One Piece:
Feeling of Christmas
She sat there, watching him, examining him, wondering. She even tilted her body so her eyes could perfectly monitor his face. But no matter how long she sat there or how long she pondered, she couldn't figure it out.
"How can you train in the freezing cold?" she finally asked.
"Ugh…go away." He grumbled out through the actions of his workout.
"But you're not wearing a shirt. Won't you get hypothermia? Don't come crying to me when you can't feel your face anymore."
"Don't worry," he answered sarcastically with a roll of his eyes, "I'll be sure to run crying to Chopper."
She sighed, "You are so stubborn sometimes."
He looked up at her in shock and disbelief, "So are you!"
"Yes, but I wouldn't be training out here half naked on such a cold day just to get stronger."
"And when it's not so cold? Are you saying you would?" he fought back in with his own sort of logic. Nami decided to play with him then, just to teach him a lesson. She walked over to his side as he lifted himself up for the '97-98-99' one-hundredth time and crouched down so her mouth was ear level with him. He tried to ignore her, but it was impossible when her warm, comforting breath tickled his face.
"Why? You wanna see?"
His face turned bloody red as if he had been hung upside down. His eyes blast open wide and he used his right arm as a lever to toss him onto his ass away from her.
"WUH-WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?" he shouted with an angered yet childish tone as she stood up and laughed her way toward the Galley.
"No need to be shy, Zoro. You are nineteen after all. One has to be curious as to why you never wanna cop a feel or sneak a peak."
"BE-BE CAUSE I'M NOT LIKE THAT!" he shouted in defence, still on his butt.
"Oh, so are you telling me you're into men?"
"NO!" he hollered.
"Hmm, you're not really convincing me. Come see me sometime when you're sure of your sexuality. Bu-bye."
"You really ARE AN ANNOYING BI—"
"Hello, Sanji-kun!" Nami sounded cheery after closing the Galley door behind her, and taking a seat at the table beside the only other female member of the Going Merry crew. It was obvious Sanji was trying to dazzle 'his Robin-chwan' and it was even more painfully obvious she wasn't buying into it. Nami saw it as a perfect time to intrude.
"Oh, Nami-san! Hello!" Sanji's heart eyes seemed to be growing in size upon her arrival, "Can I get you anything?"
"A hot chocolate with lots and lots of marshmallows please!" she cheered just like a child.
"My, you seem to be in a good mood today, Navigator-san." Robin pointed out with a smile a tad-bit bigger then usual.
"That's because I am! Oh, and let everyone know I'm on night watch tonight, in case I forget to mention it or I don't come in for dinner." Nami's own smile grew to larger proportions as well.
"Why's that?" Robin questioned, Sanji leaning toward the two to hear the answer.
"Because," she paused to add some tension, then held up her pointing finger, "something big is gonna happen. I can feel it."
"Big?" Sanji's voice sounded from the stove area.
"What is it?" Robin's tone held more emotion then usual, but only in the slightest.
"Nope, not gonna tell. It's my secret. You can all enjoy your cozy warm beds and sleep tight tonight. This gift is all for me!" she declared very proudly, "So make sure to give me a giant glass Sanji-kun. The biggest one you've got!"
"Okay, Nami-san!" he sang happily. They could hear over the sound of the steam kettle ringing, "Oh, I love this happy and excited Nami-san!" The two girls just turned to each other and giggled at the blond. Deciding it was time to leave, to return to the outside, she jumped up suddenly. Waltzing over to the counter, she grabbed four cookies and placed one in her mouth while giving Sanji her cutest face.
"I can have some, right?" she sounded seductive.
"Of course! Take as many as you like! Enjoy!" he sounded as if he was happier then her. She smiled with triumph and snatched the mug of hot cocoa from his hands. Winking, she skipped out the door and started to hum.
The chef turned to the woman at the table and received her signature grin, but this time, it looked more like the grin of a mother. Sanji was shocked, but then returned the look and returned to the stove to finish preparing dinner.
Meanwhile, Nami made her away around the structure of their dining hall to return to the working swordsman. He was still doing push-ups, but now had reached his '210-211' two-hundred twelfth. Wanting to shock him again, she tip-toed over to his work-out space and suddenly jumped on his back. She sprawled out on the surface, lying on her tummy, and giggling to herself. However, the laughter ended when there was no reaction from the man beneath her.
"Hey…" she whined.
