Note:
I just love this pairing and I'm really thinking hard for more interactions. Reminder: no beta, pardon for the grammatic errors and misspelled and OOC.
"Is it true? You're leaving?" Mononosuke asked, lowering down the shinai in his grip as he stares at the green-haired man lounging under the tree with hands underneath his head. Mononosuke has been practicing his stance with Zoro in a small field near the Amigasa Village, they were almost surrounded by bamboo trees.
"What? really?" Hiyori worries while sitting beside the green-haired man.
He only grumbled in annoyance, "Yeah, the witch demands a favor. Can't reject her for it."
"Why can't you? Are you not happy here?"
He shrugged, "It's peaceful, the booze and food are delicious here."
The two siblings glances at each other for a moment and stared back at the swordsman, "And?"
"Well, Nami needs help, she may be demanding about it and can't ask politely like a decent human being, but she still asked me."
"But are you happy in here?" Hiyori pressed eyes fixed at him curiously.
Zoro didn't respond. Now that he thinks about it, all he did in this place for years is just eat, drink and work out. At first, he thought that he was finally resting in serenity, but now that he acknowledges it today, he's bored out of his mind. After years of being the greatest swordsman, he just doesn't know what to do anymore, he thought that resting here for a while will finally pay off of years of training but it just leaves if something to detachment. But after Nami's demands, just to think of setting sail again, it made him feel alive. He's never going to admit it even if his life depends on it, but he's thankful at Nami for visiting him and demands to come with her, even if it's just an excuse to fight an opponent or just using him as a meat shield, though he's still opposed of her manipulation to bribe him, he'll let it slide. He secretly misses the adventure.
"Not really. I'm contented here, but something is missing," He finally answered, "I think it's time for me to set sail again."
Hiyori nods in understanding, "Very well, I hope you sail safe and find the happiness you want to find." She ended it with a smile.
"Jeez, what's with these clothes!" Nami pulling all the garments inside his drawers, arms stretch and inspecting it with narrowed eyes, "what the? These are all the same!" Folding them and puts them in a bag beside her. "No shirts? Pants? Shorts, jacket or even a simple tank top and socks?" feeling incredulous, "Did he seriously lived here for years wearing just the same pattern kimono?"
Otama laughs beside her, "Oh! So that's why big brother doesn't look different all the time!" she helps Nami finding more clothes and organize them inside the bag.
Nami only shakes her head rather fondly with a sigh, "Why am I surprise? This is Zoro after all."
She was about to pull the last drawer on the bottom when the shoji slide opened and entered non-other than the person they were talking about.
"Huh? Oi witch stay away from that drawer!" He grasps her hand and pulls her away. He fully knows what's inside that drawer and he can feel his face flush in embarrassment, "I told you to keep your hands off on my things!"
Nami tips her head. "What's up with you? I've been always organizing our stuff for ages." Confuse when she saw his face flushed. Then it finally came to her why he's being awkward. Smirking like a cat, "Oh, I see."
Zoro glowered, silently threatening her with his glare to shut up.
"What is it, big sister?" Otama asked as she raised her head expectantly at the giggling older woman.
She can feel his burning gaze on her skin, waving a hand dismissively, "Oh it's nothing Otama-chan." Then she remembers the pack, "by the way, you need new clothes, Zoro." She snatched two in the bag, "Look at this! Did you live here for years wearing the same pattern of kimono? What the hell is wrong with you? I shouldn't be surprised but come on!" Comparing the two garments on his face, "These are the most boring clothes I have ever seen! And—wait a minute? Is this hole on your clothes?!" Pulled both garments roughly and stared at the man in disbelief, "Did you seriously walk around in this town for years with a hole in your clothes?!" she really shouldn't be surprised.
"Shut up! So what? I can wear what I want!" He countered back, gritting his teeth.
"But can you at least ask someone to sew you're holed clothes? They looked like rugs!"
While the two pirates are arguing why it's important and not important to wear impressive clothes, Otama is just watching them from left to right, she already knew that she was forgotten and she was not offended by it, if anything she was enjoying their interaction and thought that they were funny and acting as a family would.
"For gods sake! Take a look at Mihawk! He at least wears cool clothes even before his fame and after his downfall! You should take a note at him!"
"Why wear flashy clothes if it's just gonna ruin it after?"
"So you're telling me you're slow and weak enough to dodge an attack?" With a huff and a sarcastic remark, "And you call yourself the 'greatest swordsman'."
Zoro breathe through his teeth with a hiss, he knows it's a trap, and he is fully aware that he shouldn't fall for it and knows she's just driving him up the wall, but he can't help his patience for her are thinning, and so, he took a deep, sharp breath with clenched teeth. "That's not gonna work on me, witch." Irritably he remarks, "So drop it."
