WELP😳

Distraction or Devotion (Zoro x Reader)

_____ Pairings: Roronoa Zoro x Female Reader Summary: You think your love is one-sided, but is it? Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Jealous Zoro, Soft Zoro, Alcohol A/N: Been obsessed with Zoro lately 😅 [One Piece Masterlist] _____

You were transfixed by him.

Roronoa Zoro.

He had found his way into your heart and had taken the undue liberty to consume all of its devotion. You didn't know how friendship had morphed so suddenly into the hopes of something more, but that was the predicament you found yourself in now.

What had started as general respect for the other had turned into sparing sessions, light bickering and laughter, drinking and confiding in the other. The days spent at sea spared you much time to get to know the green-haired swordsman, no matter how rigid he stood behind his walls. You chipped and chipped away at them until he let you in on small details, let you pull laughter from him and let you linger in his presence.

The bond you both shared was built on loyalty and an undying trust forged through time and trial. You knew to him, you were a rare individual: one he trusts, one he protects, a comrade and a friend. But to you, the more you chipped away at his walls, the more you got to know the man, stoic and strong and silent, the more he crashed through your own borders and delved straight into your heart.

To you, he was everything, but everything you were so sure you could not have.

"Oi, [y/n], you're zoning out again."

Your eyes snap upwards, and you are met with the sight of Zoro, his sharp eyes on you as he lifts an ungodly amount of weight back and forth over his head, mimicking the movements of his swords. Both of you were out on deck, the only crewmembers that lingered outdoors apart from Luffy, who was somewhere on the figurehead.

"I'm sorry, were you desperate for my attention?"

You tease as you go back to the duty of polishing his swords, a frequent task you found yourself undertaking, but one you did not take lightly. You knew how much Zoro treasured his swords, how much worth was forged upon their blades. They lay heavy in your hands: heavy with responsibility and the weight of Zoro's trust. You didn't know of anyone else he would allow to even breathe near his swords, let alone touch them.

The thought of that made your heart warm.

"Shouldn't you be focusing on your training?"

"Tch, whatever woman, I only said something cause you looked like you were about to fall asleep on the blade. Next time I'll just watch it happen."

You roll your eyes, but a smile lingers on your face as your eyes meet his. The sun had fallen, just mingling with the ocean as it delved deeper into the Earth, bringing forth warm lights that traced the muscles on Zoro's skin. His irises swim in the fervour of the lights, and you swear you see something deep within as he abruptly breaks away from your gaze, the pink on his cheeks surely from his workout and nothing more.

Nothing more, right?

There is more silence as Zoro shifts his focus to his weights once more, the rhythm of his training the only sound that touches the cooling air, until you decide to break the quiet.

"Hey, Zoro..."

You murmur, eyes locked on the blade carefully placed in your lap and the cloth that delicately traces it until you see your own unwavering reflection.

"Yeah?" Zoro grunts as he brings down the weights towards the deck.

"Have you ever thought about love before?"

There is abruptly the seizing of movement, but when your eyes travel upwards again to meet his, he merely looks at you incredulously.

"What kind of question is that?"

You grin at his expression, but continue on, nonchalantly, despite the way your heart pounds against your chest at your own boldness.

"Oh, come on, Zoro. You've never been tempted? I can't count on my hands the number of times women have literally fallen at your feet. Beautiful women, too good for you, of course, but nonetheless."

A beat of silence, and he answers.

"Nope, never thought about it."

His words are blunt, and he continues his training as though nothing was said. You can't deny the slight disappointment that filled you at his abrupt words. But you decide to push a bit more. You want to know more, more of what he thought about you. If you had a chance, if another claimed his heart, if his words were true.

"Really? What about Tashigi? She even knows her way around a sword, you know-"

"Nope."

"Perona? You guys literally spent two years together-"

"So? Still no."

"Hiyori? You two seemed all cosied up-"

"No."

You roll your eyes, unsure as to why your heart starts to feel heavy even as he rejects women you were so sure he could sweep off their feet. Maybe it was the lack of interest in the topic of relationships. Maybe it was the voice in the back of your mind mocking your hopes that he would turn around and say he would choose you instead.

"Nami, Robin??"

You ask, a teasing tone in your words despite the smile that strains on your cheeks.

"What? No way, they're crewmates-"

"You've actually never been tempted? They're literally all so perfect."

