{"id":134,"date":"2019-08-16T10:10:43","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T02:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/?p=134"},"modified":"2023-06-25T09:51:59","modified_gmt":"2023-06-25T01:51:59","slug":"flicker-of-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/134\/","title":{"rendered":"flicker of hope"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\u201cNami! Nojiko! Vivi! Lunch is ready!\u201d Bellemere called out, hands on her hips as she watched three excited heads turn from the television where credits were playing. They had been attentively watching a cartoon that told the story of Beauty and the Beast.<\/p>\n

The three young girls took their seats at the table while Bellemere placed their sandwiches in front of them.<\/p>\n

Nami took a big bite and relished the taste of tangerine marmalade \u2014 her favourite. \u201cI don\u2019t get it,\u201d she said, through a mouthful of bread.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t talk with your mouth full, Nami,\u201d Nojiko, her ever vigilant older sister, said.<\/p>\n

Nami opened her mouth at Nojiko, showing her half-chewed food. Nojiko grimaced while Vivi laughed behind her hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough of that, Nami,\u201d Bellemere said, shaking her head with a sigh. \u201cWhat don\u2019t you get?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t Belle try to fight the Beast at the start? I think she could\u2019ve beat him,\u201d Nami said, her eyebrows furrowed.<\/p>\n

Bellemere chuckled. \u201cThat certainly would\u2019ve made for a different story,\u201d she said with a grin. \u201cThough, I really should be teaching you not to resort to violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nojiko snorted. \u201cObviously, that wouldn\u2019t happen. It was a love story, after all,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Vivi\u2019s eyes darted between Nami and Nojiko as she slowly chewed on her sandwich.<\/p>\n

Nami rolled her eyes. \u201cLame.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bellemere smiled. \u201cYou know, Nojiko might be on to something. Maybe Belle could see the red thread linking her to the Beast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRed thread?\u201d came Vivi\u2019s voice, small and curious.<\/p>\n

Bellemere turned to her. She was so quiet Bellemere had almost forgotten she was there. Her own two girls, Nami and Nojiko, were a noisy bunch in comparison. Bellemere always hoped Vivi\u2019s manners would brush off on Nami, but such was yet to happen. Nami seemed too eager to take after her own mom. Not that Bellemere was complaining; she\u2019d done just fine for herself. Vivi blinked up at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. How do I say this\u2026\u201d Bellemere said, hand on her chin. \u201cIt\u2019s said that some people can see a red thread linking them to the person they will always like best.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Bullshit,\u201d Nojiko said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLanguage, Nojiko!\u201d Bellemere said, turning to Nojiko.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Nojiko shrugged. \u201cI learnt it from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bellemere sighed. She stood and collected the empty plates. When she got around to Nojiko, she placed the plates down and proceeded to hold Nojiko in a headlock, giving her head a noogie. \u201cYou\u2019re lucky I love you troublemakers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Nojiko laughed and wrestled out of the hold. \u201cWe love you too, mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nami and Vivi were notably quiet. Bellemere turned to them. They were grinning at one another.<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

Vivi was amused. She never thought her first encounter with Nami, after fifteen years, would entail this. Nami was drunk and didn\u2019t recognise her, that much was clear.<\/p>\n

Vivi had been out for a birthday drink with her friend from work when Nami had accidentally stumbled into her. Nami had looked as if she were ready to scold the person, until she saw that it had only been an apologetic young woman. When Vivi\u2019s friend from work had to eventually leave, Vivi was ready to follow suit until she felt a hand at her shoulder. She turned to see Nami grinning at her. \u201cLet me shout you a drink. For earlier,\u201d Nami said. Vivi nodded.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to now. Nami had definitely had one too many, while Vivi was savouring her third. She was a lightweight in comparison to Nami, whose quantity (and variety) of drinks she\u2019d lost track of.<\/p>\n

So far she had discovered that Nami was the social media representative of a major fashion label and was only at this bar because of a friend\u2019s recommendation. Vivi also discovered Nami still liked to gamble as she watched her place a bet on a football team (though, admittedly the stakes were much higher than the candy she had used as a child).<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re really pretty, you know? You kinda remind me of someone\u2026 I\u2019m not sure who, though,\u201d Nami said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019ve said,\u201d Vivi said, smile playing at her lips.<\/p>\n

