I probably should have tweaked the end of this one more.
Title: The Spark
Theme: Set 4 #6 Electricity
Claim: Zoro x Nami
Words: 1613
Rating: G-ish
Warnings: Spoils a bit for up to post Alabasta. Yay nostalgia? Also, my usual odd silliness.
Disclaimer(s): The characters and setting all belong to Eiichiro Oda, who is waaay better at planning ahead than me. That's probably why his work is so awesome.
The Going Merry was sailing through a powerful winter climate zone, and everyone who wasn't the unfortunate soul on watch huddled together in the galley, bundled up in warm clothing. This particular afternoon, Robin was in the crow's nest. Sanji prepared a steady stream of warm snacks and drinks, both for the comfort of the others and so he could stand next to the warm stove. Usopp was entrancing Luffy and Chopper with some crazy story in which the protagonist, who was not the Great Captain Usopp himself for once, was in search of his true love. Zoro slumped in a chair, half-asleep. Nami was going over some surveying numbers from one of the islands she planned to chart.
"He knew the moment he saw her that she was his one true love," Usopp declared to his rapt audience.
"How did he know?" Chopper asked. "He just met her, didn't he?"
"Sometimes there's an instant connection," Usopp said knowingly. "A special spark between two people."
"Like fire?" Luffy wondered.
"No, more like electricity."
At that moment, Nami got up to refill her hot cocoa. Sanji would have gladly done it for her, but moving around should help her warm up faster. She brushed past Zoro close enough that her hand grazed one of his ears. A large static spark passed between them with an audible snapping sound. Zoro sat up suddenly, now fully awake.
"What was that?" He frowned and rubbed his ear.
"Nothing." Nami rolled her eyes. "It was just a little static electricity."
"The spark!" Chopper whispered, eyes wide. "Did you guys see it, too?"
"Yeah," Luffy agreed, grinning. "That was a big one!"
Usopp just bit back a snicker.
Zoro hadn't really been paying attention to the story and was a little confused, but Nami had heard.
"It wasn't any of that 'spark' nonsense," she huffed. "The air is just very dry in here, and I'm wearing a wool sweater. It would have happened if I touched anybody."
"I definitely saw a spark," Chopper insisted.
"I'll prove it." Nami took a moment to consider who to use as an example.
"Ooh! Me!" Luffy helpfully stretched an arm over.
"You're rubber!" Nami slapped his hand away. "That won't work!"
"You can touch me any time you'd like, Nami-swan!" Sanji twirled over to take her empty mug. She reached out a tentative finger--that zap stung a little--and poked the back of one of Sanji's hands. Nothing happened. The cook actually looked a little disappointed.
"Anybody, huh?" Usopp teased.
"Shut up," Nami snapped. "I must not have a charge built up anymore. Look, if I touch Zoro again-" There was another visible and audible zap as Nami's finger came in close enough proximity to Zoro's hand.
"Would you stop doing that?" Zoro grumbled.
"That doesn't make any sense," Nami mumbled to herself. How could she have built up another charge already? Unless it was Zoro... He hadn't moved very much, but he did slide against the chair when he sat up. She eyed his clothing suspiciously. "What's that haramaki made of?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Take it off; I want to see if that's the problem."
"What? No!" Zoro glared at her indignantly. "You just keep your hands to yourself and there is no problem."
"Take it off," Nami ordered slowly and deliberately, "or I'll do it for you."
"I'd like to see you try." His tone was defiant, but Nami looked equally determined.
"Uh oh..." Usopp sing-songed in a low voice. "This is going to get ugly!"
There was a tense moment of silence before Nami pounced without warning. The other boys gaped as mere seconds later Zoro was flat on his back on the galley floor, looking rather stunned, with Nami straddling his legs, the haramaki held aloft in one hand and a triumphant smirk on her face.
"Ha!" she crowed.
