"I can't live like this anymore."

It was late; around 8:30 at night and a perfect time to call the procrastinating long-nose they called friend.

Now seated, shoulder to shoulder with serious faces. The idiot couple were like strict parents awaiting their child's report card.

"Hello?"

"Yo, Usopp."

"Do you guys have me on loud speaker?"

"Cut to the chase," Nami snapped. "Did you ask her or not?"

"... I did."

"Really? Way to go, Usopp! We were rooting for you." 'Shishishishi'

"What did she say?"

"It didn't go so well..."

"Why? What happened?"

"She said that she hated my guts and didn't want to see my face again."

"Huh?! You're kidding."

"No. It's true. Soon after she left and was kidnapped by this gruesome, giant, terrifying monster so it's now up to me, Usopp The Brave, to save her and in turn win her heart."

"Do your best, Usopp. You can do it!"

Nami face-palmed and shook her head at the obvious tell-tale.

"Luffy, he's lying."

"Oh..."

"Why don't you just tell us? What really happened?"

Usopp grinned and squared his shoulders, feeling like the most powerful man who ever lived. Thinking that he had left his friends in suspense for more than enough time, he confessed:

"She said yes."

Luffy and Nami looked at each other the same time with smiles spreading from ear to ear. It was Luffy's turn to hold the phone and Nami leaned in ensuring that she didn't miss a word.

"That's great news, Usopp."

"Thanks. But she says that we'll have to wait till she's finished with her studies so we agreed on long-distance."

"It doesn't matter. I'm more surprised that you took so long to ask her out. Was she happy?"

"She was- one of the happiest I've ever seen her. I feared the worst and thought that I was going to be rejected."

'Shishishishi'

"Thanks guys."

Nami and Luffy blinked and tilted their heads.

"What are you thanking us for?"

"The courage and for the push... Don't get me wrong... I've tried asking her out many times before in the past- Kaya's one of the most beautiful, smartest girl I know and she's my good friend- but I've always chickened out- so thank you."

"It was nothing."

"Yeah. Like Nami said, we didn't do anything. You did it all on your own."

Usopp puffed with pride.

"Whatever you say, captain.

Today was great. It was nice hanging out with you again. It has sure been a while."

"... Yeah. It was fun."

"You're the strongest person I know, Luffy... I mean- Do you really have to-"

"I do. It's important."

Nami studied her husband carefully but not with the habitual fondness; her lips pressed together in a fine line.

"Okay. Just remember to take it easy."

"Yeah."

"That's all for now. You guys have a good night."

When the call ended, Nami had a strong need to say something.

"Luffy..."

"What is it Nami?" His tired eyes stared back at her and she knew that the time and circumstance were not in her favour.

"It's good that Usopp told Kaya how he felt, huh?"

"Yeah. He seemed super happy about it."

Nami mustered a smile and just like that, their time together came to an end.

Soon he'll lean over to kiss her cheek. And so said so done, the moment his lips left her skin, her stomach grew tight like it usually did. And then he'll say:

"Goodnight Nami. I have an early start tomorrow."

This had been their so-called routine for the past 6 weeks and Nami hated every second of it.

Nowadays, Nami had loads of free time for herself but it was never something that she asked for nor needed. She was a wife. Had been for 3 years and counting. A happy wife who was deeply loved by her husband but these past couple of weeks had changed the solid relationship she and Luffy shared; including their well thought out schedule.

All this she thought about while scribbling her next draft for her newest map project. She still loved cartography but one thing about hobbies is that they couldn't love you back and Nami grew even more frustrated when she drew each curve and landmark so much so that she had to stop.

She left her chair and had a stroke of luck when she opened her door to her husband, standing there preparing to knock.

Both eyes widened upon seeing each other and this was inevitably the chance Nami had been waiting for.

"I saw that the lights were still on so I thought you were busy drawing a map."

"I was. Just a while ago actually."

"So does that mean you're done?"

"Yup."

"Oh- I couldn't sleep so I wanted to come sit with you like we used to. I'll just head back to bed then."

Nami folded her arms. "I have something to say, Luffy."

By her tone, Luffy knew that he was in some form of trouble but he still lent her his ears.

"I can't live like this anymore."

She saw that he was confused which was expected so she fed him some rope.

"What I mean is that I miss the way things were before you decided to take on more hours. I feel like we've grown distant ever since."