You sit in slight disbelief, analysing his expression, but his gaze does not falter, and he reveals nothing. If anything, you witness the tightening of his jaw as he moves to a silent rhythm. You wonder if you have pushed the topic too far.

"It's nothing against them, I have a responsibility and a goal. To become the world's strongest swordsman and to see Luffy become the pirate king. I don't have time for distractions."

His words are blunt to you as they are confirming. You allow the silence to consume the space between the two of you for a moment longer, and yet your heart twists unbearably.

He doesn't have time for distractions.

Of course, he doesn't.

You had witnessed more than anyone the way he trained from daybreak to sundown, every minute for the dream he held, and in support of Luffy's ambitions. What time could he spare for relationships, for women? He already had so much on his mind, so much responsibility on his back. And yet, a question leaves your lips before you can stop yourself.

"Not even time for me?"

You whisper, but Zoro misses your words, his eyes trained on his weights, the crease between his brows a show of his concentration, but the glint in his eyes, one that unravels frustration.

Why? Maybe this conversation was one he did not wish to partake in.

"Did you say something?"

Zoro's words touch the air once more, as sunlight travels his face until it lies static as he meets your gaze again.

"Nothing," you say, more dejected than anything else, despite knowing you should feel unsurprised. You watch as he continues his workout, the air solemn as you let out a quiet sigh, unsure why your heart feels so heavy despite a lack of rejection.

You supposed it was the lack of recognition that had done it.

In-tune crew members had already witnessed your gravitation towards the swordsman, but it was clear to you that your affections were not recognised, nor could they be considered anything beyond friendship by Zoro. Though stupidly relieved to know that he did not have a favourite among the women you listed, you felt stupid in your hopes that maybe, just maybe, you were his favourite.

That he recognised that the way you polish his swords as you do now wasn't out of mere generosity but deep-rooted admiration and care. The way you saved a seat for him beside you at dinner wasn't out of mere friendship but out of hope to get to know him more. The way you seek him out and spend hours by his side, even when there is nothing to be said, was from a yearning to be beside him for as long as he would let you be.

You loved him.

Roronoa Zoro.

Loved the way he would smirk when he teased you to the point where you were sure to combust. Loved the way he is so protective of crewmates in battles, his strength and loyalty unmatched. You loved the way he was so unwavering in his values, so predictable in the best of ways. Loved the way that he cared and was kind, no matter how hard he tried to keep up the tough-guy facade. You loved the quiet moments stolen with him, the way his eyes would soften in the presence of you and the presence of crewmates, the faint smile he bears when he has had too much to drink.

Loved the way he would listen quietly.

Loved the way he ruffled your hair.

Loved the way he searched for you after battles.

You loved him.

But as you watch his devotion to his swords, to Luffy and to his crew. Deep down, you had resigned yourself to knowing that you could never be anything more than a friend. No princess, swordswoman or model could turn his head. How could you?

What did you offer that they didn't?

Emotion fills you suddenly, but you force it away, scolding yourself and quickly finishing off the last of your task. Zoro releases his hold on his weights, stretching lightly as he readies another workout, but he is surprised as you stand and go to walk away.

"Hey, you okay?"

He asks, and you hate the way your heart lurches at his concern, the way you can feel his eyes burning into your back.

"Yeah, I just promised Sanji I'd help him for dinner, I'll see you later!"

Your words are as cheerful as you forced them to be, wandering towards the kitchen unseeingly. You don't see the way Zoro's brows furrow in his confusion, the twitching of his hands as though he wants to stop you and ask why you would indulge in the cook's company over his own. But he merely nods and continues his training.

You merely walk away.

.....

A week has passed, and you didn't know what you were doing.

Were you moving on? But from what exactly?

Exploring other opportunities? Maybe, but why?

You weren't rejected.

Didn't have the hammer beat down on your budding devotion to the swordsman. You were just provided an unspoken resignation by his words.

"I don't have time for distractions."

Like, ever? Was that long-term, short-term, or were you even a card in his hands that he would play?

You were confused and downtrodden, but you were also tired.

One-sided love.

So focused on possibilities and what-ifs, you had forgotten how exhausting it can be. How burdenous longing can be. How the dichotomy of your mind and of your heart can feel like you're being torn in two. Was that dramatic? Maybe a tad. But you now realise how long you have loved Zoro, the years you spent by his side. How can you teach yourself to let go, even a little bit, to seek distance so that if he does choose to reject you in the future, you are not utterly shattered?

