Replacement
It was any other training day for dancer Roronoa Zoro. He awoke up from his nap and shook his head, slapping his alarm clock dramatically. He hopped out of his bed with a smile on his face, and he did a few push-ups and jumping jacks to wake up more before grabbing his dance-bag and shoes, running out into the kitchen to grab a quick bottle of fruit juice to drink on the way to the studio. Zoro tapped his fingers on the steering wheel of his car happily at a stop light, and then parked wherever he could outside the dance studio. With his bag slung lazily over his shoulder like a handbag, Zoro took a sip from his bottle as he stepped inside the building, cloaking his body in air-conditioned coolness, which was heaven compared to the hot summer day outside.
"Good afternoon, Zoro, on time as usual."
"Hi! Well, I do like to stick to my schedule," Zoro replied to his friend with a wave, setting his bag down on the wooden floor near the wall. He then plopped down and proceeded to go through his usual leg and arm stretches, with a bit of yoga mixed in for fun. He then sat back down and looked at the clock that hung above the studio's entranceway. It said 2:35. Zoro slightly frowned and looked around at the several other dancers who were stretching and dancing around him, but he didn't see his dance partner, Patricia. He scratched the back of his head and took a quick sip of juice before calling out to the nearest person who walked by him.
"Hey Trent, have you seen Patty?" Zoro questioned, getting up to his feet and standing in front of 'Trent'.
"Zoro, what have I told you about calling me by my real name?"
"...Not to call you that.."
"There you go, it's Killer. Kill-er, Zoro," Killer responded, emphasizing the two syllables. Zoro just grinned and playfully smacked Killer's shoulder, "Oh and no, I haven't seen Patty today. That's rather odd..."
Zoro nodded and looked up at the clock once more,"I know.. It's not like her to be late. I hope nothing hap- oh, my phone's ringing, maybe it's her," Zoro said, quickly taking his cell phone out of his sweatpants' pocket, and answered the phone as he put it up to his ear. Killer still stood there with a blasé expression, unsure of whether he could walk away or not, and absent-mindedly put his long hair up in a ponytail as Zoro talked to Patty on the phone.
"You what!? Oh Patty, are you okay!?" Zoro said suddenly, capturing the attention of many other dancers. Killer just inched closer and closer, wanting to listen in. Just then, the green-haired man shut his cellphone and depressedly slid it back into his pocket, giving Killer a disappointed and scared expression.
"Patty fell down the stairs when she was visiting her mom last night, so she's going to be out of dancing for about two or two and a half months.." Zoro mumbled, sitting down on the floor and Killer did as well, an awkward silence rising between them. Killer took off his sweatshirt which was apparently making him too hot, and then tapped his fingernails on the floor as the two thought. Finally, it dawned on Killer why his friend had been so upset.
"Wait, you two had that performance with Jenny and Roger coming up!" Killer burst out, looking up at Roronoa with a look of sympathy. Zoro nodded and then sighed, folding his hands as he thought of what to do.
"I don't know what I'm going to do.." Zoro admitted, laying down flat on the floor, receiving more odd glances from the others around him. Killer pulled him back up to sit once more, and then thought about what his friend could do. His eyes widened at an abrupt idea, and his cheeks blushed pinkish as well, but Killer then patted Zoro's knee repeatedly to get his attention.
"Luffy!" Killer exclaimed, leaning in to look Zoro right in the eyes. Zoro raised an eyebrow in a quizzical manner.
"What about him?
"Have you ever danced with him?" Killer questioned, his eyes nearly sparkling with admiration. Once more, Zoro couldn't help but give Killer a weird glance at such an odd question.
"No, I haven't... uhh.. and I'm guessing you have, oddly enough?" Zoro replied, taking comfort in swallowing a gulp from his bottle before leaning back against the wall, and Killer moved to sit next to him. The blonde then went on to describe how smooth of a dancer Luffy was, and how he currently didn't have a partner and was just dancing there for the sake of taking up time. Zoro nodded at this, and crossed his arms in thought. Killer then knew what his friend was thinking about.
"And I've heard that he's a fast learner; very fast," Killer added, poking the other dancer's shoulder. Zoro looked up into the other's dark blueish-green eyes with realization and blushed a bit. He wasn't exactly used to having a male partner during a performance, but he knew that desperate times call for desperate measures.
Almost as if they had summoned him somehow, Luffy stepped through the studio doors with a large, happy grin as usual, wearing his straw hat as he always did. Although, Zoro had noticed that there was one thing about Luffy that was different; he looked... like a man. Luffy had always been a man, but.. he seemed more like a man than usual. It was probably the muscles in his arms and chest that made the difference, and he was sporting a slight goatee. Heck, he even looked taller. He looked more like a mature 30-year-old than his true 23. Zoro found himself gaping at Luffy unintentionally, and Luffy caught the green-haired man's gaze. The 23-year-old waved slightly with a smirk on his face, almost laughing when Zoro realized that he had been staring.
Before the two dancers knew it, Luffy had walked over and set his bag and precious straw hat down next to them, starting up a conversation.
"Is there something on my face?" Luffy asked sarcastically to Zoro, running a hand over his cheeks and chin for more effect. Zoro laughed sheepishly and shook his head, his mind suddenly blank. Killer grinned to himself, and started talking to Luffy then, leaving Zoro to collect his thoughts. It was embarrassing, but the short-haired dancer needed to think of something to say to Luffy. Finally, a silence came over the 3, and Luffy sat there quietly, looking at Zoro's fruit juice enviously, but that was besides the point because what he said afterwards was just the perfect thing for Zoro.
"Hey, where's Patty?" Luffy questioned, looking around them for said female. Zoro explained what had happened to Patty, and Luffy talked about it with him, and then Zoro had to force it out of him.
"Um.. Since I can't exactly cancel this performance now, uh.. I need a partner, and if you don't have a partner or aren't too busy, would you consi-"
"Yes."
Zoro's eyes widened, not expecting such a forthright answer, and looked to Luffy's face. Luffy wore a look of pure seriousness.
"I know how tough situations like this can be, and so yes, I shall be your partner... Zoro." Luffy said this man's name with a look of utmost lust as he slowly took hold of Zoro's hand. Zoro couldn't believe what was happening and wanted to pull away, and Killer looked like he was going to explode right then and there. Luffy stood and pulled Zoro up to his feet and then let go of his hand, making the confused dancer feel embarrassed. Apparently this much was obvious to Luffy.
"Hahaha are you okay, Zoro?" Luffy laughed, looking at Zoro's blushing face with a raised eyebrow and a grin. Zoro lifted his head up and nodded quickly, now embarrassed that he was a tad bit shorter than his new partner. 'What the hell happened to him?' Roronoa thought to himself, looking over Luffy's body again, 'He better not mess with my mind..'
"Zoro? You here? Wanna show me how exactly you and Patty were dancing?" Luffy questioned, looking down at Zoro and his blank expression, waving a hand in front of his partner's face. Zoro didn't respond, but then got to thinking about dancing...
Who would dance the man's part?
~ + lololol XD i wrote this for someone, but i don't remember who o_o so.. yeah.. if i figure out who, i shall type it in here later XD hope you enjoyed it! its probably going to have another chapter or two, but might take a while _ XD !reviews are welcome! + ~
