❛ ONE OF YOU NEEDS TO FOLLOW HER. ❜
₊˚៹ . ❪ episode : THE GIRL WITH THE
SAWFISH TATTOO ❫˖ ₊˚.⋆
࿐┊ CH. 21┊🏴‍☠️🌊👒

▅▅▅ ▅▅▅ ▅▅▅ ▅▅▅ ▅▅▅

The Straw Hat crew quickly walked along the pathway though the massive, and long tangerine grove, where many of the yummy fruit was being grown on the healthy trees.

Many times during the walk (Y/N), like the airhead she was, wanted to stop and touch some of them, but was tugged back gently by the swordsman and cook walking behind her with Luffy.

"I think I got more of a boat body than a long-journey-on-foot kind of body." Usopp was nervously ranting out to them, trying to keep up with the fast walking, "Anybody else missing the ocean?"

His question gained no response back from them making him deflate in on himself grumbling, but perked up a bit when the Monkey D. girl turned her head back to him, and sent him a toothy reassuring smile.

They arrived at the end of the grove where some of the villagers were walking along the open path, carrying supplies and sorts to their homes, as one of them had a wheelbarrow full of straw, surprisingly.

The house Genzo also talked about was just ahead also, stationed just across from the grove full of fruits, making the crew turn their direction towards it, and the siblings walked up to the front steps first, the others behind.

As soon as they setted foot on the property the door was flying open, appearing out from it was the same blue haired woman carrying a shot gun, aiming it at the pirate crew.

(Y/N)'s face paled seeing the gun right in front of them, raising her hand up a little to her chest area and she yelped a bit startled feeling two bodies come up beside her, on either side to shield her in a way.

Taking a daring peek up from under the brim of the straw hat, she spotted Zoro with a stoic face on her right side, both hands resting on his sword, and Sanji with a calm expression on her left with his hands in his pants pockets, both radiating an air of protection.

"Turn around and leave. Now!" Nojiko the dark-skinned woman ordered in warning, motioning her gun at the crew who backed up a little bit at the weapon being out.

"Hey, me and my sister saw you earlier." Luffy started off with a kind smile, pointing his thumb back at his sibling who was freaking out in between the boys, "I think maybe us three have something in common."

She just pursed her lips bored lifting her other hand to pull on the trigger, showing them it was now ready to be fired, "I've got the gun, and you're standing in front of it. What could we possibly have in common?"

"Let's start with Nami." (Y/N) now spoke up softly from behind her brother as he moved a bit so Nojiko could see her, "Seems you know her very well." She finished arms crossed over her chest, still in between the two males.

"She's a thief with no conscience." The blue haired girl sneered out in answer with venom, moving her dark eyes to the other girl warily, "And when there's no more left to take, she leaves and doesn't turn back. Now get off my property."

"Nami's part of out crew." Luffy took over the conversation again going back to standing in front of his sister, and shrugged flashing a tiny smile, "She's our friend."

Nojiko furrowed her brows confused glancing over the entire group in front, before shaking her head in denial, "My sister doesn't have any friends." She stated gaining Zoro's attention from his captain, "The sooner you realise that, the better."

"Sisters. That makes sense." Sanji remarks showing off a flirtatious smile at Nojiko, which had (Y/N) feeling that same ache in her chest again moving closer to Zoro's side, "Both as beautiful as each other."

The swordsman rolled his eyes at Sanji's lame womanising ways, hand slipping down to perch on his captains waist comforting, "Give it up." He grunted annoyed pulling her against him, making Sanji send him an evil eyed scowl.

"Oh, I can tell she really did a number on you guys." Nojiko commented knowingly nodding her head to herself, glancing at the familiar bracelets around (Y/N)'s wrists, that were similia to the one Nami had, "You're not special, and I can't help you."

This is getting no where, the Monkey D girl thought to herself groaning, leaning the side of her head onto Zoro's upper arm feeling him tense up, and looked towards Sanji who stepped forward a bit now.

"How about a meal?" He suddenly offered smiling gently unlike before once he realised how his captain reacted, and he gained a confused noise from Nojiko, "An exchange of sorts for your valuable time and information."

