I shouldn't have told him I would be ok. I tossed and turned until I finally gave up. I snuck out of the girl's room and went outside. The crisp air hit me, making me shudder. I should have worn my scarf. That was weird. Why wasn't I wearing it? I always grabbed it, almost as if it was second nature.
I looked around. It was cloudy, making it darker than usual. I meandered around before tripping over something. When I looked back, I saw my mom — she was coughing up water. It poured out of her nose and her mouth.
"Mom?! Momma! Are you ok?!" I said, scrambling over to her. When she picked up her head, her blue eyes narrowed at me.
"Go to Hell." She sneered, her voice dripping with venom.
"Holy shit." I reeled back. That's me.
She reached out toward me, but her wrists had been snagged with bands. I reached out back, mirroring her, only to realize that I, too, hand my wrists bound to the straps.
Then, he walked into view.
"Well, if it isn't Dick Chodely himself." She taunted. She was me. But it was like a mirror image of myself. Or maybe I was the mirror.
"No, Misaki. Don't taunt him." I begged.
He snatched her by the hair and tilted her head back — now she was bound to the table. Everything she felt, I felt too.
"You sure you don't want to talk?" He said, readying the cloth and water.
"Fuck off." We both said with resounding clarity.
"Very well then."
Choking, desperation, fear, death, anxiety. Pain. My chest hurt, my throat and nose burned. I couldn't even scream. I couldn't even scream.
"Misaki. You will talk."
"No." My throat burns.
"You will talk or die, I don't even care anymore!"
"No!" My chest hurts.
"Talk!"
"Luffy."
"Talk, Misaki!"
"Luffy."
"Misaki!"
"Luffy!"
"Misaki!!"
I snapped my eyes open as Nami shook me. All the blood had drained from my face, and I was trembling.
"Are you ok?!" She said, desperate for a response.
I nodded weakly. Yet another lie. I couldn't bring myself to talk about it yet. Even Luffy had left the last few days endeavors out of his stories of the other side. But that meant they had zero background information to go off of.
"Just a weird dream." I said as calm as I could muster. I could hear my voice wavering a little as I sat up and continued. "I think I need some air."
"Don't get up! Why don't you just stay in bed."
"I'm ok, Nami! Really." I said, smiling weakly at her. "I just really need a breath of fresh air."
I got up and staggered for a moment. My trembling hadn't subsided, making me a little uneasy. I looked up and grabbed my scarf, quickly wrapping it around my neck like a safety blanket. I took a deep breath. It didn't smell like the sea anymore. Instead, it's felt held the smell of my mom's detergent. A sweet lavender. The smell instantly calmed me down. I guess I'm gonna have to try and find some lavender.
When I walked outside, the brisk air hit my face and filled my lungs. Unlike in my dream, the moon and stars shown brightly, lighting up the entire deck. Now that's more I like it.
I meandered over to the railing and chuckled when I noticed a particular person, clad in green, sleeping against the railing. His head rested on his hand and he looked rather peaceful. It looked like there was a fire brimming in the distance, most likely from something he had slain before promptly falling back asleep. Bottles of Sake were littered around him.
"What's wrong, you little imp? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Zoro said, lazily peeking out of his eye.
"Shouldn't you be awake for guard duty?" I teased back.
"I'm doing my job." He said, lazily shutting his eye again. I leaned against the railing and took a deep breath of the salty air. It felt so good to be back on the Sunny again after so long.
"You're pale." Zoro stated. It wasn't a question, but it did beg for a response. I sighed at him.
"Something happened. On the other side."
"And you're not ready to talk about it yet." He said, sighing heavily. It was nice that he still knew me that well.
"No." I said, feeling a little relieved.
"I won't pry." He said calmly, his eyes still closed. I looked at him, so grateful for him in that moment.
"That's music to my ears, Zoro." I said softly.
"Well," Zoro said, smiling a little, "you've got plenty of time. You're home now. You should be allowed to enjoy it."
"Thanks, Zoro." I said, turning around and sinking to the ground next to him. I really was exhausted. "It means a lot to me that you're here for me."
"Always." He said, huffing a little as our shoulders touched.
"Thanks Zoro." I echoed, a little quieter this time.
"Of course, Misaki." He said.
I could feel my eyes get heavy as I leaned back and sighed. I didn't think my first night back would be spent like this. With Luffy in the boy's room, however, I felt safe next to his first mate. The vice captain made me feel warm and comfortable, and I couldn't help but fall soundly asleep.