"I knew you were behind me, Nami. That's the result of my training." He sounded so smug and yet so calm as he continued to work-out, ignoring the extra weight on his back. He was still pissed off at her from before, so he chose to make his point and continue what he was doing. And if she was just going to sit there and do whatever, that was fine with him. Her light yet adding weight only added to his work out, so it all really back-fired on her
"Fine, be like that. After I decided to come to you out of the goodness of my heart and—"
"What goodness? Ha! 263…26—AHMPH!" He was cut off by some flavoured matter being stuffed into his mouth.
"Let's see if I ever offer to be nice to you again! And for that comment, you just added another fifty bellis for the cookie that could've been mine!"
"You stu-mphed it do-f-n my thoa-ph!" he protested while trying to catch his breath and chew.
"Hmph!" she said as she stuck out her tongue and walked off to wherever she was going. Zoro watched her backside as she left him alone again, almost half-expecting, or half-wanting her to jump out again. Then, he caught himself.
"Whoa!" he shouted suddenly and slapped his cheek. No way was he just thinking that. About Nami, no less. No, no, no, no, no! It couldn't be! She had teased him and stuffed a cookie down in his wind pipe only seconds before! Why was he still thinking about it? Or even about her anyway? Just because she was the only female to have that much contact with him didn't mean she was…What was even trying to think about?
"Damn woman," he cursed with a hiss, "Now she's in my head!" Very perplexed, the swordsman knew training was over for today and grabbed onto his swords. Stomping his way through the ship, he made his way downstairs to his space. With nothing better to do, he almost tackled his bed and growled loudly.
"Wuh…huh? Zoro, is that you?" Zoro tossed his head very energetically to his right, his eyes meeting the sight of an awakening Usopp. As his long nose comrade rubbed his eyes, Zoro turned his stare back to the ceiling and let out a huff of breath through his nose.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Usopp asked, now completely awake, wondering what had frustrated his friend to the point of retiring so early in the evening to his own bed instead of dozing off on deck.
"Nothing." He said in a monotone.
"Then why are you so mad?"
"I'm NOT mad!" Zoro yelled like a king sending his men off to battle.
"Right…what did Sanji do now?" Usopp sighed then, as if this was nothing new.
"Nothing! It wasn't Sanji! Just SHUT THE HELL UP!" That little outburst took Usopp back a bit. He was no longer calm; he looked startled and worried. He stared down at his friend from his hammock and looked truly emotionless.
Zoro could feel his crew mate's gaze on him and his thought-to-be-lost conscious tugging at him most irritably. Sighing very soundly, he adjusted his position rather violently and grumbled.
It's about Nami."
"Nami?" it was clear he was not expecting that, "…Why?"
"Arg, I don't know! She's been bugging me a lot today and stuffed more of that shitty cook's food down my throat. And then she acts all…her-like. I don't know, what the hell is she thinking? She's pissing me off big time."
"What do you mean she's acting…all 'her-like'?" Usopp questioned while swinging his legs over the edge of his bed per se and listening intently while he kicked in the air back and forth.
"You know what I mean! She's being a bitch! She said the only reason I had my shirt off while training is because I'm trying to look good. In front of who? Then we got into a fight and she ended it by asking me if I wanted to see her naked! But as she walks away, she calls me gay! And tells me to talk to her when I figure out my sexuality. WHAT THE FU—"
"Okay Zoro, calm down," Usopp interrupted the small rant then cleared his throat, "I can tell you're really bothered by this."
"No shit. Though I'm more upset about what she did later."
"Oh, go on." The listening man rested his elbows on his knees, rested his chin in his palms and appeared interested.
"After I was continuing my training, when I felt something coming up behind me. I knew by the size that it was her. Out of the blue, she jumps on my back and starts laughing, I have no idea why. Because I didn't act bothered, she stuffs a cookie in my mouth. Then, she adds to my debt. What the hell did I do to have her bother me this much?"
"…I think you fell in love…"
"WHAT?!" Zoro was sitting up now and staring at Usopp as if he had magically gained a smaller nose.
"Well, you're pissed off, right?"
"Hell yeah!"
"And you're thinking a lot about her, right?"
"…Well, yeah, but—"
"And you can't stop?"
"It was a freaking cookie! I shouldn't be thi—I shouldn't be listening to you!"
Usopp sighed sadly as Zoro turned his back to him, "Ahh, Zoro, you used to be someone I could look up to. Now…"
"What are you talking about? All did was stop talking."
"I mean, I think not admitting what you like is a weakness." Usopp sounded very serious.
"Huh?" This intrigued Zoro, so he sat up again to listen.
