I decided to start working on this chapter immediately to make up for my tom foolery. However, because school is starting soon and Color Guard is still owning my free time, this chapter is being uploaded at a later date...oh, this is great. I'm so sorry my lovely supporters ;^; I want this chapter to be nice and wonderful to make up for it. I'm sorry ;;-;;

Later update JESUS KRIMENI CHRISTMAS I AM SO SORRY THIS IS EVEN LATER GOODNESS GRACIOUS I AM SO SORRY ;A; Life just decided to kick me in the nonexisting nards and make me miserable for a while so I was even more involved in other things to distract me and EXCUSES EXCUSES I'M SO SORRY ;A;

Chapter 4: Trying

When Sanji had told me I was in love with Zoro, I was denying and secretly thinking of it for a long while. When we had dropped of Vivi and Robin joined the crew, I often caught myself admiring Zoro whenever I caught wind of him. I would frequently hide behind the Merry's mast and find myself completely lost in his training body. He would train in any weather on the daily basis, and every time he looked amazing. The sun reflected on the sweat coating his tan skin, but the rain washed it away while keeping the heavenly glow. I wasn't the only one catching me staring for hours.

"Hey, Luffy-"

I nearly jumped out of my skin and released a hushed yelp before quickly turning on my heels to face Usopp.

"Usopp! Don't sneak up on my like that!"

"Nothing's changed in your daily schedule, huh?"

I swallowed hard and nodded slowly. It didn't take long for the news to spread across the ship to everyone except Zoro. Chopper was left out I think, too, because Nami says he can't keep a secret. Everyone except Sanji was pretty accepting, and the girls found it awfully cute and would take the chance to pester me whenever it came up in conversation or situation.

"Luffy, you gotta tell him about this, it's getting out of hand." Usopp sighed and shook his head. "You can't even talk to him sometimes without having a freak out."

"T-T-T-Tell him?! But Sanji says guys are supposed to like girls...he's gonna hate me…"

"What, Zoro? Come on, he's the last person on this ship to ever hate you, no matter what you say. And, whether he denies or accepts, at least you'll know and can talk to him like a normal human being, or at least back to your version of normal."

"B...but…" I felt myself getting a fever as a result of the gears in my head turning too fast for too long. I wanted to find some kind of excuse, but I couldn't find too many. "You said it yourself, I can't talk to him very well...so I can't."

"Ha! Luffy, it's almost as if you've forgotten who I am! Back in my days of Captain Usopp before gracing you with my assistance, I've had plenty experience with dating personally and helping lovesick fools like yourself! Leave it to me, and you'll have what you want in no time!" He laughed with his arm slung over shoulder, but I couldn't help my racing thoughts when he said I could have what I want.

…

The first plan was to use some kind of pickup line, so we spent a long while writing a bunch of them on small cards for me to reference. I picked my favorite one, "I'm falling for you", even though I didn't get it, and then we just had to figure out how to act it out. Despite how many times Chopper had to take splinters from my face and arms, I was determined to get it right.

In due time, Usopp said I was ready.

I sat in the crowsnest, peeking over the railing slightly to the deck below. My mental preparations came to a halt once a movement of green caught my eye as it yawned and slugged its way to the base of the mast. I looked up at the sun and deducted it was time for Zoro's pre-lunch nap. Taking a deep breath, I hauled myself onto the edge and closed my eyes to focus on slowing my rapidly beating heart.

Then, I let myself fall forward clumsily.

My screams pierced the silent sea air. I was fully prepared to smash through the deck, getting my face coated in band aids and my ear talked off my Nami and Usopp about repairs. I closed my eyes and braced myself but instead felt my body collapse into a warm embrace, my quick breaths hitting a force before me and reflecting back.

"You alright, Captain?"

A chill spread across me as I heard the familiar baritone voice. I opened my eyes and prayed my suspicions were wrong, but of all the times I'm actually right.

"H-Hi, Zoro." I waved meekly at the lovely tan face inches away from my blushing competitor. One of his strong arms moved from the crook of my legs to lightly hit me on my head.

"Idiot. You could have really hurt yourself. You're rubber, not invincible."

I rubbed my head and nodded while avoiding eye contact. Zoro had first caught me in bridal position which was pretty bad, but after he hit me his other hand was still on my back as I sat half involuntarily in his lap which was worse. My face was burning.

"What were you doing anyway?" Oh, right! The pick-up line thing! I had been practicing this for weeks or months or whatever! But...what was it again?

"Uhh...I have fallen on you," I barely got out through my sheepish smile.

