Marks
An anon requested the prompt “Having their hair washed by the other” for Hancock and Nami, and specified that it be platonic intimacy. The prompt request included a lot of details and extra characters that I felt were to restrictive to the nature of these prompts, so I did not stick to them, I’m sorry. There was also a request to hint at, or mention multiple pairings (4 total), and when I posted this list, I had specifically said only one pairing per ask, per prompt. So, I focused on the platonic intimacy between Hancock and Nami, and the only ship I allude to is LuHan because this is set in canon, thus Hancock’s affection for Luffy is a part of her character. I make zero mention of other pairings, though I will say, with the way I wrote it, Nami’s gay might be showing... a lot.
I personally feel that the direction I went in better encompasses the theme of intimacy, even platonic intimacy, so I hope the anon can forgive my decision not to follow their full request.
Title: Marks Pairing: Boa Hancock/Nami Genre: Friendship, Comfort Rating: T Word Count: 1749 Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Eiichiro Oda.
Nami never imagined that she would meet the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock. She knew the woman was fond of Luffy, heard all that she had done to help him when his crew could not. She wanted to meet her, to thank her for taking care of their captain, her best friend, because she never wanted to imagination a world without him in it.
But there she was, in all her glory, at the other end of the bathhouse, lounging with her sisters and snake after she helped cover their escape from the marines. She was captivating, intimidating. She knew Hancock was a beautiful woman, she knew all the stories of the men turned to stone, the men that fell at her feet, overcome with lust and desire. Those stories and the pictures in the papers didn’t do the real thing justice. No words or film could ever capture just how striking she was.
Nami wanted to talk to her, but she was scared. The woman was powerful, even stronger than she was beautiful. She was cold and distant, mistrusting, and the icy visage only added to her allure while terrifying her at the same time. She knew that wasn’t all there was to her. She had heard her swoon at the sight of Luffy, had seen her smile and sigh and radiate like a woman in love. There was warmth to her.
She was desperate to talk to this woman. She wanted to know her. She wanted to know why she was so cold. She wanted to know what had happened to make her hate so many men. She wanted to see the woman beneath, the woman who smiled and blushed all because the boy she liked said her name.
She gathered up every ounce of her courage and slipped through the water, toward the other side of the massive pool. Robin sat near her and arched a brow at Nami’s sudden boldness, but said nothing.
Hancock’s snake perked up and hissed, drawing the attention of the three women to the intruder. She and Robin had been graciously permitted to share the bath with them, but there had been a silent understanding that they were not to get too close.
Nami swallowed down her fear and stammered as the full weight of the Empress’ gaze landed on her. “Ah… Miss Empress… Your Grace? Ah…” She nearly bit her tongue to quiet her shriek when Hancock glared impatiently. “I was wondering… I… Can I wash your hair?” she finally squeaked out.
Her sisters gaped in surprise while Hancock’s perfectly shaped brow arched. Nami was terrified that she might be in danger of turning to stone at any given moment. Did her abilities work on women? She only heard of it working on men who lusted for the Empress. But rumors were rarely reliable.
“I would be most honored,” Nami added with a nervous laugh.
Hancock tilted her head to the side, bemused. “Why?”
“I… uh…” She glanced over her shoulder at Robin. Her friend gave her a reassuring nod. She turned back, shoulders straight, and held tight to false bravado. “If it weren’t for you, we might never have seen our captain again. The whole crew owes you more than we can ever repay for everything you’ve done for him.” She sighed as she stared at Hancock’s straight black hair as he floated around her in the water. “And your hair is so beautiful and silky, I need to touch it,” she thoughtlessly added before slapping her hands over her mouth to keep herself from saying more. She hadn’t meant to say that part out loud. It was true, but some things you just don’t say.
Not unless you want to be turned to stone.
She jumped at Hancock’s initial laugh. The woman kept a hand over her mouth and giggled, and despite being afraid for her life, Nami couldn’t help but find it cute.
“All right,” she agreed once she had calmed down. “I suppose you may.”
Nami grinned and slipped closer. Hancock’s sisters moved to allow Nami to sit on the edge of the bath behind her. The snake hissed another warning and coiled around his mistress, until she was comfortably settled on him like a throne. He placed his head on Hancock’s chest, smiled when she scratched his nose, and then closed his eyes to nap.
“That one there,” Hancock said as she pointed to a bottle of shampoo.
The whole gesture and her tone was so regal and graceful, it made Nami’s heart flutter. This woman was truly an Empress, carrying herself with the poise of royalty.
