A.N: Hey guys, Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Thank you to all my readers and thank you very much to all my lovely reviewers.

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Bonds of Trust

Chapter 6

"Luffy…" Zoro began breathlessly and he asked himself: 'Why am I so…disgusting?'

"I'm…so sorry. I really didn't mean for this to happen." He said, hiding his face in his hands. He was so repulsive, so unworthy to be feeling such things and reacting in such ways.

"Um…it's okay you know." Luffy said, frowning at the apologetic swordsman. He placed a hand on Zoro's thigh and tried to find his eyes through a cage of fingers. "If anyone is to blame, then it has got to me," he said, earning an eye to come out from hiding. One by one the fingers dropped until Zoro's whole face was in view. The swordsman's eyes glistened as he stared back at him and his lips were parted and it seemed as if he had trouble breathing. What had he done to him? Why was he blaming himself? Luffy felt so frustrated…why was Zoro acting like this? "You saved my life," he insisted. "So it's okay."

Zoro just didn't know what to do. It was all so…confusing. What in the world was Luffy saying? He had just discovered he had a 'problem' and now he was saying he was responsible. It didn't make any logical sense. Luffy shouldn't want him in that way… so why…?

Zoro zoned out of his thoughts and allowed what was going to happen, happen. He watched Luffy's eyes start to water. Oh god…what had he done?

"What have I done?" Luffy said, echoing Zoro's thoughts.

Zoro's eyes widened, but his thoughts remained blank. What was going to happen…would happen.

"Zoro, it's okay. Tell me…what's on your mind." Luffy asked carefully.

"You are." Zoro answered immediately, forgetting to run his words through his brain before speaking.

What was going to happen…would happen….shit!

Zoro's eyes widened, as did Luffy's. He watched as the young captain turned his face away. He watched as the small body began to tremble. He watched as the boy hugged himself in a protective manner.

"I'm…hungry Zoro," Luffy's voice gave off a more composed vibe than his body.

Zoro shook his head. If Luffy wanted to forget this mess, than that was fine by him. He wouldn't have had it any other way. "Okay, I'm almost done." he mumbled. He grabbed the showerhead and rinsed the lathered mass of shampoo off thoroughly.

He turned off the water supply and grabbed Luffy's towel from the rack next to him. Dropping it on the boy's head, he dried the wet hair in silence. He dabbed Luffy's face from behind, not forgetting to scrub his neck or behind his ears. That was enough- he couldn't do anymore for him. Not now.

"Here you go." Zoro said when the boy brought out his arms blindly, waiting for the towel to fill them. When the rough material did, Luffy stood and wrapped the towel around himself. Zoro rose as his captain carried himself out of the tub, and walked him to the door.

"Go put on the clothes Robin left for you- they're on your hammock. I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few. Your hat should be there too." Zoro said, his voice void from any unusual emotion. Luffy nodded, turned away from him and departed.

Zoro closed the door quietly and pressed his back against it. A heavy pang of desperation surged through him. He wanted to detach himself from his so called 'manhood'. He didn't need it! It actually made him less of a man!

"I am so stupid!" Zoro screamed with no restraint. He didn't care if anyone heard him. It was all facts. He started to hyperventilate slightly. "Why why why why WHY!" he thrashed his arms around and innocent objects were sent crashing to the ground. He clutched his head roughly; he wanted his skull to shatter so that he could reach his brain and throw it to the floor and STEP ON IT! Ha! That would teach him a lesson.

His alarming breathing rate slowed into deep long huffs. He crumpled to the floor, naked, his towel completely forgotten.

"Why?!" he cried, desperately wanting to hear an answer. He sighed, his exhale jagged. He whimpered pitifully into the empty, steamy space. He didn't deserve to say such things to Luffy, to feel such things for Luffy, to even touch Luffy! He didn't deserve to make the boy feel the need to apologise to him. He didn't understand. Luffy didn't seem freaked out…instead he was sorry?! Sorry! Sorry for what?!

