Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. I don't own a One Piece. I don't own two pieces of the One Piece. What? (-_+)/

Chapter Summary: Drama in the town as two major things come out at once!
Warnings: Shock, ZoLu of sorts, LucLu, SanLu, and plans in action

KittyLuffy: Ah ha ha ha. I feel so dead after finals... Just passed my math class! *holds up a peace sign* VICTORY!
Sanji: Good for you. I guess C stands for 'Celebrate'?
KittyLuffy: We can think that. Cheers to me. *starts banging head on wall*
Robin: *nodding* Yes. We better be prepared for this chapter though. I get shivers from the title.
Vivi: Cat on Top?
KittyLuffy: Oh, Vivi and Nami. You two came back.
Nami: Nya na nyannya. (With some help.)
Chopper: With some help!
KittyLuffy: Chopper! Nami is still a cat, so you're translating? That's so cool!
Chopper: *doing his happy dance* Shut up, Stupid! That doesn't make me happy at all! Just start the comments already!
Robin: I. Michaela, you are probably a better marksman than Usopp.
Usopp: What? *reads comment* Well, Lucci does have plans, but perverted ones? No way.
KittyLuffy: Yes way. Also, I. Michaela, thanks for calling it interesting. I love comments like that.
Sanji: Now, Neko11! Woof woof! *wags invisible tail*
Vivi: You've made Sanji happy again. And yes, Lucci is behaving weird. He's a creep. Multiplied by eighteen.
KittyLuffy: A little more Ace in this chapter as well.
Usopp and Robin: With that, let's all have a good read of Chapter 17!

Love Below Heaven

Chapter 17: Cat on Top

"I guess…" Zoro sighed, wiping at his face; "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Taking deep breaths, he led Luffy to the front door and gave a little nudge. Luffy tried to twirl back around, tell Zoro it was a lie, a really really bad joke, but the door slammed behind him and the deed was done.

Falling to the ground, Luffy broke down right there, pounding the dust with fitful fists. It wasn't fair! Why did it hurt so much more than he had ever imagined? Luffy watched two butterflies play in the garden, dancing through the air in a game of tag. It brought back so many memories he had to shut his eyes. He cried, dirt and tears mixing to make a light mud that covered his face like a mask. Waiting for calm arms to pull him into a hug and soothingly tell him everything was going to be all right, Luffy didn't move. The door behind him stayed shut.

Zoro was trying to stifle his own sobs. His legs had given out as soon as he listened to the echoes of the door shutting. It was over. He had loved the laughing, the smiling, the fun, and the light that Luffy brought into his life. Of course, the ebony-haired angel did that for everyone, but Zoro felt that he had been given extra affection, even more than Ace or Makino. Now, there would be no more kisses or warm nights where sleep came easily with someone beside him. Now, there would be no more games of chase around the house or midnight meals. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted Luffy to open the door, laughing at what a great joke Sanji or Vivi had planned. The door behind him stayed shut.

After what felt like hours, Luffy was able to pick himself off the ground. Gazing back forlornly at the door of his favorite house, he stumbled forward, away from where he wanted to return. Strenuously, he walked the path, sniffling as he went. There were more than a million things jumping around in his head, reminding him of the happiest times in the past three years, something months, something days. He wiped at a runny nose as everything became too much to handle.

As Luffy trudged along, his wings dragging through the dirt, he ran into no one. It was so like a regular day. The sun was shining and the crisp, warm wind was softly blowing the green leaves of the trees and bushes littered across the land. The birds sang while people in the town offered their wares and chatted happily with one another. Nothing was out of the norm it seemed, but how terrible a time it actually was. Alone and sad, Luffy was to face the event with a heavy heart and a troubled mind.

He didn't know who to turn to or where to go. Zoro luckily had Robin, but Luffy had only had Zoro – and now he was gone. Going home was the worst option in the book. And no one would be home anyway, it being the perfect time to get out for a walk or view the town square. Luffy's swollen eyes began to blink back more tears as pain flooded his mind with memories again.

Somehow, he found himself at one of the many entrances to Marshmallow Tree Forest. He had never noticed how dreary it was inside, blocking out the sun with dark greenery and stifling noises within its mazes of branches. Stepping off the path, he tottered deeper and deeper into the woods, not touching even one of the succulent white treats as he passed them by the thousands. Tripping over a jutting root, Luffy fell onto his face. He made no movement to get up and slowly fell asleep there, in the calm, breezeless cage of the forest.

