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It's not often that the Strawhats fight with each other.
Well..scratch that. It's not often that they fight seriously. They're nakama, and any disgreements are either part of a bit or are settled within the hour.
That being said, Nami and Zoro have been screaming at each other for the better part of two hours.
It's gotten to the point where no one knows what they were fighting about in the first place. They're all annoyed and tired and want it to end.
This isn't like either of them.
Yes, Nami and Zoro both have tempers and can be abrasive, but it's not like them to argue with each other. Not like this.
Zoro is clearly tired. It's well past his usual pre-night-watch nap. He's dreading having to stay up all night with Nami's voice still ringing in his head.
"Can't you just fucking drop it already!?" He yells.
"You'd love that, wouldn't you!? You'd love to just go back to lazing around instead of taking responsibility for this place!"
"What the fuck are you even talking about!?"
"You don't do anything for the crew! You're completely useless!" Nami screeches.
Useless
Zoro's face hardens. His eyes go intentionally calm. Subtly, he twitches, as those words are a stab right through his heart.
"You really think that?"
"I know that!"
Without another word, Zoro stands and walks out of the room, he refuses to let her see his tears.
Nami stays there, seething. The rest of the crew stares in shock. Not a single one of them knows what to do.
Nothing comes of it the next few days. At some point, everyone just assumes Zoro and Nami have made it up to each other.
It's not until two weeks later that shit hits the fan.
Nami groans as she stands. Her back and knees crack, stiff after hours of work tending to her precious mikan trees.
She's covered in dirt, so the first thing she does is shower. Once she's dressed, her dirty clothes are thrown towards the hamper.
Only, they fall to the floor with a thump, as the basket is overflowing. The sides of it are bulging with the sheer amount of clothes stuffed into it.
Huh, that's weird. She's never had to worry about her laundry before.
She shrugs and grabs the basket, lugging it out of the room and towards the laundry room. It's nothing fancy—at least until Franky built them machines, so the clothes didn't have to be washed by hand.
Nami steps into the room, only to immediately trip over a pile of clothes.
"Ow! What the hell?"
She looks around and is met with the entire room being covered in clothes. Other overflowing baskets have been abandoned there, as well as piles of clothing that people seem to have just thrown on the floor.
"Nami-san? Are you alright?" Sanji asks quickly as he rushes in.
"What the hell is all this? Why is this place such a dump?" She accepts Sanji's help up, but she can't take her eyes off the mess.
"Oh, well..I'm not sure?"
"What's going on?" Usopp asks, peeking in.
Nami gestures to the room. "What happened in here?!"
"Oh..well, I've been trying to get through it, but there's just not enough hours in a day," Usopp explains. "And it took me four hours to figure out how the machines worked.."
"I don't understand.." Nami mumbles. "We've never had to worry about laundry before!"
"A woman should never have to worry about such chores!" Sanji says.
"Well, usually, Zoro just did it.."
Nami stops. She looks at Usopp, then back at the mess. Suddenly, she knows exactly what's going on.
"Why the hell isn't that mosshead doing his chores?" Sanji asks harshly.
"It's not his chore. He just does it to be nice," Usopp says, matching his energy.
Nami is suddenly storming out onto the deck, leaving them to stumble after her.
Zoro is fast asleep near the stairs. He wakes right up when he hears her approaching, though.
"You petty piece of shit!"
Zoro blinks at her, rubbing his eyes and stretching. He doesn't say a thing.
"Woah, Nami-bro, what's going on?"
"Zoro stopped doing the laundry because he's being petty! You can't just stop doing stuff because of our fight!"
"I thought I never did anything for the crew. Why are you mad at me for being useless?" Zoro says, a dark tone in his voice.
"Oh..so you guys haven't made up, huh?" Franky asks.
The commotion manages to get the attention of the rest of the crew. The others either walk onto the deck or peak their heads out of wherever they are.
"Is everything alright, Nami?" Chopper asks.
"Someone needs to talk some sense into this idiot!"
Luffy bounces over to them. "What's goin' on?"
"I stopped doing the laundry. Y'know, since I'm so useless," Zoro spits the word as if it's a slur.
"Luffy! Tell him to stop being petty!" Nami demands. "He's acting like a child!"
"Zoro is doing what feels right," Luffy defends. "...Zoro will still do my laundry, though, right?"
Zoro smiles. "Of course, captain. Everyone else is on their own, though."
Nami huffs, storming off to her room. She can't deal with Zoro or Luffy today. What's even so hard about laundry? If the others want to entertain this, they can do that! She's not going to cave over a chore that doesn't take any effort.
