Title: Beauty and the Demon-Man
Theme: 61 - Fairy Tale
Words: 7,103 (yikes!)
Summary: Beauty and the Beast meets One Piece. Starring Roronoa Zoro as the Beast and Cat burglar Nami as Belle.
This is the story of a girl. Or perhaps it was his story and she was simply a part of it. The truth is the story starts before she wandered into it. The story started when he was a mere boy but this is a fairy tale after all so we must start it properly.
~o~O~o~
Once upon a time in a far away land there was a boy. He may not have been a prince by birth but in the dojo with a katana in his hand he was king. It was with pride and determination that he went from town to town – dojo to dojo really – and displayed his worth with a sense of superiority. And so the story went until one town that was outwardly no different from the rest.
He strolled into the dojo with as much confidence and arrogance as any prince. He issued a challenge; he would beat the master of the dojo. Standing with his feet apart and arms crossed he waited to see which adult would step forward. In the end it wasn't an adult but a girl.
"I'll accept your challenge."
The prince of blades just laughed. Irritation flashed across his features along with arrogance as he spoke haughtily.
"I don't waste my time on little girls. I'll face only the best." There was an evident sneer on the word 'girls'.
An elder man stepped forward his clothes identifying him as the master and the boy nodded curtly at him prepared to commence the duel.
"Son, I assure you she is the best."
"Fine, I shall fight her but when I win your dojo is mine." The boy spoke with disdain.
The master simply nodded and left the youngsters to it. It took all of thirty seconds before our high and mighty prince was dethroned and lying flat on his back. He pleaded his case; claiming he was holding back since she was a girl. His opponent allowed a rematch and this time he drew two extra blades in a show of seriousness. The three katana could've been thirty or three hundred for all they were worth. Again thirty seconds later he was on his back. He looked up and saw her above him her powerful aura now visible to him.
"You behave like a demon and so a demon you shall be until you wield your blade with more than destruction. A demon you shall remain until you can remove a single petal of this very rose with the sweep of your blade."
A rose appeared in her hand from nowhere and she dropped it onto his prone body. His body burned where the flower touched him and he felt the burning glow of blood red eyes as the demon took hold of him. He felt invisible shackles holding him down and tying him to the demon.
"You have five years to lean a softer touch or be trapped like this forever."
Then as if the town had been nothing more than a mirage or an incredibly vivid dream it all disappeared and he was left standing on a hilltop the single rose clutched in his hand, thorns drawing blood. The demon boy roared into the emptiness but neither chains nor rose vanished. And so he retreated into the darkness seeking solitude in his despair. The dark and crumbling castle is where our heroine found him after the dawning of his fifth year of imprisonment.
~o~O~o~
But first let's meet our heroine, shall we? She has a story too, A story of loss and abandonment, of being ostracized and loneliness. But it wasn't always this way; she had known love and warmth and it was those memories she held close, wrapped around her like a cloak as she set out in search of her sister. For her sister had gone missing.
While the town people thought Nojiko had run away abandoning the considerable burden of raising her younger sister our heroine refused to succumb to their lies. She knew something happened and so she set out to find and rescue her. This is what led her to the demon's lair; tracks in the dirt ending at rusted old gates.
"Hello?" she called out tentatively.
When no answer came she pushed at the gate and slipped onto the seemingly abandoned property. Pushing aside any uneasiness she brazenly went up to the large wooden doors using all her strength to push them open enough to slip through. The inside of the castle was in better shape than its exterior but a visible layer of dust covered most surfaces. She called out quietly into the stillness but was greeted with more of that same thick, stale quiet. Curiously she moved forward into the castle looking for any sign of life. Deep in the heart of the castle she heard movement and she moved towards it heedless of any potential danger. So preoccupied with finding Nojiko she didn't notice the movements in the shadows behind her.
"Nojiko?" she called out.
At first she was met with that same deafening silence but then a raspy voice reached her ears.
"Nami?"
