Lying next to you, I listen to the sound of your breath as your chest rises and falls. You

stir slightly in your sleep, but then you are motionless yet again. I reach out to stroke

your soft green hair, but before I can touch the silkey mop I withdraw. You've already told

me once, I should have accepted it then. I still don't know why I had done it; why I said

what I said, or why I did what I did. I really wish I hadn't though, I miss all of those

pointless squabbles we would have and when we would fight each other untill Nami-san

would have to interfere. I wish we could go back to those times, because they are the

ones I treasure the most. The times when you considered me to be both your rival and

your nakama, but now, you avoid me like the plague. And whenever we face those pitifully

weak rivals, I want to be able to stand right behind you, my back facing yours and yours

facing mine as we defend each other. I loved listening to you laugh whenever we would

eat meals and the others would act like clowns. I loved watching you from the galley

window, lifting massive weights as beads of sweat dripped down your muscular torso.

But what I miss most is when we would tease each other with smirks, insults, and

name calling, because all your attention would be on me, even if it was just for that

moment, and even though it was a smirk, you still smiled at me. I love your smile.

...I love you...