Chapter Fifteen
Instant Date
The sun had risen already as Alex slowly opened his eyes. Still feeling tired, he yawned and stretched his arms up. His half-opened eyes went directly to the wristwatch given by the couple back at the entrance and saw that the heart was still green and it was already eight o'clock in the morning. He must've enjoyed the cosy comforters and the thought that Robin was lying down beside him. Speaking of the raven-haired archaeologist, she might have been already awake since earlier and reading her book now. But as his face shifted to his side, his thoughts were proven wrong. Right by his side was Robin, sleeping like a princess.
Alex smiled with the sight beside him. It was too good to be true that once again, the girl he loves was just a few inches away. He shifted his body to face her and moved his face closer to hers, wanting to steal a kiss on her forehead. But when his lips were about to touch her forehead, he stopped and moved back to his position. "I know alcohol when I smell one." he said to himself as he stared at her face. Alex narrowed his eyebrows while thinking why her scent would have a mixture of the cosmopolitan cocktail along with her flowery scent. She couldn't have just asked one of her friends to go with her because he knows she doesn't drink to the point that her scent will change, unless someone would've invited her. But then, his thoughts snapped as he realized a certain man who could've made her drink. "Zoro" he cursed in his head as his hands curled into fists.
Zoro and Nami's Room…
Nami woke up around eight in the morning, feeling well-rested because she had all the bed for herself. She stretched her arms as she sit up, yawning to her heart's content and looked around the room with half-lidded eyes, looking for Robin. "Ehh?" she just remembered she's staying in a hotel with Zoro. And speaking of the green-haired man, he can't be found in the room. "That idiot got lost again." Nami facepalmed. Just then, she remembered that she kicked him out last night because he said he rather sleep outside than to sleep next to her. He stepped on her ego so she did what she think was best even though it wasn't necessary because sleeping on the floor was enough.
Nami got up and continued stretching as she walked towards the door. She opened the door slightly, trying to peek if Zoro was still outside or wasn't. And to her surprise, he was still there, snoring like he hadn't slept for a week. She felt a little guilty because she let him sleep outside where it was cold and hard because if he was her, she would demand even just a cozy room. Nami puffed her cheeks with air as she thought what could she do to make it up to the green-haired swordsman and just as soon as she was about to give up, she thought of something that will definitely make it up for him. Nami walked towards him and crouched down in front of him. She tapped on his shoulder and earned a grunt from him.
"Nnnhhhnn~ Not this early Robnnnngghhh~" Zoro scowled and continue to snore.
"Robng? Rob… Robin?" Nami furrowed her eyebrows before arching one of them. "Why would he say Robin's name? Out of all of us, why Robin?" she asked herself as she thought of what could be the possibilities why he would say Robin's name. She thought there might be something going on between them because she kept noticing their closeness with each other ever since they saw each other again after the separation or better, he might have a crush on Robin. Nami closed her eyes as she narrowed her eyebrow and slapped Zoro's face, shouting "Zoro, wake up!"
Zoro's right eye opened wide as his face went directly to where Nami's slap was directed to. "What the fuck was that for!?" he exclaimed as he shifted his face back at her while holding his swollen cheek.
Nami stood up and opened the door to their room. "It's morning, fix yourself up. I have plans for today."
"Was it necessary to slap me!?" he complained.
"Yes. Now stop whining and get your ass moving. We're going shopping!" her eyes sparkled as she went inside their room.
"Tch! Witch." Zoro rubbed his cheek as he grabbed his stuff and entered the room.
"What did you say?" she asked while she was inside the room.
"Yeah yeah, I'm going."
Alex and Robin's room…
Robin's eyes slowly opened as her head ached like she banged it on the wall multiple times. It was her first time having a hangover and it hurt like hell because of the lack of sleep. She shifted her position at the inner side of the bed and noticed that Alex wasn't around anymore. She sat up while looking around with half-lidded eyes and noticed that he was reading the latest newspaper peacefully at the couch near the door, facing the bed. He was already wearing what Sanji had lent him so he might have just been waiting for her to wake up. Robin rubbed her eyes gently and looked at the wall clock, seeing it was already nine-thirty in the morning. She overslept and they must've missed breakfast with the others. Nami might've thought that they needed privacy and were doing couple stuff, the thought which irritated her so much.
