"Goooooo Luuuuuffy!" Usopp shouted, covering his eyes but splaying his fingers.
"This is just tryouts." The manager explained. "There's really no reason to cheer."
"Go! Go! Go! Go! Luf-fy! Go!" Usopp continued undeterred.
Luffy looked up and waved, adjusting his too large judogi uniform. He smiled widely as he stretched, warming himself up for the match. "Alright," the assistant coach announced. "Everyone on the right side will be the tori, everyone on the left, the uke…"
Luffy made an 'L' with his hand, pumping his fist when he realized he was on the right side. He bounced excitedly from foot to foot, pumped up for the tryouts. He knew what everyone was thinking, but he also knew they were wrong. He was gonna toss their asses to the ground.
"Let's start with throws." The assistant coach instructed. "And begin."
Luffy rushed forward, his hands gripping his opponent's hips. He lifted the other man in his arms, flipping him onto his back on the floor. He stood over his opponent with a wide grin. "Just throws right?"
"Just throws." The assistant coach confirmed with a nod. "Say, what year are you?"
"I'm a sophomore." Luffy replied, scratching his nose.
"You're not from Tokyo…" the assistant coach mused, scratching his pen across his clipboard.
"Nope." Luffy shook his head. "I'm from Toyama."
"Where'd you learn judo?" the assistant coach questioned, hardly moving down the line of potential team members.
"High school judo club." Luffy answered.
"Alright, Luffy," the assistant coach said. "Let's see if that was luck. Take 'em down again."
Luffy nodded. This time he used a different throw, a Sutemi-waza technique, and threw himself and his opponent to the ground. He pinned the uke on his back before releasing him. He stood quickly, his hands held together behind his back.
"Good. Good." The assistant coach murmured, walking up and down the row. "Let's see some grappling techniques…"
"Soooooooo… How'd I do?" Luffy asked, popping up beside Usopp when the tryouts had finished.
"Eh." Usopp shrugged noncommittally.
"Whaddaya mean 'eh'?" Luffy demanded, his large eyes narrowing.
"I mean, eh." Usopp repeated. "You would've done well in the military after all."
"Not you too." Luffy groaned, grabbing his gym bag and slinging it over his shoulder.
"So, you're definitely making the team…" Usopp gushed as they started walking toward the doors.
"Maybe." Luffy reasoned. "They might pick a bigger guy. Weight class is important."
"Well that's stupid." Usopp decided, rubbing his hands together with finality. "If they don't pick you, they're morons."
"I'll survive." Luffy replied. "I'm not even sure if I really wanna join or not." Luffy pushed open the door, letting Usopp walk through first. "Maybe I showed up today to bolster my own ego. Ya know, like I still got it."
"Oh, I figured you came because you thought someone here might know that friend of yours…" Usopp admitted.
"What?" Luffy asked, eyes wide.
"What what?" Usopp asked, shaking his head slowly.
"Explain yourself…" Luffy whispered, pushing Usopp against the wall.
"I said, I thought you were trying to join judo to get information on that friend of yours. Zoro, right? Well, if he went here and was on the team, someone in there knows him. He'd be a senior this year, right?" Usopp explained.
"Fuck." Luffy spat. "You're so smart." Luffy pulled his baseball cap from his bag and slapped it on his head. "That must be what I was doing…"
"What? You don't even know?!" Usopp groaned. "How's that possible?!"
"I'm smart but I'm also dumb." Luffy reasoned. "I do smart things but I'm too stupid to know why…" Luffy grinned. "It makes so much sense now!"
"You make zero sense." Usopp muttered.
"Hey, Senpai." Luffy said, rasping on the door. "You home?"
There was movement in the apartment and slowly, sleepily, Zoro appeared at the door. "I was sleepin'. Whaddaya want?"
"I came over to hang out." Luffy announced, pushing past the Zoro and through the door. He walked into the apartment, sinking down on the sofa with a sigh.
"I've got, uh, work tomorrow." Zoro said with a yawn.
"So? Work is boring." Luffy said, his eyes narrowed and his face pinched. "Wouldn't you rather talk to me?"
"Yeah…" Zoro admitted with a nod.
"Do you got any meat?" Luffy questioned. "I'm hun-gry."
"Uh, I can look…" Zoro murmured, wiping his heavy-eyed face.
"Meat! Meat!" Luffy cheered, crossing his feet on Zoro's coffee table.
"You should've just gone home if you were hungry…" Zoro realized, leaning down to inspect his fridge. "Oh, man… I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of food, Luffy."
