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Zoro hadn’t meant to start leaving things at Luffy’s apartment. It just happened.
A spare hoodie hanging off the back of a dining room chair; a training towel draped over the couch’s armrest; his favorite shaker bottle placed upside down in the dish rack.
Most recently, a container of protein powder shoved into a cabinet next to Luffy’s half-empty cereal boxes.
Whenever Zoro would notice the things he left behind, he swore he’d take them home the next time he was over. But he never did.
He also never stayed the night.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. Hell, Luffy’s apartment was the one place that helped him feel grounded lately—what with Luffy’s laughter bouncing off of the walls, some random documentary about insects playing in the background, and the smell of food that wasn’t entirely burnt but definitely questionable.
Ultimately he was nervous, though he felt like he had no reason to be. It’s not like they hadn’t had sex or taken naps together.
But staying overnight somehow seemed personal on another kind of level, and Zoro didn’t know if he was ready yet to take that next big step of moving in.
So every evening when the clock crept closer and closer to ten, Zoro found himself coming up with an excuse to leave. “I gotta train early.” “I’m meeting up with a friend.” “I have to run errands.” Even though said errands didn’t exist.
Luffy always watched him go, leaning against the door frame with folded arms and a pout. It wasn’t the forgotten hoodie that frustrated him, or the shaker bottle catching his eye whenever he walked into the kitchen, or that stupid protein container that he almost mistook for chocolate milk mix one day.
No, it was the empty space beside him every morning; a space where his boyfriend should be.
Zoro’s things stayed, but Zoro himself didn’t. And that was a problem.
Luffy could bluntly ask him to move in, sure. But he wanted Zoro to want it too, and so far the man was being annoyingly stubborn about the whole thing.
Plus, Luffy had his own unique way of planning and doing things. He didn’t draw out conversations in his head or rehearse in front of a mirror. He just said whatever felt right during the moment, which worked out great for him most of the time.
But this situation was different.
Zoro would visit and Luffy swore to himself that he’d speak up, but then he’d get distracted by many things, the least of which included: Zoro’s heart-stopping laugh, the way his face softened and eyes warmed whenever Luffy accidentally burned food (because it’s the thought that counts), and how those strong hands felt when they glided along his sides, coaxing sighs and shivers out of him until his thoughts scattered completely.
Very legit distractions, in Luffy’s humble opinion.
Then ten o’clock would start creeping up on them, and like literal clockwork, Zoro would become slightly antsy.
The first time it happened, Luffy thought nothing of it. The third time, he started noticing the pattern. By the sixth time, he was downright frustrated.
Last night, however, was the breaking point.
Because this time, Zoro left behind something new: his green toothbrush, set right in the holder next to Luffy’s red one.
Now Luffy was losing it. Of all the things Zoro could’ve left, this was the one that screamed, “You may as well live here already.” Leaving a toothbrush wasn’t casual. It was commitment-level domestic. It was a Huge Deal™.
He had to take action. In fact, he was almost tempted to throw Zoro’s toothbrush at him the moment he stepped through the door, but he managed to calm down before then.
When the clock hit six, Zoro arrived, the front door left unlocked for him. “Yo,” he greeted, dropping his gym bag near the couch.
Luffy bounced over and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Zoro! Glad you’re here.”
“Hey, sunshine.” Zoro grabbed Luffy’s waist with those big hands of his and leaned down to give him a proper, deep kiss. Once parting, he asked, “Did you make dinner?”
“Nah, I ordered Chinese. Should be here soon.” Luffy wasn’t in the mood to cook (aka burn things) tonight. He was scheming. That green toothbrush had been haunting him all day.
“Works for me.” Zoro kissed the corner of Luffy’s eye before walking off to the kitchen to grab a water bottle.
Dinner arrived soon after. They sat across from each other at the dining table, Luffy doing most of the talking while Zoro listened, caught up in the animated way his boyfriend spoke—his gestures, his grin, those glowing brown eyes.
