Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.

Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.

Warning: OOC possible. One shot.

Rating: T

Note: Oh my gosh it's been so long since I wrote something. Can't believe it's been months since I last uploaded a story. I haven't forgotten my favorite pairing no matter how they don't get many moments together recently. It was just that work ate up so much of my energy.

But I hope you enjoy this quick one-shot. I'll try to make something longer next time.

Summary: It was not a good scent on him to be honest. It stirs something inside her awake … like a long-slumbering jealousy perhaps?


LITTLE BITS AND PIECES OF HEAVEN

35 : Breathe Me In


A scent wafted towards Nami's nose, making her pause from checking the weather.

It was a nice, warm afternoon. Not too hot that it'll make you sweat buckets—it was just… right. It was one of the things Nami loved about spring islands, their climate are almost always pleasant.

She was in the library earlier, perusing her weather books when she sensed a slight change in the air around her. It was what prompted her to go out and check the horizon to see if rain was coming.

And that was when the unfamiliar scent drifted towards her.

She tilted her nose up in the air and took a deep breath. Aside from the smell of an impending downpour, there was that certain sweet fragrance that reminds her of standing in the middle of a flower field on a beautiful spring day.

Nami knew that it was not coming from Robin. The archaeologist headed into the town earlier with Chopper and Franky and hasn't come back yet. Plus Robin's scent is far different from what's currently assaulting her nose. Whilst Robin's was subtle, this one kinda hits you point blank.

But damn she's sure that the scent definitely belongs to a woman.

So who…?

Was the ship boarded by a stowaway while she was busy inside the library?

There was movement from behind her and she jerked from surprise. Whipping around, she stared in disbelief as Zoro nonchalantly walked past behind her without a word and headed straight to her mikan trees, towards the partially hidden part of the Sunny's railing—probably to settle there for one of his many naps.

"What was that?" Nami blurted out just as he was removing his swords from his sash.

Zoro tilted his head to her direction with one eyebrow raised. "What do you mean what was that?"

"That smell," she turned her nose up in the air again and sniffed. "It's coming from you," she said with a frown

Zoro mirrored her expression before situating himself down on the wooden floor and leaning back against the railing. "Excuse me. I took a bath yesterday." He drawled before crossing his arms over his chest and closing his eye—a sign that he's ending the conversation so he can doze off.

Nami grimaced. "That was yesterday! How many times did you sweat like a pig after your bath up to now?!"

The swordsman huffed irritably. "Don't know. Don't care," he muttered before proceeding to yawn loudly.

The navigator glared at him as he settled down quite quickly to his catnap. She strode towards him, the weather currently forgotten.

She's sure that that scent was coming from the idiot moss head himself. Unless… just as she initially thought; an intruder was on the Sunny, hiding and probably waiting for an opportune moment.

But wouldn't Zoro be on alert instead of calmly resting on the deck without a care in the world if that's the case?

The moment she approached him, the scent grew stronger. Nami tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning down and sniffing the green-haired man.

There was no mistake. It was coming from him!

"Hey! Zoro was immediately awake, on guard, and protesting when she crowded his person. "The hell are you doing Nami?!"

"I knew it! It is coming from you!" She exclaimed, whacking him on the shoulder. "Why the hell do you smell like a girl Zoro?!"

"That's none of your concern witch!" Zoro hissed at her. Even if her shadow was looming over him and darkening his features, Nami can still make out the slight red tinging his cheeks. "Buzz off. I'm trying to sleep!"

Nami's brows furrowed at that. She knew he went to town earlier to hit the taverns (as usual) and enjoy some drinks.

Something clicked inside her brain and her eyes widened as she straightened up and continued studying the man before her.

It seems like Zoro enjoyed MORE than the alcoholic beverages he loves so much while he was there.

That was the only possible explanation she can come up with on why he came back to the ship smelling of a woman's perfume and wanting to sleep!

Zoro was looking at her warily at first before he turned a bit uneasy under her gaze when he saw the expression of her face.

"Oh," was the only thing she was able to blurt out after a long uncomfortable silence. "Oh." She repeated again took a step backwards and away from him.

"Oh what?" Zoro asked irritably.

