Changing Tides (Zoro x OC)

In Which Zoro Forgets Where He Lives

Chapter 6

Unfortunately, Christmas Eve ended up not being as jolly as Saya had hoped. After helping take Ace home, she had to go to work at the bar with her father and Marco. When she let out multiple whines about wanting to stay home with Ace, her dad reminded her that she had already missed a few days of work because she been with Ace at the hospital and that she had been the one who wanted to work at the bar in the first place so she better stop whining. This shut Saya up, and after pulling on a pair of tights, a jean skirt with one of her work shirts tucked in, and a pair of black ankle boots, she was out the door with her brother and father.

Work took a turn for the better, though, when a familiar moss-head walked through the door. He took off his coat as he sat down at one of the bar stools, his three gold earrings on his left ear jingling in the process. Before Marco could make his way over to Zoro to serve him, Saya hurriedly cut him off. The male blinked a few times as Saya appeared in front of him, trying to process the sudden change.

"Hiya Mossy~! What can I get for you?" she beamed, leaning forward a little.

"U-uh hi...just some Sake please..." Zoro muttered, taken aback by her overly cheerful attitude.

"Sure thing~!" she chimed as she quickly placed the drink in front of him, only leaving him alone for about a second to get it.

"Thanks," he grunted, pouring some of the Sake into the ceramic cup and downing it quickly, "why are you so cheerful tonight?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at her as she let out a giggle.

"Cause it's Christmas Eve~! Why would I not be cheerful?" she teased, noticing he didn't grumble something in response like he normally did, just downed another cup of Sake. She furrowed her brows, "how come you're not with your family tonight?"

He shrugged, "Mihawk is out of town and Perona is spending Christmas with her girlfriend's family." After he finished he downed another cup, finishing the bottle, "how come you're not with yours? I'd figure you wouldn't want to leave Ace's side till he had completely recovered."

"I didn't. But alas, duty called and I've already missed too many days of work here while staying with him at the hospital," Saya related as she left him for a second and came back with another bottle of Sake for the green-haired male.

He gave her a questioning look, "...I didn't ask for another?"

"I know," Saya smiled as she nudged it over to him gently, "its on the house. Think of it as an early Christmas gift."

Zoro's cheeks glowed red, and he could only manage to grumble out a flustered thanks before he broke into the new bottle out of nervousness.

Saya giggled at the sight of the flustered moss-head. "By the way, I'm happy you came in. This shift really sucked but you're making it enjoyable," she winked before walking away to serve another customer that had approached the bar. Leaving a blushing Zoro behind.

As the night went on, Zoro got progressively more drunk as the three family members kept serving him not realizing that any of the others were as well. Zoro was good at holding his alcohol, so no one could tell how drunk he really was.

Saya had come out from behind the bar with a tray full of drinks and a couple of basket of fries, heading over to a hightop behind where Zoro was sitting. She offered him another wink as she passed, not noticing the smirk on his face as she did so.

"Here are your drinks, anddd" she sang as she put the fries down on the table in front of a blonde man probably in his 40s and his friend who was probably the same age but with black hair, "your fries!" She added with a cheery smile. "Need anything else?"