Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me.
Hey guys! Here's the second part of Married Life. And dang, it's twice the length of the first part! Hope you enjoy it all!
Married Life (Part 2)
A soreness was developing in her calves. Balancing a hand on damp grass, she rolled up on her toes. It didn't help. As she crouched, hidden beneath a low lying bush, the pain crept up her legs.
For the last hour, they'd been camped out on the outskirts of Zoritoni manner. It was in the last fifteen minutes, that her cramped legs finally begun to protest. As she winced, rolling back on her heels, nearby, a cricket chirruped.
"Legs sore?"
The voice, pitched low, emerged from a nearby patch of shadows. A twig snapped, and when he shifted, a dangling earring flashed once in the moonlight.
"I'm fine," she said, and as an afterthought added, "Chopper and Brook will be moving soon."
The light crunch of leaves foreshadowed his approach. The balmy air shifted, its movement a slight breath upon her skin. And then he was beside her.
He spoke at her ear. "Taking them long enough."
Pulling down a branch, Nami peered through a gap in the foliage. The fence, made of brick and stone, stretched above them. Beyond the fence and before the mansion, sprawled a manicured lawn. The green grass appeared gray beneath the moon.
Nami glanced up at the moon's pale face. A full moon. It was both an advantage and a disadvantage, at once. Certainly, it would allow them to see as they entered the residence. But with the lawn awash in a pale glow, they could just as easily be seen, should a guard happen to glance from any one of the mansion's wide windows.
Letting the branch snap back into place, she turned. "We can't rush it. They've got to wait until the dogs are in a concentrated mass. We don't want to risk missing even one when they draw them to the back fence."
"We move-"
"After Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp go after the guards."
In the shaded underbelly of the bush, she could just make out his curt nod.
She'd decided to send Usopp with Sanji and Luffy as extra back-up against the guards. Sanji was doubtless right; he and Luffy probably could have easily handled all the guards themselves – but a bit of backup never hurt. Besides – she didn't want to take more than one person with her, else risk drawing attention. Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp were going to handle the fighting. Her goal was to get the treasure, and get out.
She could only hope Zoro kept his promise and didn't start any fights. She didn't want to risk losing any of the money in a skirmish.
From beyond the wall, sounded a snort. Seconds later, a low thudding erupted; the sound of countless paws pounding the ground. Panting growls grew in volume – then slowly diminished. The dogs were turning the corner of the estate. As the sounds of their pants faded, and the quiet stillness of night resumed, Nami eased herself up.
From the sounds of it, Brook and Chopper had been successful.
Up next, phase two.
Peering over the foliage, she watched the mansion's walls. Small shadows lethargically eased over the expansive surface. The yard was under the vigilant gaze of countless transponder snails.
On the shadowed walls, there was a movement. The snails slowed, and then halted. Nami squinted. She could just make out the pale hands binding the snail's swiveling eye-stalks. Phase two had begun. Robin was in action.
Heavy footfalls pounded over the lawn. And then a shadow appeared. In time with the steps, a bulky figure crossed the yard. He loped across the grass on his toes, attempting to make his steps light. Beneath the moonlight, his blue hair, like a beacon, glowed bright. Nami fought back a grimace. She should have made him wear some kind of hat. He was already loud, but it was his hair that really stood out on the pale lawn. If anyone were to so much as glance from a window, the shipwright would surely be spotted.
Seemingly unaware of his own visibility, Franky loped across the lawn, heavy arms pumping at his sides. When he reached a side entrance, which was shadowed beneath an awning, she breathed an audible sigh of relief.
Unhinging his hand, the cyborg lifted his arm, extending a long, straight pin towards the lock. A minute passed, in which he knelt before the door, brows creased in concentration. After another thirty seconds, the door swung inward. Grinning, Franky disappeared into the dark entrance without a sound. The door clicked softly behind him.
Now he just needed to disable the video feeds so that Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp could storm the mansion undetected. Nami's fingers drummed at her knees. So far, the plan was going off without a hitch. She could only hope their luck continued.
A warm hand settled at the small of her back. Finding the edge of her shirt, his thumb brushed over skin. "You're tense."
"I just want everything to go according to plan. For once."
And she did. It was of extreme importance that they succeed in getting this treasure. In the Sunny's current condition, they'd be hard pressed to make it beyond the next island. And if they used that trip to escape from the guards here, they weren't going to have another good chance to make away with stolen money. Not to mention the fact that there was still a marine battleship somewhere behind them. Normally, they'd be able to make an easy escape. Not now. They wouldn't be able to put those stubborn marines well and behind them until their vessel was repaired.
Nami's stomach churned. They were without a doubt, in a tough spot. And now, more than ever, she felt the need to forge for herself, and everyone else, a place of safety. It burned, an instinctive urge in her gut. Of course, they'd always lived in danger. She should be used to it – and she was. But now, things were different.
