um hey Nami/Reiju would be such a valid ship, like:
- Nami the Hugest Lesbian
- who would be so protective of Sanji at first. They all know that in her heart, Reiju is kind, but sheās still the One Who Stayed, who could only bandage but never prevent, who chose to side with the violence for the sake of self-preservation
- but Nami also knows a thing or two about looking like the bad guy, so sheās sympathetic. Sanji doesnāt blame Reiju, so neither does Namiāplus she saved Luffyās life.
- I fully believe vying for beautiful women is genetically programmed into all Vinsmoke children
- Reiju who is so grateful for her baby brotherās crew mates, particularly this lovely little lady
- Nami, who often looks scared and wary, but marches into battle anyways for her friends, for the sake of doing the right thing
- can you imagine Reiju learning about Namiās past, perhaps on one quiet and tentative evening bonding with Sanji, sharing a glass of wine
- Nami, who found the strength, as a CHILD, to stand between her beloved village and Arlong. Who couldnāt have the Cocoyashi villagers killing themselves to rescue her, not when she was gonna rescue THEM. Who took up the mantle of the bad guy with no thought at all, because she knew what was important, what she wanted to protect with all her heart.
- can you imagine Reiju CRYING, just finding herself suddenly wracked by these choking sobs, breath unable to pass
- because this incredible woman, as a girl, had been able to do what Reiju never could. Because Reiju had given in to the fear, had shut away all the unhappiness and heartache she ever felt in order to hide from the pain.
- can you imagine Nami finding out, and telling Reiju, quietly, about all the bad things sheās seen, sheās done, sheās let happen as a teenage girl stealing from the world. She asks if Reiju can absolve her of the guilt of throwing other people under the bus, young pirates, old pirates, everybody with stories and pasts that she didnāt care about. She hated all pirates once. She may have never slit a throat, but sheās certainly left people on a sinking ship. Can Reiju forgive that girl for putting her own safety first, when cast into a bad situation?
- Reiju says yes, she can easily absolve a child. But Poison Pink is not a child, hasnāt been one for ages. Sheās known, all the while, what standing with Germa 66 means, and yet she stayed, feet planted in those goddamn raid boots. Surely she canāt be absolved of that.
- no, Nami agrees. But if Namiās learned anything from making a career out of backstabbing, itās that thereās really no such thing as absolution. Thereās certainly forgiveness from person to person, but no one is ever wholly āabsolvedā because no one is ever everything to everyone. All you can do is figure out whom you want to forgive you, and work toward that.
- and if youāre lucky enough to love a brother like Sanji-kun, she would add, heād have already forgiven you.
- so not to sound cheesy or anything, but what it really comes down to is can you forgive yourself.
- can you? Reiju asks Nami, quietly and with so much on the line.
- most days, yes, is Namiās proud answer. But on the days you canāt...
- well, on the days you canāt, you make sure to feed a little slice of mikan to Luffy. You make sure to shift Zoroās swords out of kicking range from exiting the cabin door (you with your cat burglar hands are the only one who can do it so silently, Zoro doesnāt shift in his sleep). You make sure to check in on Usoppās new experiments and inventions. You make sure to thank Sanji for the delicious afternoon tea.
- you praise Chopperās work ethic. You tell Robin about the most recent novel you read and ask for recommendations. You bring Franky a chilled bottle of coke and take one of his many sea-faring bikes out for a spin. You point to a place on an old world map and challenge Brook to play a song from that region. You cuddle with Carrot in between her wrestling bouts with Luffy. You pay it forward, is her point, to the Nakama you treasure, every little gesture as a self-aware vow, āI promise I wonāt betray you, not like I did before.ā
- Reiju is unconvinced. Death, it seemed to her, was the easiest compensation. Why else would the world have death penalties? In death, there was no risk of a second betrayal. There was no risk of going back to that cool mask of Poison Pink. No risk to her, no risk to others.
- Nami getting ticked, as she does at anyone who throws away their life. She reminds herself this is not an unknowing child though, but a grown woman who has survived an incredibly violent life. How EASY it was for Ichiji, Niji, Yonji, who had someone else handily cut the humanity out of them. Reiju had to do it herself, and if left messy scars.
- I held onto life because I had something to protect, Nami says. I had people I loved and a dream I wanted to fulfill no matter what. You... youāve got to find that.
- Iām a human weapon crafted for war, Reiju answers with no trace of self-pity whatsoever, sounding instead bewildered. Iām a mercenary. Sure, I would like to protect Sanji, but even you would admit thatās a rare chance to be had.
- and then Nami snaps her fingers, an idea coming to mind.
- a mercenary, huh? You take any job for money?
- we may be evil, Reiju says carefully, but we still have a code.
- then how about I hire you for a job?
- if any of the Strawhats witnessed this moment, their jaws would be on the floor, seeing Nami willingly fork over money. Reiju just looks bemused.
- the job is to go protect someone who needs it. It can be anybody. Just... youāre so strong Reiju, and you can do so much. Germaās already taken so much of your life, I would hate to see them ruin the rest.
- cue Reijuās arc of self-discovery, figuring out what she likes, what she wants, what she cares about. She admires Sanji so much for his passion in cooking, Nami for her passion in cartography. She wants something like that for herself so, so bad.
- (maybe she becomes a rare amphibian conservationist. All those poisonous frogs šø , and the slimy bastards remind her somewhat-fondly of her stupid brothers-minus-Sanji.)
- anyways omg, Nami giving Reiju job after job like, āgo give someone a present they didnāt expect,ā or, āgo give someone comfort in a moment of need.ā
- Namiās growing love for this weird, beautiful, poison-drinking older lady who wants to not want to die so badly. She also gets to delight in Reiju always coming back, to see Sanji sure, but also to see her specifically. Reiju develops a habit of bringing back presents: advance tech, old maps, weather gadgets, canned oranges from different islands. Nami gets someone as fixated on GIVING her things as Sanji is, but some of Reijuās presents make her blush.
- omg, Nami giving Reiju a map to Cocoyashi village. āGo give someone a hug for me.ā Reiju and Nojiko bonding over the bonfire that is Nami, saving both their lives.
Wow anyways this can go on and on but!!! Even Sanji would ship it!!! God, heād be so stressed out about who to give the shovel talk to, ācause thatās his sister but also thatās ~Nami-swan~ but in the end he just ends up talking Reiju out of shovel-talking herself and encourages both of them to go for what they want.
