A/N: First, thank you to those who read the previous chapter and special thanks to those who were kind enough to leave encouraging reviews. I completed most of this chapter in three days after I published the first one but I couldn't come up with an ending, hence the late update. This chapter didn't turn out the way I envisioned but hey, that's the half the fun of writing. I hope you enjoy!

Warning: Contains adult themes.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of its characters, places, plots and other ideas. Such claim belongs to the one and only Eiichiro Oda.

The Space Between Rain and Sunshine

Early summer rain fell lightly upon the dusty road of Shimotsuki Village, blanketing the world in a thin veil and muting its colors in a shade of grey. Docked at the only harbor of the island, the Thousand Sunny rocked gently upon the waves while its inhabitants had taken shelter inside the galley to wait for the return of their swordsman and navigator, ready to set sail towards their next destination.

When the Straw Hat pirates – now the proud crew of the Pirate King – found themselves back in East Blue after five years of adventure on the Grand Line, the first five members of the crew were overwhelmed with nostalgia for their hometowns. They decided to visit Foosha Village first where they spent the past three months partying and stirring up general havoc in a way that only Luffy can. But as much as Luffy loved his hometown and Makino's home cooked meals that brought back memories of his childhood, he was anxious to set sail again after three months of staying on the same island. It also didn't help that the Straw Hat pirates drank the village dry of all the alcohol and devoured all the meat. So the Pirate King ordered the crew to set sail, waving his straw hat cheerfully to the people of Foosha Village, promising to come back with more tales of their adventure.

Which brings the Straw Hat pirates to their current location – Shimotsuki Village where Zoro grew up. They spent the past month and a half visiting the Isshin Dojo where Zoro learned the art of swordsmanship.

The Straw Hat pirates were an instant hit at the dojo especially with the young disciples who had been practicing santoryu since Zoro's bounty poster came out. Taking advantage of their hero worship, Usopp weaved tales of their adventure – spiced liberally with exaggerations and outright fiction – to his eager, wide-eyed audience much to his delight. Robin reveled in the long history of the village, often going off by herself to the nearby temples to talk with the monks and villagers. She always came back with a local legend or an interesting piece of information to share with the crew.

In the meantime, Sanji was overjoyed to discover many female students of Koshiro's kenjutsu, who had wanted to keep Kuina's dream alive of becoming the world's greatest swordsman despite being a girl and welcomed female students with open arms. Now, though, for the first time Koshiro was regretting his decision just a tiny bit seeing how Sanji's constant noodling around the dojo was breaking his beloved students' concentrations. He shook his head and sighed, praying for strength to keep up with this rambunctious crew of fun-loving pirates.

As for Zoro, he spent most of his time with Koshiro or meditating by himself in the tranquility of the dojo. They talked about the goings-on in the village, the news around the Grand Line, the opponents he had fought – most recently Dracule Mihawk, a battle that lasted three days on Kuraigana Island from which Zoro came out victorious, bloodied and barely hanging on through sheer force of will but victorious nonetheless – and Kuina. Zoro thought it would be painful and awkward to talk about his dead childhood friend especially with the father of the aforementioned friend, but he was surprised to find comfort and peace to talk about Kuina to someone who remembered her as he had.

When Zoro told Nami about it that evening as they lay side by side on the futon, she squeezed his hand and told him she was glad. He squeezed back and held on to her hand even as he fell into slumber, dreaming of a dark-haired girl grinning at him in the distance.

So when the time came to say goodbye to Shimotsuki Village and the dojo, Zoro asked Luffy to delay their departure for just another half a day so that he can visit Kuina's grave – a final goodbye to his childhood. Luffy who had always been intuitive about what is truly important, nodded his permission and told him to take his time. Zoro nodded his thanks and walked into the rain with Nami at his side. She had insisted on going with him, saying that there was a very high risk that he might get lost despite the fact that he grew up on this very island. In the background, he could hear the love-cook making threats, "Don't you dare get my precious Nami-san wet and cold in the rain, you shitty swordsman!" Zoro twitched in annoyance but Nami's small hand slid into his, reminding both him and the stupid curly brow that Nami was his and his only.

They walked away from the village and into the hills where Kuina's grave was situated. When they arrived, Nami placed a small bouquet of summer flowers at the base of her gravestone – a simple white stone engraved with her name. They stood side by side under the umbrella, their heads bowed in respectful silence and remembrance of her memory. After a few moments, Zoro handed Nami the umbrella and pulled Wado Ichimonji out of his haramaki. Without a word, he placed the white sword against her gravestone – the very sword that had earned him the title of the world's greatest swordsman.

