True Desire: A One Piece Fanfiction

Chapter 7: Onigiri

Things remained rather uneventful after this episode in the morning. The chibi cook was back to following around the swordsman.

Sanji: (excited) 'Zoro onii san I want to help you exercise!'

Zoro: (playful voice) 'Oh yeah! And how do you want to help me?'

The little cook turned his head from side to side as he examined the deck. Finally his eyes rested on the barbell Zoro used for weight lifting.

Sanji: (excited) 'I will bring that to you!'

The child sprinted off before Zoro could stop him. He got to the huge barbell and clasped the rod with both hands and pulled with all his might. It didn't budge even a millimetre. The child tried this four more times but to no avail.

Zoro: 'Oi! That's enough! It's too big for you!'

Sanji: (stubbornly shaking his head) 'No! I will do it! I will help you exercise and one day I will grow up to become stronger than you!'

Zoro: (amused tone) 'Squirt you're a million years too young to become stronger than me!'

The swordsman tousled the little cook's shiny blonde hair. The child puffed up his marshmallow like cheeks and pouted at Zoro in disapproval.

Zoro's POV:

'Already I was having a hard time trying to prevent myself from laughing. What is with that face? Is it supposed to make me give in? Rather than make me succumb I am getting a terrible urge to bite those fluffy cheeks.'

The thought brought a smile to the swordsman's lips and immediately the memories of the big cook from their bath time came rushing back to him. His blushing face, his wet body with soap lather scattered over his white skin, his damp hair sticking to his neck and how his skin felt to the touch....

'Wh ...what was I thinking again? B-bite...I wanted to bite his cheeks?

Zoro recalled the older cook's wet face and the embarrassment in his eyes. Zoro gulped. Suddenly he felt his heart throb and tighten.

'What is happening to me? Am I coming down with something? Why am I even remembering this?'

The swordsman had suddenly gone quiet. He was brought back from his train of thoughts by the little cook's voice. He gave out a sigh and spoke to the child.

Zoro: (pumped up) 'OK so you wanna help me train right?'

His eyes sparkling, the chibi cook nodded his head excitedly in agreement.

Zoro: (smirking) 'Then come sit here and grab the rod tightly so you don't fall off!'

The swordsman had placed the barbell perpendicularly and was instructing the child to sit on the plate using it like a seat. The child complied and grabbed onto the shaft. Zoro began doing perpendicular deadlifts. The chibi cook was being turned more than ninety degrees along with the weights each time.

Nami and Robin were sitting at the patio table near them and reading.

Nami: (irritated) 'I don't believe him! Who uses a child as a weight?'

Robin: (smiling turns a page of her book without looking up) 'I believe the chibi Cook san is happy to train with his Onii san.'

Franky: (while tinkering with his tools nearby) 'Yup they have grown SUPERRRRRRR close!' (strikes his super pose)

Nami : (shaking her head in disapproval) 'Boys!!'

Suddenly the child called out in a feeble voice.