- 10 -
A green haired man wandered down another alley, glancing left and right for anything that looked familiar. Suddenly, he sneezed loudly and stopped in front of a dead end. Zoro looked up at the wall in confusion.
"Not another wall..." He groaned and then walked back out the way he had come from. Turning another corner, he started to wonder whether Luffy had made it back to the dojo yet. Maybe I shouldn't have left him... Zoro thought bitterly to himself and trudged down another path. He had left Luffy with the weird cook, of all people. Who knows what the cheese head would do to the boy! But... it was highly unlikely that Sanji would purposely hurt Luffy... they had been good friends even before he had become friends with Luffy... Hell, Sanji was even living with Luffy up until yesterday! The green haired man sighed and trekked around a corner. He spotted his white dojo standing across the street. Ah, home at last... He could feel relief wash over him. Maybe Luffy was writing a letter right now? Suddenly, a blonde haired man walked out, carrying buckets of paint. Zoro raised an eyebrow and watched curiously as Sanji entered the small building beside the dojo. What the hell was he doing? The green haired man shrugged, deciding to investigate later on. Right now, he wanted to make sure Luffy was safe and that none of his wounds had reopened...
He entered the dojo and found that the courtyard had collected with orange petals again. Chopper was lying in the grass idly, his tail swishing back and forth from time to time. Zoro smiled and walked towards his bedroom, where he thought Luffy would be. And indeed, there was the black haired boy, scribbling away with his left hand. The boy's straw hat was also lying on the table now, instead of the ground.
"Hey, Luffy." The green haired man made his way over to sit next to the boy.
Luffy jumped at the voice and his pen almost flew out of his hands. Zoro was back! He grinned widely at the green haired man sitting beside him. "You got lost again, didn't you?" The black haired boy watched Zoro rub the back of his head in embarrassment. He suddenly felt an urge to hug the green haired man beside him. That embarrassed expression deserved a hug! But the boy held back and returned to his letter, feeling his cheeks glow. "I was just finishing my letter..."
"Ah..." Luffy heard the green haired man say. "So you're feeling okay? No burns that tore open or anything?"
The black haired boy shook his head and tried to hide the rising warmth in his cheeks. "Nope. I'm fine." He forced himself to concentrate on the letter on the desk, but he could only focus on the man sitting next to him. Okay, this was getting stupid. Now that he knew that he loved Zoro, his feelings for the green haired man was being heightened to a greater degree than before. How was he supposed to act normal around him like this? He was blushing too much!
Zoro stared at Luffy curiously. The boy was acting really strangely... it seemed as if the boy was hiding from him or something like that. "Luffy?"
The black haired boy gulped as he heard Zoro's concerned voice. Wow... he never felt so nervous or excited before...! And just from hearing the green haired man speak his name!
He watched the black haired boy shiver. "Oi, Luffy! Are you all right?" Zoro turned the boy around and noticed how pink his cheeks were. Was the boy sick? The man put a hand on Luffy's head, feeling for the temperature. The boy's forehead wasn't hot or sweaty... so he wasn't feverish. Zoro watched in confusion as Luffy's eyes fluttered shut.
"I'm fine, Zoro." The black haired boy smiled, feeling the calloused hands pressed against his forehead. His heart was beating quickly and his face was still a little pink, yet... he felt so peaceful and happy... Maybe he was getting used to the feeling of love now. After a few seconds of silence, Luffy pulled away and opened his eyes to watch the green haired man. "Really! I'm fine."
"If you say so..." Zoro shrugged and watched the boy return to his letter. "I'll just be in the kitchen making lunch then."
"Thanks." Luffy shot a grin at the green haired man. "I'm going to be leaving later to send my letter. But I'll be back!"
"Oh..." The green haired man stopped in his movement and turned to stare at the boy. "Wait... you're going to send the letter...?"
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded cheerily. But he noticed Zoro's sudden uneasiness... The boy cocked his head to the side questionably. "Is that all right...?"