"You're the greatest swords master in the world now, Kuina. You're the only one that I couldn't beat, remember? Thanks for Wado Ichimonji… And for giving me my dream," said Zoro quietly to the grave. "I'm giving it back to you now."

He placed his hand on the white gravestone, tracing her name one last time – the name of the young girl who never had a chance to grow up into a woman she could have been, the girl who had given him the determination to become the world's greatest.

"Goodbye," said Zoro quietly, his voice unwavering yet bittersweet.

He turned and looked at Nami standing at his shoulder, her eyes full with emotion. He took the umbrella from her hands and brushed his lips on her forehead, light and gentle as the rain falling about them.

Nami smiled up at him and said, "Come on, let's get back to the others."

They walked along the dusty road leading back to the village in companionable silence listening to the gentle plip plop of raindrops hitting the umbrella over their heads. Zoro tugged Nami a bit closer to his side, pulling her further into the safety of the umbrella he was holding. She leaned into him, her left arm curling naturally into the crook of his arm. Zoro tilted the umbrella slightly to the right, making sure that Nami was better sheltered from the rain.

He inhaled deeply, the faint scent of Nami – a mix of fresh parchment and tangerines – and the pungent smell of early summer roses, the rain, and the earth… It was funny how he used to hate the rain. Now, it brought back memories of the day two years ago; the day Zoro whispered the three little words.

I love you.

"Land ho!" exclaimed Usopp from the crow's nest. "An island straight ahead!"

It was late in the evening when Usopp first caught sight of land, rousing the crew from the sleepy lull that had fallen over the Sunny who were getting ready to retire for the night. Everyone spilled out onto the deck and looked towards a speck on the horizon that Usopp was pointing to. Nami looked at her wrist and surely enough, one of the log poses were pointing towards that very island.

"Franky, could you take the helm?" Nami called out to the cyborg. "Steer us 20 degrees to starboard!"

"Ow! You got it, Nami-sis! I'm feeling SUPERRRR tonight!" replied the cyborg with his usual flair, his electric blue hair standing out like a neon sign in the darkness as he ran towards the helm.

"Luffy, Zoro, Sanji-kun!" Nami called, but they had already taken their places ready to follow her directions.

"Yes, Nami-swan! I shall put my life on the line to do your bidding!" Sanji-kun yelled enthusiastically, his visible eye turning into a ridiculous heart.

Nami resisted the urge to roll her eyes; instead her eyes were naturally drawn to the swordsman. He was holding on to the ropes, his arms bulging with the effort to control the sails. When his eye caught hers across the deck, a ghost of a smirk crossing his lips before his brows furrowed in concentration, shifting his attention back to his task at hand.

Nami blushed unable to resist a flutter in her chest as she remembered their heated kiss just a few moments ago. They were hiding below deck in the sniper's workshop because they knew it was Usopp's watch, hence less risk of getting caught. Hands had begun to wander and clothes were starting to come off when they heard Usopp's yell above them. Her blush was not unnoticed by the ever-perceptive archeologist who cleared her throat lightly and said, "Nami, your instructions?"

"Huh?" Nami whirled around to face Robin who was looking at her with one eyebrow raised just slightly and a knowing smile. Nami flushed and instead of answering the older woman, walked towards Franky at the helm.

Because they were coming into harbor at night, it took them another two hours of carful navigation to dock safely. By the time Franky declared all was okay with the Sunny, the crew was tired and sleepy. The boys trooped into the men's dorm with the exception of Zoro and Franky who mumbled something about finishing up his blueprint that he was working on earlier that evening, disappearing below deck towards his workshop. Robin gave Nami a slight smile and whispered goodnight, brushing past Zoro and disappearing into the girls' room on the upper deck.

"So…" said Nami as Zoro walked across the grass towards her.

He quirked an eyebrow and replied, "So…"

"I should go to bed. I swear, Robin knows something," said Nami distractedly.

"Does it really matter?" asked Zoro, his arms around her and pulling her close. He inhaled deeply, burrowing his nose in her hair.

"Of course it matters, you idiot! Just think about what would happen if everyone else found out," Nami protested. She shuddered to think what the crew would think of her and Zoro's "relationship" although they never really clarified what they were. Neither one of them were really willing to talk about it. A life as a pirate is to live life on the edge of a blade – quite literally in Zoro's case – and they both knew what they were getting into.

Zoro sighed and let her go. "Yeah, yeah, I get it." He stepped away from her, already missing her scent, and scratched his head in frustration.

