#lumimi

You approach slowly to inspect him, but he murmurs something that resembles your name, and with affection surging inside you, you decide you'll give him a taste of his own clingy medicine. After a quick check around to make sure no one can see - thankfully, everyone else seems to have found something to do, with the deck now deserted - you decide to plop right onto his chest, trying to match the outline of your body to his, chest to chest, limb to limb.

"Huh?" Luffy mumbles, in a daze. You pull off the hat from his head, placing it on yours for safekeeping, then give him a big grin.

"You spent too long without bugging me so I got worried."

He blinks.

"Bugging?"

Despite this, he has a wide grin on his face, his arms looping around your waist eagerly.

"I never bug you," he insists.

He's right, he doesn't, you decide, a smile creeping on your lips yourself. Changing the topic promptly, you ask, "What did you dream of?"

Your head finds its usual spot cradled in the space between his cheek and his shoulder, one hand trailing down the length of his arm to intertwine with his fingers. Like this, you are engaged in a sort of horizontal ballroom dance, even if your preferred dance partner is hard to imagine as elegant more than boorishly endearing.

"You," he says, promptly.

"Convenient," you tease, but he means it, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

"You did something just like this, actually, but we were both huge from all the food we just ate. Like two big balloons."

Your mouth twists in mild apprehension.

"This sounds kind of terrible since I don't stretch like you."

He shakes his head, a few fingers idly trailing in your hair.

"You were cute. Like always."

Your cheeks grow warm like the gentle sun decided to focus its undivided attention on you.

"Go back to sleep," you say, thumping his chest gently.

"Mm... okay!" he agrees, wrapping his legs now around you too, too securely, and you consider that you might have accidentally booked yourself busy for the next hour or two. "This nap will probably be even better now that you're here."

"Luffy? Hold on-"

🌈LUKAS MCSM DOUBLES, SIMPS, “N1 FANS” DNIII + BLOCK!!!!💖

a man who sees you mildly uncomfortable and is just like “we’re leaving” regardless of the social situation

Hair, short and bristly, pressing against your cheek.

You pull your head back quickly, and look at him - really take him in - and blink quickly. 

“You can grow facial hair?”

Luffy blinks just as quickly, still holding onto you with arms loosely wrapped around your waist, round brown eyes that had just been glowing with affection, now filled with all sorts of confusion.

“What?”

You shift, and although he bends to pick up your bag, tossed haphazardly to the ground to greet him, you take the opportunity to grab at his face, your fingers trailing around his chin.

It’s real, which you almost mutter aloud despite how silly it is to expect an adult man to never grow so much as a 5 o’clock shadow, but you have to admit you’re not used to your smooth-skinned boyfriend’s jaw with… texture.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

The back of your hand is still rubbing against his face, even as he holds your free hand.

“Have you just… always shaved since we’ve been spending time together?”

He shrugs.

“I guess.”

“Am I just this bad of a girlfriend? How many days has it been?”

“No idea.”

Luffy is over this line of questioning, but you’re still keeping pace with him as you walk out, staring at his side profile. It’s not that you don’t like it, but it’s… different, unexpected, jarring really.

“I... I guess I just didn’t know you could.”

He stops, and gives you not quite an annoyed look, but you can tell he’s tired but trying to make light of the situation, because he takes your face and rubs all the stubble his face has grown against your cheek roughly and you gasp.

“Hey!”

“No more questions, okay? I’m a man, too.” With that, he pats your head. “Now how was your trip?” Luffy asks, changing the subject.

He’s a man, too.

Your face warms for a moment, but you quickly keep pace with your often boyish, sweet-faced and very not rugged at all boyfriend, and start to recount your travels, but as he herds you into a taxi and the two of you introduce yourselves to your driver politely before resuming your conversation, you can’t help but add:

“Okay, but seriously what business do you have with a 5 o’clock shadow?”

“Oh, so that’s where you two are!”

Nami’s voice rings clear, now away from the excitement of the Flower Capital, still in celebration that seems to be endless, and there’s relief in her voice, but not with the same concern that she usually holds when it has to do with her crewmates - rather, as her eyes glide over her captain, and the sleeping figure partially cradled against his lap, there’s more satisfaction than anything.

Luffy turns in her direction, but slowly, attempting not to disturb you, and his grin is wide, peaceful.

“It was a bit too loud over there so we came out here.”

It’s said matter-of-fact, but the jarring aspect of this is that the words ‘too loud’ feel ridiculous coming from Luffy, as if he would reject the excess of anything, the least of which, joyful noise. But here, as the navigator can barely see your sleeping face for how snugly you’re wrapped in the black cape Luffy had worn before Onigashima, she can quickly understand.

The cliff upon which the two - now, three - of you rest has one of the nicest views of the town she can muster, and Nami does consider for a second if she should return up here to commit the view to memory. But you’ve occupied this space first, fast asleep in your captain’s care, and after a few moments of deliberation, she decides to leave.

In fact, she finds that she no longer remembers what she planned to say, other than expressing gratitude that you’re all still alive.

