Chapter Text
Nami was fiddling nervously with the tip of her sleeve. There was a thread sticking out, and it was stressing her. If she pulled on it, it would only make things worse, but at the same time, every time she moved, it would tickle the inside of her wrist. Cut it perhaps? It's true that the room certainly didn't lack scissors, but she preferred not to offend the owner by poking around without permission.
Everything was perfectly tidy. The desk was clean and uncluttered, the pens neatly lined up and the papers neatly stacked in a straight pile. Various books on anthropology, the benefits of plants and their curative effects, and many others on medicine in general, dutifully filled the shelves. A smell of detergent and disinfectant filled the room, as if to ensure its cleanliness, but it made her stomach lurch and felt uncomfortable.
Her gaze was fixed on the clock hanging on the wall, on its hands that moved much too slowly for her taste. Each time the minute hand counted down the one that had just passed, a horrible clang sounded and the anxiety she felt only increased. The further it went, the more threatening the noise seemed to become. At the fifth clang, Nami stopped fiddling with the thread of her sleeve and opted to nervously bite her thumbnail.
Her legs twitched impatiently, and with her foot she began to move the swivel seat she was sitting on, from right to left. The medical bed in front of her was eyeing her, but for the moment, she categorically refused to sit on it. Yet, in a short time, she would have no choice but to do so.
The cuticles on her fingers were having a rough time of it as her teeth tore at them one by one.
Clang
A drop of sweat rolled down her temple. What the hell were they doing?! To avoid arousing suspicion and alerting their comrades for nothing, it had been agreed that as soon as they left the bathroom, Nami would go straight to the infirmary without being spotted, while Zoro would discreetly warn Chopper. It was this part of the plan in particular that worried her, as ‘discreet’ was not a term with which the swordsman seemed familiar. No, in fact, to be honest, there were several factors that made her anxious, such as admitting to one more person that she was pregnant, to find out their reaction, or like doing an examination and being told the worst...
The fact that they were taking so long to arrive was making her think more and more, and her fears were only growing and clouding her thoughts. Had Zoro been caught? Did everyone blame her for what she had said in anger? Nami blamed herself for it, she should never have said such things, especially since she didn't mean them. It's true that at times the childishness of her nakamas exasperated her, but that was part of the charm of this crew, and of course she wanted to help Luffy find One Piece. She still wanted to be part of this crazy family. But did they still want her?
Suddenly footsteps were heard and quickly, the door handle of the infirmary was lowered. The fading light of day illuminated the interior of the infirmary with a dazzling orange halo, while two silhouettes, a small one followed by a large one, were drawn in the frame.
“Nami! I'm so sorry!”
The little blue-nosed reindeer rushed towards a puzzled Nami, tears in his eyes. Zoro immediately closed the door behind him. Why was the doctor apologising and crying at the same time? Had the swordsman given him the slip? Yet they had agreed that they would tell him together. However, seeing his friend's tears streaming down his fluffy little face, opened her own tear ducts... Thanks to the hormones. 9 months were going to be a long way. The young woman opened her arms, however, and welcomed the little body into her arms, so that they could both celebrate their reunion in a shower of tears.
“I'm sorry we pushed you too far...”
"No, I'm the one who's sorry Chopper! I have said awful things!”
“I'm so glad you didn't break up! I was so scared!” cried the reindeer.
With his back resting along the door, Zoro watched the scene with detachment, his arms crossed over his chestHowever, seeing that the great waters did not seem about to dry up, he felt obliged to intervene with a clearing of his throat to remind them of the purpose of this conversation.
Finally, the two friends came to their senses and Chopper immediately returned to his role as a doctor.
"Zoro told me you wanted to see me, is there a problem, Nami?"
Suddenly called to order, the navigator felt the anguish return and she looked at her lover with panic in her eyes. He remained unperturbed and gave her a small nod to indicate that she could go without fear. As she hesitated and her heartbeat quickened, Chopper's big round eyes flashed with concern.
“I... No, not really... at least I hope so...", stammered the young woman in a small voice as she looked away. “The thing is... it's just that...”
No, she couldn't do it.
“Nami’s pregnant.”
As soon as the news was out, she glanced suspiciously at the little reindeer who was watching her with a confused look on his face. He looked back at Zoro, then at her, and suddenly his eyes widened and his expression lit up. “It's true?!”
Nami nodded positively.
"Congratulations to both of you!" exclaimed the doctor, clearly delighted with the news.
A faint smile blossomed on the young woman's lips at the enthusiasm of her comrade, but the joy didn't reach her eyes as apprehension still clung firmly to her gut. However, the doctor interpreted Nami's gloomy expression in a different way and immediately calmed down to adopt a contrite pout. He stole a quick glance in Zoro's direction and brought a hoof to the side of his mouth “Oh... it's not Zoro the father, is it?” he surmised in a tone of confidence.