"Yeah... it's fine." Zoro gave Luffy a small smile. "Just... don't do any jerky movements while you're gone. You might rip open your burns..."
"Okay."
Once the green haired man heard the boy agree, he left his bedroom and headed towards the middle of the courtyard. Since Luffy was sending the letter…that meant that it would be sent here. He needed to get it before Luffy saw it! The green haired man crouched beside the blue nosed dog lying under a pile of petals. "Oi, Chopper..."
The dog opened an eye slowly and looked up at him.
"If you find a letter, hide it until Luffy is out of sight. Okay?"
Chopper stared at Zoro with a confused look but he nodded in agreement. The green haired man smiled and patted the dog's head. "Thanks."
"Zoro! Chopper! I'm going to send my letter!" Luffy bursted out from the bedroom, clutching an envelope to himself. The green haired man turned to stare at the black haired boy. Their eyes locked on each other and for a moment, they watched each other calmly. Suddenly, the boy had started to bounce over to Zoro. Luffy then quickly planted a light kiss on the man's cheek before racing out the door.
Wha...? What? What?! Zoro blinked in surprise, watching Luffy disappear out the front door. He could still feel a ghost of the soft kiss on his cheek...
Chopper watched the green haired man turn hot red. The blue nosed dog snorted into the flower petals, sending a few flying through the air, and Zoro's head spun quicker than lightning to glare at Chopper.
"What are you laughing about?!" The man yelled at the dog, trying to fight back the heat spreading through his body. Chopper merely smiled knowingly and settled into a peaceful slumber. Zoro's eyebrow twitched and the man stiffly marched towards the kitchen in embarrassment.
Luffy sprinted down the streets, blushing brightly. He wasn't sure what had come over him. One second, he was coming out of the bedroom, ready to send his letter. And then, he saw the green haired man, standing so serenely in the courtyard... But it was okay to kiss Zoro, right...? It was a sign of affection, right? He was only showing that he loved the green haired man. And that was okay... right...? The boy instinctively rushed into a familiar post office and stopped in front of a booth.
"I... I would like to send a letter to Santoryu..." Luffy managed to breathe out. Loving someone sure caused a lot of trouble... He didn't know if his heart was pumping so hard from the exercise or from kissing the green haired man.
"Right away, sir." A blonde haired woman plucked out the letter from his hands and stuffed it into the slot in the wall. After a small ding! the woman smiled. "All done."
"Thank you." Luffy smiled gratefully and slowly started heading back towards the white dojo, trying to put his thoughts together before he went back to Zoro. What would happen when he went back to the dojo? Should I tell him that I love him? The black haired boy thought to himself. But what if Zoro didn't love him back? Or if he loved someone else...? Luffy's hand flew up to cover his heart and the boy stared down at the ground. His heart was swelling with excitement and yearning. Yearning to be with the green haired man for every single day of his life. If he told Zoro that he loved him, would the feeling in his heart... disappear? He really didn't want that to happen...
Zoro flipped an omelet quickly and shoved it onto a piece of toast in a plate. Then, he set the frying pan and spatula down in the sink and moved the newest dish towards the dining table. The green haired man sat down heavily in a chair and stared idly at the food. He could still feel the soft kiss lingering on his cheek... Luffy's lips brushing against his skin gently... Zoro slapped his forehead several times, feeling extremely confused. Why did Luffy do that...? That kiss was like a curse! Albeit a pleasant one... but still... he couldn't stop thinking about it! And then the black haired boy just sped off out the door! When was he coming back?
"Zoro...?" The green haired man's head shot up when he heard the black haired boy's voice from the kitchen doorway.
"L-Luffy?"
They both blushed simultaneously and glanced around the room. Zoro cleared his throat nervously.
"Um. Lunch is done."
"Oh! Oh yeah." Luffy nodded awkwardly and sat across from the green haired man. He picked up a fork and started poking at his food. "Eh... well, I just sent a letter to Santoryu..."
"I see..." Zoro didn't dare to look up from the plate of food on the table.
