Another Crew Member: Zoro and Adelle
by Down Iris
#
I do not have any rights to nor make any money from the characters in this story.
#
Adelle is a crew member that I made up to be a love interest for Zoro.
#
Adelle was adrift at sea. She had lived on her little boat for over two years without landing once. She had eaten a Devil Fruit as a child that gave her the ability to turn herself and anything else invisible. Her means to live was to find ships and dock her invisible ship with them, and then use their facilities, eat a few meals, and steal some food. It was amazing what could be found on the water.
Her next target was in sight. A small pirate ship with a jolly roger of a skull wearing a straw hat was just ahead. She pulled close to it and jumped aboard at the back, carrying a rope which she tied around a support for the railing.
Only two crew members were in sight, which she thought was odd. One was an orange haired woman and the other was a blond man. They were having a weird conversation where the woman was discussing the weather and the man kept complimenting her. Another trait of her Devil Fruit was that no one could hear her when she was invisible, either. She walked right by the two and tried the first door she came to. Inside was a black haired man with a long nose working on some gadget. She peeked into all the cabinets, making sure the man did not notice. Then she left.
She examined the rest of the ship and found only one other crew member, a black haired boy wearing a red vest. He was currently sitting on the sheep's head that served as the ship's figurehead. The blond man had gone into the kitchen and was cooking dinner. Adelle was waiting hungrily for a hot meal, if she could steal some food. She sat on deck, watching the sun set.
Eventually the blond man called everyone to dinner. To Adelle's surprise, someone came out of the crow's nest and climbed down the rope. When he got off at the bottom, Adelle's breath caught in her throat. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, with short green hair and carrying three swords.
Adelle followed him into the kitchen and hung around in a corner until everyone had been served. Then she found a plate and helped herself, making her plate and food invisible too. She returned to her corner and ate her food while watching and listening to the others. She found the meal delicious, and learned that the cook's name was Sanji. The woman was Nami, the man with the long nose was Usopp, and the man in the red vest was Luffy. She was surprised to see his arms stretch out to steal food from around the table, until she realized that he must have eaten a Devil Fruit too.
The green haired man's name was Zoro. She paid particular attention to him, as she had situated herself where she could see him best.
Everyone was very rowdy at dinner, talking and spilling food. Adelle wished that she could join in. She hadn't talked to a single person in the last two years she had spent on the sea. Most pirates seemed disagreeable to her, but being around this crew made her realize how lonely she was.
#
Usually Adelle would only stay on a ship one or two days, but she found it hard to leave the Straw Hats. Everyone seemed so nice, especially Zoro. She would eagerly watch him talk to the others, and wished she could talk to him herself.
Several times when she went near Sanji, he would turn to look at her with a smile, then stop, confused. She tried to avoid him since it seemed he could sense her somehow.
She spent hours just watching Zoro work out or sleep. She had never felt so drawn to someone in her life. She was reluctant to leave the ship knowing she would never see him again.
#
On the sixth day, Adelle started going up the stairs at the front of the ship to where Zoro was sleeping, when he got up and started coming towards her. She pressed herself against the side of the stairs as he went by her, but there still was not enough room. His elbow brushed her stomach. Adelle started rushing up the stairs as Zoro stopped, but his hand closed around her ankle as she reached the top, causing her to fall over. She desperately tried to pull his hand off of her ankle, but his grip was too tight. He grabbed one of her wrists and pulled her to him.
She panicked and started thrashing around, pulling at his hand on her wrist with her other hand. He let go of her ankle and grabbed her other wrist. She tried kicking him, but it had no effect. He pulled her into a hug, trapping her arms against her body.
In the distance, Usopp laughed. "What are you doing, Zoro?" he asked.
"I caught an invisible man. Bring me some rope!" Zoro called.
"What?" Usopp asked, dumbfounded.
"Just bring me some rope!" Zoro cried. Usopp ran off. Adelle still tried to get free, but he was too strong for her. No wonder, as she had seen how heavy the weights were that he trained with. She tried kicking again, but he wrapped his legs around hers, leaving her almost completely immobile. "Who are you?" he demanded, but Adelle couldn't answer for him to hear unless she turned visible, which she wasn't ready to do yet.
Usopp came back with some rope. Zoro adeptly flipped her onto her stomach and sat on her back. He pulled her hands behind her and tied them together. She tried to kick again, but it was ineffective from her current position. He caught each leg and tied them together. Then he threw her over his shoulder and took her to the kitchen.
"Get everyone together," he told Usopp before entering. Inside, Sanji was still cleaning the dishes.
"What in the world are you doing?" Sanji asked as Zoro set Adelle in a chair and tied her to it. She had given up resisting at this point.
"Can't you see? I caught an invisible man." Usopp came in with Nami and Luffy.
"You caught an invisible man?" Luffy asked, eyes shining. Zoro pointed to the chair. "Amazing!"
Zoro pulled out a sword and held it near Adelle's throat. "Either show yourself now or I'll kill you here!" he said. Adelle knew she had to give up. She turned herself visible.