"My goodness," an amused voice observed from the doorway, "you all seem to be having quite a good time keeping warm." Robin walked over to the coffee pot and refilled her thermos as though she'd simply walked in on a game of cards.
Nami was back on her feet in seconds; Zoro was only a little slower.
"I was just proving a point," Nami explained, voice calm, though she was blushing a bit. Robin raised an inquiring brow. "There is no 'spark' between me and Zoro. See?" She reached over to grab Zoro's hand, only to produce the largest spark yet.
"They're getting stronger!" Chopper observed.
"Awesome!" Luffy hooted. "Do it again!"
"AARGH!" Nami threw her hands up in the air and stormed out of the galley.
"What's all this 'spark' crap about?" Zoro still didn't know exactly what was going on, but he was going to find out.
***
Nami huddled under one of her mikan trees, glowering and shivering every once in a while. She really should have thought to grab her coat on the way out, but she'd just been so frustrated!
"You trying to get yourself sick again or something? You ran out without your coat."
Great--it was Zoro.
"Way to state the obvious," she snapped. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you!"
"I always wondered what it would be like to be on the rational, mature side of an argument." Nami kept her expression stony. She was not going to rise to the bait of that sarcastic remark! "I don't know why you're mad at me," Zoro continued. "I was a mostly innocent bystander."
"You sure didn't help with explaining anything."
"I didn't know what was going on!" There! He finally sounded almost as flustered as her. That made her feel a little better. He mumbled something else under his breath that she didn't quite catch.
"What?"
"I said, I don't get why this is such a big deal." He took a seat a few feet away from her. "It's just one of Usopp's stupid stories, and we do have a connection. It's not some super sappy thing," he added quickly when she glared at him. "We have an understanding. Both of us see the world a little different than the rest, except probably Robin, like back on Whiskey Peak when we both saw the trap right away. Anyway, I don't mind; I'd take that kind of bond over getting shocked every time we rub elbows any day. If you want to get all bent out of shape about it, that's your call."
"Did you follow me out here just to say that?"
"Well, no," he admitted. "There are two other reasons. First, I'd like my haramaki back."
Nami gasped. She hadn't even realized that she still had part of the article of clothing clenched in one of her fists. She made every effort to hide her embarrassment as she held the haramaki out to Zoro. His fingers brushed hers as he took it, but there was no zap this time. Zoro's hands were warm and not quite as rough as she thought they'd be. There was a lingering tingle in her chilled fingers that she told herself was simply from the heat exchange. The silence was beginning to feel awkward.
"You said there were two reasons," she prompted.
"Oh, yeah. I'm supposed to try and talk you back inside. The cook sent me out here because he thinks I should apologize, otherwise he'd be out here harassing you himself. You're welcome."
Nami rolled her eyes. "I think I'm going to stay out here a little longer."
"You sure? Robin's been giving demonstrations with static electricity; you should see what she can make Usopp's hair do--it's hilarious. Besides, your lips are looking a little blue."
"I still want a little space. I promise I'll be in soon."
"Okay." Zoro's tone implied that he thought she was a little crazy. "Dinner will be ready soon, and then nothing's gonna stop the idiot cook from coming to get you. Here." He shrugged off his own coat and held it out for her. "I'm going back in where it's warm, so I don't need it. I kind of stole it anyhow." Zoro was still using the winter coat he'd taken from one of Wapol's men.
"Thanks." She tried not to seem too eager as she pulled the coat on, reveling in the residual body heat. Zoro was like some kind of furnace! It must be all that muscle.
He grunted noncommittally and disappeared back into the galley. As soon as she was sure he was out of hearing range, she gave a contented sigh and snuggled into the coat.
The tingle had spread from her hand to most of her body now. It was infinitely preferable to the static, but it seemed to thrum almost like its own kind of electricity. She snorted at the thought--surely this wasn't anything like "the spark" Usopp had been rambling about, right? Of course not! She could get used to this sort of reaction though, she thought with a small smile.