"That's tragic." Luffy pouted, wrapping his arms around his chest.
"I've got beer…" Zoro suggested with a shrug.
"Alright! Beer it is then!" Luffy agreed.
Zoro tossed a can to Luffy, which he caught with ease. Zoro opened up his beer, drinking the spray of froth with an open mouth. "So whaddaya up to?"
"I made the judo team at school." Luffy announced before taking a sip.
"Congratulations." Zoro said with an approving nod. "You're much more suited to physical stuff than academics."
Luffy laughed, his eyes creasing in the corners. "I'm still majoring in history."
"That blows my mind, really it does…" Zoro confessed, shaking his head.
"Hey," Luffy began unsurely. "What's so bad about home? Why didn't you come back?"
"Toyama?" Zoro sighed heavily. "Ain't nothing wrong with Toyama. It's just… well…"
"I suppose it doesn't matter. You didn't come home and that's that…" Luffy decided suddenly.
"Yeah." Zoro agreed.
"I wasn't sure what to expect." Luffy admitted quietly. "I was worried you'd have four kids under five or something…"
"What the?!" Zoro shook his head emphatically. "No way. I'm not that stupid."
"Auntie said you were probably in jail." Luffy said with a wide grin.
"Well fuck her." Zoro spat in annoyance.
"But you're just normal." Luffy said suddenly.
"Yeah. I'm just normal." Zoro repeated in agreement.
"So, uh, who was that guy, brother?" Franky asked, stacking the sacks of concrete.
"Hmm?" Zoro asked, thoroughly lost in his thoughts.
"Luffy." Franky clarified.
"Ah, Luffy…" Zoro began a second stack of concrete bags. "Well, he was my kouhai in judo."
"Yeah…?" Franky murmured, his eyes following Zoro expectantly. "…And…?"
"And what?" Zoro snapped.
"Listen, I won't judge ya, brother…" Franky insisted, raising his hands. "If you were, uh, you know…"
"I'm not." Zoro said firmly, giving Franky a death glare.
"But he is…?" Franky pondered.
"Yeah, I guess he is…" Zoro tilted his head to the side in thought. "I don't really know."
Franky made a face. "How don't you know, brother?"
"Because we don't talk about that sort of thing!" Zoro shouted, losing his cool. He adjusted his hardhat, ignoring the curious stares from the rest of their crew.
"I don't know, man," Franky argued. "I think guys talk."
"Maybe you do, but you're barely human, idiot!" Zoro lashed out. "Luffy's not like that. He's just a regular, normal, kinda macho guy…"
"I'm just asking because, I think we were on a double date, brother…" Franky murmured.
"Well we weren't." Zoro insisted.
"I had fun." Franky said, leaning against the truck. "That black-haired minx was a damn firecracker…"
"Shaddap! I don't wanna know." Zoro barked.
"I'm just saying we should do it again." Franky suggested. "I could go on a date; you could go on a not-date… It's a win/win…"
"I don't know if you know this, but last weekend didn't go particularly well for me." Zoro mumbled.
"Yeah, well, as your friend I think you need to get out of your comfort zone." Franky replied.
"Oh, man, I'm getting choked up." Zoro grumbled sarcastically. "I had no idea you were so concerned about me."
"I'm just a really super guy." Franky beamed, flashing a wide grin. "So… when we going out again?"
"You don't listen." Zoro sighed.
"No, you don't listen. Me and Robin can go out on a date and you and Luffy can go out on a not-date. We've already gone over this, brother…" Franky explained slowly.
"You… Don't you think it's weird?" Zoro asked, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You're the weird one." Franky accused, suddenly serious. "I mean, come on… I've known you for four years and you've never shown interest in anyone. You're either gay or broken, brother…"
"I'll kill you if you don't shut up." Zoro warned quietly.
"Sure, yeah, whatever…" Franky groaned in annoyance. "Denial isn't just a river in Egypt."
"What the fuck does that mean?!" Zoro snapped, sending his hardhat whirling into Franky's face. "I told you to shut the fuck up, Franky!"
"Hey! Hey!" the foreman shouted. "No roughhousing!"
"Sor-ry! Sorry!" Franky yelled tossing Zoro his hardhat. He wiped his red nose and frowned. "I don't care who you do it with, but you need to get laid, brother."
Bang. Bang.
"Senpai! Sen-paiiiii!" Luffy bellowed, banging on the door with his fist. "Senpai! It's me!"
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
"Sen-pai!" Luffy whined, pressing against the door anxiously. "Open up!"
