Eye of the Storm

Poem for

Vagrants and Sake

~The first half of the storm is for you,

A proof and trial,

Evidence in your actions

That not only can you survive,

But you wish too,

The eye is for your breath.

Make it deep,

Make a wish,

and as you head back in,

Save someone else along the way~

The storm was at its worst. Bad enough that Zoro didn't dare go to work. Instead he sat in the boy's living room, laptop on his criss crossed legs, staring at the sliding porch door. It wasn't hail, but it tried to be, and it came down in coats thicker than thieves. And aside from the flashing lightning it was dark and ominous. Loud too. Another flash of lightning and Zoro just a glimpse of the city. Empty streets, flooding with trash water, moving with speed to low-town. Another flash as he saw the closest of buildings, with blinds closed, dark. A strong wind pushed on the glass door, water streaking it, and the winds howled like airplane jets.

His phone rang, jolting him from the storm. He cast a glance at the dimmed laptop screen, running a finger along the trackpad to brighten it up again. Kuina had gotten three more pages down. He was solidly slipping behind. His phone rang again and he fished it up from the coffee table. Saga…

"Hello?"

The sound of the storm answered him, naked and unsheltered.

"Where the he- you- i'm at- partment- but-"

"You're where? What?"

"Why arent you home!" Saga shouted, the winds somewhat dampened.

"Why are you at my place?" Zoro challenged, writing a note to Kuina that he had to go. He closed the laptop and stood.

"I was in town, fig- but that fai- so i called!"

"I can't understand you, I'm on my way, I'll be there as soon as i can. Stay dry."

"Be safe Zoro, its-" More wind static.

"Right, says the man in the storm." Zoro growled, tugging on a coat. "I'm hanging up."

"Where are you going?" Luffy asked, hanging in the doorway of his room. Sabo on the bed behind him, looking over the edge of a book at him.

"To rescue an idiot from the storm."

"That'll just make two idiots in the storm." Luffy shrugged with a grin, moving to the kitchen.

"No snacks in bed Luffy!" Sabo called.

"Then you better get out of it." Luffy called back. He also leveled a jerky stick at Zoro. "Who?"

Zoro rubbed his neck. "Saga. says he's at my place."

"You shouldn't go." Luffy opened the jerky.

"Luf, he's in the cold."

"He left you in the cold."

Zoro zipped up the jacket Sanji had given him. He really needed to buy a new one. "Years ago. I'm not gonna leave him to the storm. He'll die."

"You could get lost, washed out. You could die." Luffy countered, popping himself on the kitchen counter, and Zoro leaned on the breakfast bar.

"Its just some rain and wind."

"He is more than that. He's trouble."

"Luf, you can't say you'd leave an old friend in the rain."

"I could leave an ex. Zoro why did he show up in the middle of a storm?"

Zoro pushed off the bar, moving to get his shoes.

"He's in the storm. I'll get him out, and ask him. If it's anything weird, i'll kick him back out, alright?"

Luffy gave him an unsatisfied look, holding him in contempt with his eyes alone as he chewed the meat stick. To be honest he wasn't sure why he needed Luffy's approval. But with Ace gone at the station Luffy and Sabo tag teamed the mother hen role. And he was sure his every move was finding its way to the freckled man. So better to hold the line here.

"No you won't." Luffy settled on, swallowing his bite, throwing the empty wrapper away. Zoro felt a vein throb, he cast a glance to Sabo, who'd made his way to the doorframe, dressed in silk bottoms and nothing else.

"Wheres he going?"

"Saga." Luffy said.

"In this storm?"

"Look," Zoro slid his second shoe on, and turned. "He's in the storm right now, outside my place. You guys hate him, I get it, and mother nature is kicking his ass right now. But he was a friend before he was a lover, yeah? So I'm gonna go get him out the rain."

"What does that look like from Saga's point of view?" Sabo asked. "A recently single ex of his, racing through a storm to save him?"

"What would it say about me if i didn't go?"

"That you can mind your own business." they said simultaneously. He ran a hand down his race, and turned.

"I'll be back in a few hours."

The coat had put up a good fight. But the hour walk through the storm, or hurricane as the weather woman called it, had frozen him to the bone. Beside his face and legs, he was dry, a small mercy. When he finally did wade through the last of the river which had once been a road, he found Saga shaking on his doorstep, curled into a ball.