Beads of sweat began to roll out from him, draining away his confusion.

'Look at yourself. You're pathetic.'

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He didn't feel the cold so much, now that Zoro had taken care of him. Luffy bit his tongue hard, he wouldn't cry…because there was no reason.

But the face Zoro made…and why was he sorry?

All this confusion began when he felt his stomach rumble.

-flashback-

"Okay, okay it's just that I'm…itchy. Yeah, and I need to wash so I …need you out of here. Besides, I thought you were in a rush to eat?" Zoro said, smiling in a strange way.

Yeah…he was in a rush to eat. He felt his stomach growl at him, reminding him about how impatient it was. Stupid stomach. He wanted to continue his bath with Zoro, but when you gotta eat, you gotta eat.

"I'm ready to eat…" Luffy paused, looking down at Zoro's lap. He noticed he still had his towel on. He'd forgotten, Zoro hadn't had a chance to wash himself. Great, now he had to wait for Zoro to finish too .

"But…you're not." he continued, feeling a pang of dismay drain away his energy.

He was desperate for food…he needed to get out of there- but he didn't want to go anywhere without Zoro.

"Luffy…" Zoro began breathlessly. "I'm…so sorry. I really didn't mean for this to happen." He said, hiding his face in his hands.

What…

"Um…it's okay you know." Luffy said, frowning at the apologetic swordsman. It wasn't his fault he had to get all dirty, he had saved his life and now he was apologising to him about not cleaning himself quick enough? Honestly, it should be the other way round.

No one should feel that bad about making him wait for a while before he ate…

(1)

----end of flashback---

Luffy shook his head- everything was such a mystery to him. He approached the boys dorm and climbed down into the chamber. He saw Usopp sitting crossed-legged on his hammock, a magnifying glass thingy sat on his cheekbone as he squinted to keep it stationed over his eyeball. He was observing something.

"Yo, Luffy," Usopp greeted, but stayed very still. What he was observing seemed strangely familiar to Luffy.

"Ah, that's one of those dials from the sky island isn't it?" Luffy said excitedly. He dropped his towel on the ground and changed into his dry cloths all within the span of five seconds.

"Yes it is- Hey! Stop that!" Usopp complained when Luffy grabbed the dial and held it over his head, admiring the shell.

"Whatcha looking at it for?" Luffy asked. Usopp sighed, when Luffy was around him he felt like an old man talking to someone else's grandchild.

"I'm trying to figure out how this thing ticks…without activating it!" Usopp quickly added when Luffy reached for the button. "I couldn't bare to smell that horrible fart you decided would be funny to store." Usopp shuddered at the 'amusing' memory.

"Eha eha eha!" Luffy laughed shamelessly; it was a memory to be proud of. He jumped off Usopp's bed and looked over to his hat.

Suddenly guilt shredded apart his insides slowly and painfully as he remembered Zoro telling him the location of his precious treasure. Zoro…why did he look so sad?

"Ja-ne, Usopp," Luffy said, and retrieved his hat before bounding up the stairs.

Usopp watched Luffy's retreating form with concern. Why was he suddenly so serious?

"Oh well, it's just you and me now, Miss dial," Usopp announced, getting back to work.

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Luffy made his way slowly across the deck. He could hear the faint sound of a shower running- a sound that set his lungs on fire. He was so confused about his feelings- feelings that were extremely and definitely foreign to him.

He looked up into the darkening sky. A sense of comfort was in the air as the orange tint in the atmosphere took over the gently flowing sea.

Even as he approached the kitchen door, the usual burst of excitement did not reach his stomach. He couldn't even bring himself to open the kitchen door. The horrifying reality was that he actually didn't want to go through the kitchen door.

What was this? His stomach wasn't growling anymore…

He wasn't hungry.

Luffy's heart immediately kicked his chest as the sound of another door creaking open reached his ears. He didn't turn. He didn't breath. He didn't look.

Okay, now he wanted to open the kitchen door!

