Tears

Still, he knew better than to argue.

After all, he wasn't exactly any better when it came to accepting treatment himself.

And, truth be told, you genuinely looked perfectly fine.

You were still full of energy, and aside from the cut itself, there wasn’t so much as a bruise on your face, arms, or anywhere else anyone could easily see.

Maybe he'd simply grown soft since you'd become part of his life.

Or maybe spending so much time around that infuriating lovestruck cook had started rubbing off on him.

Whatever the reason, the mere thought of you losing so much as a single hair was enough to fill him with a level of unease and fury he’d never experienced before. Somewhere along the way, your safety had quietly become the foremost objective of every battle he fought.

Looking back, perhaps the first warning sign should have been when you sat with Luffy and Usopp, listening to yet another one of the sniper's wildly exaggerated adventure tale.

Normally, stories like those had you doubled over with laughter.

This time, they earned nothing more than a faint, tired smile through half-lidded eyes.

Then again…

Who wouldn’t get tired of those two idiots eventually?

Maybe today was simply one of those days.

The next odd thing came when you turned down Sanji’s chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream, which he’d enthusiastically prepared the moment Chopper finally released him from his worried little hooves, a fresh bandages still wrapped around his stomach.

You had an infamous sweet tooth.

It was rare for you to refuse dessert of any kind.

Still, you insisted your stomach was simply unsettled after the excitement of the battle and promised you’d indulge a little later, thanking the blond cook with your usual warmth that even he couldn't bring himself to argue.

Once the Merry finally reached calmer waters, and after you’d finished helping Nami with navigation, it was even stranger that you declined her invitation to lounge on deck with Robin, reading and chatting over drinks while Sanji eagerly fussed over the three of you.

You claimed you were simply exhausted.

You’d taken the night watch before dawn, your eyelids felt unbearably heavy, and if you lay down now, you’d fall asleep instantly.

You didn’t want that.

You wanted to wake yourself up instead.

To accomplish that, you'd decided to train with your boyfriend.

Had anyone been worried before, that alone would've been enough to dismiss every suspicion. It was practically unheard of for you and the green-haired swordsman to go more than a day or two without training together.

Although your fighting styles differed considerably, that was precisely what made your sessions so valuable. Where one lacked experience, the other compensated.

A grin tugged at Zoro's lips as he launched into his usual Oni Giri stance, only for you to slip past him with practiced ease, darting around him as though you'd vanished altogether.

There.

That was more like it.

You stumbled ever so slightly.

Still, you recovered quickly enough to throw a counterpunch, only to arrive a fraction of a second too late.

Your mosshead deflected it effortlessly with a familiar click of his tongue.

“Tch. You’re slow,” he said, studying you carefully as he swung again. “Focus. I won’t go easy on you. And neither will anyone else."

You knocked the attack aside and immediately answered with one of your own, rolling your eyes as you did.

“Wouldn’t dream of asking you to.”

Finding the opening you’d been waiting for, you drove your fist forward and knocked him off balance.

“I won’t go easy on you either.”

He smirked.

For a moment, pride and competitive excitement lit his face.

Then they vanished, replaced by unmistakable concern.

“…Y/N?”

You looked unusually pale.

And were you…

Swaying?

He was on his feet in an instant, closing the distance between you before resting one rough, calloused hand against your forehead.

His eyes widened.

You were freezing.

Not merely cool to the touch, but so cold that it almost burned against his skin, while tiny beads of sweat gathered and stuck hairs plastered to your forehead with a contradiction that made no sense at all.

You caught his wrist and gently pushed his hand away.

“It’s nothing,” you murmured. “Guess the rain from this morning got into my bones.”

Taking a nearby towel, you lowered yourself onto the floor.

The room spun for a fleeting moment.

Something you would never, under any circumstances, admit to your caring overly protective boyfriend disguised as a grumpy brute.

“Tch. How’s that ‘nothing’ when you’re shaking like someone tossed you into the freezing depths around Drum Island?”

He tossed his swords aside and sat beside you.

“Come on. We’re going to Chopper.”

He reached for your hand, intending to pull you to your feet, but you stubbornly refused to budge.

“If I’m not feeling better later, we’ll go. I don’t want to worry him over something so silly. The poor kid’s been through enough today.”

You reached up with icy fingers and gently stroked his cheek.

Typical.

Absolutely typical.

Part of him was annoyed.

The rest of him was, rather inconveniently, softened by that stubborn kindness of yours.

That was just like you.

Whenever things became chaotic—and with the Straw Hats, chaotic days were hardly uncommon—simply because, as you always put it, you didn't want to "be a burden."

He studied you once more, lingering on those impossibly kind eyes, eyes so deep that he'd always been able to glimpse the quiet strength hidden behind them.

Lightly flicking your forehead, he pulled you firmly into his chest instead.

His warm, solid body wrapped around your trembling one, and without thinking, you melted into your grumpy swordsman in a silent attempt to steal as much of his warmth as you possibly could.

It always felt safe in his arms.

Now more than ever.

"If you're not feeling better in twenty minutes," he muttered, burying his face in your hair, "I'm dragging you to Chopper myself, and I don't care how much you beg, argue, or threaten to curse me."

Several quiet minutes passed before he reluctantly decided that a warm cup of tea might do you some good.

The moment he shifted, trying to unwrap his arms from around you, you protested immediately, nestling even closer and pulling them right back around yourself before he could get very far.

"Tch. Easy there, woman," he grumbled, unable to stop the corner of his mouth from twitching upward despite himself. "I'll be back in a minute."

Ignoring your sleepy little complaints, he reluctantly pried himself free.

“I’ll be back,” he repeated, casting one last worried glance your way.

He looked over his shoulder one last time.

You’d already curled into yourself, trying to preserve what little warmth remained.

Sighing, fully aware there was no point telling you to go lie down in the girls’ quarters because he’d almost certainly end up carrying you there anyway, he headed for the kitchen.

Fortunately, it was empty.

He immediately began rummaging through the neatly arranged cabinet.

What kind of tea do you even make for someone like this?

Rosehip?

Green tea?

Mint?

Chamomile?

Maybe sage?

Or lady’s mantle?

He was still squinting at the labels when the most irritating voice on the entire ship rang out behind him.

“Get your filthy paws off my perfectly organized cabinet!”

Curly Brows practically hissed the words.

“What do you want?”

Zoro shot him an irritated glance and grabbed the first tea packet he could reach.

“None of your business, cook.”

He waited for the kettle to finish boiling.

That only deepened the blond's disbelief.

"I'm sorry... what?"

He eyed the teabag in Zoro's hand with open suspicion.

“What does a clumsy gorilla like you need tea for? Or is this just a distraction while you raid my sake stash again?”

Zoro slammed a fist onto the counter, splashing boiling water over the rim of the mug.

“Would you shut up? I can drink whatever the hell I want.”

Snatching the mug, he stormed out, leaving Sanji grumbling behind him as he wiped up the spilled water.

When he returned to the Crow's Nest, where the two of you had been training, you immediately tried to stand the moment you heard him come in.

One eyebrow lifted as he took in your face.

Your cheeks had regained a faint flush.

“What're you getting up for?”

He awkwardly held the steaming mug toward you.

“Here.”

You accepted it with shaky hands, smiling despite yourself.

“Thank you, sweetheart.”

Taking a careful sip of the warm herbal tea, you couldn't help smiling a little wider. The fact that your rough, soft-hearted swordsman had brewed it himself was obvious enough from the tea being completely plain—no honey, no lemon, nothing Sanji ever would've allowed to leave his kitchen—yet somehow that only made it sweeter.

“I’m already feeling much better.”

A faint blush dusted Zoro’s cheeks at the nickname, but he kept watching you closely.

Your lips were still unnaturally pale.

Even holding the mug seemed to take effort.

He stepped toward you, reaching for your hand, only to pause the instant your skin met his.

Moments ago, it had been ice cold.

His brows drew together as he tightened his grip ever so slightly before placing the back of his hand against your forehead, his eyes widening in genuine alarm.

Only minutes ago you'd been cold enough to make his fingertips ache.

Now you were scorching, your skin hot as the steel upon which Wado Ichimonji itself had once been forged.

"Woman..."

His voice came out lower than he'd intended.

“You’re burning hot.”

You laughed weakly.

“Now isn’t really the time for compliments.”

He clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes in a way that barely concealed his relief that you still had enough energy left to tease him.

“Come on. We're going.”

He tugged gently at your arm.

"No," you protested with the same stubbornness that always managed to test the limits of his patience. "I don't feel sick at all. I'm just tired."

Enough was enough.

This is for your own good.

He was already preparing to scoop you into his arms and carry you to the infirmary himself.

He never got the chance.

The rapid clatter of tiny hooves echoed across the wooden floor before a small pair of antlers poked through the doorway.

“Y/N!”

Chopper beamed, a book tucked carefully beneath one arm.

“I brought the book we’re reading before bed tonight. I think it’s the one you mentioned—”

The smile vanished from his face almost instantly.

He hurried over.

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s not feel—”

“It’s okay, dear Chopper,” you interrupted brightly before Zoro could finish, already pushing yourself to your feet. “I think I just caught a little cold.”

You smiled as though nothing whatsoever was out of the ordinary.

“Zoro’s making a fuss, you know how he is. Hypocrite. As if he’d ever let you examine him over something this small.”

You lifted the mug ever so slightly.

“See? I'm perfectly fi—”

You took one step.

Then another.

Tiny green specks suddenly danced across your vision as darkness began closing in around them, spreading slowly from the edges until it swallowed everything before your eyes.

It felt as though something impossibly heavy had wrapped itself around your body and pulled you downward like a stone, while the mug slipped from your fingers, striking the wooden floor before rolling away, its warm contents spilling across the planks.

For one strange, suspended moment, it felt less like falling and more like flying.

Like drifting through a dream where the ground never came.

In reality, strong arms caught you before you ever hit the floor, pulling you tightly against a broad chest while voices called your name somewhere in the distance, their words swallowed beneath the persistent ringing in your ears.

You couldn't make out anything beyond that dull buzzing and those muffled voices, only the strange sensation that you were moving farther and farther away, as though you were no longer standing on solid ground at all, but floating gently downstream, wherever the current chose to carry you.

The tiny infirmary was filled with a chaotic chorus of voices, some calm and collected, others bordering on outright panic.

“Lay her down like this.”

“I’ll get the thermometer!”

“Robin, cold water!”

“Nami, grab some towels.”

“Everyone, back up a little. She needs air.”

“Sanji-kun, panicking isn’t helping right now! Go prepare the herbal stimulant mixture for me. It’s on the shelf in the left corner, second-to-last bottle.”

Everyone rushed about in a frenzy.

Everyone except Zoro.

He still held you tightly against his chest, barely registering the commotion around him until Chopper called his name several times.

“Zoro… Zoro!”

“I can’t examine Y/N properly unless you let her go.”

Only then did the green-haired swordsman realize how fiercely he’d been holding you, as though loosening his grip would somehow make you slip away.

Unsure of what else to do, he reluctantly did as Chopper asked.

He stepped back, lowered himself onto a stool in the corner of the room, and buried his face in his hands.

He felt useless.

His mind replayed the entire day over and over, tormenting him with every missed warning sign.

He’d noticed every little hint that something wasn’t right.

Every single one.

And yet he’d still let you convince him it was nothing.

She sparred with me… I knew she looked pale…

I should’ve made her come here sooner.

Nami hurried back with everything Chopper had asked for and looked down at you anxiously.

“She probably just pushed herself too hard,” she murmured, unable to tear her eyes away from your pale, sleeping face. “She’s been overworking herself lately.”

Sanji appeared beside the bed almost instantly, handing Chopper the strange herbal concoction he’d prepared.

“Exactly, Nami-san! Our hardworking, wonderful Y/N has completely exhausted her poor little body! She’s been fighting nonstop this past week, insisted on taking night watch, and then this heartless marimo made her train on top of all that!” He glanced toward Zoro. “Is that why you came looking for tea?”

Zoro didn’t answer.

He simply stared at the floor.

“…No.”

Chopper’s voice was quiet as he checked your pulse.

His expression changed instantly.

He counted again and his face paled.

“This isn’t good.”

He gently lifted one of your eyelids and shone a small light into your pupil.

“Her pulse is much slower than it should be… And her breathing’s labored. This isn’t exhaustion.”

Silence swallowed the room.

Even Luffy, how ever unusual it may be, had nothing to say.

Carefully, Chopper lifted the hem of your shirt to examine the cut on your side.

Then he froze.

The wound looked nothing like it had only a few hours ago.

If it had been healing normally, a thin scab should already have started forming.

Instead…

The skin surrounding it had turned an unnatural shade.

So dark it was almost purple.

Tiny blood vessels had burst beneath the surface, spiderwebbing around the wound.

Medical books were scattered across the infirmary floor.

Stacks of them surrounded Chopper, while Robin knelt beside him, helping him flip frantically through page after page.

With tears welling in his eyes, the little doctor desperately searched for any poison whose symptoms matched yours.

Dozens of books later…

Nothing.

He’d ordered everyone else to keep you awake, terrified that if you drifted off to sleep, your pulse might slow even further.

Nami quietly replaced the cold compress on your forehead.

Sanji hovered nearby, fussing over you even more than usual, trying to coax you into taking soup, broth, vitamin tonics… anything that might bring even a little color back to your face.

Usopp enthusiastically launched into one ridiculous story after another, while Luffy, partly out of habit and partly in an earnest attempt to keep you awake, repeatedly patted the mattress or nudged your shoulder.

Each attempt earned him an immediate chorus of horrified protests.

“Easy!”

Sanji barked, promptly introducing the captain’s face to the floor with the sole of his foot.

Throughout it all, Zoro remained silent.

Motionless.

Sitting beside your bed, he held your cold hand in both of his, absentmindedly stroking your wrist every so often, never once taking his eyes off your barely-open ones.

“Damn it!”

Chopper’s small voice cracked.

A heavy book slammed into a shelf.

Then another rustle.

In equal parts fear and frustration, Chopper hurled yet another useless medical text aside. It struck one of the shelves, knocking loose a massive old encyclopedia.

The worn leather cover had been rubbed so smooth that even its title had long since disappeared.

Robin picked it up first.

“…Chopper.”

“...I know this.”

Together they quickly realized it wasn’t a medical encyclopedia at all.

It was a collection of records describing the unique flora, fauna, and natural characteristics of various islands in this region of the Grand Line.

Tucked away within one small section was a passage describing a rare toxin extracted from a plant found only in the forests of the very island they’d just left.

