Chapter 35

Through the fog

The next morning, the sky was clearer and the temperature mild. Nami had checked the Log-Pose and the next island was still several days sailing. She had sat in her deckchair in the grass to enjoy the sweetness of the air. Most of the crew was quietly going about their business on the ship. Thus, Chopper and Robin were preparing new medicinal potions in the infirmary, Ussop and Brook were stocking up on balls and gunpowder, Franky was happily tinkering in his workshop, Sanji was busy in the kitchen and Zoro was sleeping against the mast.

In reality, only Luffy didn't seem to enjoy the peaceful morning. For him, the lack of activity was synonymous with torture. So he had started fishing.

"Hey, Nami! Look!"

The navigator looked up from her book and stared at her captain trying to remove the octopus that had stuck to his head.

"What do you want?" she sighed.

"He's huge!" he gushed, finally tearing it out.

"Okay, he's huge, hooray", the young woman eluded, back into her book.

"You want me to give it to you?" he kept on. "He's really nice."

"No thanks."

Nami turned a new page but felt the shadow of the captain approaching her.

"Nami, can I kiss you?"

The navigator abruptly raised her head and stared at him. Luffy's big, innocent eyes were examining her, his octopus dripping under his arm.

"It's... Uh..."

She cleared her throat.

"You can't ask that kind of thing, Luffy..."

"Is that so?" he wondered. "But last time, Sanji told me I had to tell you!"

"I know but remember. You thought Zoro and he were fighting when it had nothing to do with it", she reminded him.

"I do remember! So I can do it when I want?!"

Nami sighed again. How do you explain the idea of appropriate atmosphere to Luffy? Even worse, how do you make him understand the subtle concept of a loving atmosphere?

"It's better when we're both alone and when we feel good", she finally tried.

"Like now?" Luffy got enthusiastic.

The young woman rolled her eyes. Her wish to guide him had just abandoned her in favor of annoyance.

"Not like now", she grumbled. "Asking me the question just killed the mood so don't even try, is that clear?"

"Ah."

Luffy seemed to be lost in his thoughts and Nami was going to take her book back when she straightened up, her senses alert. She had felt a cold draft flow across the deck and she glanced at the sky before frowning.

"Luffy, go tell the others. We'll have a sudden change of te-"

The navigator didn't have time to finish her sentence as a wave of cold washed over the ship. The temperature dropped and a thick fog settled, reducing all visibility in seconds.

The brutality of this reversal was immediately noticed by the rest of the crew who gathered around her in search of answers.

"It's a cold advection fog", she explained. "Sea is hot and we've met a cold air mass. It's an evaporation fog that can lead to severe icing."

"Damn, it's freezing!" Franky muttered as Luffy and Brook had fun blowing air so that it turned into smoke.

"I love this climate!" Chopper got enthusiastic.

"Everyone is going to get his winter stuff", Nami suggested. "Temperature will surely drop again."

"Next island is gonna have winter weather?" the swordsman asked her.

"No, it doesn't mean anything", she replied. "It's a simple air mass."

"We can't see anything", Ussop grumbled, pointing his binoculars on the open sea.

"It's pretty dangerous", Robin reckoned. "We could crash into a reef or even into an enemy ship without noticing it."

"We're gonna stand watch in pairs until the fog clears", Nami agreed as Ussop and Chopper were shaking with fear.

"I start!" Luffy shouted, brandishing his octopus stiffened by the cold.

"Okay. Brook, you take first quarter with him", the navigator decided.

"At your service!" the skeleton exclaimed.

Luffy watched his new frozen friend, laughing, before throwing it at Sanji by his side. The cook frowned as he stared at the frozen animal in his hands.

"Cook it, Sanji! I'm hungry!" the straw hat boy cried out.

This one shook his head.

"We'll see later. I've already planned lunch."

"What is it?!" the captain immediately inquired.

"Lamb stew."

"This is so cool!"

"You don't even know what it is", the blond pointed out, blowing smoke from his cigarette.

"Yes, I do! It's meat and it's yummy!"

"Luffy, we have a surprise for you", the gunner suddenly said, pointing to the engineer at his side. "We've been working at it this morning!"

"A surprise?! I can't wait to find out what it is!" he excitedly cried out.

"First go put your coats or you'll end up frozen", the navigator grunted.

