I still have pending requests for the 24 hours prompt. Rest assured I’m still planning to write ‘em. Just be patient. I’ll do them this weekend once I’m off work. I just can’t squeeze them after working hours. Too tired. Hahaha!
Nami wiped the sweat that trickled down her temple with the back of her hand.
It was a hot day. Not in a sweltering way but still enough to make one perspire from just a few minimal movements.
Hermikan trees have finally arrived, courtesy of her sister. Honestly, Nami was surprised that it was delivered to her and that they made it to where she was in one piece. She was actually planning to drive back to her hometown once she’s already settled in her new place and bring back a tree or two.
But Nojiko always know what to expect from her. It would probably take her a month or two before she’d be able to visit her.
So she sent her the trees.
Bless her. Nami thought. She’s the best.
She touched one of the fruits hanging from the branches.
“You’ll like it here,” she murmured at them.
Franky has allotted a place for her in the rooftop’s garden when she asked him if she can plant something there. She saw that there was a flower bed and a vegetable garden and instantly thought that her mikan trees would be a good addition to it.
The light blue-haired, slightly weird, landlord was enthusiastic about that idea and even offered to help her bring them up.
Nami cracked her knuckles and stretched her arms.
“Now,” she announced. “Time to get you all inside and up to the top.” Her eyes then trailed up the five story apartment building.
Oh boy. This is gonna that a lot of work.
“Nami?”
She turned towards the voice that called her. A beautiful raven-haired woman stepped out of the building. Her kind, blue eyes twinkled at the sight of her trees.
“Robin hi!” She greeted.
“Ara, you’re mikan trees are here finally. They are lovely.” Robin reached out to daintily touch one orange orb. Her eyes crinkled in mirth when she caught Nami’s surprised expression.
“Oh, Franky told me,” she explained. “It’s nice to finally have some company in the rooftop garden.”
“Ah!” Nami nodded. The flower bed belongs to her of course. Franky did mention it. “I hope you don’t mind. They’re not gonna take a lot of space.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Robin smiled at her. “An additional greenery wouldn’t hurt ne?”
At the mention of the word green, Nami was suddenly reminded of a certain grouchy green-haired guy…
“Do you need help bringing them up?”
Nami nodded again. “Yes actually. Is Franky available? He did offer to help me bring them up.”
Robin shook her head. “I’m afraid he’s not free today. He has some errands to do and would probably be back late.”
“Oh,” Nami glanced at her trees. “Ah, but don’t worry. I can wait.”
The older woman studied her for a moment. “Hmm… I can ask Zoro to help you.”
Zoro?
Nami groaned inwardly. She doesn’t think she’s up to owing that guy any favor.
“It’s alright Robin, I can actually…”
But Robin already has her phone pressed against her ear and was already talking to Zoro, instructing him to come down and help her.
She ended the call and beamed a smile at Nami. “There. That way you don’t need to wait for so long to get them up to their new home.”
“This is kinda embarrassing…”
“Don’t worry about it. Zoro’s actually happy to help anyone.”
That made Nami raised an eyebrow.
He is?
He doesn’t look that type.
“Oh I know he doesn’t look that type,”
Nami’s eyes actually widened on Robin’s remark. Did she like… read her mind?
“But believe me. He’s always happy to lend a hand. Even if he complains about it, he actually gets the job done.”
Nami just nodded her head. That was quite an interesting fact.
The building’s door opened and out stepped Zoro.
“Ara, that was fast,” Robin observed as Zoro approached them. “You didn’t get lost?”
“I don’t get lost,” Zoro growled at her. “What do you need?”
“Can you help Nami bring her trees up in the rooftop? Franky wouldn’t be back until later tonight.”
Zoro gave Nami a sideway glance and she just shrugged.
He made a disapproving sound with his tongue. “Fine.”
“Thank you Zoro,” Robin said, patting Nami on the shoulder. “I have to go now. I’ll leave you two to it. I’m looking forward to seeing them in the rooftop the next time I go up.”
Nami grinned at her. “Thanks Robin! You’ve been a really great help!”
“My pleasure!” Robin gave them a slight wave, before heading off. “Zoro,” she nodded her head slightly at him.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Nami watched her walk away before she felt a nudge on her shoulder.
“Oi,” Zoro was frowning at her, looking displeased at the fact that he got roped to assist her so early in the morning. “Hold the door open so I can bring them inside.”
