A/N: This is my first try at writing a story about One Piece. I hope it's not too bad and you guys like it :)
When the sun rose and the Thousand Sunny was anchored in the port of a new island the crew was ready for the next adventure. This was the first island after their trip to the Fishman Island and it had taken them quiet some time to get here, so Luffy couldn't wait to explore. Nami wasn't as excited as he was until they met an old woman near the dock, who told them about a treasure hidden deep in the woods. After hearing that, the navigator was more than ready to see more of this island as well.
At the end of the day it was decided that they had to spend the night in a hotel on the island, because it was too late to go back to the ship. Nami was already annoyed because they hadn't found the treasure today, so she only paid for one hotel room that everybody had to share. They all ended up sleeping on futons and while Nami wondered why Franky insisted on sleeping next to Robin and why the archaeologist didn't even protest, she found her spot between Chopper and Zoro.
If Nami was honest with herself, if she could have chosen a guy she was sleeping next to, it would have ended up being Zoro anyway. He wasn't moving too much in his sleep like Luffy or Usopp and he wasn't a pervert like Brook and Sanji, so Zoro was the best choice. While the rest of the crew fell asleep easily Nami stayed awake for a while. The last few days she had been dreaming more about her time with the Arlong Pirates and she wasn't looking forward to having the same nightmares once again. However in the end her exhaustion took over and she closed her eyes.
A few hours later she woke up shaking. She had seen Bellemere again and Arlong in front of her with a pistol. Nami took a deep breath and tried to calm down, but she felt her whole body shake with fear. Quickly looking around she made sure that no one was awake to see her moment of weakness, only to find Zoro watching her from his place next to her.
Normally Zoro had a very deep sleep, but on territory he didn't know everything about he had always been a light sleep so if there was any danger he would notice it immediately. The reason for this was probably that in his time as a bounty hunter he had to keep an eye open for enemies. What awaited him now however wasn't an enemy or danger, but their navigator shaking with what was clearly fear. The look in her eyes reminded him of the one she had when he had seen her in Arlong Park mixed with the pain of a heavy memory.
"It's just so cold that I woke up shaking. I mean I paid for a whole room and they are going to let us freeze in our sleep." Nami tried to explain her shaking.
They both knew it was a lie. This was a summer island and despite it been a little bit colder in the night than it was during the day they all had each a blanket to keep them warm. Zoro knew that he wasn't very good at comforting anyone and Nami clearly didn't want to speak to him about her nightmares, but he still wanted to do something to make her feel better. He cared deeply for his friends and with Nami he always felt the need to protect her. With enemies it was simple to keep her out of harm way, he could just defeat them and she was safe, but how could he protect her from her nightmares. Thinking hard about it for a moment he came up with a plan that seemed the most suitable for the situation.
"Well I'm warm." He announced and moved his right arm from behind his head to his right side, his palm facing upwards.
His gesture was a silent offer that if she wanted she could lay down close to him and Nami was aware of the meaning. She was torn about what she should do now, she knew she wasn't the strongest person in the crew when it came to fighting, but she had always prided herself with her mental strength. Never did she want anyone to think of her as weak and especially not Zoro. He was always the one who dove into battles without a second thought and she knew he would risk his life to protect his friends, he had a strong will and worked hard to be the strongest. However Nami couldn't deny that she had often wondered how it would feel to lay in his arms and right now she needed comfort more than ever.
Finally deciding what she wanted to do she moved closer to Zoro until she lay in his arms, her head on his chest. Zoro had closed his eyes, so when he felt the extra weight he cautiously wound his arm around her waist in a gently embrace. This was new territory for him and he didn't know if he was any good at the whole comfort thing, but when he felt Nami's shaking lessen and her fingers, that had previously grasped his shirt in a tight grip, relax he knew that he must be doing something right.
Nami breath a sigh of relief when she felt Zoro's arms around her. In battle she felt always safe when he was close and now she felt protected as well. This was the first time she was so close to someone that wasn't her family. Sure, she cuddled with Chopper or occasionally hugged one of her friends, but this felt different. She couldn't deny that there had always been some kind of attraction between her and Zoro, but that her heart beat so fast now was definitely not normal. Seeing him after two years had done the same to her heart and despite that they bickered like always Nami felt a change between them. Whatever it was, for now she was just content to be in his arms.
