A/N: Sorry this chapter is kinda short but I have a really long plane ride tomorrow so I'm going all out with the next chapter!

When In Doubt

Chapter 2

Whilst Zoro had indeed been meeting Luffy on Tuesdays, the kid had also been showing up at his doorstep every day, sometimes for no reason at all. They soon fell into an easy pattern after that with Luffy showing up on a regular basis, and even though Zoro was hesitant about having Luffy around him all the time, soon there came a moment when something within him snapped in a different direction entirely and he found himself waiting for Luffy to turn up unannounced.

It was a cold Monday evening and sure enough, knocking was soon heard at Zoro's door.

Zoro quickly rolled off the floor, hauling himself to his feet and padding his way over to his front door.

Upon opening the door, he was met with a cheeky grin.

"Heeeey, Zoro!"

"Luffy." He acknowledged.

Luffy bit his bottom lip gently, making a weird face and soon it clicked, Zoro moving aside to let the latter in. At least he had some form of manners.

It had almost become routine, Zoro settling at the square table on the floor, piled with books and loose sheets, Luffy laying on his stomach and observing as he well and truly talked Zoro's ear off. It was a miracle Zoro ever got anything done in the first place, and he, on more then one occasion, got dragged off topic by the kid and ended up having to stay awake until ungodly hours in the morning just to finish his work. And Luffy offering to stay up with him didn't help matters and often ended with harsh rebuttal.

Luffy, quiet for once, watched as Zoro worked. He was wearing a white t-shirt that made him look even more tan then he was, and pale washed out jeans. Looking occasionally couldn't hurt, he told himself as he took in Zoro's muscular chest, letting his dark orbs wander around that expanse of dips and curves of the man's clavicle. No harm would come from a few stolen glances, and even if Zoro had noticed him ogling more then once, he never said anything or made any implication that he was uncomfortable. In fact, Zoro also often watched the younger boy, more then he'd care to admit. He found himself currently appreciating the few dark strands framing Luffy's face quite attractively today. However, Zoro would have to ignore the kid's bodily charms in favour of the pile of work of which was slowly but surely accumulating. Luffy was also being really quiet too, which, however unusual, meant he might just be able to get his work done before three am.

Luffy crossed his knees and scooted closer to Zoro to watch as he worked, his scrawl infinitely neater then Luffy's own.

Zoro was used to Luffy's complete lack of personal space recognition. It had been more of an issue before, involving the occasion fist to the face or reprimands when Luffy got too close, however its happened so much that when the younger boy's shoulder pressed against his, he almost didn't notice.

Even though Luffy enjoyed observing Zoro as he worked, watching the man do equations was mind-boggling and, although it could be due to his narcolepsy, his eyelids were becoming heavy and dropping lower every second until soon his head lolled to the side and his cheek pressed up against Zoro's shoulder.

When Luffy snuggled closer to him, Zoro felt an uncomfortable flame heating inside of him, as if the boy beside him was igniting his skin.

"Luffy?" Zoro was also used to Luffy's ability to fall asleep whenever no matter the time or place as well as his clingy and cuddly nature, even in public. He's good at big dramatic gestures of affection. Whenever they'd meet by chance in school in the halls or anywhere else, Luffy would automatically hurry up to him and either hang from his shoulders or maintain a close proximity, which Zoro would always dismiss jokingly as 'skinship' or 'it's none of your damn business' depending on who asked. Zoro would be lying if he said he didn't like the contact because he did, in fact he often expected it whenever he would catch glimpses of the raven-haired boy and often felt strangely adrift without him.

"Oi, Luffy?" Zoro called again, a little louder. "Sound asleep." He grumbled a second later when small snoring noises proved his point.

With a sigh Zoro shifted his shoulder and Luffy dropped to his lap. Luffy, whilst still dead to the world, adjusted to the sudden change by subconsciously drooping an arm over Zoro's lap, head comfortably elevated.

Zoro tried to take this rare moment of silence to get some more of his work done, but it proved increasingly difficult to concentrate every time the bundle of warmth on his lap moved or let out a quiet noise. Glancing at the clock Zoro saw that it was already ten thirty which meant he'd been screwing around and getting fuck all done for the past four hours. Time well and truly flew by when Luffy was around.

With a huff Zoro dropped his pencil and looked down at Luffy, suddenly feeling the need to pull his hand through the kid's raven locks. The idea was so appealing that he actually did it, the pad of his thumb gently rubbing circles on Luffy's temple and slowly making its way to his soft cheek.

Retracting as if stung, Zoro quickly and swiftly lifted the younger man up into his arms, half over his shoulder. There was only so much he could take in one sitting. He stood, Luffy carefully strapped to him. He knew it was futile to try and find the kid's apartment and even more so to try and wake him up, so instead Zoro placed the young man into his bed, pulling the thin sheets over him.

"HOLY SHIT!"

"SORRY SORRY!"

Zoro, frantically trying to calm his breathing, jumped up from the couch. "What the hell are you doing?! Didn't anybody ever teach you not to sneak up on people!? And why the hell are you wearing my shirt?"

"I wasn't sneaking! Zoro just happened to wake up when I was here! Oh I kinda took a shower..."

Completely forgetting that Luffy had unknowingly spent the night, Zoro dragged his hands down his face, forefingers rubbing the irritation from his temples.

"Zoro coulda just woken me up. I would've left—probably."