Almost everyone gasped. "It's a little girl!" Usopp said, surprised.
"I'm not a little girl, I'm fourteen!" Adelle said, miffed.
Zoro resheathed his sword. "So what were you doing on our ship?" he asked menacingly.
"Zoro, don't threaten her!" Sanji said. "I'm sorry about that moss head," he said gently to Adelle. "Can you tell us your name?"
"I'm Adelle," she said, trying to sound confident, though she was really scared. She had never been caught before. Would Zoro really try to kill her?
"How long have you been on this ship?" Nami asked.
"Six days, right?" Sanji said. Adelle nodded.
"How did you know?" Usopp asked.
"For the past six days, there has been an extra dirty plate after every meal. I just thought it was Luffy."
"I told you it wasn't me!" Luffy declared.
"Like anyone would believe anything you said about food!" Sanji threw back.
"So you've been on this ship for six days? Mooching off of us?" Nami asked threateningly.
Adelle flinched. "Yes…" she said meekly, looking down. "That's how I've been living for the past two years, sneaking onto ships and stealing stuff."
Nami looked even scarier. "What have you stolen?"
"N-Nothing yet. I always do that right before I leave in case it gets noticed." Adelle kept glancing at Zoro this entire time, scared of the look he was giving her.
"You used Nami's shampoo, right?" Sanji asked.
Nami looked madder. "Er, yes," Adelle admitted.
"I thought I've been smelling it when she wasn't around recently. That must have been you."
"Yeah, I thought I heard the shower late at night when I was on watch a few days ago, but I decided it was my imagination," Usopp said.
"Do you know how expensive that shampoo is?" Nami demanded.
"Well, you're pirates, so I figured you stole it in the first place."
Nami started, then looked more forgiving. "I guess stealing from pirates isn't such a bad thing in general."
"But you guys are a lot nicer than most pirates! That's why I stayed so long. Usually I just have a couple of meals and then I head out."
Luffy was still looking excited. "So you can turn invisible?" he asked unnecessarily.
"Yes," Adelle replied, confused by his manner.
"Do it now!" he demanded. Adelle made herself invisible. "Awesome! Can you do anything else?"
Adelle became visible again. "When I'm invisible, no one can hear me either, so my footsteps and breathing don't make noise, making it even easier to sneak around. I can turn other things invisible, but it only lasts for a few hours."
There were stars in Luffy's eyes. "Do you want to join my crew?" he asked.
"Luffy!" Nami and Usopp cried together and they each punched him on the head.
Adelle brightened up. "Could I?" she asked, amazed at being asked. "You guys seem so cool!" She shyly looked at Zoro, but his expression and steady gaze hadn't changed.
"Of course she can! We couldn't let such a beautiful flower drift alone on the ocean by herself!" Sanji declared.
"That settles it. Zoro, untie her."
"Are you sure about this, Luffy? She was stealing from us, and we don't know anything about her." Adelle hung her head.
"Well, what are you planning to do? Kill her?" Luffy asked, a little angry.
"No…but we could just send her off. How did you get here, anyway?" Zoro turned to ask Adelle.
"My boat is attached to the back of this ship. I keep it invisible. But I'd really like to stay here!" She looked hopeful.
Nami smiled and her eyes looked funny. "Do you have any treasure? I'm sure it would be easy to get, sneaking invisible onto pirate ships."
"I don't have any use for treasure, since I don't land on islands." Nami's eyes dropped and she frowned. "But I do have a few pieces of jewelry that I picked up when they were convenient. You're welcome to them." Nami smiled again.
"Well, I think we could let her stay for a trial run, don't you think? We can always kick her off later if necessary."
"You just want that jewelry, Nami," Usopp said.
"What's wrong with getting to know her better? What do you say, Luffy?"
"Yes, she's staying! Untie her!" Nami knelt down to untie Adelle.
"Listen, if you're staying, there must be rules. No sneaking around this ship invisible. Now I know I can smell you. If I sense you near me, I will attack without waiting for an excuse, got it?" Zoro looked scary.
"Yes, of course," Adelle replied weakly.
"Can you fight?" he asked.
"Sort of. I can sneak up on people without them sensing me, so I can attack them with this knife if I need to, but I don't have much experience since I can usually avoid such situations." Adelle pointed at the knife on her belt with her just freed hands as Nami worked on untying her feet. She realized that she hadn't thought of using it when Zoro grabbed her. She decided that that was a good thing, because everyone would have been less likely to let her join their crew if she had stabbed him. He was suspicious of her enough.
"You sure tie tight knots, Zoro," Nami complained.
"I was trying to subdue an enemy. Loose knots might lead to an escape, which could endanger the crew."
Nami finished untying Adelle and they stood up. "Could you show me to you boat now, so I can assess your stores?" Nami's eyes looked funny again.
"Sure, it's this way." Adelle led Nami past Zoro to the door. He still looked scary. She hoped he would calm down soon, and she was looking forward to getting to know him, if possible. It would be quite an adjustment to living on this ship. She hoped it would work out.
