Work Text:
Joining the Straw Hat Pirates had been the best decision you’d ever made. With Luffy, you’d found someone to believe in, someone honestly good to support, and who also believed in and supported you. Your crewmates had become your nakama – family and then some. Every one of them was wonderfully unique in their abilities and personalities, no matter how much they might bicker and clash from time to time. They were all special to you, but none were more special than the green-haired swordsman. It was only recently that you’d acknowledged it to yourself, along with an obvious, unfortunate truth: Zoro wasn’t interested.
He had a dream: to become the greatest swordsman in the world. His time aboard the Thousand Sunny, whenever the Straw Hats weren’t embroiled in some adventure, was mostly spent napping, training, or drinking. He appeared to have little interest in other people except as his crewmates, or enemies to be defeated. Yes, the two of you trained together, and more and more often you also drank together, but it didn’t go beyond that. You had a dream too, and a similar dedication to helping Luffy become Pirate King, but you’d be lying if you told yourself that Zoro not returning your feelings didn’t sting a little…or a lot.
Nevertheless, you tried to put it out of your mind, but it was hard when Zoro was there every single day, looking unfairly strong and sexy as he wielded his three swords or effortlessly lifted his ridiculously large weights. It wasn’t just his looks, however. He would’ve denied it if you said anything, but Zoro was also caring. He called Nami a “witch” despite Sanji’s rebukes, but he was often the first to rush over if he heard her scream for help during a fight. He treated Chopper like a kid brother and carried the reindeer around on his shoulders whenever the little doctor asked. He allowed Luffy to hang all over him without complaint if the captain was feeling particularly affectionate. And he was very patient with you as you tried to learn the basics of swordplay.
You were already skilled with a bow, and when you’d joined the Straw Hats, Usopp had welcomed the chance to experiment with special arrows modified from his own slingshot projectiles. Together you’d come up with some amazing ideas. At the same time, you felt that being able to fight at closer quarters would be prudent, given how often the Thousand Sunny was attacked and boarded by Marines or other pirates. Who else could guide you so well but the resident master swordsman, someone so terrifying in battle that people called him a demon? The fact that you had feelings for Zoro was only part of your motive for asking him to help you. To your relief, he had readily agreed.
It was a shame he was uninterested in romance or in you as a potential partner. Zoro was rough, often uncommunicative, and sometimes just plain obnoxious, but you adored him for the kindness, courage, and loyalty you saw underneath that. It felt like divine torture to watch him going through his katas without a shirt on, flexing muscles shining with sweat, right out there on deck. You did your best to hide your attraction, however, not wishing to make Zoro uncomfortable or cause any tension among the crew. You were certain that you’d been doing a good job of it, and if you missed the knowing looks and stifled giggles from some of your other crewmates, it was merely because you were distracted. By your goals, of course.
***
Zoro couldn’t believe his luck, both good and bad.
The good luck came with you being smart, strong, and willing to accept his sometimes harsh instruction while he taught you to use a sword. It helped that you were not inclined to complain about endless repetitions of the basic moves, and that you refused to give up no matter how badly you fumbled, or how often. Zoro remembered that at the dojo, Kuina had always been able to tell which new students would stay and which would drop out eventually. He was sure that she’d have judged you as one who would stay. So that was all right.
The bad luck was that you were driving him to distraction.
Zoro wasn’t actually disinterested in other people, but he did have an important goal he was advancing towards. Between that and his responsibilities to his captain and crewmates, he rarely had the time or inclination for a one-night stand, let alone an entire relationship, or even a “friends with benefits” arrangement. Because of this and the fact that his crewmates were mostly off-limits in his mind, Zoro had had to rein in his libido somewhat. So far he hadn’t had much of a problem with it, and didn’t mind getting the itch scratched only occasionally whenever the opportunity arose.
But then you came along, bold and irresistible, and Zoro became quickly smitten. He had a hard time remembering why he’d shelved that certain part of his life because, in addition to everything else he liked about you, you were very pretty. Sometimes he had to force himself not to just stand there and stare at you open-mouthed, as if he was the damn ero-cook. He spent his meditation sessions trying not to recall how, once, you’d been slightly off-kilter in your stance, and he’d stepped up behind you to adjust your arms. You’d turned your head towards him and suddenly your face was right there. He could’ve kissed you. He wanted to kiss you, damn it! But then your eyes had gone wide and you’d both stepped hurriedly away from each other. You’d been unable to meet his gaze, and Zoro had wanted to throw himself into the sea out of sheer humiliation because obviously, you weren’t interested in him that way.
