Chapter 10
Something About us
(Daft Punk)

Adrenalin was fueling his whole body while a pair of golden eyes were giving him a bored stare. With swords in both his hands and one clenched in between his teeth, he charged at the man with the intent to kill. The burgundy clothed man with the golden eyes avoided his attack with ease and plunged a small dagger into his chest. The pain from the impact was almost unbearable, yet he refused to give up. The difference in their strength had been clear from the beginning, but he had not wanted to give up on the opportunity to fight the man.

"Do you wish to have this go through your heart? Why don't you step back?" the golden eyed male questioned.

"I don't know. I'm not sure myself. But if I were to take even one step back, I believe that all those important oaths, promises and many other deals until now will go to waste and I will never be able to stand before you, ever again."

"Yes, and that's called losing."

"That's why I can't step back."

"Even if it means death?" the man questioned.

"Death may be better!"

The dagger was pulled from his chest while the pale man took a step back. "Kid, state your name."

"Roronoa Zoro!"

"I'll remember that! It's been a while since I've seen such strong will. As a reward, a gesture to a fellow swordsman, I will wield this Black Sword, the most powerful sword in the world, to end your life." the man said while unsheathing a large sword from his back.

"I appreciate your offer." he stated calmly. 'This is my chance. World's number one… or death?' he asked himself and started swinging his own swords while the other male charged at him. "Santoryu Ogi: Sanzen-Sekai!"

The golden eyed male's sword slashed across his chest before he had the time to finish his own technique and he stumbled forward while the swords in his hands shattered to pieces.

'I lost. Losing was something I never imagined possible.' he calmly sheathed the white katana he had held with his teeth. 'So this is what it is to possess the greatest power in the world?'

He got to his feet and turned to face his opponent.

"What now?" the other male questioned in irritation.

"Attacking from behind is a shameless act among swordsmen."

"Well said." his opponent grinned and readied himself to attack again.

He felt the blade slash through his chest, tearing through the muscles and tissues hidden beneath his skin. He refused to scream as the agonizing pain took over his senses and darkness fell over him soon after.

Zoro gasped for air and opened his eyes only to be met by darkness. His right hand shot to his chest, his fingers brushing against something warm and soft resting on top of his ribcage in the process. As he felt around, he realized it was hair and someone's face.

"Zoro?" Sakura lifted her head to look at the man she was currently using as a pillow. Her voice was low and raspy. "What happened?"

"Nothing. Go back to sleep." he told her as he pushed himself up to a sitting position.

The pinkette sat up as well and eyed him worriedly. "Nightmare?"

He shook his head no and reached for his pants. "Memory."

She tugged the blanket closer around her body and glanced around the crow's nest in search of her own clothing.

"Was it bad?" she questioned and watched as he stood up and started buttoning his pants.

He stilled his movement and eyed her for a moment. "I remember how I got this wound." he replied while dragging a finger over the long scar adorning his chest. "And I need to become stronger if I am to surpass him."

Sakura found her pants and tugged them on quickly. "Who?"

A smirk appeared on his lips. "Dracule Mihawk. The greatest swordsman in the world, until I beat him."

Sakura gaped. "You've fought him already and he let you live?"

He hummed and sat down again with his back resting against the railing. "I guess I was lucky."

"Do you remember anything else?" she inquired and felt herself get pulled down onto his lap.

"No." Zoro wrapped his arms around the ninja and cradled her against his chest while she made herself comfortable in between his legs. "But I'm sure it will come back one day. Now sleep. I'll keep watch."

She pulled the blanket up over their legs and leaned further into him, enjoying the warmth he was providing.

Zoro closed his eyes and thought back to his newfound memory. The technique he had used had failed. He had left himself open when all three swords were aligned in the same direction, and that was why Mihawk had been able to slash him as easily as he had. In order to get the technique to work, he would have to swing his swords faster or make some changes.

He shivered when Sakura started dragging her nails lazily over his bare arms, the action causing goosebumps to emit on his skin.

"Sakura,"

"Hm?" she hummed quietly, ready to fall asleep at any second.

Was now the right time to ask her about personal matters?

"How did you get your scars?"

He waited patiently for her to reply and noticed her hands slowing their movement over his arms.

"From training and battles." she replied tiredly.

Zoro glanced down at the woman in his lap. 'Battles?'

"What sort of battles?" he inquired quietly and felt her lean further into him.

"Spars," she replied almost incoherently. "…and the exam. I… couldn't heal myself back then."

His brows furrowed in confusion. "What exam?"

Silence.

"What exam, Sakura?" he repeated and heard her let out a long sigh.

"It… doesn't matter." a yawn left her lips. "I didn't pass it anyway." she mumbled and leaned her head to the side while pulling the blanket further up to cover their arms.