The next morning Nami was the first to wake up and it took her a moment to remember where she was and why she was feeling so warm. It had been a few years since she had felt so safe and content while waking up and that had been when Bellemere was still alive. Slowly looking up she saw the face of the sleeping swordsman and what had happen last night came back to her. Zoro had comforted her in his own way and she couldn't help but feel thankfully that it had been him that had seen her like this. Carefully she moved out of his arms, realizing that his arm around her waist was holding her securely but still loose enough that she could get up. For a man as strong as Zoro to hold her what she could only describe as gentle was fascinating and Nami couldn't help but smile a little.
After everyone else woke up the crew once again tried to find the treasure Nami wanted and this time they succeeded. The navigator had been afraid that things would be awkward between Zoro and her, but she was relieved to see that they were still bickering after he had gotten lost on the way to their destination. Despite that they had finally found the treasure it was too late to go back to the ship, so they ended up in the hotel once again. Nami made sure to tell the crew that when they got back to the ship they all owed her money, of course with interest.
They slept in the same places they did the night before with one change. Zoro had his arm now besides him instead of behind his head and Nami couldn't help but wonder if his new sleeping position was a silent invitation or if it was mere accidental that he now lay like this. Looking around she saw that the rest of the crew was already fast asleep, so no one would witness if she would move closer. She still remembered the feeling for being in his arms and she was sure the memories of her time with Arlong would haunt her again this night. Considering all this she made her choice and moved closer to him and lay down in the same spot she had last night. At first she wasn't sure if Zoro was still awake because he didn't even flinch when he felt her presents, but when his arms wrapped around her, she knew he wasn't asleep yet.
"Thank you." She whispered softly, knowing he would hear her. A small squeeze of her waist and a low grunt was all she got in return, but seeing that it was Zoro it was more than enough to know he appreciated what she had said.
When Nami woke up she realized once again that she was feeling better than she had in a while and she had to admit that this feeling was due to having slept in the swordsman's strong arms all night. Looking at his calm face she felt her face warm up the slightest bit, she was really close to him and if she would just move a little bit their lips would touch. No one would probably believe it, but Nami hadn't been kissed before. Despite all the flirting she had often done to distract men enough so she could steal money from them for her village, she wouldn't go as far as to kiss them. That she now all of a sudden seriously thought about kissing Zoro came as a shock to her. Sure, he was attractive and his strong and determined manner was quite fascinating, but the feelings she began to feel around him were going beyond physical attraction. Shaking her head at her thoughts Nami quickly got up, this night they would be back on the ship and everything would go back to normal.
Three nights later Nami realized that she had been mistaken, not only did her nightmares come back as soon as she slept alone again, but she found herself missing sleeping so close to Zoro. Could it really be that it had taken only two nights in his arms for her to want to sleep next to him? If Nami was honest with herself she had felt different for him even before they had gotten to that island, it was just now that she realized what this change between them meant. However she was sure that Zoro didn't feel anything that went beyond friendship for her. He had a goal he wanted to reach and he was focused only on that, so chances were good that he would only see her as a distraction.
Even thought she knew all this she found herself climbing up the ladder to the crow's nest the next night. It was Zoro's turn to keep watch this evening and Nami just wanted to spend another night in his arms. Maybe she would regret it later, because she was sure if she kept doing this her feelings for him would only get stronger, but her heart just wanted to be close to him.
"What do you want?" Zoro's deep voice greeted her. He was training and Nami knew that he hated it when someone interrupted him, but thankfully she brought something with her that he loved as much as his training.
"Well if you don't want me here I can take the special sake, that Sanji bought on the last island, elsewhere."
"You stole it from the kitchen?" Now Zoro put the weight he had been lifting down and faced her.
"Of course." She smirked at him and sat down on the small bench.
Nami's smirk widened when Zoro sat down next to her and took a hold of the sake bottle, only to take a big gulp out of it. They had always been the ones of the crew who ended up drinking together. A few minutes passed in comfortable silence with them taking turns in drinking when Nami suddenly spoke up.