Zoro rested his head on a pillow and stared up to the ceiling. He had yet to call Robin, but the denden mushi was downstairs and he was currently on his bed. There was nothing else he'd rather do than talk to the angel woman and he wondered if that was why Luffy had dumped him.

Robin and Zoro went as far back as school days, when she had been fifteen and helping out in his six-year-old class. She had always been quite witty and taught the kids history, making it as fun and as enjoyable as possible. She had a special bond with Zoro the moment she met the quiet boy, letting him borrow her special books from home or sharing her lunch with him if he forgot his.

Maybe he had gotten too lax with his relationship with her, trusting her every moment he could, calling her whenever he felt the urge to talk to someone. Heck, he even had a crush on her at some point when he was young. Robin had been his lifeline more than once and helped out with whatever she was needed for. He went to visit her at least once a week, unless she went on one of her trips. The angel woman was almost like an older sister, but nothing more than that.

Had Luffy misunderstood something? Zoro had been at Robin's house when he should have been at home the second time the black-haired boy tumbled through the portal to Hell. He had been to her house almost every day before that, instead of visiting Luffy like Sanji had. Was it Sanji?

The blonde had appeared in their lives much more than usual after the first portal incident, protecting Luffy like his life depended on it. When Zoro went to see Robin alone, Sanji would always offer to make Luffy a treat or play a game of cards with him. It wasn't as if the blonde was overbearing, but he had done so much more to help Luffy through the tough times as Zoro went running to Robin yet again. Luffy had probably realized his best friend was more than just a best friend.

But no, neither of the thoughts could be correct; the last look in Luffy's teary eyes told him different. It was almost as if Luffy didn't want to end their relationship, forced by some hidden secret to keep him from seeing Zoro as his boyfriend any longer. The last moments seemed so desperate and heart-shattering. A last cling to a world they both shared for four happy years. Three years, something months, something days, as Sanji and Vivi would put it.

Though, Zoro may have been over-thinking the whole situation, urgently trying to find hope to the seemingly lost state of affairs. He still loved Luffy with all his being.

Getting up, Zoro went down to his denden mushi and dialed Robin's number.

Luffy's eyes fluttered open to the sight of the setting sun. It was bright and shone with a blinding intensity that made Luffy turn over and fall off the couch. Not wanting to pick himself up, he knew Sanji had probably found him in the forest, sleeping after a long and tiresome cry. As he thought, Sanji came to lift him off the floor, a warm washrag in hand.

"Luffy, is everything okay?" There was no answer, so the blonde scrubbed gently at the dirty cheeks until they shown pink again. Staring at the puffy eyes and terrifyingly deep frown, Sanji knew something was wrong past not getting what he wanted at the Baratie. "I was picking marshmallows and I found you deep in the forest sleeping across a gigantic root." Sanji laughed a little, squeezing his best friend in a tight embrace. "You don't have to tell me, but I want to help you, Luffy." There was silence for many minutes, the clock ticking away the light.

"Sanji?" Luffy finally managed to squeak.

"Yes?"

"Is it alright," Luffy sniffled, "what happened?" Sanji had no clue what Luffy had done, but didn't want to answer 'yes' automatically like he usually would have. It was not a time to lie, no matter how convenient fiction could be.

"What happened?"

"Zoro… Zoro and I broke up."

The blonde's heart began to pound faster, his eye widening in complete and utter shock. Luffy and Zoro had done WHAT? No way in a million years would Sanji have thought this to happen. The bond those two had was more than just love, it was unexplainable attachment. Knowing Luffy, something was definitely not right with the odd situation.

"You and Zoro aren't boyfriends anymore?" Sanji rephrased, making sure he had heard correctly through the whimpering.

"Yeaaaaaaah," Luffy wailed, closing his eyes to try to stop crying. It failed, but the control Luffy had lost slowly returned a bit. He couldn't love Zoro anymore. It broke his heart at how sadly crazy such a thought was. He. Couldn't. Love. Zoro. Anymore.

"Can you tell me exactly what happened, Luffy?"

"No," was the slow reply, "I can't."

"I won't understand why you're crying like this unless you give me at least a slight clue."

Luffy shook his head. "I can't."

"Luffy."

"I can't."

"Please, Luffy."

"I can't."

Sanji knew own his limit and Luffy's. It would be too pushy to ask over and over until the smaller angel crumbled and the blonde knew that. He also knew that it might destroy the wall of trust the friends had. There are boundaries that are faced and not to be touched. But Luffy wouldn't tell his best friend what was going on?