Zoro glanced down at the pinkette again. She was asleep. He leaned his head against the railing once more and let his eyes roam the parts of the ocean he could see over the edge of the crow's nest. The sun would soon rise over the horizon. He could already see the dark night-sky turning a couple of shades brighter far away in the distance.

His suspicions about the pinkette had just been confirmed. She was no ordinary doctor-to-be. She was hiding parts of her past and her lifestyle to him. Were spars and exams the reason she had managed to easily pin the old hag to the wall back at the castle? Was that the reason she had been able to place herself in between Sanji and himself when he had found them hugging each other as well? Was this the reason she carried those odd-looking weapons with her? The more he learned about her, the more questions he realized he had.

He would get to the bottom of it one way or another. Of that, he was sure.

"Where did you sleep last night?" Nami asked the pinkette once the two women were seated around the kitchen table.

Sanji, who had made tea for the two women on board, and who was currently walking over to the table with a tray holding their cups and steamy tea, glanced at the pinkette by the sound of Nami's question.

"What do you mean?" Sakura retorted and took a bite of her toast while glancing at the navigator.

Nami rolled her eyes. "I heard you leave last night and you were still gone when I woke up. So, where did you go?"

"I-"

"She kept me company in the crow's nest." Zoro said the moment he entered the kitchen.

Sanji shot the swordsman a look of annoyance, but kept quiet.

Sakura nodded once. "The view up there is beautiful." she murmured while glancing at Zoro.

"Tch. It's not like you could see much in the darkness." Nami huffed before reaching for her cup of tea.

Zoro smirked while taking the seat across from Sakura.

Sanji took that moment to join in on the conversation while walking back to the sink with the empty tray. "While the crow's nest is high enough for stargazing and secluded enough for privacy, I wouldn't say no to your company either, Sakura-chwan~!"

Sakura stiffened, 'Did he hear us?'. She kicked Zoro's shin when noticing the murderous look he was giving the cook and shook her head discreetly, silently telling him to let it go once he turned to glare at her.

"I'm sure no one would want to keep you company, ero-cook." Zoro taunted and received another kick from the pinkette.

"What was that, worthless swordsman?!" Sanji growled while turning to face the first mate of the crew.

"I said-"

"Sanji! Gimme, gimme, gimme food NOW!" Luffy yelled as he sprinted into the kitchen and took the seat next to Zoro, completely oblivious to the tension between the two rivals.

Chopper and Usopp entered soon after.

"Good morning," Chopper muttered tiredly.

"Sanji!" Luffy whined as his stomach made a growling sound.

Sakura grabbed her cup and her plate with the half-eaten toast and rose from her seat while motioning for Usopp to sit down.

"Ah-hah-hah," he laughed nervously while slowly making his way to the empty seat and accidentally bumped into Nami when she was taking another sip of her warm drink.

"What the hell?!" she yelled and turned to glare at the sniper who threw his hands up in defense. "Watch it, Usopp!"

"S-s-sorry, Nami!" he wailed apologetically.

Chopper rushed to the navigator's side. "Are you okay? Did you get burned? I'll get some cooling lotion." he squealed in a panicked voice.

Nami waved him off with her hand and offered a small smile. "I'm fine, Chopper-kun." she then turned to Usopp with a menacing glare. "That'll be 2000 beri for ruining my shirt. Pay up!"

Usopp leaned as far away from Nami as he could. "I-I-I don't have that kind of money."

Nami narrowed her eyes. "Fine. I'll add it to your debt."

"I don't have a debt with you!" he stated in a high-pitched voice.

"You do now." she replied smugly. "2000 beri with a 25% interest."

Usopp paled. "That's unfair. It was an accident!"

"Want me to go higher on the interest?" Nami challenged.

Usopp shook his head no, which put an evil smirk on Nami's features. She pulled her shirt off, her bikini-clad chest bouncing slightly in the process, and threw the clothing out of the kitchen. Sanji quickly noodle-danced his way over to the navigator with hearts in his eyes.

"Nami-swan, my love~! You look astonishing as usual! May I refill your cup? Can I get you anything else~?"

Nami smirked and wiggled her index finger, motioning for him to come closer. She leaned forward, her cheek brushing against his while she purred seductively in his ear. "I'd like something warm and thick with extra… cream."

Sanji nodded fervently, a big grin evident on his lips as he listened to her request.

"Sanji!" Luffy whined again "If you don't feed me, I'll go get food myself."

"Can't you see I'm busy, asshole?!" Sanji growled before realizing the danger of letting Luffy loose in the kitchen. "Ladies comes first." he added and sent Sakura a promising look before shifting his focus back to Luffy. "Just wait a second."

The captain slammed his head down onto the table with a frustrated groan. Sakura walked behind Luffy and ended up standing next to Zoro.