Elated to hear her sister's voice she rushed towards its source. Nami found her sister sitting on hard cement with nothing more than some straw for a cushion. There were solid iron bars that kept her from escaping and a single candle on a stool a foot away from the locked doors. Grabbing the candle she rushed up to the bars looking in to see Nojiko scared and shivering.
"I'm going to get you out of here." Nami said fiercely already examining the lock.
"Be careful Nami, he's still around."
"Who? Who did this to you?" Nami asked quickly.
"He's a monster, a demon surely. I got lost and needed to rest. I though this place was abandoned but the demon lives here." Nojiko explained her voice shaky.
Just then a shadow fell over them dimming the sparse light the solitary candle offered.
"Oh God!" Nojiko breathed shakily before a haunted roar echoed through the room.
Trying not to panic Nami turned around and came face to face with the demon. Or face to faces because as he shook with power and rage Nami swore she saw three heads and six arms. The demon-man was naked except for a dirty pair of torn pants and his muscular body was decorated with scars; most notably a giant pink one that ran the length of his torso on a diagonal. Nami couldn't help but shudder as three pairs of blood red eyes glared at her with inhuman intensity.
"You're trespassing."
His voice was a deep growl that sent frissons of fear up and down her spine (and if she was being honest maybe one or two of excitement).
"I'm here to get my sister. She didn't mean to trespass." Nami said bravely but the demon just glared at her. "You can't just keep her here like a prisoner. I won't let you." She said hotly.
His eyebrow raised sardonically a smirk flashing across the dark face as if daring her to try and leave.
"Nami, please don't" Nojiko whispered with fear.
"You both trespassed, someone needs to pay. Are you willing to stay in your sister's place?" The demon said with a hint of mockery.
Nami looked to Nojiko shaking with fear and cold. Another couple of hours in this place and she'd be sick for sure and Nami didn't think the demon would be all that concerned with her health.
"Yes."
There was a quick flash of surprise in the demon's red eyes but it was gone so quickly she couldn't be sure it hadn't just been a reflection of the candle's flame.
"Nami, no!" Nojiko shouted only to burst into a fit of coughs.
"I'll stay here as your prisoner in my sister's place if you promise you'll let her leave."
The demon just nodded and with a flash of the blades Nami hadn't noticed at his waist the lock sprung open. He looked at her expectantly and keeping her shoulders squared Nami pulled the heavy door open and walked into the cell. She helped Nojiko to her feet her back to the demon and silently prayed he wasn't about to back out and lock them both in. He didn't and a minute later Nojiko was being escorted roughly away while Nami sunk to the straw tears burning her eyes.
~o~O~o~
Nami was startled by the appearance of someone else in the dungeon room and looked up expecting the demon to have returned. Instead it was a young man wearing a pair of sunglasses despite the darkness and Nami was surprised to find someone else living here.
"I'll show you to your room, aneki." The young man spoke as he moved to unlock the door.
"My room?" she asked confused.
"Yes, if you're staying you can't be kept down here. Come on now."
Obediently Nami followed the young man who introduced himself as Johnny. They walked down the corridor, up a creaking set of stairs, down another hallway until finally Johnny stopped outside a door at the end of the hall.
"Well, this is it. There's a wardrobe inside, you're expected for dinner at seven."
Nami stared at Johnny in confusion for a moment before anger seeped in.
"I will not be going." She spat out.
Before Johnny could protest she had opened the door, stalked inside and slammed it in his face. Dinner at seven? Fancy rooms and dinner invites didn't change the fact that she was a prisoner here. If Nami had her choice she would walk right out of this dilapidated castle and never look back but that wasn't the case so instead she threw herself on the bed and cried herself to sleep. She ignored any and all knocks on the door including the ones of the demon himself.
When she woke several hours later the room was dark and looking out the window she could see the moon high in the sky. A pain in her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten all day and she debated sneaking to the kitchen to grab something to eat. She vaguely remembered the demon saying if she wouldn't eat with him she wouldn't eat at all but surely he wouldn't notice a few pieces of bread missing. Resolved she first went to the basin of water in the en-suite bath and splashed some on her face to relieve some of the puffiness crying had caused. Feeling slightly better Nami cautiously pushed open her bedroom door half-expecting to see Johnny or someone else on guard but the hallway was empty and she didn't hear a sound. She let the door shut quietly behind her and started her search for food.