Deep in thought, the silence was broken when Sanji finally let go of Luffy. Gazing at the younger boy who looked like a zombie, half dead with stress and exhaustion, Sanji knew what he had to do. After closing the blinds to the window, he went to retrieve a certain item. It was past time to try the next tactic.

"Hey," a devil whispered as he arrived in the living room, "how are you, Princess?"

"Mr. Prince?" croaked Luffy, looking up from the floor to see the blonde prince in the tinted glasses he always wore. Mr. Prince sat down on the couch and stroked the angel's hair with a claw.

"Sanji told me that Zoro is no longer your boyfriend. Tell me what happened," he asked in a soothing tone.

"I can't."

"As the royal prince you are destined to marry, you must tell me."

"I still can't." Luffy looked at the floor again, wishing he could tell Mr. Prince. But it wasn't allowed.

"What stops you from telling Mr. Prince? Am I not trustworthy?"

"You are," was a quick reassurance, "it's just… I don't wanna think about it."

"Are you sure?"

Luffy willed himself not to cry while Sanji gritted his fangs. The two sat apart, but there was a comfort in the moment. Yet, Luffy wouldn't even tell Mr. Prince the problem? There had to be either blackmail or death threats involved in something this big. Getting up once more, Mr. Prince put Luffy on the couch again.

Searching around the room, Sanji couldn't find anything that would help his best friend cope with the mysterious loss. Going down the hall and into his room, the blonde grabbed the three special books from under his pillow and went back to Luffy. Carefully tucking them into angel's grip, Mr. Prince sat down and let Luffy veg for a while. It was more than obvious the break-up was tearing the boy to bits.

The blonde mentally swore to avenge Luffy the next day; that green-haired angel had made the biggest blunder of his life.

Luffy relaxed, feeling a sense of peace in the room. He no longer had any more tears to cry, so all he could think of to do was sleep. Mr. Prince was sitting next to him, just watching; protecting his princess as if he would disappear at the slightest moment. Luffy knew he could trust the devil and thus fell into a deep sleep without any dreams. He didn't want dreams anyway; they'd probably make him cry.

It was past midnight when Luffy woke up again. Rubbing his eyes, he found he couldn't get up. A weight pressed against his head and shoulders, pinning him onto the couch. In the darkness, he tried to tell what the mystery object was until he realized it was breathing. Sanji had fallen asleep and collapsed to his left, trapping the boy under him without knowing it. Luffy was able to maneuver himself out of the tight space and fall backwards onto the floor, the books he had been holding thumping one after another onto the rug.

Gazing up at the glow-in-the-dark clock on the wall, Luffy counted out that it was twelve-thirty-nine. He glanced at himself, knowing it was past the time he should have gotten back home. Tiptoeing out the back door, books in hand, Luffy jogged the route to the house, feeling the cool night air against his skin. Up the hill he went and down he did not go. Stepping up the stairs of the creaky porch, he opened the door and let himself in. As he thought, Lucci was awake and on the couch, reading a book.

"Welcome home, Luffy-chan," Lucci smiled, shutting his tome and getting up to greet his little angel. Luffy walked right past him and into the kitchen. Putting down the books, he went rummaging through the fridge, emptying its contents. Leaving the clean dishes and pitchers strewn all over the floor, he took up his books again and exited the house to brood on the back porch. Of course Lucci followed, sitting next to Luffy with a sigh. "Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?"

"It looks like old cheese," Luffy replied sourly, turning away from the other angel as much as he could.

"Luffy-chan, don't be like that."

"I'm not like that."

"I didn't expect you to take it this hard."

Luffy got up and became angry, furious with a horrifying rage. He was done with being sad. He was angry now, the tears gone forever. He wanted to smash something, break something, hit someone. Dropping the books and clenching his hands into fists, Luffy aimed for Lucci's face, not connecting. He tried again and again, but his foe dodged.

"This hard? You didn't think I'd take it this hard?" a frustrated Luffy screamed, throwing punches like he would never get tired. He had taken it even worse than even he had expected. He hadn't wanted to do it, break up with Zoro, but Lucci had commanded him to and he couldn't break a bet. He was under contract, so no matter how crazy or how much he didn't want to, Luffy had to do it. But he hadn't expected the first big command to be "End your relationship with Zoro"! He could handle living in the old house on the hill, even not be able to go home and tell Makino and Ace where he was, but to break a bond so precious was going too far.

"Luffy-chan, stop."

