Chapter 2: Land Of Love

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."

- William Shakespeare

...

Nami brushed away the excess powder on Ayame's nose. She had spent a good hour fixing her fading pink hair and re-doing her simplistic makeup into a more enhancing type by: sharpening her dark brows, tight-lining her upper eyelid with black eye liner and highlighting her round/oval face. "You've got pretty down-turned eyes, Ayame. Don't just leave them. These are the infamous bedroom eyes, you gotta doll them up-"

"Okay, I get it. Can you just, like, hurry it up?" She sassed her, fluttering her blue-green eyes shut. "Psh, bedroom eyes as if I'm trying to bed someone."

"Oh you naughty girl!" Nami giggled before stopping short and a serious look went to her face. "Is that what you need though?"

"I, I, I, I beg y-your pardon?"

"No, like, seriously. Cause once I'm done dealing with the shipwrights, I could find you a cute guy and help you release that building tension - Now that you've mentioned it. I kinda need a one-night stand." Nami pondered, her eyes glancing at the gawking girl. It was then Nami burst into fits of laughter. "Oh the look on your face! Aahahhaha!"

Ayame's face visibly relaxed as she let out a sigh. "Are we done?" She managed to groan out. The woman nodded, still laughing helplessly on the floor. "Ugh, finally." Lifting herself up, she wobbled a bit, but she was getting the used to the heels now. Only if she took her time and made sure one foot is touching the floor before lifting the other. Life was different being a bit taller. But she was still no way as tall as Nami let alone Robin.

Walking out the door, Ayame spotted Zoro exercising in the sunshine. His muscles flexed each time he raised his large dumbbells that she stopped in her tracks and stared at the sweat trailing down every curve of his muscles. She gulped, remembering two weeks ago. Then her body froze, resting against the door as her eyes stared off the distance. Oh shit-

...

Skypeia

I was nervous. My eyes switched to the vine that was supposedly going to take us over to the island from the Going-Merry. Zoro gave me a wicked grin and shoved the vine in my hands. He had intended to use me as a guinea pig-what nerve this man has!

"I assure you, Ms. Magician, it is safe." Robin smiled eerily at me. But at least she didn't call me a fortune teller. And in all honesty, she was neither of the two titles.

I looked at Kit over my shoulders. It just stared and wrapped its body around my neck. "Sanji wouldn't let me do this..." I pouted, thinking about the crazy chef, who was currently missing. Then a calloused hand brushed against my back. I wore a thin shirt, but I could still feel the biting of his rough fingers circling around my waist. Involuntarily shivering, I looked up to see Zoro's strong jaw, then he glanced down at me.

My heart was startled by him, pounding in an erratic rhythm. I could feel his muscles under his shirt as he pulled me close to him. I could hear his steady heartbeat when my ear is pressed to his chest. His scent of leather, oakmoss, and metal. It reminded me of home. My eyes grew wide at him, was this the same Zoro? Did jumping in the sea of clouds and swimming with the sharks messed with his head?

"W-w-w-w-what a-a-are y-y-y-ou...?" I stammered as he yanked the vine out of my hands.

Zoro smirked evilly. "Better hold tight, Jane."

"J-J-Jane?" I stuttered, my heart was flipping and bouncing off walls that I pressed my hand against it. Craning my head to the others, I said, "N-Nami, he's going to kill me - You know how much he hates me! He'll drop me!"

Nami only got down on her knees and started praying. "Oh merciful God, please be with us!"

My mouth dropped as Zoro inched closer to the edge, that I grabbed onto his shirt. Whipping my head to him, I glared. "Don't. You. Dare-" He shot me another smirk and an evil glint in his eyes that made me stop mid-sentence.

"Zoro is scary!" Chopper hid behind Nami.

He cleared his throat as I shouted incoherent words at him. Zoro let out a Tarzan yell as I clung tightly on to his chest, my eyes shut close, screaming. His grip on my waist tightened as we swung to the large island. With a thud, Zoro landed perfectly on the land.

Dropping to my knees, I held Kit close to my heart as moral support. I turned to Zoro, pouting and glaring, and I said, "I'm telling Sanji about this."

Zoro chuckled deeply. His voice was becoming sweeter to my ears before I knew it.

...

Once that flashback was finally over, Zoro was suddenly on his hands and toes, doing push ups with Chopper sitting on his back. She blinked. Something was wrong with her, she couldn't stop staring. Watching him lift himself up, her vision on him slowed. A drop of sweat trailed from his temple and fell on the floor. His mouth parted, releasing a pant each time he was up.

Feeling the anger in her rise and bubble, she yelled at him out of the blue. "Ugh! I hate you so much!" Then she stomped away leaving a stunned reindeer and confused swordsman.

Zoro stopped and glanced at Ayame's retreating body head straight to the kitchen. "Has she finally lost it?" He asked no one in particular, before he continued his work out.

...

Once the Going-Merry was docked, Nami pulled Luffy and Usopp with her to exchange their treasure for money, then Sanji went out to go grocery shopping. He had asked the ladies if they wanted to come with hi, but neither felt like going at the time.