"What?" he questioned sourly. Sanji's comment had not gone unnoticed by him.

Sakura arched a brow and set her cup and plate down on the table in front of him. "Move." she ordered and received a look of displeasure from the swordsman. "Please?"

"Tch, you gave up your seat, woman." he didn't take orders. Especially not in front of his crew mates. And definitely not when he was in a foul mood.

"Fine." she shrugged and plopped down on his lap with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Black eyes widened a fraction before a scowl made itself visible on his features. She wouldn't dare tease him with everyone present. …or would she? Maybe she wouldn't if he beat her to it.

Nami glared at the couple. "Seriously, what's up with you two?"

Both Zoro and Sakura turned to face the navigator. "Nothing." they said in unison.

Sakura took another bite of her toast. Zoro slid one hand up the pinkette's thigh but stopped abruptly when she elbowed him in the chest.

"This toast was really good, Sanji-kun." she complimented and heard the male behind her huff irritably.

"Only the best for you, Sakura-chwan~!" Sanji beamed cheerfully as he made his way to the table again with Nami's hot chocolate with extra cream. He then went back to the stove and continued cooking breakfast for the men.

Usopp sat on the fold-down bed in the infirmary. Chopper stood before the male with a pair of scissors in his small, furry hands, ready to remove the bandages from the sniper's leg.

"Will this hurt?" Usopp asked reluctantly, his big black eyes observing the small reindeer.

"No." Chopper glanced at Sakura who was busy sorting through some of the infirmary's equipment. "Sakura, could you hold him down, please?"

"W-what? Why?" Usopp panicked and tried jumping down from the fold-down bed, but Chopper stood his ground and refused to let the long-nosed male leave. "H-h-help!?"

"Sakura!" the reindeer's voice was hard and held a hint of authority.

The pinkette rushed to his side and placed her hands atop of Usopp's shoulders in an attempt to keep him down.

"Hold still." Chopper ordered, but was kicked across the room by the sniper's good leg and went crashing into one of the shelves while Sakura cried out his name. Numerous bottles of potions shattered once they connected with the floor. Sakura winced at the sound of it. All her work these past couple of days were ruined. Usopp took that moment of distractions to jump down from the bed and bolted for the door as fast as his broken leg would carry him.

Chopper let out a frustrated roar before transforming himself to his bigger, more human-like form which neither of the two had seen before. Sakura fell to the floor in shock.

"W-w-what the hell?! Who are you?!"

"Don't let him escape!" Chopper ordered before taking three long strides to block the entrance to the sick bay with his larger body since Sakura seemed unable to move.

Usopp yelped in fear and threw his hands up to shield himself from the monster while letting out another panicked screech.

Footsteps boomed over their heads as someone was running over the deck, and a couple of seconds later, both Sanji and Zoro appeared behind Chopper. Sanji kicked at Chopper's back and sent him flying through the small infirmary.

"What's going on down here?" Zoro questioned while Sanji pointed an accusing finger at the tanuki.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing to my sweet Sakura-chwan?!" Sanji demanded before crouching down next to the ninja whom eyed the doctor warily.

Zoro leaned against the doorway, intentionally blocking the exit when Usopp made another attempt at running for it with his still bandaged leg. "Don't even think about it." his voice was low and dangerous which caused Usopp to take a slow step back.

"Oi! Bastard!" Sanji growled while making his way over to where Chopper was laying face down on the floor.

"H-h-he just transformed," Usopp stammered.

"What?" Sanji retorted and spared the curly-haired male a glance. "This is Chopper?"

Sakura crawled over to the two and poked at the furry doctor's arm. "How is this possible?" she questioned in awe.

"Must be a devil fruit user." Sanji commented and stuck his hands down his pockets. "Oh, now that I think about it, this would be the third form he's able to take. Oi, Chopper! Sorry for kicking you."

Sakura placed her hands on Chopper's shoulders and assisted him in sitting up. Once he was seated, he glared at Sanji.

"What the hell was that for, asshole?!"

"I thought you were hurting Sakura-chwan. I can't stand idiots who don't treat ladies with respect." Sanji stated matter-of-factly and sent a Zoro a look which spoke more than a thousand words. However, the swordsman either ignored the blonde or didn't care enough to comment on it.

Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes and helped Chopper's bigger form to stand up. She glanced at Zoro who looked bored, and when he suddenly yawned, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. At least he could offer to help. Or was that too much to ask for?

"If that's all, I'll just head back to the deck." he mumbled and left his previously relaxed spot by the doorway.

Sanji smirked. This would be the perfect opportunity for him to assist Sakura. Perhaps even in more ways than one. A blush appeared on his cheeks by the thought of it and he smiled deviously to himself.

