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It had been two years.
Two long years spent preparing for this day when the Strawhat Pirates finally set sail again. The party following their reunion on Sabaody had been loud and chaotic as was their fashion, even more so than usually because they had a lot of time to make up for.
But eventually the cook had ceased to bring more food to the table, the laughter had quieted a bit and a semblance of calm contentment had settled among them, everyone grateful that they were finally back together again.
After a while people had started to leave for a breath of fresh air (as far as that was possible as the ship was sinking beneath the waves, on their way to Fishman-Island) until all the crew had dispersed across the entire ship.
Sanji had stayed in the kitchen, doing the dishes and cleaning up, Usopp and Franky had gone down to their workshops, talking about some new project or another, Nami and Robin had settled in the library for an idle chat away from the others and Brook had started a private concert for Chopper and Luffy on the lawn.
Zoro overlooked the whole scene, leaning on the railing outside the dining room with what might have been a soft smile on his lips.
It felt strange being back on the Sunny with everyone after two years of being pretty much alone. (Mihawk and those damn baboons could hardly count as company and Perona was more of a nuisance than anything else.)
He wasn’t used to so many people around him anymore and after the celebrations had largely concluded he felt well and truly in need of a proper nap, somewhere quiet where no one would bother him.
After a moment of consideration, he decided the couch in the men’s quarters was just the place to be to remain undisturbed for as long as possible.
Or so he had hoped.
Just when he leaned back, finally in a comfortable enough position, there was a knock, and the door opened a crack wide, an antler appearing in the opening. “Are you taking a nap?” the voice of their little doctor asked timidly.
Zoro sighed “I was about to…”
A blue nose appeared as Chopper peaked further into the dark room “Can I join you?” he asked after a pause.
The swordsman regarded him for a moment before giving in “Fine…” They used to nap together all the time, no harm in getting used to it again.
With a happy squeak Chopper rushed over to him, plopping down on his lap and settling there like a piece of a puzzle sliding into place. “I missed this…” the little reindeer yawned snuggling closer. Zoro couldn’t help but smile in agreement and patted his head.
“I like the new hat. It suits you.”
That earned him a small chuckle. He closed his eye and fell asleep instantly.
When Brook’s last song concluded Luffy was whopping and clapping enthusiastically. The musician bowed deeply, thanking his one-man-audience with his signature laugh. Chopper had run off some time ago.
Luffy let himself drop back onto the lawn, the grass tickling his neck, and took a deep breath. He was thoroughly enjoying this; finally being back on the Sunny with all of his crewmates, his friends, his family. He had missed them more than he was able to express in words and he didn’t want to be apart from them again anytime soon.
So, when he heard Brook walk past him, he perked up “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to the kitchen to have a cup of tea. Would you care to join me, Luffy-san?” the skeleton replied, polite as always.
Luffy thought for a moment. He certainly didn’t want to be alone, and his stomach was beginning to feel a little empty. He could even feel a growl coming on and that was unacceptable.
A grin so bright it would rival the sun itself appeared on his face “Yes!!” Then he was on his feet and already halfway up the stairs.
In the kitchen, Sanji had just finished putting the dishes away and was about to start on some drinks for the girls when the door burst open.
“SANJI! FOOD!” the voice of his captain called as he and Brook waltzed into the dining room before plopping down at the bar.
Sanji didn’t need to look to know that Luffy was all smiles and hungry eyes, while he put on the kettle for Brook’s tea. “I’ll be starting dinner prep soon. You’ll have to wait until then. Also, you had plenty at the feast earlier.”
“But Sanji...”
He could practically hear the pout. “No buts. You’ll just have to wait a bit.”
“But I’ll get bored!” Luffy whined, his chin on the bar, pleading eyes fixed on the chef’s back.
“I don’t care. Go bother the marimo or something.”
Now there was an idea that made Luffy’s face light up!
He hadn’t really had a chance to talk to Zoro earlier and after their party he had disappeared. Hanging out with his oldest friend again and catching up sounded awesome! So now Luffy had a new mission, to find his swordsman!
