Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.
A/N: I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I'm sorry that I didn't upload this quickly. My internet went down and I wasn't able to go on the internet for two weeks. I would have uploaded it last week but the research paper stood in the way of my word document so I had to work on it...*exasperated sigh* I hate research papers...
I also apologize that this is short. I'm assuming that the readers are saying, "Hey, you had three weeks! Do the three weeks worth!" I purposely stopped because the next part I was going to write didn't fit here. When I did stop, I realized how short it was. I'm disappointed too.
"Robin...did you find it?"
Luffy stayed after school to work on a serious business with Robin. They both snuck into the main administrator's office and past a door where all of the files of every student hid. Robin managed to pry open the desk and get the keys for the door.
Robin's job was to enter the secret file room and find what they were looking for. Luffy's job was simpler. He had to guard the main administrator room's door in search of any wandering student or teacher. If he found one, he would strike them across the side of the neck so they would fall unconscious. There was really no point of doing this because school ended so everyone should be gone. The librarian smiled telling him, "Why not? This way, it's suspenseful."
The secret room was like all special rooms. It was dark and was barely larger than the bathroom stall for wheelchair owners. The ceiling light in the room gave out only enough light to see the names of the tabs. Robin didn't complain and began her search.
"Did you find it?" Luffy whispered loud again for her to hear.
She giggled, "I just got to it Monkey-kun."
"Oh...do you remember where it is at?"
"I should be able to find it...it's in A-I-U-E-O order..."
Luffy heard shuffles of files flipped and set aside. He concentrated on his own job and listened to any signs of footsteps. In two nanoseconds he lost interest of watching in silence. He leaned against the hinges of the door, humming a happy tune.
"I've found it." Luffy toppled off his stance. His feet were tapping impatiently as Robin slipped through the secret room with a folder.
"Let me see!" Luffy cried out in a harsh whisper. He outstretched his arms and Robin, being the character she is, held out the folder towards him but his fingers only grazed the tips of the file. She eventually handed it over and Luffy held it close to him. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he steadied himself before placing his finger between the folds and flipping it open. Robin peered over from the side to get a better look.
They both skimmed through the file and quickly closed it before they read any further. The name said it all.
Robin straightened herself up, "No wonder we couldn't..."
"Yeah..." Luffy mumbled; his voice was lifeless. He handed her the file and she hastily returned the file to its rightful place.
-.-.-
Zoro quickly walked home and threw his bag on the front of the doorway. He heard Ace's footsteps paddling down the hallway, "Hey, okaeri." Ace's voice hummed through Zoro's chest.
"Tadaima." Zoro replied as he pulled off his shoes. When he stepped up onto the hallway, Zoro gave a quick kiss on Ace's cheek. He smirked when he saw the look on Ace's face. The younger teen turned to align his shoes and walked down the hall. Ace happily rubbed his hand against his cheek and followed after him, carrying the bag Zoro dropped.
Zoro walked into the bedroom and began stripping off the top of his uniform. He then unbuttoned his white collared shirt and threw those on the top of the bed. Ace, who came in after him, pulled open his drawer and tossed a shirt at Zoro, "Wear this."
The shirt was large and it stretched down lower than his hips, "It's big." Zoro mumbled, raising an eyebrow. The jeans Ace also gave him were actually Ace's so it was a size bigger than Zoro's.
Ace frowned, "You should wear something like that when you're going to work. Perverts in that city love teenagers in tight clothes."
"Ace, I'm going to work with a bunch of perverts...and remember what Paulie said?"
"Yah, I heard."
Zoro snickered as he zipped up the jeans and it sagged down, the top part of his boxers exposed, "I think that's what perverts love."
"Are you okay?" Ace asked, changing the subject.
"What-oh this?" Zoro placed a hand on his chest and the older teen nodded, "Yeah...I'm fine."
"Did you cough...a lot?" Ace's voice steadily lowered.
Zoro sighed, gripping tight on the shirt, "...but it was Brook and Luffy, and they know it already." He smiled when Ace came up to him and softly rubbed his back.
"Are you sure you're gonna' be alright?"
Zoro blinked, "You're coming too right?"
"Yah, but later."
Zoro smiled as he placed his wallet in the baggy jeans, "I'll be alright. Besides... it feels nice to be there..."
...like a family I wished I had.
