Chapter 2: Let the games begin

Luffy grinned as he stared out at the sea. Completely unaware of what the swordsman and chef were discussing. He was quite happy not knowing.

"Hey Luffy. Wanna play a game?" Zolo asked all of a sudden appearing beside him. Luffy looked up. What the hell? Zolo just asked me to play a game with him? Weird.

"Sure! What do you want to play?" Luffy asked.

"It's up to you."

"Umm, how about… hide and seek?" Luffy suggested. Zolo nodded. "Not it!" Luffy shouted and then scooted off. Zolo sighed and began counting to 20. Luffy ran around the corner and searched frantically for a good hiding place. He ran into the boy's cabin and found Sanji sitting on his bed reading a book of some sort. Luffy paid no heed and jumped under the couch, stretching himself so he would fit. Sanji watched him and then raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, Luffy? What are you doing?" Sanji asked. Luffy giggled.

"Playing hide and seek with Zolo." Luffy replied. "Shh." Sanji sighed and went back to his book. Zolo clumped in and looked around. He sneered at the sight of Sanji, spotted a wooden sandal sticking out from under the couch, walked over and grabbed the foot. He pulled off the sandal and then began to tickle the rubber man's long foot. Luffy giggled and tried to pull free but couldn't.

"Zolo!" Luffy giggled and Zolo finally let him go. Sanji snorted and Zolo glared at him. Then Luffy hugged the swordsman and Zolo let a self satisfied smile spread across his face and sent it toward Sanji. Sanji snorted again and then went back to reading his book. Luffy looked over his shoulder with a confused expression.

"Do you want to play as well Sanji?" Luffy asked. Sanji paused a moment and then he smiled.

"Yeah…I'll be it." he said sneakily. Zolo felt dread settle in his stomach at the thought of Sanji finding Luffy alone. Thus, he also came up with a plan.

"Ok. You count to 20 and Zolo and me'll hide!" Luffy cried. He skittered out of the room and Zolo followed leaving Sanji to count. Zolo snuck up behind Luffy who was looking around a little concernedly.

"Can't find a spot?" Zolo whispered. Luffy turned and rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. Zolo chuckled softly.
"Why don't we hide together and then it will be harder for Sanji to find us. Do you think?" Zolo suggested. Luffy thought a moment. Then realisation dawned on his face.

"Hey yeah!" he cried. Zolo smiled and looked around him. There was a room right beside them and Zolo ducked in. Perfect. There was a large cupboard that was hidden behind a heap of boxes. Luckily, there was a gap small enough for the two to slip in.

"Come on Luffy." Zolo said and grabbed Luffy's arm. Luffy laughed as he was dragged in and Zolo shut the door. They hurried quickly and quietly over to the cupboard and manoeuvred themselves so they fit inside. As it turned out, to Zolo's delight, they were pressed close together, chest to chest in fact. Luffy let out a small giggle and Zolo smiled and shushed him.

Zolo was thinking about the expression that would spread across the cook's face when he found them. Well, time passed, at least an hour and Zolo's urge to sleep was overcoming his urge to grab Luffy and kiss him then and there. He felt his eyes close and his head drop onto Luffy's straw hat. He groaned at the scratchiness of it and nudged it out of the way before letting his face rest in Luffy's soft hair.

"Uh, Zolo?" Luffy asked.

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Sleeping."

"Oh." and then there was a crash, a curse and then the door opened. The light made Luffy squint but then he saw Sanji.

"Sanji!" he cried and ducked out from under Zolo. This caused Zolo to overbalance and he fell flat on his nose.

"Ow!" he cried and sat up rubbing his face. Sanji snickered.

"Dinner's ready." Sanji said.

"Yay!" Luffy cried and ran towards the kitchen. Sanji gave Zolo one last snicker before he walked out as well. Zolo growled and hurried after them. Knowing Sanji, and he did, the sly cook had probably planned trapping Luffy somewhere and then… Zolo shuddered, he didn't want to think about it. But, as it turned out, Sanji had been telling the truth. Dinner was indeed served. He sat down next to Luffy, seat reserved by the captain just for him as he was the first mate. Sanji glowered. He was left to sit on the other side of Nami who had the other seat beside Luffy.

"Great food Sanji!" Luffy cried, his mouth full of food. Nami hit Luffy over the head.

"How many times must I tell you? Don't eat with your mouth full!" she cried. Luffy gulped down his food.

"Sorry Nami." he apologised and then went to eat some more but he found his plate was empty. He let out a plaintive whine. "All gone." he complained and then started eyeing off Sanji's food. His rubber arm stretched ever so slightly and his hand crept towards Sanji's food until a fork came down on it and the rubber captain squealed, quickly withdrawing his hand and then rubbing it.

"Saaaaaanjiiiii!" he whined. Sanji shook his head and Luffy let out another whine.

"Here." Zolo said and handed his plate to Luffy. Luffy blinked at him and then his face split into a smile.

"Thanks Zolo. You're the best!" he cried and then began to gobble down the food. Zolo smiled and glanced at Sanji, who stabbed his fork into a piece of meat and began chewing it like he wished he could kill it all over again. Inside Zolo was laughing his head off. Nami glanced between the two and smiled.

"Sanji," Nami said sweetly causing the love cook to turn and hearts to beat in his eyes. "Would you please come and help me with a map in my room?"

"Of course my gorgeous Nami!" Sanji responded and then followed the smaller woman out. Usopp looked to Chopper who shrugged. Nami walked back in, grabbed the two around the collar and dragged them out. Zolo sweat dropped.

What the hell was that about? he thought. Luffy had apparently noticed nothing. Zolo looked at the young boy. They were…alone? Alone! Zolo's eyebrow rose and a smile spread across his face. Okay, so how was he to woo Luffy? How was he to get Luffy into his arms? Not to mention other places. Doh! Now he had a nosebleed again!

"Ah, Zolo? You wanna get a tissue for that?" Luffy's voice interrupted his thoughts. Zolo jumped back, large drips forming in the air around him and a blush forming on his cheeks.

"Yeah. Sure." he said and hurried out. Luffy watched him and then shrugged. He yawned and got up, thinking about heading to bed. Sanji and Zolo sure had been acting weird today, but, he wasn't complaining, he had been able to play a great game! He yawned and flopped into his hammock, taking his hat and laying it across his chest. He was asleep almost instantly, dreaming about meat and becoming king of the pirates.

Zolo staggered in a little while later and to his dismay found Luffy already asleep in his hammock. Zolo cursed his rotten luck as he slipped into his own bed, listening to Luffy's soft snores. He sighed. How the hell could he compete with Sanji's cooking? The love cook was so much better at this than he was. He had no real knowledge of how to even kiss properly. He sighed sadly and rolled over. This was such a miserable existence.

Teehee. I like this chappie the best. What did you all think? Free virtual Zolo plushie's to reviewers!