"You should have just broken in." Zoro called loud enough to be heard over the wind. He manaeverd his ice stiff hand, sinking the key to its lock, and twisted. Saga gave him a chattering smile, his white hair matted to his head.

"T-thought about i-it." he said and Zoro offered a hand. Saga took it in his good arm. And Zoro pulled. He was lighter than he'd been two years ago.

"So why are you here? Where's Johnny and Yo?" Zoro closed the door, and Saga stayed in the entryway, dripping. Zoro shook his head while Saga still faced away from him, and moved to get them towels.

"Back home." Saga replied.

"Yeah?" Zoro mumbled from his linen closet, grabbing the small stack of towels. Giving a look around his place. It was dusty. His stomach growled, but he was loath to check the fridge. "Thought a storm was a fine time to visit old friends?" he tossed the man a towel, and he caught it deftly.

"Old friends." Saga said the words low. "We're still young aren't we?" he had on that dauntless smile again, toothy grin and all.

"That just shows how old you are." Zoro finished rubbing his face down and placed the towel on his couch, flopping down into it. "You can come in, you know, you don't just have to stand there."

Saga jolted, his smile flickering as he moved in, kicking his sneakers off easily, his soaked socks squishing on the wood. He looked down, dropping and wrangled the socks off, looking around for a place to put them. He looked to Zoro who shrugged, pointing to the shoes. Saga shrugged too, chucking them to land just beside his shoes. Then he sank onto the couch. In the middle, not the other end, and worked the buttons on his coat.

"I brought you something. I know you don't celebrate your birthday. So that's why I came late." he pulled out Sake. high brand, imported. Zoro's favorite kind. He offered it. Zoro raised a brow at it, crossing his arms.

"You kinda just admitted that it's a present."

Saga faltered, his cheeks taking on embarrassment. "Well… still. It's for you."

"Alright." Zoro took it, setting it on the glass coffee table. He wanted to immediately ask why. The drink, no Johnny, no Yozaku. And yes through a storm and all that. "Poor time to come to town." He was thinking before he talked. Weird. What was he supposed to think about exactly?

"Yeah…" Saga was still in his coat still cold, mindlessly rubbing a towel over his head. "They come every year, you'd think I would remember."

Zoro sighed to himself, rising and finding the heater knob. He was cold too. He cranked it high. The tell tale sign of it working came soon after. Dust burning on the element. And he didn't remember the draft, but it made him shiver. Shitty apartment. At least it wasn't low-town.

"How's Kuina?" his voice was cautious. Gentle.

"Great actually. She's coming home next week. She beat it." Zoro felt some real joy pumping through him. Everytime he got to thinking about her. He turned, seeing Saga's face again, surprise, and… joy.

"That's great Zoro. That makes me so happy."

Kuina didn't like Saga… why was that? Right… clot.

"Tell her i'm wishing her well for the future." Zoro scrutinized the man's face. This man had had Zoro's heart once. And what had he done with it?

But then again, what had Zoro done to him. His eyes cast down to the unmoving arm.

"I will." he sank back into the couch, eyeing the Sake a bit closer. The boy's weren't here. He could actually get away with celebrating Kuina's health. But she would enjoy this too. He could keep it for that. Then it wasn't a personal gift. "I think I'll save this for when she gets home."

"That's right, she enjoys Sake too." Saga was still smiling. It didn't seem like he had much intention on explaining himself.

I don't like guessing at what you're thinking and hoping i'm right.

Sanji.

Zoro set the Sake in the cupboard, closed it. He took a breath, to keep himself calm.

"Why are you here Saga?" He had failed to face the man. He said it from the kitchen, loud but neutral.

"I… I want to talk Zoro."

Zoro opened the fridge, leaning into it to buy time. He winced. Sanji would kill him for all of this.

Right, he didn't have to tell Sanji about this. There was still a six pack of cheap beer. Saga wanted to talk huh? What did he want? And more importantly, did Zoro really want to do this? His lease was up soon, so if they had a blow out, at least there was that? Fuck it, he had some steam to blow off. He grabbed the six pack.

"Alright. Talk."

"Can you… can you face me at least?"

Zoro opened a can, chugging half of it, and wiped his lips. "I'm not sure i can." he was being stupid.

