Little Bits and Pieces of Heaven
THE ART OF BEING SUBTLE
One-shot #: 37
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T
Note: I just wanted some ZoNa as seen through Usoppâs eyes. I love how heâs close to both of them.I swear heâs probably, possibly one of the first to notice if something is up with them. Itâs just cute to think.
Summary: Things will definitely be more interesting from here on, ne?
It was subtle.
So subtle you will never really notice it⌠especially if you are not paying any attention.
Which most of the time is what happens because honestly, who would even think that something like that is happening between two of the most hard-headed individuals you ever came across the Grand Line and even in the New World?
Yes they are friends, but not really the makes-your-heart-warm type. Theirs is more⌠complicatedâfor the lack of word. Plus it does seem like irritation is the key component of their relationship.
Also there is that distance⌠that certain reservedness between them. Kind of like a safe space that the two seemed to inadvertently placed in the middle that neither one would deliberately try to step foot on.
But despite that, when push comes to shove⌠they always have each otherâs backs.
In a way that makes it alright.
One fine day of sailing along the New World sea, while everything around them was quiet and calm (no marines or pirate enemy on their tail, no sea kings attacking, nothing) and the Thousand Sunny was smoothly gliding above the water heading towards their next destinationâŚ
âŚsomething in Usoppâs perception regarding his two friends changed.
He was playing a game of catch along with Luffy and Chopper on the lawn deck. They were all being boisterous, more than the usual, as if they are trying to make up for the dayâs tranquillity.
They were tossing the ball up and running around, catching it and tossing it up again as they chased each other back and forth on the whole expanse of the deck.
The trio were momentarily distracted when the galleyâs door opened and out step Sanji at the same time Zoro descended down from the crowâs nest.
Usopp groaned inwardly. He was having so much fun playing around and heâs really not in the mood for another squabble between the two-thirds of the monster trio.
Thankfully both seemed preoccupied with their respective thoughts and they just ignored each other, as Sanji headed towards where the aquarium hatch is, earning a sigh of relief from Usopp. Thank heavens for that!
Good thing too that Luffy managed to snag the green-haired manâs attention. The rubber captain immediately bounded towards the swordsman when he saw him. Usopp absent-mindedly threw the ball towards an eager Chopper, who shifted to his heavy point to catch it before instantly reverting back to his usual tiny form.
He called out to Luffy to get his attention. Their ever-juvenile captain was obviously pestering the taller man to play with them. And based from the way Luffyâs tone was reaching a rather whiny pitch (and also from the way Zoro was now looking totally irritated), it was a lost cause.Â
Usopp called out to Luffy again and as if on cue, Chopper threw the ball towards him. Luffy immediately laughed, his attention shifting away from Zoro and in one swift move, he stretched his arm to meet the ball halfway⌠with enough force like he was about to sucker punch one of their enemies.
Suddenly Zoro nudged Luffyâs shoulder with his own. Not too much but just enough to make Luffy turn his attention back to his friend, his gaze questioning. The younger manâs outstretched arm wobbled in the air slightly though that wasnât enough to make him miss the ball. His closed fist still struck it, only with less force than before.
And right at that moment, Nami stepped out of the aquarium bar.
Usopp could swear everyone froze on the spot when she appeared.
Except for the ball.
It headed straight to her. Usopp can only squeeze his eyes shut as he braced himself for the unwanted impact.
Which never cameâmuch to his disbelief. The ball ended up hitting the wall a few good inches from her.
Nami let out a loud shriek from surprise and glared icily at them before proceeding to kick the ball which has rolled down the grassy deck.
The trio let out a disappointed cry when the ball went overboard, falling down the water below.
Nami silenced them with a scowl, huffing angrily before she marched away from them. Usopp was thanking his lucky stars that she didnât resort to physical violence or even financial.
Though he clearly doubted if they really got away from the latter.
âWhy is she mad,â Luffy complained with a pout, a tad disheartened at the loss of their ball. âIt didnât hit her.â
âBut it almost did!â Chopper said with a hint of fear in his tone.
âStill it didnât,â Luffy argued, a bit stubbornly.
âYeah it didnât,â Usopp mumbled, âLuckily.â He shot a quick glance at Zoro who had walked away from them to head to the menâs quarters while Nami was busy giving them her death glare.Â
Usopp can tell that that ball would definitely hit Nami face first⌠if Zoro didnât pushed Luffy earlier like he did.
Talk about good timing.
Then he stopped and blinked himself into a thought.
Nope that definitely wasnât just good timing.
No one knew that Nami was in the aquarium bar, and certainly no one had known that sheâll be exiting it right when Luffy smacked the ball towards that direction.
Yet Zoro already bumped Luffy even before he hit the ball, effectively derailing its path and diminishing it strength, preventing it from hitting Nami.
And saving her.
Usopp blinked again.
Saved her in one swift and subtle movement. Huh.
Usopp scratched at his cheek.
------------------------
From that point on Usopp decided to train his watchful eyes on Zoro and Nami, observing their daily interactions attentively and inconspicuously.
True enough, their disagreements had dwindled down after their two-year separation and astonishingly, it continued to do so the further they sailed into the New World.
Heâd sometimes see them quietly talking to each other on one side of ship or at the far corner of whatever island they are currently on, instead of having their usual loud interactions (that definitely includes yelling and fighting). They still engage in their good, old bickering sometimes but not as often as they used to.
And that was when he noted that there were a lot of subtle things the swordsman was doing to keep Nami out of harmâs way.
It was just small little things. Just tiny things. Things that can just be overlooked.
It was so unnoticeable⌠that not even Nami or the whole crew was aware of it.
Unless you pay really, really close attention.
Like what Usopp was currently doing.
He once saw the green-haired man casually moving her cup of hot tea a few inches away to the side before her elbow can hit it and the steaming liquid inside spills on her.
And Nami never realized what Zoro did.
There was one time when they docked on an unruly island filled with shady people and equally shady pirates and Zoro kept bumping and nudging her so sheâd change directions while they were walking. Usopp later realized that he was moving her out of the reach of the bounty hunters who were persistently following her.
Though that instance actually ended up in a violent shouting match between the two because Nami finally snapped from all that pushing. She even summoned Zeus, his lightning fully-charged, intent on unleashing it at Zoro.
The bounty hunters that were targeting her decided to high-tail it out of there instead of getting caught in the crossfire between the two terrifying pirates. No one wants to mess with the totally vexed woman, armed with a weapon that can jolt the life out of them. Nor do they want to face off with an equally annoyed swordsman with three katanas who they now realized was the fabled pirate hunter Zoro.
There was also a time that Zoro deliberately knocked down Namiâs beer mug thrice while they were all out eating and drinking in a rather seedy bar because it he knew it had been tampered.
That also resulted in another shouting match. This time with belis and debts involve along with some throttling.
Usopp didnât need to mention the times when Zoro helps her out with shopping and carrying their groceries and stocks without being told or forced to. Which Usopp also realized, kind of happens a lot as of late.
And in all these occurrences⌠Nami remained oblivious.
And Usopp had to freaking stop himself from knocking her on the head because it was really goddamned obvious what was actually happening. Â
Once, they decided to camp by the beach of an uninhabited island. They settled around the fire that the boys enthusiastically made as Robin was about to narrate these amazing ghost stories from her newest book. Usopp quietly observed at the corner of his eye that Zoro strategically sat near Nami, knowing sheâd definitely shift closer to him once she gets scared.
Usopp did the same. He deliberately sat near Zoroâon his other side, to be exactâin case he also gets scared and needed comfort.
All these were subtly done. Very subtly done, that no one had an inkling that it was happening at all.
But Usopp does. And he continued to watch and observe and wonder how long will it actually take Nami to figure it all out.
------------------------
Dinner was as usual chaotic, with a lot of laughing, talking and even yelling as they tried to get their fill of their cookâs delectable dinner dishes.
Usopp chewed on his food slowly yet with gusto as he eyed his crewmates, especially those who were at the other end of the table.
Nami had just entered the kitchen and Luffy accidentally barreled into her while running away from Sanji with a stolen plate of newly-cooked meat. Their captain shouted a quick apology to her before hurriedly bounding towards his seat at the head of the table before she can even hit him.
The blond chef was automatically at his tail, yelling expletives at the younger man about stealing food and hurting his Nami-swan.
If Usopp was not mistaken, Nami had been charting her maps all day. He hadnât seen her since breakfast and she did have smudges of blank ink on her hands and fingers.
Grumbling and promising hell to their captain later after dinner, Nami bent down to retrieved the eyeglasses that she dropped when Luffy bumped into her.
Usopp instantly knew that the orange-haired navigator miscalculated her position. Nami was near the edge of the table when she bent down and had moved closer to it, as her glasses had fallen a bit farther under the table. He can hear her muttering something about Luffy paying for a new pair if her glasses where damage from his idiocy.
If she lifts her head upâŚ
The sniper paused on his chewing, his eyebrows lifting up, when he saw the swift yet subtle way Zoroâs hand move to position itself at the tableâs pointed corner, grasping it and effectively covering it. He had done it so casually while still keeping his attention fixed on what Chopper was explaining to him, that the movement was barely noticeable at all.
When Nami finally raised her head and was about to stand up, her forehead hit Zoro's knuckles. A quick flare of temper showed on her face and she glared irritably at the man before her as she straightened up. Zoro looked unfazed and didnât bother looking at her direction.
Nami continued to stare daggers at him for a few seconds before a confused look crossed her features.
Usopp watched her intently as she took in Zoroâs hand at the corner of the table and why it was there.
Then her hand went up to touch her forehead.
In his mindâs eye, Usopp was nodding his approval at the turn of the events.
Nami must have realized that if it wasn't for Zoro's hand, she would definitely be sporting a large bump on her forehead or worseâŚ
âŚthe dining tableâs sharp edge would have caused a bleeding wound that would send her directly to Chopperâs office. .
Usopp continued looking at her, as she in turn continued staring at Zoro.
Her brown eyes suddenly widened as realization dawned onto her.
Well, looks like she finally caught on.
Things will definitely be more interesting from here on, ne?
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All Wrapped Up
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T (Just a lit-tle suggestive)
Note: This was supposed to be an entry for the ZoNa Holiday Events at Tumblr and a holiday fic (would have checked Prompt #1 â Christmas Party and #8 â Red Lipstick) but it didnât make it. Still, I want to get this out there even though itâs 2024 already and Januaryâs about to end.
Also this is a companion fic to The Cat Burglar and As It Was one-shots. Set in the same AU. Because I adore that AU. First ZoNa fic for 2024 so enjoy the craziness!
Summary: His answer was a simple yes. And gave her that smile that never fails to steal her breath away.
Sparkling.
Everything and everywhere is freaking sparkling.
From the snowflakes and ornaments hanging from above, the wiry white branches lining the hallway, the garlands wound around the stairs, the Christmas wreaths peppering the walls, the table centerpieces and candles⌠and of course, the huge Christmas tree in the middle of the room where the party is held.
Everything she set her eyes on is absolutely glitteringâŚ
âŚand white. Did she mention white? Freaking pristine white.
It was like the place was snowed in overnight. And that snow settled in a kind of aesthetic way that it made the place look enchanting just like inside a fantasy winter palace.
âSoâŚâ a voice suddenly spoke up beside her, pulling Nami out of her entrancement. âIs this what it feels like to be inside a snow globe?â Usopp remarked as he observed the scene before him with a grimace, handing Nami a tall glass ofâyes, no surprises with thatâ sparkling wine.
âThanks,â Nami smiled as she took it from him. âYou know, I actually thought I died and gone to heaven when I walked in,â she muttered as her eyes followed a heavily-jewelled matron who strode past them. âEverything is just fucking white and sparkling.â
A snort of laughter escaped Usopp. âYou? In heaven?â
She narrowed her eyes at him knowing where his comment is heading.
âI highly doubt that thatâs where youâll go,â Usopp teased. âYouâre too evil.â
âShut up.â Nami smacked him on the shoulder. âDonât you have to play nice or you wonât get any gifts from the fat, red man?â
âHis name is Santa Claus! Donât be ignorant!â Usopp countered, wincing as he rubbed his shoulder. âAnd compared to you, I am absolutely nice! Iâll definitely get a gift from him.â
She raised an eyebrow at that. It amazes her that even as an adult Usopp still believes in fairy tales and some guy whoâfor the life of her, she doesnât really understand howâslides inside chimneys while everyone else is sleeping to leave gifts under the Christmas trees for nice children.
He really should stop hanging around their genius yet childish doctor.
âSpeaking of gifts,â she decided to change the subject, sending a bright smile to his direction. âWhereâs mine?â She held out her hand as Usopp frowned at her crassness.
âI left it in Chopperâs office,â he said with a roll of his eyes. âIâm not gonna mingle around tonight with it in my pocket you know.â
Nami squealed in delight and Usopp cringed when he realized his tongue slipped and gave her an idea on what his present is.
It was no secret that the orange-haired woman absolutely loves gifts. She made that fact pretty clear a lot of times.
Especially if said gifts were as sparkly and shiny as the lights decorating the entire manor right now.
Usopp was watching her with a dour expression on his face.
She patted his shoulder in an appeasing manner. âOh donât worry. I also got you a gift.â She winked at him as his face lit up with excitement.
âReally?!â This time it was his turn to squeal in delight.
Nami looked smug as she took a sip of her drink. âIâm fair after all. Plus in the spirit of Christmas, I decided to be more generous this year.â
âWooow!â Usopp was looking at her disbelievingly. âI guess miracles do happen! I honestly thought youâd just cut-off a small percentage of my so-called debt to you just like you did last year.â
âDonât make me change my mind Usopp. I can still do that.â
âOh come on! Donât be stingy! Everyone knows you got a big, fat bonus from that stealing stint last time!â
Nami pointed a finger at him. âHey! You also got the same big, fat bonus! Weâre in that stint together!â
Two months ago the two of them (along with Robin, Franky and Brook), pulled off a rather daring heist in an underground auction hosted by the one and only Buggy the Clownâthe weird owner and head of Buggyâs Delivery; an organization that prides itself in acquiring hard to find artifacts and treasures of the old from different parts of the world to sell it to the highest bidder in a hush-hush, private event.
Robin was able to secure an invitation to the clownâs auction, following a tip that Buggy recently obtained some priceless items which belonged to Gol D. Roger himself.
They knew they needed to get their hands on those treasures as soon as possible.
And get their hands on it they did.
Nami can still recall that feeling of elation as they drove away from Buggyâs circus-inspired villa with all the priceless auction items in towâmuch to the consternation and shock of Buggy himself. He wasnât able to chase them as they had a good head start before he and his minions realized what had happened.
Thus they all got a damn big bonus for a job well-done. Not everyone can pull off a feat like that. But with a brilliant team like theirs⌠it was a walk in the park.
It was really a damn great decision to join them. Not only was she living lavishly now, but she was also enjoying her stealing assignments so much more than before.
A few years ago, Nami had stolen a relic in the Mugiwara estate from right under Usoppâs nose. Back then, she was working alone and Usopp was in charge of the whole estateâs security.
He and his team was no match for her. Nami was able to breach their safeguards and easily sneak into the estate and get her hands on the priceless item. It was almost like stealing candies from babies, she canât even call it a challenge.
Then Straw Hat Luffyâthe head of the Mugiwara Familyâsent Roronoa Zoro, one of his top men, to track her down.
Nami honestly thought that that was the end for her when she saw him sitting on one of the booths of her then empty bar, silently and patiently biding his time.
But Zoroâs orders that night, was just find herâŚ
âŚand apparently take her back with him to the estate.
Thank her lucky stars he wasnât there to maim her. She definitely knows sheâs no match for him. Still, Nami did not make it easy for Zoro to do his job. She made him chase after her for a good half an hour all around the town until he finally lost his patience and showed her first-hand just why he was Mugiwara no Luffyâs right-hand man.
To say he hauled her back with him like he was just carrying a sack of potatoes was an understatement.
Her addition to Luffyâs elite circle was unexpectedâas unexpected as his invitation to her to join his group. It wasnât a calculated decision on his part (like heâs actually capable of that). Luffy just felt that it was right to invite her. Plus her skills are really awesome (he said it with eyes lighting up in excitement while laughing at Usoppâs expense) and he was really impressed with how she was able to sneak into the estate and steal something.
It may have been an arbitrary whim on Luffyâs part, but it was Nico Robin who pointed out to everyone that it would benefit them so much more if Nami is with them instead of an adversary that they had to deal with every now and then.
âHer thieving skills are unmatched. Her moniker, true to its words. Also she is not just a cat burglar,â Robin had explained with a rather fascinated smile on her face. âNami is also an exceptional cartographer and an excellent navigator. Very useful when it comes to treasure hunting, donât you all think?â She posed the question to everyone present, her blue eyes almost sparkling with mirth. âSheâll make a fine addition to our group.â
Nami was stunned at tall and elegant womanâs knowledge about her and her skills. She later found out that Robin is an archaeologist and a treasure trove of information. She actually has an archive of whoâs who in the criminal worldâbe it a big or small name. And Namiâs name was already included in it. Robin also makes it her business to know every person and organization who is interested in anything and everything related to Gol D. Roger and his treasures.
Zoro and Usopp are the only ones who were adamantly opposed to her joining. The former because he doesnât trust her and claims that she would be nothing but trouble. The latter because his pride took a battering when she had stolen the priceless relic he was ordered to guard with his life.
But they had to relent when Luffy put his foot down.
And Nami had no choice but to concede too, because she knows she would not fare well as their enemy⌠especially if they sent out Roronoa Zoro after her.Â
Her thoughts suddenly shifted to the grouchy, green-haired man and her eyes automatically roamed the expanse of the party and the guests. She hadnât seen him ever since she arrived.
Heâs probably lost again. She thought wryly. Or going around in circles on the estate grounds.
Zoro might be exceptional when it comes to fighting, but definitely hopeless when it comes to directions. He would get lost in a straight line and will confuse north and south and left and right. It was completely frustrating.
Nami felt Usopp nudged her with his shoulder to get her attention. She gave him a glance and saw that he was pointing at one of the guests who were clad with so much sparkling jewelries she almost put the Christmas tree lights to shame.
Usopp was wiggling his eyebrows at her, issuing a silent dare to Nami that she should be able to nick some of those by the end of the night.
She smirked haughtily, raising her glass slightly to take his challenge.
It had been easy to win Usopp over when she finally accepted Luffyâs offer. They had a lot in common and Nami realized they almost, always have the same wave length. It didnât take long for them to get close, all previous transgression forgotten.
Most of the time, it was the two of them who works out the security and possible breaches of the estate along with Frankyâif Nami wasnât on a stealing stint or nose-buried into antique maps and charting. Â
As much as Usopp had been an easy win. Zoro was the complete opposite.
He was harder to get close to. Harder to thaw. He was like a thick block of ice. Not to mention he has an inherent distrust to almost all the people he meets. That combination was enough to make him formidable.
He was quiet and calm; silently listening and observing and in most cases, heâs just⌠asleep.
Nami was astounded on how easily he could just nod off while they were having a meeting or going over the plans for a heist or an attack or even when theyâre just randomly lounging about the manor. He just sits there, with arms crossed over that delectable chest of his then falls asleep, snoring like there was no tomorrow.
But what really surprised her was that even if he zoned out easily or looks like heâs not even paying attention⌠he was ever-alert and his reflexes are out of this world.
Once, she stealthily tried sneak up on him to pull at his ear for dozing off while she was in the middle of giving him the rundown of the plan for their current mission. He had been grating on her nerves ever since they arrive at the island of Dressrosaâno, scratch thatâfrom the moment they started traveling to be exact, and a retaliation was definitely overdue.
The next thing she knew, he had her pinned down on the carpeted floor of the hotel room. She was looking up at him with wide eyes while he stared down at her with one eyebrow arrogantly cocked.
He drawled something about⌠she didnât quite catch it because at that moment, the wind was knocked out of her and her heart was thumping madly against her chest, its thudding sound echoing loudly in her ears.
And all her brain could register is how good Zoro feels above her.
From that moment on, Nami wanted more of him.
They stared at each other for a good few seconds as Nami swallowed the lump that somehow formed at her throat as his steely grey eye regarded her intensely.Â
Though what happened next was far from charming. Bastard didnât even bother helping her stand up. Zoro just pushed himself up and away from her with a scoff and casually walked towards the door to exit the room as Nami scrambled to get back on her feet. Out of frustration, she threw her red stiletto heel at his head.
Looking back, she honestly thinks that that was what chipped the ice. Because when Zoro swiveled around after her shoe hit his head and marched back towards her direction, a vein was visibly popping in his forehead and he was looking mad as hell. It was the first time she had seen that expression on him.
She shouldâve been afraid at that moment. But in a mixture of infuriation and embarrassment (from being pinned down the floor or from her improper thoughts about the green-haired man or both)âNami folded her arms across her chest and met his flaring temper head on.
Their shouting match in that room was one for the books. Not to mention, they almost blew their supposed mission that day because they canât stop arguing.
That was the start of the never-ending quarrels and quips between the two of them that drove everyone around them crazy. It was an unspoken rule to everyone in the estate that when Zoro and Nami start firing words at each other, itâs better to high-tail it out of there than get caught in the crossfire.Â
It was around that time that Nami realized that Zoro wasnât really all cold and aloof like she first thought. Most of the time he appeared like he doesnât give a damn because he was just too freaking lazy to care.
His usually reserved countenance was most likely because he was the kind of person to assess the situation first before reacting. He prefers to see the whole picture before efficiently dealing with whatever it is that comes one by one. He kept a cool head in most circumstances yet can still easily lose his temper especially when she one ups him (or if Sanji-kun was deliberately pissing him off).
It had become a bad habit of Nami to rile him up as much as she can. Because in a weird and twisted way, she loves how expressive his face can be when he is fighting with her.
The longer Nami stayed at Luffyâs group, the more she came to know Zoro deeper.Â
Their enemies feared him. Everyone in their group and their members have high respect for him. He was actually one of the very few people that can rein their boss in because Luffy actually listens to him.Â
As much as he was known to be ruthless and emotionless by the other mob families, he is quite the opposite when it comes to his friends and other selected associates.
She saw how he was with Luffy, Usopp and Chopper. Sometimes when he deals with them, his lone grey eye would go soft and there was this air of fondness and this certain amused smile on his face that she never thought he was capable of doing.
It stole her breath away. And made her see him in another light.
Sheâd do anything to be at the receiving end of that smile. Â
âA pricey jewelry for your thoughts?â Usoppâs playful tone suddenly permeated her thoughts.
âHuh?â Nami snapped back to reality at the sound of her long-nosed friendâs voice.
Usopp peered at her face. âAre you alright? You just like zoned out.â His gaze traced the path where Nami was blankly looking. âFind something interesting out there?â
Nami shook her head. âNah, just thinking.â
âYou better be thinking on how youâll steal some of those sparkly jewelries from that woman and that woman,â Usopp sniggered, tilting his head toward the direction of the bejewelled women he was pertaining too.
She raised an eyebrow at him. âAre you underestimating me?â
âOf course not!â Usopp said as he downed the last of his drink. âActually⌠hmm⌠there is a betting pool.â He said muttered while pretending to scratch his chin.
âWhat do you mean there is a betting pool?â
Usopp took a step back from her realizing his mistake. He shouldnât have said that.
Before he can take another step back, Nami suddenly grabbed his tie to the point of choking him.
âWhatâs the bet?â Nami growled. She was quick to grasp the meaning of what he was saying. She was quite familiar that the some of the lower ranked members usually indulges themselves with betting pools for their own entertainment. It was an easy way to win money after all. Sometimes even higher officials like her, Usopp, Franky or Brook would join.
But she wasnât aware that there is an ongoing bet tonight.
Nami shook the curly-haired lad to urge him to give an answer.
âCome on Usopp donât make this hard. Whatâs the bet?â
âUuuhmmâŚ. how much youâll be able to steal tonight?â
Nami scowled and she narrowed her eyes at him. âTell me more!â
âEeep! Thatâs just it! I shouldnât have told you! Itâs not even my ideaââ He struggled to explain and get out of her grasp at the same time. âI mean we can split!â
âSplit?â Namiâs face darkened at that.
âYeah!â Usopp nodded vigorously. âThe pot is high!â
âHow high?!â
âAra⌠here you both are.â
Nami and Usopp whipped their heads toward the direction of the voice. Robin was approaching them looking all elegant in a shimmery white gown. Her long black hair was arranged in a sophisticated coiffure behind her head and she was holding a wine glass half-filled with one of the vintage reds from the manorâs cellar that she adores.
âRobin!â Nami exclaimed, completely forgetting about Usopp and releasing him from her clutches. She bounded happily towards the tall woman and enveloped her in a hug. âYouâre back!â
âRo-bin!â Usopp also greeted as he cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. âGood to see you here! Thought you wouldnât make it tonight?â
Robin, Franky and Brook had an important errand in the island of Baldimore. They went there to finalize a deal with one of their important associates before the year ends. As the place was quite far, everyone was thinking the trio wouldnât make it back in for the party.
But apparently they did.
âFufufuâŚâ Robin laughed softly. âWell Franky and Brook were adamant to make it back. They donât want to miss this party.â She motioned to the far corner of the room below where a tall, lanky figure with afro hair was already sitting behind the grand piano, playing Christmas tunes. âItâs a must-attend event after all.â
âI thought the New Year party is the must-attend event?â Usoppâs brows furrowed.
âBoth are,â Robin said with a smile. âYou know how the three brothers are always in a high festive mood whenever the holidays approach.â
Both Nami and Usopp nodded in understanding. With both of Luffyâs brothers, Ace and Sabo, spending the season at Mugiwara estate, the celebration had been all out. Spare no expense was Luffyâs exact words. Well actually the three brothersâ exact words. Because Ace and Luffy absolutely love throwing parties and Sabo⌠well itâs two against one, he had no choice but to agree.
And this was only the Christmas Party. Another party will be held on New Yearâs Eve and Nami canât wait to see how extravagant that oneâs going to be.
Not to mention how many glittering stuff sheâll be able to filch from their filthy rich guests by the turn of the year.