I got a confused look in return followed by a sigh. "Well, I don't know what I expected. Nothing that makes sense, yeah, but…" Zoro smiled at me, making my heart race at unbearable speeds as he pat my hatted head. "Alright, get up. I'm tired and already lost some of my nap time. Go off and do whatever before I get cranky."

I nodded eagerly and tripped over my panicked, lanky legs on my way to the kitchen and scampered under the table. Two pairs of high heels tapped against the floor towards me along with two other pairs. Usopp crouched to my level and sighed.

"It was 'I think I have fallen for you', doofus."

"It was still cute," Nami giggled.

"Quite the display," Robin chuckled.

I could hear the puff of smoke leaving Sanji's lips. "Take two, I guess."

…

A few days later, a week maybe, Sanji had called me to the kitchen to talk to me alone. He said the line thing didn't work for me because I was so nervous and couldn't think correctly.

"I don't know why you asked that moron in the first place." Sanji flicked the lighter a few times to ignite his cigarette. "He doesn't know a thing about romance."

"But, Sanji," I rocked back and forth with my legs crossed on the table. "Aren't you more of a girl person? You don't know how to hit on guys, do you?"

Sanji "tch"ed in response. "Luffy, I know everything having to do with romance. As much as I'd rather have nothing to do with this...this deformed way of love, I can't just stand by and watch my captain fail."

Although I didn't know what he meant by defrosted love, my insides bubbled with happiness. Sure, I'd never seen Sanji successfully get a girlfriend, but maybe that's just how the process worked. I was willing to get any piece of advice I could at the moment, so I eagerly nodded and perked my ears.

Sanji told me I had to "woo" Zoro, whatever that meant. I figured I just had to act like Sanji always did around Nami and Robin, but he told me not to do that since it only works for women. I didn't have any real idea how to brew him without hurting him or anything, but if Sanji said so.

I strode over to Zoro with a special walk I had been working on to get his attention. But since I wasn't used to walking that way, I tripped over the stairs leading to the deck he was on and landed on my face. I lay there for a while out of embarrassment.

"Uh, Luffy? You all right?"

I sat up and rubbed my face before quickly standing to lean in the deck railing where he was resting.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I sighed, attempting to flip my hair. "Just looking for a place to smoke and what not." I whipped out a cigarette Sanji gave me as well as the lighter. My thumb burnt from striking it and getting no flaming results. My frustrations must have been obvious, and Zoro stood up and took it from my hands.

"I didn't know you smoked," he mumbled sleepily, striking a flame flawlessly. "I don't care for it. Doesn't do anything for me and reminds me of that shitty cook."

I pulled myself from my trance when his fingers grazed mine to grab the lighter. "I-I uh...I just started recently. Heard it was...uh...nice."

Zoro shrugged before holding out the fire to the tip of the cigarette between my lips. "Well, whatever, Captain's wishes. But I don't think you'll like it."

My face grew warm and I leaned into the fire and breathed in deeply. As soon as the smoke hit the back of my throat, I coughed and hacked. Zoro's strong hand hit me on the back multiple times.

"See, I told you." He rubbed my back with care until I stopped coughing. I kind of wanted his hand to stay with me even when I felt better. "Go see Chopper about that, and I'll go tell that piece of shit cook what he's done."

Something inside my chest fluttered at the thought of Zoro wanting to defend me, but I didn't want them to get in a fight. I couldn't force any words out of my throat, so I reached out to grab him. My fingers felt his arm slip past them before he stopped. Without knowing, I grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

We were holding hands, and he wasn't pulling away.

"U-Uhm...It's fine, Zoro," I looked down at our intertwined fingers. "I just took one from him...I won't do it again…so it's okay."

Nothing happened for a while. I don't think he was bothered with our position, but I do know that I could have stayed like that forever.

Zoro rubbed the back of his head with his other hand and sighed. "Alright. Whatever you say, Luffy."

I smiled and let go of his hand, and he went back to sleep in no time. I couldn't help it, but I watched him rest peacefully for a while before sheepishly walking to the kitchen where Sanji waited with his face in his hands.

"Somehow," he huffed, "you managed to mess it up again."

"We…" I wrung my hands together and smiled down at the floor. "We...held hands…"

Sanji scoffed. "You're so helplessly in love with that idiot and it sickens me." He stomped over to the refrigerator and flung it open with intention to cook. Instead of pestering him to fill my hungry stomach, I curled up on the bench next to the table and giggled into my knees.

…

Nami and Robin called me from my daily Zoro watch into their bunk, which they never really did unless I was in really big trouble. I quickly shuffled down the steps already spouting excuses.

"I didn't do anything! It was Usopp! He put the blame on me, I swear!"

