Chapter 8: I Have Found You!

"Hey! Let me out of this room, Nami!" Luffy screamed his lung off while his hand was banging the giant wooden door of his room.

"No can do, Luffy. You are grounded until there are any further order." the orange haired girl replied from behind the closed door. The ravenette grumbled, "And don't even try to run away from your window. I have Brook and Sanji patrolling down there to make sure you don't even have the mind to plan any sort of escape."

Damn it! Luffy cursed silently.

He walked around his room several times. His head was full of the thought from last night. After Zorro had saved him from drowning and after his totally embarrassing question, the older man had left him unanswered. He remembered how Zorro swiftly wrapped him with his coat and how that pair of big and strong and firm hands had brought him back to the castle. Chopper was shocked to find both of them drenched like a wet kitten, especially the drenched ravenette. He immediately gave him an intensive care and stabilized him. The analgesic given by the young doctor successfully thrown Luffy into a sleeping state sooner than he hope to be. Leaving his question remained unanswered even until the next day.

A soft knock could be heard from the wooden door followed by a soft click. Chopper came in with some of his medical instrument. "Morning, Luffy. How are you feeling?"

"Awful..." the ravenette answered in a dejected tone. The younger boy immediately ran toward the bedside, panic obvious in his face, "Where are you feeling uncomfortable? Do you feel nausea? Or maybe headache? Do yo--"

"No, no. I'm feeling a lot better than yesterday night already, Chopper. Don't worry" Luffy started, earning a relieved sigh from his friend, "I just need to meet Zorro..." he added in the end.

Chopper's eyes grew wide and he looked down. "Actually about that..."

"What's wrong, Chopper?"

The brown haired boy looked troubled but he finally said it in a crackled voice, "King Shanks is currently talking with King Roronoa."

"Yeah?"

"And since yesterday, there had been an issue whether your wedding should be continued..." Chopper gulped, "or not."

Luffy's face turned into pure shock. It was the first time he had ever known that his Dad would change his mind easily like this. He could recall how stubborn he was when he opposed it. But why now?

"Why?" Luffy asked. He couldn't say that he didn't feel relieve hearing that, but a part of his heart ache.

Chopper shook his head, "For now the deal is put on halt, at least there won't be any war in the near future." Luffy smiled, he knew how his friend hate the war. It hurt Chopper heart to see hurt and sick people. And also he  hate how busy he got every time their country soldiers went to a battlefield.

"But, Chopper, am I seriously a house arrest now?" Luffy protested, "You know how I hate to be confined." 

And he had to talk to the green king ASAP. 

No matter whether he was still engaged to him or not, no, there wasn't even any connection between this and that. He just wanted to know. Was he that boy? He could swear the older man actually heard him last night, but why wouldn't he say anything back then?

Luffy sighed.

The young doctor's brown eyes observed his friend's, it was rare to see him this dejected since he was told that he was engaged. "What's wrong, Luffy? It isn't like this is the first time you are being a house arrest" Chopper said, suspicious clear in his voice.

Luffy looked down toward his feet somehow it became such an interesting object to look at now rather than Chopper's suspicious brown orb.

"Luffy..." Chopper sat beside his black haired friend and looked straight to him. Now he couldn't lie anymore to him.

He cleared his throat and started, "I need to talk to Zorro."

Chopper's eyebrow knitted deeply, "Why?" he asked, "You said you don't like him before. You even look severely dejected the moment King Shanks said you were engaged to him." Chopper added. He had had his suspicion when he saw the green haired king brought back the third prince in his arm last night. But he needed to hear directly from his friend's mouth. He didn't want to make any wild assumption.

"Actually he isn't that bad," Luffy said, "he is actually really cool and handsome despite how annoying he could be."

"Go on..." the young doctor urged his friend to continue.

"It's great talking with him, although sometime my face would randomly got hot and there were times when my heart thumped uncontrollably." Luffy said, in fact, his face had started to feel hot as he recalled the man's face.

