Kanzashi (Ornamental Hair Pin)

Disclaimer. One piece owned by Oda. If I owned it, wouldn't really change a thing other than it would be updated faster and ASL bros will forever be protected.

Note: Italicized words in ' ' are thoughts. The part where everything was italicized was a recollection of the past.

He extended his right hand once again. Tightening his grip on his new sword. That feeling of sucking his ryuuou is no more. The crows nest is also still intact, testament to his now control on this 'cursed' sword. As he moved to place his sword on its scabbard by his waist, he felt something shift in his haramaki. And stuck his hand in to take out the offending object.

'Oh.'

He thought, staring into the dainty object on his calloused hand.

A few days earlier…

"Momo was sent 20 years into the future… and stayed 8 years old. And that's why his younger sister is 26 now…" Zoro said recalling the perverted brat's face.

'That would mean that brat should technically be 28 by now!' He thought, his frown deepening as he remembered how that pervert snuggled into a certain navigator's chest.

He tried to shake off the disturbing thought of a fully grown man with his face on Nami's chest as he listened to rest of Hiyori's story.

Zoro tried to rest after his conversation with Hiyori, but can't seem to take off his good eye from the girl's head. Noting the bright color of her hair, he can't help but think of another troublesome girl with bright colored hair. How that hair was so short when he first met her, and how long it has gotten when the whole crew got back together after 2 years of being separated. He never seemed to remember if said girl ever adorned her hair with such trinkets as that on this girl's hair. Sure she would sometimes tie it up, or put in a 'pig tail' as they call it, but never with such decorations. Save for that time in Zou, with that beaded thing draped on her hair and shoulder… and that… dress. Noticing where his thoughts were dangerously heading, with his face almost scowling, he steeled himself to look at the blue haired girl's head once again, staring at the ornament placed on top of it.

"Beautiful." He thought. He was never one to be interested into such things. He's not that damned love cook after all. But for some reason his eye seem to fixate itself on that ornament. And no, it has nothing to do with how he imagined it adorning a certain orange head. At least that's what he kept telling himself.

"Eeeh!" His thoughts were broken by the sound of the older girl accompanying him and a tiny laugh from the younger one. Shifting his gaze to her face, he noted she was holding her palms to her cheeks in apparent shock, and… flattery?

'Wait. Did I say that out loud?' The swordsman frowned.

'No sense to keeping it to myself then', he sighed as he sat up.

"OI, where do you get those things?"

"Huh? I mean… pardon?" The girl said, obviously not expecting what he said and losing her 'lady like' manners for a moment.

"That thing. On your hair. That flowery thing? Where can I get one of those?"

The girl stared at him for a moment then brought her hand up to one of the ornaments on her hair. "You mean this kanzashi?"

He nodded. Not really bothering what it's called.

"Well I have a lot of these back at the flower capital, being an oiran and all. You can buy them there too, but they come at a price." She said, bringing up her index finger to her lips as though in thought. "Why? Are you interested in getting one Zorojuro?"

Zoro frowned, 'back at the flower capital? And with a price?' His frown deepening. 'So much for hoping to maybe get one.' With the witch always seeming to find ways to rack up his debt, he never seemed to have money on his person. 'Heh, see what you get for being money hungry, witch? Can't even give you something nice even if I wanted to.' He thought with an almost smirk then caught himself. 'Why the hell am I even bothering to get something for her anyway?' His almost smirk turning into an irritated frown as he scratched the back of his head.

The older girl observed as the swordsman changed facial expressions as if having a conversation with himself. "Zorojuro, if you want I can give you one. I have one still with me after all, they seem to put a lot on my head and had to remove some when I left. They tend to be uncomfortable after all when there's a lot." She said with a smile.

"Really? That would be great thanks!" He said eyeing her.

"Of course. It's the least I can do. You saved us after all." The older girl said, thinking it weird why a man would want a Kanzashi. 'Could other men be wearing this outside of Wano?' She thought. As far as her memory serves her, no men on the ship they were on back when she was very young had such thing on their heads. She even tried picturing a certain pineapple headed boy with a floral kanzashi on his head but quickly pushed the thought out as it looked really weird. 'Unless…' She laughed softly as she thought of the other reason why a man would want a beautiful ornament.

