"Hey- Luffy."

Luffy turned his head silently, his gaze following Zoro's. Zoro folded his arms beneath his head, his breath escaping in a heavy sigh. "That cloud looks like a Sea King."

Luffy bit down on his lip, narrowing his large eyes in concentration. "Heh." Luffy snorted, rubbing his nose with his balled up fist. "I wanna eat it."

"Of course you do." Zoro commented, scratching his cheek roughly with his short fingernails.

"That cloud looks like a steak…" Luffy said, pointing into the sky. "Oh! Oh! Look! It's a squid kabob! The cloud on the left, er right, looks like a pancake…"

"Is everything food to you?" Zoro asked, his voice rumbling in his chest.

"Yeah." Luffy said, grinning from ear to ear. "All these clouds are making me hungry! Sanji! San-ji!" Luffy called out, rolling onto his side. "Lunch! We want lunch! Lunch!"

"Yeah, well, hold on!" Sanji called out, knocking his shoe against a barrel. He handed Nami a small plate of pastries, smiling at her handsomely. He looked up at Luffy and Zoro's resting spot and glowered. "Give me a damn minute."

"Okay." Luffy said, the smile never leaving his face. He sank back to the deck of the ship, his long, slender hand pressing against his belly. "I'm so hungry… my poor, empty tummy…"

They laid side by side for a long stretch of time. Eventually Zoro's chest began to rise and fall slowly, his breathing loud and even. Luffy rolled his head to the side watching Zoro sleep. He thought it would be boring, but somehow it was pleasant.

"Lunch is ready." Sanji called out, propping the kitchen door open with his foot. "Oh, Nami-san," Sanji cooed, stepping toward the young lady with a smile. "I prepared something extra special for you.

Luffy's entire body lurched, and he sat up quickly, ready to claim some food. He paused, and even though he couldn't understand it, he had the strongest urge to brush his thumb across Zoro's bottom lip. He reached out, his long, spindly fingers extending toward Zoro's face.

Zoro opened one eye, focusing instantly on Luffy's outreached hand. "Yeah? Whaddaya doing?"

"Lunch is ready." Luffy said, laughing and tugging his hat further down on his head. "Time to eat!" And without a word of explanation, Luffy bounded down onto the main level of the ship. He grabbed two fists of food, shoving the meat into his mouth voraciously.

"Gomu Gomu Rocket!" Luffy shouted, hooking his right arm around Zoro's midsection.

"Damn it, Luffy!" Zoro snarled, clenching his eyes shut. Luffy's name had barely left Zoro's tongue before they were launched through the air, hurtling towards a solid brick wall. Zoro hurled expletives, his body tensing as they began to accelerate in mid-air.

And all Zoro could see was the bright crimson of Luffy's shirt. All he could feel was the wind soaring through his hair and through his clothes. All he could smell was the sea spray that lingered on his skin. And then with a painful crash, he rolled across the roof of a building, his body thrown several yards from Luffy.

"Stop doing that, will ya?" Zoro demanded, groaning as he pulled himself together. He adjusted his swords in their sheaths, fuming silently as he visibly bristled.

Luffy only laughed, tugging once again at his straw hat. He smiled merrily, propping himself up on the edge of the roof. He placed a hand up to his eyes, scanning the crowd of bewildered marines below. "Where'd Nami and Usopp go?"

"Who knows," Zoro said, his attention captured by a short, black hair on his shirt. "But I don't like running away." Zoro complained, dropping to the ground. He pressed his back against the brick edge and sighed, twisting the strand of Luffy's hair between his fingers.

"We're not running away." Luffy proclaimed. He squat beside Zoro, his arms dangling between his knobby knees. "We're 'surveying the scene'…"

"Did you understand anything Nami said earlier?" Zoro asked, shaking his head.

"Yeah." Luffy said simply. "Of course." And then Luffy just laughed freely, innocent and naïve. The sound was pleasant and even though Zoro wanted to be frustrated with his captain, he couldn't find it in himself.

When Zoro looked up, he found Luffy staring at him. Luffy's large eyes were wide and expressive, his lips curving softly as if he wanted to say something. Zoro narrowed his eyes, twisting his neck enough to make it crack. He looked down at his calloused hands, letting go of the strand of hair he inexplicably held onto.

