Chapter 3: Going for the Gold

Nami stared apprehensively into the darkness, listening to Robin's gentle and even breaths nearby. On any other night, the ship's soothing rocking effectively lulled her to sleep within minutes of crawling into bed. However, it was already almost dawn, and her brain was still too wired to rest.

She was driving herself insane. For the life of her, Nami could not figure out her captain—not that she had ever completely understood him before, but this particular situation needed to be tackled head-on and sorted out as soon as possible. Otherwise, she was certain that more sleepless nights awaited her.

It was clear to her now that if she went down the path of conceiving a child, she wanted it to be with someone she wholeheartedly respected and trusted and vice versa. The father of her child would have to be caring and dependable, someone who was willing to shoulder half of the responsibilities and share her emotional burdens as well. She supposed Luffy fit those criteria well enough—the responsibilities aspect was questionable, but she was fairly confident in her own abilities to manage him in situations that didn't involve combat. For these reasons, she deemed him an acceptable candidate.

Now, the biggest question she had was: Why in the world did he want her specifically to be the mother of his child? It wasn't like she was his only option—she could easily name one woman who would be extremely gratified to bear his child. She had heard about the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, and her unwavering devotion to Luffy long before finally meeting her. The meeting had been brief, but it had been more than enough time for Nami to notice the undeniably beautiful empress scowling at her and Robin with open hostility. She had immediately sensed that the Snake Princess was head over heels in love with her captain and scoffed at the blatant and desperate display of affection. No one was surprised by Luffy's indifference toward her, and it had been highly amusing for her to witness back then—but there was no amusement left now. She was certain that the empress, a woman who seemed ready to bind herself to Luffy at any second, would murder her without a second thought upon learning of the existence of a child connected to both her and Luffy. It didn't even need to be a biological child; just word of any child being raised by the Straw Hat Pirates would probably result in her demise.

Nami didn't want to die early. Why the hell should she risk invoking the wrath of the Pirate Empress…or really, the whole world for that matter?! She was already one of the most wanted pirates for just being a Straw Hat, and if word was to get out about her pregnancy, the whole world would speculate whose baby it was. As she and Luffy seemed to be on the same wavelength about marriage, at least there wouldn't be clear ties between them. But there was no doubt that the world would still hypothesize that the mystery father could very well be the Pirate King, especially if she was found to still be traveling with the Straw Hat Pirates. Then, would her safest option be to anticipate the dangers beforehand and go into hiding? She could raise her child in secret; it wouldn't be practical to continue sailing while with a child, biological or adopted, as the seas were already rough enough for women and children, let alone pregnant women and babies. (Unless you're someone like Big Mom, she supposed.) But if it was really going to be Luffy's child…she would have to factor in his opinion on the matter as well. Well, this was getting complicated.

There were many, many, many risks associated with her becoming the Pirate King's…partner? That was another question she had. What kind of relationship would she and Luffy actually have? Were they simply going to be partners, in an alliance of sorts, working toward the same goal of raising a child, or was there more to it? And if it was the former, could he possibly have just selected her out of convenience? The notion of Luffy selecting her simply because she was conveniently next to him was bothering her more than she cared to admit. Obviously, she knew that there was no way he wanted to use her—he would never allow any of his nakama to be used by anyone for any reason. So she was sure that he must have a reason that she just currently didn't understand.

But wait. What did she really want then? If she wanted a child anyway, then shouldn't she be unconcerned about Luffy's reasons and just be satisfied that she would be fulfilling her goal of having a child? She should also just be feeling proud and accomplished for significantly contributing to his legacy, right? But here she was, fretting over her future and whether she wanted to have a child with someone who didn't have feelings—oh no.

Oh no, no, no, no, no. This couldn't be happening. Why was she suddenly concerned about Luffy not having feelings for her?!

