Wine for Your Sake [Zoro x OC]

8. The Owner

(POV: Juniper) - 4 years ago

The old man shrugs on his coat. "Come with me."

I groan. "Are you taking me out to gamble again?"

"Yes."

"Stop it already," I protest. "Why should you use me to cheat so you can earn some extra beli? Isn't bounty hunting enough?!"

"Other people cheat too."

"That's not the point I'm trying to make, old man!"

He shakes his head. "You're just like your mother."

"You'll find that the majority of people have some sort of moral compass," I counter.

"Not the majority," he mutters to himself.

I scoff. "I oughta make you lose so you never go to that damn pub again."

"Hey, brat," he snaps. "Don't forget that I'm the one who taught you Observation Haki."

I stick out my tongue. "And don't forget that I'm better at it than you."

"Leave her alone, Father," Kal scorns. "Besides, if she leaves now, she'll miss-"

"Dinner!" I shout, immediately rushing to the dining table. "This is..."

"The best wild-caught fish I could find on the market today," Kal answers. "With rice and bell peppers."

I inhale the steam floating through the room. "It's been a while since you cooked, Kal."

He turns away, pursing his lips. "Well, I just felt like it today. And... happy birthday, sis."

A grin spreads across my face while I begin gobbling down the sea bass. "Thank you! This is delicious!"

The mood is quickly interrupted as Tal comes sprinting down the stairs.

"Hey, boy!" The old man shouts. "Where are you going?"

"The Celestial Dragons are here," he growls. "I'm coming to pay them a visit."

Kal reacts first, lunging at Tal and tackling him down before he takes a step out the front door. "You're not leaving this house, Tal!"

"Get off me!" He roars.

Kal and Tal turn their heads to me as if they heard me slow my chewing.

"Oh..." Tal trails off. "Happy birthday, sis."

Kal gets off of him with a scowl on his face. "You're such a jackass."

Tal sits up and shoots me a guilty glance. "I suppose I should eat dinner with you."

"You're damn right you should." The old man grabs him by his shirt and throws him onto the chair next to me. "All three of you sit tight here. I'll go outside to check up on what's going on."

Before he closes the door behind him, he pauses in his tracks. "And that is an order."

The door slams behind him. My nerves shake in response to the echo of his authoritative command.

"Is Mama outside bounty hunting again?" I ask.

Kal nods, then jolts himself out of his train of thought. "Wait, I almost forgot."

Out of his wine cooler, he takes out a glass bottle. He pours the red wine into a cup.

"Ahah!" I gasp. "I knew I saw you picking grapes a while ago!"

"Enjoy."

No matter how much I believe I expect it, the first sip is hard on my taste buds, satisfying every itch on my tongue. It blooms with a wild flavor at just the right sweetness. The alcohol warms my throat like a hearth would a cold pair of hands, but doesn't burn it.