know, I love being the navigator of this ship. I love all of you guys but I can't help but feel a little selfish from time to time. And it could really ruin my day, you know?"
Robin's silence gave Nami permission to continue.
"I want a family but this job is so demanding. When am I going to find time to get a partner? That means I'll have to settle down... That means leaving Luffy and all of you. Leaving the life of adventure. So these thoughts leave me all caught up in the middle. I am happy here but one of my dreams is to become a mother."
"What about adoption?"
Nami was open to the idea. She would love the child as if it were her own. But then again, she knew deep down she wanted her own biological children. She preferred adoption being a last resort. A little romance wouldn't hurt either.
"What about Luffy?"
Nami tilted her head.
"Luffy? What about the captain?"
"Do you believe that he is asexual? Incapable of having romantic attraction towards the other sex?"
Nami shrugged.
"Who knows."
Then came a yawn, and Nami got under her covers, but Robin was not ready to call it a night.
"What do you think?"
"Me?... I think that Luffy is capable of anything."
"Prove it."
Nami sprang up in bed.
"...What?"
"Prove that the captain can fall in love?"
"You do realize that we spend about 75% of our time here on this ship? I'm not going to leave some poor village girl broken-hearted."
Nowadays, the captain had grown into his shoes. Now at the age of 26, he was beginning to shed his boyish features. Nami did not fail to see the lingering looks beautiful women would send Luffy's way every now and then. Monkey D. Luffy was always a good catch but now he was a little too easy on the eyes. Even Nami would admit that.
"I mean you, Nami."
"Me?"
Nami almost laughed.
How did this conversation move from her wanting a family to the possibility of their captain being like any other man who ever walked the earth? It was beyond her.
"I don't get it but what's in it for me?"
Robin smiled. She looked up from her book and said, "My rare diamond collection. Prove it and it's all yours."
"You mean it?"
Nami's eyes were stars.
"You have my word."
"Deal."
To Nami it was a piece of cake. To Robin, it was all a part of her plan.
Nami knew that Luffy was a tough nut to crack but one of her advantages was that she knew Luffy way longer than anyone on the crew, minus Zoro.
Luffy relied on her more and their job as captain and navigator put her at an advantage. Not only that. He trusted her and considered her a friend. Even as close as family and she didn't have to waste time with introductions or getting to know each other. They established that eons ago.
So she started small with small smiles and asked about his well-being. It was all so natural and not much different from how they were before so she upped it up a notch.
Smoothing creases in his clothing, brushing hair out his eyes, giving him her leftovers.
It got to a point where he would look at her strangely but shrugged it off.
Debating on which island they could go to became a simple, "Yes, Captain." "Good choice, Captain." "Whatever you say, Captain."
She made Luffy feel on top of the world, and it even worked out in her favour, for when she would make mild suggestions based on their safety or important decisions to be made, he agreed with her off the bat.
It even got to the point of reciprocation. He would ask about her well-being, touch her hair, and smooth it out of her eyes and behind her ears. He would offer her the best pieces of meat on his plate.
They shared little teasing moments when discussing the next course. Not to mention the inside jokes they would have. Funny enough, it went unnoticed by the majority of the crew. They may have noticed less bickering, more exchanged smiles but that was no big deal.
They did a good job minding their business. And honestly, it created a sense of peace on the ship. No one was complaining.
In the midst of battle, Luffy would leave her with his hat, a phenomenon that had not happened after their two-year break, and he would always make sure to keep an eye on her and to ensure that she was protected. Often ordering Zoro or Sanji or one of the others to remain at her side in the event they got separated.
In the middle of one night, Nami had checked on him during his night watch on the figurehead and decided to keep him company. They had a heart-to-heart then, exchanging stories from their past and even shared laughter and tears. It was then they shared their first long hug and Nami knew how much that night meant to Luffy. He needed to get a bunch of things off his chest.
When he fell apart in her arms, she couldn't help but need to be there for him. He was the last to let go and Nami enjoyed being his anchor for the first time in their relationship. That was usually his job. It was funny how tables could turn.
And she knew she had him. When she wasn't around, he would be the first to ask of her whereabouts. He would ask about her maps and would steal any chance he could get to be in her company. Not that she minded. Bet or no bet, she found herself enjoying this more than she initially planned.
She almost forgot about the bet. Almost.
"... Call me crazy but I think Luffy loves Nami or something."
"I do."
Truth be told, Nami lost all ability to process, to breathe, to think. Her heart frenzied in her chest, and the embarrassment combined with the exhilaration his declaration gave her made her lose all ability to reason.
She glanced at Robin, who smiled knowingly, and her mind went back to how this all began. She had won.
What she didn't expect or what she should have expected was the heartbreak in her Captain's eyes the instant he looked at her and stormed out of the room the moment that question was asked of her.
