"Uh I don't think I heard that right." You slouched forward against Zoro's chest.

He brushed your tendrils off your shoulders lightly kissing the top of your head.

"I got this pretty pearly white postcard that says 'Dan & Mel L/N would like to announce the marriage of their only daughter F/N M/N L/N to Fernando Solis Diaz this November. Save the dates to follow!' I can't believe what I'm looking at." You could hear her flipping the card back and forth.

Zoro looked down at you both brows raised as you groaned.

"This is bad. Really bad."

"I can be over in a few minutes if you want." She offered.

You flushed realizing the position you were in.

"Uh n-no. It's fine. I have to figure out what to do. Thanks for letting me know. Talk to you later" You hung up tossing the phone next to you on the sofa.

Zoro's hands rested on the small of your back, "Was it worth the interruption?"

"If I didn't answer she would have shown up. And she has a key." You smirked up at him.

"So, what's this really bad thing?"

"Mel sent out a marriage announcement." You replied

"That is really bad." He scowled.

"I was hoping she was bluffing. I should know better." You let your arms drop lifelessly at your sides, "I dunno what to do."

"Well, if we stay like this I could think of at least one thing." He nuzzled your left cheek with his nose.

You cupped each side of his face enjoying the moment.

So cute.

He leaned in to kiss you as your phone went off, text after text after text.

"Can we just have a minute?" He groaned.

You reached for the device with a pout, "Poor Mossface."

He sat back crossing his arms.

[[ Image received ]]

Marco: TF is this?

Marco: I thought you settled things?!

Marco: Why

Marco: Why would she even send this to me?!

Me: Calm down!

Me: I just found out about it. Nami got one too.

Me: I'm not surprised she sent it to you.

Me: Probably to rub things in. She knows we're still close. Please don't be mad.

Marco: I'm not mad at you. Sorry.

Marco: Just...what kind of monster treats their kid like this? Does Dan even know?

[[ Incoming Call : Traffy ]]

Zoro dropped his arms at his sides sighing dramatically.

"Yo?" You answered the call offering an apologetic smile as you slid off his lap to the cushion at his right.

"Your mother has lost her mind." Law rumbled.

"So I hear... Marco sent me a picture of it." You tucked your feet up under you.

"Wow. Why the fuck would she send it to Marco?"

"To be an asshole. He's pretty pissed." You held the phone with your shoulder attempting to wiggle back into your tee shirt.

Zoro draped his arm over you when you settled and turned on the TV.

"What happened when you were here? Cora-ya was upset you left without stopping by."

"After the reunion, she picked a fight with me. Basically, saying Zoro wasn't good enough and that he obviously didn't like me." Zoro glanced down at you, "I refused to ditch him and she flipped out and came after me with an encyclopedia."

"Christ." Law breathed.

"I also may or may not have compared her to Uncle Doffy." You chewed on your bottom lip.

"Wow." He chuckled.

"She did say she was going to make plans for a wedding with Fernando because, my obstinate behavior isn't going to shame this family." You said in a mocking tone.

Zoro shifted next to you. You hadn't told him that much about the altercation.

"I'm not sure what could have been done to stop her though." Law sighed.

"Yeah, I'm also wondering how much my dad knows." You added.

"F/N-ya, you know I love your dad, but he's weak. That's how she gets away with all this shit. I don't think there's anything he could do that would have changed her mind or kept her from doing as she pleased."

"He could leave her. But for some reason he loves her and she sees through that threat now. It's not the same as when I was a kid." You leaned into Zoro's side.

"Have you thought of what to do about it?" He asked.

"I mean, my initial reaction is to ignore it and no show." You shrugged earning another glance from the greenette.

Law groaned, "You know that's not going to work. She's also trying to get Doflamingo released. Cora-ya is working on stopping that."

You jolted forward, "That's not good either. He's ten times worse than her. If they got together it'd be a nightmare." Anxiety began to trickle into your stomach.

"I don't think it's likely considering everything he did to land him there. But we already have a lawyer just in case."

"Ugh. OK I need to process what's happening. Thanks for calling Traffy~"

"Don't call me that!" He rumbled, "I'll keep you posted on the situation here."