#
A few days passed, and everyone seemed to adjust to Adelle being on the ship. Adelle was happier than she had been in a long time, and a large part of that was because of Zoro. She kept trying to get to know him better, but he was still wary of her.
Adelle had seen Zoro climb into the crow's nest a few minutes ago, and she was working up her courage to join him. The rest of the crew seemed to accept her by now, but she was disappointed that he remained distant.
She went to the kitchen to ask Sanji to make her a treat. She knew by now that he would agree to make one for her, but would protest if he knew it was for Zoro. Once she got it, she climbed up to the crow's nest. Zoro was asleep.
"Zoro," she said as she climbed in next to him. His left hand went to his swords as one eye popped open.
"What do you want?" he asked suspiciously.
"I was just wondering if you wanted some cake." She held it out to him.
"No thank you," he said, and closed his eyes.
Adelle felt discouraged. "Um, I was wondering if we could talk."
He opened his eyes again, still looking suspicious. "About what?"
"I was hoping you could tell me about some of your adventures." She smiled hopefully. That had been the best excuse she had come up with.
"I haven't had any adventures."
"Sure you have! You've fought a whole bunch of people! I've heard stories from the other crew members. And I heard of you before coming to this ship, about you being the pirate hunter. You killed one of the pirates on a ship I visited. His name was Clyde."
Zoro smiled a little. "That was his fault. I got famous enough that pirates would attack me out of the blue, trying to improve their reputation. I made things easier in some ways, unless they didn't already have a bounty, then it was pointless. The problem was when they tried to have an audience of crew members, who would attack as a group when I killed the first guy."
"And yet you still fought them off," Adelle said in adoration. "You must be really strong to go through all that and still be alive."
"I'm not strong enough yet. Not as strong as 'Hawk-eye' Mihawk."
Adelle was happy to get him talking and tried to keep him going. "So what enemy was your favorite to fight?" This kept him talking for a while. When he trailed off, she asked, "What enemy was your most challenging?" That got him going again. Finally she asked, "What fight did you enjoy the most?" After answering that, she ran out of ideas. She decided to leave. "It was really nice hearing your stories. Could you tell me more of them some other time?" she asked hopefully.
"I suppose so. I'm not really into bragging, though."
"It's very entertaining," she said, and climbed back down.
#
Zoro was working out again on the deck, and Adelle sat in her usual spot, watching him invisibly. She loved watching him exercise, although she loved watching him any other chance she got, too.
Adelle had realized after she had been discovered that she had been too scared at the time to appreciate the fact that Zoro had been holding her tight while he caught her. She wished she could go back and savor that moment, or even that she could feel his strong arms around her again.
When Zoro was done exercising, Adelle ran to the kitchen. "Sanji, can I have something to drink?" she asked.
Sanji smiled widely. "Of course! Anything for you, Adelle." He prepared a glass and handed it to her. "Here you go."
"Thanks!" she said, and ran out the door. She approached Zoro. He looked up. "Are you thirsty after your work-out?" she asked hopefully, holding out the glass.
"Sure, thanks," he said, taking the glass and drinking some.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Sanji was watching through the window in the door. "What the hell is she giving that moss head her drink for? I made that especially for her!"
Usopp, the only other person in the kitchen, chuckled. "You haven't figured it out yet?"
"What do you mean?"
"Adelle has a crush on Zoro."
Sanji's jaw dropped. "On that idiot? What did he ever do to deserve her love? Why can't anyone have a crush on me?" He sat down gloomily. Then he jumped up, mad. "I'm going to pound that idiot! He doesn't deserve her!" He made to leave, but Usopp caught his arm.
"Don't do anything stupid! Anyway, how do you think Adelle would feel if Zoro got beaten up because of her?"
"Oh, my poor sweet Adelle! I couldn't make her unhappy!" Sanji sighed and sat back down. "So what am I supposed to do?"
"Just try to ignore it for now. Zoro seems oblivious as well. Maybe she'll get over it."
"Fine," Sanji sighed.
#
Rain had suddenly started falling heavily, and the wind kept getting stronger and stronger. Everyone was running around on deck trying to protect the ship. Adelle was standing near one side of the ship when a huge wave rocked it. She suddenly found herself thrown off of the ship, although she tried to grab the railing. She landed in the water and immediately felt weak. Before she could call out, she heard someone call, "Adelle!" and jump into the water after her. She started to sink.
Just when she thought she was going to drown, an arm wrapped around her and pulled her to the surface. It was Zoro.
Adelle felt lightheaded, and not just because she was in the water. Zoro's strong arm was around her, pressing her against his body.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she answered weakly. She wanted to savor this moment as much as she could.
Zoro tried repeatedly calling for someone to throw down a rope, but no one answered. "Either they're too busy or they can't hear me in all this wind. We might be here a while."
"Okay…" Adelle said, not minding a wait. Zoro was busy keeping them on top of the waves, and near the ship but not under it.
