Mass x Acceleration - Chapter Eleven
Title: Mass x Acceleration
Chapters: Prologue + 11 Chapters
Rating: R
Pairings: Eventually
Summary: Sanji and Nami move into their own apartment. Nami makes a request of Sanji.
Mass x Acceleration
By Dixxy Mouri
Chapter Eleven: Apartment 3C
nbsp; The building Nami brought Sanji too looked like a large, brick house at least four stories tall and a bit longer than the Thousand Sunny. Although there were some flower beds just starting to bud in the front, there was what looked like a full garden on the east side of the house with creeping vines crawling up the white fencing. On the west side of the building there was a swimming pool, and for a moment Sanji thought it might be nice to go swimming in the summertime.
nbsp; He almost cried when he remembered that wasn’t possible anymore.
nbsp; Nami started to talk about the building as she lead him up the path. “This was supposed to be a bigger, nicer mansion for the mayor - I guess the last guy was really greedy and wanted this built, but after the attack on the island happened and Mac was made the new mayor, he decided he didn’t want a house that big but suggested it might be a good place for people to stay while the town was rebuilt. So they remodeled it into this so families could have their own spaces.”
nbsp; Sanji nodded dumbly as Nami led him through the front door. They were in a modest but comfortable looking lobby area with several chairs and couches to sit on. There was a stairwell on the back wall with a brass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. After they took a seat on one of the couches, Nami pointed out that there was a place to do laundry on one side and the landlord’s apartment was on the other. “His apartment is bigger than everyone else’s, but he’s got about five kids and his mother in law living there - he really needs the space,” said Nami. “The other three floors all have four apartments each - two on the west side and two on the east side. We’re going to be looking at the two-bedroom apartment on the east side, third floor.”
nbsp; “I guess a two bedroom apartment would make the most sense,” he said, although he was silently concerned about their inability to sleep apart. Try as they might, it still wasn’t happening for them. Nami patted his shoulder, mouthing to him an “I know” before leaning closer to him and cupping her hands over his ear.
nbsp; “If we need to start off in the same room that’s okay - as long as we’re not, I don’t know, making drugs or something it’s no one’s business but ours how we’re using the rooms and once we can sleep alone one of us will move into the other bedroom,” she whispered. Nami leaned back and gently took his hand. “It’s really nice - you’ll see why I love it once the landlord gets here.”
nbsp; As if on cue, a bald man came down the stairs. He was tall and very lanky, wearing grey dress pants and a purple button up shirt with a gigantic, too-happy grin on his face. “Ah, Miss Nami, how lovely to see you again!” The man walked right up to Nami, taking her hand and kissing it (which briefly made Sanji a little angry, but he let it slide - he didn’t want to start a scene and get her upset). He was just as chipper when he saw him and vigorously shook his hand. “And this must be Mr. Sanji!”
nbsp; “Sanji-kun, this is Ben Davis, the landlord,” Nami said.
nbsp; Mr. Davis look at Nami in confusion. “. . . ‘-kun’?” he asked.
nbsp; “Oh, um, I’ve always just kind of called him that,” she said. Nami laughed nervously. “I’ve just gotten so used to it that I’ve stopped thinking about it.” She turned to Sanji, wringing her hands nervously. “I mean . . . does it bother you that I call you that? If it does I can stop . . . but it might take a while to break the habit . . . . I’m sorry.”
nbsp; Sanji shook his head. “I wouldn’t have you call me anything else, Nami-san.”
nbsp; “And she’s ‘-san’?”
nbsp; Sanji crossed his arms. “Look, I know it’s a little . . . different, but it’s something familiar.”
nbsp; “Of course, my apologies,” said Mr. Davis, bowing and frowning. Sanji and Nami exchanged a look - of course he knew they were newcomers to the island. Of course he knew what that usually meant. “This way, please - the vacancy is on the third floor, absolutely lovely space - would have been my first choice if I didn’t need the space.”
nbsp; “That sounds promising,” Sanji said calmly as they started to ascend the stairs.
nbsp; Mr. Davis nodded. “I do want to apologize again.”
nbsp; “It’s all right - we get it. Newcomers are rare and usually come with heavy baggage,” said Nami.
nbsp; “Indeed - since Shanks arrived we’ve only had a handful,” said Mr. Davis. He started counting on his fingers. “Including the two of you, there have been six all told.” He seemed to reconsider this. “Well, eight if you count the twins the island’s seamstress delivered upon her arrival here, but since they were born here they sort of don’t count? I suppose it doesn’t matter.”
nbsp; Nami raised an eyebrow. “Ria was in labor when she got here?”
nbsp; “Ah, you’ve met the town seamstress?”