At the other end of the room, the man raised his eyebrows in surprise before scowling. Apparently, he hadn't considered the possibility before now. “Oi!” the swordsman said indignantly. “I'm the father, huh?”
“STOP TALKING BULSHIT!” Nami snapped, raising her fist to bring it down on the little reindeer's head.
“AHH!” Chopper was quicker and dodged the blow by running towards Zoro to hide behind his legs. Nami gritted her teeth for missing her target and sent an incendiary look at her lover, her fist still clenched, ready to draw again.
“OF COURSE YOU'RE THE FATHER, MORON!”
And yet she had told him so! In any case, it seemed to reassure him because his scowl dissipated somewhat. And why had Chopper come to this conclusion?! He was shaking like a leaf behind the swordsman that he was desperately clinging to. Far from being compassionate at the sight of the little reindeer's frightened face, the redhead stood up and crossed her arms over her chest before going to sit on the medical bed to sulk. Being surrounded by idiots was exhausting.
Zoro placed a reassuring hand on the top of Chopper's head and intervened once more to clear up the situation. “We'd just like you to have a check-up to make sure everything's all right. Nami has some concerns about the baby's health, and only you can reassure her" explained the young man in a calm voice.
At times, she forgot that Zoro could be incredibly understanding. Perhaps it was because she was pregnant, but Nami couldn't help imagining, in Chopper's place, a child looking like them. Unlike her, he had handled the news of her pregnancy with such serenity that the mapmaker had mistaken it for irresponsibility, but now, watching him act, Nami understood that it was quite the opposite. He accepted his new role as a father without the slightest hesitation, in such a natural way, as if it were self-evident, as if it were something they had thought about for a long time. Whatever doubts she may have had, whatever concerns she may have had, Zoro was confident. Trust in her, trust in Chopper, but also trust in their offspring. Nami didn't want to delude herself, but if her companion believed, then perhaps she could accept a little faith too.
“Of course! It is also my role as the ship's doctor to reassure my patients. And then a pregnancy shouldn't be taken lightly, there has to be medical follow-up!”
Seeing the little reindeer's new-found self-confidence, Zoro smirked at Nami, saying 'See? I was right'. To which she responded with an unimpressed raised eyebrow.
"You can lie down on the bed, Nami," Chopper indicated as he put his stethoscope around his neck and donned sterile gloves.
All of a sudden, the stress came back like a galloping horse, making her heart pound, but she tried not to let it show and did as she was told. Her hands came to rest on her stomach, where her fingers twisted nervously as she waited for the doctor to be ready. Once he had gathered everything he needed, Chopper jumped up onto his seat and rolled it to the edge of the bed where she was lying. Nami glanced at the door, to make sure Zoro hadn't escaped. Leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest, he watched the scene impassively, and when he caught her eye, the swordswoman nodded slightly, letting her know that everything would be fine.
She was still nervous, but at least knowing he was here comforted her. Well, that was before she noticed the syringe and elastic tourniquet sitting on a stainless-steel tray near Chopper. " If it's all right with you, Nami, I'd like to take a blood sample to see if everything's in order."
She nodded, unable to speak. Very gently, Chopper slipped the rubber band around her arm before tightening it without it being painful, then wiped the skin in the crook of her elbow with cotton wool soaked in disinfectant. “To begin with, how long have you noticed the absence of menstrual cycles?”
Nami swallowed loudly.
“I... uh about 12 weeks... Or maybe more," she replied in a small voice.
The doctor froze for a few seconds as he prepared his syringe.
“But I didn't realise it until very recently, shortly after we'd left Wano Kuni, and it wasn't until we'd stopped over that I did a pregnancy test. And that's what worries me... after everything that happened on Onigashima...”
“I see, in any case, the blood test and the ultrasound will determine the date of conception more precisely. I understand your concerns, you've been quite shaken up, and it's not impossible that there will be repercussions for the baby...”
At his words, her blood ran cold and her body stiffened. The hand that was hidden between her and the wall grabbed her sweatshirt. What an idiot she was! Why hadn't she noticed the changes before?! Too busy admonishing herself, Nami didn't feel the pressure of the needle disappear on her arm, without any sample being taken. It was only when a warm hoof landed on her forearm that the young woman returned to them.
"It's also possible that the baby is just fine," Chopper added softly, seeing his friend's distress. “But to be sure, I'll have to do an ultrasound on you.”
“All right.” She wasn't entirely convinced, but she needed answers, no matter how painful they might be. The needle came back on her arm and immediately pierced the flesh to sink into a vein. The test tube filled very quickly with a scarlet liquid and the syringe disappeared almost immediately once the sample had been taken.