"Ero-cook," Zoro's voice called from the hall, which made a vein pop above the blonde's eye. "Nami's asking for you."

It was a lie, one he hoped would steer the perverts thoughts away from his Sakura. While they hadn't made anything official yet, he still saw her as his and his alone. And while he trusted her not to do anything stupid, he did not trust the cook. Perhaps he should stay with her to make sure Sanji didn't come back.

"Mellorine!" Sanji shouted loudly and hurried out of the infirmary, leaving Sakura and Chopper alone with Usopp once more.

Chopper pointed at the fold-down bed while giving Usopp a death-glare he could not run from. Usopp complied silently and sat down once again, but started moving around restlessly the moment the doctor brought out the scissors.

"Zoro," Sakura said suddenly. She knew he was still in the hall. She could feel his presence even though he did not possess chakra. "Come here for a second."

He appeared in the doorway moments later, bearing a stoic expression on his face.

"Could you help me hold him down?" she asked softly.

He entered the room fully and pinned the sniper down with a heavy gaze. "He won't move an inch."

Usopp gulped and sat completely still with tears and snot streaming down his face while Chopper cut open the bandages and removed them from his leg. The doctor did a quick check-up to make sure the bone was healed completely. Once he felt he was done, he took a step back from his patient and returned to his small reindeer form.

"It's gone now, Usopp."

"The leg?!" the sniper cried out in distress and moved both hands to his thigh, fervently feeling around with shaky hands since he was too scared to take a look.

"The bandages, stupid." Zoro said with his deep, baritone voice.

Sakura glanced at the moss-headed man and bit her lip. He eyed her as well while quirking a brow in question to what she was thinking.

"Chopper," Sakura started and swiftly wet her suddenly dry lips. The action did not go unnoticed by the swordsman. "Do you need me for anything else right now?"

The tanuki had moved to scribble something down in a journal he had left on the desk. He lifted a hand to signal he'd be with her in a second. Usopp took that moment to slide his feet down onto the wooden floor and took a couple of careful steps around the room to make sure his leg felt fine.

"Thank you, Chopper-kun! You really are a great doctor!" Usopp complimented.

Chopper stopped the movement of his pen and turned around with an overjoyed look on his face. "Praising me won't cheer me up, idiot!"

"Hai, hai." Usopp waved his hand in the air with a sigh and moved past Zoro.

Zoro kept his eyes on Sakura who was staring him down with a mischievous glint in her eyes. He loved how she managed to excite him with just one look.

"You can go too," Chopper told the pinkette. "I have stuff to do, so I'll be down here for a while."

Sakura nodded and went to leave when she suddenly realized the mess the infirmary was in. "I'll help you clean up."

Zoro narrowed his eyes at her words while Chopper looked up from the journal. "I'll take care of it." he assured her.

"It's okay. I don't mind." Sakura retorted while leaning down to pick up some rolls of bandages that had ended up on the floor, probably during chopper's transformation and the ruckus that followed.

"I'll take care of it." Chopper reassured again and offered her a smile.

"Okay," she nodded and left the rolls on the desk.

Zoro smirked when she walked past him and followed her out of the sick bay.

"So," she started, knowing Chopper could hear them. "Thanks for the help with Usopp."

"Hn,"

"I guess you'll be on deck, exercising now?" she glanced at him from the corner of her eye and felt her insides twist with excitement by the look he sent her.

"If that's what you'd call it." he replied with another smirk on his lips.

Once they were far enough from the sick bay, Zoro moved quickly and pinned the pinkette to the wall. She gasped as he held both her hands in one of his above her head while the other one cupped her cheek. She leaned into his touch while keeping her eyes locked with his before she let her eyes travel down his face and finally setting on his lips. She licked hers out of instinct and closed her eyes as he leaned in and captured her lips with his.

Zoro was a well built man with rock-hard muscles. He was big, aggressive, had a short temper -especially around the cook, and could often be described as cocky. But when Sakura was alone with him, she was often surprised by how incredibly gentle he was. She knew he would never force her to do anything she didn't truly want. He would never deliberately hurt her, and that was one of the reasons she loved him.

He used his thumb to lift her chin up and let the tip of his tongue glide over her lips slowly. She parted hers and shyly met his soft tongue while he loosened his grip around her wrists only to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth before diving into her cavern with his tongue again, slowly and gently inviting hers to a passionate and sensual dance. He pulled away. His eyes were closed. His breathing, slightly ragged. He took a moment to caress her cheek with his thumb before leaning in again and kissing her once more.

Sakura was in heaven. Every fiber of her being was experiencing nothing but pure, pleasurable bliss. She melted under his touch, her knees buckling under the amount of desire he showered her with. She was his and would never, ever dream of being with someone else when he treated her like this.

