A/N: ZareEraz here! We've finished Alabasta so here's your chapter! And yggdrasil001…you get exactly what you wanted: a longer chapter! I'm going to do compilations of important moments in each of the bigger arcs, that way we get to see more! Yay! Enjoy you guys! Don't forget to tell me what you think! :3

(Updated October 2024)

Chapter 12: Weather the Storm

Little Green-Eyed Monster

To be completely honest, Zoro hadn't been expecting this at all, and neither had anyone else for that matter. Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates Portgas D. Ace, was Luffy's brother.

Apparently, Luffy had smashed Ace, and a Marine Captain named Smoker, through several walls in his mad dash for food before running higgledy-piggledy all over Nanohana as the Marines chased him. Luffy had then accidentally on purpose revealed the crew's hiding place on the edge of town when he spotted Zoro and that set the Marines on them. Their asses were only saved due to Ace stepping in and fighting Smoker for a bit while they hightailed it for the Merry, where they almost immediately found that Luffy had gone missing again. When Luffy had finally found his ship, his brother had also tagged along, making friends and being polite with the whole crew. He was so different from Luffy that it was almost scary how polite he was, especially when apologizing for his kid brother's antics. And then, with little effort, Ace had also demolished at least five Baroque Works ships by himself with his signature Fire Fist when they cornered the Merry. Seriously, if the crew thought that Luffy was scary, Ace had a leg up on his kid brother.

Right now, Ace was all Luffy could talk about, much to Zoro's irritation. Ace this, Ace that, the time that Ace and I did this, that one day where Ace and I, blah, blah, blah. Sure, Ace was great: he was polite, more mature, and better-looking than his younger brother. On top of that, he was incredibly powerful with his Flame Flame Fruit powers, but Zoro still couldn't shake the prickly feeling that ran up his spine whenever Luffy talked to Ace or whenever they laughed at something they did as kids. It was frustrating being on the outside and Zoro didn't like how he felt about their brotherly bond.

It had never occurred to the swordsman to ask Luffy about his family; it wasn't something they talked about as a crew unless someone decided it was sharing time. The only other exception was if the crew met the family as they had with Nami's sister, Nojiko, which, Zoro concluded, had also just happened with Ace. Even though Ace was a great guy, the swordsman had brooded by himself as they traveled up the Sandora River in Alabasta, drinking his booze outside of the group's circle as Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper made ridiculous toasts. And then the news got worse: Ace was going to tag along with them to the Yuba Oasis, looking for a man named Blackbeard who he was hunting, which meant that he was going to take up even more of Luffy's attention. Despite his bad mood, the swordsman put on a good face for the brother of his captain, even if he didn't like it very much.

Eventually, they made their way through Erumalu and out into the desert, everyone sticking together for safety and so no one got lost. As they were traveling towards Yuba, where the Rebel Army was stationed, and where Vivi hoped to end the conflict in Alabasta, Zoro was mulling over his thoughts and trying to keep his brain occupied with something other than the oppressive heat. As they trudged through the burning desert, without even knowing it, Zoro had gotten stuck at the back of the pack with Ace.

"Hey? Something bugging you?" Ace asked. He'd noticed that while Zoro was kind to him, there seemed to be something that he was unhappy with.

"No, why?" Zoro said coolly.

"You seem a little distant from everyone right now and that doesn't seem to be how you normally act." The flame man noted, having caught other members of Luffy's crew giving the swordsman concerned looks throughout their journey.

"And how would you know that? You've only been with us for a day," the swordsman questioned.

Ace smiled knowingly. "But I know my brother. He's been trying to drag you into conversation and you're not biting – that tells me that he talks with you a lot and that you're not very talkative right now," Ace replied, tucking his arms behind his head. "It's bumming him out."

Zoro didn't have a reply. Luffy might be looking as energetic and happy as he normally was, but the swordsman realized that he had noticed that the rubber man had been glancing back at him every so often, his eyes confused at Zoro's behavior.

"You seem like a pretty cool guy, serious, and you look really strong," Ace continued. The compliment should've made the swordsman feel pride, but all it did was prick at the ugly feeling in his chest. "So, I'm going to ask you, and your crew by default, to do something for me."

Zoro raised an eyebrow at the interloper. "Yeah, and what is that?"

"Take care of my brother, will ya?" Ace asked. "I know he can be a handful and silly and crazy at times, but he's rather fond of you all."

Zoro finally cracked a smile and replied, "Just be glad that we're all fond of him too."

