Queen of the Pirates

Mafia AU Filler Chapter 2

"Good morning, Zoro," I call out to the swordsman as I enter the gym that I lovingly call The Dojo because of the man that spends most of his time here. I spend most of my mornings training with Zoro, as long as I'm not nauseous to the point of not being able to get out of bed. Normally I'd wear some athletic shorts and a tank top, but I've recently started to opt for leggings and a baggy shirt that I've stolen from Luffy. "I hope that you're ready for me."

Zoro chuckles, swiping the sweat off his face with a towel. "I'm always ready to train with the little sister I never knew that I wanted. Are you sure that you're morning sickness has passed enough for you to exercise?"

I roll my eyes, making my way to the stationary bike that has been one of the few exercise machines that doesn't set off my nausea. "If I didn't feel well enough, I wouldn't trudge my ass all the way down here. I'm not just here to admire you in your element, you know? I leave that to all the girls that swoon when you boys are on magazine covers."

"Still full of sass, so you can't be feeling that bad. You must get all kinds of ideas reading all those books. I remember the first time I met you. I thought you were a shy little bookworm sticking close to Luffy's side so he could protect you because this world is out to destroy you. But then you snapped after I teased you, and I realized we had a firecracker on our hands," he chuckles once again, stepping up next to me.

"There was no way I could be shy with the way my parents were, but I always knew that Ace would be right by my side to help me through anything that I found difficult. Still, I was allowed to follow my passions. Reading has always been one of them, and I think it will be very useful in the coming months."

Zoro offers his hand, helping me up onto the stationary bike before choosing a trail on the screen. "Your brother would do anything for you back when I first met you. He made sure to always have one someone watching out for you at all times."

"Oh, I noticed that," I nod, placing my water bottle into the cup holder before starting to peddle. "I could spot one of the bodyguards that Ace had hired in a second. It was annoying at first, but then I understood why he was doing that. If someone could kill our parents, then someone could easily bring harm to me."

"And someone is always going to be coming after you for the blood that runs through your veins. Just like they're always going to be going after Ace for the same reason."

"That's why I'm glad he was able to find a group that would always have his back. I mean, Whitebeard had always been a close ally of my father, so it wasn't shocking that he pulled Ace in once my brother was ready to start finding his place in the world."

"Because at that point you had Luffy and all of us to be your new family."

"Exactly. Even if I wished that Ace would have stayed here at the mansion for a couple more years, I knew that I had all the other Straw Hats that would fill the hole he'd leave. I'm proud of what Ace is achieving out there, and I know that he is thinking the same thing about what we're doing over here."

"I'm sure that he'd be overjoyed whenever you announce the secret that you're keeping from your husband."

"Zoro!"

He chuckles, "Oh come on. How long are you going to keep telling Luffy that your stomach is upset because of something you ate or some strange bug that even Chopper can't figure out."

I sigh, taking a swig of water. "I'm still at a sensitive period where the worst could happen again, and I don't want to put him through that grief again. I didn't realize how much Luffy wanted kids until we were both staring at those two lines on the test, and he was over the moon. It is the happiest I've seen him since Blackbeard has started to make a mess. We were absolutely devastated when it all was torn away from us. I didn't think I could ever see Luffy like that, and I don't know if I could handle it again."