The rising sun's rays shone through the small round window onto the large bed that took up most of the bedroom's space, the cream sheets falling over the edge of the mattress as the body hidden beneath the comforter tossed and turned. Strands of long, honey brown hair popped up from beneath the blankets with the movement, splaying across the white pillow as the small figure pulled themselves further into the warmth the bed, and the person beside her, offered.
Turning onto her side, Lana threw an arm over the strong abdomen of her lover, pulling herself closer to the furnace that was currently a sleeping Zoro.
Zoro, usually having the night-time watch duty on the Sunny, was able to stay the night. Normally, Lana would resort to spending time with the man during his shifts as that was the only time they would have to themselves, but being guests on another pirate crew's ship immensely reduced the jobs they each were usually assigned, giving them the freedom to lounge about and enjoy each others company.
Mumbling nonsense in the comfort the warmth offered, Lana was slowly lulled back to sleep, burrowing deeper into Zoro's side as he too turned in his drowsy state to pull the sleeping brunette closer.
Several hours had passed before Zoro woke up with a groan, realising he had slept longer than he had intended as he spotted the sun well above the horizon. Seeing as the two were still a secret from the rest of the crew, they had both agreed to exercise discretion. However, they often found themselves carried away in their affection to be mindful of their agreement, which had lead to several close calls and the suspicion of the more insightful members of their crew.
Lana and Zoro found themselves in one of the storage rooms, and whilst Lana had been tasked by Chopper with restocking the medical supplies they had picked up from the previous island, she wasn't getting much done what with Zoro's wandering hands distracting her.
Chopper would have done it on his own, but seeing as Luffy and Usopp had gotten into their usual antics earlier, his efforts and attention was spent nursing them back to health. Once Lana had restocked Chopper's office, the remaining supplies were to be stored in a nearby room, though she was quickly tailed by Zoro who had wished to spend the afternoon with her.
"Zoro, I really need to get this done" Lana couldn't help but laugh as Zoro let his hands settle at her waist, trailing kisses down her neck as she leant forward to place a box of gauze onto the shelf.
"I'm not stopping you" He smirked against her skin, noticing a particularly dark mark he had left on her neck the other day just beginning to fade.
"But you're not helping..." Lana moaned as he bit on the mark, feeling all the more sensitive as it had yet to heal. The box she was holding dropped with her loosened grip, though was quickly caught by the swordsman before it could hit the ground, reaching to place it haphazardly onto the nearest surface as he continued to hold her.
"Zoro..." Lana couldn't help but lean forward against the shelf, her hands grasping the shelf for support as weak gasps left her parted lips as Zoro persisted with his affections.
"Hey Lana, where are the sterile scalpels? Chopper was asking for them... What are you two doing?" Nami questioned, her eyebrows raised at the flush brightening their strategist's face and Zoro laying on the ground, groaning as he clutched his head. In the rush of hearing someone approach, Lana had pushed Zoro away which left him tripping over a nearby box and tumbling to the ground as he hit his head on the bottom shelf.
Thinking back on the incident, he could only fondly recall how embarrassed Lana had felt for the remainder of the day, watching her pout as she apologised for causing the bump on the top of his head that had lingered for a few days. He couldn't deny playing up the injury just so he could have her coddle him and try to nurse him. He smugly recalled Sanji and Brook's jealous mutters, fully aware how much he was acting up for the strategist's affections.
Though as the days passed, he had a slight inkling that several members of the crew were starting to grow suspicious. He turned over and was greeted with the sight of Lana cuddled into his side, bringing a faint smile onto his usually grim face.
The sight of the small female so close and safe kindled a deep and comfortable warmth in his chest, the feeling growing as he pulled her closer to him, gently placing a kiss over her mess of hair. A small chuckle escaped him at the endearing sight of the petite woman in her animal print pyjamas and crazy bed hair, as he brushed the strands away gently.
"Oi Lana! I can't believe this, you're still asleep?! It's past eleven..." Franky's words trailed off as he burst through the door and saw what lay in his friend's room. His eyes widened comically and before he could scream in shock for the world to hear, he was cut off with a menacing glare from the green-haired swordsman, his hands reaching for his swords threateningly. Franky clamped his hand over his mouth in a rush, though a muffled squeal of joy still managed to escape. He couldn't help but look between the still slumbering woman and the man who only continued to glare, wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner at their position.
"Go away, Franky" Zoro growled out, not having the energy to deal with the cola-loving shipwright this early on in the morning. He fell back onto the bed, running a hand through his ruffled hair in frustration at the turn of events. This should be fun to explain.
