Ahh! It's been awhile!
Zoro: Not that long...
You just don't care!
Zoro: I got your damn reviews.
Gimme!
Zoro: (takes out first one) From Kira-chan...
I know, I know…
Zoro: (takes out another) From MaiAkemi...
New one! Thank you!
Zoro: (takes out another) From Iry-san...
Of course!
Zoro: (takes out another) From Soge-san...
In chapter 3, I know… It killed me when I have to do that. For chapter 4, really? Huh… Maybe I do have a knack for SanUso material. I guess it's a bit of a switch then, huh? And chapater 5 Yes, it does hurt.
Zoro: (takes out another) From Softdreamer...
New one! Well, I try to get a lot of chapters up, but you know how life throws a crap ball at you and you need the human time. XP
Zoro: That's one way to put it...(takes out another) From Black rose pirate...
You'll see, and it's not cloning…
Zoro: (takes out another) From Gino-san...
Neither do I most of the time.
Zoro: (takes out another) From Mimi-chan...
For chapter 3, just have to find out. Chapter 4, agreed, but then some people are like that. They give one some space and after a while come around and realize that their timing is off and it backfires. Chapter 5, don't worry! Chapter 6, I know! I saw something on television one day and there was a similar story with a guy donating his kidney to his friend. Goes to show that there is still hope for this world. Chapter 7, I loved doing that chapter, I was laughing while I was typing it up. Chapter 8, yep, it's just about the right time. Chapter 9, you'll find out in later chapters. Chapter 10, he was just suggesting it, but in one of these next five chapters he actually does it and he has help.
Zoro: That took some time.(takes out another) From Dreamkitty26...
New one! Aren't they?
Zoro: Oi! (takes out another) From Dreamers0rule0the0earth...
Please don't hurt me…
Zoro: Wow, double personalities, you get strange reviewers. (takes out another) From Yukino89...
New one! Here's five chapters.
Zoro: (takes out last one) From Anime-jdorama-addict...
New one! Just have to find out!
Zoro: Are you going to start now?
Yep! (presses the start button)
Chapter 11: First Mate?
*_+_*
Zoro woke up to see that it was snowing outside and he could feel the drop in temperature in his room.
"Shit…" He said as he rubbed his arms. "Forgot to raise the temperature here…" He walked out of his bed, only to smell something.
He followed the scent to the kitchen where he saw Luffy cooking something in his kitchen. "Morning."
Luffy looked to see the other and smiled. "Morning Zoro! Did I wake you?"
He shook his head. "No, the cold did." He said as he sat down at the table. "Don't you have work today?"
"I do, but it's not for another hour, so I decided to make both of us some breakfast."
"You were on your way?"
"Yep." He said as he turned off the burner and took out a spatula.
"What's on the menu?"
"Just scrambled eggs, toast and bacon."
"Sounds like a simple breakfast."
"I would've added potatoes, but you don't have any."
"Wait, you used my food?"
"Sorry, I didn't want to wander around in the cold and it seemed like a good idea to make breakfast for the both of us anyway."
"You didn't have breakfast this morning or something?"
"Nope. I thought I was running late, turns out my clock was an hour earlier than normal."
"How did that happen?"
"It was set at an angle. Turns out the alarm clocks are messed up if they were set at an angle for a long period of time."
"Ah." Zoro said as the other put the food on the plate and brought them out to the table. "Thanks for the food." He said before started eating. "Not bad."
"Thanks." Luffy said as he looked at the time. "I better get going." He finished his breakfast and was about to hurry to grab his jacket before the other spoke.
"Would you mind if I sit in?"
"Huh?"
"Come over and just watch how you run your work place."
Luffy blinked before smiling. "That would be great! The kids would love to meet you!"
"I don't know about that."
"They will, I know it."
"Just let me get dressed." He said as he got up.
"Okay, I'll wait."
He got up, went into his room, dressed, took care of personal business, and walked out to see Luffy waiting by the door.
"Ready?"
He smiled as he mentioned him to lead.
_/\/\/\_
Once they reached a building, they entered and they were greeted with warmth and an older woman waiting by the desk.
"Morning, Luffy-kun, we were wondering where you were."
"Sorry, I had to visit a good friend of mine."
"This handsome gentleman the friend?"
"Yep!" He said as he turned to the other. "Zoro, this is Nico Robin, she's like my boss here." He turned to the woman. "This is Roronoa Zoro, the guy I've been telling you about."
"Oh! Roronoa-san!" She said. "So this is the savior of our beloved captain."
"Oi…oi…" He said.
"Captain Luffy!" Said one of the kids. "You made it!"
"Yeah! The snow was a lot deeper than I thought!" He said with a laugh. "Did something happen before I came?"
The kid then went off about something about finding a treasure map, which the older woman giggled and Luffy went into captain mode.
"Well! What are we waiting for?"
"Captain, who's the scary guy with you?"
"Who? Zoro? He's not scary."
"Is he the recovering wounded first mate you talked about?"
"Yep!" He said as he looked at Zoro. "Zoro, this is one of my top officers for the crew."
"Oh, I remember you telling me that." Zoro said, playing along. "So, you're making sure the captain doesn't get into trouble while I was recovering?"
"Yep! But he's a bit of a handful."
"Hey!" Luffy said as the other chuckled.
"Sorry Captain, but it's the truth."
"Oh well! Let's get going on the treasure."
"Yeah!" The kid said as he led them to the room with the other kids. "Captain is here, and so is the First Mate!"