Nami felt Zoro, a tangible, and reassuring presence at her side. She could tell, her apparent nerves confused him. He wasn't aware, didn't understand the fundamental shift that had taken place inside her. Surely, when she explained, he would understand her nerves, and appreciate why now of all times, in a life at sea, she sought at least a facsimile of safety.
Again, as it had been want to do, the truth pressed up, eager on her tongue.
In a window on the first floor, the lights flickered on, then off. It was Franky's sign. The video feed had been successfully disabled.
Nami's mouth snapped closed and she forced her traitorous tongue to be still. Of course Zoro needed to know, but he didn't need to know right at this moment. If they were going to make her plan work, she needed her swordsman to be focused, and his mind unburdened.
Rapid footfalls sounded from the yard once more. She looked up to see two figures sprinting across the grass. A third followed closely at their heels, his arms pumping at his sides. Kabuto, strapped to Usopp's back, bounced with every step of the sniper's jolting run.
The trio passed up the small side entrance that Franky had entered, instead, opting for the mansion's front doors. Large and white, the thick doors were bathed in light.
Sanji rushed ahead. At the door, he leapt. He spun, and one leg trailed behind him, appearing nothing more than a black blur as he gained momentum.
It struck with a massive crash. And then the door was gone, vanished in an explosion of smoke and wood. As the smoke and dust from the debris trailed up into the night, somewhere within the mansion, an alarm sounded. But the three men were already inside.
Finding his hand in the dark, Nami squeezed. "That's our cue."
She approached the fence at a slow jog, never once taking her eyes from the yard before them. So far, no one had come out of the house. The guys must have been doing a good job of distracting them. But there was always the chance someone would slip out. She kept her eyes peeled.
Without slowing, she gave a jump, planting a foot between two bricks several feet up the wall. Easily finding handholds in the wall's rough edges, she pulled herself up and over. Meanwhile, Zoro backed up.
As she dropped down the other side, she watched him take a running leap. One hand stretched out, he gripped the wall's ledge, and in a show of brute strength, flipped, levering himself over the top. He dropped beside her, his boots striking the grass with a muted thud.
He smirked, obviously pleased with his acrobatic display.
She rolled her eyes. "Show off."
The smirk widened into a smile.
As she ran, sprinting across the entirely too bright yard, she could hear his footfalls, padding, nearly silent behind her. Maybe he wasn't so bad at the whole stealth thing after all. No, she corrected herself. It was much too soon to tell. Reaching the mansion, she dropped back, pressing herself flat against the cool walls. Tilting her head, her eyes rolled up the smooth plane of marble. There was still much that could go wrong once they were inside. She wasn't going to start praising Zoro for his stealth until they made it back out with the money.
A tan hand pressed against the wall beside her. His earrings swayed as he looked up, following her gaze.
Windows were interspersed across the wall. Highest, was the third-story window; the one she'd chosen for their entrance. As she reached for her bag, his hand settled over her.
He was surveying the wall, his head tilted to the side. "You're gonna use the hook?"
That had been the plan. She'd told him as much earlier. If thrown with enough force, she believed that the grappling hook she'd brought could break the window's thick glass. Then, they'd be able to take turns climbing up.
Rubbing his chin, Zoro frowned. He seemed to be considering the window.
Nami matched his frown, annoyed. She hadn't spent hours coming up with this plan for him to start second guessing it. "If you're done staring, I'm going to fire this thing so we can actually get in there."
"If it doesn't break on the first try, the noise is gonna draw a lot of attention."
"Then I'll make it break."
Zoro stepped back, hands on his hips. "I have an idea."
She pressed a hand against her head. Why did she have the feeling this was going to end badly? "Zoro-"
"Trust me. This'll work."
She was going to regret this, she could already tell. Turning, she dropped the grappling hook back into the bag. "What-"
In front of her, Zoro bent his knees. He glanced over his shoulder. "Hop on."
"Oh my god."
"Nami-"
"Fine! Fine." Slinging the bag over her arm, she grabbed for his shoulders. She jumped on his back with a hop. As she wrapped her arms over his shoulders and around his chest, her legs automatically slid up his sides, hugging his torso.
He straightened, and she felt the muscles in his sinewy back constrict. Her hands splayed against his chest; an even beat thrummed beneath her palms.
"Hold on." A katana slid from its sheath; its metal rang in the near silence of the night. Somewhere within the house, sounded the first noises of fighting. A crash, then a scream, all followed by shattering glass.
As Zoro stepped back, Nami hooked her feet together around his stomach, squeezing tight.
And then he was running. His boots struck the ground in one, two, three, heavy steps. On the fourth, he sunk low. Muscles bulging, he leapt.
Closing her eyes, Nami squeezed, wrapping her arms around him like a vice.
He jolted, the tip of his boot finding a foothold where the first window's upper frame protruded slightly from the wall. Without pause, he pushed off, jumping diagonally up. Another jolt, as he caught the bottom ledge of a second story window with the side of his foot. He leapt again. His shoulders shifted and she felt him reach up.
His momentum slowed, and for a horrible second, she thought they would both drop.
Thunk.
