Well, here's another ZoLu for you all. Hope you enjoy. This was a joint fic between myself and Mirathin, so, send her a PM and say to her how good it was. I am also beggining to realise that in a lot of my stories I forget my disclaimer so, here ya go.

Disclaimer: I don't own One piece, I do own dancing monkeys though!

Zolo: -whispers- They're figments of her imagination.

Me: Are not!

Zolo: You had sugar again didn't you?

Me: How did you know?

Captain's Orders

The day started out so well for the swordsman, as he lay next to the mast, hands locked casually behind his head and his mouth open in the widest snore possible. Sanji didn't like it one bit and so, hands dug deep into his pockets, he swaggered over and made sure he stood in Zolo's light.

"Wake up Marimo." he said sweetly.

"Fuck you." Zolo replied, not so sweetly. Sanji frowned around his cigarette as he heard the tell tale snores of the swordsman again.

"Been waiting for this all day long." he muttered before swinging a foot back and then slamming it into Zolo's gut. The swordsman let out a massive grunt and opened his eyes, already in 'kick your ass' mode.

"Bastard." he snarled.

"Bring it on Grassy." Sanji responded not phased in the slightest. Zolo sneered.

"You asked for it. Dartboard" he said and then pulling his swords from their sheaths, he placed the white handled blade, Kuina's blade, between his teeth and then slid the other two out, ready to go. Chopper was watching them, annoyed that the two had found the most inappropriate time to fight. In fact, any time to the little doctor was an inappropriate time to fight.

"No fighting!" he cried squeakily. The two men ignored the little reindeer.

"Just ignore them…" Usopp muttered. Chopper frowned and then ballooned into his man form, causing Usopp to scurry behind a barrel.

"I said, no fighting!" he roared as he knocked both men to opposite sides of the ship. Zolo slowly got up from where he lay and rubbed his arm.

"Damn little reindeer." he muttered viciously. "I'll get you later Princess!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Sanji yelled back before going into the kitchen. Zolo glared at the cook until the door shut, and then he was tempted to stick a certain finger up but, Chopper was still there and he would probably get knocked on the head by the harpy if he used such a disgusting display.

So, instead, he sheathed his swords and looked around, to annoyed to go back to sleep. Seeing Luffy on the figure head, he decided that he would talk to his best buddy to cheer him up.

"Hey Luffy." he said as he reached the rail. Luffy turned.

"Na? Oh, hey Zolo." the boy replied before looking back out to sea again. "Whatcha doing?"

"Thinking about how I can kill that damn cook and make it seem like an accident." Zolo replied sarcastically. Luffy paused and then he began to panic.

"Whaaa? Why? But, then we won't get any food! Which reminds me… SANJIIIII I'M HUNGRY! MAKE ME SOME FOOD!"

"NO! YOU JUST ATE!" Sanji returned, able to be heard even through the closed door of the kitchen. Zolo couldn't hear him, but he knew the cook was muttering curses and vague obscenities that he would have made the swordsman cover Luffy's ears. Not to mention Chopper's.

"I hate to agree with the bastard, but he's right." Zolo said as he leaned against the railing.

Luffy pouted and crossed his arms, looking like a little kid throwing a temper tantrum.

"That's mean Zolooooo." he whined.

"I'm a mean guy." he returned as he stared out to sea, the slight breeze making the green strands upon his head wave and dance. Luffy narrowed his eyes.

"No you're not." he replied. Zolo turned and looked at his captain, harsh green eyes meeting dark, innocent ones. Luffy grinned and jumped down from the figurehead.

"Nami! When are we coming to a new island?" he called. Nami, who had been sitting in her favourite deck chair, ignoring the rest of the world as she pored over a map.

"In a few hours I suspect." she replied, not even looking up.

"That's too loooooooong." Luffy whined. He turned and saw Zolo was still standing by the figurehead. "Hey Zolo, wanna play a game?"

