Hello again! I'm back with the first of several multichapter One Piece fics I have planned. Originally this was supposed to be a one shot, but then I got... more ideas... Anyway, this'll be shounen ai (I believe) and it's a ZoroxLuffy fic. Not much romance in this one I think, just fluff.Yay for ZoLu! Hope you enjoy it! (This is a really random idea just to warn you.) There will be two general parts, each with multiplechapters: Part 1 will be the bet and the actual competition-ish stuff, and Part 2 will be what happens as a result of the outcome of the bet.

I would like to take this time to thank those of you who reviewed my first OP Fic, Horseplay.

To Sofia: As am I! That would be a little awkward... Thanks for the comment!

To leefangirl: THANKS! Glad you think so! Thanks for the review!

To Chakenmo: Thank you! And yes, it really always is... ZoLu is cuteness abound! Thanks for the review!

To Digitaldreamer: AHH! I'm such a fan of Tangled Web! You're awesome and I'm so honored that you reviewed my story! I'm so glad you ejoyed it. Hopefully you'll like this one too! Thanks for the review!

To biggest anime fan: Thank you for the nice review! Glad you thought so!

To Hasuko: Here's more! Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your wonderful comments!

To The Plushie Bandit: Thank you! It means a lot that you say that! I hope you enjoy this too!

To Griever5: Glad you like it! I imagined that Luffy was being his regular bottom-pit-self and stealing everyones food again. Thanks for the comment!

ToPink Feline: Thank you! I'm happy to hear you liked it. Thanks for leaving a review!

To dichana: Awww, you're so nice to say all those things! Glad you like it! And yay for favorites! You rock! I'm honored. Thank you for leaving a review and I hope you enjoy this fic too!

ToMaedhros: Thank you so much! You were the first person to review! You're totally awesome! I hope you like this too!

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. I'm not that talented.

Stealth: Or Lack Thereof

The Bet: Ante Up

The mid-morning sun beat steadily down upon the deck, empty now save for the man stretched out in the long shadow of the mast.

Zoro sighed, feeling very content. He always felt this way after his workouts. Even when he still had so much left to accomplish, he could rest knowing that he was that much closer.

Basking in the momentary silence, he scratched absently at his stomach before allowing himself to sink further towards sleep. It was a rare moment indeed when there wasn't at least one fellow crewmember ranting about something.

Sanji was still in the kitchen, cleaning up the constant mess their captain provided.

Usopp was somewhere below deck, crossing chemicals he probably... no, scratch that... definitely shouldn't be. It had to be some sort of miracle that he had not blown himself, or a good portion of the ship up yet.

Nami had yet to emerge from her room, but that was normal, because she usually didn't make her first appearance of the day until eleven-ish. And right now it was... judging from the sun's position, about nine thirty, ten o'clock.

And Luffy... Well, Luffy was also in the kitchen, busy making that previously mentioned mess for the resident chef to pick up.

Zoro estimated he had about, oh... five minutes, before the love cook had finally had it and tossed the boy out.

He was startled from his thoughts by the sound of a door opening. 'Guess Sanji's less tolerant than I thought.' He mused idly, waiting for the stubborn whining that normally accompanied Luffy's ejection from the cabin.

When the door had closed without any further protest, the green-haired young man frowned in suspicion, mind alert as he listened intently. Could that have been another door? No, he had very acute hearing, and he relied heavily on his ears; especially when he spent most of the day with his eyes closed. He was seldom wrong... very seldom.

Creak... Crack... Groan... Crick... Creak... Creak...

Giggle...

Groan... Crick...

A gasp... Scuffling steps... A frantic squeak... WHUMP!

Silence...

"...Luffy, what the hell are you doing?"

The captain looked over at Zoro from where he had fallen. "Ow..." Rubbing his hip, the boy pushed himself to a sitting position. "I was sneaking up on you!" He supplied, his pout growing into his usual smile as he quickly recovered

Zoro snorted, shifting upright as well. "You call that sneaking?" He met Luffy's gaze, cocking a skeptical eyebrow at him.

The boy blinked before nodding energetically. "Yup!" He moved from his cross-legged position into a crouch, crawling (in what was probably supposed to be a stealthy manner) towards the swordsman.

Fighting back a smirk, the first mate watched silently as the boy crept towards him. The captain was trying to be covert... and failing miserably. He kept tangling on himself, something Zoro hadn't known to be possible.

But then again... This was Luffy.

Someone both as lanky and uncoordinated as his captain had to be extremely clever to make up for their lack of physical prowess.

