Hail's Wake

Part 1

(Split into two chapters because

Nami's section got real looooong,

(Worth it)

Hope you enjoy it!

Sanji closed and locked his door, lighting a cigarette, and dropped his folder on his coffee table. He pulled deep on the smoke, pulling the stick from his mouth, and blowing our rings. One hand lazily undid the buttons of his vest, and he caught the stove clock. Half past five. He went to his room, grabbing one of the new pearl pink hangers, setting his vest on it, and slung off his tie, pushing through his closest until he found the tie hook. The ocean blue went on. And a marimo green one fell.

He took another drag, making no move to pick it up. But staring at it.

It was Zoro's. Sanji had bought it for him. He'd worn it once. To the christmas party. Ash fell to the pristine carpet. Sanji set the smoke in the nearby ashtray, and grabbed the tie. Soft. he brought it closer. Catching just a hint of Zoro, and his eyes watered. He grit his teeth. Picking the cigarette back up, sucking hard, and marched to his kitchen's trash, stomping on the peddle. The lid slammed against the wall like only plastic could, and he held the tie over the trash can. However the only thing to be thrown away were the tears that came, and the cigarette that fell. He shook. Shivered. Sobbed until his knees caved. He cradled the tie to his chest, curling around it. He wailed until his voice gave out, and his sobs had no more air, but no less passion. And then he wailed some more. Harder, if not louder. Until his back and head hurt. Until his tears were dry.

When he was done, he lay on the kitchen floor, tie still on his chest. And he smoked. Ashing three cigarettes onto the tile. And finally he rose, stepped on the peddle again, raised the tie over it. He caught the stove clock again.

Half past seven. He hesitated. Laughed at himself. And in anger tossed the tie blindly behind him.

…

"No Hachi, i'm just saying, Arlong is a bit of a dick for a romantic lead." Nami said, filling her cup of coffee. "I liked her lead in the Sun pirates series. And Jimbei, what a heartful man."

"Nami-san…" Hachi rubbed his head and shrugged "I get it. But it's my job to support her no matter what, so if she wants to write Arlong, i'll let her. She's early career, she needs to write the bad boy phase out."

"Given up on her getting over the harem thing?"

"Oh yeah." Hachi hung his head. "Long time ago. Wherever they soar right? Honestly, if you would have told me ten years ago id be the team manager of a queer publishers erotacia deparment…odd where you find your stride in career. Speaking of which, why were you reading Warlord of Coyoshi?"

"Oh uh, you know, figure i've got a better chance at a chief position. The better versed i am on top performers all around. Shoe in the door thing." he nodded, she relaxed.

"Aggressive, no wonder you're a top performer. Me and Ms. Hancock were discussing World Atlas the other day, and she said something I found rather interesting about a moment in the book you had slaved over with the author."

"Really? W-whatd she say?"

"Well-"

"Nami!" Perona shouted as she barged in, the break room door hitting the wall. "Today!"

"Today?" Nami gave her a once over, spotting a familiar black hoodie mostly stuffed into a paper bag. That was Usopp's. And she was dressed to the nines, gothic, but tight, frills made to enunciate her curves, nor disguise them.

"I'll be honest, I didn't see him being into super goth." her voice was dry, and sipped at her coffee.

"You're getting a free tattoo!" Perona shouted, then pouted. "...At least tell me i look nice." Nami made a swirl motion, and Perona did a three sixty.

"He is an ass man though. You look great. I'll make the appointment." she smirked as Perona went crimson, and Hachi choked on his coffee.

"Nami!" Perona's voice went high. Nami winced. Worth it though. And it was good timing. She still hadn't worked up the courage to deposit the check. So she still had the bug. And that dress would've never worked on a bike. She left them red in the break room, finding Chopper at her desk, letter in hand.

"Nami! Same-day from Vivi." he gave her the letter and held his pad out for her to sign. She whipped off her signature pinwheel, and dug for a bill from the tax jar. "Thanks a bunch!"

"Of course." She smiled, looking up from the letter. "I hope it's going to a savings of some sort."

"College fund." He smiled, clicking the pad.

"Yeah? What for?"

"I wanna be an editor." he burst out happily.

"Huh?" Zoro and Sanji glared, the Green's glasses slipping lower, and the blonde with a cigarette loose in his lips.

