Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or profit from this story by any means. I tried asking Oda-san if I could borrow the rights for a quick second but he just patted my head and sent me on my way murmuring something about crazy fangirls.

I Don't Dance
But Here I am..

"Nami," Luffy hollered in excitement from his favorite place atop Sunny's bow, "there's an island!"

The sight of orange hair alerted the captain to the navigator's approach before she actually stepped out of the kitchen and checked her log pose. The island was still several miles out so there wasn't much to make out, but it was definitely land.

"If the Harbor Master at the last island was correct then that should be the island of blooms, Azalea," Nami announced, her lips tugging up into a smile. Finding a new island was always exciting.

The rest of the crew began to file out onto the upper deck to study the first land they'd seen in three weeks. They all loved to sail but it was nice to get off of the ship and explore from time to time. They were feeling a bit restless and needed to stretch their legs.

"An entire island dedicated to panties," Brook's voice rang out in ecstasy, "my heart is racing with excitement, although I have no heart yohohohoho!" He was silenced by a sudden sharp punch to the top of his head, a lump quickly forming as Nami glared down at him.

"Blooms as in flowers, not bloomers, pervert!" Nami practically snarled.

"I've heard Azalea is famous for their medicinal plants and herbs!" Chopper gushed, his eyes even bigger than they normally were as the island grew larger with their approach and the scent of wildflowers instantly greeted them despite the fact that they were still miles away.

"They're famous for their sake too," Zoro joined in, leaning casually against the wall by the kitchen door next to Nami, "the soil is so rich that a bag of rice from the island sells for 10,000 beli easily."

"Their local cuisine is said to be some of the finest in the New World," Sanji remarked, blue eyes locking on the island, "as are the women." He swooned, immediately conjuring up images of several devastatingly beautiful women throwing themselves at him in the middle of town square.

"What about meat?" Luffy asked suspiciously, his eyes landing on Robin since she was always their main source of information.

"Their animals are fed well balanced diets due to the surplus of fresh fruits and vegetables," Robin informed in her matter of fact voice, "making their meat some of the best in the world."

Luffy was salivating already, scrambling to stand to get a better look at the rapidly growing land. The closer they got the more colorful and vibrant the view became. Every inch of land seemed to be bursting with flowers of various hues, fruits and vegetables so ripe you could eat them without garnish, and people of every size and shape were all milling about in such colorful attire it almost hurt to look at them.

The wind was on their side today, and once they were only a mile from the closest shore the crew sprung into action. Zoro immediately climbed up to the sails with Luffy to begin tying them once Sanji hoisted the rope, while Usopp prepared to drop anchor. Franky was perched at the helm of the ship, everyone waiting for Nami's command.

"Franky, bring us around to port, nice and slow," the navigator called out smoothly, nothing but calm and composure in her face, "Zoro, Luffy, get those sails up!"

Franky slowly turned the helm one peg at a time, allowing the ship to slowly turn in the water as it perfectly came around a bend and neared an empty beach. Luffy and Zoro made quick work of securing each of the sails once the cook tugged them up before dropping down onto the lawn, ready for anything else Nami wanted to throw at them. With the sails no longer catching wind, the Sunny began to slow, and once she was barely drifting in the water and the spot their navigator had chosen came into view, Nami motioned for Usopp to activate the anchor. Without hesitation the anchor shot into the water, rooting firmly into the ocean floor and bringing the Sunny to a complete halt, calmly bobbing in place.

"Okay, allowances," Nami started in a no nonsense voice as her nakama hurried to get in line in front of the navigator, "Brook, 1000 beli," she murmured and dropped a pouch of money into the skeleton's outstretched hand.

"Robin, 1500 beli," Nami repeated the action, giving Robin, Sanji, Franky and Chopper extra funds in order to purchase books, food, lumber and medicine, "Usopp, 1000 beli."

Nami continued, giving Luffy the same as Usopp and Brook. The crew began to form groups while Nami continued giving out allowances, giving herself the same 1500 beli that she would ordinary receive, before she fixed her eyes on Zoro. The swordsman didn't like the look on her face.

"500 beli." Nami quipped, dropping the considerably light bag into the swordsman's hand and almost smirking when he shot her a surprised and unmistakably annoyed look.

"500?!" Zoro growled, shaking the offending bag in front of her. He couldn't even get a good buzz going with 500 Beli!

"I deducted 100 beli for every time you called me witch," she drawled in a bored tone, as if he should already know that.

Zoro was absolutely fuming. Nami was just so infuriating sometimes, but instead of yelling at her like he wanted to do he stormed up to the crow's nest, leaving a bewildered navigator in his wake. She assumed he would go into town with the others since she was staying behind. Someone had to watch the ship and once one of the others got back from running their errands she could go. She had assumed that the last place the swordsman would want to be is on the ship with her. Apparently, she was wrong. She found it strange that Zoro allowed her to get away with that. It had been a joke. She was baiting him into a fight and she would eventually cave and give him the remaining funds in his allowance for a fee or a favor and they both knew it, but instead of engaging in their usual verbal sparring, he walked away. Something was up with him lately.

Once the rest of their crew set off; Franky, Robin, Sanji and Brook in the Mini Merry and Luffy swinging himself, Chopper and Usopp to the shore, Nami settled into her lawn chair with a book, flipping it open to the page that she had bookmarked. Normally she could ignore the clanking sound of weights and the grunts that floated down as proof of the swordsman's exertions. Today, however, Nami found herself rereading the same line four times before she gave up and set the book aside with a growl. She was going to find out what was going on with Zoro and she was going to find out now.