He moved to lift her up while she snaked her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, never breaking the kiss. She was too lost in him to notice him starting to walk down the hall to where the bedrooms were. The tip of his toes nudged the door to hers and Nami's room open and she suddenly found herself being lowered onto the mattress of Nami's bed. He climbed onto it as well, nudging her legs further apart with his hips while she brushed her fingers through his hair. A content groan left his lips. He loved it when she did that.

Sakura pulled away with a burning need for oxygen and felt Zoro trail tender butterfly kisses down her jaw and neck. She let one hand wander down his muscled back and arched into him when he found her sweet spot and started suckling on it. His hand glided from her thigh, over her waist and front until it came into contact with her breast. He kneaded it softly, hearing a quiet moan leave her lips and kissed his way up her throat until his lips found hers again.

The sound of footsteps made him pull away for a second, ears perking up to the sound. Sakura was too caught up in the moment to notice and pushed him back down, aligning her lips perfectly against his, but he pulled away yet again and removed himself from the bed. Sakura sat up straight with a pout. Seconds later, the door to the bedroom opened and Nami stepped into the room which made Sakura hurry up from the bed.

Nami paused with one hand on the door handle and stared at the two.

"What are you doing?" she questioned with a hint of aggravation in her voice.

"Uh," Sakura blinked, unable to come up with an excuse for Zoro's presence.

"I was just giving Sakura her blanket back. She left it in the crow's nest this morning." Zoro retorted lazily and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pants.

Nami glared at him. "Is that so?" her eyes then narrowed in suspicion. "Where is it then?"

Zoro glanced at the couch, noticing the absence of Sakura's blanket.

"It's uh-"

"It's in the laundry." Sakura replied a little too fast to be believable.

Nami scowled. "Sure."

The redhead moved to the dresser and pulled one of the drawers out. Clothes in various colors and styles were nearly spilling over the edge as she rummaged through her things. "There's a storm coming in from north-west. We should be experiencing some tumult, but it'll most likely pass before dinner. Maybe you two could do something useful and help the others prepare."

It was more of an order than a request. Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. While she respected Nami's navigator skills and sense of climate changes, she did not like being ordered around by the redhead.

Zoro nodded and silently went to the door. He gave Sakura one last look before heading to the deck. Sakura sat back down on the bed and crossed one leg over the other. Nami watched her from the corner of her eye, but said nothing. The pinkette looked down at her hands for a second, inspecting her nails which she felt needed a trim.

"How did you end up at Drum Island?"

Nami pulled out a deep-blue sweater and tugged it over her head. "We got off course." she stated solemnly. "I'm not really sure how. Zoro was on the night shift, but I'm guessing he fell asleep." she gave herself a quick once-over to make sure she looked perfect. "It wouldn't be the first time." she muttered under her breath.

A lopsided smile appeared on the pinkette's lips at that. She could definitely see that happening. She had witnessed the same thing the night before.

"I don't know how he managed to sleep through the cold, but then again, he's pretty difficult to wake up once he's asleep."

Sakura nodded. She had noticed that as well.

"We steered into the reefs. The hull of the Going Merry broke. The Marines had been tailing us for some time, but we were sure we had lost them. They attacked, and with the sinking ship, the only way for us to survive was to swim to the island." Nami sat down on the bed as well with a sad look on her face. "Luffy can't swim because of his Devil Fruit powers, so Zoro tried rescuing him. I think he felt responsible or as if it was his duty as the first mate. There's no crew without a captain, you know?"

Sakura nodded.

"Anyway, Zoro let go of Luffy when they started attacking with their cannons, but Sanji managed to get him ashore." she paused for a moment, her face looking troubled by the memory.

"We lost Zoro after that. I don't know what happened, but it couldn't be good because he was all torn up once he did get ashore. We thought we were safe, but there was another platoon on the island and they wasted no time to attack." a sigh left the redhead's lips. "Usopp and I are pretty weak compared to the other three," she looked at Sakura. "I'm sure you'd fit well in with us two."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. She was not weak.

"Anyway, we went into hiding which is something I'm not proud of. Usopp's a sniper and kept attacking the Marines from a distance with his slingshot. Luffy was unconscious at the time which meant those two idiots had to do everything themselves. I snuck away to try and get help and ran into this guy with a sleigh. He offered us a ride to the village, and when I came back to Usopp, we realized Zoro was gone. Sanji flung Luffy over his shoulder and we left. Seeing the state we were in, the guy told us he'd take us to that old woman's castle instead. As for Zoro's story, you probably know it better than I do."

Sakura glanced down at her hands again. Being a pirate seemed to be so tough. "Why were the Marines after you in the first place?"

Nami scowled again. "We're pirates and Luffy's bounty isn't exactly helping us keep a low profile. There will always be people trying to get his head one way or another, whether it's the Marines, other pirates or bounty hunters."

