A/N: La dee freakin' da! Enjoy!

Headstrong

Chapter 2: Times Present and Future

The gig had ended and Zoro was nothing short of fuming as he stomped backstage and put his guitar away. He was calm, his expression almost neutral but Sanji could tell that the guy was just about ready to blow a fuse. All of the band had a different room for themselves but the blonde had opted to follow Zoro into his this time, wondering just what the hell that had all been about.

He'd known the guy for a good four years now and though he and Zoro fought all the time, Sanji had never seen him quite as ruffled as he was now. About to blow a fuse was right as well, as suddenly that fuse overloaded and Zoro twisted to slam his fist into the wall, glaring nastily at it and the hole he had just made. Sanji's eyes widened slightly before he raised his hands a little.

"Oi oi, come on, Zoro. Just calm the fuck down," he said, watching the green haired man a little nervously. Zoro's green eyes snapped to him and he yanked his fist from the wall and shook the plaster from his hand.

"Little son of a bitch," he snarled, dropping into the couch and tapping his fingers violently on the armrest.

"Who? The kid? You said you'd never seen him before," Sanji shrugged, moving to sit on the armrest of another couch near to the one Zoro was currently occupying. The guy's face looked like a mix of feral cat and demon. It was mildly freaky to be completely honest.

"Heh. I wish that were the case. I said that just so the guards would take him the fuck away," Zoro replied, his fingers still tapping that annoyed pattern and his foot tapping almost impatiently. He really was fired up.

"Okay. So. Who the hell was he, then?" Sanji asked, tugging off his vest that he had been wearing for the performance and laying it to the side as he rolled up his sleeves and loosened his tie a bit.

"Just... someone I knew. Five or so years ago. He was a good guy... for a while, anyway," Zoro began to explain before he snorted and his face twitched violently again. "He comes back after five years to apologise? It took him that long? Jesus! Would've been nice if he could've fucking apologised a bit sooner, or at the very least spoken to me!" Sanji was completely lost and he raised his swirly eyebrow to show his confusion. Zoro glanced at him before raising a hand to rub at his forehead.

Now this was gonna be interesting to explain, he had to admit. Letting out a long breath, the guitarist watched Sanji from between his fingers, his eyes narrowed a little before he began to explain. He told how Luffy and he had met, what had happened between them and what they used to be like together. Told about everything, aside from what had pissed him off so much. Sanji frowned at the end of the story, figuring that Zoro really hadn't told him everything. So, he decided to ask.

"... If you and he were so happy together, then why did you guys break up? And why are you so pissed at him?" Zoro's face hardened, his lips forming a thin line.

"... He was an asshole."

Flashback

Zoro had turned nineteen two or three months ago, and Luffy was soon due to turn eighteen. Their relationship was quite strong and by now, Luffy spent more of his time at Zoro's house than anywhere else. Or... he had been like that for a while, but the past month, the green haired teen had noticed his boyfriend was a lot more preoccupied with going out. Partying. Having fun and the like. Zoro had nothing against that at all, he didn't care, as long as Luffy stayed in one piece but he was never invited. What did it matter to him? He wasn't the social type anyway.

More and more, Luffy had been seeing Zoro less and had been off with one of his other friends. It was obvious that at school, he had become quite popular and was loving the life he had even though he hardly hung out with even Nami and Usopp any more. He was tough, and quite cute and handsome these days. Zoro wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation, but he took it as it came. When Luffy came to visit him, he was happy, and that was all that mattered really.

One day though, the sky had clouded over and thunder was rumbling around outside. Rain was lashing against his window and there just seemed to be something off about the atmosphere. Zoro was reading a book by the window, turning the pages idly every now and again. He wasn't so much into this reading business but it was something to do while he waited for the storm to pass so he could turn the television back on again. The door rattled and Luffy stepped in, his eyes slightly shadowed and his clothes and hair dry. How? Zoro had no idea. He supposed the kid had gotten a lift from someone.