"My nightmares aren't just dreams, they're memories." She finally admitted.
"Memories can be painful." Zoro mused and took another gulp out of the sake bottle.
At his words Nami asked herself what he was thinking about. There must be memories that even effected the strong swordsman. Knowing that, she was sure that she could trust him with her fears. Slowly she began to tell him about what she had felt at the Fishman Island.
"I spoke to Jimbei and he knew Arlong. When he told me about the history between humans and fishmen he was afraid that I ended up hating all fishmen, but I told him I only hate Arlong for what he did. I meant that, I'm friends with Camie and princess Shirahoshi and I have a lot in common." She paused. Zoro could understand where Nami and Shirahosh's similarities lay, Bellemere and Otohime were both the victims of the hate of the fishmen. He was pulled from his thoughts when Nami continued. "I don't hate fishmen, but I hate Arlong and being on this island brought all the things that happened so much closer to the surface again. In my nightmares I see it all again, Bellemere, Arlong, the time I risk my life stealing money from pirates, it's just all back with full force."
Zoro felt for her, he had a rough life himself before he had met Luffy, but for a woman it must have been even more dangerous. Before he could change his mind he had pulled her so close that she was sitting in his lap, her head on his shoulder. He knew he couldn't protect her from her past and the painful memories she had experienced, but he would try to be there for her as best as he could. When he felt Nami grasped his shirt tightly he wound his arms around her in an embrace. No one deserved to witness their family being taken away from them and having to live such a dangerous life. Until now he had never realized how strong Nami really was, but it was just one more thing that impressed him about her.
Nami felt better after admitting all this to Zoro and his reaction warmed her heart. He was holding her again and the feeling of warmth and safety came back to her. Slowly the little sleep she had the last three days without him began to catch up with her and she closed her eyes, breathing in his scent and feeling his strong arms around her she finally gave into sleep.
While Nami slept peacefully in his arms, Zoro began to think about the woman he was currently so close to. There was no doubt that Nami was a beautiful woman and there had always been this attraction between them, but slowly he realized that there could be more than that. Having her in his arms felt right and despite that he had always wanted to protect her, now he felt like she was really safe. The sun rose when Zoro began to realize that maybe what he was starting to feel for Nami was something that went beyond friendship.
It was in this moment that Nami opened her eyes and he could see the emotions he had just thought about reflecting in her eyes. However he knew that he couldn't do this. He had a dream he followed and put himself in danger for his friends without a second thought. No matter how much feelings he held for Nami or whatever their relationship would be like, he wouldn't change himself and hold back on any battle. From Chopper he had hear how worried Nami had been over him after they found him so badly injured after Thriller Bark. If he were to be in a romantic relationship with her it would hurt her even more if something like this would happen again and Zoro didn't doubt for a second that he would do the same thing again if he had the choice. Nami didn't deserve something like this and it took all his strength to push his feelings for her aside and do what he was about to do now.
"This can't happen again." He said coldly and removed her from his lap. Not looking at her he stood up and went over to his weights to start lifting them. "Being scared is weak. You should be stronger than that."
Zoro heard Nami gasp at that and he knew she would be hurt by his words, but it was the price he had to pay. His heart screamed at his head to make this right, to tell her that he didn't mean it and that he would hold her every night like this and that she wasn't weak, but he just couldn't. Nami didn't deserve to worry about him all the time and if he would admit his feelings to her, she would be even more worried.
Nami couldn't believe what Zoro was saying to her. The last few days he had been so gentle and caring to her. After this night she had finally thought that he might feel the same way, but all this had not been true. She did her best to hold her tears back, but one lonely tear found its way down her cheek. This was what he was really thinking of her all this time? That she was weak? A few moments ago when they had looked into each others eyes she had thought that she had seen an unfamiliar emotion in his eye, but now it seemed like it had been wishful thinking. How could she have hoped even for a second that he would love her the way she loved him. Now she felt foolish for ever thinking this. Trying her best to let her voice sound just as cold as his had been she finally spoke up.
"I guess it's true what everyone says about Roronoa Zoro, you're cold-hearted and don't care about anyone besides yourself." Nami knew that wasn't true, but she wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt her.