Zoro didn't know what was going on with him today. Normally Nami would get on his nerves which would eventually lead to an argument and then they would move on. For some reason this past day, week, month had been different. There had always been something between them that he couldn't quite put his finger on but lately he'd been noticing things he should not be noticing, like the way she chewed at her lower lip when she was deep in thought, or the way her soft hands expertly slid across parchment when she drew her maps.

Nami had been irritating him from the moment she barreled into their lives but he had never considered that a bad thing. She got under his skin better than anyone and most of the time he enjoyed it. Lately it was just making him cranky and tense. He was intensely aware of her presence the second she stepped into the room, the scent of mikans invading his nose against his will and making him pause longer than he needed to mid push-up. He didn't understand why she was so distracting lately. He couldn't tune her out or pretend he didn't notice her like he used to.

He could feel brown eyes practically burning into his naked back as he pushed himself up on one finger and tried to sweat out his irritation. He wasn't even irritated at the navigator, he was irritated with himself. Apparently, she could feel it too because the next thing he knew he was staring at her thighs and he almost collapsed into her lap in surprise. Nami had come to stand in front of him and when he ignored her she moved to sit down with her legs crossed right underneath his focal point on the floor.

"What do you want?"

His voice had more bite to it than he meant and he tried to mentally shake himself out of this mood. His arguments with Nami were never serious and he was never actually pissed at her. He let her piggy back ride him, order him around and even hit him upside the head for crying out loud.

"What's wrong?" Nami's voice was soft and concerned; a clear sign that she was genuinely worried. Zoro hadn't even stopped his push-ups to look at her, his breath ghosting over the skin of her thighs and his chest lightly brushing her knees every time he brought himself down. She shifted a bit in response, trying her best to ignore the way that her stomach flipped at the contact.

"I'm trying to work out and there's an irritating witch in my way," he huffed, though his tone had calmed and she caught sight of a barely there smirk on his lips when he pushed himself up again.

"Zoro, seriously," Nami sighed, her hands suddenly coming up to rest on either side of his face, instantly stilling him, "you've been acting weird since before we left the last island."

Their last trip on dry land had been business as usual. Nami got a little too greedy, had a bad run in with some pirates that she couldn't fend off on her own and Zoro came to her rescue. The only difference was the fact that some of them had gotten a little handsy but Zoro had gotten there before any damage could be done. Still, Nami had been rattled by the close encounter and she could tell that the swordsman had been too. She had taken the comfort he offered after the event and ever since then something had shifted in their relationship.

Zoro was still tensed in his push-up position with Nami's hands gently resting on his face. She didn't touch him often, other than to punch him in the skull, but when she did it always burned him up from the inside out. They were nakama, he wasn't sure what to do with the feelings she kept bringing to the surface. Zoro wasn't exactly good at the whole romance thing, considering his lifestyle and personality had never allowed anyone to get close enough. Nami was different. Nami could and did handle him on a daily basis and lately that just felt… unsettling.

"Zoro!"

The intimate moment immediately died the second a fist collided with his head and Zoro's arms gave out, causing him to face plant right into her lap. Nami scowled down at him but made no moves to shove him off.

"What the hell!" Zoro growled, rubbing at the top of his head and tilting his head to the side to glare up at the orange haired woman.

"I was talking to you," she snapped, "it's rude not to respond."

"I was thinking," Zoro bit back without much heat, "witch."

"Brute." Nami rolled her eyes at him, but then suddenly she was laughing at the ridiculousness of their entire conversation. She and Zoro often talked, even about deep subjects like her mother and his childhood friend, usually after they had both been drinking but right now they were just being stupid. She didn't even know what they were fighting over.

Before another word could be uttered, Zoro was laughing too and Nami grinned at the sound. The swordsman had become mostly serious after their two year separation. Sometimes she missed the days when he laughed nearly as much as Luffy, but now it only meant so much more when she could draw the sound from his lips simply because it was a rare occurrence.

"Nami-swaaaaan," Sanji's voice suddenly fluttered up from below, a shock of blonde hair popping up through the floor a moment later, "I'm back from getting suppl—"

Sanji froze, taking in the sight of Nami sitting cross-legged on the floor with the shitty swordsman lying face down in her lap, or at least he would've been face down in her lap if he wasn't propped up on her knees and laughing. The cook nearly bit his cigarette in half when he saw that Nami was laughing too. What the hell was going on up here?

"Oh, Sanji-kun," Nami cooed, instantly making the cook forget that he was angry and instead he became a puddle of heart shaped goo, "are you the first one back?"

Sanji nodded and watched as Zoro slowly hauled himself up out of Nami's lap before he tugged the navigator up after him with one hand, making the cook raise an eyebrow when Nami didn't refuse him. Okay… He had definitely missed something.

"Great," Nami murmured in thought and clapped her hands together, "would you mind watching the Sunny while Zoro and I head into town?"

Sanji should say no. He didn't like the idea of his sweet goddess going off into such a romantic city… Alone…. With Zoro. He could never deny her anything when she asked in her sweetest voice, though, and the cook found himself quickly crumbling. Clearly Nami took his heart filled eyes and bobbing head as a yes, because the next thing he knew she had grabbed the swordsman by his haramaki and was dragging him toward the ladder.

"Thank you, Sanji-kun," she sing songed and kissed his cheek as she passed him by. Sanji was still picking himself off of the floor as Zoro snatched up his swords and followed the navigator to the deck.

The rest of the crew had the Mini Merry, but the pair made due with the cramped little row boat that Sanji had procured to come back to his precious Nami-Swan early. Said navigator perched herself on the seat directly in front of Zoro, her knees knocking into his in the limited space, brown eyes trailing over the muscles in his arms as they worked to propel them toward the shore. He had grabbed his coat before leaving but had yet to put it on.

