A/N: Hello! This fic is rated M for maybe a future lemon between Luffy and Nami of coarse. I'm going to take this fic slow and have it be filled with sweet romantic moments instead of erotic stuff like Nami's greed. It takes place pre-time skip and after thriller bark. Thanks for taking the time to read my story and I hope you enjoy it.

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Only The Lonely

Chapter 1: When a Man Needs a Woman

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"He's been out there swinging all night." Usopp; along with Chopper, were staring out at the captain hanging from the mast upside down, swinging back and forth by his feet.

"Luffy's been doing that for the past four nights. Ever since we left thriller bark." Chopper had a worried look on his face as both of them were looking out of the kitchen door.

Nami; who was sitting at the Sunnys dinning room table, let out a sigh and looked up from her freshly finished map. She looked over at the two before taking off her glasses and standing up to walk over towards them. Wondering what they were saying about her captain. "What are you two so worried about? He seemed pretty normal at dinner."

"Yeah, you don't gotta tell me twice." Usopp put a hand over his growling stomach. "Why doesn't he ever take your food?" He asked with a frown, still feeling hungry from Luffy stealing from his plate. "I bet its because you have cooties~." He pointed a finger at her with accusing, squinted eyes.

"Please, there's no such thing as cooties, Usopp." The little doctor told him.

Usopp leaned down right into his friends face, whispering. "That's what they want you to think. It's all part of their master plan to get us men sick!" His eyes going wild and arm flailing around as he yelled at him.

"WHAT?! REALLY?! HOW DO WE CURE IT USOPP?!" Chopper asked in a panic as he grabbed Usopp by his overalls and tried to shake the answer out of him.

Usopp shoved his hooves off and put his hand under his own chin. "Unfortunately, there is no sure fire cure. But I! The great doctor Usopp have-"

"Wait a minute! Your not the doctor, I am!"

Usopp twiddled his thumbs nervously, trying to think of a quick lie. "Right, yeah well you see, Hehe..."

Ignoring the two, Nami shoved them out of the way and went to have a talk with her captain. When she walked out on deck, the cool night air hit her bare legs thanks to her mini skirt that was showing off a generous amount of her thighs. Nami kept her eyes on Luffy and walked towards the swinging rubber man.

Luffy snapped his head over towards his navigator when the smell of mikans came to his nose. Of coarse he gave Nami his biggest smile. "Hi, Nami!" Then his smile was replaced with curiosity. "What are you doing out here?" He asked with a raised brow. Still swinging back and forth.

Her eyes followed him swinging as she stepped up beside him. "Just wanted to talk." Nami then sat down on the floor next to him. "So? How's it going?" She asked with a small smile, hoping he'll open up to her like he has in the past.

Luffy looked ahead of him with his arms crossed over his chest. Still swinging by his feet. "Hmm~. I don't really know." He then looked back towards Nami. "Do you ever feel... lonely?" He asked with a frown.

"Lonely?" She asked puzzled before giving him a small smile. "How could anyone feel lonely on this ship? Heck, you'd be lucky to get any time by yourself on here."

"Not that kind of lonely." Luffy told her with a pout.

Nami scoffed at his attitude. "Then what other kind of lonely could it be?" Now crossing her own arms over her chest.

Luffy threw up his hands, although more like down since he was still swinging by his feet. "I don't know! That's why I'm out here trying to figure it out."

She uncrossed her arms and gave him a curious look. "Why aren't you at the Sunny's head? That's where you usually go to think."

Luffy responded with a frown. "I tried thinking there too. But It just didn't help. So I thought I could think better if I got more blood in my brain. So I came here to hang by my feet."

Nami let out a sigh. "You know how stupid that is right? And stop swinging!" She reached out and popped him in the chest to stop Luffy from moving.

"Ow! Why does everything have to be hitting with you?" He started rubbing his chest.

She saw the sad look on his face. He's probably been stressing himself out with this feeling for awhile. "I'm sorry Luffy." She apologized. "You know how I am. I was just trying to help."

Luffy looked at his his chest while continuing to rub it. "Helping hurts." But then he just gave her a soft smile. "But I'm used it, I guess. It hurts a lot. But I'm used to it from you."