It didn't take long for her to find the dining room and from there the kitchen. The kitchen was as run-down as the rest of the castle and she couldn't help wondering how the demon had come to live here alone – well almost alone. Nami didn't really think the demon was all that social with Johnny and whoever else might happen to be here. Nami pushed aside any feelings of curiosity and, worse, concern and began to open a random drawer.
"Now that's not allowed."
She turned around to see Johnny standing in the doorway but noticed he had a hint of a smile. Nami forced herself to smile back coyly, letting her hip jut out in a slightly provocative pose.
"I was just so hungry. I couldn't help myself." She said softly.
Even though he still wore the sunglasses Nami could sense the interest and sure enough he was assuring her there was plenty of food and if she took a seat in the dining room he's bring some out for her. True to his word he brought out a bowl of heated up soup and a plate of sandwiches. It wasn't much but Nami was grateful for anything she could get and quickly finished both off. After eating she returned to her room and climbed into the large and surprisingly comfy bed. Even though she was still scared and upset she fell asleep quickly.
~o~O~o~
Waking up was a harsh plunge back into reality for Nami as she accepted that despite her comfortable surroundings she was in fact a prisoner for the foreseeable future. The day before she hadn't taken the time to explore the room at all and she decided she may as well do so now. The room was large with a picture glass window that faced the rear grounds and she took a moment to admire the stone fountain ringed with a circular bench. In the spring it would no doubt be a beautiful place to sit. Shaking her head Nami turned away from the window quickly; she didn't want to think about this place in the spring because she planned on being gone by then.
She returned her focus to the room itself; the bed she had slept in was a queen-sized, four poster bed with velvet curtain hangings and made of rich mahogany that promised – and delivered – luxury and comfort. Across from the bed was a wardrobe made of the same mahogany and opening it she found a few old dresses and a housecoat that was slightly moth eaten. Nami recalled Johnny mentioning the wardrobe and wondered if they belonged to a former prisoner or had simply been in the castle when the demon-man claimed it as his own. A small bedside table sat off to the left of the bed with a lamp and in the corner of the room by the window a large gilded mirror. It was a room that Nami dreamed of having as a kid but certainly never under these circumstances. There was an en-suite bathroom with just the necessities and she freshened up before venturing out of the room.
The castle was eerily quiet and she wondered what Johnny and the demon-man were up to. No one had told her she wasn't allowed to wander around so she decided to do just that starting with the floor her room was on. Most of the rooms were empty or had furniture covered in dusty drapes, clearly out of use for years now. Nami moved on to the other side of the castle hoping to find something more interesting there. She still hadn't run into anyone so she kept exploring finding another bedroom, an office and more empty rooms. She was just about to head back to her room when she noticed a small stairway leading up to a shut door. Curious she began to climb the narrow stairs.
"Aneki! Don't go there." A voice called out.
Nami turned around expecting to see Johnny but it was a different young man watching her anxiously. He wore some sort of fighting helmet and looked nervously around him.
"Why not?" Nami asked brazenly.
Unlike the demon-man neither this young man nor Johnny scared her. Just then as if summoned by her thoughts Johnny appeared from around the corner and looked up at her with a small smile.
"It's forbidden. Zoro-aniki doesn't let anyone up there."
Unfortunately that only served to heighten Nami's curiosity and she took another few steps up.
"Please!" the man half-begged.
"No one needs to know, Yosaku. He's not up there and she can be down before anyone finds out." Johnny suggested.
Yosaku immediately declined this idea and the two men started to argue so Nami took advantage of their distraction to climb the rest of the stairs and open the door. The door had closed behind her before either noticed she was gone.
