chasing tailwinds

by LadyMarshmallow

Summary:

When the Polar Tang dived beneath the waves, Zoro never once thought that it would be a prelude to a personal voyage.

 

 

Between Zou and Wano, two-thousand meters under the sea, Zoro learned to fly.

Notes:

Sixty pages. I am sobbing. I really just wrote sixty pages of LawZo goodness for Valentines' (please appreciate it lmao). This is longer than any school paper I have ever done before. Also, I apologize in advance for any grammar errors you might find, my eyes are already bleeding from reading thru this thing hahaha. Please spare me.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this hearts and chocolate day gift.

 

 

 

 

༻❁༺

 

 

 

 

There was a vast difference between sailing under the endless changing skies on their ship of dreams and traversing the deep waters of the New World within the cold metal walls of the Polar Tang .

 

It was the first thing Zoro learned when he felt their slow descent under the deep blue of the sea. 

 

For starters, the submarine's walls were cold and hard to the touch. They were nothing like Sunny's open deck where he could taste the salt at the tip of his tongue and feel the gentle sea breeze against his hair. For another, the submarine was completely devoid of the little personalized decorations Zoro was so used to seeing secured on every corner of their own ship. It was almost as if the bright yellow the Heart Pirates used to paint the outside of the submarine was done to throw everyone off and prevent them from knowing how somber the atmosphere inside really was.

 

It was actually kind of sad.

 

And gloomy.

 

‘It suits Torao ,’ Zoro chuckled softly. 

 

As dingy as the Polar Tang was, Zoro really couldn't imagine Law traveling any other way. He tried picturing Law on a ship similar to the Thousand Sunny , but all the image did was remind him of the days when Law was traveling with them, looking quite lost on their brave and merry ship, his usually stoic expression shifting into utter disbelief and confusion every time he was presented with whatever crazy feature Franky installed on their home.

 

"What’s so funny?” Law’s voice suddenly sounded from behind him, and Zoro was ashamed to admit that he jumped a little when the other man seemingly popped out of nowhere.

 

"Where the hell did you come from?" Zoro exclaimed as he whirled around to face Law, his pride being the only thing preventing him from clutching his chest where his heart almost leaped away from.

 

"I didn't know you were so jumpy," Law commented, ignoring his question entirely, and Zoro didn't miss the way Law's lips twitched upwards ever so slightly, clearly finding amusement in the momentary lapse of his composure.

 

Zoro frowned, not willing to admit that he had been caught off guard. "Shut up! You're like a ghost!"

 

"Whatever you say, Roronoa-ya," Law drawled, his voice bouncing around the metal walls of the submarine. "Anyway, what are you even doing all the way here?"

 

The question made Zoro blink. In all honesty, he didn't know how to answer that. Actually, he also had no idea what he was doing. He just kind of… found himself where he was after walking around for a bit, so with no clear response in mind, Zoro simply shrugged, hoping that it was enough for Law.

 

Law seemed to accept it as a valid answer because he cocked his head to the side, almost like he understood, his hair swaying with his movement. He didn't have his hat on, Zoro noticed for the first time, taking in the way Law's hair was sticking out unevenly in some areas.

 

He looked better.

 

More relaxed than Zoro had seen him in days.

 

Somehow, it made Zoro feel more at ease, too.

 

"Were you looking for me?" Zoro asked, undeniably surprised at how effortless it was to maintain a conversation with Law.

 

"You can say that," Law answered, and for a moment, Zoro thought Law had something important to tell him, only to be proven wrong by the next statement that came out of Law's mouth, "Longnose-ya is worried that you've gotten lost, but he doesn't seem very keen on abandoning his game to look for you."

 

"I'm not lost," Zoro snapped, more as a reflex than an actual retort.

 

"I never said you were," Law tried to placate him, and Zoro swore he could pick up a teasing quality beginning to wrap around the tone of Law's voice when he continued, "The submarine isn't that big. I doubt you'd get lost here."

 

With the way Law ended his statement, he might as well be telling him that he genuinely expected him to get lost in the next five minutes. 

 

What a grade-A bastard.

 

"Ugh," Zoro groaned, conveying exactly what he was feeling by sending a threatening glare at Law's way, one of which was easily dismissed by the Heart Pirates' captain.

 

"Let’s go back, Roronoa-ya," Law gestured towards where Zoro assumed the others were, completely unaffected by the knife behind the silver of Zoro's eye. "You should join Nico-ya and the others in playing."

 

Zoro tilted his head to the side, his annoyance at being teased about his wandering spirit — which was not true because if someone was a wandering spirit, it would be Brook — fading as easy as it came as Law's words finally registered, "Playing?"

 

"Yes. Your crewmates seemed to be having fun obliterating the samurai and my crew in poker," Law relayed, the amused curve of his lips shifting into a rather pained grimace as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

"Oh?" Zoro hummed, knowing exactly why Law looked ready to slam his head somewhere. Not even an hour in and the Straw Hats were already causing their host a headache. Zoro was very proud of them.

 

If Law noticed Zoro's failing attempts to hold back the smug grin threatening to slip past his lips, he did nothing to point it out; instead, Law questioned, "Are you good at poker?"

 

"Of course," Zoro stated confidently, giving Law a tamer version of his trademark I-will-make-you-regret-challenging-me grin. "I might even make your crew cry with how good I am."

 

"Well, if your crew's planning to embarrass mine, you might as well go all out," Law mumbled in response, and although there was a subtle sort of frown adorning his lips, the glint behind his eyes was telling Zoro that there was an entirely different thought running through his mind.

 

"You know," Zoro began lazily, rubbing his chin with his fingers in a thoughtful manner, "there's something going on here that I'm not getting."

 

His words earned him half of a suppressed laugh from Law, "What made you think that?"

 

"You saying there's none?"

 

Law let him stew in anticipation for a second too long before he let out another suffering sigh, "My crew found out about the stunts I pulled in Dressrosa and had been lecturing me about them since."

 

"And you're letting us trample them in poker because of that?" Zoro exclaimed, single eye wide at the implication of Law's revelation.

 

Law chose not to entertain his question with a response, instead of walking away from him, and that in itself was an answer enough.

 

"That's kind of petty," Zoro said bluntly, moving to follow after Law.

 

Law paused momentarily, and when he turned around to face him, Zoro immediately noticed that the other man's brows were creased, and he was pouting. Somehow, Law managed to look both unimpressed and sulking at the same time. It was an expression that remained on his face even as he reminded him just who exactly he was dealing with, “I'm the captain. I can do what I want.”

 

“Sure thing, captain,” Zoro mock saluted, unable to keep himself from teasing the other man, privately enjoying this side of Law. 

 

More often than not, Law would present himself with a rigid grace that superseded his title as the Surgeon of Death, a kind of firmness that told his allies and enemies alike that he was not someone to be messed with, at least when the situation was serious. For as much or as little as Zoro knew him, he could induce that Law was a distrustful man, and with how Law looked at everything with sharp, critical eyes, Zoro could definitely say that Law was cynicism incarnate. It was the kind of trait that gave off the impression that Law was unapproachable, like there was a giant wall separating him from everyone else. 

 

But seeing Law like this, witnessing him act so very childish put him in a different light. 

 

It made him more human.

 

Zoro thought he preferred this side of Law.

 

“Being called captain by you sounds like mutiny and my death sentence at the same time,” Law shot back as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, almost like he was trying to intimidate him.

 

"Did you just crack a joke?” Zoro stared at Law with an open mouth, unable to fully comprehend what he just heard.

 

"If that’s what you consider a joke, you seriously need to get a better sense of humor," Law declared, and the deadpanned way he delivered his line made Zoro crow in absolute delight.

 

"You did!"

 

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, Roronoa-ya," Law denied with all the seriousness only someone with his disposition could. "Come on."

 

Immediately after he finished talking, Law began walking again, more briskly this time, and Zoro jogged after him, snickering silently to himself. 

 

He really didn't mind seeing this side of Law more, Zoro concluded as they passed by one of the small windows of the submarine where he caught a glimpse of the sea outside. For the briefest of moments, Zoro allowed himself to admire how the brightly colored reefs stood out amongst the deep blue waters of the ocean.

 

It was not a surprise to Zoro when he reached the conclusion that he was drawn to the bottom of the sea as much as he was to its surface.

 

After all, the depths of the sea possessed an enigmatic sort of charm that belonged to it alone.

 

Zoro thought it was kind of like Law.

 

༻❁༺

 

At that moment, something in his heart stirred into life.

 

(Zoro would not realize what had changed until much later.)

 

༻❁༺

 

It turned out, traveling under the sea wasn't as fun as Zoro initially assumed it would be.

 

Sure, he was still taken in by the wonders that he never got to see while traveling on the surface, but there was absolutely nothing else to do in Law's submarine aside from exploring its many rooms and dark corners, and Zoro had already done that. In fact, he got to a point where he decided that it wasn't worth wandering inside the submarine anymore.

 

"Going to Fishman Island was more exciting," Zoro commented, realizing that he had been spoiled by their first underwater journey. That one had certainly been an adventure, something that was full of surprises at every turn. Now, however, with no Kraken to fight and no sea volcano to avoid, it would be safe to say that Zoro was justifiably bored.

 

It didn't really help his current plight that he couldn't exactly tell what time it was. Above the sea, their journey was measured by the rising and setting of the sun. Beneath the waves, time was something of a foreign concept.

 

Zoro honestly felt like he had been lying on the couch in the submarine's lounge for two days straight.

 

There might have been a small clock mounted on the nearby wall, filling its surroundings with a rhythmic ticking sound, but in the end, all it did was blur day and night and night and day together until Zoro could no longer tell which was which. Looking out the small circular windows of the submarine was just as pointless.

 

Zoro remembered those moments where the submarine would pass through a patch of sea illuminated by a barely-there glow of dancing silver, but whether it was the sunlight or the moonlight remained to be a mystery. In fact, there were still times when Zoro would let the darkness take away half of his consciousness — only half, for the other would always be on guard, ready to defend what was precious against the smallest of threats — expecting to be woken up by the glaring brightness of the sun only to be thrown out of loop when instead, he would open his eye to the same flickering gleam he had fallen asleep with.

 

And oh, did Zoro mention Law's general aesthetics?

 

Honestly, that man!

 

What was the point of installing lights all over the submarine if they were going to be so dim that they were practically useless?

 

"Torao really needs to install better lighting in here," Zoro complained, his arm dangling off the side of the couch as he glared at all the shapeless moving shadows overhead. Those dim yellow lights just weren't cutting it for him.

