GROWING PAINS / zoro.

NINE / if there's wine, everything's (not) fine.

"guys —" anjali tried to step in, but the glared everyone was sending each other made it really difficult to diffuse the suffocating tension in the room.

luckily, she didn't need to intervene because sanji, their waiter, arrived at the perfect time, handing luffy a long piece of paper.

"your bill, sir." he said, and zoro's blazing eyes snapped upwards to glare dagger's at the unsuspecting waiter.

anjali ignored the wink he sent either her or nami's way, too busy thinking of whether this was the crew's breaking point or another argument they were hopefully going to come out intact.

luffy paused the conversation to scribble something on the bill, handing it back to sanji. "thank you, my good man."

the waiter's smirk grew wider as he gazed at the paper. "no, sir. thank you."

when he left, luffy cleared his throat. "i'm not saying it's good that the marines are on out tail, but we showed them that they can't just roll over us. this crew, our crew, can handle anything."

just as everything was clearing up, a loud voice and the following of clanking footsteps sounded from the tables.

"who the hell is monkey d. luffy?"

the straw hat in question peeked out of the booth, raising his glass of milk. "here!"

the man wearing a chef's hat clunked over to their table. "you seem to be confused about the rules of the house, but baratie doesn't offer credit. you eat, you pay."

luffy chuckled, placing his glass back down on the table. anjali could feel a headache rising to her temple at the sight of his impish face.

"i think you're confused. the meal has already been paid for. i just haven't given you the money yet."

anjali swore this man would one day give her high blood pressure.

the bearded man looked at him incredulously. "yeah, and how's that?"

"you can add it to my treasure tab." he replied, smiling proudly.

the man sighed deeply. "and what, pray tell, is that?"

"i may not look like a big deal yet, but you're talking with the future king of the pirates. and as soon as i find the one piece, i'm gonna come back, pay this bill in full, and with interest."

anjali chose her company, so having to constantly experience luffy's stupidity was partly her own fault.

the man chuckled. "i got a better idea."

he grabbed luffy by the shirt, and the two disappeared into the kitchens.

anjali jumped over nami and usopp in order to get out of the booth, despite the easier exit being to cross zoro.

nami sighed tiredly. "i need a drink."

zoro raised a finger, standing up to follow anjali out. "hold that thought."

and he chased after her with slight difficulty, his swords getting stuck a couple of times in between tables before finally making it out of the restaurant.

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ANJALI TOOK A deep breath. the salty sea air was refreshing to her face, a nice change from the stuffy atmosphere within baratie.

she payed no heed to the gentle patter of steps following behind her, nor the obvious noises of three blades clinking against each other.

zoro joined her wordlessly, the two sharing the kiss of the gentle wind, minuscule droplets of ocean waves spraying their clothes.