Hello everyone! Once again, I'm back with a new one-shot!

This one-shot was requested by Foxchicka18 (if you've never read any of her stuff, what are you waiting for? Get going and read some of her stuff, you won't regret it) who has been incredibly patient in waiting for her birthday one-shot…which is now just about six months late…

I suppose it's the thought that counts though :P

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy.

Distance

Luffy had never really thought about it before but he realised that he really hated water. Water was always annoying of course. No devil fruit user actually liked water but Luffy was never the kind of person to hate something for no reason. It didn't really make much sense to hate it. What did water ever do to him? Plus, he would never have become a pirate if he didn't like water.

Most of the world was covered in the stuff (or at least, that's what he had guessed from the large blue areas covering Nami's maps) so he didn't see why he should have to hate it. The sea was a place for adventure after all. Luffy could sail around with his crew and do whatever he wanted. It was complete and utter freedom. How could he hate water because of that?

Easily.

All too easily.

Luffy wanted to punch water in its nonexistent face.

The reason why was quite simple. Recently, the straw-hat crew had stopped at a beach resort in the Grand Line. It was nothing too fancy but Nami had argued that the crew needed a break after everything we'd been through over the following weeks. Marines had been trailing them ever since they had left the last island and now, the straw-hats finally found a rare peaceful island in the new world. Everyone wanted to go out and have some fun, including Luffy. It was once again another adventure and Luffy loved adventure!

Unfortunately, things hadn't gone as well as the captain had really expected them to be.

"Come on Luffy; help me fix the right hand wall of our castle!" Chopper shouted from nearby, where he sat patting the sand walls of a sand castle. Robin, who was carrying two buckets full of water, nodded in agreement.

"Yes, you should really join in the fun captain." she told the black haired man. Luffy only nodded. He knew building sand castles were fun (he'd done it a few times with Ace when they were little) but he didn't exactly like having to sit on the shore, especially since the rest of the crew was currently…

Luffy glanced upwards with a sigh.

Out on the ocean…

He could hear Sanji and Zoro wrestling over the only surfboard the straw-hats had in their possession as they floated in the water. Usopp was searching the undersea currents of the beach with a snorkel and a pair of goggles, interested in the island's unique fungi. Luffy had no idea what 'fungi' was but he had noticed Usopp was much more interested with plants than before. Luffy concluded, after much thinking atop Sunny's head, it had been due to their two year separation and Usopp's new arsenal of Pop Greens.

However, that wasn't what affected him the most…

The worst part was that one of the current people in the water was his navigator, Nami. She was the one who had insisted that they stop and relax and since arriving, she had not yet ventured away from the safety of the water, riding her waver across the sea in a bright red bikini. Nami had not been on the waver for a long while and was enjoying herself immensely.

Luffy, however, was not and watched rather sadly as the source of his interest was splashed by a series of waves created by the latest addition to the Straw-hat crew, Suki, who had decided to abandon all her grace and simply dive-bomb into the water. As she did so, the water leapt up and splashed Nami, who giggled loudly at the attack, before spinning her waver around so that it created a large wave that washed over Suki in return. Luffy pouted.

It wasn't fair.

He hadn't seen much of Nami at all over the past few days. They were supposed to be…what was that word that Robin used? Courting? Luffy had no idea what it meant or what courts had to do with the feelings he felt for Nami and he didn't really care to ask. He already knew what Nami was, or rather what she was going to be. She was his pirate queen, easy as that.

The orange haired navigator, however, had been locked up in her room for days at a time recently, sketching maps like crazy. She hadn't had much time to sketch her maps earlier with the chaotic background of the New World distracting her from her map-making dream. Luffy knew better than to disturb her when she was working towards her dream and usually, he was able to find other sources of interest. Most of the time, this meant going up to Usopp, Chopper and Brook and fish with the three.

Still, this didn't work too well. Usopp was always intently focused on what he was doing and wouldn't talk to Luffy, Chopper usually fell asleep during the long wait for the fish and Brook was usually keeping Suki company. It seemed like no matter what Luffy did he could not pry Nami's attention away from her beloved maps and no other member of the crew provided the same entertainment as she did.

Who else was going to laugh at him when he made a stupid comment? Or punch him lightly on the left shoulder as he teased her? Or share those small little kisses that made his lips feel weirdly tingly?

No-one could do that but Nami. That was why he liked her so much. Nami was one of a kind and Luffy liked being with her more than anything. Adventures were always ten times more fun when they were with someone and adventures were over hundred times more fun for Luffy when that person was Nami.

