So, this fic was inspired by the song Stand By You by Rachel Patton. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Quickly rising temperatures had chased away the morning fog and alerted the residents of the island that it would be a beautiful day. Soft breezes brought not only sea air to the town, but a small pirate ship with an intriguing straw-hat Jolly Roger. It's crew having avoided the larger port towns and managed instead to stumble across a town tucked away in a small cove.
Well, I think that I look fantastic today...if I do say so myself. After looking myself over in the mirror one last time, I nodded my satisfaction. Hair a deep sky blue that hangs limply just past my waist, with two pigtails in the front that hang almost to my navel. Long bangs that frame a freckled face with a hair bump on top and large maroon eyes on a petite face. Today, I'm wearing a white top that ties under my breasts, with a maroon ruffle that crosses over my left shoulder. Maroon arm sleeves that began mid bicep and end at my wrists and dark pants that disappear into brown knee-high boots with a belt and side satchel. Finally, a solitary sword is secured at my side. It's much too nice out to stay inside today. The sun shining outside gives me the feeling that it will be a good day, so I'm going on a stroll through town before the swords competition.
While walking through the marketplace, I pass stands of food and other various goods. So many delicious looking foods, beautiful fabrics and interesting trinkets today. Though I love this island of green valleys, sandy beaches and snowy mountains, I long to experience something new and spontaneous...adventure. I just know I'm not meant to spend the rest of my life on this little island.
As I continue looking around at the various odds and ends available, a head of sea foam green hair passes through my line of vision. No way! That couldn't be who I think it is, could it? I did a double take before rushing towards this person to see if they are carrying three swords. Seriously, what kind of luck do I have if it's really him? I am generally one of the first to see the new wanted posters when they arrive, read every paper I can get my hands on and sometimes I would come up with theories about what each pirate had done to gain their bounty or raise it. Rumors of the Straw-Hat Pirates had reached my town long before their wanted posters did.
Being the same age as them, caused me to ponder if their dreams and goals are similar to mine and if being a pirate was their way of reaching them. I didn't know much about the crew, mainly because the papers only painted them in a negative light and no one was sure exactly how many members there are. Captain Luffy looks very young to be a pirate captain to a crew that is becoming so notorious, especially with that giant smile on his poster. Pirate Hunter Zoro however, is the one that had caught my eye. There are numerous stories about him from before he became a pirate and I have always wanted to see his three-sword style. Weaving my way through the crowd, brought me to where the man is now standing at a metal works shop looking at some swords. Holy shit! There they are...all three swords. It really is him...how did they manage to find our little town?
I can't believe that THE Zoro Roronoa is in my town...which most likely means that the rest of the Straw-Hat Crew is around! I've dreamt of this opportunity, but never thought I could actually be so fortunate. Following Zoro at a distance, I quickly decided on a plan of action and waited as Zoro walked into a crowd.
Slowly, I made my way towards Zoro from behind. Okay, I have to be quick about this. It will be a good test of my skills. Quickly, I ran my fingers across strong shoulders, before disappearing back into the crowd.
What the hell was that!? Zoro tensed in surprise, looking around for a moment but dismissed it and became lost in thought again. He had been looking for a place to eat and had ended up in the market area. Suddenly, he felt fingers ghost down his arm and run along one of his swords. Turning quickly, he thought he noticed a flash of blue hair before it disappeared from his sight. Hmm, seems like someone is trying to push my buttons. Maybe a bunch of troublesome kids?
OMG! He was much more alert that time. I'll have to be more careful moving forward. I knew I had almost been caught that time, I felt him tense almost instantly and he actually stopped and turned around. Okay, I know I can do this, I just can't panic when I get face-to-face with him. As he continued walking through the market, I headed directly toward him, pretending to trip at the last second. I grasped one muscled bicep with my right hand and splayed my left across his chest. Damn, he is solid muscle! I have to hurry or he'll catch on. He looked at me, momentarily shocked and a blush crossed my cheeks before I said a quick, excuse me and walked off. Clock bells sound in the distance and I realized that I've gotten caught up in this and will have to rush to get to the tournament now. Hopefully, I will get to see him again before they leave the island.
What the hell!? That girl sure seemed in a hurry. Zoro had been lost in thought as the young woman practically fell on him, thinking shortly after, that her hair looked oddly familiar before noticing that he had been relieved of his bandana. Why that little thief! I have to get my bandana back! He took off after her, following her through the alleys and into an arena. Well, this looks like the place she ran into. As soon as he entered, the mystery person was nowhere to be seen. Instead of moving on, he decided to sit and see what was going on. There were quite a few people seated, apparently waiting for something to begin. Maybe I can get some information while I watch?