This had the blue haired woman's interests perked up now, shifting the gun in her hand to under her arm and narrowed her eyes on Sanji asking, "You cook?"

"He's a waiter." Zoro corrected in his monotone voice bluntly not looking at Sanji, as (Y/N) gently wacked his arm for the insult scolding him, and he pinched her waist in response also softly.

"He's the best cook in the East Blue." Usopp chirped up from behind Zoro and their captain, holding onto a tangerine that he got for her grinning, "You never tasted anything better in your life. Usopp's word!"

Nojiko raised her right brow up, challenging the cook to see if he could live up to that claim, "Ain't got much to cook with." She points out gun now lowered a bit.

Sanji chuckles flicking back his blonde bangs from his forehead, "You'd be surprised how much I can make with a very few ingredients." He claims proudly sending a suggestive look at his quiet captain, before smirking back at Nojiko, "C'mon, what do you say? We have a little dinner, a little conversation."

"Fine." She agreed fully lowering the gun from being pointed at the pirates, making the siblings both giggle showing happy grins at her, "But there'd better be dessert." She warns before walking inside the house, inviting the group in also.

Sanji turned to the swordsman with a smug smirk, followed by a mocking wink that had Zoro glaring at him irritated, opening his mouth to say something.

But was stopped when (Y/N) squealed running into the house excitedly with Luffy and Usopp, making the boys sigh to themself fondly smiling at her figure from behind and followed in after her.

........

Nighttime had came fast for the hometown where Nami was from, the noise also pipping down which left the sound of crickets, and the gentle breeze blowing through the trees around the small village. Inside of it, the fire was burning in the pit near the back of the house, as the lights were also turned on to brightened things up.

The crew were all sat down around the table in the living room of Nojiko's hut, waiting for the food that Sanji was going to cook for them. (Y/N) was sat down right in front of Nojiko, with Zoro on her other side and Luffy sitting beside her also, but at the end of the table next to Usopp.

Sanji eventually came out of the kitchen carrying the plates for the three who wanted food, giving in to Usopp and Nojiko, before his captain. He placed it onto the table in front of her winking charmingly, "For you, mon amour."

She brightened up seeing the delicious bowl of food now in her vision, tilting her head up to him showing a sweet smile, and motioned with her hand rapidly for him to bend down for a second.

He did so with a confused but flirtatious smirk, loving the fact that he could hear Zoro scoffing under his breath. Once the cook was near her level, she gripped him by his collars and gently pressed her lips to his cheek leaving a big smooch, "Thanks a bunch, Sanji!"

She let go of his collars to pat them down giggling, turning back to eat the food giving to her quickly, and left an embarrassed, goofily grinning Sanji in her wake. His cheeks were red walking back to stand behind her, and gave Zoro another mocking smirk at his scowling.

Two can play that game, the swordsman thought grumbling to himself, moving the hand laying in his lap comfortable to slip it around his captain waist, and placed it daringly near the inside of her thigh, squeezing from time to time mindlessly.

This set off Sanji now seeing him touching their captain so inappropriately, clenching his jaw tightly as he gripped the bowl of food in his hands making it crease under the strength of it. Zoro just raised his eyebrows at him, lips moving up into a cocky smirk this time, and ran his fingers along the inside of her thighs more under the table.

(Y/N) was slurping up the noddles from the spoon she had in her mouth, giving some to Luffy also once she was finished, and gulped nervously feeling Zoro's rough fingers along her skin. Not this again, she thought feeling like she was about to explode, from how flustered she was. But yet, wasn't going to stop him at all.

"Mmh!" Nojiko hummed enjoying the food she was eating, eyes closed in bliss savoring the delicious state, as she stuff more into her mouth quite quickly.

Usopp was smiling knowingly at the girl enjoying the food, also having his own spoon for the noddles Sanji gave him, "Told you." He remarks to her, before scooping up some of the dish.

She laughed through her nose a little, swallowing down the noddles in her mouth before looking at Sanji leaning against the wall behind (Y/N), "You know, this is the best thing I've eaten in my entire life."