Zoro snorted. "You and I both know nothing could've woken you up." Except maybe— Zoro shook his head very quickly, leaving him dizzy and Luffy confused. Whoa there buddy boy, you nearly crossed a really thin line…

"Zoro?"

Zoro sighed, eyes shifting to the large clock in the kitchen. He promptly flipped his shit and ran into his room, yanking out fresh clothes.

"Zoro?" Luffy mumbled more urgently, shadowing the older man's footsteps.

"We're fuckin…LATE FOR CLASS damn it!"

Luffy chuckled. "Maybe Zoro is, but I got frees this morning!"

"Instead of creeping on me you could've woken me up!"

Luffy laughed delightedly. Apparently Zoro's pissed off I-will-fucking-cut-you face was hilarious.

Zoro glared at Luffy as he shrugged out of his other shirt and pulled another one over his head, unaware of Luffy's heated gaze on him.

"Whatever. Just get out now."

Luffy pouted. "Are we still studying today?"

Another thing Zoro had forgotten. "Yeah, yeah sure. Just shoo already."

Luffy grinned but stayed rooted until Zoro finished changing and instead they walked out together.

"—nda like him. Oi, Usopp? 'Sopp? You listening?"

Usopp looked up from his sculpture casing an apologetic eye at Luffy. "Sorry man, I've just been putting this one off and I guess it's catching up to me. What were you saying?"

"I kinda like Zoro. I don't know why everyone finds him so scary or whatever."

This caught Usopp's attention. The long nose watched Luffy carefully. It was always 'I like meat!' or 'OOooh! I like that it looks cool!' or 'I like you Usopp!' but never kinda added in there.

"You kinda like him?" To Usopp this could mean his friend likes Zoro, in a way more then he would like Usopp or Sanji or Law, and meat for that matter.

Luffy grinned and nodded, leaning more of his weight on the back of the chair as he was sitting on it the wrong way.

"Elaborate."

Luffy quirked an eyebrow at his best friend. "What? I said I like him—"

"Like as you know works on a sliding scale when it comes to you and other people."

Luffy blinked and then laughed, but the sound was off — somewhat… nervous. "He's cool and easy to be around—"

Usopp gasped. Luffy was definitely prevaricating. "That kind of like!"

"So what?" Luffy blurted, his mood bordering acquiescent, besides he was pretty sure Usopp would accept him no matter what.

"You have weird taste."

"Whaaat?"

"He's scary!"

Luffy snickered. "No he isn't."

"It's a bit risky, isn't it?"

As if a switch had been flipped, Luffy turned serious. "If you don't take risks, how can you create a future!"

Usopp then sighed and smiled, leaning over and ruffling Luffy's hair in a friendly manner. "I guess you're right."

Luffy chuckled and swayed slightly on the chair, watching Usopp's paintbrush glide over the textured paper.

"So what're you gonna do?"

"Nothing."

Usopp blinked and turned his head to look at Luffy over his shoulder. "What?"

Luffy shrugged. "What, am I supposed to do something?"

"Well if you like him, you should tell him."

Luffy pondered this silently for a moment before giving Usopp a grin that lacked all sincerity. "Nah, I'm pretty sure Zoro doesn't like me."

Usopp chose his next words carefully. It isn't like he wanted to encourage Luffy to do something like confess to someone who, as he claims, doesn't like him, but he's seen them together enough to have his own deductions about that particular subject. "Oooh, sounds like you're sidestepping a risk, Luffy."

Luffy twitched and glared up at Usopp with pursed lips. "Huh?"

Usopp stopped the smirk before it could spread. "Are you too scared to tell him?"

Luffy puffed up slightly, cheeks bloated. "What!? No!"

Usopp turned and bent over slightly. "Then tell him. What do you have to lose?"

"His friendship."

It baffled Usopp that Luffy could be so damn intuitive sometimes even though he acted like a complete moron. This was one of those times.

"You're right, sorry."

"But it would be nice to get it off my chest!" Luffy grins and stretches his arms out, letting out a heavy breath. "Thanks Usopp!" Luffy jumped up and sauntered out of the art room.

"Idiot," Usopp mumbled slightly. "I didn't do anything…"

"ZOOOORRROOO!"

Zoro braced himself for the impact and sure enough, he struggled to keep his footing when Luffy dove for him, latching onto his back.

"LUFFY!"

"As enthusiastic as always." Law mumbled monotonously as he watched from the sidelines.

"I thought you guys would be here in the dojo." Luffy grinned, incredibly proud of himself. "Oh and Zoro, I didn't come in with my shoes this time."

Zoro rolled his eye and snorted. "Well isn't that something." He then spied Law begin to slink from the room. "Oi oi oi oi oi! Where the hell d'you think you're going?! We aren't done yet! Get your scrawny ass back here!"

"Were you fighting with Trafal-guy?"

"I think 'sparring' is the correct term your looking for meat-brain."

"And I was winning so this asshole chickened out."

"I wouldn't be fazed anyway, but I can't take you seriously when you have Luffy-ya hanging from you like that."

Luffy's legs had somehow found their way through the creases made by Zoro's arms when he tucked them in his pockets, and now he was literally giving the kid a piggyback.

Zoro groaned and let his hands drop to his side, Luffy letting out a squawk of alarm when his only form of balance left him, resulting in him falling to the floor. It actually began annoying him how normal it felt to have Luffy all over him. Probably not a good development.

"Zoooorooo you jerk that hurt!"

"Damn he's gone." A sigh.

Luffy grinned."So, shall we study?"