Title: Dates
Rating: K+
Characters: Straw Hats P. (minus Brook who is in the middle of band practice), Thousand Sunny
Warnings: None? Except Zoro threats and slight underage drinking.
Summary: The Straw Hat Gang talk about their dates to the dance. Or… lack thereof.
A/N: So this takes place immediately after the last one (finally chronological order!). It kind of came as a random burst of muse, so I figured, why not? Especially because I haven't given Usopp enough love in this story yet… so I figured I'd give him something here. Though this chapter turned out being about everyone (including Zoro's misconception problem). anyway, you know the drill! Reviews would be lovely 3
Disclaimer: Don't own, blah blah.

"So, Zoro…"

"Don't say it."

But Usopp couldn't help himself. His grin widened in his attempt to subdue the laughter rising in his throat. The green-haired teen was beet red, though whether that was from fury or from embarrassment Usopp wasn't too sure. Honestly, he was pretty convinced it was a bit of both.

"You and Luffy, huh?"

A snort came from a few seats down: Sanji, as he took a drink of his coffee. Beside him Nami bit her tongue to keep from following suit and Robin, sitting beside Zoro covered her mouth strategically with a delicate hand to conceal her smile.

"I'm gonna wring your neck, Usopp."

The threatening tone of voice was almost enough to actually make Usopp comply with the order, but sitting on the opposite side of the group of combined tables in The Sunny Cafe he felt more confident grinning again as Zoro furiously picked up his burger an took a bite. There were three of them; each seating two and Usopp had the pleasure to be sitting on the far left of the group whereas Zoro was on the far right, giving him a ferocious glare at his amused expression. It was easier to be brave around this man when Luffy was seated at the head of the table to his right and there was a group between them.

"Don't be so angry, Zoro. You make a good couple," Nami assured her, reaching across to pat him on the shoulder. He was quick to smack her hand away with his free one, grumbling under his breath and turning his gaze outside the window.

"We all heard about the 'passionate embrace'," Usopp continued, encouraged by the amusement of his friends. He crossed his arms in front of him, hugging himself and turning away as he pretended to engage in a passionate kiss with no one. "'Oh, alright, Luffy, I'll go to the dance with you!'" he said in a high pitched voice. He stopped when a spoon hit him hard in the back of his head and turned quickly to face Zoro, rubbing the spot the metal hit. "Hey-!"

"Next time it'll be the knife," Zoro warned. He glared down at his cup of soda in distaste, then turned away from them to the bar across the quiet restaurant, "Oi, Franky, how about some sake?"

"To celebrate the occasion? Sounds like a SUPER idea!" Franky said. In addition to being a P.E. teacher at the school, he was the own of The Sunny Cafe, having built it from scratch after Merry's burned down. He walked over, carrying a bottle. Most customers wouldn't be allowed sake until they were the legal age, but this group was a special case. They were all friends. Besides, it wasn't as if there was anyone substantial to witness it.

He set down a small glass before Zoro and poured some of the hot alcohol into it. Zoro picked it up, drinking it in one swallow before slamming down the cup as Franky sat down beside them. "There is no occasion," he grumbled.

"So Luffy's officially got a date to the dance then!" Chopper piped in rather eagerly as he munched on his cotton candy. "Cool then! Anyone else have someone they're—"

"Hold it, it's not a date," Zoro said quickly, "He wouldn't leave me alone, so I'm going along with him. We're not going together, we're just… going together."

"Sounds like a date to me," Usopp muttered. Zoro glared at him viciously for a moment before a grin spread across his lips.

"You think so? Well that's definitely an accurate diagnosis coming from someone who doesn't have a date himself."

"For your information, I do have a date," Usopp said. Silence came upon the table and all eyes turned immediately to Usopp, surprised. Usopp had a date? Nami was the first to speak up, leaning forward to see around Chopper to speak to the curly-haired teen.

"What? Who?" She asked. Usopp only grinned triumphantly, stalling for time as always by taking a sip of his soda. The others sat in suspense for a moment, contemplating who it could possibly be until Robin smiled knowingly and spoke up for him.

"It wouldn't happen to be a certain pretty blonde sophomore, would it?" she asked. The others mentally made a list of all blondes in Usopp's grade, trying to figure it out and it didn't take long for them to piece it together.

"Kaya?" they asked simultaneously. Usopp grinned and set down his cup with a nod.

"That's right~"

"So she asked, you? Cool," Luffy said absently, reaching over to Usopp's plate to snatch what was left of his burger. Usopp promptly smacked his hand and Luffy recoiled as if burned. "Hey!"

