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„I can’t believe your AC isn’t working, Usopp“, Nami complained while holding her face into the open window. It wasn’t enjoyable, but it was better than breathing the hot, unmoving air inside the car. It also had the added benefit of not needing to look at Vivi who was squeezed between Nami and Robin on the backseat, all of them sweaty and sticky.
„Do you want me to call Franky so you can switch with him?“, Robin asked serenely, as if the heat didn’t concern her one bit.
Nami shot her a glare. „Hell no!“
Kaya and Vivi giggled, and Nami rolled her eyes. While the Merry was a mess – how was she even still driving? -, this was by far the better option. Better hot and sweaty than the alternative. She wasn’t even sure how Luffy, Chopper and Franky all fit into the backseat of Sanji’s car.
„If you insult my car again, we’ll force you to switch“, Usopp quipped and narrowed his eyes at her in his rear mirror.
Nami waved her hand. „Whatever, we’re almost there anyway.“
She was right, of course. She was usually right when it came to directions and itineraries and planning. Usopp took a parking spot right next to Sanji. While Nami was trying to peel herself off the sweaty seat without breaking skin, Luffy next door was already flying towards the beach, Chopper in tow, both of them shouting and hollering. With a fond huff, Nami finally managed to escape the car.
While Vivi was climbing out behind her, everyone else was already busy puttering around. Watching, Nami realized in a matter of seconds that – with Luffy and Chopper gone – she was surrounded by couples: Usopp helped Kaya into a chair, Zoro complained colourfully but helped Sanji carry some coolers anyway, and Franky positioned a parasol so that Robin could read in the shade. A look back to Vivi told her that the other woman was just as lost as Nami felt. She knew this was her chance, she just didn’t know how exactly to take it.
So she did the easier thing. She went to bother Zoro, ignoring that he was bickering with Sanji and instead fixing him with a glare. „Let’s get fries.“
He narrowed his eyes at her, but before he could say anything, Sanji chimed in. „I made a lot of snacks for us, Nami dear, so you don’t have to spend your money on food.“
While she appreciated the thought – anyone who thought about saving her money was dear to her heart, but she wasn’t about to pay for the fries anyway, so this was pointless – she made a face. „I want fries“, she repeated, internally wincing when Sanji’s face fell. She could feel Zoro burning a hole into the side of her head for making Sanji unhappy. But Nami hadn’t been afraid of Zoro even one day in her life. „Sorry Sanji, I appreciate your food, you know that. It’s just-“ she hesitated, but with the thing she said next she had to get Zoro on board, „nostalgic, like old times.“ She looked back up at Zoro with wide pleading eyes.
He gave her a calculating stare before he shared a look with Sanji that she couldn’t decipher. Which, in itself, was a little bit infuriating. She used to be an expert in deciphering Zoro’s faces, but that somehow didn’t work when he was talking to Sanji. Zoro crossed his arms in front of his chest. „Lead the way witch.“
„Obviously“, Nami murmured and took hold of Zoro’s biceps. She was so focused on not looking for Vivi, it didn’t even register that Sanji hadn’t scolded Zoro for the insult.
Zoro fell into step with her easily when they made their way up towards the food stall and yanked his arm away. „I’m not gonna run away.“
„You might“, she needled.
„Look who’s talking“, Zoro scoffed.
Nami smacked him against the shoulder. „What is that supposed to mean?“
Zoro raised an eyebrow. „You know what.“
„I’m not running from anything.“ Nami crossed her arms over her chest, aware that she probably looked like a petulant child. She did not want to have this conversation with Zoro. She’d bet on him being the only one who would actually leave her alone, and now here they were.
Zoro sighed. „Do you remember what you told me about Sanji?“
Nami rolled her eyes. Of course this had to be the one time her bet didn’t pay off. „What if I do?“
„You should take your own advice“, he shot back with a finality that suggested he was done talking about the topic.
That she could respect. She didn’t want to have this conversation in the first place. Nami shook her head. As if her advice to Zoro was applicable in any way to her situation. She had told Zoro for weeks to ask Sanji out because he had been insufferable and it had been obvious to anyone who wasn’t Zoro that Sanji was in- oh. She cast a glance at Zoro who was glaring at the stall owner – in a friendly way, only Nami wasn’t sure if the stall owner knew that – while he ordered their fries the way they had when they’d been kids. He even paid for it without consulting her. She really had raised him well.