The room behind the door was dark and she stood still until her eyes adjusted and she could make out shapes and shadows. The first thing she noticed was that the room was mainly empty. The second thing to register was the mess on the floor that upon closer inspection were dozens of roses mangled and sliced up. Some were fresh while others had withered and dried up indicating their age. That's when she noticed the small cabinet. Almost like one might use to display a trophy but instead locked away inside was a single red rose. The flower was almost too vibrant and she was reminded of the demon-man's eyes.
The carefully preserved rose didn't mix with the mess on the floor or the cold demon-man who held someone prisoner for trespassing. She found herself reaching towards the glass, desperate for some clue as to who this 'Zoro' was. Her fingers reached out touching the cool smoothness of the glass exterior.
"STOP!"
The roar broke the silence, shattering it irreparably as it vibrated around the room and she yanked her hand back. Turning around he looked more imposing than ever, waves of fury lifting off of him like steam as he glared and scowled with those blood-red eyes burning into her.
"Sorry, I..." Nami apologized quietly.
"Get out!" he roared, his hands pulling out three different katana.
Nami didn't wait to see what he planned on doing with them or how he would wield three and simply took off down the stairs not stopping as she whipped around the corner and down the main staircase. She thought she heard Johnny and Yosaku but ignoring their calls she exited the castle and didn't slow until she got to the woods. Stopping against a tress she bent over double trying to regain her breath and calm the erratic beating of her heart. The demon-man's roar still echoed in her ears and forced her to straighten up and keep going.
She must have been focusing on the demon still because the robbers came out of nowhere, suddenly appearing in front of her a knife pointing at her throat. Nami took a step backwards ready to fight them off as best as she could or possibly flee but her heart sank when she felt a body blocking her way. They had her surrounded and no one would hear her scream even if she could get enough breath to do so.
"You don't want to do this." She said trying to come off as cocky and bored.
The thug holding the knife laughed and inched closer the smell of unwashed male invading her senses. His hand rose in the air ready to strike and Nami couldn't help shutting her eyes against the blow that never came. Instead of the pain she was expecting there was a roar and her eyes flew open to see a flash of metal that sent the thug sprawling backwards. Stumbling back she tripped barely registering as she landed in a puddle from an earlier rainfall. She watched as the rest of the thugs converged on the demon only to be beat back with one of his three katana. It wasn't long before the demon fell to his knees the attackers all on the ground; dead or unconscious Nami didn't really know or care. She cautiously approached the demon-man who was covered in blood how much of which was his own she wasn't sure. She hesitated for only a second before helping him to his feet and offering her support they slowly made the trek back to the castle. When they got through the doors Nami directed him to the nearest chair calling out for help as she did.
"Johnny? Johnny, I need warm water and a cloth now!"
Anything else would have to wait until she saw just how hurt he was. It wasn't long before Johnny and Yosaku appeared carrying a basin of water and a few cloths. They deposited the items and backed off to give Nami room to work. The demon-man seemed to be drifting on the edge of consciousness and she hoped he hadn't hit his head in the fight. It took a couple of basins of water to clean away all the blood but thankfully it looked like the majority of it had come from the thugs. There were some minor cuts on his arms and chest but the only significant damage was to his side where it looked like one of the attackers had managed to bury his knife. It was bleeding pretty heavily and Nami knew it was going to take more than some bandages to fix it up.
"I need to stitch this up. Johnny, Yosaku, do you have anything I can use?" she asked the two men hovering behind her.
"Sure, aneki. Be right back."
"This is going to hurt. I'm sorry." Nami said to the demon-man – Zoro.
All she got in response was a grunt that she took to mean he could handle it. The others returned then and Yosaku handed her some thick thread and a curved needle while Johnny handed Zoro a bottle of clear liquid that was clearly some sort of alcohol judging from the smell.
"Wait!" Nami said grabbing the bottle away.
Zoro glared but didn't growl as she was half-expecting him to do.
"You can drink it don't worry, just let me disinfect the area some first."
