15The Great War came to an end and now that was out of the way, next was the goal of crowning the captain as Pirate King over all the seas.
But we can't have a victory without a celebration so that's what the Straw Hat Pirates and Straw Hat Grand Fleet did. One big flashy party with food and drinks, music and laughter and most of all good company.
The plethora of pirates in one place meant one thing to our former pirate thief and that was treasure. Lots and lots of treasure. And she knew just the thing to win it off their hands fair and square: a drinking contest. Can't have anyone losing the captain's trust by the hands of his money-grabbing navigator so this was the least she could do and boy was she good at it.
Pirate after pirate fell at her feet and Nami won again and again thanks to her innate prow of holding her liquor. This however was the most she had ever drunk but it didn't matter. She was winning big that night.
It was only when she had out-drank 70 men and her coffers maxed a whopping $10,000,000 beli and a big load of treasure that she decided to call it a day. She called Sanji to seal it all away in her secret stash.
Apart from drinking, they were other things to do, more to see and she did not want the night to be wasted.
"Do you have time for one more contest?" Nami stopped in her tracks. That voice was a man's; a man she knew all too well. And like some sort of a sick joke, there was her captain holding up two canisters brimming with sake. One for her and one for him.
The men cheered, especially the ones who were robbed silly. If anyone could have the upper hand, it was none other than Straw Hat Luffy but Nami only smirked. If only they knew how much of a light drinker her captain was, they would lose all faith in him right on the spot. So she did him a huge favour, grabbing both jugs from his hands and chugging them both. The once exuberant men had their mouths mopping the floor and Nami smiled at her captain's dumbfounded expression.
"One of those was mine, Nami. That's not fair."
"Nothing's fair, captain... Crap. I forgot to bet something. You're in luck. With you having not a penny to your name, I would have bet you the One Piece and you'll have no choice but to hand the crown over to me."
"That treasure belongs to the Pirate King."
The pirates looked back and forth between the two.
The captain they swore to follow stood tall and sturdy. His black captain coat fluttered behind him off his shoulder and he was as energetic as ever. The war ended and all he got were a few scratches. Compared to the kid they promised to follow, what stood in his place was now a man worthy of his name.
His navigator on the other hand was beautiful and dressed to kill in her low-cut flowy, short red dress. Her bright orange hair spiralled prettily behind her ears and down her back. They all fancied her but knew better to stay in their lanes lest she got mad and fried them to a crisp. No one on the Straw Hat crew was to be underestimated. Not even the women. Her standing up to her captain and having done what she did only deepened their respect for her. She too was not half bad on the battlefield. She held herself well.
"Yeah, yeah. Once I help you find it, that is."
"Well, it'll only be fair if I share some with you."
"Some? Come on, Luffy. You can do better than that. I'll take nothing less than 90%."
The men gasped and Nami walked away with laughter bellowing from her lips.
Luffy sighed and smiled. Nami really loved her treasure ever since the day they met. Since then, nothing much has changed.
In her stride, he saw her stumble but caught herself in time and headed in the direction where he last saw Robin. At first, he thought nothing of it but then she stumbled again and ran into someone and Luffy was quick to go get her. Something was wrong and his concern grew ten-fold when she leaned on a wall and held her head.
"You okay, Nami?"
"Hey. It's you again." Nami smiled and gazed into his eyes before cocking her head. "I don't remember there being three of you, Luffy."
"You're probably sick. Should I get Chopper?
Luffy looked left and right but there was no sign of the emergency food supply.
"Listen here and listen good."
Luffy blinked when Nami held his face in both her hands and brought it close to hers.
"I am not sick."
"Drunk maybe?"
"Drunk? I don't get drunk."
"But you are."
Although the act was intrusive and so un-Nami like, Luffy liked the feel of the warmth in her hands and her eyes although a little cloudy still had their shine and fire. He liked her little nose and her pearly white teeth.
He was about to suggest them go find Chopper together but his words got stuck in his throat when he felt Nami's nails create long gentle tracks in his hair.