"I've been thinking… about what happened, and my arm. I… Zoro I've got one arm. That's one hand I can hold. I want it to be yours."

"So when you have to pick huh?" Zoro scoffed, the can crinkled in his hand. That'd just slipped out.

"That's… deserved." He was wounded. Zoro shook his head. This kitchen was crowded. "Zoro i'm sorry."

"What for?" he growled.

"Everything." Saga's voice was closer. Zoro looked up, catching his eyes from the doorway. "I'm not expecting anything. But I made up my mind to apologize. To tell you how i feel. And I'm like you. Once I've made up my mind, come hell or hurricanes, I was coming. And I wasn't the only one who came here. So i'm sorry, but i'm also gonna look you in the eye while i do it."

Zoro's mouth opened without command, shocked. A jolt through his heart. Luffy was right. Zoro wouldn't be able to kick him out. He'd have to listen. Pathetic. Desperate even. And Zoro didn't know which in the kitchen he talked about. He finished off the can, just because the urge to swallow had been too great, and he wanted to hide it.

He hated Saga, for his name. For how well he fit it. Always long winded. Always forgetting no detail. And so many times he had used his power to twist and guilt Zoro back into line. But now it was repenting. Sorries. Forgetting no single wrong. Zoro didn't like it. Looking in his eyes. Keeping a firm neutral face. Knowing that he wouldn't even ask for an apology in return. Saga was groveling.

"Shut the fuck up." Zoro opened another can. Taking a gulp.

"Zoro, I'm being serious."

"I know." Zoro spat. "It's pathetic."

"Can't you be decent?"

"I am!" Zoro faced away. Taking another breath. He'd been too loud. "You shouldn't look pathetic. It looks wrong. So just… stop."

And all at once the winds stopped. The rain lifted its assault on the glass, and the sun poured its light into the home. it caught behind Saga, turning his white hair golden. His eyes softened.

"Alright, miracle was a little much." he smiled, looking at a sight Zoro couldn't see. And The light was wonderful on his tan skin.

"Its just the eye of the storm." Zoro scoffed.

"Well i intend to enjoy it." Saga walked off. Zoro heard his back door slide open. Zoro followed the scent of fresh air. The day was young afterall. The sun high, and miles out Zoro could see the towering storm wall. "Do you get this view every time?"

Zoro stepped onto the soaked porch barefooted. Resting his hands on the ice cold railing.

"It varies with each storm, the path it takes. But we get so many of them in the city, that every one, eventually gets inside one."

"Its… beautiful," he shivered. "How long do they last?"

"If it stays course, about an hour I think. But i'm bad at guessing." Nami'd know… he looked out towards low town, and hoped she was okay.

"Will you watch it with me?" Saga's hand slid on the rail. Just touching his, and made no move to grab it. Zoro didn't answer at first, hung up trying to figure out if he was disappointed or relieved. He was thinking now. Too much. He just needed to reply. Needed to buy time.

"Yeah." he said, glancing just once, seeing a hopeful, peaceful smile on the man. He didn't look again.

…

Robin had one arm over the railing, holding a steaming cup of coffee, and the other held her cheek. She had a nice view over her complexes parking lot, from the top of a little hill. She was in awe, watching the sun reflecting off the million different things it could. Everything was wet, and shining bright. Including the car she saw wrapping down off the highway. Intriguing. Even more so as it came closer, its teal and purple like flames. Her breath hitched. It turned in.

A man entirely too cocky for his own good stepped out, popping shades up from his eyes, catching her eyes as if the stories between them were gone. She stood straight, gawking at the man gesturing to the car.

"Robin! Let's go for a drive!"

"Franky!" she blushed, she wasn't the only one watching the storm. Her neighbors were out, several smoking while they had the chance, all of them staring at the man in the phoenix of a car. "There's a hurricane on, are you mad?"

"Like i don't know that. I'm chasing the eye! We haven't got much longer this side of town. So hurry down!" He sunk onto the hood, not breaking eye contact.

She felt her heart speed up, and her feet moved before her. Franky was insane, but she couldn't leave him just waiting there. She slipped off her pajamas, despairing when she found all of her jeans were dirty. She had her suits… hardly the occasion. She had the skirts… she hesitated, picking out a floral pattern, long, but better suited to spring. Still it was a bit warm in the eye. She slipped it on. She looked in the mirror. It fit her well on the hips, and she turned, relishing the way it flourished out. It'd been years since she wore a skirt. She grabbed a matching top, a purple one. Something closer to the car's purple and rolled the cuffs twice on each arm. As high as she could go. She grabbed her purse, not sparing the time to switch it out. She left, taking the elevator, only because it was the eye, left the building, finding no shortage of attention as she did so.

