Title: Rumors

Rating: M

Author: EudaimonArisornae

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

WARNING: SPOILERS up end of the Enies Lobby arc. This story is set to take place immediately after episode 324.

A/N: This is the final chapter. I apologize that it took me so long, but thank you for reading this far.

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Chapter 11

"Alright, I'm going to breakfast. See ya there soon?" Franky asked Robin.

She paused from pulling up her stocking. "Yes, I'll be up in a few minutes."

He kissed her quickly, and disappeared out of her room.

Although Franky had barely slept the night before, he felt completely refreshed. He even felt ready to face whatever ridiculous chore Nami had for him.

He was a bit surprised when he sat down at the breakfast table and Nami was not there yet—usually Sanji tried to serve her first—but he shrugged it off and started to engage in a conversation with Luffy and Usopp.

Sanji came out with an arm full of plates, and dropped a plate on each place setting. Franky paid him little attention, even when he walked beside Franky and stopped.

Suddenly, Sanji's shoe connected with the side of his head, and he felt himself fly out of his chair. He slammed against the wall, causing some of the wood to splinter in the process.

"Sanji, what the heck are you doing?" Luffy screamed. Chopper squealed in fear.

"Oi, what was that for, you idiot?" Zoro barked, and the green-haired man leapt out of his chair and placed a hand on the hilt of one of his swords.

Franky tried to pull himself to his feet, but a large black shoe connected with his face again, knocking him down once more. The loud, tinny clack of Sanji's hard shoes colliding with his metallic nose made his ears ring.

The other men rushed over to Sanji and tried to restrain him, but the cook struggled to kick out at Franky.

"Stop it, Sanji!" Luffy yelled, wrapping his arms around the cook's waist. Chopper, who had now transformed into his heavy point form, grabbed one of his arms and held it firmly.

Usopp jumped in front of him, and held up a hand to Zoro, who now brandished a katana. "Oi, hold him back, don't cut him!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Franky shouted. He covered his nose with his hand, and he could tell blood was trickling down his face.

Sanji stopped resisting for a moment, and gave Franky a look of pure hatred. "My problem is your womanizing," he said darkly.

"My what?" Franky asked, scratching his head. "What are you talking about?"

The cook lunged more ferociously than before, taking the men by surprise. He managed to break free and aim a dangerous kick at Franky's head.

This time, the shipwright was prepared. He held out one arm to block him, and braced himself with his footing. When the kick connected with his steel body, the momentum caused him to slide back several inches, but there was no damage.

"What's going on in here?" Nami asked, entering the kitchen. Robin was right behind her.

Shit, Franky thought. I don't think there's any way to get around this.

"Nami-san, Robin-chan, I regret that I have to tell you this," Sanji started to say. His dark gaze remained fixed on Franky the entire time. "But this shitty robot has been lying to you."

"What?" Nami asked. Franky glanced over at Robin. Her expression was unreadable.

"I am deeply sorry," the cook rumbled on, "and nothing pains me more than to say harmful words to a lady, but this is something you must know.

"This man has been two-timing you." Sanji ended his declaration with another barrage of kicks. Franky scrambled to block them.

"Sanji, what the hell are you talking about?" Nami asked, crossing her arms impatiently.

"Oi, idiot cook, stop trying to fight him and tell us what the hell you're rambling on about," Zoro growled, grabbing Sanji by the shirt and yanking him backwards.

"Franky," Nami said, turning to him, "Are you two-timing with another guy on the ship?"

"No!" Franky shouted in irritation. "Why the hell would you even ask me that?"

She turned to Franky. "Okay, Sanji-kun, then what are you trying to say?"

"I'm sorry, Nami-san, it's with another woman," Sanji said regretfully, still trying to pull away from Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp.

"How could he two-time with another woman? I'm the only woman besides Robin, and he sure as hell isn't two-timing with me."

"Wh-what did you say?" Sanji stuttered. A look of confusion slowly formed on his face.

Robin smiled and nodded at Franky. "It seems we need to come clean, doesn't it?"

Dumbfounded, Franky nodded back at her. "Yeah, looks like it."

"Cook-san," Robin started, gracefully crossing her arms in front of her. "Franky and I have had a liaison since our first night aboard the Thousand Sunny."

"Had a what?" Luffy asked.

"They've being seeing each other," Usopp hissed at him.

"Well of course they've seen each other," Luffy replied. "We all see each other all the time."

Usopp slapped his palm to his forehead in frustration. "That's not what I meant!"

"We have been sleeping together, Captain-san," Robin said. Franky felt himself blush at her bluntness.

Luffy laughed. "Oh, what didn't you just say so?"

"Well, at least he understands what that means," Usopp sighed with relief.

"Oi, just a minute," Sanji said. "What about Nami-san? Wasn't he also pursuing you?"

Nami knocked Sanji on the back of the head. "As if I'd put up with that! Where did you get that idea?"

He winced, painfully rubbing the knot forming where she had just hit him. "He was always doing things for you, and he would be in your room for hours on end…"

"Oh, that," Nami said. "Well, you see, I had asked Franky to do me some favors because—"

"Because she knew what was going on between me and Robin, and she blackmailed me," Franky interjected.

Nami blushed, and smiled cutely. "Well, I suppose that is what I did. But I had to, since he didn't have any beli to pay me for my silence."

Zoro winced. "She says that like it's a normal explanation..." he muttered to himself.

Sanji's body physically slumped. "So it's only been Robin-chan." He hung his head and sighed heavily "I guess I have no choice but to apologize then," he said finally.

He took a few steps toward Franky. "I apologize. I thought that you were two-timing Nami-san and Robin-chan."

"Well, I guess I can forgive you for…" Suddenly, Sanji's foot flew up in the air again, striking Franky on the left side of his skull. "What the hell was that for?" he shouted, rubbing his head. He noticed that the kick was not quite as forceful as the previous kicks he had administered.

"That was a warning. You treat Robin-chan like your existence is solely to make her happy, or I'll beat you into a new set of pots and pans," Sanji declared. "Now, I'm going to go get Nami-san and Robin-chan's breakfast."

Despite having to hold a napkin over his nose for half of the meal to stop his bloody nose, Franky found this breakfast to be the most enjoyable meal he had ever had aboard the Thousand Sunny. The awkwardness, the tension… all of it seemed to melt away.

He also could sit next to Robin without fearing that people would start to catch onto their relationship. He smiled at her, grabbed her small hand, and gave it a quick squeeze. She returned the smile, and motioned for him to rest his hand on her thigh. He happily complied.

"Well, Franky may have taken my Robin-chan away from me, but at least I still have Nami-san," Sanji said, trying to copy Franky's gesture and place his hand on her thigh.

"Don't even think about it, Sanji-kun," she said cheerfully, whacking him on the back of his head.

Despite himself, Franky started to laugh. He really loved this crew, and it looked like he might be able to hang around with them, after all.

He grinned at Robin. Most importantly, he would get to stay with her.

I think I'm going to like being a pirate, he thought happily.