They swayed. Swinging two and fro, they dangled before the third floor window. Nami looked up. Zoro's hand had found the thin ledge atop the outer frame of the window. Fingers curling in a tight angle, he clung to the thin space. His heart thudded, rapid beneath her palm.
"Close your eyes."
She did.
The arm with the katana pulled back. It arced down in a smooth, powerful motion.
The glass answered his blade; the sound was high pitched, keening. And then, it burst, shattering out. Squeezing her eyes closed, she hunched closer to his back.
They swayed forward, then back. On the next swing, he released. Swinging into the room, he landed in a crouch. Glass crunched beneath his boots.
She cracked an eye open – and grinned. They were in.
The hallway before them stretched long, spotless marble tiles decorating the floor. Along the walls, ostentatious paintings and tapestries competed for space. A few of the paintings were framed in gold. She couldn't help but wonder how much they'd sell for…
No. She shook her head, forcibly tearing her eyes from the art. She had to focus. They were here for one thing, and one thing alone: the money.
She slid from Zoro's back.
Stepping around him, she readjusted the bag on her shoulder. If the blueprints were correct, several hallways and a couple rooms separated them from the treasure. It wasn't far. And hopefully, if the guards were distracted with Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp downstairs, they wouldn't run into anyone up here.
"This way."
She walked on the balls of her feet in an attempt to keep her shoes, still damp from the grass, from squeaking on the smooth marble.
Ahead, she could see where a second hall opened, cutting through the one in which they currently walked. Steps slowing, she ran her fingers along the wall. Where the new hallway opened, she stood on her toes, carefully peering around the edge.
Empty.
She breathed a sigh. With spotless floors and decorated walls, it looked much the same as the first.
"We good to go?" He shifted, uneasy behind her.
"Yeah." She frowned over her shoulder.
Zoro's shoulders were stiff. One hand rested on the hilts of his katanas as he glanced behind them. His unease was palpable.
"What is it?"
He stared back, head cocked. "I hear voices. Someone might've found the window."
If guards had found the broken window, they knew she and Zoro were up here – which meant they were running out of time. After double checking that the new hall was still abandoned, she stepped resolutely forward. She wasn't leaving this mansion without that money.
As she hurried forward, Zoro followed closely behind, his padding footfalls a constant reassurance. Listening to the sounds of his steps, she walked, mentally going over the map in her head. They were in the second hallway, which meant a third would soon be approaching. The third hallway would eventually veer left. And approximately halfway down that hall, there would be two rooms. The left – Leonard Zoritoni's personal rooms, and the right – the entrance to the safe.
And there it was, the third hallway. After a cursory glance, she skirted the corner, and entered the hall. She took a step – and the voices reached her ears. Loud, the sound of an argument bounced between the narrow walls. People were coming, and it sounded like they were just around the curve of the hall.
Panicked, she shuffled back, shoes squeaking on the marble floor. When she hit Zoro's chest, she reached back, giving him a shove. He stumbled back around the corner. She took another backward step – and froze.
At the end of the hall, three figures stood. Upon seeing her, they drew up short. The men on the right and left were obviously guards. They wore pleated uniforms and carried what looked like cudgels at their hips. The man in the middle however – her stomach dropped. Leonard Zoritoni looked much the same in real life as he did in pictures.
"Hey you! What are you doing in here?" The guard on his left reached for the weapon on his hip, holding a staying hand as he approached.
Behind him, Leonard Zoritoni leaned forward. At the billionaire's side, a transponder snail swung, clutched firmly in his grasp. Her mouth went dry at the sight. With the transponder snail, he'd be able to call the rest of the guards upstairs in a moment, distraction or no.
Hidden around the corner, Zoro hadn't moved; likely waiting for the guard to come closer to attack.
As the guard stomped forward, Nami took a step back.
"Wait!"
The guard halted at the command.
Leonard Zoritoni hurried forward, holding a hand against his head. "You're one of the new girls, aren't you? Jean said he would be bringing some by. Didn't he put you up in a room?"
As he approached, his eyes traveled down, lingering over her figure.
Nami froze. He thought she was… her hands clenched into fists. She reached for her clima-tact, determined to teach the asshole a lesson – and halted. She glanced back at the transponder snail still clutched in his hand. No – this was perfect.
Letting her shoulders fall back, she forced her posture to relax. Tilting her head, she opened her eyes wide. "Oh, he did. But I heard all this noise." She hugged her arms across her stomach. The movement conveniently pushed up her chest. "What's going on?"
His eyes flicked down. "Ah, just a small breach in security. Nothing to concern your pretty little self about." His lips spread in a cool, pandering smile. "Let's go back to my room. I'll help you forget all about it."
The guard beside him stuttered. "But there's three-"
Zoritoni scowled. "And I pay you enough to be able to handle all of them without my supervision." He lifted his hand, wiggling the transponder snail by his ear. "Call me if anything comes up."
"Y-Yes sir."
As the guard spoke, the low scrape of metal reached her ears; the unmistakable sound of a katana being loosed from its sheath.