Long ago, the island’s warriors had coated their weapons with it.

The poison was infamous because even the smallest scratch was enough.

The victim would appear perfectly fine at first.

Days later, horrifying symptoms would begin to emerge, ending in certain death if left untreated.

“Quick! I need a sample!”

Chopper bolted toward your bedside, ushering everyone out of the infirmary.

He hesitated only briefly before allowing Zoro to stay.

The little reindeer hurriedly prepared his instruments before carefully moving toward the wound.

“I’m sorry, Y/N…”

His voice trembled.

“This is going to hurt. But we’ll save you.”

“…Do you hear me?”

Tears blurred his vision as he searched your half-lidded eyes for any sign that you could still hear him.

Almost imperceptibly… you smiled.

Then gave the faintest little nod.

Without a word, Zoro tightened his grip around your hand.

By the time the anchor was dropped off the neighboring island and the sails had been lowered, the Straw Hats had already worked out a plan.

Chopper had compiled a list of every herb they would need, complete with careful sketches to help identify them.

“You have to be as fast as possible.” His voice wavered despite his best efforts to steady it. “Robin, Sanji, you’re looking for the Frostveil Bellflower. It looks like an ordinary daffodil, only slightly larger, but we need its root. You’re also searching for the Veinshadow Nightbloom. It resembles a dark violet, except its leaves and petals are shaped like aloe. You’ll find both deeper in the forest.”

He turned to the others.

“Luffy, Nami, Usopp, search the open fields and ask the locals if they’ve seen either the Cryofern Rose or the Venomspire Lily.”

His little hoof tapped anxiously against the floor.

“Don’t lose the drawings. We have to be absolutely certain.”

He looked down at the papers scattered across the desk.

“The best outcome would be finding all of them…”

His voice cracked.

“…but even one of these plants could make all the difference. Every minute matters.”

As he began folding the sketches with trembling hooves, Robin rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

She’d already memorized every single plant.

Not only the ones assigned to her and Sanji, but the others as well.

Just in case.

“We’ll bring back everything we find,” she said gently, her voice calm and unwavering. “As quickly as we can.”

Luffy adjusted his straw hat and gave a thoughtful nod before flashing the bright grin everyone needed.

“She’ll be okay before you know it! …Right?”

He walked over to your bed and cheerfully smacked a hand against your knee.

“Captain!”

A chorus of horrified voices immediately filled the infirmary once again, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of Zoro’s swords shifting ever so slightly in warning.

Your eyelids fluttered open just a fraction, enough for Luffy's grin to widen even further.

“We’re gonna be even faster than ya think! So hang in there, okay? You’d better be there to welcome us back!”

“I will,” you whispered, your voice rough and barely audible.

A tiny smile found its way onto your lips.

Your caring crew hurried to prepare for departure.

Usopp busied himself checking his ammunition, stuffing his arsenal of gadgets and improvised weapons into his satchel.

Nami spread a map across the table, carefully marking routes and possible search areas while assigning responsibilities.

Despite the obvious fear in his eyes, Usopp straightened his back and bravely declared that he'd question every local they came across if he had to.

At one point Sanji slipped out without a word.

When he returned several minutes later, he was carrying two wicker baskets and a backpack slung over one shoulder.

Nami frowned.

“…What’s all that?”

“Our supplies,” he replied, patting the backpack, though that much hardly needed explaining.

“And these…” He carefully placed the baskets on Chopper's reading desk. “…are for these two idiots.”

He nodded toward Zoro and the the reindeer.

“They'd forget to eat altogether if we left them to their own devices. This way they'll have everything within arm's reach.”

Only then did he turn to Chopper.

His voice softened immediately.

“I’ve already made enough soup to last our dear Y/N-swan three days. There are vitamin drinks in the refrigerator.”

It was his quiet way of lifting at least one burden from the shoulders of an overwhelmed doctor and a devastated swordsman.

At least they wouldn’t have to worry about cooking.

Sanji stepped over to your bedside and carefully tucked the blanket more securely around your shoulders, as though a little extra warmth could somehow chase the illness away.

“Don’t you worry, dear Y/N-swan. You’ll be back on your feet before you know it. We’ll make sure of it.”

His eyes drifted to Zoro, who had remained seated beside your bed all this time, rooted to the floor, the conversations around him barely reaching his ears.

Sanji rested a hand on his shoulder and gave it a brief, sympathetic squeeze.

“Come on, mosshead. Snap out of it. She's tough. We'll find everything and be back before you know it.”

The green-haired swordsman gave the faintest grunt.

It was his own peculiar way of acknowledging both the words and the gesture.

He’d memorized every herb himself, despite having no intention of leaving the ship.

Someone had to protect Chopper.

Someone had to protect the Merry.

Most importantly…

Someone had to stay with you.

He hated how utterly useless he felt.

Yet the thought of leaving your side—even for five minutes—not knowing whether he'd ever see you again, was unbearable. Worse than any agony he had endured, worse than every wound that had ever carved itself into his body.

His rough fingertips absentmindedly traced the delicate bones of your hand, gently rubbing his thumb over your fingertips as he silently blamed himself for everything.

Most of all for the fact that this wasn’t something he could simply cut down.

He would’ve carved a path through every forest on the Grand Line.

He would’ve burned the world itself, from the depths of hell to the highest heavens if it meant finding even one cure that could save you.

“I can’t go after it.”

His voice was barely above a whisper.

Even saying the words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“So I’m doing the only thing I can. I’m keeping you here until they bring it back.”

He swallowed hard against the lump tightening his throat.

“You hear me?”

His fingers closed around yours a little more firmly.

“You don’t leave before they get back.”

One by one, the crew turned toward the exit.

Each of them had spoken to you before leaving, offering encouragement, reassurance, hope.

Whether you could truly hear them or not didn’t matter.

They wanted you to know they’d do everything they could.

“We’ll be back soon!” Luffy called as he reached the door.

Then, for the first time since this nightmare had begun, another voice cut through the room.

“Bring back everything,” Zoro said without taking his worry-clouded eyes off you. “Even if you’re not sure it’s the right plant.”

The crew paused.

Nobody needed him to explain.

If there was even the slightest chance a plant could help…

Chopper would figure it out.

“Aye, aye!”

And with that, they broke into a run, disappearing from the deck into the island’s forests, leaving behind the quiet infirmary and the dear, weathered little ship that—for what felt like the first time ever—had fallen unnaturally silent.

No laughter.

No shouting or bickering.

No clatter from the kitchen.

No footsteps racing across the deck.

The Merry felt impossibly still.

Almost mournful.

As though even its little sheep figurehead had drawn its wooden mouth into a sorrowful frown and quietly wept alongside the crew.

Tiny hooves worked diligently, cleaning your wound as carefully as possible, trying to remove every trace of the poison before replacing the blood-soaked bandages with fresh ones.

The moment the white gauze came away, what little color remained in Chopper’s face vanished.

The strange discoloration had spread farther, while the darkened veins branching from it had only grown more pronounced.

At first glance, someone might have thought the wound was improving. It bled less than before.

But the wound itself told a far different story.

Barely conscious, you watched the little reindeer through heavy eyelids as he apologized every single time he had to touch the injury, knowing full well how much it hurt.

At Zoro’s insistence, Chopper hurriedly showed him exactly how to clean and redress it.

The swordsman was determined to do something.

Anything.

Even through the haze clouding your mind, you somehow found the strength to lift your hand and rest it atop the fluffy doctor’s hat.

That little reindeer…

You remembered the story he'd once told you—the loneliness, the rejection, the years he had spent believing he had no place in the world—and the moment you'd heard it, you'd known that if he ever chose to join your crew, you would do everything in your power to protect him.

Just as you had.

Your fingers weakly patted the top of his reddish-pink hat.

“…You always apologize. You don’t have to.”

Your gaze drifted toward the small window in the infirmary door.

Darkness had swallowed the sky.

Had you really slept through the entire day?

“…Did you two eat?”

A familiar click of the tongue answered you before words ever did.

Zoro carefully lifted a glass of water to your dry lips.

“Do you ever stop, woman?”

His calloused hands tilted the glass with surprising care, though not quite enough to keep a few stray drops from slipping down your chin.

You looked up at him.

Something about him felt…

Wrong.

Lost.

You’d never seen him look like that before.

“So... you didn’t.”

“We did.”

His answer came immediately.

“You wouldn't know. You were asleep.”

Brushing the damp strands of hair away from your face, he let the back of his fingers linger against your forehead long enough to check your temperature while Chopper quietly slid the thermometer into place once more.

“Think about yourself for a change. Tch. Just rest.”

He adjusted your pillow before settling back into the chair beside your bed.

Whether it was the gentle rocking of the Merry or simply the exhaustion weighing down every inch of your body, you couldn’t tell.

Warm, heavy drowsiness slowly settled over you once again, drawing you back into sleep's embrace.

When the thermometer finally chimed and displayed yet another disappointing number, neither of your boys said a word.

They merely let out quiet, weary sighs, and Chopper rested his head beside your legs.

The quiet scrape of wood against the floor broke the silence.

He looked up just in time to see Zoro opening one of the baskets Sanji had prepared before pushing it toward him.

“I’m not hungry,” Chopper murmured, barely audible.

His forehead still rested against the edge of your bed.

“You are.”

No answer.

“Chopper.”

Only the steady rhythm of waves against the hull.

“Eat.”

Zoro pulled out a sandwich and all but shoved it into the little doctor’s hooves.

“Or I’ll feed you myself.”

A pause.

“You know she’d be worried sick if she found out.”

Only after Chopper reluctantly took it did Zoro grab one for himself.

“Tch. Unbelievable. Even now she’s still nagging us about eating.”

His voice faded into little more than a whisper.

I’d sooner let the fires of hell swallow me whole…

Be forgotten by the world…

Lose every battle I’d ever fight…

…than never hear that nagging again.

It was the dead of night.

The hour sailors called the witching hour, when even the sea itself seemed to be asleep.

Zoro jolted awake from a dream he hadn’t even realized he’d fallen into, his heart still racing.

He’d been running as fast as his legs would carry him, chasing that damned pirate just as the bastard lunged toward you with his blade once again. He had been close enough to stop him—close enough that one more step would have done it—but the instant he swung, all three of his swords shattered into countless pieces, scattering across the ground before he could reach you..

He took a slow breath, forcing his pulse to settle, and looked up.

You were still there and breathing.

Reality, mercifully, had turned out kinder than the nightmare.

His hand still rested around yours.

Something else, however, weighed across his lap.

Warm.

Tiny.

Soft.

Blinking the last remnants of sleep away, he looked down.

Chopper had somehow curled up against him, fast asleep, his hat lying forgotten near Zoro’s feet.

…How did this even happen?

He honestly couldn’t remember.

Carefully rolling the stiffness from his neck, Zoro slid one arm beneath the little doctor and gently lifted him.

He froze for a moment when Chopper stirred.

But the reindeer only mumbled something unintelligible before settling again.

Zoro tucked him into the spare bed in the infirmary before quietly returning to your side.

He brought your cold hand to his lips, holding it just tightly enough to remind himself you were still there.

“You still owe me that rematch.”

His fingers slowly combed through your tangled hair.

“You cheated. You counted that punch after I told you it didn’t.”

He enclosed your hand between both of his, warming it with his own breath as though the two of you were stranded somewhere in the snow.

Idiot.

“Don’t you dare think I forgot.”

The bitter, slightly sour taste of another vitamin tonic still lingered on your tongue.

You could barely keep your thoughts together, though the clumsy way your green-haired brute of a boyfriend and your tiny, fluffy son fussed over you almost made you smile.

The moment you weakly gestured that you wanted water, they both jumped to their feet at the exact same time.

Before either of them reached it…

The Den Den Mushi rang.

Zoro picked up the receiver while Chopper hurried to bring you a fresh glass.

“Any luck?” Zoro asked quietly.

Static crackled.

“Not yet.”

“Keep looking.”

He hung up without another word before gently replacing the cold compress on your forehead.

The deep furrow between his brows hadn’t left in days.

Neither had sleep.

Chopper looked just as exhausted, dark circles settling beneath his small eyes.

“…Sorry…”

Both of them leaned toward you instantly.

“What?”

“…Trouble…”

Chopper broke first.

He buried his face against Zoro’s leg as quiet sobs shook his tiny body.

Zoro simply closed his eyes.

Absolutely typical.

Even now, you were apologizing.

The mountains in your chest rose with trembling effort before sinking again, as though each breath was saying its own reluctant farewell.

After setting aside the bowl of soup that had ended up spilled across the blankets far more than it’d ended up inside you, Chopper quietly sat beside your bed and watched your frail figure..

Life had become so much brighter after joining the Straw Hats.

After meeting you.

He had found safety beneath the wings of his new family, but most of all in your embrace, and against Zoro's broad chest—or, more often, behind his legs whenever danger appeared and instinct sent him running toward the strongest place he knew.

You read bedtime stories to him.

Made cookies together after persuading Sanji to let you take over the kitchen.

Prepared hot chocolate.

Patched up the little injuries he brushed off after training.

Comforted him after difficult days.

Wandered flower fields and collected medicinal herbs beside him.

Played with him until sunset.

Made him go to bed when he got lost in his studies.

Now…

He was the one caring for you.

Changing your bandages.

Replacing the cold compresses.

Counting every heartbeat.

He’d even tried reading the very book he’d brought the day you collapsed, hoping some part of you could still hear him.

The words never made it halfway down the first page.

His voice gave out.

His little body shook with tears.

“Oi.”

Zoro was beside him immediately.

“What happened?”

“I-I-if I’d n-noticed the cut sooner… We would’ve had hours... hours more to hel her. I f-f-failed her…”

“Don’t.”

The word came sharp.

Firm.

“No.”

Zoro blamed himself enough already.

There was nothing the kid could have done.

“We’ll make it.”

It sounded less like reassurance…

…and more like a prayer offered to whoever might still be willing to listen.

They hadn’t heard from the others by the time a storm rolled in.

Not that it mattered much. Shut away inside the infirmary, they barely noticed the rain hammering against the ship.

What frightened them far more was that, like the sea outside, you too had become restless.

You tossed restlessly beneath the blankets as beads of sweat rolled endlessly down your temples. Your body burned with fever, yet shivered uncontrollably, but that wasn’t the worst part.

What truly terrified them was when you began talking to people who weren’t there.

Reliving memories no one else could see.

Sometimes your voice turned bright.

Almost joyful.

