Gorgeous / Roronoa Zoro

gorgeous / roronoa zoro

PAIRING  fem!reader x roronoa zoro

SUMMARY  you have been absolutely smitten for one gloriously skilled swordsman for a long time now and zoro has been pining over you for as long as you have known each other. however, due to some extenuating circumstances and some accidental happenstances, the two of you think the other loves someone else. your crew takes matters into their own hands, forcing the both of you to admit your feelings for one another.

TAGS  fem!reader x roronoa zoro, reader has she/her pronouns, sanji, nami, usopp, luffy, idiots in love, locked closet (well, kitchen in this case), admitting feelings, making out, when you realize the both of you are stupid

QUOTE  "if you've got a girlfriend, I'm jealous of her, / but if you're single, that's honestly worse, / cause you're so gorgeous, it actually hurts (honey it hurts)," - gorgeous by taylor swift

WORD COUNT  1.7K

WRITTEN  10.24.2023

You weren't sure what exactly was going on with you and Zoro - you felt as though there was some romantic subtext between you, but it was just impossible to really tell because everytime you came close to kissing or holding hands or admiting your feelings, he left before you could even say "bye." And then there was the case of Nami. Everytime you happened upon him, he was always with her. And that wasn't to say you didn't like Nami. No, far from it, but it was just the unfortunate circumstance of Zoro feeling some type of way about her. It wasn't deniable - they were laughing and sparring and joking around together all the time. They even bickered like an old married couple too.

You sought comfort in the form of a friend - Sanji. The blonde-haired cook was always kind and warm, welcoming you into the kitchen with a smile and a bowl of soup. He allowed you to bring your tomes along with you (you were the crew's scholar) and even went as far to let you rant about your feelings towards Zoro. He would sit there, chopping up carrots and onions and garlic, while you whined and complained and cried.

Today was no different. You stormed into the kitchen, a large leather-bound book tucked under your arm, slamming the door behind you. Sanji didn't even jump, his back towards you as he stirred a large pot of soup.

"What happened this time?" He asked, his voice calm and unwavering.

"He - he - they're sparring and he landed on top of her and they just sat there!" You exclaimed, slamming your book down next to a bowl of soup. You grabbed the bowl and pulled it towards you as you sat down, shoveling a spoonful into your mouth. "Your soup tastes wonderful today," you told him begrudgingly, tone still enraged.

"I'm glad you think so - I added a bit lemon this time," Sanji responded. He turned around, flipping a towel over his shoulder and swinging his hair out of his face. He gripped the edges of the table as he looked down at you with a grin, tilting his head. "I wouldn't worry about the two of them if I were you - they're nothing more than friends."

You held up your fingers, your thumb and forefinger almost touching each other. "Their faces were this far apart. Do you see this? They were practically making out!" You spooned some more soup into your mouth, grumbling a string of noncoherent words.

Sanji sighed, turning back towards his soup with a shake of his head.

-

"It's almost sad to watch them," Nami said with a small smile, watching you and Zoro talking together while overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean. Both of you were blushing, your hands inches away from each other and pining to be closer. When one of you turned your heads to look at the other, and your eyes met, you immediately looked away with reddened cheeks.

"It is sad to watch them," Usopp responded, cringing as he watched the both of you. He turned to Sanji and Nami. "Are you serious? Zoro thinks she likes Sanji when she's really confiding in Sanji about him, and she thinks that Zoro likes you when he's really confiding in you about her?"

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is," Sanji responded, letting out a puff of smoke. He put out his cigarette on a crystal ash tray and sighed. "Look, we just have to figure out a way to get them to confess to each other. A way where they can't run away from their feelings."

The three of them went silent, lost in thought. They were startled as something dropped onto the floor in front of them - Luffy had been hanging from the rafters, listening all along. He pushed himself up from the ground, brushing off his Hawaiian shirt and straightening his straw hat. "Why don't you just shove them in a closet together or something?"

Nami raised her eyebrows, glancing towards Sanji and Usopp who were both already looking between each other, grinning.

-

"You're the smartest one here, you're got to help him!" Sanji exclaimed, dragging you by your arm. You were trying to keep up with his pace, but your heart was beating a thousand miles a minute as aderanline pumped through your veins. Yes you were rhe smartest one here, bur you knew nothing about wounds or blood or bandages! You were all books, no blood. Whyever would the crew think you had an idea on how to heal a knife wound?

