Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.
"Arg! It's so cold! I hate the cold!" Nami scowled as she wrapped her pink plaid jacket around her as tight as she could. Every hot breath she exhaled the icy air took the warmth away so she covered her mouth under the furry collar of her coat. Her whole body was shaking from head to toe even when she paced around the stove in circles for the last hour.
Usopp was also participating in the stove walk. He had three layers of thick blankets around him and dragged the rest of the fabric on the floor. His long nose was bright red and running disgustingly back to his face, forming mini icicles.
Zoro was watching the whole scene with a frown, "You guys hate winter?"
"Of course!" the navigator screamed, "There's nothing good about winter except being cold and miserable!" She harshly brushed her arms up and down so the slight friction could heat her up, "I can't believe you're just in that thing! Are you crazy?" She then glared at the sniper, "Why didn't you install the heater when I told you too?"
"I told you we don't have enough supplies and...I am not a shipwright!"
Nami completely ignored Usopp's complaint and went on with hers, "I really can't wait to get out of this winter atmosphere!" The deep frown not leaving her face she resumed her 'Duck Duck Goose' around the stove.
The swordsman shrugged and left the longing room. The angry and negative aura was hitting at his nerves and he couldn't stand it.
He thought he would be able to relieve some of that nasty tension by drinking a few bottles of ale. When he entered the kitchen he was welcomed with the same dark, hated aura. Sanji's back was facing him but Zoro could see just by how the man's shoulders were shaking how much the cook wanted to join the lovely stove. His hands were shaking from dunking in and out of the soapy sink- no matter how much hot water he added, it quickly reduced to ice.
"Hey Cook, got some booze?"
Sanji froze upon his dishwashing and gave dark glare, "No." Without another word, the blond flew back to his torturous dishwashing.
Zoro asked the same question to the Cook; the answer seemed apparent though, "Do you like winter?"
Sanji scoffed, "Is that some kind of joke? I hate winter. This," his eyes pointed to the sink, "This is hell! But worst of all, the ladies are wearing long sleeves and pants so their heavenly beautiful body line is hidden from view! Why, did nature create such a horrible season?-" Zoro left the room before the cook could finish his distressed speech.
Frustrated since he couldn't get himself a bottle of ale, the swordsman stomped outside to get some fresh air. Snow was gently falling from the sky and covered every bit of the Merry up. The wind picked up droplets from the ocean, which quickly turned to ice, and slapped all along Zoro's face. The swordsman ignored the assailing ice and snow, and he stepped up to the deck where Vivi, Karu, Chopper and Luffy were playing with the mounds of snow.
Luffy noticed first and raised an arm, "Hey Zoro!" Vivi turned around and bowed formally so Zoro returned the same gesture. Chopper, riding on Karu, approached Zoro. His nose looked darker because of the cold.
"We're going to make some snowmen! Are you joining?"
"No, just looking." Zoro stroked the reindeer's soft fur, "Are you cold or is this really warm?"
Chopper looked at his furry self and giggled, "I'm warm, but Karu is cold. The next island we land we should buy him a jacket!" The gigantic bird nodded and nudged his whole face into Zoro's chest in hopes to get a friendly patting too. Zoro patted the two animals until his hands were red; Chopper and Karu gleefully returned to the snow.
Zoro walked over to Luffy and his snowman. It was just as magnificent as the last one he created, except he added red color dye on his body so it almost looked like him.
"Isn't it cool?"
"Yeah," Zoro chuckled. He glanced at Luffy's no sleeved vest. Luffy this time felt the cold and wore a thick brown scarf around his neck, but still..."Are you cold in that?"
"This?" Luffy laughed, "Yeah, but I love winter!" Zoro smiled in response. Finally, someone who appreciated the season.
"Hey Zoro."
"Hm?"
Luffy whispered, "Today's Tuesday huh?" Zoro's face suddenly reddened and Luffy chuckled upon seeing that.
"Tonight?"
"Night duty?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
Luffy chuckled one more time and then scooped up a ball of snow, "Do you want to help?"
Zoro stared down at his boots and then shrugged, "Sure."
-.-.-
Zoro had some nerves in his body to not forget his jacket before leaving for the night shift. He had already told all of the men he was able to stay up all night to watch. Everyone, except one, did not complain rather they were relieved to be able to snuggle in their comfy beds until the morning without disturbance. Luffy smiled and silently handed him a blanket.
The swordsman climbed the wobbly rope ladder to the crow's nest with the blanket flailing as every wind blew through it. He threw his legs over and once inside, the walls of the crow's nest blocked the icy air. He slipped onto a small heap of snow and he fell painfully on his bottom. Grumbling, the swordsman took the first five minutes scraping the snow away with his bare hands. He got most of them but the rest compacted to slippery hard ice, so he left them alone. He wrapped his body in the blanket Luffy let him borrow and waited.
He didn't know he had slept when strong yet familiar arms wrapped him around from behind. Zoro stretched and whirled around to see the handsome freckled covered face, "Evening Ace."
"Evening." Ace grinned and pressed his warm lips against his, "Missed me?"
Zoro wanted to blurt out a yes but that wasn't his character. Instead he kissed back gently. He turned away and noticed that the floor of the crow's nest was wet. "Thanks for melting the ice."
"Huh?" Ace glanced down, "Oh, I didn't do that on purpose. It's the devil fruit. My body temperature is hotter than normal people, remember?" The fire user proved his point by letting Zoro hug him. The swordsman snuggled in the man's bare chest, still surprised that the older man was able to walk around topless.
Zoro tucked his hands within Ace's. He rubbed them together until he could feel his fingers again, "You know, I like winter." the swordsman muttered.
"You do?" Zoro nodded, "How so?"
The swordsman felt embarrassed to say this but with Ace, he could say the most random sentence he could think of and be fine with it, "because, you can't do this in the summer." Zoro whispered as he pressed his body close against Ace's. It was true; when the ship sailed over the summer islands, Zoro literally kicked Ace away from him because he was so hot. He was always thrown back Ace's pouting face and the 'sulk to the corner' which repentance slapped the swordsman in the face.
Ace chuckled and spun around so that Zoro was pinned against the floor, "Was that an offering?"
Zoro grinned and raised his chin to taste those savory lips.
Clothes all torn and discarded away in the corner, Zoro appreciated the fact that Ace was able to keep both of them warm.
The End