"I've noticed for a while now Zoro. How you two are always next to each other, how she's the only one who commands you like that, how you listen to her. And even though you complain while you do what she asks, you still do it. She's the only girl you go towards willingly, too. When I first joined the crew, I knew there was something there between you two, but I didn't want to put a label on you guys after you'd been so nice to me. But it's there for her too, you know. She really relies on you and she trusts you when she needs help. Sure, she trusts us all, but there's something unique between you two.
"It's just so sad you can't see it for yourself. She probably can, that's why she bugs you. She probably even knows you haven't noticed, so she takes matters into her own hands sometimes. So even though she doesn't say it, she's strong enough to admit she likes you through what she does. You, on the other hand, are weak in that department, so you wouldn't be able to tell if you loved someone if that feeling rushed over you. You'd think its gas or nausea. I think it does take a strong person to admit they like someone or something because it's not always easy or you're scared. I think you're scared Zoro, and you need to own up to it."
"…You think I'm scared to tell Nami I love her?"
"Yep." He said without a second thought.
"No I'm no—wouldn't be if I wa—arg!" he had lost all thought on what to do with himself.
"Can I give you some advice?" Usopp whispered as Zoro gripped his hair.
"What?" he sounded like a angry five year-old.
"It's the Christmas season, right? Why not get her a present?"
"I have no money because she took it all!" Zoro reminded with venom.
"Right…well then, how about admitting you love her…with this?" And he pulled something out of his pocket. Zoro looked over at it questionably and took it out of curiosity.
"What is it?"
Usopp was stunned for a few moments, "…How can you not know what that is?"
"Because I've never seen it before!"
"But…never mind. Look, just do what I say and I won't see you as a coward anymore."
"A little thing like this will prove I'm not a cowar—Hey! I'm not a coward!"
"Okay, weak, whatever. Now—"
"I'm not weak!"
"This will prove you're not! Now shut up and do what I say!"
And so, Usopp commenced his little speech of instructions. After about a minute or so, Luffy announced dinner was ready. The two boys gave each other a nod and headed up to the main level for dinner. They quietly went over the plans again, then Zoro questioned Usopp how he came up with this idea and where he had gotten the item. After a small blush and a few more question marks, the two entered the dining hall with rumbling stomachs. Usopp jumped over to the meal as if it was his prey while Zoro took a step and froze.
"Hey, where's Nami?" he asked, trying to sound normal.
"Oh yeah, she said something about this earlier." Sanji suddenly remembered.
"Navigator-san won't be joining us for dinner this evening. She also told us she would be taking over the night watch this evening." Robin informed the crew.
As Luffy and Sanji fought over how they were going to deal with Nami's plate full of food, Zoro mumbled out loud to himself, "But tonight's my night on watch." With a few more moments to collect himself, he turned around and headed out the door.
Ignoring the fact that it had gotten much colder, he thought hard as to where Nami would be on watch. She was either behind the Galley or in the Crow's Nest, since he could see the bow from where he was standing. Being lazy, he looked up to the sky and sure enough, he saw small strands of orange hair floating in the swirling in the breeze. Realization hit him hard when he remembered Usopp's idea. Everyone was in the Galley, and from up in the Crow's Nest, you wouldn't even be able to hear Luffy's yelling. Gulping, thinking it was his chance, he came up with a way to modify Usopp's plan so it could work with the current situation.
After running down to his bed and grabbing his blanket, he climbed the mast to the top to reach the Crow's Nest. Once he made it, he made sure to say,
"Oi!"
"EHH? Oh…Zoro, don't do that you idiot!" she scolded as she bonked one on the head. He shrugged it off and completed his climb so he could enter the area entirely. He looked over at her and noticed she was in her blue pjs, the one she wore when the Witch Doctor treated her, and a somewhat thick coat. He thought he'd have to retreat, but once he saw the goose bumps on her hands, he chose to be strong. Taking a deep breath, he tossed the blanket he had grabbed in her face. She was shocked, needless to say, and looked at him confused.
"Tonight's my night on watch, not yours. After what happened earlier, how come you're taking over for me?" he avoided her questioning stare. Deciding not to read too much into it, she brushed it off and answered him.
"I'm not doing this for you," he felt a stab in his pride, "I'm doing this for me."
"You're gonna freeze your ass off because you want to?"
"No…I'm waiting for something." She answered kindly.
"For what?" he didn't sound interested enough.
"You really wanna know?" she sounded seductive again. He went on alert, all his sense on fire. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and watched her as she got really close to him. He paid attention to her movements, but had no idea how to react. All his body parts shut down except his mouth and his heart.
"No, just curious." He answered in a pitch very peculiar for him to use.