âWell,â Usopp let out an exasperated sigh. âItâs gonna be a lot of work from here on.â
Robin nodded. âIâm surprised you are even out here. I thought youâd be personally manning the security tonight?â
Usopp looked crestfallen. âAaw, gimme a break Robin. Our security teamâs the best! With Franky and Iâs newly updated surveillance equipment, not even a fly would get past the fence!â
The archaeologist gave Nami a side glance which Usopp caught.
âHey! We personally asked Nami to do practice runs to check the systemâs efficiency.â Usopp explained, folding his arms across his chest, looking smug and proud.
Nami laughed. âThat they did.â
Robin chuckled. âSo how was it?â She directed the question towards the orange-haired woman.
âQuite a challenge actually,â Nami admitted, pursing her lips. âBut give me some time to figure out something and Iâll be able to sneak past all that, get inside here and steal anything from right under Usoppâs nose. Again.â
âHey!â Usopp lightly slapped her arm. âI thought weâre friends now!â
Nami blinked innocently at him. âYes we are. But youâll never know how effective that surveillance system is until we give it a serious try right?â
âWell, she does have a point Usopp,â Robin agreed. âMaybe a surprise break-in one of these days?â She suggested, her tone light with amusement. âFranky will surely love that challenge.â
âI wonât...â Usopp mumbled.
Nami rolled her eyes at him. âIâm pretty sure thatâll give you and Franky the opportunity to request for new tech stuff again.â
Usopp straightened up at that. âWell that idea I definitely love!â
âSo all set,â Nami flashed him a smile. âOnce the holidays are over, expect something will happen. Iâm already giving you a handicap.â
Usopp knitted his brows at her. âWhat handicap?â
âOnce the holidays are over,â Nami repeated. A Cheshire cat-like grin appeared on her face. âCome on, thatâs enough clue right? Itâs a surprise break-in after all.â
Now Usopp was looking at her with eyes narrowed. Then he turned to Robin. âIâm blaming this on you.â
Robin just gave him a mysterious smile. âItâs settled then. Iâm looking forward to the chaos itâll bring.â
âWait hold up!â Usopp raised his hand. âAre we not telling everyone about it?â
âWhereâs the fun in that if you do?â Nami asked in a bored tone.
âButâŚâ
âWeâll inform Luffy and the others.â Robin took a sip of her wine before continuing. âOnly our team will know. Itâll be the perfect incident response exercise for the rest donât you think?â
Usopp was looking at her with mouth agape. âWhere do you even get these ideas?â He paused for a moment and huffed. âOh right⌠Franky.â
The corners of Robinâs eyes crinkled in amusement.
âAnyway, Luffy did call for a meeting before the party starts right?â Robin signalled to one of the meandering servers whoâs balancing a tray of beverages on his hand. She took the empty glass from Namiâs hand and replaced it with a champagne flute. The she got another, this time
low ball glass with a really expensive whiskey inside and placed it in Namiâs free hand.
Nami stared quizzically at the drinks.
Robin thanked the server politely as he moved away from them. âI think itâs time to head up now,â she proposed.
Usopp glanced at his watch. âWell, we betterâŚâ
âCan you go find Zoro, Nami?â The raven-haired woman requested.
âMe?â Nami blinked up at her. Then, she looked back at the glasses she was holding. Oh fuck that. That was why Robin handed her the whiskey. She frowned at her and Robin just smiled.
âYouâre the only one who can easily drag him to these meetings. And he really needs to be there.â Robinâs tone had shifted and Nami noted that there must be something important to discuss if Zoroâs presence at the meeting is imperative.
But still she groaned her complaint. âDo I really have too?â
âYes. Please.â
âWhy not Usopp?â
âWhy me?â Usopp retorted. âZoro will just threaten me into leaving him alone and you know I will always cave in. You on the other hand, donât. So carry on!â He made a shooing gesture with his hand.
Nami childishly stuck her tongue out at him.
âLast I saw him he was heading towards the west wing.â Robin offered. âHeâs probably still there.â
âBelieve me heâs not going anywhere once heâs in that area,â Nami muttered under her breath. The manorâs west wing had like a dozen rooms. It was Zoroâs favourite hiding place whenever there is a party and he wants some peace and quiet. Plus that area is off limits to party guests, there are even assigned guards at its entryway.
âFine.â She conceded albeit sulkily, glancing at the drinks in her hand. âIâm gonna drag his ass upstairs.â
âThank you.â Robin murmured as Nami sullenly shuffled away to do what she was asked. She was still within earshot when she heard Usopp say to Robin, Â
âHey about the betting poolâŚâ
âI heard that!â Nami snapped as she spun around and marched back towards them. âAnd I demand to know what the hell that is! Donât you dare think I forgot about that Usopp!â
Robin curiously raised an eyebrow at her before looking back at Usopp.
Said man stiffened under her gaze.
âSorry!â Usopp sheepishly apologized to Robin with a nervous laugh. âIt just slipped. I mustâve told her something.â
âWhatâs that all about?!â Nami inquired, her eyes shifting back and forth between the two of them. âYou said something about it earlier Usopp!â
Robin just shrugged nonchalantly. âEveryone just makes bets.â
âWait, everyone?â Nami repeated. âLike everyone bets and the winner takes all? How come I didnât know of this! Are in this too Robin?â
Robin just replied with a chuckle. âWell youâd most likely try to rig the game so you can split the win.â She explained not confirming the answer to Namiâs question if she was involved in it too.
Namiâs eyes widened when she realized that she is. âI canât believe you Robin! But yeah youâre right Iâd definitely rig the game! Wait,â she diverted her attention to Usopp. âSo thatâs why you brought it up Usopp! Youâre planning to strike a deal with me!â She announced in a sickeningly sweet, sugary voice.
âThatâs cheating.â Robin commented coolly.
âHey no! It just slipped out of my mouth alright?â
âYou said something about splitting the win,â Nami pointed out.
Both women are looking at him unconvincingly. Usopp was known for having a flair for lying, which is surprisingly effective to most people outside their circle.
âOnly because you were gripping my tie to the point of throttling me!â Usopp retorted. âBesides like youâd really agree to split fifty-fifty  Nami. Itâs gonna be more like fifty-none!â
âThat is definitely correct.â Robin agreed with a soft laugh
âOf course!â Nami stated haughtily. âWhy would I split evenly? How long has this been going on anyway?â
âUhh⌠around mid-year last yearâŚâ Usopp replied.
âWhat?! That long?â
âUh-huh.â
âIâm pretty sure a lot of you are like a thousand belis richer now because of me?â Nami was looking pure evil right now. She tossed back the champagne she was still holding in one go and casually placed it on the tray of a passing server. Â âIâm definitely taking percentages!â
âOh hey I always lost!â Usopp held up his hands in mock surrender. âSo no thank you. You will not be taking any money from me.â
âI havenât really won,â Robin said with a smile. âSorry. Iâm up against those with uncanny luck in gambling.â
Nami blew at her bangs exasperatedly. âOkay then. Who do I have to extort?â
Robin and Usopp glanced at each other and without waiting for a beat they both answered.
âZoro.â
âThat idiot!â Nami growled. So he was on it too! She canât believe it! And he was getting richer from making bets about her and he did not even have the gall to tell her? She was gripping the remaining glass on her hand a little too tightly.
âWhoa easy!â Usopp tried to pacify her, seeing that cracks were about to form on the glass. âBut yeah if you are gonna extort someone, itâs him. He like won almost every betting pool. Thatâs roughly about a hundred thousand belis now.â
Robin just arched her perfectly shaped eyebrows when Usopp threw Zoro under the mercy of a rather livid Nami. Money matters are in no way handled peacefully in the orange-haired womanâs books. She was willing to do almost anything for it. Robin had seen her break another manâs arm who idiotically tried to scam her before⌠accidentally though⌠or so Nami claims.
She swirled her wine slightly, watching it with slight fascination. But even more fascinating is whatâs going to happen in the next few hours now that Nami finally found out about the betting pool that Brook, Franky and Usopp had actually started.
âOooh that lazy, idiot moss-head. I swear Iâm going to get every single beli he won from that stupid betting pool! With interest!â
Robin lifted her head up just in time to see Nami stomping away from them in purposeful strides, her high heels making an ominous clacking sound against the marbled floor as she made her way towards where Zoro possibly was. Usopp was waving his hand at her and cheering her on.
âWell this is definitely going to be a fun night,â Robin remarked, the corners of her eyes crinkling with mirth, before taking another sip of her wine.
------------------------
Unlike the other areas which were decorated with glittering lights and Christmas adornments, the manorâs west wing was totally devoid of anything festive. Only the warm chandelier lights lining the high curving ceiling illuminated the whole area.
The noise of the party grew faint the further Nami went forward and when she turned around the corner, everything fell silent. No music or party guests chatter or clinking glasses. Not even the clacking sound of her heels can be heard as she continued along the now carpeted floor.
She grimaced at the task Robin cheekily sent her to do. She could swear the raven-haired women had something up her sleeve for she had seen a particular twinkle in her eyes like she knew something that was supposed to be a secret.
Nami stopped walking and took a deep breath. She kind of⌠have an inkling to what it was that Robin knew.
But first things, firstâŚ
She tapped her foot while pondering. It irked her a bit that the soft fabric underneath her shoes prevented her from hearing the sound her foot should be making.
If everything was silent in this area then definitely the drifting moss head had gone into hiding in one of these many rooms.
Nami did a double take when she realized she was still holding the glass Robin handed her earlier. With a shrug of her shoulders, she lifted the glass to her lips to taste the deep gold liquid. It would be a waste not to drink it.
She needs it much more than Zoro do.
Mmmm⌠that hits the spot. Nami mused, nodding her approval as she felt the familiar sensation of the liquor warming up her throat and cheeks. Licking her lips, she studied the red lipstick mark she left on the glass.
She made a mental note to grab more of these once she gets back to the party.
After she finds Zoro.
And where could he be? She is not really looking forward to searching all the rooms of the floor for him.
Nami strained her ears to listen if there was any sound of thunderous snoring coming from one of the rooms. Hearing nothing, she strolled forward, glancing left and right.
âHe better be in here somewhere,â she muttered to herself. Because there is no way in hell that sheâd try to look for him outside the estate grounds on this cold night. They could do without him in the meeting. They have too. Someone can just fill him in with whatever he was going to miss.
âWhat are you doing skulking around here like a thief?â
Nami whirled around instantly at that. She wasnât surprised to see the person she was looking for, casually leaning against the now open doorway of one of the rooms she already passed. Zoroâs arms were folded across his chest, one eyebrow raised in inquiry as he regarded at her.
She just snorted at his accusation and fought the urge to remind him that she was indeed a thief⌠in case his stupid, sexy ass had forgotten about it.
But she just let it slide, and took another sip from the glass in her hand before approaching him.
âIâm skulking around because Iâm looking for you. Robin told me to bring you upstairs, your presence is required at the meeting oh snarky one.â
Zoro just scoffed and pushed himself away from the doorway. Without another word, he went back inside the totally dark room where he was obviously âstealthily loungingâ.
Nami followed suit. So he had holed himself up in one of the many rooms that served as an office library. From the looks of this one, no Mugiwara was using it because the place was still tidy. No books, open and unopened, were occupying the antique writing desk. No papers strewn everywhere, crumpled or not. No pens or mugs and glasses half-filled with coffee, tea, water or any alcoholic beverage. There are no missing books in the shelves. No diagrams, floor plans or maps posted and hanging on the walls, windows or on any available flat surface.
There was none of the signature chaos that takes over the room once someone from their team uses it.
Well, unless of course Zoro had already staked his claim on this room and was using it as his personal sleeping quarter-slash-hideout.
âWhat are you doing in here alone in the dark Zoro?â Nami asked, using the exact same tone he used when he questioned her earlier as she closed the door. âHiding from someone? Or from everyone?â
âHmph.â
âOr are you waiting for someone?â Nami sing-songed as she approached him. Zoro was now leaning against the desk with his arms crossed over his chest again in an imposing manner. She deliberately brushed against him to reach out and switched the pricey vintage desk lamp beside him to illuminate the room.
His grey eye was following her movements. Watching. Waiting.
âI brought you a drink.â She handed him the liquor glass she still have on her hand.
She smirked when his face scrunched into a frown as he took it from her, scrutinizing the alcohol inside. âSorry I had to take a taste.â She grinned cheekily at him.
Zoro stared at the glass. Her lipstick mark was still on the glass rim, the red smear a stark contrast against the gold liquid⌠same color as that on her devilishly smiling lips.
âI donât mind,â he said lowly. He lifted the glass and deliberately drank right at the area where her lipstick mark was.
Nami did not fight the urge to bite her lower lip.
Well fuck. Isnât that hot?
âYou didnât bring more?â Zoro asked with a smirk after he downed all the remaining whiskey in one go.
Nami laughed teasingly. âOh you have to come out of your hiding place if you want more of that.â
The green-haired man chuckled, setting the glass on the desk.
âGuess Iâll settle with this for now.â
His hand instantly reached out and grabbed her by the nape, pushing her forward to him and capturing her lips with his.
Nami pressed herself against him straightaway. It was like her body had a mind of its own. It knew exactly what to do the moment Zoroâs lips settled on hers. Her arms automatically went around his neck, her head tilted to give him more access to her mouth, to deepen their kiss so he could taste more of her and she could taste more of him.
She melted in his arms when his tongue traced her lower lip slowly before teasingly giving it a soft bite. She practically purred in delight at his action. She likes it when he does that. It always sent shivers running down her spine and she can feel the heat from that playful nip spreading from her lips to every damn part of her.Â
She clung to him when she felt his fingers trailing down the bare skin of her back, her body quivering deliciously against the sensation. Zoroâs hold on her nape tightened. She felt him inhaled sharply before almost devouring her in their kiss, his mouth dominating hers in a way that made Nami heady, hot and needy all at the same time.
Zoro in turn completely caged her to him by wrapping one arm around her waist. His hand on her nape slowly moved to tangle with her unbound tresses and Nami realized from the slight movements his body was making that he plans toâŚ
She pulled away almost immediately. Zoroâs face scrunched into a displeased frown.
âWhat?â He asked gruffly, looking peeved that she stopped their kiss.
Nami gave him a sassy grin. âWe need to go upstairs for the meeting,â she reminded him, tapping his cheek lightly. Because good Kami if she didnât stop him now, they wonât make it up there.
âTch!â
âWe have responsibilities tonight. Plus you also ruined my lipstick,â she chastised him softly even as she gave him a quick peck before proceeding to rub off the red smear on his lips with her thumb. âDidnât I tell you that the lips are off limits when Iâm all dolled up like this?âÂ
Nami tilted her head down to gesture at her sparkling champagne gown.
She smiled softly when his frown deepened. Zoro absolutely looked like a spoiled brat who didnât get his way.
Adorable.
Nami traced his mouth softly with her thumb before kissing him again.
âDo we have to be there?â Zoro grudgingly asked when she pulled away again and resumed wiping of traces of her lipstick on him. They werenât exactly letting anyone know about them. Heck, even they themselves donât know what the real score between them is. They havenât really discussed it. But somehow they had both come to an agreement that whatever theyâre doing are exclusively just between them and third parties are not welcome.Â
Robin probably (with her intelligence) knows a thing or two about them based on the way she was looking at Nami when she asked her to search for the green-haired man. And to be honest, Nami suspects that they are being whispered behind closed doors. Most of those in the low ranks are gossips after all.
They better be not in those idiots betting pool! She swore there will be hell to pay.
In the dim light of the room, she did her best to erase the remnants of red on his lips as Zoro watched her.
âSorry, but bossâs orders.â
He grunted and straightened up, giving Nami a nod that they better go. He had a âletâs get this over withâ expression on his face and she chuckled.
Nami tugged at his dinner jacket. âWe need to stop by my office first.â
âHuh? Why?â
She narrowed her eyes at him. âYou made a mess of my make-up. I have to retouch.â
âTch!â
âDonât tch me! I absolutely refuse to walk into the meeting room without fixing myself first!â Nami glowered at him. âTheyâd get ideas.â
âNo they wonât.â
âYes they will. Robin is not an idiot.â
âFine,â Zoro relented begrudgingly. Nami does have a point. Heâs not looking forward being subjected to the others teasing or insinuations. âLead the way woman.â
Nami flashed him a victorious smile. âPlus I also have to leave this there.â
She raised her hand and waved a small box in front his face.
Zoroâs brows furrowed when he realized what she was holding. âDamn it Nami!â He growled.
âAaaw Zoro donât be mad,â Nami pinched his cheek. âIs this for me?â
âIâm actually tempted to say no.â
âAh, so this is mine!â
He was looking at her with a deadpan expression on his face. Nami just pressed a kiss on his cheek before mouthing âthank youâ.
âI canât believe you filched that, youâre unbelievable.â Zoro groused.
âYup. Right in while you were busy shoving your tongue inside my mouth.â Nami brazenly declared as she observed the small yet pretty gift box. A sparkling ribbon was tied around it and she shook it lightly, her eyes widening at the sound coming from inside it.Â
Zoro looked smug. âDonât think you one upped me witch. I just didnât stop you.â
But Nami was too happy and too distracted with her gift to pay any attention to what he was saying.
âOooh! Did you get me something shiny and sparkly?â She probed, her tone enthusiastic. âI sure donât mind getting something to pair with them.â She tilted her head slightly to show him the earrings she was wearing. The diamonds set on them came from Jozu Island and very hard to acquire. When Zoro said heâll get her those, she had treated it as a joke at first. But when he handed her a black velvet box containing the said stones in their raw beauty, she realized he was dead serious in with his word.
Nami had some of them set into different jewelries. And once they were done, she wore them to show Zoro just how absolutely stunning they looked, especially against her naked skin.Â
He just snorted at her. âWhy donât you open it?â
She excitedly tugged at the boxâs ribbon, letting it fall down the floor. She lifted the top cover up and peered inside.
âUh⌠wow.â She slowly nodded her head hoping it would give her time to wrap this one around her brain and figure out why she is looking atâŚ
âKeys?â Nami looked up at Zoro in surprise.
Zoro smirked. âWhat? Are you expecting something else?â
Nami recovered quickly. âNope. Not really.â She forced out a laugh. âI mean, I was actually expecting not to get anything from you at all after those diamonds.â She stared at the content of the box again. It wasnât even a key for a car. She thought, a bit dumbfounded. So what the hell isâŚ
She lifted her head and realized that Zoro was now looking at her amusedly. He had this certain expression on his handsome face that tells her he is up to something.
âWhat?â Nami queried, cocking an eyebrow at him. âI donât like the expression on your face right now.â
He just shrugged his shoulders and continued looking at her with amusement dancing behind his grey eye.
âMerry Christmas Nami.â He greeted in that deep, lazy voice of his. âThat should stop you from nicking my own set.â
Namiâs eyes widened and her mouth dropped open when she finally realized what those keys are for.
Stupid Zoro just gave her her own set of keys for his house.
Her very own set.
She glanced down at it again.
Does he have any idea on how serious the implication of his gift was?
She lifted her eyes up to gaze at his face. And she knew instantaneously that he had thought this one through. After all, Zoro rarely decides things on a whim.
Without another word she threw herself at him, glomping him with enough force to almost push him back against the writing desk.
She buried her face on his neck. She could feel the rumble of laughter on his chest at her reaction.
âI take it that you like it?â Zoro laughingly asked.
Nami looked up at him and replied with a dazzling smile. âDefinitely.â
âBetter than the diamonds?â
âThat is a hard question Zoro.â She mock-pouted. âI like them both very much.â
Zoro responded with a chuckle. Â
She studied his face for a moment, unsure on how she would ask the question thatâs weighing on her mind for months now.
âZoroâŚâ
âHnn?â
Nami took a deep breath. âYou know that this⌠you know that this meansâŚâ she trailed off and instead pointed a finger at him and then at herself. âAre we making this official?â She just blurted out not knowing how to proceed anymore.
His answer was a simple yes. And gave her that smile that never fails to steal her breath away. That one smile she always, always coveted to see directed at her.
And there was no really better response to that but to press her lips on his in the softest of kisses that he eagerly returned.
She was giggling when she pulled away. âIâm so going to put that bathroom of yours into good use.â She murmured while running her fingers through his hair.
âYeah?â
âYeah,â she affirmed. âAnd you will definitely have a lot of sleepless nights from here on.â She grinned naughtily at him.
âLooking forward to it.â He whispered before Nami kissed him again.
âAnd also, now that we are official,â Nami murmured in between kisses. âI will collect my percentages from all your betting pool wins.â
Zoro jerked back at that and was now staring at her incredulously.
She smiled mischievously at him. âOh. Usopp tattled.â
âUsopp?â Zoro repeated. âThat idiot. Pretty sure he wants to split the wins tonight with you.â
âDefinitely. And the tattler also told me youâre in it too. So want to counter-offer?â
Zoro looked like he was pondering for a moment. âNo way thatâs gonna be fifty-fifty. Youâre too much of a witch to be fair.â
Nami threw her head back and laugh.
âSixty-forty,â she offered impishly.
âI knew it.â Zoro huffed with a roll of his eyes.
Nami tapped his chest. âSixty on you⌠and you take me out on a really fancy date.â
Zoro grinned. âEighty-twenty.â
Namiâs eyebrows disappeared behind her bangs.
âIâll take you out on a fancy date and not on that place where dartboard brows goes.â
âGo onâŚâ Nami still looked unconvinced.
Zoro bent down slightly so his lips were now touching her ear. âThen Iâll take you home. And weâll spend all three days before the New Year party in bed.â
The corners of Namiâs lips quirked at that.
âYou better not be talking about just sleeping there Zoro.â
âOf course Iâm not.â
âThen you got yourself a deal.â
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One More Sleep
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T
Note: A ZoNa Holiday Events is up at Tumblr for the month of December. We got selected themes for each day and weâd love other ZoNa shippers to join and celebrate our favorite couple with holiday-themed fanarts and fanfics! Feel free to check it here: @zonamievents
Unexpectedly wrote this one just this Christmas dawn/morning (my timezone) because I canât sleep from too much eating. And coffee. Zoned out once this is done. Itâs what I would say a go figure work and definitely smells of a companion one-shot.
 Anyways, Merry Christmas everyone!
Theme: # 25 - Hibernate
Summary: âWhy donât you go up and check on him?â âWhy does everybody keep telling me that?â
âIs he still asleep?â
Nami raised one eyebrow as she directed the question to the tinkering sniper. Usopp momentarily paused from what he was doing and blinked up at her.
She just continued looking at him, waiting for an answer. The curly-haired lad shrugged his shoulders in response. âProbably,â he said as went back to adjusting the screws on his latest invention. âDidnât hear any sound coming from the nest since this morning.â
Nami pursed her lips at that. It was already late afternoon. Scratch that. It was nearing sun set to be more precise.
âSeems overboard even for him.â She flicked a glance at the crowâs nest before her eyes riveted to Usopp. âAre we sure heâs still alive in there?â
Now Usopp stopped working, shooting her an incredulous look. Then his face broke into a grin that Nami finds a bit irritating.
âYou seemed concern? Why not go up and check on him?â He suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
Nami fought the urge to punch him on the head. âI am so not! Iâm just wondering why he hasnât lugged his stupid ass down here, being a nuisance and pissing Sanji-kun off!â
âO-kay,â Usopp mouthed looking like heâs not buying her explanation. He studied Nami for a moment and snickered when he saw her looking up at the crowâs nest again.
âWhat?â Nami asked in a sharp tone when she heard it. She glared daggers at her so-called friend knowing full well that he plans to subject her to some teasing.
âNothing.â Usopp was quick to answer and he immediately went back to his work, feigning concentration.
âUrgh,â Nami groaned. âWhat a waste of time.â She muttered before stomping away from him to head at the galley.
Behind her Usopp snickered again.
She didnât bother turning around to confront him or scare the shit out of him. Instead she just said, âAll that snickeringâs gonna cost you Usopp.â
She ignored the shout of protest that came from behind her.
-----------------------
âIs he still not up?â
Nami asked that question again. Only this time she directed it to her captain instead of the long-nosed sniper.
Luffy blinked back at her. Almost the same as what Usopp did earlier, exactly three hours ago.
He looked a bit confused as if he did not comprehend what she was asking.
And based from his answer⌠he definitely did not.
âWho?â Her idiotic captain questioned back.
A nerve ticked on Namiâs forehead before she replied. âZoro.â
Luffy paused for a moment, before he broke into a grin and laughed. âOh. Zoro! Shishishi! Guess not. I havenât seen him sinceâŚâ he tilted his head, as if pondering. âUhmâŚâ
âStop that.â Nami instantly decided to put a stop to his thinking with a slight wave of her hand. Or theyâll be at it until⌠some other things manage to catch Luffyâs attention. âYouâll hurt yourself.â
âWhy would I hurt myself?â
âUgh, never mind.â
Luffy was looking at her strange. Then he blurted out. âOi! Have you seen Zoro, Nami?â
Nami stared at him disbelievingly. Her fist throbbed from the effort of holding back and preventing herself from thumping him on the head. âI already asked you that Luffy! So that means I havenât.â
âOh! Why are you looking for him?â
âBecause I havenât seen him sinceâŚâ she trailed off. Sweet heavens! Did she really fell into the Luffy loop where theyâll just keep asking each other, confusing each other and actually ending up with no clear answer?
Luffy was looking at her eagerly.
She exhaled loudly. âYou know what; Sanji-kun is cooking something delicious in the kitchen for tomorrow.â Nami decided to just distract her ever gluttonous captain. âYou might want to check it out.â She lowered her voice conspiratorially.
That perked the rubber man up. âReally?â His eyes went wide and Nami could swear she can see meat in them.
She nodded and just like that Luffy went bounding towards the galley, shouting meat at the top of his lungs.
There were a lot of cursing coming from the kitchen and something about âItâs way past dinnertime!â and âThat food is for tomorrow!â and âLuffy you idiot captain!â. Then some sounds of scuffle and a few thuds here and there.
Nami just shrugged like it wasnât her fault.
Sorry Sanji-kun! She internally apologized for distracting Luffy with their chef.
------------------------
âNo oneâs seen him since yesterday.â
âHuh?â This time itâs Namiâs turn to blink in surprise at the sudden information. She had just stepped inside the girlâs room after spending the rest of the night in the library working on one of her maps. It was almost midnight when she finally decided to get some rest and finish the other charts tomorrow.
