Maris and Zoro could practically be textbook soul mates. From her seat upon the upper deck, shaded by the large umbrella of the table, Robin smiled fondly at her crewmates down below and gave a light laugh at the new scene. Nami questioned her friend and followed the older woman's gaze, taking on a sly grin. Zoro was sitting upon the grassy deck with his back resting upon the rail, something that was not unusual. However, it was the smaller form lying beside him that made it a memorable picture. Maris lay on her back with her head rested upon the swordsman's legs. Her eyes were hidden beneath the rim of a sunhat that shaded her face and her legs were propped up so that the book she was reading rested against them. Zoro stirred and yawned wide. He blinked sleepily and flicked the rim of the girls hat as he mumbled something inaudible to the spectators. Maris scowled and held the top of her hat to keep it from falling. She turned her head slightly to him and gave a short reply before returning her attention to her novel. Zoro huffed and he took on a scowl of his own, only for it to disappear moments later as he crossed his arms behind his head and fell back into a doze. Maris lazily flipped to the next page. The older women were interrupted then as Sanji noisily approached with a tray of delectable sweets. He moved to the railing of the upper deck to call for the younger woman down below, but was stopped by Robin.
One hour later
Robin stood and gave her arms a light stretch before looking back down onto the lower deck. Once again she felt a smile upon her face and across the table she silently called Nami with a wave. Down below the two had not moved from the spot. However, the novel now laid across Maris' stomach and her hat was tilted over her face to block the warm sunrays. One of her arms reached out to her side while the other rested bent with the back of her hand upon Zoro's lower leg. Zoro had at some point crossed his arms over his chest from where they had then relaxed until they rested in his lap. One of his hands had fallen close to the sleeping girls head and his fingers were slightly covered under her short brown hair. Zoro woke suddenly as Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper shouted excitedly about a rather large fish Luffy had caught. As if routine, Zoro yawned wide and stretched his arms. He rubbed his head half-sleep and moved to stand until he noticed the person still laying upon his legs. He paused and scowled as he contemplated whether to wake the girl or stay where he was as his legs started to go numb. The girl stirred at the slight movement. She raised her outstretched arm to scratch her head, but when her attempt was foiled by her sunhat she let her arm drop back to the ground and fell back into a doze. Above, Nami and Robin giggled. Zoro's scowl softened and he gazed upon the hat that hid her face. Robin gave a curious hum and sat back in her seat under the shade to watch. The two women turned away quickly as the green haired man glanced about, and they dared a peek moments later. Zoro reached foreword and gently pinched the rim of the hat. He slowly and cautiously lifted it up and away from Maris's face. Nami sent a sly grin to her friend as they both caught an unusual expression upon his face. Suddenly, his eyes widened in panic and he smashed the hat back over her face in a quite crude manner. Maris' entire body twitched and they heard a muffled shout. Maris sat up and ripped the hat off her head before turning to the flustered man and unleashing her wrath in the form of smashing the sunhat in Zoro's face. Zoro gave a small startled yell as the back of his head hit the rail. He took the hat away from his face and geared up for a fight. However, Maris was already halfway across the deck and stomping her way to the upper deck to join the girls above. Maris plopped herself into one of the deck chairs with an indignant huff and set her book upon the table. She accepted a iced fruity drink from the swooning cook, and sitting back in her chair she joined in some idle chat with her girlfriends. However, noticed only by her companions, below them Zoro had once again fallen asleep with his face shaded by a sunhat.