“Have you ever experienced symptoms such as nausea? Chest pains? Fatigue?" he asked, as he walked away with his sample to put it in a machine.
“No... well, my breasts are a little more sensitive, it's true...”
Her cheeks warmed as the images of their little shower session came back to her, and her gaze automatically fell on Zoro. The ghost of a grin danced on his strict lips but she didn't miss the gleam of amusement in his eye. Luckily, Chopper's back was turned.
"But no pain," completed the young woman.
"I know that Luffy wasn't very tactful the other day, but the fact that you have more appetite is linked to the pregnancy. You'll have to watch what you eat from now on.”
The unpleasant and humiliating memory supplanted the one of the shower, which made Nami wince. “Yes, and my tummy has rounded out a bit.” By reflex, her hand gently caressed the bulge over the sweatshirt.
"Mood swings too," added the swordsman who chose this moment to manifest himself.
"I DON'T HAVE MOOD SWINGS!" screamed the young woman lying on the bed, startling poor Chopper from his stool. She crossed her arms and puffed out a cheek in a sulky pout as Zoro raised a sceptical eyebrow.
“Well... maybe I tend to get worked up more easily.... although it's hard to say with the number of idiots around me”
“You said it yourself, hormones drive you crazy. You go from laughing to crying in a split second”
“OK, but you didn't have to point that out!”
During their little brawl, the little doctor was busy preparing the necessary equipment for the ultrasound. The results of the blood test would take a little time to come out, so he might as well make the most of it by continuing with the examination, and the sooner he could reassure Nami, the better. Stress was not good for the foetus. This was going to be the first time he'd use his ultrasound machine, and Chopper felt a pang of excitement. He had bought it two years ago, as a precautionary measure, so as to be equipped in case one of his nakama needed an internal examination. It was an old Den Den mushi, a little outdated, because their expenses at the time hadn’t allowed it to take better, but it functioned perfectly and did the job it was asked to do. However, Chopper had never thought for a moment that his first use aboard the Sunny would be for this scenario.
When the large, slightly sluggish snail, with its half-closed eyes, was placed on a tray not far from the young woman, she watched it warily.
"You're going to have to pull up your sweater so I can put some gel on your belly," said the reindeer.
Being naked or in her underwear in front of Chopper didn't bother her at all, so Nami complied without question. The sweatshirt went up her thighs, until it revealed her panties (the least alluring she could find in her wardrobe. No need to be sexy during this kind of examination), then rolled it up below her chest. Lying like this, the little protuberance below her navel was barely visible. Suddenly, she took one look at the Den Den mushi, with its long curved antennae and gelatinous body, and a shiver of disgust ran through her.
“Hey Chopper? this thing isn't going to crawl over me, is it?" she asked worriedly.
In her imagination, she visualized the flabby, slimy body of the snail sliding across her stomach, and felt herself turn pale.
“No, don't worry. I'm just going to use this probe and pass it over the lower part of your belly so that the Den Den mushi sends us back the image.”
Like a shadow, Zoro had surreptitiously moved closer in order to have a front row seat to see his child, but also to support Nami if she needed help. The contrast of the cold gel on her warm skin made her shiver, and when the round head of the probe touched her belly, she gasped slightly. With a jolt, the snail came to life, albeit with a certain phlegm, its antennae slowly straightened, and it blinked with one eye and then the other, before they fixed themselves on the wall to broadcast a black and white image. A strange sound emanated from the Den Den mushi to accompany the indefinable shadows dancing before their eyes. Chopper slowly moved the probe to her right side, bringing it inward, without his face expressing anything other than intense concentration.
The noise was still the same, and the image gave nothing away, which began to worry the young woman. Weren't they supposed to hear the baby's heart? Or to see it appear? Instead, the image always represented the same greyish emptiness. A lump formed in the redhead's throat as she forcefully hugged the trousers of her sweater. It was too much. She turned her head away and closed her eyes to hold back the tears that gathered behind her closed eyelids. Her fears had proved true... she had failed to protect this innocent little being... she was unworthy of being a mother...
"Oh?" said Chopper.
Then suddenly, a different noise, with fluctuations and a regular but fast rhythm, like a beat, pierced through the room. A firm hand rested on her shoulder and applied a gentle pressure to get her attention, but it wasn't necessary, as all of Nami's senses were focused on the new sound. Her eyes snapped open and she looked at the image. A small bean, all in shades of grey, was on the wall and when she made out the shape of its little skull, arms and legs, a tear rolled down her cheek.
"What we're hearing are the baby's heartbeats," announced the doctor with a big smile. “It's normal that they are faster than ours. And that's it"
It was real, it was there! Its little heart was beating, an irrefutable sign that it was alive.
“From what I can see, it's about 6.6 centimetres long, so you're about 13 weeks pregnant, as you thought. I can't see any particular anomaly, everything seems to be in order. Your baby is in great shape!”