"Jesus fucking Christ, Luffy…" Zoro snapped, throwing open his front door. "What the hell do you want? It's 2 o'clock in the damn morning!"
Luffy blinked at Zoro then gestured to the narrow, white towel wrapped around his hips. His hair was soapy, bubbles streaming down his bare upper body. He grinned idiotically, his toes curling. "My shower stopped working…"
"What?" Zoro scratched his stomach sleepily.
"I was in the shower… wash-a-wash-a…" Luffy explained, gesturing over his body. "When the water just stopped. I tried the sink, nothing…"
"Come in." Zoro offered, stepping out of the doorway.
"Thank you." Luffy drawled, walking inside Zoro's apartment.
"Did you walk here naked?" Zoro asked, suddenly realizing that Luffy was soaking wet and covered only by a small towel.
"I was in the shower. Weren't you listening, Zoro?" Luffy said, laughing as he walked toward Zoro's bathroom. "Don't tell me you shower with your clothes on…"
"Of course not!" Zoro insisted, shutting his front door. "You know, Luffy, I only have about two hours left to sleep…"
"I'm not asking you to wash my back." Luffy said, turning around to wink at Zoro. "I'm really flexible, there isn't much I can't reach…"
"I'm going to bed." Zoro mumbled, flopping back onto his messy bed. He punched his pillow, situating it between his arms in a more comfortable position. ""Night, Luf."
"'Night, Zoro…" Luffy said in a sing-songy tone, tossing his towel into the sink. He jumped into the shower, his heart pounding in his chest. He held his hand over his heart, trying to silence the deafening thump. Surely his heartbeat was keeping Zoro awake.
How long had it been since he'd seen Zoro's sleeping face? Luffy swallowed thickly, letting the water rinse the shampoo from his hair. Zoro still slept shirtless. And judging by his messy sheets, he still tossed and turned in his sleep. Luffy smiled, pressing his back against the cold tile wall.
In the bedroom Zoro lay in bed. His skin burned, a strange heat traveling down into his belly. Luffy was so nonchalant. He even walked across the complex in such a vulnerable way. Zoro murmured unintelligibly into his pillow, the scent of Luffy's shampoo making his throat tighten. He was usually immune to such desires, but suddenly the thought of Luffy showering right there made his skin prickle.
Zoro realized he wasn't going to be able to fall asleep with Luffy in there. Zoro sat up in bed, sitting with his legs crossed beneath his bottom. He rolled his shoulders back, cracking his joints. He rubbed his face, considering whether to grab something to eat or not.
Luffy appeared in the doorway. He shook his head, like a dog, the water shooting off his hair and into the air. He tilted his head from side to side, as if he had been swimming. He smiled when he saw Zoro was watching. He waved his hand and finished tucking the end of the towel under the top band. "Thanks, Senpai."
"You leaving?" Zoro asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yeah." Luffy nodded. "Thanks for letting me use your shower."
"You should've brought your clothes." Zoro pointed out, rummaging through his dresser.
"Too much to carry." Luffy argued.
"Yeah, well, it's not safe to walk around like that at night, dumbass!" Zoro snapped, standing up and following Luffy from the room.
"What?" Luffy smiled tightly. "I'm not a girl."
"You don't have to be a girl, you fucking idiot…" Zoro hissed, grabbing Luffy's arm. He handed Luffy a pair of his pajama. "Put these on before you leave."
Luffy looked down at Zoro's pajamas in wide-eyed silence. He nodded, removing his towel unashamedly. He pulled on Zoro's pants and let the band snap into place. He tightened the drawl strings with a grin. "Streeetchy pantssss…"
"Keep 'em." Zoro sighed, looking anywhere but at Luffy. Luffy, who had been naked in his living room just moments before.
"Alright, well, I'll see ya later, Senpai." Luffy said, opening Zoro's front door. "Thanks for the stretchy pants."
"See you." Zoro replied, shutting the door and twisting the bolt.
Luffy wasn't expecting Zoro to email, so when he left class on Friday afternoon he was exceptionally pleased to see two messages waiting for him.
Hey. Wanna go for dinner tomorrow?
Luffy smiled, feeling inexplicably victorious.
Franky wants to come. He says to bring Robin.
Luffy could work with that. He swung by his professor's room, knocking on her office door. "Ro-bin! Ro-bin!"
"Oh, Luffy…" Robin murmured, looking up from her stack of papers to grade. She adjusted her reading glasses and gestured to the chair across from her desk. "What's up?"