The call ended.

"You ok?" Zoro asked rubbing circles between your shoulder blades.

"I dunno." You palmed your face and sighed, "Man, what a way to ruin a good evening."

"Tell me about it." He agreed flatly.

"I'm sorry." You whimpered.

"Don't be ridiculous." He replied sternly, " let's just go to bed."

He rose tugging you along with him and lumbered into the bedroom. You watched as he slipped out of his jeans apparently being passed the point of changing in a different room. You did the same,pulling your arms into your shirt to unclasp and remove your bra. He chuckled from the bed watching you struggle.

"I can't do it with you laughing at me." You grunted wiggling your right elbow that had been caught in your sleeve free.

"You could just take your shirt off." He suggested raising his brows.

"And give you a free show? No sir." Your left hand emerged tugging your bra along, "Ah ~ sweet freedom."

"I have to earn boobs?" He snorted yanking you across the bed.

"Ya gotta earn all of it!" You laughed.

"If that's the case didn't I already earn it? I mean unless you were just teasing me earlier, in which case, ouch."

"It starts over after every transaction." You booped his nose causing him to snort again and shake his head. An action you've caused Madara hundreds of times.

"Fine then, I'll require the same of you." He pulled the sheets up to his neck.

"I'm a girl. That doesn't work on us." You lied knowing damn well if you didn't get some from this man soon you'd probably go insane.

He let out a rumbley laugh rolling you into his chest, "You're not the greatest liar."

"Shut up." You muttered settling into his warmth.

Silence blanketed the room before you felt the mood shift.

"Are you really going to just ignore it?" He asked in a disapproving tone.

"It would be easier to not deal with it." You frowned into his chest.

"Yeah I know. It sounded pretty serious though." He rested his chin in your hair.

"Apparently she's trying to get my other uncle released. Right now, he's in a maximum-security prison. Visiting him as a kid was horrible." You fought to stifle the stinging sensation in your eyes.

"I won't let anything happen to you." Your heart jumped at his quiet declaration.

If there was any doubt that you loved this idiot, it was washed away with that simple statement.

_____________

"That's the fifth time in three days." You frowned dropping your phone in your purse, "Its unlike Dad to ignore me."

"Maybe your mom is screening his calls and not letting him answer." Zoro suggested leaning over the bar.

"That's probable." You agreed.

"Or she's got him tied up somewhere yoi." Marco added from behind the bar as he poured you another beer.

You shuddered at the thought.
Poor dad.

"She's trying to draw me out. If they keep ignoring me I have to go out there right?" You couldn't hide the stress resided in your voice and on your face.

"Not alone I hope." Marco gestured toward Zoro.

"Of course not." Zoro replied quickly.

"I am NOT going there." You bumped your head against the bar, "And I leave tomorrow for the week."

Marco and Zoro shared a glance before you spoke again, "I have to go alone Marco it's for work."

"And I'm back at my job tomorrow too." Zoro added.

Someone down the bar called out a drink order pulling Marco away.

Zoro leaned into your personal space, a rarity in public places.

"Don't worry so much." You muttered before he could breathe a word, "I'll figure something out."

­­­­­_____________

"I'll call you the second I land." You picked up your suit case as Zoro followed you to the door.

"And be careful while you're there." You stood facing each other.

"You're one to talk." He pouted while you gently touched the scar on his face, "Promise I won't talk to any strangers with puppies or climb into any vans with promises of candy."

He smiled and leaned down, "Good girl."

"I'm going to be late." You slipped your phone into your pocket after checking the time.

"Alright, alright. I'll see you Friday evening." He kissed you and sent you on your way.

You felt strange leaving him behind. The two of you hadn't been separated for almost two months.

It was a three-hour flight to Reno that went rather smoothly considering how much flying stressed you out. Your boss Suzanne, had ordered you a few cocktails that certainly calmed your nerves.

"I'll meet you a baggage claim." You called to her pulling your phone out and switching it on.

[[ 4 missed calls : Traffy ]]

Your stomach flopped as your phone began to ring in your hand.

[[ Incoming call : Traffy ]]

"Hey – sorry I was – "

"F/N-ya, he's out." He blurted.