NaVi RP Log
Jul. 16th, 2006 02:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dethoratsTitle: Returning
Rating: G
Pairing Nami/Vivi
Word Count: 1,810
Note:sherriaisling as Vivi and dethorats as Nami
Twilight painted the darkening blue sky over the desert in broad streaks of pink and red and purple and brought a blessed coolness to the air that Nami knew would soon turn into a harsher chill. At least the fire was already going thanks to Vivi’s knowledge of the desert and Ace’s own inherent talent. Eyelash groaned happily under her hands, the brush she was running over his dusty tan flank freeing sand and grime. Another noise, this time muffled shouting, had her jerking her head up and shading her eyes as she looked into the last light of the sun. For a split second she was afraid it was yet another monstrous beast, the fifth one that day, come to try and eat them but then she recognized Luffy’s ‘yay, I’ve got meat’ chuckle. Shaking her head softly, she called out to the slender young woman busy pitching tents behind her.
“Hey, I think dinner’s here. Hope you’re still in the mood for protein.”
Caught up in her work as she was, it took Vivi a moment to register what Nami had asked her. "I’m hungry enough now that anything sounds fine to me."
She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and unrolled the sleeves of her robe, shaking out the sand caught up in the folds of the fabric. The sound of raised voices mingled with Luffy’s cheerful laughter for a moment before she heard a slightly mournful whine fill the ever cooling evening air.
"It sounds like dinner is being saved for us."
“It better be.” Her tone was just a bit stern as she remembered the theft of all their food earlier in the day. As angry as she was at the birds, Nami couldn’t help but give them some grudging respect for a job well done. “If I hear one more suggestion about eating our cute camel here,” and her voice changed, became softer and crooning as she ran an affectionate hand over Eyelash’s knobbly head, “there won’t be ANY dinner for a certain group of pirates.”
Vivi made her way across the sand to kneel beside Nami. She scratched gently behind Eyelash's ear, sparing a thought for Carue, hoping that her friend had made his journey safely. "He's been a good traveling companion to us. He certainly isn't anyone's meal."
“That’s right.” She gave him a final pat, standing up and shaking the omnipresent sand from her robe. “Besides,” and Nami winked as she offered a hand to the princess. “Without our faithful steed we’d be stuck dragging ourselves through the sand with the rest of the idiots and neither of our figures need that kind of workout.”
Vivi took the hand offered to her, pulling herself up then holding on for just a bit longer once she was on her feet, and grinned at Nami. "Crossing the desert isn't really as bad as they make it look."
Giving the princess a skeptical look complete with raised eyebrow, Nami put the brush back in Eyelash’s small saddle bag. “If you say so. I’m just glad I don’t have to find out for myself.” As she spoke, the first sign of dinner, apparently yet another variety of lizard, made an appearance over the top of the endless sand dunes. Sanji was hauling the carcass, Usopp sprawled on its stomach and apparently dead to the world, while Zoro had the unenviable task of fending off an eager captain. Tossing a quick and devious grin at Vivi, Nami called out to the returning swordsman. “If you don’t want a three percent hike, Zoro, you’ll make sure that every last piece of that stays intact until Sanji-kun is finished with it.”
The expression of murderous irritation that crossed Zoro's face at the threat had Vivi bringing a hand to her face to smother her giggles. "I think dinner may end up taking longer than we thought. Shall we go and keep Tony-kun and Ace-san company while we’re waiting?"
“That sounds like a good idea to me.” It was good to hear Vivi laugh after the hoarse sadness that had colored her voice that morning. All of the Straw Hats had been doing their best to cheer the princess up and Nami was glad to see that it was working. “I think Ace still has his own tent to set up. Let’s go find a nice place to watch.”
"Sure." Vivi turned and bid a quiet goodbye to Eyelash, who looked so relaxed from Nami's brushing as to be almost asleep. She and Nami then made their way across the short distance to what Nami had decided was to be the boys' side of their camp.
As it turned out, Ace was already partially finished with his tent but he still had to pound in the ground stakes. That meant lots of bending and squatting and hammering and generally turning his back to where the girls were sitting. Her own running commentary quickly taking a turn towards the risqué, Nami kept a surreptitious eye on the girl next to her. A decidedly cute blush had traveled from the bridge of Vivi’s nose, over her cheeks, and was starting down the column of her neck before they were interrupted.