He looked at Chopper, the doctor surely is a great listener, he gave him a full attention without stopping him anywhere. He continued on, "And yesterday, when he saved me from drowning... somehow, I remembered the first time the curse almost got me."

At the mention of that, Chopper's expression changed, but he stayed silent to let him finish. "Do you remember that time we decided to built our own ship? And how I tried to see a strange green object floating on the sea surface and got drowned myself in the end?"

Chopper nodded his head.

"Zorro reminded me of that kid. That kid who saved my life and vanished right after I regain my consciousness." Luffy licked his suddenly chapped lips, "I don't know, Chopper. But, that green hair, and also his warm golden iris, and his kindness I could feel when he grasped my hand. It all reminded me of that time. Have I found my life saver?"

And my first love? Luffy added silently in his heart.

"I need to make sure of this with the old man." Luffy said with determination in his eyes.

Now, after Chopper made sure his friend had completely finish his story, he started to talk. "Actually, Luffy, I heard a bad rumor going around the castle this morning." His brown iris looked around to make sure no one would be able to see nor listen on them, "They said, King Roronoa tried to push you toward the sea. Are you sure your memory isn't hazy and confuse you to believing he was saving you instead of threatening your life?"

Luffy gasped as his eye brows frowned, "What?! I'm 100% sure the old man isn't pushing me or anything. I just got shocked myself, lost my balance and tripped off the cliff."

Chopper smiled, "I believe in you, Luffy." and soon his smile disappear, "But the citizen wouldn't believe that so easily. With all those rumor going around, I think that was what made King Shanks reconsider the deal with King Roronoa."

"Where are they discussing about it now?"

Chopper almost opened his mouth but both his hands immediately shut his mouth. Luffy stood up and started to corner the little doctor. "Chopper, answer me... this is an order..."

As if in witchcraft, Chopper brown eyes got hazy suddenly. Both his hand slammed down to both his side. "They are in the meeting room in the west wing" his mouth closed with a gasp after he finished the sentence. The haze in his eyes got cleared almost as soon as that. "Luffy, wait! You couldn't do that!"

Though, the third prince ignored his little friend's order. He walked toward the direction of his door and once again said in a clear and loud voice, "Nami, open the door now!" The door opened with a loud slammed. Before all of his friends started to apprehend him he shouted, "And I order that no one follow me nor stop me!"

All his friend stopped on their track, all the muscle in their body tense as he walked pass them. "I'm sorry, guys." he whispered. He absolutely hate using his power to control the mind of others. But this was an emergency. He had to clear all things up and he need to know!

*******I Won't Fall For You***@meli2cm**

Zorro looked around him. There were several old mans sitting with him around the round table. The red haired king sat right beside him. He could sense pure hate emitted toward him.

"What are you trying to do, you cold blood king?!" One of the ministers hissed. Zorro kept his cool and stayed silent despite all the cursing and accusing words he got from all the people in that room. Everyone, except King Shanks, had started ganging up on him and blaming him for trying to kill the beloved third prince.

The loud commotion in the room immediately stopped when the giant wooden door was opened with a loud bang. All the heads inside turn toward whoever had opened the door, their mouth gasped in shock upon seeing the third prince right in front of the opened door.

"Stop this right instant!" He screamed as hard as he could. He walked toward where his father and Zoro were and he immediately grabbed the hand of the older man.

"Wha--!"

Ignoring the older man protest, Luffy dragged Zoro toward several rooms. He could hear running sound from behind his back and several incomprehensible shout. He needed to clear the misunderstanding at the least.

As they arrived at the highest tower of the castle, Luffy helped , or more like pushed Zoro, toward the tower roof. There he could see clearly all part of his country and from here his voice could also heard clearly across the country. His eyes scan all the riot his citizen has started to make. What Chopper said about the rumor going faster than fire must be true or even worse. He had never thought to find almost all the people of the Pirate Kingdom would gather in front of their castle in this peaceful country.

"What the hell are you planning, kid?" Zoro grumbled while trying to keep his balance. He knew if he set his foot wrong he could bid goodbye to his life. The sound of all the old ministers could be heard near the window, though they didn't dare to come near due to fear of threatening their country prince's life.

