upstaged

Zoro was pleased. They had just finished the second showing of their new stage play and it had gone off without a hitch. The showing had been fully booked out and Zoro had heard someone mention that a big name critic was in attendance. Zoro hadn’t the opportunity to confirm or deny that, but he hoped the critic liked what they saw. The team had worked hard.

He was in the greenroom helping Usopp, their lead actor, untie his costume. The rest of the cast were also getting changed, all elated at a job well done. There was a jovial energy about the room.

Zoro himself wasn’t an actor in the show— no, he had been brought on for the choreography. He loved being part of the process, being the one to dramatise movement and form. He loved seeing how the simplest of movements could shape the way the play was understood and impact how the story was told. It really was something special and he never tired of seeing people nail his choreography; it was a very satisfying feeling.

He had just finished untying Usopp’s costume when a familiar laugh filled the room.

“Great show tonight, everyone!” Luffy said. Everyone cheered in agreement. He was the reason they were all there. He had a knack for spotting talent and had personally approached a large portion of the cast and stage crew himself, as well as bringing their usual troupe Straw Hat co.

Zoro had been the first person Luffy had recruited into Straw Hat co. about five years ago and since then Luffy had amassed eight more permanent members. Nami was the costume designer and dealt with finances; Usopp was a triple threat, master of acting, singing, and dancing; Sanji was lead dancer but also always insisted on keeping them fed with his culinary skills; Chopper was the set designer though also had a background in medicine, which helped if there were any emergencies; Robin was the vocal coach; Franky was the stunts coach but more often dealt with the lighting and set design; Brook was the sound designer and musical director; and Jimbei was the acting coach as well as the muscles.

The little group wasn’t strictly limited to these roles, though, and often found themselves helping one another out.

“Good job out there, Usopp,” Luffy said, grinning as he approached Zoro and Usopp.

“Thanks, Luffy,” Usopp said, soaking up the praise and high fiving Luffy.

As everyone finished up their tasks, the numbers gradually dwindled until it was just Luffy’s troupe remaining. This was normal. The troupe would finish tidying up and packing away items before being on their way. Why did they do it? Simple. Nami was cheap. She claimed it would save them money this way. When Luffy had moaned about it, Nami had just given him an ultimatum: spend money to feed everyone or spend money on tidying and packing up. Once Luffy heard that, the decision had been easy.

Unfortunately, this was how Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji came to be locked in the storage room. Luffy had dismissed the others as he carried the last prop through to storage but on his way he bumped into the heavy self-locking door and it closed behind him.

Once the group had packed away the last of the props, they headed back to the door to discover it had shut and locked.

“It’s fine, though. You have the key, right, Luffy?” Nami said, after trying to open the door.

When Luffy didn’t respond, all heads turned to him. He was avoiding everyone’s gaze, his eyes darting up and to the side and his lips were sucked in.

“Luffy… Please tell me you didn’t forget the key,” Nami said.

Luffy’s silence said enough. Zoro was not surprised. He was surprised, though, that this was the first time this had happened.

Nami’s fingers went to her temples. “I don’t suppose anyone else has a key?” she said. There was a chorus of nopes.

“Pffft. It’s fine,” Usopp said, waving his hand nonchalantly. “We’ll just call out for one of the others to let us out.”

“They’ve already left the building,” Luffy said, earning him a flick on the head by Sanji.

“Well, who has their phone with them?” Usopp said.

“I do!” Nami and Luffy said simultaneously, digging into their pockets to retrieve said devices.

Nami scowled at her phone. “No signal,” she said before turning to Luffy. Her eyes widened. “You have signal? Call someone!”

Luffy nodded and just as he hovered over the call button to Franky his screen went black. “Shit.”

“What happened?” Usopp said.

“My phone died,” Luffy said, trying to tap at the screen while the others moaned in frustration.

“Fuck,” Sanji said. “Now what?”

“I wonder if we could force the door open,” Usopp said, finger to his chin.

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all exchanged a look before moving behind the door.

“On 3,” Sanji said. “1… 2.”

Luffy and Zoro both barged into the door with their shoulders. They were unsuccessful in forcing the door open, but did manage to hurt their shoulders. They were further rewarded for their efforts with a kick to their heads by Sanji.

“You idiots! I said on 3, not 2!”

“Not our fault you’re too slow,” Zoro said.

“Too slow? I’ll show you too slow, stupid Marimo,” Sanji said as he struck out at Zoro with his leg. Zoro dodged it just in time before grabbing a shinai from the prop shelf and lunging at Sanji with it.