"Oi," Zoro greeted, turning another page before closing the book and looking up at the dark haired teen with a small smile. Luffy didn't smile back and the older man sensed something was wrong here.

"Zoro... we need to talk," Luffy said, raising his head with an expression that was unlike any Zoro had seen. It was cold, and distant as well.

"Um... okay..."

"... I think... we should break up," the dark haired teen said, crossing his arms and regarding Zoro still with that cold, masked expression. The words rattled around in Zoro's brain for a moment and he blinked slowly, narrowing his eyes a little and wondering just what had brought this on.

"Right..." His response was a slow voiced word, not really sure what he should say about this, "... Can I ask why?"

"No. I just think we're not right for each other. You're... always practising your guitar, and you're always on your own. You never go out anywhere or do anything, and I'm not even sure that anything will come from you fucking around that instrument of yours. You don't have a band, you have no hopes or dreams other than to play that thing, and you lose your jobs regularly. You're... you're kind of pathetic, Zoro," Luffy said, his eyes shadowing again and his mouth forming a grim line.

The words, those words, coming from the brat's mouth right now... they weren't Luffy's. Zoro knew when Luffy was saying something, those weren't his words. Deep inside, it hurt still that the kid had dared to say something like that to him. Really, Zoro didn't know what to respond with so he just shrugged one shoulder almost carelessly and re-opened his book.

"Whatever you say, Luffy."

"Ne... so... we're done."

"That's grand. Leave the key on the counter before you head out, eh? Don't let the door slam on your ass as you leave, either, I'd hate to have to fix the dint." Luffy stared at the green haired man before snorting softly and shaking his head. How could the guy sit there so calmly and just take all of this? A fight would've been nice.

"You really are pathetic, Zoro! Look at you, just sitting there and not doing anything. You're depressed or something, I don't know what's wrong with you these days! No wonder I hardly come here any more, and even when I do, it's not like we do anything. You just pluck at your strings and I sit around and wait for something to happen! We don't even make out or anything any more!" Luffy was panting, some part of him wishing Zoro would fight back, just so he could get some of his frustration out. Zoro knew instantly at that point, that this wasn't his Luffy.

Someone, or something, had happened to make the kid like this. Somewhere, Luffy had lost himself. He was only a teen, of course, but to act like this... no. Zoro knew him better than that. As he was snarled at, the green haired man calmly closed his book and then his eyes, trying to count to ten in his head so he could remain perfectly calm, but it failed when Luffy said those last few things.

"Make out? MAKE. OUT?" Zoro snapped, getting to his feet and slamming the book down on the table in front of him, "Alright. Monkey D Luffy, you wanna know what the hell is really going on here, I'm gonna tell you! Alright? So shut your gigantic fucking mouth and listen!" His voice was strained, throat tight with emotion as his chest began to heave as well, heart beating a million miles an hour.

"I have done nothing but support you, give you money, worked my ass off for you, taken care of you and protected you! All you've done to me is take advantage of the fact that I'll come to the damned city to get you home safely when you get so drunk you don't even know what the fuck is going on any more! I don't care about that, that you're having fun! It's not my thing to go and do that, and even if it was, your so called 'friends' don't want me there anyway! I don't give two fucks about that either! Y'know why? Because I thought I was doing the right fucking thing by you! Letting you do what you wanted, have fun, be yourself. I want you to be yourself, because that's what I love about you. Always have! That you can be yourself and not give a FUCK about what others say, but I see now that I was clearly mistaken..."