Nami just continued eyeing him. And Zoro fought the urge to squirm under her brown eyes. He watched as an indifferent expression took over her face. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination or her eyes seemed to turn as cold as ice.

"You're right that is none of my concern," she said, her tone as equally icy as her stare. She tore her gaze away from him.

"Just take a bath Zoro. The smell hurts my nose." With that she spun on her heel and headed towards the library, slamming the door behind her, leaving a bewildered Zoro gaping at her.

What?


What the hell is up with that woman?

Zoro rubbed his face exasperatedly with one hand before running it along his hair, fighting the sudden urge to pull at them out of frustration.

Honestly, only Nami can rile him up like this.

He was supposed to be napping right now—enjoying this one, rare quiet time on the ship while the others are busy exploring the island. He had enough disruptions earlier while he was out and about and decided it's better to just head back to the Sunny.

He was expecting some peace and quiet when he boarded the ship. Not come across a suddenly grouchy navigator.

Inside the library he can hear the sound of Nami's heels stomping across the wooden floor with enough force to probably puncture holes on them.

Zoro inwardly cursed. Great. She's in a mood.

What the hell did he do now?

And why the hell did he need to take another bath when he had taken one yesterday?!

Bah. Like he's gonna cave in and do that just to appease her highness.

He settled back against the railing again, quite abruptly that he accidentally hit his head against it.

Damn it!

He proceeded to rub the back of his head and in doing so he bowed his slightly…

…and caught a whiff of the scent Nami was complaining about earlier.

Zoro did not hold back the groan that wanted to come out of his throat. Honestly, he thought the scent would just dissipate from his walk back to the ship. What kind of perfume was this that it seems like he'll be carrying the scent not only until tomorrow but the day after?!

And why in the world did it made Nami angry?


Why was she angry?

Nami slammed the thick book about the tempests of the New World down on her mapping desk, pinching the bridge of her nose in an attempt to stave off her still rising temper.

Damn it!

That freaking smell of another woman on him set her off.

Just how close… how close does he have to be with that… that wench for her scent to latch onto him like that?

Practically glued together. Her treacherous mind nastily pointed out.

It made her insides twist. And she winced at the weird sensation.

It was not a good scent on him to be honest. It's stirred something inside her awake…

…like a long-slumbering jealousy perhaps?

She grabbed at the edge of her desk to steady herself. She was grasping it quite hard that her knuckles turned white.

Was that… the reason why the idea of him and that stupid owner of that scent, tangled with each other intimately were making her stomach churn, her blood boil and her heart clench?

The thought of him with another woman… intimately with another woman…

Nami felt light-headed and she dropped down on the chair.

Sweet cyclones of the New World. She is jealous!

She actually has feelings for that directionless, idiot swordsman?

When? Why?

How?

Nami clamped a hand on her mouth as it slowly came crashing down on her.

Those random times he crosses her mind while she's in the middle of mapping or navigating or even when she's in a fight or running away from a fight.

Those moments when he would suddenly invade her thoughts out of the blue at any time of the day.

How it feels like hundreds of butterflies were fluttering inside her stomach when he grins or half-smiles at her when a joke or a funny story were shared while the crew were eating lunch or dinner or just hanging out at the Sunny's lawn deck.

How in all those times that he saved her and worried for her, she would get lost in him for a certain brief moment before reality would pull her back and remind her that they were…

Friends.

Crew mates.

Nakamas.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Nami stayed in that perplexed state, oblivious that the slate grey clouds that she was observing earlier at the horizon already appeared and the raindrops started pelting the glass of the library window, lost in the realization of her feelings for the green-haired swordsman.


Dinner was chaotic as usual, even if the rain outside didn't let up. Their crew was boisterous and loud as ever—probably even more now since the more hyperactive members have been cooped up inside after they got back because of the downpour.

Somehow being surrounded by raucousness lifted Nami's mood a bit. She was able to act a tad bit normal all throughout the meal. Good thing she was able to sit near Luffy and rather far from the swordsman, who was in the other end of the table. It saved her from looking and talking to him because honestly she doesn't really know how to act around him. Not right now when she just had a big revelation.

They are well on their way to dessert when Chopper blurted out the question that dampened her mood again.

"Ne, Zoro why do you smell like a girl?" The innocent reindeer asked, his blue nose twitching a little. They were sitting beside each other and Chopper can only hold his curiosity for so long.

