Work Text:
“So Namis's your girlfriend?”
There was a noticeable pause in the kitchen as Luffy’s words were digested. Usopp’s hands froze over the scattered parts he was working through at the table. He whipped his head around to face them, not even noticing the random pieces that clinked to the ground in his haste.
“You’re dating Nami?? Really?” Ussop had clearly not been following the conversation prior to that. Unfortunately for everyone in the room, the moment he uttered that statement was also the exact second that Nami and Robin pushed through the door.
“Usopp what the hell are you saying?” Being the one that shouted it, and being the man closest to the door, Ussop was the one left facing the brunt of Nami’s ire. He had already comically fallen back to the floor at her arrival. She’d twisted the front of his shirt in her grip and yanked him up from the floor.
“It wasn’t me I swear!”
“Nami! Robin! Are you hungry? I can get you anything!” Sanji’s eyes sparkled, no longer even focused on his and Luffy’s conversation. A traitor honestly considering he had started the entire thing.
“Sanji! What kind of nonsense are you telling Usopp?” The poor sniper was thrashed around in her grip. Robin stood behind the two quietly chuckling at Usopp’s predicament.
“Are we so sure that it was our cook who said it?” With that Robin made a pointed look at their captain who, for this entire time, stood silently with his brows furrowed.
“But Sanji you said Nami was your girlfriend!”
“You said what-”
“Luffy stop repeating it, she's gonna kill me!”
“I would adore calling someone as wonderful as you my girlfriend!”
“So she is your girlfriend? Why’d you all act like it was crazy.”
“Captain, I fear there may have been a misunderstanding. Just what were you two talking about before the two of us came in.” Robin graciously interjected, from the look of their conversation they would have kept talking in circles without ever getting there.
“Well I asked Sanji about liking people…” Nami’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. Her eyes darted over to glance at Sanji who sighed and pulled out another cigarette. Even Robin seemed surprised at the statement. “He said that liking someone is when they’re really pretty and nice, and you want to be around them. Also when you like someone and they like you back then they’re your girlfriend.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Who said that I was Sanji’s girlfriend?”
“Well you’re nice and you like flowers and stuff and Sanji likes you and is always around you, and you like Sanji.”
“Ah I see where the misunderstanding came from.” Robin chuckled from her position closer to the door. “Captain, our dear cook may have misled you a little.”
“May have? What kind of nonsense are you telling him, Sanji?” Nami had finally released her hold on Usopp but that didn’t stop her from glaring at Sanji now. Despite her irritation, Sanji seemed ecstatic to finally have her full attention on him.
“Just the joys of wom-”
“Listen Luffy, Sanji likes to embellish things a little and he’s a little biased. Liking someone isn’t about “pretty” or flowers, it’s about what you care about. What brought this on anyway? Is there someone that you like?”
“Nope.” Luffy lips pursed as he looked away. Of course Nami caught on immediately.
“You do, don’t you?”
“No way…”:
“Luffy does, really?”
“My, I would have never expected this.”
“I just said I didn’t!”
“Who is it?”
“Nami I just told you no one!” Luffy was refusing to look at her but now that she got a bite she wasn’t about to just let it go.
“It’s not me is it?”
“What ew no of course it’s not you!”
“How dare you-”
“So you admit there is someone.”
“No fair Nami, you tricked me.”
“All’s fair in love and war Luffy.”
“Huh?” Now both Luffy and Usopp were staring at her, heads tilted with a blank expression on their faces.
“Let’s focus on the matter at hand. Captain, you wanted to know what it is to like someone? What does it feel like to you?” This gave Luffy a pause.
“It feels like…” Luffy’s expression grew distant. This wasn’t something he normally felt. This swelling in his chest or the rush of exhilaration. Before he knew it his expression was hidden behind his own hands as a deep red blush spread across his face. “I don’t know how it feels. It’s just… a lot.”
“Well then I guess that’s what liking someone means to you.” Robin’s expression grew endeared as she smiled at her captain .
“Was Sanji right that whoever I like is my girlfriend then?”
“If you both like eachother you bonehead! Don’t go around saying someone’s your girlfriend randomly!”
“Yeah Luffy! Nami’s right, it’s important you have these conversations with-”
“Awesome! I think I’ve got it!” Cutting Usopp off Luffy bolts out the room. Slamming the kitchen door and causing to shout at him as he left.
“At least he’s not begging me for food anymore.”
“Sanji! It’s your poor advice that started this whole mess!”
`````
“Zoro do you like me?”
“Hmm?” Zoro had barely even registered Luffy entering the room. This was his last set of reps before he would head out for a nap and he really just wanted to get it done. “Shit I lost count.”
“Zoroooo.” Now his captain was whining. Luffy meandered his way towards the swordsman in the center of the room. The weights he had been using laid still on the ground. Knowing Zoro, he likely planned to just restart his reps rather than just take a nap right then and there. Luffy poked at his shoulder. “Zoro, pay attention.”
“What?”