Zoro trailed off, his eyes burning with the need to cry and his head throbbing at everything that was flowing through him right now, "And make out? We don't make out any more? Last time I recall, I just touched you and you didn't want me to be near you. Every time I go to kiss you, you dodge away. Whenever I lay next to you, you turn your back to me. Often, when you're drunk and you call me to come get you, you smell like someone else. I let it be, but obviously, you've also been unfaithful. I don't care if I'm wrongfully accusing you, you're what's wrong with this relationship, Luffy. You've let your 'friends', mess with your head and make you believe what they want you to believe. That I'm a waste of time and you shouldn't be with me because I'm not good enough for you. All because... you want to be cool. To fit in. Have fun being popular, kiddo. I hope you have a great fucking life, because I don't want you in mine any more. So get out."

Luffy stared at the older man as Zoro turned and slumped back into his chair, suddenly so calm and quiet it was eerie. He took his book back up again, opened it to the right page and began to read.

"Zoro..." Luffy began but the older man snapped almost demonic looking eyes in his direction.

"Get. Out. Now." Zoro's voice was so violent, that Luffy almost took a step backwards. With that, the younger teen frowned and slapped the key down on the counter.

"Fine," he snorted, stalking out the door and slamming it behind him. Zoro glanced at the door before closing his book and looking to the window.

"... You idiot, Luffy..." His voice was lost amidst the noise of another thunder crack, the rain coming down even more heavily if it was possible.

End Flashback

Sanji stared at the green haired man as Zoro finished telling this part of the story. It... how could Luffy have been so cruel like that? From the whole of what the guitarist had said, the kid was true to himself and his own ideas. So how had he let himself fall into the trap of popularity? Let it go to his head like he had? Of course, Sanji didn't know the guy but all the same, the way Zoro had told things sounded pretty unbiased in his opinion. He'd told it from both Luffy and Zoro's point of view, almost.

"Five years later... he shows up to say he's sorry. When... I've actually amounted to something. I don't trust him, I don't know what he's like any more, so I don't want to see him. If he's still the same, I don't want to know him. For the last few years, I've just been ignoring any past knowledge that any such person took part in my life," Zoro said, waving his hand a little before snorting and rubbing at his eyes tiredly. "Now he's brought it all back up again."

Sanji had no idea what to say or do now, so he just swallowed and got to his feet, brushing his jeans a little and then pushing his hands into his pockets. He hadn't realised that something like this had happened to his friend. It wasn't the worst tale in the world, but it certainly wasn't one of the best. Letting out a soft sigh, Sanji moved his shoulders in a tiny shrug before twisting his lips a little.

"One helluva story you got there, Marimo, I'll give you that."

"Tch," Zoro snorted, rubbing at his eyes tiredly again. "Not that bad, just... bah, whatever."

"... Yeah. Well, try and get some sleep, ne? We gotta get up early tomorrow to start heading off to the next city... at least then, you don't have to worry about him any more, eh?" Zoro snorted and nodded a little. Even though the two fought like hot headed morons, they were still friends and if the other wasn't exactly in a good state, they tended to act quite brotherly and protective of each other.

It was a brief speculation that the two were a couple behind closed doors but that had been quickly stamped, stabbed and burned out of any news reporter's mind when the two had both given a look of pure and utter death at any one who dared to ask them a question about their 'hidden relationship'.

"Right. Night, eyebrows."

"Later, Marimo."

0o0o0o0o

Luffy crept silently along the hallways, peeking around every corner and feeling his heart thump in his ribs. He wanted to see Zoro before he left, just one more time so he could have a proper, alone conversation with the guy. Really, clarifying everything that had happened between them was the only thing on Luffy's mind at this point in time. He heard voices further down the hall, one quite deep and the other a lighter, but no less male voice. He couldn't hear a thing they were saying, just the higher and harder tones of their conversation was reaching Luffy's ears. The deep one... That was Zoro.

Poking his head around the corner, Luffy grinned when he saw there were no security guards at the music artist's doors. Then, the voices went silent and Luffy saw his chance. Maybe Zoro and Sanji were done talking now? He hoped so. Hurrying down the hallway on silent feet, Luffy paused beside the door and was about to reach for the handle when it opened and the lead singer of East Blue was staring down at him with a surprised and almost confused expression.

