Chapter 24

That evening, Ace waited by the small beach behind the house and looked out for Zoro.

Zoro wasn't far from the waiting elder brother and he took a deep breath before going up to the said brother. "Hey Ace-san." He said, figured he should go for the formal approach than be too familiar.

"Hello, Zoro-san…" Ace said as he looked at the man on the wet sandy ground with the water gently lapping back and forth.

"What would you like to know?" Zoro asked, figured that he should let the other get the questions out now and not hesitate.

"You're full name."

"Roronoa Zoro."

"Age."

"Nineteen."

"Reason why you're on this island."

"Because I was considered an outcast since I was born and the group abandoned me after my mother died. When the storm hit I was beached and Luffy found me and took me to his secret place where I live now."

"How would you describe yourself?"

"I'm strong enough to take on a shark that would try to hurt Luffy and anyone else he was playing with on the water, I don't have great sense of direction and get lost pretty easily, I wouldn't call myself smart, but I'm certainly not stupid about what's going on especially with Luffy being an alternative teacher to me. I'm usually laid back but I do get annoyed easily, but I do have a good tolerance level depending how well I know the person."

"And with Luffy?"

"I've known him long enough that I rarely get annoyed by him."

"Okay…" Ace said as he was thinking of any other easier questions to ask of him before he throws out the big bombs. "Do you have anyone else to talk to other than my brother?"

"I had an old friend that I call old tentacles, but he recently left the cove to find his last resting place."

"I'm sorry…"

"It's okay. He's a great advisor and helped me out on some things for the first few months since I lived here."

Ace found that he knows enough of the basics and decided to step up the questions. "So… You said Luffy taught you some things, but what have you yourself learned when he's not around?"

Zoro had a feeling he was going to be asked something like that, and he was going to upfront and be honest. "Well… in my rounds in the islands, mostly in the evenings, I would often catch some couples intimately mate at the beach."

Ace was afraid to hear this. "Really…"

"Man and woman, woman and woman, and man on man…" Zoro said.

"Have you ever thought…" He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"When I turned to the age of change, I have thought about it, but I never went up to Luffy in that way, otherwise you would've killed me a long time ago."

Ace saw the logic of that but he stared at the man. "So… what do you do when you two are together?"

"Talk about our day, Luffy would do homework and I would either learn from what he's learned or review for a test he has coming up. He practices his dance routine and I would watch."

Ace saw that blush on the man's face even in the pale moonlight. "Were you ever tempted…?"

Zoro can feel his face burn, but he had to answer every question if he was ever going to get the elder's trust. "Many times and every time I have to congratulate myself that I haven't acted on it."

"Why?" Ace was curious to say the least. He was glad to know the man had a lot of self control, but he wanted to know why the man never done anything if this wasn't the first time.

"Because Luffy is the only friend I have in this world, my whole world that I would protect without a second thought, and…" He stopped, not sure if he should say it.

"You love him…" Ace finished as he put two and two together, times it by twenty-five, and in the infinite power. "You're in love with my brother."

Zoro's face was beyond hot at this point and had to cup some salt water to his face, which cooled only slightly.

"I'm guessing Luffy doesn't know."

"I couldn't bring myself to say it."

"Why?"

Zoro was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Because I don't want him to feel he can't go anywhere if I'm stuck here… If he decides to go off this island one day, or he finds someone else…" He just couldn't imagine the other being with anyone else, but he had to be realistic. "It will be one less hurt for him."

"But more for you."

Zoro smiled sadly. "At least I have his friendship… That's more than what I would've asked for when I was younger."

Both were in a pausing silence before Ace sighed. "That's all I have to ask you."

"You're welcome…" Zoro said as he moved back into the water.

"Zoro…" Ace said as the other looked at him. "Thanks for making my brother happy and making sure he was safe."

Zoro nodded as he dived into deeper waters and felt his eyes warming up and then getting cold. This could only mean that he was crying, but he went back to the cove, where he saw the dark violet bottle and a note that was obviously from Robin.

***

Back in the beach house, Ace entered to see that Luffy was still awake in the living room. He smiled warmly, which the younger took as a good sign and hugged his brother.

"I told you he wasn't what you thought he is."

Ace held the other and still thought about the man silently loving his brother, but would never say it for the fear the other wouldn't move on if he did. It was bittersweet and not many people like bittersweet. "Yeah… he's a great guy." He said as he also got curious of what his brother thought of the other. Did he love the man as well? It would explain a lot, but then he could be wrong. "Hey, mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"What is it?" Luffy curiously asked as he looked at his brother.

"Do you love Zoro?"

"Of course I do, he's my best friend."

"I mean… would you… kiss… him." It took a lot of courage to say the word, but he had to know. Curiosity was a horrible trait in the family.

Luffy thought about it. "I've always kissed him on the forehead when I have a test that day." He then remembered that day when both were under the water and how the sun light through the water made the man seem amazing. He blushed on that thought, which didn't go unnoticed by the elder.

"So you really like him more than a friend?"

Luffy's face seemed to warm up more by that thought. "Well… He always makes sure I don't drown when we're looking for shells in the ocean… I always feel happy when I see him… And when I have a bad day, he makes me feel better even though he doesn't anything… He's strong and kind…" He then looked shocked. "I love him…" He whispered.

Ace heard it and he thought it was entirely his fault that the other realized his true feelings. 'Damn curiosity…' He thought as he watched his brother go through a few phases of red.

"Oh man… What will Zoro think if he knew?"

Ace saw the other stressing out about this little realization and watched as his younger brother is now pacing around the living room, saying what he should do now. He would tell the other that Zoro felt the same way, but why should he? Isn't this the part where he let the two figure out on their own.

"I had a dream of having sex with him a few times, but-"

"Wait! What!?" Ace said as his train of thought just crashed coursed.