"Well… Goodnight," said Nami, giving him a swift and entirely too tame peck on the cheek. She rushed past him before he could grab her and give her a proper kiss because she knew she wouldn't be able to get away if he succeeded. The memory of their passionate kiss earlier that evening was still too fresh in her mind to deny him – and her own body – the pleasure they were both craving.

Nami shook her head to clear her thoughts and headed to the girls' room, knowing that they both won't be sleeping very well that night.

Zoro woke up the next morning with an undignified yelp when the idiot cook tipped his swaying bunk, dumping him unceremoniously on the floor of the men's dorm.

"Aargh! You fucking asshole! What did you do that for?" Zoro growled, jumping to his feet and drawing Wado Ichimonji out of its white sheath.

"Breakfast, you shitty marimo. As much as I hate you, I still have to feed you, you lazy ass," drawled the cook, through the haze of cigarette smoke.

With a snarl, he slashed at the curly brow. He had tossed and turned all night, too wired to sleep and ended up doing five thousand pushups instead. To say that he was royally pissed was an understatement.

"What has gotten into you? You're shittier than usual," smirked Sanji as he easily blocked Zoro's attack with the sole of his left shoe.

"Shut up, curly brow," said Zoro through his clenched teeth. He brought his sword in a graceful arc to slash at the cook's left shoulder, which Sanji merely sidestepped and aimed a kick at Zoro's stomach.

Before Sanji's kick could land, both Zoro and Sanji stumbled as they each felt a solid punch on their heads.

"Oww! That hurts, you witch!" said Zoro as he rubbed the small bump beginning to form where she had punched him.

"Nami-swan, you touch of love never ceases to knock me off my feet. Oh, mellorine, my love!" cried the ero-cook in his singsong voice.

My love? A vein in Zoro's forehead throbbed. He clenched his fist, seconds away from pummeling the cook with his bare hands. Who did he think he was, calling his woman my love?

"Sanji-kun, could you serve breakfast already? Luffy's trying to make orange juice by himself… with the blender," said Nami with a significant look, ignoring the cook's declaration of undying devotion.

"That shitty gomu… If he touches anything, I'll stretch him from helm to stern," said Sanji, returning to his senses as he rushed out of the room.

Zoro who was still glaring at Sanji's retreating back didn't notice the other occupant in the room until Nami wrapped her arms around his middle from behind.

"Good morning," mumbled Nami into his back.

Zoro felt his anger and frustration leave him, his hands unclenching and his tense muscles relaxing in her arms. He grunted in reply, turning around so that he could look at her.

Nami smiled sweetly up at him and asked, "Did you sleep well?"

"What do you think?" Zoro asked back sarcastically.

"Hmm… Me neither," said Nami as she placed her head under his chin. They stayed like that for a short while, just enjoying each other's embrace, until they heard a crash, Usopp and Chopper's panicked screams, Brook's Yohoho's bouncing around the walls of the galley, and a string of strong expletives that could only come from Sanji's mouth.

With a sigh, Nami pulled away from Zoro's arms and said, "Let's go have breakfast."

Zoro groaned but followed her out of the room, not quite ready to face the day as a pirate especially in a crew like this one.

Thankfully, breakfast continued without much trouble from then on (if you don't count Chopper suddenly changing into his human form when he realized Luffy had stolen all of his pancakes with extra maple syrup which caught Franky by surprise who stood up quickly from his stool to avoid getting squished by Chopper, in the process of which the bottle of cola in Franky's hand slipped and fell on Sanji's head who let out a furious roar and kicked Luffy into the wall – but something like this is relatively tame for the Straw Hat pirates).

As Sanji cleared away the dishes, biting furiously on his cigarette to calm his frazzled nerves, Nami grabbed her cup of morning tea and stepped outside. The others had already left the table in a hurry to avoid getting more kicks thrown their way from the irritable cook.

From the weather patterns that she observed the night before, Nami had already deduced that they were docked at a spring island. When she saw the island covered in pink, yellow and green as she leaned over the railing to get a clear look, the vibrant colors of spring confirmed her prediction.

With Luffy and Usopp, Nami disembarked the Sunny and quickly went into the nearest building – which happened to be a small restaurant for fishermen who came and went through the harbor – to gather information about the island.

The island itself was not very big with just one village. Because it was so small, they didn't often get visitors from the outside, which made their visit an exciting event for the locals since it gave them a chance to hear the news about other islands in the New World. When Nami asked about the log pose, the owner said it takes only a day to set but he hopes that the pirates will stay longer to give the villagers something to talk about. Nami smiled and said thanks, calling Luffy and Usopp who were gawking at a carcass of a giant sea king on display. She grabbed them by their arms and dragged them back to the ship while they complained and called her a meanie. It was only when she gave them a good whack on the head that they followed her obediently back to the Sunny.