Zoro nodded and she splashed some liquor over the wound and needle noticing how he tensed but didn't make a sound. Satisfied that it was relatively clean she returned the bottle and he immediately took a large swallow. Zoro managed to do nothing more than flinch for the first few stitches but at the third one he let out a strangled noise between a growl and a yelp.
"Hold still!" she chastised softly as his body instinctively pulled back.
"It hurts!" he snarled at her.
"It won't hurt as much if you'll just hold still. I'm almost done."
"This is your fault, woman."
"My fault?"
"It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't run away."
"I wouldn't have run if you hadn't scared me!" Nami retorted defensively.
Zoro opened his mouth to reply but just shut it again looking away slightly embarrassed. She put in a couple more stitches before cutting a strip of bandage to put over it. As she smoothed the tape over his skin she felt a slight ripple of muscle under her fingers as he reacted to her touch.
"Thank you for saving me out there." She said softly her eyes focused on the stark white of the bandage.
"You're welcome." Zoro replied voice also soft.
The air in the room suddenly felt thicker as the atmosphere changed and Nami realized at some point she had stopped referring to him as 'the demon' in her mind. The silence was broken by Nami sneezing loudly. Before he could even say 'bless you' she sneezed three more times a shiver running through her violently.
"Nami, are you ok?" Zoro asked uncertainly.
"I'm fine. Aachoo! I think I may have picked up a bit of a cold outside. I'm just going to go lie down."
"We'll make you some soup and tea, aneki." Johnny said pulling Yosaku with him.
Nami nodded tiredly the adrenaline from before gone leaving her tired, drained and wet from her fall. She rose to her feet and made to move towards the door but was overcome with dizziness and the next thing she knew the floor was rushing towards her.
~o~O~o~
It was reflexes alone that allowed Zoro to catch Nami and he easily scooped her up into his arms. Her eyes were closed but she was still breathing steadily so his initial anxiety eased some and he gently brushed the bright orange hair out of her face. She looked not quiet peaceful but relaxed as if she instinctively felt safe in his arms. Zoro almost dropped her when the realization that he wanted her to feel safe with him hit. For so long, even before the curse, he had brought nothing but destruction so it was shocking for him to think about safety and protection. He looked down at the girl as the depth of his feelings registered. Carefully he carried her back up to her room, hesitating for a moment before going in and laying her on the bed. He drew the blankets up over her before grabbing a cloth and soaking it in cool water to drape across her burning forehead. As the cloth hit her skin her eyes fluttered open and she blinked up at him.
"It's ok, you've got a fever but you'll be fine. You're in your room now." Zoro said softly.
"Ok." Nami said sleepily her eyes already starting to fall close.
"Wait, you should probably take off your wet clothes." Zoro said embarrassed.
Nami nodded and struggled to sit up her hands moving to the hem of her shirt. Face flushing Zoro turned away keeping his back to Nami until he was sure she was covered again. He watched as her breathing evened out and she fell into a deep sleep her chest rising and falling softly. Her face was still flushed and he felt that the cloth had dried up from the heat emanating from her forehead so he removed it and went to wet it again. Once it was back against her skin he carried the basin and a chair over and settled beside her the basin on the small bedside table. Zoro sat there watching her and periodically changing the cloth to keep it cool and damp. He was so preoccupied with his watch that he didn't notice the door open and Johnny and Yosaku come in with tea and soup. Both men were smart enough not to say anything and they placed the items on the floor just inside the door before leaving quietly.
~o~O~o~
The next couple of days Zoro sat with Nami keeping her comfortable and making sure she was eating. The first day she spent most of the time sleeping but by the second day her fever looked like it had broken and was on its way down while her energy seemed to be making a comeback. He was surprised by how easily the time went by whether in conversations or comfortable silence. When he left the room the second night he headed up the stairs to the attic where the flower was kept. He hadn't been up since the incident with Nami and he carefully removed the rose from the case just staring at it. He thought of the curse and how he was trapped by it and his thoughts drifted to Nami. He hated the imaginary shackles of the curse and yet here he was doing the same thing to her. He realized it would hurt to have her walk away but not as much as her only being there because she feared he'd kill her or her sister. With a sigh he placed the rose back in its case. Tomorrow he'd tell Nami she was free to go.