Luffy twitched a little and took a step back, dark hair falling over his eyes before he raised a hand to scratch at the back of his head. He was about to speak but Sanji slapped a hand over the brat's mouth and shoved him backwards, closing the door behind him and then grabbing the younger man's shirt.

"You're coming with me, runt," the blonde hissed before dragging Luffy down the hallway and towards the artist's room. All the guy could think as he was dragged away was 'Oh man, this ain't gonna end well'. The door was opened and then Sanji stepped in, shoving Luffy into the room ahead of him and then closing the door behind him. Turning to face the dark haired man, Sanji frowned heavily and almost dangerously.

"Oi oi, the hell you doing sneaking around a place like this, eh? Likely to get your ass kicked, you are. Just because we're famous and are surrounded by guards and such all the time, doesn't mean we can't defend ourselves, y'know," Sanji said, tugging a box of cigarettes from his pocket and pulling one out. He wasn't allowed to smoke in any other room, least of all Zoro's, but in his own he could do whatever he wanted. Which was nice.

"Ah? Yeah, that's true, but I never said you couldn't," Luffy chuckled, shrugging a little and taking a second to look around the room. It was really quite fancy in here, he had to admit. The click of a lighter brought the dark haired man's attention back to Sanji again. The blonde man took a long inhale of his smoke before breathing it out again and watching the white stuff twirl towards the ceiling.

"So you're Monkey D Luffy, huh?" Sanji asked, not looking at the kid and still following the twirl of smoke with his eyes. Luffy blinked a little before nodding slightly.

"N-ne... I wanted to come and see Zoro..."

"You can't," the lead singer stated simply, his eyes finally moving to look at the man in front of him, "Zoro's resting right now and as both leader and manager of this band, I say you aren't allowed to go near him. So just go home, kid." Sanji moved away from the door and headed towards the couch in the corner, dropping into it with a 'whoof' noise and laying back so he could stretch out and relax. Luffy followed him with his own eyes and stared at him, blinking slowly for a moment before his face fell grim and his shoulders slumped a little.

"He... told you about me, huh?" Luffy's voice was no higher than a mumble as he turned his face away from Sanji and rubbed at his arm guiltily. The blonde snorted softly, his visible eye roving around the room and then pausing on Luffy again.

"Yeah. I'm barely stopping myself from kicking your face in for hurting a friend of mine, brat. That was some stunt you pulled, huh? Zoro didn't even do anything to you," he said. Luffy twitched softly and bowed his head further.

"No, he didn't. It was all my fault, everything, and I really, really want to apologise and let him know that he was right, and I was wrong."

"You do, huh?" Sanji snorted softly, "Because he's suddenly a big name and everything now? You dumped him because he was nothing and would amount to nothing, right? Now he's something, you're interested again?" There was a slight bitterness in the blonde man's voice and Luffy scowled, raising his eyes and focusing them on the blue ones watching him. Or, the blue one.

The other was covered by the blonde hair draped suavely across it. That wasn't how it was, not at all. He wanted to see Zoro, not the name he had become. Because he'd loved the guy, more than he'd loved anyone since and he still did hold a very special place for the green haired idiot in his heart. Luffy wanted to bow and tell Zoro that everything he had said was ridiculous.

"I've been looking for Zoro for two or three years now, ever since I grew up enough to realise that I had been... stupid and let everyone get the better of me. I saw you guys were finally coming to a city where I could afford to go, and came here. I want to tell him that it wouldn't have mattered what he had become or didn't become, as long as he was happy. I want to tell him that I would've loved him no matter what had happened-"

"But you didn't. You didn't love him no matter what happened," Sanji butted in, frowning heavily at the guy and twisting himself to sit up and rest his elbows on his knees. "You told him that he was nothing, so you couldn't be with him. You couldn't be with someone as pathetic as he was. I think that indicates you didn't love him enough to be with him through everything. I don't see any reason to change my mind about you seeing him, yet."