As he sat there waiting, Zoro noticed a girl about his age exit some doors towards the back. He took in her appearance as he watched her take her place at one end of the arena. She had a decent rack and she also looked athletic but not in a bulky, unattractive way. Her freckles gave her an air of innocence that was betrayed by the look in her eyes as he watched her unsheathe a sword and fall into a warm-up stance as her opponent entered from the other side. As she turned to bow before the audience, Zoro noticed his bandana sticking out of her back pocket. That is definitely the girl. This girl's actions had peaked his interest and he figured he had nothing better to do than to find out why. He watched her spar against everyone in the tournament and come out of it the victor. While he was impressed by her abilities, he had already seen several things she could improve on…though with competition like this he doubted she would ever have a chance to better herself.
I wonder how good Kuina would have been if she were still alive? Would she have beaten this girl? Could she still have beaten me? Would she have beaten Mihawk? Would I have become a pirate? Arg…it's too much to think about. All I know is that I will become the worlds greatest swordsman! Moving past his solitary moment, he decided it was time to get his bandana back.
He was waiting by the exit when Quinn emerged from the contestants quarters. She had completely forgotten about nipping his bandana earlier and was surprised when he retrieved it from her pocket. "Thanks so much for holding onto this. I'm rather fond of this one."
Okay, don't freak out Quinn. You can do this. Just be yourself and act casual. She gave him a bright smile and a bow before she spoke, "Really, I hadn't thought that such material things would concern a person like you, Roronoa?"
Hands, put your empty hands in mine,
And scars, show me all the scars you hide.
Zoro was only slightly surprised that she knew who he was, he did have a nice size bounty on him...he was however, surprised that she didn't appear intimidated by it or afraid of him. He knew she was neither by the way she had managed to initially get his attention. Now to figure out what it was she wanted.
Zoro smirked before giving the girl his reply, "Well, it seems as though you are familiar with me. It would be nice to have a name to refer to you by, unless you prefer bandana thief?"
"Well, you are quite well known…with your past as a bounty hunter, your three swords and that green hair. Anyone who has seen your wanted poster would recognize you instantly, Roronoa. Bandana thief doesn't really suit me though, that was a one time thing. My proper name is Harlequinn, if you must know."
"Harlequinn, eh? Too long. I'll never remember it all, so I'll just call you Quinn. I'll say, I was impressed by your performance today. It's been a long time since I've seen someone our age handle a sword as well as you do."
"I'll take that as quite the compliment, coming from you. How about I treat you to a meal and some drinks to make up for taking off with your bandana?" A free meal and some booze sounds awesome after this crazy day. "I'll take you up on the offer." They proceeded to the nearest tavern and Quinn quickly disappeared in the back, while Zoro settled down at a table.
Shortly after, Quinn returned with a heaping plate and a mug that she set in front of Zoro. Quinn proceeded to sit across from him with her own mug , "So Roronoa, crew just passing through?" I wonder how much information he will share.
"Yeah, just seeing what kind of information we can scrape up and restocking our supplies. Our captain likes to explore a bit when we dock at a new place so we get a day or two to get our assignments done before returning to the ship...assuming nothing goes wrong", Zoro replied, while Quinn nodded in understanding. I've heard about the eccentricities of their captain, apparently they weren't rumors, lol.
"It's not everyday we get someone as infamous as you in here. Most stay closer to the docks and don't travel this far into town", Quinn gave Zoro a mischievous smirk.
Oh, truth, I guess truth is what you believe in,
And faith, I think faith is having a reason.
That sparked a long conversation in which Zoro learned that Quinn had been raised as a swordsman before her parents passed and she had inherited a sword of similar status as his Wado Ichimonji. A disagreement about who had the best sword somehow led to a drinking contest. The contest turned into a party after the kitchen closed. Man this girl can drink...I'm impressed. As they closed down the bar...they noticed it had been raining for a while, "Roronoa, you're welcome to stay at my place tonight. It's close by and you can get back to the rest of the crew tomorrow...come on, let's go." Zoro nodded and followed her out the door.
As the pair hurried through the streets, they turned a sharp corner...Quinn slipping in the water and taking Zoro down with her. They were soaked and laughing by the time they reached Quinn's house. She threw Zoro a towel as she went and changed, tripping along the way...effects of the alcohol still working through her system. As Zoro was toweling off his hair, lightning lit up the room and thunder rumbled outside...he heard a squeak and suddenly felt small hands fist themselves in his wet shirt. Oh, I wonder what's up with her? "What's wrong, Quinn?"
