draft 8

[mekachu04]

---

Sanji brought everyone a snack later in the afternoon, along with drinks for the ladies. His crew was sprawled across the deck, boys up to who knows what while Nami and Robin had pulled a table and some chair out to take advantage of a picture perfect day, their young passengers sitting with them. Sanji felt he should be jealous, but unlike Momo, neither of these boys seemed all too interested in antagonizing the rest of the boys with what they could get away with. If they even noticed the lovely breasts, they didn't pay them the slightest mind.

Sanji doesn't know if that's better or worse.

Kidd is sitting in Nami's lap, the two chatting amicably as Nami painted his tiny finger nails hot pink. Killer is watching; they'd already painted his nails and he's holding them put like he's afraid to smudge them, sitting in Robin's lap as she uses her abilities to turn the pages on the book they might be reading together. Her and Killer's nails are a deep royal purple.

Killer's head is pillowed in Robin's tits and Sanji really wants to be jealous, but the kid doesn't seem to even notice something is amiss, so Sanji is certainly not going to bring it up. He also doesn't have his mask on, and Sanji can't help but find some happiness for the kid in that.

The chatter dies off as he approaches, Nami resting her chin on Kidd's head as Sanji places the drinks in a flourish. Kidd looks at him like he's an idiot - heathen clearly doesn't know now to treat a lady - and curiously, Killer twists around to look at Robin to see how to respond.

"Where is my drink?" Kidd demands, open palm hitting the table next to Nami's drink, fingers still carefully stretched out to not ruin her work. Nami just smirks at Sanji.

Instead, Sanji puts down little sandwiches, crusts already removed, for the four of them. "I can get you some juice, if you are thirsty?" he offers.

"Maybe some lemonade?" Robin suggests, and Sanji turns to see she has crouched over slightly, looking at Sanji, but listening to... Killer, who has sat up and looks to be whispering to Robin. "But not as sweet this time?"

Nami looks surprised, but Kidd looks like he's about to burst of of his skin in pride, grinning ear to ear in a way only the rubber-skin of Luffy seemed to be possible. "Yes!" he demands, beating on the table, "Lemon Drink!"

Nami says something to him, and he looks back, grin gone for pure offense. Before Sanji can question it, she wags her eye brows, cause Kidd to roll his eyes so hard his whole body moves in her lap.

"Lemons, please," he intones are dully as he can, before going to grab a sandwich.

No one stops him, but he pulls his hand back, and starts to blow furiously on his nails, poking them tentatively so see if they're dry yet, only for Nami to tut when they clearly are not. Robin saves the day by holding one in from on of Kidd with a blossomed hand, and he bites into it with such a ferocity, Sanji's surprised he didn't get fingers in there.

Sanji goes to get the boys some lemonade, wondering if these are Killer's first words since this whole things began, or if he's been talking to Kidd. Kidd's reaction could put it in either direction.

---

It was a nice day, marred only by the lack of wind. The crew whittled away the time with little side projects, ad Nami found herself sitting out in the grass, hair pick in hand, carefully smoothing out Usopp's hair while Zoro napped next to them under the shade of her trees.

She'd been at it for some time now - when they'd first started to sail together, Usopp had walked her through how to comb out his curls without frizzing them up after their first night on the Merry. It taken him forever to wash the blood out, and she could only watch him try to rework his hair alone for so long before offering to help.

It was one of the very few things she didn't charge for.

As she had worked, somewhere around the half way point, the trio had been surprised by Killer, Kidd and Chopper. Their play had taken Kidd & Chopper running past, but Killer had stopped and just watched them for a long moment. Nami did her best to not stare back, and just focused on her work, and it was finally Zoro who tilted his head to the study the small boy. "You coming or going?"

"Can.. Can I stay?" his voice was small, uncertain. A new thing they where all trying to get used to.

"Of course you can stay," Usopp reassured him.

They'd expected him to keep standing, or maybe sit with Zoro as he found the other first mate an acceptable nap partner. Instead, he climbed into Usopp's lap - with some help from the sniper - and stood on his thighs, watching Nami work from over Usopp's shoulder. After some hesitation on Usopp's part, Killer accepted the sniper's hands casually resting on the back of his calves to help stabilize him even if the boy's sea legs had come in quick enough. In turn, Killer had tucked into him, one hand around Usopp's neck in a half hug, the other under his chin on Usopp's shoulder, watching with the rapt attention a child has when witnessing something fascinating for the first time.

