So. My first fanfic ever. And I mean EVER. It's just a small idea I cam up with, nothing big…. *awkward fiddling of fingers*

So, yeah. Sorry if there's some out-of-characterness. I guess it takes time somewhere between Alabasta and before Robin joined, if that's even possible. I don't have anything against Robin, I'm just not far enough into the story to see her join. Therefore, if I had included her, I probably wouldn't have done her justice.

So, yeah. What does one say to finish one's speech…?

Oh yeah. I don't own One Piece, or any of the characters in this fic. Unfortunately.

"Okay, everyone, listen up!"

The navigator's voice carried troughout the ship, reminding everyone to pay attention. With a crew like their's, it would quickly be turned elsewhere.

"This is important, you guys. This next island we're docking at has a significantly big marine base, so we need to lay low. It's a really big island, so don't get lost," her eyes glanced at a certain green-haired swordsman "and don't go wandering into trouble. This island has it all; bounty hunters, marines, an army, and policemen, so steer clear of all of them." Nami looked around to see if she had reached the rest of the crew. Usopp was started to sweat a little, his I-can't-set-foot-on-this-island disease most likely acting up. Zoro just looked bored, Luffy looked very determined (on what Nami couldn't grasp, and she wondered whether he had understood her speech at all). She had Sanji's attention all right, but his coo's of "Ah, Nami-san is so heavenly when she's serious~!" seemed to have him quite distracted. Chopper looked worried. "Marines and bounty hunters? Isn't that a bit risky?"

"it is," Nami replied, "But we desperately need supplies, and I think everyone could use some time on solid ground." This mostly referred to herself, as she was really starting to miss not having endless water in front of her eyes, and not having the next crew-member a few feet away.

"You all have the money I gave you. To best avoid trouble, we'll be going in pairs. Sanji, Usopp, you go buy food supplies. Luffy and Zoro, you go get material for repairs, as well as other supplies (parchment, ink, gun powder, etc.) I'll go into town to do my own shopping. Chopper, you guard the ship, OK?" Chopper nodded in agreement. This island was rather hot, so it was probably best to remain near the sea, where it was a bit cooler. "Didn't you just say to go in pairs?" Usopp asked. "Should you really be going alone?" Nami scoffed. "I'm not a danger-magnet like the rest of you. I'm just going to buy some clothes, is all. I'll be fine.

Everyone, we'll meet at the Momentum in four hours. Be on time!" Her voice rose once again, dismissing the team.

The Momentum was a bar in the east side of town. Despite it's lovely name, it was… a tad shady. You could find all sorts of people there; black marketers, drug dealers, thugs, sailors, bounty hunters and pirates. Trouble was a regular visitor, and shouts and drunken laughter could always be heard from inside.

The Straw Hat pirates had gathered there, all of them done with their shopping. Nami was wearing a brand new, green shirt that showed off her nicely built body, holding a bagful of clothes. She had, as she predicted, managed to do her deeds without any interruptions. Sanji and Usopp were each holding bags in both hands, filled with delicious ingredients that had slowly begun do defreeze in the heat. Luffy and Zoro weren't holding anything, as they had finished their shopping early and went to stock their items in the ship, and getting Chopper while at it. The ship would be OK for a few minutes, it was very well hidden in a small inlet covered in leaves and trees. After their shopping, they had decided to reward themselves with a drink (in the cheapest bar, mind you, Nami wouldn't allow any more splurging money).

Luffy seemed determined to steal the other's drinks, having already slurped his up in seconds. Sanji swatted his hand away from Nami's drink while protecting his own as well, Zoro glared a 'you wouldn't even dare' look while holding his bottle close, almost as if it were a puppy he was shielding. Usopp didn't notice the rubbery arm before too late; he made a horrified shriek as Luffy gulped his juice, nearly swallowing the glass along with it.

"Nami-san, you look wonderful in your new outfit, the heavens bow for your beauty!" Sanji was swooning around Nami (no surprise there) but she ignored him. "Usopp, you okay?" The sniper looked a bit edgy, always turning his head and looking around. "It may be my pessimist thinking" Usopp said, "but I have a feeling these guys are watching us." Usopp pointed with a motion of his head, and, sure enough, some surly-looking bunch was watching them from the shadows. Noticing they had been seen, the lot made their way to the Straw Hat's table. They didn't look all that pleased.

Oh, shit, are they marines? Wait, they're not wearing uniforms, and besides, this isn't the type of bar marines would visit. Bounty hunters? Even worse! But they all had the same tattoo, a scull with one eye. They must be another pirate crew, then! That's the worst! And they were surrounded, too. Another group of men had come their way. I could always hide behind Luffy, Zoro and Sanji, but what if someone sees me? If they do, I, the great captain Usopp-sama, shall (gracefully) run for the hills! Usopp's mind spun in circles as he frantically imagined the worst situations this could end in, but stopped for a bit to listen when the leader of the other pirates directed his words to Zoro.

