Hi, I just stumbled upon your 24hours on ao3 and saw your comment that requests are still open for it. I’d love to read something for 8:45 pm (20:45). Thank you so much 🙌💚🧡

Hi! Here you go!

24 Hours

[8:45 PM] | [20:45]

Nami watched the bright lights of the still open shops with profound interest as it sped past her eyes.

The town is still up and about; the sidewalk still filled with people just milling about, doing after work grocery shopping or hurrying home to prepare for the weekend. There are those who are entering the known bars to enjoy their Friday night out with friends while others are just stepping out of restaurants after a probably fulfilling dinner.

And speaking of dinner…

She turned towards her companion.

“Are we there yet?”

She was immediately answered with a snort.

“No,” Zoro drawled as he stopped for the deserted intersection’s red light, tapping his finger impatiently on the steering wheel as he waited for it to change.

Nami fidgeted on her seat slightly. “What’s taking so long?”

“It’s a fucking half an hour drive there. And it’s outside town.”

“I’m hungry.”

“Are you Luffy?”

She made a face at the mention of the endless pit called Luffy.

“I’m not,” she crossed her arms sullenly. “I still haven’t eaten anything since that hell meeting earlier at work. So I’m starving.”

“We’ll get to it when we get to it,” Zoro muttered. “Plus it was you who wanted to head there instead of eating some place where I didn’t have to drive.”

Nami made a face at him before settling back on her seat to resume gazing outside the car.

She totally blames Usopp for this.

The long-nosed artist keeps on whining about the cheeseburgers from a hole-in-the-wall burger joint a few miles outside town. He was totally in love with them and won’t shut up about it all day.

Now, Nami has a hankering for it as well—no thanks to his endless moaning about it at work earlier.

And that’s actually how she ended up in Zoro’s car, way past dinner time. She was able to rope the snarky green-haired man into driving her to that goddamned place to get some of those goddamned cheeseburgers.

If they don’t live up to Usopp’s tale… she’s gonna stuff his mouth full of them ‘til he chokes.

Nami pursed her lips as she felt her stomach growl. She stole a quick glance to her left to check if Zoro heard it.

The road had his full attention so he didn’t, one hand steering the wheel to the left while the other rested casually on the stick shift.

She sighed in relief. If he had caught it… of course she’d never hear the end of it.

They stayed silent for a while; the only sound inside the car was coming from the music playlist in Nami’s phone. Both absorbed with their own thoughts. Well… Zoro probably is concentrating on driving, while she…

…she’s concentrating on the image of him driving and how his hands look absolutely sexy on the wheel and the gearshift.

Nami was stealthily watching him from the corner of her eye, before deciding that is was about time to avert her gaze before Zoro caught her observing him. She glanced to her right instead.

And she did a double take.

Wait… why does that place look familiar?

They drove past a well-lit twenty four-seven store and her brows immediately furrowed.

A frown appeared on her face.

They already passed by that store earlier, right?

She realized that yes indeed. They already drove by that familiar green, orange and red sign. Twice.

“What the hell Zoro!” She suddenly screeched, almost making the Zoro hit the brakes abruptly.

“Damn it! What the hell Nami?” Zoro all but yelled at her as he regained his composure. “What the fuck was that?!”

“Are you driving us in circles?!” Nami blurted out the question, staring at him incredulously.

“What the hell are you saying woman?!” He snarled at her. “I am not!”

“We passed by that store thrice already!” She pointed behind them.

“No we did not!”

“Yes we did! It’s one and the same!”

“What makes you think that witch? That store is like everywhere!” Zoro retorted. “There are a lot of them here!”

Nami gaped at him. And it took all of her strength to refrain herself from hitting him on the head since he was driving.

She couldn’t believe it! The stories she kept hearing are true!

Zoro is a directionally-challenged idiot!

She continued gawking at him, watching as he turned to the left again, on a street she now realized he had entered thrice before.

The street that would eventually lead them back…

She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. And it had nothing to do with hungry state she was in.

…to driving past that same, fucking convenience store.

She slumped back to her seat with a frustrated groan when they did.

Zoro does get lost! She honestly thought it was just a joke!

“Turn right this time Zoro,” she said suddenly when they reached the intersection again. Her head was still reeling at the absurdity of it all.

“Huh? Like hell I wi—”

“Turn right on that street or I swear I will throttle you!” She threatened through gritted teeth, her eyes almost boring holes through Zoro. “Do not make me do it!”

“Fine you troublesome woman!”

Five minutes later, they finally arrived at their destination—which they should’ve done like ten or fifteen minutes ago if Zoro did not mess up the direction and turned left on the same street over and over again like he was stuck on a loop.

Usopp’s favorite burger joint loomed in front of them. Despite it being in the middle of nowhere and right at the edge of a thick-treed forest with a chain link fence, the place is teeming with customers and vehicles.

Nami is still trying to wrap her head around her recent discovery when they parked.

Zoro is someone who shouldn’t be left alone to his devices when driving. Because Kami knows he’ll probably end up on the other side of the continent.

Or get himself lost forever. Whichever of the two comes first.

He’ll definitely, certainly need a navigator by his side.

And how fitting is that?

Because damn if she is not the best one out there.

HII saw your works about zoro x nami. And im loving it. Can i ask for the 24 hours. 6:24 pm ?

If you are still open. Thank you so muuch

Hi! And thank you! Of course you can still ask. So here's your request. Hope you enjoy it.

24 Hours

[6:24 PM]

Zoro glanced at his watch for the umpteenth time since he exited his apartment building. For the past ten minutes he just stood near the entrance, impatiently waiting for his so-called orange-haired neighbor to come down and join him.

Damn, what’s taking that witch so long?

He muttered a curse under his breath and scratched the back of his head frustratingly. He hooked a finger at the collar of his formal white shirt, irritated that he had to wear one for the night.

Robin is hosting a fund-raising gala at the nearby university where she works. The tall, black-haired woman had invited them—no, actually; more like demanded in that infuriatingly calm way of hers—that they should attend it.

Luffy had already gone ahead with his brother Sabo, while Usopp got roped in assisting the blond, perverted cook; who Robin requested to handle the catering for tonight’s event.

And that left him with the devil incarnate herself called Nami.

He checked his watch again. 6:24. The gala starts at 7:00. They still have plenty of time to drive to the university.

That is if Nami decides to show up within two minutes.

Zoro inwardly groaned. He could’ve headed there just right about now. Why in the world did Robin had to be adamant that he arrive at the gala with Nami?

Just come with Nami alright? That way I can be sure that you’ll both be there. Especially you Zoro. You have a nasty habit of not showing up for these events…

That is what Robin had said a few days ago… with a sly smile on her face that Zoro knows is absolutely a dead giveaway that she was planning something. What, he’s not really sure. Her mind’s just as devious as Nami’s.

But whatever it is… he has a gut feeling that it will not be good for him.

Shifting his weight on his other foot, he absent-mindedly tugged at the collar of his shirt again. Honestly he hates wearing stuffy clothes like this. He absolutely cannot wait for the night to end.

He tugged at it again, frowning when he realized that it was not the collar that was stifling him, but the tie that Nami had conveniently knotted around his neck before she shooed him away to wait for her downstairs and outside the apartment building.

“Don’t even think about it Zoro!”

Zoro abruptly spun around at the sound of Nami’s voice… reacting exactly like a child that had been caught doing the very one thing that he was instructed not to do.

And everything just stood still for him.

The sound of Nami’s high heeled shoes, tapping against the ground of the entryway as she approached him, echoed inside his head. It was the only sound his mind was able to register at that moment. That and…

Nami had a scowl on her face as she glared at him and yet… the sight of her in a cowl-necked, turquoise-colored gown that hugged her body perfectly was enough to steal his breath and brain function away.

“I didn’t go through all that trouble of fixing that tie for you to just mess it up.” She huffed as she stopped in front of him, slapping at his hand lightly away. She reached out and adjusted his undisturbed tie slightly before straightening his collar.

Then she brushed her hands on his shoulders, as if clearing away some imaginary dirt on his coat.

“There,” she gave a nod of approval as she eyed him. “Keep your hands to yourself all night alright?”

His scathing remark at her statement just froze on his throat when she smiled prettily at him. The curled wisps of her hair that was framing her face made his fingers twitch with the urge to touch them.

It didn’t take long for Zoro to realize that he was actually gawking at his completely troublesome yet stunning neighbor.

He schooled his expression and forced himself to scowl at her instead.

He’d rather be dead than be caught admiring her.

“Shut up witch! You took so long I’m already contemplating on leaving you here!” He snarled, turning away from her before she sees the blush that has made its way on his face and neck.

“Hey! Don’t be mean Zoro! Robin specifically told you to bring me there!” Nami retorted from behind him as he started walking towards the direction of the parking lot.

“Oh yeah? “ He looked over his shoulder to throw a cocky smirk her way. “That doesn’t mean I can’t make you walk your way to the university!”

Nami’s features darkened at that and he laughed, liking how he got the upper hand on her so easily.

“Come on! Pick up your pace witch.”

And he heard her snort.

“Zoro you idiot. The parking lot’s the other way!”