Work Text:
The first time had been in Syrup Village, when Luffy had found a weird looking leaf — “wahahaha it looks like one of your swords!” — he had said as he handed it to his first mate. In fact, it did not look at all like a sword, not even close, but Zoro still grabbed it with a smirk, — “I’ll keep it. For good luck.”
Even now, in the distant Gloom Island, although the leaf had long dried, and gone brown and brittle, the swordsman still kept it inside a notebook. He opened it in a random page and saw the leaf fall down gently on his lap, swaying with the wind as he sat outside.
Luffy, I’m looking forward to see what you’ll bring me this time. Just a few more days.
Zoro continued to flip through his old notebook, finding all sorts of annotations and weird things glued to it. He didn’t like to say he kept a diary, but that was exactly what that notebook was. Nobody knew about it but Luffy. Each page was filled with his partner, thoughts and memories, silly pictures, candy wrappers, blood stains, leaves and flowers and conches. The swordsman didn’t seem like the emotional type of guy, but he was passionate, and he loved registering all things Luffy.
Flipping through the first pages he found a dried flower, its petals falling off and the paper stained with its blue color.
Lost after trying to get to the scaffold where the King of Pirates, Gol D. Roger, had died, Luffy wandered through Loguetown humming a melody. He stopped at a flowerbed.
“Ooooh, these flowers look nice!” He exclaimed as he bent down, snatching one by the stem. He shoved it into his pocket.
After long, only when he was back at the Going Merry reunited with his crew did he remember the poor flower inside his trousers' pocket.
Luffy reached inside and lifted it, looking with a pout at its twisted stem and crumpled petals. “It’s ruined.” He lamented going to Zoro. “I got this for you, but it got all messed up in the fight”
Zoro frowned deeply, glaring at the sad flower in his captain’s hand. “Uh? For me?” he still wasn’t used to receiving so many gifts.
“Yeah! I thought it looked cool. Here, take it.” He handed the flower to the swordsman, putting it to his chest with a shove. “To remind you that soon you’ll get a bounty too! Hehe!” He smiled that huge smile of his and Zoro’s heart jumped. He knew right then and there that he was down hard for his captain.
He smirked, hiding his blush behind his smugness. “I’ll keep it. For good luck.”
Next page, another flower, next, a drawing of a fish, then a piece of a tree bark, a pink leaf, a red one, a purple, a blue, and a yellow one. Luffy said he wanted to get one for every member of the crew, he just needed to find an orange, a cyan and a black one and it’d be complete. Aside from the green one, of course, but that had been the first one he had gotten.
The small red notebook with yellowing pages and a broken spine could only hold so many of the captain’s trinkets, and only few of those actually fit inside the pages, so Zoro had other places he liked to keep the gifts he received from Luffy.
Back at Sunny, inside his locker, he had many jars. One filled with stones, other with conches, another one with old coins, one had sticks and the last one held random things, things that weren’t enough to have a jar of their own — like a snail’s shell and a few Sea King’s teeth.
Zoro thought back to their ship and wondered if it was safe. He hoped so.
“OI! ZORO!” Luffy shouted, crossing the whole ship and extending his rubber arm to get to the crow’s nest.
The swordsman opened his eyes to see his captain smiling right in front of him, at least ten bento boxes between his stretched arm. “I brought food.” Luffy sat down on the floor, as he usually did, and shoved the lunch boxes into Zoro’s chest. Inside his pocket he reached for a piece of meat, and they ate in silence together, enjoying each other’s company.
Luffy sighed, pleased, his stomach full and belly stuffed. “Delicious.” He said before throwing himself back and laying on the hard floor.
Zoro clicked his tongue, “that shitcook outdid himself this time.” He admitted with reluctance. “Thanks for bringing me lunch.”
“I like eating with you.” Zoro smirked.
“Alright, no time to waste then.” The green-haired got up abruptly and stretched. Luffy only stared at him.
“Wha-?”
And in a second, Zoro was by his side, laying down, arms encircling the captain’s waist, his nose against Luffy’s cheek. “You smell like meat.” He mumbled.
Luffy laughed and turned, connecting their lips. It was something they did. Every time Zoro didn’t come down to eat, Luffy brought him food; enough for the two of them. And then they'd just stay in there. It was natural, and it didn't come as a surprise to anyone in the crew. This was just how they were. Zoro and Luffy would always find a way to be together, in any way.