When the transaction was over, Zoro turned back towards her. Before she could think of something funny to say to divert the conversation, Zoro fixed something behind her, narrowing his eyes. He glanced at her. „I’ll be right back.“
Nami nodded and waved him away. Even better. She was about to get free fries, and she didn’t need to listen to advice from Zoro of all people. Once he was back, he would surely have forgotten about this conversation. Staring forlornly at the huge fries printed on the food stall, Nami nearly jumped out of her skin when Vivi poked her head into her field of vision. But she had always been quick on the uptake. „Vivi! Do you want me to bully Zoro into buying you some fries, too?“ She even managed to put a bright smile on her face again. She could do it, right?
Vivi laughed. „I’ll just take his share since he went back to Sanji.“
„What?“ Nami turned around scandalized, only to realize Vivi was right. Zoro was about to take a bottle of sunscreen from Sanji. Who fixed Nami with a look not unlike the one Zoro had given her only a few minutes earlier. She huffed. They were finally dating after dancing around each other pathetically for months, and now they thought they could give her dating advice? Laughable. Except they were in a relationship, and she was freaking out. With another huff, she turned back to Vivi. „What an asshole. I told him like old times and he leaves me hanging.“
„So these are nostalgic fries?“ Vivi inquired.
Nami grinned. „Obviously.“ Her eyes flicked up towards the stall owner, but the fries weren’t ready yet. „When we were kids, we used to pool all our money to buy fries. Luffy would eat everything, but Zoro didn’t like ketchup and I didn’t want mayonnaise, so they had to put the sauces on opposite sides and sprinkle everything with fried onions. It was kind of stressful eating because we had to make sure that Luffy didn’t mess everything up.“
Something sparkled in Vivi’s eyes, but before she could say anything, the stall owner handed down the portion of fries. Nami grabbed them eagerly. Nodding towards the boardwalk, Nami steered them away from the stall. On the lookout for a bench where they could sit, she tried not to get run over by cyclists, or run into children or dogs. When they were finally sitting and Nami held the fries out to Vivi, the other woman circled back to their earlier conversation. „You really love them, don’t you?“
Nami narrowed her eyes. „Luffy, yes.“
Vivi took some fries and dipped them into the mayonnaise, rising an eyebrow at Nami.
„Fine“, Nami gave in. She would only ever admit it under duress, but being so utterly seen by Vivi certainly counted as such. „Zoro too.“
Vivi snickered knowingly and the butterflies in Nami’s stomach did a whole summersault.
They ate in silence for a while. The beach below them was full of families with small kids and friend groups playing ball or drinking games. They couldn’t see their friends, but occasionally, a shout that sounded suspiciously like Luffy, wafted over. Above them, seagulls called to each other and once in a while dropped down to steal food from unassuming beach goers. Nami knew better and kept the birds in her sight while they were eating, shielding them proactively. Vivi finished the mayonnaise dutifully while Nami stuck to the ketchup covered fries.
When Nami stood to throw the empty bag away, an elderly couple walked by with their dog. Vivi immediately cooed at the dog and asked if she could pat it. Nami watched with a tender smile on her face. After the couple had gone, Vivi caught Nami’s gaze. „What?“
Nami shook her head and gestured for Vivi to come walk with her. „Did you know this is how I met Luffy and Zoro?“ When Vivi shook her head, Nami told her the story of Chouchou – the dog Luffy and Zoro had protected from some bullies. „At first I thought they were bullies, too. Just take a look at Zoro.“ She gestured behind herself as if Zoro was still visible. „He looks like he’d cave your head in if you look at him wrong. And he already looked that way twenty years ago. But he was going all soft with Luffy over a dog.“
Vivi chuckled. „If you get to know him, it’s obvious that he has a soft heart.“ Vivi walked backwards for a few steps, looking back to where their friends must be small dots on a beach full of people. When Vivi looked back at Nami, her face was unreadable. „As do you.“
Nami cleared her throat awkwardly, but managed to hold Vivi‘s gaze. There was no use dancing around it. There was only now. „Do you wanna go out on a date, with me?“ she blurted. „It‘s all good if you don‘t, of course. I just wanted you to know that I would.“
Vivi‘s eyes crinkled with mirth. She turned back around. Grabbed Nami‘s hand even though it was sticky from sweat, sun screen and fries. Entangled their fingers and squeezed. „I would like that.“