Wine for Your Sake [Zoro x OC]

16. Excuses

(POV: Zoro)

Jun was right. I have no reason to keep going up there and making sure she does her job. It's been a week since I accidentally fell asleep next to her. I couldn't help it - I was too damn exhausted.

But that means that now, I'm running low on excuses. I'm running out of practical reasons why I come up there every night to check up on her.

Can't I just say I go up there because I want to go up there?

I scoff. Of course, I do. She has something I want. The deal we've made has been keeping us together. I teach her my Armament Haki, she teaches me her Observation Haki.

No more, no less.

Yet here I am, clinging onto the rope ladder leading right up to the crow's nest. Again. This time, when I poke my head through the entrance, she's not around.

I could have sworn she went up here.

I scan the dark room, looking for any traces of her. On the floor, there is a roll of bandages, the roll she took from me.

"Welcome back, Pirate Hunter," her voice calls from a distance.

It's not coming from inside the room, but it's close by. I use my Observation Haki and sense her above me. What is she doing on the roof?

Now that I think about it, one window has been open. I lean out the opening and crane my head up. I can't see her from this angle.

"What are you waiting for?" She asks. "Come up here."

I squeeze through the window and sit on the frame. Now, I can see her sitting above the top window, where the curved roof straightens to a gable. She has one leg hanging over each side like she's riding a pony.

"Why are you on the roof?"

"You've asked one too many questions," she remarks. "You scared or something?"

I ignore her and hoist myself up. It's a bit challenging, I'll admit, especially since the room is shaped like a closed bowl; the walls are angled outward. I secure one hand on the roof, but I can't get a grip on it.

The roof is glossy and clean as marble, and suddenly I find myself slipping off the edge.

"Shit," I curse.

"Shit," Jun echoes.

She gets off the gable and slides down the curve, extending a hand and grabbing me by the hand. We continue sliding until she takes out one sword and stabs it into the roof. We skid to a stop.

One foot is barely on the roof, the other is well over the edge. She grunts, trying to keep her grip on my hand.

"You're fucking heavy," she manages through gritted teeth.

I scoff. "If I'm heavy, then you're weak."

She rolls her eyes. "Fair enough."

"Are you gonna pull me up now?"

"Give me a second."

"Just get me up to the roof. I'll pull myself up."

"Hoh. Just like how you did a few seconds ago?"

"Now I know how slippery it is."

She flexes every muscle in her arms and throws me over - right to the pole sticking out in the middle of the dome. I grab a hold of it before I can fly any further and plummet down from the other side.

"You're welcome," she says before yanking out her sword and jumping back on the gable.

"How did you even get up here?"