"Do you love Luffy?"
Nami stuttered. All eyes were on her and the following slam of the door broke Nami into a million pieces.
So she ran after him.
She looked everywhere for him. He was not in his favorite spot, not in his room, not behind the ship.
She checked the aquarium room, and lo and behold, he was there sitting on one of the stools, staring angrily at fish.
"I've been calling you for the longest while, Luffy. Why didn't you-?"
A wave of energy filled the space, and Nami almost lost her footing to a brief feeling of light-headedness, and her eyes widened the moment she came to her senses.
The audacity was great indeed.
So she walked up to him and whacked him hard across the head.
"Leave me alone!"
"If you were nearly about to do what I thought you were, Luffy, I'd kill you."
"You deserved it."
"Using conqueror's haki on your crewmate is uncalled for."
"I can do whatever I want."
Nami clenched her fists to her side and stormed off.
"Wait until Sanji-kun hears about this..."
Luffy only scoffed.
"So he's the one you love? I should have known."
Nami's shoulders shook and she swung around to square him up.
"I am not in love with Sanji-kun."
"Well, you're clearly not in love with me. Just your stupid money and mikan. You're so selfish, Nami."
Nami could not find it in her heart to be mad at him any longer. He was hurting and rightfully so. It was all her fault.
"My money and mikan are not stupid."
"Well, you're stupid."
Luffy failed to acknowledge Nami approach him and stood where he sat. Both her hands were now on his shoulders.
He stared daggers at her, thinking of some other lame insult to throw her way no doubt.
"You're right. I'm stupid. I'm an idiot."
Luffy's expression grew soft and he searched her eyes.
Defeated, he leaned his head forward and Nami brought him close under her chin and patted his head.
"I'm sorry, captain."
"And I'm sorry for almost knocking you out with my haki."
"You think that's enough to take me down? Think again."
Luffy chuckled merrily and Nami smiled to herself.
"Nami's strong."
"Damn straight."
Silence fell between them.
"... I care about you, Nami. More than I care about anyone."
"I made a fool of you and you find it in your heart to still say things like that?"
Nami moved to sit on the stool next to his. Her captain wasn't backing down. Bet or no bet. Monkey D. Luffy was a man true to himself through and through.
"I've always liked you as a person, but nowadays we have been getting a lot closer, and I love being with you, Nami. You're amazing. You make me feel every emotion imaginable. No one has ever done that to me before."
Nami looked away and fought back a smile.
"Are you physically attracted to me, Luffy?"
"Like your smile, your hair and everything?"
Nami nodded.
"Yes. I like all of it."
"So you think I'm pretty?"
Luffy gave a stiff nod. Not knowing why, he scratched a random itch on his scarred cheek and felt his face heating up.
"You're not too bad yourself. And I confess. I care about you too. More than I care about anyone.
"So does that mean...?"
He received a sheepish nod and Luffy did not know what to do with himself.
"Can I hug you?"
Nami rolled her eyes. He didn't have to ask, but she opened her arms anyway, and Luffy swept her off her feet and cried out with joy to the heavens. His smile was blinding, and to shield her eyes away, she hugged his neck.
"Baka."
'Shishishishi'
"I love you, Luffy."
Luffy lowered Nami to the floor and leaned back to look at her, still smiling.
"Do you mean that?"
"Of course. All that great time we have been having, how could I not? You're good company, you know that? And a great friend."
Luffy looked at Nami with amazement. She took the words right out of his mouth.
"What now?"
"You tell me. You're the captain."
"We should go tell the others."
Nami knotted her brows and pursed her lips.
"Besides that."
"... I can't think of anything. You?"
"Kiss me."
Nami had never seen her Captain's face so red.
He tried moving away from her but she held on like her life depended on it.
"And where do you think you're going?"
"I'm not getting married, Nami."
"Is that so? Is it not natural for people who love each other to get married? To have a family?"
"Is that what you want?"
"More than anything, so pay up."
His hesitation was unnerving.
"It's not hard, Luffy."
"I've never kissed anyone before, Nami." His eyes widened in wonder, "Have YOU?"
Nami blinked and blushed just as hard.
"No... But how hard could it be? Jeez, Luffy. Stop making things weird."
"Me? You're the one being weird."
"Do you want to kiss me or not?"
The two stared hard at the other and Luffy gave a sigh and crashed lips on Nami's. The surprised sound she made made him falter, but he stood his ground the moment she held his face in place.
When it ended, Nami hid her face in her hands.
Her heart was going on overdrive and the instant Luffy removed her hands and saw her breathless state and teary, needy eyes, he could not help but kiss her again and again.
She was adorable and as Pirate King with all the power and freedom over all the seas, he could give her everything she wanted. If it was marriage and a few kids, how hard could it be?
For Nami, he would do anything.
End