"No." Nami glared. "Go be a doctor or something that makes money, or I swear to your patheon I will crush you."

"What? Why?" He took a cautious step back.

"Its for you own good kid." Sanji stood, glasses on, glaring down at Chopper. "Only the the most durable of souls can withstand the trials this life brings." he laid a hand on Chopper's shoulder. "You look kind, happy. So run and be free."

"But-"

"Run while you can." Sanji said cryptically, digging for his lighter and walking away.

"What's wrong with Sanji today?" Chopper asked Nami worriedly. She shook her head dramatically, bringing an actor's tear to her eye, and stood beside him, looking after Sanji. "There's no cure for the editor's disease. Believe it or not he is rather healthy for a ten year vet. He'll likely live another twenty years before, well... Go be a doctor. Find a cure and bring it back here. That will be your hero's journey young one."

He looked scared, backing up, then he turned, nodded, and ran. Zoro busted up laughing, as did she.

"Think he'll listen?" Zoro asked, stretching out.

"Depends on who else he runs mail for." she opened the letter, unfolding the single sheet.

"Yeah. but you could always just have Robin run something through him."

She glared. "I won't admit defeat of any kind to her." she looked back to the letter.

"What's wrong?"

"She wants to meet."

"So?" Zoro was leaning back into his work, adjusting his glasses and typing away.

"Today. In like, forty minutes."

"Sounds like she's going into panic mode. Should be fun to see what that's like."

"Would've been nice of her to tell me what she was worked up over."

"Yeah, but then you would have just sent her another letter."

"Of course i would! I have an appointment later, and our meetings run long…"

"So flirt less." Zoro shot with a smirk.

"You-" her phone buzzed and she swiped the alarm off angrily. Glaring at him, as she closed her mouth. Zoro laughed again, and she stormed off to Robin's office.

"Sorry i'm late. My boss had me- whoa." Nami stopped cold in her step. Vivi wore an ice blue kaftan with red square patterns, and held a cup of steaming cocoa. She was looking out at the snow. It looked like the cover of a movie, or an album. Or a phone background... Then she looked up, turned a little apologetic.

"Please, don't be, I know it was rather… demanding."

"It's fine." she sank into her seat, still stunned. Blue matched her skin perfectly, and Nami loved blue. "You're beautiful." Vivi blushed and Nami slapped a hand over her mouth. Blushing herself. "I'm sorry, I just, your outfits are always so pretty, and you always match your tone so well, and the blue…" Nami met her eyes after panicking around the table looking for the answer. But Vivi was smiling sweetly, blush on her cheeks.

"Is blue your favorite color?"

"Yeah…"

"What shade?"

"Uh," Nami couldn't answer that, she couldn't say it. Because how do you describe a person's hair, without it being obvious? Nami didn't know what brand she dyed it with. And even if she did she couldn't call it by the box name.

"I suppose that is a strange question, who knows their favorite shade." Vivi waved it off. And Nami couldn't help but think she'd sensed something. That Vivi had seen through Nami again, like she was sure she had their first meeting. She looked out the window again, watching the snow fall. "It's beautiful. In my home, we don't get snow like this. None at all actually. That's why I wanted to meet."

Nami wanted to ask her where home was. Why she left.

"The snow?"

"They run away at the end. And I was wondering, instead of the beach, with more sand… what if they found snow?"

Nami leaned back. What if they found snow? Vivi was still entranced by it.

"Koza has that unexplained military career." Nami started, pulling out her folder, noticing that Vivi didn't have anything out. Strange. "You could say he has experience with it. You already end it rather sweet, perhaps a snow date?" She had her yellow pad, scrawling the notes out. "What do you think of that?" This was actually a rather simple, easy to fit in solution. Vivi bit her thumb, still looking out the window, making Nami's chest ache.

"What do you do on a snow date?"

"Well, plenty of things. You have to throw at least one snowball, make a snowman maybe, take a walk through a park, ice skating on a lake. It's a grab bag of things."

"What's a snowball?"

No… no way. Nami wouldn't believe it. She leaned back in surprise, taking in the accent again. Subtle but still very there. And the book was entirely in the desert. Written to understand what the environment was, really could be.

"Is this your very first time seeing snow?"