Theme: Set 4 #6 Electricity
Claim: Zoro x Nami
Words: 1613
Rating: G-ish
Warnings: Spoils a bit for up to post Alabasta. Yay nostalgia? Also, my usual odd silliness.
Disclaimer(s): The characters and setting all belong to Eiichiro Oda, who is waaay better at planning ahead than me. That's probably why his work is so awesome.
The Going Merry was sailing through a powerful winter climate zone, and everyone who wasn't the unfortunate soul on watch huddled together in the galley, bundled up in warm clothing. This particular afternoon, Robin was in the crow's nest. Sanji prepared a steady stream of warm snacks and drinks, both for the comfort of the others and so he could stand next to the warm stove. Usopp was entrancing Luffy and Chopper with some crazy story in which the protagonist, who was not the Great Captain Usopp himself for once, was in search of his true love. Zoro slumped in a chair, half-asleep. Nami was going over some surveying numbers from one of the islands she planned to chart.
"He knew the moment he saw her that she was his one true love," Usopp declared to his rapt audience.
"How did he know?" Chopper asked. "He just met her, didn't he?"
"Sometimes there's an instant connection," Usopp said knowingly. "A special spark between two people."
"Like fire?" Luffy wondered.
"No, more like electricity."
At that moment, Nami got up to refill her hot cocoa. Sanji would have gladly done it for her, but moving around should help her warm up faster. She brushed past Zoro close enough that her hand grazed one of his ears. A large static spark passed between them with an audible snapping sound. Zoro sat up suddenly, now fully awake.
"What was that?" He frowned and rubbed his ear.
"Nothing." Nami rolled her eyes. "It was just a little static electricity."
"The spark!" Chopper whispered, eyes wide. "Did you guys see it, too?"
"Yeah," Luffy agreed, grinning. "That was a big one!"
Usopp just bit back a snicker.
Zoro hadn't really been paying attention to the story and was a little confused, but Nami had heard.
"It wasn't any of that 'spark' nonsense," she huffed. "The air is just very dry in here, and I'm wearing a wool sweater. It would have happened if I touched anybody."
"I definitely saw a spark," Chopper insisted.
"I'll prove it." Nami took a moment to consider who to use as an example.
"Ooh! Me!" Luffy helpfully stretched an arm over.
"You're rubber!" Nami slapped his hand away. "That won't work!"
"You can touch me any time you'd like, Nami-swan!" Sanji twirled over to take her empty mug. She reached out a tentative finger--that zap stung a little--and poked the back of one of Sanji's hands. Nothing happened. The cook actually looked a little disappointed.
"Anybody, huh?" Usopp teased.
"Shut up," Nami snapped. "I must not have a charge built up anymore. Look, if I touch Zoro again-" There was another visible and audible zap as Nami's finger came in close enough proximity to Zoro's hand.
"Would you stop doing that?" Zoro grumbled.
"That doesn't make any sense," Nami mumbled to herself. How could she have built up another charge already? Unless it was Zoro... He hadn't moved very much, but he did slide against the chair when he sat up. She eyed his clothing suspiciously. "What's that haramaki made of?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Take it off; I want to see if that's the problem."
"What? No!" Zoro glared at her indignantly. "You just keep your hands to yourself and there is no problem."
"Take it off," Nami ordered slowly and deliberately, "or I'll do it for you."
"I'd like to see you try." His tone was defiant, but Nami looked equally determined.
"Uh oh..." Usopp sing-songed in a low voice. "This is going to get ugly!"
There was a tense moment of silence before Nami pounced without warning. The other boys gaped as mere seconds later Zoro was flat on his back on the galley floor, looking rather stunned, with Nami straddling his legs, the haramaki held aloft in one hand and a triumphant smirk on her face.
"Ha!" she crowed.