Luffy pulled back, shivering in outrage that he hadn't been able to land a single hit. "I'm going to bed," the little angel grumbled, plopping down on the wood of the porch and flopping to the side, using his books as a pillow. He wasn't going to sleep inside the same house as Lucci, oh no, not even on the couch.

Lucci went inside and grabbed a few blankets and a real pillow. Arranging them over Luffy, he kissed the little angel on the cheek before going inside to sleep himself.

"Good night, Luffy-chan," he called before going up the spiral steps to the bedroom. Luffy didn't answer, but felt glad to have blankets; he had forgotten it was a chilly autumn night.

In his walk-in closet, Lucci changed into a set of white night clothes, almost identical to his regular angel clothes, but made of a different material. Sauntering out onto his balcony, Lucci peered up at the yellow moon again and smiled. Life was good when things were going his way and he had total control over the conditions. Stroking his small goatee, he assessed how the little angel was taking his part of the bet.

Luffy wasn't happy, but that didn't matter because he had lost his power, his will, and his life in a gamble he wouldn't have taken if he were smarter. Maybe it was how slow the boy was that made Lucci him, want to trick him at any given moment and watch the cute face fall into emotions it had never felt before. Helplessness, misery, despair and, most of all, pain.

Lucci felt the wind blow and hurried to bed, thinking of the trip that would happen the next evening. Luffy would have to explain the trip to the city, but the news of Luffy and Zoro's break up would result in more chaos and no one would question a month-long trip to forget about such pain, would they? Lucci chuckled as he drifted off to sleep. Angels were so clueless.

"Did you hear?"

"Yes, I heard."

"Did you hear?"

"Yes, I did."

"You must have heard."

"About what?"

Kokoro, Perona, and Doctorine looked at each other before staring at Vivi, who was known as the queen of the Luffy in Awkward Situations Club. She had to be pretending she hadn't heard, but that confused grin on her face told them otherwise. Grouping into a small huddle, they conversed on whether to tell her the shocking news or not. Then, the club princess arrived, a depressed aura surrounding her and sucking in anyone who already knew.

"Vivi…" Rika asked her superior, "have you heard?" Vivi shook her head.

"Everyone seems to be asking me that this morning. No, I haven't heard the news that swept around town yesterday afternoon." Noticing the gloomy look on her little companion's visage, Vivi opened her mouth to ask about it, but she was cut off by the answer.

"Luffy broke up with Zoro!" Vivi turned to stone, her mouth open wider than at Lucci's welcoming party.

"Rika-chan!" the three other angels cried out in horror, watching for the queen's reaction. Trembling with emotion, Vivi turned to the three behind her and gave out a cheery laugh.

"Ha ha ha! That's so funny! You could never fool me with that one."

"No," Rika chided, "it's completely true." Vivi's eyes darkened with understanding.

"What was the cycle?"

"Zoro to Robin, Robin to Nojiko, Nojiko to me, me to my mom and dad, us to everyone else. I don't know how you haven't heard yet."

Vivi remembered that she had stayed home all yesterday. Carue had gone to Swan Pond by himself and come back the muddiest duck in all of Heaven. It had taken three hours to get all the grime from his light orange feathers. Vivi hadn't gone out, so she hadn't heard, as simple as that.

"It can't be a true case," Vivi countered, "it must have been some elaborate joke Sanji planned. He and I both like to do terrible things to everyone's favorite couple."

"But nothing this bad," came a reply from the blonde who was being blamed, "I wouldn't do anything this bad…" The group of women looked up, to see him with a bag slung over his shoulder, containing various spices Zeff needed to restock on. Putting it down, Sanji made it clear he was going to stay for the rest of the conversation.

"What do you mean, Sanji?" Doctorine asked.

"Don't even joke that we did this. It was genuine tears coming out of his eyes."

"Zoro's?" Perona specified.

"No, Luffy's. I found him sleeping in Marshmallow Tree Forest, passed out over a tree root he obviously tripped over. He hadn't had any marshmallows either."

Vivi covered her mouth; shocked that such a thing would happen to her ebony-haired friend. What event stuck out like a penguin in a swamp, was the fact that Luffy had not eaten a single marshmallow. Vivi always agued with Ace over whether Luffy should eat the ones on the forest floor, but when the ripe ones on the trees were not touched, something like an Apocalypse was bound to come along.

"He… he must have eaten at least one," Vivi faltered, seriously not wanting this ruse to be true. Sanji shook his head and stared down at Rika who was tugging on the hem of his shirt.

"Luffy, he was crying?"

"Yeah, don't you know the news about the break-up?"

"But," Rika gasped, "but Luffy broke up with Zoro! He shouldn't be crying!"

