Author's Note: Don't be mad, but I'm writing short chapters, because it's easiest for me right now. Also, I'm writing this by ear, instead of writing the whole thing out before posting, which I have a feeling I'm going to regret, but seeing as I already posted the first 3 chapters before chapter 4, I don't really have a choice. I'm also thinking it's going to be a relatively short fic, unless I can come up with more ideas. I'm going to try. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D

P.S. I'm a little bummed too… I only got one review for the last chapter, good ol' dependable Hotspot the 626th! xD Thanks, dude! ;) I suppose it's to be expected. I tend to drop off the map for a few years before picking up a fic again… I fail… OTL

Devil in Disguise

Chapter 5

Nami and her friends chatted with laughter as they made their way to school that next morning. As they turned a corner, she felt her heart leap into her chest, which made her frown in response to such a reaction. Ahead of them, Luffy was walking with his head bent over what looked to be a book.

However, she jumped when Vivi suddenly reached out to grip her wrist, and when she looked over at her friend, she seemed to have had the same reaction as her. In that moment, she felt perplexed. What was it about this sophomore that had them so on edge, as if they were walking on dangerous grounds?

Looking at Robin, she could see the keen way she looked at the boy, as if studying his every move. Sighing deeply, she smiled at Vivi, who looked abashed by having such a severe reaction to seeing the sophomore. She smiled with unease at Nami as they continued on their way to school. Nami almost grunted when Sanji chuckled in amusement at them, but she refrained. It was pretty ridiculous.

Nami kept her eyes on Luffy's back, knowing her friends were doing the same. Her brows began to furrow, however, when she noticed his path and who was in that path. She sucked in her breath, holding out a hand and was about to speak, but the unaware boy bumped into Hancock, who had been too busy digging into her backpack, looking for who knew what. The bump caused her to drop her backpack.

"Oh!" Vivi exclaimed beside her as a hand went to her mouth.

Nami felt her heart pounding, knowing what was about to come because she knew Hancock. She rushed forward away from her friends, watching as Luffy began to apologize, only for Hancock to turn with a scowl and slap him across the face.

She broke into a run when Hancock raised her hand to do it again as she yelled at him to watch where he was going as well as for him not to speak to her.

With a gasp, Nami caught the other girl's wrist just as she had swung for the second hit with a wince from the pain it caused her to do so. "Stop it! It was just an accident!"

"How dare you?" Hancock screeched as she yanked her wrist free and shoved Nami away, but Luffy was there to catch her before she fell.

Nami gasped, feeling as if fire enveloped her – all too aware that it was Luffy who caught her. Alarm bells which warned of danger rang in her head, but she ignored it for the moment, seeing as Hancock was still yelling at her.

"Did you forget that Furu has decreed no one is to help that idiot? And he is not to speak to anyone! He spoke to me, and he touched me!" Hancock screeched as she scowled at Nami.

"It was just an accident, and he was trying to apologize for it!" Nami exclaimed as she glared at the dark haired girl.

"Why are you always trying to protect him, anyway?" Hancock retorted in disgust. "You have a crush on the twerp or something? Disgusting!"

Nami's cheeks burned with embarrassment, but she bore her teeth as she ground them, especially to the weird crocking sound which came from Luffy behind her, and then she said, "No, I do not! Unlike some people, I refuse to stand aside and allow assholes like you and Furu to pick on the first years!"

"How dare you?" Hancock growled, balling her hands into fists. "Just wait until Furu hears about this! I won't be caught letting this little rat talk to me, unlike you, who defends him!"

"What are you really worried about, Hancock? Are you really worried about Furu, or is it just your own image? I'll have you know, from where I'm standing, your image is hideous-" Nami was cut off by the hand which struck her across the face, and she grunted to the painful hit.

"You bitch! How dare you?" Hancock said in a high pitched shriek with a furious scowl, and she pulled her hand back, intending to hit Nami again.

"Hey!" Luffy barked with his own scowl as he pulled Nami to the side to protect her, and he glared back at Hancock. He then leaned closer to her and said in a voice that left no room for argument, "Keep walking."

Hancock gave a start to the way he looked at her as well as the way he spoke to her. She stumbled back, nearly tripping on her backpack, as if in need to get away from him quickly, but then she snatched up her backpack as she said, though her voice lacked confidence, "I'll – I'll get you back for this, Nami! You know who my father is!"

"I don't give a damn who your father is, you spoiled bitch," Nami said as she wiped a bit of blood from her lip with her knuckle and glared back at Hancock.

Hancock ground her teeth, but her eyes kept flickering over to Luffy, and then she finally turned and hurried away, though she glanced over her shoulder a few times, as if in fear of retaliation. Nami could have even sworn she saw awe in her eyes.

She then gasped when Luffy grasped her shoulders and turned her to him. He ducked his head down a bit, but his eyes examined her busted lip where a bit of blood still trickled out. His own cheek was red from where Hancock had hit him. He then grasped her chin to tilt her head up a bit, and her cheeks flamed. "Wha-What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes wide as she gaped at him.

"You're bleeding," he replied, as if that was the obvious reason. "She got you really good."

"I could say the same about you," she said, reaching up to poke his reddened cheek, and she smiled when he actually winced.

He blinked at her with owlish eyes, but then a grin spread over his lips, and he snickered as he rubbed his bruised cheek. "Yeah, she's really mean," he replied as he turned to look at where Hancock had gone, but Nami caught a glimpse of a strange look in his eyes, almost like disappointment. However, it was not quite that. She could not put her finger on it.

"Yeah, she's pretty horrible. There are rumors she kicks strays if they dare cross her path," Nami said, shifting her eyes towards Hancock in the distance, and Luffy grunted in response to what she said. She also frowned as other students who walked past eyed them. However, with another flush, she realized Luffy was still clutching her chin, she gently pulled from his grasp and said, "We should get to school."

"Nami, are you alright?" Vivi asked as she took up Luffy's hold to grasp her chin and look at her cut lip.

Nami smiled at her friends as Robin and Sanji also approached and said, "Of course I'm alright. It's just a cut. It'll heal." She then blinked when she noticed Luffy was walking away. "Ah!" she called, but Sanji cut her off.

"It's best, mademoiselle Nami. As it is, Furu will hear about this. Perhaps it's best you never walk from class to class alone. We can each come to your class and walk with you, depending on who is closest," he said as he frowned at all the students who had been watching the scene.

"I don't care about Furu. He doesn't scare me. If he hurts me, fine," Nami said with a huff, but she kept her eyes on Luffy's back.

"I won't let that happen," Sanji said with a determined frown as he looked down at her.

Nami smiled up at him and said, "Thanks, Sanji." However, she looked back towards Luffy as she lost her smile, and his gaze followed. "I didn't get a chance to invite him to your restaurant."

Sanji turned back to her with a rueful smile to her always calling the restaurant his, but then he said, "There will always be another time. Perhaps one not so public." He again glanced out to the passing students, all with their eyes on them.

"We should get going," Robin said, urging both Nami and Vivi to walk with Sanji's help. All the while, Nami held a soft frown at Luffy's retreating back.

To Be Continued…

Author's Note: We got a bit of fluff here, me thinks. :3 I need to think up some more ideas, even if I do have some, but those are for later. I need in between ideas… -Rubs chin- I'll come up with some. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Until the next! ;)