As time went on, Ayame decided to go on an adventure. Picking up a shoulder bag in the girls' room, Ayame filled her wallet with a wad of cash that she hid from Nami's watchful eyes. She grabbed a can of tuna for her fox and called for her pet.

"Pew!" Kit scrambled in the room, running in circles before clawing up at her leg.

She smiled, picking it up and placing it on her shoulder. "Let's go sight-seeing." Her fingertips scratched Kit's chin as it leaned further it and blinked slowly. Heading out, she found Zoro napping and Chopper chatting animatedly to Robin. There was something off about her today.

Glancing at her, Ayame found her eyes different as if she was distracted.

Robin seemed to sense someone was watching her, her eyes went to Ayame's smiling face. Ever since she had met the younger girl, there was something odd about her. Eidetic memory that makes her go into solipsism, Robin had read something like that before. Strange and undoubtedly useful. The woman returned the smile.

"I'll be out sight-seeing." Ayame announced before heading towards the city.

Chopper waved and said, "see you later!"

...

Ayame stood face to face with the most strangest creatures she had ever seen. All of them neighed and smiled from ear to ear. They were water horses used as transportation, she guessed, glancing at the saddles on them. Then there was a shadow behind her. A man of 6 feet tall, lean and had a bad left knee, from what she could judge from his shadow.

"That's a Yagara, ma'am. Oh, and welcome to the Land of Love!" The breeder boasted with hands on his hips and a large prideful smile. Turning around, she met the breeder with a confused expression. Her eyes glanced down at his knee and noted the bandage. Ayame mentally praised herself that she could still read a person's conditions from their shadows.

The brown eyes on the young man popped as he looked her over and took a gulp, a red blush forming on his tan skin. His eyes grew strange with want.

The Fortune Teller slowly became aware of the thin crop top on her. Anyone could tell she had a piercing, and this was all Nami's brilliant idea. She shifted her arms, hiding the obvious beads. "I, I, I was just looking-Bye!" Getting up, she started to head to the entrance to the city.

"Wait! Let me love you!" He yelled, startling her even more. Land of Love? More like Land of Creeps...

Walking fast towards the entrance, Ayame panted and looked over at Kit, who was barring its teeth at the young man. "People are friendly, aren't they, Kit?" It huffed and glowered at the men staring at her with friendly smiles and wandering eyes. Her fox had placed it's long fluffy tail across her breast, causing Ayame to smile and lean in her fox's fuzzy body. "Thanks, Kit. Now I can walk around without worrying about it."

Besides, if there are assassins from my homeland, they'll know in an instant where I'm from. All they have to do is pull me aside and question me. And I can't stop myself from answering. She thought deeply about her condition. Walking by, she was dazzled by the many vendors and tourists. The nearly-white cobbled roads was much like her home, only that the cobbled stones in the Island of Elendil were accented with nature. Smiling at the road, her eyes were soon drawn to the different assortment of delicacies.

"Miss! Please try these Mizu-Mizu dango! It'll be worth your beli!" A vendor called to her. Ayame walked up, smelling the sweet desserts and decided to buy one. "Here you are, miss!" He handed her a colorful treat as she handed him the coins. She took a bite and savored the treat. "How is it?" He smiled, knowing that it was already good.

"So good." She shut her eyes. "Thank you!"

"You're very welcome!"

Walking around, Ayame bought some treats and enjoyed some mizu-mizu drinks with no alcohol, until her feet started to ache due to the heels. Removing her heels, she walked over to the edge of the road and dipped her feet in the cool blue water. She let out a sigh and placed the shoes beside her. The water reached up to ankles, but that was when she noticed at the sides of the road there was a hint of water levels reaching over the roads. Algae and dark water stains. Tilting her head, she wondered if the island was due to a storm, so she ran her fingers across the borders and felt the dried algae. A year, at most. She suspected, rubbing her thumb and index fingers together. This place is due to have a tidal wave soon. Ayame double checked the area and saw little bits of sparkles on the roof tops. Salt. But only in the lower levels.

"I got to find her! My fiancee! My life!" A man yelled, staggering back and forth as he marched behind her. A couple of men chased after him and told him to calm down.

Ayame's eyes grew wide in horror. That voice, she grimaced. Jagger?

She took a swift glance at the drunk marine and sucked in her teeth. It was the Marine Captain Jagger and couple of his crew crying after him to stop running. She released a heavy sigh and rested her palms on the borders. An odd numbing pain on her palm caused the girl to lift it up and brush off the dirt. Tilting her head, Ayame's fingers brushed against her palm, feeling a circular imprint on it. She examined her palm and gasped. Another symbol from the Black Brotherhood: The Salamander. She cursed the Gods in her homeland and groaned while Kit pawed her wavy hair that caressed her face.

There's just no end.

...

Sanji took a double take at the wonderful women in the area. All of them were gorgeous in their own entitlement and there was no end to them at all. Oh how he wished this was the All Blue, he'd be in heaven! Then his eye wandered to a particular lady sitting on the edge of the water canal, and he immediately knew who it was. He smiled a bit childishly as he set his wheel barrel of groceries on the side and crept behind Ayame. Kit was the first to spot him, but he quickly place a finger to his lips as it nodded it agreement with its tail wagging violently.