“Are you sure you can lift them?” Nami looked skeptically at him. “It took two men to carry one down the delivery truck.”
Zoro just huffed at her, before grasping one of the trees’ pot and lifting it up…
…with almost no effort at all.
Nami’s jaw almost dropped open. Whoa?!
“Nami. The door!” He barked at her.
Nami instantly moved to open it for him, her mind reeling at the fact that this snarky man is insanely strong.
Three round trips later, all her mikan trees are now in their proper places on the rooftop.
“Hey Zoro,” she called out to him amaze that he was able to bring all her trees up by himself. “Tha—”
Her gratitude died in her throat and she tried hard to stop herself from ogling.
Zoro had stripped his t-shirt off and was using it to wipe the sweat off his body.
Damn if she didn’t admire the sullen green-haired man’s physique. She knew his arms were toned beyond perfection but seriously? His whole body as well?
It was every girls’ dream in a man.
“You need anything else your highness?”
That snapped Nami out of her stupor.
“Nothing so far slave. You did well.”
Zoro glared at her and she glared back.
“If you don’t have anything else, I’m going back down.”
Nami shook her head. “Sure. Anyway, thanks Zoro. I really appreciate it.”
“Thank Robin,” he grunted. “If she didn’t request it, I wouldn’t have come down to help you.”
Geez. Nami thought. Great looks, great body…
But his personality absolutely sucks.
Zoro draped his shirt over his shoulder and was about to leave the rooftop.
“Uh, wait…” Nami called out to him before he can reach the exit.
“What?”
“Err… I’m making some mikan juice from my trees’ fruits. Care for some?” Nami offered. Regardless of him being such a pain to deal with, she’s still grateful to him, of course.
Zoro raised an eyebrow at her.
“It’s the least I can do you know,” Nami said, scratching her cheek. “For your effort and help.”
The green-haired man stared at her before shrugging his shoulders.
Nami reluctantly lifted her head up from her comfortable position to glare at the man who was lying underneath her.
“Zoro… what are YOUdoing?!”
She was only answered with a loud yawn and the orange-haired woman petulantly raked her fingernails against the skin of Zoro’s abdomen. She felt him twitch under her, before his large hand wrapped itself around her wrist.
“Why is your hand inside my shirt?”
Nami let out a ‘tch’. “Why are you sleeping?” She questioned back, shifting from her position so she could rest her chin atop his chest. She might have dug it into his stupid pectorals a lit-tle bit forcefully… and that was deliberate of course. “We’re supposed to be watching this movie Zoro!”
The green-haired man yawned again, shuffling his body upwards slightly. “I am watching.”
“No you are not! You are sleeping!” Nami prodded his nose with an accusing finger. He swatted her hand away. “I heard you snore!”
“Pffft.”
“Mou!” Nami groaned. Zoro was never really the one with a long attention span. Movie nights with him often end up with the large man dead asleep on the couch while she finishes the rest of the film, draped comfortably on top of him, with his arms wrapped around her.
She watched as his unscarred eye drifted close again, while the hand that was initially holding her wrist, trailed up her arm almost in a caressing manner. His other arm that remained hooked around her waist the whole night began to travel down south.
Not that she is complaining. But…
Nami gave a small squeak when she felt his hand squeeze the plush cheek of her ass, before pushing her body upwards and closer to him.
“You do know the movie’s boring?” Zoro whispered lowly against her ear, his breath warm and tickling against her skin; his tone undeniably suggestive, sending shivers down her spine.
She answered him with a roll of her brown eyes. But still that didn’t stop the quirking of the corners of her lips.
Nami laughed as he smirked at her. He is so right. The movie IS boring.
Maybe they can find something else to do instead before they turn in for the night.
Zoro scowled as he stared at the door of his apartment.
“Zorooo,” he heard a faint whisper of his name from the other side of the door, followed by a giggle. “Zorooo! Open the door!”
He didn’t move from his position—leaning against the doorframe of his bedroom with his arms folded above his chest.
“I have your key idiot,” he heard the person on the other side announced, followed by some shuffling sound. There was a dull thud, as something (or at this rate, someone, most likely) hit the door.
That actually prompted him to move, grumbling as he made his way towards it before the person outside decides to bang on it and wake his neighbors up.
His hand was already on the knob and was about to twist it open, when the door suddenly swung towards him almost hitting him on the nose.