"Since when was I the first mate?" Zoro whispered.
"Well, I've always mentioned having one, but Sanji didn't want to play the part of it, so I just left it at that."
"Just 'First Mate' and no other name?"
"Right. That was the case until you and I became friends officially."
"When was that?"
"When you told me your name." He said with a smile as everyone gathered around to meet Zoro.
"You're still recovering, First Mate?" Asked a little girl.
"Yeah, I am." Zoro said as he continued to play along.
"From what?" Asked a boy.
Zoro looked at Luffy. "Should I show them, Captain?"
"I don't think that's necessary." Luffy said as he looked at Robin.
"Why not?" Some of the kids complained.
Zoro looked at Luffy and shrugged. "Okay… But it's not pretty." He said as he took off his shoes and socks and showed them his scarred ankles.
"Whoa! What happened?" Were the collective responses from the kids.
"I was fighting these guys that had Captain and I was close to finding out where they kept him when one of them caught me."
"What happened after that?"
"I was then put into this wax-like puddle which became hard like rock within seconds, so I wouldn't escape."
"No!"
"Yeah, and I knew if I didn't get out, then they would do something to the Captain. So I took my two swords and I was close to cutting off both of my feet off."
There was a loud gasp from the kids.
"And then what happened!?" Asked a boy.
"Well, I only made it half why when Captain came running out like a crazy person and beat the guys up."
"How did you get out?" Asked a girl.
"Well, since I was in wax, the only way to get me out was to burn the wax down. But Captain decided to be reckless and had the whole place go up in flames. Luckily the wax started getting soft before I started to burn up. So once that was done, we ran out of there and got back onto the ship, which I had to lecture Captain here about being a little less reckless about things like that. But then again he hardly listens to me."
The kids laughed on that. "Yeah, that's true! He hardly listens to us either!"
"Does it still hurt when you walk, First Mate?"
Zoro shook his head. "Not as much anymore, but we came across a doctor sometime back and well… She told me to not do anything reckless for awhile. But I was never good with following doctor's orders."
The kids laughed at that as their game started with Luffy leading the kids and Zoro surveying from the end of the line.
_/\/\/\_
When the day ended and the kids returned home, the two men headed to Luffy's apartment.
"Since you cooked in my kitchen, I'm cooking in yours."
"Sounds fair." Luffy said with a laugh. "I'm glad you came today."
"It was fun, the kids seemed really happy."
"That's my treasure every time I walk in there." He said. "And I think the kids really like you."
"Yeah, they do." He said as he seemed quiet.
"I didn't see the scars on your ankles before…"
"That's because the one on my chest is much more impressive." He said it with a bit of sarcasm.
"Well… yeah, but I didn't know about your ankles."
"It's just going to be the same story."
"Oh… You got them from that accident."
"Hai…" He said as they made it to the other's apartment. "Shit it feels like it's been awhile since the last time I was here."
"It was!" He said with a laugh.
Once they entered the room, they made themselves comfortable before Zoro looked around the kitchen and planned out what he should make when the phone rang.
"I got that." Luffy said as he answered it. "Monkey speaking." He said when he laughed. "Hey Nami, how's it going?" He continued to talk as he made his way to the couch.
'He's going to be there awhile.' Zoro thought as he got things out and started to cook.
_/\/\/\_
An hour later Luffy was done talking to his friend and sighed.
"You two took awhile."
"She was talking to me about some available guys she found while shopping." He said with a laugh. "But I'm pretty damn content being like this though."
"Really?"
"Yeah, even though we're friends I feel very close to you. And not in a relationship way."
"I understand." He said with a smile. "Dinner's ready by the way."
"Smells so good!" He said as he sat down by the table and saw a bed of rice, chicken and some mushroom sauce covering the chicken. "Thanks for the meal!" He called out as he took the first bite. "So good!"
"Better than your cooking?"
Luffy took that in consideration. "It's about the same."
"Oi…"
Luffy stuck out his tongue. "Sorry! I'm not Sanji! He can totally tell which one's better."
Zoro shook his head. "Whatever, as long as it doesn't taste bad and makes you feel sick, who cares, right?"
Luffy chuckled. "Right!"
_/\/\/\_
Once dinner was done, Luffy hailed a taxi and both of them said their good nights and Zoro entered the cab.
Luffy was waving when Sanji came around with Usopp and saw the scene.
"Looks like they're getting along well." Usopp said.
"Sure do." He said with a sigh. "He's doing a better job being his friend than I was being the boyfriend."
Usopp rolled his eyes. "Do we have to go to Nami for some therapy work with you?"
"Do and I may consider being bi."
"I've already accepted you as that."
"Really?"
"That doesn't mean you can have a girlfriend."
"What are you getting at?"
"Just letting you know where I stand in this relationship."
Sanji grinned and wrapped an arm around the other. "For someone who hides behind me most of the time, you can find your courage to stand up to me. It makes you hot."
"Oi!" Usopp said with a blush. "Don't say stuff like that out of nowhere."
Sanji grinned. "Oh? Then maybe I should stop complimenting you all together."
Usopp's eye twitched as he pouted. "You're trying to screw with me, aren't you?"
"That was a week ago."
"I didn't mean that kind!"
Sanji just laughed as the other looked flustered.
"Sanji! You can be such a sick jerk!"
Sanji calmed down his laughing as he slapped the other's ass. "Come on, we better get home before your goods get cold."
"O-Oi!"