Aboard the ship, Nami told the rest of the crew about the things she had heard about the island and turned towards her captain.

"So what do you want to do, Luffy?" asked Nami.

"Yosh! I'm going to go back and look at the super cool giant sea king! I wonder if they have sea king meat…" said Luffy with his finger stuck up his nose, already drooling at the thought of eating that much meat.

"Me too, me too!" said Usopp and Chopper.

"Bones, you say? A kindred spirit? Yohohohoho," said Brook.

Nami shook her head and said, "Okay, we'll take the rest of the day until dinner to look around the island. The log pose should set by then and we'll be on our way. Sound good, captain?" asked Nami.

But Luffy had already bolted over the railing with Usopp, Chopper, and Brook trailing behind him.

"I think that was a yes," said Robin with a smile.

Nami sighed in defeat and turned to Robin, "Do you want to do some shopping, Robin?"

"Actually, I'm going to stay on the Sunny. Franky said something about making some upgrades and adjustments to the library, and I just want to make sure that he…ah… doesn't blow up anything," said Robin.

"Besides, I think Zoro-san would be more than willing to accompany you, don't you think?" asked Robin, dropping her voice as she nodded towards Zoro who had just emerged from the dorms after changing for the day.

Without waiting for her response, Robin went below deck to look for Franky giving her a wave and a small smile as she walked past her.

Nami huffed. Really, what was with everyone just leaving in the middle of the conversation? But her irritation was short lived as she pondered on the implications of being on a strange island alone with Zoro. Just the two of them.

With a grin, she headed into her room to change into a simple sundress, tying her hair in a ponytail that she knew Zoro liked. She rushed back to the deck to find that Zoro was already waiting for her.

"Come on," said Zoro, jerking his head towards the direction of the island.

As she got closer to Zoro, he simply picked her up in his arm and jumped from the railing. He let her go but grabbed her hand when they landed, running full speed down the docks towards the village.

"Zoro, wait!" Nami panted from behind him. "Why are we running? Slow down damn it, you stupid swordsman!"

"Shut up, witch. I just wanted to get away before that ero-cook comes out the galley and starts asking questions," said Zoro, slowing down to a walk.

Nami glared at him, her ponytail falling out the hair tie. She panted heavily and braced her hands on her knees, gasping for breath.

"You run too fast," said Nami between pants.

"You're just slow," Zoro retorted, for which Nami pinched his arm.

"Ow! Ow! Okay, okay stop pinching me!" said Zoro, holding her hands between them so that she couldn't pinch him. Zoro smirked down at her, taking in her messy hair, her flushed cheeks, and her heavy breathing that made her breasts swell under her dress. She would kill him if she knew Zoro secretly loved getting a rise out of her.

Zoro leaned down to capture her lips in a swift kiss and grabbed her hand, pulling her down the road towards the village.

"Zoro, stop! You're going the wrong way," Nami tugged at his hand and changed directions. "What are you going to do without me?" sighed Nami, as she took the lead.

"Tsk. I don't get lost," said Zoro stubbornly.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say," said Nami sarcastically with a hint of fondness in her voice.

Zoro opened his mouth to argue but shut his mouth with a snap when they crested the hill and looked down into the village.

"Oh, wow! Look, it's so pretty!" exclaimed Nami, her eyes bright with excitement.

They were standing on top a hill leading down into a quaint little village. The hill was covered in green grass – the shade of green that you can only see in spring, the shade of green that reminds you of life and youth – dotted with wildflowers of all shapes and sizes.

Zoro looked at Nami who had a huge smile on her face and ran towards the nearest patch of flowers. He followed at a more leisurely pace, smiling at her child-like excitement. He looked on as she knelt down to gather the wildflowers about her into a little bouquet, and his heart twisted a little to see such a pretty picture that she made. With a playful growl, he tackled her into the ground rolling over so that she wouldn't be crushed under his weight. She giggled as the flowers she had been gathering flew into the air and fell about them, her hair falling out completely out of the ponytail, framing her face. She leaned down to kiss him, her hands fisting in his shirt while his hand cupped her face and held her close.

She pulled away and smiled down at him, falling on her back next to him with her arms spread wide.

"Mmm! This is exactly what I needed: a vacation," said Nami, her joy apparent in her voice.