Sanji's face became wan as he heard this bit of news. Luffy had never said who ended the relationship with whom, but the tears were just so depressing that Sanji would have sworn on his life that Luffy had been dumped.

"You're kidding, Rika."

"No, I'm not! Zoro told Robin that Luffy came to his house and broke up with him yesterday."

"Sanji?" Perona asked, peeking at the blonde from where she was hiding behind her wings, fearing the worst (maybe an explosion).

"And Zoro never lies," Sanji whispered as if it was the biggest revelation of his nineteen years, "always tells the truth as it is." The whole town market became deadly silent.

"Hi, Sanji," Luffy called from a distance, "I wanted to say thanks for finding me yesterday." Sanji spun around to see Luffy walking quite leisurely towards the small group.

Everyone stared at the angel boy with intent eyes. He had a smile on his face, but the air around him seemed heavy, faked beyond belief. Maybe Luffy could trick the townspeople, but not his best friend.

Running up to the little angel who didn't seem to be going very fast, Sanji greeted with, "Luffy! Where did you go last night?" Angels started to mumble things to each other, rumors flying across the cobblestones.

"Didn't you hear? Luffy-chan broke up with Zoro-san to be with Sanji-kun."

"No, no, no, Luffy-kun noticed Zoro-kun had a crush on Robin-san."

"I can't believe you, look, Sanji-kun is so making a move on Luffy!"

"Well, I think Lucci-san had something to do with it. Maybe Luffy-chan has feelings for Lucci-san."

"Ridiculous; I just wish all these rumors are not true."

Luffy gave Sanji a hug before staring down at the street. Sanji got down on one knee to be in his friend's line of sight. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Luffy answered, turning his gaze to the sky where the bright sun shone low. Sanji stood on his tiptoes and shaded Luffy's eyes from the glaring light.

"You never told me you were the one who broke up with Zoro." Luffy twitched, peering to the left. Sanji moved himself into view.

"You, you never asked."

"Well, you were crying so much, I just assumed he had ended it." Finally, Luffy glowered at the blonde, anger in his chocolate eyes.

"Why would Zoro do that? It was me!" How dare Sanji accuse Zoro for something that wasn't his fault! Luffy knew it was his own fault for letting this happen and could no longer patch the situation up.

Luffy's defense was so strong that angels hushed and watched the scene in the middle of the square. Sanji held up his hands in defeat, not wanting to dig his grave any deeper. But he had to; there were no other ways to fit the story together correctly.

"What did you tell him?" the blonde asked, stepping back as Luffy swung at him with a fist. People gasped at the slight violence.

"I said… I said I can't love him anymore!" Luffy yelled, trying again to smack his best friend across the face.

"You 'can't' love him anymore?" Sanji found such a word suspicious. You can love someone and you can't love someone, but not directly after loving him or her for three years, ten months, three days. Love wasn't something that abruptly stopped.

Catching Luffy's fist, Sanji held it and wouldn't give it back. Luffy struggled to free his hand, but his best friend was intent on hearing an answer that wasn't allowed to be given. Frustrated into an intelligent state of mind, the black-haired angel switched gears and said what he had gone to town to say.

"Anyway, m-me and Lucci are going on a trip to the city for a month! We're gonna have lots of fun without you or Z-Zoro!" Sanji let go of the hand and Luffy fell backwards onto the ground with a cry. Sanji couldn't believe it as he remembered the advances the sly cat had tempted Luffy with.

"Luffy… you've only known Lucci for two months."

"Well-"

"There's no way…" Sanji was lost to his thoughts. Luffy had taken the bait of those forward passes Lucci tossed out by the handful? After such happiness with Zoro for over three years, in two months he was already caught by Lucci's charm? The blonde couldn't even add himself into the mix.

"Luffy-chan, can you not get up?"

"Lucci!" Luffy rolled on his wings and was able to get to a standing position by using Sanji's pants as a ladder. The blonde wanted to applaud the action, but it was no time for comedy. Putting out a protective arm, Sanji glared at Lucci and the battle of wit and hidden meanings began.

"Sanji-kun, I just wanted to tell you about my month-long trip," Lucci started.

"You're forcing Luffy to go with you, correct?"

"Not at all, I asked him and he said he wanted to come, right Luffy-chan?" Feline eyes met brown ones and Luffy nodded solemnly.

"Y-yeah, it sounded like a lot of fun. He said that we could get a new horse-guy from a friend." Sanji was confused.

"Horse-guy?"