~o~O~o~
Nami woke up the third morning since she contracted the flu to find herself alone in the room that had become her own. Startled she looked around expecting to see Zoro over by the window or emerging from the bathroom with a cloth or water but she was indeed by herself. It was the first morning since the day she'd run that she had woken alone and she was surprised to feel some sort of disappointment wash through her. Nami tried to shake off the feeling, telling herself coldly that despite the last few days he was still her captor. It didn't help and she visibly brightened when a soft knock sounded against her door.
"Come in." She called out.
Disappointment once again coursed through her when Johnny stuck his head around the half open door. She tried to swallow it down and forced a small smile for the young man who was carrying in some breakfast for her. She accepted the food and answered Johnny's questions about how she was feeling. Despite the disappointment she was feeling well, the flu seemingly out of her system finally.
"That's good news, aneki. Zoro-aniki will be pleased to hear it." Johnny said enthusiastically.
"Where is Zoro?" she heard herself asking.
"Not sure, probably up in the attic. He's been there all night."
Nami thought back to the day in the attic, to the roses on the floor and that one surreal one in its own case. Clearly it had special meaning to Zoro otherwise it wouldn't be so carefully preserved and he wouldn't have freaked out at her intrusion. At first the roses had been in deep contrast to the man she had seen but after the last few days she was even more confused because she saw that despite the gruff, demonic exterior he was a sweet man and as such she was even more intrigued.
"Johnny? What is so special about that one rose?" she asked the young man.
Johnny hesitated and Nami was glad Yosaku wasn't around because clearly he would caution the other against saying anything at all. No doubt Yosaku's voice was already in Johnny's head telling him to be quiet.
"I won't tell anyone, Johnny. I just really want to know. I need to know." She pleaded.
"It goes back to almost five years ago now. I don't know all of it but a curse was placed on Zoro turning him into this demon that everyone thinks he is. The only way to break the curse has got to do with the rose. Except there's a time limit and when the time is up the curse becomes unbreakable."
"What's the limit, Johnny?"
"Five years."
"But you said this was almost five years ago now?"
Johnny was silent his expression solemn and Nami felt something dark churning in her stomach eating away at her. Fear, desperation and she didn't want to know but she had to ask.
"How long does he have left?" her voice was barely a whisper.
"I don't know exactly."
"Johnny?"
"One week."
It wasn't Johnny that answered and Nami's head whipped up to see Zoro standing in the doorway his features dark. She expected to feel fear certain he would be angry at her questions but all she felt was sadness and an intense desire to make it better. She barely registered Johnny putting the tray of food down and slipping out of the room. Her eyes were on Zoro and Zoro only as he hovered in the doorway.
"Well are you coming in?" she said quietly, trying for nonchalance.
Zoro didn't answer just walked into the room shutting the door behind him and crossing to the chair by her bed. He stayed silent as she began to eat her breakfast and Nami could sense that he was arguing with himself over something the internal conflict visible in the twitching of an eyebrow and clench of his jaw.
"Will you tell me about the rose?" she asked putting her spoon down.
"You have to understand that even before the curse I wasn't exactly a good guy. I was entirely focused on myself and getting stronger. That's what led to all of this, I brought it on myself. To break the curse I need to be able to remove only one petal using my katana."
"What? Isn't that impossible?"
"For a truly great swordsman nothing is impossible. I've been told of swordsmen who were able to cut nothing."
"Then you can do it."
"No. I've accepted that I am not great. You saw the mess on the floor up there. I can't do it."
"You can't give up, Zoro." Nami was pleading now.
"Are you feeling better?" Zoro asked abruptly changing the subject.
"What? Yes."
"Good. After you're finished eating you are free to go."
"What?"
"You are no longer my prisoner."
