Disclaimer: I definitely don't own either One Piece or Naruto. I don't even see how anyone would make that mistake? Eh, whatever.

Plum Wine

It had been another ordinary day for Hinata Hyuuga. And by "ordinary," we mean to say that it was another day of her living far from Konoha (which was on the other side of the world at that point, thankfully), hiding from the organization known as the World Government, and basically trying to build a somewhat normal life somewhere on the Grand Line—a life that wouldn't require her to move from place to place once someone recognized her from her wanted poster.

So, by the time her fifteenth day on some island ended, Hinata was tired from her (temporary) job as a waitress at some restaurant and was hoping to find a hot meal somewhere. Preferably, including one very hard drink, but that was negotiable.

Luckily, she managed to find both at a tavern on the far side of the town she was staying at. A tavern that was loud with drunken laughter and almost full to the brim with rowdy men and women, both pirate and bandit aplenty—but luckily, no Marines. Not the best place she could have gone to, but hey, criminals take what they can get.

The food was okay, not exactly five star, but Hinata found it edible. Honestly, the drink she ordered was what made the night truly pleasant so far. It was a chilled plum wine, freshly imported from her part of the sea. She closed her eyes as she took another sip; the bittersweet flavor tasted like home.

"You sure you're old enough to drink that?"

Hinata didn't bother opening her eyes, let alone turn around. Even without her Byakugan, she could tell he was sitting at the bar behind her—and she knew enough about his reputation to recognize him.

"I just turned seventeen."

He gave her a look back, his expression rather steely, even with that scar covering his eye. Then he smirked. He turned back to the bar, grabbed his bottle of sake, and then stood on the other side of her table.

"May I?" He asked.

Hinata opened one eye and stared up at him. Then she closed it again. "You may."

He sat down and proceeded to calmly drink his sake, his one revealed eye not looking away from her. Hinata did the same, making sure to take small sips and to keep her senses in check.

Minutes passed, with this tension going back and forth, even with all the sound and rowdiness happening around them. Hinata finally opened her eyes and stared at him as she poured some more plum wine into her shot glass. He eyed her back.

She put on a polite, almost bashful smile. "Would you like some, sir? It's quite good."

"Thanks, but I'm good with what I got," he said, gesturing to his bottle. "You should probably stop, though. If that plum wine's as strong as I think it is, it might not be safe."

"'Safe'." Hinata almost laughed, but settled for a soft, feminine giggle instead. When she saw him blink, taken aback, she waved at him. "Sorry, sorry, sir! You sounded a bit like my father just now."

He narrowed his eye and scowled. "Oi, oi, is this your way of calling me an old man?"

Hinata made herself frown, almost pout, and she placed a hand on her chest; the picture of affronted. "Oh, I would never, sir. Never out loud, of course."

"That sounds like bullshit."

"I assure you, sir." She smiled and made her eyes all wide and innocent-like. "It's my way to only speak the truth."

"Really?" He smirked then, this time looking very much like a creature on the hunt. "That's not what I heard when it comes to Shinobi."

—and, boom, goes the dynamite!

Hinata kept her smile on, even as little droplets of sweat slid down the side of her head. She put down her glass and propped her hands on the table, lacing her fingers and resting her chin there.

"What gave me away?"

"Well, that tattoo on your shoulder certainly didn't give you any favors," he said, giving her a pointed look. "Village Hidden in the Leaves, correct?"

"Yes," she answered, because there would be no point in lying.

"I'm a little surprised, honestly. Usually, you Ninjas just wear the headbands to represent your village. But you don't seem to have one," he added in a mutter, tilting his head to search.

Hinata went blank and stared down at the table, her dark bangs hiding her expression. "...I wasn't allowed to keep it."

He blinked, then lifted his bottle to drink. "Why's that?"

"I was banished."

He paused, then stared at her. "...What for?"

Hinata lifted her head enough to stare at him with one gleaming white eye. "Attempted murder."

He put the bottle down, sat back in his chair, and gave Hinata a stare that felt too long and was too blank. Hinata crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her gaze away from the stare. To the man's credit, he didn't ask whether she actually committed the crime or not—something Hinata was much grateful for, because she was sick of giving the same answer over and over.

"...I'm guessing the World Government wants you for the same thing?" He asked after a moment.

Hinata snorted. "No, no, that was murder."

A thin green eyebrow raised. "Definitely?"

She gave him a look, one that gave him more than an answer.

The man with the three swords at his side continued to stare at her for a moment or so—and then, he smirked. He stood up from his seat and grasped the hilt of one of his swords. Hinata watched him, her brow furrowed, and she swallowed.

"Oi, Ninja-girl," he said.

"Y-yes?" Damn it! Thought I got rid of that.

"Fight me."

Hinata's eyes went wide, her mouth dropping. "E-e-eh?!"

"You heard me," he smirked. "Let's go out to the beach and fight. Just you and me. Let's prove which fighting technique is superior: the sword, or jutsu."

Hinata glared up at him and, despite the tremor in her limbs, she stood up from her chair and faced him. Still, she was wary. The energy flowing through him wasn't exactly chakra (and yet the same? She's still not sure), but what she felt was enough to indicate just how strong he was.

For not the first time in the year that she's been away from Konoha, Hinata longed for Naruto's presence—or any of her friends, really. If anyone could stand their own against the man known as Roronoa Zoro, it would be them.

