Nami sighed. They'd been walking around this Christmas market for nearly half an hour and while most of the crew was more than excited by the lights, the festive decoration and those adorable children singing Christmas songs, she just couldn't get in the mood for the upcoming holiday.
They had just arrived at this winter island. At the port, they learned that the lock port needed 10 days to reset and that the people living on this island were just about to celebrate Christmas.
At first, Nami was ecstatic since she hasn't celebrated a decent Christmas feast in years and soon it was decided that the crew would join in on the festivities. As soon as they had dinner that evening the crew emanated to visit the town's Christmas market.
Right now, Nami wasn't so sure why she liked the idea so much in the beginning. She sighed again and shook her head free of the snowflakes that had just landed on her head.
Even though it was just snowing lightly – which only completed the picture of this perfect pre-Christmas scenery – Nami could feel her hair getting slightly wet from the melting snow on her head. And her hands were cold as well. Why didn't she think about putting on her gloves when they left the Sunny?
She swore to herself. Loudly.
"Oi, what's up with you, witch?" She heard a voice to her left.
Zoro was sitting with his back against a house wall with his hands folded behind his head.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" He teased Nami when she didn't say anything. She looked away from him and raised her hands in front of her mouth to blow her warm breath against them.
Zoro frowned at that but before he could say anything, Nami hissed: "What's it to you?" She really wasn't in the mood to cope with him and his attitude right now.
"Hey, no need to be so peeved, geez, woman. I was just wondering why you aren't loaded with countless bags full of unnecessary stuff" Zoro shrugged, closing his eye and leaning bag against the wall.
"I never shop unnecessary stuff, just so you know it!" She pressed out through gritted teeth. That stupid knucklehead. How dare he….!
"If you say so" he scoffed, not bothering to open his eye.
Calming herself, Nami sighed for the third time in less than five minutes. When she looked back at Zoro her expression softened. Quietly, she said: "I just don't seem to be in the mood for anything Christmas related."
That got Zoro's attention. Opening his good eye he saw her looking at the path leading out of the village before she said: "Well, I guess I'm taking a walk. It just seems so crowded here I can't stand it. I need a little air to breath."
She made to leave him alone when she noticed Zoro getting up and fixing his swords to his thick winter coat.
While watching him, Nami saw him wearing gloves. ~Well, obviously he's more intelligent than I am in this matter~ she thought. To Zoro, she said confused: "What are you doing?"
"Isn't that obvious?" he told her, "I'm coming with you." And with that he started in the direction she was headed, leading them out of town.
Nami frowned. Out of reflex she wanted to say no but then she couldn't think of a reason why he shouldn't accompany her. She even caught herself liking the thought.
"You coming?" Zoro interrupted her thoughts and she realized that he was several meters before her, about to take the lead. Nami couldn't let that happen.
"Wait for me, you'll just get us lost if you go ahead." She hurried to catch up to him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked her appalled but when he got no answer he fell into pace next to her.
Silently they walked next to each other. Once they reached the outskirts of the village, leaving the turmoil and the happy voices in their back, they could see miles of snow covered fields and trees before them.
Snowflakes were dancing around them in the dark and Nami thought that the darkness and tranquility were just what she needed right now.
As they went on, Nami took a deep breath of the night air and she felt as if a weight was lifted from her lungs.
Zoro peeked at her. "Penny for your thoughts…" he mumbled.
"Hm…?" Nami let out, startled as Zoro's voice sounded through the quiet around them. She took a moment to think about her answer. Then she thought that she could very well tell him…
"It's stupid but the last time I had a real Christmas was when I was little." She paused than added in a whisper "When my mom was still alive."
Zoro could hear the tears in her voice but he didn't know what to do about it. "We were so happy, back then, you know? Even though we were poor." Nami proceeded.
"It's just…. I miss her so much" she breathed and raised a hand to rub her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of him right now. He would probably think of her as weak and childish.
"I don't think it's stupid" Zoro said without looking at her. "It's nothing wrong with missing somebody who's… gone."
His mind wandered to the two or three Christmas celebrations he had to participate in when he still trained in Koshiro's dojo. It was chaotic and loud and back then he hated every second of it but in retrospect he really missed it. After Kuina's death, Christmas has never been the same in the dojo.