Later they moved to the couch, where Luffy kicked his feet up onto Zoro’s lap and turned on a random movie. Zoro massaged his ankles a bit, an absentminded gesture, while a famous actor declared war on a species of mutant insects that threatened to take over the human race. Predictably, Luffy was rooting for the bugs to win.
When ten o’clock rolled around, Luffy noticed the subtle shift in Zoro’s body language, the change in energy, that faint pull towards the door.
But Luffy didn’t budge, his feet still planted firmly on Zoro’s lap. The movie wasn’t even over yet. Surely Zoro would want to know who won the war?
Well, apparently fictional world-ending stakes weren’t enough as Zoro moved a little, trying to indicate to Luffy that he needed to get up.
Finally, Luffy asked, “You heading out already?”
“Yeah. I, uh…”
“Have training early, yeah, yeah.”
“You don’t believe me?” Zoro sounded slightly defensive.
Luffy shrugged, trying to act nonchalant, even with a hint of tension in his shoulders. “I do.”
“So what’s the issue?”
“The issue is that I’d like my boyfriend to stay the night for once.”
There it was, out in the open.
At that exact moment, one of the insects on-screen exploded dramatically—fitting, because it looked like Zoro’s brain just did the same.
Luffy snapped his fingers. “Zoro, oi.”
Zoro finally broke out of his daze and cleared his throat. “It’s not that I don’t want to.”
“Buuuut?” Luffy prodded.
“I don’t know,” Zoro confessed, raking a hand through sea-green locks. “I’m…I guess I’m not used to it. Having someone to wake up next to.”
Luffy removed his feet from Zoro’s lap and crawled over to set his chin right on his shoulder. “You could get used to it.”
Despite the movie still playing in the background, a hush fell over the two men. Luffy waited, still keeping his chin on Zoro’s shoulder. When the silence dragged on a little too long for his liking, he added, “Just test it out.”
Zoro sighed before finally turning his head and pressing his forehead against Luffy’s. “Okay.”
Morning came slowly. Sunlight spilled through the curtains, bathing the bedroom in a soft golden glow.
Luffy was the first to stir, slowly opening his eyes as a yawn escaped him. He then turned his head, heart skipping a beat when he saw Zoro, right there, still asleep and breathing steadily. He looked ridiculously handsome in the morning light.
Luffy shifted before realizing there was a weight across his torso. Zoro’s arm—heavy, solid, almost possessive in its grip, further proven when Luffy moved again and Zoro instinctively tightened it, pulling him closer.
Luffy grinned and remained still for now, observing his boyfriend’s peaceful expression.
Soon after, Zoro mumbled something under his breath, possibly coming out of a dream, before his eyes fluttered open. They were hazy and unfocused, and it seemed for a few seconds that he was trying to remember where he was. Then he focused on Luffy.
“Hey.” Luffy was still grinning, shifting a little closer.
Zoro was slightly groggy. “Hey.” His voice was low and rough, the kind of rasp that made Luffy feel pleasant tingles everywhere. “You’re up early.”
“Didn’t wanna miss this.”
“Miss…what, exactly?”
“This.” Luffy nudged Zoro’s bare shoulder with his nose. “You. Being here, with me.”
Zoro dragged a hand over his face, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “You’re goofy.”
“And you’re still here,” Luffy countered, eyes full of mischief.
Zoro didn’t have a comeback. Instead he rolled onto his back, stretching until his joints popped.
“So how’s it feel?” Luffy draped an arm across Zoro’s broad chest once he was done stretching, resting his chin on the right pec.
“You’re being cryptic this morning. How does what feel?” Zoro threaded his fingers through Luffy’s messy black hair, starting to comb it a bit to fix the bedhead.
“Waking up here,” Luffy elaborated.
Zoro studied him for a moment; he could tell that underneath Luffy’s cheerful demeanor was a small twinge of uncertainty. Finally, he answered. “Weird.”
