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Confessions were hard.
Zoro came to learn that as he stood face to face with his best friend, his crewmate, you. The person he fell in love with way back when the two of you became pirates together. He stared at you, visibly shaking, dumbfounded because he had so much to say. But the way you stared at him so innocently, so sweetly, like he held your entire world, no words would come out.
Was he selfish for wanting to have you more than this? More than his friend? Was it worth risking the wonderful friendship you two shared? He couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, but suppressing his intense adoration for you was proving to be just as difficult.
He knew it was love, way back two years ago, before things grew complicated. When life was easy and it was just you, himself, and Luffy for a little bit. He always knew deep down, but you were his friend first above all else. It took some time to accept the reality that he’d always want you more than that, but he always knew.
“Zoro, you’re scaring me…what’s wrong?”
Your soft hand reached out to his, caressing it in comforting motions and Zoro could have easily melted into a puddle right there. But instead, he panicked and snatched his hand away from yours. He cursed himself for acting so foolish and for causing you confusion. The fact was, your touch was too warm, too loving, he had missed your touch so much and it was just too overwhelming. You really weren’t making this any easier for him.
“What’s happened to you?”
He could feel his heart shattering at hearing the cracking in your words, your voice at a low, shaky whisper. He could see the tears pooling at your eyes and he was so pissed at himself for ever hurting you. Didn’t he vow long ago that he would never do that?
“You’ve been so distant ever since I arrived. You don’t…hate me do you?”
Hate you? Hate you? If only you knew how badly he felt the extreme opposite of hate for you. It was textbook opposites, true antonyms. Respect, tenderness, devotion, yearning, love. And pretty much everything in between. Zoro couldn’t possibly hate you even if he tried. Was he pissed that you made him so weak? So vulnerable and lovesick? Yeah, a little. But hatred was not a part of his dictionary for you.
“I don’t hate you, idiot…” he mumbled the words, looking away from you with a visible red tint adorning his cheeks. Was that confession enough for you?
You sighed in relief, instantly wrapping you arms around him in response despite the fight he tried to give. A few happy tears slid down your cheeks as you embraced him, burying your face further and further into his chest until he had no choice but to give in. He huffed in feigned annoyance before hesitantly wrapping his arms around you, securing you in his arms. You couldn’t see the small smirk that graced his lips as he rested his cheek against the top of your head. Oh, how he wanted to keep you here forever. Just like this.
“I missed you so much, Zoro. I was so worried…” you trailed off, focusing on the echoing of his heart beat. It only beat faster with time, causing you to wonder what was getting him so worked up.
He pet gently at your hair whispering about how he missed you too, but you could barely hear it over the near deafening thumping of his heart. You pulled away, surprising him, and held onto his face between both your hands, “Something’s got you bothered and I want you to tell me.”
His eyes trailed off again, that burning blush on his face returning once more. He already said he didn’t hate you what more did you want? You knew him, you knew he wasn’t good with his words. Maybe he’d have to show you how he felt…
“Zoro, tell me.”
His eyes fell to your lips in a haze. He could hear his heart beating in his own head and his face felt like it was on fire. But he couldn’t stop staring at how your lips moved, the way they looked so beautiful forming his name. He wanted to hear you say it forever, in the most loving ways possible. He’d had many daydreams imagining what it was like to feel your lips, to claim them. Did he really have the guts to do so? Everyone praised about how fearless he was, but right now, in front of you, he was utterly petrified. You were the only one who could make him feel like this.
Would there be any chance of going back if he did it? Would you hate him if he attempted this? What would everyone think? Would he have to leave the crew for fucking everything up? So many questions echoed in his head, laced with the annoying banging of his heart that was like a thousand instruments all playing a different song simultaneously. Images of you slapping him, of the crew scolding him, of Luffy being disappointed in him, they all played in his head as he could do nothing but imagine it all in frantic horror. He mentally begged for it to end, he wanted it all to just fucking stop!
And then, something soft and gentle graced his lips, ending all his haunting thoughts with a screeching halt. His heart still raced, but it was just background noise, tranquil strumming behind the fireworks that exploded in his mind. They were so loud and booming he could’ve sworn they were real.
His eyes were wide as ever, watching your closed ones as you kissed at his stiff lips sweetly. He wanted to move, he was dying to kiss you back, but his nerves had him rigid. God, why did he never have any damn control over himself? What kind of witch were you?
Anxious about his lack of reaction, you pulled away quickly, wiping at your lips in awkward manners, “Zoro, I-I’m sorry…I just-“
Fuck the damn nerves, he was going to kiss you for real this time. If you had the courage to kiss him, then he sure as hell would reciprocate. He barely let you finish before he pulled you back in, catching you by surprise this time, before the two of you found a steady rhythm against each other’s lips. He didn’t want to leave any room for questioning. There would be no wondering anymore. You two loved each other and were eager to show it as you basked in the unfamiliar warmth that ignited between the both of you. You pulled each other close, memorizing the feel of each other’s lips as you refused to pull away until you were both desperate for air.
Even still, Zoro could hardly keep his lips off you as you two pulled away. You giggled lightly as he continued to pepper your face with soft kisses; reassurances and confirmations of his feelings for you. His own forms of confessions. He’d confess to you all day if you’d let him.
You grasped onto his hands that held your face, feeling happy tears forming at your eyes again. You’d been wanting to confess to Zoro for a while now, but were too scared of the unknown. Now there were no fears as you two finally knew how one another felt.
Zoro rested his forehead against yours, “I could never hate you. You know that.”
You smiled warmly, “I love you too.”
He smirked before pulling you in for more heated kisses. You knew it’d be a while before he’d muster up the courage to say those three words officially, so you’d settle with his tender kisses for now.