Chapter Text
When it came to traveling with the Straw Hats, a quiet day was not something you could realistically expect to have, no matter how hard you may try. The small pirate crew was full of loud, or at least interesting individuals, and they spent nearly every moment together if they weren’t being chased by marines, or other pirates, or some other unforeseen enemy that had decided to wreak havoc on them due to their extraordinary bounties. No matter where you went upon the Thousand Sunny, as large of a ship as it may be, it seemed like someone was always present, or at least close by, doing something ridiculous… or mildly entertaining to say the least.
Luffy and his constant antics, Usopp and his nearly frantic storytelling, Zoro and his temper and contests with that flirty cook, Sanji… Then there was Nami, who set them back in order when they acted up too much, Robin who you spent most of your time with when she wasn’t too busy with her own tasks, the small reindeer doctor, Chopper, and that boisterous and huge cyborg Franky, and his equally huge friend, the skeleton and musician, Brook… Quite the colorful crew, and you were adjusting to the group as time went on.
From the start, every day was full of adventure and entertainment… It wasn’t always a good thing, of course, as sometimes that meant being under attack from the marines, or another group of pirates who thought they could take on the Straw Hats or simply didn’t know any better, or some other ridiculous enemy that you figured you’d never have even crossed paths with, much less been under attack by, if you hadn’t happened to be aboard the Thousand Sunny and traveling with this infamous crew of pirates. But it was exciting, and in the less exciting moments, it was still fun. You really couldn’t think of a day where you hadn’t smiled, at least once.
When you finally found time to relax, and were able to enjoy a semi-quiet moment, you found yourself drawn to Robin, as she was easy to get along with as you both enjoyed your books, or she read and you painted something nearby, idly chatting when the urge struck either of you. Easy conversation and soft giggles from the two of you did usually draw the attention of Sanji, and sometimes Brook, and then the silence would be gone. However, the mood was still light and fun, so you didn’t mind much. Besides, when Sanji visited the two of you, he brought drinks and snacks… No downside to that. As for Brook, he usually played some beautiful melody or hummed a song, which could be nice in itself… It wasn’t bad, no matter what happened with this crew.
You were drawn to one other crew member in the moments of relaxation, but had yet to spend time with him one on one… Something about him made you nervous to approach him, even though he had never been unkind to you. He had an air about him that demanded respect most of the time, and the look in his eyes sent a chill down your spine… The grumble of his voice would draw your attention, no matter where you were in relation to him- if you could hear him at all, you were listening intently, whether you were his intended audience or not. No matter what words fell from his lips, you wanted to listen, take in any information he gave, even if he was just insulting the cook or telling Luffy how stupid he was being…
Something about that stoic, towering force of a swordsman, with his green-hair and his cold eyes… Something about him drew you right in and you didn’t want to be rescued from the grip he had on you, despite him never laying a finger on your skin. But god, did some part of you wish he would…
Of course, you’d never say such a thing, not to his face- you knew if you spoke so plainly to the object of your affections, who you still hardly knew, he’d probably just beat your ass… Or at least move to actively ignoring you, rather than passively as he ignored most everything else that didn’t interest him or directly concern him. The act didn’t bother you much- ignoring ones surroundings was quite the skill aboard the Sunny. You didn’t mind that the swordsman was so good at that task- he was a professional when it came to tuning out Luffy’s loud cackling, Usopp’s laughs and horrified screeches alike, Sanji loudly fawning over each of the women aboard the ship at his every opportunity… It was honestly impressive that Zoro could ignore everyone well enough to sleep right through the others’ antics.
However, when the days were over and the nights grew lonely and cold, sometimes you caught yourself gazing at him longer than you really should be, wishing that for once, he’d open his eyes and his attention would be on you. That would be the night… But maybe it was for the best that he hadn’t paid you much mind yet, given that just looking at him and letting your eyes wander his form without his eyes on you could send heat to your cheeks and a shiver down your spine. His lack of attention did allow you to enjoy the way his chest rose and fell with each breath, the way his muscles rippled below his skin as he adjusted and moved his arms behind his head, the way his shirts always seemed to cling in just the right spots no matter their size… For now, you didn’t mind the chance to ogle.