"Hey-Luffy," Zoro began, clearing his throat and looking up and to the side; anywhere but at Luffy. Suddenly his gaze was too heavy, too warm and it made Zoro's cheeks grow warm. Luffy's hand moved slightly, his warm skin brushing against the fabric of Zoro's pants.

"Luuuuuffy! Zorooooo!" Nami screamed, her voice winding around the streets below. "Where are you?!"

"Guuuuys!" Usopp yelled, panic evident in his voice. "Some help here!"

"Well," Luffy said, pushing off his knees and into a standing position. "That's our cue."

Chopper sighed sleepily, rubbing his eyes with his hooves. "Goodnight, everyone."

"Goodnight, Chopper." Luffy said, swinging in his hammock contentedly.

"Goodnight, Luffy." Chopper said, nestling into his hammock.

"Night, Chopper." Usopp muttered.

"Goodnight, Usopp." Chopper replied happily.

"Stop talking and go to sleep already…" Sanji complained, covering his face with his arm.

"Oh, well sorry for being nice." Usopp grumbled, freeing his hair from his bandana. "I just won't talk."

"Good." Sanji muttered, kicking his foot out at Usopp's hammock.

"Hey! I'll fall out if you do that…" Usopp whined, hooking his fingers through the netting of his bed.

Chopper's sweet little snores filled the room first. He rolled in his hammock, hugging himself tightly. Shortly after, not long before putting away the invention he was working on, Usopp fell asleep too. Sanji and Zoro muttered to one another, arguing about something that Luffy couldn't quite catch. And he had almost fallen asleep when he noticed the peculiar breathing coming from the two men's respective hammocks.

Sanji's hammock rocked slightly, his hand moving rapidly in his lap. Luffy rubbed his eyes curiously, unsure of what exactly he was witnessing. Sanji was nearly silent, his breathing the only tell that he was up to something. Luffy's gaze moved to Zoro slowly.

Zoro's hammock moved with the ship, and both of his hands were in his lap, beneath the waistband of his pants. The veins in his forearms throbbed, his finger splaying beneath the fabric. He grunted, his teeth bearing down on his swollen bottom lip. He squirmed in his hammock, a hungry mewl escaping his mouth. Luffy stretched slowly, crossing the width of the space between them, he propped himself above Zoro's hammock and belatedly realized what Zoro was doing. "What're you do-ing…?"

Zoro's eyes opened and their eyes met. Luffy swallowed thickly, his wide eyes locked onto Zoro's. Zoro blushed profusely, his neck, face and ears lighting up brightly with embarrassment. His hands faltered and he twisted sharply, nearly dumping himself to the floor. "Fuck, damn it, Luffy!" Zoro cursed.

"Aww, man. Keep it down, Moss-head!" Sanji said. "You're ruining my alone time."

"Shut up, shitty cook." Zoro groaned, his body twitching with rage. "Don't talk to me."

"You're the one talking!" Sanji argued.

Luffy snapped back into his hammock, his heart thumping in his chest. He considered apologizing, but when he looked back over at Zoro he didn't think he could actually speak. Luffy closed his eyes, a strange feeling spreading through his lower abdomen. It felt like a comfortable heat and it radiated all the way to the apples of his cheeks.

The noises from Sanji's hammock ended abruptly, along with the squeak of rope against a metal loop. And then the cabin was silent except for the sounds of the ocean and the soft snores of the crew.

Luffy stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes, wondering if this weird sensation in his stomach was an oncoming illness. Just when Luffy decided that the feeling was hunger, a voice cut through the silent cabin. "Hey-Luffy."

"Yeah?" Luffy's voice seemed small, even to his own ears.

But whatever Zoro had meant to say next was never spoken aloud. Luffy and Zoro laid in silence, swinging in their hammocks only feet from one another. Luffy waited to fall asleep until he heard Zoro begin to snore. And even then, he was kept awake by that unusual ache in his stomach.

"I'm bored." Luffy complained, kicking his legs against the deck of the Merry.

"Read a book." Robin suggested, turning the page of the encyclopedia she was reading.

"Bor-ing." Luffy groaned, rolling onto his stomach. "I want to do something…"

"If you're bored, you can keep watch." Usopp suggested, hitching his thumb up to the crow's nest.