Glancing from the corner of her eyes, she tried to look back. Zoro was still hidden. But she had a feeling he wouldn't be for long. Nami's eyes flicked back to Zoritoni and the transponder snail that still dangled near his ear. If she could get that snail from him, they wouldn't have to worry about him calling for backup.
She had a plan.
Slowly, Nami slid her hand behind her back. Flattening her palm, she held her fingers straight. She squeezed, opening and closing her hand several times in quick succession, pantomiming "stop".
A second passed. Then another. She could only hope he understood. If this plan worked, getting out with the treasure was going to be a hell of lot easier.
Zoritoni held out a hand, impatient. "Well come on then."
Forcing a smile, she placed her hand in his.
He pulled her forward with a tug. As she stumbled, following after him, she glanced once over her shoulder. The hall was still empty save for the two guards. Zoro remained hidden around the corner. She scowled when her wrist was yanked. Turning back, she managed a plastic smile.
She fully expected Zoro to take care of the guards as soon as she and Zoritoni were out of sight. He was smart enough to know that the issue here was the transponder snail. And she had a plan for taking care of that.
The hallway curved and she soon saw the two doors. Left, personal rooms. Right, treasure. Her heart thudded in gleeful anticipation.
As they passed the first door, she had to physically restrain herself from yanking her hand away and making a break for it. But it wouldn't do any good. He'd just call for reinforcements.
Approaching the second set of wide, oak doors, the man began to speak. "Jean always makes sure to get," he paused, smirking over his shoulder, "talented women for me." He turned, pulling her towards the door. "So pretty thing, what's your talent?"
Glancing down, she smiled coyly. Sidling up close to his chest, she brushed her fingers down his arms. Standing on her toes, she whispered at his ear, "I'll show you."
Her fingers slid down, past his wrist. She moved, as if about to lace her fingers with his – and plucked the transponder snail from his hand. With her free hand, she reached around him. The doorknob twisted in her palm.
As the door swung open, she shoved.
Tripping over his feet, he stumbled back, falling hard into the room. Mouth agape, he stared up at her, astounded.
Holding the transponder snail up, she bounced it in her palm. "Stealing. My talent is stealing. Especially from assholes like you."
She slammed the door on his stunned face.
And then Zoro was there. Silent, with two swords out and ready, he seemed to have materialized out of thin air. If she had to guess, she'd say he took the two guards out quickly and was waiting around the next bend, ready for when she made her move.
"Got any ideas on how to keep him in here?"
A katana slashed down. The doorknob clattered on marble; the bright metal had been cloven cleanly in two.
Nami blinked. "Will that work?"
He shrugged. "For a little while."
It would have to do.
Shrugging the bag off her shoulder, she stepped up to the second door. The one she wanted all along. The handle had a lock – as she had expected. But it wasn't going to stop her. She hadn't earned the moniker "Cat Burglar" by giving up and going home whenever she encountered a locked door.
She dropped in front of the door, lock picking equipment in hand. As she crouched, working the key pins in the shiny lock, Zoro stood beside her. Swords held at the ready, he stood, silent, his dark eye watching the empty hall.
"You're quiet." She glanced up from the lock. "Or more quiet than usual."
He spoke, not taking his eyes from the hall. "Have to say, I'm not crazy about watching another man grope my wife."
Nami scrunched her nose as she felt another pin click. She should have figured it was about that. "If it makes you feel better, I was the one doing the groping, not him."
He grunted. "Not really."
She grinned as she felt the last pin give way. Reaching up, she twisted the knob. It turned.
Throwing everything into the pack, she stood. As Zoro turned, ready to march in, she grabbed the front of his shirt. Tugging him towards her – or really, pulling herself towards him, as his feet were planted solidly on the ground – she captured his mouth in a swift kiss.
Falling back on the balls of her feet, she grinned cheekily up at him. "Your gropes are the only gropes that I want – for the rest of my life."
"Romantic," he said, dryly.
She winked. "Don't ever say I don't sweet talk you." Turning away, she added. "If it weren't for the transponder snail, I would've let you kick his ass right from the start."
Zoro seemed to cheer at the thought. Facing the unlocked door, he leveled his swords. "If we see him again, he's getting it. Transponder snail or no."
"Get me this treasure, and you can do whatever the hell you want."
The door opened with a groan.
Light from the hall illuminated a long, dark room. At its far end, a second door waited.
She held up a hand, stopping Zoro at her side. There was no way this was just an empty room. In all her time as a thief, she'd learned that when the treasure was as valuable as this, it was never that easy.
She reached for the bag again.
"How much shit do you have in there?"
"Enough." She pulled out a dial. Setting it on the ground, she flipped a switch, and gestured for Zoro to step back.
White mist poured from the device with a hiss. As it spread, rising through the air, it thinned, becoming nearly transparent. Where it expanded across the room, thin red lines flickered to life. By the time the space had filled with mist, the room was tinted red. The glowing lines crisscrossed one another, a web of color.
"What're those?"