"Yeah, but you're a special kind of fond." Ace smiled, his grin almost the same as his brother's.

"What do you mean?" Zoro said, giving his voice an edge to stop himself from blushing in embarrassment.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Ace reached out and poked the swordsman in the shoulder teasingly.

"And what would I be jealous of?" Zoro asked, playing it cool.

"Probably of me, because that's a lot of what Luffy's focusing on right now," he smirked. "We haven't seen each other in over three years; of course, he's going to be excited. But I seem to be butting into something if you know what I mean." Ace had the same look on his face that Luffy got when he got a really sneaky and fun idea into his head. The similarity was uncanny.

"I'm sure I don't," Zoro denied.

"Right." Ace smiled knowingly. "I see the way he looks at you, Mr. Swordsman, and I know what's good for my little brother. Just stick with him, 'kay?"

Zoro rolled his eyes. "It's really easy when he's dragging everyone all across the Grand Line." Ace laughed at his reply.

"I know!" But then the flame man's eyes narrowed, and he glared at Zoro hotly. "But if you hurt Luffy, I will personally scorch every inch of skin off of your hide until you're nothing but ash."

Disliking being threatened, Zoro glared right back, getting right into Ace's face with his own. "I don't plan to, but if you're looking for a fight, I'll give you one." His hands went to his swords, the barest sliver of draw steel glinting in the harsh Alabasta sun.

"Nah, I just wanted to warn you!" Ace's mood pulled a one-eighty as he slung his arm around Zoro's shoulders and laughed heartily. The green-haired man had no clue what to make of him, but the flame man was just as protective of Luffy as Zoro was turning out to be, which wasn't a bad thing. Ace wasn't a bad guy; in fact, he was like Zoro in a lot of ways. Maybe that's why he took a disliking to him in the first place because they were so alike to start with.

As they walked, Zoro thought about Ace's words seriously. He was letting Zoro take care of Luffy when he couldn't, and he approved of him staying by Luffy's side. Ace didn't really want to butt in – he just wanted to make sure that his little brother had good friends. Well, Luffy picked us, so we have to be good friends, don't we? he thought to himself. Ace's logic was kinda screwy and he was a little weird, but everyone connected to Luffy seemed to be to some extent; it didn't really matter to the swordsman thought, as long as he got to stay with Luffy, he didn't care how whacky people got.

"You're alright, Ace," Zoro conceded, letting some of his jealousy drift away.

Ace gave him a very Luffy-like smile, their shared mannerisms shining through. "You're pretty alright yourself!"

"Hey, Zoro! Ace! Hurry up, will ya?" Luffy shouted at the stragglers, waving his arms wildly as he stood on the top of the next dune.

"Sure, sure," Zoro called back, as he and Ace walked towards the group, a little more like friends than they had been a few minutes before.

"What took you guys so long?" Luffy pouted as the pair caught up to the rest of the group.

"We were just talking, Luffy," the swordsman explained.

"All by yourselves?" Luffy said suspiciously.

"Yeah," Ace answered.

"Well, include me next time!" Luffy said jumping up and hugging each of their necks with each of his arms. The force of his tackle sent them all screaming and tumbling head over heels, rolling down the sand dune they'd just climbed up.

"What was that for, you idiot!?" Zoro spat out sand as they finally skidded to a stop at the bottom of the dune. He could feel sand in some very uncomfortable places now and he wasn't going to let the rubber man get away with it.

"You make me jealous when you're all alone by yourselves! Shishishi!" Luffy grinned, holding both of his favorite people.

"You're not the only one who's jealous," Ace chuckled. Zoro blushed lightly at the comment and then hoped the shadow of his orange keffiyeh hid it or that the boy would just pass it off as sunburn.

"I'm not?" Luffy looked at his brother, a confused look on his face.

"Oh, forget it, Luffy." Ace's smile widened. "Now get off me, you're heavy." The flame man poked his brother in the face and pushed him off.

"I am not! Zoro carries me all the time!" Luffy retorted.

"Oh, he does, does he?" Ace gave Zoro a knowing look which was responded to with an embarrassed glare.

Zoro cut him off before he could say anything else. "Shut up and let's get going! The others are waiting for us."

"Whatever you say," Luffy and Ace both replied with a shrug, following the man up the dune.

"And I do not carry you!" Zoro said, answering Ace's question while talking to Luffy. "You jump on me!"

