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

"I have to give it to you, Zoro…I almost believed you were weaker than a clown", Sanji said as he drank his beer.

Nami and Zoro high-fived as Sanji made a disgusted face.

"I don't know how you two can drink this. We should have champagne pouring over us."

Neither Zoro nor Nami seemed to agree, so Sanji stood up and looked around. "I'm sure they have some here…or at least I can find us some real drinks."

He turned but then looked back as he tucked a cigarette into his mouth. "Don't get too handsy while I'm gone."

Zoro and Nami rolled their eyes and continued to enjoy their beer.

"I hate it when he smokes. The whole apartment smells like an ashtray."

"Really? I don't mind it. My mother actually smoked."

Zoro focused on his beer as if there was something floating in it. He did not care to pry but he wondered if she was this free with information due to the drinks or due to the hefty sum in her bag.

"Zoro?"

"Hmm?"

"I asked if Sanji has a stressful job."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Nami played with her glass. "Well, my mom was a retired Marine who adopted kids as a single woman so…she smoked a lot."

Zoro kept quiet and watched her talk, because she transported to another time and place, somewhere where she smiled more. "I didn't make things easy for her…so I suppose I'm to blame for her prolonged habit."

The bar rang with noise, and Zoro found himself closing her in. His legs boxed her seat to the bar and she turned to face him. Zoro fidgeted with his pants but opened his mouth with a quietness that was uncommon to his nature.

"I was actually…well, I guess I was literally homeless until maybe…5 or 6. Always was on my own for as long as I can remember. I actually don't know my birth parents or where I'm from, but I fought a lot. I was always picking fights, trying to prove myself."

He chuckled.

"I don't know who I was trying to prove wrong…maybe the god I didn't believe in but I would literally fight whoever I could. One day, I came across a small boxing gym. And, well, I picked one I didn't win. The owner, I called him Sensei, said he'd give me money if I could knock out his daughter."

"That is not something a normal parent says," Nami said as she leaned into him.

"Well, I thought it was an easy fight. She didn't look tough. I guess…that was my first paid gig."

They snickered as Zoro swished his beer.

"Anyway, I got my ass beat. And Sensei…he said he'd train me, but he basically took me in. Just a random street kid."

"How old were you?" Her chin was in her hand, but the other hovered over his knee.

"Kuina was 7 and I was 6. Regardless, she beat me so hard that I spent the next few years training to kick her ass. She would always say that eventually, I would win because she was a girl and I was boy…and I hated when she said that."

Nami watched him tighten his grip on his glass.

"Because to me…she was tough but she kept selling herself short. Maybe to make me feel better or to encourage me to win."

"And did you? Beat her, I mean."

Nami had laughed through it all, but when Zoro became solemn, her hand finally landed on his leg softly and he continued.

"No. She died."

Zoro chuckled dryly.

"Stupid girl just fell down a flight of stairs. Broke her neck."

It never occurred to Nami that she had closed the space between them. She did not realize her fingers were rubbing the fabric of his jeans, her heat penetrating past the thick fabric. She did not feel the gooseflesh rising underneath the exact track of her thumb, which made circles on his thigh. She did not hesitate as she wrapped arms around his neck and pulled him down into a hug. Nami wanted to cool down, to drink water or wine…anything besides the desire to feel his hot tongue inside her mouth.

Zoro did not notice the warmth that radiated from him to her. He did not want to recognize the hooded nature of her eyes, so intent and yet with so much longing that frightened him. As she reached towards him, he did not acknowledge the inhale he took of her hair or the way his arms looped around her so easily. Zoro felt like he was going crazy like fireworks were going off behind his eyes and every part of him wanted to find the spark that lit it all underneath her clothes.

They listened to each other's heartbeats, as it rang in their ears while the hearts actually beat side by side in their chests. Zoro and Nami would not admit to each other what their interactions meant in the grand scheme of things because the moment felt fine…they just wanted to feel all right, however temporary it seemed. Nevertheless, Sanji saw it all.

"No one ever listens to me."

They pulled away, unwilling to ponder the ease of familiarity they had.

"Right. Sanji. You should take the great champion home," Nami awkwardly patted Zoro's shoulder.

"You sure you don't want to do that?" Sanji asked playfully.

Nami faked a laugh.

Zoro grunted, "I am sitting right here."

"Oh, don't act like I'm not saying what you're thinking", Sanji said defensively.

Zoro finished his beer and rose. He fixed his jacket so that it covered the rising object in his pants. "Actually, I just want to go to bed-"

Zoro put a hand up to stop Sanji's oncoming sexual joke. "-and I want to go to sleep. I've got training tomorrow."

He turned to Nami who confirmed it with a sharp head nod. Sanji watched them exchange glances and blew out a puff of smoke.

"You two are going to take forever, aren't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about", they said in unison.

Zoro groaned and tried to walk away but Sanji stopped him. "Idiot. Are you going to leave her at the bar?"

Zoro glared at him. "Yeah. Why not?"