"I'm going to meet with Santoryu..." The black haired boy added, staring down at his own food.
"Ah..." The green haired man smiled and peered up at Luffy. "I hope you have fun."
"Thanks..." Luffy glanced up at the man shyly before turning his gaze back on the plate of food. "Uh... remember this morning?"
Zoro stared at the boy curiously. "Yes?"
"Well... I figured out how I felt about Santoryu..." Luffy smiled.
"Ah..." Both of the green haired man's eyebrows raised and he nodded slowly. "That's... well... that's good..."
"Yeah..." The black haired boy forked a part of the omelet into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. He swallowed and then put the fork down. This awkward tension felt really annoying...! He looked up at Zoro decisively. "About the kiss just before!"
The green haired man stiffened in his seat but didn't turn his gaze away from the boy.
"I..." Luffy felt himself flush red from head to toe. "I..." Was he going to say it now? But what if Zoro didn't love him? Wouldn't his heart feel crushed? And then the new feeling in his heart would disappear... "Oh, never mind..." Luffy let out a frustrated sigh and shoveled the rest of the food into his mouth. Then, he sprinted out of the kitchen hastily. What the hell?! Why was he running away?! The black haired boy hid himself in one of the training rooms and sat in one of the corners. How embarrassing... Zoro must be still in the kitchen wondering what's wrong with me... Luffy pulled his knees into his chest and sighed, covering part of his face with his left hand, trying to calm himself down.
The green haired man stood frozen in his seat, still watching the place Luffy had been sitting only a few seconds ago. What?! He can't do that! Zoro shot up from his seat and ran out of the kitchen, looking around for the boy. How could Luffy bring up the kiss and then say 'never mind'?! And he ran off again! Leaving him hanging there! Something was seriously wrong with the boy today... Zoro rushed around the dojo, checking in every room. Where the hell is he?!
Luffy shot up from his seat nervously, hearing one of the doors outside slam open. Shoot...! He couldn't let Zoro find him. Otherwise, he'd have to confess! The black haired boy heard the green haired man open the door beside his door and storm inside. Luffy peeked out of the room and hastily sneaked into another, just as Zoro came out.
Chopper watched the green haired man and black haired boy jump from room to room alternatively. When Zoro wasn't looking, Luffy sneaked past and into another room. When Luffy was safe inside another room, Zoro would pop out, scratching his head in confusion. The blue nosed dog now stared in interest as the green haired man stepped into another room and the black haired boy came out, shuffling anxiously along the wall. The process of hide and seek kept on repeating. Chopper laughed to himself and barked at the two males cheerily.
Suddenly, a strange yet familiar smell caught his nose. He looked up at the sky and watched as an odd looking snail floated down into the courtyard. It was small and blue, with eyes at the top of each feeler... and a letter was stuck onto the bottom of the snail. The blue snail landed on the grassy courtyard and opened its mouth to speak.
"You've got mail!" The snail screeched before crawling off the letter and disappearing in a pop! Chopper quickly tucked the letter under his paw just as Luffy jumped out of one room and into another. Zoro then came out of his room, sliding the door shut behind him. He sighed, unable to find Luffy, and walked towards the middle of the courtyard in resignation.
"I can't find him, Chopper..." The green haired man lay down in the grass and orange petals. He scratched his head in frustration. "Maybe he ran out of the dojo?"
The blue nosed dog smiled and pushed the new letter to Zoro. Then, he shut his eyes contently. Luffy was hiding in the bedroom. But, Chopper wasn't about to give the secret away!
Zoro picked up the letter and stared at the carefully written words of 'To: Santoryu' on the front of the envelope. How ironic. He couldn't find Luffy but he got the boy's letter. The green haired man sighed and opened the letter quickly.
Dear Santoryu,
You write really messily with your left hand. See this writing? I'm using my left hand! Cool, huh? I bet if you practice, you'll get better, too. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better lately. So... I would really like to meet you. We'll meet at the white clock tower tomorrow! Okay? At ten in the morning. The earlier the better, right? You better come this time!