It made sense. 'They're almost like missing-nins, but kind ones.' Sakura thought. Nami's voice brought Sakura out of her thoughts.

"Zoro's been acting weird since he showed up with you."

Sakura felt Nami's eyes on her, but decided not to acknowledge it. "How so?"

Nami leaned backwards and laid down on top of her covers with a sigh. "He used to be all broody and didn't really interact much with us. He's a loner, I guess, or maybe it's a swordsman-thing. They need to be balanced and what not and therefore interacting with people would disrupt their inner peace. Whenever he wasn't sleeping or exercising he was usually found on deck with a bottle of sake. I think he was trying to drown the loss of Kuina."

Sakura turned to look at Nami who had her eyes closed. "Kuina?"

"She was an old friend and rival. From what I've managed to get out of him during his drunken state is that she was stronger than him and shared his dream of becoming the greatest swordsman. She died when they were kids and he received her old katana as a memory or reminder of their promise to reach the top, I think. It's the white one by the way. He's almost as possessive of it as I am with money." the redhead laughed bitterly and glanced at Sakura. Suddenly, the pinkette's behavior around the moss-head made sense, and Nami gaped at the young woman sitting a few feet from her as it dawned on her. "Please don't tell me you're crushing on that idiot!"

Sakura couldn't help the blush that crept over her cheeks.

"You vixen!" Nami teased playfully. "I'd forget him if I were you though." she added in a more serious tone. "He's too boneheaded to even know what love is."

"I doubt that."

"I've been on Luffy's crew for almost a year. Trust me when I say this, but you'll have to search long and hard to find a more asexual person than Zoro. I've walked around in my skimpiest bikinis around that man and he has never ever even spared me a second glance."

"Maybe you're not his type?" Sakura offered and watched another scowl form on Nami's face.

"I doubt he even has a type. Sanji, in all his perverted glory, would be a better choice than the stupid swordsman. At least he shows his appreciation and 'love' of women. The only downside is that he's into everyone with a pair of boobs. I mean, hell, he's even flirting with you!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with being small in the boob department." she defended.

The look Nami sent her made her eye twitch in agitation.

"I have this bikini top that's too small for me. You can have it. Wear it around Zoro and see for yourself. He's not worthy of your time. I can guarantee that." Nami said while sitting up again and went to go through her drawer once more.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Nami obviously had no idea what Zoro's preferences were nor how sexual he could be. A part of her danced in victory for having caught the swordsman's interest in the first place, and finding out that he hadn't been flirting with Nami only made her feel even more special.

A flimsy, red bikini-top landed in Sakura's lap moments later. She eyed it warily.

"Try it on."

The pinkette grabbed a hold of the thin fabric with her thumb and index finger and slowly lifted it up into the air while raising her eyebrows. "You expect me to wear this?"

"It looks better on. It's a halter-neck which you close at the front." Nami explained and snatched the top from Sakura. She showed her how to work it and held it up in front of the pinkette. "See?"

"How'd you even fit into that?"

"I didn't, but that made it all so much more awesome!" Nami beamed.

The ship suddenly rocked heavily to the side. Nami almost fell over from the impact, but managed to steady herself in the nick of time.

"Shit! I forgot about the storm!" she exclaimed and bolted to the door. "You should probably stay here. It'd be safer, I think."

Sakura watched the door close and copied Nami's earlier action by leaning back onto the bed as the ship rocked to the side a second time. Talking to the navigator had been refreshing even though the redhead kept insulting her. Nami reminded her a bit of her best friend Ino, who often pointed out how Sakura wasn't as curvy as the other girls of their generation and how she should dress more daring to get men's attention. Sakura was however, not that type of girl. She had other things to worry about than her looks. She didn't want to be some man's prize or accessory. She wanted to be respected and loved for who she was rather than be judged by how she looked or dressed.

She thought back to their conversation about Zoro. Was it possible to change ones personality when suffering from amnesia? Nami never got to the point of telling her how he had changed, just stating that he had been acting differently. Sakura had noticed how he was often alone, but even so, he didn't seem broody to her. He had no problem joining in on their conversations either when they were all gathered.

Her mind went to the new information she had gathered. Did he remember Kuina? Did he remember why he wanted to be the greatest swordsman in the world? Was he remembering more things that he didn't share with her because they bothered him or because he simply did not want her to know?

A sigh left her lips. She sat up and let her legs dangle over the edge of the bed while fingering the red fabric of the bikini-top. She pulled her sweater off and unclasped her bra before slipping the bikini on. She'd prove once and for all that Nami was wrong about Zoro and that it was okay to be small. Glancing down at herself, she raised her brows when seeing the slight lift of her breasts and how they appeared fuller than normal when stuffed into the top. A smirk made its way onto her lips. She'd be giving him hell by wearing this.

