A/N: My take on why Luffy seemed interested in Zoro despite the nasty rumours. I wrote this listening to Howie Day's Colldie; you should try reading this while listening to it. And a heartfelt thanks for MyHeartbreaker who helped me with Luffy's past!
("He's such a freak; he stretches," the children hissed, only to wilt in fear when Luffy noticed them. Luffy stuck his tongue out before running away and when the children burst into a flurry of hushed whispers behind him, he refused to look back, refused to see their clasped hands and breathless giggles. They were just jealous he was friends with Shanks. Luffy reached the pier but found an empty sea and the setting sun. He rested his chin on his knees and began to wait. They were just jealous.
"Trash," The townspeople would mutter on the rare days Luffy snuck into town alone. He felt the disgusted stares, caught murmurs of Grey Terminal and the Devil's spawns and Luffy stiffened in his brothers' defense because Ace and Sabo were from Grey Terminal too but they weren't trash, they were the greatest brothers in the entire Grand Line. He'd shout it at the stupid townspeople and fight all of them for Ace and Sabo but that would cause a scene and his brothers would skin him alive if they knew he came here alone. Luffy turned away with a lump in his throat and a wrinkle in his brow; one day, they'd prove the whispers wrong. )
"D'ja'hear? Willy's been taken." A heavyset man glanced around and upon finding the bar empty save a straw hat boy in the corner, he relaxed. "They say its him."
The man's drinking partner's eyes widened. "The Demon Hunter?"
"Yeah, some swear he's not human but a monster."
In the corner, the straw hat boy perked up.
"Ya remember Dick? He's the one who got 'im as well."
"I thought Johnny and Yosak..?"
"Nah, I heard different-huh?" The man looked at the sudden presence by his elbow. "Whaddya want kid?"
The boy looked thoughtful. "You say he's a monster?"
"Lookin' for fame?" The man reared back to take in the boy. "Ya won't stand a chance. He's the Devil himself."
Monkey D. Luffy grinned. "What's his name?"
(Maybe they were just jealous but he'd prove all of them wrong.)