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An hour of eavesdropping in the smokey bar and the most interesting thing Sabo had learned was who of the present pirates were the most annoying drunks. Another dud. He set down his glass and made to leave when someone grabbed onto his arm.
“There you are, sweetie! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” she exclaimed. The girl nestled his bicep in her bikini-clad cleavage and leaned close to whisper in his ear, “Those guys are being total creeps. Help a girl out?” Her orange hair was longer, but Sabo easily recognized Cat Burglar Nami from her bounty poster.
The Revolutionary Army taught him to adapt, so he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. Nami’s lips still forced a smile, but there was a glint in her eyes warning Sabo not to push his luck.
He held back a laugh and said, “I’m Sabo.”
“Nami,” she replied, and he hummed as if he didn’t already know. They made idle conversation, Sabo admittedly enjoying Nami’s obvious discomfort despite her initiating the boyfriend ruse, until she reported that the creeps were leaving. She patted his chest and hopped off his lap to make a quick getaway before Sabo grabbed her wrist.
“Nice try. Give it back.” Nami turned to play innocent until she saw Sabo holding her wallet between two deft fingers. When she jumped for it, he easily held it high above her reach. Tsking her in amusement, he let go of her and gestured with his fingers for her to hand over what she took.
Cheeks puffed, Nami reluctantly gave Sabo back his wallet. Instead of returning hers, he leaned against the bar counter and tapped it idly against the wood.
“You’re not bad,” he commented, enjoying her offended huff, “but you were never near those pirates.”
“I-”
“You walked in, saw a well-dressed gentleman in a top hat, and thought he’d make an easy mark.”
Nami sighed and offered a shameless smile, knowing she was caught. She admitted, “They usually are. Now if I could just have that back, and I’ll get out of your way.” Laughing, Sabo pulled her wallet away from her again, just out of her reach.
“How about we play a game instead?”
“What kind of game?” she cautiously asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
“We’ve got plenty of targets,” he stated, nodding towards the rest of the people in the bar and finally tossing her back her wallet. “Let’s see who’s better.”
Her eyes gleamed at the challenge.
“Loser buys dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town?”
“Deal.”