She'd probably lived in the desert her whole life. Which begged the question, why'd she move? Why here of all places? Why were they so lucky?

"It is… Nami," she bit her lip, she looked… nervous, but that couldn't be right. "Could you be my Koza? Just for the day?" she was red. And Nami was sure she was nothing but a tomato herself with the way her face felt. She stared at Vivi, who was playing with her mug, staring into it. She looked so…

Well Authors were a dozen kinds of weird. Nami shouldn't think anything of this. She took a deep breath. It was just like the jacket thing. It'd do Vivi no good unless she did it herself. Learned first hand how the experiences went. Nami could do that. Maybe it'd even be fun. She slid the pad back into the folder.

"Alright." Nami rose, beaming with a confident smile, and hooked an arm out. Because if she was going to torture her self for the art, she'd do it in character. "I'll be your date, my sweet prince." Vivi blushed deep at the reference and stood fast. Nami couldn't help a little laugh. She really was a little lost fawn. She took her arm, and Nami instinctually started moving to her bike.

But she had the bug. The ugly, old bug.

She'd done a thorough clean when she brought it out, but…

Vivi was used to a million dollar luxury car.

Her phone buzzed. A reminder, too little too late.

"You should really turn those off." Vivi said. She had one arm hooked around hers at the elbows, and the other on just above the other, on her bicep. She was close. Smelling her vanilla shampoo close. And it was great. Warm against the dead cold of early December.

"I don't know, they saved me some massive amounts of embarrassment so far, you wouldn't believe."

"Then what have you missed out on?" Vivi's head was on her shoulder. Very in character… authors, weird.

"What do you mean?"

"You said when we first met, that they were just as ruinous as they were fortuitous. If they've saved you embarrassment, They've also cost you joy."

Nami stopped, partly because they'd reached the bug, no matter how slowly Nami had walked. But mostly it was that she couldn't help but stare at Vivi because that just…

Hurt in such an honest, caring way. She had stopped because she didn't know what to do.

"Maybe it was worth it?" she pulled out her keys. After all, what joy was equal to the mistake that would have been kissing Vivi in front of her boyfriend. Nami unlocked Vivi's door first, pulling it open for her. Vivi sank into the seat, pulling her legs in, but was looking at Nami, from the moment she closed the door, until Nami was behind the wheel, closing her own door.

"I doubt it." she was practically pouting. Nami twisted the key. The car took two or three shunting breaths of life before it turned over. Nami turned on the heat, and faced Vivi to reply. But the woman had on another lost fawn look, her fingers roaming the photo strips of Nami's twenty-first. When mom was still around. She'd been but an intern then. Certainly looked a good deal younger, smaller bags under the eyes. And long full hair. She'd been a different person, before Sunny had freed her up.

The photos were pinned on to the sun shield. Which had somehow broken in place, and couldn't be moved.

"You look so…" Vivi was choosing her words carefully. And Nami half turned, waiting with a smile. Would she say, young? Different? Bland?

"Excited." Vivi had the strip with Nami proudly displaying her badge. Man the days when Sunny cared for badges…Nami's heart twinged. Vivi had gone with something that was not her appearance.

She watched Vivi carefully put the strip back. That was when she saw the man with the camera, the big photo lens facing her. The flash went off, and Vivi flinched.

"Fucker." Nami pushed her door open.

"Wait, Nami-" she didn't hear the rest as she slammed the door.

"What are you doing!" Nami didn't need her taser. This guy looked more puff then tuff, and his terrified eyes gave him away as a coward.

"What? You gotta expect these things when you're-" she didn't let him finish, she kicked at the camera in his hand, shattering a few thousand dollars instantly.

"I don't have to expect shit from perverts!" She shouted as the man steadied from her kick, gawking at his camera… at least the pieces it was in. "Get the fuck out of here, and if i ever see you-"

"Nami!" Vivi shouted. Nami stopped mid sentence, turning to face the woman who stood from the car. She looked worried and… mad? The man took off. She spit in rage. Took a breath.

"He was-"

"I know. I'm used to it." Vivi looked sad now. But no less angry. "You can't just do that to them, they'll-"

"What? Call the cops on me? Vivi those sickos just post that shit online to their fetish blogs. I don't put up with-"

"What? Nami no, they…" Vivi stopped herself. "Wait, you thought he was just a creep?"

