Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or its characters.
Insecurity
written by Leiyoi
A story birthed from one of Sanji's fights in a kitchen against a ramen chef.
"Ouu! So goooood!" A young boy's voice yelled out from the kitchen. "Sanji's so good at cooking! Can I play with your knives, too?"
"What the hell are you doing, bastard?!" Another deeper voice shouted in fury. "Get out of my kitchen, dammit!" And with a slam! a boy wearing a straw hat flew out of a cabin door, landing in front of a green-haired swordsman loudly.
Zoro opened his eyes, staring at the boy in front of him. "Oi, when will you learn to stay out of the kitchen?"
Luffy grinned, placing the hat that had been knocked during his flight over the deck on his head again. "I just want to try doing some things that everyone else does! You should too. You can learn more! It's really fun!"
The green-haired swordsman only snorted and closed his eyes again. "Whatever." Zoro heard his captain giggle happily before scampering off to the other side of the deck. Steadily, the swordsman started to fall back into a deep sleep.
The deck was heavily covered in mist and the Thousand Sunny was covered all over by mold. Zoro sat up straight, staring at the vast deck. There was no sound at all. Not even the sound of the waves lapping against the ship.
"What the hell happened?!" He stood up quickly, sensing someone coming from the mist. His hands leapt to the hilt of his swords. "Who's there?" He growled, his thumb flicking out Wadou Ichimonji, ready to draw. Seven figures crept towards him from the mist. He blinked once, recognizing his nakama standing in front of him. "Oh, it's just you guys. What's going on?" He let go of his swords and relaxed, watching them creep closer to him. Zoro stared at his captain in confusion, standing in the middle of the line of seven, and in return, the swordsman received a look of disgust from the boy. The green-haired man took a step back, overwhelmed by the sudden look of disgust directed at him. "Luffy? What the hell is with that look? What happened?"
The boy scoffed, staring down at him. "Zoro can't do anything to take care of the ship. All he does is just train and sleep."
"What the hell?!" The swordsman stared at Luffy in shock.
"He can't cook." Sanji grinned maliciously.
"You bastard…!" Zoro glared at the cook angrily. "So what?!"
"He can't navigate at all." Nami scoffed at the swordsman. Zoro threw his glare at her.
"I know that!"
"He can't even heal anyone." Chopper growled. Zoro stared at the reindeer in shock.
"He can't aim well or lie." Ussop almost spat out at the swordsman.
"And he can't even fix the ship." Franky crossed his arms and stared coolly at Zoro. Robin frowned at him and turned away, deciding not to look at him.
"What?! What the hell is all this?!" The green-haired man shouted at them angrily. "I can fight!"
"Ha! You're useless." Luffy laughed mockingly at Zoro. The swordsman stared at his captain in surprise and took a step back. "He's weak." The voice seemed to morph and change into a younger girl's voice.
"You're weak, Zoro."
Zoro sat upright, eyes wide open and panting slightly. The words echoed in his heads loudly, pounding in his mind. Beads of cold sweat ran down his forehead. He looked at his surroundings nervously and his muscles tensed, hands flying towards his swords. But the sky was blue and calm and the sun was bearing down brightly upon the Thousand Sunny. The deck was clean and the light seemed to bounce off of the ship merrily. Zoro sighed in relief.
"Just a dream…" He found his captain lying around peacefully near the top of the lion head on the front of the ship and he remembered Luffy's words earlier.
"I just want to try doing some things that everyone else does! You should too. You can learn more!"
Zoro's eyes narrowed slightly. Did Luffy mean to tell him that being a swordsman wasn't enough? That he should learn more that just swordsmanship?
He shook his green head, trying to rid himself of the thought. Luffy isn't that kind of guy… Zoro stared at the boy lying down carelessly at the front of the ship. But still…it wouldn't hurt to try other things…would it? The swordsman frowned, standing up and tying his three swords to his green haramaki.
He glanced around the deck and then walked casually over to the cabin door Luffy had been kicked out of a few hours ago. The swordsman opened the door and stepped inside wondering if Sanji was still working. No one in sight. Zoro smirked and closed the door quietly behind him. I'll try cooking first… He shrugged to himself. Maybe he had great skill in cooking and he just didn't know it because he never tried. The swordsman scanned over the kitchen, looking for anything edible. He opened the refrigerator lazily and picked at the inside randomly, setting the food on the counter near the stove. Zoro stared at the ingredients he had gathered. Hmm…apples, lemons, meat, onions, tomatoes, eggs…how do you cook those? He stared at the ingredients blankly, trying to remember how he had seen the shitty cook prepare food. He cuts them up and stirs them in a frying pan…hmm… The swordsman stared at the ingredients with a raised eyebrow. Che…Cooking doesn't seem that hard. I can cut stuff up and stir it in a pan just as well as that bastard can.