"Sanji, I'm a scholar, not a doctor!" You exclaimed with a gasp as you turned down another corridor. "I don't know how to care for wounds properly, much less how to dress one! Besides, weren't you the one that helped him when Mihawk -"

"That was all adrenaline," Sanji responded. "We've got you now, I know you can do it!"

Suddenly, you were shoved into the kitchen and the door slammed shut behind you. You turned around, slamming your hand on the door. "Sanji!" You shouted angrily, fidt pounding on the wood. "Sanji, you asshat, what the hell? Is this some kind of stupid prank, cause it's not. Funny!"

You heard the other door to the kitchen open and watched as someone shoved Zoro into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Zoro glanced at you, then glanced towards the door with a panicked expression. He let out a sigh of irritation, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We'll let you two out in an hour," Sanji shouted from outside. "Once you sort out this - mess you lot have gotten yourselves into." You would've shouted at the bastard some more were it not for the sound of resounding footsteps, leaving the two of you completely alone.

"So . . ." You started, unsure how to approach the situation. You couldn't believe Sanji, that bastard, had locked you in a room with the crew member he knew you were in love with. "You're not wounded?"

"I was told you were hurt," Zoro said gruffly. "But I guess that's not true." His demeanor was awkward, more awkward than had ever been near you. You found it slightly unnerving and doubts began to creep in your mind. Had you done something wrong? Perhaps Nami had convinced Zoro to tell you his true thoughts about you, or even worse, that they were together and you couldn't be friends anymore. Your negative fantasies began to spiral and it was soon evident to Zoro that you were lost.

"You all right? You do look a little sick."

"What?" You asked, returning to reality. You suddenly shook your head with a shy smile, waving your hands in disregard. "No, no, I'm fine, I'm just thinking about - uh - something else."

"Right." Zoro's thumbs settled under his belt as he rocked back on his feet. As he did so, his swords clanked together, providing a lonely noise in the awkward silence.

"So you and Nami -"

"I've noticed you and Sanji -"

The two of you stared at each other for a moment before both responding at once again.

"What about her?"

"Sanji and me? Are you crazy?"

Both of you shared expressions of slight shock. You were the first to respond.

"I just - I've noticed the two of you happen to have spent a lot of time together recently. I thought maybe - you two were . . ." You let your voice trailed off, hoping that Zoro would understand what you were insinuating, but he looked much more like a lost puppy. "You know." It seemed he didn't. You let out an exasperated sigh and sunken over to one of the clean counters, hopping on top of it and gripping the edge of it. "Dating. Together. Or, something along those lines."

"Are you serious?" Zoro asked, bowing his head with a raised eyebrow. He chuckled, glancing away from you and running a hand down his chin. "No, no, Nami is just a friend, nothing more. You and Sanji, however, I thought were much more than that. Everytime I come into the kitchen, you two immediately stop talking with each other. I thought the two of you were fucking or something but Nami's been persistent in the assumption that, well . . ." He slowly made his way towards you until her was standing inbetween your legs, tilting his head upwards to meet your eyes with a strong gaze. "You like me."

You gulped and turned your head away with a nervous laugh. "What? That's - now that's ridiculous. You and me? Me, liking you?" You sputtered out another laugh but failed to hide your rosy cheeks. Zoro continued to stare into your eyes with that indifferent expression of his. You shifted uncomfortably. "Okay, fine, I do . . . like you, Zoro. A lot. I just . . . I didn't think it worthy of mentioning because you seemed like you and Nami were -"

"Well we're not." He placed his hands next to yours, gripping the edge of the counter and leaning in close. "So what are you going to do about it, hm?" His eyes flitted down to your lips and he ran his tounge against his own before returning his gaze to your eyes.

Now, he could be testing you. But see, at this point, you had spent so much time hiding your feelings for him, holding back. It had felt so relieving to finally tell him after all this time that you couldn't just go back to that phase of pretending as though you felt nothing towards the man.

It was rushed - one of your hand tangled in his hair as you ferociously smashed your lips against his. The other you placed onto his hand. He seemed shocked at your sudden confidence but swiftly and hungrily kissed you back, one hand coming up to grip your face. He groaned into your mouth but you quickly swallowed up the noise and wrapped your legs around his hips, urging him closer.

"Been waiting so long . . . I need you," you muttered into his lips before kissing him once more. You toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck, curling it around his fingers.