You smiled with innocent happiness, speaking as though you were once again leading Chopper through a field of spring flowers on some long-forgotten island.

"Come on," you laughed softly, reaching into empty air. "Give me your hoof. Let's race to that tree over there."

Your hand missed him entirely as you tried to sit up, only for your boyfriend's strong arms to ease you gently back against the pillows.

Then, without warning...

...the dream became a nightmare.

“No… Please… Let him go!”

You shook your head frantically as tears streamed down your face.

Zoro and Chopper kept calling your name, trying to pull you back, but nothing reached you.

“I’ll do anything… Just let him go… No…”

Chopper couldn’t bear it anymore.

He broke down crying too.

Meanwhile Zoro stroked your arm, calling your name over and over, trying to gently shake you awake, speaking in a voice so impossibly soft that even he hadn't known he possessed it.

He had no idea how much time had passed while he held you against his chest, rocking you with slow, instinctive motions as Chopper clung silently to his leg.

Only after your breathing finally settled did he notice how violently his own hands were trembling.

Some time later, you drifted back to yourself just long enough to weakly beckon the little doctor closer.

“You’ll take care of everyone for me… right?”

Before Chopper could even react...

Zoro answered. Firmly and immediately.

“You aren’t going anywhere. So stop talking like that.”

He took your hand again, replacing the cold compress on your forehead with the other.

“Save your strength. Especially if you’re just going to keep saying crap like that.”

Afterward, he muttered a quiet apology under his breath before leaving to make yet another cup of tea from the herbs Chopper kept in the infirmary.

Maybe this one will help.

The storm inside his chest only grew fiercer.

Helplessness.

Fear.

Guilt.

Rage so fierce it barely fit inside him.

They had cornered him from every direction.

Before heading toward the galley, he stopped beside the ship's railing and drove his fist into the wood with all the strength he had.

The impact echoed through the empty deck.

It hurt.

But not nearly enough.

The little reindeer’s fluffy head had quite literally fallen into one of the medical books, finally defeated by the relentless pull of exhaustion.

The poor kid had done everything he possibly could. Every medicine had been administered on schedule, every bandage changed, every vitamin tonic and herbal remedy coaxed into you. Your fever had finally, stubbornly, come down a little, and your pulse had stabilized enough for him to breathe.

For what felt like the hundredth time, strong arms carefully lifted him from where he’d fallen asleep and carried him to the spare bed, tucking the blanket around him with all the clumsy care of someone terrified of waking him.

“He wore himself out,” your voice rasped quietly through the silence. “Both of you did.”

Zoro returned to his place beside you, lowering himself to one knee next to the bed as his calloused fingers brushed through your hair before tracing the increasingly pronounced curve of your cheekbone.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Gathering what little strength remained, you lifted a trembling hand and cupped his cheek.

“…Are you scared?”

“No.”

The answer came through gritted teeth.

“…Liar.”

A faint smile tugged at your lips.

“As if there’d be anything to fear. Those idiots will come barging back with the cure any minute now.”

“Zoro… if…”

“No.”

He cut you off immediately, refusing to hear whatever was coming next.

“If something…”

You tried again.

Two fingers came to rest lightly over your lips—not harshly, but with quiet resolve.

“Don’t waste your strength on things that aren’t happening.”

He drew in a slow breath, his gaze drifting upward for the briefest moment before returning to yours.

“You made me a promise. No backing out now.”

Across the room, Chopper stirred in his sleep.

His half-asleep ears twitched at the sound of your voices.

He didn’t dare move.

Didn’t dare make a sound.

“…I don’t know how to do this without you,” Zoro admitted quietly.

“You don’t get to…”

His voice faltered.

“We’re supposed to chase our dreams together. You promised all of us... You promised me... and the kid.”

The little reindeer’s ears slowly drooped against the pillow.

He squeezed his eyes shut, pretending to remain asleep so he wouldn’t interrupt.

Silence settled between the two of you.

Long enough that Chopper thought the conversation had ended.

“…Some protector.”

Zoro rested his forehead against the edge of your mattress.

“I always thought…” he murmured at last, lifting his head just enough for his eyes to settle on your intertwined fingers, holding them as though loosening his grip for even a heartbeat might somehow make you disappear, “…I always thought my job was to stand in front of the blade. The bullet. To take the hit instead of you.”

A bitter laugh escaped him.

“And it turns out I never even noticed the thing that was killing you while it was right in front of me.”

He closed his eyes.

“I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

Zoro had never been afraid of blood.

He’d spent years drenched in his own.

But yours…

Yours made something inside him seize.

Every bruise blooming beneath your skin, every tremor running through your body, every ragged breath you struggled to draw… he felt each of them as though the poison had chosen the wrong victim.

It should have been him.

It didn’t matter that fever had left your skin slick with sweat, or that you were too weak to lift your own head.

You were no less beautiful to him.

No less precious.

If anything, seeing you stripped of every defense only made the ache to protect you grow sharper.

When he finally looked up, there was nothing left in his eyes but unguarded truth.

“There isn’t a single thing this poison can do to you that would make me turn away.”

His voice remained low.

Steady.

“If you can’t walk, I’ll carry you. If you can’t eat, I’ll feed you. If you’re afraid…” his thumb brushed slowly across your knuckles, “then you’ll have someone to be scared with. If the fever makes you yell at me… if it makes you hate me… I’ll wait until it passes. And if you look at me and don’t remember who I am…”

He swallowed.

“…I’ll introduce myself all over again.”

Now he took both of your hands in his own, holding them with the desperation of a man who felt as though he were pleading with fate itself.

“Listen to me. I don’t care how much this hurts. I don’t care if you’re afraid. I don’t care if you’re tired.”

He slowly shook his head.

“Just hold on a little longer... Just a little longer, okay?”

His eyes wandered across your face as though trying to memorize every feature.

The thought angered him the instant it crossed his mind.

No.

He wouldn’t have to remember.

You were going to be here.

“You can’t leave now.”

The words came out softer than he’d intended.

“Not before they get back. Not before Chopper gives you the cure.”

He took another slow breath.

“After that…”

A tiny smile ghosted across the corner of his mouth before disappearing just as quickly.

“After that, you can yell at me for forcing all those disgusting medicines down your throat. You can tell me my tea tasted awful. You can tell me I panicked over nothing. I’ll even admit you were right about that one argument.”

His voice caught.

“And then… We’ll pick up right where we left off.”

He watched you for a long moment.

“I’m not finished with you yet. We’ve still got too much left to do. We still have stupid things to argue about. You still have to convince Chopper to take your side against me again. You still have to get on my nerves.”

His grip around your hand tightened.

“You still have to grow old with me.”

Only then did he realize what he’d said.

Yet there was no room left for embarrassment.

It was simply the truth.

The truth he’d needed you to hear.

His eyes lowered once more.

“So…”

He searched for the words for a long time.

“…don’t take that away from me.”

Dawn had yet to fully break over the bleak sea when the rest of the crew finally returned to the Merry, exhausted and desperate.

Zoro wasn’t sure exactly when the endless darkness of night had given way to the soft lilac hues that came just before sunrise, but the hurried pounding of feet against the wooden deck snapped him from his thoughts. Voices echoed through the ship, calling names, accompanied by a faint whistling sound that grew louder with every passing second.

Then the infirmary doors flew open as your filthy captain practically launched himself through them.

“Chopper!! We did it!”

He landed squarely on top of the little reindeer, knocking him onto the floor before Zoro could even react. A heartbeat later, the swordsman was already hauling Luffy back by the collar, ready to scold him for causing such a commotion and nearly flattening the very doctor you all depended on.

“Have you completely lost your damn mind?!” Sanji shouted as he rushed in right behind him, somehow managing to be just as loud despite yelling at Luffy to be quiet. “You can’t charge into an infirmary like that, you reckless idiot!”

The cook looked as exhausted as everyone else. His blond hair was full of leaves and tangled from pushing through the forest, dirt streaked across his clothes, but the moment he reached your bedside, all of that seemed to disappear.

“How’s our dear Y/N-swan holding up?” he asked quietly.

Zoro simply gave a small nod.

You’d held on.

Long enough for them to make it back.

One by one, the rest of the crew crowded into the room, each in varying states of disarray. Robin’s clothes had been snagged and torn by branches and thorns, Nami stood there breathing hard with windswept hair, while Usopp was practically covered in mud from head to toe.

“No time to waste!” Chopper cried, hurrying over to them, his eyes shining with hope. “What did you find?”

Robin and Nami immediately set two large sacks filled with herbs and flowers onto the table.

“We gathered everything that resembled the illustrations,” Nami explained. “And the locals suggested a few other plants they thought might help, so we brought those too. Everything we could find.”

Chopper didn’t wait another second.

His little hooves dove straight into the bags.

“Where’s the Bellflower? …Good. You brought the roots too? Excellent.” He looked up so suddenly that everyone nearly jumped.

“JUST TELL ME YOU DIDN’T WASH THEM!”

Robin calmly stepped beside him, instantly becoming his second pair of hands.

“These three belong together,” she said, sorting the plants with practiced precision. “The roots for these were separated… and Cook-san wrapped the Veinshadow Nightbloom individually. We barely managed to find this one. Apparently it’s out of season.”

Her steady presence settled the frantic atmosphere threatening to overwhelm the room almost immediately.

Meanwhile, Sanji had already thrown himself into preparing everything else.

After hastily washing the dirt from his hands, he placed a glass of water beside Chopper before rushing into the galley to boil water for sterilizing the knives and instruments. Bowls, mortar and pestle, cloths, every tool that might be needed for preparing the medicine was arranged within easy reach before anyone even thought to ask.

Nami quietly leaned toward Chopper.

“…Is it enough?”

The little doctor ran his hooves across leaves, examined roots, smelled flowers, compared every petal to the illustrations spread across the table.

Nobody dared speak.

Every pair of eyes remained fixed on him.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, his little ears lifted.

His eyes lit up.

A tiny smile spread across his face.

There was hope.

“…This is it.”

Usopp let out a laugh that sounded as though it had used the last of his strength before collapsing flat onto the floor with his arms behind his head.

“See?! I told you I’d find everything! It wasn’t easy, but…”

“YES!” Luffy cheered. “She’s saved! Sanji! Get the meat ready! That’ll cheer her up right away!”

For the first time in days, laughter almost found the room.

Almost.

Through it all, Zoro never left your side.

Your hand remained clasped securely in his as he silently waited for instructions.

At the worktable, Chopper had already begun.

He grated roots with painstaking precision, mixed resins and plant extracts together, heated them to exact temperatures inside tiny glass tubes before cooling them again, measuring every drop, every change in color, every shift in consistency. Robin silently passed him each instrument before he could ask, while Sanji adjusted the flame without ever interrupting the process.

Everyone wanted to help.

No one dared interfere.

Silence settled over the infirmary.

Glass gently clicked against glass.

Only short instructions broke the stillness.

“Mortar.”

“Knife.”

“More water.”

“Not that one.”

As Chopper carefully drew the finished medicine into a syringe, his hooves began to tremble.

The entire crew held its breath.

This was it.

If this didn’t work…

Sensing the little doctor’s fear, Zoro carefully supported you exactly as instructed before placing one steady hand on Chopper’s shoulder.

A silent promise.

I’m here.

Swallowing hard, Chopper uncovered the wound once more—darker now than ever before—and gently drove the needle beneath your skin.

Now…

All they could do was wait.

One minute passed.

Nothing.

Five.

Still nothing.

All the while, Zoro held your lifeless hand inside both of his, offering silent prayers he would never have admitted aloud.

Take anything from me.

Anything but—

Then…

Was that…

A pulse?

Or had he imagined it because he wanted it so desperately?

His head snapped upward, studying your face before his gaze dropped back to your joined hands.

One finger twitched.

Barely.

The slightest pressure against his palm.

His breath caught so sharply it almost hurt.

Warmth spread through his chest, melting away days of fear and guilt all at once.

He didn't think he'd ever known happiness that felt quite like this, nor gratitude so profound. Strange as it was, he found himself thankful even for the anguish that had brought him here, because without it, he might never have understood how precious this moment truly was.

Even the ache in his chest felt like something to treasure.

It was a feeling he'd never been good at expressing, yet one he suddenly never wanted to lose.

“…Chopper.”

His quiet voice drew every eye in the room toward him.

“…She's squeezing my hand.”

The sun finally rose over the Merry as she continued rocking gently upon the waves.

From somewhere on deck came a very familiar voice.

“YEAH!! TIME TO CELEBRATE! SANJI! BRING OUT THE MEAT!”

You were still asleep, but your temperature had finally stabilized, and the dark veins surrounding your wound had begun to recede.

That alone was enough for your exhausted crew to celebrate.

The ship gradually came back to life.

Everyone bustled about the deck and through the halls, tidying things, preparing food, talking louder than they had in days.

Only Zoro remained rooted beside your bed.

And Chopper, who constantly hurried between Robin and Sanji before rushing back to check on you again, unable to stop himself from making sure you were still breathing… still sleeping… still there.

Your green-haired swordsman waited for only one thing.

To see your eyes again.

To look into their familiar warmth one more time.

Only then would the weight crushing his chest finally lift.

He understood that the poison had drained every ounce of strength from your body and that you needed sleep more than anything.

Still…

He couldn’t help being impatient.

Just one look.

One smile.

Then maybe he could finally allow himself to sleep too.

His thumb absentmindedly stroked your hand, which was growing warmer by the hour.

He felt your fingers move.

“You’ll complain later that your back’s gone stiff,” you murmured, your voice rough with sleep though unmistakably brighter than before. “You should go lie down.”

A little color had finally returned to your cheeks.

Zoro was on his feet before he even realized he’d moved, still refusing to let go of your hand.

You couldn’t help laughing at how utterly lost he looked.

He finally collected himself before rolling his eyes.

“You scared the hell out of us, idiot.”

He knelt beside the bed again, gently placing your hand against his broad chest.

Only now…

Only now could he breathe again.

“I’m sorry.”

You smiled sheepishly.

“I didn’t even know what was happening.”

He clicked his tongue.

“Don’t apologize,” he muttered.

Your thumb traced absentmindedly over the thickened scar across his chest.

“From now on,” he said firmly, “you’re getting examined after every fight. I don’t care.”

“Deal.”

You smiled and then looked at him with quiet understanding.

“You were really worried, weren’t you?”

“Tch.”

His eyes wandered toward the chair across the room.

“Oh…”

You added almost casually.

“I accept., by the way”

“Huh?”

“The rematch.”

A teasing smile tugged at your lips.