"What're you doing tomorrow?" Luffy asked, playing with the hula dancer pencil holder on Robin's desk.
"Grading papers, apparently." Robin answered.
"That's boooring." Luffy groaned. "Wanna go out to dinner?"
"Are you asking me out to dinner?" Robin asked, eyeing Luffy thoughtfully. "I'm not going to KFC again. I don't care how big the sandwiches are."
"But Robin!" Luffy protested. "Two chicken breasts and bacon on a buttermilk biscuit!"
"Eww." Robin shook her head firmly. "I refuse."
"Well, that's not where we're going anyway…" Luffy explained. "Zoro asked me to dinner tomorrow and he said Franky wanted to come and Franky said he wanted you to come…"
"Oh?" Robin removed her reading glasses. She shuffled the papers around on her desk, stuffing a large stack into her briefcase. "Well, in that case…"
"You'll go?" Luffy asked.
"Of course." Robin agreed with an indulgent smile. "What are friends for?"
"I have a feeling you're not going for me…" Luffy muttered under his breath.
"Nonsense." Robin proclaimed, pushing her slender feet back into her narrow heels. "Everything I do is for you. You're my favorite student."
"You're like the mom I never knew!" Luffy said, placing Robin's pencil holder back on her desk.
"Big sister." Robin hissed. "Big sister, Luffy."
"Oh, sor-ry… Big sis…" Luffy corrected with a grin.
Luffy grabbed his phone, typing his email up quickly.
Sure. Robin's in. Where?
"Aww…" Robin drawled. "My Luffy's growin' up and emailing boys…"
"Just one boy." Luffy said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Only this one."
"Wow." Franky breathed, scooting Robin's chair out for her. "You look… uh…. Super."
"Thank you." Robin replied, brushing her hands over the hem of her skirt as she sat down in her chair. Her smile widened as Franky pushed her up to the table. He sat across from her, his knees bouncing nervously.
"Hey, Luffy." Zoro said simply, sitting down in his chair, his legs spread wide.
"Hey, Senpai." Luffy replied, noisily scooting his chair up to the table.
"I hope you like Korean." Franky said, looking from Robin to Luffy as he spoke. "I love it."
"Oh, me too." Robin agreed.
"Meat…" Luffy said, nearly drooling over the menu. "So much meaaat…"
"I came for the shochu." Zoro admitted. "Food's an afterthought."
"Or a bonus." Robin suggested.
"You sure like to drink, Senpai." Luffy noted, scanning the menu.
"Yeah." Zoro nodded. "Drinking is the manliest of Japanese hobbies."
"Is it?" Robin asked, arching a brow.
"Well, second manliest…" Franky reasoned, wiggling his brows. "I can think of something else I like to do more…"
"Karaoke?" Luffy asked, completely oblivious.
Robin laughed, her hand resting on Luffy's thin shoulder. "You're too much, Luffy."
"Am I wrong?" Luffy frowned in thought.
"We should totally do karaoke after his…" Franky decided, banging his fist against his palm.
"Oh, no." Robin refused with a laugh. "I don't sing."
"Remember when we did karaoke, Senpai?" Luffy asked, his voice growing louder. "We rented out a room and we did all those J-Pop songs…"
"I, uh, I don't remember that…" Zoro lied, burying his face in his menu. "That must've been somebody else…"
"No. It was you." Luffy pressed. "And you tied your uniform shirt up like Britney Spears and sang Galaxy Supernova…"
"That was definitely someone else." Zoro muttered.
"Oh, that's too bad. It sounded like fun…" Franky teased, knocking his broad shoulder against Zoro's.
"He did the choreography too." Luffy said with a snicker.
"Oooh nice!" Franky beamed, bumping fists with Luffy. "Gotta love that Girls' Generation."
"I'm not real familiar with their work." Robin admitted.
"Neither am I!" Zoro insisted, his bottom lip curving into a child-like pout. "I don't remember that at all." Luffy only smiled and shrugged. He closed his menu and opened his chopsticks, breaking them apart. "And if I was…" Zoro grumbled. "I probably would've expected something like that to be kept private…"
"My bad." Luffy chuckled.
"I got dirt on you too, Monkeyyy…" Zoro taunted.
"I said my bad." Luffy groaned. "Shit."
"Oh, now, that's something I'm very interested in." Robin said, leaning across the table. "What was Luffy like in high school?"
"Aw, nobody wants to know that." Luffy protested with the shake of his head.