Which sucked. It wasn’t your fault that Zoro had to spend an extra few minutes taking care of business in the shower after you’d done some move particularly well and flashed him that radiant smile, or that his dreams were often full of the clean scent of your freshly washed hair, wafting toward him as you practiced. He was screwed, and he would take his secret longing for you to the grave. Or so he believed. He hadn’t thought about the fact that his other crewmates knew him very well.
***
“Oh my god,” Nami finally muttered from her lounge chair under the tangerine trees. “Am I the only one tired of those two being so dense?”
“It does seem they’re determined to ignore the obvious,” Robin observed, setting her open book down on her lap.
She peered down at the main deck, where you and Zoro were sparring. Zoro had only one sword out and was patiently talking you through a particularly complicated maneuver. It was clear that the two of you were so focused on each other that nothing sort of a cannonball smashing through the deck would have been able to distract your attention. Robin’s lips turned up in a small smile as she noted how Zoro’s eyes stayed on you no matter what you were doing, and how you flushed redder whenever you caught him staring.
Usopp, who’d been fiddling with some gadget as he sat on the deck near Robin and Nami, looked up and followed her gaze. “Yeah. She’s only got eyes for him. And normally I’d think Zoro wasn’t into her, but...” He shook his head. “It is pretty obvious. I mean, to everyone but her.”
“Dude, he shares his sake with her all the time,” Franky threw in from where he was leaning on one elbow, drinking a cola and paging through that day’s newspaper. “And she’s always cajoling Sanji into making her little treats, and then sharing them with Zoro.”
“She sewed up a rip in his haramaki and when she handed it back, I thought for sure he was going to kiss her,” Nami recalled. “I saw his face. And hers,” she added.
“I wonder if…no,” Robin said, half to herself. “But then again…”
“What?” Franky sat up. “I know that look. What’s on your mind, babe?”
“I was just thinking that maybe both of them could use a bit of a push.” Robin said. “They just need to understand that the other one also feels the same way, and things can develop from there on their own.”
“You have a plan,” Nami said, also sitting up and briskly waving a hand at the older woman. “Come on, let’s hear it.”
“I’m in,” Usopp said, criss-crossing his legs and folding his arms on top to give the archaeologist his full attention.
Robin smiled again.
***
The next afternoon found you in the back of the garden, digging up some radishes that were coming ripe. Nami and Robin were resting on their lounge chairs, having sat down without seeming to see you. “Nami,” Robin said suddenly, in a voice slightly louder than usual, “may I tell you something confidential?”
“Of course,” Nami declared, smiling as she turned toward the other woman. “What’s up? Are you all right?”
“It isn’t about me,” Robin replied, shaking her head. “It’s about Zoro.”
“Zoro? Why, what’s he got to do with anything?” Nami replied, looking suitably doubtful. Behind her, she heard the rustling of dirt and vegetation cease abruptly and had to suppress a giggle.
At the mention of Zoro’s name, you remained very still, sure that the other women weren’t aware of your presence. What? What was Robin going to say?
The archaeologist’s dark eyes sparkled with mirth, but her tone was suitably worried. “I don’t want to tell tales out of school, as they say, but I am concerned for our swordsman. The other night, when I was climbing to the crow’s nest to relieve him for night watch, I overheard him talking. At first, I thought someone else was there, but apparently he was talking to himself and wasn’t aware I could hear.”
“Oh?” Nami was all ears. “What did he say? Is he all right?” she asked with exaggerated curiosity, which you didn’t pick up on since you were hanging on every word they said.
“I don’t think so, sadly,” Robin said, shaking her head. “He was telling himself to ‘get a grip’ and berating himself for his feelings towards a certain person.” She winked where you wouldn’t be able to see. “You probably already know who it is.”
Nami gasped theatrically and said your name. “Are you sure?” the redhead asked, agog. There was a stifled gasp from somewhere further away, but the two women ignored it.
“We all know that she cares for him as a crewmate, but from what I overheard, he's convinced that she doesn’t return his sentiments.” Someone’s knees thumped to the ground behind them, but Robin went on. “It’s a pity. He seems quite taken with her. I’ve not seen him act this way about anyone before. Perhaps he’s even in love.”
You were sure your eyes were as big as dinner plates. You hunched over in the dirt, stunned and still holding a radish in your unfeeling hand. Love? Zoro loved you? How? Did he know how you felt? Was he –
“Yeah, well, I don’t think she feels the same,” Nami commented regretfully. “She’s clearly fond of him, but I can see why he believes there’s not more there. Nothing she does or says indicates that at all.” She drew out the last word for emphasis, her eyes flicking mischievously in your direction.