"Where are we going?" Zoro spoke up after a while. He hadn't really considered not following Nami to the row boat. She hadn't said a word about where they were headed when she asked Sanji to watch over the ship and with his measly allowance he didn't see himself finding anything seriously fun to do, but the glint of humor in her eye made him curious.

"I'm almost out of mapping ink so we need to stop and pick some up. Hopefully there's a shop in town that carries it," Nami mused, her eyes shifting away from his arms to the shore line over his shoulder, "and after that we can pick up some more oil for your swords since you're out."

Zoro almost stopped rowing, his dark eye widening in surprise. He had never realized that Nami not only knew exactly what he needed to properly care for his swords, but that she also noticed when his supplies were low. It wasn't like she never watched him as he carefully smoothed oil over the surface of the blades and wiped them down with soft cloth, but he hadn't really expected that she was genuinely paying attention. The navigator continued to surprise him whenever he began to think that he knew everything about her.

"I'm not sure I have the beli for that." Zoro grumbled, avoiding her gaze.

They never knew when they might hit the next island so he tried to buy his supplies in bulk, and it wasn't exactly cheap. The cut in his allowance and the fact that he needed a drink was swiftly burning a hole in his money pouch. He was stunned into silence once more when the navigator suddenly waved her hand as if to swat away his concern. Nami wasn't worried about the expense and that made Zoro lift a brow in question, though he received no answer.

Once the boat was close enough to the shore, Zoro hopped out, landing with the water up to his knees before he grabbed the side of the boat and pulled it the rest of the way onto the sand and allowed Nami to jump out before he tied it in place to one of the pegs along the beach reserved for small vessels.

The scent of wildflowers hit him like a ton of bricks, and when he stood up from securing the boat Nami was already on the other end of the beach with several brightly colored plants in her hands. Dark eyes watched as she tucked a vibrant green flower behind her ear and smiled as she turned to face the swordsman who had walked up to stand behind her. He would never understand why women loved flowers so much but he could admit that he liked the way the bloom looked in her hair.

"This place is beautiful," she murmured, completely oblivious to the fact that the swordsman was staring at her, "no wonder they call it the city of blooms."

In the blink of an eye Nami forgot all about the flowers, dropping them in favor of suddenly grabbing Zoro's hand and dragging him toward the town. The swordsman nearly lost his footing when he felt a soft hand slip into his own, gripping him tightly and then jerking him into motion. He wasn't sure why they were in a hurry until he caught sight of the colorful banners and loud music. Oh no…

"Nami, we are not going to—" Zoro grunted when his chest suddenly smacked right into the navigator due to her abrupt halt, his arms coming around her to keep her from falling on her face from the impact.

"A festival!" Nami squealed, brown eyes going wide with excitement as she took in all of the lights, music and food stands.

It dawned on her a moment later that Zoro's arms were around her, and she was intensely aware of the fact that he was very naked, excluding his haramaki, from the waist up and her back was resting against his bare chest, his breath tickling her hair. Color quickly rose into her cheeks and she was grateful that he couldn't see her face, but someone else could…

"Oh, how romantic," Brook sighed and Zoro was pretty sure his expression would be dreamy if he had a face.

Nami and Zoro sprang apart as if suddenly burned by the sight of their nakama, the bridge of the swordsman's nose darkening just slightly as he tried to appear casual. It wasn't like he had just wrapped his arms around the navigator because he wanted to hold her or anything, though he did wonder why Nami hadn't moved away from him once she realized their position. They had both stayed that way for a good few minutes as they admired the displays.

"Brook," Nami exclaimed and crossed her arms over her bikini top in an attempt to look stern, "that wasn't what it looked like."

"It looked like you were sharing a romantic embrace," Brook murmured in an airy voice as he shipped the navigator and swordsman in his head.

"I-I guess that's sort of—" Nami stammered, brown eyes shifting to catch Zoro's gaze in a silent cry for help.

She didn't trust herself to lie smoothly when her heart was racing the way it was. She wasn't ready to admit that being held by Zoro had actually been kind of wonderful. Zoro always left her with a feeling of being protected and safe. He always had her back and went out of his way to keep her from harm. There were moments like these, however, when she felt something else besides safety whenever the swordsman casually touched or even looked at her. Sometimes, being with Zoro also felt dangerous, if only because he awoke feelings that she wasn't ready to face just yet. Nami didn't know if she was ready for romantic love, the kind of love that gave another person the power to lift you up to heights that were previously unreachable, or absolutely destroy you from the inside out.

"I was just trying not to fall on top of her," Zoro stated bluntly, but instead of shedding light on the situation, he just made it worse. He almost winced when he felt Nami's glare practically burning holes into his face at the sound of Brook's excited gasp. That hadn't come out right. Oops.

He felt a soft but firm hand suddenly fist into his haramaki as Nami stomped off toward the shops without another word to Brook, Zoro obediently following behind and keeping as much distance between them as her tugging hand would allow. A pissed off Nami was a dangerous Nami and he didn't need another punch to the head.

He didn't allow himself to relax until they reached the shop she was looking for and released her hold on him. The ding of a bell alerted the owner to their presence when they stepped through the door and Zoro was immediately overwhelmed by the scent of parchment and ink. Log poses lined a wall of shelves and rows upon rows of rolled up parchment in various sizes were neatly tucked into circular openings behind the counter. His dark eye followed the navigator as she considered various ink wells before finally plucking a few bottles of basic black, vibrant blue and sparkling green from the shelves and tucking them into the crook of her arm. He watched as rolls of parchment and vials of setting powder followed shortly after, her arms swiftly filling to the brim with her supplies.