"Like this?" And then Luffy jumped on Zoro's back like the monkey he was and made the swordsman lose his balance, again, sending them tumbling down the sand dune, again. Ace laughed as Zoro yelled at Luffy for being an idiot and smiled affectionately at them.

"He better not break his heart either," the pirate whispered, only wanting Luffy to be happy with whatever he did. It made him kind of jealous, seeing how much his first mate meant to him, but Luffy had found another good family to belong to, and that's all that mattered to him. He could leave his kid brother in their hands and not have to worry any more than he already did. Ace smiled a little wider as he waited for the pair to catch up to him, laughing as they pushed each other around to try and get up the dune first.

Left Behind

Vivi was screaming. She was being dragged off the giant crab by a golden hook, whisked away by an unseen force as the sun turned the sky blood-red in the west. The whole crew was on edge, their faces frozen in shock as their friend was abducted right before their eyes. Zoro was the only one who reacted quickly enough, shouting at their doctor.

"Chopper! Stop the crab!" he yelled. The little reindeer did as he was told and the sand crab skid to a halt, a cloud of floating into the air from the sudden stop. Everyone nearly lost their balance, especially Luffy who was still standing up on the crab's eye, but he didn't care. Luffy had other things to worry about besides balance. He knew who was taking Vivi: Crocodile was nearby, and the rubber man was itching for a fight.

"It's HIM!" Luffy snarled, his pupils narrowing, his face turning murderous. Had any of his crewmates been looking at his face, it would've sent shivers up their spines. That was the look that Luffy reserved for only the vilest, despicable trash and Crocodile definitely fit into that category. Before anyone else could do anything, Luffy was stretching his arms, grabbing onto the golden, floating hook, and zinging to Vivi. He was gone before Zoro could say anything, or before anyone else could even react. The rubber man grabbed the girl and freed her before wrapping his own arm around the hook. He threw Vivi back towards the crab with a grunt as the hook pulled him further and further away from his crew. Zoro felt his heart leap into his throat, as he stood up and caught the falling Vivi, knowing exactly who it was that Luffy was going after.

"Hey! Luffy!" Zoro called, setting the princess down on top of the crab with Nami supporting her and watching, nearly helpless, as Luffy and his straw hat shrunk in the distance. His hands went to his swords, ready to draw them and kill whoever was going to get in his way.

"That damn idiot!" Sanji yelled, getting to his feet as well, ready to dash into battle as Zoro was about to.

"Luffy, no!" Vivi screamed, her eyes wide with horror as Luffy took her place in Crocodile's clutches.

"You guys go on ahead! Don't worry about me!" the captain yelled back as his arm was dragged backward by the golden hook of Crocodile's left arm. Said hook dropped him upside down in the sand when the person attached to it realized that he'd failed in capturing who he'd been aiming for. Luffy looked ridiculous, upside down, his arms and legs sticking out in front of him, but he had a confident smile on his face, his hands were fists of determination. "Make sure you deliver Vivi home! Safe and sound! You've got to promise me!" His smile got even bigger, hoping to reassure his friends that he'd be alright.

Luffy could almost see all their faces: Zoro's was grimacing at his stupidity, mortified at what his idiot captain was doing, Sanji's jaw was clenched his eyes wide in horror, Usopp's face was pale with fear, Chopper's face was outright worried, and Nami's and Vivi's faces were identical masks of horror.

"Good luck, you guys!" he yelled one more time, making sure that his crew knew what they needed to do, just like he knew what he needed to do.

"Idiot!" Zoro hissed. His heart was in his throat and his stomach was knotting up in worry, but he'd just received a direct order from his captain, and he was going to carry it out no matter how horrible he felt about leaving Luffy behind. Taking control of the situation in Luffy's place, the swordsman snapped around and yelled, "Hey! Let's go, Chopper! Keep going to Alubarna!"

The reindeer swallowed noticeably and nodded slowly, flicking the reins and getting the crab moving again. "Alright. Okay!" Chopper's eyes were shiny with tears, but he tried to put on a brave face anyway. "Let's go, crab!" The crab started running again; distancing the crew from their captain faster than any of them wanted it to.

"H-hey! Hold on!" Usopp stammered, "Hey! That's cold, Zoro! Stop the crab! You're not going to leave him behind, are you?! I can't believe that you'd do something like this! Well, if Luffy's gone, you'd better protect me, damn it!"

"We've got to go back!" Vivi shouted, getting ready to jump off the crab and go after him.

