A/N: welcome to this story! not gonna waste much time in the beginning other than thanks for being interested and reading this brainrot of a fic. lol.

one

"Lami and...Luffy!"

A disappointed murmur sweeps the crowd, and Luffy suddenly feels an elbow jut in his side. He sits up in a sleepy stupor, rubbing at his eyes, yawning. "Is it over yet?"

"Idiot," Zoro chides in a hurried whisper, "did you not just hear Mr. Rayleigh?"

"No," Luffy grumbles, scanning over the glares thrown his way, particularly from the females of the lecture hall. "And why is everyone looking at me like that?"

From across the classroom, Lami gives him a forced wave and smile. "I look forward to working with you, Luffy!"

Luffy blinks at her, then returns back to Zoro, completely and utterly confused. "I missed out on something big, didn't I?"

"Yup," Zoro sighs, rubbing his temples. "You never learn."

The teacher in the front of the room chuckles, knowing gaze sweeping up and down Luffy's form. "I expect good things from you, Luffy, since you're paired with the top student."

"Top student?" Luffy feels the blood drain from his face. "No way! I want to be with Zoro!"

Zoro makes a strangled noise, then clamps a hand over Luffy's mouth. "Shut up you idiot! I don't want to get in trouble! Or worse, get even more work on my plate!"

Luffy squirms from behind the hand over his mouth and glares down at his teacher. "Switch my pair to Zoro!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Luffy," Mr. Rayleigh chuckles, "everyone else has been paired up already."

"Really?" Luffy deflates. "So Zoro, you're already paired up..?"

"Yeah," he grunts, placing his chin in his palm, elbow on the table. "With the most annoying guy here."

A few rows behind them, a blonde waves down at Luffy, clearly irritated, if his strained smile is anything to go by, then flips off Zoro. Zoro scowls up at the man and returns the gesture with one of his own.

Luffy watches with raised brows as Zoro huffs, turning his back on the young man. It wasn't like him to get so riled up. "Who is that?"

"His name is Sanji." Zoro frowns to himself. "And I hate that bastard."

"Did he do something to-"

"No," he cuts him off, eyes narrowing. "I just hate him."

"Ah," Luffy nods, not understanding. "I see."

After a quick beat of silence, and a signal from the teacher that they were dismissed for the session, a brilliant question pops into Luffy's mind.

"Hey Zoro," Luffy starts as students pass them on their left and right. Zoro throws his bag over his shoulder and turns to Luffy.

"Yeah?"

Luffy offers him a sheepish smile. "What do we need partners for anyway?"

Zoro slaps his head to his forehead. "Right. You weren't paying attention in class, were you?"

Luffy giggles lightly. "I was sleepy!"

Zoro rolls his eyes and sighs. "I'll explain to you over lunch."

"Lunch?" Luffy jumps up with a newfound excitement. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Let's go!"

Zoro shakes his head, lips pursed. "Of course that's what gets your attention. When's your mind not on food?"

"Never!" Luffy's halfway up the staircase to the lecture hall's exit, waving up Zoro frantically. "Now come on! I don't wanna wait in their long ass lines for meat!"

"Aye aye, captain," Zoro grumbles, following after his friend with a smile.

"...And that's the basics of it all."

"So a big ass project?" Luffy crinkles his nose as he slurps his soda. "Gross."

"Right?" Zoro pops a fry into his mouth. "But we've gotta. It's for our final grade."

The cafeteria was full of bustling students going to and fro, talking loudly and eating food. Luffy and Zoro chose a spot in the far corner, away from the chaos, where they could speak in peace without being interrupted. It's not the quietest place in the world, but Luffy loves the food, and Zoro loves to tag along. He's so grateful to have such a great friend.

"I don't care about final grades," Luffy says under his breath, licking his lips and tearing off a piece of juicy meat from its bone. "I just want to be free for winter break."

"You can be if you play your cards right."

"What do you mean?"

Zoro makes a strangled sound. "Are you kidding me? You've got Lami as a partner!"

Luffy tilts his head in question. "And?"

"And?" Zoro repeats incredulously. "Dude, she's the smartest in the class! Not even a bum like you could fail with her by your side!"

"Hey!" Luffy swats at him, but Zoro dodges with a frown.

"Seriously," Zoro points a finger to him, "you're lucky. Everyone wants to be her partner."

Luffy relaxes somewhat. "Huh, so that's why they were all staring when Rayleigh picked me earlier."

Zoro lowers his eyes. "Well, that, and...well, there's another reason."

Luffy sets his drink down. "I'm listening."

"Well, this project...it's very involved," Zoro explains with his hands spread wide. "It's going to require at least a few weeks to complete, so-"

"Weeks?!" Luffy slams his hands on the table. "No way! I don't want to do it!"

Zoro's brows come together in worry. "But-"

"But you're gonna have to."

Luffy and Zoro turn to the new voice to grace them. It's Lami, glaring down at the two of them with her arms crossed. Her golden eyes narrow in challenge as she takes them both in.

"Lami..." Luffy breathes.

"If you're expecting me to do all the work, give up on that thought now," she huffs prettily. "Rayleigh has structured this assignment in a way where he'll not only be able to tell if one person did all the work, but they'll actually be deducted points for doing so."

She sighs, fingers digging into her biceps. "So as much as I want to do this without your help, my hands are tied."