"I forgot the red," Nami frowned, turning back to the ink to grasp a crimson bottle, shifting the contents of her arms in the process and suddenly gasping when a glass vial tipped and tumbled toward the ground.

She waited for the sound of glass breaking, the imaginary sound of lost money nearly making her moan in pain. She would have to buy the ink even if she couldn't use it, but the sound never reached her ears. Nami blinked and glanced down to find the ink resting in the palm of Zoro's hand. The swordsman was now standing in front of her with his arms outstretched, palms up in a clear gesture that he was willing to relieve her of her burden.

Nami's heart clenched and fluttered in response as she stared at him, frozen in place when their eyes met. She wanted to kiss him. The desire slammed into her like a punch to the stomach and for a moment she didn't know what to do. If Zoro noticed the way she suddenly flushed and glanced at his lips, he said nothing, instead stepping closer and taking one bottle at a time from her arms, his fingers lightly brushing her arms and hands with the movement.

He could've sworn he felt her fingers twitch when his own brushed against them as he removed the final bottle from her grip, but he wasn't sure because Nami shook herself out of whatever spell she was under and cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Zoro," she murmured softly and turned away from him to march up to the register before he could see her cheeks color, completely missing the smirk that pulled at his lips.

Once her supplies were purchased, Zoro grabbed the bags from the counter and carried them without complaint, again surprising his companion. He was being so casually helpful today and she wasn't sure what to make of that. He was still acting weird even now that they were away from the ship and she was starting to notice that his strange behavior seemed to center around her. While the walked in silence toward the smithy, she thought back to their last island encounter and tried to pinpoint the moment the swordsman had begun acting differently.

-Three weeks prior-

"One hundred thousand beli," Nami murmured in ecstasy as she counted out the coins and bills a third time, "I'm rich! I mean we're rich."

The rest of the crew was back at the local tavern but Nami could never pass up the chance for money. A group of pirates had come into the bar boasting about their latest haul, and the navigator had swiftly disappeared shortly after. Now she was standing in the storage area of their ship and basking in the glow of shiny coins. She knew it was foolish to come here alone but the allure had been too strong, and besides she hadn't seen a guard.

As if on cue someone suddenly grabbed her from behind and hauled her off of her feet, a strong hand pressed firmly over her mouth to muffle her scream. Panic immediately roared to the surface when her assailant roughly spun her around and brown eyes widened at the sight of not one guard but two more directly in front of her. Shit! She fought the man holding her, kicking her legs and trying to wriggle her arms out of his tight grasp to reach for her clima tact.

"Damn, she's a looker," one of the pirates whistled, his shaggy blonde bangs barely masking the way his eyes raked over her entire body, "what should we do with her?"

"I say we have a little fun with her," the man holder her chuckled, loosening one of his arms to snake his hand down her torso, laughing when he felt the woman stiffen, "we can get rid of her once we're done."

Full blown terror slammed into her so hard she was struggling to breathe and Nami knew that if she didn't get free something very bad was going to happen to her. She grimaced when unfamiliar hands raked over her slender frame, the motion spurring her into action. She struggled harder, biting down on the hand over her mouth and breathing a sigh of relief when it made her attacker let go of her in a howl of pain, but the victory was short lived because one of the other men caught her before she could run.

"Oi," a cold but very familiar voice suddenly interrupted before the men could continue their assault, and Nami's heart soared with relief. "I'm going to ask you to let my nakama go, and I'm only going to ask you once."

Nami felt like her heart was going to explode at the sight of him. Zoro was leaning against the wall right behind where they were all standing, most of his frame cloaked in shadows, but anyone with eyes could see that the swordsman was absolutely livid. Her attackers stilled and fear washed over their faces, but all Nami wanted to do was run to him. She was strong and even though she mostly avoided battle she could handle herself, but in this moment she was vulnerable, frightened, and she needed him.

"Who the hell are you?" The pirate holding her spoke up as his arm tightened around her in an almost crushing grip.

Zoro didn't answer, which only made the pirates even more nervous, but they were clearly not going to comply because Nami was still held prisoner. He always felt pissed when any of his nakama were injured, but right now he was red hot with rage. No one was allowed to touch her against her will, and his blood was boiling after witnessing these little shits feeling her up while she struggled to get away. His eye met Nami's, his gut clenching when he saw both relief and fear in her normally happy honey-brown gaze. He knew she felt better with him there, but it was also obvious that she would give anything to be at his side instead of in the grip of the scumbag crushing her to his chest. His jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth when Nami gasped in sudden pain as the pirate holding her suddenly pressed a blade to her throat.. He had warned them that he would only ask once.

"I suggest you leave," the pirate threatened, pressing his blade more firmly to Nami's throat and drawing blood, "you can have her back when we've finishe—"

He didn't even get the chance to finish his sentence, because the next thing the pirate knew, Zoro was crouched right in front of him, his expression shadowed by his bowed head, a sword in each hand and one in his mouth. He didn't understand what had happened until blood suddenly spurted from his lips, his grip immediately loosening on Nami as his life quickly drained away.

Nami's legs gave out on her as the pirate let her go, but she fell right into Zoro where he was crouched in front of them, his arms, mindful of his swords, wrapping around her without hesitation as he suddenly turned his head to fix his murderous gaze on the other two pirates. They paled, taking a step back to put some distance between the green haired man and themselves. Taking in the sight of his earrings, swords and scars, one of the pirates suddenly turned green.

"You're R-Roronoa Zoro," he stammered and his comrade turned a sickly shade of purple upon hearing the name, "that means she's…. Oh shit."