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"Finally, you guys are done. I thought you both had fallen asleep in there or something." Sanji said with his back turned to his visitors. He didn't need to look, it was definitely those two.

He grabbed two plates from the drying rack and thoughtlessly threw them to the table behind him.

He cast back a glance to the rooms new occupants and luckily he did, he was just about to dish out the first course. He froze.

"You're on your own." Sanji acknowledged blankly.

"Yes." Luffy murmured.

There was a confused silence on both sides.

"How come?" Sanji inquired a few seconds later, leaning on the counter casually as if to say, 'I'm interested, but I don't actually care'.

Luffy felt himself twitch, but shook off the feeling of gloom.

"I actually don't know." It was the truth- he didn't know. Even though Zoro had said he needed to have a shower he…Luffy didn't mind waiting. Maybe he should have told him that at the time but his face- Zoro's expression- was just so…

…ashamed…regretful…sad almost.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Sanji asked slowly, he did want an answer so he didn't push the guy.

"Oh, that's right. He's washing right now. I was complaining so much about being hungry and stuff so I…I left early." Luffy laughed dismissively and the worry lines on his forehead made it's way to Sanji's line of vision.

The chef sighed and brought out a fresh cigarette that his jacket had previously pocketed. He picked up his lighter and flicked open the lid, holding the flame under the end of the white stick. Satisfied, he placed the lighter back on the counter and sucked in the incredible vapour, feeling the soothing effects take place instantly as the hot smoke filled his lungs. He blew out a small cloud of matter.

Sanji relaxed his stance again and looked at Luffy, his curtain of blonde hair hid the mysterious half of his face- which was not unusual. "You still feeling ill?" he asked, watching Luffy's twisted expression.

Luffy abruptly smiled, his banana-like grin spread through his features like a banana would have. "Ill?" he echoed, and his eyebrows gave an unsatisfied twitch. He cleared his throat, spread his feet apart and whacked his hand across his chest; posing as if his statement was going to make the biggest headline in the global newspaper. "My name is Luffy. I am the man who will become Pirate King!" he grinned like a madman. His stomach growled, this time it was loud enough for even Sanji, who stood metres away from him, to look in it's direction. "That was my stomach and he said 'feed me'" Luffy laughed heartily, which literally threw the previous atmosphere into the dustbin next to his leg. "Sanji! Food! Yey!" Sanji shook his head- he wasn't surprised. No, not at all.

"Yeah yeah, just sit down shithead and allow me to at least serve the food before it dissolves in your gut" Sanji growled as Luffy's stretched arm retreated from the pot due to it receiving a hard kick.

"That stupid Marimo. He'll be lucky if he's not subjected to starving on this ship," the blonde muttered under his breath.

Zoro was lucky because it was Sanji who was appointed chief on the Merry go- he wouldn't have even let crocodile starve if he were still around.

"What's in the pot Sanji?" Luffy asked, his mouth seemed like the mouth of a river.

"Crab soup." Sanji said and placed a bowl in front of the salivating boy. Luffy saw only stars as he gobbled up the perfectly flavoured dish. He didn't want the hot liquid to stop flowing into his mouth, but unfortunately all good things had an end.

"More!" Luffy demanded. Tears of joy started to roll out from his eye sockets when another bowl was placed in front of him. It disappeared and reappeared empty.

"Luffy… that was Marimo's." Sanji said quickly, but he was too late. "I guess he can't miss what he never saw. That was just a starter anyways."

"I never saw it, but I knew it used to exist. Luffy! You're a dead man." Zoro growled as he closed the door behind him.

"There's more in the pot asshole, but give me one good reason why I should bother with you?" Sanji asked, once again leaning on the counter. He retrieved the cigarette from his mouth with his thumb and index finger, and took a short breather.

Zoro wrinkled his nose slightly as he commenced in passive smoking, but other from that he didn't even notice. The love cook was giving off an angry vibe…it was as if he knew he had done something wrong.

