Now you and Luffy were alone, and were sitting in his personal chambers so he could have some privacy with you.
"Okay! So we're going to start learning how to talk to people. We're going to practice this until you can say it perfectly so Let's start off with something simple. Repeat after me." Luffy explained and cleared his throat.
You clear your throat as well after he does. He let out a little laugh. "Hi! My name is Y/N!"
"Hhi! My name is… Y/N." You repeated after him slowly.
"Okay, good job! Say it again! Hi! My name is Y/N!"
"Hi…! My name is Y/N!" You said it again.
Luffy had you repeat that line over and over again. Soon, he takes you around the ship and he has you repeat words and point out what they were.
You two were in the kitchen where Sanji was cooking lunch. "I am hungry!" He said.
"I am hungry." You repeated.
"I am thirsty!" He said and took a drink of the water.
"I am thirsty." You repeated and drank some water.
You were learning very quickly. It turns out that you were extremely intelligent.
Luffy tested your intelligence and pointed out a puzzle on the table. "Try to solve that puzzle." He told you.
Everyone was now watching you and you managed to be the fastest on board to solve the puzzle.
Nami was impressed by you solving the puzzle and how intelligent you were.
In just 8 hours, you managed to learn to speak clearly and everyone was now talking to you and you were fully and clearly, talking back.
Finally, the sun had set and everyone was hanging around celebrating your progress and you watched everyone smiling and giving you praise.
Once it quiets down for a moment, you look down at your legs and begin to rub on them.
"Oh! Are you cold? It gets pretty chilly out in the sea at night." Luffy said.
"I… I was cursed and banished from my pod." You said to them.
"What? What did you just say?" Usopp asked.
"I was cursed and banished…" you repeated.
Everyone was silent and looking at you.
"I… am a different kind of Siren. I never liked the taste of humans. And I always hear horror stories about humans hunting my kind down… nearly to extinction. I… I saved a human from drowning and I was punished to live among you… So when I met all of you, I was scared. I thought for sure I would die. But then, Luffy comforted me. I had never experienced that before. So I didn't want to leave your side. I still don't, never…" you explained your whole story to the crew.
So Luffy ended up being right. You needed them.
However no one knew exactly what to say, except Luffy. "Well… then how would you like to join my crew, permanently?" He asked you.
"I thought you were just going to drop me off?" You asked.
"Well… you said you needed us. And it turns out we need you as much as you need us." Zoro said, which surprised everyone.
"Hey, as long as I don't get kissed, I'm more than happy to have you with us!" Usopp said with his hands up, making everyone laugh.
You even started laughing and you were still working on your laugh.
"So! It's Unanimous! Welcome to the Straw Hat Pirates, Y/N!" Luffy said and hugged you, to which you hugged back.
Sanji was smiling. "We got another girl on the crew!" He yelled out.
"Whoooo!" Usopp howled.
Nami and Zoro smile.
You even joined in and let out an animal call that Sirens could do. It sounded like a high pitched whistle.
~Later that Night~
Nami and You were getting ready to sleep in the room you share. You watched Nami lay down in her hammock, she noticed you looking at her and she smiled. "Well… it seems you're part of our crew now. And if I know Luffy, he won't let you run away."
"I don't want to run away." You reply to Nami.
"I know." She said with a smile. "But you remember when I explained my story to you? The day we met? How Luffy saved me from servitude from Arlong. He went after me after I betrayed him and got me back. He wouldn't let me go." He said.
"Oh… I see. I'm happy you're here now." You said.
"I am too." Nami said. "Because if I weren't, I'd probably still be working for Arlong and I wouldn't have met you." She said as she looked into your eyes.
You smile as best as you could, you still had to train your cheek muscles.
Nami smiled back at you. "We should get some sleep. We'll make landfall tomorrow morning." She said and closed her eyes and got comfortable.
You nod. "Yes. Let's sleep." You said and got yourself comfortable as well.
Meanwhile, Zoro was still deep in thought about all of this kissing business. The more he thought about it, the more he really liked it and he kept wondering about the kiss he shared with Sanji. He'd hate to call the man a friend. Especially now, he thought that the kiss they shared was more romantic than platonic. But he knew Sanji thought nothing more about it.
As his mind began to race, He began to wonder how many people Sanji kissed. He wondered if Nami kissed anyone? What about Luffy? No, Luffy definitely wasn't a romantic type. His whole dream about being King of the Pirates was too important to him than finding someone special. He wondered if Luffy was still awake or asleep? He wanted to go check.
So he carefully gets up and walks out to go sneak into the Captain's chambers. Once there, he softly knocked on the door.
He was surprised when he heard a "come in!" On the other side of the door. He opens the door and walks in.
Luffy looks up at Zoro. "Oh, Zoro! Can't sleep?" He asked.
"I was just about to ask you the same thing. Why are you still awake?" Zoro asked.
"I couldn't sleep. I've been thinking about these past few days. Since we met Y/N."
"You wanna talk about it?" The other man asked.
"I don't know. It's weird."
"I'm all ears." Zoro said and sat down in front of Luffy on his nice bed.
Luffy looked back at the handsome swordsman and bit his lip. "Well… You saw that Y/N kissed me."
"We've all pretty much been kissed by the Siren." Zoro said.
"Well… that was my very first kiss… and I can't stop thinking about it." He said.
He couldn't blame his captain, he also couldn't stop thinking about it either. "Well that makes two of us."
"I just. I don't know how to feel about it. I never experienced love or anything. At least not like that. I'm sure you haven't either." Luffy explained.
"No, I hadn't. But, Sanji told me that it's okay to kiss platonically. Kissing doesn't have to be romantic. And he proved his point by kissing me and he acts as if nothing happened…" he explained.
Luffy was surprised to hear this. "Sanji kissed you? And you kissed him back?" He asked.
"Yeah. And now I can't stop thinking about it." He said.
"Well, I don't blame you, Sanji is a good looking man." Luffy said. "I mean you are too, don't get me wrong!" He said quickly.
Zoro let out a laugh at that. "Thanks. I never saw myself as good looking." He said.
"But you are! Your sword fighting skills weren't the only thing I noticed when I first noticed."
Zoro looks at Luffy. "…Really?" He asked, blushing at the compliment.
"Yeah! I'm actually surprised you didn't have women throwing themselves at you!" Luffy said.
"I was never good with women…" he said, to which Luffy shrugged. "I guess so." He said.
"I just don't know how anyone could kiss anyone so casually? It doesn't seem… right." He said, blushing and looking at Luffy's lips.
Luffy noticed that Zoro was looking at his lips and he couldn't help but look back at his. He trusts his gut and leans inward.
Zoro noticed he was leaning in and he gulped and his face turned red but he leaned in as well.
The two's lips touch each other and this definitely felt romantic. They could feel each other's heat from their faces and Zoro let his hand travel to Luffy's cheek as they continued the kiss. He rubbed his thumb against Luffy's cheek as they kissed for a few moments more.
Finally the two pull away and they rest their foreheads against each other and they take a moment to calm their racing heart rates.
"We… None of us can turn back from this. We're all too far gone beyond friendship… and this isn't family behavior either…" Zoro said.
"…I know…" Luffy replied. He knew Zoro was right. Ever since Y/N came into their lives, things began to change. He just didn't know if this was a good change or bad change.