Nami smiled. For once, everything had seemed calm and relaxing since they'd set sail from the last
island. It was so...quiet
Luffy stared out over the vast, empty sea. From his perch at the head of the ship, he lent back and
gazed up at the sky...evidently deep in thought...
"SAANNNJJJIII!" Luffy yelled, raising his arms above his head determinedly. "I'm starving! I want breakfast!"
Nami sighed.
Quiet? Like hell.
"Oi, Luffy! Put down my crumpet!" Usopp cried indignantly, leaping up from the table.
Luffy shook his head violently.
""Whaf Grumpwet?" he mouthed innocently, little pieces of jam-covered dough slipping out from his mouth.
"LIAR! Return that crumpet to the great Captain Usopp, and I shall spare you the wrath of my 8,000 folllowers!"
Luffy swallowed and grinned at Usopp's face - which was one of utter betrayal and horror.
Sanji sighed, wiping his hands on a dishcloth.
"Usopp, haven't you learned? You've been on this ship from the start, and yet you're always so slow...here."The cook
set a new plate down in front of the sharpshooter, who looked up at Sanji with true love in his eyes.
"T-thank you, Sanji...you're so ki-"
"Shut up, and eat. I only want the love of my two darling ladies!" Sanji chirped, twirling over to stand between the girls at the other end of the table. "Ah, Nami-san, Robin-chan...how are you enjoying breakfast? I made it with a special ingredient-of-LURRVE just for you two, my sweets...!"
Zoro rolled his eyes.
The girls nodded in appreciation. Nami smiled sweetly at Sanji and reached up to place a loving hand on his cheek.
"It's divine, Sanji-san..." she purred, gently caressing his jaw, her eyes sparkling.
The cook nearly went into orbit. He just stood -dazed, his heart visibly throbbing out of chest, his eyes pumping like love-hearts...
Zoro, on the other hand, just glared. His glare was so intense, his eyes completely lost focus on the object of his anger, and he had to give his head a shake to bring himself back to the present moment.
What the hell?!...what the fuck is Nami doing with my-
Zoro stopped his thoughts suddenly. What was he thinking? If Nami wanted to get all touchy-feely with the shitty cook, why should he care?
Nami looked up at Zoro, seeing the annoyance on his face. A crafty smile played on her lips; a challenge in her eye.
Zoro's face set. He watched her turn again to Sanji in horror, as she sightly rose from her seat...
Fuck that...oi, what's that witch planning on doi-
Nami, silently, softly, and ever-so-sweetly, placed a tender kiss on Sanji's lips-
CRACK!
Zoro looked down suddenly at his hands - glass shards were drawing little droplets of blood from his palm and fingers. His glass, crushed and broken, lay smashed by his plate on the table. All eyes turned towards Zoro, and the kitchen fell silent in suprise.
But Zoro just got up, and walked silently out of the kitchen.
The glass...he crushed the fucking glass?.
Sanji sighed.
Zoro was definitely avoiding him. But, why? What the hell was up with the shitty marimo? He'd been JUST FINE a few hours ago, feeling the cook up in the forest...
Leaning on the rail of the ship, Sanji threw the cigarette end over into the sea, and pulled out another. He didn't get the guy...and god damn him, it was making the cook feel so...guilty. Like he'd done something wrong...
All of a sudden, the sound of heavy boots went thumping along the deck behind him. Sanji swirled around - any chance to speak with the swordsman, he wanted to get. For the last few hours, he'd been constantly in company - or Zoro had been nowhere to be found. It was driving him crazy.
Turning round, he glared as Zoro walked straight past him, not even sparing him a glance.
"Oi, marimo! What the hell is up with you today?"
Sanji placed a firm hand on Zoro's shoulder, to try and stop him walking forward (or rather, away) from him, mid-question.
Zoro turned, his eyes emotionless and dark.
"Eh? Whaddya mean, shit-cook?"
The words were Zoro's, but the tone wasn't - it lacked the usual complete lack of feeling - this indifference...it sounded...put on.
Sanji tried again.
"What the hell's got you so pissed off with me?"
"I'm always pissed with you."
"Don't play dumb. Something's wrong..."
Zoro's mask wavered at the sound of concern in Sanji's voice.
"It's nothing. And that marks the end of conversation, shit-cook."
Zoro wrenched his shoulder away from Sanji's grip, and walked away heavily, leaving the cook feeling rather hopeless.