Zoro is not going to win this game.
Night watch isn't a chore Nami has to worry about much.
The boys are usually the ones on rotation—she pointedly ignores the fact that Zoro always takes the most watches.
That doesn't mean she doesn't do it, though (usually when one of the idiots is hurt). The only person completely except from night watch is Sanji, since he wakes up so early and sleeps so late.
She's currently out on the deck, patiently waiting for someone to relieve her. Something tells her it's taking longer than usual, though.
It's not until she sees the sun rising that she realizes she just did a double.
Sanji silently creeps out of the boy's room, stopping when he sees her.
"Nami-san? What are you doing up?"
"I'm on watch."
Suddenly, Sanji looks furious. "That damn mosshead never came to get you?"
Oh. That makes way more sense. Of course, Zoro would stop doing night watch, too.
"That brute! I can't believe him! I'm going to go and—"
"No! It's fine. We don't need him!" Nami cuts him off.
An unidentifiable look crosses Sanji's face. "Nami—"
"Drop it, Sanji. We can get on fine without him. Let him throw his tantrum until he gets over it," She insists. Finally, she marches back to her room and collapses into her bed.
God, she's exhausted.
Robin is very patient. It's a trait that everyone respects in her. But, this feud between their swordsman and navigator threatens to run that well dry.
She's gained new respect for their swordsman these past few weeks.
Franky's washing machines are deceptively hard to figure out. She took for granted the silent way Zoro would collect their clothes and leave them, clean and folded, on their beds.
Having to take more night watch shifts is also messing with her. How does Zoro manage staying up multiple nights in a row?
Chopper has always been concerned with Zoro's sleeping schedule. She never realized he was sacrificing sleep to take a weight off the crew. No wonder he was always napping during the day.
The sudden change to his sleep schedule is clearly affecting the swordsman. With a full eight hours of rest, he doesn't need to take naps anymore.
"I never realized how long days are. I've already gone through my training. What else am I even supposed to do?"
Usopp chuckles. It seems Zoro's strike has only negatively affected his relationship with Nami and Sanji.
"I dunno. Don't you have any hobbies?" He asks.
Zoro stops. "I haven't..done much since I joined the crew."
"Well, there ya go. Why not pick up some of those again?"
"Yeah..maybe you're right."
Robin didn't know what she was expecting, but she certainly didn't expect to find Zoro in her library later that day, book in hand.
"Swordsman-san?"
"Oh, hey Robin."
"Are you...wearing glasses?"
Zoro blushes, adjusting the thick square frames on his face. "It's called hyperopia, alright?"
"Farsightedness. That makes..quite a bit of sense, actually," Robin says as she sits down nearby. There's a question in her eyes.
"I'm trying to get back into my hobbies, like Usopp said."
"I didn't take you for a reader."
Zoro shrugs. "Had a whole library back at my sensei's dojo. I couldn't pack any of my books to go out to sea, though. I never had the time to get back into it."
"Well, you're always welcome here, swordsman-san."
Zoro gives her a small smile, returning to his book. Robin can't help but smirk when she glances at the cover. Figures she and Zoro would have the same taste in yaoi.
Sanji has been upset with the mosshead for weeks now. How dare he put more stress on Nami-san!
He assumed this whole fight would pass in days. It's been almost three weeks since Zoro went on strike, and things are getting a bit out of hand.
He just never registered how much the damn brute did around the ship.
"Oi! Mosshead! We're going shopping, and I need a—what the fuck are you doing?"
The idiot mosshead is squinting at a book, but that's the least interesting thing about the scene. He has an embroidery hoop in his hand, and is surrounded by various colors of yarn.
Most interesting of all? The thick, square-framed glasses on his face.
"Well, I'm trying to embroider a 3D butterfly, but it's proving to be way harder than I thought," Zoro says, squinting between the book and his own work.
"Since when do you wear glasses?"
The swordsman quickly turns red. "I'm farsighted. If you're going to make fun of me, get it out of your system now, because I will still kick your ass."
"Like you could," Sanji scoffs. He leans over to see Zoro's progress. "Your butterfly actually doesn't look like shit."
"Ya think?" Zoro asks, smiling a bit.
"One wing looks bigger than the other, though."
Zoro sighs deeply, slumping. "I know..I just don't wanna redo all those stitches," He whines.
"Whatever, you can do it later when we're done shopping."
"No thanks."