“Nami!” He hissed as his gaze landed on the girl in front him. He knows it was her on the other side of course… given the amount of messages and calls he had received from her earlier while he was fast asleep. “What the hell?”
“Hi!”
Zoro narrowed his eye at her. She had a lopsided grin on her face and her stance was kind of… wobbly.
“Did you actually drunk texted and called me?”
She looked at him blankly for a few seconds.
“I did?”
He made an irritated sound before pulling her inside, closing and locking the door.
“What do you need?” He asked curtly as he left her standing in the middle of his small living room. “At fucking three in the morning?”
She blinked at him, looking a bit confused before grinning and answering his question.
“Bed.”
Zoro looked at her incredulously. She woke him up all because she needed a place to sleep?
Her apartment was just a goddamn floor away from him!
He watched as she sluggishly attempted to remove her small pink crossbody bag around her, throwing it clumsily on his couch before slipping off her heels and shrugging off her jacket.
Or at least she tried shrugging it off.
“Damn it Nami,” he growled as he took a step closer to her to help her remove it. “Are you actually plastered?”
“Hmm… no.”
“No my ass,” Zoro muttered under his breath. He watched as Nami shook her head and the expression on her face clearly told him she regretted doing that.
“If you hurl on my floor, you’ll fucking clean it.” He warned, throwing her jacket next to her bag.
“I’m not gonna hurl!”
She actually had the audacity to use an overbearing tone on him even if she was on the brink of keeling over any time soon.
“This is the first time,” Zoro said with a huff as he went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.
The minute he did, Nami staggered toward his bedroom and unceremoniously plopped down on his bed.
“Oi!” Zoro immediately went after her, the glass in his hand still half full. “Damn it Nami!” He cursed as he set the glass down on his bedside table. “Even drunk, you can still be such pain in the ass.”
“Don’t be mean Zoro!” She whined, lifting a leg to kick him. She only ended up kicking at the air.
“No throwing up on my bed!”
“I’m not gonna hurl!”
Zoro sat on his bed, scratching his head as he watched the orange-haired woman nestled herself deeply into the comfort of his pillow.
He wished he had the strength to just kick her out of his bed and his apartment.
But of course he doesn’t have. Besides… he can’t. And… he won’t.
Not when drunk Nami is a once in a lifetime opportunity he had been blessed (or cursed) to witness.
“Zorooo…” she whined again, nudging his shoulder with her bare feet rather forcibly. “Don’t sleep!”
“I am awake!” He swatted her feet with his hand and it fell back on his bed bonelessly. “Go to sleep Nami.”
“No!” She groaned woozily. “I still have to tell you I like you so don’t you dare fall asleep on me.”
Huh?
Say what now?
Zoro stared at her in disbelief for probably the umpteenth time in the span of twenty minutes from the moment she barged in his apartment.
This woman makes him want to pull and tear all the hairs off his head.
Why does she need to do this while she’s DRUNK?
Her feet nudged him again, prodding lightly.
“Do you like me too?” Nami asked in a rather diffident tone as she looked at him with eyes still glazed from inebriation. Yet there was this earnest look on her face that makes him want to answer truthfully.
Zoro can’t help but shake of his head at absurdity of it all.
“Yeah. I do,” he admitted with a chuckle. Honestly of all the times she can be honest with him, she chose now while she’s drunk as a skunk and would probably forget everything when she wakes up.
“Oh.” Nami said a bit breathlessly, not expecting a positive answer. Then she seemed to brightened up when she realized what his answer was. “Oh!”
She giggled, in a girlish manner that was totally unlike her usual self.
And she suddenly pounced on him, enveloping him in a tight bear hug.
Zoro was taken aback by her unexpected movement that they almost fell on the floor.
Thankfully they didn’t.
Then Nami suddenly scrambled to get off him and his bed.
Zoro had to grab her by the arm to steady her as she staggered slightly after standing up abruptly.
She giggled again, smiling as she drowsily stared at his hand on her arm.
“I need to shower,” she suddenly announced.
“Huh?”
“I need to shower,” Nami repeated before letting out a hiccup. “So we can celebrate by having sex.”
She pulled away from him and she started singing, nonchalantly discarding her remaining clothing on his bedroom floor as she made her way towards his bathroom, leaving Zoro staring at her, with his mouth hanging open and his brain short-circuiting.
Nami groaned as she sleepily trudged towards her kitchen to make herself some coffee.
