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"Because I dropped your hand while dancing, left you out there standing"
You looked at Zoro in the eye, not missing a beat as you told him you were going to leave the crew and settle down permanently on land. He looked at you in disbelief, not really sure how to respond to your sudden decision.
"I have to go, Zoro." you calmly say, attempting to walk away but Zoro grabbed your hand before you could do so.
"Why? Is it something that I did, Y/N?" he asked softly. He cupped your face and looked at you lovingly while trying to stop his tears from escaping his eyes.
You couldn't bear watching him like that. You stared at him, not knowing what to say. Zoro has been so good to you, never once hurt you, never once disrespected you. You knew you loved him. You knew he did too and because of that you also knew what he would do for you.
"I'm sorry." you said before grabbing your wrist from him and finally walking away, leaving the green-haired man standing on the deck of your crew's ship alone.
"You had a speech, you're speechless. Love slipped beyond your reaches and I couldn't give a reason"
You announced your decision to the rest of the crew which made everyone unhappy. Luffy has been following you around, asking you not to leave as there will be no one to tell him fun stories anymore every time he can't sleep. You smiled at him, thinking about how you're going to miss everyone after you leave.
"We can talk about it again later. Luffy, go call Zoro. Dinner is ready." Sanji announced as he put everything he cooked on the table.
Everyone sat around the table, awkward silence wrapping up the room as no one dared to speak a word. Everyone was waiting for you to say something, wanting you to take back what you had just announced but you looked down on your plate, continued eating and excused yourself after you were finished. They then looked at Zoro but he was too preoccupied by his thoughts to notice anyone's eyes on him.
-
Later that night, everyone except Zoro went to the girls' quarters and tried to coax you into staying with them. It pained your heart hearing them say those things. They were your home. They were everything you wanted but it still didn't change your decision. You still wanted to leave.
"Can't we go with you then?" Chopper asked, on the verge of crying again. "I'm pretty sure we can help you with your problem." Usopp added.
The thing is, you lied to them. You didn't have a family issue to resolve. No unsolved mystery to uncover. Your feelings for Zoro were too much and you knew that was the case for him as well. It's not that Zoro was hard to love. God, he's everything you could ever wish for. The way he lulls you to sleep, the way he holds you, the way he tells you how much he loved you— it was everything you could ask for. Your heart ached while struggling to swallow the lump on your throat as you hugged your crew for the last time.
After everyone left, Nami and Robin sat beside you. You looked at them and knew that they know you were lying. It didn't take a second for your tears to start crawling down your cheeks. The girls hugged you, asking you softly what's wrong.
"It's Zoro, isn't it?" Nami asked. You nodded as you continued sobbing in their arms.
"I've noticed that you haven't been sleeping lately. Zoro hasn't been eating as well. All he does is sleep and drink booze. We all know there's something between you two but we never wanted to interfere." Robin said as she tried to calm you down by rubbing your back.
"He recently asked me lately where he could possibly get a ring. Is that why?" Nami asked again.
Tears welled up in your eyes again. You took a deep breath before facing the two of them. "I love Zoro. He's everything I could ever ask for. God, he's even more. But I don't have the heart to ruin his dreams. Settling down with me is the last thing I'd ask for him to do right now."
Nami softly sighed. "I can see how much Zoro loves you. He has never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. Zoro is a jerk most of the time, you know? But he's different around you. We couldn't even begin to imagine how much that moron loves you. Of course he'd be willing to give everything up for you." she explained.
"I don't want that." you said quietly. "I don't want to see him lose everything he has ever dreamed for just because he loves me."
"Your heart was glass, I dropped it"
You still weren't able to sleep so you went out of your room and looked around for Zoro. You were sure he was on guard tonight. When you weren't able to find him anywhere else, you decided to climb up the crow's nest and there he was, drinking his booze again while staring at the sky as if his eyes were talking with the stars. Zoro was never the type of person who showed a lot of emotions. This man was hard on himself. It broke your heart so much seeing the man you love the most overwhelmed from the sadness you made him feel.
"Zoro?" you softly called out after knocking.
He looked at you and understood that you wanted to sit with him so he nodded. You sat beside him slowly, relaxing your body after feeling his skin against yours. These were the kind of moments when time almost seemed to slow down, making you believe that maybe— just maybe, you didn't have to resort to leaving him.
"Did you want to talk?" he asked. You looked at him but his facial expression was blank. You shook your head slowly, not wanting to tell him what you were suppose to because this might be the last time you'll ever be near him.
"You are everything I want, Y/N. Everything." Zoro said softly while still chugging the bottle of sake Sanji has given him earlier. "You became my dream. You're the future I want. The dream and promise I had with an old friend, to become the world's strongest swordsman, became so little after I met you." he added.
