Zoro: What is taking that girl so long?
(runs and trips) Ow...
Zoro: Speak of the devil.
Shut it! Reviews! (sets the chapters out)
Zoro: Okay... (grabs one) From Iryann
Have you reviewed before? I think I remember seeing your name. Anyway... Well here's more! Thanks for waiting!
Zoro: (grabs another) From Gene-san
I know… I wanted to show the harsh side of Luffy. I think I pulled it off okay.
Zoro: (grabs another) From Kira-chan
Thanks, here's more!
Zoro: (grabs another) From Kami-san
Hey Kyuubi. And here's more for your reading pleasure.
Zoro: (grabs another) From Gecko-san
He's a tough guy, he can handle it.
Zoro: Oi! (grabs another) From Mimi-chan
For chapter 1... He's been alone for most of his life, he doesn't want to be attached to anyone. And 2... (giggles) You're so cute!
Zoro: (rolls eyes and grabs another) From Tori-san
Not my fault! I keept getting ideas!
Zoro: That's your own fault (grabs another) From Suguri-chan
Thanks!
Zoro: (grabs another) From Ai Tennshi
New! Here's more. I hope I don't disappoint.
Zoro: (grabs another) From KawaiiKilala77
New! Here's more!
Zoro: (grabs another) From Ookami-san
Yeah. Well, here's the new chapters and I hope I don't disappoint.
Zoro: (grabs another) From Softdreamer
Who doesn't like a happy ending?
Zoro: Someone who likes death? (grabs another) From Whats-up-people
Shut it Zoro! Oh new one! Here it is!
Zoro: (grabs another) From Gino-Esoj
(blushes) Thanks.
Zoro: (grabs another) From The Wandering Swordsman
From chapter 1... (giggles) I'm honored. And 2... I love that line too! And I hope these new chapters don't disappoint as well.
Zoro: (rolls eyes and grabs another) From Silvermoondemon16
Thank you.
Zoro: (grabs another) From Hmob1994
I know, but Zoro is the toughest guy I know in anime. So he can handle it.
Zoro: (grins and grabs the last one) From Black rose pirate
Thank you.
Zoro: That's it.
Thanks Zoro. Well! Enjoy the chapters everyone!
Chapter 3: Unwelcomed Visit
*_+_*
The next day, Luffy was getting groceries after work and he thought about the man when he reached for a loaf of bread, only for another hand reaching for the same loaf.
"Sorry, you go ah-" He started to say when he looked to see Usopp, his ex-best friend.
"Hey… Luffy…" Usopp said. He was Luffy's age, dark olive tan skin, a long nose and thick lips, along with dark brown, almost black curly hair tied to a pony tail.
Luffy didn't respond as he took a couple steps back and was going to make a run for it when Usopp called out to him.
"Luffy! Can't we talk?"
He didn't want to deal with this. "I'm busy!" He said, breaking eye contact and hurriedly got out of the asile, went to the self-cashier station, and ran out of the store to his car.
He hurriedly got out of the parking lot and was going to the speed limit when he got out and headed to his new apartment.
_/\/\/\_
Once he did, he checked to see that he didn't get everything that he needed, but he didn't want to go back out either.
"There's always tomorrow when it comes to groceries…" He said with a disgruntled sigh as he put the groceries away when the phone rang. "Mochi mochi." He said. "Luffy speaking."
"Hey Luffy! It's Vivi!"
"Hey Vivi, how's it going?"
"Oh, very well! I called to see if you're up to join us to a party."
"What kind of party?"
"It's something of Nami's, but there's food, dancing, and there's some really cute gay singles to check out if you're ready."
"I'll go for the food. I just ran into Usopp when I was shopping."
"Oh…"
"He wanted to talk… but I'm not ready to forgive, much less listen to what either of them have to say."
"I understand. Nami and I'll make sure you don't get hit on, unless you tell us otherwise."
"Thanks Vivi. I'll be there in a bit."
With that he went out.