"Is that so?" Zoro asked in response, pulling away. His breath was hot and heavy on your ear. He planted a sloppy kiss on your neck, causing you to let out an almost imperceptible whimper. "So needy, huh? Don't worry baby, I don't think they'll be opening those doors for a while."

oh hi! this is a special message from me, to you, basically a thank you note honestly. it looks like you listened to a lot of my music this year. doesn’t matter which era you were listening to, i’m very grateful to be on your spotify wrapped.

emperor kuzco was clearly gay

i love constantly evolving into a cooler version of myself

When you remember how much you love a character you hadn’t thought about in a while

Flowers

Full-length fic because my roses are currently in bloom in my garden and I couldn't get the romance away from my head while crocheting.

Word Count: 3,587

Swordsman just needed something light and fluffy.

Masterlist Here, song vibe suggestion here.

Inhaling the sweet fragrances of botanicals, you reopened your eyes to gaze at the vast abundance of colours that lay before you. Hues of vibrant orange tulips, deep red roses and the softness of babies breath with sweet jasmine paling the arrangements within the harbour-side florist.

You tapped your chin and hummed thoughtfully as you continued to mull your decisions over in your mind. The whole reason you joined the Straw-Hat pirates was specifically to document rare and unusual species of flora, fauna and fruiting plants that remain undiscovered and undocumented. You worked hard with Sanji whilst out on the open sea, determining the edibility of certain plants or what properties they could possibly wield to benefit your crew.

“Can I help you with anything there, love?” a voice called from inside the florist shop. An elderly woman made her way over to you, a warm grin adorning her cheeks in welcome.

“I’m just browsing for now, thank you,” you smiled in return, turning your gaze immediately to seek out a small floral arrangement in the corner of the room.

Vibrant green-drooped flowers hung lowly; trumpeting out along their wide stem. Peppered throughout the arrangement were pastel purple orchids, small bundles of dark crimson and yellow roses and small bulbs of vibrant pink gumnuts. Although the arrangement was beautiful, the true star of the show were the larger stemmed clusters of the emerald flowers.

“Ah,” the shopkeeper sighed, “you’ve seen my gladioli. Aren’t they spectacular?”

You gasped in absolute delight, bringing yourself closer to the cluster of florals.

“The arrangement,” you began, turning back to the elderly woman, “it’s breathtaking.”

“It’s peaceful, romantic and-,” she cut herself off, a small gasp sucked through her hissed teeth before releasing her breath, “sorrowful. This day marks ten years since my husband departed from this life and awaits me in the next. These are what I created for him.”

“I may not have known him,” you said, walking over to the woman and bowing a nod of respect towards her, “but from the representation of the flowers: the roses for grief and devotion, the eternal love from the orchid, the playfulness in the gumnuts; he sounds spectacular.”

“Don’t forget the gladioli,” she smiled through her sorrow, “they were his favourite.”

“Gladioli for integrity, honesty, and,” you reached down and took her hands within your own, cradling them against you warmly, “strength in character. He sounds like an amazing man, and I am truly sorry for your loss.”

She smiled at you and nodded her head at your words, receiving comfort from the sympathetic utterances from a complete stranger. You tore your gaze back towards the vibrant emerald colour of the gladioli flowers, fixating on their beauty.

“This may sound a little harsh; but, may I buy them from you?” you asked her in a low tone, turning your face back towards her with a soft smile, “you’ve placed a quest onto my heart that I require to see meet fruition.”

She quirks her brows at you and looks back to her prized arrangement, looking longingly at them.

“I would only sell them for good reason, lass,” she nodded, pursing her lips, “what quest holds over you?”

You sighed and released her hands, rummaging into your bag in search of your berry.

“Under usual circumstances,” you began, furrowing your brows as you continued your rummage, “men only receive flowers once in their lifetimes.”

“Oh,” she gasped lowly to you, nodding her head sorrowfully in acknowledgement, “how long has he been departed?”

“He’s not dead,” you smiled and shook your head, “although try as he might, he’s still with us.”

She furrowed her brows, tilting her head to the side and immediately smiled at your words, “these are for your fella then?”

“He’s not exactly my ‘fella’,” you nodded with a light laugh at her words, “but for a friend, yes.”

A small twinkle formed within her eye as she brought herself closer towards you and whispered; “and for how long have you been in love with him?”

You stiffened at her words, halting in place in shock. You had never thought about how you felt about Zoro aboard the Going Merry. Not when he would bring you a fresh cup of coffee and sit with you in the early mornings, silently watching the rising sun bring warmth over the ocean in solitude. Not even when he would instinctively hold out his left arm to shield your body from harms way once conflict arose with formidable foes. Even still, not a single thought regarding him absent-mindedly seeking you out for your opinions on shrubbery and moss he’d located and presented towards you; sitting adjacent to you and cocking his head to the side as he actively listened to everything you said about botany.

