His eyes widened as he processed the words you'd just said.

"So wonderful to meet you sweetheart!" Your mother sang squeezing the confused man.

"Manners babe." You chided.

He narrowed his eyes at you over her shoulder. You could have sworn you saw a tinge of pink on his cheeks.

"Uh-hullo Mrs. L/N." He managed wiggling out of her clutches.

"Oh call me Mel. Mrs. L/N is Dan's witch of a mother not me." She stepped back giving him a once over then reaching for your cheek, "Your face has gotten a bit round."

"Mom." You snapped brushing her hand away.

"Just concerned." She feigned innocence.

"Uhm nice to meet you?" Zoro tried to add politely.

"You too honey. Now you kids go get settled. I've got to water these plants." She walked around the side of the house.

Zoro glanced around the house warily clutching his luggage. Your father walked in the back door adjusting his glasses.

"Ah you must be the boyfriend!" He extended his right hand.

"Uh apparently yes sir. Roronoa Zoro." He introduced himself shaking your father's hand.

"Just call me Dan." His eyes lit up when you stepped around Zoro, "Hey Chipmunk!"

"Hi dad." You blushed embarrassed by the childhood nickname.

He scooped you up and squeezed you tight, "We missed you. I know mom is nuts but you really should visit more."

"I missed you too." You had always been a daddy's girl.

He stepped back looking over the both of you.

"We're trusting you guys as adults can handle staying in the same room. Mel converted the spare room into a closet and refused to move anything out." Your dad rolled his eyes.

"Yeah that's fine. We'll just take our stuff upstairs." You replied guiding Zoro toward the stairs.

"No hanky panky! " He called after you.

"Never!" Zoro called back.

"Rude." You muttered feeling Zoro's glare on the back of your head.

He followed you up the steep narrow staircase to the converted attic. The top floor of the house was one bedroom a full bathroom and a fully furnished loft.

"It's like an apartment." Zoro glanced around.

"Yeah it was a teen's dream." You chuckled opening your old bedroom door.

The room was monochrome with accents of purple and teal.

"Hm" He hummed a little disappointed.

"What?" You flipped the light switch turning on the stands of Christmas lights lining the ceiling and window.

"I don't know what I was expecting. Something girlier I guess." He entered the room.

"You've got some stuff to learn." You smirked tossing your bag on the bed.

"Speaking of learning, what the fuck? You could have warned me I was coming to be your boyfriend." He shut the door.

"Hmm but it was fun seeing your reaction." You chuckled.

"What if they ask us questions like how long have we been dating? How did we meet?"

"Through Luffy which is true. We could say a month? That's not long enough to have to tell your parents but long enough to go on a trip together right?"

You turned startled at his stern expression.

"You will pay for this." He grumbled.

"Awe c'mon it'll be fun. Besides it'll get mom to stop shoving Fernando in my face."

"Fernando?" He echoed.

"Ugh. My mom's best friend's son. We're a year apart and they've always wanted us to be together. I never liked him like that. He's always been more of a little brother." You explained, "Mom is doing her best to arrange a marriage. I'm just no good at relationships."

"That makes sense." He snickered.

"Shut it." You tossed a pillow at him, "So, I can take the futon if you want the bed."

"Futon." He answered placing his suitcase down.

________________

"F/N..." Zoro whimpered being dragged off by your mother for the umpteenth time in the last 48 hours.

You snickered taking a seat on the patio.

"You aren't even going to try to save the poor guy?" Dad asked closing the BBQ pit.

"He'll be ok. I'll go rescue him in a bit." You crossed your arms.

"You two seem to get along well. Better than any of your other boyfriends anyway." He toweled the sweat from his brow.

"Yeah he's not so bad." You smirked, "I kind of hated him at first."

"Ah that's how it was for your mom and I." He smiled, "A month huh?"

"Uh yeah. But we've known each other for a couple of years. I was dating Marco when we met. He usually prefers to drink alone and is a little antisocial." You sipped your tea.

"You should probably go get him before he decides to dump you."

"Yeah yeah." You pulled yourself to your feet and made your way inside.

You could hear your mother being very animated in the next room.