After what seemed like forever, but still seemed too short, the wind and rain started dying down. Zoro tried calling for a rope again, and Usopp stuck his head over the side of the ship. "I wondered where you went. Just a second." He disappeared and came back with a rope. Zoro managed to climb up with her still clinging to him, and then he set her on the deck. She immediately collapsed. He managed to catch her head just before it hit the floor, and then he set it down gently. He sat down next to her.
"That was quite a work-out. Are you okay?"
"I'm just still weak from the water. I'll be fine."
"Just rest here, then." Zoro got up to help with the ship. Adelle smiled as she lay there, savoring her new memory.
#
A few days later, Zoro came into the kitchen, where Nami was sitting alone. She glanced up at him and then turned back to her book. Zoro sat down.
"What's with Adelle?" Zoro asked out of the blue. Nami looked up again.
"What do you mean?"
"Ever since she joined our crew, she's been pestering me to tell her about my adventures, like a little kid wanting a bedtime story. She keeps bringing me food, too. And then she always sits invisible on deck while I'm exercising. I haven't confronted her about it because she never comes near me, but it's unnerving."
Nami smiled and punched Zoro gently on the head. "Ouch! What was that for?"
"Honestly, you're so dense, I don't get what she sees in you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Adelle has a crush on you!"
Zoro looked stunned. "She…what?"
"I'm sure everyone else has figured it out by now. You're so slow."
"That little girl?"
"She's not a little girl, she'll be fifteen soon."
"That's still too young for me," Zoro said immediately. He looked confused.
"Well, now you know," Nami said. "It's up to you what you do next. You can just let things continue as they are, or you can confront her if you want." Nami walked out of the kitchen, leaving Zoro deep in thought.
#
Zoro fretted about what to do next. Now that Nami had enlightened him, he recognized why Adelle was acting the way she was. He knew he had no experience in such situations, but he didn't feel comfortable asking for advice from anybody on the ship. He let things be for several more days, but he felt like he was keeping a secret and acting deceitfully while pretending to not notice her, which went against his ethics.
Eventually he decided to confront her. Later that day, she brought him some cookies. "Why do you always bring me food?" he asked. He wanted to get her to admit that she liked him, in his fumbling way. He thought that would be the best start.
"You like cookies, don't you?" she asked, trying to redirect the conversation.
"But you don't bring anyone else food. And I can smell that you're invisible nearby when I'm working out."
Adelle blushed bright red. "You could tell?"
"Yes. So why do you do it?"
"Um…." Adelle looked like she wanted to escape.
"Don't turn invisible and run away," Zoro said, thinking that was what Adelle was thinking. "So why do you bring me food and watch me exercise?"
Adelle felt like she was put on the spot. She decided to just tell him. "Because…I like you," she said awkwardly, looking down. "You've always been so nice, and you're so handsome, and…" Adelle drifted off. Then she looked up hopefully.
"Well, I don't like you like that," Zoro said bluntly. Adelle's face dropped, and Zoro realized his mistake. Then he made it worse. "Anyways, you're still a kid. Maybe in a couple of years, after you've grown up."
Adelle started crying. She turned invisible and fled to her boat, where she lay weeping. "Adelle, wait!" Zoro called after her. She ignored him.
"Zoro doesn't like me!" she cried. "And he thinks I'm just a kid!" She sobbed and moped for some time. Eventually she calmed down, and lay there thinking. Suddenly something occurred to her.
"He did say, 'maybe in a couple of years.' So that's not a complete negative, is it? I just need to wait!" She dried her tears. "But I couldn't stand being around him all the time with him knowing I like him! I should set off on my own. I can make a vivre card for him, and find him again in two years!" She thought on this idea for some time, and decided to do it.
"I don't feel like saying good-bye to everyone. I'll just write a note." She spent some time thinking about what to write and went through several drafts. Finally she was satisfied. She returned to the Going Merry and left her note where it would be found in the kitchen, without anyone immediately noticing it. She looked in on everyone briefly, saying silent good-byes. Last of all was Zoro. She stayed far away so he wouldn't smell her, and she watched him for some time. Finally she sighed and returned to her boat. She untied the rope and drifted away from the Going Merry.
"It isn't good-bye forever! I'll see everyone again in two years!" she tried to console herself. She opened her sail and set off in a different direction.
#
As everyone was sitting down for dinner, Nami happened to see Adelle's note. She didn't know what it was until she started reading it, and then she covered her mouth in horror.
"Hey, has anyone seen Adelle?" Luffy asked as he entered the kitchen. "I can't find her."
"I haven't seen her," Usopp said.
"Yeah, me neither. Shout down to her boat that it's dinnertime," Sanji said.
"Her boat won't be there," Nami said ominously. Everyone looked at her in confusion. "She's left!"
"What?!" Luffy exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" Sanji asked.
Nami read the letter, with everyone becoming gloomier with every sentence. Although the letter didn't mention Zoro, everyone looked at him when Nami was done.
