Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or any of its characters.

This story was originally inspired by a little doujinshi called Much Ado About Nothing, in which some events and the title are prompted by it. However, there are certain details that were significantly changed from the original doujinshi. I don't own it, only my own ideas.


Much Ado About Nothing

Chapter 1 – S.O.S.

" Stupid Luffy," he growled to himself.

He furiously shoved his hands in his pockets, hunching over as he walked down the busy, crowded street. The mere presence of his exasperation flowed out, simmering dangerously at the border. All people passing by quickly stepped aside, avoiding the scowling swordsman, not wanting to risk their lives to anger him. A vicious aura pulsed through the man, sweeping through the streets, making the air turn dark and ominous. It was as if the warmth from the bright afternoon sun was dulled and stolen away by the very footsteps of this man.

Earlier that day, it was his and Luffy's turn to wash the dishes. Luffy was as clumsy and inattentive as usual, many dinnerware squealing to escape from his careless hands. So Zoro told him to give him all the more delicate dishes and cups to him, so a certain cook and navigator wouldn't kill them later for it. He extended a hand out to pluck it from his captain's soapy hands, but Luffy whisked the dish out of his reach, sticking out his tongue childishly, insisting that he got it under control. Patience waning thin, Zoro attempted to make a grab for it and his fingers managed to nab part of the plate. But, of course, Luffy wasn't willing to give the plate to Zoro and he wasn't willing to let it go. Thus, the poor dish was unfortunately pulled into a brief but terrible tug of war, resulting in its destruction. Unfortunately for them, at that very moment, both Sanji and Nami walked in and found out what had happened to the dish.

It was all Luffy's fault, Zoro had insisted. But no, the rubber man blamed it on him instead, claiming he had pulled too hard on the plate and that's what caused the plate to break. Like he doesn't have monstrously strength too. Neither Sanji or Nami listened or cared. They promptly banished the two of them from the kitchen for the whole day. Luffy and Zoro immediately began protesting and accusing the other, till the point they were lunging at each other, kicking and punching, destroying a few more innocent dinnerware caught in the middle (not to mention some chairs and the table unintentionally as well). At this, Nami got really angry, bodily throwing them both out. Left with no sympathies, Zoro resorted to grumbling and complaining. If Luffy hadn't seized the plate and fought for it, it wouldn't have broken and none of them would be in this mess in the first place. But no, no one would listen to him.

Why he followed this idiotic captain of his, even he wasn't too sure. Half of the time, Luffy doesn't even act like a captain and more like a little bratty kid majority of the time. And to make matters worse, Luffy being stubborn as always, refused to talk to him all day today, not even glancing at him at all. He ignored Zoro when Sanji had thrown them scrapes of food during lunchtime, not even striving to steal from Zoro's plate, like he normally does. Well, if Luffy was going to behave like that, then so can he. For he cared, Luffy can go drown in the nearest river.

Suddenly, there was a shout, panicky and distraught. " A kid fell into the river!" Curious, Zoro peered over the heads of a crowd that immediately began swarming towards the edge of the river. There were urgent cries which infected the mob of people and someone rushed off to grab a rope to pull the poor soul from the raging river.

At first, he couldn't see anything except for the murky, churning water sloshing over its banks. A woman worriedly exclaimed how the downpour from yesterday is causing the river to act up. Anyone, let alone a child, could easily fall in. " It couldn't be …" he muttered to himself, dreading the answer that hovered precariously in his mind. Even that idiot wouldn't be that much of an idiot to go jumping into rivers. Especially wild, treacherous rivers like this one. That was when he caught sight of a familiar mop of black hair and a faint gurgle of help.

Instinct took over and before he knew it, Zoro had dove into the river, with shouts of protests and of alarm from the surrounding onlookers. He ignored them as he frantically swam against the current, fighting to reach the sinking person in the distance.

Can't he stay out of trouble, even for one minute?!

He grabbed the figure, just before it sank to the muddy depths of the river. " Luffy, you moron!" Zoro yelled, wanting to pound some common sense into him. " What are you doing -?"

It wasn't Luffy. It was simply a kid, who had unluckily tripped and fell into the river. He wailed for his mother, tears mixing with the salty waters, suddenly clamping a tight hold on Zoro's neck. Sighing, he managed to drag the kid back to shore, where the kid's hysterical mother ran towards them, crying in relief and endlessly thanking Zoro. Both mother and son cried and embraced, sobbing together as one. The crowd of people flocked over from the side to them, applauding, cheering joyously for the rescue of the boy and slapping Zoro good-naturally on the back.

Just when he was about to escape from all the commotion and people, he felt a tiny tug at his dripping sleeve. " Sorry about the trouble," the kid shyly apologized, gazing up at the much taller man from underneath the fluffy white towel someone, presumably his mother, had handed to him. The sheepish, puppy-eye look reminded Zoro of a certain someone he knew.

The corners of his mouth twitched. Just slightly. " Don't fall into anymore rivers, kid," he replied, ruffling the kid's hair.

" Thanks, mister!" he shouted cheerfully, sporting a toothy grin similar to that same person he knew, before running back to where his mother was.

" Hey, swordsman!" someone from the crowd called out at him. He didn't even bother to turn around. " Don't you want to wait for your clothes to dry? Here, we got some towels for you ..."

Shrugging, Zoro waved a careless hand in the air. " Nah, it'll dry as I walk." The stranger tried to make another attempt to convince him otherwise, but his efforts gradually faded and died off as Zoro strolled back to the streets, wringing the hem of his shirt to squeeze the water out as he went. He decided it was time he headed back to the ship and also to say something to a certain lunatic, even if that blockhead didn't deserve it.

Now which way was it back to Going Merry again?