"Now there's one of you."
"You're getting better already." Luffy grinned wide. "I'm glad."
The music was dying down and everyone was all caught up in their business to even notice the newfound intimacy between the captain and his navigator, the fiercest duo that had ever ventured upon the open sea.
It took Nami to kiss him chastely on the cheek to make Luffy's heart skip a beat. This had never happened before in all his life. Not even in the face of danger.
"Nami?"
"What?" she asked and hid her face in his chest and hugged his neck.
"This is all a dream, right? So let me do what I want cause it's my dream, not yours. So shut up for a minute."
"You're still awake."
"Liar. If this wasn't a dream, I wouldn't be able to do this..."
The next kiss came on his lips.
"...now would I? Because if any of this were real, I'd chain myself to an anchor and throw myself overboard along with it.
Nami laughed merrily, her cheeks red and her joy so evident, Luffy had no brain space left for words.
But the Luffy now was different to the usual Luffy in her dreams. She dreamt of him most as the boy she met in East Blue. Still lanky and bright with proud declarations of his hopes and dreams that once were unattainable could only be laughed at now; for she couldn't believe how far they have come and the One Piece was sure to be less than a few months away.
Only recently she started dreaming of him as he is now: mature and handsome. And she in her dreams, she would hug him and caress him, kiss him and even say daring things like,
"I love you."
The Luffy in her dreams didn't mind much but this one was surprised, flabbergasted and was doing double-takes.
Luffy grew worried. Not only was Nami doing things so unlike her but she was also saying things she had never said before. Things that made him unashamedly happy but he was not stupid. He understood the situation. His navigator was not herself and all this had to stop.
Nami paused and scrunched her brows together as she snuggled up against him again.
She could smell her captain and the feel of him all this time felt so real. The Luffy in her dreams had no warmth when she hugged him. Nor was there warmth at all emitting from his lips.
"Hey, Luffy."
"Hm?"
"This is a dream, right?"
"As I said-"
"Say it's a dream or else, help me God, I'll take a pistol and put an end to this miserable state I'm in now. I just kissed you. Twice. And declared my love for you. I'd never do that in real life. At least, not yet. So please, please tell me that this is a dream."
Luffy sweatdropped. She sounded so desperate and looked so small so he gave in. Despite being a terrible liar, he played this off really well.
"Fine. It's a dream."
She crashed her lips against his then and Luffy's eyes widened and drifted closed but it ended within a minute too short.
"You better not be lying or else I'll kill you."
Luffy gulped at her blazing eyes and looked around for Robin. Only she could help him now and as much as he liked it when Nami kissed him, he valued his life a lot more.
He saw no one. Where was his crew when he needed them the most?
Taking her to the ship was the best resort. She needed to sleep off the alcohol and maybe Chopper could have a look at her in the morning.
She went for another kiss but Luffy avoided it. After some thought, he decided that this wasn't right and it didn't feel right either. He took her by the hand and left the town. They were docked at a small island so the pier was not hard to find.
When Nami felt the blades of grass on deck brush against her feet, she sank on her bum and discarded her shoes. Luffy's hand hadn't let go in the process so it stretched. However, she would not let up.
"We have to get you to bed."
"Why? I like it better out here. Sit with me."
She patted a space beside her but Luffy chose to sit some distance away.
"Why did you do all that?" he asked.
"I said why. Because I love you. I wouldn't openly kiss anyone I didn't love, Luffy."
She said it again and Luffy was sure this time that he felt butterflies. They were most definitely there.
"But why do you love me?"
"Why? Oh, that's easy... Without you, there wouldn't be a me who is happy and thriving as I am now. Without you, I would have forgotten what it was like to hope and smile again.
And you're so strong. Not just here." She reached over to touch his arm then his scarred fist. "But most of all, here." Her hand moved upwards and Luffy's eyes followed as she covered it over his heart. She made it linger for a bit. And as both looked at each other after some time, Nami closed the space between them, resting her head on her captain's shoulder and admired the brilliant moon and stars.