"You idiot!" Sanji said, kicking Zoro in the side. "What did you do to her?" Surprisingly, Zoro didn't fight back. He looked downcast.
Nami came over and punched his head. "Why did you have to make her leave?"
"I didn't know she would do something drastic! You're the one who suggested confronting her!" Zoro sounded desperate.
"Well, we all know it's your fault, so you better be sorry!" Sanji yelled. "Poor Adelle! She's all alone again! How are we supposed to find her again?" Everyone else wondered this as well.
#
The Straw Hats went on many adventures in the Grand Line, until they made it halfway through. They were separated from each other, and Luffy chose to take a two year break to learn Haki. After the two years were up, Zoro was the first to arrive back at the Sabaody Archipelago.
A few days after he arrived, Zoro sensed that someone was tailing him. He ducked between two buildings, turned, and pulled out his swords. He waited a few moments, but nobody came. Deciding he was imagining things, he put his swords away, only to find someone flinging herself on him and giving him a hug. It was Adelle.
"I knew I'd find you! It's been a long two years!" Adelle said, smiling up at Zoro.
"Er, hi," Zoro replied awkwardly, and then reluctantly patted Adelle on the back a few times.
Adelle pulled back, smiling. "Sorry I didn't show myself earlier, but I didn't want to turn visible in front of people, and then you got your swords out, so I was afraid you would attack me!"
"Sorry about that." Zoro seemed at a loss as to what to say. "So…it's been a long time."
Adelle was so happy to see Zoro again that she didn't notice his uncomfortableness. "You said maybe in a couple of years! I've grown up! I'm seventeen now!"
Zoro looked confused, and then it hit him. "I didn't mean for you to take that so literally!" he protested, realizing what she meant. "Is that why you left the ship?"
"Yes! I've been waiting!"
"But, well, you didn't know if I would like you when you were older anyway, though, right?" he asked awkwardly, trying to get a hold on the situation. He suddenly felt like he had made a promise he hadn't known about.
"If you get to know me again, who knows?" Adelle asked, in a carefree manner. Zoro didn't understand her confidence.
"But you might not like me anymore, too," Zoro said, feeling overwhelmed. "We've both changed."
"I guess we'll see about that, too," she replied in the same carefree manner. Adelle started talking about more mundane matters, and Zoro welcomed the change in topic. Adelle asked about the other crew members and their adventures. Zoro noticed that she no longer seemed like a kid asking for bedtime stories and more like an adult who had shared in adventures as well.
They went to the Rip-Off Bar where Franky and Shakky were waiting. Zoro introduced Adelle to them.
"I remember Nami mentioning you once," Franky said. "Are you planning to rejoin the crew?"
"Hopefully."
"Super! I'll have to show you our new ship, the Thousand Sunny. You'll love it."
"So you were part of the Straw Hats before?" Shakky asked.
"For a little while. I didn't get to take part in any of their big adventures, though. I hope we'll have more."
"You can count on that, with this group," Shakky said.
#
A few days later, Nami came into the Rip-Off Bar with Usopp and Chopper. Adelle was sitting inside. "Nami!" Adelle cried, and ran and hugged her. Nami looked surprised, but then smiled.
"Adelle! How have you been the last two years?"
"Great! Hi, Usopp!" Adelle hugged him next.
"It's good to see you again. We were worried about you!"
"You must be Chopper!" Adelle said, hugging him as well.
"Uh, er, hi," Chopper said awkwardly as Adelle rubbed her head on him.
"You're so soft! Oh, I'm Adelle." She let him go.
"She was on our ship for a while, Chopper," Nami said.
"Nice to meet you, then."
The four of them talked for some time. "I've got lots of treasure for you, Nami. As much as my boat can hold."
Nami's eyes looked funny. "Treasure?" Then she calmed down. "Do you want to rejoin the crew, Adelle? We're heading for Fishman Island."
"I'd love to! But I'll have to ask Luffy, right?"
"Well, he's not back yet, so I'll unofficially invite you. I'm sure it will be okay with him."
"Wonderful!"
"We won't be able to take your boat with us when we go underwater, so would you like me to help you sell it?" Nami asked. Her primary motive was actually to deprive Adelle of a means of escape.
"Sure," Adelle agreed, innocently.
"Well, let's do that now. We'll go sail her boat to the ship, and you come meet us there, Usopp and Chopper, to help carry the treasure." Nami was smiling and her eyes looked funny again.
"Fine." They all left the bar.
#
A few days later the whole crew was assembled and the Straw Hats set off for Fishman Island. They had many adventures there and in the New World over the next few weeks.
Ever since Adelle arrived, Zoro felt hypersensitive whenever she was around. He knew she clearly expected to make an impression on him, which made him uncomfortable. He had to admit that she had grown up mentally as well as physically. She seemed more confident and less shy, and she no longer gave him the impression that she was just a little kid. He was ready to admit that she had grown into a woman.
He also had to admit that he now found her physically attractive in a way he hadn't before. She was a few inches taller, and her body shape was that of a woman's. Her face had lost its last baby fat and was more defined.
