After changing her clothes, Nami couldn't help rolling her eyes.
She didn't even know why she'd changed out of her pajamas behind Luffy's back.
Since when did she trust him that much?
Wearing a pink shirt and yellow shorts, long white legs bare, she stepped up and set a hand on his shoulder. "Since that's how it is, shouldn't you pay up?"
"Hm? Pay what?" Luffy looked blank.
"Planning to freeload off me?"
Loose golden strands drifted across her cheek. Orange eyes pinned Luffy as she said:
"Barging into my room is one thing, then you just make yourself at home. Do you know how much time you've wasted for me?"
"Nami, are you that busy?"
"Of course!"
Luffy tilted his head, glancing back at the book to avoid a warning. "Doesn't look like it. You sunbathe when the weather's nice. You've got the easiest job on this ship."
"Jerk! I'm the navigator!" Nami snapped, grabbing his shirt. "And two days ago you had even more free time than me!"
"The me from two days ago isn't the me now." Luffy looked helplessly innocent.
"Hmph, spare me. You're acting seriously suspicious."
Hands on hips, Nami let her imagination race.
Mostly because she hadn't gotten any advantage out of Luffy.
She hadn't taken advantage of Luffy at all.
That was the key point.
"What's suspicious?"
Luffy couldn't follow her logic.
"Are you trying to get my attention? Or did you make some dumb bet with Usopp?"
"Nonsense. Can't I just like studying?"
Even he didn't sound sure.
"You like studying?"
Nami snorted.
Tell that to a three-year-old.
Didn't she know what he was like? If he could lie down he wouldn't sit; if there was meat he wouldn't look at the sky. Now suddenly a bookworm? Something was up.
"Right, that's it. You're putting on a show for me, or you lost a bet to Usopp and you're being punished."
"Slander. That's blatant slander!"
Luffy panicked. She was smearing him. If Zoro and Usopp heard, his credibility as captain would be gone.
Not that he had much to begin with.
"Still mouthing off? How about a wager?"
Seeing him flustered only firmed her conviction. A sly, confident curve lifted her lips.
"What wager?" Stubbornness flared in Luffy.
"You're really serious, right? If you can memorize this book today—not word for word, but the core content, seven or eight parts out of ten—you win."
If it were Zoro, Luffy would agree in a heartbeat.
Among guys, "you win" was the highest recognition.
But this was Nami.
He looked again at the heavy book and lost his nerve, eyes shifting. "Tch, that's boring. The stakes aren't equal."
"Not equal?"
One eyebrow arched. She was surprised he'd even think of a word like that; it only confirmed her suspicion.
He was absolutely competing out of pride.
Her confidence swelled. She lifted her chin, all but saying if you dare accept, I'll follow through.
"Scared already? Fine. Name whatever you want."
"Anything?" Luffy stared. Nami… generous? This was the money-mad Nami.
His eyes spun as he tried to scare her off with what she valued most. "If I win, give me ten million Berries."
Ten million?
The number stunned her.
She narrowed her eyes.
To ask that—either he was crazy, or he had some confidence.
Or he wanted her to back down?
Heh. Luffy was too green.
"Deal," Nami said without hesitation.
Luffy had tossed it out casually. She didn't believe he could memorize in one night what had taken her a month or two to barely grasp.
You agreed to that?
Luffy gaped.
"Then what if I don't have the money?"
Her smile burst brighter than sunlight. She raised a soft white hand and patted his stiff cheek, voice syrupy sweet. "No money, then pay in kind. Become my personal slave, Captain."
Anyone else would think she had a special kink.
And if someone did have one, they might accept on the spot.
"You covet my body?!" Luffy shot to his feet—only for a warning to slam him back down.
Nami curled her lip. What use was he?
She thought for a moment. "Devil Fruit users in the East Blue fetch a high price. If we're short on cash, we'll just sell you."
"I'm the captain!" Luffy tried to salvage his dignity.
Nami leaned closer, breath warm, a teasing smile on her lips. "Admit it. You're just playing tricks to get my attention, right? Nothing to be ashamed of—you're not a kid."
I'm definitely not a kid!
She got under his skin.
He was the man who would become Pirate King.
"Quit looking down on me, Nami."
"A bet it is. But I'm changing my terms too," Luffy huffed.
"Go on." Nami was sure of victory.
"Besides the ten million Berries, you have to agree to one condition from me—the kind you can't refuse."
"Can't refuse?"
Understanding and disdain mingled on her face; her eyes looked at him like trash.
Boys and their little thoughts.
But how could she possibly lose such a bet?
"It's a deal."
Smiling like a blooming flower, basking in a winner's ease, she stepped back, pulled out her chair, sat, folded her arms, and settled in to watch a future slave be born.
"I'm doomed…"
Heat had just surged in Luffy's chest; now the dense medical text doused it by half.
The pages were thick enough to crush hope, the content dry. Memorize it in one night? He got dizzy just reading the table of contents.
He consoled himself.
She agreed so readily—when she loses, make her cry.
Make her draw a hundred charts.
Then the death-knell voice shrieked again in his head: Warning: Focus on medical study declining. Punishment countdown.
No time to think of anything else.
"Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C leading to bleeding gums… fatigue, dehydration fever, seawater not potable… distillation, muscle cramps, electrolytes…"
Urk.
He really might puke.
How could anyone memorize this in one night?