“We actually just left her apartment - she’s one of the first people we met,” said Sanji.
nbsp; Mr. Davis nodded. “Mmm. She and the blacksmith, Marcus Braeburn - although if you know Ms. Elstar you probably know Braeburn, too - arrived together. Braeburn was very protective of Ms. Elstar and demanded to see a doctor as soon as their boat was docked. He was a bit nervous, probably because he saw Shanks’ flag, but she was too close to giving birth to find another island. If I recall the story correctly, her water broke once she was on the dock. As luck would have it Shanks was visiting at the time and calmed their worries once the babies were born, and they decided to stay here.”
nbsp; Nami seemed to be thinking about something, but didn’t voice it right away. Sanji made a mental note to ask her about it later as they arrived on the third floor landing. The hallway was floored in a dull, well-worn plum carpet and painted a pale blue color. The doors were all navy blue with brass letters and numbers labeling each apartment.
nbsp; “There’s an A, B, C, and D on each floor except the first,” said Nami.
nbsp; Sanji shrugged. He wanted to see what was so perfect about this apartment.
nbsp; Mr. Davis produced a large ring of keys as he approached the door labeled 3C. “The last occupants were pair of sisters - they were married on the same day and moved out to live with their new husbands. They left everything in wonderful condition - possibly better than when they first moved in,” he said with a grin as the lock finally clicked open.
nbsp; The landlord stepped in first, then held the door open for Sanji and Nami. The redhead went in after, excitedly coaxing her companion to step over the threshold and see for himself. Once the cook stepped inside and looked around, he immediately knew what it was that drew the navigator to this apartment and why she was so excited.
nbsp; The first part of the apartment was all one giant room with hardwood flooring - pine, if Sanji had to guess, but that wasn’t the kind of thing he was an expert on, that was more Usopp or Franky’s expertise - with a large peninsula separating the kitchen from the rest of the space - he’d heard the term “open concept” before and guessed this was what was meant.
nbsp; The kitchen, from what he glanced (and it was a quick look at best), was a little on the snug side but he’d worked in smaller spaces before (the Going Merry’s galley, for example), but with the right tools it would be fine for just the two of them. Still, even with all of his passion for food and cooking and all that encompassed the culinary arts, there was still something that demanded his attention even more than that kitchen.
nbsp; On the east wall was a pair of glass pane doors.
nbsp; Sanji slowly approached the doors, stunned by what he was seeing - the view was breathtaking. The only things to the east of the building were the garden, the tree line, the ocean, and the sky, and it was all framed by the door frame. Just outside of the doors was a small balcony with a wrought iron railing - a perfect place for a small table and pair of chairs for coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon. Sanji stepped outside to look around better - to one side he could see what must have been the island’s precious apple orchards, and to the other side was the town
nbsp; This was why Nami had fallen in love with this apartment.
nbsp; Nami had silently slid next to him. “We’d get to see the sun rise every morning,” she said.
nbsp; Sanji closed his eyes, leaning on the railing as he fought back tears. During his days as Luffy’s cook, the sunrise was something he saw almost daily - if he wasn’t up early to make breakfast, it was the signal for the end of a night watch shift. Over time he stopped noticing it for the sight it was, simply taking it as a measure of time.
nbsp; And then he and Nami had been kidnapped and locked away in the dark, windowless hold of That Man’s ship. After a year of nothing but metal walls, darkness, and chill of that ship, having a place like this to view the sunrise in the morning was almost more than they could have possibly asked for. He almost hated that it was late afternoon, but even with the sun on the opposite side of the building, possibly inspiring awe for the occupants in the west apartments, the scene was still colored with oranges and pinks and purples as the night began to creep over on the horizon.
nbsp; “Can we afford this?” Sanji asked.
nbsp; Nami nodded. “Indeed we can.”
nbsp; Sanji turned to the landlord. “When can we move in?”
nbsp; Three days later, Sanji and Nami were officially out of Mac’s house. The mayor was sad to see them go, but happy that they felt strong enough to try living on their own. Cobbler, seeming to sense what was going on, was incredibly sad and whimpered at them as they left, bearing the few possessions they had accumulated since coming to the island.
nbsp; Their friends helped a little with getting them started as well. Mac chipped them a few thousand berries as a housewarming gift, encouraging them to start making the apartment into a home. Braeburn was waiting for them at the building with a full set of pots and pans (Sanji’s attempt to contain his gratitude resulted in a high pitched squeal and hugging the blacksmith). Ria promised to either purchase or make them a housewarming gift once she was caught up at the shop, though she hinted at curtains. Last but not least, Gala gave them a tea set including a pot and matching cups as well as several herbal teas he felt may relax, soothe, and help heal them.
nbsp; Apartment 3C sported the open-concept living area with kitchen, two bedrooms of comparable size (the master was only a few square meters larger than the other), a full sized bathroom, and a storage closet for things the pair currently didn’t have. Using Nami’s monetary sensibilities, they were able to find good deals on some of the basics they would need for the apartment and before long had a livable space.
nbsp; The living room area was furnished with a colorful variety of second-hand pieces including an overstuffed easy chair in peacock blue, a “stupid swordsman green” loveseat (Sanji pointed out it looked like the swordsman’s hair, and soon after they jokingly referred to it as “Zoro’s loveseat”), and a red couch that was good for stretching out on. Underfoot was a rug that, after discovering a stain, Nami was able to haggle the price down a lot, and then they covered the stain with a coffee table that needed a book under one leg to keep from wobbling.