Sincerely,
Straw Hat
The green haired man smirked and tucked the letter back into its envelope. All right, Luffy... tomorrow I'm coming... He pocketed the letter and sighed, staring up at the large orange tree hanging over the courtyard. Tomorrow... tomorrow he would tell the truth. Zoro lay in the grass, breathing deeply. But how would he tell Luffy...?
"Ugh... I'm so stupid..." The black haired boy banged the wall of the bedroom with his head. Why couldn't he gather the courage to tell Zoro that he loved him? His head hit the wall with a dull thud again. "This is stupid..." Luffy glanced at the desk idly, where his straw hat sat carelessly. Then, he shut his eyes and sighed. He was starting to feel a little tired. He had run around too much today... Maybe it would help if he just went to sleep. At least he would be able to stop thinking for a few hours...
Zoro sat up straight in the courtyard. It was dark. There were stars twinkling above him. Did he doze off...? The man groaned and stretched out his arms. The last thing he could remember was planning what he would do tomorrow and then... yes, he had taken a nap. The green haired man stood up on his feet and walked towards his bedroom. I should write a reply letter to him... Zoro slid open the door and spotted the black haired boy propped up against the wall, sleeping peacefully.
"You're back, eh?" The green haired man whispered and walked in to kneel in front of the boy. He smirked, studying Luffy's face carefully. Then, he grabbed a nearby sheet and covered the boy so that he wouldn't catch a cold. Zoro returned to watching Luffy a little longer. The boy looked peaceful... and incredibly cute with his black hair hanging slightly over his closed eyes. Zoro licked his lips nervously, remembering the day's events. Waking up to see Luffy, cooking breakfast and lunch for Luffy, taking him to Crocodile's trial, and then... the kiss... The green haired man frowned slightly, still confused about the short lived kiss earlier in the day. He glanced at the floor for a moment before turning his gaze back upon the sleeping boy.
"I... don't know why you did that to me today but..." Zoro paused for a moment. Then, he slowly leaned forward to give a light peck to the boy's forehead before sitting back on his feet. A small smile spread across his lips as he watched the slumbering boy. "... I liked it."
Suddenly, Luffy mumbled and the green haired man froze as the boy snuggled into the sheets. Did he wake him up...? As Luffy resumed to breathing deeply, Zoro relaxed. Right... so now he just had to carry out the plan. The green haired man grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen from his desk before sneaking out of the bedroom door.
"See you tomorrow, Straw Hat..." Zoro said softly and slid the bedroom door shut.
Sanji yawned widely and stayed in his bed, staring up at the cracked ceiling. He was back in Robin's house. Yesterday, he had spent the entire day helping Nami paint her new restaurant. He couldn't complain about being with her... but man, was the work tiring! The blonde haired man groaned and sat up, massaging his shoulders and neck. Then, he slipped out of his bed and opened the window so that the morning air could flow in. Sanji took a deep breath in and then sighed dejectedly. Nami-san isn't living here anymore... He leaned against the window frame and peered outside. The sun was just starting to climb into the sky and the whole town illuminated in a bright glow. Almost everything was still. No bustling on the streets or even murmurs of townspeople greeting each other in the morning. Nothing but the whisper of wind sweeping through the Mirangu trees planted neatly on the side of the road. Sanji smiled, observing the calmness of the morning. He always woke up this early... just to hear this peace...
A movement on the main street caught his eyes. Sanji's gaze fell upon a man with green hair. The only person he knew in this town who had that kind of hair color was...
Why the hell is he up?! The blonde haired man almost fell out the window, trying to check if it really were Zoro. He rubbed his eyes and stared hard at the green haired man again. It really was the marimo! And a blue nosed dog that Sanji had never seen was also on the streets, walking closely to the green haired man. The green haired man was turning into an alley and the dog quickly followed the man into it. Sanji raised an eyebrow in confusion. Weird... they just turned into a dead end... The cook shrugged and promptly shut the window, deciding to forget about what he had just seen. I should start making some breakfast for Robin-chan! He started pulling off his pajama shirt, planning the menu for breakfast. Then, he stopped undressing and his eyebrows scrunched together in thought. I'll deliver some lovely breakfast to Nami-san, too. She must be feeling so lonely! The man nodded to himself cheerily and resumed his changing.