Apparently, however, Nami didn't exactly feel the same way.

After all, not only had she been trapped in her room all that time on the ship, but now the first time he had gotten a chance to properly spend time with her again, she was hanging out on the ocean, testing her waver. Of course, Luffy knew Nami wasn't doing it on purpose. He had faith in Nami and knew she'd never try to purposely make him feel like this…but Luffy couldn't help but feel abandoned by the pretty orange haired woman.

It was as if she was being as oblivious as he usually was. Luffy's head remained low in depression as she watched Nami continue to soar around happily on the water. She wasn't too far away. If they'd been walking down the street somewhere, he could have been by her side in a second. They could have held hands (Nami seemed to really like that) and have a walk around the town, taking in the beautiful scenery. Sadly, they were not walking down the street. Nami was sailing around on the water and Luffy was a devil fruit user. The two were so close, yet so far from one another.

As usual, the water was dampening Luffy's plans.

Luffy growled suddenly in anger at the water. Both Robin and Chopper looked up at the sound and frowned at their captain's sadness. Robin let out a soft sigh. Usually, whenever Luffy was down, it was up to the first mate to take him out of it. Zoro, however, was far too busy kicking Sanji in the face, wrestling the surfboard from him to notice his captain's plight. However, the straw-hat captain definitely needed counciling right now. Robin began to stand up to head over to Luffy, when she felt a bony hand on her shoulder.

"Sit down Robin, I shall have a word with the captain in your stead." the ship's musician announced happily. Robin glanced up at the skeleton with eyes full of worry.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course Robin. Luffy needs to be cheered up and that's exactly what I'm here for. That and playing music of course. Yohohoho!~" Robin felt a small smile come to her face and she nodded.

"Alright Brook."
"Have no fear Robin!" Brook said as he walked past her towards the sulking captain "I've been working on some jokes that will knock him dead…just like me~ SKULL JOKE!~" Robin shook her head with a sigh. Brook had not really changed despite their two years apart. One thing was for sure though, if anyone could cheer Luffy up, it was Brook…

"Luffy, may I sit here?" Luffy glanced up at the question.

"Sure…I guess."
"Thank you Luffy." Brook said with a nod, before calmly lowering himself onto the ground beside his captain. It was lucky that Brook had left his usual suit behind on the Thousand Sunny today as when he sat down, the sand lapped up around his swim shorts (that miraculously managed to stay around his waist, despite the fact there wasn't really anything to hide).

If he had not chosen casual wear today, his suit would have been ruined and Brook was not a man who liked a messy suit. Of course, there was still his usual top-hat on his head, but that was more out of a need for style than anything else. He gripped the sand within his bony fingers and squeezed hard on a clump of sand, before turning to look at Luffy.

"You seem troubled Luffy." he commented. Luffy immediately jumped and as usual, began to his horrible attempt at lying.

"I'm okay." he said through puckered lips. Brook chuckled.

"Luffy, everyone can see that something's wrong with you…even me and I don't have eyes…" Luffy laughed a little at the comment but his smile faded as soon as it appeared.

"I just…"
"You're annoyed because you can't be with Nami, right? Because of the water?" Luffy immediately looked up in surprise. Brook was no longer looking at him (not that he could really tell with the absence of pupils) and was instead staring out towards the sea. Luffy was unaware that the skeleton's gaze was focused on the girl swimming nearby Nami.

"How do you know?" Luffy asked. Brook chuckled.

"You aren't the only devil fruit user on this beach you know." Luffy nodded slowly.

"I guess." he admitted nervously "I just feel bad that I can't be with her and I really want to…" Brook nodded slowly at the statement.

"I understand." the skeleton said with a nod.

"We've not been together much recently too," Luffy suddenly stated, turning to the skeletal musician with a worried expression on his face "you…you don't think she's avoiding me, do you?" this comment drove Brook into wild laughter. It wasn't a big secret on the crew that Luffy had been crushing on her captain long before either of them realised their feelings for one another.

The idea that the straw-hat navigator did not like being with Luffy was possibly one of the funniest things he'd ever heard. It was almost up to Suki's level of humour, which admittedly was finishing his own skull jokes for him but it still did not make them feel any less funny. Brook was actually quite happy with having met someone whose brain appeared to think very similarly to his own (at least regarding his unique brand of humour, not to mention her amazing singing voice and love for music).