nbsp; All of the apartments in the building were given the basic kitchen appliances (refrigerator with freezer, stove with oven, and a device Sanji wanted to declare his undying love to called a “dishwasher”) so it was just plates, glasses, flatware, and the pots and pans Braeburn had made. There were still things Sanji wanted (chief among them a good set of chef’s knives), but they both understood it wasn’t going to be an overnight process to fully the furnish the apartment, even considering that it was a temporary living space.
nbsp; Even with everything they’d gone through over the past year, Shanks’ story about Luffy still searching for them after so much time had passed with renewing their hope that yes, their captain was coming for them soon and one day they would be able to leave this island and be pirates again. It may not be right away, but they were in an odd position where they wanted to be comfortable but not so comfortable it would be difficult to leave.
nbsp; Except for one set of rooms.
nbsp; Bedding was the place they decided to go the extra mile, and after a lengthy discussion about their inability to sleep apart, they settled on only one bed for the time being. Once they were able to sleep alone again, Sanji would sleep on the couch until they procured a second bed for the other bedroom. In the meantime, though, they found the best of everything the island could offer - mattress, sheets, pillows, etc. The only pieces they bothered to go second hand on was the frame, headboard, and footboard - those were immaterial to actual comfort, and Sanji let Nami choose one she wanted under the assumption that a month or two later they’d be repeating that trip for himself.
nbsp; “I’m not leaving this bed,” Sanji proclaimed, lying face first into his pillow and bundled up under the covers. Nami glanced over at him, watching him hug the pillow and sigh happily. She closed her book and put it in her lap. “This is the best thing ever. I am so comfortable right now. You’re going to have to drag me out of here at gunpoint tomorrow morning.”
nbsp; Nami rolled her eyes. “Oh really?”
nbsp; “I will stay here forever.”
nbsp; “And your job?”
nbsp; Sanji whined.
nbsp; “Luffy and the others?”
nbsp; The cook pulled a pillow over his head.
nbsp; “All Blue?”
nbsp; Sanji went quiet. “Maybe.”
nbsp; Nami sighed. “Yeah, I like it too.” She put her book on her nightstand (an old piece with chipped paint and a wobbly knob) and flicked off the lamp (which had a coral pink base and a lime green shade) before settling in herself. “We’ll make sure we get another one for you when the time comes.” She grinned mischievously. “You can probably even bring girls back here, right?”
nbsp; Even though it was dark, Nami could scarcely make out Sanji pouting. “I . . . don’t know.”
nbsp; “Sanji-kun, is everything okay? You’ve been acting . . . different . . . around girls. At least, different for you,” said Nami. She reached over and touched his cheek. “Part of me can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m a little worried that you aren’t freaking out over every pretty girl you’ve seen since we’ve arrived. It’s not like you.”
nbsp; Sanji sighed, tightening the covers around him. “I never told you about him.”
nbsp; “Who’s him?” asked Nami.
nbsp; “This . . . recurring hallucination I was having on the ship. It was me, but it wasn’t me. Always in a suit and always mocking me, telling me that I was so lucky to be able to sleep with you at night because it’s what I always wanted or reminding me of the feelings I’ve had for some of the women we’ve fought against in the past. I didn’t like what he was saying.” He closed his eyes. “I was never turned on by cuddling with you in the holding cell.”
nbsp; “You tried to grab my ass once,” Nami pointed out.
nbsp; “Force of habit and I got over it quick and no, I wasn’t even close to getting any of those kind of jollies from that,” Sanji said. He took a deep breath. “Point is, it . . . made me reevaluate a lot of things. Being here made me reevaluate a lot of things, too - I’ve never had a friendship with another man like the one I have with Braeburn. Even with the other Straw Hats or the chefs at the Baratie - I was always fighting with them or yelling at them for something or being mean to them. It’s not like that at all with Braeburn - we’re civil. Almost like where you and I are now. And . . .”
nbsp; Nami urged him on. “Go on.”
nbsp; “It makes me feel . . . awful, about how I treated the other Straw Hats - even you and Robin. We had our good moments, sure, but I was such a dick to the guys and I didn’t even treat you and Robin right, either. I’m glad you and I are getting along so well but it frustrates me that the others aren’t here because I have a lot of things I need to say to them, especially ‘I’m sorry’.” Sanji moved closer to her, resting his head by her shoulder. “I am.”
nbsp; “I have things I need to apologize for, too,” said Nami, thinking about the “debts” the other Straw Hats “owed” her. “And I don’t know how those conversations are going to go. But we know that Luffy was looking for us - whatever it was we did or didn’t do right, it wasn’t enough to make them not want us back after we disappeared. Luffy can’t be the only one on that ship upset that we never made it back to the Thousand Sunny.”
nbsp; Sanji seemed to consider this. “It doesn’t mean I’m ready to start dating again.”
nbsp; “You don’t have to do it right away. And besides, it would be weird if either one of us tried to date right now with . . . this,” Nami referred to the area around them, hinting at their sleeping arrangement. “Even if we know it’s platonic, that would probably make someone else feel really uncomfortable.”