"It's alright, Vivi! He'll be fine! You have to trust me on this, okay?" Nami shouted, wrapping her arm around the princess to keep her on the crab. "I certainly feel sorry for the other guy. Luffy shows no mercy to his prey. There's not a single person he's gone after who was able to walk away."

"Crocodile will fail, Luffy will win. It's that simple." Zoro added, agreeing with Nami. "The moment that the Rebel Army started running, this land's final hour was set. The moment the Royal Army and the Rebel Army meet, this country, the Kingdom of Alabasta, will be gone forever. You truly are the one and only hope for preventing that tragedy. You must survive, no matter what." Zoro's voice dropped. Vivi looked at her friends, their eyes steady, but filled with worry and determination. They all knew what was at stake, that's why they were leaving their captain behind. "So, from this moment forward, what happens to Luffy – or any of us for that matter – isn't the least bit important!" Zoro's proud speech was the complete opposite of what he actually felt. He wanted to be with Luffy, but he'd honor his captain by getting the princess to Alubarna safely instead.

"But…" Vivi started.

"Vivi," Sanji started, puffing out a cloud of smoke from his cigarette, "This is a fight that you and you alone started. You're the one who bravely left this land years ago when you chose to stand up against a corrupt and evil organization. However," he added, taking a seat on the center of the sand crab, "Don't make the mistake of thinking that you're alone anymore."

"That's right! B-b-b-because t-the great Captain Usopp is going to protect you!" Usopp declared his knees shaking more than the crab. Vivi ignored him and stood up, finding Luffy still upside down in the sand.

"LUUUFFFFYYYY!" Vivi shouted.

"Hm?" the rubber man replied, knowing that she couldn't hear him.

"We'll be waiting for you!" She yelled as loud as she could. "We'll be in Alubarna!"

"YEEEAAAAHHHHH!" he shouted back, making sure that she heard him.

Luffy watched as his crew disappeared from sight, believing that they were going to save Vivi's home. He'd be right behind them once he'd finished off Crocodile. That bastard had done so much to Vivi and her home and he was going to smack some pain into that sandy ass of his! Luffy jumped to his feet, raring to go, his prey right in front of him, his fighting spirit baying for blood and his heart going with his crew.

Far away now, Zoro was watching him disappear too, along with the rest of his friends. As much as he'd like to jump off the crab and beat the shit out of Crocodile, this was Luffy's fight. And Luffy would win. He had to believe that.

Make sure you deliver Vivi home! Safe and sound!

Zoro had been entrusted with his captain's will, and he'd be dammed if he wouldn't carry it those words echoed in his ears, Zoro sat down on the crab and folded his arms, resolute in obeying his orders, but worried nonetheless as their captain was left behind. You'd better not lose or I'm going to kick your ass. Luffy…come back to us safe and sound!

Just That Simple

The days following Crocodile's defeat and the salvation of Alabasta were quiet ones for the Straw Hat Pirates. They were mostly filled with sleeping, eating, and watching over Luffy since he was the only one who hadn't woken up yet. Besides Chopper, Vivi had placed it upon herself to help take care of the injured captain, her gratitude for what he and his crew did almost impossible to pay back. So, as thanks, she made all her friends comfortable in the palace, letting them share one of the huge rooms so they could rest, and keep an eye on their sleeping captain as they all recovered from their respective battles. Out of all of them, Zoro was the one who was missing the most, but that's because he was out training, trying to become stronger as the Grand Line got more dangerous, despite Chopper's best efforts to keep him inside and resting after his fight with Mr. 1.

But even though he was gone quite a bit, Vivi would always find him back in the room with Luffy napping, or cleaning and maintaining his swords while Nami lost herself in the library, Chopper spoke with the palace doctors in his spare time and Sanji went shopping with Usopp. Of course, the swordsman had to pretty much be searched for every time he left the palace and brought back by a guard or a helpful citizen because the man had no sense of direction. Vivi didn't get out much either because she was tired as well, but it was nice knowing that even with everyone spread out, someone would be with Luffy. Whether it was her, Chopper, Zoro, or any of the other crew members, she had full confidence that the captain would never be alone for too long.

It was on the second full day of rest that Vivi was able to witness another impressive show of loyalty from the swordsman. She had left to replace the bowl of cool water for the rags she'd been using to bring Luffy's fever down, and when she returned, she found herself alone with Zoro and Luffy. She'd just walked into the room they all shared and noticed that Luffy still hadn't woken up, but it wouldn't be long now before he was running around causing trouble, she supposed. Luffy had been asleep for two straight days, and he had snored during every minute of it. Vivi shut the door quietly behind her and looked at Luffy's bed, seeing the boy sprawled out all over the blankets, with Zoro sleeping by his side in a chair, swords resting on his shoulder like they usually did when the green-haired man slept. Vivi smiled, happy that someone came to keep Luffy company while she talked to her father and visited with the palace staff after two years away. Zoro always seemed to be by Luffy whenever he got the chance – in between training, sleeping, and risking his life – his loyalty sometimes seemed more like devotion than anything else.