Luffy's eyes opened slowly and he mumbled something incoherent. The black haired boy stared at the bedroom blankly before remembering what he had been doing. Oh no! I'm in the bedroom. Shoot, Zoro probably found me while I was sleeping! Luffy made a move to stand up, but he got caught in a white sheet that had been covering him. The boy let out a yelp as he fell forward onto his face. So... Zoro had found him...
Luffy sat up and rubbed his nose, trying to soothe the pain. Luckily, he hadn't landed on his right arm... The boy glanced around the room again and sighed when he spotted no Zoro. Where could he be? The black haired boy stood up slowly and tip toed to the door of the bedroom. Maybe Zoro was waiting right outside...? Luffy slid the door open so that it only revealed a crack and then he peered out cautiously. No green haired man in sight...
The boy slowly opened the door more widely and slipped out quietly. It didn't sound like Zoro was in the kitchen either... The entire dojo sounded... deserted...! Did Zoro grow angry at him and leave?
"Zoro...?" Luffy called softly, glancing around the dojo. There was no answer. He stepped into the courtyard worriedly and noticed an envelope sitting in a patch of grass. The black haired boy stooped over and picked it up. Unfolding the note inside, he quickly recognized the handwriting.
Dear Straw Hat,
I promise that I'll be there this time. White clock tower. Ten in the morning. I'll be bringing Chopper so you can recognize me. I'm even going to wear all three of my swords so you don't miss me. We're going to meet this time, and nothing will stop us. You can bring your straw hat, if you like. Well... I guess we're finally meeting, huh? See you soon.
Love,
Santoryu
Luffy smiled and tucked the letter back into its envelope. He would be meeting Santoryu at last! At the white clock tower. Ten in the morning. The black haired boy lay down in the courtyard and stared past the orange tree, up at the blue skies. His heart started beating faster and he smiled, thinking about his special friend. It was true that he loved Zoro. But, he also loved Santoryu in another way... What kind of person would Santoryu be? A cloud floated into his field of vision and the black haired boy sighed. He would be meeting him at ten in the morning at the clock tower... ten in the morning...
Ten in the morning?!
Luffy shot up onto his feet and he sped out of the front door of the dojo. What time was it?! He skidded out into the street, surprising a few people who were on their way to the grocery store. The black haired boy stared at the tall clock in the distance and froze. Nine fifty...! He only had ten minutes to get there! Luffy hastily rushed down the road, towards the tower.
"After you, Robin-chan." Sanji politely held open the door for the dark haired woman. Then, he walked in and set a basket on a nearby table. The house still smelled like polish and paint... The blonde haired man shook his head and opened the windows of the place so that there was more air circulation. How could he let the orange haired girl live here by herself? She could get poisoned!
"Nami-san?" He called out worriedly.
"No! No! This wasn't supposed to happen!" The blonde haired man heard a girl's cry from the kitchen. Robin glanced at him skeptically and headed towards the sound. Sanji swiftly followed after her and found an orange haired girl trying to put out a piece of burning toast and towel on the counter. Sanji pulled Nami away from the fire and pushed the toast and towel into the sink, quickly extinguishing the flames with tap water. The blonde haired man stared at the soggy toast for a moment before turning back around to stare at Nami curiously.
"What were you trying to do...?"
"I... I was..." The orange haired girl averted her eyes from the man staring at her. "... making breakfast..."