Just this once, it would have been nice if it had been that easy. She answered with a sigh, "Sensors. Cross one and you'll trip something. Whether it be a trap or an alarm."
"Can we turn them off?"
With Usopp here, they might have been able to. But it wasn't something she could manage. "I can't. But I can get across."
His katanas slid back into their sheathes with a hiss. Zoro stepped forward, cracking his neck from side to side
"What are you doing?"
He gestured to the glowing sensors, as if it were obvious. "I'm going to climb through."
"No. I'm going to climb through. And you're going to wait here."
He frowned. "I'm agile."
"Your agility's not at issue. The problem is, the space between those sensors." She looked between the crisscrossing beams and his bulky torso. "There's no way you'll fit."
He glared at the sensors, as if they were personally responsible for his getting left behind. "Fine. But if there's something waiting behind that next door, I'm coming across, sensors be damned."
"Deal." She tossed him her pack.
Rolling her arms in slow circles, she turned to the glowing beams. It had been a while since she'd done anything like this, but she could still do it – probably. She stepped forward – and was immediately assaulted with a wave of dizziness. Planting her feet, she closed her eyes. Fatigue. Chopper had said it was an early symptom. She breathed in, and out. When she opened her eyes, the room was once again steady.
"Nami?"
"Fine. It's fine. Just nerves. Haven't done this in a while."
At first, he didn't answer. She could tell by his silence he didn't believe her. "We don't have to do this, you know. There's other ways to get quick money. We've always made things work in the past."
"No." Her voice came out clipped, more agitated than she meant it to. "We need it now."
"Franky can probably patch the ship a bit with what we have. And yeah, those marines might be on our asses for a few more months, but we've dealt with extended conflict before."
Her shoulders stiffened. She couldn't have the marines chasing them for months. They had to be well away, before –
"We're getting the money we need Zoro, and we're getting it right now."
"Fine." His voice was hard. "Just do me a favor, and don't kill yourself getting it."
Her fingers unconsciously rose. She found herself playing with the hem of her shirt. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Stretching her hands overhead, she stepped up to the edge of the beams. It had been a while, but she could definitely do this. She blew out a slow breath, and dropped over the first set of beams, landing lightly on her palms. Her bangs dropped away from her eyes. From the side of the room, Zoro watched. Upside down, she gave him a smile.
Shifting her weight to one hand, she lifted the other and placed it carefully over a low lying beam. Pulling her stomach muscles tight, she carefully lowered her legs. She tucked her knees against her chest, and prayed that what she was about to do wouldn't make the dizziness return.
Stretching one leg forward, she carefully avoided the beams both above and below her. Twisting on her hands, she dropped the extended foot down. Shifting her weight, she slipped through the next tangle of beams, and dropped into a light crouch.
Through the red glow, she could see Zoro watching, but it was impossible to make out his expression.
Trying for a bit of levity after the tense moment before, she stuck out her tongue. "Impressed?"
"…and a little turned on."
She arched a brow. "We have a job to do, Zoro. Be professional." She said it with a straight face, but her tone was teasing. Dropping to her stomach, she rolled under the next row of sensors.
"I'm always professional."
She snorted as she rolled up, back on her hands.
By the time she'd crossed the remaining sensors, and rose to her feet before the door, Zoro had turned serious once more.
"Open it slow." Across the room, she heard his katana slide from its sheath. He rolled up on the balls of his feet, and she could tell he was ready to charge across the room if he was needed.
The knob was cool beneath her hand. She twisted. It swung open to reveal another room, empty, save for what appeared to be a safe in the floor. Letting go of the knob, she released the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding.
"Just a room – and a safe."
"Don't let your guard down."
She wouldn't. Letting out another breath, she took a tentative step through the door. She took another step, eyes sweeping the floor. It didn't appear to be anything other than plain marble. She couldn't see fissures that would indicate any kind of trap in the floor. By the time she'd reached the safe, she'd begun to breathe easy once more. If there was a trap, it would have likely already activated.
Bending on her knees, she crouched before it.
"Uh – hey, do you think Mr. Asshole might have had another transponder snail in his room? Cause I think I hear some people coming."
Nami blinked. That was a possibility she hadn't considered. Regardless, they were out of time. Digging through her bag, she dropped to her knees. "I'm hurrying!"
Her hand emerged, another tone dial held tightly in her grasp. She'd hoped to have more time – a chance to actually crack the safe. But this would work – even if it was going to make a bit more noise than she'd originally planned. But it sounded like someone already knew they were here anyway.
Impact Dial in hand, she pressed her palm over the top of the safe. Turning her head, she braced her arm.
The explosion rocked the room.
Falling back, Nami clutched at her arm. Pain radiated from the point of impact. It hurt about as much as it had back in Skypeia.
"Nami?" Zoro's panicked voice sounded through the open door and she had the feeling he was about to charge headfirst through the glowing beams.
"I'm fine," she panted, using her good arm to push herself to her feet. "Just had to use a bit of force to open the safe."