Nami laughed, no shame at all. \u201cWell, it\u2019s true!\u201d<\/p>\n

Vivi shook her head bashfully. Nami hadn\u2019t changed a bit since they were children. Well, she was smarter now and even more beautiful, but she had remained kind and radiant. Vivi couldn\u2019t help but be endeared.<\/p>\n

That was until Nami leaned forward and whispered into Vivi\u2019s ear. \u201cYou wanna come home with me tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n

Vivi blushed at the implications. She wanted to, of course, but not while Nami was so drunk. More than anything she wanted to catch up and for the other woman to actually recognise her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you here by yourself?\u201d Vivi asked.<\/p>\n

They had been talking for a while and Vivi had yet to see anyone accompany Nami. \u201cYeah, my friends left earlier,\u201d Nami said. \u201cSo what do you think? Wanna come home with me? I live pretty close.\u201d There was a mischievous glint in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about I walk you home?\u201d Vivi suggested instead.<\/p>\n

Nami rolled her eyes. \u201c\u2018Walk me home\u2019.\u201d She snorted. \u201cSure, let\u2019s go,\u201d she said, placing her empty glass on the table and linking her arm with Vivi\u2019s, leading them through patrons and out of the bar.<\/p>\n

They walked down the busy Alubarna street, filled with queues for clubs and of people smoking. Nami had a spring to her step as Vivi tagged along.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Vivi. Where abouts do you live?\u201d Nami asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere. Alubarna,\u201d Vivi said. She hesitated. \u201cYou really don\u2019t remember me. Do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nami stopped walking and turned to her, head slightly tilted. \u201cHave we met before?\u201d<\/p>\n

Vivi wasn\u2019t sure where to look so she chose to stare at a mark on the pavement. \u201cWe used to play together when we were children. Your mom used to make us marmalade sandwiches for lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Nami didn\u2019t immediately respond, Vivi looked up. Nami was frowning but when their eyes met Nami\u2019s eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened. \u201cNefertari Vivi. You\u2019re\u2026 you\u2019re real?\u201d<\/p>\n

Vivi smiled, trying to ease Nami. She knew what was coming. \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nami\u2019s lip quivered and her eyes looked glassy. Without a warning she lunged forward at Vivi, embracing her in a tight hug. \u201cOh my god. When mom died, I \u2014 I just forgot everything. Questioned everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d Vivi said, rubbing her back. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to explain.\u201d And she didn\u2019t. Vivi did know. It had been a traumatic time in Nami\u2019s life. Vivi was just grateful to have found her again.<\/p>\n

Nami took a step back and wiped at her eyes. Vivi offered her a tissue.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a lot of catching up to do,\u201d Nami said, smiling through her sniffling. \u201cPlease come back to mine. For coffee, I mean. I don\u2019t want to lose you a second time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vivi nodded and grabbed a hold of her hand, giving it a squeeze. \u201cYou won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

After eating the sandwiches Bellemere had made them for lunch, Nami and Vivi ran outside to jump on the trampoline. \u201cSo, that red string you told me you see tied from your pinky finger to me\u2026 does that mean you like me best? Like my mom said?\u201d Nami asked while bouncing.<\/p>\n

Vivi sat down on the edge of the trampoline and held her hand close to her chest as if the red string really was there. \u201cI think so,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Nami stopped bouncing and sat down next to her. \u201cGood, \u2018cause I like you best, too!\u201d Nami said, grinning. She then gave Vivi a slight push before getting back up to bounce. Vivi laughed and got up to join her.<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

Later, when they had made it back to Nami\u2019s apartment and were sipping their coffees, Nami asked, \u201cHow did you know it was me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Vivi held up her pinky finger. Nami frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re still the person I like best,\u201d Vivi said, grinning.<\/p>\n

The confusion on Nami\u2019s face was slowly replaced by understanding. \u201cOh,\u201d she said and matched Vivi\u2019s grin with her own.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vivi remembers the memories, even if Nami doesn’t.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[64,18,29],"fandom":[13],"rating":[3],"ship":[30],"class_list":["post-134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-f-f","tag-alternate-universe-exchange","tag-modern-au","tag-red-string-of-fate","fandom-one-piece","rating-teen","ship-navi","wpautop"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=134"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":135,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134\/revisions\/135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=134"},{"taxonomy":"fandom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fandom?post=134"},{"taxonomy":"rating","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rating?post=134"},{"taxonomy":"ship","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cloverso.me\/fic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ship?post=134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}