"you're Roronoa Zoro, Aint'cha?" The man nodded over to Zoro, who was sitting at the end of the table. "Yeah, I am. What of it?" Zoro didn't look the least bit concerned when the man drew a long, thick knife from it's sheath, grimacing in Zoro's general direction.

"Do you remember this mark?" The man raised his arm, flashing the tattoo with the one-eyed scull.

"Hm, not sure." Zoro remarked. "Do you happen to be from the crew of the single-eye pirate?"

"So you do remember." the an looked pleased and pissed at the same time.

Zoro chuckled. "Absolutely not. Any idiot would have guessed that after seeing your tatto."

This seemed to have pissed the man off. "You attacked our crew for the bounty of our captain. You killed seventeen men before killing him!" He spat out, quite literally. Nami, who was sitting the closest to him, had to wipe a bit of spit off her head.

Zoro didn't seem at all moved by this; he looked at the man with a slightly furrowed brow, growling: "Oh yeah? And why the hell should I care? If you're going to mouth off at me, piss off. I'm not in the mood for this. I'm not a bounty hunter anymore, in case you didn't know."

The man gave out a barking laughter, throwing his head up, before dropping it again and saying with a murderous tone: "I don't believe you. Once a bounty hunter, always a bounty hunter. You can't change a dog's nature. I'm surprised your so-called 'crew' even trusts you. Knowing you, you'd probably stab them all in the back without a second thought." The man's tone was enough to make babies cry, but it was nothing compared to Zoro's stare. At the mention of the words 'crew' and 'trust', his eyebrow had twitched dangerously, and his jaw clenched. Before he had time to reach for his swords, another voice from behind them rang out. "It's him! It's the demon, Roronoa Zoro!" A group of bounty hunters emerged, holding a wanted poster. "And-oh, my god-it's Monkey D. Luffy too! It's the entire Straw Hat gang!" Needless to say, a fight broke out.

Nami ran off, shouting something about peace and quiet, and attracting danger; Usopp ran close behind, his legs shivering enough to put a Jell-O to shame. Sanji dealt with the bounty hunters while Zoro took the One-eye-scull pirates, Chopper flailing his arms and screaming at the to of his voice. Luffy happily punched anyone he pleased, accidentally striking Zoro a couple of times. Not the pirates nor the bounty hunters proved to be a problem, and the Straw Hats left the bar completely unharmed.

Later, at arrival on the ship, Usopp jumped as a door slammed shut. "What's with Zoro?"

Zoro had been strangely quiet during their walk home, ever since that small mishap at the bar. "Damn, this is the fourth time we dock at an island and immediately get in a fight. Like I said, you guys are a magnet, hauling in trouble." Nami pointed at Luffy, Sanji and Zoro. "It's true," Chopper said, "I'd very much like to do a research on people like you. Maybe you give off a pheromon which agitates other people…"

"You don't complain when you hide behind the "Demon hunter Roronoa Zoro", Chopper!" Usopp mocked Chopper. "Shut up, idiot, that's irrelevant to the point!" A heated argument soon broke out between the sniper and the doctor. If they had known what was good for them, they'd have noticed the vein popping out on Zoro's head and kept their mouths shut. Zoro strutted ahead onto the ship, hurryingly walking away from the rest of them. When Sanji politely asked him why (Oi, marimo, the hell's with you?) he shot a glare, growled, and left for the men's quarters, slamming the door in his anger.

"Shitty marimo's in a bad mood? What else's new?"

"You don't think he got hurt in that fight, do you?" Usopp asked thoughtfully. At the mention of injuries, Chopper went into hysterics. "WAAAAH! Zoro's injured? Oh no! Why didn't he tell us? Somebody call a-" Sanji stopped his frantic running with his leg. "Calm down, Chopper, Zoro's fine. Unless those guys hurt his enormous ego…" Sanji meant it as an insult, but Chopper stopped to think. "That would make sense…" Luffy, who had been playing with a mysterious crab on the shore, now climbed onto the ship, crab in his mouth.

"I can see why Zoro'd be upset, after bounty hunters and pirates going after him." Chopper continued. Nami gave a small 'ah' of thought. Sanji, Usopp and Luffy looked dumbstruck. "Why? Zoro faces worse guys than these almost every day. Why would this be different?" Usopp asked.

Nami sighed a bit, in a I-guess-boys-just-wouldn't-understand kind of tone, and explained. "See, before all of us turned onto pirates, we were pretty normal, right?" Nami gave it a thought. The term 'Normal' was never something you could use about any of them. "Well, almost. Anyway, Zoro was a bounty hunter before. He killed a lot of pirates before he became one himself. " "Usopp rubbed his nose in a manner of understanding, Sanji lit a cigarette. "I get it." Usopp scowled.

