Chapter ten

Walking the halls didn't feel any different really, Zoro had to admit there were a lot more stares but he was used to that. Even before, people would stare at him with fear, now it was something else, jealousy and envy. He didn't care; none would approach him, not with his reputation at least.

Zoro smirked, he wasn't one to care what other people thought, but the whispers of how he tamed the "snake princess" boosted his ego. Nothing really changed, yes they were technically dating but Hancock was still the same as before, she rarely kissed him or showed any affection in public. When they weren't in public he found out she enjoyed sitting in his lap and just quietly listen to his heartbeat. He agreed it was nice, soothing and calming. He felt like they were the only two people that mattered, in those few moments of silence they were just two people who loved each other and neither of them had unfortunate memories or scars. When she did that he felt they were so close that no one would or could rip them apart. Hancock needed time to adjust to them and to adjust to her life now that her stepdad was officially out of the picture. He wasn't going to force her into anything.

He was the same as her really, he had never dated before properly either and wasn't eager to jump into anything. For Zoro, in the past he had, had only sex with women, but he actually loved Hancock and wasn't going to jump the gun. She would feel ready eventually.

There was one other woman he cared for as deeply as Hancock, but she died. He thought that part of him was dead, but here she was, Hancock. She clawed her way into his heart without even intending to.

They spoke about it, Hancock wanted to have sex with someone other than that horrible man but right now sex was a horrible disgusting sin that she wouldn't want to perform for a while. The next time she had sex would be with the man she loved. She needed it to be more than sex; she needed love to make that sinful act normal.

Zoro smiled. No one knew how special Hancock really was. She was amazingly affectionate without really trying or showing it. She cared a lot but hid it with her self-centred veil of deception.

Zoro had told Hancock that he mentioned her predicament to Ace but hypothetically. She was angry about it, telling him it was obvious and he would be stupid not to realize it was about Hancock but after a while and lots of explaining she forgave Zoro for it. She explained that she was alright with him knowing as long as he was the only one and that he would never tell anyone else. Zoro trusted Ace with his life and told her that. A sigh or two later she walked off saying that Zoro could do what he wanted as long as it didn't backfire and that she also didn't want Ace thinking this gave him an excuse to talk to her about it. She rather never talk about it again.

Even though they were dating, she hadn't changed a bit, or she had but he didn't noticed. She was nicer yes, but she was still a brat, but he could put up with it because he loved her, he actually liked that side of her now because he knew why she was like that. When she became very self-centred it was because she was scared. She hated letting people in, and now she had to let Zoro in as well as another person. Zoro could also tell that she was happy about being able to be herself around Zoro and his best friend.

It hurt, knowing Zoro had mentioned it to another person but at the same time Hancock felt relief that Zoro was so worried about her he had looked at all the possibilities. They were lucky that her mother got fed up but Zoro was willing to put himself in danger to save her, Ace apparently would do anything to help Zoro and in turn help her.

Zoro still felt bad however, taking the woman Ace had his eyes on but Ace had said he understood. No one else but Zoro would be able to handle Hancock and her mood swings and selfish acts, except maybe Ace but even still Zoro didn't want to give her up. He loved her more each day; the more she opened up to him the more he wanted to know about her. She was so different than what anyone else saw at school. Zoro saw this and apparently Ace saw this as well, but he promised to only try to take Hancock from him if she seemed unhappy. Zoro wasn't going to make her unhappy.

It had already been a month or so since prom and he had been round her house a couple times, never staying the night however. Her mother was lovely and like Hancock pointed out, she was a lot happier with the stepfather out of the picture. Hancock mostly visited Zoro. It was easier. He lived alone and she just seemed more comfortable. They didn't do anything but the comfort for Hancock came from being away from her family. She felt guilty because she was technically the reason her mother's husband paid no attention to her mother. She loved her family to much and was ashamed because of what happened. She could never let them know, the shame would be unbearable.

Hancock once spoke about her real father, surprising Zoro. She had never mentioned him before and he had assumed he was dead. She had never met him but wanted to. Unlike with her sisters, to Hancock her stepfather was never a father figure and thus she had never had one. She was hoping her real father would step in and be one.

