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Shanks yawned as he woke up. His head was banging a little and it had grown dark.

"Zoro-san?"

Zoro was sleeping beside him. He shook him and Zoro opened his eyes. Shanks threw himself into Zoro's arms and began to laugh, his laughter filled with tears of joy.

"You came back to me," Shanks delighted, forgetting about his throbbing head, "I knew you would come back."

Zoro looked confused, but smiled and nodded, "er...yeah. Of course, I came back. Let's just put the past behind us? You know what...why don't we leave right now. Just you and me."

"Why the change of heart?" Shanks asked, rather suspicious.

Zoro gulped, "because I understand what you were saying earlier. Red hair...I mean Shanks, I love you and I want us...to...er...be together. Forever? Yes. And I can't wait any longer. Let us leave now."

Shank's eyebrows furrowed suspiciously, but then hugged Zoro some more, "I'm so glad. You don't understand how happy I am to hear you say those words Zoro-san. It seems all so surreal. I don't even know what to say..."

"Just say yes Re- I mean, Shanks," Zoro smiled. Shanks looked at Zoro. He had noticed that he winced at hearing his name. Or had that been his imagination?

"Zoro-san.."

Zoro winced again as if the name brought pain to him. Shanks was going to ask about that, but then looked at the door, "do you hear that?"

Zoro remained silent as he shook his head, "no."

Shanks got up and forced Zoro up with him. He had a large grin on his face, "I cannot believe this!"

He ran to the door and opened it, "Zoro-san come! I will introduce you to everyone. My crew is here!"

Zoro followed closely behind and watched as Shanks waved at everyone and hug them as if he were a mad man. Shanks was laughing and slapped Zoro's back a little, "Everyone this is Roronoa Zoro, the East blue swordsman who Mihawk was training. And...well, his my new lover."

Shanks blushed at the word lover and Zoro frowned as he looked the other side. When he noticed Shanks smiling at him he forced one too and nodded his head.

"Zoro! Benn is saying hi and you are ignoring him," Shanks smiled as he looked in the direction of Benn.

"Oh I didn't hear him," Zoro said, "hi Benn."

Shanks leaned into Zoro's ear and whispered, "his standing right next to you."

"Ah of course, um, hi Benn," Zoro said as he looked at Benn.

"Well, I will introduce you to them all individually on the ship. Let us get on!" Shanks laughed. He began to walk closer to the ship.

Panicking, Zoro ran and held Shanks' hand and sighed when he managed to stop him just in time.

"You know what, why don't we follow them with my...I mean Mihawk's boat," Zoro said, sweat dropping.

"Yosh!" Shanks yelled as he lifted his hands up in the air, "but it's a one seater."

"Exactly why it is perfect for the two of us. Now seat on my lap Red h-Shanks."

"Everyone!" Shanks shouted as he waved at his crew, "we are going to be right behind you!"

He turned to face Zoro, "did you tell Luffy?"

Zoro nodded his head vigorously, "of course."

"I can't wait till he becomes the Pirate King."

"Shh, Red...Shanks, just lay your head, yeah right there," Zoro said, "Just rest. We will be there in no time."
Shanks snuggled up and sniffed Zoro, "you smell a lot like Mihawk."

Zoro's eye twitched as he laughed awkwardly, "you reckon?"

"Yes, Mihawk is the only person who can ride this as well," Shanks pointed out, "when did you learn how t-"

"Stop asking too many questions and comparing me to Mihawk. I learnt how to when I was staying with him. He taught me more than just using a sword. He is a very good man. Great man."

Shanks laughed as he ruffled up Zoro's hair, "if you say so."

Brook smiled in the barrel, but then it hit him. It was no time to sleep around and do nothing. Robin was up to no good and he had an idea of what was going on.

"I wished never to use this technique after Fishmen island," Brook said as he closed his eyes and sighed, "The things I do for Zoro-san. Dorororororo. Bone, bone, bone, bone, bone, bone, bone, Bang! Boom! I'm out! Yohoho. Now I have to warn Zoro of Robin's plans."

Brook began to scan the ship in his soul until he found Zoro sleeping in the crow's nest with weights in both hands.

"ZORO-SAN! WAKE UP! ZORO-SAN!" Brook shouted as he thought of the goodies he had left in the barrel. He needed to return back to them soon, though most of them were now covered in his blood.

"Urgh! Brook," Zoro said as he woke up, "what do you want?"

"Shanks is leaving!"

"The idiot!" Zoro shouted as he jumped out of the crow's nest, "we were supposed to talk this through!"

He looked into the horizon and saw Shanks sitting on Mihawk's lap as they sailed further from the Thousand Sunny.

"I will not let you go so easily Shanks!" Zoro shouted as he dived into the ocean. He began to swim towards them.

Sanji woke up from the entire ruckus and went out to see what was going on, only to find Shanks sitting on Mihawk's lap as they sailed away, whilst Zoro swam after them.

"The idiot!" Sanji said as he took off his shoes.

"Don't do it Sanji-san," Brook said, "let him talk it through with Shanks."

Sanji looked at the soul and screamed. He had not seen Brook in that form.

Shanks looked up at Zoro, "I'm glad you changed your mind about coming."

"I'm glad too," Zoro grinned as he turned round to see the real Zoro on his way.

Shit. This is not good. I never anticipated this! Just how did he find out? I thought the skeleton got taken care of!

Zoro kissed Shanks and Shanks returned the kiss twice as passionate.

"I love you Zoro-san," Shanks said as more tears poured down his cheeks, "I thought I'd lost you forever. I did not know what to do! I was so devastated. Let us never allow argue like that again. Life is too short Zoro-san. That is why I made the selfish decision of taking you away from Luffy. I am not getting any younger. I don't have the luxury of waiting for you. I don't want to die with regrets and if I had left without you. I would have."

Zoro bit his bottom lip, filled with guilt at what he had done. He looked at the Thousand Sunny. It was not far. He could still- Shaking his head and increased the speed. He was not going to let go of Shanks. Red hair was now in his arms. Unlike the last time, he was not going to let go. Never.

The real Zoro continued swimming in as he told himself that he would not be a hypocrite, "I am just misunderstanding the situation. He has a good reason why he is kissing Mihawk. He has a good reason why he is sitting on his lap right now. He has a good reason why he is leaving me without SAYING GOODBYE! He MUST have a good reason. I know he wouldn't just..."

Zoro began to slow down as bitter tears poured down his cheeks. He had refused to eat anything and the intense exercise he had been doing since morning had now taken its toll on him. He watched as Mihawk and Shanks got further and further away from him. Slowly he began to drown into the water. He closed his eyes as his body sank into the deep ocean. His muscles were no longer strong enough to allow him to swim up and float until aid arrived. It didn't help much that he had also lost his will to live.

"ZORO!" Sanji shouted as he jumped into the water, "dammit all! You stupid marimo! Don't die on me!"
Diving deeper and deeper into the ocean, Sanji swam as fast as he could. He looked around, searching for his love. He was not going to allow Zoro to die before him. Not a chance in hell.