"Really boring." Luffy continued, sighing in exasperation. "There's nothing but blue. Everything's blue…" Luffy sat up, pushing up on his knees into a rather childlike position before crossing his legs beneath him. "What's for lunch, Sanji?"

"We had lunch." Sanji pointed out.

"Well, I'm hungry… That was hours ago…" Luffy griped.

"You're gonna get fat." Sanji threatened, lighting his cigarette off to the side.

"Nah." Luffy said with a laugh. He flexed a thin arm, pushing his skin up to form a larger bicep. "I'll burn it all off."

"Find something to do." Sanji insisted. "I'll serve dinner when it's time for dinner."

"You're no fun." Luffy muttered.

"We're gonna run outta food." Sanji reasoned. "I can only store so much at a time. Maybe that stupid Moss-head can catch something edible if you're so damn persistent."

"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy called out, stretching his neck back to look up toward the crow's nest. "Catch me something to eat!"

There was movement in the crow's nest and Luffy could just make out the shape of three sheaths sliding out of view. Zoro stood up, his entire body shrouded by sunlight. He jumped down to the deck of the Merry, his features hidden by the blinding light behind him.

"Hiya, Zoro. Catch me food!" Luffy requested, grinning from ear to ear. "Food! Food!"

"Yeah? No problem." Zoro said assuredly, smirking happily. He ran across the deck, jumping into the sea without hesitation.

"Whoa!" Chopper yelled, pressing his small body against the railing of the ship. He watched the water with bated breath, cheering loudly as Zoro reemerged with the body of a sea monster. He tossed the fish onto the deck, nearly slamming it into Sanji.
Zoro climbed back onto the Merry, wringing his shirt out with both hands. He removed his bandana, tying it back around his left arm.

"When are we gonna eat?" Luffy asked, drool dripping from his mouth.

"I said 'Later!' Now stop asking!" Sanji shouted, kicking Luffy roughly.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Luffy apologized, rubbing the goose-egg forming on his head.

"Jeez, find something to do, Luffy." Usopp urged, putting down his hammer. "You're driving everybody nuts."

"Fine, okay, I get it…" Luffy grumbled, stalking up the stairs and toward the higher level of the deck. "I don't know why everyone's yelling at me…"

A moment later, Zoro walked up the stairs, stringing his soaking wet shirt along the ropes. He glanced in Luffy's direction, hesitating before sitting down a few feet away. He cleared his throat, almost as if he needed something to do.

"Zoro." Luffy began slowly. "Do you think we'll find Skypiea soon?"

"Like I know… You're the captain…" Zoro answered, seemingly flustered. "So if you say we're gonna find it, we're gonna find it…"

"Yeah," Luffy said, laughing softly. To most people the laugh would seem immodest, or perhaps even moronic, but to Zoro it seemed almost as if Luffy could trust himself so long as Zoro trusted him.

"Hey-Luffy," Zoro whispered, the sea breeze prickling his flesh and leaving goosebumps behind on his tanned skin. Luffy leaned closer, his slender body merely inches away from Zoro's. Zoro panicked and said the first thing that came to mind. "Do you miss swimming?"

"What?" Luffy screwed up his nose, shaking his head. "Being rubber is way cooler than swimming."

"Swimming is great exercise." Zoro replied lamely. "I can't imagine water being my weakness." Zoro sighed loudly in disbelief at his own awkwardness.

"Oh, well," Luffy said, shrugging his shoulders. Luffy focused intently on Zoro, his hand suddenly pressing against Zoro's well defined chest. "Ya know, we're only two years apart." Luffy pushed both hands against Zoro's exposed skin, feeling the other's meticulously toned body. "I don't think I could ever get big like this…"

"Hey, uh, watch where you're touching…" Zoro warned, wriggling as Luffy's rubbery arms roamed over his muscular body.

"Sorry…" Luffy said, flashing a mischievous grin. "You're just so cool."

"Sounds like you're making fun of me, Luffy…" Zoro growled.

"Nah." Luffy assured him, shaking his head. "You're a part of my crew, of course you're cool!"

"Oh sure, right, and Usopp is cool?" Zoro argued, pursing his lips into a pout. "Chopper too, right?"

"Ah, man, now you're being sensitive…" Luffy sighed. "Is it because I praised everyone? Do you only want me to talk about you?"