She grinned, pleased to note that it was definitely open. The safe's square door hung open, dangling by a single hinge. And there, at the center of the compact space, sat a golden box. Her chin dropped. Even the container was valuable.
Thrilled, she reached in, dragging it out of the safe. She popped the lid open and found coins – a lot of golden coins. At the sight, her heart leapt. It was enough to fix the ship – more than enough. For the first time in weeks, she felt light.
And then, the alarm sounded.
She clutched the box to her chest as sirens blared, echoing between the room's narrow walls. She jerked up, the box – it must have been on some kind of scale, and the alarm had activated when she removed it.
She stood, the scrape of gears sounding ominously behind her. She turned to see a thick, metal sheet lowering down over the door.
"Shit."
Scrambling, to grab her bag, she ran, the golden box clutched possessively against her chest. But there wasn't time. Already, the metal sheet was three fourths of the way to the floor.
And then – it stopped.
Around the metal's edge, fingers curved. Gears screamed, and the door shuddered. Over it all, she heard his voice.
"Nami! Hurry the hell up!"
Without hesitation, she dropped to the ground. She slid the box and bag through and rolled after them.
On the other side of the door, Zoro crouched, both hands braced beneath the shuddering metal. The heavy sheet was warped where his hands curved around it. He released the door, and the metal slammed down.
An alarm blared in this room too and she belatedly realized he had run straight through the sensors after all. And then she saw the door. A metal sheet was rapidly lowering over this entrance too. The hallway beyond was rapidly disappearing.
"Zoro!"
She ran, holding the box against her side. The glowing beams flashed as she passed through them. It didn't matter now, they'd already been triggered. She reached the door, and slid. She heard Zoro; he was right behind her.
When she was out, she rolled, giving him room to come through. The door slammed, the floor shuddering with the force.
Zoro – was he –
She jerked up.
"Remind me not to trust you with explosives, ever again."
Zoro knelt by the door. He was running a hand over his blades, ensuring they were all there.
"Intruders! Halt!"
Where the hall curved, a uniformed guard stood. This one carried a long sword. It was extended towards them. He was flanked by several panting men, all holding cudgels in two-handed grasps.
Zoro glanced toward her. "Time to leave?"
She nodded, slipping the box into her bag. "Definitely time to leave."
The guards charged forward. Zoro stepped up to meet them, two katanas already in hand. The blades swirled, visible only by the flash of metal that caught the light. On either side of him, guards dropped.
The hallway behind her pounded with boots. Grabbing for her clima-tact she turned. Five men; all of the armed with cudgels.
The clima-tact spun in her grasp. "Thunderbolt tempo!"
The air crackled a split second before the bolts rained down. Amplified in the narrow hall, thunder roared.
The electricity crackled, reluctantly dissipating in air. In its wake, the five guards lay prone, their uniforms singed black.
"All good here. You?" Zoro looked up; guards littered the floor around him.
"Yeah."
A door creaked. Before she could turn, she was thrown against the nearest wall. Her clima-tact clattered to the floor.
"Thieving whore!"
Zoritoni's eyes were wild. His hand was at her neck.
Gasping, she clawed at his hand. Each labored breath burned in her throat.
"Bringing this, this chaos into my house! Taking my things!"
Clutching at his arm, she dragged her legs up, and kicked.
At once, he was gone. And Nami stood alone, on legs that suddenly felt like jelly. Holding a hand to her throat, she sank down against the wall, sucking in labored breaths.
At the center of the hall, Zoro stood. In his grasp, Zoritoni dangled. Eyes wide, Zoritoni clutched at where he held him by the throat.
As she watched, Zoro drew him closer. Sputtering, Zoritoni kicked out. His foot struck Zoro's shin, and then his thigh. The swordsman didn't blink, merely drawing him closer, until they were eye to eye.
His gaze was like frost. "The next time you touch her, will be your last."
The following silence lasted the space of a beat – in the next, he flung his arm to the side. Zoritoni flew, his body no more than a blur. He struck the wall, marble exploding around him. As the dust cleared, she was able to see light shining through from the next room; Zoro had thrown him clean through.
Nami blinked. When her eyes opened, Zoro was crouched before her. His hand, damp – with what she hoped was sweat and not blood – was at her neck, her face, her head, feeling her, checking for injury. His lips were moving, and after a moment, she realized he was speaking.
"Nami, come on, talk to me. Where're you hurt?"
She shook her head, she wasn't hurt – just exhausted. Massaging her throat, she answered. "I'm alright."
His fingers brushed along her throat where she was sure a bruise must be already forming. "Wait here. I'm going to kill him."
Heaving a sigh, she grabbed for his arm. "Come on, we have to get out of here. Pull me up."
After sparing a single, reluctant glance over his shoulder, he pulled her to her feet.
She was up for a second – and then fell forward. Strong arms caught her. When she looked up, she was braced in the crook of his arm. He spoke, his voice hard. "Nami, what the hell's going on? You're not alright."
"I'm just-" she hesitated. "- tired."