Why in the world did she agree to a 7:00 am meeting with that artist? What’s his name again? Usa… Uso…
Whatever. She’ll know of it later. When she actually have the energy to care.
She stared blankly at the kitchen window as she placed her favorite mug on her capsule coffee machine and pressed a button, its hum automatically breaking the silence inside her apartment.
The sky outside was still dark. And surprisingly, the early morning cacophonies of sounds that Nami was used to were absent. No chirping birds, no barking dogs, no honking automobiles, no rumbling of the morning train in the distant… not even the shuffling of hurrying feet as people start to make their way to their own respective jobs.
It was like everything outside is on mute.
Honestly? She could get used to this kind of mornings in this new town.
The machine’s humming stopped and she waited a few seconds before grabbing her now-filled mug. The enticing smell of the coffee wafted to her nose as she made her way towards the sliding door leading to her rather small balcony.
She took a deep breath of the fresh dawn air. It was so different from the air of the city.
Leaning on the railing, she brought the mug to her lips, preparing herself for that familiar sensation brought about by the first sip of coffee as it awakened all her senses.
She continued to quietly take small sips of her beverage as she looked on at the winding footpath that traversed the wooded park behind her apartment complex, waiting for any signs of life as the light from the solar lamp posts flickered slightly, as if indicating they would immediately switch themselves off the moment the sun finally shows itself.
A rhythmic, tapping sound suddenly broke the silence. Nami paused and strained her ears to see if she was hearing it right.
The footsteps sounded like it was in a hurry.
And just like that a tall, green-haired man appeared from the right of the footpath—sweaty and panting heavily, his toned arms pumping at his sides in a leisurely way as he slowed to a stop just dead center to where her line of vision is directed.
He raised his head upwards, trying to catch his breath, pulling one wireless ear bud out of his left ear.
His earrings glinted slightly at the movement. He took two deep breaths, drawing Nami’s eyes towards his strapping chest. Which was pretty damn obvious in that tight, black running tank he was wearing.
Then he suddenly tilted his head towards her direction, sensing that someone was watching him.
Nami tore her eyes off his chest and their eyes met. All she could do was blink as she realized that she was looking not only at a finely-toned but also a rather good-looking fellow.
The man held her gaze for a minute. His handsome face expressionless before he let out a huff, shoving the ear bud back to his ear before resuming his run.
Nami wiped the sweat that trickled down her temple with the back of her hand.
It was a hot day. Not in a sweltering way but still enough to make one perspire from just a few minimal movements.
Hermikan trees have finally arrived, courtesy of her sister. Honestly, Nami was surprised that it was delivered to her and that they made it to where she was in one piece. She was actually planning to drive back to her hometown once she’s already settled in her new place and bring back a tree or two.
But Nojiko always know what to expect from her. It would probably take her a month or two before she’d be able to visit her.
So she sent her the trees.
Bless her. Nami thought. She’s the best.
She touched one of the fruits hanging from the branches.
“You’ll like it here,” she murmured at them.
Franky has allotted a place for her in the rooftop’s garden when she asked him if she can plant something there. She saw that there was a flower bed and a vegetable garden and instantly thought that her mikan trees would be a good addition to it.
The light blue-haired, slightly weird, landlord was enthusiastic about that idea and even offered to help her bring them up.
Nami cracked her knuckles and stretched her arms.
“Now,” she announced. “Time to get you all inside and up to the top.” Her eyes then trailed up the five story apartment building.
Oh boy. This is gonna that a lot of work.
“Nami?”
She turned towards the voice that called her. A beautiful raven-haired woman stepped out of the building. Her kind, blue eyes twinkled at the sight of her trees.
“Robin hi!” She greeted.
“Ara, you’re mikan trees are here finally. They are lovely.” Robin reached out to daintily touch one orange orb. Her eyes crinkled in mirth when she caught Nami’s surprised expression.
“Oh, Franky told me,” she explained. “It’s nice to finally have some company in the rooftop garden.”
“Ah!” Nami nodded. The flower bed belongs to her of course. Franky did mention it. “I hope you don’t mind. They’re not gonna take a lot of space.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Robin smiled at her. “An additional greenery wouldn’t hurt ne?”
At the mention of the word green, Nami was suddenly reminded of a certain grouchy green-haired guy…
“Do you need help bringing them up?”
Nami nodded again. “Yes actually. Is Franky available? He did offer to help me bring them up.”