At his last words, all the pressure caused by the stress of the last few weeks vanished, leaving her feeling as light as a feather, but above all very exhausted. Tears flooded down her cheeks, but they didn't alter the huge smile on her face. The hand on her shoulder tightened, reminding her that Zoro was also discovering their baby for the first time. She turned her head to see him leaning over next to her, his gaze also fixed on the monochrome image. His intact eye shone in a way she had never seen before, a kind of immense pride, charged with emotion, while a bright smile raised the corner of his lips. Zoro was undoubtedly moved, and Nami had never thought she would witness this phenomenon. It was as hypnotic as seeing the little being in pictures.
Feeling that he was being watched, the swordsman took his eye off his baby, and looked at his wife. Because from now on he no longer saw her as a girlfriend - in fact, he hadn't seen her as such for a long time - no, she was much more than that. But today, she was the mother of his child, the one who shared his life for better or for worse, and who gave him the greatest gift of all. He was proud to have her as his wife, because no other woman could match the way he felt about Nami today.
“Can we already know the gender?” Nami asked.
“It's not very reliable at this stage...”
"There's no point anyway,’ Zoro suddenly decided.
Surprised by his rather quick response, Nami raised a questioning eyebrow, as did Chopper. Being curious by nature, she would have liked to know if a little boy or girl was growing in her womb, and she had believed that the same was true for her partner.
“Girl or boy, it doesn't matter. We will love this child just the same," said her lover adamantly.
Chopper's eyes began to shine with admiration at such determination, but when he realized that the young woman still hadn't said anything about it, he turned his attention back to her. Nami watched the man at her side, beaming with confidence and pride, as he still had his hand on her shoulder and stared at her with a smile, waiting for her approval. Of course she was going to love this child no matter what the gender, she already loved him, but she was curious, that's all. In the end, keeping a bit of mystery could be fun, as long as this little one was in great shape. With a smile that was hard to contain, Nami sighed "Okay, we'll save the surprise for the big day," she announced, staring at Zoro, whose smile widened a little more.
Chopper happily accepted their decision then pulled out the probe before removing the gel from her stomach. She was on cloud nine. Her main concern had just disappeared and now, Nami felt like she was floating, and that her smile would never leave her lips. So when the little doctor told her that she wouldn't be able to take a hot bath, or even do any gardening, she didn't even realise what that meant. She simply nodded, far too distracted by her state of bliss.
“And if you ever have any questions, either of you, I'm here to answer them and help you as best I can!”
“Thank you Chopper.” She pulled down the sweatshirt to cover her stomach and legs, then stood up, all perky.
" Actually, I'd have one...”
Could it be embarrassment in Zoro's voice? Intrigued, Nami turned her gaze to him and could see a subtle, very subtle ruddy tint on the top of his nose, while he ran his hand through his hair. He was even avoiding the little reindeer's gaze. What did he have to ask for to put him in this state?
“As for the... um... sexual intercourse..., can Nami have any? What I mean is... With the baby, is it safe?”
The scarlet veil intensified and spread over his cheeks, making the navigator want to burst out laughing. Instead, she held back out of respect for her man's pride. It was true that she had stopped thinking about it, but it was one of the questions they had planned to ask. Talking about sex in front of Chopper had never been easy for the swordsman, whom he saw as a younger brother. Moreover, the latter also began to blush, but who, for the sake of professionalism, forced himself to keep his eyes on Zoro.
“Yes of course, it's not a problem.”
At least, that was reassuring! She wouldn't have seen herself deprived of sex for six months.
“But... uh...” Zoro continued, looking even more embarrassed.
What more did he want to know? Chopper's answer was clear!
“I... I'm not going to hurt it if I... well... you know? Because we can do other things... but is it possible to...”
Blasé to see him struggling so hard to find his words (although it was cute that he was worried about hurting their child), the redhead rolled her eyes, because she knew exactly what he was getting at, unlike their nakama, who detailed him by tilting his head.
"Penetrate," Nami cut off abruptly. “What Zoro is clumsily trying to ask you is, can we make love normally, without him touching the baby?” then turning to her lover “Is that right?"
In response, Zoro glared at her for helping him while making him look like a fool. This time, Chopper couldn't resist any longer and lowered his eyes at the frankness of the pretty redhead, with his little fluffy cheeks red like two ripe tomatoes.
“Oh! uh.... You just have to be a bit more careful, but you can still do it like before. There's no risk of you hurting the baby or touching it, Zoro.”
Too bad they didn't get the answer before taking their shower... even if the experience had been very satisfying. With a Machiavellian sneer, Nami gave a look meaning 'See? That wasn't complicated' to a swordsman who had become grumpy again. He buried his head in his shoulders and grumbled his displeasure as he strode to the door.