Little Nothings | Drabbles

we're as good as we need to be

"Hey, Zoro?"

"Yeah?"

He sounds half-asleep. He probably is.

"You think we're good together?"

She's not expecting an answer, not really. This is her letting her tongue get the better of her judgement, rapid-fire thoughts spouting off before she can leash them. So she doesn't mind the silence as she nestles further back into Zoro's warm chest, head lolling, eyelids fluttering in the realm between sleep and consciousness. She's tucked in between his bent knees, cradled against his chest; he's wrapped an arm around her waist, firm yet loose, and the other she knows is cushioning his head. The sway of the hammock beneath them has lulled her usually sprinting heart into a gentle rhythm, conducive more to sleep than heartfelt conversations.

That steady, slow beat stutters - just a bit - when she feels his arm tighten around her.

"Why are you asking?"

The sleepy murmur has fallen away from his voice, leaving behind a sharp, inquisitive edge. He isn't offended; no, there'd be far more yelling, far more insults being traded back and forth if that were the case. Raya swallows dryly, skimming her fingers down the length of his forearm; the muscles she passes over loosen at the touch of her fingertips, and a sloppy smile tugs at the corner of her mouth.

"'Snothing," she says softly, shaking her head. "Just... it's just my curiosity, ya know, going off on a tangent or something. And, I dunno, Nami was gushing the other day about us, how we're like, meant for each other, and... I've never thought about it that much."

When Zoro says nothing, just breathes and waits, she goes on to say, "Meant to be, I mean. Fate, at least not when it comes to this, relationships, lovers, whatever. Soulmates." The word tastes funny to her - a mixture of sweet and sour, a promise and a curse in the same breath. She brushes aside the thought. "Never really considered that kinda stuff, mostly 'cause I didn't give much credit to the idea of me finding anyone on Maya. Hard to get all warm an' fuzzy over anyone when you're the island freak."

She laughs, and even she's surprised that it's genuine, huffy and low but oh-so telling. Raya's lost the tang of animosity that nearly always overtakes her when she reminisces about her time on her home island; she hasn't forgotten or forgiven anything, but she can relate stories and memories without literally bursting into flames over them. That's progress alright. And stupidly fortunate, given that she doubts Zoro would take too kindly to her scorching his more sensitive areas.

"I'm still a freak," she muses after a moment, tilting her head so that she catches Zoro's eye. A devious smile lights up her eyes. "But I'm your freak, and you're totally stuck with me. Ha. Sucks for you."

Zoro rolls his eyes, but she knows it's out of fondness more than it is exasperation. She's learned to read him about as well as he reads her during these months they've spent together, antagonizing and supporting each other in equal measures.

"Idiot," he mutters, snaking his arm away from her to ruffle her hair, tugging a little at the chin-length crimson strands. She grins and leans into the touch. "I knew what I was getting into."

"Oh?" Raya lifts a brow in mock skepticism. "Did you really? I'm a demon, you know - I'm unpredictable, wily, hellish. All that good stuff. Think you can handle all that?"

"Aren't you always going off about how much you hate that name?"

"Yes. And I still hate it. It's fucking humiliating, is what it is. But hey, far be it from me not to take advantage of it every now and then. Every lie has a grain of truth in it, etcetera, etcetera."

Zoro smirks. "If you're a demon, Aka, then I'm the Sea Devil himself."

"Aw, look at you, acting like you're such hot stuff. That's my territory, Swordsman."

"Hot stuff? Really? That the best you can do?"

"Oh, don't get me started, Swordsman! I'll break out all the fire puns! I may have threatened to melt Usopp's lips together if he used 'em on me, but that doesn't mean I can't be funny."

"You. Funny. Ha, ha."

"You're terrible."

"Idiot."

"Ass."

Zoro barks out a laugh at that, dropping his hand to rest warmly against her collarbone, fingers splayed lazily. A rush of affection zips through Raya, and before she's even thought it through she's raising herself up on her elbows to press her lips to Zoro's. It's a quick kiss, and she's ruining even that by smiling like a madwoman, but he doesn't seem to mind much; when she pulls away he's still smirking, eyes hooded thoughtfully.

Settling back into her previous position, Raya prods questioningly at Zoro's knee, pursing her lips.

"What?" she asks. "What's with that look? Did I look as stupid and sappy as I thought I did? Because if so, no way in hell are you holding that against me, Swordsman! 'Cause Nami will find out about it, and she will mercilessly--"

"Shut up, Aka."

"Shutting up."

For a while, they lay together like that, swinging softly in the hammock. Enjoying the mutual quiet. Enjoying each other. It's not often that Raya gets the chance to just be with Zoro like this, even though it's something she appreciated even before they made themselves official in the eyes of their lovely navigator. Always there's something going on - some threat on the horizon, some asshole making noise around them. Marines or bandits, other pirates, more marines. And then, there's their nosy crewmates, who tend to make incredibly convenient excuses to tag along with Raya and Zoro, no matter the occasion. Sanji, of course, leads the charge in that regard, but Nami claims that she finds them adorable, and therefore wants to study them. For whatever reason; it's something that neither Raya nor Zoro has been able to parse out since they heard it from her the first time.

But that's irrelevant for now.

They'd made a supply run this morning, and in a spontaneous burst of hey-we're-not-dead-again-let's-fucking-celebrate Sanji had declared that they'd be throwing themselves a little party that evening. When the Straw Hats party, though, things are bound to go awry - and Raya would definitely have been a part of that awry-ness (being a member of Shanks' crew, she inherited a fierce desire to challenge people to increasingly ridiculous drinking contests, and makes frequent use of her new-found skills with holding her liquor) had Zoro not grabbed her while the others were hauling sake out from below-deck.

He'd held up twin bottles of something super-alcoholic and smirked, and that was it. No further coercing needed. She followed him to where he'd set up a hammock (just like old times, huh?), and, well - here they are, hours later, not really drunk and too close to sleep, all the while their friends rally somewhere on the main deck.

Raya really couldn't have asked for a better night, if she's being honest. And she's making a point to be honest with everyone. Not that she'd been lying her ass off before, but... being truthful, even when it hurts... she thinks it'd be good for her, for the others.

"Yeah."

The rich timbre of Zoro's voice rouses Raya from her near-slumber, and she tips her head back to blink blearily at him, baffled. He's smirking again, but there's a distinct lack of smugness in the expression that she finds absolutely fascinating.

"Wha'?" she slurs, knuckling sleep from her eyes and stifling a yawn.

"I think we're good together."

Raya blinks again. Twice. Three times. Then she breaks out into a brilliant smile, tinged as it is with a sort of knowing, and closes her eyes, nuzzling into his chest.

"Good thing, Swordsman. I woulda dropped your demonic ass if you thought otherwise."

She falls asleep to the sound of Zoro laughing quietly, his heartbeat loud in her ears and his hands warm on her skin. 

[set at some undetermined point post-For Peace of Mind and Loss of Heart]