Zoro picked a flower – a daisy – and stuck it in her hair, leaning over her to kiss the tip of her nose. He pulled back to lie flat on his back beside Nami, pillowing his head on his hand. He closed his eye against the sun while she scooted closer to him. He let out a contented sigh, the smell of flowers and Nami enticing him to sleep.

Nami glanced at the swordsman at her side who looked a little out of place amidst the vibrant colors of spring. Her eyes followed the easy confidence in the lines around his mouth, his strong jaws and proud nose, moving up towards his eyes.

Or rather, his eye.

More specifically, that long slash running vertically through his left eye. And it was this fact that had been bothering Nami for over a year since the Straw Hat pirates' reunion. But it was also something that she could never pry into – no matter what her relationship status with the swordsman – because she knew losing his left eye must have been the price he had to pay to become stronger for Luffy, the crew, and his dream. To Zoro, there is no need for explanations.

But for Nami, looking into one steely grey eye instead of two every time they kissed, argued, or made love, was a constant reminder of the danger Zoro was facing. Her imaginations ran wild, her mind replaying the image of Zoro at Thriller Bark standing in the pool of his own blood or at Sabaody Archipelago when he was just seconds away from being killed by Kizaru.

In short, she was worried and scared as hell that the next adventure was going to his last. And she didn't know if she could move on knowing that she could never see him again, feel his warmth and intensity.

"Hey, Zoro," said Nami quietly.

"Hmm?" he replied.

"Do you ever wonder if… if we'll all achieve what we set out to do?"

Zoro cracked his eye open and turned his head to look at her. She was lying on her side, her fingers idly playing with a bright purple pansy while her eyes locked onto his.

Zoro grunted and looked up at the sky. "Of course we will," he said with utmost confidence.

"But how do you know? How do you know that Luffy with become the Pirate King or that Sanji-kun will find All Blue? As a navigator who knows a lot of ocean currents, All Blue is technically impossible. Did you know that? What about True History?" she asked a little frantically. "And you! What about you? How do you know you'll beat Mihawk? He nearly killed you the first time you fought him, and what if you get another slash like that or lose another eye?" her wide eyes zeroing on the scar across his torso and the slash running down his left eye. "What if… what if…" Nami stumbled on her words, belying her anxiety.

As she ranted, she didn't realize that Zoro had sat up and turned to face her.

"Nami, stop," said Zoro in his first-mate voice that held such strength and demanded obedience.

Her anxiety turning into anger, Nami also sat up, her eyes flashing. "Don't tell me what to do," she said tightly, her whole body tense with anger.

"Then stop worrying. Trust me and trust Luffy and all the others," said Zoro.

"Damn it, Zoro! I do trust you and of course, I trust Luffy! I wouldn't be here if I didn't. But this is not about trust! There is simply no guarantee that any of this is going to come true!" cried Nami, her eyes brimming with tears that she stubbornly refused to let fall.

"This is about trust," Zoro argued back. "Your trust in me and my strength is what's going to bring me back alive because I don't break promises and you know it," he said simply. "And only I can be the judge of that. So stop worrying," his voice softening as he reached out for her. Nami let him pull her into his arms, still refusing to believe him.

"Do you trust me?" asked Zoro, whispering into her ear.

Nami nodded into his shirt stiffly. Zoro grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back, looking into her chocolate brown eyes. She's scared for me, he realized. He asked again, willing his one visible eye to communicate all the emotions he was feeling, "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," said Nami unhesitatingly, the fear in her eyes now warring with grim determination, devotion, and loyalty.

Instead of responding to her in words, Zoro simply pulled her into his lap and kissed her passionately, pouring his promise into the kiss. Nami responded with equal fervor, kissing him back with her despair and hope on her lips. The intensity of the their kiss – the meaning behind everything they said and couldn't say – made Nami's heart ache and she pulled Zoro even closer with a whimper.

Zoro pushed her back so that she was lying on her back, their lips still locked in a heated kiss. He trailed his hand down her body, lightly brushing the swell of her breasts before running his hand up and down her arms, her shoulders and her hair. When Zoro finally made his way back to her breasts and squeezed gently, Nami let out a soft moan tearing her lips away from his.

In the process, she snapped her eyes open looking up at the sky.

Oh, shit.

"Zoro…" said Nami, her hands pushing at his shoulders.

"Hmm?" said Zoro, licking the shell of her ear and dragging his lips across her cheeks to seek her lips again.

"Zoro, stop," said Nami, trying to sit up. "We've got to get out here. Come on, get up!" she urged him, sitting up more fully when Zoro sprang to his feet hearing the alarm in her voice.

It was only then that Zoro saw the foreboding clouds that formed over their heads.