"Vivi? Your cheeks seem a little red. Are you feeling alright?" Vivi silently cursed the sand that muffled Chopper's footsteps and the satisfied smirk that flashed briefly across Nami's face. She leaned down to allow Chopper to place a questioning hoof against her forehead. "I feel fine, Tony-kun."
“I think we’re just sitting a little too close to the fire, Chopper.” Nami smiled reassuringly at the reindeer even as she snuck a finger over to Vivi, poking her in the thigh as Ace bent over to tie the last rope. “We were just getting up anyway to check on Sanji-kun and dinner.”
Vivi felt her cheeks go even redder as she pulled back from Chopper. "Nami-san's right, we just sat too close to something too hot, that's all." She smiled softly at him. "We'll call you over when it's time to eat."
The first stars were twinkling into existence as they climbed to their feet and shook out still more sand from their clothes. Nami watched her shadow bend and distort, double momentarily in the glow from the two fires that marked the halves of their camp. “Too hot, hmm?” she murmured, just to see the princess squirm. “I was thinking the temperature was finally perfect.”
"Maybe it might have been, if someone hadn't been busy fanning the flames." Vivi kept her eyes turned downward, trying to get some of the heat to fade from her cheeks before another of the boys started asking questions. "Or if Tony-kun had been otherwise occupied."
“Ah well, I’ve always believed in taking advantage of opportunities when they arrive since they don’t always stick around.” She leaned in and bumped Vivi’s shoulder with her own as they walked, the scent of roasting meat mingling with cigarette smoke as they neared the chef. “Sanji-kun! Is dinner ready yet?”
After assuring them that their meal would be finished shortly, Sanji bid them to sit while he finished up, then danced away, barking at a salivating Luffy to keep his hands away from other people's food. Vivi smoothed her skirts out and lowered herself down next to Nami, close enough to feel the warmth radiating off of the other girl.
Night came fast and swift in the desert, nothing like the lingering sunsets she was used to watching on the ocean. It was cold already, the few minutes of an actual comfortable temperature bled away almost before she had had a chance to appreciate them. Nami was glad Vivi was close. The princess was warm and beyond that she was their guide. There were currents to the desert but it wasn't quite the same as navigating on the ocean. Getting lost out here would mean death.
She watched Sanji work a while longer, dinner close to being finished, before she turned to look at the other girl. The princess had her head thrown back, drinking in the pantheon of stars that studded the velvet of the sky like diamonds.
She could feel Nami's gaze on her, questioning. "They seem so bright tonight." Vivi abandoned the heavens to meet Nami's eyes. "It's odd to think that, no matter where I was, I saw the same sky. The things I was doing... it couldn't have been less like my life here. But the stars were always the same." Vivi shivered slightly and moved closer to Nami. "And yet... coming back isn't anything like I had thought it would be."
Wistfulness colored the princess's tone, shaded it with the memory of failed plans and hopes. Vivi was close enough that Nami didn't need to shift more than her arm to pull the girl into the hug it sounded like she so very badly needed. It was hard, but Nami reined herself in and only let her fingertips creep across the chill sand until they could curl gently around Vivi's.
"There's a saying where I come from. You can never go home again. I didn't understand it when I was little. Of course you can go home. Unless your island sinks into the sea, even if the house is gone, the land it was on would still be there. But then I left myself and I learned. Memories are almost always better than reality and nothing is ever truly permanent. If nothing else, you've changed. And you're seeing your home through eyes that have seen so much else."
Vivi squeezed Nami's hand, very glad for the comfort that the other girl was offering to her. "I know, and it's because of that that I worry I won't be able to fit back into the life I left behind. And I've only been away for a few years. I can't imagine what you must have gone through. And you had to do it alone. I don't know that I would have been that strong."
Nami laughed, a short dry bark of a chuckle, and tightened her grip on Vivi's hand. "You sell yourself short, Princess. And you don't have to fit back into your old life. You can make it a new one. Your whole country will be changed, different when all this is over and the truth comes out. Your people will respect all that you have seen and done. It will make you a stronger leader."
The navigator gave in finally, scooting over so that she was flush against the younger girl. Casting bright eyes around the campsite, a small smile flickered across her firelit face before she turned to whisper into Vivi's ear. "I wasn't alone in the end. They saved me, these four boys. And they'll help you too. As will Chopper. As will I."