Sanji glanced a bit away sheepishly with a small smile across his lips, "Listen. There's plenty more where that came from, but..." He trailed off fiddling with the spoon in his ringed hand, staring over the crew before landing back on her, "first, we really need to know about Nami."

Nojiko nodded a bit in acknowledgement taking a deep breath in, before exhaling heavily, "The truth is..." She began to tell them about her past with Nami, how Arlong came into the picture all those years ago, killing their adopted mother Bellermere, who deafened him from them, and that the fishmen made the village pay to live in the village.

By the end of the truth telling, all the Straw Hat's were quiet, and each had different reactions to who really was their navigator, and what Nami had to go through as a child, still is going through with Nojiko.

(Y/N)'s head was turned downwards with the hat's brim covering half of her face from view, casting a shadow underneath. Her teeth grit together, and felt Zoro's thumb rubbing smoothing circles along her inner thigh sensing how upset, and angry she was feeling.

The room was silent now apart from how Sanji was sniffling, and coughed into his fist to clear his throat, getting emotional over what was told. Usopp then goes to break the silence completely, "Wait. Nami's working for the pirate that killed your mother?"

He gained a signal firm nod from Nojiko who also looked upset to retell her childhood with Nami, and shuffled in her spot glancing down at the empty bowl on the table.

Once more heavy silence took over the room, the (H/C) haired girl suddenly stood up from her spot without a sound, making the others all look to her.

The facial expression she wore was a mix of confusion, anger and dread, as her eyebrows were furrowed together shocking the majority of them having not seen that look before.

Without a word muttered from her mouth she turns to walk through them all, going past Sanji who followed her figure with a worried look. He felt her fingers brush up reassuring along his suit sleeve, before she disappeared outside of view, making the crew stare concerned.

"One of you needs to go after her." Luffy now spoke up seriously once his sister was gone, face set in stone glancing between the two males who were still looking where she left sadly, "Preferable Zoro right now, as he's the first mate."

Sanji furrowed his eyebrows together not liking the idea of moss-head being alone with her, but would gladly put up with if it it meant her getting comfort right now. He also did understand the first mate code, as those two have been together for longer than him and her.

Zoro nodded also in agreement not bothered to rub it into the cook's face, as all that mattered was his captain in that moment to him. Gripping his sword in hand, he stands up also quietly and follows after where the girl went to.

The man swore himself to (Y/N) entirely, to being her first mate and that's what he was about to do honouring his vow, to be her support in her time of need.

Walking outside into the dark of night feeling the cold breeze hit his warm cheeks, he stops near the ladder leading up onto the roof where some fire pits were around the bottom of it.

His head perked up a little bit hearing the familiar sound of her soft sniffles, making him place his sword back into its holder, and began to climb the ladders steps all the way up onto the huts roof until he hopped off of it.

In the middle of the branched makeshift covering on the lower part of the roof, sat (Y/N) with her knees pulled up to her chest, arms circled around them and rested the top of her chin on her knees gazing up at the majestic stars in the sky shinning down.

He takes off his sword to place it into his hand again, taking a few steps towards her silently not to scare her off, and sat down a few inches from her left shoulder, only leaving a small gab between them in case he made her uncomfortable.

She sensed his familiar presence straight away even before he climbed the ladder, but still remained quiet in her swarming thoughts about Nami, and what to do next on the matter. She also knew whatever she decide, Luffy would of already thought of it and agreed, something that the siblings also seemed to somehow have in common.

Zoro doesn't turn his head towards his captain, wanting her to speak first if she needed to, and sat by her side, something that he also vowed to do forever. His fingers goes to grab onto his sword laying in front of him, and that was what got her to say something.

"She was just a kid, Zoe." (Y/N) whispered in a croaky tone, fingers digging into her skin harshly imagining how scared Nami would of felt in that moment, and placed her forehead onto her knees, "What happened to them, is not fair nor right."

He slowly let go of his white sword to place it onto the roof, elbows leaning against his crossed legs that were just grazing hers, "She's not anymore." He reminded in a firm rasp, keeping his gaze turned away still into the night, "She made her choice."