“You doing okay, Luffy?” she asks however, before preparing to go.

Luffy nods, and she watches as idly his hand passes over the round of your opposite shoulder, the one that isn’t resting against him. You sniffle, or perhaps you hiccup, in your sleep once, but she can tell that you’re okay, not crying, not unsafe, just… exhausted.

It’s a lot - she can sympathize with that. A lot to be part of this crew, to be part of this adventure, to sail, to be with Luffy…

Her attention flits back to him as he continues to stare out towards the lights. Calmer than she’s ever seen him, contained in the way someone who only willfully experiences restraint behaves. He’s still listening, and he would respond with enthusiasm if she spoke, but he’s also elsewhere, somewhere in the moment, nothing on his mind except the sensation of cool air and the warm body that entrusts her whole being to him.

“You’re different around her, Luffy,” she says.

He blinks, turning his head practically owl-like to look at her. Nami laughs - she can’t help it - but she means it.

“Different? How?”

Her grin stays wide, heart full.

“In a good way.”

His eyebrows furrow, confused, but you shift for a moment in his lap, eyes opening, and his gaze snaps back to you. He smiles down at you, and Nami quickly makes her escape, waving herself off.

“Shit, did I really doze off?” you ask, suddenly, moments later, while trying to get up to a sitting position. 

“You looked like you were going to pass out back there, so I’m not surprised.” You frown, but he presses his forehead against yours. “Glad I was ready to catch you.”

Your face warms, despite still being groggy still with sleep. Pulling away slightly, you look down at the path behind you as if you sense Nami’s long gone presence.

“Nami came by,” he explains before you can ask. “And vanished, I guess.”

“Mm. Should we go back?” you ask. “I wouldn’t want anyone to worry.”

He watches you rub more sleep out of your eyes, eyelids lowered with a soft affection.

You’re different around her, Luffy.

He can feel his heart beat just a little slower, a little steadier, as if it’s trying to keep pace with yours, even if it’s just for this quiet isolated moment.

Maybe he does know what Nami means.

“If you want to.”

You give him another look, take a deep breath, then place your head against his chest for another moment, as your hands link again.

And with that question, you have approximately a second to decide what your next course of action will be. Luffy’s partially descended down the ladder to the library, and while he keeps his distance across the room still, it’s only because he’s fairly confident that he’s right. You can either choose to lie, and say everything is okay, pretend you haven’t heard him at all, or tell him the truth, that you’re actually quite annoyed with him, enough so that you’ve decided to bury your head in a book until the feeling abates, but none of these options will avoid a conversation, now that he’s initiated one.

You’re just as bad a liar as him, and he’s as direct as you are indirect at times.

Choosing not to speak, you give him a glance, then look back to your book. He freezes for a moment, then decides to risk it anyway, making his way over and sitting beside you on the edge of the bench. You turn away slightly, and he frowns, and his hand hovers over your shoulder for a moment, before deciding to keep them at his sides.

“What are you reading?”

“Luffy, does it matter? Do you want to read it?” you snap.

He sighs.

“You didn’t answer my first question.”

Back to this again. You turn your head again, a little thrown off when you realize he’s closer than you expected him to be, but give him a scowl.

“Well, I’m mad now.”

Not really a lie, not really the truth.

He’s unfazed as usual, and instead of the childish pout he would give if the situation were lower in stakes, his mouth remains a thin, neutral line, as he watches you carefully, as if the words to decipher your current mix of emotions will be printed on your skin if he looks hard enough.

“It’s been a few hours.”

“It’ll be more if you don’t get away from me, Luffy.”

The neutral smile curves downwards just slightly. The two of you lock into what’s almost a staredown if a staredown could be one-sided, then too quick for you to perceive, your book is out of his hands and dropped on the other side of the room, several feet away.

Your eyes widen.

“Hey!”

You rise, but his other hand stops you gently. 

“I’ll give it back to you, I promise.”

You tilt your head in defiance.

“If you don’t return my book right now, I’ll…” but you trail off, because Luffy is not going to budge at all - his face is unchanged from the slight concern he’s had since he’s come down to the library, and you feel a little silly pressing the issue. You deflate slightly, sitting back down, then pulling your knees to your chest.

He doesn’t say anything as you gather your thoughts, simply watching the way he usually does - people, insects, the clouds in the sky, the stretch of the sea, but you can see him lean just slightly inwards, as if he’s drawn to the settling storm in your head.

“Tell me,” he says, softly. 

“It’s stupid.”

Your lower lip pulls between your teeth.

“Good. I’ll understand it.”

You blink, then unfortunately, you can’t help but laugh. But he isn’t smiling immediately, gaze still focused on you, and you almost feel a bit guilty for laughing but also for pressing the issue. You shift a bit in your seat, running a hand idly through your hair for a moment, then press your chin onto your knees. Luffy does keep his hands to himself, but he also crosses his legs, now balanced atop the bench, facing you. 