"The black knight that you shattered," Lucci translated, motioning for Luffy to come to him. Reluctantly, the little angel did and was tenderly grabbed by his collar and pulled into a soft kiss. He would have fought back, but it ended too quickly. Lucci just wanted enough to prove a point to the blonde. "So, I'm sorry, Sanji-kun, that I can't join you on your week-long trip this month."

Sanji shook his head and smiled, his defeat obvious. The blonde hated being a sore loser and decided to suck it up, no matter how much he wanted to rip Lucci to pieces. "No, it's okay; I'm used to going alone. Have fun, Luffy."

"Sanji…"

"Don't worry, Sanji-kun," Lucci laughed, "you can join the party if you wish. Or, maybe I'll see you at some point." Eyes locked and Sanji felt a chill go down his spine as Lucci gave a knowing grin.

Draping a sleazy arm over Luffy's shoulder, the two walked past the blonde and into the flower shop where Kuina was frozen with her arms in a holding position and the potted plant bruising on the stones.

"Huh?" Kuina said stupidly, realizing she was gawking, "Um… do you two need anything?" Lucci held up three fingers.

"Please. Three dozen roses of your choice, Kuina-san." The blue-haired girl ran inside the shop to get what was asked, wondering what in the world someone would need that many roses for.

Glancing at Luffy, who was pouting acutely, Lucci bonked their foreheads together lightly. Luffy shook his head and gazed at the ground, swallowing as a hand gripped his shoulder tightly. When it relaxed, the smaller angel looked up again and saw a smiling face.

"Luffy-chan, I'll wait here to get the roses. Will you go home to Makino-san and pack a light bag for our trip? Grab a few items, then get out, okay?"

"Okay," was the mumbled reply. Slipping out of the older man's grasp, Luffy jogged his way through the crowd and out of the town square. He felt eyes follow him as he went, but paid no heed. Maybe Makino would be able to help him with his tangled up feelings; she was good at that.

"Should we follow him?" Rika whispered, watching Luffy disappear out of view. Kokoro shook her head.

"We shouldn't try and get involved with his problems this time, girls. He hasn't figured out what he's gonna do yet." Vivi glanced at the old lady.

"The trip is just going to be for recuperation, right?" the blue-haired angel asked slowly, thinking deeply. She couldn't imagine Luffy being able to move on so quickly.

"It could be that, or both Zoro and Sanji just lost to Lucci," Perona said, hitting the nail on the head.

"No way; there couldn't be a battle so soon," Vivi countered, clenching her fists. She had to figure out Sanji's crush when they were younger, but Lucci was like an open book. The least the two men could do was console poor Luffy, not chase after him like he was a one-of-a-kind fancy trinket. But boys will be boys. With a sigh, Vivi had to agree with Kokoro on this one. "We shouldn't follow him, Rika. Rika?"

"She left," Doctorine pointed, cackling at Vivi's mistake.

"Let her go," Kokoro grinned, "she may be the only one able to figure it out for us." Perona nodded and grasped Vivi's hands.

"Don't worry, everything will turn out right in the end, whether we like the result or not."

"I hope so."

They went to talk to Sanji, who was standing in the middle of the square like an idiot. He still couldn't believe the situation had turned from depressing to shocking. Luffy had looked almost subdued in the way he was quickly kissed and made to move. The blonde couldn't bring himself to fully believe Luffy had left Zoro for Lucci, but the proof was right in front of him. The break-up, the trip, the murmurs of the crowd. He would have to tell Demon Zoro about this.

"So you leave home, make me worry, then plan to go on a month-long trip after intruding on Lucci-san's hospitality?" Makino sighed, grabbing her hair in vexation. She hadn't really worried about Luffy, expecting him to just be with Zoro the three days he never came home, but now that she had heard the news, she wasn't really sure where he had been.

"Sorry, Makino."

"I just want you safe, okay Luffy?"

Luffy nodded, kicking off his sandals before heading towards the ladder to his room. Grab a few items and then get out; that was his only purpose. Ace popped his head out of his room and bowled Luffy over in a hug.

"Are you okay, Luffy? I heard that you broke up with Zoro." Luffy frowned inwardly, wanting the talk about it to end all the guilt building up in his heart; he didn't want to think about it anymore.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Was it about that… night? Is that why you broke up with him?"

"No."

"Then why?" Luffy was silent, remembering Lucci's words.