For now though, you were content to look and to appreciate with no shame, only minding your gaze around the other members of the crew in hopes that no one caught on to your feelings, and just how drawn you were to the swordsman with the bright green hair.
— — —
The heat of the day was blistering, leaving a sheen of sweat on your increasingly-sunkissed skin. You’d done everything you could to stay cool thus far, from accepting Sanji’s refreshing watermelon-mint drinks that cooled your tongue before the ice had even passed your lips, to staying in the shade of the trees aboard the deck, laid out on a beach towel, as your room was sweltering in the heat like every other room aboard the Thousand Sunny. You kept yourself busy, filling the pages of your sketchbook with landscapes of the sea, and portraits of the crew members aboard the ship as they were willing to sit still long enough to be your references…
Amidst your drawing, you were shocked to see Zoro slump against a tree not too far from you, huffing as he made himself comfortable and shut his eyes to doze in one of the coolest spots available on the ship at the moment. You didn’t say a word, just watched him for a moment and debated with yourself if you should take the risk and use him as the inspiration for your next sketch, or if you should ask for his permission, or simply act as if he wasn’t present…
Of course, you’d chosen to draw him.
Your pencil was on the page as soon as you heard his breathing slow, and you were pretty sure you wouldn’t be caught. You drew him in silence, profile after profile and study after study as your eyes roamed the details of his face, then you expanded your next few sketches to include his shoulders, his arms folded behind his head, his chest… Soon enough you had quite a few pages of sketches, and good ones at that.
As you finished your best piece yet, a full body study that paid close attention to anything from the way his jaw clenched even in his sleep to the folds of his shirt and the way it bunched and rose a bit above the hem of his pants, allowing you a peek at the muscles across his abdomen and the slightest hint of the v-shape that formed his hips, you heard a chuckle behind you and your eyes shot up while you hurriedly closed your book, the pencil still lodged in place against the page, saving your place.
Robin was leaning over behind you, hands on her knees as she looked at the page, and you almost headbutted her in your rush to whip your head around and see who had snuck up on you. She raised a finger to her lips, winking at you as she stood and backed away before turning to go to the kitchen, a soft giggle escaping as she left your sight. Only then did you notice that the sun had nearly set, and that meant you had just spent a good few hours drawing the dozing swordsman, and he had not roused yet.
You supposed your secret may be out now, at least to anyone other than Zoro himself, and you could only hope that no one else had spotted what you’d been up to without you noticing. However, with how invested you were in your last few sketches, you couldn’t be sure if you had been seen or not…
— — —
It had been at least an hour since you had been caught drawing the swordsman, who was still propped against the nearby tree with his eyes shut, breathing slow and shallow as he dozed, and you could only hope that Robin had kept silent about what she had witnessed. You hadn’t gotten a chance to explain yourself, or even ask for her silence on the matter. You didn’t take Robin as the kind of person to gossip, at least not in regards to you as you weren’t even a part of the crew, so you hoped she would spare your image amongst the others… If anyone had to catch you, you supposed Robin was probably the best-case scenario, although you still wished that you had gotten a chance to talk with her…
You sighed and looked at your sketchbook in your lap, still shut with your pencil tucked between the pages, and couldn’t help but worry your lip between your teeth, your brow slightly furrowed as you wondered over the situation from earlier, and also debated opening your sketchbook to draw for a while longer, at least until Sanji called for dinner.
A glance over your shoulder to confirm Zoro was still asleep comforted you, and you turned your full attention back to the book resting in your lap. With a soft exhale, you opened it again and stared at the last drawing you had completed. You turned to face Zoro, flipping to a new page with a newfound heat to your cheeks as you looked at his sleeping form, watching his chest rise and fall rhythmically. You admired him for a moment before setting your pencil back to paper. With a steady hand you began to sketch, only looking up every so often to check your pose, your shading, the details you were chiseling out… It quickly began to take shape, and you fought the urge to hum as you drew the green-haired man before you. It was a relaxing process, and you were lost in the motions of shading and details, no longer needing to look up as you allowed yourself a bit of freedom with the specifics after getting the base of the sworsdmans form committed to the page.