"Kit, I just fed you-quit whacking me with your tail!" Ayame moved her head away from the fox and used her hand to block the excited fox's tail.

The Chef quickly swooped in and covered her eyes and whispered to her right ear, "Your Prince Charming is here, my princess." Now, keep in mind, Sanji thought he said it in a very suave manner, but in a woman's ear, it wasn't at all attractive-especially if she doesn't know the man very well.

Ayame screamed, involuntarily jumping into the swallow water canal and bringing Sanji along with her. Kit hissed and jumped off before it could fall in the water. As for Sanji, he yelped, but out of instincts, he brought her body close to his to prevent her from getting hurt.

He groaned in pain. His back was radiating pain as he shifted up on his hands.

Ayame had landed on the perpetrator that caused this accident. Lifting herself up, she found herself on top of Sanji. Too angry to see her situation, she could not help but gape and glare at the man. Taking in a deep breath, she started on him. "Sanji!" She smacked his bicep violently. "I could've killed us both!"

The blond laughed at her statement. "That's highly unlikely, my dear. Not when I'm around, you won't be dying anytime soon." He looked at her with a grin.

Still furious, Ayame went to slap his arm again. "Do you realize what I am-"

A wolf whistle stopped her assault as she whipped her head to the person who whistled. To her horror, a bunch of people had surrounded them, clapping, cheering, and whispering. One woman had pulled her man and pointed at them, saying how she wanted to be romanticized like this. Blushing furiously, Ayame dropped her hand down as Sanji wrapped an arm around her waist and got up.

Sanji noticed the crowd of women eyeing him like he was candy, that he nearly cried in accomplishment. But soon his eyes caught the men leering at Ayame's shapely derriere. He barred his teeth at the males as he turned her away from watchful eyes. "Alright, alright, you shitheads. You had enough peepshows for one day-don't make me kick all your asses." He glowered at the men, who flinched and dispersed.

Ayame pushed away from Sanji, about to continue where she left off, until her eyes widened and she glanced down. She wanted so desperately to cry. They were showing. They were showing! The nips are out and about and ready to fricking poke someone in the eye!

Sanji rubbed the back of his neck and turned his head back to her.

Her eyes widened, mentally kicking herself for the next action she would have to do. Flinging her arms around him, she held him by the waist and buried her head in his chest, hiding her shame.

Sanji's heart burst into a million pieces and shot out like fireworks from his chest. He had sworn he was going delusional; normally, Ayame wouldn't let him touch her. But this was something he will hold dearly in his heart. "A-A-A-Ayame-chwan, a-a-a-are y-you declaring y-your l-l-l-l-ove for Sanji-kyu~n?!" He effused, returning her hug with fervor. All he could see was a delusional version of Ayame pouting up at his face with a light blush on her cheeks, begging him to hold her tighter. "How can I refuse?!" He held her tighter, giggling to himself.

That question made her mandible drop to the floor and a threatening smile adorned her face as she pinched his back, causing him to freeze. "I can't leave here... like this." She struggled to say.

Sanji snapped from his illusions and began to peer seriously at Ayame's hidden face. "What's wrong?"

"I, I, I'm wearing white." She hinted softly.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by-" Sanji's eyes went large as he cleared his throat, looking everywhere. Now that she mentioned it, there was a odd pebble-like sensation on his midsection. Breathe, you shithead. Breathe. He continuously reminded himself to calm down. "Stay close to me, Ayame. I'll grab my jacket from the cart, alright?" He said, carefully placing a protective arm around her waist and pulling them up from the canal.

Ayame saw Kit on the grocery and held the jacket in its mouth, trying to pull it towards them. Sanji smiled and plucked the jacket from Kit, then ruffling its head. Still had her arms around Sanji, the man quickly draped the dark blue jacket on her shoulders. "Thank you..." She whispered.

"Hurry and put it on, I'll scare off any man who dares take a peak!" Sanji glared viciously at a man passing by, who glanced at Ayame. The Chef stomped his foot, making it seem like he was going to chase after him: and the man ran off in fear.

"Okay, it's on."

Becoming bashful like a little boy who has a crush, he turned around and cooed. "You look so cute in my jacket, ma cherie!" As he bounced to her direction as she folded the long sleeves.

"And the old Sanji is back..." Ayame muttered.

A/N

A bit wordy but I like how it went. I think most of my chapters will probably be around this length. Around 2,500-3,700 sounds decent. And yes, a little Sanji fluff. I adore him completely. And you've probably figured it out already: this is a ZoroxOCxSanji. The story isn't different from the original, but it'll be more detailed, more fluffy and more mature. So there will be nudity (but not always in a sexual scene), swear words, gore and topics/scenes that may make you uncomfortable. For example, Ayame's Master (Valarius) watching her bathe as a young child. It may or may not be worse than that, but there are mentions of rape. Because of Ayame's homeland. What I can only offer about the island is it has a very violent history due to civil war, druglords, kingdom affairs, and assassins.

This is will a Game of Thrones and Vikings-esque kinda theme. HBO-ish story. If you get my drift.