A few seconds past of comfortable silence between the couple after his words, before the Monkey D. girl lifted her head up to sigh heavily, and gripped her arms more tighter, "I'm really tired of hearing about Nami from other people."

"She told you to leave, (Y/N)."

Her lips perked up into a soft grin hearing his protest, shaking her head a little as she now turns to face him fully, "So did you, Zo." She whispered knowingly, a fond glint in her eyes staring at his side profile, and pressed her cheek into her knees watching him.

Zoro also felt a bit of a smirk tug on his face, moving to purse them instead, earrings making a sound as he lifted his head, and gazed down at her worriedly also, "How do you know she's not one of Arlong's crew?"

"Same way I knew you weren't gonna kill me when I freed you from that cross." She began to explain how she trusts her intuition, shuffling a tad bit closer to his body now as he continued to gaze softly, "Same way me and Lu knew about Usopp," An adoring smile lines her lips thinking of the cook now, "and Sanji of course."

The swordsman's makes a groaning noise in the back of his throat, rolling his eyes at the mention of Sanji, "Yeah, I don't know about that waiter." He mumbled lowly, a scowl taking over his features that had her giggling.

"C'monnn, don't be like that Zoe." She mused through a teasing smile, nudging her shoulder against his as those were now touching, and tapped her fingertips onto his upper chest, "You're both amazing in you're own way to me."

This had his entire demeanor changing up. His head titled down to her with a dangerous glint in his eyes, arm slipping around her waist to pull her flushed against his side carefully, other hand going under her chin to grip it gently between his forefinger and thumb.

"Oh, yeah?" He mumbled in a husked tone, thumb rubbing slowly over her parted bottom lip as he tilts her her head up towards him, and he gently bumps his nose into hers flashing a toothy grin that lit up his features.

She gulped down the lump in her throat feeling her insides twisting with butterflies, fingers sruchning up his blue shirt tightly, and tried to keep her cool feeling like she was going to pass out, "Mmhhm, o-of course-"

They spent a few seconds admiring each other having one another so close for once, from him rubbing over her freckles on her cheeks, to her seeing the beautiful hazel tint he had in his eyes, and that his tan skin also had a few marks just like hers.

Feeling his warm breath caress along her flushed skin she closed her eyes tightly, and scrunched up his shirt more into fists on his upper chest. He surprised her when he cradled the back of her head now, her hat bumping up a bit in result, and leant down to slowly to press his lips against the corner of her lips, as the soft touch lingers for a few more minutes.

Zoro slowly separated from her while gently brushing back a strand of her hair behind her ear, as she gazed up at him with wide, doe eyes not believing that just happened. He was getting bolder and bolder now, something she only expected from the cook.

Oh my- OH MY GOD!?, (Y/N) screeched in her thoughts having a freaking out moment, quickly pushing her face up against his neck to hide her embarrassment from him, and felt his chest rumbling with laugher at her response.

"Glad to know I have an effect on you, princess." He rasped against her ear in an teasing whisper, one hand rubbing up and down her back sensationally, and grazed his mouth along her earlobe.

"Cant wait to see more of your cute reactions." He adds chucking seductively, as his other hand was placed back in his lap, and pressed another warm kiss on the skin behind her exposed ear.

Her flustered yelp was muffled by his skin as she was nuzzled into the crook of his neck, and only pulled back deadpanning in warning feeling his hands getting too low near her butt, which had him smirking innocently like nothing happened.

Sighing heavily to control her fast beating heart, she shifts in his arm to lean her head onto his shoulder and grabbed his hand still around her waist, "I know Nami's good, she has too be." She mumbled sadly gripping his hand tightly, and furrowed her brows, "She just needs to know it too."

His dark eyes just looked down at her stationed against his side, inhaling deeply for exhaling fully trusting her and her course of action. He gives her hand a firm squeeze, and gently places his head on top of hers, pulling her closer to his body in reassurance.

........

After the meaningful talk with Zoro she was back downstairs in the main room with the others, leaving the swordsman with Luffy to talk about more of the plan now also. She was in between Sanji and Nojiko helping Usopp make weapons, as Buggy was out of his bag sitting on the table annoying the group.