"What? Of course not! Why would you-"

And then Luffy's mouth was pressed against Zoro's. It was unexpected and slow to start. It was sloppy, undeniably, but there was a certain charm in Luffy's inexperienced first kiss. Zoro felt as if his entire face was on fire and he likened the warmth to the buzz he got from drinking.

"The crew is my family." Luffy said, those large, wide eyes staring at Zoro unashamedly. "But you're special."

And even though Zoro desperately wanted to know, he didn't ask what Luffy meant.

Zoro sat calmly in the wet cell, his hands bound firmly behind his back. The row of Marines staring him down was irritating, to say the least, but he was in no real danger. He yawned rudely, his eyes fluttering shut. "Well, I guess I'm gonna sleep for a bit then."

"How can you sleep at a time like this?" Usopp questioned, letting his head fall against the wet stone. "This sucks."

Zoro nodded in agreement, shrugging his shoulder in a nonchalant way. He settled himself more comfortably, his head dropping down at an awkward angle. Unbelievably, he was able to fall asleep in that position, despite the ache in his shoulders and arms.

"Wake up!"

Zoro was awakened by a sharp pain in his stomach. He opened his eyes, his fingers twitching behind his back. He let out a confused snarl, his eyes locking on the Marine in the front of him. "What the hell do you want?" Zoro snapped, his gaze enough to make a few of the Marines take a step back.

"Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro…" the Marine drawled excitedly. "I'm Lieutenant Drake of G-8."

"Yeah. And?" Zoro replied, yawning unrepentantly.

Drake clicked his tongue, his jaw setting angrily. He sighed, looking down at Zoro with contempt. He raised his leg, bent at the knee, and he held it in the air for several long seconds before extending and kicking his boot into Zoro's face.

Zoro was unprepared and was sprawled onto his back from the force. He landed on his hands, the wooden cuffs piercing in-between the blades of his shoulders. "Damn it." Zoro cursed, rolling onto his side to alleviate the pressure. "What the hell?"

Drake kneeled over Zoro and that's when Zoro realized the situation had changed. Zoro swallowed thickly, letting his head fall back as Drake lifted him by his shirt. "Where's your captain?" Drake questioned, his eyes narrowed and his teeth grinding between words. "Where's the Strawhat?"

"How would I know?" Zoro replied impishly, his face splitting into a puckish grin. "I've been in here with you guys."

"You're pissing me off." Drake warned, twisting his fist more tightly around the collar of Zoro's shirt. "That's not a good idea."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Ask me again." Zoro said contritely.

"Where is Strawhat Luffy?" Drake demanded.

"Check your ass." Zoro replied simply.

The hits that followed were expected and well deserved. Zoro kept his composure as Drake's foot connected with him repeatedly. He bit down on his lip and didn't even let a single grunt escape his lips.

"You're wanted dead or alive." Drake threatened. "It doesn't matter what I do to you."

Drake gripped his shoulders, forcing his face into the rough, slimy floor. He pushed his knee into the center of his back, holding the binding wooden cuffs in place. Zoro's shoulders nearly ripped from their sockets and he let out a pained groaned. He closed his eyes tightly, his legs kicking beneath him. Drake only laughed, his hands lifting from Zoro's shoulders.

"Get off me, fucker…" Zoro growled, wriggling beneath the older man's weight.

But to Zoro's horror and utter humiliation, Lieutenant Drake wasn't letting go. Instead his hands dropped to the band of Zoro's pants. Drake fumbled slightly, struggling to subdue Zoro and remove his pants at the same time.

"Hey! Hey! What the hell are you do-doing?" Usopp cried, scrambling forward on his knees, his hands behind his back. "Leave Zoro alone!" The line of smirking Marines stood as sentry, watching their Lieutenant push Zoro's pants over his ass and down to his knees. Usopp fell onto his chest, crawling toward Drake and Zoro in desperation. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Just stop, Usopp," Zoro grunted, still thrashing against Drake's hold. He spared his crewmate a quick, pleading glance. "Just… stay… over there…"

"Stop!" Usopp shouted, so loudly that it tore his throat. "Stop it!" Usopp clamped his eyes shut, tears leaking from the corners. "Our captain is gonna kick your ass! You'd better stop! Our crew is… is…"

A pitiful, mortifying noise ripped from Zoro's throat. His entire body grew rigid as he struggled to regain his composure. Pain seared through his lower body, unbearable and scorching. His face was dragged along the rough floor, scratching his skin as Drake repositioned his body.