The most infuriating thing right then, was that Sanji seemed to have this small, smug smirk on his lips as he denied Luffy exactly what he wanted. Some pleasure in tormenting the kid and not allowing him to be near the guitarist. Luffy supposed he deserved it well and truly but still, he was being completely honest and open here.

"I... I know," he nodded in response, "I don't deserve a chance at anything with that guy but I really... want him to know that everything I said... I didn't mean it. I was crazy, lost my mind, went under with the peer pressure and popularity thing. Zoro... is the most amazing person that has ever happened to me. For him to stay with me through all that I did, and then I went and did something like that... I don't even deserve the chance to see his face on TV let alone speak to him in real life. I know all that, Sanji-san." Sanji watched the younger man for a while before sighing softly and rubbing at the small amount of stubble growing on his chin and then shook his head slightly.

"If I let you go in there, to him, and say something... and you hurt him again... I'll hunt you down and slice you into julienne. Do I make myself perfectly clear here, Monkey D Luffy?" It took a moment for what the blonde had said to sink in but when it did, the smile on Luffy's face could've powered a small city for years.

"I understand! I understand everything perfectly. But... what does julienne mean?" The question was one Sanji had expected and he just snorted and waved a hand.

"Cooking term. Now get. Zoro doesn't lock his door at nights so it should be open," the blonde explained, waving a hand for Luffy to get out of his sight and laying back down on the couch again after stubbing his cigarette out in the tray on the coffee table beside him. Luffy just beamed and hurried to the door, opening it and thanking Sanji once more before diving out, shutting the door behind him and then hurrying for Zoro's. His fingertips rested on the metal for a moment as he steeled himself, preparing himself mentally for what he was about to do.

He hoped... that at the very least, he could stop the ache that must have been plaguing this man for years after what Luffy had said to him. That was the dark haired man's main purpose now, was to do something that would relieve Zoro's suffering. Opening the door, Luffy poked his head in and looked around for a moment before moving into the room. He closed the door behind him and peered at a guitar seated on a comfy looking chair. It was the one Zoro had had that day when Luffy had said those cruel things. It had been propped on a chair near to where Zoro was sitting. Somehow, it too seemed to glare at him and warn him of harming it's master.

"Ah? You back again, eyebrows? That's a little insulting, y'know," Zoro said from the bathroom beside Luffy and the dark haired man scratched his head a little, not sure what to respond with.

"Uh... it... it's not Sanji. It... it's me, Zoro," Luffy nodded a little at the same time as he spoke. There was silence and then a door opened and Zoro stepped out, wearing his jeans but no shirt. His hair was plastered down from being wet and his eyes were narrowed. Obviously, he had just come out of the shower.

"How the hell did you get in here and why don't you go straight back out that way, rat?"

"I... kind of knocked a few guards out and then just hid before they could get to me or see me or anything. Got in here and then found your door. Simple as that," Luffy said with a small smile before he sighed softly. "Can... is it possible for you to drop the hostility long enough to listen to me?" Zoro snorted so hard it was a wonder he didn't damage his throat or nose or something. Guess it wasn't really possible after all. That made Luffy a little sad but he guessed he deserved it.

"I'll... just go then, I guess," he mumbled, pointing at the door and turning towards it sadly.

"... You get one... and only one chance, to tell me what you want to. If I don't like it, you get out and never, ever, come near me again. Do you hear me, asshole?" Zoro's voice was nothing short of a snarl but his words were true. They made Luffy pause and turn to look at the guy with amazement and then a bright smile as he nodded his understanding.

"Hai! I understand, Zoro-san," he volunteered, raising his hand and continuing to grin as he moved towards one of the couches and then sat down on the floor. Zoro raised a mild eyebrow on him.

