One Piece: Thriller Bark revelations

Chapter one

Thank god you're alive, Nami thought. She was sitting on a chair and leaning forward facing Zoro, who was lying on his bed. Covered in bandages and unconscious, barely alive. 'But he will live,' Chopper reassured the straw hats earlier that day. The battle was over. Now they could finally leave that cursed ghost ship.

Nobody, including Nami, thought Zoro would ever take such a huge beating. For her, Zoro had always been the strongest swordsman she had ever seen. She never forgot all the times he had saved her. Seeing him lying there, heavily wounded and out of reach... it made her feel powerless. If only she could have protected hím for once. 'I'm sorry...,' she said softly.

She picked up the glass of red wine standing on the small table next to her. Leaning back, she took a sip and got lost in her thoughts, thinking about their adventure on the island. How she kicked Absalom's ass, seeing her nakama fight Oars, Zoro catching fire and almost dying. Shit that really frightened her, watching him almost die like that.

Did she develop feelings for him? When did that happen? And more importantly, what happens next? She let out a long sigh and looked at Zoro's chest moving up and down, breathing slowly. He looked peaceful. She wanted to touch him, kiss him. Is this what people call love?

But this, my feelings... they will only complicate things, she thought. If he doesn't like me, I will be rejected and left to deal with this by myself. While we're still on the same ship. So distancing myself would be a problem. And I can't leave the crew. But if he likes me back, what happens then? We kiss, we have sex and then what? Normal people would start a relationship I guess.

But Nami never considered having a long term relationship, not with any man. Men were unreliable and, compared to money, unpredictable, she thought. Who could blame her? Growing up, her main role models were Arlong and the other Merman pirates.

Besides, looking at their interactions throughout the years, Zoro calling her a witch and whatnot were obvious signs he didn't exactly love her back. That painful realization stung her heart. She leaned in closer towards Zoro and gently touched his arm.

'You gave us quite the scare there, Marimo.' With him fast asleep, she felt she could talk freely. 'Especially me. For a moment I thought you wouldn't make it. It terrified me... and still does, way more than I thought it would.' Another long sigh left her. Then a long silence, only their breathing filling the air. 'I'm in love with you, Zoro.'

Even though the thought of him never loving her back pained her, she felt relieved she could confess her love to him this way. Well, kind of. She smirked. 'Fortunately you can't hear me, or else this would've been a really painful confession. And rejection for me.' She paused for a moment. 'No worries, I know you don't love me back. And that's okay, I won't let this get between our friendship and our family. Our nakama. Just leave me be for a little while and I'll be okay.'

'Oooi Nami,' Usopp hollered while sticking his head through the door. Nami jumped up from her chair and pulled back her hand. 'What?!', she replied, irritated from the sudden jumpscare, which in turn startled Usopp. 'Well ehm... dinner's ready.' Nami relaxed a bit, knowing her secret was still safe. 'Okay, I'm coming.'

Usopp's head disappeared again and he closed the door. Nami took a big sip from her glass of wine until it was empty. She looked at Zoro, who was still fast asleep. 'Thank god you're safe,' she whispered after putting a small kiss on his forehead. Then she left the room to get some food and find company.