"What did you think he was?"

"Nothing." Vivi said instantly. Nami didn't buy it. She had done a one-eighty in attitude… but she'd also been about to tell Nami off, so maybe that wasn't so bad. Vivi was back in the car fast. Not giving Nami a chance to push the issue. Nami tried to see the man running, but he was long gone. Not like she would have found a key to understanding this if she could have seen him. She let it go. She couldn't afford to fight with a client. She just wanted to go back to her date, which wasn't a date. She sank back into the bug, the engine still going, and the cab sufficiently warmed up now.

"Thank you… for taking care of him." Vivi said quietly, staring at her hands. What did she have to be embarrassed about?

"Do they bother you alot?"

"Yeah." Vivi sank further. She didn't want to talk about it. But Nami didnt like this. Didn't like knowing that guys stalked Vivi around so much that she was used to it. Tolerated it. She wanted to ask what Chaka's response was to them. But that was her jealousy. "They've found the coffee shop now… I'm sorry but could we pick somewhere else to meet from now on?"

"Of course. I'll meet you anywhere you feel safe." Nami rested a hand on Vivi's shoulder. Squeezing reassuringly. And then slid her arm behind the seat as she backed out of the space.

Vivi explored the car as Nami drove. She had asked questions about the pictures, the tangerine air freshener, the custom suicide doors. She'd played with the seat functions, explored the dash and glove compartment. Which held a pack of year old smokes that she'd had to hide from Zoro. Funny, she'd hidden the pack, and just stopped. Well she had taken Zoro to the hospital for a month straight. Seeing Kuina every day, losing hair, and her smile. It had been easy to quit.

And then Vivi had gone into the back seat while Nami was pushing forty on the snowy highway. The kaftan had gotten snagged on the head rest. Gone up just enough for Nami to see Vivi's long legs… smooth, up to the hip, before Vivi had unhooked it with a laugh, and Nami's glimpse had ended.

Nami bit her lip again. She'd draw blood at this rate. Vivi was free, running her hand along the old outdated upholstery, and playing with a window crank with the other.

"Getting your research done?" Nami asked lightly, still trying to figure out her date plan. She checked her phone's time. Only two hours before she had to pick up Perona… she shouldn't have agreed with the goth. And she'd made Usopp stay late on his friday.

"I love your car Nami." Vivi popped her head in between the two seats, grinning like a devil. "Cozy, soft, and so… warm." She crossed back into her own seat. A feat in the crowded space. She gave a happy sigh, looking out at the scenery.

"Are you too warm? I can turn it down." Nami's hand went to the knob, but Vivi's stopped her, grabbing her fingers gently.

"Not that kind of warm… I just don't know how to describe it any better."

Nami might have been able to help her. Like a good editor. If her heart wasn't taking up her head space. Vivi still had her fingers. The girl herself was still watching the snow fall with childlike wonder. Nami's thumb came up, stroking Vivi's fingers gently. Then she saw her exit, and instinct kicked in, her hand pulling away to hit the turn signal, and help turn the wheel. Power steering was a much envied luxury for Nami.

Nami held her snowball up, Seeing Vivi still packing snow onto hers. The mall parking lot was surprisingly empty. But the schools weren't on break yet.

"Like this?" Vivi held hers up. A perfect little ball of white on her gloves.

"Just like that."

"And now what?" so innocent. So pure. Looking at her snowball so proudly.

"Well now we throw them at each other."

"We what-?" Vivi was shocked, even more so after Nami's snow ball hit her face, the powder exploding out. She had her head back from the snow, but kept it there, only to face Nami again slow.

She had her lost fawn look again, and Nami wondered if that'd been too much.

"So we fight with them?" Vivi had a smirk, tossing her snowball in her hand gently. "Creative, I imagine we'll get pretty cold…"

"Yeah." Nami said cautiously, taking a step back as Vivi took a step forward.

"Alright." Vivi tossed hers, Nami tried to dodge, turning to run, and catching it on her neck. She let out a unrefined shrill, dusting her neck, catching Vivi raking up more snow. Nami figured it would have been one and done but-

A second snowball struck her shoulder, and Vivi had on a wide toothy smile.