"That's mine, and no she didn't ask me," he said. Then, sitting straighter rather proudly, he announced, "I asked her. And she said yes rather happily, I might add! Though… I'm not sure how her Guardian's going to take it. High class Kaya going out with a trouble maker like me—"

"Ah, who cares," Luffy said with a shrug, "She said yes and yes is yes, so it doesn't matter what Merry thinks,"

There it was, one of Luffy's rare bouts of inspirational wisdom. There was no question that the boy was intelligent, but that side of him was pretty well hidden beneath his carefree, rather childish exterior. Sometimes even his closest friends forgot just how smart he was.

"W-well enough about me. What about you guys, who are you taking?" Usopp asked quickly. As much as he loved attention, this particular topic was still a bit shaky. He was almost afraid that if he talked too much about it, Kaya would change her mind or something. He took another bite of his burger before looking around at the others who once more became silent aside from Nami tilting her glass to make the ice circle around the edges. "Guys…?"

Then, it dawned on Usopp. They didn't have dates! This was too good to be true! Usopp, the last person they expected, was the first? "You guys aren't going with anyone!"

"What are you talking about, I'm going with Zoro," Luffy said, pointing across to his best friend. Moment of wisdom, destroyed.

"We're not going together!" Zoro argued.

"Sanji, even you?" Chopper asked, startled. Sanji sipped his coffee quietly, shrugging his shoulders.

"No, not yet," he admitted easily. He set down the cup, instead taking out a cigarette and putting it between his lips before lighting it and taking a hit, "I've got my eye on someone though,"

"You mean every girl in the student body," Zoro grumbled.

"Sorry to disappoint, Marimo. I can understand why you're jealous, but I don't swing that way," Sanji said with a smirk. It didn't last long, however, as he grunted, clenching his teeth so tight that he bit his cigarette in half as Zoro planted a hard kick at his shins under the table.

"You know, Zoro, I'm sure the rumours would stop if you found yourself a real date," Robin suggested, quick to interrupt the boys before a full on fight could break out. Zoro gave her a sidelong glance and Sanji erupted in a fit of laughter.

"Marimo find a real date? Pff, what a joke!"

"Bet I'll have one before you do, dartboard," Zoro retorted.

"Bring it. No girl will ever say—"

"Robin, what do you say?"

Silence again. Zoro looked rather boredly at Robin and the others stared in shock. Zoro and Robin, huh? It took him ages to actually trust her when she transferred to the school and joined their group and now he was asking her to the dance? He shot them a quick look, "Don't look at me like that, it was her idea. Besides, it's just to stop these stupid rumors about Luffy and I," Zoro's gaze returned to the raven beside him, "Well? Don't expect any dances from me, it's all for show,"

"Ah, I see," Robin said with a small nod. "Well, for the sake of your 'reputation', I suppose I can do it. It was, after all, my idea," she stood up, pushing in her chair carefully. She looked down at Zoro with a smile and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. It was more than a smile. She was up to something. "I expect you to match my dress though. Violet should suit you nicely,"

"V-vio-are you kidding?" Zoro stammered. Robin turned away from him to look at Luffy apologetically, "Sorry, Luffy, I'm afraid you'll have to find a new date," she told him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go to my tutoring student," And with a quick goodbye, she walked away.

"Ah, speaking of work, I'd better get back to the bar," Franky said, standing as well. He took the bottle of sake from the table, "Sunny isn't SUPER on her own, y'know!"

"Violet.. the bitch is doing this on purpose," Zoro muttered under his breath as Franky walked away. He stood as well, clearly frustrated with this turn of events, and stormed off as well without a word. "Damn it, what was I thinking—"

"Aaah. If Zoro has a date and Usopp too, now I'll have to find someone to go with…" Luffy complained. He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest with a pout. Out of the corner of his eye Sanji watched as Nami straightened ever so slightly in her chair, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. What was she so happy about?

Oh, right. Of course.

"Well, that shouldn't be too hard, right?" Chopper asked, "You get letters in your locker all the time—"

"Yeah, but I'm not gonna go with someone who can't even ask me to my face," Luffy said simply, "And I don't feel like asking anyone…"

Nami's shoulders slackened ever so slightly. A subtle change, but Sanji could see it all too clearly. Luffy would be oblivious. Sanji frowned as he lit up another cigarette to replace the first. Why did he always pick the difficult ones?

"Well, the dance is in four days," Chopper said, "If you guys want to have dates, you'd better hurry up," Of course, Chopper wasn't particularly concerned. Being a freshman, he wasn't too concerned about a date. He'd just be content going with his friends and so far, that was exactly what he'd planned to do.

Nami leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table contemplatively. Four days.

If he didn't ask her in four days, she decided, she just wouldn't go.