Everyday Life with the Straw Hats

Mariejois arc: part 14: Out on the Town

"Do you really mean it?" Mero asked again, still in disbelief that she will be staying with Sanji. this man who she has just met on the side of the street. Surely it must be true love. or at the very least, that was what Mero was thinking.

"Of course, I truly mean it." Sanji replied back with a warm smile. "But before we head back to the house where you'll be staying, why don't we go around town for a bit. Would that be fine with you." Sanji asked, with a swift gentleman's bow, "M'lady."

Mero blushed at Sanji's gesture. "Yes, that would be delightful." Mero cupped her hands on her cheeks, trying to hide the blush. "Sir Sanji."

Sanji blushed back as well.

Sanji grabbed the handles of her wheelchair, and off they went. They were going to have an afternoon they would not soon forget. the first stop was a walk through the park.

"Oh my, the scenery is absolutely beautiful." Mero said in awe as she looked around at all the fauna.

"Yeah, it sure is, but not as beautiful as you." Sanji replied sweetly.

"Oh, sir Sanji, you're too kind." Said Mero, once again trying to hide her blush.

After about an hour or so of walking through the park and taking in all the fresh air, they decided to go to the library. Mero said she was very interested in seeing what types of books there were to read.

once they reached the library, the first area that Mero wanted to view was the section on "romance/drama."

"So, you like romance stories I take it?" Sanji asked.

"Oh yes, especially ones with tragedy. They are my favorite." Mero stated happily.

"Well, if that's what you enjoy, who am I to judge." Sanji replied back.

After a little bit of them picking out books that they wanted to rent, Sanji came to the romance isle with a cook book in his hand. He was surprised to see that Mero had at least six romantic drama novels she wanted to check out.

"Wow, when you said you like tragedy novels, you weren't kidding." Sanji said playfully. Mero just smiled back at him.

Now, they decided to head back home. Shortly after they came home and Sanji showed her around the house, everyone else started coming back. Although everyone was caught off guard by Sanji holding hands with a mermaid.

Except for Miia and Cerea, everyone froze in shock.

"D-D-Don't tell me….." Usopp stuttered.

"that Sanji has….." Brook moaned in disbelief.

"A GIRLFRIEND?!" exclaimed all the straw hats. All but one though.

"Oh please, give me a break." Zoro said walking up to see Sanji.

"Isn't it obvious, this isn't his girlfriend, this is all an act, he's staging this to try and one-up me." Zoro explained with an incredibly smug look on his face.

He looked Sanji straight in the eye, challenging his masculinity. "Isn't that right, curly brows? You don't have what it takes to impress a real girl, so you hire one to pretend to date you! How low." Then Zoro turned to Mero, he loosened up when he looked at the mermaid. Not trying to scare her or anything. "So ma'am, how much did this turd pay you? 100, 200 berries?"

"actually, I do genuinely like sir Sanji." Mero said calmly. "and I don't appreciate you talking down to my boyfriend." Mero said with a firmer tone now.

Zoro's face turned from smug to sheer disbelief. He couldn't believe his eternal rival has finally achieved such a goal. he refused to believe it.

Now it was Sanji's turn for gloating. "What was that you said earlier about if I get a girlfriend, you'll say my food tastes good." Sanji said with a tone of the highest arrogance.

"…..Your…..food…tastes….good." Zoro muttered with disgust.

Before anymore gloating could continue, Ms. Smith entered the house.

"Oh, so I see you met your new home stay guest. Good, then here is your paperwork, now I will be going. Have a nice day." And like that, she left, but not without getting a cup of coffee to take with her. "oh, before I forget." she paused at the doorway. "there were some suspicious people hanging around the Thousand Sunny on my way here, you might want to check on that."

"I'll go see what's going on." Usopp stated. "I was going to visit the hardware store around the ship yard, so I'll go check on the Sunny."

So Usopp gathered his trusty gear, and off he went. But not even he is aware of what is waiting for him at the ship yard.