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Zoro entered the kitchen right at lunchtime. He hadn't stopped training since the crew had left the island.
Luffy was already there, as expected.
“Is the food ready?” Zoro asked, falling onto the bench opposite Luffy.
Sanji turned around, obviously intending to respond with something witty, but his gaze fell on Luffy:
“Are you sitting here for a long?”
Luffy nodded silently, nervously adjusting his vest at his waist. Sanji said nothing more and returned to cooking, and Zoro relaxed, closing his eyes. After lunch, he could take a nap, and then train again in the evening. Already smelling the pleasant aroma of almost-ready food, hearing the others enter the kitchen, Zoro began to doze off a little, when he suddenly heard Usopp's loud and demanding voice:
“Luffy, what are you reading?”
Zoro's eyes widened. He saw that everything had suddenly stopped moving. Sanji, who was setting out the dishes on the table, said:
“I used to think that you couldn't read at all.”
“Just a book,” Luffy replied. “Nothing interesting.”
“What's the name of this «just a book»?” Nami asked curiously.
Luffy, as if he was wondering whether to say anything, looked at everyone in turn and, lingering his gaze on Zoro, quickly said:
“«Capitán».”
“So this book is about pirates?” Sanji asked, watching Luffy stuff it into his belt.
“Is this a log of adventures?” Usopp beamed.
“Oh, I want to read it too!” Chopper chimed in.
“If it's about a captain's travels along the Grand-Line, I might as well read it,” Nami said.
Luffy was at a loss as to who to answer first. Zoro frowned. He had a feeling the book was anything but a logbook.
“Ah,” Robin chuckled. “You're all not going to be interested in this. It's a children's book about fictional adventures.”
Nami, Sanji, and Usopp sighed in disappointment, and Chopper asked Luffy to let him read the book when he was done. The conversation ended there, and everyone ate, but something about the way Robin winked at Luffy and he nodded slightly made Zoro doubt her words about the contents of the book.
But then, what did he care?
***
After dinner, Zoro took his favourite spot on the deck, put his swords down next to him, closed his eyes, and flew away from all the annoying sounds — in particular, from the screams of Usopp and Chopper, who were chasing each other, and from Sanji's stupid antics in front of Nami and Robin. And it seemed like sleep had almost overcome Zoro, but suddenly he realized that he couldn't hear the one who was always audible. Zoro opened his eyes suddenly, more instinctively than by choice, and immediately his gaze crossed with Luffy, who was lying on Merry’s head with an open book. Only he wasn't looking at the book — he was looking straight at Zoro.
Zoro smiled with relief — after all, Luffy hadn't changed a bit. He had become quieter, yes, but at least he remained the same as before. And he was unlikely to actually read this book, whatever it was about — there he was, staring around, even though the pages were right under his nose.
“Everything alright, captain?” Zoro asked, smirking.
Luffy nodded and looked down at the book, quickly turning the page. Zoro didn't miss the way Luffy flinched slightly at the question. Well, that wasn't surprising, there was a cool breeze blowing across the deck. But if it was the breeze, then why did Zoro feel his captain's eyes on him again?
***
The night was unusually quiet, with Usopp's face buried in the pillow, so his snores were barely audible. Instead, Zoro could hear every turn Luffy made in his hammock. Here and there, again and again, over and over. Shit, couldn't he seriously just lie down and find a comfortable sleeping position? Zoro propped himself up on his elbows.
“Luffy, why the hell aren't you sleeping?”
And that was all it took for Luffy to freeze. He wasn't moving anymore, and Zoro doubted he was even breathing.
“Don't tell me you're reading that stupid book of yours again.”
“Yeah,” Luffy said quietly.
What was going on with him? Zoro was sure something had happened now. Because it was obvious, but it was obvious only to Zoro. No, Luffy continued to have fun and go crazy with Usopp and Chopper, continued to pester Nami with endless questions about the next island, continued to greet Robin ten times a day, continued to beg Sanji to give him something to eat, but all this was only if he didn't have that book in his hands.
“What is it about? Read something out loud,” Zoro was really interested.
Luffy was silent for a long time, and then, raising his pink face with hair matted with night sweat (although the cabin was not hot), he answered:
“You won't like it.”