She scraped a hand down into the early December inches, moving as fast as Vivi, a smile on her own face.

Of course the snowballs didn't keep their well made form for long, as the fighters turned to quantity over quality, until they were laughing, tossing handfuls of snow at one another from either side of the bug. Nami only stopped when she saw Vivi's lips going blue, and her nose red from the cold.

"You're cold." Nami said deadpan, moving around the car.

"W-was that not the point?" Vivi still had a smile. Snow at the ready in her hand.

"Not directly." Nami took off her scarf, dusting away the snow from Vivi's neck before it had the chance to melt and chill her further. She wrapped the scarf around Vivi twice. "It was more for fun."

"It was a l-lot of fun." Vivi said, tucking herself closer to Nami. "but…"

"But what?" Nami asked, still tightening the scarf, and dusting more snow from Vivi's kaftan.

"I thought the goal was to make eachother cold, so'd you have to warm eachother up." She gave a blushing smile, before taking another step closer to Nami, close enough that her smile disappeared under her hat. Nami didn't hesitate, opening her coat for the women to come closer, pulling it around the her as far as it would go, holding it on her back. Vivi was shaking cold. Poor girl.

Nami didnt even consider her hometown advantage on this one. She could Feel Vivi's hands holding the scarf, pressing against Nami's chest, and the taller girl did her best to not blush as she stared out at the parking lot. Tried not to think about how this looked, under the cloudy sky. Their only real light coming from the lamppost they stood under.

"I think i like that better." Nami admitted. That's something Koza would do for sure. Definitely something Crocodile would soften up for. An innocent if intentional misdirection, an excuse to get close without just asking for it.

"Then I'll w-write it like that."

Nami eyed the mall. It wouldn't be too packed. And if there were more creeps she'd take care of it.

"Let's go warm up. I'll buy you cocoa, and then we can try skating on their ice rink."

"Okay, you ready?" Nami asked, turning on her skates, Seeing Vivi clutching the rails.

"Perhaps this is one experience I could learn from a far? I'm not even sure ice skating existed in our time period."

"Now now my Prince." Nami said, sliding a bit closer. "You hail from one desert, but I hail from another. I assure you, we have always danced on the ice." She took her hands, building slow momentum, sneaking her from the corral, enjoying the blush and awe that came with authors hearing someone quote them. Even if it wasn't a line from the book... yet. It was like a little spark. Pride, and joy. Vivi broke the eye contact, a wide smile on her face.

"You're good at this."

"I should be. I've been skating since i was twelve." Nami said, taking them on a lazy glide along the outer edge, away from the only other pair, practicing a rather intense routine in the center. Vivi was watching them with awe.

"Skating too." Vivi didn't meet her eyes. All the better, Nami couldn't stand looking at that cute face for very long. And just what did she mean 'skating too'? Did Nami dare ask? She looked back, seeing the excitement at watching them spin. No, she didn't want to break the peace. Authors were a dozen kinds of weird. She was the guide for this little lost fawn. Just a guide through the beginning of what was sure to be a wonderful and wildly successful career. Vivi had Chaka. Had money, had talent. She could do anything she wanted. She'd get poached by a publisher with a bigger wallet. Probably even get a movie deal in a few years. Maybe the industry would crush her, maybe not. And it was all beyond Nami's control.

She was just an editor. A good one. And while Vivi was here, she could-

"I want to spin like that." Vivi was looking at her now, nervous, curious. The lady wanted to spin.

"Come closer, hold me here." Nami pulled her in, placed her hands, instructed her feet, keeping on a polite smile. Wondering what would happen first. Would she burn to death, or would the aching kill her first…

But they spun, slow, careful. And Vivi wouldn't look away. She held on tight as they went. Nami was trapped in the chocolate brown gaze. So trapped she forgot to keep them spinning after a while. They knocked against the wall, Vivi colliding into Nami gently. And the spell was broken. Vivi sighed happily, her head resting on Nami's shoulder.

"That was so much fun."

Nami bit her lip, closed her eyes and prayed to anyone listening. She needed strength. Because this was too much… Sanji had not lied when he said there were trials. There were many. Too many.

"Thank you Nami." Vivi continued, pulled away. Her hands lifted and she tested her own balance. "Look, i can stand now." she beamed.

That was too bad.