Robin shook her head. “I’m afraid he’s not free today. He has some errands to do and would probably be back late.”
“Oh,” Nami glanced at her trees. “Ah, but don’t worry. I can wait.”
The older woman studied her for a moment. “Hmm… I can ask Zoro to help you.”
Zoro?
Nami groaned inwardly. She doesn’t think she’s up to owing that guy any favor.
“It’s alright Robin, I can actually…”
But Robin already has her phone pressed against her ear and was already talking to Zoro, instructing him to come down and help her.
She ended the call and beamed a smile at Nami. “There. That way you don’t need to wait for so long to get them up to their new home.”
“This is kinda embarrassing…”
“Don’t worry about it. Zoro’s actually happy to help anyone.”
That made Nami raised an eyebrow.
He is?
He doesn’t look that type.
“Oh I know he doesn’t look that type,”
Nami’s eyes actually widened on Robin’s remark. Did she like… read her mind?
“But believe me. He’s always happy to lend a hand. Even if he complains about it, he actually gets the job done.”
Nami just nodded her head. That was quite an interesting fact.
The building’s door opened and out stepped Zoro.
“Ara, that was fast,” Robin observed as Zoro approached them. “You didn’t get lost?”
“I don’t get lost,” Zoro growled at her. “What do you need?”
“Can you help Nami bring her trees up in the rooftop? Franky wouldn’t be back until later tonight.”
Zoro gave Nami a sideway glance and she just shrugged.
He made a disapproving sound with his tongue. “Fine.”
“Thank you Zoro,” Robin said, patting Nami on the shoulder. “I have to go now. I’ll leave you two to it. I’m looking forward to seeing them in the rooftop the next time I go up.”
Nami grinned at her. “Thanks Robin! You’ve been a really great help!”
“My pleasure!” Robin gave them a slight wave, before heading off. “Zoro,” she nodded her head slightly at him.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Nami watched her walk away before she felt a nudge on her shoulder.
“Oi,” Zoro was frowning at her, looking displeased at the fact that he got roped to assist her so early in the morning. “Hold the door open so I can bring them inside.”
“Are you sure you can lift them?” Nami looked skeptically at him. “It took two men to carry one down the delivery truck.”
Zoro just huffed at her, before grasping one of the trees’ pot and lifting it up…
…with almost no effort at all.
Nami’s jaw almost dropped open. Whoa?!
“Nami. The door!” He barked at her.
Nami instantly moved to open it for him, her mind reeling at the fact that this snarky man is insanely strong.
Three round trips later, all her mikan trees are now in their proper places on the rooftop.
“Hey Zoro,” she called out to him amaze that he was able to bring all her trees up by himself. “Tha—”
Her gratitude died in her throat and she tried hard to stop herself from ogling.
Zoro had stripped his t-shirt off and was using it to wipe the sweat off his body.
Damn if she didn’t admire the sullen green-haired man’s physique. She knew his arms were toned beyond perfection but seriously? His whole body as well?
It was every girls’ dream in a man.
“You need anything else your highness?”
That snapped Nami out of her stupor.
“Nothing so far slave. You did well.”
Zoro glared at her and she glared back.
“If you don’t have anything else, I’m going back down.”
Nami shook her head. “Sure. Anyway, thanks Zoro. I really appreciate it.”
“Thank Robin,” he grunted. “If she didn’t request it, I wouldn’t have come down to help you.”
Geez. Nami thought. Great looks, great body…
But his personality absolutely sucks.
Zoro draped his shirt over his shoulder and was about to leave the rooftop.
“Uh, wait…” Nami called out to him before he can reach the exit.
“What?”
“Err… I’m making some mikan juice from my trees’ fruits. Care for some?” Nami offered. Regardless of him being such a pain to deal with, she’s still grateful to him, of course.
Zoro raised an eyebrow at her.
“It’s the least I can do you know,” Nami said, scratching her cheek. “For your effort and help.”
The green-haired man stared at her before shrugging his shoulders.
Nami reluctantly lifted her head up from her comfortable position to glare at the man who was lying underneath her.
“Zoro… what are YOUdoing?!”
She was only answered with a loud yawn and the orange-haired woman petulantly raked her fingernails against the skin of Zoro’s abdomen. She felt him twitch under her, before his large hand wrapped itself around her wrist.
“Why is your hand inside my shirt?”
