Platonic

6

"Was it that bad?"

"Yeah. It almost made me not want to eat food again... Almost."

He snickered and Nami rolled her eyes and grinned along with him.

Then she started focusing on ridding her hands of the pesky ink and picked at some more stains on her shirt Luffy didn't notice before. Lastly, she tried her best to re-bun her hair. She was blushing and Luffy knew that look anywhere. She was embarrassed and he could not pinpoint why.

"You were working on a map today, huh?"

"... Yeah."

"I can't wait to see it.  You're amazing at what you do.  Your maps always look like the real deal.  I can never tell the difference."

Nami started an online cartography course in high school.  It was a subject she thoroughly enjoyed so much so, she finished at the top of the class.  It didn't end there, however.  In her free time, any little chance she got, she drew a map here and there.  Cartography made Nami feel connected to the world she yearned to explore.  Always made sure all points were drawn to scale and every important landmark was included.  The roads, rivers, valleys and plains.  She could have the entire world at her fingertips if she wanted to. 

"Thanks."

The map Nami was working on, in particular, was no easy feat.  She honestly felt like giving up due to the many terrains but Luffy without knowing gave her the strength and drive to continue. Apart from her mum, he was her biggest fan and she would hate to let him down. 

"It's not every day you hear the words Luffy and sick in the same sentence. When I found out, I thought the world was going to end."

'Shishishi' "But I'm okay now.  Because you're here."

Nami's face turned a different shade of scarlet. He knew that look well. She was happy.  Suddenly, her arms were around his neck.  Her soft hair from her dishevelled bangs tickled his cheek. 

"You're so annoyingly sweet, I can't stand it."

'Shishishishi'

Luffy buried his face in the crook of Nami's neck. She was warm like toast and smelled like coffee and oranges. For once, the smell of food that morning didn't make him want to hurl. In fact, he was slowly but surely building up an appetite.

After some time had passed, Dragon checked in and found the pair talking merrily over a commercial break. The TV was on but neither of them found it the least interesting. 

He was pleased to see Luffy returning to his old self.  He left them alone to give them some privacy; deciding to use the time to catch up on some work.

The meat Luffy found in the fridge was mouldy and he went ahead and ate it behind Dragon's back despite being told to discard it. Food was in the house but to cook and no one was in the mood so they ordered takeout. Luffy being an impatient child went ahead and ate the meat and we all know how that story went. Some people preferred to learn the hard way. Luffy was one of them.

Nami sat at the far end of the leather couch away from Luffy. Being so close to him made her hot and bothered and the hot living room was not helping. It only made it worse. The fan blew from above but helped little.

They had fallen into an irie quietness and together, they watched the credits of their show roll up the screen. Nami corner eyed her best friend. He looked tired so now was probably a good time to take her leave; especially now knowing that he was surely going to be okay.

She moved her long legs to stand and Luffy's neck snapped in her direction.

"You're leaving already?"