The whole day passed and still the person she was looking for havenât shown himself. Not during breakfast, lunch or even dinner that Sanji-kun was a bit peeved since âthat stupid marimo is wasting foodââhis exact words. Yet, the blond cook did not bother going up the nest to check on him. âThat idiot is a grown man after all and the hell with him!â. He had grumbled while in the middle of dinner.
Robin was sitting on one of their comfy sofas; the round coffee table in front of her was filled with open books. She was poring over a thick history volume when Nami entered.
âWhat was that?â Nami prompted when Robin did not say anything after what she declared.
The raven-haired beauty lifted her head to regard Nami. She smiled. âZoro. He hasnât gone down the nest since yesterday.â
âUhm⌠I wasnâtâŚâ the navigator began.
Robin raised a curious eyebrow at her. âYouâve been asking around.â
Nami felt her face heat up at that. She was about to say she wasnât. Besides she made sure to ask their crewmates randomly and one by one to appear surreptitious and not pique their curiosity so much on why sheâs inquiring about their green-haired swordsman.
But the archaeologist was sneakier than her, for she had known exactly what Nami is up to.
So lying definitely wonât work. Robin knows everything and anything that goes in their ship with her convenient ability to produce her eyes and ears everywhere.
That or maybe Franky tipped her off after she asked him earlier. That speedo-wearing pervert!
âWhy donât you go up and check on him?â Robin spoke again as she flipped a page of her book.
Nami pouted as she plopped down her bed, crossing her arms over her chest. âWhy does everybody keep telling me that?â
âMaybe because itâs the obvious thing to do instead of going around and asking everybody about him.â Robin threw her a small smile as her tone emphasized the word âeverybodyâ. âWouldâve saved you the trouble.â
The orange-haired girl flinched slightly at that. Robin had caught her slip. Well, itâs not like she didnât know already.
And did she really went around and asked everyone on the ship? She only questioned Usopp and LuffyâŚ
⌠and Sanji-kun and Chopper and Franky and Brook and JinbeiâŚ
Her shoulders slumped at her realization. Thatâs the whole crew⌠almost.
Robin was looking at her expectantly. âWeâre nearing a winter island right? Weatherâs been too cold these last few daysâŚâ
Nami stared at her. âYeah we are,â she agreed with a nod of her head. She considered what the older woman just said. âWhat? You mean heâs like hibernating or something?â Namiâs eyebrow lifted high at that, disappearing behind her orange bangs. âWhat is he? A bear?!â
Robin laughed softly before returning to her book. âWith the weather this cold, heâd definitely prefer sleeping. Canât blame him right?â She lifted her eyes again and looked at her pointedly. âHeâs probably just catching up on sleep. After all heâs been pulling double shifts these last few days,â she tilted her head slightly, still gazing at Nami meaningfully. âIsnât he?â
Nami winced. Zoro was indeed pulling double night-watch shifts lately. But no one knows that.
Except her and him.
And Robin⌠apparently.
She didnât answer so as not to affirm what Robin was saying.
âCanât be that comfortable on the nestâs floor.â Robin murmured, that certain smile never leaving her face even as she perused her book again.
Namiâs brows furrowed at that.
âHow about a nice pillow and one of those wonderful blankets we got from Sherpa Island?â She suggested and multiple hands sprouted to open their closet door to pull one out, lightly throwing it at Nami.
âEeeh?â Nami retorted even if she held out her arms to catch it. She gaped in surprise when Robinâs hands made a grab for her pillow and placed it in her arms. Â
âHeâd probably sleep until heâs on watch again.â Robin smiled at her. âYou can bring it up with you. Iâm sure youâre going to go up there to finally check on him.â
âRobin!â
âAra, arenât you planning to do that?â Robin now has a cheeky smile on her face. âOr do you need me asleep before you sneak out?â She gave Nami a wink.
The map maker was speechless. How much does Robin knows???
âIt wouldnât hurt to make sure he gets a good rest right? After all itâs your shift heâs been covering.â
Nami blushed hard at that. Zoro was indeed covering her watch shifts.
But only because HE said he WILL!
âFor the record. He insisted.â Nami explained with frown as she bundled the blanket and pillow in her arms. âI did not force him to!â
âOh? Then thatâs sweet of him to offer donât you think?â
Nami blushed harder than she ever thought possible.
âHe just⌠I just⌠HeâŚâ she stuttered before finally finding her ground.
âWhy am I even explaining?!â
Robin looked at her knowingly, mischievously. âWhy indeed?â
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Morning After Christmas
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T
Note: A ZoNa Holiday Events is up at Tumblr for the month of December. We got selected themes for each day and weâd love other ZoNa shippers to join and celebrate our favorite couple with holiday-themed fanarts and fanfics! Feel free to check it here: @zonamievents
This is one day late. Todayâs theme is different but Iâll still push it.
Theme: #17 - Â Morning After Christmas
Summary: All that eventually led them here. The morning after Christmasâall tangled up in each other and wrapped in the coziest blanketsâŚ
Soft.
So soft.
He can hardly remember a time when he woke up nuzzled against something so soft, so comfortingâŚ
âŚand so warm.
Zoro doesnât really care much about the comforts of life. He rarely lets unnecessary whims or luxuries bother him and he rarely indulges in them.
Well except of course when itâs sleep and sake. Those are the only two things he lets himself enjoy without any restrictions.
He lived simply. He survived with whatever is on hand without any complaint or fuss. As long as there is food to eat, water to drink, a shade to rest and sleep (doesn��t matter if it is inside an abandoned shelter or a tree in the midst of the forest); he is all good.
But this feeling that greeted him the moment he woke up was too pleasant to pass. It was new and not something he is used to. Zoro had woken up with a lot of the not-so-nice things greeting himâan end of a sword or knife pointed at his throat, the hard, cold ground, a growling, wild animal looking for food, a punch in head, the cold sea water, Luffyâs mouth about to take a chomp of him and his pillow while dreaming of meat (and he wasnât the only one in the boyâs room to experience this, itâs a constant problem)âŚ
âŚbut never this. Never surrounded by this kind of warmth and comfort and softness he had never known before. The kind that makes you never want to pull away. Ever.
Just this once he wanted to let himself bask in it. Revel in it. The way he indulges himself with sleep and alcoholâno restrictions
He took a deep breath and buried his face closer to it. To the warmth, the softness that smelled slightly ofâŚ
Tangerines.
Like Namiâs tangerines.
With that he cracked his eye open, all his senses now wide awake.
His gaze was instantly fixed on the sight of smooth skin, tanned slightly from sailing under sun. There are wisps of curling orange hair resting against the slender curve of the neck and  framing a beautiful, sleeping face.
Nami took a deep breath in her sleep, her bare shoulder slowly rising and falling at the action. Zoro watched in fascination as her lips pursed slightly, her brows furrowing before she nestled closer to him. Her chin settled against the top of his head and he realized what that softness he was feeling was.
He was actually pressed against her, his face settled comfortably against her generous breasts.
His initial reaction was to jerk back the moment it dawned unto him that he was eye level with those beautiful, naked mounds and that enticing cleavage. But stopped short when he realized that he canât move⌠he and Nami were tangled up with each other. Their arms and legs entwined in a way that they slept locked in each otherâs embrace.
Well⌠their Christmas night had been crazy fun. Why else would they end up wrapped in each other this morning?
Not that heâs complaining. Theyâve been doing this exasperating back and forth with each other for so long it was bound to blow up anytime soon. Besides he couldnât pinpoint the exact moment their petty and perpetual squabbling turned into a sort of their own secret language and a way to show their affection for each other that was actually thereâquietly sitting and patiently waiting to rear its head out in the least expected moment.  Â
But he had known (and so did Nami) that there was a certain shift in their bickering which initially were tinge with insults that were meant to pull the other down a peg or two or put them in their own places. It had something in it that wasnât there before. How every time it ended, theyâd part ways just like before, huffing at each other only this time they would both desperately try to hide a smirk and a smile as they walk away.
How Zoro was now always looking forward to it and would sometimes deliberately try to rile the navigator up and how Nami did the same, purposely coming up the crowâs nest while he trains or naps to start a row with him.
It never ended with either one of them annoyed with each other. And that was new and surprising and to be honest kind of exhilirating.
He also started being more tolerant of her, not getting easily irritated with her complaints or even if she was waking him up with her fist. The same goes for her, she doesnât make too much fuss when he gets lost or when he says or do something that she deemed stupid. Â Â
And he realized while all this is happening, they also started to move closer to each other. Literally. Like they were drawn to each other like magnets. They started sitting beside each other more often. Or standing almost near each other. But always at armâs length⌠far enough yet still close enough.
Three weeks into Christmas, the distance they carefully kept between them while they try to make sense on what they should do totally disappeared.
And the touching started.
Light and fleeting at first. A tap on the shoulder, a nudge on the arm, the back of their hands brushing against each otherâŚ
Zoro stood much closer to her now, near enough to breathe in the scent of tangerines from her hair. And Nami started crowding on his personal space, leaning on to him with a cheeky smile on her face especially when she needs to pass someone something or get something from someone, almost as if she was teasing him.
On one random island where they docked for the day, she had âaccidentallyâ pulled at his fingers in an attempt to stop him from turning around a random corner and disappearing on them because he definitely will get lost the moment she lose sight of him.
And Nami never let go.
Her dainty hand was wrapped around three of his fingers as she tugged him all over the marketplace to buy some necessities for their stock. He followed her with a lot of grumbling and expletives all at the same time marvelling at the size difference of their hands.
How soft hers was. How coarse his is.
How it just feels right.
Before the sun set that day, his hand was intertwined with hers. And for reasons so much more than because heâll wander off and will get lost.
And soon after they would find their hands interlaced together at random times of the day. Always surreptitiously, never in front of the others. Only when they are sure that they are only ones in the room.
Sheâd casually lean her head on his shoulder while they were up in the crowâs nest on their night shifts. His hand would rest the small of her back as they explore the island where they just docked just by themselves, far from the crew.
And when they are alone in the crowâs nest again before the change of watch, that same hand would wound itself around her waist so he can pull her closer to him for a kiss.
All that eventually led them here. The morning after Christmasâall tangled up in each other and wrapped in the coziest blankets Nami had brought last night after their Christmas celebration along with a bottle of sake to share.
âMmmmâŚâ Nami suddenly hummed as she started to stir awake, her body moving languidly to stretch. She opened her eyes and chocolate brown orbs peered down at him in wonder, blinking twice before a warm smile spread on her face.
âYou awake already?â She murmured softly, her voice still laced with sleep. âItâs not even the break of the day.â
Zoro smirked. He rubbed a hand against her exposed arm noticing how the skin on it prickled with the cold air of dawn. Luckily they were nowhere near a winter island right now or theyâd both be freezing by now from falling asleep with just the blankets on them.
âThese blankets are crazy soft,â Nami was mumbling, rubbing her feet against the material. âIt feels so good.â
âYeah,â Zoro agreed, as he continued to warm her arm.
She just let out a soft purring sound of contentment at his ministration before her eyes drifted close again. âSleep with me some more Zoro.â she requested.
The swordsman chuckled. Heâd never deny her that.
He adjusted their position so Nami was now the one whose eye level with his chest, her head resting on the crook of his arm. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead as he covered them with one of the blankets so they both could drift off back to sleep.
The soft giggle she let out sent a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Zoro rarely lets himself indulge in this kind of comfort.
But maybe this morning after Christmas he might finally start to.
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Scent of Christmas
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T
Note: A ZoNa Holiday Events is up at Tumblr for the month of December. We got selected themes for each day and weâd love other ZoNa shippers to join and celebrate our favorite couple with holiday-themed fanarts and fanfics! Feel free to check it here: @zonamievents
I am late, so late for the other themes and for this event. But still, I cannot pass this opportunity to make something for my favorite pairing. So hereâs one. Just a cozy, not even that romantic one-shot.
Theme: #11 â Scent of Christmas
Summary: Right now Nami is almost at her wits end trying to figure out why Zoro, of all people, was coming and going in the library while she was in there working.
It was the sixth time he had stepped inside the library that day.
Nami could count on her fingers how many times Zoro was able to get himself lost in the Sunnyâs library in dayâsometimes once and sometimes zero.
But never more. Especially if she was inside it and drawing her maps.
He knows she doesnât like distractions when sheâs charting. Itâs almost the same as when he was working out in the crowâs nest and didnât like anyone going up and interrupting him.
That is the unspoken rule. Their unspoken rule. And the whole crew knows it. No interruptions unless it was absolutely necessaryâlike someone better be dying necessary.
So right now Nami is almost at her wits end trying to figure out why Zoro, of all people, was coming and going in the library while she was in there working.
He does nothing while inside. He doesnât talk to her. All he ever did was gave a slight nod to indicate he was aware that she was there and then goes to sit on the farthest part of the bench, close to where they placed the Christmas tree the day before. After a few minutes he would stand up, nod at her again and leave the room.
And Nami was dumbfounded.
âWhatâs going on?â She blurted out when he finally stood up to leave after another instance of him silently sitting inside the library. Zoro was officially distracting her and in the last minutes they kept on glancing at each other to the point that it had turned awkward.
âNothing.â
Thatâs it? Thatâs all he is going to say?
Nami turned her body to his direction so she could fully look at him. âWhy do you keep going in here if itâs nothing?â Her hands made the âair quotesâ gesture at the word nothing to emphasized her point.
âCanât I?â Zoro asked with one raised eyebrow.
âDonât be difficult,â Nami folded her arms across her chest. As much as she wanted to throw her ink bottle at him, she was also trying not to get irate or sheâd lost her mapping mood. âDo you need anything?â She tried again.
He just shook his head. âNothing.â He repeated again. âDonât mind it.â
With that he just gave her a dismissive wave of his hand and without another word, exited the library.
Nami was left to slumped back on her chair with a confused expression on her face.
------------------------
After that Zoro didnât came inside the library any more. Nami had timed his coming and goings. The green-haired man might not realize it but he did have some actions that are pretty predictable that she can easily discern them.
Like some of the things he did are kind of habitual. It doesnât take a genius to figure out Zoroâs everyday schedule. Except when he gets lost or when he is fighting.
So it really didnât take much for Nami to figure it out his weird routine that day. It only stopped because she finally called it to attention.
But of course, Zoro is just as stubborn as her. And when he wants to do something, heâs not gonna let anyone stop him.
Only this time he didnât bother going inside the library and he just stood outside the door and after a few minutes he walks away.
And that, that was driving her crazy.
What in the seven seas is he doing?!
Nami was now ready to tear her hair out. She cannot concentrate anymore. Instead of paying attention to her maps, her attention was drawn to the libraryâs door where he lingered outside for reasons only Kami knows why.
And she spent the whole time he was out there staring at the brown, wooden door that separated him and her, wondering.
This went on up until dinner time. And Nami was so ready to confront him again. And this time no more niceties. This time there will definitely be some fining and punching.
But Zoro disappeared before her dinner was even finished. Either the idiot went up the crowâs nest for a post-dinner work-out or a post-dinner nap.
Or he knows she plans on talking to him and made his prompt escape to avoid her.
She headed back to the library, mentally reminding herself that if Zoro so much as hover outside the door again, sheâs gonna put him on a chokehold to make him spit out way why heâs being odd.
When she opened the door to get back to her maps, she stopped short.
She was holed up inside for so long that she didnât even noticed it anymore. Sitting and bending down her desk to make the perfect maps mustâve immuned her to it.
Their library had never looked this festive before. The Straw Hats did decorate it yesterday in preparation for Christmas. They had hung decorated wreaths and ornaments all around the room and erected a Christmas tree that boys cut down from the island where they were docked. There were big scented candles in red, green and white that she and Robin had carefully hand-picked and Nami recalled she had lit them up before she started working to give the room a cozier ambience.
But it wasnât just that. The scents coming from inside was warm and cool and woody and sweet; crisp and fresh and inviting and deliciousâŚ
The combination of scents was overwhelming yet calming. It was like stepping inside Christmas and being wrapped in it.
It was like stepping inside home and getting a warm, welcoming hug.
And she understood what was going on.
The next time she heard Zoroâs footsteps approached the door, she stood up, opened it and stared at him.
He looked taken a back. Which is quite surprising that it almost made her smirk. Because honestly she rarely catches him off-guard.
âJust get inside,â she said with sigh.
He was about to open his mouth to retort but she beat him to it.
âJust shut up,â she turned and headed back to her desk. She heard Zoro followed her inside without saying anything.
Once she was back on her chair, she huffed slightly before resuming drawing on her maps again. âJust lie down on the seat. The floor wouldnât be that comfortable.â
Zoro grunted. But Nami choose to ignore whatever it was that he was saying.
She didnât bother glancing up when he propped his swords against the libraryâs surrounding bench and stretched out on it. Quite near her to be honest.
Nami threw something at him. A beautifully designed Christmas blanket she had purchased when she was shopping with Robin.
âWeatherâs gonna turn much colder tonight,â Nami snorted as she continued working on her map. âAnd youâre still not dressed in your winter clothes.â
Zoro mumbled something under his breath. She was damn pretty sure it wasnât a nasty retort or comment that would set her off.
It shouldnât be. She was generous enough to let him nap inside after all, even if she was still doing some work. Sheâd break their unspoken rule just this once. Because honestly, it was cute that he keeps coming back because he wanted to spend some time there⌠where the scents of Christmas are all-around, surrounding them.
This could be her gift to him.
âOh and Zoro,â she called out, watching him amusedly as lifted his head to look at her crabbily for disturbing the start of his dozing off.
âJust donât snore too loudly. Iâll kick you out,â she cheekily reminded him.
He scoffed and Nami just ignored him again.
There was a smile on her lips as she turned back to her drawing again.
And if she had just stolen a glance at the swordsman, she would have caught that same smile as he drifted off to one of his many naps.
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Treading Uncharted Waters
MIDNIGHT LUCK
One-shot #: 4
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: MÂ (Flirting and harcore sexy time)
Note: For @tali-tangerine. It only took me like years, Iâm sure you forgot all about this request but I still wanted to finish it.
Iâm currently with a fever and canât sleep. So I decided to wrestle with this one-shot because this has been driving me crazy for years. Iâm having a hard time writing and finishing it. Good thing though it finally relented. Itâs a late smutty Halloween themed fic and I hope you enjoy it NSFW people. It's PWP and minors stay away. Youâve been warned. Same goes for those who donât like smut.
From the Autumn/Fall (and Halloween!) Prompt List. Prompt #37 â Midnight Approached.
Summary: Haunted castle or not, nothing will stop the cat burglar from scouring it so she can get her hands on the fabled treasure. But what will she find in one of the castleâs deserted rooms?
The fabled Hanter castle is situated in an islet... smack right in the middle of the island of Duch.
Said place is only accessible from the mainland by boats, as it is surrounded by water coming in from the sea via the waterway channels randomly located around the whole island.
And there is no other way to set foot on it.Â
Except once a year.
Once a year, when the evening of the harvest festival arrives (which coincides with what the islandâs inhabitants call Hallowsâ eve) and the moon is full and high in the sky, a pathway of stone strangely appears from the depths of the waters connecting it to the mainland and giving everyone passage to visit the place.
If they are brave enough to do so.  Â
As Hanter castle was long abandoned⌠after the mysterious deaths of the family who once owned it.Â
In all the years following that event, no one in Duch Island had bought the place nor taken residence in it. Not even vagrants attempted to make it their sanctuary or stay even for just one night in its numerous, empty bedrooms.
For those who DID try have much to say about the place.
Because whenever midnight approached⌠strange and unexplainable things start to happen inside its cold stone walls.
It was said that the Hanter family never left their homeâŚ
 ⌠and that their ghosts stayed behind so that they can guard their precious family treasures hidden somewhere in the castleâs vast expanseâŚ
-------------------------
Nami shivered as she recalled the story told by the townâs mayor earlier at the plaza where a festival was being held.
The Straw Hats arrived on Duch Island yesterday and their captain got an invitation from one of the locals to attend the townâs annual costumed event.
Luffy insisted on staying for it⌠merely because in his simpleton mind festivities always equate to meat. Lots and lots of it.
And it didnât take too long for the others to agree. As pirates they rarely get invited to events or parties⌠just brawls or fistfights or taking down Yonkos.
Everyone was in high spirits. And the fact that they have to wear costumes for the festival was a plus. It would be awesome to finally have an excuse to dress up and enjoy the event without having to worry about any marines or bounty hunters spotting them.
Nami took it upon herself to be in charge of the crewâs outfitsâaka shopping for it.
She declared that all expenses will be deducted to each crew memberâs allowances, earning shouts of protests from everyone except Robin. She ignored it all and countered with a threat of charging thirty times her usual shopping fee.
That shut them all up.
Nami sweetly asked the archaeologist if she wants to join her and the older woman nodded amusedly as the rest of the male crew looked crestfallen at the fact that she could easily clean out their money pouches with her threat.
Then the navigator turned and snapped at a dozing Zoro to stop being a lazy moron and to accompany them as pack mule.
There had been much grumbling, swearing, shouting and threatening before Nami kicked his stupid rear towards the ladder leading down the port with Robin giggling as she followed them.
The girlsâ shopping went well and the crew donned the costumes they bought without so much a grumble or a complaint (the threat of Namiâs times thirty shopping charge is still hanging in the air and the possibility of it increasing two-fold is definitely likely) before they headed to the town.
The festival was a blast. The Straw Hats enjoyed mingling about and checking the different merchant stalls scattered around the brightly lit plaza. The food and ale were overflowing, it wouldnât come as a surprise if someoneânamely the rubber captainâgoes into a food coma.
It was so much fun⌠until the townâs mayor narrated the legend of the Hanter castle and its hidden treasure.
That was solely the reason why Nami was now silently traipsing along the castleâs west wing hallway with only the light of the full moon as her guide.
Alone.
Cursing inwardly and chastising herself for teaming up with Usoppâwho was gone right from the start of their explorationâshe continued to move forward.
Even if she was freaking scared as hell!
Whose idea was it again to go into this castle and search for the fabled long, lost treasure?
Ah! Hers⌠of course!
Think of the treasure! Think of the treasure! She mentally chanted.
Something suddenly brushed against her hand and Nami stiffened.
With her heart still thumping madly against her chest, a sigh of relief escaped her when she realized that it was just the draping sleeve of her black gown.
She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth at her jumpiness. This caper had just shifted her scaredy-cat self into overdrive.Â
Nami took a deep breath and steeled herself, gathering every ounce of courage she still have. She continued to edge onward with ears pricked up, trying to hear if there were any sounds that would eventually pinpoint where her other friends are.
But there were none.
The castle was silent.
âDamn it!â Nami hissed under her breath. âThis castle is so creepy!â She rubbed at her arms, fighting the shivers trailing up and down her back as she looked around. She doesnât think she can do this anymore without any back-up.
Maybe she should retrace her steps and hopefully ran into any of her crewmates?
She pondered for a moment on what to do best as her eyes observed her surroundings. For now it looks like sheâs relatively safe on where she was. There are no weird sounds, things orâKami, forbidâghostly apparitions anywhere around. Just a long corridor, dimly lit by the moon outside as its beam streamed inside the floor to ceiling windows randomly lining her left side.
The view of the thick trees bordering the lawn outside is probably striking⌠if it was morning. In the dark of the night it looks frightening, like something is going to suddenly appear in between the shadowy trunks.
Nami immediately averted her eyes elsewhere. A drop of sweat trickled down her back, cold against her skin.
Thatâs it! SheâŚ
She did a double take as she spotted a door at the end of the hallway.
A grin appeared on her face.
Finally a safe place! And if she is lucky enough⌠there could be some valuables inside that room that she can snag.
Or if sheâs luckier⌠she might find a clue where the treasure is!
The thought of that immediately replenished her courage.
Her black high-heeled shoes made annoying clacking sounds against the stone floor as she hastily headed towards it. Nami grimaced as she tried to control her footstep.
All these troubles better be worth it!
Suddenly, a loud bang came from the castleâs upper floors that made her almost jumped out of her skin.
The navigator immediately made a mad dash towards the room. She didnât want to stay where she was and find out whatever the hell it is.
Luckily it wasnât locked. The elegantly engraved door handle didnât resist when she pushed down on it.
She nudged the door with one shoulder and swiftly slid inside the room, closing it abruptly.
Whatever caused that sound⌠it was just probably one or two of her idiot nakamas.
And it better be! Thereâs no one else in this place that would cause any noise like that at all!
She shuddered when she remembered the scary tales surrounding the area and swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat.
Nami turned and leaned back against the door, panting slightly.
Then she stopped and blinked disbelievingly.
Shadows were dancing across the stone walls of what was supposedly a dark, unlit room. To her horror, she realized that there were floor-standing brass candelabras at the far end of the room...
âŚwith lighted candles on it, creating said silhouettes on the walls.
Nami felt her insides churned at the sight and she could swear her blood run cold at that very moment.
This place was supposed to be abandoned, right? Why in the world were there burning candles in this room like somebody was using it?
What in the actual fuck is happening?!
Her body trembled. She knew it! Something strange was going on here!
Maybe the stories about this place are really true!
Namiâs eyes zeroed in on the four-poster bed in the middle. The heavy curtains hanging from it were drawn closedâas if keeping a secret of some sort.
A choked sob escaped her throat.
Shit! What has she gotten herself into?
And she had to be alone now of all times! The Straw Hats have all gone their separate ways to explore the castle.
What is wrong with their crew? Didnât they know that the first rule of exploring supposedly haunted places is to do it as a group?!
They will get it from her later. Once she gets out of this place and back into the safety of the Sunny.
I will kill you later Usopp! She mentally threatened the absent sniper. She paired up with him earlierâa rather bad decision really. They barely made it past ten steps when Usopp panicked and immediately sprinted down the hallway. He disappeared around a corner, screaming all the while that something grabbed at his leg.
It was just probably the cape of his costume. That idiot!
The prospect of getting her hands on the treasure distracted her so much from the actuality that there is a chance that she will be left wandering the castleâs dark, deserted halls alone.