"My goodness," an amused voice observed from the doorway, "you all seem to be having quite a good time keeping warm." Robin walked over to the coffee pot and refilled her thermos as though she'd simply walked in on a game of cards.
Nami was back on her feet in seconds; Zoro was only a little slower.
"I was just proving a point," Nami explained, voice calm, though she was blushing a bit. Robin raised an inquiring brow. "There is no 'spark' between me and Zoro. See?" She reached over to grab Zoro's hand, only to produce the largest spark yet.
"They're getting stronger!" Chopper observed.
"Awesome!" Luffy hooted. "Do it again!"
"AARGH!" Nami threw her hands up in the air and stormed out of the galley.
"What's all this 'spark' crap about?" Zoro still didn't know exactly what was going on, but he was going to find out.
***
Nami huddled under one of her mikan trees, glowering and shivering every once in a while. She really should have thought to grab her coat on the way out, but she'd just been so frustrated!
"You trying to get yourself sick again or something? You ran out without your coat."
Great--it was Zoro.
"Way to state the obvious," she snapped. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you!"
"I always wondered what it would be like to be on the rational, mature side of an argument." Nami kept her expression stony. She was not going to rise to the bait of that sarcastic remark! "I don't know why you're mad at me," Zoro continued. "I was a mostly innocent bystander."
"You sure didn't help with explaining anything."
"I didn't know what was going on!" There! He finally sounded almost as flustered as her. That made her feel a little better. He mumbled something else under his breath that she didn't quite catch.
"What?"
"I said, I don't get why this is such a big deal." He took a seat a few feet away from her. "It's just one of Usopp's stupid stories, and we do have a connection. It's not some super sappy thing," he added quickly when she glared at him. "We have an understanding. Both of us see the world a little different than the rest, except probably Robin, like back on Whiskey Peak when we both saw the trap right away. Anyway, I don't mind; I'd take that kind of bond over getting shocked every time we rub elbows any day. If you want to get all bent out of shape about it, that's your call."
"Did you follow me out here just to say that?"
"Well, no," he admitted. "There are two other reasons. First, I'd like my haramaki back."
Nami gasped. She hadn't even realized that she still had part of the article of clothing clenched in one of her fists. She made every effort to hide her embarrassment as she held the haramaki out to Zoro. His fingers brushed hers as he took it, but there was no zap this time. Zoro's hands were warm and not quite as rough as she thought they'd be. There was a lingering tingle in her chilled fingers that she told herself was simply from the heat exchange. The silence was beginning to feel awkward.
"You said there were two reasons," she prompted.
"Oh, yeah. I'm supposed to try and talk you back inside. The cook sent me out here because he thinks I should apologize, otherwise he'd be out here harassing you himself. You're welcome."
Nami rolled her eyes. "I think I'm going to stay out here a little longer."
"You sure? Robin's been giving demonstrations with static electricity; you should see what she can make Usopp's hair do--it's hilarious. Besides, your lips are looking a little blue."
"I still want a little space. I promise I'll be in soon."
"Okay." Zoro's tone implied that he thought she was a little crazy. "Dinner will be ready soon, and then nothing's gonna stop the idiot cook from coming to get you. Here." He shrugged off his own coat and held it out for her. "I'm going back in where it's warm, so I don't need it. I kind of stole it anyhow." Zoro was still using the winter coat he'd taken from one of Wapol's men.
"Thanks." She tried not to seem too eager as she pulled the coat on, reveling in the residual body heat. Zoro was like some kind of furnace! It must be all that muscle.
He grunted noncommittally and disappeared back into the galley. As soon as she was sure he was out of hearing range, she gave a contented sigh and snuggled into the coat.
The tingle had spread from her hand to most of her body now. It was infinitely preferable to the static, but it seemed to thrum almost like its own kind of electricity. She snorted at the thought--surely this wasn't anything like "the spark" Usopp had been rambling about, right? Of course not! She could get used to this sort of reaction though, she thought with a small smile.