Work Text:
Her heart pounds loudly, the blood rushing to her ears, the fear and knowledge of past horrors pinning her in place. Harsh laughter fills Nami’s ears as the massive figure encircles her, teeth gnashing and coming closer and closer by the second, chains held tightly in a webbed hand. A guttural, tortured scream escapes Nami as she wills her body to move, to fight, to do something to help her escape.
The scream continues to escape Nami’s lips as she jolts upright in bed, becoming reacclimated to the fact that she is aboard the Thousand Sunny, safe in her own room. Although her co-founding members of the Straw Hat Pirates had saved her from Arlong and the horrors of Arlong Park years ago, the navigator still cannot completely escape the memories of her time spent as the fishman’s cartographer as she struggled to buy her village back from the pirates who ruined it. As Nami works to slow her breathing, the person next to her begins to stir.
“Love, what happened?” comes Sanji’s voice, thick with sleep but filled with concern as he turns to face Nami, pressing himself up on his elbows. “Another nightmare?” the cook inquires, his blue eyes taking in the sight of Nami clutching her knees to her chest.
Nami nods her head slowly and Sanji immediately knows what time period of her life Nami had been transported to.
“Is now a time you want touch?” Sanji questions, remaining a short distance away, having learned that sometimes when Nami has her nightmares that she may not wish for physical contact.
“Yes,” Nami whispers, allowing Sanji to pull her into his strong, protective, loving arms as he sits upright in bed beside her. “I’m sorry I keep waking you up screaming,” the navigator apologizes to her husband as her breathing begins to slow down while Sanji rubs comforting circles on her back and arms. “Nami, love, you could wake me up every night for eternity and I wouldn’t get mad at you,” Sanji whispers, pressing a gentle kiss to Nami’s temple. “I made a vow to you that I would never let anyone hurt you. They’d have to pry my cold, dead body away from you before I’d let anyone touch you without your permission,” he continues, locking his blue-eyed gaze to Nami’s brown eyes and hoping he is managing to thoroughly comfort the love of his life in her time of need.
“Thank you,” Nami says, breathing a sigh of relief. “I love you, Sanji,” Nami lovingly whispers, resting her head on Sanji’s chest at the level of his heart, comforted by the sound of his heart beating steadily and assuredly underneath Nami’s ear.
“I love you, my angel,” Sanji lovingly returns, squeezing Nami into a hug.
They sit in silence for a while longer, Nami being comforted by the presence of the man she loves and Sanji being more than willing to offer the support the woman he loves needs.
“Are you hungry or thirsty?” Sanji questions sometime later during the unknown wee hour of the morning they have found themselves awake during.
“Sanji, it’s early morning,” Nami laughs, not sure why Sanji is bringing up the prospect of eating or drinking at this time.
“Yes, and? I don’t see the problem here,” he chuckles, preparing to raise himself off the bed to cater to Nami’s needs or desire. “We wouldn’t be waking anyone up since I’m the cook,” Sanji smirks, grabbing Nami in his arms.
“What if we wake up the crew?”
“You know mosshead will sleep through anything. Join me for a cup of cocoa. Zeff taught me there aren’t many problems that can’t be solved with chocolate.”
Nami agrees, settling comfortably into Sanji’s arms as he carries her into the kitchen, allowing him to dote on her in one of the best ways he knows how: preparing something in the kitchen.