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There was no specific goodbye when it happened. It was a few words he left in his wake, light and dismissive like the countenance he always clung to show.
An emotional farewell was certainly not something to be expected from him, and yet he still held out hope that all their time together might have shed the barrier of awkwardness that loomed in their environment so that he could turn his gaze to him as he left.
Luffy remained immobile in his place watching as that specific figure moved further and further away from his sight in the direction of his own vehicle. Farther and farther away from the heat, from his dark tired eyes, from his dark cloths and dark hair. From his odd movements and mannerisms, from his classic head movements, from that crooked corner of his head in a sharp smile, from those experienced hands and his smell of bitter coffee.
And, above all, I was going to miss the reflection of the stars on his amber eyes, to say that he is beautiful was an understatement. That night was an accident, Law was staying awake on the main mast when the sky showed clear covered with flickering glows, the major had left the book by his side to give his full attention to the friendly view that night, as if thousands of white pebbles kept him company, as if it were his peace offering before the storm.
For the young captain, very oblivious to the short time they had left to sail before their arrival in the Mink kingdom, it was just another night in which he took advantage of the cook's nightly absence for a late-night snack. He stood up on tiptoe, even if that didn't do much to drown out the noise, and before he set foot in the kitchen he decided to watch his back one last time, then he saw him. His eyes had not noticed anything peculiar in his ally at a glance, until he came to his gaze and followed it getting to appreciate the same dark and bright layer that covered both of them like a safe blanket; he paused for a few moments and memories of starry skies on his native island came flooding back. By taking one more last look at his ally, he could understand why the poetry Robin read used such complicated words to describe something like this. The magic of the spell was such that he even forgot that he was facing the kitchen in the first place.
He let out a sigh, after so much and victory, he found himself face to face with the one thing he couldn't get by fighting.
Night fell, after that small and very quiet race after the waterfall outside Wano the crews left following their predestined paths. He took one last look back, there wasn't much he could do to ease the longing in his heart, which felt like waves hitting a strange rock formation in the middle of the ocean.
When those waves started to feel like muddy mud, he realized that he was the only one left on the deck.
He looked up at the sky again, a familiar starry mantle. What was so beautiful about it?
Just when he was thinking about going to his bed and trying to rest, he heard a male voice calling him.
"Hey" Luffy didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Still on his back, he gave the railing one last squeeze before releasing it.
"What's the matter?"
The younger one kept his captain's voice and Zoro frowned.
The silence had never been uncomfortable between the two, so it was strange the nervous expressions that the swordsman let see in front of him. There was something never said before in their interactions that left the black-haired man surprised, the young captain thought that Zoro simply found it too interesting.
"¿...Can I hug you?"Asked the oldest being extremely careful not to express shame in his voice. If Luffy had paid a little more attention he would have managed to hear the slight whine before starting.
Luffy turned around. The swordsman was close enough to be able to land a punch on him without stretching.
"No. It's already late, you should sleep."
The hugs between them were always spontaneous, natural, so Luffy could feel the swordsman's insecurity when receiving the question. Why did he even have to ask? He felt uncomfortable knowing that he had not done a good job of hiding his regret in that situation, for, the memories lingered on his countenance as evidence of the recent action, he was melancholy to a certain extent. The first mate had noticed this since they departed, so the crew conveniently retired early leaving them alone. It was enough of a silent glance with the cook to be able to carry out his plan.
“I'll take care of the guard tonight." Said the black-haired man to then surround the swordsman and leave the bow to the deck of the ship.
Zoro stared at him seriously, then, with an understanding smile, hurriedly followed his step.
It caught Luffy off guard, but Zoro wrapped his arms around him from behind crossing himself on the chest of the youngest, he fit perfectly despite being several centimeters taller.
"W-What are you doing? Let me go!" Complained the black-haired man writhing, almost without encouragement, in the strong arms of the swordsman.
Zoro rested his head on Luffy's left shoulder and spoke almost in a whisper in his ear. His throat had never been prepared to release such words so gently before.
"You can cry" He told him in an understanding tone that he didn't expect Zoro to be able to do it. So the swordsman squeezes him a little more in his arms to highlight his words. He wanted to convey security and support, even if he did not know exactly what was happening to him, his own being was unable to let his young captain drown in his thoughts.
However he knows it.
And he also knows that that mixture of thoughts and feelings will never be directed towards him and his heart cannot hurt less at the sight.
Luffy starts to squirm more tenaciously in Zoro's arms.
"Don't be stupid!" He exclaims irritably still keeping his hard expression and his frown, turning his head and his face as much as he can. "Why would I cry? Do you think it's because the alliance ended?" His voice fails him halfway through and his breath stops for a second when Zoro squeezes him again, this time more gently, he can feel a drop of sweat forming on his forehead.
"It's okay..." Zoro said in that surprisingly soft and intoxicating tone. "In this position I can't see your face"
Luffy tries to escape again for the last time. A release button within reach of his own hands, and yet when he's about to press it... "I'm not going to..." He hesitates and his voice trembles.
"You didn't want to say goodbye to Torao, did you?" The swordsman whispers close to his ear again.
Luffy stays quiet this time, Zoro can only hear the black-haired man's breathing now short, his body shaking uncomfortably. Luffy clenches his own fists.
It was then that the stars cried and the world melted around them. He felt how the muscles of his lacrimal system burned inside him before the oxide stored by time (2 years to be precise). It didn't hurt, what did cause him pain was the big steel cannonball melting into his chest, digging deeper and deeper.
They stayed in that position for a full minute, Zoro closed his eyes trying to convey tranquility. After a few seconds he could feel the slight change in temperature and the small body spasms of the minor, until the small sobs were heard more clearly.
Luffy tilts his head towards himself, shrinking slightly.
"Everything in the world doesn't always go the way we want it to" Zoro continues. Feeling the first drop on his forearm around the stomach of the black haired. "We can't even fall in love in peace"
They both feel how a light midnight breeze makes their hair and clothes flutter slightly.
Luffy continues to sob in Zoro's arms, his hat hiding his eyes in plain sight, his fists tense and hot from pressure and his jaw clenched trying to cry to lying tears.
They continue in that position for a few more moments, Zoro could have sworn that he would still be there until the next day if his captain still didn't calm down, but that didn't happen and he loosened his own grip when he noticed that the minor was no longer trembling and had become quiet a few moments ago.
The green-haired one waited a few more seconds, and then slowly slipped his arms from the younger one and released him. Luffy broke away from the grip having completely regained his composure and took a step forward.
"You are too insolent to be my first officer" He said looking at him out of the corner of his eye.
Zoro only smiled heavily, his eyebrows furrowed with an accustomed amusement.
"You know me so well" He replied still looking at his back.
Luffy didn't turn around or direct his gaze at him this time. He took another step to get away from Zoro.
"...Thank you, Zoro" Luffy blurted out before walking towards his room, as he turned Zoro I can see the soft sad smile he was wearing on his face. The green-haired one hurried his step for the second time in the evening and followed him down the short corridor.
Before Luffy even raised his hand to grab the doorknob Zoro stopped him with a glance.
"We will see him again" He said looking at him with a confident smile.
"Of course we will" Luffy replied resolutely turning his gaze towards the night ocean.
The eldest kept looking at the black-haired man with a hidden smile on his face, the stars reflected in his brown irises were a sight he didn't want to miss for the world.
Zoro put his trust in the universe that night leaving the ship unguarded, but with that weight (someone) on his chest and the warmth it produced in his heart he didn't have to worry.