Nami frowned at his words. A small pang in her chest. 'What does he mean by that? I don't hit him that much. Do I? Na.' "Anyway." Nami flipped her short orange hair with her hand. "What type of Loneliness are you talking about? Tell me what you've been feeling." But then Nami placed a finger onto his forehead. "And don't say you're 'feeling lonely' to describe what you're feeling. Actually tell me what you feel." She gave him a smile at the end as she pushed his head with her finger. Causing Luffy to slightly rock back and forth.

Luffy made his thinking face, complete with a hand under his chin. "I guess~, I feel like I want someone to hug me."

Nami gave him an odd look. "Hug you? That's it? That's what's been bothering you all this time since thriller bark? Heck, I can do that." She closed her eyes and crossed her arms back over her chest. 'He makes the smallest problems into crises'.

"Will you?"

Eyes opening at the sound of her captains voice. "What?"

Luffy held out his arm for a hug with a huge frown on his face. Or a mad grin. Depending on what angle you're looking at him from. "Will you hug me?" He started moving his fingers in and out in a 'come here' motion. Much like a child asking to be picked up.

"What?! No!" She turned her head away from him and stuck her nose in the air. "Go ask Zoro for a hug."

"Nami~ I want you to do it~." Luffy started whining like he usually does when Nami doesn't give him his way.

Nami kept her face from him. "Why do I have to do it?"

"Because I want you too."

Even though Nami couldn't see, she knew by the tone of his voice that Luffy was giving her that owlish look of his. He does it every time he thinks he's stating the obvious. She decided to look at him. Yup, there's that huge eyed look. "Okay, WHY do you want ME to do it?" Nami asked again.

"Because I feel like hugging you when I feel like this. Not Zoro."

Nami gave him a curious look. "So~, when you're feeling lonely. You want to hug... just me?" She pointed at herself.

Luffy nodded. "Yup. Just you."

Nami let out a small laugh. "Let me make sure I'm understanding you correctly. Whenever you're feeling lonely and want to hug. You don't think of hugging anyone else, but me. Not even Robin or... Vivi?" She was starting to guess what type of loneliness he was suffering from. It all depended on his answer.

This time, Luffy let his feet unhook from the mast and he fell to the floor on his head. Nami just rolled her eyes as both of them stood up. Luffy turning to look at her. "Yes! Whenever I feel like this, the ONLY person I want to hug is you Nami. Just you. Do you know why?" finishing his question with a tilted head.

Nami's lips went into an embarrassed smile with red coming to her cheeks. 'HA haaaa! Luffy has a crush on me~!' Nami then tried to make a straight face to hid her joy, but a small smile could still be seen. "I think I know what you're feeling Luffy. I feel that kind of loneliness sometimes." Her hands going behind her back as she playfully twisted her upper body from left to right.

Luffy was so excited that she knew what he was feeling. "Really Nami?! You feel like hugging you too?!"

Now Nami just face palmed with a 'smack' to her forehead. "Idiot." She whispered before sliding her hand down her face. "No. Luffy. I sometimes feel like hugging a specific person too."

Luffy was just confused. "Really? Who do you feel like hugging?"

After looking around the ship to make sure they were alone, Nami took Luffy by the hand and started leading him out of view from any 'accidental' eyes. "I feel like hugging you." She said with a smile.

"Nami? Where are we going?" Luffy asked with a smile. For some reason, his body was telling him that following Nami was a good idea. So of course Luffy did what his body told him to.

Once she was in a spot where no one would see them, Nami stopped walking and turned to face him. She just stared into his eyes with a sweet smile. Holding his hand in hers. "Do you wanna know what that lonely feeling is, Luffy?"

"Please~ can you tell me already, Nami? This feeling's been bothering me ever since I kicked that fish guys ass."

Wow. Nami couldn't believe that his crush on her went back that far. She then started stepping closer to him. To the point that her toes were touching his, thanks to both of them wearing sandals. "You feel this way because you need a woman."

"I need a woman? That doesn't make sense. I have you and Robin around me all the time. We're all always together."