 

"Well, what kind of lighting should my submarine have then?" Law suddenly intoned, and Zoro hissed out a startled curse when he found Law hovering over him, one elegant eyebrow raised in question. 

 

Zoro wondered how long Law had been there, asking himself how Law managed to get so close without his knowing. 

 

It hit him then, hard and jarring, that it was not the first time Law had snuck up on him, the man managing to catch him unaware a couple of times since they began traveling together, almost as if Zoro had become comfortable with Law’s unyielding and commanding presence, dangerously so, that he had unknowingly begun dropping his guard around him, something that he had only ever done around Luffy and the others.

 

“That's really bad, right?” Zoro muttered, his heartbeat suddenly too fast and too loud, already forgetting Law’s initial question in the face of a much bigger problem.

 

“What is?” Law inquired, still hovering over him.

 

“Nothing,” Zoro shrugged off Law's query with a careless wave of his hand, lying through his teeth with much difficulty, all the while cursing himself for getting lost in thought in front of Law. It was so unlike him to act so unguarded towards anyone who wasn't crew.

 

It was true that they were allies — friends , a voice at the back of Zoro's head that strangely sounded like Luffy corrected — and Law hadn't done anything to really warrant suspicion; he didn't look like the type who would betray them either, but it was always in Zoro's nature to be wary of nearly everything, and the fact that he was acting so amicable towards Law was making him skittish. Not to mention that he was being so obvious and so open in front of Law. Surely, Law could and would see through him and his current denials, if he hadn't already.

 

But then, there was the niggling thought somewhere in Zoro's mind about how he trusted Law — and wasn't that where the problem was? — to not say anything about his uncharacteristic show of nervousness.

 

It wasn't a misplaced thought because just as Zoro anticipated, Law paid no mind to his sudden shiftiness, appeasing the deafening and erratic beating of his heart through his next spoken words.

 

"I'm surprised to see you awake at this time. It's half-past midnight."

 

Almost like a weird Devil Fruit ability, Zoro’s restlessness faded into a calm sort of nothingness like he wasn't straining about his self-discovery just seconds ago. 

 

"Really?" Zoro exclaimed, quickly sitting up. "How the heck can you tell? I thought it's afternoon. It always looks the same outside," Zoro grumbled, jabbing a thumb towards the tightly shut window of the submarine as if it wronged him. 

 

"Experience," Law stated matter of factly, "I've been traveling like this since the beginning."

 

Zoro thought that made sense. He gave Law a nod of understanding before he was able to fully process his words. "If it's so late, why are you still awake?"

 

"I'm on watch duty," Law smiled wryly, “I can’t be slacking off now, can I?”

 

"You’re always working hard, huh? Take care not to get sick."

 

It was a friendly statement, said with a smile and perhaps a dash of awe, words that held no other intent other than to remind someone to watch their health, something that Zoro didn't see any fault in telling Law. They were all here working together towards a common goal, and allies look after one another, didn't they? 

 

However, the way Law froze, shoulders taut and eyes wide, before him made Zoro wonder if he got it wrong all along. Wanting to amend the situation, Zoro readied himself to take back his words only to be stopped by Law speaking up once more.

 

“You’re a strange one, Roronoa-ya,” Law remarked, the shock previously etched upon his features easing into something else entirely, something far more thoughtful, as he studied him quietly.

 

And if Zoro was feeling like himself, he would have said something to counter Law's statement, a jab or a denial, even an insult to throw back at him, but the look Law was giving him was intense, not quite a glare but sharp in a way that made Zoro feel as if he was slowly being cut open until all his secrets were laid out bare for the outside world to see. Suddenly, he was too aware of the dryness of his lips and the desert in his throat, and Zoro swallowed, trying not to fidget under Law's gaze.

 

"Uh," Zoro stuttered unintelligibly, failing to locate his voice and feeling like there was something else Law wanted to say but was currently weighing the pros and cons of doing so.

 

It made Zoro nervous, and it lasted until the corner of Law's lips twitched upwards, a small and subtle thing, one that Zoro would have missed if he hadn't been paying such close attention to him.

 

“I find that comforting,” Law admitted, his eyes hidden by the brim of his hat. He sounded factual, yet somehow, despite Law’s nonchalance, it felt as if there was another meaning buried beneath his words, something deep, perhaps deeper than Zoro could ever begin to understand, something that Zoro had no idea how to unearth just yet.

 

Despite all the confusing emotions suddenly taking over his senses, a dusting of crimson blossomed against Zoro's face, uncontrollable and warm, and the thundering beneath his ribcage returned with a kind of fervor unlike never before.

 

"I —" Zoro opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, still unable to form words.

 

“You should go to sleep, Roronoa-ya," Law cut him off, reaching out to give his head a comforting pat, an action that Zoro would have claimed to be uncharacteristic of the other man if his brain and thoughts weren't being scrambled under his skull. 

 

As such, all Zoro could do was nod, the heat of Law's hand on top of his head doing nothing to ease his nerves.

 

"We’re still a couple of hours away from morning," Law added softly before turning around and disappearing into the shadows.

 

Law wasn't there anymore, but the thundering drumbeat inside Zoro's chest still hadn't quieted down, and if Zoro was a lesser man, he would have stopped breathing a long time ago.

 

Still.

 

The heat across his cheeks burned long after Law had walked away.

 

༻❁༺

 

The realization that Law was a force to be reckoned with, not only in battle but in something Zoro was yet to determine, dawned on him like an avalanche.

 

Regardless, Zoro still found himself gravitating towards Law.

 

༻❁༺

 

Sooner than Zoro had expected, his dynamic with Law began to shift, and the speed in how it happened was almost similar to how quickly Luffy could wolf down food.

 

Others would probably be in disbelief if Zoro told them that it barely took any effort for him and Law to start talking like friends instead of just two parts of an alliance. Yet, despite how far-fetched it might seem to other people — the marines didn't refer to Law as a psychopath just for laughs, after all — Zoro found himself spending more time with Law compared to the rest of the Heart Pirates.

 

At first, Zoro thought it was because Law was a lot like him, fairly quiet and knowledgeable with the way of the blade, but he quickly realized that it wasn't the case at all.

 

It was just that friendship with Law was so unbelievably easy. 

 

Zoro liked how he could sit next to Law and have a good time without having to do anything else. It was nice to know that he didn't have to talk — he had never claimed to be the best conversationalist — for Law to understand him either. Zoro was also pleased that even though Law often moved at his own pace, it was a pace that matched his own.

 

In addition, building a rapport with Law gave him access to the many sides of Law that very few people got to see. It even gave him extra friendship privileges, something that Zoro was currently and shamelessly taking full advantage of.

 

Right now, Zoro was hanging out in Law's private study, lying on the well-cushioned couch just a foot away from the table that Law was presently occupying, the man bent over several maps and geography books. Although, if the look on Law's face was anything to go by, he wasn't very happy with Zoro's current choice of pillow. Law shouldn't blame him though, those large hardbound medical books were his only option after Law refused to get him some pillow.

 

"Are you going to get me a pillow yet?" Zoro asked for what seemed like the seventh time.

 

As expected, Law's answer was the same as the last six times Zoro asked, "No. I'm busy."

 

"You're a terrible host," Zoro griped, wincing as the corner of the book he was using as a pillow dug at the back of his neck.

 

"Did you hear me complaining about your crew?"

 

"We weren't that bad," Zoro defended immediately. In his knowledge, they did what they could to make Law's stay comfortable.

 

Law was silent for a moment and Zoro felt the temperature in the study room drop a few degrees as Law very slowly placed the map he was looking at down in favor of turning to face him, his expression carefully blank. 

 

"I got thrown overboard ten times in a span of three days because of your captain," Law explained calmly, evenly, and the way he silently fumed was admittedly pretty terrifying.

 

"I'm sorry?" Zoro sweatdropped, looking anywhere but Law and wondering if it was a good time to run away.

 

"Well, you did fish me out, so I guess that's fine," Law sighed, sounding defeated. "Although after spending time with your crew, the rumors I heard about you seem more ridiculous now." 

 

Zoro raised an eyebrow at that, "Don't tell me you believe them?"

 

"Don't be stupid. Why would I believe those?" Law huffed. "Although I must admit, I like listening to them. There's only so much entertainment you can find here in the Grand Line."

 

"Eh? You do?" Zoro said with something akin to astonishment behind his voice. "Guess you really learn new things every day." 

 

Zoro didn't know that Law liked to keep an ear out for those kinds of things. It made him a bit curious though. Of course, Zoro knew that there were rumors about his crew floating around; it would be more shocking if there weren't any, but he never really bothered to figure out what they would be. 

 

"What kind of rumors did you hear about us? Do you have a favorite?"

 

"There were lots to choose from," Law looked thoughtful for a moment, "Maybe the one about you being a ten-foot-tall monster with a dozen limbs."

 

Zoro couldn't help but snort, "Seriously?"

 

Law nodded gravely, "Bepo believed that rumor until he saw your bounty poster. He was pretty sad when he found out that you look normal."

 

"Well, forgive me for the disappointment," Zoro grumbled with a roll of his eyes. It seemed as if there were more than a dozen gossip about his crew, and each one was funnier and more ridiculous than the next. Zoro made sure to remember them all, so he could tell Luffy later. He was certain that Luffy would enjoy hearing them.

 

"There was also one about how Mugiwara-ya was actually using hypnotism to have you and the others under his command," Law informed him, and Zoro had to suppress a laugh at that.

 

"That's so dumb! If someone’s going to end up hypnotized, it’ll be Luffy. That simpleton."

 

Law snorted, "You haven't heard the most ridiculous one yet."

 

"There's more?" Zoro prodded, pushing himself in a sitting position. "Come on, tell me."

 

Law smirked, and Zoro could clearly see the signs of amusement on the lines of his face when he spoke, "There were rumors about you being the son of a human and an incubus."

 

"What?" Zoro honest to goodness choked on air, head snapping towards Law to give him the most genuine look of incredulity he had ever given someone in his entire existence.

 

"A sex demon, Roronoa-ya," Law reiterated carefully, almost as if he was talking to a child.

 

"I know what an incubus is!" Zoro blustered. "But what the hell?"

 

"Apparently, it was because you're... what was the term they used again? Ah, yes, strangely attractive," Law answered, giving him a careless shrug of his shoulders.

 

"Hah?!"

 

"Well, you are, Roronoa-ya. Attractive, I mean," Law uttered as he turned back to once again look at the map he discarded a while ago, leaving Zoro no choice but to guess what expression Law was making.

 

"Come on, pull my other leg!" Zoro chortled instead, pointedly ignoring the warmth quickly rising to his cheeks at Law's compliment. That was a compliment, right? Zoro had never been complimented about his looks before, so he wasn't sure.