"Chairs, y'know, are made to sit on. You can put your ass in one and, y'know, sit on it. Just so you know," he said as he moved past where the guy was sitting and went to get himself a drink from the fridge. Despite everything, he was genuinely curious about what Luffy had to say along with the fact that he really would like to see what the other had become. If he was still the same, Zoro would throw him physically out the door.

If not, then maybe they could be friends again? He would like that very much. Luffy blushed a little, thinking that even though the kid had been a right ass to Zoro, the guy was still treating him like a human being. So, he put his butt in one of those squishy, nice lounge chairs and smiled a little as he sat there. This was nice, he had to admit.

"You've... really done something awesome with your life, ne Zoro-san?"

"Drop the san, I don't need it, thanks," Zoro grunted, seating himself down in his own couch and stretching his legs out, laying back in a similar fashion to what Sanji had. Luffy nodded in response to Zoro saying about the honorific and then drew in a soft breath.

"So um... I guess I should start talking, eh?"

"Would be nice considering you're here and by just sitting here and not saying anything, you're kind of pissing me off," Zoro said, eyes closed and one arm pillowing his head as he rested against a cushion. Luffy twitched a little nervously and bowed his head slightly. He was sorry about that but apologising would only make it worse so he kept his mouth shut on that subject.

"Right, well, I wanted to say that... I... I'm really sorry for what I said to you. That day. And ignoring your calls and everything that I did to you. ... Cheating on you and everything," he began.

"Oh, so I wasn't wrong about that? I'd been wondering, actually," Zoro said, scratching at his cheek. Luffy flinched a little and his cheeks flared red.

"It wasn't really anything to do with me not loving you... I just... I don't know what 'I just'. Lost my mind or something. Usually I went after someone when I was starting to get a bit drunk, had my fun and then left to go and get more drunk. Tch," Luffy snorted, a hand over his face to try and hide his embarrassment. Zoro didn't look at him, just kept his eyes staring resolutely at the ceiling. It... wasn't like he was disliking the conversation itself, but the content of it wasn't exactly appealing to him. Mind you, Luffy did look like he was suffering some pretty bad regrets for what he had done, and that was what made Zoro stay his hand and not punch the guy in the face.

"Continue," he said. Luffy looked up and then nodded quickly.

"R-right. Um... well... ne... I don't really know what else to say to be honest other than you... were right. You were right about me being the problem with the relationship, and I'm really sorry... I never meant any of those things I said, I still don't understand why I said them. I never thought... you were pathetic at all, and it never mattered to me if you would amount to something or if you... would just be yourself," he paused and then swallowed a little, "I loved you for you, always did and... still do. I was mad for a while, after everything you said, until it sunk in one day when those 'friends' left and I was on my own all of a sudden. Usopp and Nami... they were there, but not really. They were angry at me as well, for what I'd said to you, and they were always scared of you. They didn't believe I had rights to treat you like I had though." Zoro listened intently, closing his eyes again and sighing softly through his nose.

"You're only saying those things because I'm something now." The statement was blunt, but untrue in Luffy's ears and he frowned.

"I... I thought you would say that. I promise you, it wouldn't have mattered at all if you had never become anything of a sort, Zoro. The only way I found you was by you becoming famous. I moved out of town not long after we broke up and then couldn't afford to get anywhere. Ace... died, and I was left to pay so much stuff and all. I was never able to get back to you again, and by the time I did a year or two later, you had moved on. Then you guys started appearing and all, and then became famous and I finally managed to save enough to buy a ticket to one of your gigs. Then I came to this city, I live two or three hours away... so... I could apologise to you, Zoro."

"If you're looking for sympa-"

"I'm not," Luffy frowned heavily, shooting a glare at the green haired man, "I'm not looking for sympathy of any form. If anyone deserves that, it's you. No. I was simply making a point of saying those things so you would know I've... made a big effort to come here for you, Zoro. To apologise. Not for my benefit either. I've been trying to come to terms with everything for the past few years and I still can't."