“I still think that punch counted… but if you want another chance that badly, I’ll beat you again as soon as I’m out of bed.”

A quiet snort escaped him.

“Yeah? I'd like to see you try, idiot.”

You were teasing him again.

That alone was enough to convince him everything would be all right.

In that rare moment of privacy, relief washing over him now that everything had finally turned out all right, he lifted your hand to his lips and kissed it, lingering where your pulse beat beneath your skin, simply to feel that wonderful proof of life one more time.

“I missed y…”

Rapid little hooves pattered across the floor before the sentence could leave his mouth.

“Y/N-san!”

Chopper practically launched himself onto the bed, wrapping both little arms around yours and nuzzling against it with a relieved sob.

“I’m so happy you’re okay!”

Tears streamed freely down his cheeks.

“I-I-I was s-so scared…”

You gently wiped his face, smiling as you wrapped your free arm around him.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

That only made him cry harder.

“Z-Zoro didn’t sleep for t-three whole days… I thought…”

“Y/N-SWAAAN!! AN ANGEL HAS DESCENDED FROM THE HEAVENS! THE LIGHT OF THE GRAND LINE HAS RETURNED!”

Sanji burst through the door carrying your favorite dessert along with a beautifully arranged platter of fresh fruit, several pieces meticulously carved into little hearts.

With his free hand he shoved Luffy away, who was already reaching for one.

“I knew you’d be fine! I brought meat too!” Luffy beamed, triumphantly holding up an enormous drumstick while chewing on another.

You laughed again as Chopper pushed your captain away with both little hooves.

“She can’t have that yet! It’ll make her sick. She hasn’t eaten properly in days!”

“THAT’S EXACTLY WHY SHE NEEDS IT!”

Nami and Robin squeezed in beside you from Chopper’s side, effortlessly pushing Luffy even farther away.

“DON’T EVER SCARE US LIKE THAT AGAIN!” Nami snapped, eyes suspiciously bright despite the stern expression she was trying to maintain.

Robin simply smiled softly before patting your knee.

“You’re precious to all of us. We’ll have to take even better care of you from now on.”

“Good thing we made it back in time,” Usopp declared proudly, puffing out his chest.

“All thanks to Captain Usopp! Every local we met fell to their knees, offering rare medicinal plants to honor my unmatched bravery!”

“Oh, please. Give me a break.”

“Then I ventured deep into a deadly jungle, defeating every terrifying beast that dared stand in my way…”

“...There were only rabbits in that forest.”

The room gradually filled with louder laughter, overlapping voices, playful arguments, and the warmth of life returning exactly where it belonged.

You smiled wider and wider, overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible people surrounding you.

Your family.

Turning your head, you gently squeezed the hand your green-haired swordsman still refused to release.

His eyes were already drifting shut.

With his free arm, he carefully lifted Chopper, who had fallen asleep sitting beside the bed, settling the tiny doctor comfortably against his lap.

A tired smile crossed his face.

He pressed one last kiss against the back of your hand before leaning his head back.

Sleep claimed him almost instantly.

Still smiling, you reached for a nearby blanket and quietly draped it over both of your boys.

Then you settled back against your pillow, listening to the colorful chatter filling the room, every now and then glancing toward the two sleeping figures at your right.

Keeping your blades razor sharp.

Saving you a place beside him whenever he sat down.

Letting you rest against his shoulder during naps.

Sharing food. Sharing drinks.

He'd even let you use Wado Ichimonji—his most treasured sword—when the two of you trained together, trusting you enough to place it in your hands.

During every fight, he'd instinctively move toward your side, and the moment the battle ended, he'd look for you before anyone else.

If you were cold, you'd have his haramaki without hesitation. His jacket too, on the rare occasions he actually wore one.

And perhaps the greatest proof of affection he could offer: he let you tend to his injuries, even before Chopper.

That had to mean something.

At least... he hoped you knew it did.

There wasn't another soul alive with whom he'd willingly eat from the same plate, stealing bites from each other between quiet conversations.

There wasn’t another person he’d happily sit beside in comfortable silence for hours. The kind that somehow filled every empty space inside him.

You were the only person allowed to interrupt his training whenever you pleased.

You could even force him to take a bath.

In fact, Nami had realized something was seriously wrong several months before you started dating, when Zoro suddenly began bathing more regularly. He’d even asked her for money to buy deodorant and cologne at the next port.

If the two of you were going to spend so much time together, he wanted you to feel comfortable around him.

He told himself not to stare.

Not because he didn't want to, but because every glance made it harder to remember there was a world beyond you.

Looking away should have helped.

Instead, he carried your image with him all the same.

Now that the two of you had been together for a little while—not very long, but long enough—he wanted to express his feelings a little better.

The perfect opportunity presented itself when he overheard that the next few islands on your route would all be celebrating the beginning of summer with festivals.

For days he'd wrestled with the idea, trying to figure out how to make everything work.

Then he remembered a conversation he'd never admit to eavesdropping on, back when all of you were still relatively new crewmates.

It had been near the end of summer.

The Going Merry had docked at a lively little town celebrating its annual festival, overflowing with paper lanterns, music drifting through every street, food stalls packed shoulder to shoulder, and carnival games lining the square.

The day had been chaotic, as most days with the Straw Hats tended to be.

But also surprisingly peaceful.

No life-threatening disasters.

No Marines.

No bounty hunters.

Just your crew causing their own brand of mayhem, as per usual.

Luffy somehow managed to eat what looked like half the festival's food supply.

Usopp insisted on trying every carnival game he could find, losing each one with spectacular consistency while loudly claiming every booth was rigged.

Sanji disappeared within the first ten seconds, sprinting across town to flirt with every woman he passed, buying them snacks, winning stuffed animals for complete strangers and generally making a fool of himself.

Nami convinced you to browse the market stalls overflowing with pretty little trinkets—hairpins, ribbons, charms, and handcrafted jewelry.

Meanwhile, Zoro declared festivals "too damn noisy" and wandered a few paces behind everyone else.

Though somehow he always remained close enough to step in if trouble appeared.

By the time darkness settled over the sea and everyone returned to the Merry, the crew was completely exhausted.

Luffy and Usopp had collapsed almost immediately, completely worn out after burning through every ounce of energy they possessed.

Sanji stood in the galley washing dishes.

Zoro rested against the main mast, arms folded across his chest, eyes closed.

Or at least they appeared closed.

You and Nami sat near the railing with your legs dangling over the edge, listening to the waves in comfortable silence.

Then Nami glanced your way.

“You looked like you were having fun today.”

You smiled.

"More than I expected."

"I would've guessed festivals were your thing."

A soft laugh escaped you.

"Actually... I've only ever been to one. Maybe two. When I was a kid"

Nami turned toward you.

"Really? You seem exactly like the kind of person who’d love summer festivals."

You looked out over the moonlit sea.

"I don't dislike them... I just never really had the chance."

Your voice softened with nostalgia.

"I remember going on the first day of summer. It was my birthday, so after the celebration and family lunch they took me to the festival."

You smiled faintly.

"I don't remember many details. Just the feeling of it. The lanterns and all those lights. It felt magical. As if the sky had filled with fireflies and somehow come down to meet the earth."

For a moment, you seemed far away. Wrapped in memories.

Then you smiled and nudged Nami lightly.

"What about you? Summer festivals or winter ones?"

And just like that, the conversation shifted.

The two of you spent the next hour sharing stories, jokes, and memories while the ship rocked gently beneath the stars.

Throughout all of it, Zoro never opened his eyes, but he heard every single word.

Without realizing it, the first day of summer lodged itself somewhere deep in his mind.

Like a mark carved into stone.

He had no idea how important that memory would become almost a year later.

He had absolutely no intention of involving the rest of the crew.

They were far too loud.

Too chaotic.

Too likely to ruin everything.

Sanji would go completely overboard and somehow turn the entire day into a five-star romantic spectacle. The damned curly-brow would probably smother you under flowers, gourmet meals, and enough dramatic declarations to last a lifetime.

Luffy would eat all the food, including the cake.

The girls would steal you away for half the day.

Chopper, your greatest weakness and everyone’s favorite little reindeer, would have you cooing over him within minutes.

And Usopp… He would spend hours telling increasingly ridiculous stories until sunset.

No.

This wasn’t supposed to be everyone’s celebration.

It was supposed to be yours. Your day.

And his.

Preferably every year from now until the end of time.

The thought made his ears warm.

Tch.

Ignoring that entirely, Zoro decided he would put together something that would make you smile.

Something that would show you he could be thoughtful. Romantic, even. 

Though he’d rather swallow one of his swords than admit that part out loud.

For weeks, the human seaweed prepared himself mentally.

Ideas drifted endlessly through his mind as he worked through countless squats, push-ups, and sit-ups, while he drank sake or pretended to nap.

Perhaps you would enjoy spending some time in a bookstore, even though he knew next to nothing about books. Or maybe the beach. A cliff overlooking the sea. A meadow in bloom. The summer festival. A good restaurant.

The problem was that he wasn't an expert in any of those things, so, with a reluctance he would never admit aloud, he found himself listening in on conversations between his crewmates and even complete strangers in the street, hoping that someone might unknowingly offer the kind of suggestion he was searching for.

Unfortunately, he was still limited by two major problems.

The first was that he had no idea what the next island would look like.

The second was that he was Roronoa Zoro.

Navigation wasn’t exactly his strongest skill.

Why is this so damn difficult? 

I know her better than I know myself.

So how am I struggling this much over something this simple?

Yet Zoro approached the whole endeavor with the same quiet determination he had devoted to every promise he had ever made.

That he would become the greatest swordsman in the world.

That he would help his captain become the King of the Pirates.

And the promise he had never spoken aloud, yet carried just as seriously as the others: to remain by your side and do everything in his power to make you happy.

You had woken before dawn.

After quietly getting ready, you slipped out onto the deck to watch the sunrise.

Another year gone.

The horizon shifted faster than seemed possible, bleeding from crimson into gold, then soft pinks and violets before finally surrendering to blue. The colors melted into the sea until sky and water became impossible to separate. A cool breeze drifted across the deck, making you wish you’d thought to bring something warmer.

No sunrise was ever quite the same.

Suddenly, strong arms slipped around you from behind, warmth replacing the morning chill almost instantly.

“Out here before sunrise again.” Zoro rested his chin on top of your head. “Trying to get sick?”

His chin settled lightly on top of your head.

You smiled and leaned back into him, gently wrapping your hands around his forearms.

“You’re the last person who gets to lecture me. I’ve seen you walk around shirtless during snowstorms.”

A quiet snort escaped him.

“That’s different.”

“Oh?”

"I train for that."

You rolled your eyes.

After a brief silence, he grew thoughtful and then spoke again.

"We'll be docking soon."

You glanced up.

“Hm?”

“Get ready.” He paused. “We’re heading into town. Need supplies.”

That earned an immediate look.

It wasn't exactly unusual for people to restock when they reached an island.

But hearing Zoro volunteer so eagerly to help stock the ship… That was definitely new.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

The grin spreading across your face suggested otherwise.

"It’s just... I can’t help but wonder what possessed Nami and Sanji to send you on the supply run"

His eyebrow twitched.

“You don’t exactly radiate competence when it comes to finding your way anywhere,” you continued sweetly. “But I’m sure you’ll return with everything we need.”

A beat.

“Eventually.”

Zoro groaned.

You were impossible.

A pretty little menace.

You laughed as he lightly knocked his shoulder against yours before pulling you closer again. 

His ears were already burning.

“Just go get ready.”

When you stepped back onto the deck a little while later, Zoro forgot how to breathe.

A pale green summer dress flowed around your legs, scattered with flowers that deepened in color toward the hem. The fitted waist emphasized your figure, while your loose hair danced in the morning breeze, carrying the familiar scent of your perfume with it.

You looked beautiful.

For the second time that morning, the Straw Hats’ swordsman felt heat flood his face.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

A strangled noise erupted from across the deck.

“My loooooove!”

Sanji collapsed to his knees almost immediately.

Then, as if propelled by forces beyond mortal understanding, began floating toward you with hearts in his eyes and blood pouring from his nose.

“Heaven has blessed this ship!”

The next thing anyone heard was the unmistakable sound of Zoro’s fist connecting with his skull.

“Shut up.”

Then it was your turn to stare, blinking a few times just to make sure you weren’t seeing things.

Instead of his usual white shirt, haramaki, black trousers and boots, Zoro stood before you wearing dark jeans, a striped button-up shirt and, somehow even more shocking, actual shoes.

You walked up to him with a grin that stretched from ear to ear and wrapped both hands around his arm, openly admiring him.

“…Zoro.”

“Tch,” he grumbled, already flustered under your gaze.

“You look so handsome!” you exclaimed, staring at him openly, which did absolutely nothing to improve his current predicament. If anything, it seemed as though a flame had started climbing up his neck, swallowing his ears in its wake.

"...Tch."

"I mean it."

"Knock it off," his voice sounded strained.

You only smiled wider. Instead of listening, you stepped even closer until barely any space remained between you.

The fresh scent of citrus and clean white musk reached you. You leaned toward his neck, breathing it in for a moment.

His entire body froze.

"...Oi, what are you doing?"

Looking deep into his eyes, you gently brushed your lips against his cheek, then the corner of his mouth.

"I'm admiring my handsome boyfriend."

He cleared his throat. His heart felt ready to leap from his chest and sink straight to the bottom of the sea.

The swordsman then mumbled something incoherent, some secret Zoro language of which the two of you were the only fluent speakers.

"Quit talking nonsense," he muttered, "My haramaki needed washing, so... I just threw this on."

You couldn't help laughing softly.

It was such a painfully Zoro explanation.

Looking away, he took your hand gently, so gently that no one would have expected it from the green-haired brute. Then he looked at you again, something so sincere and delicate flickering behind his eyes. His thumb brushed across your knuckles before he lifted your hand and pressed a kiss against your shoulder.

“You look beautiful.”

The words came out quieter than usual.

Then, before you could recover enough to tease him, he averted his gaze once more and hurriedly tugged you along toward the gangplank, leaving behind a crowd of thoroughly entertained crewmates.

The tips of his ears still burned with heat the entire way.

The first place he took you was a small café near the harbor.

This came to the immense outrage of your cook, who had immediately launched into a tirade about your marimo neglecting and mistreating a lady after deciding the two of you should leave the ship as quickly as possible, before even touching the carefully prepared breakfast and coffee.

He sat with you, doing his best not to order sake first thing in the morning out of sheer nervousness.