nbsp; “Unless they like three-ways,” said Sanji. Nami stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed a little. “So you mentioned yourself there, too - are you thinking about dating, Nami-san?” He contemplated this a moment. “Actually, I’ve never seen you express interest in romance before - I know you told me you’re still a virgin but have you ever gone on a date or anything?”
nbsp; Nami shook her head. “No, I haven’t. It’s not that I wouldn’t have minded it under different circumstances, but . . . I didn’t want to get anyone else tangled up with Arlong. It wouldn’t be fair to him. If Arlong found out I had a boyfriend he’d probably have him killed or use him against me somehow. Up until you and Luffy and the others saved the island, it just . . . wasn’t an option for me.”
nbsp; “So you probably haven’t been kissed. You know, outside of family, on the lips,” said Sanji.
nbsp; “Nope, never on the lips. Not even that. Just pecks on the cheek or the top of the head from Bellemere and Nojiko . . . and you, actually,” said Nami. “I know Nojiko had her first kiss when we were children - it was some sort of a dare between a bunch of the boys on the island and she got mad and chased after them with a rake and then Bellemere got angry and I was just happy because I wasn’t the one in trouble for once . . . but it never happened to me.”
nbsp; “Does that bother you?” asked Sanji.
nbsp; “Not really - they probably assumed I’d react like Nojiko, and they were probably right,” she said with a laugh. “But I guess now that I’m a few months away from twenty it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to dip my big toe in the ocean, you know?” She sat up. “What about you, Sanji-kun? What about your first kiss?”
nbsp; “Ah, that,” said Sanji, sitting up as well. He pulled his pillow into his lap and leaned over it. “I was about twelve, I think, and there was a girl around my age at the restaurant who was crying because she’d lost a bracelet her mom had given her, and the mother had passed away a few months earlier so she was really freaking out. A bunch of the other cooks and I searched all over the place for it and I was the one who found it. She was completely over the moon, threw her arms around me, kissed me, said thank you about a dozen times before she then ran off to leave with her father. I just kind of stood there like an idiot for five minutes until Zeff yelled at me to get back to work.”
nbsp; Nami laughed. “So you were her hero.”
nbsp; “Damn straight I was,” said Sanji.
nbsp; They were quiet for a while, but neither had fallen asleep - Nami could tell by the way Sanji was breathing that he was still awake. The conversation they had was keeping her mind a buzz, and a nagging thought refused to leave her alone. No, that’s crazy, Nami - don’t think like that. But the idea wouldn’t budge, and she decided that she could handle whatever the worst possible outcome would be.
nbsp; “. . . say, I got a crazy idea.” Nami was looking around coyly. Sanji had an odd feeling he knew where she was going with it. “You know, I’ve never been kissed before, and it would be nice to know it’s someone I trust giving me my first one. Or, me giving them my first one. However it works, you know. So I was thinking maybe . . .”
nbsp; “Are you serious?” Sanji asked incredulously. “You want me to be your first?”
nbsp; “It’s my first kiss, not my virginity,” Nami said dryly. “And don’t ask about the second one.”
nbsp; “No, no, of course not!” said Sanji, putting his hands up defensively. He lowered his defenses, looking at her with concern. He was game, it seemed, but he wanted to make sure she was up for this - really up for this, and that it wasn’t some sort of passing fancy she’d regret later on. “Nami-san, you sure?”
nbsp; Nami thought about it, then nodded.
nbsp; “Okay,” said Sanji. He moved a little closer to her, studying her face for a moment. Nami was studying his back, neither moving in too close too quickly. They stayed like that for a moment, the quiet of the room hanging over them like a thick blanket before Sanji closed the gap between them, closed his eyes, turned his head, and pressed his lips to hers.
nbsp; Nami moved back a little at first, but stopped to gently lean into the kiss, putting her hands on his shoulder as he gently put his hands on her waist. It was gentle, sweet, and more pleasant than she had figured it would be. His lips and hands were warm and she could taste a hint of the tea he’d had after dinner on his lips. They stayed that way for a few second before Sanji pulled away, a small smile on his face.
nbsp; “Okay?” he asked.
nbsp; “Yeah,” said Nami, putting her fingertips to her lips. “I . . . thank you.”
nbsp;
nbsp; The following morning (which Nami had off but Sanji didn’t), the pair got dressed and ate breakfast as normal, chatting briefly about their separate plans for the day (Nami was going to run some errands, Sanji would be babysitting Wendy and Sundae after he left the Cider Mug). After telling the cook she’d take care of the dishes, the navigator walked him to the door.
nbsp; “Have a good day at work,” Nami said with a smile.
nbsp; Sanji smiled back and winked. “Thanks for taking care of the dishes. You’re my hero today.”
nbsp; After the door closed behind him, Nami felt the room go a little colder
Author’s Notes
See, a lot of times I like to watch anime and super hero movies, but, um, with the right shows I will watch the shit out of HGTV (straight ladies and gay gentlemen, check out Property Brothers just for the hosts AND BEST OF ALL THEY ARE TWINS SO IT’S TWO HOTTIES *paws at TV*) and I actually miss Linens N’ Things (Bed Bad and Beyond doesn’t have as many obnoxiously bright colors and I am all about the obnoxiously bright colors). So yes, there was some home décor and layout talk this time around.