Luffy hesitated. “Weird?”
“Weird in a good way.”
That earned Zoro a radiant smile. “Good!” Luffy chirped. “Because if you said weird in a ‘bad’ way I was gonna throw your toothbrush at you.”
Zoro blinked. “My what?”
Luffy’s expression immediately changed, confounded. “Your toothbrush! You left it here! Do you know what that means?”
Zoro looked like he was trying to think really hard. “It means that I forgot to pack it?” he finally offered.
“No!” Luffy slapped his chest which earned a grunt. “It means you basically live here now!”
Zoro groaned as he let his right arm rest across his forehead. “I don’t think that’s what it means, Lu. I literally just forgot to pack it.”
“Seriously!? You can’t just leave your toothbrush in someone else’s holder and not have it mean anything!” Luffy argued; he squawked when Zoro suddenly shot forward and tackled him to the bed.
“You’re talking nonsense too early in the morning,” he growled playfully before pressing wet kisses along Luffy’s neck.
Luffy was trying to stay disgruntled but it was getting harder and harder as Zoro’s body and lips felt nice and warm. “I-I’m making a point!”
“Point made, sunshine.” He finally drew back. “I guess the toothbrush is fine where it is.”
Luffy pouted as he poked Zoro’s chest. “You’re fine where you are, too.”
Zoro’s expression softened. He carefully drew Luffy up into a hug, nuzzling his neck and inhaling deeply.
For a moment, everything felt still. Quiet.
Luffy melted into Zoro, pressing a cheek against his shoulder as he felt the steady rise and fall of his chest.
And as Zoro cradled his most precious person, he realized that he truly didn’t want to be anywhere else. Maybe all the things he’d been leaving behind hadn’t been accidents after all; maybe it had nothing to do with “forgetting to pack” that toothbrush which, funnily enough, started all this serious reflection.
Maybe it was his subconscious way of tethering himself here, bit by bit, eventually laying bare his true intentions and desires.
Because he wanted to be here. In Luffy’s space. No, in their space.
And knowing that Luffy wanted that too, wanted Zoro to be here, sharing a place together, soothed Zoro’s heart and snuffed out his worries.
There was nothing he wanted more now than to stay; to keep waking up to this kind of warmth, to this beautiful man whom he fell for more and more with every laugh, every shared meal, and every night watching nonsense movies as they lay tangled up on the couch.
“Yeah,” Zoro finally murmured, picking up where Luffy had left off. “Guess I am fine where I am, huh?”
Luffy tilted his head back just enough to meet his eyes. “Took you long enough to figure it out, Zoro.”
Zoro chuckled, lightly kissing his temple. “You make it hard to leave, you know that?”
“Whaddya mean? You’re the one who left your toothbrush behind! Clearly you wanted this!”
“Hmm. I guess that seals the deal, then.”
They laid wrapped up in each other’s arms for a bit longer until Luffy’s stomach growled loudly, at which point he was basically trying to drag Zoro out of bed (but not before Zoro stole a few more kisses first which left Luffy delightfully flustered).
Zoro soon stood in the kitchen, shirtless, as he flipped pancakes on the stove.
Luffy came up behind him and ran his hands along Zoro’s back before pressing a kiss to it. “You look tasty.”
Zoro snorted. “I’m not what’s for breakfast.”
Luffy pouted. “Can’t I have both?”
“Eat the pancakes first, then we’ll talk.” He plated a few golden rounds and handed them off.
“Aw, you’re no fun!” Luffy complained, but nevertheless hopped up onto a stool at the counter, drowning the hotcakes in syrup.
Zoro got his own plate and sat next to Luffy, their knees brushing, neither shying away from the contact.
Between bites they chatted about everything and nothing. Luffy rambled on about a new restaurant that opened up downtown that he wanted to try, and Zoro mentioned a weight set that he was looking into buying sometime in the near future.