"Tick, tick, tick, tick tick, tick," He began to repeated in a taunt to the snipper working on his smoke bombs, "Boom!" Buggy than exclaimed startling Usopp, who flinched giving him an unamused stare as the clown laughs.

(Y/N) deadpanned at the clown who continued to laugh, before looking to Sanji beside her who instantly grinned at her brightly, "Remind me why you guys took him out of his bag prison?" She grumbled placing her palm into her forehead annoyed, feeling a headache coming on.

The blonde sheepishly shrugged his shoulders not knowing why either, flicking back his bangs to gently grab the rag from in her other hand, "Don't know, belle." He answered in his thick accent, and smiled reassuring giving her forearm a squeeze, "If he says anything rude, I'll silene him for ya."

Her eyes crinkle up at the sides from how giant her smile was, ears feeling a bit hot again hearing Usopp snicker amused from across them, and snapped back to cleaning off the bombs he was not finished making.

Nojiko also watched the pair act with a knowing gaze, before placing down the objects she had in her hands onto the table, "Yeah, I'm gonna go get some air." She tells them sighing, before turning around to walk through the open hut doors.

"Can you just be quiet?" Usopp complained to the noisy clown trying to focus, as he held onto the materials he was using to make the smoke bombs, really regretting taking the pirate out of his bag now.

"Aw, come on. Where's the fun in that?" Bugg mused smirking, watching the sniper trying to control his shaking hand, "Do you really think your little toys can get through the skin of a fishman?"

This irked the Monkey D. girl seeing her friend getting pestered by the clown, as she placed down the rag in her hand, "Buggy..." She trailed out his name in a eerily calm tone, making the said male gulp nerouls staring up at her, "You better knock it off," She made a small flame appear in her palm again smirking demonically, "or do you actually want me to burn you?"

Usopp grinned amused at their captain, thankful she was sticking up for him, before looking back at Buggy with a smug smirk. On the other side of her, Sanji had his hand placed over his face trying to hide his red cheeks, finding her once again incredibly attractive when she got all protective like that.

Buggy grumbled words under his breath understanding rolling his eyes, and shuffled his head towards them all now, "Let's be real for a second Fox girl. Arlong's gonna bite the shit out of your crew anyway!" He went to exclaim out loudly now, "None of them will stand a chance against him and his army. And because of that, you, Fox girl will most likely be forced to become his stupid of a queen-!"

Sanji had picked up a near by tangerine from the bucket behind them, gently moving his confused captain out of the way to shove the fruit into Buggy's mouth, completely silencing him from talking further.

"New guy shuts up the clown head." He remined through a patronising smirk, before his face shifted into a scowling murderous one, grunting out in warning lowly, "Watch your mouth around my captain, shitty clown."

(Y/N) tried not to squeal hearing him saying this to Buggy now, not knowing this also happened with Zoro also but wasn't there to experience it. She slaps her flustered cheeks gently, and grumbles seeing Usopp grinning a bit teasingly at her, as she makes her way back over to the front door.

.........

In the dark of night in one of the many paths traveling through the tangerine groves, Nami fell to her knees completely at a lost, and hopeless now that all her saved up money to buy back her home was wrongly taking away from her.

The very fishman pirate, Arlong who promised she could buy it back, was the one who made the Marines take the privilege right away from her in the back of an eye. The only thing they didn't take, was the familiar orange bracelet on her wrist that was keeping her sane right now.

Her cheek were wet with tears, nose stuffy and unable to breath properly through it, "Arlong..." She gritted out through her teeth, whimpering as her face scrunches up looking at the saw tattoo on her arm.

"Arlong!" She cries more strongly now, using her fingernails to dig into the skin of her tattoo, and makes a long scratch along the mark disgusted screaming out, "Arlong!"

Nami snatches her knife from the ground with her braceleted hand, raising it up high into the air as she stabs it straight into her arm, "Arlong!" She screams in pain, but it wasn't from the knife, it was from how she let herself be tricked so easily, and now lost the only chance her home could ever know freedom.