 

Zoro heard Law let out a sigh before he glanced back at him. This time, Law looked a bit frustrated, a mighty scowl on his lips. Zoro honestly had no idea why Law was making such a face, but he had an inkling that it might be because of something he had said. 

 

"What?" Zoro blurted out.

 

Law shook his head, "It's nothing."

 

Still feeling like he did something wrong and not liking the fact that he didn't know what, Zoro scrambled to find words to continue their conversation and mayhaps, fix whatever it was that needed to be fixed.

 

"How did you know all these rumors anyway? Aren't you usually traveling underwater?" 

 

"There are things that should remain a mystery, Roronoa-ya," Law told him, and the secretive way he delivered his words actually made Zoro bristle. 

 

"Come on, you can't just reveal all these to me and then leave me hanging," Zoro prodded, stretching his leg to deliver a kick against Law's study table in an effort to keep Law's attention on him. 

 

Unfortunately for Zoro, he seemed to have forgotten his own strength because right as his foot hit the table's leg, it shattered under his inhuman strength, the old wooden table unable to withstand his force as it collapsed, toppling over and sending all the charts and books Law had been studying flying around them.

 

One of the maps landed near Zoro's foot and he looked down at it, the curved letterings on the ledger of the map staring mockingly at him as he very briefly thought of what would happen to the alliance if Law ended up slicing him to pieces before promptly deciding not to worry about such a trivial thing.

 

Unapologetically, Zoro gave Law a wide-toothed grin, one that was more or less a close reminiscent of Luffy's, "Oops?"

 

"You're fixing that," Law finally said with a sigh after a moment's time, looking extra tired all of a sudden.

 

"But I'm your guest," Zoro protested.

 

"I don't care," Law said with an impassive glare. "There's a toolbox beside the shelf to your right."

 

Zoro grumbled profanities under his breath as he slid out of the couch, silently bemoaning the loss of his leisure time as he reached for the toolkit Law was telling him about. It wasn't that hard to find seeing as the box was also painted with the same bright yellow of the Polar Tang , and oh, their jolly roger was painted on it, too. Seriously, what was it with Law and putting their jolly roger on everything? What a weirdo.

 

"Hey, Torao—"

 

"Get to working, Roronoa-ya."

 

"Will you at least help me?" Zoro made sure to keep his voice as hopeful as he could.

 

"No."

 

"Rude."

 

Zoro ended up fixing the table by himself, but Law stayed with him the whole time and even gave him some heavenly booze that Law said was home-brewed by one of his crew.

 

All in all, Zoro thought it wasn't so bad.

 

༻❁༺

 

Zoro really did adore it fully, this quiet sort of friendship he had built with Law.

 

Though, Zoro had to admit that his closeness with Law gave him one more person to take care of and look after. Not that he was shocked with this turn of events. Zoro knew that it was where things were bound to lead after he had gotten to know Law in a level that allowed him to pick up his many habits and quirks, the things he liked and what made him tick, and although Zoro hadn't quite become an expert in reading the Heart Pirates' captain yet, he was confident that he knew enough about the other man to pick up on the important things about Law that outsiders would surely miss.

 

Like the fact that Law gets stressed sometimes.

 

Frankly, Law getting anxious wasn't something new to Zoro.

 

Zoro had been a first-hand witness to how much of a worrywart Law could be. During their travels to Dressrosa, Zoro had seen Law constantly looking over the island's latest map, thinking of all the possible scenarios that could happen and plotting the best possible course of action for each and every one of those said scenarios. It honestly made Zoro feel a little guilty when Luffy and the rest of them all ended up doing whatever they wanted, disregarding Law's carefully constructed schemes.

 

So really, Zoro knew how much mental strain Law was putting on himself.

 

But there was stress and then there was stress . 

 

This time, with the behemoth threat of Kaido looming over their heads, Law was experiencing stress of the severe kind.

 

Zoro wasn't really aware that it was the serious kind until he saw Law strutting out of his study l ooking less than a captain and more like someone who hadn't had a decent sleep for five days — the bags under his eyes were darker, and the frown adorning his lips was far more prominent — and with how pale and ruffled he looked, Zoro was concerned that it might just be the truth.

 

"Torao," Zoro tried to call Law's attention the moment he passed by him. It was worrying that even the usual cat-like grace accompanying Law's movements were nowhere to be found.

 

"What, Roronoa-ya?" Law snapped, clearly annoyed. 

 

Law was looking at him with a hard stare, but the dullness behind his usually vibrant-colored eyes lessened the edge of his glare. That was why Zoro didn't take Law's reaction personally. He already knew how Law operated when he was well-rested and what he was like when he was feeling agitated.

 

"Law," he said, firmly and seriously, dropping the nickname Luffy has baptized the other with. It was enough to get Law's attention. Good. "Go to sleep."

 

"I can't. I still need to —" Law tried to protest, but Zoro was not hearing any complaints he might have. 

 

"You need to take a break and rest," Zoro cut Law off, brows furrowed as he grabbed Law's arm, dragging him back to the study where Zoro knew a much nicer couch was placed.

 

"I'm fine," Law insisted weakly even after Zoro had pulled him to sit next to him on the couch. The fact that Law didn't fight back as hard as Zoro anticipated was a testament to how exhausted he really was.

 

"You'll feel even better if you sleep. Seriously, Torao, how long have you stayed awake?"

 

"But Kaido —"

 

"Can wait."

 

"I don't want to lead you to your deaths," Law whispered in a rare show of vulnerability, his eyes glazed over by shadows from a time Zoro didn't know about, and the way Law's voice cracked at the end made Zoro's heart ache.

 

"You aren't. We chose to do this. If we die, that's on us," Zoro argued with finality, reaching out to uncurl Law's fisted hands when he noticed him digging his nails against his palms.

 

"Roronoa-ya..."

 

"Go to sleep."

 

Quietly, Zoro began massaging Law's hands, remembering what Yosaku taught him about a  secret technique that could help people fall asleep easier and faster. Yosaku told him there were pressure points in the hand that if pressed the right way, could help people sleep. Zoro had never tried it before, so he didn't know if it would work, but when he looked at Law and noticed his eyes slowly dropping, Zoro figured it was working, but just to be sure, Zoro started humming the tune of a song he heard Brook playing that one starless night. It was a little embarrassing — Zoro was a swordsman, not a singer — but it seemed to help lull Law into slumber, so Zoro figured it was alright. Getting Law to relax was more important than his pride at the moment.

 

Eventually, Law fell asleep pressed to his side, head pillowed on his shoulder.

 

It was the first time someone else other than his crew used him as a pillow, but the heat radiating from Law's skin was warm, and the gentle sound of his even breathing was grounding.

 

Watching Law sleep, Zoro realized that he didn't mind it at all.

 

༻❁༺

 

A day and a half would pass before Zoro even understood the full implication of Law's actions, before he could even grasp what it truly meant for Law to fall deeply asleep around him.

 

'He trusts me,' Zoro would think and be left in an awed daze for another twenty-four hours.

 

(And by then — unbeknown to him — somewhere in the lesser-known part of his heart, a seedling made of something that tasted like dreams had begun to grow wings.)

 

༻❁༺

 

Zoro, personally, saw no problem with his newfound friendship with Law.

 

He liked the mutual attachment — and it was indeed mutual attachment even if Law liked to pretend it wasn't the case in his efforts to keep up the appearance of being aloof and cold — that had developed between them because even if Law wasn't part of their crew, Law still understood him in a way that only his nakama could. Zoro could tell him almost anything, could snark with him in a manner that's more good-natured than malicious. In a way or two, Law became Zoro's go-to person whenever he was bored or just wanting some company outside of his crew, like a safe place away from home.

 

Zoro had told him half of his secret, something that Law readily returned in kind — Law had told Zoro about the will he carried in his name and blood, and Zoro finally understood why the man seemed just as insane as Luffy no matter how vehemently Law denied it — and Zoro never once thought that there was anything wrong with it.

 

At least not until Robin, with the trademark nosiness only a real Straw Hat pirate could possess, pointed it out.

 

He was hanging out with her in the submarine's small library, sharing the bowl of fruit Bepo gave them half an hour ago, when she brought up the topic with the cool and casual sort of grace she always used to carry herself with.

 

"You and Torao-kun seem to be getting along well," Robin observed, her eyes glued to the book she had been reading.

 

"Yeah," Zoro nodded, grabbing an apple from the fruit tray on top of the center table. "Torao's alright, you know? He always looks like he wants to dissect someone though. That weirdo. But he's fun. I like being with him."

 

"I see," Robin closed her book, gently placing it on her lap as she turned to look at him, cerulean eyes penetrating and searching. "Although, if I may be allowed to ask, when exactly did he start calling you by your first name?"

 

Zoro stopped mid-bite, churning Robin’s words in his head and trying to remember when Law stopped calling him Roronoa-ya .

 

Zoro could still vividly recall how it went.

 

"Zoro-ya," Law began one day, and the rest of his words disappeared as Zoro realized that no one had ever said his name quite like Law did, how Law rolled the second syllable of his name longer than the first. 

 

It was different, foreign. 

 

Suddenly, the name Zoro had known all his life became something unfamiliar.

 

"You're not listening, are you?" Law had nudged him then, trying to get his attention back to the present.

 

But with Zoro's mind completely floating somewhere far away, all the acknowledgment he could give Law back then was a very distracted, "Yeah."

 

“Zoro-ya,” Law said again, and Zoro had to wonder when he started liking the sound of his name on Law's tongue.

 

It was like Zoro had an out of body experience at that moment. It was the first time he realized that it was possible for his name to sound so nice on someone else's tongue. Although it was a good memory, it didn't give Zoro the information he needed to properly answer Robin's question.

 

In the end, Zoro really didn't have anything to tell Robin. He could remember how it happened, but he didn't exactly know when it occurred or even why.

 

Helplessly, Zoro shrugged.

 

Robin chuckled. She didn't look disappointed that he couldn't give her the information she wanted, and Zoro let out a relieved sigh. However, his relief was short-lived when he noticed that Robin was still eyeing him intently.

 

Zoro raised an eyebrow at her, pretending that he wasn't squirming under her gaze, "What is it?"

 

"Do be careful, Zoro," Robin finally said, and Zoro was caught off guard at the randomness of her warning.

 

"Be careful of what?"

 

"It's quite like falling from a cliff," Robin delivered her words slowly, cryptically, and there was an unmistakable twinkle behind her eyes resembling that of a riddler.

