Feelings

It had been bugging her for a while now. Long ago had she realised that the feelings she had for her captain were different to the feelings she had for her other friends. Every single smile directed her way, every kind word he said to her, every time he put his beloved hat on her head. These moments made her heart swell.

Once she had realised her feelings, however, she did not do anything about the matter. She went through her journey as normal, although sometimes a small moment between them battled against everything just being normal. Nothing about Luffy was normal. Nothing about this whole journey was normal! She was starting to lose her sanity due to the randomness shoved upon her at every moment possible!

But what if she did something about it? What would she do, exactly? Tell him? Are you mad!? What if he didn't feel the same way! How awkward would that be!

It's not like she could just get up and leave! She was on a fricking boat! Plus, she had his dream, as well as hers and the rest of the crews, to accomplish. She wasn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

But it did bother her. How did he feel towards her? Could he even have these kinds of feelings? She was pretty sure that it was silently agreed throughout the rest of the strawhats that Luffy was a-sexual as heck.

But if he wasn't… what if he loved someone else! Or what if everything above that she had speculated about was wrong and he was gay or something!

Nami frowned internally at herself. This wasn't like her! If she wanted to know something, she goes and finds out! There was no point trying to supress the urge, considering it was pretty much taking over her life at this point.

Well, it's now or never.

"Luffy," she asked, causing the boy in question to turn his head to her. Sitting out on deck at night, Luffy had been watching the stars silently. A few minutes later, Nami had come to join him, only to stay in a silence that she used to dwell over the matter at hand.

"Hmm?" he asked, smiling slightly at the brown-eyed girl next to him.

"Are you gay?" she asked quickly, almost afraid of what his answer might be. Luffy merely answered her bizarre question with a loud laugh.

"Nope!" he grinned, which caused her to sigh in relief. Well, at least he was attracted to her sex…

"Oh, so you like girls, then?" she asked, trying to act as though what he was about to say didn't particularly interest her.

"Yep!" he replied simply, moving into a cross-legged position.

A silence pushed past them once again. Just a few more questions to go. She needed to know how he felt, just to give her some peace at least.

"So… is there anyone you love?" she asked, voice barely audible as she braced herself.

"Yep!" he grinned, answering easily again.

Nami's heart flipped and increased in speed. Palms a tad sweaty, she clenched them into tight fists as she asked the next question. The last question.

"R-really? Who is it?" Nami questioned, turning to face him fully.

Luffy's strawhat danced softly in the wind as the silence once again returned. After what seemed like an eternity for Nami, he spoke again.

"You!" he said, answering her question again with the same one-syllable response.

A few seconds past until realisation hit. Jolting in surprise as Nami stood up, Luffy followed suit, smile still resting on his features.

"Huh? Me?!" Nami managed to squeak, fairly shocked at what he just said. Man, she was not expecting that.

"Yep!" he replied.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING? IDIOT!" she yelled, hitting him swiftly on the side of the head.

"You never asked!" Luffy laughed, rubbing the sore spot with his right hand while his left held onto his strawhat as the wind picked up.

"WHAT KIND OF ANSWER IS THAT?" she screamed, stomping her foot down loudly on the wooden deck.

"What! You didn't, though!" he retorted, stepping back slightly as Nami started to grumble something.

Suddenly, Nami calmed down, much to Luffy's surprise. Raising her head slowly, the orange-haired navigator smiled. Laughing slightly, she asked again, just to make sure.

"You really love me?" she inquired, looking up higher to stare into his dark eyes.

"Yep!" grinned Luffy.

They laughed for a while, until their mirth was carried into the wind and they were left with another silence. This one was different, however. This one was comfortable.

"The feeling's mutual…" Nami spoke, smiling sweetly up to the rubber-man as he pulled her into a quick hug.

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed. The two both sat back down, Nami in Luffy's arms, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Oi, Nami?"

"Yes, Luffy?"

"What does mutual mean?"