'That witch's luck never seem to run out after all huh?' He thought. Then he heard soft giggling from his two companions and grumpily tried to get back to taking a nap.

Back at the sunny, present day…

"Luffy you can't put that there! It's not gonna fit! I'm not going to tend to that after you ruin it over something so dumb." Nami scolded their ever childish captain as she found him, along with Chopper and Usopp in front of the women's quarters. The boys were trying out the Samurai gear for their upcoming battle and Luffy was trying to put a helmet on top of his strawhat.

"Eh! But Nami! I need to look cool for battle too! I mean look at them!" He gestured to the other two Strawhats who were busy gushing over their attire with Chopper in a Samurai Helmet and Usopp in an armor and a forehead protector.

Nami sighed. "Well you have to choose just one! Either your hat or the helmet."

"Wha- No Nami! I have to wear my Hat!" The rubber boy said, as if what she said was just impossible.

Nami felt a vein popping on her temple. "Then don't wear the helmet! Why don't you just wear the armor? That way you will still look, uh, 'cool'."

"No way!" the stubborn captain said with a pout. "I won't be able to stretch freely with that!"

Nami sighed heavily, this boy won't drop this until he's satisfied he's wearing something 'cool'.

It was then that she remembered something. "Wait here." She ordered her captain as if ordering a child and went inside the women's quarters.

* * * oOo * * *

After a few minutes, she emerged from the room, relieved to find that Luffy actually stayed put instead of trying to find some kind of way to both wear his hat and the damn helmet. The other two boys with him have now run off to admire Franky who is also now, in a samurai helmet.

"Will this make you look cool?" She said as she handed him a black coat. She can't really remember when she got the garment but does recall thinking it looked fitting for a captain.

Luffy eyed the coat, seeming unconvinced that it would actually make him look cool. But as he grabbed and unfolded it, a grin slowly crept up his face. "Hey this looks like the one Shanks wore!" He said as he eagerly put the coat on. "Ooooh! You're right, this does look cool! Thanks Nami!"

Nami smiled back, glad to have pleased their stubborn Captain.

"Here, now you can have this! Shishishishi!" The boy excitedly pushed the samurai helmet and armor towards her.

"Ehh! I'm not gonna wear that! That would just cover my beautiful body!" The navigator protested as she hugged her curves. "And I won't be caught dead looking so ridiculous!" She barked at Luffy. But then a thought came to her… she does need to protect her 'beautiful' body after all, maybe it won't be so bad to try at least the armor? So she did.

"Oooh! Looks cool Nami!" Luffy effusively praised.

"You think so captain?" Nami smiled as she can't help but to be enthused as well. The armor doesn't look bad, it actually even hugged her figure. "Guess I'll wear it after all", she said smiling at her captain.

"Now the helmet!"

"Wha-?!" Nami's smile immediately dropped as she tried to fend off Luffy's hands as he tried to put the helmet on her head himself.

"No way am I going to wear that!" She screeched as her hand connected to her captain's head fast.

"No cool, Nami." Luffy pouted as he nursed the now enlarging bump on his head.

"You're all 'cool' now captain. Now go bother someone else!"

She sighed as she watched her captain run off laughing towards the rest of the Strawhats who were gushing over their new battle gear.

Inside the women's quarters, Nami adjusted the armor on her body as she inspected herself on the mirror. 'Now what to do with my hair? Keep it up maybe?' she thought.

Then there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." She shouted, not really paying mind to whoever was knocking as she started to gather her hair.

* * * oOo * * *

On the other side of the door, a certain moss haired swordsman tried to maintain a straight face, not really sure what he's doing knocking on the women's quarters.

"Come in." He heard her say.

He sighed and went in, thinking what he's doing is not weird.

No, not weird at all for him. He tried to convince himself.

* * * oOo * * *

"Hey."

"Hm?" Nami turned her gaze towards the door as the person she was least expecting to come over to the women's quarters walked in.

