Author's Note: So I was listening to Jennifer Paige's "crush" and I came up with this idea and decided to write it down. (It's an old song, people. I'm old, just in case any of you haven't noticed :P) It's kinda silly but I had fun writing it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

It's Just A Little Crush-Part 1

She's beautiful.

He has no idea when and how it even started. His eyes begin following everywhere she goes.

He can't help but notice how her hair glows in the sunlight. How those long orange wavy strands grace the slope of her neck and her slender shoulders when she moves about.

He loves the way she moves. So smooth, elegant and catlike. When she is angry or in a particularly good mood there's a certain bounce in every step she takes. To him it's even more entrancing.

He loves that she loved smiling at him. The way her taupe-colored eyes twinkle when she smiles and calls his name in that soft, cheerful voice of hers—it makes his heart squeeze for some reason he is total stranger to.

He thinks he might be falling in love with her.

It's never gonna happen. A small voice in his head says.

I know. He retorts, but not aloud.

"You need to snap out of it, kid."

The familiar gruff voice of their resident swordsman's startles him. He quickly turns around, blushing furiously under his fur.

"Zo, Zoro?" He stutters.

The older guy places a hand on his hat as he sinks down into the seat next to him. "Wanna talk 'bout it, Chopper?" he asks softly.

"…I don't know what you mean." He murmurs, avoiding eye contact.

"C'mon, I've seen the way you've been looking at Nami lately, but—" The swordsman gives a shrug before continuing," I'm sorry, kid, I just don't see how that can work. I mean, you are a reindeer and she's a human girl; you guys ain't exactly cut from the same cloth." He gently squeezes Chopper by his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look.

The small animal lowers his head and huffs at his furry belly. "…I know."

Zoro nods. "Good."

After a pause he adds, "…it's just a little crush, ya know? Nothing major, you'll get over it in no time."

"…really?"

The kid looks up at him with so much hope in his round, watery eyes. Zoro sighs and decides that he's gonna say more.

"I remember my first crush. She's… this girl I hung out with when I was younger. She's very talented in sword-fighting, always beating the crap outta me when we competed. There's this one time, after she kicked my ass she cried and complained about how unfair it was to be born as a girl and thus be physically weaker than us boys. Then she uh, used her hand to grab her boobs—"

"What?" Chopper blushes harder as he lets out a giggle, "She didn't!"

"She did."

"Did you look?"

"Of course I looked." A small smile plays across the swordsman's lips as he tells his younger friend. "I'm a boy. What'd ya expect?"

Another fit of giggle escapes Chopper's mouth. He presses both of his front hooves onto his mouth trying to muffle it, but laughs on anyway.

Zoro smiles. It isn't easy to talk about Kuina, but it's nice to see Chopper's mood lift like this.

"Point is, it'll go away. Very soon, I promise. You've got nothing to worry about." He gives one last squeeze at the young doctor's shoulder before standing up and walking towards the galley door.

Chopper's voice stops him on the threshold.

"Um, Zoro?"

He looks over his shoulder. "Huh?"

"Am I a bad person for liking Nami?" The young doctor says sheepishly. "I mean…we are nakamas. We are not supposed to feel this way about one another. "

"Now that's crazy." Zoro's good eye narrows, a disapproving look on his face. "C'mon, Chopper, we are nakamas, all of us; we spend a lot of time together, seeing each other every day. We can't help that every once in a while we, uh feel things about each other. It doesn't make you a bad person, and—"he pauses and walks closer to Chopper, lowering his voice as if he's afraid someone might eavesdrop on them. "Don't tell anybody I said this, but Nami is pretty hot."

Chopper's eyes widen at his friend's words.

"So…did you?" he asks after a moment of silent pondering, eyes still wide with amazement.

"Did I what?" Zoro blinks.

"Have a crush on her too?"

The swordsman is quiet for a minute. Then he clears his throat and smiles up a little bit at his young friend. In Chopper's opinion, he even looks a little shy when he speaks up.

"You have no idea." The swordsman says.

Chopper's front hooves raise to press on his mouth again. "Wow…"

Zoro winks at him, a warm glint in his good eye. "Now we both know each other's little secrets. You think you can keep mine to yourself while I keep yours, kid?"

Chopper ponders for another moment and nods sheepishly.

"So how long did it take for you to get over it?" He asks when the swordsman tries to leave the room again.

"You are full of questions today." Zoro shakes his head but doesn't bother to look back. "I'll let you know once I have an answer." He says casually before closing the door behind him.

TBC.


Author's Note No.2: I'M SO SORRY, CHOPPER! I shouldn't have done this to you. I'm a bad bad author. T_T

But then again, my shame walked out on me a long time ago. I'll come up with Part 2 and corrupt the characters some more.

Don't sue. And some R&R would be nice. :3

Minami