Everyone nodded to her words and headed for their closets in search of warm clothes.

"Awesome!"

Alongside his musician, Luffy gazed at his new fishing rod with stars in his eyes. Ussop and Franky had just showed it to him. They had completely redesigned the fishing rod ergonomics for it to be adapted to the power of the prey and its owner. Despite his mittens, Luffy easily grabbed it and hurried to throw the float into the sea.

"Don't forget you're on watch", Ussop reminded him. "You have to stay focused."

Brook had put on a long coat and he turned to the open sea to try to search the horizon through the thick layer of fog.

"I don't see anything", he regretted.

He then burst out laughing, surprising his crewmates.

"In fact, this whole thing is perfectly normal since I have no eyes!"

Luffy burst out laughing in his turn while Franky and Ussop were shaking their heads. Then they went off to their workshops to warm up, leaving their two crewmates guffawing with all their might.

Sanji came back to his kitchen after having place the octopus in the aquarium water, and he was putting down his coat when he noticed the swordsman was already there, casually leaning against the counter.

"What's going on, cactus head? You're thirsty?"

"No."

"You're too cold to train?" he sneered then, taking his meat out of the fridge.

"Don't wanna train for now."

At these words, Sanji turned to stare at him, astonished.

"Are you sick?" he asked, frowning.

In his turn, Zoro stared at him, on the defensive.

"Take it easy, curly."

"You just don't get it, you idiot", the blond mumbled. "I'm asking you if you feel sick. Do you have a fever? Did you go to see Chopper?"

Suddenly, he put his hand to his forehead to estimate his temperature and the swordsman chased it away with annoyance.

"I'm not sick."

"Then why aren't you going to train?" the cook insisted. "You hurt yourself?"

"Stop with your stupid questions, I'm telling you I'm fine", the fencer growled.

Sanji stared at him without understanding. To tell the truth, the fencer seemed to be well, but the fact that he was standing in his kitchen without excuse was unusual to say the least. In addition, his detached look seemed to want to make him believe his attitude was completely logical, throwing the blond a little more into perplexity.

"Fine, do whatever you want. I don't care anyway", he finally said, turning away.

In reality, the cook was feeling disappointed to be rejected this way. He had just been concerned about his unlikely behavior but once again, Zoro kept him at bay and he didn't understand his reactions. He began to take his vegetables out for the lamb stew, no longer worrying about what the swordsman was going to do if he didn't want to train. To hell with his worries for this bastard, he wasn't worthy.

The silence settled down, only broken by the sound of utensils and water in the sink. Sanji had no intention of opening his mouth first and he was sure Zoro was thinking the same. He was therefore surprised when the fencer quietly spoke again shortly afterwards.

"Actually, I thought we could spend time together but I don't see what we can do."

The blond felt his knife slipping out of his hands and he just caught it before turning around and stared at the swordsman in disbelief.

"Y-You thought we could spend time together? How come?"

"Yeah. You said we had to do new things because of this relationship but you didn't tell me which ones."

Sanji felt his eyes widen a little more. He carefully put down his carrot and wiped his hands while staring at the swordsman still leaning against the counter.

"You mean you don't know what to do to create a bond between us?" he tried cautiously.

Zoro shrugged.

"I thought we could talk because you like it but I don't know what to say to you."

The cook prevented himself from rolling his eyes. The fencer's intention might have been laudable, but it was definitely losing its charm with such remarks.

"Well, don't push yourself, marimo. If you have nothing to say, don't create embarrassing moments that reinforce my impression we really have nothing in common", he finally muttered.

"You sure?" the swordsman inquired, frowning. "I thought you liked that kind of thing."

This time, Sanji couldn't resist and he rolled his eyes.

"I like it if it comes naturally, you moron. Not when you take it as homework to give back to your teacher while telling him you didn't understand the instructions!"

The fencer gazed at him for a few moments, finally straightened up and slowly stretched.

"Well, I guess we'll find something else to do then", he concluded.

"Yeah, I'll think about it", the blond grinded, picking up his carrot again.

Zoro didn't seem to notice his irony and he quietly walked to the door before grabbing his coat and reaching outside.

"I got one!" Luffy yelled, pulling his fishing rod.

"He's struggling, the old boy!" Brook exclaimed, bracing himself around his captain's waist to help him.