"I can't tell you." Pushing his older brother away, Luffy hopped up the ladder and into to his room. Looking around, the only traveling bag he could find was the old, red duffel that he used to use when he went to sleep over at Zoro's house. Embracing it, he smelled the familiar scent before it ran away and left him sad. Tossing in his three extra dresses, one of Vivi's scarves, and a few pairs of underwear, Luffy was about to head out of his room and into the bathroom when something caught his eye.

Going to his desk, the angel boy picked up a small, jeweled knife, unlike any he had ever seen in the market before. It was a dazzling golden blade with a wooden handle with a few rubies and sapphires set into it. The thing even came with a pearl-studded sheath. Maybe Makino had bought it for him at a bazaar or Shanks had mailed him a present from overseas. But this blade was oddly nostalgic. He'd have to figure it out later though. Luffy dropped it into his bag and then headed to his next destination.

In the bathroom, he grabbed his toothbrush, toothpaste, and a washrag. He debated on a towel and decided against it; such a thing would fill his small bag too much. And with a zip of his bag, Luffy was finished packing.

Saying a fast good-bye to Ace, who was in his room, Luffy walked down the hall and into the kitchen where Makino was stirring a soup at the stove. She was not turned to him, so he debated on telling her farewell – or anything more. The little angel decided not to trouble Makino with more. Making his way to the front door, he tried to think happily about the trip ahead.

Just as he was about to leave the house, Makino grabbed Luffy into a hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek. They stood still and it seemed the house breathed a sigh of relief as the odd tension was fully revealed. The green-haired angel woman took power with speaking first.

"I know you want to go on a trip with Lucci, but I don't think it's the right way to forget the situation at hand. You can't just leave Zoro behind like this."

Luffy's eyelids drooped. He had a feeling Makino would be able to help him, even if he hadn't said anything outright.

"I know; that's not why I'm going." He was being forced to go because he had lost the bet. But, he didn't object. Maybe it would be helpful to get Zoro off his mind.

"Lucci-san just went and invited you, truly?"

"Truly."

"You're not fine though, are you?"

"No…"

Makino embraced Luffy with all her mother-figure might. She couldn't bring herself to do a thing more though. Anyone could guess that Luffy's emotional state was fragile in all the wrong ways. As a woman, Makino found it easier to recognize the pain of regret in the other angel's movements and words. She wouldn't press on.

Luffy knew it was a safe bet that he'd begin crying again if it continued. There was a feeling of security in her arms he had never understood but always respected. Possibly, his tongue might slip and he'd be unfaithful to the bet with Lucci. Ending the hug, Luffy took a strong breath.

"I'll get you guys all souvenirs," Luffy smiled, "as a sorry for such short notice."

Makino nodded as her arms dropped to her sides. The two stared at each other, finding fear in the other's eyes. After blinking a few times, the worry was gone and replaced by fake happiness. One more embrace with Ace in the mix and Luffy put on his shoes. Zipping out the door and up the hill, Luffy didn't turn around for a last good-bye. The older angels waved at his back, not stopping until he was out of sight.

"Something's up," they both said at the same time.

"Do you think it's Lucci?" Ace asked. Like with Sanji, Lucci had a strange way of poking holes in the wall and showing different, contradicting, sides of his nature. Also, anyone pining for Luffy was not safe from the eyes of a secretly over-over-protective older brother.

"No, maybe Zoro was actually the one who broke up with him."

"But Makino, who would be happy after ending a four-year relationship?"

"Three years, ten months, three days actually," Rika corrected, standing right in front of the doorway the two were talking at. The pair jumped back in surprise before Rika asked, "Is Luffy here?" Makino shook her head.

"He just left with a bag of things for his trip with Lucci-san."

"Do you think he'll be going to Lucci's house?"

"Probably. Their plan was to leave tonight."

"Thanks," Rika bowed, doing a one-eighty to dash back up the small hill, "I'll find out what isn't right with everything!"

The brown-haired angel had small legs, but she was fast. Speeding her way across the paths, she took shortcuts through Marshmallow Tree Forest and on hardly touched trails. Still, she was not as fast as Luffy.

Getting to the house, the ebony-haired boy found Lucci had not returned yet. Opening the door, he went to sit on the couch, but decided against it since his stomach decided to start up a growl. Opening the cupboards, he ate everything he could find that was edible, before walking out onto the back porch.

His sandals made a quiet slapping sound as he strolled to the railing and looked out at the endless ocean of golden wheat. They moved in the wind and created waves that calmed Luffy's nerves. He was still a little tense from the scene in town, so watching something so like the serene sea made him feel as if he could breathe normally again.