Robin nodded again. Her expression was solemn, but her eyes were still sparkling. “I agree. Don’t let anyone else know about this, Nami. I felt bad for overhearing Zoro, even though it was an accident, and I don’t want to embarrass him or cause any problems for the two of them. Her friendship is obviously important to Zoro or he wouldn’t have agreed to train her – you know how he is.” She sighed, sounding despondent. “If only she knew how he felt.”
“If only,” Nami agreed. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul, and I’ll even help keep an eye on Zoro if you’re worried about him getting depressed over this.”
“Thank you, Nami,” Robin said, smiling.
They both turned to face toward again, lying in the sun, and Robin discreetly brought her arms up, crossing them, whilst an eye appeared in the tangerine tree you were nearest to. The eye swiveled downward, taking in how you were still kneeling, shocked and speechless in the garden, before it vanished in a small puff of flower petals which quickly blew away in the breeze.
“I think it worked,” Robin whispered out of the side of her mouth.
Nami yawned to cover her snicker.
***
The conspirators had mutually agreed not to tell Chopper (who would panic if asked to keep a secret like this), Luffy (who would say the wrong thing at the wrong time), or Sanji (who would be too consumed with jealousy to be of any help) about their scheme. That left the sniper and the shipwright to “accidentally” enlighten Zoro as to the state of your feelings for him.
Once the usual cacophony of a Straw Hat dinner was over, Franky and Usopp each thanked Sanji for the meal and got up to circle around to the door. After leaving the galley, they hid in the hallway leading to Chopper’s infirmary, and observed you and Robin heading towards the women's shared bedroom. They knew all three of the girls usually bathed in the morning, so the two conspirators had no fear of you accidentally intruding on their scheme.
The cyborg elbowed Usopp, which almost sent him flying. “That was lucky, what Chopper said about wanting Zoro to help him scrub his back. I was wondering how we were going to get him into the bathroom.”
“I just hope he gets in there before he and Sanji start a full-blown fight, like usual,” Usopp muttered.
Right on cue, the galley door banged open as if someone had kicked it. “OUT! Out, mosshead, and take our captain and the reindeer with you!” Instantly the cook’s tone changed, becoming sweet as pie. “Do you require anything else, Nami-swan?” Usopp rolled his eyes.
Luffy came out of the galley and lumbered immediately towards the men’s quarters to sleep off his temporary roundness, followed by Nami, who was clutching her forehead with one hand. She peeped sideways at the two and smirked, but said nothing as she headed to the women's cabin.
Chopper appeared, leading a grouchy-looking Zoro towards the bathroom, leaving the high-strung cook to his washing up and post-dinner cigarette. Usopp quickly hurried towards the storage room which led to the bathroom. Franky followed, ducking his head as he went through the door. They reached the bathroom before Chopper and Zoro and set about getting ready to wash up.
Both of them were aware that Zoro usually waited until everyone else had left to get into the bathtub, preferring to sit there quietly for a while before climbing out and getting dressed again. They made haste without seeming to as the swordsman helped Chopper wash and dry himself with a towel, and pulled a too-large T-shirt over his antlered head before the small doctor went off to bed. They managed to dry themselves off just as Zoro was getting into the tub, and having left most of their things outside in the storeroom, the two went out to collect them, bidding the swordsman good night.
Alone at last, Zoro huffed out a breath as he sank into the warm water up to his chin. He didn’t take baths often (or wash often enough at all, according to Nami), but when he did, he took his time. It was one of the few luxuries he allowed himself, the other being copious amounts of booze. Just as he was starting to relax, however, he heard voices in the room outside where his two crewmates apparently still lingered.
“WHAAAT?” Usopp practically shrieked. “Are you sure?”
“SHHH! It’s true,” the cyborg declared loudly. “She’s been hung up over Zoro for a long time now. Ages. But you know how he is, only thinks about swords, sake, and sleeping. I bet he doesn’t have a clue how she feels.”
Clearly, they had forgotten Zoro was there. His mouth fell open. What? How did who feel about –
“I just can’t believe – ” Usopp uttered your name, ignoring the sound of a splash from behind the door as Zoro nearly drowned himself in shock, “-- well, that she’s into him! I mean, of course she considers him nakama, we all do, but – “
“It’s way more than that,” Franky said in a serious tone, grinning wildly since Zoro couldn’t see them. “She might even love him. Robin told me that while they were talking about it, she even got teary-eyed.” He ignored the choking sound that came from behind the bathroom door. “Can you imagine? Our tough cookie, crying over Zoro?”