"Hey, are those…?" asked Zoro, already knowing the answer.

"Shit, I can't believe I didn't notice the change in the air pressure," said Nami, distractedly trying to brush out her hair and pulling it back into a quick ponytail. "This is all your fault! Your debt just went up by 200%" she said accusingly.

"Fine, whatever. Let's get out of here before it starts pouring," said Zoro uncaringly, looking up at the sky again with a frown. Nami followed his gaze and groaned. The rain clouds came upon them at an alarming rate, and it looked as if they were already too late to avoid it.

"Let's take shelter in the village. It's closer," said Nami and began running down the hill. Before she had taken more than ten steps, she felt one then two drops on her arms and before she knew it, she was soaked to the skin in the pouring rain. She brushed her wet bangs out of her face as she neared the base of the hill with Zoro at her side.

"There!" Nami yelled over the sound of rain, pointing to a small house with a big chrysanthemum tree just outside the village.

Nami felt rather than saw Zoro nodding and rushed towards the tree. Zoro slid to a stop beside her a second after, shaking raindrops from his hair with his hand.

"So what do we do?" asked Zoro.

"This rain probably won't let up until later in the afternoon. It's just past noon so probably in about three or four hours," replied Nami.

"We should go somewhere dry then," said Zoro, eying Nami who was already beginning to get goose bumps on her arms. It was still chilly in the rain despite the it being a spring island.

"Yeah, okay," she said absently as she continued to watch the clouds.

Zoro grabbed her hand and ran across the small entrance area towards the inner sanctum of the house. He quickly slid open the doors and pushed Nami inside first, closing the doors behind him quickly.

"Hello?" called Nami. "Is anyone home?"

Zoro glanced around at the sparsely furnished room and the dust that was beginning to settle. "I don't think anyone lives here," he said quietly, his suspicions confirmed when he used Haki to see if he could sense other beings in the house.

"Oh…" said Nami, now beginning to shiver in earnest. "Well, if there is no one here, I don't see why we can't stay here for a few hours," she said, pulling her feet out of her sandals and stepping into the house.

Zoro agreed and followed suit. The front room had three doors that led to three different rooms. The three rooms also had other doors that led into different parts of the house. In the end, they chose the room towards the back of the house that led into the backyard so that Nami could keep an eye on the weather. Thankfully, the owners of the house had left behind most of meager their belongings and Nami soon discovered some dry blankets towels in the closet.

"Oi! Come here for a sec!" yelled Zoro from somewhere in the house.

"Did you get lost again?" Nami called back teasingly but somewhat serious – Zoro getting lost in a straight line was a real possibility after all.

"No, you witch! Look what I found," said Zoro as Nami came into view.

It was a bathroom with a huge round tub in the middle along with a shower in the corner.

"Come on, we should get warm," said Zoro turning on the shower. Zoro carefully placed his swords against the wall and peeled off his clothes. Nami quickly followed and stepped under the warm spray of water.

"Mmm… This feels so much better," said Nami, sighing in relief as warm water ran down her back.

"Come here," said Zoro, pulling her towards him. Now that he was warm, his body was remembering exactly what they were doing before they got caught in the rain.

Her naked skin met his, her full breasts crushed against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped her in his arms.

"So where were we?" whispered Nami, looking up at him with a grin.

"Just about here," mumbled Zoro as his lips descended on her neck. She let out a happy sigh as she tightened her arms around his neck, pushing her body further into his. Already frustrated by the events of the night before and earlier that afternoon, Zoro was in no mood to take it slow. He slid down her body, his lips kissing and licking down her breasts towards her navel. He nipped at her flat stomach, his arms coming around to rest on her bottom and the back of her thighs.

Zoro kneeled in front of her, which placed her sex right in front of his face, and nudged her legs apart. She was already wet, which only served to arouse him further, groaning when he smelled the musky scent of her sex. Without preamble, he licked her sex from bottom to top.

Nami threw her head back in surprise and pleasure, biting her lips to keep from crying out loud.

"Nami, don't hold back," commanded Zoro looking up at her.

"Huh?" she asked in a daze.

"There is no one here who can hear us," said Zoro, "So scream." With that, his tongue found the tiny bundle of nerves at the top of her entrance, brushing against it at a rapid pace.

And Nami screamed, her hands fisting into his hair.

Zoro's tongue danced and teased, making her dizzy with sensations. She moaned his name over and over again, trying to seek release. When Zoro slid his finger into her, Nami arched her back and moaned, "Zoro, please… I need…."

Zoro growled in response and added two more fingers, thrusting into her deeply. He went faster and deeper while his tongue kept teasing her, driving her headlong into bliss.