"Hooray for a bouncy, island expectant captain." he muttered. "No." he said louder. Luffy pouted and then ran over, following Zolo as the swordsman walked down the stairs and back towards the mast.

"Ohhhh, come on. Please?" he asked pouting.

"No." Zolo replied stubbornly as he sat down. Luffy pouted and then spotted Usopp.

"Usopp!" he cried running off. "Tell me a story Usopp?" The marksman shook his head as he fiddled with the side of the cannon.

"No Luffy, I can't. I have to fix the cannon." he replied. Luffy whined in the back of his throat. "Go annoy Zolo." The swordsman, who had been listening to the exchange, shook his head.

"Go annoy Chopper!" he shouted. Luffy pit-pattered away. The little doctor was currently sitting on the deck, working on his rumble balls.

"Chopper, want to play a game?" Luffy asked. Chopper, whose little tongue was stuck between his teeth as he concentrated on the balls in front of him, shook his head.

"Luffy… I would but, my rumble balls haven't been working correctly." the doctor replied.

"Why?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. Go annoy Zolo."

"That's what everyone says, but he's just sleeping…" Luffy pouted as he looked towards his first mate. Zolo, as if to emphasize the moment even though he was wide awake and listening to the various exchanges Luffy was having, suddenly gave a loud snore. As Luffy watched him, he felt his eyes droop and yawned.

"It's okay. I'm gettin' kinda tired anyway. I think I'll go have a nap with Zolo." and he tottered towards the mast and slid down it to sit next to Zolo and then laid his head on the swordsman's leg. Zolo blushed a bit as Luffy snuggled up to him.

Nami looked up, raised an eyebrow at the sight of a blushing Zolo and then shrugged. Zolo noticed and glared at her, teeth slightly bared and cheekbones going redder with each second.

"What are you lookin' at?" he snapped. Nami chuckled which only served to make the swordsman sweat a little.

"Nothing!" she replied and went back to her map, a sly smile on her face. Zolo watched her for a minute, still blushing.

"Are you okay Zolo? You look a little red. Maybe you're getting sunburnt!" Chopper squealed starting to panic.

"You're just paranoid Chopper." Usopp muttered, looking up from the cannon.

"Ah! I have paranoid!" Chopper yelled and began running in circles. Usopp sighed.

"Paranoid isn't a sickness Chopper!" he yelled over the reindeers cries of 'Paranoid!'. Chopper paused.

"It isn't?" he asked.

"Will you lot shut up? Captain's asleep." Zolo called.

"No it's not a disease." Usopp said in response to Chopper.

"Oh… good." Chopper said and went to watch Usopp fix the very troublesome cannon.

"I thought you were asleep as well." Nami said from her map, quill brushing against her cheek as she thought.

"Trying to, but with them shouting like banshees, it's impossible." Zolo replied.

"Oh…" Nami replied nodding.

"I am not a banshee!" Chopper huffed and then stormed off, but the little reindeer's anger only made him look that much fluffier and cuter as he sat on the other side of Usopp.

"Coulda fooled me." Zolo muttered scratching his ear. Nami giggled and grabbed up her map. She took all her gear into her room, as she heartily agreed with Zolo that yes, the deck was to loud, and yes, Chopper and Usopp were banshees.

Zolo looked down at Luffy, who was sleeping peacefully, each breath being exhaled with a soft snore. Zolo felt a smile tug about his lips.

He's kinda cute when he's asleep. What the hell? Why am I thinking that? Zolo thought, shaking his head as he did so.

"Hey Chopper, wanna hear a story?" Usopp asked as he fiddled with a bolt on the side of the cannon.

"Yeah! Whaaa so cool!" Chopper cried, instantly cheering up.

"Ok. I was walking downtown in the city of Washimalili when these strangers jumped out in front of me…" and Usopp went on, and on, and on.

"Whaaa so cool!" Chopper cried. Zolo sighed.

