Firestorm (Ace x OC)

Chapter 9: A Burning Bridge

"I'll come up there and get you," Zoro says with a heavy sigh, looking up at the girl who smiled sheepishly down at the group.

"I really would appreciate it," The female sniper says while strapping her gun onto her back, her smile faltering for a moment as she seemed to go deep into thought. Her eyes unfocused and staring at where Zoro had spoken from, a frown appearing while the swordsman climbed up the rocks rather easily.

"Climb on," Zoro says turning his back towards the girl, effectively snapping her out of her daze as she muttered an apology and carefully climbed onto his back. Both arms wrapped over his shoulders, thighs clasping on either side of his waist with ankles crossed in front of him he then walked to the edge of the rock and began to climb down.

Ryoko was quiet as she focused on not losing her grip, keeping her senses in the present, despite how terrible the heat was. Once they were back on the sandy ground Ryoko climbed off of Zoro's back and moved to sit on one of the stones in the shade. "Thank you, Zoro."

"No problem, next time though if you can't get back down by yourself, don't climb up." The green-haired man says as he sat on the ground at the base of the rocks they had climbed down from.

She simply nodded in response, not really feeling up to saying much of anything to that. Her eyes locked onto her leg and a scowl began to form on her face. Her attention shifted as she felt heat on her back, causing her to glance over her shoulder seeing the back of Ace's hat-covered head. 

Ace looked over his shoulder and made eye contact with Ryoko, conveying a slightly apologetic smile, which she simply responded to with a nod of acceptance before she turned away. She moved her gun around her body to be resting on her chest as she leaned back silently. The duo sat back to back on the rock, leaning against each other while they all began to wait for the return of Luffy.

"Come on Luffy, hurry it up," Usopp says a bit whiny from waiting while fanning himself with his hand due to the heat.

Chopper spoke up from on the ground, somehow managing to sweat through his fur, "Um, you don't suppose he could be lost do you?"

"He has absolutely no sense of direction, but he's always running off," Nami complained looking in the direction the captain had gone. 

"Hey, he... I was going to say he has a better sense of direction than Zoro and I, but I really can't be too certain of that." Ryoko says with a chuckle.

"Speak for yourself." Zoro scoffed a bit offended but he knew it was true.

"Hey, you and I both get lost frequently, at least I have my own log pose in case I get separated from you all. I just get on a ship and head in that direction, we'd meet up again eventually." Ryoko says with a laugh, her face breaking out in a bright grin, "Worst that could happen is I would meet you guys way down the line, I'm sure I could find you before the red line at least. Especially on this current path, we are all taking."

"What does that even-" Zoro starts but stops when others began to speak again

"There are still so many desert dangers I have yet to warn him about," Vivi says starting to get worried.

"Not to mention, the moron was hungry so you know he isn't thinking straight." Sanji weighed in which caused Zoro to stand up.

"That guy is so hopeless." He says with a sigh

"You can say that again," Sanji says as he stands up from his rock.

As the duo began to walk in the direction Luffy had headed Ace spoke up, "I'm sorry," This had the duo stop and turn for a moment to look at Ace, "I know my brother can be a flake. I apologize."