She pulled her sweater back over her head and went to look through her own drawer of clothes. There should be a pair of red panties somewhere among her clothing. Once she found them, she quickly slipped them on before dressing herself again and headed out into the hall. The ship jolted a third time and she could clearly hear Nami ordering the men around from above. Water was dripping from a crack in the ceiling, so she sidestepped it and continued on to the hatch leading to the deck. While she didn't know much about boats, she was confident enough in her own strength and was sure she could be of some use because of that.

Water sprayed over her head the moment she opened the hatch and climbed out, making her pink hair cling to her head and face. She brushed some of the strands away from her face and looked around.

"Sakura!" she heard Nami yell from the helm. "Grab that rope and tie it to the nearest pin. Don't forget to make sure it's steady! The storm should pass soon."

Sakura nodded and did as she was told… for once.

The wind had died down. The ocean spread around the ship like a calm, blue blanket. Two seagulls circled over the crow's nest before one of them dove into the water only to emerge again with a fish in its beak. The two birds flew off, disappearing into the distance and left the pirates, Sakura and Chopper with no other sound than the clucking of water against the wooden vessel.

"I thought I was gonna die! Usopp exclaimed dramatically from his spread out position on the damp sun deck.

"But you didn't!" Luffy laughed while looking around at his crew mates. "Thanks for assisting us, Sakura."

"Don't mention it, Luffy." she replied as she laid down as well. Her muscles were aching from the strain she had put them through. She hadn't been training or sparring for weeks and it had shown during the storm.

Sanji had gone to make the crew something to drink while they waited for dinner to be served. Nami was still at the helm, making sure they were still on course. The blue sweater she had worn was hanging over the railing to dry in the warmth of the sun. The tanuki ran between the six people, making sure they were alright and not hurting in any way and Zoro had taken his usual spot by the mast.

"Good job everyone!" Nami complimented as she descended from the helm. "We should be arriving at Alabasta in less than a week." she added and went to fetch her sun lounger.

Luffy looked at the navigator with a smile spreading on his lips. "I can't wait to go on new adventures!"

The redhead shook her head. "There will be no adventures, Luffy. We're only staying until the log pose sets and then we're off again."

He pouted. "But Nami...!"

"I said no!"

Sakura grinned as she listened to the two. Suddenly a shadow fell over her so she opened one eye to look at whoever was shielding her from the sun.

"Mademoiselle~" Sanji bowed slightly as she handed her a lemon-colored drink with a strawberry placed along the rim of the glass.

"Oh! Thank you, Sanji-kun."

He gave her a hearty smile before walking over to where Nami was sitting and handed her a drink as well. Nami gladly accepted it and took a sip of the lemony drink before leaning back to enjoy the sun.

"Usopp!" Luffy yelled. The sniper lifted his head to look at his captain. "Let's try and catch some fish!"

"Yosh!" the sniper sprinted across the deck and joined Luffy at the stern.

"You'll shoot and I'll catch 'em!" Luffy told the long-nosed male while adjusting his straw hat. Usopp nodded in agreement. Chopper came to stand in between the two. Excitement gleamed in his eyes. The game was on.

Sakura leaned against the railing while enjoying the warm sun and Sanji's drink. Nami peered at the doctor-to-be through half-lidded eyes and cleared her throat to get the pinkette's attention. When Sakura turned to look at the navigator, Nami tilted her head to the side, motioning for Sakura to make her move on the swordsman. They were alone since Sanji was in the kitchen and the other three were catching fish. Sakura shook her head. Was this really a good idea?

"Are you wearing it?" Nami whispered loud enough for her to hear.

Sakura lifted her shirt to show the red bikini-top hidden beneath the fabric. Nami grinned.

"Go get him, tiger."

Sakura rolled her eyes and set her glass down on the wooden deck. "Fine." she mouthed and pulled her almost dry sweater off and tossed it at the redhead. Standing up, she yanked her pants down and received an approving nod from Nami. 'I can't believe I'm doing this.'

The soft breeze of the wind slid over her exposed skin as she silently made her way over to where Zoro was snoozing. His shirt laid discarded by his side, completely drenched in water from the previous storm. His swords laid in a neat pile next to it. She bit her lip nervously and crouched down in front of him.

"Zoro," her voice was soft and muted when she said his name. "are you awake?"

His chest rose and fell as he breathed in through his nose. Strong arms were wrapped over his midsection, the tanned skin glinting in the vast sunlight.

Sakura glanced at Nami who was keeping a close eye on the pinkette with an I told you so look on her face.