"Oh my, suppeeerrr cute! Do you see how adorable the both of you are?" Franky questioned in mild disbelief, still not fully comprehending the scene before him. Their movements still as the small strategist mumbles in her sleep, twisting away from Zoro in her efforts to return to the peaceful lull that was present before. Just as she was about to fall of the edge of the bed, Zoro gently pulls her back against him, bringing her to rest across his chest as she returns to snuggling against him. The man wasn't willing to openly admit that he preferred having Lana closer to him, within the solace of his arms.
"I think I'm gonna die of a heart attack" Franky mutters, his hands clamped together over his heart, expression reminiscent of a crazy fanboy, though it quickly fades away upon realising the purpose of his visit.
"Oh, the both of you need to get up. Breakfast's ready, and the others want to discuss plans for when we arrive at Zou" Franky mentioned turning to leave, but paused in the doorway.
"So... When did this happen?" His cheeky question was met with a pillow to the head, leaving him to burst out in boisterous laughter as he walked away. The cyborg fully knew he wasn't going to get an answer, his aim only to fluster the normally stoic first-mate.
"Get lost!" Zoro yelled after the cyborg, his laugh resonating throughout the empty halls. Realising it was really time to wake, Zoro turned to the still sleeping brunette to nudge her awake.
"Lana, wake up. You need to eat" Zoro muttered, placing a quick kiss to her forehead before throwing the sheets off, sitting up with his feet on the ground as he reached to the side table for his clothes.
"Mhh, I'm up" Lana muttered, her eyes drowsily following Zoro pull on his robe and boots in her morning haze. The man usually slept only in a pair of loose pyjama trousers, always being too lazy to put on a shirt, though it never drew complaints from the women. The green-haired swordsman grabbed his swords after dressing, tying them to his haramaki as the final touch, before turning to the now dozing brunette.
"I'm heading down first, get dressed. Also, you might want to tame that monster before leaving" Zoro snickered as he gestured to the wild strands atop the brunette's head. Lana grumbled at the remark, reaching down to the floor and grabbing her slipper, chucking the piece of footwear at the man as he dashed for the door, chuckles echoing down the hall as he quickly walked away, leaving Lana to get ready on her own.
Lana's POV
That idiot.
I think fondly of the moss-haired man. Sometimes, I would wonder how I had developed feelings for the moron, or at what point I had developed them. As I washed up in the connecting bathroom, the unfamiliar surroundings brought me back to our current predicament.
We, as in Luffy, Zoro, Franky, Robin, Usopp, Law and I, had remained behind to finish up the mess in Dressrosa whilst Brook, Nami, Sanji and Chopper had gone on ahead to Zou. That was where we were currently sailing to, it seemed from my calculations that it would take us another week to get there.
Tying on the chunky black ankle boots Robin had dropped off last night, I pulled long honey brown tresses into a high ponytail, loose strands falling to frame my face as they were too short to tie back. Whilst pulling on a clean white turtle neck, I notice the new scars littering my upper body. They would heal with time, but my thoughts ran back to the attack on the beach with Law at Dressrosa, recalling the words of the Marine Admiral who left me barely alive in the foliage of the forest.
"I remember you, though you may not remember me. We didn't meet under normal circumstances.
I admit, what was done to you was unjust, simply because you wanted to go on your way in peace. But you must know, the information you know is not meant to leave those outside the World Government, and there is a reason for that.
Though I do not agree with their way, I see their side. Consider this a favour returned on behalf of your grandfather. Farewell"
I shudder at the recollection, finally knowing what he meant when he said we had met before. We had first met back on Level 6, in Impel Down.
I could see why I couldn't remember him, seeing as I was delirious with pain most of my time there. Turning away from the mirror, I walk out of the room and down the corridor that lead to the outside deck. The deck was bustling with activity, crewmen running back and forth, carrying boxes and rope to different sections of the ship. Some could even be seen transporting livestock.
Some of the pirates turned towards me, their attention drawn by the squeaking of the door I had just walked through, their eyes lingering as I moved towards the stairs leading to the upper deck. I notice them whispering between themselves, some outright pointing at me as they conversed. I try to avoid their gaze, the watchful eyes making me uncomfortable as I take two steps at a time towards the cabin that housed the kitchen.
I hadn't been formally introduced to the captain of the ship, nor any of the allies that Luffy had gained at Dressrosa, but I hear from Robin that the captain, Bartolomeo, was quite a character. Robin refused to elaborate more on the matter, saying she was leaving it up to my imagination. Though it wasn't hard to start building a picture together at the sight of the large Luffy memorial I was faced with as I walked through the doors.
"Hey Lana! Good to see you finally up!" Usopp calls out from where he's surrounded by a few pirates who seem to be exchanging stories. Despite his knack for lying, he never struggled with socialising, something I could admit as I saw him return back to the conversation with more enthusiasm. I throw back a greeting in return, before turning my focus to the parallel sofas that stood in the middle of the room, a large wooden table separating them. I spot Luffy, Law and Robin sitting across from two pirates, with Zoro and Franky stood beside them on either side. One of the pirates had flowing blonde curls and the other a bright neon green mohawk.