When you finally looked up, he was no longer against the tree, or even near its base, and instantly you were frozen.
“Hey… What’re you working on? Didn’t you hear that Love Cook?” His voice was gravelly with sleep as his words rumbled above you. “Dinner.”
Roronoa Zoro was standing at almost his full height directly in front of you, hunched slightly at his shoulders as he leaned forward, looking down his nose at you and what you had in the spread of your sketchbook.You couldn’t tell for sure as you stared up at him, his frame silhouetted with the evening gleam of the sky casting orange and red and purple hues across his suntanned skin, but you swore you saw his brows knit together, one slightly quirked in question.
You slammed your sketchbook shut and nearly threw the damned thing across the ship, tossing it aside with too much force. You squeaked out a “oh no” and turned your head to follow its path.
You didn’t have to follow it for long, as an expertly timed sword swung into it’s path to stop it and drop the book to the deck, the blade still buried in its sheath.
“Watch it,” he snapped. “Don’t throw shit. What’s your deal, huh? Why’re you so jumpy?” The green-haired mans eyes were trained on you again, and you could definitely see his brow furrow with frustration this time.
“Nothing! No reason, I’m not jumpy at all, I’m fine!” Your defense came out in a strained voice, all too quick to truly seem at ease. You felt your shoulders tense, your body going rigid with your rising nerves as you grabbed the sketchbook again, then trained your gaze on the man before you without another word.
Zoro stared down at you for a moment longer, scoffing as he rolled his eyes and turned away from you to make his way to the kitchen, shoulders still hunched slightly as he rolled his neck to either side.
“Whatever,” he grumbled, then glanced over his shoulder at you. You had yet to move from your spot on the ground, beach towel wrinkled beneath you from all your shifting as you sketched piece after piece throughout the day. “Well? You coming or what? Better hurry, before Luffy eats everything.” His tone was indifferent, but he was still waiting for you, even if the look on his face screamed impatience.
You were frozen in place, staring up at the swordsman in absolute shock. You couldn’t believe your eyes- he was here, right in front of you, staring at you as he waited for your response, not rushing away or looking any more annoyed than usual. You realized that you’d been staring when he turned back to you fully and walked back to his previous spot in front of you. You shook your head in an attempt to clear your thoughts, moving to your knees to stand.
Come on, body! Hurry up… It’s time to move or he’s going to leave, or get mad… Work with me here!
You didn’t have much time to bring yourself to your feet as you felt the swordsmans fingers wrap around your wrists, and in a flash he pulled you to your feet. A startled cry slipped past your lips as you struggled to catch your footing, nearly stumbling forward into his chest. However, you managed to steady yourself, and looked up at him in shock again.
“Ah! Sorry, you uh… Surprised me.” You felt heat rise to your cheeks as you stared up at the green haired man before you, and you nearly shuddered as his gaze settled on you.
Then, he smirked, and rolled his eyes with a soft scoff as he reached for your notebook, retrieving it from the ground before pushing it into your hands. Your heart raced.
“Sure. Surprised you. Whatever.” Zoro turned away from you, but glanced back once again. “Let’s go. Come on.”
“Right!” You shook your head once more, breathing out and releasing the breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding, then rushed to follow Zoro to the kitchen.
As you walked, you noticed something… Zoro stayed ahead of you, but his pace… He walked slower than he usually did, keeping his pace even with yours. He waited for you.
It was such a small gesture, and something even you were shocked you had noticed. But even to have him think of you for but a moment, minding himself to keep your speed in mind when he took his large strides… What bliss.
— — —
Dinner had been the same as usual, you were seated next to Robin and Nami, Chopper on the other side of Nami, and the rest of the boys filled in on the other side and the ends of the table. Luffy stuffed his face as per usual, laughing at Usopp’s antics and tall tales, Franky and Brook joking along with everyone, Chopper listened to Usopp’s words with wide bright eyes, Sanji swooned over yourself and the other girls and barked insults back to the men, and Zoro was sat at the end of the table farthest from you as he took swig upon swig of his sake.