 

"What do you mean?" Zoro frowned at her, brows furrowed.

 

Robin's answering giggle gave nothing away.

 

༻❁༺

 

It was only when Zoro had been left alone that he started really thinking about Robin's statement.

 

Zoro's musings didn't help him understand Robin's words, but it did lead him to a discovery that would bother him for days to come.

 

༻❁༺

 

What he discovered was stupid.

 

His current predicament, even more so.

 

There was really nothing else Zoro could say about what was going on.

 

It was so ridiculously dumb that Zoro was feeling jealous of the way their course could remain steady as they voyaged through the dangerous waters of the New World when he couldn't say the same for himself.

 

Ever since their journey began, a fledgling band of misfits hailing from the weakest of the Blues with ambitions too big for the world, Zoro had kept himself sturdy and resolute, sure of the goal that was waiting for him in the far horizon and knowing exactly how to get there. Of course, that was still the same. His dream was still the very same promise he made, forever unchanged despite the addition of other dreams, not belonging to him but were as important, that came along the way, ones that made his vow so much larger, so much heavier.

 

He hadn't faltered when it came to what mattered, and he wholeheartedly believed that he never would. So really, there was no problem in that regard.

 

The actual issue lied somewhere else entirely.

 

Namely in the form of a certain pirate captain — not his own — who seemed to be everywhere even when he was nowhere near Zoro's line of sight.

 

Trafalgar Law.

 

After his conversation with Robin, Zoro found himself becoming hyper-aware of Law's presence. It was almost as if he developed a Law radar, and no matter how the rooms and hallways in the submarine moved from one place to another, Zoro would somehow always end up on the side where Law was. In retrospect, it shouldn't have been a problem — such a thing was no different from how he always knew where Luffy was even without the aid of haki — but it was .

 

It was a problem because functioning around Law became just a little harder, and unlike all the problems he faced in the past, Zoro couldn't really cut this one down with a sword or three. As if that wasn't enough, his dilemma easily grew out of hand when he started thinking that Law was attractive.

 

Frankly, it wasn't something that Zoro should be bothered by. Zoro might have lost an eye, but he had never been blind to other people and how they look. It was how he knew that Luffy and Usopp were both charming in their own ways and that Robin and Nami were both very beautiful. Heck, he could even admit that the cook was handsome if he stopped acting like an absolute dumbass every five seconds. 

 

So it was safe to say that Zoro knew that Law was an attractive man, unfairly and irrevocably so. Zoro had always known this fact ever since he first caught a glimpse of him in person back in Sabaody. It was really hard to deny such an obvious thing, so Zoro hadn't bothered trying.

 

But.

 

Knowing and mulling over what could be considered a universal truth were two separate and very different things.

 

And that brought Zoro back to his initial point.

 

The utter stupidity of everything.

 

Because approximately seven-hundred thirty-six hours, twenty-four minutes, and some seconds ago, the biggest portion of Zoro's thoughts were still about training, about pushing through his limits and breaking them with strength and will alone, and then, bulldozing forward as if his life depended on it. That was how he had always been, a man with a tunnel-vision that was focused on the tall mountain standing before his dream while carrying an abundance of self-assurance that he would be able to cut it down one day, but those peaceful days were over now.

 

Roughly a month ago, the thing that hadn't bothered Zoro before became a distraction, not mighty enough to be deadly but enough .

 

It was all so baffling to the point of frustration.

 

And perhaps, the most frustrating thing of all was the fact that Zoro would often find himself thinking about how the curve of Law's nose and the angle of his jaws emphasized the shape of his eyes, how the yellow of his irises stood out against the bronze of his skin, or how the tattoos inked all over him made him look hot… well, hotter . Probably more than what should be considered legal, but then again, they were pirates, so did it really matter?

 

But the real point was that it was maddening how Law's very existence was suddenly affecting him so strongly when it hadn't before. He wouldn't be so annoyed if it applied to everyone, but it didn't. It had never been like that around other people, not even now.

 

So why was it only Law?

 

"Stupid Torao," Zoro groused under his breath, wanting to punch someone. Preferably Law, see what it would do to him and his stupid, handsome face. 

 

Zoro knew it was unfair to put all the blame on Law when the man didn't even know what was going on inside Zoro's head, but Zoro's sure as hell holding him responsible anyway.

 

Speak of the devil, and they shall appear, words that held no meaning to Zoro until he realized that they seemed to carry some semblance of truth because right after Zoro finished cursing Law's name, the captain of the Heart Pirates rounded from a corner, steps sure and confident, the even sounds of his footfalls reverberating throughout the metal floor of the submarine.

 

Without any prompting, Zoro's gaze traveled from the empty steel wall he was currently glaring at to look at Law, more than ready to go through with his violent thoughts just so he could rid himself of whatever foreign emotions weaving their way inside him.

 

But alas, his plans fell flat as fast as it had formed at the sight of Law wearing another one of his brightly colored hoodies and that stupid tight-fitting pants that reminded Zoro just how long Law's legs were. Law didn't have his hat on again, so some strands of his dark hair were falling over his forehead and eyes, framing his face just the right way. But what really stopped all the gears inside Zoro's head was the pair of glasses resting innocently on top of the bridge of Law's nose. 

 

Zoro had been spending an unhealthy amount of time with Law, but he honestly had no idea that Law wore glasses — he hadn't seen Law with it even when he was reading or looking over those weather charts with small letters — but now that he was made aware of that tidbit, he was left in a cycle of wanting to stare and attempting to avert his gaze.

 

The reading glasses made Law look like something .

 

Something that Zoro wanted to see every day. 

 

It was confusing, aggravating, but Zoro gritted his teeth and bore it anyway.

 

Law spotted him then, pinning him in place with the amber of his irises.

 

"Good morning, Zoro-ya. I don't know what you're doing so far back, but it's about time for breakfast, and the dining area is in the other way," Law intoned in that infuriatingly calm way of his, the one that he only ever used around Zoro whenever he was in the mood to poke fun at him, which, now that Zoro thought about it, was becoming increasingly often.

 

"I know," Zoro, in fact, didn't know, but he was not willing to hand Law his victory. Not when Zoro was slowly becoming aware that he didn't mind Law teasing him, that he was enjoying having Law's attention to himself.

 

"If you say so," Law agreed easily, "but since I'm already here, let's go together."

 

Law tapped him on the shoulder — how did he get into his personal space so fast? — before walking to where the kitchen was, leaving Zoro no other choice but to follow him despite the fact that the dining area wasn't even the destination Zoro had in mind; Zoro was just walking aimlessly, trying to find answers for the many questions that he couldn't even begin to ask.

 

Zoro didn't walk next to Law then, opting instead to stay a few steps behind him, observing how the Surgeon of Death walked with such certainty, like he could turn the world upside down if he ever so desired. There was a unique sort of grace every time he would raise his feet and a certain kind of power when he would place them back down. Watching him, Zoro thought that Law had such a strong back, not quite like the strength upon Luffy's, but solid enough to send shivers down Zoro's spine, and looking at him now, even with his back facing him, Zoro felt intoxicated.

 

"Torao, you idiot," Zoro breathed out, cursing at how one-sided everything seemed to be. 

 

It was unfair, Zoro thought, that he was the only one overwhelmed by the feeling in his chest that he couldn't quite grasp, couldn't quite seem to shake.

 

༻❁༺

 

At that moment, Zoro realized that he wanted —

 

He didn't know what he wanted.

 

Zoro continued to long for it anyway.

 

༻❁༺

 

Zoro was thinking about a lot of things.

 

Was because Zoro's many thoughts had been momentarily placed at the back burner in favor of him dealing with the temperamental sea of the New World.

 

The Grand Line almost reminded him of a child with how quickly its mood switches. One moment, its waters were like raging tempests waiting to drag their victims under with vicious waves and twisting currents. Other times, it was as calm as the sound of a violin on a windless night.

 

At present, the sea was tranquil and comfortable, offering a moment of peace, something that everyone greedily took as their chance to rest. It was a given considering the last two hellish days they spent battling a particularly nasty sea current, one that they had only managed to escape thanks to the Heart Pirates' expertise, and with nearly three-fourths of the submarine's occupants either asleep or relaxing in their own way, Zoro found himself alone inside the gym at the far corner of the submarine, taking the welcomed serenity of his surroundings as a chance to meditate. 

 

However, as a true Straw Hat, Zoro was fully aware that a period of calm for them didn't last. As if to prove his point, the transponder snail Nami left with them started ringing from where it was hidden inside Zoro's robes, interrupting his meditation barely an hour after it began. Snapping his remaining eye open, Zoro took the phone out, watching as the snail's appearance transformed to match the caller. It was kind of creepy, Zoro observed as he abandoned all hopes of returning to his training at the sight of the familiar straw hat on the snail's back.

 

"Yo, Luffy," he said in lieu of a hello and was immediately rewarded by his captain's boisterous yelling.

 

"Zoro! It's Zoro!" Luffy announced excitedly over the phone. Somewhere behind Luffy, Zoro could make out Brook's and Chopper's voices demanding to talk to him, too, all of which were immediately drowned out by Nami's quiet, you idiots , her annoyance as fake as they came.

 

They never change, Zoro mused fondly with a shake of his head. Judging from the ruckus that he could clearly hear in the background, his crew seemed to be doing fine, and something in Zoro's chest eased like a knot uncoiling.

 

Looking up at the ceiling of the submarine, Zoro probed anyway, "Haven't heard from you in a while. Something came up?"

 

"Nope. It's so boring here, Zoro! I have nothing to do, and Nami says we're still far away from where Sanji is," Luffy whined, and Zoro could almost see Luffy pouting.

 

"Is that so?" Zoro fiddled with the cord of the phone, twisting and curling it around his index finger. "I'm sure you'll get there soon. Don't forget to yell at the cook for being an idiot when you see him."

 

"Okay!" Luffy agreed enthusiastically. "You're not worried?"

 

"Nah," we're stronger now and he's our cook went unsaid, but Zoro knew Luffy heard them anyway.

 

"Thought so," Luffy tittered before launching into a long and obviously exaggerated recounting of that one time they were chased by a sea king, and although Zoro knew how it was necessary for him to stay where he was, Luffy's stories made him wish that he had gone with them. 

 

No matter, all of them will see each other again.

 

Still, there was a certain wrongness that had weaved its way beneath his fingertips, a direct result of being separated with half of the crew, and Zoro was aware that it was there to stay until he could see everyone in one place again. It seemed to him that Luffy was feeling the same way, a fact made apparent by his interruption of his own story halfway to ask a question.

 

"Ne, Zoro, how are you and the others?"