You hate that you still hope.

Hope that because you had not named yourself, and because he had not rejected you, that you still had a chance, even if it was years down the line. You grit your teeth as you take a rough swing of your beverage, alcohol burning as you force it down your throat, trying to quieten your mind, trying to forget your feelings.

"Hey, slow down, it's not water, you know?"

And there it is, the provocative tone in his words. The glint of amusement in his sharp eyes as he catches your gaze. The swordsman laughs at your distasteful expression as he downs his second bottle of the night.

"I know that, but do you? You're downing that like it's nothing."

You ask incredulously, deadpanning at the way liquid disappears from bottles. He smirks, much more at ease next to you and with his sake, though he couldn't let you know that. Couldn't let you see how you have him so wrapped around your finger. Couldn't let you know that the smile you bear had him fighting to remain nonchalant, to remain strong in the face of temptation. The temptation in your lips, in your gaze, in you.

"I know, but I can handle it."

You roll your eyes at that.

He notices, but you turn away quickly, hiding your gaze in the dim light of the bar the two of you found yourselves in. Zoro can hear his Captain laughing with a stranger, can hear the love-lorn cook as he talks to Nami and Robin, can hear Brook chatting with the musicians in the bar, and yet he finds himself next to you. He always finds himself next to you. Always you he looks for after battles, always you he sits by when he naps, always you who lingers when he works out, always you he celebrates with, always you.

He wonders why you have been acting strangely this week.

Recently, it hadn't been you who lingered, or you he sits beside. You hadn't been saving the seats you usually do for him, with your bright eyes and wide smile. More often, you had been absent as he worked out, left wondering why the empty space you usually sat in was left cold and dull without you. More often had he taken notice of the unspoken things you do - reminding him of dinner, polishing his swords, filling the quiet in between - disappearing. He wondered if he had taken you for granted.

Even now, as he sits next to you, the closest he has been for days. You are quieter, more sullen, more lost in your mind. The heart in his chest that he didn't know could fluctuate in the face of another, missed you. God dammit, he missed you. And he didn't know what he had done wrong.

You take a glance to your side, only to see that Zoro was now lost in his head, drinking from bottles, with thoughts behind his eyes. You are about to ask what burdens him, but your pursuit is interrupted by that of another.

"Excuse me, love? Can I buy you a drink?"

Your gaze snaps upwards when you meet the eyes of a stranger who has approached your side without your notice. He hadn't been the first to approach you tonight; in fact, you were used to men approaching you with hope and admiration and lust twisting in their irises. It had been so easy before to brush them off in favour of Zoro's company, so easy to say no. But you find yourself considering the offer. Zoro is still distracted by a thought you cannot see, and this man was charming and attractive.

What harm was there really?

"Okay," you say, your words more unsure than you hoped they would be, but the man does not care nor seem to notice, all too pleased to have you on his arm. That is, until you feel a sharp tug on your other hand that lies limp to your side. Your gaze snaps to your left, and you are met with sharp eyes you have memorised all too well.

"Oi, where are you going?"

Zoro's voice is low, protective, his hand lingering on his swords. But his irises betray confusion, and was that hurt that lingered on the crescent edges? Zoro's insides twist uncomfortably at the sight of your hand on another man's arm.

You never indulged in the company of such men; why now?

"I'm just getting a drink, Zoro."

You say confusedly, missing the smirk on the man beside you, missing the tension in Zoro's jaw as he meets his cocky gaze. You feel Zoro's fingers twitch against your skin, his grip not painful but sure against your skin. He didn't want to let you go. But you were now confused.

Why was he acting this way?

But before you can say anything, Zoro lets you go silently, and the man next to you takes you to the bar for a drink.

.....

When you make your way to the Sunny, the sun has touched the horizon, leaking light onto the earth.

Your eyes were trained on the pavement, steps slow and deliberate, but your mind was churning. Along the way, you had seen crewmembers sprawled together on the streets and in bars, but paid them no mind, knowing it was merely a symbol of them having had a good night. Happy to see them indulge in an evening of laughter, drinks and food and each other. You hadn't expected to be out so long, but you found the need to wander a little.