Nami only crunched up her nose. When Zoro saw her in defeat, a smug grin formed his lips and felt the satisfaction to finally, finally won an argument.
"You're no fun," pursing her lips, "But you know I'm still going to buy you presentable clothes, and I refuse to see you walking around my ship with—" dangling his garments at him, "—This thing in you."
Well, it was fun while it lasts,"Fine."
In the end, she still won. At least she's paying.
She stood up, patting her fitting black dress down. "Well, it's getting late, I'll check your clothes tomorrow," both hands on her waist with a narrowed eyes at him, "it better be neat the exact way like now by the time I double-check it, Zoro!" Threatening him with a fist.
"I'm not scared of you."
Her already narrowed eyes turns into slits with a perfect arc brow that clearly says: don't test me, idiot swordsman.
"Alright, alright!" He grumbled, "night."
With a sigh she noticed Otama staring at them with a grin, "Come on Otama, let's go leave Zoro organize his own underwear."
Otama burst into loud laughter that made her fell on the floor with arms circling her stomach.
Zoro reddened all across his face and the tips of his ears, "Shut up! It's not!" with arms crossed he denied, "Stop laughing!"
Nami only snickered, "What's wrong? you know I've already seen your undergarments; we wash our clothes all the time."
With narrowed eyes, he stood up, picking the giggling girl on his arms with a squeak and other hand placed on Nami's back, pushing her through his door, "That's it! Goodnight!"
As he shoves the orange-haired menace outside, he tosses the child in Nami's arms and slides the door close with a snap. Moving towards his drawer with a groan, he heard two boisterous laughter.
As payback, he messed up the folded clothes inside the pack with a smirk.
A day pass and all they did in the whole afternoon is party, drink, ate, dance and sing. It ended rather quickly, in a blink of their eyes, both pirates are in her ship.
"Huh." Mumbled under his breath, "Why am I not surprise that you have your tree in this ship?" Zoro stared at the two fluttering tangerine trees, near this, there is a tall maple tree with a swing tried around a branch in the middle of her deck, he walks towards the small grass. "How did you travel here without a scratch in this thing?"
"I have my ways, I used my tornado to flew up here, luckily I didn't crash on a rock."
Impressed, he observes her ship, it's not that big but not too small either, maybe has the same size as Going Merry. He notices the sails don't have a pirate skull only painted in white plain sheet, the wooden planks of the ship are color orange. And saw a cat figure of the bowsprit. Smirking, of course.
"Hey, where did you—"
"Big sister Onami!" Otama called. Sprinting across the plank inside the ship, "I have to tell you something!"
"Otama-chan? What's wrong?" Nami saw her entered her boat, eyes staring at the woman with a hard gaze.
"I-I want to join with you!"
"Ha? Why?" Zoro questioned with a raised brow, lays down on the soft grass and leans on Nami's tangerine tree.
"Be-because I want to see the world!"
Nami stared at the girl thoughtfully, she can see on her expression that she's not really telling the truth. She glanced at Zoro; it seems like he has the same conclusion as she was.
"Come on now, Otama-chan. What's wrong. We can sense that you're not fully honest with us."
"Eh! Ho-how do you know?" Otama pouts as she bows her head in shame. "I-I'm sorry…"
Nami took a step towards her and place a hand on her shoulder, patting her in comfort, "It's alright; now, what's bothering you?"
"I-It's just that, I miss big brother Luffy…" She admitted in defeat, glancing at Nami, "He promised that he'll visit here and we'll set sail around the world together. I thought that if I come with you, he'll know that I'm here and maybe he can see me and we'll set sail together…" Rubbing her fingers bashfully, "I'm worried that big brother has forgotten me…" She sighed sadly.
Nami's eyes soften at the girl's glum expression. "Don't worry Otama-chan, Luffy will never forget you, he's just a bit busy with his family after his accomplishment." She consoled, "And if he did forget you; which that'll never happen; I'll beat him into pulp until he remembers, okay?" Placing her finger under the girl's chin and raise them up gently, "He'll visit you soon, just wait a bit longer alright Otama-chan? If Luffy finds out that you already set sail without him, he will be mad that he didn't fulfill his promise."
Otama slightly softens up but the sadness in her eyes hasn't faded away. An idea struck Nami, "Wait here Otama-chan, I'll give you something." She runs inside the ship's room and entered inside.
Zoro who's watching the whole situation tilt his head in interest. When Nami came back, her hands behind her back, she stood in front of the girl and crouch down on her level. Otama is confused but intrigued at the hidden hands on her back. Zoro only huffed quietly in amusement.
"What are you hiding?" Otama asked with a tilt on her head, sneakily tried to see what's behind her back.
Nami only grins and reveals it in front of them. Otama squeals in delight, grabs and raises the den den mushi who has the same Luffy appearance, her eyes gleaming in happiness.