 

"We're fine, Luffy. Torao's letting us use a spare room here, and Usopp's already won a lot of money. Torao's crew isn't very good at card games."

 

"Wow!" The wonder in Luffy's voice was palpable when he continued, "Nami will be happy to hear that."

 

"She would, wouldn't she? Greedy sea witch," Zoro noted with a degree of warmth. It was not hard to imagine Nami standing on a mountain of gold and money while cackling like a maniac. "Maybe she can even win against Torao. No one has won against Torao in a card game yet. Not even Robin."

 

"What about Zoro?"

 

"No. Not even me. That smug bastard makes fun of me every time I lose," Zoro huffed, recalling all of Law's victorious smirks every time he mercilessly trashed Zoro and the rest of them in whatever card game they decided to play for the day.

 

Luffy chortled a bit, and when he calmed down, he surprised Zoro with another inquiry.

 

"Torao's really okay then?"

 

It was a simple enough question, innocent even, but if Luffy could hear the things Zoro refused to voice out loud, Zoro could also hear the underlying meaning behind Luffy's words. It was clear to him that Luffy wasn't just asking because he wanted to know; he was also doing his duty as the captain.

 

"He's okay," Zoro assented, letting honesty bleed into his words, hoping to give Luffy the assurance he was seeking. "I thought you already knew that?"

 

"I do, but it's good that Zoro thinks the same."

 

"Guess so. I sleep in Torao's room sometimes, you know? Usopp thinks it's unfair that I'm the only one allowed in there. He says it's favoritism," Zoro narrated, perhaps sounding fonder than he intended. 

 

He found it hard to stop his lips from turning upwards at the memory of Law basically ordering him to just get in the captain's quarters and sleep there for the night after Zoro failed to locate his own room for the fourth time in one evening.

 

As much as Law complained about wanting to sleep and Zoro making it impossible to do so, the two of them ended up talking until morning, or at least it was morning according to Law. Zoro found himself not minding the lack of sleep. He was already used to it considering he usually took the night watch on their ship. Besides, it was not every day that he would get to hear Law ranting about everything he hated about, in Law's own words, those pretentious marines.

 

There was also Law's bed, which was softer than the one Zoro had been sleeping on before. He knew it for a fact because he had booted Law off his own bed and made him sleep on the floor, claiming that since he was a guest, it was only logical for him to get the bed. He remembered Law trying to use his ability to switch places with him. Law gave up on the third try though.

 

It was really fun.

 

Law even let him sleep on his bed until late in the afternoon. 

 

The same thing happened a few more times, and their nightly escapades, as Penguin jokingly dubbed, soon became something akin to a routine. In fact, it had become so regular that Zoro had already memorized the twists and turns he needed to make to get to Law's room; there was also Law who had started letting him in his room without batting an eye. Law had even stopped trying to switch places with him every time Zoro claimed his bed for himself, the man wordlessly allowing Zoro to relegate him on the floor.

 

All these things, the favoritism, or whatever the others liked to call it, made Zoro feel special.

 

"Zoro," Luffy's voice cut through Zoro's musings, effectively bringing him back from his straying thoughts.

 

"What is it?" Zoro straightened his back as he took note of the way Luffy was speaking. 

 

Luffy fell silent on the other line, and Zoro, always on the same wavelength as his captain, knew enough to determine that Luffy was in the process of thinking over what to say.

 

"Zoro," Luffy repeated, slowly, softly, and uncharacteristically careful.

 

Zoro waited patiently, just humming lowly in acknowledgment to let Luffy know that he was listening, never pushing when Luffy didn't speak right away. This wasn't new for them. There were times when Luffy got like this, sometimes when he was serious and uncertain, sometimes when he was just plain worried, and the crew had long ago learned that it was important to let Luffy turn things over his head until he was ready to speak lest they want him to end up distracted.

 

"You're my swordsman."

 

The absolute way Luffy said those words made it seem as if he was stating a simple fact while simultaneously declaring a war. Somehow, it made Zoro feel the same way he did years ago. 

 

Suddenly, Zoro was nineteen again, tied to a post with the sun beating harshly down on him, weak, hungry, and completely powerless against the gravitational pull of one Monkey D. Luffy, and if Zoro closed his remaining eye, he knew that he would see the memory play in sharp, vivid detail as if it only happened yesterday. It was not hard to imagine Luffy standing in front of him, wearing the face of a boy while carrying the heart of a king, a crown of freedom on his head and a wide rubbery grin across his face, one that was bright and filled with the promise of an adventure so grand it could never be contained under a single sky.

 

"Always, captain," Zoro vowed to the man who will be king with all of his heart, with every fragment of his soul, trusting Luffy to know that he would break himself for him, for them, while having enough faith in their crew to believe that he would never have to.

 

"Good." Luffy acknowledged, and the relief underneath his signature laugh was dense and tangible.

 

"Hah?" Zoro exclaimed because he hadn't known that something was amiss until everything corrected itself again, as was often the case when he was dealing with Luffy. Though he knew that he would never really get a satisfactory explanation if he ever tried to pry. True enough, Luffy pressed forward with barely a pause.

 

"Or else I'd have to fight Torao," Luffy was talking about it like it was another promise despite the fact that Zoro could clearly hear him giggling on the other line when he continued, "and I really don't want to do that 'cause Torao's our friend, and he's really funny when he yells."

 

"Oi, Luffy. What are you talking about?"

 

"What do you mean, Zoro? Are you dumb?"

 

Zoro bristled, snarling, "I don't want to hear that from you!"

 

Just as how it had always been between the two of them, serious matters were forgotten as they began yet another petty and childish argument, throwing insults that didn't really sting at each other. 

 

It was a chaos that lasted until Zoro heard Luffy getting smacked over the head, courtesy of their terror of a navigator who probably snatched the phone from a whining Luffy, the sea witch demanding to talk to Robin. Zoro would have denied her of her order, but Zoro really didn't want to test his luck against her lest she started yelling at him, too. He already had enough of those after Ikkaku caught him trying to empty their alcohol supply.

 

And as Zoro searched for Robin to give her the transponder snail, he couldn't help but ponder on whether Luffy knew more than he was letting on. Zoro would not be surprised if he did.

 

In the end, Zoro decided that it didn't really matter.

 

After all, the world and sea might shake and turn upside down, but Luffy would forever hold Zoro's blade and loyalty.

 

༻❁༺

 

Zoro would always be Luffy's.

 

He wondered if it was alright to want to be Law's, too.

 

༻❁༺

 

The weight of his thoughts didn't fully register to Zoro until the day the Polar Tang resurfaced mid-journey.

 

According to Law, they needed to restock their supplies and do some small maintenance on the submarine, so they had to stop by the nearest island. Although in all honesty, Zoro didn't particularly care about the where and the why, he was just happy that he would have the chance to take a breather and exhale whatever nameless air his lungs managed to inhale inside the submarine. 

 

Honestly, it felt like a century had gone by since he last saw the sun.

 

Luckily for him, the island they decided to dock on turned to be one of the many summer islands in the Grand Line. Unluckily, the temperature on the island was so high that Law decided to trade his usual attire for something lighter, which meant that Zoro had to see Law parading in an extremely tight-fitting tank top for the entire duration of their stay there.

 

He had seen Law topless before, and logically speaking, Law in a tank top should have been a down-grade from him being half-naked, but somehow, the sight before Zoro really hit differently.

 

Law looked really good — it was honestly unfair — and Zoro had to pretend that he was completely unbothered by how the elegant curved outlines of Law's chest tattoos were peeking out from the neckline of his tank top and how every flex of Law's arms were doing strange things to his heart.

 

And if that wasn't enough, everyone decided that Zoro had to stay with Law at all times. They claimed that they didn't want him to wander off and accidentally find himself in the marine base situated at the center of the island, which was stupid because he had never wandered before, and therefore, it would be impossible for him to get lost.

 

He tried to protest, reasoning that if they were so worried about him wandering off, Usopp could go with him, but his own crew — and even the samurai — had shot out of the submarine like rockets the moment its door opened, each of them claiming that they had something important to do as they scattered themselves somewhere on the island. Zoro suspected that they just wanted to go shopping without Nami restricting their spendings. That, and he was sure they were planning something. Those sneaky looks between Robin and Franky along with the way Usopp couldn't seem to look straight into his eye were tell-tale signs that they were cooking up something that involved him and most likely Law, too.

 

Zoro had really no clue what they were up to, but he had a feeling that Robin had something to do with it.

 

No.

 

Robin was definitely behind it.

 

He could feel it in his bones.

 

Although, Zoro would be lying if he said that he minded it. He could complain about his crew and their schemes, could groan and grumble about Law's chosen attire for the day, but in the end, Zoro knew that he didn't have any problem being stuck with Law for an entire day, or for a long time really. Not even when the gravity of his thoughts about Law had become so heavy in so little time that Zoro had no idea how to carry them anymore.

 

Speaking of carrying something, Zoro was currently arguing with Law, who was very adamant about telling him that it would be best if he left two if not all three, of his swords in the submarine to avoid unnecessary attention from the marines stationed on the island, a logical idea that Zoro quickly shot down.

 

"I'm not leaving my swords here," Zoro stubbornly said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He absolutely refused to part with his treasure; leaving his swords were like leaving his soul unguarded, and the thought made Zoro shudder.

 

Law may have looked good in his black tank top, but Zoro was not letting Law tell him what to do. Zoro had always been the type to do what he wanted, and no one could ever change that, not even Law and his stupid muscular arms.

 

"I'm telling you, Zoro-ya," Law objected, pointing at the three katanas strapped to Zoro's side, "you're the only person in all of the Grand Line with three swords. One look at your swords and they'll know it's you."

 

"Don't stress about it so much. The marines won't even see me. I'll be very careful. I'll even hide behind you if you want," Zoro said, giving Law a sharp-toothed grin laced with mischief.

 

Law's lips twisted into a frown. "The look on your face isn't very convincing."

 

"It'll be fine, Torao."

 

Law groaned, rubbing his temple. "I doubt it, but it's not like I can tell you what to do. At least try not to do anything too crazy, or I'm leaving you on the island."

 

"I get it, Torao. I'm not gonna cause any trouble." Zoro promised as he followed Law in the direction of the market, already distracted by the pale azure of the afternoon sky. After being surrounded by nothing but cold and harsh metal for weeks on end, the bright rays of the sun caressing his face almost felt like kindness.

 

"Make sure you're back before sundown," Shachi called out after them, "and for the love of sea ghosts, captain, make sure Roronoa doesn't get lost."