"The hell you are."
In the distance, she could hear pounding steps. Reinforcements were coming, and they were coming fast.
"Zoro we have to go."
"Not until you tell me what's going on. Are you hurt, and not telling me?" As he spoke, his hand shifted to the back of her head, looking for an injury he might have missed. And his eyes, they were flicking over her. He knew something was wrong, but couldn't figure out what. And he looked – at the edge of panic.
Clenching her teeth, she slapped him on the chest – hard. "God damn it, Zoro! I didn't want to do this here."
His head jerked down. "Do…what?"
She could hear shouts. Footsteps pounded – close.
Her heart thudded, she could feel it in her throat. Then it was on her tongue – and she could feel it, the truth spilling out. "I'm pregnant! Alright?!" The shout echoed, sharp in the marble hall.
His eyes stared, blank. His arm was still around her, supporting, but his entire body had gone still.
And then she was rambling. "I found out a few weeks ago. I was going to tell you, but the marines attacked, and then we were running, and then we had to fix the ship." Her fingers squeezed, clutching the fabric of his shirt. "And I was scared. I don't know what this means, for me, you, us, and both of our dreams." She glanced down, surprised to find that she could meet his eyes. "I didn't know how to tell you."
"What?" His voice was low, hoarse.
Her head jerked up; and she was at once indignant. "Did you hear anything I just said?"
He blinked – and his good eye gradually widened. "You're – pregnant?"
She nodded.
The arm around her tightened as the fingers at her shoulder squeezed. And then he was blinking rapidly. "That's – Nami – shit – we're gonna be-" He cupped her jaw, his gaze tracing her face. "God, we're going to have a little – you?"
She'd thought she felt light before. Now, she felt as though she might float away. Her heart, weighed down by weeks of fear, was suddenly unburdened. She breathed out, laughing. "Not just me. You too."
His lips spread in a slow, wide smile. "He's gonna be the-" he hesitated, "second best swordsman in the world."
She quirked a brow. "Or she."
"Or she." He amended, nodding. And then he looked down. His hand slipped from her face. Gently, irreverently, he touched it to her stomach. "How long?"
"Less than a month."
He nodded. And then blinked. Straightening, he glanced around them. Something seemed to click in his head. "Wait – you did all of this – pregnant?!"
"Less than a month!"
A vein emerged, throbbing at the center of his head. "You were sliding under doors!" His eye widened as he glanced around them. "And fighting!"
"Yeah! Cause I don't want marines to still be chasing us when I have it! We needed the money to repair the Sunny!"
"God damn it woman! I would have come up here and gotten it myself!"
"Yeah, and risk you killing yourself? I don't think so!"
"HEY! YOU!"
They both jerked up at the shout.
From either side of the hallway, guards poured.
"You said there were seventy guards here?"
Nami swallowed. "Looking at it now, that may have been on the low side."
Drawing a katana, he drew her up against his side. "You have the money?"
She squeezed, reaffirming the presence of the bag against her side. "Got it."
"Good. Cause we're getting out of here. Now."
Wrapping an arm around his torso, she looked forward and back. They were surrounded. Both ends of the hall were teeming with soldiers. It was hard to tell which way would be easiest to fight their way out from.
To her surprise, Zoro turned away from them both. Whipping his sword down, he faced – the wall.
Her eyes grew wide. He wasn't actually –
"Zoro, you're not-?"
He gave her a lopsided grin. "Remember what you said about the walls?"
"Zoro, no."
"I'm getting you out of here. And I'm making my own doors to do it." The arm around her squeezed. "Close your eyes." He drew back the katana.
Wrapping her other arm around his chest, she ducked her head, shielding her face against his side.
There was a crack – and then a burst. Small bits of marble rained down like hail. Boots crunching over the debris, he ran, pulling her along with him.
She opened her eyes to see another wall rising up before them. He lifted his arm again. Squeezing her eyes closed, she pressed her face against his chest. Her hair whipped around her neck as another wall exploded before them.
He dragged her forward, breaking one wall, then the next.
Finally, in the wake of an explosion, she felt fresh air. A chill breeze blew in, brushing the back of her neck. She opened her eyes – to stars. They stood at the edge of the third story, where a portion of the front wall once stood.
Below, the yard was in chaos. Spotlights shone from the second story, illuminating sections of the grass in bright circles. The circles of light seemed to flicker as soldiers sprinted in and out of them, battling the pirates that had collected in the yard. At the edge of the fight, dogs bayed. Squinting, she could just make out their flying forms. Luffy stood before them, his fists flying.
Zoro slid his katana smoothly back in its sheath. And then he was reaching for her legs, swinging her up into his arms.
She squeaked, grabbing for his shirt.
"Time to go." With that, he jumped.
Closing her eyes, she couldn't suppress a squeal. As they fell, her stomach flipped several times over.
He landed, bending his knees to absorb the impact. And then he was running, easily ducking and dodging out of the way of attacking guards.
They saw Franky first. His large arm extended, he fired bullets from his open palm.