There was laughter around the table, coming mostly from the older crew members.

"He probably realized he stinks," Sanji commented with a nasty grin.

"You wanna go ero-cook?" Zoro challenged, with one eye sharp and one hand thumbing Enma out of its sheath.

"Are we sure about that and not because a pretty lady hugged him while he's at the town's bar earlier? Yohohoho!" Brook interjected. "I can still see even if I don't have eyes to see!"

Nami's ears perked up at that. She fiddled with her food, waiting for the swordsman to confirm what Brook just stated.

"Shut up!" Zoro turned his attention at the other yet older pervert. "The hell are you even doing there?!"

Nami's heart immediately sank at that and she pursed her lips. So there really was a girl.

"Yohoho!" The skeleton just laughed. "So I was right. A lady gave you a hug! Oh how I envy you Zoro-san! It was like that time with Hiyori-san…"

"I said shut up!" Zoro snarled at him.

A chorus of 'ooohs' filled the room. Sanji's face was immediately red from anger as flames threatened to erupt from his leg.

He yelled at Zoro. "Damn you, you third-rate swordsman! Why are you always taking advantage of such lovely ladies?!"

"Urusei baka cook! I'm not you!"

"Temee…"

Nami suddenly stood up, cutting off the impending fight between the two. She's not gonna stay and hear every detail about Zoro's afternoon adventure or even about Momo-chan's sister. She had enough for today.

"Thank you for the meal Sanji-kun," she said sweetly before leaving the table without even looking at Zoro and Sanji, who were both staring at her in astonishment.

Everyone's eyes followed her as she headed out of the galley despite the rain still pouring down outside. Each one has a baffled look on their faces, wondering why in the hell did she not clonked the other two like she usually does when they start arguing in the middle of dinner.

The galley door slammed shut behind the navigator. Loud enough to make the crew flinched.

"Ok…" Usopp slowly breathed out. "Which one of you was responsible for that?" He pointed at the door with his thumb. They don't need haki to figure out that Nami was in a really bad mood. Everyone can sense it.

Robin shrugged as she casually took a sip of her after-dinner coffee. "I don't know. But I'm pretty sure it was only her and Zoro who was here on the ship when we got back earlier."

Zoro fought the urge to balk when the archaeologist smiled at him. He knows it was her passive way of saying she's aware that he had something to do with Nami's current temperament.

The only problem is he doesn't know what he did.

He glanced furtively at the door again before meeting Robin's eyes.

Zoro sighed inwardly as tipped his tankard back and guzzled the cool ale inside.


Nami climbed the last steps of the ladder leading up to the bathhouse late that night. The rain had finally stopped and most of the crewmembers were finally asleep except for the ones on watch duty.

She can't believe she fell asleep right after dinner. She wanted to stay inside her room for a while, alone and away from all that noise to gather her thoughts. She hadn't meant to conk out while silently screaming her frustration in her pillow.

All these thoughts about Zoro made her tired. But at least the sleep refreshed her and somehow calmed her mind so she wouldn't be a mess and resort to silence and indifference when she face him again.

She just honestly thought he was not the type to flirt and fool around. Sanji… she can imagine. But Zoro? He was usually stoic and uncaring about other people! So him actually being intimate with another was the farthest thing from her mind.

He did turn down Hiyori flat outright didn't he?

Maybe that's the reason why—when she realized that he was with a woman earlier—it threw her off. Really threw her off, because she has this false sense of security that he'd never bother to be with one.

And when he did. It stung.

It hurt.

Drat. This attraction might just drive her crazy.

She let out a sigh and did a double take when she saw the laundry basin at the far corner of the room.

What's it doing there? The only ones who do late night laundries are her and Robin and the Hana hana no mi user is scheduled to do hers tomorrow.

She approached it to check.

There were clothes submerged in the soapy waters. Green and…

Nami tried lifting it up. What the hell? Why is it so heavy?! She just might pop a vein inside her if she continues trying to haul it up.

"Don't," Zoro's voice suddenly warned her. "You'll just hurt your wrist."

She tilted her towards the bathroom, surprised to see Zoro coming out of it. She regarded him for a moment; hair wet and with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

She wasn't sure if her voice got stuck in her throat because of her earlier realizations or because of the way he looking right now all fresh-out-of-shower and hot.