Or affection, she mused fondly. Vivi and the rest of the crew had giggled about it behind their hands all the way through the first part of the Grand Line, laughing at the pair's antics and spying on them to see if Zoro would make a move. Luffy seemed oblivious to Zoro's growing feelings, but he didn't seem to mind that the swordsman was always around him. He might have an inkling, but no one could tell for sure. But that was for them to figure out. Vivi was just here to keep an eye on her friends while they rested.

The princess tip-toed over to Luffy's bed, grabbed a spare chair since Zoro was currently sleeping in the one she usually occupied, and sat down. Wringing out a new cool cloth, she reached to place it on the rubber man's head, and that's when something unexpected happened. Suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist with an iron grip. She couldn't move no matter how hard she pulled! Her head snapped over to the person holding her in place and found that Zoro was yawning, waking up from his nap. He blinked at the princess blearily and noticed that it was her who was reaching for Luffy.

He apologized, letting go of her arm. "Oh, it's you. Sorry." Zoro had surprised Vivi, his quick reflexes razor sharp even in sleep. She softly placed the cloth on Luffy's head, her mind spinning as Zoro yawned again. He didn't even know who it was next to him and yet, he still reacted quickly enough to protect Luffy if it was an enemy. How does someone do that? Especially when asleep! She was quite baffled, but honestly, Luffy's crew had been very strange since before she'd joined them, so weirdness shouldn't have been a surprise. It's almost unconscious, like his desire to protect his captain never turns off, even while resting, she concluded.

"You're fine, Mr. Bushido." Vivi smiled sweetly, hiding her amazement behind a princess-y face.

"You can call me 'Zoro.' We are friends." The swordsman yawned for a third time, settling back down into his seat.

"Oh, right. Zoro," Vivi amended.

"Is everyone else gone?" the man asked, looking around to find the room empty of any of his crewmates.

"Yeah. Nami's looking over my father's books again and I think Sanji and Usopp went out shopping. Tony's taking a well-deserved rest."

"He hasn't woken up yet?" Zoro pointed at Luffy, his neutral gaze doing a once over on his captain. Always protective. The princess smiled sweetly at the gesture.

"No. He hasn't." Vivi replied, sitting back in her chair after pulling Luffy's blankets over his body again. They spent a few moments in silence, the swordsman listening to the sounds of Alubarna rebuilding itself outside, the citizens shouting and hammering away as they fixed their houses. After seeing what Zoro was doing for Luffy, Vivi had a burning question that lingered on the tip of her tongue, and she debated whether or not to ask it. Zoro was a relatively calm person (when he wasn't being scary or pissed off) and he hoped that he wouldn't mind her asking. And if he didn't want to answer, she'd be okay with that too.

"You really care for Luffy, don't you Zoro?"

"What makes you say that?" Zoro asked, looking like Vivi's question hadn't affected him at all.

"Well, you were really worried about him when we left him in Rain Base, you're the one who's always getting mad at him first when he does something stupid and you're by his side whenever you can be." And then Vivi giggled. "And we all saw you cuddling on the ship when we left Drum Island." Zoro's spine snapped straight at that confession, a blush dusting his cheeks as he realized that the whole crew probably saw them.

"You did!?" he asked in shock, clearly caught off guard. It was so cute!

"Yes," Vivi smiled. "And Luffy looked quite content in your lap," she giggled again as Zoro's blush deepened. And then she stopped teasing him, getting serious. "You should tell him. I'm sure Luffy knows at least a little of what you're feeling."

"That dumbass probably hasn't noticed at all," Zoro sighed, leaning back into his chair.
He's so dense, but that's just the way he is, and that's fine. He doesn't have to know."

"But wouldn't that be sad for you? You want him to know, don't you?"

"He'll figure it out eventually. And if he doesn't, that means he doesn't share the same feelings I do," Zoro replied, gazing off into space. "We're on a quest to be the best pirate crew out there and Luffy's going to be King of the Pirates. If he doesn't have time for things like love, then so be it."

