"...47...48..."

"If you brush it anymore your hair is bound to fall out." Robin teased, watching the navigator over the edge of her book. Nami tutted at the natural beauty behind her, Robin didn't understand about hair care maintenance, her long black hair always looked amazing no matter she doing. In fact, Nami frowned, she couldn't remember the woman ever sporting a single split end.

"...49...50!"

"Although, bald would be a good look for you."

"Oh Robin."

The Navigator stood from their shared vanity placing her hairbrush back in her haircare drawer and retrieving a curler set. She had always had short hair in her youth, and it was pretty easy to take care of. It had been a necessity more so then a style decision back then. She was constantly on the run from pirates or sailing by herself on long open seas. Not to mention all those longs years locked within Arlong Park itself. Being poor or enslaved had kept her mind off her hair and looks.

But after Luffy had set her free she'd started to put a little more effort into her appearance. She was after all a blossoming eighteen year old. The first thing to come were the clothes. Dozens of outfits to pick from all ranging from casual tank tops, flirty skirts, sassy dresses and sexy ballgowns. Nothing was beyond her reach or enjoyment in those months following the demise of Arlong Park. She swore she'd never wear blue strips again.

Her hair had started to grow in those long, lonely days in Weatheria.

Growing it long felt good, she decided, sitting by herself in a tiny house on a cloud. Not only did she look sexier, it was a mark of pride. She didn't have to have it short anymore because she wasn't a slave to someone's will, she was free in New World, and she was free with Luffy. She could be, or look like, anything she wanted.

But now, two years later and the tangles of brilliant orange hair went all the way to her lower back and required some serious time and effort to remain luxurious and beautiful.

Only Robin knew about the navigators nightly haircare ritual and often teased her about it.

Rolling the longer strands first into the curlers it took her the next few minutes to set the rest. Once that was done she sighed in contentment and crawled in the same bed as her best friend, trying to avoid poking her with her exaggerated cone head.

Robin smiled and shuffled over. She turned the book towards the younger woman so they could share and read equally.

The historian always found the most interesting stories and novels for them to enjoy and after both woman being separated they made a new tradition in the days following Sabaody Archipelago to spend time together just by themselves.

"What's the story Robin?"

"A desert princess and a bandit rebel must work together to save her kingdom."

"That's like Vivi!" Nami exclaimed happily, crowding Robin and tilting the book towards her. "Look it had pictures. This girl looks just like her!" Closing the cover and flipped back to the title page, Nami made a surprised squeak. "This comes from Alabasta. Someone wrote a book about Vivi!"

"Looks like it."

"Where did you find this, Robin! Wow! We should show the rest of the crew tomorrow, Luffy will be so excited."

Robin chuckled and pointed a trim nail to the blonde haired man on the cover. He looked like a beefy version of Kohza. "I skimmed through this while you were rolling your hair, Nami, there's no inclusion of pirates. I guess they weren't allowed to associate themselves in print."

"That's okay Robin, we know the truth."

The two woman opened to the first page and they read together, Nami excitedly filling in Robin on all the details she had missed during her time in Crocodile's "service". The story was cheesy, and overly romantic (Neither remembered a love song recital on the palace balcony) but it was warm in a way that was familiar.

Although the historian hadn't known the desert princess except for the occasional taunting, Nami was happy to fill her in and talk about all the memories of their time together. Ending over an hour later at the end of the children's fairy tale, Nami jumped over to her bed, her long red hair bobbing in their curlers and grabbed a cartography pen. She drew a thick X on her forearm and turned her back on the historian, pushing her naked arm straight to the ceiling.

"It doesn't matter how long we knew each other or when the next time we see one another again; this X is a mark of our friendship. We are nakama."

"Very inspiring." teased the dark haired woman with a mysterious smile.

"It's Luffy." she explained, collasping into giggles. "He's a very inspiring guy."

Robin pointed a long finger to her friends head, her own mind remembering a certain Captain's furious tirade for the sake of her life. Inspiring indeed.

"I think you ruined your hair for tonight, Nami."

"Eeeeiii?"