Zoro growled, a feral unconscious reaction to the way Drake's hands rested on his hips. Drake's body thrust forward, shaking Zoro. The motion had Zoro resisting the urge to vomit. His hands twisted furiously in their restraints, his fingers turning white as he tried to pull his hands through the narrow opening of the cuff.

The sound was deafening, even over the thud of his own heart hammering in his chest. Usopp screamed, cursing Drake and every Marine that stood watch. Drake's breathing was heavy and uneven, grunts of effort issuing incessantly from his mouth; and the disgraceful noise of their bodies meeting one another. Zoro shuddered. He just wanted to cover his ears forever.

Zoro stammered, choking back the pleas that attempted to come out. He wanted to yell, he wanted to shout at Drake. But even more so, he wanted to beg Drake to stop and he wanted to cry. So he didn't dare say anything at all.

When Drake finally pulled away Zoro collapsed onto the ground, his entire body strained. He groaned, his legs twisting together in agony. He exhaled heavily before opening his eyes. Meet his gaze, damn it, Zoro chastised himself. But Drake's malicious laugh nearly paralyzed him. Zoro couldn't look up. Zoro couldn't look Drake in the eye.

"Strawhat." Drake said simply.

Confused, Zoro looked up, his heart plummeting into his stomach. Luffy stood at the top of stairs, separated from Zoro by a row of Marines and a simple barred cell. Luffy looked empty, his face completely void of all expression. He looked at Drake, watched him readjusting himself in his pants. He studied Drake, not understanding.

Drake gestured toward Zoro, still exposed and bloody on the floor of his cell. Luffy's gaze followed, settling on Zoro. He still had that same blank expression. His large eyes wandered over Zoro's scraped up face, down to his shredded shirt and further to his exposed flesh, his pants still down around his knees.

Sanji said something, too quietly for Zoro to hear. But his voice and his presence seemed to rouse Zoro and the swordsman let out a feral scream. He twisted and thrashed, his wrists snapping loudly. He yanked his broken hands through the cuffs, pulling his pants up in one fluid motion. He fell back to the floor, his shoulders dislocated and his hands held at awkward angles.

Luffy's eyes narrowed, the pupils disappearing into the iris. His face twisted, his hands shaking as the truth of the situation had finally sunk in. Luffy roared, charging at Lieutenant Drake without reservation. "Gomu-Gomu Gatlin!"

Sanji cleared up the row of Marines, sending bodies flying in every direction. Zoro closed his eyes, focusing only on breathing in and out. Over and over. Again and again. Zoro choked up as the sound of the battle died down. The silence was almost unbearable.

"Zoro?" Luffy said, his voice small and unsure.

Zoro inhaled sharply, struggling to normalize his breathing. A silent sob escaped his lips before he could stop it. He shook his head, his blurred eyes opening slowly. Zoro lifted his head, a drop of blood rolling off of his nose. Zoro swallowed, his gaze eventually meeting Luffy's. "Hey-Luffy."

"I thought you'd be here." Zoro said, walking up behind Luffy.

Luffy turned, one hand on the back of his hat and the other in his lap. He wore a sour expression, a few scuff marks still covering his youthful face. His eyes were red-rimmed from crying and he refused to look in Zoro's direction.

Zoro was comfortable with silence. He didn't mind that they sat side by side, a small distance between them, not a single word exchanged between the two of them for hours. When Luffy was quiet, he was thinking. And right now he had a lot to think about.

Zoro didn't expect for Luffy's hand to brush against his. Zoro looked down, his hand unclenching at Luffy's touch. Luffy's fingers tangled with his own and it felt natural and comfortable. Zoro cleared his throat, looking up at the sky.

"I'm hungry." Luffy noted quietly.

"Damn, Luffy, here I am thinking that you're really upset and you're thinking about food!" Zoro exclaimed, shaking his head in irritation.

"Yeah, I have a one-track mind, I guess." Luffy said with a reluctant laugh. "But it's been bothering me for a while now."

