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“Did you ever make flower crowns, growing up?” Nami asked, her fingers wound loosely between Vivi’s as they walked, hands swinging between them.
“I can’t say I did.” Vivi shook her head. “Alabasta hasn’t got many wild flowers, and I didn’t want to be seen as a Princess back then anyways.”
“Would you like me to show you how?” Nami grinned, hand tightening around Vivi’s as se pulled her over to the edge of the field Sanji had insisted they stop at, tall stems with purple blooms waving gently in the fragrant wind. Isle of Spice was a lovely moniker for this island, and Vivi almost wished they were in less of a hurry so they could stay here longer than the log pose demanded. “Hey, Vivi.” Nami squeezed her hand, bringing her back to the present. “First rule of making flower crowns, no worrying.” she said sternly, leading Vivi to the edge of the field. “Nojiko taught me that.”
Vivi nodded, and bit her tongue on the question of just when Nami’s sister had taught her this. Some things were better left unsaid, even between lovers.
“Now, you know how to braid, right?” Nami asked, grabbing a whole handful of lavender stems and twisting her wrist, severing the bundle bit by bit with her thumbnail.
“Yes, I know how to braid.” Vivi nodded. Nami dumped half the flowers in her lap, their delicate fragrance far more lovely than any perfume.
“So, you start the crown like this.” Nami fell cross-legged next to her and plucked three flowers from her collection, holding them so that the stems criss-crossed. “And then you start to braid them.” her deft fingers moved quickly and surely, winding the stems through each other as Vivi followed suit on her own trio of blooms. “Once you’ve got enough braid, you add another flower down the middle, see?” she held up her braid to show Vivi the second stem now running the length of the original middle one.
“And it becomes a four-strand braid?” Vivi asked, picking up a flower from her lap. The bloom stuck out sideways from the stem, and she let it point to the side as she slotted it into the pattern.
“I mean, I guess you could? It’d get really chunky after five though.” Nami shrugged. “Nojiko and I would just work them into the three strand braid, so you’re moving two stems at once.”
Vivi nodded, and started braiding again, three strands like Nami had said. “I can see why the first rule is not to worry.” she remarked as she added another flower, her progress slow but steady. “This is nice and calm.”
“Nojiko and I would make them together when I was heading out to sea.” Nami said, a wistful smile on her face. “And then we’d exchange them, so that I had something of hers when I set out.”
“And she had something of yours until you returned.” Vivi murmured, earning a flash of Nami’s beautiful smile.
“And now, you’ve got a crown as pretty as you are.” Nami declared, holding up her her finished flower grown and settling it atop Vivi’s head. “There, fit for a Queen.” she beamed, scooting over to curl against Vivi’s side. Vivi blushed and looked down at the braided flowers in her hand, and the pile still left on her lap.
“Well then, I’ll just have to make you one that’s fit for a Princess.” she said, turning to press a quick kiss to the edge of Nami’s lips. Nami pulled back, face burning, but settled back in as Vivi focused her attention on the flower stems under her fingers. Another bent flower found its place in the crown, and before long she was holding the string of blooms up to measure against Nami’s head. “I think this is good.” she said, lowering it back to her lap. “Can you show me how to finish it?”
“It’s kinda like adding lays to a tark’s head.” Nami said, turning the strand of flowers over so the braided stems were exposed. “You just take the tails and tuck them into the starting braid, and work them along the stems that are already there.”
Vivi nodded, letting Nami guide her hands through the motions of the first two stems. The rest came easily enough and when she held her finished creation up Nami scooted back to sketch a deep bow. Vivi giggled, and shifted her grip on the flower crown to hold it like she would an actual circlet. “I hereby pronounce you Princess Nami.” she declared, settling the crown atop her girlfriend’s head.
“And may I kiss my Queen?” Nami purred as she straightened up, the bent flowers sticking up from the sides of her head like bunny ears.
“You absolutely may.” Vivi grinned, opening her arms for Nami to settle across her lap and press a tender kiss to her lips, sure and firm as the calloused hands sliding under the back of her blouse. Vivi hummed happily against Nami’s mouth, and knew in her heart that she would never forget this moment. The future still loomed, but it was a distant thing, worry held at bay by Nami’s warmth in her arms and the scent of lavender which surrounded them like the most decadent of perfumes.