This is my second fan fiction. I must say, my first reviewer, you know who you are, actually inspired me to write this. I did like the idea of Zoro having a brother, but until now I never wanted to write a story based only on that. Well, here it is, I apologize for doing this before updating, but I tend to get distracted from things!

Oh, and must I say it? I, in no way what so ever, own Zoro or any other characters from One Piece. Oda does, go fan-attack him for his awesomeness Also, I do quote the manga a few times here. See if you can spot it

---

"How pitiful. A boy… and so useless?"

In most cases, such a comment would cost a person dearly. This was different, because said comment coming from this female's mouth usually meant that blows were already dealt, but to the party being insulted.

Damian sat casually, his legs dangling off the side of the dojo's porch, a grin plastered across his ten-year-old face. He had seen many of the 2,000 losses his younger brother had gained. He didn't find them particularly amusing, but more so, Zoro's relationship with Kuina. His stubborn, dependent, and idiotic little brother showed only disdain for his rival. Anyone very close to him would know otherwise. Though, there was only one person that meant that much to him. This was of course, Damian, his only brother.

There were many nights when Zoro would toss and turn, or just grunt in an agitated manner one to many times, signaling to his brother that it was a good time to talk. He would then promptly grab his brother, often by the collar or pants, and drag him outside to one of the numerous training grounds. Like any hardheaded little brother, Zoro would fight against him, claiming that there was no reason for his present state and like any good brother, Damian would ignore it. By the time he'd been released, Zoro had finally admitted there was something troubling him. It was always the same thing: Kuina had beaten him again. Once he'd ranted and fumed over it, Damian always listening intently, his words would start to change. He'd start talking about how one movement she'd done had caught him off guard and how he really needed to learn it. It would shift more and more until anyone could see a new light on how he felt of this girl. He respected her. Honest and true, he admired the girl who had crushed his pride so many times, yet given him so much determination.

This was where Damian truly found reason to smile, even after his little brother had been thwacked across the forehead and thrown to the ground.

"I want to sail and become the world's number one swordsman! I won't lose to anyone ever again!!!"

---

Zoro had disappeared with Wadou immediately after his outburst. Mixed with the grief from Kuina's death, many of the adults in the dojo were unhappy with his reaction. Screaming profanities and insults at the corpse of his sensei's daughter might have been a bad idea, but Damian did not regret what his brother had done. It was hard to react calmly when someone you care so much about is suddenly ripped from your life. No one knew quite how to react.

Damian grasped the handle to the room he and Zoro shared, slowly opening it. No sooner had a tiny creak emitted from its hinges than a shinai had come down upon it, shattered against the door and slamming it closed again. Even from the brief view he'd caught of it, Damian new this had been one of his oldest shinai, making it must easier to break. It was also the one he'd lost to Kuina with at least 200 different times.

"I won't apologize!" It was obvious that Zoro had been crying ever since his outburst, his voice cracking over every syllable.

"I'm coming in. Don't peg me with one of those things, alright?" Damian called through the door, opening it without waiting for a response.

Zoro had been missing for a day and half, in which a funeral had been arranged and set for that day. Damian hadn't looked for him. Why should he? He'd wanted to be alone, an understandable emotion to feel after what he'd been through.

"What do you want...?" Zoro mumbled, dragged his hand across his eyes, wiping some of the wetness away, but leaving the red streaks.

"You need to go to her funeral, at least for a little while." Damian replied, sitting down on Zoro's bed next to him, crossing his legs in front of his.

Zoro said nothing, only lowering his head to look down onto his lap. He squeezed Wadou's sheath, the white sword propped protectively against his shoulder. Damian could only guess he hadn't let the thing go since he'd received it.

"Just to pay your respects."

"What respects? You mean to thank her for kicking my ass 2,001 times?!" He clenched his teeth together, his hands gripping the katana even harder.

"Yes, thanks for kicking your ass and giving you a dream."

Damian didn't look at his brother, but he heard him choke back a sob. Most likely he'd thought of that already, but needed someone to tell him.

Damian put an arm around his brother's shoulders, now looking at him, a small smile on his face. Zoro's face was now covered with fresh tears as he hung his head over the sword, positioning it across his lap.

"You'll come too right…?"

"Of course…" Damian ruffled Zoro's short, green hair gently. "We all have respects to pay."

---

A soft breeze ruffled Damian's loose hair, sending strands of black hair to brush across his face. The leaves overhead rustled softly, going along perfectly with the atmosphere of the calm summers day. The scent of lavender incense played across his face as he sat, cross-legged, in the dirt.

"My stupid little brother's finally gone you know." He mumbled, gazing over the worn writing on Kuina's gravestone. "Claims he's gonna defeat 'Hawk Eyes' Mihawk, the greatest swordsman of the time."

Damian had watched Zoro, for years, come to the graveyard and kneel in front of the headstone, his head bowed. He'd always light incense, silently paying his respects again and again. The day of his departure was no different. He'd said nothing as usual, lighting the incense than leaving. The only thing this time was that he'd smiled, a genuine smile rarely seen from this man. Then he'd left, gone away on his little boat to complete his ambition.

"He will… soon." Damian smiled, watching as Zoro's incense dwindled down to a stump, the purple smoke drifting away, disappearing into the sky. The smile turned to a smirk as he let out a short laugh. "If he doesn't get lost first."