Sanji watched the girl for a while and shared a look with Robin. The dark haired woman smiled and started walking out of the kitchen. He turned back to Nami and shot a teasing grin at her. "Okay, come here," He put his hands on her shoulders and steered her out the door to the table with a basket set on top. "I brought you my specially made breakfast of love. So, don't you fret about making your own breakfast. I'll take care of you." He smirked and gently pushed her down into the chair. Robin settled herself by the window and watched the two in interest. Nami blinked in surprise as the man started setting silverware, a napkin, and a plate of food in front of her. He wasn't going to laugh? He wasn't going to say something like 'Girl's should know how to cook'? Nami shook her head and sighed. Of course he wouldn't...
"I can take care of myself..." The orange haired girl murmured irritably. But nevertheless, she picked up the fork wordlessly and glanced at Sanji shyly. Then, she stabbed a piece of waffle and took a bite out of it. Almost instantly, Nami felt herself relax. Sanji's food was just too delicious to stay tense throughout the entire meal. The orange haired girl smiled and took another bite.
The blonde haired man grinned, watching her shoulders relax slightly. He was glad that she didn't turn down his cooking...
"Hm...? Is that Luffy?" Robin peered out the window. Sanji blinked and turned his attention on the window. A black haired boy was running down the streets. Then, the boy stampeded into the white dojo beside them. The blonde haired man scratched his head. It was Luffy, all right... but why was he running so hastily? He could trip and fall and then make his condition worse! He still had a fractured arm for god's sake. Sanji scowled and was about to stomp out the door to give the boy a piece of his mind when Luffy sped out again. This time he was holding down a straw hat on his head. Sanji stopped and watched the boy rush towards the white clock tower in the distance.
"Why was Luffy running around?" Nami put her fork down and stepped out the door, past the cook. "Shouldn't he be resting?"
"He ran back to get his straw hat..." Sanji looked up at the clock tower. Nine-fifty five...
"You don't suppose...?" Nami glanced over her shoulder at the blonde haired man.
"I've only seen him wear it to meet the marimo." Sanji shrugged. Robin looked from the man to the woman curiously.
"Let's follow him." Nami smirked and started running after the trail of dust Luffy left behind him. Sanji smiled apologetically to Robin and started running after the orange haired girl.
"I'll tell you later, Robin-chaaaan!"
The dark haired woman blinked once. She didn't really understand what was going on but... it seemed like Luffy was meeting with someone important. She started jogging quickly after her two friends.
Only five minutes left! He had to hurry! Luffy looked up at the large clock in the distance. Judging the distance, it should take about five or ten minutes to get there... The black haired boy willed his legs to go faster. No way would he be late. They were meeting at ten in the morning. And ten in the morning it would be! The buildings rushed by, townspeople jumped apart, trees blurred past. Everything was making way for him to get to Santoryu. And now, the only obstacle was time. Like hell he would let something like time beat him! The white clock tower was looming closer and closer. Three minutes left.
"Woah!" He heard someone shout as he raced past, but he paid the person no attention. He was almost there!
Two minutes left. The black haired boy slowed to a stop as he reached the large white tower and he leaned against the wall, panting heavily. He made it in time! Now... all he had to do was wait for Santoryu to come. Luffy breathed in deeply and let the air out slowly, calming his heart. He glanced up in excitement. One minute to go. The black haired boy sighed and settled himself against the wall of the clock tower. Then, he adjusted his straw hat on his head. Santoryu would arrive at any moment now... Any moment!
"Wasn't that Luffy-san...?" Kaya blinked and shifted the basket in her arms so that she could help Usopp up from the road. The long nosed boy patted his pants of dust and watched as an orange haired girl ran down the street towards him.
"Nami? What's going on?!"
"No time to talk! I'll tell you later!" The orange haired girl breathed out and rushed past him.
"Wha...?" Usopp blinked and noticed a blonde haired man and a dark haired woman following after Nami.
"Should Luffy-san be running like that...?" Kaya looked down the street where Luffy had just sprinted into.
"Don't worry, Kaya! I... the Great Usopp... will make sure he's all right. You go on to the store. I'll be back." The long nosed boy smiled reassuringly. The blonde haired doctor looked down at the basket in her hands and then looked back up at Usopp, shaking her head.