No one knew when their admiration and mutual respect had become love; nor did anyone know when they had realized that themselves. Nami would wonder if there had been any sort of romantic gesture or a confession before the two became what they were. She would never know, but the answer to that was no. No one confessed - it wasn't like them. It just sort of happened. Neither of them had needed to say a word; they just knew, and it happened, as natural as waves crashing at a shore.
“Ah! I brought you something!” Luffy reached inside his pocket again, the one that didn’t hold meat in it, and took out a single tooth, sharp as a sword, big as a hand. “I got it out of a Sea King.” He smiled proudly.
Zoro held it in his palm and examined it. “It’s huge.”
“I know, hehe!” Luffy snickered. “I punched it in the face and the tooth came right off.”
“I’ll keep it. For good luck.”
“Why do you always say that? Don’t you have enough luck already?”
“Luck isn’t ever too much. Besides, I’ll need that luck to ensure you become the Pirate King.” He flicked Luffy’s forehead as the captain smiled.
“Nap time!” Luffy suddenly announced, stretching his arm to fetch a pillow that Zoro kept in the room to meditate.
They shared the pillow, they held each other, and they snored, entangled.
It was a fond memory. One of many he kept to himself. Zoro couldn’t wait to get back on the Sunny, to see his captain again.
“Oi! Why aren’t you listening? You’re so annoying!” A high-pitched voice interrupted the swordsman’s train of thought, followed by a hard knock on his head.
“Huh?” He groaned, looking behind his back to see Perona’s floating form hovering above him with an annoyed expression. “What do you want?” He dryly asked, closing his notebook and shoving it back in his haramaki.
“Humph, you’re a scatterbrain alright!” Perona rolled her eyes. As much as Zoro pestered her every day with his terrible sense of direction and all-brawl-no-brain attitude, she would miss him. After two years living together it was hard not to take a liking for each other. “What were you smiling about, huh? What was that notebook?” She rounded him until they were face to face.
Zoro furrowed his eyebrows and turned his face away, trying to hide the sudden blush that came across. “None of your business.”
“You’re blushing!” She teased. “It’s your captain isn’t it? Luffy? You never told me much about him…”
He was silent for a moment.
“Why are you here?”
“You love him.”
They said at the same time.
Zoro widened his eyes, his face going even redder, he could feel it was boiling.
“W-what-”
“You’re so obvious, Zoro. Anyway, it’s time to go. Mihawk said he would be waiting at the beach.” She dismissed his awkwardness. “I’m here to take you; since you can’t walk three steps without getting lost.” While she spoke, the swordsman had already gotten up and began walking — in the opposite direction. “Hey, idiot! You’re going the wrong way!” She flew quickly to stop him, pushing him back to the right path.
Just as Perona had said, Mihawk was waiting for them as they arrived at the beach. A small sailboat was set for them, filled with provisions for a week’s trip.
It’s been two years already. Wow. I thought I had at least a few more days to wait. I didn’t get him anything… I could always just get a rock or a broken blade. No, Luffy isn’t like that. He wouldn’t want to keep too much, that’s why he gives all his trinkets to me. I wonder what he’ll bring this time. Zoro smirked fondly, halting his pace as he came to face his mentor.
He hated goodbyes, so he always tried not to make too much of them. A simple handshake and a nod of the head would normally suffice, but this time was different. This was not just his mentor that trained him for two years, this was one of the Seven Warlords, the man who everyone acknowledged as the best swordsman alive — the man who defeated him, but who also helped him get back on his feet after the terrible frustration at Sabaody, where he got separated from his entire crew by the same man who had almost killed him in Thriller Bark.
Swallowing his pride again, he kneeled before Mihawk. He smashed his head against the sand, the grains prickling at his temple. “Thank you for making me stronger!” He shouted.
“I thought you’d said that you wouldn’t bow before me ever again?” Mihawk teased, but deep down he was rather moved by his pupil’s attitude. “I’ve only taught you how to be stronger, you made yourself stronger. Now go be with your companions.” The Warlord gave him a firm nod, thinking with pride of what the boy he had taken in as a son had become. He knew they'd meet again, and he hopes it would be when Zoro would call himself the strongest swordsman in the world, and the right hand man of the Pirate King.