Nami let out a ‘tch’. “Why are you sleeping?” She questioned back, shifting from her position so she could rest her chin atop his chest. She might have dug it into his stupid pectorals a lit-tle bit forcefully… and that was deliberate of course. “We’re supposed to be watching this movie Zoro!”
The green-haired man yawned again, shuffling his body upwards slightly. “I am watching.”
“No you are not! You are sleeping!” Nami prodded his nose with an accusing finger. He swatted her hand away. “I heard you snore!”
“Pffft.”
“Mou!” Nami groaned. Zoro was never really the one with a long attention span. Movie nights with him often end up with the large man dead asleep on the couch while she finishes the rest of the film, draped comfortably on top of him, with his arms wrapped around her.
She watched as his unscarred eye drifted close again, while the hand that was initially holding her wrist, trailed up her arm almost in a caressing manner. His other arm that remained hooked around her waist the whole night began to travel down south.
Not that she is complaining. But…
Nami gave a small squeak when she felt his hand squeeze the plush cheek of her ass, before pushing her body upwards and closer to him.
“You do know the movie’s boring?” Zoro whispered lowly against her ear, his breath warm and tickling against her skin; his tone undeniably suggestive, sending shivers down her spine.
She answered him with a roll of her brown eyes. But still that didn’t stop the quirking of the corners of her lips.
Nami laughed as he smirked at her. He is so right. The movie IS boring.
Maybe they can find something else to do instead before they turn in for the night.
Zoro scowled as he stared at the door of his apartment.
“Zorooo,” he heard a faint whisper of his name from the other side of the door, followed by a giggle. “Zorooo! Open the door!”
He didn’t move from his position—leaning against the doorframe of his bedroom with his arms folded above his chest.
“I have your key idiot,” he heard the person on the other side announced, followed by some shuffling sound. There was a dull thud, as something (or at this rate, someone, most likely) hit the door.
That actually prompted him to move, grumbling as he made his way towards it before the person outside decides to bang on it and wake his neighbors up.
His hand was already on the knob and was about to twist it open, when the door suddenly swung towards him almost hitting him on the nose.
“Nami!” He hissed as his gaze landed on the girl in front him. He knows it was her on the other side of course… given the amount of messages and calls he had received from her earlier while he was fast asleep. “What the hell?”
“Hi!”
Zoro narrowed his eye at her. She had a lopsided grin on her face and her stance was kind of… wobbly.
“Did you actually drunk texted and called me?”
She looked at him blankly for a few seconds.
“I did?”
He made an irritated sound before pulling her inside, closing and locking the door.
“What do you need?” He asked curtly as he left her standing in the middle of his small living room. “At fucking three in the morning?”
She blinked at him, looking a bit confused before grinning and answering his question.
“Bed.”
Zoro looked at her incredulously. She woke him up all because she needed a place to sleep?
Her apartment was just a goddamn floor away from him!
He watched as she sluggishly attempted to remove her small pink crossbody bag around her, throwing it clumsily on his couch before slipping off her heels and shrugging off her jacket.
Or at least she tried shrugging it off.
“Damn it Nami,” he growled as he took a step closer to her to help her remove it. “Are you actually plastered?”
“Hmm… no.”
“No my ass,” Zoro muttered under his breath. He watched as Nami shook her head and the expression on her face clearly told him she regretted doing that.
“If you hurl on my floor, you’ll fucking clean it.” He warned, throwing her jacket next to her bag.
“I’m not gonna hurl!”
She actually had the audacity to use an overbearing tone on him even if she was on the brink of keeling over any time soon.
“This is the first time,” Zoro said with a huff as he went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.
The minute he did, Nami staggered toward his bedroom and unceremoniously plopped down on his bed.
“Oi!” Zoro immediately went after her, the glass in his hand still half full. “Damn it Nami!” He cursed as he set the glass down on his bedside table. “Even drunk, you can still be such pain in the ass.”
“Don’t be mean Zoro!” She whined, lifting a leg to kick him. She only ended up kicking at the air.
“No throwing up on my bed!”
“I’m not gonna hurl!”
Zoro sat on his bed, scratching his head as he watched the orange-haired woman nestled herself deeply into the comfort of his pillow.
He wished he had the strength to just kick her out of his bed and his apartment.
But of course he doesn’t have. Besides… he can’t. And… he won’t.
Not when drunk Nami is a once in a lifetime opportunity he had been blessed (or cursed) to witness.