"I'm never gonna get some sleep." he muttered.

Well, as it turned out, Zolo did get to sleep and he slept for the rest of the day. He slowly opened his eyes, and stretched his arms back. Looking down, he saw Luffy still leaning on his leg. Only now, Luffy's arms were wrapped tight around Zolo's thigh. The older man blushed slightly.

"Ah, Luffy, you wanna wake up?" he asked.

"I think he's fine where he is." A voice answered. Zolo looked up to see Sanji standing there, an evil smile on the blonde's face led Zolo to believe the chef was up to something.

"Bastard. What do you want?" Zolo hissed. Sanji chuckled.

"Nothing. Just enjoying the… scenery." the blonde replied, "Not to mention all the love that seems to be in the air." and he walked away laughing. Zolo twitched, blushing deeply and

growling after the cook.

"Na? You woke me up." Luffy moaned as he sat up. He stretched, yawning widely and then stood up. "That was a good nap!" Zolo sighed.

"Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks to you, my leg is now asleep." he replied. Luffy smiled nervously.

"Sorry!" and then he ran off to the kitchen, intending to ask Sanji if there was any food he could eat. Zolo sighed as he tried to get up, shaking his numb leg as he did so.

"Sanji! Give me meat! I'm hungryyyyy!" Luffy cried wrapping his arms around Sanji's waist as he tried to reach the food the chef was preparing.

"Get away from me you little rubber bastard!" Sanji snarled, prying Luffy off of his waist. Luffy pouted and then tried to steal the bit of beef that was sitting on the chopping board beside Sanji. The blonde wasn't that stupid.

"Get your hands off it!" Sanji cried and hit Luffy's hand with a spatula. Zolo laughed as he leaned against the door frame.

"Kick him in the shins Luffy, then take the meat and run." Zolo teased. Sanji glared at him.

"That's mean!" Luffy cried and then pushed Sanji out of the way, grabbed the meat and ran for dear life, hanging onto the meat with one hand and his hat with the other.

"BASTARD!" Sanji yelled and ran after the captain, ripping his apron off and throwing it on the table before running out of the door.

"Zolo! Help me!" Luffy cried as he ran across the deck. Zolo sauntered over to the fridge, taking full advantage of the chef's absence and grabbed a bottle of rum.

"Nope! You got yourself into this mess, you get yourself out!" Zolo replied as he took a swig of his drink. Sanji aimed a kick at Luffy, but he missed.

"Get back here!" he yelled.

"Never!" Luffy replied and then flung himself up the mast. Sanji frowned and threw his cigarette on the ground.

"Fine! But you aren't getting fed tonight!" he yelled grinding the heel of his boot on the cigarette.

"That's cruel Sanji!" Luffy called back, peeking his head out over the edge of the crow's nest. Zolo sauntered out of the kitchen, holding a sandwich. He spotted the angry Sanji and his eyes widened slightly.

"Uh oh." he muttered.

"You deserve it ya little punk!" Sanji returned and then turned to see Zolo. "…and what are you doing?" Zolo looked at his sandwich and then hid it behind his back.

"Walking. Is that a crime?" he snapped.

"For you it is." Sanji responded. He either didn't notice the sandwich, or just chose to ignore it as he walked past the swordsman and then into the kitchen, slamming the door behind

him. One day, that door was going to break.

"Why did Sanji get so angry?" Usopp asked, looking up from the cannon. Zolo shrugged.

"Luffy stole food. What's new?" he replied as he sat down by the mast and took a bite of his sandwich, which, coincidentally had no meat on it. "Hey Luffy! Can I have some meat?" Zolo called. Luffy peeked out over the edge of the crow's nest again, a panicky expression on his face.

"It's gone!" he cried, not realising he had eaten the whole thing in one chomp just a minute ago.

"Well done rubber for brains!" Zolo yelled. He decided to climb up the mast, so he could keep an eye on Luffy.

