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The grass under my palm was coated with dewdrops from the morning shower. Small droplets clung to my fingers. I dried them off on the hem of my shirt.
The sunlight had shifted away from Nami's tangerine garden to the grass patches on the main deck. Luffy and Usopp were scouting the sea for the next island, with little luck. Robin was tending her flowers in the garden, the sweet fragrance floating in the air.
It'd be a while until we reached the next island, and everyone was relaxing and letting their wounds heal from the previous battle.
Zoro was taking a nap like always, keeping a little distance from everyone else. I was going to go join him earlier, if it weren't for Sanji who served apple tarts for me and the girls. Now the little green head disappeared from the kitchen lawn to another part of the ship.
"Zoro, where'd you go again?" I called his name, walking around the Sunny.
"I'm over here. What, you need somethin'?" His voice floated down from the upper floor.
"No, just looking to get away from the sun. Didn't know the observation deck would be a good idea.” I climbed up the stairs and saw him sitting against the wall of the deck. A light shadow cooled the top of my head.
“Yeah, it stays shady here in the sunny days."
I sat down next to him beneath the shade of the training centre above us. He must've come here to work out again. A faint trace of sweat lingers on his clothes.
“It's nice here. You can feel the summer breeze," I say.
"Yeah, it's my favourite spot. I come to take a nap here all the time after I work out," Zoro agrees.
"You train so much Zoro, doesn't it get tiring after so long? All you ever do is lift weights in the training centre or sleep."
"Nah, I need to be strong for y- for everyone. We don't know where we're going to end up next, and I need to be in my best shape in case we have to fight."
I sigh. "Knowing Luffy, he's going to try and pick a fight with anyone. That's honestly cool you train so much though. You do so much for the crew."
Zoro rubbed his eye. "Of course. They're like my family- I care about all of them. Even the bastard cook."
"Even the bastard cook," I laughed.
I heard Luffy and Usopp talking about something below. There was a huge splash, and I ran over to the edge of the balcony to see them. Nami scolded Luffy angrily, shouting about something like 'being stupid enough to fall into the water on your own.' He and Usopp were quick to apologize after each of them got a beating from her.
"Sounds like they're arguing about something there. Well, guess it's time to take a nap." Zoro stretched his arms and rested them behind his head, yawning up at the deck.
"Mind if I join you?" I asked, coming back over to sit next to him. I leaned against the wood mast and crossed my legs.
He opened his eye to look at me. "Huh? Really, just to take a nap? Sure, if you want." He seemed almost surprised as to why I would want to stay here instead of everyone else below.
"It's just nice here, sitting under the shade with you," I said. I loved how energetic the crew was, but sometimes I just wanted a break. Whether it was reading with Robin and helping her take care of her flowers, or taste-testing Sanji's new recipes, it was nice to relax for a bit. Also, of course, spending time with Zoro in the training room or talking to him on the deck of the Sunny.
I fidgeted with my hands, scraping off small bits of loose skin from the edges of my fingernails.
Zoro shifted himself to face slightly towards me. A trickle of sweat went down the back of my neck. I realized I'd never been this close to him before. I could almost smell his breath, faint traces of sweet alcohol tinged with sweat.
I noticed there was something on his chest, hidden by his shirt. It was almost impossible to tell; it was near the edge of his torso. Without thinking, I pulled back the fabric to reveal a wound still red.
"Zoro!" I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. "You're hurt!"
"Huh? Oh, that. It doesn't even hurt that much. It'll heal itself in a couple of days." Zoro said, not paying much attention.
"Maybe I should get Chopper. Just to make sure it's alright." I start to get worried.
I instinctively reached out my hand on the wound. Zoro stared at me for a bit, and his expression softened.
"Hey. It's nothing to worry about. I'd rather have the rest of the crew be looked after first. This is nothing compared to my past cuts."
"Alright. Okay, if you insist. Um, sorry for that." I lifted my hand from his skin and crossed my arms. Maybe I was overreacting. The cut didn't look deep, and it looked like it was already mending. I curled myself into a little ball and closed my eyes. I'm being so annoying.
"It's nothing. Thanks for... caring about me so much," he said. Maybe it was just the sunlight, but I thought I saw his face blush.
I felt my face flush red and buried my head in my arms. Focus. Focus on anything else. The cloudless, sunny sky. The shade and the sturdy wood I was sitting under. Nami's tangerine garden, bearing little orange fruits that glinted in the sunlight.
Fruits that I'd imagine to smell like him. A faint but sweet fragrance. The shine he radiated like sunlight whenever I saw one of his rare smiles. The wood planks beneath, sturdy but soft like the brief moment I touched his skin.
I can't even think about anything else but him for ten minutes.
Just say it. Just say it!
"I... I do care about you, Zoro." I managed to mumble out. I unrolled from my little ball and turned to face him. I tried to make my voice more steady. "I care about you. A lot."
Zoro looks puzzled for a moment, probably wondering why I'd say something so corny like this. Turned out I was wrong. He let out a small smile, saved just for me beneath the shade.
"I care about you too. One of the reasons why I train so much is so I can get stronger to protect you," he said.
I let out a small smile of my own. He really cares about me? He wants to get stronger to protect me? It took all of my willpower to not just hug him on the spot.
"Hey, guys," I heard Sanji's voice call out from the kitchen floor. "Lunch is ready!"
"Finally, I'm starving. I woke up late and missed breakfast. Bastard cook wouldn't let me eat the leftovers," Zoro muttered.
I giggled. "I would have saved you my apple tart, but you disappeared. Plus I don't think Sanji would have liked that."
"Yeah, well, he can think whatever he wants." Zoro yawned. "Guess I have to save my nap for later."
He leaned down and planted a kiss between my eyes, before I could even react. My whole body froze, unable to even process what just happened.
He kissed me. He actually just kissed me!
Zoro looked back, waving me over from the staircase. "You coming? Wouldn't want Luffy to eat our food 'cause we're late."
"Uh, yeah, of course." I ducked down and hoped my hair would cover the stupid grin across my face. "I'll be right there."
I followed Zoro down the stairs, the rest of the crew already gathering in the dining room. They were probably waiting for us. Robin and Nami would ask what I was doing alone with him. Sanji would probably give me an extra portion and try to swoon me over.
Maybe, just maybe, I'd run into Zoro again today and have a chance to talk to him. Visit him in the training centre, and ask him if he could teach me swordfighting again. Have a drink with him when the moon shines up. Or maybe we could just take a nap together.
For now, that'll have to wait.