The rain beat down mercilessly outside the ship, turning it into a wooden drum that was really quite soothing. Elly stared morosely out one of the large port windows in the living room area. She was feeling that sickly-sweet love again for the swordsman and she hated it. He wasn't interested in her, she knew it, and the knowledge burned a hole in her already-weak heart. She scowled, flicking her fluffy, forked tail around in agitation.

"Damn it!" Geez, what was she, some sappy teenager? She had to get past this stupid obsession but her need for the man was more than the lovesick feeling she'd gotten around Sanji. She struggled with it, wrestling her thoughts and emotions to the ground. Pinned there, weak and helpless they looked bad. Very bad. She couldn't get away from the fact that she was happy when he was near her. It was a simple thing.

The door creaked open and she jumped, hissing faintly in alarm. She didn't want to be disturbed now. Changing form quickly to all nekomata, she leaped nimbly behind the couch she had been sprawled out against, tucking her tail around herself. Oh, crap. Crap, crap. The rumbling baritone was Zoro! And he was with somebody.

"Shut up and leave me alone!" Zoro growled. He shouldered past the orange-haired girl and sat on the couch, deliberately avoiding her gaze.

"But you two are together a lot," Nami insisted. Elly's eyes widened and she bared her fangs, shaking. What? Who?

"Told you, coincidence." The couch shifted under his weight. "Get out. I wanna nap."

"It isn't and you know it. You like her, admit it. You sit close by her and you've never done that with anyone before."

"I don't like that stupid cat!" Zoro suddenly yelled at her with some heat. Nami flinched but smiled nonetheless; his getting upset proved it to her. The big man's face was bright red and he was frowning hard. She blinked when she saw a furry lavender streak dart out from under the couch and slip out the door.

"Uh oh," she murmured.

"What?!"

"She was behind the couch."



She swore she wouldn't cry. She wouldn't. It was beneath her and - a silly thing, a childish thing. But her heart was, quite simply, broken and it was painful. The sobs left her in quiet little aching gasps as she rolled around on her bed, clutching at the sheets and trying to stay as quiet as possible. Her door was locked so no one would disturb her and she was certain neither person had known she was there anyway. What did it matter? She'd go on, she always did. She'd reverted to human form to let the tears come when she reached her room and she looked miserable. Elly's face was paler than usual but her cheeks burned bright red. Her nose was dark too, the flush spread across half her face, blotchy and unlovely. She didn't care. A strand of lavender hair caught in her mouth and she angrily slapped it away. No crying! No more! She hated crying. Every time she tried to force the tears to stop she would hear the echo of the big man's words in her mind, screaming out loud that he didn't like her.

Why was she surprised?



"SHIT!" Zoro fell off the couch. "Damn it, you had to fuck with me!" His face was panicked, eyes wide and hands clutching at his sword hilts as if for comfort. Afraid of nothing in the world but a woman, Nami thought gleefully. Then she remembered the form of the cat streaking through the door opening and grimaced.

"You'd better go to her."

"What the hell am I supposed to say?!"

"That you lied?"

"Didn't lie!"

"Then you really don't like her?" Nami cocked her head at him, puzzled. "What...ohhhh." Her eyes widened and she snickered evilly.

"Shut up," he warned her.

"I could figure it out but she won't," she told him angrily, swapping moods like she always did. She bonked the bushido on the head and he winced. "Get over there and fix this!"


Elly was tired. She wasn't really finished with the crying but she felt she was too tired to care anymore. The tears ran down her cheeks in little trickles and she made no move to wipe them away. Her eyes hurt, an ache that went deep below the sockets and her face burned. Her chest felt like someone had stepped on it and caved all her ribs in, crushing her heart and stabbing it with a million nasty little pinholes. Her face devoid of any emotion, she got up when she heard the knock at her door.

"What?" She asked flatly.

"Open it." It was Zoro. She flinched wildly, rubbing a hand over her face.

"Bad timing," she told the man on the other side of the oak door.

"Open. The. Door," he gritted through clenched teeth.

"Later," Elly said tiredly and flopped back down on the bed. She was mildly surprised when the wood splintered around the lock moments later. Not enough to get up and address the man but enough to snort into the pillows. "What?" She asked in as bland a tone as she could manage.