She bolted upright in bed, a hand flying to her forehead to check for a tactile temperature. She didn't seem to have a fever and wasn't experiencing any noticeable symptoms of illness, so what was wrong with her? It wasn't like she had any particular feelings involved. Sure, she'd kissed him twice in the past 24 hours, once on the lips and the second on the cheek, but she didn't feel that kissing was a big deal. She had mainly wanted to see if she could provoke a reaction out of him, and she had been rewarded with his shocked expression in both instances. She did find it a little odd, and perhaps a tiny bit offensive, that he hadn't seemed even slightly pleased or happy to have received a kiss, as she was confident that a regular man would've been over the moon—but alas, he wasn't a regular man. The point was, there wasn't anything wrong with demonstrating some affection toward her nakama. Kissing him didn't necessarily have anything to do with having feelings…right?

This was bad. This was really bad. Something else occurred to her then. Did the lip contact constitute as her taking advantage of him, especially if it's unwanted on his part? Was she a bad person? Was she just becoming delirious from the lack of sleep? Or maybe it was dehydration? She did have a few beers during the party—she'd lost count of how many. But she hadn't gone overboard; she felt just fine physically and was clearly still wide awake. Chopper had screamed at her about abstaining from drinking if she was trying to get pregnant. She'd snorted, informed him that she certainly wasn't planning on it anytime soon, and proceeded to chug to her heart's content.

Feeling suffocated in this dark room, she decided that she needed to drink some water and get some air. Sleep was a lost cause, and hopefully a change in scenery could help her relax. Slipping out of bed as quietly as possible to not wake Robin, Nami nearly tripped over her shoes on the way to the door. She opted to head out barefoot, as it would be easier to sneak away in the unlikely event that someone was awake. Specifically, her captain who she very much wasn't prepared to face yet.

And…her feet were abruptly soaked. Lost in her thoughts, she had completely forgotten that it had rained earlier in the night. She'd made the prediction herself, so she only had herself to blame. Blowing a stubborn strand of hair out of her face, Nami gingerly stepped out of the puddle, all the while glaring daggers at it and muttering curses under her breath. Well, this was already a fantastic start.

A swift glance around confirmed that she was alone, and she hurried down the stairs leading to the grass deck. Walking over to the starboard side, she rested her elbows on the railing and brought a hand up to cup her cheek, admiring the beautiful view and feeling significantly calmer already. It really was quite a lovely morning. The air was fresh and crisp, and the grass beneath was soft and dewy. The sensation of grass tickling her feet was welcoming, and she inhaled the comforting smell of the sea. The sun had yet to peak out from the horizon, but she surmised that it would be sunrise in about half an hour. A sudden breeze made her shiver, and as she rubbed her arms, she mentally berated herself for not wearing a jacket. For being the best navigator around, she sure was making plenty of mistakes this morning.

"Nami."

She froze. Damn Haki users. So much for avoiding him, she silently lamented. Her eyes flew toward the direction of his voice, which had unsurprisingly come from the lion figurehead. Of course he was there, completely obscured from view on the other side of the lion's mane. Although her instinct was to escape, her feet began closing the distance between them on their own accord. It was a natural gravitational pull, and she despised it.

She found herself standing at the base of the stairs leading up to the figurehead, craning her neck to glimpse the top of his head. Act natural, she reminded herself.

"You're up early," she called up to him lightly.

"Couldn't sleep," was his short reply.

She wondered if he wanted to be left alone—that would actually be quite favorable. Another gust of wind reminded her of the goosebumps on her skin and her unfitting attire consisting of a thin tank top and sleep shorts. She quickly turned around and started to retrace her steps, afraid of what would happen if she lingered for too long.

"Well, I'm going back to bed." That was a lie, but he didn't have to know that. She had barely made it past the helm when his right arm shot out and tightly encircled her waist. Dread engulfed her instantly; she was all too familiar with this maneuver.

"No—" she began to protest fruitlessly. Then she was in the air and in the next second, pressed snugly against him. It happened too fast for her to scream. In retaliation, she hit his chest, hard. "Why don't you ever warn me?!"

Laughing freely, he released her, and they settled down side-by-side on the Thousand Sunny's figurehead. "It wouldn't be fun then. Why are you up?"

"Also couldn't sleep," she said evasively. Her knee brushed his, and she didn't want to know what the electric shock that coursed through her body meant. Damn him for making her so aware of him and for foiling her plan to escape. Steeling herself, she gave herself a pep talk, emphasizing that running away was not the solution and that she was entitled to answers.