Luffy laughed and then clear his throat, "To all the people in Pirate Kingdom. I want to make an announcement. Please stay quiet and listen!" the Prince added a bit of his power to stress the importance of his soon to be announcement.

In an instant, there wasn't a single noise that could be heard which make Luffy satisfied. He took a deep breath ,"To all the people in Pirate Kingdom. I want to clear the misunderstanding that has gone around the kingdom! This man here...", Luffy stopped to point his hand at Zoro. Some shout of protest had came from some people below. Luffy cursed at his weak power of control.

"Silence!"

Luffy heart skip a beat. It wasn't a loud scream or anything, but the power behind the word of control was even beyond him. He peeked a look inside, there stood Shanks that gave Luffy a smile immediately and told him to go on. He nodded. It had never fail to awe him whenever his father used his word of control power. Even if the royal blood would never get affected by it, he couldn't stop his shaking whenever Shanks used it.

He looked to his side, Zoro was struggling to find his voice but nothing came out. He giggled, the old man was indeed really funny. "It will come back eventually, for now just listen...", Luffy said before turning his attention back at his people below, "This man has never try to kill me!"

Zoro eyes got widened and he knitted his eyebrow deep. His expression clearly said "What the hell are you saying?!"

Luffy ignored the older man and continued, "It was my own fault that I fell from the cliff and the old man even saved me!"

Once again Luffy stopped to see the expression of the old man. This time it clearly said, "Don't say anything unnecessary!" He could swear this man looked cute even from a slight moment. It was strange seeing how a muscular man could look cute.

"And I'm still going to marry this man!" A loud gasp and shocked expression were thrown at him. He himself even thought how crazy he was now, "I will go tho the Samurai Kingdom and I will make their king fall head over heal for me so that their country would never become a threat to our country anymore!"

For a moment there was only silence. Luffy gulped, he wasn't regretting whatever he was saying and he would never take it back at all.

"What--?!"Zoro's voice was the first one that break the silence. Luffy gave the old man a big smile that left Zoro more lost in words. The silence quickly broke after that, a loud commotion had started to build down there as Shank's control over them waver.

"What do you think you are saying, you brat?!" the green haired king grabbed the ravenette head forcing the younger man to face him directly, "You understand what you are saying, right? You have to leave this country if you have to marry me!"

Luffy looked confuse. So what if he had to leave his country, it wasn't like he wanted to be there all his life. He tilted to one side while folding his hands, "So what's wrong with leaving my country?"

Zoro looked taken aback, when he wanted to talk back to the third prince he was cut short by a red haired man that suddenly decided to join them on the roof of the tower. 

"I thought you hate the idea of going off this country with the help of other Luffy." Shanks said one of his eye brows raised, "But that's a good speech. At least, for now the misunderstanding has been cleared. As for you, King Roronoa..."

Zoro stiffened a bit. Under Shanks's gaze he felt incredibly small, just like when he was glared at by that man. 

Shanks got closer to the green haired king, "Don't you ever think to make him sad or I'll be the one that end your life." He whispered a deadly threat, making Zoro ran a cold sweat across his face.

"What's wrong?" Luffy asked curiously.

"Nothing, just a man to man talk, right, Zoro?" Shanks smiled and Zoro immediately nodded his head. He knew immediately, how dangerous this King was despite all the rumor saying how laid back he was.

Luffy pouted and grumbled something that he was also a man but Zoro ignored him. He looked at the red haired king. Despite his usual laid back personality, he had tremendous monster power hidden behind his innocent mask. He had always felt it under his skin, all the terror he would always feel whenever he was fighting the man in the battle field, and also he was the only sole reason the kingdom of Pirate hadn't fall into his kingdom's territory. 

"Now, kids, time to go back down except this is your idea of having fun." Shanks said with a smirk before jumping down toward the window. All the ministers' face became pale white when they saw the King jump and they let out an obvious sigh when the King finally in safe place. 