 

Zoro halted, sparing five seconds to reward Shachi's worries with a tight glower, hoping that his scowl was enough to convey his displeasure at the words that left Shachi's mouth. 

 

"I don't get lost," Zoro reiterated one last time before turning to Law, still scowling in mild irritation. "Tell him I don't get lost, Torao."

 

"You actually kind of do, Zoro-ya."

 

Zoro wanted to be annoyed at Law; it was clear that Law was making fun of him, but he just... couldn't. Law was clearly teasing him, but it mattered so little compared to the mad fluttering of butterflies in his stomach every time Law's shoulder brushed against his as they walked side by side.

 

In the end, Zoro just pouted at Law, grumbling under his breath, "Stupid, Torao."

 

"Whatever you say, Zoro-ya," Law shot back flatly, completely ignoring the insult Zoro threw his way. "Just stay next to me."

 

And Zoro?

 

He felt his face flush like an idiot.

 

It wasn't like Law meant something else with his words. Law probably only said that because he wanted him to stay close so he didn't lose his way, but the way Law said it, firm yet sincere in a way that was soft —

 

Just stay next to me.

 

— made Zoro's heart stutter and tremble. It also made him wish that Law meant it differently.

 

Startled by his own thoughts, Zoro shook his head vigorously, ignoring the loud pounding in his ears and the deep rumbling in his chest as he subconsciously shuffled a little bit away from Law, immediately missing their closeness.

 

They continued to walk around the island's lively market, occasionally stopping to window-shop or purchase whatever Law thought they needed in their journey. They stopped by some food stalls, too, and Law ended up treating Zoro to some island delicacy that Zoro deemed as one of his new favorite foods.

 

Through their roaming, an alcohol shop caught his eye, and Zoro really wanted to go check it out to see if they at least have some high-grade sake.

 

"Torao, let's check that out," Zoro reached out to grab Law's arm, tugging him towards the store.

 

"An alcohol store? Really, Zoro-ya?" Law raised an eyebrow at him, but he allowed himself to be dragged towards the store.

 

"Hey, I didn't complain when we went to the bookstore," Zoro rolled his eyes, still not letting go of Law who seemed very complacent at the moment.

 

Zoro heard Law heave out a deep breath, "You know, you can just ask Ikkaku to make another of her home-brewed beer. I thought you liked those? You made a weird face when you drank it for the first time."

 

"I did like it, but she said making it took her a year. That's way too long," Zoro explained before the rest of Law's words registered in his mind, and he let out an embarrassed whine, "And I didn't make a weird face!"

 

"Sure, Zoro-ya."

 

"Man, shut up," Zoro let go of Law in favor of shoving him, grinning victoriously when Law stumbled a bit.

 

Zoro was sure that Law would have shoved back had he not moved quickly to keep himself out of shoving distance, chuckling at the mock fury on Law's face. In a rare show of childishness, Zoro stuck his tongue out at Law and was rewarded with the captain giving him the middle finger, an action that turned Zoro's chuckles into a round of obnoxious cackles.

 

"You're annoying," Law grumped like an old man, glaring at him like he was forcing him to eat bread.

 

"Thanks," Zoro grinned, completely turning his back at Law, to scan the bottles of wine on the shelf.

 

"It's not a compliment," Law sighed as he moved to stand next to him. "Are you even going to buy something?"

 

"Depends if they have something I like."

 

Somehow, that statement had Law raising a brow at him, "You're actually being picky even though you barely have any money with you?"

 

"I'm not that broke," Zoro defended, catching a glimpse of a bottle of sake that he recognized as one of those high-grade sake being sold back in East Blue. He was about to get a bottle when he noticed the price. "That's way too many zeroes. Why is this so expensive?"

 

"I thought you weren't broke?" Law commented vindictively next to him.

 

Zoro merely gave Law a stink eye before turning to the store owner, "Hey old man, is this really the price of this one?"

 

The man on the counter, whom Zoro secretly dubbed as the crow because of his large, pointed nose, stared at him with round, beady eyes, "Aye. That's its real price."

 

Zoro frowned, feeling a little disappointed. The sake was something he only had once, and it was really good. He would love to drink it again, but he really didn't have enough money. Maybe he could at least try to bargain with the old man, "Can't you give me a discount, old man? Ten percent?"

 

This time, it was the store owner's turn to frown, "Kid, one bottle of this takes years to make."

 

"Then, five percent?"

 

"Listen, kid. It's high-grade alcohol. No way I'm lowering the price by a single berri."

 

Zoro let out a dejected sigh. He might be a fighter, but he knew a losing battle whenever he saw one. Nami was better at haggling than him. Their navigator could get things for free, and Zoro, for the first time, wished he had her skills.

 

"I can't believe I'm wishing that I have Nami with me," Zoro mumbled, heading towards the door of the shop with slumped shoulders. "Come on, Torao. Let's go."

 

"Hold on, Zoro-ya," Law said, stopping him, and Zoro watched with curiosity, as Law reached out towards the shelf, grabbing two bottles of the sake he had been hoping to buy.

 

"Torao?" Zoro tilted his head, his curiosity rising even more as Law marched towards the store owner, casually dropping a bundle of paper berries on top of the counter.

 

"Keep the change," Law said to the spluttering store owner, the man seemingly not knowing what to do with the amount of money suddenly in front of him.

 

"Holy sea king," Zoro breathed out in awe. He knew Law and his crew had more money than them, but he hadn't expected that Law had this much money that he could just go ahead and do something as giving away a lot of it. "What are you doing, Torao?"

 

"Here," Law said instead of answering him, shoving the two bottles of sake into his hands. "You want this, right?"

 

Zoro blinked, once, twice, and three times, gaping at the bottles in his hands, "Wait. You're really giving this to me? You sure?"

 

"Yes," Law answered, quickly turning around to exit the shop, Zoro following after him.

 

"Thanks, Torao!" Zoro beamed, looking up at Law, all the while feeling so happy that he could get some good sake without having to pay anything. Next to him, Law pulled his hat lower, seemingly hiding his eyes, making Zoro wonder if Law wasn't used to being thanked that he was acting embarrassed. And was that a blush Zoro was seeing staining Law's cheeks? Nah. It couldn't be.

 

"Whatever," Zoro heard Law say, and although he sounded like his usual grumpy self, Zoro could still hear the don't mention it under his nonchalant words.

 

Law might just be his favorite person now, Zoro thought.

 

Though in hindsight, Zoro shouldn't have taken his eyes off of Law because right as he finished securing the expensive sake Law had bought for him into the small bag Usopp insisted he carry, he realized that Law was no longer with him. 

 

"Where's Torao? Did he make a wrong turn?" Zoro asked no one in particular, deciding to look for Law, which might have been a mistake on his part because instead of finding Law, the one Zoro actually managed to find was the platoon of marines stationed in the town. Then again, it was not his fault that the marine base was right there the moment he turned left. He was so sure that the building was on the other side of the town.

 

"Three swords… That's Pirate Hunter Zoro!" One of the marines near Zoro shouted, alerting all the others of his presence.

 

"Damn it! Torao's never gonna let me live this down," Zoro grouched, remembering what Law had said before they left the submarine about the marines recognizing him the moment they saw the number of swords he was carrying.

 

No matter, Zoro told himself that this will be over soon. Law wouldn't even have to know, Zoro decided, his thumb already pushing the hilt of one of his swords in order to draw it and get things done. But before he could un-sheath his sword, he paused, recalling his promise to Law that he was going to try and not cause any unnecessary trouble. Zoro was fairly convinced that rampaging in a marine base was the exact definition of the kind of trouble Law didn't want him to get into.

 

"Stay where you are, Roronoa Zoro!" A rather tall marine bellowed, pointing a gun towards him. He sounded so loud for someone whose legs were trembling worse than Usopp before a major battle.

 

"Hey, hey. Calm down, and let's talk it over, yeah?" Zoro raised both his hands to show the guy that he had no intention of fighting anyone. 

 

Honestly, Zoro didn't mind getting into a scuffle. He knew full well that he could easily get out of it with a couple of slashes here and there, but Law bought him some nice booze, so Zoro really wanted to return the favor by behaving.

 

Unfortunately, the marine officer didn't look like he believed him. "After him! Don't let him get away!"

 

"Oh, for fu —" Zoro cursed, quickly hightailing it out of there. He was never making a promise to behave ever again.

 

He just hoped he could find Law soon, or he would be forced to break his promise, and that was the last thing Zoro wanted to do.

 

With his luck, Zoro spotted Law in front of an open stall, seemingly looking for something. Rather someone, because Zoro had no such doubts that he was the one Law was looking for. Without further ado, Zoro rushed towards him, hoping that he had an idea of how to escape the marines without resorting to cutting them, which was honestly the only solution Zoro had at the moment.

 

"Torao," Zoro called out frantically right as he was in hearing range.

 

"Zoro-ya, where the hell have you been?" Law hissed, taking a frustrated step towards him, eyes as hard as diamonds. 

 

"Marines," Zoro said in lieu of an answer, hoping that his tone was urgent enough for Law to understand his current plight.

 

"What did I tell you?" Law nagged. 

 

Zoro spluttered, "Torao, now is not the time."

 

Law rolled his eyes, but his entire demeanor did transform into something serious and calculating. It was strange to see the way Law went from the perpetually stressed captain Zoro knew him to be to the terrifying Supernova of the Worst Generation highly feared by the marines, but at the same time, Zoro thought it was fascinating how he could almost hear the gears of logic turning inside Law's head, the man clearly mapping out plans on how they could escape the ordeal without bringing too much attention to themselves.

 

"Follow me, Zoro-ya. We're running," Law commanded after only a few seconds of thought before breaking into a run, Zoro close behind him.

 

Of course, like every time a member of the Straw Hat pirates was involved in something, things didn't really go as planned. It would be a miracle if they did, which meant that Zoro and Law encountered major problems during their escape. One as such was the fact that Zoro almost always got separated from Law whenever they decided to turn into a corner. Really, it was not Zoro's fault that Law had to go back and look for him at least eleven times. Law was just really bad at following the instructions he had given him.

 

"You're like a broken log pose, Zoro-ya," Law rasped after the twelfth time they nearly lost sight of one another, sounding more frustrated than the time Franky installed a water dispenser in the submarine's dining area — Law really disliked how it would play music whenever someone pressed the dispense button.

 

"What? You're the one who keeps getting lost!" Zoro ranted, firmly believing that it was such a dumb thing for Law to complain and accuse him of being a broken log pose when it was not even his fault.

 

Zoro noticed Law slow down for a fraction, sensing that he wanted to say something to counter his claims, but then, the marines started shooting at them, and Zoro heard the sound of Law's teeth click against one another.