Alex noticed Robin as she stood up from the bed and got her sleepers on. "Good Morning." he smiled.
"Good Morning. Did Nami checked up on us?" she smiled as she stretched and went for the coffee she ordered last night.
"No, she didn't. How was last night?" he asked as he folded the news paper, looking at her as she got disappointed that the coffee was already cold and went to the closet get her towel and clothes.
"I slept around five, I got addicted to the book I was reading." she said as she went towards the bathroom.
"You didn't drink your coffee?" he asked but she already shut the door of the bathroom before he could even say "coffee".
Alex sighed as he looked at the neglected coffee, thinking. Either Robin was avoiding his questions related to what have happened last night or she just didn't like to talk to him. It bothered him a lot that not only because he has to make it up to what he had done to her before, but also because he has to look out for Zoro not to get his chance with her.
After a few minutes, Robin came out of the bathroom wearing a purple tank top and pink shorts. Her head feels a lot lighter than before because the warm water relaxed her. "So where do you want us to go first?" she asked Alex as she dried her hair with the towel.
"We go to wherever you want, then the bar." he stood up and smiled.
"The bar?" she asked as she felt a little nauseous just by thinking of that bar again.
"I would like to have a few shots after we go around. Is it alright with you?"
"It's alright." she concealed her disapproval with a smile.
At the bar…
"Unbelievable." the bartender whispered to himself as Zoro chugged down his tenth mug for the day. In fact, it was like his twenty-fifth time if he will add up the fifteen mugs of booze he gave to him last night. But something was strange. He's not with the raven-haired female he was with last night. The bartender preferred her than the orange-haired female he's with now, who's drinking the same drink as the green-headed man does. He can tell that the green-haired man was enjoying more with the presence of the raven-haired woman last night than today.
"Oi bartender, another one!" Zoro handed his mug to the bartender as he wiped his mouth. Nothing beats booze as a late drink in the afternoon. They just had breakfast with the others, excluding Robin and Alex, and after him and Nami had lunch, Nami for once, went to the bar with him. And the best part was, it's all free.
Nami sighed happily as she placed her mug of booze down at the counter, feeling a little bit tipsy with it. It was her eighth mug and she knew she could reach Zoro's tenth mug. It was nice to relax once in a while, without thinking anything but your heart's desire, and free stuff. If only she could enjoy it not only with Zoro, but also with the others. Nami shifted her face towards Zoro, who was chugging down his drink, and smiled. Suddenly, a raven-haired female sat down beside him along with a raven-haired swordsman and to her surprise, it was Alex and Robin. The bartender smirked before greeting the two normally.
"Robin?" Nami said as she blinked and sat up properly.
"Hi, Nami-san." Robin greeted, making Zoro to choke his drink. Out of all the bars scattered around Lava Ramata, why must Alex chose the one her and Zoro chose last night? To make it worse, Zoro and Nami were there, drinking as well. And to top that, she's beside Zoro. "This will be a long day…" Robin said to herself and faked a smile.
"Fancy meeting you here, Nami-san and Zoro." Alex greeted as well as he snapped his fingers to call the bartender to get his order. "I'll have what he's having." he pointed at Zoro.
"How about you, miss?" the bartender asked Robin with an irritating smile; the smile that you can get from your friends whenever your crush is there. "We have different kinds of cocktails and drinks here: Margarita, Velocity, Bloody Mary, and our best cocktail, the cosmopolitan cocktail. Anything you might like?"
"Do you have any coffee?" Robin asked as she rested her cheek on her palm, with her elbow rested on the counter, and her eyes darted at the bartender's eyes, smiling at the bartender with a bit of intimidation.
"S-Sorry miss. We don't serve that kind of drink here." the bartender answered as he leaned back a little with a bit of sweat trickling down from his forehead.
"Do you want us to buy one and just come back here afterwards?" Alex suggested.
"No, it's fine. We just got here; you haven't even drunk anything yet. I'll just have water then." Robin smiled and kept calm.