With a scream, her inner walls clenched and unclenched rapidly around his fingers. He kept fingering her as she rode out her orgasm, slowing down as he she came from her high.

Before Nami had a chance to recover, Zoro pulled out his fingers and stood up, catching her in his arms as she swayed towards him, boneless after such an orgasm. He caught her lips in a heated kiss, his hands everywhere at once and trailing fire in their wake. Nami moaned weakly into the kiss, her sensitive skin tingling.

Zoro pulled back from the kiss and pushed her against the wall, her arms holding tight on to him around his broad shoulders. He kneed her legs apart, his arms coming around to cup her bottom, and Nami wrapped her right leg around his hips.

Zoro looked into her eyes, hazy with desire, as he thrust roughly into her. She cried out at the sudden intrusion, squeezing her eyes shut.

"That's it, Nami. Scream for me. Don't hold back," groaned Zoro.

This was not the gentle love making that Nami was used to. Most of the time, they were always in danger of being caught so they had to be quiet, no more than a moan here or there and definitely no screaming. Plus, Zoro – no doubt a very passionate lover – had always treated her delicately despite his gruff appearance.

But this was something else entirely.

It almost felt as if he was trying to leave an imprint on her body and soul, his thrusts wild and frantic, and his intensity threatening to engulf her in never ending fire. She realized somewhere in the back of her mind that Zoro was trying to reassure her, to ease her fear for him from their argument earlier that afternoon. So Nami matched his thrusts with hers and his intensity with her passion. Their breaths mingled, the steam in the shower making their skin dewing on their naked skin.

Soon, Nami felt the telltale signs of her climax, her lower belly tightening and her inner walls fluttering in anticipation. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing it to come.

"Look at me," growled Zoro, panting harshly and looking down at her. "I want to see you when you come."

She snapped her eyes open and looked into the smoky grey eye of her lover.

"Zoro… I… Oh, god…"

"Come for me, Nami," his voice carrying the same commanding tone of the first mate of Straw Hat Pirates, and she could no more disobey him as her lover than disobey her commanding officer. Her world exploded into thousands of pieces as she climaxed, screaming his name into the air.

Zoro watched her as she clenched almost painfully around him, and the image of Nami at that moment was forever burned in his mind: her back arching off the wall, the wild look in her eyes with lust and passion as she came hard around him, drops of water clinging to her flushed body. It was only for a moment but it felt like forever to Zoro.

As Nami came down from her high, Zoro was nearing his own release. He thrust hard into her once, twice, three times, and with his own loud groan of her name, came within her. He bucked into her, emptying his release inside her, slowly down only when his legs felt like jelly. He let his head fall to her shoulders as they both panted harshly, trying to get their breathing under control.

When Nami shivered after some time, Zoro slowly pulled out of her and Nami let her leg fall back to the ground. Zoro quickly gathered her in his arms, stepping more fully into the stray of hot water. He brushed her wet hair out of her eyes and kissed her softly. "You're amazing, you know that?"

She grinned and replied cheekily, "You're not so bad yourself."

He chuckled and said playfully, "Come on, you witch, let's get you cleaned up."

They quickly rinsed themselves off thoroughly since there was no soap. Zoro turned off the shower while Nami grabbed the towels that she brought from the other room. They dried off quickly and headed back towards the room they discovered earlier.

Zoro brought their wet cloths, wrung them out and laid them out to dry while Nami gathered the blankets and sat in front of the opened shoji doors leading to the backyard. She wrapped a blanket around herself and pulled her knees to her chest, looking out into the rain.

"It doesn't seem like it's letting up at all," said Nami. "I hope the others are okay."

"It's just a bit of rain. They'll be fine," replied Zoro, coming to sit beside her. Nami opened her arms so that Zoro can share her blanket.

"That's true," said Nami, leaning her head against his shoulder.

They continued to watch the rain in silence. The sound of the rain on the window pane, the tiled roof, and the ground below… the smell of wet earth and the grass… the warmth radiating from their bodies wrapped in a blanket… her soft skin against his…

The serenity of this moment filled his heart, which felt so full that he thought it might burst. He glanced sideways at the orange haired woman, taking in the small smile around her lips, the way her hair curled at the base of her neck, the feeling of her small hand clutched in his rougher, calloused hand.

That's when he knew – amidst the gentle sound of rain that seemed to separate them and the world – that he loves her, and that he has loved her for quite some time now. Inexplicably and completely. Without reason and for all reasons. And always will.