You picked your favorite meal and a cup of coffee, contentedly taking in the little town from the outdoor seating area and enjoying the breeze drifting in from the nearby sea.

Zoro watched you, warmth filling his chest.

He hoped there would be many more mornings like this by your side.

Then he surveyed the shops around you. Hopefully there would be some of your favorites nearby. Bookstores. Clothing boutiques. Accessory shops. Ice cream parlors…

After you’d finally convinced him to try a bite of your sweet croissant, then brushed the crumbs from his chin and shirt, your fingers accidentally grazing your boyfriend’s muscular chest, already prickling with goosebumps, the two of you continued your walk.

“So,” you asked your swordsman, teasing him a little, “are we finally going to buy those incredibly urgent supplies?”

“Tch.”

He simply tugged you along in the direction he believed a bookstore might be.

Unfortunately, there seemed to be no end to the walking. After ending up in several dead ends, the two of you eventually passed a shop displaying a beautiful, flowing summer dress in its window.

You stopped to admire it.

Zoro noticed immediately.

"Let's go in."

"Hm?"

"Try it on."

You looked at him in surprise.

Shopping ranked somewhere below getting stabbed on his list of favorite activities, and you didn’t want to subject him to your endless outfit changes, indecisiveness, and the general chaos of the entire process.

"No, no, it’s fine," you said quickly. "I already own too many clothes."

He stared at you for a second before placing both hands on your shoulders and steering you toward the entrance.

“Yeah, right,” he snorted. “I don’t wanna hear any of that. Get in there.”

Then he opened the door.

"Inside."

You couldn't help laughing.

An hour later, the brave swordsman had survived approximately seventeen dresses, six skirts, several pairs of trousers and more indecision than any battlefield had ever thrown at him.

Each time you emerged from the changing room, he’d glance up and offer one of approximately three responses.

“It’s good.”

Or:

“Hn.”

Occasionally:

“Looks nice.”

Eventually, you folded your arms in annoyance.

"You're not even looking."

"I am."

"No, you're saying the same thing every time."

"...Because you look good in all of them."

The words slipped out before he could stop them and his ears immediately turned bright red.

"...Forget I said that."

Instead, you walked over, stood on your toes, and kissed him.

"I won't."

You even managed to force him into trying on a few shirts and pairs of pants himself.

Some items you selected without even making him try them, knowing that fitting clothes ranked somewhere between torture and undergoing surgery without anesthesia in Zoro’s personal hierarchy of suffering.

By the time you disappeared into the changing room to put your own clothes back on, your swordsman had already purchased everything you’d spent the longest looking at.

Including the dress from the window.

You emerged carrying your things only to discover several bags already waiting.

Your jaw dropped.

Zoro was always broke.

“…You bought them?”

“Yeah.”

“But that’s too much.”

You were already reaching for your money when he fixed you with a firm look.

“Put that away.”

“Zoro—”

“I wanted to.”

The certainty in his voice left little room for argument.

Confused, you immediately began calculating the astronomical interest rates Nami would inevitably charge him. Thankfully, you had long ago escaped her financial traps by learning to negotiate and extort with the same terrifying efficiency as the navigator herself.

“I’ve got my own stash,” he said.

He absolutely did not.

Did he?

Where would someone so utterly uninterested in money and worldly possessions, outside of fighting, sake and, perhaps—you dared to think—you, even find the motivation to save?

As though you weren’t confused enough already, he took your hand and gently pressed a kiss to your fingers.

“Come on. Let’s keep going.”

Then he turned away.

“What a lovely couple,” the shopkeeper sighed.

Zoro heard it.

His shoulders immediately stiffened, and he grumbled something embarrassed under his breath.

You exited a moment after him, having quickly purchased a few things for your boyfriend that you’d intended to buy from the moment you’d entered the store.

“And something for my strong boyfriend.”

Before he could react, you kissed him on the lips.

For what was certainly not the first time today, and definitely not the last, he blushed.

His brain immediately stopped functioning.

Then he started protesting.

This was your day.

He was supposed to be spoiling you.

Not the other way around.

As the two of you continued down the street, Zoro silently resolved that before the day was over, everything would go exactly as he’d planned.

And he would make it perfect.

After several more hours of wandering, getting lost, accidentally finding the bookstore, discovering a tea shop you immediately fell in love with, and rescuing an alarming number of animals, the two of you eventually came across a beautiful overlook.

The day was scorching.

Despite the fans, sunglasses, and constant searches for shade, the heat and sun had become unbearable.

Zoro spotted the ice cream stand first.

By now, he knew you were one of the biggest sweet tooths he’d ever met, especially when it came to this particular summer treat. Without a word, he disappeared into the line and returned carrying a cone stacked with five different scoops, each one a flavor he knew you loved.

Knowing you’d insist that he get something too, despite not being much of a dessert person himself, he’d picked a few citrusy and milder flavors for his own cone.

A few moments later, realizing your green-haired idiot had vanished somewhere, panic immediately set in. You turned in a slow circle, already wondering whether you’d have to spend the rest of the afternoon tracking him down.

Only on your final turn did you find him standing directly in front of you, holding out a cone filled with cold, sweet salvation.

You sighed dramatically with relief.

“My hero! My angel! Exactly what I needed to save me and bring me back from the dead in this heat.”

Once again, your words completely flustered him.

“Tch. You really do say whatever comes into your head.”

Placing a hand on the small of your back, he guided you toward a nearby bench beneath a tree. It sat in the perfect patch of shade at the overlook, giving you a wonderful view of the charming town spread out below.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched you happily work through your mountain of ice cream.

Your hand had found his without either of you thinking about it. And your fingers absentmindedly traced invisible patterns across his palm, gliding over the hardened calluses that years of swordsmanship had left behind.

“You know your ice cream’s gonna melt if you spend all your time staring at me” you teased. 

His ears immediately turned the color of paprika.

Without warning, he scooped a bit of ice cream from his own cone and dabbed it onto the tip of your nose.

“Hey!”

Before you could retaliate, he leaned closer.

One arm settled against the back of the bench behind you.

Then, in a move so uncharacteristically smooth it nearly short-circuited your brain, he closed the remaining distance and kissed the ice cream off your nose.

You froze.

Completely.

“Wh-what got into you all of a sudden?” you stammered, still trying to recover.

All he did was smile to himself, looking entirely too pleased with the effect he’d had on you, before returning to his cone.

Naturally, a few seconds later you dragged him into a battle to determine which of you could embarrass the other more.

Later, while browsing a stall filled with fragrant oils, perfumes, colognes, and scented waters, Zoro seized the opportunity and quietly slipped away to a few nearby shops to prepare another part of his surprise.

After sampling countless scents, you eventually chose a few for yourself, along with some for Nami and Robin after remembering they’d mentioned needing to restock.

Then you found one that reminded you of your boyfriend.

It smelled like earth after rain, fresh cedar, a hint of hinoki, and something clean, steady, and grounding.

Like him.

You were still considering it when a young boy approached, blushing furiously and staring somewhere around your shoulder rather than directly at you.

“You’re very pretty, miss,” he mumbled, holding out a flower. “This is for you.”

Your smile softened immediately.

“That’s so sweet of you. Thank you very much.”

Touched by the gesture, you accepted the flower and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

The poor child nearly launched himself back into the shop where he was apparently helping his parents.

The grumpy swordsman appeared at your side just in time to witness the entire thing.

The brat’s interfering with my day with Y/N.

He could have sworn he caught the little pest sneaking a victorious grin at him from behind the counter.

“Tch.”

The familiar click of his tongue echoed from somewhere between his teeth and sheer annoyance.

Sliding an arm around your waist, he pulled you closer and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Come on. Stop dawdling.”

As you followed him down the street, Zoro shot one last smug glance toward the shop.

Score settled.

After what felt like hours of aimless wandering through unfamiliar streets, gradually leaving the heart of the bustling town behind, accompanied by easy conversation, playful nudges, and long stretches of comfortable silence, the two of you finally came to a stop.

You had noticed the shopping bags in Zoro’s hands long ago, and some of them certainly hadn’t been there that morning. Every now and then your eyes drifted toward them, curiosity threatening to escape your lips, only for you to bite it back.

If he wanted you to know, he’d tell you. Until then, pretending not to notice somehow felt kinder.

The sounds of the festival slowly faded behind you, replaced by little more than birdsong and the whisper of wind through the trees. You had asked him twice where exactly he was taking you.

The first time he’d answered with an absent-minded grunt.

The second, he’d glanced over his shoulder, the faintest smile touching his lips.

“Almost there.”

Then the path opened before you.

Your steps faltered.

Rows upon rows of ancient wisteria trees stretched across the hillside, their sweeping branches draped in cascading curtains of violet blossoms. The afternoon breeze stirred them gently, sending petals drifting lazily through the air.

Beneath them, an endless meadow of wildflowers swayed in the golden light. The entire landscape looked almost unreal.

“…Zoro.”

He wasn’t looking at the view.

He was watching you.

Good.

That expression alone made every awkward question he’d asked the locals worth it.

For a long moment neither of you moved. The breeze carried the scent of blossoms between you.

Finally, Zoro shifted the bags onto one shoulder.

“…Stay here for a minute.”

Before you could ask what he meant, he disappeared beneath the hanging wisteria branches.

You watched him kneel in the grass and begin unpacking the bags you’d been pretending not to notice all afternoon.

Carefully, he spread a blanket across the ground.

Fresh pastries, fruit, meats, and little appetizers filled the blanket, along with your favorite drinks. For you, he’d chosen a carefully selected sweet fruit wine. For himself, he opened a bottle of sake.

Only after arranging everything exactly the way he wanted did he look back at you.

“…Come here.”

He held out a hand and carefully helped you lower yourself onto the blanket before sitting down beside you.

“…You put all of this together yourself?” you asked.

Your eyes shone, and the smile on your face was the kind that appeared when you weren’t even aware you were smiling, when happiness had simply become too great to hide and spilled onto your features all on its own.

A faint blush crept across his cheeks.

He cleared his throat.

“Well… I definitely didn’t make the food myself.”

You moved even closer, wrapping your arms around him.

Compared to him, your frame felt so small and soft, fitting against him as though you had always belonged there.

His favorite feeling.

“What was all this for?” you asked quietly.

“’Cause I wanted to.”

Zoro looked into your eyes. Those eyes he could never quite stop looking at.

The backs of his fingers brushed your cheek before tracing gently across your lips.

“I just wanted to.”

The answer hit harder than any grand declaration ever could.

Overcome by affection and happiness, you tightened your embrace and sent both of you tumbling backward into the grass.

“…Hn!”

Nestling your face against his neck, you squeezed him tighter.

Then you lifted your head and began peppering him with kisses.

“You’re wonderful!”

A kiss landed on one warm cheek.

Then the other.

His eyebrows pulled together in surprise and mock annoyance as you continued.

Beneath his eyes.

Across his eyelids.

His forehead.

His chin.

Finally, you paused just above his lips.

“I love you so much.”

The words were little more than a whisper. Then you kissed him, pouring every feeling you couldn’t properly express into the gesture.

His arms immediately found your waist. Sometimes they slid down your arms instead, his rough hands stroking your skin in slow, absent-minded motions.

For a moment he simply held you there.

Then he shifted and rolled the two of you over until you were the one pinned gently beneath him.

Before claiming your lips again, he leaned down and pressed a kiss against your neck.

He knew exactly how ticklish you were.

The resulting laugh burst from your throat immediately as you squirmed and shoved at his shoulders.

“Zoro!”

Satisfied with his small act of revenge, he finally relented.

His lips hovered just above yours.

“I love you more.”

And then he kissed you again.

When you finally pulled apart, both of you a little breathless, Zoro muttered something about eating before all the food and drinks got warm.

Reluctantly, you sat back up.

You attempted to smooth out your dress and fix your hair.

Without comment, Zoro reached over and removed a stray flower and several blades of grass from it.

The day already felt perfect.

More perfect than you’d thought possible.

Later, after you’d both eaten your fill and settled into the peaceful atmosphere, Zoro sat quietly drinking sake and watching you while you carefully wove a flower crown.

Once it was finished, you proudly placed atop his head.

He looked less than thrilled.

Or at least he would never admit otherwise.

Yet he didn’t take it off.

After finishing his sake, he decided to make one for you as well.

His fingers, so skilled with swords, proved considerably less talented when it came to flower crowns. Despite choosing the prettiest blossoms he could find and concentrating harder than he’d care to admit, the thing stubbornly refused to look the way he’d imagined.

You, meanwhile, were completely charmed.

Smiling.

Flattered.

Hopelessly in love with this green-haired grump and his heart of gold.

When he finally handed over the somewhat lopsided creation, you accepted it as though it were the finest crown ever made.

Then you proudly placed it atop your own head.

Leaning back, you rested against his chest.

His arms naturally settled around your waist as the two of you watched the sunset paint the world in shades of gold, violet, and rose.

“This was the most beautiful day,” you said softly.

His fingers threaded through your hair.

Then drifted to your shoulder and neck, tracing slow, absent-minded circles against your skin.

For a moment he said nothing.

Then, without taking his eyes off the horizon, he replied:

“…The day’s not over yet.”

Neither of you noticed how much time had passed until the sunlight filtering through the wisteria began to deepen into richer shades of gold.

The shadows stretched lazily across the meadow, and petals still drifted on every passing breeze, though fewer now than before.

Eventually, Zoro rose to his feet.

“We should head back.”

You looked up at him, reluctant to leave.

“…Already?”

His heart tightened a little. He didn’t want to rush you.

But there was still one last part of his plan left.

“The festival will be starting soon.”

You smiled and took the hand he offered without a second thought.

The walk back felt different.

Quieter.

Not because there was nothing left to say, but because neither of you felt any need to fill the silence anymore.

Walking side by side, neither of you removed your flower crowns. At one point, you considered reminding your swordsman that he was still wearing his. He had probably forgotten about it entirely.

Apparently not.

“I wear what I wear,” he said when you brought it up. “If somebody’s got a problem with it, they can tell me.”

In some unfamiliar village at the edge of the world, one of dozens he’d passed through in his life, anyone foolish enough to mock him for wearing a flower crown would become intimately acquainted with the sharp edge of his sword.

The bags in Zoro’s hand swayed with each step. You walked beside him, brushing your fingertips through the wildflowers one last time before the meadow disappeared behind the trees.

Without a word, your boyfriend slipped his free hand into yours and laced your fingers together.

As the town slowly came back into view, so did its sounds.

At first there was only distant laughter.

Then music.

Then voices spilling through narrow streets.