But they weren't there. No, they had all turned their back on her the minute Tsunade called out that sentence. Once again, Hinata was reminded of just how alone she was, how she truly didn't have a home to go back to.

And with that said—what more did she have to lose, really?

And so, Hinata Hyuuga clenched her fists and lifted her chin to stare up at Zoro, and then: "Yes, let's."

The battle was over in about an hour, with Hinata left lying on the sand—her body covered in many cuts and bruises—but, overall, she was all right. In fact, more than all right. She didn't win the fight by a long shot, but being in a situation that put her body and abilities to use gave her a rush like nothing else. Plus, she managed to stand her ground for a lot longer than she thought she would. Clearly, something's coming out of her training (even if it is in exile).

Zoro dropped down beside her in the sand, no sweat broken (as Hinata expected), but looking overall content with the fight. He stared out at the horizon for a moment, the moon shining bright and full in the sky. Then he looked down at Hinata, noted the light trail of blood drooling from her mouth and how her eyes have closed with calm.

"I'd offer to take you to my crew's doctor, but all those idiots took the wrong turn and got lost," he grumbled. "Probably won't find them till tomorrow...or until Luffy decides to fuck shit up. Whichever comes first, really."

Hinata burst out laughing, her spirit feeling light for the first time in a long, long while. "From what I've heard about Strawhat-san, it's likely going to be the latter."

Zoro snorted, his smile fond. "Yeah, no doubt."

"I'll be able to handle myself, though. I can probably bandage and heal most of this," she told him, leaning her head back to stare up at him with a soft smile and bright pale eyes. "Thank you, though."

He shrugged. Then he reached inside his pockets and pulled out another bottle—the bottle of plum wine. Hinata sat up, slowly, and looked at Zoro with a raised eyebrow. When had he grabbed the bottle?

Not bothering to give an answer, Zoro opened the bottle and poured some of the wine down his throat. Then, as he licked his lips with satisfaction, he handed the bottle to her. Hinata blinked once, and then took the bottle. She tipped her head and the bottle back, also pouring a gulp's worth of plum wine into her mouth.

"Thanks again, Roronoa-san."

"Zoro," he said, lightly punching her shoulder. "Just Zoro is fine."

Hinata gave Zoro a look, then allowed herself to smile. She turned to stare out at the sea with him, a light flush of content rising to her cheek. It's always nice to make a friend, especially when you have no one else to call such.

They spent a few more moments staring out at the horizon and taking turns with drinking the plum wine. Neither of them really had anything else to say. There was truly nothing to say, Hinata felt. Sometimes, enjoying the silence with company is all that has to be done.

"—RO!"

Zoro perked his head up and looked in the direction the boisterous voice was coming from. Hinata looked in the same direction and quickly activated her Byakugan. About two kilometers away, amongst the deep brush and forest, a tall young man with a straw hat and a scar on his chest was walking, his head shifting back and forth. Hinata noticed him narrow his wide brown eyes before spreading his mouth wide and letting out another cry:

"OI, ZORO!"

"I could be wrong, but I think your captain is searching for you," Hinata said to Zoro, almost giggling.

"ZORO, DON'T TELL ME YOU GOT LOST AGAIN, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"

A green eyebrow twitched. "Yeah, that's definitely him, all right." Zoro stood up, gathered his swords and let out a bellow of his own: "WHO YA CALLING AN IDIOT, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"

A pause.

"YOU, WHO ELSE?"

Zoro twitched, his scowl deepening and revealing rather sharp looking canines. Hinata turned away and giggled into her hand. For two men that can bring even the highest ranking Marine to their knees, Zoro and Strawhat Luffy were definitely characters.

"Don't laugh," Zoro hissed at her. "It'll just encourage him."

Hinata snorted out some laughter, barely muffling it behind her hand.

"—EH? ZORO, WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?"

"NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS, CAPTAIN!"

Pause.

"OKAY! I DON'T CARE EITHER WAY," Luffy yelled back. "JUST GET YOUR ASS BACK TO THE SUNNY ALREADY. WE'RE ALL HUNGRY, AND SANJI WON'T FEED US UNTIL YOU'RE AT THE TABLE!"

Zoro's one eye widened, then closed again. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Damn that Shit-cook and his housewife tendencies."

That made Hinata pause and tilt her head. Housewife tendencies...?

"FINE," he replied. "JUST HOLD UP A BIT."

"...'KAY!"

Zoro turned to look down at Hinata, giving her a shrug. Hinata smiled, still feeling rather giggly at the exchange (and maybe the drink in her system), and she stood up to face him properly.

"Will you be all right walking home?" He asked.

She nodded. "The inn I'm staying at isn't too far away. I'll be fine."

Zoro blinked, then smiled. He held out the bottle of plum wine to her. "You have good taste, Kunoichi—for a start, at least. Grow a little and you might actually shock me one day."

Hinata felt herself grin, the pink in her cheeks rushing anew. She could tell that Zoro wasn't just talking about her taste in alcohol. While he wasn't exactly impressed, he seemed to believe that she had potential. For a moment, being an exiled Shinobi from Konoha suddenly didn't sound so bad. If anything, it seemed to be an opening for Hinata to get stronger.

"We should do this again sometime."

Feeling a lightness on her shoulders, Hinata gently grasped the bottle of plum wine and took it from him. She gave him a wide, warm smile. "Yes, we should."