“Zorooo…” she whined again, nudging his shoulder with her bare feet rather forcibly. “Don’t sleep!”
“I am awake!” He swatted her feet with his hand and it fell back on his bed bonelessly. “Go to sleep Nami.”
“No!” She groaned woozily. “I still have to tell you I like you so don’t you dare fall asleep on me.”
Huh?
Say what now?
Zoro stared at her in disbelief for probably the umpteenth time in the span of twenty minutes from the moment she barged in his apartment.
This woman makes him want to pull and tear all the hairs off his head.
Why does she need to do this while she’s DRUNK?
Her feet nudged him again, prodding lightly.
“Do you like me too?” Nami asked in a rather diffident tone as she looked at him with eyes still glazed from inebriation. Yet there was this earnest look on her face that makes him want to answer truthfully.
Zoro can’t help but shake of his head at absurdity of it all.
“Yeah. I do,” he admitted with a chuckle. Honestly of all the times she can be honest with him, she chose now while she’s drunk as a skunk and would probably forget everything when she wakes up.
“Oh.” Nami said a bit breathlessly, not expecting a positive answer. Then she seemed to brightened up when she realized what his answer was. “Oh!”
She giggled, in a girlish manner that was totally unlike her usual self.
And she suddenly pounced on him, enveloping him in a tight bear hug.
Zoro was taken aback by her unexpected movement that they almost fell on the floor.
Thankfully they didn’t.
Then Nami suddenly scrambled to get off him and his bed.
Zoro had to grab her by the arm to steady her as she staggered slightly after standing up abruptly.
She giggled again, smiling as she drowsily stared at his hand on her arm.
“I need to shower,” she suddenly announced.
“Huh?”
“I need to shower,” Nami repeated before letting out a hiccup. “So we can celebrate by having sex.”
She pulled away from him and she started singing, nonchalantly discarding her remaining clothing on his bedroom floor as she made her way towards his bathroom, leaving Zoro staring at her, with his mouth hanging open and his brain short-circuiting.
Nami groaned as she sleepily trudged towards her kitchen to make herself some coffee.
Why in the world did she agree to a 7:00 am meeting with that artist? What’s his name again? Usa… Uso…
Whatever. She’ll know of it later. When she actually have the energy to care.
She stared blankly at the kitchen window as she placed her favorite mug on her capsule coffee machine and pressed a button, its hum automatically breaking the silence inside her apartment.
The sky outside was still dark. And surprisingly, the early morning cacophonies of sounds that Nami was used to were absent. No chirping birds, no barking dogs, no honking automobiles, no rumbling of the morning train in the distant… not even the shuffling of hurrying feet as people start to make their way to their own respective jobs.
It was like everything outside is on mute.
Honestly? She could get used to this kind of mornings in this new town.
The machine’s humming stopped and she waited a few seconds before grabbing her now-filled mug. The enticing smell of the coffee wafted to her nose as she made her way towards the sliding door leading to her rather small balcony.
She took a deep breath of the fresh dawn air. It was so different from the air of the city.
Leaning on the railing, she brought the mug to her lips, preparing herself for that familiar sensation brought about by the first sip of coffee as it awakened all her senses.
She continued to quietly take small sips of her beverage as she looked on at the winding footpath that traversed the wooded park behind her apartment complex, waiting for any signs of life as the light from the solar lamp posts flickered slightly, as if indicating they would immediately switch themselves off the moment the sun finally shows itself.
A rhythmic, tapping sound suddenly broke the silence. Nami paused and strained her ears to see if she was hearing it right.
The footsteps sounded like it was in a hurry.
And just like that a tall, green-haired man appeared from the right of the footpath—sweaty and panting heavily, his toned arms pumping at his sides in a leisurely way as he slowed to a stop just dead center to where her line of vision is directed.
He raised his head upwards, trying to catch his breath, pulling one wireless ear bud out of his left ear.
His earrings glinted slightly at the movement. He took two deep breaths, drawing Nami’s eyes towards his strapping chest. Which was pretty damn obvious in that tight, black running tank he was wearing.
Then he suddenly tilted his head towards her direction, sensing that someone was watching him.
Nami tore her eyes off his chest and their eyes met. All she could do was blink as she realized that she was looking not only at a finely-toned but also a rather good-looking fellow.
The man held her gaze for a minute. His handsome face expressionless before he let out a huff, shoving the ear bud back to his ear before resuming his run.