"Well…I guess if you promise not to tell…" she let it hang, expecting to get the idea.
"Is it that special?"
"Yes."
"…Okay then. I promise." He didn't sound sincere, but she knew better. It was Zoro after all.
"I can feel it coming," she turned her eyes back to the sea, her body still close to his, "This feeling is so overwhelming, it's incredible!"
"Really?" he asked while staring at the side of her face, now seeming more interested.
"It's totally new to me, I've never felt something like it before."
"What?" he asked, sounding curious. She turned her eyes to meet his then and looked somber yet sad to him.
"Belle-Mère once told me that if she could sail the world, she'd love to see the first snow fall of the year." Nami's voice was indescribable.
Zoro sat there for a moment, surprised she was saying this, but then nodded to her in understanding. So, she continued.
"She told me that she'd always been in regions where it was warm and if there ever was snow, it'd have already fallen. She said to see snow fall was pretty, but the first snow fall of the season is special because it shows change. And we're in a part of the Grand Line where it's not suppose to snow. But I can feel it, I know that's what it is. It's so strong, I can't sit still. I get to live out my dream, like I promised, and now I can also live one of hers. She had many, but this one seemed special to me."
"I think it's…nice that you're doing this." Was all he could say, but he felt it was a lot.
Apparently, she did too. She looked over at Zoro, completely blown away by such a comment. He stared her in the eye as she slowly pulled herself together. Eventually, she was able to shake it off and smile.
"Thanks Zoro, that means a lot."
He decided. This was the moment. It was now or never. He had to prove he wasn't weak, he was strong! He was going to be the world's greatest swordsman; he couldn't be afraid of a girl! Especially Nami. So, using his swift reflexes, he pulled out what was in his pocket, pulled Nami close and kissed her for all he was worth. He had no idea what he was doing, but he did it.
…And, it felt good. He was surprised by the feeling that he felt from such a touch. Given, he knew what a kiss was and how it was suppose to be special, but he didn't know it would be like this. It seemed all that much worth it to him at that moment to be whatever ranking Usopp thought of him now. Then, he realized he'd have to let get. Creasing his eyebrows for a millisecond, he separated from her and panted a little. Looking at her, he saw how dazed she was and it only made him happier. Her lips were still in the form for a kiss and her eyes were glazed. He could hear her light gentle breaths and knew she was feeling what he felt too. After getting a good look at her, he lowered his arm that he had held above her head and showed her what he was holding.
"This…is mistletoe." He stated.
She nodded, still silenced by him.
"It's a Christmas tradition that is used to show someone…you…love…th-that you love the—WHOA!"
He couldn't finish his point because he was tackled by a orange blur, his lips now claimed in another kiss. He wanted to look up at her, but some force he couldn't fight compelled him to keep his eyes closed. He did kiss back, not getting the hang of it, but Nami was the one to grab his hands and place them around her body. Not wanting to be one-upped, to show he was a man, he brought her body closer to his. She moaned, but he did realize why, so he pulled back.
"I-I'm sorry." He apologized.
"Why?" she asked, breathless.
"Because it sounded like I hurt you…"
"No, Zoro," she climbed back over him, "that sound means I like it."
Now understanding, he grinned up at her with that strangely cute one that he had never directed at her before. She smiled back and let a small giggle go, looking completely content. But then, something caught her eye as it floated down onto Zoro's forehead. Both of them watched the tiny spec fall until it landed right between his eyebrows. Nami gasped in excitement then and scrambled off of his body. She sat up straight and looked at the sky expectantly. And just as she hoped, another few snowflakes began to fall. Then another few handfuls, until it was truly snowing. Still staring at the sky, she stretched her arm out and wiggled her fingers around as if she was trying to grab something.
"Zoro! Zoro, you see that? It's sno—ow…ing…" she had slowed her sentence when she felt a blanket fall over her head and an arm over her shoulders. She looked at him to see he was staring up, just as she was.
"Well, I'd say you really made her happy." He had said it with such emotion, it was uncharacteristic of Zoro.
She felt a gentler grin replace her childish one and a tear fell down her cheek. Happily, she grabbed two corners of her blanket in between her thumb and index fingers, and hugged him over his shoulder.
"Yeah," Nami mumbled, sounding sleepy, "I think this her Christmas gift to me. And already I can tell it's going to be a really Merry Christmas."
The End
Zoro and Nami LOVE FOREVER!
This is one of my gifts to the ZoroxNami fans out there! I might be writing another fanfic for their Christmas, tell me what you think!
Happy Holidays!