Understanding?

The festival was over sooner than expected and we were back at sea. We even had someone on board: Vivi. She really wanted to come so that she could see Corsa again. It was very quiet: too quiet as Nami kept mentioning and Luffy seemed bored too. He just messed up and played catch, cards and hide and seek with Chopper and Usopp. "How old are they again?", Nina asked me for the hundred first time. "I think they're 15 and 16," I pointed to Chopper and the other two.

Ace had already left two days ago and Zorro seemed to be happier since then. As I have often done before, I just looked into space and enjoyed the sun. "Hey Chris !!! Are you playing hide and seek with us?" Luffy called me. "Um ... another time Luffy", I tried to get rid of him. "Please play with us. Please, please, please !!", Chopper whined now and looked at me with his googly eyes and I could never resist them. "B-well," I admitted defeat. "Juchu !!!", Luffy and Chopper said, full of joy. "What's going on?" Came sleepily from a corner. There was Zorro, who was sleeping again. "Hey Zorro do you play hide and seek too?" Chopper asked him. "Are you kidding me? I don't play kid shit," he growled. "Oh, you're just afraid that you will lose," it now came from Usopp. "I should have WHAT ??", Zorro asked him. "Fear! Otherwise you wouldn't want to refuse to play with", Usop explained. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "Zorro, just play along," I said indifferently. Zorro looked at me and nodded. Usopp, Luffy and Chopper cheered again, but I was taken aback: When is he giving in so quickly?

"Usopp has to count," Luffy called. So Usopp started counting and we hid. 'I'll be very easy to find,' I thought, because I just sat down behind the sofa in the aquarium bar and looked at the fish. But I was wrong. After an hour I got too stupid and went upstairs. "There you are Chris!", Chopper said happily. "What did it take so long?" I asked Usopp. "I just didn't find you," he admitted. "I was sitting in the aquarium bar behind the sofa! Are you too stupid to play hide and seek or what?" I snapped at him. "Oops ... I didn't even look ..." he said petty. I shook my head. "Food is ready!", Sanji called from the kitchen and I froze. "Oh my god !!" I chastised and ran into the kitchen. "Sorry Sanji! I totally slept through it," I apologized quickly, but Sanji just waved it off. "It's not that bad, Chris," he reassured me. "I'll do the dishes today then," I said quickly. Now the others came in and sat down at the table. Suddenly someone nudged me, namely Nina. "What do you actually wish for?", She asked me and I just looked at her confused."Is it Christmas already?" Luffy exclaimed excitedly. "No, it's only Chris's birthday in a few days", explained Juju. "REALLY ??? We have to celebrate this !!" Luffy shouted even more excited than before. "Oh, you don't have to give me anything," I said, embarrassed.

"When is your birthday?" Asked Chopper. "Me? October 10th," I said. "But that's already in 3 days!", Chopper shouted in shock. "Oh, really? I didn't notice. So have we been here on the Sunny for a month?" I asked the others. They just nodded. "How can you forget your own birthday?", Nami asked me, shaking his head. "I don't know either," I simply replied. "Hey wooden spoon, bring me a bottle of sake," Zorro said. "Get it yourself, Schwertheini," came back irritated from Sanji. "Did you say something, cockroach?" "Yes, I did. I guess I need to hear better, Mosskopf." "Oh really, dartboard eyebrow?" "Yes, cactus head." "Is that going again?", Nami asked. "Could you please stop?", Juju asked her. "Juju there is no point," I sighed. "That's right," she thought and went out of the galley. 'I'd rather get the sake, otherwise something bad could happen', it occurred to me and went into the pantry. Then I came back with a bottle of sake and put it on the table in front of Zorro. "Here you go," I smiled. "Mhm .... D-thank you," came Zorro's surprise.

Then also left in the kitchen and went outside to the railing. 'How surprised he was', I had to smile at the thought. "Hey, thanks again for the sake," suddenly a voice rang out from behind me and I winced. I turned around and saw Zorro walking towards me. "A-oh no problem," I stuttered and I noticed how I blushed a bit. But he didn't seem to notice. "So it's your birthday soon?" He asked suddenly. 'Why is he asking that now? ', I thought, but I answered him: "Yes I have." "It will be a great party for sure," he said and sat down on the floor. I nodded and sat down with him. "How did you get to Luffy? I know that about the others, but not about you," I asked him. "Oh you know, a naval captain held me prisoner because I had a bet with his son. Luffy then found out that the guy wanted to execute me anyway and then he said that if he should get me out, I had to join him." he explained to me. "That sounds more like blackmail," I said doubtfully. "Oh what! Besides, Luffy is not one of them. You know him", laughed Zorro. 'right', I thought and had to laugh too.

We sat for quite a while until Nina came. "Hey you two lovebirds. Unfortunately I have to kidnap Chris now, Zorro. Time for the girls' evening," she grinned at us and we blushed. "See you tomorrow morning, Zorro," I said goodbye with a bright red head and followed Nina.When we were inside I said to her: "What is that supposed to mean now?!?! Lovebirds ??? I think you don't have them all anymore!" I moaned at her. But NIna just grinned and went into our room without another word. Nami and Juju were already waiting there. "Chris, there you are. Where have you been?", Nami asked me and before I could say anything, Nina spoke: "She was with Zorro." Nami whistled softly and Juju looked at me with wide eyes. "It's not what you think !! We just talked," I tried to defend myself. "So ... just talking? Well, whoever believes it will be happy", Nami grinned. I sat on my bed and pouted to myself. "It felt like Spanish to me when you went to get the sake. Even Sanji whines. He thinks that Zorro has put a 'lady' on him", she emphasized the word 'lady' and I blushed again. "Where are Vivi and Robin?", Judith asked now. "Vivi is in the bathroom and Robin is still reading in the library," Nami explained.

"But it is more important now whether this love is also mutual." "What are you going to do with Nami?" I asked, startled. "You will see that soon enough. Good night," she grinned and walked out of the room. I had a bad feeling. "Well then. Good night", so Juju and Nina said goodbye and let themselves fall into their beds. However, I lay wide awake in my bed and thought closely. 'Am I really ......? no that can't be! Or is it? Well he already looks good and is also very nice. In fact, he's very cute. but ..... is ...... that ...... really love? 'As I thought about it and imagined Zorro, my heart started beating faster and I had to admit that I felt more for him than just friendship. With this feeling I fell asleep after all.