_/\/\/\_
The next day, he started to head out to work, only to see Sanji waiting for him by the bottom step. He was angry about seeing him, especially since he was sure that Nami wouldn't tell where he now lived after what happened.
"You stalking me now? What the hell do you want?" He said, looking down at the man from the top step.
"Just to talk."
"Funny, that's what Usopp said yesterday when we met up in the grocery store."
Sanji sighed as he straightened his posture. "I know what I did was wrong and completely dishonest."
He rolled his eyes. "Jeeze Sanji, you're going to have to do something better than that cheesy crap!"
"I wasn't done."
"I didn't say I was going to listen." He said as he marched down the stairs. "I have to get to work."
"It's Sunday…"
"I work a couple Sunday's a month." He said as he went up to his car, which was stopped by a hand and felt the body heat behind him.
"Luffy… I want to apologize for all the things I've done. But I can't do that unless I know I have at least a small chance of forgiveness."
Luffy opened the door, but didn't move as he responded. "Come back in five years, then the three of us will talk. Now move, I can't get to work with your hand glued to my car door."
Sanji backed off and watched as the other went into his car and drove away.
Luffy looked out of the rear view mirror and saw the lost, hurt look in the other's face. "Serves him right…" He said as he went to work.
_/\/\/\_
After work, he thought earlier that he could visit Green Eyes, but then he started having a bad day and didn't go. Instead he stayed at his apartment and watched the available movies on his television when he heard someone knock on his door.
Still remembering what happened earlier, he growled as he marched up to the door.
"Damn it Sanji! I'm going to file a suit if you're stalking me!" He called as he opened the door, only to see the man with the green hair and eyes.
"I'm guessing a bad time."
"Sorry… Come on in."
"No, I was just around the area and decided, for a change, to see you and be on my way."
"Oh…"
"Oi… what's wrong?"
"Nothing…"
"Doesn't sound like it."
"It doesn't concern you…"
There was a moment of pausing silence before the man sighed. "I guess it wouldn't kill me to stay a few minutes." He said as he let himself in.
"What's been going on?" Luffy asked.
"The usual… Rotting in a formal way. You?"
"I met up with my ex-best friend yesterday, and my ex this morning. And both just wanted to talk."
"And you're not ready."
He shook his head.
"If you're not ready then you're not ready. Simple as that."
"I don't like this though…" He said as he sat down on the couch. "I don't like feeling like this or acting like this!" He could feel tears threatening to come out. "I'm not ready to forgive them… but I don't like avoiding them without knowing why!"
The man sat down next to him, but there was still distance between them. "It can't be helped Luffy." He said. "Like I said, if you're not ready, you're not ready. You may not like it now, but when you do feel ready, you'll know."
"It's been almost a month and a half now… How much time do I have before I do feel ready?"
"Time doesn't heal everything… And only you decide when that is."
Luffy sighed as he looked at his knees. "How come you make sense?"
"Huh?"
"You don't look like the kind of guy to give advice to troubled relationships."
"I'm not, but I heard enough from a lot of people in the hospital to know what to say."
"The hospital?"
"You'd be surprised how many so called 'faithful' spouses leave because they can't stand seeing the other just rot away in front of them, and they know they can't do anything about it. And those who do stick around end up being patients as well for some stupid shit to be with the one they lost."
"How often do you see that?"
"Practically everyday."
"And it doesn't bother you?"
"Why should it? I don't relate to them."
"Don't you have someone to come visit you?"
"Not since I found you."
"Wait… you mean you don't have any family or friends?"
"Family is dead, and I never let the few people I do know about this."
"You isolated yourself so they don't feel sorry for you?"
"It's not as bad as you think. I even broke off a relationship so that I don't have someone to come through the door with that damn look on their face."
"You were in a relationship?"
"Wasn't I suppose to ask the questions here?"
"Answer me that one and you can ask me whatever you want."
He sighed as he relaxed on the couch. "Yeah. I was in a relationship before. But a bit after the accident, I told the person to fuck off and did about just everything until he left."
