So the thing is. I had been coping with Koby for a long… no. A day… I guess.
So now, I don't have to deal with him.
Warm air brushed across Lei's face and neck, carrying the sharp tang of salt from the sea. The sun beat down steadily on his skin, heating the exposed areas of his arms and chest. His ponytail hung loosely over the edge of the small boat, the ends dipping slightly into the cool water with each gentle rock, strands tugging lightly at his scalp.
He gazed upward at the clear blue sky, bright and cloudless, the harsh sunlight forcing him to narrow his eyes. The boat creaked softly beneath him with every shift of the waves, the wooden planks warm and rough against his back. Water lapped rhythmically against the hull, a constant wet slap that mixed with the distant cries of seagulls overhead.
Luffy sat at the tip of the boat, legs dangling over the edge, his hands pressed flat against his forehead to shield his eyes as he stared ahead, his loud laughter occasionally breaking the air.
Zoro sat alongside Lei, close enough that Lei could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing and the faint scrape of a whetstone against steel as he sharpened one of his katanas, the metallic rasp cutting through the ambient sounds of the sea.
I guess, my senses are at peak.
"Ugh… I am so hungry…" Luffy broke the silence, his voice carrying over the steady splash of waves against the hull. He plopped down cross-legged in front of Lei and Zoro, the boat rocking slightly from the sudden shift in weight.
"Heh. It's funny how you have absolutely no navigation skills," Zoro said, resting one hand on his bent knee, his fingers tapping lightly against the fabric.
"Why? I've always just been wandering!" Luffy replied, stretching his arms behind his head. Then he added, "You're like me too. Wandering around, capturing hunted pirates for rewards."
"I don't remember saying I live completely off rewards," Zoro shot back, pointing his thumb at his own face. "I was searching for a man. That's why I left for the sea. But now I can't find my way home."
"I had no choice but to start hunting pirates for a living. Just to get a little bit for living expenses."
"Oh, so you're lost?" Luffy said with a wide grin.
"SHUT UP! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S LOST!!" Zoro barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through the distant calls of seagulls.
Lei turned his head toward them. "Chill, Zoro."
He then looked at Luffy. "Never heard of a pirate who can't navigate."
"How do you expect to go to the Grand Line like this?" Zoro said, turning his gaze to the endless sea stretching out ahead, the water glinting under the bright sun. "You should hurry and find a crewmate who knows how to navigate."
"And someone who knows how to cook, and someone for singing," Luffy added casually.
To be honest, Zoro crashing out when being with Luffy is the most realistic thing ever.
"IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING OFF ON?!" Zoro blurted out, leaning forward.
"Lei, tell him something."
"As if it's going to change anything," Lei said with a small smile, the warm breeze tugging at his ponytail as the boat drifted steadily onward.
"Heh. Tell me something I don't know," Zoro said with a grin, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the boat's side.
"Then why are you crashing out?" Lei said, standing up slowly. His ponytail ruffled against the warm air brushing across the deck. He inhaled deeply, the salty sea scent filling his lungs, then exhaled heavily.
"You two. I will sleep. Don't disturb me, alright," Lei said, moving to the other side of the boat. He lay down, resting his neck on the edge, the wood warm and smooth against his skin as the boat rocked gently with the waves.