She cleared her throat delicately. "I have some questions for you."

He glanced at her curiously, waiting for her to continue. Nami felt her cheeks warm involuntarily and diverted her attention toward the waters. "What are we?"

Luffy cocked his head to the side, puzzled. "Huh?"

Another breeze had her reflexively leaning into him, trying to steal his body heat. She'd come to learn over the years that as a rubber man, he was a very efficient heat insulator. As he didn't seem to mind, she decided to make herself comfortable by curling into his side. She felt him shift slightly to accommodate her, and this boosted her confidence.

"What I mean is…" She forced out in a rush, "What made you choose me to be the mother of your child?"

"Oh, that," he acknowledged casually. "It just feels right."

Nami's breath caught in her throat, and suddenly she was stumbling over her words. "Wh-What do you mean?"

He shrugged, completely unaware of how he was affecting her. "Just what I said, it feels right. We've been together for so long, and I don't want that to change."

She shifted a bit to stare at him. "So…are you saying that you want me to be the mother because I'll be by your side anyway?"

His blank expression signaled to her that he had no idea what she was really asking. Sighing, she rephrased, "I'm just wondering if you've thought about having a child with anyone else, I guess."

He gave her a strange look. "That's a weird thing to wonder about," he remarked bluntly.

That ticked her off. "There's nothing weird—"

"You always think too much, Nami. Too much thinking makes your brain melt, you said so yourself."

It was hysterical how this man had the audacity to try to lecture her when he was the reason for all of her troubles. Itching to give him a piece of her mind, she opened her mouth to retort. But then he was speaking again.

"Why should I think about anyone else when I already have you? Doesn't make sense."

Her heart stuttered, and then it was soaring. To say that she was stunned was an understatement. In his own way, he had essentially said that she was the only woman he'd even considered. That was immensely satisfying, for whatever reason.

She flashed him a wide, Cheshire-like grin. "So that's how it is."

"Are you done with the questions yet?" He complained, pulling a face. He had never liked being interrogated.

Unfortunately for him, she wanted to dig deeper into this. Feeling coy, she nudged his side with her elbow. "Does that make me special then?"

He furrowed his brows and puckered his lips. "Nami, of course you're special. You're my nakama."

Her smile immediately disappeared. Hold on, was she actually being friend-zoned here?!

He continued to talk when he really should have stopped. "All of my nakama are special—"

"You know, Luffy," she interrupted brusquely, not even thinking before speaking, "sometimes I only want to know how you feel about me."

A palpable silence ensued, and she grew hot upon realizing the implications of her words. But of course, it was like she had just been speaking to herself; he was baffled by her outburst, as expected. She knew she was being petty, but why did he always have to be so inclusive? Aggravated by the classic Luffy response that she really shouldn't be so affected by, Nami seized his face with both hands. Determined, she stared into his wide eyes, noting that their faces were only inches apart and her own heart was fiercely pounding in her chest. "What do you feel right now?"

"I don't wanna die," Luffy tried, the terror evident on his face. He started to sweat profusely.

"I'm not going to hurt you, idiot!" Nami nearly contradicted herself as her grasp reflexively tightened but caught herself just in time. She softened her grip on him, gently holding his face in a way that felt a little too intimate. Nevertheless, she pressed on. "When I kissed you, did you feel anything?"

She was probably just setting herself up for disappointment, but she was too far in to stop now. These waters needed to be tested.

He looked extremely uncomfortable, squirming but not daring to break free from her. "You really surprised me."

"Anything else?" she urged, already feeling a twinge of disappointment.

He had no idea what the right answer was. "It didn't feel bad?"

"What a relief," she returned sarcastically.

"It's a little funny, but I don't mind." He really hoped this was the right answer.

Now that was an intriguing answer. He didn't mind it? Not minding and liking were two entirely different things, but that had to count for something. A few years ago, he probably would have yelled about how gross kissing was, proceeded to call her out for being weird, and overall made a big deal out of it.

Pleased, Nami teasingly pulled on her captain's cheeks. "Is that so?"

