Chapter Text
If Kuina hadn't told him stories when he was young, things would have been much easier. But she had. When they lay awake, staring at the stars on bad nights, she would tell him stories of damsels in distress and the brave warriors who came to rescue them.
"I'm not a damsel in distress," Zoro would argue, his pride burning at the insinuation.
Kuina tutted impatiently. "There's nothing wrong with being in distress. Everyone needs a little help sometimes."
"Why would I need some weirdo to come rescue me? I have you, don't I?"
A friend. No matter how rude he was or how much he sneered, Zoro had a friend. He had Kuina.
"Yeah," she would mutter with an eye roll. "You've got me."
And then she died. She died and left Zoro with nothing but a promise and a bunch of stupid stories about being rescued. Because he couldn't rescue himself.
"You're playing with fire," Mihawk had warned him when they crossed blades on the Baratie, tone thick with concern and anger.
Zoro ignored the warning, as he always had. Zoro liked to play with fire. It's who he was. If he made anything easy for the Marine bastards, it was far easier for them to win. And he didn't want them to win.
Morgan scowled at them, the rest of his Marines swarming around the crew. The arrogant bastard was relentless, Zoro would give him that. They stole one little map and somehow it was the most important piece of treasure in the world, second only to the One Piece.
Except it wasn't. Mapping the Grand Line was fine in theory but it couldn't actually work. There was a reason pirates flocked to the Grand Line. Those waters were free, untamable. There were no real laws, no real control.
This fucking map was useless.
But the Marines wanted it. And what the Marines wanted -
"Do you have it or not?" Morgan snarled, angry eyes on Zoro.
He wasn't sure what hurt more. The confusion swirling off Luffy and Usopp and the betrayal pouring off Nami.
Without a word, he pulled the map from his front pocket.
"Oi," the waiter snarled, stepping forward with purpose.
A sword swiped in front of him, stopping the prissy dick with ease. Zoro didn't pull his gaze away from Morgan as the Marine captain smirked, lazy confidence in his steps as he approached them.
"Zoro?" Luffy whispered.
The confusion had been replaced with disbelief and betrayal. After all Zoro had said to him back on Merry, after waking up to the young captain whispering all his insecurities.
With any luck, Luffy would understand how true those words were. Nami hadn't asked them for help but Luffy went after her anyway. Hell, Nami had told them to leave but Luffy didn't care. Luffy saved Nami.
Save me too , Zoro wanted to say.
But he kept his mouth shut, especially in front of the Marines, and handed the map to Morgan. The man's grin was smug and wide.
Zoro hated him.
"Helmepo, Koby, escort Roronoa to the ship. He's done his job."
"Zoro?" Luffy whispered again.
"What the hell is going on?" Usopp cried.
The waiter let out a deep scoff. "He's betraying us."
"There is no us," Zoro said, the words bitter in his mouth and Luffy's gaze burning in his skin. "There's me and there's you pirates. Nothing more."
So much more.
Luffy, help me.
Koby and Haircut follow him, half a step behind him. The walk to the ship lasted for every, every step feeling like a mile. Zoro waited for the sound of Luffy following them. Waited for demands of what was going. Waited for Luffy to follow him.
Like he'd followed Nami.
No footsteps trailed them.
The Marine's ship was cold. Gray walls and floors reflected the sun back at him as he walked, settling himself in Morgan's office beside the window to wait.
Wait for the Captain.
Wait for Luffy.
Haircut sneered at him as he left, something smug but annoyed. Koby was slower. He looked at Zoro with real hurt and confusion in his gaze. As though he was the one Zoro had betrayed.
Then both of them were gone and Zoro was alone.
Alone and waiting.
All was quiet and still.
Time ticked on.
Zoro glanced between the door and the window.
Waiting.
Waiting.
The door opened and Morgan made his way in, clear of bruises and cuts. Zoro's breath caught for a moment. His eyes flickered back to the window.
A distant speck on the horizon, Merry sailed away.
"You're playing with fire," Mihawk had warned him.
And now he was burned.