Adelle never seemed to miss an opportunity to talk with him, obviously trying to get him to like her as soon as possible. He found her conversation pleasant, but he felt somewhat constrained by her following him around everywhere. She openly watched him while he exercised now, which unnerved him, but he had at least gotten her to leave him alone while he worked out, saying he needed to concentrate.
The rest of the crew were happy to have Adelle back, and she got along well with the new crew members. Everyone was watching her interactions with Zoro, as it was obvious even to the new crew members that she liked him, which also unnerved him. He felt like he was their entertainment.
Zoro was very aware that Adelle was wearing revealing clothing. He had never really paid attention when Nami or Robin wore the same style, but he felt embarrassed whenever he looked at Adelle. He knew she wore them for him, and he knew they had an effect on him. He was afraid she would notice, as he was not ready to admit that he was starting to like her.
#
One day when Zoro and Adelle were talking, an idea popped into his head that he had never thought about before.
"How did you start traveling alone on your boat years ago?" he asked.
"That goes way back. My father died before I was born, and I lived with my mom in a town by the shore on a small island in the East Blue until I was eleven, when she died. My only close family was my cousin who was ten years older than I was, who lived in the country and who I'd never met. She resented having to take care of me and treated me poorly, so I didn't like her. After five months, I decided to run away. I had found and eaten my Devil Fruit when I was nine, so I could already become invisible.
"I returned to my hometown and hung around the docks for a few days until a supply boat for a pirate ship came in that looked decent. I gathered all my things and bought some supplies, including canvas to make a new sail that didn't have a jolly roger on it. I had learned how to sail as a child from a fisherman who'd been a friend of my father's. I hid on the ship until all the supplies were loaded and they left the dock. There were four men on board, and I managed to knock them all off of the ship without them noticing me. Then I turned the ship invisible and set off.
"I never set foot on land since until I got to the Sabaody Archipelago. I lived by stealing a little from any ship I found. I guess you could have called me a pirate, but I never thought of myself as one."
"So you were alone on that boat for four or five years, except for the time you spent on our ship?"
"Yes."
"I worked alone as a bounty hunter for years, but I still talked to people all the time, so I didn't feel lonely. You couldn't even hold a conversation with someone else."
"That's why I wanted to stay on your ship."
"Then why did you leave?"
Adelle blushed. "You know why."
"I didn't want you to leave. I felt really bad when you did. Everyone did. That's why they were so glad to have you rejoin the crew."
"Well, I'm back now," Adelle said, trying to brush it off but feeling pleased.
"I'm glad you're back," Zoro said honestly.
Adelle blushed again. "Me, too."
#
Zoro and Adelle were standing near the side of the ship one day talking. He was having trouble paying attention to what she was saying because he kept focusing on her lips as she talked. He realized he wanted to kiss her. He was further distracted by that realization. Suddenly he had a good idea. He waited for Adelle to finish her sentence.
"Adelle, can you turn people invisible?" he asked.
Adelle looked surprised. "I've never tried."
"Try on me now."
"Okay." She touched Zoro's arm. He held his hand up and could still see it. Everything seemed the same except things were slightly blurry. He walked over to where Usopp was working on something and waved his hand in front of his face. Usopp didn't blink.
"Usopp!" Zoro called in his ear, which also got no reaction. He returned to Adelle. "This is great! Can I still see you if you're invisible too?" he asked.
"I'm invisible now."
"So no one can see or hear us now?"
"Nope."
"Great." Zoro stepped forward and put one hand behind Adelle's head and one behind her back. He pulled her into a long kiss. Adelle was very surprised at first, but then she melted into his arms and put her arms around his neck. Finally they pulled apart to catch their breath.
Adelle looked up at Zoro, eyes shining. "Is that your answer?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes." They kissed again, until Nami came out and started talking to Usopp.
"No offense, but even though they can't see us, I feel exposed here. And overhearing their conversation isn't very romantic," Adelle said.
"Why don't we go to the storeroom?"
"Sure." Adelle followed Zoro to the storeroom, eyes still shining. He moved some boxes around to make a space for them that wasn't in the main path. Once that was done, he pulled her into another kiss, and soon they found themselves on the floor.
After kissing for several minutes, Zoro wanted more. "If we take off our clothes, will they stay invisible?" he asked.
"Yes, for a few hours," Adelle replied. Zoro started unbuttoning her shirt. Eventually they were both naked and they made love.
Afterwards, they lay next to each other on the floor. "How was that?" Zoro asked uncertainly.
"That was wonderful! I certainly never expected this an hour ago."
Zoro chuckled. "Well, it wasn't exactly planned." He pushed her hair out of her face. "I was starting to like you more and more, but I didn't know how to articulate it. Then I suddenly found myself wanting to kiss you, and here we are. I guess I'm more a man of action than of words."
"Well, your actions speak loud enough." They talked for a while and then returned to the deck, with a secret smile just for each other.
#
Nami and Robin were sitting in the kitchen a few days later. Zoro and Adelle were at the other end of the table talking. After they left, Nami turned to Robin.