He has never known what it felt like to love someone before. He was loyal to his captain and cared about the crew like they were his own flesh and blood, but the way he felt about Nami was different. It wasn't just sex – it had never been just about sex from the beginning – but it was the way she challenged him, made him smile (only in Nami's presence of course), and made him feel more things than just anger, regret, and frustration. It was the way her warm brown eyes softened when she looked at him, the way she flushed red in the heat of an argument or in the throes of their lovemaking, the way she shone brilliantly as she battled storms and outwitted strange currents and weather patterns of the Grand Line. He had always been in tune with his feelings and surroundings – a result of his meditations and training – and he was never the one to lie, especially to himself.

And he instinctively knew that she felt the same for him, making his heart swell in pride as well as humility, and a fierce determination to protect – to protect her, their love, and their time together in this life.

"Nami," said Zoro quietly, his voice barely audible above the sound of the falling rain.

"Hmm?"

Zoro leaned into her sideways, willing her to look at him. She turned her head and her warm brown eyes met his. Zoro smiled and tucked an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. Then, he slid his large hand to hold her head at the base of her neck, tilting her face towards his and his thumb coming to brush her pulse.

"I love you."

The three little words hung in the space between them, separated by mere centimeters. Rain continued to fall, its tinkling music the only sound that filled the world. Nami looked surprised at his sudden confession, but her own eyes have already betrayed what she truly felt.

"I know. And I love you too," whispered Nami, her words crossing the space between them.

"I love you," said Zoro one more time before he claimed her lips in a kiss. It was soft and sweet, full of promise and hope, full of love and joy that they have found in each other.

When they made love this time, it was unlike the impassioned love making in the shower. This time, Zoro swallowed all of her moans in his kisses almost as if he didn't want to break the silence. They moved slowly, languidly; her eyes on his, his large hands holding her smaller ones by her head, their hearts beating as one.

Time and space ceased to exist. Only the rain and their bodies coming together again and again; the million sensations flitting across their skin and the thousands of words unsaid but understood as they looked into each other's eyes; these were the things that were real.

When she climaxed, she came undone with a whimper, I love you. He came with a ghost of a whisper, her name on his lips.

Afterwards they lay in a tangle of limbs and blanket, and only the sound of rain and their breathing filling the room. Zoro pulled her close; his right arm wrapped around her shoulders and brushed a kiss across her sweaty forehead. Nami let out a sigh and shifted closer, placing her hand over his heart and feeling it beat strongly under her hand.

Zoro covered her hand in his own.

"I'll always fight like hell to get back to you, Nami. I promise," his hand tightening around hers. Nami nodded in response, a tear running down her cheek and onto his chest. For her, that was good enough. After all, Zoro didn't break his promises.

As the sound of the rain lulled them to sleep, Zoro promised to himself once again, I will always come back to you.

And he did always come back to her. Not always whole but alive, his heart beating steadily under her palms, as she pressed her hand to his chest anxiously after battles. When they whispered I love you that spring day in the rain, they both understood that Zoro would continue to fight dangerous battles, and Nami would never get in his way to become the greatest swordsman in the world. But they also understood that Zoro's life was not his own anymore. His life was now hers just as much as her life was his, their lives and fate intertwined. So he became stronger, less reckless, more calculating and more protective than ever, pushing himself to the limit until Luffy became the Pirate King and his first mate the greatest swordsman in the world.

Now, amidst the early summer rain and the smell of wet earth and roses, Zoro and Nami walked back towards their crew mates – their family. Zoro pulled Nami a bit closer to his side, not noticing that his shoulder was getting wet. She looked up and smiled at him, her warm chocolate eyes twinkling and her long hair curling around her shoulders. He stopped her with a gentle pull of her hand in his.

Zoro turned to face her and cupped Nami's face in his unoccupied hand, his thumb unerringly finding her pulse just as he had that spring day. His grey eye found hers, speaking thousands of words in his heart.

"I love you," said Zoro simply – unable to convey everything he was feeling besides these three words – as he kissed her, standing under the umbrella engulfed in the smell of rain and wet earth and early summer roses. Nami sighed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around him.

As he pulled away from the kiss and grabbed her hand in his, he thought to himself how ironic it was that he came to love the rain. Perhaps it was the space between rain and sunshine – the adventure of finding himself in someone he loved who brought him from darkness of his soul to the brightness and warmth of her love – that made him appreciate the gentle pitter patter of rain.

A/N: This chapter is just shamelessly fluffy. Please leave me reviews and tell me what you think. Once again, thank you for reading! I have the rough drafts for the next two chapters so hopefully I can update them a little faster.