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: Prompt # 31 – Cold Feet

ZoNa Holiday 2024 event at zonamievents in Tumblr has ended. But I still want to share this quick one-shot. I'm starting this year's ZoNa content with the last prompt from the ZoNa Holiday 2024. And yes, I still have pending drafts for the other prompts. I hope I finish them so I can close this collection.

Been a really busy and bustling last few days of December. And lo and behold, it's 2025 already. So, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Hope you had a blast celebrating it.

Also, you could guess what's playing while I'm writing this from the title. LOL.

Summary: That is the fact. And one that she absolutely knows by now.

A Taste of Christmas

Cold n' Sweet

"Scoot over."

"I am on the other end already," Zoro drawled, looking at the navigator with an irritated expression on his face. "Nowhere to scoot over on so go sit somewhere else," his good eye flicked over the expanse of the library bench. There is a lot of empty area to sit on. Why was she aiming for the spot where he was sitting and enjoying the silence?

Nami snickered knowingly. And Zoro wanted to groan inwardly. Of course she can't help but try to get on his nerves tonight. It's like an unhealthy compulsion, really.

The swordsman was lounging on the library bench just beside the Christmas tree the crew had set-up and decorated for the holiday. He had one of the festive mugs on his hand that they had used for the eggnog the cook made especially for the occasion. And he knew that Nami would bet all her belis that whatever Zoro had in it, is just purely booze.

And she was right.

With a Cheshire cat smile, the orange-haired woman settled down on the bench, a little too close for his comfort. She can tell that by the way a frown was now scrunching up his face.

She wasn't bothered by his reaction. Zoro can frown all he wants but that will not be able to deter her. She's immune to it by now. He should've known that.

Nami kicked of her boots, leaving it lying on the floor as she sat down. Twisting her body sideways, she brought up her legs on the bench, hugging them. Her toes wiggled inside her festive socks, the movement catching Zoro's eye momentarily.

"Whatcha got there Zoro?" She asked, sounding childishly and looking like one with that mischievous grin still on her face.

"You really need to ask?" He grunted, taking a drink from his mug.

The way her eyes lit up at his answer made him know that she, indeed, had bet her money on what he was drinking. And she just won.

"No." She responded, with a small laugh. She playfully poked his thigh with her foot and Zoro grabbed it to put a stop to her antics without even looking.

His head suddenly whipped towards her.

"The hell is wrong with your feet?!" He was now looking at her incredulously.

"What?" Nami jerked back a bit at his reaction. She arched an eyebrow at him as she stared down her foot which was really looking dainty against his big hand.

"Why is it cold?" Zoro hissed at her like it was her fault.

It was her turn to frown. "I get cold feet easily," she explained with a shrug like it was the most normal thing in the world, pulling her feet away from his hand.

"You're wearing socks already," Zoro pointed out. "And it still feels like ice."

"I dunno…" Nami looked like she was pondering on the reason why. "Maybe these socks aren't as thick as I thought them to be." She wiggled her toes again as she studied them. "I'm not bothered by it." She said, poking his thigh again impishly.

"Tch! I am." Zoro muttered as he put his mug down on the floor, just beneath the Christmas tree for safekeeping, looking irritated as ever.

Nami watched him with a curious look on her face. He was mumbling something about 'troublesome woman' and it took all of her strength not to punch him on the head.

Why the hell is he making a big deal out of this? It's her feet not his!

He grasped her ankles with his hands, pulling her feet towards him. Nami yelped, startled by his unexpected action, her butt slightly sliding on the bench. She opened her mouth to yell at him but the sound died in her throat when Zoro lifted the hem of his sweater and without a word, tucked her feet inside his clothes… as if it was the most natural thing to do at times like this.

The orange-haired woman was astounded. She gaped at him, unable to express anything.

"Shut up." Was the only thing Zoro said when he recognized the look on Nami's face.

The mapmaker was quiet for a moment. Then she wiggled her feet inside his sweater, poking at his abdomen like a cat kneading. Zoro threw her an infuriated look.

"This was a bad idea." He made a move to remove her feet from his clothes when Nami immediately seized his hands to stop him.

"No, no it's not." She said cheekily as she squeezed his fingers. "It's the best idea! Better than actually rubbing my feet with your hands. Your haramaki does wonders." She hummed as she pressed her feet against it; the feel of the stomach band he wears all the time was soft and warm against her socked feet.

"NAMI!" He grunted when she tried to slide her feet underneath it to get some more warmth.

She ignored his protest and continued humming appreciatively, throwing him a smile that Zoro doesn't know if he'd categorize as mischievous or grateful. It did distract him enough for her to successfully get her feet under it. The texture of the socks on her feet rubbed against his bare skin and he realized that she was actually wearing thin ones.

He sighed exasperatedly. Wasn't she supposed to be the one who knows all about clothes and stuff? Why was she wearing thing ones in this kind of weather?

His hand went to cradle her feet against him as she continued to knead and wiggle her toes on his abdomen. It wasn't cold as it was earlier. Good.

The things he would do for this troublesome woman.

"These are really hard," Nami suddenly spoke out as she continued her ministrations; purposely poking her toes on his abs. Zoro just stared at her unamused. He knows that if he wasn't holding her feet, she would've deliberately slid one down to a much lower place where it's not supposed to be just to tease him. He can sense her intention. He knows her too well to let an opportunity to rile him up (this time in a rather different way) pass.

The chortle that escaped her proved he was right. But she digress.

"Thank you Zoro," she murmured softly, resting her head against the bench's backrest looking at him with a certain fondness that he was now familiar with. "You must really like me so much to do this."

"Shut up."

"I like you too."

"I said shut up."

But he never denied it.

Nami giggled and blew him a kiss before she closed her eyes; her body relaxing as she enjoyed the feeling of being tucked in his warmth.

Zoro sighed and he gave her feet a light squeeze, a sort of affirmation that no matter how he reacts and no matter what words do not come out of his mouth.

She is right. He likes her.

That is the fact. And one that she absolutely knows by now.

Besides wasn't that obvious when he kissed her amidst the falling snow last time?

– The End –

R and R please.