Brook continued laughing for a few moments longer but, after realising Luffy was serious and was now staring at him in confusion, he quickly bit his lip…which technically, he could not do, being a skeleton and all. After a small chuckle at his own skull-joke, Brook smiled over at Luffy.

"No, no I do not believe that Luffy," the skeleton replied after regaining his composure "in fact, I've never heard such a ridiculous thing before…and that makes sense, considering I don't have any ears. YOHOHOHOHO~" Luffy laughed once more. As always, Brook knew just how to put a smile on his face. Suddenly, all of Luffy's concerns seemed to melt away now that he had someone to confirm how outlandish his thoughts really were.

"Guess it's kind of silly for me to be like this, isn't it?" Luffy asked, hunching over and gripping his legs. Brook shook his skull.

"Not at all. No relationship is perfect Luffy. Every couple has their own little problems that…" Brook paused for a moment, choosing his next word carefully "distance lovers from one another"

"Like water?" Luffy muttered, glaring at the liquid that lapped up at his bare feet.

"Or skin…"

"What was that?" Luffy asked, turning to face the musician. Brook chuckled to himself.

"It doesn't matter," he said with a smile "the point is that it is not the size of these problems that determine how strong a couple is."
"It isn't?" Luffy questioned with a raised eyebrow. That was his first guess about relationships if they all had problems.

"Not at all," Brook replied, suddenly speaking to Luffy not as the usual animated skeleton who made wacky remarks, but as an old man who had lived ninety years on the sea and was now sharing the vast expanse of his knowledge "you see, relationships are defined by not how many problems a couple has, but how they manage to overcome those problems." Luffy was silent for a moment, a rare feat to be certain, as he clasped his chin in his hand.

"I guess that makes sense." the rubber man admitted, before flashing his usual wide grin "Thanks Brook" the skeleton sighed with content and relaxed back onto the sand.

"I'm glad I could help captain."

Suddenly, Luffy shot up off the sand, grinning like a madman.

"How we overcome our problems, hmm?"

"Luffy, what are you…" Brook began to ask, only for Luffy to suddenly grab him by the arm and drag him along.
"Come on Brook, I've got an idea!" the straw-hat captain announced with a laugh.

As Luffy dashed along, pulling Brook by his arm, the skeleton couldn't help but think of how many times Luffy had said those words and how many times the idea had ended up failing rather horribly or putting the crew into an amazing amount of danger.

"I've got a bad feeling in my bones…" he commented as Luffy dashed along.

Never the less, the skeleton managed to crack a smile at his own pun and laugh loudly as the duo leapt onto the Thousand Sunny.

"So how does it work?" Nami looked over towards her brunette friend, who was currently floating next to her in the water.

"The waver?" Nami asked in reply, glancing down at the still contraption underneath her feet "well, it uses dials and…honestly, I'm not too sure how it all fits together. Usopp's the dial expert of the crew and Franky's pretty skilled on how they work too, but I know nothing about them"

"I'm guessing Franky was the one who gave it the 'unique' design?" Suki said, gesturing to the bizarre white seahorse head. Nami sighed. She'd never truly gotten over Franky defacing her beautiful waver into the 'White Hobby Horse'.

"Sad but true." she muttered "He never did pay me back for putting his odd decoration on without my permission. I guess I could just ask him to teach me more about the waver in return for me writing off his debt." Suki shuddered. As usual, Nami was extremely manipulative when it came to receiving favours. She was far too greedy for her own good sometimes.

"Speaking of teaching," Suki began, her eyes flashing with a sudden sense of ambition "do you think you could teach me how to ride that thing?" Surprisingly, Nami laughed in response. Immediately, the brown haired woman's face fell.

"No offense Suki, but it's not exactly the easiest thing to learn," she said "I don't even let Luffy use it!"

"Because he'd break it?" Suki questioned. Nami smiled at the words but shook her head.

"The last time he tried to ride it, he was flung off into the sea." Suki's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Nami replied calmly "he was okay though. I got to him with Zoro before he went under and I made sure he was fine."

"Possibly administering some unnecessary mouth to mouth as well?" Suki suggested with a giggle. Nami's face turned slightly red at the suggestion but she grinned never the less.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" the navigator mumbled. Suki laughed off the statement.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." she said with a smirk.

"Besides, I'm just checking that the waver works properly." Nami explained "I haven't used it for a while and if I ever need to use it, I want to make sure it still functions. After all, I don't want to ignore it and have it not work when I really need it to."