But she only looked at Franky. Only met his eyes, and got drunk on his smile. He pushed off the hood, opening her door for her.

"You look great." she blushed. He'd said it low, as he closed her door, leaving her no need to reply as he made to his own door. She knew what this was. He was pressing the attack. And now that she was here, watching him back out onto the road, she wasn't sure if she was ready.

"What do you think of the car?" he offered her a smirk, throwing an arm over her seat as he reversed.

She ran a hand along the dash, clean, like new. Her finger caught, a little gouge missing.

"She's beautiful." The car had stopped, she was still in the parking lot, and she met Franky's eyes again. He was looking right at her.

"She really is." She looked away, on fire.

"Franky…" she said with the little air that hadn't been lost. He'd come to attack, and she was doing a poor job defending. The car rolled out, twisting back up and onto the highway again.

"Have you ever been storm riding?" he asked, his hand moving to the clutch, working it. Their speed picked up. A topic change.

"I haven't." the highway was empty. The water drained off, but not gone. And he had the windows down, the wind, the scent of grass and ozone, and a silence beyond it that she found enchanting.

"I go every time. The temptation is always too great for that shelter in place stuff."

"It's understandable. This is amazing." The highway came level with a skyscraper, the image reflected along its row of windows, and as they passed it a rainbow caught her eye. She looked up, seeing more than just one. She had craned her neck to see out, and she heard the car whir. That's right. It'd been a convertible hadn't it.

"There's a spell about the eye. Since it's your first time, I'll take mercy and tell you." he said, and she noticed they were not going terribly fast. A leisurely drive. She leaned back, feeling the sun on her face.

"A spell huh?" she watched him. Watched him glance at her often, smirking.

"A very powerful one. A certain, comfortable isolation. Everything here, this peace we know to be temporary, is nonetheless real."

"Fascinating... I think i feel it. The peace." she looked out at the empty office buildings. Knowing for once there would be no eyes to stare. No comments or questions. All things that sunk into her skin and weighed her down for days afterwards.

But there was one pair of eyes that could still see her. A pair that with a look, not even a word, could do more damage to her than the comments and questions combined. She felt the peace. And more comfortable than a normal day.

"You know chasing the eye is a lot like trying to pause." she said, remembered their one and only phone conversation.

"Don't break the spell." he said looking at her. Gave her a smile. "Today, for as long as you want, we can follow this peace. On the condition you enjoy it. Use it to think. Pretend the storm isn't here. What would you do?"

"Is this an assignment?" she teased.

"Not at all." he laughed. He reached over, opening the glove, the only thing in it an old fabric CD holder. He set it in her lap. "Pick something out, crank it, sing. Or don't. I'm just here to drive."

"Is that all?" she asked, unzipping the case.

"For today." he said readily. "I am who i am. So I'll drive. Who are you?"

She couldn't keep the smile off her face. She looked away from him, flipping through the diverse music. She found something she remembered from college and popped it in. she had no idea if she'd remember the lyrics. She wouldn't sing. But she took her shoes off, and leaned her seat back, kicking her feet onto the dash, and her arms behind her head, looking up through her shades at the noon sun. she didn't care that her skirt showed her calves. She just cared about the classic rock Franky had cranked, the wind that played with her hair, and the man himself, singing along to every song she'd ever connected with. He'd come to press the attack, and she had been defenseless.

She smiled, because defeat had never felt like paradise before.

…

Nami gave a last glance at the sun, as the wind picked up behind her. The clutch of mail she'd grabbed started taking rain. So she hurried inside. Kicked off her shoes. Tucked the towel back under the door. And checked the ones she had at the windows. The one by her bed was the worst off. The old wood had swollen and cracked, the towel was completely soaked, and a trail of water made its way into her carpet. She swapped out the towel, throwing it in the dryer on high. She sighed, flopping onto her bed, and sifted through the mail. Bills, junk, insurance?