By the time you passed beneath the first lantern hanging overhead, daylight had almost completely surrendered.

One by one, paper lanterns flickered to life, bathing the streets in warm shades of amber and crimson. They hung from rooftops, stretched between market stalls, swayed above bridges, until the entire town seemed wrapped in a quiet constellation of golden light.

The evening had only just begun.

As you walked through the glowing streets, staring in wonder at everything around you, much to the delight of your gruff swordsman, who seemed to gain strength simply from watching you happy, something suddenly caught your eye.

“Zoro!”

His gaze followed yours.

A photo booth stood near the edge of the square.

Nothing particularly impressive, but strips of paper lanterns hung from its roof, fluttering in the evening breeze.

A grin spread across your face.

“We have to.”

You squeezed the muscle of his arm where your hand rested.

One eyebrow rose.

“…Do what?”

“Take pictures.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Please?”

Those irresistible eyes should’ve been classified as a weapon.

“Tch.”

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed your wrist and headed straight toward the booth, dragging both you and himself along with equal resignation.

He would agree to almost anything for your smile.

Not that he’d ever admit it.

Not even to you.

Who knew what kind of evil you’d accomplish with that knowledge, you little menace.

Inside, the booth was absurdly small.

Your shoulders touched immediately.

A small light began blinking.

Above the camera, a sign lit up.

Three…

You weren’t ready.

Though you were having far too much fun to care.

He definitely wasn’t ready.

Two…

You burst out laughing because he was standing so stiffly he looked like a man awaiting execution.

Flower crown and all.

He shot you a mildly panicked glance.

One…

The flash went off just as you turned toward him, still laughing.

Another countdown began.

This time, you deliberately bumped your shoulder against his.

He looked down at you.

And a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Just a little one.

The kind reserved only for you. Watching you like this. So happy. So playful.

Then came the final picture.

Without warning, you pressed yourself against his side and kissed him.

He practically bristled like a startled cat.

His eyes widened and cheeks turned bright red, matching several of the flowers woven into his crown.

Then, just as quickly, he relaxed and kissed you back.

The machine whirred.

A moment later, two identical photo strips slid from the slot below.

Before you could tuck them away, Zoro quietly took one from your hand.

“…Keep the other.”

You blinked.

“For yourself.”

It wasn’t quite a request, nor was it an order.

Just something he wanted.

Something unexpectedly earnest.

“You’ll want it someday.”

The words escaped before he could stop them.

Almost immediately, he looked away, as though annoyed with himself for saying so much.

But you noticed.

Zoro didn’t speak like that unless he meant every word.

What a ridiculous man.

What a wonderful man.

You smiled to yourself and tucked yourself against his side once more as the two of you continued walking.

There wasn’t a force in the world strong enough to quiet the frantic beating of your heart.

You continued wandering for a little while longer as the crowds gradually began to thin.

Eventually, the two of you came upon a square where people were writing wishes on floating lanterns before releasing them into the night sky. Thousands of tiny lights, each marked with different handwriting, carried wishes, promises, and hopes upward into the heavens, drifting along the river or simply hovering in the warm summer air.

“Want to write one?” your boyfriend asked, his gaze lingering on you.

You looked around at the lanterns floating overhead. 

“Do you?”

Zoro exhaled softly.

“…Suppose so.”

You wrote a simple birthday wish. Maybe something playful at first, though it turned sentimental by the end. 

Truthfully, you weren’t sure what else there was left to wish for. It was hard to think of anything when you were already so happy, surrounded by everything you could have ever dreamed of.

You had freedom, wonderful friends you could call family.

And most of all… you had him. 

A wonderful boyfriend who filled your life with a sense of trust and peace so profound that you hadn’t known such loyalty could exist anywhere in the world.

Zoro, meanwhile, took much longer.

He stared at the blank paper for what felt like an eternity, which naturally gave you plenty of opportunity to tease him.

“Didn’t know you had so much to wish for.”

He snorted.

Zoro wasn’t the type to make wishes. He worked for what he wanted. Always had.

Still, your beloved marimo eventually wrote something down, carefully and deliberately, before folding the paper shut before you could catch a glimpse.

“You don’t get to read it.”

You pouted and immediately tried to steal it.

He effortlessly held it just out of reach.

Then, before you could protest further, he leaned down and kissed you softly.

The argument died a swift and tragic death.

Together, you released your lanterns into the night.

You watched them drift higher and higher until they joined the countless others above.

Before long, Zoro’s gaze left the lanterns and settled on you instead, bathed in golden light and for a moment the entire festival seemed to disappear around you. The music faded into the distance, the crowd blurred into nothing, and all he could see was the woman standing beside him.

Beautiful beyond reason.

The most precious thing in his world.

And for a moment, watching you smile at the sky, he thought that perhaps his wish had already come true.

A few minutes later, he suddenly took your hand and gently led you away from the music, away from the laughter and crowd, until the sounds of the festival became little more than a pleasant murmur behind you.

Far enough that it felt like the two of you were alone again.

Only then did he stop beneath the warm glow of a lone lantern hanging from a wooden post.

For a second, neither of you spoke.

Then Zoro reached into the bag he’d been carrying all day.

Your curiosity immediately sharpened.

One by one, he began pulling things out.

A bouquet of flowers.

A few thoughtful keepsakes he'd quietly collected throughout the day.

A new weapon you’d been complaining about for weeks that you needed to replace. Your breath caught when you noticed the engraving: your initials beside his.

"...Zoro..."

And finally…

A delicate silver bracelet.

Tiny stones shimmered in the lantern light, but what caught your attention was the charm dangling from it.

It was almost identical to the three earrings he never took off.

You stared, speechless.

Then carefully turned it over.

Engraved on the back were two simple words:

Found you.

“…You found me?” you asked with a laugh, your head spinning from surprise and excitement.

He immediately looked away, scratching the back of his neck.

"...Yeah."

You fastened it around your wrist at once and held it up to admire it, completely radiant.

The sight nearly did him in.

Zoro’s heart swelled so much he thought it might climb straight into his throat and launch itself into the night sky alongside the lanterns.

Only after you’d had a moment to process everything did he finally look at you again.

And with all the awkward sincerity of a man who had spent the entire day saying I love you without ever using those words, he finally said the one sentence you’d been waiting for without expecting it in the slightest.

“Happy birthday.”

Your breath caught. Completely stunned.

Your eyes widened as you stared at him, lips parting to speak, yet no sound came.

Zoro shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck again.

Then, almost reluctantly, explained:

“You mentioned it once. To Nami. That you were born on the first day of summer.”

You stared at him.

Remembering a birthday wasn’t unusual when people talked about it often.

When it was announced weeks ahead of time.

When everyone reminded each other.

But carrying that tiny piece of information for months, maybe almost a year or more? Through storms, battles, islands, and endless voyages across the Grand Line?

Among all the noise and chaos of your lives, one offhand thing you’d said long ago, something no one else had even thought twice about, had remained lodged in his mind all this time.

And somehow he still expected you to treat this as though it were completely ordinary.

As though this was a small thing.

You looked at him differently than ever before.

Your heart felt impossibly full, overflowing with love, tenderness, and complete astonishment.

You knew Zoro.

Or at least you had believed you did.

Yet somehow you'd overlooked just how deeply kind he was. How there was still so much tenderness hidden inside him that even after all this time, you occasionally forgot just how good he truly was.

At least when it came to you.

“I love you so much, you idiot.”

Your eyes filled with tears as you buried your face against his broad chest.

The swordsman laughed quietly as relief washed through him at last.

Everything had gone exactly the way he’d hoped.

The weight he'd been carrying for weeks finally slipped from his shoulders.

“This was the most beautiful day of my life,” you admitted. “Just spending it with you would’ve been enough. You didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”

True to form, Zoro clicked his tongue.

“Tch. Spending the day with you? That was for me.”

You lifted your head to look at him.

His ears looked impossibly red against his green hair.

“The gifts,” he continued, pulling you closer until there wasn’t even an inch between you, “that’s something for you.”

His forehead rested lightly against yours.

“A way of saying that no matter how dumb or oblivious I look sometimes…”

His voice softened.

“…I’m here.”

His hand settled over yours.

“I listen.”

The silver bracelet glimmered between your joined hands.

“And I love you.”

A pause.

The faintest blush spread across his cheeks.

“More than anything.”

The eyes that always carried such strength and certainty softened as they looked into yours.

Your lips found each other in a gentle kiss.

A slow one.

The kind made from longing, affection, gratitude, happiness, and all the things words failed to carry.

Around you, lanterns continued to rise. Thousands of them.

Carrying hopes, promises, dreams and wishes.

Including his.

Somewhere above the town, drifting higher beneath the stars, floated a lantern containing the wish he’d guarded all evening.

Not a wish to become the world’s strongest swordsman.

Not a wish to defeat Mihawk.

Nothing like that.

Among the stars floated a lantern carrying a single wish, written carefully in his uneven handwriting:

Keeping your blades razor sharp.

Saving you a place beside him whenever he sat down.

Letting you rest against his shoulder during naps.

Sharing food. Sharing drinks.

He'd even let you use Wado Ichimonji—his most treasured sword—when the two of you trained together, trusting you enough to place it in your hands.

During every fight, he'd instinctively move toward your side, and the moment the battle ended, he'd look for you before anyone else.

If you were cold, you'd have his haramaki without hesitation. His jacket too, on the rare occasions he actually wore one.

And perhaps the greatest proof of affection he could offer: he let you tend to his injuries, even before Chopper.

That had to mean something.

At least... he hoped you knew it did.

There wasn't another soul alive with whom he'd willingly eat from the same plate, stealing bites from each other between quiet conversations.

There wasn’t another person he’d happily sit beside in comfortable silence for hours. The kind that somehow filled every empty space inside him.

You were the only person allowed to interrupt his training whenever you pleased.

You could even force him to take a bath.

In fact, Nami had realized something was seriously wrong several months before you started dating, when Zoro suddenly began bathing more regularly. He’d even asked her for money to buy deodorant and cologne at the next port.

If the two of you were going to spend so much time together, he wanted you to feel comfortable around him.

He told himself not to stare.

Not because he didn't want to, but because every glance made it harder to remember there was a world beyond you.

Looking away should have helped.

Instead, he carried your image with him all the same.

Now that the two of you had been together for a little while—not very long, but long enough—he wanted to express his feelings a little better.

The perfect opportunity presented itself when he overheard that the next few islands on your route would all be celebrating the beginning of summer with festivals.

For days he'd wrestled with the idea, trying to figure out how to make everything work.

Then he remembered a conversation he'd never admit to eavesdropping on, back when all of you were still relatively new crewmates.

It had been near the end of summer.

The Going Merry had docked at a lively little town celebrating its annual festival, overflowing with paper lanterns, music drifting through every street, food stalls packed shoulder to shoulder, and carnival games lining the square.

The day had been chaotic, as most days with the Straw Hats tended to be.

But also surprisingly peaceful.

No life-threatening disasters.

No Marines.

No bounty hunters.

Just your crew causing their own brand of mayhem, as per usual.

Luffy somehow managed to eat what looked like half the festival's food supply.

Usopp insisted on trying every carnival game he could find, losing each one with spectacular consistency while loudly claiming every booth was rigged.

Sanji disappeared within the first ten seconds, sprinting across town to flirt with every woman he passed, buying them snacks, winning stuffed animals for complete strangers and generally making a fool of himself.

Nami convinced you to browse the market stalls overflowing with pretty little trinkets—hairpins, ribbons, charms, and handcrafted jewelry.

Meanwhile, Zoro declared festivals "too damn noisy" and wandered a few paces behind everyone else.

Though somehow he always remained close enough to step in if trouble appeared.

By the time darkness settled over the sea and everyone returned to the Merry, the crew was completely exhausted.

Luffy and Usopp had collapsed almost immediately, completely worn out after burning through every ounce of energy they possessed.

Sanji stood in the galley washing dishes.

Zoro rested against the main mast, arms folded across his chest, eyes closed.

Or at least they appeared closed.

You and Nami sat near the railing with your legs dangling over the edge, listening to the waves in comfortable silence.

Then Nami glanced your way.

“You looked like you were having fun today.”

You smiled.

"More than I expected."

"I would've guessed festivals were your thing."

A soft laugh escaped you.

"Actually... I've only ever been to one. Maybe two. When I was a kid"

Nami turned toward you.

"Really? You seem exactly like the kind of person who’d love summer festivals."

You looked out over the moonlit sea.

"I don't dislike them... I just never really had the chance."

Your voice softened with nostalgia.

"I remember going on the first day of summer. It was my birthday, so after the celebration and family lunch they took me to the festival."

You smiled faintly.

"I don't remember many details. Just the feeling of it. The lanterns and all those lights. It felt magical. As if the sky had filled with fireflies and somehow come down to meet the earth."

For a moment, you seemed far away. Wrapped in memories.

Then you smiled and nudged Nami lightly.

"What about you? Summer festivals or winter ones?"

And just like that, the conversation shifted.

The two of you spent the next hour sharing stories, jokes, and memories while the ship rocked gently beneath the stars.

Throughout all of it, Zoro never opened his eyes, but he heard every single word.

Without realizing it, the first day of summer lodged itself somewhere deep in his mind.

Like a mark carved into stone.

He had no idea how important that memory would become almost a year later.

He had absolutely no intention of involving the rest of the crew.

They were far too loud.

Too chaotic.

Too likely to ruin everything.

Sanji would go completely overboard and somehow turn the entire day into a five-star romantic spectacle. The damned curly-brow would probably smother you under flowers, gourmet meals, and enough dramatic declarations to last a lifetime.

Luffy would eat all the food, including the cake.

The girls would steal you away for half the day.

Chopper, your greatest weakness and everyone’s favorite little reindeer, would have you cooing over him within minutes.

And Usopp… He would spend hours telling increasingly ridiculous stories until sunset.

No.

This wasn’t supposed to be everyone’s celebration.

It was supposed to be yours. Your day.

And his.

Preferably every year from now until the end of time.

The thought made his ears warm.

Tch.

Ignoring that entirely, Zoro decided he would put together something that would make you smile.

Something that would show you he could be thoughtful. Romantic, even. 

Though he’d rather swallow one of his swords than admit that part out loud.

For weeks, the human seaweed prepared himself mentally.

Ideas drifted endlessly through his mind as he worked through countless squats, push-ups, and sit-ups, while he drank sake or pretended to nap.

Perhaps you would enjoy spending some time in a bookstore, even though he knew next to nothing about books. Or maybe the beach. A cliff overlooking the sea. A meadow in bloom. The summer festival. A good restaurant.

