Disclaimer: If I owned these characters then the world would be doomed. So I don't.

a/n: I usually refrain from writing angst! T3T There isn't much angst, most of it is just conflict between the characters.

Note: read the a/n below afterwards, as it explains some things about the story :)

Nami watched them nervously, feeling her jaw tighten as her eyes moved over first Vivi and then Zoro. They were talking to each other, simply talking. So why was her face getting so heated? Why was so getting so upset?

It hadn't always been like this. Only a few days ago, Zoro and Vivi had acted like normal – respectful to each other, but not familiar. The respect was still there now, but it was different. As if, overnight, they had suddenly become close.

Vivi smiled saying something inaudible, Nami straining in vain to hear what it was. She saw Zoro laugh. Nami was rattled. She could make him laugh?

Nami shook these thoughts from her head, angry with herself. So what if she made him laugh? Why did she care? Nami searched herself, looking for answers. She was so confused. Didn't she usually hate that man? The idle green-haired swordsman who she got so irritated with.

She looked at him, her eyes absorbing his features. Her stomach tightened, flipping at the very thought of him. When she looked at him, it was as if nothing else existed. A sigh escaped from her lips, one she could barely hear. However it seemed it was loud enough for others to notice, as both Zoro and Vivi turned, looking in surprise at the navigator.

"Are you alright?" Vivi's voice cut through Nami's dream, plunging her back into reality.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "What's with you?"

Nami stiffened, realising they had caught her staring and she struggled to hide her embarrassment. "N-Nothing!" She looked up at Zoro petulantly, as if it was his fault. She didn't know how to respond otherwise. The only thing she knew how to do in front of Zoro was how to be angry. And she cursed herself for it.

Zoro didn't respond, his eyes moving over her face, examining her carefully.

Nami shivered involuntarily. It was frightening, having him look into you like that. But somehow, it connected them and she didn't want him to look away.

"Nami?" Vivi asked again, worry ringing in her tone.

Nami broke the connection reluctantly. "I'm fine." Was she?

Vivi smiled in her always graceful manner. "You just looked a bit spaced out there."

"Sorry. I was for a bit." Nami didn't have it in her to face Zoro's burning gaze again. Her cheeks reddened, knowing that his eyes were fixed on her. She felt suddenly angry. Why did he make her feel like this? It wasn't fair. She was so used to having the upper hand. This was so alien to her. "Actually...I think I'll go to my room."

Vivi looked surprise. "Oh…oh okay."

Nami gave her a forced smile glancing at Zoro a little. "I think I'm…getting in the way a bit." She saw Vivi blush at this, while Zoro just looked in confusion at Nami as she headed back to her room. She shut the door, her hand resting on the knob.

I made the right decision, she thought, although she could feel a lump forming in her throat. She had done what a good friend was supposed to do. Right? She glanced at the door, fidgeting. What were they doing now? Now that they were out of sight, in privacy? Nami couldn't resist kneeling at the door and opening it a fraction.

"Zoro…" It was Vivi talking, small and nervous, her voice almost lost in the air. The blue-haired girl had her back mostly to Nami, and only the swordsman's face was visible, his eyes lying expectantly on the princess. Zoro? Nami was alarmed that vivi was calling him by his actual name. Not Mr Bushido?

"I'd like to ask you something," Vivi continued, sounding a little more confident this time.

Zoro seemed casual, his arms crossed on his chest. "Go ahead."

Vivi suddenly moved forward, pressing herself against the swordsman, her toes pushing her upwards slightly.

Nami's heart beat was racing. What?

Vivi's lips met Zoro's and she moved her arms around his neck, hanging them there before pulling her lips away, searching his eyes.

"Do you love me?"

Nami felt as if she had been struck by a blade, she felt herself become heavy

Zoro seemed surprised. He opened his mouth to answer.

Suddenly the door Nami had been leaning on slipped out of her reach and she fell forward noisily. She looked up fearfully, grappling for something to help her stand, leaning against the door, unable to speak.

Vivi had turned around in surprise but was now looking at Nami, anxiety on her face. "Nami…you're crying…"

Nami stiffened, slapping a hand to her cheek. Her fingers touched something wet and she looked at her hand, her face heating up.

Zoro's eyes were on her, his features betraying concern.

Nami looked up at him and she felt a dozen emotions fill her at once. She felt a few jagged breaths arise in her throat before she had started streaming tears, powerless to stop them, embarrassment flooding her face.

Zoro had moved towards her but she bolted inside, humiliation eating at her. Why? Why did she have to feel that way about someone like him? She circled herself on her bed, burying her face in her pillow, her sheets muffling her sobs.

There was a click of a door shutting and Nami didn't look up. "I don't want to talk, Vivi."

"Nami."

