"Zoro, let me ask you something." I turned around to face him. I received nothing but a glance up in reply. My mouth formed a straight line. "Why?" I questioned, cocking my head.

"Why what." He replied dryly. I licked my lips thinking of a good way to state it without seeming so taut. I shifted my feet uncomfortably.

"Why don't you seem to like me?" The words spat out from my mouth. There was a long silence before he opened his eyes and straightened up.

"What makes you think I don't like you?"

"Everything. It's just the way you treat me. Different from everyone else."

"How so?"

"Well. For one, it feels like you try to avoid me."

"I avoid everyone."

"Especially me." I stared at him, though in this lighting it was difficult to make eye contact. "And I feel like you're rather uncomfortable when I'm around. Like now."

"Then why'd you offer to do night shift with me? I told you, there isn't enough space up here for two people." He replied , furrowing his brows.

"Because it's the only way I could get you to talk to me. Couldn't possibly ignore me if we were both up here."

"Huh."

I frowned.

"Tell me why." I stated firmly. "I just want to know. It feels like I got along with everyone else from the start, cept for you. I thought I'd be able to wear you down eventually, but now I realize, you just don't want me to be around, do you?" He sighed and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.

"Stop bothering me."

"No." I crossed my arms.

"You remind me of someone I used to know," He finally said. I squatted down so I'd be able to hear him better, and wrapped my arms around my knees. "She was a swordswoman."

" I don't even know how to hold one properly."

"That's not the point." His eyes shifted up and he glanced into the sky. A look of sorrow formed across his face as he began to tell his story. "When we were kids, I wanted to beat her at sword fighting. But no matter how hard I tried, she always won. She wanted to be the best in the world."

"Like you?" I asked

"Yes. But she couldn't."

"Why couldn't she?"

"Because she was a woman." He stopped for a moment and looked at me. "Her father told her she could never become the best , because she was a girl. One day, after beating me in a fight, she cried. She told me I was lucky for being a boy, because her being a girl meant she could never achieve anything she wanted." I nodded. He looked at me with an expression I couldn't' read. "And before she could prove to herself otherwise, she died."

"Oh," I replied, not knowing what to say.

"You remind me of her. With your stupid 'just because I'm a woman' talk. I hate it. You're practically mocking her." I frowned at his spitefulness.

"Wanting to prove to the world something isn't a crime, Zoro."

"No, but it gives me a reason to not want to be around you." He snapped back. I sighed and stood up. I leaned over the edge of the birds nest and gazed out to the ocean, where the sun was just beginning to peek up over the horizon.

"Well, now I know." I finally replied.

"Yeah. So leave me alone." He scoffed grouchily.

"But Zoro." I paused, "I like you."

There was no response. I could hear the shuffling around of him standing up.

"Well." He started. I held my breath. "I don't like you." I felt a quick pierce through my heart. He began to climb down the ladder. "Night shift's over."

I sighed and rested my cheek on my hand.

Well, that certainly answered my question.

Hellloooo ~

Well, for those of you who are wondering whether it's that blue haired girl from the Marines, NO

It is not her.

It's just an OC who happens to share a few similarities as her.

TO BE STRONG WOMEN! YEAH!

Anyway, I hope the beginning isn't too vague

usually my chapters would never be this short

this is sort of an intro only XD;

Hope you like ~