“Bring it, Shit Cook!” He and Sanji had a long history of fighting one another. Shit Cook really knew how to irritate him. But, Zoro would admit, the guy did know how to put up a good fight.

Sanji managed to deflect Zoro’s attack and was about to strike back when Nami stepped in between them.

“Now is not the time,” Nami said, frowning.

As usual Sanji went head over heels for Nami, apologising and promising her a three course meal once they were freed.

Zoro stepped back, ignoring Sanji’s display and put the shinai away.

Just as he did that, darkness overcame the room.

“Who turned off the lights?” Usopp said, the tremble in his voice audible.

Zoro made his way over to where he thought the switch was, a task proving difficult given the lack of lighting, and felt around the wall until he felt something switch-like. He pressed it on and off, assuming it was the right switch, but nothing happened.

“Think the bulb has burned out,” Zoro said.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Sanji said.

Zoro tensed. “Say that again. I dare you.”

“No. Shit. Sherlock,” Sanji said, taking up the challenge.

And the next thing that could be heard was the sound of stuff being knocked over. Threw was even a smash.

“Guys!” Nami said, aiming her phone light into the direction of the noise. Zoro had his fist in Sanji’s shirt and they both recoiled from the sudden light in their faces. “That’s enough. Let’s find a spare light bulb.”

“Oh! I think I know where they are. Can I borrow your phone, Nami?” Luffy said.

“Sure,” Nami said before handing over the phone. Zoro watched as Luffy took the light down the furthest prop aisle until he and the light were no longer in sight.

It took another few minutes until they heard footsteps approaching, however, there was no phone light.

“Luffy?” Nami called out but no one responded. “Luffy, this isn’t funny. Turn the phone light back on.” Nami always sounded so assured of herself, but like Usopp, her voice was shaky. The two of them really were destined to be best friends, given their easily frightened natures.

And once again there was a phone light lighting up Luffy’s face. He was chewing on something. “Sorry. Was eating and accidentally turned the light off,” Luffy said with his mouth full.

Nami sighed and accepted her phone back. “Of course you went to the mini fridge. Did you get the light bulb?”

“Shit. I knew I forgot something,” Luffy said.

“Luffy!” everyone said in unison.

Luffy laughed. With the phone light still on him, he grinned and revealed a light bulb from behind his back.

“Okay.” Nami aimed her phone around the area they were in until she located the switch and turned it off. “Usopp, you’re the only one I trust to change the bulb.”

“What about me, Nami?” Sanji whined, but Nami ignored him. Zoro snickered.

“Zoro, you’re lifting him on top of your shoulders,” Nami said.

Zoro and Usopp nodded and got to work and no one voiced their protest. They were used to Nami doling out orders; they wouldn’t get much done without her, in all honesty.

It proved a struggle getting Usopp on Zoro’s shoulders with the limited light they had—Zoro was kneed in the stomach as well as kicked in the head. But once up on Zoro’s shoulders, Nami pointed the phone light up high and Usopp easily managed to change the light bulb. Usopp’s mastery of everything technical seemed to overpower his fear of the dark as his hands were very steady. That was Usopp, though. Always reliable when it counted, even if he was scared.

“Okay, try it now,” Usopp said. Nami nodded and flicked the switch and the light came on. They cheered and helped Usopp down from Zoro’s shoulders.

“Well, might as well make ourselves comfy,” Zoro said and sat down on the floor, back against the wall. They probably wouldn’t be freed until morning and Zoro had slept in worse places before, so it wasn’t that big of an issue for him.

Nami sighed. “For once you’re right,” she said and sat on the raggedy old sofa. Her eyebrows raised. “This is actually comfier than it looks.” And with that said she proceeded to lie herself along the whole sofa, claiming it all.

“Aw, Nami! Why do you get the comfy spot?” Luffy said, pouting.

Nami snorted. “Please, as if you don’t have your own sleeping comforts. Go cuddle with Zoro. You would any other time.”

Usopp tried to hold in his laughter but failed. Big time.

Zoro just raised an eyebrow at Luffy, expectantly. It was true, Zoro had been told numerous times that his relationship with Luffy was apparently… unique. He didn’t know what that even meant, so he didn’t give it much thought. People could say what they want about them. It didn’t faze Zoro and certainly didn’t faze Luffy, if Zoro read Luffy correctly (which he did. Always).

As expected Luffy flopped down next to Zoro and laid back with his head on Zoro’s lap. He grinned up at Zoro. Zoro smiled back and rested one hand on Luffy’s chest.

Sanji grimaced at the scene. “I need a smoke,” he said, feeling his pockets but his hands returned empty. He dropped to the floor, leaning back against the sofa Nami was on. Usopp did the same.

