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Description
Zoro walked into the house, closing the door behind him. Luffy was sitting on the couch in the living room, playing a game on the Wii he'd brought over.
-Where's Mai? Zoro asked as he dumped the bags of ingredients he'd just bought on the floor by the door.
Luffy didn't even look up.
-I don't know, he replied. She left a note on the table.
The other sighed impatiently, shrugging his leather jacket off, throwing it onto the pile of Luffy's parka and mittens.
'I always have to do everything,' he cursed in his mind, grabbing the bags again, stomping into the kitchen.
He grabbed the note off the table, reading it with a scowl.

Luffy.
Went out with Sanji and Dagga.
Mai
P.S Left the cell

Zoro growled.
'Bitch,' he thought sourly, before hitting himself mentally. 'It was you who began, idiot. Don't blame her.'
They had argued once again that morning, though it was much more serious than normally. It had ended with her storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her. They hadn't spoken a single word in the morning, taking great care not to touch each other while doing the dishes after breakfast. She knew he always got worried about her after their arguments (though he'd never admit it), and this time she had obviously decided to push on that soft spot in his defences.
'No. Shove,' Zoro corrected. 'Shove hard.'
She knew he hated not being able to contact her. He didn't know how often he'd told her that he wanted her to have her cell, in case something happened. He was angry at her for using such a low trick to get back at him, and angry at himself not for abandoning his pride and apologize before he left.
-Hey, Zoro? said Luffy's voice.
He looked over his shoulder at his brother-in-law.
-Yeah?
-Did you and Mai argue or something?
-Why d'ya ask? Zoro asked out of habit.
-Well, she was really down before she left. So I wondered if everything wasn't OK?
-We argued, the older man confirmed, trying to sound careless.
Luffy's expression became worried.
-You're always arguing recently, he said. Will you … Luffy licked his lips. Will you divorce, Zoro?
Zoro froze. He had been thinking the same thing anxiously for weeks, and not found any answer. Something had to be done, but Zoro didn't know what. He was taken aback by Luffy's helpless tone, too. He hadn't imagined till now that Luffy thought 'bout his and Mai's relationship, and that his friend would feel bad about their arguments hadn't ever crossed his mind.
-Will you, Zoro?
-I … Zoro hesitated. He didn't know quite how to respond. I don't know, Luffy. He sighed tiredly. I just don't know.
Luffy suddenly hugged his friend. Zoro froze again, Luffy'd never done something like that before, and Mai was the only one he didn't mind showering with affection.
-I'm sure you'll figure something out, Luffy muttered. I know you'd never let Mai go and she'd never let you go, so … Yeah, you'll figure something out.
He released his friend and went back to the living room. Zoro stood there completely still for a moment, before sighing and starting to put the ingredients in their places.

-.-

-Yeah! Be seeing you! Take care! Bye!
The door closed. Luffy and Ace looked up from their food.
-Hey, Mai! they called.
She came into the kitchen, cheeks rosy from the frost.
-Hi, you two. She leant over the table to press kisses on their cheeks. What's for dinner?
-Chicken, Zoro answered, in an oddly polite tone.
-Oh. Yummy.
Ace looked at Luffy, taken aback by that polite conversation and loss of enthusiasm in Mai's voice. Chicken was her favourite! Luffy just shook his head, turning back to his plate.
'What's happened between them now?' Ace wondered, watching the two thoughtfully. 'It's unlike them not to kiss when they meet, usually you have to almost force them apart.'
The mystery became heavier and heavier on Ace's mind as the evening passed. Zoro and Mai were careful not to touch each other in the slightest way, didn't talk but if completely necessary (and then in a polite tone which was unlike them), and avoided eye contact. When the brothers bade their good-nights and left, Ace couldn't help but feel oddly glad to get away. There was something unsettling with that politeness and lack of touch and eye contact.
-Luffy, do you know what's happened between Mai and Zoro? he asked as he drove down the driveway.
-Yeah. Luffy's tone was oddly quiet.
-Do you care to tell me?
-They argued, that's all.
-Argued? Ace was taken aback. Since when do they argue?
Luffy looked up at his older brother, more surprised than Ace had ever seen him.
-Mai didn't tell you? he asked, confused. They've been arguing for weeks now.
-About what?
-How the holidays will be, sex, how Zoro treats her, how she behaves towards Zoro, sex … Yeah, that sums it up.

