One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter Thirty Seven [Rewritten]

-Chapter Thirty-Seven-

"Alright, slingshot boy, I'm going to shove that pillow so far down your throat you'll choke on it" Sanji menacingly threatened as he stood and crossed the room, stalking toward the long-nosed pirate like a man on a mission.

"I didn't expect men to get into this sort of fight" I whistled, giggling as I watched the men basically get into a pillow fight with one another like a bunch of pubescent girls having their first sleepover.

"You guys don't seem to understand the concept of—" Nami was interrupted by a stray pillow harshly hitting her. Growling, she angrily threw it right back down at the group of men in an attempt to hit whoever had thrown it first.

"I hope you're ready" Sanji sneered, cracking his knuckles as he rushed Usopp. Laughing at the scene before me, I soon got a mischievous glint in my eyes as I snatched up one of the stray pillows now lying around.

"Not you too" Nami groaned the moment I stood, feet sinking into the mattress and causing its springs to creak as I bounced—eyes now locked on target. I only chuckled as I brought the pillow above my head before quickly smacking it right against the back of Zoro's head.

"Gotcha!" I laughed, taking advantage of the way he stumbled in stunned surprise as I jumped onto his back and knocked us both down onto the floor. Laughter seemed to just erupt from everyone else in the room after a split second of silence as I now sat on top of Zoro's back, widely smiling up at them all as the swordsman groaned from underneath me.

-Later-

"You've sure grown a lot since the last time we saw one another..." I quietly muttered, staring through lidded eyes as I peacefully watched the swordsman beside me snooze away the night Unfortunately, there hadn't been enough beds. Luckily for me though—and much to Sanji's dismay—Zoro had offered to share before anyone else had a chance to do the same. Currently, everyone else was peacefully passed out asleep around the room with me being the only one still awake...

I couldn't sleep.

Which wasn't anything new, if I was being honest. Sometimes sleep came naturally and other times it didn't, tonight was no different as I lay there with my eyes open. Silently admiring just how calm and relaxed the man beside me was as he unknowingly mocked me with his ability to effortlessly fall asleep.

"Do you remember?" it was a simple question that received no answer other than a soundless snore. Shifting onto my back, I peered up at the ceiling as I now began to ponder my own question...part of me wanted to say that he did—part of me wanted to believe that he did, at least, and that's why things between us felt so natural like nothing had ever changed between us despite how much time had passed. But another part of me...a cynical part of me...tried to reason his behavior and explain away his actions as nothing more than simple playfulness between crewmates with a dash of teenage hormones. I mean, technically, he hasn't really said anything to verbally confirm anything...

I sighed, suddenly tired yet still unable to close my eyes.

Five years...

It's been five long years since we last saw each other and yet the way he still made my heart race with just his mere presence and bright smile and joyful laugh sent my mind in a tizzy and made my stomach flutter with butterflies. It felt silly to still harbor such feelings like the ones I had for him back then for so long...and yet, I couldn't fully deny their presence like I so clearly wanted to. He was my first crush after all and technically still is—I have yet to experience the same feelings I have for him toward anyone else since the last that I saw him. It felt like the moment he stepped back into my life and we began to fall back into our old routines and habits, I started to fall for him all over again much to my startled surprise.