Sanji blinks at him. "Excuse me?"
"I wouldn't be very useless if I did my usual chores, now would I?" He asks.
"Oh come on! You can't drag this on forever, mosshead! Something has to break soon!"
"Yeah, and it's not gonna be me," Zoro says, while taking out a sharp tool to remove his stitches.
"What has to happen for you to give it up already?" Sanji asks, almost desperately.
"I want an apology," Zoro says simply. He finally removes the last stitch and picks up his needle again.
Sanji almost gapes. "That's it? That's all you want?"
"Yup." The swordsman pops the 'p', beginning to restitch the wing of his butterfly.
"Okay, I can do—"
"Not from you, cook. You're not the one who said it."
Oh god.
As amazing Nami-san is in every way possible, she does have one less than savory trait. She's stubborn. About ten times more stubborn than their swordsman himself.
Trying to get her to apologize would be next to impossible.
"What am I supposed to do?" Sanji asks no one in particular.
"Ask Franky to help with your groceries. He can probably carry way more than me."
Sanji wants nothing more than to scream that's not the point. Sanji could easily carry all his own groceries. He drags Zoro along because..well, he likes spending time with the brute.
Grocery shopping is their thing, dammit!
Instead of arguing, Sanji simply turns and walks away. Feeling more than a little dejected, he asks Franky to help him carry the groceries.
It doesn't feel the same.
The whole Nami vs Zoro fight is really getting out of hand.
Chopper can physically see the tole it's taking on each of his crewmembers.
Sanji has been really sad lately. Zoro no longer joins him on grocery trips, leaving that job to Franky. They've also had to start a rotation for dishes, since he doesn't help Sanji with that anymore either.
Robin has had to take on most of the laundry—along with Franky and Usopp. None of the others could figure out the machines. Besides that, she's also had to start gardening all by herself again. Caring for the plants on the ship was yet another chore Zoro stopped doing.
They've all had to take on more watch shifts. He never realized just how much sleep Zoro was missing. In fact, he's even seen some of the guys taking naps during the day.
Even the smaller chores have started piling up. Raising and lowering the anchor, opening the sails, dealing with the trash, getting the mail, all the heavy lifting around the ship—Zoro did it all without them even noticing.
Chopper wants nothing more than for the fighting to stop, but..he doesn't want things to go back to how they were.
Zoro is so much happier now.
He isn't always exhausted, for one. Instead of spending all his free time working out or doing something around the ship, he's gotten back into some of his forgotten hobbies.
Besides reading and embroidery, he's also started knitting and crotchet. Chopper shamelessly sleeps with the plush version of himself Zoro made.
He really likes this artsy Zoro. He's visibly less stressed. Zoro smiles more, laughs more. Generally, he's just more like the version of himself from before they were apart for two years.
Chopper knows things have to change. Unfortunately, they can't change until Nami and Zoro make up.
"An apology? That's it?" Usopp asks.
"That's what the brute said," Sanji says.
Chopper lights up, exclaiming, "That's great! All you have to do is say sorry, Nami!"
"I'm not apologizing!" Nami yells.
"C'mon, Nami-bro. It's just two words," Franky says. "Besides..you were kinda uncool when you said that stuff."
Nami growls. "Oh, so you're on his side?"
"Yeah! I am! I love all you guys, but you're being a jerk!"
There's a pause, but Sanji doesn't cut in to yell at him for yelling at a lady. That just sets Nami off again.
"Whatever! You can all kiss his ass, but I'm not going to!"
Nami once again storms off—something she seems to be doing a lot lately. The rest of the group slowly disperses, in varying degrees of anger and sadness.
"Luffy, can't you do something?" Chopper asks, tears welling in his eyes as he looks up at his captain.
"Sorry, Chopper. I can't force someone to say sorry, then it wouldn't be sincere," Luffy says, petting his head.
He knew that would be the answer, but it doesn't hurt any less.
Luffy grins at him. "Hey. Cuddling isn't a chore for Zoro. Let's go do that."
Chopper huffs, pretending the idea isn't everything he needs right now. Despite that, he let's Luffy pick him up and carry him out. It's not long before he's dropping him into their swordsman's lap.
Zoro smiles down at him and lifts his newest knitting project out of the way.
"Hey, Chop. You wanna take a nap?"
Chopper nods, only cuddling closer to him. He falls asleep to the sound of Zoro's breathing and the clacking of his needles.
Nami is getting swarmed.
