Once Upon a Prison Cell//Roronoa Zoro [COMPLETED]

PART III: THE END? OR THE BEGINNING?

Zoro found her below the crow's nest, a blanket over herself.

"It's not your turn for night watch," he bluntly stated.

"I know, I just thought the sky looked pretty tonight," she smiled at the sky.

"You don't really get to stargaze when you're in the Marines."

He raised a brow at her and kept his gaze on her.

°        °       °

"Okay, fine!" She snapped and finally met his gaze. "I wanted a drink!" She brought out the bottle from under her blanket.

Muttering something that closely sounded like "idiot", he sat down next to her.

Looking like a child caught in a misdeed, she had an embarassed glow to her face. Nevertheless, she took a swig out of the bottle and then offered it to him.

He accepted and took a swig himself.

"In my defence, the sky is pretty tonight," she justified herself, half the words getting swallowed by the growing pout on her lips. (A/N: this is how I imagine she looks like- (ಠ⁠3ಠ) send help lmao)

A guest of wind blew over and she felt the night breeze get chillier.

She made a move to cover his legs too with the blanket.

"I don't-" he started. -need it.

But she wordlessly dismissed his protests and  successfully covered them both, scooching in a little closer herself for more coverage. (A/N: Note to self- she is dense and oblivious.)

They continued to drink in silence until she spoke.

"You know," she began. "My Uncle, he never sent any men after me. "

She took another gulp from the bottle and passed it to him.

"Maybe he knew I was going to leave sooner or later and had already accepted it a long time ago. Maybe he knew I was going to quit eventually."

She paused as though in thought and started again. "Did you know? He was there that day when you escaped . He had dropped by for a visit when you and Luffy-san were breaking out of prison."

She looked aimlessly at the air around her. "He was at the pier with me too. He could've gone after you lot but he didn't. He stayed back and comforted me. Maybe he had known since then. Maybe way before, maybe all along."

Zoro turned the bottle upside down. There was no more wine left.

After a bit of silence, she heard him say, "You cried?"

Heat bloomed in her face. She turned to him sharply and said, "Thaaat. Is Not. The POInt!"

"So you did."

She hastily looked away, grumbling and muttering under her breath.

Zoro caught a hint of the word "annoying" come out from her mouth and he retorted, " I'm not annoying. You are."

She gave him one last retort before she leaned her head back on the wall and shut her eyes.

"Shut up. We both are."
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The next morning, Ussop who was sent to wake the "dumbass marimo" (Sanji's words), found the ex-marine next to him, empty wine bottles by their side.

Her head was lolled back against the wall and her mouth slightly open, still not awake. The moss head was also still asleep, his head seeming to have fallen over on her shoulder during the night.