When the boy had all but fallen flat on his face, Zoro allowed himself a short laugh. "You're about as sneaky as you are buoyant."

"Buoyant?" Luffy gave him a blank look, lifting himself from the floor again.

A smirk. "When you're buoyant it means you float well." Zoro snickered, propping an arm on his raised knee as he waited for the boy's reaction.

The rubber-man paused, obviously thinking this over. "But I can't float." His brow creased slightly as he frowned in confusion.

The swordsman's mouth widened into a devious grin. "Exactly."

A determined expression settled over the boy's face as he sat, contemplating this new information. Luffy raised a finger, opening his mouth to speak as if he had sorted everything out. "Ah-" But he stopped, hand dropping to his lap, once again deliberating.

Zoro looked on in amusement. He could practically hear the thoughts churning in Luffy's head.

Scratching his chin, the captain let out a couple of 'hmm's as he remained hunched over in consideration. He straightened again, looking victorious, "I..." He paused. "No, wait..." But was soon back to his calculations, turning Zoro's words over in his mind.

The swordsman waited... and waited... until finally, a look of annoyed realization dawned on Luffy's face. 'Bingo.' He thought, his grin spreading.

"Hey!" The boy shouted, jabbing an accusing finger in Zoro's direction. "I am to sneaky!"

Chuckling, the green haired young man shook his head calmly. "No, you're not."

Luffy pouted. "Am to!"

"Are not." Zoro stated simply, his interest ebbing.

"Am to!"

"Are not!" Was he really stooping to such childish behavior?

"Am to!" Luffy insisted stubbornly.

"Fine!" Zoro shifted, leaning towards the boy. He had the perfect way to solve this little conflict. "Prove it."

The captain stared back, clueless. "Prove it?" He wondered aloud.

Giving a curt nod, the swordsman leered at him. "Yeah. If you're as stealthy as you say you are, then it should be easy for you to sneak up on me."

Crossing his arms across his chest, Luffy huffed. "Fine! No problem." He conceded, meeting the challenge in his first mate's eyes.

Zoro sat back, eyeing the boy doubtfully. "Alright, you've got until noon to catch me off guard. You need to stand right next to me, and touch my shoulder." He instructed, before adding a warning. "No stretching. Your whole body needs to be right here." Prodding the deck next to him, he adressed the boy again. "Deal?"

Luffy watched as the swordsman offered his hand, eyeing him warily. But then he moved, twisting to fully face his companion. "Deal."

Zoro smirked in satisfaction, reclining back against the mast again. "Your time starts now."

Luffy beamed, scrambling halfway to his feet before halting, and dropping to the floor again, turning his focus to his first mate. "Wait, what are we betting for?"

Blinking, Zoro debated silently, caught slightly off guard by the question. "Good question." Turning his gaze on the smaller pirate, he weighed his options. What could he ask of his captain? 'I guess I should go easy on him, he'll be depressed enough as it is when he loses.'

"When I win," Luffy began, his tone boasting. "You have to do whatever I want for the rest of the day!" Then he nodded enthusiastically, nearly jostling the straw hat on his head into falling off.

Zoro quirked an eyebrow at the boy's glaring overconfidence. Well, so much for going easy... "And when I win, you can't eat for the rest of the day. Not a crumb." Was he being cruel? Yes. Did the boy deserve it? Probably not. Was he enjoying himself? Absolutely.

The look Luffy turned his way was one of complete and utter horror. "No food?" He gasped, voice barely above a whisper in his distress.

"Until midnight." Zoro added, closing his eyes as if he intended to go to sleep. As an afterthought, Zoro's mouth curved into another smirk. His expression was menacing as he lifted one eyelid, pinning the boy with his stare. "Or if you're too scared, there's always time to back out."

The captain's face darkened at the swordsman's accusation.

"I'll even cut you a break. Chicken out now, and I'll only make you skip lunch."

'I'm no chicken.' Luffy fumed internally. Leaping to his feet, the boy frowned down at Zoro. "Forget it." Quickly regaining his smile, he laughed out loud. "I wonder if Nami would let you borrow one of her skirts... when you become my slave."

Zoro's eyebrow twitched, and his shoulders visibly tensed. After a moment of irritated silence he shook himself loose and closed his eyes again, speaking with a definite finality.. "The clock's ticking."

There you go! First chapter done! Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading and please review!

Next Time: Luffy begins his assault. Just how creative can he get? Will the odds turn in his favor when he drags both Usopp and Sanji into the fray?