"Things have been different. And I haven't been liking it that much either."

They were on equal ground and they were getting somewhere but Luffy had something else to say:

"Before I decided on spending more time at work to train, you were the first person I spoke to. I asked if you'd be okay with it."

And she had said an automatic 'yes.' Only because during their last mission, he went ahead and got himself badly injured and was in a coma for 5 days leaving his wife in a dire state of worry. Luffy had hated himself for that so when he proposed the idea, none of them thought about the consequences.

It was a mistake.

"It won't last forever. Just 5 months, remember?"

Nami bit the inside of her bottom lip and stepped forward looking at the floor.

"I know but..."

Luffy closed the space between them with his arms around her. Her 'most safe place on earth.' He smiled at the memory.

"But what?" She cuddled up more into his shoulder and held onto him. "You can tell me anything."

"I don't like it. All we talk about now is work. When last have we spoken about us? And we haven't done anything worthwhile together in a long, long time."

"You're right. And as soon as these 5 months are up, everything will go back to normal and we'll do whatever it is you want us to. I promise."

"No. That's not what I want... All I've ever wanted was for you to take care of yourself."

"And that's why I have to do this training."

She looked at him straight in the eyes and said,"You told Usopp that it was important."

"It is important."

"Oh." Nami cast her eyes sideways and Luffy was well aware of his wife's disappointment.

"The training is important, Nami but it's not more important than our marriage."

From her, he managed to spark a smile.

"I still love you."

"I know."

"Then stop acting like I don't."

"I'm sorry. It's just that when making the decision concerning the extra training, I had you in mind."

"That's funny cause I was thinking about you as well. I don't like it when you're sad."

His sweetness rewarded him a kiss.

"I love you too, Luffy but what I want you to do for me is stop thinking about me so much and to focus more on yourself."

The way her husband looked at her was as if she was asking him to stick both his arms in boiling lava. He held her tighter around the waist.

"It's not hard. Just do what makes you happy."

"I don't understand... I'm happy when you're happy, Nami."

After 3 years of marriage, he still managed to make her blush like a high school girl.

"That may be so but think about what else makes you happy- besides me. Like your friends and eating at your favourite restaurant. Your well being; your health...

You've been coming home exhausted lately that I doubt you have time for any of those things. Even though you've tried to make an effort, it hurts me to see you this way.

Usopp said that you should take it easy. I think so too."

He placed his lips on her forehead and she continued:

"I'm not telling you what to do, Luffy; I just want what's best for you."

"Yeah. I know."

"Do you need time to think about it?"

"Nope."

"So what have you decided to do?"

"I'm still going to train."

Right before Nami could protest, Luffy said,"But just not as hard. I'll cut back on my hours so that I could take care of the more important things in life."

His wife's dulled excitement recovered tenfold.

"And are you positively sure that that's what you want to do?"

"Yeah. Deal?"

"Deal."

She will support him every step of the way.

In the kitchen they tried making a mug cake recipe Nami found on the internet. She fed him a spoonful simply because she wanted him to taste it first.

"How is it? Good?"

"No. It's delicious."

"Is it cooked all the way through?"

"Yeah. Try some."

She did and it was a proven success.

Luffy smiled in a way that Nami didn't realize she missed. His face had lit in a way that rivaled stars and she was tempted to give him all her share if it meant he could smile like that for a bit longer. It was so precious.

As the minutes ticked by, she took note of the way he looked at her- similar to how he did when she took her stride down the aisle to marry him. An arrangement that felt like fate.

One empty mug later, Luffy had drawn closer, reaching up to release her hair from it's hurried bun and the moment her tresses cascaded down her shoulders, her eyes locked with his. He brought her close by the waist, sneaking his hand under her satin, cake-stained pajama blouse coming to touch the contour of her back. Then he kissed her and Nami didn't want to think about anything else.

Everyday she thanked the heavens for making Luffy be the man she fell in love with. Of all the love stories she had read about, theirs was without a doubt her favourite.

End.

Author's Note:

This chapter took a toll on me! Makes me want to burn something down or something. This chapter is the first that made me throw out loads of draft. Loads. I broke inside when I had to draw lines through days of mind boggling writing. But it's over now and though it's not perfect, it's done and I like it very much.

Thanks for reading this bonus series. Your time taken to do so has been much appreciated. :)

-Awsme Grl