-.-.-
Sanji stared at himself in the mirror. He looked horrible.
His hair was messed up from brushing his fingers through it. His cheeks were swollen and were burning. He could feel his nose sting whenever he sniffled. The skin around Sanji's eye was puffed up and his eye was bright red.
Red like blood.
Sanji bit his lip and cursed himself. Stop it. Zoro's strong...he's not gonna' die from a stupid heart disease...he's not...He couldn't reassure that. Compared to the day he met Zoro to now, he did not look strong anymore. Zoro was losing to the disease.
Was Zoro going to die? Was he going to die the same way as Chopper's patient?
Sanji was ripping his heart, mind, and soul and all what was left were sadness and guilt. Why did he felt so bad? Why did his heart twist into knots when Chopper confessed Zoro's 'asthma?'
He turned on the sink and splashed water on his face. The water cooled his heated skin and it felt good. Sanji turned the faucet off and reached for a towel. A part of his memory triggered his head and he felt the nightmare roller coaster start again.
The memory flew back when Zoro showed him a photograph in the dark wooden picture frame.
His uncle. Zoro's uncle also died from a heart attack too.
Sanji shoved his face into the damp towel and groaned. Did blood explode from his mouth too? Did Zoro's uncle even have the same heart attack as Hiruruk-san? Fuck, Zoro doesn't tell him anything! He could now feel the dread sinking deep into his bones. The uncle's blood must be strongly running down Zoro's veins. But in order to be sure...Sanji sighed-and sighed again.
He had to talk to Zoro.
This time, for sure or he would go mad.
Even if it came to the point where he was going to kidnap Zoro, lock him into a room, and force him to blurt out everything.
Feeling a little better, he softly slapped both sides of his face and walked out of the bathroom. Sanji entered Chopper's room where the young boy was sitting on his bed with piles of crumpled up tissues all around his legs. Sanji put out a hand, "You can use the bathroom."
"I'm fine." Chopper raised his head and sniffled one last time. The doctor looked as worse as he did. Sanji sat on the chair he sat before and picked up the medical chart. Sanji felt a pang of sadness erupt inside again when he saw the picture of Hiruruk-san on the profile. He was smiling so peacefully. He knew that bringing this subject would cause him and Chopper to cry again, "So...is there a cure to this?"
Chopper again shook his head, "Hiruruk-san was the first and the only person with this disease, so we don't have much data for it. Since that, I never saw the disease until...I met Zoro at the PARTY'S BAR. Even though we haven't found a cure to the disease...there is a way to hold down the pain."
Sanji's eyes lit up. "Can you tell me how?" If there was a way to help Zoro ease his pain, he would do anything.
The doctor tapped his finger against his temple and titled his head to the side. It was a very cute pose. "Well, Hiruruk-san felt better when we rubbed his back when he had the 'seizures.' We couldn't leave him alone...because whenever we leave his room, the 'seizure' starts."
"Isn't that just a coincidence?"
Chopper frowned, "The seizure only happened when there was no one in his room...all by himself...all the time."
Sanji smirked a little, "That is a very selective seizure."
Chopper slapped a fist on his other hand, "There were times when his heart condition stayed constant...and his coughing stops."
"When's that?"
A smile played on Chopper's lips and his cheeks reddened a little, "When I...hugged him or held his hand...I found out that being near other people relieves his stress and his heart rate calms down."
Suddenly, the strong spirit to help Zoro faded. Hug? Hold his hand? Sanji couldn't help but bring it up, "I have to be a fag to help him?"
Chopper gasped and waved his arms, "No...no! H-he just wanted someone close...not in a gay way..."
Sanji kept his frown, "Chopper...Zoro's gay."
"He is?" Chopper's eyes widened, "Well, that is...unexpected...um...well...s-still," As Chopper talked, his hands were fumbling and his cheeks were a little flushed, "Y-you can still...hug him...and stuff...I d-don't think he'll react...that way..."
A tight frown was still stuck onto Sanji's lips. He would just stick with his own plans. Just be his friend again and he would be okay. Sanji didn't need to hug him. He would talk to him everyday just like Chopper did with Hiruruk-san.
He would be okay.
-.-.-
Ace yawned as he walked home from a long hour of work. It was fun. His guests were entertaining. The drinks his guests ordered were strong-probably to get him drunk. He chuckled to himself as the thought of all of his guests now are probably wobbling to the side of a street lamp and throwing up.
