Only one more chapter after this one until part two! I hope you enjoy!

CHAPTER 15

Attack on Zoro! Tear Down the Walls of Hesitation!

"Hey, wake up," someone grumbles above her.

"Hmm… " Ari stretches out her arms and feels a jolt of pain go down her back and she hisses through her teeth. The first thing she spots are black boots placed widely apart in front of her. She is surprised to see that her current company is Zoro. She looks beyond the irritably handsome man in front of her and finds herself in the middle of a tropical forest of sorts. "Where… are we?" Did I end up falling asleep outside somewhere after all?

"I was hoping you could tell me." He places his hands on his hips and surveys his surroundings once more. "I got stuck in this place somehow, and looked for the light coming from the hallway last night, but never found it."

"Oh." That's right… I stumbled into a room after overhearing that maid last night… ah crap! And I closed the door behind me, so he never found the exit! I rested against the door and fell asleep so that means… Ari twists around to see if it is indeed the door her back is resting against, but a sharp pain travels the length of her spine again, and she doubles over from the pain. She presses a hand against her back, futilely thinking it will make the pain dissipate. The ache in her back is almost forgotten when she remembers her and Zoro's encounter the night before. She feels her face go hot and is hoping that it will go unnoticed in the dark shade of the forest, but the expert swordsman isn't blind, and most certainly is no fool either.

"Need some help?" He extends a hand down to her and a grin hikes up on his face mischievously.

"Haha, funny." She smirks right back at him speaking the unspoken "as if!", but accepts his gesture and allows him to help her up. As a result, she's able to get a much better view of the room. She takes note of the thriving greenery surrounding them and the mist that is gathered all around it, nurturing it with the gentle and cool caress of rainwater. All of a sudden, something moves in the plants beside her. Ari initially recoils in fear, but feels foolish as soon as she sees it's only one of the island's many Boa Constrictors. A Boa Constrictor that, in fact, only poisons men. One shouldn't be that big a deal- Suddenly, more snakes pour out of the jungle and slither towards them at an alarming pace. Ari grimaces in both fear and irritation and soon there's a whole army of snakes banded together, determined to sink their fangs in the man beside her. She places a hand on Zoro's forearm, and the reason why she's touching him escapes her memory since she can't help but to feel how warm and solid he is underneath her palm. She feels the rippling muscles that reside there and forcing the sensation out of her mind is a much larger endeavor than she would have thought. Coming back into reality, Ari glances behind her and relieved that the door is indeed still behind them, she prepares to run in order to save the directionally challenged swordsman. Zoro, however, seems indifferent as he draws his swords, ready to slice the life out of the poisonous creatures charging at them.

"What are you doing?!" Ari screams at him. "They're venomous to men, and that includes their blood too!"

Zoro only briefly considers the idea of running, but is persuaded instantly when a mass of charging snakes, equally as large as the first, comes at them from the other side as well. His face contorts into a panicked state as he runs alongside Ari out the door and across the grand foyer.

"Moss head, what now?!" the cook shouts irritably, walking down the hallway going from the kitchen to the foyer. One hand holds a frying pan as he flips a pancake, and the other is sporting a cigarette. "How dare you put our dear Ari sweet in danger!"

"Would ya shut your trap?!" Zoro says and curses under his breath as he feels a slight sting against his skin, but the adrenaline soon blocks it out and makes his arm go numb.

At the smell of freshly cooked pancakes, Ari suddenly changes course and makes a huge u-turn around the edge of the foyer over to Sanji, snatches the pancake, and runs off again joining Zoro before he has time to get lost. These taste just like Marguerite's pancakes… yum! She manages to sneak in a couple more bites before shouting over her shoulder to Sanji, "Good luck with the poisonous snakes by the way!"

Ari barely picks up on a female voice that joins Sanji's poetic speech when Zoro cuts in a few words of his own to her. "You just had to concentrate on your stomach didn't you?!"

Ari laughs good heartedly as the two of them barrel up the stairs and away from the impending snake storm.

XXX

After bolting up the stairs and into the west wing, Zoro and Ari run the length of the hall and panic as the snakes hiss down their necks. They duck into the last room on the left at the last minute, and the snakes continue their rampage and accidentally tumble down the stairs at the end of the hall. Their breath comes in short gasps as they sit there side by side against the door. The tumbling of the snakes causes a huge ruckus and Ari and Zoro look over at each other and their eyes meet. Ari attempts to hold in her laughter, but her efforts are in vain since she can see that he is just as amused as she is. Their laughter builds up inside of them until finally, they both burst out laughing.

"We sure taught them a thing or two!" Ari exclaims with her back still bent over and her hand on her stomach, trying to suppress her laughter.

"That's for sure!" he replies as laughter continues to pour out of him. Ari had never heard such a harmonious sound. The humorous chuckle travels to her ears and she finds herself unable to get enough of it, enough of him. She leans in to whisper something in his ear when she notices the deep red liquid pouring down his arm out of two miniature gashes.

"You… um… kind of have a…" Ari gulps and points down to his arm.

His laughing quiets down, but only slightly as he lifts his arm up to inspect it. "So?" He shrugs nonchalantly.

"Those snake bites are poisonous to men! We have to get you to a doctor right away!" Ari jumps to her feet and reaches down to him urgently.

He stands and sets his eyes on her intently. The grin that is now irresistible to Ari surfaces. He stands with his body mere inches from hers and places his hands on her shoulders. "And you think I haven't lived through worse?" His voice still carries amusement, but there's an underlying tone that she can't quite pick out. His expression changes and the snake bite and the blood running down his arm is left completely forgotten. The intense gaze boring into her reminds her of the the same one he gave her when they first officially met at the cliff's edge. That warm feeling she felt before is back with a vigor and the butterflies in her stomach stir uncontrollably. Her heart is pounding out of her chest and she swears that even Zoro can hear it, or maybe even feel it due to their close proximity. Her judgement becomes rather clouded as she debates on what his next move will be. She finds herself hoping that he might lean his face down to hers and put her curiosity to bed, perhaps even literally. But at the same time she still harbors doubts about if this was to happen and how she would manage to hide her true identity afterwards. Zoro's hands move up to cup her face, and she lays her thoughts aside for something that is much more compelling.

Zoro can't help but to notice how soft her skin is, and also can't help but to ponder at how much softer her lips are, and how it would feel if they were to meet his. His gaze bores intently into her and he can see that she is ready to surrender and let down the walls that she's put up. He also notices slight hesitation that is buried much deeper under her lustful gaze. It is only slight, but her eyes still carry that doubt and uncertainty to go through with what he has in mind. He remains very still, partly because he's unsure of what to do next, and partly because he's afraid to admit that Ari's managed to get to him. If I do this, right here, right now… does that mean I'd lose the battle of self control? Zoro's always made sure to not get into the habit of losing battles, but he senses that this is a different type of battle, and one in which the loss of self control is kind of the point of the exercise. He tucks a stray lock of pink hair behind her ear with one hand, and uses the other to run a thumb along her pink, full lips. His eyes meet hers once more, asking the unspoken right of passage. She nibbles on the inside of her lower lip, debating for a second, before subtly nodding her head and giving him permission to continue. He leans closer still, and right as their lips are about to meet for the very first time in the throes of passion and longing, the door is kicked down by a furious, and blood coated Sanji.