“You read it, and I'll decide for myself whether I like it or not,” Zoro raised an eyebrow. Damn, this was already pissing him off. As if it wasn't a book, but some kind of universal secret.
“Good night, Zoro,” Luffy ignored him and turned away. And, what, that's it? Seriously?
“Luffy!” Zoro hissed, getting angry.
Sanji started snoring, turning onto his back, and Zoro had to give in. Now he had no doubt that this wasn't just a «children's book» as Robin had called it. This was Luffy's very own mysterious secret, the very existence of which kept Zoro from sleeping peacefully.
And if after this anyone dared to say that Luffy hadn't changed — Zoro would personally punch that person in the face.
***
Having woken up later than everyone else, Zoro first decided to check Luffy's hammock — just in case he had left his book there. But there was nothing there except a blanket damp with sweat. Zoro scoffed. Now it was a matter of principle — Zoro hated when people played games with him whose rules he didn't know.
It was quiet on the deck — Nami had once again ordered everyone to be quiet and not to distract her while she drew a map. Usopp was teaching Chopper how to play some kind of gambling game.
“Will you play with us?” Usopp suggested, seeing Zoro.
“Where's Luffy?” Zoro asked instead of answering.
Usopp shrugged.
“Probably reading his book somewhere again,” Chopper suggested.
“Who would have thought, Luffy and a book!” Usopp laughed good-naturedly.
That's right. Who would have thought?
Zoro walked here and there, went down to the gym, went to Nami's (and left there under the angry shouts of the evil navigator) and finally checked the kitchen.
He wasn't looking to meet Luffy — he was looking for a book. He looked everywhere — on the bench, somewhere in the corner, in the distant pots where Luffy usually hid food. To no avail.
“Did you lose something?” Sanji asked, appearing too quietly for Zoro to notice.
“Have you seen Luffy's book?”
Sanji snorted:
“I'm afraid even a children's book would be too difficult for your intellect.”
Zoro clenched his fists, straightened up to kick the annoying cook's ass, just to let off some steam, but suddenly his gaze fell on Robin, who had passed by the door. For the first time, leaving Sanji the last word, Zoro followed her.
“You know where it is, don't you?”
Robin was already heading down to the lower deck.
“So are you,” she smiled.
“This isn't a children's book,” half-question, half-statement.
“Ask the captain.”
Zoro's frown deepened. Why the hell did he care so much?
***
Luffy was found in Zoro's favorite place — he was sleeping in the pleasant shade of the tangerine trees, his strawhat pulled down over his face and an open book pressed to his chest. Zoro came closer. At first, he wanted to wake Luffy up and ask him himself why he had suddenly started to keep secrets, but later he decided that it would be better to find out in person.
Carefully pushing Luffy's hand off the book, Zoro took it, sat down further away and began to read from the place where Luffy had stopped.
As Zoro expected, it was an ordinary book about the adventures of the captain and his crew, how they ploughed the ocean and fought other pirates. Zoro was about to snort and close the book, when he suddenly noticed that one of the previous pages was bent, like a bookmark. He turned the pages and began to read.
And he realized that this was definitely not a children's book. Unless children's books suddenly started describing detailed bed scenes between captains and their nakama.
Zoro blushed, slammed the book shut, and stared at the grass in front of him.
Not just a bed scene between a captain and his nakama. A bed scene between a captain and his swordsman.
Feeling the tension in his neck, Zoro swallowed, but opened the book again. Because he had to make sure he wasn't imagining it. Because the swordsman in the book, whispering oaths of loyalty to the captain while giving in to his onslaught, was the last thing Zoro should ever read.
Zoro clutched the book in his fingers, glancing around to see if anyone was coming to him, and continued reading. Even in the shade of the trees, it was warm — no, it was hot, and all Zoro wanted was to slam the book shut and cool off a bit overboard.
“Interesting?”
Zoro froze. Luffy's question sounded dirty, which was unlike him. Although Zoro should have stopped being surprised by his captain's change of behavior a long time ago.
Zoro turned around and threw the book on the grass.
“Pure trash,” he muttered.
Luffy crawled closer and tilted his head innocently to the side.
“What, you didn't like it?”
Zoro swallowed.
“No.”