"You heard me." It wasn't a question. She sighed.

"Yeah, so what? You don't like Nami either."

"Different," he grumbled. Then, exasperated, "Stupid cat! Get up already!" His hands. They were on her! She gasped when he grasped her around her shoulders and spun her around. His anger was fierce but it slowly drained from his face when he saw hers. She couldn't hide what she had been doing from him and she didn't try. His eyes on hers were too much and fresh tears slipped down her cheeks, tickling her hot and sweaty skin.

"Go away," she whispered. "I don't want you looking at me." Zoro froze. Her face was red and puffy with tears. He hadn't gone to her right away when they'd realized she was hiding behind that damned couch and she'd been crying the whole time. Because she thought he didn't like her. He blinked, started to sweat. This wasn't right.

"Cat?"

"Get away from me!" She wrenched herself out of his grip and fell to the floor, changing form as she fell. This time he tried to snatch at her tail before she spun out the door but she was too fast for the dazed swordsman. He scrambled to his feet, swearing sulfurously.

"Wait, damn it!"

The crew had gathered around in the galley for dinner but the commotion outside in the hallway was distracting, even for the Captain. Luffy stuck his head out and was bounced back by an anthro pounding through the corridor.

"Waaaugh!" He snapped backwards, falling on top of Usopp and a startled Chopper.

"What's going on?" Nami asked irritably. "I told that idiot to fix things." Boots thumping on the wooden planking were heard next as Zoro raced by, swearing at the top of his lungs.

"Where's she going?" Chopper asked in a small voice. "She doesn't like water like that."

Elly was stuck. She had pelted off as fast as she could without any thought and this was her punishment. Trapped. The only door left to her was one that led outside - in the rain. She frowned and changed to human form. At least she wouldn't hate it as much. Hearing Zoro come up close behind her, she jerkily turned the knob and dashed out.

"Quit running!" Zoro yelled at her but - she didn't listen. He was confused, angry at her for making him feel guilty and furious at himself for not being man enough to admit to her why he had said what he did right away. The chase made his heart race with a wild kind of tension, akin to the thrill of a good fight. He stopped to open the door in his way and splashed out into the green grassy lawn of their upper deck. Where was the cat? Where was she?!

Elly clapped a hand over her mouth. He wasn't giving up! And he had a crazy look in his eyes. She thought if he yelled at her again she might scream in agony. The thought of appearing so weak before the strongest man she'd ever known (or loved) made her ill. She tried to edge further away from him but ...but he was Zoro.

"Are they gonna fight?" Chopper's eyes were giant. He didn't think the two hated each other but this was scary. He looked aside. Robin was still seated at the table but she had patted him in comfort with a hand that had sprouted from the top of his hat.

"They'll be fine in a little while," she smiled.

Zoro's breath puffed out in a small gust. He concentrated, his eyes narrowing. Wait. Movement. His eyes flicked to the right and his hand snapped out so quickly Elly didn't even see it. Her wrist was grasped in his big palm, curling around tightly so she couldn't escape. He pulled and she was spun around directly in front of him, soaking wet with her purple side locks plastered to her cheeks.

"What's wrong with you?" He hissed.

"Idiot!" She raged, trying to pull away. Her legs were free and she kicked him in the shin. Zoro grunted and although it didn't hurt he slipped and fell, arms locking on either side of him. He shook his head, stunned. What the hell! What... wait. He was laying flat on top of Elly, hands on either side of her, their faces inches apart. The rain fell down, causing his clothing to seem to melt right onto his hot skin. Her skin was pale but her clothes were just as wet, light lavender shirt sticking to her body in revealing ways. His blood sang in his ears; his vision clouded.

Zoro was heavy. His body was fully muscled and thick around the torso. Her hands had gripped him around the middle as they fell and she stared, dumbfounded, close up at his soaking wet shirt. He wore white. His scars and flat male nipples were clearly visible, the cotton cloth revealing more than just his hulking upper body. Her hands were holding him. Clutching him so hard her palms hurt. They stared abstractedly at each other in silence for one long minute before their mouths met, each crushing the other with the ferocity of their passion.

He didn't like her.

But he didn't hate her, either.

He loved her.