The two men began backing away but halted in their tracks when pain ripped through their chests and blood poured from their lips. They hadn't even seen him move, and as they looked at the swordsman still cradling the orange-haired woman against his chest, they noticed their own blood dripping from his swords although his position had not changed. It was the last thing they saw before the life left their eyes and their bodies collapsed to the floor.

"Nami," Zoro uttered softly against her ear. She was shaking, unwilling to extract herself from his embrace. He was okay with allowing her to stay there, and instead of getting up to take them back to the ship, Zoro carefully sheathed his swords and pulled her closer against him.

He hadn't even noticed that he was shaking too and he tried to calm himself as he held her, taking a deep breath and bringing with it the scent of her hair. Zoro wasn't sure when he had stopped thinking of Nami as just a friend and started to see her as someone he cared for in a deeper sense. Holding her now, he was faced with the very real and terrifying reality that he was in love with the woman in his arms, and he'd be damned if she ever found out. Zoro would much rather bury the feeling deep down inside than risk ruining the relationship he had with one of his best friends. If only he had known that Nami was pondering the exact same thing as she buried her face in his chest and relaxed, taking comfort in the sound of his racing heart pounding against her ear.

"Zoro," Nami started hesitantly, not meeting his eyes when he looked at her to show he was listening, "I don't think that I ever thanked you."

She planned to elaborate but it was clear that Zoro knew exactly what she was referring to by the way he tensed. He didn't like remembering what had happened on the last island any more than she did. He had been the comfort she needed when it was all over and after two days of seeking him out to quietly sit together on the deck until the remnants of her nightmares drained away, something had changed between them.

"Nami, you don—" Zoro replied, only to be cut off when Nami shook her head.

"You were there for me," she sighed and surprised him when their gazes met and she smiled at him, "even when I woke you up in the middle of the night because of the nightmares. Thank you."

Zoro didn't reply but Nami didn't expect him to. The companionable silence that enveloped them was enough, as was the barely contained smile that she saw pulling at his lips when he turned his face away. They reached the smithy shortly after and Zoro set to work carefully selecting the items he would need to properly care for his treasured weapons. He was inwardly groaning when he glanced at the prices but the items were necessary. He could feel his small allowance slipping away as the seconds ticked by, and it almost physically pained him when he finally set the items on the counter and the shopkeeper began to ring them up. He didn't even want to look at the total, so when the cashier read him the damage he was shocked when Nami suddenly brushed against him and handed the clerk the appropriate funds out of her own pocket, or more accurately her cleavage.

The clerk thanked them and held out the bag for Zoro to take, the swordsman absentmindedly accepting it and staring at the navigator, dumbfounded. Nami only smiled as she led the way out of the store, softly humming as they continued their walk down the street. He didn't even realize that she was leading him toward the festival.

They said nothing of her buying his supplies but it was obvious that Zoro was still thinking about it from the way he kept looking over at her. He almost opened his mouth to thank her for it when he suddenly felt her hand slip into his again, causing the bridge of his nose to darken once more with the slightest hint of embarrassment. Nami had always had a habit of grabbing at the swordsman at random and pulling him in the direction she wanted him to go, but lately instead of grabbing his clothing or his ear she was grabbing his hand. Tugging him in the direction of the festival, Zoro didn't even have time to protest before they were suddenly in the middle of the event, surrounded by flowers, romantic music and the mouth watering scent of local food.

Nami seemed to blend right in with her colorful bikini top and her vibrant orange hair decorated by the green flower that was still tucked in place behind her ear. Zoro was in his usual outfit, although he had finally pulled his coat back on and secured it closed with his red sash. The streets were crowded with people and vendor booths, the attendants calling out the names of whatever they were selling. With her hand still in his, Nami pulled them through the crowd and smirked when her eyes settled on one of the large round tables set up near the live band, rubber hands flying in every direction as their captain practically inhaled the copious amounts of food laid out.

"Luffy!" Nami hollered, waving a hand over the crowd and frowning when the captain couldn't see it, his eyes scanning the crowd and trying to pinpoint where her voice had come from.

She was of average height and some of the people in front of them were taller. Thankfully Zoro seemed to sense her predicament and lifted his own hand to get Luffy's attention in the crowd. He was more than four inches taller than the navigator so when the captain finally spotted them Nami grinned. They pushed through the rest of the crowd before taking the empty seats side by side. The rest of the crew was there winding down after a long day of shopping for supplies, even Sanji. Apparently Franky had deemed the island safe enough to leave the Sunny unguarded for a short time and after locking everything up Sanji had been relieved of his guard duty. The cook was eyeing the pair over the rim of his glass as if trying to figure out if there was something going on between them.

"You want a drink?"

Nami nearly choked on the chip she had just begun to nibble on when Zoro leaned in close so she could hear him over the noise of the crowd and music. The fact that he was offering to not only get up and get her a drink, but pay for it as well after she'd severely limited his spending was astonishing. Stunned honey-brown eyes met his dark searching gaze and before she could stop it she was smiling at him. Zoro wasn't sure what to do with that and she almost laughed when he turned his face away and rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I would love a drink," Nami said softly close to his ear after leaning in so he could hear her, and without another word the swordsman stood and disappeared in the direction of one of the food stands.

After watching him vanish into the crowd Nami turned back to the rest of her nakama and caught Robin, Franky and Sanji watching her. The archaeologist eyed Nami with a knowing look and smiled to herself. Sanji had one of his swirly brows lifted in question, though she was surprised to see that he didn't look angry. Sanji cared about all of his nakama and his flirting was never actually serious. Franky took a long swallow of cola before fixing his gaze on the navigator.

"Oi, sis," he started, setting his bottle down and leaning forward, "when did you and Zoro-bro become a couple?"