"You make me feel like I can do anything."
"Anything?"
"Literally anything. And I mean that. But I won't tell the real you all that just yet. I'll have him focus on what's more important like achieving his dream and striving to be the strongest he can be. I know he can do it."
"Why?"
Nami raised a questioning brow. This Luffy in her dreams was asking a whole world of questions. The past ones never did that but smiled and gave her his hat.
"Because I'll make sure of it. And I'll personally put my life on the line to turn his dreams into reality. I owe him that much."
Luffy's hat covered his eyes upon hearing her words and as Nami was about to question him on his silence, he reached out and hugged her close. She hugged back of course and he felt her shivers when he gave her a little kiss of his own on her cheek.
Her intoxication turned her surprise into euphoria and she giggled and giggled so much so that she laughed and hiccuped herself to sleep.
The next morning, Nami woke up in her room to the worst migraine in human existence. Thankfully, she was able to take the water and pills left at her bedside table and once done, she stood to shuffle out of her grimy clothes and headed to the shower.
She woke before anyone else and once soaking in the tub, her mind wandered to her dream. That was her best one yet and it was impossible to hide the glow of red that took lodging in her cheeks.
By the time she was through with getting dressed and checking the log post, she went to the kitchen where everyone was sure to already be for breakfast.
When she entered, her mind blanked out Sanji-kun's elaborate welcome and praise and her eyes went straight to Luffy's who was already staring at her. The smile he sent her way was not helping as she was frozen in place and even forgot to greet those present.
Usopp cleared his throat. Everyone besides Robin had to wait to eat till her arrival according to Sanji's orders. Her standing there unmoving was not going to cure the hunger in their bellies.
"Good morning... everyone."
The only seat available was next to Luffy. It was where she always sat but today she had wished that she could have exchanged with someone if only she had come a second earlier. Luffy however, was uncharacteristically attentive.
"How are you feeling? Better?"
"Yes."
Nami glanced around the table.
"Who took me back to the ship? I seemed to have passed out."
"Luffy did," said Chopper.
"Oh... And the treasure? I won treasure last night, right? A whole-trunk load."
"Yes, Nami-san! I tucked it away nice and safe as you asked."
Nami smiled glad that at least that was taken care of.
"You don't remember anything at all?"
"It's like that sometimes Luffy, some people who end up drinking more than they are used to," Chopper gave Nami a dirty look. "...to not remember all the events that happened as soon as their brains register the overdose."
Nami gave the doctor an apologetic smile. She overdid it but for good cause.
"After winning my money, all I can remember is nothing."
"Really? That's so cool!" 'Shishishishi'
"But I did have a nice dream though..."
"What was it about?" asked Luffy.
Nami stared down at her plate suddenly no longer hungry. Her face burned like the sun.
"Anyway, captain. About that next island... If we leave in an hour, we could get there before nightfall. Once we arrive, I will do my best to find any old maps that could take us closer to our goal."
"Let's do that."
"What about that dream of yours, Nami? It was a dream, right?"
Nami's looked at Robin, eyes wide and confused. The archaeologist looked like she knew more than she let on. If Nami remembered clearly, it was her turn as lookout last night but that didn't mean anything.
"It's personal. And of course it was a dream. Right, Luffy?"
"Right."
She watched him smile and continue his breakfast. He looked as happy as ever and she borrowed some of his merriment for she too was smiling. It was all a dream and you want to know why? Because her captain said so.
-The end for real this time-
Author's Note
This extra chapter was made because the requester Luff-head was not satisfied with the ending and wanted a chapter where Nami declares that she loves her captain by accident. Nami isn't the type to accidentally say things so I had her become drunk. A similar situation that happened in a certain chapter in O.A.L.S Point 5. I couldn't resist. This was written today and posted today. I usually sleep on the chapters and edit them over a period of days but every now and again, I get a burst of energy to write and post on the same day. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading.