𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓽 (one piece x reader)

Chapter 61: Reassurance

It had been a few days since we set sail from Thriller Bark. Brook was officially a member of our crew and everyone else began healing from the previous battle. Brook had tried hard to make sure he helped around the ship, accidentally trying too hard to the point where he ended up becoming clumsy with things like the dishes or Zoro's weights.

When he came up to me to try and show how useful he was I smiled at him and set the pen and ink down that he was holding before sitting down on my bed and patting the spot next to me, gesturing for him to sit down. He made a noise of surprise before he quietly sit down making sure to fix his suit and dust it off before taking his place next to me. His posture was uptight as he looked at me curiously and nervously, anxious to make a good impression even after everything we went through on Thriller Bark together.

I smiled at him gently before leaning back against the wall to make him feel more comfortable after seeing my relaxed body language, "Tell me more about your pirate crew, Brook. What were they like?"

His body perked up before he tilted his head slightly, "Why do you ask, Ms.Y/n?" Using a hint of formality; Brook had found out after we set sail that I was a princess and had begun to show me more politeness than before.

I let out a light chuckle while waving him off, "No need for the formalities, Brook. And anyways, you're a part of the crew now. I wanna know everything about you."

"Oh my!" Brook put his hand over where his mouth would be as he waved his other hand bashfully, "You're gonna make this bag of bones blush! Even though I have no blood to blush with!"

I couldn't help but smile at his unique laugh before gesturing him to continue with telling his story. He gladly did, finding enjoyment in boasting about his previous crew. I watched happily as I watched his body slowly relax and his personality start to show. He talked and talked, me asking questions to keep him talking until Sanji had called us down for dinner.

We both climbed down the ladder and before we entered the kitchen Brook stopped in front of the door before turning to me. "Thank you, Y/n," Was what he said to me, a sincere and appreciative tone in his voice as he took his hat and placed it on his chest while bowing his head slightly.

I watched him, slightly taken back by the sudden action as he placed his hat back on his head and smiled at me, "I was so nervous about making sure that I do good for this crew because of how thankful I am to you guys that I ended up tripping over myself all day. So, thank you."

My lips curled up into a smile as I looked up at him, a warm feeling in my chest at the conversation amongst the two of us, "Of course, Brook. You're more than enough when it comes to this crew. You don't have to prove yourself."

He let out his unique laugh once again only this time lighter before his smile widened as he placed a hand over where his heart would've been, "I am one lucky skeleton!"

~•~

Once everyone was done eating dinner we had all said goodnight before heading up to our respective rooms. Finally happy to be in my room, I changed into some pajamas which was a noodle strapped tank top and some shorts. When I went to go lay down my eyes caught my reflection in the body mirror hooked onto my wall.

I stopped and looked at myself, my eyes trailing down every inch of my body. I noticed the bruises and the scars that weren't there just a few months ago, my mind had recalled the day the others had come to Sinthaya.

I had been looking at myself in the mirror that day too.

My fingers gently traced the bruises on my arms as I looked at them through the mirror. The bandages here and there on my body looked as if they needed to be switched out due to the dried blood that had seeped through earlier. I was so caught up in looking at the scars and bruises that I hadn't heard the knocking on the door or the sound of it opening.