Schooled

By:RoseWaters

She could feel the heat from the oil lanterns hanging about her. The gentle sway that she felt as the shipped rock. The sound of conversation and familiar voices sending a wave of nostalgia down her spine. A soft smile spreading across her features as the smell of Sanji's cooking crossed her nose.

It was painful to be here even though she was so happy to be back. How every conversation came so easily despite the 2 years they had just spent apart. They just came back like nothing was different, as if they had separated in a port town for a few hours and came back to discuses there encounters in the ships hold. She took a deep breath feeling slightly spoiled by how happy she was to be back, back together with all these people.

"Nami!"

She blinked once and shifted her head to the right long wavy red hair following her movement. She watched as Sanji's nose began to bleed.

"Women have such beautiful hair!"

She rolled her eyes, before giving her full attention to Zoro.

"What?"

She watched as Zoro crossed his long legs Indian style as he leaned forward.

"Luffy won't tell us about the very special technique he learned."

She grinned catching on to Zoro's lead. He clearly wanted her assistance in egging the straw hat pirate on until he insisted that he show them how amazing his new skills were.

"Oh, it's probably cause he really didn't learn anything."

She made sure that her voice sounded disinterested. Luffy was instantly on her left side, sitting next to her on the wooden bench.

"I really did learn! They all praised my abilities! Said I was a natural Nami!"

She watched as his eyes widened his only slightly longer black hair swaying at his animated movements. Her graze shifted over to her right as Zoro continued, his voice loud enough to catch the others attention; subsequently pulling them out of their own private conversations and into theirs.

"On the isles of women. What did they teach you how to cook?"

Nami scuffed at the comment. She didn't need to reply to Zorro considering that at this point he and Sanji were now at each other's throats.

She wanted it to quiet down and in all honesty she herself was curious at this point as well. She already noticed something was different about him.

"Or maybe they taught you how to please women?"

She had said it in a lofty tone. Making sure it held just enough sexual innuendo for everyone but Luffy to get it. She noted how the fighting had stopped and everyone stared pointy at Luffy.

So when he held her eye contact with a stunned face, she slightly recoiled.

"How did you KNOW Nami? It's supposed to be a secret! Man your smart."

There was a rare silence that crept over the room. Her eyes wide with surprise, it lasted for only a second before the room erupted in laughter. She however stayed silent eyes watching Luffy's every motion.

Zoro's voice was heard over the laughter.

"Damn, Luffy! You almost had me there! Shit."

Sanji backed him up.

"Seriously, you'd need more than two years too be good with the ladies!"

Usop was the next to pile on.

"I mean come on its Luffy. I almost believed him with how seriously his face was."

Hysterical laughter was bouncing off of every surface and Nami watched as Luffy became annoyed.

She watched as he smashed his fist into the table, her hand went to shield her eyes from the splashing of food, but he had already pulled her closer to him to avoid being hit.

"I did learn it! I am so fucking good at it too."

She was preparing to coax him down however Zoro beat her to the punch.

"Yeah, then show your amazing skill."

Usop and Sanji shared the sentiment.

"Yah come on. If you're that good."

Robin chiming in made it a done deal.

"I'd love to see as well."

Nami watched him carefully, the way his head shifted to the ground and his right hand pulled off his straw hat while his left hand pulled back his bangs. Her eyes lingered on him as the room remained silent, completely focused on him.

His body turned toward her his head still lowered. She felt him lean into her and her back arched slightly at his close contact, her long red hair brushing against her spine and contrasting with her white Henley. Her eyes shifted to her lower right as his fingers brushed the sides of her face. His long fingers continued there movement and made their way through her hair. As if he was both combing it and admiring it. She felt the shift as his fingers twisted around the ends of her hair and pulled it towards his face.

He suddenly looked up. His dark eyes completely visible with his bangs pulled back. Her breath caught as they lock eyes, an intensity she'd never seen despite the fact that they had already shared so much time together. It was as if he was searching, yet it was obvious he saw nothing in the room but her.

It was both terrifying and enticing to know that you had someone's entire focus. That even in a room full of people they only saw you. He raised his head and sat up fully, her eyes followed his until she realized that she was looking up at him her back still arched and his fingers still coiled around her hair. It was as if he caught her.

His voice was deep and soft. A side to his voice she never knew existed. She could feel his warm breath against her skin as his eyes stayed trained on her.

"Nami."

She felt her heart twist at her own name and despite her better judgment her head tilted to the left and her eyes partially closed.

"Your hair has become so beautiful. It really suits you."

She could hear her heart beat in her ears as he lowered his head, and she arched her back further as his hand held her lower back. She was moving into his body her eyes still completely locked with his as they moved closer together.

He suddenly pushed her back as his palm caught Sanji's foot. His hair falling back into its messy old style as he grinned goofily at Sanji and the rest of the rooms.

"What the fuck were you planning to do to Nami? I'll fucking kill you! "

Zoro slapped his leg, "Well I'll be damned the kids become a man."

Robin was clapping, "Bravo! Encore!"

Usop was weeping in the corner, "I am the only one who's bad with women now."

Nami found herself looking down face flushed as the room once again light up with conversation. Her fingers weaved through her hair nervously.

It was then that she felt his hand on top of hers, his goofy grin plastered across his face. His voice still so very soft.

"I really do think your long hair is pretty. I'd meant to tell you earlier."

She smiled as he pulled his hand away.

"Thanks Luffy."