"You'd be willing to give love up for him?" Vivi asked, tears pricking her eyes as she thought of Zoro never getting the chance to say what he felt.

"At this point, Vivi, I'd probably give up anything for him, whether he knows how I feel or not. It's just that simple."

The princess couldn't believe how strong he was being, but it really shouldn't have surprised her. The whole crew was like that, in their own ways. She was willing to risk death to save her country, and they were willing to risk their own lives for that same reason. They were friends, Luffy had drummed that into her head enough times to make it stick; it was just that simple. Zoro was willing to risk his life for Luffy; he was also willing to risk not being loved for the same reasons. It may be sad, but it made sense. In the Straw Hat crew, a friend's life was more important than your own and that's all they needed to go all out for anything that threatened one of their friends.

Vivi smiled again, wider this time. "You and Luffy are a lot alike."

"We are? I don't see it." Zoro yawned again, feeling sleepy and letting his eyes drift shut.

"You may not, but it's still there," Vivi replied, but Zoro was already napping again, snoring next to his captain. The princess chuckled softly at the two men with their mouths open while they slept. "It's nothing big, just something simple." She finished up with Luffy's care and decided that a nap was a good idea. She laid her head down next to Luffy's leg, folding her arms under her cheek, content to sleep under the watch of the swordsman.

Outed with the Bath Water

"This is the palace's Royal Bath," King Cobra announced, leading the men into the biggest bath they had ever seen. "We usually only use it during the rainy season!"

"WHOOAAAAA!" Luffy shouted. Most of the men were wearing towels around their waists, but Luffy and Usopp both had their towels in their hands, being goofs and baring it all. Not that it really mattered all that much; pretty much everyone on the crew had seen everyone else naked at least once, except for Nami and Vivi, of course. If anyone had seen either of them naked, they would've gotten the crap beaten out of them by Nami's iron fists.

"I'm royally impressed! It's gorgeous!" Usopp yelled. "I'm going in first!"

"No way! I am!" Luffy challenged. He and Usopp instantly ran into the steamy area and slipped, falling on their backs and sliding into the side of the bath proper.

"Real mature guys," Sanji sighed, as he sweatdropped at the sight of his captain acting like his usual idiot self.

"Zoro, will you help me wash my back?" Chopper asked, tugging on the swordsman's hand.

"Sure."Though I'd rather be washing someone else's back, he added internally. However, he let himself be led away and concentrated on cleaning the reindeer, trying to keep his mind off a naked Luffy just a few feet from him. He was still running around and slipping and shouting with Usopp as they careened across the Royal Baths.

"Well, that was some dinner tonight, wasn't it?" King Cobra said, sitting down and arranging his bath towel to cover himself in a dignified manner, starting up a conversation even with Usopp and Luffy splashing around. "I thought that an after-dinner bath would be a more sedate affair, but it seems anything you lads get involved in quickly becomes a party."

"Hey! Zoro! Look over here! Look at what we're doing!" Luffy called, pulling the swordsman's attention from Chopper's back over to the waterfall coming out of a gold lion's mouth.

"We're training!" Usopp said in a serious voice, both boys standing underneath the water with their fists pushed together in front of their chests.

"Very funny," Zoro snarked, displeased with their poor imitation of waterfall meditation.

"Hey! Zoro! Take a bath with me!" Luffy called, running up to the green-haired man. He then slipped and slid right into Zoro, knocking them both down and sending them careening across the bathroom floor until the swordsman smacked into the side of the huge tub. Chopper's back was left un-rinsed until he did it himself after which, he giggled at the hilarity of the situation.

"Ow! Luffy!" Zoro complained as pain spread across his abused back. Said Luffy ended up rolling into the man's lap once they'd come to a stop, giggling and wearing a shit-eating grin as Zoro glared at him. And then Zoro felt another pain, one a bit more intimate this time.

"Luffy! Watch where you're sitting!" Zoro winced as the boy sat right on his groin.

"Oh, those your jewels?" he said nonchalantly, pointing down in between their legs.

"YES! Now get off them!" Zoro demanded, baring his fangs.

"Nah!" Luffy whirled his body around and wrapped his legs around Zoro's waist. The pressure and discomfort lessened as Luffy's butt shifted onto his thighs rather than his groin. "It's comfy here, and I can wash your hair!" Luffy replied with a smile.