Oh, tears make kaleidoscopes in your eyes,
And hurt, I know you're hurting, but so am I.
Holy shit! Man, why did the storm had to get this bad. "Nothing really. Just don't care much for thunder and lightning", she shrugged nonchalantly, although the grip on his shirt didn't loosen, "Oh, your shirt is soaked...let's get you out of this and into something dry." Now I just can't let myself get carried away with a hot, half naked man in my house. Quinn disappeared for a moment and came back with a pair of shorts. "This is all I've got that will fit you...you can shower and change in the bathroom and I'll hang up your clothes to dry." Zoro placed his swords in a corner before heading off. Dry clothes are better than wet ones. Quinn, quickly collected their wet things and hung them to dry. Zoro stood under the water as it ran down his back, enjoying the chance to take his time and just take in the normalcy of everything going on around him. Things that pirates and bounty hunters didn't generally do. Finally, he emerged from the bathroom, still drying his hair when he noticed Quinn moving about the house.
By now, she had a fire going strong and had collected some pillows and blankets, "It will be cold tonight due to the weather, so we can sleep on these futons near the fireplace, alright?" Zoro could tell she was trying to keep busy to avoid the storm. She sure is trusting for someone who is offering to share the floor with a wanted pirate. "So…not to sound ungrateful, but why are you being so hospitable towards me? You don't know me from the next guy and yet you're letting me crash at your house and you're actually going to sleep on the floor with me. Most women would lock themselves up in their rooms for the night." Quinn smirked before replying, "Well, I must not be like most women. Plus, I just have a feeling about you being a pretty decent guy is all." Finally looking Quinn over, Zoro noticed that she was only wearing boy shorts and a fitted t-shirt, the sight making him swallow hard to find his voice before he responded.
Damn, she looks good in anything...just don't think about it. "Okay, sounds good to me. At least I'm not outside sleeping in the rain", Zoro grabbed a pillow and proceeded to make himself comfortable on the floor. He laid there listening to the sounds of the rain and thunder and watched as the shadows jumped around from the fire and how they clashed with the lightning when it struck.The storm is actually pretty soothing. It's nice to relax and not worry about the ship capsizing while we sleep. Quinn crashed a couple feet away, but Zoro noticed her fidget every time the thunder boomed or lightning flashed. After a rather loud boom, the ground shook and Quinn suddenly moved very close to him. As close as she could get without actually touching him. She's close enough I could just reach out and touch her.
Quinn could feel the warmth from Zoro's body slowly seep into her own. He smells so good and his steady breathing is so relaxing...it truly makes me feel safe having him here close by. Soon, both fell asleep as the storm finally gave out, leaving the sound of the crackling fire in its wake.
Why is it so cold out? He was momentarily confused by his surroundings until the events of earlier came back to him. Quinn was right about it getting cold. Awareness of a warmth along his side caused Zoro to look in that direction, and surprise took over his features as he found a mop of blue hair resting on his chest. What the hell!? Why is she wrapped around me? Further examination found him and Quinn in a fairly compromising position. She was pressed up against his side so tightly that he could feel every curve of her body. How can a person feel so much more curvy than they look? My hands are itching to run up and down her body. What is wrong with me, I sound as bad as the damn love cook. Shit, it must be all the alcohol we drank. One of her arms had somehow managed to find its way under him and her hand was clutching his waist, while the other one rested on his chest. His arms apparently had minds of their own, traitorous bastards...one was wrapped around Quinn's body and was resting on her hip and the other found itself grasping the thigh of her leg that was thrown across his waist. Shit, she's going to think I'm trying to molest her! How did this suddenly become so complicated? Panic set in for a second, until Zoro realized that Quinn was still very much asleep. Okay Zoro. Relax. Her breathing is deep, so if I don't freak out she should stay asleep. Besides, I won't get this opportunity again in the foreseeable future. Good night, I'm spending too much time with those perverts on the ship. He decided to just go with it...the alcohol in his system had completely destroyed his give-a-fuck and he turned towards Quinn, pulling her towards himself and wrapping her up in his arms as he buried his nose in her hair. She smells so good. Dammit, I must be losing my mind. He took a deep breath and let himself drift back to sleep, the cold forgotten.