“Great idea! Where is he?”
Sanji just shrugged when he turned around to hand Brook his cup of tea. “Don’t know. Don’t care.”
Luffy looked to Brook, but he hadn’t seen Zoro since the feast either. “Maybe the others know where he went” he suggested.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the idiot got lost on the ship” Sanji muttered and went back to preparing the drinks.
Luffy wasn’t paying attention anymore. He had an objective now and he was determined to achieve it.
He left the kitchen without another word and hopped back down to the lawn. Earlier he had seen Usopp and Franky go to their workshops under deck. Maybe they had seen where Zoro had gone.
He pulled open the hatch and shouted: “Hey Franky, Usopp! Have you seen Zoro anywhere? Is he down there with you?”
Franky’s head came into view. “Yo Captain! No, he’s not here. Have you checked the gym maybe?”
The gym! Of course, it was the most obvious place. How could Luffy forget to check the gym?
“Thanks!” he yelled back and let the hatch drop shut. Then he made his way up the rigging, and the ladder that led to the gym and peered inside.
Empty.
Luffy frowned. If he wasn’t here, where could he possibly be?
Then he had a thought.
Chopper had disappeared earlier as well. Maybe the two were together somewhere. If that was the case, maybe the infirmary was worth checking.
No luck there either. He closed the door and sighed. Where could Zoro have disappeared to?
That’s when Sanji came round the corner and spotted him. “Luffy, what are you doing here?”
“I’m still looking for Zoro, but I just can’t find him. Where are you going?” he eyed the tray in Sanji’s hand.
“I’m on my way to the library to bring the ladies some drinks. No, I don’t have one for you. But maybe they can help you.”
Wow, Sanji was being really helpful today. Robin always knew stuff, so of course she also had to know where Zoro was. “Thanks, Sanji. You have so many good ideas.”
Sanji was a little flustered at that. “Yeah, whatever”
So, the two went up to the library together.
The two women were lounging on the benches that circled the room, chuckling about something. Upon entering Sanji immediately spun over to them, presenting the tray and generally fawning over them like he always did.
Nami briefly thanked him for his troubles.
“Luffy? Is something the matter? You don’t come to the library often.” Robin remarked after accepting her drink.
“Hey, Robin, do you know where Zoro is? I can’t find him anywhere.”
The archaeologist thought for a moment before shaking her head “I haven’t seen him. But I can check the rest of the ship if you like.”
“Yes, please!” Luffy smiled at her, thankful to have such great friends.
She crossed her arms and closed her eyes before she smiled back at him. “Have you checked whether he’s sleeping somewhere, Captain?”
“Sleeping? Thanks, Robin!” He flashed her a bright grin and then he was gone.
Luffy was about to storm into the men’s quarters when he had a thought that stopped him dead in his tracks before he even touched the door handle.
If Robin was right (which was usually the case) Zoro really was sleeping. And if Luffy remembered anything about Zoro than it was that he did not like his sleep to be disturbed.
So instead of bursting into the room like he usually would, Luffy instead opted for silently opening the door and peaking inside, just to be sure.
The room was dark, the spear of light coming through the door illuminating the inside just enough to make out shapes. He opened the door a bit further when he took in the soft sound of steady breathing.
On the far side of the room, on the couch he spotted his target: Zoro. And Chopper on his lap, both fast asleep.
Luffy stepped in and closed the door behind him. It only took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.
The pair before him looked awfully comfortable with Chopper snuggling into Zoro’s coat, the swordsman’s left propped on his hat, while his right arm rested on the back of the couch. The free spot on Zoro’s right looked awfully inviting.
Luffy had wanted to talk to Zoro, to catch up and hang out, tell him how much he had missed him. He had wanted to ask where he had been and what he had done, who he had met. He had wanted to enjoy the sound of Zoro’s voice and the reassurance his presence gave him. Luffy had wanted to thank him for how much he had done for him, for always having his back, apologize for being selfish and making everyone wait for two years.
He had wanted to do so many things.