The food was long gone, and the crew was simply drinking and enjoying the company of their friends, you included. After round four of drinks, you felt heat in your cheeks and a slight numbness settling into your fingertips. You couldn’t help the smile that was planted on your face as you giggled at the continued playful air in the room. Your gaze wandered across the smiling faces of everyone who filled the dining room, laughs filling the air.
Your eyes fell to Zoro, still drinking his sake in relative silence, just a smirk on his lips as he watched his friends. The sight of that smirk made your smile widen, and you found yourself staring a bit longer than intended.
When you tore your gaze from his lips, your eyes wandered to the rest of his face. Then you realized he was looking at you, that smirk still plastered on his face as he took a long swig of his sake but didn’t break eye contact. Your eyes widened, and you felt heat pool in your core as he stared intently at you, even through his next long swig, his gaze wandering down your figure and back to your face, and you swore his grin grew wider.
The stare was too much for you after the events of the day, and you felt like everyone else was too aware of the staring contest happening at the dinner table. Your nerves got the best of you, and you hurried to dip your head and excuse yourself, sketchbook tight in your grasp as you stood quickly, muttering something along the lines of ‘I need some air’ as you rushed out of the dining room and to the deck of the ship.
The cool night air washed over you and you took a few deep gasping breaths, nerves on end and your body on fire, even in the cool of the evening. Thunder rung in your ears as you made your way to the spot in the grass where you had spent most of your day, your towel still crumpled there. You couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at the way you hurried off after little more than a prolonged stare from the swordsman, heat pooling in your core and a flush coloring your cheeks. How long had you stared at one another? Had the others noticed? Did you look foolish with the way you ran from the room, meeting no ones eyes in your rush to escape the pressure that filled the dining room?
You pulled your knees to your chest, hugging them tight to yourself as you stared out at the dark sea surrounding the ship. The waves were rather calm, no more than a gentle rock to the ship as the Sunny sailed smoothly across the open waters. The horizons were clear in all directions, and the moon was growing higher in the sky, serving as the only light outside the cabin areas of the ship.
Go figure, you thought to yourself. I finally get his attention, and get Zoro to notice that I exist, and then I make a fool of myself at every instance. What am I doing? Who do I think I am? He’s not interested in me! Hell, he’s probably just really entertained by the fact that I can’t even look at him without feeling like I’m on top of the world… It’s ridiculous! I’m ridiculous. And I’m sure he knows everything after today-
“Hey.”
You nearly leapt from your skin, turning rapidly to face the man who stood behind you. Zoro had managed to get all the way to you, and was less than a foot from you, and you had been so lost in your own head that you hadn’t even noticed him approach.
“Zoro! Sorry, I… I didn’t hear you coming.” Your cheeks were hot again, but the momentary fear that struck you immediately subsided, though you remained a bit embarrassed at how lost in your own thoughts you had been.
“S’fine.” The swordsman leaned to one side, resting his weight on one leg as he crossed the other ankle behind. His hands were in his pockets, and he was silent for a moment. He cleared his throat softly, then gestured to your towel on the grass. “Mind if I join you? I brought more sake.” That smirk returned to his lips, and he pulled his hands from his pockets to show off two smaller-than-average bottles.
You couldn’t help but snicker, your anxiety fading gradually. “Where’d you get those? You only ever have big bottles!”
Zoro dropped next to you, setting a bottle in front of each of you as he chuckled, a low rumble from his chest. “Stole it from the kitchen. Robin was talking to that perv cook, kept him distracted while I grabbed a bottle. Then I thought you might like one too.”
If you didn’ know any better, you would have sworn that there was a tinge of pink to the mans cheeks, but you didn’t bother drawing attention to it. Instead, you opened your bottle and held it up to Zoro’s own, gesturing a cheers before you both took swigs of your respective bottles.
Maybe I didn’t fuck up yet… Go figure.
“Works for me,” you chirped. “Well, let’s drink!”