She hummed in delight and made her way over towards her arrangement and began to collect the stems from within their display, flourishing it with a brown hessian sash and tanned parchment paper.

“35,000 berry and they’re all yours, sweety,” she cooed at you, scrunching her nose up at you.

“That’s awfully low, Ma’am,” you frowned at her, locating a more appropriate amount of berry, “you’ll take 352,000, and I’ll also leave you with my name for future business arrangements.”

She halted her movements, looking down at the arrangement in her hands one more time before nodding to you and taking your berry from your outstretched hand.

“Thank you for parting with these,” you upturned your eyebrows in empathy, placing your hand on her shoulder and giving it a light squeeze in comfort, “they are beautiful and represent everything I want to now say.”

“I’m glad to be of assistance,” she hummed, tilting her head into your embrace. You held onto her for a moment longer before bidding her farewell with your departure.

It took a while for the remainder of the crew to return to the ship, you sat and documented within your botany journal a diagram of the flowers you purchased; shading various petals and leaves to depict the beauty of the arrangement.

As you had a small amount of time to yourself, you began to actively think on why exactly you immediately thought of your crewman as soon as you saw the flower shop. You never usually purchase flowers, especially since you would always find them on your adventures and set up arrangements to decorate the kitchen and your crew-quarters. You had never once thought to decorate a fellow Straw-Hat’s crew quarters, nor gift an arrangement prior.

What changed? Did you have budding romantic feelings developing for the loyal knight and protector of the Straw-Hat crew? You gulped the dry pit forming in your throat, a giddy feeling arising within your chest. Your fingers began to tremble and your heartbeat thumped with a drum-like rapidity.

You shook your head to rid them of the thoughts, your hands remaining the only thing strained and trembling under the implications of a small budding infatuation. Rolling your shoulders back and closing your eyes, you began to shake the feeling away before the crew began to rejoin you aboard your ship.

“There you are,” you heard a voice behind you. You upturned your head, seeking out the source of the voice.

Zoro’s vibrant green hair was the first thing you drew your attention to. The gladioli were the exact vibrant hue of his short locks; the entire reason you first intended on purchasing the arrangement.

“Here I am,” you replied with a cock of your head and a wide smile. His expression was airy, yet unreadable. He had his left wrist hanging on the hilt of his white blade attached to his hip, raking his eyes over your seated position at the polished wooden deck table. He quirked his head once his eyes met with the flowers in front of you.

“You got flowers?” he asked, his brows furrowing together in the middle before asking you again, “someone give them you?”

You laughed a small melodical chuckle before rising to your feet and clutching the wrapped flowers within your hands. You walked over to his place above deck and grinned at him.

“Actually, Zoro,” you began to anxiously giggle, your eyes widened in shock at your next words, “I bought them specifically for you.”

The furrow in his brows rose as he began searching between your two irises for hidden intentions, silently questioning your actions as you held out your hands with the arrangement. He hesitantly reached for them, looking down at the mixture of greens, reds, yellows and soft muted pastels and hesitated.

“Why?” he asked in a low rumbly whisper, halting his fingertips a hairline away from receiving your gift.

“Because I wanted you to see them,” you whispered in return, searching his face for reason for his apprehension at receiving his gift.

His fingertips brushed yours as he took the parchment wrapped florals into his grasp; the waft of whimsical beauty falling in waves over his senses.

“Why do you want me to see them?” he asked you, continuing to hold your hands within his as they clasped around the flowers. Both of your eyes held firm to the complimentary florae, focussing on anything other than fixating on each other’s eyes, ignoring the tension arising between you as you relished in his extended touch.

You sighed low and sorrowful, retracting your hands from the stems as you secured them within Zoro’s grasp.

“Men only receive flowers only once in their lifetimes, and they never even get to see them,” you sighed, taking your lower lip between your teeth to halt your nerves. A small rumbly growl of confusion began to rise in Zoro’s chest, questioning you on your thoughts.

“I wanted you to see them,” you reiterated, “you are so strong, Zoro,” you reached your hand up and hesitantly pressed your palm against his cheek, “you fight valiantly and with honour and integrity.”

You began to retract your hand, Zoro chasing your palm with his cheek as he clutched the flowers within his hands. You giggled at him, reluctantly placing your hand back to his cheek.