Or maybe both.

Damn it all over again!

"You clothes are heavy," she managed to utter out after a moment.

Zoro just shrugged, grabbing another towel from the wall rack to dry his hair. "Just leave it there and I'll wash it tomorrow."

Nami let go of his robe and straightened up.

"Are you alright now?" He asked her all of a sudden.

"Huh?" She blinked at him, the question not quite registering.

Zoro didn't bother waiting for her answer. "Nap helps huh?"

Nami glanced at him in astonishment not quite sure how he knew of that. But then again, he had a knack for knowing what is happening around him even if it looks like he's not paying any attention.

She just nodded.

They both fell silent. Somehow their usually bickering selves are surprisingly not present. Possibly because, Nami can't still muster her usually feisty self. Maybe after a day or two they'd be back to their same old routine.

After all, the problem is not with Zoro. But with her. She was the one who can't handle her feelings. She was the one who can't keep it in control.

And it's throwing off their rhythm.

"You done," she asked motioning to the bath. "I wanna use it."

"Yeah." Zoro nodded.

"I'm surprised to find you here." Nami remarked.

Zoro looked at her intently before answering. "The scent irritates me."

"Oh."

"Stupid shit just won't go away." He mumbled, looking irritated.

Nami nodded. "It probably got on your skin. That's why it stuck." She mentally pushed away the unwelcome thoughts of the reasons why.

"Hnnn…"

Gosh she wanted to tease him so badly. Slam him just so she could get some sort of revenge for what she went through today because of him.

But it seems like the cat still got her tongue and she's still not in the mood.

She just gave him a sort of dismissive wave, a silent gesture that they can both move on their own ways.

"Nami," Zoro called out before she can step inside the bathroom.

"Hmm?"

"It's not what you're thinking."

That made her look straight into his eye. Her heart started thumping wildly against her chest.

"Nothing happened earlier."

Nami swallowed the lump in her throat that before asking.

"W-why are you telling me this?"

"I'm not sure," Zoro shrugged. "I just know I need to tell you that." He gave her a half-smile.

She just continued staring at him as her heart continued to thump wildly and the hundreds of butterflies started fluttering inside her stomach again.

"Guess I don't want you mad."

Nami almost stopped breathing at that. That speaks volumes coming from him.

"Oh." Was the only reply she could murmur out.

Zoro gazed at her in a way she could not comprehend. Then he nodded towards bath, wordlessly telling her that it's all hers before moving towards the ladder leading down the library.

A scent wafted towards Nami nose again. This time she was sure the fragrance was from one of her expensive shower gels she carefully kept inside the Sunny's bathroom.

Her head snapped towards the green-haired man.

"Forgot my soap," Zoro explained with a slight quirk on his lips. "And since you keep complaining about that stupid scent on me, maybe you'd stop if I smell like you."

Nami's heart did a back flip this time. The she smiled. "You know I'm charging."

"The hell." Zoro grumbled. "Witch," he sneered before disappearing down the ladder.

She chuckled. It was a really nice smell on him. It made her think of cuddling up to him and burying her nose in the crook of his neck.

Nami caught herself and shook her head to make that thought vanish.

What he said and did a while ago was already plenty—especially from a man like him.

It was really comforting to think, that as much as the grate each other's nerves… Zoro doesn't really want her mad at him.

That was enough for her… for now.


Nami was enjoying a midnight tea after her bath. She was alone in the kitchen when Zoro walked in.

They nodded to each other in greeting and Zoro sauntered towards where they were keeping the sake bottles.

She closed her eyes when he walked past by her and she took in the clean scent of her shower gel on him.

It smells really nice.

She had to bit her lip to keep herself from grinning. She can her him rummaging around and she continued to just sit there quietly basking in his presence.

She had really fallen deep hasn't she?

"Oi," Zoro's voice was suddenly so close to her ear and her eyes flew open in surprise.

He was leaning down at her with a smirk on his face.

"You know, you should stop smelling me Nami." He said as his smirk turned into a grin, before pulling away from her and walking out of the galley.

But not before leaving a glass filled of his favorite sake in front of her.


The End –


R and R please.