She continued to stab the knife into her tattoo over and over again, shouting Arlong's name in rage as her skin starts to become bloody, and some it it leaked down her arm onto the dirt below.

However before she could do any more harm to herself futher, a hand was quick to grasp her wrist mid away, now completely stopping the motion. Nami glanced up through her blurry gaze, spotting a sad but serious faced (Y/N) holding her wrist, with Luffy right beside her also looking the same.

Nami's bottom lip quivered seeing the siblings standing there behind her, snapping her head back down away towards the ground, "I told you to get the hell out of here." She sneered through her teeth aggressively.

"You did, but we're not abandoning you." (Y/N) murmured out in a lowered voice, squeezing Nami's wrist softly seeing the bracelet on it as the knife drops from her hand in response to the floor.

Roughly pulling free her wrist trapped in the other ones hold, she digs her fingers into the dirt under her palms, and feebly flicked it back at the pair, "Then leave." She sobbed in a strong tone, "You don't know anything about what's going on here."

The Monkey D. girl shared a brief look with Luffy staying quiet beside her, hat covering his eyes from her view also, "I don't. None of us do." She answered briefly, still keeping her voice low enough for Nami to hear, and stared at their navigator with a stone cold look.

A few seconds went by after her words being said to Nami, who swallowed the forming lump in her throat, and parted her lips, "(Y/N).... Luffy...." She called weakly, turning her tear stained face up to them, crying in a voice crack beg, "Help me."

This had them both shifting their face into determined ones hearing her pleading for help, as the (H/C) haired girl slipped off the perious straw hat and gently placed it onto Nami's head, pushing it down so it sat on her head to give her comfort, and protection.

"Of course I will." The siblings muttered their agreement in sync with one another, eyes holding nothing but determination to aid the girl who was in need of them, as they bump the sides of their fists together now also.

Turning around with a purposeful glare creasing her forehead, her hair falls free over her shoulders now from Nami having the hat, "Of course we will!" She shouts loudly, and meaningfully back at the other girl, voice echoing around and picks up her walking along side Luffy.

Nami placed her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs, tears running down her cheek in waves as she gripped the girls hat with her braceleted hand tightly, finding strength and comfort in their captains things.

Down the path a little bit waiting for the next move was the rest of the crew, Usopp sat on the ground with his arms and legs crossed, Zoro sat on a bench carrying his sword also, and Sanji standing up in the middle with a cigarette in his mouth taking hits from it.

Luffy walked up a head of his sister who lingered behind a bit, her face never being so serious before at the fact Nami pleaded for their help, "Let's go!" She calls to the crew in an order strictly, once she reached near them.

"Right!" In sync all the boys exclaimed back hearing what she demanded, as the few stand up from their spots to gather around near the bushes leading into the groves some more.

Clamoring in the distance was echoing around the area also, catching Usopp's attention who looked head seeing the chaos in the faraway land, "What's that?" He questioned concerned hearing gunshots also now.

(Y/N) furrowed her brows coming to stand in the middle of the group next to Luffy, with Sanji and Zoro on either side of her, seeming like it was a nornal thing for this trio now to trap her in between them.

Explosions go off in the distance also now, making her eyes go wide in horror seeing the home town now up in flames, "They're attacking the village..." She spoke through gritted teeth feeling her blood boil, and was very unaware of how the irises of her eyes were glowing a faint orange colour.

─►☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE :
this chap had me going through so many emotions good lord, went from giggling and fan girling to screaming and crying in seconds pls LMAOAAO😭emotional roller coaster fr BUT its all good now since the gfs are finally back together and nami
will be saved now YIPEEE my poor girl though :((

getting closer to the end guys and i don't want that whatsoever!! though im not worried since there is still a decent amount left to write, for both scenes with the boys and y/n and the ep scenes also

also omg?? 100k reads on this fic?? GUYSS???? NO WAY THATS CRAZY i can't believe you guys really like my writing i can't 🥹 thank you so much i adore and love you all to infinity i swear <33

i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and
pleaseeee don't be silent readers 🫶