"I assume that you've picked up on Zoro's change of heart?" she asked.
"Yes. He really seems to like her, but he's still trying to hide it. They obviously have an understanding, but they're pretending to just be friends still."
"I don't know why they don't just admit it. They're so transparent. I saw them holding hands under the table at dinner last night. They're not fooling anyone, but they must think they are."
"Well, we should just let them be. They'll say something when they're ready," Robin said.
"I guess, but I want to know details."
#
Several months passed and the Straw Hats had many adventures. Zoro and Adelle continued their relationship, thinking they were keeping it a secret, although the whole crew knew. They were talking one day, invisible as usual. She looked a little uncomfortable. Eventually, she brought up her subject.
"Um, Zoro, I have something to tell you…" Adelle said hesitantly, not making eye contact.
Zoro leaned in and stole a kiss. "Yes?"
"Well, the thing is, um, well, I think I…might be pregnant." Adelle looked up uncertainly. Zoro's jaw dropped.
"What?" he asked after processing the news for a minute. It seemed unreal. "Have you talked to Chopper?"
"No, I wanted to talk to you first, so I'm not sure I'm pregnant yet, but I missed a period." Adelle looked miserable. "Are you upset?" she asked Zoro.
"I'm not upset with you, if that's what you mean. It's just such a shock." Zoro thought for another minute. He took Adelle's hand and smiled. "I've been thinking about this for a while, but this seems like a good time. Adelle, will you marry me?"
Adelle's face went from shock to complete happiness. "You mean it? And not just because I'm pregnant?"
"Yes. I want to marry you, whether you're pregnant or not."
Adelle jumped into Zoro's arms. "Of course, yes!" They kissed for a while. "And we can tell everyone?"
"I think they'd notice. Anyway, Luffy can marry us because he's a captain, so we could have a ceremony right here on the ship, unless you want otherwise."
Adelle burst out laughing. "Luffy, performing a ceremony?"
"I'll admit it wouldn't be that romantic."
"No, but I think it would work. We'll have to tell him what to say."
"So, er, when do we tell everyone?" Zoro seemed uncomfortable.
"Don't worry, I'll tell everyone, you won't have to say a thing."
Zoro relaxed. "Good. Thank you."
"I'll go see Chopper now, to see if I'm really pregnant, and then I'll tell everyone at dinner."
"Sounds good." They talked for several more minutes, and then Adelle left.
#
An hour later, everyone started gathering for dinner. Zoro hadn't seen Adelle since she went to see Chopper, so when she came in, he caught her eye. She smiled and nodded. Zoro took that to mean that the test was positive. Chopper, who followed her in, was also smiling.
After everyone was done with their first serving, Adelle stood up. "I'd like to say something," she said. Everyone stopped eating and looked up at her except Luffy, who continued to eat.
Sanji, who was carrying a tray, kicked him. "Pay attention when a lady is about to say something!" he exclaimed.
Luffy looked up. "Oh, sorry."
Adelle felt more nervous than when she told Zoro she was pregnant. "Well, um, the thing is…" she began, and then decided to just spit it out. "Zoro and I are getting married!" she rushed out. She smiled uncertainly and looked at Zoro, who smiled back at her, though he looked uncomfortable too.
Everyone's jaws dropped. There was silence, and then everyone started asking questions at once. Adelle felt bombarded. Eventually they seemed to accept the idea.
"Where are you going to get married?" Robin asked.
"We want to have Luffy marry us on the Sunny," she said. Everyone started laughing.
Luffy looked confused. "Why would you want me to marry you? I thought you were marrying Zoro." Everyone laughed again.
"We want you to perform the ceremony," Zoro said.
Luffy still looked confused. "Why me?"
"Captains can marry people, so it would be easiest if you did it," Adelle said.
Luffy got stars in his eyes. "I can marry people? All right, step right up, anyone who wants to be married! Let's get this started!"
"We want to plan the ceremony first. Don't get ahead of yourself," Zoro told Luffy.
"Awww," Luffy said, but then his eyes lit up again. "So if it's a wedding, that means there's going to be a party afterwards, right? Sanji! Buy lots of meat and sake!" Luffy commanded.
"Are you sure you're going to allow this, Luffy?" Sanji asked, looking daggers at Zoro.
"What do you mean? If they want to be married, they should be married." Luffy's eyes lit up again. "And I have the power to make them married! Hehe."
"You better take good care of sweet Adelle, moss head!" Sanji yelled at Zoro.
"Better care than you could," Zoro replied with a smile.
"If you do anything to hurt that delicate flower, I'm coming for your head!" Sanji looked angry.
"Well, aside from Sanji, I think everyone is happy to hear that you're getting married. How about a toast? To Zoro and Adelle!" Everyone cheered, clinked glasses and took a drink, although Adelle only pretended to drink from hers. She had something else to bring up too.
"Well, we have some more g-good news to share, too," Adelle said, stumbling on the "good." She decided to just spit that out as well. "I'm pregnant," she said quickly, and then looked around nervously. Everyone's jaws dropped again.