Zoro passed him, calling over his shoulder as he went. "Full retreat!"
Next, was Usopp. He'd managed to climb a tree, and sat on a branch, raining projectiles on the men below.
Cupping a hand to her mouth, she called up to him. "Usopp! We're going now!"
Nearby, Sanji spun on his hands.
"Shitty cook! We're leaving!"
Sanji started, standing upright. Twisting, he turned towards them, thunderous. When he saw her being carried away, the expression melted away, transforming to one of concern. "Nami-san! Are you alright?"
Zoro passed him, hugging her to his chest. "She's fine. But a pregnant woman shouldn't be running around."
Sanji began to nod. He blinked as his mind worked to process what he'd heard. His mouth dropped open. "Nami-san!? Pregnant!?" His eyebrows drew together as his lips curled down. "You – haven't even been eating!" His voice was sharp, scandalized. And then he was running, arms pumping at his sides. "Don't worry Nami-san, I'll get back to the ship, and I'll make you the full, nutritious meal that your body needs!"
Behind them Franky whistled. "You've got a little marimo in the oven?"
She didn't dignify that with a response.
As they passed Robin, she called over her shoulder. "Congratulations! When we get back, I'll tell you all about how ancient cultures enacted birthing rituals."
"Uh – that's okay!"
When they saw Brook, Nami prepared to call out, but he spoke first.
"I heard we were retreating, Nami-san! But first let offer you my congratulations! I'll prepare soothing music for the birth."
Her eyebrow twitched. "Oh – um. No."
Behind them, Usopp gave a gasping breath. "Finally – caught – up." He drew in a shuddering breath. "Nami! Zoro! You guys didn't tell me?" He sounded offended.
Zoro shrugged. "You're only five minutes behind me."
"Oh." At that Usopp seemed to brighten. "Just so you know, I'm going to teach it how to sharp shoot."
She couldn't help but imagine a child running amok – with the ability to throw small objects with great precision. Maybe she'd convince Usopp to rethink his offer.
As they approached the wall, Zoro's steps slowed.
Luffy dropped down atop the wall. His face was nearly eclipsed by his wide grin. "Zoro! Nami! I want to name it-" he paused for emphasis. "Meatball!"
She really didn't dignify that with a response.
Zoro tilted his head. "Luffy, pull Nami up."
She wanted to protest that she could climb over, after all, she'd done it on the way in. But Luffy's arms stretched down, and then she was pulled up, her arms clasped tight in his rubbery grasp. She swung in an arc. At the top, when she passed over the wall, she felt momentarily weightless. And then she dropped over the other side. As she fell, Luffy's arms pulled back, slowing her fall. Her feet touched lightly to the ground.
Zoro dropped down beside her. As the rest of the crew leapt down, he grabbed her hand, pulling her forward. Brush scraped their legs as twigs and leaves snapped underfoot. The ship wasn't far; the bay was just past the small area of forest.
Nonetheless, in the short trip, Zoro paused, every few minutes offering to piggy back her the rest of the way to the ship. When they finally emerged from the forest, panting, and with the Sunny in sight, she was ready to hit him.
Hesitating at the top of the slope, she caught her breath, appreciating the sight of the Sunny floating, serene, in the quiet bay. Moonlight seemed to ripple on the water. She watched as everyone ran ahead, eagerly sprinting towards the safety of the ship.
Home. The word popped in her head, unbidden. But when she looked at the ship, waiting patiently on the water, she knew it to be true. It was home. And so were they.
Beside her, Zoro paused. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You know-"
"I mean, you were scared. Why?"
"I was scared about what it means for us." She laced her fingers. "Can we still sail with the crew? And what about your dream – and mine?"
For a long time he didn't speak. At last, he cleared his throat, stepping closer. "I don't know." He reached out and his hand found hers. "But we're gonna figure it out, one day at a time."
Looking at her feet, she frowned. She would've liked to hear something – well something more definite.
"What? You were hoping I knew what was gonna happen?" He scratched his head, glancing up at the stars. "Hell if I know. I hardly try to figure out what's going to happen tomorrow – let alone years from now." When he looked back down, his face was open, honest, illuminated beneath the pale light of the moon. "But I do know, that whatever happens, I'll be here. For you," his lips quirked up. "and our second strongest swordsman."
She swallowed, squeezing her fingers around his hand. "Promise?"
"On my life." He squeezed back. "Now let's go. We've got a getaway to make."
Right. The hard earned treasure swung heavy at her side. She smiled. "Alright. Let's go." She turned, Sunny in sight and his hand, a reassuring pressure against her palm.
Yes. Everything was going to be alright.
No, she corrected as they hurried down the slope. Alright wasn't the right word.
Atop the sunny, the crew waved, urging them on. Hugging the money at her side, she held his hand, tugging him firmly behind her.
Better than alright – everything would be good. Perhaps better.
She glanced back, sharing his smile.
Definitely better.
Oh my god, forgive the shameless fluff :D Thanks for reading! :) Until next time!