The man who had taken you to the bar was okay at first, that is, until you saw the lust that travelled his features, move to his hands. He had mocked your crew and Zoro in his drunkenness. Had earned himself a good slap to the face and your swift absence, only for you to find that Zoro had left the bar already. You had only been gone for an hour at most, but following everything you had walked the length of the island several times, leading to the sun rising, signalling the beginning of another day.

You travel up the steps and onto the deck, expecting silence, expecting nothing. But you are surprised to see the swordsman, your mind had lingered all night on - had lingered years on - sat looking to the horizon with a pile of bottles scattered around him. Your heart picks up pace quickly, both in concern at the sight of him so adrift he does not notice you and of the devotion you still try to bury. Approaching hesitantly, you are met with the strong scent of alcohol, a sign that he has drunk too much, despite himself.

"Zoro?"

You murmur, nudging his shoulder gently, unsure of his reaction. He turns to you slowly, eyes masked in rare emotion, bottle clunking onto the deck from his grasp, spilling its contents. You furrow your brows, but his voice is low as he speaks to you, avoiding your gaze once more.

"How was he?"

You are taken aback, shocked that despite his inhibited state, that is what he suggests to you. Though you suppose that is what conclusion you would come to if Zoro disappeared with a woman, only to return to the Sunny in the daybreak.

"What's it to you?"

You ask lightly, watching the way his grip tightens on his own skin, sharp eyes on yours as he watches you closely. He is about to bite back until he watches you sigh and pick up the bottles that have been scattered and some shattered, cleaning the mess he has made. He meets your eyes that are on his, and he sees the concern you bear. His heart twists painfully against his chest as he pictures you with the man he left you with.

You.

You were meant to be his.

You were his angel, the one he protects, the one he looks to in quiet moments and laughs with in the confines of the other. He was meant to be the one you adored, the one who came first, the one you sought out. He was the one you were meant to nudge teasingly and drink with and celebrate wins and comfort losses with. He was the one you were meant to grace your presence with. Not some leechy stranger, not some unworthy man he can only now picture in your bed, in your arms, in your heart.

"I asked first." He says, voice quiet, tone low, eyes adrift again.

You smile half-heartedly at his stubbornness, but as you brush away bottles and put them away, you let the silence linger for a while. Once you are done you sit by his side, Zoro hates the way his heart spikes just by your warmth, you hate the way your heart does the same.

"He was an asshole."

You say, feeling Zoro's gaze meet the side of your face as your voice touches the air, but you do not turn yet, admiring the sun as it rises higher. "Wanted me in his bed long before our first drink, talked shit about me, talked shit about our crew..." You feel as Zoro tenses at your words, and that is when you meet his gaze, his eyes widening at your gentle smile, at your adoring eyes, at your proximity.

"... talked shit about you."

You grin as you see his eyebrows twitch, but you don't move, overindulgent in his presence. Yes, you might not be his, not now or ever, but you would take what you got, even if it was the show of his protectiveness from time to time. But to Zoro, he was fighting so hard not to allow his hands to travel to yours, to spill the words he constrained. You turn away quickly before you get too lost in his gaze, though he is already too far gone in yours.

"That was the last straw, you know," you grin teasingly at the sun, "had to give him a good slap to the face to bring him back to reality, then wandered around the island for a good few hours because somebody decided to leave early."

Zoro's gaze widens a fraction of a millimetre, but you do not catch it, yours still to the sky. You don't notice how his chest loses the tightness that had plagued him the whole night. The way he had used the alcohol he usually loved to force an escape from thoughts of you and the man he had regretfully left you with. He couldn't handle it, the thought, the sight of you with another. Couldn't handle another day where you continued to place distance between the two of you.

Then it comes to Zoro so clearly, after so long in despair.

He loved you.

He can't let you go.

There is a warmth on your hand, and it takes you a while to realise that it is Zoro's hand over yours, hesitant, hovering. Your eyes snap to his so fast, he is almost taken aback. He fights the blush on his cheeks as he lowers his calloused hands onto yours, pulling warmth to your own face.

"Zoro?" Your words are hesitant, but his are blunt and unwavering.

"Don't do that again, woman," he says, voice even, eyes far from yours. Two beats pass in silence until his voice reaches the air again, in turn, rendering you temporarily speechless.

"I think I like you."

There is no teasing in his words, no underlying joke. He is vulnerable under your gaze, touch faltering on skin, uncertainty clouding his mind. But to you, a wave of shock travels through your system, and you can't help but let out a yell of surprise.