Before Nami could even process what he was telling her he had left the room closing the door on his way out. The truth was it was too much to process and so she focused on the last thing he said; she was no longer a prisoner. She was free to go. Her thoughts immediately shifted to Nojiko and she wondered if her sister had made it home alright. She thought of Nojiko at home, worried about her and it was that image that resolved her to get out of bed and leave. She quickly dressed in the clothes she arrived in and left the room. She passed Johnny and Yosaku on the stairs but neither said anything just looked at her with sad expressions and she knew that she would miss them.
"I'm sorry but I have to. My sister..." Nami trailed off as she felt tears well up.
Without waiting for an answer or a goodbye she left the castle at a run, not stopping until she was on the outskirts of town with tears streaming down her face. She was free she shouldn't be crying. But if she was free why did she still feel so trapped?
~o~O~o~
Zoro was back in the attic with the rose in his hand watching out the small window as Nami not only left but ran away like she couldn't get away fast enough. Pain tore him up from the inside and the rose fell from his grip as he collapsed to his knees soundless sobs wracking his body. Zoro felt completely hopeless even more so than the curse had ever made him. He couldn't be the man she deserved and so she wouldn't be coming back and without her any desire to break the curse now seemed worthless. Leaving the rose where it had fallen he picked himself up and headed to his chambers where he knew a large bottle of alcohol would be waiting for him.
~o~O~o~
To say Nojiko was surprised to see Nami come through the doors to their small cottage was an understatement. Nojiko had been certain that the only way she would see her sister again would be to stage a rescue. The only problem was that alone a rescue would be impossible and she knew enough to know that the townspeople weren't fond enough of her sister to take her word on this demon and band together. Instead Nojiko had spent the last few days trying to figure out how she could possibly save Nami and coming up depressingly empty.
"Nami! Nami, how did you get away? Are you ok?" Nojiko asked in a rush.
She immediately ran over to her sister examining her for any signs of abuse and was surprised to see none. She could tell that Nami had been crying however and she gently led her to the chair by the fireplace making her sit with a blanket wrapped around her while she made some mikan tea. When she came back with the steaming mug she saw that a few silent tears had made a reappearance as Nami stared into the flames.
"Nami? Are you hurt? Should I get the doctor?" Nojiko asked gently.
"I'm fine. I don't know why I'm crying, it is stupid."
"You escaped a demon, Nami. You have the right to be upset." Nojiko reassured her.
"I didn't escape." Nami said quietly.
"What?"
"I didn't escape, he let me go."
"He just let you go?"
"He said I was no longer his prisoner and free to go. He's not as bad as he seems, he was almost sweet."
"That demon? Sweet?"
"He saved my life when I tried to run away and then took care of me when I got sick. He acts like he doesn't care but beneath it all, behind the curse, he is a kind man."
Nojiko could only stare at her sister in shock as she tried to process all of this new information Nami had dropped on her. The idea of the red-eyed demon nursing Nami back to health just wouldn't focus in her mind's eye. A fresh set of tears started to fall from Nami's eyes and Nojiko slowly put everything together and figured out why it was that Nami was crying.
"Nami, don't take this the wrong way but why did you leave?"
"I had to make sure you were ok, Nojiko. I mean I couldn't just stay there."
It wasn't lost on Nojiko that the second part was more Nami trying to convince herself than her true feelings.
"Well now you know that I am ok. I was worried about you but I can see you are fine."
"What are you saying, Nojiko?"
"I think that maybe you should go back. Not as a prisoner but as an equal."
"I can't do that. He wanted me gone."
"Did you ever think that maybe he just didn't want you there as a prisoner? It doesn't hurt to go back. Just maybe knock this time." Nojiko said with a small smile.
Nojiko could see that Nami was seriously considering returning so she left her alone with her tea, the fire and her thoughts to make a decision on her own.
~o~O~o~
"Aniki! Zoro-aniki!"
