One piece

Don't Jump

On top of the roof, the air is so cold and so calm

I say your name in silence

You don't want to hear it right now

The eyes of the city

Are counting the tears falling down

Each one a promise

Of everything you never found

It wasn't uncommon for Nami to have nightmares, given her past and all. And it wasn't uncommon for the nightmares to be about her childhood in Coco village and the events that led her to the life she as now. But these nightmares in themselves were few and far between, so they never really bothered her.

As of recently, however, she found herself plagued by these nightmares. But the worst part of all was the fact that the events of these nightmares were untrue to a point. Because of this Nami found herself slipping farther and farther into insomnia.

The disturbing images haunted her even when her eyes were open. Like a horror movie playing on a screen in the back of her mind. She was cursed.

She found herself jumping at everything and even avoiding arguments. HER! Avoiding arguments! She loved to argue, it exhilarated her. It was like a hobby for her. But now, she felt less and less inclined to care about winning.

This seemed to go well with the rest of the crew, well most of them.

What she didn't know, was that Zolo had been watching her. You see, Zolo also loved to argue, but only when he was arguing with her. For a while now, Zolo he realized that he had feelings for Nami. Why not, she was smart, beautiful, cunning, and strong. He loved to argue with her, because he loved the way she looked when she was mad. Her face flushed, her eyes got brighter and her whole way of carrying herself changed.

Recently, however, when ever he tried to provoke her, she just ignored him. That irritated him to no end. Of course after he got over the initial irritation, he took the time to watch her and he realized she wasn't just avoiding arguments, she was avoiding him completely. He also noticed her evident jumpiness. That defiantly couldn't be good.

Late One Night

Nami sat in the crows nest, starring out into the stars blankly. Night watch seemed to be the only way she could stay awake to avoid her nightmares. It took every ounce of what little energy she had not to break down and cry every time she saw Zolo. The nightmares were different every night, with the same basic plot of course, but no matter how different they were, but no matter how different they were, the same scene was always in them.

When Zolo had been captured by Arlong, they threw him off the dock… in real life she jumped in and pulled him out. But in the nightmares she couldn't move. She was frozen in place. She screamed at herself to jump in, to save him, but she couldn't.

Then everything would go still, and all of a sudden a mass of blood would bubble to the surface. She would scream in her mind but her lips would never part. Then everything would go black and she would find herself starring down at her step mother's dead body, her cold, lifeless eyes starring back at her accusingly.

After that she would wake in a cold sweat, breathing heavy and praying for sanctuary. It was enough to make you want to jump overboard.

Nami was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a tremor from someone landing next to her in the crow's nest. She looked to where said person was and felt her heart constrict with guilt immediately.

"Yo," Zolo said sitting down next to her. Nami looked away and kept her eyes focused on the sky in front of them.

"Hey." She replied quietly. Zolo watched her and never once sis she look up at him. He was at a loss for what to do, what to say. He wasn't exactly one to share his emotions, much less be the kind to listen to other's problems. He knew he had to try if he was going to help her.

"What's going with you lately?" Zolo asked, deciding to get to the point. Nami remained silent as she thought about the question. Zolo continued when she didn't answer. "You seem jumpier. And you've been avoiding people, arguments….me." he said the last word almost silently, but Nami heard it clearly.

She hadn't realized that he may have figured out she was avoiding him.

"I mean I know you hate me and all, but you've never given up a chance to argue." Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes.

"I don't hate you." She whispered. Zolo smirked.

"Really? Could've fooled me." He replied.

"Well I don't." she snapped. He had her.

"Are you sure?" Zolo asked provoking her.

"Oh my god! You're such an ass!" she exclaimed. "What the hell do you want from me?" tears flowed from her eyes as she glared at Zolo. He watched her in shock, not expecting this reason. "Don't you think I feel bad enough about everything?"

zolo watched her dumbfounded. What the hell was she talking about? All of a sudden Nami gasped and covered her mouth. She'd said way too much.

"Nami, what the hell is going on?" Zolo said, done laying games.

"Nothing." Nami repied plainly.

"No, not nothing. It's not anything close to nothing." Zolo exclaimed. "What's going on!" Nami looked away in shame. "Nami?" Zolo questioned, his tone dramatically softening.

"The dreams. " She whispered, never looking up at him. "I can't sleep." She continued.

"What are they about?" he asked. She didn't reply. "Nami? Please, maybe I can help."

"Their….their about…you." She struggled.

"Me?" he questioned surprised.

"In Coco village. I didn't go after you." She continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "All the blood, and then her eyes so cold and empty." Tears spilled from her eyes as she buried her head in her knees.

Zolo watched her in shock. He had no idea she cared so much. It was at that moment, that he knew what he could do to help her.

"Nami." Zolo whispered as he brought her closer to him. "Relax." He continued. Nami gasped as she felt his proximity. She lifted her head and turned to look at him.

"What…" he sentence was cut short, when Zolo pressed his lips to hers gently.

She didn't respond at her first, but eventually she found herself melting into his being as his hands began to wander.

After a few minutes he pulled away from her and pulled his shirt over his head. Balling it up, he set it on the floor behind them and then slowly pushed Nami back on her back so her head was lying on his shirt like a pillow.

"What are you doing?" she whispered breathlessly.

"Trust me." He replied.

Zolo starred up at the sky watching the stars as Nami laid next to him, her using his arm as a pillow. He knew he loved her, and he had no regrets of what he did. But somehow he knew that everything around them wouldn't last. This contentment would disappear the minute she didn't need him anymore.

Zolo was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a light peck on his cheek. He looked over to see Nami smiling tiredly at him.

"Hey." She whispered.

"Hey." He replied.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Probably a little after three."

"Mmm." Nami moaned sleepily as she curled up closer to Zolo's side. "I love you." She whispered as she slowly drifted back to sleep. Zolo smiled.

Or maybe it wouldn't

A/N: Here's my first One Piece story, please read and review!

-RED