The Going Merry drifted calmly on the open sea, bathed in golden afternoon sunlight. The air was warm, the sky cloudless, and for once, the Straw Hat crew was doing something rare: relaxing.
On the upper deck, Zoro lay shirtless on a chair, arms crossed, sword resting by his side as he lightly dozed. Usopp fiddled with a pair of goggles, lying belly-down while sketching designs in his engineering notebook. Luffy sat at the prow, his mouth stretched wide in a peaceful snore.
Vihaan, meanwhile, stood near the railing wearing nothing but his ocean-blue trunks.
The sun shimmered off his bronzed, shredded torso. His rock-hard abs flexed naturally as he stretched his arms up with a low grunt, rolling his neck. Every contour of his body looked like it had been chiseled by the sea gods themselves.
Nami emerged from the galley with a tray of drinks. The soft clink of glasses echoed in the gentle sea breeze.
"Alright, lazy pirates," she called, setting the tray down. "Time for some hydration."
She handed coconut juice to Luffy, lime soda to Usopp, and a citrus cooler to Zoro. Then, she walked toward Vihaan, her eyes casually—too casually—gliding over his form.
"Thirsty?" she asked, her voice lighter than usual.
Vihaan turned toward her, water still dripping down his abs. "Always. What do you have for me?"
Nami held up a tall, cold mango drink. "You're lucky. It's my last chilled one."
He took it with a teasing smile. "And here I thought I was already lucky with the view."
Nami chuckled softly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. As Vihaan raised the glass to his lips, she stepped a bit closer, fingers briefly trailing along his side.
"You know…" she said, lightly tapping one of his abs with her index finger, "I think your six-pack's gone. This might be an eight-pack now."
Vihaan raised an eyebrow. "Been counting, have you?"
"Just observing," she said with mock innocence, trailing her hand slowly back to the tray. "Cartographers need to be very... precise."
Vihaan leaned against the railing, sipping slowly while never breaking eye contact. "Well, if you ever want a closer look, I offer guided tours."
Nami laughed, cheeks slightly pink but hiding it with a smirk. "Maybe later. When there's no audience."
Zoro, eyes still closed nearby, mumbled, "Some of us are trying to nap, y'know."
"Then go below deck," Nami shot back, flipping her hair.
Usopp whispered, "That was smooth as hell…"
The Floating Restaurant Appears
The afternoon laziness was interrupted as Luffy suddenly perked up. "Hey! What's that?"
Everyone followed his gaze.
Far in the distance, floating like a mirage on the shimmering water, was an enormous structure. A ship unlike any other. A massive floating restaurant shaped like a fish, towering and elegant, its name painted across the hull in bold, elaborate font: Baratie.
Zoro stood. "That's... a restaurant ship?"
"Looks expensive," Usopp muttered.
Nami clapped her hands. "Exactly what we need. A real meal for once. We've been living off dried fish and canned pickles."
Vihaan narrowed his eyes, brushing a towel over his chest. "And I could go for some decent spices. Let's see what this floating kitchen's got."
The Going Merry slowly drifted toward Baratie. As they approached, the sounds of clinking plates, bustling chefs, and chatter filled the air.
A large, portly host in a fancy uniform greeted them. "Welcome to Baratie! Dock anywhere and come in! But don't start a fight unless you plan to pay for repairs!"
Vihaan smiled as he stepped forward beside Luffy. "We'll behave." He glanced at the others. "Mostly."
Luffy rubbed his stomach, eyes sparkling. "I smell meat…"
As they climbed aboard the restaurant ship, Vihaan couldn't help but notice Nami's eyes still flicking toward him occasionally, her earlier boldness now replaced by subtle glances.
He grinned to himself. Maybe this ship's not the only thing serving something hot.