"I decided to cook the last of the meat but if Luffy is still hungry for meat…"

Sanji stomped up to him, his eye somehow piercing it's way to a nerve.

"…then meat he'll get." Sanji pronounced each word disturbingly slowly.

Zoro twitched. The stupid brow should mind his own damned business. Who was he to interfere?

"And you are trying to imply what exactly?." Zoro said, as one of his eyebrows unconsciously rose mockingly.

"That you'll be my first resort." Sanji continued in a dangerously low voice, strutting closer to the tall green head who stood boldly despite his wrong doings. He grabbed the unfazed man by the collar and abruptly forced the Marimo's ear to his mouth.

"I'll butcher you if I see him in that state again. I swear I'll butcher you." Sanji hissed, frowning almost painfully when he noticed that Zoro didn't seem to care. It was as if the guy had deliberately gone and upset his own captain. The blonde sighed. No, this was all just wrong. Luffy wasn't one to care about anything Marimo did, he knew that for a fact. However, what about Zoro? All he desired was for the French blood of that Mihawk man to be dripping off his god damned sword…

…so, what on earth could he be thinking under a normal situation?

He'd know everything after asking Marimo one simple question. He didn't want to…but he needed to get things cleared up. He'd ask later.

Sanji allowed his hand to drop down to his side and turned on his heel. Suddenly there was a banquet fit for a party spread before the previously neglected (and confused) Luffy.

"Ikidakimasu" Sanji mumbled before serving himself a small portion and proceeding to disappear out of the kitchen.

"Oi, cook!" Zoro called before Sanji closed the door behind him. Sanji didn't turn, but he lingered on the last step impatiently.

"Your prissy prince act was just a waste of time and pride. If it saves you from any heartache I'll tell you that I regret and I'll soon be repenting. Now mind your own damned business, eyebrow." Zoro said darkly, a shadow of gloom turning him into a living silhouette.

"Whatever, baka." Sanji retorted weakly, and exited.

Zoro moved his heavy head up to look at Luffy, and, not to his surprise, he saw that he had not even paused his devouring.

He reluctantly looked down at his plate.

"Where's my steak?!" Zoro almost choked on the air- the only available nutrient.

"What? There's salad ober der." Luffy said with his mouthful, pointing over to a half eaten clump of lettuce leaves sitting at the corner of Zoro's plate.

Zoro's fist clenched so tightly that the metal fork he held in his hand bent at an awkward and twisted angle.

The swordsman desperately lunged towards the steak in Luffy's plate, but Luffy's inhumanly fast reflexes saved him. The juicy piece of amazingly tasty steak disappeared before the swordsman's eyes, and Zoro was forced to give in. He sat back and felt his lips twitch into a tiny awkward smile as he watched Luffy steal the clump of salad left in his plate.

He sighed and closed his eyes. He found comfort in the disgusting sounds of mechanical digestion as he let his mind wonder…

…if Luffy had honestly even noticed…?

"Luffy, I would like to apologise again…"

When Zoro heard the chewing cease, he opened one eye to acknowledge the boy's expression. It was one of confusion.

"Zoro…I still don't understand why you've been apologising so much. Well, I'm not going to accept your apology," Luffy stated definitely.

At this, both of Zoro's eyes snapped open. He stared in disbelief. Could he really be hearing this. After all that regret…Luffy actually didn't notice a thing.

"A…and why is that?!" Zoro choked.

"Because." Luffy stated definitely.

"…" Zoro could feel a huge bead of sweat roll down the back of his head. There really was nothing to worry about.

"So be it. I'm off to train." Zoro announced as he stood and stretched his arms high above his head. "Wanna join me?" he asked.

"Of course!" The rest of the food on the table was inserted into Luffy's mouth in a matter of seconds, and instantly Luffy was at Zoro's side. "Let's do this!"

"Yes captain." Zoro smirked and lead the way out.

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End of Chapter 6!

(1) You see this horrible misunderstanding? Zoro thinks Luffy saw his errection, but Luffy actually didn't notice it. XD

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