“Oh man, that’s too bad.” Usopp sighed dramatically. “He never pays attention to that stuff. He’s too focused on his goals. I get it, but still, it’s a shame.”
“He doesn’t know what he’s missing,” Franky remarked. “It is too bad. They’d be super together, if only he felt the same way.”
They nodded at each other decisively, both of them grinning now. Behind them the bathroom had fallen deathly silent. “Is he asleep?” Usopp whispered, a bit outraged at the thought.
“Only one way to see,” Franky whispered back. He opened the door casually. Zoro sat upright in the tub, his face bright red, looking as if he’d just swallowed an entire bottle of hot pepper sauce and didn’t know whether to catch on fire or just explode. “You okay, bro?” Franky asked as he retrieved his “forgotten” sunglasses.
“Yeah…uh…I’m fine. Water's probably too hot. 'M getting out now,” Zoro attempted to look normal as he climbed out and started to dry himself, avoiding Franky’s gaze.
There was no steam issuing off the supposedly hot water, the cyborg noticed. He went out of the bathroom, closing the door behind himself. Usopp was still on the deck just outside the storeroom, and the two of them burst into a silent laughing fit as they hurried away.
***
The next day was bright and sunny, while a stiff wind billowed the sails. Nami said it would still be a couple of days until you all came to the next island, but everyone was in a good mood anyway. Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp fished and joked around on one side of the ship. Sanji made some refreshments as Robin sat reading in the galley with the door casually left open. Franky manned the helm while whistling a cheerful tune, and Nami busied herself among her tangerine trees. You and Zoro, meanwhile, were training as usual, although today four pairs of eyes were secretly fixed on you.
You had a hard time believing it was real – Zoro felt the same way about you as you felt about him! Although he appeared as oblivious as usual, you were sure your own feelings were written all over your face. Whenever he drew near to adjust your sword arm or show you where to put your feet, you felt your blood practically boiling, and wondered if the air between you could be sliced with one of his katanas, it seemed so thick with unspoken desire and longing.
For his part, Zoro had to restrain himself from just seizing you and carrying you off to a more private place. Knowing that you returned his affections felt like an extra shot of adrenaline every time your eyes met. He guided you as patiently as ever through the katas you were trying to master. But when it came time to spar (which usually amounted to little more than you trying to attack him while he easily blocked your every move), he was sure he was going to pass out. You turned to him, a little smile on your lips, and raised your own sword while holding his gaze in a way that made his pants start to feel uncomfortably tight.
“You’ve gotten better,” he observed coolly, hoping he wasn’t exhibiting too much interest down below. “But you’ve still got a long way to go.”
“Maybe so, but even the second-greatest swordsman alive might let down his guard every now and then, Zoro-sensei,” you replied, arching an eyebrow in a way that made him want to kiss you right there and then for about the hundredth time.
“All right, then, let’s put it to the test.” Zoro unsheathed Wado and took a step back with one foot, holding his katana out in a relaxed pose with a dare written all over his smirking face. “Go for it. Maybe you’ll last a half-second longer this time.”
Stupid handsome marimo! You lunged forward, and as always, he easily blocked your strike. Your sword flashed as you tried again and again; he moved almost lazily to counter each attack. You made a valiant effort while Zoro seemed just this side of bored, though his eyes never left you. If you weren’t so preoccupied with what you were doing, you might have noticed how Zoro’s gaze swept over your form and lingered, in particular, on your lips.
After letting you exhaust your increasingly frustrated efforts, Zoro swung his wrist easily, twisted Wado around somehow, and knocked your sword from your hand, sending it flying across the freshly washed deck. Fortunately, Luffy’s rubber leg stretched out and his sandaled foot blocked it from sliding right overboard.
“Thanks, Luffy!” you called, turning a resentful look onto Zoro, who tried to look smug and failed once he noticed how one of the buttons of your shirt had come open during the sparring, letting him get an eyeful of your bare skin beneath.
“Shishishishi! No problem!” Luffy yelled back, grinning, before kicking the sword across the deck, back towards you.
Zoro stopped ogling you long enough to narrow his eyes at the captain. “Oi, Luffy, don’t kick her weapon around like that!”
“It’s fine. What’re you getting so upset for?” you asked, rubbing your stiff arm after picking up your blade from the deck. "At least it isn’t in the sea because of you.”