"Do.. Do you want to help?" Nami offered, disappointed when Killer looked at her, an uncertain surprised look she was addressing him at all, before quickly shaking his head 'no' and trying to hid between her and Usopp. But he didn't run away this time, and Usopp drummed his fingers against his legs in what he hoped was reassurance.

Nami tried not to feel hurt and instead focused on finishing up so she could leave, no longer enjoying the quiet time. She could also feel Zoro studying her, and she refused to look in his direction either.

"Does it hurt?"

Nami glanced up to see Killer had inched back up to watch her work again, but was turned and whispering to Usopp. Usopp couldn't look at him from where he was without moving his head - and Nami's hold on his hair prevented that. "Not at all, Nami's very good at it," he reassured the boy instead, his bounced his legs a little, the boy giggling with the motion.

"But it's all tangled..."

"It was all tangled, sure, but our Nami is very patient, and she's getting the knots out for me." Usopp moved one of his hands to Killer's back and pulled some of his finished hair around his other shoulder "and then, she helps get it all fixed so it wont tangle later, see."

Killer braced himself one handed on Usopp's shoulder, other tiny fingers holding the coils that Usopp offered. He studied to tight coil that Nami has curled his hair into, fingers rolling it a bit and messing up her work.

His eyebrows furrowed, the forced smile pinched and he ducked under Usopp's chin. Hiding, he held out the hair he'd messed up over Usopp's shoulder; presenting it to Nami.

Zoro was no longer pretending to sleep, sitting up to watch, though his position remained relaxed.

Nami sectioned off the area she'd been working on over Usopp's shoulder, Killer's whole body flinching where it rested against his other arm now twisted up in Usopp's overall straps. Killer wasn't looking directly at her, but she knew from experience he was very aware of her every move right now. "Well that's no good," she said softly, holding the offered hair, hand not quite touching the little boy's "Lets see about getting that fixed for Usopp..."

Killer peaked up at her then, blue eye barely visible between Usopp's body and his own blond hair. Nami gently took the offered hair, and worked it back into shape. "See," she handed it back, "All good now."

Killer withdrew back around the front of Usopp, studying the fix. He then showed it to Usopp. "I told you, Nami is very good."

Killer seemed contemplative, remaining tucked in and studying the lock of hair. Nami and Zoro shared a look, where he gave a shrug and settled back into his nap. With nothing more to do, Nami returned to Usopp's hair.

She was nearly done when she heard Killer whispering at Usopp again; well, at first only hearing Usopp's answers, the boy's voice dropped too low.

"As long as it takes." Usopp was saying. She heard the murmur of Killer asking something, but not the words. "No no, of course not."

"What about when she pulls?"

"She doesn't pull on purpose, and she'd very gentle. Doesn't hurt at all."

"What if she can't get the knot out?"

Usopp frowned, "It might take a bit, but she'll get it," he reiterated; while worded a little different, the boy was starting to repeat his questions. Like he as trying to catch Usopp out on a lie and Usopp was .. well, he wasn't offended, but he'd thought he'd done pretty well in being mostly truthful with the other pirate crew of two - at least on the important stuff.

"But what if she can't?" Or maybe Killer was trying to ask something else, and just hadn't found the right way yet....

Usopp rubbed his back, the boy sighing, thudding his head against Usopp's collar bone, "Nami's very smart, she'll figure something out. Once, I got my fishing line so knotted up it was as thick as my arm. You could have used it to pull up the ancher. But Nami got it untangled like it was nothing." and maybe that wasn't exactly true, but it was close enough.

Killer muttered his next question into Usopp's chest - he felt it more than heard it, and bounced his leg a little, jostling the boy around.

Killer took a breath and repeated himself.

"I dun' wan'er to cu'my hair."

Ohhhh... Usopp understood now. At least, he think he might. "I don't think there's ever been a not Nami couldn't untangle. She would never cut your hair just to get a knot out."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart."

Killer was quiet for a time, and Nami bit her lip from saying anything. She finished up Usopp's hair, and gathered it all back, making sure it was all even and laying right.

Zoro spoke up then, eye still closed, but clearly talking to the little boy. "Nami would never do anything you didn't want he to do. if you tell her you don't want your hair cut, i promise you, she won't cut your hair."

Usopp