Summary: One day on the Thousand Sunny the crew discovers Zoro's hidden talent
Disclaimer: Both One Piece and Elvis Presley's "Love me tender" are not mine and I make no money from this story
The Straw Hat crew had gathered in the galley minus one swordsman and one doctor. They gathered to discuss some rather unusual actions that their first mate had been doing for the last several weeks. Usopp had noticed this and called everyone to attention.
"What's up Usopp?" Luffy asked after getting kicked by Sanji for wanting meat.
"Zoro's acting weird lately. He keeps asking me to bring him a new recording tone dial each week." Usopp whined.
"Why," Nami asked from her seat across the table where she was working on a map and had been for the last several minutes before everyone showed up.
"He won't tell me and he has also been disappearing into the medical bay at least one day a week and doesn't come out for at least ten to twenty minutes. Do you think he's dying?!" Usopp yelled.
"That marimo head wouldn't die even if he came down with every disease in the world," scoffed a smoking Sanji. "Would you ladies like a parfait?" he swooned over to the ladies with hearts in his eyes when he asked.
"Later cook-san." Robin replied.
"Maybe Zoro-bro is making training records with the tone dials and is letting Chopper-bro listen to them for medical research on how he's so fit?" Franky questioned.
"It's nothing as serious as an illness," Robin replied, "nor is it your guess shipwright-san."
"How do you know Robin?" Luffy piped up.
Brook who had been leaning against the wall at forty-five degrees had stood and walked over to the table where he spoke up for the first time, "I know as well yo-ho-ho and I helped him out when he came and asked me for a favor."
"Well tell us what's going on," Usopp cried, "my swordsman's-acting-strange disease is acting up!"
"Calm down Usopp," Nami huffed, "we'll just go and check it out later tonight and find out ourselves what he's up to."
After everyone agreed to meet up by the door to the medical bay that night everyone when off to do their own thing. Nami got some sun while Robin read a book and Sanji made the ladies snacks while fending off their stretchy captain. Chopper came out of the med bay and goofed off with Luffy and Usopp for a while. Franky and Brook worked on a new mystery song together about strange happenings on a ship and Zoro as always was busy working out the day away.
That night they followed after Zoro (who got lost several times before reaching his correct destination) to the medical bay where he let himself in and shut the door after himself. The crew outside the door crammed themselves up against the door where they laid their heads to try to hear what was going on inside. Robin and Brook knew what was going on so they just leaned against the wall to watch their silly crews reaction to what was to come.
Inside of the room Zoro made his way over to the bed Chopper used for sleep and sat down in the seat next to it while setting his newest tone dial on the side table. Chopper was already sitting in bed and had just pulled his covers up while getting comfortable.
Chopper shyly looked towards the swordsman and said, "Thanks for doing this Zoro. I know this isn't normally your thing."
"No problem Chopper," Zoro grumbled out in his deep voice, "you are our ships doctor and we need you to be well rested."
"Don't worry about me you big jerk that doesn't make me happy!" Now most would be thinking it looked a little strange as Chopper had a smile on his face and was dancing around in the bed.
The crew outside who was used to this reaction were all thinking at the exact same time "He sounds pretty happy to me."
Zoro turned to Chopper and asked after sighing at his response, "Which one would you like to hear tonight?"
"A slow song please," He said in a half way high pitch, "you pick."
"Alright then," Zoro replied, "I asked Brook to teach me some new ones and I liked this one best."
Outside the door the crew turned to look at Brook then each other and started talking in quiet whispers about the news.
"H-he can sing?" Nami said.
Brook replied, "I teach him new songs each week. He is a very focused student and could sing before he asked if I would teach him a wider variety of music. I did not find out until later why he was doing it."
"He has been singing to Chopper and recording his music on the tone dial for Chopper to keep and listen to when he is not available to be there himself." Robin said, after scolding Sanji for making the comment that the reason Zoro wouldn't be available would be because of injury, told them to just hush and listen.
The crew hurriedly put their ears back to the door and hoped they hadn't missed Zoro singing.
A beautiful deep voice began singing:
"Love me Tender, Love me sweet,
Never let me go. You have made my life complete,
And I love you so.
· Love me tender, love me true,
All my dreams fulfilled. For my darlin' I love you,
And I always will.
· Love me tender, Love me long,
Take me to your heart. For it's there that I belong,
And we'll never part.
· Love me tender, Love me dear,
Tell me you are mine. I'll be yours through all the years,
Till the end of time.
· (When at last my dreams come true
Darling this I know
Happiness will follow you
Everywhere you go)
The crew was floored. Zoro was a great singer and he sang for Chopper to help him get to sleep! Franky had a flood of tears falling from his eyes and Nami seemed to have some as well. Usopp had his jaw on the floor and Luffy had a goofy grin on his face. Sanji had a serious look on his face but on the inside he had a goofy grin of his own that his rival could do something so mushy.
Robin and Brook rounded everyone up and shooed them to bed and told them they could talk more about it after breakfast while Zoro was busy with his morning workout and Chopper was making medicines in the medical bay.
The next morning everyone was sitting and talking after Zoro and Chopper were gone for a bit. "I still can't believe the moss head can sing," Sanji said with a little smirk.
"Not only that but sing well," Nami added.
"He made me feel so Zoro-bro!" Franky said with tears back in his eyes just from thinking about it.
"Our swordsman-san has many hidden talents," Robin replied with a serious look then it melted into a smile as she said, "And he is helping out our doctor-san so he can sleep well and take care of us."
Luffy who had been quiet till that moment started bouncing up and down on his feet and added "I want Zoro to sing for me too! I'll go ask him if he will!"
When the crew understood what he was saying and saw him take off Robin's arms shot out to grab him, Franky tackled him, Usopp started sputtering in fear, and Sanji tripped him up. Nami was staring at Luffy like he was an idiot and wacked him on the back of the head.
"Idiot! Do you know what he would do to us if you did that?"
"Yeah," yelled Usopp. "Are you crazy? You can't let him know we heard him or he'll kill us!"
"Who will kill you?" Zoro asked with a quizzical expression as he walked into the galley after having finished his workout. As he headed to the frig to grab a drink he stretched and looked to his guilty looking nakama.
"Nobody and none of your business marimo!" hissed Sanji.
"Fine," Zoro grunted, "what's with him?"
Robin being the most courageous of them spoke up first, "They know kenshi-san."
"Bout what?"
Brook told him outright, "About the singing you've learned from me and that you help Chopper sleep by singing for him."
It occurred to Zoro that this is the worst thing to have some crew members be aware of. Nami with her blackmail for more money and Sanji for his being a curly-browed jerk that would poke fun and they would end up in a fight. So he decided to be proactive and scare the living heck out of his crew.
He took off his bandana from his arm and tied it around his head. Then he looked at them with the eyes of a man looking at enemies instead of friends and in his most dangerous tone of voice with no relation to his singing voice said "YOU SAW NOTHING!" Took off his bandana and walked away to go back to working out after the frustration of them finding out about his talent.
His crew after sweat dropping in fear decided never to mention any of this again and started trying to wake Usopp who had passed out at Zoro's look and was foaming at the mouth.
Luffy the more stubborn and fool-hardy captain of the crew had decided however that he would not stop trying to get Zoro to sing for him and maybe he would even become comfortable enough to share with the crew. If only because Zoro would then be his first mate the singing swordsman even though they already have a musician and that's just COOL!
The End
