One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Three [Rewritten]

"Argh! Another one?" I playfully groaned. "This is like the twentieth one you've had since we set sail!" I know I was being dramatic, but I was seriously starting to grow tired of all these questions of hers. I understood her curiosity to an extent as her confusion and frustration toward mine and Zoro's behavior up until this point was relatively understandable—there was obviously a lot of context she was missing up until this point.

"This is the last one, I swear" she promised.

"Alright, fine—shoot" I said, motioning for her to go on ahead and ask her question—I doubt it mattered anyway what I said knowing she'd probably still ask even if I were to say no.

"Why...why exactly were you and your brothers on Zoro's home island to begin with? Why did you have to move again after only being there for three years?" she curiously asked as if it had only just occurred to her how strange it was that three children had moved all on their own onto a new island only to quickly leave said island after a measly three years without any real explanation. I instantly tensed up, causing her to give my shoulders a comforting squeeze as if to silently coax me into relaxing as her frown deepened.

"That's two questions...you said you only had one..." I muttered, avoiding both questions as I wasn't really comfortable with answering either one. Quietly, she stared, looking conflicted for a moment as if she was wondering if she should push or not. "Would you look at the time? It's getting rather late—don't you think?" I awkwardly chuckled, attempting to break the uncomfortable silence that now settled between us. "You know, I think I'm going to sleep in the guy's room tonight..." I suddenly muttered...

Not like it actually mattered where I slept.

After the discovery of my gender back on Drum Island, it became commonplace in the crew for me to bounce back and forth between the women's quarters and the men's room depending on my and everyone else's mood. Since I had been sleeping in the men's room for so long, the reveal of my actual gender didn't really change much when it came to my sleeping arrangement. Sure, Nami has occasionally gotten me to sleep in here with her and Robin as she personally found it more appropriate, but I know that she probably appreciates the extra space my absences give her and Robin at night. Not only that, but...I actually felt more comfortable sleeping in the men's room, having gotten used to the sounds of the men's snores and sleep talk after sleeping in there for so long. I knew they felt the same since I have yet to hear any complaints, if any of them acted off since the discovery of my gender it was mainly Sanji who now felt he and the others needed to pick up around their room more as if embarrassed by how messy they could be despite my assurance it was fine.

"Yeah, night..." Nami mumbled, hesitantly releasing her grip on my shoulder.

"Night..." I weakly smiled before leaving the room completely. Heaving a tired sigh the moment I came up into the storage room, I leaned against some nearby crates and stood there for a moment needing time to gather myself back up before I even thought about going anywhere else...

Today's been a long day.

-Later that Night-

Night had completely fallen now and once again like so many times before, I found myself curled up on the kitchen floor—arms wrapped tightly around my legs as I quietly sat there as if I was waiting for someone to come...

This wasn't anything new.

No. I always tended to do this after certain nightmares...especially ones that were best left forgotten. Heavily sighing, I peered down at the floor through hazy eyes as I suddenly found myself recalling a pleasant memory I probably hadn't thought about in years.

-Flashback-

"Shh, you must be quiet, or else your father will wake up" Mary shushed, quietly leading the sniffling six-year-old down into the kitchen. Upon finishing the last of her chores, she discovered the crying child wandering the halls of the manor—mindlessly shuffling the halls in search of comfort from whatever nightmare she had awoken from. Quick had she been to approach and give the frightened child the comfort she so desperately sought—hastily ushering her down the hall and toward the kitchen, frightened that if she didn't soothe the child's tears soon then she'd risk either of the girl's parents waking...