Zoro was about to jump down following the King's step but a small hand stopped him. "Zoro, I need to talk with you." He really had a bad feeling about this, but seeing the younger's man face he couldn't say no. He had a feeling that he wanted to continue their conversation from yesterday. And Zoro definitely  didn't want to talk about it. He had his own assumption at first, and now he was too afraid to confront the truth. Especially if his source of light and warm in his dark and cold life would shatter when he was confronted with the truth.

"Can we--"

"No!" Luffy grabbed Zoro's hand once again and pulled the older man down. All the ministers looked at them shock clear in their face while Shanks could only laughed it off and walked away.

"Your highness, is it alright to leave the two of them alone?" Kureha, one of the old councilor asked the king.

Shanks smirked, "Luffy is old enough to protect himself and I think he need to start to learn how to solve his own problem."

*******I Won't Fall For You***@meli2cm**  

"Hey, how far are you planning to take me, Kid?" Zoro looked around totally oblivious as to where they were now. But soon, the familiar cliff scenery filled his sight. The ravenette took him to some stairs that lead toward the beach and finally stopped his track. He sat down on the white sands and gestured to the older man to follow him.

Both of them stayed in silence. The beach was quiet, most people was on their own duty on this time of day, leaving both the king and the prince to be the only people there.

"Arrghh!" the third prince loud groaned startled Zoro, "I can't keep this up anymore!" Luffy grabbed both the shoulder of the older King and forced him to face his face directly.

"Zoro, have you ever saved a boy from drowning in this place before?" Luffy asked directly. His dark beads gave all his attention to the older man. Zoro tried hard to bury his own anxiousness, thankfully that man lesson had made his expression as cold as steel.

"What do you mean, kid?"

"Yes or No?" Luffy's face became stiff, determination as strong as steel sparked from his eyes. He wouldn't let this one go until he got his answer.

Zoro sighed, "Yes." He admitted. Cold sweats pour down from his face. He wasn't like he was used to be. He had lost all his kindness and warm from his childhood, he was only a cold blood king with no heart now. Luffy would hate him for sure...

Luffy stood up. 

Zoro sighed. He looked down and wait for the third prince to go away with disappointment. How could anyone not when the people that save them became people that killed people important to them in the future?

But instead, a pair of warm hands found its way around Zoro's body. He looked up and found the third prince was still there, in fact he was right in front of him, hugging him as tight as he could.

"...ound you."

"Huh?"

"I have found you!"

When Luffy showed his face, the older man was sure he could die in happiness. Or maybe he had die already as that was the prettiest smiling face he had ever seen. Maybe even prettier than any angel. His heart beat accelerated, Luffy had always made him feel like a human being, then and even now. In front of him, he wasn't a cold blood king or heartless man.

He was just a man in love.

And desperate to be loved back.

A/N:

Heyho!!! :D

Hi guys! It's 5 days until Christmas!!^^ So sorry for the late update, but at least I don't break my promise to update before New Year.

Maybe here you could see how my writing style change a bit (or maybe a lot). I'm really sorry if it got rusty, I haven't really wrote anything since I got into college, and yeah... And also to get the feel of the One Piece character, I re read it...xD Still on the 130 sth chapters though... BUT! Oh gosh, this manga had never failed to make me cry, I cried a ton yesterday rereading Sanji's back story. I knew the part where Honor would sacrifice his leg for Sanji, but still the feel had never failed to break my tears. I just love both of them and also Shanks and Luffy relationship, and of course Luffy and Zoro... Actually I love all of them...xD

So sorry if some of it seems off from the chapters before, I tried hard to remember what I want them to be, but I just forget so I made up a new plot for them, and here it is... Hope you still enjoy it as you enjoy the former chapter... But if you felt like protesting the plot or anything about this story feel free to leave comments! I will be super happy to know what you guys think...

Okay, I won't talk that much anymore...

Hope you enjoy the story... Leave some votes and especially feed back in the comments will be really appreciated! :D

See you in the next chapter!

-Meli