Which is what happened. Â
Where is Zoro when you need him? Or Sanji-kun? Or Luffy?
The bed suddenly made a creaking sound and she almost jumped for the umpteenth time that night.
Oh fuck!!!
Her Clima-tact was instantly in her hand.
The bed creaked again. And it dawned to the frightened map maker that there is someone⌠something⌠behind the closed curtains.
Whatever was inside it⌠it seemed to be initially asleep and was now waking up.
Did it sense her presence?
Damn it all. She should have paired up with Zoro. At least that idiot can scare the shit out of anything.
But the swordsman had already vanished even before they made it to the castle grounds.
She readied herself. One thing she learned from her time as a pirate is that sometimes itâs better to attack first with hopes of surprisingâif not incapacitatingâthe enemyâŚ
âŚbefore high-tailing it out of there to hide some place safe.
Her Clima-tact can extend almost limitlessly. Maybe she can poke whatever it is in that bed and zap it.
And that was what she proceeded to do.
Nami nearly screamed when the other end of her weapon was suddenly grabbed. She felt whatever it was behind the drapes pulling at her Clima-tact. Instinctively she tried to pull back.
Dear Kami! She canât let go of it. Sheâd be defenseless!
âZeus! Wake up! Thunderboltââ
âDamn it!â A voice growled from the canopy bed at the same time. âNAMI?!â
She froze. It sounded likeâŚ
Her fear left her instantaneously as irritation replaced it. She marched towards the bed with determination and pulled the curtains back.
âZORO?!â
A disgruntled-looking swordsman was sitting on the bed, grasping the end of her Clima-tact and gazing back at her with an annoyed look on his face.
âStop pointing this me,â he grunted, letting go of her weapon and slapping it away lightly.
âWhat the hell Zoro?!â Nami hissed angrily, smacking his hand. âWhat the hell are you doing here?!â
âWhat are YOU doing here?â Zoro countered, almost sullenly. âArenât you supposed to be scouring this castle for the treasure?â
She ignored his questions. âWhere were you? You disappeared before we can even enter this place!â
The green-haired man shrugged and yawned.
âAre you actually sleeping here?!â
Zoro scratched the back of his head. âYeah⌠and youâre disturbing me.â
Nami stared at him in astonishment. How the hell did he end up here? This talent of his never fails to amaze her! âI shouldâve electrocuted you,â she mumbled, as she glared down at him with her hands on her hips.
âGlad you didnât.â The idiot gave her an infuriating smirk. âNow why donât you leave and go back to combing this place for the treasure?â
She let her arms fall limply at her sides. âIâm all alone and itâs really dark here.â Nami complained as she plopped down on the bed dejectedly.
The smirk on Zoroâs face deepened. âScared?â
âOf course Iâd be!â
âServes you right.â
Nami punched him on the shoulder as hard as she can.
Zoro winced as he rubbed the abused part. âIsnât anyone with you?â He managed to ask with a small chuckle even as Nami threatened to punch him again.
âUsopp,â the navigator answered. âBut we got separated.â
The green-haired man studied her for a moment. âYou mean you both got scared and high-tailed it in separate directions?â
She scowled at him. âHe high-tailed it in the other direction and left me alone.â
That made Zoro laugh out loud before pillowing his hands behind his head.
Nami watched him for a moment. She noted that he had already slipped out of the black gentlemanâs coat he was wearing earlier as part of his costume. He left it haphazardly thrown at the foot of the bed.
âWhy did you even paired up with him in the first place?â Zoro asked as he closed his eye, looking like heâs going to go back to sleeping again.
Nami eyed him impassively. âWell⌠you werenât there. You got yourself lost instantly!â
His eye cracked open slightly to look at her as she rolled her eyes at him.
 âAnd whose fault it that?â
Namiâs eyes widened. âDefinitely not mine!â She smacked his forehead lightly making him growl. The nerve of this man! âYou canât expect me to hold your hand so you wouldnât get lost while we explore this place!â
âI wouldnât have minded.â
Her jaw dropped open at his answer. She felt her cheeks reddened at his straightforwardness. She smacked him again on the forehead.
âOi!â
She glared at him. âDo you really want the others sticking their noses in our business?â
Zoro shrugged his shoulders.Â
âOh?â The smirk that graced Namiâs lips was impish. She leaned down to him, close enough so that her body was almost draped over his and teasingly asked. âSo youâre finally willing to deal with the impending chaos?â
The swordsman just snorted in response, yet his hand automatically reached out to rest on her waist.
Namiâs smirk turned into a playful smile when she felt his gesture. She pushed off him and sat back on the bed again, looking down on Zoroâs prone form.
âHow did you even end up here?â She decided to focus on the matter at hand as she looked around. âLooking at how comfortable you are, youâve probably been here for quite some time!â
âFound a door, opened it and went inside.â
Nami groaned at his typical brief reply while Zoro let out a huff, knowing that she would attempt to make fun of his faulty sense of directionâwhich is not defective as she claims it to be.
âYou know, this place doesnât seem like abandoned.â he suddenly commented, instantly piquing her curiosity.
âHuh?â
âThere are no signs or smell of decay that abandoned places usually have.â
Namiâs cocked an eyebrow at him and his observation. âSince when are you an expert on abandoned places?â
âIâve wandered enough.â
âOh. You mean you got lost enough and usually end up passing the night in abandoned places?â
Zoro narrowed his eye at her teasing. Sheâd never really pass the chance to mock his sense of direction. He decided to just ignore it. âYeah.â
Nami hummed at that. It did make her wonder how he lived his life before he met Luffy and them.
A wandering swordsman indeed.
âThere are half burnt candles in most of the rooms here,â Zoro continued explaining. âPlus some of the beds actually have clean sheets on them.â
Namiâs eyes scrutinized the place as Zoro voiced out his observations. He was right. The bed they were on is spotlessâthe sheets, covers and drapes smelt and looked newly washed.
Not what you will typically see in a supposedly long-abandoned place.
âWait,â Nami frowned. âWhat do you mean rooms?â
The former bounty hunter regarded her with a questioning gaze. Scratching his chin, Zoro explained.
âAll the rooms on this floor are well-kept. Like someoneâs using it or something.â
âYouâve seen all the rooms here?â
âJust this floor. Didnât see if thatâs the case in the others.â
Nami was actually amazed. He was able to scour the whole floor in the short amount of time that he was gone?
Well⌠it was most likely that Zoro had been randomly searching for a place where he can nap while he waited for them to reach the castle and start wreaking havoc inside it.
StillâŚ
âGood job Zoro,â she praised him, giving him a thumbs up. âAt least we know not to waste our time checking this floor.â
He only grumbled in response.
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. âHmm⌠Robin said something about this place being an attraction or something for thrill seekers. Maybe thatâs why they have some rooms ready⌠in case there are idiots who want to test their courage by staying here for the night.â
âYou mean they rent it out?â
Nami nodded. âFor the brave and stupid, possibly.â
âSo does that mean thereâs no treasure?â
âOn the contrary,â Nami grinned. âItâs still here. I can sense it.â
Zoro scoffed at that as she glowered at him.
âAnd itâs also possible that the townspeople themselves are the ones pulling all-nighters here, searching for the treasure as well. Hence the tidy rooms.â
Zoro was nodding in agreement. Or nodding off to sleep. Nami wasnât sure so she smacked his middle.
âHey!â He immediately scowled at her.
âOops⌠sorry,â she said all but apologetic. âYou werenât listening.â
âI am listening,â he snarled at her. âYou said the treasureâs still here.â
âRight.â
âIf thatâs the case, feel free to look for it then. Iâm gonna nap,â he muttered.
It was Namiâs turn to scowl at him. âYour ass is really lazy.â
He merely sent a smirk her way. âI donât care woman.â
âYouâre no help at all!âÂ
âHey! You find it. I haul it. Thatâs the deal.â The green-haired man reminded her of their agreement when it comes to treasure hunting. âYou still havenât found it. So Iâm sleeping.â He smiled smugly at her. âBedâs too comfortable to pass.â
âIt is huh?â Nami asked wryly.
 He tapped the spot next to him. âTry.â
 The cat burglar narrowed her eyes at his invitation.
âDonât think you can trick me into getting in bed with you that easy.â
Zoro stared at her blankly. âI just said youâre free to check if this bed is really comfortable.â
Nami pursed her lips. Ok he had a point. But she had been with him long enough to know that the man had some tricks up his sleeve for getting her into bed with him.
Not that sheâd say noâŚ
Plus, sheâd been walking in heels for quite some time now that her legs and feet actually hurt. Not to mention the all the effort she exerted wandering the dark hall without chickening out is taking its toll on her.
Maybe she could just⌠rest for a moment before resuming her hunt?
She slipped off her shoes. The mattress dipped lower when she brought her legs up to the bed and settled down beside him.
Besides Zoro looked like he prefers to sleep than do naughty things with her.
Heck! Like they could honestly have sex in a rumored haunted place. Thatâs just⌠weird.
Nami let out a contented sigh as the soft sheets and fluffy pillows welcomed and relaxed her body in the most satisfying way.
Damn he is right. It is comfortable!
Beside her, Zoro chuckled at her reaction.
âAlright it is comfortable here,â she conceded but not without a pout.
 He had an âI told you soâ look on his face.
âBetter than scouring for the treasure?â
âNothing will beat treasure Zoro.â
âFine.â
She turned to her side so she was facing him. âI will get my hands on that treasure Zoro. We are not leaving this place until I do.â
âThen send Luffy on a rampage. He has an uncanny luck when it comes to stumbling upon those things.â
âHmmm⌠I donât think I need toâŚâ she answered. âI think heâs already running amok the moment we entered this place.â
âWe just need to wait for it then.â
âHmmmâŚâ
They fell silent for a moment. The candles continued to flicker and burn at the far end of the room.
âHey, you look dapper,â Nami murmured softly after a few seconds of quiet. The fingers of her hand played with the buttons of the dark green vest she made him wear earlier along with the black coat he had long discarded.
âI have no idea what you mean.â
Nami smiled. Of course he doesnât. Zoro has like⌠a limited vocabulary when it comes to compliments.
âI mean you look very gentlemanly.â
âYou made me wear this. Forced to be exact.â
âBecause I know youâll look absolutely good in it.â
She watched the corners of his lips quirk up in amusement.
It didnât take really much to coerce him to don the suit. Probably because Zoro knows his efforts to fight her is all for naught and he would still end up doing whatever she wants.
Plus she did sweet-talk him that she would take it off him once the night is over.
Her body trembled when she felt him lean closer, his lips barely brushing against hers.
A roguish smirk was on his face as he brought his fingers up to slowly trace her exposed collarbone.
Nami closed her eyes as she savored the warm, calloused fingers touching her skin. They gradually move to her neck, playing slightly with the black lace choker she have on before his hand grasped her nape roughly.
âYou did say youâre gonna⌠take these off me?â Zoro whispered against her lips.
She opened her mouth to speak. To tell him that yes, she did say that.
But the words never left her as she began to feel the familiar shivers running up and down her body whenever sheâs intimately close to him like this. The skin behind her neck prickled⌠sending warm, tingling sensations across her cheeks.
Zoro was looking at her intensely.
âI did say that,â she managed to whisper.
âWhat are you waiting for then?â
Namiâs jaw almost dropped open in surprise.
Was he suggesting that they have sex right here, right now?
Right in this room of a rumored haunted castle?
She studied his face to see if he was serious.
Oooh⌠for the love of⌠HE IS!
The salacious glint in his eye sent a spark of thrill rushing inside her veins. She was never one to deny him when he is looking at her like that.
âYou actually want to have sex right here, right now?â Nami voiced out her thoughts in an incredulous tone. âIn this probably haunted room, in this rumored haunted place?â
âWhy not?â
âUh⌠because this place is haunted?â
âYou actually believe that?â
Nami pushed herself up on the bed. âWeâve meet zombies and a skeleton Zoro. Iâm not drawing the line with ghosts. Canât you just wait âtil we get back to the Sunny?â
âI actually can.â
âGood. Please try to keep it in your pants for now.â Nami chastised him. âWe still need to look for the treasure.â
âFine. Go ahead and look for it. Wake me up when you find it.â
âYouâre not coming with me?!â
âYouâre not going to stop pestering me are you?â
âNo.â
With an unhappy grunt he relented. âCome on.â
âYes!â Nami cheered. Honestly, she loves the perks of being with the swordsman. Especially now that Zoro rarelyâactually, almost neverâsays no to her requests anymore and she doesnât need to resort to blackmailing him.
She gave him a wide grin. Zoro in turn just rolled his eye at her.
Nami immediately sat up. She was literally buzzing with excitement and Zoro couldnât help it as the corners of his mouth quirked up. He had long realized that itâs much easier to just give in to Namiâs obsession with treasure than fight it. Less head bumps for him too.
âLetâs go!â The navigator announced as she nudge his still prone position.
âNot afraid of the dark?â Zoro asked teasingly as patiently waited for him to move, looking like an excited child.
âYouâre with me now,â Nami cheekily pointed out.
And he had to admit. She got him there. And the way she was looking at him was really endearing. Her warm brown orbs were sparkling⌠they were bright with exhilaration despite dim light of the room.
Nami... is really pretty.
âHeyâŚâ
âHmm?â
âCome here first,â Zoro said as he reached out to pull her towards him. His lips touched hers tenderly, surprising Nami. His kisses were usually rough and intense. It was always like he was restraining himself for some time before finally giving in to his desire to touch her.
She returned his kiss ever-so-gently. Their mouths moved unhurriedly⌠keeping it as innocent as possible and just savoring the way they feel against each other.
Yet it was hard to keep it that way. Not when they both moved to press their bodies closer to each other.Â
And when her hand slowly begin to caress the tight muscles of his chest through his shirt, Zoro automatically deepened their kiss, his fingers tangling through her hair as he began to coaxed her mouth to allow him entrance.
That she did. Parting her lips to let his tongue play with her own, her hand grasped at the front of his shirt as she gave him more access to her mouth.
A soft moan reverberated against her throat. Zoro took it as his cue to stop and drew back so he can study her. He secretly love the way she looks right after a kissâher gaze unfocused yet there was a certain spark of want in them, a certain desire for him that set everything inside him on fire.
Her soft lips were parted as she gazed at him, like it was inviting him for one more kiss⌠and he would always, always indulge her.
He captured her lips with his again.
This time their kiss is more heated, more intense, as if they are building into something. Nami shifted in her position, draping her body over him.
âZoro,â she whispered, stopping their kiss, her lips a hairsbreadth away from his.
âWhat?â He asked, his voice husky from desire.
Nami gave him a mischievous grin. âI think I want to take you up on that offer.â
His brows furrowed. âWhat offer?â
She didnât answer. Instead she pushed away from him.
Nami kept her eyes locked on his as she moved to straddle him, the skirts of her black gown bundled around her. Her hand trailed over his vest, tracing its lapels before moving her attention to its buttons.
Her hands deftly unbuttoned his vest. Once done she turned her attention to his tie, unknotting it. She pulled at the sash around his waist, throwing it carelessly towards god-knows-where.
She was the one who helped him put them on earlier and she absolutely adores the idea of helping him take them all off.
Because honestly she loves undressing Zoro. She absolutely love the way his firm muscles were exposed one by one for her eyes to savor, for her mouth taste, for her lips to leave marks on that he doesnât even bother to hide as he did his work-outs out in the open without any shirt.Â
She heard his breath hitched slightly when she pushed the unbuttoned garments to the side. Her hands started caressing the rock-hard muscles of his abdomen before moving up to the tight muscles of his pectorals.
Damn. He feels so hard and so good against her fingers.
Underneath her, it seems like Zoro had had enough of her teasing touches. His hands grabbed at her waist to pull her closer to him to make her feel just how much he wanted her right here, right now.
Nami gasped when she settled just right above his hardness. Her fingernails raked against his exposed chest at the sensation. When Zoro began to drag her hips to rub her against him, a moan escaped her lips.
She threw her head back; just a Zoro sat up. He took her movement as an invitation to suck at the exposed skin of her collarbone. His lips were warm, his tongue wet and hot as her fingers tangled through his green hair and her still clothed body rubbed against naked front.
Nami heard him growl lowlyâprobably a bit miffed that she was still fully clothed. She immediately cupped his face in her hands, drawing his lips to hers so she could pacify his impatience with an open-mouthed kiss.
It distracted him even for just a bit. His hands were already searching for a way to get her out of her garments. With one hand, she guided his own to the zipper on the back of her dress before Zoro decides to rip it apart.
From the way he pulled at it⌠she wouldnât be surprised if her gown did end up torn into two.
She squealed in surprise when he suddenly shifted their position and rolled her down the bed. Kneeling between her legs, he instantly pulled the dress off her. She could swear she heard a slight tearing sound before he threw it to the side.
âCareful Zoro!â She still managed to chastise him and give his arm a slight kick, even as she was now down to just her lacey thongs and lace thigh-high stockings in front of him. âI still need to wear that!â
âJust put it in my tab!â He grinned wickedly at her letting his eye roam all over her exposed body, taking in everything he is seeing. She can feel her nipples hardening at the intensity of his gaze. She watched as the corners of his lips twitched upwards slightly indicating that he knows she was getting turned on.
Nami mock-pouted even as she playfully rubbed her leg against his thigh, watching him as he slid the unbuttoned vest and shirt off him, finally exposing that delectable, well-sculpted body of his.
She licked her lips. He was looking back at her with a smug smile on his face, apparently liking the way she was observing him.
And just to yank at his chain, she slid her fingers on the straps of her lacy underwear, slowly pushing it past down her hips. Nami lifted one leg, letting the garment dangle on her ankle as her toe touched the middle of his chest.
She could see his jaw clenched at her antic. Still he grabbed it off her feet, crumpling it in his hand before throwing it somewhere.Â
Nami giggled. He doesnât like it when she beats him in taking off her underwear.
âTake this off too,â Nami requested in a seductive tone as she teasingly traced the muscles of his chest down to his abdomen with one stockinged foot. She wiggled her foot slightly at him.
Zoro gripped her ankle with one large hand putting a stop at her ministration.
âI think I want to leave it on.â
Well fuck!
Nami felt her heart thundered against her chest at his tone. There was something about the way he said it that made delicious sensations raced up and down her spine. She can only imagine how she looked with nothing but just the lace choker and black lace stockings onâŚÂ
âYou look so hot right now,â Zoro said, his tone gruff yet thick with desire.
She felt like everything inside her just exploded at that and an excited moan escaped from her.
How in the world can he make something as simple as that sound so⌠erotic?
Kami, that sounded delicious. His voice made it more delicious.
That actually felt delicious.
He still hadnât done anything on her besides kiss her senseless and undressed herâŚ
âŚand damn she was already panting so hard right now!
âZoroâŚâ
He reached out to touch one of her breast, thumb rolling her nipple and Nami moaned. Her back arching, her body wanting to be touch by him more.
He leaned down leaned down to kiss her again, covering her body with his own heated one.
His hand continued playing with her breast as their kiss turned into an open-mouthed one.
All her reservations earlier about how it was neither the right time, nor the right place for this dissipated instantly when Zoro settled on top of her. The mattress dipped down from the weight of their bodies. Neither of them paid any attention to it as their lips found each other again and again, in a kiss so heated it made the room feels like itâs been set on fire.
The unconventionality of it all was making really hot and exciting. The combination was quite overwhelming. She could not explain it but the idea of doing it in a rather unusual place⌠it was actually titillating as fuck and it was turning her on so much.
Besides, Zoro wouldnât be up too it if this place is dangerous, right? Also his domineering aura is enough to frighten anyone both dead and alive.
Her breath hitched when she felt him sucking at the skin behind her ear. She threw her head to the side, moaning as she gave him more access to her skin. Her hands clutched him almost desperately as his lips moved down the deep valley of her breasts, tongue trailing a wet path against her skin.
âAh!â She cried out when his mouth latched on one of her breasts, his tongue tickling her already hardened nipple. It sent electricity running down her core and she instinctively spread her legs so she can wrapped it around his hips, her already wet entrance settling on his still covered hardness.
âZorooo,â she whined. âWhy do you still have your pants on?â
âShut up,â The man above her grunted, letting go of her breast. âJust let me work on you.â
She let out a disgruntled groan. Of course that didnât stop her from rubbing herself against him just to spite him.
Zoro chuckled at her attempt and stilled her hips with one hand.
âSettle down Nami. Iâll give you what you want.â He said teasingly. He gave her hips a light squeeze before naughtily tracing her slit with one finger.
Nami let out a small moan at that, edging her body closer to his touch.
Her tease of a swordsman just continued with his ministration, touching only the edge of her lower lips, never delving in to touch her where she wanted to be touched.
She sobbed in frustration. Â Her hands gripping his arms, making sure her fingernails dug into his skin in a sort of retaliation.
Zoro just let out a small laugh at her feeble attempt to get back at him. Without another word, he seized both of her legs, hooking his hands under her knees so he can spread her widely.
âI want a taste Nami.â
That was all the caution he gave her before burying his face between legs.
Namiâs eyes rolled to the back of her head when his tongue delved way past her soaked lips, going straight to lick and suck her clit. Her hands grabbed at the bed sheets, hard enough that her knuckles turned white. Her body arched at the sensation and she could swear she had forgotten how to breathe.
âF-fuck⌠that feels sooo good,â she managed to rasp when she was finally able to catch her breath. âUhhh⌠Zoro!â
âStay in that position.â He ordered as he let go of his grip under her knees. And Nami obeyed, choking back a sob when he used both of his thumbs to spread her pussy so he can explore her more with his tongue.
Good Kami⌠she knew how he religiously trained his mouth along with his whole body since he uses it to hold one of his katanas. But that didnât prepare her at all when she realized during one of their heated sessions that this man can eat her out for hours without getting tired.  Â
Her breast heaved up and down, in time with the way his tongue was flicking against her clit. The repeated tingling sensation in her core was making her thighs shake, her stomach contract, her body reaching its limitâŚ
Namiâs hands made a grab for his hair, pushing his face deeper to her so she can finally feel that sweet release.
âZoro⌠IâmâŚâ
And just like that she exploded on his mouth.
A loud moan escaped her, just as her body fell back on the bed, going limp as she caught her breath again.
Fuck that was rather earth-shaking. The hell if they did it here in a rumoured haunted place.
Right now she doesnât give a damn about it.
She furtively glanced at Zoro with half lidded eyes. The man looked like he had conquered something. He was looking all pleased with himself, licking his lips like he couldnât get enough of her taste.
âIâm not done yet Nami.â He reminded her as he unbuttoned his pants, pulling the zipper down.
Nami caught a glimpse of his manhood. Hard and erect and all for her.
She weakly pushed herself up and crawled towards him, knowing how Zoro likes it when she warms him up with her mouth before he fucks her.
He surprised her by touching a finger on her forehead and pushing her back on the bed.
âYou can do that some other time,â Zoro said with a mischievous grin she only sees on him when they are alone together.
Nami fell down the mattress with a soft âthumpâ, still boneless from her climax from before.
But it seems like sheâs not getting any rest. For the moment Zoro got her on her back again; his hands automatically hooked themselves under her knees, spreading her legs wide before pushing his cock into her as deep as he can go.
This time Nami almost screamed at the feeling of suddenly being filled. Her wet walls contracted making Zoro hiss in pleasure.
She arched her back but Zoro just pushed on her knees to keep her in place.
Her hands made a grab for the sheets again, clutching it firmly as if her life depended on it when he started to rock against her.
Nami can only voice out her pleasure in time with the movement of their bodies. She was gripping the sheets too tightly she might was well tore them.
Above her Zoro continued pounding into her mercilessly. He breast bounced up and down as the bed creaked under them.
âAh! Ah! Ah! Zoroo! Uuuh!â she moaned out loudly, not caring if anyone hears them. âSo good!â She threw her back, her eyes closing so hard that she can see explosions.
âIâm coming!â She squealed, feeling heat coiling in her abdomen again, threatening to burst anytime.
Zoro continued thrusting into her, his rhythm never breaking, hitting that same spot over and over again that made her toes curl so much. He watched her body stiffened momentarily before he felt her bursting all over himâwarming him and making him almost cum.
He slowed his movements. He watched as Nami came down from her high, there was a glint of tears at the corners of her eyes from too much pleasure.
She was a goddamn sight.
For brief moment, Nami did not move. She honestly thought her mind and body went numb from that orgasm. A few seconds later she managed to open her eyes and stare at Zoro who was looking at her with an amused grin on his face.
She found the strength to huff at him and his conceitedness at pleasuring her even if a satisfied smile spread on her lips.
âYou good?â He rasped, rubbing her thighs as she nodded weakly.
âCause Iâm still not done yet.â
Her eyes widened. Zoro was still inside herâhard as ever.
With a smirk, he rolled them over to switch their places so she was now on top of him, even if she was still drained and weak from earlier.
âZoâoohâŚâ Nami almost shrieked when he started shoving himself inside her more deeply than before. She was still so sensitive and yet the way her green-haired lover was ramming into her had pleasure building inside her all over again.
âOoh fuck,â she threw her head back, as her fingernails clawed at the skin of his chest. She can feel the tears welling up her eyes again from too much pleasure. His hands were grabbing the cheeks of her ass, kneading them roughly as he continued to bounced her and thrust inside her.
âZoro! Iâmââ A sobbed escaped her as she felt herself climaxing again. âOooooh. Oooh Fuck!â
âNami!â
He exploded inside her, exactly the same time she did. Her third orgasm combined with the warm sensation of his seed filling her up made her see stars and explosions. And she could swear her soul almost left her body.
He was still pumping into herâslowly, lazilyâas he emptied every last drop of him inside her.
Nami fell on top of him. Her head nearly hitting him straight in the nose.
Zoroâs chest rumbled with laughter as she caught her breath again for the umpteenth time that night.
âI canât believe you.â Nami whined while they basked in the afterglow.
âWhat?â
She tilted her head to look at him. Just like her, Zoro was still panting, trying to recover from that exhausting session.
