The Pirate Ninja

Chapter 13

The two crews had a large bonfire going to celebrate. The Straw Hats partied over anything and the Whitebeards were just as willing.

Hana was never one for crowds, preferring to stay around the edges during the party and disappearing. Still donning her captain's precious hat, she settled on the cliff side watching the stars.

She always told Naruto stories of great shinobi who were remembered in the stars. Was she a star constellation now?

Some mates spotted the straw hat off in the distance, they both knew her well enough that this was normal for her.

She was joined by her closest friend, he didn't say a word as he looked up at the stars. Sometimes words are better left unsaid.

"You know how precious that hat is to Luffy, right?"

Hana hummed, "Yeah. He lets me wear it sometimes. Besides, he has something precious to me. We keep them safe." Her hand rested on his hat, pushing the brim back so she could look up.

"I always told Naruto stories of the stars. Great shinobi would be remembered in them forever." Bright blue eyes reflected the starry sky. "I always wondered if I was made a constellation after I died. Even here I can pick out the great shinobi stars."

"You're one special woman."

Her gaze turned to his, his eyes focused on the horizon with a soft look. "Luffy is lucky to have you by his side. Take care of him."

"Always."

He left shortly afterwards, leaving her alone. Clear skies like this were her favorite, full view of the stars. It felt like she could reach out and touch them, grab them and hold them.

As the night went on, the moon travelled across the sky with the redhead not moving from her spot. Finally another body travelled to her.

Sitting down next to her, the Supernova stared up at the stars as well. "Which one is the constellation?"

A small tan hand pointed to their left, "That cluster right there, just above the horizon. Minato and Kushina." Her parents, remembered in the stars forever.

Luffy's arm soon found its way around her waist, pulling her towards him. Hana leaned into him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. This was common for them, to snuggle together. It was comfortable for the both of them even though they didn't understand why.

"They're both hopeless."

Ace nudged Marco and nodded towards the two silhouettes. "Do they not realize they like each other?"

Nami joined the duo in watching, a smile on her face. "Please, we've all tried to explain it to them but it doesn't seem to sink in. They've been like this for months." She shook her head with a sigh. "Who knows when it'll register with Luffy that he does indeed like something other than meat."

Ace snorted as Marco sighed. Both knew that Hana was just as helpless in the department of romance. "They'll probably just accidentally do romantic things. I feel like it'll just one day happen and neither will acknowledge it." The second commander knew both of them well, and it would just transition from friends to lovers one day with no complaints.

"I'll take that over this weird we're close friends but we do lovers stuff."

"Oh! Like what? Hana never explained."

A wicked grin crossed the thief's face. "She didn't? Oh well let me tell you." The other mates knew that Nami was ruthless when it came to the duo's relationship. She was their biggest shipper and tries the hardest to get them to realize their feelings.

And so she bared it all to Ace. The sleepovers on the deck, the cuddling together. How, more than once, Hana has been found sleeping with the Captain in his bunk. That the first person Luffy looks for after battles is Hana or how Hana first checks his injuries before healing anyone else.

"There was this one time Hana got sick. I had never seen Luffy so quiet before. It was scary." At that point the other straw hat members had joined in the stories. Chopper was explaining his experience with the duo. "He refused to leave the infirmary while she was there."

"Don't forget the time Hana was kidnapped." Sanji blew smoke from his mouth. Even though he didn't like it he got used to it. "Luffy almost leveled an entire island looking for her."

Zoro grunted from his spot in the circle, taking a swig from his mug. "She didn't need any help. Destroyed the whole group by herself. Luffy didn't even get to punch anyone."

Ace snorted at that. That was so like Hana to do, save herself from danger. Just how powerful was she and why was her bounty so low?

"But her bounty before Marineford was only 100,000 berries!" Post Marineford after being recognized and everyone seeing her punch the snot out of an admiral, her bounty was raised to 1 million berries. Still too low in the commander's opinion.

"Oh yeah Hana doesn't like to fight."

Nami corrected herself. "Well she does fight but only when necessary. Other than that she sticks in the boat or tends to the injured. I've only ever seen her angry once and that was at Enies Lobby on the bridge."

Robin nodded to herself. "I remember that. She was like the Devil possessed her." Her creepy smile didn't help the shiver that went down a few people's spines.

All eyes went to the laughing duo on the cliff side. The straw hat is now back in its rightful place. Two dangerous people together. They'd make a demon team.

"She took down an admiral like it was easy-yoi." Marco shook his head as he recalled how effortlessly she appeared, stopped Ace's death and proceeded to take the Admiral out. "She's dangerously strong."

"I'm scared to see her angry." Chopper, Usopp and Nami shivered at the thought and the others grinned. They loathed the thought of seeing her pissed off, while the others were waiting for the day to see her true potential.

And so they swapped stories about her. The Straw Hats wanted to know what she got up to during the two years while the Whitebeard crew wanted to know what she was like before they met her.

Hana sneezed and rubbed her nose. "I think they're talking about me." The old superstition that if you sneeze then someone was talking about you.