Sanji was the first to recover. "You damn moss head!" he cried as he kicked Zoro out of his chair and across the room. "How dare you get Adelle pregnant!" Sanji looked like he had burst into flames.
Zoro got up slowly, clutching his side. "What Adelle and I do is no business of yours!" he replied.
Usopp wrapped his arms around Sanji from behind. "Calm down, Sanji!" he cried.
"Yes, please calm down, Sanji!" Adelle added.
Sanji looked at her and started to simmer down. "Fine. If that's what you want." Usopp released him, and he sat down. Zoro returned to the table. "I'm warning you, though! You better take care of her! Better even than you treat your swords!"
"I think that's a given, idiot cook."
"So you're pregnant, then, Adelle? That's wonderful!" Nami said, trying to get a normal conversation going again. "But, when…where…oh, never mind, I don't really want to know," Nami said quietly, and nobody really heard her.
"Nami, I'm going to need money for medical books about pregnancy and pediatrics. I don't have much on those, although Doctorine did train me some." Chopper looked thrilled. "This is going to be so interesting, caring for a child!"
"Well, we have our latest load of treasure. Adelle, Zoro, I think there were several rings among that treasure, if you want to pick two out for wedding rings." Everyone's jaws dropped yet again.
"Nami's giving away treasure!" Usopp cried, shocked.
"It's for a wedding present!" Nami exclaimed. Everyone started talking again, about weddings and babies, until dinner was over.
"I guess I'll need to convert the storeroom into a bedroom and nursery for you," Franky said, coming up to them.
"Er, yes, that would be wonderful." Adelle blushed, remembering what they had already done there. "What about the stuff that's in it?"
"Well, we'll find places. I'm going to make a high tech crib for your baby." He put his arms together above his head. "I'm going to be a super Uncle Franky!"
"I'm sure you will be."
#
Adelle and Zoro spent a few days planning a ceremony, with somewhat unwelcome input from everyone else. Finally they had everything settled, and they stopped at an island to stock up on supplies.
The next day, everyone was gathered at the bow of the ship except Adelle. Brook started playing his violin, and Adelle came out of the kitchen, smiling. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers that Robin had made from her flower garden, and a few flowers were tucked into her hair above a makeshift veil Nami had made from a white handkerchief.
"You have to wear a veil, otherwise you won't look like a bride!" she had told Adelle. Nami had also tried unsuccessfully to get Zoro to wear one of Sanji's ties, but they both absolutely refused.
Adelle walked across the ship to the bow. She came to a stop next to Zoro, and they both beamed at each other. Brook finished the song.
"I can start now, right?" Luffy asked impatiently.
"Yes, go ahead," Nami said. Usopp stood slightly behind Luffy with a script Robin had picked up at the city hall of the island they had landed on. He would act as a prompter, as no one expected Luffy to remember everything in the ceremony.
"Okay, first thing. We're here to marry these guys. Any objections?"
Sanji stepped forward. "I object."
Nami grabbed the back of his coat and yanked him back. "No you don't!" she said, bashing him on the head.
"…Objection…withdrawn," Sanji said weakly as he slid to the floor.
"Okay, then are you legally able to get married?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Okay…um…" Usopp whispered in Luffy's ear. "Now, Zoro, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife…to live together in the estate of matrimony? Will you love…honor and keep her; in sickness and in health…and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her…as long as you both shall live?" Luffy got out finally, with several promptings from Usopp.
"I do," Zoro said.
Luffy repeated the question for Adelle, with more prompting.
"I do," she said.
"Okay, now for your vows." Adelle and Zoro had memorized them. He took her hand.
"I, Zoro, take thee Adelle, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer…." Zoro trailed off and looked desperately at Usopp, who whispered in his ear. "In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part." He smiled gratefully when he was done. Adelle said her vows without needing prompting. While she was saying them, Luffy started to pick his nose, but a hand shot out of his shoulder and knocked his hand away.
"Now for the rings." Franky stepped forward and held out his hand. His little hand came out, holding two rings. Adelle and Zoro each took the other's.
"With this ring, I thee wed," Adelle said as she put the ring on Zoro's finger.
"With this ring, I thee wed," Zoro said as he put the ring on Adelle's finger.
"As the captain of this ship, I now pronounce you to be husband and wife." Luffy looked at Usopp. "That's it, right?" Usopp whispered in his ear. "Oh yeah! You may now kiss the bride." Zoro swept up Adelle, and everyone clapped as they kissed. Brook started playing music again.
Sanji stood up, recovered. He looked daggers at Zoro kissing Adelle, but then said, "Now, everyone come to the aquarium lounge for the reception." He headed to the kitchen and everyone else went downstairs, with Brooke still playing his violin. A typical Straw Hat feast ensued, during which Usopp drew up and framed a fancy marriage certificate for them.
Late that evening, they finally retired to their new bedroom, the former storeroom, for the first time as a married couple.