He never thought he'd sacrifice himself for someone else. Sacrifice himself for his dream, sure, but never for someone else. He wasn't quite sure when it happened. Maybe it was when he took down the government to save a friend, maybe it was when he took down his first warlord. Most likely it was when they first met. The sparkle in his eye and the Cheshire grin on his face when he spoke of his dream of becoming the pirate king. A dream as unrealistic to others as his own.

Whenever it was, he knew without a doubt he would do anything for his captain, though his captain would never ask him for anything more than his friendship. He knew he wasn't alone in his thinking, that shitty cook was willing to do the same to spare their crew, but he knew it would be unacceptable for anyone but himself to lay down his life for his crew and captain.

It had to be him. He loves his crew, he would do anything for them, but when it came down to it his purpose on that ship was to reach his dream. His strength supported them all, but he was no cook. He wasn't a navigator, a doctor, nor a shipwright. He could offer his crew his strength, and to his captain he would offer anything, even his life.

His dream is still to be the worlds greatest swordsman, for his name to reach the heavens and Kuina. It's just that now that title comes with more responsibility, as he could never claim that title if it meant failing his captain.

Giving up his life was easy, risking his life was part of the challenge. Laying down his life for Luffy came as naturally to him as breathing. What was hard was sitting around helplessly while his captain risked his life alone to save his brother. Even harder was not being there for him on that battlefield and there after while he struggled with the loss of that brother. It was common knowledge how deep Luffy's feelings ran for his friends and family. Knowing that he had to shoulder that pain by himself broke him apart. It was more pain than Kuma could have ever served him.

Again, he knows he's not alone. He's seen how much everyone has changed in those two years. Not only in strength and ability, but also in devotion to their captain. They all supported Luffy and his dream from the beginning, but it wasn't until that moment that they all realized how much that smiling, straw hat idiot meant to them. It was never a doubt that they needed him, that they relied on him to always see them through the toughest battles, but he could never do it alone.

Until he met that grinning monkey he had enjoyed his life alone. Now he couldn't imagine his life without his crew, without this family of misfits.

Leaning against the railing of the Sunny he watches them all fondly. Nami and Robin sipping their cool drinks while the stupid love cook flails around them. Brook playing his violin as Chopper and Usopp run around the deck, laughing and screaming as Luffy chases them. His eye meets Franky's as the cyborg observes from the helm. Franky gives him a nod before joining the playful idiots.

He spares one more glance at his captain before closing his eye, preparing for a mid morning nap. A content smile spreads across his lips, though it is quickly disturbed by something falling hard onto his resting form.

With a grimace he peaks open his eye and gives the grinning idiot in his lap a halfhearted glare.

"Zoro sleeps too much, play tag with us!" The fool whines, head tilting to the side with big puppydog eyes.

"How else am I supposed to store up the energy to keep your rubber ass in check?"

"Shishishi, Zoro is going to be the world's greatest swordsmen, he doesn't need sleep to keep up with the future king of the pirates!"

"Maybe so, finish your game with them and I promise we'll spar later. We'll see if you can still keep up with my skills."

"Fine, but don't think you'll win" his captain gives him another grin before rocketing off and blasting Usopp off his feet.

His watches his captain for another minute before slumping back in for a siesta.

He never thought he'd sacrifice himself for another, but for his captain he'd do it again in a heartbeat. As sure as he will become the world's greatest swordsmen and Luffy the King of the Pirates.