Head High | Chapter 23 excerpt (not yet published)
4 years ago
“Please take care of her,” Sanji said to the 13-year-old boys. “I’m trusting you both.”
Zoro nodded to emphasize Sanji’s words to both Luffy and Usopp. “That means no fights.”
Usopp nodded immediately. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
Sanji let out a snort. “Trouble seems to follow you everywhere. You need to lie low.”
Usopp frowned with an affronted “hey!”.
Zoro pointedly looked at Luffy. “You need to remain calm,” he said sternly. “Yes, you wanna be an MMA fighter, but you can do better. Leave the fighting in the ring, especially when you start to train.”
Luffy was too busy looking at Usopp with a guardian stare to give Zoro’s words a response.
Zoro frowned. How bad was the bullying? Sure, a couple fights in middle school were expected but Luffy’s facial expression was…off. He did mention and admit that Usopp was getting bullied and he’d, of course, intervened each time, but…how many times?
Either way, Luffy eventually snapped out of it and smiled at Zoro with a nod. “You can trust us!” He said a bit too cheerfully. “No need to worry!”
The green-haired teen sighed. That wasn’t reassuring at all. He looked at Usopp. “You better make sure he doesn’t do dumb shit,” Zoro said pointing at Luffy but his gaze still on Usopp.
Usopp shook his head in frustration. “Do you think that’s easy?”
Sanji took a dum-dum from his pocket and proceeded to open the wrapper before sticking it in his mouth. He looked at Luffy. Something was knowing in the blonde-haired boy’s eyes. At least it looked that way to Zoro.
“Luffy,” Sanji said seriously. “Please don’t make it hard for Nami-swan and Usopp.” Sanji put his hand in his pockets. He didn’t look 15 years old at that moment. “We won’t be here to get any of you out of trouble…just cool it, okay?”
Sanji then met Zoro’s eyes. “Do you think we can trust them?” The blonde asked.
For both 15-year-olds, Marine training was a bit much for 2nd-year high school students. Yes, it was mandatory and a regulation that most schools had to follow in the country of Marilandia. But…how could it be so effective if it was taking two weeks out of a teen’s life to just disrupt their daily routine? Sanji and Zoro had thought it was their only option when they opted for it during their entrance exams. And they ultimately forgot that Athletic Day could count for a credit, and the Marine training could be saved for when they were of age, which was when they graduated from high school. But Sanji and Zoro realized all of that too late. So, mandated High school Marine training it was.
“It’s gonna have to be okay,” Zoro replied to Sanji’s question. “Nami is strong too.”
“But they gotta keep her safe,” Sanji stressed. “She lives alone and– “
“We’ll keep her safe,” Usopp reassured. “Worst case scenario, I’ll even make sure Heracles keeps an eye on her…it’s not that different from what he already does.”
Luffy threw an arm around Usopp’s shoulder and nodded eagerly. Almost too quickly. “Yep. Nami will be safe and sound!”
Yet, as both Sanji and Zoro nodded in acceptance at the two tween’s words, no one ever expected what would happen eventually. As confident as Usopp was, and Luffy’s wholehearted expressions of “no need to worry!”, they both didn’t consider how hasty actions brought trouble. Intentionally or not.
Well, the best thing was to simply leave it to a higher power.
fanfic found here.
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