But now, standing before two of his favourite crewmates (his other favourites being the rest of the crew) and watching them have a nap together, he found that he wanted nothing more than to join them.
Sanji had said he would have to wait for dinner, and nothing passes time faster than a good nap. And how better to spend a nap than next to the man who had perfected sleeping, especially when he was practically inviting him to join in posture alone.
So, before he knew it Luffy was already crawling onto the couch with a yawn and snuggling into Zoro’s side, the most comfortable place he could think of, a happy smile on his lips as he too fell asleep.
Sanji had left the library again to go and prep dinner, while Nami and Robin remained, sipping their drinks and still engaged in idle chat. Then after a short pause Nami studied the other woman inquisitively.
“You have that look in your eye again… What is it?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“No, I’m sure. It’s Luffy, isn’t it? He’s always up to something. I wonder why he was looking for Zoro.”
Robin just smiled at her. That smile that could mean everything or nothing.
“You would think Zoro wouldn’t be hard to find, especially when he’s sleeping.” Nami continued to eye Robin suspiciously.
“Yes, one would think so.”
“I’m sure that’s going to end wonderfully.” Nami sighed “I just hope that when Luffy inevitably screws up and wakes the beast they’ll have the decency to knock each other out again quickly.”
The two women had to laugh at the thought, but Nami took note of the fact that Robin’s laughter subsided rather quickly, being replaced by that knowing smile once more.
Back in the kitchen Sanji was busy preparing dinner, but he was beginning to feel a bit jumpy. Luffy hadn’t bothered him in a while, and it was making the cook nervous.
Yes, he had told the captain to wait until dinner was ready, but he had never expected that to actually stop him from intruding.
Then the door swung open.
Sanji whirled around, ready to tell Luffy off but it was just Usopp and Franky.
“Is everything all right, Sanji-san?” Brook asked looking up from his cup of tea “You look disappointed.”
Sanji ignored him, instead whipping up drinks for the two newcomers who joined Brook at the bar.
The room was quiet for a while, everyone going about tasks or simply enjoying the others’ company after such a long time. Until Usopp piped up “Hey, where’s Luffy? He’s usually everywhere at once and very noticeable but I haven’t seen him in a while.”
“Last I saw him he was looking for our swordsman” Brook mused, pouring himself another cup.
“Yeah, that’s also the last we saw of him. Zoro-bro’s been gone for a while now too. Suupeeer weird if you ask me.”
“Chopper-san disappeared as well. I wonder where they went…”
“It has been awfully quiet on the ship…” Usopp looked around nervously “Hey guys… You don’t think people are really disappearing, do you? Like just vanishing into thin air, never to be heard from again?”
It was quiet, except for the clacking of Sanji’s knife on a cutting board and the sizzle of frying ingredients.
Usopp continued, his teeth now audibly clattering “What if… a-after such a long time… the ship – Sunny, what if… What if it’s cursed?!”
“Yo, suupeeer not cool, bro. The Sunny is in perfect shipshape. I should know. There’s nothing wrong with her, I checked. Three times.”
“You’re being ridiculous, Usopp. Robin-chan mentioned earlier that the marimo is sleeping somewhere, so they’re obviously still on the ship.” Sanji interjected, wiping his hands off on a towel and lighting a new cigarette.
“Perhaps we should check just to be sure. We all know of our captain’s rather energetic nature, so it doesn’t seem out of the impossible that he catapulted off the ship. And I’m still a little concerned for Chopper-san.”
There was a bit of a debate about who would go to check and where to start, but eventually they ruled out most places Luffy had been to. And since Sanji had finished prepping the three others dragged him along, in part to get him out of the kitchen for a bit and as Usopp had explained as extra manpower. He had protested rather unsuccessfully.
Now the four of them were standing at the door to the men’s quarters, Usopp’s knees shaking as he gripped Sanji’s arm. (Even after two years, some things still stayed the same after all.)
Brook gripped the doorhandle and twisted, Usopp all the while babbling in the background about them better being there, and not some monster.
