Chapter 3 - Meat

Chaptah three!! I'm on a roll, no? I'm happy now. I had to write that last chapter without a proper word-processor. Our new `puter didn't come with Word, but my boss gave me a copy of this processor called Lotus. Thank god for spell check... Anywho, enjoy!

One Piece and it's characters belong to Eiichiro Oda. If One Piece was mine, Zoro would naked a lot more often.

***Chapter Three***

``Dammit! Where could that idiot possibly be??''

It had been three days since Zoro decided to apologize to Luffy. It had taken all three days for him to slowly build up the courage to go through with it. Well, not that he needed to 'build up' any courage. Roronoa Zoro was no pussy! Or at least that was what he had been telling himself every time he passed up a chance to talk to his captain.

When they reached an island, Zoro decided it was the perfect opportunity. This way he and Luffy could go somewhere away from the other cremates. Somewhere out of their sight and hearing range. He didn't like the idea of the others knowing he could be a nice person. ((Angie: As if he was so cruel... ^^)) It's hard to keep up the tough guy act if people see you apologizing left and right.

Zoro scanned the surrounding area. At least it had been the perfect opportunity before Luffy took off into the busy port town before the swordsman had a chance to suggest they explored the town together. He had even planned how to get Luffy to follow him. He had been hoping to lure him with promises of food. He didn't have a lot of cash, but he knew he could take his captain to the cheapest hole in the ground restaurant in the Grand Line and he'd still be happy. Zoro had eaten a lot of questionable food in his life, but some of the things he'd seen Luffy eat even made him want to vomit.

``Luuufffy!!'' He called, hoping the rubber boy would hear him.

Letting out a very disgruntled sigh, Zoro made his way through the busy streets. How could he possibly find Luffy with all these people everywhere? Maybe I could just wave a giant sign with `Meat' written on it... He thought irritably.

After combing the streets for over three hours, the green-haired young man was beginning to seriously consider the sign idea. He had checked every restaurant, bar, shop, food stand, and even every kitchen within a mile of where the Going Merry was docked. One more... If he's not here, I'm going back to the ship. As this thought passed through his mind, he entered a humble-looking restaurant. It looked as if it had been open since before he was born. The paint on the walls was faded and cracked in some places, giving the place a run-down feel. It was a small room with a door on the back wall which most likely lead to a kitchen. To the left of the door was a counter and a very pathetic assortment of drinks.

``Can I help you, sir?'' Asked a middle-aged woman.

Zoro scanned the room before he replied. Have you seen a boy with black hair and a straw hat? He's about this tall,'' He motioned with his hand to indicate Luffy's height.

``Was he wearing a red shirt?'' The woman asked.

Zoo's heartbeat quickened. ``Yeah, has he been here??''

``Yeah, he just left,'' She frowned and pointed to an upturned table surrounded by scraps of food, broken dishes, and a few bones. ``I still have his mess to take care of.''

Zoro didn't even want to know how the boyish captain had managed the mess. Actually, he didn't even care.

``Do you know where he went?''

The woman furrowed her eyebrows and thought for a moment. ``I think he might have said something about a ship before he left. I don't really know, since he wasn't really talking to me...''

``Was he by himself?''

``Yes. It was kind of weird, the way he kept talking to himself...''

The swordsman quickly thanked the woman and ran out the door.

``He must be going back to the Going Merry...'' Zoro thought aloud as he sprinted down the street, knocking more than a few people out of his way.

He was determined to catch Luffy before he made it to the ship. It would be so much easier to talk to Luffy if he wasn't paranoid that someone was listening. He could think of a certain red-haired someone who'd just love to have some dirt to blackmail him with.

Zoro saw a familiar straw hat mixed into the crowd.

``Luffy!'' Zoro called out. ``Oi, Luffy!!''

The straw hat turned around and started looking around himself in confusion.

``Luffy, over here!''

The captain looked down at something in his hand.

``Wow, you can talk??''

Zoro caught up to the boy and smacked him in the back of his head. ``Where the hell have you been??''

``Zoro!'' Luffy beamed at hi friend. ``I was looking for you!''

Zoro just opened and closed his mouth a few times. He didn't know if he should laugh or scream at the top of his lungs; so he did both. It was more than a little disturbing.

``Uhh... Zoro?''

As much as Zoro would have liked to stop making that horrible noise, he just couldn't. He was frustrated, nervous, confused, and even amused all at once. The poor guy was having a very long day.

``Zoro...?'' Luffy was looking a bit worried at this point. ``I got you something.''

``Huh?'' Startled out of his outburst, the swordsman looked at the parcel in Luffy's hands.

``Here!'' He held it out with a grin.

``...'' Zoro didn't know what to say, so he just took what was offered to him.

``Open it! Open it!!'' The boy was practically bouncing with excitement.

Zoro was shocked and touched. After he had been such a jerk to him, Luffy had gotten him something. And for no real reason too. He glanced at Luffy before tearing open his gift. There really aren't any words in the English language that could accurately describe the look on Zoro's face when he opened his gift. It was a while before he said anything at all. He just stared at what he was holding.

``Luffy...''

``Yeah?'' He was wearing an expectant grin.

``Is this... Meat?''

``Do you like it??'' I was at this restaurant and they had really good meat, so I saved you some!!''

Zoro gave Luffy a funny look, then smiled and took a bite. It was cold, but it actually was pretty good. ``Thanks, Luffy.''

Luffy grinned. ``It's good, huh?

``Yeah, it's really good,'' He held it out to Luffy so he could take a bite.

``Yay!'' He bit off half the hunk of steak.

They continued down the street toward the Going Merry. Together, they finished the steak in less than a minute. Zoro decided it was the best meat he had ever eaten in his life. It really was, too.

***Chapter End***

Aww... Didn't that make you happy? It made me happy. If I wanted, I could probably just end this here, but I don't think I will. Hopefully I'll type up another chapter soon. Sorry this one was a little short. If you love me, review!!

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