Disclaimer: On chapter one (piece)
Timeframe: After Drum Island & Chopper's now nakama

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"How cool!" Chopper squealed forcing Nami to pull herself up from her deck chair to see just what had captured the cute but naive new crewmate's attention this time.

Looking down from the upper deck, Nami was amused to see Chopper staring at Zoro who was currently doing one handed, two fingered, handstand push ups while Usopp stood beside the reindeer apparently explaining each and every one of the recent scars the swordsman had gained since becoming Luffy's First Mate.

"What about those on his ankles?" Chopper asked pointing to the two he had gained while on Little Garden.

"Hah! He did that to himself! You see, Zoro had gotten himself captured except only his legs had been shackled so he decided to just chop them off" Usopp told Chopper.

Chopper was stuck between being in awe or shock of what Zoro had attempted to do.

"He would have done so as well, had it not been for my daring and dramatic rescue at the last second and shot off the shackles and taken out his guards in the blink of an eye!" The sniper continued.

Nami rolled her eyes at the sniper's tall tale, recalling it quite differently and accurately, but decided against saying so seeing as Zoro was not looking at all bothered about it as he continued his training. Seeing as there was nothing out of the normal, which was a stretch when it came to her nakama, Nami made her way back to her deckchair to sunbathe perhaps even goading Sanji into rubbing suntan lotion on her back…for a fair price, of course.

"How about this big one? It looks like he was nearly cut in two!"

Barely had the doctor's words reached her ears Nami froze. There was only one scar on the swordsman's body that fit the bill for that description.

"That, he got by challenging the strongest swordsman known in all the seas!" Usopp told Chopper.

"And he won, right? Is that why Zoro's so strong, because he is now the strongest?" Chopper rapid fired at Usopp.

"Nope. He was beaten, barely alive when we started treating him" Usopp explained to the doctor. "And even with all my medical knowledge- that I learned by myself when I was just five and the only uninjured person in my village, by the way- Zoro needed rest and proper treatment for such a wound. Sadly, at the time, Nami had been taken captive by the fiercest of fishmen and we had to go save her"

"What did Zoro do?" Chopper asked practically on the edge of his imaginary seat as he hung onto every one of Usopp's words.

"He said to me 'Oi, I'm going to sleep now, Great Captain Usopp, wake me up when we get there'" Usopp said imitating the swordsman. "The moment we arrived, Zoro allowed himself to get caught then turned the fishman's deadly army into sashimi- which was all part of my great rescue plan"

Nami had heard enough and quickly moved to the rear of the ship before anyone saw her. The memory of seeing Zoro helpless in Arlong's grasp still burned painfully in her mind and could not help but wonder if she herself was to blame for how he ended like that given what she had done while at the ocean restaurant.

Not only that, but she herself had actually kicked Zoro's wound assuming it to not be so serious. Upon seeing first hand what those bandages had hidden when Arlong ripped them off, she had felt too shocked at the sight to do anything to help him until Luffy showed up- and literally threw Zoro away from Arlong.

Still, she could not help but admire Zoro for still coming for her despite being at Death's doorstep for what had been the second time since she had joined the crew- not to mention feel slightly intimidated by his near immortality.

"Still blaming yourself?" A familiar voice inquired.

"You could have died in Arlong Park! Had you just forgot me when I betrayed you guys…" Nami began as she turned to face Zoro who had likely spotted her leaving and decided to follow and check up on her.

"What makes you think any of us can change Luffy's mind once he's decided on something?" Zoro asked before she could continue. "Even if you decided to ditch us, the Captain ordered me to get you back"

She had to concede defeat there even if she did not like it.

"Look, whether by fate or luck we're both still apart of this crew which is a good thing considering who the Captain is" Zoro told her pulling Nami in for a much needed hug. "So why don't you stop fretting over the past and start thinking about the present?"

"Yeah, fair enough" Nami agreed falling silent as the strong heartbeat of the swordsman calmed her frail nerves. "Besides, you can't die yet anyway until you pay back all the berri you owe me!"

If anyone else was around, Zoro would have immediately started an argument over his 'debt'. Since they were alone for the first time since before Whiskey Peaks…

"I've been meaning to ask you something about this: Say I believe you, what would happen if I were to not pay you back?" Zoro asked picking Nami up and sitting her on the rail of the ship with his arms securely around her.

Wrapping her arms tight around his neck, Nami leaned in close to the swordsman.

"Then it means that you'll be stuck with me for a very long time until either you pay up or I cancel it" She told him smugly.

"Hm…Guess I could live with that" Zoro grinned before closing the distance between them.

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Shorter than my usual, but still enjoyable to you readers…I hope. I might do an even earlier one post Arlong Park battle but probably save it for later- keep you on tenterhooks for a while.

Review if possible & until next time

Watch this space & peace out!