thekingofthepirates

You're not alone anymore, Nami. We're all here for you. And we all like you.

I like you. A lot.

[A lot, a lot. But he thinks-- that's probably pretty obvious.]

That's good, because I can't imagine not wanting to take up your free time as much as you'll let me...

[Luffy maybe gets a little greedy, but... also Nami never tells him to go away? So he's assuming she's definitely fine with it.]

You're a good person too, you know. Annnnd I don't think I'm that out of my mind. I mean, everything's worked out, just like I said, right?

But you're not here kissing me right now...

I like you a lot too. I'm glad we're- [ How to describe this... ] Spending time together. I want you to wake up with me every morning you can.

[ So maybe they're both greedy. ]

Yeah, yeah. So far!!

You're not kissing me right now either. And I don't know where you are.

Then that might be a lot of mornings, Nami...

[Barring any craziness they stumble into along the way, or trouble... Luffy does have a talent for finding trouble.]

Mhmm... you'll have to tell me I'm right when I'm king of the pirates, Nami!!!

I'm on the deck!! Where are you?

Good thing there are probably going to be quite a few mornings between now and when you're king of the pirates.

Look up.

[ Nami's peering down, chin in hand from the crow's nest when he does, giving a little wave. ]

[There's a grin when he catches sight of her -- and she can expect a wave back.

And you know, Luffy totally inviting himself up a split second later for that kiss.]

Nami! Hey.

[ Once he makes the climb she grabs the front of his shirt, pulling him the rest of the way in so she can kiss him hello. ]

Better? [ She asks, after pulling away with a grin. ]

[There's a laugh that vibrates against her lips when she yanks him in for that kiss.]

Hm-- [Is it better?

He steps in close to slide an arm around her waist.]

I think-- one more. Then I'll know for sure.

[ Leaning in, Nami wraps an arm around him while her free hand brushes through the ends of his hair where it's sticking out from under his hat.

The bridge of her nose bumps his, and she moves in to kiss him before pausing as if struck by a thought. ]

Better two more. Best two out of three, right?

[ He could kiss her a hundred more times if he wanted, honestly. ]

[There's something really-- nice about that smile, by the way she bumps her nose to his. He doesn't think he'll ever get tired of seeing her relaxed around them, open in ways she hasn't been able to afford before.

And he'll definitely kiss her again, and again.

And maybe one more time for good measure?]

Hmm... think we still need some more, don't you?

[ All too happy to be kissed, she leans into him when their lips meet again, cradling the side of his face ]

Well since you're the one who's always right... [ He is not, and she will argue about it forever, but just for today, because she's still reeling from the way their conversation went from ridiculous, to serious, to just flat-out good, Nami is willing to not quibble over the fact that Luffy is correct about needing to kiss her more. ]

Come sit with me? [ Nami cocks her head towards the cozy nest of blankets, pens, and notebooks she's made herself on the other end of the crow's nest. ]

We can pretend like you're actually going to help me observe the weather.

[He grins easily at the invitation, looking over at the little nest she's built for herself before nodding his head.]

Sure! [He's definitely not keen on wandering off right now and he shifts to settle in with her.]

Watching the weather? That's what you were doing?

[ Once he's settled Nami shifts to the side, leaning against him comfortably. She reaches over to her notebook, pulling it into her lap and flipping it open to the section she's devoted to observing the sky so she can show him the page she's devoted to clouds (and the odd little doodle at the far edges of the page, a cup of tea, a slingshot, a straw hat, etc). ]

The clouds tell me a lot about what's going on. Rain, where the wind's coming from.

[ Nami looks back to Luffy and shrugs a shoulder, reaching out to rest a hand on his thigh as she smiles at him. ]

You're lucky they don't have much to say today, or I might have had to make you go after just the one kiss.

[When she leans against him, he moves to slide an arm around her shoulder, collecting her a little bit closer to himself as he looks over her book, smiling a little bit to himself.]

Oh, so you've been a little bored up here, huh? [He tips his head back a bit, squinting up at the sky.]

Maybe the louds aren't saying much, but... it's nice out, isn't it? And this is the perfect spot to enjoy it.

No. [ Nami counters, barely able to keep the smile out of her voice. ] I've been talking to this cute guy about why we can't yell during sex, and other things.

[ Even with pretty much everything she's been thinking and feeling about him and what they're doing out in the open Nami still feels the need to make herself busy, pulling her notebook closer and flipping towards a section far towards the back before settling on a page that looks more like a scratch pad than anything else, filled with random math problems she worked out for her maps, odd notes, and little pictures, one of which she idly adds a few lines to as her head rests against his shoulder. ]

It's a pretty perfect afternoon. [ She agrees quietly as her heart does another little flip in her chest. ] What are your other favorite things Luffy?