Dixxy
Chapters: Prologue + 11 Chapters
Rating: R
Pairings: Eventually
Summary: Sanji and Nami move into their own apartment. Nami makes a request of Sanji.
Mass x Acceleration
By Dixxy Mouri
Chapter Eleven: Apartment 3C
nbsp; The building Nami brought Sanji too looked like a large, brick house at least four stories tall and a bit longer than the Thousand Sunny. Although there were some flower beds just starting to bud in the front, there was what looked like a full garden on the east side of the house with creeping vines crawling up the white fencing. On the west side of the building there was a swimming pool, and for a moment Sanji thought it might be nice to go swimming in the summertime.
nbsp; He almost cried when he remembered that wasn’t possible anymore.
nbsp; Nami started to talk about the building as she lead him up the path. “This was supposed to be a bigger, nicer mansion for the mayor - I guess the last guy was really greedy and wanted this built, but after the attack on the island happened and Mac was made the new mayor, he decided he didn’t want a house that big but suggested it might be a good place for people to stay while the town was rebuilt. So they remodeled it into this so families could have their own spaces.”
nbsp; Sanji nodded dumbly as Nami led him through the front door. They were in a modest but comfortable looking lobby area with several chairs and couches to sit on. There was a stairwell on the back wall with a brass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. After they took a seat on one of the couches, Nami pointed out that there was a place to do laundry on one side and the landlord’s apartment was on the other. “His apartment is bigger than everyone else’s, but he’s got about five kids and his mother in law living there - he really needs the space,” said Nami. “The other three floors all have four apartments each - two on the west side and two on the east side. We’re going to be looking at the two-bedroom apartment on the east side, third floor.”
nbsp; “I guess a two bedroom apartment would make the most sense,” he said, although he was silently concerned about their inability to sleep apart. Try as they might, it still wasn’t happening for them. Nami patted his shoulder, mouthing to him an “I know” before leaning closer to him and cupping her hands over his ear.
nbsp; “If we need to start off in the same room that’s okay - as long as we’re not, I don’t know, making drugs or something it’s no one’s business but ours how we’re using the rooms and once we can sleep alone one of us will move into the other bedroom,” she whispered. Nami leaned back and gently took his hand. “It’s really nice - you’ll see why I love it once the landlord gets here.”
nbsp; As if on cue, a bald man came down the stairs. He was tall and very lanky, wearing grey dress pants and a purple button up shirt with a gigantic, too-happy grin on his face. “Ah, Miss Nami, how lovely to see you again!” The man walked right up to Nami, taking her hand and kissing it (which briefly made Sanji a little angry, but he let it slide - he didn’t want to start a scene and get her upset). He was just as chipper when he saw him and vigorously shook his hand. “And this must be Mr. Sanji!”
nbsp; “Sanji-kun, this is Ben Davis, the landlord,” Nami said.
nbsp; Mr. Davis look at Nami in confusion. “. . . ‘-kun’?” he asked.
nbsp; “Oh, um, I’ve always just kind of called him that,” she said. Nami laughed nervously. “I’ve just gotten so used to it that I’ve stopped thinking about it.” She turned to Sanji, wringing her hands nervously. “I mean . . . does it bother you that I call you that? If it does I can stop . . . but it might take a while to break the habit . . . . I’m sorry.”
nbsp; Sanji shook his head. “I wouldn’t have you call me anything else, Nami-san.”
nbsp; “And she’s ‘-san’?”
nbsp; Sanji crossed his arms. “Look, I know it’s a little . . . different, but it’s something familiar.”
nbsp; “Of course, my apologies,” said Mr. Davis, bowing and frowning. Sanji and Nami exchanged a look - of course he knew they were newcomers to the island. Of course he knew what that usually meant. “This way, please - the vacancy is on the third floor, absolutely lovely space - would have been my first choice if I didn’t need the space.”
nbsp; “That sounds promising,” Sanji said calmly as they started to ascend the stairs.
nbsp; Mr. Davis nodded. “I do want to apologize again.”
nbsp; “It’s all right - we get it. Newcomers are rare and usually come with heavy baggage,” said Nami.
nbsp; “Indeed - since Shanks arrived we’ve only had a handful,” said Mr. Davis. He started counting on his fingers. “Including the two of you, there have been six all told.” He seemed to reconsider this. “Well, eight if you count the twins the island’s seamstress delivered upon her arrival here, but since they were born here they sort of don’t count? I suppose it doesn’t matter.”
nbsp; Nami raised an eyebrow. “Ria was in labor when she got here?”
nbsp; “Ah, you’ve met the town seamstress?”