"What do you want me to do about it? Ask the shitty cook…"

"It hurts here." Luffy explained, gesturing with his free hand to his lower stomach. "And it reaches all the way up here." Luffy pressed his fingers into his chest. "I just feel so hungry, it hurts."

"Eat!" Zoro replied, shaking his head.

"Food doesn't help." Luffy answered. "It doesn't reach the spots it hurts."

"Ask Chopper…" Zoro began.

"Yeah, I should do that." Luffy agreed, pushing against his knees into a standing position.

"Hey-Luffy!" Zoro called out, turning his head to watch Luffy retreating back inside the hotel.

"Yeah?" Luffy asked, his wide, expectant eyes focused intently on Zoro.

"You're my captain," Zoro said evenly. "And I'll follow you anywhere."

"Yeah?" Luffy asked, laughing freely. "Good."

"I can't find anything wrong with you, Luffy," Chopper admitted, placing a bowl of powder down on the counter. "You appear fine."

"So it's mysterious." Luffy said, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, I've ruled out all the major illnesses," Chopper answered.

"Huh." Luffy said, sliding off the examination table. He scratched his head before breaking into a grin. "That's good."

"Perhaps you should add more variety to your diet." Chopper suggested. "More fruits and veggies, that sort of thing."

"I eat that stuff all the time." Luffy replied, placing his hat back on his head. "But I'm always willing to eat more."

"A vegetarian diet has many benefits…" Chopper began.

"Ehhhhhh!" Luffy protested, much like an alarm or buzzer. "Don't bother."

"Well, okay, but, it would only be temporary. A process of elimination to discover the cause of your discomfort…" Chopper reasoned.

Luffy placed his hand on top of Chopper's hat. He smiled down at the little reindeer, nodding his head. "Process of elimination, right? I think I got it."

Luffy left Chopper's office, stepping into the windy sunshine. He stretched wide, cracking his neck from side to side. He nodded to Sanji as he passed; the cook was busy with Robin and Nami, who wanted nothing to do with the poor guy.

"You feeling okay, Luffy?" Usopp asked, lifting his goggles.

"I'm fine." Luffy assured his crewmate, smiling happily.

"Well, okay, but," Usopp began, his gaze following Luffy until he disappeared on the top deck.

Zoro was standing, currently doing a rep of bicep curls. He counted under his breath, stealing a glance toward Luffy. He switched to a military press, his attractive muscles flexing as he lifted the ridiculously heavy weights above his head. "Hey-Luffy…" Zoro said, his breathing even despite his physical exertion. "What'd Chopper say?"

"I'm fine." Luffy replied dismissively, propping himself up on the edge of the ship. He surveyed the ocean, letting the salty sea spray mist his skin. "It's either something I ate or something I didn't eat… I don't know, it's rather mysterious…"

"Were you even listening?" Zoro asked, switching to rows, still counting under his breath.

"He doesn't know, I'm serious…" Luffy defended, looking over his shoulder at the swordsman. "He said we'd have to use the process of elimination."

"Oh, huh." Zoro said simply, looking at Luffy out of the corner of his eye. "Does it hurt right now?"

"A little, not too bad." Luffy replied.

"Well, what'd ya eat?" Zoro asked, dropping the weights down to his waist-level. He began to count quietly, timing the rest between sets. "Breakfast was…"

"Crabs." Luffy said, ticking off on his long, fingers. "And those weird purple ball things Sanji makes…"

"And lunch…" Zoro said, in between counting.

"Meat." Luffy said, straightening up.

"Probably that weird purple ball stuff that shitty cook makes…" Zoro reasoned.

Luffy turned around, watching Zoro lift his arms to begin the next set. Zoro flashed a brilliant smile and suddenly Luffy's stomach twisted into knots. "Ouch!"

"What?" Zoro asked, continuing his bicep curls.

"My stomach is doing that weird thing again." Luffy complained.

"Why?" Zoro demanded, lowering his weights.

"I don't know." Luffy confessed, his voice tense.

"Maybe you're standing too damn close to the water, you moron," Zoro snapped, reaching out and wrapping his hand around Luffy's wrist. He yanked Luffy roughly, bringing the captain closer. "Only you, Luffy… Jeez…"

"No…" Luffy said, covering his warm face with his hands. "It's getting worse… It's way, way worse…"

"Don't you puke on me!" Zoro barked, yanking Luffy further away from the railing.