[He huffs out a laugh at that answer, curling his arm around her when she leans in against his shoulder, watching her doodle in her book as he settles in. He's careful to not disturb what she's doing, but his fingertips do idly trace over her arm. Absent little patterns as he tips his head in against hers.]

About you, or in general?

[ Watching him from the corner of her eye as she works on a little sketch of the side of the crow's nest and the shadow Luffy casts on it while sitting with her like this, her head tilts to rest back against his while she draws out the silhouette of his hat's brim. ]

About anything and everything. [ Nami's pen stills, hovering just above the paper so she can turn her head a little and briefly kiss his cheek before adding shyly. ] I'm interested. [ She's learning to be straightforward when talking about her feelings, but that kneejerk impulse to step back and get bashful is hard to shake off fully. It's something Luffy's helped her with, whether he means to or knows it or not. ]

Well-- [he pauses, considering that.] I like this. Being out here, on the water, with all of you.

[And she knows his fondness for meat, already. And well, anything edible. Being a pirate.]

I like watching you when you're really focused on something, you know. You get this look on your face-- [And maybe it's cute, even if she looks really serious. He tilts his head to the side, watching her sketch with curiosity.]

Maybe I like sitting up here with you like this, too. We should do it more often.

[ It's silly, but, she forgets he pays attention to that kind of thing, and when Luffy mentions the look she gets when she's working intently, Nami has to turn her head to the side and try to hide the way the comment sends color straight to her cheeks, the progress on her doodle momentarily paused while she gets her grin under control. ]

You can sit with me anywhere you want to Luffy. [ Nami looks back at him for a moment before glancing off to the side, considering the scope of that statement. ]

Maybe not when I have really important work to do. You can get a little distracting. [ In all the ways she was already aware of having spoken to the guy for more than ten minutes and then some. She sets her pen down and slides the notebook closer to him, letting him see the sketch of his shadow against the crow's nest wall. ]

Yeah? What if I'm really quiet? [Okay, that would never really happen. Luffy is too loud for that and he'd forget about any promise at keeping quiet until Nami is giving him that other look -- the one she does when she's really annoyed with him.

... Which is still kind of cute, if he's honest.]

Okay. I'll leave you alone if you're working on something important. [He relents... although that little drawing has him giving a smile.]

That's really good, Nami! [He gives a soft laugh.] You got my hat!

[Well, in his shadow, but it's still very much there.]

[ It's not that she doesn't believe in him on almost every level, but when he suggests the idea that he could sit and be quiet Nami has to laugh, dropping her pen back onto her notebook so she can turn towards him and run her fingers through the ends of his hair where it's curling out from under his hat. ]

If you were really quiet I would think you were sick, or unconscious.

[ His response to her drawing makes her flush, shaking her head as she does everything in her power not to lean into the rising bashfulness that threatens. ]

It's going to have to go on my map somewhere, isn't it? [ Because without him none of this would have even happened for her. He deserves a small nod somewhere in the scrollwork, and then some. ]

[Okay, she might have a point. Sitting still and quiet isn't really something he's known for, not for very long. And probably not with Nami right there with him.

He does enjoy the way her fingers feel through his hair though, and the way she fits in against him. His fingers brush over her arm, smiling to himself when he sees the flush starting to rise to her cheeks.]

My hat? Is it? [That's-- maybe not what he was expecting to be included in on, but it gets him to huff out a soft chuckle. He's not displeased with that idea.]

On the legend or something, yeah.

[ Nami looks up at his face, bending her arm so she can take his hand instead. ]

It wouldn't exist if you hadn't helped me, after all.

[ She doesn't like to think about what would have happened to her had she not had friends when Arlong double-crossed her and pulled the rug out from under her feet. Thankfully she never has to find out, and she's grateful for that, grateful for Luffy, for so many reasons. ]

[He tips his head in when she looks up at him, meeting her eyes.]

I'm glad I was there to help you.

[Glad that he didn't leave like she insisted. He just-- couldn't. He couldn't walk away from people who need help, or from Nami.]

And I'm glad that you're here with us now. It didn't feel right with you gone, you know.

It didn't feel right for me either.

[ That's an understatement. Nami shakes her head and turns towards him, reaching up to touch his cheek while she leans in and kisses him again. ]

Not something we need to worry about happening again though. I'm here for good. [ It's still crazy to imagine she's been given this chance, and that her life is finally her own, after what feels like too many years with that notion far out of reach. ]

You are.

[His hand slips up to cover the one she has against his cheek, turning his head enough to press a kiss to her palm.

Whatever else that's happened since -- he's happy for Nami. She gets to do what she wants. Gets to follow her dreams.

He's just glad those dreams have her on the ship still, if he's honest.]

And you're going to get to finish your map.

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