Luffy was already out for the count so Zoro closed his eyes, ready to join him in sleeping.

— — —

When Zoro next awoke it was to hushed voices. He kept his eyes closed and tried to drift back to sleep but the voices were not helping.

“Surely they can’t be that naive! It’s clear by the way they look at one another that they’re deeply in love!” Usopp said, his volume increasing near the end.

Who were they talking about that they needed to whisper? Or were they whispering so they wouldn’t wake anyone? Nevertheless, Zoro continued to try to fall back to sleep, uninterested in their conversation.

“I know but they’re both so oblivious,” Nami said. “At this rate it’s likely they will never realise their feelings for one another.”

Sanji made a retching noise. “I say just leave the two idiots to it. It’s not our problem if they remain clueless.”

Usopp made a sound of disapproval. “How can you say that? Luffy and Zoro are our friends!”

Zoro, who was still involuntarily listening to the conversation, went slightly stiff. His friends were talking about him and Luffy. Huh. This was too amusing. Zoro opened his eyes, ready to give his own two cents when there was a bang from somewhere on the other side of the door. Everyone woke up to that.

“Breakfast time?” Luffy said, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.

“Not yet,” Zoro said, smiling at the sight of Luffy. Luffy just hummed and dropped his head onto Zoro’s shoulder, falling back to sleep. Zoro smiled, something fluttering in his chest as it always did with Luffy.

“What was that bang?” he said, shifting his focus to the noise.

Usopp and Nami both had wide eyes and were clinging to one another. “What if it’s a murderer…” Usopp said. “I’m too young to die!”

“I don’t wanna die either!” Nami said.

“Relax, no one’s gonna die,” Sanji said. He got up and walked to the door and started banging on it. “Hey! Hey! Is someone out there?” Sanji yelled.

Usopp and Nami must have been operating on the same wave-length because in the next moment they had tackled Sanji away from the door and Usopp had his hand over Sanji’s mouth.

“You idiot! You’re gonna get us killed,” Usopp said. Nami nodded in agreement.

Sanji rolled his eyes and wrenched Usopp’s hand off of his mouth. He was about to retaliate when a voice called out.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

Zoro recognised that voice and it was clear that the others did too if the recognition and relief that dawned on their faces was anything to go by.

“Yamato?” Sanji called out. “It’s Sanji. A few of us are stuck in the props storage room. Can you let us out?”

“Oh, sure!” Yamato said. There was the sound of footsteps approaching and then the heavy self-locking door opened. Yamato was holding it open. Luffy finally woke back up from all the commotion.

“Yamato!” Luffy yelled and launched himself at Yamato.

This production was the first one they had been involved with Yamato with. He was a method actor and a really good one at that. Took directions well and wasn’t demanding in the way some method actors they had worked with before were.

Yamato had to take a step back to support himself from Luffy’s eager tackle. “Easy there. Don’t want to lock everyone in there again,” he said but was grinning.

“You’re our saviour, Yamato!” Usopp said as they all left the props storage room and let the door close. “We’ll do anything for you!” Yamato just laughed.

“What’s the time?” Sanji asked.

“Just after 1 AM,” Yamato said, checking his phone.

“Why were you still here?” Zoro asked. He hadn’t intended for it to sound as accusatory as it did, but no point beating around the bush.

“Zoro! He obviously had a good reason for being here,” Nami said and flicked Zoro’s ear.

“It’s alright,” Yamato said, as they walked back to the greenroom. “Basically my ride bailed on me and I fell asleep on the couch in the foyer waiting for my next ride. When I woke up I was really confused as to why no one had woken me since I knew Luffy was last to leave. I went into the greenroom and saw all your bags and figured you must be here somewhere.”

“What was the bang?” Sanji asked.

“I tripped over the set,” Yamato said, his cheeks turning slightly red.

Luffy laughed, patting Yamato on the back. “Now we can get food thanks to you!”

Zoro chuckled. Some things never changed. They all gathered their belongings and waited out the front of the theatre while Luffy finished locking up.

“I can give you a ride, Yamato,” Usopp said, as he pulled on a pair of woolly gloves. Zoro rubbed his hands together. It really was cold out, so cold that even Zoro, the walking furnace, was feeling it.

“Are you sure that’s okay?” Yamato said. “I wouldn’t wanna inconvenience you.”

Usopp laughed before resting his forearm on Nami’s shoulder. “As long as you don’t mind that it’s Nami’s turn driving tonight,” he said with a wink.

