I do not own anything besides these words and the cover art.

"So, how did you two meet?"

They drove around in Nami's car while Sanji directed her to the occasional "shortcut".

"At the gym," Nami said it absentmindedly because she focused on differentiating green shrubs and trees from her target.

"Nami-swan?"

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you were a trainer, too?"

She chuckled. "I wouldn't call Zoro a trainer. And no. Just came to work out."

"And met Zoro."

"Yup."

"And got him to train you."

"Uh-huh."

"And then became business partners."

"Correct."

"And now you're searching for him like a lost puppy."

Nami side eyed him to read his facial expressions, but Sanji enjoyed the sunshine and breeze through the open window. Nami closed his window, which focused his attention back on her.

"What are you trying to say?"

Sanji shrugged. "I've known Zoro for a while now. He's my best friend, though I wouldn't say that to his smug ugly face. But…he's not the kind of guy to have just gone along with all this."

Nami stuck her tongue out at him and winked. "Well, I can be pretty persuasive."

Sanji wiggled with joy. "I'm sure you can, you gorgeous beauty!"

Nami smiled at his romantic nature, so opposite Zoro's. However, Sanji stopped his musing to look back out the window. "However...regardless of how you convinced him…it looks to me like this was a fated meeting. A love story of sorts. Don't you want to know? If this feeling flows both ways?"

Nami rolled her eyes. "Why can't a girl and boy just be friends? Why do people always need to see something more?"

Sanji smiled. "And a boy and a boy? It has nothing to do with your gender. I think it is the fact that there is something to see. Have you got color in your cheeks? Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift? The type that sticks around like something in your teeth? "

Nami faked a gasp. "Oh please!"

Sanji raised a curly eyebrow. "Zoro is like a brick. When he hits you, it hurts. And to get through to him, it's hard. I don't know if you feel the same as he might…but you could be together if you wanted to…"

Nami snorted. "You're not exactly selling him off with high praise."

"I don't think I have to. You seemed to be infatuated with him or at least sort of hoping that he'll stay…in whatever way you want to call it. And Zoro…maybe he's too busy being yours to fall for somebody new- not that he goes out a lot or whatever. He just seemed really upset when I found him. Mind you, that man has a permanent scowl on his face, but it was different."

"How so?"

"Zoro…he's lost people. He lost someone very close to him a few years ago, and I don't think he's ever gotten over it. Not that death is something you get over. But his anger and pain the other day…reminded me of those times. When it was fresh."

Nami cleared her throat and suddenly focused on how tightly she was holding the steering wheel. "Yeah, he had a lot to drink. Talked about a…Luffy?"

Sanji's voice came out quick and hard. "You're lying."

"What?" Nami stammered as she tried to look at him.

"I have seen Zoro drink. He wouldn't go that far, and even if he did, he wouldn't talk about Luffy. With anyone."

Nami felt like she needed to defend herself. "Well, he wasn't exactly in control."

"What do you mean?" Sanji tried to appear indifferent but his tone gave away his mistrust.

Nami fidgeted with the wheel. "He hurt me."

Sanji's eyes grew wide, and he slammed his hand on the dashboard. "What?"

Nami was not sure if he was angry with her or with Zoro, so she tried to explain. "He was out of it. Calling for Luffy. And he just started choking me."

Sanji hesitated to put a hand over her own, but Nami managed to stop at a light so she could properly look at him.

"I'm so sorry, Nami-Swan. I…I'll kill him."

Nami was shocked by Sanji's instant change. "But he's your friend."

"And he knows better. Also, I don't appreciate people who hurt women."

She hesitated and finally gave Sanji a weary smile. "I'm not weak. I can take care of myself."

"Are you trying to find him so you can kill him?"

Nami looked at the light and accelerated. "I will hold him accountable. Believe me…he's going to pay me back. Even if he has to crawl back to me. I'll hold him accountable."

"Why?"

Nami went back to her search, eager to move on from the conversation. "Why what?"

"Why Zoro? Why forgive him? Why want him after what he did?"

Nami stopped giving Sanji any more facial cues and tried her hardest to remain emotionless. "I told you. I'm not forgiving him. I'm using him."

"But why him? Why not find another fighter?"

Nami grew exasperated. "Because! Because I…I don't know. I don't want to start over. I put a lot of work into him."

Sanji gave her a moment but he was ready to see how far she would go. "Are you not attracted to him?"

Nami blinked and mused, happy that they moved on from the unexplainable to the apparent. "I mean…I have eyes."

"And he isn't blind either."

"So?"

"So. Why can't this be more than just…business? That would make more sense than you letting a violent man into your life. Not that he is like that normally, but still. I guess…I'm asking, have you got the guts? To say the things today that you couldn't say that night?"

Sanji stared at her and for some reason, she felt warm. She was tired of people assuming things about her, especially when it came to such a senseless reason as Zoro. He was to blame for this. He was the one that made her neighbors extra nosey. Made her meet weirdos. Made her second guess her actions. Wasted her gas. Made her defend her reasoning that should be no one's source for analytics.

Sanji was about to tease her again when Nami slammed on the breaks and he lunged into the dashboard with a thud. He barely had time to collect himself as Nami put the car in park and sprinted out of the vehicle. As she ran, she screamed.

"You giant asshole!"

Zoro heard the footsteps first and wondered why a pack of wildebeest roamed the streets. However, when he turned and saw her sprint at top speed, he ran. It was comical, to say the least, but Nami had a head start and as he looked back, she leaped forward.

Sanji wished he had a camera at that moment, for it was something straight out of National Geographic. Zoro, wide-eyed and in fear, froze amid Nami's clawed and fanged pounce. Yet, even in the fear and rage, it appeared romantic to Sanji. Zoro's arms were out, open, and ready to catch the woman who jumped at him.