"Zo-"

"Nami-swan! Sakura-chw- sweet lord have mercy!" Sanji's voice was cut short by a thumping sound, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

Sakura quickly rose to her feet and turned to look at the blonde who had tripped and fallen down the stairs from the kitchen. Zoro opened one eye to glare at the blonde, irritated for having been disrupted of his sleep and was met by the sight of a nearly naked behind not too far away from him. He let his eyes wander up the pale back of the person standing a foot away from him, seeing a three inches wide red band stretching around the woman, right below her shoulder blades. His eyes widened a fraction when seeing a red band tied around the woman's neck, partly covered by shoulder-length pink hair.

"Sakura," his voice came out in a hoarse whisper and he mentally slapped himself for not keeping his emotions in check.

Sakura turned her head to look down at him. An embarrassed blush tinted her cheeks. "Hey…" she smiled shyly and turned around to fully face him, completely ignoring the pained groans from the cook.

Zoro's lips parted slightly as he took in the front of her outfit.

"You like?" she asked quietly while shyly peering down at her lover.

He nodded twice and had to force himself to look back up at her face. "Very much."

Sakura sat down next to Zoro and leaned her back against the mast. A gasp left her lips when her warm skin came into contact with the still damp wood. "Shit!"

"Cold?"

She glanced at him. "A little."

He pulled her halfway onto his lap. Her butt rested against the deck in between his legs while her legs were draped over his right one.

Nami stared at the swordsman with her brows raised high. To say she was surprised would be an understatement. "I'll be damned." she muttered quietly to herself while a grin spread on her lips.

"So…" he spoke softly and let his eyes drop to her cleavage.

"It was Nami's idea," Sakura explained, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks again.

"Is that so?" he quirked a brow and glanced at the navigator. "What did she say?"

"You're asexual."

He laughed at that which made her lips quirk upward in a smile. "I don't know about that," he murmured with a hint of amusement lingering in his voice.

"Apparently you don't show any interest in women, or didn't before the… accident." she bit her lip while looking him in the eyes.

"Maybe I hadn't found the one to capture my attention."

Sakura blushed and looked down at her hands resting atop of her bare thighs. Her heart was racing inside of her chest. Was it possible he shared her feelings? He hadn't straight out told her yet, so she wasn't a hundred percent sure.

Zoro smirked and snaked his arms around her waist while she leaned into his chest and felt him resting his chin on top of her head.

"So, you wanted to prove her wrong."

"Not entirely. She insulted my… I mean, she said I couldn't- that I wasn't… feminine enough to… I don't even know." she sighed exasperatedly.

"Hn," he held her protectively while feeling her soft fingertips tracing the outline of his right bicep. This side of her was new to him. Up until now she had seemed confident in her own skin, a trait he had found sexy and admirable. This uncertain woman he currently had on his lap felt like a stranger to him. What exactly had happened between Sakura and Nami after he had left? While he didn't trust Nami, he didn't really picture her as cruel. Was this normal between two women? Were there some sort of rivalry between the two he hadn't noticed?

After a moment of silence and heavy thinking he nuzzled his face in her hair. "I think you're beautiful, Sakura."

She scoffed and tried shaking her head, but couldn't move it much since his was resting on top of hers. From the corner of his eye he saw the blonde finally standing up to dust himself off with an angry glare thrown at them. A victorious smirk made its way onto Zoro's lips at the sight, but instead of rubbing it in he turned his focus back to the pinkette.

"I don't know what she said, but she's wrong." he murmured while brushing his thumb over a spot on her arm.

She knew he was right, and it bothered her that Nami's words actually bothered her. "I love you." she whispered almost incoherently, but he heard her. She knew he wouldn't say it back. She just knew.

"Sakura," his voice was low and muted. She felt her heart jumping in her chest by the way her name rolled off his tongue. A blush tinted her cheeks as she lifted her head to look at him with a questioning look on her face. "I love you."

She stared at him, eyes wide open in surprise. "What?" she whispered and felt him twist a strand of hair around his finger. 'Did he just say what I think he said?' she asked herself. Surely, she was imagining things. Her eyes flickered in between his black orbs.

A low chuckle left his lips while his eyes watched her amusedly. "I love you." he repeated and saw a shy smile spread on her lips while her blush deepened.

"I-" she started but was cut off by Luffy cheering at the stern. The two lovers turned in the direction of the captain's voice.

"Yahoo! We got fish! It's a big one!"

Sakura shook her head, an amused smile played on her lips. Zoro eyed her for a moment, her pink hair caressed his hand as it got caught by a soft gust of the wind. She was truly a remarkable woman. He tilted her head toward his with the hand in her hair and planted a tender kiss on her lips. She had no idea how deeply he cared for her, but he would show her in time. That was a promise he made to himself.

A/N: Did anyone else go 'awwww' or was it just me? I'm a sucker for romance, so... tehee ^^
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