"He?"
"It's my turn to ask the questions here."
"…Okay…"
There was a moment of pausing silence before the older man took a deep breath. "Okay… What made you love the cheating asshole in the first place."
"Well… back in college, he was my roommate, and he cooks great food… He said that it was my vice to love food so much that it didn't matter that it was on the floor."
"You did that?"
"Yeah, I accidently spooked him, and he was making pancakes when he was doing one of those air flips and it landed on the floor." He giggled at the memory. "He said something , but I ate the half done pancake and it was the best one I've ever had." He smiled as he continued.
"I had a crush on him since then, but I told him I love him at the middle of the second semester. He didn't say anything, and I was pushy on the matter, but never did it out in public, since he was always flirting with the girls at the school."
"Doesn't that mean that he wasn't interested?"
He shook his head. "He only flirts, but he never took a girl out. He said he once worked as a host before, and the habit just stuck to him." He sighed. "By the end of the first year, he asked me out on a date. Since then we've been together up until almost two months now."
"And your ex best friend? How does he fit in this?"
"Well… we were in different colleges at that time, but on the breaks we have, I dragged Sanji to see Usopp, who was renting out a room with this woman who runs a daycare during the day. He was always great with the kids when he was around. Telling stories and getting them to do art projects… He's working on being an art teacher…" He sighed. "When I introduced the both of them… I guess that was the warning bell for me."
"Why's that?"
"Because after that, they argued about some things… Sanji with Usopp's paintings, and Usopp with Sanji's mushroom soup. He hates mushrooms. But after the breaks, they called almost constitly… I would talk to Usopp for about five minutes while Sanji talks to him for thirty minutes, sometimes an hour. I just figured that they were getting along."
"Then?"
He shrugged. "I didn't see anything wrong with either of them when we hang out… Sanji would usually give me a peck on the cheek out in public… and kiss me when we're alone… He never pressed going to the next step. And at that point I thought it was thoughtful of him, because I wasn't really ready for that…"
Silence filled the room before the man broke the silence.
"Do you still love him?"
He closed his eyes as he took in a shaky breath in. "I don't know… I still care about him, but I can't forget what he did. And it looked like it's been going on for sometime… that back stabber… But I can't help but still have feelings for him. Even today… I wanted to hug him when he got really close to me." He sighed. "I just want these feelings to go away now… Otherwise I'll break and go back to him before I'm ready."
"In other words you need to be distracted."
"I tried… At least I got my friends Nami and Vivi helping… But I know they're also looking for someone for me to hang out with. I just have to give them the word and it will be a trial date. Then there's you…"
"What about me?"
"You're nice, even when you act tough and cold. You also give me advice, even though this isn't your problem to handle."
"I question myself for that every time I talk to you."
He giggled. "I like it though… You help me get through this while distracting me for a bit."
"How do I distract you?"
"Well, for one thing, you're really cool to look at and interesting to talk to. I just like listening to you."
"I thought you had a problem with my monotone voice?"
"It was annoying for a while, but after being with you for some time, I just grew to like it a bit."
"You're strange."
"I know, but I like me."
"I guess there's nothing wrong with that… I've seen a lot of people who don't like themselves."
"I hope you're not one of them."
"Why's that?"
"Because there's nothing wrong with you, besides what you told me. But even that, I don't see why no one would be friends with you. But you explained your reason…"
The older man sighed as he looked at the clock. "I better get going…" He said as he got up.
"See you later. Thanks for dropping by."
"I know… And you're welcome…"
"Green Eyes?"
"Hm?"
"Am I an exception?"
"Huh?"
"Am I an exception? You said you don't let anyone, even people you know, come see you. But I see you, and you're not trying to threaten or hurt me when I come visit."
The man paused by the door as he looked back at the other. "Next time Luffy." He said as he walked out of the apartment.
Luffy just stared at the closed door and laid down on the couch, feeling the warmth where the other last sat down. "Later Green Eyes…"