"You're an amazing person, Zoro. I adore you for that. That dream you had ever since you were little, the one that you got laughed for because it sounded so silly, isn't so silly anymore. Your dream is almost at your reach now." you said, smiling at Zoro while the tears in your eyes slowly crawled down your face.
"Tell me, Y/N. What could possibly be more amazing than having you with me? I have loved you for so long and I dream of loving you for the rest of my life." he said, holding your face as he slowly kissed your tears away.
"You shouldn't have to give anything up for me, Zoro."
"I thought you wanted to be with me too?" he asked, tears finally escaping his eyes. It hurt you so much. You never wanted to see him like this.
"I do but you are not meant to be mine yet, Zoro. You are meant to be great."
"Hold your hand while dancing, never leave you standing"
Zoro walked out of Baratie after he finished his meal. After successfully conquering the four seas, the grand line, and the new world, Zoro reached his dreams and became the world's strongest swordsman along with Luffy becoming the pirate king. The captain had decided for the group to go on hiatus for a while in order for everyone to spend their times however they want.
"Don't get lost, Zoro!" Nami shouted from inside the restaurant making the others laugh which made him chuckle, shouting back that he wouldn't.
Zoro quietly set sail, lying on his small ship as he tried to reminisce the adventure he had with his amazing crewmates but to his misfortune, his thoughts always led back to you. He took a deep breath, remembering the last thing you told him before leaving the crew.
"After you've become the world's strongest swordsman, if the memory of me still dwell on your mind, come find me. I will be waiting for you."
The sound of the slow waves became music to his ears but even then, you never left his mind. He closed his eyes and wondered, are you still seeing the same skies? Have you eaten yet? Were you thinking about him? Were you still waiting for him? Did you miss him?
Zoro silently grabbed the ring he picked with Nami out of his pocket. It would've looked lovely on your finger, he thought. He wouldn't deny that his love for you was quite reckless but despite of the overwhelming pain he felt after all those passing months, he still longed for you— to be with you.
-
After days of traveling alone in the vast ocean, he finally was able to arrive at his desired destination. Zoro then headed to the cottage at the top of the hill. That was where Nami told him you'd be. He stood in front of the door, not knowing if he should knock or just wait for you to come out. He walked back and forth, contemplating on what to do.
You opened up the door as you were planning to go buy something in town and to your surprise, a green-haired man was on your doorstep, face confused while still walking back and forth. You chuckled a bit which made him look at you.
"You sure took your time." you said, smiling at how Zoro looked so panicked.
You let him in your cottage and prepared something for Zoro to drink. The man has not spoken to you since he got inside. You looked at him and smile a little bit. He looks like he's grown a lot.
"Tea?" you asked and he quietly nodded. You sat in front of him, humming while looking at how handsome the man is in front of you. He looked up and tried to examine your face. You seem happy, he thought to himself.
"It's been a while," Zoro said softly, enough for you to hear.
"Yeah. How are you? You look even stronger than before." you said, sipping on the tea you served.
"Yeah, a lot has happened after you left." he replied, still looking at your face. You nodded, not knowing how to respond to the man.
It took a while for you to break the silence again. "Is there something on my face? Or is there something you'd want to ask me?" you asked as you look at him. "Go on, Zoro. We have all the time in the world. How did I end up here? How did Nami know I was here? What would you like to know first?"
"None of those. What I want to know is why you're not holding on to me right now." Zoro said with a blank expression which almost made you smile. He's still that old, composed Zoro you once knew.
"I couldn't, Zoro." you said, taking a deep breath after. "It took every ounce of strength in me not to run to you and hold you in my arms again when I saw you months ago, traveling with the rest of the crew. Thankfully Nami was the only one who saw me that time." you chuckled a bit.
"Why didn't you hold me, then?" he shot back, looking at you straight in the eyes.
"I just couldn't. Because if my arms remember what it's like to hold and embrace you, the emptiness after I let you go again would be unbearable." you looked down as your tears threatened to pour out of your eyes.
"Then don't go." Zoro said firmly. Your mouth was too dry to speak. He reached over to cradle your face with his hands making you look at him.
"Zoro, I don't think I-" he cut you off as his eyes looked at you with so much love before they closed and kissed you— his lips so soft against yours. You felt like you were melting into his touch. He pulled away but his warm hands stayed on your cheek. Tears started to flow on your face as Zoro caressed your face still.
"I've already achieved the promise I made with my friend, Y/N. It's about time I pursue my own dream." he smiled, kissing your face over and over again, telling you how much he has missed you. You smiled happily as you held on to Zoro, hugging him tightly.
"Promise me you're never letting go again." Zoro softly said. You nod in happiness, making him kissing you all over again.