 

Law didn't speak.

 

Law growled . 

 

The sound was deep and guttural, nearly animalistic with its roughness and coming from deep within his throat. Zoro had no idea that Law could produce something so primal and fierce from inside him. It resonated all over Zoro's body, nearly sending him stumbling, his brain suddenly on hyperdrive.

 

Zoro genuinely thought he was going to trip on his own feet and fall face-first on the concrete.

 

He didn't.

 

Somewhere between here and there, amidst all the chaos, the shouting, and the gunfire, Zoro looked down to find Law's hand enclosing his, grasping it so tightly that it hurt, not physically but one that he could feel where his heart was. Law was holding onto him like he didn't want to lose him, not necessarily on the shifting and twisting back streets of the small town but on an emblematic road they were both unfamiliar with.

 

But all of that got pushed towards the back of his head as they dodged a harpoon, an honest to goodness harpoon , from their white-clad pursuers, prompting them to run faster. The marines stationed there reminded Zoro of the ones at Shell's Town. The only difference between the two was that these guys were far more creative in their choice of weaponry. Still, it would be so easy to knock them out.

 

"Torao," Zoro tugged at Law's hand to get his attention.

 

Law just grunted but completely ignored him. It made Zoro frown, not liking the fact that he was being ignored especially when he had something to say.

 

"Hey, Torao!" Zoro tried again, louder this time, using more strength to get Law's attention.

 

"Be quiet, Zoro-ya. Can't you see we're running," Law hissed at him as he turned on a corner, pulling him along.

 

"Yeah. That's actually what I want to talk about. Why exactly are we running? Can't we just cut them down? It'll be faster if we just do that. I mean, I did promise not to cause trouble, but they started it. You don't even have to do anything. I can cut them down easy myself," Zoro reasoned, already itching to let loose and get some proper exercise.

 

"I know you can," Law's words were sincere, and Zoro would have preened at the hidden praise if he didn't know that Law wasn't done talking just yet. True enough, Law added, "but we're not doing that."

 

"Why not?" 

 

In truth, Zoro could just go ahead and cut them. He only needed one sword to get the job done, too. Actually, even the back of his sword will be enough. Besides, he wasn't disobeying a captain's order; Law might be captain but he wasn't Zoro's. Then again, he kind of wanted to hear Law's answer, so he decided to stay put for a bit. He could always do the cutting later.

 

"I refuse to waste time on these idiots. They can't even shoot properly," Law scoffed. Just then, a bullet whizzed past them, missing its intended target by nearly a foot, and Law's voice was dripping with haughtiness when he said, "See?"

 

Zoro snorted. 

 

Law's response was exactly what he expected from the man. Law had always been the type of person who wouldn't even lift a finger if he didn't have to. Plus, the universe seemed keen on bending itself to further support Law's statement because when Zoro chanced a look behind him to check on the people hot on their heels, he saw one of the marines trip on something, sending the unfortunate soul crashing to the ground face first. As if that was not enough, someone else tripped on the fallen form of the unlucky bastard, and half of them stumbled like dominoes. It was a spectacle to watch and kind of embarrassing.  

 

Yeah, Zoro thought with a wince, he would definitely feel sorry for himself if he attacked these guys.

 

With a shake of his head, Zoro let go of his desire to strike the enemy, opting to follow Law's lead and just run. Besides, now that Zoro thought about it, it had been forever since Zoro ran just for the sake of running.

 

Zoro couldn't tell how long they had been running or how far they ran — those guys might be weak, but they were very persistent — but the two of them managed to shake their pursuers off. There was even a subtle burning in his lungs and legs, and his favorite floral shirt was already soaked with sweat, but Zoro didn't care. Such trivial things held no meaning compared to the traces of fun burrowed deep within his bones, and if Zoro wasn't currently drunk with the lingering feeling of the wind against his face, he would have noticed that Law's grip on his hand was still as tight as ever, but as it was, Zoro was entirely unaware of that either.

 

And as he breathed heavily, his back pressed against the solid brick wall of a hidden alleyway, Zoro's cheeks flushed with a joyful pink, his lips stretching into a boyish grin, full of teeth and gums, one that threatened to split his face in half and made him look so much younger.

 

Feeling like the world was in his grasp, Zoro's hand unconsciously squeezed Law's.

 

He wondered whether he imagined it when Law squeezed back.

 

༻❁༺

 

The gaping emptiness that settled in the cavity of his chest when Law let go of his hand was a chasm wide, and Zoro finally understood.

 

But by then, it was already too late.

 

(It was easier to fall in than get out.)

 

༻❁༺

 

The summer island incident made Zoro realize that his heart felt different in his chest.

 

Weird.

 

New.

 

It was almost as if he was just beginning to learn that it wasn't as full as he thought it was, that it was, in fact, as vast and as unpredictable as the sea, everchanging and full of things that he was yet to discover.

 

Once, Zoro thought that his heart was about to burst, already brimming with a promise and a dream, of Luffy and of his nakama, of the salt-sea and of the freedom in its waves, yet he just realized that it wasn't true in the slightest.

 

Halfway towards Wano, Law took a part of Zoro's heart, settled in, and made it his space, exclusively and without Zoro's knowledge.

 

'Why Torao? '

 

Zoro found himself asking one day.

 

Then again, who else would it be?

 

His realization might have come too late, and Zoro might have gone through several embarrassing blunders before he was able to figure out the depth and extent of his feelings for Law, but now that Zoro was aware of them, it was easy for him to accept that there would never be someone else, not before and not ever.

 

It had to be Law or nobody at all.

 

Zoro knew that it would always be Law.

 

It wouldn't even matter if Zoro was just about to meet Law for the first time tomorrow or ten years in the future. Nothing would have changed because he knew that that part of his heart would always belong to Law.

 

It was just one of those things that were inevitable, something set in an unbreakable stone.

 

Zoro could accept that.

 

He didn't have any problems with it either.

 

His newfound adoration for Law, deep and intense, yet still so young, just made everything clear for him, bringing to light all the questions he had been asking and answering them all at once.

 

It was almost funny, Zoro thought, how a hundred inquiries could be answered by a single word, but it all made sense now, didn't it? 

 

Zoro's sudden fascination with Law, the way he would always find Law's face and his manner of speaking attractive, his desire to also belong to Law despite already swearing his life and loyalty to Luffy, how his heart would sometimes do flips and somersaults inside his chest whenever he was in Law's presence; they all finally made sense to him, and Zoro never felt as much of an idiot until now. He almost couldn't believe he missed all the signs for so long when they had been screaming in front of his face for a while now. 

 

It might be true that Zoro was not the brightest crayon in the box when it came to the matters of his own heart, but he really should have had at least an inkling of it. It seriously felt like a running gag, how Zoro could read others but was always failing when his own heart was involved. Although Zoro supposed that those things didn't matter as much as the thought of wanting to be held by another ship's captain.

 

'Torao, huh? What a dangerous guy,' Zoro mused with a fond sigh, his lone eye glued to the man in question.

 

Right now, Law was busy giving out orders to his crew, an aura of power and authority emanating from his rigid stance. Even with Law's face out of view, Zoro couldn't find it in himself to look somewhere else, content in observing Law with a flowery gaze.

 

Zoro sighed again, breath rosy and perhaps quite longing. 

 

It really did feel right for it to be Law.

 

༻❁༺

 

It felt right.

 

Yet, to Zoro, yearning for Law was like coveting the sky.

 

(For the first time since he set out to the sea, Zoro found himself wishing that he had wings.)

 

༻❁༺

 

The flickering want that ignited within Zoro's veins quickly grew in intensity, so much so that he could feel a deep burning ache beneath his breast bone just by looking at Law. It even got to a point where Zoro was beginning to wonder whether telling Law would ease the inferno threatening to consume him whole.

 

And Zoro wanted to tell him.

 

He did.

 

He wasn't a coward, and he wanted Law to know, but at the same time, he couldn't quite shake the shadows of doubt looming overhead. This was all new to Zoro after all, and although telling Law was easy in theory, the thought of voicing out the contents of his heart felt like a task that Zoro was yet to learn how to do.

 

Like gliding with the wind.

 

An impossible and miraculous feat if Zoro said so himself, but then again, their crew already managed the impossible countless times with their own bleeding hands. In the end, Zoro was aware that it was up to him whether he would say something or not. Perhaps, if he did, he would manage another miracle.

 

Maybe it was due to that kind of foolish confidence that brought Zoro in Law's room that same evening, standing beside the captain's bed, watching him read — Law had his glasses on again — while waiting patiently to be acknowledged by the other man.

 

He didn't have to wait for long because Law quirked an elegant eyebrow at him, "What do you want Zoro-ya?"

 

You , Zoro wanted to say but didn't voice out, opting instead to give Law a half-smile, shrugging his shoulders in response to his query.

 

Law simply looked at him, golden eyes penetrating and searching until eventually, he let out a long sigh, "The least you can do if you're going to evict me from my own bed is to grab the mattress. You know where it is."

 

Of course, Zoro didn't move from where he was standing next to the bed, simply staring at Law with the most innocent look he could muster.

 

They stayed in a standstill before Law caved once more, scowling at him and closing the book he had been reading before proceeding to stand, most likely to grab the mattress Zoro knew was located under the mahogany desk at the corner of the captain's quarters.

 

"Why do I keep letting you get away with everything?" Law grumbled under his breath.

 

“You tell me,” Zoro said, letting himself drop on Law's bed with a thump.

 

“It’s rhetorical.”

 

“Uh-huh. If you say so," Zoro mumbled, turning to lie on his stomach before burying his face against Law's pillow, allowing Law's scent to take over his senses. Law mostly smelled like a mix of steel and medicine, but Zoro didn't miss the underlying fragrance of the sea that came with them. It was subtle but familiar, comforting in all the ways that were painful, and the buzzing electricity of desire inside Zoro's gut grew to unimaginable proportions.

 

His heart was going to burst, a ticking time bomb that he couldn't stop — he didn't think something so strong, so intense, could ever be contained — and Zoro felt the need to say something before the tiny beating thing inside his chest exploded.

 

"Hey, Torao," Zoro began, his confession lingering just at the tip of his tongue.

 

Law hummed in acknowledgment, setting the mattress on the floor before flopping himself on it and grabbing his book.

 

"No, it's nothing," Zoro shook his head in the negative, wanting to kick himself for backing down so suddenly when he was so very close to spilling all the fragile tenderness he felt for Law.

 

Law looked up at him, his eyes a pale yellow beneath the silvery glint of his glasses, and Zoro didn't have to be a genius to figure out that Law didn't believe him.