"Maybe when you've done checking, I can have a try of riding it then?" Nami laughed. As always, the latest addition to the straw-hat crew was far too curious for own good.

Then again, that did explain her taste in men…or skeletons…

"Maybe…" Nami replied, sticking her tongue out at her friend.

"Wow, Luffy's right, you are really stingy…" Suki muttered playfully, sinking slightly down into the water in depression.

"I am not!" Nami argued angrily "Besides, I'm not sure whether the waver handles as well as it used to BEEEEEE!" almost on cue with Nami's statement, she gently pushed down on the waver's handles, causing the waver to flare into life. Far too quickly, it bolted forwards and Nami was roughly flung off the raging machine. She splashed down into the water, just in front of Suki, who couldn't help but laugh at the poorly timed departure from the vehicle. Nami quickly rose back out of the water, spluttering in complaint.

"Guess you haven't worked all the bugs out." Suki laughed. Nami turned back shooting her a glare.

"Now you're definitely not learning how to use it!" the orange haired woman growled, before turning around and swimming towards her waver, which had finally stopped rather far away from the two women, near the beach. Suki bit her lip to hold in her laughter and quickly swam after the straw-hat navigator.

"Come on, I'm sorry!" Suki begged, before she looked upwards at where the waver had disappeared to "wow…at least you know it has good acceleration." Nami sighed.

"It's going to take forever for us to get over there." Nami complained, slowing her speed as fatigue began to overcome her. She hadn't swum that fast in a while. It was something else she'd been neglecting in favour of drawing her maps as of late. Her waver was so far out of reach…

"YOHOHOHO!~ Good evening ladies, may we see your panties?"

At the announcement, both Suki and Nami turned around only to be met by the shape of sheep's head slowly sailing past. The Mini Merry slowed down to a stop revealing a beaming black haired man in a straw-hat and his skeleton companion, who was currently tipping his top hat in greeting.

"Brook!" Suki called happily, her face visibly brightening up at the musician's presence.

"Ah, Suki! Your voice is like music to my ears!" Brook announced, happily spinning around before extending his hand to the young woman in the water.

"Except that you don't have any ears to hear with." Suki finished his skull joke with a giggle. She took the laughing skeleton's hand and Brook gracefully pulled her over into the Mini-Merry beside him.

"What are you two doing here?" Nami asked in surprise, as Luffy offered the navigator his hand.

"We came to see you." Luffy replied with a wide grin, relishing in being able to finally reach his pirate queen "You think a little water would stop me from doing that?" Nami felt the heat in her cheeks rise but still accepted Luffy's hand, flashing a shy smile of her own as she did. Luffy felt like jumping for joy.

Luffy: One.

Water: Zero.

Using his absurd strength, Luffy lifted Nami clean out of the water, grabbing Nami's waist with his other arm to swing around to his left hand side. Luffy grinned his trademark smile at the navigator now sitting beside him and Nami felt that usual tingling joy bubbling up inside her. So this was what she'd been missing out on working on her maps this week.

"I take it you want a trip back to the beach?" Luffy asked. Nami nodded happily.

"It would be better than being stranded out in the middle of nowhere." Nami commented, a noticeable smile on her face "Thanks for coming to help though"
"Nami, I'd go any distance to help you." Luffy announced with a wink. Nami's face turned a deep scarlet at the statement and she leaned closer towards Luffy, her head now resting on his shoulder.

"Such beautiful words!~" Brook commented, shocking both Nami and Luffy who had completely forgotten that they were being watched "Your blooming love is making me cry with joy!"

"Except you don't have any tear ducts to cry with, right?" Suki suggested with a chuckle. Brook burst into his usual bellowing laughter at this comment and Suki happily laughed along with him. Luffy and Nami exchanged a glance as the two shared in each other's joy.

"They're good together don't you think?" Nami mumbled offhandedly.

"No relationship is perfect," Luffy said, remembering Brook's words to him previously "they do make each other happy though" Nami turned to stare at the rubber man, rather shocked by his profound statement.

"No relationship is perfect, huh?" she asked, confused by Luffy's sudden negative outlook on things. Luffy, however, never lost his wide grin. He reached up and grabbed his straw-hat before gently planting it down firmly on Nami's head. As he let go of his hat, he cupped Nami's chin and slowly leaned in towards her lips.

"Brook said so…but I think we're pretty close…"

And with that, he closed the distance between them.

Until next time, my name is Shadowonthewall6 and I hope you've enjoyed this latest one-shot.

Please review. Positive criticism is welcome.