Zoro blinks up at her confusedly. "So what're you going to do? Actually work together? Luffy isn't the brightest tool in the shed."

"Zoro!" Luffy hisses. "I so can work a tool in a shed!"

"I don't know," Lami admits, running a palm through brown locks. "But there's no way we can get things done here at school, this guy will get distracted way too easily."

"Wait," Luffy's jaw slackens. "Does that mean I'm going over to the infamous Trafalgar home?"

Lami looks like she'd rather lick a toilet seat. "Sadly."

"What, so you know about them, but you don't know about anything else?" Zoro chuckles, lips drawing upwards into a smile. "Weirdo."

"Well duh I know about them!" Luffy cries, frowning at Zoro. "They were the most popular sibling duo here until the elder brother graduated from grad school last year...right?"

"Right," Lami nods. "So we have a reputation to uphold. If you come and ruin this for me during finals week, what in the world am I going to tell my brother? My parents?"

"I dunno," Luffy wonders aloud, and Zoro smacks him along the head.

"That was rhetorical, Luffy."

"My bad," he snickers, rubbing the spot on his head where Zoro hit him.

Lami looks unamused at their antics. "Well then...Luffy. We need to get started right away." She reaches out a hand. "Your phone."

"But why?" Luffy asks, already pulling out the device.

"For your number, silly," Lami groans. "Just give it here."

She snatches the phone from Luffy's hands and busies herself inputting her number. As she does that, brow furrowed in concentration, Zoro covers his mouth and leans towards Luffy. "Kind of an ice queen, huh?"

"Eh, I guess?" Luffy whispers right back, eyebrows shooting up when Lami curses to herself then types violently onto Luffy's phone. "Maybe she's just stressed she has me as a partner."

Zoro snorts. "I know I would be. You're the type to do everything last minute."

A smile stretches Luffy's face. "Ok...you've got me there. Doesn't mean I'm unreliable though. You know I always pull through."

"True, but hey, at least now you have the Ice Queen to rely on."

Lami looks up and glares at them. "I can hear you, you know."

"Oops," Luffy murmurs, pulling away from Zoro with a laugh. "Our bad."

She rolls her eyes and hands the phone back to Luffy. "There. Now you can reach me with any questions...concerns...questions."

Luffy frowns as Zoro laughs beside him. "Why did you say questions twice?"

"You were sleeping during class, right?" Lami deadpans. "I doubt you caught all the details."

Zoro slurps his tea. "She has a point."

Luffy makes a face. "Shut up, Zoro!"

"Whatever," Lami rolls her eyes. "I'll give you a call later tonight."

Luffy sets down his meat, halfway to his mouth. "Why?"

"Why else?" Lami tucks her phone into her pocket. "We're gonna be starting today."

"Today?!"

"Yes," she affirms with a wicked smile. "I'll let you know details in a text. I'll expect lots of effort from you, Luffy."

When she walks away with a slight sway to her hips, Zoro tuts at her retreating back. "Boy, am I glad I don't have her."

"Zoro! What am I supposed to do?" Luffy wails, reaching across the table and grabbing his shoulders. "How am I supposed to live now that I have to go over to her house every night?"

"Calm down," Zoro sighs, pushing him away. "She didn't say every night. And think about it...now you're the center of envy for the entire class."

"I am?" Luffy sits back in his seat and chews thoughtfully on some meat. "Why?"

"Because she's a Trafalgar, remember?" Zoro repeats, exasperated. "And very few and far in between have been to their home."

"Why should I care about some girl's house?" Luffy drawls in a lazy voice. "I'd much rather just hang out at your place."

"It's not really Lami you should be fussing over." Zoro pokes him in the chest. "It's her brother."

Luffy raises a brow. "Hah? What's wrong with her brother?"

"That's actually the other reason I wanted to tell you about before we were interrupted," Zoro begins, tone hushed as he leans forward to Luffy. "While he was a student here, there were awful rumors going around about him. Things like he sliced up frogs, for fun."

Luffy recoils. "Ew! What the fuck?"

Zoro looks grim. "Yeah, and that he read weird books and liked cutting people up and was all around a creep. Of course, these were all rumors, but he earned quite the rep for being the cold, unapproachable type."

"Then how come he was so popular?" Luffy questions, finger hooked on a chin.

"His looks," Zoro clips with a roll of the eyes. "Girls and guys alike practically worshipped the ground he walked on."

Luffy places the finishing touches on his plate, emptying it of all remaining food. "And? Why are you telling me all of this?"

Zoro levels him with a serious stare. "Because I want you to figure out if the rumors are true or not."

"Huh?" Luffy melts against his seat. "But I don't care!"

"Well I do." Zoro leans forward in his seat. "Please."

"Ugh...fine," Luffy relents, sighing. "But I'm warning you, if the guy's really as bad as people made him out to be, I'm out."

"Thanks!" Zoro brightens. "I knew you would always come through for me!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Luffy mutters, gathering his things and exiting their little booth.

It can't possibly be so bad, going over the Trafalgar residence and working on their project, right? What's the worst that can happen?

Luffy hopes his worries aren't warranted.

A/N: and thus concludes the first chapter of this lil fic i'm writing on the side of drf! i hope you all enjoyed!

P.S. i've had this whole idea for a while, but it took a few good friends to actually bring this into fruition! im ngl i have no idea where im going with this but we'll see as we go along! lmaooo.