 

"It's not a bad thing, Torao," Zoro promised, unable to keep himself from smiling when Law turned back to the book he was reading, a clear indication that he was willing to drop the matter now that he knew that nothing was wrong.

 

Soon after, a pleasant sort of silence descended between them, stretching long enough that Law had fallen victim to the spell of slumber.

 

On the bed, Zoro had his chin resting on top of his arm, quietly watching the rise and fall of Law's chest where the book he was reading lay forgotten. 

 

"Sleeping with your glasses on. Are you dumb? You can hurt yourself like that," Zoro whispered, reaching out to remove Law's glasses from his now-closed eyes, more than a little awed when the other man didn't even stir. 

 

It still baffled Zoro sometimes how someone as distrustful as Law could fall asleep in the presence of someone who wasn't even part of his crew.

 

"I wonder how you'll react when I tell you," Zoro mused softly. "You'd probably think it's stupid. We're pirates after all. But I can't help it, you know? You're really dangerous."

 

"Am I?" Zoro heard Law whisper.

 

"Wha—" Zoro startled, but before he could even do anything, his entire being was covered with the tingling sensation that came with the activation of Law's abilities.

 

"Shambles."

 

"Torao, what the hell?" Zoro exclaimed when he found himself switching places with the softbound book that was just on Law's chest moments ago.

 

Instead of explaining his actions, Law simply angled his head towards him, "Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to stare at people when they're sleeping?" Law questioned, and Zoro was suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that he was lying on top of Law, the surgeon's hands resting on his waists, keeping him in place.

 

"You don't look like you mind it that much," Zoro licked his lower lip, trying to keep it cool despite knowing that their closeness meant that Law could feel the thundering of his heart.

 

"You're right. I don't," Law admitted quietly, eyes never quite leaving his own even as he rolled them over so that Zoro was underneath him, trapping him between the soft cooling fabric of the mattress and the heat of Law's clothed chest.

 

He was vulnerable, Zoro realized, and yet, all he could think of was how he wasn't afraid, how wasn't worried, how he didn't mind.

 

How he was right where he wanted to be.

 

I should tell him now , Zoro decided right there and then.

 

Because if not now, then when?

 

"Torao," Zoro braved like he was about to face one-hundred thousand enemies all at once.

 

"Do you have something you want to tell me, Zoro-ya?" Law mumbled, and the enthralling and dominating spark of affection that made his eyes look like lightning brought Zoro to a dawning realization.

 

“You already know," Zoro exhaled shakily, almost breathless.

 

Law gave a slow nod, “What are you going to do about it?”

 

“I don’t know, Torao." Zoro's voice was soft with honesty when he answered. "What should I do?”

 

Law smiled, the curl of his lips was quiet and delicate, brimming with encouragement when he told him, “We’re pirates, Zoro-ya. You can do whatever you want.”

 

"What if you don't want the same thing?" Zoro breathed out; that would kill me is what he didn't say, but Zoro thought Law knew what he meant anyway.

 

"I have you here with me, Zoro-ya, and I don't have any plans of letting you go soon." Law said in a hush, "So tell me, what could you possibly want that I don't?"

 

Tucked in the very depths of Zoro's soul, a tiny feathered thing began to uncurl.

 

"I want —"

 

"Zoro-ya."

 

Law was looking in him, Zoro finally realized, and suddenly, Zoro was standing atop a cliff with an altitude lofty enough that it was hard to breathe.

 

Zoro was no expert in flight, but he didn't have to be to know the consequences if he ever plummeted down. It will be a hard fall, Zoro found himself thinking, and if there was no one down below to catch him, he knew it would break him if it didn't kill him first of course.

 

But then.

 

Law's fingertips brushed against the edge of the scar on his eye, touch fleeting but heavy with a thousand unspoken words, and with a fearlessness that knew no bounds, Zoro leaped.

 

"I want to be yours."

 

༻❁༺

 

There was longing behind Law's lips when he finally kissed him, and the hunger that accompanied his touch was like fire against Zoro's skin.

 

He was being smothered, yet Zoro still felt like he could conquer the sky.

 

༻❁༺

 

"You know, I didn't expect to still be here."

 

Law told him one quiet midnight as the two of them lied beside each other on Law's bed, their hands intertwined between them.

 

"Yeah?" Zoro prompted, keeping his voice low as if rising it any further would shatter the brittle peace that had settled between them.

 

"I told my crew to go ahead even though I wasn't planning to follow them," Law admitted, and although the nightmare that was Doflamingo was nothing but a memory now, dread still settled like bitter poison at the pit of Zoro's stomach at Law's next words, "I was ready to die, Zoro-ya."

 

Law said it so casually. It tasted like truth, and it inflicted a numbing terror into every bone of Zoro's body.

 

Frankly, Zoro had an inkling that it was supposed to go that way. Zoro had seen it in the shadows blanketing Law's eyes, in the emptiness of his gaze, and in the distance that couldn't be bridged whenever he addressed any of them.

 

Law genuinely believed that a country caged by lies and deceit would be where his journey ends.

 

Back then, Zoro hadn't really paid it any mind, not because it wasn't important but because Luffy would not let it happen, not to an ally, and especially never to a friend, and if there was one thing that will never waver, it was Zoro's faith in Luffy and the way the universe would bend itself to his will, in the way fate was completely powerless in his hands. But now, the thought of Law's light disappearing in a place governed by pungent darkness was nauseating.

 

In the time that he had gotten to know him, Zoro lost the ability to imagine a world without Law in it.

 

"Are you still –" Zoro bit his bottom lip, heart trembling.

 

"Don't bite your lip, and no," Law brought Zoro's hand near his mouth, sealing his words by pressing his lips gently against Zoro's knuckles. "I was before Dressrosa, but not anymore."

 

Relief crashed into Zoro like a heavy rain after a decade of drought at Law's promise. 

 

"What changed?" Zoro asked, turning to his side in order to take in the sharp angles of Law's profile. Everything about Law was strong, and Zoro committed them all to memory.

 

"Cora-san wouldn't be pleased if he found out that I threw away the life he tried so hard to protect." Law's eyes were far away when he answered. "Besides, your captain makes people want to live."

 

Zoro couldn't help but snort at that; he understood the sentiment too well. "He does, huh?"

 

"And," Law turned to his side to face him properly. There was a certain vulnerability in his eyes that made Zoro's breath hitch.

 

"And?" Zoro swallowed, feeling his face flush at the blazing heat in Law's eyes as he looked at him.

 

Barely above a whisper, Law continued, "There's you."

 

If possible, the fire burning across Zoro's cheeks became hotter as it traveled to the tips of his ears. "Has it been a while? Towards me, I mean."

 

Law playfully slammed his forehead against his, looking rather pleased when Zoro grunted in a little bit of pain. "I've been giving you hints since we left Dressrosa, and you missed all of them. Every single one of them, Zoro-ya. It was frustrating."

 

Zoro smiled sheepishly, "My bad?"

 

"We could have done this sooner," Law emphasized the last words as if he was making a point, and Zoro realized that it was exactly what he was doing when Law continued, "No offense, but you're pretty dense sometimes."

 

"I'm fully offended. You could've ended your sentence without the last two words but no, you just had to add them," Zoro jokingly shoved Law away, "Your idea of romance sucks."

 

Law didn't look offended, instead, he looked fairly fired up as if he was taking Zoro's words as a challenge.

 

"Will it change your opinion if I kiss you?"

 

Zoro grinned, ignoring the apple-tinted flush he was sure his face was currently sporting, "Kiss me first, and we'll see."

 

Law didn't need to be told twice as he leaned down to claim Zoro's lips with his own in a deep searing kiss, sensual in ways that made Zoro's knees weak. Law tasted like his favorite tea blend, Zoro noted absently as he responded to Law's kiss with equal enthusiasm until the need for them to breathe arose.

 

"How was that, Zoro-ya?" Law murmured, almost smugly, when the two of them finally broke away. 

 

"One more," Zoro demanded in a daze, his lone eye hazy with warmth.

 

"You're so greedy," Law chuckled, the deep baritone of his voice echoing inside his chambers.

 

"Because we're pirates. Isn't that what you said?" Zoro shot back, only barely able to stop the whine of disappointment threatening to spill past his lips when Law seemed to be taking his time to give him another kiss.

 

"You're so greedy, Zoro-ya," Law murmured against his lips, "but so am I."

 

Then, Law was kissing him again, and Zoro allowed himself to come undone.

 

༻❁༺

 

Being with Law made Zoro forget that he was supposed to be sea-bound.

 

It was the kind of feeling that Zoro only ever felt around Luffy.

 

Although it might not be the kind of freedom Luffy and the rest of them are fighting tooth and nail for, Zoro was sure that it was still pretty damn close.

 

༻❁༺

 

"Have you ever thought of flying, Zoro?"

 

Luffy asked one day, the two of them standing in victory atop the hopeful soil of the newly born Wano, covered in grime and cuts and bruises but side-by-side and shoulder-to-shoulder like they had been since the beginning.

 

His captain was looking at the endless blue of the sky, one hand raised towards the sun.

 

'Flying, huh? ' Zoro mused —

 

Just two meters away, Law laughed.

 

The reason was insignificant compared to the rumble of his voice and the way the yellow of his eyes flashed gold.

 

Unable to look away, Zoro thought that maybe, this was how it felt to fly.

 

— and he answered:

 

"I already am."

 

 

 

 

༻❁༺

 

 

Notes:

- I'm still reeling at the length of this thing. Help.

- Admittedly, this monstrosity was born because I want to write Law wearing glasses. This is born from my thirst, oh my god. There, I said it.

- Did I just write a romance fic without ever mentioning the word love once? Yes. Yes, I did. Why? Apparently, I like to suffer.

- Zoro has a crush. He is dealing with it.

- Zoro's first thought when he realized he has a crush is to tell Law. We could never.

- Zoro's confidence fluctuates around Law. Save him.

- Zoro is that guy who writes a "get out of my school" letter to his crush.

- Zoro, after the 100th time Law hit on him: Are you hitting on me?

- Law: I've been hitting on you since Dressrosa, but thanks for (finally) noticing.

- You know it's true love when you can snark at each other like you're married even before you started dating.

- Robin knows everything.

- Also, Luffy at it again with how scary perceptive he is.

- Formatting this is not very fun.

- My grammar app is telling me that there is still one grammatical error in this thing, but I literally cannot find it, so hah.

- Also if you want to talk about anything LawZo or One Piece, or anything at all, come hit me up. You can find me on twitter @novacchi. I promise I don't bite hahaha.

- lol