The problem was that he wasn't an expert in any of those things, so, with a reluctance he would never admit aloud, he found himself listening in on conversations between his crewmates and even complete strangers in the street, hoping that someone might unknowingly offer the kind of suggestion he was searching for.

Unfortunately, he was still limited by two major problems.

The first was that he had no idea what the next island would look like.

The second was that he was Roronoa Zoro.

Navigation wasn’t exactly his strongest skill.

Why is this so damn difficult? 

I know her better than I know myself.

So how am I struggling this much over something this simple?

Yet Zoro approached the whole endeavor with the same quiet determination he had devoted to every promise he had ever made.

That he would become the greatest swordsman in the world.

That he would help his captain become the King of the Pirates.

And the promise he had never spoken aloud, yet carried just as seriously as the others: to remain by your side and do everything in his power to make you happy.

You had woken before dawn.

After quietly getting ready, you slipped out onto the deck to watch the sunrise.

Another year gone.

The horizon shifted faster than seemed possible, bleeding from crimson into gold, then soft pinks and violets before finally surrendering to blue. The colors melted into the sea until sky and water became impossible to separate. A cool breeze drifted across the deck, making you wish you’d thought to bring something warmer.

No sunrise was ever quite the same.

Suddenly, strong arms slipped around you from behind, warmth replacing the morning chill almost instantly.

“Out here before sunrise again.” Zoro rested his chin on top of your head. “Trying to get sick?”

His chin settled lightly on top of your head.

You smiled and leaned back into him, gently wrapping your hands around his forearms.

“You’re the last person who gets to lecture me. I’ve seen you walk around shirtless during snowstorms.”

A quiet snort escaped him.

“That’s different.”

“Oh?”

"I train for that."

You rolled your eyes.

After a brief silence, he grew thoughtful and then spoke again.

"We'll be docking soon."

You glanced up.

“Hm?”

“Get ready.” He paused. “We’re heading into town. Need supplies.”

That earned an immediate look.

It wasn't exactly unusual for people to restock when they reached an island.

But hearing Zoro volunteer so eagerly to help stock the ship… That was definitely new.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

The grin spreading across your face suggested otherwise.

"It’s just... I can’t help but wonder what possessed Nami and Sanji to send you on the supply run"

His eyebrow twitched.

“You don’t exactly radiate competence when it comes to finding your way anywhere,” you continued sweetly. “But I’m sure you’ll return with everything we need.”

A beat.

“Eventually.”

Zoro groaned.

You were impossible.

A pretty little menace.

You laughed as he lightly knocked his shoulder against yours before pulling you closer again. 

His ears were already burning.

“Just go get ready.”

When you stepped back onto the deck a little while later, Zoro forgot how to breathe.

A pale green summer dress flowed around your legs, scattered with flowers that deepened in color toward the hem. The fitted waist emphasized your figure, while your loose hair danced in the morning breeze, carrying the familiar scent of your perfume with it.

You looked beautiful.

For the second time that morning, the Straw Hats’ swordsman felt heat flood his face.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

A strangled noise erupted from across the deck.

“My loooooove!”

Sanji collapsed to his knees almost immediately.

Then, as if propelled by forces beyond mortal understanding, began floating toward you with hearts in his eyes and blood pouring from his nose.

“Heaven has blessed this ship!”

The next thing anyone heard was the unmistakable sound of Zoro’s fist connecting with his skull.

“Shut up.”

Then it was your turn to stare, blinking a few times just to make sure you weren’t seeing things.

Instead of his usual white shirt, haramaki, black trousers and boots, Zoro stood before you wearing dark jeans, a striped button-up shirt and, somehow even more shocking, actual shoes.

You walked up to him with a grin that stretched from ear to ear and wrapped both hands around his arm, openly admiring him.

“…Zoro.”

“Tch,” he grumbled, already flustered under your gaze.

“You look so handsome!” you exclaimed, staring at him openly, which did absolutely nothing to improve his current predicament. If anything, it seemed as though a flame had started climbing up his neck, swallowing his ears in its wake.

"...Tch."

"I mean it."

"Knock it off," his voice sounded strained.

You only smiled wider. Instead of listening, you stepped even closer until barely any space remained between you.

The fresh scent of citrus and clean white musk reached you. You leaned toward his neck, breathing it in for a moment.

His entire body froze.

"...Oi, what are you doing?"

Looking deep into his eyes, you gently brushed your lips against his cheek, then the corner of his mouth.

"I'm admiring my handsome boyfriend."

He cleared his throat. His heart felt ready to leap from his chest and sink straight to the bottom of the sea.

The swordsman then mumbled something incoherent, some secret Zoro language of which the two of you were the only fluent speakers.

"Quit talking nonsense," he muttered, "My haramaki needed washing, so... I just threw this on."

You couldn't help laughing softly.

It was such a painfully Zoro explanation.

Looking away, he took your hand gently, so gently that no one would have expected it from the green-haired brute. Then he looked at you again, something so sincere and delicate flickering behind his eyes. His thumb brushed across your knuckles before he lifted your hand and pressed a kiss against your shoulder.

“You look beautiful.”

The words came out quieter than usual.

Then, before you could recover enough to tease him, he averted his gaze once more and hurriedly tugged you along toward the gangplank, leaving behind a crowd of thoroughly entertained crewmates.

The tips of his ears still burned with heat the entire way.

The first place he took you was a small café near the harbor.

This came to the immense outrage of your cook, who had immediately launched into a tirade about your marimo neglecting and mistreating a lady after deciding the two of you should leave the ship as quickly as possible, before even touching the carefully prepared breakfast and coffee.

He sat with you, doing his best not to order sake first thing in the morning out of sheer nervousness.

You picked your favorite meal and a cup of coffee, contentedly taking in the little town from the outdoor seating area and enjoying the breeze drifting in from the nearby sea.

Zoro watched you, warmth filling his chest.

He hoped there would be many more mornings like this by your side.

Then he surveyed the shops around you. Hopefully there would be some of your favorites nearby. Bookstores. Clothing boutiques. Accessory shops. Ice cream parlors…

After you’d finally convinced him to try a bite of your sweet croissant, then brushed the crumbs from his chin and shirt, your fingers accidentally grazing your boyfriend’s muscular chest, already prickling with goosebumps, the two of you continued your walk.

“So,” you asked your swordsman, teasing him a little, “are we finally going to buy those incredibly urgent supplies?”

“Tch.”

He simply tugged you along in the direction he believed a bookstore might be.

Unfortunately, there seemed to be no end to the walking. After ending up in several dead ends, the two of you eventually passed a shop displaying a beautiful, flowing summer dress in its window.

You stopped to admire it.

Zoro noticed immediately.

"Let's go in."

"Hm?"

"Try it on."

You looked at him in surprise.

Shopping ranked somewhere below getting stabbed on his list of favorite activities, and you didn’t want to subject him to your endless outfit changes, indecisiveness, and the general chaos of the entire process.

"No, no, it’s fine," you said quickly. "I already own too many clothes."

He stared at you for a second before placing both hands on your shoulders and steering you toward the entrance.

“Yeah, right,” he snorted. “I don’t wanna hear any of that. Get in there.”

Then he opened the door.

"Inside."

You couldn't help laughing.

An hour later, the brave swordsman had survived approximately seventeen dresses, six skirts, several pairs of trousers and more indecision than any battlefield had ever thrown at him.

Each time you emerged from the changing room, he’d glance up and offer one of approximately three responses.

“It’s good.”

Or:

“Hn.”

Occasionally:

“Looks nice.”

Eventually, you folded your arms in annoyance.

"You're not even looking."

"I am."

"No, you're saying the same thing every time."

"...Because you look good in all of them."

The words slipped out before he could stop them and his ears immediately turned bright red.

"...Forget I said that."

Instead, you walked over, stood on your toes, and kissed him.

"I won't."

You even managed to force him into trying on a few shirts and pairs of pants himself.

Some items you selected without even making him try them, knowing that fitting clothes ranked somewhere between torture and undergoing surgery without anesthesia in Zoro’s personal hierarchy of suffering.

By the time you disappeared into the changing room to put your own clothes back on, your swordsman had already purchased everything you’d spent the longest looking at.

Including the dress from the window.

You emerged carrying your things only to discover several bags already waiting.

Your jaw dropped.

Zoro was always broke.

“…You bought them?”

“Yeah.”

“But that’s too much.”

You were already reaching for your money when he fixed you with a firm look.

“Put that away.”

“Zoro—”

“I wanted to.”

The certainty in his voice left little room for argument.

Confused, you immediately began calculating the astronomical interest rates Nami would inevitably charge him. Thankfully, you had long ago escaped her financial traps by learning to negotiate and extort with the same terrifying efficiency as the navigator herself.

“I’ve got my own stash,” he said.

He absolutely did not.

Did he?

Where would someone so utterly uninterested in money and worldly possessions, outside of fighting, sake and, perhaps—you dared to think—you, even find the motivation to save?

As though you weren’t confused enough already, he took your hand and gently pressed a kiss to your fingers.

“Come on. Let’s keep going.”

Then he turned away.

“What a lovely couple,” the shopkeeper sighed.

Zoro heard it.

His shoulders immediately stiffened, and he grumbled something embarrassed under his breath.

You exited a moment after him, having quickly purchased a few things for your boyfriend that you’d intended to buy from the moment you’d entered the store.

“And something for my strong boyfriend.”

Before he could react, you kissed him on the lips.

For what was certainly not the first time today, and definitely not the last, he blushed.

His brain immediately stopped functioning.

Then he started protesting.

This was your day.

He was supposed to be spoiling you.

Not the other way around.

As the two of you continued down the street, Zoro silently resolved that before the day was over, everything would go exactly as he’d planned.

And he would make it perfect.

After several more hours of wandering, getting lost, accidentally finding the bookstore, discovering a tea shop you immediately fell in love with, and rescuing an alarming number of animals, the two of you eventually came across a beautiful overlook.

The day was scorching.

Despite the fans, sunglasses, and constant searches for shade, the heat and sun had become unbearable.

Zoro spotted the ice cream stand first.

By now, he knew you were one of the biggest sweet tooths he’d ever met, especially when it came to this particular summer treat. Without a word, he disappeared into the line and returned carrying a cone stacked with five different scoops, each one a flavor he knew you loved.

Knowing you’d insist that he get something too, despite not being much of a dessert person himself, he’d picked a few citrusy and milder flavors for his own cone.

A few moments later, realizing your green-haired idiot had vanished somewhere, panic immediately set in. You turned in a slow circle, already wondering whether you’d have to spend the rest of the afternoon tracking him down.

Only on your final turn did you find him standing directly in front of you, holding out a cone filled with cold, sweet salvation.

You sighed dramatically with relief.

“My hero! My angel! Exactly what I needed to save me and bring me back from the dead in this heat.”

Once again, your words completely flustered him.

“Tch. You really do say whatever comes into your head.”

Placing a hand on the small of your back, he guided you toward a nearby bench beneath a tree. It sat in the perfect patch of shade at the overlook, giving you a wonderful view of the charming town spread out below.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched you happily work through your mountain of ice cream.

Your hand had found his without either of you thinking about it. And your fingers absentmindedly traced invisible patterns across his palm, gliding over the hardened calluses that years of swordsmanship had left behind.

“You know your ice cream’s gonna melt if you spend all your time staring at me” you teased. 

His ears immediately turned the color of paprika.

Without warning, he scooped a bit of ice cream from his own cone and dabbed it onto the tip of your nose.

“Hey!”

Before you could retaliate, he leaned closer.

One arm settled against the back of the bench behind you.

Then, in a move so uncharacteristically smooth it nearly short-circuited your brain, he closed the remaining distance and kissed the ice cream off your nose.

You froze.

Completely.

“Wh-what got into you all of a sudden?” you stammered, still trying to recover.

All he did was smile to himself, looking entirely too pleased with the effect he’d had on you, before returning to his cone.

Naturally, a few seconds later you dragged him into a battle to determine which of you could embarrass the other more.

Later, while browsing a stall filled with fragrant oils, perfumes, colognes, and scented waters, Zoro seized the opportunity and quietly slipped away to a few nearby shops to prepare another part of his surprise.

After sampling countless scents, you eventually chose a few for yourself, along with some for Nami and Robin after remembering they’d mentioned needing to restock.

Then you found one that reminded you of your boyfriend.

It smelled like earth after rain, fresh cedar, a hint of hinoki, and something clean, steady, and grounding.

Like him.

You were still considering it when a young boy approached, blushing furiously and staring somewhere around your shoulder rather than directly at you.

“You’re very pretty, miss,” he mumbled, holding out a flower. “This is for you.”

Your smile softened immediately.

“That’s so sweet of you. Thank you very much.”

Touched by the gesture, you accepted the flower and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

The poor child nearly launched himself back into the shop where he was apparently helping his parents.

The grumpy swordsman appeared at your side just in time to witness the entire thing.

The brat’s interfering with my day with Y/N.

He could have sworn he caught the little pest sneaking a victorious grin at him from behind the counter.

“Tch.”

The familiar click of his tongue echoed from somewhere between his teeth and sheer annoyance.

Sliding an arm around your waist, he pulled you closer and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Come on. Stop dawdling.”

As you followed him down the street, Zoro shot one last smug glance toward the shop.

Score settled.

After what felt like hours of aimless wandering through unfamiliar streets, gradually leaving the heart of the bustling town behind, accompanied by easy conversation, playful nudges, and long stretches of comfortable silence, the two of you finally came to a stop.

You had noticed the shopping bags in Zoro’s hands long ago, and some of them certainly hadn’t been there that morning. Every now and then your eyes drifted toward them, curiosity threatening to escape your lips, only for you to bite it back.

If he wanted you to know, he’d tell you. Until then, pretending not to notice somehow felt kinder.

The sounds of the festival slowly faded behind you, replaced by little more than birdsong and the whisper of wind through the trees. You had asked him twice where exactly he was taking you.

The first time he’d answered with an absent-minded grunt.

The second, he’d glanced over his shoulder, the faintest smile touching his lips.

“Almost there.”

Then the path opened before you.

Your steps faltered.

Rows upon rows of ancient wisteria trees stretched across the hillside, their sweeping branches draped in cascading curtains of violet blossoms. The afternoon breeze stirred them gently, sending petals drifting lazily through the air.

Beneath them, an endless meadow of wildflowers swayed in the golden light. The entire landscape looked almost unreal.

“…Zoro.”

He wasn’t looking at the view.

He was watching you.