Zoro huffed. “You’d be shit out of luck if I’d been a real enemy,” he groused. “Your stance is still too uncertain and you hold that sword like that stupid bow of yours. If I hadn’t – “
Your hand flew reflexively to the weapon you kept strapped to your back. “What? This ‘stupid bow’ has helped keep all of us from being captured by Marines or mauraded by other pirates, sensei. I don’t disrespect your weapons of choice. I even asked you to train me!” you retorted angrily.
Zoro sheathed Wado and stalked up to you while your crewmates, observing this scene with varying degrees of astonishment, held their breath. “Yeah, you did. And you’re crap at listening and even worse at following through,” he told you sternly.
You raised your chin. “And you’re crap at demonstrating anything that someone who isn’t already an almighty three-sword user can actually understand and use.”
Zoro’s hand still rested on Wado’s hilt. While you’d sheathed your own sword, your other hand slid down to grip one of the arrows in the quiver that hung at your side. The two of you glared stubbornly at each other, wondering who would snap first. The others were all staring openly by now. Nami had come to the upper deck’s railing and was gazing down, her brow furrowed. Franky had stopped his whistling, and for once even Luffy was quiet, watching the two of you with wide eyes.
The captain was just opening his mouth to ask why you were arguing when Zoro snarled, “Fine!”
“Fine!” you hissed back. Both of you turned on your heels and marched away from each other. Zoro headed up to the crow’s nest, while you stomped off to the women’s quarters, thunderclouds hovering over both of your heads. The sounds of the door slamming and the trapdoor to the crow’s nest being dropped shut echoed out over the waves.
At that moment, Sanji came out of the galley holding a tray of colorful, slushy fruit drinks. He stopped and looked around in confusion at the puzzled and dismayed expressions around him. “What is it?” he asked Robin, who stood behind him, frowning up at the crow’s nest. “Did they want ice cream instead?”
***
Zoro did not appear for dinner. Although this wasn’t unusual, as the swordsman had a habit of sleeping clear through meals, everyone on the ship knew he wasn’t merely napping this time. Most of them had a hard time meeting your gaze when you appeared in the galley and quietly asked Sanji for your plate and for Zoro’s. “I’ll take it to him.”
“Why? Stupid mosshead shouldn’t have picked a fight with you,” Sanji grumbled, although he started doing as you asked, putting food on two plates.
You shook your head. “He was right. I’m nowhere near where I want to be, and I shouldn’t have lashed out.” You smiled as the cook begrudgingly handed you Zoro’s plate and your own on a tray. “Thank you, Sanji. I’m going to apologize. I’m sure it will be all right.”
“Good for you,” Chopper cried encouragingly, stretching up to pat your arm. “I bet Zoro can’t stay upset with you for long. He really likes you, even if you’re mad at each other right now.” The doctor missed the shared wince that went around the table.
You turned your smile at the reindeer. “I hope so. I’m sorry if we made things uncomfortable for everyone else, too,” you added, addressing the others. Then you were gone, the galley door swinging shut behind you.
“Shit.” Nami laid her forehead on the table with a sigh. “I know their argument wasn’t our fault, but I feel so weird about this now. We’ve probably just made things worse.”
“I agree. Now there’s tension between them,” Robin said regretfully. “I blame myself for coming up with the idea.”
“No, Robin, we were in on it too, Nami and Franky and me. It isn’t all on you,” Usopp observed in gloomy tones. Franky nodded but didn't speak, just drank from his tankard and set it back down with a forlorn expression at the not-super way the plan had unfolded.
“What are you talking about?” Sanji asked, glancing from crewmate to crewmate as he finally sat down to eat his own dinner. “That fight had nothing to do with anyone else.”
The others looked at each other warily, except for Luffy, who was furtively devouring Usopp’s roast chicken, and Chopper, who blinked in confusion. "What’s going on?” the little doctor finally asked.
Robin sighed.
***
Zoro heard you climbing the ladder to the crow’s nest long before you got there, since you were swearing not so quietly whilst trying to balance the food. He rose from the bench where he’d been napping and stalked over to the trap door, lifting it and letting it fall open. You emerged a second or two later, setting the tray to the side before climbing in unaided. Zoro took the tray and set it down on one of the benches that lined the crow’s nest. As you stood up and closed the trap door again, he returned to your side, saying nothing. The two of you stared at each other for a second before you snapped this time.