What now? Dammit! Can't a man just sleep off his drunk in peace anymore? Zoro was brought out of his sleep by the feeling of lips pressed against his collarbone, eyes snapping open at the action. Arms wrapped themselves around Zoro's back as Quinn hugged him to her and a deep sigh left her and drifted across Zoro's skin as she buried her nose into his neck, "Mmm, Zoro". A shiver ran down his spine as his name rolled across his skin, causing a heaviness to settle deep inside of him. Holy shit that was hot! Fuck! What is wrong with me? I'm going to kick the cook's ass...this has to be his fault somehow. Blunt nails scraped down his back, leaving a trail of goosebumps before he felt a thumb run across his cheek to settle in front of his ear, palm along his jaw and fingers threaded through his hair. Slightly calloused, warm skin felt good against his face and he unconsciously leaned into the touch. Soft, plump lips pressed against his cheek and Zoro felt his eyes drift shut at the gentle feeling. Mmm, this feels so good...she feels so good. Not what I'm used to dealing with, but I wouldn't mind it more often.
Yeah, you're all I never knew I needed,
And the heart, sometimes it's unclear why it's beating.
The hand at the back of his neck pulled him down towards the petite woman in his arms until his chin rested on her shoulder. Quinn did her best to wrap her arms around Zoro...an overwhelming feeling of needing to comfort him and be comforted, had hit her. Breaths mingled and skin connected with skin as the distance between them disappeared. They both inhaled deeply at the contact. Completely enveloped in each others scent and warmth, they could barely discern the others steady heartbeat from their own. Zoro shuttered as a deep sigh escaped him and he felt himself tightening his hold on the woman in his arms as he buried his face in her neck. He didn't know why this feeling had suddenly come over him, probably a bad reaction to the alcohol, but being here with Quinn made it better. They drifted back to sleep, tangled in a mess of limbs.
Is it morning already? Man, I'm actually feeling pretty good. I suppose sleeping on the ship all the time isn't the best. Morning brought Zoro out of the best sleep he could remember having in ages. The sun was up and there was a warm breeze drifting through the house. He noticed the spot next to him was no longer occupied and that he could hear humming coming from somewhere else in the house. Zoro stretched in his spot and clasped his hands together behind his head. He laid there lounging for a bit, taking in his surroundings...enjoying the temporary peacefulness of a morning uninterrupted by rambunctious crewmates. It's been a long time since I've had such a peaceful morning. He noted Quinn's sword in a holder along the wall. Quinn bounced into the room a few minutes later with a bright smile and a hello as she made her way to the other side of the house. She returned a few minutes later with his clothes. I should get back to the ship before everyone starts wondering where I've been.
There was something about Quinn...he wasn't sure what it was, but he was glad that he had met her. He knew that he needed to get back to the crew so they could head to the next island. Walking back into the main room, Zoro started to put his shirt back on, but was interrupted as arms wrapped around him from behind. What the hell am I doing? I just saw him standing there and couldn't help touching him. He tensed up for a second before he felt Quinn bury her face in his back, relaxing as she released a breath between his shoulder blades. I'm such an idiot, but I'll take advantage since he hasn't pulled away yet. Zoro shuttered as Quinn ran her hands from his waist, up along his spine, and across his shoulders. They stood there in silence for a moment before Quinn stepped back and allowed Zoro to finish putting his shirt on. It's harder than I thought…to not lean back into her.
Zoro turned around to face Quinn and was immediately enveloped into a hug, her arms circling his neck and pulling him close to her as his arms automatically wrapped around her waist. For a moment the world fell away and it was only the two of them. Quinn pressed a kiss to his cheek as she released him, "Hey, I made you some food since I'm guessing your crewmates have already eaten by now. I'll show you to the docks if you like?" "Uh, thanks Quinn. I really appreciate it", came Zoro's response as he secured his swords to his side once again. "No problem, it's really easy to get turned around in this town if you aren't familiar with it. Plus, I'd like to get a look at the rest of the crew", Quinn replied with a slight blush as Zoro gave her a 'why would you want to see those idiots' look. He's much more indulgent that I figured he would be. Maybe it's just part of being in the crew?
It was a fairly quick walk to the port, most of it filled with a comfortable silence. Quinn would brush up against Zoro every little bit and he suspected it was as much on purpose as it was an accident. She would blush at him when it was on purpose and then give him a look that dared him to say something when it was an accident. When they arrived at the dock where the Sunny was, the crew was nowhere to be seen. Quinn sported a slight pout before she bounced back, "Oh, well. If pirates were easy to find, they'd all have been captured, right?" She handed Zoro the food she made, gave him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before showing him a bright smile, which caused him to smile in return before she turned to leave, "It was great to meet you, Zoro! Maybe we will see each other again soon!" "Bye, Quinn." One final wave and Zoro lost sight of her in the crowd. Zoro looked down at his hand as though it had betrayed him. What is wrong with me? I almost reached out for her. I need to clear my head and get focused again.
ORIGINAL POSTING DATE: September 21, 2016
WORDS: 4,083