“You’re…” you trail off, looking away at the ground, then back at him.

“I’m…?”

“Handsy.”

He blinks, then tilts his head slightly.

“Like touching you too much?”

He recognizes he’s trying very hard not to touch you right now, but it doesn’t seem to add up to him appropriately, and you shake your head.

“Not me.”

Luffy pauses for a moment. He knows he’s grabby, he knows he likes to hug, he knows he doesn’t always know where his hands are, but why would you care if he’s not touching you when you don’t want to be touched?

“I…” he scratches his chin, then chooses to listen instead. It seems to have the opposite effect, because your nostrils flare, annoyed.

“Are you really going to make me spell it out for you?” you ask, now with the sensation of your face hovering over a hot stove.

“I mean… maybe?” Luffy asks. He’s keeping an internal record of who he may have accidentally dragged, pushed, hugged too tightly, or intentionally fought - he knows sometimes you have an issue with fighting - or if he’s not listened when you told him to stop touching something you were working on in the lab or-

“Stop touching other people so much, it’s kind of…” your voice trails off again.

Luffy’s mouth twists to the side.

“Are you going to finish your sentences?”

Your hand balls into a fist but you don’t even have the energy to tap him on the shoulder. You deflate further then look towards your book across the room.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing because you’re sad and won’t finish your sentences,” he insists, and there’s a bit of an edge to his voice, although it reins in when you look at him again. And then you’re embarrassed that you’re so pitiful.

Jealousy is such an embarrassing feeling. Feels too immature in a world like this that’s in need of love, unfiltered, and feels too selfish when you’re with a man that cares about you as much as he does, but it’s just hard to swallow at times.

But Luffy won’t leave unless you talk - you’ve given the cold shoulder long enough, and even if he won’t understand, if he doesn’t hear something, you’ll end up in this situation again.

You take a deep breath, then close your eyes before speaking.

“If you’re that handsy and affectionate with everyone, it just makes it feel less special, you know?”

It stays quiet long enough that your eyes do open to check his expression, and as usual it’s hard to read.

For someone so kind, he’s often so, so hard to read.

“It’s not less special,” he says first, as you expected.

“I know,” you rebut quickly.

But tears prick at your eyes anyway. He’s not going to understand this no matter how hard you try, and it’s not something you should repeat anyway.

“It’s fine, it’s just-”

Luffy moves suddenly, pulling you into his arms tightly.

“I’m not trying to make you sad,” he says into your ear. You can feel your pulse quicken for a moment. As your bodies stay pressed close, he adds, 

“It’s always different when it’s you, I promise.”

“... I know.”

“Every time, it’s special when it’s you.”

“...”

You don’t know what else to add. You don’t want to limit the love he gives to others, you don’t want to make his smile less wide, and you can’t help the love he gets from others.

“I understand.”

He laughs to himself for a moment, then adds.

“If you let me touch you ten times as much-”

You slap him on the shoulder gently.

“Don’t push it.”

He pulls apart from you, then kisses your forehead.

“Never.”

Another pause as you behold each other, and your unique affections.

“But if I start getting touchy, you have to promise to pull me away instead of getting mad.”

His hands close gently on your face, a small amount of pressure squishing your cheeks out.

“Promise.”

“You know I can’t do that,” you laugh.

“Or frown really big, okay?”

“Luffy, that’s even more unreasonable.”

“I don’t care what you do, as long as you’re not sad, okay?”

His forehead presses gently against yours as he insists.

“Promise. I want you to feel like you’re special to me, because it’s true.”

You pull back just a little bit, appreciating the smile returned back to his face, the same one that makes you feel tender and loved, and yes, unique to you and your shared love.

“Hey, when do you want to get married?”

Luffy’s simple question, asked out of the blue on a sunny and clear Sunday afternoon at the pier of the newest island you’ve washed up ashore, completely stops you in your tracks, abruptly enough that you practically stumble with interrupted momentum. He takes this in stride, stopping next to you with far more grace; his free hand, not the one that has let ice cream atop a cone drip onto his wrist, holds on to the back of your shirt just enough to keep you from hitting the ground, and helps you right yourself.

“You okay?” he asks. 

Your mouth opens and closes in surprise for a split second, but you nod quickly before buying time to respond with a bite of your waffle. Luffy waits patiently, and his expression is difficult to read even for you; there’s no typical smile on his face but he doesn’t seem upset, just patient, perhaps pensive even.

Luffy’s always oddly patient despite himself, when it comes to you. 

“I’m fine,” you say after two rapid chews and a swallow. You resume your pace, trying to keep yourself from looking at him. “What do you mean, marriage?”

Luffy isn’t following you; rather he’s planted in place, and you make it four steps before you turn to look at him, your heart beginning to thump just a little harder in your chest. The ice cream continues to drip but he doesn’t do anything about it - rather he keeps his gaze focused on you for a moment.

“You don’t want to get married?” he asks. 

The statement is said somewhere between a question and a statement and it makes your stomach turn.

Your relationship with Luffy is confusing.