Nami sighed, and Robin laughed softly. "You're not in trouble, Mr. Captain. Miss Navigator and I just wanted to talk to you about your little crush on the swordsman."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and sat down on the chair she offered me. I eventually felt better once I realized this would be the best of my options. Nami and Robin had guys adoring them all the time. There's no way they couldn't help me!

"S-So what should I do? Are...you gonna help me...get him to...like...me?" I gripped the seat beneath me until it felt my fingertips felt they would bleed.

"Luffy, Zoro already likes you. Hell, I'm sure he even loves you." My heart skipped a beat. "Thing is, Zoro has too much manly pride to tell you."

"Meaning," Robin took over for Nami. "You have to be the one to tell him."

I wrung my hands nervously, and my voice cracked as I spoke. "B-But...Sanji said most guys like girls, and...He may hate me if I tell him...a-and...I don't…" I could faintly hear Nami and Robin giggling to each other before one or the other said I look cute while flustered.

"Luffy, there's no way in the entire world Zoro could ever hate you," Nami laughed, and her heels clicked against the floor in my direction. Her hand pat my head and ruffled my hair a bit. "You just have to go tell him, okay?"

I looked up at her with big eyes and nodded unsurely. She smiled at me brightly and took my hat from hanging around my neck to the top of my head. They both shooed me off and a shyly slugged up the steps in search of Zoro. I didn't know where he could be, since his nap was over and I could never determine his next destination in a specific schedule.

When I asked Sanji, he said he didn't know nor care, and that I smelled too bad to be asking someone out. I pouted and dragged my feet to the bath. As I reached the door, I realized that I'd need someone to get the water ready for me or I'd grow weak and drown. I huffed and reached for the door handle just before it decided to open on its own. I stepped around to greet the person exiting. I assumed it was Usopp.

I wasn't expecting a clean Zoro with glimmering skin and a towel hanging loosely around his waist. Very. Very. Loosely.

My heart beat a million miles an hour, and my face was painfully hot. I couldn't get a single sound to exit my throat besides incomprehensible stutters and small gasps. As hard as I tried, I couldn't keep my eyes still to one place. If I looked at his face, I would lose my breath from its beauty. If I looked into his eyes, I would melt at his gaze. If I looked anywhere else-torso and...below-I would have a heart attack. I wanted to leave before he noticed me, but my legs wouldn't move. Either way, he noticed me too soon.

"Hey, Luffy," the sleepy Zoro said gruffly. "You need help with the bath? Bet you haven't taken one, and Nami's probably pissed about it, too. Come on, let's get going." He extended a hand in my direction, the other being the only force keeping the very loose towel from pooling at his feet.

"Huh? Luffy, what's wrong? You're acting weird." I couldn't move. My chest was alternating from beating at light speed and stopping abruptly. My head was pounding and felt like a sauna. It barely felt like I was there. It felt more like I was suspended in the air with nothing around me but him.

"...Luffy? You having one of those, uh...sick moment things Chopper was talking about? You okay?" He pressed his extended hand to my forehead, and I stopped breathing entirely. My eyes were wide open, and I couldn't speak at all. It didn't help anything when he leaned in to inspect my face more.

That was the last thing I remembered before I blacked out.

I later woke up in Nami's bed with a wet towel on my forehead, a concerned Chopper mixing some medicine, and a reading Robin. A mysterious hand removed the towel from my face and handed it to Chopper.

"Thanks Robin. Oh, Luffy! You're awake!" I sat up and rubbed my head sleepily. Chopper instantly tackled me to unsuccessfully pin be back onto the bed. "No, Luffy, you can't move yet! You could still be having an episode!"

I pried him off my face and placed him in my lap. He eventually settled down once I kept scratching behind his ear under his hat. I turned to Robin when she laughed and gave me my missing hat.

"You okay, Mr. Captain? Do you remember anything before you left us momentarily?"

I placed my hat on my head and held my chin in my hand. "Well, I was going to talk Zoro like you told me to. I went to take a bath first, though, and I ran into…" Oh. Oh.

My nose felt hot, and my upper lip felt wet. I touched my face and saw red on my fingers. Sanji came down the steps with a plate of food and chuckled slightly. He wiped my face with a handkerchief and showed me the blood that was on my face.

"You've had your first nosebleed, huh?" Sanji laughed and breathed in his cigarette and stepped away.

"Maybe, Mr. Captain," Robin said without looking up from her book. "You should just wait it out and see if Mr. Swordsman does anything. Your luck with asking him out isn't exactly top notch."

Chrimeny Christmas I did it *^* better late than never, I suppose but I still feel bad…...I made it super long to kind of make up for it, I guess.

Imma start working on the next one immediately, but don't expect it up any time soon…..school is a rude son of a butt nugget sometimes.