"That's great! You learn fast."

"Oh please." Vivi smirked, doing her best to walk. "You did everything for me. I just trailed along."

"You kept your own balance, shifted your weight at the right time, weren't afraid to hold on tightly, and you'd be surprised how often that's the case." Nami said, skating alongside Vivi, keeping close at hand.

"Good traits for a fawn?" She smiled up, Nami smirked and shook her head.

"Maybe for a koala." She teased. Skating in front of her spinning away. "Since they need to cling onto something."

"So I should cling on like this?" Vivi took her around the middle, latching on. She said it with mirth, close to Nami's ear. Nami hadn't been expecting it, she laughed, and Vivi did too. Loosening her grip, but still holding on, trailing. Nami didn't mind. But she spied the photo booth. That wasn't around for the book's time period.

"There's one more thing for a snow date."

"What's that?"

"A souvenir." Nami guided them back to the corral. She knew she was running low on time. And she didn't want this to end. But the arms around her were making her weak. She needed to run before she lost sight of the meeting entirely.

"And what will our souvenir be?"

Her phone buzzed. Nami went for the phone, but Vivi was behind her, her hand dipped into Nami's back pocket, ripping the offending device, and silenced the alarm, all the while clinging tighter with her other arm. Vivi hated the impulse alarm. Nami spun around, a smirk on her face, Vivi wasn't looking at her, but thrust the phone out in offering.

"Sorry, i just hate that alarm." she was cute when she was like this. Blushy, mad, but really more happy than anything.

"Let's get our souvenir." Nami took her hand, leading her to the photobooth. The lady wanted her impulse, she'd get it.

She was looking the photos over, unable to contain her smile. She looked, seeing Vivi still unlacing her skates. Her phone chimed. She pulled it out, her breath catching at the time. It was Perona. An angry message with too many emoji's. If she left now she could make it still.

"There." Vivi had her second skate off. Returning the rental to the man, and making her way over. As predicted the meeting had run long. And Nami felt guilty at the amount of fun she'd gotten paid for. "Successful date, yes?" Vivi grabbed her copy of the photos, absolutely beaming.

"Perfect." Nami assured. "Absolutely perfect."

"I don't want it to end. But I've kept you too long." Vivi was glowing, looking at the pictures.

"All day actually." Vivi blushed, clutching the pictures close. Nami smirked. Vivi meet her eyes with concern

"I hope i didnt keep you from anything?"

"Well I'm getting a tattoo in a little bit…"

"You won't be late I hope. You don't have to wait if you are, I can get my ride from here."

Chaka… she felt a surge of jealousy. It came to walls of restraint, the same walls that had been assaulted all day, and it broke them. She wanted Vivi. she didn't want her to go back. At least, not yet.

"Wanna come with?"

...

Perona glared as the old bug pulled up to the curb side. She was taking a breath ready to yell at Nami when she saw the woman in the passenger seat. There was no way…. She blinked, double checked. She looked like her.

"You coming?" Nami asked, standing from the drivers side. "Were already late, hop in." that shook her from her daze. She glared at Nami and marched forward, opening the custom suicide doors, and slid in, the paper bag cramped against her.

"Perona, this is Vivi, Author of 'The Promise of Rain', Vivi this is Perona, another editor at Sunny."

"Nice to meet you!" Vivi flashed her a smile. There was no doubt… it really was her. "Everything okay?"

"Ignore her." Nami said, putting the car in motion. "She's just nervous, we're going to see her man."

"Nami," Perona groaned, squeezing the bag in her lap tighter. "Don't tease."

"Oh my… you're smitten aren't you." Vivi was asking that. Vivi Nefertari in the top it off she was concerned. Perona couldn't handle it. She buried her face in the sweater. Took a deep breath. Smelled Usopp again. Relaxed a bit.

"Does he know we're coming?" Vivi asked then, Perona heard her shift away.

"I warned him I was bringing people. Didn't tell him who."

"Welcome friends of Nami-whoa."

Perona's breath hitched. He stopped cold on seeing her, his eyes running up and down her. Vivi chuckled in the background, and Perona pushed forward, thrusting the bag toward him.

"You forgot this." She didn't meet his eyes. How could she when he was looking at her like that.