Good.

That expression alone made every awkward question he’d asked the locals worth it.

For a long moment neither of you moved. The breeze carried the scent of blossoms between you.

Finally, Zoro shifted the bags onto one shoulder.

“…Stay here for a minute.”

Before you could ask what he meant, he disappeared beneath the hanging wisteria branches.

You watched him kneel in the grass and begin unpacking the bags you’d been pretending not to notice all afternoon.

Carefully, he spread a blanket across the ground.

Fresh pastries, fruit, meats, and little appetizers filled the blanket, along with your favorite drinks. For you, he’d chosen a carefully selected sweet fruit wine. For himself, he opened a bottle of sake.

Only after arranging everything exactly the way he wanted did he look back at you.

“…Come here.”

He held out a hand and carefully helped you lower yourself onto the blanket before sitting down beside you.

“…You put all of this together yourself?” you asked.

Your eyes shone, and the smile on your face was the kind that appeared when you weren’t even aware you were smiling, when happiness had simply become too great to hide and spilled onto your features all on its own.

A faint blush crept across his cheeks.

He cleared his throat.

“Well… I definitely didn’t make the food myself.”

You moved even closer, wrapping your arms around him.

Compared to him, your frame felt so small and soft, fitting against him as though you had always belonged there.

His favorite feeling.

“What was all this for?” you asked quietly.

“’Cause I wanted to.”

Zoro looked into your eyes. Those eyes he could never quite stop looking at.

The backs of his fingers brushed your cheek before tracing gently across your lips.

“I just wanted to.”

The answer hit harder than any grand declaration ever could.

Overcome by affection and happiness, you tightened your embrace and sent both of you tumbling backward into the grass.

“…Hn!”

Nestling your face against his neck, you squeezed him tighter.

Then you lifted your head and began peppering him with kisses.

“You’re wonderful!”

A kiss landed on one warm cheek.

Then the other.

His eyebrows pulled together in surprise and mock annoyance as you continued.

Beneath his eyes.

Across his eyelids.

His forehead.

His chin.

Finally, you paused just above his lips.

“I love you so much.”

The words were little more than a whisper. Then you kissed him, pouring every feeling you couldn’t properly express into the gesture.

His arms immediately found your waist. Sometimes they slid down your arms instead, his rough hands stroking your skin in slow, absent-minded motions.

For a moment he simply held you there.

Then he shifted and rolled the two of you over until you were the one pinned gently beneath him.

Before claiming your lips again, he leaned down and pressed a kiss against your neck.

He knew exactly how ticklish you were.

The resulting laugh burst from your throat immediately as you squirmed and shoved at his shoulders.

“Zoro!”

Satisfied with his small act of revenge, he finally relented.

His lips hovered just above yours.

“I love you more.”

And then he kissed you again.

When you finally pulled apart, both of you a little breathless, Zoro muttered something about eating before all the food and drinks got warm.

Reluctantly, you sat back up.

You attempted to smooth out your dress and fix your hair.

Without comment, Zoro reached over and removed a stray flower and several blades of grass from it.

The day already felt perfect.

More perfect than you’d thought possible.

Later, after you’d both eaten your fill and settled into the peaceful atmosphere, Zoro sat quietly drinking sake and watching you while you carefully wove a flower crown.

Once it was finished, you proudly placed atop his head.

He looked less than thrilled.

Or at least he would never admit otherwise.

Yet he didn’t take it off.

After finishing his sake, he decided to make one for you as well.

His fingers, so skilled with swords, proved considerably less talented when it came to flower crowns. Despite choosing the prettiest blossoms he could find and concentrating harder than he’d care to admit, the thing stubbornly refused to look the way he’d imagined.

You, meanwhile, were completely charmed.

Smiling.

Flattered.

Hopelessly in love with this green-haired grump and his heart of gold.

When he finally handed over the somewhat lopsided creation, you accepted it as though it were the finest crown ever made.

Then you proudly placed it atop your own head.

Leaning back, you rested against his chest.

His arms naturally settled around your waist as the two of you watched the sunset paint the world in shades of gold, violet, and rose.

“This was the most beautiful day,” you said softly.

His fingers threaded through your hair.

Then drifted to your shoulder and neck, tracing slow, absent-minded circles against your skin.

For a moment he said nothing.

Then, without taking his eyes off the horizon, he replied:

“…The day’s not over yet.”

Neither of you noticed how much time had passed until the sunlight filtering through the wisteria began to deepen into richer shades of gold.

The shadows stretched lazily across the meadow, and petals still drifted on every passing breeze, though fewer now than before.

Eventually, Zoro rose to his feet.

“We should head back.”

You looked up at him, reluctant to leave.

“…Already?”

His heart tightened a little. He didn’t want to rush you.

But there was still one last part of his plan left.

“The festival will be starting soon.”

You smiled and took the hand he offered without a second thought.

The walk back felt different.

Quieter.

Not because there was nothing left to say, but because neither of you felt any need to fill the silence anymore.

Walking side by side, neither of you removed your flower crowns. At one point, you considered reminding your swordsman that he was still wearing his. He had probably forgotten about it entirely.

Apparently not.

“I wear what I wear,” he said when you brought it up. “If somebody’s got a problem with it, they can tell me.”

In some unfamiliar village at the edge of the world, one of dozens he’d passed through in his life, anyone foolish enough to mock him for wearing a flower crown would become intimately acquainted with the sharp edge of his sword.

The bags in Zoro’s hand swayed with each step. You walked beside him, brushing your fingertips through the wildflowers one last time before the meadow disappeared behind the trees.

Without a word, your boyfriend slipped his free hand into yours and laced your fingers together.

As the town slowly came back into view, so did its sounds.

At first there was only distant laughter.

Then music.

Then voices spilling through narrow streets.

By the time you passed beneath the first lantern hanging overhead, daylight had almost completely surrendered.

One by one, paper lanterns flickered to life, bathing the streets in warm shades of amber and crimson. They hung from rooftops, stretched between market stalls, swayed above bridges, until the entire town seemed wrapped in a quiet constellation of golden light.

The evening had only just begun.

As you walked through the glowing streets, staring in wonder at everything around you, much to the delight of your gruff swordsman, who seemed to gain strength simply from watching you happy, something suddenly caught your eye.

“Zoro!”

His gaze followed yours.

A photo booth stood near the edge of the square.

Nothing particularly impressive, but strips of paper lanterns hung from its roof, fluttering in the evening breeze.

A grin spread across your face.

“We have to.”

You squeezed the muscle of his arm where your hand rested.

One eyebrow rose.

“…Do what?”

“Take pictures.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Please?”

Those irresistible eyes should’ve been classified as a weapon.

“Tch.”

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed your wrist and headed straight toward the booth, dragging both you and himself along with equal resignation.

He would agree to almost anything for your smile.

Not that he’d ever admit it.

Not even to you.

Who knew what kind of evil you’d accomplish with that knowledge, you little menace.

Inside, the booth was absurdly small.

Your shoulders touched immediately.

A small light began blinking.

Above the camera, a sign lit up.

Three…

You weren’t ready.

Though you were having far too much fun to care.

He definitely wasn’t ready.

Two…

You burst out laughing because he was standing so stiffly he looked like a man awaiting execution.

Flower crown and all.

He shot you a mildly panicked glance.

One…

The flash went off just as you turned toward him, still laughing.

Another countdown began.

This time, you deliberately bumped your shoulder against his.

He looked down at you.

And a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Just a little one.

The kind reserved only for you. Watching you like this. So happy. So playful.

Then came the final picture.

Without warning, you pressed yourself against his side and kissed him.

He practically bristled like a startled cat.

His eyes widened and cheeks turned bright red, matching several of the flowers woven into his crown.

Then, just as quickly, he relaxed and kissed you back.

The machine whirred.

A moment later, two identical photo strips slid from the slot below.

Before you could tuck them away, Zoro quietly took one from your hand.

“…Keep the other.”

You blinked.

“For yourself.”

It wasn’t quite a request, nor was it an order.

Just something he wanted.

Something unexpectedly earnest.

“You’ll want it someday.”

The words escaped before he could stop them.

Almost immediately, he looked away, as though annoyed with himself for saying so much.

But you noticed.

Zoro didn’t speak like that unless he meant every word.

What a ridiculous man.

What a wonderful man.

You smiled to yourself and tucked yourself against his side once more as the two of you continued walking.

There wasn’t a force in the world strong enough to quiet the frantic beating of your heart.

You continued wandering for a little while longer as the crowds gradually began to thin.

Eventually, the two of you came upon a square where people were writing wishes on floating lanterns before releasing them into the night sky. Thousands of tiny lights, each marked with different handwriting, carried wishes, promises, and hopes upward into the heavens, drifting along the river or simply hovering in the warm summer air.

“Want to write one?” your boyfriend asked, his gaze lingering on you.

You looked around at the lanterns floating overhead. 

“Do you?”

Zoro exhaled softly.

“…Suppose so.”

You wrote a simple birthday wish. Maybe something playful at first, though it turned sentimental by the end. 

Truthfully, you weren’t sure what else there was left to wish for. It was hard to think of anything when you were already so happy, surrounded by everything you could have ever dreamed of.

You had freedom, wonderful friends you could call family.

And most of all… you had him. 

A wonderful boyfriend who filled your life with a sense of trust and peace so profound that you hadn’t known such loyalty could exist anywhere in the world.

Zoro, meanwhile, took much longer.

He stared at the blank paper for what felt like an eternity, which naturally gave you plenty of opportunity to tease him.

“Didn’t know you had so much to wish for.”

He snorted.

Zoro wasn’t the type to make wishes. He worked for what he wanted. Always had.

Still, your beloved marimo eventually wrote something down, carefully and deliberately, before folding the paper shut before you could catch a glimpse.

“You don’t get to read it.”

You pouted and immediately tried to steal it.

He effortlessly held it just out of reach.

Then, before you could protest further, he leaned down and kissed you softly.

The argument died a swift and tragic death.

Together, you released your lanterns into the night.

You watched them drift higher and higher until they joined the countless others above.

Before long, Zoro’s gaze left the lanterns and settled on you instead, bathed in golden light and for a moment the entire festival seemed to disappear around you. The music faded into the distance, the crowd blurred into nothing, and all he could see was the woman standing beside him.

Beautiful beyond reason.

The most precious thing in his world.

And for a moment, watching you smile at the sky, he thought that perhaps his wish had already come true.

A few minutes later, he suddenly took your hand and gently led you away from the music, away from the laughter and crowd, until the sounds of the festival became little more than a pleasant murmur behind you.

Far enough that it felt like the two of you were alone again.

Only then did he stop beneath the warm glow of a lone lantern hanging from a wooden post.

For a second, neither of you spoke.

Then Zoro reached into the bag he’d been carrying all day.

Your curiosity immediately sharpened.

One by one, he began pulling things out.

A bouquet of flowers.

A few thoughtful keepsakes he'd quietly collected throughout the day.

A new weapon you’d been complaining about for weeks that you needed to replace. Your breath caught when you noticed the engraving: your initials beside his.

"...Zoro..."

And finally…

A delicate silver bracelet.

Tiny stones shimmered in the lantern light, but what caught your attention was the charm dangling from it.

It was almost identical to the three earrings he never took off.

You stared, speechless.

Then carefully turned it over.

Engraved on the back were two simple words:

Found you.

“…You found me?” you asked with a laugh, your head spinning from surprise and excitement.

He immediately looked away, scratching the back of his neck.

"...Yeah."

You fastened it around your wrist at once and held it up to admire it, completely radiant.

The sight nearly did him in.

Zoro’s heart swelled so much he thought it might climb straight into his throat and launch itself into the night sky alongside the lanterns.

Only after you’d had a moment to process everything did he finally look at you again.

And with all the awkward sincerity of a man who had spent the entire day saying I love you without ever using those words, he finally said the one sentence you’d been waiting for without expecting it in the slightest.

“Happy birthday.”

Your breath caught. Completely stunned.

Your eyes widened as you stared at him, lips parting to speak, yet no sound came.

Zoro shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck again.

Then, almost reluctantly, explained:

“You mentioned it once. To Nami. That you were born on the first day of summer.”

You stared at him.

Remembering a birthday wasn’t unusual when people talked about it often.

When it was announced weeks ahead of time.

When everyone reminded each other.

But carrying that tiny piece of information for months, maybe almost a year or more? Through storms, battles, islands, and endless voyages across the Grand Line?

Among all the noise and chaos of your lives, one offhand thing you’d said long ago, something no one else had even thought twice about, had remained lodged in his mind all this time.

And somehow he still expected you to treat this as though it were completely ordinary.

As though this was a small thing.

You looked at him differently than ever before.

Your heart felt impossibly full, overflowing with love, tenderness, and complete astonishment.

You knew Zoro.

Or at least you had believed you did.

Yet somehow you'd overlooked just how deeply kind he was. How there was still so much tenderness hidden inside him that even after all this time, you occasionally forgot just how good he truly was.

At least when it came to you.

“I love you so much, you idiot.”

Your eyes filled with tears as you buried your face against his broad chest.

The swordsman laughed quietly as relief washed through him at last.

Everything had gone exactly the way he’d hoped.

The weight he'd been carrying for weeks finally slipped from his shoulders.

“This was the most beautiful day of my life,” you admitted. “Just spending it with you would’ve been enough. You didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”

True to form, Zoro clicked his tongue.

“Tch. Spending the day with you? That was for me.”

You lifted your head to look at him.

His ears looked impossibly red against his green hair.

“The gifts,” he continued, pulling you closer until there wasn’t even an inch between you, “that’s something for you.”

His forehead rested lightly against yours.

“A way of saying that no matter how dumb or oblivious I look sometimes…”

His voice softened.

“…I’m here.”

His hand settled over yours.

“I listen.”

The silver bracelet glimmered between your joined hands.

“And I love you.”

A pause.

The faintest blush spread across his cheeks.

“More than anything.”

The eyes that always carried such strength and certainty softened as they looked into yours.

Your lips found each other in a gentle kiss.

A slow one.

The kind made from longing, affection, gratitude, happiness, and all the things words failed to carry.

Around you, lanterns continued to rise. Thousands of them.

Carrying hopes, promises, dreams and wishes.

Including his.

Somewhere above the town, drifting higher beneath the stars, floated a lantern containing the wish he’d guarded all evening.

Not a wish to become the world’s strongest swordsman.

Not a wish to defeat Mihawk.

Nothing like that.

Among the stars floated a lantern carrying a single wish, written carefully in his uneven handwriting: