"Uh, sorry if I woke you." the greenette muttered, averting his gaze from your disheveled form.
"S'ok." you tried very hard not to stare at his shirtless torso.
"It's still early you can go back to sleep, I just came back from the gym."
"What time is it?" you grumbled trying to search for your phone in the dim light the bathroom provided.
"Just after nine." he replied as you snatched your jeans off the floor to fumble through the pockets, "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit and maybe still drunk? How'd I even get here?" you let out a short quiet gasp revisiting the realization that you were in this man's bed in his shirt and just your underwear, "Did-"
"Nothing happened," he pulled the towel over his face while he dried his hair, "you were texting me so I went and picked you up."
"Oh." You murmured.
"So, I guess we aren't going to Japan." he chuckled slipping into a gray t-shirt.
"What?" you snapped up from unlocking your phone.
"Nothing," he snorted, "you were pretty entertaining."
"Oh god," you sighed in embarrassment, "Wow, not a single text from the boys."
"I would imagine it's because they know you're with me."

Heat danced across your face as he took a seat next to you.

"How?"
"Perona was at the bar giving a play-by-play." he explained, "She was there when I picked you up."
"How embarrassing," you groaned, "please just ignore whatever I did or said last night."
"Nah, aside from inviting me to bed you were fairly well behaved." he leaned over watching your flustered expression.
"You're lying." you covered your face with your hands.
"I have no reason to lie." he murmured seriously.
"Ugh, I'm so sorry," you spoke into your palms.
"For what?" he stood, "alcohol is a sort of truth serum, you generally only say what you mean." the sound of the door opening forced your hands away from your eyes, "If you want to shower there are spare towels in the bathroom."

With that, you were left alone to brood in your embarrassment and that sweet hangover.

A lukewarm shower helped wake you and calm your nausea. You contemplated not lathering up as you glanced over the small selection of manly scented soaps, finally settling on the one that smelled the most like chamomile. After rinsing and apologizing to your hair for the two in one shampoo you wrapped a towel around your torso and stepped back into the bedroom. While slipping into your clothes from the night before you noticed a small green tiger plushie on the mattress near his pillows, if he slept with that he had to be the most adorable person on the planet.

"Want something to -" the greenette cut himself off turning toward you, "what are you doing with that?"
"Oh, this lil guy?" you held up the plushie watching Zoro's face ignite, "he was keeping me company apparently. Who knew you could own something so cute."
"He - it was a gift when I was much younger."
You were thoroughly enjoying his embarrassment, "Oh they used to have these in the claw machine at the arcade back in the day," you commented inspecting the small tiger more closely before continuing with your teasing, "OoOo ~ could it be a date won him for you?"
Zoro collected himself and sighed, "No, just someone. Please put hi- it back?"
"Fine, fine take away all my fun." you placed the tiger back where you found it and went back into the main room.

Zoro was pulling a hoodie over his head followed by a dark green beanie.

"Going somewhere?" you asked.
"We are." he answered tossing your coat to you, "I don't have any food here."

As if cued your stomach rumbled embarrassingly loud.

Zoro smirked and handed you a black beanie, "It's too cold to walk around with wet hair."
"Thanks." you murmured pulling the knit over your damp braided locks

He took you to a small diner nearby.

"I love this place." you sighed happily, slipping into a corner booth.
"You came here a lot?"
"Pops and I used to come here every Sunday morning. That was daughter day since every waking moment was filled with the boys."
"Jealous of your brothers?" he raised a brow.
"Well for eight years I was the baby, and then those three monsters came." you chuckled, "I just needed to adjust."
"That's adorable." he snorted.
"Hey, you try competing with four-year-old Luffy. That kid stole every heart he came across." you scoffed, "I went from youngest to middle child overnight."
"Glad I was an only child." he chuckled.
"Laugh it up." you sneered crossing your arms.

Breakfast with Zoro almost turned into lunch as you sat at the diner chatting and poking fun at each other for almost three hours. It was refreshing to just be able to relax and have a conversation. Eventually, you said your goodbyes at your car in the parking lot of the bar from the night before and entered the house to ear-splitting wolf whistles when you arrived home.

___________

"F/N!" your father bellowed from his room for the third time in less than ten seconds.
"Hold your horses old man! I'm coming, damn," you shouted back stomping down the stairs still buttoning your blouse.
"C'mon!" Ace groaned covering his eyes at the brief sight of your bra.
"Oh shut up." you barked brushing passed him.
"I know you aren't talking to me, brat." Pops voice was much sterner now.
"I would never." you murmured stepping into his room, "what's so urgent?"
"You do this better than I can," he turned motioning to his tie.

Truth be told he wasn't as nimble as he used to be, and it was hard to tie it with shaky hands. You smiled warmly at your father and stood in front of his chair.

"We'll have to keep all the young ladies away from you this year." you joked tossing him a wink.
A laugh rumbled through his chest, "Just one will do."
"You cheeky old fart." you chuckled adjusting the red tie and dusting off his broad shoulders, "just try not to drink too much, it doesn't mix well with your nausea meds."
"I should be saying the same for you. No beer pong tonight please, lass."
"I'm in my thirties, you don't have to keep reminding me of my mistakes."
His golden eyes lost focus on your face for a moment before he brought his hand up to touch your cheek, "You're still my little girl, I forget sometimes."

Your heart squeezed, moments like this were now fleeting and you hated it.

"You owe me a dance later so rest up." you smiled sucking your feelings back in.
"Of course." he chimed watching you rush out as the doorbell sounded.

With that, the annual Newgate Christmas Eve party began.