At the shouts of their friends, Chopper, Ussop, Zoro and Franky approached before encouraging the straw hat boy. The fish he had struck didn't seem to want to make it easy and it pulled even harder on his fishing rod.

"Use the reel!" Franky suggested.

Luffy operated the reel and the wire went back up despite the weight of the prey. The fish resisted more and swirls shook the surface. Finally, it stopped a bit to struggle and the captain took advantage of it to quickly haul it up.

"It-It's a Sea King!" Chopper stammered when he saw it.

"You sure? He's not that big", Zoro pointed out.

"It's a little Sea King", Franky confirmed.

The gray, deformed fish limply moved along the deck. It had to weigh a hundred pounds and was trying to waddle back to the water. Ussop approached and examined it.

"He's too big for the aquarium", he noted.

"Oh, but I wanna keep it!" Luffy protested, patting his head.

"Except if the cook cooks it right away, we'll have to let him go", the swordsman said.

"We can't even freeze him, he's really too big", Franky agreed.

"Boys, lunch!" Nami suddenly intervened from the first floor.

Despite the heavy fog, the young woman was visible and she made a big gesture. Everyone then got ready to go up to the kitchen, the captain in the lead, when the latter froze.

"I got an idea!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining.

He grabbed the huge fish in his arms and twirled it in the air.

"Nami, I have a present for you! That way you'll be happy and we can kiss after eating when we're alone!"

In a flash, he threw the huge beast in the navigator direction under the stunned eyes of his friends. On the other end, the young woman screamed as she saw the mass rush towards her through the layer of mist.

"Treinta Fleur!"

The archaeologist's hands grew on each other and she could grab the fish in full flight and push it away with all her strength. The animal spun again and landed in the sea in a large spray of water.

"Holy shit, you're totally insane!" Sanji became enraged against his captain, who stared at the sea in amazement.

At Nami's shout, he had turned up as soon as possible, but Robin had arrived before him. Fortunately for the navigator.

"He sure looks crazy sometimes", Franky sighed.

Luffy finally returned his attention to the navigator who was catching her breath and he gave her a broad smile.

"Sorry, Nami! I forgot you couldn't catch him! I wanted to make you happy! Thank you, Robin!"

The archaeologist lightly waved at him, smiling. On the other hand, the navigator suddenly became red with anger and she shook her fist in his direction.

"Well, think again, you moron!" she yelled at him. "Don't even dare to come near me today or I'll make sure you're dead before you find the One Piece!"

She then slammed the door to take refuge in the kitchen while Robin and Sanji were following her.

"You still have a lot to learn about women", Ussop commented.

"I thought they liked gifts?" Luffy wondered.

"They like gifts, but not just any gifts", Brook explained.

"I don't think a huge Sea King is the most appropriate one", Chopper stated.

"And probably not if you shove it in their face", Zoro added. "They're often frail."

"Women are complicated!" the captain concluded, scratching his head over his straw hat.

After lunch, Nami and Zoro were drawn to be on watch. The fog hadn't thickened but the air was chilling the atmosphere and as the navigator had predicted, frost had appeared. So she wanted them to be particularly attentive to icebergs.

The rest of the crew dispersed to various activities. Chopper went to study in his infirmary, Sanji and Robin searched for books in the library, Franky locked himself in his workshop with a new idea in mind and Luffy, Ussop and Brook put on their coats to fish again.

Long minutes passed in the frozen silence for the two watchers at the front and Nami sighed. The swordsman wasn't the best company to help her pass the time during this thankless task. He was silent as a grave and didn't seem to be bothered by the cold while she was feeling the biting wind burn her cheeks. He was happy to stare at the ocean, motionless like a statue. As if he had already forgotten her presence or didn't care about her at all.

After a few more studious minutes, the young woman pulled down her binoculars to rest her eyes and glanced at the fishermen a little further. She then rubbed her hands together to warm herself a little and turned to the still quiet fencer.

"Zoro, tell me something."

"What?" he asked, continuing to search the ocean.

"How do you do with Sanji-kun so that he knows your feelings?"

The swordsman slowly turned his head towards the navigator and examined her with a sharp eye. As she was looking at him with big questioning eyes, he sighed. So he really had heard her question correctly.

"What you mean?" he placidly asked.