“Oi!” Nami said and flicked Usopp on the head. “My driving is fine, Yamato.”

Yamato looked a bit perplexed. “Are you two a… couple?”

“Nope, just friends and roommates,” Usopp said. “We use my car to get here on the condition that we take it in turns to drive.”

Zoro chuckled to himself but wasn’t surprised by the question. Yamato was new and still getting to know everybody. Usopp and Nami’s friendship was often mistaken for something else, despite the fact Nami was a huge lesbian and Usopp was in a long distance relationship.

Luffy finally joined them outside and ran to Zoro, wrapping his arms around Zoro’s waist and burying his head into Zoro’s neck. “It’s cold,” he mumbled.

“Let’s go home,” Zoro said, grabbing one of Luffy’s hands and intertwining their fingers. The group made their way to the carpark, Luffy and Zoro leading.

Yamato frowned. “They’re definitely a couple, though. Right?” he said.

“Shhh!” Usopp said, but Luffy and Zoro were still within earshot. “They’re not but they should be! They’re just totally oblivious.”

Zoro started laughing.

“What’s so funny, shitty Marimo?” Sanji asked.

Zoro stopped walking and turned around with Luffy. Luffy was pressed close to his side but was busy replying to messages on his phone. “We’re oblivious?”

Nami and Usopp exchanged a look of uncertainty. “Umm. You weren’t meant to hear that,” Usopp said.

Zoro shook his head. He looked at Luffy and then the others. “The only oblivious idiots here are you three.”

“How so?” Usopp said.

“Did you ever consider that Luffy and I are already in a relationship?”

“Yeah, yeah. Good joke, Marimo,” Sanji said, dismissing Zoro with his hand.

Zoro smirked. He squeezed Luffy’s hand, getting Luffy’s attention. “Hey, Luff. Where was our first date?” he asked.

“Hmm, that restaurant in Shells Town, I think. They served the best roast. We should go back there,” Luffy said.

Sanji coughed. “Not better than mine,” he said, but it went ignored.

“And when?” Zoro said, shifting the focus back to Luffy.

Luffy frowned. “Zoro’s so forgetful. It was like four years ago… I think.”

“There’s no way,” Nami said, shaking her head.

Usopp put his hand to his chin. “I would agree, but there’s no way Luffy can lie like that with a straight face. He’s got to be telling the truth.”

“Well… that means they can prove it!” Sanji said.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. “How do you suppose we do that?”

Sanji groaned. “I don’t know! Kiss? Or something?”

“Your funeral, Cook,” Zoro said and he turned to Luffy. He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Luffy’s. Luffy responded the way he did best, with energy and enthusiasm. Luffy threw his arms around Zoro’s neck and deepened the kiss. Zoro steadied him with his hands to Luffy’s hips. They’d done this so many times before, well experienced with each other’s mouth. And yet, Zoro could never get sick of it. Kissing Luffy was the best.

When they eventually separated, Zoro turned to look at the others and the reaction he got was hilarious. He only wished he had taken a photo.

Sanji, Usopp and Nami were all gaping. Their mouths repeatedly opened and closed as if they didn’t know what to say.

Nami sighed. “Fuck. I mean, I’m happy for you guys but this means I lost my bet to Robin. That woman really does know everything.” Zoro was hardly surprised by this. Betting on things was typical of Nami.

Sanji was frowning. “What I wanna know is why you kept this a secret? We never saw you guys even kiss until now. Which, by the way, I never want to see again.”

“Yeah, I thought Straw Hat co. was a family. I feel hurt,” Usopp sulked, crossing his arms.

“It wasn’t a secret. No one ever asked,” Luffy said, shrugging.

“We assumed you might know, considering we live together. As for the kissing, we usually keep that private,” Zoro added.

Sanji shook his head. “We thought you were just oblivious roommates. This is gonna take a while to process.”

Nami laughed. “Tell me about it.”

“Zoro, it’s cold. Let’s go already,” Luffy said.

“Alright,” Zoro said. “The boss has spoken. Catch you all later.”

“Bye everyone!” Luffy called out before leading Zoro to their car.

The last thing Zoro saw was Yamato patting Nami and Usopp on the back while Sanji lit a cigarette.

“Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day,” Zoro said as he reversed them out of the car park.

“Yep,” Luffy said, before placing his hand on top of Zoro’s.

But all the attention was nothing if it meant he got to love Luffy. Zoro really did love this man with all of his heart. He was just glad the feeling was mutual.

“Imagine if we’d told them we’ve actually been married for three years,” Luffy said, a grin on his face.

Zoro chuckled. “I think they would combust.”

Luffy just laughed.