So That's What Happened

Summary: Once again, I found this prompt#-like picture on Pintrest, I own nothing. As a former bounty hunter Zoro typically notices when other hunters are stalking the crew and takes it on himself to handle them before the rest of the Strawhats notice. Then Sanji saw.

Hi~! Another Pinterest prompt# in which I find a prompt# on a pic in Pinterest and add a story to it. I am a proud pinner and I love to write so this works hand in hand. I OWN NOTHING, not the PIC, not the PROMPT#, not ONE PIECE. TT_TT sadly

This is nakama-ship, no romance except maybe it can be seen as ZoSan, or SanZo, which either would be an adorable name for their brat. ; ).

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It was a bright, warm, sunny day on a no-name island where the Strawhats were happily having a vacation day, Nami being sweet on everyone for their first anniversary since their reunion. Everyone was having so much fun, laughing, singing, eating, drinking; all enjoying their their lives together. Everyone was close, nearly touching, enjoying their loving warmth, except Zoro.

Zoro was in the back, acting as their shield, their buffer against the real world. Zoro wouldn't dare say his crewmates were innocent, but they haven't seen the real monsters of this world either; Zoro has. Ever since Arlong, the bastard who took advantage of their navigator, and Whiskey Peak, where his captain was too naive to see the danger, Zoro swore to protect his crew no matter what.

"Hey is that-?"

"You bet it is."

Zoro's eye narrowed and he glanced towards the hushed voices; his crew missing it. Two men, clearly bounty hunters, were standing in an alley, watching his nakama. To be exact, they were looking at Luffy; who was laughing so innocently at something Usopp had said.

Zoro frowned and slowed slightly, unnoticed; time to get lost. The crew continued to go straight, towards a restaurant for Luffy's mid-afternoon snack, and Zoro took a sharp right turn and listened for his crew to leave. Once they were in the restaurant, Zoro returned to the original path, going back to the alley he'd seen the bounty hunters in.

It was empty. Zoro frowned before stilling and honing his senses; pulsing his observation haki while listening intently for the voices he had heard before. Within moments, he felt the dangerous signatures, weak, the bastard didn't even had access to theirs. Zoro's ears twitched and he heard them as well.

"We need to get Mugiwara alone."

"Whatcha got in mind?"

"Tch," Zoro grumbled, before following, his sense.

Zoro lightly pulsed his haki, ensuring that it was enough not to alert his crew, but enough to keep his senses correct. Using his haki, he had a lay of the land he didn't usually use; it was why he got lost so often, he just didn't 'see' as well as he sensed. Unfortunately, using haki took a lot of energy since he wasn't 'gifted' meaning he couldn't use it constantly.

Finally, he came across them; the two men hunched around an alley corner. "Look, Mugiwara is leaving." one said.

The snickered. "What an idiot; falling for our trap like that." he grinned.

"Oi," Zoro said, keeping his voice low so Luffy, if he was near, wouldn't hear him.

"Huh?" the two men turned and their eyes widened. "Pirate Hunter Zoro!"

Zoro glared at them, unimpressed, his adrenaline not even reacting to the weaklings before him. They tried to fix the situation.

"Z-Z-Z-Zoro-senpai," one tried, giving a shaky grin.

"Zoro-senpai," the other said, a little more confident. "How 'bout? We split Mugiwara's bounty, 50-50."

Zoro unsheathed Sandai Kitetsu. "60-40!" he tried again.

Zoro ignored the offer. "You're dead," Zoro said, and that was all she wrote.

Later, when Zoro was finished, he flicked the blood from his blade while walking to the mouth of the alley. As he sheathed Kitetsu, Luffy, who was outside, happened to look over. THe captain beamed as the sight of his swordsman.

"Zoro!" Luffy cheered, louder than needed.

Zoro smirked. "Luffy," he called back.

Luffy latched onto his hand, pulling the swordsman towards the restaurant. "Come one Zoro this place has great meat!" Luffy said, pointing.

Zoro smirked, "Aye captain."

End.

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So this is the first chapter, a little sight-see of what Zoro does for his crew, as we know Zoro is the crew's shield. Soon, hopefully, we'll have a second chapter where Zoro is discovered by Sanji, and maybe by crew. Appreciation and nakama-ship all around.

Til next time,

Ja ne~!