Ten Less, Nine More

[jadekitty777.livejournal.com]

Title: Ten Less, Nine More
Prompt: Numbers
Media: Fic
Characters: Nami, Luffy, all Strawhats
Rating: G
Word Count: 297

“-and seventy Beli, four hundred and eighty Beli, four hundred and… ninety?”

Nami recounted – not that she’s ever made a mistake before.

The count was still ten less.

~

 “LUFFY!”

No one knew why, but Luffy had been snatching things. Sanji had a cigarette misplaced. Usopp was looking for a coloring pencil; likewise, Robin’s drawing pen was gone. Franky realized one of his screwdrivers had disappeared. Chopper couldn’t find a syringe. A page of Brook’s music sheets had been taken. And, most mysterious of all, Zoro’s earring was missing.

But stealing her money?! She would not stand for that!

It was Sanji who stopped her from killing their captain. “Nami-swan, you might want to see this.”

When she spotted the centerpiece on the galley table, she discovered there had been another theft of her bank. They had found the bizarre trinket in a treasure heist from the last island. Robin had enlightened them.

“It’s called a menorah, a religious candelabrum. People of this religion have a wintertime holiday that is celebrated for eight days. Each day is commemorated by lighting one candle until all eight are lit.”

“But there are nine.” Usopp stated. “What does the ninth do?”

Robin pointed to the middle stick, which jutted higher than the others. “The ‘ninth’ is called a Shamash. It is always lit and it is the candle used to light the rest. And if a candle goes out for any reason, it is there to relight it.”

“So, it watches over the rest.” Luffy declared, unusually thoughtful.

Using the things he had gathered from them, Luffy had created his own menorah. There was her ten Beli, in the second stick.

But it was the Shamash that left her breathless.

For it held nothing but a single piece of straw.

----
Oh lookie, it's not about Usopp!
Got to be honest, I'm a little worried I stretched the prompt here. But I hope it's just subtle rather then completely off-track. 
P.S. I need to stop being the first one posting every new prompt xD You guys are going to get sick of me at this rate.

Comments

[colordrifter.livejournal.com]

D'awwwwww, that was so cute! I really the way your used the prompt; it's perfect and the story is so sweet! :3

(I hope for Luffy's sake that he returns the items he took. Although I'll never understand how he stole Zoro's earring without Zoro noticing. Or maybe Zoro gave it to him...?)

[jadekitty777.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it 8D
Your prompt was a tricky one for me at first. I brainstormed for hours but I'm pretty happy with the result! Glad to get some reassurance that it does indeed fit it though ^^

(Lol, as Luffy would say it's a mysterrrrrrrrrry)

[uftaki.livejournal.com]

..... AWWWW! The feels! ALL of the feels! This sounded so random and goofy at the start, then took such a sharp turn into warm and fuzzy and heartwarming and touching! Wonderful work! :3

[jadekitty777.livejournal.com]

Thank you ever so much! You're comment really put a smile on my face 8D

[night-mare-chan.livejournal.com]

T_____T THE FEELS. So many feels.

That was beautiful. Just beautiful. The straw was the best part.

[jadekitty777.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

Hehe, that was my favorite part to write!