"Morning" I smile to the others and turn to the two I wasn't familiar with. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Lana, strategist of the Straw Hat Pirates" I grin with a hand outstretched to the green haired man courteously. His response though wasn't what I was expecting, as he only sat and stared with a gaping mouth. I slowly retract my hand, glancing to Robin and Zoro in confusion and worry as the man's eyes only seem to widen.
"I-Is something wrong?" I ask hesitantly, looking for help but Luffy only laughs boisterously as he continuous to chow down on some meat and Robin only chuckles, shaking her head with a smile. Law looks exasperated as he turns another page of the newspaper he's sifting through, and Zoro only starts to frown at the man, his glare growing darker with each seconds.
"La-Lana SENPAI!!" The man shouted, freaking me out as he jumped up from his seat, spasming about as he continued to scream, clearly in his own world of fantasy as he began to spew words that at this point didn't even make any sense.
"'The hell is wrong with this guy?" I mutter, looking to Zoro who could only raise an eyebrow, showing an exasperated frown.
"Seriously? You don't even want to know" He mumbled, pulling me down to sit on the arm of the sofa he stood beside. A passing member of one of the crews abroad handed me a plate stacked with fruit and pancakes, stating that this was the portion the others had kept aside for me for breakfast seeing as I had missed it sleeping in.
"Thank you" I smiled at the man, who only flushed before rushing off, his friends laughing and slapping him on the back. I only smiled at their antics before turning to the food, moving it so it was between Zoro and I for us to share.
As Zoro and I finished off the plate, we listened to the others discuss our heading. We were on track to land at Zou within the next week, in hopes of meeting up with Law's crew and the rest of ours. We were briefly informed of the new bounties that had come out, with mine not changing much and the others only increasing.
There were more introductions, with the green-haired fanboy finally sputtering his name out as Bartolomeo, the captain of the ship we were currently on, and the blonde haired man introduced as Cavendish who, as well as a few other individuals had aided in the take down of Doflamingo back on Dressrosa.
It quickly became routine. Waking in the morning with a certain marimo often for company, eating with the crew members and discussing plans with Law and Robin, in anticipation for our expected arrival at Zou. There was this lull, of not having the weight of the world on my shoulders, and though the load hadn't lessened, there was this sense of ease that I had taken a shining to.
I couldn't quite tell if it was the knowledge that Sabo was still alive that did it, but as I stood on deck, leaning against the railing as I gazed out to the open sea with the stars twinkling down and the moon a thin crescent, I couldn't hope to be anywhere else in the world at that moment.
I jolted in shock as a pair of arm circled my waist, bringing me to lean back against them. Sighing in content, I allowed my hands to come to rest above their own where they rested against my stomach. A gentle kiss was placed against my temple, with the arms tightening a fraction.
"I don't know why, but I feel so... serene" I muttered, my eyes still drawn to the moon-lit waters gently pushing and pulling with the tide.
"You don't have to have a reason, sometimes you just have to treasure the feeling" Zoro murmured into the top of my hair. Again that feeling of warmth and safety began to overtake any thoughts that had remained bouncing about my head.
"When did you begin spouting words of wisdom oh noble one?" I chuckled, laughing a little louder when I was nudged a little in the stomach by swordsman.
"Oh hush, I was trying to keep the mood going" He scowled, though the twitching corners of his lips couldn't hide his amusement.
"I wonder sometimes, if I had settled in some village, working a simple job, maybe a book keeper, as I had originally planned to do after I left the Navy, would I have still met all of you one day? Simply as Luffy's sister" I mused, the words drawing Zoro to turn me around in his arms so we could be face to face.
"I think at one point we would have been drawn to each other. Considering you're the only sane one in your family, the crew and I would have eventually run to you to help deal with the madness that is our captain" Zoro and I chuckled at the thought, an image of the others running away with tears streaming down their face in horror as a cartoon villain version of Luffy ran in chase.
"One thing for sure though, I'm glad things played out the way they did. Despite the ups and downs, I'm really glad" I smiled as Zoro leaned down, placing several chaste kisses on my lips before leaning back, a grin just as wide as my own on his own lips.
"Me too"
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Hi, long time no see *nervous laughter*
I've been so busy with work and university I just never had the time to relax and write, so I hope this is good enough of an apology.
I had the chance to read through this book from the beginning and jeez its worse than I remembered. I'll be going through a huge editing spree once this chapter is up so expect that coming.
As always, comment because I always enjoy what you guys have to say and I hope everyone is keeping safe and following their government's advice in these troubling times - stay safe and take care of yourselves <3