“And what is the one occasion men get flowers?” Zoro cluelessly asked you, prompting all playfulness to flee from your face. You didn’t think you had to actively inform him on the subject. Your brows rose upwards in sorrow as you searched around his cheeks, chin, nose, forehead and temple before settling once again on his eyes.

“Their funerals, Zoro,” you whispered, completely retracting your hand from his face, “this is a mourning arrangement for the honourable departed.”

Your eyes fled from his face and again made contact with the arrangement he held within his grasp.

Pursing your lips, you hardened your resolve and began to walk him through the several pieces clutched in his expert grasp.

“The yellow rose is for strong ties, as I am bound to you as your crewman,” you uttered in a low tone before adding, “the dark red is for grief and sorrow.”

You stood taller on the tips of your toes as you stooped with your index finger extended towards the various florals; “the gladioli, that’s the green one, is for a strong character. You’re so strong, Zoro,” you snuck a glance upwards to see Zoro’s eyes darkened and his teeth held tightly shut in a vice-like grip. You hesitated before continuing, “the gumnuts are for your humour.”

A small rumble began to form from his chest in disapproval at your comment, prompting a small giggle to escape from your lips as a natural and organic response.

“And the big purple ones?” he asked, his brows creasing and lip upturning in thought, “what are they for? I don’t speak flower.”

A wide grin appeared once again to your cheeks as his smirk playfully returned to his.

“Those are orchids,” you whispered, your eyes and smile softening as you stepped closer to him. You felt your pulse drumming painfully harshly within your ears as you sucked in a trembled and shaken breath, nodding to yourself before declaring; “those are because-,” you hesitated once more before flittering your eyes down to the flowers before looking up at him through your eyelashes, “well, they’re because I love you, Zoro.”

Disbelief. Complete and utter disbelief came over Zoro as he heard those words depart from your lips. He never thought his feelings towards you would ever be returned, holding fast within his resolve for his broody pining to forever remain painfully unrequited.

He had hoped, sure. He had longed, absolutely. He had dreamed that you would lean yourself against him in the early rise of the sun’s rays as you sat together. He had imagined having your lips meet for the first time as he loyally protected you from harms way on the battlefield. The way you spoke so passionately about honing in on your craft as botany and plant specialist bewitched him every time you opened your lips to depart knowledge onto him. His thoughts were only of training to finally match the league of Dracule Mihawk, and of how desperately and deeply he cared for you.

“I’m sorry,” you added, retreating from your proximity of him, “I shouldn’t have said anything. Please-,” you held your right hand up defensively in front of yourself and began to back away in retreat, “-please don’t treat me any differently. Enjoy the flowers,” you added with a small, soft smile, “they’re yours to do with what you will.”

Zoro now found himself in a bewilderment. He was perplexed that you relayed your emotions and intentions in such an unbridled manner, so boldly presenting him with your gift. He was sure you had even surprised yourself, not intending on relaying a romantic declaration on a meagre Tuesday afternoon in the middle of a random layover.

“Hey,” Zoro called over to you, a small harsh growl erupting from his tone; halting your step in your retreat, “get back here.”

Your body ceased up at his command, every fibre of self-preservation in your body refusing to turn to face him again. A warm blush had reddened against your features, hues over your nose, cheeks and tips of your ears heating your face to an uncomfortable temperature.

“Now,” Zoro again ordered you. Your body responded immediately, turning back to face him with your head holding firm in its bow to the floor; your eyes fixating on the wooden crevasses of the ship’s deck. Once close enough in bodily proximity to the swordsman, you heard his footsteps approach your body and almost stand flush against you.

The scent of the flowers hung within the air as he brought his left hand, which cradled the bunch, against your right shoulder. His right hand hooked his index finger under your chin as he raised it upwards. Your eyes first met with the broad scar across his chest, inflicted by the great warlord of the sea as he granted to spare his life under the great duel.

He continued to rise your chin, your gaze meeting with his lips; focussing on the small flicker of his tongue which darted out and retreated back within his mouth.

“Look at me,” he uttered with an air of confidence, prompting you to hesitantly meet his gaze with a small rose-tinge lingering still atop your cheeks.

His eyes held a foreign softness within them, his aura still commanding and noble as he held you tenderly within his fingertips. He smiled, wrapping his left arm around your shoulders and hooked you into his torso; the floral bunch resting behind your back within his clutches. Your breath hitched within your throat as your eyes widened in shock at his closeness.

