Chapter 2

Hawke let out a sigh and stretched out in the warm grass. Two days had passed since they'd first entered the sky island village and not much had happened. They had been happily received by the villagers and had been spending the nights with a small family of three; a child named Xiao, and her mother and sickly grandmother. They had been nice enough to tell Hawke and Chopper the reason all the men and young women were nowhere to be seen and to avoid the giant surveillance snails that wandered around the village.

During the two days, the Straw Hat's had not been idle. Each morning they would set out as a group and explore a different part of the floating islands, trying to find traces of the rest of their friends. Hawke was able to fly over to other, otherwise unattainable, floating islands and the whole group could make it in one trip if Chopper sat on Zoro's head while Hawke carried him.

But all of their searches had been unsuccessful and there was still a large number of islands yet to explore.

"How did we get so separated?!" Hawke let out some of her frustration and looked up at Zoro.

She had been lying with her head in the swordsman's lap and both had been taking a nap before returning to their search for their friends.

Her question didn't seem to rouse Zoro, so Hawke reached up and was about to flick his chin when she paused.

Since when did this become a reality? she thought, blushing.

Here she was, lying on Zoro's lap, and both of them were completely comfortable with the action. Hawke smiled, her hand still hovering in the air.

"Chopper?" she whispered.

"Yeah?" the little reindeer was sitting in the grass at her feet, analyzing the plants that grew in the field and keeping an eye out for the surveillance snail.

"Anything to report?" the scout lifted her head a little to look down at the doctor.

Chopper shook his head. His nose was plugged with tissues but Hawke could tell he was getting used to the smell of the trees that protected the village; his eyes hadn't watered all day.

"No thign of banger!(No sign of danger)" he reported in a serious voice, "We're cwear and continueb westing ith a go!(We're clear and continued resting is go!)"

Hawke let out a soft giggled and rubbed her toe against the reindeer's back.

"Good," she sighed, dropping her hand back onto her chest.

Then she let out a huff and started lifting her body to sit up, but her action was stopped by a hand moving across her shoulders. She looked up to see Zoro giving her a grumpy, questioning look.

"Oh, sorry if I woke you," Hawke smiled up at him, letting her body fall back down.

Zoro gave her a small smile.

"It's fine," he muttered, bringing his hand down and running his fingers through her bangs and playing with the strands of her braid.

Hawke blushed and, though she kept her body still, she was jumping with excitement on the inside. Then she noticed his other hand was massaging his chest.

"How are you doing?" she asked, meeting Zoro's eyes and giving him a concerned look.

It hadn't been that long since they'd left Thriller Bark and she knew his body was still far from being healed.

"I'm fine," Zoro grunted with a frown.

Chopper turned and looked back at them, his eyes full of concern, which made him look a little funny with the nose plugs sticking out of his nose.

"Do you neeb me to check your wounbs, Zoro?" the doctor got up and came over to the swordsman's shoulder.

Zoro's frown deepened and he shrugged his shoulders.

"No, it's fine," he snapped, "Just sore bruises."

Hawke stuck her lip out in a pout and sat up.

"It's alright Chopper," she sighed, "He's resting now, after all."

The doctor gave the swordsman another concerned look before returning to his spot in the grass.

Hawke sat in silence for a moment, watching the grass rustle in a slight breeze. Then she turned and threw herself at Zoro, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself close.

"Oi, ow!" the swordsman let out a soft hiss and his hand flew up to grip her arm.

But Hawke didn't let go, instead resting her forehead on Zoro's neck.

"This is your punishment for refusing treatment," she pouted, "You need to learn to treat your body better."

She heard Zoro scoff and then sigh.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered and Hawke felt his arm drape around her waist, "But it really is just bruising."

Hawke lifted her head and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"I know you're just saying that," she whispered, looking into his eyes, "But I am grateful that you've been going pretty easy. It helps me worry a bit less."

Zoro's cheeks flushed, but he didn't break their gaze.

"You worry too much," he said, his grip tightening around her waist, "I'll be fine."

Hawke let out a sigh and rested her forehead against his. The sun warmed her back and there was a flowery smell in the air.

"Xiao! Xiao!" a shout suddenly rang out, disrupting the pleasant silence, "Where are you?!"

Hawke stiffened as she recognized the voice. She stood up and looked around to see Xiao's mother hurrying down the street next to them.

"Xiao!" the woman cried again, then saw the trio, "Oh! Have you seen Xiao?"

Hawke shook her head and glanced at Zoro, who frowned.

"No," he grunted, "What's up?"

"She left many hours ago but hasn't returned!" the woman exclaimed, her brow creased with worry, "I just know she's wandered out into the cold wastes again!"

Hawke didn't like seeing this woman upset. She felt like she should help her, especially since they owed her for letting them stay in her house.

"We could go and find her," she suggested quietly.

"Eh?!" Zoro snapped.

"Yeah, I wanna leabe dis place for a bit," Chopper's tugged on Zoro's pant leg.

The swordsman bent down and picked up the reindeer, placing him on his shoulders.

But Hawke kept her attention on the woman and smiled when she was given a nod.

"Come on, Zoro," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him along, "We still don't know where the others are, so we might as well help out here. Plus," she glanced over her shoulder at him, "This'll be more fun than sitting around."

She caught the dull look of boredom leave his eyes and the happy glint that replaced it.

"Sounds alright," Zoro smirked, adjusting the reindeer on his head, "Let's go."