Luffy stopped. He didn't answer, just reached out to Zoro and slid his fingers under his shirt, touching his hot belly. Zoro didn't move, and Luffy began to wrap his arm around him, touching him everywhere at once.
“I think you're lying,” Luffy smiled.
He came closer, sat on Zoro's lap, and pushed him back onto the prickly grass. Luffy leaned over Zoro's ear and whispered,
“Why did you read it if you didn't like it?”
“And you.. why did you read it?”
Luffy grinned, raising his face above Zoro's head. He pressed his lips right to Zoro's and said clearly,
“Because I liked it.”
Zoro closed his eyes as Luffy stopped teasing and kissed him. Kissed him possessively, passionately, and greedily. His hand under Zoro's shirt had grown to its normal size, and now he was running both palms over Zoro's tense body, as if testing its strength.
Zoro couldn't help himself, grabbing Luffy's knees and pulling him higher to create at least some friction. Luffy laughed against his lips.
“I want you to say it,” he whispered, moving down to his neck and covering it with leisurely kisses.
“Say.. what?” Zoro croaked.
Luffy bit him.
“You know what.”
Zoro doubted he knew anything at all right now. Except, of course, that Luffy was riding him like a horse and forcing him to hold back his wheezing like a little girl. What did he want him to say? A request? A confession?
“Luffy..”
Luffy slid across Zoro's hot groin, causing him to groan.
“Not like that,” Luffy prompted, clearly enjoying the situation. His voice was alien, deep and wild and more arousing than Zoro was willing to admit. “Come on, Zoro. Tell me how it should be.”
Zoro looked up at himself with a bleary gaze. He saw the tangerines and the glimmers of light barely breaking through the leaves of the trees.
“Mi.. Mi capitán..” Zoro said quietly, repeating the words of the swordsman from the book exactly.
Luffy smiled contentedly and kissed Zoro under the jaw.
“That's good,” he purred.
Luffy began to squirm and rub his groin against Zoro, which was too little and too much at the same time. Zoro raised himself up on his elbow and, running one hand through Luffy's hair and pushing his hat to one side, pulled him in for a deep, long kiss.
They both wanted this, and it would be stupid to lie to themselves right now. Zoro wanted to flip Luffy over and get on top of him, but Luffy, realizing his plan, laughed and only pushed Zoro's shoulders harder, forcing him to lie down again.
“Don't forget who's the captain here,” he licked his lips like a cat.
And Zoro decided — no, he didn't even have a choice — Zoro obeyed. Because he himself called Luffy his captain. Because he would follow Luffy anywhere, to any corner of the planet. Because he was so irrevocably loyal to him alone.
Luffy wanted to be rough, he wanted to be abrupt, just like his captain in the book, but he couldn't, and time after time he leaned down to Zoro's face to kiss him, he stroked his scars with his fingers, he played with the earrings in Zoro's ear and whispered to him how beautiful he was.
And Zoro.. Zoro couldn't answer. There were so much things he wanted to say, to be able to put it into words.
Everything, Zoro's whole life was for Luffy now. He was ready to save for Luffy. To kill for him. To break the whole world and put it back together — his captain only had to say.
They didn't hold back, they kissed as if they were fighting or dancing. There were too many things they wanted to try now, but trying everything at once was dangerous and risky — anyone could come here.
And when Luffy, squeezing Zoro's shoulders painfully, relaxed, Zoro hugged him and pressed him to himself, whispering not by order, but by the urgent need of his own heart:
“Mi capitán. Lead me.”
Luffy smiled and raised an absolutely happy face to Zoro.
“I love you, Zoro.”
Zoro didn't answer, because there was no need. They both knew it anyway.
***
Zoro woke up alone — the sun had long since set behind the sea. The sticky sweat had dried and only his damp clothes and bite marks on his chest reminded him of what had happened between him and his captain.
Zoro sat up and rubbed his neck, smiling. He looked around and noticed the damn book. He picked it up, ran his eyes over the open page — he had read it before. And now all these descriptions were so.. Boring. Colorless. He was about to close the book, but noticed Luffy's clumsy handwriting in the very corner:
«We had it better.»
Zoro laughed.
They could definitely have it even better. His capitán only had to wish for it.