"You wouldn't let me take it." He grabbed the bag. "You know, before you kicked me out." his face soured. She pouted. His daze was gone, and his words...They were deserved. Which did nothing to make them hurt less.

"Whatever. I gave it back didn't I?"

"Right. Well. I'm Usopp, nice to meet you-?" He set the bag on the counter. Extending a hand towards Vivi.

"Vivi, a pleasure."

That hurt, just pushed aside. Perona felt a lump in her throat. To hide it she huffed, and made for the jewelry case. She caught Usopp give her a look in the glass reflection, then he turned back to Nami.

"Am i free styling today? Or did you have an idea?"

"Uh, whatever you feel like." Nami stepped forward, also giving her a concerned glance that Perona caught in the reflection as well.

"Alright, let's…" He paused, spoke quieter "could you two meet me in room one?"

Perona didn't move. She listened to the girls leave. Heard a door shut. It was just the two of them. She looked harder at the mammoth tusk hangers, trying to get her heart to slow down.

"So you just gonna wait out here in the lobby by yourself?" He was leaning on the counter, meeting her eyes in the reflection. She huffed again, running from his eyes by bending lower, moving to an array of plugs. "Why'd you come here?" he was moving closer, his hand slipping onto her arm. "Perona." he pulled her, gently, just enough to get her to face him. To close. She was gonna burn up.

"I just came to drop off your hoodie."

"Why…" he shook his head. Held a hand over his mouth. "Why'd you keep it in the first place?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she had a hand on his chest, twisting in his shirt. "I wanted to see you again." he huffed now, letting go of her arm and grabbing her hand, pulling it out.

"In my experience you don't kick out people you want to see again." he dropped her hand, but she snatched his in both hers.

"Its not that easy for me… people get…" She took a deep breath, avoiding his searching eyes. "Sometimes they wake up, and…" she bit her lip, biting hard to hold back tears. Her chest clutched so much it heart. "They can be mean… violent." she spoke quietly, andshook, risking a look at his eyes. "I didn't want to get hurt."

His anger dropped instantly. He had a look of guilt, and concern.

"Oh… Perona, I-"

"I know, you had no idea." She groaned, using his shirt to dab at her eyes. "Look i just. I panicked. I'm sorry, but-"

Usopp pulled her in. one hand cradling her head, the other around her waist, and she felt so warm.

"There's a Holiday slasher event in a little theater downtown. Running all week…" He whispered.

"That sounds like fun."

"Then, can i take you on a date?" He lifted her chin, and her platforms still weren't enough to put her level with him. His hand fell from her hair, his fingertips tracing her spine, and resting low on her waist.

"Are you going to hurt me?"

"Only if you want, and you'll have a safe word."

"Oh, what would you pick?" Perona asked, moving to her tiptoes, her arms coming around his neck. His tropical scent intoxicating her, brings her world down to just him.

"Something German."

She let out a sound she couldn't quite explain and he caught her lips.

"Oh my. I'm," Vivi cleared her throat. Perona froze, finding Vivi in the lobby, turning away, red. "I'm sorry I was looking for the bathroom, but, uh… sorry to kill the moment."

Perona pouted, and sank back to her heels. Vivi made to flee.

"Wait. You really are her." Vivi froze, and looked back.

"You do know me…" she spoke with hesitation. "Then I need to ask a favour. I don't think Nami knows. And i'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her." Her voice was quiet, but anything but frail.

Perona met her eyes, glared. "What are you afraid of? Nami's not the kind of person-"

"Another favor." Vivi said a little louder, but with a smile in place, even if she broke away from Peronas eyes, and looked at the floor. "I don't want to learn anything about her from anyone else either… I'm sure you can tell just as well as I, how nervous she is." Vivi was smiling. Not like she did for the tabloids, or news articles. Those were always stiff lipped smiles, this was relaxed, warm like a summer day. "I'd hate to know anything she doesn't want me to know."

"That's a little extreme isn't it?" Perona asked, and Usopp nudged her.

"Coming from you that means little."

Her cheeks burned, and squeezed on his arm. "You're so mean!" Perona eased her arms, but kept them around Usopp's arm, and looked to Vivi.

"It might be. But I've never had the chance to meet someone so… normally."

Perona smiled.

"I hope you have patience." Because if Nami was anything when it came to love, it was scared.