Zoro didn't know what to do. He wanted to apologize, but still he didn't. He knew that the longer he waited, the harder it'd be, but also that the longer he waited, the more she'd feel obliged to apologize. He was still angry at her for that low trick she had used to get back at him, and didn't want to apologize because of that, but also knew it was very naïve of him. He was the grown-up, and should be the responsible one. He didn't want her to take the first step, but didn't want to take the first step himself, either, however selfish, naïve, and irresponsible that was.
-I'm gonna go do the dishes.
Zoro grunted, not really paying attention to his wife's words. In a moment, however, he understood how he could use that to apologize, and get her to apologize back. He smirked, getting up of the couch, and sneaking into the kitchen, careful not to make a sound. He sneaked up behind her, suddenly wrapping his arms around her waist. She jumped, the plate she was washing falling from her hands. Zoro caught it in one hand, not breaking their eye contact. Mai licked her lips, looking away.
-You startled me.
-I'm sorry, love.
His grave, sincere tone convinced her he wasn't just apologizing for startling her. She looked up into his dark, brooding, determined eyes.
-No, I'm sorry, Zoro. It was naïve to storm out of the room and slam the door. Doesn't solve anything.
-Doesn't solve anything to yell, either.
She sighed.
-It doesn't, she agreed quietly.
Zoro laid the plate down into the sink, pulling her close to his chest.
-We'll take an hour or two to sit down and talk things through sometime. Decide everything.
She could hear in his voice that'd be later, and sensed his purpose, even before he picked her up and carried to the bedroom, where they stayed for the rest of the night.

Description
Zoro walked into the house, closing the door behind him. Luffy was sitting on the couch in the living room, playing a game on the Wii he'd brought over.
-Where's Mai? Zoro asked as he dumped the bags of ingredients he'd just bought on the floor by the door.
Luffy didn't even look up.
-I don't know, he replied. She left a note on the table.
The other sighed impatiently, shrugging his leather jacket off, throwing it onto the pile of Luffy's parka and mittens.
'I always have to do everything,' he cursed in his mind, grabbing the bags again, stomping into the kitchen.
He grabbed the note off the table, reading it with a scowl.

Luffy.
Went out with Sanji and Dagga.
Mai
P.S Left the cell

Zoro growled.
'Bitch,' he thought sourly, before hitting himself mentally. 'It was you who began, idiot. Don't blame her.'
They had argued once again that morning, though it was much more serious than normally. It had ended with her storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her. They hadn't spoken a single word in the morning, taking great care not to touch each other while doing the dishes after breakfast. She knew he always got worried about her after their arguments (though he'd never admit it), and this time she had obviously decided to push on that soft spot in his defences.
'No. Shove,' Zoro corrected. 'Shove hard.'
She knew he hated not being able to contact her. He didn't know how often he'd told her that he wanted her to have her cell, in case something happened. He was angry at her for using such a low trick to get back at him, and angry at himself not for abandoning his pride and apologize before he left.
-Hey, Zoro? said Luffy's voice.
He looked over his shoulder at his brother-in-law.
-Yeah?
-Did you and Mai argue or something?
-Why d'ya ask? Zoro asked out of habit.
-Well, she was really down before she left. So I wondered if everything wasn't OK?
-We argued, the older man confirmed, trying to sound careless.
Luffy's expression became worried.
-You're always arguing recently, he said. Will you … Luffy licked his lips. Will you divorce, Zoro?
Zoro froze. He had been thinking the same thing anxiously for weeks, and not found any answer. Something had to be done, but Zoro didn't know what. He was taken aback by Luffy's helpless tone, too. He hadn't imagined till now that Luffy thought 'bout his and Mai's relationship, and that his friend would feel bad about their arguments hadn't ever crossed his mind.
-Will you, Zoro?
-I … Zoro hesitated. He didn't know quite how to respond. I don't know, Luffy. He sighed tiredly. I just don't know.
Luffy suddenly hugged his friend. Zoro froze again, Luffy'd never done something like that before, and Mai was the only one he didn't mind showering with affection.
-I'm sure you'll figure something out, Luffy muttered. I know you'd never let Mai go and she'd never let you go, so … Yeah, you'll figure something out.
He released his friend and went back to the living room. Zoro stood there completely still for a moment, before sighing and starting to put the ingredients in their places.