Zoro shook his head. No use in reminiscing. Not like he could change the past.
Beside him, he could see Nami nod her head. "Yeah, right. Thank you." She smiled up at him and he could feel his heart speed up at that. He was glad suddenly that it was so dark because he was sure he was blushing.
He cleared his throat. "You're welcome" was all he got out but Nami didn't really pay attention to him. She had raised her hands in front of her mouth again, like Zoro had seen her doing before in the village.
Right now, she was busy rubbing her hands against each other and breathing on her fingers. They were nearly numb. Why was she so stupid to think she could go out without gloves?
Beside her, Zoro came to a halt which made her stop beside him as well. Confused, she wanted to ask him why he interrupted their walk so suddenly but before she could get out a word, Zoro's glove covered hands took her own hands between his.
Zoro didn't know why he did it but he started rubbing her hands for her, trying to warm them up.
But it was no good. His own hands were warm inside his gloves but their outside didn't do the trick in warming Nami up.
Without further thought he took off his right gloves to pull it onto Nami's right hand.
"Zoro, what…?" she began but was silenced by the welcoming warmth enveloping her now gloved hand. She actually began to feel her fingers again.
Her left hand was still clasped in Zoro's now uncovered but very warm right hand. It felt even better than the glove on her other hand but she'd rather die on the spot than tell him that.
Her cheeks would have blushed if they weren't already red from the cold and she was certain her whole head turned beat red when Zoro pulled her in a little more. He then raised her hand up so he could blow his own hot breath onto her fingers.
While doing so his gaze never left hers. Nami was rendered speechless. What had gotten into Zoro? He never acted this gentle with her but if she was honest, she quite liked that side of him.
"Better?" he asked her after a few seconds and really both her hands had regained their feeling.
Nodding, Nami smiled at him. She didn't know why but the intense look she got from Zoro made her heart bump hard against her ribcage and she felt all giddy on the inside.
"Good" Zoro said stiffly and turned to resume with their walk. To Nami's utter surprise he didn't let go of her hand and she felt that she didn't want to leave the warmth of his hand either.
She felt like his hand had managed to warm up her whole body without even touching. She squeezed his hand a little, hoping he would understand it as a thank you for warming her up, listening to her thoughts and for still not letting go of her hand.
His answer was a squeeze in return and she knew he got the message. They've always been good in communicating through their actions rather than through their words when it came to feelings. Never before had Nami realized how much she liked this connection.
They continued their stroll silently. Nami turned them into the right direction whenever it was needed and after a while of strolling around hand in hand, they found their way back to the Sunny.
There were no lights or voices on the Sunny so they figured that the others were still out. Nami found that she didn't care. Zoro lend her to the girls' quarters without letting go of her hand.
When they reached the door, Zoro turned to face Nami, a slight smile on his face.
"Well then, sleep well Nami." He whispered before he raised her hand to his mouth and laid a gentle kiss on her knuckles. Zoro couldn't help but tease her a little.
Nami was glued to the spot for a second before she jerked her hand away from him, cradling it to her chest. Her heart beat so fast that she thought it would jump out of her chest.
Zoro just laughed at her and left her to make his way up into the crow's nest. A good, exhausting workout would be just perfect to relieve all the excitement he was feeling right now.
He was just about to climb up the ladder at the mast when Nami's voice stopped him.
"Hey, Zoro. I'm still wearing your glove…" Zoro looked at his hands and indeed he was still missing the right one. Looking up at her he could see that she was still wearing it.
"Well, it seems you'd just have to give it back to me when we meet again" he said, smiling smugly.
Nami could have sworn he was so close to wink at her with his one eye. She couldn't believe him. What the hell was he talking about? Was he trying to flirt with her? They saw each other all the time…
"But…" she started but Zoro interrupted her by saying "Goodnight, Nami." With that he made his way up to the crow's nest.
Nami shook her head and made her way to her room to get ready for bed.
"Idiot" she whispered into the dark but couldn't contain the smile that spread across her face.
If Nico Robin found her later, laying in her bed with a glove pressed to her face that Robin was sure to have seen on a certain swordsman earlier that evening… Well then, Nami sure as hell wouldn't admit it.