Behind him, Luffy heard a rustling sound. He spun around, thinking he'd see Lucci smiling a sly smile and tell him they were going to get going, but it was only Sanji's books. A book had flipped open, turning pages in the breeze. Picking them up, Luffy opened his bag and stuck them in. Maybe he could read them if he was really bored on the trip. No, in reality, he just wanted something to remind him of his best friend, who helped him through all his hard times. Now that Luffy was going on a trip, he could only bring items with him, not actual people. The three books would have to do to replace Sanji.

There was a knock on the porch door and Luffy looked up, Lucci finally standing there. In his arms were a dozen white roses and two-dozen red ones. "Luffy-chan, we're almost ready to go."

Luffy nodded, closing his bag quickly before going back inside. Looking at the dining room table, there sat two cups of tea, steam slowly rising from their surfaces. When Lucci had his back turned, Luffy was about to swipe a cup. Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll drink those a little later. Right now, I need you to go sit on the couch and wait, alright?"

"Fine," Luffy huffed, wishing he could make a pass at the tea as he passed the table. He didn't though, and plopped down on the couch, his bag slipping to the carpet. It was almost time for the trip to begin, but he already felt drained – which was a very unnatural feeling for someone always so happy and hyper.

Upstairs, Lucci put his roses on the bed and began to pack. He grabbed a bag and multiple bottles filled with Crystal Water. Putting them in, he looked around for anything else he might need. Nope. He was done filling his pack already. Heading back down the spiral staircase, roses in hand, he heard a strange noise. It was similar to nails scratching on wood. Opening the door quickly, Lucci saw that Luffy was indeed scratching the wooden coffee table with his nails. No, not nails, but claws. The roses dropped to the floor.

"Luffy-chan?"

"Huh?" Luffy looked up, startled out of his trance of scratching his name into the table (he was on his second 'f', by the way). His claw turning back into a hand quickly, he got off the couch and grabbed his bag. "Are we ready to go?"

Lucci was still stunned at what he had seen. Rubbing his eyes, he gazed at Luffy who was suddenly in front of him picking up the fallen roses. Maybe it was the trick of the eyes. Believing that, Lucci stepped around his comrade and to the kitchen. Searching in the drawers holding miscellaneous items, he found a small bottle of pink powder.

"What's that?"

"Some seasoning for the tea," Lucci answered, slightly turning his head to see Luffy at his shoulder.

"Oh, are we gonna have the tea now?" was the next question. Lucci nodded and Luffy dashed to the dining table, draining his cup before the other angel had time to get up. Popping off the top of the bottle, Lucci sprinkled a little into the remaining cup of tea and pushed it towards Luffy.

"Try it with this. It's a wonderful taste from the city we're going to. I just want to get you acquainted with some of their flavorings."

Luffy downed the tea and wobbled a little, touching his dizzying forehead with an unsteady hand. Within seconds, he stumbled forward, cup crashing to the floor.

Rika stared at the scene she had opened the door to. She opened her mouth and let out a shriek of terror, but she couldn't move herself to her friend's side. Maybe it was Lucci's devilish grin.

"Oh dear," Lucci sighed, picking up a red rose, "did someone forget to knock before entering?"

"What did you do?" the little girl screamed back, pointing at the passed out body of Luffy. It was not natural for someone to drink tea and then suddenly collapse. For all she knew, Luffy was dead.

Going into the kitchen, Lucci grabbed a pouch of something, holding his nose before he opened it. Tossing the thing at Rika, she shrieked as it hit her in the face. A mist dusted her eyes and she dropped to the floor, sleeping like a log.

Lucci sighed; he hadn't been expecting to have to carry two people. Knowing Luffy would be out for at least seven hours according to the dosage, the only angel left awake decided to take Rika home first. Picking up her small form, he walked out the door. Everything would still be according to plan. No matter what.

Nami: NYAAAA!
Chopper: Chiffhanger!
Everyone else: Oh my god.
Sanji: Didn't see that coming. Almost forgot all about Lucci in the first part.
Robin: Luffy and Zoro are... no longer boyfriends?
Vivi: NOOOOOOOO!
KittyLuffy: Calm down. I have a great pla- *falls to the floor bleeding*
Chopper: Kya! DOCTOR! Someone get a doctor!
Usopp: That's you! Has she been hitting her head this whole time? *looks at the bloody wall* Yup.
Sanji: Please comment on if you EVER expected this shocking chapter.
Robin: Also, what do you think Lucci put in the tea? Or threw at Rika-chan? Hope you enjoyed.
Vivi: And Happy Holidays!