"So... is it just me or have Nami and Luffy been closer than usual lately?" asked the sniper reluctantly.
"Eh? They have?" chopper questioned, tilting his head.
Three out of the bunch were well aware of the recent... developments between their captain and navigator. Lately, however, it had been harder and harder to deny the allurement between them. Especially when someone as blatant as Monkey D. Luffy was involved.
Zoro crossed his arms behind his head and let out a sluggish yawn. He had no interest in getting involved in the conversation, therefore he glanced towards the only other person whom he assumed knew of the current affair; Robin.
The raven-haired woman propped her elbow up on the table and placed her chin in her hand, smiling sheepishly at the swordsman in acknowledgment. She then directed her attention towards Sanji, who was lighting a cigarette whilst scanning the room.
The two locked eyes and her smile widened. After a moment, Robin motioned with her head subtly towards the rest of the crew and Sanji got the hint. He now figured that Robin was aware of his involvement in the matter, and it was as if Robin were signifying for him to take over the conversation, seeing as how she wasn't very keen on exposing Nami.
After nodding quickly at the archeologist, Sanji blew out a long trail of smoke and sighed, mentally preparing himself to act as "damage control", if you will. After a moment of palpable tension, he began.
"Well... you see... Lu-"
Usopp bolted up from his chair to puff his chest out and placed his hands on his hips in a dramatic fashion, cutting Sanji off. "Correct, Chopper! Very close indeed!"
"Ehhh?? Really??"
"SUPER that's what I thought!" Franky chimed in. "I was on watch the night his bro was here and happened to see Luffy carrying the girlie to her room. He couldn't keep his eyes off her!" he said with a smirk.
"Now hold o-"
"Hmmm now that is suspicious!" announced Usopp matter-of-factly while holding his chin, his other hand resting on his hip, cutting Sanji off yet again.
"I wonder if Luffy-San knows what color her panties are." Brook muttered.
Sanji glared disgustingly at the skeleton. "What t-"
"And Luffy seemed jealous at the bar when Nami was talking to Blaze too!" Chopper interrupted, raising his hooves up with enlarged eyes.
"Oi! Listen, you dorks!" yelled Sanji, slamming his palms down on the table which caused the room to snap their heads in his direction. He cleared his throat awkwardly and continued. "Yes, Nami-San and Luffy have been... closer lately... romantically." He visibly shuddered. "But regardless of what happens, we have to show them our full support. That's the least we can do for them. Especially Luffy. Got it?"
The entire room, except for Robin, glared at the chef in disbelief, their jaws suddenly dropping open.
"S-Sanji? ...Is that you?!" asked Usopp as he leaned in close to said man and shook his shoulders, his eyes dangerously close to popping out of their sockets.
"Ahhhh Usopp!!" sobbed Chopper with tears and snot running down his face, "Sanji must have switched bodies with someone again!!"
"SHUT UP!" roared the blonde before transitioning into a sobbing mess. "I hate the idea, but Nami-San's happiness comes first. Even if it is with that idiot."
The sharpshooter imagined the pair in romantic scenarios and felt a chill run down his spine, shivering instantly. "So they're a... couple now?" he gulped.
"It's too soon after our recent discovery to tell but like Sanji said, we should give them our full support. Plus, I do quite enjoy the idea of a baby on board." Robin deadpanned.
"IT'S TOO SOON FOR THAT TOO!!" screeched Usopp and Sanji in unison, their teeth sharpening.
Upon hearing the commotion, the raven haired captain emerged back inside the dining room from the deck with a puzzled look.
"Oi, you guys are still here?"
"JUST the man we wanted to see!" Usopp sat back in his seat and crossed his arms in front of his chest in an interrogative manner. "Luffy, where's Nami?" he asked candidly.
"She went to map out our next course. What's wrong?" he asked scratching his cheek casually.
"What's going on between you and Nami lately? Hmmmm?"
"Between me and Nami?"
Deciding to take over the interrogation to avoid any further confusion on Luffy's part, Robin spoke up.
"Luffy, do you have feelings for Nami?" she asked.
Feelings?
This caused him to recall the conversation he had with Sanji.
"That pain in your chest means that you have feelings for Nami-San."
"Feelings?"
"Yes Luffy, feelings. Who knows, you might even love her."
He didn't want to hide anything from the crew and figured they would eventually find out anyway if things progressed between him and Nami. Now, letting Sanji's words sink in, he responded as honestly as he could.
"Un." he nodded rather confidently.
"...EHHHH???" Chopper and Usopp exclaimed and jumped up from their seats.