“You buy me flowers for my funeral,” he uttered into you, the whisper of his breath against your lips force your eyes half-lidded in desire and anticipation, “and you don’t even stay for the procession?”

A small whimper fled from your lips at his attention, a tingle shooting up your spine and igniting the follicles on the surface of your neck and forearms. He released his hold on your chin as he fled his hand down to grasp at your hip, pulling you flush against himself as he brought his lips down to mould themselves atop your own.

You stood in shock, your eyes looking at his face in awe at his kiss. You snaked your arms around his shoulders to rest at the nape of his neck; fingertips brushing against the tri-pierced left earlobe as you raked your right hand over his muscles. You flittered your eyes shut and smiled against his lips in glee, standing atop the tips of your toes once more to reach more of his towering body.

He immediately dragged his left arm over your shoulders to draw it down to your hips, immediately hoisting you upwards into the air. You shrieked in surprise, feeling his lips grin against you as he picked you up below your thighs. You hooked your ankles behind his back, thighs resting atop his hips as he arched his face upwards to meet against your lips; arching his jaw and chin to deepen the connection shared between you. You felt his blades begin to awkwardly dig their hilt against your flesh, but paid them no mind as you were now held securely within the strong arms of the valiant knight and loyal protector of the Straw-Hat pirates.

You drew your right hand up to rake your fingertips against Zoro’s hair, gently caressing his follicles with your fingertips. He groaned against your lips, furrowing his brows and leant appreciatively against your touch. While continuing to clutch the flowers within his left hand, he smoothed his right hand to rake its hold against your thigh, reaching around the flesh to grasp the muscles of your ass and support your body further against himself.

You were so enraptured by each other’s touch, the feel of your bodies moulding so intimately together; you felt as if you were the only two people existing on this side of the world. Zoro walked your body over to the table and placed you down to rest atop it, his swords again bumping against your body awkwardly; prompting a small giggle to flee from your lips and onto his at the collision.

Zoro tentatively placed the bouquet gently beside you as he stood himself between your parted legs, hooking his hands below your knees to bring your body as close as he could possibly feel you while clothed. You moaned into his mouth as you brushed your hand over his hair and onto his cheek; feeling the cool metal from his piercings once again below your palm.

All of your senses were completely overwhelmed by your swordsman; the way his body felt flush against your own, the waves of desire you could tangibly feel radiating from him for every hungry kiss placed against your lips. He trailed his lips against the corner of your mouth, brushing and grazing your skin below his tongue and teeth as they raked their way down your neck. A small whimper escaped your lips as he located your pulse, swirling his tongue against it with a rough groan falling from behind his own lips.

The smell of the bouquet beside you was as sweet as the sounds you were pouring from your lips and into the awaiting audience of Zoro’s ears; a private performance meant only for him and him alone. The ocean breeze wafting over your senses as the wind picked up, a small inkling of something not entirely unfamiliar to you; but unwelcome never the less.

Tobacco.

A rough cough interrupted Zoro’s action of pulling the neckline of your shirt down to reveal your clavicle for his next assault with his mouth. You both snapped your eyes over to the sound, noticing the blonde chef ignite the end of a new cigarette with the filter end drawn between his lips, a small litter of depleted butts pooling at his feet.

“H-how long have-,” you began to stutter out, eyes wide and in shock at the knowledge you were in the presence of an audience.

“-Long enough to not miss the procession,” the chef chuckled at you both, inhaling the cigarette before releasing the nicotine riddled smoke in a long exhale, “came to let you know lunch is ready.”

“And you didn’t say a word?” Zoro growled through gritted teeth at the chef, prompting another laugh to flee from Sanji’s lips.

“Hey,” Sanji began, holding his hands up defensively, “we placed a wager on it, I didn’t want to sway the odds.”

Zoro growled, reluctantly releasing you from his grasp and shielding your dishevelled body from view of the blonde chef.

“Are you okay?” Zoro asked you quietly as you collected yourself. You sighed with a light smile coming to your face.

“I am, Zoro,” you replied, “better than ever.”

He smiled down at you, fixing the scabbards of his swords on the hilt to his side with a large, wolfy but bashful grin. As you both collected yourselves, you hopped down from your place atop the table and turned to walk towards Sanji, vocal reprimands fleeing from your lips as you did so.

Zoro chuckled under his breath, turning back around to collect his flowers. He stared at the bouquet, examining it. They were beautiful, a perfect reminder of his mortality. He vowed to return the favour at the next port, wooing you with a reminder of your own fleeting moments together in this life.