“Do you like me?” Despite the confident way he had waltzed in it appeared as though in this moment Luffy was shy. Luffy evaded Zoro’s eyes. He’d felt so confident when he stormed out of the kitchen. It had felt so simple then, but now in front of Zoro he felt uncharacteristic hesitation. He’d never felt “like” like this before, so how’s he to know if Zoro does? “I said-”
“Of course I like you dumbass. What’s this about huh? I lost count so now I’ve got eight hundred more reps to do.” Zoro peered at him over his shoulder. Luffy usually didn’t interrupt him while he was working out. Well he actually always interrupted him, but his normal interruptions are simply because he is bored. He would jump on or around him until Zoro got pissed and threw him out so he could focus. This was different.
“Really?” Luffy’s expression looked serious for a moment. His own eyes studying Zoro and his expression.
Then as if the clouds cleared revealing the beaming sun, Luffy’s face broke out in his characteristic smile. Not only that but he seemed almost giddy. His arms couldn’t stay still at their sides and this was the only warning Zoro got before Luffy launched himself across the room at him.
“Ack! What the hell Luffy?” Rubbery limbs twined themselves around Zoro’s chest. Luffy was giggling into his back as he squeezed him through his protests. Zoro was unable to hold back his own laughs at his captain's endearing antics.
Zoro’s own hand reached up to grab at one of Luffy’s constricting arms. At first it seemed he may have been trying to pry it off, but he only clasped Luffy’s hand on his own.
“I like Zoro too.” Luffy quietly admitted into the back of Zoro’s neck.
Though Luffy couldn’t see it, a small smile grew on Zoro’s face.
“I know, captain.”
“Great! That means Zoro’s my girlfriend now!” Luffy disconnected himself from the swordsman and jumped up. A cheeky grin placed itself on Luffy’s face and he puffed out his chest. He was very proud of himself indeed.
“Huh?” Zoro’s entire brain had short circuited. Standing up he whipped his entire body around to face Luffy but before he could utter another word his captain had already jumped out the hatch to go inform the crew below.
~~~~
“Sanji, I have a girlfriend now.”
“Luffy? You’ve barely been gone for five minutes. What the hell?”
Sanji was trying (Key word: Trying) to prepare dinner. His entire schedule had been thrown off when Luffy had cornered him earlier for their “talk”. Which consisted of interrupting him as he started getting out ingredients, eating several of said ingredients, forcing Sanji to plan an entire new dinner due to their gluttonous captain, and lastly asking him about liking and feelings.
The last of which he was an expert in, of course, though he had been surprised to hear it questioned from Luffy’s mouth. Nami and Robin had, ever graciously, intervened and had finally gotten the captain to leave the kitchen. Though now he was back and seemingly back on the same topic again.
“Luffy, you don’t have a girlfriend.” If Nami and Robin hadn’t just left seconds ago then he’d be pissed at the implication. “ Nami and Robin are the only girls aboard, and I know they aren’t.”
“Girl? Who said anything about girls?”
“You did! Dumbass, what do you think girlfriend means?”
“Duh someone you like who likes you back.”
“No you idiot, it's not someone, its a girl who you like and likes you back! Not just any random person! “ Of course Luffy would have taken his words literally. “Wait… Who the hell just agreed to be your girlfriend then?”
“Zoro’s my girlfriend.” That fucking mosshead.
“You like that shitty moss?” Their poor captain clearly has been tricked. No one would willingly choose such bad taste.
“Hey of course I like Zoro!” Luffy was appropriately aggrieved at Sanji’s insinuation. “ He’s cool and he’s got swords.”
Sanji waited.
“...”
“That’s all?”
“Well no…” Luffy looked pensive again. His ears glowing red. “..but it’s a lot. I dunno.”
“Hmm…” This seemed like too much even for him, so Sanji sighed and handed Luffy a small plate. “Here. Congrats or whatever.”
“WOAH! I get extra snacks for having a girlfriend? I would have done it wayy sooner if I’d known.”
“Of course you would have.” Sanji took another drag of his cigarette. “Also if the person you like is a man then technically that’d make him your boyfriend.”
“No, that's stupid.”
“What do you mean ‘that’s stupid’? Girlfriend has girl in it the name idiot! If it’s a guy then obviously it wouldn’t be girlfriend.”
“Well I don’t wanna.”
“You don’t-” Sanji paused, blowing out a puff of smoke. He couldn’t let this distract him. The pan on the stove had just been about to burn and he wasn’t going to change their dinner again for the night. If the rubber idiot wants to call the bastard his girlfriend what’s it matter to him? “Fine. Take your snack, you’re not getting anything else so get out of my kitchen.”
“But Sanji I already ate that, can’t I have more?”
With that Luffy went flying out the kitchen.
“Don’t you dare come back till dinner!” With that they door slammed and Luffy was left sat out on deck.
“Luffy what was that all about?” Nami peered down at him from the railing. She had been observing the horizon while checking the log pose when Luffy had landed on the grass of the lawn.
“Sanji kicked me out cause he’s making dinner.”