You hurled yourself at the swordsman. He caught you in his arms as your hands clutched at his shirt, dragging him close enough for you to slam your lips against his in a desperate kiss. Zoro wound his arms around you and pressed your bodies together, and the tiny moan you uttered made his heart pound. He staggered backwards, bringing you with him, until his legs hit the bench behind him and he sat down (fortunately, not on your dinners) while hauling you into his lap.
The kiss broke with a shared gasp. “I don’t really think you’re a bad teacher,” you said breathlessly.
Zoro chuckled. “I know. And I don’t think you’re a bad student or that your bow sucks. It was all for show.” He slid one hand behind your head, bringing you closer for another kiss. Pulling away after a minute or two, Zoro muttered, “Every time we’re out there training, though, you look so good. I want to…touch you, do…things to you.” His lips had found your neck, and you moaned again, louder this time, as he kissed his way down from your ear to your collarbone.
Your own hands snaked up to his broad shoulders and started pulling his shirt off as Zoro mouthed at you, his teeth nipping here and there while you squirmed on his lap. He hissed out a breath as your touch seared his bare skin, and reached up to cup the side of your face to bring you back for another kiss that turned hungry and wild. When you finally drew back, Zoro’s face was flushed and he was panting, matching your own excited breaths. You could feel him hard under you, and devilishly, you rocked your hips into his and had the satisfaction of hearing him groan.
“Do you think they’ve caught on yet?” he asked as he started unbuttoning your shirt, revealing more of that soft-looking skin he’d been eyeballing earlier that day.
“I doubt it. They seemed pretty, ungh, bummed when I left the galley,” you gasped, letting your head fall back as Zoro’s kisses strayed further and further south.
He blinked up at you in wonder after he had unfastened enough of your shirt to see that you conveniently weren’t wearing a bra. “Oh shit, I love you,” he breathed, pushing the garment off your shoulders as his lips descended onto your breasts.
“That’s why we’re here,” you murmured warmly, catching hold of his jaw to bring his mouth back up to yours. Your kiss was deep and passionate and when it ended, you bit your lip and said, “I love you too, Zoro.”
“Thank fuck that part wasn’t made up, at least.” Zoro went back to what he’d been doing before, his tongue circling a pebbled nipple while he squeezed your other breast, teasing its peak. When you cried out, he felt his cock get even harder.
There was a confused flurry of arms and legs as the two of you struggled to remove your clothing, which took longer than it might have because you kept pulling each other close for more kisses. Zoro growled when you dragged his unpierced earlobe through your teeth, his hands blindly tugging at your panties until he gave up and just ripped them right off you, tossing them away to be immediately forgotten. Meanwhile, you’d gotten his pants open and his erection in both hands, stroking and squeezing until he bit down with a moan on the soft juncture between your neck and shoulder. It had been rather a long while, after all.
You managed to distract Zoro long enough to shove him over, climbing on top of him. He let you because this way he could reach all over your body and touch more of you. You were driving him crazy with your sounds and the way you traced your fingers over his own skin, setting him on fire. Every meaningful look you’d shared since you’d met, every half-drunken conversation, every hot dream he’d had about you – it had all been leading to this, and for that he was immeasurably thankful.
But there would be time to contemplate things later. You let out another cry when his hand slid between your thighs, two fingers slipping inside while his thumb pressed and rubbed against your clit. You had to stop sucking at the love-bite you’d just left at the base of his neck to gasp for breath as his fingers plunged into you again and again. “Oh fuck. Fuck, Zoro,” you moaned, and at the sound of your wrecked voice, the swordsman felt his final thread of self-restraint break.
His fingers left your pussy, but before you could protest, his hands fastened on your hips guiding you above him as his cock strained towards you. You sat up slightly and reached down to align the head of his shaft with your entrance. Zoro tugged you down and bucked up into your tight, wet heat, sheathing himself inside you all at once.
The cry you let out was echoed by the rough sound he made, and your body began to move instinctively. You rode him for all you were worth as he pulled you down over and over, thrusting up as he did so. You’d never imagined the often taciturn swordsman would be at all noisy during sex (and you'd imagined it a lot), but apparently he had a lot of pent-up energy because his moans were nearly as loud as yours.
Or maybe it was you. Zoro’s gaze stayed on you, taking in your writhing body and bouncing breasts, and the look on your face as you fucked each other senseless. He seemed as stunned as if he was seeing an angel or maybe a goddess, although he’d never say such a thing out loud, such melodramatics being for the likes of the cook and not himself.