"What?!"

Zoro winces as he squeezes his eyes shut, not used to the effects of too much alcohol.

"Damn woman, do you have to be so loud?"

You hurriedly silence, before returning to your spot next to him, mind buzzing. Is this a dream? Did you hear correctly? Have you gone and lost your mind? You quickly come to your senses, gathering thoughts that have scattered, until one question clouds your mind.

"But I thought- I thought you said you didn't have time for distractions?"

Zoro pauses, his mind travelling to the conversation the two of you had a week ago. A week ago, when you named women, he could never have considered that way. The frustration he felt when it sounded like you were writing yourself off the list of options, forcing people onto him when all he wanted was you. Was that why you put distance between the two of you? Was that the question that plagued your mind? Was that what you thought?

You hear him sigh, but he pulls you into his side, still a mixture of drunkenness dictating his movements.

"You're not a distraction, just another focus, a vulnerability maybe, that I choose to have," he smirks slightly at your surprise spilling into your stare. "But you're mine, or I want you to be."

Silence touches the air, but Zoro takes comfort in knowing that you have not moved from where you sat, have not moved from his touch, have not wilted under his vulnerable words. In a movement, he feels your hands touch his face, a shine to your gaze that has him blushing to his ears. A hammering against his chest like he has never known.

"I want to be yours."

And somehow, that was all he wanted to hear.

His lips touch yours, in a mix of warmth, of roughness and of the taste of too many drinks. But you feel his hands, strong, secure against your skin, pulling you closer. Your mind is a haze as he moves, still tipsy off of alcohol, still stumbling with nerves, but lost in the place you have wanted to be for so long. He growls low under his breath, his hands moving as though to erase the touch of any other. When you pull away, you are breathless, and so is he. You sit on his lap, and he holds you closer.

A moment of bliss travels the two of you, and yet a yawn comes through your system, exhausted emotionally, of the time spent last night wandering, of the thoughts that raged through your head. And yet now, next to him, you can't find the courage to drift asleep, afraid to wake to your bed and to harsh reality. Zoro seems to be having the same thoughts as you, but in the caress of soft hair, he murmurs against your skin.

"Sleep, woman. I'll be here when you wake up."

Your eyes meet his hesitantly, and though you know alcohol is still in his system, you don't think that is the reason why his eyes soften when he meets your gaze. No, you knew that look, it was familiar, shining with care and softness and that unspoken emotion you had seen all too much before. That unspoken emotion, now free of its speechlessness, is only for you to know. You nod to him, surprisingly comfortable, like everything was how it was supposed to be.

When sleep consumes you, it takes only a beat more for it to consume Zoro, too. Finally free of his burdenous thoughts, of regret, and of needing alcohol to erase his feelings. Zoro now indulges your warmth, the softness of your skin, the weight of you against his broad chest. As a smile lingers on his face, it is then he realises how often you pull the corners of his lips upwards, how often you bring him to a place of peace in a world clouded with anything but.

A distraction? How could you ever be?

He was utterly devoted to you.

And you were now his.

When both of you wake the next day, it is to the incoherent screaming of Sanji, the laughter of your Captain and the agape expressions of Chopper, Brook and Ussop. Nami, Franky and Jimbei look on, unsurprised and grinning. But Robin looks to the two of you asleep in the arms of the other knowingly.

"Finally..."

all I can say after reading Rough Day: AGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! (in the best way possible)

AGGGGGGHHHHHJHH

Falling (Zoro x Reader)

_____ Pairing: Zoro x Female Reader Summary: You tend to be clumsy, and because of your boyfriend's past, you give him a mini heart attack every time you fall. Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Injuries, Worried Zoro, SPOILERS for Zoro's past?? [One Piece Masterlist] _____

Zoro knows you're strong.

He's seen you defeat opponents three times your size, seen you throw yourself in danger for the safety of your crew, had seen you win gruesome battles, and what's more, when you spar with him, he actually breaks a sweat. The two of you often train together, and Zoro bears witness to how you mould your strength, bettering yourself for the next battle and the next.

He knows.

But god dammit, why did you have to be so clumsy?

