Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thanks for waiting. I've been super busy so I hope to update more often now. I know it's a little short but I have big plans for the rest of the story. Enjoy! ~DeathlyFlames

Struck By a Silver Stake Chapter 3 :

"F...f...f...fang...?" Luffy was taken aback, flabbergasted, horrified, and completely worried. Luffy said nothing while Zoro stared at him, a questioning look in his eyes. Silence filled the room like a cold blanket. Finally it was broken by Sanji walking in the door.

"Luffy! I'm back from dinner!" Luffy, without looking at Sanji, took this opportunity to escape and ran out of the front door and into the night. Zoro left without even looking at Sanji.

**8**8**

Luffy was running. He was running like he did when he feared the worst. He was glad it was dark still so he could run as far away from Zoro as possible. Zoro had seen his fangs. Luffy knew he was stupid enough to show them accidentally sometimes but most people didn't notice. Luffy was in the cemetery before he knew it and, amongst the silent graves, Luffy found himself at peace. He hated the idea of death but there was something about the peaceful quiet of a cemetery that calmed him. He sat down at the back of a grave and hugged his knees.

His first human friend knew. Of course he had had other human friends, but not ones that didn't secretly judge him. That feared him. He didn't like people fearing him... Luffy heard footsteps behind him and he tensed.

"Luffy. I know you're out here. C'mon. Lets talk about this."

Luffy buried his head in his knees. He wished he could turn back time so he wouldn't have shown Zoro his fangs. He wanted everything to be normal again.

But he knew that couldn't happen now.

"It was only because you had been bleeding earlier." Zoro smiled at Luffy's voice and followed it to the grave he was huddled behind.

"It's ok, Luffy. It's not like you plan on draining me of my blood anytime soon. Well, actually. I don't know that do I? I've only known you for today really. You going to kill me, Luffy?"

Enraged at the thought, Luffy stood up and jammed his finger in Zoro's chest.

"I would never hurt my friends on purpose!"

"You're putting a lot of faith in me trusting a guy I've known for one day and who just so happens to be a bloodsucking monster." That stung Luffy. He was taking everything that Zoro was saying seriously, even though Zoro was smiling.

Monster.

That's what Luffy had been told he was since birth, when he had started running.

Monster.

Luffy turned and started to walk away. Before Zoro could stop him, Luffy was suddenly pushed to the side. He fell into the grass, a large, wiggling thing was hanging off the arm he had used to defend himself. A sick purple liquid dripped from it's six inch long fangs, which were currently stuck in Luffy's arm. Blood joined the purple liquid and seeped into the grass.

Thinking quickly, Zoro grabbed the snake and ripped it from Luffy. Luffy didn't even cringe as inches of fang retreated from his flesh. He just hissed and grabbed the snake's body with his fangs. He ripped at it and twisted his mouth, until the snake was ripped in two. Luffy sat back and spat. Purple and red spattered the grass as Luffy half-smiled at Zoro.

"Boy, I really wish you had had your swords."

"Sorry, school rules." Zoro smiled as Luffy did and neither of them saw the two snakes, though slightly smaller, fling themselves at both boys.

Luffy busied himself by chewing on the neck of one and Zoro was swinging his against a headstone. He looked up on instinct and he could have sworn he was a figure, cloaked in darkness, walking away.

As the boys severed the snakes a second time, they watched in horror as the snakes grew new bodies and new heads. Luffy looked at the sky, worry painted on his face.

"It's going to be daylight soon." Zoro understood and kicked a few of the snakes away.

"C'mon! Let's get back! Maybe they'll go away." Luffy nodded and stomped on a snake as it lunged at him. Zoro started running as fast as he could for the inner city, Luffy close behind him.

They dodged the alleyways and corners, running in a maze of streets. They envied the people they didn't meet on the street, cozied up in their beds, not being chased. Finally, the sun was starting to rise and Luffy began to panic. They were slower now that both boys were bitten all over and they did all they could think to do under the circumstances. Zoro grabbed Luffy right as the sun was rising and dove into the safety of a well-shadowed alley. Luffy whimpered as he got a severe sunburn in seconds of sunlight. It felt like bees were repeatedly stinging his leg. They both looked up and saw the snakes hissing in the sun and slithering away.

Luffy was on the ground next to Zoro and they both looked like they had been run over by a truck covered in thorns. Luffy's breathing was shallow and, despite the past couple hours, Zoro felt much closer to Luffy after the snake fight. He offered him his wrist.

"Here. It'll help." Luffy looked up at him weakly and shook his head.

"I'll be fin..." Luffy closed his eyes.