"Now, if you're so worried you can always call him any time you want." She smiled with a wink.
Otama sniffs and her eyes shine with unshed tears keeping them at bay, she was so happy and embarrassed, lowering the snail down feeling ashamed for taking the only communication Nami had of Luffy, shoving the item at her.
"I-I'm sorry big sister but I can't take it! I'll just have to wait for big brother to come and visit me. It's more important to you than me."
Nami's grin widened at the thoughtfulness, she raises a hand and ruffled her hair fondly, "Don't be ridiculous you obviously need it more than I am," Her hand lowered and cup her face and wipe the small tear away, "thank you for your concern Otama-chan, besides I already have a companion to talk with so it's fine," she said with a wink.
Zoro was not surprised at the words she said but the response made him feel a bit fond. A small smile forming his lips but it drastically turns into a scowl when the witch said:
"If he's boring or idiot to talk with, I have more den den mushi in my room."
"Oi!" typical witch, always ruining the mood.
Otama sniffs and laughs as she crashes her body to her in a bear hug, "Thank you so much, big sister Onami! Sail safe!" Nami wraps her arms around the small child and rubs her back as they swayed slowly to comfort her.
"Thank you too, Otama-chan."
When they let go, Otama moves her head and stared at Zoro with a hard but adorable expression, "Protect big sister Onami, big brother Zorojuro or else!" she scolded stepping towards him with her hands on his hips.
Grumbling under his breath, "She doesn't need protection since her fist can make a person unconscious." Nami only smirks at him with a raised fist and the other on her cocked hips.
"You didn't agree big brother! You should protect big sis!"
He only sighed, with a mock salute, "Aye, aye captain."
Otama laughs, she runs towards him a gave him a hug around his neck, "Sail safe big brother!"
Pulling herself away, she runs outside the boat and waves at them. "See you soon!"
When Otama is finally on the sand below them, Nami step in front of the helm. "Well, looks like we're ready to go," placing an arm on the wheel and called the swordsman snoozing under her tree, "Oi Zoro! Get your lazy ass up and pull the anchor and unfurl the sails!"
"Tch. What's with you and disturbing my nap?" He complained but stood up with a stretch and does it anyway.
"Alright," Nami pulled her clima-tact that strapped around her thigh, "Zeus!" she summoned.
A string of clouds rose inside her weapon, turning bigger as it floats above her, "Oh? Hello, Nami, what do you need?"
She smiled, placing a hand on the cloud's reddened cheek. "Can you give us a push and scout around just in case?"
Enthusiastically he agreed, floating behind the ship, he gave a deep breath and blow at the sails.
A loud cheer broke behind them as Zoro tied the last rope into a knot, the ship sailed at a comfortable pace and noticed the witch's cloud circling above their area, he goes to the back of their ship and crosses his arms, he saw the people at Wano cheered at them in farewell, a footstep came behind and felt her presences beside him, Nami leans and place her arms on the wooden railing, stretching a hand and wave enthusiastically. They saw Otama returning the gesture with a beaming smile plastered on her face while the other hand hugging the den den mushi like a toy.
Little by little the cheering subsides and the island and their figure shrink, until all they see is the wide space of the sea.
She lowers her hands and puts them under her chin and lets the sound of the waves soothe them.
Minutes pass, "Who would have thought that a witch like you is nice to children?" and he broke the comforting silence with a tease as he smirks at the woman beside him, leaning and placing his crossed arms on the railing, shoulders almost touching. "It's surprising, really."
She mocks glared, and shove her elbow on his arms, he didn't even budge at the impact, "I'm always nice you jerk."
A chuckle rumbled in his throat at the response. Another round of peaceful silence stilled.
The dawn light touches their skin in warmth as they breathe in the cool sea breeze around the atmosphere, they watch the sun sets and saw the sky in warm yellowish-orange color. The nostalgia hits them when they heard the sound of the crashing waves, felt the gentle sway of the ship and saw the openness of the vast world, the excitement for thinking of an unknown island they will encounter for tomorrow.
They don't have to look at each other to know they're feeling the same way, they're here now in this ship. Their presence already answered it.
"You know, when Luffy finds out that we're already sailing he'll be pretty mad and command everyone and find us." Muttered while starring at the sky.
She only snickered, already thought about it before she started sailing across the sea to visit him, "I know. Let him find us we need a reunion anyway; it's been years since we last saw each other."
He only hums in agreement, a small smile forming their lips at the peaceful moment as they watched the sun lowered until stars twinkled into the sky.
Nami backs away from the railing and walked inside the kitchen, "So, what do you want for dinner?"
Note:
Oh, would you look at that, no more other characters to interact with except each other. You know what that means!
Hope you enjoyed it!