"Let go already," he protested.

She complied, smirking victoriously.

He frowned at her expression. "Are you gonna keep doing it?" It was a simple question without any intent behind it.

"Depends." Nami sniffed, pretending to be nonchalant. "It's a reward, you know."

He perked up at that. "A reward?"

She chuckled, sending him a wink. "Think of it as something just as valuable as treasure."

Luffy attempted to consider the meaning behind that for a few seconds, visibly gave up, and decidedly declared, "I don't get it, but I'd rather have meat as a reward."

Now that stung more than she cared to admit. But really, what had she expected? She rolled her eyes, doing her best to brush this off.

"Then you can pay me 100,000 beli for each kiss." She fell back onto what she felt most comfortable doing—extorting money from idiots.

"No way! You're the one who kissed me!"

Nami narrowed her eyes at him, her voice dangerously low. "Are you complaining?"

He was about to object when something caught his attention. "You don't have shoes on!" Luffy sounded comically appalled as he pointed an accusing finger at her feet. "They're so gross!"

"Like you're one to talk!" Nami quipped. "When was the last time you had a shower?!"

He scrunched up his face, apparently concentrating hard. A look of revulsion crossed her face.

Scooting away to put some distance between them, Nami exhaled loudly. "See, the fact that you can't even remember answers my question. We're going to need to set some rules."

"Rules?" He repeated in obvious distaste, a whine in his voice. "I don't like rules."

"Well, too bad," Nami retorted. "If you're going to be anywhere near me, you'll need to start regularly showering."

Luffy jumped up at that, a look of abject horror on his face. "I'm not doing that! You can't make me!"

"Sit your ass down, Mr. Pirate King." She intoned darkly and raised a patronizing brow at him, completely unfazed by the fact that he was towering over her.

"No." His stance reflected the stubbornness in his words.

"Fine." Nami shrugged indifferently. "Then I won't be having your child."

Shocked, Luffy crouched down in front of her and intruded her personal space, bringing his face too close for her comfort. "That's not fair, Nami!"

"It's the least you could do. I refuse to be…involved with someone who doesn't even have basic hygiene." She blushed furiously, but nevertheless pushed on. "My body, my rules."

He blinked at her, seemingly unsure how to respond to that. She quickly changed the topic before awkwardness could consume her.

"How do you feel about adopting, Luffy?" Nami asked, genuinely curious about his opinion.

"Adopting?" He flopped down next to her, crossing his legs and tilting his head to the side. "It's okay I guess, but I want my own child."

She hummed thoughtfully. "I didn't think having a child of your own blood was important to you," she admitted. "I guess, since the people you consider closest to you aren't blood-related."

"Doesn't mean blood isn't important," Luffy responded simply. She wondered if he was thinking about his grandfather and father. They hadn't encountered either of them in a while, but she didn't doubt that they were both keeping tabs on Luffy's whereabouts.

He looked out at the ocean then, a brilliant smile appearing on his face. "It'll be great to have a boy who looks like me." Grabbing his straw hat from where it had been hanging behind him, he grinned down at it. "I wanna give him my hat."

Nami felt herself softening at his words, her eyes landing on the object that had started it all. She recalled how explosive his reunion with Shanks had been. Luffy had challenged him immediately upon laying eyes on him, and grinning madly, Shanks had easily accepted, as if he'd been expecting him. It had been a clash between two captains who skillfully utilized all three types of Haki. Their fight had been an especially difficult one to witness, and she still couldn't believe how Luffy's will was strong enough to even take down his childhood hero and savior, the very man who had inspired him to become a pirate. She had understood that it was a necessary duel in order for him to prove that he'd surpassed the last of the Four Emperors, but it was nonetheless heartbreaking. At the end of it, Luffy had been a blubbering mess of snot and tears. He had dropped to his knees and bowed to the captain of the Red Hair Pirates, thanking him over and over again. Cracking a smile, Shanks had ruffled his hair. Luffy had then grudgingly asked if he wanted his hat back while clutching it protectively, to which Shanks responded by bursting into a fit of laughter. He had then said that the straw hat always rightfully belonged to the man who would become the Pirate King. And he was right.