"Well, you're clumsy on that side, it's obvious", she explained in a matter of fact tone. "On the contrary, Sanji-kun loves romance and attention so how do you manage for him to find some benefit there?"

"Well, I'm not sure it's your business," he growled, offended.

Nami rolled her eyes.

"Relax, Romeo, I know you have to keep up appearances and I'll be discreet but I really need this information."

Zoro just examined her silently again. There was no way for him to reveal anything to her. He was pretty sure he hadn't found the right method with the cook about it yet, so he wasn't going to make a fool of himself as a bonus.

"And why do you need that kind of information, you're a peeper?" he replied.

At these words, the navigator squinted and grabbed him by the collar of his coat to bring him closer to her, threatening.

"The point is that I'm a delicate and fragile person who would enjoy a little gentleness and refinement from time to time so you'd better give Luffy some advice so that I'll be treated with the respect I deserve!"

She then brutally released the fencer, who glared at her in return.

"I'm not a marriage counselor and I don't give a damn about all that shit", he grinded. "Just figure it out yourself."

At these words, he grabbed his swords he had set down not far from him and went to the other side of the deck to escape her. Nami sighed heavily.

"Men really are chickens about feelings", she grumbled before taking back her binoculars.

When Franky and Robin took the next watch in the late afternoon, the navigator entered the kitchen and enjoyed the warmth that greeted her. Immediately, Sanji rushed to her and set her a cup of steaming hot chocolate. Nami smiled at this attention and sat down at the table. The cook always managed to anticipate what she needed.

"Nami-san, you're doing an amazing job today!" her friend twirled.

The young woman ignored him, suddenly concerned by a whole different thing.

"While I'm here, I'd like to ask you a question", she said, dipping her lips into the delicately flavored drink.

"What can I do for you, my dear?" the blond whirled round.

"In confidence, don't get on your high horses, but explain to me how you can be so sure Zoro has feelings for you", she asked him while stirring her cup. "He doesn't look very expressive about it..."

Sanji abruptly stopped his love dance and stared at her for a moment, embarrassed.

"It's just... Uh..."

The young woman stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"I don't want any details", she reassured him. "It's just that Luffy isn't the most talented in this area either as you've seen this morning and I admit I'm a little destabilized. I don't know how to react. I mean, it's nice of him but it's totally inappropriate and I don't think it'll come naturally to him now. Do you have some technique that you use with Zoro for him to understand how to do it?" she asked with interest.

At these words, the cook relaxed before sighing. This situation was terribly echoing to him.

"I see what you mean, Nami-san..."

He shook his head and took a chair next to her.

"I don't think they speak the same way as we do", he seriously explained. "You have to see them as a full species. Obviously they're not good with words, so sometimes they try something we don't understand and we end up having to translate it because they're not smart enough to put themselves in our shoes."

"Are you telling me we're doomed to suffer their stupidity?" the redhead complained. "I don't intend to get disgusting fish in my head at every declaration of love!"

"I guess we can tell them what to do but it loses its charm", the cook agreed, sighing again.

Nami muttered in her cup before taking another sip.

"It's unbelievable to come across such morons", she grumbled afterwards.

She finished her drink in silence, lost in her thoughts. As she put her empty cup on the table, she suddenly stared at the blond straight in the eye with a devilish smile.

"In this case, I'll make him learn the list of everything I need to be happy and fulfilled! He won't have any excuses and I'll be able to have everything I want!"

The navigator got up with a satisfied smile and walked out the door, determined. Sanji watched her slip away before grabbing her cup to clean it. Maybe this initiative would work on Luffy but he had no illusions about the swordsman. He would have to find something else.

The fog had cleared in the early evening to give way to an even colder weather. Chopper had then volunteered for the night watch as he wasn't easily damaged by low temperatures.

The hour was already well advanced and while most of his crewmates had already got back to their bunks, Zoro went through the deck and saw the reindeer fight sleep.

"Go to bed, Chopper. I'll stand in for you", he said, coming closer.

"No, no!" the doctor protested. "I'm immune to the cold, I'm safe!"

"But you need to sleep", the fencer insisted.

"Maybe but..."

"Go. You'll take my next watch."

Chopper hesitated a few more moments before nodding.

"Okay but I'll stand in for your next time, I won't forget!"

"Whatever you want."