Rating: G
Pairing Nami/Vivi
Word Count: 1,810
Note:
sherriaisling as Vivi and dethorats as NamiTwilight painted the darkening blue sky over the desert in broad streaks of pink and red and purple and brought a blessed coolness to the air that Nami knew would soon turn into a harsher chill. At least the fire was already going thanks to Vivi’s knowledge of the desert and Ace’s own inherent talent. Eyelash groaned happily under her hands, the brush she was running over his dusty tan flank freeing sand and grime. Another noise, this time muffled shouting, had her jerking her head up and shading her eyes as she looked into the last light of the sun. For a split second she was afraid it was yet another monstrous beast, the fifth one that day, come to try and eat them but then she recognized Luffy’s ‘yay, I’ve got meat’ chuckle. Shaking her head softly, she called out to the slender young woman busy pitching tents behind her.
“Hey, I think dinner’s here. Hope you’re still in the mood for protein.”
Caught up in her work as she was, it took Vivi a moment to register what Nami had asked her. "I’m hungry enough now that anything sounds fine to me."
She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and unrolled the sleeves of her robe, shaking out the sand caught up in the folds of the fabric. The sound of raised voices mingled with Luffy’s cheerful laughter for a moment before she heard a slightly mournful whine fill the ever cooling evening air.
"It sounds like dinner is being saved for us."
“It better be.” Her tone was just a bit stern as she remembered the theft of all their food earlier in the day. As angry as she was at the birds, Nami couldn’t help but give them some grudging respect for a job well done. “If I hear one more suggestion about eating our cute camel here,” and her voice changed, became softer and crooning as she ran an affectionate hand over Eyelash’s knobbly head, “there won’t be ANY dinner for a certain group of pirates.”
Vivi made her way across the sand to kneel beside Nami. She scratched gently behind Eyelash's ear, sparing a thought for Carue, hoping that her friend had made his journey safely. "He's been a good traveling companion to us. He certainly isn't anyone's meal."
“That’s right.” She gave him a final pat, standing up and shaking the omnipresent sand from her robe. “Besides,” and Nami winked as she offered a hand to the princess. “Without our faithful steed we’d be stuck dragging ourselves through the sand with the rest of the idiots and neither of our figures need that kind of workout.”
Vivi took the hand offered to her, pulling herself up then holding on for just a bit longer once she was on her feet, and grinned at Nami. "Crossing the desert isn't really as bad as they make it look."
Giving the princess a skeptical look complete with raised eyebrow, Nami put the brush back in Eyelash’s small saddle bag. “If you say so. I’m just glad I don’t have to find out for myself.” As she spoke, the first sign of dinner, apparently yet another variety of lizard, made an appearance over the top of the endless sand dunes. Sanji was hauling the carcass, Usopp sprawled on its stomach and apparently dead to the world, while Zoro had the unenviable task of fending off an eager captain. Tossing a quick and devious grin at Vivi, Nami called out to the returning swordsman. “If you don’t want a three percent hike, Zoro, you’ll make sure that every last piece of that stays intact until Sanji-kun is finished with it.”
The expression of murderous irritation that crossed Zoro's face at the threat had Vivi bringing a hand to her face to smother her giggles. "I think dinner may end up taking longer than we thought. Shall we go and keep Tony-kun and Ace-san company while we’re waiting?"
“That sounds like a good idea to me.” It was good to hear Vivi laugh after the hoarse sadness that had colored her voice that morning. All of the Straw Hats had been doing their best to cheer the princess up and Nami was glad to see that it was working. “I think Ace still has his own tent to set up. Let’s go find a nice place to watch.”
"Sure." Vivi turned and bid a quiet goodbye to Eyelash, who looked so relaxed from Nami's brushing as to be almost asleep. She and Nami then made their way across the short distance to what Nami had decided was to be the boys' side of their camp.
As it turned out, Ace was already partially finished with his tent but he still had to pound in the ground stakes. That meant lots of bending and squatting and hammering and generally turning his back to where the girls were sitting. Her own running commentary quickly taking a turn towards the risqué, Nami kept a surreptitious eye on the girl next to her. A decidedly cute blush had traveled from the bridge of Vivi’s nose, over her cheeks, and was starting down the column of her neck before they were interrupted.