"I'll come with you. In case, Luffy-san gets in trouble."
They nodded to each other in agreement and raced down the road, following the cloud of dust in the air. Soon, the trail led them towards the white clock tower. Usopp and Kaya found the three people hiding in a nearby bush, peering over the hedge carefully.
"Oi, what are you guys doing?" Usopp called to Nami and started walking towards them. The heads of a blonde haired man and the orange haired girl spun quickly to him. Before he knew it, the two people had pounced on him and covered his mouth.
"Shush! He'll hear us...!" Nami whispered harshly.
"And then we'll ruin their meeting!" Sanji dragged the long nosed boy behind the bush. Robin chuckled softly and gave Usopp a small smile, lifting an index finger to her lips.
"So don't speak."
Kaya crawled over, carrying her empty basket. She knelt on her legs and peered over the bush. Luffy was leaning against the wall of the clock tower. He looked fine. A little out of breath, but it didn't look like he was in pain. Kaya sighed in relief. Then, she turned to look at the people hiding in the bush. She giggled at Usopp. "This is exciting...!"
"Shhh!" Nami and Sanji turned to her quickly and the doctor immediately clamped a hand over her mouth nervously.
One minute left... one minute left... Luffy chanted in his mind, glancing around himself hastily, hoping he hadn't missed Santoryu walking by. One minute... one minute... one—
"Oi, Chopper!"
The black haired boy jerked upright, looking up at the clock tower. Ten o'clock.
"Wait, Chopper! Hey, come back here!"
Luffy's eyes widened. That voice was very very familiar...
Chopper bounded around the wall of the tower and leaped towards the black haired boy happily. The blue nosed dog circled Luffy's feet excitedly and then stopped in front of him to look up. The black haired boy could only look down in shock.
"Chopper? Where did you go?" The voice was just on the other side of the wall now. Luffy gulped in disbelief and shakily turned to stare in the direction Chopper had come from. Was it merely coincidence...? A green haired man jogged around the side of the tower and stopped when he saw Luffy staring back at him. Three swords were strapped to his side...
"Z-Zoro...?"
The green haired man smirked and started walking slowly towards the black haired boy. "Hey... Straw Hat."
"Zoro... you..." Luffy stood frozen to his spot. He could barely connect his thoughts together. Santoryu was supposed to meet him here. At ten in the morning. With Chopper. And there would be three swords strapped to his side. The black haired boy's jaw went slack. "S-Santoryu...?"
Zoro smiled, staring straight into Luffy's eyes. "Yes."
"Zoro is... Santoryu?"
"Yes..." The green haired man nodded.
"Zoro is... Zoro is..." Zoro was Santoryu! And that meant that...! Luffy felt his mind grow clear and his heart quickened. "Zoro is so stupid!" The black haired boy suddenly shouted, surprising the green haired man.
"I... wha?" Zoro blinked and watched the confusion on the boy's face turn into anger. "What did I do?"
"You were Santoryu all this time and you kept it all to yourself?!"
The green haired man stepped backwards. "I... I didn't know how to—"
"And you actually kept your promise and met me at the Grand Line Festival?!"
"Well... um... yes..." Zoro rubbed the back of his head nervously. Luffy was getting really angry at him... What would happen after this? Would Luffy not want to see him ever again?
"And... and... you made me say all those mean things to you that time..." Luffy bit his lip and stared down at his feet. Chopper looked up at him in concern. The black haired boy shut his eyes tightly.
"I'm... sorry, Luffy." The green haired man stepped forward and reached a hand towards the boy. "I wanted to tell you! But... but I didn't know if we could still be friends after I told you..." Zoro watched the boy worriedly and pulled his hand back, afraid to touch the boy. He hadn't meant to hurt Luffy again... "I... you're important to me, Luffy..."
The boy tensed and his left hand clenched together.
"I... don't want to lose you." Zoro let out and then looked away from the boy.
