Hey Guys! Another ficcy from Rielle, all in the name of Christmas...and Ryoku's Jiki Sweetie's Christmas Competition. Have a great christmas guys and happy writing!!!

Zoro stood silently at the bow of the ship as he let the tiny snowflakes dance lightly onto his rested face. His nose and lips were already half frozen, but he didn't seem to mind it that much. The falling flakes seemed to have him intrigued with the white clouds that hung low in the night air. The sounds of the Christmas feast were echoing out onto the calming sea as shadows danced from the light at the window.

There was barely any wind, and he liked that, it made him feel at ease. However it wouldn't be long now before one of the others would notice the freshly falling snow and the peace of his thoughts would be disturbed by his crewmates frolicking around in the white mist.

Sticking out a warm hand that he had been keeping in the pockets of his jacket, he let the clear white flakes pile up until no more would stay on his slowly freezing palm.

He liked the snow. It had a way of calming him down, no matter how angry he might be at the time. As long as there was snow he was at ease. Sticking his hand back into his pocket he breathed in the freshness of winter. It was nice to be alone for once, just standing, listening to the gentle waves that lapped at the moored ship and feeling the cold breeze at his face.

A sweet tune seemed to be playing on the cool air, like a little child's music box, which would send them to sleep on lonely nights. Zoro leaned against the rails as he let his body become entwined with the gentle melody.

"Zoro!"

His eyes flashed open as he suddenly realized that his peace was about to be disturbed. Looking back he could see Nami standing in the light from the window that made her bright orange hair shimmer in its raise. A long thick coat draped to her ankles, which were covered in big fluffy boots.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked scuffing at the snow as she made her way over to him.

He just let his loose gaze fix on her, as words seemed to be hard to form in his mouth.

Her eyes seemed to stand out more than usual!

Turning away he stared back up at the falling flakes. Nami tilted her head slightly as she looked up at his tall quite dense figure, which seemed to sway slightly in the gentle breeze.

"Aren't you cold?" she whispered, as he had failed to answer her first question.

"…I don't mind it that much…" he muttered sniffing from his almost frozen nose.

She stood gazing up at him with a gentle look on her face as the white snow began to build up on her head and shoulders. It made him feel a bit awkward. Not just because he had hoped for a bit more piece and quite, but also because it was unusual to see Nami with this much concern and softness on her face. It made him feel strange inside, and he didn't like it. In fact he didn't like most things that he couldn't control in his body. That's why he hated getting emotional.

"Where're you going?" he asked in a hurriedly voice as he noticed Nami beginning to move away out of the corner of his eye.

As much as he had wanted to be left in silence, now that she was here, it felt lonely as she began to part from his side.

"I said that I was going inside," she said turning back to face him. "It's getting cold out here."

"…O…oh!" he stammered. "Right…"

She gave him that gentle gaze again, which made him bite the inside of his lip and turn away.

"I'll stay out here if you want me to," she whispered as Zoro clenched his fists to stop them from shaking.

"…I…no…uh…yes…" he almost shouted in confusion. "…Would you please…?"

Nami felt her eyes widen as she stared at the shaking swordsman. He had basically begged her to stay with him. Never before had she seen Zoro so open and fragile in her life. He looked like a lonely child, an innocent and abandoned lonely child.

"Okay…" she smiled as she regained her standing position next to him.

"…Thank you…" he whispered so quietly that the breeze almost stole it away from her ears.

They stood in silence for a while as the party inside continued to ring in the night before Zoro looked back down at the tangerine haired girl who was gripping her coat tightly around herself.

"Do you like snow Zoro?" she asked shivering as her breath wavered in front of her pink face.

"I…I don't mind it," he stuttered as he looked down at the white covered deck beneath his feet. "You know that you can go inside if your really cold."

"But you want me to stay," she whispered with an innocent look on her face as her gentle eyes gazed up at him.

Zoro felt his breathing harden as he snapped his eyes back onto the dark sea below them. Why did he have to act like this? Why wasn't his body listening to his brain? Her warm fingers suddenly wrapped around one his cold hands, which almost made him jump.

"Zoro you are cold!" she stated as his bottom lip began to shake. "Your hands are like ice!"

He looked down at her as he breathed in hard and slow, her eyes showing that concerned look once again.

"I just said that I didn't mind it," he said bluntly as her warm fingers picked up his other hand and held them in close.

"You'll get frost bite," she pointed out with a worried look on her face. "You really should be more careful. If you lose your fingers, how're you ment to hold your swords?"

Zoro gritted his teeth. Why was she being like this? She'd never shown this much concern for him before.

"What's up with you tonight?" he asked before he could stop himself. "Since when did you care about whether I got frost bite or not?"

Shit!

Her eyes became dull and hurt as she looked down at their still joined hands.

"Sorry…" he whispered taking his hands away from hers. "I was just expecting this to cost me something or—never mind."

"It's okay," she muttered. "You can't help it, with your blunt swordsman attitude. I guess that I shouldn't have expected anything else."

Zoro looked down at her as she stared into the depths of the ocean.

"What were you expecting?" he asked, dry at the throat.

"I dunno?" she sighed letting the stiffness of her shoulders fall. "Maybe something magical."

"Hey I'm only a swordsman, not a magician," Zoro stated putting his hands up defensively. "If you want magic then try Usopp!"

Nami regained her smile as she glanced back up at him.

"Are you sure?" she asked taking a step inwards. "I'm pretty sure that you could do something magical for me!"

"R…really…" he stuttered as he forced down a swallow. "…a…and what would that be?"

She was close now and his heart wouldn't stop pumping. He was pretty sure that if Nami came any nearer to him then she would hear it, thumping in his chest.

"It's only very simple," she said with excitement in her eyes, "and it wont cost you a single beli!"

"Why does this seen like it will then?" he asked leaning back a little.

"I'll show you first if you want," she grinned up at him. "It won't take long."

Zoro's eyes widened as his boy mind slipped into an unpleasant conclusion. What was this little bit of magic that she was talking about?

Nami had her hands on his chest and her mouth just under his chin that he was holding up high as if afraid of her.

"I don't see anything," he breathed as her hands trailed up to his neck where he could feel the touch of her warm breath against it.

One of her hands suddenly pulled on his earrings tilting his head down in her direction.

"OWWWW! You idiot! You call that magic!" he blurted out. "You almost tore my ear to shreds. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," she smiled before she reached up and pulled his lips down onto hers.

Zoro felt his heart miss a beat as he slowly took in what had just happened. Ignoring the pain from his ear. Nami gently let go as her eyes glanced up at him with hope.

"Was that magical enough for you?" she asked as Zoro stood there with complete shock.

Glancing down at her he couldn't help but smile.

"Very magical…" he whispered as he bent down once again to hold her within his grasps.

Again, thanks for all the support you've shown Rielle in the past few months that she's established herself as a fanfic writer. Your reviews mighn't take you long, you might forget about them...but they mean the world to Rielle and we reply to all your reviews just to show you how grateful we are! So please review if you have time, and on behalf of Rielle and our gang of fanfic writers, I want to wish you a very merry christmas!!!

The Friend