Summary: Luffy was a simple child. He didn't try to find the complicated answer to an easy question. So when bullies are bothering him, the obvious answer is to kick their butts. Who knew it would land him in detention? //ZoLu friendship. High-school//

Words: 2,000

Notes: There's not much point to this, really. I had fun writing it because I usually don't try general/humor fics, and it was my first ZoLu (even if it is only friendship). What I like most about Luffy's character is how he is smart in some ways, and completely oblivious in others. He's a strong person, inside and out.

Detention

Whoever told Luffy that he should make a good impression in his first week of high school obviously didn't know who they were talking too! Honestly, who knew that fighting back to bullies (and unintentionally knocking them unconscious in the process) would result in a detention?

But regardless of whether he'd been aware of what the consequences of beating up bullies would be, the teacher on hall duty ruthlessly gave him a detention slip. It had been a good day for the habitually hyperactive boy, starting with a stack of fifteen pancakes. He had happily skipped to school, looking forward to his third day of grade nine.

His first class had gone well enough, having already introduced himself to each of the students on the previous two days. He was able to simply concentrate in class... okay, so he was able to get in a decent nap, but hey? It was history! Whoever decided history would be a first period class should've expected sleeping students!

Fortunately, the teacher, who Luffy had decided was "the awesome-est history teacher ever", had let him go with only a warning. After that, Luffy had Math. Although this class confused the poor boy to no end, he had been lucky enough to snag a window seat. This allowed him plenty of time to stare out at the scenery and daydream.

Lunch followed Math, and Luffy instantly decided that it was his favourite subject (nevermind the fact that lunch wasn't a subject). I mean, it was almost an entire hour devoted to eating! Even though Luffy only needed five minutes to completely empty the cafeteria...

Unfortunately, it was during his favourite subject that he ran into those bullies. Now, Luffy is a very hyper person, as was previously mentioned, so when big, scary-looking seniors stopped in front of him on his way to his locker, it was only natural for him to smile goofily and introduce himself.

"Heya!" he had called in greeting, "Whacha doing?"

The group sneered, and one of the taller ones answered, "Oh, nothing, we just thought you looked like you could use a little... help."

Luffy cocked his head to the side, "Really? I don't think I need help." And then he gasped, "Ahh! Unless you mean you thought I needed food!"

One of the seniors blinked, "Uh, whatever. I was thinking more along the lines of, say, holding your books."

"That's silly!" Luffy had laughed, "Books aren't heavy!"

Most of the group smirked, "Oh really? They look heavy, almost like you could drop them at any moment!" Taking his cue, one of the boys knocked the books right from Luffy's hands.

Confused, Luffy looked down at his fallen books, "Why did you do that?"

After a moment, the group burst out in laughter, "Is he serious?"

"You gotta be kidding me!"

"Hey kid, you sure you're old enough to be here?"

Luffy glared and stuck out his tongue, "I'm not a kid! Gah! What idiots!" With those parting words, the oblivious boy picked up his books and walked right through the stunned group. He didn't get far as a hand fell on his shoulder, spinning him around.

Getting really angry by that point, Luffy used the momentum to slam his fist into the nearest guys face. He stood over him, seething but without really having the urge to hit the bully further.

That was when the big fight broke out. Two of the fallen guy's friends moved in to attack, resulting in Luffy letting out a highly annoyed sigh and easily kicking their butts. Within moments, despite it being a six-on-one fight, he was standing over them, arms crossed and books strewn across the floor. A mix of annoyance and an abundance of confidence were conveyed in his smirk.

A passing teacher chose that moment to interfere, "What is going on here?!"

Luffy's grin widened, "I won!" He had proclaimed it as if it was a far better accomplishment than any grade he could've gotten. To him, it probably was.

The teacher's eyes narrowed, "This is ridiculous! It's the third day! Detention, now!"

Confused, Luffy looked curiously at the teacher, "I didn't know there was a class called detention." A moment's pause and Luffy realised that if he had detention now, then how could he go to lunch at the same time? He donned a look of horror at the mere thought of doing such a thing.

Meanwhile, the teacher was glaring at the childish boy in front of him, "Don't be smart with me! Pick up your books and get a move on it!"

"But—"

"No buts!" And with that, Luffy was forcefully dragged in the opposite direction of his locker.

So shocked was he that lunch would be missed that Luffy couldn't even find the words to complain. Instead, he stared into space, almost as if asking how such a horrid thing could have happened.

By the time he was finally back in reality, his attention had already reverted to a new topic; something about the difference between chicken meat and lamb meat. Thus, it came as a complete surprise when Luffy was nearly shoved into a classroom, the door closing behind him with an audible thud.

In said room, there were only two people. One was obviously a teacher, sitting at his desk and happily eating his lunch. Luffy's mouth watered at the scent of what smelled like a turkey sandwich. For a while, he simply stared, until the person holding the delicacy began to speak.

"Don't just stand there; sit down and keep quiet."

Luffy frowned. He didn't want to stay quiet! Pouting, he turned to take in the other occupant of the room. Unfortunately, all he could make out was a shock of sea-green hair nearly buried in a black hoodie. Upon closer inspection, Luffy discerned the figure as a male human, seemingly fast asleep.