You moved faster as Zoro’s thrusts became harder and more frantic, until you threw your head back with a loud gasp. You squealed as he fucked you through your orgasm before he shuddered all over, rocking his hips up sharply and growling as he came. The two of you collapsed in a heap onto the bench, panting heavily. Your body lay plastered over Zoro’s as he twitched inside you, and neither of you moved for a few minutes, basking in the afterglow of fulfilled desire. Then the swordsman sighed.
“You wanna tell ‘em tomorrow?” he asked, lifting a hand to stroke your sweaty hair.
“I suppose we’d better. Maybe we’ve overdone it, but damn. We would’ve gotten here anyway!” you said, pouting. “They didn’t have to make up stories.”
Zoro felt something inside him go squishy at the adorable expression on your face, although he shared your annoyance. “Yeah. What’s done is done, though. I think they’ll be happy enough to mind their own business from now on,” he remarked in a dry tone, although he wasn’t really upset. Both of you knew your crazy friends loved you and wanted to see you happy, and if that meant they were going to meddle using some sneaky little plan to throw you together, well. It wasn't as if you couldn’t have guessed something like this would happen anyway.
You thought back to the night before, when you’d gotten out of bed sometime after midnight, unable to sleep.
You wondered where Zoro was, but you weren’t going to venture into the guys' cabin to see if he was there, and you felt strangely bashful about talking to him anyway, despite the revelation you’d overheard. So it was with a bit of shock that you’d found him out on deck, lit by the full moon and leaning on the railing as he chugged from a bottle of sake he’d probably swiped from the cook’s pantry.
You steeled yourself and padded over to him. He heard you coming and turned to look at you, and you could see something in his gaze that made your heart beat faster. Silently, you held out a hand. Zoro smirked, but handed over the bottle, although his mouth fell open a little when you lifted it to your lips and quaffed a much larger amount that you normally did before handing it back.
“Zoro,” you began, fiddling with the belt of your night robe, “there’s something I want to tell you.”
“Yeah, there’s something I wanna say to you too, but you go first,” he replied, gesturing at you with the sake bottle.
You took a deep breath, but sudden doubt flooded your mind and you hesitated. What if Nami and Robin were wrong? What if you were about to ruin your friendship with Zoro or create unnecessary drama aboard the ship? You knew Zoro well enough to know that if he didn’t feel the same way, he’d never be cruel about it, but it made you cringe inwardly nonetheless. While your mind went around and around, Zoro stood perfectly still, staring at you. Then he set the bottle down on the deck with a thunk and grabbed your hands in his just as you looked up into his face.
“I know how you feel,” you both said at once. “What? Stop that.” you both said again.
Zoro coughed. “Uh, okay, just say what you need to say,” he said, drawing you a bit closer, his heart full of an unfamiliar sensation which might have been love, but was maybe just abject terror.
So you did. You told him what Nami and Robin had said and how you felt about it. Zoro cut you off mid-confession with a surprisingly sweet kiss that made your stomach do a kind of swoop before he muttered, “I do feel the same way, but…” He frowned. “I wasn’t up in the crow’s nest talking to myself. Where the hell did that come from?”
You stared at Zoro before narrowing your eyes as your suspicions were roused. “Tell me what you were going to say earlier.”
Zoro related the tale of how Usopp and Franky had stood outside the bathroom and discussed your feelings for him. While he talked, he felt your hands tighten on his until it actually began to ache.
“Those idiots,” you said when he’d finished speaking, and it was then that you noticed you were crushing Zoro’s fingers in your admittedly strong grip. You let go and put your hands to your temples with a deep sigh. “I didn’t talk to Robin or anybody else about how I feel, much less cry over it.”
“We’ve been had,” Zoro said, shaking his head. He leaned back against the railing and let out a bark of laughter. “I can’t fucking believe it.”
“Look at who our friends are,” you intoned in a wry voice. “Zoro, I’m so happy you and I are on the same page, but it was sort of uncool for them to manipulate us like this.” You drew a deep breath in through your nose and let it out slowly. “Wanna get them a little? I mean, just to make them squirm. Nothing too serious.”
Zoro’s head lifted, and he grinned at you in much the same way he did when faced with two dozen enemies, though it was much less bloodthirsty. “What do you have in mind?”
***
After spending quite a lot of time with Zoro in the crow’s nest, not all of it involving coherent speech, you finally went down to the kitchen to return your empty dishes. The cook had already gone to bed, you were glad to see, as you didn’t want to deal with any moping or an interrogation about where you’d been all evening. (Even so, you knew his frequent declarations of devotion were just Sanji being Sanji, consummate romantic and all-around lover of women.) Then you slipped into bed. The others were already sleeping, so you didn’t have to face any awkward questions from Nami or Robin, either.