Luffy looked around at his friends. Everyone seemed to be talking about something strange and he didn't get it. "So, basically, Zoro went from being on the 'good' side of the law, to the 'bad' side of the law. It might be a big change for him. Having been a bounty hunter, he's hated by pirates, and being a pirate, he's pursued by bounty hunters and marines. "

"In short" Nami finished Usopp's speech, "both sides hate him. Well, " she huffed, "I guess there's no helping it. Sanji, will dinner be ready soon?"

"HAI, Nami-swan, I'll cook you the most heavenly goods your beautiful self has ever tasted~!" And so the crew went into the kitchen, already forgetting about their previous conversation. One mind was very confused, however. Luffy heard everything they had talked about, but his simple mind had only managed to grasp so much of it.

Those guys at the bar had made Zoro angry.

Zoro was upset.

Because Zoro had joined Luffy, people who he once was on the same side as, now hated him.

Was…

Was Zoro's decision to join the crew a bad idea?

Luffy thought harder. He hadn't really joined the crew, had he? Luffy pretty much blackmailed him into joining. Then, was it Luffy's fault everyone hated Zoro now? A small pang of guilt seared trough his stomach. Was it possible Zoro didn't want to be here…? Luffy's mouth dropped open, the crab skittering away.

Luffy quickly shook the thought off. No, no way, no. Zoro was his first mate; there was no way he'd ever leave.

But did he want to stay?

Luffy's attention span only reached so far, and his worries were forgotten as Sanji called for him to come and eat.

"Sanji, meat!"

"No, it's pasta."

"Is pasta a meat?"

"No, you idiot, pasta's not meat, it's made from wheat."

"Wheat? That sounds like meat!"

"It's not, though."

"but it sounds like it!"

"IT'S NOT THE SAME THING,LUFFY."

Luffy had a lot to think about while trying to fall asleep. Zoro was on watch now, outside on the deck. He still seemed in a foul mood, although he wasn't angry at everyone anymore. It was more like he was… melancholic. Luffy's mind was running in circles.

People hate Zoro for joining the crew. Zoro's upset because people hate him. Is Zoro regretting joining the crew? Luffy knew he'd never leave, but that didn't mean he didn't want to. And on and on Luffy thought, wondering whether he'd done something wrong, somewhere along the way.

Luffy decided he couldn't take it anymore. He was tossing and turning in the hammock, and every way he turned was uncomfortable. The thought that he had done something to make Zoro unhappy simply wouldn't let him be. He crawled out of his spot, careful not to wake anyone, and crept outside.

Zoro was still on his watch, but was surprisingly not training or sleeping. He was standing, leaning on the railing next to the figure head, seemingly deep in thought. Luffy snuck up on him, trying to stifle his giggling. Being as distressed as he was, he couldn't turn down a chance to startle his friend.

He was just about to give Zoro the scariest BOO ever, when Zoro interrupted him. "Luffy, I know you're there. Don't even think about startling me." Luffy let out a whine from disappointment over not being able to scare the life out of his friend, and heaved himself onto the railing next to Zoro. "Hey, careful. Don't fall overboard, I'm not in the mood for a bath. " Zoro grinned, but Luffy noticed something was off about the grin. "Zoro…."

"hm?"

"Why have you been so depressed lately? Ever since those guys at the bar, you've been acting… wrong."

Zoro half smiled, something even worse than frowning. "So you noticed… I didn't think I could hide it from you." Zoro sighed. Although his face was as indifferent as always, Luffy noticed a tired tone in his voice. "I just don't get what people want from me. Zoro paused, but Luffy had a feeling there was more, so he kept his mouth shut. After a while, Zoro continued, lost in thought. " Even before being a bounty hunter, people didn't like me. I guess I was a bit of a stray back then. " Zoro's lips curved in a joyless smile. "Being a bounty hunter, everyone hated me and feared me. I'm a pirate now, and if anything, even more people hate and fear me. Hell, even if I'd become a marine, it'd probably just add more haters on my back. I don't give a damn about my past, and I regret nothing, but people just can't leave me alone. Not to mention when the rest of you get dragged into it…" Zoro didn't look any different from usual, but there was bitterness and anger in his voice. He seemed to snap back from whatever trance he was in, realizing he had said a bit much. He actually intended to stop talking after the first sentence, but had for some reason kept voicing his thoughts. "Sorry, Luffy, I didn't mean to get all emotional. Anyway, my shift's over, I'd better go wake up Usopp so he can start his watch." Zoro headed towards the guy's dormitory. Looking back, he called "Oi, you coming?" but receiving no answer, he walked on down the stairs.