It hurt to hear those words from her, but his words had been aimed to push her away so he couldn't blame her for returning the gesture. Still, her words would haunt him for a long time and he was thankful that he wasn't facing her at the moment because seeing how much he had hurt her with his words would probably break the last resolve he had.
The next two days Zoro and Nami made sure to not be in the same room and as far away as possible from each other on the ship. During meals they had to sit at the same table, but they still made it a point to sit as far apart from each other as they could. Thankfully most of the crew didn't seem to notice the change between their two friends, but a pair of watchful eyes knew better. Robin had seen how close these two had been a few days ago and of course did she notice that Nami had been holding feelings for the swordsman for a while, but this change was unexpected. Something must have happened between those two and Robin even considered getting involved, but was surprisingly stopped from it by the man besides her.
"We should let them be. They will figure it out on their own and you'll see it's going to be super in the end."
Robin smiled slightly at the man sitting next to her, who seemed to have guessed her thoughts behind her worried look at Nami and Zoro.
"Let's hope you're right Franky."
To say Nami felt exhausted would be an understatement. Without Zoro by her side the memories of her past were haunting her in her sleep and she was barely able to even fall asleep in fear of seeing all this again. Her rejected feelings and Zoro's words were also still bothering her and after four days she had finally enough. She knew Zoro had to keep watch this night, so she climbed up to the crow's nest when she was sure no one else was awake. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to hear the conversation they were about to have.
"So that's it, we aren't even friends anymore?" Was the first thing she said as soon as she entered the room.
"We are friends." Zoro stated calmly, not looking at her and trying to focus on his training.
"Really? Because friends don't treat friends like this and even if we are still friends, is that all. I know you felt it too, don't deny it." Nami knew she was sounding desperate, but she wanted answers. When he had told that she couldn't sleep in his arms again, she had realized how much she really wanted a relationship with him and from the look in his eye the other night she was almost sure that he felt something for her as well.
"Just drop it." Zoro said, finally facing her and immediately regretting it when he saw the hurt look on her face.
"So you don't feel anything for me, all these nights I slept in your arms meant nothing to you. Is that what it is?" Despite her efforts to not cry, she felt tears start to pour down her face.
Zoro cursed himself when he saw her cry and knew it had been wrong to turn around and face her. He just couldn't watch Nami cry, so he stepped closer and gently wiped a few tears away, only for them to be replaced with new ones immediately. However before he could reach out again to touch her cheek Nami slapped his hand away.
"Tell me you don't feel that something between us has changed, tell me that you don't feel the same about me and I'll just leave." She needed to know, no matter if he would flat out reject her, she needed conclusion.
"I can't." Zoro ran a hand through his hair. "I can't tell you that, alright."
A small light of hope filled Nami at his words.
"What is this really about Zoro?"
"I can't have you worry about me. I'll risk my life in every battle I'll fight without a second thought."
Slowly Nami began to realize what he was trying to say. It was in a very cryptic way, but she knew Zoro was a man of action rather than words.
"Don't you think I already worry more than anyone else about you getting hurt. It's not possible to worry more than I already do. I want this." She gestured between them. "I want us to try this and I know you won't hold back in battle, but I knew that from the beginning."
"I'm not a romantic man, Nami. We will probably fight a lot over the simplest things and I won't give you flowers or do all those stupid things the love cook always says he wants to do for you or Robin." Zoro knew his resolve was breaking, but this was his last attempt to make her realize what being with him really meant if they would start a relationship. If anything he wanted her to know what she would get, so she wouldn't be disappointed.
Now Nami couldn't help but smile. "Baka." The word held all the affection she felt for him. "I have known you long enough to realize that, but I fell for you for a reason and I know what I'm getting myself into. To be honest I would miss our bickering, because isn't that what makes us so great together."
"Well if that's the case." He finally smirked and stepped closer to her.
Nami returned the look and when she felt his hands around her waist she smiled brightly. This was what she wanted and now she could finally be with Zoro. When his lips met hers with all the feelings and passion he had hold back Nami returned the kiss with equal intensity. To others they might be a strange couple, but what did it matter when they were so perfect for each other.
A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)