âThis is still a haunted castle you know. What if a ghost suddenly appear right in the middle of our sex?!â
Zoro stared at her incredulously. âThere are no ghosts here Nami.â
âZeus canât zap ghosts Zoro! And you canât cut them thatâs for sure.â
âHe canât because they donât exist,â Zoro drawled with a lazy grin. âBesides, I donât think it really matter. Youâre pretty much in the zone earlier nothing can stop you. You donât even care about this place being haunted or those stupid ghosts at all. Which again, doesnât exist.â
She smacked his forehead lightly. And he only chuckled at her, wrapping an arm around her waist, tucking her head under his chin.
He kissed her forehead lightly.
âGreat sex Nami.â
âMmmâŚâ the navigator hummed as she weakly whacked his arm that was now slippery with sweat. âI think I scratched you good.â
âIâm used to it.â
Nami just snickered. She cuddled closer to him, resting her head on his chest, basking in the short period of silence they usually fell into right after sex as they both recovered.
âZoro,â she called to him after a few minutes of silence. She lifted her head a little so she can look up at him. âAre you good?â
âHuh? Why? You want to go again?â
âNo you idiot! Come on we still have to look for the treasure!â
âHey! We have a deal right? You find it, I haul it.â
Nami pouted. She didnât bother pointing out that he already agreed to go search with her earlier before they ended up tangled in bed.
With a sigh she relented, dropping her head on Zoroâs chest. Honestly, she still doesnât have enough energy to get up and dress herself.
Maybe a few more minutes in bed with her lazy swordsmanâŚ
Somewhere, the sinister chiming of an old antique clock filled the whole castle as it struck twelve.
Midnight has approached.
Nami lazily lifted her head from Zoroâs chest at that. âThat is fucking creepy.â
Her lover stayed prone on the bed, one hand pillowed behind his head, the other still stroking her naked behind as he yawned.
Nami nudged his feet with her own to get his attention. âHey remember what the mayor said about this place once midnight approached?â
âWhat about it?â
âI think I heard something outside.â
âItâs probably just Luffy or Usopp.â
âIt sounded like someone is screeching.â
âDefinitely Usopp.â
Suddenly another scream sounded out. Followed by another screech. Then a loud thud and a crash that reverberated across the whole expanse of the old castle.
âLUFFY!!!â
Chopper and Usoppâs voices can be heard shouting.
Nami and Zoro just stayed put, listening to the ongoing commotion as their crew began to trash the whole place.
âMinna!!!!â Luffyâs cheerful voice rang across the floors⌠surprisingly quite near the room where Zoro and Nami are.
Both pirates looked at each other knowingly. It was their cue to fix themselves before their captain barges in and find them still lounging on the bed, naked.
âI found it!â The rubber man was shouting. âI found the treasure!!! Where is Nami?!!!â
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Treading Uncharted Waters
HOT FOR YOU
One-shot #: 3
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: M
Note: PWP. I just badly need a ZoNa NSFW. And I know Iâm not the only one. This is set in AU and itâs from a multi-chaptered fic idea that I would probably never find time to write.
Anyway enjoy! Minors stay away. Youâve been warned. Same goes for those who donât like smut.
Summary: âAh, Zoro,â she murmured, lips quirking in amusement. âYouâre quiet. Cat got your tongue?â
âHey! Youâre back!â
Zoro nodded in response to the cheerful voice that greeted him the moment he stepped inside the house. Carelessly dropping his gym bag beside the couch, he did a double take at the sight of the orange-haired woman in his kitchen casually rummaging inside his fridge.
He watched her for a moment, surprised that she was actually there. âWhy are you here?â
"Huh?â Nami straightened up and frowned at him. âWhat do you mean why am I here?â
Zoro sighed before muttering ânever mindâ. He unzipped his post workout jacket and tossed it on the back of the chair near him. He just came from the gym and wasnât really expecting her company when he got back home.
He shouldâve known this was going to happen when he gave her a spare key to his house.
Nami was looking at him quizzically. âYou donât want me here?â She queried with her brows furrowed and arms akimbo, her displease evident in her tone.Â
âDidnât say that,â Zoro replied before plopping down the couch to kick off his shoes and remove his socks. It wasnât really a tiring day. But somehow he had an inkling that it will be once this conversation with Nami takes a wrong turn.
Said woman just childishly blew a raspberry at him before turning her attention back to his fridge. Three seconds later, a beer can was flying towards him.
He caught it with one hand.
Zoro threw a big, appreciative grin her way. âThanks!â
Nami just shrugged and grabbed another one for herself, popping the can open and taking a nice long sip from it.
Zoro did the same with his.
Damn that feels great after a long workout.Â
He kept an eye on Nami from the rim of his beer can as he continued drinking. Her attention was back inside his fridge again, doing Kami-knows-what.
He honestly thought she was busy today. He accidentally saw her planner yesterday and every damn hour was filled with something she meant to doâlike shop for new furniture, shop for new outfits, shop for shoes, meet Usopp, pick up new paint colors for her office and bedroom with Usopp, rope Usopp into painting her office and bedroom (free of charge of course, the poor guy), yada, yada. So he wasnât really expecting her in his house, digging inside his fridgeâŚ
Zoro straightened up a little so he could see her more clearly.
âŚin that super short shorts and sexy crop top that leave little to his imagination.
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Trust Nami to walk around his place in a really skimpy outfit.
Not that heâs complaining. It was a damn sight for the eyes. Plus, he had already given up all restraint he had on physically admiring her when they started dating.Â
Now he can shamelessly ogle at her but only behind closed doors and only when it's just the two of them.
He tossed back his remaining beer just as Nami made her way towards him with two new cans. She handed him one, knowing heâd finish his first in one go.
Zoro smirked as he took it from her. âIs this the reason why you are rummaging inside my fridge? Donât you have your own stocks chilling in your own?â
Nami huffed as she settled down next to him and made herself at home by propping her feet up on the coffee table. âI was planning to do a grocery run today since I still have some time and thought I should check if you need anything too.â
He cocked an eyebrow at her. âItâs already past eight.âÂ
âSo? Store doesnât close until ten right? You need anything?â
Zoro opened the new beer can and took a hefty swig before mumbling,
âHiyori actually brought over some last weekend.â
Nami stopped halfway to bringing her own drink to her lips and gave him a sideway glance. Then her mouth exaggeratedly formed an âoâ.
âOoooh! You mean your other girlfriend?â
She was teasing of course. Zoro knew that. But still, he detected a bite in her toneâlike a calm before the storm, a warning of some sorts.
It was very rare for him to feel a tad bit nervous. But right now, he can sense its ugly head rearing.
He gulped down the remaining contents of his beer to push that unwanted sensation away before grunting, âI only have one girlfriend.â
Namiâs grin widened at what he said and she pressed closer to his side, tucking her legs under her. He gave her a wary glance, even as his arm automatically wrapped itself around her, palm resting against the soft skin of her bare waist.Â
âAaaw⌠donât worry Zoro,â she cooed, kissing his cheek. âI can share you. She can have you on Mondays and Tuesdays."
He scowled at her and she just laughed at him.
"You do know that she only did that because Kuina asked her to. And you canât just say no to that woman when she tells you to do something.â Â
âUh-huh, I know.â Nami nodded. âJust keep telling yourself that.â She patted his shoulder in a condescending way.
âTch!â
âDonât scowl so much Zoro,â Nami pinched his cheek. âArenât you glad that there are other girls that want to take care of you? I know I am."
âNo.â
She threw her head back and laughed loudly. âYouâre such a grouch.â She pinched his cheek again and this time Zoro grabbed her wrist to stop her from pulling at his face.
âDamn it! Stop that!â He growled as she continued sniggering, moving away from him and settling back on the couch, feet up the table again, so she can finish her drink.
âIt's not that bad Zoro," she grinned widely at irritated expression on his face. "Saves you the trouble of going out and getting hopelessly lost inside the grocery store."
"I don't get lost!" He retorted vehemently.Â
"Right," Nami said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway, just tell your other girlfriend that you are about to ran out of beer.â She shook the can lightly before depositing it down the coffee table and grabbing the other. âShe better get you some more,â she said before guzzling her second drink in pure delight.
Zoro looked like he was going to throttle her anytime soon and Nami just winked at him.Â
He frustratingly ran a hand through his hair. Their conversation could go wrong in a lot of ways and he's not sure if he had enough energy to clash with her. It may appear as if sheâs cool with it but he can see how her eyes had turned sharp enough to maim him.  Â
Zoro took the safest route he can think of to steer Nami to a different topic.  He sighed. âHow about you stop pilfering from my stocks?â
She looked like she was pondering for a moment. âHmmm⌠no. I kinda like this one from Shimotsuki. They donât sell this brand here.â
Well, he definitely agrees with her on that. That's the reason why he kept pestering Kuina to include some in the groceries she regularly send over.Â
âFine. Iâll ask Kuina to send some for you as well.â
âSure,â Nami agreed. âAnd maybe Hiyori can deliver it to me as well.â She suggested with a saucy wink.
Damn it all. How the hell did they circle back to that?Â
Zoro glowered at her. He was not really amused by the way she kept teasing him.
Nami just snickered at his reaction.
He decided to stop playing nice and meet her head on. âAre you jealous?â He smirked and she watched her expression turned indignant.
âMe?!â She almost shrieked at him. âDo I look like Iâm jealous?!â
From the way she reacted to that, heâd say yes. Definitely yes.
He just shrugged his shoulders and made a grab for her beer.
âI am not jeaâ Zoro no!â She shouted when he snatched it away from her hand and she lunged towards him to get it back.
He held it out of her reach as she tried to crawl over him and grinned evilly when she failed to grab it, the difference in their arm length giving him the advantage.
Not to mention that he also slyly used the arm he had around her waist to keep her in place.
âGive it back Zoro!â
 âNo.â
Desperately, she tried to edge up and closer to their goal but failed so miserably. Zoro had her pinned against his body in a vice-like grip.
The orange-haired woman squirmed on top of him so heâd loosen his hold on her. She damn knows his arm strength well enough to discern that it was a fruitless effort.
But Nami was feisty enough to not give up without a fight.
With one last effort, she tried to jerk her body forward again, throwing all her weight and strength in that movementâŚ
âŚand she finally succeeded in wrestling her beer away from Zoroâs grasp.
âHah!â She smirked triumphantly holding the can up like a prized trophy. Zoro just rolled his eye at her. She suddenly swatted his shoulder. âYou take back what you said!â
âNo,â Zoro drawled.
âWhy youâŚ!â
Something suddenly popped and an object dropped down Zoroâs chest and his eye regarded it curiously.
It was followed by another.
He glanced up at Nami questioningly and she in turn was staring in aghast at the front of her top before her eyes riveted on the buttons that fell on Zoroâs chest.
Oh so that was it.
âMy top!â Nami screeched when she realized that the popping sound came from her crop topâs buttons tearing out from where they were sewn.
Before he can stop himself, Zoro burst out laughing.
âHey!â She whacked him on the shoulder again. Her eyes lowered to her top again.
Only one button was remaining and it was also on the verge of popping out as well, unable to hold her⌠generous assets.
âThis is your fault!â She hissed at him, letting out a groan as she stood up. It was such a cute top. She liked it a lot. Plus it was really comfortable even if she did notice when she put it on earlier that the buttons were struggling to contain her a bit.
But Nami honestly didnât think theyâd give up just like that. Must be because of their tussle earlier.Â
Zoro was still chuckling at her expense and she kicked his leg while he took advantage of her distraction and grabbed the beer from her hand again.
âYou need to change sizes Nami,â he chuckled, earning another kick from her. He was actually finding this quite funny. Nami always had a knack for wearing tight fitting or sometimes even skimpy clothes that leave little to his imagination.
He wasnât really bothered by it and he didnât really give it that much thought. She had a great body and if she wanted to flaunt it, he was not going to stop her.
Besides he canât say he didnât appreciate itâespecially when sheâs almost spilling out from that poor excuse of a top. The view was great after all.
Damn, being with her had turned him into some kind of a depraved pervert always wanting to take a peek or catch a glimpse of something that should be covered.
He finds himself asking over and over again, why it took them this long to finally decide to be together. It wouldâve saved him from turning into someone whoâs always craving to touch her and be touched by her.
Well⌠she was touching him alright right now. Nami was hitting him on the arm after what he had said.
âWhat the hell do you mean by that?â Nami was saying through gritted teeth, emphasizing each word with a punch on his arm. âAre you saying Iâm fat?!â
âHey!â Zoro stopped gulping down the beer he nicked from her, keeping it away from harmâs reach. âNot really.â
âNot really?!!â Â Oh mister, you donât know how high your debt just sky rocketed!â
He bristled at that. âWhat the hell do you mean?! My debts are all clear!â
âIt just got renewed!â She snarled at him.
âGive me a break Nami.â
âNo.â
âLook, all Iâm saying is thatâŚâ his eye zeroed in on her chest. âIt can barely hold them together.â He callously pointed at breasts.
Nami hit him again.
This time he caught her arm, discarding the now-empty beer can at the lamp table beside him. He better stop her before she decides to go on a rampage. As much as he was having fun riling her up as retaliation to all her teasing earlier, a raging Nami is kinda hard to pacify.
He tugged her nearer to him, his thumb making soothing circles on her wristâa gesture he discovered that strangely calms her down.
He liked to think⌠that sheâs a sucker for his touch as well.
âCome here,â he beckoned, pulling at her gently so she was standing right in front him, their knees almost touching.
Surprisingly, Nami conceded. Her ire dissipating as he continued his ministrations on her wrist before bringing it to his lips for a kiss.
âYou owe me a new top.â She sulkily said.
âFine.â He agreed easily not bothering to fight her on it. He doesnât want to spend the whole evening with her in a bad mood. It was not really what he had in mind. âLucky you werenât outside when this happened, imagine the commotion youâll make.â
A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips.
âWhy are you even wearing that?â
Nami gazed down her now ruined top dejectedly. âBecause itâs cute and itâs a bit hot today.â
âFrom the looks of it now, it wonât last til the end of the day.â
She narrowed her eyes at him. Then sighed disappointedly. âYeah youâre right.â
Zoro smirked. âI am?â
She didnât look happy that he almost sound like heâs gloating. He was rarely right or so she claims.
âI got shirts you can use if you want,â he offered, grinning as he released her hand.
âThanks I guess,â Nami mumbled glumly. As much as she love wearing his t-shirts because they have this certain scent that was so him, it takes a lot of folding and tucking just to get some shape on her.
Zoro lightly squeezed her thigh, a silent gesture that she can go ahead and changed.
âWell I better take you up on that offerâŚâ
With a quick flick of her fingers she undid the remaining, surviving button and took off her top without another word.
And Zoro immediately fell silent at the sight of her naked breasts before him.
Damn this woman! She wasnât wearing anything underneath that stupid top of hers. Now everything was just out there for him to look at.
Damn it all to hell and fucking back.
Everything was suddenly tight⌠and hot. The living room where they were seemed stifling.
He took a deep breath⌠a very deep breath before his gaze met hers.
âAh, Zoro,â she murmured, lips quirking in amusement. âYouâre quiet. Cat got your tongue?â
Zoro never had a womanly part that he considered his favourite. Breasts, ass, a small waist, slender hips, a pretty face⌠whatever it is, if itâs nice he looks, even admires for a few lingering seconds and that was it. He never dwelled on it or even given it a second thought.
But trust Nami to obliterate that in one instantâthe very first time he had her naked on his bed.
Now he looks, he admires. Even dwells and gives it more than a second thoughtâŚ
âŚevery damn part of her.
And the enthralling witch knew it. She knew the effect she had on himâŚ
âŚbecause there was now a haughty smirk gracing her lips as she looked down on him. Â
Nami lifted her arms and slowly flipped her hair back, the movement making her luscious breasts bounce slightly.
And his fingers dug deep into her skin as he watched her little show.
She bent down, resting both of her hands on his thighs, her arms pushing her breasts up as she brought her face closer to his. âLike what you see?â
He didnât answer her, yet the grip he still had on her tightened.
âOf course you do,â Nami answered for him as she leaned down some more and almost closing the space they have between them. âYou always do.â She tapped his cheek with her finger.
âGuess I better go and get one of your shirts like you said.â She deliberately let her lips linger just above hisâlike the tease that she isâknowing how it turns him on when she does that.
âGo ahead then,â Zoro drawled, finally responding to her teasing. Oh he knows what sheâs up to of course. He is so familiar on how her devious mind works. On how she loves getting a rise out of him whether in anger, or as of recent, in desire.
The hand on her thigh trailed up slowly to rest on her waist, his thumb caressing the dip of it softly, tickling her skin, as a smug smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
Two can play the same game. He didnât make any move to kiss her no matter how close she was. Nor will he stop her from getting one of his shirts to cover herself up and conceal her glorious breasts away from his gaze.
Hell heâs not going to let her win this battle.
But as much as he knows how Namiâs mind works, she definitely knows how his does too.
And sheâs a much better player when it comes to a battle of the wills.
Nami then edged closer to him, climbing on his lap and straddling him. Her lips never touched his even if they are so near each others, her eyes never leaving his.
She pressed her naked breasts against his chest and he fought a groan from coming out.
âYouâre playing hard to get Zoro,â her breath ghosted his ear when she whispered those words.
âBecause youâre being a tease Nami.â
âAlright, Iâll stop,â she relented easily, surprising the man under her.
Nami gave up just like that? What in the world is hapâ
Zoro inhaled sharply when her hand easily found its way down the front of his running shortsâŚ
âŚand squeezed him lightly.
âHmm? Youâre already this excited?â She observed, eyeing him amusedly. âThatâs more like it then.â
She didnât waste any time and slipped a hand inside his shorts so she could touch him.
That earned her a breathy âfuckâ from him.
She had the gall to wink before her hand slipped past his boxer briefs.
âFuck⌠Nami,â he cursed when her hand found him.
It was warm and soft and it feels so good when she started rubbing him, her fingers playfully tracing the bulging veins of his shaft.
She let out a soft moan as she continued stroking him. Resting her forehead against him she murmured,
âYouâre so hard already. I canât wait to feel you inside me Zoro.â
Fucking hell! She almost destroyed him with that nice and clean. He nearly threw her down the couch so he can have his way with her.Â
Nami suddenly withdrew her hand and he let out a disgruntled sound.
âNami,â he groaned. âDonât just stop.â
She giggled at his reaction. âJust stay still Zoro,â she playfully placed a finger on his forehead, pushing his head down the couchâs backrest. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek before climbing off his lap.
âWhere are you going?â
She winked mischievously at him and he gave her a curious look. His grey eye darkened with lust when she knelt down in front of him, her fingers hooking on the waistband of his shorts. In one smooth move, she pulled it down along with his undergarment. His cock sprang out, already rock-hard from arousal.
âNamiâŚâ
âSssh. Didnât I tell you to stay still?â Nami flashed him a naughty smile, her hand wrapping around his hardness, touching and stroking him again. She began pumping him slowly once, twice, her thumb playing with the tip of his cock, making a pre-cum leak outâŚ
âŚbefore taking half of him in her mouth without warning.
Zoroâs leg almost jerked at the sudden warm sensation enveloping him. His hip twitched up involuntarily and he threw his head back feeling as if his whole body was suddenly lit on fire.
Damn. This. Woman!
Fuck!
When he felt her tongue started to swirl around him to wet his shaft some more so she could take it all inâŚ
⌠for the life of him Zoro cannot hold back a moan.
Nami started moving her mouth up and down his cock, stopping to suck him every now and then, he was completely and utterly lost.
What did he do to deserve her? Nami was so fucking amazing with her mouth.
He was breathing heavily, almost in time with the movement of Namiâs head as she continued pleasuring him. Every single muscle in his body was tensing and contracting. The room suddenly felt so hot and Zoro peeled off his running tank, throwing it somewhere he doesnât really care to know.
That didnât help quell the heat that wants to engulf him.
He was huffing one minute and grunting the next. It was the only sound in the room, along with sucking and smacking sound Nami was making as she continued to blow him.
His toes were curling against the carpeted floor. Zoro ran his hand through his hair to prevent them from grabbing her head so he could fuck her mouth harder, faster.
His breath caught in his throat when Nami released him from her mouth with a soft pop. She blinked up at him with a seductive smile was on her face.
Zoro was panting heavily as he returned her gaze.
She opened her mouth slightly to run her tongue slowly against her lower lip.
Holy shit. She keeps bumping his list on the most sensual things he had seen in his whole damn life.
Nami suddenly stood up, eyes still locked on his.
âI like how you look right now,â she breathed. âSo hot and heavy and needy for me.â She unbuttoned her shorts. Slowly, painstakingly she pulled it down, enjoying the way he was watching her.
She threw them aside but Zoro barely paid any attention to it. How can he look anywhere else when he just realized that Nami wasnât wearing anything underneath it as well.
She climbed on his lap again, smirking down on him as her hand wrapped around his now throbbing cock.
âYouâre so fucking hard Zoro. Youâll feel so good inside me.â
That was his only warning. That and the hurried way she slid the tip of cock on her slit before lowering herself down on his length, taking him all in without any resistance at all.
Fuck she was so wet and ready for him.
Nami threw her head back when he filled her, a throaty moan escaping her lips. Zoro in turn let out a curse, hands grabbing at her waist for leverage, his head reeling from the delicious sensation of suddenly filling her.
âDamn Nami youâre so wet I just slid right inside you,â he rasped.
âAh ZoroâŚâ she gasped when he started to bounce her up and down his hardness, not waiting for her to move. Heâd been patient for so longâletting her tease him, letting her set the pace and do whatever she wanted.
He wonât wait anymore.
Her pussy greedily sucked him in every time he pushed back inside her. Her moans filled the room this time, louder than the grunts and huffs from him when she had him inside her mouth.
She was calling out his name at his every thrust. Her nails were clawing at his shoulders, at his arm but he paid it no mind. She can leave her fingernails marks all over him and he wouldnât give a damn.
Zoro picked up his pace and he started pounding into her harder, determined bring her to edge without relinquishing the control he now has. Without letting her ride him like she initially intended because she likes being in control.
She can do it some other time. Like probably later.
Namiâs head was thrown back, mouth open as she continued moaning his name as he fucked her relentlessly. His fingers were digging deep into the skin of her waist, holding her in place as he watched his cock disappear again and again inside her.
âZoroooâŚâ she cried out when his arm went around her so he can pull her closer to him and push himself deeper into her. His mouth automatically latched on her breast, swirling his tongue around her nipple before sucking on it.
He felt her walls clenched around him at the addition of a new sensation. It sent pleasure shooting up his spine and he groaned her name.Â
Nami desperately hang onto him, arms locking around his neck as she whimpered. âSo close Zoro.â
âYeah?â
âY-yes!â
âThen come for me Nami.â He edged her on as he continued to rock into her. âGo on.â
âYes, yes!â She moaned loudly, her grip on him tightening. One of her hands grabbed at his hair. âZoro! Iâm⌠ooooooh⌠oooh!â
And she come undone, her walls gripping him so tight, stars exploded behind his eye. She came so powerfully, so deliciously that he followed instantly, her name falling from his lips as he filled her.
âNamiâŚ!â
âUuuhm ZoroâŚ.â
They both slumped down the couch boneless and spent yet satisfied. Their bodies were still trembling at the aftermath of a damn good sex.
Catching their breaths they stared at each other, a tired smile tugging at their lips.
Nami giggled tiredly. âI canât feel my legs.â She whispered voice still hoarse as she nuzzled her nose against his cheek.
Zoro stared at her amusedly. âYou barely did any work.â
âShut up.â
He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close to him. She buried her face at the crook of his neck as he planted a soft kiss on her temple.
Nami lifted her head to look at him again.
âYou still havenât properly kissed me you know.â
Zoro raised an eyebrow at her then chuckled at her complaint. He still hasnât, had he? They just went right into it without engaging in any liplock.
They really have a knack for some rather weird foreplays.
âRight. My mistake.â He tilted her chin with his finger so he can capture her lips in a leisurely kiss.
Even exhausted, she was able to return it eagerly. She ran a hand through his hair, her fingers massaging his scalp lightly, relaxing him.
It was her way of making up for pulling at his hair earlier while in the throes of bliss.
They continued exchanging light, lazy kisses. Zoro shifted slightly so he can slip out of her, earning a disappointed groan from Nami.
He laughed. âDonât worry Nami,â he pressed a kiss on her lips again. âIâll fill you up again later.â He promised with a nip on her lower lip.
Nami rolled her eyes at him. âNever doubted that,â she said flippantly. âJust make sure you keep your word.â
âTch! So demanding.â
She smiled sweetly at him even as she pinched his side.
âOuch!â
Zoro playfully threw her down the couch and she yelped at the sudden brash movement.
âThe hell Zoro! What was that for?!â
âFor being cheeky,â he answered before lying down beside her, his arm wrapping around her waist to keep her from falling. His hand rubbing soothing circles her back and Nami sighed in bliss and contentment as she relaxed.
âLetâs just do your grocery run tomorrow.â Zoro suggested, kissing the top of her head. âWeâll probably wonât be able to make it anyway.â
âAaw! Youâre voluntarily coming with me?â Nami beamed a smile at him. âThatâs just sweet.â
âDonât make me change my mind.â
âNo, no,â Nami hooked a leg on his hip to draw him closer to her, even if they were practically glued together. âCome with me.â She batted her eyelashes at him. âI need a pack-mule.â
âThatâs convincing.â
Nami laughed, stealing a peck from his lips. âThanks in advance.â She gave him that particular smile that he was secretly fond of since the moment he saw it years ago when they were still young and troublesome teenagers.
That was all he needed.
He kissed the top of her head again. âWeâll go first thing in the morning.â
Nami snickered. âFirst thing in the morning should be wake up sex Zoro. Not groceries.â
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Little Bits and Pieces of Heaven
HAVE A DRINK WITH MEÂ
One-shot #: 36
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T (A bit outright suggestive near the end because Zoro just canât help himself.)
Note: Happy Birthday to our lovely navigator, the one and only cat burglar and weather queen! I was supposed to post a different story but decided to go for a lighter, PWP-ish one. Because I need to get this out of my system.
Summary: This time they definitely donât need any drinking competitions or alcohol to do it.
Nami had always thought...
...that alcohol would be the one sole reason why something will happen between her and Zoro.
Something that will cross the imaginary boundary they both had unwittingly set between them right from the beginning. Totally dissolving it to nothing⌠completely eradicating its existence.