"Vivi? Your cheeks seem a little red. Are you feeling alright?" Vivi silently cursed the sand that muffled Chopper's footsteps and the satisfied smirk that flashed briefly across Nami's face. She leaned down to allow Chopper to place a questioning hoof against her forehead. "I feel fine, Tony-kun."
“I think we’re just sitting a little too close to the fire, Chopper.” Nami smiled reassuringly at the reindeer even as she snuck a finger over to Vivi, poking her in the thigh as Ace bent over to tie the last rope. “We were just getting up anyway to check on Sanji-kun and dinner.”
Vivi felt her cheeks go even redder as she pulled back from Chopper. "Nami-san's right, we just sat too close to something too hot, that's all." She smiled softly at him. "We'll call you over when it's time to eat."
The first stars were twinkling into existence as they climbed to their feet and shook out still more sand from their clothes. Nami watched her shadow bend and distort, double momentarily in the glow from the two fires that marked the halves of their camp. “Too hot, hmm?” she murmured, just to see the princess squirm. “I was thinking the temperature was finally perfect.”
"Maybe it might have been, if someone hadn't been busy fanning the flames." Vivi kept her eyes turned downward, trying to get some of the heat to fade from her cheeks before another of the boys started asking questions. "Or if Tony-kun had been otherwise occupied."
“Ah well, I’ve always believed in taking advantage of opportunities when they arrive since they don’t always stick around.” She leaned in and bumped Vivi’s shoulder with her own as they walked, the scent of roasting meat mingling with cigarette smoke as they neared the chef. “Sanji-kun! Is dinner ready yet?”
After assuring them that their meal would be finished shortly, Sanji bid them to sit while he finished up, then danced away, barking at a salivating Luffy to keep his hands away from other people's food. Vivi smoothed her skirts out and lowered herself down next to Nami, close enough to feel the warmth radiating off of the other girl.
Night came fast and swift in the desert, nothing like the lingering sunsets she was used to watching on the ocean. It was cold already, the few minutes of an actual comfortable temperature bled away almost before she had had a chance to appreciate them. Nami was glad Vivi was close. The princess was warm and beyond that she was their guide. There were currents to the desert but it wasn't quite the same as navigating on the ocean. Getting lost out here would mean death.
She watched Sanji work a while longer, dinner close to being finished, before she turned to look at the other girl. The princess had her head thrown back, drinking in the pantheon of stars that studded the velvet of the sky like diamonds.
She could feel Nami's gaze on her, questioning. "They seem so bright tonight." Vivi abandoned the heavens to meet Nami's eyes. "It's odd to think that, no matter where I was, I saw the same sky. The things I was doing... it couldn't have been less like my life here. But the stars were always the same." Vivi shivered slightly and moved closer to Nami. "And yet... coming back isn't anything like I had thought it would be."
Wistfulness colored the princess's tone, shaded it with the memory of failed plans and hopes. Vivi was close enough that Nami didn't need to shift more than her arm to pull the girl into the hug it sounded like she so very badly needed. It was hard, but Nami reined herself in and only let her fingertips creep across the chill sand until they could curl gently around Vivi's.
"There's a saying where I come from. You can never go home again. I didn't understand it when I was little. Of course you can go home. Unless your island sinks into the sea, even if the house is gone, the land it was on would still be there. But then I left myself and I learned. Memories are almost always better than reality and nothing is ever truly permanent. If nothing else, you've changed. And you're seeing your home through eyes that have seen so much else."
Vivi squeezed Nami's hand, very glad for the comfort that the other girl was offering to her. "I know, and it's because of that that I worry I won't be able to fit back into the life I left behind. And I've only been away for a few years. I can't imagine what you must have gone through. And you had to do it alone. I don't know that I would have been that strong."
Nami laughed, a short dry bark of a chuckle, and tightened her grip on Vivi's hand. "You sell yourself short, Princess. And you don't have to fit back into your old life. You can make it a new one. Your whole country will be changed, different when all this is over and the truth comes out. Your people will respect all that you have seen and done. It will make you a stronger leader."
The navigator gave in finally, scooting over so that she was flush against the younger girl. Casting bright eyes around the campsite, a small smile flickered across her firelit face before she turned to whisper into Vivi's ear. "I wasn't alone in the end. They saved me, these four boys. And they'll help you too. As will Chopper. As will I."