Zoro knows that, technically, it is no one's fault: the way you trip over your own two feet, the scattered bruises you bear, the odd yelp after the hundredth time dropping glassware in the kitchen. But he can't help but fall victim to the spike of his heart, the sweat that seems to rise instinctually, and his limbs that carry him quickly to the wake of your curses or the crash of your miseries.

And, most of the time, the new injury you hold is small and insignificant; rarely would you require medical attention afterwards. But Zoro finds himself still hating it. Hating the fact that he has no one to fight or to blame, has no one to curse or berate, no one to protect you from. Because your injuries are the cause of your own, and it wasn't like you particularly loved the misfortune of wounds from everyday activities either.

You had to admit, though, and to Zoro's muted gladness, that the number of injuries you bore had significantly decreased after meeting the stoic swordsman. Even before the two of you started dating, Zoro had noticed your affinity to the most unseeming dangers and had unknowingly taken it upon himself to prevent purple and blue from tainting your skin.

His curses as hands guide you away from walls and obstructing objects you somehow do not notice.

The twitching of his brows as he quickly catches you before you fall face-first to the ground, panic clouded beneath his irritation.

Every movement, every moment you take a step towards another hazard, carefully judged by his sharp eyes and willing instincts.

You were grateful beyond measure that your now-boyfriend, though oftentimes bearing an annoyed facade, cared and was patient enough to save you from the minor disasters you thought were an everyday norm. His efforts had increased tenfold, especially when the two of you became official, as he had an excuse to linger by your side as often as he pleased.

Though embarrassed sometimes that such a capable fighter as yourself found defeat in the lack of coordination of your own limbs, you could not deny that Zoro's protectiveness was an attractive and oftentimes welcome response. However, you did not realise the brunt of his actual panic, his actual aversion to the sight of you injured, until the time you accidently fell down a flight of stairs on the Sunny.

.....

You had been standing at the front of the ship, your Captain on the figurehead as you both tried to spot the pod of dolphins that had been swimming in front of you. Your boyfriend was half-sleeping against the mast of the ship, though his senses still lingered on the voices of you and Luffy, laughing and talking and challenging yourselves to see how many of the sea creatures graced the forefront of the Sunny.

"There's nine!"

"What are you talking about? I counted at least twelve!"

Your voices were caught by the gentle breeze and the timid sun as it fell slowly to the horizon. Everything was peaceful, everything was calm, and Zoro was on the brink of actually sleeping, knowing all was well and that you were safe. Your conversation with your captain had dwindled into more casual talk of adventures and plans of endeavours on future islands.

Your bright discussion lasted many sparing moments but, of course, was interrupted by the familiar grumble and groan of your Captain as he fell on the sunny's figurehead exaggeratively.

"[y/n]~ I'm hungryyy."

You roll your eyes at his whining words after only a moment's silence in conversation.

Luffy never seems to find satisfaction with the amount of food he eats.

"What do you want me to do about it? Sanji's got the whole kitchen on lockdown after the incident you pulled this morning."

You faintly remember your Captain and the crew's cook, causing a ruckus in the kitchen that no doubt stemmed from Luffy's devouration of food.

"He'll listen to you pleaaaseee"

You continue looking to the horizon, unfazed.

"No."

"Pleaseee"

"No"

"Pleaseeee"

"No."

"Pleaaaaseeee-"

You grit your teeth in irritation, sighing heavily as you push yourself off the railing of the ship. Luffy, however, meets your frown with a grin in anticipated satisfaction.

You always did give in too easily.

"Fine, something small, though. It's almost time for dinner."

Luffy lets out a laugh and nods enthusiastically, upright once again on the figurehead. You step away from the blatant joy on his face, making your way to the stairs that lead to the green of the deck below.

Sometimes, you don't know if Luffy is the Captain of this ship or a child the crew look after.

You move, still lost in your thoughts and quite, honestly, simply not thinking. Because, well, you feel a normal human would not have to think too hard about going down a flight of stairs to get food. But you forget that you are not the average person.

In fact, you probably should've grabbed the railing and counted down the steps back to solid ground because one minute your foot was on wooden steps, and the next you were walking on air.

You let out a yelp of surprise as you slip on the rigidity of the stairs that were supposedly beneath you, and you feel your world turning in your head. The spike of your heart comes with a fraction of a second of weightlessness and a single thought in your head.

Shit, not again.