Zoro's gaze ran over the other occupant of the room. Noting the short…uh, kimono (?) dress and the armor on top of it. Can you really call something so short a Kimono? Never mind, he need not to boggle his mind over women's clothing anyway. Nothing new with her and seemingly shrunk clothes after all. Not like he disliked it but that's not saying he's obsessed with it like a certain perverted dartboard brow. It does looked good on her though, anything probably will. 'Wait what?' He caught himself with that thought. He shrugged the offensive thought and distracted himself with the armor instead, now that's new.

Nami watched as Zoro walked towards her. As he closed in on her, she decided to break the silence.

"What?"

He stood in front of her and frowned slightly with his gaze stuck on the navigator.

"Zo-" She was about to say, as she noted his gaze, the slight frown, and how he seemed to be in some kind of deep thought but was cut off by one of his hands suddenly being held towards her.

She looked at said hand then shifted her gaze toward his face. "Uhh… huh?"

Seemingly embarrassed, he looked away then opened the hand extended towards her.

Still confused, her gaze was back to his hand and was surprised to see a flowery ornament there. She paused, trying to grasp what's going on.

"Wha-?"

"Just take it." He said as his gaze shifted towards her face for a quick moment then away from her again as he tried to look annoyed.

'What's with him?' She thought as he observed him. This is the second time he cut her off in the few minutes he's been in the room. If this was any other situation, she would've nagged at him already, but... there is something different here, she felt.

"Uhm… okay?" She gently took the ornament from his hand all the while suspiciously eyeing him. He then immediately retracted his hand after.

Bringing the ornament closer to her face, she inspected it with interest with the fingers of her other hand. It's a hair ornament. She noted. A flower, with petals dangling below it. 'And it's pretty, no, it's beautiful. It looks expensive too. Wait, is Zoro… giving this to me?' Her cheeks seeming to heat up as the thought dawned on her.

She looked at him, a smile helplessly growing on her lips. "It's pretty! Where did you get it?"

Hearing her cheerful tone, his gaze was drawn back to her and was taken aback when he was greeted by a smile.

"Eh?" His previously 'annoyed' face softening. "Uhh, some girl?" He replied.

"Some… girl?' Her eyes narrowing on him. "What girl?" Oh she's really curious now, not really sure why it mattered who this girl he got this ornament he's giving her from is.

"The girl with the blue hair, that pervert brat's sister." He answered coolly.

"Oh, that girl." She said in a soft voice. 'He got this from the most beautiful girl in Wano? Why? And… how?' Her thoughts unknowingly consuming her as she tried to wrap her head around how Zoro ended up giving her such a beautiful hair ornament from the 'most beautiful girl' in the current country they're in.

He can see as the gears on Nami's head seem to be turning now and continued to observe her face as she seemed to be lost on her thoughts.

A good few seconds passed and he decided to end this slightly awkward moment. 'Look at me for once finally shutting up the ever so loud witch now', he snorted inwardly.

Then he sighed. "Just-"

She was broken from her trance as she looked up to meet his eyes.

"Just thought it might look good on you." He declared, easily.

She stared at him for a while, noting his relaxed, earnest face. 'Did he just say?-'

Seeing the gears on her head turn again, he realized what he just admitted. Lone eye suddenly enlarging. If his left eye could, it probably would too.

Her mouth opened, about to speak, when he beat her to it.

"W- witch! I meant you might like it! The hell I care what looks good on you!" He said hurriedly, a little loudly, and almost choking. Then he grit his teeth. 'Not that anything would look bad on you anyway' some invasive voice muttered in his mind, startling him. 'The heck was that?!' He thought, as he mentally kicked himself.

Amber eyes enlarged. Caught off guard. Boy was she caught off guard by that. She refocused her gaze on him, noticing the inner struggle he seem to be now in. Turning her gaze on the object on her hand, the very thing that brought this situation upon them, a smile once again began to blossom on the navigator's lips. 'It is really pretty' she admitted to herself, with a slight blush powdering her cheeks and that smile she no longer can seem to fight off from reaching her eyes.

"Thank you, Zoro."

The swordsman halted his inner struggle and met her eyes. Now it's his turn to be caught off guard.