As if itâs never been there from the start.
It was during her birthday celebration when they first found themselves engaged in a serious and fierce one on one drinking competition after giving in to Usoppâs endless taunting that night that they would never find out who can really outdrink the other; given how they always seemed to knock back almost the same amount of alcohol at the festivities the crew usually attends or held.
That irked Zoro and made Nami smirk cockily. Whiskey Peak was never settled. And she was pretty confident she can outdrink him seeing how he always passes out while in the middle of drinking.
She haughtily accepted the challenge and much to her surprise, Zoro did too.
Well⌠pride was at stake and so were some belisâŚ
With a barrel between them and the whole crew gathering around to watch and cheer their favorites, their drinking competition commenced.
Nami almost forgot that it was her birthday party because somehow it turned into the kind of merriment Zoro would appreciate if it was his special day.
Nonetheless she was having a blastâmaking fun of him, teasing and trying to put him one tankard behind her, mug after mug after mug amidst the shouts of their rowdy crew mates.
Their drinking prowess was inhuman as everyone in the crew soon realized that they were still at it even as the night wore on and the younger members of the crew settled down the lawn deck to sleep.
The older ones left them on their own knowing that in the battle of wills and pride, Zoro and Nami will not stop until the other is totally obliterated.
Nami was not sure how they went from squabbling in between drinks to actually relaxing and enjoying the alcohol between them as they shared stories and laughter from when they first met Luffy up until now that their crew had grown in number and strength and standing.
The fact that they were trying to drink each other under the table was forgotten just like that.
She was in the middle of laughing amidst the cacophony of snores coming from Luffy, Chopper and Usopp with her head thrown back and without a care in the world when her eyes caught Zoroâs.
He was looking at her intently, like he was scrutinizing her even if his face showed a slight hint of amusement at her antics.
And something just clicked inside Nami and she realizedâŚ
âŚsomething had just shifted between her and Zoro right at that very moment.
They originally started drinking while facing each other with a barrel between them.
And now they are soâŚ
Close.
They nearly kissed that night.
Nearly.
It didn't happen though.
A loud splash of water broke their trance. It was as if the cold liquid itself had drenched them and woke their senses up, sending them hurtling back to reality. Next thing they know, they were scampering towards the railing, immediately sobering up when they realized their idiot captain had stupidly fallen into the sea while sleepwalking and searching for meat.
That was the end of that.
They never tried to talk about it. Chalked it off to one moment of insanity produced by drinking barrels and barrels of alcohol just to best each other.
Nami thought that it was just a one-time thing. A once in a lifetime occurrence.
But she was wrong.
Because ever since that night, whenever there was a party or a celebration of sorts or any festivities where the Straw Hat crew finds themselves in the center ofâŚ
âŚshe and Zoro will find each otherâto try and see who really drinks the most.
And who is brave enough to make the first move.
Because in all honestly. Their drinking competitions always end up in that certain moment where they are so close to each other that all Zoro needed to do was lean down some more and all Nami had to do was tilt her head up a little.
And they would kiss.
But that was it.
No kiss ever happened in all the times they had a drinking battle or even when they just casually drank with each other in some random bars on whatever island they were currently docked.Â
Then in one, unexpected instantâtheir lives were turned upside down when they were all forcefully separated by a warlord.
Two years was a long time. And Nami was sure that that time apart had brought back the invisible, unspoken boundary she and Zoro had between them that they had been too reluctant to cross when they had the chance.
She was fairly certain that those two years had put a damper on what was going between them. They were young, a bit reckless and their adventurous and high spirits might just be the reason why they wanted to break down that barrier that keeps their relationship purely platonic.
Then⌠Fishman Island.
Nothing that happened before they were separated ever came so close to what took place while they were in that place.
When they finally and eventually got the chance to be alone with each other again for the first time in two years in that almost secluded and quiet steps of Ryugu Palace in Fishman Island (while she was taking a break from drinking and he was planning to nap in between)...Â
...their lips almost touched.
Closer than it had ever been.
She can feel his breath, warm against her lips as he exhaled deeply. It caressed her face in the softest of all touches and she knew right there and then...
 ...that he had missed her. Â
If it wasn't for Usopp suddenly appearing and loudly joining them with Chopper and Sanji in tow, Nami knew that they would finally have given in to that longstanding urge to kiss each other.
Still that was the last of that. Again. The moment they entered the New World, the crew had to go and separate into different groupâtoo often for Nami's tasteâso they could do what they meant to do.
And whatever celebration they had after reuniting every now and then, were fast and shadowed with current issues they had to deal with where lives and freedom were at stake.
There was no time to think about what was going on between her and Zoro. So she decided to finally leave it at that. They are in the New World after all and they both have more important things to consider. To do. To prioritize. Than what was going on between them.
So Nami decided to just let it all go.
Besides, if it really meant to happen. It will happen.
The festivities at the Flower Capital of Wano Country had finally dwindled down after days and days of celebration. Everyone was busy doing their own things nowâsome recuperating and relaxing while others are enjoying the long-awaited freedom and peace that was denied to them for so many years.
Nami was wandering around the shogunâs castle, stealthily looking for any treasure Orochi and his minions might have left. At the same time, she was enjoying the nocturne view of the country from the long corridor balcony. The entire capital below was highlighted under the glow of the full moon and it was exquisitely beautiful.Â
She had stopped for a moment to savor the night air and the soft murmurs of movements and muffled voices from all over the castle and was actually surprised to see Zoro heading towards her.
He had probably just finished his training since he was coming from the lower floor where he and Momonosuke usually practiced their sword skills.
He gave her a nod when he saw her. And without another word, he joined her in her moon viewing.
And they both stayed there in the balconyâsilent, contented and just watching the world outside them.
It was the first time they had the chance to be alone again since Fishman Island.
When you just came out of the biggest, most dangerous battle of your entire lifeâalive, still kicking and in one piece like they haveâit kind of gives you a different perspective and makes you appreciate everything around you more. It makes you want to pull the people you cherish the most close to you and never let go.
Nami veered away from the scenery before her and so she can look at the green-haired swordsman.
Zoro looks so full of life nowâa stark contrast to the man lying down on the futon a few days ago; pale, unconscious and heavily wounded.
A bandage was still wrapped around his head. Nami knew he still have wounds that need to heal. She should chastise him from going straight into training when he should be resting but she knows itâs just a waste of time.
Instead she reached out and softly touched his cheek, wanting to convey to him without words that sheâs grateful that he is still here. That he and Luffy are still here.
That they are all still here.
When she finally moved, Zoro met her halfway.
And Nami instantly knew that their kiss is finally meant to happen.
She always thought they'd be drunk when they do kiss. They are always drinking whenever they find themselves in that certain moment before a kiss should happen. And she had it in her mind that theyâd only get the courage to push further and finally do it because there is alcohol surging in their systems.
But here they are. All sober.
"Oi what are you thinking about?
Nami blinked as she was pulled out of her ruminations by that familiar drawl.
She pushed away from the Sunny's railing to look at the newcomer. She had quietly slipped away from the on-going celebration of her birthday for a fresh air. She had drunk a lot. A lot. With Jinbe know officially a member of their crew, the toasts just keep going and going.
Damn fishmen and their alcohol tolerance! Jinbe can hold his liquor much better than she or Zoro combined can!
She took a deep breath before answering. "Nothing. Just taking a break," she tried to act nonchalant by shrugging her shoulders.
Zoro chuckled. "Seems like you are at your limit." It was dark outside alright. But she can make out that certain glint in his lone, grey eye whenever heâs teasing her.
She huffed. "Dream on. Don't even think you can best me. I can still go on."
He laughed. "Still confident you can top me huh?"
Nami grinned cattily at that. "Oh Zoro. I know and you know that I can," she winked at him, deliberately letting the innuendo hang between them while trailing a finger down the uncovered part of his chest.
Zoro seemed to get it immediately much to her surprise because the grin on his face was shit-eating.
She cut-off any remark he had on that by poking him on the chest with her finger. âWhy are you here anyway?â
âYou were missed.â
She brightened up at that. âYou mean you missed me?â
His only answer was a huff of his own. But she had become so good at reading him and the not-so-cleverly-hidden meaning of his words and actions. She knew she hit it spot on.
âLetâs go back,â he invited nodding towards the galleyâs direction. âTheyâll wonder where we are.â
âLetâs just let them,â she said cheekily. âWe are not exactly hiding anything.â
He looked amused and brushed a swift kiss on her nose.
âItâs your birthday,â Zoro reminded her. âAnd you have birthday girl responsibilities.â
Nami raised an eyebrow at him. âResponsibilities?â
âYeah. Like start a drinking competition.â He looked so happy with the idea that he can raid all their booze stock without being reprimanded by Sanji. âIâm getting impatient.â
She rolled her eyes at that. âFine,â she grudgingly agreed. âLetâs go back and have our usual competition. Iâll beat your ass fair and square. You lose⌠I get all your allowances in the next three islands.â
Zoro just snorted at her claim and easily wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her close. He planted a kiss on her temple. She giggled when his lips brushed against the shell of her ear before moving to kiss her fully.
This time they definitely donât need any drinking competitions or alcohol to do it.
âCome on then,â Zoro said when he pulled away from her. He suddenly tugged her towards the stairs leading to the galley looking almost excited. âLetâs see if youâre really as good as you claim to be.â He was grinning menacingly at her.
Damn this man and his booze.
Nami groaned even as she let him cart her back to where she can hear the Luffy yelling âmeatâ above the chatter of their crewmatesâ voices.
She stopped him before he can push the door open.
"Be nice Zoro. Itâs my special day,â she reminded him oh-so-sweetly so heâd go easy on her.
Zoro gave her a smug grin.
âBe nice Nami. I might let you sit on my face tonight for your special day."
His voice was low when he said that and it immediately sent Nami on fireâevery single part of her being heating up at that.
 His grin was cocky as he opened the galley door before she can even retort, whispering âhappy birthdayâ in her ear, pushing her insideâback to her celebration, their crewmates and the Straw Hats signature chaos.
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Little Bits and Pieces of Heaven
BREATHE ME INÂ
One-shot #: 35
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T
Note: Oh my gosh itâs been so long since I wrote something. Canât believe itâs been months since I last uploaded a story. I havenât forgotten my favorite pairing no matter how they donât get many moments together recently. It was just that work ate up so much of my energy.
But I hope you enjoy this quick one-shot. Iâll try to make something longer next time.
Summary: It was not a good scent on him to be honest. It stirs something inside her awake ⌠like a long-slumbering jealousy perhaps?
A scent wafted towards Namiâs nose, making her pause from checking the weather.
It was a nice, warm afternoon. Not too hot that itâll make you sweat bucketsâit was just⌠right. It was one of the things Nami loved about spring islands, their climate are almost always pleasant.
She was in the library earlier, perusing her weather books when she sensed a slight change in the air around her. It was what prompted her to go out and check the horizon to see if rain was coming.
And that was when the unfamiliar scent drifted towards her.
She tilted her nose up in the air and took a deep breath. Aside from the smell of an impending downpour, there was that certain sweet fragrance that reminds her of standing in the middle of a flower field on a beautiful spring day.
Nami knew that it was not coming from Robin. The archaeologist headed into the town earlier with Chopper and Franky and hasnât come back yet. Plus Robinâs scent is far different from whatâs currently assaulting her nose. Whilst Robinâs was subtle, this one kinda hits you point blank.
But damn sheâs sure that the scent definitely belongs to a woman.
So who�
Was the ship boarded by a stowaway while she was busy inside the library?
There was movement from behind her and she jerked from surprise. Whipping around, she stared in disbelief as Zoro nonchalantly walked past behind her without a word and headed straight to her mikan trees, towards the partially hidden part of the Sunnyâs railingâprobably to settle there for one of his many naps.
"What was that?" Nami blurted out just as he was removing his swords from his sash.
Zoro tilted his head to her direction with one eyebrow raised. "What do you mean what was that?"
"That smell," she turned her nose up in the air again and sniffed. "It's coming from you,â she said with a frown.
Zoro mirrored her expression before situating himself down on the wooden floor and leaning back against the railing. "Excuse me. I took a bath yesterday." He drawled before crossing his arms over his chest and closing his eyeâa sign that heâs ending the conversation so he can doze off.
Nami grimaced. "That was yesterday! How many times did you sweat like a pig after your bath up to now?!"
The swordsman huffed irritably. âDonât know. Donât care,â he muttered before proceeding to yawn loudly.
The navigator glared at him as he settled down quite quickly to his catnap. She strode towards him, the weather currently forgotten.
Sheâs sure that that scent was coming from the idiot moss head himself. Unless⌠just as she initially thought; an intruder was on the Sunny, hiding and probably waiting for an opportune moment.
But wouldnât Zoro be on alert instead of calmly resting on the deck without a care in the world if thatâs the case?
The moment she approached him, the scent grew stronger. Nami tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning down and sniffing the green-haired man.
There was no mistake. It was coming from him!
âHey! Zoro was immediately awake, on guard, and protesting when she crowded his person. âThe hell are you doing Nami?!â
âI knew it! It is coming from you!â She exclaimed, whacking him on the shoulder. âWhy the hell do you smell like a girl Zoro?!â
âThatâs none of your concern witch!â Zoro hissed at her. Even if her shadow was looming over him and darkening his features, Nami can still make out the slight red tinging his cheeks. âBuzz off. Iâm trying to sleep!â
Namiâs brows furrowed at that. She knew he went to town earlier to hit the taverns (as usual) and enjoy some drinks.
Something clicked inside her brain and her eyes widened as she straightened up and continued studying the man before her.
It seems like Zoro enjoyed MORE than the alcoholic beverages he loves so much while he was there.
That was the only possible explanation she can come up with on why he came back to the ship smelling of a womanâs perfume and wanting to sleep!
Zoro was looking at her warily at first before he turned a bit uneasy under her gaze when he saw the expression of her face.
âOh,â was the only thing she was able to blurt out after a long uncomfortable silence. âOh.â She repeated again took a step backwards and away from him.
âOh what?â Zoro asked irritably.
Nami just continued eyeing him. And Zoro fought the urge to squirm under her brown eyes. He watched as an indifferent expression took over her face. He wasnât sure if it was just his imagination or her eyes seemed to turn as cold as ice.
âYouâre right that is none of my concern,â she said, her tone as equally icy as her stare. She tore her gaze away from him.
âJust take a bath Zoro. The smell hurts my nose.â With that she spun on her heel and headed towards the library, slamming the door behind her, leaving a bewildered Zoro gaping at her.
What?
------------------------
What the hell is up with that woman?
Zoro rubbed his face exasperatedly with one hand before running it along his hair, fighting the sudden urge to pull at them out of frustration.
Honestly, only Nami can rile him up like this.
He was supposed to be napping right nowâenjoying this one, rare quiet time on the ship while the others are busy exploring the island. He had enough disruptions earlier while he was out and about and decided itâs better to just head back to the Sunny.
He was expecting some peace and quiet when he boarded the ship. Not come across a suddenly grouchy navigator.
Inside the library he can hear the sound of Namiâs heels stomping across the wooden floor with enough force to probably puncture holes on them.
Zoro inwardly cursed. Great. Sheâs in a mood.
What the hell did he do now?
And why the hell did he need to take another bath when he had taken one yesterday?!
Bah. Like he's gonna cave in and do that just to appease her highness.
He settled back against the railing again, quite abruptly that he accidentally hit his head against it.
Damn it!
He proceeded to rub the back of his head and in doing so he bowed his slightlyâŚ
âŚand caught a whiff of the scent Nami was complaining about earlier.
Zoro did not hold back the groan that wanted to come out of his throat. Honestly, he thought the scent would just dissipate from his walk back to the ship. What kind of perfume was this that it seems like heâll be carrying the scent not only until tomorrow but the day after?!
And why in the world did it made Nami angry?
------------------------
Why was she angry?
Nami slammed the thick book about the tempests of the New World down on her mapping desk, pinching the bridge of her nose in an attempt to stave off her still rising temper.
Damn it!
That freaking smell of another woman on him set her off.
Just how close⌠how close does he have to be with that⌠that wench for her scent to latch onto him like that?
Practically glued together. Her treacherous mind nastily pointed out.
It made her insides twist. And she winced at the weird sensation.
It was not a good scent on him to be honest. Itâs stirred something inside her awakeâŚ
âŚlike a long-slumbering jealousy perhaps?
She grabbed at the edge of her desk to steady herself. She was grasping it quite hard that her knuckles turned white.
Was that⌠the reason why the idea of him and that stupid owner of that scent, tangled with each other intimately were making her stomach churn, her blood boil and her heart clench?
The thought of him with another woman⌠intimately with another womanâŚ
Nami felt light-headed and she dropped down on the chair.
Sweet cyclones of the New World. She is jealous!
She actually has feelings for that directionless, idiot swordsman???
When? Why?
How?
Nami clamped a hand on her mouth as it slowly came crashing down on her.
Those random times he crosses her mind while sheâs in the middle of mapping or navigating or even when sheâs in a fight or running away from a fight.
Those moments when he would suddenly invade her thoughts out of the blue at any time of the day.
How it feels like hundreds of butterflies were fluttering inside her stomach when he grins or half-smiles at her when a joke or a funny story were shared while the crew were eating lunch or dinner or just hanging out at the Sunnyâs lawn deck.
How in all those times that he saved her and worried for her, she would get lost in him for a certain brief moment before reality would pull her back and remind her that they wereâŚ
Friends.
Crew mates.
Nakamas.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Nami stayed in that perplexed state, oblivious that the slate grey clouds that she was observing earlier at the horizon already appeared and the raindrops started pelting the glass of the library window, lost in the realization of her feelings for the green-haired swordsman.
------------------------
Dinner was chaotic as usual, even if the rain outside didnât let up. Their crew was boisterous and loud as everâprobably even more now since the more hyperactive members have been cooped up inside after they got back because of the downpour.
Somehow being surrounded by raucousness lifted Namiâs mood a bit. She was able to act a tad bit normal all throughout the meal. Good thing she was able to sit near Luffy and rather far from the swordsman, who was in the other end of the table. It saved her from looking and talking to him because honestly she doesnât really know how to act around him. Not right now when she just had a big revelation.
They are well on their way to dessert when Chopper blurted out the question that dampened her mood again.
âNe, Zoro why do you smell like a girl?â The innocent reindeer asked, his blue nose twitching a little. They were sitting beside each other and Chopper can only hold his curiosity for so long.
There was laughter around the table, coming mostly from the older crew members.
âHe probably realized he stinks,â Sanji commented with a nasty grin.
âYou wanna go ero-cook?â Zoro challenged, with one eye sharp and one hand thumbing Enma out of its sheath.
âAre we sure about that and not because a pretty lady hugged him while heâs at the townâs bar earlier? Yohohoho!â Brook interjected. âI can still see even if I donât have eyes to see!â
Namiâs ears perked up at that. She fiddled with her food, waiting for the swordsman to confirm what Brook just stated.
âShut up!â Zoro turned his attention at the other yet older pervert. âThe hell are you even doing there?!â
Namiâs heart immediately sank at that and she pursed her lips. So there really was a girl.
âYohoho!â The skeleton just laughed. âSo I was right. A lady gave you a hug! Oh how I envy you Zoro-san! It was like that time with Hiyori-sanâŚâ
âI said shut up!â Zoro snarled at him.
A chorus of âooohsâ filled the room. Sanjiâs face was immediately red from anger as flames threatened to erupt from his leg.
He yelled at Zoro. âDamn you, you third-rate swordsman! Why are you always taking advantage of such lovely ladies?!â
âUrusei baka cook! Iâm not you!â
âTemeeâŚâ
Nami suddenly stood up, cutting off the impending fight between the two. Sheâs not gonna stay and hear every detail about Zoroâs afternoon adventure or even about Momo-chanâs sister. She had enough for today.
âThank you for the meal Sanji-kun,â she said sweetly before leaving the table without even looking at Zoro and Sanji, who were both staring at her in astonishment.
Everyoneâs eyes followed her as she headed out of the galley despite the rain still pouring down outside. Each one has a baffled look on their faces, wondering why in the hell did she not clonked the other two like she usually does when they start arguing in the middle of dinner.
The galley door slammed shut behind the navigator. Loud enough to make the crew flinched.
âOkâŚâ Usopp slowly breathed out. âWhich one of you was responsible for that?â He pointed at the door with his thumb. They donât need haki to figure out that Nami was in a really bad mood. Everyone can sense it.
Robin shrugged as she casually took a sip of her after-dinner coffee. âI donât know. But Iâm pretty sure it was only her and Zoro who was here on the ship when we got back earlier.â
Zoro fought the urge to balk when the archaeologist smiled at him. He knows it was her passive way of saying sheâs aware that he had something to do with Namiâs current temperament.
The only problem is he doesnât know what he did.
He glanced furtively at the door again before meeting Robinâs eyes.
Zoro sighed inwardly as tipped his tankard back and guzzled the cool ale inside.
------------------------
Nami climbed the last steps of the ladder leading up to the bathhouse late that night. The rain had finally stopped and most of the crewmembers were finally asleep except for the ones on watch duty.
She canât believe she fell asleep right after dinner. She wanted to stay inside her room for a while, alone and away from all that noise to gather her thoughts. She hadnât meant to conk out while silently screaming her frustration in her pillow.
All these thoughts about Zoro made her tired. But at least the sleep refreshed her and somehow calmed her mind so she wouldnât be a mess and resort to silence and indifference when she face him again.
She just honestly thought he was not the type to flirt and fool around. Sanji⌠she can imagine. But Zoro? He was usually stoic and uncaring about other people! So him actually being intimate with another was the farthest thing from her mind.
He did turn down Hiyori flat outright didnât he?
Maybe thatâs the reason whyâwhen she realized that he was with a woman earlierâit threw her off. Really threw her off, because she has this false sense of security that heâd never bother to be with one.
And when he did. It stung.
It hurt.
Drat. This attraction might just drive her crazy.
She let out a sigh and did a double take when she saw the laundry basin at the far corner of the room.
Whatâs it doing there? The only ones who do late night laundries are her and Robin and the Hana hana no mi user is scheduled to do hers tomorrow.
She approached it to check.
There were clothes submerged in the soapy waters. Green andâŚ
Nami tried lifting it up. What the hell? Why is it so heavy?! She just might pop a vein inside her if she continues trying to haul it up.
âDonât,â Zoroâs voice suddenly warned her. âYouâll just hurt your wrist.â
She tilted her towards the bathroom, surprised to see Zoro coming out of it. She regarded him for a moment; hair wet and with just a towel wrapped around his waist.
She wasnât sure if her voice got stuck in her throat because of her earlier realizations or because of the way he looking right now all fresh-out-of-shower and hot.
Or maybe both.
Damn it all over again!
"You clothes are heavy," she managed to utter out after a moment.
Zoro just shrugged, grabbing another towel from the wall rack to dry his hair. âJust leave it there and Iâll wash it tomorrow.â
Nami let go of his robe and straightened up.
âAre you alright now?â He asked her all of a sudden.
âHuh?â She blinked at him, the question not quite registering.
Zoro didnât bother waiting for her answer. âNap helps huh?â
Nami glanced at him in astonishment not quite sure how he knew of that. But then again, he had a knack for knowing what is happening around him even if it looks like heâs not paying any attention.
She just nodded.
They both fell silent. Somehow their usually bickering selves are surprisingly not present. Possibly because, Nami canât still muster her usually feisty self. Maybe after a day or two theyâd be back to their same old routine.
After all, the problem is not with Zoro. But with her. She was the one who canât handle her feelings. She was the one who canât keep it in control.
And itâs throwing off their rhythm.
âYou done,â she asked motioning to the bath. âI wanna use it.â
âYeah.â Zoro nodded.
âIâm surprised to find you here.â Nami remarked.
Zoro looked at her intently before answering. âThe scent irritates me.â
âOh.â
âStupid shit just wonât go away.â He mumbled, looking irritated.
Nami nodded. âIt probably got on your skin. Thatâs why it stuck.â She mentally pushed away the unwelcome thoughts of the reasons why.
âHnnnâŚâ
Gosh she wanted to tease him so badly. Slam him just so she could get some sort of revenge for what she went through today because of him.
But it seems like the cat still got her tongue and sheâs still not in the mood.
She just gave him a sort of dismissive wave, a silent gesture that they can both move on their own ways.
âNami,â Zoro called out before she can step inside the bathroom.
âHmm?â
âItâs not what youâre thinking.â
That made her look straight into his eye. Her heart started thumping wildly against her chest.
âNothing happened earlier.â
Nami swallowed the lump in her throat that before asking.
âW-why are you telling me this?â
âIâm not sure,â Zoro shrugged. âI just know I need to tell you that.â He gave her a half-smile.
She just continued staring at him as her heart continued to thump wildly and the hundreds of butterflies started fluttering inside her stomach again.
âGuess I donât want you mad.â
Nami almost stopped breathing at that. That speaks volumes coming from him.
âOh.â Was the only reply she could murmur out.
Zoro gazed at her in a way she could not comprehend. Then he nodded towards bath, wordlessly telling her that itâs all hers before moving towards the ladder leading down the library.
A scent wafted towards Nami nose again. This time she was sure the fragrance was from one of her expensive shower gels she carefully kept inside the Sunnyâs bathroom.
Her head snapped towards the green-haired man.
âForgot my soap,â Zoro explained with a slight quirk on his lips. âAnd since you keep complaining about that stupid scent on me, maybe youâd stop if I smell like you.â
Namiâs heart did a back flip this time. The she smiled. âYou know Iâm charging.â
âThe hell.â Zoro grumbled. âWitch,â he sneered before disappearing down the ladder.
She chuckled. It was a really nice smell on him. It made her think of cuddling up to him and burying her nose in the crook of his neck.
Nami caught herself and shook her head to make that thought vanish.
What he said and did a while ago was already plentyâespecially from a man like him.
It was really comforting to think, that as much as the grate each otherâs nerves⌠Zoro doesnât really want her mad at him.
That was enough for her⌠for now.
------------------------
Nami was enjoying a midnight tea after her bath. She was alone in the kitchen when Zoro walked in.
They nodded to each other in greeting and Zoro sauntered towards where they were keeping the sake bottles.