Hancock did feel different. She was happier, her stepfather was gone and she was finally true to her own feelings for Zoro. They didn't kiss much that was true but she really felt like she needed to get her stepfather out of her head. It wasn't as simple as him just needing to leave. She still needed to conceal her back and it was still a constant reminder of what he had done to, which was his objective all along.

A weekend or so ago Zoro had volunteered to rub her scars with this cream he had bought. There was vitamin E in the cream which should apparently help, she was unsure but gave him the go ahead.

He was gentle but his first touch sent her body into an involuntary spasm. He hushed her gently and continued on, the roughness of his hands calming her down because her stepfather didn't have such hard rough hands like Zoro. Most people would probably prefer a guy with soft hands, but the fact that Zoro had course hands was really relaxing for Hancock and kept her mind of things.

He rubbed the cream in the bigger scars causing the jagged lines to form together a little better. The scars remained but she could feel that they were starting to heal again. Heal better.

Zoro had warned her that it wouldn't make the scars go away but it would lighten them and maybe one day make them unnoticeable. Hancock hoped he was right but the fact that he was trying made her happier then she thought she could be.

She was very emotionally damaged but it felt as if Zoro was picking up all the pieces of her ruined past and fitting them together perfectly.

Hancock spotted Zoro across the hall and made her way to him, now that they were dating, every morning she would come over and say hello. It wasn't much but for them it was what they needed. Neither of the two were like the average person and therefore this was the closest they would get without feeling uncomfortable. Normal couples would run to each other in the mornings and sucks each other's faces till the bell went but they preferred talking and leaving such things to when they were alone, but that kind of affection was rare even then.

Even with all that, just seeing Zoro lifted Hancock's heart and made her happy. She finally felt like she mattered and that there was someone who truly cared about her. Zoro felt like Hancock was a breath of fresh air, different from all the girls he knew. Don't get him wrong, on the outside she was worse than all the other girls but he knew that she was caring and passionate and very earnest.

She looks beautiful today

Zoro thought smiling at Hancock.

"How was your weekend?" Hancock asked with a smile mirroring Zoro. She stood a few steps from Zoro and made no move to kiss him or even hug him. Physical touches weren't what she wanted or needed right now, but just talking to each other honestly was good enough right then. Zoro of course thought about her in a sense he didn't want to admit to her but he would wait until she was ready because he was a gentlemen.

Since they started officially dating Zoro was happy to know he was actually able to concentrate in the dojo again, he suddenly had his drive again. He thought about her more than he would like during his lessons but at least his rage was in check and he felt like his life was going back to normal. No more stressing about the stupid woman. He knew he could keep her safe now.

Hancock finally was able to open up to people again. Not fully but at least her smiles were starting to become real. Some were still forced when she remembered what she had put up with so long, it felt so surreal as if it was all just a bad dream that she woke up from.

The type of dream that was disturbing enough to sit with you for days, except Hancock knew it wasn't a dream; her scars were proof of that ugly truth.

Zoro cocked his head at Hancock in reply to her question. They had spent the weekend together doing homework. Zoro wouldn't admit it but dating Hancock actually helped his grades. She forced him to do his homework; he may even get to quit his after school classes to keep him from failing. Hancock smiled in return and stroked his arm lightly before moving on to her own locker.

He was lucky to have her and she him.

Okie Dokie! Short chapter I know, I'm sorry! It's just a little short thing to show you how they are getting on before I get back to the proper story etc. You know ;) The story isn't done yet. Be afraid! Be very afraid! Muahaha!

I mean I don't want to spoil anything but I might you know… kill your feels soon .

Well I decided because sometimes I get personal messages, which I love! Asking when I update and what not so I have set up my twitter account, to give you updates and sneak peeks to when I'll update. Also that way you can give me ideas or tell me if I wrote an utterly crap chapter this week so I can fix it. Also all my twitter followers and get the chapters sooner! ;) So come follow me now!

/kuyomim

Now yes, thank you for reading. Beware for the next update ;)