That's right. Vivi had sent a letter a few days ago saying it'd be on its way. Conservatively her bike should've been worth twenty-five thousand. She expected to get maybe twelve. She opened the envelope, skimming over the paperwork, finding a separate smaller envelope, unsealed. She opened it pulling out the check.

She saw the two and five next to each other and smiled. She'd gotten the bikes worth. Its full-

There was a one in front of it.

She was holding a check for one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. This was a mistake. It had to be. She skimmed the paperwork, finding the settlement the insurances had discussed with each other. The list of damages.

They'd been overly generous in the evaluation. This was enough money to buy one of the new model bikes. She went to her desk, opening the drawer and pulling the most recent letter from the small collection. Reading the pages quickly. But Vivi hadn't hinted at this. She looked at the check again. Remembering the way the guy had just went at the car like it was nothing.

She'd said they'd had good insurance.

Just who was Vivi?

Nami opened her laptop, hearing it slowly hum to life. She heard the rain pick up on the windows again. She looked at the check again as the laptop lit up. Would she accept this? Hell, could she actually even give it back? She'd decide once she figured this out. She typed in her password, and clicked on her browser. The computer was old. Still waking up, her foot started to bounce. It was taking forever.

She jumped as the draft worsened. Whistling through the window. The computer was taking too long. She rose, looked around for her duct-tape, and went about sealing the window. By the time she had finished that, a small puddle had made it through the door. She was glad for the step up she had. So the water would be contained in the shoe well. Still, she grabbed her last dry towel, and placed it under the door. She tossed the wet towel in the dryer as well, after a through wringing out. And found the browser had loaded. She typed Vivi's full name into the search bar, hit enter, and waited. Lightning flashed out, a second later followed by thunder. And the browser reported a lack of internet. She groaned, leaning back in her chair, rubbing a hand down her face.

"Of course…" she moaned out. Kicking away from the desk on the wheeled chair. She didn't make it far on the carpet. Stopping halfway between the desk and her bed, looking into the mirror. At the photostrips tucked along the edges to near bursting. The storm had her bored. She'd gone to check the mail as a distraction. And a way to enjoy the short eye of the storm she got. Waded through a stream of endless trash, and she'd only gone a couple hundred feet.

Why was Vivi so kind? Why did she do this? Nami had no doubt Vivi had done this. Somehow she had made them be generous. But why. Vivi had said the 'we' about her and Chaka... This was a fraud claim. That somehow had worked through the system, and wound up in her hands. Nami had her doubts when Vivi said it'd be fine. Surely there was risk? So why risk it? Nami was just an editor. Lived in a low-town studio, and worked at a small publishing house. She didn't think her assets combined could reach a hundred thousand dollars. In fact she knew it. Because she had no asset's. She spun the chair, taking in her studio. Bed, mirror, desk, loveseat, tiny coffee table, the latter two of which faced her porch. A few tapestries on the walls, and the kitchen, with its fridge, and the two burner stove-top.

She didnt see anybody risking anything for this.

So what was it? Was Vivi just so rich that this was like a nicety?

'Bummer about the bike, let's commit insurance fraud and get you a new one!'

No she had another motive… Nami closed her eyes. The wind still whistled and howled. Sounding the part for banshees and demons. How many reasons were there for doing that?

Maybe she'd wanted a new car and found a good enough excuse.

Maybe it was just Vivi trying to get on Nami's good side, afterall money didn't seem like an issue for her.

Maybe she was just really nice…

Nami would assume that. Until she had the chance to ask her.

Vivi was just really nice. It fit everything she knew about the girl. Even her novel had been… sensitive.

Could it be an attraction… no right? That was silly. She had Chaka. She was rich.

Still. It was a stretch to say insurance fraud was a nice friendly act. So maybe-

Her phone went off. She dug it from her pocket, swiping out the impulse alarm. But it'd come at the right time. Stuck in her home like this was driving her crazy.

It was just hope. Involuntary hope. The kind she couldn't crush out with logic. She left her chair abandoned, hooking the check into the mirror's edge, and went to bed, sinking under the blankets. She wasn't tired, not really. But her chest ached, and she was cold. A little midday cat nap was just what she wanted. Maybe the second half of the storm would pass by while she dreamed.

Or maybe the building's support would finally rot though, and she wouldn't have to wake up and deal with this annoying, confusing… job obstructing hope. She curled a fist in her pillow, pulling it over her face.