She's smiling. Not the mischievous trademark cat thief smile. But that smile. That smile he wouldn't admit to himself but really liked seeing. That smile she has whenever they succeeded fighting off a great enemy. That smile she had when they all got back together on the Sunny after 2 years of being apart. That bright, genuine smile that sometimes makes you forget it's the same girl that can rob anyone she wants blind or hit you in head so hard that bumps would grow on top of bumps. Not that he would have her other way, truthfully.

The swordsman's lips can't help but turn ever so slightly upwards. "Ah."

He can't tell how long they were smiling at each other like that. But he can't say he didn't like this moment of change from their usual banter. Not that he would really deny liking those too, at least to himself, but not to others. Unsure of what to say next, now satisfied with his 'mission', he turned to leave.

As he turned his back, the navigator brought up the ornament to admire it further. 'He really thought to give me this huh?' Their resident, lazy ass, always napping, can't find his way out of a box, swordsman. 'Turns out he's not just all, steel, and muscle, and handsome face after all." Her face about to break into a grin once more. 'Wait. Handsome face?' She blinked. Her face now again starting to heat up. 'Wait no! This is Zoro we're talking about here! Why am I suddenly like this?' She thought, wide eyed, her other hand resting on her cheek while the other still grasped the hair ornament.

Zoro was about to push the door open when she suddenly spoke.

"But hey! Don't go thinking this means your debt will be reduced!"

He cringed, one hand resting on his swords, the other still plastered to the door knob. So much for thinking they actually had a nice moment there. He sighed, turning to look back at her, a scowl starting to form on his face.

"… s- so don't go injuring yourself or even getting yourself killed out there! Or I'll have to electrocute you back to life and drag you back from hell to make sure you can pay me back!" She blurted looking a bit flustered.

"Tsk." He said, bringing a finger to his ear. "Yeah yeah, not like you can drag me back from hell anyway. I'll be the one dragging you down there after all." His previous almost scowl now an amused- trying to look annoyed look.

Her hands are now on her hips as she puffed her cheek and stared at him.

… "So make sure you don't go down there on your own just yet, witch." He said staring directly into her eyes, now smirking. He then proceeded to turn and walk out the door and was about to close it behind him but not without hearing a sigh and the word "idiot".

Once alone in the room, Nami looked at the ornament in her hand once again. 'Well that was… nice', she thought, a soft chuckle escaping her.

"Guess I won't be putting my hair up after all."

** End.**

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Bonus:

With her new hair ornament now fixed near her right temple, Nami headed out the women's quarters. Shutting the door on her back, she noticed the samurai helmet their captain previously tried to put on her head. 'See if I had that on, I won't be able to wear this.' She sighed as she tucked her hair on her right ear.

A sudden thought hit her then. 'What if…' She held out her climatact. 'He would be really helpful, might as well have him fit the theme'.

"Oh Zeus"

"Woooh! The inside of your tact really is the best!" a delighted cloud exclaimed.

"Hmm, I wonder if it will work? Hey Zeus, I was thinking, how 'bout we replace that cap with this?" Nami suggested as she picked up the helmet on the ground.

"Huh?" The cloud said, curious but complying after remembering how her new 'master' can be when ticked off. "Okay I guess…"

"Oh, not bad after all!" The navigator commented, cheerily.

'She seems to be in a good mood.' The cloud thought looking at his new 'master' and smiling himself as he looked up at his new hat.

"Hey, the cloud is now looking cool too! Shishishishi." An amused laugh can now be heard from across the deck, followed by the cheer of a certain Tanuki, 'Almighty God Usopp' who once lead and entire army of samurais back in one of his adventures, and a 'superrr cool' robot samurai.

There you go. My first ever fic. Wow the last time I actually wrote a story was maybe a little more than 10 years ago? I was but an awkward teen back then. Now I'm but an awkward adult.

Just had to HC this after chap. 975 came out. Was lying in bed at 1 am and just thought "hey what if?...". So here I am, trying to be productive by putting my daydreams into writing.

Hope you like this. If not, then it's cool too. Please let me know your thoughts, it would highly be appreciated. Thank you for reading.