Grinning mischievously, he set about poking the unknowing man, "Hey! Wake up! This isn't history class!"

A groan was followed by a gruff, "Get lost."

Luffy's smile didn't even waver, "That's not very nice!" He instantly took the seat beside the green-haired one, as the teacher got up to go the bathroom.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, so don't even think about moving!"

Luffy, however, didn't hear the teacher's warning (and if he had, he would've simply said "I didn't think about it, I just did it"). So, when he grew bored of staring at the unmoving green-haired one, which took a span of thirteen seconds, Luffy got up to look around the room. Having never been in this room, everything was new to him.

It didn't matter that there was the exact same map in the geography room, because, according to Luffy, this map was way different. And the windows? Luffy could've sworn they were shinier than the ones in his math class. Yup, to him, this classroom was like an island just waiting to be explored. He zipped around, inspecting everything from the walls to the apple on the teacher's desk (which he found was plastic and therefore not edible), but never spending more than a few seconds on any one item.

"What are you doing?" the green-and-black blob growled out, annoyed. All of the younger boy's running around had made him dizzy.

Luffy turned to him with a wide grin, "Exploring, of course!"

The blob, who Luffy thought looked rather tired, raised an eyebrow, "You're exploring." At Luffy's nod, he put his head back in his arms, "Whatever, just stop running around like a monkey."

"But that's my name!" the grinning boy stated, as if it gave him every right to do as he was doing, "Monkey D. Luffy!"

A twitch was the only acknowledgment Luffy got, but it didn't deter him. In an instant, he was in front of the presumably grumpy man, asking him what his name was and trying to get him to poke his head out again.

After a few minutes of trying—during which the teacher failed to return, oddly enough—Luffy whined, "Aww! C'mon, don't be a turtle!"

Another twitch, but at least this time it came with an angry mumbled reply, "I hope that's not referring to my hair, or I'll cut you into mince-meat."

Luffy blinked in confusion, "Hair?" After a moment, he understood, and laughed, "No, silly! I was talking about you hiding in your sweater! I'd call you grass-head if I wanted to insult your hair!"

Suddenly, the "grass-head" whipped up, glaring in such a way that it would frighten seniors and teachers alike. Luffy, however, was a special case, and he only continued to grin.

"Why you little—"

"Zoro!" an angry voice snapped, "The school year's just started and you're already threatening people? You got detention for sleeping in class, don't make me suspend you for fighting!"

Both Luffy and the one now known as Zoro looked over at the teacher, who had finally come back from his extended bathroom break. While Luffy had a triumphant grin at having found out the other's name, Zoro was still glaring, though now it was focused on the teacher.

Said teacher cringed under the full force of the glare, trying to make himself as small as possible, "Er, well, that is, I mean—Gah! Forget it! Just stop fighting!" With that, the teacher fled, fearing for his life and for his sanity. He still remembered what had happened to Zoro's English teacher when she woke him up from a nap...

Meanwhile, Luffy shrugged at the teacher's sudden disappearance and turned back to Zoro. To his disappointment, said man had already returned to his seat, arms crossed and eyes closed as if he were determined to get his sleep. Hah! As if Luffy could be beaten so easily!

"Na, Zoro, why would you want to sleep during detention?" he allowed his voice to have a childish tone, simply because he knew the green-haired one wouldn't be able to stand it for long.

Without opening his eyes, Zoro shrugged, "Bored."

For a moment, the room was silent as Luffy thought about this new revelation. He didn't want his new friend to be bored. It was... well... boring! He began devising ways to get Zoro to have fun.

"Will you play tag with me?" Luffy asked, sitting backwards in the desk that was in front of Zoro.

One sea-green eye cracked open, trying to determine if the other kid was joking or not, "You serious? Why would I play tag with you?"

"'Cause it's fun!"

Zoro snorted, "What are you, eight?"

The tinniest bit of betrayal shone in Luffy's innocent coal eyes, but it was easily covered by anger, "I'd rather be fifteen and act like I was eight than to be eighteen and act like I was an old man!"

Zoro, despite his cold exterior, found himself feeling slightly guilty when he'd seen the other boy's look, "Uh, right. Sorry."

Instantly, as if he had completely switched personalities, Luffy was happy, "It's fine!"

Suddenly, the bell rang, signalling that they were free to go and use their remaining fifteen minutes of lunch to get ready for the next class. Luffy grinned mischievously and raced to the door. Before he was gone entirely, he called back to his new friend.

"See ya later, Zoro!"

Blinking, both at the sudden disappearance of such a hyper boy as well as being considered his friend, Zoro shook his head to clear it of its confusion. He stood and disinterestedly waltzed out, already forgetting about why he had been in detention in the first place. Instead, thoughts of wanting to watch over Luffy, to protect him and follow him, were plaguing his mind.

With a shrug, and an uncaring acceptance of these new feelings, Zoro went about his day as normal, knowing that sooner or later Luffy would seek him out; he need not go looking for the strange, charismatic boy. They were destined to be best friends, and destiny hates to be ignored.