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Pinwheel
staying

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Vivi has grown accustomed to sleeping among her enemies. She hasn't trusted anyone except Karoo enough to rest truly and soundly for years, now, so it is no surprise to her when she still falls to the old habit aboard the Merry Go, where she is surrounded by unyielding friends. She hears the footsteps overhead, muffled by the heavy boards, and opens her eyes, intent on the sound. A door creaks open, followed a few moments later by the distant slush of water from the bathroom, and Vivi relaxes. It's one of the boys, probably trading off the watch. She pulls her blanket up to cover her shoulders, ready to drift back to sleep.

Her eyes fly open, however, when the hatch lifts and someone comes thumping down the stairs.

This is new.

She rolls over and leans up on her elbows, her blue hair trailing to the floor. At first she thinks it's Sanji coming to check on Nami. It's dark in the cabin, but Vivi's eyes are well-adjusted and she has no trouble seeing who it is when he drops his sandals at the base of the stairs, his teeth clattering audibly, though he likely hasn't registered the weather chilling as it slowly stabilizes.

"Luffy," Vivi says softly, "Is something wrong?"

Luffy doesn't even seem to hear her. He walks right past her, subconsciously rubbing his arms to generate some warmth, his bare feet scuffing the plush rug. He stops at Nami's bedside and looks her over - her condition hasn't improved any. Her fever is still high, she's still breathing laboriously, and she hasn't managed to eat anything the past few days, hardly more than a few spoonfuls of Sanji's healthiest, warmest batch of please-get-better-soon soup. Luffy, in her stead, has eaten more than usual, and he stands there looking at her for so long, without moving or saying anything, that Vivi almost begins to wonder if he's fallen asleep on his feet.

It wouldn't surprise her.

She smiles.

Just when she opens her mouth to call his name again, Luffy finally moves - and Vivi gasps sharply. He pitches forward, twisting slightly so he falls shoulder first, and drops onto the edge of the bed, laying with his back to Nami and taking up as little space as possible. His straw-hat slips off his head, drifting silently to the floor. Luffy crosses his arms, tucking his hands into his armpits, and heaves a sigh through his nose. The disturbance is enough to wake Nami (a feat, considering they've all been in and out countless times, yelling and carrying on with no bedside manners to speak of, and Nami hasn't so much as batted an eye at them), and before Vivi can draw in the breath to reprimand the selfish pirate for disturbing Nami's rest, Nami is sitting up, herself, and pushing the thick comforter aside.

Not knowing why she does it, Vivi collapses onto her pallet, burying her face in her pillow, and pretends to be sleeping.

"Luffy... what're you doing...?"

The words come out slowly, Nami pausing to catch her breath. Vivi turns her head to the side, uncovering one eye. She can see that Nami's face is flushed with that horrible lingering fever, even in the dimness, and she watches as Luffy leans back slightly so that he can look at his navigator, too.

His voice is steady.

"Usopp says it's freezing outside. I didn't want you to get cold."

Nami gives him a weak chuckle, surprising them both, and presses her hand to her forehead.

"I don't think... I'll be getting cold anytime soon," she says, smiling.

Luffy grins back at her, immediately.

He's been trying to get her to smile for days.

"Great," he says, "Go back to sleep, now. I'm stayin' right here."

For a moment, Nami hesitates.

"...Fine," she says quietly, amusement edging through her exhaustion as she half-heartedly tugs on the blanket, "I don't have the energy to argue with you. ...But at least get under the blanket. I won't be able to get comfortable with you laying on top of it like that."

Hastening to obey, Luffy sits up and makes sure, instead, to pile all the blankets on top of Nami - an action that she vehemently protests, "Stop that and get under here, you're going to smother me...!" It's nice to know that her temper is still somewhat healthy. Vivi hears Luffy laughing softly and apologizing, and Nami sighing as she makes room for him. But Luffy lays down along the edge of the bed again, well out of Nami's space, leaving one foot hanging over the side and dangling out of the comforter's reach.

He lays there for all of three seconds before he leans back again, straining to look at Nami.

"Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine, Luffy," she insists.

"Are y'sure? You don't want any food?"

"No, Luffy... If you're hungry, go get something."

Luffy faces forward, frowning with stubborn resolve, and Vivi raises her head slightly, wondering what he's going to say.

"Sanji'll make breakfast soon. I can wait."

The room is unusually quiet for a while. It's still hours before dawn, let alone breakfast - a good five hours, at the least - and Luffy is always hungry.

"...Thanks, Luffy," Nami murmurs, so softly that Vivi can barely hear her, "For staying."

Luffy presses his face into the mattress, "Get some rest. We'll find a doctor soon."

"Alright, Captain..."

Vivi allows herself a tiny smile, closing her eyes.

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-BobTAC