Zoro got up, shaking the remaining sand off of him before jumping on the boat. Perona was already there. “Do you really have to come?” He groaned at her sight.
“Shut up! You should be thanking me! You’d die before getting to Sabaody without me!” She complained, her forehead about to pop a vein.
••
Within a week, Zoro was at the very same Archipelago where he had lost everything. It felt weirdly relieving. However, he soon found out that he had been the first one to get there.
Gives me plenty of time to walk around.
The first few days he spent drinking and eating, trying to relax a bit and steer clear any turmoil. Somehow he managed to stay away from the marines, pirates and bounty hunters, but it was taking way too long for Luffy to get there. He had seen Franky a while ago, and he had said he was going to see the Sunny. Zoro would have done that, however he did not quite remember where it was anchored — and he wouldn’t have gotten there either way.
After the first week, he decided to get something for Luffy. The captain could get there at any moment now, so he decided on fishing something to give him. Luffy loves food, he’ll love to get here and have a few fish. So he took off to the bay and asked for a fishing pole, and a boat.
Next thing he knew he was submerging in a huge pirate ship, several men singing and shouting. So he did the only thing he could think of: sliced the ship in half.
“I got on… the wrong ship.” He said in all seriousness, his face unwavering.
After being dragged by Sanji to the city, he was still thinking of the fish he wanted to catch. Stupid shitcook, always getting into my business.
“Marimo head, you gotta stay with me.” He heard the irritating voice of the ship’s cook.
“What did you say, mustache brow?” They smashed their foreheads together.
“Shitty Marimo!”
“Ero-cook!”
Then they heard the transponder snail in Sanji’s jacket ring. It was Franky.
“Hey, get back to the ship! The marine are here and Luffy is on the island!” His strident voice announced. Zoro’s heart leaped out of his chest and tried to fly away like a butterfly.
“What did he say?” He asked, although he had heard very well. Just making sure.
And in a minute they were running to the ship, both their hearts excited to see their crew mates again, see how they’d changed and grown — but Zoro’s especially. It was a matter of minutes until he met his captain again, and he couldn’t wait any longer. After two years he finally became impatient.
He had cried when he'd learned about Ace, silently at night, just to himself, thinking of Luffy. If he had been there maybe it would’ve been different, if he had been there he could’ve at least comforted his captain. The what ifs haunted him for two years, and he promised to himself that he would get stronger, and he would never lose again, and he would never be away from Luffy again.
An explosion. A loud thud. A pacifist down and a thin young man running away with a comically huge backpack.
“OI! LUFFY!” Zoro shouted, trying to catch his attention, a sly smile on his lips.
“Luffy! I knew it was you! You’re always getting in trouble.” Sanji exclaimed as well, waving.
“It’s really you! Guys, it’s been so long!” Luffy smiled widely, his eyes closing a bit. Oh how he had missed that smile.
Zoro wanted nothing more than to run to his captain, but unfortunately the marine were still after them, and Sentomaru sent another pacifist their way. This time it was easily defeated, as it should be.
“Luffy, you’re the ninth.” Zoro pointed at him.
“Stop with that already!” Sanji reprimanded him, but he couldn’t even hear. His eyes were only on Luffy and the secret smile they shared for a second. “Luffy, hurry up! Everybody’s waiting at the ship.” And they were off again.
“Zoro! You looked really cool out there!” Luffy said as they ran side by side.
“That’s not even a third of it!” He said cockily. “I trained a lot. I’m much stronger than I was.”
“Me too!” The captain laughed. “Let’s break everything in the New World.”
Zoro agreed. He couldn’t wait for that.
••
Settled down and headed to the FishMen Island, the strawhats finally relaxed. There had been a lot of talking and commemorating once they were all reunited, but now, finally, Zoro had Luffy all for himself.
They were bent over the deck, looking up at the bubbles and marine life as they went down, deeper and deeper. There was so much to talk about.
“Oh! We’ve got matching scars now!” Luffy pointed at Zoro’s left eye and chest. “See! I got one on my chest and you got one on your eye.” He laughed.
“Guess all those lucky charms you gave me weren’t enough to protect my eye.” Zoro joked. “Did it hurt?” He pointed at the red X on his partner’s chest.