She hadn't realized that Luffy had actually put some thought into his legacy as the Pirate King, beyond just wanting a child to inherit his will. But there was a bit of a problem.

"You want a boy?" She clicked her tongue. "I prefer a girl."

"Eh?!" Luffy exclaimed. "But I don't want a girl to look like me!"

She snorted at that. "Obviously, I'd hope that she looked more like me."

"I want a boy," he repeated petulantly.

She knew that he wasn't saying any of this with misogynistic intent, but Nami still felt herself begin to twitch in annoyance. "You know, girls can be strong and powerful too."

"I know that. But I'd be more worried." His eyes were dark, and his jaw was set.

That surprised her. "Worried about what?"

"When she goes on her own adventure, I wouldn't want her to get hurt. She would face more dangers in this world."

His fiercely protective nature warmed her heart, while his astute insight caught her off guard. He wasn't wrong; female pirates were vastly outnumbered by their male counterparts. The grim reality was that females tended to be less respected and feared in these waters—she could attest to that firsthand.

"Wouldn't you be just as worried about your son getting hurt?"

"Nah, he'd be able to handle it," Luffy said with conviction. "You need to get hurt to become better and stronger."

She briefly thought about Luffy's own tumultuous childhood, and suddenly it all made sense. But even so, this double standard was irritating.

"Any daughter of yours would be fine too," Nami insisted, unwilling to cave. "She'd be strong and if she's anything like me, she'd also be smart and able to handle the crueler realities of the seas. I survived on my own for many years before meeting you."

Sure, there was a lot of trauma involved, but she liked to think that she turned out relatively fine. Successful, even.

Luffy's gaze was on her then, impatience written all over his features. "I don't want her to go through the things you went through." His tone was firm, allowing no room for argument.

"I don't think anyone who wanted to live would dare to enslave the Pirate King's daughter," Nami said dryly, "but I do understand your surprisingly legitimate concerns." She continued, "I still stand by having a girl though. In my experience, they're more mature and less troublesome."

He was quick to counter her. "That's not true, you're a girl!"

His jab made her raise a threatening fist. "What do you mean by that?!"

"I've had to rescue you from the enemy so many times."

She knew that he hadn't said it in mockery, but Nami still felt a flood of embarrassment. "It's not like I was trying to be captured! I'm just not as strong as you, or Zoro, or Sanji-kun…" She wasn't trying to sound self-deprecating, but this was the truth.

"Nami, you're strong in your own way." His eyes were so intense, and she desperately wanted to look away but found that she was trapped. "You don't have to be as strong as me because I'm here to protect you."

Reeling at his words, she was either going to start bawling or pass out. Uncomfortably embarrassed, she tore her eyes away from him and plucked at her shorts. She was afraid of what she'd do if she didn't keep her hands occupied.

"Thank you, Luffy." She finally managed quietly, her voice betraying her emotions.

"Are you gonna cry?" He asked nervously.

Nami laughed shakily at that and shook her head. They lapsed into a comfortable silence then, just enjoying each other's company and the surrounding scenery.

"I've got it!" Luffy interjected triumphantly a few minutes later, connecting a fist to his palm. She peered over at him questioningly, and there was a suspicious look of enlightenment dawning on his face. "Let's just have both a boy and girl then."

She suddenly really wanted to cry in frustration. Her face was certainly on fire, and she wasted no time in punching him. "How did you come to that conclusion?!"

"What are you so mad about?!" Cradling his smarting cheek with one hand, he put his other hand up defensively. "I want a boy, and you want a girl. So it'll be better to just have both, right?" He beamed at her then, seemingly proud of himself for coming up with this solution. "I want a boy first though, so he can protect his younger sister."

"That's not for you to decide!" Nami snapped angrily in return. "And stop getting ahead of yourself, I'm not even ready to have one child, let alone two! And do you even know how dangerous it's going to be?! In fact, I might just adopt, and there's nothing you can do about it!" She paused. "And don't forget that you still owe me money!"

"It'll be fine, Nami," he said breezily, clearly not listening to her. "Ah, the sun is rising."