Nami just let out a peaceful sigh. Instead of getting irritated at his ignorance, Nami was actually enjoying being the first to explain this to him. "Not like that Luffy. Its different. You need a woman for affection. To cuddle with and feel loved by."

"Oh~. I think I know what you're talking about." Luffy said nodding his head in understanding. His hand still being held by his navigator. "So... does that mean that you... need a man to hug like that?"

Nami gave him a little nod herself. "Mhmm. So I think that we should hug. That way we both help each other out. Do you want to hug me, Luffy?" Nami let go of his hand and opened her arms for him.

Instead of answering with words, being more of a man of action, Luffy went to her and hugged her. His arms going around her top torso and behind her back.

Nami however felt like this hug wasn't right. So she corrected him. "Not like that Luffy. You need to hug your woman like this." Nami took his hands and lowered them down to her waist. Then pulling them around her to where his hands rested just above her butt. Nami then came in closer and laid her head on his chest. Her arms going over his shoulders and around his neck. She then let out a deep sigh. "Doesn't that feel better?"

"Yeah." He calmly whispered while closing his eyes. Finally! This is what he's been looking for, for so long! He couldn't help the smile from this warm and fulfilling embrace. So happy in fact that Luffy ran his right hand up Nami's back before placing it behind her head. Pushing her tighter into his chest. He then moved his chin to rest it on top of Nami's short orange hair.

She was surprised at how Luffy moved. She felt so warm and safe in his arms. She always does when he holds her for whatever reason. But to feel him like this? Nami felt so... loved? She knew that Luffy was only using her to fulfill his need for a woman's touch. And the same could be said of her. Nami's never been the intimate sort. Flirty? Sure, but never with real emotion. She flirts to get what she wants and she's never felt the need to flirt with Luffy to get her way with him. When it came to Luffy. She always gave him and only him her true affection. Even though Nami hated to release him, it was getting late. They were standing there hugging for almost half an hour. She was pleasantly surprised that no one caught them. "Okay, Luffy. That's enough for tonight."

Luffy let out a small whine when Nami pushed him away. "Why~? I finally found what I was looking for and you're taking it away from me."

Nami shoved her pointer finger into his forehead. "First of all. Don't call me an 'it'." Sounding and looking offended. Then, after removing her finger, Nami put up a second finger to show two digits. "And two. We're just stopping for now." Nami then lowered her hand. "We can always hug tomorrow, or in the hall, or on an island. You can use me when you need me." Luffy was about to speak but Nami interrupted him. "But!" She said sternly. "I get to use you whenever I want as well AND we can never hug in front of the others. Only in private, understand?"

Luffy just gave her his signature confused look. "Okay. But why?" He asked while scratching his head.

"They just wouldn't understand. Trust me, Luffy. Has your navigator ever steered you wrong?" Sticking her tongue out and winking at him.

Luffy gave her his brightest grin. "Shishishi! Nope! And you never will."

Nami's heart fluttered at his complement. She always does when its Luffy. That's because she knows that he means every word of it. "Thank you captain. Now go to bed! I have tonight's watch."

"Alright. Good night Nami." Luffy started walking to the men's quarters, waving at Nami as he left.

"Goodnight Luffy." Nami waved back. She then started making her way to the crows nest. Stopping just in the middle of the deck to look up at the stars and to breath in the cool night air. After taking in the view and letting out the deep breath, Nami headed up the latter. Anticipating the next time she and Luffy would share another private moment.

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End of chapter one.

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A/N: Hey, hey! I added another story! And I'm working on the update for "The father of my child." next. I already have the beginning started. So I might post that one soon but I make no promises. Also I would really like to thank GirugameshPanda and Darkano95 for helping me get out of my little depression and self doubt I was going through the last two nights. You guys are awesome. So I'll be rewriting "Of skulls and masks." with the helpful tips of Darkano95. AND I started writing another new fic and already have two pages done for it! So that's hopefully 3 more stories coming soon! 1 an update 1 a re-write and 1 a brand new story. I hope you forgave the grammar mistakes in this one. So thank you for reading my story and I hope you enjoyed it.