The New Boy (LuNa)

healing

I ran out of cover photos (if anyone is an artist it would be fricking awesome to get some original drawings) but anyways I threw in a goofy lil pic of luffy because this story turned out way more fucking sad then I expected. Also, lemme know about I I should throw in a lil spice (by which I mean smut ofc). I dunno if I should or not so please let me know what you think.

The pair woke on Sunday morning to a loud crash from the kitchen. Nami and luffy both sat bopt upright, which of course is not agreed move if you are suffering from an iron deficiency.

Luffy paled and reached our to steady himself on something. Nami noticed his dizziness and lent him her arm. When his head stopped spinning, she told him to wait and went to check on the source of the noise.

Luffy looked around, noticing the platter beside him. He thought back to how weak he had been the day before, how he had almost collapsed before he even got to the door, and cursed himself for being selfish enough to turn down the meals he had been offered.

It had been fruitless really. He hadn't eaten because he didn't think he deserved the food, but not eating made him more of a burden to the people nearest to him. To the person he, admittedly, had fallen for.

Still hating himself completely, luffy ate the entire platter of food.

After, he felt significantly better. His energy levels rose and with it came his spirit. Because he had been saved. He wanted to live, because he had people to live for. Plus, ace wouldn't want him being a sook. He'd call him a crybaby and probably smack him over the head.

At the thought, luffy gave a genuine smile. His first in a while. he was loved. There were still people out there who would never leave his side. And just like that, despite the hole in his chest, luffy began to heal.

Nami returned after a few minutes, explaining that nojiko had come home and had been making breckfast. The crash was her pulling the draw too hard, causing it to come out of the shelf completely and fall on the floor.

Luffy just chuckled and smiled at Nami, who was so shocked by the action that she stared. Luffy noticed and gave her a soft look before pattig the bed beside him. Nami sat down and he began began talk.

'Nami, have you ever heard of a thing called monophobia?' He asked. Nami shook her head no.

'Its the fear of being alone or without a certain person. For me, it's more easily described as separation anxiety, although it's different for each person.' He explained. Nami listened in silence.

'I've always had it. It's kind of like... like having a home. For most people, your home is like a safe place. Somewhere you can be relaxed. A base, you know?

'For me, rather than a place, it's a person. Someone I love dearly and who I associate with safety. The was my brother, for me. I couldn't function without him.'

He lapsed into silence for a while, a distant look settling over his face. Eventually, his attention returned to nami, who was begining to understand what he was saying.

'When I lost that anchor, I was... lost... for a while. I didn't know where home was. But I... I'm not alone and I realise that now.

'Unfortunately for you, my monophobia isn't something that disappears along with the person. I still suffer from separation anxiety. And although I miss my brother very much, and will for the rest of my life... I know I can't live without a home. I'll get sick and I'll die.

'But I... you've shown me, Nami, that I'm not as alone as I thought. I still have people who care about me, no strings attached, and who I care about just as much, if not more.

'I really don't want to be a burden to you, but I just thought you deserved to know that some part of my soul has lached onto you Nami. My tether to this world that was the brother who I loved so dearly, is now you.'

Nami gasped up at him, utterly shocked.

'Luffy...' she muttered. But he wasn't done.

'Like i said, you don't owe me anything. Pretend like you didn't know anything. You don't have to stick with me because you know I need you. I'll be fine.' This was a complete lie, but lufy didn't want Nami to stay with him out of pitty.

Nami blinked a few times and then dove at luffy, catching him by surprise. She latched onto him and buried her head in his shoulder. He had given her a confession of sorts, and now she knew he wouldn't leave her side no matter what, she thought he at least deserved to hear hers.

'As if, you moron.' She said into his neck. 'I couldn't leave your dumb ass behind. I love you too much.'

There were a few moments of silence, during which Nami begin to rethink her entire existence. Regret and embarrasment welled up inside her and she felt her face go bright red. She wanted, more than anything to escape. She tried to wriggle free of luffys embrace, but she couldn't.

'You love me eh...' He said at last. And then his usual, care free, shit eating grin appeared on his face. Nami stared in wonder. She had only seen that grin on his first day of school, the day they met. And my god it lit up the room. Hell, it lit up the entire world.

But what he said next topped it all.

'I love you too, stupid! How could I not?'

Nami was stunned. She had to be hearing things. He said... he said he loved her. There was no way... was she still asleep? God was this all a dream? No.. no he had said it. And he had meamt it to. Which meant, if this were real, she could do to him what she'd wanted to do since that night...

She leaned close, with obvious intentions.

But luffy beat her to it.