Luffy hadn't felt so discouraged since… he couldn't even remember when. So Zoro was feeling bad. And he even said it was because of joining the crew. Luffy spent hours of thinking, before coming to a conclusion.

He'd confront Zoro in the morning.

Sanji was making breakfast for the crew. Omelettes with toast and tea, delicious fruit salad and some freshly baked buns. As soon as he called out breakfast was ready, he got immediate response. Luffy practically came flying in, trying to gobble up as much food as possible before Sanji stuck a foot in his face. He was shortly followed by Chopper and Usopp, both sitting themselves down and grabbing two of everything. Nami came last, as elegant as graceful as ever, and promptly sat down, grabbing a bun. Normally, she'd be followed by the idiot moss-head, but this time, he was nowhere in sight. Sleeping on his lazy ass, no doubt. "Oi, Usopp, go get marimo, and tell him to get some grub." "EEH? Why can't you go? Or Nami?" Sanji put on his I-will-kill-you-soon-in-six-different-ways look. "I'm busy making sure everyone gets fed, and Nami-san's wonderful hands may not be fouled by the shitty marimo." Before Usopp could protest, Luffy shot up. "I'll go!" And he rand out of the kitchen (which got noticeably quieter after his departure). "What's with him?" Sanji wondered. "It's not like him to miss out on food…" Wait, why the hell am I complaining about? Sanji thought to himself. Maybe he wouldn't have to be a bodyguard for Nami-san's breakfast for a while.

Zoro was, of course, napping on his favourite spot on the deck. His peaceful sleep was soon interrupted by a shadow casting on him, and a poke in the forehead. He lazily opened his eyes, seeing nothing but blurry shapes and colours. He blinked a couple of times, his vison clearing, he saw Luffy's face mere inches away from his. "GAH! Luffy, what the hell? You could have just shaken me awake…." Luffy flashed his trademark smile, acting like a naughty kid. "Sanji says breakfast's ready! He also called you a marimo!" What else is new… Zoro thought. He got up to eat, but noticed something seemed to be bothering his captain. "Luffy, you ok?" Luffy suddenly looked very sad about something, and pulled his had lower to shield his eyes. That could only mean bad things.

"Hey, Zoro?" Zoro didn't reply, knowing he didn't have to. His captain had something important to say, and wouldn't stop until it was out. Yet, Zoro didn't like where this was going…

Luffy seemed to have made up his mind about something, because he suddenly clenched his fist and straightened up.

"You can go, Zoro. Leave the crew, I mean. I won't try to stop you or anything. It's fine."

Zoro's eyes widened. He really, really hadn't expected that. At all, in a million years.

"…You're kicking me off the crew?"

The horror in Luffy's eyes as he whirled around would have been funny if it wasn't so unnerving. "NO! I don't want you to leave, Zoro, ever!" He looked down.

"It's just… what you said last night, about everyone hating you for joining me, and how people never left you alone, and how you were tired of it. Nami said the same thing, that you joining was a bad change for you or something, and.." Luffy paused. He was biting his lower lip, trying to keep his emotions in place. "And if you want to leave, I'm ok with it. I don't want you to stay because you have to, Zoro…."

The small wheels in Zoro's heads started turning. So that's what had been bothering Luffy… and last night he had tried to ask Zoro about it, and Zoro only went and made it worse by letting his emotions play with his words…

Damn, he was such an idiot…

Luffy stood with his back hunched, halfway expecting Zoro to jump off board and take off on the island. Instead, he found a comforting hand on his shoulder. The hand forced him to turn around, and he had no choice but to look Zoro in the eye.

To Luffy's surprise, Zoro didn't seem mad, or pissed, or disappointed, He looked a little worried, but somehow also relieved.

"Luffy, what I said last night… I didn't mean it like that. What I meant was, I don't understand why other people are so judgmental over me doing what I do. It's always been like that, before I joined you and after. It doesn't mean I want to leave. " Luffy still didn't seem to believe him, so Zoro kept on. "So, in short; people are always fuzzing over me joining you, but if they'd spend even a day on the ship with me, they'd see just how fun it is. I just wished they'd get that." Zoro smiled a full smile, a very rare specimen. "I don't regret ever joining the crew, and I'd never leave, no matter what. Ok?"

Luffy's expressions were hard to keep track of. First, it was disbelief, then doubt, then surprise, then relief, and finally an ear-splitting smile formed on his face. The utter joy of having been wrong, of knowing Zoro was fine and not leaving, was better than any meat. "OK!" and he pulled Zoro in a bone-breaking, rubbery hug, before Zoro could even raise and arm to protect himself. Then, (just because no one was looking) he hugged back, ever so slightly. "Thanks for your concern, captain. Now, should we eat that shitty cook's food?"

Since I'm new to this site, I don't know the rules. So, I guess this is rated Kids+? I can't imagine 'shitty' as a foul enough word to rate it any higher…