"Are you thinking of something weird?" Nami's voice held a mix of embarrassment, annoyance, and inexplicable nervousness.
"No," Luffy flatly denied.
That was the truth. The [Plan] had been forcibly altered by him due to Nami's illness, but the daily devil-training mode was back on. His mind was currently being force-fed fragments of navigational meteorology knowledge. He had no room to think about anything else.
Nami seemed unconvinced. She gave a dry laugh, her eyes darting around, but what she said next made Luffy pause.
"Even if you... think of me as some sort of... fantasy object... it's not like I'm particularly against it..." Her voice grew softer and softer, her face redder and redder. "After all, you're at that age, Luffy... Dr. Kureha explained it to me... But you can't be too much of a pervert!"
Her voice was so small that only she could hear it. Her brain felt like it was about to let out a steam whistle.
What in the world am I saying?!
With her crimson cheeks and flickering eyes, Nami didn't know where to put her hands.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Luffy frowned, genuinely not understanding Nami's convoluted meaning. The [Plan]'s interference made his thinking a bit too linear.
"Forget it if you don't get it."
Nami blinked rapidly, looking down, a complex expression mixing relief and a strange sense of loss appearing on her face, which made her look rather adorable.
"L-let's eat first. You must be hungry."
"I am a bit."
Just then, a small figure timidly squeezed through the crack in the door. It was the blue-nosed reindeer, wearing a pink hat, its big, dark eyes cautiously surveying the room.
"Who is it?" Nami hadn't met Chopper since waking up.
"Chopper! It's Chopper!"
Luffy introduced happily, "Nami, this is our new nakama, Tony Tony Chopper! He's an amazing ship's doctor. He helped a lot with your sickness."
"I-is that so... Thank you."
"You're welcome! But who said I'm your nakama?!"
Upon hearing this, Chopper immediately ducked behind a barrel in the corner, only half his head and his swaying antlers visible, loudly protesting, "Even if you praise me like that... I won't be happy about it! You jerk!"
Though verbally denying it, his body language—clearly squirming with pleasure at the compliment—completely betrayed his inner joy.
Chopper had indeed helped.
When Luffy was treating Nami, Dr. Kureha only provided the herbs without direct involvement. It was Chopper who assisted and guided with his superb medical skills.
After waking up, seeing that Chopper could not only talk but also use his Hito Hito no Mi ability to change his size to fetch high-up herbs, Luffy found him both interesting and capable, and had immediately extended the invitation on the spot.
"You really are..." Nami facepalmed, already accustomed to Luffy's... unique perspective when recruiting. But she wouldn't contradict his decision.
So, she gave a friendly greeting to their future crewmate. "Nice to meet you."
Chopper:
"..."
Are these two not listening to me at all?!
I clearly refused!
But thinking about how Luffy had risked his life climbing the snowy mountain for his nakama, how he was different from other humans, not showing any disdain for his blue nose or his "monster" status... Chopper's heart was still a bit moved.
And besides, they were pirates! Pirates were cool!
"Hmph."
Chopper looked at Luffy. His doctor's instinct made him notice Luffy's condition. He tilted his head, carefully observing Luffy's slightly pale complexion and the faint shadows under his eyes, subconsciously frowning.
"Luffy, your complexion isn't good. You've expended too much energy... meaning you're a bit... drained. You need to replenish..."
Clatter.
A crisp sound came from the frying pan in Nami's hand.
"What's wrong?" Luffy asked.
"Nothing~" Nami smiled brightly.
Something's wrong. As Luffy was still asking about the cause of his weakness and such, Chopper caught sight of the exceptionally kind smile and gaze Nami was directing at him from behind Luffy.
To Chopper, Nami at that moment seemed to have sprouted little devil horns, wearing an extremely terrifying smile. Her lips moved silently, clearly warning him:
"D-o-n-'t-s-a-y-a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g-e-l-s-e!"
"Eeek!"
Chopper was so scared all his fur stood on end. His short legs went weak, nearly making him fall. He scrambled and scurried, whimpering as he bolted out the door. "Doctorine, save me!"
"What's with Chopper?" Luffy was puzzled.
"Who knows? Maybe you scared him," Nami immediately lowered her head, pretending to focus intently on the soup in the pot, though the blush had spread from her ears down to her neck.
They're all acting strange.
"I feel like something happened."
"Nothing did."
"You're hiding something from me."
"Nonsense."
Luffy's voice suddenly sounded right by her ear. Nami froze for a second, then snapped her head up, just in time to meet Luffy's face, which had somehow gotten close without her noticing.
The tips of their noses were only a finger's breadth apart. They could feel each other's breath, their eyes locked.
"Ah!"
Nami let out a short shriek, jumping back a step like a startled rabbit. Her face turned completely crimson. She covered her face with her hands, her voice muffled as she pleaded, "I don't know, I don't know anything! Don't ask!"
"Alright, alright, I won't ask."
Seeing her extreme reaction, Luffy, though baffled, didn't press further.
The intense fatigue and the constant stream of knowledge being forced into his brain made him feel truly listless. He lay back down and closed his eyes. "I'm a bit tired. I'll rest a little more."
Hearing this, Nami was taken aback.
She looked at Luffy's peaceful sleeping face, still marked with the fine traces of frostbite from climbing the mountain. A wave of heartache and an indescribable emotion welled up inside her.
All of this... was for me.
Nami hesitated for a moment, then nervously and quietly approached the bedside. She leaned down, her hanging hair lightly brushing Luffy's cheek, causing a faint tickle.
"Hm?" Luffy suddenly opened his eyes.
Once again, their eyes met, close enough to touch.
Nami's face visibly and instantly turned a deep, deep red, practically all the way down to her collarbones.
Their hot breaths fanned each other's faces. Nami, as if burned, straightened up in a fluster, her gaze darting around in panic. She fumbled to tuck her stray hair behind her ear, her heart pounding like a war drum.
"I—I'll go check on the soup—!"
She practically fled, walking quickly to the stove with her back to Luffy, though her heart was still hammering wildly.
She couldn't help but touch her scorching cheeks, almost wondering if her fever hadn't actually broken, and her brain was still fried.
A huge pile of food was laid out on the table. Luffy dug in heartily, while Nami rested her chin on her hand, watching him with a hint of doting affection.
"Nami, aren't you eating?"
"Uh..." A small, involuntary hiccup escaped her. Nami covered her mouth, blushing. "I-I'm full! Just eat quickly and stop talking!"
It was too much. She was completely stuffed.
She didn't even know how much she'd had.
***
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