Sanji motioned to the bar where Nami sat with her back to them. As soon as Zoro had left, his seat was taken and a man chatted Nami up.

"If I saw Nami sitting here by herself, well, I wouldn't hesitate to introduce myself and be friendly."

"No. I'm sure you'd just collapse of a nosebleed and pass out while she robbed your unconscious body."

Sanji grew angry. "Don't talk about Nami-Swan that way-"

However, a hand on his shoulder stopped him from admonishing Zoro further.

"No, he's right, Sanji. I love money more than anything and I would rob you blind."

Nami smiled as she walked out with them.

"Ah, you have already stolen my heart, my princess. Take my eyes and the rest of me if you want!"

She looped her hand through the crook of Sanji's elbow and Zoro smirked as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Didn't want to drink anymore?" He knew Nami would have handled herself just fine, but it did bring him a tiny bit of joy to have her by his side.

"I wish. We have an early day tomorrow."

"You? What will you be doing while I'm being smacked around by Mihawk?"

"Watching, of course. Gotta learn how to keep you in check."

She stuck her tongue out as he frowned, but he did not mind the idea one bit.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow", Zoro said with finality though his statement hung in the air between them like a question.

Nami directed an awkward gaze at Zoro who returned a blank stare. Sanji looked at them and then at his watch. "Oh, man. Look, I need to go…grab a thing…from the restaurant. So. Zoro, I'll meet you at home. Or Nami's."

Zoro looked at him perplexed. "What are you talking about, you idiot cook? Just take me with you."

However, Sanji had already run off and shouted excuses at them. "Uh, I can't. You know how Zeff gets. He'll make you clean stuff…and whatnot. So…later!"

Nami looked from the two of them and tried to fathom their strange exchange. However, it finally clicked in her head and she fumed at the direction Sanji ran away. "Wait, Sanji! I don't know your address!"

A faint voice echoed back, "I'll text it to you!"

Nami rubbed her temples. "But you don't have my number…"

Zoro flipped his phone open. "I'll just grab- oh. My phone died."

Nami squinted at Zoro and pondered if he thought up this elaborate ruse to get into her apartment again, but with his completely indifferent attitude, she deduced that he was not an evil mastermind. Unlike Sanji, who was playing some game with the two of them.

She signed and nodded towards Zoro. "Come on, clueless. You can charge your phone at my place…and then you will call Sanji to come get you. Got it?"

Zoro nodded then chuckled as he followed her to her car.

"What's so funny, Zoro?"

He opened his door and shrugged. "Nothing."

He did want to remind her that she was the one who told him he would get lucky after the fight. Whether it was going to happen or not, Zoro found her kindness or at least her willingness to entertain him further as a sure sign of something more. Zoro lived by a code that left most of his life to luck. As it turned out, his life had its up and downs, but Zoro took it one step at a time. However, Nami made him think a bit more. Made him want a bit more. Made him wish luck upon himself if only to see her smile.

She buckled herself in and blasted some music, and Zoro found her to be so overpowering. He was not one to be overpowered, ever, but she had a way about her.

"What are you looking at?" She raised an eyebrow at him, and he smirked.

"Nothing, Nami…unless you have somewhere I should be looking?"

Nami furrowed her brow and tucked a hair behind her ear. She mumbled to herself about how weird he was being, but Zoro felt a sense of longing as he sat beside her. It grew in the pit of his stomach and felt like it needed to be satiated. Perhaps it was the drinks or the long-term effects of Perona's serum, but he really enjoyed the way she tucked her hair away from her face. It was a strange sensation, one that made him somewhat giddy but oh so hungry. She put the car into motion, and he jostled around.

"Oi, wait until I put my seatbelt on."

"Ha! You've been silently staring at me like some kind of creeper, but you're complaining about not having your seatbelt on. I should throw you out of this car."

"I'm sure you'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?" He said darkly and buckled himself in.

She briefly looked him over and turned her eyes back to the road. "I'd take immense pleasure in it."

As he relaxed in his seat, he felt a little bit luckier than before.

Music Inspiration/Theme: "Victorious" (Panic! At The Disco)

Alright my pretties- will they or won't they? Hmmmmmmmmm. Ya'll better hold onto your seats. And let me ask you, ya'll bought a rain poncho, cause things are bout to get W-H-E-T.

But seriously, I want to make sure ya'll are clear that things will get MA, and if you feel like you're not ready, please leave now and get ready...then come back. Haha- also, please don't ban me?

In hindsight, I could have written more on the fight, but I figured there would be more chances and...writing fight scenes are tough. It is a lot of description and I prefer dialogue, so I find it tiresome but that's what I get when I call this story, "The Fighter".

Anyway, if the format of the writing is throwing some people off, cause I looked into how to format for dialogue, please let me know and I can change it moving forward. If not, forever keep your peace and let me be:)

Thanks for staying tuned, and I told you, this is going to be quite a trip- but thanks for sticking it out with me!

XoXo shipfiend