One Piece (Love Story) [Part Two]

Chapter Three Hundred and Twenty Six

-Chapter Three Hundred and Twenty-Six-

"What a pain..." Zoro grumbled, his head turned the other way as he gave me some privacy to ring out my dress shirt to the best of my abilities. "Everything here looks the same" he remarked, taking a look around as I started to slip the piece of fabric back on—attempting to straighten out any wrinkles as I shifted around at the feeling of how heavy and cold it now felt against my skin. "We could be walking in circles for all we know..." he frowned.

"With you leading, we probably are" I said as I began to fiddle with the buttons.

"What was that?!" he snapped, turning around to face me before freezing as his cheeks flushed the moment I lifted my head. Water continued to drip from the wet strands of my hair with some even clinging to my face as I curiously tilted my head. Confused by his sudden embarrassment, I looked down and saw that my shirt was still partially see-through due to how soaked it had gotten despite having twisted around in my hands until I was certain I had gotten all the water out.

"You heard me" I said, flicking his forehead as I walked over to him. "Also, stop staring, you pervert" I giggled, watching as his blush darkened before he quickly turned his head to the side and huffed.

"I wasn't staring..." he embarrassingly grumbled—blush only getting worse as it now began to spread at the sound of my laughter before finally, I pressed a small kiss to his cheek.

"Sure you weren't, sweetie" I teasingly cooed.

"Are you done? If so, then let's go" he huffed, grabbing my hand as we finally started to get ready to go and find the others...only to immediately halt at the sudden sound of approaching footsteps rushing towards us. Within the blink of an eye, what appeared to be guards of some kind suddenly surrounded us and prevented us from moving any further from where we had washed up.

"You're Roronoa Zoro and Skylar Strife from the Straw Hat Pirates, right?" one of the guards asked as the rest pointed their tridents at us in a silent threat that said they weren't above using them if they had to.

"Yeah, so what if we are?" Zoro asked as we placed a hand on our swords.

-Later-

-Everybody's P.O.V-

"By the way," Neptune began, "I sent my sons to fetch you, but they took too long and I grew impatient" he confessed as he escorted Luffy, Nami, Brook, Usopp, Camie, and Pappagu back to the royal palace. "I hope they've returned in the meantime—we're holding a banquet you see, and I simply can't stand to wait on any more guests" he drooled as he began to think about all that food he had waiting for him back at the palace.

"I think we're going to get along great" Luffy grinned as he also began to drool at the thought of food.

"Gross—stop drooling!" Nami snapped, scrunching her nose in disgust as she looked between the two.

"Speaking of guests, I already invited two of your crewmates—they're at the palace now" Neptune revealed as he wiped the drool from his mouth, catching the Straw Hats' attention as they perked up. "I must say, the young woman has been nothing but an utter delight, albeit curious what with asking my servants plenty of questions about our island and people" he confessed as he began to recall the two pirates that had been brought back to the palace earlier. "But the man with her seemed to be lacking in manners—he started drinking before the banquet and wouldn't listen to reason when I advised him to wait for the other guests to arrive" he sighed before frowning. "I seem to have forgotten their names."

'Got to be Zoro and Skylar' Usopp thought, instantly recognizing the mannerisms of his two crewmates as he thought about the swordsman and swordswoman.