“We actually just left her apartment - she’s one of the first people we met,” said Sanji.
nbsp; Mr. Davis nodded. “Mmm. She and the blacksmith, Marcus Braeburn - although if you know Ms. Elstar you probably know Braeburn, too - arrived together. Braeburn was very protective of Ms. Elstar and demanded to see a doctor as soon as their boat was docked. He was a bit nervous, probably because he saw Shanks’ flag, but she was too close to giving birth to find another island. If I recall the story correctly, her water broke once she was on the dock. As luck would have it Shanks was visiting at the time and calmed their worries once the babies were born, and they decided to stay here.”
nbsp; Nami seemed to be thinking about something, but didn’t voice it right away. Sanji made a mental note to ask her about it later as they arrived on the third floor landing. The hallway was floored in a dull, well-worn plum carpet and painted a pale blue color. The doors were all navy blue with brass letters and numbers labeling each apartment.
nbsp; “There’s an A, B, C, and D on each floor except the first,” said Nami.
nbsp; Sanji shrugged. He wanted to see what was so perfect about this apartment.
nbsp; Mr. Davis produced a large ring of keys as he approached the door labeled 3C. “The last occupants were pair of sisters - they were married on the same day and moved out to live with their new husbands. They left everything in wonderful condition - possibly better than when they first moved in,” he said with a grin as the lock finally clicked open.
nbsp; The landlord stepped in first, then held the door open for Sanji and Nami. The redhead went in after, excitedly coaxing her companion to step over the threshold and see for himself. Once the cook stepped inside and looked around, he immediately knew what it was that drew the navigator to this apartment and why she was so excited.
nbsp; The first part of the apartment was all one giant room with hardwood flooring - pine, if Sanji had to guess, but that wasn’t the kind of thing he was an expert on, that was more Usopp or Franky’s expertise - with a large peninsula separating the kitchen from the rest of the space - he’d heard the term “open concept” before and guessed this was what was meant.
nbsp; The kitchen, from what he glanced (and it was a quick look at best), was a little on the snug side but he’d worked in smaller spaces before (the Going Merry’s galley, for example), but with the right tools it would be fine for just the two of them. Still, even with all of his passion for food and cooking and all that encompassed the culinary arts, there was still something that demanded his attention even more than that kitchen.
nbsp; On the east wall was a pair of glass pane doors.
nbsp; Sanji slowly approached the doors, stunned by what he was seeing - the view was breathtaking. The only things to the east of the building were the garden, the tree line, the ocean, and the sky, and it was all framed by the door frame. Just outside of the doors was a small balcony with a wrought iron railing - a perfect place for a small table and pair of chairs for coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon. Sanji stepped outside to look around better - to one side he could see what must have been the island’s precious apple orchards, and to the other side was the town
nbsp; This was why Nami had fallen in love with this apartment.
nbsp; Nami had silently slid next to him. “We’d get to see the sun rise every morning,” she said.
nbsp; Sanji closed his eyes, leaning on the railing as he fought back tears. During his days as Luffy’s cook, the sunrise was something he saw almost daily - if he wasn’t up early to make breakfast, it was the signal for the end of a night watch shift. Over time he stopped noticing it for the sight it was, simply taking it as a measure of time.
nbsp; And then he and Nami had been kidnapped and locked away in the dark, windowless hold of That Man’s ship. After a year of nothing but metal walls, darkness, and chill of that ship, having a place like this to view the sunrise in the morning was almost more than they could have possibly asked for. He almost hated that it was late afternoon, but even with the sun on the opposite side of the building, possibly inspiring awe for the occupants in the west apartments, the scene was still colored with oranges and pinks and purples as the night began to creep over on the horizon.
nbsp; “Can we afford this?” Sanji asked.
nbsp; Nami nodded. “Indeed we can.”
nbsp; Sanji turned to the landlord. “When can we move in?”
nbsp; Three days later, Sanji and Nami were officially out of Mac’s house. The mayor was sad to see them go, but happy that they felt strong enough to try living on their own. Cobbler, seeming to sense what was going on, was incredibly sad and whimpered at them as they left, bearing the few possessions they had accumulated since coming to the island.
nbsp; Their friends helped a little with getting them started as well. Mac chipped them a few thousand berries as a housewarming gift, encouraging them to start making the apartment into a home. Braeburn was waiting for them at the building with a full set of pots and pans (Sanji’s attempt to contain his gratitude resulted in a high pitched squeal and hugging the blacksmith). Ria promised to either purchase or make them a housewarming gift once she was caught up at the shop, though she hinted at curtains. Last but not least, Gala gave them a tea set including a pot and matching cups as well as several herbal teas he felt may relax, soothe, and help heal them.
nbsp; Apartment 3C sported the open-concept living area with kitchen, two bedrooms of comparable size (the master was only a few square meters larger than the other), a full sized bathroom, and a storage closet for things the pair currently didn’t have. Using Nami’s monetary sensibilities, they were able to find good deals on some of the basics they would need for the apartment and before long had a livable space.
nbsp; The living room area was furnished with a colorful variety of second-hand pieces including an overstuffed easy chair in peacock blue, a “stupid swordsman green” loveseat (Sanji pointed out it looked like the swordsman’s hair, and soon after they jokingly referred to it as “Zoro’s loveseat”), and a red couch that was good for stretching out on. Underfoot was a rug that, after discovering a stain, Nami was able to haggle the price down a lot, and then they covered the stain with a coffee table that needed a book under one leg to keep from wobbling.