The sheer amount of marines is overwhelming, even if they aren't the strongest foes they've ever faced. Something about a cloning fruit? Honestly, Nami can't focus on anything except the enemies in front of her.
She can't get any leverage. For every ten she takes out, twenty more appear out of nowhere.
It's not long before she's completely cornered.
"What the hell is going on?" She mutters to herself.
She's never been cornered like this before. Any enemies that manage to overpower her are always taken out before they can touch her.
As she dodges lashes from swords and whizzing bullets, she only grows more confused. Where the hell is the rest of her crew? Where the hell is Zoro—
All at once, she realizes what must be happening. Is..is protecting her a chore?
She never gave any thought to it before. Zoro has always just..been there. She never had to ask him, or even order him.
Zoro has one of the most important roles on the ship, as their protector.
The marines only get closer and closer. She can't fight them off forever.
Zoro, Zoro please, just get here. Please, just please..
Nami prays, as if Zoro is her god. She prays for him to come and save her. Her back is pressed against a wall, and the marines are closing in.
"Zoro, please..I'm so sorry.."
All at once, the marines explode in a flurry of blood and steel. Their bodies hit the ground in a series of wet thuds.
Zoro sheathes his swords, and immediately bends over, panting. Behind him are a trail of bodies, a bloody path leading right to her.
He fought to get to her.
"Come on," He says finally, still a bit out of breath. "We gotta get outta here before they start multiplying again."
"I thought..you weren't coming.." She mumbles.
"What?" Zoro asks. "I'd never just leave you. Why would you think that?"
Nami collapses in relief. All at once, the full weight of her guilt hits her. She cries. Not softly, but loud, wet sobs, borderline wailing.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Nami chants between sobs.
Zoro drops to his knees right in front of her and pulls her to his chest. He holds her tightly, rubbing her back. She never knew he gave such amazing hugs. He shushes her softly.
"Nami, please stop crying, you know I'm not good at comforting people," He says frantically.
She almost laughs. Poor, awkward Zoro.
"I never meant to make you mad and I take back everything I said and I'm sorry—"
"Woah! Hey, I'm not mad. Who said I was mad?"
"You st-stopped doing everything and you wouldn't talk to me! You must be s-so fur-furious!" She warbles.
"No," Zoro says quickly, squeezing her, "No, I was never mad at you."
He cups her face gently. Nami is struck with the realization that this man is her brother. This is her big brother, her family, and she was treating him so poorly.
"B-But I called you.."
"I was never mad about that. Nami, you—...you hurt my feelings."
Zoro pauses, seemingly debating with himself about something. Finally, he pulls away from her to look her in the eye.
"Nami, I—..I'm so scared of being useless. I-I know I'm not, and I know Luffy would never throw me away but.."
"But..you're still scared," Nami finishes for him.
"I try so hard to make your lives easier, and-and maybe I don't do enough—"
"You do!" Nami cuts him off. "You do enough—you do more than enough. Zoro, you do so much for us and we love you so much."
Zoro's eyes get a bit misty, but he nods firmly. He opens his mouth, but he still can't manage to coax the words out.
Nami hugs him. "I know. You don't have to say it."
Zoro hugs back again. They hold each other until Luffy finds them.
As soon as he sees them, Luffy laughs, loud and wild. All is right in the Strawhats again.
Just because Nami and Zoro made up, that doesn't mean everything goes back to the way it was.
At least, the crew won't let it.
"Behold! A chore chart!" Nami declares, gesturing to the neatly drawn chart.
"What the hell is this for?" Zoro asks.
He has to dig around his haramaki to get his glasses, before leaning in to read what it says. His eyes widen when he sees all the things written on it.
Laundry, dish duty, night watch, and all the other little things that need to be done around the ship are split up between all of them on a weekly basis.
There are some chores or duties that are exclusive for some people. Cooking is exclusive for the cook, repairs are Franky's job, etc etc.
Zoro can't help but smile when he sees 'pack mule' written next to his name in Sanji's fancy scrawl. You don't carry the guy's food for one day and he goes crazy.
"It's so you can still have time for yourself, swordsman-san," Robin says.
Zoro looks up to see all his nakama smiling at him. He's suddenly overcome with an emotion he can't even name.
"We're so sorry we put so much on you, Zoro! We'll be more mindful about your feelings from now on!" Chopper says.
He gets a pat from the swordsman. Zoro tries to play it off, but his glasses are fogging up with his tears. He's grateful when no one says anything.
"Now, how many crafts can you pump out in a day?" Nami asks, "I think I've figured out a way for you to pay back your debt."