You stumble, and you fall, limbs hurdling and gracing the rigid edges of the stairs. In a flurry of movements, you are suddenly on the grass of the deck, but in a way that would surely leave remnants of your clumsiness. You groan as you finally come to a halt, back against the ground as you look to the sky, exasperated. You can hear the light laughter of your Captain.

"You alright [y/n]?"

But you do not reply, hearing the amusement in Luffy's tone. You did not blame him, however, as the crew had become accustomed to the way things, such as walking, were not so much a given but a privilege to you. You roll your eyes, still on your back as you lie in defeat for a moment. Sure, you were not too badly hurt - you were a member of the straw hat crew after all - but you'd be damned to try moving again for a few seconds.

To your boyfriend, however, your sudden shout, fall and lack of response had sent him into a spiral.

Zoro was shot awake the instant he heard the yelp you let out as you lost your balance and succumbed to your fall on the stairs. But he was too late to move, and in all honestly, though half-awake, he felt something die within him when he saw your limbs tumble and hit the edges of the wooden planks.

"[y-]"

His voice is caught in his throat, as his heart rate spikes abnormally high. Higher than the instances when he saw you fall before. His mind unwillingly travels far into his past, to the dojo where he found the dream he still clings onto today, to his childhood friend and rival, Kuina.

She had been strong, too.

Hell, she had bested him in all battles he called for.

He thought that she would be a constant in his life, a source of rivalry and challenge and growth. She had seemed invincible in his young age. But then, the news had travelled.

The news of her death.

And the cause of it, was the very stairs he watches you fall on now. The unnerving atmosphere, her haunting funeral, and the will he holds onto through battles alongside her swords.

But you.

You were strong, capable, grown...

You were the love of his life...

You were falling...

He can't save you.

Your limbs stumbled to a halt as you hit the soft grass, a stark contrast to the stairs that would be the root of bruises on your body later. And you were okay.

But your boyfriend didn't know that.

Zoro's heart rate continues to rise, and he thinks that he is on the brink of hyperventilating. One sharp breath in, and his limbs are pulled into forced movement as he travels to you, cursing himself for looking blankly at the scene so uselessly. He stumbles forward, and he hears his Captain, words filled with teasing amusement.

"You alright, [y/n]?"

But you don't move, you are facing the sky, face shadowed by the falling sun, and he doesn't know if you are conscious or okay. You stay silent, not replying to the words of Luffy, and Zoro hates how long it has taken him to travel mere meters to your side. But when he enters your vision, you are met with a sight you have never seen before.

Zoro... scared.

"[y/n]!!"

The green-haired swordsman looks down at you frantically, hands giving way to light tremors you feel quickly cradling skin and causing you to look up in concern. Zoro sees your eyes, awake, and lets dull relief relieve his heart, but he is not yet satisfied.

"Zoro, I'm okay, I just-"

"What were you thinking, woman?"

There is a pause as you register his rushed words and the way his eyes seem to travel to every crevice of your face and body, searching for an indication that you were not okay. He measures your gaze, and he pulls you closer, willing you to anchor his nerves.

"Zoro-"

"You could've been seriously injured-"

"Zoro-"

He meets your gaze once more, but hesitantly, eyes wavering at your worry, only now realising the vice grip he has around you. His breaths are uneven, and even his Captain grows silent and confused at the sight of his second-in-command in rare loss of composure.

You start to sit up from within his embrace. You reach out and cradle his face in one hand, watching as more relief starts to fill his system and replace the panicked look on his face, replace his uneven breaths with more steady ones. Just what had gotten into him?

"You could've died."

His voice is low, and it causes a jolt of your heart. This was your always stoic, serious, calm swordsman... He now looks haunted, and his gaze is only half with you, as though reliving a moment only he could see.

"Zoro," you murmer, there remains a crease in your brow as you are still confused but also concerned about his unusual behaviour and haste. You gently run your thumb on the skin of his cheek, hoping to soothe him the way he so often does whenever you are lost to the confines of your mind.

"I'm okay, stairs aren't going to kill-"

"You don't know that."

His words are sharper this time, and your eyes widen, slightly startled. You watch guilt envade your boyfriend's eyes, then his grip lightning further on your skin, as sharpness fades in a heavy sigh. His gaze is more sullen now, though his nerves are calmed, and he allows you to sit up fully.

"Okay, I'm sorry."