Nami paled, Luffy stopped eating to tilt his head to the side, Sanji choked on his wine, Robin giggled behind her hand, Usopp pretended not to hear the question at all, Chopper's eyes went wide and adorable and Brook gave another dreamy sigh.

"W-what no," Nami started, waving her hands in front of herself as if it would ward off their questions, her cheeks swiftly flooding with color.

"I think it's SUPER!" Franky bellowed, striking a pose and sparkling.

"You guys are dating?" Luffy questioned innocently before he suddenly gave her a wide toothy grin, "that's awesome!"

"It's about time!" Usopp said with a laugh.

"I knew it, so romantic!" Brook sighed and clapped his hands together.

"Lucky shit swordsman," Sanji grumbled without any real malice, a little smirk pulling at his lips.

"Is that why you're so red?" Chopper questioned while reaching over to press his little hoof to her forehead to ensure that she didn't have a fever.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Nami," Robin soothed with her smile still in place.

Nami wanted to disappear, sinking lower in her seat and wishing she could melt into the ground. She tried to deny that they were more than friends but her nakama just kept saying how wonderful it was. Did they really not care? Did it really not matter if she wanted to be with Zoro in that sense? As if on cue the swordsman chose that moment to reappear with a drink in each hand. He slid back into his seat beside Nami with a grace and fluidity that betrayed his size. He slid one of the drinks to Nami and she gratefully took a sip, not even surprised to taste her favorite ale. Zoro knew her well, including her favorite drink. While he took a swig of his own he began to notice that everyone was staring at him.

"What?" He asked and lifted the brow of his good eye, cautiously setting his cup down.

"They think we're dating," Nami whispered in his ear after leaning over so that only he would hear her.

Zoro stiffened a bit feeling her breath on his ear while all of their nakama stared, but he stamped down on the blush that threatened to surface and took another long swallow of his ale. Why was he just sitting there?! Why wasn't he telling them that this was one big misunderstanding?

"You gonna drink that?" Zoro finally spoke up and pointed at Usopp's untouched sake. The sniper shook his head and slid the drink to the swordsman who casually drank it down as if he hadn't heard Nami at all. Franky was about to say something about how that proved that they were dating, but Robin suddenly stood up, attracting the eyes of the group.

"Franky," she purred softly as she leaned against his massive shoulder, "dance with me?"

The cyborg wasted no time in standing up from the table with a grin, taking Robin's hand in his and leading her out onto the area reserved for dancing. There were several other couples and groups out there enjoying the music, but it was very clear in the way that Franky pulled Robin close and the archeologist rested her head against his chest that Zoro and Nami weren't the only couple aboard the Sunny… Not that Zoro and Nami were a couple. Nami blushed and looked away from the dancing couple in favor of lifting her cup for another drink, only to find that it was empty.

Nami stood up and headed for one of the food stands, this one advertising grilled fruit, sea king meat and various types of ale. She ordered two different dishes as well as two additional cups of ale, pondering how she was going to carry it back by herself. She balanced the plates on one arm and held the cups against her chest with her other arm as she made her way back toward the table carefully, somehow managing not to spill any of it.

Once the table came back into view she noticed that the mood seemed to have changed. The crew was chattering excitedly about the festival and the amazing food and all talk of her dating Zoro had died down. Nami sighed with relief before she set a dish of grilled fruit and her ale on the table next to Zoro, before placing a bowl of steamed white rice with sea king meat in front of him, along with a fresh cup of ale. The swordsman blinked, his gaze snapping to meet hers in surprise. She'd not only purchased him another drink, she'd also purchased him food, food that happened to be his favorite meal.

Nami said nothing as she took her seat beside him again and started eating her own food, savoring the explosive flavors. She made a mental note to find out what seasonings were used on the fruit and give the recipe to Sanji. Zoro was confused as he took a bite of his food and watched the navigator savor her own. She was acting differently. She was buying his supplies; his favorite food, his booze and he began to wonder if the way her arm brushed against his occasionally was intentional. Was she finding excuses to touch him?

Somewhere in the back of his mind he entertained the thought that the navigator might have feelings for him too. It was a ridiculous thought and he knew it but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something big. If the rest of the crew thought they were dating it meant that something between them was obvious and he was the only one who couldn't see it. Robin was still dancing with Franky, and Nami felt nervous as she finished her food and caught Sanji watching them dance before his piercing blue eyes looked right back at her. Oh no… He wasn't going to… Zoro was watching the cook as well, quickly surmising that Sanji was going to ask Nami to dance with him, and based on Nami's panicked expression he guessed that she really didn't want to accept, but she would have to if he asked. She could be rude sometimes but she wouldn't purposely try to break Sanji's heart.

"Nami-Swan," the cook started and Zoro almost smiled when he saw Nami's panic increase, her eyes searching for an escape, "would you like to dan—"

"Oi, Nami," Zoro's voice suddenly interrupting, his tone impatient, "you coming?"

Nami looked up at the sound of his voice and found the swordsman standing next to her, his hand held out and waiting for her to take it. She sat there dumfounded for a moment, completely missing the way Sanji suddenly smirked in a way that revealed that he had hoped this would happen. Someone had to move this thing between them along because it seemed that neither one of them were going to make the first move. It took only a handful of seconds but it felt like a lifetime to Zoro who was fighting the blush that threatened to darken the bridge of his nose before he felt Nami slip her hand into his. She allowed him to pull her up and out of her seat and she followed him onto the makeshift dance floor.

Nami couldn't calm the racing of her heart or the heat in her face as she followed Zoro in silence, winding through the sea of bodies until they found an empty space that would accommodate them both. She couldn't believe that Zoro had saved her from having to dance with Sanji, or that he had done so by asking her to dance with him instead. She had never seen him dance before unless she counted drunken line dancing with Luffy. Based on the sheepish expression she saw dart across his face when they turned to look at each other, she guessed that Zoro was well aware of the fact that he hadn't really thought this through.