"Well that was easy..." mumbled Zoro.
"Yohohoho! It's about to get very lively aboard our ship!"
"OW! Congratulations Cap'n!" Franky yelled, giving him a thumbs up. "Have you told her you loved her yet?"
"Love?" he repeated bemused.
"Now now, I'm sure Luffy still has a lot to think about. Let's not pry any further." Robin interjected.
The raven-haired captain pondered away at his shipwrights question.
Do I love her?
Although he had an idea, he wanted to be absolutely sure of his feelings before confirming anything like Sanji said.
"I actually have a favor to ask you guys."
_______________
The captain sat atop the Sunny's figurehead with his arms crossed in front of him. He was looking out into the endless, shimmering sea with furrowed brows. He wasn't fond of having to think, in fact, he downright despised it. It made his head hurt. He usually only thought on instinct and often went with the flow, but Robin was right; He needed to think. Lately, he's been bombarded with thoughts of his orange-haired navigator and he couldn't control the way his heart throbbed uncontrollably around her. He found himself constantly needing to be with her, to laugh with her, to feel her close, he just needed her.
He thought back to the conversation he had with Sabo before he left.
"Hey Sabo, what's the courting stuff you were talking about back there?"
The blonde chuckled and wrapped an arm around Luffy's shoulders, guiding him towards the guardrail and away from the rest of the crew.
"That's when you are involved romantically with someone. Think of it as claiming one another."
"Romantically?"
"Yes." he nodded.
"How can I be sure? Sanji said something like that the other day. That I have feelings and I should tell Nami when I'm sure of what I feel, but I don't understand." he frowned slightly.
"You know... there's something Dragon-San told me about love. He said that love can creep up on you like a thief. You take notice of things that weren't there before, even the little things. You find yourself longing for their presence whether they are next to you or not, and suddenly, "forever" doesn't seem like enough time to spend with them. It makes your chest ache and you feel a flutter in your stomach. It means you're willing to go through any lengths to protect them, even if that meant giving up your own life. And you're more willing to compromise certain aspects of your life if that meant you'd always be with that person because the thought of them no longer in it, is completely devastating. You feel like your heart is beating so powerfully that you're scared it might burst through your chest. That's when you know you're in love, Luffy. And if you're lucky enough to find someone who makes you feel as such, you take that chance. Take it, and don't look back."
Suddenly, the image of Nami caressing his cheek flashed in his mind, her hair slightly glistening from the moonlight and her eyes sparkling spectacularly.
Anyone could go on about how absolutely captivating the navigator was, and although he knew Nami was a treat to the eyes, little details like her shimmering eyes or flowy hair never stood out to him as much as they have until recently.
He thought about the ache in his chest that he felt whenever he was with her. It was intense, it almost felt like how his blood would pump though his body while fighting a rival, or when he discovered a new island, but this felt so much better.
He thought back to the moment he told Nami that Hancock wanted to marry him. The Pirate Empress had told him many times that she loved him, but now, he wondered if that was even the case. Hancock was nice and helped him out immensely. He was her friend, but that was it. He couldn't imagine her in the same way he imagined Nami. He knew for a fact he couldn't marry her because he didn't love her, and of this he was certain. He didn't feel the fluttering that Nami gave him, or the ache in his chest. All he ever felt towards her was gratitude, and so, the difference between Hancock and Nami was unquestionable.
Luffy also never thought about what would become of his life after obtaining his dream of being Pirate King. He would have accomplished what he set out to do since childhood... but what then? What would come after that? He thought about what Sanji said, about wanting to marry and have children with the person you love. If you would have asked the captain if he'd get married and have kids prior to becoming aware of these feelings, he would have been completely opposed to the idea.
"And you're more willing to compromise certain aspects of your life if that meant you'd always be with that person because the thought of them no longer in it, is completely devastating."
But now... now he couldn't imagine the rest his life without Nami in it. The thought of marrying her, having children together, or growing old together made him feel excited. It was like a new adventure, one that he could share with her.
The thought of the crew going their own separate ways after he'd become Pirate King caused a pang in his chest; but the thought of Nami leaving his side and not being able to see her anymore... it really did leave him feeling truly and utterly devastated. He didn't want that. He wanted forever with her. His lips then formed into a slight frown, because he realized that wasn't enough time.
Luffy closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The wheels started turning and everything finally clicked, falling graciously into place. He steadied his hand against his chest to feel the erratic beating of his heart and he smiled wide.
That's what it is for sure. I'm in love with her.
To be continued...
A/N: Yay! Luffy's in love! Here's another chapter down. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Stay safe.