Sanji would never get the chance, because as he stopped his daydream, Nami landed on Zoro with a force that crashed them into the sidewalk.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

He distracted himself by blocking her blows, but Nami continued her aggression towards him.

"The fight." He mumbled while he looked away.

She grabbed his jaw and made him face her. "Why did you leave?"

"I needed to get home." He lied.

"But you didn't."

He shook his chin from her grasp. "I got lost. You know that."

"I think you're a coward."

Zoro yelled, "What?"

She brought his hands to her neck, and he stiffened. "You didn't mean for it to happen but don't act like it didn't."

He wanted to pull away from her but she held him. "I'm s-"

"Don't fucking apologize and think we're okay. Are you going to just keep running when things get tough?"

"Tough? I lost control and I hurt you."

"I'm a big girl. I have plenty of broken bones."

Zoro gave her a weary look. "What?"

Nami grew quiet, but her hold on his hands was tight and warm. "Fractures. When a bone breaks, the site where the fracture is is stronger than the rest of it. Broken bones, for a bit...they make you stronger. I'm too strong for you, Zoro."

Zoro looked at her and his thumb traced her neck. He rubbed it gently and Nami leaned into his touch. "I am not that kind of man."

Nami titled her head while he moved his hands back to the ground. "I want to believe that…but you ran. I need to believe that you won't just run when things are…bad. That's not why I picked you."

"I can handle a fight. But I can't handle hurting yo-"

Nami pressed her forehead to his and gripped his shirt. "We fight together. Okay? You're not alone. I'm here right now. And I won't let you get away with shit. You. Owe. Me."

She watched him look at her, unconvinced and she sighed. "Look, now I've thought it through. Maybe I'm too busy being yours...your manager that is...to find somebody new, but…I'm not going to give up on you. No matter how stupid you are. And I guess…I am sort of hoping that you'll stay. Because tonight…you will prove to me in the ring, the things you can't say right now. Get it? I'm not losing my dream because you can't own up to your shit."

Zoro stared into her eyes and just nodded, even though his body told him to hold her. However, he thought it better to prove his truth in the ring, as she seemed to prefer it that way.

"Uh, excuse me, beautiful lady and giant idiot. If we're going to get to that fight in time…we should get going."

Nami did not break her gaze from Zoro as she rose. She finally turned to the blonde man and smiled. "Thank you, Sanji. You've been a real help."

As she separated from Zoro, Sanji kicked Zoro right in the head.

"Oh, my gosh! Sanji, what are you doing?"

Sanji simply lit a cigarette and looked down at Zoro who held his bleeding nose. "You touch a lady like that again, Zoro, and I will end you."

Zoro did not argue but he gave Sanji a cold stare. Nami watched them with concern and wondered if she would have to break up a brawl. Instead, Sanji extended a hand and Zoro gripped it. It was odd how they interacted, more than friends but less than lovers. She found Zoro to be much more than what she originally presumed; that fact scared and surprised her.

Sanji turned to Nami with a wide smile. "Nami-swan! If you ever need me to beat his ass, please don't hesitate to ask."

Nami looked from bleeding Zoro to beaming Sanji and tilted her head in amusement. "You are so helpful, Sanji!"

Sanji nearly jumped as they walked back to the car. "More than that idiot?"

They laughed and looked back at Zoro, still holding his nose with a scowl. "Yes!"

Zoro brushed himself off and watched them walk ahead of him. He did not reply to either of their taunts or teases. As he got into the backseat, he met her gaze again and she handed him a box of tissues.

He took it and gave her a simple nod. As she turned back to drive, she sneered. "Guess we're even for that time on the bench-press, huh, Lightweight?"

Before Sanji could berate Zoro further and coddle Nami, she stepped on the gas and they zoomed forward.

Music Inspiration/Theme: "Do I Wanna Know" (Artic Monkeys)

A) Arlong sucks all the toes. He's a jerk, and I think we forget how abusive and controlling he was. To LITTLE Nami until teenage Nami. I want to hone in on the creepiness of literally taking a child into your crew and lying to her...like...OP is hella deep, ya'll. You better be ready to go past the kiddie pool.

B) I am going to be real frank, I was researching personality types and Zoro (ISTP) & Nami (ENTJ) compliment each other and would be suitable for each other's types. However, Zoro's ideal type is ESTJ (Sanji). For Nami, it's INTP (Law). Now, I'm sure people put what they thought was best based on understanding the characters, and you can read them for yourself & see if it is true to character (I think so). So, real talk, no love triangle per se, but I think Sanji cares for Zoro on a deeper level and also Sanji is hella bi and also likes to dress in drag cause it makes him feel powerful and happy? And I'm all about letting people be happy cause we all deserve that. Okay. Just putting that out there. Also, also- if Bleach wanted to sideline IchiRuki with that "more than friends less than lovers" nonsense, then I'm playing that card like I'm bout to send you to the shadow realm in Yu-Gi-Oh!

C) Abusive relationships = NOT OKAY. I am in NO WAY supporting being with someone who hurts you, cause you are worth more, so I think I tried to point out Nami's greed, nay her desire to be free, is her driving factor to allow Zoro back into her life but also shows how desensitized she is to being hurt. Whereas Zoro...I think, would never intentionally hurt anyone unless he thought he had good reason, but of course, being unable to control one's self, does change that perception. Regardless, I hope you forgive me for making Zoro a brute and Nami seemingly okay with it all...cause she ain't. He ain't. Ya'll gonna have to wait for more.

D) Let me know how ya'll feeling. On a scale of "Burn me at the stake" to "Send me muffin baskets...but none of that fiber plus junk, I want that lemon poppyseed with blueberry fancy". Haha.

XoXo shipfiend