Nami snatched the bottle and gathered Hancock’s long hair in her lap. It was as silky as it looked, slipped through her fingers as easily as the water in the bath. Her shampoo was soft and fragrant, with a subtle earthy scent that soothed Nami’s nerves as she breathed it in. She began to lather it into Hancock’s scalp, and heard her breathe in deep before she relaxed into her snake with a long sigh. Nami dared to peek over the woman’s shoulder and saw that her eyes were shut, her lips quirked in a gentle smile.
She was so pretty, no wonder men lost their minds to lust when they saw her.
And Luffy was oblivious, but she supposed that was part of his appeal. He saw Hancock as a friend, a human being, an independent person who was strong and helpful. Hancock could be herself with him. Not the Pirate Empress, just Boa Hancock. It had to be a relief.
As Nami worked her way through Hancock’s hair, combing her fingers through it with the utmost care, she noticed a splash of color on her back. At first, she thought it was a birthmark, but as she moved her hair out of the way, she saw the familiar red claws of the Celestial Dragon’s slave mark.
She couldn’t stifle her gasp of surprise.
Hancock stiffened and tilted her head back. She saw a flash of fear before the Empress hid it behind an icy mask, a hint of ire.
Nami let her hair fall back into place to cover the mark and raised a trembling hand to her mouth as she sought something to say that might set her at ease. She could not imagine the life she had lived to have that mark on her. She remembered Jinbei’s story of Fisher Tiger, of Koala. She knew the trauma they endured.
“I…” she began, but Hancock turned forward with a dismissive wave.
“Since you are Luffy’s navigator, I will not turn you to stone,” she said, her tone sharp with a warning. “I expect you to remain silent.”
“Of course,” she breathed out. “I would never…”
She released a long, shaky breath and set back to work on Hancock’s hair. The ease of the gesture was gone, neither of them were comfortable with the intimacy any longer. Nami hadn’t intended that. She just wanted to know and understand the woman. She supposed she knew far more than she bargained for now.
“I…” she began to whisper, grappling for something to connect them, to end the tense silence.
She knew what it was like to be marked as property, though she also knew that no matter how awful a monster Arlong was, he was not as cruel as the Celestial Dragons. She witnessed how they treated their slaves first hand on Sabaody.
Fisher Tiger was a brother to him. Jinbei had once been, too.
“I was part of Arlong’s crew,” she whispered to Hancock. The woman’s head tilted, just enough to say that she was listening. “He’s a fishman… Was once a member of the Sun Pirates.”
“Hmm, the one Jinbei released when he became a warlord,” Hancock said. Of course, she would know about that. She was a warlord. “Fisher Tiger is the reason I am here,” she added so softly, Nami had to strain to hear. Hancock glanced back at her. “I saw him fight his owners and the others. He was vicious. It was terrifying. But… if he had not done what he did…” She trailed off, her eyes darted to her back. The mark. Fisher Tiger was the reason she was free.
Nami nodded in understanding. The tension leaked away a fraction as Hancock turned forward.
“Jinbei has told me of his guilt over Arlong,” Hancock said. “He regrets what he did.”
Nami sighed. “He attacked my village,” she told her. “Killed my mother. And took me for his crew at ten.” Hancock’s head snapped back, eyes wide in surprise. Nami forced a sullen smile. “He tattooed his mark to me.”
She did not have to say more for Hancock to understand. She pursed her lips, let her gaze search over Nami’s body until she turned enough for her to see the scar on her shoulder, masked by her pinwheel tattoo.
“I tried to cut it off,” she explained when Hancock’s lips parted in a silent gasp. “Luffy is the reason I’m here.”
Hancock stared at her, did not speak a word as she considered what Nami shared. She hadn’t spoken so much about Arlong with anyone since Luffy freed her. She had not been a slave as Hancock had, but she had been enslaved in another way. She had sold herself willingly, for the sake of her island, her village, her family. She had been afforded some freedom, there had been no ring around her neck. But, there was an invisible noose, a constant reminder that he could destroy her. Not her body. He would never kill her, she was too valuable for that. He could destroy her heart, though. He had shown her how easily he could do it. Just one bullet. That was all it would take. Her world would shatter, and she would have nothing left. She did not need a ring, only the lives that depended on her for peace and hope.
After a long minute, Hancock smiled. It was gentle, sweet, kind. She turned forward again and reclined into her snake.
“Finish my hair so I may wash yours next,” she said. “I want to hear everything you know about Luffy.”
Nami giggled. She had no doubt Hancock wanted to know as much about her captain as Nami could tell, but she knew that was not the reason she would wash her hair.
She could safely say that she had just made friends with the Pirate Empress.