nbsp; All of the apartments in the building were given the basic kitchen appliances (refrigerator with freezer, stove with oven, and a device Sanji wanted to declare his undying love to called a “dishwasher”) so it was just plates, glasses, flatware, and the pots and pans Braeburn had made. There were still things Sanji wanted (chief among them a good set of chef’s knives), but they both understood it wasn’t going to be an overnight process to fully the furnish the apartment, even considering that it was a temporary living space.
nbsp; Even with everything they’d gone through over the past year, Shanks’ story about Luffy still searching for them after so much time had passed with renewing their hope that yes, their captain was coming for them soon and one day they would be able to leave this island and be pirates again. It may not be right away, but they were in an odd position where they wanted to be comfortable but not so comfortable it would be difficult to leave.
nbsp; Except for one set of rooms.
nbsp; Bedding was the place they decided to go the extra mile, and after a lengthy discussion about their inability to sleep apart, they settled on only one bed for the time being. Once they were able to sleep alone again, Sanji would sleep on the couch until they procured a second bed for the other bedroom. In the meantime, though, they found the best of everything the island could offer - mattress, sheets, pillows, etc. The only pieces they bothered to go second hand on was the frame, headboard, and footboard - those were immaterial to actual comfort, and Sanji let Nami choose one she wanted under the assumption that a month or two later they’d be repeating that trip for himself.
nbsp; “I’m not leaving this bed,” Sanji proclaimed, lying face first into his pillow and bundled up under the covers. Nami glanced over at him, watching him hug the pillow and sigh happily. She closed her book and put it in her lap. “This is the best thing ever. I am so comfortable right now. You’re going to have to drag me out of here at gunpoint tomorrow morning.”
nbsp; Nami rolled her eyes. “Oh really?”
nbsp; “I will stay here forever.”
nbsp; “And your job?”
nbsp; Sanji whined.
nbsp; “Luffy and the others?”
nbsp; The cook pulled a pillow over his head.
nbsp; “All Blue?”
nbsp; Sanji went quiet. “Maybe.”
nbsp; Nami sighed. “Yeah, I like it too.” She put her book on her nightstand (an old piece with chipped paint and a wobbly knob) and flicked off the lamp (which had a coral pink base and a lime green shade) before settling in herself. “We’ll make sure we get another one for you when the time comes.” She grinned mischievously. “You can probably even bring girls back here, right?”
nbsp; Even though it was dark, Nami could scarcely make out Sanji pouting. “I . . . don’t know.”
nbsp; “Sanji-kun, is everything okay? You’ve been acting . . . different . . . around girls. At least, different for you,” said Nami. She reached over and touched his cheek. “Part of me can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m a little worried that you aren’t freaking out over every pretty girl you’ve seen since we’ve arrived. It’s not like you.”
nbsp; Sanji sighed, tightening the covers around him. “I never told you about him.”
nbsp; “Who’s him?” asked Nami.
nbsp; “This . . . recurring hallucination I was having on the ship. It was me, but it wasn’t me. Always in a suit and always mocking me, telling me that I was so lucky to be able to sleep with you at night because it’s what I always wanted or reminding me of the feelings I’ve had for some of the women we’ve fought against in the past. I didn’t like what he was saying.” He closed his eyes. “I was never turned on by cuddling with you in the holding cell.”
nbsp; “You tried to grab my ass once,” Nami pointed out.
nbsp; “Force of habit and I got over it quick and no, I wasn’t even close to getting any of those kind of jollies from that,” Sanji said. He took a deep breath. “Point is, it . . . made me reevaluate a lot of things. Being here made me reevaluate a lot of things, too - I’ve never had a friendship with another man like the one I have with Braeburn. Even with the other Straw Hats or the chefs at the Baratie - I was always fighting with them or yelling at them for something or being mean to them. It’s not like that at all with Braeburn - we’re civil. Almost like where you and I are now. And . . .”
nbsp; Nami urged him on. “Go on.”
nbsp; “It makes me feel . . . awful, about how I treated the other Straw Hats - even you and Robin. We had our good moments, sure, but I was such a dick to the guys and I didn’t even treat you and Robin right, either. I’m glad you and I are getting along so well but it frustrates me that the others aren’t here because I have a lot of things I need to say to them, especially ‘I’m sorry’.” Sanji moved closer to her, resting his head by her shoulder. “I am.”
nbsp; “I have things I need to apologize for, too,” said Nami, thinking about the “debts” the other Straw Hats “owed” her. “And I don’t know how those conversations are going to go. But we know that Luffy was looking for us - whatever it was we did or didn’t do right, it wasn’t enough to make them not want us back after we disappeared. Luffy can’t be the only one on that ship upset that we never made it back to the Thousand Sunny.”
nbsp; Sanji seemed to consider this. “It doesn’t mean I’m ready to start dating again.”
nbsp; “You don’t have to do it right away. And besides, it would be weird if either one of us tried to date right now with . . . this,” Nami referred to the area around them, hinting at their sleeping arrangement. “Even if we know it’s platonic, that would probably make someone else feel really uncomfortable.”
nbsp; “Unless they like three-ways,” said Sanji. Nami stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed a little. “So you mentioned yourself there, too - are you thinking about dating, Nami-san?” He contemplated this a moment. “Actually, I’ve never seen you express interest in romance before - I know you told me you’re still a virgin but have you ever gone on a date or anything?”