"I noticed after every episode she'd disappear so one day I followed her. She was in her closet holding up a plastic sword shouting, "By the power of Grayskull... Pew pew pew... I am SheRa!" it was so adorable! "

You had heard the story so many times it was hardly embarrassing anymore. She told anyone who would listen, especially when you were in high school. You rounded the corner they were seated at the dining room table with a photo album flipped midway through. Zoro let out a rumbley laugh and turned to the next page of photos. You couldn't bring yourself to look directly at him as you fought the flush creeping up to your face.

"Not that story again." You grumbled.

"Oh honey it was so cute though." She looked back at Zoro, "She always hates that one."

You cleared your throat meeting Zoro's gaze, "Anyway, I've come to rescue you. We're going to the store I need some beer."

"Awe it was just getting good." Mom whined.

Zoro nodded and followed you out to your dad's huge yellow truck.

"I'm getting such good blackmail material." He chuckled climbing inside the cab.

Usually meeting mom was the last straw for boyfriends. Your heavy sarcasm and work schedule proved hard enough to deal with. Her selfish personality and need to embarrass you at every turn usually sealed the deal. Marco lasted the longest and stood up for you when she gave a left handed compliment. But it always bothered him that you didn't cut ties with her. She'd calmed down in the last couple of years because you distanced yourself. She loved you really; she just couldn't let you be better than her. A grandchild would just be a trophy she could show off to her friends. You understood why dad wasn't a fan when he first met her.

"I shouldn't have brought you here." You muttered shifting the truck into gear.

"But then you'd be stuck with that Fernando guy."

You sighed feeling like this trip was going to be a mistake.

__________________

"S-sorry I didn't mean....to get drunk." You huffed between hiccups.

"Could have fooled me." Zoro yanked you to your feet, "C'mon I'll carry you up. The stairs are too steep."

You heard your mother swoon as he, with an aggravated sigh, wound his arm around your waist.

"No...no." You began to protest, "I don't..."

Before you could finish the greenette heaved you over his shoulder.

"D-dont drop me!" Desperately, you clung to the back of his flannel shirt.

"Be still and I won't drop you idiot. Say good night to your parents." He turned so you could follow his orders.

You chuckled craning your neck up, "Good night parents."

"G'night Chipmunk." Dad waved shaking his head.

Mom clasped her hands together, "Ni-night you two."

She was definitely reading too much into it.

Uncomfortably you bounced upside down against Zoro's back. You had to admit the view wasn't bad. There was definitely a well-toned butt in those slim fit jeans, in fact you were just drunk enough and in the perfect position to cop a feel. You shifted loosening your grip with your right hand.

"Don't even think about it." He rumbled.

"What are you talking about?" You snapped.

"I've seen you drunk Ms.Handsy." He reached the bedroom door.

"S-shut up." You frowned as he flopped you down on your bed.

"Don't make that face. It isn't cute." He stepped out to change pants.

"I wasn't trying to be cute." You grumbled struggling out of your clothes.

You managed to change shirts but when you stood to remove your leggings you staggered forward and fell into the futon.

"I'm coming back in!" He announced opening the door.

You were consumed in a fit of laughter at your own misfortune.

"Christ." He sighed, "You can't even change clothes?"

"Nope!" You continued laughing.

He picked you up and placed you back on the bed.

"You'll just have to sleep in your pants tonight."

"It's too hot." You whimpered.

"Then take them off under the blankets." He huffed

"Hands don't work." You giggled flapping your hands against the mattress.

"You are a child." He growled.

You knew what you were doing but ignored the tiny voice in your head screaming for you to stop. He turned away blindly feeling for the waistband of your leggings. Quickly he yanked them off and flung the duvet over you before turning back. Without much thought you reached up and combed your fingers through his hair.

Soft.

He flinched away and stood.

"S-sorry." You muttered.

"Ah it's fine. I know you're drunk. Go to sleep brat." He turned off the lights removed his shirt and settled into the futon.

Why are you so stupid?

You snuggled down into your pillows reliving the moment before he pulled away. Your cheeks burned.

Not good.

"F/N?" His soft voice shattered the silence.

"...yeah?" You whispered.

He paused for a moment, "Goodnight."

"N-night."