“That checks out.” Nami hummed absentmindedly, as she tested the direction of the wind. “Anyway did you figure out whatever it was when you ran out on us earlier?”
“Oh that?” Luffy stood brushing grass off his legs and repositioning his hat to sit nack on his head. “Yeah I got that done. Zoro’s my girlfriend now.”
“Oh that’s nice…” The wind was weird at this stretch of ocean. Nami kept fiddling with her tools and checking the direction of the log pose.
Wait.
“Who’s your girlfriend?”
“Zoro is.”
“Luffy…?” Nami focused all her attention back on their captain. He stood grinning up at her rocking on his toes on the grass. “Nevermind. With you two this is the clearest outcome you'll get. Don't mess with Sanji anymore till dinner is done alright? I wanna eat at a normal time tonight.”
With that Nami turned to head back to the aquarium where Robin was helping her look over some old maps.
“But Namiiiii-” Luffy jumped up to her, clinging to the railing. “I'm bored.”
“Go find Usopp or Franky, I'm sure they'll be doing something you can join them in. You could even ask Brook to play for you. “
“Yeah but they always get mad at me for messing up their stuff, and if Brook plays there’s no one else to sing and dance with.”
“Well then why not hang out with your girlfriend huh?”
“Can't.” Luffy drooped over the railing while kicking his feet.
“Why not?”
“Zoro's working out right now…” He fidgeted some more. “And he said he wanted to be my girlfriend so now I'm too excited. I'll interrupt him again and he'll have to restart again.”
“Well I guess I can't help you. I'll see you at dinner.” Nami turned and started heading back inside the ship when she paused. “Actually speaking of dinner, you smell, and I bet Zoro does too since he’s spent all day up there training. I don’t want to have to deal with that while we eat, so make sure you both go take a bath.”
“No fair…”
~~~
Bathtime has always been an affair. Luffy never really cared for inaction and yet during a bath he has no choice but to be still. The water saps his strength. He also doesn’t understand the point of getting clean if he’s only going to get out and get dirty again.
“So you gonna tell me what earlier was about?”
Luffy had his cheek pressed into the warmth of Zoro’s shoulder. His swordsman had a bowl that he was periodically filling with water and pouring over Luffy’s neck and down his back. Every few moments Luffy could feel soft scratches from Zoro’s hand on his back, holding him in place on his lap.
“Hmmph?” Luffy let his head fall to the side. His mouth had been pressed into Zoro’s skin, muffling his words. Zoro knew baths made him like this. Why was he asking him questions???
He could feel the rumbling of Zoro’s laugh through his chest. Zoro had softly began carding his fingers through Luffy’s wet hair, the motion nearly lulling him into sleep.
“Zoro’s my girlfriend now, Sanji said.”
The hand in Luffy’s hair spasmed at the sound of their cooks name.
“That bastard said what?”
“He said when you like someone and they like you back, then they’re your girlfriend. I like you.” Luffy rolled his head and watched as Zoro’s earrings softly clinked together. “And you like me. I asked earlier.”
A soft tingle spread through Luffy’s body as Zoro pressed his face into the crook of Luffy’s neck. The warmth of his breath on his skin burning hotter than anything else. Zoro’s lips brushed against his skin and Luffy could feel the smile on his swordsmans face.
“You had to have already known I like you?” Luffy giggled at the feeling of Zoro’s breath once more, squirming in his lap. His hand had shifted, cradling the back of Luffy’s neck so that he could pull him up from his chest.
“Zoro?” Luffy had been pulled back to stare into the swordsman's eyes. The steam of the bath had warmed them both up. Zoro’s face was dewy and red, though likely not only because of the heat. His swordsman’s mouth was curved into such a soft smile, Luffy couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of him. “Zoro!”
“Hmmm?” Zoro tilted his head but didn’t cease his staring. The trail of his eyes left Luffy burning inside and out. His skin softly turned pink and then dark red.
“Don’t stare at me like that.” Searing heat coursed through Luffy’s face. No matter how he tried to avoid Zoro’s eyes, his swordsman would follow his gaze and catch his eye. All the while still sporting that same soft smile.
“Like what captain?” Zoro chuckled, leaning in until their foreheads were nearly touching.
Luffy was caught in the warmth of Zoro’s gaze. Though if he had been looking he would have seen how red Zoro’s face was as well.
“Well guess what Luffy?” Zoro pulled away a little laughing to himself. “I don’t just like you.”
“Wha-”
“I love you.”
Luffy’s world exploded, pure joy raced down his veins and flooded his being. The welling of emotion felt nearly too strong for even him to handle. His body was still weak from the water but he still put all his energy into pulling Zoro closer and closer to him. His happiness took physical form, and filled the air. His Zoro grinning cheek to cheek as he laughed with him.
Luffy’s body shook with the force of his joy and he could feel Zoro’s grip on him tighten.
“Zoro!” He was overcome by even more giggles. The swelling in his chest only rose. “Zoro! I love you too!”