Zoro blushed, his captain's unembarrassed personality a little troublesome at times like this. But he had to admit that he was enjoying the physical closeness a little more than he should have. Luffy had no concept of personal boundaries anyway, but being this close while naked was a whole new level for him. The Merry's bathroom was way too small to hold more than two people at a time, and that was pushing it at best. Most of the crew just took turns taking baths or showers, each using the other's bathwater until it needed to be changed out, so having group baths like this on the ship was nearly impossible. A big bath had its perks, which the swordsman was finding out very quickly, but the swordsman might be dealing with a different problem than a sore groin in a minute if the rubber man didn't get off of him.

"No doing any funny business over there you two!" Sanji shouted, giving the pair the evil eye despite the amused smile on his face.

"Ew! Gross!" Chopper and Usopp chanted, making faces at them, neither of them having much of a clue as to what Sanji was talking about (and in all honesty, Luffy didn't really know either).

"Way to ruin the moment!" Zoro growled, glaring at the trio until Usopp and Chopper were quaking in their towels before they giggled and ran off to throw soap bubbles at each other.

"Um, hey," Sanji started smiling innocently and turning to Igaram. He elbowed him in the naked chest lightly, "Where's the women's bath?"

The Royal Guard captain smacked his arm away furiously and glared at the blond man. "You're nuts! And why would I tell you that?!" the curly-haired man shouted. "That's where the princess is!"

"I knooowww!~" Sanji smacked him on the back several times. Their argument was interrupted by King Cobra, bath towel and all, standing near a wall that didn't extend all the way to the ceiling and pointing dramatically.

"It's right behind that wall!" he declared, sounding very king-like.

"YOUR MAJESTY!" Igaram balked at his audacity.

"Hey! Thanks, old guy! You're the best!" Usopp shouted, running up to the wall with Sanji and the rest of the crew, and with Eyelash and King Cobra and Igaram of all people, following close behind.

They hiked it up the wall and leaned over, each man zooming in on the two women talking below them. All they could see in the steam was their backs, but Nami quickly noticed that they had an audience. Up until that moment, Zoro was mostly concerned with looking at Luffy's butt and they leaned over the wall, peeking behind him once or twice. The only reason he fell over when Nami opened her towel and let them have a peek for one hundred thousand berries apiece was because Usopp's arm smacked him in the face while he was looking at Luffy's butt. Every man (and reindeer and camel) crashed to the floor with a bang, and everyone was pretty sure that Sanji had passed out from pure happiness.

Zoro was the first one up, rubbing his face, and decided that now would be a good time to get into the bath. Everyone else sat up and grabbed their towels and started to calm down as well. Only King Cobra was still on the floor, his nose bleeding from the sight of the beautiful Nami.

"Thank you," he said.

"Pervert," everyone else retorted, thinking that he was referring to Nami's Happiness Punch.

"Not for that!" he shouted, jumping to his feet. The man then sat down and bowed to the Straw Hat crew, despite his status of king, and proceeded to thank all of them for helping him restore peace to his country and for bringing back his daughter. Luffy smiled, laughing as the king smiled back at him. With the only serious moment over, the people in the bath returned to their usual rambunctious selves.

"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy called, sliding across the bathroom to tumble into a heap next to his friend.

"What is it this time?" the swordsman grumbled, getting tired of being interrupted while he was trying to soak his sore body in the warm water.

"Will you wash my back? Pleeeeaaaase!" Luffy gave Zoro the biggest eyes he could. What am I? Zoro thought, Designated back-scrubber?

"Fine," the man relented and was about to call for Usopp to grab a block of soap and a brush for him so he wouldn't have to leave the bath when he felt a pair of lips crash into his softly. By the time he realized that it was Luffy's lips the man had already pulled away and was wearing his shit-eating grin again.

"Thanks, Zoro!"

"Oooooooo!" Usopp called, laughing boisterously at the swordsman's face as it lit up like a sunburn. Zoro was speechless. Luffy…Luffy…had just kissed him!

"Hey. Hey, Zoro. Earth to Zoro. Are you in there?" Luffy asked, knocking on the man's forehead. It made a hollow sound. "No one's home!" he announced.

"I think you broke him," Sanji remarked, as Zoro sank under the water, dead for all intents and purposes. "The mighty Moss-head!" the cook announced, throwing his arms into the air and then pointing at the swordsman. "Defeated by a kiss!"

"Haha! He's funny!" Luffy chortled. "But that's why I like him!"

"Hehehe, I knew it!" Usopp shouted, striking a manly pose.

"Knew what?" Chopper asked, confused as to what Luffy had done. Humans were strange creatures, and he didn't quite get what putting your mouth on another person's mouth meant. Usopp leaned down and whispered in the reindeer's ear dramatically.