She sighed heavily and shook her head in defeat, directing her gaze heavenward. What the hell was she getting herself into? There it was, the dull throbbing of her temples that indicated an imminent headache. She tried to focus on the sight before her. The sky was a warm blend of pink, orange, and yellow hues, and the colors were reflecting in the mesmerizing waters below. She would never grow bored of watching the vast ocean; its limitless nature was a constant reminder of her freedom. A few seagulls soared in the distance, and she followed their flight, a wistful smile tugging on her lips. Although the man beside her was a pain in the ass, she had to hand it to him—he'd only been able to make it to the top because of who he was.

"This is your kingdom, Luffy."

When he didn't respond, her eyes flickered over to him, and she was startled by his expression of amazement. "What?"

"Your hair is glowing!" His mouth was hanging open in awe.

Bemused, she looked down at herself and then back at him. "It's not like this is the first time you've seen my hair in the morning."

"Yeah, but it's never been this shiny." The next thing she knew, he was playing with a lock of her hair, holding it up against the sky and marveling at it. "It's so long too. I still remember when it was short, back when we first met."

She wanted to laugh at that. So he was finally paying attention after all these years. Better late than never, she supposed. "You're really something."

"Oh really? Thanks!" He was still preoccupied with her hair, now twisting it suspiciously. "Look—"

"Don't make my hair your mustache, you idiot!" She viciously smacked his hands away from her.

Leave it to him to ruin the moment she'd thought that they'd been having. But it was good to know that he wasn't entirely unaffected by her. She could settle with being just his nakama for now—it was comfortable, and she was honored and happy, even. But some things would need to change in the near future if she was seriously considering spending an indefinite amount of time, potentially even the rest of her life, with this man. It was surreal for her to admit, but she was curious to see if they could really make it work. She was still terrified of the tremendous risks involved, but somehow, this conversation with Luffy had assuaged some of her fears. She was willing to give this a shot; the following months to come could be a trial period of sorts, where she would determine their compatibility as something more than just nakama. This would require taking matters into her own hands, as her dense captain certainly wasn't going to miraculously become the perfect man for her overnight. Or ever, really. But she didn't want to change who he was—she simply wanted to push him a bit and see if he'll become more aware of her too.

As things stood at the moment, Nami begrudgingly acknowledged that she was only receiving a bronze medal. Luffy's greatest love by far was adventure, and it was followed closely by meat. She liked to think that she was ranked in third all by herself, but knowing him, she was probably among the rest of their nakama. However, Nami was a winner, and her love for gold knew no boundaries. Meat was a very formidable opponent, but she was going to ensure that she ascended the ranks to at least be tied for first.

"Nami, what's with your face? That's a creepy smile."

Choosing to disregard that, she schooled her features and directed a question at him instead. "So what were you thinking about so seriously earlier?"

Instantly, his face fell, and he was silent for a few moments. "The next adventure won't have something as awesome as the One Piece waiting at the end." He was sulking, his bottom lip protruding in an exaggerated pout.

Her eyebrows shot up. That's what was bothering him?

"What are you saying, Luffy?" She reached over and placed a hand on his knee. "Raising a child is an even grander adventure."

His wide eyes darted over to her then, and the sullen expression slowly dissipated. "Promise?"

Nami gave his knee a reassuring squeeze. "Promise."

She was positive he had no idea what was coming for him, but she was going to make sure it hit him like a ton of bricks. This was going to take all the patience in the world, but she had a feeling that it would all be worth it in the end. Her brown eyes roamed over his face, drinking in the sight of his appeased, clueless smile that widened as the sunlight basked him in a soft glow. And, she had to be completely honest, if she happened to fall in love during the process, then that was a large bonus.

~To Be Continued~

End Notes: This chapter got a little out of hand in terms of length, but it was important for some introspection to take place. Luffy and Shanks have yet to reunite, but I wanted to include a bit about how I envision it potentially happening. I'm intentionally keeping the One Piece/Will of D./Laugh Tale vague because I don't want to even try tackling what they could possibly be; I like that they're still a huge mystery and want to keep it that way until Oda reveals them. Thanks for all the feedback so far! :)