The reindeer handed him a blanket and the swordsman sat down against the railing after having set his swords on the ground. He then saw the cook figure coming in his direction, looking for something and then going back to his lair.

Shrugging at his strange behavior, the fencer turned his attention to the open sea. He had thought back to what had happened with Sanji after his conversation with Nami. Or rather, after the navigator had tried to extort personal information from him.

The swordsman had decided to give it time. He had tried to do something for the blond and it didn't work. As he had no more ideas, it made sense to think that the best way was still to let things quietly evolve and that he would adapt according to the situations and his desires. The cook had even assured him he wouldn't push him on this subject so he saw no reason to complicate things. He knew that time brings everything to those who wait and he was confident. Patience was a virtue he had been practicing for a long time.

Sanji went out of his kitchen again. The cold was biting and he pulled up the collar of his coat to protect himself. He quickly spotted Zoro who was lazily watching the ocean. He was wrapped in a blanket in addition to his coat and the icy breath of his breathing was flying away around him at each of his expirations. Still, he didn't seem to be suffering from the cold.

"That's what I thought, you swapped with Chopper", he said as he reached his height.

"He was gonna fall asleep", the fencer replied.

The cook sighed and handed him a cup.

"So I had to improvise", he mumbled.

Zoro took the container and sniffed it in astonishment.

"Mulled wine", the blond explained with a smile. "I knew the sweet snacks I had prepared for Chopper wouldn't suit you."

The swordsman's eyes lit up at this information and he took a generous sip of his drink.

"I also made you steamed dumplings", the cook showed him, pointing to a small, neatly wrapped plate. "Don't wait too long, it'll get cold."

Quite willingly, Zoro grabbed the plate with one hand and while Sanji was about to turn away, his other hand caught his arm. Their eyes met, the puzzled one of the blond and the impenetrable one of the fencer. Finally, the cook lowered himself to be at his height.

"You want something else?"

Zoro didn't answer but his gaze deepened in the one of the blond. Sanji hesitated and thought he was reading an invitation to stay a little longer. He then carefully sat down alongside the swordsman and watched his reaction as he lit a cigarette. As the latter was quietly unwrapping his plate, he repressed a small laugh.

"You're hard to figure out, marimo."

"Itch you, I never gech what you wanch", the fencer mumbled, his mouth full of dumplings.

In front of the cook questioning look, he swallowed his mouthful.

"You're the one who's hard to get, stupid cook. Every time I wanna do something, it doesn't work."

"Because you don't know how to express yourself", the blond muttered. "You do improbable stuff and you expect me to guess what you mean, but I don't have the marimos instruction manual."

Zoro continued to devour his dish and Sanji dragged on his cigarette, shivering in the cold air.

"I wonder how we're gonna d-..."

He was interrupted by receiving the blanket the swordsman had just thrown at him in the face. He disentangled himself and shook his head.

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about", he grumbled as he straightened it on him. "By the time we'll figure out how to communicate, we'll already have crossed the New World and Luffy will be the Pirates King."

He then gave half of the blanket to the fencer who shook his head. Sanji rolled his eyes and still put some of it on his crewmate's legs. He then had a drag of his cigarette again while the swordsman was chewing his last dumpling.

"I don't mind if we take time, we're not in a hurry", the fencer replied, emptying his mulled wine cup.

The blond softly sighed and the condensation of his breath added to the one of his cigarette butt.

"Of course you don't mind, marimo. You always take things as they come. Nothing worries you except your swords."

The latter shrugged.

"It's easier that way."

Sanji didn't add anything. He took advantage of the quiet and icy atmosphere in which the Sunny was shrouded and the swordsman's broad breathing at his side. He had thought back to his conversation with Nami and he had made a decision. He was going to find a way to communicate with Zoro. He couldn't bring himself to just wait hoping that a miracle would happen because he just didn't believe it. If he didn't do anything, they would never evolve. Just like when he had told him his feelings and the fencer had fallen from a height. Without his intervention, they would never have taken the plunge of this relationship.

"I wish I was as detached as you", he finally whispered as he watched his smoke fly away.

The swordsman remained silent. Maybe he hadn't heard him or maybe he just didn't know what to say to him.

Sanji always worries too much and Zoro never worries enough.

Luffy and Nami are much funnier, don't you think?