"I'll go with you, Robin. Let's leave these boys and have some girl time." Nami suggested with a smile.
"No can do, missy. Only the green-haired guy or her partner is allowed to be partnered with her; or any person who has the watch." said the bartender.
"But I thou—
"New orders, dear. Lady Caroline announced it yesterday." Nami was cut off by the bartender.
"Hmm… How about Zoro?" Nami suggested making Zoro to choke his drink and Alex to look at her.
"It's fine, Nami. Let Zoro enjoy his drink. It's no big deal, really." Robin insisted and smile.
"There's actually a café bar just across this bar. You can check it out, if you like." The bartender suggested.
"See! It's just across the street! It won't take too long and Zoro's been drinking for hours! Now go!" Nami snatched Zoro's mug and pushed him and Robin out of the bar, not even Alex could complain. She sighed tiredly and sat beside Alex, drinking her booze.
"What was that for!?" Alex exclaimed as he was given his mug of booze.
"She was with you the whole night, isn't she?" Nami slammed her mug on the counter.
"She just read her book the whole night." he rubbed his thumb on the handle of the mug.
"It's not my fault you're slow." she giggled for a while as her mind starts to wander.
"But why did you choose Zoro and not me?" he asked and drank his booze.
"I have to make sacrifices, you know." she looked at the sake that was being poured in her mug.
"Sacrifices? What sacrifices?"
"Huh? Nothing. Just go drink." Nami drank her sake. "Sacrifices that will make her happy…"
Outside the bar, after Nami kicked Zoro and Robin out…
Awkward. That was the mood as soon as Nami pushed the two strawhats out of the bar. Zoro grunted as he felt pissed with Nami's sudden action. It's not like he didn't like being with Robin, it's just that he didn't know how to talk to her yet after what happened to them last night. Robin was just calm looking back at the door of the bar. She didn't even know how to interact with him, it was very awkward.
"Shall we get going?" Robin smiled to lighten up the mood.
"Yeah." Zoro walked to the right instead of forward, making Robin to giggle and follow him.
"What's so funny, woman?" he looked at her at the corner of his eyes.
"Don't mind me." she smiled and scanned around the area to where the café was supposed to be located. She just realized she didn't remember any coffee shop near the bar. She wondered why the bartender suggested something that wasn't even there in the first place.
"Are we still far from that café the bartender said?" he asked innocently.
"Yes, we are very far from it."
"Tch! Where was it located again?" Zoro scratched his head.
Back at the bar…
Alex grunted as he placed his empty mug down. It was his fourteenth mug as soon as Zoro and Robin left. It's been two hours since they were gone and he's getting pissed that they're still not back. On the other hand, Nami was just staring at her mug and drank from time to time, thinking what she will do with her situation and of course, not letting Alex to notice.
"What's taking them so long!? Two hours for a coffee!?" Alex gripped the handle of the mug while looking at Nami.
"Zoro might have gone the wrong way and Robin didn't bother telling him." Nami said and drank her sake.
"Well th—
Before Alex could even continue his sentence, the door of the bar opened and finally, it was Zoro and Robin. They sat back to their sits and sighed like it was a very long day for them.
"What took you so long?" Alex asked Robin.
"Zoro got lost." Robin opened her coffee and wafted the scent of it to her nose before sipping it.
"Oi, oi. I didn't get lost." Zoro interrupted as he took a new mug of beer.
"Told you, he got lost. Nothing new." Nami shrugged and drank her booze.
"Tch!" Alex rolled his eyes back to his mug and drank the liquor all up.
Robin held her cup of coffee with two hands and stared faraway. She was thinking how she and Zoro spent almost two hours in the café, making her to smile secretly.
WAAAAA! I'm back! Sorry sorry sorry if I stopped updating for months. But now I'm back! I'll be updating for time to time but I can't promise I can update quickly like before. You can thank bAsAn for convincing me to come back here XD Well I've been wanting to come back, it's just that she was the one who really pushed me to writing again XD Uggghhh.. XD Anyways, thank you for the past reviews and pm's XD Sorry I can't reply all of those.. Anyways, I'm back XD I think I can update twice or thrice a month.. At least I update it XD So guys! Like I always say, Review please!