Zoro was popular again, especially wearing that kind of clothes in this time of season. It'll bring any gay man to drool all over their flashy suits. He stared down at his arm with a gorgeous watch that one of his guests gave him as a gift. The watch was plated gold and on the face had diamonds of many different colors instead of numbers. It was a nice gift, but it was hard to read when the diamonds were blinding his eyes. Ace squinted at it and the hands, also gold, read twelve...something.
All he knew is that he was way past Makino and Luffy's bedtime so he had to enter the house quietly to not disrupt their slumber.
He crept into the house and stealth up the stairs like a cat would do. When he came by Luffy's room, his heart jumped up to his throat when the door swung open. Ace whispered out-almost screaming, "Luffy! Be careful, you idiot-and why aren't you sleeping!?"
Luffy rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Waiting for you...Okaeri."
"T-tadaima. Here, I got something for you." Ace unclipped the watch and handed it to Luffy. The boy's eyes glittered open and skipped into his room with the golden watch held tightly in his hand. Ace grinned and walked inside his brother's room.
Luffy clicked on the desk lamp and slowly twirled the watch around, watching the diamonds twinkle in the bright light. "Is this real gold?"
"Twenty-four karot." Ace smiled, "You should give it to Nami-chan. She'll love that."
Luffy whispered out a gasp and brought the watch close to his face. Since Ace started part-time living with Zoro, he brought home some-expensive-stuff, depending on the guests.
After admiring the pretty watch, Luffy decided to give to Nami tomorrow. The younger brother carefully placed the watch in his desk drawer and pointed a finger at Ace, "...Did you ask him?"
"Ask what-oh fuck...Sorry Luffy." Ace took a seat on Luffy's bed; it was still warm.
Luffy hesitated and his toes curled up, "It's okay...I checked with Robin...and I was right."
Ace leaned back with his arms placed firmly on the opposite side of him. "Hn." He said in a blunt monotone.
Luffy gaped, shocked at the unenthusiastic reaction from his own brother, "You don't get it don't you?"
"Of course I don't Luffy. I don't know much about that dude."
Luffy stood up and paced around the room, "God Ace. If you knew..." He bit his lower lip, "This is worse than me keeping a secret from Sanji!"
"Why?" Still oblivious of the subject, Ace's voice was kept at a low unemotional volume.
Luffy frowned. When he was tired, his patience shortened. Luffy yawned and gripped his hands firmly together. "Do you know who we're talking about?"
"I do Luffy...I do." Ace nodded and also yawned. He dropped onto his side and pulled the blankets over him, "I really do Luffy."
Luffy rubbed his eyes, "Are you going to ask Zoro tomorrow?"
"nnn....yasummm..." Luffy watched Ace's head move up and down against the pillow and murmured something of a good night. The younger brother crossed his arms. I guess I have to do it... Luffy stopped pacing and stared at his brother who was already fast asleep. He hadn't noticed, but the room was filled with a flowery scent of perfume, alcohol, and cigarettes. Luffy glanced at the alarm clock near the bedpost; it was past one. He wondered if Ace stopped by to take Zoro to home before coming back here.
Since Ace started hanging out with Zoro, he had become very busy. Ace worked Zoro's job times when Zoro was not feeling well, but he didn't complain. His brother enjoyed working in the host club with a nest full of delicious guests with wads of cash in their pockets. Luffy drew in a breath and sat down on his desk chair again, watching his brother snore quietly. He didn't want to wake Ace up, but he had his bed and Luffy didn't really want to sleep in Ace's room.
It wasn't because Ace's room was dirty-it was spotless clean all the time. The main reason was the room was filled with sexy(in Ace's terms) posters of men in obscene poses and shelves full of yaoi DVDs and comics. Luffy was never interested in reading playboy magazines or other porn books like Ace(men or women) and Sanji(women only) but the said boys would drag Luffy to watch with them-for fun. The raven haired boy never understood why men would get aroused by watching or reading porn; it only made him blush. Especially when watching both Ace and Sanji make the same noise as the people on television, this was quite disturbing. Luffy's face reddened at the thought and yanked the pillow beneath Ace's head. Just leave the lights off and it'll be ok...
To Be Continued!
Thank you for reading!
Reviews are welcome! ^_^