She closed her eyes when he walked past by her and she took in the clean scent of her shower gel on him. Â
It smells really nice.
She had to bit her lip to keep herself from grinning. She can her him rummaging around and she continued to just sit there quietly basking in his presence.
She had really fallen deep hasnât she?
âOi,â Zoroâs voice was suddenly so close to her ear and her eyes flew open in surprise.
He was leaning down at her with a smirk on his face.
âYou know, you should stop smelling me Nami.â He said as his smirk turned into a grin, before pulling away from her and walking out of the galley.Â
But not before leaving a glass filled of his favorite sake in front of her.
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As It Was
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T (A bit suggestive but tolerable still)
Note: AU. I am currently in love with the song As It Was (Prepâs version) and had it on repeat. You know that certain instance when youâre listening to it and suddenly a random scene for your OTP will just playout from out of nowhere. Thatâs what happened here.
I know itâs late. But this is a Happy Valentineâs ZoNa piece and my supposed entry to the ZoNami jukebox event in here.
And yes, this is a companion fic to The Cat Burglar one-shot (#30 in the Little Bits and Pieces collection). Enjoy!
Summary: She couldnât pinpoint when was that exact moment when something between them shifted. All she knows is that itâs not the same as it was.
Nami quietly watched the scene outside from the tinted window of the car as it sped past the crowded street. The weather was a bit cold tonight, yet she was surprised to see a lot of people still loitering about enough to cause a slight traffic.
She chewed at her bottom lipâa bad habit really, whenever she feels edgyâand folded her arms on her chest, creasing the front of her coat at the movement.
âWeâll be there in a few minutes Nami-senpai.â The driver, Bartolomeo, politely informed her. They were on their way to her apartment and he mustâve sense her impatience⌠or saw it from the carâs rear view mirror.
âItâs alright,â Nami smiled at him. Usopp had told her before that he was in-training to become a low-rank official hence the chauffeuring them around stint. âDonât worry about it.â She wasnât that much in a hurry to be honest. She got nowhere to be tonight of all nights.
Her gaze riveted back outside, silently observing the people hurrying to and fro while holding flower bouquets and gifts in heart-decorated wrappers with big red bows around them.
It was Valentineâs night. And here she was, braving the traffic so she could get home after sneaking out of the party at the Mugiwara estate to spend the rest of the night soaking in a nice, warm, bubble bath with lighted candles around her and glass of expensive red wine in one hand.
Normally, she loves attending those parties and spent time there mingling and rubbing elbows with the rich, flirting with handsome, gullible guests and steal a thing or two from them before the party ends⌠but tonight she was not in the mood.
Maybe because a lot of guests there tonight have dates and she unfortunately and accidentally ran across some pairs cozying it up in some of the vacant rooms like five times already.
The mansion has numerous rooms! Why the hell did she keep stumbling into one that was already occupied by dry humping people?
She decided to just call it a night. Honestly, she canât take seeing one more pair in a state of undress. She doesnât want to barge into another quickie session or sheâll start charging them for using the rooms in the first place.
Besides, whatâs with all those horny people? She didnât see any oysters were served for dinner earlier.
Unless their gluttonous boss was able to get his hands on them⌠or if someone intercepted it on their way out of the kitchenâŚ
Wasnât Sanji-kun in charge of the food tonight?
Nami rolled her eyes when it clicked into place.
Thank her lucky stars Bartolomeo was around, ready to drive anyone anywhere at a momentâs notice. When Luffy motioned for his top men to go upstairs for a private meeting, she decided to high-tail it out of there.
Speaking of thatâŚ
âHey Bart,â she called out to the Mohawk hair-styled man. âGot any idea how long that meetingâs gonna be?â
âUhâŚâ Bartolomeo scratched his cheek, looking apologetic as he glanced at Nami from the rear view mirror. âApologies, Nami-senpai. Iâm not sure about that.â
âOh. Alright.â
âBut it looks like itâs gonna take longer than usual,â he continued on. âI heard Luffy-senpaiâs brother arrived earlier.â
Nami settled back on the seat, thinking. âIf thatâs the case, then itâs gonna take some time.â She pondered more for a moment. âHey can you swing by Baratie first? I want to get something to go.â
âNo problem, Nami-senpai,â Bartolomeo nodded. âYou want me to call first so they can get it ready?â
âIâll do it,â Nami pulled her phone out of her purse and dialled the exclusive number for the restaurant Sanji-kun had given her.
If sheâs going to spend tonight of all nights alone, she might as well splurge for herself right?
A haggard-sounding chef answered her call. She reached inside her purse for her lipstick while she was enumerating her requests. Her fingers snagged an unfamiliar object and she pulled it out to look at it.
Nami stared at it for a long time. When the call ended, she already made the decision on how to best enjoy herself tonight.
------------------------
The scenery outside the window changed as the car made a smooth turn to the right and began an uphill climb. They had left Baratie about fifteen minutes ago and was now driving along a rather lonely road with thick trees bordering both of its sides.
There wasnât any lamp post on the area and only the head lights of the car illuminated what was ahead.
But Nami wasnât afraid. Not a bit. The road was private that was why no one was allowed to use it. A few minutes passed and a black, large gate loomed before them.
âNami-senpai,â Bartolomeo called her name to get her attention. âAre you sure this is a good idea?â
Nami grinned at him. âYeah, donât worry. Iâll make sure youâre off the hook.â
âButâŚâ
âJust trust on this me alright?â
Bartolomeo looked hesitant but Nami only motioned for him to continue ahead.
He nodded weakly, just as the gates opened for them. He drove the car inside and in a few more minutes, he was circling the driveway and pulling to a stop in front of a dark house. Â
He stepped out of the car in a flash to open the door for Nami and assist her in getting out.
âThank you,â she winked at him. âAnd donât worry Iâll handle it,â she assured him with a pat on his shoulder.
âAre you sure youâll be okay here Nami-senpai?â Bartolomeo asked again in an uncertain tone. He swallowed a lump in his throat. If something happens to her, Luffy-senpai and the others would make sure he wouldnât die a peaceful death.
âYup,â Nami nodded as she scanned the house in front of her while Bartolomeo waited nervously beside her with the paper bag from Baratie and the bouquet of flowers the wonderful head chef Zeff had given her.
She slipped out the keys she found in her purse earlier and she could swear Bartolomeoâs eyes widened as looked at her.
âY-you got the keys to this house?â
She winked at him again and brought her forefinger to her lips, a sign to keep his mouth shut about it. Nami motioned for him to hand her the food and the flowers before heading towards the front door.
âJust try not to rat me out ok?â She reminded him before slipping the key inside the lock.Â
------------------------
The temperature outside seemed to drop some more as the night wore on. The tall, thick trees surrounding the vicinity didnât help with that at all⌠they only made it colder.
But Nami seemed oblivious to it as she turned the key. Either it was tolerable or she doesnât mind because of the coat she was wearing. There was a clicking sound as the key unlocked the door and she pushed it open.
What idiot still uses only one lock for their front door when keypad locks are a thing now?
Not that any of those will stop her. She can pick a lock and override a keypad as easy as one, two, three.
She stepped inside the foyer, just as Bartolomeo pulled out of the driveway to head back to the mansion-slash-headquarters in the Mugiwara estate.
Nami flicked a switch to her right and the whole floor was immediately bathed in warm white lights.
âIâm home!â She announced in a sing-song voice to no one in particular. She snickered at that. She knows the house is empty⌠save for her. With one hand, she was able to shrug off her coat and left it on the couch.
Nami caught sight of her reflection in one of the mirrors lining the wall that was separating the living room and the dining/kitchen area. She had to admit, she looks dazzling tonight in her sparkling gown. Too bad no one will be able appreciate it.
Her high heels made click-clacking sounds against the marbled floor as she made her way to the other part of the house. She set the paper bag and the flowers down on the kitchen counter top and looked around.
It was really a gorgeous house and it was a shame it was not being appreciated enough.
She had seen enough of it to fall in love with it. With high ceilings and glass walls, it had a great view of the outside especially at night time where you can see the city lights.
And you can also see the Mugiwara estate from there. Which is no surprise at all because the area where she is now, belongs to them.
The house was smack in the middle of thick trees, giving it enough privacy. And it didnât matter if all the lights were on because it canât be seen from the outside. You wonât even know it is there.
It was a perfect hideaway place.
Nico Robin told her that it was Franky who designed and built it. Thatâs why everything inside and outside was set to perfection.
She unwrapped the bouquet Zeff has given her so she can replace the almost withering flowers in the vase on the middle of the dining table. Sheâs going to make the most of her stay here, so that means everything has to look good.
Nami discarded the flowers in the trash and proceeded to set the dining table with the exquisitely made, hand-crafted plates she was sure Sanji-kun was the one who was responsible for.
Come to think of it. This house has something from everyone from Luffyâs core group. Sheâs sure the flowers from earlier were Robinâs flower garden.
She moved purposely for the next few minutes: setting the table, selecting an expensive red wine from the wine collection, pouring some in her glass before proceeding to arrange scented candles in strategic locations and dimming the lights to give the place a more subdued ambience.
Everything was perfect.
Then she left the kitchenâone hand holding her wine glass while the other clutched the bottleâand she went upstairs. She casually strode towards the empty bedroom and headed straight to her main objective.
Because hands down, this place has the best bathroom, the best bathtub, along with the best view for a relaxing bubble bath. It would honestly put any expensive hotel to shame.Â
All thanks to Franky.
She raised her wine glass in salute to her comrade before downing it and proceeding to prepare a luxurious bubble bath for herself.
A few more minutes and a blissfully content Nami was submerged in the large tub, wine in hand, eyes closed while a soft music played from the bathâs hidden speakers as the calming scent of the candles she lighted wafted in the air.
It feels like she was being lulled to sleep. It was so soothing. She could honestly live like this for the rest of her life.
At times like these, she canât help but think that working for the Mugiwara family was one of the best decisions she ever made.
How long had she been with them? Two years? Two years since that green-haired man walked into her bar and whisked her away in a world more dangerous than before.
She had honestly thought that was the end of the line for her. But surprisinglyâand thankfullyâit was her excellent skills at thieving and treasure hunting that saved her.
And when they found out that sheâs also a genius cartographer. That sealed the deal.
When she was brought in the presence of the Mugiwara familyâs head⌠to say she was shocked was an understatement. He wasnât what she was expecting. Nor what she heard through the grapevine. Especially when Monkey D. Luffy made an offer to her to join the ranks of those working directly under him.
After all, it was a waste to not to put all of her skills and knowledge to good use.
She made a choice to join him.
And she loved every minute of it.
Though there was a price to pay⌠she had to let go of her bar, as joining him would definitely place her in a tight spot with the other families who usually frequents the place. It would definitely make her a target and put her in more danger.
It broke her heart to shut it down. The bar was something constant in her life. It was her safe place despite how crude and violent her customers were. But she understood that sacrifices need to be made if it will bring her closer to her dream. And if she played her cards right, she might reopen it again in the future.
âWhy are you here?â
Namiâs eyes shot open at that voice. Deep and cold as ice. It send shivers up and down the spine and not in the most pleasant way. She had seen men tremble at the sound of it. Seen enemies almost shit their pants when they hear it.
ButâŚ
Nami pouted at the intrusion. She moved her head slightly towards the bathroom doorway and her eyes settled at the tall, green-haired man who seemed to appear out of nowhere. She inwardly cursed at how stealthy Roronoa Zoro can be. She didnât even hear a car pulling up the driveway.
She just threw him a smirk, batted her eyelashes at him and purred, âWelcome home baby.â
Zoro just scoffed at her attempt to tease him. She grinned as she settled back in her bath and watched him marched inside, removing the cuff links from his shirt and dropping them haphazardly on the sink countertop.
Nami rolled her eyes at his carelessness. Sheâs pretty sure heâll be losing them in the next few days. Just like all the cufflinks that came before them.
âWhy are you back so soon?â She wondered out loud when he started to pace around the room, shedding articles of his clothing like a snake and leaving them on the tiled floor.
He had the gall to snort at her question. âItâs my house.â
Nami puffed her cheeks at that. âSo? Shouldnât you still be at the meeting?â
One steely eye narrowed at her as he began to pull at his tie. âShouldnât you be anywhere but here? This is called intruding you know.â
The orange-haired woman only chuckled at that. She shifted from her relaxed position, resting both of her arms at the tub edge so she can watch him idiotically try to choke himself with his tie. Â
âHmmm⌠I wouldnât call that intruding if I have your keys.â She declared in a cheeky tone.
Zoro stopped fumbling with his tie and glared at her. âWhy do you have my keys?â
She sighed exasperatedly, leaning her head on one arm. âBecause you are an idiot?â
âIâm not an idiot!â He immediately retorted and Nami threw her head back to laugh at his expense.
âOnly idiots leave their keys anywhere for others to grab.â She threw a smirk his way and he frowned at her.
âIâm pretty sure you nicked that from me.â
âOh,â Nami feigned surprise at his accusation. âMe? Steal something from Roronoa Zoroâs person? Hmmm⌠you flatter me.â She winked at him.
It is fun seeing this usually unrattled man get flustered whenever heâs up against her in a war of the words. Working for Luffy made her realize that Zoro wasnât all that he seems.
He wasnât all ruthless, uncaring and cold. That was reserve for their enemies. And also, for the newcomers who still have to gain his trust. Kami knows how long it took for her to acquire it. And it wasnât that easy. How many times did her life had to be on the line and he had to save her ass before she was finally able to crack his supposedly impenetrable shell?
Too many to count.
But once she did, once he was able to look at her without that distrust in his eye... his company had been nothing but pleasant and rather enjoyable much to her surprise.
Especially when she realize how easy it was to take him down a peg or two.
âStop fumbling with that, youâll end up choking yourself to death,â she lost her patience when he stillâfor the life of herâcannot figure out how untie his tie. âCome here and let me!â
Zoro just glared at her. Again. Heâs really unamused at how sheâs getting too comfortable with bossing him around.
Nami, likewise, glared back. Oh he doesnât scare her anymore like when she first met him. He had used up all that privilege in one go.
âDo not make me stand from here and pull you by that tie!â
Grudgingly he obeyed her, moving closer and leaning down so she can help him.
âThat wasnât so hard was it?â Nami narrowed her eyes at him as she worked on the knot around his neck. The silver tie looked so sleek on him. Too bad it can also be the cause of his death.
âHow can you have difficulties with something as simple as this when you can maim anyone without even looking their way!â She complained when she was done. He muttered something under his breath. She wasnât sure if it was gratitude or an expletive.
He pulled the tie away from his neck and grumpily threw it on the sink.
Nami eyed the innocent article of clothing that was now officially the bane of Zoroâs existence.
That cool persona of his was just really a front. Away from the frontlines, he was a downright bumbling⌠idiot.
âNeed any help taking off your other garments?â Nami innocently offered. Now she wasnât really sure if he can unbutton his shirt without turning it into a sort of battle royale.
His face colored and he spat out a really loud ânoâ.
Nami sniggered. âCome on Zoro. We are way past modesty here. See? Youâre already undressing yourself right here while Iâm taking a bath baby.â
âStop calling me that!â
She burst out laughing at his outburst.
âYou witch!â
âYeah I know. Can it Zoro.â Her shoulders were still shaking as she tried to dwindle down her laughter. Boy, he was really making her night.
âWhy are you still here?â Zoro was practically snarling his question at her. Heâs probably had enough embarrassment for the night, care of her.
âBe nice Zoro,â she hummed as she settled back again on tub, lifting a feet up and playing with the bubble foam. She glanced at him and he was now leaning back at the sink, glowering at her. âAnd here I stopped by Baratie on my way here to get you a steak.â
âA steak?â
âUh⌠steaks?â She corrected when he sounded dissatisfied.
He folded his arms over his chest and asked crankily. âWhy?â
âNothing much. I figured I needed to bribe you so I can use your bathtub.â
âYouâre already in it.â Zoro pointed out.
âTrue,â Nami agreed. âThought the meetingâs gonna take long enough for me to slipped out of here without you knowing and just leave you something as a thank you.â
âDidnât take that long,â Zoro grunted and he reached beside him to pull open the smartly hidden cabinet which stored liquor bottles. He grabbed a glass and poured himself a drink from a bottle he just randomly grabbed. âBesides, Bartolomeo ratted you out.â
âTch! I knew he would,â Nami said, playing with the bubbly foam in front of her. âHeâs more scared of you than me.â
âHnnnâŚâ
âDonât be too hard on him. Itâs not his fault you lost your keys.â
Zoro was halfway into bringing his glass to his mouth to drink. âIâm not. And I told him I know you filched it.â
Nami smiled haughtily at him. âMaybe you should stop leaving it carelessly anywhere?â
âTch.â
âCan I have my me time now Zoro?â She shot him her signature pleading look that never fails to make any man a putty in her hands⌠well except Zoro. âI promise Iâll get out of your hair as soon as Iâm done.â
Zoro scrutinized her from the rim of the glass heâs drinking. Then he sighed.
âFine. Do whatever you want.â
She blew him a kiss. âThank you! Feel free to enjoy the steaks I brought. They are inside the paper bag. I already set the table for you in case you want to eat like youâre out on a date tonight.â
âItâs not a date if youâre alone.â Zoro grunted.
âOh?â Nami intoned as a Cheshire cat grin lit her face. "Want me to call for someone to accompany you?â She offered in sickeningly, sweet tone.
Zoro pinned her with an icy glare.
âOr do you want me to accompany you?â
Zoro was silent for a moment, observing her. Then he set his glass down on the sink countertop and folded his arms over his chest.
âAnd what will that cost me?"
Nami leaned against the tub again so she can look at him straight in the eye, resting her arms against the tubâs edge. This time her grin is more mischievous than ever. And so is the look in her brown eyes.
"Diamonds from Jozu Island.â She answered without missing a beat.
The green-haired man stared down at her with a serious expression on his face. He looked like he was contemplating. Then he pushed off the sink and moved to approach her.
Nami was absolutely beaming as she gazed up at him.
It was just a joke. She just wanted to see him lose it at her inane request. It just feels sooo good to tease him. She wasn't even sure anyone can when she first met him because he was so... expressionless.
"Consider it done."
She stared at him incredulously. Her jaw dropped open from astonishment at his answer.
"Eeeh?!"
"You want it. You'll get it."
That was all he said before he leaned down and captured her lips with his.
Stunned she maybe at what he said, she was still able to return his kiss eagerly. To be honest, she had been craving for it, for him, all night.
She was searching for him back at the party all night with the intention of pulling him in one of the deserted rooms. But certain responsibilities had prevented her from doing so. She then decided to just head back to her apartment and call it a night.
When she realized she had his house keys⌠she changed her plans. It was a long shot since Luffyâs meetings are notoriously long. She had little hope that Zoro will come home tonight.
But thank her lucky starsâŚ
She couldnât pinpoint when was that exact moment when something between them shifted.
All she knows is that itâs not the same as it was.
He only need to ask her and she would gladly join him for a late night dinner downstairs, even without those diamonds. She didnât fix it just for one after all.
His fingers tangled along her wet hair and she vaguely felt him almost lifting her out of tub with the way he pulled her closer to him as he kissed her deeper. She fervently opened her mouth for him, so she can taste the alcohol he just hadâstill on his tongueâand him again and again.
When he pulled away, Nami can see familiar heat behind his grey eye as he looked at her intently. She was still pressed against him. The front of his black shirt was now wet.
âBeen wanting to do that all night.â He drawled before planting a soft peck on her lips. âJoin me downstairs?â
Nami grinned. âHmm⌠why donât you join me here first?â She suggested, licking her lips as she traced his with her thumb. âYou can either you take your clothes off or I will step out of this tub and make a mess on the bathroom floor.â
Zoro answered her with a smirk as he started unbuttoning his shirt.
She moved away from him so she can watch him undress and admire every inch of his insanely toned body.
When he joined her in the tub, she was immediately in his arms.
âI still want those diamonds Zoro,â she whispered to remind him.
Zoro stared at her amusedly before giving her that half-smile she immediately fell in love with the very first time she saw it.
âI know.â
Her laugh was cut off by his lips pressing into hers again.
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Hi.. I want to request 24 hours stories at 4.00 am. Can you make it for me? Thank you.
Hi! Of course I can. Though sorry it took long. I just got back from vacation and wasn't able to sit in front of my laptop to write something asap. But here it is!
24 Hours
[4:00 AM]
âWhy are you still awake?â
Nami looked up from what sheâs reading. A groggy-looking and disheveled Zoro was standing by the bedroom doorway, yawning and scratching the back of his head in what she knows could only be called slight annoyance.
She pursed her lips at that. He always looks displeased when his sleep (or nap) is disturbed. Not that she had anything to do with that right now. She was innocently curled up in the couch, trying to tire her eyes with a bit of reading so she could finally doze off, no thanks to that large coffee she had stupidly downed after dinner.
But looks like her plan backfired and instead, she spent the hours after midnight totally absorbed in her book with sleep unfortunately nowhere within her reach.
âIâm reading,â Nami took her time answering, turning a page from her book slowly as she watched him made his way to her with a grouchy look on his face. She chose to focus on the tight abs on display (thank Kami Zoro loves to sleep with just his pajama pants on, itâs always a delight to look at them) as he approached instead on the expression on his face which clearly says heâs not happy with either his sleep getting disturbed or her not on bed with him or both.
âWhy are you awake?â She threw the same question at him, just as he plopped himself down beside her.
Zoro shrugged. âWas wondering why Iâm not being kicked awake and figured youâre still not in bed.â
She glared at him for that comment. âI donât kick you when Iâm asleep!â
âYeah you do,â he smirked as he leaned his head on the back of the couch. âYouâre not exactly a peaceful sleepe. You toss, turn, kick and sometimes punch a lot.â
Nami stared at him in aghast. Sheâs so not like that! She always wakes up in the same position as she had been sleeping in night before!
Okay⌠she always wake up in the same position but with her stupid boyfriendâs arms wrapped around her.
She shouldâve known that it was not because he was cuddling her. It was because he was restraining her!
This time she did kick him. Deliberately. A sort of retaliation from the realization that he wasnât being romantic at all.
She only got a snort from him as he grabbed her ankle and settled her leg across his lap.
âGo back to sleep Zoro.â She huffed irritably when she saw him closed his eye and settled more comfortably on the couch.
âHnnnâŚâ
She nudged his thigh with her free feet. âJust go now. Iâll follow in a few minutes.â
Sleepy as he may⌠he was still able to counter her with a drawl.
âFew minutes more is morning already.â
âNews flash genius, itâs already morning. Itâs 4 am!â She rolled her eyes and tried to get back at the line she was previously reading. âThe sunâs just not up yet.â
Zoro yawned and lightly slapped her feet. âAll the more reason to go and sleep on the bed.â
She peered at him from her book. His eye was still close and from the relaxed way he was breathing he will be asleep in a matter of seconds while sitting on the couch and holding onto her leg.
âHmmmâŚâ she grinned cheekily as she closed her book, resting her head against the couch as well. âWhy so insistent to get me on bed Zoro? Afraid to sleep alone?â
Zoro was immediately awake at that and his head snapped towards her. It was his turn to glare at her as she chortled.
âFine then,â he growled as he stood up, letting her leg fall off his lap. âIf you donât want to sleep, Iâll go ahead.â
Nami cackled at his reaction, loving how it was so easy to push his buttons. âIâll join you in a few, oyasumi!â She waved and blew him a kiss as he stalked back towards their bedroom, muttering under his breath.
She settled back on the couch and opened her book again. Heâll be up in an hour for his early morning run. Sheâll take it as her cue to finally hit the sack since she doesnât have any work that day.
Nami wasnât even past a minute in her book when Zoro came charging back from the bedroom.
âZoro?â
He didnât say a word. Not one. He grabbed her book and threw it aside before scooping her up in his arms.
âHey!â
âShut up.â He finally said before carrying her towards their room and slamming the door shut.
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From the random Zoro x Nami prompt/dialogue request from Twitter.
Zoro sniffed the air. There was no denying the scent that assaulted his nose the moment he entered the crowâs nest.
Sweet and citrusy. Like the orange-colored globes hanging from the trees in the upper deck of the Thousand Sunny.
Like the orange-haired, witch of a navigator, named Nami.
Zoro frowned. The scent was overwhelming. A sure reminder to him that that scheming, money-loving woman exists to make his life miserable.
He jumped down the deck and made a beeline towards where he can sense her.
Just right near her trees, on the other side of the ship, sunbathing and reading.
âWhy the hell does the crowâs nest smell of mikans Nami???â
She was unfazed by his outburst.
She heard him stomping towards her and figured he mustâve come from the nest.
Nami regarded him in a board manner, lazily lowering her sunglasses to look at him.
âIt smells so much of you. I figured change is needed.â
She could swear Zoro bristled at that.
âYou wââ
âEither that or we can move our nightly meet-ups in a different location.â
Zoro bristled some more before glaring at her. Hard.
She smiled sweetly in return.
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From the random Zoro x Nami prompt/dialogue request from Twitter.
âGet your chest off me!â
âGet YOUR chest OFF mine!â
The broom closet is dark and cramped. Whoever it was that thought it would be funny to lock the two of them inside will definitely experience hell and all its circles.
âThere is barely enough room here!â Nami snarled as she pushed at Zoro⌠or tried to.
Zoro growled when he felt her hands on him. âI ainât going anywhere witch.â
âFine! Just donât press yourself too much on me. Pervert.â
âOi! Teme⌠you take that back!â
âNope.â
Silence.
âCanât help it if your chest takes a lot of space.â
If there was enough light inside the cramped space he wouldâve seen Namiâs horrified expression.
âYOU TAKE THAT BACK!â Nami shrieked.
Her voice reverberated inside the tight area they were in.
âNope.â
âYouâŚâ
And for the life of him. Zoro cannot figure out how in the world did Nami was able to launch herself at him.
âItâs YOUR chest that takes a lot of space moron!â
âOi stop hitting me!â
âItâs bigger than mine! Put it to good use and break that fucking door into pieces!â
âThatâs fucking impossible!â
âJust do something and get us out of here!â Nami yelled so loud that it actually made him wince.