Once the dishes were washed and set to dry, Luffy stretched with a content sigh before grabbing Zoro’s hand. “C’mon!”
“Where we going?”
“To brush our teeth!”
“Why are you acting so excited about it?”
“Because it’s a big deal!”
“…Can you explain?”
Luffy huffed. “You can’t just leave your toothbrush and not continue to use it, that’s bad luck!”
Zoro allowed himself be dragged into the bathroom. “That’s not a thing.”
“It is now!" Luffy announced, flicking on the light.
There it was: the infamous green toothbrush, standing proudly next to Luffy’s red one, looking perfect together.
Zoro sighed, but the fond smile tugging at his lips betrayed him. “Alright then. Guess I don’t need bad luck when things are going so well for me.”
Luffy’s grin grew wider. “So, you’ll use it?”
“Yeah.” Zoro brushed his thumb across Luffy’s cheek before reaching for the toothbrush. “Better make it official.”
When they finished, Luffy placed his and Zoro’s toothbrushes back in the holder. “There!” He was beaming, as if some grand event just took place inside of this very bathroom.
Zoro leaned down, kissing the top of Luffy’s head. “Satisfied?”
“Yep!"
They lingered for a bit, taking in the domesticity of it all. Then Luffy tugged on Zoro’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here early, means we can watch a lot of movies today!”
“It’s like nine in the morning, Lu. You really want to start already?”
“Yeah! We can watch something with explosions. Or bugs. Exploding bugs!”
Zoro sighed, defeated in record time. “Fine.”
Ten minutes later they were curled up on the couch, the TV flickering with some ridiculously over-the-top action flick.
Zoro, only half-watching, slowly ran a hand through Luffy’s hair, detangling black strands.
“Did you see that!?” Luffy suddenly exclaimed, startling Zoro a bit. “That guy just kicked a helicopter over the cliff!”
Zoro snorted, brushing a stray bit of hair from Luffy’s forehead. “Pretty sure that’s not how any of that works.”
“Who cares, it’s cool!”
“Right. Cool.”
After a few more minutes had passed, Luffy tilted his head up, cheek pressed against Zoro’s collarbone. “Comfy?”
“Yeah,” Zoro answered. “Didn’t think I’d ever say that about lying on a couch that’s too small for two people.”
“It’s not small, Zoro. You’re just huge,” Luffy stated, laughing before adding, “The furniture place doesn’t account for someone built like a tank.” He poked his side playfully.
Zoro caught Luffy’s hand before he could pull it back, lacing their fingers together. “Guess it’s a good thing you don’t seem to mind.”
“I never mind, you’re like a big pillow for me.”
“Is that all I’m good for?”
“Among other things,” Luffy teased.
Zoro smirked. “That’s what I thought.”
They stayed like that until the movie ended. When the credits rolled, Luffy asked, “Another?”
“Exploding bugs again?”
“Nope! Exploding cars!”
Zoro shook his head fondly.
There was never an official move-in moment. No boxes, no announcements, no real planning. Just a gradual shift in the rhythm of their days until eventually it all clicked into place.
Zoro’s gym bag claimed permanent residence in the corner of Luffy’s living room.
A second pair of slippers appeared by the door—two tigers joining two monkeys.
Hoodies (plural) in various green shades, sporting different designs, took up half the closet.
Keys with an onigiri keychain hung on a hook besides ones with a meat stick.
The middle shelf in Luffy’s kitchen cabinet, once a graveyard of expired ramen cups and a jar of Nutella that had seen better days, now held Zoro’s vitamins and a container labeled: “Don’t touch, Luffy.” Luffy, of course, touched it anyway.
Some days, Zoro cooked.
Other days, Luffy did, which usually meant the possibility of the smoke alarm going off (normally followed by a suspiciously cheerful “Oops!”).
