Chapter 35: Her Name is Ria
As the Straw Hat Pirates made their way back to the Going Merry, the lingering flavors of the exquisite meal at the Baratie clung to their senses. The night air was cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the warmth and bustle of the floating restaurant.
Johnny and Yosaku were the first to head below deck, their faces flushed with the aftereffects of their hearty meal. "I think I ate too much," Johnny groaned, clutching his stomach.
"Me too," Yosaku echoed, staggering slightly as he followed Johnny. "I can't believe I had that third helping of lobster."
Usopp, looking equally stuffed, nodded in agreement. "I thought I could handle it, but now I just want to sleep it off. Goodnight, everyone," he said, heading to his bunk with a yawn.
Nami, on the other hand, was far from ready to sleep. She spread her maps across the deck table, her eyes scanning the intricate lines and markings with a practiced gaze. "I'll be up for a while studying these charts," she said, not looking up from her work. "We need to plot a course for the Grand Line."
Luffy and Zoro exchanged glances. "Feel like a drink?" Zoro asked, a hint of a grin playing on his lips.
Luffy's face lit up. "Yeah, let's go!"
The two made their way back to the Baratie, finding seats at the bar. The place was quieter now, the earlier rush of diners having thinned out. They ordered their drinks, and soon enough, they were lost in conversation.
"So, who is this woman you couldn't keep your eyes off?" Zoro asked, taking a swig of his sake. "The one who had you drooling like a starving dog?"
Luffy grinned, completely unashamed. "She's hot. Really hot. Did you see her? The way she moved? That dress? I'm a man, Zoro. A man notices things."
Zoro shook his head. "You're hopeless."
"I'm honest. There's a difference."
Their conversation drifted to other topics, plans for their journey to the Grand Line, the need for rigorous training, and the types of food they hoped to encounter. The Grand Line was known for its unpredictability and danger, and they both knew they had to be prepared for anything.
As they continued to drink, the door to the bar swung open. Luffy's heart skipped a beat as the woman walked in, Fullbody by her side. She scanned the room, her eyes landing on Luffy with obvious interest.
Fullbody leaned down and whispered something in her ear. She nodded, and he patted her arm before turning and walking out, leaving her alone at the bar. Luffy watched him go, surprised.
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Marine leaves his woman alone in a bar full of pirates? What kind of idiot is he?"
Luffy shrugged. "Some marine thing."
"Marine things…?" Zoro snorted. "It's a bar. At night. He left his woman here. With pirates. Because he has to wake up early." He shook his head slowly. "That man is either the dumbest marine alive or he doesn't care about her at all."
Luffy wasn't listening anymore. The woman had taken a seat at the bar, just a few stools down from them. She crossed her legs, and the movement caught Luffy's eye. Then his whole attention.
Zoro noticed. He sighed heavily. "Luffy."
"Yeah?"
"Nami's on the ship. Waiting for you. Probably."
Luffy waved a hand dismissively. "Nami's studying maps. She's busy."
"That's not the point."
"What is the point?"
Zoro opened his mouth, closed it, and realized he didn't have a good answer. Luffy was the captain. Luffy was also clearly a pervert. Those two facts existed together whether anyone liked it or not.
"Just... don't do anything stupid," Zoro finally said.
Luffy grinned. "I never do anything stupid."
"You literally do nothing but stupid things."
"Exactly. So this won't be any different."
Zoro stared at him for a long moment. Then he stood, grabbed his sake bottle, and headed for the door. "I'm going back to the ship. Try not to start a war with the marines over a pretty face."
"No promises!"
Zoro was still shaking his head as he walked out.
Luffy waited exactly three seconds after the door closed before sliding down the bar toward the woman. He stopped one stool away, close enough to talk, far enough to not seem desperate.
Not that he cared about seeming desperate. He just wanted a better view.
"Hey," he said.
She turned, and up close she was even more stunning. Dark hair, green eyes, lips that curved into a smile that seemed to know secrets. Her dress was crimson, fitted in ways that made Luffy's brain short-circuit for a solid five seconds.