The navigator recognized the low rumbling voice straight away, snapping her head up in surprise. No, anyone but him. She hid her face, suddenly horribly aware of how she probably looked after her outbreak of tears. "Go away!" she shouted, her voice cracking.

"I won't," the swordsman said, his prized weapons clinking softly beside him as he walked towards her.

Not any closer! Nami threw a pillow at him, in order to defer him. "I-I hate you!" She tried to convince herself with the harsh words. She wanted to hate him. Anything was better than how she really felt.

The clinking stopped as he paused.

Nami peeked from her curtain of hair. He was gazing at her, his face betraying nothing at all now. Stubbornly she persisted. "Get out. I don't want to see you."

"I don't believe you."

His arms were suddenly caging her in. She hadn't even heard him move. She felt his heat above her, exaggerated by the own heat which reddened her face. Her heart beat quickened and she was afraid he would detect it. "Get away from me!" cried Nami, angry tears blurring her vision.

"I won't."

Nami tried to shove him off, gritting her teeth in determination. She didn't know how to respond to him. She could only be irritated. "What's you're problem?"

Zoro's earrings jingled near her ear. She could feel his breath hot on her neck. "My problem? My problem is you."

Nami turned to look at him, immediately being fixed in that position by the swordsman.

He looked annoyed, angry almost. "You've been avoiding me."

Avoiding? Nami thought back to the past few days. It had been unconscious process – she had shrunk back, seeing him and Vivi together constantly and her confidence in talking to Zoro had dissolved slowly over that time into timidity. Nami looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes, frightened that she'd give something away.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he persisted, his irritation still clear in his voice.

"Why do you care?" hissed Nami in retaliation, struggling against his grip.

He remained silent for a while. "Why can't you tell me?"

Nami felt her eyes water once again. Because… "Why should I tell you?" She let her anger control her, unable to give a response.

He paused for a moment, his grip loosening. "I .." He faltered. "I don't love Vivi."

Nami's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening. She disguised it quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed. "Oh?" She tried to seem indifferent.

He looked at Nami, who glance at him, seeing the anticipation in his eyes. Was she meant to say something?"It's…none of my business," said Nami, although it was without conviction. She was dangerously close to crying again, although she fought back the urge determinedly.

Zoro's face fell slightly before it was once again his usual stony, stoic expression. "Oh." He let go of her, moving to leave.

Nami's hand shot out, grabbing his arm. She was looking up, her face twisted in a grimace of reluctance.

The swordsman glanced at her, surprised.

"I-I'm…glad," Nami managed to choke, the effort to say it bared in her expression. She searched him for a response, feeling suddenly very exposed. Tears had began to leak from her, despite her struggles.

Zoro didn't respond, only gazed back at the navigator and at the hand stopping his arm.

She ground her teeth stubbornly, bowing her head so that her face wasn't visible. What she really felt…could she admit it? "I…" She took a deep breath, sniffing the tears back. "Zoro, I…" Could she handle the answer? "I love you..." Her hand slipped from his arm, to wipe her soaked face. "I love you, Zoro…"

She heard nothing and she felt her lips quiver. The silence hollowed her. Drops of her grief patterned her knees below. Was this his answer? "Zoro…" The word was heavy on her tongue.

She was suddenly embraced, two large arms wrapping around her, pulling her into warmth. It took her a moment to realise who it was and when she did, she looked up at him in confusion, her mouth moving to saying something, nothing coming out.

There was a faint smile on his rugged face, as he leaned towards her, hand stroking her hair. "Took your time woman," he whispered with a ghost of a laugh, his breath fanning her lips. And he closed the gap, brushing his lips against hers before sealing them together, neither able to pull away.

Vivi stood outside brushing some blue strands behind her ear, anguish draining her usually lively features. Although nobody was there, she blushed, thinking about the things she had overheard and her own actions.

She remembered how Zoro had answered her after Nami had ran to her room. Blunt and stern. "I'm in love with Nami."

She smiled at her own foolishness. The signs had been there but, she had just refused to acknowledge them. She looked up, noticing the galley light.

Climbing up the stairs, she entered, the blonde-haired cook giving her a smile of greeting.

"Would you like anything?" he asked gently, guiding her to a seat.

"Thankyou, Sanji."

Perhaps these things happened for a reason.

a/n: When nami says its like Vivi and Zoro were friends overnight it is referring to a fanfic I wrote before this but then scrapped. I might write it later as a comedy.

It's about:

The Strawhats arrive at an island where Zoro is forced to model by the villagers who think he's Mousse Brandy – a star famous for modelling. And then when the actual star comes along, things get interesting. It doesn't have pairings, but Vivi and Zoro grow closer through it.

Ya. Hopefully I'll write it. If not, here you go :)

Plz R&R to make me smile. I love it when you do.