“This? I don’t know. I was unconscious. It hurt later when I woke up, though.” He explained, looking down casually at the reminder of his almost death with pride.
“I was gonna bring you fish, but shitcook didn’t let me.” Zoro pouted, merely glancing at the swinging form of Sanji going around Nami with more drinks.
“Don’t worry, I have plenty of food for us!” He ran across the deck to his backpack and took out two bento boxes out. “Here!” He handed one to the swordsman and they both sat down on the grassy floor.
“How did you get so much food?” Zoro asked with a mouthful of rice.
“My friend packed me this bag. She helped me a lot during this time.” He explained.
“Where did you land?”
“Oof, it’s such a long story. Let me tell you.” And then Luffy started the tale of how he ended up at the Women’s Island, how he invaded and escaped a maximum security prison, and all that came afterwards. Zoro listened intently, asking questions and nodding when necessary.
“I brought you some things!” The captain said, going to his backpack again and coming back with a small sack. “First is this.” He grabbed a pointed piece of metal and showcased it to the swordsman. “It’s an arrow head imbued with haki! The Kuja warriors tried to kill me several times with those, shishishi,” He laughed, grabbing Zoro’s hand and opening it to put the arrow head in there.
“It’s heavy.” He commented, maneuvering the piece with care. “Well crafted.”
“Here!” Next, Luffy was exhibiting a funny looking mushroom. It didn’t look safe to even touch. “This is also from Amazon Lily. When I got there I was so hungry I ate a bunch of them and then mushrooms started to grow on my body!”
“How did you get rid of them?”
“I was passed out, but the Kujas told me they had to rip them all off and then wash me up.” He shrugged and Zoro nodded, picking the fungus up and examining it warily.
“This goes to a separate jar,” he affirmed, putting the shroom down beside the arrow head.
“A lock?” Luffy pulled the object from the bag with a puzzled expression. “What? I don’t remember grabbing it.”
Zoro reached out and examined it, noting the tiny inscriptions on the metal. “It’s from Impel Down. It says right here. Level 2.”
Luffy blinked. “Hm… it must’ve stayed in my pocket by accident.” He shrugged. “Keep it. It’ll mean that we’re locked with each other!” He laughed again, and Zoro couldn’t help but blush a bit.
“I’ll put it on a chain. What’s next?”
“This!” He pulled a handful of black fur tied by a string. “It’s fur from the first enemy I defeated in my training! It was a giant gorilla, took me weeks to finally beat him.”
Zoro smirked. “I fought gorillas every day too. I didn’t bring their fur, though. They were too annoying.”
Luffy laughed again, reaching for the last item he had brought from his trip. “Claws! From the last enemy I defeated. A giant lion. He was the king of the island.”
“Ooh, that’s awesome!”
“And where did you get sent to?”
“To a humid island. Mihawk lived there, luckily. He helped me with my training.”
“The hawk eye? That’s awesome! Did you defeat him?” Luffy asked excitedly.
“Sort of.” Zoro smirked. “I defeated the monkey that had copied him. It wasn’t the same, but we’ll definitely meet again at the sea, and I’ll beat him next time.”
“Of course you will! You’ll be the strongest swordsman ever!” Luffy suddenly jumped up, stretching his back and arms. “Whew. I’m getting sleepy after eating.” He yawned.
“Nap time?”
“Yup! But before…”
“Hm?” Zoro got up as well, his height towering over Luffy.
“Kiss!” The captain pointed at his own lips with an expecting smile, and Zoro lifted one eyebrow. “Please?” His smiled widened even more.
The swordsman had no choice but to surrender, so he bent down a bit, held Luffy’s face gently and planted a long kiss onto his lips. The kiss they had been longing for, the kiss they had needed for so long, and it was finally there. Sparks were flying, electricity flowing from one body to another, and it felt like everything and nothing.
“I missed you, captain.” Zoro would always comply with his captain, he would always be by his side, and he would most definitely make him king, even if it cost him his own dream.
“I missed you too, Zoro.” Luffy smiled before he jumped onto his swordsman’s arms, hugging him tightly. “What will you do with the stuff I gave you?” Zoro smirked.
“I’ll keep them. For good luck.”