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Zoro is about halfway through a series of reps when the door to their gym opens and Luffy walks in. As Zoro goes through the familiar repetitive motions, he tracks Luffy’s movements.
He goes past most of the unoccupied equipment, choosing instead to sit down on the bench of the one across from Zoro. Luffy doesn’t say anything as he sits down and just stays there, occasionally kicking his legs.
When twenty seconds pass in silence, Zoro lets out a short sigh through his nose. The silence lingers for a minute or so more as he completes the set and then sits up.
“Alright, out with it,” Zoro says as he grabs his nearby water bottle and takes a long pull from it.
“Out with what?” Luffy asks, titling his head slightly.
“With whatever’s got you like this,” Zoro gestures vaguely with his free hand, encompassing Luffy’s unnatural quiet and the fact that he’d clearly chosen to seek Zoro out. Nami says they’re codependent, though she’s one to talk, considering Luffy would probably be with her right now if he hadn’t been able to find Zoro.
“If we weren’t friends…” Luffy frowns, unusually pensive. “Do you think we’d still be friends?”
“Huh?” Zoro’s pretty sure that sentence didn’t make any kind of sense.
After a pause, Luffy tries again. “Do you think… if there was someone important, would them being my friend be a waste of their time?”
Instantly, Zoro’s hackles go up. “What? Who said that?” He leans forward, intent. “If there’s anyone saying they’re too good for you—”
Luffy scrunches up his face, confused. “Huh? No, no one’s said anything like that.”
Now Zoro’s back to being confused. “Then what’s got you thinking like that?” Luffy shrugs and avoids his gaze. Still, it doesn’t sit right with Zoro. “If someone meets you and thinks you’re not worth their time, then that’s on them, and they’re not worth yours.”
Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to help Luffy any, he stays oddly subdued and hunched in on himself.
With another sigh, Zoro stretches out a leg to nudge Luffy’s foot, getting his attention. “Pretty sure there’s no one you can’t make friends with. No one worthwhile, anyway.”
Luffy’s expression doesn’t change but something shifts in the way he’s holding himself, going looser somehow. It’s a start.
“Now come on,” Zoro stands and stretches. “I know for a fact Sanji’s testing some new tart recipes and needs someone to taste them for him.”
As expected, Luffy finally brightens at that, grinning a familiar grin. “Really?” He jumps to his feet, practically vibrating with excitement. “Oh man, I wonder what ones he’s making,” Luffy sprints to the gym doors and throws them open. Then he pauses and glances back over his shoulder. “Thanks Zoro.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Zoro waves it off, and realizes he still has to wipe down the machine he’d been using. “I’ll be a minute, save me some,” he calls to Luffy, who just cackles gleefully. Smiling to himself, Zoro grabs a nearby towel and bottle of disinfectant.
He’d have to make up for the lost workout time tomorrow, but that was a problem for later. As he cleaned, Zoro idly wondered who’d gotten Luffy so worked up, and when he’d get to meet them. It wouldn’t be too long, Zoro was sure of that. Whoever they were, they didn’t stand a chance.