One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter Seventeen [Rewritten]

-Chapter Seventeen-

"You claim not to be a pervert, but then turn around and do stuff like this..." I muttered as I leaned back against Zoro's chest from my spot seated between his legs. While Sanji and Chopper were off gathering supplies for Vivi, that left the rest of us to our own devices. From the corner of my eye, I watched as Nami, Vivi, and Usopp conversed amongst themselves. They were huddled close to one another, speaking in low whispers in conversation I barely had any interest in.

"How am I the pervert when you're the one that opted to sit there in the first place?" Zoro asked, one arm flung around my waist while his chin rested atop my head. "Wouldn't you actually be the pervert by that logic?" he inquired.

"Hey now, let's not get crazy here and start throwing around baseless accusations like that—not my fault you're pretty comfy to lean against" I argued. "Besides, I didn't hear you complain once since I took a seat" I grinned as he lowly grumbled in response. "What? Afraid you'll get cooties or something?" I teasingly asked.

"I mean...," he shrugged, "I don't exactly know where you've been" he grinned.

"First of all, how dare you" I said in mock offense at the implications of his words. "And, second of all, I will not tolerate such slander from the likes of you" I barely made it far in my attempt to stand before feeling the muscles in the arm wrap around me tense and yank me back.

"Nah, you're stuck here with me now" I couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up my throat as I squirmed, the grin on my face only growing wider upon hearing the swordsman's own laughter as he now wrapped both his arms around me to keep me down. We eventually settled down, comfortably leaning back as we now relaxed and peered up at the cloudless sky above in a peaceful silence...

It was nice.

If I closed my eyes, it almost felt as if nothing had changed between the two of us in the years that we'd been separated. It was almost too easy to fall back into old habits as if we were mere kids again. Such a thought had me hopeful that he was perhaps feeling the same way, and as I opened my mouth...I found it difficult to speak. Part of me knew what I wanted to say...and yet, I didn't know how to say it. It was such a simple question—a simple inquiry, and yet the thought of asking it made my chest grow tight and my throat constrict...

There was a part of me—a small yet loud part of me that greatly feared the slightest possibility that I was wrong to assume he'd ever really remembered me.

I mean...what about me is really worth remembering?

It sounded so ridiculous anytime I'd really sit down and think about it...and yet, I couldn't bring myself to just ignore that tiny little voice and all the things it'd whisper in my ear. Sucking in a shaky breath of air in an attempt to distract myself from the unpleasant thoughts that were now starting to creep their way in, I instantly regretted it the second I felt my nostrils start to burn at the familiar, yet overwhelmingly faint smell of perfume that instantly assaulted my senses.

"What's that smell?" Nami curiously asked, quickly noticing the offending whiff of air that seemed to lazily drift our way from somewhere off in the distance.

"Nanohana is famous for selling perfume, but the perfume itself is made at an oasis" Vivi explained as I sneezed right into my elbow.

"Skylar?" Nami blinked as soon as I sniffed. "Something a matter?" she asked.

"No, I'm good" I groaned, quick to wave away her concern. With another sniff, I looked back at Zoro to see if he had anything to say about this sudden smell before deadpanning when I saw that he had already fallen asleep. Heaving a sigh, I couldn't help but smile at the peaceful look on his face as he leaned back into what little shade there was—his grip on me barely loosening and instead tightening anytime he'd feel me shift...