"Luffy in high school..." Zoro said with a nod. He leaned back in his chair, throwing his muscled arm behind his head. "He had a knack for getting into trouble. He'd fight anybody who called him out. It was super annoying."
"Bet you got your ass kicked lots." Franky mused.
"Nah, not really…" Zoro shook his head. "He almost always won."
"Usually 'cause I wouldn't stop until I won." Luffy interjected.
"He wasn't very smart. Lots of remedial classes so he could participate in club." Zoro continued. "He skipped class for the stupidest reasons like good weather or… Well, let's just say one time he skipped class because he thought he saw a bunny climbing a tree. It was a squirrel."
Robin burst into laughter, covering her mouth politely. Her body shook, her eyes creased happily. "Oh… it's just as ridiculous as I thought it would be…"
"Yeah…" Luffy sighed heavily. "That's me."
"He's the only person I know that can lick their own elbow." Zoro said. "Can you still do that? I swear, it's like he's missing his ribs or something… He can just fold right in half…"
Luffy narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before twisting in his chair, his tongue lapping from his mouth. He bent unnaturally, the joints in his spine stretching to their limit. He licked his elbow and then sat back up, grinning in triumph. "Still got it."
"Wow." Franky slammed his hand on the table. "What a useless but interesting talent."
"I can lick my nose." Robin said, demonstrating her silly ability.
"I can tie cherry stems with my tongue…" Franky said, running his hands over his styled hair.
"Let's see that." Robin said, waving her hand in gesture. She smiled at the server politely, "Yes, can I get a bowl of cherries."
"So, what about you, Zoro?" Franky asked. "What's your hidden talent?"
"Besides karaoke." Robin interjected.
"I don't have one." Zoro said simply.
""Bullshit." Franky growled.
"Agreed." Robin murmured. "Bullshit."
"Come on, Luffy…" Franky pressed. "What ya got for us?"
"Zoro can fall asleep standing up. He can get lost on a circular track. He, uh, he can do handstands…" Luffy began to list off. "He's a good dancer."
Zoro covered his face with his hand. He licked his lips and sighed, staring down at the empty space in front of him. "Where's the damn waiter. I'm hungry."
"I'll wave 'em down." Franky offered, looking around the restaurant. "I'm getting there too."
"There?" Robin asked curiously.
"You know, past the point of normal hunger and into the land of no return…" Franky explained. "I mean. I'll fucking eat a man when I'm super hungry."
"Well we don't want that." Robin decided with a smile. She raised her hand into the air. "Waiter!"
They ordered their food and drinks soon after. Franky settled into his chair, his legs bouncing nervously. "So, when're you going to Scotland?"
"Oh." Robin was surprised by the question. "In two weeks."
"It's gonna be so fun." Luffy chattered. "I'm gonna eat haggis! Haggis!"
"Ew." Robin complained. "You're sitting with someone else if you eat that."
"You're no fun!" Luffy accused. "It's a rite of passage! We can't leave Scotland without trying it."
"You can try it." Robin insisted. "I'm not touching it."
"More for me then." Luffy proclaimed.
"What's haggis?" Franky questioned.
"Don't ask." Robin said, shaking her head.
"Zoro's not a picky eater." Luffy said. "And he doesn't complain about what I eat either."
"Well then," Robin groaned. "Eat with Zoro. Franky and I are moving tables…"
"Huh?!" Franky's chair scrapped the floor loudly as Robin stood. He ran around, moving the chair out of her way. "Where're we going?"
"Rob-in…" Luffy groaned, his eyes widening pointedly. "Where are you going?"
"I told you." Robin said with a smile, grabbing her purse from the back of her chair. "Franky and I are moving to another table."
"What?" Zoro asked, shaking his head.
"Sorry, brother." Franky snickered. "I'll see ya later."
"Franky you piece of shit!" Zoro hissed, watching Franky walk away after Robin.
"I guess it's just you and me." Luffy said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Ah, well," Zoro huffed. "That's better anyway. That jackass is too damn tall. I had nowhere to put my knee."
"That woman's the devil…" Luffy drawled, watching her and Franky slide into another booth on the opposite side of the restaurant.
"She has bad taste for sure." Zoro said.
"Oh, I don't know…" Luffy replied, suddenly feeling shy. "Franky's kinda cool."
"You did not just say that." Zoro groaned, make a face.
"I like my men big, built and stupid." Luffy said, with such a serious expression that Zoro was completely caught off guard.
"Uh… um…" Zoro stared at Luffy for several seconds before looking away and clearing his throat.