"I'm not sick…" Luffy said, nearly shouting. His face was down, nearly obscured by his hat. The bit of his face that was showing was his cheeks, a peculiar pink stain spreading across them. "It hurts, but… but I'm not sick…"

"What do you mean?" Zoro asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"I don't know." Luffy admitted, his voice gruff and unsure. "And I don't care."

"That doesn't even make sense." Zoro said, releasing his hold on Luffy with a sigh.

"I want to touch you." Luffy said, looking up with those unbelievably wide, innocent eyes.

"Huh?" Zoro took a step back, his neck jerking at an odd angle.

"I want to touch you." Luffy repeated, completely unashamed by the request. "Can I?"

"Touch me?" Zoro shook his head in confusion. He lifted his arm, extending it out in front of Luffy pointedly. "Sure. Why not…"

"No." Luffy shook his head and took a pressing step forward. "I don't mean like that."

"Luffy…" Was all Zoro managed to say. He knew he was misunderstanding something. He knew that Luffy wasn't possibly meaning anything like what his mind had construed. Zoro cleared his throat, his eyes lowered to the ground. He growled, biting on his bottom lip as a deep blush spread across his face and neck.

"I wanna touch you like you touch you." Luffy said.

"What the hell are you saying?!" Zoro demanded, nearly sputtering on each word.

"You're loud." Luffy said with a laugh, his arms wrapping around Zoro's body slowly.

"What…?" Was the only thing Zoro could vocalize. He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know what to think. So Zoro acted. He leaned into the kiss, his hands settling on the narrow small of Luffy's back. He pushed himself closer, eliminating the distance that Luffy had unsurely left.

"I like your pretty face, Zoro…" Luffy said, his hand reaching up and tugging on his hat.

"Shut up." Zoro growled, silencing Luffy with a second, longer kiss.

Luffy's hands roamed unnaturally over Zoro's body, unsurely and with inexperience. He fumbled over the more obvious areas and lingered over the ticklish spots. And he would laugh. A lot. Like an idiot, with each new discovery he would giggle and smile, as if everything was the best thing.

"Whoa…" Zoro gasped, his knees buckling. "I don't know that right here and right now is the best idea…" Luffy simply stared at Zoro, his large eyes locked on with purposeful incorruptibility. "Hey, don't pout. Are you a child?"

"Nuh uh." Luffy said, smirking.

"Jeez…" Zoro muttered, unwinding Luffy's limbs from his body. "Come over here, ya big baby…"

Luffy followed Zoro obediently, stopping with their backs pressed against a wall. Zoro slid down the smooth wood, his thigh touching Luffy's. He looked over at Luffy wondering if he had always been so indulgent.

"Hey, Zoro?" Luffy said, his voice thick.

"Yeah?"

"So, can I?" Luffy asked again, biting down on his lip patiently.

"Don't ask stupid questions or I'll kill you." Zoro threatened half-heartedly, his fingers scratching through his cropped green hair.

"Okay." Luffy agreed with a handsome smile. "Let's start with kissing… I liked that part too."

"Oh, just shut up!" Zoro exclaimed, covering his face.

Luffy kissed Zoro's fingers, light and sweet. Zoro dropped his hands, getting an unexpected but welcome kiss on the lips. "You really suck at kissing."

"Hey, that's rude!" Luffy whined. "I'll get better. I just need some practice. You'll see."

"What do you mean, I'll see? Huh?" Zoro demanded, dodging several rapid kisses.

"Well, who else would I practice with?" Luffy asked.

"Who the hell said you could practice with me?" Zoro shouted in embarrassment.

"You're funny." Luffy said, letting his head fall against the wall with a thud.

"How's that?" Zoro asked quietly, adjusting his clothing.

"You know you wanna kiss me too." Luffy said, flashing that damn radiant smile.

"Like hell I do!" Zoro groaned, pushing away from Luffy.

"Fine." Luffy said, pushing off his knees into a standing position. "You don't have to if you don't want to." Luffy began to walk away slowly, his feet slapping loudly against the deck.

Zoro cursed under his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He licked his lips and cleared his throat, watching Luffy leave. He wanted to stop him. He wanted to call him back. Zoro cleared his throat, looking down at his calloused hands.

"Hey-Luffy…"