Zoro growled to his empty room as he heard Johnny's excited call and pounding footsteps approaching. He took another swallow of alcohol letting the burn soothe him and wishing it would erase the pain in his heart. Maybe Johnny was coming to tell him they were under attack, the townspeople outraged by his treatment of Nami ready to slay him for being the demon he was. His door swung open and Johnny stood there panting heavily his entire body buzzing with energy and excitement. He closed his eyes but even so he could feel Johnny's presence, could sense his being hovering in the doorway. He felt a different presence and suddenly he knew it wasn't Yosaku. He could feel the breath of the person, could feel it just as he could feel Johnny's and the tree outside his window. If he kept his eyes closed and concentrated he could sense them all and his eyes flew open focusing on Johnny once more.
"You have a visitor, aniki." Johnny said with a grin.
Zoro was rising before he could even finish and dropping the bottle headed for the hallway. Sure enough standing almost timidly by the stairs was Nami. Her beautiful tangerine hair windswept and tangled but she looked absolutely breathtaking. For a moment he was speechless as he simply stared at her having a hard time believing he was actually seeing her there.
"You came back." He breathed.
"I had to." She answered simply.
Zoro felt a smile pulling at his lips, tight from being out of practice but it was there and it was the first genuine smile he'd had in over five years. The smile seemed to spur Nami on and she closed the distance between them reaching up on her toes so that she could swing her arms around his neck and bury her face in his chest. Zoro's arms immediately closed around her holding her close and he ducked his head to press a kiss to her hair.
"What about the curse?" he asked quietly.
"I don't care about any curse. But I still think you can break it."
Zoro thought about how he was able to feel the breath of the people around him and the tree outside and for the first time in a long while he began to have hope. As he gently pushed hair out of Nami's face the words of the enchantress swordswoman came back to him.
"You have five years to lean a softer touch or be trapped like this forever."
A softer touch? He thought about how he had carefully applied the cloths to a fevered Nami and how she made him want to be gentle. Could it be that Nami had been the key to unlocking this curse?
"I think I can do it now, because of you." Zoro said quietly, almost hopefully.
"Because of me?"
Zoro just nodded and taking her hand and a single katana from his room led her towards the attic.
~o~O~o~
Nami fought back a shiver as she followed Zoro up the stairs as memories of her last time up there threatened to resurface. She wasn't afraid though, she trusted Zoro to keep her safe curse or not. He simply wasn't the same man he was when he had roared at her so threateningly.
"Stand back to be safe." Zoro cautioned before dropping her hand.
Nami nodded and stayed put as Zoro went forward and collected the rose off the floor before gently placing it on a small table and taking a step back. She watched as he dropped into position ready to draw his katana and take a deep breath his eyes falling closed for a second before they opened once again. Then he moved so fast that Nami almost missed it and he was replacing his katana in its scabbard.
She held her breath as he calmly walked forward to the rose and reaching out grasped the stem. His hand was shaking ever so slightly as he picked it up and Nami almost looked away. Then one solitary petal broke away from the flower and they both watched in silence as it slowly fluttered to the ground. Zoro turned around to face Nami astonishment written on his face along with pride and she couldn't help but laugh happily.
"You did it!" she said cheerfully.
"I can't believe it. I really aarghh..."
Zoro cut off as pain crossed his features and he doubled over hands clawing at his chest.
"Zoro!" Nami screamed crossing over to him.
Zoro stayed hunched over for a moment, panting heavily before straightening out and meeting Nami's eyes. As she looked into his eyes looking for any traces of the sudden pain that had rocked him she almost didn't notice at first. She blinked and reached her hand out tentatively to stroke his cheek as she looked into a pair of brilliant emerald green eyes. They were light and shone with love and mischief.
"Zoro?" she said hesitantly.
"The curse. It's gone, I can feel it. I feel free."
Nami let a smile grow on her lips mesmerized by the startling and intense green of his eyes. His real eyes, not the cold, hatful red ones that had come with the curse. Then with a smirk he yanked her closer and his mouth found hers in a sweet kiss. Nami wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the love she felt.
What happened next? Well life got more interesting for both of them that's for sure as they constantly pushed and challenged each other. But of course they wouldn't have it any other way and do you really need to ask? Ok, yes.
And they lived happily ever after.