Zoro picked two knives that looked nice to use and readied a frying pan on the stove. Then, tossing the food through the air, he started to stand in a familiar stance, holding the two knives out.
"Nitouryuu…" The swordsman started, staring dangerously at the food soaring through the air. And he jumped at the food, slicing through all of them cleanly. The apples and lemons fell into the frying pan on the stove in pieces, seeds and all. The meat fell on top of the fruit in lumps and the onions came down sliced cleanly in half. Then, the tomatoes, the juice barely dripping out, flopped into the pan and the eggs crashed into the entire mix, sending shells and yolk splashing all over the pan.
Zoro landed in a crouch and grinned, putting the knives back where they had been. Then, he finally turned to admire his work.
"Now I just need to turn on the stove and then stir…" He nodded calmly, as if having egg shells and apple seeds in a meal were the most normal thing in the world.
Luffy sighed, staring at the clouds overhead. "Ah…It's nice today…wish lunch could come sooner…" He sighed again. Suddenly, a nice smell wafted through the air. The boy sniffed and sat up quickly, following the smell to the kitchen. "LUNCH!" He nearly screamed in glee, racing towards the cabin door leading to the kitchen. Luffy ran in and found his first mate standing casually around the stove, one arm above his hip, resting on his swords, and the other stirring the food in the frying pan slowly. "Eh?! Zoro? You can cook?!"
The green-haired man stared at his captain blankly before looking off to the side in embarrassment. "Well, no…but…"
"That's so cool! Let me try some! I want to eat Zoro's food!" Luffy leapt over to the swordsman, his mouth watering at the sight of the lumps of meat in the frying pan.
"What the hell are you two doing in my kitchen?!"
The two boys turned to stare at the blonde man who had stormed into the cabin.
"Zoro's cooking!" Luffy grinned, snagging a handful of the food from the pan and stuffing it into his mouth. "It's delicious!"
"OI! I'm not done with it!" Zoro yelled at his captain angrily. "Don't just grab it with your bare hands!"
Sanji raised one of his curly eyebrows in surprise. "What the hell? The marimo can cook?" He stared at the pan in the swordsman's hands and studied the kitchen cautiously. The cook's eyes almost popped from his eyes in horror. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! How long have you left the refrigerator open?! And you didn't even clean off the knives after using them! And…and…" The blonde stomped over to Zoro, pulling the frying pan away from him. "GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN, BASTARDS!" And with that, the two were harshly kicked out.
"Damn curly eyebrows…I wasn't even done yet." The green-haired swordsman ran a hand through his hair in frustration. His captain, who had been kicked out along with him, laughed loudly at his first mate.
"That was funny! You were cooking!" Luffy wiped away tears that were starting to form at the corners of his eyes. "Zoro! You were cooking! You're so funny!"
The swordsman growled and stood up, leaving Luffy to laugh by himself. Zoro's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as the laughter seemed to escalate as he left. Laugh all you want, Luffy. I'm not useless! I want to know what else I can do other than fighting and training…He stomped off, looking for Nami.
Luffy stopped in his laughing and stared at the corner the green-haired man had disappeared around. "Zoro…?"
An orange-haired woman sighed blissfully, studying the newspaper that had been delivered a few moments ago. She picked up her drink Sanji had brought her and sipped on it daintily, smiling at the taste.
"Mmm. It's delicious." Nami nodded, putting it back down on the small table set next to her. She was about to bring up the newspaper to read again when she noticed Zoro standing in front of her, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. Hm? What's up with him? He looks annoyed…and that must mean…he's about to ask me a favor? She gave him a smirk that seemed to make him flinch slightly and one of his eyebrows started to twitch furiously. Chance! Nami cackled in her mind.
"Yes?" The orange-haired woman gave him an elegant smile. Zoro scratched his head and tried to feign a look of indifference.
"Can I borrow the Log Post for a while?"
Nami stared at him in silence. Zoro stared out at the ocean uneasily, wondering if she was considering giving him a chance at using the Log Post. She gave him a pointed look and whipped out her newspaper, deciding to ignore the green-haired man.
"OI! Don't ignore someone who's asking you a question?!" The swordsman yelled angrily after seeing her reaction.
Nami stared at him from the top of her newspaper. "Oh, you weren't kidding?"
"LIKE HELL!"
She stared at him and one of her lips quirked upwards, "You must be kidding. With your sense of direction?" The girl stifled a laugh.
Zoro growled and stalked off, mumbling under his breath. "Che, I don't really want to learn how to navigate anyway."
The orange-haired girl watched him leave before bursting out in laughter. What happened to Zoro today?! She thought to herself, trying to control her laughter.
The green-haired man's ears heated up as he heard her laughter and he cursed to himself, arriving again at the front of the ship where Luffy was still sitting. The boy wearing a straw hat stared curiously at him.