"I knew they liked each other! They're in loooooveee!~"

"REALLY?!" Chopper's eyes lit up and widened. "So, what was that mouth thing?!"

"A kiss, my dear Chopper," Usopp explained in a know-it-all voice. "A kiss is something you give to someone when you like them or love them. It's a sign of affection sometimes used by close friends in greetings as well as when people love each other. It also is a sign of a bond between parent and child."

"Really, Usopp?! You're so smart!" Chopper squealed.

"But not everyone wants to go around kissing each other so it's really up to whether or not the other person wants to be kissed."

"Have you kissed someone, Usopp?!" Chopper asked, enthralled with their discussion. Usopp blushed when the reindeer cornered him. He hadn't kissed anyone, but he wasn't going to let him know that.

"Why yes I have!" he declared. "The great Captain Usopp has kissed thousands of people and hundreds of beautiful ladies to boot!"

"Oh, so you can kiss girls too? Is that what Sanji tries to do with Nami and Vivi?" Chopper asked, giving the cook an evil eye. "Because when he tries to do it, it doesn't seem very nice."

"Hey! My love for Nami and Vivi is pure!" Sanji retorted.

"As if." Both Chopper and Usopp smacked their hands to the side, not believing a word he said.

"Hey!"

"Do you want a kiss, Chopper?" Luffy asked his question while sling-shotting himself over to the reindeer. He'd lost interest in Zoro for the moment when he turned into a statue over his kiss. Luffy would come back to him later when he resurfaced.

"Yeah! I want a kiss too!" Chopper nodded, wanting to see what kissing was like. Luffy made embarrassing smooch noises that made the reindeer giggle and then planted a quick peck on the kid's fuzzy cheek. And that's when Chopper noticed that he hadn't been kissed in the same spot as Zoro, giving Luffy big, disappointed eyes.

"Hey! Why did Zoro get one on the mouth and I didn't?" Chopper asked, touching his cheek where Luffy had kissed it.

"Because only Zoro gets those from me!" Luffy nodded. "But if you want one…" The rubber man grabbed the reindeer and held him close even as he struggled to get away. Luffy stretched his lips huge, huge enough to scare the shit out of the Chopper as they started to descend on his face. The doctor screamed and ran away, pulling Luffy's stretchy arms with him until Luffy let him go, sending both him and Chopper flying in opposite directions as his arms recoiled.

"Luffy, calm down and go save your drowning boyfriend," Sanji ordered, grabbing onto the rubber man's shoulder and tossing him into the bath with Zoro. The shock of having a body dropped on him woke the swordsman up and he burst out of the water hacking and sputtering from lack of air.

"Heeeeeey, lover boy's awake!" Usopp sang. Zoro remembered where he was and shyly looked at Luffy who was draped all over him.

"Shut up guys! You're making him blush!" Sanji teased

"Hey, Zoro," Luffy called, getting the man to look down at him. He smiled sweetly at his new boyfriend.

"W-what?" Zoro finally found his tongue and remembered how to work it.

The captain's grin got bigger. "They're cool with it."

"Oooooooo!" Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper sang again like immature schoolboys.

"WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE?!" Nami howled, wondering why her relaxing bath time was being interrupted again.

A singsong reply came from the rest of the crew, "Luffy kissed Zoro!"

"And Zoro's being a dork!" Sanji added.

"I am not a dork!" Zoro retorted, even as he wrapped his arms around Luffy.

"Well, it's about time!" Nami shot over the wall. "I've been waiting for that to happen since we got the Going Merry!" She heard Zoro balk, followed by a splash as Zoro realized that Nami had known the whole time how he felt about Luffy.

"Is he dead?" Usopp asked.

"I hope so," Sanji replied.

"Let's see!" Luffy added. Giggles burst out from the other side of the wall.

"Luffy kissed Zoro again!" Chopper shouted gleefully.

"L-L-Luffy!" Zoro stuttered.

"Teehee. You know you love me!" the rubber man chuckled.

"You have no idea," Zoro whispered so no one would hear him. Unfortunately, Usopp and Chopper were mere inches away from them when he said, and so they heard.

"Ooooooo! You looooooove him!"

"Shut up!" Both sides of the Royal Baths burst into laughter as Zoro pounded on his two obnoxious crewmates, and Vivi just smiled to herself, happy that everything had worked out for the better.

To be Continued...

A/N: And there you go! See you all next time! :3