"I uh," Zoro cleared his throat and rubbed at the back of his neck, unsure of where to start, "don't really dance."

Nami wanted to laugh. He was really cute when he was nervous, and cute was not a word she ever thought she would use to describe Zoro. The urge to kiss him was there again but she clamped down on it and pondered how to approach him when a slow song began to play. Nami didn't really dance either. It's not like they had opportunities for romance and dancing on their adventures and she didn't trust men she didn't know to touch her let alone hold her close. While they both stood there awkwardly deciding what to do, a pair of hands sprouted out of nowhere and suddenly shoved the navigator straight into Zoro's chest, the offending limbs disappearing in a cloud of flower petals and causing them both to glare over at a smiling Robin who was still dancing in Franky's arms.

Zoro caught Nami before she could fall, his arms going around her automatically as he caught the sound of Robin giggling. Their nakama just had to meddle in everything, not that he minded. That's what family did. While Zoro's arms moved to settle around her waist, Nami slid her own up his shoulders before looping them behind his head and awkwardly avoiding his gaze. If she had the courage to look at his face she would've seen the softening in his normally stoic features as they began to slowly sway.

I'll never settle down,
that's what I always thought.
Yeah, I was that kind of man,
just ask anyone.

Nami's heart was pounding in her chest so loudly that she worried Zoro might be able to hear it, the lyrics of the slow song pouring straight into her soul as she chanced a look at the man holding her. She had never seen him look at her like that so openly before. His eye was soft and an emotion she couldn't place danced in the dark orb. She'd seen it a few times before, most recently back on the last island when he held her in his arms until her shaking subsided and she felt well enough to return to the ship. He never broke eye contact with her and little by little the crowd around them seemed to disappear.

I don't dance, but here I am
spinning you 'round and 'round in circles.
It ain't my style, but I don't care,
I'd do anything with you, anywhere.
Guess you got me in the palm of your hand,
'cause, I don't dance.

She wasn't sure if the swordsman realized just how romantic the song was that they were dancing to, or the fact that the lyrics seemed to almost be describing him. She doubted that he felt the same way about her that she did about him but she was beginning to wonder when he suddenly moved away from her only to grab her hand and twirl her around, making the navigator laugh. She was actually having fun. He hadn't stepped on her toes and it seemed that the fluidity with which he fought seeped into everything he did, including dancing. Zoro laughed too as he finally relaxed and the awkwardness ebbed away, a smile pulling at his lips in answer to Nami's.

Love's never come my way.
I've never been this far,
but you took these two left feet,
and waltzed away with my heart.

Zoro didn't let go of Nami's hand even after she twirled back into his chest, her free hand once again finding his shoulder and resting there while his own settled at her waist. He held her close to him, closer than he normally would've with so many people around to see, but in that moment he didn't give a shit who saw them together. She felt good in his arms, like she was designed to be in them. The way she was looking up at him made him wonder if he should just admit how he felt and see if they could actually have it all; their dreams, their nakama and each other.

No, I don't dance, but here I am
spinning you 'round and 'round in circles.
It ain't my style, but I don't care.
I'd do anything with you, anywhere.
Yes, you got me in the palm of your hand, girl,
'cause I don't dance.

As the music continued to play Nami focused on the way Zoro's thumb lightly rubbed the back of her hand he was holding absentmindedly. She didn't think he even knew he was doing it. Content, the navigator slowly moved a little closer to him, her head coming to rest in the crook of his neck and her eyes closing of their own volition. Zoro didn't tense from the attention this time; instead moving the hand he was holding to drape over his opposite shoulder and then wrapping her up in both of his arms, unconsciously settling his cheek in her soft mikan scented hair.

They stayed that way for a long while slowly swaying to a beat that had long since died, the steady beat of his heart the only thing that Nami could hear. It wasn't until someone tapped Zoro on his shoulder that they reluctantly parted from each other to find out who it was. Zoro glanced over his shoulder to find an unfamiliar man standing there and pointing at Nami.

"May I cut in?" He asked politely, bowing like a perfect gentleman.

Zoro hesitated. If he said no then he was basically admitting that he would not be happy sharing the navigator with anyone else, but if he said yes then he would have to watch her dance with someone else. A war immediately brewed inside of him as he scowled at the man, making him shrink back just a little, surprised at the sudden hostility.

"No," Nami's voice pulled him from his internal struggle and made his heart skip, "but thank you for asking."

The man nodded and smiled in understanding and swiftly bowed before leaving them alone again. Zoro was stunned as he looked down at the woman still in his arms but he was met with a warm smile as she looped her arms behind his neck again and encouraged him to keep dancing.

"You could've danced with him," the swordsman grumbled, still unsure of where they currently stood, "if you wanted to."

"I know," Nami murmured with a shrug, "but I want to dance with you."

Her confession made Zoro's eye widen but he relaxed when he saw the way she was looking at him. She smiled at him, her expression soft, vulnerable and a little nervous. Suddenly it became clear that they were on the exact same page when it came to their feelings. He was such an idiot. Why couldn't he see what was right in front of his face when the rest of their crew could see it? He thought about it for only a moment before he decided he was going to kiss her, but Nami beat him to the punch and before he could lean down and press his lips against hers, the navigator's lips found his as she pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him.

