A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers and I hope you like the new chapter :)
Over a week later they ended up on a winter island. It was already dark outside and the search for a hotel had been tiring. Through the sick snow storm they had walked into Nami could finally make out the sign that promised them a warm place to stay for the night. Tugging Zoro along with her, the navigator breath a sigh of relief when they entered the small lobby. At their arrival the old man behind the counter looked up from the newspaper he had been reading.
Nami was even too exhausted to try negotiating over the price for their stay in the hotel and just told the man that they needed a room. Nodding the old man gave her a key and the two made their way to their room.
When they entered the room Nami's first look fell on the only bed. Normally they booked a room with two beds, but the man had clearly misinterpreted their relationship as something it wasn't. If the navigator was completely honest with herself, she wouldn't mind sharing a bed with the swordsman again. She had felt safe and protected the last time she had woken up in his arms and it got harder to deny that she wasn't slowly falling for the strong swordsman. However before she could think more about this realization the voice of the man she had been thinking about pulled her out of her thoughts.
"I'll just sleep on the floor, you can have the bed."
Zoro didn't want to argue with her and he was too tired to go back down to the old man and tell him that he should give them another room. If anything he could sleep basically everywhere and the floor looked more comfortable than other places that he had already sleep on, so he didn't see a problem with it.
The navigator smiled slightly at his offer. No matter how much he tried to hide it on the outside in the end Zoro was a gentleman in a way. However this was her chance to have an excuse to sleep next to him again and she didn't want to pass it up. He was the first man who she had not only let herself be close to, but also the only one who she found herself wanting to be close to. Sure, she had used flirting often enough in the past to distract man enough so she could steal from them, but she had never wanted them around. With Zoro it was completely different. Since they had started traveling together he had shown her that there were honorable man out there. She knew that he valued her navigating skills even if he never outright said it and he had always treated her like an equal. When she had shown him a vulnerable side of herself he hadn't given her the feeling that she was weak and had been there for her without asking any questions. Nami didn't know how it had happened but during the time they had already spent together he had become the first person outside of her family that she trusted deeply.
Back when she had started her journey she had never thought that she would want a man to hold her while she slept, but now she even wished for it. However she couldn't just ask him to share the bed with her. She didn't know what he felt for her and she wasn't ready to put herself in this vulnerable position until she was completely sure that she was indeed in love with him. Now she had to be careful about how she could convince him without being suspicious. Biting her lip she finally came up with a good enough excuse why he could sleep next to her without making him aware of her developing feelings for him.
"I don't mind sharing. It's cold and we walked through the snow for hours, I'm sure we could use each others body heat."
At her words Zoro's eyes widened in surprise. Sure, they had already shared a bed, but back then she had been upset and in need of comfort. Now she was clear minded and she still suggested something like this, but if he was honest with himself it had felt right to hold Nami. He couldn't really describe that feeling he was getting around her, but that he felt the constant need to protect her and make sure that she was safe was now part of his every day life. Somehow this woman had made him care for her and Zoro wasn't even angry at her for it. Looking at her again he couldn't help but nod in agreement, holding her again sounded too tempting to decline it.
After they each got ready they lay down on the bed and to Zoro's surprise Nami immediately snuggled up to him.
"It's really cold." Was her answer to his unasked question.
This was of course an excuse, but Nami thought it would make it easier for Zoro to accept their position. After her words she felt him pull her closer with a grunt that she took as agreement. Closing her eyes after she felt him relax completely she smiled. This still felt as natural and right as it had been when he was holding her for the first time. She could really get used to this.
The next morning it was Zoro who woke up first. Normally he slept in if he wasn't woken up by Nami telling him to stop being lazy. However his personal alarm clock was still asleep on his chest and at the sight a small smile tugged on Zoro's lips. A few strands of her hair lay over her eyes and before he really realized what he did, he was softly moving them away to get a better look at her face.
In her sleep she seemed so innocent and at peace which was in stark contrast to when she was awake. Sure, she could be sweet and caring if she wanted to, but she was also bossy and determined. Zoro couldn't put his finger on it, but there seemed to be something that was haunting her. They had never spoken about their pasts and he was alright with that but he was sure that there was something that she wasn't telling him. However he wouldn't ask, if she wanted to tell him he would gladly listen, but she had to come to him on her own. He was pulled out of his thought when he felt Nami slowly wake up. It was time to find their new target and make money again.
Later that day when Zoro told her that they could change the hotel room if she wanted to Nami declined, insisting that it would be cheaper to stay just in the one they were in now. If she was honest with herself that was a lie, money wasn't the reason she wanted to stay in the room with one bed, she just wanted to keep sleeping in his arms.
That was also the reason that Nami was almost thankful that it took them longer than normal to find their next target. However in the end they turned their target in and it would be only one more night that she was allowed to sleep so close to him before they would set out to the next island. However this night wouldn't turn out as peaceful as Nami had hoped.
The years of bounty hunting had made Zoro wary of his surroundings, so even when he was asleep he didn't let his guard down completely. It was thanks to this habit of his that he woke up at the sound of a window opening. Even through the darkness he could see that a group of people was slowly entering their room and he immediately reached for his swords next to the bed. Since they had turned their last target in he had felt like someone was following them and it seemed that he had been right.
Quickly looking next to him where Nami still slept peacefully he knew that he had to be careful. He wasn't afraid of anyone, but he was worried that they would go for her as their target instead of him. However before he could wake her up and warn her, one of the people approached the bed.
"Stop right there." At Zoro's cold voice the guy halted in his steps, but the swordsman could almost see the evil smirk on his face when his eyes landed on Nami.
"Roronoa Zoro, you took our captain away from us so in return we're taking someone who you care about."
Apparently these guys were the crew members of the pirate they had turned in today. It made sense that they wanted revenge, but Zoro wasn't about to let them harm Nami. Not taking his eyes off of the men in front of him, he reached out and shook Nami awake.
The moment she woke up, Nami was aware of the feeling of danger and when her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the night she saw a group of men in their room. The light of the moon allowed her to see their faces and she recognised them as the men that she had seen their target with during her investigation. It didn't take a genius to know why they were here.
"So the sleeping beauty is awake now."
"Leave her out of this." Zoro almost growled and moved in front of the bed to shield Nami from the group of men.
Nami was disgusted by the looks these pirates had given her and she would do something about it. Sure, now that Zoro was by her side he did most of the fighting, but that didn't mean that she had to be the damsel in distress. Before she had met the swordsman she had been fine on her own after all, so if it was necessary she could hold herself against pirates. She might only gave a polearm as her weapon but if it was used wisely and at the right places she would be able to defeat a man. Standing up she readied herself for the upcoming fight.
From the corner of his eyes Zoro saw what she was about to do and he didn't like it. The thought that she wanted to fight didn't sit well with him. As long as he was by her side she should never have to do that. It wasn't the first time he felt this strong will to protect her, but right now it hit him with full force. Since leaving his sensei's dojo he was only fighting for himself and for his goal, so it was new to him that he cared so deeply for someone else. However now wasn't the time to dwell on this kind of thoughts because their enemies were about to attack.
A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)