nbsp; Nami shook her head. “No, I haven’t. It’s not that I wouldn’t have minded it under different circumstances, but . . . I didn’t want to get anyone else tangled up with Arlong. It wouldn’t be fair to him. If Arlong found out I had a boyfriend he’d probably have him killed or use him against me somehow. Up until you and Luffy and the others saved the island, it just . . . wasn’t an option for me.”
nbsp; “So you probably haven’t been kissed. You know, outside of family, on the lips,” said Sanji.
nbsp; “Nope, never on the lips. Not even that. Just pecks on the cheek or the top of the head from Bellemere and Nojiko . . . and you, actually,” said Nami. “I know Nojiko had her first kiss when we were children - it was some sort of a dare between a bunch of the boys on the island and she got mad and chased after them with a rake and then Bellemere got angry and I was just happy because I wasn’t the one in trouble for once . . . but it never happened to me.”
nbsp; “Does that bother you?” asked Sanji.
nbsp; “Not really - they probably assumed I’d react like Nojiko, and they were probably right,” she said with a laugh. “But I guess now that I’m a few months away from twenty it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to dip my big toe in the ocean, you know?” She sat up. “What about you, Sanji-kun? What about your first kiss?”
nbsp; “Ah, that,” said Sanji, sitting up as well. He pulled his pillow into his lap and leaned over it. “I was about twelve, I think, and there was a girl around my age at the restaurant who was crying because she’d lost a bracelet her mom had given her, and the mother had passed away a few months earlier so she was really freaking out. A bunch of the other cooks and I searched all over the place for it and I was the one who found it. She was completely over the moon, threw her arms around me, kissed me, said thank you about a dozen times before she then ran off to leave with her father. I just kind of stood there like an idiot for five minutes until Zeff yelled at me to get back to work.”
nbsp; Nami laughed. “So you were her hero.”
nbsp; “Damn straight I was,” said Sanji.
nbsp; They were quiet for a while, but neither had fallen asleep - Nami could tell by the way Sanji was breathing that he was still awake. The conversation they had was keeping her mind a buzz, and a nagging thought refused to leave her alone. No, that’s crazy, Nami - don’t think like that. But the idea wouldn’t budge, and she decided that she could handle whatever the worst possible outcome would be.
nbsp; “. . . say, I got a crazy idea.” Nami was looking around coyly. Sanji had an odd feeling he knew where she was going with it. “You know, I’ve never been kissed before, and it would be nice to know it’s someone I trust giving me my first one. Or, me giving them my first one. However it works, you know. So I was thinking maybe . . .”
nbsp; “Are you serious?” Sanji asked incredulously. “You want me to be your first?”
nbsp; “It’s my first kiss, not my virginity,” Nami said dryly. “And don’t ask about the second one.”
nbsp; “No, no, of course not!” said Sanji, putting his hands up defensively. He lowered his defenses, looking at her with concern. He was game, it seemed, but he wanted to make sure she was up for this - really up for this, and that it wasn’t some sort of passing fancy she’d regret later on. “Nami-san, you sure?”
nbsp; Nami thought about it, then nodded.
nbsp; “Okay,” said Sanji. He moved a little closer to her, studying her face for a moment. Nami was studying his back, neither moving in too close too quickly. They stayed like that for a moment, the quiet of the room hanging over them like a thick blanket before Sanji closed the gap between them, closed his eyes, turned his head, and pressed his lips to hers.
nbsp; Nami moved back a little at first, but stopped to gently lean into the kiss, putting her hands on his shoulder as he gently put his hands on her waist. It was gentle, sweet, and more pleasant than she had figured it would be. His lips and hands were warm and she could taste a hint of the tea he’d had after dinner on his lips. They stayed that way for a few second before Sanji pulled away, a small smile on his face.
nbsp; “Okay?” he asked.
nbsp; “Yeah,” said Nami, putting her fingertips to her lips. “I . . . thank you.”
nbsp;
nbsp; The following morning (which Nami had off but Sanji didn’t), the pair got dressed and ate breakfast as normal, chatting briefly about their separate plans for the day (Nami was going to run some errands, Sanji would be babysitting Wendy and Sundae after he left the Cider Mug). After telling the cook she’d take care of the dishes, the navigator walked him to the door.
nbsp; “Have a good day at work,” Nami said with a smile.
nbsp; Sanji smiled back and winked. “Thanks for taking care of the dishes. You’re my hero today.”
nbsp; After the door closed behind him, Nami felt the room go a little colder
Author’s Notes
See, a lot of times I like to watch anime and super hero movies, but, um, with the right shows I will watch the shit out of HGTV (straight ladies and gay gentlemen, check out Property Brothers just for the hosts AND BEST OF ALL THEY ARE TWINS SO IT’S TWO HOTTIES *paws at TV*) and I actually miss Linens N’ Things (Bed Bad and Beyond doesn’t have as many obnoxiously bright colors and I am all about the obnoxiously bright colors). So yes, there was some home décor and layout talk this time around.
Dixxy