"Hey yourself," she replied. Her voice was smooth, warm, with an edge of amusement. "You're the one who couldn't stop staring at me earlier."
Luffy nodded without shame. "Yeah. You're beautiful."
She laughed, a real laugh, not the fake kind women used when they were being polite. "You're direct. I like that."
"I'm Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy. I'm gonna be King of the Pirates."
She tilted her head, studying him with renewed interest. "King of the Pirates? That's a big claim."
"I don't make small claims."
"No, I don't suppose you do." She extended a hand. "I'm Ria."
Luffy took her hand, held it maybe a second longer than necessary. Her skin was soft. Warm. "Nice to meet you, Ria."
"You too, Luffy." She pulled her hand back slowly, her eyes never leaving his. "So. King of the Pirates. That mean you're someone important?"
"The most important." He leaned on the bar, close enough to catch her scent. Flowers. Something sweet. "At least, I will be. Give me time."
"Time," she repeated, smiling. "How much time?"
"However much it takes."
Ria laughed again. "Confident. I like that too." She gestured to the bartender for another drink, then glanced at Luffy. "What about you? Drinking alone now that your friend left?"
"I'm not alone. I'm with you."
She raised an eyebrow. "Smooth."
"I try."
They sat together at the bar, talking about nothing and everything. Luffy told her about his journey so far, Shells Town, Orange Town, Syrup Village. He left out the bloody parts, focused on the adventure. She listened like she was genuinely interested, asking questions, laughing at his stories.
In turn, she told him about herself. Not much, just enough. She traveled, she said. Saw places. Met people. Fullbody was... something. She didn't elaborate, and Luffy didn't ask.
By the time the bartender announced last call, they were sitting close enough that their shoulders touched.
Ria looked at him, and there was something in her eyes that made Luffy's heart beat faster. "You're different," she said quietly. "From most men I meet."
"Good different or bad different?"
"I haven't decided yet."
Luffy grinned. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
She smiled, soft and real. "Maybe that's what makes you different. Most men are in a hurry. To prove something, to take something, to leave something behind." She reached out and touched his face, just briefly. "You're just... here."
"Where else would I be?"
Ria laughed again, shook her head, and stood. "I should go. Fullbody will notice I'm gone if I stay much longer."
"Let him notice."
"He's a marine. You're a pirate. That's not a combination that ends well."
Luffy stood too, suddenly not wanting the night to end. "Then don't go back to him. Come with me. See what happens."
Ria looked at him for a long moment. Something flickered in her eyes, surprise, maybe. Or longing. It was gone before he could read it.
"You're something else, Luffy," she said softly. "Maybe I'll see you again."
"Promise?"
She smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing he'd seen all night. "We'll see."
She turned and walked out, leaving Luffy standing at the bar with the smell of flowers still in the air and the echo of her laugh in his ears.
He stood there for a full minute after she left, grinning like an idiot.
Then he paid for his drinks and walked back to the Going Merry, the night air cool against his skin, her name running through his head on repeat.
Ria.
He was going to see her again. He didn't know how or when, but he knew it like he knew the sun would rise. Some things were just meant to happen.
Back on the Going Merry, Nami sat at the table with her maps, not looking at them. Her eyes were fixed on the dock, waiting.
When Luffy finally climbed aboard, still wearing that stupid grin, something in her chest tightened.
"Have fun?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral.
Luffy looked at her, surprised to find her still awake. "Yeah! Met this woman at the bar. Ria. She was amazing."
Nami's jaw tightened. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Beautiful. Funny. Smart." He sighed dreamily.
Nami's hand crushed the map she was holding.
Luffy didn't notice. He was already walking toward his quarters, still grinning, already lost in thoughts of green eyes and crimson dresses.
Nami sat alone in the dark, staring at the spot where he'd been, something burning in her chest that she refused to name.
Behind her, the Baratie floated on the water, its lights reflecting off the waves, and somewhere inside, a cook with a curly eyebrow watched the marine warship sail away with a beautiful woman on board, unaware of the chaos that was about to unfold.