Zoro watched him with sleepy eyes before sighing softly and sitting up, lifting his head enough that he could watch the younger man carefully. These words... unlike that time when Luffy had said those horrible things to him, were truly the guy's own and the guitarist felt his heart settle at them. This was getting to be a reasonable conversation, he had to admit. Everything in Luffy's tone had a truth to it, an honesty that Zoro had always admired about the kid. It had hurt the most that at that point in time, Luffy hadn't been honest with himself or anyone. He'd been what those people had made him into and it was so sad to Zoro to see something like that happen.

"... I think... I'm going to accept your apology," the guitarist said, nodding a little and keeping his eyes closed at the same time, "I can hear you're being genuine. You're the Luffy I remember, the good one... the one I loved." He opened his eyes and Luffy stared at him, completely taken aback by what had just transpired. Had... Zoro just said he accepted the apology? He'd never even begun to think that it could've played out like this. Green eyes stared into chocolate brown and Zoro shifted to sit up, propping his elbows on his knees and now staring at the floor between his feet.

"... I still... love you, Zoro," Luffy said, frowning softly and turning his gaze to the floor as well. "I know you probably don't want that, and I don't deserve to have you either... but I just thought I should tell you. I never stopped loving you." The guitarist didn't say anything for a long time, just sat and stared at the floor, obviously lost in thought.

"I think... you'll understand if I say that, I do... love you, but I'm not ready to love you back, Luffy," Zoro said, frowning slightly at the floor and then looking up to the other, "But... I wouldn't mind another chance with you. If something starts to go wrong, then-"

"Then you can do whatever you want to me, Zoro. It won't be unwarranted if I do anything wrong like that, ever again," Luffy cut the older man off, staring at him in pure and utter determination. Zoro stared back at him before sighing and shaking his head a little.

"You're a dead set idiot, kid," he said before smiling and getting to his feet. Reaching out a hand, Zoro ruffled the dark hair and paused for a moment before quite suddenly, reefing his hand back and swinging a solid fist into the younger man's jaw. The punch was violent enough that Luffy was sent tumbling from the arm chair that had just fallen over, and he ended up leaning against the wall instead in a rather interesting position.

Zoro walked over and then crouched beside him, staring into his face and smirking slightly. Dark eyes shifted in a daze until they came to rest on the sharp features of the guitarist and then the two began to slowly laugh. Luffy scrambled to a better position, raising a hand to his bleeding nose and split lip before starting to laugh even harder.

"You... you son of a bitch!" The dark haired man cracked up, still holding his nose and continuing to laugh thickly.

"You bitch of a son!" Zoro returned, getting to his feet to go and get some tissues for the brat's nose. He returned a moment later and set the box down in front of Luffy before settling himself on the floor beside the guy. They ended up talking late into the night, about anything and everything, what they had been doing for the past few years and how their lives had changed so much. The conversation turned deeper at times, both of them talking about how they'd felt when Luffy had gone off the handle like he had and then it went to lighter things, like Zoro telling about his and Sanji's adventures.

When morning came, Sanji moved to Zoro's room to get the bastard up so they could head off, and opened the door. It took him a moment to figure out where they were, but when he did, he sighed and let a small smile trace over his face. Both of them had fallen asleep beside each other at the wall, heads resting on one another's and Sanji didn't think he'd ever seen the marimo bastard look so at peace. Shaking his head a little, the blonde closed the door silently and looked to Robin and Franky, who were standing behind him and wondering just what on Earth was going on.

"... Our Marimo has just solved some of his major PMS issues," Sanji clarified without clarifying anything at all. He walked back down the hall and shooed the guards away, leaving the two other band members staring kind of oddly after him.

End

A/N: Reviews would be highly appreciated! I'm not sure of the ending so much, but I did try my best to pull stuff together and all and make it awesome. I really wanted to get something done for once instead of leaving it half finished like I have a bad habit of doing lately. Thanks everyone for reading!