"Zoro?"
"What?!" The swordsman snapped.
"What are you doing?" Luffy tilted his head to the side.
"None of your business!"
"Zoro, you were cooking. And you just went to Nami to borrow the Log Post…"
The green-haired swordsman glared at him. The messy black-haired boy merely stared back at him in confusion until the swordsman turned away abruptly, walking off in a different direction. Luffy's eyes followed Zoro in interest around another corner of the ship. The boy grinned and stood up, sneaking after the swordsman. What are you doing, Zoro?
Zoro went down the stairs of the ship and into the rooms of the ship under the main deck.
"Now where the hell is he?" He picked a room to his right and walked in, finding Chopper working hard on grinding some kind of purple looking powder. Not the one I was looking for but… The swordsman knocked on the door casually. "Oi, Chopper. Can I come in?"
"Eh? Zoro!" The reindeer gave him a smile. "Sure, what is it, Zoro?"
The swordsman stepped in and closed the door behind him, making the reindeer start to sweat nervously, wondering what the man would want with him.
Luffy crept along the wall of the ship, tracing Zoro's footsteps down into the rooms below deck. He found the green-haired man slip into Chopper's room and close the door behind him. What? What? What's Zoro doing? He scurried over, placing an ear against the door to try to hear what was going on inside.
"Can you tell me how you make medicine?"
Luffy blinked. What? Zoro wants to know how to make medicine?
"Eh?!" Chopper stared at him with wide eyes. "Why do you suddenly want to know?"
Zoro shrugged and continued to stare at the little reindeer seriously. Chopper gave the swordsman an awkward smile. "Eh…sure, if you want…"
The swordsman nodded and moved to sit next to the doctor, watching the mixing bowl intently. Outside, the boy wearing a straw-hat covered his mouth, stopping his small giggles, so that he wouldn't give away the fact that he had been spying on his first mate.
"And then you take this plant and grind it in here so that the medicine can also numb the pain of the patient while the herb we just grinded before will start to take effect…" The reindeer rolled his pestle over the plant until it turned into powder. "There, next we…" Chopper blinked, hearing no response from the swordsman sitting next to him. He turned to stare at Zoro whose eyes were struggling to stay open.
"Yeah…go on, Chopper. I'm listening." The man said grumpily, trying to stifle a yawn. He rubbed the tears away from his eyes hastily.
The little doctor stared at the swordsman with concern. "Zoro, you don't have to force yourself to stay awake. I know that you usually sleep at this time so why don't you go rest?"
The green-haired swordsman squinted at the reindeer, trying to force his eyes open. Dammit! It's only been a few minutes! It's because of that stupid nightmare…I didn't get enough sleep, dammit!
"Zoro…just go and sleep. It's all right. You've been training vigorously day after day. It's only normal for you to feel so tired."
"No, that's all I do. Sleep." The swordsman shook his head. "I want to try to do something else with my time today."
Luffy—who was sitting against the door, half-asleep—sat up quickly, ears perking up after hearing what the green-haired man had said.
Chopper stared at the sleepy man in concern. "Zoro, your body knows what is best for itself so when you need to sleep, go to sleep. Come on, I'm not going to work anymore. As a doctor, I'm going to make sure you get the sleep you need!"
The swordsman groaned angrily and reluctantly stood up heading towards the door before the reindeer could help him. "Che, I can go myself. Sorry, I bothered you…"
Luffy scrambled to his feet, hiding away in a room across the hall.
"Hm?" Zoro blinked as he stepped out into the hall. He was sure he had heard a door nearby close shut. The swordsman shrugged. It was probably nothing important. "Whatever. Looks like making medicine's not for me. Now where's Usopp's room…?" He checked the next room and found the long-nosed boy tinkering with a few tools and another one of his gadgets.
"Usopp, can I borrow your slingshot?"
"Oh? Zoro!" The boy set his things down quickly and stared at the swordsman standing at the doorway in surprise. "Why are you in my room?!"
"Can I borrow your slingshot?"
Usopp raised an eyebrow in confusion and stepped closer to Zoro. He eyed the swordsman curiously, as if he were inspecting the man for fleas. "Why do you need it?"
"For practice." Zoro said simply.
"You're going to cut up my slingshot?!" Usopp leapt back and held onto his weapon as if it were his lifeline.
"No!" The swordsman frowned. "I want to practice aiming and shooting."
"Eh?" The long-nosed boy stared at him as if he were looking at an idiot. "You're joking, right?"
"I'M NOT! JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING TO SHOOT WITH!"
Usopp let out a shriek of fear and dug around in his bag for an extra slingshot. "Okay! I'm getting it! I'm getting it!" He tossed the weapon at Zoro and crossed his arms over his chest. "But, I'm curious. Why do you suddenly want to practice aiming and shooting? Don't you want to train with your swords?"