One quiet Saturday morning, Zoro was stretched out on the couch, phone in hand, while Luffy’s legs were sprawled across his lap. The TV played some random wildlife documentary—Luffy’s choice, naturally.
“See that?” Luffy pointed at the screen where two beetles were headbutting each other. “That’s us.”
Zoro looked up from his phone. “Which one am I?”
“The big one!”
“And you’re the one getting flipped on its back every five seconds?”
Luffy shoved his shoulder. “Hey! I win sometimes!”
“Sure you do,” Zoro drawled, setting his phone aside just in time for Luffy to crawl into his lap with a mischievous grin.
They tussled lazily, giggles and chuckles filling the space until Luffy ended up pinned between Zoro and the couch cushions.
“You’re such a menace,” Zoro muttered fondly as he pressed quick kisses all over Luffy's face.
Luffy squirmed. “You c-can’t just…kiss me, ha, into—surrender!”
“Seems to be working."
“You’re supposed to be watching the bugs!”
“Pretty sure I’ve got my own wild creature right here,” Zoro countered, brushing his nose against Luffy’s.
Luffy froze for a couple of seconds, then puffed out his cheeks. “You’re the worst.”
Zoro hummed as his thumbs traced slow circles against Luffy’s hips. “Love you, Luffy.”
Luffy’s pout was immediately replaced with a soft smile. “Love you too, Zoro.”
For a while they stayed tangled up together on the couch until Luffy asked, "Breakfast?”
Zoro pressed one last kiss to his lips before getting up. “Yes, but try not to burn it this time.”
“No promises!” Luffy was already bounding toward the kitchen.
Zoro shook his head as he heard the clatter of pans followed by the sound of a cabinet door slamming open. “Don’t touch my container.”
“Too late!”
“Luffy.”
“I only tasted a little!”
Zoro pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something about “protein powder is not a seasoning” before striding towards the kitchen. “Need help before you blow up the stove again?”
“No! And don’t distract me!”
“Distract you? Never.”
“Liar.”
Zoro smirked as he reached around Luffy to grab a pan, earning a mock glare as Luffy bumped him with his hip. “You’re in my way!”
“You’re in my kitchen,” Zoro countered automatically, then stilled.
Luffy look shocked, before quickly becoming pleased. “Your kitchen, huh?”
Zoro opened his mouth to backtrack but Luffy grinned—that bright sunshine grin—and he promptly shut it.
“Great!” Luffy turned back to the stove. “I like that you’re calling it that.”
Zoro stood there for a few seconds, something soft blooming in his chest. He slipped his arms around Luffy’s waist from behind. “You know what I like better?” He leaned down to kiss right behind his ear. “Our kitchen.”
Luffy hummed in approval. “You’re learning!"
“Learning not to let you cook alone.”
“Hey!”
The smoke alarm went off three minutes later.
By the time they managed to fan away the smoke and salvage something vaguely edible, the two of them were laughing so much that neither cared what breakfast actually tasted like.
They sat side by side at the counter, Zoro’s mug beside Luffy’s chipped one.
As they ate charred eggs, Zoro glanced over at Luffy.
“What?” Luffy asked, cheeks full.
“Nothing,” Zoro murmured. “Just thinking that I really like it here.”
“You better. You’re not allowed to leave, anyway.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Afterwards, when the dishes were finally washed and put away, they ended up back in bed.
Luffy sprawled across Zoro’s chest. “Y’know, you take up a lotta space.”
Zoro huffed. “So move me.”
“Nah.” Luffy's voice was fading into drowsy contentment. “I like you right here.”
Zoro smiled—small, yet genuine. He pressed a kiss to Luffy’s forehead. “I like it right here, too.”
There had never been a defining moment when “yours” became “ours.” It just happened, heartbeat by heartbeat, until the thought of living anywhere else without the other felt wrong.
As Zoro closed his eyes, listening to Luffy’s breathing, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was where he belonged.
With Luffy; his sunshine.
Home.