"Stupid Zoro!" Luffy ran towards the green haired man with a raised fist. Zoro watched calmly as the black haired boy jumped at him. He wouldn't block the punch. It was the least he owed Luffy for betraying his trust again. The man closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to come. He would let the boy do whatever he liked with him. It didn't matter anymore... But nothing came. Instead, something warm and soft pressed against his lips. His eyes snapped open.
Luffy quickly pulled away before Zoro could register what had happened. The black haired boy smiled affectionately. "Zoro... is Santoryu...!"
The green haired man's hand flew up to his mouth and he stared at the black haired boy in surprise. His lips were tingling from the unexpected contact. Luffy leaned towards him and brushed away his hand before catching his lips softly again. Zoro stared down at the boy in astonishment. The kiss was cut short again as Luffy pulled back a little, so that only a tiny gap was left between their lips. The boy smiled again, blushing slightly.
"I... love Zoro..."
The man could feel his face flush red as his lips were tickled by Luffy's kiss a second time. His heart was nearly jumping out of his chest.
"And I love Santoryu!" The black haired boy grinned and captured Zoro's lips one more time. Something seemed to spark in the green haired man's body and one of his arms shot around Luffy's waist, pulling them closer. He could feel the boy's left arm reaching up to pull his head down into a deeper kiss and the man smirked, letting his free hand roam up into Luffy's messy black hair, knocking off the straw hat. Luffy... loved him...!
Chopper watched the couple and barked a few times to get their attention. They didn't seem to want to part... The blue nosed dog shook his head irritably and walked forward to pull at the bottom of the green haired man's pants. He could smell five people hiding in the bushes, only a few meters away...! They could be watching!
Zoro jerked back in annoyance and waved a hand at Chopper, trying to shoo the dog away. Luffy laughed, watching the blue nosed dog stare back at Zoro with the same amount of annoyance. The green haired man sighed and turned back to the black haired boy. Luffy grinned widely at him and Zoro chuckled, leaning down to press his forehead against the boy's forehead.
"Luffy?"
"Yeah?" The black haired boy smiled warmly, closing his eyes to listen to the green haired man's voice.
Zoro shut his eyes contently and grinned. "I love you..."
They stood there in silence, feeling each other's bodies pressed together, heart beats pumping in unison to a soothing rhythm. A soft breeze blew through, swirling a few orange petals along the ground. Luffy pulled away and grinned teasingly.
"But you still owe me a match!"
Zoro chuckled and then smirked back. "Of course."
The end!
There it is, the last chapter of Under Mirangu Branches. Thank you very much, readers! I hope you've all enjoyed reading as much as I had enjoyed writing this story. There will be additional chapters after this just to "unlock" a few secrets hidden in throughout the story (actually it's more like a series of side stories explaning things that I have not explained properly). So, thank you again for all of your comments! I have a lot of work in school lately, so my next stories are all on hold for now. But, I am planning on writing more ZoLu fics... I'm looking forward to writing for all of you again!
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The group of people hiding behind the bushes froze, watching Luffy's wrath suddenly morph into affection.
"Oh my!" Kaya gasped and put a hand over her mouth when the black haired boy planted his lips on the green haired man's mouth with an air of confidence. Usopp stared in shock for a while and then grinned wryly. So, he was right about Zoro after all…
The peeping group observed as Zoro and Luffy shared yet another kiss. Kaya flushed pink and glanced at Usopp shyly before turning her attention back on the new couple. This was... quite unexpected! A small smile spread across the doctor's face as the initial shock started to ebb away. Luffy looked so happy...
Robin knelt near the bushes and smiled calmly. What an interesting day she was having so far… She glanced towards her black haired friend and congratulated him silently.
"Yes! Finally!" Nami whispered in excitement, peering over the bushes. At last, Zoro had someone who loved him back. Sanji was crouched right beside her, watching the two males intently.
"What do you think will happen now?" He muttered to the orange haired girl.
"We…" Nami smirked and whipped out a disposable camera from her pocket. "Take pictures!"
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