Chapter 6: Payback

Zolo woke to the sound of scritch scratching downstairs. He jumped up and ran down the stairs expecting to find some sort of burglar but it was only Shanks.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he wandered in, scratching his head tiredly. He had panicked for nothing?

"Making breakfast." Shanks replied. Zolo stopped and stared. The older man had made pancakes and bacon and… everything! It wouldn't be long before Luffy came running down the stairs. Sure enough, Zolo had barely began the B word, before Luffy's door opened and he was bolting down the stairs. Zolo laughed, then hurried into the kitchen to get a share of the food before Luffy inhaled it all.

When they were finished, Zolo retrieved the money from the room upstairs and then pulled his swords on. You would never know when you would need them.

"But Shanks, I don't want to lose you and Zolo the way I lost my parents." Luffy begged the red haired man. Zolo stopped on the stairs, his eyes burning.

"Here." Shanks's voice said and Zolo peeked around the corner to see Shanks place his straw hat upon Luffy's head. Luffy seemed beyond words with this gift and he hugged the older man around the middle. Zolo watched them for a bit and then walked in.

"I'm gonna wait outside." Shanks said. Zolo nodded as Luffy turned to him, his eyes shivering slightly.

"Zolo." Luffy whimpered. The green haired man gazed at the boy, his emotions running high. It was now he realised, Luffy was his everything. Everything was Luffy and no matter what it took, he would return to his charge and love. Luffy's eyes were beginning to stream and Zolo felt his own eyes prickle.

"Luffy. It'll be okay, I'll come back to you." Zolo said walking over to the black haired boy. Luffy looked up at him quietly.

"How can you be so sure, I mean, Kuro and Chaser are murderers, they have killed men before, they're wanted people. If they killed you and Shanks, I…I don't know what I would do." Luffy gasped through his sobs. Zolo embraced the young man and held him close.

"I know I'll return Luffy, you wanna know how I know? It's because I love you. That's how." Zolo said, the words just tumbling out. Luffy paused and looked up at the swordsman, awe on his face.

"You love me?" he asked. Zolo nodded.

"Yes Luffy, and so, I promise you that I will return and if I don't then, you can kill me." Zolo said with a slight chuckle. Luffy smiled weakly.

"That's a stupid joke Zolo." Luffy said. Zolo nodded and, deep inside him, he felt that this was the right time, this was the moment he had been waiting for.

Gently placing his hand under Luffy's chin, he tilted it up ever so slightly and leaned down towards the boy of his dreams. Their lips met softly at first and then Zolo found Luffy pushing up into the kiss, as if the smaller man wanted to be sucked into the swordsman's mouth just so they could be together forever. They parted and with a final hug, Zolo walked out the door.

"Lock all the doors Luffy and don't let anyone in." Zolo said back to him. Luffy nodded and Shanks and Zolo set off to meet up with Kuro and Chaser. This would be a long walk.Or would it be a short journey?

well, Luffy and Zolo are now together officially.