Outside, you heard a yawning Usopp heading towards the crow’s nest for his turn at watch, and a brief conversation between the sniper and Zoro, who soon turned in for the night. You smiled to yourself, reaching up to feel at the still-tender marks on your neck which he’d left while he'd pinned you beneath him, pounding into you wildly as you fought not to wake the entire ship with your screams. Afterward, the swordsman held you close for a long time. Zoro wasn’t a man of soft words or flowery speeches, but you had no doubt in your mind or heart that he felt as strongly for you as you did for him. All was well that ended well, except for one small matter.
The next morning, you entered the galley after everyone else. Zoro was already shoveling buttered pancakes into his mouth with his usual uncivilized abandon. You sat down between Chopper, who gave you a cheery “Good morning!” as if nothing was wrong, and Usopp, who glanced nervously your way until you smiled at him and got a tentative half-smile back. The others seemed slightly uncomfortable, as if they expected a battle to break out at the table.
Luffy paused in his voracious eating to look around at the crew. “Why’s everybody being so weird? Are you and Zoro still mad?” he asked, turning to you.
“No, it’s all right, Luffy,” you said, trying to smile at him, aware of everyone's eyes on you.
He just blinked. "Okay," the captain said, nodding, then went back to stuffing his face.
Sanji swept over to deposit a plate in front of you, cooing about how lovely you looked that morning, as he normally did. Nami eyed you over her teacup, and Robin shared a glance with Franky, but neither you nor Zoro appeared to take any notice. The crew carried on eating and making casual conversation, and slowly the room lost its tension, especially after you stabbed Luffy’s hand with your fork to keep him from snatching your bacon. This too was a normal occurrence at mealtimes aboard the Sunny, and everyone relaxed despite the captain's complaining.
Sanji came around offering more syrup for your pancakes. You thanked him with a smile, which made hearts appear in his eyes before he made his way over to refill Robin’s coffee. Zoro happened to glance up just then, and your gazes met for a long, electric moment before he grunted and dropped his fork, which clattered to his plate. Everyone froze.
The swordsman got to his feet. He said your name, and you turned your face to his, raising an inquiring eyebrow. “You forgot this last night,” he said gruffly, taking something out of his pocket and tossing it at you.
The object landed in your lap, but everyone saw what it was. Usopp squawked like a scandalized old lady. Sanji promptly fainted with shock. Nami’s forehead thumped onto the table. Robin opened her mouth to say something but was rendered speechless, and Franky burst out laughing while the others just looked confused. It was the pair of panties Zoro had torn off you in the crow's nest.
The swordsman sat down and began to eat again as if nothing had happened. Robin collected herself, then stood and went around the table to lift Sanji’s head off the floor, using a few extra hands to help sit him up. “Wake up, Sanji-kun,” she urged him gently. The cook stirred and mumbled something that sounded like, “not the marimo, why?”
The archaeologist sighed and turned to look up at you and Zoro. “I apologize, my friends. It was my idea to try to draw the two of you together,” she said steadily, her expression earnest. “I didn’t mean to upset either of you.”
“Yeah, uh, I’m sorry too,” Usopp said, having recovered from the sight of your underwear flying across the breakfast table. Franky and Nami murmured in agreement, the latter lifting her head and giving you a pained smile.
Zoro shrugged. “That’s fine.” Then he looked around, and a menacing aura began to surround him. Everyone stilled. “Just. Don’t. Do that. Again.” The menacing aura vanished, and he forked in another mouthful of food.
“Right,” Usopp gulped. He went to help Robin pull Sanji to his feet and sit him down in a chair while Luffy helped himself to Robin’s plate, or at least tried to before Franky put his massive hand firmly over the captain's and pinned it to the table.
You cleared your throat. “We know you only did it because you care about us.” This brought smiles from the others. “And anyway, it turned out well in the end, so you’re forgiven.”
“I’m glad everyone’s getting along again,” Luffy said happily, squirming around as he tried to remove his hand from under Franky’s grip.
You stole a secret, fond look at Zoro, who caught your eye and actually quit eating long enough to look back at you as if he couldn’t quite believe you were real. Then a smile broke over his face – a genuine one, not his usual aggravating smirk, and you felt your heart flutter in your chest.
“Nooooo,” Sanji moaned in the background, weeping into his plate, but everybody ignored him.