The swordsman caught the slingshot and rolled it around in his hands, trying to get used to the feel of the weapon. "Yeah…I will." His voice suddenly filled with curiosity as he flipped the slingshot around in his hands. "But I wanted to try something new for a while…Thanks, Usopp."
The boy stared at Zoro for a moment before grinning and wiping the bottom of his nose with his index finger. "No problem! You can always count on Captaaaaain Usopp! Oh, and you'll probably need something to shoot with. Here, just try normal pebbles first." Usopp passed a handful of rocks to the swordsman. "Have fun!"
Zoro scowled at the boy's last comment but he still took the pebbles before leaving the room and pulling the door to Usopp's room shut. He stared at the items in his hands and the scowl on his face was replaced with a small smile. Well…this was new…
Luffy peeked out from his doorway, staring at his first mate. The boy with a straw hat watched as Zoro stared at the slingshot with a sort of newfound curiosity and the boy could only grin.
The green-haired swordsman entered his room and set a cup on top of his bed. Then, stepping a few meters away from the cup, he squatted down and dropped the handful of pebbles on the ground. Zoro held up the slingshot in front of him as he had seen Usopp do so many times before. Picking up a stone, he carefully slid it into the rubber band and pulled it back slowly, aiming at the cup on the bed.
Luffy slid over to the door of Zoro's room and pressed an ear against the wood to listen better.
"Shit. Too far." The straw hat boy heard his first mate grumble and pick up another stone. Luffy smiled softly, listening to Zoro fail time and time again. Minutes passed by and still the green-haired man aimed and shot at the cup on the bed. "Damn, almost hit it this time. I just need more practice." The captain outside the room pulled his hat over his eyes and sat his back against the door of the swordsman's room.
"Hah…hah…" The green-haired man panted slightly, watching the clear glass cup sit on the bed, glinting at him mockingly. How long had it been since he had started? An hour? Two hours?
You're useless. The words from the Luffy in his dream came ringing back at him. Zoro clenched the miniature weapon in his hands and aimed at the glass cup again, pulling back the rubber band harshly. It snapped in two. "Shit! I can't even do something like this!" The swordsman glared at the slingshot and threw it at the bed.
Suddenly, a knock came from his door and the green-haired man nearly slipped backwards in surprise. Zoro eyed the door nervously and tucked the pebbles scattered around the room and the broken slingshot under his bed. He quickly grabbed the cup on the bed and set it back on a nearby table.
"Who is it?" He grunted out, trying to act as if he weren't just practicing with a slingshot.
"It's me!"
Zoro stared at the door, recognizing the voice of his captain. That's odd. Luffy usually just bursts in. He never knocks.
"Come in." The swordsman grunted and watched in suspicion as the boy came in. Luffy seemed to be wearing a knowing smile across his face which only caused Zoro to stare more suspiciously at him. "What is it, Luffy?"
"Neehee. Zoro is so funny!" The boy grinned, sitting down on the swordsman's bed. Zoro raised an eyebrow.
"And why is that?"
"Because Zoro is trying out all of these different things today! First, cooking. Then, navigation. And, making medicine. And now, he's trying to be a sharpshooter!"
The green-haired man blinked in shock. How the hell did the kid know?! But the initial shock slowly turned into anger as Zoro remembered the sound of the door closing. "Luffy…?" he said warningly. "Did you spy on me?"
"Mm!" The boy answered affirmative immediately.
"Why the hell did you do that?!" Zoro glared at Luffy but the boy didn't flinch at all. He merely smiled.
"Because I was wondering what was wrong. Usually Zoro sits on deck training or sleeping but today he started doing things that other people usually do. Zoro is funny!"
The swordsman's glare intensified and he crossed his arms across his chest angrily. "Why do you keep saying that?!"
"Because Zoro is Zoro. But suddenly, he's trying to be other people, too!"
The swordsman averted his eyes from his captain after hearing the boy's words. "Well, I wanted to try something different so that I could do more than just fighting, training, and sleeping."
Luffy smiled and flung himself at Zoro to give him a strong hug around the waist. The man's eyes widened in surprise, not knowing what to do at the sudden burst of affection he was receiving from his captain. "That's why I think Zoro is so funny! Because I like Zoro just as he is and he doesn't have to go be someone else."
"But you said…!" Zoro stared at the boy who had latched himself around his waist. Luffy looked up at the green-haired swordsman and grinned. Zoro sighed and gave the boy a grin. "Whatever you want, Captain. I'm feeling sleepy anyway."
The boy with a straw hat let go of his swordsman and jumped out of the room and into the hall. "Yeah! Let's go back up!" Zoro smiled fondly and ruffled his captain's hair playfully before following after him to the deck.
END.