Your words are soft and anchoring, and Zoro stands reluctantly, gently guiding you to your feet as though one wrong movement would tear him away from the reality of you, alive and well before him.

"Don't apologise just- tch, let's go see Chopper."

Your boyfriend refuses to meet your gaze then, but you nod silently. Luffy decides to look away from the sight of Zoro, his arms wrapped securely around you, in a mix of not understanding but knowing there must be some sort of invisible battle Zoro faces. You, on the other hand, allow his limbs to wrap securely around your shoulders, holding more of your weight than necessary, but you remain in silence, allowing him to look after you.

In the infirmary, Zoro remains uncharacteristically worried and rigid. Before entering, his only words to you were those that indicated he wanted to be with you as Chopper checked up on you. Only when the small doctor gives you the all-clear does Zoro let the tension fall from him fully. You thank Chopper, and the two of you make your way out of the infirmary, quiet though the air is still murkey with apprehension.

"Zoro, what's wrong?"

In the hallway, you stop him abruptly with the pull of his arm, still unsure as to why a stumble on stairs - unlucky but not necessarily unforeseen - has him in a state you have rarely seen. Your boyfriend turns to you hesitantly, eyes far away.

"I just know what a fall is capable of."

His low voice catches an edge of emotion. His hand lingers absentmindedly on a sword by his side. The white one he always holds close to him. You remember him saying faintly about how it was given to him long before you met him. Zoro was a private man, and even you had barely formed the cracks on the enclosures of his past, but you saw clearly now that there must've been a connection.

His incessant protection over every minor fall.

The way he would always treat your injuries so carefully afterwards or make sure Chopper saw to it that you were okay.

Every careful caress and action is rooted to a past you do not know, but you also now find understanding.

Zoro moves close to you so you can feel the heat radiating off his body and so that he can feel the warmth your skin emits. He seems to search your eyes and analyse their lustre and spark. A single caress as he moves away lingering hair, and his lips were suddenly on yours.

You are taken aback, not used him so spontaneously kissing you in an open space, but you return the favour quickly, pressing against him and feeling the way he cradles you so delicately, so carefully. There is a moment of him and a moment of bliss. When you pull away, there is a warmth to his eyes and a softness enveloped just for you.

A vulnerable love that lingers.

You, the root of his worry.

You might not know the depths of his past, but you sure as hell take a lot more care walking down a flight of stairs after that.

When Tony finished seeing the video of Bucky killing his parents, and he turns to Steve like:

via stovenrogers on twitter

Imagine being the only one who can deal with Shanks's dramatic ass

Shanks: *sprawled out on deck like he's a regency era debutant on a fainting chair, bemoaning the loss of his favorite pair of pants in a poker game the night previous.*

Benn: cheer up buddy, we'll get you new pants.

Shanks: It won't be the same, nothing in the world can cheer me up, *starts dramatically sobbing into his hand.*

Benn: *annoyed* (y/n), you deal with this.

You: on it *pulls up a fruit crate, encircles Shanks in your arms and squishes his head into your chest*

Shanks: *wraps his arm around your waist and presses his face into your chest*

Yassop: uh, (y/n) I'm sad too

Shanks: *muffled* I'm not sharing their tiddies

You: a man lost his favorite pair of pants have some respect, even if they were the ugliest pants in existence.

Shanks: hey!

Benn: *whispers loudly* I'm glad I never have to see them again.

Shanks: *whines* I am, they made my ass look great

You: * pats him softly on the head* Darling, there will always be another favorite pair of pants. Remember you only got those pants a month ago, and you had a favorite before that.

Shanks: I know that, but this loss stings bitterly, who takes a man's pants?!

You: You lost them in a bet at a poker table, darling. You were aware of the chance that it might be lost, you were just in denial of that fact.

Shanks: *groans loudly, trailing off into a whine* Stop picking on me and let me mourn my loss.

Benn: * mutters under his breath* nurse your bruised pride while you're at it, preferably in silence.

Shanks: *glares at Benn over his shoulder, and huddles closer to your body*

You: *starts to stroke his hair* there there boys, quiet now, the both of you.

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[Bald eagle screech in the distance]

after the finale of the mandalorian i cannot stop thinking about all the little fucking faces Din makes bc that bitch was on the brink of death and managed to make a face at IG’s joke, do not tell me he doesn’t make the littlest fuckin faces when someone says smth rude or dumb. no i will not take any criticism