-.-

-Yeah! Be seeing you! Take care! Bye!
The door closed. Luffy and Ace looked up from their food.
-Hey, Mai! they called.
She came into the kitchen, cheeks rosy from the frost.
-Hi, you two. She leant over the table to press kisses on their cheeks. What's for dinner?
-Chicken, Zoro answered, in an oddly polite tone.
-Oh. Yummy.
Ace looked at Luffy, taken aback by that polite conversation and loss of enthusiasm in Mai's voice. Chicken was her favourite! Luffy just shook his head, turning back to his plate.
'What's happened between them now?' Ace wondered, watching the two thoughtfully. 'It's unlike them not to kiss when they meet, usually you have to almost force them apart.'
The mystery became heavier and heavier on Ace's mind as the evening passed. Zoro and Mai were careful not to touch each other in the slightest way, didn't talk but if completely necessary (and then in a polite tone which was unlike them), and avoided eye contact. When the brothers bade their good-nights and left, Ace couldn't help but feel oddly glad to get away. There was something unsettling with that politeness and lack of touch and eye contact.
-Luffy, do you know what's happened between Mai and Zoro? he asked as he drove down the driveway.
-Yeah. Luffy's tone was oddly quiet.
-Do you care to tell me?
-They argued, that's all.
-Argued? Ace was taken aback. Since when do they argue?
Luffy looked up at his older brother, more surprised than Ace had ever seen him.
-Mai didn't tell you? he asked, confused. They've been arguing for weeks now.
-About what?
-How the holidays will be, sex, how Zoro treats her, how she behaves towards Zoro, sex … Yeah, that sums it up.

Zoro didn't know what to do. He wanted to apologize, but still he didn't. He knew that the longer he waited, the harder it'd be, but also that the longer he waited, the more she'd feel obliged to apologize. He was still angry at her for that low trick she had used to get back at him, and didn't want to apologize because of that, but also knew it was very naïve of him. He was the grown-up, and should be the responsible one. He didn't want her to take the first step, but didn't want to take the first step himself, either, however selfish, naïve, and irresponsible that was.
-I'm gonna go do the dishes.
Zoro grunted, not really paying attention to his wife's words. In a moment, however, he understood how he could use that to apologize, and get her to apologize back. He smirked, getting up of the couch, and sneaking into the kitchen, careful not to make a sound. He sneaked up behind her, suddenly wrapping his arms around her waist. She jumped, the plate she was washing falling from her hands. Zoro caught it in one hand, not breaking their eye contact. Mai licked her lips, looking away.
-You startled me.
-I'm sorry, love.
His grave, sincere tone convinced her he wasn't just apologizing for startling her. She looked up into his dark, brooding, determined eyes.
-No, I'm sorry, Zoro. It was naïve to storm out of the room and slam the door. Doesn't solve anything.
-Doesn't solve anything to yell, either.
She sighed.
-It doesn't, she agreed quietly.
Zoro laid the plate down into the sink, pulling her close to his chest.
-We'll take an hour or two to sit down and talk things through sometime. Decide everything.
She could hear in his voice that'd be later, and sensed his purpose, even before he picked her up and carried to the bedroom, where they stayed for the rest of the night.