"Robin, we are definitely onto something - I mean, you saw Zoro's reaction...that says it all!"
Robin nodded slightly, then shook her head.
"I agree, it does confirm the POSSIBILITY...but it still proves nothing. But now that we're more sure of the likelihood, the time has come to put them top the test."
Nami laughed at Robin's playful tone.
"I get you. So - well, we'd better not be too obvious..."
"Indeed. Therefore, " Robin chuckled, standing up and heading out on deck, "let's start with a game."
The aura on the Merry was one of depression. Everyone could feel the unspoken tension between their nakama : Nami and Robin had been constantly disappearing to have 'private talks', Luffy was bored, Sanji was miserable and thoughtful, Zoro was pissed (with Nami and the cook), annoyed and depressed.
This, however, provided the girls with the ideal stage to execute their plan..
Mid-afternoon, with the sea looking emptier than ever, and a painful silence emanating from the ship, Nami waited for all her nakama to be on Merry's deck at the same time (with Robin's subtle aid, of course), to begin.
With everyone unknowingly assembled: Luffy and Usopp fishing over the side; Chopper watching avidly; Zoro asleep on deck; Nami looking at a book with Robin, and Sanji appearing with snacks for the ladies, Nami cleared her throat.
"Ah, Sanji-san...I'm incredibly bored...it's so quiet today.."
"Yes, my beloved Nami-swan - but I am never bored, when your beauty is there for me to observe!"
Nami grinned, and feigned surprise.
"Ah, I have a great idea! Minna!" she called, turning away from Sanji to face the deck." Listen up! We need something to put a bit more life back onto the ship - like a game!"
The crew's curiosity was evident, and Luffy and Chopper were hugging each other at Nami's preliminary mention of a 'game'.
"Now, "she began, as soon as everyone was watching her (and Zoro had opened his eyes). "The next island is quite a way away - we won't reach it for a good while. It's unlikely that we'll run into the marines in this part of the Grand Line, they said that at the last island, so I though we could all do with a
little amusement..."
Zoro folded his arms and snorted. He closed his eyes again.
"Huh, not for me. My idea of amusement is a long nap and some sake."
Sanji growled. He stormed over to the swordsman, and sent a kick down into his stmach.
"Shitty marimo. Listen to what Nami-san's got to say; don't just bloody go back to sleep!"
Nami smiled - somewhat evilly-.
"Don't worry Zoro, you'll like this. We''re going to play a series of games - challenges, if you will."
Zoro, having been winded by the cook's foot, just sat up, coughing. When he had finally regained enough breath to stand up, he shuffled to his feet.
"Huh, no can do. Like I said, if it doesn't include sake, it's won't even have a chance at being fun."
Nami rolled her eyes, and Robin smiled, putting her book aside.
"Ah, but swordsman-san, that's perfectly manageable. We can make that the first challenge, right, Nami?"
Nami nodded, and she beckoned to everyone to sit on the deck beside her deckchair (on the floor, of course).
Zoro stopped and looked around with suspicion.
What the hell is going on here? Why are they acting so...
"Oi, shithead. Don't just stand there like the idiot you are, come on."
Sanji grabbed Zoro by his arm, and Zoro flinched at the contact. Even the cook's hand felt so warm...
"Sit," The cook ordered, dropping Zoro's arm emphatically, "before I make my darling Nami-san double your loan, shit-for-brains idiot-marimo bastard."
Sanji slid to the floor beside the glaring swordsman who was trying to ignore the warmth in his cheeks. For some reason, he felt the cook by just being next to him - he wanted to be closer to him, to feel a little bit more...sure that Sanji was by his side, and not with...
Zoro didn't have the time to brood for long, when Nami's voice cut through the momentary silence. There was a sly smile playing on her lips, as she began to speak.
"It's very simple - this is just a bit of fun to pass away the time."
"You mean - thy're like party games?!" Luffy burst out excitedly.
"Exactly." Robin smiled, pulling a box from behind her back. "And Round 1...will be a drinking competition."
"It's incredibly simple." Nami grinned, looking around the group in a circle." Whoever can drink the most, wins. Oh, but don't forget...try and keep your senses - this is only the first round."
Author's note : Ah~long chapter! The next will probably be the last so...updating very soon! Thanks so much if you're reading, and please review (it'll make me SO haappppyyy :D)