"Rubber brains? What's that?" Luffy asked. Zolo sighed as he climbed into the crow's nest.

"It means, your brain can stretch like you, small brain that it is." he replied as he sat down.

"Oh! But I've never tried that! Gotta try it! That would be so cooool." Luffy cried poking his own head. Zolo sighed and pushed his palm against his forehead. Dealing with Luffy was just to mentally exhausting and not to mention frustrating.

"You can't stretch your brain Luffy." he said. In fact, he wondered if Luffy's brains could stretch? Well, there was no way he would ever find out so, best not to think about it.

"I can't? But you said that I could!" Luffy cried pouting.

"I never sai- never mind." Zolo muttered.

"Ok!" Luffy replied, forgetting about the mix up instantly. He looked around as if he was looking for something to do. Zolo watched Luffy and noticed how the sun reflected off of Luffy's black hair but never seemed to penetrate the shadows that the straw hat cast. Somehow, it made Luffy look really… well, cool. Luffy paused as he noticed Zolo watching him.

"What is it?" he asked. Zolo started.

"Ah, nothing, there's a fly on your hat!" he improvised. Hey, he wasn't exactly a smart guy, but he could think on his feet, or butt as the case may be.

"It is?" Luffy yelled and then began smacking his own head, trying to get the non existent fly. Zolo's eyes drooped and a sweat dropped formed on his head as he watched Luffy beat himself about the head with his own arm.

"You truly are an idiot." he muttered. Luffy stopped.

"What? No I'm not." Luffy replied. Zolo smiled slyly.

"Prove it." he challenged.

"How?" Luffy asked scratching his head. Apparently the 'Gomu gomu no kill the fly!' attack he had just given himself had had no affect.

"How? I don't know how. Jump over the edge of the mast I don't care." Zolo replied looking uninterested. Luffy grinned.

"I won't do that! I want to stay with Zolo!" Luffy replied. Zolo stiffened and looked towards Luffy, his cheekbones colouring.

"Why?"

"Because I like my Zolo!" Luffy responded.

"Your Zolo? Do I belong to you now?" Zolo asked, half joking.

"Yeah, you do." Luffy said, going serious. "Captain's orders." Zolo chuckled.

"Hmm, guess I can't argue with captain's orders can I?" he replied with a smile. Luffy jumped a bit closer to Zolo but still remained seated.

"Why do you obey so much?" Luffy asked interestedly as he cocked his head to one side.

"Because you're the captain, and whatever you say… goes." Zolo replied, watching Luffy out of the corner of his eye.

"That's true! And because I… I… I- lo…" Luffy started but he couldn't finish the sentence and broke off staring at Zolo, hoping the swordsman would get it. Zolo was looking straight at Luffy now.

"You what?" he asked, a little breathless.

"Lo… love my Zolo!" Luffy cried, happy with his accomplishment. Zolo closed his open mouth, eyes wide with surprise and then they fell back to their half lidded state and he smiled.

"Yeah, I love you too Luffy." he said. Luffy beamed and stayed in place, his lips puckering. Zolo chuckled.

"If you want to kiss me, you have to come a bit closer." he instructed.

"Sorry…" Luffy muttered and moved a bit closer, leaning in closer to the swordsman. Luffy closed his eyes, and Zolo did as well, but what Zolo felt, was not Luffy's lips on his own.

"Luffy, you're kissing my nose." he said and then brought a hand up to push Luffy back a little bit before sealing his lips over Luffy's. The kiss was simple, yet so meaningful.

Sanji walked out of the kitchen.

"Oi! Dinner time!" he yelled as he climbed up the ladder to the mast. He peeked his head over the edge and saw Zolo and Luffy kissing. Off course, they didn't notice and Sanji's eye widened before he scurried back down the ladder as fast as he could.

"Namiiiiiiiiii!" he called happily. He had some news.

End