Zoro's arms came around her without hesitation, tugging her up against his chest as he immediately responded to her kiss and nearly knocked her off balance with the electricity that flowed between them at the contact. Zoro almost forgot how to breathe when his brain fully registered what was happening; before coherent thought ceased to exist the second he felt the navigator shyly nip at his lower lip in an attempt to deepen the kiss. A jolt of pleasure shot through him in response and his lips instinctively parted, but instead of Nami exploring his mouth, she gasped when she felt Zoro swipe his tongue over her lips. Nami parted her lips to allow him entrance and Zoro wasted no time in teasing her tongue with his own, making her knees go weak. She melted against him but Zoro held her tightly against him without complaint, one his hands moving up to tangle in her long orange locks and dislodging her green flower.

A soft sigh tore itself from her throat as she changed the angle of the kiss and attempted to get even closer to him, her hands moving from his neck to the front of his coat which she tugged on to bring him the rest of the way toward her so she could mold herself against him. She fit there like a puzzle piece and felt Zoro smile at her actions, clearly thinking the same thing. They didn't even realize they were still in public until a familiar voice suddenly cleared its throat.

"Are you guys going to stay here kissing all night or are you coming back to the Sunny with us?" Luffy questioned, grinning slightly as he tilted his head to the side, waiting for an answer.

Zoro reluctantly pulled away from Nami, although he kept one arm around her waist and being caught in the act of kissing her by their captain didn't even seem to faze him. Nami was flushed but it was more from kissing Zoro rather than being caught kissing Zoro, leaning into his side as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"We're coming, Luffy," Nami laughed before looking up at the man holding her.

She knew in that moment without a doubt that they could do this. Real love was rare in their line of work so when it came along it was worth fighting for, and she would fight for Zoro just as he always fought for her. Zoro didn't dance and yet he'd just spent most of the early evening spinning and holding her in his arms in front of all of their nakama and hundreds of strangers. Nami didn't let anyone into the deepest parts of her heart where they could hurt her, but here she was leaning against the swordsman without a care in the world, her walls completely nonexistent and every vulnerable part of herself bared just for him.

Luffy turned to leave them alone and everyone began gathering their packages and heading back toward the ship, but as Zoro turned to follow after them, he smirked when Nami grabbed him by the hand and tugged him back to her. He was absolutely grinning when he turned around to face her again, her arms coming up and around his neck as she claimed his lips with hers once more. A wave of possessiveness ran through him as he hauled her up against his chest and effectively took her breath away when he grazed her bottom lip with his teeth. Nami shuddered against him, her fingers moving to tangle in his hair.

She doubted that he knew how much he drove her crazy. He irritated her and set her on edge in more ways than one. He confused her and made her heart race. The feeling of his hands on the bare skin of her back sent little jolts of pleasure running through her slender frame as he kissed her senseless. She wasn't ready to part with him just yet, not when she could finally act on these feelings she'd had for him for so long, so when she broke the kiss and stared up at him to see that his look was a little dazed and darkened with need, Nami suddenly smiled sweetly, her fingers grazing the line of his jaw.

"We could stay in town tonight," Nami suggested, her tone a bit shy as she nervously bit at her lower lip.

"I would say yes but," Zoro started, his signature smirk lighting his face when he saw the navigator look suddenly disappointed, "someone cut my allowance and I'm afraid I spent most of it buying this sexy navigator drinks."

Nami brightened at that and Zoro almost laughed in response, but the urge to chuckle died on his lips when he saw her brown eyes darken in a way that he'd never seen before. He swallowed hard, almost certain that he was dreaming or something. He'd never imagined that Nami would ever want him in that way, let alone love him back. Watching as she made up her mind his heart almost stilled in his chest when her expression shifted to express an open and honest love for him.

"I think we'll manage with our beli combined," Nami murmured with a smirk. She was ready to give him everything she had to offer as well, be it her body, her love or her money.

"You don't share money," Zoro quipped, a smirk tugging at his lips as he pulled her further into his arms.

"And you don't dance," she quipped right back at him, earning a chuckle that made her smile as she pulled him in for another kiss, gently nudging him in the direction of the nearest inn.

He didn't need to tell her that he loved her because she already knew, just as Nami didn't feel the need to say the words aloud either, because everything that needed to be said was there in the kiss that they shared. It was there in the way that Zoro suddenly picked her up and laughed when she squealed in surprise as he carried her away from the festival and further into the town where they could rent a room for the night. It was there in the way that Nami looked at him, nervous but excited, knowing that Zoro wouldn't push her if she wasn't ready. It was there when he carried her over the threshold of the inn and set her on her feet so he could pay for their room and snag the keys from the night clerk's outstretched hand, Nami blushing when they finally stepped into the room and switched on the dim overhead light. A nervous fluttered started in her stomach, at least until Zoro took her into his arms and slowly swayed her around the hardwood floor of their room, brushing a soft kiss against her lips. She knew that he loved her because Zoro didn't dance, not for anyone but her.

A/N: Cover image credit goes to the wildly talented Tsukasa. (website unknown)

I was getting take-out for dinner one night and one of my favorite songs came on the radio. I Don't Dance by Lee Brice inspired this little one shot. I felt like the lyrics fit Zoro so perfectly and I couldn't get the idea out of my head until I had it all down on virtual paper. Originally I planned on Nami being the one to ask Zoro to dance with her but when I get into the character's heads they do whatever the heck they want at times and this was one of those times. I am working on the next chapter of Sweet Dreams, I promise! I just had to get this plot out there so that I could focus again. I hope that you all enjoyed it and thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to stop by my profile if you ever want to know what I'm currently working on. I've started updating it weekly with one shots and multi-chapter fanfictions that I have in the works and I'm considering listing release dates for upcoming chapters on there as well. You can find these updates at the bottom of my profile under Works in Progress. I'm also considering giving you guys access to my social media pages to further keep you updated. Tell me what you think! Until next time, my nakama.

-B