The door swung open silently and the three men (Usopp had closed his eyes in preparation for something horrible) peered inside. There was a pause as their eyes (and empty sockets) searched the darkness. Then Sanji heard sniffling next to him.
He looked up to see Franky wiping away tears and mumbling to himself about love and affection among men.
Brook was chuckling, also clearly moved by what he was seeing.
When Usopp finally looked, he did not let go of Sanji’s arm.
“That’s what true love among men looks like; to find them like this when it hasn’t even been a full day! They must have really missed each other!” Franky managed between sobs.
Brook was patting his shoulder “It really warms the heart… But I don’t have one! Yoho!”
There was a pause, Franky’s crying slowly subsiding.
“It does look awfully comfortable… Yohoho!”
“I can guarantee there is still plenty of space… And I’m sure they aren’t the only ones who missed each other…”
Then Usopp finally spoke up “Sanji, you said dinner prep now has to sit for a bit, right? And there won’t be anything to do as the ship is taking us down, right, Franky?”
Sanji had a bad feeling about where this was going as all eyes now turned to him.
“No way. Not without the la-“but before he could finish three pairs of hands had grabbed him and dragged him into the men’s quarters. The door closed firmly behind them.
“It’s been suspiciously quiet for a while now. Just what is going on out there?!”
Both Nami and Robin had finished their drinks a while ago, but to Nami’s surprise Sanji had not come back for refills.
At this point she was fidgeting a bit, listening intently for any sounds outside the library but there was nothing. No distant conversation, no annoying laughter, no clattering of tools or weights or pans. There was just silence, and it made her nervous.
Robin was calm, her eyes fixed on the navigator, her lips still held that knowing smile as she answered the question “Nothing.”
Nami looked at her incredulously. “What do you mean Nothing. There’s never nothing. They’re always up to something! What’s going on?!”
The other just smiled at her, leaving Nami confused and on edge.
“Would you like to go and check?” Robin asked after a pause that made it clear, whatever she knew, she would not say a thing.
They ended up on the lawn, Nami still looking around frustratedly as Robin gestured to the door of the men’s quarters.
Nami walked over and after a moment of brief hesitation pushed it open.
All her worry and agitation melted away into a tender smile as she looked at the rest of the crew piling on and around the couch on the far side of the room.
“They can be almost cute when they’re not causing trouble…” She looked at Robin “You knew this was happening this whole time…” When she looked back into the room she sighed.
“There’s still some space on the couch… We’re not down far enough that we need to worry about currents, steering and the like but it has gotten pretty cold…” Her eyes drifted to Robin’s smiling face once again. She didn’t need to ask.
The first thought that came to Zoro’s mind when he woke up was warm. The second thought was to question the first. It shouldn’t be this warm. Then he opened his eye. That left him with more questions.
What he had expected was Chopper still on his lap. That was the case, so far so good.
There was an arm across his chest that had not been there before. That arm belonged to his captain who was snuggling close to him on his right, snoring happily. That was unexpected but not unheard of or unpleasant.
But the rest left him baffled. On his left was Nami, her head on his shoulder, and next to her Robin. Next to Luffy he spotted a long nose and a cook wrapped in Usopp. On the floor in front of him was a snoring skeleton and Franky was leaning against the side of the couch.
How or why they had all ended up around him, sleeping soundly, was a mystery to him. He had to admit, though, that it didn’t bother him all that much. In fact, he kind of enjoyed it, having all of them around, close to him. He focused on the others’ breathing, their presence, familiarizing himself with the feeling again.
His right arm curled around Luffy’s shoulders, pulling him a little closer still. He had missed this, had missed him especially… a lot.
“Zoro?” his captain shifted, rubbing his eyes and looking up at him “Why are you blushing?” he laughed after a moment.
Was he?
“’m not” he mumbled “It’s just hot…”
That had to be it, right?
“Too many people…”
Luffy just snickered quietly into his side: “It’s good to be home with everyone.”
Zoro smiled, properly for the first time in what felt like forever and pressed a small kiss on his head “Yeah..”