"Hopefully he's as good as he thinks he is." Luffy muttered, casting Robin and Franky one last look. "I don't think she can handle the disappointment."
"Hey, Luffy…" Zoro murmured, lifting Luffy's face gently. "Wake up…"
"Mmmm…" Luffy grunted, completely intoxicated.
"Where do you live?" Zoro demanded, patting Luffy's cheek in an attempt to rouse him. "Which apartment?"
"Uhhhh…" Luffy mumbled, smacking his lips together.
"Wake up, idiot!" Zoro demanded, shaking the slight young man in his arms. "Where am I going?"
"I've got the meat sweats…" Luffy said suddenly before falling back asleep.
Zoro made a face, his lips pursed together in annoyance. He carried Luffy up the stairs, propping him on his leg as he unlocked his apartment. He kicked open his door, carrying Luffy over the threshold. "I'm home."
Zoro walked Luffy into the bedroom, laying him in his bed. Luffy was completely sprawled out, no care in the world. Zoro took off Luffy's shoes, unable to ignore the small, pink toes without pinching them, and carried them back to the entryway.
He opened his fridge and grabbed a water bottle. He twisted off the cap and then twisted it back on, setting it down on the bedside table where Luffy could find it. He placed two aspirin beside it before heading back into the living room.
He threw his shirt off, tossing it into the chair in front of the television. He sighed as he plopped down on the couch, lazily grabbing the remote. He flipped through the channels absently, finally settling on a period drama about samurai.
He watched the movie for a little while, but something kept distracting him. He could hear Luffy in the other room. He heard the bed shift as Luffy repositioned himself; he heard Luffy's drunken snores. And even though it wasn't loud, it was entirely disruptive.
And then it was silent. Zoro narrowed his eyes, listening intently. But there was no sound from the other room. Instead of watching his movie in peace, suddenly Zoro was concerned. He sat up on the couch, waiting to hear a snore or creak of the bed.
He stood and crossed the apartment, peering into the darkness. He's 20 fucking years old, Zoro chastised himself. It's not like he's just gonna stop breathing…
Luffy had undressed at some point. His shorts and shirt were in a pile on the floor. He slept on his stomach, his ass sticking slightly into the air. His thin, yet defined arms curled around Zoro's pillow, the sheets tangled around his long feet. He breathed softly, his cheek plumped out by his arm.
Zoro hesitated beside the bed. Luffy's exposed back was beautiful, the skin smooth and tan. He was slender but fit, the muscles above his buttocks defined attractively. Zoro reached out, his fingers trailing along Luffy's shoulder blade.
Luffy sighed in his sleep and Zoro pulled his hand away quickly. He curled his fingers against his side in a fist. He swallowed heavily, a strange tingle spreading across his lower stomach. His face was so warm it felt as if it was pinched.
He turned away with effort, his eyes focused straight ahead. He retreated back to the living room quickly, jumping over the back of the couch. He sprawled out on the sofa with a sigh, his hands clasped together. He considered going to get a beer but then thought better of it.
When Zoro woke the sun was up. He looked out his bedroom window in confusion. The bed was warm, the space next to him radiating like a kotatsu. Zoro's recollection of the night trickled back to him, but he was still completely bewildered by how he ended up in his bed beside Luffy.
Luffy was sound asleep, his handsome, youthful face turned toward Zoro. One hand was above his head, the other hand was on Zoro's stomach. He breathed evenly, his eyes twitching behind his lids.
Zoro went to move Luffy's hand, his own hand hesitating on top of the younger man's. Luffy's hand was surprisingly long. His fingertips were rough but his palm was smooth. And god was his hand warm.
Zoro moved Luffy's hand off of his stomach. Luffy stirred immediately, his large eyes opening in alarm. He blinked in confusion before he recognized his surroundings and the man lying in bed next to him. He grinned happily, stretching wide. "Mornin', Zoro."
"Hey, Luffy." Zoro replied, sitting up in bed.
"Ah, man…" Luffy grumbled, his hand resting on his toned stomach. "I'm soooo hungry…"
"Yeah, me too." Zoro agreed, ruffling Luffy's hair. "Give me a minute."
"Yeah?" Luffy asked, narrowing his eyes expectantly.
"Yeah, I'm not the world's greatest cook but I can manage eggs on toast." Zoro insisted, standing up.
"Awesome!" Luffy cheered, sitting up and wrapping his arms around his knees. "Breakfast! Breakfast! Breakfast!"
Zoro smiled, "Put some pants on and come out."