âCanât you break this whole fucking thing into pieces? Whereâs that monstrous strength of yours that you are so cocky off?â
âI can if you would just shut your trap and give me enough room you crazy woman!â
âWhat a pathetic excuse.â
âThe hell? Listen youââ
Outside, Usopp took in the locked door and sighed exasperatedly.
Should he help them or should he let them stew inside for a little more while?
He glanced at the key in his hand, then at the still arguing voices inside.
With a shrug, he pocketed it before walking away.
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From the random Zoro x Nami prompt/dialogue request from Twitter.
She took a step back, and so did he. Both of them needed some space to process what just took place.Â
âAre you blushing?â Nami apparently has the upper-hand in the matter. She recovered first. Easily, almost immediately, that it had Zoro wondering if she had known there is a chance that this will eventually happen between them.
âN-no!â
âOh yes you are!â With her eyes glittering in mirth and a devious smirk gracing her lips, Nami crowded his person this time. âYou are blushing.â She teasingly whispered.
âYour cheeks are red Zoro.â
She shouldâve known that he would never, ever back down from any fight. Especially if itâs with her.
âDonât act high and mighty with me Nami,â he smirked, watching her expression falter. âYouâre blushing as well!â
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Treading Uncharted Waters
MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
One-shot #: 2
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: M
Note: Happy New Year! I missed my babies terribly and figured out they badly need a naughty, sexy, raunchy one-shot for the beginning of 2023. Donât cha think? Starting off the 2023 with a bang seems perfect for ZoNa. So enjoy! Unless you are a minor, below 18 and donât like smut. Itâs PWP really. Because I just want some sexy time for them.
Summary: They definitely know how to end and start the year with a bangâtogether of course.
âMmmmmmâŚâ Nami bit her lip, trying to stifle her moan. Actually tired of trying to suppress the sounds that want to come out of her mouth, she parted her lips slightly. Grateful that she didâfor now she was getting enough air to allow her to recover her breathing even for just a bitâthough, she wasnât able to stop the sounds that escaped her this time.
âOoh⌠ooh⌠nnngh⌠f-fuck!â She gasped as her head tilted back, far enough that she can actually see the library windows situated behind her mapping table.Â
Good Kami⌠can someoneâs neck actually break while theyâre in the middle of a mind-blowing sex?
And really what a strange thing to think about right now.
She decided injuries are not problems for the present. And so are the aches sheâs sure sheâll be getting after being fucked out of her mind on the top of her hard, wooden desk.
Her hands gripped at her loverâs arms more tightly. She can feel her nails digging deep into his skin, creating crescent markings all over his insanely toned biceps.
Zoro growled at the sensationâa deep, guttural sound that made the warm coil in her belly constrict to the point of explosion. Â
âNa-miâŚâ he rasped when he felt that. âF-fuck.â A hand that was grasping desperately at her waist snaked up to grab her by the nape so he can pull her face towards him as he leaned down to her.
Nami immediately latched her arms around his neck as their lips met in a frenzied kiss, moaning into his mouth. Her tongue teased his, even as she was coming down from her high.Â
She felt their bodies slowly settled more comfortably atop her desk. Her legs that were wound around his waist in an almost vice-like grip went lax and slid down his hips, opening herself more for him as she continued cradling him in between.
Zoroâs thrusts had slowed into an almost relaxing rhythmâletting her catch her breath, recover her bearing.
Yet he was pushing into her still so deeply, she can feel him so much more inside her this timeâstretching her, massaging her. Filling her with his wonderful cock again and again until her skin prickled all over, until delicious shivers ran up and down her spine, until that familiar heat coil inside her belly once more and make her body tingleâŚÂ
âŚuntil she hot, aching and absolutely needy for him all over again.
His hand withdrew his hold on her nape and it vaguely registered in her still clouded mind that it trailed down her shoulder, his calloused fingers creating delicious sensations against the softness of her skin before settling on one of her breasts.Â
She whimpered against his mouth when his thumb brushed against her hard nipple.
He took it as an affirmation to continue kneading her breast, cupping it in his large hand and teasing her nipple even as he pulled away from their kiss to watch her reactions to him. He ceased his thrusts, throwing a haughty smirk at her when she voiced out a complaint.
âZoroo, no!â She whined.Â
âShut up Nami and let me look at you.â
As if to infuriate her more, he pushed himself off her so he can straighten up and gazed down on her to take all of her in.
He seemed to like what he is seeing.Â
Sheâs a disheveled mess right now: hair in disarrayâtangled and splayed out on top of her mapping desk. Her orange halter top pulled down to her waist, exposing her beautiful breasts. Her skirt was bunched up around her hips and her white, lace underwear was dangling around her right ankle.
Her breathing was ragged, her chest heaving. Her lips parted as she panted a bit, staring up at him with eyes ever so defiant, looking like sheâs ready to give him a piece of his mind even when he is lodged in a snug fit inside her.Â
His hands softly caressed her thighs, a silent gesture to appease her. He squeezed them lightly to let her know that he want continue to appreciate the sight of her for a few more seconds.Â
âZoro,â she called out softly, her hand reaching for his. âWe donât have much time, itâll be midnight soon.â She reminded him. Their crew had decided to hold a barbecue party on the beach tonight to celebrate New Year. She wouldâve been out there with them, helping out with the preparations and enjoying some red wine or whatever celebratory concoction their cook would expertly and excitedly create for her and Robin.
But Zoro apparently had other plans when he suddenly pulled her inside the darkened library to steal a kiss or two before she can head out of the ship with the others.
And it was actually flattering to know that despite the swordsman seemingly stoic and nonchalant self, he really canât keep his hands off her.
âZorooo,â she tried again; pouting up at him, trying to make her charm work. âCome on, stop playing.â
She was only answered with another smirk.Â
Frustrated, she tried to move her hips but Zoroâs hands stilled her. He covered her body with his, leaning down once more so he could whisper in her ear.
âYou look hot when you want more.â
Her only response to him was her breath catching on her throat when he suddenly started thrusting into her again. Slow, steady movements that had her body rocking up and down her desk again.
Namiâs hands grasped his wrists while moaning his name. She anchored her legs around his waist, so she could push him deeper into her. She let out a throaty gasp while Zoro groaned.
And she took it as her cue. She wrapped her arms around him to press his body closer to hers and she began rolling her hips to meet his movements.
She heard a low rumble coming from his throat. And it was Namiâs turn to smirk when she saw him gritting his teeth when she purposely began squeezing him with her walls.  Â
âNa-mi!â
âWe donât have much time Zoro,â she said breathlessly as she ground her hips against his.Â
âWant me to do this quickly?â
âMmm⌠aaah⌠y-yes⌠yes!â
She clung on to him as her eyes rolled back into her head when he suddenly rocked into her hard and fast.Â
âThought so,â he rasped as he rammed into her in a much wilder pace that had Nami calling out his name in an almost breathless chant.Â
âZorooo oh, oh. Zoro aaaah. UuuunghâŚâ
He slid a hand between them, as Nami continued crying out his name. Her lovely breasts bounced up and down as the slapping sound of sex filled the room.Â
Zoro spread her lower lips with his fingers and began rubbing her clit. His finger slid on it easily, he didnât even need to wet it in his mouth.Â
Nami clamped on him tighter and he stifled a moan when she did.Â
âIâmâŚâ Nami gasped, her gaze unfocused as pleasure took over her senses. âZo⌠IâmâŚâ
âYeah?â
âCuâcoming!âÂ
Above her Zoro grinned. âWhat was that?âÂ
âIâahâIâmâŚ,â Nami threw her head back at the same time her back arched. âIâmâŚâÂ
Zoro leaned down and nastily whispered into her ear. âCumming?âÂ
âYessssâŚâ Her nails dig into the skin of his arms. Zoro did not bother wasting any thought about it. Heâs used to her clawing at him whenever sheâs near her peak.
âDo it. Cum for me,â he commanded as her mapping desk let out a loud creaking noise when he continued slamming into her faster, deeper.
âOoooooooh!âÂ
Zoro groaned when Nami came undone. Her walls clenched around him so tightly that he followed her to the peak shortly, burying his head in her neck as he exploded deep inside her.
Their pants and huffs filled the room this time as they waited for their breaths to even out.Â
âMmmmâŚâ Nami sighed tiredly yet contentedly. âSo warm, ZoroâŚâ she murmured as she basked in the afterglow, always loving the feeling of being sated and filled by him.
He was still inside her and she felt his body relax a little, resting some of his weight on her as carefully as he can, mindful not to crush her under him.
Nami ran her fingers through his hair as he caught his breath; face still nestled in the crook of her neck. Her other was rubbing his back soothingly and she giggled when his lips brushed against her neck.Â
âWhat?â Zoro asked in a muffled tone.Â
âNothing,â she planted a sweet kiss on his temple. âYou really just canât wait until after we partied huh?â
Zoro lifted his head to look at her then gave her a shit-eating grin. âNo.âÂ
Nami pouted unamused and he stole a quick peck on her pursed lips. âYou said weâll be quick. Theyâre probably wondering where we are.âÂ
âHnnâŚâ
Then somewhere from the beach below, Usoppâs faint yell caught their attention. ââOi Zoro! Nami! Where are you?â
âHurry up guys, weâre about to start the fireworks!â Chopperâs voice followed suit. It made Nami snapped into attention lest the two decided to make their way up the ship and look for them.
She slapped Zoroâs shoulder lightly, trying to get him off her. âSee? We really have to go now. Told you theyâd send someone to check on us.â
The green-haired man didnât answer nor did he budge from his position.
âZorooo,â Nami whined, knowing that that would get his delectable ass moving. She pushed at him again so she could sit up and fix herself.Â
Shouts suddenly erupted from the beach, followed by the rambunctious laughter of their captain and squeals from Usopp and Chopper. It sounded like a playful chase has started down below.
This time to get him off her Nami slapped him in the ass⌠hard.
âGet moving Zoro! Now!â She ordered and she tried to scoot away from under him.
Zoro grunted when she tried to move her hips and Nami stopped when she realized something.
âZoro?âÂ
âHnn?â
âWhy are youâŚ?â Her eyes were wide as she stared at him. âYouâre still hard?â
âYeah,â his smirk was dangerous as he continued to pin her on her desk.
âThis time weâll make it a quick one.â His voice a low rumble, as his arms went under her knees so he can push her legs higher and wider and began thrusting in her again, filling her and the quiet library with the raunchy, smacking sounds coupled with Namiâs now unrestrained land breathless moans.
------------------------
âYou sure took your sweet time.â Nami complained as they made their along the shore heading towards where their friends are located. There wasnât any bite to her statement. Nuh-uh. Not when Zoro had already made her see fireworks even before the New Yearâs celebration officially began.
Said man trudged beside her quietlyâlooking satisfied and pleased. She can tell that he is actually in a good mood since he didnât snark at her.
âIt doesnât really matter,â Zoro said as he offered a hand to her so he can steer her away from a sharp, protruding rock partially hidden by the sand that she didnât see. âWeâll still be there.â He watched her stop for a moment. âWhy do you keep squirming?â
Nami glared at him. Zoro just raised an eyebrow at her.
âBecause you came inside me so much and didnât even give me time to clean up.â
He studied her for a second or two and chuckled. An arrogant smirk appeared on his face. âWe donât have time,â Zoro drawled. âYou take too long bathing; youâll be spending the New Year in the tub instead of celebrating with us.â
She continued glaring at him. âYouâll owe me for this you know that?â
âHnnnâŚis that so?â
He suddenly pulled her towards him so he can whisper in her ear. âI think, itâs sexy to think youâll be mingling around tonight while filled with my cum.â
She almost dropped on her knees in front of him at that.
Her skin prickled and she can feel her insides sizzled at the look he was giving her.
She can feel the heat inside her laced crotch and it was not helping that he had her filled to the brim to the point of overflowing.
She licked her lips to wet them. Why did they dry up so suddenly?
Nami looked up, only to see Zoro observing her like a predator eyeing his prey.
âFuck thatâs hot,â she couldnât help but moan as her thighs rubbed together unconsciously.
âI know,â that arrogant smirk was back on his face again before he swooped down and captured her lips in a searing, open-mouthed kiss.
Honestly, she actually liked this Zoro, thank you very much. Who wouldâve known he could be like this when he wants to?
âUhm⌠Zoro⌠weâll⌠never going⌠to⌠make it to... them⌠will we? She asked breathlessly in between their kisses.
âWe will,â Zoro muttered against her lips. âAnxious to join everyone?â
âMore like I know weâll never join them if I keep letting you kiss me.â
He stopped kissing her and threw back his head to let out a laugh that was so contagious that instead of berating him, it pulled the corners of her lips up.
âFine,â he grinned at her. âLetâs go. ButâŚâ
He leaned down so his lips where deliberately touching her ear, his breath ghosting over it.
âI better see you still filled when I get you naked after the celebration tonight.â
If only he could see how her brain nearly exploded at that and it took every ounce of her willpower not to drag him back to the ship and spend the New Year riding him and wringing him dry.
She recovered her composure a bit. And the knowing smile on her swordsman face was undeniable.
She better put him back in his place.
âDamn it, I like this raunchy side of you so much,â she grabbed the front of his white shirt to pull him nearer to her even if they are already pressed against each other. âWho wouldâve have known youâre a low-key pervert?â
Zoroâs face scrunched into a frown at the word. âOi, I am not that damned cook.â
Namiâs lips formed into an âohâ. And he scowled at her.
âHeâs like that with every single woman we meet!â
âAnd youâre not?â
âOf course not!â
A Cheshire cat-like grin appeared on Namiâs face. âAh! So only for me then?â She asked him with a sugar-sweet smile.
Zoro made a sound that was almost like choking.
It was so easy to turn the tables on him. Like he can best her when it comes to anything outside fighting.
âDonât worry Zoro,â she purred as she ran a hand through his hair and planting soft peck on his lips. âI actually like it. So you better keep it that way.â
âWoman, youââ
Before he can say anything there was a sudden loud bang and one by one, colourful lights exploded all over the night sky, lighting it up in a celebratory greeting. It was followed by another and another. The whole sky seemed to come alive in an explosion of colors.
âOh,â Nami said almost breathlessly when she saw it. âTheyâre beautiful!â
And just like that their playful banter was forgotten. Zoro didnât say anything anymore. Instead he just watched her, watching the fireworks with the corner of his lips quirked up.
âOi Zoro, Nami! Whatâs the hold up?â Usopp suddenly appeared from behind the limestone karst that separated them from where the barbecue party was ongoing, shouting. âAre you two not gonna join us? Itâs gonna be midnight soon!â
âBe right there!â Nami yelled back with a wave. She then pulled at Zoroâs arm. âCome on, letâs go join them before Usopp starts his own fireworks show!â She started tugging him to where their friends are.
âIâm coming woman, no need to pull hard.â
âItâll be twelve soon, pick up your pace!â
âThey are just literally right behind that rock!â He groused.
Another loud bang interrupted them and this time the night sky was filled with a simultaneous explosion of glittering gold sparks.
Nami squealed delightedly at the sight. âOh itâs so pretty!â
Zoro chuckled. Trust his orange-haired navigator to absolutely like anything with gold in it.
âHey,â he called out to her to get her attention from the fireworks to him.
âWhat?â
Zoro smiled. âHappy New Year Nami,â he said, leaning down to capture her lips with his before she can even say anything.
Her arms automatically went around his neck to pull him closer to her, returning his kiss.
âHappy New Year Zoro.â Her smile was bright like the fireworks in the sky and her eyes have the same spark in them as well.
He kissed her nose in response and she giggled, standing on her tiptoes to a peck on his lips.
âCome on letâs join them,â he gave her a slight nudge towards the rock. âAbout time for sake.â
Nami nodded in agreement as she disentangled herself from him. But not before sweetly whispering that sheâll be seeing him after the celebration just like the way he wanted.
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Little Bits and Pieces of Heaven
TAKE ME TO HELL
One-shot #: 34
Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.
Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.
Warning: OOC possible. One shot.
Rating: T
Note: Happy Halloween! Yes of course there will be a ZoNa Halloween-themed one-shot, Hurriedly written while watching Stardust. Take You to Hell is by Ava Max. Because seriously these two is a match made there. I hope you enjoy it.
Summary: Oh he had seen the devil alright.Â
"It's just a story."
Usopp haughtily declared after a few minutes of silence (and after clearing his throat, for like a dozen times). âThe-Thereâs probably no truth in it,â he continued stammering a little before catching himself lest his crewmates realized that he is trying so very hard to be brave.
âIf thatâs the case then why are your knees trembling?â Nami teased him, her grin catty as ever. She gave him a side-glance and snickered when she saw his legs shaking.
âThey arenât!â Usopp all but screeched at her and she just laughed at him.
They were exiting the Sunnyâs galley⌠after lingering there after dinner to enjoy some additional after dinner dessert of cakes and drinks and some of Robinâs creepy island tales.
âYouâre such a scaredy-cat,â Nami commented as she sized him up.
âOh,â Usopp gasped at that. âAnd youâre not?â
âNope.â
He was looking at her incredulously now. âHow in the world did that happen? Can someone explain this miracle to me?!â
âBecause Robinâs story is not true!â Nami exclaimed making him flinch.
âAnd how did you even know that itâs not?!â
The tinkling sound of a coffee cup being placed on its saucer caught their attention. Robin smiled amusedly at them from inside the galley before speaking up. âLike I said, itâs just a local folklore.â She gave the cowardly sniper an almost creepy smile and Usopp shuddered.
Nami rolled her eyes at the two. âSee? Itâs just a story. There is no devil lurking on this island or even anywhere, prancing about, visiting you while you sleep!â
âProbably because no one lived to tell the tale!â Usopp hissed at her.
Chopper who remained silent all-throughout Usoppâs outburst finally spoke up. âNe, Nami. How sure are you that there is no devil, like Robin told us?â
Nami looked pityingly at the small reindeer beside her. She glanced at Robin, who smiled at her. âBecause Chopper itâs just impossible. If there is, then this townâs island would be in a constant state of terror and panic instead of holding a costumed party in the townâs square later at midnight.â
âOh.â
âAnd if there really is one, do you think heâll survive the monsters of our crew? Weâve got our very own demon on board.â
âYouâve got a point,â Usopp puckered his face.
âStill such tales doesnât come out of thin air,â Robin stirred her coffee with a small, intricately-engraved silver spoon. There was a mysterious smile on her lips that send shivers down Usopp spine all over again.
âEh?â Chopper froze.
âRobin!â Nami groaned.
âIâm just stating facts. And I donât mean to scare you Chopper.â
âGosh I hate this kind of tales,â the sniper complained. âThey give me nightmares.â He glared at Robin.
âJust donât wet your bed later,â Sanji suddenly interjected from somewhere behind the kitchen counter, definitely making fun of him. Â
âExcuse me!?â Usopp screeched as everyone burst into laughter. âYou know I donât do that!â
âWellâŚâ the blond cook shrugged. âYou seemed shaken up from Robin-chwanâs story.â
âStill I donât wet the bed!â Usopp growled at him, peeking inside the galley to glare at chef. âDonât go around spinning lies like that. Thatâs my job!â
âOops. Sorry!â
âItâs just what the townsfolk here believe,â Robin spoke again, opening the book resting on the table near her. It was a bound collection of the islandâs folklore. âEvery island has their stories after all.â
âPlus, tonight is what they call Hallowâs eve,â she continued on, eyes crinkling with subdued mirth when Usopp started trembling again. âThe one night they say the devil is freer to linger about.â
âKyaaaaaah!â Usopp and Chopper hugged each other.
âRobin!â Nami shook her head.
Usopp suddenly pointed a finger at her.
âWhy arenât you scared Nami?!â He questioned her indignantly. âWhy arenât you cowering like us, like the coward that you really are!â
The orange-haired woman glowered at him. âBecause the storyâs obviously not true! I mean come on! How gullible can you get Usopp?â
âHey Iâm not gullible!â Usopp retorted, slumping back against the railing. âAfter everything we have encountered while sailing, the possibility is there! I donât think Iâll be able to sleep tonight.â
âZoro! Zoro!â Chopper suddenly cried out, calling for the swordsman who just came out of the boysâ room. He jumped from the railing and immediately bounded towards the tall lad. âCan I sleep beside you tonight?â He asked the green-haired man with pleading eyes.
âHuh?â Was Zoroâs only reply as he stared at him.
Usopp followed suit, even tripping at his own feet as he approached Zoro. He clung onto him once he was near. Â âMe too Zoro! Please?â
âTch, what is this about? Iâm on watch tonight.â Zoro grunted, shooting Usopp a displeased glance. He looked at the reindeer doctor before shifting his gaze at Nami.
âDid Robin tell them another of those creepy stories of her again?â He directed the question at the map-maker.
Nami nodded with a cheeky grin. âI guess Usopp and Chopper will be accompanying you on your watch.â She rested her arms on the railing and leaned forward to peer at him.
Usopp looked at her. âThis is the best choice! In case the devil decides to visit us. We can sic our very own demon at him!â
âGood choice actually,â Sanjiâs loud and laughing voice can be hear from the galley. âHis ugly mug will scare the shit out of the devil himself.â
Zoro scowled at that. âShut your trap ero-cook and just do the dishe!.â He shouted back and turned to glare at Usopp, who instantly murmured an apology at him. Then he scratched his head looking a bit irritated. âWhat the hell are you going on about Usopp?â
âRobin told us that the devil walks about at midnight to steal the souls of the innocents especially at a Hallowâs eve night like tonight!â Chopper explained.
âDevil?â
âYeah!â Both Chopper and Usopp nodded.
Zoro went silent for a moment. His gaze darted from Usopp to Chopper who were both still clinging to him. Then Nami.
âFine,â he finally relented with an annoyed sigh, not taking his eyes off the navigator. âYou can join me in the nest.â
âReally?â The two younger lads squealed delightedly, surprised that Zoro agreed so easily. âYes!!!â They both shouted in glee.
"Ok! It's time to hit the sack!"Â Usopp announced. He all but drag Zoro towards the ropes leading to the crowâs nest much to the katana wielderâs protest. âHave a good night Nami, Robin, Sanji!â He yelled as he pulled at the large man.
âGood night you guys!â Chopper echoed, pushing at Zoroâs legs to get him to move.
âOi stop it you two!â
âHave a good sleep you guys!â Nami waved at them, watching with keen amusement as the two pushed and pulled Zoro with them.
âI know itâs just a legend and itâs not really true,â Usopp stated in a confident voice as they made their way across the lawn deck. He gave a nervous laugh as he scanned the island on the starboard side of the ship. âBut still itâs better to be safeââ
"No you're wrong." Zoro grunted.
Usopp froze in his tracks and Chopper bumped into his leg.
âHuh? Usopp asked in a hushed tone, eyes widening as he and Chopper exchanged glances.Â
"You mean Robinâs story is true?" Chopper inquired in a shaky voice.Â
âHnnâŚâ
Usopp stared at him. Stared really hard. Zoro doesnât believe in that kind of things, right? He is one of the most rational and practical person on their ship.
So why?
"You mean you believe it? And you've seen it?" Usopp voice was the softest of whispers. âThe devil?â
Zoro looked at him straight in the eye.
âYeah.â
âMaybe youâre just⌠drunk?â
âIâm not.â
The swordsman didnât bother to elaborate anymore. Instead, he just continued making his way to the rope ladder leading to the crowâs nest, climbing it and leaving Usopp and Chopper in a frenzy of excited and nervous chatter.Â
Oh he had seen itâthe devil from Robinâs storyâin all its wickedness, in all its fiendishness.Â
Its sole purpose is to wrap its vicious claws around you⌠grasping your mind, body and soul into its vile clutches.
He had seen the devil.
With its long hair, the color reminiscent of the fires of hell where it had come from. Its eyes, an endless pool of evil that would get you under its control.
Its smileâbeguiling, captivating...Â
He looked towards the galley and his gaze met that of Namiâsâwho was still leaning at the railing; a smirk gracing her lips, watching them⌠watching him intently.
Oh he had seen the devil alright.Â
It comes for him at night. Â
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Zoro x Nami drabble from this Autumn prompt list.
Nami stood up from her survey desk to stare at the window in front of her. She was hunched over it for the majority of the day, drawing maps as the other Mugiwaras disembarked to explore the island where they are docked.
She made plans to follow them. But got so focused in what sheâs doing that she didnât notice that it was already afternoon.
The sudden drop in the temperature was what pulled her attention away from her work.
It was pleasantly cool earlier. But not too much that she needs to wrap herself in layers.
But as the afternoon wore on, she noticed that it gotâindeedâcolder.
She should change into something more suitably warm. Looks like the temperatureâs gonna drop some more once the night sets in.
Nami left the confines of the Sunnyâs library to head towards the room she shared with Robin. On the way there, she took in the sight of the endless orange foliage that was decorating the expanse of island.
Halfway across the lawn deck she realized she wasnât the only one left in the ship.
Leaning against the mast, with his katanas resting beside him, was a snoozing Zoroâlooking totally unbothered with the sudden shift in the weather.
She paused near him and was about to shake him awake to tell him to change clothes or get some coat.
Then she hesitated. Should she even bother?
Zoroâs the kind of guy that can actually withstand a winter islandâs temperature with his winter coat just draped on his shoulders. This is nothing to him.
She pouted. Must be nice to have so much muscle mass that you are your own heater.
âWhat is it?â Zoro suddenly asked that it almost made her jump in surprise. His eye was still closed but his lax countenance was already gone.
âWeatherâs gonna be much colder later.â
âDonât mind it. Iâm good.â The swordsman brushed away her concern for his well-being.
âWeâll Iâm not.â Nami pursed her lips. It was hard enough that her hands were already strained from making her maps. The cold is already making them hurt a bit too.
âHuh?â That made him open his eye to look at her.
Nami reached out and placed both of her hands on his cheeks.
She could swear Zoro jolted a bit the moment she touched him.
âYouâre hands are cold.â He frowned at his own observation.
âYeah.â
âTch.â
Without another word, he grasped both of her hands in hisâbig and calloused against her soft, small ones.
Nami smiled delightedly as he began rubbing them with his own.
âCome here,â was all Zoro said.
 And she complied easily, taking a step closer to him and his warmth.
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